Surname Saturday: Digging in Philadelphia's Hood

Going back and looking at old details with an open eye years later can be quite satisfying.  Just this week, someone contacted me regarding some early military commissions he has in his possession.  He just doesn't know why his family has them.  We looked together, and at the surface, I can't figure it out either.

What I can figure out is those commissions belonged to my family of old.  This sent me on a more thorough search of that side of the family.  Ah, all the new uploaded scans and information on the internet made this so much easier than it was when I first started all this some 20 years ago.

Anyway, I decided to go back and look at some of the research others have done on this one particular line.  It wasn't much, but it was enough to send me digging in the old Hood Cemetery and the old Christ Church Burial Grounds in Philadelphia.

Jacob Ashmead, Hood Cemetery, Germantown, Philadelphia, PA

I have more research to do and then I must start drawing some lines on paper to connect the dots.  For, you, see, I also found that my one-line-by-marriage had an officer in the American Revolution whose name I am familiar with.  Why?  Because he was the commander of the unit another one of my grandpa's served in--  the 2nd PA Regiment! This is really neat as that particular grandpa of mine was residing in Lancaster (Chester) at the time.  James GLENN (1750-1813), who is buried at my family cemetery, the St Clair Cemetery in Allegheny Co, PA, was a private in Captain Jacob ASHMEAD'S 2nd PA Regiment and is listed at Valley Forge on the muster rolls.

Let me see if I can sum it up:

Captain Jacob ASHMEAD (1742-1814)-  history tells us he served under Bendedict Arnold  (ouch)
before he was promoted to lead the 2nd PA Regiment.

He was nephew to George BRINGHURST (1697-1752) and Anna ASHMEAD(1708-1760) -his natural aunt.

George and Anna were parents of John BRINGHURST (1726-1795) who married Elizabeth SHUTE (1735-1808).

Their daughter, Margaret (1757-1798) married James SIMMONS (1763-1809).

James, son of John SIMMONS (c. 1730-1795) and Catherine DALLY (c. 1742-1818)--  my grandparents!

With the exception of John SIMMONS and Catherine DALLY, they all reside at Hood Cemetery in Philadelphia.  This cemetery has a fascinating history in its residents.  I hope to go there one day.

Ahh genealogy.  Digging in the Hood now has me mixing the blood of old with current generations.

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=20768108
https://archive.org/stream/historyofbringhu00leac/historyofbringhu00leac_djvu.txt  
https://www.facebook.com/HoodCemetery/photos/a.873920835979198.1073741829.131577916880164/1094984470539499/?type=3&theater
Leach,Josiah, History of the Bringhurst Family, 1901.

Treasure Chest Thursday: The Power of the Written Word

Finding old written words is exciting.  Finding the scan of the original words online is breathtaking.  Here is just one example of the power of words.

JSBuchanan 1883 letter, received 2013 by email

Written by the Rev. Joseph Smith BUCHANAN in 1883 is a summary of his family.  What strikes me as I reread this great document is the way he starts by mentioning  his (and my)grandpa came from Scotland.  He then quickly moves to the names of his brothers and the role the family played in early Lancaster Co, PA, with the Covenenter Church.  He mentions the services being performed in the house and in the barn......

Of particular interest is he then goes to explain how many of his peer aged kin were elders in the church which later evolved in to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.

Of course, cousin Joseph was a minister as many, many of his kin have chosen.  He states his grandfather's descendants are like the tribe of Levi with their devotion to God.

Of more genealogical interest on this particular day is his first wife, Jane WADDLE.  She was born in VA around 1813.  She married Joseph in 1841 in Wheeling, WV.  In 1850, they are living in Donegal, Washington, PA, near many, many kin.  She is gone by 1857, when Joseph remarries Ellen CLELAND.

Death Notice of JS Buchanan, found online

I suspect Jane's brother was most likely the Rev. Benjamin WADDLE (1802-1879), who was, yet another, Presbyterian minister and the President of Muskingum College in Ohio.

Why this interest in finding out?  Well, I have more than one connection to the BUCHANAN family as well as the WADDLE family as they keep marrying my kin.  Oh wait, they are my kin, too.  So....

Ahh, genealogy.  More fish to fry as I waddle through the ponds looking for the just the right species.

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:

1850 Census, Donegal, Washington, PA

Kohler, Minnie.  A 20th Century History of Hardin Co, OH, Vol 2, page 622.

Buchanan, Rev JS.  Letter in possession of a descendant.  

The Moffitt Book of Obituaries, Vol 5, Warren Co, Ill

Tombstone Tuesday: Boy? Is That You? You, 149th PA Bucktail You

Part 4 in the series You, 149th PA Bucktail You

Boy MAY?  Was there a translation error of old?  Or was Robert John MAY called "Boy" by his comrades in arms in Company D of the PA 149th Bucktails?

Robert John MAY was also part of the frenzy that joined the Civil War when James GLENN gave recruitment speeches in August, 1862, in Allegheny Co.  I guess cousin James was a pretty good speaker, along with the others who spoke, as many boys made the transition to fighting men shortly thereafter.

MAY was born in 1830.  To date, finding his parents' names has not been successful in my limited search for them.  Nesbit's history of the unit provides a great sketch of his life.  With his sketch, I was able to flush out some more details.

From Nesbit's History of the PA Bucktails, Co. D

Wife:  Sara HUDDLESTON, b. 1830-1835 in St Louis, Missouri.  Suspect they were married there as well.

Children:
Ida or Ada-  found in 1860 census in St Louis with her parents.  Dies before 1870.  Buried Uniondale Cemetery.
Edgar- b. Feb 28, 1861 d. April 28, 1913.  Unmarried.  Buried at Uniondale Cemetery.
Arthur- b. July 4, 1866 d. June 8, 1943  Buried at Versailles, McKeesport, Allegheny, PA.
Mary- b. May 28, 1870 d. June 7, 1958 wife of Frank BEAM, Buried at Versailles, McKeesport, Allegheny, PA.

Why am I looking at Robert John MAY?  The 1863 letter of cousin Frank DORRINGTON states he had a picture made with him and four others.  Frank's words:  "No 1 Ustic ROTHROCK, our bugler, No 2 Dave PHILLIPS, No 3 Boy MAY, 4 I B MOMYER, 5 Sam PHILLIPS, No 6 your humble servant."

Is this the picture?  Look at the man in the middle sitting.  I imagine he felt somewhat relaxed and cocky that day.  Look at the eyes and compare them to the older picture of MAY.  Yeah, I think that's him.

I tried to find his tombstone and his obit with no success.

Ahh, genealogy.  Sometimes, we just need a stone.  Rest peacefully Boy MAY.




Part 1 of the series:  Frank?  Is That You?  You 149th Bucktail You
Part 2 of the series:  Ustick?  Is That You?  You, PA 149th You
Part 3 of the series:  Dave?  Is That You?  You, PA 149th You




Sources:
http://whispersofgenealogypast.blogspot.com
Year: 1880; Census Place: Mckeesport, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1088; Family History Film: 1255088; Page: 372D; Enumeration District: 041; Image: 0749
Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.                     
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=pitttext;cc=pitttext;idno=00hc08553m;q1=philips;frm=frameset;view=image;seq=138;page=root;size=s
Nesbit, John W.  General History of Company D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers: and Personal Sketches of the Members
http://civilwartalk.com

©2016 ASEldredge

Military Monday: Dave? Is That You? You, PA 149th You

Part 3 in the series You, PA 149th You

Can you imagine the scene after a soldier is left for dead on the battlefield during the Civil War?  It couldn't have been a pleasant experience for either side.  In this case, the soldier was found alive later and sent to the hospital.

David PHILIPS, born May 6, 1835, in Scott Twp, Allegheny, PA, was the son of Henry Hultz PHILIPS and Adeline LONG.  In the Federal Census for 1860, he is living next to Henry and Adeline, and next to Thomas PHILIPS.  The census tells us his wife is Elizabeth and they were married in 1860.

David enlists during the frenzy of local boys joining Captain James GLENN on August 22, 1862.  These boys become the men of Co. D, PA 149th who walked to hell and back during the course of their three year enlistment.  David received a gunshot wound to the head at Laurel Hill, VA.  Left for dead!  For three days!

He did recover and returned to fight with his unit.

From Nesbit's book on the History of the Regiment

After the war, he returned to Allegheny Co, PA, and settled in Wilkinsburg as a machinist.  His wife passed.  Around 1892, he married Anna. He lived his life and passed away Feb. 9, 1913, and was buried at Southside Cemetery.

Why am I looking at him?  The 1863 letter of cousin Frank states he had a picture made with him and four others. Frank's words:     " No 1 Ustic ROTHROCK, our bugler, No 2 Dave PHILLIPS, No 3 Boy MAY, 4 I.B. MOMYER, 5 Sam PHILLIPS, No 6 your humble servant."

Is this the picture?  Look at the man standing behind who I have identified as Ustick ROTHROCK in the first bugle position.  Dave?  I think so.

I located his obit in the Pittsburgh Press dated February 10, 1913.  I thought his survival and success after the war needs a shout out.

Pittsburgh Press February 10, 1913

 Ahh, genealogy.  How many men have survived? How many men have we lost?  Take a moment and remember them all.   Thank you for your service American veterans.

Part 1 of the series:  Frank?  Is That You? You 149th Bucktail You
Part 2 of the series:  Ustick?  Is That You?  You, PA 149th You




Sources:
http://genitalesga.blogspot.com/2011/04/1863-civil-war-letter-from-member-of-pa.html
http://www.pa-roots.com/pacw/infantry/149th/149thcod.html
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/149th-pa-at-gettysburg.90596/
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?type=simple;c=pitttext;cc=pitttext;idno=00hc08553m;q1=philips;submit=Go;didno=00hc08553m;rgn=full%20text;view=image;seq=0165
http://interactive.ancestry.com/5164/41381_620305176_0822-02254/356353?backurl=http://person.ancestry.com/tree/6687227/person/6980841523/facts/citation/107690121404/edit/record
Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.     
1860 Federal Census, Chartier, Allegheny, PA   

©2016 ASEldredge     

Military Monday: Frank? Is That You? You 149th Bucktail You

Reading the history of our great nation and of the men who fought for our freedom is fascinating.  Take, for instance, one of my cousins, Frank C DORRINGTON, of the famous PA 149th Bucktails.

I have mentioned Frank before and have even posted a letter he wrote in February 1863 to his brother, Joe. The letter in itself is fascinating as it details the life in Washington, DC, as the unit awaited its orders, which were received at the end of the letter.

In looking at the letter again for more clues from the past, I was struck by the mention of a picture he included in the letter.  There are six men in the picture:  " No 1 Ustic ROTHROCK, our bugler, No 2 Dave PHILLIPS, No 3 Boy MAY, 4 I.B. MOMYER, 5 Sam PHILLIPS, No 6 your humble servant."

Just this weekend, I stumbled across a photo of six men of the PA 149th.  Was this taken at Gettysburg?  It seems unlikely as the men were up to their buck tails in fighting. Is this picture the one mentioned in Frank's letter?

Captain James GLENN (l) and his cousin, Frank C DORRINGTON

Frank's appearance changed over the time he was in the Bucktails.  He had been severely injured in 1864 with a gunshot which entered the breast on the left side and exited through the left arm. He did return to duty while the company was near Petersburg and fought until the end of the war.

Ahh, genealogy.  Is it in the eyes? Or is it the bugle seen in number one mention in Frank's letter?  You tell me.

2 Aug 2016 Update:  The men mentioned in Frank Dorrington's letter have inspired a mini-series.  This is now Part 1 of You 149th Bucktail You.

Sources:
http://genitalesga.blogspot.com/search/label/dorrington
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/149th-pa-at-gettysburg.90596/
https://books.google.com/books?id=mnw3AQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA206&lpg=RA1-PA206&dq=frank+c+dorrington&source=bl&ots=zSwroAHs-1&sig=J99UjmdGJa1Yd6Vow6lX6PN8yLE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjkgumBy6DOAhWCOyYKHR8XB6cQ6AEIITAB#v=onepage&q=frank%20c%20dorrington&f=false
http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/military/149th_1.txt

©2016 ASEldredge

Mappy Monday: 1865 Survey of Land Around Saw Mill Run

Digging through old files can be fun.  Sometimes, one can find a gold mine, or rather a coal mine wealth of information. 

For instance, just this morning, I found an old email from about ten years ago from a dear cousin of mine, John, which had an attachment of an 1865 land survey taken along Saw Mill Run in Union Twp, Allegheny, PA.

This land was part of the estate of Robert SNODGRASS Jr, (1794-1863) and his wife, Hannah GLENN(abt1797-abt1863).  They are both buried in the Mt Pisgah United Presbyterian Church Cemetery aka Jennings Cemetery in Greentree, Allegheny PA.  Robert was a ruling elder of the church.

In looking at the map, you see the land of Robert detailed as five parcels noted by letters.  To the west of his land is the land of Moses CHESS and to the right is the land of George LOWEN.  To the southeast is land of Achsah SNODGRASS, sister of Robert.  Both Achsah and Robert had received land from their father, Robert SNODGRASS Sr (1754/1758-1797).

Moses CHESS was the son of John CHESS and Mary MIDDLESWORTH.

Suffice it to say I am related multiple times to the names listed above with the exception of LOWEN.  I suspect if I dug long enough, I probably would find a connection of some sort.  After all, he was stuck in the middle with my family blood flowing all around him! 

Ahhh, genealogy.  Mapping the past still brings a mystery to solve.

Note:  The map is still in the possession of cousin John, a direct line descendant of Robert SNODGRASS and Hannah GLENN.  Thanks John for sharing.  Alas, John, has it really been ten years since we walked the land of our beloved families in Pittsburgh? You know how much I adore you!

©2015 ASEldredge

Family Friends Friday: Oh My! Another Cubbage in the Cupboard

Oh my goodness.

Ever have to urge to clear out an old cupboard to see what is hidden away?  I did so today, and much to my surprise, found a blog on Cubbage Genealogy.

My goodness.  It's a name one doesn't typically see in a day, that is, unless you look at my family tree.

To make it all sweet and short:

James CUBBAGE (1777-1854) married the lovely Jane GILFILLIAN (1782-1861).  One would suspect the knot was tied in Allegheny Co, PA and one would suspect it was done by the Presbyterian minister from the (what is now called) the Mt Lebanon UP Church. 

How can I say that?

Jane's father, Alexander GILFILLIAN was prominent in the old church and a resident of the neighborhood.  Oh yes, he was also a close friend to my HENRY and GLENN families.

James CUBBAGE (1777-1854), son of John CUBBAGE and his wife, Martha, was also known to the family as a member of the old church.

Of course, one of the final clues is that they are buried in the old St. Clair Cemetery, fondly known as my family cemetery.  Before 1858, one had to be a member of the church in order to be buried there.  The church did not open up burials to the public until 1858, and even then, most burials were from family members of those who are resting there.

In addition to many other children of John CUBBAGE and wife Martha is:

George CUBBAGE d. 1826 Robinson Twp, Allegheny, PA who married Nancy CALDWELL (1791-1883).  As Nancy is buried at Venice Presbyterian Church, Washington Co, PA, it is a theory George may not be there.  The church and its graveyard seems to have started around 1849, so it's a tad late for George.  To top it off, Nancy had remarried after the death of George.

To continue:
George and Nancy had seven children, one of whom is:

Sarah B CUBBAGE ( abt 1814-1851) Note:  She, too, is buried at the old St Clair Cemetery.  She married Jacob DOOLITTLE (1809-1891)  Note:  He is buried at Chartiers Cemetery, Allegheny, PA, with his second wife.

Jacob and Sarah had a daughter, Martha E DOOLITTLE (1842-1907) who married my 2nd cousin William James GLENN (1839-1908).  Read more on William James GLENN on my previous blog.

They also had another daughter who married in to the LEA family as did my great grandfather's sister.

So, there's plenty of CUBBAGE in my cupboard. Perhaps we can determine how the Cubbage Genealogy crowd connects with mine.

Ahhh, genealogy.  You never know what you can find hidden way back in the cupboard.



©2015 AS Eldredge