Aaron Edward SANTMYER

Notes:

According to family lore, Harrison Santmyer, supported the South during the Civil War. I was told by my Grandmother (Fanny Ethel Santmyer Rowley), that her grandfathers, William Burns Shaw and Harrison Santmyer, fought against each other during the war. I have found no evidence that Harrison actually fought in the Civil War. He was, however, involved in copper and wagon building during the War. Thus far, I have not been able to pinpoint his location during the War years. In 1860, Harrison lived in Hardy Co., VA (now WV). Prior to that, in 1854, he was in Rockingham Co., VA. I have to wonder if perhaps he may have returned to Hardy Co. to support the Union. Or perhaps, did he bring his wife and children back to Lost River to stay with her family, while he went off to serve in the Confederate, or, possibly the Union Army. Their sixth child, Aaron, was born in 1861. All previous children were born two years apart, followed by a three year gap between George and Aaron. Then there was not another birth until 1867. Could the reason for the six year gap be that Harrison was engaged in the War? By 1870, Harrison, now in MD, had buried Leah and their two youngest children, married again and started a second family. The family was in VA in 1876 and by 1879, had settled in PA. This is where they finally put their roots down in Fayette Co., Mt. Pleasant area. All his children from his first marriage, except Emily, were on their own by 1880. He died from a gun shot would, inflicted by his own gun. One story is that he was cleaning his gun and it went off accidently - another is he held the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
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ROCKINGHAM CO., VA - BIRTH RECORDS IN COURTHOUSE
Birth - James S. Santmyers - Born Sept. 14, 1858 at Capon Furnace
Father Harrison Santmyers - Occupation Blacksmith
Mother Lad Santmyer
Residence Portsmouth Furnace
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1860 TAX LIST: HARDY CO., VA (WV)
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1860 CENSUS: DISTRICT 1, HARDY CO., VA
Name: HARRISON SANTIMIRE
State: WV
County: Hardy County
Township: Wardensville P.O.
Year: 1860
Record Type: Federal Population Schedule
Page: 558
Database: WV 1860 Federal Census Index
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1870 CENSUS: ALLEGANY CO., MD
1880 CENSUS: UPPER TYRONE, FAYETTE CO., PA
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*RECEIVED FROM GLENN SANTMYER - DATED 1 AUGUST 1985:
"Harrison's death was self-inflicted (of this I am positive) and he is buried in MT. Pleasant, PA cemetery. My father made the gravestone on his burial place." (Glenn's father J. Joseph is the son of Harrison and Catherine Howell Santmyer.) "Harrison was born in Shenandoah Co., VA in 1828. He died in 1905. My grandfather was a son of Barney Santmyer and Martha Elly Caine, both of Shenandoah Co., VA. Both were born and died there. They were of some substance and property. Barney's father was Jacob Santmyer and mother Jane Knapps. They were married in Frederick Co., VA in 1794. I have related Jacob back to Lancaster Co., PA where he was a member of the 2nd Lancaster Militia during the American Revolution in the 1770's (these records are in the PA archives). In the 1790's Jacob served in the VA Militia in Winchester, VA. Quite a number of Santmyers were in the Confederate army during that war including Harrison's brothers and nephews, - but not Harrison. He conducted a blacksmith and horse dealing business during the war period."
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*NOTE ON THE CHILDREN OF HARRISON & CATHERINE HOWELL SANTMYER:

Izetta Barbour lists the children as: Isaac B., Jasaby, Frank, Joseph and Brouciu.
Colleen Zak's lists the children as: Jacob, Robert, Isaac B (and step-daughter Emma)

I have found in my research records of the following children:
Jacob H., Lily, Robert R., Isaac Benton, Joseph, Franklin D. and Brancin. Lily and Jacob were twins. I have not found a death record for Lily, but her death was before 1880.
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REFERENCES:
*FAMILY RECORDS & PAPERS IN SANTMYER FAMILY BIBLE.
*INTERVIEWS WITH FANNY ETHEL SANTMYER ROWLEY
*INFORMATION CONTRIBUTED BY FRED M. CHILCOTT, GLENN SANTMYER, GERILEE SANTMYERS & JAN JENNIER
*US CENSUS RECORDS
*TOMBSTONES AND CEMETERY RECORDS
*OBITUARIES
*NEWS ARTICLES
*BIRTH RECORDS
*TAX RECORDS
*ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTRIBUTED BY IZETTA BARBOUR, COLLEEN ZAK, CHIP HIXON AND RON SANTMYERS
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DIRECTIONS TO MT PLEASANT CEMETERY:
Take Rte 31, which becomes Main St. in the town of Mt. Pleasant; just on the edge of town, turn left at the corner of 31/Main and Raddock or Braddock St. At the corner is the Mt Pleasant Church of God. The cemetery is just a short distance down the road on the right. Catherine is buried beside Harrison. There are several other Santmyers buried in same area and two more graves closer to the cemetery road.


This from Linda Casey, July 2010: "My aunt, Gertrude Santmyer Dettling, told me that Harrison had worked in the mines and was told he was no longer needed, probably because of his age. He was despondent for almost a year when he shot himself in the bedroom. My mother was Melva Santmyer Devorak."

William married Leah CHILCOTT 23 Dec 1849, Lost River, Hardy Co., Virginia (West Virginia). Leah was born 8 Nov 1823, Lost River, Hardy Co., West Virginia; died 1868, Westernport, Allegany Co., Maryland. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Leah at the time of her marriage was 26, five years older than her new husband. By the time her last child, Charlotte, was born Leah was 44 years old. Little Charlotte died soon after her birth. I believe, based on the age of Leah, the death of the infant and the fact that Harrison was remarried by 1869, that Leah died of complications of childbirth. I suspect she died following the birth in 1867 or at least early in 1868. As to the place of death, I think a search should be done in Hardy Co., WV or Allegany Co., MD. UPDATE: Recently located information indicates that another child was born to Leah & Harrison after Charlotte. Fanny was born in 1868 in Allegany Co., MD and died after 1870 but prior to 1880. With this new information, I strongly suspect Leah died and is buried in Allegheny Co, MD

Ref: Family records and papers located in the family Bible.
Interviews with Fanny Ethel Santmyer Rowley.
Information contributed by Fred M. Chilcott, Glenn Santmyer, Gerilee
Santmyers and Jan Jennier.
Rockingham Co., VA courthouse records (See Wm. Harrison Santmyer)


Note: Information contributed by Izetta Barbour (source Colleen Zak) gives Leah's year of birth as 1836 and Harrison's as 1829. Colleen obtained this information from the 1860 VA census for Wardensville, Hardy Co.

Notes:

John Barnet - his name also appears as Barney, Barnet and Barnabas - he seems to have been called Barney by his family. Barney's and Martha Elly's marriage bond was issued 4 October 1816; the bondsman was Jeremiah McNeeley. They were married in that part of Shenandoah Co. which became part of Warren Co. in 1836.

Ref: Information contributed by Gerilee Santmyers

VIRGINIA HISTORIC MARRIAGE REGISTER
Shenandoah County Marriages 1772 -1850, Page 256
Cain, Martha & Barney Sanskrives (Santmyer)
4 October 1816
Dau of William

John married Martha Elly CAIN 4 Nov 1816, Shenandoah Co., Virginia. Martha was born Abt 1800, Shenandoah Co. (now Warren Co.), Virginia; died 3 Jun 1869, Warren Co., Virginia; was buried Jun 1869, St. John's Lutheran Cemetery at Mountain Falls (Winchester), Frederick Co., Virginia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Ref: Information contributed by Gerilee Santmyers
Shenandoah County Marriages (see John Barnet Santmyer)

*This part of Shenandoah Co. now Warren Co.

Note: St John's Lutheran Church Cemetery located on Back Mountain Road off of Route 50 West.

Notes:

Jacob and Jane moved from Frederick Co. to Shenandoah Co. after 1794 and before 1810.* Jacob served in the Virginia Militia from Winchester, Frederick Co., Virginia in the 1790's. He possibly served in the Revolutionary War. As only Jane signed the marriage permission for Barney in 1816, it is a strong indication that Jacob had died prior to that date.

*The sections of Frederick and Shenandoah Counties, where they lived, were very close together. This area later became part of Warren Co. when it was formed in 1836.

See notes under William Harrison Santmyer
In the 1790's Jacob served in the Virginia Militia in Winchester, Virginia." "The original spelling of this name was Zentmeyer. Jacob underwent the change to present spelling. This name has been, and presently is, spelled many horrified fashions. But the true spelling is the Anglicized SANTMYER from Zentmeyer as per Jacob in 1780." ............Glenn W. Santmyer

*Present spelling is Santmyer, at least in my branch of Santmyer's, and also in Glenn's. Other branches spell it as Santmyers and Santymire. Of all the names in my Family Tree, this is the one name I have encountered with the most different spellings. Some spellings are so far removed that they are difficult to recognize as Santmyer. Spelling variations: Santmyer, Santmyers, Santmire, Santmier, Santmiers, Santmeyer, Santymire, Santemeyer, Santamyer, Santimire, Santingere, St. Myer, St. Meyer, Sauntmire, Sanbaire, Santaire, Saintmyers, Sanskrives, St. Moyers, Sandmeyer, Saulmire and Sandmeier.

Ref: Information contributed by Gerilee Santmyers and Jan Jennier

VIRGINIA HISTORIC MARRIAGE REGISTER, Frederick County Marriages
1738--1850, Page 225
Santaire, Jacob & Jane Knape 20 July 1794
Minister Lewis Corbin

Militia Records 1796-1813, Winchester Co., VA
Private Jacob Santmire fined $.75 for a misdemeanor

Hardesty's WEST VIRGINIA COUNTIES, Vol. 8
Jacob Sauntmire / Jane Nafkin

Jacob married Jane KNAPS 20 Jul 1794, Frederick Co., Virginia. Jane was born 1767, Virginia; died 19 Jun 1855, Warren Co., Virginia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

1850 Census Warren County, Virginia (6 July)
Roll 980 Page 23
Dwelling No. 333
Jane St Myers 83 female Born Virginia cannot read or write

1840 Census Warren County, Virginia
pg 187
Jane Santmyer