James Armstrong Family
James Armstrong was born February 17, 1788 in Milton Pennsylvania (1) of apparent Scotch-Irish heritage. In June 1788, New Hampshire ratified the Constitution, as the last state of nine which was needed to put it into effect, so the American Constitution and James Armstrong began life the same year.
He lived until 30 October 1876 (2), just months after the centennial anniversary of the American Revolution. He passed away in Schoolcraft Twp of Kalamazoo County Michigan. James was married twice; but had ten children, seven boys and three girls, with his first wife Elizabeth George Armstrong. Nothing has been proven regarding his parents, as no records have been located - but possible information is that his was James' father was Andrew b.1745 Paxtang, Lancaster Co, PA d/Milton, PA???? Some believe that it was Andrew's father James Armstrong Brooksboro, Fermanaugh Co., Ireland????? - this research needs to be verified . Also it appears that when James emigrated to Ohio, it was with family, but the large number of Armstrongs in Columbinana County - it is very hard to verify relationships.
James married Elizabeth George (2a) in March 28, 1820 in Columbiana Co, Ohio. Elizabeth was born in Ohio, 2 May 1799. Elizabeth's father was William George, b.1771- Jamestown, Virginia, d. 17 Feb. 1848 - Columbiana County, Ohio; mother Malinda Hull, b.19 Dec. 1777 - Maryland, d. 11 Sept. 1852 .
The young Armstrong couple's first child, was a son that they named William Penn born in 1821 in Lancaster, Ohio. Then in 1825 they had a daughter named Lynney (Linny) born in Ohio, possibly Crawford Co, and their next daughter, Elizabeth, would be born 26 July 1828 in Michigan. Their daughter Elizabeth may have been born in St. Joseph Co, Michigan - as she is not recorded as the first white child born in Schoolcraft Township - which she would have been if her mother was living there then. It is noted that it appeard that many pioneers went to Park Twp St. Joseph Co, from Ohio, and the Armstrongs maintain connections in this area.
By 1829 James Armstrong was located on Prairie Ronde, Schoolcraft Twp, Kalamazoo County. The following is from History of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Everts & Abbott, 1880 (3):
Settlers on Prairie Ronde. --- As to who was the first actual settler in what is now the township of Schoolcraft there is some uncertainty, but a faithful endeavor has brought to light none earlier than James Armstrong, who located on section 8 some time in the year 1829. Mr. Armstrong was from the state of Ohio, and is recollected to have said that when he came to what is now Schoolcraft Township not another person has settled within its borders.
Purchase was made of land in sections 8, 9, and 17 by James in 1829, who had to travel to the land office in Monroe to make the entry of the claim. In 1831 the land office was moved to White Pigeon and later in 1834 the land office was removed to Bronson, [which is] now Kalamazoo. The pioneer family was making a new home in the wilderness, and on September 27, 1830, a son, John Quincy Adams Armstrong was born in Schoolcraft Twp.
In his later years, long time Schoolcraft resident E. Lakin Brown would write his "autobiographical notes" (4) and mention the Armstrong's in 1832:
In
the fall of 1832 I surveyed a road from Dry Prairie to Climax... When the
surveys were finished, [John] Perrine and I walked home by the Indian trail
from Climax to Gourd-Neck. There was no settlement on the route. We got a late
dinner at the cabin of James Armstrong. Mrs. Armstrong was a tall, muscular
woman to whom the toils of pioneer life were as nothing. It was said that she
could stand on a large log and chop it off as quickly as any man.
The Kalamazoo Bible Society was established in 1832 and the
James Armstrong's were listed as patrons, (5)
and in 1832 James also purchased land in Brady Twp. (6)
The following year, 1833, the family had another addition -- son Thomas Jefferson was born in Schoolcraft. The years were met with hard work and in 1837 the tax entry for James Armstrong indicated that he had prospered and now had to pay taxes on: 4 horses, 3 cows, 1 yoke of oxen, 4 yoke of cattle, and 5 hogs (7). An additional blessing occurred in 1837 when another son was born to James and Elizabeth, he was christened Jackson A. Armstrong (some places he is called A. Jackson Armstrong -- thought to be Andrew Jackson).
Then again in 1838, the family was blessed with twin sons, Alpheus W. Armstrong, and his brother, Alfred V. Armstrong August 28 in Schoolcraft Twp. On the 1840 Census (8) lists the family as having 2 males under 5 years of age, three males 5 - 10 years of age, two males 15-20 years of age, one male 50-60 years of age, two females 10-15 years of age, one female 15-20 years of age, and one female between 40-50 years of age. This count gives an extra male (aged 15-20) and an extra female, [probably Armstrong daugher Emrlin -unknown birthdate/place, first wife of Harvey Dolph -little is know about her] Girls10-15 or 15-20 Linney is 15 this year, depending on when the census was taken & her birth date where she would have been counted... The male could have been a farm hand?
The decade of the 1840's began with a tragedy for the Armstrong family, on Aug. 5, 1840 (9) they would loose to death their son Alpheus W., one year 11 months and 7 days of age. Alpheus was laid to rest in the Schoolcraft Cemetery. The rest of the decade seemed to take on a happier outlook. The following was entered into the 1842 Kalamazoo County records (10) by Preston J. McCreary, Justice of the Peace:
This
may certify that Pete Everet of the town of Park, County of St. Joseph aged
thirty-two years and Linney [Lynney] Armstrong of the town of Schoolcraft,
County of Kalamazoo aged 17 years were united in marriage by one this second
day of June 1842 at the house of James Armstrong in the town of Schoolcraft.
Two witnesses present at the said marriage viz. William Foster and Horace
Dennison.
Then in 1844 the family was blessed with the birth of
another son, Warren Franklin was born in Schoolcraft. Some census records refer
to this child only as Franklin, but on the 1870 census he is listed as Warren
Franklin. When he enlists into the calvary he would only list his name as
Warren. Two more marriages would follow in this decade. Also in 1844, in
Schoolcraft, William P. Armstrong marries Laura Ann Dolph.(10a)
But some kind of error on the 1850 Kalamazoo County Census lists William
P. Armstrong with wife "Polly," who was born about 1828 in
Pennsylvania[wrong date and place of birth for Laura Dolph] (12) and a son named Williiam born abt. March 1850 in
Michigan, living in Schoolcraft. This census is the only reference to
Polly or William. Another happy family event, Elizabeth Armstrong, age
17, would marry Allen Dolph, age 18, on March 8, 1846 (11) in Schoolcraft.
In the 1840's there was finally settling of land claims that had previously been withheld from sale. Sections of Schoolcraft and Brady Twps had previously had Indian titles, these titles were extinguished and the Indians were removed west of the Mississippi in 1840. With the exodus of the Indian populations this left only white settlers, but there were several kinds of white settlers (13):
A
large part of the settlers [in Schoolcraft Twp] were from the newer settlements
of Ohio and Pennsylvania, a few from Kentucky, and a goodly colony from
Virginia, with habits and characteristics, and to a certain extent a dialect,
quite distinct from those of the Vermonters and emigrants from other New
England States. The doings and conversations of a company of these settlers at
their occasional merry-makings was matter of curious and novel interest to a
newly arrived New Englander. Every Saturday was a gala-day at the Big Island
Hotel.
The James Armstrong family from Pennsylvania and Ohio was of
the first group of settler, and this sketch makes one wonder what thoughts they
might have expressed of the "New Englanders?" (The writer was from
New England.)
Again the dawning of a new decade would harold sorrow for the James Armstrong family. On February 28, 1850 child Alfred V. Armstrong dies and is buried at Schoolcraft Cemetery (14), he was only eleven years and 6 months old. The 1850 census lists the James Armstrong family as consisting of James, 62, farmer and wife Elizabeth, with four of their sons, John 19, Thomas 17, Jackson A 15, and son Franklin (Warren) 6 - the three youngest still in school. One year later, 1851 on the 27th of September John A. at the age of 21 would marry Eunice Dolph, age 20, at the home of Harvey Dolph in Schoolcraft with witnesses Harvey Dolph and Emrlin [Armstrong - another daughter of James & Elizabeth???] Dolph. (15) Tragedy would strike the second time this decade that would rock the family when Elizabeth Armstrong, wife of James dies August 14, 1853 (16), she was 54 years, 3 months and 12 days old. She was laid to rest in the Schoolcraft Cemetery.
And in 1855, tragedy again strikes the James Armstrong family when daughter Elizabeth Armstrong Dolph dies and is buried in Schoolcraft Cemetery (17) next to her mother, at the age of 27 years, 4 months and 15 days. Elizabeth was a young wife and mother of three children, William b.1847, Mary Ellen b.1848, and Allen b.1851. Mary Ellen Dolph would marry Reuben Bradford Wheaton in Galien, Berrien County Michigan 2nd June 1872. Mary Ellen's grand-daughter Marjory Wheaton b. 3 Oct 1905 in Fountain, Mason County Michigan is the paternal grandmother of the writer of this family chronicle. Mary Ellen lived to the age of 72, she died in Oakland Co, Michigan and is buried in the Galien Cemetery. William Dolph who is listed on the 1860 Census with his father, Allen Dolph and his new wife Lousia in Galien Twp, Berrien County Michigan and his step-sister Laura M. (There would be a total of three step-sisters, Laura, Alice b. 1861, and Cora b.1865.)(18) William Dolph subsequently was a Union soldier in the Civil War. Allen Dolph is enumerated with his grandparents on the 1860 census, and he parished by unknown means at 15 yrs old on October 13, 1867 (19) and is buried in the Schoolcraft cemetery next to his mother.
The 1860 census(20)indicates that James had already remarried. His new wife was also named Elizabeth [possibly Lovelace], 10 years his junior at 60 yrs old, and she was born in Vermont. The household consisted of James and Elizabeth, his sons Jackson and Franklin and grandson Allen Dolph. Also a Hannah M. Lovelace, age 28 appears to possibly to be Elizabeth's daughter born in New York, but no relationship indicated. The value of James' real estate was $16,800 and his personal estate at $1,465, this seems substantial when compared to neighbors listed on the census. Son Jackson is listed as having the occupation of "teacher" and Franklin and Allen Dolph were listed as attending school.
September 14, 1861 was the date of death of Laura Ann (Dolph) Armstrong, b. 1822 in Indiana at the age of 39. Laura, from all indications was William's first wife and the mother of his two sons and three daughters, Laura b. 1853, Wilmina b. 1855, and a child that was still un-named two months after birth of May 1860 (21).
March 19, 1863 William P. Armstrong of Schoolcraft, age 42, married Hulda (Collins) Moore, of Pavillion Twp, age 37, at Huldah's house with witnesses of Lydia Dimmock and Elizabeth Collins by E.S. Smith, Justice of Peace.(22) Huldah b. March 3, 1826 in Monroe County N.Y., her father was William G. Collins. She came to Michigan with her first husband, John Moore in 1846.(23) Huldah and John had five children before he died in 1857, then she married William P. Armstrong in 1863. William and Hulda had three children together, Albert J. b. 1864, Benjamin T. b.1866, Gennevieve M. b.1869. Benjamin died of consumption of the bowels at age 23 yrs, 10 months and 15 days (1889),(24) he was listed as married and living in Pavillion Twp, with the occupation of Farmer.
William held the office of a Highway Commissioner in Pavillion Twp, Kalamazoo 1867, and 1868-70 as Township Clerk (25). William & Huldah's assets are listed separately on the 1870 census -- as Huldah had maintained the homestead from her first marriage. William and Huldah divorce between 1870 & 1880. In the published biography of 1906 about Huldah only indicate that she married William P. Armstrong, but does not mention a divorce. William Penn and his daughters Laura Ann, Emma and Wilmina move west to Chautauqua County Kansas. In 1882William marries for a fourth time in Cedarvale, Kansas, to Margaret Garrett, and they have one daugher named Nora E. Armstrong. William Penn is listed on the 1900 census in Coffeyville, Montgomery Co, Kansas, and passed away there on June 9, 1909 and was buired in the Cedarvale Kansas city cemetery.
His daughter Laura Ann Armstrong, b. 22 Aug 1852 Schoolcraft Twp, Kallamzoo Co, Michigan marries William P. Lynch 14 March 1872 in Cedarvale Kansas, and after raising her family of five sons and a daughter to maturity she died 18 Dec. 1942, Tulsa, Oklahoma; and daughter Wilimina, also know as Mina, married W.S. Symms in Cedar Vale Kansas and has one son named Harrison Clive Symms.
Death would visit another of the families of James Armstrong's sons in the 1860's and to John it must have seemed as if death angel had come to stay at his house. John and Eunice's son James was born in 1858 and he would die 8 months later on 27 March 1859. Daughter Hermina would be born and die in 1860. Two years later daughter Emma would be born and on the 20th of March 1862 she would pass away. And then on the 19th July in 1862 the young mother who suffered so much tragedy would also pass away. Eunice and her daughters are buried in Schoolcraft Cemetary (26) next to her father Stephen Dolph. Only Eunice's children: daughter Eunice Malinda, born 1853; and son John Quincy D., 1856 would survive to maturity along with their father. Eunice M. Armstrong was known to have married Thomas J. Black, Henry Grutsch and Henry Hosler, though the not much more is documented and she died April 3, 1934 in South Bend, Indiana after living in a variety of places. Living with the John Quincy Adams Armstrong family according to the 1860 census was niece Eunice H. Dolph, born 1851, daughter of Harvey and Emerline (Armstrong) Dolph. It appears that at this time John moves his family to Berrien County, Michigan. On February 23rd, 1863 Justice of the Peace, N.E. Landon makes the following document:
John
Q. Armstrong, aged 31 years and Marilla Rittenhouse aged 18 years, after a
proper examination were legally married by me, a Justice of the Peace in and
for the County of Berrien, on the 23rd day of February, 1863, in presence of
Warren Nelson and Benjamin Rittenhouse, the parties and witnesses being
residents of Lake Twp, County of Berrien and State of Michigan. Recorded
with the County Clerk, May 20, 1863.
April 12, 1861 Fort Sumter, a U.S. Army post in South
Carolina was attacked and subsequently surrendered to the Confederate forces,
and the Civil War began in earnest. The War between the states touched the
Armstrong family, as it did most families of America in some way. James
Armstrong sent two sons, John A. Armstrong, Warren Franklin, and three
grandsons, Hiram J. Everet, William Dolph and Hiram's younger brother, to the
war and only four would return. Son John at age 35, enlisted in company A, of
the Twelfth Infantry, March 1, 1865 at Schoolcraft for 1 year. His
company was mustered on March 9, 1865. On Feb. 15, 1866 in Camden, Arkansas he
was mustered out(27). John passed away at 85 years,
Central Lake, Antrim Co, Michigan, on March 1, 1916 and is buried next to his
first wife Eunice in the Schoolcraft Cemetery. In contrast Hiram would die at the age
of 18, killed in action at Stone River Tennessee on Dec. 31, 1862. Hiram had
enlisted from his hometown of Three Rivers, into company E of the Eleventh
Infantry on August 24, 1861 and they were mustered the same day. His enlistment
was for three years, but a year and four months later he would be dead(28). Warren F. Armstrong enlisted on August 21, 1862
into company L, of the Fifth Regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry, and he was
mustered out on June 23, 1865.(29) The 5th
Cavalry was one of the units that formed the Michigan Brigade under General
George Armstrong Custer.
James Armstrong would loose another grandchild to death before the end of decade of 1860. Allen Dolph, who had lived with his grandparent since the death of his mother, died at the age of 15 yrs on October 13, 1867 and was buried on the Schoolcraft Cemetery next to his mother(30), Elizabeth Armstrong Dolph.
The 1870 census for Schoolcraft Township, Kalamazoo County records that James Armstrong was 82, a farmer, born in Ohio with real estate valued at $21,000. His wife Betsy is 60 and listed as born in New York. Jackson Armstrong is listed as a nurseryman at age 37. Son Warren F.(Franklin) age 26, is enumerated in a separate house on his father's farm with his wife Clara age 23, born in Wisconsin and their daughter Luella age 3. James Armstrong is listed as a charter member of the Pioneer Society of Kalamazoo County, that was organized on the 30th day of May, 1871 (31). In the Atlas of Kalamazoo county, under Schoolcraft Township he was listed as "Armstrong, James, Farmer, Dist. No. 1, Oldest Settler now living in this Town, settled here in 1829."(32)
Then on the 28th day of October, 1876 at 90 yrs old, James Armstrong died of pneumonia, listed on the death record as a farmer born in Pennsylvania(33). The Three Rivers Reporter, Saturday, November 18, 1876 published the following:
"The
veteran pioneer, Mr. James Armstrong, living two and one-half miles east of
Schoolcraft, died recently at the age of 90 years. He was the father of A.J.
Armstrong, Esq., who succeeds to the proprietorship of the old homestead. This
ancient gentleman had his deed for his farm direct from General Jackson, and he
was among the very first of white men to penetrate these, then, unknown lands.
The history of his noble life will fill a whole book."
Sadly, this is where the reports stops, and therefore the
history of "his noble life" that would "fill a whole book"
may never be completely known.
On the 1880 census it seems that none of James Armstrong's children can be found in Kalamazoo County Michigan. Only Huldah Armstrong and her children seem to be still in Kalamazoo County, Pavillion Twp -- no Armstrong's in Schoolcraft Twp from indications. Peter Evert has moved to Muskegon County Michigan after Lynney Armstrong Evert passes away, her burial location is unknown. West to Kansas and north to Kent County, and Atrium County, Michigan were poplular points for new homes for the Armstrong clan.... Many questions to answer at both ends of the family spectrum! Establishing parents for James with documentation, and where does Jackson Armstrong (aka Andrew Jackson Armstrong) end up??
ARMSTRONG - The
Armstrongs derive their surname from the following circumstance: an ancient
king of Scotland having his horse killed under him in battle, was immediately
remounted by Fairbairn his armor-bearer. For this timely assistance the
king amply rewarded him with lands on the borders, and to perpetuate the memory
of so important a service, as well as the manner in which it was performed (for
Fairbairn took the king by the thigh and set him on his saddle), his royal
master gave him the appellation of Armstrang, and assigned him for a crest, an
armed hand and arm, in the left hand a leg and foot in armor, couped at the
thigh, all proper. The chief of the clan in the early part of the
sixteenth century was John Armstrong of Gilnockie; he was hung as a freebooter
by James V, in 1529. The family have always been noted for their courage and
daring. In the Lay of the Last Minstrel, the chief when about
to assemble his clans, says to the heralds,
" Ye need not go to Liddisdale,
For when they see the blazing bale
Elliots and Armstrongs never
fail."
The Origin and
Signification of Scottish Surnames with a Vocabulary of Christian Names,
Clifford Stanley Sims, J. Munsell, Albany NY, 1862.
1. . Coller Collection; Western Michigan University
Archives.
2. . Coller Collection; Western Michigan University Archives.
2a. Death certificate from Antrim Co, Michigan County Clerk, for John A. Armstrong.
3. History of Kalamazoo County Michigan, Everts & Abbott, 1880; p. 504.
4. . Historical Collections, Collections and researches made by the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society; Vol. XXX, 1906.
5. . History of Kalamazoo County, Everts & Abbot, 1880. p. 136
6. . History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, 1880. p.304
7. History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, 1880. p.305
8. . Kalamazoo Co 1840 Census, Brady Twp.
9. Tombstone Inscriptions in Kalamazoo County Michigan, Volume II; Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society; nd.
10. Marriage records, Kalamazoo County Clerks Office, Book 1, page 102, record number 389.
10a. Cedar Vale News, Kansas, obituary for William P. Armstrong, June 11, 1909.
11. Marriage records, Kalamazoo County Clerk, Volume 1, page 172, record number 605.
12. 1850 Kalamazoo County Census, Schoolcraft.
13. Kalamazoo County Directory with a history of the County..., James M. Thomas, 1869 and 1870. p. 81
14. Tombstone Inscriptions in Kalamazoo County Michigan, Vol. II, Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society, nd. p. 457.
15. Marriage records, Kalamazoo County Clerk, Book 2, page 1, record number 4.
16. History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, 1880. p.467
17. Tombstone Inscriptions..., Vol. II, Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society, p. 467.
18. 1870 Berrien County Census, Galien Twp.
19. Records for the Schoolcraft Cemetary, Schoolcraft Township Clerk's office, letter dated March 6, 1997, Kathleen Cook, Clerk.
20. 1860 Kalamazoo County Michigan, Schoolcraft Township Census
21. 1860 Kalamazoo County, Schoolcraft Twp Census.
22. Marriage Records, Kalamazoo County Clerk's Office, Book 3, record number 90, page 37.
23. Compendium of history and biography of Kalamazoo county, Mich, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, 1906.
24. Kalamazoo County Clerk's Death records.
25. History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, 1880.
26. Records for the Schoolcraft Cemetary, Schoolcraft Township Clerk's office.
27. Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War, 1861-1865, Twelfth Infantry, nd.
28. Record of Service of Michigan Volunteer in the Civil War 1861-1865, Eleventh Infantry, nd.
29. History of Kalamazoo County Michigan. Everts & Abbott, Philadelphia, 1880. p. 183.
30. Records for the Schoolcraft Cemetary, Schoolcraft Township Clerk's office.
31. History of Kalamazoo County Michigan, Everts & Abbott, Philidelphia, 1880. p. 139.
32. Atlas of Kalamazoo Michigan, F.W. Beers, New York, 1873. p. 90, map on page 87.
33. Death Records of Kalamazoo County, Kalamazoo County Clerk's office, book 1, page 139.
James
Armstrong
was my paternal grandmother's (Marjorie Wheaton Cameron) grandmother's (Mary
Ellen Dolph Wheaton) grandfather, compiled by Dorothy Paul.
Information and photos of the William Penn Armstrong family were contributed by
John Lindberg of Kansas, his great-grandmother was Laura Ann Armstrong.
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