A new series by one of my favorite authors Sheila Connolly, a little mystery, a little history and a little genealogy. The heroine of the series Kate Hamilton is a hotelier in Baltimore when a childhood friend asks her to help "save" their hometown. Sheila paints a picture of a small town who's best days may be behind it unless it can be re-imagined. The old 1800 mansion the town recently acquired figures prominently in Kate's revitalization plan for the town and her life.
Best yet, my favorite character Nell Pratt and the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society from Sheila's Museum Mysteries series is called upon to help sort out some historical finds at the Henry Barton estate. Whether the treasures inside the estate will be enough to save the town only future books will tell.
Unfortunately, Kate and the police first have to solve who killed Kate's high school nemesis at the Barton estate.
Dad's Naval Academy class holds small yearly reunions at various locations around the country. This year we traveled to Cocoa Beach on Florida's east coast. The location immediately brings to mind "I Dream of Jeannie", astronaut Tony Nelson and Barbara Eden in her jeannie outfit. Like the real life astronauts of the time, Major Nelson blasted off from Kennedy Space Center. One of those real life astronauts was a member of the USNA class of 1955, so unsurprisingly a visit to the space center was a part of the reunion. In
one of those could we have timed it any better moments, the exhibition centered
on the 1968 Apollo 8 mission in which astronauts Frank F. Borman, II, James
A. Lovell, Jr. and USNA ’55 graduate William A. Anders.
I didn't like taking pictures even at xmas
Apollo 8 was the first manned mission to fly
around the moon. It was fascinating to hear the audio from that mission as an
adult while reflecting back to my memories of the time. Daddy
worked with the Air Force on their space program, so different things were
highlighted and celebrated than in most American homes. This flight is a
perfect example, my memories center on one aspect of the flight. As the crew
began their circle around the moon edging to the back side, I remember my daddy
worrying about whether everything would go right and if Bill and his buddies
would reappear and re-establish contact with NASA. Daddy worrying about
anything was not something my six year old self had experienced, so I knew
something very serious was happening. Thankfully they did navigate the
spaceship back to the light. All was right with my daddy, his friend and the
world so it was time to get back to what matters most to six year olds at that
time of year, Christmas!
Meanwhile,
there was an important mission still taking place in space. Memorializing the
aforementioned feat of flying around the moon, to once again see earth, Bill
Anders took one of the most famous pictures ever taken “earthrise”. Rather than
taking apart the framed autographed copy off my wall, this one is swiped from
the internet.
Besides the
Earthrise picture, the part of the mission most Americans remember is the
Christmas Eve transmission from the astronauts as they read from the Book of
Genesis. So in closing on this Christmas Eve 46 years later I leave you with
their transmission, wishing all a Merry Christmas.
Last week I waited impatiently for the release of
Pennsylvania death certificates on Ancestry.com. This week, I am pondering a discrepancy
between one of those death certificates and a marriage license as to who is
Sarah Ann Shelly's parents. The first clue I found was Sarah's obituary which
names her parents as Abram & Hannah Shelley. While obituaries can provide
wonderful clues they can also be filled with erroneous details and family
tales. My search then took me to investigating her marriages. The wonderful History of the Woodcock Family from 1692 to September 1, 1912 which has a family tree from my grandpa Clinton
Burket back thru Patriot ancestor Bancroft Woodcock, beginning with my immigrant ancestors Rachel Bancroft and Robert Woodcock has given me many leads. Unfortunately the information on Sarah is of limited help. It states
Milton Woodcock married Sarah A. Shelley 9 Aug 1865, but does not name her
parents.
After Milton’s death, Sarah remarried in 1886 to Isaac Steele. Here on
their marriage application, Sarah’s parents are Jacob & Anna Shelly. Only husband
to be Isaac provided the information to the clerk, so did he know his wife’s
parents?
Isaac Steele and Sarah Shelly Woodcock Marriage License
Fast forwarding to last week, I found her death certificate on
Ancestry.com. The family information was filled out her son-in-law David Burket
whom she was living with at the time of her death. He declared Sarah’s parents
were Abraham Shelley and Hannah Brown. So who really was Sarah’s parents and
where should I search from here?
Sarah's Death Certificate
8 Nov 1837 – born to _____________; parent info conflicting
9 Aug 1865 – married Milton Woodcock; Source: History of the
Woodcock family pg 34; no parents mentioned
3 Apr 1867 – daughter Elizabeth Catherine born
1 Jul 1868 – daughter Virginia born
4 Jul 1870 – son John born
1870 census – 32, living with Milton and 3 children in Holmesville,
Ohio
12 Dec 1871 – son William born
6 Feb 1872 – son William died
2 Jul 1873 – daughter Susan born
10 Feb 1875 – husband Milton Woodcock died; Source: will
names Sarah as wife; Sarah’s obit
1880 census – 43, widow, 4 of her children living with her; sharing
property with Hannah Shelly in Hopewell, PA
1886 – Married Isaac Steele Source: marriage license; parents
listed as Jacob & Anna Shelly
1900 census – 65, married, living with daughter and
son-in-law (Mock), not husband
24 Sep 1904 – husband Isaac Steele died; Source: findagrave.com
1910 census – 69, widow, living with daughter and son-in-law
(Mock)
1920 census – 84, widow, living with daughter and son-in-law
(Burket)
19 Aug 1921 – died at home of daughter and son-in-law
(Burket) Source: obit & death cert; obit lists parents listed as Abram & Hannah Shelly; info provided
by son-in-law (Burket) parents Abraham
Shelley and Hannah Brown
Anne Hutchinson was a
trailblazer. As expected of anyone who carves out a new way, her life was never
easy. She was the daughter of an English minister, well versed in the Bible and
the Church of England. After her father’s death, her spiritual journey led her to
the teachings of John Cotton. Anne felt compelled to follow her preacher to the
New World. In 1634, Anne and her family arrived in Boston where she quickly
drew the ire of John Winthrop and the Puritans that governed the Massachusetts
Bay Colony. Anne began holding gatherings in her home to discuss the
individual’s intuition as a means of reaching God and salvation, rather than
the observance of institutionalized beliefs and the precepts of ministers. Winthrop
and the Puritans accused Anne and her followers of antinomianism—the view that
God’s grace has freed the Christian from the need to observe established moral
precepts. After three years of animosity with claims and counter claims by both
groups, Anne was put on trial for her offenses. She and her followers were
banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The banished which
included, the Hutchinson family, William Coddington, John Briggs and John
Clarke fled south to Rhode Island. In Rhode Island Mrs. Hutchinson and her
friends founded the towns of Portsmouth and Newport. The group signed the
Portsmouth Compact which established a new independent colony with non-sectarian
governance. It has been called the first instrument for governing as a true
democracy. Alas, true democracy is never easy. Political strife amid the
community created a rift with some of the group settling Newport. During this
time, William Coddington, the original Governor of Portsmouth, moved to
Newport. Will Hutchinson, Anne’s husband became the new Governor of Portsmouth.
Eventually, the two groups worked out their differences and reunited.
After her husband's death and
amid threats from John Winthrop of Massachusetts taking over Rhode Island, Anne
felt compelled to move totally outside the reach of Winthrop moving further
south to the lands of the Dutch. In recounting Thomas Cornell’s trek to New
York, Henry Crapo explains, "There can be no question that he was loyal to
the distinguished exile, since after the death of her husband in 1642 he and
his family went with her to Manhattan and there again attempted to start a
settlement. It was in the autumn of 1642 that Anne Hutchinson, Thomas Cornell, John
Throckmorton, and others with their families, removed to Manhattan 'neare a
place called by seamen Hell Gate,' a designation which seemed most appropriate
to the Boston divines. Governor Winthrop was evidently interested in following
their fortunes since in 1642 he notes, 'Mr. Throckmorton and Mr. Cornell,
established with buildings, etc., in neighboring plantations under the Dutch.'
The Dutch government, in
fact, granted Thomas Cornell and his associates some thirty-five families in
all, permission to settle 'within the limits of the jurisdiction of their High
Mightinesses to reside there in peace.' In 1643, Cornell and Throckmorton
procured a survey and map of the country they had taken up which was about
eleven miles from New Amsterdam.”1
Anne Hutchinson, had a friendly
relationship with the Narragansett people in Rhode Island. When settling in New
Netherland she assumed she would establish the same type of relationship with the
Siwanoy. Anne and her followers had been friendly to Siwanoy but following
their mistreatment by the Dutch, the tribe retaliated against New Netherland
colony in a series of incidents known as Kieft's War. A tribal elder visited
with the Hutchinsons and Cornell families warning them that Chief Wampage was
planning to attack them. Thomas Cornell took the warning to heed, removing his
family from the area. Anne Hutchinson maintained her belief that she had
nothing to fear from the Siwanoy and with her family remained on their farm.“The Siwanoy warriors
stampeded into the tiny settlement above Pelham Bay, prepared to burn down
every house. The Siwanoy chief, Wampage, who had sent a warning, expected to
find no settlers present. But at one house the men in animal skins encountered
several children, young men and women, and a woman past middle age. One Siwanoy
indicated that the Hutchinsons should restrain the family's dogs. Without
apparent fear, one of the family tied up the dogs. As quickly as possible, the
Siwanoy seized and scalped Francis Hutchinson, William Collins, several
servants, the two Annes (mother and daughter), and the younger
children—William, Katherine, Mary, and Zuriel.”2
Anne Hutchinson is a key
figure in the development of religious freedom in England's American colonies.
Her legacy is one of freedom of religion, the right to free assembly and
women's rights. She has been called the
most famous, or infamous, English woman in colonial American history.
[1] Henry Howland Crapo,
Certain Comeoverers, 2 Vol. (New Bedford, Mass.: 1912), 1:235, of 235-41
[2] LaPlante, Eve (2004).
American Jezebel, the Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, the Woman who Defied
the Puritans. San Francisco: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-056233-1. Pg 237
Old Tax Assessment and Census lists are coveted by genealogists. They are a great way to mine information about our ancestors. US Censuses from 1850 to date are pretty easy to follow, all the family is listed with information of interest to the government for that particular decade. Before 1850, the information provided takes a bit more sleuthing to decipher what was collected. This is why I'm SO excited about a website I just stumbled upon Mother Bedford's Tax Assessment Returns.
First off, Mother Bedford refers to Bedford County Pennsylvania. Bedford County was once a huge mother of a county, but as time has gone by, several other counties have be formed from towns that originally were a part of Bedford. Pretty much all of my ancestral lines spent at least some time in Mother Bedford so it is particularly helpful that this site shares such useful information.
While I have been doing my genealogy for a few years, I am in no way an expert. I knew enough to collect early american tax records when I found them, but I haven't quite figured out what all the information means. Tax Assessments include names and value of property. Individuals were listed on the early tax assessment returns
in one of four categories: Resident, Freeman, Inmate, and Non-Resident. (Women rarely own property. Upon their husband's death, his property transferred to his oldest son. Occasionally you may find a Resident listing a Widow Smith., indicating there was no male to leave the property too.)
Resident: Married man who owns property and resides on property
Freeman: Single man who owns property and resides on property
Inmate: Any man who rents property he resides on
Non-Resident: Any property owner who does not reside on said property
Thank You Mother Bedford! The definition of Freeman helped me narrow down the marriage window of my 2nd great-grandparents Mary Shoenfelt & John Ritts. Taylor Twp was formed in 1856. At that time a list was published of all land owners. John Ritts is listed as a Freeman, while his father Thomas was a Resident. John therefore was married sometime after June 1856 and before September 1857. And Mother explained the inmate code! It's nice to know my ancestor wasn't a criminal. Now if I could remember which ancestor had this notation on their tax record I'd be totally psyched. Since I don't and I don't want to forget the definition when I finally find him, I've written this blog.
Genealogy bloggers tend to reserve Wednesday for stories about children who past to soon. Today I'm expanding it a bit to include a mother, Mary Burket, and her children. Life was tough in rural Pennsylvania in the late 1800s. Hopewell, Pennsylvania was primarily a farming community. Early to bed, early to rise; few of the modern day farm conveniences existed then. Families literally lived and died with the crops.
Life expectancy at that time was only about 45 years old. Unfortunately, children dying young was not uncommon. Two of Mary's siblings (Leonard & Hannah) died before she was 10 and one, Daniel, died before she was born. In 1855, John & Elizabeth Brown Burket (my 3rd great-grandparents) welcomed their 12th child into the world. According to the census in 1870 she was the only child living at home, while going to school. That census record shows at 14, she could not write. The 1880 census does not show her inability to write. Whether the question was asked or assumed, the census taker believed Mary had learned to write. Her father had by 1870 retired and had turned the farming duties over to her brother Samuel (my 2nd great-grandpa) who had set up his own house on the farmstead. In 1871, John T Burket passed away at the ripe old age of 64 after tasking Samuel to take care of mother and 15 year old sister. Mary married a local boy, Walter Cessna and they set about raising a family in Hopewell as well. August 1874 brought their first child, Elizabeth. By the 1880 census, Elizabeth had a brother and sister to keep her company. Mary and Walter had two more children who lived well into adulthood; David and Earnie May. With the joy came sorrow as well. Mary gave birth to stillborn twins 1886. The Cessna's last child, Glenn, was born on April 30, 1895. It was a difficult birth for both mother and child. Mary lingered 15 days after giving birth, before passing away on May 15th at age 39. Her son Glenn didn't live to see his 3 month birthday. Unlike today with 24/7 social media it is difficult to track the happy and joyous events in an ancestors life. I'm sure Mary had many happy events, but the recorded memories are of loss and a life cut short. Mary and her young children are buried in the Cessna Piper Road Cemetery.
My dad has had a lot of cool jobs and worked with lots of cool people. He's even worked for a legend. Today Google is honoring a computer pioneer and my dad's old boss, Admiral Grace Hopper on what would have been her 107 birthday. As many American's did, Grace Hopper joined the Navy during World War II. Unlike most American's she remained in the Navy until 1986, when she was retired for the last time as the oldest active-duty commissioned officer.The Navy wisely assigned the newly minted officer with a Phd in mathematics to the Bureau of Ships Computation Project and the results have changed our world. Techno geeks can wax on about her contributions to the 1st computer, invention of the COBOL and more. I will remember her from the stories my dad would tell.
When I complained about a bug in a program, dad asked, do you know why it's called a bug? And launched into the story of how one day his boss was working on a programming problem on a computer so big you could literally walk thru it. When a glitch occurred, workers would have to visually inspect the entire computer looking for the problem. On this particular day, the culprit was a moth stuck to a component. Grace proclaimed the problem fixed and the computer "de-bugged". The term stuck. For that matter, so did the moth. It is permanently stuck in the log book and on display at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. Dad says Admiral Hopper was a character. The thing that sticks out in his mind most is her habit of picking up an object and chucking it at an employee crying "let's play". The recipient of the object would sit down to chat with Grace. On one such chat with her, she encouraged dad to go back to school. He complied and earned his masters at night from UPenn's Wharton School. After watching this clip of Admiral Hopper schooling David Letterman, I can imagine her "let's play chats". I've met many of my dad's bosses. I wish I could have met fellow DAR sister, the dazzling daughter Grace Murray Hopper. Happy Birthday, 'mam.
For fun I googled my ancestor Bancroft Woodcock (1732-1817) and found quite the assortment of information. I had already known he was a well known silversmith in Wilmington, Delaware. As expected then many of the entries have to do with his silverware. The first entry in my search was from the State Department. This coffee pot which is on display in the John Quincy Adams Drawing Room was one of the many made by Bancroft. That however wasn't the find of the day. Quakers Robert and Rachel Bancroft came with their young family to America in 1727. My ancestor Bancroft was born in Wilmington Delaware where the family settled. The Woodcock family was a prosperous one. They owned shipyards, the Silversmith shop and various other properties in the heart of Wilmington. Bancroft owned additional property in the Pennsylvania wilderness too. Well acquainted with the problems arising from property disputes, it makes sense he would reach out to a another planning on expanding his town. In this case, Bancroft was extending an offer to help to the future President.
George Washington
Respected Friend George Washington
As I understand thou art a Lover of Regularity & Order, I take
the Freedom to sugjest to thee, (hopeing it will not offend) that from
what a person from Allexandra told me, (on seeing his & another
Street-Commissioner, laying out the Fronts of Lots, to prevent the
Masons from Incroaching on the Streets or on their neighbours) I
understand that they are not Building that Town with that Accuracy that
we are, & which we have found by Experience to be Absolutely
Necessary to prevent Contention & even Lawsuits. Our Mode is approved & admited by Rittenhous & Lukins, in Preferrence to theirs of Philadelphia. In the year 84 we were Appointed to Run our Streets over again, which
with an Instrument I Constructed & an Accromattic glass, we adjusted & Corrected the Irregularities into which the former
Commissioners had Inevitablity run, for want of such Machine, we have
now placed Stones from one to Four Hundred weight with a Hole in them in
the Center of the Intersections of the Streets, from which all Frunts
of Houses, Party Walls & Partition Fences within the Corporation are
to be Adjusted & Govern’d according to an Act of Assembly. This
Mode I would have Allexandra Addopt, & the sooner the better to
prevent Irregularities & Disputes. If my Assistance will be acceptable, I will bring my Instrument &
assist the Street Commissioners of Allexandra, for Tenn Shillings pr
Day & my Accomodations. And my Esteem’d Friend, suffer me to Request of thee, What I have
often Pourd out my Tears & put up my Supplycations to the God of my
Life for thee as for my self, when I have had to Remember thee, that as
the curtain of our Evening Closes, & (metaphorically) our shadows
Lengthens, thou & I may Dayly Experience more or less
a Well grounded Hope, that when the auful Period arrives, wh
we must forever be Seperated from all Mundine enjoyments, we may be
Admited to Join the Heavenly Hoste, in the full Fruition of that Joy,
the foretaste of which was so Delightful to the Soul, whilst in these
Houses of Clay. That this may be Favourably received is the Desire of
thy Friend
Bancroft Woodcock *
This letter totally rates as the find of the day!
* Source: “To George Washington from Bancroft Woodcock, 11 March 1786,” Founders
Online, National Archives
(http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-03-02-0518, ver.
2013-08-02). Source: The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol. 3, 19 May 1785 – 31 March 1786, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1994, pp. 596–597.
Yesterday I attended the internment of my cousin's husband at Arlington National Cemetery. This is not the first family member who has been laid to rest on this hallowed ground. My uncle (USN) joined his wife in 2010, and there is at least one other known to me.
Dad at John Armstrong's Grave
The history of Arlington itself is interesting. The mansion was originally built by the grandson of President George Washington. It became the residence of Robert E Lee after his marriage to the grandson's daughter. Arlington House as it was known, was confiscated by the Union at the outbreak of the Civil War. On June 15, 1864 Brigadier General Montgomery Meigs appropriated the property as a military cemetery. Sixteen days later Private John Armstrong died in a Washington DC hospital of gunshot wounds received in battle. He was one of the first soldiers buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Wednesday’s Child in the genealogy world is a time to
recognize our ancestors who passed far too young. Given the hard life of our
ancestors in the 18th and 19th and even the early20th
centuries there is no surprise that life spans were far shorter than they are
today. Vital records (birth/death records) weren’t officially recorded by the
government in most parts of the country until sometime during the 1900s. Before 1850 the US
census only listed the head of household, so it is easy to see why finding
information on minor children of the time is difficult. Oftentimes the only
record of their life is their headstone. So in honor of those whom much is
unknown in my own family tree, let me introduce:
Birth 1 Jun 1874 in Hopewell, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA
Death 1 Dec 1876 in Blair, Pennsylvania, USAEmanuel was the youngest of 5 children born to William Alexander Hudson and Eliza Metzger. His father died a mere 10 months after Emanuel was born. He is buried in the Mennonite Cemetery in Martinsburg, PA alongside his mum.
Catherine E Ritts – Age 1
Birth 15 Oct 1906 in Antis, Blair, Pennsylvania, USA
Death 25 Jul 1907 in Antis, Blair, Pennsylvania, USA Catherine was only the 2nd daughter born to Harry & Lizzie Ritts. The Ritts clan numbered 11 with 9 boys and my nana surviving to adulthood. Catherine's remains lie with her parents, grandpa, and a few brothers in the Antis Cemetery.
Margaret Levenia Campbell – Age 11
Birth 17 Mar 1878 in Buckner, Louisa, Virginia, USA
Death 4 Mar 1890 in Altoona, Blair, Pennsylvania, USA
Maggie C, the eleven year old daughter of Henry J and Tressie Campbell died on
Tuesday morning at 20 minutes to 2:00 of pneumonia, super induced by grip and
asthma combined. Her demise is a great blow to her parents, she being the
youngest daughter. Stevens Mortuary, Altoona, PA 1883-1910, p 31, Campbell,
Maggie d 3/4/1890 St Marys; a 11 yrs; d/o Henry & Theresa Campbell; r. 2516
Oak Ave*
* Bakers's Mansion, Altoona
Tribune, March 6, 1890, Thursday
Mr & Mrs James Armstrong
(Cristoph Embich & George Greiss decendants)
Christoph Embich and George Greiss sailed to the port of
Philadelphia on the Nancy in September of 1752. Christoph Adam Embich was 27
when he left Germany to stake his claim in America, is my 5th great
grandpa from my dad’s father’s line. Geoge Greiss (Grass) as a 12 year old
refugee came to America from Switzerland. He is my 4th great grandpa
from my dad’s mom’s line. Presumably during the long voyage and cramped living
conditions they probably met, but once arriving in Philadelphia it seems they
or their families paths did not cross again my grandparents James Armstrong and Madeline Campbell met and married
shortly after high school in 1929.
Christoph Embich a
carpenter by trade, Lutheran by faith, settled in Lancaster where he married
and had 10 children with Mary Elizabeth Kriter. Christoph fought as a Patriot
in the Revolutionary War. His descendants followed in his footsteps as
carpenters and farmers, patriots serving their country in times of war in
Pennsylvania for many generations.
George Greiss’s path is much less defined until he appears
on the 1800 census in Cambria County with his wife and 9 children. Cambria
County in the early 1800s was an untamed wilderness that the Greiss/Krise
family set out tame. Active members in the Catholic Church, they participated
in establishing the religion in Cambria County including building St Augustine
Church.
Below is an excerpt from the "Pennsylvania Germans
Pioneers” listing the men on the Nancy:
[List 186 C] At the Court House in Philadelphia, Wednesday,
ye 27 September, 1752.
Present: Joshua Maddox, Esquire. The Foreigners whose Names
are underwritten, Imported in the Ship Nancy, Captain John Ewing, from
Rotterdam and last from Cowes, did this day take and subscribe the usual
Qualifications. No. 83.
