Showing posts with label Civil War. Show all posts

Monday, September 30, 2024

What the Second Wife Said: Death of “Elcy” A. (Reynolds) Henry

Jean M. Hoffman, CG

Alcey (or Elcy, see post about her name) was left in Gallia County, Ohio, with small children when her husband enlisted in the Union Army. James M. Henry enlisted across the river at Point Pleasant in Company H, 13th Virginia Infantry, later West Virginia, on 20 September 1862. At enlistment he was 35, a carpenter, 5’ 6” tall, with gray eyes, dark hair and a dark complexion. He reported his birth was in Columbiana [County], Ohio.[1]

During his service Alcey gave birth to their last child, James A. Henry, on 5 June 1863.[2] Her husband mustered out on 25 May 1865 having remarried two months earlier on 19 March 1865.[3] His second wife was Mrs. Alvira S. Lyons who had received a divorce two days before from her husband, James H. Lyons.[4] Alcey apparently died between the birth of her son in 1863 and the remarriage of James M. Henry but no record of the death or gravestone was initially found.

James M. Henry was hospitalized a few times during his service, but never applied for a pension before his death 27 December 1883 in Carroll County, Missouri.[5] He and his family moved to Missouri by September 1865 when he bought land there as a resident.[6] His widow, Alvira, applied for a widow’s pension in 1890 and needed to prove their earlier marriages had ended.[7] While Alvira obtained copies of her marriage record to James M. Henry and her divorce decree, there was no official record of Alcey’s death.

Alvira had no civil or church record of Alcey’s death, but she did have the James M. Henry family bible published by the American Bible Society in 1844. In 1891 a Notary Public transcribed from it the entries for the marriage of Elsy A. Reynolds and James M. Henry and the further entry “E. A. Henry wife of James M. Henry died October 5^th 1863.”[8] Alvira S. Henry also gave her own statement that “she was personally acquainted with said Elcy A. Henry during her life and has visited her grave since her death.”[9] And thus, the second wife revealed the death date of the first wife.

Alvira said she had visited the grave of the first wife, so perhaps a gravestone was placed there. No record of it has been recorded by the Gallia County Genealogical Society in either Morgan Township where the Henry family lived in 1860 or Cheshire Township where their daughter Mary E. Henry was buried.[10] There are gaps between stones for Reynolds family members in Van Zant Cemetery, so perhaps Alcey was buried among them but with a stone no longer standing.[11]

Also unknown is what the surviving Henry children did between their mother’s death and their father’s remarriage. They did move with their father to Missouri.[12] The two who survived their parents were Perry B. Henry (born ca. 1856) and James A. Henry (1863–1949).[13] Both inherited from their maternal grandfather, James Reynolds, and their father in the 1880s.

In 1904, Alvira married another Union veteran, Henry McNelly, who died in 1909. Alvira’s information was recorded again.

Endnotes:

[1] Volunteer Service, 15 September 1909, Alvira S. Henry, widow's pension application no. 463,317, W.C. no. 334,980, service of James M. Henry (Pvt., Co. H, 13th West Virginia Inf., Civil War); Case Files of Approved Pension Applications..., 1861–1934; Civil War and Later Pension Files; Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[2] “Missouri Death Certificates, 1910 – 1973,” database with images, Missouri Digital Heritage (https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesmvc/deathcertificates : viewed 28 September 2024), 1949, certificate no. 29573, James Allen Henry, Carroll County; citing Missouri State Archives.

[3] ”Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRMD-SK5G?i=51&cc=1614804 : viewed 30 September 2024), image group number 4016312, image 52 of 276, Gallia County Marriage Record No. 3 (1862-1874), p. 88, James M. Henry and Alvira S. Lyons, 1865.

[4] Certified Copy of Journal Entry, Divorce Decree, Gallia County, Ohio, 18 May 1891, Alvira S. Henry, W.C. no. 334,980, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications..., 1861–1934; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[5] “Missouri Birth & Death Records Database, Pre-1910,” database, Missouri Digital Heritage (https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/BirthDeath/ : viewed 29 September 2024), Jas. M. Henry, 1883; citing Carroll County, roll no. C 1368, page 15. And, Find a Grave, database with images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71960118 : viewed 19 June 2024), “James Madison Henry” (1827–1883) memorial and tombstone image created by Patt Ricketts: citing Big Creek Cemetery, Bosworth, Carroll County, Missouri. Only middle initial engraved on stone, has death date and age.

[6] 1870 U.S. census, Carroll County, Missouri, population schedule, Hurricane Township, sheet 295A, dwelling 189 family 196, James M Henry household; imaged, “1870 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4273845_00129 : viewed 19 June 2024). And, Carroll County, Missouri, Deed Record V (1865), page 207; imaged, “Deed records (Carroll County, Missouri), 1819-1929,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39Y-6SHT-T?mode=g&cat=214042 : viewed 28 September 2024) image group no. 8487885, image 111 of 685, quit claim Lewis B. Ely to James M. Henry, 6 September 1865; citing Recorder of Deeds.

[7] Declaration for Widow's Pension, 1 September 1890, Alvira S. Henry, W.C. no. 334,980, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications..., 1861–1934; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[8] General Affidavit of J. H. McCombs, 12 March 1891, Alvira S. Henry, W.C. no. 334,980, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications..., 1861–1934; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[9] Inability Affidavit, 3 June 1891, Alvira S. Henry, W.C. no. 334,980, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications..., 1861–1934; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[10] “Gallia County Cemetery Records,” database, Gallia County Genealogical Society OGS Chapter, Inc. (https://www.galliagenealogy.org/cem_records.htm : viewed 30 September 2024), search of all entries for surname Henry.

[11] Van Zant Cemetery (Cheshire Township, Gallia County, Ohio, section 35), Reynolds and related gravestones viewed and photographed by the author, 24 October 2000. There were gaps in the row and the standing stones were not in the best condition.

[12] 1870 U.S. census, Carroll Co., Mo., pop. sch., Hurricane Twp., sheet 295A, dwell. 189, fam. 196, Henry.

[13] Gallia County, Ohio, Gallia Probate Case File 197, James Reynolds, Power of Attorney of Perry B. Henry and James A. Henry, 14 February 1882; imaged in “Ohio, Gallia County, probate case files, 1803–1943,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS2Q-GQSJ-Y?i=484&cat=2827731 : viewed 25 June 2024), image group no, 103741784 > images 485–87 of 2055. Also, “Missouri, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1766-1988,” database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3527875:9071 : viewed 30 September 2024), image 205 of 606, Carroll County Will Record D, page 330, will of James M. Henry, 25 December 1883.

Monday, May 27, 2024

Two Grandsons of James Lyle Died in the American Civil War

Jean M. Hoffman, CG

Many grandsons and husbands of granddaughters of James Lyle served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Two grandsons never returned home.[1]

Joseph R. Lyle was the son of Charles Lyle (3^rd son of James) and Sarah Johnson. He was born about 1842 in Jefferson County, Indiana.[2] The family moved to Wapello County, Iowa, by 1848.[3] Joseph was enlisted for three years at age 20 by Capt. W. V. Lucas on 15 August 1862 in Waverly, Iowa. He was described as five feet ten inches tall, of dark complexion with blue eyes and black hair at enlistment. He mustered in on 26 November 1862 in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, as a private in Company B, 14th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was marked present on all company muster rolls through February of 1864.[4]

Joseph R. Lyle was killed in action on 9 April 1864 at the Battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, during the Red River Campaign at age 21 or 22. There was no inventory of his effects as all were lost on the battlefield where he fell. Capt. Lucas did present an account which stated that Joseph had last been paid 31 Dec 1863, received $23.83 in clothing and still owed the sutler $2.[5]

Wilmer Magarvy Lyle was born on 9 November 1843 in Republican Township, Jefferson County, Indiana, son of William Lyle (5th son of James) and Matilda Ritchey.[6] This family moved to Schuyler County, Illinois, and then to Sullivan County, Missouri, by 1859.[7] Wilmer enlisted on 18 February 1862 in Macon City, Missouri, in the 11th Regiment, Missouri State Militia Cavalry that was organized in Missouri at large from 1 Jan to 20 Apr 1862. They were assigned to duty in the District of North Missouri under the Union Army with various detachments engaging in action until they were consolidated with the 2nd Regiment Missouri State Militia Cavalry. He was mustered in on 27 March 1862 in Macon City, Missouri, by Capt. P. P. Cook as a private in Company G. Wilmer was described as six feet, one inch tall with sandy hair and complexion and blue eyes at age 18.[8] His unit from 2 September 1862 was Company G, 2nd Missouri State Militia Cavalry in which he was marked present on all muster rolls, including a special one on 10 Apr 1863. He used his own horse and equipments between 30 April 1863 and 31 August 1863 but had them furnished by the army before and after that time. He was assessed $1.00 by the army for a canteen, haversack and waist belt in February 1864. Wilmer's cavalry unit engaged in skirmishes and scouting expeditions and detachments from it chased after or confronted Confederate units in Missouri and Arkansas and he undoubtedly was involved in some of these actions.

Wilmer died on 6 July 1864 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at age 20 at the post hospital of gunshot wounds received on July 4th while on guard duty. He was one of only eighteen enlisted men in his regiment to be killed or mortally wounded in the war. His effects were not inventoried but were in the hands of his parent and legal representative, William Lyle, by 25 September 1864 as indicated by the company commander, Capt. Asahel Jones. Wilmer had last been paid through 29 Feb 1864 and had been advanced clothing valued at $28.33 which left him overdrawn by $13.68. He was buried at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, until a major relocation project in 1869 when his remains were moved to section 24, no. 5436 of the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.[9]

[1] See Lyle Family website, https://sites.rootsweb.com/~jeangene/Lyle/ . James lived in Pennsylvania and died by 1839 in Allegheny County. He and his wife, Hannah Crawford, had six sons and one daughter who mostly moved west.

[2] 1850 U.S. census, Wapello County, Iowa, population schedule, District 13, Wapello, Iowa, USA, sheet 406b, dwelling 90, family 90, Charles Lyle household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2649386:8054 : viewed 27 May 2024).

[3] 1856 Iowa state census, Wapello County, population schedule, Charles Lyle household, Washington Township, page 593 (written 31); imaged, “Iowa, U.S., State Census Collection, 1836-1925,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/5011187:1084 : viewed 27 May 2024); lived in Iowa for nine years.

[4] Joseph R. Lyle, Co. B, 14th Iowa Infantry, compiled military service record, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, RG 94, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[5] Joseph R. Lyle (Pvt., Co. B, 14th Iowa Inf., Civil War) minor sister’s pension application no. 132,902 (never granted); Civil War and Later Pension Files; Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[6] 1850 U.S. census, Schuyler County, Illinois, population schedule, Bainbridge Township, sheet 415A, dwelling 182, family 188, William Lyle household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/16583500:80546 : viewed 27 May 2024).

[7] 1860 U.S. census, Sullivan County, Missouri, population schedule, post office Greencastle, page 777, dwelling/family 1077, William Lyle household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/40931250:7667 : viewed 27 May 2024).

[8] Wilmer M. Lyle, Co. G, 2nd Missouri State Militia Cavalry, compiled military service record, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, RG 94, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[9] Wilmer M. Lyle Record of Service Card, Civil War, 1861-1865; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City, Missouri; imaged, “Soldiers Database: War of 1812 - World War I,” Missouri Digital Heritage (https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/soldiers/Detail.aspx?id=S201902&conflict=Civil%20War : viewed 27 May 2024).

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Military Clues in the U.S. Census

Jean M. Hoffman, CG^®

Service in the military generates records, sometimes in great quantity. Army and Navy experience can be life-altering, possibly also opening up financial opportunities and leading to new lands. Military, pension and bounty land records may have a wealth of genealogically important information. We need to know whether to look for our ancestors in military records and for which era. There are some helpful clues in U.S. federal census schedules.

1840

The 1840 census was the last one to name only the head of household, but there was one exception. An additional question asked for names and ages of “Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services.” Pensioners included veterans or their widows.[1] By this late date any surviving Revolutionary War veterans would have been quite elderly. Whether veteran or widow, the pensioner was often other than the head of household. The reverse side of the main census page contains tallies of slaves, of occupations, names of pensioners and more. When viewing microfilm, scroll up to find the matching line from the main page. Count down the page, as the lines are not numbered. Online, you need to advance to the next page image in some cases but go back in others. Ancestry.com has indexed both names. A quick finding aid is available for free at https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1841/dec/1840d.html or https://www.newhorizonsgenealogicalservices.com/1840-census-of-pensioners.htm.

If you find a pensioner’s name, you will want to locate corresponding military records and pension files. The combination of names can also help to establish family connections. For example, Lydia Brigham headed a household in Hampden Township, Geauga County, Ohio. In her household was 87-year-old pensioner Daniel Morgan.[2] Some family relationship may exist between them. He appears to be her father according to a Brigham family history.[3]

1890

A special non-populations schedule was created for Union veterans or their widows as part of the 1890 census. Though the population schedules were destroyed, this special census is available for the states alphabetically from Kentucky (partial) through Wyoming plus Washington, DC, and Indian territories. The states earlier in the alphabet were destroyed prior to being transferred to the National Archives.

Special schedules in 1890 listed surviving veterans of the Civil War Union forces or their widows. The veteran’s name is listed even with a widow’s entry. Rank, unit of service, dates and length of service fill the top of the form. Below is the post office and may be information on disabilities or other remarks that sometimes prove very interesting. Some Confederate or earlier war veterans were also recorded. NARA microfilm series M123 with images available at online sites.

1910

Addressing elderly veterans once again, the census in 1910 included a Civil War question for all males over fifty and born in the U.S. or immigrants who arrived before 1865. They were asked if they were survivors of the Union or Confederate army or navy. Column 30 was coded for them with UA for Union Army, UN for Union Navy, CA for Confederate Army and CN for Confederate Navy.[4] Not every survivor is properly coded and those who were are easily overlooked. Columns 30-32 on the right edge of the page were overwritten with a hyphenated series of numbers. They were written at the census bureau and have no relationship to the underlying data as in the example.[5]

World War	WW
Spanish-American War	SP
Civil War	Civ
Philippine insurrection	Phil
Boxer rebellion	Box
Mexican expedition	Mex

1930

The 1930 census covers a broader span of military engagements for veterans of varying ages. Columns 30 and 31 are labeled “Veterans.” The question, for males 21 and over, was whether they were veterans of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition and if yes, for which war or expedition. Codes provided to enumerators were:

The first three categories were considered wars and anyone in military service during them (1917-1921, 1898-1902, and 1861-1866, respectively) would be counted. To be counted for the expeditions, a service member must actually have taken part in one of them. For example, veterans of the Mexican expedition must have been in Mexico or Mexican waters during the expedition.[6]

Because large numbers served in World War I only about ten years earlier, the code “WW” occurs frequently. Henry L. Hixenbaugh is an example from a slightly earlier period. He was a resident of southwestern Iowa and his 1930 census entry is coded in columns 30 and 31 with “yes” and “Mex.”[7]

Iowa National Guard units were called up for Mexican Border Service in late June 1916, trained about a month at Fort Dodge near Des Moines, then were transported by train to the Mexican border near Brownsville, Texas. Guard units were entrusted with securing the Mexican border while regular troops pursued the insurgents with Pancho Villa. In December 1916 and January 1917, the Iowa Battalion, consisting primarily of three regiments of infantry, returned home. Henry served as a cook in Company M, 3rd Infantry, a unit from his hometown of Red Oak in Montgomery County, Iowa.[8] His service was easily found following the lead in the census.

1940

The pages of the 1940 U.S. census have forty lines. Two of them or five percent of the population, were designated for an additional set of questions. The extra questions included whether the person was a veteran of the U.S. military forces, or the wife, widow, or under-18-year-old child of a veteran. If the person was the child of a veteran an additional question asked whether the father was dead. The war or military service was to be coded with “W” for World War I; “S” for the Spanish-American War, the Philippine insurrection, or Boxer Rebellion; “SW” for both the Spanish-American War and World War I; “R” for peacetime service only; or “Ot” for any other war or expedition.[9] You can only hope a family member was one of those asked the additional questions.

An earlier version of this article was published in the WRHS Genealogy Bulletin, 30:3 (Fall 2011).

[1] Claire Prechtel-Kluskens, "Clues in Census Records, 1790-1840," The Record, Vol. 4, No. 5 (May 1998); adapted online (http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1790-1840.html : accessed 17 February 2024.)

[2] 1840 U.S. census, Geauga County, Ohio, Hampden Township, p. 176, line 14, Lydia Brigham; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2631263:8057 : accessed 17 February 2024); NARA M704, roll 395, imaged from FHL microfilm 0,020,165.

[3] W. I. Tyler Brigham, The History of the Brigham Family: a Record of Several Thousand Descendants of Thomas Brigham the Emigrant, 1603-1653 (New York: Grafton Press, 1907), 257.

[4] "Clues in Census Records, 1850-1930," The Record, Vol. 4, No. 3 (January 1998); adapted online (http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1850-1930.html : accessed 17 February 2024.)

[5] 1910 U.S. census, Carroll County, Illinois, population schedule, Savanna City, Ward 1, ED 11, sheet 7B, dwelling 180, family 187, John Hoffman; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4285135:7884 : accessed 17 February 2024); NARA T624, roll 232, imaged from FHL microfilm 1,374,245.

[6] “1930 Census: Enumerator Instructions,” in Steven Ruggles, J. Trent Alexander, Katie Genadek, Ronald Goeken, Matthew B. Schroeder, and Matthew Sobek. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 5.0 database, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota (https://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/inst1930.shtml : accessed 17 February 2024).

[7] 1930 U.S. census, Montgomery County, Iowa, population schedule, Red Oak City, Ward 1, ED 69-12, sheet 2B, dwelling 49, family 51, Henry L. Hixenbaugh; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/29523450:6224 : accessed 17 February 2024); from NARA T626, roll 670.

[8] Dick Dreyer, Iowa Troops in Mexican Border Service, 1916 - 1917, digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/iowatroopsinmexi00drey/page/n95/mode/2up : accessed 17 February 2024), images 96-7. Previously published in hard copy (Iowa City, Iowa: Dick Dreyer).

[9] National Archives, “1940 Census Records” (http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/ : accessed 17 February 2024.)

Monday, December 5, 2016

Military Monday: Pension Index Cards: Not Created Equal

Pension Index Cards: Not Created Equal

by Jean M. Hoffman, CG

Pension index cards available at both Ancestry.com and FamilySearch are not the same as those provided at Fold3. Allison recently pointed out differences in a Legacy Tree Genealogists blog post, “Civil War Pension Files Research Tips.”¹ I had just found a pension index card at Ancestry.com related to a female ancestor. It shows her application for a widow's pension, but no application for the soldier. Spurred by the article, I located the card for the soldier at Fold3. That card shows he applied for and received an invalid pension. Note, these records, if Civil War era, are for Union soldiers.

Before concluding you've found pension information for your person of interest and requesting original pension records, review both versions of index cards. The card sets were created for different purposes and organized in a different manner. Today they are indexed by both name and unit but one is arranged alphabetically by soldier's name while the other is grouped by unit from the company level. As they served different needs, they contain different data.


Civil War Pension index card for Caleb S. Whaley from Ancestry.com²

In my example, the Ancestry.com/FamilySearch card has the following information not on the Fold3 version:

Widow's name
State from which she applied
Date of her application.

Civil War Pension index card for Caleb S. Whaley from Fold3.com (indexed as Gales)³

The card at Fold3 provides fields not on the first card:

Rank of the soldier
Date of his application
application and certificate numbers for his pension.

In addition, the first card was correctly indexed at Ancestry.com under the name Caleb S. Whaley but the second card was indexed under Gales S. Whaley. As I used the Fold3 browse function to view the cards by unit, that did not cause a problem.

The index cards were transcribed from other documents and can contain errors. Also, the soldier's name on these cards is the same but one was misread by the indexer. Pay particular attention to the certificate numbers as these are what the National Archives will use to attempt to locate original records. Any error can lead to not found files. A review of more cards would give a better picture of the variation in data on them but my example and that in the article demonstrate the merit of obtaining both. FamilySearch can be accessed for free and many libraries have subscriptions to Ancestry Library Edition. Some libraries also have Fold3 subscriptions, possibly providing access from home.

________________

1. Allison, “ Civil War Pension Files Research Tips,” Legacy Tree Genealogists (blog), November 29, 2016, https://www.legacytree.com/blog/civil-war-pension-files-research-tips.

2. “U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934,” Caleb S. Whaley card; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 November 2016); citing NARA microfilm T288, roll 510.

3. “Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900,” Kentucky>Cavalry>7th>Co. G> “Gales” S. Whaley card; digital image, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 30 November 2016); citing NARA microfilm T289, roll 146.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Sunday’s Obituary: Coroner’s Inquest on the Body of William H. Bell, 1887

Coroner’s Inquest on the Body of William H. Bell, 1887

By Jean M. Hoffman, CG^SM

Ohio native, William H. Bell, died suddenly outside a Salt Lake City saloon. Details emerge from a coroner’s inquest and a related newspaper article. Conflicting reports of his marital status leave the truth uncertain.

Background

William H. Bell, born about 1820, was the youngest of twelve children of Samuel and Mary (neé Lyons) Bell of Newport Township, Washington County, Ohio.¹ At forty-two, a farmhand, married, and father of six, he was not an obvious candidate to enlist in the Union Army.² But enlist he did on 22 August 1862 in Company F, 116th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His time in the army was eventful ending with his discharge on 8 August 1865 in Richmond, Virginia, after a transfer to the 62nd OVI. Sometime after the war he became a stonemason though he claimed to be unable to farm by that time.³

He may have followed work opportunities as in 1880 he was recorded living in Fairmont Village, Fillmore County, Nebraska.⁴ The county's population in 1870 was only 238, but in ten years grew to over 10,000.⁵ Such rapid settlement undoubtedly supported much construction. This is where marital status begins to grow mysterious as his household includes a woman named Adelia recorded as his wife. She was fifty and born in Illinois. Meanwhile his wife Emeline (neé Phillips) Bell had moved with their children across the Ohio River to Pleasants County, West Virginia.⁶

Death in Salt Lake City

William applied for a pension based on his Civil War service on 23 March 1886. Paperwork was still in progress when he died. The coroner of Salt Lake County, Utah Territory, reported to the pension commission on the inquest into William’s death held 14 June 1887.⁷

William H. Bell was described in 1862 as 5 feet 11 inches tall with a fair complexion, gray eyes, and light hair.⁸ At the inquest he was reported to be “a large powerfully built man.” A newspaper article stated he was a stone-cutter, aged 67, and “was roughly clad in laborer’s garb...was above average height, and had a short gray-white beard.”⁹

Copy of Coroner's Inquest Verdict

Monday, 13 June 1887, Bell and his co-workers spent much of the day at Wagener’s Saloon enjoying beer, song, and fellowship. He was employed by Frank Conklin and had been working on the Karrick Building.¹⁰ About 8:00 p.m. he began to eat leftovers from his dinner pail. Suddenly he was choking. Reportedly he spoke to his friends but kept choking. They took him outside the saloon and tried to assist him, but to no avail. Dr. Ewing pronounced him dead at the scene, concluding that the cause was apoplexy. In those days apoplexy was a catchall term for otherwise unexplained sudden death.¹¹ A person with knowledge of the modern Heimlich maneuver might have been his salvation but that is only speculation.

Sexton Taylor's mortuary hearse came for the body. The coroner was not at home, requiring the inquest be put off to the following day. The inquest jurors returned a verdict that William H. Bell died from the effects of apoplexy. He was buried in the Salt Lake Cemetery.¹²

Word of his death slowly made its way to his family in West Virginia. Over a year later, on 18 September 1888, Emeline applied for a widow's pension based on the service of her late husband, William H. Bell. Her application contains her marriage record; she acknowledged no separation, divorce, or other marriage.¹³ There can be no question that Ohio and Utah records refer to just one man.

Emeline’s pension application gives no hint that William H. Bell was ever husband to another woman. Adelia was called his wife in 1880 in Nebraska and the hearsay reference in the Salt Lake City newspaper called him “a widower with grown children back in Kansas.” The only solid documentation is of his marriage to Emeline, but he was not present in her household after about 1875. It makes one wonder about his final years on the road in the construction business.

Bluegrass and Buckeye Roots