William Henry Graham Background Information

Transcription

1 William Henry Graham Background Information The following are recollections, our oral history, of William Graham from his son Calvin and his children. Calvin, as a young boy, drove cattle down Route 11. o Route 11 is one of two main roads between Carlisle and Shippensburg Pennsylvania o I recall a photo of this, when my family was affiliated with the Williams Grove Steam Engine Association museum, where my grandfather had some of his family items on display. The photo has been lost. My father told me that Roxbury in Lurgan Township was where his Graham family was from, and buried. o My father worked for the Department of Army, and did some work in the Letterkenny Army Depot of Franklin County Pennsylvania. I remember him taking me up to this area and driving to Roxbury, where he told me this story. Roxbury is in the vicinity of Lurgan, and Mogul Boroughs of Letterkenny, Southampton and Lurgan Townships of Franklin County, and Shippensburg Cumberland County PA areas. These townships are adjacent to Hopewell and Southampton Townships, Cumberland County PA. I personally remember Britton Greenawalt, my paternal grandfather s half brother. 1 o Sadie did have a son Earl Britton 2 whose father was Mr. Hostetter. 3 Britton, as he was known, took the Greenawalt last name. He was born in 1889 before his mother Sadie married William. There is no record in Cumberland or Franklin Counties of Sadie being married before William. Britton Greenawalt s marriage application lists his parents as Harvey and Sadie Henry, and that his father was dead. Sadie could not be located in the 1880 census records for Franklin and Cumberland counties. It was said that my grandfather, Calvin, never wanted to talk about his own father William, or his family, and that Calvin didn t like his father; cared much for him or something to that effect. o I recall asking grandpa about his family, and he was his usual gruff demeanor, and short in his reply; there s nothing to tell. I believe my father mentioning William s middle name as being Henry. o There is only one record, an 1880 census records for Southampton Township that list Henry Graham. It was said that William was illiterate, having little or no education. o All the documents where William was to sign his name, there a mark of an X, and a witness s signature attesting to William s name and mark. All censuses records indicated William could not right, but could read. My father mentioned that the Hoffman family of Harrisburg PA, of the Harrisburg Hoffman Ford car dealership, was in some way related to his father, Calvin Graham. 4 o Sadie Greenawalt s younger brother, Thomas Albert Greenawalt, married Ella Lizzie Michael on December 14 th Their 2 nd daughter was named Pearl, who married Boyd Hoffman of Hopewell Township, Cumberland County PA. 5 Boyd is the great-grandfather of the current (2011) Earl Hoffman, who is the local Harrisburg PA area Ford dealership; Hoffman Ford. 1 Marriage Licenses of Britton Greenawalt, Cumberland County Courthouse, Pennsylvania, and Family accounts 2 June 19-20, 1900 Federal Census for Southampton Township, Franklin County, PA, Enumeration District 53, Sheet This last name Hostettler is form the 1900 Federal Census, 4 Greenawalt Family of Cumberland and Franklin County Pennsylvania, David Franklin Greenawalt, California, 1988, and Nicholas Greenawalt ( ), Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road York Springs PA 5 July 2006 telephone conversation between Bob Graham and Earl Hoffman, and the Thomas Greenawalt Obituary, The News Chronicle Shippensburg, November 8 th 1940

2 William was not raised by his biological parents. The following are some of the key points that helped us identify William s parents and his whereabouts during his childhood. 1. William had come from a large family, and the family couldn t keep him. It was even mentioned the family didn t want William, or something to that effect. My father s sister Pat Graham-Napoli mentioned that she recalled being told that her grandfather William was given up by his family at a young age to another family because William wasn t wanted by his family. o William was born September 12 th ; his mother died in August 24 th Records indicate that Mary Graham was having children within two years of each other. Although the obituary didn t say the reason for her death in 1874, I assume she may have died from complications with having another child. o A death notice for Mary Oliver-Graham from the Shippensburg News dated Saturday, August 29 th This notice is brief, and inconclusive in determining why she died. DIED. GRAHAM In Shippensburg Township, August 24 th, Mrs. Mary, wife Wm. Graham, aged 32 years, 6 months, and 16 days. 8 o Based on William s marriage application with Dellia Killinger, we know that William s parents were William and Mary Graham. o On December 24 th 1872 William s uncle James Graham s wife had died. Her death too may have resulted from complications with having a child. DEATH GRAHAM Near Newburg on December 24 th suddenly, Mrs. Angelina, wife of James Graham, aged 35 years, 6 months, 19 days. 9 That child was Elmer Franklin Graham, who was later taken in by his older brother David Graham of Newburg. The resemblances between David, Elmer, and my grandfather William are very striking, as is David s and Elmer s children with my dad and grandfather. 2. The June 21 st 1880 census record for Southampton Township Cumberland County indicated that a Henry Graham, 13 years old, was a servant living in the home of Lenard and Catherine Thrush. o Lenard was about eighty years old, and his second wife Catherine was close to sixty. 3. The February 1896 marriage application and license between William Graham and Dellia Killinger recorded in Franklin County indicated William was 23 years old. He would become 24 in September 1896, making his birth year at The June 7 th 1900 census record for Southampton Township Cumberland County indicated William was born May 1872; he was 28 years old. William s October 1901 marriage application and license to Sarah Greenawalt recorded in Cumberland County indicated he was 27, and with his September birth month, he would have been born in the year The 1910 to 1930 census records all indicate his birth year would be between 1870 and William s death certificate dated June 1848 estimated his age to be about 75, and his obituary indicated he was 75, making his birth date William was buried on June 15 th 1948 in the Lurgan Cemetery Lurgan, Lurgan Township Franklin County Pennsylvania 10 next to his Wife and Children. According to a birth date calculator, using his age and date of his death, William would have been born September 13 th o The only written record of William s birth is written on his funeral memorial booklet record, dated June 15 th 1948, from the M. Garfield Barbour Funeral Home, Shippensburg Pennsylvania. This record was likely written by a family member; William s birth is being recorded as September 12 th William s memorial booklet had a list of friends who attended his funeral: Mrs. W. J. Warren; Mrs. Bruce Warren; Mr. and Mrs. James Warren and son; Ester Clough; Bertha Clough; Gladys Davis; Mrs. Luther Miller; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bender; Mrs. Cora Black; Edna Hoch; Bruce Hoch; Annie Wenger; C. C. Greenawalt; Kenneth C. Greenawalt; Jean Mathna; and Jean Wheler/Wheeler/Wlueler/Wlneler. Floral Tributes were made by: The Greenawalt Family; Calvin Graham; L. B. Smith Inc.; and the L. B. Smith Employees Association. 6 William s birth was taken from his Memorial Booklet, M. Garfield Barbour Funeral Home, Shippensburg Pennsylvania, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 4709 County Line Road York Springs PA 7 Death notice, The Shippensburg News, dated Saturday, August 29 th 1874, Shippensburg Historical Society 52 West King Street P.O. Box 539, Shippensburg PA 8 Ibid. 9 The Shippensburg News, Saturday, January 11 th 1873, Shippensburg Historical Society 52 West King Street P.O. Box 539, Shippensburg PA 10 Certificateof Death, File Number 52764, June 12 th 1948, Pennsylvania Vital Division of Vital Records, 101 South Mercer Street, Room 401, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle PA Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 1

3 o Bruce Hoch was the son of Charles and Alice Hoch, who William lived with after he disserted his first wife Delia in 1898, and before he married my great grandmother Sadie Greenawalt in o Bertha Clough and her daughter Ester Clough o My grandfather worked for the LB Smith Company. 5. The geographical areas where my great-grandfather lived and moved about in were within a ten mile section west and north-west of Shippensburg Pennsylvania. It included Lurgan, Southampton, and Letterkenny townships of Franklin County, and Hopewell and Southampton Townships of Cumberland County. The borough of Shippensburg is split between both counties. Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 2

4 William Henry Graham Cumberland and Franklin County Pennsylvania st Marriage: William Henry Graham first married Dellia Catherine Killinger, who was the daughter of John Wesley Killinger and Susan Ethel Stake of Upper Strasburg Letterkenny Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. (Upper Strasburg is about 10 miles East of Shippensburg Pennsylvania on Rural Route 533; Orrstown Road.) William and Della had one son, Norman Wesley Graham. William and Dellia divorced in 1902, and in 1911 Dellia remarried to Grover Cleveland Hockenberry of Doylesburg, Fannett Township Franklin County Pennsylvania; Della and Grover had no children. By 1916 Norman Graham would go to Kansas where on January 10 th 1920 he met and married Hilda Wilhelmina Pigorsch. Hilda was the daughter of Augustus Wilhelm Pigorsch and Anna Drawanz. Norman would returned to Hopewell Township Cumberland County with Hilda, where many of their children were born. By the early 1930 s Norman and Hilda moved their family back to Dickenson County Kansas. 2 nd Marriage: Before William s divorce was finalized with Dellia Killinger, and after William s child with Sadie Greenawalt was born, William and Sarah (Sadie) Catherine Greenawalt married on October 16 th Sadie was the daughter of Henry M. Greenawalt and Jeanette Ann Brinkley of Mongul, Southampton Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. The Greenawalt family home is on Mongul Hill Road, about five miles west of Shippensburg off Rural Route 533; Orrstown Road. Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 3

5 William Henry Graham was born September 12 th in Southampton Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. Southampton is a rural route area just west of Shippensburg Pennsylvania. The township is one of many townships that separate Cumberland and Franklin Counties. William was born to William Albert Graham and Mary Oliver of Southampton Township, Shippensburg Post Office Pennsylvania. 12 William Albert Graham was the son of John Graham and Lydia Devor. Just one month shy of William s first birthday in August 1874 his mother died. There is no evidence on the cause of her death; if her death was due to illness; or complications with the birth of another child, and if it was another child...did the child live? Also during this same time period of William s cousin Elmer Franklin Graham was born, whose mother also died December Elmer was given to another family member to be raised, and eventually adopted and raised by his older brother David T. Graham. The resemblances between my great-grandfather William, his cousin Elmer Graham, and his uncle David Graham are remarkable. We are still researching William s story following the death of his mother in 1874, but we believe he was given to his grandmother Catherine Oliver-Thrush. Catherine s husband Fredrick Oliver had died, and she married Lenard Thrush of Southampton Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania. By 1870 and 1880 the Thrush family was still living in Southampton Township, and William (Henry) lived there with his grandmother, most likely until his late teens or early twenties. William had little or no formal schooling. He could read a little, but was unable to write, which we believe hindered his ability to work beyond being a semi-skilled laborer in farming, carpentry, plumbing, and other trade fields. This illiterate disposition may have also contributed to his ability to prosper, without the assistance of others. It would have been during 1894 and 1895 that William who was living in the Shippensburg area would have met twenty five year old Dellia Catherine Killinger of Upper Strasburg Franklin County Pennsylvania. Dellia was born January 16 th 1870 to John Wesley Killinger and Susan Stake. John Wesley Killinger was born May 19 th 1843 in Southampton Township Franklin County. His wife Susan Stack was born August During October and November of 1895 twenty five year old Dellia would become pregnant. On February 5 th 1896, while she was four months pregnant and barely a month after turning twenty six, she married William Graham in her Upper Strasburg family home. At the time William was twenty two years old living in the Shippensburg area, and Dellia was living with her parents in Upper Strasburg Letterkenny Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. 14 Upper Strasburg is approximately six miles west of Shippensburg, and William most likely worked for Dellia s father John Killinger as a carpenter s helper or in the area as a farm labored. William most likely could not afford his own home, nor had enough money to rent or become a tenant farmer, so we suspect after their marriage William and Dellia moved in with her parents. While living there in July 1896, William and Dellia had their son Norman Wesley Graham. About 1898 and 1899 Dellia moved with her parents to Baltimore Maryland, where her father worked in the textile industry as a laborer, and where Dellia worked as a cotton spooler. The family lived at 136 David Avenue, Third Precinct- Sixteenth Ward Baltimore Maryland. By 1900 while Dellia and her family were in Baltimore, William was living in Southampton Township a short distance outside Shippensburg, living with Charles and Alice Hoch. We suspect William also went to Baltimore with the Killinger family. We also suspect that William left his wife and child in Baltimore, returning to the Shippensburg area sometime before This would be one reason why Dellia, in the fall of 1901, would file for divorce in Franklin County, charging William with desertion. The divorce hearing was held April 1902, and later decreed on July 11 th We have been looking for the divorce affidavits from the Franklin County Prothonotary s office. Our recent attempt was made April 6 th The Prothonotary Linda Beard, used our divorce case index information, and looked for the case file. This file would contain the affidavits filed by Dellia and others, which should contain the details on the people and events surrounding the divorce. After a look at the Franklin County archives, the case file could not be found. Without these affidavits, we cannot be certain of the details surrounding the divorce. 11 William s birth was taken from his Memorial Booklet, M. Garfield Barbour Funeral Home, Shippensburg Pennsylvania, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 4709 County Line Road York Springs PA 12 William Graham ( ), Ibid 13 Obituary, The Shippensburg News Chronicle, June 1963, Shippensburg Historical Society 52 West King Street P.O. Box 539, Shippensburg PA 14 Marriage Records, 1896, Marriage No. 61, Clerk of Courts, Courthouse Annex, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Court Docket Index, 1902, Page 119, Divorce Case #20 dated April 1902, Reason- Desertion, Decreed July 11, Clerk of Courts, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 4

6 While Dellia was still living in Baltimore and before filing for the divorce, William was expecting another child with Sarah (Sadie) Catherine Greenawalt. 16 The details on how William and Sarah met are not clear, but their child would have been conceived around September This child was named Dora Alice Graham, and she was born on June 14 th Approximately sixteen months before William and Sadie married on October 16 th Dora was four months old when her parents married, and thirteen months old when Dellia s divorce was decreed in July This is some story of my great grandparents; and explains why it took so long for them to get married. During the divorce between William and Dellia, Sarah Greenawalt was living in Southampton Township Franklin County, while William lived in Southampton Township Cumberland County. (Remember Southampton is one of the border townships that separate Franklin and Cumberland County.) Everyone involved with William and Dellia must have known about Sarah s pregnancy with Dora, and her marriage with William before the divorce was finalized. This story and its circumstances aren t all that rare in my family tree. I have other family member s that experienced similar situations. Dellia would later marry Grover Cleveland Hockenberry on June 15 th 1911, and they lived in Hopewell Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania. Dellia s son to William, Norman Wesley Graham, lived with Dellia and Grover Hockenberry in Letterkenny Township Franklin County and Hopewell Township Cumberland County Pennsylvania. Around 1916, when he was barely twenty years old, Norman went to Kansas where on January 10 th 1920 in Abilene Dickenson County he married Hilda Wilamena Pigorsch of Hope Township Kansas. 18 Norman and Hilda went on to have a very large family; my second cousins Dellia died in June 1963 while living in Shippensburg, and she is buried at the Ridge Church of the Brethren, Middle Spring Newburg Area Cumberland County Pennsylvania. 21 William Graham married Sadie Greenawalt in October 16 th 1901, nine months before his divorce from Dellia was decreed, and when his daughter with Sadie, Dora, was four months old. At the time William was still living with Charles and Alice Hoch in Shippensburg. (The Hoch s daughter Ester Hoch-Clough, and her daughter Bertha Clough, and their son Bruce Hoch would later attended William s funeral in 1948.) Their marriage application and license were recorded in the Cumberland County Courthouse, Carlisle Pennsylvania. 22 The marriage license indicated they were married in Shippensburg by the Justice of the Peace, A.F. Weaver, in Cumberland County on October 15 th On the marriage application, William indicated he lived in Shippensburg, and Sadie Greenawalt indicated she lived in Mongul Franklin County, which is Southampton Township, about five miles west of Shippensburg. William listed his age as 27, and a farmer. Sadie listed her age as 30 years old, and her occupation as domestic. William could not sign the marriage license; but it was written out and it contained an X located in the midst of his name with a notation; his mark, witnessed to mark A.F. Weaver. Both William and Sadie didn t list anything about their parent s names or their addresses, or anything else about themselves, including if previously married or divorced. Sarah (Sadie) Catherine Greenawalt was born May 6 th 1865 to Henry Greenawalt and Jeanette Brinkley of Southampton Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. The Greenawalt and Brinkley families were early settlers of Cumberland and Franklin Counties. Henry s grandfather was Nicholas Greenawalt who entered the Revolutionary War while living in the Allentown area of Pennsylvania. After the war, Nicholas went to the Shippensburg area where he married Mary Miller of Shippensburg on September 2 nd Before Sadie met William, she was already raising a child from another relationship. Her son, Earl Britton Hostetter was born in There is no record of a marriage between Sadie and a Mr. Harvey or a Mr. Hostetler; a 1900 census listed Earl as a Hostettler. Britton, as he was known, was living with his mother Sadie Greenawalt and her parents. By 1910 Britton was listed as a Greenawalt, and his marriage license indicated that his father was Henry Harvey, who was dead. Britton is fondly remembered. He was William s step-son, and our grandfather s half brother. 16 Nicholas Greenawalt ( ) Franklin County, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road York Springs, PA Marriage Records, No , Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court Services, 1 Courthouse Square, Carlisle, PA Marriage License, B. No , P.J. No. 562, Office of Vital Statistics, 1000 SW, Jackson, Suite 120, Topeka, KS Norman Graham ( ) Kansas, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road York Springs, PA 20 Marriage Records, 1911, Courthouse Annex, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Obituary, The Shippensburg News Chronicle, June 1963, Shippensburg Historical Society 52 West King Street P.O. Box 539, Shippensburg PA 22 Cumberland County Marriage Registration, Marriage License No , Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court, 1 Courthouse Square, Room 102 Carlisle, PA National Archives Revolutionary War Pension Records, Revolutionary War Military Rosters from PA, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD Yearbook of Pennsylvania, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1776 D Street, Northwest, Washington D.C Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 5

7 Between 1901 until their deaths my great-grandparents, William and Sadie Graham, lived as a family with Sadie s parents in their family home on present day Mongul Hill Road, Mogul Pennsylvania. This is the ancestral home area of both the Greenawalt and Graham families. All of the children of William and Sadie were born in the family home located on Mogul Hill Road, Mongul in Southampton Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. i Dora Alice Graham was born June 14 th 1901 Mogul, Southampton Township Franklin County. 25 She died March 12 th 1906 in Mongul, and is buried with her siblings and parents in the Lurgan Church Cemetery, in the town of Lurgan, Lurgan Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. 26 ii Florence Jeannette Graham was born August 13 th 1903 in Letterkenny Township Franklin County. 27 She died July 13 th 1913 and is buried with her siblings and parents in the Lurgan Church Cemetery. 28 iii Calvin Stoey Graham was born November 29 th 1905 in Mongul, Southampton Township Franklin County. He died June 14 th 1983 while living in Franklintown York County Pennsylvania. Calvin is buried with his wife Ruth Etta Barr 29 in the Dillsburg Cemetery, Dillsburg York County Pennsylvania. 30 iv Elsie May Graham was born Sep 20 th 1908 and died still born September 20 th She is buried in the Lurgan Cemetery Lurgan, Lurgan Township Franklin County Pennsylvania next to her siblings and parents. 31 There is one photo we have of Florence and Calvin, dated about From a photo of gravestones, and county records, William and Sadie s children died early in childhood, except for my grandfather Calvin. Dora died on March 12 th 1906 at the age of 4 years and 9 months, Florence died on July 13 th 1913 at the age of 8 years and 11 months, and Elsie was stillborn on September 20 th The entire William Graham family, except my grandfather Calvin, was buried in the Lurgan Church cemetery, Lurgan Township Franklin County PA. Except for his step-son Britton, my grandfather Calvin was the only remaining child between William and Sadie. Sadie passed away at the age of 81 years old, in her home at 9:00 in the morning of June 13 th William continued to live in the Greenawalt family home, with Sadie s sister, Annie Wenger. In 1948, William would move into Franklin County Home located in Chambersburg Guilford Township County Pennsylvania. 33 Six months later, he would pass away on June 11 th 1948, at 4:15 in the afternoon. He was 74 years, 8 months, and 29 days old. William s services were held at 2:00 P. M. on June 15 th 1948 at the M. Garfield Funeral Home in Shippensburg Pennsylvania, which was conducted by Reverend Leroy Perry. William was buried on June 15 th 1948 in the Lurgan Cemetery Lurgan, Lurgan Township Franklin County Pennsylvania 34 next to his Wife and Children. Our grandfather Calvin signed William s death certificate, which indicated William was from R.R. #3 Shippensburg, Franklin County. The certificate didn t list his mother s and father s name; that William was a widower, not identifying his wife s name; and that William s birth date was unknown. William died Friday 4:11 P.M., June 11 th 1948, resulting from heart disease, and his age was estimated to be about 75. If William was 75, and if born in the month of May, he would have been born in All of the Greenawalt records and Sadie s obituary indicated she was born May 6 th 1865, and passed away at 9 o clock Thursday morning on June 13 th 1946 in her home at Mongul Southampton Township Pennsylvania. Both William s and Sadie s obituaries didn t provide any more information from what we already knew about them. 25 Register of Births, Volume 3, , Page 85, Clerk of Courts, Courthouse Annex, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Grave Stone, Lurgan United Brethren Church Cemetery, 7900 Roxbury Road, Lurgan Pennsylvania Register of Births, Volume 3, , Page 87, Clerk of Courts, Courthouse Annex, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Grave Stone, Lurgan United Brethren Church Cemetery, 7900 Roxbury Road, Lurgan Pennsylvania Ruth Etta Barr Family, 2000, Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road York Springs PA Calvin Graham ( ) Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road York Springs, PA Birth Records, Clerk of Courts, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Obituary, Shippensburg News Chronicle, June 18, 1946, Shippensburg Historical Society 52 West King Street P.O. Box 539, Shippensburg PA 33 Certificate of Death, File No , Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records, 101 South Mercer Street, Room 401, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle PA Certificate of Death, File Number 52764, June 12 th 1948, Ibid Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 6

8 Our grandfather Calvin was born November 29 th 1905 in the town of Mongul Lurgan Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. He lived with his parents until about 1925 when he moved to the Harrisburg city area. We assume that Calvin had a contact in Harrisburg, most likely a family member. We were told a story about him having a connection to Earl Hoffman, and how Earl s great-grandfather Boyd Hoffman hopped a train out of Shippensburg, and rode it to Harrisburg. 35 The Hoffman connection is through Calvin s mother s Greenawalt family. His mother Sadie s niece was Pearl Greenawalt, who married Boyd Hoffman. Calvin may have arrived in the Harrisburg area by the same means as Boyd, and his Pearl may also have been his connection to Harrisburg. But, he may have had another contact or other connection, and if he did, who where they? Calvin was about 19 years old when he married my grandmother, Ruth Etta Barr, on June 29 th Ruth was 18 years old at the time. 36 Ruth was born May 5 th 1908 in Harrisburg Dauphin County Pennsylvania to Harvey Barr and Sarah Henrietta Ellis. The Barr family already lived in Paxtang Borough before Calvin moved to the area from Mongul Franklin County. Ruth s family lineage has been traced back to Melchoir Baer 37 and his 2 nd marriage to Eva Elizabeth Christman family, who were settlers of Whitehall Twp. Lehigh Co. PA during the early and middle 18 th century. 38 Calvin died June 14 th 1983 while living in Franklintown York County Pennsylvania. He is buried next to his wife, and his daughter and her Hipp family in the Dillsburg Cemetery, Dillsburg York County. 39 Calvin married Ruth Etta Barr on June 29 th 1927 in Harrisburg Dauphin County Pennsylvania. According to my father s birth certificate, Calvin was 22 years old and Ruth was 20 years old when my father was born on October 4 th According to the 1930 census records my grandparents owned the home where they lived; 3210 Brisban Street, Paxtang Borough Dauphin County. Paxtang Borough is adjacent to Harrisburg s eastern City line. They lived there until the early or mid 1930s, when they moved to Franklintown (outside Dillsburg), Franklin Township York Co. PA. Calvin died June 14 th 1983 at the age of 78 years and 8 months, and Ruth died August 1994 at the age of 86 years and 3 months. Both were buried in the Dillsburg York Co. PA Cemetery. We were told our grandparents had to wed, but so far all we know is that Calvin and Ruth Graham had five children; Robert Harvey, twins Jean Louise and Sarah (Sally) Marie, Patricia Ann, and Keith Ellis. My father is Robert (Bob) Harvey Graham; Harvey is from his mother s father s name, Harvey Barr. The name Ellis is Ruth s mother s maiden name. (Check all photos and Harrisburg paper, April 13 to 30, 1946 for add of Desoto Auto Dealer with Calvin s picture) My father Bob died on December 21 st 2004 at the age of 76 years and 2 months, and he rest beside my mother, Dorothy Irene Klinger. 40 (My mother s families can be traced to early settlers of PA; Klinger s of Lykens Township and Harrisburg Dauphin County, and Wrightstone s of Fairview, Newberry, and Monahan Townships York County, and Hampton Township, Lemoyne, and Mechanicsburg areas Cumberland County.) Bob s youngest sister, my aunt Jean, died in June 9 th 2006 and is buried beside her husband, Roy Eugene Hipp of Tennessee who died June 1 st 1997, and her youngest son David who died in They all are resting adjacent to my grandparents, Calvin and Ruth. The other siblings are still living: Sally Rosenberger and Pat Napoli of Dillsburg, York County Pa; and Keith with his wife Carol Elaine Davis, of the Fort Wayne Indiana area. 35 Conversation between Boog Graham and Earl Hoffman, who is the Great- Grandson of Boyd Hoffman and Pearl Greenawalt 36 Ruth Barr s Family, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road, York Springs PA Melchior Barr ( ) Lehigh County, Ibid 38 History Of Lehigh County Pennsylvania and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Its Families, Author: Roberts, Stoudt, Krick, & Dietrich - Publication: Lehigh Valley Publishing Company, Ltd. Allentown, PA Calvin Graham ( ) York County, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road York Springs, PA The Wrightstone Family and Klinger Family, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road, York Springs PA Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 7

9 William Graham and Sarah (Sadie) Greenawalt William s and Sadie s 1 st child, Dora, was conceived about 3 months after the June 1900 census was taken. She was born Jun 1901, 3 months before William and Sadie officially married in October This would be the second time Sadie had a relationship with a man before marriage, and like her 1 st child Britton, another child born out of wedlock. Why did William and Sadie take so long to get married? According to the April 7 th 1930 census for Southampton Twp., Franklin County PA, William and Sadie Graham lived in Pine Hill. William was 58 years old, the census indicated that he married at the age of 20 (about 1892), and that his parent s origins were Pennsylvania. Sadie s age was listed as 64 years old, and that she married at the age of 30 (about 1895). Their ages correlate more closely to what we know of William s May 1872 and Sadie s May 1865 birth dates, even though William wouldn t be 58 or Sadie 65 for at least another month. (Note: the census question asked, What Age of First Marriage.) This was an interesting entry. We know William and Sadie married October 15 th 1901, which is after their 1 st child, Dora Alice s June 4 th 1901 birth. In 1901 William would have been 29, not 20, and Sadie 36, not 30 when they first married. We know Sadie had a child before William named Britton Earl Hostetter, or Henry. And that Britton was born May 14 th, 1889 in Lurgan, Lurgan Township Franklin Co. PA. I can t imagine William and Sadie missing their ages of their first marriage when the census taker asked the question; unless William s and Sadie s first marriage wasn t to each other in We know Sadie s situation with her 1 st child, and that William and Sadie didn t marry before Dora was born. Did William marry about 1893 and Sadie about 1894? Previous Marriages We have yet to find any record in Franklin or Cumberland County that would indicate Sadie married a Hostetter or a Henry at any time, before marrying William in I do have a photo of Sadie, with a man, and her parents Henry and Jennet. In the photo Henry is holding a male child with light hair. This is the only evidence I have to identify the father of Sadie s 1 st born, Britton. I found no marriage license, or any documented marriage event between Sadie and another man. Having a child out of wedlock was very rare during the 1890 time period. I also couldn t locate Sadie in 1880 census records. Briton s marriage application dated 1911 indicated he lived in Moursville-Mowersville PA, and his father was dead at the time the application was being completed. Briton s new wife is Lilly Henry of Shippensburg; her parents were Harvey and Sadie Henry of Shippensburg. At the 1900 census record of Hostetter may be the correct name. I will continue looking into Sadie s previous relationships, and her whereabouts between 1880 and We have a few photos of my great-grandfather as a young William Graham; 1 taken with a work crew outside of a Shippensburg State College building, circa 1912; and one taken at a Greenawalt family reunion in (Check: Where is Moursville-Mowersville PA? The Cumberland and Franklin counties marriage, death, etc for Harvey Henry/Hostetter, or any combination there of) Our great grandfather William lived his entire life in the Franklin and Cumberland County areas, so I began looking at the 1880 and 1900 census records to see how many William Graham s had my great grandfather s profile. There were a few William Graham s with birthdates that range between 1868 and 1875, living in the entire vicinity of our area of interest. There were: 41 William H. Graham in Perry County; 42 William Graham of Letterkenny Township Franklin County; William Graham of Duncannon Perry County, who comes from the family line associated with William H. Graham of Perry County; William Graham of Lower Winsor Township York County; and a William Graham of Franklin County. After conferring with other Graham researchers, I m certain these other Graham s that have similar profiles as my greatgrandfather, are not my William, but a few may be distant cousins. There is only one William Graham, in the area, that was born about 1872/73 in the Shippensburg, Southampton Township area between the time period of 1890 and 1900; my great-grandfather. 41 William Graham ( ), Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road, York Springs PA Graham W. Rider, Ph.D., Major General, USAF, Retired, Ibid Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 8

10 William Graham and Delia Catherine Killinger Here s a Surprise According to Franklin County marriage records 43, on February 5 th 1896, William Graham, age 23, farmer, from Shippensburg Cumberland County, having made his mark X, and witnessed by E.M. Shade, married Della Killinger, age 23, of Upper Strasburg Letterkenny Twp. Franklin County PA. William also listed his parents as William and Mary Graham. (It should be noted that the license did not indicate where William s parents were from. Only that William s residence is Shippensburg.) The marriage license also indicated that Della s parents were J. W. and Susan Killinger of Upper Strasburg Letterkenny Twp. Franklin County PA. (Upper Strasburg is out Orrstown Road, Rt. 533, near the now Letterkenny Army Depot. This area is within 10 miles of Shippensburg Borough, south of Orrstown PA. A check of the June 21 st 1880 census shows that there is a John W. and Susan E. Killinger family, with Della and her brothers and sisters, living in Letterkenny Twp, Franklin County PA. Another coincidence is in the 1850 Southampton Twp Franklin County Census, where a young John Killinger, 6 years old, and his family are living in the next home of Peter and Sarah Greenawalt s family. Peter and Sarah are Sarah Greenawalt s grandparents and my great-great-great grandparents.) William s marriage to Dellia Killinger took place in Franklin County, and his marriage to Sadie Greenawalt took place in Cumberland County. William is 23 years old in February 1896, and he will turn 24 on May 1896, making his birth date This correlates to what I believe is his birth date of May I also referenced 44 Delia s obituary, and her birth date was listed as January 16 th 1870, which doesn t match her marriage license, or other records that list her birth year as I think the obituary date of 1870 is in error. Regardless of the variation in the birth dates of William and Dellia, these are the people we re looking for; my greatgrandfather William Graham, and Dellia Killinger. Understanding Events Surrounding Both Marriages Well that answer s one question; did William marry about 1893 and Sadie about The dates may have been wrong, but William did marry before he married Sadie. I think Sadie married too before William, but I just haven t located the record yet. Given this I started re-reviewing and locating records around the 1900 time frame, and correlating them around significant dates and events; Dora Alice Graham s birth, where Sadie, William, and Della were living, and when William and Sadie married. This is also the 1 st time we get names on William s parents; William and Mary Graham, which we will cover later in the paper. I think I know why William and Sadie waited four months after their child Dora was born, 16 months counting conception. After all, in order for William to marry Sadie, he needs a divorce from Della. In the June 1 st 1900 Baltimore City Maryland census, we find Mary C. Graham, age 27, born January 1873 in PA, listed as married for five years, having one child and one still living, and her occupation is listed as carpet spooler. Also listed after Mary s name was Norman W. Graham who was age 3, and born July 1896 in PA. They are both living with Della s parents, John W. and Susan E. Killinger from Pennsylvania, along with her brothers and sisters. (This is Della and her parents, as its checks out with the June 21 st 1880 Letterkenny Twp, Franklin County PA census and her marriage licenses. I don t know why Della used Mary when she was in Maryland. Maybe intentionally, but Dellia s middle name is Catherine, and I think Mary and Della are the same person. I ruled out census taking error.) After checking with the Franklin County records on births, it appears Norman was born five months before William and Della were married. It s interesting to know there was another child born out of wedlock involving my great grandfather. Five months is a long time, and I can t help wonder about the 1930 census when William said he was 20 years old when he first married. If his birth year was 1872, that means he may have married in 1892/93. Was he married before Dellia? Is that why he and Dellia didn t marry until 4 months after Norman was born? (Check: Any 1892/93 marriage of William Graham; Franklin, 43 Marriage Licenses Docket, Volume 9, , License # 61, Page 61, Clerk of Courts, 157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Dellia Catherine Hockenberry Obituary, The Shippensburg News Chronicle, June 1963, Shippensburg Historical Society 52 West King Street P.O. Box 539, Shippensburg PA Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 9

11 Cumberland, Perry, Adams, Dauphin, York, and other counties. This could also lead to his parent William and Mary, if not anyone local to Shippensburg.) The June 7 th 1900 Southampton Twp., Franklin County Census listed William Graham as a servant in the home of Charles Hock, a farmer, of Southampton Township Franklin County. William is 28 years old, listed as being born May His occupation was not readable on the census form, but I think it says servant. William could read, but could not write, and he could speak English. When asked if single, married, widowed, or divorced, the census taker made a mark of either a W for Widowed or M for Married. But it is clearly not blank, or is it an S for Single or D for Divorced. William lived with the Hock family, a farmer by occupation, and who had children named Alice C., and Florence M. Names William and Sadie would later use for their children, which may be just a coincidence. This census is pivotal in getting to know if the William who married Della is the same William who married Sadie. (Here we have another census taking issue with the marital status of William, which I don t think is an error, but a hesitation by the census taker on how to record William s marital status. I keep looking at the record, and I think it is an M, meaning he s married.) Is this an S, D, W, or M? (Also listed on this census record, about eight homes away, working as a servant in the home of George and Carrie Strohn, was Anna Graham, 15 years old, no listed birth date. As I later discovered this Anna may be the daughter of a 45 David Theodore Graham, who as it turns out, may be related to my William.) In the June 19 th and 20 th 1900 Southampton Twp., Franklin Co PA census, Sadie Greenawalt and her son Britton E. lived with her parents Henry and Jeanette Greenawalt. The name on the census was listed as; Hostetter Britton E., after Sadie s name, and as a grandson to Henry. Sadie indicated she was S for single, and she had 1 child born and 1 still living. This confirms that Sadie had a son, but we know from family and other records that his name is Britton who was born May This too caused me to question; if Sadie was married before, as indicated on the 1930 census record, it would have been about Six years after Britton would have been born. What s going on here? And then there s Britton s marriage application indicating his father as Harvey Henry, not Hostetter as the 1900 census record indicates. I have yet to find records of Sadie having a last name of Hostetter or Henry, or that she was married before marrying William. (Britton s March 8 th 1911 marriage licenses indicated that his name was Britton Greenawalt, and that his father was Harvey Henry who was identified as dead, and Sadie was his mother. To my families knowledge Britton always went by Britton and not Earl) William s and Della s Divorce In the Franklin County Courthouse Clerk of Records and the Prothonotary Office, I found a record of a divorce between Della and William Graham, indexed as; Case #20, dated April 1902, decreed July 11 th 1902, Index page 119. This record indicated that Della divorced William Graham. This was also confirmed on Dellia s marriage application with Grover Hockenberry, which indicated that Dellia was divorced on July 11 th 1902 resulting from desertion. (Franklin County Courthouse records are being removed from the courthouse, and stored somewhere else. I m currently working with the Prothonotary Office to locate the files. 11/01/2007) My great-grandfather is a piece of work, especially if I find another marriage before Della. 45 The David Theodore Graham Family, Kevin Graham, 2006, Taylor ~ Graham Library, 479 County Line Road, York Springs PA Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 10

12 William Graham s and Della Killinger s Family All the June 1900 series of census records has everyone living apart from one another. William is in Southampton Twp. Cumberland Co PA; Sadie Greenawalt is living with her parents in Southampton Twp Franklin Co PA., and Della is in Baltimore MD living with her parents and son. (Southampton Twp is adjacent to one another in Franklin and Cumberland Counties. Southampton Township is a few miles north-west of Shippensburg.) It may all be coincidental, but I believe the missing, misleading, and otherwise vague notations and information on William s marriage license with Sadie were efforts by each person to disguise their identity or personal status. And why not: William and Dellia were separated; Della was off in Baltimore with her son Norman living with her parents; William and Sadie were in the Southampton area, west of Shippensburg; William lived with the Hock family and must have been horsing around with Sadie, who he got pregnant. Then before Sadie gave birth to Dora, William and Sadie got married, which was before William and Della got a divorce. I m hopeful the divorce records between William and Della will reveal something about this whole situation. For now all we know is Della said it was desertion. After finding out about William and Della, and Della with her son, Norman, residing in Baltimore in the 1900 census, and Norman s birth record, I went looking for more information. I then found Della and Norman listed in the April 23 rd 1910 Letterkenny Twp. Franklin County census for Roxbury Road. In this record we find Della, not using Mary as her first name, and Norman living with her parents. But Della and Norman are listed with their last name as Killinger, using the family name and not Graham. Then in the January 2 nd 1920 Letterkenny Twp. Franklin County census we have Susan E. Killinger, a widower, living with her sonin-law Grover C. Hockenberry, and her daughter Della C. Hockenberry, and Ethel D. Hall, who is listed as single, age 9, born in New York, parents born in PA, and a grandmother. John W. Killinger must have passed away sometime between 1910 and According to Della s obituary, her mother s maiden name was Stake; Susan E. Stake. In this 1920 census record, Susan, Grover and Della are living next door to Wesley P. Stake, who is most likely a cousin to Della on her mother s side. (Observation; another census taking error for Ethel D. Hall, 9 years old, single, and a grandmother. Is she 90 years old, and Susan s grandmother, or 9 years old and Susan s grand daughter?) I had thought Norman s middle name, Wesley, came from Della s father, John W., but it may be a Stake family name. (Check: John Killinger s obituary; is there a Wesley Stake and a Susan about 1860; and who is Ethel Hall) So where is Norman? We found Norman in the 47 February 16 th (page 8B), and 48 February 18 th (page 9A) 1920 Dickinson County Hope Twp, Hope City Kansas census records. Norman pops up as Norman Graham on two census sheets; same district and enumeration, but taken on different days. On page 9A he is shown working as a general farm laborer for Thomas McRay (McRae). On page 8B he is shown living with his wife, Hilda, and her brother and wife, Otto and Lizzie Pigersch (Pigorsch). Norman s WWI registration card from Kansas, dated June 5 th 1918, confirms this to be the Norman Graham, William and Della s son. I then tracked Norman back to PA with his wife Hilda Wilhelmina Pigorsch. They are listed in the April 2 nd 1930 Hopewell Twp., Cumberland County census record, living at 333 State Road. (Norman has been using Graham since 1910) Norman s wife, Hilda W., was born in Kansas. 49 Hilda s parents were born in Germany, and they were Augustus Wilhelm (William) and Anna Pigorsch, and all their children were born in Hope Kansas. (Check: Thomas MCray s wife is Helen, who was born in Kansas about 1893, and her father was born in Scotland, and her mother was born in PA) Why Norman left PA and went to Kansas still needs to be investigated. I can only assume a PA connection, possibly a neighbor or family member of Killinger. It may confirm what we have uncovered or provide leads as to who his father s family members are (William Graham). And since Norman registered with the military during WWI while in Kansas, I have ruled out a Military station or connection. (I ll keep looking into Norman s connection to Kansas. It may turn up 46 Della s Obituary, Shippensburg News Chronicle, June 1963, Shippensburg Historical Society 52 West King Street P.O. Box 539, Shippensburg PA 47 February 16 th 1920 Federal Census, Hope Township, Dickenson County, Kansas, Enumeration District 41, Sheet 8B 48 February 18 th 1920 Federal Census, Hope Township, Dickenson County, Kansas, Enumeration District 41, Sheet 9A 49 Bios: Selected biographies and genealogy data: Durand and Richard: Cumberland Co, PA, Contributed for use by Joe Cannon, joecan@symix.com Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 11

13 information on William s family. It could also mean that a sister or brother of Della meet someone, married, and moved to Kansas) (Check: Why did Norman go to Kansas about 1918) In the 1930 census for Hopewell Twp., I found Norman W. and Hilda W. Graham had the following children: Orval (Orville) E. born about 1923, Floyd L. born about 1924; William F. born about 1926; Charles P. born about 1927; Isabel C. born about 1928; and Albert T. born about October1929. All children where born in PA, Orval was born about This would mean Norman and Hilda must have returned to PA after the 1920 Kansas census was taken, and before Orval was born sometime around 1922/23. Norman and Hilda, and their children, live next door to Norman s mother Della Hockenberry and her 2 nd husband Grover, on 333 State Road Hopewell Twp. Cumberland County. There is no record of Susan Killinger. Grover and Della married on June 15 th The application confirms her previous marriage, and Grover s previous marriage in Grover s 1 st wife was Mary Elizabeth Thomas who died December 16 th Grover s second wife was M. Nora Hockenberry (possible cousin). 53 The fact is I have three marriage applications and licenses for Grover Hockenberry; May 12 th 1906 with Elizabeth Thomas, then November 25 th 1910 with Nora Hockenberry probably a cousin. On the 1910 application Grover identified his first marriage and Elizabeth s death on December 16 th Then Grover married Della June 15 th 1911 where he listed the death of his former wife as December 16 th 1909, not Sometime after 1930 and before 1933, Norman and Hilda moved back to Kansas. There they had more children: a daughter; Velva who was born Feb 19 th 1933 in Elmo, Dickinson County Kansas, and who died Jan. 10 th 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri; a daughter Viola who married a Stevens of Belton Kansas; and a son Gale L. Graham born about 1941, and currently living in Strong City Chase County Kansas. It s on the Graver and Della marriage application where Della indicates the cause of her divorce from William was desertion. (Check: Find original divorce papers. As of June 2011, the Franklin County Prothonotary s office can t locate them. Also find out more on Nora Hockenberry and Grover Hockenberry relationship, and Elizabeth s or Nora s obituaries.) Norman and Hilda are both buried in Elmo, Jefferson Township Dickinson County, Kansas. Dickson county seat is Abilene. William Graham Marriages Summary So, my great-grandfather was married to Della Catherine Killinger before he married Sadie Greenawalt. He also may have been married before Della. Della filed for divorce from William on grounds of desertion. The divorce was decreed on July 11 th I believe Sadie was the reason for the desertion. William married Sadie Greenawalt on October 15 th Della then married Grover Cleveland Hockenberry of Doylesburg, Fannett Twp. Franklin County PA on July 11 th Dellia would be Grover s 2 nd wife after his 1 st wife died on December 16 th As it turns out, besides Britton Greenawalt, my grandfather Calvin had another step brother, Norman Wesley, from Della s and William s marriage in And that Norman married, and had 6 boys and 3 girls, who would be 1 st cousins to my father and his brothers and sisters. This is an interesting find. I still need to map exact locations between William, Della, and Sadie around 1896, particularly with William and Sadie around September and October 1900 in Southampton Twp. of Franklin and Cumberland Counties, when their 1 st child would have been conceived. (Given all these events, I have to wonder if this adds credence to the family snapshot; of how my grandfather may have felt about his father William. I have to admit, he was something. ) 50 Marriage Licenses Docket, Volume 18, 1911, License Page 283, Clerk of Courts,157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA Marriage Licenses Docket, Volume 15, 1906, License Page 193, Ibid 52 Marriage Licenses Docket, Volume 18, 1910, License Page 82, Ibid 53 Ibid. Boog Graham, 479 County Line Road, York Springs Pennsylvania ~ booggraham@comcast.net Page 12