Jacob Showalter, Micromanager

Jacob Showalter was my maternal GGGGG Grandfather. His great grandson was Amos Good.

Jacob Showalter *, my maternal fifth great grandfather, was born in Germany in 1741 and immigrated with his family to Philadelphia at the age of 8. The family settled in Earl, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and there Jacob married his beloved Barbara Oyer. They had sixteen documented children between the years 1762 and 1797.

 

View from the family cemetery shows the beautiful Martindale countryside.

Jacob died in 1809. Accustomed as I am to detailed wills, his might set a record for micromanaging.

It helps to know that, while a woman had few rights in a marriage during this time period, she did have what was known as a “dower right” in her husband’s estate upon his death. This right was generally limited to one-third of his “real property,” the rest being distributed to his remaining heirs. Historically this stemmed from a husband’s obligation to support his wife for her lifetime. Hence the term “dowager” refers to a widow living off a dower. A widow generally could not sell the property, as her husband’s estate still controlled it and it would go to the remaining heirs on her death. If she remarried, the new husband took the responsibility of supporting her, and the real estate passed immediately to the heirs without waiting for her to die. [Note: This is the “flip side” of a dowery, which refers to assets a bride’s father gave her husband to help defray the costs of supporting the bride for her lifetime.]

Apparently many men were a bit cynical about how well their sons (or maybe their daughters-in-law) would behave towards the sons’ mothers after they were gone, so took great pains to spell out the support required. Jacob was extra-specific, as indicated in this excerpt from his will (modified slightly for readability): **

 

Jacob Showalter's will

Item: I do give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife, Barbara, the right and privilege to live and dwell in the house wherein I now dwell, that is to say, in two rooms upstairs on the north side of the house, and as much of the kitchen downstairs as she has need for, and as much of this cellar and spring house as she has need for. Together with the garden near the small house wherein my father lived at or immediately before his decease, when necessary, privilege to pass and repose and pass from the said rooms upstairs to the kitchen and otherwise to go to and from the barn, garden and spring house through the house and cellar as occasion shall require during her natural life or widowhood. She shall have a right to let any and as many as she chooses of her single children to live with her with privileges for them to pass and repose as occasion shall require. And if my said wife would of choice rather live in the house wherein my father lived as aforesaid she shall have a right to live in that house under which has a cellar and her right to the spring house as aforesaid. And on her preferring to live in the small house in that case she will relinquish her right to the rooms and kitchen in the house wherein I now live. Also she shall have right to the stable near said small house in case of her living therein or in the stables in the large barn are in case of her living in the house wherein I know live. She shall have a right to keep one dozen of fowls and as many hogs as she chooses to keep with privileges for her hogs to run in the clover and green fields after harvest with the owners hogs of the plantation whereon I now live. Further I give and bequeath to my said beloved wife, Barbara, yearly and every year during her natural life or widowhood as much good and sufficient firewood as she and her family shall want for ready-made split and laid to her door fit for use. 10 bushels of wheat, merchantable, 8 bushels of Rye, 8 bushels of buckwheat, 80 bushels of Indian corn, 5 bushels of potatoes, 12 pounds of hackled hemp or flax, 6 pound of wool, 1 ton of first crop [hay] and one common of second crop hay and as many apples and cider as she wants, if the Orchard bears fruit, 100 pounds of good beef, yearly, and every year during the term of the aforesaid.

 

This was the larger house.

Further, I do give and bequeath unto my said beloved wife, Barbara, two bed and bedsteads, her choice of as much of the household and kitchen furniture as she chooses to take, tin plates, stove and pipe in the small house, and one chest, her choice. The house clock, and case, her choice as many of any books as she chooses to take. And further I do give and bequeath unto my said beloved wife, Barbara, the annual legal interest of 200 pounds to be paid onto her annually during the term aforesaid by my two sons, Jacob and Henry out of the lands herein after devised unto them. My wife's cow shall be pastured by my said two sons, Jacob and Henry on the land devised unto them like their own cows.

 

This looks like a springhouse but we believe was actually the smaller dwelling house.

This was only the beginning of the will. After taking care of Barbara’s needs, Jacob went on for page after page, detailing how the two sons would divide up the real estate and other assets and going to great pains to make sure that everything was equal, as each already had been given lands for their use and advances on the estate.

Whether because of the detailed will or because Jacob and Barbara had raised them well, the boys must have done a good job. Barbara lived another twenty-one years, passing away September 12, 1830, aged 80 years 6 months and 7 days.

 

Headstones for Jacob and Barbara Oyer Showalter.

* Side note for those who will ask: Yes, it is likely that Buck Showalter is a fifth or sixth cousin; while I have not connected the dots completely, Showalters from this family moved to the area of Virginia from which Buck hailed.]

** Will book K-1-38 Lancaster Co. PA

PJ Shellhammer, Revolutionary War Patriot

Philip Jacob Shellhammer was my paternal GGGG Grandfather. His granddaughter was Catherine Shellhammer who married William E Smith of the “clotheshorse gene” story published earlier.

If any of my Smith relatives want to join the Daughters or Sons of the American Revolution, look no further than Philip Jacob Shellhammer. Our line is well established, and the story of his service is well documented … sort of.

Philip Jacob was the son of Hans George Shellhammer, who arrived in Philadelphia from Germany in September, 1753 with wife Anna Margaretha and three young children in tow. George took the oath of Allegiance to the King and sought his fortunes in the new world. Settling first in Heidelberg, about the time of the American Revolution he moved across the Blue Ridge Mountains into Penn Township. There he established a farm and lived out his life.

1770 map shows "Haydelberg." Penn was across the Blue Mountain, drained by the Lizard and Mahoning Creeks. See also Nescopeck Creek. Connecticut disputed ownership of the nearby Wyoming Valley. "Great Swamp" fills northeastern PA. See nearby reference to "Shades of Death!"

George and Margaretha’s youngest son Philip Jacob (known as PJ to his descendants) was born while the family resided in Heidelberg. In 1777, the young man turned eighteen just as the Pennsylvania Militia was being reorganized. It wasn’t until fifty-five years later, in 1832, that he formally related the story of his service in support of his pension application. Here is his recorded account:

On this thirtyeth day of October in the year of Our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Schuylkill of the State of Pennsylvania (the same being a Court of Record) Philip Jacob Shelhammer, a resident of West Penn Township in the County of Schuylkill, State of Pennsylvania, aged seventy three years, who being first duly sworn, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated. That he entered the service in West Penn Township Schuylkill County State of Pennsylvania (the place of his residence) in the year 1777 under Captain Peter Rick, Lieutenant Dewalt Kuhns in Colonel Geigers Regiment. That he was marched from West Penn Township, aforesaid, to Easton in Northampton County State of Pennsylvania from thence to New Brunswick in the State of New Jersey and from thence to Trenton in the same state, Where he remained until he was dismissed. That he was not engaged in any battle during this term of service. That he served for the Term of two months. That he did not receive any written discharge but was verbally dismissed.

Page from the actual pension file.

That he returned immediately to West Penn Township aforesaid (his place of residence). That about two years after his return from Trenton about the year 1779 he was enlisted in Weisenburg Township then of Northampton County (1) now of Lehigh County by one Captain Greenawalt, who gave him one thousand dollars in Continental money as hard money. He recolect that one hundred dollars of Continental money was then valued as one silver dollar. That he enlisted for Seven months and served under Captain Vanatta, Lieutenant John Moyer, and Ensign Scovie [note: Capt. Johannes Van Etten, 2nd Lieutenant John Myer and Ensign James Scoby].  That he was marched from Weisenburg Township aforesaid to Mahoning Valley in Northampton County and was stationed at the house of his brother Simon Shelhammer (2) about forty five miles from Easton under the command of Lieutenant Moyer to protect the inhabitants of that district of Country from the Indians. That after remaining there about three months he was marched with about thirty others by Lieutenant Moyer, Sergeant Kuhns, Ensign Scovie to Nescopeck Valley in the County of Luzerne State of Pennsylvania and that they there fought the Indians. That they lost about fifteen or sixteen men, killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. (3) That they were obliged to retreat. That Lieutenant Moyer, Sergeant Kuhns, and Ensign Scovie were all taken prisoners by the Indians but Lieutenant Moyer made his escape two or three days afterwards. That he returned to his post at Simon Shelhammers house and from thence he marched under Captain Vanatta towards the New York line about forty miles above Staustown, this side of the Delaware river. From thence they were marched to Straustown and there dismissed. That he served for the space of seven months That he received no written discharge but was verbally dismissed.

 

Much of the war in northeast Pennsylvania involved Indians

That he again entered the militia sometime about 1781 or 1782 as a substitute for a person whose name he cannot now recolect — that he march from West Penn Township, aforesaid, under the Command of Captain William Moyer in Colonel Geiger’s Regiment against the Indians to Mahoning Valley, aforesaid, and was there stationed. That he was not engaged in any battle during this term of service. That he served for two months and was then verbally dismissed and afterwards returned to West Penn Township, aforesaid.

That immediately after his return he entered the militia again as a substitute for a person whose name he cannot recolect but remembers that he lived in Whitehall Township Lehigh County. That he marched from West Penn Township, aforesaid, under Captain Reader to Mahoning Valley aforesaid. That their Company were divided in small parties and stationed at different places in the said Mahoning Valley. That during this term of service a party of Indians burnt the house of Rinewault in the night which was about a half mile from [Boswaldem?] where Captain Reader lay. That on the alarm being given, Captain Reader called them together to pursue the Indians but they made their escape. That he served two months and was then verbally dismissed.

That immediately after his dismissal aforesaid without returning home he entered the militia again as a substitute for a person whose name he cannot recollect and served for the space of two months under Captain Cassamer Greenmoyer in Mahoning Valley, aforesaid. That during this term of service the Indians killed one man and destroyed some Cattle. That after the service of two months he was verbally dismissed and returned home to West Penn Township, aforesaid.

That the three persons for whom he served as a substitute in the three last mentioned terms of service were at the time strangers to him and they paid him about seven dollars each in money and grain. That he was born in Heidelberg Township Northampton County and has a certificate of his birth (which took place in the year 1759) now in his possession. That since the Revolution he has lived in West Penn Township, aforesaid, That he has no documentary evidence of his service nor does he know of any person who can testify to the fact of his service except his brother Simon Shelhammer, who can testify to his service for the term of seven months service secondly above mentioned. That the whole of his service amounted to about fifteen months.

Soldiering must have agreed with PJ. Although militia enrollment for able-bodied men aged 18 to 53 was required, as it was relatively easy to avoid service by paying a fine or finding a substitute, yet it seems he sought opportunities. It is also striking that not once in his narrative does he mention fighting the British.

In 1784, the war over, PJ married Mary Elizabeth Donat and raised eight children. In 1790 he was finally paid for the last two months of service performed nine years earlier. No mention is made of the type of currency used; the new country had just begun to print federal money as state-produced continental currency was almost valueless.

The Pennsylvania pension roll of 1835 indicates that PJ was successful in his application. He was approved for 50 dollars per year, with a total of 150 dollars to date. 

PJ died in November 1836, aged 77, and is buried in Zion Stone Church Cemetery, New Ringold.

If any family members want to apply for Daughters or Sons of the American Revolution membership, let me know! PJ is DAR Ancestor A102709.

NOTES:

(1) In 1777 there were still relatively few counties in Pennsylvania. Northampton County was huge, extending to the New York state line. Luzerne County was formed in 1786 and Lehigh County in 1812.

(2) Simon Shellhammer lived in what is now East Penn Township.

 (3) This battle in the Nescopeck Valley (see map), commonly called the Sugar Loaf Massacre, occurred on 11 September 1780. Much more information can be found on the internet.

Our Family's Role in Slavery

Growing up in a family deeply rooted in Pennsylvania, I probably wasn’t conscious of how “Northern-centric” my thinking was with regard to the Civil War. Slavery, in particular, was a Southern thing, disagreement over it led to the Civil War, and it had little to do with our family. I was, in fact, a bit condescending. At least that was my mindset until I started examining our Virginian antecedents. Once it became clear that the Mannings (and the associated Hite and Darke families) had owned large Virginia plantations, the probability that they owned slaves was unavoidable.

The author of our Manning history, published in 1953, neatly sidestepped the issue and avoided mention of slavery. Louise Edrington Willis talked about locating the site of General William Darke’s homestead. “The home was burned years ago … The unusual size and appearance of the stone house evidently used for overseer’s quarters or to house house servants [sic], clearly bespoke the size and style of the home General Darke built.” When I visited the location some years ago, the local historical society directed us to the ruins as the probable slave quarters. Oh. That’s a little more to the point than “house servants” and “overseers.”

Beautiful Buena Vista Relied on Slave Labor in the 1850s

Likewise, on a visit to the beautiful home overlooking the Shenandoah once known as Buena Vista, the current owners specifically mentioned slave quarters on the property.  The home was built by Nathaniel William Manning about 1850. A map from 1852 shows how large the plantation was; the property was valued at $10,000. The 1840 census shows four free whites and 11 slaves. The 1850 slave schedule indicates holdings of 12 slaves: two adults aged 45 and 55, and children ranging from 2 to 19. Nathaniel W Manning is also listed on the 1860 slave schedule.

Digging a little further back in history, I located notices from the fall of 1818 related to the estate of William N. Manning’s father, Jacob Hite Manning. It indicated that Negroes were available for hire … men, women, boys and girls. It wasn’t uncommon to hire slaves out when they weren’t busy.

1818 Ad Sought to Hire Out Slaves

A generation earlier, the 1801 will of General William Darke specifically bequeathed three Negroes to a family in the same way as other “property.” It was interesting that General Darke came from a family of Quakers, who tended to discourage slavery (but they would also fail to embrace military careers).

So how far back did our family’s slave holding history go? We have seen that both Nathaniel William Manning, his father Jacob Hite Manning, and Jacob’s father-in-law General William Darke, all of Virginia, held slaves. Following the family further back, the German Hites may not have had slaves in New York or Pennsylvania, but obviously took up the practice when they came to Virginia and invested in large tracts of land. While we do not know whether Reverend Nathaniel Manning had slaves during his brief tenure as Anglican minister in Hampshire County, his wife Mary Hite Manning had grown up with them in her father Jacob’s household. She brought money and property into the marriage, so it is probable that the physical burdens of setting up a parish glebe (essentially a home and farm to support the minister) were lightened by the work of slaves. Mary’s mother, Catherine O’Bannon Hite, was herself the daughter of an Irishman with significant landholdings and slaves in Faulkier County, Virginia; Bryan O’Bannon specifically bequeathed slaves to family members in his will of 1762.

Excerpt from the 1801 Will of General William Darke of VA

But what of the Reverend Nathaniel Manning’s background before he came to Virginia, hotbed of the despicable practice of slavery? Manning hailed from New Jersey, and as it turns out, he was well acquainted with slave ownership before moving to Virginia. His father, Captain Nathaniel Manning, made provisions in his 1766 will bequeathing various slaves to family members. It seems that the English who established the New Jersey colony were extremely encouraging of African slavery as a means to promote agriculture and commerce. In 1664 they offered 60 acres of land, per slave, to any man who imported slaves, and there were ongoing efforts by those governing the colony to ensure a steady and affordable source of such labor. In the 1670s when our ancestor Jeffrey Manning moved from Massachusetts to the Piscataway, NJ area and took ownership of significant tracts of land, it is possible he bought slaves, although his will does not mention them, and specifically leaves a bequest for a servant. However, slaves were particularly numerous around nearby Perth Amboy. "By 1690, most of the inhabitants of the region owned one or more Negroes." *

Excerpts from the 1766 Will of Capt. Nathaniel Manning of NJ

What of Massachusetts, the Northern colony to which we trace our Manning/Andrews ancestors? It seems that Massachusetts Bay Colony had slaves even before our Andrews family arrived about 1635. A surprising find for me was that in the early days of the colony, when there was sporadic warfare between the colonists and the Indians, captured Indians were usually enslaved. Women and girls might be kept locally, but the males were deemed too dangerous. They were sent by ship to the West Indies and traded for safer, experienced Negro slaves who were brought back to Massachusetts. The first documented reference to this was in the journal of John Winthrop, Boston’s founder, in February 1638. In 1641 Massachusetts became the first colony to officially legalize slavery. Jeffrey Manning of Suffolk, England is believed to have been indentured as a youth to Captain John Cutting of Charlestown, Massachusetts, and thus made his way to the colonies. Captain Cutting made at least 13 trans-Atlantic crossings. There is no evidence that Cutting was a slave trader, but his Massachusetts estate included five slaves. By 1676, when the Mannings prepared to leave for New Jersey, the number of slaves in the colony was only 500, and most were used by craftsmen in larger cities for. As this profile does not seem to fit our Massachusetts Andrews/Manning ancestors, it seems unlikely that they personally owned any slaves. However, the slave trade was of great commercial importance to Boston, so the colony as a whole benefited.

Monument to the First Settlers in Hingham, MA.

It turns out that slavery was important in every one of the original thirteen colonies. Even William Penn, that devout Quaker who helped establish New Jersey and Pennsylvania, had slaves. As the colonies matured, there were periods of time when waves of German, Scots, and Irish immigrants provided cheap labor, often through indentured servitude, and the importance of slavery waned. Generally the institution of slavery continued in each colony until the commercial “need” for slavery was reduced to the point that the arguments against it as a matter of conscience could be heard.

It was likely not just our Manning line that used slaves. Any branch that we can trace back to early colonial days probably profited from the institution in some way. That means that while we may admire the bravery and tenacity of those of our ancestors who sought freedom from various kinds of oppression in this new world, we have to recognize that they may not have seen fit to extend freedom to others, particularly those of color.

By the Mid-1850s, Northern States Started to Reinvent their Images

Returning to my “Northern-centric” thinking, where did this single-minded blame of the South come from? The New York Historical Society, in promoting its exhibit, “Slavery and the Making of New York, states that ”In the years leading up to the Civil War, the distinction between slave states and free states became fixed in the popular mind and in school texts. Reading backwards, many northerners came to believe that their communities had always been bastions of liberty.”

I have now come to understand that if I pride myself in my colonial roots, I have to accept the burden that for at least 200 years my ancestors’ accomplishments may have been built in part on the traffic in human beings.

* Edgar J. McManus, Black Bondage in the North, Syracuse University Press, 1973.

Stewards of the Land: Siegfried vs Rodale

Johannes and Elizabeth Siegfried were my maternal sixth great grandparents

I recall my father speaking from time to time of Rodale Insitute. I vaguely knew that they had something to do with new gardening methods, and that Dad would sometimes buy their seeds or try a new technique; sometimes he was pleased, sometimes not.

I didn’t realize that Rodale was a local institution until I changed the route I took between Maryland and Catasauqua and regularly drove Route 222. Near Maxatawny, PA, I saw signs pointing to Rodale.

Decorative wrought iron gate bears the name John Siegfried, a descendant of the original settler.

Imagine my surprise when I was researching the Siegfrieds, a new-found set of ancestors, and saw a reference to Rodale! Last spring, my brother Bill and I stopped in on a whim, before I was even quite sure what our connection was. We were warmly welcomed and offered the opportunity to take a self-guided tour.

Bill inspects the spring house, which dates to 1790.

It turns out that my first Siegfried immigrants were Johannes and Elizabeth Siegfried. They were reportedly Mennonites and may have been from either Germany or Switzerland. Arriving in Philadelphia in 1719, they initially settled in Oley, Philadelphia County (now Berks). About 1724, (1) Johannes purchased large tracts of land in “Mach-set-Hanne” (Maxatawny), accumulating 600 acres before his death in 1747. At that time he split the land between his two sons, John and Joseph. Siegfrieds remained on the “Siegfried’s Dale” property for over 200 years. In 1971 it was purchased by the Rodales. (2)

J. I. Rodale was the father of organic farming in this country. It was said he had an almost missionary zeal. In 1971, when J.I. Rodale died, his son Robert took over and expanded the agriculture/health-related business with the purchase of the Siegfried farm. After more than 200 years of the Siegfried’s stewardship, the farm was worn out. The Rodales have since used the property for large-scale research using organic and self-sustaining farming methods. Today the farm has been rejuvenated and is the site of the “Rodale Institute.”

The plaque on this home is dated 1827.

What is wonderful is that the Rodale spirit of rejuvenation and preservation has extended to the Siegfried farm. The buildings on the property-- homes, barns, a springhouse, and a schoolhouse--have been maintained and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “Siegfried’s Dale Farm.” Visitors are welcome to the property for a planned or self-guided tour. As Siegfried descendants we received a warm greeting.

One of the homes in this grouping also dates to 1790.

As to my direct ancestors, Johannes died on the farm in 1747 after living on his land for over 20 years. His wife Elizabeth lived another 20 years, with her death coming in 1767. Although no markers remain, they were buried in the Siegfried family cemetery, which is located on the property and can be visited.

The Siegfried Family Cemetery is on the property and can be visited. It definitely needed a mowing when we visited in May 2013!

Their oldest child (and my fifth great grandmother), Catherine Siegfried, was born in Oley in 1719 shortly after their arrival in this country. On Christmas Day, 1737, she married Johann Frederick Romich (Romig) and left the family farm. My family follows this line of descent.

The oldest buildings remaining on the property date from 1790, which means that none of my ancestors actually lived in them. However, homes were rebuilt on the same sites, located over springs so that fresh water was protected from possible raids and easily accessible during the winter.  So when you walk the grounds, you are walking where my family's ancestors walked and enjoying the same rolling landscape.

One of the whimsical touches on the Rodale Institute property

(1) William Penn had been given title to the land by the English crown, but he didn’t actually purchase it from the Lenni Lenape until 1732. Therefore some records date the first Siegfried deed to 1732, about eight years after he took possession.

(2) Descendants of Johannes and Elizabeth Siegfried are indebted to Leon Borst, who published The Siegfrieds of Siegfried's Bridge.

Preserving What’s Now for Then

In the last years of her life, my mother, Eleanor Manning Stine, quietly went about preserving the family history for the future. She collected memorabilia into a central file cabinet, labeled photos (sometimes incorrectly), and organized family letters dating back to the 1940s. 

Sally, Ed, and Peg Manning when they briefly lived in Detroit!

She did all of this without making a big deal about what she was doing. We knew there were things in the file cabinet but she didn’t make a point of pulling them out and sharing them with us.

It was an amazing treasure trove when we went through it.

Letter from Mom to her gang at home during WWII.

I wish, though, that she had pulled us in. I wish had taken the time before she passed away to talk with her about her family. But so often when we visited, we were busy with holidays and families. In making new memories and dealing with day-to-day events, so many old memories were lost.

After Mom died, we started to ask my father more questions. What a joy! Dad didn’t volunteer stories often, but when we got rolling he might drop a bombshell, like saying, “Well, of course, there was the time your mother moved out on me,” or “Well maybe that’s when I almost died when I was a kid.” We would explode with laughter and amazement and demand details. But think of the stories we missed by not starting sooner!

I asked Dad why he missed so much school in sixth grade

I never knew either of my grandfathers. Dad’s father, Titus William Stine, died in a railroad accident just before Christmas in 1946. Dad had married in 1944, entered the service, and traveled around the country with his new bride for two years during the war. He was anticipating with pleasure getting to know his father as a grownup when he returned. He said his father was not always the best provider, but he was a lot of fun to be with. Clearly Dad thought he was a good man. 

 

Titus Stine is on the left in this humorous postcard.

We drove to some of the places they had lived, but as I try to write stories about my forebears, I realize there is so little I know, and so much I could have asked.

 

Dad lived in 516 Locust, Bethlehem briefly. 514 Locust was a bakery!

Even more of an unknown is Mom’s father, William Traver Manning. Coincidentally he also died during the war, in 1945, but from a heart condition. Ironically we have many letters written by and to Mom’s family members, her mother's memoirs, her brother's memoirs, and an extensive history about William’s father, E. B. Manning, but very little picture of what "Bill" was like has emerged. We know where when he was born, where he lived, for whom he worked, and even who introduced him to his future wife, May Strouse. We also know that he practiced the trade of electrical engineer from a very young age, building an electrical generator contraption that provided electricity for his father's home before anyone else in the area had it. But we don’t know if he was funny or stern or what his hobbies might have been. Was he as involved in radios as his son Ed?

 

William Traver Manning, 1916

As I write this, I have three great nieces and one great nephew. That means I personally knew two of their great grandparents (my Mom and Dad) and two of their great great grandparents (my two grandmothers). How I would love to have heard stories about what my great grandparents and great grandparents were like! I am so glad that we have photos (and not just digital ones that can be lost in the ether) to show them that Mom held Immy, and that Dad met Immy, Julia, Oliver, and Avery in turn and had a chance to see their personalities start to emerge. But without all of us preserving their stories, they will be as much a mystery to them as my forebears are to me!

Mom and Dad with first great grandchild, Imogen Edwards

Dad enjoys his four great grandchildren

Frank Strouse, Civil War Soldier

Frank Strouse was my maternal GG Grandfather

I recently visited the Gettysburg battleground. Prior to getting deeply involved in genealogy, I vaguely knew that my maternal GG grandfather, Frank Strouse, served there but knew very little else. Other than telling one funny story, he did not talk to his family about the war. I took the opportunity of preparing for this Gettysburg trip to put more pieces together. Following is what I learned.

 

Pottsville ca 1861. John Warner Barber & Henry Howe,Our Whole Country or the Past and Present of the United States....Volume I (New York: Tuttle & McCauley, 1861), 538

Prior to the Civil War, Pottsville had a longstanding National Light Infantry unit. When President Lincoln issued a call to protect Washington, this unit was among the First Responders. Frank Strouse was not among this initial unit, but at the end of their three months tour of duty, when nearly all of the former National Light Brigade members signed a three-year/duration of the war contract, Frank Strouse and other Pottsville citizens joined them. They became Company A of the newly authorized 96^th Pennsylvania Infantry. Organized right in Pottsville in September, 1861, the unit served in many of the bloodiest fights of the war, finally mustering out after the Battle of Cedar Creek in September, 1864.

Gettysburg is only one of the many battles in which the 96^th was engaged. When I reviewed the service record for the unit, I could understand why he might have chosen not to talk about what he must have witnessed and endured. Following is a partial list of their campaigns and battles:

 

Image from Gettysburg Cyclorama

1862

First Battle of Manassas

Siege of Yorktown

Seven Days Battles before Richmond

Gaines' Mill

Maryland Campaign

Antietam

Battle of Fredericksburg

1863

Burnside's second Campaign, "Mud March"

Chancellorsville Campaign.

Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg

Battle of Gettysburg

Bristoe Campaign

Mine Run Campaign

1864

Rapidan Campaign

Battle of the Wilderness

Siege of Petersburg

Repulse of Early's attack

Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign

Battle of Opequan, Winchester

Battle of Cedar Creek

 

Gettsyburg Battlefield Day 2 (July 2)

With specific reference to Gettysburg, the 96^th was part of the Sixth Corps commanded by John Sedgwick. The rigorous march they made to Gettysburg earned them the nickname “Sedgwick’s Foot Cavalry.” I had believed that the 96^th was held in reserve but that was not exactly true, and certainly was not consistent with the position of their monument on the field. A little more research revealed that when they reached the battlefield the afternoon of July 2nd, Longstreet was in the process of driving Sickles from his position. The men were at once formed, with no rest, to join the battle and wound up to the right and front of Little Round Top. They took position behind a stone fence and held the position with slight loss until end of the battle.

 

Monument marks the position of the 96th near Little Round Top

The 96^th is commemorated with a monument of a prone soldier at the point where they were positioned, and also with a plaque on the huge domed Pennsylvania State Monument, which names every man who fought for Pennsylvania at Gettysburg.

 

The domed Pennsylvania Monument at Gettysburg.

Closeup of 96th Infantry plaque. Frank Strouse is a private in Company A.

Frank Strouse’s descendants can be proud of his service during the Civil War. We can also count ourselves lucky that he survived the war to marry his sweetheart, Sarah Jane Bast!

Memorial Stone at Highland Park Cemetery in Allentown

For more information you may want to read the History of the 96th Pennsylvania.