Adam Close: Dependent on Only Son (#8 of 52 Ancestors)

My 4th great grandfather, Adam Close, wrote his will on February 1st, 1865. He stated he wanted his debts and "funded expenses" to be taken care of, and then he proceeded to give money to his heirs. He bequeathed five dollars to each of his daughters: Catharine intermarried with M P Crosthwaite, Julia Ann intermarried with John W. McClintock, Jane relict of David W. McKay, and Harriet intermarried with Doctor John W. Riddle. And then he gives five dollars to his "son, James M Close (if living)."

From Adam Close's Will in Mercer County, Pennsylvania 1865

When I first came across this will, I was saddened to think that Adam didn't even know if his son was still alive. Was James off fighting in the Civil War? And, did he survive?

When I found James' death date, I became confused. James did fight in the Civil War and was killed on May 8th, 1864, about 9 months before Adam wrote his will. Why didn't Adam know his son had been killed? And did Adam learn of his son's death before he died nine months after writing his will?

Just a few days ago, I got more insight into this family. I was surprised to find that Adam's widow, Catharine, had applied for a pension for her son's service. But, after reading through forty-four pages, I understood why. I guess it was somewhat unusual, but a dependent father or mother could also apply for a pension. And, from this file, it appears that James' parents had been dependent on him.

Adam Close suffered from Phthesis Pulmonalis, also known as consumption, for at least five years and possibly for fifteen or more years. Now known as tuberculosis (TB), this bacterial infection can attack any organ in the body though it most commonly is found in the lungs. It was also called "consumption" because it basically consumed a body causing a severe weight loss. Besides weight loss, patients often suffered from weakness, fever, and night sweats. When TB attacked lungs, patients would suffer from coughing, chest pain, and coughing up blood. [From CDC site.]

Although this disease was contagious, at this time people thought it was hereditary. Many people with a TB infection don't suffer from the affects of it but can still spread the disease.

For the last three years of his life, Adam was confined to his "room and bed." One affidavit states that Adam "was so reduced by the disease that he was a charge and care to his wife and family instead of a support for them..."  It goes on to say that Adam refused prescriptions that an elderly doctor gave him which left James "soley and entirely" in support of his family... by his labor with all the necessaries of life for a period of five years previous to [James'] death. 

James took on the responsibility of caring for his parents. By the age of 16, he worked as a farmer and gave his parents all of his money "except so much as was necessary for his own clothing." While in the army, he sent money home in his letters.James registered for the draft in 1863 at the age of 21, but he actually joined Company H of the 150th Infantry Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers on February 13th, 1864. Less than 3 months later, he took place in what I believe was his first battle, the battle of the Wilderness in Virginia. At the age of 23, James was shot "by a ball passing through from the back and coming out at the breast." [Widow's Pension Application]

Although James died less than three months after leaving to join the fighting, his parents evidently didn't know of his death for presumably many months. Some friends said that Adam and Catharine "could not maintain themselves but it became necessary for the neighbors to assist them in order to keep them from suffering." Catharine, who was only 62, was described as "old and feeble." "She has no means else of support and cannot possibly live without aid from some source having lost her husband and given her only son and support to her country."

So, Adam Close lived dependent on his only son for the last three to five years of his life. He suffered from a dreadful disease and had to watch his "feeble" wife depend on their son, and later their neighbors, too. As Adam approached death, it appears he held out hope that his only son was still living.

Adam's own father, Peter Close, had died when Adam was only about 12 years old. Though Adam lived with an older brother, I imagine he had to 'grow up' and take care of himself at a fairly young age. Adam was only 68 when he died and, though evidently quite ill, it must have been hard for him to depend on his own son for not only his welfare, but his wife's, also.

Source: All quotes are from Catharine Close's pension application for the service of James M Close (WC136993) found on Fold3

My Line of Descent

• Adam Close (1797-1865) m. Catharine [Longwell?] (1804-1889) 
• Julia Ann "July" Close (1826-1905) m. John W McClintock (1825-1890) 
• Catharine Jane McClintock (1852-1929) m. Alexander Stewart (1852-1922) 
• Andrew "Andy" McClinock Stewart (1882-1954) m. Bessie Waldron Merrill (1879-1959) 
• James Edward Stewart (1910-1972) m. Hazel Lucille Peters (1910-1975) (my paternal grandparents) 

(Thanks to Amy Johnson Crow at "No Story Too Small" for creating "52 Ancestors" where we can share our ancestors stories, one week at a time.)

Do we share common ancestors? I'd love to talk! Please write me at drleeds@sbcglobal.net

Thomas Whitwell: A Legal Orphan (#3 of 52 Ancestors)

(Thanks to Amy Johnson Crow at "No Story Too Small" for creating "52 Ancestors" where we can share our ancestors stories, one week at a time.)

Thomas B Whitwell, my 5th great grandfather, wasn't even a year old when he was legally declared an orphan. I say "legally" because we are uncertain as to whether his mother was still living or not. But, the law stated that he was an orphan if his father died. So, Thomas and his older brother, Robert, were orphans.

What happened to orphans in the 1770's in Virginia? They'd be legally "bound out" to a master or mistress who were to provide them with "diet, clothes, lodgings and accommodations and teach him to read and write and at the expiration of his apprenticeship to give him the same allowance appointed for servants of indenture." [Quote from What Genealogists Should Know about 18th Century Virginia Law by Mr. John P. Alcock]

Thomas was bound out to a man named William Brumfield and his brother, Robert, was bound out to a William Overton. Some researchers believe William Brumfield was their grandfather, but I'm still looking for evidence.

Fourteen years later, in 1790, Thomas' older brother was discharged from service to his master. This would usually happen at the age of 21, but I believe Thomas was only 18 or 19. On that same day, Thomas was bound to a different man, a Benjamin Morton. A few months later, that order was rescinded and he was bound to Samuel Johnson. And, a few months later, Samuel Johnson died so Thomas was bound to his brother, William Johnson. As a young teen, this must have been a difficult year for Thomas!

John Anderson giving permission for his daughter, Polly Anderson, to marry Thomas Whitwell
Witnesses are Elkanah Anderson, Polly's brother, and Robert Whitwell, Thomas' brother
Image from "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954" on Family Search

I haven't found a record of when Thomas was released from his bond, but by 1796 he had crossed the Cumberland Gap and joined his brother in Mercer County, Kentucky. (What an adventure that must have been!) In 1798, he married Mary "Polly" Anderson and they had their first of eleven children in 1799.

Shortly after the birth of that first son, the young family packed up and moved again, this time to Barren County, Kentucky. Over the next decade, Thomas and Polly had six more children before they moved to Dickson County, Tennessee.

In December 1814, Thomas traveled with his wife's brother, Elkanah Anderson (who is also a 5th great grandfather of mine), to fight the British in New Orleans. He left behind his wife, Polly, with their eight children, including the youngest who was only 15 months old.

Thomas and Elkanah joined the 2nd Regiment of the West Tennessee Militia. Their regiment was "part of a flotilla that went down to New Orleans via the Cumberland, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers." Once there, they fought in the famous Battle of New Orleans under Andrew Jackson. During the bloody, one-sided battle which lasted only about 30 minutes on January 8th, the British suffered over 2,000 casualties while the Americans only had about 100.

The Tennessee Archives site says there weren't any battle casualties in Thomas' and Elkanah's regiment, but there were "many deaths due to sickness" in February and March. Elkanah Anderson, Thomas' brother-in-law, died on January 14th just 6 days after the biggest battle. Was he one of the first to die of disease? Or did he die of a battle injury? And was he buried in New Orleans as family stories tell us?

Thomas returned home and had to break the news to his wife that her brother had died. Elkanah's wife, Sally, also had to be told. I'm not sure how many children Sally and Elkanah had, but their daughter, Margaret, was my 4th great grandmother.

After returning home, Thomas' wife had one more child before they packed up again and moved to Hickman County, Tennessee with extended family members. According to Spence's "History of Hickman County, Tennessee," they settled on Cane Creek "immediately after the withdrawal of the Indians" as early as 1815. Six heads of family are listed, and the Whitwell's and at least two other families are related to me. Another sentence states this was "yet in the Indian country" and I can only imagine the rough existence they had. They had their 11th child, their last, in Hickman County in 1820.

Thomas B Whitwell's headstone in Beech Grove Cemetery, Pleasantville, Hickman County, Tennessee
Headstone erected c 1992 by Mark Hubbs & Harvey Whitwell

Photo by Eunice posted at Find-A-Grave

Thomas' wife, Polly, died in 1838 and he passed away in 1846. Though family story says they were both buried in "box tombs" on land they owned in Hickman County, they now both have markers in Beech Grove Cemetery in Pleasantville, Hickman County. Pleasantville is possibly named after their son, Pleasant, who was my 4th great grandfather.

Do we share common ancestors? I'd love to talk! Please write me at drleeds@sbcglobal.net