"Joe" was a blacksmith who said he was from Washington, D.C. He served in the 3rd U. S. Cav PA, Co. D and also the 5th, Co. F during the Civil War as a farrier. His pension reveals that he was captured and in the prison at Andersonville though his name does not appear on any lists for prisoners that have been viewed online.
His first wife (a surprise to the present family) who was named in his pension papers was Nancy Newton, d/o of David Newton, of Anson County, NC. She died in May of 1866 about two months after giving birth to their son. Joseph Michael left to find work (he actually rejoined the U. S. Army and became part of the patrol during reconstruction). He wrote his in-laws that he was coming back for his young son, William Henry Marks. The Newtons told him not to bother, that the baby had died. But William had not died and he was raised believing that his "Yankee" father had deserted him. His Grandfather Newton confessed upon his death bed the lie he had told his grandson. William, who went by Henry, probably did not know how to search for the father he had never known. And Joseph died never knowing that his first son had survived after all. (part of this story was taken from A. M. Hough's article in the Anson County, NC, Heritage Book).
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Death notices appeared in the "Rutherfordton Tribune" and the "Rutherfordton Weekly Sun (The Sun)", both published on April 9, 1903. A partial transcription of the Weekly's is as follows: Mr. Joe Marks, after only a few weeks illness, died at his home near town...of pneumonia. He was a good old gentleman, attended to his own business, a hard worker and was liked and respected by a large number of friends in all parts of this county. The bereaved ones have the heart-felt sympathy of the entire community...
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A search for Joseph's parents has been futile though I am ever hopeful to find the answer. A story in the family was that Joseph Michael was upset when his little brother (name unknown) was punished unjustly by their step-mother. What the punishment was for was never revealed in the story. When he tried and failed to get his father to be on his side (the father stood by his wife) Joseph left home.
Other possible clues: His granddaughter, Flora Marks Callahan, shared that his daughter, Celia (Long) corresponded with two of her Aunts, Virginia and Myrtle for many years until letters stopped arriving from them. It was implied that these Aunts were Joseph Michael Marks' sisters. But searches for a "Virginia Marks" or a "Myrtle Marks" in Washington, DC, have also come up empty-handed.
Many online searches to find Joseph in the 1860 census have been mostly guesses. One possibility is a Joseph Marks living in Berks Co., PA. He is 18, a 'day laborer', with a family headed by William Griffith. Joseph enlists in a Pennsylvania Cavalry in Washington, DC.
"Joe" was a blacksmith who said he was from Washington, D.C. He served in the 3rd U. S. Cav PA, Co. D and also the 5th, Co. F during the Civil War as a farrier. His pension reveals that he was captured and in the prison at Andersonville though his name does not appear on any lists for prisoners that have been viewed online.
His first wife (a surprise to the present family) who was named in his pension papers was Nancy Newton, d/o of David Newton, of Anson County, NC. She died in May of 1866 about two months after giving birth to their son. Joseph Michael left to find work (he actually rejoined the U. S. Army and became part of the patrol during reconstruction). He wrote his in-laws that he was coming back for his young son, William Henry Marks. The Newtons told him not to bother, that the baby had died. But William had not died and he was raised believing that his "Yankee" father had deserted him. His Grandfather Newton confessed upon his death bed the lie he had told his grandson. William, who went by Henry, probably did not know how to search for the father he had never known. And Joseph died never knowing that his first son had survived after all. (part of this story was taken from A. M. Hough's article in the Anson County, NC, Heritage Book).
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Death notices appeared in the "Rutherfordton Tribune" and the "Rutherfordton Weekly Sun (The Sun)", both published on April 9, 1903. A partial transcription of the Weekly's is as follows: Mr. Joe Marks, after only a few weeks illness, died at his home near town...of pneumonia. He was a good old gentleman, attended to his own business, a hard worker and was liked and respected by a large number of friends in all parts of this county. The bereaved ones have the heart-felt sympathy of the entire community...
---
A search for Joseph's parents has been futile though I am ever hopeful to find the answer. A story in the family was that Joseph Michael was upset when his little brother (name unknown) was punished unjustly by their step-mother. What the punishment was for was never revealed in the story. When he tried and failed to get his father to be on his side (the father stood by his wife) Joseph left home.
Other possible clues: His granddaughter, Flora Marks Callahan, shared that his daughter, Celia (Long) corresponded with two of her Aunts, Virginia and Myrtle for many years until letters stopped arriving from them. It was implied that these Aunts were Joseph Michael Marks' sisters. But searches for a "Virginia Marks" or a "Myrtle Marks" in Washington, DC, have also come up empty-handed.
Many online searches to find Joseph in the 1860 census have been mostly guesses. One possibility is a Joseph Marks living in Berks Co., PA. He is 18, a 'day laborer', with a family headed by William Griffith. Joseph enlists in a Pennsylvania Cavalry in Washington, DC.
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