Church Record Sunday: Henry & Kezia Eckman

 

The Smithville Church of God in Smithville, Lancaster County recorded Henry and Kezia's burial in their small graveyard. Henry was born 13 September 1826 and buried on 17 Mar 1904. Kezia was born 1 November 1828 and was buried on 17 September 1884. Kezia's note reads: "w of Henry".

 

About Henry Eckman: 

I found a Henry & Kezia Eckman in 1860 (on the 1860 Census) in Providence Township, Lancaster County, PA. He was 33 years old and a laborer. Kezia was 31. Living with them was four year old Albert Martin. The 1860 Census however does not record relationships among household members. Henry registered for the US Civil War Draft in 1863. His age, as of 1 July 1863, was 35. It reveals only that he is white, lives in Providence Township, is a laborer and was born in Pennsylvania.

 

I found the three again on the 1870 Census. Henry of course was 43; Kezia was 41 and Albert was 14. Also living with them was three year old William Zittle and 26 year old Elizabeth Gochnauer. Henry was a farm laborer. Kezia was keeping house. Elizabeth was a domestic servant. She was white. There is no relationship listed for the two boys.

 

The 1880 Census answers some questions posed by the earlier censuses. Henry, now 53, and Kezia, 51, are still living in Providence Township in Smithville. With them is his mother-in-law Lydia Gochnauer, 74, and 13 year old nephew William Zittle, as well as nine year old niece Annie Lanions. The children were at school. Henry was a laborer. The two older women kept house at home. All were born in Pennsylvania, as were their parents.

 

The 1850 Census does include 23 year old Henry Eckman, a single man. He was at home in Little Britain Township, Lancaster County. The head of household was 38 year old Daniel Eckman, assumably his older brother. Also living there was 68 year old Susan Eckman (assumably his mother), 27 year old Hironomous, 22 year old Susan, and 19 year old Catherine. A Thomas Henry, age 23, also lived with the family.

 

Source:

Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 1000.

NMAM: Paul Kurenda

Each year the local VFW comes around to the various cemeteries in and around Coatesville (Chester County, PA) and does a nice service and 21 gun salute. Today the VFW is scheduled to visit Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery. Each year a specific veteran is selected and it is at this graveside that the VFW performs their service. Today is supposed to be Paul Kurenda. 

Paul Kurenda is Baba's brother Paul - whom she affectionately always called. He enlisted as a Private on 1 January 1943 in Philadelphia. At the time of enlistment he was a welder at Lukens. He lived at home, up Rock Run, with his mom, Frances. His father, John, had predeceased him. He saw action in the European Theater. Uncle Paul died on 11 August 1944 in service to our country. 

His obituary was published in the now-defunct Coatesville Record.

Coatesville Record
August 12, 1944

PFC. Paul Kurenda, aged twenty-two years, of 1047 Rock Run, died last night in Valley Forge General hospital after a long illness. He was taken ill while in England where he served with the army for one year after training in this country. Brought back, he was treated at hospitals in Charleston, S.C. and Martinsburg, W. Va., before being transferred to the Valley Forge institution.

Funeral services will be held on Monday morning at two 0'clock with High Mass at Holy Ghost Greek Orthodox Catholic church. Interment will be made in Ukrainian cemetery.

PFC Kurenda, who worked as a welder at Lukenweld before entering the service, is survived by his mother, Mrs. Frances Kurenda, of Rock Run; and three sisters, Mary, wife of Andrew Sokso, RD 1; Catherine, wife of John Yuzwick, Rock Run; and Anna, Wife of Joseph Ruczhak, Rock Run.

While his obituary does not include it, Baba & Gigi had told me that Uncle Paulie had developed gangrene in Europe and that his death was due to that. Gangrene - according to dictionary.com - is "necrosis or death of soft tissue due to obstructed circulation, usually followed by decomposition and putrefaction." He was sent to the government hospital in Martinsburg, WV before he was transferred home to die at Valley Forge. Gigi once told me that Paulie would often write and said that all it did in England was rain. It was hard sometimes to find a dry space to even sleep.

Paul was the baby of the family. He had two brothers: John and Peter; and three sisters: Mary, Catherine and Anna (my Baba). He was born in Coatesville in 1922. He is buried at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery in Valley Township with his parents. Both his parents are my immigrant ancestors.

NMAM: John R Eckman

John R Eckman served as a Private in the Union in the Civil War. He enlisted in Company D, Pennsylvania 2nd Cavalry Regiment on 12 October 1861.

He filed for his Civil War Pension on 27 July 1863, listing that he served in the Company D, Pennsylvania 2nd Cavalry Regiment . No spouse is mentioned on his petition (Roll #T288_137).

Source:
Historical Data Systems, comp. U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.

National Archives and Records Administration. U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

NMAM: Salute to Veterans

Rep. Steven Mentzer will continue "Salute to Veterans" event begun six years ago by former state Rep. John Bear. The 2013 “Salute to Veterans” event will take place on Monday, 27 May at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Each veteran and his or her guest is invited to join the two men for a Lancaster Barnstormers game, which will begin at 7 p.m. Both will receive free admittance to the ball game. There will be an on-field ceremony beginning at 5:30 p.m., which will feature performances by the Manhattan Dolls and the Washington Memorial Pipe Band, along with an artillery salute by members of the Pennsylvania National Guard and a flyover by a B-25 bomber from the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum. The emcee for the evening will beVietnam War veteran Dick Hoxworth.

Seating is limited for the event, so reservations are required. To register, call the district office, anytime between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at (717) 626-1776, or click here to complete the online registration form.

Wordless Wednesday: Proud Mama Moment

At left,  Zorina with her friend John at her recent concert. Anna was sick that evening and could attend. Both have been in Chorus for the last three years! On the right, Anna (in the blue shorts) ran a 5K recently for Moms House in Lancaster! I am so proud of my girls!

NMAM: Henry H Eckman

May is National Military Appreciation Month. Today I searched military records on Ancestry.com for ECKMAN veterans from Lancaster County, PA. Today I chose Henry H Eckman.

Henry enlisted in Company A, Pennsylvania 122nd Infantry Regiment on 11 Aug 1862. He was mustered out on 15 May 1863. Henry was a Private.

Henry is quite a common name amon the Eckmans. Hence, I have not been able to determine much more about this particular Henry at this time. There are a few Henrys listed in the Civil War Draft Registrations. However again without being able to connect dates or locations, I am not comfortable connecting them ... yet!

Source:
Historical Data Systems, comp. U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.

NMAM: Jacob Eckman

After the Revolutionary War that has gained our young country independence from Britain, there were still many unresolved issues. The War of 1812 was again between the United States and Britain but this time land was not an issue. The causes of the war, according to History.com, were trade restrictions, the Royal Navy's impressment of American seamen and America's desire to expand its territory. The war lasted 32 months. Jacob Eckman enlisted on 25 August 1813. He was discharged on 30 April 1814.

He served as a Private under Captain Stansbury in Co. 39 US Infantry. He claimed to have served as a substitute for another but does not name that person.

Jacob married Mary Raney that same year (1814) in Cleveland, Ohio. He died in 1877.

Source:
Ancestry.com. War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

Tombstone Tuesday: Michael & Helen Bilinski

 

Bilinski

Michael 10 Feb. 1922 - 11 Feb. 1997

Helen 18 Jan. 1926 - 3 April 2001

buried together at

Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery

Valley Township, Chester County, PA

Military Monday & NMAM: Lucius Deyoe

 

Lucius Deyoe enlisted in the Union Army a Private on 21 October 1861 at the age of 17. He
enlisted in Company H, 61st Infantry Regiment New York on 26 Oct 1861.The young private was wounded in the Wilderness Campaign on 5 May 1864. He was mustered out later that year on 24 October 1864 near Petersburg, VA.

 

Lucius was single, being only 19 when he mustered out. His mother - Mary Deyoe - lived in Binghamton, NY. He had been born 6 December 1845 in Greene, Chenango County, NY. Before enlisting, he was a laborer.

 

His death date is still unclear although it was after 1880, since that was the year he filed for his pension.

 

 

 

He

NMAM: Benjamin Still

May is National Military Appreciation Month. Today I searched military records on Ancestry.com for STILL veterans. As many Stills I have found who would have been in Chester County during the Civil War, it amazes me that I have the hardest time finding veterans directly related to me for that particular line.

Ancestry.com offers a database for American Civil War soldiers and in that I did find Stills but not many in Pennsylvania. One was a Benjamin Still. He enlisted as a Private on 20 April 1861 for Pennsylvania on behalf of the Union. He served in Company I, 4th Infantry Regiment Pennsylvania and was mustered out on 27 Jul 1861 at Harrisburg, PA.

Source:
Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.