Blog
Nathaniel Couch Rests
My direct ancestor, Nathaniel Couch, lived in a tumultuous time and place—and it looks like he didn’t miss much of the action. Born in 1725 in Winchester, Virginia when this was a frontier town, he fought in the French and Indian War with George Washington and under the same man during the Revolutionary War; and he hid men who challenged Washington and defied his orders during the Whiskey Rebellion. More specially about the third event, on July 15, 1794, a federal marshal named David Lenox and the federal tax inspector, General John Neville, tried to summon a local Pennsylvania farmer
Nathaniel Couch and the Whiskey Rebellion
Nathaniel Couch is my ancestor who fought in the French and Indian War (covered in post one) and the Revolutionary War (covered in post two). At the risk of vastly oversimplifying the roots of the Revolutionary War, here’s a key element. From 1763 through 1775, the British Parliament passed multiple laws that impacted trade and imposed taxes on the Colonists. This taxation didn’t come with representation—and the Colonists weren’t very happy about the financial burden. Tensions kept rising as the two groups couldn’t come to a compromise. This includes the Boston Tea Party incident when Colonists dumped 342 chests of
Nathaniel Couch: The George Washington Connection
I can make no claims that my ancestor, Nathaniel Couch, maintained a close friendship with George Washington. Their lives, however, clearly intertwined. As noted in my first blog post about Nathaniel, he was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1725. He remained there for decades. Then, according to The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, from 1748 to 1758, Washington “spent more nights in Winchester than another place besides his home [in Mount Vernon].” Case for a Relationship Between Nathaniel Couch and George Washington Washington arrived at Winchester on March 16, 1748 as part of a surveying party, a job
Honoring an Ancestor: Nathaniel Couch
As Independence Day 2023 approaches, I’m attempting to honor my ancestor, Nathaniel Couch, who played a key role in the founding of the United States. This includes fighting in the Seven Years War (French and Indian War) for the British and building Fort Couch in today’s western Pennsylvania to provide protection for the community. He then fought in the Revolutionary War for the Colonies and provided shelter for the rebel forces during the Whiskey Rebellion. That’s a lot to pack into one lifetime! For the past couple of days, my two sons and I visited forts, museums, and a cemetery
Oscar Schultz Kriebel, Part Three
Oscar Schultz Kriebel Gets Married On June 30, 1891, Oscar Schultz Kriebel and Corinne Miller (daughter of Wells Waite Miller) got married. The couple apparently met while attending Oberlin College. As you notice, Wells needed to fill out the marriage license for his daughter and, thereafter, she’s referred to as Mrs. Oscar S. Kriebel, typical for the times. When considering the two main men in Corinne’s life (her father and her husband), I have to wonder what she thought about her father’s Civil War service. Schwenkfelders were often conscientious objectors of the war although some of them proudly served. In
Oscar Schultz Kriebel, Part Two
In this post, I’ll go more in depth about the life of Oscar Schulz Kriebel, son-in-law of the Civil War soldier whose life I’m exploring: Wells Waite Miller. Young Oscar Schultz Kriebel Born and raised in Hereford, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 1863, Oscar got a glimpse of the bigger world when the Perkiomen Centennial express trains traveled through the area on their way to Philadelphia. He actually traveled to Philadelphia, a four-day trip where he spent his time “buying books, calling on friends, viewing manufacturing plants, crossing the Delaware, witnessing the spectacular parade honoring the war hero, General U.S. Grant.”