The Hangman's Ropemaker: The Ropemaker's Widow

"Mrs. Bopp was the widow of Jacob Bopp, an Allegheny rope manufacturer, who for many years made the ropes used at legal executions in the county."

~"Mrs. Carolynne Bupp," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 16 July 1905, page 2

*This blog post is one in a series of blogs on my famous ancestor, Jacob Bupp, the Hangman's Ropemaker- click the page tab above labeled "The Hangman's Ropemaker" for more information and the blog series*

Jacob Bupp died in 1899, but his widow, Caroline Huy Bupp, lived for several years after his passing.  This is a blog post about her.

Caroline Huy Bupp - circa 1890.
Photograph was found in the belongings of Caroline's great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Pfeiffer Wood, who was the grandmother of the author of this blog.  
Photo posted 28 April 2023

As stated in a previous post, Caroline Huy's parentage is still undetermined, though she may be related to a John and Catherine Huy, who were said to have been born in Germany according to the 1850 United States Federal Census (where the couple is enumerated with the surname of May).  This couple was living in the same dwelling as Jacob and Caroline on the census enumeration, along with their children.  However, there isn't much information to go on, but the couple was old enough to be her parents.

There also was a John Huy, born c. 1821 in France, who lived nearby in Reserve Township.  His age makes his old enough to be an elder brother to Caroline, and he was a ropemaker in 1850, so it is likely that he is related to her.  But until information is uncovered that links the two, this is all pure speculation.

What is known about Caroline is she likely was French or German, likely from the Rhine region, possibly even Alsatian (another blog post was written on Alsace back in March of 2019 that goes into detail about that).  Documentation over the years reflects this as she is listed as being born in both Germany and France and maybe even having spoken both languages as a child. She immigrated likely as a child, as the 1900 census states she came over in 1833, although the ship on which she immigrated has not yet been located.... it is possible that the manifest may not have been digitized or was lost to history.  It is also possible that research has not cast a wide-enough net to locate her immigration records yet.

Caroline birthed nine children, though by 1900, five were still alive, according to the 1900 census.  This number is supported by a number of sources, as Charles and John had both passed away as young children, and it is likely that both Alice and Ella died as children as well

When Jacob moved into the Soldier's Home at Dayton in 1898, Caroline appears to have left their residence at 325 Shady Avenue in Allegheny City and moved into the home of her daughter Mary Ann Bupp Wasson, which was just a few houses down Shady Avenue at number 319.  In 1900, she was enumerated on the census living here, along with Mary Ann and her husband George Wishert Wasson, their six children, George's niece Isabella, and George's mother, Isabella Wishert Wasson.  Son William continued to live at 325 Shady Avenue.

Just a week after her husband's death, Caroline began the process of applying for the widow's pension, with George Wasson, her son in law, having been one of the witnesses to the petition.    Several witnesses sent in affidavits for her claim attesting to her identity, and a proof of marriage was also submitted.  In March 1899, she was awarded a widow's pension of $8 a month (about $243 dollars a month in 2018 according to one inflation calculator).  She continued to receive this pension until her death.

1902 was the last of the Pittsburgh Area directories of which Caroline appeared, living at 319 Shady Avenue.  It is assumed that this was about when the Wassons moved to Bellevue, and Caroline went with them to their new home at 107 Hallett Street.

On 15 July 1905, Caroline, accompanied by an unknown niece, made the trip by train north to Butler, possibly to visit friends.  While traveling, she became ill, and was sent back to Bellevue by train upon arrival at Butler.  She made it home from the train station in Allegheny City by ambulance, where she suffered what newspapers called a paralyzing attack, and passed away at the Wasson home. It is very likely that her cause of death was a sudden stroke.

Pensioner Dropped, Certificate No 476930, Widow Caroline Bupp of soldier Jacob Bupp, Pvt., G 6 Pa H.A. filed March 22, 1906; Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp

Unfortunately, due to the sporadic nature of death registrations in the final year of county records (The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took over death certificates in 1906), Caroline's death wasn't registered in Allegheny County.

Incidentally, in her death notice that appeared in two different Pittsburgh newspapers, she is listed as the widow of Jack Bupp instead of Jacob.  This was most likely a typo.

Caroline's funeral was on 18 July 1905 at the Wasson home in Bellevue.  She was then buried section E of Highwood Cemetery in Pittsburgh, near her husband

Upon her death, she left many survivors, including the remaining five children, William Henry Bupp, Emma Sarah Bupp McClurg, Elizabeth H. Bupp Farley, Catherine Bupp Hallstein, and Mary Ann Bupp Wasson.

Sources Used and Referenced
"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 August 2016), Entry for Jacob Bupp and family, Year: 1870, Census Place: McClure Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1294, Page: 131A, Image: 337018, and Family History Library Film: 552793; citing 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

"1900 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 August 2016), Entry for George Wasson and household, Year: 1900, Census Place: Allegheny Ward 11 Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1357, Page: 1B, Enumeration District: 0089, and FHL microfilm: 1241357; citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

Affidavit of Marriage Record for Jacob Bupp and Caroline Huy from First German Evangelical Lutheran St. John's Church filed 15 April 1898; Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); Records Relating to Pension and Bounty-Land Claims 1773-1942, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, RG 15; 2,807 rolls, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Ancestry.com, "1850 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 August 2016), Entry for Jacob and Caroline Bupp (indexed as Buss), Year: 1850, Census Place: Reserve Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: M432_744, Page: 277B, and Image: 561; citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Ancestry.com, "1850 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 November 2019), Entry for John Huy and household, Year: 1850, Census Place: Reserve Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: M432_744, Page: 276A, and Image: 558; citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Ancestry.com, "1860 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 August 2016), Entry for Jacob Bupp and household, Year: 1860, Census Place: Ross Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: M653_1064, Page: 653, Image: 194, and Family History Library Film: 805064; citing 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "1880 United States Federal Census," database online with images, Ancestry.com Operation, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 August 2016), Entry for Jacob Bupp and family, Year: 1880, Census Place: Allegheny Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1088, Family History Film: 1255088, Page: 82D, Enumeration District: 027, and Image: 0162; citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Declaration for Widow's Pension and Widow's claim for Caroline Bupp, widow of Jacob Bupp, co. G, 6th Pa H.A filed 28 February 1899; Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp.

"Died," death notices, Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 16 July 1905, page 5, entry for Carolina Bupp; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 19 August 2016).

Find A Grave, database with images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 August 2016), memorial page for Caroline Bupp, Find A Grave Memorial # 110912534, citing Highwood Cemetery (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), memorial created by Rob and Debi Felten, photograph by Rob and Debi Felten.

General Affidavit of Caroline Bupp, Additional Evidence in the Claim of Widow of Jaob Bupp, Co. G., 6th Pa H.A, filed 21 March 1899; Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp.

Jordan, John W.  Genealogical and personal history of western Pennsylvania, Volume 3 (New York, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), 1661; online image, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/genealogicalpers03jord : accessed 16 November 2017).

"Mrs. Carolynne Bupp," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 16 July 1905, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 19 August 2016).

"Mrs. Carolyne Bopp," The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 16 July 1905, page 15; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 28 November 2019).

"Obituary," The Butler Citizen (Butler, Pennsylvania), 20 July 1905, page 2, entry for Carolynne Bopp; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 September 2017).

Pensioner Dropped, Certificate No 476930, Widow Caroline Bupp of soldier Jacob Bupp, Pvt., G 6 Pa H.A. filed March 22, 1906; Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp.

Pittsburgh and Allegheny directory, 1900 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: R.L. Polk & Co. and R.L. Dudley, 1900), 246, "Bupp Caroline, wid Jacob, 319 Shady av, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 19 August 2016).

Pittsburgh and Allegheny directory, 1902 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: R.L. Polk & Co. and R.L. Dudley, 1902), 289, "Bupp Caroline wid Jacob 319 Shady av Allegheny"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 19 August 2016).

"To-Day's Pension Roll," The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 21 April 1899, 7; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 November 2019).

Widow Pension Claimant File Jacket Cover Page for Caroline Bupp, widow of Jacob Bupp, Company G, 6th PA H A, claim number 693169, filed 1 March 1899; Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp.

Widow's Pension Claim #693169 for Caroline Bupp, widow of soldier Jacob Bupp, private, Company G, 6th Pa. Vol. Hy. Arty. approved 4 April 1899; Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp.

The Hangman's Ropemaker: Return Trip to York (Part One)

"Mr. Bupp left York 34 years ago and sees many improvements since he has been here." 

~"Personals," The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 22 August 1896, page 1

*This blog post is one in a series of blogs on my famous ancestor, Jacob Bupp, the Hangman's Ropemaker- click the page tab above labeled "The Hangman's Ropemaker" for more information and the blog series*

I apologize for the tardiness of this blog.  You see, not only am I a family historian, I also am the de facto historian for my church and have been working on a history project for the 150th anniversary celebration that took place this past weekend, which took up all of my research time.  I am continuing to also work on that project, researching and writing the church history and the people who made up our early church.  That project can be found at Norwalk Disciples Musings.

Anyways, on with Jacob Bupp, who I am happy to be researching again.

Jacob lived for part of the time with his daughter Emma Bupp McClurg in Homewood, as evidenced in my last blog post about him. 

Also teased in my last blog post was a small blurb about Jacob Bupp "of Pittsburg" traveling to York, Pennsylvania for a visit in the Summer of 1896 to visit his sister, Mrs. Sarah Bupp Heard, wife of Joseph Heard.

As stated in my very first blog post about Jacob, he was the eldest son and third eldest child of John Bopp and Susan Bentz.  Sarah was one of his younger sisters.  Unfortunately, at the time I did the research on Jacob for my first blog, I had this giant brick wall that blocked the lives of the rest of his siblings.... until recently, when I found a small news item in a York paper about a trip to York, and a mention of Jacob's sister, Mrs. Joseph Heard.

Unlike Jacob, Sarah seems to have stayed in the city of York her entire life.  She married Joseph Heard, a man six years her senior on 29 December 1848.  The couple lived in the South Ward of York in the 1850 census enumeration, where Ancestry.com has them enumerated as Joseph and Sarah Heisel (I have submitted a correction).  Joseph by 1870 had bought land in York, which is presumed to be the property the couple lived at on South Water Street, as their address in later years was 302 South Water.

The couple had no children, but they appeared to have raised Sarah's niece, Sarah Younker, after the death of Sarah and Jacob's sister Elizabeth Bupp Younker.  Joseph worked a number of jobs as a laborer.  For a time he made paper, and also made brooms but also had a stint as a watchman and a carter.  The couple resided at their home on South Water Street until Joseph's death in 1904.  Sarah continued to live in the home until 1909 and died in the home of her niece, Emma Ruhl, on the 26th of November 1909.

I am still working on research on the rest of the siblings of Jacob Bupp and chasing down their lines as far as I can research, but here is what I do know about the visit in Summer of 1896

As posted in the "Personals" section of the 22 August 1896 edition of The York Daily,

"Mr. Jacob Bupp, Mr. George Wasson, Carrie and May Wasson, of Pittsburg, are visiting Mr. Bupp's sister, Mrs. Joseph Heard, of South Water Street."

George Wishert Wasson was Jacob's son-in-law, the husband of Jacob's daughter Mary Ann, and Carrie and May were George and Mary Ann's daughters.  Carrie was Caroline Wasson, who was 13 at the time of the visit and most likely named for her maternal grandmother.  May was Mary Ann Wasson, who was 11 then.  While the newspaper gave their address as Pittsburgh, the Wassons lived in the 11th ward of Allegheny City at the time, near to Jacob and Caroline Bupp's home on Shady Lane.  Allegheny City would not become Pittsburgh until ten years after the visit.  

Another small inaccuracy in the newspaper article was the amount of time Jacob had been gone from York.  It stated he had only been removed from the city for 34 years, when in actuality it was closer to fifty years since he lived in York, as Jacob was documented as having moved to Allegheny City by 1849.

At any point, this small blurb as found in the newspaper became the hammer that was needed to break down the brick wall that surrounded the mystery of the rest of the John and Susan Bopp/Bupp family, especially since the next little item listed the party would be visiting Baltimore with Mrs. W.H. Ruhl, Master Adam and Emmie, Mrs. Robert Barrett, and Minnie Lyner, all of who were descendants of Jacob's sisters (still working out how all are connected, and will post that in part two!).   What I do know is that Baltimore is where Jacob's brother-in-law Jacob Younker relocated to, and some of the family migrated there as well.

Anyway, stay tuned for part two!

Sources Used and Referenced:
"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 June 2019), Entry for Joseph Heird and family, Year: 1870, Census Place: York Ward 4 York, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1470, Page: 604A, and Family History Library Film: 552969; citing 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

"1900 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Entry for John Heard and household, Year: 1900, Census Place: York Ward 8 York, Pennsylvania, Page: 9, Enumeration District: 0195, and FHL microfilm: 1241503; citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

Ancestry.com, "1850 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Entry for Joseph Heard and household (indexed as Heisel), Year: 1850, Census Place: York South Ward York, Pennsylvania, Roll: M432_839, Page: 66B, and Image: 706; citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C..

Ancestry.com, "1860 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Entry for Joseph Heard and family, Year: 1860, Census Place: York Division 1 York, Pennsylvania, Roll: M653_1199, Page: 1062, and Family History Library Film: 805199; citing 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "1880 United States Federal Census," database online with images, Ancestry.com Operation, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Entry for Joseph Heard and household, Year: 1880, Census Place: York York, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1207, Page: 375A, and Enumeration District: 028; citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"Joseph L. Heard," The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 6 May 1904, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

"Married," The York Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 14 November 1848, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 3 August 2019).

"Mrs. Sarah Heard," The Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 29 November 1909, page 5; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963," database with images, Ancestry.com, Entry for Sarah Bupp Heard, died 26 November 1909, cn 106938.

"Personals," The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 22 August 1896, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Publication Title:York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1877; page 50; "Heard Jos, lab, s Water nr Commons."

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1881; page 122; "Heard Joseph, watchman, h 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1894; page 96; "Heard Jos, 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1898; page 193; "Heard Joseph, lab, h 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Publication Title:York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1899; page 203; "Heard Joseph L., res 302 S Water." 

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1902; page 229; "Heard Joseph, broommkr, res 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1904; page 257; "Heard Joseph, broommkr, res 302 S Water." 

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1905; page 302; "Heard Sarah A (wid Joseph) h 302 S Water."