Susannah Kline
Susannah "Susan" Kline knew hardship and sorrow in her life, brought on by the Civil War and by the early deaths of four of her six children. She married Joseph "Buck" Mitchell in 1860, a quiet marriage with only themselves and the minister present. Their first two children, names unknown to us, died young.
Her husband enlisted for war duty in 1862 with the 169th PA Volunteers. During his eight months of service he suffered debilitating consequences of exposure, and the following summer was honorably discharged in poor health.
They owned a small farm of about 100 acres but only a dozen acres were tillable, the remainder probably still forested. Joseph's lingering heart, lung, liver & digestive health problems prevented him from successfully working as a farmer. Three more children were born after the war, Wilson A. Mitchell in 1865, Elizabeth S. Mitchell in 1867, and William O. Mitchell in 1870. During an epidemic in 1878, both the boys died, Wilson at age 13, and William at age 8. Elizabeth was left deaf; she never married. The Mitchells had one more child, daughter Savilla born in November of 1879.
Joseph's physical condition had never improved. The war had left him with what seemed to be pleurisy of the left lung, heart disease, and poor digestion, so that he was anemic and poorly nourished. In 1881 Joseph applied for a veteran's pension based on his disabilities, and was awarded $8 per month, later increased to $12 per month.
Joseph Mitchell died in mid-October, 1897, aged 61 years, by a fall from a barn roof. Susannah, with the help of her brothers, applied to have his veteran's pension converted to a widow's pension. By the 1900 census, Susan, a widow, having born 6 children, was living with 2 surviving daughters, Elizabeth age 32, and Savilla age 20. In 1904, daughter Elizabeth died at age 37, and was buried with her brothers at St. Mark's. Daughter Savilla married George S. Lewis in 1901, and by 1910 had 6 children of her own. Susan Klein lived with daughter Savilla Lewis's family, no doubt enjoying her six grandchildren.
In 1914, Susannah died and daughter Savilla, in returning her mother's last pension check, writes an accompanying letter, asking whether she might have that last check returned to her to pay her mother's funeral expenses, as she herself is now a widow with six small children and no means of support. Whether the request was granted or denied is unclear.
Joseph and Susannah Klein Mitchell were buried in the Klein plot at St. Mark's Memorial Chapel (Lutheran), Ashland Twp. A stone was erected when Joseph died, but the stonecutter was not recalled to carve Susannah's last dates.
| Date | Location | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 16 Nov 1842 | expect Beaver Twp., Clarion Co PA | [1][9][10][11] [12] | |
| Marriage | 11 Oct 1860 | Pilgreham, Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA by Rev. Bachtel; no certificate or witnesses |
To Joseph Mitchell (b.1836, d.17 Oct. 1897) cause of death: fall from barn roof |
[13][14] [15][18] |
| Death | 5 Dec 1913 | Clarion Co., PA | [15][18] | |
| Burial | St. Mark's Lutheran, Knox, Clarion Co., PA | [10] |
Direct ancestry segment
Generation 5 Generation 6 Generation 7
+-- John Klein
| (1801-<1877)
+--Susannah Kline---+
| (1842-1913) |
| +-- Anna Fenstermacher
| (1806-????)
|
| +--Tobias Mitchell
| |
+--Joseph Mitchell--+
|
+--Nancy J. Cotterman
Sources: [16][18]
Children
(all children with Joseph "Buck" Mitchell)
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Spouse | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Mitchell | ? | Clarion Co., PA | birth order uncertain | [7] | ||
| Unknown Mitchell | ? | Clarion Co., PA | birth order uncertain | [7] | ||
| Wilson Aron Mitchell | M | 19 May 1865 | Clarion Co., PA | died 21 Aug 1878 St. Mark's Cemetery |
[4][10][18] | |
| Elizabeth S. Mitchell | F | 21 Oct.1867 | Clarion Co., PA | by 1880, age 12: "crippled,bedridden or otherwise disabled". was left deaf by epidemic died 6 Dec. 1904 |
[4][5][7][10][18] | |
| William O. Mitchell | M | 19 Aug 1870 | Clarion Co., PA | died 23 Aug 1878 St. Mark's Cemetery |
[10][18]] | |
| Savilla C. Mitchell | F | Nov 1879 | Clarion Co., PA | m. 1901 to George S.Lewis (died 1927?) |
see Source Notes below | [5][7][8] [18] |
Places of Residence
| Location | Dates | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wentlings Corners, Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. PA | 1837-1847 | [1][7][8][9] | |
| Ashland Twp., Clarion Co. | 1847 | farm near Ashland church | [11] [12] |
Photos
A row of stones at St Marks, left to right: Elizabeth S. Mitchell; Joseph Mitchell; A. Price, son of JM & NJ Smith; Wm. O. son of J& S Mitchell; Wilson A. son of J & S Mitchell; Lizzie wife of Simon Korb; John & Annie Kline.
See other family gravestones at St. Marks,on the page of Anna Fenstermacher.
Sources
| Ref. Num. | Description | Image of original |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1840 United States Federal Census, Beaver Twp, Venango Co, PA pg 9. The census is not dated. Family of John Kline: 2 males 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 30-40, 1 female <5, 1 female 5-10, 1 female 30-40. There are a few discrepancies on the ages of the children, but they are close. Also on the page is Jaoc Kline: 2 males <5, 2 males 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 40-50, 1 female 15-20, 1 female 30-40. |  |
| 2 | 1850 United States Federal CensusPA Clarion Co. Elk Twp., pg 471-236. Date of census 7 Sept. 1850. John Kline age 48, Farmer, $325 value real estate; wife Anna age 44, can't read or write; children: Henry age 23, Farmer; Jacob age 19, Farmer; Maria age 18; Catherine age 12; Eliza age 10; Susanna age 8; James age 6; Elizabeth age 4; Sarah age 2. All born PA |  |
| 3 | 1860 United States Federal Census, PA Clarion Co. Ashalnd Twp. pg.5, ln 11-22. Date of Census 5 July 1860. John Kline, 59 M Farmer, real estate value $1000, personal estate value $200; Ann Kline, 53F; Henry33M; Rebecca 31F; [[Jacob Kline|Jacob] 29M; Maria 27F; Catherine 25F; Susanna 23 F; James 18M; Elizabeth 14F; Sarah 12 F; William 10 M. All born in PA.
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| 4 | 1870 United States Federal Census, Ashland Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 16. Census dated 7 July 1870. Lines 18-21: Joseph Mitchel(sic), 34, farmer, can not write; Susannah, 27, keeping house; Aron W., 5; Elizabeth, 3. All b. PA. The family of Jacob Fye and wife Catherine (Kline) are on lines 34-40. |
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| 5 | 1880 United States Federal Census, District 63, Ashland Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 19. Census dated 21 June, 1880. Lines 37-41: Joseph Mitchel, 44, farmer, can not read or write; Susanna, 37, wife, keeping house; Elizabeth, 12, dau., at home, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled, can not read or write; Savilla, 6 mo, dau. b. Nov. 1879; Emma York, 5, niece. All and all parents b. PA. On lines 32-36: S.H. Sheffler, 38, shoemaker; Margaret, 38, wife, keeping house, can not write; Permelia, 17, dau., at home, can not write; Minerva, 15, dau, in school; John O'Niel, 58, father-in-law, laborer. All b. PA and all parents b. PA, except John O'Niel's parents b. Ireland. |
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| 6 | 1890 United States Census Veteran Schedule, Ashland Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 2 Joseph Mitchell, private, Company B, 169 Pennsylvania Reg., inducted 22 Oct 1862, discharge 16 July 1863, 0 years 8 mo 24 days service. |
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| 7 | 1900 United States Federal Census, District 1, Ashland Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 13. Census dated 13 June 1900. Lines 25-27: Susan Mitchell, 57, b. Nov 1842, widow, 6 children born, 2 living, farmer, owns farm, no mortgage; Elizabeth, dau., 32, b. Oct 1867, single; Savilla, age 20, b. Nov 1879, single. All and all parents b. PA; all can read, write and speak English. |
 |
| 8 | 1910 United States Federal Census, District 1, Ashland Twp, Clarion Co, PA, page 14. Cnesus dated 6-7 May 1910. Line 91: Susan Mitchell, head, 67, widow, 6 children born, 1 living, not employed, b. PA (and parents b. PA), owns farm, no mortgage, can read and write English. Lines 92-99: George S. Lewis, 42, first marriage,married 9 years, laborer, odd jobs, owns home, no mortgage, reads and writes English; Savilla C., 30, first marriage, married 9 years, 6 children born, 6 living, reads and writes English; Lillian S., 8, in school; Vera C., 7, in school; Evelyn J., 5, in school; Orral J., 4; Leila M., 2; Paul D., 7 mo. All and all parents b. PA. |
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| 9 | St Paul's Lutheran & Reformed Churches - Klein birth & baptismal records. This church is located at Knox, Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. PA Catherine Kline born 7 July 1838; bapt. 2 Sept 1838; dau. of John Kline & Anna. Elizabeth Ann Klein born 20 Oct, 1840; bapt. 24 Jan, 1841; daughter of John Klein & Ann. Susannah Kline born 16 Nov, 1841; bapt. 1 Oct 1843; dau. of John Kline & Anna. James Kline geb. 14 Jan, 1845, get. 17 Aug, 1845, parents John Kline & Anna, geb. Fenstermacher. (Note: the baptism records from 1820 to 1853 are both Lutheran and Reformed). |
Memorial History of St Paul's Lutheran and Reformed Churches 1813-1960 |
| 10 | Gravestones, St. Mark's Memorial Chapel Lutheran Cemetery, Ashland Twp., Clarion Co. PA. Transcribed 1991 by E W Williams & N Walls:
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| 11 | 1887 History of Clarion County PA by Davis, p. xxx. "Kline, Reuben, Kossuth p.o., Ashland, a merchant and farmer of Kossuth, PA., was born in Lehigh county, Pa., on December 7, 1828, and was a son of John and Anna (Fanstermacher) Kline, who settled in Clarion county, Pa., in 1837, and in Ashland, Pa., in 1847, and cleared and improved the farm which is now owned and occupied by the late Henry Kline. They had a family if eleven children - Henry, Reuben, Jacob, Maria, Catherine, Eliza, Susan, James, Elizabeth, Sarah and William. Reuben Kline settled in Ashland, Pa., in 1847, and was married twice. His first wife was Ann E., a daughter of John and Mary (McCleef) Measley, of Ashland, Pa. They had a family of seven children - John M., George W., Harriet L., Maggie A., Andrew C., Reuben F., and Susan L. His second wife was Harriet, a daughter of John and Mary (Kribbs) Weaver, of Ashland, Pa. They have had a family of children. Mr. Kline has served as constable of Ashland, Pa. for seven years, was justice of the peace for five years, and has been engaged in the mercantile business for ten years." | |
| 12 | Personal correspondence and research of Nancy E. Beals Walls, Emlenton, PA, 1991-ongoing. Her assistance in finding the farms, cemeteries, and church records of Clarion & Venango counties has been invaluable. Nancy is descended from Winnifred May Kline and James Elgie Beals.
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| 13 | Descendants of Martin Klein, research manuscript by Cammy Whitehill Shreffler, 2006.; and personal communication from Cammy Whitehill Shreffler:
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| 14 | Pension Records of Joseph Mitchell, veteran of Civil War, private in Co. B, 169 PA Vol. Infantry. | |
| 15 | Widow's Pension Records of Susannah Mitchell, widow of Joseph Mitchell. | |
| 16 | Research Manuscript of Ella May Beals (Wilson) researched 1975-1985, including personal knowledge and interviews of her siblings Robert Beals and Bertha Beals (Chambers), and of her aunt Mary P. Kline (Fillgrove). | |
| 17 | Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams, granddaughter of Winnifred May Kline. | |
| 18 | Research of Norman & Sherry Kline, 2004 correspondence.
|
Source Notes
- Per Norman & Sherry Kline: The parents of Joseph Mitchell were Tobias Mitchell and Nancy J. Cotterman (also spelled Codderman, Catherman, Ketterman, Katherman, etc.) They are buried at St. Mark's Cemetery, Ashland Twp, along with several other of John Mitchell's relatives.
- Death date for George Lewis uncertain: Savilla speaks of herself as a widow in letter of 1949 (in her mother's pension application papers). Researcher Cammy Shreffler has a date of 1927, source unknown; checking further.
- A. Price, son of JM & NJ Smith, gravestone lies between those of Joseph Mitchell and his son William Mitchell, at St Mark's Memorial, Ashland T. Clarion Co. PA. Not found in search (ancestry.com) for A. Price Smith, or J.M. Smith.
Conjecture
- A search of the web indicated 1878 epidemics of smallpox in Huntingdon Co. PA, typhoid in Chester Co. PA, though the largest epidemic of that year was yellow fever in the southern states, centered in New Orleans. A website for genealogy of the Nagler family of Venango Co. PA mentions 4 children dying from an epidemic of 1877, but doesn't specify the disease.
