Tombstone Tuesday: The Little Heroine of Hannastown.

It was mid July in 1782. The new country was at war. The militia were fighting the British and the British hired Indians and Canadians to do raids on the families left behind. 

This was the frontier then. 

People would guard family members as they harvested their crops because the raids were frequent and on this day  people harvesting at the Huffnagle's farm noticed the Indians and they ran to the safety  of Hannastown and the fort.

On this particular day, July 13, many were still at a celebration of a wedding at the Miller's Farm the day before so most of those left behind were children, elderly and women. 

The Moses Shaw family were among those at Fort Hannastown when the Indians under Guyasuta and the Canadians arrived. The group burned the town down and fired on the fort.  As a toddler was crawling toward the stockade pickets and an opening in the wall  young Margaret "Peggy" Shaw ran for the child to pull it to safety and was shot in the breast piecing her lung. The child was safe. Peggy lingered for 14 days before dying. 

Peggy Shaw is buried in the Middle Presbyterian Graveyard in Mt. Pleasant, PA. 

Peggy was the daughter of Moses and Margaret (Patterson) Shaw.

Different accounts of the story have Peggy aged form 12 to 16 years old, none the less a heroine.

I wonder how many people actually know this!

Now I wonder how many people know that there is an election held every six monthes where you live?

I'm NOT going to get political on you, really I'm not.

But every 6 monthes there is an election in your district.

Yes, every 4 years we go to the polls to elect a president but all the elected officials in your area are voted for, by you the constituents!

Judges, commissioners, mayors, Prothonitaries, coroners, tax collectors, etc. are all voted for.

People go to the polls every six monthes and first pick someone to run, in the primary, then vote them into office.

These officials do have something to do with your lives.

Well, the reason I'm here today is tomorrow is the primary election here in my state.

Every November and every May there is an election. Yes, every 6 monthes.

If you want to get involved in who makes choices in your community register to vote and vote!

Every American citizen has the right to vote. We have since the beginning of this great nation.

So take control, get involved.  Get your neighbor involved. I don't need to know who you voted for or what your political affiliation is but don't complain to me about the elected officials doing something you don't like if YOU DIDN'T VOTE!

Ok, we can get back to your regularly scheduled shows...

thanks for listening to my rant!

BTW, I'm one of the poll workers who takes your name and has you sign in at the polls. I've done this for decades. I always took a vacation day to do this.

You can do this, just sign up!

Get involved!

Sad Day on Cemetery Hill

 

Sad Day on the Cemetery Hill

Hubba and I went gravin' over the weekend.

It was a beautiful spring day. The grass in the cemetery was full of wild violets and phlox subulata. The air was fresh and the wind was sutble. What a great day to be gravin'.

We picked several graves, that people had requested, because they had what lot in this hugh cemetery the requests were located.

If you have read past blogs we fill photo requests for Find A Grave in local cemeteries. We had found at least two or three and drove up the hill to the next lot that follows a hill going down toward the old part of the cemetery. My husband started down the out side of the lot and I started at the very top in a small section walking slowly down the hill backwards where the stones started facing down the hill rather than toward the road. I noticed I had just stepped on to the edge of a recent burial. I stopped and stepped to the side. I looked up and read the name.

Oh, my I knew this lady. She had an influence in my life while I had cared for her. She had moved and I didn't see her again.

She was a vibrant personality.

She smiled most of the time. And she just oozed with the love of life. You couldn't help but get caught up in her youthful exuberance. I thought a lot about her and tried to be positive in my daily life. When I was down I always thought of her, said a little prayer for her and remembered if she could be positive in the face of her physical limitations anyone could!

She was the same age as my mom and so I often wondered if she was doing okay or had she passed.

I was riveted in my place when I saw her name.

The date of her death was not carved into the stone yet.

I became very sad for I knew how much she loved life. As I stood there for quite awhile my husband called to see where I was.

From shear shock to stepping on her very burial place to sadness at her and her families loss I began to realize she had lived a very full and vibrant life. Everyday was an adventure to her. She had raised 5 devoted and very active children who were all very active in her life.

We took a picture of her stone vowing to return to get a new picture when the date has been transcrided on her stone.

At home we added the new pictures to Find A Grave requests that we had fulfilled. Then looked to see if she was listed in the FAG memorials. Yes, she was added so we added her picture.

I was numbed for a few days by her being gone from the face of the earth but vowed to continue to celebrate her life as she loved it, happy and looking at everyday as an adventure!

Thanks for visiting our blog. Enjoy this beautiful spring.

Over the fall and winter we've been concentrating on our multiple business ventures on the web and here at home! We haven't been back to blog for a while but talk about and think about it as we fall asleep. 

Today on the way out to the compost we spotted the daffodils, muscari and even some of Julie's 'Flags" sticking out of the crust of leaves!

We'll be back to graven' and hunting info related to our finds, thus hopefully blogging with more info and developments! 

Think Spring!

Military Monday: Jacob R.Zuck

Jacob R. Zuck  1843-1915

"Jacob R. Zuck was a leading book and stationer of Mt.Pleasant and one who fought under the "Stars and Stripes" in the dark days of the rebellion. Jacob was born in Mt.Pleasant, Westmoreland County, Pa., Christmas 1843 and is a son of Samuel and Susan (Keister) Zuck."

At eighteen years of age he left the schoolroom for the tented field, having enlisted Oct. 5, 1861 in Co. B.28th Regt. Pa. Vol. He served in the army of northern Virginia and was later transfered to the army of the Potomac. Jacob was severely wounded at the battle of Antietam and honorably discharged Jan. 1863 on account of disability.

"On May 1, 1867, he was united in marriage to Emma Smitley and to their union have born two sons: Edwin born March 8, 1871, and Orray, born july 29, 1875."

In 1871 he became a member of the National Guards of Pennsylvania and was elected captain of the Mt.Pleasant rifles or Independent  company, seventeenth division. He was a member of  Robert Worden Post, No. 163, Grand Army of the Republic and was its commander in 1888.

Jacob is buried in Mt.Pleasant Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Pa.

Sources: Biographical And Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania. Printed 1890

Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-65, Harrisburg, 1868-1871

Military Monday: George Washabaugh, a wounded warrior!

George Washabaugh
1839-1908
Co. G.,100th "Roundhead" Regiment, PA. Volunteers.
Mr. Washabaugh is buried in West Newton Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA.



George W. Washabaugh enlisted August 28, 1861.

"During his service he took part in an engagement of Hilton Head, S.C."
From there "he sailed board the Ocean Queen via Port Royal, Portal  entrance and Legareville, a journey of about three weeks, and from there he sailed to James Island, S.C., a journey of twenty miles, during which time the steamer was under almost continual fire from the enemy."
"At the battle of James Island, S.C., June 16,1862, Mr. Washabaugh was wounded by a portion of a shell which struck his head, and his regiment retreating , he was left lying on the field for dead,
and lay there unconscious for seven hours."
The wound caused left sided partial paralysis and "partial loss of the use of the use of his left arm.."
Being unable to return to service "he was mustered out October 16, 1862."
He was then appointed assistant provost marshal and later postmaster in Jackson Centre, Mercer County, PA. He resigned from that post to run a hotel in Grove City, PA. for 16 years. "While there he built a hotel known as "Washabaugh Hotel" "and later "known as the "Filer House"."
When he left Grove City he moved to Suterville, Pa in 1883 and bought a grist mill , sold later to Taylor and Boggs. "In 1885 he was elected burgess of West Newton, PA" and then elected justice of the peace.
He served as the commander of J.C. Markle Post, No. 57, G.A.R., at West Newton for two years. He, also, taught Sabbath school at his local church.
He was the son of David and Sarah (Huey) Washabaugh.

A very inspirational story. Mr. Washabsaugh  was mustered out in October of 1862. On June 22, 1863 married Marie E. Arnold, daughter Aaron Arnold, a local preacher, and had two children. He continued working and improving his and his families life even with a partially paralyzed left side.
A "Wounded Warrior" from the Civil War.

Don't forget to thank a soldier for their service to our country and it's people.

Information taken from: Biographical And Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County Pennsylvania. Printed 1890

Tombstone Tuesday: George Rinsel

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In memory of 

George Rinsel

Died

March 6, 1845 in 

the 54th year of his life

It took over 165 years for Georges stone to deteriorate but thanks to digital photographs he may be remembered for much longer.

George Rinsel is buried in St. Vincents Cemetery, Latrobe Pa.