Julia Cruse Whiteside, Part 1

This is a continuing series on the possible descendants of Jeremiah Cruse and Elizabeth Harland. Jeremiah was a son of David Crews & Annie Magee of Madison County, Kentucky. Most of today's research is my own, with a smattering of records coming to me courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott. 

Julia Cruse was born in January 1870 in Vigo County, Indiana to James Cruse and Edith Moore  (1, 2). Her death certificate (1) only gives a birth state of Indiana, but her father had property in Vigo County, and this fact, combined with other records, clearly indicates her birth to have been in Vigo County. Also, the death certificate (1) gives her birth month as February, but the 1870 census (2) as well as the 1900 census (14) enumerates her birth month as January. As this information was given closest to the actual event, and as it was given by her parents, she was likely born in January and not February. She was four months old later that year when the 1870 census was taken.

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Two years later, in 1872, Julia's sister Amelia was born.

On 22 April 1874, James Cruse died. For more on that go here. Julia was four years old at the time, while sister Amelia was only two.

A year and a month later, on 31 May 1875, Julia's mother, Edith Moore Cruse, died.

While it appears the courts appointed William Carpenter as a guardian over the girls' financial affairs, he was not a guardian in the sense of giving the girls a home. It also appears as if the girls were split up and placed in different families at an early date. In fact, Amelia notes, in her application for a Confederate pension based on her father's service, that she was not aware she even had a sister until 1902. By that date she was nearing thirty years of age and already had a family of her own (4).

While there are records in the courts concerning the girls' financial affairs (see my blog: Orphans: Julia Cruse Whiteside and Amelia Cruse Dawson), the girls themselves are not found until 1880, and then we can only find Julia. That year she was living with 80 year old Jeremiah Blocksom and his  69 year old wife Gertrude. Gertrude was his third wife. He married her in 1879 (12).

Julia is enumerated in the 1880 census as being ten years old and a servant (5). It should be noted that living next door to the Blocksoms were Henry and Laeticia (Cruse) Loveall (5). Laeticia was the daughter of James Nelson and Susannah Cruse, and Susannah was a daughter of Jeremiah Cruse and Elizabeth Harland. Julia's grandfather, David Cruse (who married Jane Jewell) was Susannah's brother. Unless I have missed a familial connection to Blocksom, Julia was not living with her family. She was, however, living next door to her great-aunt. 

Jeremiah Blocksom was well-to-do farmer. Born in Ohio, he immigrated to Indiana about the time that Julia's grandfather and great-greandfather, David Cruse (married Jane Jewell) and Jeremiah Cruse (married Elizabeth Harland) moved there. Blocksom is found in Vigo County in the Honey Creek Township in 1850 (8). In 1860, he was still living in Vigo County in Honey Creek Township. His real estate that year was valued at a little over $22,000 and his personal estate at $4000 (7)  He apparently navigated the war years well, for in 1870 the census enumerates his real estate at $30,000 and his personal estate at $25,000 (9). No values are given in the 1880 census (5).

In the 1870 census, just two years before James Cruse's death, Blocksom and Cruse are enumerated as next door neighbors. Alexander Moore was found living on the other side of James that year.

How soon Julia went to live with Jeremiah after her father's death is not known, but she could only have lived with him for two years beyond the 1880 census, for on 25 May 1882, Jeremiah died (6). Julia was only twelve years old at the time. I do not know if she continued living with Gertrude, or if she went elsewhere to live. It should be noted that Gertrude did not die until 1891 (10, 11).

Next week, we will continue with Julia's marriage and later years.

(1) Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. 

(2) U. S Federal Census, 1870 Vigo County, Indiana, Honey Creek Township, household of James Cruse.  

(3) Vigo County, Indiana; Index to Marriage Record 1840-1920 Inclusive Volum, W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Clerk's O; Book: 10; Page: 495.

(4) Civil War Pension Records for Julia Whitesides and Amelia Dawson (James Cruse), courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott.

(5) U. S. Federal Census, 1880 Vigo County, Indiana, Honey Creek Township, household of Jeremiah Blocksom. 
(6) Ancestry.com. Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

(7) U. S. Federal Census, 1860 Vigo County, Indiana, Honey Creek Township, household of Jeremiah Blocksom.

(8) U. S. Federal Census, 1850 Vigo County, Indiana, Honey Creek Township, household of Jeremiah Blocksom.

(9) U. S. Federal Census, 1870 Vigo County, Indiana, Honey Creek Township, household of Jeremiah Blocksom. 

(10) Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

(11) Will Records, 1818-1921; Author: Indiana. Circuit Court (Vigo County); Probate Place: Vigo, Indiana. 

(12) Vigo County, Indiana; Index to Marriage Record 1840-1920 Inclubive Volum, W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Cleek's O; Book: 8; Page: 50. The 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses given above for Jeremiah Blocksom, #s 7, 8, 9, show his wife as Elizabeth. On 14 April 1831, he married 1st Nancy Atkinson in Vigo County, Indiana. See Book: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT; Page: 1392539 items 3-5. 

(13) U. S. Federal Census, Reeve, Daviess County, Indiana, household of William Whiteside. Living with William and wife Ann was 60 year old Catherine McAvoy and subsequent records indicate this was Ann's mother.

(14) U. S. Federal Census, Barr, 1900 Daviess County, Indiana, household of John Whiteside. This census gives birth month and birth year, while the 1910 census only gives birth years.

(15) U. S. Federal Census, 1910 Danville Ward 5, Vermillion County, Illinois, household of John Whiteside.

(16) U. S. Federal Census, 1920 Peoria, Peoria Co., IL, household of Sarah Sutton.

(17) U. S. Federal Census, 1930 Peoria, Peoria Co., IL, household of John Whiteside.

Orphans: Julia Cruse Whitesides and Amelia Cruse Dawson

A continuing series on the possible children and grandchildren of Jeremiah Crews & Elizabeth Harland. Jeremiah was the son of David Crews & Annie Magee of Madison County, Kentucky. Most of the information, as usual, comes to me courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott. 

When James Cruse, son of David Cruse and Jane Jewell, died on 22 April 1874 (go here for more on his life and his death) he left behind his wife, Edith Moore Cruse, and their two small daughters - four year old Julia Cruse and 2 year old Amelia Cruse. A year and a month later, on 31 May 1875, Edith passed away. The two Cruse girls, now aged five and 3, were orphans. Amelia did not remember her parents' death nor her sister, but she did remember her mother's body being laid out for the funeral (2).

On 12 February 1877, two years after Edith's date, William Carpenter requested of the Vigo County court that he be made guardian of both Julia and Amelia. The total real estate of the Cruse holdings was only valued at $72, but that was enough to require oversight by someone. A guardian's bond that day was filed in the court by William Carpenter and the girls' uncle, Alexander Moore, for $150. It is interesting that the bond was more than the value of the estate (1).

The girls were separated after Edith's death. In 1880 Julia is living in Vigo County, Indiana, in the Honey Creek Township in the home of eighty year old Jeremiah Blackson and his seventy-nine year old wife Gertrude. Permelia is not listed with her. Julia, only ten years old, is listed as a servant. Next door was the household of Henry and Laeticia (Cruse) Loveall (3). Laeticia was the daughter of James Nelson and Susannah Cruse, and Susannah was a daughter of Jeremiah Cruse and Elizabeth Harland. Julia's grandfather, David Cruse (who married Jane Jewell) was Susannah's brother. So while it does not appear Julia was living with relatives, she was living next door to her great-aunt.

I cannot locate Amelia in the census records for 1880, and of course there is no 1890 census. She states in depositions many years later that she was unaware she had a sister until 1902. By this time she was thirty years old. She also states in those depositions that after her parents died she was taken to Illinois (2).  I perused Illinois and Indiana census records for 1880 but could not find her. She later married while living in Indiana, so if she moved to Illinois she may have come back.

On 3 September 1883, the Vigo Court ordered their guardian, William Carpenter, to appear in order to show why he had not made a regular report in regard to the girls' affairs. He did so five days later, on 8 September 1883, and at that time requested that he be released from his duties. He claims he "never had any property or money in his hands for said wards, that he expects nothing, and there is no source from which they can devise any property or money." The girls, by this time, were nine years old and seven years old. A month later, on 5 October 1883, he did pay the court $10.25, although the reason is not stated on the receipt (1).

Keep in mind, that just because Carpenter was the guardian the girls did not necessarily live with him at any time. Sometimes courts appointed one guardian to orphans to manage their financial affairs, while the children sometimes lived with another guardian. Interestingly, courts were not nearly as interested in those days in where the children were living day-to-day as they were in keeping their financial affairs in order - especially if they had money and property of value. Keeping that intact for them seemed to be the court's top priority.

SOURCES: 

(1)  Records from the Vigo County court, courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott.

(2) Civil War Pension records for Julia Whitesides and Amelia Dawson, courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott.

(3) 1880 U. S. Federal Census, Indiana, Vigo County, Honey Creek Township.

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James Cruse (1844-1874), possible grandson of Jeremiah Cruse & Elizabeth Harland

This is a continuing series of articles on the possible grandchildren of Jeremiah Cruse and Elizabeth Harland through their son David Cruse who married Jane Jewell. James was their sixth child. Most of the information is courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott.

Early Life and the Civil War

James Cruse was born about 1844 in Vigo County, Indiana (1, 2, 3, 5), probably in the Honey Creek Towship as that is where his parents had property at the time of his birth. He was the sixth child born to his parents, David Cruse and Jane Jewell, and his father died when he was two or three years old. He continued living with his mother and older brothers on their farm in Honey Creek Township, no doubt working it under the direction of his older siblings.

James was seventeen years old when the Civil War broke out. Three years later on 16 February 1864 he enlisted at Terre Haute, Indiana. Eight days later, in Indianapolis, Indiana, he was mustered into Capt. Thompson's company, Company C, 31st Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. He was said to be 19 years old, to have had black eyes, dark hair, and a dark complexion. He was recorded as being five feet, eight and a 1/2 inches tall (5, 10). James served alongside older brothers Zachariah Cruse and John Cruse. Older brother William Cruse also served during the war in the same regiment but in a different company. Both William and James were charged with desertion at New Orleans, Louisiana, on 9 July 1865, but the charges were later removed (6). He was discharged on 9 July 1865 at Terra Haute, Indiana (10).

Marriage and Life in Vigo County

James returned to Vigo County after the war with "bad" eyes. He had trouble not only seeing at night, but he suffered intermittent bouts of diarrhea as well. He would suffer from these ailments the rest of his life (8 - deposition of Samuel S. Moore). 

On February 1866 he married Edith "Edy" Moore, daughter of Samuel Moore, Sr. and Edith Kirby, in Vigo County, Indiana (7) in the home of Samuel Moore, Sr. (8). Edy was the sister of Permelia Moore who had married James' brother, William Cruse, three years previous. 

Either before or after his marriage, James purchased two acres of land near Prairieton from Alexander Moore, Edith's brother. Living here put James and Edy within 50 yards of  her brother Samuel S. Moore, a mile from her brother Alexander Moore, a mile from James' brother William Cruse, and a mile and a half from James' childhood friend Jeremiah Hess. James and Jeremiah had gone to school together as boys, and James lived with the Hess family for several years before enlisting in the war (8 - depositions of William Cruse, Samuel S. Moore, Alexander Moore, and Jeremiah Hess).

James struggled financially to provide for his family. Whether it was due to his poor health, or whether he lacked the resources is not known. It is known that he farmed this acreage for the next several years, part of the time working for brother-in-law Alexander Moore, for his father-in-law Samuel Moore, Sr., and part of the time cropping for himself on rented land. He also worked a lot from place to place doing daily jobs for people in the community, because he had no team (i.e. of oxen) of his own (8 - depositions of William Cruse, Samuel S. Moore, Alexander Moore, and Jeremiah Hess). Animals such as those, in those days, was tantamount to owning a car today. They required capital to buy, and then there was the ever present need to feed, house, and maintain such beasts of burden. Many people worked years before saving enough to not only buy them but keep them.

On 30 September 1867, James and Edith sold to  Jeremiah Cruse (probably his brother) an undivided one-half of 27 acres off the south and west part of the southwest quarter of Section 28 as well as another undivided one-half of 13 acres in the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of Section 29. These tracts were in Township 11 N, Range 9 W in Vigo County. Jeremiah purchased them for $400 (9). 

James' poor health was not the only cross he and Edith bore in these early years of their marriage. In 1867, probably the spring, Edith gave birth to a daughter whom the couple named Alice Cruse. This child lived less than two years, dying between the ages of 1 1/2 to 2 years old. Around this time, Edith gave birth to another child who did not live through its birth. This child was not named. Both of these children were born and died before the 1870 census was taken (8 - deposition of William Cruse - it is possible the unnamed child was born between surviving children Julia and Amelia detailed below, but it seems unlikely). 

On 5 September 1868 James and Edith sold for $110 1 1/2 acres in Section 32, Township 11 N, Range 9 W in Vigo County, Indiana to Albert Wines. This tract was 30 rods east and west and 8 rods north and south (9). He may well have sold this and subsequent property in order to provide for his family.

On 2 February 1870, a third child was born to the couple. They named her Julia Cruse (8). 

Later that year, on 22 November 1870, James and Edith sold acreage in Vigo County to Stephen Lovell for $150. This property was three acres off the north side of 16 acres off the west end of 36 acres off the southwest quarter of Section 32, Township 11 N, Range 9 W. The following summer, on 5 July 1871, James and Edith again sold to Lovell an undivided half of 13 1/3 acres in Vigo County in the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of Section 29, Township 11 N, Range 9 W for $150 (9). 

On 5 March 1872, another daughter was born to James and Edith. This child was named Amelia Cruse (8). She was the fourth child born to the couple, but only one of two that survived to adulthood.

Sudden Illness and Death

On 22 April 1874, James spent the day making rails for a man (i.e. probably for fencing). Apparently, the weather had been cold and rainy, and he had worked and waded in cold water over his shoe tops the whole day. Around midnight he took ill with a chill and lost consciousness. 

Brother-in-law Samuel Moore, who lived within 50 yards of James,  was sent for as was Dr. Thomas Drake. Drake diagnosed James' condition as "brain fever." James never regained his mind and about six or seven hours later, about daylight the next morning on the 23 April 1874, he died. At some point the Hess family was sent for, and around daylight Alexander Moore, Edith's brother, was also sent for. By the time Alexander arrived, James was gone. It is not stated in depositions when the Hess family was sent for nor when they arrived (8 - depositions of Alexander Moore, Samuel S. Moore, William Cruse, Jeremiah Hess, and Dr. Thomas Drake).

Both Samuel Moore and Dr. Drake believed that James' death was brought on by "over exertion" in bad weather. Dr. Thomas Drake testified in his deposition when Julia Cruse and Amelia Cruse tried to get a Civil War pension on their father's service that James Cruse was a poor man financially and that he labored beyond his physical ability in order to support his family (8 - depositions of Samuel Moore and Dr. Thomas Drake).

James was only 30 years old a the time of his death. He was buried in Hull Cemetery in Vigo County, Indiana, in an unmarked grave (8). 

Edith died a year and a month later on 31 May 1875 (8). 

The girls, Julia Cruse and Amelia Cruse, were both under the age of five at the time their parents passed away. They were subsequently separated and sent to live with other families. 

They will be the subject of the next blog posting. 

SOURCES:

(1) 1850 U. S. Federal Censuses, Jane (Jewell) Cruse household, Vigo County, Indiana.

(2) 1860 U. S. Federal Census, Jane (Jewell) Cruse household, Vigo County, Indiana. 

(3) 1870 U. S. Federal Census, his household, Vigo County, Indiana. 

(4) see David Cruse and Jane Jewell. 

(5) A file in the Indiana Archives detailing James' military service and courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott.

(6) Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana, Vol. 5, 1861-1865, 1866.

(7) Vigo County, Indiana Marriage document. 

(8) Civil War Pension Records for Julia Whitesides and Amelia Dawson (James Cruse), courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott.

(9) Courtesy of Marian Kay Abbott.

(10) Ancestry.com. Web: Indiana, Civil War Soldier Database Index, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.