Tag: Musgrave

Genealogy Education Plan

With traveling and focusing on training to improve my genealogy research and writing skills, I haven’t posted on the blog for awhile.

In April, I finished the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Genealogy Education Programs (GEP I, II and III). The on-line courses covered DAR applications, plus information useful for other genealogical research. Topics in the twenty-seven lessons included vital records, evaluation of evidence, federal, state, and local records, finding alternative sources, using indirect evidence, creating an analysis, and resolving complex service problems. The last two lessons required submitting an written analysis. I’m now a DAR Genealogy Consultant and feel better prepared to research Revolutionary War patriots for myself and others in our local chapter.

The National Genealogical Society Family History Conference was held in Richmond, Virginia, 7-10 May 2014. I flew in for pre-conference workshops on the probate process and on writing. From Wednesday through Saturday, attendees could choose from dozens of lectures from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM. When not attending lectures, I was in the Library of Virginia pulling records on Holders and Piggs from Pittsylvania County, perhaps the native home of my Virginia-borne Holder ancestors.

After a week back home, my husband and I flew to Scotland for a tour with a group from our Presbyterian church. Visits to Iona, Stirling Castle of Braveheart fame, Edinburgh, Holy Island-site of the first Viking landing, Rosslyn Chapel-featured in the Da Vinci Code, Cambridge, and several places in and around London were included. During twelve days in Scotland and England, I saw many family surnames-the tomb of Archbishop Musgrave at York Minister, very near where our possible Musgrave ancestors lived; Medcalf in northern England; Knox, Craig, McIntyre and other familiar surnames in Scotland; Archbishop Davidson in southern England and many more. I wish I had ancestors traced back across the pond-maybe a later trip. A wonderful experience, with great scenery and traveling companions.  In the meantime, 500 pictures are awaiting processing.

A week after the overseas trip, I headed to Birmingham, Alabama, for the week-long Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University. I was one of twenty five people taking the Writing and Publishing Course taught by Thomas Jones, PhD, one of the most highly regarded genealogy authors and editors in the field and editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ). In addition to pre-work, homework was assigned most nights. On Monday night, after attending an optional evening lecture, I finished my homework at midnight. No more evening lectures for me. During our lunch breaks and long afternoon break, I was in the library researching Alabama ancestors, including Isaac Oaks, a Revolutionary War soldier who fought in Virginia, moved to Georgia, then onto Alabama where he is buried. If I can document this lineage, Isaac Oaks will be my first DAR patriot in our Holder line. A highlight of this trip was meeting a Vickers cousin; we connected through my blog post on Daisy McIntire Vickers.

A genealogy education goal is to participate in a study group based on Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers and Librarians, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, the previous editor of NGSQ. The twenty nine chapters of ProGen, as it is called, cover Ethical Standards, Problem Analysis and Research Plans, Evidence Analysis and more. ProGen study groups work together on-line over about eighteen months covering the 600+ page book. Successful completion of ProGen is sometimes a precursor of genealogy certification. After Richmond, I applied for an upcoming ProGen class. I hoped for a fall class, but knew some people where waitlisted up to a year. While in Scotland, the ProGen coordinator sent me an email about an open spot for a study group starting June 1st. So in the week between the Scotland/England trip and IGHR, I finished my IGHR pre-work and did the reading for my first ProGen study group session held that same week.

Over the next eighteen months, my time will be balanced between genealogy research and training, focusing on the ProGen study group while still allowing time for an on-line NGSQ study group, which reviews one article from that periodical each month. For more details on NGSQ study groups, see Michele Simmons Lewis’s excellent description on her Ancestoring blog.  I’ve followed Michele’s blog and was especially pleased to meet her in the IGHR writing class.

With any luck, I’ll get back on track with weekly blogs, probably not posting 52 ancestors this year, but posting a few more as my research allows.

 Copyright © 2014 Andrea Musgrove Perisho

Samuel Musgrave and Elizabeth Brand – Revolutionary War Service

Musgrave
Samuel Musgrave – Revolutionary War Patriot

Samuel was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1747. He was one of eight children born to Moses Musgrove Jr. and Elizabeth, who’s last name is unknown. He moved to Fayette County, PA., then to Muhlenburgh County, Kentucky, and finally, to Warwick County, Indiana. Samuel is the third generation of his family to live in what became the United States of America. His parents and grandparents were Quakers, who did not believe in war and fighting. So Samuel, as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, could not have participated in Quaker services, until reinstated to the Monthly Meeting, after confessing his sins. There is no evidence this ever happened.

“Samuel married Elizabeth Brand on September 10, 1767 in Pennsylvania.” Most of the information we have on him is from his Revolutionary War pension applications. The information within the quotation marks has been summarized by Richard Graham Musgrove and Samuel’s 5th great grand-daughter, Jennifer Berryman at the behest of her grandmother, Beulah Arlene Musgrove Berryman and great-aunt, Norma Ennis Musgrove Craig.

“Samuel began his military service as a Private in the Cumberland County militia. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion and served in the 8th Company. He refers to his immediate superior officer as “Captain Jack.”His first day’s march carried them toward Shippenstown, now named Shippensburg. A sixty mile march to the Susquehanna River carried them through Carlisle. He related that they “went on the river” to Lancaster County where they enjoyed a short few days of rest. Captain Jack took his men down the main road to Chester County and to Philadelphia. (When traveling through Lancaster and Chester Counties, he was traveling near the area where he was born and raised.) Crossing the Schuylkill River on a floating bridge, they arrived in Philadelphia and were given ten days rest after being assigned to barracks.

“They next traveled by sloop on the Delaware River to Trenton, New Jersey.

Revolutionary War Flag

With Long Island, New York, as their destination, they marched through Princeton and arrived in time for the battle on August 27, 1776. Approximately 3,500 colonists were under the command of Generals Washington, Sullivan, Putnam and Sterling. They suffered casualties of about 300 killed and 1,100 wounded or captured while facing a superior force of British troops. Using fog to cover their departure, the colonists crossed the East River in small boats. His unit returned to Philadelphia and, after a few days was verbally discharged and told to return to his home.

“He was welcomed with open arms by Elizabeth and four children, Huldah, Moses, Mary and Samuel Davies. During this break in his militia service, David was born. In July 1777, Samuel began another three months of service in the militia. He relates that his officers were William Duffle, George Crawford and John Cunningham who were under the command of Colonel Jonas McCoy. His company marched into Delaware and remained there a short time until General Washington moved his army back to New Port, Pennsylvania. Recrossing the Brandywine River, his company joined forces with a battalion of riflemen under a Colonel Erwin. As a part of a scouting party, Samuel was sent to Tron Hill to determine the size of the British force and their positions. (Battle of Brandywine.)

“He and others of his militia were sent to march with a group of Regulars to Chadd’s Ford where they were positioned to the right of the army for the battle which occurred on September 11, 1777. This time the colonists were more evenly matched. About 11,000 men fought under General Washington. British Generals Howe, Cornwallis and Knyphausen led about 12,500 troops and suffered 90 killed and 480 wounded or captured.

“Following the battle, Samuel’s unit returned to Philadelphia. He was ill and furloughed for two weeks. He stayed with his sister at Chadd’s Ford. Upon return to his unit, he was still too ill to travel and, since his three months were up, was discharged.

“In 1782, he was drafted again to serve his country as an Indian scout (spy-from DAR records.)Leaving behind two more children, James and Elizabeth, he served two months. Scouting in groups of five, six or seven men, they were based in a stockade fort at Hannahtown, Pennsylvania (the town had been burned by Indians) and served under Lt. Robert Ritche.

Their remaining children were born following this last term of service to his country. Sarah, Jane and William were born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania and the youngest, Ann in Monongalia County, Virginia, now West Virginia.

Samuel and Elizabeth moved to Warrick County, Indiana.”*

Samuel Musgrove was awarded a pension for his Revolutionary War Service receiving $26.66 per annum from March 4, 1821, issued December 9, 1833.

Samuel Musgrave, Revolutionary War Patriot Gravestone

Elizabeth Musgrove also applied for a pension on January 30, 1843, age 93, from Warwick County, Ind., as the widow of Samuel Musgrove, who had died on September 2, 1834. Bible records proving the birth dates of their children were filed: Huldah, b 10 June 1768; Moses, b 8 May 1770; Mary, b 22 June 1772; Samuel Davies, b 22 mar 1775; David, b 22 Nov 1776; Elizabeth, b 25 July 1781; Sarah, b 21 Nov 1783; William, b 19 May 1788; Margaret, b 17 June 1780 and Ann, b 19 Dec 1790. Their son, Moses, is our ancestor.

NOTE: In DAR records and in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly article, Samuel’s last name is listed as MUSGROVE, though other records, including gravestone, say MUSGRAVE.

Sources

*Extensive quotes for Samuel, Moses and Enos Musgrave from “The American Family Musgrove,” by Richard Graham Musgrove.

“National Genealogical Society Quarterly: Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Applications.”

Samuel Musgrove – Pension Claim W9211, PA service, Indiana Agency.; Certificate 25203. Act 7 June 1832.

“Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana,” Mrs. Roscoe O’Byrne, page 263 for Samuel Musgrave information.

Research of Jennifer Berryman, Beulah Arlene Musgrove Berryman and Norma Ennis Musgrove Craig.

 

SCOTS-IRISH

Since before Roman times in 200 A.D., the border between England and Scotland was in almost constant warfare.  The people, whether English (like the Musgrave’s) or Scottish (like the Knox’s, McIntire’s), were living in a war zone. The men were warrior-like and often away at battle. With the men away, the women raised the many children and took care of the household and farm, as soldiers trampled crops and rustlers stole livestock. The extended family or clan was the only unit worth any loyalty.

Each family had a few acres where they raised their own food and grazed livestock. Families moved often. Their home was a simple building, built in a day, with few household possessions. As rents increased in the borderlands, Scots-Irish were encouraged to migrate to northern Ireland. Soon rents increased in Ireland and their farming/ grazing lifestyle was no longer economically feasible in Ireland.

When the first Scots-Irish first arrived in Pennsylvania about 1717, their behavior, provocative dress, and speech were very different from the Quakers, so they were rejected, ridiculed, and called “Scots-Irish”. In spite of their poverty, they were a proud people, which further irritated the Quakers. The Scots-Irish settled on the frontier of Pennsylvania and; when the roads south opened, they went down into the Shenandoah Valley to the Carolinas. Later migrations to America in 1760-1775 were directly to the Carolinas. The Scot-Irish families continued the old patterns of life first on the frontier, then to Tennessee,  and further west to Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma.  Since the Scots-Irish way of life was successful on the frontier, other frontier immigrants took on those characteristics, still seen today.

Weddings were wild affairs, full of ritual, and expensive. Sometimes brides were abducted, usually (but not always) willingly. First cousins often married to “keep it in the clan”. There was a shortage of clergy  and sometimes couples got tired of waiting. Premarital pregnancies were common and not scandalous. Most of the original Scots-Irish were Presbyterian, but became Baptists and Methodists as their population and migration outgrew the Presbyterian seminaries capacity to provide ministers.

Families were male dominant; women and children were to obey. Children, especially boys, were taught to exercise their wills. The Scots-Irish doted on their male children, reared to have pride, independence, and courage. Girls were taught the virtues of patience, industry, sacrifice, and devotion to others. Men shared in the care of their children from infancy. Corporal punishment was often used.

Formal education wasn’t important to the Scots-Irish, the most illiterate group. The main occupation was farming combined with herd grazing. There was no class system with everyone seen as equal. As in Scotland, this group moved often, creating scattered, isolated settlements, along creeks and streams.

Source

  • “Albion’s Seed, Four British Folkways in America,” David Hackett Fischer, 1989.
  • “Born Fighting – How the Scots-Irish Shaped America,” James Webb, 2004.

Copyrighted, 2012 by Andrea Musgrove Perisho.

QUAKERS

Between 1675 and 1725, many Quakers left England and came to the Delaware River area of Pennsylvania. There were Quakers in New England earlier, who came as Puritans and were converted by Quaker missionaries.

 The Quakers in our Musgrave family line probably became Quakers in England and traveled to Ireland because of persecution.  They left Ireland (thus were called Irish Quakers), not so much because of persecution (although they were persecuted), but because of economic issues.  

 The Quaker view of the Bible was different from the Puritan view, with an emphasis on the New Testament and no formal doctrine, no formal worship service, and no ordained ministers. With their  different customs, Quakers were driven out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to Rhode Island and out from there. Quaker doctrine might be described as one of love and light, at least among Quakers.

The Quakers came from the lower middle class of English society. They were farmers, craftsmen, laborers, and servants. There were fewer servants in a Quaker household, but, when there were servants, they were treated as family. Fortunately for genealogists, Quakers did have a highly organized system of meetings and record keeping.

The Quakers had a strict set of marriage customs, with approvals required by the congregation and parents. The marriage ceremony was very simple. A Quaker could not marry a non-Quaker. If they did, they were disowned, with several example of this in our later family lines.

The Quakers believed that souls had no gender. Men and women were equal and were to be helpmates for each other. So equal were they, that the Quakers even allowed women to be preachers. Their households were less male dominant. They believed that sex was to be confined to marriage and went to great pains in their style of dress to keep it that way.

The rearing of children was done in an atmosphere of loving, nurturing, and sheltering. Rewards were usually used and not punishments. Corporal punishment was rare. There was a strict behavior code and the community helped to instill it in their children. Children lived at home until married.

While many Quakers were literate, they were hostile toward public schools and home schooled their children, when possible.

Quakers lived on farms, surrounding a village. The village and surrounding farms made up a township.  

Source

  • “Albion’s Seed, Four British Folkways in American,” David Hackett Fischer, 1989.

Copyrighted, 2012 by Andrea Musgrove Perisho.