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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.”
Oscar Schultz Kriebel, Part One
Oscar Schultz Kriebel and His Connection to Wells Waite Miller The photo of Oscar Schultz Kriebel shown above was used in his passport in 1921. Oscar became part of Wells Waite Miller’s life much earlier, though, perhaps as early as 1890. That year, Wells’s daughter, Corrine, was attending Oberlin College. Here’s a bit about her. Corrine Miller was born on April 24, 1865 in Marshalltown, Iowa. So, she was about twenty-five years old while living in a place where she met a fellow student named Oscar: the town of Oberlin, Ohio. When they met, he had two great passions in
Miller Family Mystery Solved? Part Two
Miller Family Overview So, let’s set the stage. It’s July 4, 1864 and Wells Waite Miller just married Mary Helen Caswell in her parents’ home in Castalia, Ohio. Wells Waite Miller He’d been badly wounded at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 3, 1863 and, on his wedding date, he was fairly new as a member of the Invalid Corps. In this corps, wounded soldiers could contribute to the war effort in “valuable capacities, such as in garrison, as military police, or on clerk duty. This freed as many able-bodied soldiers as possible for frontline service.” I’m still researching what he might