The Good Earth: Family Ties to the Land—Sampson Smith Frum and Elizabeth VanGilder

The topic for the 73rd edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: The Good Earth. Were your ancestors sharecroppers or land barons? Perhaps an ancestor was a logger or a miner. Do you have stories of homesteading? Is there a master gardener in your tree? If your ancestors lived in the city did they keep a square foot garden or escape the city to a favorite park? Tell us about your family's ties to the land! Apple will host the next edition of the COG on Apple's Tree.

     My paternal great great great great grandfather, Sampson Smith Frum, was, at his death, the largest land owner in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Sampson was the son of William Frum and it is believed his mother was Anna Smith (I have also seen her listed as Mary Ann Smith on ancestry.com). He was born on January 27, 1790 in Frederick County, Virginia in the Back Creek area.¹

     To date no records have been found to prove the name of his mother. The dilemma stems from the records in Frederick County, Virginia of the Jeremiah Smith II family. There is no record of the marriage of William Frum to a Smith woman. There is a will belonging to Samuel Smith, the son of Jeremiah II. Samuel mentions all of William Frum’s children in the will. The son’s are bequeathed sizeable tracts of land and in 1803 my ancestor, Sampson Smith Frum, was given the 200 acre farm of Samuel Smith.² Other brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews are also listed in the will giving rise to the feeling that the Frum children were also relations.

     Several years ago someone sent me a rather interesting website that has a memoir entitled, Notebook of Aristotle Smith, Eden, West Virginia, that puts forth the story that Samson (Sam’s son) Frum was actually the son of the bachelor, Samuel Smith and Anna Frum.³ Oddly, the Frum’s had two sons with similar names: Samuel Samson Frum and Sampson Smith Frum. The recollection of Aristotle Smith is that Samson Frum removed to Taylor County, West Virginia. In actual fact, the Frum son that lived in Taylor County was Solomon Frum. It’s difficult to know just how much credibility to give to the story; however it does provide a new slant to the Frum/Smith mystery.

     At one time there was War of 1812 on Sampson's tombstone.  When I visited the cemetery, there was no indication of his service. Fortunately, there was a cemetery reading back in the 1940’s, long before the cemetery was partially destroyed and the tombstones badly weathered.

     This documentation was sent to me by another researcher (Zinn, 345-346)

"1815 Monongalia County Court.  To the Monongalia County Court. 'Joseph Allen, your petitioner, begs leave to report to Your Worships Sampson Smith Frum being the person elected in my company as Lieutenant to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Jacob Madera and wish the said Frum be by your worships recommended to the Governor and Council of the Commonwealth of Virginia to be commissioned a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Company in the 78th Regiment, 10th Brigade and the 3rd Division of the Virginia Militia.'

Signed by

Joseph Allen

8 May 1815

     Sampson was a Lieutenant from Monongalia County, (West) Virginia. He resigned the position in 1817.⁴  

      To date, I have not found any documentation regarding Sampson's actual involvement in the War of 1812.  The above country court records are dated after the War, although they suggest that the Lieutenant position could have been a promotion from the rank served earlier.

     Sampson, age twenty-five, married Elizabeth VanGilder, age twenty-three, daughter of Jacob VanGilder and Anna Margaret Gibler (Kibler) in Monongalia County, Virginia on June 11, 1815.⁵ 

     At an early age, Sampson realized the value of land and began purchasing parcels in and around Morgantown, often with his father. From 1817 until 1853, Sampson Smith Frum purchased 1279 acres of land primarily in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia. He owned the largest acreage of any single individual in the county at his death in 1862.⁶

3 farms in Uffington--283 acres
1 farm on Cobun's Creek--85 acres
4 farms on Aaron Creek--551 acres
2 houses on 2 lots in Morgantown
360 acres in Frederick County, Virginia

     According to research done by a relation of mine, Dr. Robert Poole Wilkins, livestock and farming were Sampson’s primary interests. “He found little market for his cattle in Morgantown, so he moved them east to Baltimore. The cattle were driven by foot with the resting place on his farm near Winchester, Virginia, before moving on to Baltimore and many being exported to Europe."⁷

1820 (West) Virginia Census
Eastern Division, Monongalia County
August 7, 1820

Sampson Frum

Males ages 26 thru 44--1     Sampson Frum

Females under age 10--2     Anne Louise and Matilda (?)

Females ages 26 thru 44--1  Elizabeth Anne VanGilder Frum

1830 (West) Virginia Census
Eastern District, Monongalia County

Sampson S Frum

Males under age 5--1  Alpheus Frum

Males age 5 thru 9--2  Sampson S Frum

Males age 20 thru 29--1  Unknown

Males age 40 thru 49--1  Sampson Smith Frum

Females under age 5--1  Margaret Frum

Females age 5 thru 9--1  Matilda Frum

Females age 10 thru 14--1  Anne Louise Frum

Females age 30-39--1  Elizabeth Anne VanGilder Frum

1840 (West) Virginia Census
Eastern District, Monongalia

Sampson S Frum

Males age 10 to under 15--1  Alpheus Frum

Males age 15 to under 20--1  Sampson S. Frum

Males age 50 to under 60--1   Sampson Smith Frum

Females age 5 to under 10--1  Elizabeth Jane Frum

Females age 10 to under 15--1  Margaret Frum

Females age 15 to under 20--1  Matilda Frum

Females age 40 to under 50--1  Elizabeth Anne VanGilder Frum

My great great great grandmother, Anne Louise Frum was married to Reverend William Lanham Pool May 14, 1839.

     On August 1, 1845, Elizabeth Anne VanGilder Frum died at the age of fifty-three.  She was buried on a piece of her husband's land next to Aaron Creek.

1850 (West) Virginia Census

Eastern District, Monongalia County

August 5, 1850

Sampson Frum, age 60, male, farmer, value of real estate owned $17000, born in Virginia

Margaret Frum, age 22, female, born in Virginia

Alpheus Frum, age 20, male, farmer, born in Virginia

Elizabeth J Frum, age 18, female, born in Virginia

John Smith, age 13, male, born in Virginia (? relation through Sampson's mother's Smith line)

     Letters at the Morgantown Post office on February 1, 1852.  Sampson Frum is listed as is my other paternal great great great great grandfather, Asby Pool.  Sampson's daughter, Anne Louise Frum, married Reverend Asby Pool's son, William Lanham Pool.  

1860 (West) Virginia Census
District 2, Morgantown Post Office
September 1, 1860

Sampson S Frum, age 70, male, farmer, value of real estate $18,000, value of personal estate $700, born in Virginia.

Margaret Frum, age 32, female, born in Virginia.

     Son, Alpheus Frum and his family, are enumerated directly below his father.  He is probably farming and living on his father's land.

Children of Sampson Smith Frum and Elizabeth Ann VanGilder

1. Anne Louise Frum born September 2, 1817 Monongalia County (West) Virginia, died August 11, 1893 Monongalia County, West Virginia, married Rev. William Lanham Pool. (My Paternal Great Great Great Grandparents)
2. Matilda Frum born September 26, 1821 Monongalia County (West) Virginia, died December 29, 1898 Monongalia County, West Virginia, married James Donaldson Fleming.
3. Sampson S. Frum born January 6, 1822 Monongalia County (West) Virginia, died November 26, 1893 Monongalia County, West Virginia, married Eleanor Anne McBee.
4. Margaret Frum born September 23, 1825 Monongalia County (West) Virginia, died February 6, 1905 Monongalia County, West Virginia, married John Beall.
5. Alpheus Frum born June 7, 1830 Monongalia County (West) Virginia, died October 6, 1901 Monongalia County, West Virginia, married Elizabeth Janes Hayes.
6. Elizabeth Jane Frum born June 1834 Monongalia County (West) Virginia, died February 2, 1910 Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia, married John Kinsley.

     Sampson, Elizabeth and some of their children and descendants are buried on a hillside overlooking Aaron Creek on land that once belonged to Sampson. 

     Elizabeth Ann VanGilder Frum was the first to be interred in The Old Frum Cemetery. She died on August 1, 1845 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia at age fifty-three.  

     Sampson Smith Frum died on his farm on November 13, 1863 at the age of 73 years, 10 months and 16 days.⁹ A listing of those buried in this small family graveyard is on findagrave.com.

In Sampson's will the following property was disposed of:⁸

Alpheus Frum--143 acres on Aaron Creek
Ann Pool--210 acres on Aaron and Booth Creeks (my line)
Margaret Beall--148 1/2 acres of two parcels
Sampson, Jr.--153 acres
Elizabeth J. Kinsey--145 acres
Matilda Fleming--98 1/2 acres and two houses and lots

Updated:  August 2025

Notes

1. Cemetery Readings in West Virginia: Monongalia County, 1940

2. Will of Samuel Smith, Frederick County, Virginia, 1803, Probate September 29, 1803 at Superior Court, Will Book SC 2, page 10.

3. Wilson, M. Blaire, Notebook of Aristotle Smith, Eden, West Virginia, Internet.

4. Zinn, Melba Pender, Monongalia County, (West) Virginia Records and the District, Superior and County Courts Volume 10: 1815-1819, (Heritage Books, 2000), 168, 251-1817, Monongalia County Court.

5. Monongalia County, West Virginia Marriage Records, Volume 1 Page 725.

6. Robert Poole Wilkins, Research done at West Virginia University Genealogical Library.

7. Robert Poole Wilkins, Frum Genealogy: A Manuscript.

8. Grantee Index to Deeds, Monongalia County, West Virginia, Volume 4, page 151-155.

9. Cemetery Readings in West Virginia: Monongalia County, 1940.

    Zinn, Melba Pender, Monongalia County, (West) Virginia Records and the District, Superior and County Courts Volume 9: 1813-1817, (Heritage Books, 1998), 345-346, Monongalia County Court.

MEMORIAL DAY

Grave Yard Rabbit Carnival--Memorial Day

In honor of Memorial Day, the topic for the June 2009 edition of the Grave Yard Rabbit Carnival is Veteran's Memorials. Share your photos and/or stories related to all-things veteran's in honor of our fallen heroes.

For this carnival I decided to list those from my family who have served our country and England during the various wars.

ROSTER OF ANCESTORS WHO WERE VETERANS

My Father’s Branch

John Ferguson—6th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Private, 7th Maryland Regiment under Col. John Gunby

Sampson Smith Frum—4th Great Grandfather
WAR OF 1812

William Frum/From—5th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Volunteer from Frederick County, Maryland under Captain Valentine Creager’s Company

Joseph Davidson Hill—3rd Great Grandfather
WAR OF 1812
Private, Captain Samuel G. Wilson’s Company, Virginia Militia

Robert Hill—4th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Private, Captain Benjamin Casey’s Company, 12th Virginia Regiment

Robert H. Houston—5th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Patriotic Service in Sussex County, Delaware

Purnell Houston—4th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Private and Saddler, Delaware and Pennsylvania Troops
Fought in the Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton

George Henry Hughes--Grandfather
WORLD WAR I
Sergeant, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Served in Canada and Sibera

George VanGilder Hughes—My Dad
KOREAN WAR
Captain, United States Army Medical Corps
Battalion Surgeon with the 2nd Infantry Division at Pork Chop Hill
Also stationed at the 121 Evacuation Hospital, Seoul, Korea
Awarded--Combat Medical Badge and Bronze Star

William Lanham—5th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Private, Maryland Militia

Thomas McElroy—4th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Wagonner, Maryland Militia

Sampson Frum Pool—2nd Great Grandfather
CIVIL WAR
Private, Captain L.S. Hayes B Company, 14th West Virginia Militia

William Lanham Pool—3rd Great Grandfather
CIVIL WAR
Corporal, Company I, 14th West Virginia Infantry

Jacob VanGilder—4th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Pennsylvania Line and Maryland Line

John Oliphant VanGilder—2nd Great Grandfather
CIVIL WAR
Captain, Company 4, 76th Regiment Virginia Militia later West Virginia Militia

My Mother’s Branch

Urban Betz—4th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Private in Captain Samuel Patton's Cumberland County militia, Col. Culbertson's 4th Battalion, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Militia

William Fife—5th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Captain, 4th Company, 2nd Battalion, Washington County, Pennsylvania Militia

John Fife—5th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Private, Captain William Fife's Company, 4th Co 2nd Battalion, Washington County, Pennsylvania Militia
Private, Captain Robert Johnston's Company, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Nicholas Frederick—4th Great Grandfather
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Private, Captain John Hamilton's Company, 5th Company, 4th Battalion, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Militia

Lindsey Cannon—3rd Great Grandfather
WAR OF 1812
Lieutenant, Captain John Ramsey’s Company from Columbiana County, Ohio

Charles Stark—Great Grandfather
CIVIL WAR
Private, Company H 6th Regiment West Virginia Calvary

Tombstone Tuesday--Andrew Johnson

I found this tombstone in a cemetery on Route 119 outside Morgantown, West Virginia. There was no name posted for the cemetery. Andrew Johnson is no relation....I just found the information on the marker of interest.

Andrew was the son of Samuel J. and Mary J. Johnson. He was born in Virginia, probably West Virginia about 1832. He married Rachel Eaglan, who is buried beside him. Andrew farmed in the Eastern District of Monongalia County, outside Morgantown, West Virginia.

Andrew and Rachel were the parents of George W., James S., Mary H. and Ephraim F. Johnson.

A Festival of Postcards--Wheels

Evelyn over at A Canadian Family Acadian and French-Canadian Genealogy is sponsoring a new carnival--A Festival of Postcards and this month's topic is wheels.


I am a collector of numerous items, however, postcards is not one of them. I am thrilled to have found a postcard photo of my Dad when he was about 2 years old, probably taken on the front porch of his grandparents house in Woodlawn, Pennsylvania. The date would be circa 1923 and there is my Dad, George VanGilder Hughes, driving his first set of wheels and from the smile on his precious little face, loving every minute of it. TOO CUTE!!

The Civil War Letter from Sampson Frum Pool

    

     Today my son received a civil war letter from a Gettysburg tour guide. Several weekends ago he and a group of family and friends hired this fellow to show them around the town of Gettysburg and hear history from a man who has lived his life in his family home in town. Apparently the tour guide told a compelling tale of the civil war letter written to his family telling where their relative was buried. The soldier, from the north, was buried beside a confederate. A map was included. Once the winter snow had melted, the family made the trip to remove the body and bring it back to Gettysburg for burial.

     My son was so thrilled to get a copy of the letter and the map. It was real documentation from another century. Of course I found it interesting, but hanging on the wall of our living room is OUR family’s civil war letter. Talk about real documentation! The letter was written for my paternal great great grandfather, Sampson Frum Pool while he was stationed in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, (West) Virginia, May 23, 1863.

     The letter came to me by a very circuitous route. I think I first heard of it at a family reunion around 1998. My Aunt Faith, who seems to have the bulk of her mother’s family, related items. Over the years she has slowly released them, primarily to me. Faith recalled that she had a civil war letter and had sent it to one of my cousins. It was to be part of a history report.

     You know how tenacious we genealogists can be…..talk about a dog with a bone! I probably drove two of my cousins crazy over the years with my pleas to locate that letter—to no avail.

     About three years ago, my cousin Phyllis and her new husband, moved from Kalamazoo to South Lyon, Michigan. One night around 9:00 the phone rang. It was Phil. I knew immediately when I heard her voice what she was going to say. She had found the civil war letter while she was unpacking a box from the recent move.

     I was so excited to have confirmation of the news and anxiously awaited the daily mail. Finally it was delivered. When I lifted the manila envelope from the mail box, I was heartsick to see that the flap was not sealed. With some fear and trepidation I looked inside. There was a handwritten note from Phil and thankfully, the civil war letter. How it made it to my mailbox is a mystery. Anywhere along the way from South Lyon to North Olmsted it could have fallen out of the envelope and been lost forever. We were definitely meant to have this treasured piece of our family history.


     The letter was written for my great great grandfather by another soldier, John W. Hall and addressed to his mother, my ggg grandmother, Ann Louise Frum Pool. It is interesting to read that Sampson was receiving mail from home and from his father, William Lanham Pool, who was also serving with a different company in the war. Although stationed in Martinsburg, Sampson’s detail was traveling by train between Hagerstown, Maryland and Winchester, Virginia. He lists the train as Charles M. Addison’s, who is perhaps the officer in charge or another soldier from Morgantown that the family knows. Sampson was in the "thick of the war".


     Great great grandfather is most concerned that his brother, Bill (William Asby Pool) purchase some farm equipment well before harvest or it will be sold out. He gives the following instructions for the care of his colt while he is away--The colt is to be put out in Dr. Camel’s pasture and not to be ridden.

     It is apparently difficult to get paper and envelopes for letter writing. I find his closing line so compassionate. “I send my love to all my inquiring friends and receive a good share for yourselves.”

     Perhaps our civil war letter does not have the intrigue of the Gettysburg tour guide, but it does give a snapshot into our great great grandfather’s service in the civil war and his home life. From my perspective….that’s compelling.

Wordless Wednesday--Visitor to the Bleeding Heart plant

If you have time, click on the photo to see a close up and personal view of this little fellow

Tombstone Tuesday--Walter William Frederick

Unfortunately little is known about my maternal grand uncle, Walter Frederick. He was born on October 2, 1871 in Franklin Square, Columbiana County, Ohio, the son of Alfred Frederick and Lucinda B. Orr. The only photograph I have is from the group shot of the Frederick children taken about 1885.

An obituary printed in an Garrett, Indiana newspaper, gives some insight into his character. He was a friendly and outgoing young man and extremely close to his family. This obit was sent to me years back by another Frederick researcher who is related to one of the cousin’s mentioned in the article. It was a lucky find for me.



Walter died at age 27, in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio from what was called in the obituary a sudden onset virulent typhoid fever. I have not been able to locate his death certificate even using the online Ohio death certificate website. He is buried in the town of Columbiana, Columbiana County, Ohio in the Firestone Cemetery slightly in front of his parents.

Monday Moaning--The PA Turnpike=Highway Robbery!

This is one of those—I have to get this off my chest blogs. I beg your understanding ;- )

Today was the day I spent 10 hours doing what I lovingly ? call the Breezewood Transfer. Whenever my oldest son, who due to health reasons no longer drives, is coming from or going to visit his fiancée in the Maryland/DC area, we meet at the Breezewood exit of the PA turnpike.

I haven’t been on the pike since January, so I was absolutely shocked when I had to shell out an additional 75 cents when I made the drive from the Ohio line to the first exit at Cranberry. Then imagine my horror when I saw that they had also added an additional 2 dollars to the fare from that exit to Breezewood, making the roundtrip toll $23.75. The toll from Cleveland to the PA line is only $3.50 on a road that is almost three lanes the entire way.

Granted the mileage is around 85 miles in Ohio as opposed to 161 from the PA border to Breezewood, however figuring out the cost and mileage, Ohio is still the better bargain! Especially when you consider the shape of the PA pike. The majority of the road is a travesty--poor road conditions, twisting and turning lanes, tunnels with tiles falling off on the inside, etc. etc. They have added an additional lane at the Ohio line, but even though the lane has been completed for months, it is never open. Heading eastward, it seemed like every 20 miles we were squeezed down to one lane by orange cones only to come out of the one lane miles down the pike seeing NO road work in the coned lanes. Most disturbing.

Breezewood, PA--Crossroads of North and South on the Old Lincoln Highway

Fortunately, today should be the final Breezewood Transfer since financee, J-9, will be moving back to Cleveland in June. I think the better and cheaper method of heading down to the DC area from now on will be traveling on FREE interstates.


And now for the cup half full and genealogy related portion of this ridiculous blog.

While I was sitting in my car, waiting for my son in the parking lot of the Shell station in Breezewood, I thought I spied an old cemetery hidden on the hill in front of me. Once we had the cars unpacked and packed, I asked my son’s indulgence and we headed up the hill and down a short gravel road. There it was, a small, pioneer cemetery. No name was posted, but the tombstones were older and many had the “tree of life” carved on them. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me, so long story short….I just might have to shell out the money for a final trip down the pike to Breezewood, just to get photos of that cemetery, but the return trip will be by interstate.

Addendum: After checking out findagrave, I found out that the name of the cemetery is Ray's Hill Cemetery (old).

Carnival of Genealogy 72nd Edition--Mothers

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Mothers! Mother’s Day is right around the corner and this is the perfect time to honor your mother, grandmother, godmother, step mother, den mother, aunt, neighbor, or friend who happens to be a mother. If you’ve written about your own mother for the COG before, consider writing about another mom on your family tree. Let’s make all our moms famous! Creative Gene is hosting this edition.

IN MEMORY OF MY MOM, MARTHA JEAN STARK HUGHES

This will mark the 10th missed Mother’s Day with my own dear Mom. It is difficult to believe that it has been a decade since she slipped from our grasp. My Mom and I, like all parent to child relationships, had our ups and downs, our ins and outs, but as we got old (or older) together we became more like friends than parent and child.

Folks tell me that I remind them of her. That is truly a special compliment.

Mom passed from cancer on Christmas Eve, 1999. She fought a valiant battle with the dreaded disease and was courageous until the end. She set the bar for us when it comes to facing disease and death with dignity.

When I was cleaning out her condo, attached to a drawing of a cat, was a little typed piece of paper. Even ten years later, just reading it brings tears to my eyes.

"In one of the stars I shall be living

In one of them I shall be laughing

And so it will be as if all the stars

Were laughing when you look at the sky at night."

Antoine de Saint-Expery

On many a starry night, while sitting on my deck, with my usual glass of chardonnay, I look up and lift a glass to Mom. I know she looks down and wishes she was on the deck joining me in the wine, laughter and life.

Here’s to you Mom!

The glasses of wine are on the table in front of us!

Jeff and Mom at our first not so annual Christmas Carol singing

Other blogs about my Mom on Flipside:

Bound for Mom: Milepost # 1—A Journey of Firsts

Bound for Mom: Milepost #2—Roadside Café

Bound for Mom: Milepost #4—The World is Not Flat