I have just begun a search on some of our Civil War ancestors. Some of them were quite "characters" and some were upright honest folks who became prominent in their towns after the war.
I recently made a connection to a researcher in Texas who has some exciting new things to share.
Most of them are on the Lucas side, and I will post little biographies soon.
I'm also getting my research together for my annual trip to Fort Wayne IN to go to a large genealogy library there.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
More about Robert Sherman Robinson
Robert Sherman Robinson served in the Virginia Militia during the war of 1812. He was mustered in as a volunteer and served 119 days in 1814. He was one of 13 children. He married into the prominent Haymond family by taking Maxa as his wife in 1816. They lived in what was at the time "Virginia" but is now West Virginia, somewhere around Clarksburg.
Once he married Maxa, he took his new bride to Clay County, Illinois. In 1852, he exercised his Military Bounty (reward) to purchase 80 acres of land in Illinois. He was a farmer according to census records.
As Robert lay dying of cancer, Maxa was apparently in hysterics. He was supposed to have exclaimed "Maxa, be still and let me die in peace." He was remembered as being blunt and soft spoken. I still have not found an obituary for him. His will survives, and records that his debts be paid, and that Maxa have the house and it's contents until her death, which afterwards it passes to his sons.
After his death, Maxa was eligible for a widow's pension, which military wives can apply for to take care of them after their husbands pass. Maxa's pension was held up by the fact that she did not have proof of her marriage to Robert, and had to obtain a legal signature of a doctor stating that she was too frail to travel back to West Virginia to obtain the proof. She had to appear and have her neighbors (who were relatives) give testimony to their cohabitation. Her pension was approved for $8 per month.
The pension record is very cool, if not darned difficult to read due to the unusual script handwriting of the authorities who took Maxa's depositions. It has lots of interesting bits about Robert making other pension claims, as part of his over all file. One cool bit that I can make out reads:
"That after he enlisted in said service he (unknown word), with his Company to Richmond, Virginia, and from the latter place was cornered by (unknown word) to Norfolk, Virginia, and was stationed in and near said place during his period of service. That the only duty he performed was "Guard" duty and "Drilling". That he recieved a discharge and lost said discharge in moving from place to place. That he cannot remember the exact time and place.
That he, at no time during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States, adhered to the cause of the enemies of the Government, giving them aid or comfort, or pretended authority in hostility to the United States, and that he will support the Constitution of the United States, that he is not in reciept of a Pension under any previous Act..." So, that late rebellion, being that this part was taken in 1871, would have been the Civil War. Robert was made to swear that he did not give "enemies" (that would be the Confederates) comfort or aid in order to claim part of his pension.
Once he married Maxa, he took his new bride to Clay County, Illinois. In 1852, he exercised his Military Bounty (reward) to purchase 80 acres of land in Illinois. He was a farmer according to census records.
As Robert lay dying of cancer, Maxa was apparently in hysterics. He was supposed to have exclaimed "Maxa, be still and let me die in peace." He was remembered as being blunt and soft spoken. I still have not found an obituary for him. His will survives, and records that his debts be paid, and that Maxa have the house and it's contents until her death, which afterwards it passes to his sons.
After his death, Maxa was eligible for a widow's pension, which military wives can apply for to take care of them after their husbands pass. Maxa's pension was held up by the fact that she did not have proof of her marriage to Robert, and had to obtain a legal signature of a doctor stating that she was too frail to travel back to West Virginia to obtain the proof. She had to appear and have her neighbors (who were relatives) give testimony to their cohabitation. Her pension was approved for $8 per month.
The pension record is very cool, if not darned difficult to read due to the unusual script handwriting of the authorities who took Maxa's depositions. It has lots of interesting bits about Robert making other pension claims, as part of his over all file. One cool bit that I can make out reads:
"That after he enlisted in said service he (unknown word), with his Company to Richmond, Virginia, and from the latter place was cornered by (unknown word) to Norfolk, Virginia, and was stationed in and near said place during his period of service. That the only duty he performed was "Guard" duty and "Drilling". That he recieved a discharge and lost said discharge in moving from place to place. That he cannot remember the exact time and place.
That he, at no time during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States, adhered to the cause of the enemies of the Government, giving them aid or comfort, or pretended authority in hostility to the United States, and that he will support the Constitution of the United States, that he is not in reciept of a Pension under any previous Act..." So, that late rebellion, being that this part was taken in 1871, would have been the Civil War. Robert was made to swear that he did not give "enemies" (that would be the Confederates) comfort or aid in order to claim part of his pension.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Family Patriotism
One thing that I discovered doing my family tree is that we have a large number of veterans amongst our ancestors. And while we have obvious connections to World War 2 in our own recent generations, and links to the Revolutionary War in the ones further back, there are a few surprises throughout.
For example, on my father's side, there is a fellow named Robert Sherman Robinson, who served in the War of 1812. Being a child of the Illinois/Chicago Public Schools, I had no recollection of what the War of 1812 was about. This lead to lots of book reading about the war for me to understand his role in it. Did you know that this was was basically the "second Revolution" in which the British tried to take the colonies back? Our ancestor was from the Virginia militia, and served in the Artillery division. That means he fired cannons.
While I was living in Baltimore, there was lots of 1812 war history about, including historic places to see cannonballs still stuck in the walls from that very war. In addition, the War of 1812 and the attack the British made on the port city of Baltimore in 1814 was the inspiration for the "Star Spangled Banner" to be written.
So while I continue to study the movements of the artillery division that my ancestor served in, the research on the tree has lead to many revelations about America's history that we can be proud of.
For example, on my father's side, there is a fellow named Robert Sherman Robinson, who served in the War of 1812. Being a child of the Illinois/Chicago Public Schools, I had no recollection of what the War of 1812 was about. This lead to lots of book reading about the war for me to understand his role in it. Did you know that this was was basically the "second Revolution" in which the British tried to take the colonies back? Our ancestor was from the Virginia militia, and served in the Artillery division. That means he fired cannons.
While I was living in Baltimore, there was lots of 1812 war history about, including historic places to see cannonballs still stuck in the walls from that very war. In addition, the War of 1812 and the attack the British made on the port city of Baltimore in 1814 was the inspiration for the "Star Spangled Banner" to be written.
So while I continue to study the movements of the artillery division that my ancestor served in, the research on the tree has lead to many revelations about America's history that we can be proud of.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Welcome to the Family Tree blog
I guess blogging is second nature lately, and it's an easy way of letting people see what research I have been up to. Granted, I've been slow at the research lately due to lots of personal, and artistic, reasons, but I still do it.
Previously, I have been putting my research on my annual Christmas website, which was not as accessible, and had to be completed right during the holidays, which is not a great time for me to be reformatting family tree data for general consumption. This way I can post through out the year on the findings I make, and you get to follow at your own pace.
I hope you like the stuff I find and post here.
Previously, I have been putting my research on my annual Christmas website, which was not as accessible, and had to be completed right during the holidays, which is not a great time for me to be reformatting family tree data for general consumption. This way I can post through out the year on the findings I make, and you get to follow at your own pace.
I hope you like the stuff I find and post here.
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