Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Sophia Jane Abe 11-021



Hanson John Jacob and Sophia Jane (Abe) Senn


     Sophia Jane was the sixth child of John Adam and Martha Jane (Moreland) Abe. She was (6)born on August 2, 1887 at the farm in Little Cacapon, West Virginia and is shown with the family through the (70)1900 Census for Hampshire County, WV.
     In (71)1910 her family has located to Mineral County, WV. At this time (129)(37)Sophia has married to Hanson John Jacob Senn and is living next door to his parents on the Old Furnace Road. They have been married for four years and have three children. Their (197)marriage is recorded as February 21, 1906 and took place at the home of her parents, John Adam and Sarah Margaret Abe.
     Her husband was the son of John and Sarah Virginia (Bucy) Senn and was born July 13, 1882 in "Plum Run". In the marriage record of 1906, John Adam and Sarah Abe are also listed as living at "Plum Run".

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     This "Plum Run" seems to be an unofficial and loosely named area of Mineral County by locals. No records have been found that officially explain the exact boundaries of what is referred to above as "Plum Run". Records that do mention it seem to make it a area of quite a few square miles across. It seems to cover an area just north of Short Gap (where a stream called Plum Run and a road called Plum Run Road still exists today) northward to the Old Furnace Road area and East along the Old Furnace Road to at least the area of the Old Abe Farm where the Abe Cemetery is now located. It may also extend as far East as Patterson Creek. In this instance, the Senn Farm is along the Old Furnace Road near the original Abe Farm.
     It is unknown if "Plum Run" extended northward along Route 28 toward Wiley Ford. Was John Adam living near or on the Abe Farm on the Old Furnace Road in 1906 or was he living near Ridgeley, WV as he is listed in the 1910 Census?
     The 1910 Census refers to John Adam living along "Knobley Road" with pages before and after listing streets in Ridgeley, WV. 
     The (6)"Abe Family Heritage" book says that John Adam "purchased the home place from his brother Jacob, lived there for several years and then sold it to John Senn before moving to Ridgeley, WV". This could place John Adam on the original home place during the time period of Sophia Jane's marriage. The book further states under Sophia Jane's biography that "they settled on the home place for their entire marriage". It is still unclear if John Senn the father originally purchased the home place from John Adam or if it was Hanson John the son. At this time I have no land records to support this. From this it would seem that at some time between 1900 and 1910 John Adam and family were on the Abe Farm Home Place for a short while.


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Hanson John Jacob Senn

     The only other records found for Hanson and Sophie (Abe) Senn are a (198)WWI and (198)WWII Draft Registration Records for Hanson. The (198)WWI record, dated Sept. 12, 1918, lists him as a self-employed farmer in Mineral County but for some reason the contact address for both Hanson and Sophia is listed as "Station A, Cumberland, MD". This is the second time a (107)family member has been listed at this address during the WWI time period and I have still not been able to determine exactly where this is. My best guess would  possibly be the Queen City Station in Cumberland, MD. It just seems strange that they would be renting rooms in Cumberland, MD when they had a farm just across the river. It is possible Hanson had a temporary job in Cumberland and made it easier if he rented to be closer to that job.
     The (198)WWII record, dated April 27, 1942, lists their address as Patterson Creek, WV which is most likely the Old Furnace Road farm.
     The (6)Abe Family Heritage book lists the (6)death dates for Hanson as August 29, 1942 and Sophia (Abe) Senn as March 30, 1948. I have not found any death or burial records for either so if anyone has any further information on this please let me know. I would like to find their burial place.
     Hanson's parents, John and Sarah Senn, are buried at the Abe Cemetery.
     It is possible that Hanson and Sophia are buried at the Abe Cemetery in unmarked graves. It would be strange if they lived all their married life on the farm and were buried somewhere else. Especially since both of their parents are buried there. Another little note for thought on this is, records show a son, (13)Clarence Rufus Senn is buried in the Abe Cemetery. His grave is unmarked. Could Hanson and Sophia be buried in unmarked graves also?

     UPDATE: George Funeral Home records have been obtained which state that Hanson John and Sophia Jane are buried at the Abe Cemetery. No location in the cemetery is mentioned. They would be in unmarked graves as no markers are present. A John C. Wolford Funeral Home ledger record also places a son, Clarence, at the cemetery. Also, no marker has been found for him. See the "Unmarked Graves" tab at the Abe Cemetery web site for the records. If anyone knows the location in the cemetery where they are buried, please let me know.



John Senn Family
Seated: John Senn, Nancy and Sarah Virginia (Bucy) Senn
Standing: Sally, Jeanette "Nettie", Mary "Molly", Hanson John Jacob and Henry

Interesting Note: Of the above John Senn Family, three of the children married into three different lines of the Abe Family. Nancy married Felix Conway Baldwin. Jeanette "Nettie" married William Edward Abe. Hanson John Jacob married Sophia Jane Abe.


Children of Hanson John Jacob Senn and Sophia Jane (Abe) Senn:

     1. Clarence Rufus Senn (1906-1923)
     2. Carrie Virginia Senn (1908-1960)
     3. Oliver William Senn (1909-1972)
     4. Joseph Franklin Senn (1912-1981)

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Henry Nicholas Abe 11-020


     Henry Nicholas Abe was (6)(189)born on April 30, 1883, the fifth child of John Adam and Martha Jane (Moreland)  Abe. His parents were living on the farm near Little Cacapon, Hampshire County, West Virginia at the time. They had moved there at some point in the last two years after the death (in 1881) of their child Emma in Mineral County.
     In (13)1890 when Henry was about seven years of age his mother passed away. The only place her death has been found is on her headstone at the Abe Cemetery. No other information for Henry can be found until a listing for him is found in the (70)1900 Hampshire County, West Virginia Census. In this census the family is still on the farm near Little Cacapon. His father had remarried, two years prior, to Sarah Margaret Sowers and Henry is now 17 years of age.

Henry and Bertha
About the time of their marriage

     On (6)(37)April 17, 1904, at the age of twenty one, Henry married Bertha Viola Brelsford. Bertha was the daughter of William Taylor Brelsford (aka James William Brelsford) and Sidney Elizabeth (Richmond) Brelsford of Hampshire County, West Virginia. The (191)1900 Census for Hampshire County, for some reason, does not list Bertha with her parents. I have searched all census records for the same district and cannot find her with any other family there.
     By (37)1910 the census for Mineral County, West Virginia places Henry and Bertha on a farm there. Henry is listed as the owner of the farm he is working. They have been married now for six years and have had four children, two of which are now deceased. James Strickley is also living on the farm and is listed as a "Laborer" and "Blacksmith Helper".
     The farm apparently was not profitable enough to sustain the family as Henry worked at many jobs outside the farm over the years.
      A family story says that around this time, Henry Nicholas spent some time working on construction of the Lake Gordon Dam in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.  I cannot confirm this with any absolute proof yet. This dam is the located just north of Cumberland, Maryland and is the city’s water supply. I do have a birth certificate for a son, Eugene Franklin that says he was born in the Borough of Bedford Valley, Bedford County, Pennsylvania in 1912. This would be the area of where the dam is located. This certificate was a "delayed registration" and based on information many years after the fact so it cannot be considered the final word on his birth. The original records were reportedly destroyed in a courthouse fire.



First Farmhouse - 1920's

     In 1914, Henry's father, John Adam, passed away near Ridgeley, West Virginia.
     Henry's (192)WWI Draft Registration Card, dated 1918, says he is working as a "Drill Press Machinist" in Akron, Ohio. The record is in poor condition and the name of the company cannot be read. It is not known how long he worked at this position but the (193)1920 Census for Mineral County, West Virginia has him back working on his farm. This census lists the actual location of the farm as the Old Furnace Road. At this time it is still an operating farm but is listed with a mortgage on it. The family now consists of seven living children.....four daughters and three sons.


Henry, Bertha and children - Wilda, Pauline, Elmer, Eugene, Grace, and Dorthea
Taken about 1919

Outside the original farmhouse

     On September 19, 1927, Bertha's father, William Brelsford, passed away of cancer of the stomach.
     By (194)1930, one more son was born to Henry and Bertha and the two oldest daughters are no longer living in the household. Bertha's mother, Sidney Elizabeth Brelsford, now lives in the household. (189)(190)A hand written paper by Bertha, found in her possessions, lists all the children born to them and totals eleven children. Three of these died young or as infants. Henry is listed as working as a laborer in a tire plant. The plant was the Goodyear Tire and Rubber located back in Ohio.
     While working at the tire plant the original house burned down and a new one was built on the property.
     In January of (195)1937 Bertha's mother, Sidney Elizabeth (Richmond) Brelsford, passed away at the home of another daughter, Susan Blanch (Brelsford) Funk.


New house from the hill above

     Again it is uncertain how long he was employed at the tire plant. His (192)WWII Draft Registration Card, dated April 27, 1942, shows him working for the Atlas Powder Company (Ravenna Ordnance Plant) in Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio. Work there was plentiful to fill the needs of the United States Military needs. The Ravenna Arsenal was the largest supplier of munitions for the war effort and a one point employed over 14,000. The Ravenna Arsenal ceased production, however, at the end of WWII. Henry is now 58 years of age in 1942 so he most likely worked there till the plant ceased production in 1945.
     Bertha Viola (Brelsford) (190)died on April 12, 1952 at the home of her daughter, Pauline (Abe) Smith. She had been in ill health for about two years.
     Henry Nicholas Abe (189)died in his sleep of a heart attack, just 7 months later, on November 28, 1952. He has complained of not feeling well after spending the previous day butchering. Both were (13)(189)(190)buried at the Abe Cemetery.
     Henry Nicholas did have a simple hand written (196)will that did not include anything that was of any notable interest other then the full names of his living children.


Henry and Bertha

Children of Henry Nicholas and Bertha Viola (Brelsford) Abe:
     1. Wilda Ann (1904-1988)
     2. Pauline Arsylvia (1906-1991)
     3. William Cecil (1907-1909)
     4. Henry Floyd (1908-1908)
     5. Elmer Adam (1910-1964)
     6. Eugene Franklin (1912-1998)
     7. Grace Elizabeth (1914-2000)
     8. Charles E. (1915 - 1915)
     9. Dorthea Gladys (1917-1999)
     10. Leroy James (1920-1999)
     11. Robert Earl (1923-2002)

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Virginia Lee Abe 11-019



Virginia Lee Abe

     Virginia (70)"Jennie" Lee Abe was born the third child of John Adam and Martha Jane (Moreland) Abe. Her (188)birth record shows she was born on November 27, 1879 in Mineral County, West Virginia. Her parents were living and farming along Route 28 just north of the Old Furnace Road, possibly what is now the Miltenburger Farm.
     "Jennie's" life started out as any other child who was born into farm life, but at an early age her life quickly changed. The (6)"Abe Family Heritage" book has a quote from Nora (Largent) Stotler, her cousin, that after a long walk to visit her grandparents she suffered paralysis in her legs. There are no records to prove it nor do we know exactly when this happened, but it is likely that she suffered from a case of polio. During this period in history there were no established methods of treatment for this disease and in many cases doctors were not readily available.

     Poliomyelitis was a worldwide epidemic for the time period between the middle 1800's to the 1950's when a vaccine was developed. The viral disease is spread by direct contact and is absorbed into the system through the nose or mouth, multiplies in the throat or intestinal tract and then spreads to the blood, lymph glands and even the nervous system. The infection period, of from 5 to 35 days, can manifest itself as anything from just cold and flue-like symptoms to partial or full paralysis that usually is permanent or even death in extreme cases. Even today, the only thing that can be done once infected, is to treat the symptoms till the virus runs it's course. In severe cases breathing problems would have to be addressed if the spinal cord and brain become involved. These breathing problems were handled by a "negative pressure ventilator" machine commonly known as an "Iron Lung" although it did not come into use until the late 1920's.


      From the point of recovery on, she would spend her life as a handicapped person. There were no provisions for getting the handicapped back and forth to school (almost all had to walk to the local meeting place) so she never learned to read or write. Parents, in most cases, couldn't help as they were either running a farm from daylight till dark or couldn't read or write themselves. "Jennie's" not being unable to walk severely limited what she would be able to do around the farm. Depending on how severe the paralysis, she may have had some sort of makeshift crutches to get around the house. No fancy wheelchairs or scooters here. She could have, in limited ways, helped out with cleaning, cooking and sewing. She could never be able to be out on her own to make a living. For the rest of her life she would have to depend on others for life's necessities.
     "Jennie" travel through life mirrored that of her father's until his death in 1914 so there is nothing more that  can add there. Her mother would pass away in 1890 when "Jennie" was about eleven years of age. About seven years later, in 1897, her father remarried to Sarah Margaret Sowers. At some point, in the six years after her father's death, her stepmother moved back to Hampshire County, West Virginia. She is found in the household of her sister and mother in the (72)1920 Census. "Jennie" is not there with them. It is unknown if Sarah was unable to care for her stepdaughter any longer or if she just did not want the responsibility any longer.
     The above quote from Nora (Largent) Stotler in the (6)"Abe Family Heritage" book further states that there came a time when nobody was able to care for "Jennie" and she was put in a "home". This would have been the time period's version of welfare or assisted living center. In this case it would have been the Mineral County Poor Farm. Poor farms were set up by and through taxes to help those with no means of support for themselves. Individuals were assigned work duties to perform in return for room and board. Most of the poor farms were actual working farms that the residents would tend. From this point on there are no records known that give a glimpse of her life there. It is also unknown when she died or where she was buried. Many unmarked graves are located on the property of the "poor farm" so it is likely she was buried there.

Monday, September 12, 2011

John Adam and Martha Jane Abe Infant Children 11-018

     There isn't much further I can expound upon these three children that has not already been provided in the post "John Adam Abe.....Family Man (part 2) 10-019". As I am trying to keep the information in some sort of order we will do a review of what we know of each. The records available will also be added under the "Sources" for your review.
     On (50)October 3, 1876, about 27 months after the death of his first wife Margaret, John Adam remarried to Martha Jane Moreland. Pieced together information shows that the couple had three children that died at birth or shortly thereafter.
     An initial clue to their existence was found at the Abe Cemetery. The right side of John and Martha's monument has three children recorded. To the right of the monument can be found four actual graves. All are marked with just a footstone style marker. The first marker has no inscription visible. This is believed to be the unnamed child of John Adam and his first wife Margaret. (Refer back to the post "Martha Ellen Abe 11-012" for further on this child. Next to this grave are three other markers with initials that match up with the names of the three children on the monument.
     The first born child to John Adam and Martha Jane was (13)"Our Babe". This child apparently died shortly after birth as no official name is listed on the stone or in records. (13)Birth and death on the stone are listed as 1877. (187)A birth record for Mineral County, West Virginia lists an "Abe, female" child born to Adam and Martha J. Abe in July 1877. No day is listed. A death record for the same "Not Named" child says the child died on July 19, 1877. The cause of death is listed as "unknown" so I believe the child's death was for some other reason other then "childbirth" or "stillborn" as are listed for other children in the same record. Death was most likely very soon after birth, with the child being unnamed.
     The second child of John and Martha is listed on the (13)monument as "Ella M". Birth and death on the stone is listed as 1878. No actual birth record has been found. The only record found is an (187)1878 death record where she is listed there as "Martha E.". The month and day in the record are unreadable but the year is 1878. Her cause of death is also listed as "unknown". *(see update below)
     The third child listed on the monument is named "Emma". She was the fourth child born to John and Martha in 1881. No birth records have been found for her. A (187)death record from Hampshire County, West Virginia and says she died on October 6, 1881 at the age of just over one month.  Her death cause is also listed as "not known". One confusing thing about this record is why the child was listed as born and died in Maryland and the death was recorded in West Virginia.
   


*UPDATE: (187)A birth record for for the second child, "Ella M." or "Martha E." has been found. The last name is misspelled as "Abbee". The birth is listed as September 1878 with no actual day.


John Adam Abe monument with four small stones to the right

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Amanda Melvina (Abe) Largent 11-017

     Amanda Melvina Abe was born on October 18, 1872 according to her burial headstone. No actual birth records have been uncovered yet. Her (179)death record lists her age as thirty five which would make her birth year 1871 because she had not reached her birthday.... if the October 18 birth is correct. Her (180)marriage record lists her age as 24 in 1896 which would make her birth year as 1872. The (181)1900 census does list her birth as Oct. 1872.
          She was the fourth child of John Adam and Margaret G. (Fulk) Abe. All (17)(181)census records list her birth in West Virginia. The year before her birth her parents were (69)living in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland where her father was working for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Her (180)marriage record lists her birthplace as Berkley County, West Virginia. This would most likely have been been around Martinsburg, West Virginia. Her parents lived there a very short time while John Adam was working for the railroad. Her (179)death record says she was born in Mineral County, West Virginia so it is still uncertain exactly where she was born. When Amanda's mother dies in 1874 the family apparently moved back to Mineral County, West Virginia because in 1876, John Adam (50)remarried to a Martha Jane Moreland according to Allegany County marriage records in Cumberland, Maryland.
          On October 15, 1896 at the age of 24, Amanda (180)married to Charles Edward Largent of Hampshire County, West Virginia. At that time her (70)parents owned and operated a farm in Little Cacapon, Hampshire County, West Virginia. (181)Eight years after her birth, her father is farming along what is now Route 28 between Wiley Ford and Short Gap, West Virginia. The farm appears to be north of the Old Furnace Road, in the area of the what is now the Miltenberger Farm. The farm is two to three miles south of Cumberland, Maryland.
          Charles Edward Largent was born on February 4, 1871 to (182)John Ashby and Sarah E. (Deaver) Largent in Hampshire County, West Virginia.
          After their marriage, Amanda and Charles then moved to the Old Furnace Road in Mineral County, West Virginia. The (181)1900 Census shows the couple renting a house on or near the original Abe farm. Charles is listed as a farm laborer so he was working for someone else.
          (6)The couple did have five children but sadly both parents lived very short lives and they never saw them grow up. Amanda (179)died on September 26, 1907 just eight days after the (183)birth of a son, Clarence Edward Largent on September 18. She was thirty four years of age at that time. The cause of death is listed as Puerperal Fever.


The American Heritage Dictionary describes Puerperal Fever as "a systemic bactorial infection of the endometrium characterized by fever, rapid heartbeat, uterine tenderness and malodorous discharge, chiefly occuring in women after childbirth, usually as the result of unsterile obstetric procedures."


          Amanda was buried in the Abe Cemetery. Her husband, Charles died less than two years later on July 24, 1909 and was buried beside her. He was thirty eight years of age. His (184)cause of death is listed as Tuberculosis.
          The young children were all sent to live with other families. In 1910(185)Nora (the oldest) and Clarence (the newborn) are found living with their paternal grandparents who were still residing in Hampshire County, West Virginia. (186)Harry is living with John W. and Nancy E. Leatherman in Cabin Run, Mineral County, West Virginia. (186)Earl and Nellie Mae were taken in by Benjamin W. and Ida Smith also of Cabin Run.

Children of Amanda Melvina (Abe) and Charles Edward Largent:
     1. Nora Catherine (1897-1990)
     2. Nellie Mae (1899-?)
     3. Harry William (1902-?)
     4. Earl Daniel (1904-1970)
     5. Clarence Edward (1907-1957)




Sunday, August 14, 2011

Isaac Franklin Abe 11-016



Isaac "Frank" Abe and A. J. "Bud" Whitacre
1st "Abe Reunion" July 15, 1950

     Issac Franklin "Frank" Abe was born the third child of John Adam and Margaret G. (Fulk) Abe. No birth record or birth certificate has been found, but other records give a few bits of information on his birth. The (17)1880 Census lists his age as 9 in June of that year. The (175)1910 Census lists his age as 39 in the month of April. In the (174)1900 Census says he was born in August of 1870. His (176)death certificate and the Register of Deaths for Hampshire County, WV lists his birthday as August 29, 1870. Both death records list the place of birth as Patterson Creek, WV which would be in the area of the Abe Farm where his father was raised. In the (69)1870 census his parents are living in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland one month before his birth so it is possible his mother was moved to the Abe Farm to have her child. The farm was only 9-10 miles away. John Adam was working for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at the time so he would need help as Margaret neared the time to give birth.
     When John Adam left the railroad and started farming for a living and this would set the stage for Isaac's life in farming. His parents farmed for a while in Mineral County before purchasing a farm in the Little Cacapon area of Hampshire County.
     About 1893 Issac Franklin (174)married Margaret Arsylva Kerns. I haven't completely confirmed it yet but I believe her parents are Frederick (or Tedrick) L. and Mary E. Kerns who lived in the same area of Hampshire County. The (174)1900 Census says "Frank" and "Arsylva" have been married for seven years. At that time they are living in the household of John R. and Mary A. Burnside. The Burnsides are listed as in their 60's with no occupation and no children. Isaac is listed as a farmer so he is apparently operating the farm. By this time they have two daughters and two sons ranging from age 5 to 1. Later census records show him still on the farm so it seems he must have purchased the farm from the John Burnside.
     Isaac (174)(175)(177)lived and worked as a farmer in Hampshire County through at least 1920. In the (178)1930 Census he is living on a farm in Mineral County, West Virginia with his nephew Harry Whitacre and family. Arsilva is found (199)living with her daughter Ethel Grace (Abe) Kidwell in McClean, Fairfax County, Virginia.
     Margaret Arsilva died on February 18, 1948 and was buried in the Bethel Methodist Church Cemetery near Paw Paw, Hampshire County, West Virginia. Records found list her name as Margaret, Margaret A. or Arsilva. For some reason her headstone is engraved as "Arsilva J.".
     Isaac Franklin (176)passed away on May 16, 1961 at the age of 90. He died at Hampshire Memorial Hospital in Romney, West Virginia of Congestive Heart Failure. He had been living in the Levels, West Virginia area at that time. The person giving the information for the death certificate was a Charles Snyder. It is unknown which Charles Snyder this really is and if "Frank" was living with him. His niece was married to Charles Andrew Snyder and they had a son named Charles Leo.
     Isaac Franklin was also buried in the Bethel Methodist Church Cemetery near Paw Paw, Hampshire County, West Virginia. A son, John Franklin Abe, and a daughter Ada Elizabeth (Abe) Cowgill are also buried in the same cemetery.

Children of Isaac Franklin and Margaret Arsilva (Kerns) Abe:
     1. Ethel Grace (1894-1874)
     2. Ada Elizabeth (1895-1967)
     3. John Franklin (1897-1918)
     4. Ray Austin (1898-1959)
     5. Dennis Franklin (1900-1967)
     6. Edward Nicholas (1902-?)




Sunday, July 31, 2011

Lacy Ann (Abe) Whitacre 11-015




Alpheus Jerome and Lacy Ann (Abe) Whitacre

     Lacy Ann Abe was born the second child of John Adam and Margaret G. (Fulk) Abe. A birth record for her has not been found but we can find clues in a number of records to narrow it down. The (69)1870 Census lists her as one year old and living in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. Her birth place was listed there as Maryland. All other (17)(167)(168)(169)(170)census records list her birth place as West Virginia. In (17)1880 she is eleven and living in the Frankfort District of Mineral County, West Virginia. The (167)1900 Census says she was born in April of 1869 and all others place the year at about 1869. The date of enumeration for the (170)1930 Census is April 24 and she has already passed her birthday so she was born somewhere in the first 23 days of April. The (6)"Abe Family Heritage" book puts her birthday as April 11, 1869. No other record has been found to give the exact day.
     Lacy's mother, Margaret (Fulk) Abe,  passed away on July 10, 1874 when Lacy was five years of age. Two years later her father remarried to Martha Jane Moreland. From this point on the family lived in Mineral County and Hampshire County, West Virginia.
     While in Hampshire County, Lacy Ann met and (172)married Alpheus Jerome "Bud" Whitacre on March 25, 1897. A. J. was (62)born near Okanoko, West Virginia on September 30, 1869. For several years they set up housekeeping in that area with farming as their living. (62)(172)Benjamin W. Smith (the minister who married them) had been holding church services at the Abe Schoolhouse on the Old Furnace Road since 1897. It was through this association that A. J. and Lacy Ann later moved to Mineral County where they set up a Sunday School Class in the schoolhouse. The book (62)"A History of the Church of the Brethren in the First District of West Virginia" says that they moved to Mineral County in November 1897 but the (167)1900 Census shows them still in Hampshire County. They are not shown in Mineral County until (168)1910 where the family is still farming for a living. (62)They would live and serve in this county for the rest of their lives.
     An official (62)church congregation was organized at the schoolhouse on August 10, 1912 and A. J. Whitacre was elected to the ministry. One year later the first church building was erected and became known as the Old Furnace Church, named after the iron furnace that sits across the road. Land for the church was donated by Jacob Abe, Lacy Ann's uncle. In 1916, A.J. was elected as an elder of the church.
     (62)The United Brethren Church near Wiley Ford, West Virginia was having problems since a fire destroyed the schoolhouse where services were being held. In 1924 A. J. sold his farm and moved there to begin a Sunday School. In April of 1927, A.J. was asked to take over the church congregation and served as pastor for a while. The congregation later became known as the Wiley Ford Church of the Brethren. Both A. J. and Lacy Ann served in the church until about 1936 when they moved in with their son, Jesse, in Short Gap, West Virginia. Three of their sons, Joseph, Jesse and Howard also served as ministers in Brethren churches during their lifetime.
     (173)About three years later Lacy Ann suffered a stroke. Five years after that, on December 8, 1944, she passed away of heart failure, after about 10 days with pneumonia. Alpheus Jerome (6)died on November 8, 1955. Both are buried at the Abe Cemetery.

Children of Alpheus Jerome and Lacy Ann (Abe) Whitacre:
     1. Elder Joseph E. (1898-1975)
     2. Daniel Earl (1899-1975)
     3. Anna B. (1900-1900)
     4. Rev. Jesse W. (1901-1995)
     5. Harry Wilber (1903-1981)
     6. Sussie (1905-1905)
     7. Rev. Howard Alphaeus (1906-1993)
     8. Bessie E. (1908-1908)
     9. Ezra E. (1912-1912)

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Martha Ellen Abe 11-014

     Martha Ellen Abe was the (166)first child born to John Adam Abe and Margaret (Fulk) Abe. Mineral County West Virginia records list her birth as September 16, 1867.
     Her life was very short as she (166)died on May 25, 1868. The death record says nine months but a quick calculation shows her to be 8 months at the time of death. The cause of death is listed as "Fits" (now commonly known as seizures).
     Her burial place cannot be confirmed but a grave with a small unmarked stone is found beside her father in the Abe Cemetery.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Clayton Abe 11-011

Clayton and Bernice Abe

     Clayton Abe was the eleventh child born to Philip and Annie Elizabeth (Largent) Abe. He was born on (157)(159)June 24, 1894 in Mineral County, West Virginia and spent his younger years working on the family farm along the Old Furnace Road. His (157)WWI Draft Registration card says he was still working on his father's farm.
     He was inducted into the (158)Army on September 4, 1918. At the age of 23 (10/1918-3/1919),  he served with the Army in Europe at the tail end of the war. Actual fighting ended on November 11, 1918 with the signing of the armistice and he was discharged on March 28, 1919.
     After the war, Clayton apparently decided not to go back to the farm and struck out on his own. By (153)January 15, 1920 he has moved to Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland (possibly 157 Maryland Avenue). At age 25, he is listed in the (153)1920 Census as a boiler man for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The (154)1930 Census also confirms this employment.
     A little over a year and a half later, on (6)September 15, 1921, he married Bernice Katherine Buckley. She was the (155)(156)daughter of John and Jane Buckley who were living on 23 Chestnut Street and 120 Potomac Street in Cumberland, Maryland in 1910 and 1920. The (154)1930 Census lists Clayton and Bernice residing at 252 Elder Street in Cumberland, Maryland. This is just three blocks from where she was living on Potomac Street in 1920. By this time they have four living children; Lawrence Wilber, John Philip, Robert Llewellyn, and Aden Ambrose. A fifth child, Norman Loy, was born and died in 1929 according to his headstone in the (13)Abe Cemetery. The (6)"Abe Family Heritage" lists the date as 1928. I have no death records to support either.
     In (157)1941 Clayton is still working for the B and O Railroad and living at 252 Elder Street. His employer is listed as the "Roundhouse" for the B and O Railroad on his WWII Draft Registration Card.
     Clayton (160)retired from the B and O Railroad and was a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Boilermakers Local 332.
     Bernice's (161)obituary says she died on May 17, 1962 at Memorial Hospital in Cumberland, MD after a five week stay. She was buried at St. Luke's Cemetery in Romney, Hampshire County, West Virginia.
     Five years later, on June 4, 1967, Clayton (6)married Clara L. Lashley. She was the (162))163)daughter of Lorenzo Dowe and Amy Catherine (Shriver) Lashley. She grew up in the area of (162))163)First Street and Arch Street in Cumberland, Maryland.
     (160)Clayton's obituary says he died on September 29, 1976 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Cumberland, Maryland. He was buried at the (13)Abe Cemetery and not with his first wife, Bernice, in Romney, West Virginia even though his name is inscribed on the headstone there.
     The (164)Social Security Death Index says that Clara died on November 8, 1996 in Cumberland, Maryland. It is unknown, at this time, where she is buried.

Children of Clayton and Bernice Katherine (Buckley) Abe:
     1. Lawrence Wilber "Ike" (1922-2009)
     2. John Philip (1923-1953)
     3. Robert Llewellyn (1925-2008)
     4. Norman Loy (Born and died in 1928 or 1929?)
     5. Aden Ambrose (1929-1968)
     6. Ivan Lee (1932-1999)
     7. Edith Elizabeth (1934-2008)
     8. Richard Daniel (1936-2003)
     9. Roger Clayton (1940- )

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Six Philip Abe Children 11-010

     Beginning in early 1889 and continuing for the next dozen years or so, Philip and Annie Elizabeth (Largent) Abe went through a sad period when they lost six of their next nine children. Four of the deaths occurred within the first five years of this period. Very few records are available for these children and some are only known by their cemetery headstones. Records that are available have conflicting information so none are completely reliable.
      The first, Alfred A. Abe, has a (148)Mineral County Birth Record listing his birth as November 20, 1889. His headstone lists the birth as February 8, 1889. The Mineral County Birth Record could be a recording error as two other children, one a child of Jacob and Mary Abe, are listed right before Alfred and born the same day. Records seem to confirm that the November 20 birth is correct for the child, Ira Abe. Most records from this era were recorded as the information was received and not as it happened. As a result, recording errors such as this could easily occur. The recorder could easily have gotten carried away after two births the same day and accidentally wrote the same date again for Alfred, the third. I tend to believe this is what happened since there is more then nine months difference between the birth record and the headstone record.
     Alfred (149)died at the age of one month (according to his headstone) on March 14, 1889 of (149)whooping cough. His death record for Mineral County, West Virginia is in very poor condition and the year 1889 is the only part readable. His headstone in the Philip Abe Family Cemetery is still readable. This record and the headstone record seem to show the birth record to be wrong.
     Walter T. Abe was born (150)March 31, 1890 according to the Mineral County, West Virginia Birth Records. His headstone has a defect that makes the first number of the birth day unreadable. Two different death records are available for Walter. They and his headstone have conflicts on the date. (151)The first record lists his death as September 15, 1892. (151)The second lists the day as the 16th. His headstone seems to read September 6, but the defect in the stone and wear may be obscuring the first number of the day. September 6, may be the correct death date because one of the death records lists his burial date as September 7. His cause of death in the first record is listed as "Brain Fever" and in the second record as "Meningitis". During this time the two diagnoses were one and the same. He was about two and a half years of age.

     Note: Walter and Maurice died within days or weeks of each other so the stones were most likely ordered at the same time. The defect in the two above stones being in the same place and nearly identical is most likely because both monuments were cut from the same block of stone at the same time. This defect was probably an almost unnoticeable hairline crack in the grain of the larger stone. After cutting and crafting the monuments (pieces were side by side in the larger slab of stone) that defect opened up and was worn away by years of exposure to the weather (rain, snow, freezing and thawing). If you visit the Philip Abe Family Cemetery page, click on the photos of the two stones to enlarge them and you will see the defect I am talking about.

     The third child is Maurice (or Morris) Abe. No birth records have been found, except for his cemetery headstone, which seems to read either August 8 or 18, 1891. A defect in the stone is in almost exactly the same place as Walter's and makes the first number of the day uncertain. (151)His death records create the same uncertainty. The first lists his death as September 8 and the second as September 18. The headstone seems to read September 8, 1892, from the inscription spacing, but cannot be certain because of the stone defect. His cause of death is listed as "Brain Fever" and Meningitis" the same as Walter.
     The fourth child is Gertrude Abe. Her (152)birth record says she was born on April 4, 1893 but her headstone reads April 29. The birth record only lists her last name. No death records have been found. The headstone says she died on May 14, 1893.
     For the last two children, Florence I. and Bessie M. Abe, no records have been found other then their headstones. The information on the headstones is considerably worn due to being on the top of the small square stone. The only readable information is the death date for Florence which is September 6, 1901.
     All are buried in the Philip Abe Family Cemetery in Mineral County, West Virginia.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Harmon Seefers Abe 11-008

  Philip Abe Sons
 Clayton, Herbert, Grover Cleveland
Harmon, Joseph


     Harmon Seefers Abe was (143)born on September 28, 1887 to Philip and Annie Elizabeth (Largent) Abe. He was their sixth child and was born in Mineral County, West Virginia. Family stories say that he was the first to be born on the Philip Abe Farm that joined the original Abe Farm and home place.
     For most of his life he worked as a farmer, whether it was a boy growing up there or later taking over ownership of the family farm. His (145)death certificate seems to imply that he took over ownership of the farm around 1919 from his father about a year before his father died and would work the farm for about the next twenty years. In between his youth on the farm and his later farming life  his (144)WWI Draft Registration Card lists him working for the Western Maryland Railroad as a car inspector. His full time of employment at the railroad is unknown at this time and the year of the draft was about 1916 (derived from his age) as no year is listed. The (147)1930 Census lists him on the farm.
     At the age of 51, his (145)(146)death occurred on June 19, 1939 as a result of multiple injuries from being struck by an automobile. The accident occurred along "Route 28 near Carder's Service Station". He suffered two broken legs and had internal injuries. The accident took place around 10:30 PM as he was walking home.
     He was the last (145)buried in the Philip Abe Family Cemetery located on the farm on June 22, 1939. Others buried there with him are his father, mother, and six younger brothers and sisters. His burial plaque (military issue) lists his name as "Herman" as does his draft registration card. Apparently all of his military records list him as Herman. For some reason he even signs the (144)draft registration card as "Herman". His (143)(145)birth and death records list his name as "Harmon".
     Harmon never married nor had any children.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Cora Belle (Abe) Puffinburger 11-007

 Cora Belle (Abe) and Wilmer Puffinburger

     Cora Belle was the (6)fifth child born to Philip and Annie Elizabeth (Largent) Abe. Her (137)birth record lists her as born in Mineral County, West Virginia on January 12, 1886. The (137)place of birth is listed as Alaska. This area was first chartered as Frankfort in 1787, the name was later changed to Alaska and is now know as Fort Ashby. This record seems to establish that Philip may have been living at another location in Mineral County before purchasing the farm on the Old Furnace Road.
     On July 20, 1905 Cora (6)married Wilmer Puffinburger on the steps of the courthouse in Davis, West Virginia. (6)She met Wilmer about one year before at the farm of her brother, Herbert near Paw Paw, Morgan County, West Virginia. Wilmer was (139)(140)born on October 6, 1882, the son of John and Elizabeth Puffinburger of Frederick County, Virginia. (6)He began working for the B and O Railroad as a brakeman and later became a (138)(141)Conductor. At some point they apparently moved to Cumberland, Maryland.
     I cannot find any records of where they were living between the time of their marriage and 1919.
     On September 12, 1919, Wilmer's (139)WWI Draft Registration Card lists him living at 111 Fifth Street in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland
     The (138)1920 Census shows the family living at 109 East Fifth Street. This record says that they owned the house. Also in the household with Wilmer and Cora are a daughter, Irene, and two of Cora's sisters, Myra E. and Missouri F. Abe.
     Later in the (141)1930 Census Wilmer and Cora are shown at 119 East Fifth Street. This record says that they were renting the house. Now the household includes two late blooming children (about 20 years after Irene), Helen and Ray. Also included in this household is an Opal P. Largent who is listed as age 20 and a niece. At this time I have not been able to determine exactly how she ties into the family.

NOTE: Fifth Street is now the west bound lanes of Route 51 (Industrial Blvd.).

     On April 26, 1942, Wilmer's (139)WWII Draft Registration Card lists he and Cora still living at 119 East Fifth Street. Wilmer is unemployed from the B and O Railroad because of an unspecified disability.
    Wilmer died on February 20, 1944 and Cora followed on October 30, 1948. Both are buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland.

     Children of Wilmer and Cora Belle (Abe) Puffinburger:
          1. Recie Irene (1908-1994)
          2. Helen Elizabeth (still living)
          3. Ray Edwin (1927-1974)

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Grover Cleveland Abe 11-006

  Philip Abe Sons
 Clayton, Herbert, Grover Cleveland
Harmon, Joseph


     The (103)1900 Census says that Grover Cleveland Abe was born in (165)September 22, 1884 and the (6)"Abe Family Heritage" lists the day the 22nd. His (130)WWI and WWII Draft Registration Cards also say he was born on the 22nd and the (133)Social Security Death Index also bear this out. He was the fourth child and the third son of Philip and Annie Elizabeth (Largent) Abe. "Cleve", as family and friends called him, was the last child born to in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland at their home on German Lane (now Third Street). By the time he was a year old the family had moved across the Potomac River to Mineral County, West Virginia.
     In (129)1906 "Cleve" married Mary Katherine Everett, daughter of (129)William P. Everett and (142)Bettie L. (Pollack) Everett. According to the (134)Social Security Death Index her birth is listed as November 15, 1888. On (135)January 23, 1908, their first child, George Clarence is (129)born. "Cleve's"  (130)WWI Draft Registration Card, dated September 12, 1918, lists his permanent home address as "General Delivery, Allegany County, Maryland" while operating a farm in Mineral County, West Virginia. The (129)1910 Census shows Grover, Katherine and George living in Mineral County, West Virginia. Katherine's father is also living in the household. It is believed that "Cleve" had, by this time, taken over operations of the Everett Farm that belonged to Katherine's father.
     The (131)1920 Census shows Grover Cleveland operating a farm on the "Cumberland Road" in the Frankfort District of Mineral County, West Virginia. The family includes four sons, Clarence Ralph, Marshall and Earnest and a daughter, Erma.
     The (132)1930 Census shows "Cleve" still operating the farm on the *"Old Furnace Road" in Mineral County, WV and two more daughters, Thelma and Hazel, are now added to the family. "Cleve" and "Katie" now has seven children. His (130)WWII Draft Registration Card now lists his address as Route 1, Ridgeley, Mineral County, WV.
     "Cleve" lived and worked the farm for most of the rest of his life. He died on (6)(165)October 17, 1968 and "Katie" died on (6)March 10, 1976. Both are buried in the Everett Family Cemetery on the farm along what is now Scenic Lane, in Mineral County, West Virginia.
     Children of Grover Cleveland and Mary Katherine (Everett) Abe:
          1. George Clarence (1908-1970)
          2. Ralph Leslie (1910-1997)
          3. Marshall Earl (1912-1997)
          4. Ernest Odell (1915-1996)
          5. Erma Belle (1918-1975)
          6. Thelma Irene (1921-1993)
          7. Hazel Katherine (1923-1993)


* NOTE: If I am not mistaken, I believe that the current Scenic Lane was connected to the current Old Furnace Road in the area of where the Abe Cemetery is located. This could be why the 1930 Census says the farm was on the Old Furnace Road.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

They Abandoned the 77th Virginia Militia 11-005

     Desertion, by military definition, can be described as abandoning a post or duty without the intention of returning. Reasons for desertion in the civil war took place for any number of reasons. Reasons varied for getting out of the war as widely as the reasons for getting in. They could have been personal, political or environmental. Poor food, clothing and sanitary conditions in the camps was well below comfort level for many. Fear of death and homesickness played on them emotionally. Hot summers and bitter cold winters made marching unpleasant. The idea and hopes of a short war did not pan out. The enthusiastic and upbeat volunteer at the beginning who thought that the war would last a few weeks or months soon found out differently. When the south enacted the Conscription Act of 1862 it set a lot of men against the war because now entering the military was not a choice but a requirement. This created more desertion.
     For quite a while, I have known about Michael T. Abe and his desertion from the 11th Virginia Cavalry after just over a month and a half of service. The prison camp records say he was 18 but other records put his age at about 16 when he enlisted and it was only a few weeks after the death of his older brother in a prison camp. Did he make the decision to enter the war for the intention to retaliate for his brother's death or because he really felt compelled to support the cause of the South? It most likely was the former and when he found things were not going to work out as he planned, he left. Who knows, maybe he did a lot of boasting of what he would accomplish and his pride and shame would not let him return to the family after release from prison camp. He seems to have dropped off of the face of the earth. Apparently he changed his name and moved on.
     With more and more records coming to light on the war because of the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the war, it has become clear that Michael was not the only Abe family member afflicted with wayward feet. We will deal with the others here and any possible reasons that are known.
    As we saw in the post, "Virginia or West Virginia 10-011", the western portion of Virginia was for the most part Pro-Union. As a result this would have caused a lot of problems for soldiers of the 77th Virginia Militia and other local militia groups. First they thought they were there to defend the south and then the sympathies of that part of the state started to dictate the complete opposite.
     (33)The book, 11th Virginia Cavalry - A Virginia Regimental Histories Series (Page 4), tells us that Company D was "organized at Winchester, March 12, 1862 by Captain Edward H. McDonald.......Following the Conscription Act of 1862, McDonald reorganized the mounted men (about 25) of the 77th Virginia Militia into a company of cavalry." So how did the Captain and 25 men of the 77th Virginia Militia become part of the 11th Virginia Cavalry?
     Beginning in late 1861, all Virginia volunteer militia units were ordered to report to General Joseph Johnson at Manassas to be incorporated into the Confederate Army. Apparently with the western part of the state leaning toward the Union this would be one way for the Confederacy to keep from losing as many soldiers as possible. They would no longer be a local militia, guarding their local communities, but part of a full-fledged army. This, as we will see, apparently would cause a lot of militia soldiers to rethink the path for their life. If they joined the Army of Virginia they would lose their ability to see their families as they did when they were a local unit. If they joined the north it would be against their southern loyalties. Many decided to not fight for either and just went home.
     On April 28, 1862, Edward H. McDonald was officially (33, page 163)installed as Captain and was put in charge of the 77th Virginia Militia and told to report to his father, Colonel Angus W. McDonald who, along with his regiment, was guarding  the outposts of Romney, WV. The 77th was short lived and was disbanded shortly thereafter. It looks as if this was the time when the 77th suffered  a mass desertion. Captain Edward H. McDonald then organized a small group of the militia who were left into a cavalry unit, Company D, as part of the 11th Virginia Cavalry.
     A couple young Abe men from the 77th Virginia Militia and many others decided that joining the main army of Virginia was not for them. On or before October 26, 1861 a number of them deserted the unit. From here we will take a look at who these family members were.
     We know, from previous posts, that John Adam Abe was arrested as a citizen on August 8, 1862 and sent to a Union prison camp. For a long time now I have wondered why he was targeted by Union troops for arrest when he was not yet a member of the 11th Virginia Cavalry. Recently I have found 77th Militia records that say that on October 26, 1861 John Adam deserted the unit and for almost 10 months he was free to carry on his life at the farm. With the western part of the state of Virginia getting closer and closer to separation from the whole, I imagine the Union was expecting residents of those counties to start supporting them. Eventually someone most likely turned him in as being a member of the 77th Militia or he refused to fight for the Union. Maybe in his trips to Cumberland, *Union forces stationed there started to question who he was and his affiliation. All they would be concerned about was he supported the Rebels for a period of time and was still a registered member. It wouldn't matter that he deserted. This desertion would explain why he was listed as a citizen when arrested. After his release from prison camp in December 1862, John Adam spent the next year at home on the farm as part of his probation. But, with his probation over, on January 1, 1864 he cast his lot with the Confederacy and joined his brother Philip as a horse soldier in the 11th Virginia Cavalry.
     Another 77th Militia member and future Abe family member also walked away from the unit. On October 26, 1861, the same day as John Adam Abe, John Adam Herrick deserted from the same unit. He was not as lucky as John Adam Abe. He ended up with only a couple months of freedom. On January 13, 1862 he was arrested in the Patterson Creek area (most likely at his home). With these two, it would seem that they had every intention of integrating back into home life as before. Both John Adams, though arrested at different times, did cross paths for about five days at Antheneum Prison in Wheeling, Virginia (later West Virginia). John Adam Herrick was then transferred to Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, OH on September 6, 1862. From there he was transferred to Camp Chase, OH and on to Vicksburg, Mississippi  on November 22, 1862 for an exchange of prisoners between the north and the south.
     The third person was a surprise to me. How could one who served faithfully for two and one half years as a Confederate soldier be a deserter? That soldier was none other than Philip Abe. The 77th Virginia Militia records list him as a deserter on the exact same day as the other two. Where was he when his brother, John Adam, was picked up? Another big question is how he was able to evade arrest by the Union soldiers for just shy of one year. The arrests of the other two, and also members of the Long and McKenzie families living nearby, must have made him think twice about hiding out any longer. On October 15, 1862 he traveled to Green Spring, Virginia where he joined up with his old 77th Virginia Militia counterpart Edward H. McDonald who would now be his commanding officer. His choice was made and from that point on he served the Confederacy till the end of the war.

* Note: As for troops stationed in Cumberland, even though Maryland was considered a neutral state, the state was particularly important to the Union for its railroads and they defended them well. The B and O Railroad skirted the northern tier of Maryland from Cumberland to Baltimore and could be used to ferry troops and supplies quickly and as needed. Cumberland easily had as many as 6,000 to 8,000 troop stationed there at times. That is how Cumberland was able to quickly put up a fight at the Battle of Fulks Mill, east of Cumberland when General McCausland was headed there to destroy the railroad facilities after he had ordered the burning of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

See the following:
     John Adam Abe links for the 77th Virginia Militia Records

     John Adam Herrick Links for the 77th Virginia Militia and Prison Camp Records

     Philip Abe links for the 77th Virginia Militia Records

     Michael T. Abe Links for the 77th Virginia Militia Records

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

UPDATE!!! 11-004

     New Civil War records for John Adam Abe are now available for your viewing. These include 11th Virginia Cavalry and Citizen P.O.W. records. Check the posts "John Adam Abe...Citizen P.O.W. 10-016" and "John Adam Abe Goes To War 10-017" for links to the records. These records do not change anything already published under the previous posts.

     Keep checking back as there will soon be links posted for new Civil War records for Philip Abe, Frederick Abe, Michael T. Abe, John Adam Herrick and Augustus Abe. These records will be posted to their current sites with a notice below.



Update: New Philip Abe Civil War Records are now ready for viewing. See "Philip Abe 10-014". These records do not change anything already published under the previous posts.

Update: New Frederick Abe Civil War Records are now ready for viewing. See "Frederick Abe 10-029". These records do not change anything already published under the previous posts.

Update: New Michael T. Abe Civil War Records are now ready for viewing. See "Michael T. Abe 10-030". These records do not change anything already published under the previous posts.

 Update: New John Adam Herrick Civil War Records are now ready for viewing. See "They Abandoned the 77th Virginia Militia 11-004". These records do add information for John Adam Herrick to the post "Mary Catherine (Abe) Herrick 10-023".

Update: New Augustus Abe Civil War Records are now ready for viewing. See his original post at "Augustus "Gustus" Abe 10-007" for a link.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Joseph Hampton Abe 11-003

 Philip Abe Sons
 Clayton, Herbert, Grover Cleveland
Harmon, Joseph

     Joseph Hampton Abe was (107)(108)born on February 6, 1883 to Philip and Annie Elizabeth (Largent) Abe in (23)(24)(25)Cumberland, Allegany County, MD. He was their third child and the second son. At about the age of two, Philip moved the family to the farm on the Old Furnace Road in Mineral County, West Virginia. He is living there and attending school in (24)(25)1900.
     (109)On April 29, 1910, Joseph is listed as living in the township of Mount Hope in Orange County, New York. He is living in the Seth Alridge household. Six other men are also living there. This seems to be some sort of boarding house as this and many other households in the area were occupied by railroad workers. His occupation is listed as an engineer for the railroad.
     (110)On July 3 of the same year a record for Orange County, New York lists his marriage to Frances R. Ogden. License #1928 was issued on July 2, 1910 and they were married the following day by a minister, Robert S. Young.  His address at this time is listed as Yorktown Heights, N.Y. and Frances' address as Otisville, N. Y.  It seems he may have changed residences between April 29 when the census was taken and July 3 when he applied for the marriage license. The only Yorktown Heights I can find is a good distance away to the southeast in the next county. Frances Rose Ogdon was (6)born on May 29, 1884 the (110)daughter of Alonzo G. Ogdon and Ida E. (Staysa) Ogdon. She was living in the same Mount Hope township as Joseph was in the 1910 Census. Frances' family was listed as living in (111)dwelling #62 and Joseph was listed in (109)dwelling # 188.
     At some point in the next eight years, Joseph brought his family back to Mineral County, West Virginia. His (107)WWI Draft Registration Card shows him living at "Station A, Cumberland Maryland" on September 12, 1918. His exact occupation is listed as "construction work" for a construction company who's name is unreadable (possibly Vany or Vanz). I will have to research further but "Station A" could possibly be the "Queen City Hotel". This hotel was also the station stop for the B and O Railroad. It consisted of 174 rooms, a ballroom and a 400 seat dining room. The beautiful building was torn down in 1972.
     A little over one year later on January 15, 1920 the (112)1920 Census lists them living on Knobley Road in "Dixie Village" (now Wiley Ford, West Virginia). Their residence is next door to the Hiram Abe and Nimrod Abe residences. At this time Joseph's father, Philip, is living with him, Frances and their three children (Evelyn, Helen and Charles). Frances' family apparently came with them to the area also. (113)Her father and mother are found living just across the Potomac River at 11 York Place in Cumberland, Allegany County, MD with her younger brother's family. York Place is a short street between Race Street and Fifth Street (now West Industrial Blvd.). At this time Joseph is working as a "foreman for a contractor". (113)Frances' brother J. Dewitt is working as a butcher in a local "retail meat shop" and was her only sibling.
     In the (114)1930 Census, dated April 30, 1930, Joseph and family are living at 301 East Fifth Street in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. This street is now West Industrial Blvd. Joseph is working as a "rigger" for the Celanese silk factory. A rigger is a person or company that specializes in the lifting and moving of extremely large or heavy objects.
     On his (108)WWII Draft Registration Card dated April 27, 1942, Joseph and Frances are found living at 1314 Lafayette Avenue in Cumberland, Maryland. This is in the block between West Mary Street and River Avenue. His employer is listed as "W.P.A. - Airport". The WPA (Work Projects Administration) was created by Franklin Delano Roosevelt and funded by Congress. It employed millions of people to carry out public works projects. At this location, funding was for construction on the Cumberland Airport in Wiley Ford, West Virginia.
     Both Joseph and Frances are (13)buried at the Abe Cemetery on the Old Furnace Road between Wiley Ford and Short Gap, West Virginia. The (6)"Abe Family Heritage" lists their deaths as October 28, 1949 and August 5, 1958.
      Children of Joseph and Frances:
               Evelyn May (1911-1988)
               Helen B. (1912-1981)
               Charles Richard (1917-1955)
               James Walker (1920-1988)