Jacob Waller and Margaret Casper married in Rowan County, North Carolina on 15 May 1849. He and Margaret had five children between 1850 and 1862.
When the Civil War began, Jacob Waller, of Rowan County, North Carolina answered the call to duty. Like so many others he left behind a wife, more than a few small children, and a farm his labor had turned into a success.
Jacob served in North Carolina's 46th Infantry Regiment, in Company B. The 46th saw many battles, including Gettysburg, where Jacob received a serious wound to his foot. Within months he returned to battle, and, over the next two years was wounded twice more, once in the leg, and, later he was shot in the left eye. Towards the end of the war, his other eye became compromised by a condition that can, eventually cause complete loss of vision. Finally, he became very ill with Typhoid Fever, common amongst Civil War Soldiers. He was mustered out of service a few weeks before the end of the war. It seems evident the chances of his recovery were grim, and he was, in effect, sent home to die.
Jacob's wife, Margaret Casper Waller's version of events were reported on her Widow's Pension Application. She reports that Jacob returned home from the war just weeks prior to its close, sickened with typhoid fever and still burdened with the injuries he suffered in battle. In mere weeks, her husband, whom we can be sure she endeavored to nurse back to health, died on 2 April 1865.
Parentage: No written confirmation for Jacob's parentage has surfaced. Several family trees list his parents as George Waller and Elizabeth Trexler, of Rowan County, North Carolina. I am not sure why or how that theory evolved, but it cannot be true. George Waller died in 1824, a full five years before Jacob's birth.
After carefully studying the census records of various Waller families in Rowan County NC, it became clear a very strong case can be made that Michael Waller and Elizabeth "Betsie" Meismer Waller are, in fact, Jacob's parents.
There is no "smoking gun", or single document to answer the parentage question beyond a doubt. There are however, circumstances and legal documents that give us as much assurance as can be achieved at this time.
Census records for Michael Waller and Betsie Meismer Waller include male children that are in Jacob's age group throughout the year's of Jacob's childhood. Just as importantly, when Jacob leaves the family home in 1849 to marry Margaret Casper, the 1850 census shows a male child in his age group as no longer being in the familial home.
Further supporting the theory of Michael and Betsie Waller's parentage of Jacob Waller is their son, Frederick's, administration over the probate period of Jacob Waller's estate and will. In that process, Frederick brokered a settlement with Jacob's Widow, Margaret. Through that settlement, Frederick took ownership of Jacob's property, and in return, Margaret received one year of financial support for her growing family, as well as the furnishings of her home. Prior to Frederick obtaining Jacob's property, their individual properties adjoined one another.
The 1850 census lists Eve A. Waller as a resident in Jacob Waller's household. This may suggest that they too, are siblings. Census records for Michael and Elizabeth "Betsie" Waller also allow for a daughter in Eve's age group, and show the loss of that daughter in 1850, when Eve Waller is residing with her probable brother, Jacob and his wife Margaret Casper Waller. Eve's residence in Jacob's home was short, two months after the census date, Eve married George Earnhardt.
Children of Jacob Waller & Margret Casper:
Peter Adom Waller (Born 1850, died between 1900 and 1910); George Henry Waller (1851-1912);their only Daughter, Lundy J.Waller (1854-1916); Moses Waller (1856-1930); and finally, John W. Waller (1859-1939)
Interestingly, George Henry Waller had a son whom he named Jacob Thomas Waller. It is nice to know that Jacob Waller's name was carried on for a few more generations.
When the Civil War began, Jacob Waller, of Rowan County, North Carolina answered the call to duty. Like so many others he left behind a wife, more than a few small children, and a farm his labor had turned into a success.
Jacob served in North Carolina's 46th Infantry Regiment, in Company B. The 46th saw many battles, including Gettysburg, where Jacob received a serious wound to his foot. Within months he returned to battle, and, over the next two years was wounded twice more, once in the leg, and, later he was shot in the left eye. Towards the end of the war, his other eye became compromised by a condition that can, eventually cause complete loss of vision. Finally, he became very ill with Typhoid Fever, common amongst Civil War Soldiers. He was mustered out of service a few weeks before the end of the war. It seems evident the chances of his recovery were grim, and he was, in effect, sent home to die.
Jacob's wife, Margaret Casper Waller's version of events were reported on her Widow's Pension Application. She reports that Jacob returned home from the war just weeks prior to its close, sickened with typhoid fever and still burdened with the injuries he suffered in battle. In mere weeks, her husband, whom we can be sure she endeavored to nurse back to health, died on 2 April 1865.
Parentage: No written confirmation for Jacob's parentage has surfaced. Several family trees list his parents as George Waller and Elizabeth Trexler, of Rowan County, North Carolina. I am not sure why or how that theory evolved, but it cannot be true. George Waller died in 1824, a full five years before Jacob's birth.
After carefully studying the census records of various Waller families in Rowan County NC, it became clear a very strong case can be made that Michael Waller and Elizabeth "Betsie" Meismer Waller are, in fact, Jacob's parents.
There is no "smoking gun", or single document to answer the parentage question beyond a doubt. There are however, circumstances and legal documents that give us as much assurance as can be achieved at this time.
Census records for Michael Waller and Betsie Meismer Waller include male children that are in Jacob's age group throughout the year's of Jacob's childhood. Just as importantly, when Jacob leaves the family home in 1849 to marry Margaret Casper, the 1850 census shows a male child in his age group as no longer being in the familial home.
Further supporting the theory of Michael and Betsie Waller's parentage of Jacob Waller is their son, Frederick's, administration over the probate period of Jacob Waller's estate and will. In that process, Frederick brokered a settlement with Jacob's Widow, Margaret. Through that settlement, Frederick took ownership of Jacob's property, and in return, Margaret received one year of financial support for her growing family, as well as the furnishings of her home. Prior to Frederick obtaining Jacob's property, their individual properties adjoined one another.
The 1850 census lists Eve A. Waller as a resident in Jacob Waller's household. This may suggest that they too, are siblings. Census records for Michael and Elizabeth "Betsie" Waller also allow for a daughter in Eve's age group, and show the loss of that daughter in 1850, when Eve Waller is residing with her probable brother, Jacob and his wife Margaret Casper Waller. Eve's residence in Jacob's home was short, two months after the census date, Eve married George Earnhardt.
Children of Jacob Waller & Margret Casper:
Peter Adom Waller (Born 1850, died between 1900 and 1910); George Henry Waller (1851-1912);their only Daughter, Lundy J.Waller (1854-1916); Moses Waller (1856-1930); and finally, John W. Waller (1859-1939)
Interestingly, George Henry Waller had a son whom he named Jacob Thomas Waller. It is nice to know that Jacob Waller's name was carried on for a few more generations.
Jacob Waller and Margaret Casper married in Rowan County, North Carolina on 15 May 1849. He and Margaret had five children between 1850 and 1862.
When the Civil War began, Jacob Waller, of Rowan County, North Carolina answered the call to duty. Like so many others he left behind a wife, more than a few small children, and a farm his labor had turned into a success.
Jacob served in North Carolina's 46th Infantry Regiment, in Company B. The 46th saw many battles, including Gettysburg, where Jacob received a serious wound to his foot. Within months he returned to battle, and, over the next two years was wounded twice more, once in the leg, and, later he was shot in the left eye. Towards the end of the war, his other eye became compromised by a condition that can, eventually cause complete loss of vision. Finally, he became very ill with Typhoid Fever, common amongst Civil War Soldiers. He was mustered out of service a few weeks before the end of the war. It seems evident the chances of his recovery were grim, and he was, in effect, sent home to die.
Jacob's wife, Margaret Casper Waller's version of events were reported on her Widow's Pension Application. She reports that Jacob returned home from the war just weeks prior to its close, sickened with typhoid fever and still burdened with the injuries he suffered in battle. In mere weeks, her husband, whom we can be sure she endeavored to nurse back to health, died on 2 April 1865.
Parentage: No written confirmation for Jacob's parentage has surfaced. Several family trees list his parents as George Waller and Elizabeth Trexler, of Rowan County, North Carolina. I am not sure why or how that theory evolved, but it cannot be true. George Waller died in 1824, a full five years before Jacob's birth.
After carefully studying the census records of various Waller families in Rowan County NC, it became clear a very strong case can be made that Michael Waller and Elizabeth "Betsie" Meismer Waller are, in fact, Jacob's parents.
There is no "smoking gun", or single document to answer the parentage question beyond a doubt. There are however, circumstances and legal documents that give us as much assurance as can be achieved at this time.
Census records for Michael Waller and Betsie Meismer Waller include male children that are in Jacob's age group throughout the year's of Jacob's childhood. Just as importantly, when Jacob leaves the family home in 1849 to marry Margaret Casper, the 1850 census shows a male child in his age group as no longer being in the familial home.
Further supporting the theory of Michael and Betsie Waller's parentage of Jacob Waller is their son, Frederick's, administration over the probate period of Jacob Waller's estate and will. In that process, Frederick brokered a settlement with Jacob's Widow, Margaret. Through that settlement, Frederick took ownership of Jacob's property, and in return, Margaret received one year of financial support for her growing family, as well as the furnishings of her home. Prior to Frederick obtaining Jacob's property, their individual properties adjoined one another.
The 1850 census lists Eve A. Waller as a resident in Jacob Waller's household. This may suggest that they too, are siblings. Census records for Michael and Elizabeth "Betsie" Waller also allow for a daughter in Eve's age group, and show the loss of that daughter in 1850, when Eve Waller is residing with her probable brother, Jacob and his wife Margaret Casper Waller. Eve's residence in Jacob's home was short, two months after the census date, Eve married George Earnhardt.
Children of Jacob Waller & Margret Casper:
Peter Adom Waller (Born 1850, died between 1900 and 1910); George Henry Waller (1851-1912);their only Daughter, Lundy J.Waller (1854-1916); Moses Waller (1856-1930); and finally, John W. Waller (1859-1939)
Interestingly, George Henry Waller had a son whom he named Jacob Thomas Waller. It is nice to know that Jacob Waller's name was carried on for a few more generations.
When the Civil War began, Jacob Waller, of Rowan County, North Carolina answered the call to duty. Like so many others he left behind a wife, more than a few small children, and a farm his labor had turned into a success.
Jacob served in North Carolina's 46th Infantry Regiment, in Company B. The 46th saw many battles, including Gettysburg, where Jacob received a serious wound to his foot. Within months he returned to battle, and, over the next two years was wounded twice more, once in the leg, and, later he was shot in the left eye. Towards the end of the war, his other eye became compromised by a condition that can, eventually cause complete loss of vision. Finally, he became very ill with Typhoid Fever, common amongst Civil War Soldiers. He was mustered out of service a few weeks before the end of the war. It seems evident the chances of his recovery were grim, and he was, in effect, sent home to die.
Jacob's wife, Margaret Casper Waller's version of events were reported on her Widow's Pension Application. She reports that Jacob returned home from the war just weeks prior to its close, sickened with typhoid fever and still burdened with the injuries he suffered in battle. In mere weeks, her husband, whom we can be sure she endeavored to nurse back to health, died on 2 April 1865.
Parentage: No written confirmation for Jacob's parentage has surfaced. Several family trees list his parents as George Waller and Elizabeth Trexler, of Rowan County, North Carolina. I am not sure why or how that theory evolved, but it cannot be true. George Waller died in 1824, a full five years before Jacob's birth.
After carefully studying the census records of various Waller families in Rowan County NC, it became clear a very strong case can be made that Michael Waller and Elizabeth "Betsie" Meismer Waller are, in fact, Jacob's parents.
There is no "smoking gun", or single document to answer the parentage question beyond a doubt. There are however, circumstances and legal documents that give us as much assurance as can be achieved at this time.
Census records for Michael Waller and Betsie Meismer Waller include male children that are in Jacob's age group throughout the year's of Jacob's childhood. Just as importantly, when Jacob leaves the family home in 1849 to marry Margaret Casper, the 1850 census shows a male child in his age group as no longer being in the familial home.
Further supporting the theory of Michael and Betsie Waller's parentage of Jacob Waller is their son, Frederick's, administration over the probate period of Jacob Waller's estate and will. In that process, Frederick brokered a settlement with Jacob's Widow, Margaret. Through that settlement, Frederick took ownership of Jacob's property, and in return, Margaret received one year of financial support for her growing family, as well as the furnishings of her home. Prior to Frederick obtaining Jacob's property, their individual properties adjoined one another.
The 1850 census lists Eve A. Waller as a resident in Jacob Waller's household. This may suggest that they too, are siblings. Census records for Michael and Elizabeth "Betsie" Waller also allow for a daughter in Eve's age group, and show the loss of that daughter in 1850, when Eve Waller is residing with her probable brother, Jacob and his wife Margaret Casper Waller. Eve's residence in Jacob's home was short, two months after the census date, Eve married George Earnhardt.
Children of Jacob Waller & Margret Casper:
Peter Adom Waller (Born 1850, died between 1900 and 1910); George Henry Waller (1851-1912);their only Daughter, Lundy J.Waller (1854-1916); Moses Waller (1856-1930); and finally, John W. Waller (1859-1939)
Interestingly, George Henry Waller had a son whom he named Jacob Thomas Waller. It is nice to know that Jacob Waller's name was carried on for a few more generations.
