John Baughman, Jr.
What was happening in 1846? The Mexican-American War began the year John Baughman was born. This war between the United States and Mexico started in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas. Mexico was upset because they still considered Texas to be part of Mexico in spite of the 1836 Texas Revolution. The Mexican-American War ended in 1848.
When John Baughman, Jr., was born on March 8, 1846, in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, his father, John, was 36 and his mother, Rebecca, was 32. He had five sons and two daughters with Fietta Himes between 1868 and 1882. He died on November 25, 1915, in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, at the age of 69, and was buried there. Because his father's name was John he is sometimes referred to as John Baughman, Jr. In fact, that is what is on his tombstone.
In 1870 the American Civil War had been over a scant five years. Ulysses Grant is President. On January 16, Virginia becomes the eighth state re-admitted to US after Civil War and towards the end of the year Georgia becomes the last. But, reconstruction is still causing problems in the south. Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United States Senate, becoming the first African American ever to sit in the U.S. Congress. The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution, giving blacks the right to vote, is ratified.
In Rose Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, on 11 Aug 1870, James Brown conducted the enumeration of the Township for the annual Federal census. He finds John and Fietta Baughman living in the household and on the farm of Fietta's parents, George and Ann Hime. George Hime was 63 years of age, born about 1807 in Pennsylvania, working as a farmer. Ann Hime was 69 years of age, born about 1801 in Switzerland, she was working keeping house. Ann said both her parents were born outside the United States. John Baughman was 24 years of age, born about 1846 in Pennsylvania, working as a farmer. Fietta Baughman was 31 years of age, born about 1839 in Pennsylvania, she was keeping house. George W. Baughman was one year of age, male, born about 1869 in Pennsylvania. Charles L. Baughman was six months old, male, born in 1870 in Pennsylvania.
The 1880 US Federal Census listed John and Fietta's household. John Baughman was 34 years of age, white, male, married to Fietta. John's mother and father were born in Pennsylvania, and he was working as a farmer. Fiata Baughman was 41 years of age, born about 1839 in Pennsylvania, white, female, wife. Her mother and father were born in Pennsylvania. Whoever responded to the census taker said that the two eldest sons, George and Charles, were both eleven years old. George was eleven, but Charles was still seven months shy of eleven years of age when the census was conducted on 22 June. Both boys were born in Pennsylvania, white, male, sons of John, single, mother and father born in Pennsylvania. Rynolds H. Baughman [Reynolds Herbert Baughman] was a white, male, age 9 years, and son of John. Eda Baughman was a white, female, age eight years, daughter. Clover Baughman was a white, male, age five years, and son of John. Osivilla Baughman was a white, female, age three years, and daughter of John. H.M. Yetrick was a white, male, age 22 years, John's nephew, working as a laborer. Ebrose C. Yetrick was a white, female, age 19, servant, at hire. George Himes was a white, male, age 73, and John's father-in-law.
John's father, John Baughman, died in 1889. They were living in Stanton, Jefferson, Pennsylvania, at the time and John Sr. was buried in Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery. This cemetery was also known as Burkhouse Cemetery, Berkhouse Church Graveyard, and Burkhouse Church Graveyard.
John's first wife Fietta died sometime in 1899 at sixty years of age. She and John had seven children and many grandchildren who mourned her passing. Fayetta's will is on file at the Jefferson County Court House in Brookville, Pennsylvania. In it she left the farm she owned to her son Clover Orean Baughman; G.W. Baughman to get $100; H.R. Baughman to get $100; R.W. Baughman to get $100; her daughter Ada Iona Willson to get $100; daughter Annie Osavila Baughman to get $100; sister Malisa Thrush (proceeds of the sale of the coal rights); husband John Baughman (she willed a portion of the produce from the farm to him).
It comes as a surprise to me, but based on this record in the 1900 census, a year after Fietta's death, John had remarried. In the 1900 US Federal Census for Beaver Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, is a record of the household of John and Cathren Baughman. John Baughman was 54 years of age, born Mar 1846 in Pennsylvania, white, male, married in 1900 to Cathren Baughman, mother and father born in Pennsylvania, and his mother's name was Rebecca Baughman. Cathren Baughman was 37 years of age, born Mar 1863 in Pennsylvania, white, female, she had three children and all three were living. Ella M. Plyler was twelve years of age, born May 1888 in Pennsylvania, single, white, female, daughter of John and Cathren Baughman. George E Plyler was ten years old, born Dec 1889 in Pennsylvania, single, white, male, son of John and Cathren Baughman. Etna A. Plyler was eight years of age, born Dec 1891 in Pennsylvania, single, white, female, daughter of John and Cathren Baughman. Rebecca Baughman was 87 years of age, born 1813 in Pennsylvania, widowed, white, female, mother of John Baughman and nine other children seven of whom are alive, and both of her parents were born in Ireland.
Although the census record says that Ella, George, and Etna Plyler were children of John Baughman that seems unlikely. All three of the children bore the surname Plyler and Cathren had a previous marriage with Edward Plyler. It seems likely these three where the issue of that previous marriage. Either John or Cathren didn't tell the census taker that these were John's step children or the census taker was just too tired to write down the four extra characters it took to properly indicate the relationship between the children and the head of household.
Catherine (Smith) (Plyler) Baughman died in 1902. At 39 years of age she died very young.
The next record raises the surprise level even further. The 1910 US Federal Census for Beaver Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, shows John Baughman with a new wife exactly half his 64 years of age. John Baughman was 64 years of age, born about 1846 in Pennsylvania, white, male, mother and father born in Pennsylvania. He indicates that he had been married to Anna Baughman for six years, and this was his second marriage, meaning they were married about 1904. John isn't really working and told the census taker that he had his "own income." Anna Baughman was 32 years of age, born about 1878 in Pennsylvania, white, female, and wife. Her mother and father were born in Pennsylvania. Guy Baughman was nine years old, born about 1901 in Pennsylvania, white, male, stepson to John. Guy's mother and father were both born in Pennsylvania.
John Baughman, Jr., died 25 Nov 1915 of lobar pneumonia in Beaver Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. John was buried in Burkhouse Cemetery. This later came to be known as Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery and is located between Ohl and Langville, PA.
Anna May Shields died in 1963 at the age of eighty-five years. She and John had lived together for twelve years after their marriage.
Aside: I found a certificate of death for George Edward Plyler. You'll remember he was the son of Catherine who was John's second wife. George Plyler was born 18 Dec 1890, in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, and died 10 Jan 1951 in Sugar Creek Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania. He was a male, white, married, and died at sixty years of age. It didn't list his wife's name. His father was Edward Plyler and his mother's maiden name was Catherine Smith. He was never in the U.S. Armed Forces. He had worked as an electrician for Ferringer Electric Company. His social security number was 193-01-4033. His address was 103 Park Avenue, Bleakley Hill, Sugar Creek Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania. George was buried 12 Jan 1951 in Asbury Cemetery, Clarion Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania. Buchanan Funeral Home handled the arrangements. The person providing information about George was Ward H. Plyler of RD#1, Harborcreek, Pennsylvania.
There was also a World War I Draft Registration Card for George Edward Plyler. He indicates he was born 18 Dec 1890, in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. He was a Caucasian, natural born citizen whose occupation was as a self-employed miner in Clarion Township. He claimed exemption from the draft because he had a wife and child solely dependent on him for their support. He had no military service. The registrar, J.M. Owens, said that George was of medium height and medium build; he had dark brown eyes and black hair.
