Philadelphia Saturday Courier 17 January 1835 Deaths

Finding long forgotten children in a family can be tough, especially when no one remembers them being alive.  Sometimes, it is only the chance finding the name in a death notice or the name in a family plot. I know, because this is how I have found several children who died as infants or small children in my own bloodlines.

Look at today's transcriptions and notice the number of young deaths.  It was winter in 1835. Was it a particularly cold winter?  Were the children born "sickly"? Or was it just one of those times in history?

Photo by Andrew Hoffmann

BRADFORD		Joseph B				32d yr
MOSER		Philip				64y
PEECHIN		Christiana				88th yr
MORGAN		Caotn Thomas				66 y
BEALE		Benjamin H		s/o Matthias/Margaret		6m6d
ALBRIGHT		Samuel McFate		s/o Peter/Elizabeth Albright
STARK		BOLLING				26th yr
DYKE		John Sr				70 yr
JENKINS		Hannah L		w/o Joshua C d/o T Wilson Moore		21st yr
GIBSON		Edward		s/o John		9th yr
PETERS		Sarah Ann		w/o Joseph		19th yr
CROSBY		John D		s/o Robert P		22nd yr
HENDERSON		Martha
POULSON		Daniel C		s/o Wm/Martha		8m23d
KIRK		Hyman G				30th yr
ESENWEIN		Emma Louise		d/o Charles		infant
THUM		Ellen		d/o Charles/Sarah		infant
MOODY		David P		s/o Paul		20 mo
VANHOLT		Valentine
WATSON		Mercey		w/o Marmaduke
PARKE		Dr Thomas				86th yr
SHEPHERD		Hannah				69th yr
BRINCKLE		Dr John				71st yr
BOYER		James				68th yr
MASON		Mary		w/o Joseph		43 y5m
DRAKE		Jane Cunningham		d/o Dr Alfred		19 mo
CARTER		Mary Ann

Ahh, genealogy.  Seeing and feeling the heartbreaks of young lives lost.

©2020  AS Eldredge

Philadelphia Saturday Courier 25 May 1839 Deaths

Glancing at old death notices can entice one to earn more about American history.  Take, for instance, the find in today's transcription from the 25 May 1839 issue of the Philadelphia Saturday Courier.  

Just the name Cadwallader R Colden sounds interesting.  I mean, have you ever known anyone with that name?  I haven't, and I have never heard of the "Whip."

Just doing a quick search, revelations on the good Cadwallader can be told.  He was indeed a writer in New York on horse racing and pedigree horses.  In fact, he was considered quite good at it.  He had lived in England and loved to write about English racing. However, his outspoken ways led to troubles in the publication.  Shortly before his death, he was the editor of the "The Whip", although he only lived long enough for one issue to be released.

Photo by Andrew Hoffmann

STORY		Elizabeth A		d/0 Geo P
PATTERSON		Josephus				23rd yr
SMITH		Rev John
WILLIAMS		Mary				60th yr
PILKINGTON		George				26th yr
FEHAN		Ann				48th yr
PATTERSON		Roxanna		w/o A H
HORNER		John				70th yr
CARBIN		Augustine				63rd year
VAUGHAN		Charles		b/o John		80th year
COLDEN		Cadwallader R				64 years
STRONG		Sarah Bowers		d/o Prof T		16y 7m
MESSCHERT		Elizabeth A		w/o H		29y
McGINNES		Margaret				50y
RIMBY		Jacob				43d year
CUMMING		Martha				84th yr
MURPHY		Samuel				74th yr
TEISSEIRE		Magadalen				20y
CLIFTON		Amy		w/o William		67y

Ahh genealogy.  It's another grand day for a race to find the past.

Source:

https://books.google.com/books?id=CD05AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA11&lpg=RA2-PA11&dq=The+Whip+editor+colden+new+york&source=bl&ots=j6NU2RM46r&sig=ACfU3U0aY_08zoazIqDaZOxKrFu2C5I3Iw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiLpoz7g__pAhVnSDABHYrbAfEQ6AEwAHoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=The%20Whip%20editor%20colden%20new%20york&f=false

©2020  AS Eldredge

Remembering Some American Revolution Soldiers of Smith Township

Earlier this week, we, as a nation, took time to remember our fallen.  While Memorial Day gained its popularity after the Civil War as the women of the South remembered their men who had fought dying for what they believed, today, we Americans remember all of our sons and daughters who fought and died during their time of service in whichever timeframe they fought--  from the American Revolution up to today.

Here is a partial list of those men who bravely risked everything so we, as Americans, can have the freedoms we enjoy.   This list of American Revolution men were residents of Smith Township in Washington County, PA, at the time of their deaths.  I wonder where they were during the Revolution?

Name		Age	Implied Birth	Died		Buried
Capt James Boggs		65	1745	1810		Cross Creek
William Harvey		67	1754	1821		Burgettstown
James Leech		83	1740	1823		Burgettstown
Thomas Hays		83	1745	1828		Cross Creek
James Cooke		78	1762	1830		Cross Creek
Joseph Phillips		79	1752	1831		Burgettstown
Joseph Aiken		75	1751	1836		Burgettstown
Moses Hays		80	1757	1837		Cross Creek
Alexander McCready		89	1756	1845		Burgettstown
Cap Samuel Fulton						Florence
John Coventry		94	1751	1845		Burgettstown

Ahh genealogy.  I'm guessing the two surnames I recognize from my family who lived very close to Smith Township in the late 1700s need to be investigated further.  The old folks weren't kidding when they said we had kin in Cross Creek!

Source:  The Daily Evening Reporter, Oct 14, 1878

©2019  AS Eldredge

Thankful Thursday: Coming Home from Over There

Just yesterday, we were talking about my wounded World War I grandpa and his friend.  As an update, I am still trying to confirm if the other guy in the 1919 photo taken at US Hospital at Parkview is who I think it is.  I did hear from one of his distant kin who shared the picture from his obituary.  It's still hard to confirm or deny since the picture used in the obituary is one of later life.  Although, looking at the ears and eye slant still have me leaning towards the identity.

In reading the military information I found on both men, I became curious as to why they had different return dates from Europe in early 1919.  More sleuthing was needed to uncover if memories were failing or if there was more to the story.

Search, search, search.  Bingo!  The answer was in the US Army Transport Service, 1910-1939, which can be accessed through Ancestry.com.   The two buddies came home on separate ships!

John D KERFOOT left Brest, France on Jan 11, 1919, and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on Jan 21, 1919, on the USS George Washington.  He is also listed as a "walking patient requiring dressing."

Grandpa, on the other hand, left Brest, France on Jan 26, 1919, and arrived in Hoboken, NJ on Feb. 3, 1919, on the USS Agamemnon.  He is also listed as a "sick and wounded, litter class."

Another note of interest is both of these troop transport ships began their lives as German liners and were taken over by the Americans in April 1917 when America entered the war.

USS George Washington on the left with the USS Agamemnon on the right
Photo found on www.nav.source.com

Ahh, genealogy.  Thankful these two wounded World War I veterans from southwest Pennsylvania made it home from "over there".


Sources:
Ancestry.com. U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/173004.htm

©2019  AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: World War I Peas in a Pod

World War I left its mark on so many of our brave men.  No matter whether our brave veterans of the war were killed in action, wounded, or wounded and discharged with a disability, it affected the family.  What atrocities these military men saw and lived with until their deaths.

 In my possession is a  photograph taken in 1919 of my grandfather, his bride-to-be and another couple at US Hospital 24 at Parkview just outside of Pittsburgh.  Who are these other people (the ones on the right)?

Scratching my head is one way to think about this and not get anywhere in a hurry.  But, wait!  Last night,  I think, I think I know!!!!

Last night, I stumbled across the September 23, 1920, Uniontown Morning Herald newspaper article announcing the wedding of my grandparents.  So what....

The info contained in the article was eye opening as it detailed that "Mr. and Mrs. J D. KERFOOT were the only attendants at the wedding.  The groom and Mr. KERFOOT were members of the same regiment of the Fifth Division in France, both being wounded in the Argonne fighting and remaining together in the different hospitals for nine months.  There were not separated during their entire stay in the hospitals and their friendship has continued since being discharged from the Army."

Well, alrighty.

Investigation in to KERFOOT has uncovered that he was John Davis KERFOOT of Uniontown, Fayette, PA.  KERFOOT was inducted May 28, 1918, and went overseas July 1918 and was wounded by gunshot in the chest in early October 1918.  He returned back to the U.S., most likely on the USS Mercy in late January 1919 and was sent to US Hospital 24 at Parkview, where he remained until his discharge in the summer of 1919.

You can almost substitute my grandpa's information in the above paragraph by changing the dates by a couple of weeks here and there.  My grandpa went overseas April 24, 1918, was wounded by gunshot to the thigh Sept 29, 1918, in the Argonne Forest, returned back to the US in late January 1919, and was sent to US Hospital 24 at Parkview, where he remained until his discharge in the summer of 1919.

I found a headshot of John Davis Kerfoot.  It is a straight on head shot and the picture in my possession is not.  But, I think it could be the same guy on the right!  Look at the ears and shape of the eye!

I have reached out on Ancestry to one of his kin to see if they will try to confirm or deny the identity of the man in the photo.  Can't wait to hear back!

Did I mention they lived not too far from each other after the war?  Did I mention they had the same occupation?  It's almost as if they were peas in a pod.  Unfortunately, my grandfather died in 1929, while KERFOOT lived a long successful life.  If only there are any stories that have survived that his kin can share.  Is it too much to hope?

Ahh, genealogy.    Thank you John KERFOOT for being an awesome friend to my grandpa.  Who knew that the past can just jump in to the present.....



Sources:
The Uniontown Morning Herald, September 23, 1920, pg 5
Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, WWI Veterans Service and Compensation Files, 1917-1919, 1934-1948[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
http://www.minerd.com/bio-mcknight,_pearlkerfoot.htm

©2019  AS Eldredge

Wordless Wednesday: Chum of the President

It's the day after our country has exercised our right to vote.  Isn't it cool that we, as Americans, have this right?  While we may or may not agree with the ballot results, we, as Americans, still will honor the decisions.  Enough said.

In looking at some newspapers of the past from New Wilmington, PA, I ran across the following obituary.  I just loved the headline from the 1902 newspaper--  School Mate of M'Kinley Passes Away.

For those who may be interested, this obituary for William C HENRY (1833-1902), who is the son of Thomas M HENRY (1791-1873) and Eliza CLARK (1799-1882), and grandson to my grandpa, John HENRY, documents the 14th President of the United States that my paternal line knew.

Ahh, genealogy.  Up close and personal

Presidential proof in the news, again!

Source:  New Castle Weekly Herald, June 4, 1902

©2018 AS Eldredge

Friday Fun: Finding New Magazines of Old To Follow the Past

Ever wonder what the next step is in the quest for finding the family lore, er, history?  Sitting and scratching the head while trying to make sense of some newly uncovered finds can certainly be one of them.  Then again, finding something to new to look at can just provide the proper incentive to put off that head scratching just one more day.

I literally stumbled on to an announcement that the magazine Western Pennsylvania History has recently updated the issues which are online to read...  for free!  My little fin fans flew to the site which is on the Penn State Library site to see if there was anything of interest.  I just clicked on a random issue from the Spring of 2011 which had the picture of Benjamin FRANKLIN on the cover.  After a quick download of the PDF, I sat mesmerized by the article on old Ben gathering wagons to assist in the fight against BRADDOCK.

Deciding to see if there are any issues with any of my kin is an easy leap now.  Clicking on Oliver MILLER of the Whiskey Rebellion fame was a success.  So now I have to spend some serious hours just reading and absorbing the information.

Table of Contents, Winter 1992-1993,  Showing Article on Oliver Miller

This may take some time as the issues go back to 1918.  As a side note, looking back at one of the 1918 issues, I found a short article on the last public execution in Allegheny Co.  The event took place in 1818.  To provide a quick summary, John TIERNAN murdered Pat. (Patrick?) CAMPBELL.  Not surprising is the acknowledgement of alleged excessive drinking by TIERNAN.  Why did I find this of interest?

I, too, am acutely aware of a last hanging--  although the one I am familiar with was in Michigan, involved a man who was known to have been an unpleasant drunk, and was in 1830.  Guess we'll talk about that particular story later after I piece together some more details on the chap's young adult life.

Ahh, genealogy.  Another Friday to follow the past with the help of friends.  Awesome.

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:

https://journals.psu.edu/wph/article/view/1172/1020

Friend of Friends Friday: Negro Suck 1793 Indenture

Whoa.  What is this?  Just the names alone caught my attention as I was wandering around Pittsburgh and the wonderful site the University of Pittsburgh Library System has.

Can you believe a slave, Suck, indentures her child, of her own free will to someone one else?  Somehow that seems a little weird.

A tidbit of  history into this fabulous collection is in order.  A ledger entitled, "Negro" was found in 2007 in the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds.  Take some time to look at the Freedom Papers showcased from the exhibit.  Fascinating.

Ahh, genealogy.  Sometimes, finding old information can boggle the mind.  I just wonder whatever happened to the child, Kut, who was indentured?

Sources:
http://www.library.pitt.edu/freeatlast/papers/i_negrosuck.html
http://www.library.pitt.edu/freeatlast/freedom_papers.html

©2016 ASEldredge