Census Sunday, Orsamus C. Brundage Family, Wawayanda, New York

The 1865 New York State census is a genealogical gem! Just a few months after the Civil War ended my 3^rd Great Grandparents Orsamus C. Brundage and Phebe Maria Kimber appeared in the June 28, 1865 enumeration in Wawayanda, Orange Co., New York. 

1865 New York State Census

Town of Waywayanda, Orange County

Partial Page 44, Lines 1 - 11

 

Line 7 is 3^rd Great Grandfather Orsamus C. Brundage. His dwelling was a framed house valued at $300. His was the 318^th family the census taker, Mr. N. E. Pierson, visited. Mr. Pierson used only initials for given names for much of Wawayanda. The census tells us Orsamus was 57 years old, born in Orange County, a farmer and a native. The census doesn’t indicate this but Orsamus owned the land as well as I. S. Brundage’s property.

3^rd Great Grandmother Phebe Maria (Kimber) Brundage was line 8. She was 52 years old, a wife, born in New Jersey, mother of 7 children, married 1 time and currently married.

Lines 9, 10, and 11 are Orsamus and Phebe Maria’s children, John L., Charles Emet and Ellagene. They were born in Orange County with the eldest boy, John L., working as a laborer.

A married son and his family were residing in a framed house right next door (dwelling #308, family visited #316) worth $200 (on lines 1 through 4). Ira S. Brundage was employed as a laborer and was born in Orange County. He was married and it was his first marriage to Crissa Jane Tears. Crissa Jane was the mother of Alice and Hattie both born in Orange County like their parents.

In the same home with Ira but assigned family #317 were A. Kimber and M. Knapp. A. Kimber was Abigail Kimber, 74 years old, born in Orange County, mother of 8 children, married 1 time and widowed. Abigail was the grandmother of Ira, mother-in-law to Orsamus C. and mother to Phebe Maria. Eighty year old M. Knapp lived with Abigail. She had married 2 times and was also a widow. This might be Abigail’s sister.

Orsamus C. and Phebe Maria Brundage were my 3^rd Great Grandparents, their daughter Emily married Richard Wight, their daughter Emily Wight married Lewis Penny Doty who were the parents of my grandfather, Frank Leroy Doty.

WM. K. CLEMMER’S SPECIAL PARDON, 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks

William Kinser Clemmer supported the Southern cause during the Civil War between the States. 3^rd Great Grandfather was born in Augusta County, Virginia and enlisted April 23, 1864 in Staunton when he was 46 years old. Wm. K. was a private with Co. D, 3^rd Battalion Valley Reserves per Confederate Soldier Records housed at the National Archives, Washington, D.C.

After the War between the Union and Confederacy ended, President Andrew Johnson pardoned all ‘rebels’ who participated in the war in an amnesty proclamation May 29, 1865. However, there were 14 groups of individuals that were excluded from the amnesty and Wm. K. was among them because he owned property valued at more than $20,000—this being Exception 13. In order for 3^rd Great Grandfather to regain his U.S. citizenship he needed to petition the President directly for a special pardon. President Johnson desired to heal the nation but also wanted the ‘excepted’ groups to know they had indeed committed a crime. Great Grandfather had his own reasons for seeking a special pardon. It would protect him from being prosecuted and confiscation of his property.

Virginia’s Governor Pierpont recommended the pardon. William K. Clemmer signed the ‘Amnesty Oath’ July 19, 1865 in Staunton, Virginia.

I had planned to include a transcription of William K.’s petition but find I couldn’t decipher all the words in the document so I’ll provide the document and give you the gist as best I can.

·         The petition was addressed to Attorney General of the U.S., the Hon. James Speed dated Sept. 9^th 1865.

·         Declares William K. Clemmer is a native of Virginia and a citizen of Augusta County where he has lived all his life

·         49 years of age

·         Farmer by occupation

·         Over the military age of 45 years when he enlisted

·         Was in the field for about six weeks or two months

·         Originally opposed to the War

·         Never held any office under the Government of the U.S. or Virginia

·         Was not educated at West Point or the U.S. Naval Academy

·         Never belonged to the U.S. Army

·         His property may be worth $20,000, or may not

·         William K. Clemmer accepts the result of the War

·         Intends to be a loyal citizen of the U.S.

·         Signed by W. K. Clemmer

President Johnson granted Great Grandfather’s pardon Sept. 16, 1865.

The above documents are from the record group ‘Amnesty and Pardon Records’ at the National Archives, Washington, D.C. I obtained scanned images of the documents from Fold3.com and Ancestry.com.