Treasure Chest Thursday: "History of Cumberland, Md." by Lowdermilk

This week we'll look at a little old treasure from the chest, "History of Cumberland, Md," by William Harrison Lowdermilk, originally published in 1878. My copy is one of those put out by a publishing company and billed as ,"Affordable & High Quality Paperback Edition". I'm cool with that because I don't have to be too precious about handling. Think I paid about $10 for this reproduction about a year ago and you can still find it on Amazon. The collector's editions go for up to $300!

The reproduction paperback is perfect for my use. It's 580 pages of sheer local history from George Washington's Journals and Indian graves to local bits of interest in 1876, the last year Lowdermilk covered. The book ends with General Braddock's Orderly Book in which he recorded a lot of trivia about the colonial period in the territory that would eventually become Allegany County, Maryland.

As you can see from the photo below, I have snips of paper marking pages of interest. This was an inexpensive book and a perfect candidate to mark up, but alas, I can't bring myself to write in it!

One of the things that fascinates me is the names of places and how they have either changed or stayed the same. Old Town was Shawnee Old Town, while Wills Creek has been that name for as long as people have been recording it when the "white man" first set foot in the area.

I have been impressed with the great amount of time George Washington spent in the area, from his earliest years with Nemacolin who showed him the trail west, to the days of the revolution. Back and forth he came, first as a scout, then with General Braddock in the French and Indian War. Sometimes the descriptions tell me exactly where Washington strode and other times the manes have changed or the old chestnut tree grove has been long gone.

I must confess that most of the pages of Washington's Journal leave me requiring a nap. But then just as I start to doze off there's an exciting passage and I learn something of use. The best part of this early matter is the descriptions of the lush forests and abundant wildlife and fur animals. That, of course, has vanished, but it busies the mind to imaging how it all was in times past.

Eventually, careful reading reveals an ancestor or two. Because this fine old book has no index (drat) I examine every page for surnames I know. On page 264 I find my 5th great grandfather, George Adam Eckhart, known as Adam, listed amongst those individuals who settled on the land west of Cumberland before the Bounty Lands were awarded, as is Isaac Workman, also a 5th great grandfather and listed on the next page.

I read the pages carefully because if an ancestor is not there, I know that helpful background information will be there. On page 334 I find listed the names of those men responsible for the upkeep of the National Road west in 1834. From the names such as Josiah Porter (related), Meshack Frost (related), and Josiah Frost, I can roughly guess where each section of road lies from where their property was.

On page 350 I find that Peter Yeast is serving as County Commissioner in 1841 - 42 for Allegany County before it was divided yielding Garrett County to the west. Peter Yeast was the second husband of my 3rd great grandmother. Did not know he was such a respected man. This explains why his son-in-law, and my 2nd great grandfather, Joseph E. Whetstone, is mentioned on page 215 in another book about the area, "The Old Pike: A History of the National Road," by Thomas B. Searight, as running a tavern about that time when the 1850 census shows clearly that the tavern was then run by Peter Yeast. Looks like the SIL took over for Peter Yeast while he served his county as a commissioner. Details like this fill out the lives of the ancestors.

I love old books about local history for the background they give. I could read this stuff all day!

The URL for this post is: http://nutsfromthefamilytree.blogspot.com/2013/04/treasure-chest-thursday-history-of.html

Done Looking For Nehemiah, I Think

Have spent the better part of the last year looking for traces of my Revolutionary War ancestor and 5th GGF, Nehemiah Newens (or Newin, Newan/s, Newens, or maybe even Newing or Nuens. Take your pick.) All of the collected records are in a big blue binder and in a data file of which I have numerous back-ups both on line and off. Now I'm thinking that I'm done with this project and here's my reasoning on the matter.

See, here's why I love my blog: reason number six (see below.) My blog keeps my thinking as lucid as possible. If I can explain it clearly and concisely to you then it keeps me on track to the best of my ability:)

So back to why I'm feeling done with my search for Nehemiah. I've answered all the major questions from the start of the project that I can. And here they are.

Where did he come from? Most likely the Derbyshire area of England and quite possibly he was a country boy, not a city boy. City boys don't aspire to stone masonry.

Did he serve with General Braddock in the French and Indian War? Maybe but maybe not. If he did he was very young and most likely just a lad. But I find no record of his service as a commissioned officer. Doesn't mean that there are records still to be found but I've looked under ever rock short of going to London and looking in the British Archive... and who knows, I might just do that some day. But for now the indication from records is that he was really too young to have been an officer in the F&I War.

How did he get to York PA? I'm clueless. But he wasn't an indentured servant as far as I can tell. He married into a very prosperous family and if he was an indentured servant, well that's not a conclusion I draw. The most obvious path is that he knew his wife's uncle, Colonel Corry, who did serve in the F&I War and followed him to York.

Did he die in the Battle of Yorktown? No. For whatever reasons he didn't return home to his wife and son in York PA, but moved around to Northumberland and then Upstate New York. He received his Bounty Land Grant from the state of PA while he was in Northumberland County, and filed his pension application from Canandaigue NY.

Why did he end up in Canandaigue, NY? The most likely conclusion is that he knew the area, which was the frontier, because he served in the Sullivan-Clinton Campaign. The officer names from his pension application match up with the S-C Campaign.

Who is Elias Thompson named as his son in Nehemiah's will? It might be that Elias replied to an ad Nehemiah ran for stone masons. Elias came from Pennsylvania but didn't appear in Canandaigue until after Nehemiah has been there about 10 years. Was he the faithful apprentice that took the role of a son? Maybe. Nehemiah thought enough of him to name him in the will.

What was Nehemaih's wife's given name?  He had two wives. The first was Cathrine Kepplinger, referred to in the Myers book as Miss Kepplinger. Her widow's pension application is signed Cathrine Newans. That said, Nehemiah's will drafted in 1820 names his wife, Mary, his sole beneficiary for the rest of her life (and then the remainder to sons Thomas Newans and Elias Thompson.)

What of the little book, "Ancestral History of Thomas F. Myers"? I believe it was written by Myers and printed by a printer just down the street from where Myers had his prosperous grocery store. The book served as evidence backing up Myers Bounty Land Grant claim in Ohio on behalf of his sister Christiana. The claim was never resolved in their favor.

How sure am I about the above information. Not too sure. You know data... it drifts. And so much of this is simply my conclusions based on what I know of the family and facts strung together. Not great genealogy, I admit. In my own defense, I really do believe that most frequently the most accurate conclusion is the most obvious, baring new information.

That said, I'll organize my big blue binder, making notes where needed so that I can remember what I did. Then I'll write up a short version of the Nehemiah Newans story so that others can share in the search if they wish... and I truly hope someone does!

Wait, Wait, Wait... Now Hurry Up!

This newbie has been waiting and waiting for my two microfilm rolls ordered online from Family Search to be delivered to the local Family Research Center. Yesterday I found out that they have been there since about the first week in September! Between me not knowing what I'm doing and them switching over from the old system to the new one... and some misinformation along the way: they said they'd call me... am feeling lucky to have them available at last! BTW, they do not call you when the films arrive at the Center. You are to get an email and that's where it all went kablooie for me! And yes, they did have my correct email address, thanks for asking.

Never mind, the records that hopefully contain proof that my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newans, served under General Braddock in the mid 1700s are at my fingertips and ready for me to sit in the darkened room, quietly, the reader before me (my head at an uncomfortable angle... am I too short, what's the deal?) making swisssshhh sounds as the rolls spin into the past. I'm gonna be a while.

The point of the title of this blog post is that I've lost precious time here, about a month as I figure it. I know that I have until the week before Thanksgiving but I'm jittery that all the work won't get done. Heck, I'm always jittery that all the work won't get done;)

Bumbling Around Britain

This newbie is looking for records of my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newans. Reportedly from a family history (see tabs above) his family purchased a commission for him and he served with General Braddock but I need proof. So I've spent the morning on the British Archive web site trying my best to find records. Found out that what I need is under WO 12 (War Office) where the colonial muster and pay records are. Did not find it online so posted a note to them through their web site... it will be replied to within 10 working days the site says.

Have been enjoying my time researching Braddock and Washington before him in what's now Western Maryland, where my people come from. Found a downloadable book published in the mid-1800s containing all manner of details. Was delighted to read even more about the Braddock Expedition, but mid-read I sort of hit myself on the head and said to myself: was Newans even there?!

After all the only evidence we have at the moment is what's written in the printed family history entitled, "Ancestral History of Thomas F. Myers". That's pretty flimsy if you ask me. I'm at the point where it's evident that I need proof. Thus my foray into the British Archives. Keep your fingers crossed for me that the archivist who replies has good news:)

Marching With General Braddock

OK, so I pretty much trashed General Edward (see he does have a first name) Braddock a couple of posts ago. And while this newbie still struggles with military history, I am getting the hang of it: learned that it must be read with utmost attention to all details and pictured in the mind's eye.

The way Braddock ties in to my family history is that one of our Revolutionary War ancestor's Nehemiah Newans came to the colonies under Braddock's command, or so it's thought. I'll know it for sure when I see the paperwork;)

The crazy part about this genealogy research thing is that often I find that just when I'm looking for one item a related item pops up out of nowhere in some unexpected place. Or information bits cluster around the same topic and appear in the same time frame. You ever open a book and find exactly what you're looking for? Like that: serendipity.

So I'm Googling around looking for Martin's Plantation. When I was back east and visiting Mom in Western Maryland this spring I noticed a historical site marker about Martin's Plantation. I must have passed that marker a thousand and one times throughout my life. But out of the blue I thought about it last night and wondered what Martin's Plantation was. Was it a real working plantation? 

I Googeled "Martin's Plantation" just for fun. Here's where I went: http://www.wmdhistory.org/braddocks-road/braddock-road-south-of-frostburg.php and "The Search for Braddock's Road Through Frostburg, MD". Here's a picture of the historical marker: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=440

See how that worked out? I'm interested in General Braddock right now and then happened to Google Martin's Plantation out of nowhere and find it's related to Braddock in a very personal way for me. That's exciting!

It's funny how my interest in genealogy takes me down many lanes into history. And this particular history adventure was about Braddock and his road and how he had to build it as he went along so that the cannons and supply wagons could get to where they needed to go. Braddock built the road out of the wilderness -- a hundred and ten miles long starting in Cumberland, MD-- and built it well enough that it could stand a real beating by the supply wagons and artillery. And guess who his aide-de-camp was? George Washington! Why? Because The Father of Our Country knew the territory. And if that's not enough excitement for you, then know that Daniel Boone was one of Braddock's wagoners! Cool, huh?

The funny part is that Braddock's road likely took him right the heck through my old home place! So my ancestor Nehemiah Newans saw what was later to be the little town of Frostburg in Western Maryland and home place of all my people. So for that, much respect to you, General Edward Braddock and your wonderful road, still called to this day, "Braddock's Road". Way ta go!

Poor Sad General Braddock

This newbie is into the military thing a bit. (See yesterday's miserable post.) Have been reading about the life of General Braddock and a couple things are clear. First, does the man even have a first name? Poor guy is always referred to as simply "Braddock". And not fondly either.

Poor guy: he landed with his two regiments of British regulars at Alexandria Virginia on 20 February 1755 and the guy was dead and buried in the road by 13 July of that same year. That's just 5 months for pitty's sake! Plus, consider that he spent a lot of time at Fort Cumberland in western Maryland, drilling the life out of his troops so that they could march smartly into battle in formation in the British way. Guess they were trying to impress the French and Indians;)

The story goes that Braddock was "hampered" by lack of support from the colonials, mainly supplies. On the plus side, he did have George Washington as a field officer. They crossed the Monongahela River on 9 July and ran smack into the French and Indian force. Yikes! So they back-tracked, got confused and got caught in cross-fire. In a short four days Braddock met the opposition, retreated, was cut down and died.

Interestingly, Benjamin Franklin included a bit about the Braddock Campaign events in his Autobiography, and not in a flattering way. Franklin warned Braddock that his plan would be disastrous.

See, I'm wrapping my arms around this military stuff:)

Mom's Uncle Jimmy Whetstone,

in his WWI uniform.
Mom says that Uncle Jimmy suffered gassing during his service.

Military Conflicts

Even though I'm a newbie to this genealogy stuff, I really do love it all... well, all except for the military stuff. I'm conflicted about it. Have to keep asking my husband which rank is higher than which and so on. It's way beyond me to keep up with campaigns and battles. Picket's Charge is like algebra to me... and that's so obscure I haven't a chance with it.

I only bring this up because I have a little side project going to write up my notes on the life of my Revolutionary War ancestor, Nehemiah Newans. I have the first couple of sections done and am up to his service in General Braddock's British Regulars, either the 44th or the 48th. As of yet I have no proof that he served there. Would very much like to find my way around the British Archive to see him on a muster roll. That hasn't happened but it's not keeping me from plugging in some framework for that section of my project.

Thing of it is that my mind goes mush when I get to the details of the Braddock Campaign or any military campaign. I get it that it was pretty much of a disaster and then Braddock went and got himself killed, so it didn't end well.

As a kid I remember going on rides past Fort Necessity and the memorial near where Braddock was buried and hearing the story of how Braddock's men buried him under the roadway so the French troops wouldn't dig him up. Cool then, cool now. Check it out at http://www.nps.gov/fone/index.htm

But I'd like a better understanding of exactly what happened in the Braddock Campaign. And how George Washington came to take over from Braddock. And then after all was over and done, how and why my ancestor ended up settled in York Pennsylvania. Guess I'm going over to the San Diego Genealogical Society and crack open the books. Hey, San Diego is a military town ... there should be someone around to explain this to me:)

Enoch Clise, married in to the family, and served in the Civil War.