My
earliest introduction to the Spitler family came from my grandfather’s cousin,
Rachel Joseph. I recall the family
gathered around the kitchen table listening to Rachel’s letter. I must have
been about 11 or 12 years old.
‘Cousin
Ray’ was the Joseph family historian and included a few tidbits about the
Spitler’s in her research notes. My grandfather and Rachel were the great
grandchildren of Jacob Spitler and Margaret Dunlap.
My
Spitler line begins with 2nd Great Grandmother Eliza Jane Spitler.
She married William Wilson Joseph Oct. 26, 1848. You can see a photograph of Eliza
Jane and William Wilson by clicking here. This will link you to my earlier post
titled “William Wilson Joseph and Eliza Jane Spitler of Augusta Co., VA”
I’ll
begin with Cousin Ray’s family lore:
“Grandmother
Joseph’s mother was a Miss Dunlap. Her father was Jacob Spitler. There was a
large family but have no records.
Uncle Henry
Spitlar was a confederate soldier as was Uncle Thomas Spitlar who was killed in
the Battle of Gettysburg. He wasn’t married.
Uncle Henry
Spitler married Nancy Dodson. They had no children. Aunt Susan (Sis) Livick was
grandmother’s sister. She had two children but they died without heirs.
I do not know
Jacob Spitlar’s father name but he married an Irish girl, her name unknown to
us. She came from Ireland with others who were to bind themselves out to
farmers or anyone that would hire them and would work until their passage was
paid. The young women would marry if the men would pay their passage. My father
& Aunt Annie told me that she never told anyone of her past or anything
about her people. She would never attend church so they thought she must have
been a Catholic and the Spitlars were Lutherins. The Spitlars came from Scotland. They were
farmers and owned farms near Middlebrook, Va. Grandfather Spitlar took great
pride in his horses and had fine teams. He would take the cured meat in covered
wagons to Richmond, Va. where they traded for coffee, sugar, and such items
that were hard to buy in those days.”
‘Grandmother
Joseph’ was Eliza Jane (Spitler) Joseph. Her parents were Jacob Spitler and
Margaret Dunlap.
Uncle
Henry and Uncle Thomas mentioned above were Eliza Jane’s brothers. They both
fought for the Confederacy but Uncle Thomas wasn’t killed at Gettysburg. He survived
the War and married Jennie Virginia Bishop.
Recently
I found Uncle Henry’s obituary published in the Staunton Spectator Friday, Nov.
1, 1905 describing his service and his brothers.
Mr.
Henry Spitler of Augusta county, died on November 10, 1905, at the home of his
niece, Mrs. James A. Wagner, near Swoope's aged 75 years. Mr. Spitler was one
of the fine soldiers of Augusta county, and with his four brothers, all members
of Company F, 5th Virginia Infantry, commanded at the outbreak of the war by
Capt. St. F. C. Roberts, and later by Capt. P. E. Wilson, went from West View
in this county to Harper's Ferry in April, 1861. Of these Spitler boys, John
was killed at Chancellorsville; Thomas S. was wounded in the same fight; Samuel
died of fever in the army, and Jacob survived the war, but died some years ago.
Jacob
Spitler’s father was named John Spitler and his mother Mary Eccord. Ray thought
Mary Eccord was born in Ireland but I’m not certain about this. The 1850
federal census enumeration states she was born in Virginia. It’s well known
census records can be right or they can be wrong. More research needs to be
done.
To
add to Ray’s research, I hired the late Katherine G. Bushman, an Augusta County
genealogist, in 1992. Just this past month a Salt Lake City genealogist
provided me with estate papers for two of my Spitler grandfathers. I’ll tell
you about it soon. Consider today’s post Part 1.
