The Uncivil War Within

Yesterday, I discovered another Civil War soldier in our family history. John W. Younger served in Co. I of Missouri's 13th Cavalry. This Confederate unit was made up of Southerners from the Ozark Mountain area of Missouri. What is so poignant about this discovery is that it was made right after I extracted, from a biographical sketch of Oliver Johnson, sergeant in an Ohio unit in the Union Army, an account of his military service, which included many battles and injuries.

Our family history will not be complete without a study of our ancestors' involovement in the War Between the States; however, I find myself hesitant to begin because of the sadness of it all.

Could they have possibly seen far enough into the future to understand that their descendants could quite possibly be a mixture of the Blue and the Gray?

The Tragedies of War

I recently ran across some detailed information regarding Oliver Johnson's service in the Civil War. He was living in Tuscarawas, Ohio, when he went up to Norwalk to enlist in the Union Army October of 1861. He served for four years. He was wounded three times, the last time being at Resaca, Georgia. The Army of the Ohio was under the command of General Sherman when he began his march to the sea in the spring of 1864. The Rebels put up a good fight there at Resaca. While learning earlier about the atrocities inflicted on my civilian ancestors during Sherman's march, I developed much contempt for the man.

In the same source where I found Oliver's military information, there was a reference to Hiram Johnson. He enlisted in the same place, a day later than Oliver. I feel he is the same Hiram listed as Oliver's brother on the 1850 census of Stark County, Ohio. I was stunned to learn that Hiram was killed at Resaca. Suddenly I don't have contempt anymore, just deep sadness.

Harless Hardships

I recently transcribed the pension applications for brothers, Ferdinand, Daniel, and Philip Harless of Giles County, Virginia. At this time, the area was on the very edge of civilization. The Harless family was part of the German New River Settlement. The boys were sixteen to 22 years of age when they first volunteered. They served six months out of every year for four years at a couple of forts. They were under the command of Captains and Colonels. They also served as spies to trace the movements of the Indians lurking about. Sometimes there were not enough volunteers from the backwoods to properly man the forts so men from nearby counties were drafted to help out.

In their applications the brothers recounted the depredations brought upon the settlers by the Indians. They told of families who were attacked, and some members were murdered while others were carried away captive. Their own father, Martin Harless, was chased through the woods for three or four miles before he found safety. Ferdinand recalled a ". . . Daughter of Lybrooks was skelped and beate on the head with a war club and found living next morning and when she was found asked for a drink of water and soon after expired."

Apparently their service in the Revolutionary War was not recognized by the war department; thus, their applications were denied. No, they did not belong to the Continental Army, and they did not engage the British in battle. Their service was in protecting the frontier families from the British allies so in my book they were war heroes.

Misinformed through the Internet: A Case Study in the Identity of Joseph Daniel Haun or Hahn

I have just finished a case study into the identity of one Joseph Daniel Haun or Hahn, who appears as one of Samuel Hahn's children in genealogies published on the internet. It is satisfying to know I can confidently conclude he does not belong to Sam's clan but has a family of his own. You can read my entire article here.

We may NOT be Irish!!

This notion would be something that would take some getting used to. My kids grew up on St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, and celtic music playing while we ate it. We loved our tradition.

Before writing this post, I ran the idea by my mother, who is not adverse to this possibility. So here goes:

I have recently learned a little bit about Irish immigration in my family history class. Without studying it any further, which I fully intend to do, I believe the history goes like this:

In a previous post I explained that the Scotch Irish came to America from Ireland in the late 1600s and early 1700s. They were of Scotch blood but had been living in Ireland at the time they immigrated. Over here, they were sometimes called Irish and sometimes called Scotch-Irish. They were Prostestant. More often than not, those British sounding names belonged to Scotch-Irish, English, and Welsh if they came over during this time frame. They also followed certain migration patterns.

The Irish, most assuredly Catholics, did not start immigrating until around 1820. I haven't double checked all the family data, but it's looking like all of the British folks in my mother's, father's, and husband's lineages are Scotch-Irish and not Irish at all!

Therefore, I did not wear green today.

An Italian Cultural Event in 1907

The following is an article I found recently in the Washington Post describing a cultural event for the new Italian Americans of that city. Our own Salvatore Chite, 33 years old and still single, and his cousin, Alfio Longo, entertained the audience with a "fantastic Sicilian dance" at this affair. The word that looks like "musicist" in the occupation field on Salvatore's passenger record tends to make a little more sense. How I would love to see such a performance today.

AMBASSADOR IS SPEAKER

Baron Mayor des Planches Addresses
Italian Children.

Expects Them to Become Good Americans
and to Reflect Credit
Upon Fatherland.

For the special benefit of the Italians of the city, the Christ Child Society gave an entertainment last night in Gonzaga Theater, North Capitol and I streets. Baron Edmondo Mayor des Planches, the Italian Ambassador, delivered two short talks, the first, in English, to the Italian children of the society's settlement, and the second, in his native language, to the audience in general.

He told the children that they must realize and appreciate the great good the society is doing for the sons and daughters of Italy in the District, and that they must make good citizens, so that they would be an honor to their fatherland. By request, he spoke in English, because many of the children of Italian parents understand no other language. He said the children should learn and be proud to know the tongue of their parents.

Ambassador des Planches, in his Italian address, spoke upon good citizenship, saying that the way for the Italian people to win the highest respect of America was by being good Americans.

Following his address, the Cecilian Orchestra rendered an overture, and G. Arancio sang a barytone [sic] solo. Two dozen little girls then sang songs of Italy. Miss S. Lewis sang soprano selections from grand opera, after which pupils of Miss Shreve sang and danced. Miss Irene Kemno rendered a soprano solo, and six little girls gave a fancy dance. Al. Fennell amused with comic songs, and Milburn mystified with feats of magic. A fantastic Sicilian dance was presented by Chite [sic] Salvatore, Bruno Natale, Alfio Longo, and Angelo Carta.

Besides the Italian Ambassador, there were present Esme Howard, counselor of the British embassy, and his wife, Lady Isabella Howard, who is much [sic] interested in the work among Italians.

The Washington Post (22 Apr. 1907): 14.

Deckner Homes in Atlanta

It has been refreshing to be found by a young woman, Ami, in Atlanta, who now lives in the home originally built for Allen T. Deckner. He was the son of Charles Deckner, a prominent horticulturalist in Atlanta. Charles was the son of Frederick Deckner. The Deckner family relocated to Atlanta from Green Bay in 1865. I relunctantly add they may have been carpetbaggers, seeking the land confiscated from former Confederate owners for back taxes, which were rediculously high, and offered cheap to Yankees. This move on the part of the Federal Government facilitated their goal to Reconstruct the South, only with Northerners.

Nevertheless, Fred Deckner and his son became quite successful in the field of horticulture and Charles carried the tradition long after his father died. Ami had done her research and informs me there were several homes in a row along a street now named for Charles Deckner. Some survive, including the one she now owns, which she is beautifully renovating, and the one right next door, pictured here, which used to belong to Charles himself.