Philips. Lots and lots of Philips.

A few weeks ago, I came in contact with a distant cousin, Philip Hodges. We share a great-great grandfather, David Philip Dean. I sent a short email laying out the history of the name "Philip" in our family. I realized I'd never written it up for this blog, so here it is:

The first known Philip in our direct ancestry was Johannes Philip Welsheimer. "Johannes" was his baptismal name. Normally, this name is not used except in legal and religious contexts. So, he would have been known as "Philip". Philip was born around 1730 in Berlin and immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1766. He was one of a surprisingly large number of "Pennsylvania Dutch" to enter that colony in the early to mid 1700's. This article discusses some of the legal and practical barriers that were put in place to ensure the new Germany-speaking settlers wouldn't change the essentially English character of the colony. Whatever his reasons for emigrating, he was dedicated to his new country and eventually served in the Revolutionary War as a gunsmith. 

His son, also named Philip, immigrated to the U.S. with his father. He was born in 1757 in Berlin, which made him 9 at the time of immigration. He may have been the only family member to come with Philip I, or he may have had a brother named Frederick. It's also possible that a wife or daughters were present but not considered important enough to record. Philip II was a stocking weaver. His original apprenticeship papers have been preserved. They were drawn up between his father and a stocking maker named Adam Edleman in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1770. The name Edleman suggests that the Welsheimers were part of the German-American community in Pennsylvania and may have preferred to make important deals, like apprenticeships, with fellow Germans. Philip II eventually married a woman named Catherine Hull whose ancestry I have not been able to trace but may have been a member of the Hull/Holl family, a Germany Dutch family involved in cloth manufacturing. Regardless of his feelings about his fellow Germany immigrants, he, too, served in the Revolutionary War, in the 3rd Battalion of the York County Militia. 

Philip II was quite successful and bought a good deal of land in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. In July of 1811, he left home in Cumberland township, Pennsylvania, to walk to the coast where he planned to find a ship headed back to Germany. He wished to buy high-quality looms there that he could not purchase in the United States. However, he died of (apparently) natural causes en route to the ship. His body was found weeks later on the road. 

Philip Welsheimer III was the son of the stocking weaver. He was born in 1791 in what is now West Virginia. He grew up there, was a successful farmer, and married Catharine Duley. Their family Bible was the subject of a previous post on this blog. He moved his family from West Virginia/West Pennsylvania to South Salem, Ohio in the 1830s. He died there in 1864. South Salem is where the Dean family was living, as well. Philip's daughter, Anna, married Abram Dean. In 1847, Abram and Anna Welsheimer Dean moved to Des Moines, Iowa. Their youngest son was born there. He was named David Philip Dean, in honor of his grandfather. 

David Philip was the last common ancestor I shared with Philip Hodges. However, the name lives on in both lines, clearly. I'm descended from David Philip's son, Carl Philip Dean, and then Carl's son Philip Carlyle Dean. Both my father and brother are Philips. Except for Anna, who passed the name into the Dean family, we have an unbroken line of Philips back to the 1730s!

Welsheimer Bible

Earlier this Fall, I was contacted by Suzanne Godfrey who was looking through her mother's estate. Her mother had owned an antique store. Among the wares was a family bible from 1828 belonging to Philip Welsheimer and his wife Catherine Duley, my 4xgreat grandparents. Because I had made a Wikitree page for them, Suzanne contacted me and offered to send the bible. I'm so grateful!

It's an amazing book. It includes a list of family members and dates written before the New Testament, locks of hair (not clear from whom), letters, and school reports.

If the outside of the Bible had any decoration it has long since worn off.
The Bible is about 12"x14"

The inside front. On the left it says "DWU(?) 3.50", presumably a price.
On the right it says "Philip Welshimer"

The front page of the Bible. Publication date 1828, probably in New York.

These pages are before the New Testament. The first page lists the marriage of the couple who presumably first owned the Bible, Philip and Catherine Welsheimer:
Philip Welshimer and Catharine Duley was married March the 28th AD1814.
Philip Welsheimer Sr. was born in Burkley Co. Virginia March the 11th 1791.
[Note: Berkeley County is now in West Virginia]

Second page of the family records:
Daniel Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born January the 30th AD1815
William H. Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born November the 12th AD1816
James Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born January the 22nd AD1818
Anna Welshimer daughter of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born January the 16th AD1819
[Anna later married Abram Dean and is my 3xgreat-grandmother]

The third page of the family records (but the dates are later than on page four):
David Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born July the 9th 1833
Catharine Welshimer daughter of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born July the first 1835
Mary E. Welshimer daughter of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born March the 21st 1838
Samuel F. Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born February the 27th AD1842 

The fourth page of the family records (but the dates are actually earlier than page three):
John H. Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born April the 10th AD1820
Maria Welshimer daughter of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born Dec the 7th AD1821
Emily Welshimer daughter of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born February the 10th AD1823
Sydney Welshimer daughter of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born Dec the 16th AD1824
Frederick Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer was born July the 1st AD1827
Ludowick Welshimer son of Philip and Catharine Welshimer as born February the 22nd AD1829
Philip Welshimer son of Philip and Catherine Welshimer was born June the 8th AD1831

Maria died January the --- AD1822 aged --- days
Katharine the wife of Philip Welshimer Sen departed this life Oct 14th 1849
Frederick Welshimer son of Philip and Katharine Welshimer died February 13th AD1852
John Welshimer son of Philip and Katharine Welshimer died February 15th AD1852
Philip Welshimer Sen departed this life July 21st AD1864 aged 73 years 4 months and 10 days

Most of the entries are written in the same hand, but, except for the death of Maria in 1822, the deaths listed on the last page are written in a different hand. This makes me think that most of the entries were written by Catharine Welshimer, since the first death listed, after Maria's, is hers in 1849. In that entry, and in the later death entries, her name is spelled differently ("Katharine") as well. Whoever wrote the original had lovely handwriting. 

Patriotism and Symbols of Hate

While the rest of us were celebrating Veterans Day, someone drew a swastika on the chalkboard in the student center at my university. There are arguments over who drew the symbol and what it means. Many students assume the swastika is related to other white supremacist propaganda that sprang up recently on campus. The College Republicans issued a statement saying it was a liberal false-flag operation. Regardless of who is to blame, this symbol of hate hurts the whole community.

My family and I are not the direct targets of white supremacy. I can only imagine how people who are the direct targets must feel right now. I do feel hurt and betrayed by the use of this symbol, though, on behalf of other members of my community and as a proud American.

Grandpa Cunningham in Germany, 1947

Both of my grandfathers were part of the World War II war effort, as were both of my husband's grandfathers. My maternal grandfather was a career Air Force officer who spent most of the war in Ohio but was sent to Germany and France soon after to help with the reconstruction of those nations. He saw first-hand the destruction the Nazis had wrought. He left behind a young family (my mother was just an infant) in order to serve his country.

My paternal grandfather was a Marine. He stormed the beaches in the South Pacific and fought in well-known battles like Guadalcanal and the invasion of Okinawa. He literally went through hell, and would later say that the only thing that got him through that war was the knowledge that, if the U.S. won, his sons would not have to fight it again. He first son, my father, was born while my grandfather was fighting overseas. He did not meet him until a year later.

Grandpa Dean, just before he left for WWII

My husband's maternal grandfather was an Army doctor in Michigan. His father's father was on submarine crews in the Atlantic. [UPDATE: My apologies, but I got this wrong. My husband's maternal grandfather was stationed in Michigan for part of the war but spent part of it in the South Pacific. He was certainly in New Guinea at one point. His paternal grandfather's submarine duty was also in the South Pacific, not the Atlantic.] They sacrificed so much. It sickens me to think that some punk kid whose greatest sacrifice has probably been using an older-model smart phone would draw the symbol of their defeated enemies on a chalkboard.

I don't usually consider our students to be entitled or bratty. I'm making an exception for this one. Similarly, I don't usually believe in significant differences between the generations, but in this case I can't believe that any Millennial (or GenXer or Baby Boomer) who would draw that symbol is worthy to kiss my grandfathers' boots, or those of any member of the Greatest Generation who gave so much to free our country and others of that taint of fascism.

I blogged last time about Hiram Brattain, my only direct ancestor to fight in the Civil War. I feel similarly about the symbolism of the Confederate flag. With all due respect to those who have Southern ancestry (as I do myself), that flag is a sign of treason. Our nation went through unspeakable horror to remain an undivided nation and rid ourselves of slavery. Whenever I see the Confederate flag flying, especially here in the North, I'm literally sickened that the descendants of men and women who gave, in Lincoln's words, "the last full measure of devotion...that government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from this earth," would display such absolute contempt for their ancestors and our country.

Hiram Brattain and the Civil War

This Veterans Day weekend, I was reading Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson. It's an excellent, highly readable history of the Civil War. I strongly recommend it.

It started me thinking about our family's relationship to the Civil War. Although I've blogged before lateral relatives who fought for the South, as far as I know, my only direct ancestor to fight in the war was Hiram B. Brattain, who fought for the Union. He would have been my 3xgreat-grandfather. I've found two published accounts of his service. The first, reproduced here, comes from a book called Those I Have Met or Boys in Blue, written by Samuel Harden in 1888. The following excerpt is from pages 104-105:

about some

H. B. BRATTAIN   Was my Second Lieutenant in Company H, 69th Indiana Volunteers, and I first became acquainted with him in August, 1862. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana, near Boston, six miles South of Richmond, October 23, 1832, and was married to Miss Louisa Wiseheart May 28, 1853, at Mechanicsburg, Henry county, Indiana. Of this union the following children have been born: Miss S. J. Brattain, married to J. P. Deane, of Des Moines, Iowa; Miss C. A. Brattain, married to Edwin Fulton, of Lynchburg, Ohio; Miss M. A. Brattain, married Frank Castle of Alexandria, Indiana; C. A. Brattain, married to Allia Herron, of Alexandria, Indiana; J. C. F. Brattain, married to Indiana Howard, of Alexandria; J. B. Brattain, resides at Elkhart, Indiana; Will Brattain, resides at Middletown, Indiana, and Frankie E. Brattain, deceased. 

Mr. Brattain came to Madison county in 1835, where his father entered land four miles South of Fishersburg. Here he remained many years, when he removed to Henry county. At the breaking out of the war he enlisted in Company F, 8th Indiana Volunteers (three months service) and participated in the battle of Rich Mountain, West Virginia. At the expiration of his term of service, he re-enlisted in Company H, 69th Indiana Volunteers, July, 1862, and was elected and commissioned Second Lieutenant of that company; was in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, and resigned at Memphis, Tennessee, December 20th, on account of ill health. 

He was made a Mason at Clarksville, Indiana, in 1853, and an Odd Fellow at Middletown in 1863. He is a member of Lew Tyler Post G.A.R. at Alexandria. I have known Mr. Brattain for many years, at home and in the field, and he was never found wanting in an emergency. He was a brave man and a good officer, and well liked by his comrades. He now resides in Middletown, Indiana, where he and his estimable lady belong to the Methodist Church, and are held in the highest esteem.

The second source that describes Hiram Brattain's service was History of Henry County, Indiana, written by George Hazzard in 1906. The following excerpt was found on pages 257-258:

HIRAM B. BRATTAIN
Hiram B. Brattain, husband of Philander Wisehart's elder sister, Louisa, was also a soldier of the Civil War. He was a private in the same company and regiment as Philander Wisehart, and when the latter received his death wound at Rich Mountain, he was present and received from him his dying words, "Tell mother I am willing to die and feel that all is well." The regiment was mustered out of service on August 6, 1861, and Mr. Brattain returned home where he remained until Aug 8, 1862, when he was commissioned Second Lieutenant of Company H, 69th Indiana Infantry. He was mustered into the service of the United States, August 12, 1862, and on the 19th of the same month departed for the front with his regiment. On August 30, 1862, at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, the regiment was terribly cut up and a large part of it captured. After exchange, the regiment was re-organized, but Lieutenant Brattain was compelled by increasing disability to resign March 27, 1863. He returned to Middletown, where he has since lived, enjoying the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens."

The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah!