Uncle Joe, Life-Long Musician

Uncle Joe Crowder is a perfect fit for the musical theme of Amy Johnson Crow’s “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” writing challenge. You’re looking at The New Theater Orchestra from Staunton, Virginia. Uncle Joe is pictured in the back row first on the left with a bass violin.

Photo courtesy of Charles Culbertson

The News Leader, Staunton, Virginia, Sat., Dec. 11, 2004

Members of the New Theater Orchestra

Sometime in the 1920’s

Uncle Joe married my Grandfather’s sister, Lytie Lorraine Joseph, in Augusta County, Virginia June 20, 1917. He died before I was born so I knew little about him. That changed today when I found his obituary and prepared a transcription for this post. I hope you enjoy hearing about Uncle Joe, our family’s music man.

Staunton-News Leader, Staunton, Virginia, Friday Morning, August 20, 1943

CROWDER DIES AFTER ILLNESS, PENNSYLVANIA

    Joseph L. Crowder, sergeant music instructor, United States Army, died in Valley Forge General Hospital, Phoenixville, Penna., Thurs-day morning. He had been a patient there several months and his condition had for some weeks caused alarm.

   Sergeant Crowder was born in Staunton, fifty-eight years ago, a son of Captain Thomas J. Crowder, long a commissioner of revenue here, and Mrs. Betty Virginia Crowder, and spent most of his life in Staunton. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Lytie Joseph Crowder; a brother, Erol, and sister, Etta, and two nieces, Virginia and Josephine Crowder, all of this city.

   The body will be brought here for final services, but arrangements have not been completed.

Life-Long Musician

   Sergeant Crowder was a musician, proficient in various instruments, and devoted the greater part of his life to teaching and playing. He received his first instruction from his brother, the late S. Travers Crowder, a well known trombonist. Some of the Sergeant’s pupils are now members of the Stonewall Brigade band, with which he had been associated for about forty years. He had served it both as director and assistant director, as well as filling various chairs in concert. In the days when theaters used orchestras, Sergeant was regularly employed as a string bass. In amateur theatricals here, his services always were gladly given. He also played in various church ensembles.

   He served on the Mexican border with the old First Virginia Infantry band, but in World War I was not eligible due to a physical imperfection. When he was turned down for active duty then, he volunteered for Y.M.C.A. work and was accepted. Three years ago when our war clouds were gathering, he again volunteered and was accepted as a band master-instructor of the 116^th Virginia Infantry (National Guard) band, and went to Fort Meade when this regiment was called into federal service last February two years ago. He was with the band on maneuvers in Virginia, the Carolinas, in Florida, and went abroad with the 116^th last September.

   All of his service was in England, and it was there in late December that he developed pneumonia. He recovered, but later complications developed and he spent considerable time in a hospital there before being sent to the United States in early spring. He was at Halloran General hospital, Staten Island, N. Y., for several months before being transferred to Phoenixville. Military procedure had been executed and he was due to be transferred to Woodrow Wilson General hospital here when his fatal illness developed.

Guest of Lady Astor

   During his service in England, the Stauntonian upon one occasion was talking with a group at a railroad station. He mentioned Virginia and a woman standing nearby turned to him, inquiring if his home was in Virginia. He replied affirmatively, and the inquirer identified herself as Lady Nancy Astor, originally of “Mirridor,” near Greenwood. Lady Nancy invited Sergeant Crowder to be her guest one weekend at her English estate; “Clivedon.” He accepted, and his visit there was one of the most pleasant experiences while abroad.

   Sergeant Crowder was a man of quiet disposition, his great appreciation of music mellowing his life, and causing him to find contentment in the less boisterous pursuits. He was fond of reading, research, and travel. His many fine qualities won him a large circle of friends, both in civilian and military life. He was a member of the Central Methodist church, Staunton.

   Mrs. Crowder was notified late Wednesday that his condition was much worse and she left immediately for Phoenixville, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Farrar. They arrived just before he died.

Fellow musicians paid tribute to Uncle Joe as reported in the The Evening Leader, Staunton, Virginia:

     “The Stonewall Brigade band here records its profound sorrow at the passing of this fine man and fine musician, and extends to his family its sincerest sympathy. With Longfellow, we say:

          “He has moved a little nearer

                To the Master of all music.”

Sergeant Joseph Crowder

Taxing Times for Daniel Joseph in Rockingham County, Virginia, #52 Ancestors Week 15

#52 Ancestors Week 15 writing challenge is devoted to taxes. I hold tax records in high regard. Once I located 4^th Great Grandfather Daniel Joseph among them, I realized what a valuable resource they are, especially coupled with court records. They provided me with a wealth of information about Daniel’s final years. I originally published the post below July 7, 2014.

In an earlier post, I mentioned I thought 4^th Great Grandfather Daniel Joseph lived in Augusta County, Virginia with a business interest in Rockingham County, Virginia. Contrary to what I said, a Feb. 12, 1791 land deed does indeed place his residence in neighboring Rockingham County. The Personal Property Tax Lists for Rockingham County include Daniel as early as 1789. He didn’t own any taxable items in 1789. In 1790, 1791, 1792 and 1794, he was taxed for a horse. Daniel was taxed for an ordinary in 1795. An ordinary is a tavern, inn or saloon.

When I was researching at the Rockingham County Court House some years ago, I found an entry in an unmarked notebook which appeared to be a tax list for 4^th Great Grandmother Eve (Hanger) Joseph dated 1787.

    Eve Joseph from Snid V D to lot Kes; quarterly rent of lots

The 1787 Rockingham County land tax lists indicate Eve Joseph was the owner of 1 lot which was rented yearly for a total of 3 Pounds with tax @ 1 1/2% for 3 shillings. It looks like D. Snider rented the lot. Now I would like to point out it is unusual for a woman with a living husband to own land in her own name.

In 1788 Daniel was taxed for his 85 acres in Augusta County, Virginia while his wife Eve was taxed for 1 lot of land on yearly rents in Rockingham County. Between March and April 1788 when taxes were assessed, Eve Joseph's lot in Kesle Town, Rockingham Co., VA was assessed 3 shillings for yearly rent of her lot totaling 3 pounds and 10 shillings.

Daniel’s name started to appear in Rockingham County court records June 24, 1783 while living in Augusta County. Let’s say he was no stranger to a courtroom. Daniel was involved in court cases too many times for me to give details each instance his name appeared in the proceedings. Great Grandfather was involved in numerous court cases as both the plaintiff and defendant. Most of the time he was in court to either collect or pay a debt.

Daniel Joseph and John Hanger were in debt to George Keisle May 28, 1788. Leave was granted to Daniel Joseph to ‘keep ordinary’ in Rockingham Co. July 28, 1788. The court realized he couldn’t pay his debts without running his business. (Remember an ordinary is a tavern or inn and this might be the lot Eve Joseph owned. If Daniel and Eve Joseph were tavern keepers, this would explain why they were in court regularly.) In August the case was dismissed when Daniel agreed to pay all the costs involved. More serious legal issues would erupt with George Keisle some years later. On August 24, 1791 a jury trial found Daniel and Eve not guilty of theft after accusations initiated by Keisel.

Daniel was fined by the Commonwealth for selling ‘spiritous liquors’ Dec. 24, 1792. A few years earlier on August 23, 1790, he was fined 5 shillings perhaps for a similar offence. In April of the same year in Augusta County, Anthony Mustoe filed a slander charge against him.

It wasn’t until March/April 1793 that Daniel appeared in a Rockingham County land tax list owning 1 lot that was assessed for 6 Pounds and taxed at 1 1/2% for 1 shilling, and 3 pence. I don’t know whether this is a different lot than what Eve owned but she isn’t included in any more land tax lists. He still owned the lot per the March/April 1794, 1795 and 1796 land tax lists.

March of 1793 found Daniel facing another jury trial. He was being sued by John Kring for a debt and he needed to pay twenty-six pounds ten shillings. In most of the court cases from this date forward Daniel was the defendant showing he was having some financial difficulties. 

When Jacob Harshberger filed a petition against Daniel for a debt owed Feb. 25, 1794, Daniel appeared in court and took an Oath of Insolvency since he didn’t have any property. Things became worse for him on July 27, 1795. He was taken into custody by the sheriff because of his debts.

 

Rockingham County, Virginia Minute Book 2, page 270

  

Rockingham County, Virginia Judgments, page 43 (con’t on page 44)

Rockingham County, Virginia Judgments, page 44

I learned of Daniel’s death in a Feb. 22, 1796 court action ‘Andrew Jamison Plaintiff against Eve Joseph executrix of Daniel Joseph Deceased’. Eve didn’t appear in court when summoned. On June 27, 1796 the Sheriff was ordered to sell Daniel’s estate after Eve had refused to serve as administratrix. The Sheriff provided a statement and vouchers to the court after the sale of the estate Feb. 28, 1797.

Rockingham County, Virginia Minute Book 3, page 182

The Rockingham County land tax lists continued to include a lot owned by the estate of Daniel Joseph in 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801 and 1802. I don’t know whether the lot is the one originally owned by Eve Joseph in 1787/8 or if the Sheriff sold enough of Daniel’s estate to pay his debtors without the lot being touched.

Eve (Hanger) Joseph remarried Jan. 5, 1799 to Warner Peters in Rockingham County.

Previous Daniel Joseph posts:

Daniel Joseph and MissHanger

Natan, Son of Mr. Yosef

Daniel in the American Revolution

Daniel Joseph’s Land inAugusta County, Virginia

Sharing Slave History

Overseers of the Poor Bind John Joseph to Jacob Yost

I confess I’ve neglected 3^rd Great Grandfather John Joseph on this blog. I published six items for John’s father, 4^th Great Grandfather Daniel Joseph, which you can view here.

2^nd Great Grandfather William Wilson Joseph, John’s son, was featured in blog post William Wilson Joseph and Eliza Jane Spitler of Augusta Co., VA and includes a photograph of my 2^nd Great Grandparents.

John was born August 4, 1787 in Virginia to Daniel Joseph and Eva Margaretha Hanger. His family included an older sibling, Eve born 1785, younger sister Margaret and little brother Daniel. 

His parents had ties to Augusta and Rockingham Counties while John was a boy so it’s hard to say where he was raised. When he was about 9 or 10 years old, his father died in Rockingham County. A few years later on January 5, 1799, John’s mother married Warner Peters.

Today I’m sharing an apprenticeship I found in the Rockingham County, Virginia Minute Book 5, pages 175-176.

Tuesday, At a Court Held for the County of Rockingham On the 17^th day of January 1804

Ordered that the Overseers of the poor bind John Joseph orphan of Daniel Joseph dec’d to Jacob Yost to learn the trade of a House Joiner he agreeing to take him for three years & a half from the first of August last

Grandfather’s apprenticeship with Jacob Yost began in August 1803. This would have been close to John’s 16th birthday—a good time to plan his future. I have no reason to believe John was not well cared for by his mother and step-father. This makes me wonder if 4^th Great Grandmother Eve voluntarily arranged the apprenticeship with the Overseers of the Poor so John could learn a craft.

I’m certain the agreement was beneficial for both. Jacob Yost gained a young strong willing worker and Grandfather learned skills that would insure his livelihood. Jacob Yost taught him well as John worked in the carpentry and woodworking trade his entire life.

 

Excerpt from Rockingham Co. Minute Book 5, page 175

  

WILLIAM WILSON JOSEPH AND ELIZA JANE SPITLER OF AUGUSTA CO., VA

In today’s post I would like you to meet my 2^nd Great Grandparents William Wilson Joseph and Eliza Jane Spitler.

  

William Wilson was born 1822 in Virginia to John Joseph and Elizabeth Piper. Eliza Jane was the daughter of Jacob Spitler and Margaret Dunlap. She was born 1828 in Augusta County, Virginia.

My grandfather’s cousin, Rachel Jane Joseph, shared her family stories with him. We knew her as “Cousin Ray”. She was a granddaughter of William Wilson Joseph and Eliza Jane Spitler. Ray was born in 1896 well after her grandfather’s death but heard her father, Henry Milton Joseph, speak of his parents.

William Wilson and Eliza Jane were married October 26, 1848 by a minister associated with the United Brethren Church named J. Markwood.[1] Jacob Markwood was an Elder in the church and would later become a Bishop.

Their first born children were twin boys who died at birth.[2]

When the 1850 federal census was taken, William Wilson and Eliza were living next door to his parents, John and Elizabeth Joseph. [3] William and his father both worked as carpenters.

By September 26, 1860 William and Eliza’s family grew to include six children--Margaret Jane born 1850, Elizabeth born about 1852, Anna Belle Virginia born 1854, John W. born 1855, Jacob M. born 1857 and Henry Milton Joseph born in 1860. William continued to work as a carpenter. [4]

My Great Grandfather, Daniel Franklin Joseph, was born near the end of the Civil War in February 1865. Wilson Otterbein was the last born in 1868.

I haven’t found any documented record to know if Wm. Wilson served with the Confederacy or the Union during the War Between the States.

I suspect life would have been difficult for his family if Wm. Wilson strongly supported or joined the Union Army. As a matter of fact, Rev. Jacob Markwood was a Union supporter. You’ll recall he had married Wm. Wilson and Eliza years earlier. Rev. Markwood was reported to the Southern Confederacy and wasn’t allowed to be in Virginia during the war.[5]

In the following excerpt Cousin Ray tells about a Yankee raid when her father, Henry Milton Joseph, was a small boy.[6]

   “My father remembered when the “Yankees” invaded the Valley. He was five years old and they lived near Swoope. The men had taken the cows and horses to the mountain but left the big stallion as they didn’t think the army would want a stallion but said one of the officers threw a saddle on Barney and rode off. He said he could remember just how Barney looked going down the road.

   They burned the Swoope mill and said his mother stood in the doorway and wept.”

The raid probably took place about 1864/1865 when the Confederacy was losing more often to the Union Army. I can’t help but feel sorrow when I think of Eliza Jane weeping in that doorway.

Ray writes of life after war:

   “After the war ended everyone was very poor and it was very hard to get clothing or any of the essentials of life.

   Grandfather moved to Churchville from Swoope. He was a carpenter and helped to build most of the churches on the Churchville charge, which was the United Brethren. Grandfather was very religious and would walk miles to church to help any way he could. He would go to teach the Negroes in their churches and meetings.”

In June 1879, William Wilson Joseph passed at the age of age of 58 years. His death was recorded in the 1880 federal mortality schedules. His cause of death is difficult to decipher. It looks like it could be ‘pancretic colic’ or ‘paralis colic’.[7]

Eliza Jane died eighteen years later on March 21, 1897 at her son’s home in Staunton (that was my Great Grandfather Daniel Franklin Joseph). She’s buried in the Bethlehem United Church (formerly known as the Bethlehem United Brethren) cemetery.

---

[1] Augusta County Marriages 1748-1850 by John Vogt & T. William Kethley Jr.

[2] Rachel Jane Joseph Family Notes Sent to her Cousin, James McFall Joseph

[3] 1850 Federal Census, Virginia, Augusta County, District No. 2, Page 274

[4] 1860 Federal Census, Virginia, Augusta County, District No. 1, Page No. 227

[5] OUR BISHIPS, A Sketch of the Origin and Growth of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ by H. A. Thompson, D. D., L. L. D., page 441

[6] Rachel Jane Joseph Family Notes Sent to her Cousin, James McFall Joseph

[7] U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1880, Pastures, Augusta, Virginia; Page 127

TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY: Eve (Hanger) Joseph Marries Again Rockingham Co. VA 1799

A few years after Daniel Joseph died, 4^th Great Grandmother Eve (Hanger) Joseph married Warner Peters in Rockingham County, Virginia. Warner Peters and Adam Bowyer acted as bondsmen for the marriage which took place shortly after the date of the bond—Jan. 5, 1799. 

Rockingham County, Virginia Marriage Bonds

Library of Virginia Microfilm Reel 45A