William Mark; Soldier & Farmer

William Mark

26 May 1844 OH – 21 November 1904 OH

My Great Great Grandfather

William Mark

William Mark was something of a colorful figure. He served and was injured in the Civil War. After the war he was married twice and at one time he lived with both these women simultaneously. William lived in an undersized cabin in Ohio with his fourteen children. He lived close to the land, hunting, fishing and farming to feed his family.

William Mark was one of 8 sons of Abraham Mark & Mary Isabella Heffelfinger. William’s brothers were: Thomas Jefferson, John, Marion, Abraham Martin, Franklin P., David & Edwin. In 1850 the Abraham Mark family was in Wayne Co., OH. Abraham was a carpenter.[1] In 1860 William & Isabella were still in Wayne Co., OH with seven sons.[2]

On 6 March 1865 William Mark enlisted in the Union Army for one year. We can imagine that his family worried about his fate in the war. Two of his brothers were already killed in the war. William was 21 and a laborer. The records show he had blue eyes and light hair with a fair complexion. He stood 5’ 9” tall. He was a private in the 195^th Regiment Infantry.[3] The regiment was organized at Camp Chase. William Mark was “Mustered out with company Dec. 18, 1865.”[4]^{,[5], [6]}

The rifle that William used in the Civil War is still in our family. Dan and Rick Kindig from the Log Cabin and Historical center in Lodi, Ohio identified the weapon as a musket of French or Belgian manufacture. It is most likely a French 1842 Musket.

The musket was factory converted to be a breech-loaded weapon, possibly in late 1864. It may have been converted either in Europe or after being imported to the US. …the weapon would not have been issued to a front line combat unit but would have been issued to a unit involved in garrison duty. This matches the assignments of the 195^th Ohio Infantry, which served on garrison duty at Harper’s Ferry VA in March 1865 and Winchester VA in early April 1865, before doing Provost Duty at Alexandria VA from 28 April until it was mustered out in December 1865.[7]

After the war William married Emma Abeline (Flory) Mark on 2 June 1870.[8] This marriage did not last long. They had two children: Cora Bell[9] and Marion. Emma was ill for a long time before she died. Elidia Rebecca Ritter, who was a neighbor, came to live with the family to take care of Emma and her children. Emma died 23 July 1877.  She was only 25 years old.[10]^,[11] According to her death record, Emma died from an abortion.[12] Why this young married woman would have an abortion is just another family mystery. 

A few months later William married again. William Mark married Elidia Rebecca(Ritter) Mark on 20 April 1878 in Cedar Valley, Wayne, Ohio.[13]  In 1880 they were living in Chester Township in Wayne County.[14] He was a 36 year old day laborer. He and Elidia Rebecca had five children.

In 1900 William and Elidia Rebecca owned their home with no mortgage.[15] He was a farm laborer who was unemployed for six months that year. Seven children were at home, between the ages of 22 and 3 years old. Providing for seven children and being unemployed for half the year must have been difficult. Granddaughter, Ivy (Mark) Brown remembered the small home in Chester. She said,

I remember their place. It wasn’t a very big place but they always had a good garden and a lot of chickens. Chickens were out back. In those days there was a lot of hunting. Like rabbit, turkey, wild turkey and such things. They had a lot of fishing. There was a big creek right by their house. They could fish.[16]

Home of the William Mark Family

Except for his time in military service, William spent his life in Wayne County, Ohio. On 21 November 1904, William died.[17] He was 60 years old.  The cause of death was recorded as “Paralysis”. Ivy (Mark) Brown related the story of her grandfather’s death,

She [Elidia Rebecca] and my grandfather lived in that house and he wasn’t well enough to do much.  He used to go for walks. He loved to be outside. So, this one day he went for a walk and he come back and he told Grandma he had walked further that day than he had for a long time. And she said, ‘Well, sit down a few minutes. Dinner isn’t quite ready.’ And he sat down and when she went to call him, he was dead.[18]

William and Elidia Rebecca (Ritter) Mark share a tombstone in Overton Church of God Cemetery, row 7[19]^,[20],[21]. There’s a large flowering shrub that reaches over the tombstone in the spring. An American flag is proudly planted in front of the tombstone to show that William was a veteran.[22]

William Mark's tombstone

William & Family:

1 William Mark b: 26 May 1844 Wooster, Wayne, OH, d: 21 Nov 1904 Chester, Wayne, OH

... + Emma Abeline Flory b: 24 Oct 1852 in Wayne, Ohio, USA, m: 2 Jun 1870, d: 23 Jul 1877 Chester, Wayne, OH

......2 Cora Bell Mark b: 30 Jul 1872 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 10 Jun 1905 Wooster, Wayne, OH

...... + Edward Newell b: Apr 1873 OH, m: 24 Nov 1892 in Wayne, OH, d: Unknown

......2 Marian Francis Mark b: 14 Nov 1874, d: 06 Apr 1947 Wayne, OH

... + Elidia Rebecca Ritter b: 30 Jul 1854 Chester, Wayne, OH, m: 20 Apr 1878 Cedar Valley, Wayne, OH, d: 28 Aug 1912 in Chester, Wayne, OH

......2 William M. Mark b: 12 Feb 1877 Cedar Valley, Wayne, OH, d: Aft. 1920

...... + Alice Leota Heacock b: 3 Oct 1880 Ashland, OH, m: 19 Oct 1899 Wooster, Wayne, OH

......2 George Washington Mark b: 1 Apr 1878 in Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 16 Oct 1938 Chester, Wayne, OH

...... + Elizabeth Shifferly b: 10 Oct 1881 Plain Twp., Wayne, OH, m: 20 Nov 1901 Cedar Valley, Wayne, OH, d: 3 Sep 1949 Chester, Wayne, OH

......2 Thomas Kenneth Mark b: 19 Jul 1879 in Wooster, Wayne, OH, d: 12 Feb 1975 Wadsworth, Medina, OH

...... + Nancy Regina Victoria Gruissy b: 31 Jan 1879 in Sharon, Medina, OH, m: 28 Jan 1903 Medina, OH, d: 24 May 1959 Wadsworth, Medina, OH

......2 Margaret Maude Mark b: 06 Jan 1881 in Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 10 Jan 1964 Wooster, Wayne, OH

...... + Ralph Clayton Kauffman b: 8 Nov 1877 Wayne, OH, m: 28 Aug 1937 Orrville, Wayne, OH, d: 12 Nov 1968

...... + Samuel Martin Jolliff b: 08 Dec 1871 Wayne, OH, m: 10 Mar 1898 in Wayne, OH, d: 28 Jan 1927

......2 Emma Jane Mark b: 27 Apr 1882 Overton, Wayne, OH, d: 9 Dec 1961 Wooster, Wayne, OH

...... + Alfred C. Pfeifer b: 23 Feb 1880 Grafton, Lorain, OH, m: 30 Dec 1902 Lagrange, Lorain, OH, d: 8 Apr 1968

...... + Elmer Howard Wilson b: 10 Oct 1879 NJ, d: 12 Jul 1959 in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware

......2 William Hercules Mark b: 30 Apr 1884 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 12 Aug 1929 Congress, Wayne, OH

......2 Mary Jeanette Mark b: 28 Feb 1886 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 06 May 1940 Berea, Cuyahoga, OH

...... + John Rickert Shaw b: 13 Jan 1886, m: 12 Jun 1912, d: Abt. 1984

......2 Amos Martin Mark b: 21 Jun 1888 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 16 Jun 1969 Wayne, OH

...... + Lillian Myrtle Hoverstock b: 25 Apr 1896 Chester, Wayne, OH, m: 28 Apr 1914 Overton, Wayne, OH, d: 10 Oct 1975 Wooster, Wayne, OH

......2 Eslie Guy Mark b: 2 Dec 1890 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 10 May 1972 Medina, Medina, OH

...... + Golda Mae Warner b: 22 Sep 1902 Lodi, Medina, OH, m: 15 Apr 1922, d: 25 Mar 1982 Lodi, Medina, OH

......2 Charles Forest Mark b: 2 May 1892 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 30 Apr 1967 OH

...... + Bertha Flickinger b: 2 Mar 1904 Wayne, OH, m: 2 Jun 1923 Overton, Wayne, OH, d: 01 Jul 2000 Wooster, Wayne, OH

......2 Elva Gale Mark b: 28 Jun 1894 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 12 Jan 1959 Wooster, Wayne, OH

...... + Myron A. Boreman b: Abt. 1893 Wayne County, OH, m: 13 Sep 1912 Wayne, OH, d: Unknown

......2 James Everett Mark b: 28 Oct 1896 Chester, Wayne, OH, d: 28 Oct 1968 in Wooster, Wayne, OH

...... + Effie Margaret Carter b: 15 Feb 1904 Knox, OH, m: 31 Dec 1924, d: 5 Apr 1966

---

[1] 1850 US Census, Wayne Co, Ohio; 1850; Extracted from Census by C. Arthur Phillips, Published by MicroPhoto Div., Wooster, Ohio, R.929.377161Un3wp; Page 324; Wayne Co. Public Library, Wooster; Abraham Marks family.

[2] 1860 US Census, Wayne County, Ohio; 1860; ; Page 150, Lines 14-22; Family History Center Microfilm #805051; NOTES: Abraham Marks Family in Congress Twp.

[3] Pension Application of Rebecca Mark, Widow of William Mark; 1865-1905; Civil War, Ohio Volunteer Inf., Co. I, 195 Regiment, Certificate #602620, Can #50791, Bundle #18, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[4] Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio In The War Of  The Rebellion, 1861 - 1866, Vol. X (Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1889).Page 185.

[5] Roster of Soldiers for Ohio, 195^th Regiment, 1861 – 1866, Microfilm 0284929, Family History Center, Loudonville, NY. William Mark.

[6] United States Special Schedule, Veterans, 1890, Wooster Township, Wayne County, Ohio, Roll 72, SD 6, ED 315, Page 1. Private William Mark, Company I, 195^th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, 5 March 1865 – 30 October 1865.

[7] Pasquale, Colleen G. Brown. "John, Thomas Jefferson, Marion & William Mark: Brothers & Soldiers." Ohio Civil War Genealogy Journal. XV.1 (2011): 3 - 8. With additional notes by Dan and Rick Kindig.

[8] Pension Application of Rebecca Mark, Widow of William Mark; 1865-1905; Civil War, Ohio Volunteer Inf., Co. I, 195 Regiment, Certificate #602620, Can #50791, Bundle #18, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[9] Birth Record for Cora B. Marks, 30 July 1872, Volume 1, page 109, #35, Wayne County Probate Court, Court House, 107 W Liberty St., Wooster, Ohio.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Family Papers and Letters from Clarence Mark to author.

[12] Record of Death for Abeline Marks, 1877, Volume 1, Page 81, #11, Probate Court, Chester Township, Wayne Co. Copy from Wayne County Public Library, Wooster, Ohio. 

[13] Certificate of Marriage for William Mark and Rebecca Ritter, 20 April 1878, Volume 9, Page 132, Wayne County Marriage Records. From the Wayne County Public Library, Wooster, Ohio.

[14] 1880 U. S. Census, Wayne Co., Ohio; 1880; Compiled by Richard G. Smith, 1979, Published by Wayne Co. Historical Society Genealogical Section, Wooster, Ohio; Page 38; State Library of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio.  “Marks, William”

[15] 1900 U. S. Census, Wayne Co., Ohio; 1900; Vol. 155, E.D. 142, Sheet 10; Line 37; Family History Center Microfilm #1241331. William “Marks.

[16] “Interviews with Ivy Regina Mark Brown”.

[17] Certificate of Death for William Mark, 21 Nov 1904, No. 9, Volume 2, Page 190, Probate Division, Court of Common Pleas, Wayne County, State of Ohio.

[18] “Interviews with Ivy Regina Mark Brown”.

[19] Letter from Rebecca Kurtz Cogar at Overton Church of God Cemetery Association (7940 Akron Rd., Sterling, Ohio 44276) letter to Colleen G. Pasquale (7 Seneca Drive, Averill Park, NY 12018) 7 April 2009.

[20] Murray, Wendy. Overton Church of God Cemetery Records. Privately Published, 1992.

[21] Genealogical Section of the Wayne Co Historical Society. Wayne County, Ohio Burial Records. OH: Privately printed.

[22] Graves Registration Card for William Mark, 21 November 1904, Ohio Military Records: Grave Registration, Microfilm #0182752, Family History Center, Loudonville, NY.

Forget Me Not: John Brumfield; Search Party Needed!

John Benjamin Brumfield

"A search party early Friday morning … the body of John Benjamin Brumfield … Walthall County farmer near his home after a hunt that continued all night. Mr. Brumfield, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Brumfield, pioneer settlers of the area, left his home 6 miles east of Holmesville in the Bridges community at about noon Thursday, en route by horseback to the home of his son, George.

He intended going with the son to Summit to the Thursday cattle sale, a member of the family said. Thus, when the horse returned home around 3:00 o’clock that afternoon still bridled but without saddle, it was thought the aged farmer had released the animal after arriving at this son’s home. However, at 7:00 that night, the son returned from Summit without knowledge of his father and a huge crowd of Walthall officers, neighbors and friends gathered to search through the woods and fields for Mr. Brumfield. At times during the night, as many as 250 or 300 persons were in the searching party, but it was not until 7 a.m. Friday that the body was discovered in woods not more than 300 yards from the home. A Mr. Magee, of the searchers, is said to have been the one who first sighted the remains. The body lay near a stump, the horse’s saddle also being discovered some 30 feet away. Conjecture is that Mr. Brumfield either suffered a heart attack before falling from his mount, or that he fell from the animal and struck his head and face on the stump and roots, suffering injuries that rendered him helpless and caused him eventually to succumb.



Mr. Brumfield leaves his wife, Mrs. Mary Gent Brumfield; a son, George Brumfield, Tylertown; three daughters, Mrs. Judge Hughes, Louisville; Mrs. Louis Moore, Natchez; Mrs. Samuel Neil, El Paso, Texas; three brothers, Charley Brumfield, Brookhaven; Henry Brumfield, McComb; and D. A. (Dud) Brumfield, Summit, Route 3; three sisters, Mrs. J. J. Lee, Walker’s Bridge; Mrs. E. E. Thigpen, Biloxi, and Mrs. H. G. Mackey, Rogers, Ark., six grandchildren and many other relatives."

Source: Magee, Zuma Fendlason. Selected Obituaries from Louisiana (Washington & Tangipahoa Parishes) and from Mississippi (Pike, Walthall & Marion Counties). Volume I. Franklinton, Louisiana: Privately printed, 1976. From Franklinton Library, LA.

Martha E Alford Brumfield; Great Great Grandma

Martha Elizabeth Alford Brumfield

8 August 1846 MS – after 1910

My Great Great Grandmother

Martha was the daughter of Edwin Barksdale Alford & Martha P Smith. She was one of 13 children. Her siblings were: Warren Jackson, Cynthia Ann, Ira Payne, William H., Harriet Jane, Lacey A., Jeptha J., Julia Ann, Seaborn S., Elijah H., Julius Newton & Julia Ann Alford. The Edwin Alfords were in MS from the early 1800’s onwards.[1]^,[2]

Martha married Jessie Alexander Brumfield, son of Nathaniel Brumfield & Charlotte Temple Ott. In 1870 they were living in Osyka, Pike, MS with three children. Jessie was a farmer.[3] In 1878 those three children were attending school in Pike, MS.[4] By 1880 Jessie & Martha had 6 children, ages 11 months to 13 years old.[5] The children attended school in Pike Co., MS.[6]^,[7]

The family lived on Walkers Bridge Road in 1900. Jessie owned his farm without a mortgage. Three children were still at home.[8] In the 1910 census Martha was the mother of ten children; seven living.[9] Research has uncovered nine children for Martha.

At this time Martha’s death year is unknown. If you know more about my great great grandmother please contact me.

Martha, Jessie & Family:

1 Martha Elizabeth Alford b: 08 Aug 1846 Pike, MS, d: Aft. 1910

... + Jessie Alexander Brumfield b: 27 Sep 1838 LA, d: 27 May 1914 MS

......2 Martin Ellis Brumfield b: Sep 1865 MS, d: Aft. 1920

...... + Dollie King b: Jun 1877 LA

......2 Rose Ella Brumfield b: 18 Jul 1867 MS, d: 2 Oct 1948 Magnolia, Pike, MS

...... + Jasper Pascal Brown b: 15 May 1865 Pike, MS, m: 21 Dec 1887 in Pike, MS, d: 8 Jun 1950 McComb, Pike, MS

......2 John Edward Brumfield b: Nov 1869 MS, d: 1933

...... + Ada Beatrice Fortenberry b: 25 Oct 1894, d: 1956 MS

......2 Fletcher Boyd Brumfield b: 28 Jun 1875 MS, d: 11 Dec 1960 MS

...... + Mattie Burmfield b: 02 Mar 1880 MS, m: Abt. 1908, d: 8 Oct 1967

......2 Lily E. Brumfield b: 1876 MS, d: 1959

...... + Julius G. Alford b: 25 Oct 1869 LA, d: 1947

......2 Daisy L. Brumfield b: Jul 1879 MS

...... + Cornelius Alford

......2 Lucy May Brumfield b: 12 Apr 1881 MS, d: 15 Mar 1882 MS

......2 Sallie Joy Brumfield b: 31 May 1884 MS, d: 1973

...... + Joseph Ed Brumfield b: 1872 MS, d: 1955

......2 Newton N. Brumfield b: 8 Nov 1872, d: 14 Dec 1874 MS

---

[1] Conerly, Luke Ward. Resource Records of Pike/Walthall Counties Mississippi, 1798 – 1910. Reprint, Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, Inc. 1989.

[2] Land & Maps. Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Pike County, Mississippi. Deluxe. Norman, Oklahoma: Arphax Publishing Co., 2005. Land patents for Edwin Alford in Pike, MS, 1849, 1851, 1859.

[3] 1870 US Census, Osyka, Pike, Mississippi, Microfilm Roll M593-745; Jesse A Bromfield family.

[4] Haymon, Serena Abbess. Pike County, Mississippi School Census, 1878.  Greenwell Springs, LA. Three Brumfield children.

[5] 1880 Census, Pike Co., MS; ED 37, SD 3, Page 54; J Alek Brumfield family.

[6] Haymon, Serena Abbess. Pike County, Mississippi School Census, 1885.  Greenwell Springs, LA. The children of J Alek Brumfield.

[7] Haymon, Serena Abbess. Pike County, Mississippi School Census, 1890.  Greenwell Springs, LA. The children of Alex Brumfield.

[8] 1900 US Census, South of Magnolia at Walkers Bridge Rd., PIke Co., Mississippi, SD 7, ED 104, Sheet 31A; Jesse A. Brumfield family.

[9] 1910 US Census, Pike, Mississippi, SD 7, ED 95, Sheet 8A; Jessie A Brumfield family.

Related Posts:

• 52 Ancestors = Week #5; Jasper Pascal Brown

1899 Gruissy Letter, Unrequited Love

This letter was written to my great grandmother, N. Regina (Gruissy) Mark 1879 OH – 1959 OH

To: Miss Regina Nancy Gruissy, 708 west Fourth St., Canton, OH

From: W H Ackerman

Postmarked: 9 AM 11 Jul 1899, Beach City, OH

Miss Regina N. Gruissy, Canton, O.

Dear friend. I will take the pleasure of writing to you this evening. Well Regina I was up to Massillon Sunday night. I went up on the 4 o’clock train and came home on the 8.51 train. But I did not see any girls I cared about. But of course no body else loves you. You say but I don’t think so.

Now Regina you know what I always said I loved you and you know it. If you knew you that letter hurt me you would never write that again. You know Regina I love you above all others. When you think I don’t care for you any more you can just stop writing to me.

I am also sorry to hear that you are not well hope you are better by this time. From Your Dear Beloved Friend, Walter. Ans. Soon

Another thing I always have used you like a lady best I know how. I remain as ever yours Truly, W H Ackerman. Ans Soon

Note: This letter was written in pencil on lined paper. It had a 2 cent stamp.

Regina was 20 years old at the time this letter was written. There are no family stories of this suitor for my great grandmother’s affections. 

Related Posts:

• Augustus Ceaser Gruissy

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

When we think of Easter we think of baskets of chocolate treats and pots of spring flowers. As a little girl [see above] the thing I liked best was getting a new Easter outfit. I loved the patent leather shoes, the little white gloves & purse, the hat with long ribbons that hung down my back and a pretty dress with a full skirt that would flare out when I spun around. 

I remember walking into church with my brothers in their new suits and my mother in a lovely dress & new hat. I felt like a little princess in all my finery. The sun would shine in through the stained glass windows and all our neighbors and friends who had looked so gray through the long winter would sparkle to life. 

Halfway through Mass my white ankle socks would slip down into those shiny new shoes, my white gloves would get hot and the thin elastic thread holding on my hat would cut into my chin. My brothers would start to fidget as their new shoes pinched their toes and their ties tightened. My mother would only have to glance up from her prayer book to remind us to sit still and keep our attention on the altar. When the Latin prayers and songs were over we would walk out with big smiles on our faces and thoughts of chocolate bunnies.

May this Easter bring many blessings & happy memories to you & yours!

Colleen