While visiting my daughter in August in Rockville, Maryland, I went to the National Archives for three days while she was working during the day. I had been there for three days in June looking for information on Daniel McCoy, a Revolutionary War ancestor who had applied for a Revolutionary War pension in June, 1820, prior to his death on 30 January 1821. See previous blog posts on him for more information. I wanted to find the pension payment vouchers to see what additional information they might provide on him that wasn't in his pension file. There was nothing for him in the Selected Final Payment Vouchers that I checked in June (Record Group 217, Series 722). I also checked Registers of Pension Payments (14 unindexed volumes) in Record Group 217, Series 206 in June to see if they showed when he was paid by the Pennsylvania agency in Philadelphia but there were no entries for him. This is not as daunting as it seems since only certain volumes contain records for the Pennsylvania agency. The early volumes are the only ones that contain information on payments made under the Act of 1818 but I did not know this until I looked at all the volumes.
I decided to look at the Settled Accounts of Pension Agents in Record Group 217, Series 721 when I went back there in August. I knew he had been approved for a pension on 10 July 1820 from his pension file and I knew that he had died on 30 January 1821. I began by checking the Pennsylvania agency in Philadelphia for the fourth quarter of 1820 and the first quarter of 1821 but found nothing for him. I then checked the second quarter of 1821 and hit the jackpot. Daniel and John McCoy, as the administrators of his estate, filed for the pension payment due him. They appointed Robert Toland, an attorney in Philadelphia, to receive the payment for them. A pension payment could only be paid at that time by a pensioner receiving the payment himself at the U.S. Bank in Philadelphia or having an agent receive it for him. The administrators for Daniel McCoy, Sr. received $86.93 for the period from 4 March 1820 to 30 January 1821 when he died. Among the papers with the pension payment voucher is a letter dated 9 December 1820 stating that the schedule of his property had been received and that his pension would be paid the next March but no arrearages would be paid. The Pennsylvania agency was checked for the third quarter of 1820 but I found nothing for him. Since he was approved for a pension on 10 July 1820 retroactive to 8 June 1818, he should have received $167.16 in arrearages according to his pension file. No record could be found of it having been paid during the period from July, 1820 to May, 1821 when the final payment was made on his pension. I will look for it again if I am able to go back to the National Archives. The papers that were found with his pension payment voucher are included here since they contain valuable information that is difficult to access.
The pension payment voucher was number 874 and was filed with the M's for the second quarter of 1821 for the Pennsylvania agency in Philadelphia.
This is the pension certificate that was issued to him in July, 1820.
This is the four pages that the administrators submitted to receive the final pension payment for Daniel McCoy, Sr. Note that it gives the date when he died and includes the signatures of his administrators, Daniel and John McCoy, who were also his sons.
This was the letter sent to Daniel McCoy, Sr. in December, 1820 that the schedule of his property had been received and that he would be paid the following March but that no arrearages would be paid.
The following is the power of attorney for Robert Tolland.
The following is the receipt for the final payment.
I have been working on my Rowland family lately. See the previous post on Welsh Origin of Griffith Rowland and his parents of Cambria County, Pennsylvania for background on the Rowland family. William Rowland (1801-1883) was born in Cambria County and moved to South Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania about 1838. He married Clarissa Rundel (1809-1897) on 12 April 1832, probably in Cambria County. According to the History of Indiana County by Stewart, her parents were Gilbert Rundel and Amy Nichols from Genesee County, New York. This is the only place where I have found the maiden name of Gilbert Rundel's wife. Gilbert Rundel was living in Jackson Township, Cambria County in the 1830 census and in Carroll Township, Cambria County in the 1840 census. His wife Amy was living with her two sons Chaney and Asept in Carroll Township, Cambria County in the 1850 census. She was born about 1774 in Rhode Island according to the 1850 census. Gilbert was born between 1770 and 1780 based on his age in the 1840 census. He probably died sometime between 1840 and 1850 since he does not appear in the 1850 census.
Part of Pennsylvania was claimed by the Susquehanna Company as part of Connecticut in the second half of the 1700's. This was the area along the Susquehanna River. There was bloodshed and conflicts over this area claimed by both Pennsylvania and the Susquehanna Company settlers as part of Connecticut. In 1782 court commissioners, under the Articles of Confederation, decided this area belonged to Pennsylvania but cautioned Pennsylvania to treat the Susquehanna Company settlers fairly. Luzerne County was created in 1786 so that Susquehanna Company settlers could elect their own justices of the peace and representatives to the Pennsylvania legislature. All of the land claims of the Susquehanna Company settlers were not resolved with Pennsylvania until 1810. Luzerne County covered a much larger area in 1786 than it does today. Present day Bradford County was created in 1810 from parts of Luzerne and Lycoming counties.
Gilbert Rundel appears in the 1820 census in Canton Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He appears in the 1810 census in Caledonia Township, Genesee County, New York. Caledonia Township is part of Livingston County, New York today.
Gilbert appears in the 1800 census in Wysox Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. There is a Timothy Nichols living next to him in the 1800 census in Wysox Township. Reuben Case, Timothy Nichols' son-in-law, is also living nearby. Timothy Nichols and Reuben Case are living in Hebron Township, Washington County, New York in the 1790 census. Gilbert Rundel appears on an assessment list in Granville Township, Washington County, New York in 1799. Granville and Hebron townships in Washington County are adjacent to each other. Timothy Nichols, Sr. transferred land in Hebron Township, Washington County to his son Timothy Nichols, Jr. in 1797. Timothy Nichols, Jr. appears on an assessement list in Hebron Township, Washington County in 1799. Reuben Case settled in present day Troy Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania in 1798 according to a Bradford County history by Heverly. Timothy Nichols and his son-in-law, Reuben Case, and Gilbert Rundel were all living near each other in Wysox Township, Luzerne County in 1800.
A "Petition of the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania Who Settled on Lands Claimed Under Grants From the State of Connecticut" was read by Congress on 5 January 1802. Among the 1150 names on the petition dated 1 November 1801 were those of Reuben Case, Timothy Nichols, and Gilbert Randell. Congress did not act on their petition since they felt the matter had already been settled. It is believed that Amy Nichols' father was Timothy Nichols although positive proof has not been found.
Genesee County, New York was opened for settlement in 1802 and originally encompassed all of western New York. Gilbert Rundel left Luzerne County sometime after 1801 and was living in Caledonia Township, Genesee County by 1810. Sometime between 1810 and 1820 he moved to Canton Township, Bradford County. Sometime between 1820 and 1830 he moved to Cambria County. No deeds were found for Gilbert Rundel (also checked various spellings) in Genessee County, New York. No probate records were found for Gilbert Rundel in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
The 1820 census probably gives the best snapshot of Gilbert Rundel's family:
Free white males 16 thru 25-2
Free white males 45 and over-1
Free white females under 10-2
Free white females 10 thru 15-2
Free white females 45 and over-1
Number of persons engaged in agriculture-1
Cheney and Asept were living with Amy Rundel in the 1850 census but Clarissa is the only one of his daughters whose name is known.
Timothy Nichols married Experience Bowen on 9 September 1764 in Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island. Their marriage is recorded in the town records as well as the births of two of their children: Experience born 2 November 1766 and Timothy born 12 July 1769. Timothy Nichols household in the 1790 census in Hebron Township, Washington County, New York consisted of the following persons:
Free white males under 16-1
Free white males 16 and over-1
Free white females-4
His daughter Experience was not included in his household in 1790 since she had already married Reuben Case. His son Timothy would have been about 21 in 1790. If Amy was one of his daughters, then he had a son and three daughters whose names are unknown. Note that the 1850 census states that Amy Rundel was born in Rhode Island.
Volume 3 of Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and his descendants states that Timothy Nichols was a blacksmith and had sold all his property in Coventry, Rhode Island by 1772. The book also states he was absent from Coventry's 1774, 1777, and 1782 censuses; and from its town "inventory" in 1778. Where did Timothy Nichols move after he left Coventry? He purchases land in 1790 in Hebron Township, Washington County, New York and is in the 1790 census there. It should be noted that Washington County, New York is adjacent to Vermont and Connecticut. The New England Historical and Genealogical website, American Ancestors.org, has a database that has many New England records. The only records in its database for Timothy Nichols are for his marriage to Experience Bowen,and the births of their children, Experience and Timothy, mentioned previously. Timothy Nichols and his son-in-law, Reuben Case, appear in the 1820 census for Danby Township, Tioga County, New York. It is believed that this is where Timothy Nichols and his wife probably died since he does not appear in the 1830 census there. There are no deeds or probate records for Timothy Nichols in Tioga County, New York.
If anyone has any additonal information on Gilbert Rundel or Timothy Nichols, I would love to hear from you. Does anyone know the names of Gilbert Rundel's or Timothy Nichols' other children?
William Buterbaugh (1778-19August 1859)and his wife Christena Rodkey/Rotkey (1776-25 September 1859) are buried at the East Mahoning Baptist Cemetery in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. They had eight children who will not be named since the Buterbaugh family is not our focus here today but their children are named in the following Indiana County deeds: deed book 25, page 626 and deed book 26, page 121. The short biography for Joseph L. Buterbaugh in Caldwell's 1880 History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania on page 482 gives his grandparents' names as William and Christina Buterbaugh nee Rotkey. This is the only mention of her maiden name that I can find other than later family histories. William Buterbaugh came from Huntingdon County where Elias and Rosina Rodkey owned a tavern in Williamsburg, Woodberry Township. A William Butterbaugh is living in Morris Township, Huntingdon Township in 1800 near Joseph and Peter Butterbaugh. William Butterbaugh is 16 to 25 with a wife the same age and one son under 10. He appears in 1810 in Allegheny Township, Huntingdon County under the name Wm Booterbaugh and in 1820 in Woodberry Township, Huntingdon County under the name William Butterbock. He is in Green Township in the 1830 census under the name William Buterbaugh.
Now for the Rodkey family. Elias Rodkey first apppears in Williamsburg, Huntingdon County in 1798 when he is taxed under the U.S. Direct Tax. He owned 2 houses and 2 lots in the town of Williamsburg. He also appears in the 1800 census but died prior to
19 December 1801 when his wife Rosina and son Jacob filed letters of administration to administer his estate. Rosina appears in the 1810 census as R. Rodkey in Williamsburg, Huntingdon County. She is a female 45 years and over living near her son Jacob. She died sometime after this.
Elias and Rosina Barbara Rodkey had children baptized at Friedens Lutheran Church (also known as the Allemangel or White Church) near Stony Run, Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania between 1762 and 1776. The name was spelled Ratchen or Rathge in the baptismal records. These records are available in Rev. Schumacher's record book, in the baptismal register for Friedens Lutheran Church, and on Ancestry.com. There are two baptims for a Christine:
1). Christine Rathge, born 9 December 1773, baptized 1 January 1774
Parents: Elias and Rosina Rathge
Sponsors: Geo. Michael Reinhart and Chrine Boeander
2). Christine Margaret baptized 11 August 1776, 13 weeks old
Parents: Elias and Rosina Barbara Ratchen
Sponsors: Henry Geuck and Anna Marg. Boelender
If one goes by the information on Christena Buterbaugh's tombstone, she was born about 1776. That would indicate that it is the second Christine but I have never seen the name Margaret used for her.
Elias and Christine Rodkey and their children appear in church records in Maryland between 1784 and 1796. Elias and his wife Rosina Radge(h) appear in the records of St. Benjamin's Lutheran Church (also known as Krider's or Pipe Creek) near Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, as communicants and sponsors in 1786 and 1791. Their son Jacob and his wife Margaret have two daughters, Elisabeth (1786) and Mary (1796) baptized at this church.
Elias' son Jac. Radgie, single, and his daughter, Cathr. Radge, single, were communicants on 7 November, 1784 at St. Mary's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Silver Run, Carroll County, Maryland. It is assumed that Elias and his wife Rosina were living in Carroll County, Maryland also at this time.
The Lutheran church record for St. Paul's Church of Arcadia, Baltimore County, Maryland, was destroyed in a fire but the Rev. C. Stork Jones published a pamphlet in 1902 on the history of the church. According to this pamphlet, Elias and Rosina Barbara Rathge and their children Christina and Daniel appeared in the records for this church in 1794.
A Nicholas Rathge of Albany Township died in Berks County in 1760. His will was written 22 April 1760 and probated 23 May 1760. He names his wife Maria Anna Ursula and his children Elias and Anna Margaret in his will. Elias Ratchen and Maria Ursula (son and wife of Nicholas Rattge) were sponsors for Maria Ursula, daughter of Johann Wilhelm Weynand and Gerdraut on 13 November 1757 at the Allemangel Church (see Record Book of Daniel Schumacher).
Nicolas Rattge arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 26 September, 1737 on the ship, Saint Andrew Galley. Although only male names are recorded on the ship's lists, his wife Maria Ursula and children Elias and Anna Margaret probably came with him since he was married and his children were born prior to his arrival. Johan Nickel Radge and Maria Ursula Helffrich (May) were married on 4 December 1717 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. Anna Margretha Radje was born 22 May 1727 and baptized 25 May 1727 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. Elias Radgen was born 17 August 1732 and baptized 19 August 1732 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. These records are in Anna K. Burgurt's book, Eighteenth Century Emigrants From Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt To Pennsylvania. They are available on FamilySearch.org. There is a discrepancy on the last name of Maria Ursula. FamilySearch states her name is Maria Ursula Helffrich. Anna K. Burgurt's book states she is a daughter of Henrich Helffrich May. The original marriage record needs checked to clarify which one is correct.
There was an Elias Ratgen on the same ship, Saint Andrew Galley, that arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 26 September 1737. He is often confused with Nicholas Rathge's son Elias that died in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Elias Ratgen was a son of Joachim and Rosina Dorothea. He was born 27 March 1715 and baptized 29 March 1715 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. He married Magdalena Spindler on 14 May 1737 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. His second wife was Rosina Ziegler according to the Genealogical and Biographical Annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, page 940. He died before 28 June 1788 in Berks County, Pennsylvania where he owned property in Cumru Township. An Orphans' Court record in Berks County dated 25 March 1789 (Orphans Court Proceedings Volume 4, page 64) names his heirs. It names his wife Rosina, his "eldest and only son Elias," as well as his daughters and their husbands.
Joachim and Rosina Dorothea Radge also had a son Johann Jacob Radge, who was born 25 October 1719 and baptized 28 October 1719. He was on the ship, Robert and Alice, that arrived in Philadelphia on 3 December 1740. He died before 28 July 1784 in Berks County, Pennsylvania where he owned property in Union Township. An Orphans Court record in Berks County dated 11 August 1784 (Orphans Court Proceedings Volume 3, pages 105-106) names his heirs. It names his wife Catharine, sons John and John Adam, as well as his daughters and their husbands.
It is not known how the Elias and Jacob Radge, sons of Joachim and Rosina Dorothea Radge, were related to Nicolas Rathge but it is very likely that there was a close relationship since they were all from Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. It is possible that Joachim and Nicolas were brothers but further research into the records in Pfungstadt is necessary before any definite conclusion can be reached.
