Jacob Erion had Red Hair! Who Knew? VII - The End

Jacob B. Erion ca 1878

Mary Leonard Erion ca 1878

Jacob B. Erion ca 1920

My grandfather once told me he would like to know more about his grandfather.  However, it was during a time when I was having my own children and the days were filled with raising the next generation.  There was no time to look back.  But now there is.  My Granddad passed away in 1983 but I have always remembered his words to me and this blog is a result of that remembering.   I have sourced my information.  These are my own words except where indicated. 

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Jacob and Mary were living at 1056 Eslava Street, Mobile, Alabama, when Mary Frances Leonard Erion died on 15 Sep 1914.

            "Deaths
    Mrs. Mary L. Erion


  MOBILE, ALA., Sept. 15—Mrs. Mary Leonard Erion, 50 years of age, wife of Captain J. B. Erion, died this afternoon at the family home, 1056 Eslava Street, after a lingering illness.  Captain and Mrs. Erion on January 1 last, celebrated their golden wedding at their home here.  Besides her husband, deceased is survived here and in Chicago by a number of relatives.”

 (From obituary published in The Montgomery Advertiser, 16 Sep 1914)

Despite the discrepancies in the obituary, i.e.: Mary was 69 at the time of her death; Jacob’s and Mary’s wedding date was 31 Dec 1863, (Source: Ancestry.com, Linn County, Iowa, History to 1878); and she also had relatives in Nebraska, Mary was dead.  She had given birth to and raised to maturity six children; she took care of the home; and she supported her energetic husband in his endeavors.  A copy of her death certificate issued by the State of Alabama on 27 Apr 2007, obtained by Bleu,  states that Mary had undergone curettage of the uterus on March 25, 1914.  She had been ill with carcinoma of the cervix for over a year preceding her death.  The death certificate also said that Mary was buried at Pine Crest Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama. (Copy of death certificate appears at the 10 Jun 2010 posting of this blog.)

Did Mary’s death slow down Jacob?  No.  Always on the go, Jacob continued to attend meetings of the Grand Army of the Republic.  One meeting, where Jacob was Mobile’s Junior Vice Department Commander, was held in Washington, D. C., between September 27 and October 2, 1915.  (Source: Journal of the Forty-ninth national encampment Grand Army of the Republic. Washington, D.C. Sept. 27 to Oct. 2, 1915. Truncated Title Date: 1916-01-01; Author: U.S. Congress. House of Representatives.)    In August of 1918 Jacob traveled to Portland, Oregon, this time as a representative of the Grand Army of the Republic from Mobile. (Source: U.S. Congress House Serial Set Vol. No. 7577, Session Vol. No. 108, 65th Congress, 3rd Session, 1919-01-01; Author: U.S. Congress. House Serial Set Vol. No. 7577)

Some time after Mary’s death, Jacob moved from 1056 Eslava in Mobile, Alabama, and entered the National Soldiers’ Home, Mountain Branch, in Tennessee.  Documentation found in Jacob’s Pension File shows that he lived in the National Soldiers’ Home in Tennessee from 4 Aug 1916 to 4 Apr 1917. From 07 May 1917 to 26 Jun 1917, Jacob lived in the National Soldiers’ Home, Northwestern Branch, in Wisconsin.  From 27 Jul 1917 to 19 Sep 1917, Jacob lived in the National Soldiers’ Home, Central Branch, Ohio.

At some point, Jacob went back to Alabama because he went to Portland, Oregon, August 18-24, 1918, fifty-second national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) as the Representative from Mobile, Alabama. (Source: U.S. Congress House Serial Set Vol. No. 7577, Session Vol. No. 108, 65th Congress, 3rd Session, 1919-01-01; Author: U.S. Congress. House Serial Set Vol. No. 7577, Session Vol. No.108, 65th Congress, 3rd Session, H.Doc. 1613.)

On 19 Jul 1919, Jacob was back at the National Soldiers’ Home, Central Branch, Ohio.  1920 must have been an interesting year for Jacob  because the 1920 US Census, dated 3 Jan 1920, shows Jacob boarding with a German couple involved in real estate, Adolph and Ida Brown and their daughter, Florence, at 106 South Jackson, Mobile, Alabama.  Boarding there also was a private practice attorney, Charles Rogers, and a maid, Mary Yalrie.  This arrangement did not last long.  Just 11 days later, Jacob appears on the 1920 census at the National Soldiers’ Home, Central Branch, in Dayton, Ohio.

According to Declaration for Pension, dated and signed by Jacob B. Erion on 3 Aug 1921, from the time of Mary’s death, he had lived in the Mobile, Alabama National Military Home; the Tennessee National Military Home; and the Wisconsin National Military Home.  The Declaration was signed by Jacob while living at the National Military Home in Ohio.  (Source: Declaration for Pension-Civil War, dated 3 Aug 1921, original in the Pension File of Jacob B. Erion, National Archives)

His second born child, a daughter, Luella Matilda Erion, a registered nurse living in California, came to his rescue.  Documents in Jacob B. Erion’s Pension File reveal that she used her savings to buy a house for her father and her to live in and she gave up her full time job to take care of  Jacob.  She also took up the battles with the Commissioner of Pensions. The 1926 California Voters Registration, 1900-1968 found on Ancestry.com shows Jacob B. Erion living at 4832 Kansas, San Diego, California as is Luella.

A 29 Mar 1928 physical examination conducted by a physician at the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California, stated:

“This is old Civil War veteran is 85 years of age and appears all of that.  He is weak and debilitated and must be helped in and out of bed.  . . . His mind is clear but he is very irritable and peevish in his mental attitude.  He requires constant care. . . .  I do not feel that he will ever be any better.”


                  (Source: Affidavit of Physician, Pension File of Jacob B. Erion, National Archives)

Jacob and Luella were living on his pension of $90 per month.  He received an increase from $72 after the 29 Mar 1928 physical examination.

Jacob was in and out of the Naval Hospital at San Diego as his health continued to deteriorate.  His last admittance to the hospital was on 22 Oct 1928.

The death discharge filed for Jacob showed the following:

“Patient showed slight improvement for a while, 1-10-29, complained of pain in chest with a little more cough.  Normal temperature.  Vomited some, showed loss of appetite.  1-14-29  No improvement, was markedly weaker and death was sudden.”

(Source: USVB Form 2593, signed by Capt. H. A. May, dated 14 Jan 1929, filed with the Veterans’ Bureau 21 Jan 1929, copy in Pension File of Jacob B. Erion, National Archives.)

Jacob passed away on 14 Jan 1929.  According to the Report of Death filed for Jacob, his “remains were cremated by a contract undertaker, per instructions of next of kin.”   The undertaker was Davis-Bonham Bros, Mortuary, San Diego, California, and Jacob’s remains were cremated on 16 Jan 1929. (Source: Standard Certificate of Death from the State of California, Department of Public Health, filed 16 Jan 1929, copy of which is in the Pension File of Jacob B. Erion, National Archives.)

A copy of the invoice from Davis-Bonham Mortuary to the U. S. Veterans’ Bureau in Los Angeles, California, dated January 22, 1929, shows that Jacob’s casket was $65.00 with an outside case of $10.00.  Embalming and care of body was $10.00, personal services and hearse $15.00, and the Cremation at Greenwood Crematory was $35.00.

Recently, through www.FindAGrave.com, I learned that Jacob was buried by his wife Mary Leonard Erion at Pine Crest Cemetery, Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama.  A photograph of Jacob‘s and Mary‘s gravesite, taken by Tim Childree, can be viewed at FindAGrave.  I’ve also posted a picture of Jacob and Mary Erion and their children at this same site.

Jacob Erion had Red Hair! Who Knew? Part VI

Jacob B. Erion

Alice L. Erion

                       

                                                                                                                           

Mary Leonard Erion

My grandfather once told me he would like to know more about his grandfather.  However, it was during a time when I was having my own children and the days were filled with raising the next generation.  There was no time to look back.  But now there is.  My Granddad passed away in 1983 but I have always remembered his words to me and this blog is a result of that remembering.   I have sourced my information.  These are my own words except where indicated. 

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 The 1900 US census shows that Jacob, Mary and Alice Erion are living in Police Ward Jury 9, Rapides Parish, Pineville, Louisiana.  His occupation is shown as Superintendent of the North-South Cemetery (now known as Alexandria National Cemetery.)  Pineville and Alexandria are situated close to each other, so close that the visitor’s bureau refers to itself as Alexandria/Pineville, Louisiana. (There is a street in Alexandria named “Erion.”)  

Jacob, Mary and Alice were probably comfortable in that area because Alexandria had been settled by Northerners and incorporated as a town in 1818.   Being located on the banks of the Red River gave Alexandria a strategic appeal for the both the Union Army and the Confederate Army and it was occupied several times during the Civil War. (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria,_Louisiana)  

However, it was 1900 by the time Jacob, Mary and Alice moved there and the Civil War had been over for 35 years.  It appears that Jacob, Mary and Alice did not live in the lodge located at the National Cemetery.  We know that Jacob did visit South Omaha while living in Louisiana according to an article dated 6 May 1902, appearing in the [Omaha] Morning World-Herald:

  “Captain J. B. Erion, superintendent of the National cemetery at Alexandria, La., who has been in the city visiting for several days, left for home Monday morning.  Captain Erion was the pioneer publisher of a daily and weekly newspaper at South Omaha.  First he ran the old Globe and then later the Stockman, having associated with him Charles H. Rich in the latter venture.  After leaving the newspaper business, he was labor commissioner of Nebraska, and then became superintendent of the cemetery, which is a life position.  His many friends in Nebraska will be pleased to know that he is not only doing well, but is enjoying excellent health.”

In May, 1902, Jacob’s and Mary’s daughter, Alice, had been dead for over a year.  She was buried at the National Cemetery now located in Alexandria, Louisiana.

From the Omaha Morning World-Herald dated 22 Mar 1901’

“FORMER OMAHA TEACHER DEAD

Miss Alice Erion died at Pineville, La. -- Was Well Known Hero

Special Dispatch to the World-Herald, Pineville, La., March 21-Miss Alice Erion, daughter of J. B Erion, superintendent of the National Cemetery at this place, died this morning.

Miss Erion was well known and very popular in Omaha, where she was formerly a teacher in the public schools.”

(A more detailed account of the short life of Alice L. Erion will appear in a later posting on this blog.)

Documentation from Jacob’s pension file shows that by 1907, Jacob and Mary were living in Beaufort, South Carolina.  They lived there at least through 1910 because the 1910 US census shows Jacob and Mary living in Beaufort, South Carolina, where Jacob was the Superintendent of the National Cemetery there.  In her letter previously presented in another posting on this blog, Jacob’s granddaughter Fern implies that Jacob was Superintendent of all the Union cemeteries in the South.  (Fern and her mother Jennie Erion Terry visited Jacob and Mary while they were living in Beaufort, South Carolina.)  I have not been able to determine exactly how this appointment was handled, but Fern also mentioned that Jacob and Mary lived in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

By 12 Jun 1912, Jacob and Mary were living in Chunchula, Mobile County, Alabama.  In a 4 Oct 1912 letter to the Commissioner of Pensions, the couple had moved to 48 Houston Street,  Mobile, Alabama.  While living on Houston Street, Jacob received a letter from J. L. Davenport, Commissioner of Pensions:

“Sir:  Your above cited claim for pension under the Act of May 11, 1912, requires a properly verified copy of the public, baptismal or family record of your birth.

If a copy of the family record be furnished, the officer certifying to the same should state the date of birth, the date of publication of the book in which it appears; whether the record bears any marks of erasure or alteration, and whether the appearance of the writing indicates that it is an old entry.

If you are unable to furnish the evidence indicated, you should so state under oath, giving your reasons.”

Jacob responded on 23 Apr 1913:

“Sir:  I am enclosing herewith copy of family record of my birth properly verified.  The family Bible containing the record was in possession of my younger brother, Hon. John M. Erion residing in Mitchell So. D. and was sent to me by ex., hence the delay.  Hoping this will complete my application, I am very respectfully Jacob B. Erion, 1056 Eslava Street, Mobile, Ala.

Please change my address from #48 Houston St. to #1056 Eslava St.”

Included with the above letter was the following communication, dated 23 Apr 1913, from Price Williams, Jr., Probate Judge for Mobile County, State of Alabama:

“I, Price Williams, Jr., Probate Judge for Mobile County, State of Alabama, hereby certify that the family Bible of Philip Erion and Matilda Erion, has been shown to me; said Philip and Matilda Erion, were married on the 30th of November, 1837, and that Jacob Erion was one of the children of said Philip and Matilda, and was born on the 29th of August, 1842.  That said Bible was published by W. & H. Meriam in 1846.

The record of said birth appears in said Bible without any marks of erasure, and alteration, and the writing therein clearly indicates that it is an old entry.

Witness my hand and seal of office at Mobile, Alabama, April 23, 1913.

/s/ P. Williams, Jr.”

(Copies of both documents are in the Pension File of Jacob B. Erion, National Archives.)

Mary Frances Leonard Erion (1845-1914)

Mary Leonard Erion was my great great grandmother. She was the wife of Jacob Benjamin Erion and the mother of six children: Jennie Mabel; Luella Matilda; Alice L.; Francis Leonard; Esther; and my great grandfather, Lloyd DeWitt Erion. She is shown above with her husband, Jacob, and their family.

(One of the things I've learned about researching family history is that to write about the lives of the women, one must write about the lives of their fathers and husbands. Not until the second half of the 20th century have women come out of the shadows and become more visible. It's really a shame since we comprise fifty percent of the world's population and, without us, there would be no population!)

Mary Leonard Erion was born 23 Nov 1845 in Logan County, OH. (Source: Linn County, Iowa History to 1878.) Her parents were John Leonard and Lucinda Rush Leonard. (Source: Fern E. Terry, granddaughter of Mary Leonard Erion). Mary was the third of nine children.

According to information found in The Biographical Record of Knox County Ohio to Which is Added an Elaborate Compendium of National Biography, pages 43 and 44 (Chicago; The Lewis Publishing Company, 1902), contributed by John Leonard's second wife, Harriet Boudinot Leonard:

"John Leonard, now deceased, was one of the honored pioneers of Knox county, where he located when this portion of the state was a wiild frontier region in which the work of progress and development had scarcely been begun. His labors added to the general advancement and improvement, and in the passing of the years he was acknowledged to be one of the most valuable representatives of the farming interests of the county.

Mr. Leonard was a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in Washington county, of the Keystone state, on the 28th of March, 1814. His education was there obtained in the primitive schools of [that] time, and through the summer months the work of the home farm claimed his attention. He was but thirteen years of age when he came to Knox county [Ohio] with his parents, Samuel and Phebe (Logan) Leonard, who entered a large tract of land in Morris township and there began the development of a farm. Our subject shared with his family in all the hardships and trials of pioneer life and bore his share in the arduous task of reclaiming wild land for purposes of civilization. Throughout his entire life he carried on general farming and at his death was the owner of a very valuable and richly improved tract of land of three hundred and fifty acres. . . . Mr. Leonard devoted his time and energies to general farming and owned and operated three hundred and fifty acres of land, constituting a valuable and highly improved tract. He was industrious and energetic, and his capable management made him one of the prosperous farmers of his locality. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, frequently called him to public office. He served as township trustee and for a number of terms was supervisor, discharging his duties in a manner that won him the commendation of all concerned. He co-operated in all movements which he believed would prove of general good, and in matter of business and private concern he was ever straightforward and honorable, commanding the respect of his fellow men in a high measure. He passed away October 28, 1893, and the community mourned the loss of one of its best citizens, while in the household, his place can never be filled."

So that was Mary's father, John Leonard. Mary's mother, Lucinda Rush Leonard, died before 1866. I am still researching Lucinda. (As I said before, our foremothers are living in the shadows.)

On 31 Dec 1863, Mary Frances Leonard and Jacob Benjamin Erion, the son of Philip Erion and Matilda Latham Erion, married. (Source: Family bible of Jacob Benjamin Erion.) Mary’s life was one of being a loving mother and a supportive wife to her restless husband, Jacob. Between 1870 and 1875, the family lived in Linn County, IA, then moved to Bates County, MO, then on to Appleton City, MO, where Jacob is listed as having a saddlery and harness business. (Source: Linn County History to 1878.) By 1878, the family is once again living in Linn County, IA. Mary’s husband Jacob is running a circulating library and is also a druggist. (Source: Linn County History to 1878)

The 1880 census finds the family living in Lewis, Cass County, IA. Jacob is the owner and publisher of the “Lewis Independent.” By 1885, the family had moved to South Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, where Jacob began the first newspaper in South Omaha, “The Globe.” He also began the newspaper, “The Stockman.” Between 1885 and 1899, Mary and her family lived in South Omaha. According to articles found in various Omaha newspapers, the Erions entertained frequently. Jacob was appointed by the Governor of Nebraska to the position of Deputy Labor Commissioner for the State of Nebraska. (Source: Lincoln Evening News, 26 Apr 1893)

The 1900 US census finds Jacob and Mary and their daughter Alice living in Pineville, LA. Jacob, a Civil War veteran, had applied for and received an appointment as Superintendent of the North-South National Cemetery, now known as Alexandria National Cemetery. According to files found in the National Archives, Mary and Jacob were living in Beaufort, South Carolina by 1907. This is verified by the 1910 US Census which lists Jacob’s occupation as keeper of the National Cemetery.

Throughout all these moves, Mary was giving birth to and raising their six children. Her daughter Alice died of Bright's Disease while Jacob, Mary and Alice were living in Pineville, Louisiana. Mary was with Jacob every step of the way. Her granddaughter, Fern E. Terry, wrote of her grandmother: “Grandmother Mary Frances (Leonard) Erion was a very kind and thoughful woman who took good care of her family and helped others when she could. (You see, I visited them when I was 10 years old.)”

According a copy of the death certificate issued by the State of Alabama, Mary Leonard Erion passed away on 15 Sep 1914 at 12:30 p.m. at her home at 1056 Eslava Street, Mobile, Alabama. She had been ill for over one year with carcinoma of the cervix and undergone curettage six months before her death. The place of interment was Pine Crest Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama.

A picture of Mary's and her husband Jacob's grave can be seen at www.findagrave.com. The beautiful picture was taken by Tim Childree of Mobile, AL.