52 Ancestors - #25: Samuel Pride Burnett (week 9)

Samuel Pride Burnett, son of William Caton and Drucilla Henson, was born on August 31, 1841 in Blount County, Tennessee. He was the first child of three—Samuel Pride, Edward George, and Mary Elizabeth. We believe the children later took the last name of Drucilla’s second husband, Joseph Burnett. Drucilla and Joseph had two additional children—Madison and Francis. Samuel is my second great-grandfather.

I’ve blogged about Samuel’s 1850 and 1860 whereabouts in his mother’s sketch so won’t repeat. You’ll find details here.

Shortly before turning 20, Samuel joined the Confederate Cause on August 24, 1861 when he enlisted in Atlanta as a private in Company F, Georgia 24th Infantry Regiment (also known as the Gwinnett Independent Blues). He lived in Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia at the time. On April 28, 1863, Samuel appeared on a register of the Medical Director’s Office in Richmond, Virginia. On May 8, 1863, he was admitted to General Hospital No. 21 in Richmond with a complaint of debility. I had no clue what “debility” was so as I often do, Googled it. According to Merriam-Webster is it the state of being weak, feeble, or infirm. I’m sure by this time in the war many soldiers had a complaint of debility. Samuel was 22 years old—way too young to be in such a physical state. He wasn’t alone though I’m sure. Samuel returned to duty on May 14, 1863. Less than a month later on June 8, 1863, he mustered out of the 24th Regiment when he transferred to Company E, 3rd Battalion, Georgia Sharpshooters as a private. He was captured on August 16, 1864 by General Sheridan in Virginia during the Battle of Front Royal. Union forces sent him to the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, DC on August 21, 1864. Samuel was transferred to Elmira Prison Camp in Elmira, New York on August 28, 1964; arriving there on August 29. Conditions at the prison were poor and many died. Thankfully Samuel survived prison camp and the war which officially ended on May 9, 1865. He signed an Oath of Allegiance to the United States at Elmira on July 7, 1865, when he was released on July 27, 1865. He returned home to Stone Mountain, Georgia, a different man I’m sure. The Oath of Allegiance noted that Samuel’s complexion was fair; his hair dark; eyes grey; and his height 6’, 3”.

Samuel married Millicent Virginia Overton, daughter of Abijah Overton and Elizabeth Ann Rhodes, on August 23, 1866 in Newton County, Georgia. Samuel’s bride was of Cahaba Creek descent. She went by Virginia or Jinnie. Together they had 14 children—John William, Thomas Terrell, C. B. Annbelle, Abijah Winkfield, Oscar Lee, Mathew E., Laura J., Frances Elizabeth, Mattie Lou, Benjamin Franklin, Virginia O., Joseph Benjamin, Mollie M., and one unknown to me but recorded in census records.

On July 28, 1870, Samuel, Virginia, and their sons John and Thomas lived in Covington, Newton County, Georgia. Samuel was a farmer. Virginia was enumerated as Lily V. Burnett and she was keeping house.

Samuel appears on the Georgia Property Tax digest for the years 1873 – 1877 living in District 476 of Rockdale County.

By June 18, 1880, the Burnett’s have a full house with eight children, the oldest being 12 years old. They lived in the Harbins District of Gwinnett County, Georgia. Still a farmer, Samuel now has his oldest sons John and Thomas working on the farm beside him. Virginia is enumerated as Millie V. Burnett.

Samuel appears on the Georgia Property Tax digest for the years 1883 – 1887 living in the Buncombe District of Loganville, Walton County.

On May 7, 1900, Samuel filed an Indigent Pension Application in Walton County, Georgia. He stated that he had lived in the state of Georgia since 1850; was born August 1841 in Blount County, Tennessee; and was not present with his company when it surrendered at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. He stated that he filed for the pension on the grounds of infirmity and poverty—he was in feeble health and not able to earn a support by his own or any kind of labor. He owned no property. He further stated that he was supported during 1898 and 1899 by the help of his family and by what little he could do trying to farm, earning about $65. He had a wife and six children that had no means of support working on rented land. They had no homestead. This was his first application for a pension. T. K. Mitchell of Lawrenceville witnessed the application stating that he had known Samuel for 40 years. Mr. Mitchell and Samuel fought together in the Gwinnett Independent Blues during the Civil War. Drs. A. M. Brooks and Luke Robinson examined Samuel and stated that he was not able to work from the effect of internal hemorrhoids of five years standing producing great pain. He had extreme nervousness, his eye sight was failing rapidly, and his general health was undermined from age and labor.

On June 6, 1900, Samuel and his family lived in the Buncombe District of Walton County. Son Abijah and his wife Eugenia lived next door. The census record shows that Samuel and Virginia had been married for 34 years. They’ve had 14 children, two of which have died. Samuel was a farmer. There were still six children in the home, ranging in age from 11 to 20 years.

1900 Soundex Cards for the Samuel P. Burnett family

 

Samuel filed an Indigent Soldier’s Pension Application on January 28, 1902 in Walton County. Walton County’s Ordinary R. C. Knight signed a petition stating that Samuel’s constitution was completely broken down and that he was not able to do anything. Samuel owned no property. He gave W. A. Wright of Atlanta Power of Attorney to receive his pension check on his behalf. He filed again in Walton County on February 12, 1903. Samuel again gave W. A. Wright Power of Attorney to receive his pension check on his behalf. Samuel renewed his Indigent Soldier’s Pension application on February 8, 1904 in Walton County. R. C. Knight signed a petition stating that Samuel, age 63, had always lived in Georgia (although we know this is not the case), was a farmer who had served for three years in Company F of the 24th Regiment of Georgia, and that he was old and in feeble health. He filed an Indigent Soldier’s Pension application again in 1905 in Walton County. The record is undated but R. C. Knight witnessed a Power of Attorney form on January 14, 1905 which assigned Samuel’s check to be sent to W. A. Wright, Ordinary for Walton County at Monroe, Georgia. His application stated that he had always lived in Georgia. His physical condition was “old and in feeble health, not able to earn a support.” His property consisted of “nothing,” and he earned “nothing.” The next Indigent Soldier’s Pension Application was filed in Walton County on February 21, 1906. R. C. Knight again signed a petition stating that Samuel was old and in feeble health, not able to earn a support. W. A. Wright continued to have Power of Attorney to receive his pension checks. The last Indigent Soldier’s Pension Application that I find was filed in Walton County on January 22, 1907. R. C. Knight again signed a petition stating that Samuel was old and in feeble health making him unable to work. Samuel owned no property. Mr. Knight stated that Samuel had lived in Georgia all of his life. He hadn’t of course, but maybe at this stage in his life it felt that way.

On April 25, 1910, the family lived in the Broken Arrow District of Walton County. As 68 years of age, Samuel had put his hoe down and was no longer farming—the enumerator listed his occupation as “none.” His daughter Lula M. (age 27) and son Joseph B. (age 22) still lived at home.

Virginia died on January 10, 1916 in Georgia. She was buried at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Loganville, Walton County, Georgia. Later that year on November 28, 1916, Samuel’s oldest child John died in Liberty Grove, Lawrence County, Tennessee. He was buried at St. Truitt Cemetery in Liberty Grove.

On February 13, 1920, a widowed Samuel now lived with his son Thomas in the Walker District of Greene County, Georgia. At age 78, he was enumerated as a farm laborer on a home farm. On this day, three generations of my direct line lived in the same household—Samuel (my second great-grandfather), his son Thomas (my great-grandfather), and Thomas’ daughter Florrie (my grandmother). Thomas’ son Luther and his wife Etta Bell lived next door.

Samuel died on September 2, 1926 in Monroe, Walton County, Georgia. He was buried at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Loganville beside his wife Virginia. His death certificate listed him as being divorced (a mystery to me). An Application for Pension Due Deceased Pensioner in the amount of $100 was filed which covered funeral expenses of $95. The E. L. Almond Company of Walton County handled the burial arrangements.


Burnett family plot at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Loganville, Georgia

#52 Ancestors - no. 24 (week 8): Jennie F. Church

Church sisters
Front: Anna and Martha Church
Back: Jennie and Dessie Church

Jennie F. Church, daughter of Robert Church and Lucinda Murphy, was born on December 3, 1884 in Wetzel County, West Virginia. She was the 4th child of 11—George, Samuel C., James Benton, Jennie F., Anna B., Dessie, Charles Cleveland, Martha, William Henry, Donald Roy, and Presley Church.

On June 9, 1900, Jennie lived with her family in the Church District of Wetzel County, West Virginia.

Jennie married John George Davis on October 16, 1908 in Wetzel County. Together they had four children—Chester Leo, Lavester Otto, Esther Marie, and a daughter. The names of John’s parents are unknown to me.

Their first son, Chester, was born on September 22, 1909 in Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia.

On May 11, 1910, Jennie, John, and Chester lived on the Shinnston and Middlebourne Turnpike in the Sardis District of Harrison County, West Virginia. Jennie was able to read and write. John was a tool dresser in an oil well.

A second son, Lavester (AKA Speck), was born on December 23, 1911 in Clarksburg.
Jennie’s daughter Esther was born in August 13, 1913 in West Virginia, most likely Clarksburg. Esther’s death certificate incorrectly records Texas as her birth location. It also listed her mother’s maiden name as “unnamed.”

Jennie’s son Chester died of diphtheria on August 2, 1915 in Smithfield, Roane County, West Virginia.

A second daughter was born on August 18, 1916 in Wetzel County, West Virginia. Unfortunately, the birth record doesn’t list a name but it does list her as “alive.” I haven’t been able to figure out what happened to this daughter but I don’t believe she survived.

In November 1919, Jennie’s husband, John George Davis, had her institutionalized at Weston State Hospital for the Insane. Supposedly Jennie’s problems started when she was carrying her first child, Chester. After his death in 1915, along with other troubles, she had a nervous breakdown and was sent to Weston. Why would John do this to Jennie? That is a big family mystery. In 1966, Jennie’s daughter-in-law Thal Davis (wife of Lavester), wrote a letter to Jennie’s nephew, Ralph Murphy. Thal admitted that she had never met Jennie; however, she felt her children had a right to know something about their grandmother so she was trying to find out what she could. Thal claimed to have written the Church family lawyer who told her that John “had put Jennie at Weston and no one was supposed to take her out without her husband’s consent, but that Jennie was not insane.” Thal told Ralph that Lavester said his father John had made him promise never to dig up the past. John made Lavester believe his mother had tried to kill her children with butcher knives, hammers, or anything she can get her hands on. Jennie’s family did not believe this was the case. Lavester’s daughter [name withheld] also wrote a letter to Ralph and stated that she attempted to get information from the Church family but Jennie’s siblings wouldn’t respond to her letters. She said that she received a statement from Jennie’s parents that read “she [Jennie] had held a gun on her dad and tried to hit her mother with an iron pipe.” After sending Jennie to Weston, her husband moved to Texas with the children. Once in Texas, John hired Sara Mitchell to raise Lavester and Esther. It’s not known how he knew Sara or how he came to hire her. In her letter, Thal stated “… I grew up with Speck and his sister in our home because his father hired my father’s mother to keep them then walked out on them and never saw them for years at a time and never paid my grandmother anything in all those years … he’d come every five or six years to see them for one day and night, maybe he’d bring fruit and candies and that’s all he ever did for them …”. John apparently moved on to California, leaving his children behind in Texas.

On January 15, 1920, Jennie was enumerated as a patient at Weston State Hospital for the Insane located in the Court House District of the town of Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia.

On April 19, 1930, the census enumerator recorded 46 year old Jennie as a patient at Weston State Hospital. Jennie’s son Lavester (age 17) and daughter Esther (age 16) are found living as boarders in Hood County, Texas in the home of Sara Mitchell, who was Thal’s paternal grandmother. Sara helped raised Lavester and Esther according to Thal.

Jennie’s father, Robert Church, died on November 29, 1932 in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia. Her mother, Lucinda Murphy Church, died less than two months later on January 13, 1933 in Littleton. Both were buried at Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Glover Gap, Wetzel County, West Virginia, near the town of Hundred.

On April 4, 1940, the census enumerator found 55 year old Jennie still a patient at Weston State Hospital for the Insane in Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia.

Jennie died of a cerebral hemorrhage and arteriosclerosis on February 26, 1963 at Weston State Hospital in Weston. She was buried beside her parents at Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Glover Gap, Wetzel County, near the town of Hundred.

Jennie’s life was not a happy one. She married a man who had her committed to an insane asylum at the age of 35 and then abandoned her, moving out of state with her children. The trip from Wetzel County where her Church family lived to Weston was an hour and a half drive by today’s standards. I’ve been told that family members visited her although I doubt they made the trip often. There was much bitterness in this family over the situation. Jennie spent the remaining 44 years of her life at Weston State Hospital, most likely dying alone.

#52 Ancestors - no. 23: Natalia Alekseevna Beklemisheva (week 7 - Love)

Natalia Alekseevna Beklemisheva

Natalia Alekseevna Beklemisheva was born on January 19, 1896 in Moscow, Russia. Unfortunately, I haven’t uncovered the names of her parents yet but did find a newspaper article stating that her mother died when she was one and her father when she was five years old. After the death of her father, her uncle Peter Porohovshaiv, a lawyer and judge, adopted Natalia. Uncle Peter provided her with a good and active life which included travel to England, France, and Switzerland. She was taught by governesses and was fluent in Russian, French, and English.

From 1914 to 1917, Natalia trained to be a nurse at St. Eugene Hospital at Petrograd. Upon graduation, she traveled to London to visit her Uncle Peter who according to an Atlanta Constitution news article dated July 17, 1921, “was head of the Russian commission for placing ammunition orders and acting as legal advisor for his country.” While in London from 1917 to 1918, Natalia volunteered as a war nurse at a hospital in Harrogate, England. She later returned to Russia and worked in hospitals there, eventually being transferred to a hospital in Siberia. It was in Siberia that she met her future husband, Dr. Hal McCluney Davison, the son of Charles C. Davison and Elizabeth Callahan, born on October 2, 1891 in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia. Hal was an American army surgeon serving in Russia. He completed his service to the Army and then began working as a superintendent at a Red Cross hospital in Tomsk, Siberia. The hospital of 2,000 beds was staffed by 40 nurses, including Natalia. It was this hospital where Natalia met Hal, who was brought in with a case of typhus, a bacterial disease spread by lice or fleas.

Natalia was assigned to nurse Hal back to health. Within nine months of meeting, Natalia and Hal were married on March 31, 1920 at St. Paul’s Rectory in Vladivostok, Russia. Rev. A. G. Lesta performed the ceremony. Charles A. Jacobus, vice consul of the United States at Vladivostok was the witness. Natalia and Hal were actually married three times. A second ceremony took place at a Protestant church in Vladivostok by a Lutheran minister. And a third ceremony took place in the Russian Orthodox Church on the Russian Islands, near Vladivostok on April 6.

After they were married, Natalia applied for and received a six month emergency passport at the American Consulate in Vladivostok on April 1, 1920 to presumably sail to the United States. She stated that she was naturalized as a citizen of the United States by marriage to Hal M. Davison, a native American. She further stated that her legal residence was in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia although she had never resided in the United States. Her temporary residence was Vladivostok. She swore an oath of allegience to the United States to obtain her passport. Natalia was 24 years old. Her physical description as stated on her passport was that she was 5 feet, 5 inches tall; had a high forehead; brown eyes; a regular nose and medium mouth; her chin was firm; brown hair; ruddy complexion; and an face oval. She was in Vladivostok for her Red Cross work and traveling through China and Japan in transit to the United States.

After joining the crew of the S.S. Yomei Maru along with her husband, Natalia submitted a passport application on August 31, 1920. She intended to sail from the port of New York on board the Yomei Maru on September 7, 1920 traveling to France and the British Isles performing work for the American Red Cross. Natalia would use her skills as a nurse and her husband a doctor. Her passport contained a letter dated August 31, 1920 written by J. Keogh, Associate Director of the Bureau of Personnel at the American Red Cross, to a Mr. Hoyt, a Department of State passport agent stating “This will serve to introduce Mrs. Natalie A. Davison who is making application for passport. Mrs. Davison is returning to Petrograd, Russia, with the Colony of Russian children being repatriated under the auspices of the American Red Cross.” In another Red Cross letter dated September 1, 1920, F. J. Mulhall writes an endorsement for Natalia which states “This will serve as an endorsement by the American Red Cross of the passport application of Mrs. Natalie A. Davison, who is accompanying the Russian children from Siberia, who are being returned to their homes by the American Red Cross. Mrs. Davison will be obliged to travel in Great Britain and France, and we should greatly appreciate the inclusion of the above mentioned countries in the passport.” The children had been separated from their parents due to the conditions in Russia during World War I. They were placed on board “the Yomel Maru, a Japanese freighter, which had been chartered by the American Red Cross, in order that the children of Russia, about 300 in number, who had been separated from their parents on account of the internal conditions in Russia for two years, might be cared for. Admiral Kolchack, head of the government, requested the American Red Cross to take these children, both boys and girls to a Russian port on the Pacific and place them aboard the freighter, for a trip around the world, hoping that conditions would be settled on their return” according to the Atlanta Constitution article. The article further stated “The Yomel Maru was totally without accommodations, and these conveniences were hurriedly built for the trip. A staff of teachers was appointed, lessons organized, games and sports arranged, athletic drills and exercises made part of the daily program, while picture shows and dances formed some of the amusement features of the trip. The boat left on July 13, and spent two days in Japan, her first port. From there she made straightway for San Francisco, and two weeks were spent in the California city. New York via the Panama Canal, was the next stop, with a stay of two weeks on Staten Island. Here the children were entertained on their first visit to America by numerous patriotic societies. The destination was Finland, the western entrance to the borders of Russia, and after a trip lasting over three months, these children were turned over to the department of civilian relief, and 600, meaning a very large percentage, found their parents and relatives.” Another article ran in The Ogden Standard-Examiner in Ogden, Utah on August 18, 1920 detailing the plight of what they described as “800 War Waifs Thrilled by Trip’ Round World.” The children came from educated Russian families who feared for their lives and as the revolution came close to their homeland moved their children, along with nurses and teachers, from Petrograd to Siberia. As the armies drove closer to Siberia, the Red Cross was contacted to help save their children. The children were sent to Vladivostok by train, and then moved to Russia Island where they lived in army barracks. They were aided by doctors and nurses from many countries, including America, Russia, Canada, and Manila. Brought along to help were prisoners from Germany and Austria.

Natalie and Peter Davison

Natalia and Hal arrived in the port of New York on December 20, 1920 on the S.S. Nieuw Amsterdam which sailed from Plymouth, England on December 11. Their home address was listed on the passenger list as 40 Elmwood Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia.

Natalia’s son Peter Hal Davison was born in Atlanta, Georgia on April 7, 1921. She named him after her Uncle Peter.

A daughter they named Natasha Davison was born on December 3, 1922, most likely in Atlanta. She died of hydrocephalus on April 26, 1923 in Atlanta.

On June 4, 1925, Natalia sailed from the port of New York on the liner La Savoie to visit relatives and friends in France and Germany. Her traveling companion was her four year old son, Peter.

On June 27, 1927, Natalia arrived alone in Plymouth, England having sailed on the Veendam from the port of New York. The ship record listed her as a 28 year old housewife who would be living at London, 20, Strand.

On April 12, 1930, Natasha and Hal lived on Avery Drive, NE in Atlanta, Georgia. Several people were living in the home with them—Alexandra Chertkova, a 72 year old single white female from Russia whose occupation was nurse; Viacheslar Lavcoff, a 21 year old single white male from Russia listed as a lodger; Tatiana Bewley, a 48 year old single white female from Russia listed as a lodger; and Lola Weaver, a 35 year old black woman from Georgia listed as a servant.

A second son they named Alexis Hal Davison was born on January 20, 1931 in Atlanta.

On April 3, 1940, Natalia and Hal were still living in Atlanta. She was enumerated as Natalie. She had completed four years of college. Son Peter, age 18, still lived in the home and was in his first year of college. Their second son Alexis, age 9, was in the third grade. Natalia’s Uncle Peter, now age 72, lived with them and was a naturalized citizen of the United States. A friend, Walter F. Marah, age 22 from California, lived in the home as well as Walter Carmichael, a 42 single white male, enumerated as a servant.

A 1945 Atlanta, Georgia City Directory listed Natalia and Hal as living at 85 Avery Drive NE in Atlanta. Hal was a physician working at 207 W.W. Orr Doctors Building, 478 Peachtree Street NE in Atlanta.

By 1948, they had moved to 2888 Habersham Road in Atlanta. They were still living there in 1957.

Natalia’s husband Hal died on April 26, 1958 in Atlanta. He was buried at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta.

In 1960, a widowed Natalia was living at 4047 Tuxedo Road NW in Atlanta. She was working as a teacher at Pace Academy.

In 1962, Natalia’s son Alexis was accused of being a spy in Moscow, a charge she called “completely ridiculous from end to end.” Alexis was an Air Force doctor for the American embassy in Moscow. Natalia feared that her connection to Russia may have been a source of the spy accusations.

Natalia died on November 25, 1983 in Atlanta. She was survived by her sons Peter and Alexis, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Her funeral was held on November 28 at St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church with Father John Townsend officiating. She was buried at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta.

Natalia is not a direct ancestor but rather part of a collateral line connecting through my Hobbs families. Several years ago while working on my Hobbs line with another researcher, we got sidetracked by the Davison line. The Davison’s were a prominent family from Greene County, Georgia. Many of them went on to become judges, lawyers, and politicians in Athens and Atlanta, Georgia. For that reason, we found tons of newspaper articles and I found myself spending hours searching through the vast amount of free digitized historical newspapers found in the Digital Library of Georgia. I don’t know who funds the digitization of these historical records but I would like to say THANK YOU!

I loved researching the life of Natalia Alekseevna Beklemisheva Davison. It is always exciting to learn real stories about our ancestors. The paper trail left behind for Natalia was vast, including newspaper articles, passports, census and ship records, marriage records, and city directories. This is a good case of finding the other records Amy Johnson Crow mentioned in her January 23, 2015 blogpost Are Your Ancestors the Average of 5 Records?. The records I found for Natalia provided a treasure trove of information giving you a real sense of the person she was.

References:

1. Stafford, Bessie Shaw, “Atlanta and Moscow Linked by Thrilling War Romance,” The Atlanta Constitution, July 17, 1921.
2. Certificate of Marriage for Natalia A Beklemisheva and Hal M. Davison, American Consular Service, April 1, 1920.
3. Emergency U.S. Passport Application for Natalia A. Davison, April 1, 1920.
4. The Ogden Standard-Examiner, Ogden, Utah, p. 6, August 18, 1920; Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress; http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058393/1920-08-18/ed-1/seq-6/.
5. U.S. Passport Application for Natalia A. Davison, March 25, 1925.
6. UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890–1960, Ancestry.com.
7. UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878–1960, Ancestry.com.
8. 1930 Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia census, April 12, 1930.
9. Davison Genealogy Transcript, written by Miss Annie Davison, 1934. Transcribed by Eulouise Williams in 2012.
10. 1940 Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia census, April 3, 1940.
11. U.S. City Directories, 1821–1989 (for Atlanta, Georgia), Ancestry.com.
12. “Says Red Charges Ridiculous,” Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1962.
13. Natalie A. Davison obituary, The Atlanta Journal/The Atlanta Constitution, November 27, 1983.
14. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820–1957, Ancestry.com.
15. Encyclopedia Britannica Online, s. v. “typhus,” accessed February 06, 2015; http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/611812/typhus.

#52 Ancestors - no. 22: Henry Church, Sr. (week 6 - So Far Away)

Henry Church, Sr. was born in Suffolk County, England in 1751. Henry’s birth year could be 1750. I’ve seen both years on various bios so I’m not sure which is correct. The stone in the cemetery is marked with the year 1751 so that’s what I’ve used. Henry married Hannah Keine, a Quaker woman from Pennsylvania. Together they had eight children—William Clark, Elizabeth, James, Henry Jr., Elsie, Sarah, Hannah, and Annie A. Church. My husband descends from Henry’s son William.

The life of Henry Church is well documented in print and on the Internet so I won’t attempt to re-write it here. Instead, I’ll list some of the highlights of his life:

• A British soldier in the Revolutionary War, Henry served in the 63rd Light Infantry under Lord Cornwallis during the campaign of 1781
• He was captured by American troops under General Lafayette near Petersburg, Virginia and held prisoner in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he remained until the war ended
• Henry elected to stay in America after the war ended
• Fate brought Henry to Lancaster County as this is where he met his wife Hannah whom he was married to for 82 years
• Henry and Hannah eventually moved to Wetzel County, West Virginia where they lived out their long lives
• Henry’s nickname came to be after reaching the age of 100—people riding the trains past his house would point and say “there’s Old Hundred” when they saw Henry and Hannah sitting in rocking chairs on their front porch
• Henry was loyal to his king for years until he realized he couldn’t sell any of his land unless he took the oath of allegiance to the United States
• Henry and Hannah donated a piece of their land to the community for the Hundred Cemetery with the plan that they be buried there
• He lived to the ripe old age of 109 years
• The town of Hundred, Wetzel County, West Virginia is named for Henry

Henry died in Hundred, Wetzel County, West Virginia in 1860. His death was reported in The Daily Dispatch in Richmond, Virginia on October 1, 1860. “Death of a Patriarch.—Henry Church died in Wetzel county, Va., on the 13th ult., at the extraordinary age of one hundred and eleven years. He was a native of England, and came to America during the Revolutionary war as a soldier in the British army, and was taken prisoner at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and from some cause unknown to the writer did not return with the British army to England. He was among the Virginia troops that were sent west of the mountains by the federal government to quell the Whiskey insurrection in 1794—and soon after settled with his family on Fish Creek and resided on the same farm (where he died) 51 years. In reference to his habits for the preservation of his health, he was not by any means careful. His bill of fare of course, was such as could be readily obtained by the early settlers, venison, hog, hominy, etc. He was by no means a drunkard, still as it was customary in his early days, he took his dram without reserve whenever it suited him. But tobacco he regarded a nuisance, and kept clear of it.”

I note the discrepancy in the news article which states that Henry was 111 at the time of his death. Again, most of the bios I see list his age as 109, as does the historical marker on the side of the road as you enter the town of Hundred. It reads: HUNDRED—Henry Church, who died in 1860 at the age of 109, was familiarly known as “Old Hundred” and the town was named for him. He was a soldier in the British Army under Cornwallis and was captured by American troops under Gen. Lafayette.

Henry is my husband’s fifth great-grandfather and can be claimed as the ancestor who is the “farthest from him” in generations.


Sketch of Henry Church from Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, vol. 19, no. 109, p. 16, June 1859; http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=harp;idno=harp0019-1