* Memorial created with the more common spelling of last name.

NAME: The 'Arndoff - Orndorff - Ohrndorff - Orendorfe name has many various spellings, and seemed to be written according to how it sounded at the time.

AKA: 'Daniel' Orndoff - name used on marriage license to Eliza Strosynder

PARENTS: John Peter Orndorff and Hannah McIlwee (Grandparent: Philipp Henry Orndorff/Arndorff immigrant)

MARRIAGE #1: Isabella Racey

MARRIAGE #2: Elizabeth 'Eliza' Strowsnider

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BIOGRAPHY:

David Thomas Orndorff was born to John Peter (Johannes Peter Orndorff) and Hannah McIlwee near Mt. Williams on Furnace Run, Back Creek Ministerial District, Frederick County, Virginia. 'John Peter Sr.' and his father Philip (wife & 4 children), were immigrants from Evangelisch, Burbach, Westfalen (Nassau-Siegen), Preussen area.

David's father, John Peter Sr., died when he was 11 years old; and when he was 13, the court bound David to his older half-sister Elizabeth Orndorff Brill and brother-in-law Henry Brill to be his foster parents living at Rock Enon Springs in Frederick County, Virginia.

David married Isabella Racey, and together they raised a family of ten children. Children born to this marital union are Mahala, Paramenes, Harrison, Susan, Mary, Jonah, Isaiah, Roxena, Benair, and Elizabeth. The spelling of the last name is varied.

The 1810 census shows that they lived next door to David's sister, Rebecca Orndorff Racey (married to Isabella's brother John Racey). The 1840 census reveals they live a few houses from David's widowed sister, Rebecca. David's nephew and Rebecca's son, Luke and Lydia Didawick Racey have moved back to Hardy county to be close to Luke's widowed mother, and is living next to them.

Military Record: David Orndorf first served (compulsory?) in Charles McCormick's Company of Militia in 1809. David Orndorff served in the War of 1812, from Hampshire County in Captain William Neely's company of the 7th Regiment, Virginia Militia; August 10, 1814, to March 10, 1815; although his original discharge was dated February 22, 1815, at Fort Barbour, Norfolk, Virginia. (Source: NARA Military File). To put into perspective the time line: 'British forces raided the Chesapeake Bay and moved in on the U.S. capital, capturing Washington, D.C., on August 24, 1814, and burning government buildings including the Capitol and the White House. On September 13, 1814, Baltimore’s Fort McHenry withstood 25 hours of bombardment by the British Navy. The following morning, the fort’s soldiers hoisted an enormous American flag, a sight that inspired Francis Scott Key to write a poem he titled “The Star-Spangled Banner.” .'

After the death of his first wife Isabella, David 'Daniel' re-married October 26, 1854 to Elizabeth Strosnider in Frederick County, Virginia. 'Eliza' was significantly younger than David, and probably was taking care of him as he aged. Children in David's second marriage include Joseph, Hezekiah, Simon H., Hannah, and twins Allen & Lucy (not all eight are known at this time)

Property: March 13, 1838 David and his daughter Mahala and son-in-law, James Wade Orndorff purchased 324 acres of land at Hugh's Branch. February 11, 1848 David and James separated their land accordingly. After Isabella's death, David sold his part of Hugh’s Branch, 162 acres, to their son, Harrison on September 14, 1850. The Harrison Orndoff / Hawkins cemetery is on this land. (Sources: Bounty Land Warrants, Land Deeds, and General Index to Deeds and Deeds of Trust, Hardy County, WV)

West Virginia became a separate state on June 20, 1863 - there is confusion with differing counties and state. Actually, David did not move, but the county lines kept changing as counties split, and then the state!

The Civil War, 1861 - 1865 centered in Wardensville which saw 15 major battles, destroying crops and burning barns, taking all the livestock and stripping everything of value; and was considered a violent borderland throughout the war. Then the big drought of 1871 ensued.

Public Assistance: David and his family were receiving public assistance, medical care, food, and so forth from the Poor Farm in 1869-1870. Upon the death of David’s second wife Eliza, there is a notation in the poor farm accounts of disbursing food to David. David elderly and possibly ill himself, obviously unable to care for his family, immediately disbursed his eight children to family members, friends, and the poor farm house.

David then lived with his various older children from his first marriage until his passing away in 1873.

(Sources: Hardy County Overseers of the Poor, Poor Farm Book, Board of Guardian Accounts, handwritten memo's and annual reports, all can be found at Moorefield, Hardy County Courthouse, WV; courtesy of genealogist Clara Berry).

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BURIAL: No one exactly knows where David is buried, along with his wife Eliza (Strosnider) Orndorff. They were on the Poor Farm Accounts for aid. Reimbursement was paid to the coffin-maker for Eliza's coffin by the County Overseer of the Poor, but no reimbursement or funds were paid for a headstone or the cost of burial in a cemetery. There are two sunken unmarked graves on the land purchased by David 'Hugh's Branch', which was later owned by David's son Harrison - the Harrison Orndorff / Hawkins cemetery is located on this land.

CEMETERY: Several of David's family members are also buried here, including his son Harrison. Harrison / Hawkins (Funkhouser) Cemetery is located above Waits Run about one mile east of Wardensville. This cemetery is located on North Mountain Road in Wardensville, Hardy County, West Virginia. // (A search through the Wardensville town cemetery did not reveal a headstone for David).

(NOTE: Researched by Linda Orendoff Voss - this is my paternal ggreat-grandfather)