DUBOIS: Louis Du Bois was the son of Chretien and Cornelia Du Bois of Wicres [a hamlet in the district of La Basse, near Lille, Flanders]. He was born 21 October 1626.
After his father's death in 1628/9, Louis's uncle, Jean DuBois, took the family to Mannheim. There Cornelia married her brother-in-law.
Jean Du Bois had probably already converted to Calvinism. Cornelia and her children became members of the Protestant Church.
Louis moved to the Lower Palatinate as a young man. The Calvinist State was the leading Protestant power in Germany and offered refuge to oppressed Protestants. The little colony of Walloons, fleeing from the Duke of Alva, settled at Frankenthal, near Mannheim, its capital.
Louis married Catherine Blanchan in Frankenthal on 10 October 1655. Sons Abraham and Isaac were born in Germany.
Louis's, father-in-law Matthese Blanchan and other families migrated to Holland and then to New Netherland. They would name their home in America for their haven in Germany - the "New Palatinate."
The Blanchans, Crispells and the other Walloon refugees left Amsterdam aboard the "Guilded Otter" in April 1660 and arrived in New Amsterdam in August of that year. Sources have frequently stated that Louis arrived on the same ship as his in-laws, but his name does not appear on the passenger list for the "Gilded Otter."
Many Prall researchers believe that Louis made a stop in Leiden before leaving The Netherlands. Louis and Catherine had two young sons and must have felt that Catherine needed help. They most likely visited Louis's sister, Francoise Billiou, and persuaded the in-laws to allow eldest daughter Marie to accompany them.
Blanchan and Antoine Crispel established themselves at the village of Esopus in 1660, with Du Bois joining them a few months later. They removed to Wildwyck, which stood on a plateau skirting Esopus Creek and the Wallkill Valley, with the Catskill Mountains to the north.
[In Dutch, wilt means "wild" and wyck means "section or country, so Wiltwyck was "wild country." Likewise, wal or waal means "Walloon" and kil means "stream", giving us "Walloon's Stream."]
Du Bois, Blanchan and Crispel settled about a mile west of Wiltwyck and founded "Nieu Dorp" or New Village [later Hurley] in 1662. The houses and barns were built within a fortified inclosure to guard against Indian attacks. Fifteen families made their homes at the new settlement. Louis DuBois established a trading post at Nieu Dorp; dealing with both settlers and Indians.
Nieu Dorp was located on land claimed by the Indians, who were still resentful over the actions of Stuyvesant at the close of the previous hostilities. The Indians attacked and burned the village on 7 June 1663. Eight women and 26 children were taken captive, including Catherine Du Bois and three of her children, two of the Blanchan children, and Crispel's wife and child. The other settlers escaped into the woods. It was Louis DuBois himself who gave the warning of the attack. He had been out retrieving oxen that had wandered onto a neighbor's property. Louis was attacked by three Indians and wounded by an arrow before escaping.
Wiltwyck was also attacked and severe losses were sustained. Rachel de la Montagne and the wife and child of the local minister, Dominie Blom, were among the captives. Search and rescue parties were organized. Rachel de la Montagne escaped and provided search parties with detailed information as to the location of the captives.
After much delay and difficulty, the rescue party led by Captain Marten Krygier, surprised and routed the Indians and rescued the captives three months later. The Indians were constructing a third angle to their fort, trying to strengthen the compound, when the attack occurred. The captives were in good health and had suffered no ill treatment. They had been hidden in the woods at night to avoid rescue before negotiations for their exchange could take place.
Family legend has it that as the rescue party approached the Indian encampment, the melodious voice of Catherine Du Bois could be heard singing psalms. Her voice had so intrigued the Indians that they delayed putting the prisoners to death. Kreigier's rescue party then had time to stage their rescue. The family legend is supported by a reference in Kreiger's journal: "In the stillness around, the far off voice of Mrs. Dubois could be heard in singing of Dutch Psalms - then the sharp cry of a squaw in the cornfield as she discovered the approach of the Dutch troops."
In 1667 Louis DuBois was granted lots 16 and 24 in Nieu Dorp. His father-in-law, Matthew Blanchan, was granted lots in Nieu Dorp and Esopus.
In 1670, Louis gave approval of the marriage of his nice, Marie Billiou, to Arendt Jansen Van Naerden [Prall], a local wheelwright and blacksmith in Kingston.
In 1674, Louis Du Bois was a magistrate in Hurley.
An agreement was filed by Louis and Catherine on 13 October 1676 providing that if either should die, the minor children would be educated until they could earn a living. If the surviving spouse remarried, the children would receive half of the estate. At death of both, the children would inherit the entire estate.
Du Bois, Blanchan, and Crispel met the need of the expanding territory by continuing "their favorite work of building settlements." On 26 May 1677, they purchased a large tract of land from the Indians [probably the Mohawks] about 10 miles south of Hurley. The settlement was named "Le Nouveau Palatinat" ["New Palatinate"], or New Paltz, in honor of their home while exiled in Germany.
Between 1686 and 1688, Du Bois was granted a meadow north of Kingston. In 1689 he was granted a tract of land upon the Great Bennewater north of Kingston and in the vicinity of Edward Whittaker's homestead.
Louis wrote his will on 27 March 1694, leaving to wife Catherine "all estate of lands, houses and goods for life." Son Abraham was bequeathed six pounds "for his right of primogeniture in full of all claim." Jacob, David, Solomon, Lewis, Matthew, the children of Israel [dec'd], and the children of daughter Sarah were each bequeathed one-eighth of the estate. Catherine was name executrix. In a codicil to the will [same date] one-half of the Hurley farm was left to Jacob [for 1500 scheppels of wheat] and the other half to Matthew when he became of age for 50 scheppels of wheat [along with property in Kingston.] David received payments for land purchased in New Paltz. Land in New Paltz went to Solomon and Louis, while additional land in Hurley was left to Sarah in return for 700 scheppels of wheat. The will was filed 27 February 1695/6 and proved 26 March 1696. [Ulster Co. Wills, liber 5-6, p. 173]
After Louis' death, Catherine married Jean Cottin. She received 1/3 of the profits from his mercantile business while they were married. When she died in 1712, the money went to her children and to the Dutch Church. She also freed several slaves.
It might also be noted that the surname DuBois, although of French origin, is not pronounced as one would expect. Rather than doo bwa, the name is doo boice. The reason for this was supposedly to finalize the break with Catholocism. New faith, new pronunciation.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Family Added, Subtracted and Added Again
DOUGLAS: Trusting to others research can sometimes get you into trouble. Those circa 1890-1920 family histories are a wonderful tool, but the information contained therein must be treated with caution! Errors in the early Lockwood genealogy forced me to eliminate about a half-dozen families from my files. [I still have the info in though.] Due to an error in a marriage, it appeared that my Douglas family would vanish from the files as well.
The original Douglas connection was William Sr., William Jr. and Elizabeth, who married Daniel Dart. The daughter of Elizabeth Douglas and Daniel Dart, Elizabeth Dart married John Hazen.
But, such was not the case! John Hazen actually married Elizabeth Turner, the widow of Thomas Dart and son of Daniel and Elizabeth. Thus ended my connection to the Douglasses, or so I thought. Further research took me back again to William Douglas Sr. His daughter Sarah married John Keeney. Their daughter, Susanna married Ezekiel Turner, father of Elizabeth Turner Dart Hazen. The Douglasses were back in the fold!
William Sr. was probably born in Scotland. He moved to London during the 1630s and settled in Massachusetts between 1640 and 1645. The Douglas clan then moved on to New London, Connecticut in 1660. William died there in 1682.
The original Douglas connection was William Sr., William Jr. and Elizabeth, who married Daniel Dart. The daughter of Elizabeth Douglas and Daniel Dart, Elizabeth Dart married John Hazen.
But, such was not the case! John Hazen actually married Elizabeth Turner, the widow of Thomas Dart and son of Daniel and Elizabeth. Thus ended my connection to the Douglasses, or so I thought. Further research took me back again to William Douglas Sr. His daughter Sarah married John Keeney. Their daughter, Susanna married Ezekiel Turner, father of Elizabeth Turner Dart Hazen. The Douglasses were back in the fold!
William Sr. was probably born in Scotland. He moved to London during the 1630s and settled in Massachusetts between 1640 and 1645. The Douglas clan then moved on to New London, Connecticut in 1660. William died there in 1682.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Family Stories: HERESY!
DE LINT: Arent Jansz De Lint was a barber who settled in Brielle, South Holland. He married Anneke Esiasdr [also recorded as Anneke Jans] there prior to 1534.
In 1534, Arent and Anneke De Lint formed a group of Nieugezinden [religious dissenters] at their home in the Coppoenstraat in Brielle. This was in the early days of the Protestant Reformation in the Netherlands. The group met for only a short time, as the DeLints fled to England in June of 1534. Arent died in London in December of 1538 and Anneke returned to the Netherlands. In 1539 at Rotterdam, Anneke was tried executed for heresy [crimes against the church]. The method of execution was drowning. The couple left at least one orphaned child, a son, Esaias. Esaias Arentse de Lint's great-granddaughter, Lijsbetjen [Elizabeth] would be the first of the family to arrive in America.
(Drowning was used as a punishment during the Middle Ages. The offender was bound by hands and feet and thrown from a bridge into the river. A pond, pool, or even a tub of water, was used if no river was available. Drowning was primarily used on women.)
In 1534, Arent and Anneke De Lint formed a group of Nieugezinden [religious dissenters] at their home in the Coppoenstraat in Brielle. This was in the early days of the Protestant Reformation in the Netherlands. The group met for only a short time, as the DeLints fled to England in June of 1534. Arent died in London in December of 1538 and Anneke returned to the Netherlands. In 1539 at Rotterdam, Anneke was tried executed for heresy [crimes against the church]. The method of execution was drowning. The couple left at least one orphaned child, a son, Esaias. Esaias Arentse de Lint's great-granddaughter, Lijsbetjen [Elizabeth] would be the first of the family to arrive in America.
(Drowning was used as a punishment during the Middle Ages. The offender was bound by hands and feet and thrown from a bridge into the river. A pond, pool, or even a tub of water, was used if no river was available. Drowning was primarily used on women.)
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Family Stories: d'Ailli - Dally
d'Ailli - Dally: The d'Ailli family was like many others who found their way to the Dutch colony of New Netherland and other places of refuge for the French Protestant Huguenot. The d'Aillis were from the north coastal region of the Somne Valley in France, but fled to England when the Huguenots fell into disfavor with the Catholic Church.
Jean Dally was to bring his wife, Margurite [Madou], and two young children, from London to New Amsterdam during the mid-1640s. By profession, Jean was a mariner and eventually captained his own vessel. He took part in the slave trade during the late 1640s. By 1648 Dally had moved to Virginia. He had returned to New York [now under English rule] by 1676 and took up farming on Staten Island. Jean served as a representative to the New York Assembly in 1689 and 1691. His term in office was cut short as Jean died in 1691 at the age of 75.
Jean Dally was to bring his wife, Margurite [Madou], and two young children, from London to New Amsterdam during the mid-1640s. By profession, Jean was a mariner and eventually captained his own vessel. He took part in the slave trade during the late 1640s. By 1648 Dally had moved to Virginia. He had returned to New York [now under English rule] by 1676 and took up farming on Staten Island. Jean served as a representative to the New York Assembly in 1689 and 1691. His term in office was cut short as Jean died in 1691 at the age of 75.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Family Stories: Remember the Alamo!
CUNNINGHAM: I recently dedicated a handful of posts to my Maryland Cunninghams. Today my other Cunningham family. Like the Marylanders, the immigrant Robert Cunnigham, an Ulster Scot, was a sea captain. He was based out of Philadelphia. He married Lucy Morris about 1783 and fathered three children. Captain Cunningham died at sea in 1791. The widowed Lucy married John Simmons Jr. in 1792.
The eldest son of Lucy and Robert, David Cunningham, married Anna Jennison; sister to Dolly Jennison, who married John W. Simmons Jr. John was the eldest son of John Simmons Jr. and his first wife, believed to be Mary Nelson. The eldest of the Cunningham boys, Robert W. and the eldest of the Simmons boys, James Morris were born days apart in October of 1804.
David and brother-in-law Rufus Jennison operated the first ferry connecting Cincinnati and Covington [KY]. David died from cholera in 1835 or 1836.
Young Robert adapted to river life. Born in Chenango Co., NY, he moved with his family to the river town of Jeffersonville, Indiana during the 1820s. Cunningham worked on flatboats serving the Ohio and Mississippi River towns. He wrote the family in 1832 that he was going to settle in New Orleans. That decision was short-lived. On 4 March 1833, Robert acquired a league of land on Skull Creek in Austin's Texas Colony.
He was probably at Concepcion in late 1835, when the Texas militia moved to San Antonio de Bexar. Cunningham was a sergeant and second gunner in Captain T.L.F. Parrott's artillery company.
On 4 December 1835, the Texans attacked General Cos' garrison at Bexar. On the 10th, Cos surrendered after moving into the old mission-fortress called the Alamo.
Robert wrote his parents in early 1836 that he had joined the Texas Army. By late February, the Texans numbers were at about 150. Among the men stationed at Bexar were Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis in command of the "regulars," Col. James Bowie leading the volunteers and former Tennessee Congressman David Crockett, with a handful of volunteers. Cunningham had been reassigned to Captain Carey's artillery company as a private. Carey's company was assigned to the southwest corner of the Alamo compound.
After a 13 day siege, Generalissimo Santa Ana ordered a pre-dawn attack on the Alamo. The number of defenders had "swelled" to at least 183 by the 6th of March. [It is possible that an additional 25-50 reinforcements joined the fray on the 4th or 5th. By daylight, the battle was over. The Alamo garrison had been put to the sword. There were rumors that 5-7 men had surrendered and were executed on the spot. Travis had fallen early at the north wall. Bowie, near death with typhoid, was killed in his bed, Crockett was killed at the southeast barricade or the small fort at the main gate.
Robert W. Cunningham was probably killed at his post, the SW battery of the Alamo.
The eldest son of Lucy and Robert, David Cunningham, married Anna Jennison; sister to Dolly Jennison, who married John W. Simmons Jr. John was the eldest son of John Simmons Jr. and his first wife, believed to be Mary Nelson. The eldest of the Cunningham boys, Robert W. and the eldest of the Simmons boys, James Morris were born days apart in October of 1804.
David and brother-in-law Rufus Jennison operated the first ferry connecting Cincinnati and Covington [KY]. David died from cholera in 1835 or 1836.
Young Robert adapted to river life. Born in Chenango Co., NY, he moved with his family to the river town of Jeffersonville, Indiana during the 1820s. Cunningham worked on flatboats serving the Ohio and Mississippi River towns. He wrote the family in 1832 that he was going to settle in New Orleans. That decision was short-lived. On 4 March 1833, Robert acquired a league of land on Skull Creek in Austin's Texas Colony.
He was probably at Concepcion in late 1835, when the Texas militia moved to San Antonio de Bexar. Cunningham was a sergeant and second gunner in Captain T.L.F. Parrott's artillery company.
On 4 December 1835, the Texans attacked General Cos' garrison at Bexar. On the 10th, Cos surrendered after moving into the old mission-fortress called the Alamo.
Robert wrote his parents in early 1836 that he had joined the Texas Army. By late February, the Texans numbers were at about 150. Among the men stationed at Bexar were Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis in command of the "regulars," Col. James Bowie leading the volunteers and former Tennessee Congressman David Crockett, with a handful of volunteers. Cunningham had been reassigned to Captain Carey's artillery company as a private. Carey's company was assigned to the southwest corner of the Alamo compound.
After a 13 day siege, Generalissimo Santa Ana ordered a pre-dawn attack on the Alamo. The number of defenders had "swelled" to at least 183 by the 6th of March. [It is possible that an additional 25-50 reinforcements joined the fray on the 4th or 5th. By daylight, the battle was over. The Alamo garrison had been put to the sword. There were rumors that 5-7 men had surrendered and were executed on the spot. Travis had fallen early at the north wall. Bowie, near death with typhoid, was killed in his bed, Crockett was killed at the southeast barricade or the small fort at the main gate.
Robert W. Cunningham was probably killed at his post, the SW battery of the Alamo.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Family Stories: When the Obvious Fails to Register; Subtitle: The Anny Ice Debacle
CROUSORE, SMITH [REEL, REEDER]: For several years, just about every family tree posted online gave my ancestor Jacob Crousore's wife as Anny Ice. A study of Ice webpages and trees turned up zero likely candidates for Anny. The Salt Lake Institute once again came to the rescue. [The day by day progress of the search is featured in my posts of 23-27 January 2012.]
I knew that Jacob was in Ohio in 1820 and online censuses were incorrectly indexed. That left the 1820 hardcover index. The Crousores appeared in Clinton County, Ohio. Next came marriage records. Jacob Crousore married Jemima Smith on 29 August 1822. [Here's where the obvious began to fail me, but shouldn't have.] I tracked the family into Delaware Co., Indiana, where Jacob and Ama Jemima Crousore were named in a deed. CLICK! How could I have missed it! Jemima! That was my great-grandmother Simmons' middle name! Ama was her first name!
The surname Smith did not hold much promise, but the Clinton Co., Ohio marriage records were a God-send! Jacob's father was confirmed. Ama Jemima's brother was named [John, of course]. John Smith also married in Clinton Co. - his father, William, and spouse, Elizabeth Crousore, were named. [Jacob's sister!] Further investigation led to William's wife - Elizabeth Reel.
The Crousore, Smith and Reel families, along with the Reeders [Elizabeth Reel's maternal line] were a package deal. Those families had traveled from Pennsylvania or Virginia to Ohio and moved on to Rush, Delaware and Howard Counties in Indiana. A few family members left the pack on the way.
Jacob and Amy, as she was referred to most frequently, had quite an adventure. I had been unable to find them after 1870 and guessed the couple died in Howard County. WRONG! Jacob and Amy were not through! The majority of their 10 children had died by 1870. William and Edith were their surviving children. They took in the two youngest sons of daughter Julia Pugh. In 1873, William decided to head west, taking his parents and nephews with him.
The Crousores settled in McPherson Co., Kansas. Amy died about1876 and Jacob about 1877. William moved on after Jacob's death.
It had been quite an adventure for Jacob Crousore and Ama Jemima Smith. Jacob was born in Fayette Co., Pennsylvania and married in Clinton Co., Ohio. He and his wife resided in Rush, Delaware, Madison and Howard Counties in Idiana before spending his last years in Kansas. Ama Jemima was a Virginia native.
I knew that Jacob was in Ohio in 1820 and online censuses were incorrectly indexed. That left the 1820 hardcover index. The Crousores appeared in Clinton County, Ohio. Next came marriage records. Jacob Crousore married Jemima Smith on 29 August 1822. [Here's where the obvious began to fail me, but shouldn't have.] I tracked the family into Delaware Co., Indiana, where Jacob and Ama Jemima Crousore were named in a deed. CLICK! How could I have missed it! Jemima! That was my great-grandmother Simmons' middle name! Ama was her first name!
The surname Smith did not hold much promise, but the Clinton Co., Ohio marriage records were a God-send! Jacob's father was confirmed. Ama Jemima's brother was named [John, of course]. John Smith also married in Clinton Co. - his father, William, and spouse, Elizabeth Crousore, were named. [Jacob's sister!] Further investigation led to William's wife - Elizabeth Reel.
The Crousore, Smith and Reel families, along with the Reeders [Elizabeth Reel's maternal line] were a package deal. Those families had traveled from Pennsylvania or Virginia to Ohio and moved on to Rush, Delaware and Howard Counties in Indiana. A few family members left the pack on the way.
Jacob and Amy, as she was referred to most frequently, had quite an adventure. I had been unable to find them after 1870 and guessed the couple died in Howard County. WRONG! Jacob and Amy were not through! The majority of their 10 children had died by 1870. William and Edith were their surviving children. They took in the two youngest sons of daughter Julia Pugh. In 1873, William decided to head west, taking his parents and nephews with him.
The Crousores settled in McPherson Co., Kansas. Amy died about1876 and Jacob about 1877. William moved on after Jacob's death.
It had been quite an adventure for Jacob Crousore and Ama Jemima Smith. Jacob was born in Fayette Co., Pennsylvania and married in Clinton Co., Ohio. He and his wife resided in Rush, Delaware, Madison and Howard Counties in Idiana before spending his last years in Kansas. Ama Jemima was a Virginia native.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
A Civil War Story
CRAIL: One last mention of the Crail family. The three brothers, Sylvester, John and Aaron all chose to serve their country during the Civil War.
Sylvester, the eldest, mustered in with Company B the 79th Indiana Infantry on 9 August 1862. He saw action at the Battle of Stone River in Tennessee that December. He came down with a severe cold that settled in his back. During battle on 31 December, Sylvester was struck by a Confederate cavalry mount, became separated from his unit and was captured. He was a POW until July or August of 1863, when he was paroled. Sylvester was listed as being sick in the hospital in Louisville in August. He was hospitalized in Chattanooga in September. From October 1863 until January 1864, Crail was treated in Indianapolis. He was then transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps on 14 January. Sylvester served as a sergeant with the 94th Company, 2nd Battalion. [The VRC soldiers were severely disabled, but capable of handling light duty. This freed up able-bodied men to serve in the front lines.]
After the war, Sylvester tried farming for awhile, but his disabilities prevented him from being a success. He turned to driving hacks [early taxis] in Indianapolis. Sylvester suffered from back and kidney ailments that qualified him for an Invalid Pension in 1882. He also suffered from
disease of the lungs and eyes, chronic gripe, enlargement of the liver, rheumatism of the hips and lumbar region of the back.
Sylvester was married three times. He raised his 2nd wife's son and fathered four of his own. He and his 3rd wife applied for admission to the Indiana State Soldiers' Home near Lafayette in Tippecanoe Co., Indiana in 1897 and were accepted. Sylvester died there on 17 January 1898. He was buried in the cemetery at the Home.
John and Aaron enlisted in Company I of the 124th Indiana on 21 February 1864. John Crail, like his elder brother, contracted a cold while on duty. This happened at Decatur, Georgia in April 1864.
Crail's cold affected his lungs and throat .John also suffered rheumatism. John also suffered from chronic diarrhea and piles [enlarged and engorged blood vessels around the lower back passage] for the rest of his life. He was hospitalized in Atlanta from October - December. John was fit for duty by March 1865 and served out the rest of his enlistment.
Like Sylvester, John returned to farming after the war. By 1870, Crail had moved to Indianapolis and tried his hand at carpentry work. John also qualified for an Invalid Pension [1888]. By 1904, John was blind in his left eye and lost all of his teeth. Shortly before his death in 1907, John suffered from severe paralysis in his tongue, limbs and bowels. He was buried in the Veterans' Section of Crown Hill. John and his wife Melissa had five children.
Aaron, the youngest, served with John. At the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in June 1864, the troops were hampered by torrential rains. Aaron was taken sick with chronic diarrhea and rheumatic swelling in his lower limbs. He was sent to the hospital; remaining until September then returned to duty at Decatur, Georgia. After a few days, Crail became ill again. Aaron was transferred from one military hospital to another and was discharged at Camp Dennison, Ohio on 6 June 1865.
Upon returning home, Aaron purchased a tract of land in Hamilton Co. [near Castleton] and returned to farming. The complications from the ailments contracted in Georgia developed into consumption [tuberculosis]. Aaron's family held off applying for an Invalid Pension because they expect him to pass at any time. Aaron died 0n 25 March 1868 at the age of 28. He left a widow and six children under the age of ten.
Three brothers served their country and all three came out physical wrecks. Aaron may have been the lucky one, surviving only three years. John suffered from his maladies for 42 years and Sylvester for about 33.
Sylvester, the eldest, mustered in with Company B the 79th Indiana Infantry on 9 August 1862. He saw action at the Battle of Stone River in Tennessee that December. He came down with a severe cold that settled in his back. During battle on 31 December, Sylvester was struck by a Confederate cavalry mount, became separated from his unit and was captured. He was a POW until July or August of 1863, when he was paroled. Sylvester was listed as being sick in the hospital in Louisville in August. He was hospitalized in Chattanooga in September. From October 1863 until January 1864, Crail was treated in Indianapolis. He was then transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps on 14 January. Sylvester served as a sergeant with the 94th Company, 2nd Battalion. [The VRC soldiers were severely disabled, but capable of handling light duty. This freed up able-bodied men to serve in the front lines.]
After the war, Sylvester tried farming for awhile, but his disabilities prevented him from being a success. He turned to driving hacks [early taxis] in Indianapolis. Sylvester suffered from back and kidney ailments that qualified him for an Invalid Pension in 1882. He also suffered from
disease of the lungs and eyes, chronic gripe, enlargement of the liver, rheumatism of the hips and lumbar region of the back.
Sylvester was married three times. He raised his 2nd wife's son and fathered four of his own. He and his 3rd wife applied for admission to the Indiana State Soldiers' Home near Lafayette in Tippecanoe Co., Indiana in 1897 and were accepted. Sylvester died there on 17 January 1898. He was buried in the cemetery at the Home.
John and Aaron enlisted in Company I of the 124th Indiana on 21 February 1864. John Crail, like his elder brother, contracted a cold while on duty. This happened at Decatur, Georgia in April 1864.
Crail's cold affected his lungs and throat .John also suffered rheumatism. John also suffered from chronic diarrhea and piles [enlarged and engorged blood vessels around the lower back passage] for the rest of his life. He was hospitalized in Atlanta from October - December. John was fit for duty by March 1865 and served out the rest of his enlistment.
Like Sylvester, John returned to farming after the war. By 1870, Crail had moved to Indianapolis and tried his hand at carpentry work. John also qualified for an Invalid Pension [1888]. By 1904, John was blind in his left eye and lost all of his teeth. Shortly before his death in 1907, John suffered from severe paralysis in his tongue, limbs and bowels. He was buried in the Veterans' Section of Crown Hill. John and his wife Melissa had five children.
Aaron, the youngest, served with John. At the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in June 1864, the troops were hampered by torrential rains. Aaron was taken sick with chronic diarrhea and rheumatic swelling in his lower limbs. He was sent to the hospital; remaining until September then returned to duty at Decatur, Georgia. After a few days, Crail became ill again. Aaron was transferred from one military hospital to another and was discharged at Camp Dennison, Ohio on 6 June 1865.
Upon returning home, Aaron purchased a tract of land in Hamilton Co. [near Castleton] and returned to farming. The complications from the ailments contracted in Georgia developed into consumption [tuberculosis]. Aaron's family held off applying for an Invalid Pension because they expect him to pass at any time. Aaron died 0n 25 March 1868 at the age of 28. He left a widow and six children under the age of ten.
Three brothers served their country and all three came out physical wrecks. Aaron may have been the lucky one, surviving only three years. John suffered from his maladies for 42 years and Sylvester for about 33.
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