It's a beautiful fall morning and my voice has gone still. While the weather outside is delightful, I am, well, I am wordless. Am I quiet after spending a day shouting "Happy Constitution Day" yesterday, or am I just plain stuck?
I have to write a paper to try and prove that my beloved ancestor is who I think he is. All was well in the world until someone tried to use my dearly departed's information as their own. To be fair, the imposter descendant of my beloved didn't realize that she was only a cousin to my ancestor. You think she would have noticed that the odds of him serving in the American Revolution in Connecticut while living in New Jersey was a stretch. However, in this great world of folks just cutting, pasting and claiming on the internet, my ancestor is now torn in his roots.
I know who he was. I have followed the evidence. Now I have to prove it as best I can.
To try and accomplish this, I had to learn how to find all evidence from the Revolutionary War time that exists in New Jersey. That in itself was enlightening. After spending a few weeks digging through the web, I also sent off to New Jersey for other information which is not currently found online. Ah, ha. I am now thoroughly convinced I have my man. His was the only family name living in that county at the time, and we have successfully been able to follow the lines from there with primary evidence or very sound secondary evidence. All except for one generation, but that generation is not the one for which I am trying to prove at the moment.
There is a ton of secondary information to be found and now, I have to try and make sense of it all in writing for a genealogist to review. I have the sources, the websites, the history book pages, the oaths of allegiance for his dad and uncle, payroll information from the state of NJ for the American Revolution, etc. I just don't have the date of death, although I know where he was living when he died. I don't have his final resting place, although one source would lead me to believe it could be in the same family location as his older brother who still has a headstone back in that one county where they were the only family name living there. Why, oh why, didn't he have the wisdom to apply for a pension so I could find the definitive proof?
What I don't have are the words to put it all down in an understandable format. What I don't have is a thorough understanding of how to write a genealogical proof standard.
Many of the elements found in the GPS are now in my possession. I performed a reasonably exhaustive search, found the citations, resolved the conflict of evidence and arrived at a soundly reasoned conclusion. I just can't seem to get it down on paper. It is still swirling around in my head.
Perhaps the first step is just what I have done now. Put my frustrations down on paper- will that be enough to eliminate this wordless Wednesday? Words. I need words.
Ahh, genealogy. How much indirect evidence can I use? It's clear as mud.
©AS Eldredge 2013
Ahhh, genealogy. A glimpse of the past shows of what I am made.....
Showing posts with label pension. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pension. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
Madness Monday: Here a Marriage, There a Marriage
Looking for ancestors using the census can be frustrating. Then again, it can also be entertaining when the hunt is on.
I knew of the name George W CALDWELL, Jr, from the 1870 census detailing the family members of my 2g-grandpa, George W CALDWELL, Sr. Jr is found again in later census records. Only, the later entries can make my eyebrow rise. How so?
The 1900 census (which was taken June 2) shows Jr living with his dad in a boarding house in Pittsburgh. Of interest is the note Jr is divorced. I have yet to find a divorce record for Jr.
What has been uncovered is legal documentation which has made life entertaining as I try to decipher what was really going on in Jr's life. Let's look at the sequence of the documentation:
1- Dec 27, 1900
There is a marriage found in Mahoning Co, OH, for George W CALDWELL Jr and Emma BAKER. The groom's parents are the ones I expect to find. The bride's parents are James BAKER and Emma SAFFIEL.
2- 1904 Pension Papers for Daddy
George W CALDWELL, Sr, is living with Jr in Johnstown, Cambria, PA, when his pension file for the Civil War is updated. Listed in the pension file are the names of daddy's children, all as expected. The surprise is that all children are listed as married. So, was Jr married at this time? Added to this is the knowledge that one child appears to have died in a 1903 accident.
3- Mar 7, 1905
There is a marriage record found in Clinton Co, PA, for George W CALDWELL Jr and Jennie GILLESPIE. On the record is the notation that his first wife died in 1899. Hmmm, really?
The details from the 1910 to 1940 census records flow along with the earlier documented information. There is a son born abt 1908 who is named George G CALDWELL. I suspect the middle name would be GILLESPIE, although I find no definitive trace of the child after the 1910 census. Of course, I will now be interested to see how long it takes for other researchers of the family to incorporate this name without finding supporting evidence of their own.
Now, the head scratching begins as I wonder who the first wife was that died in 1899 and the final whereabouts of the wife from 1900 and the one from 1905. How maddening it all is!
Ahhh, genealogy. Two marriages are documented. The census would indicate a divorce before 1900. The son disappears. No graves found for any of the group yet. Will the real story please stand up?
©2013 AS Eldredge
I knew of the name George W CALDWELL, Jr, from the 1870 census detailing the family members of my 2g-grandpa, George W CALDWELL, Sr. Jr is found again in later census records. Only, the later entries can make my eyebrow rise. How so?
The 1900 census (which was taken June 2) shows Jr living with his dad in a boarding house in Pittsburgh. Of interest is the note Jr is divorced. I have yet to find a divorce record for Jr.
What has been uncovered is legal documentation which has made life entertaining as I try to decipher what was really going on in Jr's life. Let's look at the sequence of the documentation:
1- Dec 27, 1900
There is a marriage found in Mahoning Co, OH, for George W CALDWELL Jr and Emma BAKER. The groom's parents are the ones I expect to find. The bride's parents are James BAKER and Emma SAFFIEL.
2- 1904 Pension Papers for Daddy
George W CALDWELL, Sr, is living with Jr in Johnstown, Cambria, PA, when his pension file for the Civil War is updated. Listed in the pension file are the names of daddy's children, all as expected. The surprise is that all children are listed as married. So, was Jr married at this time? Added to this is the knowledge that one child appears to have died in a 1903 accident.
3- Mar 7, 1905
There is a marriage record found in Clinton Co, PA, for George W CALDWELL Jr and Jennie GILLESPIE. On the record is the notation that his first wife died in 1899. Hmmm, really?
The details from the 1910 to 1940 census records flow along with the earlier documented information. There is a son born abt 1908 who is named George G CALDWELL. I suspect the middle name would be GILLESPIE, although I find no definitive trace of the child after the 1910 census. Of course, I will now be interested to see how long it takes for other researchers of the family to incorporate this name without finding supporting evidence of their own.
Now, the head scratching begins as I wonder who the first wife was that died in 1899 and the final whereabouts of the wife from 1900 and the one from 1905. How maddening it all is!
Ahhh, genealogy. Two marriages are documented. The census would indicate a divorce before 1900. The son disappears. No graves found for any of the group yet. Will the real story please stand up?
©2013 AS Eldredge
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Southern American Revolution Patriots Pension Online Transcriptions
While reading the daily EOGN which is delivered to my inbox every day, I stumbled across a post on Revolutionary War Southern Campaign Pension Application Transcriptions Online. How cool is this?
After reading the posted American Revolution pension application for one Dan Alexander, I thought I'd wander over to the site, http://southerncampaign.org/pen/ , and see if I could locate a pension file from my maternal side.
Bingo! There it was! And, I'm excited to report this one pension contains the death date and the marriage date! So here 'tis just in case you share my maternal blood.
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters
Pension application of John Poston W26923 Rebecca fn30NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 9/17/09
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber—besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber.]
[fn p. 3 family record]
Peggy was Born the 9th day of February in the year 1782
Rebekah was born the 31st day May in the year 1783
Jenny was born the 17th day of October in the year 1785
Elizabeth was born the 30th day of January in the year 1786
Salley was born the 15 day of January in the year 1888 [sic]
Robert Postion [sic] was born the 28th of December in the year 1889 [sic]
Polley was born the 30th day of August in the year 1890 [sic]
Jno A. B. Poston was born the 7th day of November in the year 1894 [sic]
Nancy Poston was born the 9th day of April in the year 1897 [sic]
Send the Poston was born the 6th day of March in the year 1801
John Poston Senior departed this life August 22nd Day 1819
William Poston was born in the year of our Lord August 14th Day 1809
[fn p. 8] State of North Carolina Buncombe County
On this 4th day of July 1845 Personally appeared before the Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions in and for the County aforesaid Rebecca Poston a Resident of North Carolina in the County of Buncombe aged seventy-nine years, Who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838, entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to certain Widows -- That she is the widow of John Poston who was a Private in the Army of the Revolution And who entered the service of the United States as a Drafted Soldier sometime in the year 1779 or 80 in the County of Roan [sic, Rowan], North Carolina and served out 13 months tour: soon after which he again volunteered or was drafted & entered the service of the United States in which he remained as she has often heard him say, until after the surrender of Cornwallis at which time he was present and saw Cornwallis surrender his sword to (she thinks) General Lincoln, the names of the Captains under which he mustered she does not Recollect: She however recollects to have heard him say that he was commanded by Generals McDowell and Davidson. She further Recollects that he was in the Battle at the Cowpens. She further declares that she was married to the said John Poston on the 25th day of April in the year 1782. That her said Husband the aforesaid John Poston Died on the 22nd day of August 1819, that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January 1794 (viz.) at the time above stated.
She further states that she has no Record proof of her said marriage, but that she has a Record of the ages of her children and of the Death of her Husband the aforesaid John Poston. That she was married to him the said John Poston at the time aforesaid in the County of Lincoln in the State of North Carolina. That she never has since been Death of her said husband again married. But that she still remains the widow of the said John Poston -- the Record of the ages of her children & of the death of her said Husband are here with remitted.
S/ Rebecca Poston, X her mark Sworn to and subscribed in Open Court on the day and date above written.
S/ N. Harrison, Clerk of the Buncombe County Court
[fn p. 11: On December 30, 1851 in Buncombe County North Carolina, Charles McFee, the administrator of the estate of Rebecca Poston filed a claim for pension due her as the widow of John Poston; in this application the affiant states that John Poston served in a company commanded by Captain John Work; that John Poston married Rebecca Balldridge in Iredell County, date unknown but prior to January one, 1794; that John Poston died August 22nd, 1819 survived by Rebecca Poston, his widow and the following children now living: Mary Davis, Jane Bryson, Rebeco [Rebecca] Bryson, Nancy Nicholas, Lusindia [Lucinda] Stines, Ruthy Smith & Robert Poston.]
[fn p.15: bond taken out by John Poston, Junior and John Poston, Senior, of Rowan County North Carolina dated April 24, 1782 to secure the marriage of John Poston to Rebecca Baldridge of Lincoln County.]
[fn p. 20: certificate dated September 30th 1851 issued by the North Carolina Comptroller's Office showing payments made to John Poston for services in the revolution including service under Captain John Work in January 1776 for 32 days in an expedition to Moore's Creek.]
My mom used to tell me that her kin had fought under General Francis Marion, and I've been itching to document that tidbit.
I looked around at some of the other surnames from my maternal side and checked them out as well. While it is possible a couple of them could be related somehow, there are others I could immediately rule out. Guess I'll keep searching for the name Marion used in conjunction with my blood kin who had migrated to that little area of South Carolina.
Ahh, genealogy. Another day, another unexpected find.
©2011 AS Eldredge
After reading the posted American Revolution pension application for one Dan Alexander, I thought I'd wander over to the site, http://southerncampaign.org/pen/ , and see if I could locate a pension file from my maternal side.
Bingo! There it was! And, I'm excited to report this one pension contains the death date and the marriage date! So here 'tis just in case you share my maternal blood.
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters
Pension application of John Poston W26923 Rebecca fn30NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 9/17/09
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber—besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber.]
[fn p. 3 family record]
Peggy was Born the 9th day of February in the year 1782
Rebekah was born the 31st day May in the year 1783
Jenny was born the 17th day of October in the year 1785
Elizabeth was born the 30th day of January in the year 1786
Salley was born the 15 day of January in the year 1888 [sic]
Robert Postion [sic] was born the 28th of December in the year 1889 [sic]
Polley was born the 30th day of August in the year 1890 [sic]
Jno A. B. Poston was born the 7th day of November in the year 1894 [sic]
Nancy Poston was born the 9th day of April in the year 1897 [sic]
Send the Poston was born the 6th day of March in the year 1801
John Poston Senior departed this life August 22nd Day 1819
William Poston was born in the year of our Lord August 14th Day 1809
[fn p. 8] State of North Carolina Buncombe County
On this 4th day of July 1845 Personally appeared before the Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions in and for the County aforesaid Rebecca Poston a Resident of North Carolina in the County of Buncombe aged seventy-nine years, Who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838, entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to certain Widows -- That she is the widow of John Poston who was a Private in the Army of the Revolution And who entered the service of the United States as a Drafted Soldier sometime in the year 1779 or 80 in the County of Roan [sic, Rowan], North Carolina and served out 13 months tour: soon after which he again volunteered or was drafted & entered the service of the United States in which he remained as she has often heard him say, until after the surrender of Cornwallis at which time he was present and saw Cornwallis surrender his sword to (she thinks) General Lincoln, the names of the Captains under which he mustered she does not Recollect: She however recollects to have heard him say that he was commanded by Generals McDowell and Davidson. She further Recollects that he was in the Battle at the Cowpens. She further declares that she was married to the said John Poston on the 25th day of April in the year 1782. That her said Husband the aforesaid John Poston Died on the 22nd day of August 1819, that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January 1794 (viz.) at the time above stated.
She further states that she has no Record proof of her said marriage, but that she has a Record of the ages of her children and of the Death of her Husband the aforesaid John Poston. That she was married to him the said John Poston at the time aforesaid in the County of Lincoln in the State of North Carolina. That she never has since been Death of her said husband again married. But that she still remains the widow of the said John Poston -- the Record of the ages of her children & of the death of her said Husband are here with remitted.
S/ Rebecca Poston, X her mark Sworn to and subscribed in Open Court on the day and date above written.
S/ N. Harrison, Clerk of the Buncombe County Court
[fn p. 11: On December 30, 1851 in Buncombe County North Carolina, Charles McFee, the administrator of the estate of Rebecca Poston filed a claim for pension due her as the widow of John Poston; in this application the affiant states that John Poston served in a company commanded by Captain John Work; that John Poston married Rebecca Balldridge in Iredell County, date unknown but prior to January one, 1794; that John Poston died August 22nd, 1819 survived by Rebecca Poston, his widow and the following children now living: Mary Davis, Jane Bryson, Rebeco [Rebecca] Bryson, Nancy Nicholas, Lusindia [Lucinda] Stines, Ruthy Smith & Robert Poston.]
[fn p.15: bond taken out by John Poston, Junior and John Poston, Senior, of Rowan County North Carolina dated April 24, 1782 to secure the marriage of John Poston to Rebecca Baldridge of Lincoln County.]
[fn p. 20: certificate dated September 30th 1851 issued by the North Carolina Comptroller's Office showing payments made to John Poston for services in the revolution including service under Captain John Work in January 1776 for 32 days in an expedition to Moore's Creek.]
My mom used to tell me that her kin had fought under General Francis Marion, and I've been itching to document that tidbit.
I looked around at some of the other surnames from my maternal side and checked them out as well. While it is possible a couple of them could be related somehow, there are others I could immediately rule out. Guess I'll keep searching for the name Marion used in conjunction with my blood kin who had migrated to that little area of South Carolina.
Ahh, genealogy. Another day, another unexpected find.
©2011 AS Eldredge
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
NARA Provides Life to the Dead
Last month, I finally got around to ordering the pension file for one of my Civil War gramps. It seems like I would have done this years ago since I am so deep into learning of the past and my family's role in the history of our land. Well, don't judge me quite so fast on this one.
It wasn't until this year that I stumbled on the little fact that 2g granddpa George was even in the Civil War. He was born in 1834 in Pennsylvania, and was married with a growing family by 1860. For whatever reason, it just didn't occur to me that he would have been in the Civil War. I guess I thought he was too old and settled to go off and fight for the Union.
Guess I was wrong! I really hadn't been looking for him lately as I thought I had found most of what I could locate. On a whim, I decided to go back and check one of the paid sites just to see if there was anything new on several members of the family. While checking on Uncle Addison and a veteran census, I saw the name George W CALDWELL blaring off the page. What?
So, I let my fingers do some walking and found where he had been in a Home for Veterans in Dayton, Ohio. Ohio?
I just had to contact NARA and see what they had. That's a big jump for me as they had nothing on my grandfather from World War I.
Just this week, the small envelope arrived with a CD. In to the computer it went. For the next several days I poured over each and every word. Then, I had to go and research more.
Grandpa George was a volunteer in the PA 102nd Infantry Co. E. Of added interest was the fact his brother-in-law, Ben F HUNNEWELL, was also in the same unit. Anyway, he was down at Fair Oaks when he was discharged with a surgeon's certificate.
First question--- what was Fair Oaks? The Battle of Fair Oaks took place May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico Co, VA. It seems like both sides claimed victory for that battle although they both sustained fairly equal casualties. General Johnston was wounded in this battle. General McClellan is reported to have written to his wife that he was getting tired of all death and suffering of the troops on the battlefield.
Second question-- Was Grandpa George wounded in the battle? Alas, the answer to this one is no. He was moving some heavy rations, and fell on a box which caused some type of internal damage to his kidney. He was in the hospital for three weeks, and then he was discharged.
Grandpa George returned home where he spent the next 40 years or so disabled. He apparently suffered a great deal from that fall and lost the majority of his hearing during the war.
The best part of the pension papers came with the date of his marriage to his lovely bride, Mary Jane HUNNEWELL. Yes! She has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. I knew her name. Her birthdate came from a Bible in the HUNNEWELL family. Her death date is unknown. She disappears after the 1870 census. I suspect she died after the birth of a child. The big confusion with her is I have a letter from my great grandmother in which she writes to the daughter of George and Mary Jane and mentions she had just seen "your" mama. The letter is from the 1890s. Hmmm......
But wait---- there's more to be found in the pension. Grandpa George states that they had 5 children. What? I only knew of 4. More life to be found! And Grandpa George tells where a son of his has moved! And--- all of his children married.
Previously, I only knew of two of the children marrying. So, life continues in the family!
The other "aha" moment in the pension file is the naming of the preacher who married him. By coincidence, it is the same name as the man who his half sister married. Gee, I didn't know he was a preacher. I only knew he was older and died before they had any kids. The lovely widow goes on to marry again- this time a widower who lived across the street from other family members.
Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes the dead can come to life when we explore deeply enough into their lives.
©2010 AS Eldredge
It wasn't until this year that I stumbled on the little fact that 2g granddpa George was even in the Civil War. He was born in 1834 in Pennsylvania, and was married with a growing family by 1860. For whatever reason, it just didn't occur to me that he would have been in the Civil War. I guess I thought he was too old and settled to go off and fight for the Union.
Guess I was wrong! I really hadn't been looking for him lately as I thought I had found most of what I could locate. On a whim, I decided to go back and check one of the paid sites just to see if there was anything new on several members of the family. While checking on Uncle Addison and a veteran census, I saw the name George W CALDWELL blaring off the page. What?
So, I let my fingers do some walking and found where he had been in a Home for Veterans in Dayton, Ohio. Ohio?
I just had to contact NARA and see what they had. That's a big jump for me as they had nothing on my grandfather from World War I.
Just this week, the small envelope arrived with a CD. In to the computer it went. For the next several days I poured over each and every word. Then, I had to go and research more.
Grandpa George was a volunteer in the PA 102nd Infantry Co. E. Of added interest was the fact his brother-in-law, Ben F HUNNEWELL, was also in the same unit. Anyway, he was down at Fair Oaks when he was discharged with a surgeon's certificate.
First question--- what was Fair Oaks? The Battle of Fair Oaks took place May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico Co, VA. It seems like both sides claimed victory for that battle although they both sustained fairly equal casualties. General Johnston was wounded in this battle. General McClellan is reported to have written to his wife that he was getting tired of all death and suffering of the troops on the battlefield.
Second question-- Was Grandpa George wounded in the battle? Alas, the answer to this one is no. He was moving some heavy rations, and fell on a box which caused some type of internal damage to his kidney. He was in the hospital for three weeks, and then he was discharged.
Grandpa George returned home where he spent the next 40 years or so disabled. He apparently suffered a great deal from that fall and lost the majority of his hearing during the war.
The best part of the pension papers came with the date of his marriage to his lovely bride, Mary Jane HUNNEWELL. Yes! She has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. I knew her name. Her birthdate came from a Bible in the HUNNEWELL family. Her death date is unknown. She disappears after the 1870 census. I suspect she died after the birth of a child. The big confusion with her is I have a letter from my great grandmother in which she writes to the daughter of George and Mary Jane and mentions she had just seen "your" mama. The letter is from the 1890s. Hmmm......
But wait---- there's more to be found in the pension. Grandpa George states that they had 5 children. What? I only knew of 4. More life to be found! And Grandpa George tells where a son of his has moved! And--- all of his children married.
Previously, I only knew of two of the children marrying. So, life continues in the family!
The other "aha" moment in the pension file is the naming of the preacher who married him. By coincidence, it is the same name as the man who his half sister married. Gee, I didn't know he was a preacher. I only knew he was older and died before they had any kids. The lovely widow goes on to marry again- this time a widower who lived across the street from other family members.
Ahh, genealogy. Sometimes the dead can come to life when we explore deeply enough into their lives.
©2010 AS Eldredge
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