Sunday Search: Other Genealogy Groups

More piles of paperwork like this one should be expected...  

While I should hear back soon, I am still waiting to hear back from the Sons of the American Revolution regarding my application tracing back to John Redcross. As this process continues, I am looking into a variety of other genealogy, specifically hereditary and lineage based, organizations. The first group consists of those closely tied with the current outstanding application and the supporting documentation already compiled. This should streamline my application for the Sons of the Revolution. And while currently under consideration through a different line, it is possible that I may submit an additional application tracing back to John Redcross to the Monacan Indian Nation… we just need to find that one additional document!

Of course, while compiling the other supplemental applications to these aforementioned organizations, there is the possibility that I could uncover additional information prior to the revolution or find ancestors who served as commissioned officers. In these instances I will be sure to process additional applications to the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, the National Society Sons of the American Colonists, The Society of the Cincinnati, and the General Society of Colonial Wars. All of these organizations have varying genealogical requirements so there really is no guarantee that I will be able to successfully gain membership but I can always try so long as I have the evidence to support my claim.

Given the broad history that we have uncovered in my family, on both sides, it is interesting to see where I can submit applications for membership. After all, not all lines can be traced back to the Revolution, or involvement thereof, so it is quite useful to have a number of other organizations to join for not only the purpose of enjoying the company of others with a common family history but also as a means to confirm and verify the research and genealogy work that we have done. Depending on the family line, there are a variety of other organizations for which I have already pulled together the necessary documentation which include the Society of the War of 1812 (Jacob Teaford), the Sons of Confederate Veterans (George William Clapsaddle), and the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (Jacob Worth).

The only other organization that offers some certainty as to whether or not we will be able to gain recognition is the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania which recognizes the First Families of Pennsylvania. This recognition is achieved by a “GSP member who can prove descent from a resident of what is now Pennsylvania” during one of the following time periods: Colony and Commonwealth: 1638–1790; Keystone and Cornerstone: 1791–1865; or, Pennsylvania Proud: 1866–1900. There are plenty of ancestral options on my mom’s side of the family and, surprisingly, a few possibilities on my dad’s side as well. These will, most likely, be submitted as I pull together information for some of the aforementioned organizations when there is an overlap in the genealogy.  

Those are the organizations where I have a certain level of confidence that I will, at one point or another, be submitting an application for membership. However, there are some other lines that I have been tracking which, while I have yet to fully document, could provide some additional opportunities to submit applications to the Military Order of the Stars and Bars (Confederate Officers), Aztec Club of 1847 (Mexican War), The Huguenot Society of America (French Huguenots), and the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York (ancestors living in New York prior to the Revolution). Again, I consider these the long shots but if the documentation is there I will gladly submit the applications.

Today Is About Listening

There is much more to today than showing our appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who served in the military. Today is about those who gave everything, the most that anyone can give, to this country and to us. Today is about showing our humble gratitude to those who will never be able to read or see our words. Today is about listening rather than speaking.

In between the countless posts and comments streaming across the screen of my laptop confusing Memorial Day with Veteran’s Day there have been a few instances when I paused and simply listened to what was said or stopped to read what was written. Those words were from the men and women who survived, many of whom attest to their survival coming at the cost of the life of another soldier. Others were recollections of the smiles and aspirations of soldiers who never returned home.

At the same time, I see the pictures and faces of families now absent a son, daughter, father, mother, brother, or sister. These are the instances that give me a moment of reflective pause as I think about those with whom I shared a barracks and I wonder how many of those soldiers never posed for another family photo after those sweltering days in Missouri. And I also think about who had to take my place once I departed.

I also think about the leaves in the family tree that never fully developed having been pruned early in life during a time of war. Whether it is my 7^th great grandfather, Rufus Cone, having been captured by the British during the Battle of Long Island he subsequently died aboard a prison ship on August 27, 1776, or my 4th great grandfather, Jacob Teaford, who watched as his fellow militiamen were buried in mass graves in Norfolk, Virginia in the fall of 1814, or my 3^rd great grandfather, Jacob Worth, being entombed in the USS Tecumseh during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, or many of the cousins, close and distant, that have given all to defend this country. All of these family tragedies and sacrifices remain at the forefront of my mind on this day.

It is because of this, these accounts past and present, that we must always listen to what needs to be said and understand that many of the sacrifices that were made were so we could live the life that we do in a free country. At the same time, there is no telling what would have happened to us had someone not stepped in and paid that price. Past or present, today we must honor the memories of the true heroes of this country.

Sunday Search: Confederate Service

Following my records request that I filed with the National Archives a few weeks ago I decided to do a little more digging into the service of George William Clapsaddle during the Civil War. It seemed odd that he would have been discharged less than a year after enlisting in the 28^th Virginia Infantry. This was especially intriguing as there was little information on ancestry.com including the vague details found in his application for assistance from the Federal Government that he filed on 10 November 1902. 

While I am still waiting on the documents from the National Archives, the next logical step was to reach out to the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. With the few details that I had been able to record, I posted my query to their Facebook page and, through the assistance of a very helpful member of the group, I was able to learn about a few more details about my 3^rd great grandfather. Following our discussion, I turned my focus to fold3.com (I have a membership but, too often, I neglect to search this site) and was able to get a much more complete picture regarding his service in the Confederate Army.

George William Clapsaddle was born on August 29, 1834 to John Jacob Clapsaddle (who also served in the Confederacy even at his advanced age at the time) and Catherine Rinehart. One of four known children, he grew up on a farm in Botetourt County, Virginia. According to records, he enlisted in the 28^th Virginia Infantry (Company K) in Amsterdam, Virginia by Lieutenant Robertson on 20 July 1861 (one day before the regiment’s participation in the First Battle of Bull Run (Battle of First Manassas) and, despite originally enlisting for a period of one year and having not received any pay, he was “Discharged from military service… by Secretary of War” at Fairfax County Court House in Virginia on 30 September 1861. Later documents recording the receipt of back pay show that he was discharged on December 28, 1861.

While there is no supporting documents from 1862, it is likely that, after having received compensation for his previous service, he immediately reenlisted in the Confederate Army this time serving in the 12^th Virginia Calvary (Company E and D). It is possible that, during this time, George Clapsaddle participated in what would late be called Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign in the spring of 1862. However, it was while in service of this company that he was captured by Union forces at Charleston, Virginia on June 15, 1863, charged with assisting in the capture of cavalry officers and sent to Fort McHenry, Maryland and later Fort Delaware, Delaware.

After being included in a prisoner exchange on July 30, 1863, he returned to the 12^th Virginia Calvary where he was once again discharged. In early 1864, he enlisted for a third time this time serving as a private in Captain W. Hays Otey’s Company of Virginia Light Artillery in charge of local defense and assigned to the Confederate Arsenal Ordinance Depot in Danville, Virginia as a machinist where he served until the end of the war.

After the war, George Clapsaddle returned home, resumed farming, and married Margaret Ann Bowyer (daughter of Joseph Brown Bowyer and Elizabeth Betsy Stevers) on November 30, 1865 in Fincastle, Botetourt County, Virginia. They would go on to have eleven children including my 2^nd great grandmother, Sallie Betty Clapsaddle, who was born June 20, 1870 and married Roy H. Teaford on June 21, 1892.  

Late in life, while living with his oldest surviving son, Ray, he did apply for assistance from the Federal Government which he filed on 10 November 1902. While it is unknown whether he ever received assistance, what we do know is that he passed away on December 16, 1916 at the age of 82 not from old age but rather “epithelioma of upper lip, nose, and cheek”. While not specified, it is likely that it was a cancerous growth from which he has been living with for two years prior to his death. He was laid to rest, along with his story, in the cemetery at Galalia Church in Gala, Virginia.

Sunday Search: Requesting Records

Excuse me, have you seen my family? 

A recent conversation with a brother from the lodge got me thinking a little about some of the organizations that I could possibly join in recognition of my ancestors. Namely those who participated in the Civil War both in the Union and Confederate armies. I know that there are plenty who fought on both sides and I even have a few of the records, mostly pension papers, for a number of people who participated in the conflict. That conversation also had me wondering about the lives and service of a few others in the family tree.

Early this week I decided to take action on these thoughts while also taking a chance that there is more information out there that still exists by submitting service record requests with the National Archives and Records Administration. The first form I filled out is also the most obvious. While I have been able to piece together some of the detail surrounding the death of Jacob Worth (1836-1864) during the Battle of Mobile Bay while serving at a First Class Fireman aboard the USS Tecumseh (Union), that is pretty much the limit of my knowledge. Anything regarding his service before that fateful day is a mystery and hopefully there is a service record available to provide some answers.

The second ancestor I submitted was George William Clapsaddle (1834-1916) who served as a Private in the 28^th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, K Company (Confederate). The only details I have about this 3^rd great grandfather’s service is in the regimental history and in his application for assistance from the Federal Government that he filed on 10 November 1902. According to records, he enlisted on 20 July 1861 (one day before the regiment’s participation in the First Battle of Bull Run (Battle of First Manassas) and mustered out on 30 September 1861. I am particularly curious read about his time at part of the 28^th Virginia especially given his short length of service.

The request I made was for the service record of Jacob Teaford (1790-1877) who was part of Captain Joseph Larew’s Company of the 6^th Regiment Virginia Militia. While there is little I have been able to find regarding his service during the War of 1812 beyond his basic pension listing, I did find that the 6^th Regiment Virginia Militia did take part in the Battle of Baltimore in September of 1814 in support of Major George Armistead in defense of Fort McHenry. Obviously, I am curious to know whether my 4^th great grandfather was present when Francis Scott Key was inspired to write what would later become the Star Spangled Banner.

The final file that I hope to receive is that of John Redcross (1740-1800) about whom I already have a mountain of information but still have a few holes that need to be filled with regard to his service. He served in Captain William Long’s Company, 2^nd Virginia State Regiment, for nearly the entirety of the Revolutionary War including active participation under the command of Major General Lafayette and later as part of Colonel Charles Dabney’s band of regiments during the Siege of Yorktown. I am fascinated to see if any additional information is provided.

So those are the four requests that have been submitted. I am going to wait to see what is sent to me before submitting anymore but really any new information will be well worth the time, energy, and nominal fee. Of course, there are still other request that I have to make from other organizations but, being more recent records, there are a few more steps that I have to take. I guess I know what my next genealogy task will be. Stay tuned for results.

Sunday Search: A Second Marriage

On June 21, 1892, my great great grandfather, Roy Teaford, married for the second time to Sally Bette Clapsaddle. Roy, who can also be found under many other names, had lost his first wife, Mildred McNulty, earlier in the year and had employed Sally to care for his three young children. It is unclear exactly how the relationship developed over the months but, by summer, the two married and soon after began having children of their own. This included my great grandfather, Harry Gilmore Teaford, who was born just over three years after they first married on September 28, 1895.

Both Roy and Sally had deep roots in Virginia with both families predating the Revolutionary War. Roy had spent his life to that point laying track for the railroads through the Appalachian Mountains while Sally, 13 years his junior, was only just beginning her life beyond the walls of her childhood home. Roy came from a long line of farmers, from his great great grandfather Jacob Teaford who arrived in the colonies on October 27, 1764 to his grandfather, Jacob Teaford, who served in the War of 1812 and his father, John Wesley Teaford, who was the first to move the family out of Augusta County.

Sally’s family was long a mystery to me but the lines that have been explored in recent years are rather fascinating. Sally’s parents, George William Clapsaddle and Margaret Ann Bowyer, married shortly after George returned from serving in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and settled in Botetourt County. Ironically, both of her parent’s families trace their roots back to Pennsylvania having migrated down to Virginia around the same time that Roy’s family was arriving on the continent with both the Clapsaddle and Bowyer families intermarrying throughout the 19^th century and during parts of both the 18^th and 20^th centuries. Many of these records can be found in “The Related Families of Botetourt County, Virginia”.

When all the other lines from both Roy and Sally’s families are taken into consideration it is astounding how far the family tree stretches throughout Virginia as well as many of the other colonies. Some of those surnames include Cook, Bailey, Riggins, Pemberton, Stinson, Belcher, Snider, Wilfong, Veitheim, Stever, Brown, Schmucker, Steel, Hester, Rinehart, Mankey, Niday and Caldwell. Of course, there are alternate spellings for just about each one as well. Basically, if you scan the pages of the history books you are bound to find at least one of these surnames somewhere in the pages. All of these names tracing back to two people, my great great grandparents, Roy Teaford and Sally Clapsaddle.

A Surprising Stay

On Tuesday we packed up the car and headed slightly north to Lexington, the second stop of our Virginia tour. The Red Roof Inn in Troutville served its purpose but it was far from an excellent place to stay… stayed in worse and stayed in better. With the change we knew that we would be staying at the Hampton Inn which we thought would be a step up from where we were. What we didn’t expect was how big that step would turn out to be. As you can see in the picture at the top of this post, the historic (main building built in 1820) Hampton Inn in Lexington was quite the surprise.

During our stay there we ventured off to a few other locations (i.e. Natural Bridge and Bear Mountain) but also took advantage of both the amenities and architecture at the hotel…

…as well as the close proximity (five minute walk) to the heart of Lexington. By the way, I highly recommend the Southern Inn and Bistro On Main for dinner. Best meals, by far, during this trip so far.

Today, our final morning before driving across the Commonwealth, we took advantage of the loose schedule and spent some time at the Stonewall Jackson House which proved to be a fascinating glimpse into the complicated (and some would say conflicted) life of the Confederate general. It is one thing to read a book or watch a movie about him like “Gods and Generals” but it is a different experience and perspective when walking through his home.  

From the museum we walked across the street and did something that I haven’t done in some time (I actually can’t remember the last time)… we went for a carriage ride around town. Much like the tour bus we rode in Pittsburgh last month, this was a great way to get an overview of the town and take in as much as possible with the time that we had. In addition to the slow ride past many of the historic houses and buildings up and down the streets…

…we also passed many of the buildings which are part of Washington & Lee University.

As we made the final turn to return to our original departure point near the Visitor’s Center…

…I could see the foreboding buildings of VMI making their presence known in the distance.

And as the fortress like structure came into view we passed the resting place of one of the former instructors… Stonewall Jackson.

Back at the car as my family stretched for one last time, I ducked into the Rockbridge County Historical Society. While not as fruitful as I was hoping, it was a good conversation nevertheless and I was able to walk out of the small building with a few new contacts in the area for further research inquiries. With our feet beginning to throb we welcomed the long drive although there was a little letdown having to leave these counties to which we are so closely tied. So long Botetourt, Rockbridge, and Amherst Counties. We will be back again soon!

Our Family Was Here

Family from all over showed up for the reunion. 

I can’t say I have ever been one for big Independence Day celebrations. I have watched the fireworks from a variety of vantage points from the comfort of the living room on the television screen, in Philadelphia, at the New Jersey shore, at my Aunt and Uncle’s house, and while lying on the grass in my BDUs in central Missouri. However, while the temporary bright lights in the sky were never something that really interested me a lot, the day has always had tremendous meaning. While I didn’t quite understand it early in life, there was still always something a little different about the day.

Of course, now I have a much more complete understanding of what makes this day such a big part of who I am. And I am not talking about the reasons that this day is important to us all, I am talking about the connection that I have, that my family has, to this day and what generations have done since to defend this country. And with those thoughts fresh in my mind, it was particularly special to celebrate this holiday with family, with the whole family, as we gathered together this weekend in Virginia.

And when I say the whole family I really mean it. This is a little different than what usually comes to mind when someone mentions a family reunion. This is not simply the immediate members that you see here and there, this particular reunion brings together all those who can trace back their genealogy to our original immigrant ancestor, Jacob Duffordt, who arrived at the Port of Philadelphia aboard the Hero on the 27th of October 1764. There are thousands in our tree with a small sampling making the trip this year to the mountains of Virginia.

As you can tell by the date, we were here before the revolution and beginning with the simple act of Jacob Duffordt selling supplies to the Continental Army, we have taken an active role in supporting and defending this country. From Jacob Duffordt during the Revolution, to his grandson during the War of 1812, countless relatives during the Civil War, my grandfather and his siblings during World War II, my father in Vietnam, and others in the family who have served more recently. All have given of themselves to ensure that this holiday remains as a day to be celebrated.

Celebrating this day with family, with multiple generations, in a place near where we originally settled is what this holiday is about for me. This was about as close to a perfect representation of the holiday that I can recall and one that I hope to relive many times over in the future. This is our holiday, part of our history, and a reminder of all the generations that came before us and the ones that still lay ahead. We have to remember our history and continue to pass on what we have learned and the experiences we have had so that future generations can look back on this day and experience the same connection.

Four generations!

What Was That First Line Again?

So is this okay now?

It has been an interesting week to say the least. Actually, it has been an interesting couple of weeks. I glossed over this topic a little in my post yesterday but let's take the time now to dive a little deeper. 

Yesterday the Supreme Court issued a ruling to legalized same sex marriage throughout the United States.  While I don’t have a particularly strong feeling one way or the other, I was intrigued by the first sentence of the ruling which reads, “The Constitution promises liberty to all within its reach, a liberty that includes certain specific rights that allow persons, within a lawful realm, to define and express their identity.” It was interesting because it summed up another debate that has been happening across the United States.

This same line could be applied to those who see the stars and bars as a means of self-expression. While the recent history, and interpretation of history prior to the modern era, of that flag have tainted the original perspective, there are some that still hold onto that symbol not for the suppression that it has come to represent but because of the ideal of state’s rights that it stood for. In that vein, there is no denying that slavery played a role in dividing the nation but rights are what lead the country to war.

We have to remember that at that time most were indifferent to the institution of slavery both in the north and the south. However, when the federal government stripped away the rights of the states, that is what the people in the south rallied around. Hence the terms still used to this day “The War of Northern Aggression” and “The Battle for Southern Independence”. State’s rights is why the stars and bars have remained in South Carolina as the state flag flying above the capital.

But, like many things these days, the flag offends people so it must be hidden away and never spoken of again. Many of those same people proudly displayed a bright flag of their own today to support the rights of people. Again, while I don’t care one way or another, I am sure there are many people that are offended by that display of pride. Where is the outcry to remove those flags? Shouldn’t the same rules apply to all people and to all flags?

What it all comes down to is that you can’t have it both ways. You either support the rights of individuals to express themselves and live the lives they want to lead or you want to strip away the rights from people. Frankly, I would like to be left alone. Let me live my life, express myself openly, and enjoy my rights. The government shouldn’t be telling people or states what to do, who to marry, what we can own, what we can display, what we can and can’t say, and overall how we should live our lives. Enjoy your rights and remember this… just say no to big government!

Lost Memorials

Picture taken while searching for family in Leverington Cemetery...
there shouldn't be any open spaces in a full cemetery. 

Over the past few years, I have visited a few cemeteries trying to find the names of family members in the vast seas of grass and stone. Sometimes I have been successful while other times it has proven to be a harder task than expected. However, during each of those visits, I remember walking by the graves of countless veterans many of whom passed away long after their service but some who were killed in action.

There were a few resting places that were well maintained and the grounds were easy to access. Others have become far from the idyllic resting place that they once were and now seem to have been forgotten. These are the places that need our attention on this day not the grills, parks, and festivities to which we have all grown accustom. In one of the more run down cemeteries that I have come across, those graves were of soldiers who died while fighting in the Civil War. It seems ironic that these resting places are the ones forgotten on this day when these graves were the original impetus for the holiday.

It makes me wonder how many parades have walked past these resting places in recent years without the participants thinking twice about those who lay, unrecognized, a few yards from their feet. I have been asked to participate in countless parades but I have never once been asked to place flags on the graves of soldiers. Maybe I should be the one who changes this lack of tradition next year.

While I enjoy the time that I am able to spend with my family, the purpose of the day seems to have been lost. The focus now seems to be on not having to go to work (different than focusing on spending time with family) and sales… the holiday itself seems to have been sold. All the while, we forget those for whom this day was meant to honor. And there is no other more visceral reminder of this change in priority than the decrepit state of many cemeteries around us especially within the city limits.

There are too many places out there that need our help not just for those for whom this day recognizes but all the families that are represented in many of these forgotten resting places. After all, you never know when you might go looking for your family and not be able to find them because their headstone has long since crumbled, sunken, or fallen to the ground. All you need to do is walk in one of these cemeteries and see the open field of grass to realize that there are countless people who will now remain nameless to realize the importance of this situation. And on this day, think about the possibility of someone buried there who gave the ultimate sacrifice who will never be recognized for their service again.

Sunday Search: Revolutionary Resources

As I have peered through the leaves in my family tree and followed branches out to their blooming tips I have come across a numbers of lines that can be traced back to the time of the American Revolution. Whenever I discover and ancestor that lived in the United States during this time period there are a few resources that I turn to in order to find out if there is any record of their participation in the war. While these resources don’t guarantee an answer (there are a lot of documents that have not been digitally archived at this point), it does offer a convenient starting place.

The first site that browse it the one where I keep my tree, ancestry.com, which has added a number of relevant documents lately. I first look to find any source material that may be available with particular attention paid to the SAR applications that come up in searches. Whether I find something or not I next browse the trees of other members to see if they either have the information that I couldn’t previously find or if they have any additional information that adds to the developing story. While there have been occasions when the family history has already begun to unfold, there have been many instances when nothing has come about from this primary search.

Whether I am already working with results or not, I next turn to another favorite source, the DAR patriot database. This site offers another layer of research as by inputting the name of the ancestor in question, you can find all applications that have been submitted using that ancestor as their proof of ties to the American Revolution. There have been a few occasions when nothing has come up on ancestry.com but numerous applications appeared in the DAR database.

If you find a match here you can request a copy of the application which provides additional information including the sources used to verify each generation and the patriotic service. While it does cost $10 per record, it is a wealth of information that can save you a lot of time. Also worth noting is that SAR and DAR applications can be referenced in your own application to these respective organizations… this reduces the burden of proof down to that of the generations needed in order to trace back to an overlapping ancestor on an existing application of a member.

The last place that I search for information is on fold3.com. While this can be utilized early on I have found that without a membership there can be too many frustrations that prevent me from verifying or disproving service. However, there are occasions when access is free to certain collections (last month was the Civil War while this month is WWII). When access to Revolutionary War documents is free for a certain period, this is a tool that I will employ earlier in the process either prior to or after an ancestry.com search. Once I finish this stage of the process there is a fairly certain answer resulting from my efforts as to whether an ancestor participated in the Revolution. Surprisingly, more often than not, I have been able to find the sources to confirm their participation.

Of course, there are other sources that sometimes provide additional insights. There have been a few instances when the obituaries found on geneaologybank.com have led to the discovery of revolutionary ancestors. This has also been a resource to confirm based on newspaper articles. However, keep in mind that this is just one process for one period in history. It is the method that has worked best for me and has proven to be the most efficient means to finding the answers that I am looking for. It may not work for everyone but it may be useful for some of you. Let me know and, of course, feel free to share your tips and processes below.

Remembering The Contradiction

While his children lay in bed fighting for their lives my three times great grandfather, Jacob H. Wirth, was aboard the USS Tecumseh headed toward Mobile Bay. On the night of August 4^th, the USS Tecumseh arrived off the coast of the last major Confederate controlled port days behind schedule and with little time to prepare for the following morning. That calm evening was the last time that Jacob Wirth would have to think about his wife and children before Union admiral David Farragut ordered the attack. Farragut, tied to the flagship’s mainmast rigging at this point for a better view, uttered his now-famous order, “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!”

Within the first few moments of what is now known as The Battle of Mobile Bay, having taken the lead and maneuvering to engage the ironclad CSS Tennessee, the USS Tecumseh was sent to the bottom of the bay having fallen victim to one of the many torpedoes surrounding Fort Morgan. While this horrendous turn of events may have served as a rallying cry for the men and ships around him, this was far from the reality that descended upon his family at home. In an instant his wife, Mary Ann, became a widow and his small sickly daughters lost their father.   

In the following weeks, the Union naval force bombarded the three Confederate forts on the bay while Federal army troops attacked from land. By August 23rd, the last fort had surrendered, leaving Mobile Bay, the last confederate port, in the control of the United States. Many engagements during the Civil War were critical to the Union victory but it can be argued that this battle was instrumental in bringing about the end of the war as it completely stopped the flow of goods to the Confederacy and eliminated what was, at times, an admirable navy.   

Of course, as the battle was fought during those two and a half weeks in August, Mary Wirth struggled at home. While she was unaware of her husband’s death, she spent the duration of the battle caring for and eventually burying her two youngest daughters. Only one child survived, only one daughter, my great great grandmother, remained to comfort Mary during this time of great pain and uncertainty. 150 years ago today, far from his family and his home in Roxborough, Pennsylvania Jacob gave the ultimate sacrifice and to this day he remains at the bottom of Mobile Bay.

Filling In The Foliage In The Family Tree

The most recent addition to the family research...
the final resting place of Laura Belle Redcross and Marcellus Nickolas Love.

Over the weekend I spent some time talking with the other genealogist in the family, my aunt, about the impasse that we are now facing. We have both spent the last several years working on the family tree trying to fill in the leaves, trim the branches, and follow the roots as far as they will go. We are now at a point where all of the information that can be found online has been found, catalogued, and added to our tree. We are at a point when it is going to take a considerable increase in effort in order to achieve even the smallest of results…. traveling and physically searching for documents.

While that is a huge part of the ongoing work that we need to get done there is also a completely different task which we need to accomplish. For much of the family we have the documents, the lineage, the connections from A to B, and we know of events that occurred in their lives. However, there really is no narrative that has been written on each of the generations to give us some color and fill in what was happening not only in their lives but also what was happening in the world around them. Facts can only tell you so much. The story is what makes the person, for lack of an original term, come to life.

While you have all read about Jacob Wirth and his death aboard the USS Tecumseh which I wrote about back in November, I haven’t really done the work to tell some of the other interesting stories from the tree. Sure there have been plenty of lists like the ones I have compiled for the Sons of the American Revolution and outlining connections to the Monacan Indian Nation, I haven’t done my job as a story teller in recreating the lives, connections, and service in the family. And there are so many beyond those few that have previously been listed.

Sometimes it’s not about the events in their lives, sometimes it’s about the lives that they lived. While those lives may seem unremarkable to many, they are part of what made this family and guided us along the way. What if my grandfather never moved the family up to Pennsylvania from the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia? What if Samuel Ardis lived past 28 years old? What if my great grandparents never divorced? What if each of the immigrants just decided to stay put?

Obviously, we will ever know the real answers to the hypothetical questions. We will also never know if the stories we tell are completely accurate. But we can at least attempt to breathe life back into our ancestors and try to better understand the lives that they lived, the hardships they faced, and the decisions that they were forced to make. This should be interesting.

Veteran’s Day Genealogy

Illustration published in Harper's Magazine shortly after the sinking.

As it is Veteran’s Day I have decided to dedicate this post to some genealogy work. While many men and women in my family have served in the armed forces over hundreds of years, there is one story that has come to the forefront this year (remember that book I discovered during a trip my wife and I took to Harrisburg over the summer) as one of heartbreak and sacrifice. This is the story of Jacob H. Wirth.

 

The book discovered in Harrisburg.

 

The original story that was handed down through the family was that Jacob H. Wirth was a licensed Baptist minister who died aboard the steamer USS Tecumseh when it was destroyed by a rebel torpedo in Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. This was according to records found in the minutes of The First Baptist Church of Manayunk dated 29 August 1865. While I don’t know about the minister part of the story, I have been able to find substantiation of his service and of his death.  

To give you a little background, here is the summary for the USS Tecumseh from the Naval History and Heritage Command website:

USS Tecumseh, an iron-hulled, single-turret monitor, was launched 12 September 1863, at Jersey City, New Jersey. Although slated to strengthen Rear Admiral David G. Farragut's West Gulf Blockading Squadron for operations against Confederate fortifications guarding Mobile Bay, Tecumseh served temporarily with the James River service of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. To guard Union shipping against Confederate forces, the Union Army and Navy worked closely together by blocking the channel to prevent Confederate warships from coming down the upper navigable reaches of the James. Tecumseh was instrumental during these operations, sinking four hulks and a schooner. Although Tecumseh was involved in a number of notable operations along the James River, its most famous battle would be its last--the Battle of Mobile Bay.

Tecumseh arrived off Mobile Bay on the evening of 4 August 1864. Shortly after 6 a.m. on 5 August, the 18-ship Union squadron crossed the bar at flood tide and moved into the bay with Tecumseh leading the van of monitors, which included USS Manhattan, USS Winnebago, and USS Chickasaw. The ironclads passed between the fortified headlands to starboard of the lightly-protected wooden steam frigates, taking the brunt of Confederate Fort Morgan's heavy guns. Just after 7 a.m., Tecumseh opened fire on the fort's batteries. Meanwhile, Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan's squadron, centered around the heavy ironclad ram CSS Tennessee, sortied to meet the attackers. When Tecumseh veered left to engage the Confederate ram, the Union monitor hit an underwater mine or torpedo. After a tremendous explosion, Tecumseh heeled over and sank rapidly with its captain and 92 crewmen. As Tecumseh rolled over, two shells fired from nearby Fort Morgan struck the sinking monitor. 

While the above gives an accurate description of the sinking, it doesn’t give the visceral feeling of the act and the reaction from those in the midst of the turmoil. For this we have to look at the accounts of the men who served on vessels alongside the Tecumseh such as Captain Alden, commander of the USS Brooklyn which was the closest ship to the Tecumseh as it was sunk. In his report, Captain Alden writes:

“…The starboard battery was opened on the fort [Morgan] as soon as the guns could be brought to bear. Our progress up the channel was slow, owing to our carrying, as directed, low steam, ad the very deliberate movements of our ironclads, which occupied the channel close ahead of us. When we had arrived abreast of the fort, by a rapid and timely fire of grape their several batteries were almost entirely silenced. At this juncture I observed the ill-fated Tecumseh, which was then about 300 yards ahead of us and on our starboard bow, careen violently over and sink almost instantaneously. Sunk by a torpedo! Assassination in its worst form! A glorious through terrible end for our noble friends, the intrepid pioneers of that death-strewed path! Immortal fame is theirs; peace to their names…”

Of all the accounts in the Naval records, that may be the most emotional. Other accounts are more along the lines of that Lieutenant-Commander Jouett who was in command of the USS Metacomet during the battle. In his report he stated the following:

“…At 6:50 the Tecumseh hoisted her colors and fired a gun. Fort Morgan replied. In a short time the action became general between the fort, ironclads, Brooklyn, Hartford, and Richmond. At this time the rebel fleet took their stations across the channel, delivering a raking fire upon our line. At 7:35, amidst the hottest of the fire, the Tecumseh was blown up. I immediately sent a boat to her assistance in charge of Acting Ensign H. C. Nields, who pulled to the spot where she sank and succeeded in saving 1 acting ensign, 8 men, and pilot…”

While a few men were saved, my three times great grandfather was not. Jacob H. Wirth was 28 and serving as a fireman when he went down with the USS Tecumseh and he is still interred in a Naval grave at the bottom of Mobile Bay. While plans have been made at various times in the 150 years since the sinking, nothing has come to fruition regarding efforts to raise the ship. At the time of his death, Jacob left behind a wife and three young daughters the youngest of which was only a year and a half old.

But that is not the end of this particular tragedy as, back home, his wife, Mary Ann Wirth (Eppright) was tending to her daughters who had contracted what is most likely smallpox (based on the east coast epidemics of 1860-61 and 1865-73). The day after Jacob was killed in action, his middle daughter Laura (born in 1861) succumbed to her illness and passed away on August 6, 1864. Three days later, on August 9^th, his youngest daughter, Mary (born in 1863), also passed away.

While she was unaware of her husband’s fate at the time, Mary Ann Wirth lost her husband and two of her three children with in a matter of four days. The only surviving child was my great great grandmother, Adah Mary Wirth. This was a sorrow that Mary would have to carry for twenty years before her passing in 1885 at the age of 48.

It is on this day that we honor not just those who have survived but also those who have passed. So to all those who served this country in the armed forces I thank you for your service and sacrifice. To those who lost their lives defending this country, I thank you for giving the last full measure. To those at home who have endured separation and/or loss, I thank you for your strength. These are the men and women who serve as the foundation of our nation and they should be remembered this day and every day.

Only A Small Part Of The Story

Recently, TLC brought back the show “Who Do You Think You Are?” My wife and I enjoy watching the weekly episodes and learning about the interesting family histories that some celebrities are willing to share with the world. Seeing the reactions on the faces of those people can also be just as intriguing as we both know that feeling well of when something unexpected is discovered.

However, for me there has always been something missing. One of the fascinating aspects of genealogy for me has been the vastly different stories that our ancestors have. Many times, if you trace enough lines, you can find your ancestors in opposition whether it may be north against south, Indian versus settler, or some other means of conflict. These are the stories that shape us.

We are shaped by all our ancestors and the lives that each one of them lived both the remarkable and the ordinary. Sometimes it is more about the place rather than the person that adds depth and understanding. For instance, knowing that one of my ancestors came from Alsace Lorraine region in France by considered himself and was recognized upon immigration as German adds an interesting complexity to my ancestor’s life and to our family history.

Do we consider ourselves only German as our ancestor did or do we more accurately consider ourselves both? This is the kind of interesting internal question that really doesn’t have an answer as it is nearly impossible to balance the considerations from an ancestor’s life and how they view themselves with the facts that shape the world around them. This is the type of question that is frequently missing from the series.

During each episode the story of discovery is fascinating but it is by no means an accurate depiction of the process. Anyone who has done any kind of in depth genealogy understands the time and energy it takes to sometimes find just one item. Generation after generation the tedious process repeats until finally, after countless cycles the leaves of the tree begin to come into focus.

There are times when information is readily available, especially with the constantly expanding digital databases like ancestry.com, but that is still not the norm as many records remain confined to paper or microfilm. When you have to sort through piles of paper and reels of film in order to find a single document you have a much deeper appreciation of your heritage and you hold fast to the knowledge that you had to earn. It was not given to you in front of a camera; you had to work for the information, you had to sweat to find out who you are.

That is what is missing from this show. It is not about being handed your family history, it is about earning your heritage and connecting with your ancestors. That is how you truly find out who you are.

Many of you in the states may have missed this episode about J.K. Rowling as it is part of the UK series of the same name so I thought I would share it will all of you. There are subtle differences between the UK and US but they are equally entertaining. Enjoy!