Saturday, September 29, 2012

Society Saturday - Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum!

See, we do have a lot of fun at our meetings :-)

"Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum" was the title of the talk given by author and food historian Cynthia Clampitt today at our State Daughters of American Colonists meeting.

Cynthia gave a lively, well-researched talk about the history of rum - from its beginnings as a molasses by-product of sugar production, through present-day rum facts.

Some interesting facts I learned were:
  • Sailors on Naval ships were allotted 2 "tots" of rum per day
  • To make the rum more palatable, British sailors would add lime juice - thus the origin of the term "limeys"
  • Not all pirates spoke with a cornish accent - just the ones in literature and the movies
  • The term for the method of barbecuing in the caribbean is the origin of "buccaneer"
  • British Captain Sir Vernon began diluting the (160 proof) rum the sailors would drink to cut down on their intake - he wore a grosgrain cloak and was nicknamed "Old Grog" - the origin of the term "Groggy"
  • One of the inciting factors of The Revolutionary War was restriction of the rum trade
Oh, and what about the title of the talk - "Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum" was coined by Robert Louis Stevenson almost 100 years after the Golden Age of Piracy when he wrote "Treasure Island"

Pictured are Sue Erlick, hostess for the meeting, State Regent Jane Schleinzer, 
and our speaker Cynthia Clampitt

Monday, September 24, 2012

Military Monday - Samuel Stover

This is a series that I have been thinking of doing for several months - my ancestors who fought during the War of 1812.  I have 4 that I know of.

Samuel Stover was born 29 December 1785 at Shenandoah Co., VA.  He was the third child (and a twin to Daniel) of David and Elizabeth (Strickler) Stover.

He married Mary Dieterick on 3 September 1807 at Muskingum Co., OH.  She was the daughter of Johann Balser and Sarah Elizabeth (Strickler) Dieterick.  She was born 20 December 1786 at Adams Co., PA.

Samuel Stover served in Captain James Downings' Co. of Ohio Militia Infantry from 30 March 1812 - 28 February 1813.  He transferred to Captain Walkers' Co. and was discharged at Fort Sandusky on 26 March 1813. 

House built by Samuel Stover

In 1814 he purchased land in Muskingum County, OH from the Zanesville land office.  According to the county history, in 1813  he dammed Brush Creek in order to build a sawmill.  He added a grist mill in 1819.

As one of the prominent citizens of the new town, it was named Stovertown in his honor in 1832. 



He died at Zanesville, OH on 27 August 1837 and was buried in the family plot at Stovertown.  Mary died on 12 February 1839 at Stovertown and is buried with him.

Samuel and Mary had 12 children, all born in Muskingum Co.:
1. Elizabeth Stover, born 2 June 1808, married John Crooks
2. Sarah Stover, born 23 December 1809, married John Baughman
3. Baltser Stover, born 15 May 1811, died in 1838
4. David Stover, born 9 March 1813, married Elizabeth Russell
5. Mary Ann Stover, born 24 January 1816, married John C. Forester (my 3rd great-grandparents)
6. Catherine Stover, born 15 January 1818, married Adam Baughman
7. Mary Magdalene "Polly" Stover, born 31 March 1820, married Abraham Snyder
8. Susanna Stover, born 25 May 1822, married William Cole
9. Ann Margaretta Stover, born 9 March 1824, married David Mauk
10. William T. Stover, born 26 February 1826
11. Lucinda Stover, born 19 January 1828, married Richard Reed
12. Samuel Stover, born 26 November 1829


Stover tombstone - Samuel and Mary are buried with their son Balzer