Category: Documents

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Persistence Pays Off? Maybe. Maybe Not.

Kris Hocker on 13 Sep 2013

I wrote previously about finding information that Adam P. Hocker, son of George and Margaret (Prevost) Hocker of Buckingham County, Virginia, had served in the Company E of the 20th Virginia Infantry (Lee’s Guards) during the Civil War and died at the Battle of Rich Mountain. However, information I’ve recently located calls that into doubt.

The 1860 census indicates that Adam P. Hocker was a miller.1 This is fitting as I found an account, dated 8 May 1863, for the purchase of 180½ bushels of wheat by the Confederate Army in which “Mr. A.P. Hocker” was dissatisfied with the price of $487.35.2 A further note from 24 July 1863, signed by A.P. Hocker indicates that he received $812.25 for his wheat. On 19 January 1864, Adam appointed William Hocker as his attorney to receive any money due him from the Commissionary department of the Confederate States. So, during the war Adam was working as a miller and supplying wheat to the Confederate army.

Additionally, in looking up the members of Company E, 20th Virginia Infantry, the only name that looks close to “Hocker” was that of “E.T. Hocher.” E.T. signed up for 12 months service in Buckingham County on 20 May 1861 and appears on the muster roll for 30 June to 10 September 1861.3 The Battle of Rich Mountain occurred 11 July through 13 July 1861 in Randolph County, [West] Virginia.4 So, he likely would have been a participant at the battle.

I believe that “E.T. Hocher” may have been Edmund T. Hocker, son of George and Margaret (Prevost) Hocker and youngest brother of Adam P. Hocker. Ed reenlisted in the war on 9 February 1862 with Company H, 22nd Battalion of Virginia volunteers to serve the whole war.5  Subsequent records show him as Edmund T., Edward T. and E.T. Hocker. The muster rolls show him as serving through 1865 though he was injured 1 July 1863. Ed also survived the war, appearing in the 1880 census with the Nathan Payne family in the Slate River district in Buckingham County, Virginia.6 He died 23 December 1891.7

Adam’s brother, Amos H. Hocker, also served in Civil War. He enlisted on 7 February 1862 for one year as a private in Company K, 2nd Regiment Virginia Artillery.8 This regiment disbanded in May 1862. Amos then enlisted on 28 July 1862 for 6 months in Company C, 25th Battalion VA Infantry.9 He actually served through 1865. He was hospitalized for rheumatism from July to September in 1863. He also requested a 25-day furlough on 30 August 1864, but was present with his unit in November and December. He was apparently captured by the Union on 6 April 1865 in Nottoway County, Virginia—possibly at Sailor’s Creek when General Sheridan cut off nearly a quarter of the retreating Confederate Army—and sent to Point Lookout, Maryland. He was released on 13 June 1865.

So, it doesn’t look like Adam served in Company E of the 20th Virginia Infantry and didn’t die in the Battle of Rich Mountain. So, what happened to him?

The answer may lie in his brother Amos’ letter requesting a furlough in August 1864. Here’s what he wrote:

Camp 25 Va Batt

Chaffin’s Farm/30 Aug 1864

Col.

I respectfully ask a Furlough for Twenty-five Days under the following circumstances, to go to Buckingham County [?] my Father died during last year & willed me an amount in money, one third of which [I know not] between $5000 & $6000 I have already lost by reason of the act of Congress reducing the currency & my not being able to obtain a Furlough at the time to make an investment, one of my brothers has since died & left important business requiring my attention; the remnant of money left me was invested in Court Bonds, which the Shff informed me will now be paid & has avised [sic] to come & received the same I desire to make a permant [sic] investment of these funds which is the object of this application. I saw Genl. Ewell on yesterday & stated these facts to him who voluntary consented to approve Furlough for the time asked.

Very Respectfully

Yr Obs. Svt.

A.H. Hocker

Co. C 25 VA Batt

Did you see that? He wrote: “one of my brothers has since died…” Both of his younger brothers George W. and Edmund T. survived the war. Thus, Adam P. Hocker—his only other brother—died sometime shortly before 30 August 1864.

Persistence does pay off; but often it’s in unexpected ways.

Confederate History Month at Fold3

Kris Hocker on 13 Apr 2013

Fold3.com is providing free access to their Confederate records this month. My confederate ancestry is verrrry limited, but I thought I’d check it out.

Here are the enlistment papers for my ancestor James Benjamin Houdeshell, using the common alternative spelling of Howdyshell.

Benjamin Howdyshell enlistment papers

Benjamin enlisted in Company A, 14th Regiment of the Virginia Militia as private. He was 20 years old. He mustered in on 17 September at Wardensville, Hardy County, Virginia for 6 months. He traveled 36 miles to enlist.

The record just previous to Benjamin’s was for Adam Howdyshell. Adam enlisted in Company A, 14th Regiment, Virginia Militia on 17 September 1861 in Wardensville, Hardy County, Virginia with Captain Dinges for six months. He, too, had come 36 miles to enlist.

Adam Howdyshell Civil War enlistment papers

The record just after Benjamin’s was for Westfall Howdyshell. Notice how, once again, all the details match.

George Westfall Howdyshell Civil War enlistment papers

These men were likely Benjamin’s older brothers Adam and George W. Houdeshell. The three appeared at Winchester on the muster rolls  for September 10th through December 12th, 1861.

To the best of my knowledge, all three survived the war. Benjamin and George went on to marry sisters from up north—Phebe and Mariah Mayes from Snow Shoe Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Benjamin settled near his wife’s family in Pennsylvania while the rest of his family moved west to Ohio and Missouri.

I also found a record of a John Howdershell who was allegedly a member of the Imboden Rangers and took part in the attack on the the B&O railroad. But I do not know if this was a relative or even possibly their brother John W. Houdeshell. This John was captured on 28 Oct 1862 and sent to Cairo, Illinois on 13 Nov 1862.1

Will: Henry Landis (1785)

Kris Hocker on 18 Mar 2013

Henry Landis of Derry Township wrote his last will and testament on 26 April 1785 and it was proven on 29 November 1785. It was written in German. I found this translation in Dauphin County Will Book A, page 34.

Will of Henry Landis of Derry Township

1785 will of Henry Landis of Derry Township

The translation from the German of the last Will & Testament of Henry Lands

In the name of god Amen April 26th 1785.
I Henry Landis living in Derry Township Lancaster County am sick of the body but yet of Sound Knowledge therefore it is my Will where with the lord blessed me I dispose of as follows

First it is my last Will & Testament that my wife Anna shall have one bed and bedstead Two cows one Horse [Creative?] the Saddle and Briddle thereto and the horse on a ture[??] and Cows to be fed with their own & to be pastured with their own and the Third of the Personal Estate all that I have and to Live in my house or to have one built for her and well Finished out and Fire wood to be brought home and but short Short for her as much as She shall nead [sic] and the one half of the Kitchen Garden which is also to be Duly Dugned [dunged?] and Rowed, and apple as many as She shall Need or the Third Part of the Orchard and the Third Part of the Income of the Place of all they Shall Plant or Sow & two Sheep to be Kept and Fed for her Widowhood & not Longer; and him who Possesseth my Place Shall Deliver the Grain on the loft well clained [sic] the Meadow Shall belong to him whom hath the place but if he Doth not Feed the Horse and Cows well for my Said Wif [sic] She Shall have a Right to Take Fother [sic] as much as will be necessary for such Chattle [sic] as above mentioned

Item It is my will that my Son Felix Shall have my place which I now live on for eight Hundred Pounds Good and Lawful money and he shall pay every year Twenty five Pounds until the whole is paid and he Shall of What Remaineth have not more than one of my others and my Son Henry shall Draw the First Payment as much as Shall be coming to him for the Share of my Estate and my other Children Each of them Shall Receive Twenty-five pounds according to sincerity[?] yearly untill [sic] the Whole is Paid and my Said son Felix Shall have my PLace to him and his heirs as above specified or mentioned

Item It is my Last Will & Testament I nominate & coose [sic] for Executors Christian Stauffer and my Brother Son John Landis which I Acknowledge with my own hand in Present of these Presents

Christian Obre
Martin Bradnt[?] }    Henry his X mark Landis (seal)

Proved this twenty ninth day of November one thousand seven hundred & Eighty Five

J Montgomery Regr1

Henry Landis was my 6x great grandfather.

Will: John Philip Keller (1812)

Kris Hocker on 25 Jan 2013

John Philip Keller signature

 In researching Ulrich Huber of Adams and York counties, I’ve been looking for Philip Keller, husband of Ulrich’s daughter Magdalena. All I really knew about the couple was that Magdalena had died prior to her father’s death and that she and Philip had children: Eve, Catharine, Elisabeth and John.1

Today, I came across a possible clue—a gravestone for a Magdalena Keller who died in July 1805 and was buried in Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland. According to her gravestone, she was approximately 40 years of age at the time of her death. Since this fits the parameters of Ulrich’s daughter, I decided to search for records for Philip Keller in Frederick County Maryland, starting with estate records. I found two wills, one of which is a match.

“In the Name of God I John Phillip Keller of Frederick County and State of Maryland being weak in Body but of sound mind and memory calling to mind the uncertainty of Life do make this my last will and Testament in manner and form following to wit that Body by Buried in a Christian like manner — I give and bequeath unto my son John Keller his heirs and assigns all my real Estate consisting of Several Tracts of Land he yielding and paying therefor Six hundred pounds Lawfull [sic] money in the following manner that is to say one year after he shall arrive to the age of twenty one years Seventy five pounds and the yearly sum of Seventy five pounds without Interest untill [sic] the said whole sum of Six hundred pounds shall be fully paid & shall be Devided [sic] between all my Daughters in manner and form hereafter mentioned — I give and bequeath unto Catharine Hoover her heirs and assigns five hundred Dollars lawfull [sic] money — I Give and Bequeath all the residue of my personal Estate unto my three Daughters Eve, Catharine and Elisabeth to be Equally divided share and share alike taking into view at the same time Two hundred and fifty pounds advanced to my son-in-law Barnit Whip and two Hundred and fifty pounds advanced unto my son in law Michael Motter as a part of their Estate

It is my will that all my real Estate herein Devised to my son John shall be rented out to the best Advantage and so as not to have any part of it destroyed by my Executor hereafter named until my said Son shall arrive to the age of Twenty one years or untill [sic] he shall choose a Guardian which said rents Shall be for the sole use and benefit of my said son John — It is my will that before an Equall [sic] Division of my personal Estate shall take place Between my Daughters my Youngest Daughter Elisabeth shall first have forty pounds lawfull [sic] money after which a Division shall take place Equally share and share alike — And Lastly I constitute and appoint my friend Peter Coblentz my whole and sole Executor of this my last will and Testament this twenty first day of November in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and twelve — In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal”2

John Philip Keller signature

Philip’s will was witnessed by Joseph Swearingen, Adam Shank, and Michael Keller. The will was proven on 30 Nov 1812.

The children listed in this will match those listed in Ulrich Hoover’s probate records as those of his daughter Magdalena, wife of Philip Keller. No wife is listed, making it likely that John Philip Keller was a widower, also a match. Additionally, he left a bequest to Catharine Hoover. Magdalena had a sister named Catharine who was unmarried at the time of her father’s estate probate circa 1805-1813.3 It’s possible that she went to live with her brother-in-law to care for her sister’s children after Magdalena died.

1805 Petition for Partition of Ulrick Hoover’s Real Estate

Kris Hocker on 23 Dec 2012

Ulrick Hoover Partition Petition

I’ve been researching Ulrich Huber of Adams and York County recently. Here’s a transcript of the petition to partition his York County property put forth by his son Henry Hoover.

To the Honorable the Judges of the Orphans Court of York County
The Petition of Henry Hoover one of the sons of Ulrick Hoover late of Adams County who died Intestate Humbly Showeth—

That the said Ulrick Hoover lately died Intestate leaving a widow named Eve; and John Hoover his eldest son, Susanna intermarried with John Roerbach, Michael, Catherine, Eve, intermarried with George Werley; George, Henry Peter, Elizabeth, Mary, Barbara, David and Sarah; and Eve, Catherine, Elizabeth and [empty space], grandchildren of said Intestate, being children of Intestates daughter Magdalena who was intermarried with Philip Keller, and died in the lifetime of her father; all lawfull issue or their Representatives to Survive him—

That said Intestate died seized in his Demesne as of fee of three messuages one Merchant mill one saw mill and five hundred acres or there abouts of land situate in Manheim Township, York County, adjoining land of Jacob Keller, George Werley, Andreas Miller George Peter & Peter Sabel—

That the widow children and grand children of said intestate hold the said messuages mills and tract of land as tenants in common and undivided—

Your Petitioner, therefore prays your Honors to direct an Inquest, to make division or partition of the Real estate of said Intestate, to and amongst the widow children and children of his deceased daughter Magdalena if the same will admit of such division or partition without prejudice to or spoiling the whole but if the same can not be so divided without prejudice to or spoiling the whole then to divide the same into as many parts or parcels as the same will admit of without prejudice to or spoiling the whole and value the same each parcel separately

But if the same will not admit of division or partition as all without prejudice to or spoiling the whole then to value the whole undivided according to the writ of General Assembly in just case made & provided & your Petitioner shall prey [?]

Henry Huber [signed in German]1

I received a digital version of his estate files from the York County Archives. It included this partition request, a draught of Henry Hoover’s portion and a draught of George Hoover’s portion of the partitioned lands, and Michael Hoover’s refusal to take any of his father’s real estate.

The clerk’s record of this petition also included the following:

Whereupon it is ordered by the Court that the Sheriff of the County of York, in his proper person with twelve good and lawful men of his Bailiwick in the presence of all the parties who shall choose to attend, or the Guardians of such of them as are Minors, they having  respectively had due due [sic] and legal notice thereof Do hold an Inquest on the aforesaid premises and make partition thereof to and amongst the Widow and children and grand children of the said deceased (preference being give to the eldest son)

If the same will admit of such partition without prejudice to or spoiling the whole. Otherwise to value the who undivided According to the Act of Assembly in such case made and provided and that the said Sheriff do make return of said Inquisition as well under his own hand and Seal as the hands and seals of said Inquest to the next Orphans Court after the same shall be held.2

1835 Guardian Petition for Anthony Parsons’ Children

Kris Hocker on 21 Nov 2012

Anthony Parsons Petition for Guardians

After learning that Anthony Parsons might be Sarah (Parsons) Leedy’s father, I decided to see if I could find more information on him. From his tombstone, I know that he died in 1834. So, I decided to see if I could find any estate records for him on FamilySearch.org.

The Pennsylvania Probate records on FamilySearch include will books and Orphans Court books for Perry County. I didn’t find a will for Anthony Parsons, but I did find two references to him in the Orphans Court books.

Anthony Parsons Petition for Guardians

January 1735 Petition for Guardians

The first is a petition on behalf of his minor children.1 In the January 1835 term a petition was made on behalf of George, Anthony, Sarah and William Parsons, the minor children of Anthony Parsons, late of Perry County by the mother Catharine Parsons. The petition states that they were all under the age of 14—therefore born after 1821—and requests the court to appoint a suitable guardian. George Parsons, quite possibly Anthony’s brother, was named as guardian.

The second reference was for the settling of Anthony’s estate. The Register of Perry County presented a copy of George Varns’ administration of Anthony’s estate to the court on 4 April 1836.2 There was a balance of $16.79 due to the administrator.

So far, the details are consistent with Anthony being the father of Sarah (Parsons) Leedy. What more can we find?

Friday Find: Hocker—Drake Marriage Announcement

Kris Hocker on 9 Nov 2012

Hocker-Drake marriage

Newspapers are a wonderful resource for finding not only the genealogical date, but the also the details that make a person’s life colorful.

For instance, from the marriage announcement for T.P. Drake and Alice Hocker, we find they were married at her sister’s home on 1426 Hubbard Street, Jacksonville and that the decorations included palms and cut flowers, that the bride wore “a costume of white satin trimmed with pearls and point lace,” and that “her long bridal veil was caught up with a pearl and diamond ornament.”1 We also learn that they planned to live in Florida for most of the year, but spend their summers elsewhere.

Hocker-Drake marriage

Have you found any interesting details about the lives of your ancestors from newspapers?

Judge William Adam Hocker’s Obituary

Kris Hocker on 2 Nov 2012

Judge William Adam Hocker obituary in The Evening Independent of St. Petersburg, Florida from July 20, 1918.

“Judge Hocker Dies at Ocala
Distinguished Jurist Spent Last Winter Here and Made Many Friends

The many St. Petersburg friends of Judge William Hocker will regret to learn that he died last Wednesday. Judge Hocker spent last winter at Sunnyside, with the family of Joseph E. Hamilton, 417 Fourth street north, and made many warm friends especially among the older people. He was a dignified and learned man of the old Southern school. The Ocala Star gives the following sketch of Judge Hocker’s career and family:

Judge William A. Hocker was born in Buckingham county, Virginia in 1844, and was a son of William Hocker and Susan Mildred Lewis.

He served in Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry during the civil war. In November 1868, he was married to Gertrude Venable, and settled near Leesburg, Flas., in 1874, and moved to Ocala in 1892. He became a circuit judge for the fifth circuit in 1893 and continued to hold such office until 1901 when he was elected by the supreme court as one of its commssioners, and shortly thereafter was elected a member of the supreme court of Florida, which position he occupied for 12 years and retired a few years ago on account of failing health.

In 1909 he was married the second time to Mattie N. Glover of Roanoke, Va., who survives him. He is also survived by three children, William Hocker, of Ocala; Mrs. T. P. Drake of Yalaha, and Frederick R. Hocker, of Ocala. His eldest daughter, Mrs. C. P. Lovell, died in 1914. Eight grandchildren also survive him namely: Lieut. Charles P. Lovell, Gertrude Lovell; Elizabeth, Margaret and Lucretia Hocker; William and Trusten P. Drake Jr., and Clifton Montgomery Hocker.”1