Natan, son of Mister Yosef

Daniel Joseph, Augusta and Rockingham Counties, Virginia

circa1755 – 1796

Today I would like to continue the discussion of Daniel Joseph’s Jewish heritage. In an earlier post titled Daniel Joseph and Miss Hanger, I mentioned Daniel was identified as a “Jew” in the 1780 Augusta County, VA Court Fee book[1].

Paul T. Gilliatt of Prince George, Virginia wrote to me in 1995 about our mutual ancestor.  Paul was a descendant of Daniel’s daughter, Eve Joseph, who married John Gilliatt in 1809. Paul’s letter included the following excerpt:

     “I have not yet researched the Joseph family however I have item of info you may be interested in.”

     “When I was researching the deed books in Staunton (Augusta Co.), I noted an unusual signature above Daniel Joseph’s signature on two land deeds. As you know information documents etc. are copied into the records by court personnel. This obviously was not copied by Court personnel—different pen, different shade ink, etc. I knew it had to be Daniel Joseph’s signature. For some reason after the court people copied the deed into the record book, he made it official by signing his name. The deed book is so old and brittle the court people had a rule—no copies would be made. I begged and begged. They finally made me a copy of the 1785 deed from deed book 25. The same signature is in deed book 27 page 105-107 deed dated in 1791. I made a copy of the signature and sent it to a Synagogue. They told me the signature was old Hebrew.”

Copy provided courtesy of Paul T. Gilliatt

Augusta Co., VA Deed Book 25, page 34, May 20, 1875

Following is a copy I printed from microfilm belonging to the Library of Virginia that I borrowed via interlibrary loan that Paul referred to in his letter. 

Augusta Co., VA Deed Book 27, page 107, February 20, 1791

While I never saw the original deed book in Staunton, I found a similar and earlier signature for a deed dated Oct. 27, 1781. (This is also from Library of Virginia microfilm.)

  

Augusta Co., VA Deed Book 23, page 440, Oct. 27, 1781

Shortly afterwards, I enlisted help from the Jewish Roots mailing list to obtain a translation. Many scholarly members from the mailing list responded and I learned Daniel’s signature meant

Natan [Nathan] son of R. [Reb=Mister] Yosef [Joseph]

Our family had no idea we had Jewish ancestry. Augusta County, Virginia was a rural community when Daniel and his wife, Eve, lived there. Most likely there weren’t too many Jews nearby. The first Jewish Congregation in Staunton wasn’t established until 1876—almost eighty years after Daniel died. The Rockingham County Jewish Congregation was founded in 1859 sixty-three years after his passing.

Daniel didn’t have a Jewish wife. Eve’s father, Johann Friederich Hanger, had been a member of two Lutheran Churches located at Woodstock and Stony Creek in Shenandoah Co., Virginia prior to his move to Augusta County.[2] Each of Daniel’s children was married by a Minister. Daniel might have been a practicing Jew but there were probably no opportunities for him to follow his faith in any public forum. As far as I’ve been able to determine, none of Daniel’s descendants observed Jewish beliefs or customs.

I located another ‘Jew’ in the 1803 Rockingham County Personal Property Tax list—Moses Joseph.  Moses along with his wife, Ruth, and his family migrated to Rockingham County from Orange County, Virginia by 1788. I'm very interested in compiling any information about the Moses Joseph family as I suspect Moses was a relative of my 4^th great grandfather Daniel Joseph.

 

If anyone would like to share information or thoughts about Daniel and Moses Joseph, please let me hear from you.

Note: Paul T. Gilliatt died in 1996. I consider myself very lucky to have received his ‘genealogical gift’.

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[1] Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, Vol. II, p. 410

[2] Baptismal record of the children of Johann Friederich Hanger of Augusta County, Virginia, 1755-1778, Accession #11528, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Daniel Joseph and Miss Hanger

The father of John Joseph was named Daniel Joseph. His wife was a Miss Hanger. John Joseph was my great grandfather so he is your great Grandfather.

“Copied from the old bible”

These words are how Rachel Joseph began telling the history of her family. She sent handwritten notes to her cousin James McFall Joseph (my grandfather) many years ago. Rachel Jane Joseph was born March 28, 1896 in Augusta County, Virginia to Henry Milton Joseph and Lillie Jane Barger. She passed April 1981 in Virginia. I’m grateful ‘Ray’ shared her family history with us.

I’ve been able to add to Rachel’s family history and collected many documents for Daniel Joseph which I will share in future blog posts. Today is just a few facts to rouse your curiosity.  

4^th Great-grandfather Daniel Joseph was the progenitor of the Joseph family and resided in Augusta County, Virginia. I’ve estimated his birth between 1755 and 1760. He married Eve Hanger, daughter of Frederic Hanger also from Augusta County, Virginia and died between July 27, 1795 and Feb. 22, 1796. A daughter, Eve Joseph, was born Sept. 8, 1785 followed by my ancestor, John Joseph born Aug. 4, 1787, and then Margaret Joseph born about 1795. Daniel Joseph Jr. was the youngest child.

Daniel served in the Augusta Militia during the American Revolution. He probably came to Augusta County with some savings as he bought and sold properties. In June of 1783, his name started to appear in the Rockingham Co., Virginia Minute Books and Rockingham Co., Virginia Judgment books in court suits.  Daniel was quite often the plaintiff (party who starts lawsuit) and just as often the defendant. He wasn’t in the Rockingham County personal property tax lists making me believe his home was in Augusta County with a business in Rockingham.

The Augusta Court Fee Books dated 1780 provided a welcome clue about his heritage. Daniel Joseph was identified as “Jew” which was a surprise to my branch of the family.[1] As far as I’ve been able to determine, none of Daniel’s descendants practiced the Jewish faith.

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[1] Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish, Vol. II, p. 410

To The Memory of Jeremiah B. Clark, Died Aug. 13, 1908, Aged 65 Years

Card from Personal Collection

Funeral Card in Memory of

2^nd Great Grandfather

Jeremiah B. Clark

Dec, 8, 1842-August 13, 1908

Obituary from 'The Independent Republican' published in Goshen, New York

     Jeremiah B. Clark died at his home on Golden Hill avenue, Goshen at 5:20 o'clock Thursday afternoon, after an illness of several months, aged 65 years.

     Mr. Clark had conducted a meat market in Goshen for nineteen years, and two years ago last April disposed of the business to his son, David P. Clark. During his long business career he had been very successful and won the respect of all who did business with him by his honest and upright methods.

     Deceased is survived by his wife and five children: David P., Amos R., Mrs. Adelbert Knapp, of Goshen; Mrs. George Hewitt and Frank E. Clark, of Middletown; also by five brothers and four sisters. They are Edward and Howell, of Johnson; William, of Middletown; B. R. Clark, of Goshen; Emmet, of Paterson; Mrs. Horace Space, of Paterson, and Mrs. William Frazier, who is a resident of the state of Washington. Seventeen grandchildren also survive.

     The funeral will be held on Sunday afternoon from his late home, at 2 o 'clock. Rev. Dr. Moser, pastor of the Methodist Church, will conduct the service, and the remains will be interred in Pittsburgh Cemetery.

[NOTE:  Jeremiah B. Clark was interred at Phillipsburgh Cemetery, Wallkill, NY. Cemetery is also known as the Wallkill Cemetery.]

Middletown Daily Times-Press, Middletown, New York, Monday, August 17, 1908 Issue

     The funeral of Mr. Jeremiah B. Clark was held Sunday afternoon at two o'clock from his late home on Golden Hill avenue. There was a large attendance. Rev. Dr. Moser conducted the services. Several selections were rendered by members of the choir of the Methodist Church. The pall bearers were Gabriel B. Jones, Silas H. Case, Isaac VanStrander, Sr., and Anson C. Gibson. Interment was in Phillipsburgh Cemetery.

James and Lucy Get Married

Scanned image from personal collection

Grandparents

James McFall Joseph and Lucy Leora Clemmer

James M. Joseph and Lucy L. Clemmer applied for a marriage license July 5, 1927 with the Middletown, New York city clerk. Each provided information about themselves and their parents. James and Lucy signed their affidavit to marry indicating their statements were true and there were no legal reasons for them not to marry.

Well, there was no legal reason they couldn’t be married but they did fudge a few facts. My grandfather was definitely born March 3^rd—but the year has ranged in various records from 1904 to 1908. James stated his home was 403 Marquis St., Staunton, VA. I believe 403 Marquis St. was his sister Lytie’s home and I can see how he thought of this as his home but he was in Middletown by 1926 and was employed by the Middletown State Hospital as an attendant. Lucy also indicated her home was Route 5, Staunton, VA. This probably was her parents’ home since she had also arrived in Middletown by 1926 and was employed at the Middletown State Hospital too. After they married, their future home would be on the Hospital grounds.

Scanned image of photocopy from NYS Dept. of Health, Albany, NY

State of New York

Affidavit for License to Marry

Scanned image of photocopy from NYS Dept. of Health, Albany, NY

Marriage License

On that very same day, July 5, 1927, James and Lucy went to Rev. E. Van Dyke Wight’s home at 50 East Main Street to be wed. Rev. E. Van Dyke Wight was a minister associated with the Webb Horton Memorial Presbyterian Church in Middletown. The Reverend’s wife and Kenneth W. Richards acted as witnesses to the marriage.

After their marriage, James and Lucy lived briefly in Hopatcong, New Jersey where my father was born. Then they went home to Augusta County, VA for a short time. Afterwards they returned to Middletown and work at the Middletown State Hospital. They stayed in Middletown for a good many years before moving to East Islip, NY. James and Lucy both found work at the Central Islip State Hospital and made their home on Long Island for their remaining years.

Scanned image of photocopy from NYS Dept. of Health, Albany, NY

Marriage Certificate