James Fielding: The Stay at the Home for Disabled Veterans and Death

This blog post is the seventh in a series on my ancestor, James Fielding, one of my more fascinating ancestors. After his early life, his stint in the Civil War, having to change his profession, his police officer days, and his involvement in the GAR, and the house on Norwood Avenue, this was the next logical step.  This is the story of his final days.

Like my hangman's ropemaking ancestor Jacob Bupp,  James Fielding spent his final years at the Central Branch of the Home for Disabled Soldiers in Dayton Ohio.  This blog post on Jacob Bupp's stay there has some research on the start of the Central Branch.  Of course, since James was there almost fifteen years after Jacob's stay, the home had changed a bit.

The Soldier's Home at Dayton in 1902, taken by Underwood and Underwood
Source: Library of Congress, Stereograph Cards, digital id cph 3b41068, photo in the public domain

**Note here - There are more images of the home online, but many of them are not in the public domain or I cannot ascertain the rights for them - one such site is My Genealogy Hound -  others can be googled if you are interested in seeing what the home looked like.**

James was likely sent to live at the home when his disabilities became too great for his widowed daughter and sons to care for him at the home on Norwood Avenue.  After all, Nellie Fielding Anderson also had to care for her ailing elder brother, James Henderson.  Since James the elder was eligible for care at a Soldier's Home because of his Civil War service and the injury he sustained then, the family probably took advantage of that resource.

James likely traveled by train to get from Pittsburgh to Dayton, Ohio as that was the most convenient means of travel at the time.  It is not known if anyone accompanied him.

On 13 January 1909, James Fielding was admitted to home with defective vision (almost blind in right eye), loss of teeth, bayonet would to his left foot, slight cardiac hypertrophy, arteriosclerosis and hypertrophy of prostate.   Interestingly enough, his page from the historical register for the Soldier's Home listed his occupation as wagoner, a trade not reflected in any of his directory listings.  It also made no mention of his shoulder injury.  

Veterans living at the home had to follow a code of conduct subject to the Articles of War.  This allowed for a structured environment for the former soldiers who lived at the home.  They were organized into companies with a captain and had a ranking system similar to the military in which they once served.  The entire home was overseen by a governor, who at the Central Branch in 1913 was "Colonel W. J. White."

James, like all of the men, was required to wear a uniform, likely one of the surplus of uniforms from the United States Army.  He probably attended the Protestant weekly prayer meeting held on Sundays and listened to concerts at the bandstand that was located on the campus. Because he was literate but blind in one eye, he likely did not take advantage of the library on the campus but may have visited the menagerie.  Because he was a member of the Grand Army of the republic, he likely attended meetings that they held on the campus, despite his ailing health.

Of course, all of this is circumstantial, given the lack of evidence on what exactly James did while he lived at the home.   But veterans living there at the time James did were afforded all of these amenities.

What is known is what James was treated for in the home.  From a page of his pension file, this was listed:

Certificate of Medical History for James Fielding, Form Number 147, Filed by the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 16 April 1913; 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

As once can see, he had many health issues that needed to be addressed.  Given his advanced age, these conditions had to have been debilitating for him.

James lived in the home from January 1909 until his death on 18 February 1913.  He probably had family members visit, as visitors were encouraged at the home and the trains ran from Pittsburgh to Dayton.  

He was enumerated in the 1910 Federal Census on 10 May 1910 as a widowed inmate at the home, with no occupation listed for him.

James was awarded $18 per month beginning 6 June 1912 and then $21 per month beginning 14 September 1912, the higher amount the result of the Pension Act of 1912.  However, in a letter written in 1919 by daughter Nellie, he never received the final pension amounts, as "he was entitled to the increase of $1.00 per day for all old soldiers over 75 years of age, had been advised of the fact in May 1912 but he had never received but $15.00 per month till his death."  This was likely because the certificate that did finally grant him these amounts was issued over a month after his death, since the certificate issued on 29 March 1913.  This would cause issues for his children later.  

On 18 February 1913, James Fielding died in the hospital at the Central Branch of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers at the age of seventy-five.  His death certificate and records found in his pension files list his cause of death as diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis and senility.  Interestingly enough, his death certificate also lists his occupation as "teamster."

His body was shipped back to Pittsburgh by the undertakers J. P. Boyer and Sons from Dayton, Ohio with permission from the governor of the Home, Colonel W. J. White.  

James Fielding was buried on 21 February 1913 at Union Dale Cemetery in Division 1, Section G, Lot 5, Grave 4. Funeral Services were provided by R. T. Rodney, Funeral Director at 715 Arch Street on the North Side of Pittsburgh.  The total cost of the funeral services was $42.80 for a hearse, 3 carriages, fee to open the grave, cost of the permit for opening the grace and services rendered, as well as notices posted in the newspapers and a telegraph sent to Washington D.C.  

One obituary noted that he was survived by four sons, three daughters and four brothers, including his brother John, who was a former councilman in Pittsburgh.  Incidentally John was listed erroneously as James' son, not his brother, on James' page from the register of the National Soldier's Home.

**Note here:  John was the subject of an article I wrote, The Pittsburgh Steam Engine Accident, where he lost his leg as a teen... He still lived a long life and became councilman and did a number of great things and eventually I may write about him.**

John was also the executor of James' will, which left a great deal of his possessions to the children that still lived in the house he owned on Norwood Avenue.  But the execution of that will and the incidents that followed are a subject for another blog post on another day.  For there is more to this story, but that's for another blog post.

Sources Used

"1910 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 July 2016), Year: 1910, Census Place: Jefferson Montgomery, Ohio, Roll: T624_1218, Page: 26A, Enumeration District: 0135, and FHL microfilm: 1375231.

Application for Reimbursement, certificate number 11390, deceased pensioner James Fielding, E, 155th Pa Inf., dated 11 April 1913; 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.

Burns, Carolyn Johnson. Soldiers Home of Dayton, Ohio: Information about the Central Branch of the National Military Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers known today as the Dayton VA Medical Center (http://www.carolynjburns.com/soldiers/ : accessed 21 January 2021).

Central Branch Home for D. V. S. Admittance report for James Fielding, dated 16 Jan 1909; 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.

Certificate of Medical History for James Fielding, Form Number 147, Filed by the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 16 April 1913; ; 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.

Claim for Pension for James Fielding filed 5 June 1912; 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.

"Daily Life at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers," article, National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/articles/daily-life-for-disabled-volunteer-soldiers.htm : accessed 3 February 2022).

"Fielding," death notice, The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 20 February 1913, Page 29, death notice for James Fielding; online images, Google News (https://news.google.com/newspapers : accessed 27 July 2016).

"James Fielding," obituary, Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 21 February 1913, Page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 27 July 2013).

"James Fielding," death notice, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 20 February 1913, page 7; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 27 March 2020).

"Fielding," death notice, The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 20 February 1913, Page 29, death notice for James Fielding; online images, Google News (https://news.google.com/newspapers : accessed 27 July 2016).

Gasbarro, Norman. "Old Soldiers' Homes," Civil War Blog: A Project of PA Historian, 9 May 2012 (http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/ : accessed 6 November 2019).

Letter from Mrs. Nellie Anderson to the Pension Agent in Washington D. C. dated 9 Jan 1917; 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"); RG 15, 2,807 rolls, NA–Washington.

"Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 27 July 2016), James Fielding, 18 Feb 1913; citing Jefferson, Montgomery, Ohio, reference fn 11097; FHL microfilm 1,953,599; citing data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City.

"Ohio Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2007," database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding, died 18 Feb 1913; Montgomery, Ohio; Volume 1008, Certificate 11097; citing "Ohio Department of Health. Index to Annual Deaths", 1958-2002. Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus, OH, USA. and Ohio. Division of Vital Statistics. "Death Certificates and Index, December 20, 1908-December 31, 1953". State Archives Series 3094. Ohio Historical Society, Ohio; Index only, no certificate.

"Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding, born 1837, died 2-18-1913; citing Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1777–2012. Digital Images, 3–5. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Archives and History. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Plante, Trevor K. "The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers," Prologue Magazine, Spring 2004; online, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue : accessed 11 November 2019), information on the Dayton Home.

Powell, Lisa. "Dayton’s soldiers’ home was among the country’s first to care for veterans," Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio), 24 May 2019, information on the history of the Dayton Home; online archives (https://www.daytondailynews.com/ : accessed 6 November 2019).

Receipt of Payment for Funeral Services For James Fielding from Mrs. Nellie Anderson to R. T. Rodney, Funeral Director; 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.

Unknown note reporting death and no payment made in pension file of James Fielding; 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.

"U.S., Burial Registers, Military Posts and National Cemeteries, 1862-1960," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding, died 18 Feb 1913; citing Burial Ledgers. The National Cemetery Administration, Washington, D.C. (Original records transferred to NARA: Burial Registers, compiled 1867-2006, documenting the period 1831-2006. ARC ID: 5928352. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773–2007, Record Group 15. National Archives at Washington, D.C. and Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Quartermaster General. (09/18/1947–08/01/1962). Burial Registers of Military Post and National Cemeteries, compiled ca. 1862–ca. 1960. ARC ID: 4478151. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C; Listed in the burial records for the Dayton branch of the Home for Disabled Veteran Soldiers.

"U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 July 2016), Entry for James Fielding born abt 1837, admitted 1909 to Dayton, Central Branch.; citing Historical Register of National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1749, 282 rolls); Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

U. S. Congress, The Statutes at Large, Treaties and Proclmations of the United States of America, vols. 19-125 (United States Government Publishing Office: Washington, D.C., 1876–2011), : 1912, 11 May 1912, "An Act Granting pensions to certain enlisted men, soldiers, and officers who served in the Civil War and the War with Mexico," 123

Will of James Fielding (1913), Probate Records of Allegheny County: Will Book 120, Number 20, Page 34; Register of Wills, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Notable Woman: Anna Sperry Cox

Occasionally I tend to focus on some of the notable women in my family history. This is the story of one of those women.  This is the story of Anna Grace Sperry Cox.

Anna "Annie" Grace Sperry Cox was my maternal grandmother Jean Cox's grandmother.  She was born 19 August 1866 in Lower Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania as the eldest child of William Sperry and Ellen W. Robbins.  Her paternal line of Sperrys had been landowners in Montgomery County since before the American Revolution, and the Robbins line also were owners of land around the county.

Anna grew up in the household of her maternal grandmother, Margaret Whiteman Robbins, who was left a small estate upon the death of her husband, Jonathan.  However, that land was whittled down by orders of sale that were called for by creditors, as Jonathan left the family in debt.  By 1890, the family was living in the borough of North Wales, likely in rented quarters.

On 7 May 1890, Anna married William James Cox, who was three years her senior, in Flourtown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She was seven months pregnant at the time,so the marriage was probably due to necessity.  The couple was wed by Rev. J. D. Dietrich.  He had been the pastor at the Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Whitemarsh Township in 1884, but appears to have also been a famous dairy farmer and botanical lecturer in Flourtown around the time of the couple's marriage.

William James Cox and Annie G. Sperry marriage record from Montgomery County Archival Records Department, Norristown, Pennsylvania. 

Two months later, on 2 July 1890, the couple's eldest son, William Oscar Cox, was born in Philadelphia.  However, his birth was registered until the family was settled in Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio, though why the birth wasn't registered in Philadelphia remains a mystery.  Adding to further confusion is the fact that Elizabeth Newton Cox (who is the subject of her own blog post) was registered as the natural daughter of the couple in Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio, but was raised by William's parents.  Even more confusing is the fact that daughter Ellen W. Cox was born just two months prior to Elizabeth, her birth being 14 May 1893, however her place of birth was Indiana.  So did William and Anna give up Elizabeth to be raised by her grandparents and then adopt Ellen later, were the girls actually twins, and just reported with differing birth dates and locations, or was there some other incident at play?  One may never know.

What is known is that William James Cox, like his father William Newton Cox, was a moulder and ironworks laborer.  Also known was he was a hired strikebreaker, and traveled around Ohio working in ironworks that had active strikes.  On 15 July 1891, while the young family was living in a boarding house in Salem, Ohio, William and his father, among others, were involved in an altercation with strikers after leaving a saloon.  Ten strikebreakers and two strikers were arrested and charged with drunkenness, rioting and fighting.  William himself was fined $5 for his part in the fight.  One can imagine how Anna felt when she heard about her husband involved in a drunken brawl.

In 1893, around the time of Elizabeth's birth that still is shrouded in mystery, the couple were being evicted from their rented rooms at 916 Sycamore in Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio.  It is not known if William was working as a strikebreaker here, but the family did not reside in the area long.  By the time the couple's last child, Jesse Meyer, was born on 14 September 1895, Anna was residing in her mother's home at 114 North Second Street in North Wales, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  It is not known if William lived here too.

It is around this time frame that the story of Anna Sperry Cox takes a sordid turn.

Divorce is not as common then as it is today (since it was much harder to get a divorce before no fault laws were established) but it did happen.  It is very likely that it happened to William and Anna, although it is also just as likely that the couple did not officially divorce, but rather William deserted the family and started a second family.

Sometime between Jesse's birth in 1895 and 1899, William just took off, leaving Anna to raise their three children, Oscar, Ellen and Jesse, alone. Anna and the children continued to live with her mother, Ellen Robbins, in the house on 114 South Street, supported by the meager means of the older woman and the labor of Anna's brother, Jesse Sperry.  It is not known exactly why the couple split, though speculation done by the couple's descendants (including whispered conversations heard by Anna's grandchildren later) indicate the marriage was never a happy one, and the stress of the itinerant lifestyle and no money likely compounded the problems to the point where William felt trapped.

William, in the meantime, married Miss Emily Towers on 29 November 1899 at Christ Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Emily, who was only seventeen at the time, needed the permission of her mother to marry, and that permission was granted.  William was listed on this marriage application as having never been married, which obviously was not true.  This clue also leads me to believe that he knew he was committing bigamy by marrying another woman while still wed to Anna.

The second marriage seemed to be a happier one for William.  He and Emily went on to have four children; Viola, William Charles, James Newton, and Mary Elizabeth, before William passed away 12 February 1913 in Danville, Pennsylvania as the result of a hunting accident.  But that's a story for some other time...

Anna, in an act of defiance or strength, or however one wants to interpret it, continued to insist she was still married until William's death in 1913.  On both the 1900 and 1910 census enumerations, she stated she was married, despite the common practice of deserted women trying to hide their status by claiming widowhood.  Grandson Jesse Cox later stated that even mentioning his grandfather William was considered taboo when he was a child, thus furthering the conviction that the couple never did divorce and Anna remained a deserted woman for the remainder of her life.

Anna continued to live with her brother Jesse, housekeeping for the confirmed bachelor as well as raising her children.  By 1920, Jesse Sperry had purchased a home at 142 Swartley Street in North Wales, and the family moved there.  Son Jesse continued to live with his mother and uncle after he wed, supporting the family as well. Anna lived in this house until her death, as son Jesse inherited the home upon her brother's death.

Anna Cox's memorial card and obituary; Personal collection of the blogger

On 7 February 1953, Anna Grace Sperry Cox died at the home at 142 Swartley Street in North Wales from coronary thrombosis, contributed by atherosclerotic heart disease.  She was 86 years old.  Her obituary stated that she was the widow of William James Cox, which was one last dig at the husband who deserted her.  (On a side note, Emily Towers Cox passed away in 1946, leaving Anna as the last surviving wife as well).  She was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Ambler, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania near her parents, siblings and daughter.  As of this post, her grave is not marked by a headstone.

Sources Used
"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 January 2017), Entry for Margaret Robbins and household, Year: 1870, Census Place: Gwynedd Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1377, Page: 394B, Image: 406530, and Family History Library Film: 552876.

"1900 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 December 2016), Entry for Ellen Sperry and family, Year: 1900, Census Place: North Wales Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1444, Page: 9B, Enumeration District: 0257, and FHL microfilm: 1241444; 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.

"1910 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 December 2016), Entry for Anna Cox and family, Year: 1910, Census Place: North Wales Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: T624_1378, Page: 6B, Enumeration District: 0128, and FHL microfilm: 1375391; citing Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1920 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2016), Entry for Jessie Sperry and family, Year: 1920, Census Place: North Wales Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: T625_1605, Page: 8A, Enumeration District: 152, and Image: 354; Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1930 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2016), Entry for Jessie Cox and family, Year: 1930, Census Place: North Wales Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: 2084, Page: 20A, Enumeration District: 0112, Image: 41.0, and FHL microfilm: 2341818; United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

"1940 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2016), Entry for Jesse Cox and family, Year: 1940, Census Place: North Wales Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: T627_3583, Page: 16B, and Enumeration District: 46-161; United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

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 9 January 2017), Entry for Jonathan Robbins and household, Year: 1880, Census Place: Gwynedd Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1157, Family History Film: 1255157, Page: 142C, Enumeration District: 007, and Image: 0691; 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.

"A Series of Set-Tos," The Salem Daily News (Salem, Ohio), 17 July 1891, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 19 January 2017).

Cox, Jesse M. jr., (West Chicago, Illinois) to Kelley Wood, letter, 7 April 2005; Cox Family Collection, privately held by Kelley Wood-Davis. [address for private use], Norwalk, Iowa, 2020. Letter answering questions sent to Cox by Wood. owned by recipient.

"Marriage License 1885-Present," database online with images, Lackawanna County, PA - Public Access System (http://www.lpa-homes.org/LPA_Public_Inquiries/Views/LPA_Views/LPAXX01D.aspx : accessed 17 May 2017), Entry for William Cox and Emily Towers, marriage date 29 Nov 1899, record number 0052-00175, license number 19975; citing Lackawanna County Courthouse records.

"Marriage Licenses," The Scranton Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania), 30 November 1899, page 3, William James Cox and Emily Towers, both of Dunmore, are listed as having obtained a marriage license; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 15 May 2017).

Memorial card and obituary for Annie Sperry Cox, died 7 Feb 1953, in Dorothy Cox Ritter Memorial card for Mrs. Annie (Sperry) Cox, 1953, privately held by Kelley Wood-Davis, [address for private use], Norwalk, Iowa, 2017. photocopy of original. Photocopy of original mailed in 2002 to Kelley Wood-Davis by Amber Arinsburg Kostic, granddaughter of Annie Cox, daughter of Dorothy Ritter and first cousin once removed of Wood-Davis.

"Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962," online database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 January 2017), Entry for Lizzie Cox, 16 Jun 1893; citing Hamilton, Butler, Ohio, Butler County (Ohio) Birth and death records, 1867-1908, Birth records v. 1-2 1867-1893, page 151 ; FHL microfilm 355,799.

"Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003," database online with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 January 2017), Entry for William A. Cox, 02 Jul 1890; birth; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; FHL microfilm 931,592; (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDYX-M8R); citing County courthouses, Ohio.; Birth record listed in Birth and death records, 1867-1908 (Columbiana County, Ohio); Birth records v. 3-5 1878-1905, page 45; image 299 of 815.

Orphan's Court, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Register of Births 1893-1900, Book 1893-1896, page 81; Entry for Meyer Cox; FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TN-K962-3?i=55&cat=321969: accessed 26 Dec 2016); image 56; FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah; FHL microfilm 925501.

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 January 2017), Entry for Annie Sperry Cox; died 7 Feb 1953; certificate number 16581; Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania, USA; Certificate Number Range: 015751-018450; citing Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 January 2017), Entry for Ella Cox; date of death: 24 Aug 1906; certificate 76389; Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania, USA; Certificate Number Range: 075251-078670; citing Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

"'Squire's Squibs," Hamilton Evening Journal (Hamilton, Ohio), 19 May 1893, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 19 January 2017).

"U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 April 2017), Entry for Jesse Sperry, born 3 May 1876; Registration State: Pennsylvania; Registration County: Montgomery; Roll: 1907293; Draft Board: 4; citing United States, Selective Service System. "World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918". Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

"We Congratulate Cox," The Salem Daily News (Salem, Ohio), 18 July 1891, page 8; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 19 January 2017).

William James Cox and Annie G. Sperry, (7 May 1890), Application for Marriage License and Certificate of Marriage: license number 2569; Montgomery County Archival Records Department, Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Chasing the Elusive: The Curious Case of Elizabeth Newton Cox

Every so often I tinker with some of my more elusive members of my family tree.... I call these kind of searches "Chasing the Elusive" and decided I would blog about them in case anyone might have pieces for me.

One such curious family member for me is a maternal aunt (either great great aunt or great-great-great aunt) by the name of Elizabeth Newton Cox.

I'd like to start out by saying my Cox family has a great many skeletons in it.... which is likely why my maternal grandmother never talked about her family....

Elizabeth Newton Cox was born in Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio on 16 June 1893, according to the entry for her in the Butler County birth registrations, which lists her as Lizzie (for the first and ONLY time).  Her parents, according to that registration, were a couple by the names of William Cox and Anna Sperry.  However, her baptism record from St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, (which gives her name as Elizabeth Newton Cox and even lists her as a year older) lists her parents as William Newton Cox and Isabel Fowler.

These parental names might not mean much to some, but to me, they are important.  You see, William JAMES Cox and Anna Sperry are my great-great-grandparents.  William NEWTON Cox and Isabel Fowler were William Cox's parents and Anna's in-laws.  If Elizabeth was indeed birthed by Anna, then why is Isabel listed as her mother in later records?  Even more curious is the fact that William and Anna had a daughter named Ellen who was just a mere two months older than Elizabeth and born in Indiana, according to documents collected (Ellen's death record, headstone dates, and the 1900 census).  Now while modern medical science does allow for delayed interval births on very rare occasions, that was not the case in 1893.

Elizabeth never shows up with William James Cox or Anna Sperry on any records other than the birth registration.  In the 1900 and 1920 census enumerations, she is listed as the daughter of William N. Cox, residing with him and Isabel in Lansdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in the 1900 enumeration and with William in Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania in 1920.  She has not yet been located on the 1910 census enumeration, an affliction a number of her siblings seem to share.

Even more curious is the fact that in William James Cox's obituary in The Danville Morning News on 13 February 1913, she is listed as his sister, Miss Bessie Cox.  She is also listed in both Isabel Cox's obituary and William N. Cox's death notices as a daughter of theirs.

So why was Elizabeth registered as the daughter of William and Anna on her birth registration, yet reared by William Newton and Isabel?  It is a question that may never be answered.

There is also the mystery of where she disappeared to after the 1940 census enumeration......

Let's start back at the beginning.

After her birth in Hamilton, Ohio, Elizabeth "Bessie" Cox next appears on the 1900 census, living in Lansdale, Pennsylvania with her parents, William N. Cox and Isabel Fowler.  William Newton Cox was a stoveworks molder and had been a hired strikebreaker, along with his eldest son William James Cox, which is why the family was in Ohio in the first place.  It appears the family moved around a great deal, as some of Bessie's siblings (or aunts and uncles?) were born in various counties in Pennsylvania.  One sister, Viola, was born in Ohio.   Bessie was the youngest of William N.'s children, and twenty four years separated her from the eldest son, William James, who also could have been her father.

*Another note here: for the remainder of this post when I refer to Bessie's parents, I am referring to William Newton Cox and Isabel Fowler, as those are the two that raised her.*

In December 1910, Bessie was baptized at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and was confirmed a week later.  As previously stated, any attempt to locate her on the 1910 census has been fruitless as of yet, as she could have been living in a number of localities.  *Side note here... I am still working on her siblings' research as part of my FAN methodology in my "free" time, so as research on her siblings progresses, I may yet find her living with one of them.*

In 1913, she lived at 1413 Sanderson Avenue in Scranton with her father (and it assumed with her mother) as both she and her father were listed in the Scranton City Directory for that year.  In 1914, the family lived on East Market Street in Danville (it seems the family as a whole shuttled back and forth between the two cities), and in 1918, she was employed as a domestic and had lived at two addresses in Scranton; 1636 Penn Avenue and 615 New York Street.

1918 was the year she married for the first time.  On 10 June 1918, at the age of 25, Bessie married Alton Westcott (also spelled Wescott), a man just a year or two her senior.  It was the first marriage for both parties, and the couple was  joined in matrimony by Rev. John C. Matthes, who appears to have been a Lutheran minister.  In 1920, the couple resided with Bessie's widowed father in a rented home at 406 East Front Street in Danville, Pennsylvania.  The marriage was very short lived, however, as the couple divorced in October 1920 according to the marriage register of Alton's second marriage.  *Note here, I am also trying to locate divorce records for the couple... but since I don't know if divorce proceedings were done in Scranton or Danville (since they are located in two different counties) it has been slow going.*

Bessie appears to have resumed her maiden name after the divorce, as a newspaper clipping from The Danville Morning News on 22 May 1926 states the following:

"Evan Thomas, widely known local man, and Miss Bessie Cox, also of this city and well known, were united in marriage at 8:30 last night at the manse of Mahoning Presbyterian church. Rev. Theodore C. meek officiated, with the ring ceremony being used. [break] The newlyweds have taken up residence in a newly furnished home on East Front Street."

Evan Thomas was seventeen years older than Bessie and a widower with a few children.  An inquiry into accessing of the marriage license has been made via email to Montour County's Registrar's office, but has as of this writing gone unanswered.

The couple resided in the house at 321 Front Street in Danville until Evan's death on 23 August 1932.  Bessie continued to reside in the home for two more years before relocating to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania for a brief time, and then back to Scranton in July of 1935 to live with her sister's family.

1940 is the last year I can locate her.  In April of that year, she was enumerated on the Federal Census living with her nephew, William C. Grimes, at 416 Mahon Court in Scranton.  In August, The Danville Morning News mentions she (as Mrs. Bessie Thomas) and sister Ida (as Mrs. Floyd Grimes) were visiting her brother Lewis Cox on Railroad street.

After that little snip from the newspaper, she just seems to vanish into thin air.  While I have death records for almost all of her siblings (brother George remains a mystery as well, but I have a time frame of when he died), there are no records for a death for her on Ancestry or FamilySearch or any of the other databases I have searched. Perhaps she married a third time, or changed her name yet again?  At this point it's a mystery.

Granted, as I previously mentioned, I am still working occasionally on fleshing out her siblings and gathering more information on them.  Perhaps research on one of them will lead back to what happened to Bessie, and maybe even solve why she is listed in two differing documents with two differing sets of parents.  Perhaps with the increasing digitization of records, I may eventually find the piece that will solve her mystery.... or someone may know what happened who reads this blog one day.

Until then, she remains an elusive, and I will continue to chase her.

Sources:
"1900 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 January 2017), Entry for William M. Cox and family, Year: 1900, Census Place: Lansdale Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1442, Pages: 6B-7A, Enumeration District: 0205, and FHL microfilm: 1241442; 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.

"1920 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 January 2017), Entry for William Cox and household, Year: 1920, Census Place: Danville Ward 1 Montour, Pennsylvania, Roll: T625_1603, Pages: 9A-9B, Enumeration District: 49, and Images: 335-336. citing Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1930 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 October 2019), Entry for Evan Thomas and household, Year: 1930, Census Place: Danville Montour, Pennsylvania, Page: 6A, Enumeration District: 0003, and FHL microfilm: 2341819; citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

"1940 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 December 2019), Entry for William C. Grimes and household (indexed as Gimes), Year: 1940, Census Place: Scranton Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, Roll: m-t0627-03685, Page: 14A, and Enumeration District: 71-103; citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

"Aged Civil War Veteran Dies on Steps of Neighbor: William Cox, Aged 80, Dies Suddenly While Out for a Walk: Had Long Been Ill," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 14 December 1927, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 29 October 2019).

"Death Claims William J. Cox," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 13 February 1913, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 4 January 2017).

"Death Follows a Protracted Illness," obituary, The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 27 October 1916, page 1; obituary of Mrs. William Cox; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 January 2017).

"Evan Thomas and Miss Cox Wedded," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 22 May 1926, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 29 October 2019).

"Marriage License 1885-Present," database online with images, Lackawanna County, PA - Public Access System (http://www.lpa-homes.org/LPA_Public_Inquiries/Views/LPA_Views/LPAXX01D.aspx : accessed 17 May 2017), Entry for Alton Westcott and Bessie Cox, marriage date 10 June 1918, record number 0140-00430, license number 930; citing Lackawanna County Courthouse records.

"Marriage License 1885-Present," database online with images, Lackawanna County, PA - Public Access System (http://www.lpa-homes.org/LPA_Public_Inquiries/Views/LPA_Views/LPAXX01D.aspx : accessed 29 October 2019), Entry for marriage of Alton Wescott and Irene Phillips, 14 July 1923.

"Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962," online database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 January 2017), Entry for Lizzie Cox, 16 Jun 1893; citing Hamilton, Butler, Ohio, Butler County (Ohio) Birth and death records, 1867-1908, Birth records v. 1-2 1867-1893, page 151 ; FHL microfilm 355,799.

"Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985," online database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 January 2017), Entry for Elizabeth Newton and Ida Mary Cox; baptism 28 Dec 1910; St Luke´s Episcopal Church, Scranton, Pennsylvania; Reel 514; image 1161 of 1266; citing Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985," online database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 December 2019), Entry for Elizabeth Newton Cox; confirmed 8 January 1911 (indexed as a baptism); St Luke´s Episcopal Church, Scranton, Pennsylvania; Reel 514; image 1219 of 1266.

"Personals," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 23 December 1916, page 7; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 April 2017).

"Personals," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 1 June 1918, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 April 2017).

"Two Families Move," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 13 October 1934, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 15 December 2019).

"Untitled," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 1 July 1935, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 15 December 2019).

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 December 2019), Scranton, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1913; page 160; "Cox Bessie, r 1413 Sanderson av"; citing a collection of directories for U.S. cities and counties

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Scranton, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1918; page 163; "Cox Bessie, dom, 1636 Penn av". 

"Visiting Here," The Danville Morning News (Danville, Pennsylvania), 9 August 1940, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 15 December 2019).

The Hangman's Ropemaker: The Soldier's Home at Dayton and the Death of the Ropemaker

"Jacob Bupp, of Allegheny, who died Tuesday night in the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, claimed the distinction of having made more ropes with which to hang murderers than any other man in this country."

~"Made the Rope That Hanged Guiteau," The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky), 25 February 1899, page 6

*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*

Aside from the time spent in other states during the Civil War, and a possible stint in Illinois that has not yet been proven or disproven, Jacob Bupp spent most of his life living in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  However, the last seven months of his earthly life, he resided in the state of Ohio.  He was sent to live at the Soldier's Home in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. 

A Little History on the Soldier's Home at Dayton First
The United States Sanitary Commission, a group that took care of wounded veterans from the Civil War, lobbied hard to have the homes opened as a place for veterans to go. The act that established the National Home for Disabled Veterans was created by Congress and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in March of 1865.

The home in Dayton, Ohio was the second of the homes established and was opened in the fall of 1867.  The first one was opened in Togus Springs, Maine the previous year.  The homes were originally called the National Asylums for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, but the name was changed by Congress in 1873 to the Home for Disabled Veteran Soldiers  The Dayton home was the Central Branch of these homes and had housed more than 7000 veterans by the time Jacob Bupp arrived in 1898.

Each home had a guardhouse where guards stopped and checked each coming and going of visitors and inmates.  The Dayton branch also boasted a conservatory with fountains and aquatic gardens, a menagerie, several barracks, over six miles of roadway and a 250 acre farm that produced much of the food the veterans ate.   The Central Branch had one of the best hospitals in the nation at the time.  Built in 1870, the hospital had steam operated elevators, a steam boiler system for heat, and indoor plumbing and was considered a innovative and progressive marvel at the time it was created.

Those veterans who were able were encouraged and even required to help around the home. Visitors were welcomed and encouraged to visit, as the mission was to create a home-like atmosphere for the veterans that lived there.  Because it was close to the railroad in the city of Dayton, many people could easily ride the train into the city and then come to the home.  It became a popular attraction that upwards of 150,000 people came to visit each year.

The Soldier's Home at Dayton in 1902, taken by Underwood and Underwood
Source: Library of Congress, Stereograph Cards, digital id cph 3b41068, photo in the public domain

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a wonderful virtual tour of the facility that takes one back to 1885 for those who are interested.  It helped give some sense of what the home was like in the time Jacob lived there.

Today the home is part of the VA Hospital system and is known as the Dayton VA Medical Center.

Jacob Bupp's Time at the Soldier's Home
At the time that he entered the soldier's home, Jacob Bupp was getting $12 per month in pension from the government for his service in the Civil War.

Paperwork found in his pension file stated that Jacob Bupp admitted to the home for defective vision and also for senility.  He was treated at the home beginning on 19 July 1898 for defective vision, senility and chronic rheumatism.  Glasses did not improve his vision, due to the fact that he had cataracts, and it appeared his hearing was also going.

Jacob Bupp's Medical history
Source: Photocopy provided by NARA in the pension file for Jacob Bupp

Little is known about his time at the hospital, or if any of his family visited him while he resided there.  The travel by train from Allegheny City to Dayton apparently took the better part of two days, so it is plausible that family made the trip if they were able.

On 21 February 1899, at 245 pm, Jacob Bupp died in the hospital at the Soldier's Home.  His cause of death was given as cardiac dilation with senectus, which would be diagnosed today as dilated cardiomyopathy (or an enlarged heart) due to old age, and the doctor who signed his death certificate was D. C. Huffman.

His body was sent back to his widow Caroline at their daughter Mary Anne Wasson's home at 319 Shady Avenue in Allegheny City the next day, arriving in Allegheny City late on the 23rd. According to one newspaper account of the body's arrival:

"The body bears a number of fresh looking wounds and the family intend investigating the cause of his death.  Bupp has been an inmate of the Soldiers' home for some time and was reported in excellent health early in the week.  The news of his death caused great surprise and the family fear he met with rough treatment." (Source: "Jacob Bupp's Death: Friends of the Deceased Will Have an Investigation Made," The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 24 February 1899, page 8).

However, as of the date of this blog post, a search for information on whether or not this investigation actually happened yielded no results.

EDIT HERE 4 June 2020: New evidence was discovered in the form of a newspaper article in the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette:

Source: Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennylvania), 25 February 1899, page 12; online images, see online at Google News Archives

Interestingly enough, one the physicians who examined him for one of his pension claims was William J. Langfitt, who also examined John D. Wood in 1889.  Jacob Bupp was the alderman who notarized that affidavit.

Jacob Bupp was buried on 26 February 1899, but it is not known which of the many cemeteries in Allegheny County was chosen for his final resting place.  It is quite possible he is buried in Highwood Cemetery, as Caroline later was buried there. EDIT HERE:  An inquiry into the records at Highwood Cemetery did in fact reveal that he was buried there in the same plot as Caroline.

Jacob Bupp's interment order from the Highwood Cemetery Association.

Interestingly enough, there were several versions of obituaries that made their way across the world with news of his death, though none of them mentioned a cemetery.  Click here for the next blog post, which discusses those versions.

Sources Used and Referenced:
Burns, Carolyn Johnson. Soldiers Home of Dayton, Ohio: Information about the Central Branch of the National Military Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers known today as the Dayton VA Medical Center (http://www.carolynjburns.com/soldiers/ : accessed 6 November 2019).

Central Branch, National Home for D. V. S., Certification of death of Jacob Bupp, died 21 February 1899; filed 1 March 1899 by D. C. Huffman; located in the pension file application of wife Caroline Bupp; 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.

Central Branch, National Home for Disabled Veterans; Medical History for Jacob Bupp, late of G Co, 6th Regiment, Penn H. Art.Volunteers. Dated 13 March 1899, filed 23 May 1899 ; 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., "Died February 21st 1899, from Cardiac Dilation with Senectus."

Death Notification to the Honorable Commissioner of Pensions from Central Branch National Home for D.V. S.; Notification of death of Jacob Bupp, died 21 Feb 1899, pension certificate 752533, co G, 6th regiment Pa H.A. filed 1 March 1899; 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.

"Died From Natural Causes: Physicians Found No Marks of Violence on the Body of Jacob Bupp," Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennylvania), 25 February 1899, page 12; online images, Google News Archives (https://news.google.com/newspapers : accessed 4 June 2020).

Gasbarro, Norman. "Old Soldiers' Homes," Civil War Blog: A Project of PA Historian, 9 May 2012 (http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/ : accessed 6 November 2019).

"Jacob Bupp's Death : Friends of the Deceased Will Have an Investigation Made," The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 24 February 1899, page 8; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 16 August 2016).

"Made the Rope That Hanged Guiteau," The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky), 25 February 1899, page 6; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 16 September 2017).

"Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001," online database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 17 August 2016), Entry for Jacob Bupp, 21 Feb 1899; citing Death, Montgomery, Ohio, United States, source ID v 4 p 22, C; FHL microfilm 1,030,827. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6VF-YN1.

Plante, Trevor K. "The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers," Prologue Magazine, Spring 2004; online, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue : accessed 11 November 2019).

Powell, Lisa. "Dayton’s soldiers’ home was among the country’s first to care for veterans," Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio), 24 May 2019, information on the history of the Dayton Home; online archives (https://www.daytondailynews.com/ : accessed 6 November 2019).

"U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 August 2016), Entry for Jacob Bupp; born 1823; Admitted 1898; citing Historical Register of National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M1749, 282 rolls); Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"Virtual Museum," webpage, U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs, Dayton VA Medical Center, Ohio (https://www.dayton.va.gov/museum/index.asp: accessed 6 November 2019), information on the Dayton Soldier's Home.