starryskye.org/GENEALOGY

This is a post in progress

I’m on the hunt for my ancestor Henry MANN who registered for the Civil War draft in the Third Congressional District, Brooklyn (Kings County) New York in 1863. According to an article posted in the NY Times – names were chosen from all who registered and his name wasn’t on the list. This leads me to believe he didn’t actually serve in the military.

Henry MANN
Birth 1822 in Suffolk, England
Death aft. 1882 in New York

Henry married Elizabeth (born in Ireland in 1839).

Children of Henry and Elizabeth were:

Henry E. MANN
Birth JUN 1863
Death aft 1923 in New York

William MANN
Birth 1868 in New York

Source for family info: 1880 US Federal Census (New York)

Note – according to Ancestry.com the reason why I am seeing a LOT of armed guards mentioned in the NY Times article (linked above) is that in 1863 there were a lot of draft riots happening!

There were four drafts between 1863 and 1865, which included 3.175 million records. Historically, the 1863 draft was one of the most tenuous moments in the Union outside of the battles fought on Northern soil. Most of the concern was due to the draft riots that took place in New York in 1863.

It’s crazy to know that my ancestor was at one of these “drafts” (and presumably; a riot). I wonder if he was in favor of the war or against it? He would have been 42 years old when the drafts were happening.

Ancestry has free access to some of their Ireland immigration records right now!

Lord Morpeth’s Roll

The Morpeth Roll is a unique testimonial document signed by over 275,000 people across Ireland in 1841, on the departure of George Howard, Lord Morpeth, from the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland. The Morpeth Roll is scheduled to go on public display until next year. However, Christopher Ridgway, curator of Castle Howard, the UK stately home where the Roll was discovered, will display the real thing at a conference entitled The Gathering: Local History, Heritage and Diaspora, on 24 November. As well as explaining what it is, he will be talking about its potential value as a pre-famine census substitute for Irish genealogy research. [x]

When George Howard (Lord Morpeth) left office after 6 years as Chief Secretary for Ireland, he received a unique thank-you card: a 412-meter roll of parchment containing the signatures of more than 150,000 Irishmen (and a few women). Morpeth had been seen as a friend to Ireland, enough so that even nationalists like Young Irelander Thomas Davis signed the roll, extending to Lord Morpeth the “warmest Good wishes of our Country.”

Lot’s of great information! I haven’t done a lot of work with my own Irish heritage. Might be a good time to do so!

So far – I just have ONE absolutely legit Irish relative that I have a source for. My Great-Great Grandmother Elizabeth (who was the mother of my Great Grandfather Henry E. MANN) was born in Ireland circa 1839. She, along with her husband Henry (circa 1822 in England) and her children Henry E. (1863, NY) and William (1868) are listed in the 1880 NY Census.

Elizabeth wasn’t listed in the 1900 census, so I assume she passed away before then. All I have to go on right now is that 1880 census. I haven’t researched any further yet!

The surname Pelton belongs to perhaps the largest class of English family names – those derived from names of localities. Pelton was a common place-name before the Norman conquest. William the Conqueror granted Pelton Manor to William the Deacon and some two centuries later his descendants took their surname from the Manor. Important branches of the Pelton family have lived in Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Somersetshire and Buckshire. The coat-of-arms of the Essex family is described: an inescutcheon charged with a ben within a orle of escallops. [source]

John Pelton, the American immigrant was born in England about 1616 and was descended, it is believed, from the Essex branch of the family. [source]

There are a lot of PELTON’s in America – a lot of them are descended from John PELTON & Susanna WAY(E) who came over from England on the Mary & John.

“PELTON: John Pelton engaged in fishing business, came to Boston, Mass Bay Colony 1630; removed to Dorchester 1635.” [source, source]

John PELTON & Susanna WAY(E)
   then Samuel PELTON & Mary SMITH
      then John B. PELTON & Jemima JOHNSON
         then John PELTON & Elizabeth CHAMPION
            then Ithamar PELTON & Asenath PRATT
               then Asahel PELTON & Anna DENIO
                  then Horace Birt PELTON & Mary CORLEY
                     then Horace O. PELTON & Ella/Ellen S. HIGGINS
                        then George Lester PELTON & Francis M. WEEKS
                           then Charles Lester Isaac PELTON who is my grandfather.

I’m trying now to get away from the “name collecting” and find actual stories and photos. I’ve got a few of my grandfather but none of anyone further back. I’m also trying to get my hands on an original copy of the 1892 “Pelton Family in America” but it’s pricey and I only see it once in a blue moon.

There is a digital copy available for free:
http://www.archive.org/details/genealogyofpelto00pelt