James Fielding: Police Officer

This is the third blog post in a series on James Fielding, one of my more fascinating ancestors. After his early life, his stint in the Civil War, and having to change his profession, he also was, later in life, a police officer for the Allegheny City police force. This is that story.

On 28 April 1881, the Allegheny City Police Committee held a special meeting.  The mayor of the city at the time was Lewis Peterson Jr, who was the cousin of James' mother-in-law Emeline Peterson McDonald McLaughlin and nephew to the first of three Henry Petersons.  Lewis Peterson submitted a list of appointments he had made for confirmation.  On that list was the name of James Fielding, his cousin's son-in-law, who badly needed a job.  Although he was impaired form his Civil War injuries, he still was able to become an officer, for the list, save for two men, were confirmed by the police committee.

Some of his actions as a police officer were recorded in the local newspapers.  It is not 100% certain that these are all James Fielding, as he was merely listed as "Officer Fielding," but the timeline appears to match up correctly, so they will all be reported.  In genealogy, especially when it comes to newspaper accounts, not everything is 100% certain.

One of his first acts as a police officer was to spoil the fun of some boys playing ball in the Eighth Ward by arresting them and taking them to the Mayor's office on 8 May 1881.

On 25 August 1881, this was reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

 "A one legged crazy man was picked up on Ohio street yesterday afternoon by Officer Fielding, and place in the lockup.  He could not give his name or residence.  He is crazy on religious subjects."

Officer Fielding procured a wagon for a man by the name of Mr. Reed on 12 September 1881 when he was thrown from his own wagon when he collided with a gad lamp and was seriously injured.  James escorted the man home to his house on the corner of 36th and Penn in Pittsburgh.

On 29 November 1881, he made two arrests that made the newspapers.  He arrested Henry Helewig for domestic abuse after Helewig's child was gravely injured.  He also arrested one intoxicated woman by the name of Mary Greenewalt after she impeded a train by falling drunkenly across the tracks and had to be rescued.

In February 1882, he testified in a trial against Health Officer Christ Hoch after charges were brought against the man that he was publicly intoxicated at the polls.  James had seen Hoch the day in question and testified he did not think Hoch was drunk.  Hoch was neither exonerated nor censured in the meeting.

On 2 April 1882, he rescued an elderly man from Sharpsville, Pennsylvania by the name of Andrew nelson.  According to the Pittsburgh Daily Post, Nelson was an itinerant who was quite ill on the bank of the river.  He was sent to lock-up first and then to the city home.

On 30 May 1882, he had to euthanize a ferocious dog owned by Jacob Snyder after the dog bit a young boy by the name of Harry Baker twice.

Sometime in early August of 1882, he fell while walking on a boardwalk in the Troy Hill neighborhood and dislocated his arm.  One must wonder if it was the same arm he injured in the Civil War.  On 2 December 1882, he received $46 for lost time, presumably for this injury.

On 2 Jan 1883, the Pittsburgh Daily Post reported this

"Officer Fielding was yesterday made the victim of a practical joke.  Upon entering the Allegheny Engine House on Troy Hill, he was presented by the members of the company with a handsome pipe filled with what he supposed was tobacco.  He immediately lit it and after smoking for a few moments was startled by a loud report, the bowl that had been partially filled with powder, having exploded.  Mr. Fielding, after recovering from his astonishment, left the house without thanking the donors for the gift."

His bad luck continued to plague him, for on 28 January 1883, he was attacked on Lowry Street in the Troy Hill neighborhood.  A gang of roughs fought with him and he was severely beaten, though no arrests were made.

No other accounts were made in 1883 about Officer Fielding until August of 1883, when he was listed as an ex-police officer in another public drunkenness trial.  This time, the charges were made against Lieutenant McCormick, who had been suspended for his charges by Mayor Peterson but was brought up before the Allegheny Police Commission.  The communication from James was placed in the lieutenant's file, as Mayor Peterson suggested that "he alone had the authority to investigate charges against his officers."

For a period in 1883-1884, he went back to being an agent, according to the 1884 city directory for Pittsburgh and Allegheny City, though it is not known if he went back to the publication company or not.  But his stint as a police officer was not yet over, for on 1 May 1884 he was nominated again as a police officer by Mayor James G. Wyman and sworn in again by the Police Committee on the same day.

On 15 August 1884, James arrested 18-year-old James Montgomery from Cleveland because the youth was throwing stones at a Blaine and Logan Marching club.

On 18 February 1885, a broom peddler by the name of John Steinmetz was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.  He tried to stab James with a knife.

The February article is the last mention of James as a police officer that can be found in the newspapers.  The Pittsburgh area city directory for 1886/1887 still lists him as a police officer, living at 160 James in Allegheny City, but there are no mentions of him making arrests in 1886, so one cannot be sure.  

It was this address that clinched that he was a police officer, for it was at this address that James filed an Invalid Claim for Increase on 7 Sept 1885.  John Wells and Frank Wadlow were the witnesses on this affidavit.  This was also the address daughter Jennie gave on her marriage license application to Joseph Titus.  The couple was married 3 December 1885.  James filed an increase again on 16 August 1886 and claimed the same address.  The witnesses on that affidavit were R. B. Robinson and James A. Green or Greer.

What is also known is that he went on to become a maker of lightning rods, per the 1887/1888 city directory for Pittsburgh and Allegheny City.

While his adventures as a police officer were over and done with, there was still more to his story, especially his involvement with the Grand Army of the Republic.  But that is better left for another blog post.

Sources Used:

"Allegheny Briefs," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 19 February 1885, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 24 September 2021).

"Allegheny Committee Work: Business Before the Police and Health Committees," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 2 August 1883, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"The Allegheny Investigation," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 28 February 1882, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 24 September 2021).

"Allegheny News," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 11 August 1882, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 24 September 2021).

"Allegheny News," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 29 January 1883, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"Allegheny Police Department," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 2 December 1882, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 24 September 2021).

"Allegheny Police Force," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 29 April 1881, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"An Allegheny Policeman Surprised," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 2 January 1883, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

Invalid Claim for Increase for James Fielding, co E, 155th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, claim number 11390, filed 7 Sept 1885; Scanned copy provided in the pension file for James Fielding from NARA sent to Kelley Wood-Davis 29 Jan 2020 by Deidre Erin Denton, genealogist; 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.

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1882/1883 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1882), 273, "Fielding, James, police, 209 Washington av, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 29 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1884/1885 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1884), 315, "Fielding Jas, agt, 135 James A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 29 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1885/1886 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1885), 312, "Fielding Jas, Police, 56 Hemlock, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 29 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1886/1887 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher & Thurston, 1886), 325, "Fielding, Jas, police, 160 James, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 29 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1887/1888 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1887), 328, "Fielding Jas, lightning rods, 160 James, A(llegheny"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 28 July 2016).

"Local Briefs," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 3 April 1882, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 24 September 2021).

"Local Briefs," Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 30 May 1882, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"The News from Allegheny," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 9 May 1881, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"The News from Allegheny," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 25 August 1881, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"The News from Allegheny," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 13 September 1881, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"The News from Allegheny," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 30 November 1881, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

"Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 February 2020), Entry for Joseph Titus and Jennie Fielding, 3 Dec 1885, cn 568, referencing Allegheny County (Pennsylvania), Clerk of the Orphans' Court, Marriages, volume 1, page 190, FHL microfilm number 878577; citing various county courthouses, Pennsylvania.

"Stoning a Marching Club," The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 16 August 1884, page 4; online images, Google News (https://news.google.com/newspapers : accessed 24 September 2021).

Surgeon's Certificate in Case of James Fielding, Application for Increase dated 25 November 1885; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

"Wyman's Brigade: New Police Force of Allegheny on Duty," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 2 May 1884, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 September 2021).

The Tale of Three Henry Petersons

 In researching my Fielding family (still working on outlining a blog post series on James Fielding), I stumbled upon a landmine of information where I once had a huge brick wall.  I am still processing the information, albeit slowly, because I am almost dazed by the sheer amount of information I have uncovered and don't have as much time as I used to to process the information.  This line has to do with my ancestress, Emeline Peterson, who married Henderson McDonald and was the grandmother to Nellie Fielding and my own great-grandmother.

Emeline Peterson, I have determined, was the daughter of Henry Peterson and Mary Ann Marson.  

But my trail didn't end there, nor did it start with her parents' names.  In fact, finding out Emeline's parents' names was one of the last things I discovered about her immediate family.

I should start at the beginning.  This is the tale of three Henry Petersons.  Keep in mind that I work backwards through history while reading this.

THE FIRST HENRY (1784-1841)

In trying to find out more about Emeline Peterson, I decided to research Sarah Peterson, the 35-year-old woman who was living with Emeline and her husband in the 1850 census (because I am a HUGE believer in the FAN club method of research when hitting brick walls).  I determined that Sarah was in fact Emeline's elder sister when I found Sarah's will from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in 1874, in which Sarah Ann Peterson mentions that because her sister Emeline McLaughlin was well provided for, she chose not to bequeath her anything.  This will also mentions her cousin Lewis Peterson jr. as well as her uncle Peter Peterson, sister Elizabeth M. Cary and brother Franklin.

**Note here: this will also helped me uncover where Emeline went after Henderson's death, so she is no longer an elusive family member, but that's a blog post for another day.**

Using that information, I searched for these family members.  Lewis Peterson jr. was the son of Lewis Peterson sr., of course.  Lewis sr. and his brother Peter were prominent members in early Pittsburgh society, having opened L & P Peterson & Company in 1820, which was a tin, copper, and ironware manufacturing company.  Researching further, I found that the two were beneficiaries in their father's will in 1838 in Allegheny County.  Their father was named Henry Peterson, and he left items to his widow Hannah and seven surviving children; Henry, Lewis, Peter, Derrick, Maria, Ann, and Lydia.

Because I knew already that Lewis and Peter were the uncles of Emeline and Sarah, I knew I could rule them out as my ancestor.  That left me with Derrick and Henry jr. as the two candidates for the father of Emeline.  I then stumbled upon a notice in the Pittsburgh Gazette that summed up an 1852 civil suit between Sylvanus Lathrop and Ann Peterson, aunt to my Emeline.  In that summation of events leading to the civil suit, it stated that while Henry had a family in 1837, Derrick did not.  

What cinched the claim to Henry was a book that was written in several volumes over several years called The Morris Family of Philadelphia: Descendants of Anthony Morris (which I call the Morris book in shorthand).  In volume 3, on page 636, my ancestress Emeline Peterson was listed as one of several children of Henry Peterson and Mary Ann Marson.  Of course, I didn't take the book as full truth on my ancestry but verified that info with other evidence.  And I am still working on that other evidence.

**note here:  Even though I also write have written one myself, I don't take any written genealogies at face value, as there are too many mistakes and liberties taken.  If they are sourced, I verify  the sources used.... if not, I try to do the legwork myself.  I still use them as sources though.**

I also starting working up the Peterson line.  Henry Peterson sr. and Henry Peterson jr. both ended up in Allegheny County in what is now Pittsburgh, but neither one of them started there.  They both lived in Philadelphia in the early part of the nineteenth century, but Henry jr. was actually born, it appears, in Delaware, in Duck Creek Cross Roads in Kent County.  His mother was Henry sr.'s first wife, Margaret Morris, whose line the Morris book actually focuses on (and whose line I haven't worked on yet because I am still working the Peterson research..... but I'll verify the book info soon I hope).  

The first of my three Henry Petersons is still a bit of a mystery, though he is the only one of the three for which I have a birth AND a death date.   I am still trying to narrow down when and where Henry and Mary Ann Marson married, but it appears that they had two sons, Benjamin Franklin and John M, as well as the three daughters already mentioned; Sarah, Elizabeth, and Emeline.  Henry was a copper and tinsmith and established himself first in Philadelphia before moving to Pittsburgh.  What is curious however is that he died in Philadelphia in December 1841 at the age of fifty-seven from a plural effusion.  It is not known why he was back in Philadelphia, but he may have been visiting for one reason or another.  I am waiting on his probate record from Allegheny County as I type this to see what, if anything, was left in his records.  I also need to verify Mary Ann's maiden surname, as the only document that mentions is thus far is her entry in the Morris book.

THE SECOND HENRY (before 1760-1838)

The second Henry Peterson, known thus far as Henry Peterson Sr. was actually also a junior.  I have no date of birth for him other than he was born before 1760, as his census records indicate.  He was the child of Henry Peterson and Hannah Rothwell, though his mother's surname has not been verified (as the Morris book is the only document thus far that gives her surname).  

While it appears he lived in Philadelphia most of his life per city directory entries, census records, and deed and probate documents for his siblings and father, he appears to have died in June 1838 in Pine Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania according to his own probate records.  He also lived in Loudon County, Virginia for about ten years, as deed records and an advertisement he placed in the Virginia Journal and Alexandria Advertiser in 1787 indicate. It is not clear why he moved there, but a few of his children were born there.  His first wife was Margaret Morris, who died in 1828 according to the book, and he appears to have remarried, as wife Hannah is listed in his will, though as of yet I have no information on Hannah at all.  Henry, according to his will, had the seven aforementioned children, but the Morris book lists a couple that died young as well.  Further research will need to be done to prove this, however.

THE THIRD HENRY (died circa 1794)

This brings me to my third Henry Peterson.  Like his namesake, this Henry (who is actually the first Henry Peterson in my line if one goes chronologically) has no date of birth as of yet, but I do know that he died sometime between 6 September 1791, when he wrote his will, and 3 September 1794, when his will was proved in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. A 1774 Philadelphia deed states he was a merchant, and his will lists four children named Lydia, Henry, Peter, and Derick, which means the second Henry named his children after his siblings. 

Derick Peterson, son to this Henry and brother to the second, was a pretty famous guy in early Philadelphia history.  He appears to have been a captain in the Philadelphia militia during the Revolution, he owned a vast estate in what was then Lower Dublin Township (now part of the Holmesburg neighborhood in Philadelphia), and he and his brother Henry had a very public falling out over debts owned to him that brought up the bequeathment that was left to the brothers by their father in his will.  I am currently awaiting his probate records from the Philadelphia Register of Wills because so many of the other Petersons (including the first Henry Peterson) are mentioned in the abstract of his probate and I want to know what legacy he left to each of them. 

Because both the second and the third Henry Petersons lived in Philadelphia for a time, sorting records for them feels almost impossible in some instances without further research.  I have numerous records saved in various places in the hopes of being able to sort them out to the correct ancestor.  Add to that the repeating names for their children and one has a recipe for frustration in research.  But I power on because I like to write the stories of who my kin were and how they lived within the scope of history.

This tale isn't finished, and I like to think it never will be as long as I can find information on any of the Peterson family.

Sources: 

*note - I have chosen not to post a complete list of all the sources I have on all of my Henry Petersons because the research is ongoing.  For further sources, contact me*

"1800 United States Federal Census," online database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 April 2021), Entry for Henry Peterson, Year: 1800, Census Place: Lower Dublin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Series: M32, Roll: 42, Page: 153, Image: 223, and Family History Library Film: 363345; citing Second Census of the United States, 1800: Population Schedules, Washington County, Territory Northwest of the River Ohio; and Population Census, 1803: Washington County, Ohio. NARA microfilm publication M1804 (1 roll).

"1830 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 April 2021), Entry for Henry Peterson, Year: 1830, Census Place: Pittsburgh West Ward Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Series: M19, Roll: 144, Page: 53, and Family History Library Film: 0020618; citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830. (NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"Abstracts of Wills Recorded in the Administration Books, Register's Office, Philadelphia", Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, volume V no 3 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, March 1914), 295; online images, Google Books (https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Pennsylvania_Genealogical_Magazine/GMIxAQAAMAAJ : accessed 25 April 2021). Entry for Derick Peterson, administration Book N, page 242, 1829.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 27-2B: 60-62, Lewis and Maria Peterson to Henry Peterson, recorded 19 October 1819; FHL microfilm 1497872.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 27-2B: 104-106, Assignment of Lewis Peterson to Henry Peterson jr., recorded 13 Nov 1819; FHL microfilm 1497872

Clear, Helen, compiler, Deaths Gleaned from the Pittsburgh Christian Advocate 1834-1855 (New Brighton, Pennsylvania: Archives & History Ministry Team of the Western Pennsylvania Conference, United Methodist Church, 2000), 163; online file, Western PA Conference, The United Methodist Church (https://www.wpaumc.org/archives-sampler : accessed 18 April 2021).

Cushing, Thomas. History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: Including Its Early Settlement and Progress to the Present Time, a Description of Its Historic and Interesting Localities: Its Cities, Towns and Villages: Religious, Educational, Social and Military History: Mining, Manufacturing and Commercial Interests: Improvements, Resources, Statistics, Etc. : Also Portraits of Some of Its Prominent Men and Biographies of Many of Its Representative Citizens, volume 1 (Chicago: A Warner & Co, 1889), 147

"District Couty - Sylvanus Lothrop vs. Ann Peterson et. al.," legal notice, Pittsburgh Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 29 March 1852, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 April 2021).

Harris' general business directory of the cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny: and also of the most flourishing and important towns and cities of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Western New York, Virginia, &c. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: A.A. Anderson, 1841), 46, "Peterson Henry copper and tin warehouse, Front n. Market d, h Springdale"; digital images, Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 22 April 2021).

Haavik, Benjamin Knute. "Eden Hall: A Cultural Historic Landscape," (Master's Thesis University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1998), 17. 

Loudoun County, Virginia, Deed Book S: 143-145, William and Sarah Allen to Henry Peterson, recorded 13 Sept 1790; FHL microfilm 32305.

Loudoun County, Virginia, Deed Book X: 310-313, Henry and Margarett Peterson to Lee B. Gale, recorded 24 December 1796; FHL microfilm 32309.

Moon, Robert C. The Morris Family of Philadelphia: Descendants of Anthony Morris, volumes 1-5 (Philadelphia: Robert C. Moon, 1898–1909). (I used the copy currently on Ancestry.com, but various other copies are available on the internet)

"Pennsylvania Archives," database online with images, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 25 April 2021), Entry for Derick Peterson, volume 1, page 144, Muster Rolls Relating to the Associators and Militia of the City of Philadelphia; extracted from Thomas Lynch Montgomery (editor), Pennsylvania Archives (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1906).

"Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," database online with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 10 April 2021), Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994 Allegheny Proceedings index 1788-1971 vol 33-34> volume 34, page 266, box 9; citing county courthouses in Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 April 2021), Entry for Henry Peterson, probate date 13 June 1838, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Will Books, Vol 4, pages 26-27; citing Pennsylvania County District and Probate Courts.

"Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993,"  (accessed 19 March 2021), Entry for Sarah A Peterson, probate date 28 Aug 1874, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Will Packets, Vol 17-19, 1874-1876, volume 17, page 584, number 307; citing Pennsylvania County District and Probate Courts.

"Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993," (accessed 11 April 2021), Philadelphia > Wills, Vol W-X, 1790-1799> Vol X, page 106, Will of Henry Peterson (img 450 of 824); citing Pennsylvania County District and Probate Courts.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database online with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 April 2021), Entry for Henry Peterson, died 15 Dec 1841; FHL microfilm 1,905,884; citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book EF9: 643-648, Derick and Mary Peterson and Lydia McCalla to Henry Peterson, recorded 6 Dec 1802; FHL microfilm 21947.

"To the Printer of the Aurora," Aurora (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 19 April 1805, page 1; online images, GenealogyBank (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 10 April 2021).

"To the Public," Aurora (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 17 April 1805, page 1; online images, GenealogyBank (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 10 April 2021).

"Untitled," legal notice, The Pittsburgh Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 4 January 1840, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 April 2021).