François Ley was born 20 September 1814 at the Commune of Arlon, Canton of Arlon, Département of Fôrets, French Empire to parents Guillaume Ley (a day laborer) and Marie Kultgen (or Kulgen). (Note that these confusing national boundaries were Napoleonic until changed in 1815. Again, boundaries changed with the Belgium Revolution.)
On 22 April, 1843 François married Anna Emily Schrobiltgen (b. 1821; also Anna M. in records) at Arlon. On the marriage registration, François is listed as a "menuisier" or carpenter. In about 1844, François and Anna had daughters Emmely (b. 1844 in "Belgium" per censuses; possibly called Emilé Anna?) and Anna (b. 1846? in Belgium, death 1857 at Port Washington, Wisconsin? Possibly called by Bertha?); Guillaume/ William (b. 1848 at Arlon); Susana (b. 1853 at Buffalo or Strykersville, NY); François "Frank" T. (b. 1857 in Belgium, Wisconsin); Mary Anne (b. 1860 at Holy Cross, WI; "Maggie"); John (b. 1863 or 1864 at Holy Cross); and Nicholas (b. 1866 at Holy Cross).
François likely emigrated out of the Arlon area due to the Great Famines of the 1840s (same crop failures as in Ireland in 1849), the revolutions of 1848, underdevelopment of agriculture, poverty, forced military conscription, and turmoil. The family is recorded as immigrating to the U.S. in 1853 (perhaps thru Le Havre? Or Antwerp?), landing in NY. They resided two years at Buffalo, before relocating by 1857 to Belgium, Wisconsin where they purchased four acres of land at Holy Cross (Luxemburgish) settlement. François was recorded as a cabinetmaker. He is known also to have built houses., such as for his neighbor in Holy Cross, Gerhardt Mockly. An oral tradition in the John Ley family (his young son) says that Frank was contracted to make church pews before he entered the Union Army service.
Abraham Lincoln's draft resulted in riots in Port Washington in November 1862. Some of Frank Ley's friends and neighbors were among the rioters, although they later enlisted in the Union Army, as did Frank Ley on 11 October, 1864. He received a signing bounty and $8 per month. Frank (aged 50 years old with at least five living children – including a 8 month pregnant wife) was assigned to Company I of the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, which was sent to the Washington, DC area to guard Fort Farnsworth and Fort Lyons. He was mustered out June 26, 1865 at Port Washington. During his time in the army, Frank contracted tuberculosis (then called "quick consumption") of which he died on March 31, 1865 at Holy Cross. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery under the name "Arlon Franz Ley" (this author suspects his gravestone may be of later origin and thus, the name difference?).
François Ley's Civil War Pension records at the National Archives indicate that he was 5/6" with brown hair and grey eyes. He was employed on guard duty and to make "wooden over coats for the dead" (coffins) and sang to entertain the troops. After four years and great effort, his widow Anna was granted his pension, just prior to her own death. Frank and Anna's son William followed his father in the occupation of cabinetmaker. Several of his children named their children after him.
On 22 April, 1843 François married Anna Emily Schrobiltgen (b. 1821; also Anna M. in records) at Arlon. On the marriage registration, François is listed as a "menuisier" or carpenter. In about 1844, François and Anna had daughters Emmely (b. 1844 in "Belgium" per censuses; possibly called Emilé Anna?) and Anna (b. 1846? in Belgium, death 1857 at Port Washington, Wisconsin? Possibly called by Bertha?); Guillaume/ William (b. 1848 at Arlon); Susana (b. 1853 at Buffalo or Strykersville, NY); François "Frank" T. (b. 1857 in Belgium, Wisconsin); Mary Anne (b. 1860 at Holy Cross, WI; "Maggie"); John (b. 1863 or 1864 at Holy Cross); and Nicholas (b. 1866 at Holy Cross).
François likely emigrated out of the Arlon area due to the Great Famines of the 1840s (same crop failures as in Ireland in 1849), the revolutions of 1848, underdevelopment of agriculture, poverty, forced military conscription, and turmoil. The family is recorded as immigrating to the U.S. in 1853 (perhaps thru Le Havre? Or Antwerp?), landing in NY. They resided two years at Buffalo, before relocating by 1857 to Belgium, Wisconsin where they purchased four acres of land at Holy Cross (Luxemburgish) settlement. François was recorded as a cabinetmaker. He is known also to have built houses., such as for his neighbor in Holy Cross, Gerhardt Mockly. An oral tradition in the John Ley family (his young son) says that Frank was contracted to make church pews before he entered the Union Army service.
Abraham Lincoln's draft resulted in riots in Port Washington in November 1862. Some of Frank Ley's friends and neighbors were among the rioters, although they later enlisted in the Union Army, as did Frank Ley on 11 October, 1864. He received a signing bounty and $8 per month. Frank (aged 50 years old with at least five living children – including a 8 month pregnant wife) was assigned to Company I of the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, which was sent to the Washington, DC area to guard Fort Farnsworth and Fort Lyons. He was mustered out June 26, 1865 at Port Washington. During his time in the army, Frank contracted tuberculosis (then called "quick consumption") of which he died on March 31, 1865 at Holy Cross. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery under the name "Arlon Franz Ley" (this author suspects his gravestone may be of later origin and thus, the name difference?).
François Ley's Civil War Pension records at the National Archives indicate that he was 5/6" with brown hair and grey eyes. He was employed on guard duty and to make "wooden over coats for the dead" (coffins) and sang to entertain the troops. After four years and great effort, his widow Anna was granted his pension, just prior to her own death. Frank and Anna's son William followed his father in the occupation of cabinetmaker. Several of his children named their children after him.
François Ley was born 20 September 1814 at the Commune of Arlon, Canton of Arlon, Département of Fôrets, French Empire to parents Guillaume Ley (a day laborer) and Marie Kultgen (or Kulgen). (Note that these confusing national boundaries were Napoleonic until changed in 1815. Again, boundaries changed with the Belgium Revolution.)
On 22 April, 1843 François married Anna Emily Schrobiltgen (b. 1821; also Anna M. in records) at Arlon. On the marriage registration, François is listed as a "menuisier" or carpenter. In about 1844, François and Anna had daughters Emmely (b. 1844 in "Belgium" per censuses; possibly called Emilé Anna?) and Anna (b. 1846? in Belgium, death 1857 at Port Washington, Wisconsin? Possibly called by Bertha?); Guillaume/ William (b. 1848 at Arlon); Susana (b. 1853 at Buffalo or Strykersville, NY); François "Frank" T. (b. 1857 in Belgium, Wisconsin); Mary Anne (b. 1860 at Holy Cross, WI; "Maggie"); John (b. 1863 or 1864 at Holy Cross); and Nicholas (b. 1866 at Holy Cross).
François likely emigrated out of the Arlon area due to the Great Famines of the 1840s (same crop failures as in Ireland in 1849), the revolutions of 1848, underdevelopment of agriculture, poverty, forced military conscription, and turmoil. The family is recorded as immigrating to the U.S. in 1853 (perhaps thru Le Havre? Or Antwerp?), landing in NY. They resided two years at Buffalo, before relocating by 1857 to Belgium, Wisconsin where they purchased four acres of land at Holy Cross (Luxemburgish) settlement. François was recorded as a cabinetmaker. He is known also to have built houses., such as for his neighbor in Holy Cross, Gerhardt Mockly. An oral tradition in the John Ley family (his young son) says that Frank was contracted to make church pews before he entered the Union Army service.
Abraham Lincoln's draft resulted in riots in Port Washington in November 1862. Some of Frank Ley's friends and neighbors were among the rioters, although they later enlisted in the Union Army, as did Frank Ley on 11 October, 1864. He received a signing bounty and $8 per month. Frank (aged 50 years old with at least five living children – including a 8 month pregnant wife) was assigned to Company I of the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, which was sent to the Washington, DC area to guard Fort Farnsworth and Fort Lyons. He was mustered out June 26, 1865 at Port Washington. During his time in the army, Frank contracted tuberculosis (then called "quick consumption") of which he died on March 31, 1865 at Holy Cross. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery under the name "Arlon Franz Ley" (this author suspects his gravestone may be of later origin and thus, the name difference?).
François Ley's Civil War Pension records at the National Archives indicate that he was 5/6" with brown hair and grey eyes. He was employed on guard duty and to make "wooden over coats for the dead" (coffins) and sang to entertain the troops. After four years and great effort, his widow Anna was granted his pension, just prior to her own death. Frank and Anna's son William followed his father in the occupation of cabinetmaker. Several of his children named their children after him.
On 22 April, 1843 François married Anna Emily Schrobiltgen (b. 1821; also Anna M. in records) at Arlon. On the marriage registration, François is listed as a "menuisier" or carpenter. In about 1844, François and Anna had daughters Emmely (b. 1844 in "Belgium" per censuses; possibly called Emilé Anna?) and Anna (b. 1846? in Belgium, death 1857 at Port Washington, Wisconsin? Possibly called by Bertha?); Guillaume/ William (b. 1848 at Arlon); Susana (b. 1853 at Buffalo or Strykersville, NY); François "Frank" T. (b. 1857 in Belgium, Wisconsin); Mary Anne (b. 1860 at Holy Cross, WI; "Maggie"); John (b. 1863 or 1864 at Holy Cross); and Nicholas (b. 1866 at Holy Cross).
François likely emigrated out of the Arlon area due to the Great Famines of the 1840s (same crop failures as in Ireland in 1849), the revolutions of 1848, underdevelopment of agriculture, poverty, forced military conscription, and turmoil. The family is recorded as immigrating to the U.S. in 1853 (perhaps thru Le Havre? Or Antwerp?), landing in NY. They resided two years at Buffalo, before relocating by 1857 to Belgium, Wisconsin where they purchased four acres of land at Holy Cross (Luxemburgish) settlement. François was recorded as a cabinetmaker. He is known also to have built houses., such as for his neighbor in Holy Cross, Gerhardt Mockly. An oral tradition in the John Ley family (his young son) says that Frank was contracted to make church pews before he entered the Union Army service.
Abraham Lincoln's draft resulted in riots in Port Washington in November 1862. Some of Frank Ley's friends and neighbors were among the rioters, although they later enlisted in the Union Army, as did Frank Ley on 11 October, 1864. He received a signing bounty and $8 per month. Frank (aged 50 years old with at least five living children – including a 8 month pregnant wife) was assigned to Company I of the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, which was sent to the Washington, DC area to guard Fort Farnsworth and Fort Lyons. He was mustered out June 26, 1865 at Port Washington. During his time in the army, Frank contracted tuberculosis (then called "quick consumption") of which he died on March 31, 1865 at Holy Cross. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery under the name "Arlon Franz Ley" (this author suspects his gravestone may be of later origin and thus, the name difference?).
François Ley's Civil War Pension records at the National Archives indicate that he was 5/6" with brown hair and grey eyes. He was employed on guard duty and to make "wooden over coats for the dead" (coffins) and sang to entertain the troops. After four years and great effort, his widow Anna was granted his pension, just prior to her own death. Frank and Anna's son William followed his father in the occupation of cabinetmaker. Several of his children named their children after him.
Family Members
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
