Society Saturday - Hamilton's Women

I recently attended a high tea for one of the area DAR chapters.  They had a fabulous speaker, Dr. Leslie Goddard. I have heard her speak before, and have always enjoyed her programs.

Dr. Goddard specializes in first person interpretations of historic females. This presentation was depicting the Schuyler sister who were related to Alexander Hamilton. They are seen in the hit musical "Hamilton", and we learned more about the lives of these women than what is in the play.

We primarily heard from Elisabeth, or "Eliza", who was married to Alexander Hamilton.  She told of meeting him, marrying him, and having 8 of his children.

Leslie them switched gears (or hats) to depict Eliza's sister Angelica .  She talked of her admiration for her brother-in-law, and complained a little about her husband John Church, who she admitted was a little dull. 

We also briefly heard from Eliza's younger sister Peggy who told about growing up in a revolutionary family with British loyalists ready to destroy them.

Back to Eliza, who disclosed some details of her husband's affair with Maria Robinson. Finally, she talked about how it felt to lose first her son, then her husband in a duel. Since then she made it her life's work to tell the story of how patriotic he was.

All in all, it was a very interesting program.  I learned more about one of our founding fathers.

Society Saturday - Washington in 1812

Following the Fall board meeting of the U.S. Daughters of 1812, we toured some 1812 sites in Washington, D.C.

Our group made 3 stops to Federal period homes in the district.  We learned a lot about that style of architecture and furnishings - symmetry, columns, textile designs, etc.

All 3 homes had ties to important people of the era.

The Octagon House was designed by William Thornton, the first architect of the U.S. Capitol for the Tayloe family.  They used it as a winter home and would rent it out to government officials in the summer.  During the summer of 1814, it was rented out to the French minister.  When the British started burning the city, they could not touch the home because it would be viewed as an act of war against France, with whom they recently had reached a peace accord.  When President and Mrs. Madison returned to the city after the battle, they stayed at the home.  Dolley would entertain in the fashionable parlor and dining room.  President James Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent in the upstairs office of this building, officially ending the War of 1812.

Plaque placed by U.S.D.1812

Replica of the Drum desk used to sign the Treaty

Tudor Place was built for Martha Custis Peter, granddaughter of Martha Washington.  The home was kept in the family for 178 years.  We enjoyed walking around the period-style gardens and partook of high tea while we were there.

This is a view of the Dell in the gardens.  

The Dumbarton house is currently owned by the National Society Colonial Dames of America.  The home was owned by Joseph Nourse, first Register of the U.S. Treasury.  It is said that Dolley Madison was a frequent visitor.

www.usdaughters1812.org

Those Places Thursday - Visiting Pomona

I was recently in southern California for a board meeting and realized that I was very close to where my great-great-grandparents had lived - and died.  I had visited their gravesite several years ago and decided to go back and pay my respects.

George W. Wiley and Susan Mumford Wiley moved to Pomona, California sometime in 1904-1905.  They are enumerated there in 1910 - living at 925 N. Garey St., Pomona, CA. 

Susan died at home in 1916 - same address - from cerebral hemorrhage. (from her obituary and death certificate).

George died at home - the same address - in 1920  from bronchitis and chronic gastritis (from his obituary and death certificate).

I have a couple of pictures of them standing outside of their home.  These pictures were taken at different times, but one shows the address "925" above the door.

I was hoping to see the house they lived in - almost 100 years later.  I found the address easily on my gps - it is a fairly main street in Pomona.  When my gps announced that I had arrived, I looked up and saw....

A taco restaurant.  Oh well...

Unfortunately it appears that the Wiley home had been torn down in favor of businesses.  Next door was a flower shop, and a currency exchange, with a tax accountant and an auto repair shop nearby.  Sadly, no remnant of their house existed.

I had better luck at the cemetery.  After a quick stop in the office for directions, I easily found their graves.

The cemetery is a very peaceful little spot in the middle of town.  In the distance is Mt. San Antonio, and there are palm trees all around.  All of the stones seemed to be well maintained.   

George W. Wiley

Born Nov. 29, 1838 - Died Jan. 1, 1920

Vet. Co. B., 2nd Ill. L.A.

---------

Susan Mumford

wife of G. W. Wiley

Born April 4, 1844

Died Jan. 15, 1916

Upper right corner of the base - 

"Our Comrade Soldier 61-65"

Amanuensis Monday - "Good Morning old Comrard"

"Good Morning old Comrard" is the salutation of a letter written on 19 March 1916 from G.W. Wiley to William Hill.

It was written from George Wiley who was living in Pomona, CA to his friend William Hill in Casey, IL.  George's daughter Nancy Jane Wiley had been married to William's son Charles.

These two old friends were in their 70's at the time (both having been born in 1838).  They had both served in the Illinois Infantry - George in the 73rd, William in the 59th - during the Civil War, and had both been present at the battle of Missionary Ridge in 1863.

   

It is easy to imagine two older gentlemen talking about their health, their families, and reminiscing about their "glory days" when you read this letter.  George talks about his health, asks about William's health.  He reminisces about a visit from his friends to California and talks about the crops.  He also mentions how "lonesom" he is after losing his wife Susan (in January 1916).  William can probably sympathize since he was widowed 2 years earlier.

For more details about George Wiley and his friend William Hill, see their individual posts.

Church Records Sunday - who was the father?

I have been working on my Guilford County NC ancestors recently and was looking for infomation about them in the "Buffalo Presbyterian Church Session Minutes" - film #8185994 on Familysearch.org.

Most of the nearly 600 images on this film consist of basic church operations - how much to pay the minister, how much money was raised for the new church building, etc.  There are several membership lists, and a few lists of baptisms.  This information, of course, is very useful.
The earliest years (1777-1788) were the most fun to read, with discussions of who was seen to be publicly drunk, and who might have said something slanderous.

One of the interesting discussions involved my ancestor William Burney -  summarized here (numbers in parentheses refer to witnesses, discussed below):

Dec. 18, 1779 -

- William Burney was charged by Jane Burney as being the father of her child, which he denies.

- Elizabeth Wily (1) said Jane Burney declared to her "in her sickness" that William Burney, John Burney's son, was the father of her child.  and the thinks the child was before the full time.

- Martha Lecky (2) said she asked Jane Burney who was the father of the child and she told her it was William Burney and that "it was got" on his father's loft on a Saturday night.

- John Burney (3) said he and his wife were at Charles Burney's (4) on the last evening of September 1776, and it was born overnight and buried.  He also said that "he hath not been a Saturday night from but two for eight years past and one of them his son William was with him, the other was the latter end of March the same year before the child was born."

- Katharine Burney (5) said that Jane Burney was not at their house on Saturday night for twelve months before that child was born, nor any other night during that time except one between the 17th and 20th of March that year.  She did not observe any particular familiarity between her son and Jane Burney.

- Elizabeth Burney (6) said she heard Jane Burney tell her brother William the morning after the child was born that it was got one Saturday night on his father's loft.  She also said that she always slept with Jane Burney when she lay at their house and never knew her brother come to the bed where they were.

- Robert Burney (7) said he did not remember Jane Burney being at their house on any night but the one mentioned for twelve months before the child was born, and it was a Sabbath night.

The Session determined unanimously to refer it to the Presbytery the following February.  (those session records are not included on this film.)

So, who are these various deponents?

William Burney was my 4th great-grandfather.  My ancestor was his daughter Mary, born ca 1778, who married Thomas Wiley.  She was the daughter of his first wife, name unknown.

William was born ca 1756 in Dobbs Co, NC and died ca 1823 in Guilford Co NC.

William was the son of John Burney and Catherine Lackey. (#3 and #5) - 

John and Catherine Lackey Burney had the following children:

William Burney (born ca 1756) - the accused father

John Burney Jr. (born ca 1761)

Elizabeth Burney (#6)

Rebecca Burney

Robert Burney (#7)

Samuel Burney

Mary Burney

David Burney

Joseph Burney

Catherine Burney

Catherine Lackey Burney  was the daughter of William and Rebecca Lackey.  Catherine's sister Mary Lackey married Charles Burney. (#4 - father of Jane)

Charles and Mary Lackey Burney had children:

William Burney

Rebecka Burney

Jane Burney - the accuser

Robert Burney

Adam Burney

so, it appears that Jane was accusing her first cousin of "familiarity" in "his father's loft".

I am not sure who Martha Lecky (#2) was - she was most likely related to Catherine and Mary, the mothers of the cousins involved.

Similarly, there are many Wileys in the area during that time, many of whom are my ancestors.  Elizabeth (#1) may have been extended family, or a neighbor who was present as a midwife.