Who's Your Grammie?

I have been writing about the grandmothers in our family tree since August of 2012. Beginning with "A is for Anna" each entry introduced you to a different grandmother. Telling the Grandmother stories was a fun way to share my research with family and friends. Now I am looking at our Revolutionary War ancestors, their service records, the story of their families and of course the stories of their wives, our grandmothers. After all, "Who's Your Grammie?" is about our grandmothers!

Saturday, December 29, 2018

John Johnson (1761 - 1815)

It seems that William Johnson, the father of John Johnson, owned property in Lower Mount Bethel, Northampton County, Pennsylvania near land owned by William McEwen. In about 1801 William McEwen married Sarah Johnson, daughter of John and granddaughter of William Johnson.

John Johnson practiced the trade of Blacksmith and most likely William McEwen was apprenticed to him to learn the trade as well. A blacksmith forged items needed by farmers such as shovels, plows and pitchforks. They made the shoes for horses and the metal parts needed to make carriages and wagons. He also manufactured all manner of metal items such as nails, pots and pans, door latches and hinges. Every village had a blacksmith who was essential to the economy of the community.

The Johnsons and McEwens were members of the Scotch-Irish Settlement at Martins Creek. Also known as Hunter's Settlement, this location is right across the Delaware River from Warren Co., NJ where John must have lived as a boy. John Johnson was the son of William Johnson and Elizabeth who lived in Sussex Co., NJ in the neighborhood of Knowlton Township which today is in Warren County, New Jersey. William Johnson's will #600S June 20, 1794, and was probated October 11, 1794 in Sussex Co., NJ. and names his children, who were: Abraham, John, Anthony, Catherine, Margaret, Sarah and Elizabeth; and his son- in- law, Moses Weaver.

John Johnson's marriage to Jerusha Kitchen took place after the Revolutionary War in about 1784.

Several documents show his service as a patriot in the Revolutionary war.

Pennsylvania Archives
Vol. 8, 5th Series P. 394

Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File
Army Private - Enlisted

5th Battalion Private 4th Class - Capt. Patrick Campbell (April 29, 1782)

5th Battalion Private 4th Class - Capt. John Long’s Company from Aug. 30, 1782 to Oct. 27, 1782

His tombstone is still in very good condition in the Scotch-Irish Presbyterian Burial Ground. The stones are black and are located near the wall by the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. He died at the age of 54 in 1815.

JOHNSON, John

b. 11-1-1761 - d. 1-19-1815

JOHNSON, Jerusha

wife of John JOHNSON

b. 2-18-1764 - d. 9-8-1822

John and Jerusha Kitchen Johnson were the parents of several children. From the abstract of his last Will and Testament #3044, the children named are: Sarah who married William McGowen (McQuown, McEwen); Elizabeth, who married Thomas Searles and Margaret, who married to Ignatius Fradeneck. Others compiled and listed by Marjory Gerold are Henry, Peter, William, Martha, John and Isabella. From his will the marriage of Sarah Johnson to William McEwen is proven. He left her a large part of his estate. In 1823 after the death of her mother, Jerusha, Sarah and William McEwen pioneered to Seneca Co. Ohio where William practiced the trade of blacksmith. just as his father in law had taught him.

Sources:

The History of Seneca Co., Ohio, published Chicago:Warner, Beers & Co., 1886.
Find A Grave Memorial# 11997522 John Johnson and Find A Grave Memorial# 11997525 Jerusha Johnson
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/northampton/history/local/davis/davis27.txt
Pa State Archives @ http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Archives Vol. 8, 5th Series P. 394 - 405
Northampton County Archives, 999 Conroy Place, Easton, PA 18040

Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

Please see the Index to my "Who's Your Grammie" Blog

GENEALOGY IS A WORK OF HEART

Your comments and suggestions below are appreciated. It is with pleasure that I am able to present this information here for you to see. If you discover a relationship here, I would very much enjoy hearing from you.

Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

This site may be linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent. The copyright on this page must appear on all copied and/or printed material.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Johann Jacob Bunstein, 1755-1840, a Hessian soldier

That is all to be seen marking the gravesite of our ancestor Jacob Bonstein on the Armed Forces Memorial stone at Dryland Reformed Cemetery, Hecktown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, USA. But there is certainly more to his story than a few figures etched in stone.

To begin with, this ancestor of ours arrived in America as a member of the Regiment von Knyphausen. He was a Hessian Soldier hired by the English to fight against the American patriots. He arrived at Staten Island in New York on August 15, 1776 and took part in the Battle of Long Island.

Drawing, A Hessian Soldier;
Published by Charles Scribner's Sons;
1963-91-8

Remember learning about Washington crossing the Delaware when you were in school? In the infamous Battle of Trenton, Jacob Bunstein was captured along with upwards to 1,000 other of his fellow Hessian troops in the early morning of December 26, 1776. The prisoners were paraded through the streets of Philadelphia, after which Jacob was marched off to Lancaster and later given a "work release" of sorts. Like many other Hessian soldiers he was allowed to work off the cost of his prison confinement on a local farm.

Johann Jacob Bonstein and his brother Paulus Bonstein were born in Grossropperhausen, Germany where they were trained to be soldiers from an early age. During the American Revolution they both became prisoners of war, serving confinements in various locations. After the war, Johann Jacob Bonstein stayed in America and Paulus returned to Germany.

Jacob married Katerina Schabel, a daughter of George and Margaret Barbara Schabel. Katerina was born March 4, 1763 and baptized April 22, 1764 at the Dryland Union Church. Census records for Moore Township, Northampton Co. Pennsylvania indicate that Jacob and Katerina lived in close proximity of her parents. 1790 Census, Moore Twp., Northampton Co., PA lists Jacob Bunstine with a family of 1 male over 16 years, 3 males under 16 years, 2 females. While the 1790 Census, Moore Twp., Northampton Co., PA lists the family of George Snable, with 4 males over 16 years, 0 males under 16 years, 2 females.

According to records at the Pennsylvania Archives our Hessian soldier later fought on the American side in the War of 1812, which is hard to believe as he would have been an old man. But, Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-1999, Record of Burial Place of Veteran, Northampton County shows this information: Jacob Bonstein, born 12 Feb 1755, died 12 Apr 1840. A Veteran of War of 1812 - 1814 serving in the Army from July to December of 1814 in Capt. Dornblaser's Co., 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division. Buried in the Dryland Union Cemetery, Hecktown (Lower Nazerath Township), PA. Section: Middle, Cr. Sec. E-29.

Jacob Bonstein and Katerina became the parents of nine children, eight of whom were Jacob, Polly, Marie, Elizabeth, Margaret, Catherine, John and George Bonstein. George, who was born August 22, 1784, married Rosina Bilheimer who was born November 28, 1792. Their daughter Caroline Bundstein married Valentine Smith on May 18, 1834 in Bethlehem, PA. They had a son named Edmund who married Camelia Engler whose son Arthur married Estella Kunkle. Art and Estella's son Russell was Ronnie's grandfather thus making Jacob and Catherine Bunstein Ron's 5X great grandfather. There ya go!

Sources:

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 October 2018), memorial page for Jacob Bonstein (12 Feb 1755–12 Apr 1840), Find A Grave Memorial no. 70128281, citing Dryland Reformed Cemetery, Hecktown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Paula Koehler (contributor 46839152) .
John Humphrey, Gravestones of Northampton County
History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the Grand Valley of the Lehigh Vol. 2, William Jacob Heller, American Historical Society, 1920, page 230
First Reformed Church (Easton, PA), published by H. M. Kieffer in 1902 under title “Some of the first settlers of the Forks of the Delaware”
Dryland Church Records
Auerbach, Inge and Otto Froehlich. HETRINA (Hessische Truppen im Amerikanischen Unabhangigkeitskrieg = Hessian Troops in the American Revolution) 6 vols. Marburg : Archivschule Marburg, 1972-1987, a listing compiled from original German records of all who served from the principalities of Hesse-Cassel, Hesse-Hanau, and Waldeck. HETRINA III, 3181 [Page 64] The HETRINA is now available as an online database at: http://lagis.online.uni-marburg.de/en/subjects/index/sn/hetrina
Ken Miller, Dangerous Guests: Enemy Captives and Revolutionary Communities during the War for Independence (Cornell Univ. Press, 2014)as found at Wikipedia, "Hessian Soldier"
Johannes Schwalm Historical Association, Inc. online at http://jsha.org/jsharegis.htm
Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society, Easton, Pennsylvania

Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

Please see the Index to my "Who's Your Grammie" Blog

GENEALOGY IS A WORK OF HEART

Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

This site may be linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent. The copyright on this page must appear on all copied and/or printed material.

Monday, October 29, 2018

Jacob Hubler (1711 – 1789)

Have you ever heard of the Committee of Observation of Northampton County? Yeah, neither had I. But a little online research turned up an excellent article by Thomas Verenna for the Journal of American Revolution regarding the vital role they played in the success of the war effort. Among other duties it was their job to oversee the security of the frontier borders and to ensure that the militia and army were supplied with guns and ammunition. Our ancestor, Jacob Hubler, who was too old to serve in the Revolutionary War, was elected to represent Plainfield township on the Committee of Observation in Northampton County on October 2, 1775, a service record recognized by the DAR. That is pretty impressive!

Jan 27,1768, Jacob Hubler, 100 acres adjoining his other land

In fact our Jacob Hubler was a very impressive character to say the least. He amassed an estate of over 400 acres in his lifetime and built an impressive structure, The Jacobsburg Inn, which was a residence,store and tavern serving the local area. He practiced farming and was a merchant in Plainfield Township, Northampton County. After the war he was taxed 1 pound, 1 shilling in the first federal tax of 1788 on 350 acres of land, 3 houses and 5 cows. He called his estate Jacobsburg, a name recognized to this day as the Jacobsburg State Park. Yes, that's right! Jacobsburg State Park in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, well known for its Environmental Education Center and over 18 miles of trails, takes its name from the very property once owned by Jacob Hubler.

Hans Jacob Hubler was born December 4, 1711 in Twann, Switzerland where his family had lived for generations. He was 26 years old when he immigrated to America. He arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania aboard the ship "Virtuous Grace" on September 24, 1737. On the original list his name was spelled as Jacob Howbolare.

Johann Jakob Hubler died on May 7, 1789 at Jacobsburg, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, at the age of 77. He was buried in an unmarked grave on the Jacobsburg farm. His estate was probated on May 9 of that year. He left all the legacies he was to receive from the estate of his father, Hans Jacob Hoobler in Switzerland to his son, Jacob. Son Frederick received 100 pounds. His son-in-law, Michael Glass, who was married to daughter Christina, received 50 pounds. To granddaughter Magdelena Hollman, he bequeathed 25 pounds and to his son-in-law, Christian Hollman, 100 pounds. His sons, Abraham and Isaac, were given the land in Plainfield township known as Jacobsburg.

He married Anna Barbara (1712 -1795). Their children were Jacob Hubler (2 Oct 1742-19 Dec 1811); Frederick Hubler born around 1745; Christina Hubler (14 Jun 1747-11 Apr 1813); Gottlieb Hubler born around 1748; Rosina Hubler (c 1749 - 6 Sep 1828); Abraham Hubler (20 Feb 1761-23 Dec 1838) and Isaac Hubler (c 1764 - c 1794). Sons Frederick, Abraham and Isaac all saw service in the Revolutionary War as well as Christina's husband, Michael Glass and Rosina's husband, Christian Hollman. Imagine the conversation around that family reunion table back in the day!

So, where do we fit into this family tree? Christina Hubler married Michael Glass and they had a daughter Elizabeth who married Michael Diehl. Their daughter Catherine married Frederick Immick and had a son named Aaron who married Catherine Morey. Their daughter Sarah E. Immick married Samuel Frey. Sam and Sarah had a son named Isaac Lantz Frey who married Mary Alice Fangboner. And that brings us right to Edna Frey, our dear Gram Good.

Sources:

Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Volume 14, page 597
Daughters of the American Revolution, http://www.dar.org, Ancestor #:A059558
Verenna, Thomas, Journal of the American Revolution, 'The Importance of Observation and Inspection' (2014), accessed September 29, 2018, https://allthingsliberty.com/2014/01/importance-observation-inspection/
'Jacobsburg and the Henry Family', http://www.jacobsburghistory.com/history/
"Pennsylvania German Pioneers", by Ralph Beaver Strassburger; edited by William John Hinke, Genealogical Pub. Co. 1966 (pgs 507-509)
Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Land Warrants and Applications, 1733-1952 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Warrant Applications, 1733-1952. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania State Archives. Land Warrants. Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg, PA.
“An Index of Names Appearing in Church Records of Twenty-Eight Churches in the Easton Pubic Library” compiled by Personnel of the Works Progress Administration, Robert F. Ehret and the Staff of the Easton Public Library. Easton, Pa, 18042.
John Eyerman, Index of Wills of Northampton County, Will Abstracts.
"Hubler Family File", 'The Early Jacobsburg Purchases', Charles Sandwick, Northampton Co. Historical and Genealogical Society, Easton, PA.

Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

GENEALOGY IS A WORK OF HEART

Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

This site may be linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent. The copyright on this page must appear on all copied and/or printed material.

Saturday, September 29, 2018

Michael Glass (1736 - 1808)

When Michael Glass was sixteen years old he made the journey from his home in Germany to America aboard the ship "Phoenix." He arrived in Philadelphia after several months at sea and signed the Oath of Allegiance to the King of England on November 25, 1752 at the old Court House in Philadelphia.

John T. Humphrey, in his essay, "Mid-Eighteenth Century Pennsylvania", had this to say about that experience.

Old Philly Courthouse on the right

“When the alien immigrants entered the courthouse, a representative of the government was waiting. He told them they were now in a country that belonged to the King of England; a fact that required them to take an oath of allegiance to that King and his successors. The immigrants had to promise they would conduct themselves as good and faithful subjects, that they would not revolt against his Majesty, nor would they settle on lands that were not their own. They were also required to abjure or renounce allegiance to the Pope. In the words of another narrator, “After we took the oath, we signed our names to two different papers, one belonged to the King and the other to the government of Pennsylvania.”

It is likely that Michael spent several years as an indentured servant working off the cost of his passage to America. Sometime before 1768 he had located in Northampton Co., Pennsylvania where he met and married Christina Hubler, a daughter of Johann Jacob Hubler.

Artists conception of original church and log cabin.

The birth and baptism of their first child Anna Maria, was recorded at Emmanuel Petersville Church in Moore Township on February 26, 1769. Michael and Christina became the parents of 12 more children whose births were recorded in several different churches in Northampton County. The baptisms of Maria Barbara, Regina and Maria Magdalena followed by Elizabeth, Maria Christina, and Catharine are recorded in the baptismal records of Stone Church, Kreidersville, Allen township, Northampton Co., PA. The baptisms of daughters, Christina and Rosina are both recorded in Easton at John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. No birth record of their son, Louis or Ludwig who is mentioned in the will of his father has been found. The birth record of Maria Margaret is found in the baptismal records of Plainfield Reformed, Northampton Co., PA. And finally the baptismal records of Eva and Michael are found in the church records of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran, Easton, PA.

The Revolutionary War was heating up during this time. Michael signed the Oath of Alleigence to support the efforts of the Americans in the War for Independence on June 26, 1778. He served in the militia in the 4th Battalion, 8th Company, 4th Class under Colonel John Sigfried and Lt. Col. Nicholas Kern. In addition, his DAR record Ancestor #: A045334 says that he served as part of the Flying Camp under Caption Rundio.

Michael was born August 19, 1736 in Dickenschied, Rhein-Hunsruck-Kreis, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. His wife Christina Hubler was born June 14, 1747 and died April 11, 1813. Michael Glass died on 19 April 1808 in Lower Mt. Bethel Township, Northampton Co. Pennsylvania. He may have been buried somewhere in Lower Mt. Bethel, but no grave site has been found by this researcher. An inquest for his estate was filed by the petitioner, James Jones, son-in-law on August 24, 1808 in Lower Mt. Bethel. Those listed were: Christina his widow and 10 children. Ludwig; Anna Maria, wife of Philip Deyley; Barbara, wife of Michael Swartz; Rachael, wife of Samuel Jones; Magdalena, wife of petitioner; Catharine, wife of Adam Meyer; Margaret, wife of John Frey; Christina, wife of Leonard Kester; Eve, wife of Frederick Deal and Elizabeth, wife of Michael Deal. At the time of his death he owned two tracts of land. A 270 acre tract which was accepted by James and Magdalena Jones and the lesser 34 acre tract went to Ludwig.

Elizabeth Glass married Michael Diehl (Deal), whose father also gave service in the Revolutionary War. They had a daughter named Catherine "Caty" Diehl who married Frederick Immick. Their son Aaron married Catherine Morey. Aaron and Catherine Immick had a daughter named Sarah, the first telephone operator in Lower Mount Bethel, who married Samuel Frey. Isaac, the son of Sarah and Sam Frey, married Mary Alice Fangboner and their daughter, Edna was Ron's grandmother.

Sources:

"Pennsylvania German Pioneers", by Ralph Beaver Strassburger; edited by William John Hinke, Genealogical Pub. Co. 1966 (pgs 507-509)
"Mid-Eighteenth Century Pennsylvania", by John T. Humphrey; http://www.angelfire.com/al2/McCalebs/PennLife1700s.html
Humphrey, John T., Pennsylvania Births, Northampton County, Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD 21202
"The old Court House and Friends Meeting",graphic. Philadelphia:Kennedy and Lucas Lithograph,1830
Pennsylvania Archives, Series 5, Volume 8, page 317
Daughters of the American Revolution, http://www.dar.org, Ancestor #: A045334
“An Index of Names Appearing in Church Records of Twenty-Eight Churches in the Easton Pubic Library” compiled by Personnel of the Works Progress Administration, Robert F. Ehret and the Staff of the Easton Public Library. Easton, Pa, 18042
http://www.emmanuels.org, sketch of Emmanual's Church

Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

GENEALOGY IS A WORK OF HEART

Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

This site may be linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent. The copyright on this page must appear on all copied and/or printed material.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Eliza Musselman (1824 - 1904)

Eliza Musselman Anewalt was one difficult Grammy to track down! Who were the parents of this grandmother? My curious mind wanted to know.

Eliza Anewalt, Salem Church Cem.,

Gilbert, Monroe Co., Pa

Stephen Anewalt, St. John’s Cem.

Palmerton, Carbon Co., PA

Trying to learn the maiden name of a grandmother in the family tree can be a challenge! There are many reasons why her maiden name may not have been included in official records, but I think the biggest reason was that recording her birth name was just not considered important.

Beginning with the personal records kept by Beatrice Graver Smith, Ron's grandmother, I learned that Beatrice's mother was Jennie Lauer, daughter of William Lauer and Amanda Anewalt and that Amanda's father was Stephen Anewalt. The 1850 census record showed that Stephen's wife was named Eliza. Clearly her gravestone confirms that Eliza was the wife of Stephen Anewalt.

Next I wrote for the death certificates of William and Amanda Anewalt Lauer. Viola! Confirmation of her maiden name was found when I received those death certificates. Imagine my excitement! For a genealogist, breaking down a brick wall is like the joy experienced with the birth of a baby. Amanda’s certificate provided the names of her mother and father, Stephen Anewalt and Eliza Musselman. Finally, I had proof of Eliza's birth name!

A record for her birth was found on Ancestry.com. This record appears in a list of baptisms from 1820. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Schoenersville, Lehigh, Pennsylvania. "Musselmann, Elizabeth b. 24 Aug. ----, bp. (no date) Parents: Michael Musselmann and Sara. Sponsors: Casper Meier and Barbara." It should be noted that the names Sara and Salome where often interchangeable. I have also found records that use the name Sally.

An email note from a fellow researcher confirmed that she was the daughter of Michael Musselman and his wife Salome Miller of North Whitehall Twp., Lehigh Co., PA. They were the parents of:

Clarissa (1821-1878) m. Charles Roth;

Eliza (1824-1904) m. Stephen Anewalt;

Thomas (1823-bef 1830);

Aaron (1826-1885) m. Diana Schady

Elias (1829-1904) m. Fevanna Schneck;

Reuben (1833-1859) m. Anna Moyer;

Tilghman (1837-1916) m. Anna Moyer (widow of his brother Rueben)

Additional proof that I had the right family connection was found in the obituary of her brother, Aaron Musselman, who died December 25, 1885 which names his living siblings; brothers and sister: Tilghman of Lockport; Elias of Ironton; and Mrs. Eliza Anewalt of Lehigh Gap.

Eliza Musselman Anewalt was born on August 24, 1824 and died September 4, 1904. She is buried in the Salem Church Cemetery in, Gilbert, Monroe Co., Pa. She 70 years old. Her husband Stephen Anewalt was born on June 10, 1815 and died May 28, 1871 at the age of 56 years, 11 months and 18 days old. He was buried in the Old Towamensing Cemetery at St. John's Union Church, Palmerton Pa.

They had the following children:

1. Sarah, born on April 1, 1842, died August 6, 1910; she was married to John Hepler.

2. Elias, born in 1844. He married Eliza Reichert.

3. Lewis, born on May 2, 1845, died on December 16, 1910; he married Sarah Schneck.

4. Tobias, born on February 15, 1847. Tobias died in 1847.

5. Amanda, born May 21, 1848, July 7, 1909; she was married to William Lauer.

6. Samuel, born on 24 February 24, 1851, died April 15, 1925; he married Mary Knecht.

7. John, born on August 13, 1853, died on January 6, 1929; married to Mary Gruber.

8. George Oskar, born on 27 June 27, 1859. He died on 8 October 1859.

9. Edward Milton was born on April 1, 1861.

10. Ellen Susanna was born on July 13, 1863.

Sources:

Personal family history records of Cynthia H. Smith, Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania
Personal family history records of Beatrice Smith
Bowmanstown Budge, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tonybennyhoff/lp1908-1909.pdf
Lehighton Evening Leader, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tonybennyhoff/lel1906-1907.pdf
Find A Grave Memorial # 97720466 and #141644320
Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1924: Amanda Lower, #66156; William Lower, #16280

GENEALOGY IS A WORK OF HEART

Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

This site may be linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent. The copyright on this page must appear on all copied and/or printed material.

Friday, August 3, 2018

Index to my Rootsweb pages

Cynthia H. Smith - My Rootsweb pages

I needed to migrate some of my early family history pages over to the blog to protect them from getting lost in the future. 👀 These pages were first published on Geocities in the early days of the internet when an amateur genealogist like me could learn a little about HTML and publish on the internet. But all good things come to an end and Geocities went belly up. I quickly moved everything over to Rootsweb, a free service I started using in sometime around 2006. That was good, because Rootsweb offered a file manager and a WYSIWYG publishing format. While Rootsweb is still free they no longer offer the ability to edit and publish. In the meantime I started the blog where I have enjoyed the privilege of being able to publish my family history in a format that is easy for me to maintain. Therefore this page is an index of sorts which takes you to the Rootsweb page. Several of these pages have been redone on this Blog.

To learn more about who I am see, Cynthia's Family Lines.

I have dedicated all of my genealogy work to my Great great great grandmother, Anna Houck McEwen. Please read my Dedication page.

The Photo Gallery contains family pictures from several branches and many generations.

Part of my interest in local history includes working at the Slate Belt Historical Museum located in Upper Mount Bethel, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania.

I am a member of the cemetery board of the Old Union Cemetery in Stone Church, Mt. Bethel, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania.

Read a list of the burials in the Old Union Cemetery of Stone Church, Mt. Bethel, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania.

Smith Family Pages

Smith Family Descendants list.

Smith Family File Family regester report .

Charles Kunkle family lines.

Hughes Family Pages

A photo history of the Hughes family of Tioga Pennsylvania.

Thomas Hughes circa 1742 - 1809

More about Jeptha Hughes, son of Thomas, pioneer to Tioga Co. PA.

More about Frederick Hughes, son of Jeptha.

Thomas Hughes Descendants from 1750's to 1900.

For a complete Ahnentafel of the ancestors of the Richard and Zilpha Estep HUGHES.

Estep Family Pages

Estep Family Story, James and Elizabeth Pritchard Estep family came to America in 1858.

The Welsh history of the family of James Estep.

LIST of Descendants of James and Elizabeth Pritchard Estep.

The family tree of Zilpha Estep HUGHES, an Ahnentafel report of the anscestors of her mother Helen Scott .

McEwen Family Pages

The ancestors of the Homer & Eliza McEwen, an Ahnentafel report.

More about William McEwen I

More about John McEwen

More about William McEwen

More about Henry McEwen , the son of William and the father of Homer.

A picture history of the McEwen Family, of Richmond Pennsylvania.

The Heffner family pages, the ancestors of Eliza Long McEwen.

The John Houck page, his daughter Anna married John McEwen.

The Paulus Brodt page, his daughter Susanna married Christopher Illick.

Good Family Pages

Henry ( Heinrich Guth) Good (1764-1829) & Catherine Barbara Schick (1761-1839), Good Family Descendants list of Northampton Co. Pennsylvania.

More about Heinrich Guth and brother George.

More about John Good, Sr., son of Heinrich.

More about John Good, Jr., son of John, Sr and the father of Henry.

Miller Family Pages

The Descendants of Bernhart Mullar (Miller) (1722-1792) & Maria Eva Muller (1724-1802) of Northampton Co. PA.

Bernhart Miller Ahnentafel Report , the ancestors of Bernhert and Maria Eva Miller.

Miller Family Register, the First and Second generations of the descendants of Bernhert and Maria Eva Miller.

The Third Generation of the descendants of Bernhart Miller.

The Fourth Generation of the descendants of Bernhart Miller.

The Fifth Generation of the descendants of Bernhart Miller.

Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

📧 Send email to chsmith47@yahoo.com

This site may be linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent. The copyright on this page must appear on all copied and/or printed material.

GENEALOGY IS A WORK OF HEART Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. It is with pleasure that I am able to present this information here for you to see. If you discover a relationship here, I would very much enjoy hearing from you. 👀

Friday, May 25, 2018

Russel R.G.E. Chauncey (1774-1859)

Russell Chauncey was the son of Israel and Elizabeth Petty Chauncey. He was the father of Sarah Angeline Chauncey Scott. She is the grandmother who knew our family history like the back of her hand, knowledge she passed on to her granddaughters. My grandmother Zilpha being one of those young ladies.

The earliest records of the Chauncey family date back to the 11th century. Chauncy de Chauncy (1045) was a Norman nobleman who came into England with the Norman Invasion of William the Conqueror. Chauncy came from Canchy, Normandy, France. Since he was a nobleman he may have had a family crest similar to this modern day rendition of the family crest.

Russell Rawson Graham Estabrook Chauncey was given the last names of four of his father's uncles, all of whom were ministers, when he was born on December 7, 1774, in Canaan, N.Y. There must have been a whole lot of religion in that family!

Russell's parents were attracted to the community of the Shakers when he was a youngster. The Shaker community, founded by Mother Ann Lee, was known for their unusual frantic dancing until the Holy Spirit came down! They lived in separate facilities that separated men and women, practiced celibacy and banned marriage. Maybe that was the attraction for Russell's mother: no more sex! She had given birth to 7 children by the time they joined up with the Shakers: Rocksena, Cynthia, Levi, Rozzel, Lucinda, Salome and Russell R.G.E. Chauncey, my great, great, great grandfather!

Young Russell was admitted to membership in the Shaker Society when he was 13. His father, Israel, and grandfather, Charles, had both died 2 years earlier while members of the Shaker's. Evidently the Holy Spirit came down on them!

So, I know the first thing you are thinking is that since the Shakers practiced celibacy and therefor did not leave any descendants how are we descended from someone who belonged to the Shaker Society! Well, my great, great, great grandpa Russell R.G.E. Chauncey wised up and left the order on January 4, 1796 after nine years of membership. His brother Rozzel also left, but the girls all remained with the Shakers throughout their life times.

Russell was 22 years old when he left the Shakers. He moved to Ashfield, Massachusetts where he met Mable Porter. They were married in 1802, afterwhich Russell brought Mable back to New York. They settled in Ghent, Columbia Co., New York, just a few miles south of the Shaker Community in Canaan.

I found this genealogy chart among the family record papers my father, Richard L. Hughes, had kept. The chart was prepared by his mother Zilpha Estep Hughes. Not only does Grandma show the children of Russell and Mable, but she also shows the ancestors of the two of them. This tree most likely reflects the oral and written history passed down from Sarah Angelina Chauncey Scott.

Russell and Mable were the parents of fifteen children, but only eleven of them lived to become adults. First was a boy born on June 16, 1803 who died in infancy followed by John Andrew, who was born on June 10, 1804 and died 1832. Mable, who married William Mitchell, was born June 4, 1805 and died 1856. Her sister Elizabeth who married George Porter was born September 19, 1806. Two sons Levander, born March 3, 1808 and Russell, born October 2, 1809 died in infancy. Those names were used again when Russell Levander was born November 18,1810. Russell Levander married Aurelia Crane and died May 7,1893. Next were two daughters who also died in infancy, Flora Judith, born December 18, 1811 and Sarah Angeline born March 14, 1813. Alford Gaston who was born June 17, 1815 died in California on May 1, 1888. William Ross was born November 20, 1816, married MaryAnn Austin and died January 7, 1886. A son, Austin, was born on December 25, 1817. On April 24, 1820 my great, great grandmother, Sarah Angeline, was born. She married Hosea P. Scott and lived to be 101 years old when she died on May 21, 1921. Her brother Israel was born on April 27, 1821, married Charlotte Leadbetter and died in 1901. The last child was Edwin who was born on January 16, 1823. He married Christina Peck and died on December 30, 1877.

Russell and Mable lived out their old age with their son William R. Chauncey. They are buried in the Spencer Cemetery outside of Maryland, New York. My cousin Jane Dean visited there in 1994 and shared these photos with me.

So, thank you Grandpa Russell for leaving the Shaker Community and realizing that you wanted to be a family man! If not, I guess I wouldn't be here to tell your story.

Sources:

Family history of Cynthia Hughes Smith
Cemetery photos courtesy of Jane Wodarski Dean, 1994
Mount Lebanon Shaker Society. https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/shaker/mou.htm
Find A Grave Memorial #86496615, Russell Rawson Graham Estabrook Chauncey
John M. Smith's History of the Town of Sunderland, Massachusetts, 1899 edition, Israel Chauncey married Elizabeth Petty, Feb. 16, 1763.
"History of Northfield, Massachusetts", page 515, Elizabeth Petty born

19 Nov 1744.

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