| 8. | William Harrison SANTMYER was born Aug 1828, Shenandoah Co., Virginia (son of John Barnet SANTMYER and Martha Elly CAIN); died 1905, Mt Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; was buried 1905, Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. 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 Catherine HOWELL 19 Jan 1869, Allegany Co., Maryland. Catherine was born 1850, Maryland; died 1919, Prob Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania; was buried 1919, Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania at Mt Pleasant Cemetery. [Group Sheet]
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Abt 1934 - 