William Wallingford (1831-1902)

 Beautiful Martin County, Indiana

William Wallingford (1831-1902)
____________________

by Carolyn Ann Howard

When I lived in Lost River Township in rural Shoals, Indiana, I was delighted that there was a cemetery on the property. A lot of people might think that's weird, but I love cemeteries. When I see a cemetery, I see stories that need to be told!

The cemetery on that beautiful farm is known by several names including Wallingford Cemetery, Walls Cemetery, and Walls Farm Cemetery.  This is a family cemetery with nine known entries recorded and five headstones. The cemetery most likely is with us to this day because of those stones. So many rural family cemeteries in the 1800s were lost because there were no tombstones. Wallingford Cemetery, fortunately, lives on!

According to the Martin County, Indiana Historical Society, the nine entries are: James F. Ballard, Hiram Evans, Infant Hall, Silvester Hall, Tillitha Hall, Charlotty Wallingford, Laura A. Wallingford, Mary Wallingford, and Tabethe Long Wallingford. If I understand correctly, the Wallingfords were the ones who lived on the property where I lived, and so I was super hype to learn more about them!

The patriarch of the Lost River family, William J. Wallingford, was born perhaps in Alabama or Tennessee, in December 1831 to John Wallingford and Ellen Cooper. William was a bit all over the place as far as where he lived. In the 1850 census, he lived with his parents and siblings in Crittenden County, Kentucky. He married Tabethe Long in 1852 in Daviess County, Indiana. His first three surviving children were all born in Tennessee. In the 1860 census, he is listed in both Gibson County, Tennessee with his wife and children, and then with his mother in Crittenden County. He was most likely visiting his mother when the census enumerator came by.

An event that affected many, many lives of those pioneers was the Civil War. Our William Wallingford enlisted as a private in the 65th Indiana Infantry on 01 Aug 1862 in nearby Washington, Indiana. Company F of the Indiana 65th were the men from Martin County. He, however, was in Company I, which were men from Daviess County. It could be that he did not yet live in Martin County. His commander was John Foster, whom I wrote about in The Cliffords & Mr. Orr. The regiment left for Henderson, Kentucky in August that year. Five days later, they settled in Madisonville, Kentucky and did service at the fort there. And that's about it for that. William was discharged in March 1863 for a physical disability and sent back home.

In the 1870 census, the Wallingfords are in Lost River Township in Martin County! But I have questions. His wife on this census is listed as SOPHIA. Not TABETHE. Are they that similar? I guess it might have been that similar and enumerators did the best they could. The age is correct, and their five children are all listed with them: Charlotte, John, Mary, Virgil, and Laura.

It was then that death hit, as it surely did in many families at that time period. William and Tabethe lost their daughter Mary on Christmas Day in 1870. Charlotte died 01 Sep 1872. Then the mom, Tabethe, died 11 Nov 1872. All three are buried in the Wallingford family cemetery.

This is where another "if" enters the picture.  William's daughter Roseanna was born in 05 Jul 1872, so naturally, she belongs to Tabethe, right? The three family trees, besides mine, on Ancestry shows Roseanna's mom as Sarah Ann. This woman is a mystery. For one, Martin County kept really good marriage records, but they don't have one for a Sarah Ann and William Wallingford. Sarah Ann was previously married to a Mr. Wilkinson, and he is also a mystery! Sarah brought two children with her: John S. and Lydia Elizabeth Wilkinson. They are all living together with William and his children in Lost River Township in the 1880 census.

In the 1900 census, Sarah Ann lived with her son, John, in Missouri. He is listed as single. She is listed as married. In 1900, William lived in the Northwestern Michigan Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, listed as a widow. William died in 1902.

I wish I had more pictures of the cemetery but honestly, it was so overgrown, there wasn't much to photograph. I didn't know how to clear the land nor had the funds at that time to hire someone. Because of that, when I moved away, the cemetery stayed in its unfortunate condition. I was, however, able to add this cemetery to Find-A-Grave. The five stones I photographed are below.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

 

George Washington Howard (1833-1908) A Runaway Boy Who Never Went Back, Except Once

 Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

George Washington Howard (1833-1908)
____________________

by Carolyn Ann Howard

George Washington Howard was born 25 Aug 1833 in Middlebury, New York. His mother, Joanna, then died, so his father, Elias, married Katy Vader. Elias, Katy, and their families went to church together at the Dale Freewill Baptist Church. After their marriage, they continued to have children.

George did not like his stepmother, Katy, though, and he put up with what he thought was maltreatment until the age of 14 before he had had enough. This is according to Dorothy Banister, a historian in New York. I would love to know how he successfully accomplished being a runaway, but he did, landing in Michigan.

George's first marriage was to someone perhaps with the name of Angie Pettis. Other people on Ancestry have her name as Angis Bettie, but since the historian at Middlebury used the name Angie Pettis, I will, too, until I know for sure otherwise. The historian stated that George left her, but we have no proof of this. She also said that an index available at the Michigan State Library has it that he deserted the army 11 Dec 1862. I don't have a muster in date for George, though, until 25 Mar 1863. At any rate, the historian said that George found out that Angie was ill, and he went to take care of her. She died 01 Mar 1863. Since this woman lives in no algorithms online whatsoever, it may be that it fell to George to take care of her estate, if any, after her passing.

When he reenlisted or listed in the Civil War, it was with the Michigan Cavalry, Co. K, 9th regiment. He was mustered in as a Quartermaster Sergeant. As part of this regiment, his first battle was The Battle of Buffington Island that took place in Ohio and also in West Virginia. This battle occurred 19 Jul 1863 and was a win for the Union.

According to my late father's records, on 27 Jan 1864, a piece of shell struck George in the left arm between the shoulder and elbow. The Wikipedia article on the 9th Michigan Calvary states that they were not involved in any skirmishes or battles at this time. Perhaps the accident happened during a training exercise.

George's next battle was Sherman's March to the Sea in the state of Georgia, 15 Nov through 21 Dec 1864.  Union General William Sherman's policy was a "scorched earth" one, where anything useful to the enemy was destroyed, including civilian sites, food stores, railways, telegraph lines, and even civilians themselves. Sherman's forces ravaged this area, destroyed Savannah, Georgia, and helped break the Confederacy. Click on photos to enlarge

Sherman's March to the Sea
by L. Stebbins
Public Domain via Wikipedia
In a copyrighted colorized version, you can see how much fire

George's last battle was 19 Mar - 21 Mar 1865. This was the Battle of Bentonville, fought in Johnston County, North Carolina. The Confederacy suffered severe losses, causing their General, Joseph Johnston, to surrender. This surrender is said to have been the end of the war, a victory for the Union.

George was promoted to Second Lieutenant 09 Jun 1865, just in time to be mustered out 21 Jul 1865 at Lexington, Kentucky.

George married his second wife, Helen Strickland, 01 Jan 1867. He apparently took it to his grave that he had been married before. When Helen later applied for George's Civil War widow's pension, she stated that she had been his only wife. I have documented nine children for the couple: Frank, Minnie, Harry, Angie, Mabel, Gertrude, Adeline, Rena, and Clara. I wonder if Angie was named in honor George's secret first wife. This Angie died at the age of 4. Kathleen Peirce believed there to be two more children, who also died young.

The couple eventually settled down in Coldwater, Michigan at 36 Orchard Street. The picture below is what I get when I put 36 Orchard Street into Google Maps. It's pretty rundown, but in it's day, it would've been nice. It's a little saltbox! George by trade was a carpenter. One of the ancestry trees I looked at for George says that helped to build the staircase for Michigan's capitol building in Lansing. This information, however, was unsourced, but he did live in Lansing for a time.

36 Orchard Street, Coldwater, MI
Courtesy Google Maps with proper attribution given

Look at this happy family! He looks like he was an absolute hoot, doesn't he? Some kind soul on Ancestry has them labeled. Front row L to R: George, May, Helen. Back row L to R: Minnie, Clara, Gertrude, and Rena.

I found in my late father's records a copy of a letter written by Kathleen Pierce in 1979. It stated that a relative - she suspected it was George's uncle, Simeon Howard - was asked by George's father, Elias, to contact another cousin by the name of Leisure Howard, to see if anyone knew where George was. Elias, it was stated in the letter, knew he was in his last days, and he wanted to see his son before he died. The question was answered and so Simeon went to Coldwater to ask George if he would return with him to Middlebury to see his father. George agreed. I don't know if he made it to Middlebury before Elias's death, but boy, what a time to be the fly on a wall if he did! Elias died 22 Jun 1888. He was somewhere around 81 at the time of his death.

This tribute is on George's Find-A-Grave site, and it was written by Kathleen Pierce:

George Washington Howard was born in Albany County, New York, on 25 August 1833, the son of Elias Howard. He came to Branch County when he was twenty-four years old, working at the carpenter trade until the outbreak of the Civil War. 

On 25 March 1863, he enlisted at Coldwater for three years as a Sergeant in Company K, Ninth Regiment of Michigan Cavalry Volunteers, commanded by Captain Gillem and under the command of Colonel Acker. He was mustered in 14 April 1863 as Quartermaster Sergeant, commissioned Second Lieutenant on 9 June 1865 and mustered out at Lexington, North Carolina, on 21 July 1865.

Mrs. Howard, the former Helen Strickland, was born 7 October 1841 at Utica, New York. In October 1842, she came to Michigan with her folks, Jonathan and Parnel Strickland, who first settled at Adrian, Michigan, where they resided until April 1844, after which they came to Coldwater, locating on a farm northeast of the city. This farm was an unbroken wilderness. It was here Miss Strickland grew to womanhood and on 1 January 1867, at Bronson, Michigan, was married to a young lieutenant of the Civil War, George W. Howard, who lived at Lansing, Michigan.

They lived in that city for about four years before returning to Coldwater Township. Later Mr. Howard, with the help of his children, farmed and continued with his carpenter work. In later years they moved to Coldwater, living on Orchard Street, until their deaths. Mr. Howard died 23 November 1908 and Mrs. Howard on 4 October 1924.

This blog posting would not be as informative without my late father's research and his acquisition of records that are now in my possession.

In memory of my parents, Rev. William "Lester" and Mary McLean Howard.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Nelson Isaiah Howard (1843-1929)

 Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Nelson Isaiah Howard (1843-1929) A Really Nice Guy Who Knew What He Wanted
____________________

by Carolyn Ann Howard

Nelson Isaiah Howard was born 01 Feb 1843 in Middlebury, New York, a great-grandson of John Godfrey Howard, the Hessian soldier who came to the U.S. from Germany to fight in the Revolutionary War.  He was the second eldest to his parents Nelson Jacob Howard and Catherine Cornelia Mickel. 

The first census that Nelson appeared in is the 1850 census, when he was six years old. The family was still in Middlebury at this time. Nelson's father was a farmer and his real estate value was $1900. That's a pretty good number! The three oldest children, Phillip, 8; Nelson, 6; and Angenette, 5 had all attended school within the year. In 1860, however, the family was in Scioto Township, Jackson County, Ohio. Nelson's dad was still a farmer. His real estate was worth $1200 and his personal estate, $300. The eldest, Phillip, was a laborer. Neither Phillip or Nelson were in school, but this census does not have an occupation for Nelson. All the other children are in school, though, and everyone can read and write.

The Civil War soon broke out after this census, and Nelson enlisted 04 Aug 1862 as part of the 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Company L. He was a little late to the game, however, as this company's original muster date was 08 Oct 1861.  He would join his fellow soldiers at Alexandria, Virginia. As such, he would participate in 9 battles with his company, including the Battle of Gettysburg. Nelson, along with the entire company, mustered out 04 Jul 1865 in Columbus, Ohio. Later in Nelson's life, according to newspaper articles, his grandchildren would visit the sites of the battles where their grandfather had fought.

During his time in the Civil War, he lost a brother and sister - Emma Jane, 7, and William, 14. I checked every single person's Ancestry tree to see if I could possibly find a source for at least Emma's place of death. Every single person has her dying at Arvada, Colorado, and no one has any documentation for this available on Ancestry. Wikitree also has nothing. I checked all my newspaper sources and came up empty handed. Emma died 02 Apr 1863. Her brother died just two days later. According to Wikipedia, Arvada is the first place gold was found in the Rocky Mountain region. The Territory of Colorado was formed 28 Feb 1861.

I have failed to find marriage records for Nelson or his bride Frances Ellen Folin, except for the 1900 census which listed them as being married for 32 years. That puts their marriage year as 1868, the year their eldest, William Forrest, was born.

In the 1870 census, the couple are still in Ohio with their two children, William, 2, and Emily, 6 months. Nelson is listed as a farm laborer, something I'm sure he wasn't content with.  The value of his real estate is left blank, and his net worth is $100. He may have received housing as part of his compensation. This census shows him correctly as being born in New York. His wife and 2 children were all born in Ohio. I thought, at first, that perhaps Nelson worked on his father's farm. On double-checking, however, his father and mother are in Prairie Creek, Illinois in 1870. The value of his father's real estate is also blank, but his personal worth was $500.

By the time the couple's third son, Ovid Albert was born in 1872, Nelson and his wife were in Waterville, Kansas. This son soon died, unfortunately. Their next child was James Otto, who was born 18 Feb 1874. On the 1875 Kansas State Census, Nelson was still listed as a farm laborer with both real estate and personal property values left blank. His wife and three children were also with him as was another farm laborer, Leroy Field.

Finally, in the 1880 census, it looks like Nelson was on his way to the bigtime. He wasn't in Waterville anymore but 300 miles to the west in Grant County, Kansas. The census listed him as "farmer," not laborer or farm laborer. This census doesn't tell us whether he owned land or how much he was worth, though, so we can't be for sure just by looking at the record. His wife was with him, and his four children: William, Emma, James, and Harry. The oldest three were all in school. Harry was only 2. I think it's interesting that the census enumerator, when listing Ohio as the birthplace of everyone except Nelson, he simply put "O."

Nelson's parents and a sister, in the 1880 census, were no longer in Prairie Creek, Illinois, but now were in their son's old stomping ground of Waterville, Kansas! The checkmark notating sick is next to his dad's name. On this census page, 12 people are marked as sick. Their daughter, Nelson's sister, 32-year-old Frances was listed as "at home."

In the Clyde Herald newspaper dated 06 Jul 1892, it stated that Nelson had begun receiving a pension for $12 a month with $200 back pay. The article stated that he had to wait for it for quite a while, but in his good humor, he also stated that it came at a good time.

Our next document is the 1895 Kansas State Census, dated 01 March. In this census, Nelson is listed as a farmer, along with his wife and five of his eight living children: Harry, Oscar, Grace, Earl, and Herbert. And then heartbreak struck the family. Nelson accidentally turned a lamp over and burned his house down. Everything that was downstairs inside the house was saved but nothing from the second story. He did receive an insurance settlement for this from "The German Insurance Company," and he promptly built a new house.

 In 1897, Nelson's mom died. His father followed in 1899. His father's obit stated that he had "lived on the farm where he died 28 years." That means, Nelson's parents moved to Waterville in 1871, so that checks out. The senior Nelson's obit states that he was, "kind to his neighbors, honest in his dealings, and believed in a true and living God."

Back to Nelson, Jr., in the 1900 census, we get the answer we were looking for. Nelson owns his own farm. It's mortgaged, but its his. Along with Nelson is his wife, who has had 10 births with 8 living children. That is correct. Living with them are their sons, Harry, Oscar, Earl, and Herbert. The two older boys are listed as farm laborers. The younger two are listed "at school."

In the 1905 Kansas State Census, Nelson is now 62 and still owed on his mortgage for the farm. This census doesn't give us much information, basically a list of who lived in the home and their ages. In Nelson's home are his wife, who is now 59 and two of his sons, Earl, 19, and Herbert, 15.

In the 1910 Federal Census, Nelson is no longer in Grant County, Kansas, but in the city of Clyde, Kansas in Cloud County.  Listed with him are his wife and son, Herbert, along with his daughter-in-law, 19-year-old May. Nelson was a farmer on a "general farm" on his own account. No mortgage this time, but it states he "rented" his "house," not a farm. His son's occupation is that of a farmer on a farm. The Clyde Voice Republican newspaper gives us the reason for this confusing detail. Nelson and his family have moved from the farm! In the 24 Feb 1910 edition, the newspaper tells us that Nelson has moved to town and is renting a house! I'm wondering if they did this so that they could have electricity and/or telephone service. In listening to my great granduncle's interview, he talked about how much easier their lives were after getting electricity.

In the 1915 Kansas State Census, it is Nelson and his Frances, along with just their daughter-in-law, May, and her son Gerald. Herbert is not there and later documents list him as divorced. I haven't been able to find much out about May, but she continued to live with her father- and mother-in-law after her divorce. They are still in Clyde, and this census tells us that he owned his house free and clear.

In the last census record for Nelson in 1920, it is Nelson, 76, with his wife Frances, 72. His occupation is "none." May is gone, but their grandson Charles remained. He was 9. It would be Charles who would order Nelson's military stone after Nelson's death in 1929.

I was unsuccessful in finding an obit for Nelson Isaiah, but I peeked at my cousin Glenn's tree, and he appears to have been in pretty bad shape health-wise at the end with poor eyesight and hearing as well as pain. But his life was good. Newspaper articles show him visiting all manner of family, especially his son William Forrest, who lived in Pocatello, Idaho. It also showed all manner of family visiting him. He was generous, having once taken a bushel of corn to the newspaper editor's office and volunteering when others needed help. I also think it speaks volumes about a man who worked his way up to owning his own farm. He knew what he wanted, and he made it happen.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

John Godfrey Howard's granddaughter, Mary Jeanette

Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Mary Jeanette Howard Odell (1844-1917)

____________________

by Carolyn Ann Howard

This post was updated 15 Aug 2021

Jeanette Howard was the granddaughter of John Godfrey Howard, but she never knew her grandfather and perhaps not her grandmother, either. Jeanette was born 12 Jun 1844 most likely in Grafton, New York. John Godfrey left Grafton in or around 1831 with his wife, three of his sons, and their families. He died in 1834. Godfrey's wife, Susannah, remarried, was again widowed, and died in 1863. I don't know if Susannah ever returned to Grafton to visit with her other sons and daughters. Jeanette's parents were John Godfrey Howard II and Sybil Burdick. Jeanette was the youngest of at least 7 children.

Working through the 1850 United States census record, Jeanette was living with her family in Grafton, New York. Same for the 1855 New York state census. Its interesting, however, that in 1860 at the age of 17, she is not living with her parents but with her sister, Maria Howard Tilley and family. Wonder why? It could be that she was helping her sister and brother-in-law care for their children. Maria had just had a son, John W., who was 11 months old at the time of the census. We know he died young, so perhaps he was a sickly child. And it could just be that Jeanette was at her sister's house when the census enumerator visited, and he counted her there instead of at her parent's home.

What is striking, working through these census records, is how tight-knit these 1800 communities were. On the 1860 census of Grafton, we see the same names over and over. Howard, Tilley, Covey, Burdick, Sweet, and Odell. What is also striking is how tragedies could drive families to be even more united. Many families in the 1800s were large. This ensured safety, security, and care. This is what our forebear, Abraham Howard, forfeited when he left his Howard family in New York to bring his wife and children into southwestern Indiana. Abraham's son, Henry's antics further divided our Howard line, not to mention the effects of the Civil War with the death of Abraham II and the debilitation of Eleazar Howard.

Back to New York, however. In the 1860 census, Jeanette is listed as a seamstress, a noble profession.  In the 1865 New York state census, Jeanette was listed as Mary Odell, living at home with her parents, John and Sybil. Interestingly, this census listed how many children someone had, and it stated Sybil had 12 children. I currently only have 7 of these on my Ancestry public tree. This census also showed that Mary Odell has been married once and was now a widow. She was 20. Click on photos to enlarge

Beautiful Mary Jeanette Howard
with her husband, Lewis Odell
Courtesy: Ancestry

This story - maybe a love story, maybe not - might have begun with the death of Lewis Odell's parents before the census year of 1860. Lewis in 1860 lived with his brother, William Odell, and his wife, Eunice Howard Odell, Jeanette's older sister. Jeanette Howard and Lewis Odell were married in 1862. Shortly thereafter, Lewis left home to fight in the Civil War. He was 19. He would never come back, dying of pneumonia 16 Jan 1865. Another tragedy of this bloody war. How did the many widows of the Civil War feel being widowed at young ages? Or even old ages for that matter?

Jeanette had still not remarried by the 1870 census, living at home with her parents, but by the 1875 New York census, she was married to Harmon Snyder and lived together with Harmon's brother, Levi, Levi's wife, and their two sons. Harmon and his brother were listed as farmers within the city limits of Grafton. Interestingly, the census states they lived in a frame home that was worth $500.

In the 1880 United States census, Jeanette and her husband lived together, he as a farmer and she as "keeping house." One line down was Jeanette's father and mother. Both family's dwelling number was 42, so therefore, it appears John Godfrey II and Sybil  lived with them and was likely being cared for by Jeanette. Also with them was a 16-year-old niece Ella Burdick. Her occupation was that of a shirtmaker. This was a common occupation for women at that time.

The next record we have is the 1900 US census. Jeanette's husband, Harmon, was dead already, so at the age of 50, Jeanette has now been widowed twice. In the 1900 census, she still lived with Ella Burdick. She was also the same household number as John Carringer, who had been a boarder of hers on a previous census. Interesting. John Carringer's wife was a shirtmaker. Neither Jeanette nor Ella have occupations listed. Neither women has had any children.

In the 1910 census, we come full circle, as Jeanette lived once again with her sister, Eunice, and her husband, Jeanette's brother-in-law, William Odell. Its so nice to see sisters who are close and taking care of one another. It feels Jeanette has always had family to care for or to care for her. Just on this fact alone, I believe Jeanette was a wonderful, caring individual.

Jeanette applied for a pension after her first husband died in the Civil War. I do not know how much she received for this pension, but probably somewhere around $8.00 a month.

Funeral of Jeanette M. Howard Snyder 

As It Appears in The Semi-Weekly Times, Troy, NY 

Friday Afternoon, June 15, 1917 

The funeral of Jeanette Snyder was held from the Grafton Methodist Church Wednesday at 2 o'clock. Rev. David Paton officiated, assisted by Rev. Mr. White. Violet O'Dell, Mrs. Sherman Barnhart, Willie Wood and Curtis O'Dell rendered "Face to Face," "Shall We Gather at the River?" and "It Is Well With My Soul." The bearers were William O'Dell, Justice Wesley O. Howard, John Patterson and John Simon. The survivors are a brother and sister, Elijah Howard and Mrs. Eunice Odell. The floral tributes were many. Interment was in Grafton Cemetery.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Three Sons of the Civil War

Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

 

Abraham Howard II (1837-1862)
Eleazer Howard (1836-1906)
William Edwin Howard (1845-1929)

Three Sons of the Civil War

____________________

by Carolyn Ann Howard

This blog post was updated 29 Apr 2022.

My 3x great-grandfather Abraham I had three sons who fought in the Civil War: Abraham II, Eleazer, and William Edwin. Civil War soldiers had it rough, living in very primitive conditions out in the elements. Sometimes they were without shoes. Many times, without food.

We know that Eleazer and Abraham II were close, for in or around 1855, they went to Iowa together and, while there, lived in the same house. I don't know why they went but perhaps it was for work, as the railroad was going through Iowa at that time. The two men might have traveled in a wagon train along with the Raney family and others from Martin County, Indiana. What an adventure! Eleazer and Abraham II would have been most useful in the wagon train, being able to make repairs, hunt game, fend off bandits, and make good company. I wonder if they were fun and funny. Their descendants were, so I'm quite sure they were, too.

They may have also gone to Iowa to escape the shenanigans of their brother, Henry. He had married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Samuel Smith. He had two children by Elizabeth. These two were born in Henry's native New York - a mystery as to why they weren't born in Indiana. When Henry came back home to Indiana, his two children in tow, Elizabeth was gone - disappearing from the family tree altogether. Henry then married his Martin County neighbor, Nancy Crays. After much searching, I still can't find Elizabeth Smith Howard after 1858, but of this I'm sure: the two stepchildren didn't care much for their stepmother. The feeling was mutual.

Whatever reason for Eleazer and Abraham II's exodus to Iowa, they weren't there for long. Abraham soon married Eliza Jane Raney and they had a son, Abraham III. Six months later, Eliza died. After that, Eleazer and Abraham II made their way back to Martin County, bringing with them the infant child. Click on photos to enlarge

A Crucial Delay - Antietam
Public Domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Abraham II was the first to enlist: 07 Jun 1861 at Camp Vigo in Terre Haute, 14th Indiana Infantry, Company A. This was the first regiment in Indiana organized for three years of service. Their first march was to Indianapolis, and then onward to Clarksburg, West Virginia, eventually landing in Virginia in 1862. It was at this time that Abraham II was hospitalized in Strasburg. From 12 May to 23 Jun, Abraham's company marched 339 miles as part of the Army of the Potomac.

In September, the 14th Indiana took part in the Maryland Campaign, which included the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. According to Wikipedia, Colonel William Harlow's report stated that Abraham's regiment fought for four hours under heavy fire within 60 yards of Confederate forces. Abraham took a mortal wound in the thigh and died on the battlefield. His death was likely extremely painful, and yes, I imagine he cried for his mother.

14th Indiana caring for the wounded after Antietam
Public Domain courtesy of Wikipedia

Battle of Antietam
Courtesy Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

After Abraham's death, his mother, Mary Ann, adopted Eliza and Abraham's son, Abraham III. 
_________

Eleazer Howard was in the Army for just a brief period of time, 13 Mar 1865 to 30 Jun 1865, serving with the 24th Michigan Infantry, Company H. This company originally mustered in on 15 Aug 1862; Eleazer joined toward the end of the war. I incorrectly assumed, at first, that he must have been drafted, having joined so late in the war. His Civil War records that my father obtained, however, state that he was a volunteer. During his brief deployment, he sustained a debilitating injury that affected him the rest of his life. The injury was recorded on a "Claimant's Statement of Service" filled out by Eleazer. He stated that his injury occurred at Camp Butler, Illinois, sometime in Apr 1865. Eleazer tells this story:

[I] was on Provost Marshall Staff and, in quelling a disturbance of parole soldiers, was hit on the hip with a club or brick or something else.

Eleazer doesn't signify right or left; however, on his "Declaration for Increase of an Invalid Pension," he states he has "a lame hip, which causes much suffering. My left side troubles me bad."

After his service, Eleazer went back to his native New York and took Julie Vader as his wife.

__________

William Edwin, who sometimes went by his middle name, was mustered in on 21 Nov 1861 at Camp Joe Holt in Jeffersonville, Indiana, 49th Indiana Infantry, Company K. He was only 16 and service was for three years. Unlike Abraham II, who lost his life, or Eleazer, who suffered a debilitating injury, William Edwin seemed to come through the war physically unscathed. He mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky 13 Sep 1865.

According to my father's records, the distance marched by the regiment during its term of service was 8,000 miles. Its most notable battle may have been The Siege of Vicksburg, which occurred 18 May - 04 Jul 1863. Abraham Lincoln referred to this event as "the key of the war." According to the Wikipedia article, "[the siege] cut off the Trans Mississippi Department... from the rest of the Confederate States, effectively splitting the Confederacy in two for the rest of the war."

Siege of Vicksburg
Public Domain via Wikipedia

William Edwin didn't return to Martin County and most likely stayed in Louisville or Fayetteville, where he met his wife, Annie Bragg. She lived with her parents. After they were married in 1869, the young couple moved to Michigan.

According to my dad's records, Annie, in 1923, stated that she has had "the constant care" of her husband. She must "aid him to dress and that his mentality is declining." She stated that his general condition is fast declining, "owing to his age and condition of a hip, which he fractured in 1914." This was on the application for William Edwin's pension from his Civil War days. Although he was not able to dress himself or "even put his stockings on or lace his shoes without assistance," Annie had help. William Edwin and Annie's youngest daughter, Grace, never married. She lived with her parents until they died. She was a stenographer and so likely was a huge help to her parents not only in the aid of her father but also in paying bills. Their other children, Charlotte and Frederick Warren were frequent visitors in their adulthood.

This blog posting would not be as informative without my late father's research and his acquisition of records that are now in my possession.

In memory of my parents, Rev. William "Lester" and Mary McLean Howard.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Rodell Ella Howard Ellis: Shunned Stepdaughter, Beloved Granddaughter

Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Rodell Ella Howard Ellis (1857-1899) Shunned Stepdaughter; Beloved Granddaughter

____________________

by Carolyn Ann Howard

This post was updated 01May 2022

When I first considered writing a book about a family member, Ella Howard Ellis was my first choice. After learning that she died from tuberculosis, like her father before her, at the age of 42, I changed my mind. To say I didn't want to write such a sad ending doesn't seem to hold water, though. My first novel, Blood of My Ancestor was such a tragedy. Perhaps Ella would've been a brighter choice, after all, and the thought is still there. Her husband, William Ellis, seems like quite the character and a lot of fun. It also feels that we have a charming love story here, him being a wounded Civil War veteran with a right below-knee amputation (BKA), revised later to above-knee (AKA), and Ella being the lovely person I'm certain she was.

Ella's father was Henry Albert Howard and her mother, Elizabeth Smith. Do you know how difficult it is to do a family search on the name Elizabeth Smith? I'm quite sure that her father was Samuel Smith, from whom Henry's father first purchased acreage after landing in Shoals, Indiana.

Henry and Elizabeth were married in 1854, moved back to his native New York, and had 2 children Emory and Ella. Then, all of a sudden, Henry was married to his neighbor's daughter, Nancy Crays, living just outside of Loogootee, Indiana, and Elizabeth had disappeared. I dislike presumption very, very much; therefore, I'm skeptical that she died, bur I have no documentation of her after 1858.

On my family tree, I have Elizabeth Smith also linked with the Woody family of Martin/Lawrence County. There is some evidence that she may have been a Woody from a previous marriage. In working the tree, I've followed that hunch a bit, but I'm going to have to leave Evansville to find the answers, if indeed any answer is out there.

When Henry brought his two children back with him from New York, he moved to the area where his father and father-in-law lived in Perry Township, Martin County, Indiana, just outside of Loogootee.  Henry married his neighbor, Nancy Crays, in 1861. Together they had four sons and one daughter. The stepchildren, Emory and Ella, unfortunately, didn't get along too well with their stepmother.

Ella's father, Henry, died of tuberculosis in 1872. At that point, Emory moved out of the area and Ella, aged 16, went to Vincennes, Indiana, where her aunt Mary Jane Howard Sawyer lived. Ella's grandmother, Mary Ann Toles Howard, also went to Vincennes with Ella along with another grandson, Abraham Frank, whom Mary Ann had adopted. Click on photos to enlarge

1876 Map of Vincennes, IN
Public Domain

According to my dear friend and lovely cousin, Ann Hartwell Britton, who has done considerable research on the Howard tree, that once Ella landed in Vincennes, she took a job,

"either at a Methodist newspaper or a Methodist church putting out a newsletter. Two caveats: 1) This was told to me by the same people (that is, all the then-existing Ellises) who said her name was Mary Ellen Howard and 2) I called the Archives of the (now) United Methodist Church who told me there was no Methodist church in Vincennes at that time."

First ME Church, Vincennes
Public Domain
History of Old Vincennes
Click on photo to enlarge

Upon further investigation, however, Ann and I found that there was indeed a Methodist church in Vincennes at that time. According to History of Old Vincennes and Knox County, Indiana, Volume 1, by George E. Greene published in 1911 [2], the first Methodist Episcopal (ME) church was established in Vincennes in 1810 with the first building erected 1828 and a second, larger building erected 1854.

Ella and Will were married in Flint, Michigan on 07 Dec 1876, and lived their married life together in Michigan. In the 1880 census of Mount Morris, Michigan, we not only find Ella and Will but also, thankfully, Ella's grandmother Mary Ann, along with her cousin, Frank.

If I were writing a fictional story about Ella and Will, I might have them meet at this Methodist Episcopal Church in Vincennes, Indiana. Or what if they met somewhere else? After all, they weren't married in Vincennes but in Michigan. It is clear, however, that Ella and Will both had roots in Vincennes, and it is an important location to their untold story.
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1. Ella is listed as Rodell on the 1870 census.
2. Most counties have a written history in the public domain. Consult Google Books and type in either the town or county name along with the state followed by the word "history."

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC

Abraham Howard II - Husband, Father, Fallen Soldier

Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line

Abraham Howard II (1837-1862) Husband, Father, Fallen Soldier

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by Carolyn Ann Howard

This post was updated 01 May 2022

Abraham Howard I was my 3x great-grandfather and the only son of John Godfrey Howard to settle in beautiful Martin County, Indiana. This occurred in or around 1854, when Abraham bought 50 acres along the breathtaking East Fork of White River, near the famous Overlook. According to records, Abraham, who is listed on the 1850 census as a blacksmith, purchased these acres from Samuel Smith for $1,000. Click on photos to enlarge

 

The Overlook at Shoals, Indiana Overlooking East Fork of White River Photo courtesy Marie Hawkins

 
Abraham's third son was Abraham II. He was my 3x granduncle and was about 15 years old when the family journeyed from New York to Shoals. Abraham's life was tragic yet interesting and victorious. He was a laborer, a husband, a father, a son-in-law, and a fallen soldier.

Abraham's brother, Eleazer, was around 17 at the time of their move from New York to Indiana. Although some family members think several different Howard families left New York together at the same time, I have proof that these were the only Howards to leave New York on this particular journey.

Of the children of Abraham I, only Henry stayed in Martin County, from whom I am descended.

Perhaps Abraham II and his older brother, Eleazer, wanted adventure. Maybe they thought a move would mean financial gain. Maybe Abraham was already in love with Eliza Raney. Whatever the reason, when the Raney's wagon train left Martin County, Indiana for Muscatine County, Iowa, Abraham and Eleazer tagged along.

We can only speculate what Iowa held for the two brothers - at least until and unless more information surfaces - but it could have been the opportunity for employment with building the Muscatine and Oskaloosa Railroad. Ground broke on this important railway 08 Feb 1854 by the M&M Railroad Company. It was built at a cost of $2,557,500, which was an average of about $27,000 per mile. [1]

Thursday, 28 Oct 1858 was surely a happy day for Abraham II, as he married Eliza Jane Raney, the niece of Valentine Raney. Eliza's parents had died early in her life and Valentine had taken his niece into his household, adopting her. Eliza was just days away from turning 17.

After the wedding, Eleazar, Abraham and Eliza Jane lived together in the same household. [2]

Another happy celebration occurred as Abraham and Eliza had a son, Abraham Frank III, born 25 Jun 1859.

Unfortunately, this may have been the last of happy days for our friend Abraham. Muscatine County became somewhat of a thoroughfare for those heading to California to find gold. Heading west, moving through Iowa, the gold rushers brought disease, namely cholera. [3]

Eliza Jane contracted rheumatic fever after the birth of her son.  While this may or may not have anything to do with people traipsing through Muscatine County or whether it had to do with recent childbirth or another cause, Eliza Jane Raney Howard died 15 Jan 1860. She is buried in Harker Cemetery, Muscatine County, Iowa. Her Find-A-Grave memorial opens in a new window.

What happened to a man in 1860 who lost his wife, has to work to make ends meet and has no childcare? He must find help. Many times, that help came in the form of a new wife. For Abraham, however, the answer was to return to Martin County. Eleazar came back with him, along with his infant son. On the 1860 census, Abraham II, Frank, and Eleazar are living with their parents, Abraham I and Mary Ann. How happy Mary Ann was to have her sons back home, and she willingly took care of her grandson.

Abraham II enlisted in the United States Army, mustered in 07 Jun 1861 in Terre Haute, Indiana, Regiment 14, Company A. From there, he marched to Indianapolis and from there to Western Virginia. On 03 Oct 1861, his first battle of the Civil War was fought at Pocahontas County in what is now West Virginia at the Battle of Greenbrier River. Five were killed and eleven wounded.

Abraham was promoted to corporal 07 October 1861. In April 1862, he became ill and was in the hospital at Strasburg, Virginia for a few days. Between 12 May and 23 Jun 1862, his company marched 339 miles. Most of the men were without shoes and short of rations.

In September, the 14th Indiana took part in the Maryland Campaign, which included the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. According to Wikipedia, Colonel William Harlow's report stated that Abraham's regiment fought for four hours under heavy fire within 60 yards of Confederate forces. Abraham took a mortal wound in the thigh and died on the battlefield. His death likely was extremely painful, and yes, I imagine he cried for his mother. Abraham died a hero.

Battle of Antietam
Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

The Union won the Battle of Antietam, although both sides experienced heavy casualties.

Abraham's Find-A-Grave opens in a new window.

It is good that Abraham and Eleazar went back to Martin County after the death of Abraham's wife, Eliza. Their son, Abraham Frank, found a formidable guardian in his grandmother, Mary Ann. After Abraham's death, she adopted and raised Frank.

Abraham's brother Eleazar eventually moved to Michigan and, in March 1865, enlisted in Michigan's 24th Regiment, Company H. Eleazar was in the military for only a few months when he suffered a disabling hip injury. He would continue to have debilitating pain in his hip the rest of his life.

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1. Parker, Nathan H. Iowa as It Is in 1855. Keen and Lee, 1855.
2. Records from The National Archives
3. Richman, Irving B. History of Muscatine County, Iowa.  The S.J. Clark Publishing Co., 1911.

© 2022 by December Moonlight Publishing, LLC