Our ancestor's connections to Mark Twain!

Well, it's quite loose, but interesting nevertheless. John T. Lewis became a very good friend of Samuel L Clemens (Mark Twain), after saving the life of Clemens' wife-to-be, Olivia L. Landon. Lewis was "...the very person whom Clemens had used to create the personality of Jim, the run-away slave in his novel Huckleberry Finn."

So just how is John T. Lewis possibly connected to our family? John T. Lewis was the man who returned the famous "Pulpit Bible" to the Dunker church 41 years after it disappeared following the Civil War battle. It was the Bible that sat in the church unharmed while the church was being shelled during the battle. Prior to the battle the Bible was often used by Elder David Long, who married our ancestors Elias Frinifrock and Sarah Wolf in 1850. Perhaps it was the very same bible Elder Long read out of when he married Elias and Sarah!

Remember, I told you it was a loose connection! ;) We know that the Dunker church, where the Bible was situated was built in 1852 as a daughter congregation from the Manor Congregation, which is where we presume Elder Long married Elias and Sarah. Did they obtain a new Bible for the Dunker church? Or did they take the one from the Manor Church? We don't know, though my presumption is that it's a different Bible. But we can be certain, at a minimum, that the Bible returned to the Dunker Church by John T. Lewis was, without a doubt, used often by Elder Long, the pastor who married Elias and Sarah.

Here's a link to an article that tells the story. If you're in a hurry, move down to the section entitle, "The Pulpit Bible," about 3/4 of the way down the page.

http://www.cob-net.org/antietam/dunkers.htm

Interestingly enough, I was just at the Antietam Battlefield Museum a few months ago and walked right past this very Bible, not having a clue of the connection it may have had to our ancestors!

Civil War connection for the pastor who married our ancestors Finifrock & Wolf.

it seems as though Elder David Long, who was the pastor who married Elias Finifrock (whose obituary I posted today) and Sarah Wolf, was the presiding pastor who delivered the sermon at the Mumma / Dunker church on Sunday, September 14, 1862. The Battle of Antietam, the Civil War battle which was the first major battle of the Civil War to take place on Northern soil, and the bloodiest single-day battle in American history (about 23,000 casualties), would occur at that exact spot just a few days later.

Here's an interesting article about Elder David Long and a little history on what happened that day:

http://rockhay.tripod.com/peace/dunkerchurch/ankrum/preacher.htm

Attached is a photocopy of the obituary for Elias Finifrock, my great-great-grandfather. It was provided to me by Uncle Bud Ringer. Thanks Bud!

Elias was the father of Sarah Finifrock, who married Joseph Ringer, who was the father of George Ringer, who was the father of Uncle Bud Ringer, Dolores Ringer (my mother) and all their siblings.

Thanks so much to cousin Lillie M. Finifrock (Renner), may she rest in peace, for writing this wonderful piece 99 years ago and recording some very interesting history that not only provided us with some insight into the life of our ancestor, but also helped me discover more family connections to the Civil War and even to Mark Twain! More on that coming soon and I PROMISE it won't take a year! ;)

In case you can't load the image, the text of it is as follows:

Obituary - Elias Finifrock

A Pioneer of Carroll County Passess to the Great Beyond

Elias Finifrock was born in Washington Co., Md., Feb 25, 1826, and died at the home of his son George on the old family homestead, in Cherry Grove township, Ill., March 10, 1911, aged 85 years and 13 days.

He was left an orphan while young and was reared on the home of his grandmother. Feb 7, 1850, at the age of 24 years, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Wolf, daughter of David Wolf, also of Washington Co., Md., by Elder David Long of the Manor Congregation, and they lived happily together for 53 years. To this union were born 11 children: Annie Louise, who became the wife of Geo. Bolinger, Emma Susan, Mary L., John H., Margaret, Sarah E. Ringer, of Ortonville, Minn.; Elsie Kate, Clara A. Burkhart, of Lanark, Ill.; Cora M. Boyd, of Shannon, Ill.; Albert E., of North Yakima, Washington, and George E. who resides on the old homestead.

In the year 1858, in company with his wife and three children, he came to Carroll Co., and settled in Cherry Grove, where he purchased land and upon which the family resided for 36 years. March 41, 1860, the family circle was broken, and little Margaret was taken away. In June of this same year death again entered the home. Emma Susan, dying on June 17, Mary L., on June 21, and John Harvey on June 24, 1860. These children all died of scarlet fever.

In the year 1872 he united with the Church of the Brethren in which he remained faithful and steadfast to the last. He also served in the office of deacon for almost 30 years.

As to his honesty, uprightness and law he stood for the right both in the church and in his dealings, he never willfully wronged anyone, no one ever went hungry from his door and never was there a house where everyone was so welcome as was his home. We need not speak of these things, his life tells it all.

March 14, 1895, death again entered the home and Elsie Kate was taken away. April 10, 1895, Annie Louise Bolinger was also taken away. Feb 2, 1903, his bosom companion was taken by death and from this time Grandpa cared nothing for the things of this life.

Being once a man and twice a child was never more beautifully portrayed than in Grandpa's life. He cared nothing for the association of older people, but all the enjoyment he had the last few years he took with his grandchildren, and he always acted as though he was one of them. For the last year and a half he has been entirely helpless and had to be cared for as a baby. He was very strong physically. Not having any disease, he simply had to wear out and just gradually failed until Monday evening, March 6, when he went to sleep and slept continually until Friday morning at 6 o'clock when he awoke in the Glory World.

Grandpa was the last to be taken of his own family, all his brothers and sisters preceded him. He leaves 5 children, 23 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.

Being our constant care he will be missed, but we do not wish him back, as the vacancy made here is only a vacancy filled up yonder and may the good Lord who ruleth all things well, direct us, and guide us, that we may meet again. The funeral services were held at the Cherry Grove church Sunday afternoon at 2 0'clock, conducted by Elder I.B. Trout, assisted by Revs. I.R. Young and Chas. Delp. The pall bearers were: Jacob Boyd, Geo. Boyd, Scott Meyers, W.H. Puterbaugh, Will Wingerd and Ira Butterbaugh. Interment in the nearby cemetery.

Lillie M. Finifrock

Note: Elias was the son of Daniel and Rosanna (Middlekauff) Finifrock, grandson of John and Susan Finifrock and great grandson of Johann Michel Funfrock, Jr. (1770 immigrant).

(Note: this text was copied on April 5, 2010 by Owen L. Wollum, a great-great-grandson of Elias Finifrock from a photocopy provided to him by Albert (Bud) Ringer, a great-grandson of Elias Finifrock).

Whoops! I missed all of 2009? Okay, sorry about that, and my new year's resolution for 2010 is never to promise I'll keep my blog up to date! ;)

And though I haven't been updating anything recently, I HAVE been doing some research, including a couple of trips back to Washington DC where I found out some interesting information, which I will post as I work through it.