Research – Page 14 – A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy

52 Ancestors: James Benjamin Houdeshell (1842—1926)

Kris Hocker on 18 Jan 2014

I’ve heard family stories about an ancestor who fought on both sides during the Civil War, but I didn’t really believe it. Two brothers fighting on opposite sides? Yeah, okay. But one man fighting for both sides over the course of the war? Seemed a little far-fetched.

Benjamin and Phoebe (Mayes) Houdeshell

Wars are always justified as necessary to stand-up for our principals or our rights, or to fight evil, or protect the mother land. But it seems to me that when it came to joining up during the Civil War to fight for one side or the other, the reasoning was black or white. You either believed in the Rebel cause or you believed in the Union and the destruction of slavery. So, it doesn’t seem probable that one person would enlist in both armies—by choice—between 1861 and 1865.

And, yet, I think that’s exactly what Benjamin Houdeshell did.

According to Benjamin’s death certificate, he was born 13 March 1842 in Maryland and died 20 March 1926 in Rush Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. He was 84 years old. His full name was James Benjamin Houdeshell.¹ His obituary read:

Recent Deaths: Houdeshell – Benjamin Houdeshell, Civil War Veteran, father of John Houdeshell, of Curtin, and well known resident of the Philipsburg community, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Thomas Passell, Saturday morning [20 March]. He had been in failing health for the past four years, death being due to infirmities of age. The funeral service was held Tuesday afternoon; internment in the Philipsburg Cemetery. Deceased, is a son of Adam and Mary Houdeshell, was born at Westmoreland, Virginia, on March 13, 1842, making his age 84 years and 7 days. He enlisted as a Private in Company I, Thirteenth Regiment of Maryland Infantry, February 24, 1865, and was mustered out at the close of the War. He was a woodsman and farmer, and for twenty years or longer has been residing in the Philipsburg region. The wife of the deceased was Pheobe Mayes, who died five years ago last August. Twelve children were born to the marriage. The surviving sons and daughters are: John, of Curtin; Mrs. Jacob Webb, of Windber; George, of Surveyor Run; Frank and Jacob, of Kato; Mrs. Thomas Passell, of North Philipsburg; Mrs. Daniel DeHaas, of Julian, and Mrs. Nora Blake and Mrs. Ernest Vinton, of Philipsburg.²

The military pension index card for “Benjamin Houdeshell” lists his death date as 20 March 1926 and place of death as Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania.³ So, it matches my 3x great grandfather’s death certificate. It also states that he served as a private in the 13th Regiment, Company I of the Maryland Infantry, mustering in on 24 February 1865 and out on 29 May 1865.

Benjamin Houdeshell Military Pension Index Card

Benjamin Houdeshell’s Military Pension Index Card

Fortunately, additional records for Maryland Civil War Soldiers are online at Fold3.com. Benjamin’s record for Company I, 13th Regiment includes his volunteer enlistment. He enlisted at Frederick, Maryland on 24 February 1865, stating that he was 19 years old, born in Hardy County, Virginia, and a laborer.⁴ The record also states that he was 5′ 6″ tall and had grey eyes, light hair and a fair complexion.

Benjamin Houdeshell Civil War Volunteer Enlistment

Benjamin Houdeshell’s Civil War Volunteer Enlistment

Neither the description nor his age on this record matches other information I have regarding Benjamin. Born in 1842, he would have been 22 years old, nearly 23, in February 1865. And the one photo I have of him shows him with dark hair. However, based on the information in his obituary and pension index card, this is the record of enlistment for my great great great grandfather.

So, there’s his Union service. What about his Confederate service?

The enlistment record states that he was born in Hardy County, Virginia. Census records for 1860 show Benjamin Houdeshell, aged 18, living in the household of Adam Howyshell (his father per his obituary) in District No. 1, Hardy County.⁵

1860 US Census for Adam Howdyshell’s family

The household included:

Adam Howdyshell, aged 69, Farmer, born in Virginia
Mary “, aged 64, born Virginia
John Wm “, aged 28, born Virginia
George W. “, aged 21, born Virginia
Benjamin “, aged 18, born Virginia

On the next page are the households of:⁶

Adam Howdyshell Jr., age 40, Laborer, born in Virginia
Mary “, age 42, born in Virginia
Daniel “, age 13, born in Virginia
Sarah C. ” , age 11, born in Virginia
John W. “, age 8, born in Virginia
William E. “, age 5, born in Virginia
Daniel Howdyshell, age 37, Laborer, born in Virginia
Jane “, age 24, born in Virginia
Elizabeth “, age 7, born in Virginia
Benjamin “, aged 5, born in Virginia
Joseph “, aged 3, born in Virginia
Virginia “, aged 1, born in Virginia
Isaac Howdyshell, aged 23, Laborer, born in Virginia
Dorothy “, aged 58, born in Virginia

Adam’s household in 1850 included:⁷

Adam Howdyshell, aged 63, Farmer, born Virginia
Mary “, aged 49, born Virginia
John W., aged 18, Laborer, born Virginia
Isaac, aged 14, born Virginia
Westfall, aged 10, born Virginia
Benjamin, aged 7, born Virginia

A search of the Confederate Civil War Soldiers on Fold3.com turns up records for the 14th Regiment, Virginia Militia for Adam Howdyshell Jr., J. Benjamin Howdyshell and Westfall Howdyshell.

All three men enlisted on 17 September 1861 in Wardensville, Hardy County, Virginia. The names, approximate ages, and place of enlistment seems to indicate that these three men may very well have been the sons of Adam Howdyshell of Hardy County. They enlisted for the period of six months and it’s entirely possible that is all they served.

If, in fact, they are Adam’s sons (and it seems likely), then my great great grandfather, James Benjamin Houdeshell, served in both the Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War.

Why would he do that?

First, I have to think that he did not have any great convictions regarding slavery. Based on the 1860 census, the Houdeshells were not wealthy land-owners and, as far as I can tell, not slave-owners either. Adam’s real estate was worth $1,000 and he did not list any personal estate. I searched the slave schedules for Hardy County in 1860. It did not include the 1st district. Whether this was because there were no slave-owners there or it has been lost, I do not know. However, the county supposedly has a “rich African American history, with many free African Americans living there before the Civil War.”⁸

Additionally, he may have been a member of the militia prior to the war, serving as a home guard. The militia was ordered into service with the Confederate Army on 10 September 1861 by the governor of Virginia. The 14th “played a roll in Jackson’s January 1862 Romney campaign after which the 14th was assigned to the ‘region of their homes’.”⁹ That may be how he came to serve in the Confederate forces, rather than a voluntary enlistment.

On 6 November 1864, Benjamin married Phoebe Mayes of Snow Shoe Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania.¹⁰ That’s nearly four months before he enlisted in the Maryland Infantry on 24 February 1865. It’s possible he enlisted because he needed the money to support his family. I don’t imagine that there were that many jobs available during the winter in the mountains of Centre County. The government bounty—for which the record indicates he was eligible—might have been tempting to a young man in his position.

I don’t know what happened to Benjamin between his enlistment in September 1861 in the Confederate Army and his marriage in November 1864 to a Pennsylvanian girl. So, it’s hard to say with any certainty why he enlisted twice—in two opposing armies. But I bet it’s an interesting story.

What do you think?

This post is part of an on-going blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my second post for 52 Ancestors and is part of week three.

Admin Bond: Jacob Huber, decd (1743/4)

Kris Hocker on 16 Jan 2014

Going through a stack of documents to file, I found an administration account I wanted to scan. Lo and behold there were actually two documents—I’d forgotten that I’d ordered the second. It was the administration bond for Jacob Huber of Martic Township.

Jacob Huber arrived in Lancaster County before 1718 and settled on land adjoining Pequea Creek in Conestoga Township. His land was adjacent to that of Hans Ulrich Huber, who was also arrived in 1718. He may have died prior to 23 Nov 1739. Hans Boyer, a neighbor, patented his land on 26 Nov 1739.¹ Boyer’s survey refers to Jacob Huber’s tract as belonging to the Widow Hoober.

An administration bond was filed for Huber’s estate on 26 January 1743/4,² as follows:

Know all men by these presents that we John Huber Henry Huber and
Samuel Byor ~~yeomen~~ __ __ __ yeoman all of the County of Lancaster
& province of Pennsylvania are held and firmly bound unto Peter Evans
Register General for the probate of Wills & Granting Letters of Administration
in & for the said province & the counties of New Castle Kent & Sussex on Dela
ware in the sum of Two Hundred & fifty __ pounds Lawful money of the said
province to be paid to the said Peter Evans or his Lawful attorney Executors
administs or assigns To which paymt well & truly to be made we bind ourselves
our Heirs Executors & Administratr^s Joyntly & Severally firmly by these presents
sealed with our Seals & Dated this twenty sixth day of January an^o dom 1743/4
The Condition of the above Obligation is such that is the above Bound
John Huber ___ administrator of all & singular the Goods Rights
& Credits of Jacob Huber — Deceased Do make of cause to be made a true and
perfect Inventory of all & singular the Goods Rights & Credits of the s^d Decsd
which have or shal come to the Hands possession of Knowledge of the said
John Huber —— or into the Hands or possession of any other person
or persons for him and the same so made Do Exhibit or cause to be Exhibited
into the Registers Office in Lancaster County on or before the twenty sixth day of
February — next and the same Goods Chattels & Credits of the said Decsd^t
at the time of his Death or which at any time after shal come to y^e hands
or possession of the said John Huber —— or into the hands or possession
of any other person or persons for him Do well & truly administer according
to Law and further Do make or cause to be made a true & just account cal
culation or reckoning of the said Administration on or before the twenty sixth day
of January — which will be in the year of our Lord 1744/5 and all the rest
and residue of the s^d goods Chattels & Credits which shal be found Remaining on
the said administrators accounts (the same being first examined & allowed
of by the orphans Court of the s^d County) shal Deliver & pay to such person
or persons Respectively as the s^d Court by its Decree or sentence shal Limit and
appoint and if it shal hereafter appear that any last will or Testament was
made by the s^d Decsd^t and the Executor or Executors therein named shal Exhibit
the same into the Registers office making Request to have it allowed accordingly
if the said John Huber ___ being thereunto Required shal Render and
Deliver up the said Letters of Administration approbation of such Testament being
first had & made in the s^d office then this obligation to be void or Else to be d[?] re
main in force & virtue       John Huber
Sealed & Delivered }
in the presence of }           Henry Huber
John Morris
Samuel Blunston               Samuel Boÿer

I’m fairly certain that John Huber was Jacob’s son. He eventually patented Jacob’s tract, and warranted and patented an adjoining tract in Martic Township. Samuel Boyer was most likely a neighbor, possibly the son of Hans Boyer who owned the tract to the west of Jacob’s in Conestoga Township, or the Samuel Boyer who owned land just up the Pequea, or maybe the Samuel Byer who warranted property down the Pequea in Martic Township in right of Owen O’Neal. I’m not certain as to the exact identity of Henry Huber, but he may have been a son or other relative, possibly one of the two Henry Hubers who lived on Pequea and Beaver Creeks somewhat east northeast of Jacob’s property.

Henry Hoover of Lancaster County, PA and Rockingham County, VA

Kris Hocker on 14 Jan 2014

On 11 October 1791, Henry Huber of Martic Township married Barbara Huber (Jacob³, Johan Jacob², Hans¹) also of Martic Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Barbara inherited “the land whereon they now live” in Rockingham County, Virginia from her father Jacob Huber’s estate in 1810.¹ Presumably the family moved from Pennsylvania to Virginia prior to 6 November 1808 when Jacob wrote his last will and testament.

Barbara’s ancestry was documented in Harry Huber’s The Huber-Hoover Family History, but who was this Henry Huber and how does he relate to the Hoover families who resided along Pequea Creek?

Assuming that these census records all relate to one man and that he was husband of Barbara Hoover, Henry Huber of Rockingham County, Virginia was:

26-44 in 1810²,
45+ in 1820³,
50-60 in 1830⁴,
and 70-80 in 1840.⁵

This places Henry’s birth between 1770 and 1775, and given that he married in 1791, quite possibly before 1771, plus or minus a couple of years.⁶

There were several Hoover families in Martic Township at that time—several of whom had children named Henry:

Henry Huber (John², Henry¹ [K])
Henry Huber (Jacob², Henry¹ [K2])
Henry Huber (John², Jacob¹)
Henry Huber (Ulrich¹)
Henry Huber (Jacob², Ulrich¹)
Henry Huber (Ulrich², Ulrich¹)

Which of these men—if any—were possible candidates to be Barbara Hoover’s husband? Check back for future posts where I’ll outline the information I’ve compiled for each of these men.

Tuesday’s Tip: Search Mailing Lists

Kris Hocker on 7 Jan 2014

Mailing lists can be a great tool for collaboration with other researchers in your area of interest. They can also be a great source information. But you don’t necessarily need to be on a list in order to benefit from it.

The RootsWeb mailing lists are archived—and searchable.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about a series of emails from several years ago which included marriage and death transcriptions from a Lancaster County newspaper as a possible source for information. But I haven’t been able to find them in my inbox. I’ve changed computers since then, and those old emails apparently didn’t make it to the new computer.

Luckily, I remember which mailing list they were from. A quick search and I was able to pull up a list. Here are links to the archived emails for information from the 1848 Lancaster Intelligencer:

This information was transcribed by Maria Campbell and sent to the PALANCAS-L mailing list in 2010. For more examples with different years and newspapers, check out the archives of the PALANCAS-L mailing list or search for your ancestor.

Understanding Colonial Legal Definitions

Kris Hocker on 27 Dec 2013

During genealogical research, it is common to come across terms which you may not understand—either because they are legal terms or because the context doesn’t fit your understanding of the word(s). This can create difficulties in interpreting a document and fully understanding its implications for your ancestor and their family.

Robert Baird (Bob’s Genealogy Filing Cabinet) has a list of colonial legal terminology and other articles that are incredibly useful in explaining terms and practices with which you may not be familiar.

Abraham Smith’s Conestoga Tract

Kris Hocker on 27 Dec 2013

This 84 acre tract in Conestoga Township on Pequea Creek was warranted to Martin Kendig and John Herr as part of a larger 5,000 acre warrant.¹ It was surveyed to Martin Kendig and Hans Herr, one of four tracts labelled Hans Boyer, Jacob Hoober, Martin Boyer/Abrm Smith, and Christian Stone/Jacob Boyer.² On 24 October 1735, Abraham Smith patented 84 acres [Patent Book A8:55].³

Abraham Smith’s 84-acre tract in Conestoga (now Pequea) township

By 23 December 1750, this tract was owned by Henry Boyer.⁴ On 1 May 1776, Henry’s heirs—Jacob Boyer, Jacob & Anna (Boyer) Lehman, Henry & Margaret (Boyer) Hoover, and John Hoover and John Line, guardians of the minor children Barbara (Boyer) Leiaberger and Henry Boyer—sold their share of this 84-acre tract, along with two others, to Rudy Miller, husband of Elizabeth, widow of Henry Boyer.⁵

On 14 October 1780, Henry Boyer Jr., now of full age, and his wife Barbara sold their share of the three tracts to Rudy Miller, as well.⁶ Rudy Miller’s heirs—Rudolph Miller, Stephen & Mary (Miller) Rine, and Hugh & Barbara (Miller) Evans—sold their interest in Rudy Miller’s four tracts of contiguous land in Conestoga and Martic townships, including this 94 acres, to John Miller, another of Rudy Miller’s children.⁷

Samuel Boyer’s Conestoga Tract

Kris Hocker on 10 Nov 2013

Samuel Boyer’s Conestoga Township Tract

This 115 acre tract in Conestoga Township on Pequea Creek was warranted to Martin Kendig and John Herr as part of a larger 5,000 acre warrant.¹ On the 20th day of the 8th month [October] 1729, John Taylor surveyed the tract, adjoining John Goughnower, Christian Stone, and Jacob Hoober, for Samuel Boyer in right of Martin Kendig and John Herr.² On 27 November 1739, Samuel Boyer patented 115 acres on Pequea Creek. (See Patent Book A9:127)³

Nearly 50 years later, Jacob Boyer and John Barr, executors of Samuel Boyer’s estate, sold 16 acres to Henry Gochenour on 2 March 1786.⁴ On the same day, they also sold 82 acres from Samuel Boyer’s two tracts in Conestoga and Martic townships to Henry Resh.⁵ They also sold 97 acres from these tracts to Christopher Ord.⁶

Samuel Boyer’s tracts as divided in 1786

Tract A: Henry Gochenour’s piece of Samuel Boyer’s Conestoga tract
Tract B: Henry Resh’s piece of Samuel Boyer’s Conestoga tract and his Martic tract
Tract C: Christopher Ord’s piece of Samuel Boyer’s Conestoga tract and his Martic tract

Land below the purple line was part of Samuel Boyer’s Martic township lands.

Jacob Behme’s Conestoga Tract

Kris Hocker on 27 Oct 2013

On 22 November 1717, Martin Kendig (Kendick, Kendrick, Cundigg) and John Herr (Heer) were warranted 5,000 acres in Lancaster County by the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania.¹ On 10 October 1731, John Taylor surveyed 381 acres, 50 acres of which had been surveyed on 20 June 1719.² This property was adjacent to tracts of Christian Prennaman, Henry Hoober, Christian Heer, Hans Hess, Robert Creage. Jacob Behme patented this tract on 12 August 1737. (See Patent Book A8:268)³

Jacob Behme’s Conestoga Township tract

Jacob & Barbara Beam sold 180 acres, adjoining Abraham Beam, Robert Creague, and Hans Hess, to their son Martin Beam on 6 March 1750.⁴ On 9 January 1755, the couple sold Henry Rech [Resh] also of Conestoga 100 acres northwest of Pequea Creek, adjoining land of Abraham Beam.⁵ On the same date, they sold 100 acres to their son Abraham Beam.⁶

On 10 January 1767, Abraham & Barbara Beam of Bart Township sold 100 acres northwest of Pequea Creek to Martin Beam.⁷ Several months later, on 25 March 1767, Martin & Eve Beam of Conestoga Township sold to Henry Rush of Conestoga Township 10 acres 40 perches, adjoining Henry Rush’s other land.⁸

Martin & Eve Beam of Conestoga Township sold to John Beam of Conestoga Township 96 acres 100 perches, adjoining land of Henry Rush and Martin Beam, on 20 June 1783.⁹ The next day, Martin & Eve Beam sold 174 acres 20 perches acres, adjoining Samuel Hess and Martin Beam’s other land, to Jacob Beam.¹⁰

Friday Find: Henry Hoover’s heirs to John Stauffer

Kris Hocker on 18 Oct 2013

I found a deed today that I believe relates to Henry Hoover of Strasburg Township who died before 18 Dec 1833, leaving heirs in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. According to one deed, Henry had eight brothers and sisters.¹ I was able to determine four of them:

Christian Hoover of Franklin County and children: John, Martin, Christian, Abraham, Samuel, Jeremiah, Catharine, and Martha
Feronica “Franey” (Hoover) Brand and sons Samuel and Christian
Elizabeth (Hoover) Zimmerman and son Jacob
Esther (Hoover) Beam

But I was still looking for the other four. I think I may have found three of them…

Know all men by these presents that whereas Henry Hoover late of the township of Leacock in the County of Lancaster in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America Carpenter and joiner deceased by his last will and testament in writing bearing the date the ____ day of ___ in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty did among other legacies therein contained give and bequeath unto us John Hoover, Martin Hoover and Daniel Hoover all of the township of Markham in the County of York in the Home District and province of Upper Canada yeomen the sum of four hundred and sixty one dollars and sixteen cents to be divided among us in three fair and equal proportions and of his said will made and constituted John Stouffer of the same township of Leacock miller executor, as in and by the said will may appear Now know ye that we the said John Hoover Martin Hoover and Daniel Hoover do and each of us does confess and acknowledge that we have had and received according to our respective shares of and from the said John Stauffer the legacy or sum of four hundred and sixty one dollars and sixteen cents as aforesaid given and bequeathed unto us by the said Henry Hoover and therefore do and each of us does by these presents aquit release and discharge the said John Stouffer of and from all legacies dues and demands whatsoever which we or any of us our or any of executors or administrators may have claim challenge or demand of or against the said John Stauffer his executors or administrators by virtue of the said last will and testament of or out of the estate of the said Henry Hoover deceased as aforesaid In witness whereof the said Legatees have hereunto respectively set their hands and seals at Markham aforesaid this first day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six.

John his X mark Hoover
Martin Hoover
Daniel Hoover

In presence
Benjamin Oberholser
Johannes [in German]

Recorded April 1st Anno Domini 1837John Warfel, Recorder²

I need to follow-up to verify this information, but John Stauffer was the executor listed in all the deeds. Additionally, I found Daniel Hoover, Christian Hoover, and Martin Hoover in Peters Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania in the 1800 census.³ Only Christian is there in 1810 and 1820.

If you have information on this family, please leave a comment below or drop me a line.

John Smith’s Conestoga Tract

Kris Hocker on 13 Oct 2013

On 28 October 1728, the survey of Hans Line’s adjacent property indicates that this land or that warranted to Hugh Patten (or both) was of Christian Prenaman.¹ Five years later, John Goughnour had his adjacent land surveyed and his survey also indicated that this tract was of Christian Prenaman.²

John Smith’s Conestoga Township tract

John Smith was issued a warrant for 200 acres on Pequea Creek on 5 October 1734.³ Bartram Galbraith surveyed 167.5 acres for John Smith on 24 April 1759. Adjoining landholders included Jacob Coghnor, John Lyne, Abraham Beam, Henry Rush, John Hoover, Jacob Hover.⁴

Smith must have either abandoned the tract or sold his interest in it, because Jacob Hoover, owner of an adjoining tract of land, patented these 167.5 acres on 7 September 1759.(see Patent Book A20:346)⁵ Jacob’s son Christian inherited the land from his father on 12 September 1759.⁶

On 26 November 1761, Christian sold this tract to John Jacob Goughnour.⁷ Jacob Goughnour’s heirs—John & Elizabeth Kochenauer, Christian Kochenauer, Henry & Ann Kochenauer, Abraham Kochenauer, Adam Kochenauer, Tobias Kochenauer, Christian & Catharine (Kochenauer) Hess, Joseph & Esther Kochenauer—sold Jacob Gochenour, their brother, 167.5 acres from their father’s estate on 4 November 1780. It adjoined land of the Goughour heirs, John Line, land late of Abraham Beam, Henry Rush, John Hoover, and Jacob Hoover.

Category: Research