part 6 joseph adams, generation 5 - adams family...

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Part 6

Joseph Adams, Generation 5

We do not have many details available on Joseph or his family. Joseph was born in 1805

in Butler County, Pennsylvania. His mother, Margaret (nee Hall), died before 1820 when

Joseph was fifteen. He became a stepbrother to Jane Thompson when his father, John, Jr.,

married Annabel Wasson Thompson in 1823. Joseph was eighteen. On 13 August 1829

Joseph and Jane Thompson were married by Reverend John Coulter, a prominent

Presbyterian cleric at the home of his father, John Adams.

REV. JOHN COULTER was born June 26, 1784, in

Northumberland County, Pa., and died Dec. 6, 1867. He

was ordained at Butler Sept. 10, 1823, and installed pastor

of the churches of Butler, Muddy Creek and Concord. Ten

years later he was released from Butler and seventeen

years after that, from Muddy Creek. He became pastor of

Pleasant Valley June 17, 1850 and West Sunbury Oct. 21,

1862. Two years later on account of failing health he was

released from his three churches, having been pastor of

Concord for 41 years, just 3 years less than his son served

at Scrubgrass.

Ref: History of the Scrubgrass Presbyterian Church, 1903

Ref: Records of Jane Thompson Adams (see private record file for

same.)

Reverend John Coulter

1784- 1867

My third great-grandfather, Joseph Adams, and his wife, Jane Thompson, who, while not

a blood relative, was his stepsister. Joseph was a farmer and apparently a “prosperous

young mechanic” when he and Jane were married, according to Jane’s obituary in the

New Castle News. (See page 162.)

Joseph bought fifty acres of land from his father, John, Jr., who relieved the note due in

his will of 1836, written two years prior to John’s death. Joseph built their home and

lived on this property in Centre (Clay) Township, of Butler County. They had eleven

children, namely:

1) Anabell W. Adams

2) Margaret H. Adams

3) Eliza Jane Adams

4) Mary Adams

5) Hezakiah Kezia Adams

6) William John Adams

7) Myra Adams

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8) Alfred A. Adams

9) James Adams

10) Noemi M. Adams

11) Jemima Adams

Anabell Adams and her children (*) are shown on lines 34-41 with all the children’s

names appear both in the federal census and Civil War records that have been retained in

individual family files.

*

*

*

*

*

*

**

Federal Census Record for Centre Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Dated 28 September, 1850, 84

156

Joseph and his family are shown (**) on the preceding census page on line 42, while his

wife, Jane, and children, Margaret H., Eliza Jane, Mary, Kezia, William John, Myra,

Alfred A and James Adams are listed above on lines 1-8.. Noemi M. and Jemima Adams

were born after 1850.

**

**

**

**

**

**

Federal Census Record for Centre Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Dated 28 September, 1850, Page 285

157

Joseph enlisted in the Army in August 1862 when he was 56 years old. He fought in the

Civil War for the Union, receiving a disability discharge in December 1862. Joseph

Adams’ Service Record is included as follows:

Enlisted as a Private on 12 August 1862

Enlisted in Company G, 134th Infantry Regiment Pennsylvania on 12 August 1862

Received a disability discharge on 08 December 1862

He applied for pension #7474 on 06 January 1863

His widow, Jane (Thompson) Adams, applied for pension #279833 on 10 January 1881

Sources:

History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865. (PA Roster) Published in 1870

National Archives: Index to Federal Pension Records. (PenIndex) Ref: Ancestry.com

One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Infantry: Colonel Matthew S. Quay,

Edward O'Brien; Lieutenant Colonel Edward O'Brien, John M. Thompson,

William H. Shaw; Major John M. Thompson, William H. Shaw, Cyrus E.

Anderson. This regiment was recruited under the call of July 1862, for nine

months. Companies A, B, D and H were raised in Lawrence county; C, F,

G and K in Butler; and E and I in Beaver. The men rendezvoused at Camp

Curtin, Harrisburg, and were mustered into service during the first half of

Aug. 1862. On account of the advance of the enemy on Washington, the

regiment was ordered to the capital before its organization was completed

and left the state on August 20. Its organization was completed at

Washington. Very few of the officers and men had seen service before. It

arrived too late to participate in either the second Bull Run or Antietam

battles, and encamped near Antietam until the end of October. While here

Col. Quay was stricken with typhoid fever and resigned on Dec. 7, being

succeeded by Lieut. Col. O'Brien. It participated in the battle of

Fredericksburg as part of Tyler's brigade, Humphrey’s Division, 5th corps,

and was on the right of the first line in the final charge on the stone wall, in

which it lost 14 killed, 106 wounded and 19 missing. Maj. Thompson had

his horse shot under him, and was among the wounded. Col. Quay was a

Volunteer aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Tyler during the engagement.

The 134th remained in camp, except for Burnside's abortive movement in

Jan. 1863, until April 27 when it moved upon the Chancellorsville

campaign. The regiment was active on the 3d day of the battle and was

highly commended in Gen. Tyler’s official report of the engagement. Its

loss was 48 killed, wounded and missing. On the expiration of its term of

service soon after, it proceeded to Harrisburg and was there mustered out

on May 26, 1863.

158

Source: The Union Army, Vol. 1

Abraham Lincoln

The Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in 1861

Unknown Origin

The details of the above photographs are unknown as to title or source.

159

War Department papers for Joseph received from the National Archives include a

document from the Adjunct General’s Office dated 30 May 1880 that describes Joseph

Adams’ battles that he fought in and provides the following account:

“On the muster roll of Co. G of that Regiment (134th), for the months of

September and October, 1862, he (Joseph) is reported present. November

and December 1862, discharged for disability, December 8th

, 1862.

Company was at Boonsboro, Md., Sept 17, 1862. They arrived on the

battlefield of Antietam on the morning of Sept 18, 1862. The record states

that he was ruptured by falling on his gun while crossing a fence at the

Battle of Antietam.”

Ref. Joseph Adams Papers, War Department, National Archives

Battle Site at Antietam, September 19, 1862

Alexander Gardner took 70 photographs of the battlefield starting just two days after the

battle. This was the first time an American battlefield had ever been photographed before

the dead had been buried.

Ref: These images are from multiple sources including The Library of Congress and the National

Archives and Records Administration. The navigation, design and text used are the Intellectual

Property (IP) of Missouri Communities, LLC.

The bloodiest day in United States history was September 17, 1862, when,

during the Civil War battle at Antietam, close to 6,500 soldiers were killed

or mortally wounded and another 15,000 were seriously wounded.

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Moreover, James M. McPherson states in his concise chronicle of the event

Crossroads of Freedom, it may well have been the pivotal moment of the

war and possibly of the young republic itself. The South, after a series of

setbacks in the spring of 1862, had reversed the war's momentum during the

summer, and was on not only on the "brink of military victory" but about to

achieve diplomatic recognition by European nations, most notably England

and France. Though the bulk of his book concerns itself with the details--

and incredible carnage--of the battle itself, McPherson raises it above

typical military histories by placing it in its socio-political context: The

victory prodded Abraham Lincoln to announce his "preliminary"

Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves. England and France deferred

their economic alliance with the battered secessionists. Most importantly, it

kept Lincoln's party, the Republicans, in control of Congress.

Ref: Official Records, Report of Major General George B. McClellan

Battles of South Mountain and Antietam near Sharpsburg, MD, September 29, 1862

http://www.civil-war.net/official_records/mcclellan_antietam.htm

There are bountiful artifacts, historical monuments and battleground tours from the

Antietam Visitor's Center most worthy of a visit. The photograph below depicts the

preservation of the famous bridge and surrounding landscape.

taken by V. P. Adams on 23 May 2012

This photograph was taken in the summer of 2012, during a visit that Polly and I made

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En route to New York to research Compatriot, Joseph Richardson, Polly’s Patriot

Ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War.

BUTLER COUNTY DURING THE WAR OF 1861-65

TWO HUNDRED AND TWELFTH REGIMENT

SIXTH ARTILLERY

The men comprising this organization were principally from the counties of

Allegheny, Butler, Westmoreland, Fayette, Washington and Lawrence,

Batteries A and B being made up almost wholly of Butler County men. The

regiment was organized at Camp Reynolds, near Pittsburgh, September 15,

1864, with the following field officers: Charles BARNES, Colonel; Joseph

B. COPELAND, Lieutenant Colonel; Robert H. LONG, Joseph R. KEMP

and Frank H. WHITE, Majors. On the 17th of September, the regiment

started for Washington, and on its arrival there was assigned to the Second

Brigade of De RUSSEY's Division, then garrisoning the defenses of the

capital. It was detached from the division on the 29th of the same month,

and ordered to guard a portion of the Orange & Alexandria Railroad

between Alexandria and Manassas. The several companies were stationed

at intervals along the line, and headquarters were established at Fairfax

Court House. The regiment was charged with the duty of keeping open the

part of the railroad entrusted to it, to prevent interruption in the

transportation of supplies to Sheridan’s army. The people were hostile,

roving bands of guerrillas infested the country, and incessant vigilance was

necessary to guard against surprise. Col BARNES and nearly all of his

officers and men had had previous military experience, and the discipline,

which they had gained, needed to be judiciously exercised; for only by

sound discretion could the enemy be kept at bay. It was almost certain death

for soldiers to go outside of the lines. Three soldiers ventured outside, on

one occasion, and were immediately fired upon by parties in ambush, and

severely wounded. Their assailants then rushed from their place of

concealment, and stood over their bleeding victims, discharging their pistols

at them until life was extinct.

Ref: 1883 History of Butler County Pennsylvania, rootsweb.com, p. 124

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Jane Thompson Adams, Wife of Joseph Adams

Jane was a strong and courageous woman that derived her strong character from her

heritage that reflects a fascinating, pioneering history. Jane’s mother, Anabell Ann

Wasson, was the second wife of Joseph’s father, John Adams, Jr. as earlier described.

Jane Thompson Adams was referred to as “a veritable Mother in Israel” presumably

because her grandson, Charles, was a Missionary in Jerusalem. A number of photographs

were provided to me by Mary Elizabeth Adams Burbick, daughter of Harry Thompson

Adams, also a son of William John Adams and grandfather to Joseph. The photographs

depict her Uncle Charlie in various parts of Palestine and Israel. (See Charles Harvey

Adams in Part 8.) Additionally Jane was a faithful member of the Reformed Presbyterian

(Covenanter) Church.

Extracted from the New Castle News, 26 June 1895

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Apart from the time spent in the Civil War there is record of Joseph’s family living in

Slippery Rock Township located in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. In military records

filed by Joseph for his pension, the conclusion was made that while he had a hernia

problem when he was a young man, it was ultimately resolved that it was his war injury

in 1862 that caused his major disability. Joseph applied for pension #7474 on 06 January

1863. Although Joseph had the farmland he acquired from his father, the 1850 Census

shows Joseph’s occupation as a shoemaker. One might believe that his early abdominal

hernia might not have allowed Joseph to farm or run his mechanics service business, thus

taking on a more sedentary job. Fifty acres of land may also have been too small a plot to

profitably farm.

After the war, Joseph and Jane lived in Prospect, Butler County, Pennsylvania until the

spring of 1864 when they moved back to Rose Point. They lived together until May 1868.

Joseph went west with a brother for about 21 months evidently suffering pain and agony

both from his injury and the horrific battle at Antietam, Maryland.* He and Jane did not

live together thereafter. He died on April 7, 1880 at his daughter, Annabel and her

husband Thomas Prior’s home, in Boydstown, Oakland Township, Butler County,

Pennsylvania.

Jane received, after a most arduous effort, a war pension in 1881 until her death in 1895.

The pension was originally denied until Jane established, through much documentation

that included considerable deposition testimony of their Minister, Reverend John Coulter,

and bible records to prove who she was and why she was entitled to Joseph’s pension

after he died, particularly since they were not living together at the time of his death.

Although the lack of civil and vital record keeping at the time imposed great hardship

upon Jane, I am most appreciative of the War Department for retaining these hundreds of

documents over these past 125 years and making them available for this genealogical

research and documentation.

We can only imagine the deep adverse affects that fighting in the bloody Battle of

Antietam had upon the families of the fallen and injured soldiers. The agony, hardship

and strife of this battle likewise had to take its toll upon the surviving families in their

devastated lives. Joseph could not possibly have returned to the pastoral setting of the

rolling Appalachian farm land as the same man who was sent out to war. Very possibly

neither Jane nor Joseph’s family fully realized the pain and anguish that their husband

and father suffered from such devastating consequences of that brutal battle.

Joseph died in 1880 and his grave is found at the West Sunbury II Cemetery in Clay

Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania near where he died. The following Pennsylvania

Veterans Burial Record was obtained from Ancestry.com.

* Note: Post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) has only recently been recognized in military

personnel. PTSD develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of

physical harm. The person who develops PTSD may have been the one who was harmed, the harm may have happened to a loved one, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that

happened to loved ones or strangers.

164

Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Card for Joseph Adams

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Joseph’s gravestone apparently located at

the United Presbyterian Church Cemetery in

West Sunbury, Butler County, Pennsylvania

has not as yet been located and

photographed.

United Presbyterian Church Cemetery

West Sunbury, Butler, PA

Joseph and Jane had eleven children. Their sixth child, William John Adams, was born

2 August 1843 and is the one from whom the author’s family line descends and is the

subject of Part 7 (William John Adams).

The following Family Group Sheets lists and provides brief information on all eleven

children.

166

Family Group Sheet Joseph and Jane Thompson Adams

Husband: Joseph Adams

Born 1: 1805 in: Butler Co., PA

Born 2: 1806 in: Pennsylvania Born 3: 1808 in: Pennsylvania

Married 1: 13 Aug 1829 in: John Adams' home by Rev. John Coulter/ Coultersville

Married 2: 1829

Died: 07 Apr 1880 in: Oakland Twp., Butler County, PA 72y L.R. 10062

Father: John Adams

Mother: Margaret Peggy Hall

Wife: Jane Thompson

Born 1: 23 Sep 1811 in: Butler Co., Center Twp., PA

Born 2: 1811 in: Butler, Pennsylvania, USA


Died 1: 24 Jun 1895 in: Rose Point, Lawrence County, PA

Died 2: 28 Sep 1850

Father: John Thompson

Mother: Anabel Ann Wasson

CHILDREN

1 Name: Anabell W. Adams

Born 1: 28 Jun 1830 in: PA

Born 2: 1830 in: Pennsylvania


Died: in: PA Married:

Spouse: Thomas Prior

2 Name: Margaret H. Adams

Born 1: 10 Feb 1833 in: PA


Died: WFT Est. 1834-1927 in: PA

3 Name: Eliza Jane Adams

Born: 26 Jun 1835 in: Butler Co., Center Twp., PA

Died: Aft. 1900 in: Youngstown, Mahoning County, OH Married:

Spouse: John Ewing

4 Name: Mary Adams

Born: 18 Mar 1835 in: PA

Died: Bef. 1910 in: PA

Spouse: Henry Sidel

5 Name: Hezakiah Kezia Adams

Born 1: 08 Aug 1840 in: PA


Died: in: PA

6 Name: William John Adams

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Born 1: 02 Aug 1844 in: Slippery Rock Twp, Lawrence Co., PA


Born 3: 02 Aug 1843 in: Slippery Rock Twp, Lawrence, Pennsylvania, USA


Died 1: 03 Jan 1929 in: Rose Point, Lawrence Co., PA, 1125 Highland Ave.

Died 2: 03 Jan 1929 in: Rose Point, Lawrence, Pennsylvania, USA Married: 12 Sep 1866 in: Rosepoint, Lawrence County, PA

Spouse: Mary Elizabeth McKean

6 Married: 1906 in: PA

Spouse: Nancy Kane

7 Name: Myra Adams

Born 1: 11 Dec 1845 in: PA



Died: Mar 1870 in: Lawrence Co, PA

Married:

Spouse: Bresham

8 Name: Alfred A. Adams

Born 1: 06 Dec 1847 in: PA





Died: Aft. 1910 in: PA

Married: in: PA

Spouse: Rachel

9 Name: James Adams

Born 1: Mar 1850 in: PA




Died: Abt. 1869 in: PA

10 Name: Neomi M. Adams

Born 1: 06 Apr 1852 in: PA



Born 4: 1853 in: Pennsylvania Died: 1930 in: PA

Married:

Spouse: Robert Algeo

11 Name: Jemima Adams

Born 1: 30 May 1855 in: PA



Born 4: 1856 in: Rose Point, Lawrence Co., PA, 1125 Highland Ave.

Died: 25 Apr 1941 in: McKeesport, PA

Married: 1877 Spouse: Ambrose C. Uptegraff

part 6 joseph adams, generation 5 - adams family...

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