Surprise--My Paternal Great Great Grandfather John Oliphant VanGilder

Cabinet Card
In my possession

Reverse side of the cabinet card.
Unfortunately most of the black backing
has fallen off.  It was clearly marked
Great Grandfather VanGilder

     

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

     The prompt for week # 6 (February 5-11) is Surprise.

     When I was linking VanGilder siblings to their parents, I was surprised to find I had never done a biographical blog on their father and my paternal great great grandfather, John Oliphant VanGilder.  Today I am correcting that sixteen year oversight.

     John was born on February 22, 1829 on Monongalia County, (West) Virginia to Jacob VanGilder, Jr and Sarah McElroy VanGilder.  He joined a three year old sister, Eliza J. VanGilder.  

     When the extended VanGilder Family removed to Monongalia County in the early 1800's the current day county lines were not drawn.  I was not certain where Jacob and Sarah lived and raised their growing family.  Just today, as I was looking for any additional information about any of the family I saw on Find A Grave an obituary John's older sister, for Eliza J VanGilder Jenkins.  A newly added obituary mentions that Jacob and Sarah moved to Grafton, Taylor County, (West) Virginia in 1858 and the VanGilder house is the one where Eliza and her husband, Frank Jenkins lived.   

     The majority of the VanGilder's lived in present day Marion County in the early 1800's and my belief is that Jacob and Sarah also lived there until Jacob's untimely death at age forty-two in 1840.  I question the 1858 year of Jacob, Sarah and family moving to Grafton.  Jacob died circa 1840.  Perhaps it was only Sarah with her three daughters.  My great great grandfather was employed and living in Morgantown by 1850.               

1850 (West) Virginia Census
Monongalia County
The Eastern District Number 36
August 23, 1850

           .  

     Twenty-one year old John O. VanGilder was enumerated with the family of Edward Hatfield on the 1850 census report.  He is listed as a chair maker as is Edward Hatfield.  The home is in the Eastern District of Monongalia County.

     John's obituary gave me a little insight into his early years.  He learned the trade of wheel-wright when a boy.  His father died when John was age eleven and perhaps he was apprenticed following his father's death and was able to help finance the family.  

     The 1850 census follows the obituary in that John then became a chair maker and perhaps he was employed with the Hennen Furniture Factory when he was enumerated.  The obituary lists a twenty year employment.  

American Union
Morgantown, (West) Virginia
March 24, 1863
page 3

    

     I was unaware that John was a Captain or served before the Civil War.  Perhaps it is the (West) Virginia militia.  

     

     While living and working in Morgantown, John met Mary Louise Hill, the daughter of Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston Hill.  On July 14, 1853 twenty-four year old John married twenty year old Mary.  The wedding was performed by The Reverend Dr Benjamin Ison a Methodist Episcopal Minister.  

American Union
Morgantown, (West) Virginia
October 1, 1863
page 3

American Union
Morgantown, (West) Virginia
Saturday, May 6 & 13, 1854

     During the 1850's John continued to be employed as a chairmaker in Morgantown.  Where they lived is unknown--whether in a house in Morgantown or perhaps in Mary's childhood home on the Joseph Davidson Hill farm.  The house was on Stewart Street located on a hill winding up from West Virginia University.   

     On November 11, 1854 John and Mary welcomed their firstborn, a daughter, Anna Bell VanGilder. Three years later a son, Jacob Young VanGilder was born on  July 12, 1857.  Winding out the 1850's decade of births, a second son, Joseph Hill VanGilder was born on November 23, 1858.  All were born in Monongalia County.

    

     It appears, from this advertisement in the Morgantown Weekly Post, that John now has his own shop to hand make wooden chairs.  He also does odd jobs: house painting, and hauling wood, coal and goods for his customers.

     On August 23, 1859, Mary's father, Joseph Davidson Hill, died.  John O. VanGilder as one of the executors of the will.  One third of the estate went to Mary's mother, the remainder was divided among the seven Hill children.  Whether Mary received a dollar amount or land or both is unknown.  The land will come into question in 1865.  Mary is part of the transaction which is unusual in the 1860's for a married woman to be part of a land deal unless the land was partially hers.   

1860 (West) Virginia Federal Census
Monongalia County, District 2&3
Morgantown Post Office
September 8, 1860

John Vangilder, age 31, male, chairmaker, value of real estate $1,800,    value of personal estate $1,000, born in Virginia.

Mary         "      , age 26, female, born in Virginia.

Anna B.    "       , age 5, female, born in Virginia.

Jacob       "       , age 3, born in Virginia.

Joseph     "       , age 1, born in Virginia.

Matilda Calwell, age 30, domestic, born in Pennsylvania

Thomas Mosier, age 21, day laborer, born in Virginia.

     It is unknown whether the VanGilder's are living in Morgantown or are on the Hill Family land on a hill above the university.  From the 1859 advertisement, it appears that John has his own business in town and the family could be living in an apartment above the chair shop.  

     Additional questions, are the domestic and day laborer working for the VanGilder's or boarders?  

     John is doing well financially and perhaps the portion of Joseph Davidson Hill's estate given to Mary VanGilder is already part of the financial report.

     An important date on my family tree, January 27, 1861, the day my paternal great grandfather, George Ethelbert VanGilder, was born in Monongalia County, (West Virginia).  

     As (West) Virginia entered the Civil War, John O. VanGilder was called to service.  The West Virginia Archives online has been a wealth of knowledge to me regarding my paternal great great grandfather's service.

     

     On December 7, 1861, John O. VanGilder was unanimously elected Captain of Company 4 of the 76th Regiment of the Virginia Militia.  

     Two Captain John O. VanGilder hand written letters dated September 22, 1862, The first announcing the election of James A. Davis as First Lieutenant of the 76th Regiment, Virginia Militia and the second letter announcing the election of James N. Davis as Second Lieutenant of the 76th Regiment, Virginia Militia.  

     While serving, John and Mary added a second daughter to the VanGilder family.  Sally Ellsworth VanGilder was born on March 11, 1863 in Monongalia County, West Virginia.  

United States Civil War Draft Registration Records
West Virginia, Second Congressional District 

     This document is dated October, 1863 and John O. VanGilder a chairmaker, age 34, married and born in Virginia is eligible for military service.  Oddly, former military service is blank and yet there are numerous documents that John was already a Captain in the militia.  

     Muster Roll of Company C, 14th Regiment of the West Virginia Militia from August 4, 1864 to October 7, 1864 signed by Captain John O. VanGilder.

Section of the Muster Roll

       John O. VanGilder, Captain, amount due $40.00, area too light to read has to do with the time served which is listed above, one ration drawn each day, period paid for 1 month 20 days, pay per month $60.00, actual pay $40.00, retained pay, was paid 40 cents per day for use of a horse, balance paid $40.00.  Signed John O. VanGilder.

Atlas of Marion and Monongalia Counties
West Virginia
1888

     Following his service in the Civil War, John was back to his farm located on a hill north of the West Virginia University campus off  Stewart Street.  The family welcomed a fourth son, Robert Ross VanGilder on March 19, 1865.  

     It is interesting to me why parents gave certain names to their children. Regarding the middle names in this family There are the obvious and the questions.  Oliphant, Ethelbert and Ellsworth are mysteries.  Young, Hill and Ross are not.  As to the Ross middle name.  Mary's paternal aunt and my paternal great great great aunt married into the Ross family, Warwick Ross and Sarah Johnston Hill.

     Prior to May 8, 1865, John O VanGilder, owner of ninety-six acres of land near Morgantown executed a trust-deed conveying said land to John H. Hoffman as trustee to secure payment owed to Joseph Grubb for one thousand dollars with interest.  Hoffman declined the offer at first then offered a second option.  John VanGilder was to give the land to Hoffman, who would pay the debt owed to Grubb.  Hoffman would collect 6 percent on the amount owed and also keep ten acres as a bonus.  John and Mary VanGilder agreed to this, conveyed the land to Hoffman on June 10, 1865 and Hoffman paid the debt to to Grubb amounting to one thousand one hundred twenty-four dollars and sixty-seven cents $1,124.67) on June 15, 1865.  

     There is no mention what my great great grandfather purchased from Joseph Grubb.  There are two Joseph Grubb's in the Morgantown area in 1860-1870, both are farmers with substantial land and resources.  My guess is that the purchase was land, perhaps the ninety-six acres that was put in the trust-deed.  

     The mistake made by John VanGilder was that he did not get a written statement, it was all done by a handshake.  This was certainly not unusual at this time; however, it left my great great grandfather open to usury by John Hoffman, and that is exactly what happened.  Stay tuned.

     On November 19, 1866, a daughter, Mary Francis "Fanny" VanGilder was born in Monongalia County, West Virginia.  

     Two years later on July 26, 1868, another daughter, Betty Levada VanGilder was born.   

     Back to the issue of debt on the land.  On January 4, 1869, Hoffman conveyed to VanGilder seventy-one acres retaining twenty-five instead of the ten acres originally agreed upon.  Hoffman told John that if he paid an additional four hundred and fifty dollars ($450.00) he would convey the additional fifteen acres to Mary VanGilder.  On February 8, 1870, the VanGilder's paid two hundred eighty-three dollars and 33 cents ($283.33) and the balance due ($166.66) in four years with interest).

      Lycurgus S. Hough became the trustee of this new indebtedness.  The VanGilder's were to pay $1,166.08 and $166.66 in four years.  

1870 West Virginia Census
Morgan Township, Monongalia County, West Virginia
June 25, 1870

     Vangilder, John O, age 41, male, white, farmer, value of real estate       $4,500, born in West Virginia, male citizen of US age 21 or more.

     Vangilder, Mary, age 38, female, white, keeping house, born in West Virginia.

     Vangilder, Anna B., age 15, female, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

     Vangilder, Jacob, age 12, male, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

     Vangilder, Joseph, age 10, male, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

     Vangilder, George, age 8, male, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

     

     Vangilder, Sallie, age 7, female, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

     Vangilder, Robert, age 5, male, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

     Vangilder, Fannie, age 2, female, white, at home, born in West Virginia.

1870 West Virginia Census
Morgan Township, Monongalia County, West Virginia
June 25, 1870

        Vangilder, Bettie, age 1, female, white, born in West Virginia

Back to Court

          On February 20, 1874, the indebtedness issue went to court after Hoffman and Hough advertised to sell John's land because they said $1,025 was till owed on the debt.  John had been paying on the debt over the four years. 

     In March 1877, a jury rendered a verdict that Hoffman's loan was usurious.  Hoffman moved to set aside the verdict and on September 15, 1879 a final decree was entered.  John O. VanGilder debt owed was only the $160.33. Which had already been paid.  Costs were decreed to John.  This case was still not over as Hoffman appealed the decrees of September 23, 1875, September term 1878 and September 15, 1879.

     Life on the VanGilder farm did not stand still during this decade.  Two additional daughters were born.  Lida Edna VanGilder was born on April 26, 1873 and Lena Gertrude on October 8, 1875 both on Monongalia County, West Virginia.  

1880 West Virginia Census
Morgan District, Monongalia County
June 3, 1880

Vangilder, John, white, age 52, married, farmer, born in Virginia

Vangilder, Mary, white, female, age 48, wife, married, housekeeper, born in Virginia

Vangilder, Anna, white, female, age 25, daughter, single, at home, born in Virginia

Vangilder, Jacob, white, male, age 22, son, at home, single, born in Virginia

Vangilder, Joseph, white, male, age 21, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in Virginia

Vangilder, George, white, male, age 19, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in Virginia

Vangilder, Sally, white, female, age 16, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in West Virginia

Vangilder, Robert, white, male, age 14, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in West Virginia

Vangilder, Fanny, white, female, age 13, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in West Virginia

Vangilder, Bettie, white, female, age 11, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in West Virginia

Vangilder, Emma, white, female, age 9, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in West Virginia

Vangilder, Lida, white, female, age 6, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in West Virginia

Vangilder, Lena, white, female, age 3, single, at home, attended school within the census year, born in West Virginia

     Unfortunately, there is no indication on the 1880 census as to the financial resources of those enumerated.  With John continuing to fight in court with John Hoffman regarding payment on a loan against a piece of his property, I would have liked to see his real estate and personal estate.

     John's mother, Sarah McElroy VanGilder, died on February 8, 1881 in Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia at age eighty-three. 

Samuel T. Wiley, History of Monongalia County,
West Virginia
page 657

     Education was an important family value in the VanGilder home.  I have seen four of the children attended West Virginia University, one, Lida, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree.   John Oliphant VanGilder was elected to the the resident of the School Board and served in 1883.  His son, any my paternal great grandfather, George Ethelbert VanGilder, was elected Secretary of the School Board also in 1883.

Finally a verdict and the end to the financial usury issue

     While serving as president, the end finally came to the eighteen year financial issue involving John VanGilder and John Hoffman. On June 30, 1883 the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia declared that Hoffman's loan was usury.  Hoffman knew the land was worth more than the original loan and intended to sell it for much more.  My husband, an attorney, read the case and said, "It has the smell of usury on the part of Hoffman, all the way".  

       I wanted to add this description of my great great grandfather that was entered into the court document disparaging his character by  Hoffman and the men he called before the court.  Of course Hoffman was painted as a man of high regard.   

     This same year and a two months after the court's decision, the VanGilder's oldest child, Anna Bell VanGilder, died on August 4, 1883 at age twenty-eight in Monongalia County, West Virginia of heart disease.  I believe that Anna Bell is buried in the area or beside her brother Robert Ross VanGilder at Mount Union Cemetery.   It appears that her information is also on the tombstone with her brother.  

     Robert Ross VanGilder, the VanGilder's sixth oldest child died September 26, 1890 at age twenty-five from a fever.  He is buried at Mount Union Cemetery.  

     During the 1890 decade the VanGilder family celebrated numerous marriages and births of grandchildren.  Among them was the marriage of my paternal great grandparents, George Ethelbert VanGilder and Jessica Pool on October 28, 1891 and the birth of my paternal grandmother, Sarah Margaret VanGilder on March 2, 1898.

1900 West Virginia Census
That Part of Morgan District North of Decker's Creek
Monongalia County
June 11, 1900

NOTE:  Census enumerator is my paternal great grandfather and John and Mary VanGilder's son, George Ethelbert VanGilder.

VanGilder, John, head, white, male, born Feb 1830, age 70, married 52 years, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, farmer, works all year, can read, write and speak English, owns his farm free of mortgage

VanGilder, Mary, wife, white, female, born Nov 1832, age 67, married 52 years, mother of 6 children, 6 children living, born in West Virginia, father born in West Virginia, mother born in Delaware, can read, write and speak English, no occupation. (Misunderstood the children question.  The VanGilder's had eleven children and two were deceased by 1900.  The children counted living in the home at the time of the enumeration was 6.  Strange that this was not answered correctly since the enumerator was one of their adult children).

VanGilder, Jacob Y., white, male, born July 1846, age 43, widow, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, dairyman, worked all year, can read, write and speak English, rents a farm.

VanGilder, Mary F., white, female, born Sep 1866, age 33, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, no occupation, can read, write and speak English.

VanGilder, Bettie L., white, female, born July 1868, age 31, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, employed as a grocery clerk, worked all year, can read, write and speak English.   

VanGilder, Emma L., white, female, born Nov 1870, age 31, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, employed as a teacher, employed all year, can read, write and speak English.

VanGilder, Lida E., white, female, born Apr 1872, age 27, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, employed as a teacher, employed all year, can read, write and speak English.

VanGilder, Lena G., white, female, born Oct 1874, age 25, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, employed as a grocery clerk, worked all year, can read, write and speak English.   

VanGilder, William E., Grandson, white, male, born Dec 1882, age 17, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, employed as a farm laborer, worked all year, can read, write and speak English.   

VanGilder, John O. Ray, Grandson, white, male, born Feb 1890, age 10, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, at school for 5 months, can read, write and speak English. 

VanGilder, Dwight, Grandson, white, male, born April 1895, age 5, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia.

Hill, Sophie, Sister in Law, white, female, born June 1820, 79 years old, single, born in West Virginia, both parents born in West Virginia, not employed, can read, write and speak English. (Sophie's mother was born in Delaware not West Virginia. Sophie and Mary are sisters.)

     According to the newspaper articles on the VanGilder farm fire and John's obituary, John Oliphant VanGilder suffered a stroke in June, 1902 that caused him to be an invalid.

     A horrifying evening for John and Mary.  On Monday, December 8, 1902, a fire swept through the VanGilder house destroying most of the contents.  No one was injured.  John, an invalid caused by a stroke several months earlier.  Although a fire alarm was sent, there were no water plugs near the house.  Of historic interest:  the house stood on the pioneer Hill Family property and was originally a log cabin that John updated in the late 1890's with a frame structure.  

      This having occurred, I am fortunate to have any VanGilder photographs.  Probably Hill Family memorabilia was also housed here and was destroyed. 

    

The Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
February 15, 1904
page 7

     Thank goodness for obituaries.  It is only recently I found the second one in the Pittsburgh Press.  I was surprised to see it mentioned there.  As often happens, the two clippings, the one from the fire and the Morgantown obituary gave me insight into my paternal great great grandfather's life; however, it also caused some questions.

      He died in his home on Stewart Street (another house or was more of the destroyed house saved?) at 7:00 am on February 14, 1904 (Valentine's Day) at age seventy-four.  To date, I have not found a death record.  I learned about his employment over the years, that he was a member of the Presbyterian Church and belonged to the Monongalia Lodge 10 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellow for over forty years.  

     The obituary paints a picture of a man who was moral, respected, industrious and a good citizen.  I will also add here that the 1900 West Virginia census lists that he was not ignorant as he could read and write.  It certainly is not the picture painted of his character by John Hoffman in the court record of 1883.  

My photograph

        The funeral services were held in the VanGilder home on Tuesday, December 16, 1904 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Aaron Moore Buchanan of the Presbyterian Church officiating.  The funeral procession, probably by wagon, made its way north to Mount Union Cemetery.  The graveside services were under the auspices of Lodge 10, Independent Order of the Odd Fellows.  

     To date I have not found a will for John Oliphant VanGilder; however, Mary Hill VanGilder, his wife did have one.  I have a transcription of it on Flipside.  It outlines what VanGilder property and homes are left.  

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section,  if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Catherine Huffine Knapp--Tombstone

     Catherine Huffine Knapp is my husbands paternal great great great grandmother.  She was the daughter of Isaac Hoffhines and Eleanor Hendrickson.  I have seen her maiden name spelled a variety of ways--Huffine, Huffhine, Huffhines, Hoffhines.

     At age twenty-seven she married forty-seven year old Walter D. Knapp on May 27, 1841 in Pickaway, Ohio.  

     Together they had eight known children:

1. Ellnor (Elinor, Ellen) Knapp 1841-1927
2. John W. Knapp 1843-1906
3. Joseph C. Knapp 1845-
4. Drusilla Knapp 1848-1925 (my husband's great great grandmother)
5. Walter Knapp 1849-1877
6. Ezra Knapp 1850-1931
7. Hannah Knapp 1854-
8. Isaac Knapp 1859-1883

     The Knapp family moved around Ohio.  The children have different birth counties.  Walter was a farmer; however, I have not found any records of him as a land owner.  

     There are very few records regarding Catherine.  The Knapp's were not wealthy.  Far from it.  In one record regarding the fight and murder of one of her sons by the other, their home is described as a small cabin.  She did have a stove to cook on and did not depend on the fireplace.  

     Catherine was a witness to the altercation between her sons Walter Jr. and Isaac.  The shooting of Walter by Isaac took place in the cabin where the stove and table were housed on September 1, 1877.  

     Five months after her son was killed, her husband died on February 8, 1878.  What happened to Catherine following her husband's death?  In 1880, she is enumerated as a boarder with her son John W. Knapp and his family in Sandusky Township, Sandusky County, Ohio. 

     Catherine died on December 7, 1894 at eighty years of age.  To date I have not found a death certificate or obituary.  She is buried in Bradner Cemetery, Montgomery Township, Wood County, Ohio.  Her married daughter, Drusilla Knapp Smith, lived in Bradner and perhaps Catherine was living with the Smith family when she died.  

     My husband and I visited Bradner Cemetery a few decades ago and found Catherine's little heart shaped tombstone.   Daughter, Drusilla Smith, and son-in-law, Orison Smith, are also buried in Bradner Cemetery.  The Smith's are my husband's paternal great great grandparents.  

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



The 1877 Knapp Case--Walter Knapp and Isaac Knapp

Twentieth Century History of Sandusky County 
and 
Representative Citizens 
edited by Basil Meek, 1909

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Challenge--Great Grandma Nance's Foil Christmas Bells

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

     The prompt for week # 5 (January 29-February 4) is Challenge.

     I actually challenged myself last year in a 52 Ancestors Week blog.  I had blogged about an heirloom that once belonged to my husband's paternal great grandmother, Isabelle Smith Hiser Nance.  I noted that I had not blogged much about my husband's ancestors.  Now, I have another one. 

     When a new year begins, I begin to work on the chore of, as we say in Pittsburgh, redding up.  I spied this large red box on a shelf and remembered it was from Ted's side of the tree.

Identification found on the bottom
of the container written by my
husband's mother, Helena Mae Smith Hiser

     I found it when cleaning out his mother's (Helena Mae Smith Hiser) condo back in 2009.  I also remembered what it contained.  Several strands of tin foil paper Christmas bells that were hung in Great Grandma Nance's windows in the 1940's.

     There are two different types of bells.  The red set has red cellophane covering the bell with tiny white beads on the edges.

     

     The gold bells are covered with foil.  At the top of the strand of bells is a star shaped foil hanger, one white and the other one red.

     There are no maker's marks on any of the bells.  After numerous search attempts to find an identity to the bells I found that paper mache was covered with foil in the mid 20th century.  These bells do not have paper mache under the foil.  

Great Grandma Nance's Bells

Etsy sale Christmas Bells

     Finally I found some foil bells for sale in Etsy and they matched Great Grandma Nance's.  Oddly they are for sale from a seller in my town.  Talk about a small world!

Also on Flipside:

Nance, William and Isabelle Smith Hiser--Christmas Card

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.

© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser



Overlooked--Pop Pop's Work on Two Major Projects

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

     The prompt for week # 3 (January 22-28) is Overlooked.

     I have certainly failed to blog about this subject.  I have done the research in bits and pieces and actually wrote the piece years ago--just never added it to Flipside.  My issue was dissecting the real from the apocryphal.  

     Aunt Faith, Faith Carol Hughes Roolf, my primary informant for the paternal side of the family talked of how her father and my paternal grandfather, George Henry Hughes, worked on the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and the Pittsburgh Civic Arena during his employment with the American Bridge Company.  My father, George VanGilder Hughes, also spoke of his Dad's work on the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.  

     Like so many of you, I have found apocryphal stories about family members.  Going down the rabbit hole to find the truth is the challenge.  

George Henry Hughes
Draftsman, American Bridge Company
Ambridge, Pennsylvania

George Henry Hughes--My Pop Pop

     My paternal grandfather was employed as a draftsman at American Bridge his entire working life.  He had a talent for drawing.  His education was typical for his age, eighth grade.  No college, no structural engineering education degree.  He was born in England in 1898.  His family immigrated in 1908 and came to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Pop Pop's father, John George Hughes, was employed in the steel mills, first with Jones Laughlin on Pittsburgh's South Side and then relocating the family to the new company town, Woodlawn, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.  

American Bridge Company 1915

Woodlawn Ambridge bridge

     In 1913, fifteen year old Pop Pop began as a draftsman with American Bridge across the Ohio River from Woodlawn.  He retired in 1961 after forty-eight years of service.  How many folks today can say that they stayed with a job that many years.  

     I blogged about Pop Pop's employment with American Bridge back in 2009--the infancy of my blog.  I did list the Golden Gate Bridge as one of the projects he may have worked on.  Humm  

     Time to, hopefully, set this overlooked story straight.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Civic Arena

  

     The easiest one to research.  Aunt Faith's story about her father's part in this American Bridge construction was in the mid to late 1950's (my guess on the era).  She described watching her father sitting at the dining room table at night and working with various sized blocks? deciding on whether or not there could be a retractable roof.  

Scanned from the American Bridge Connections
Summer, 2012
page 18

     American Bridge did construct the Civic Arena, although they were not the architect, general contractor or the structural engineer on the project.  Ground was broken in 1958 and completed in 1961.  

   I am buying into this story of Aunt Faith's.  American Bridge probably had the contract in hand to build the Civic Arena before she married or just afterward.  She would have seen her father playing around with some sort of blocks to see if the circular structure would hold a roof and probably had some sort of thin blocks to try to put a roof on it.  Although a draftsman, Pop Pop had seniority and American Bridge would have had their department making model superstructures of the building.  

     I should add here that on the 1950 Federal Census, Pop Pop is listed as a structural engineer.  Also adding that I grew up in Pittsburgh and did go to the Civic Arena in the early 1960's.  I did not know that my grandfather's company built it and that he played around building models of it in the late 1950's. 

San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge

     Both my Dad and my Aunt told family members that their Father worked on the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.  I have found no mention of it on the various American Bridge Company's websites.  

     In 2004, I jumped back on the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge research and found this on the Internet.  This information on Frederick Ashley Pneuman, employed at American Bridge Company is listed as responsible for the cable engineering on the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge on his college website.  No one can argue that the cables are VERY important ingredient to the design of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.  😉  

  

The Ithaca Journal
December 10, 1942
page 3

     His obituary also mentions that his inventions were used on the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.  

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

     The obituary also mentions that he worked on the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge.  This was one of the important structures done by the American Bridge Company in 1932.  

     I think my Dad and Aunt had their memory about their Dad's involvement with these two bridges a little confused.  Pop Pop probably worked on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge at his draftsman table in Ambridge, Pennsylvania along with other engineers.  Pop Pop would have been thirty-four years old and with American Bridge for nineteen years.  In 1932 my Dad would have been eleven and Aunt Faith, a newborn.  Neither would have had an actual memory of this event.  

     Frederick A. Pneuman, employed with American Bridge, probably worked on the cable design for The San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge on his own.  

 

 I am calling the story of George Henry Hughes and The San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge apocryphal.

  And the bridge work done on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge with the assistance of George Henry Hughes, draftsman at American Bridge Company, as TRUE.  It is very easy to understand the confusion.  Both bridges were constructed during the same decade, in the same area and with similar names.  The Golden Gate Bridge is the more famous and that is the bridge Dad and Aunt Faith attributed to their Father.  

     Years back, I remember when we attended a birthday celebration for Aunt Faith, she was handing out several pieces of Hughes memorabilia.  I believe one was a small framed picture she attributed as coming from her mother's estate and was a picture of a bridge.  It was given to my cousin Dave.  I thought I took a photograph of it and that the picture was of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.                      

Credit and further information about American Bridge and Ambridge:  Paul Hertneky, American Bridge Builds a Town....and a Nation, March 18, 2011.

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