Jacob Beacher ^{3 4 5 6 7 8}

   Other names for Jacob were John Jacob Beacher,¹⁴ Johan Jacob Bicher,¹⁰ John Jacob Bicher,¹⁰ Jacob Biecher, John Jacob Biecher, Jacob Bieger ¹⁵ and Jacob Bucher Jr.¹⁶

   FamilySearch ID: KFN1-SNY.

  Christening Notes:

Sponsors were his grandparents, Jacob Bicher and wife Catherine. The church notes record the parents as Jacob Bicher and wife Mary (died).

  Burial Notes:

Source is Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary library according to Bruce Beacher. Bruce speculated the Ringown location was likely the St. Paul's Old White Church Cemetery where Jacob's father-in-law Bernard Eisenhuth is buried. However, Bruce could not locate a grave in Ringtown nor Shenandoah after searching. In 2013 the Schuylkill County Historical Society was hired to research the grave location and could not find an answer in their records. On May 29, 1891, the Shenandoah Evening Herald published an article listing graves that would be decorated for memorial day, including Jacob Beacher in Odd Fellow's Cemetery. Since no other Jacob Beacher died by 1891, perhaps Jacob is buried in Odd Fellows where his sons are?

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Alt. Name: Christened as surname Bicher (pronounced like Beecher in PA Dutch country), Jacob after 1850 adopted surname Beacher., in 1812, in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA.

2. Census in 1820 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹⁷ In the 1820 census Jacob is indexed as Jacob Beesher (FamilySearch.org) or Jacob Busher (Ancestry.com) in Lebanon in Lebanon County. In 1820 Jacob Bicher Sr. (b.1758) would be 62 and his wife Catherine 73. His son, John Jacob Jr. b.1782 would be 38 except he died in 1812, so Jacob Sr. raised his son's children, who by 1820 would have these ages: Lydia 11, William 9, and Jacob 8. All of these fit perfectly into the Census record found which shows:

Males (born)
Under 10 (1811-1820) = 2 (grandsons Jacob 8 and William 9)
26-44 (1776-1794) = 1 (Jacob's son J. William b. 1785?)
45 & over (<=1775) = 2 (father Jacob and ?)
It is not known who the other male aged 45+ was, perhaps a butler, worker or brother-in-law?
Females (born)
Under 10 (1811-1820) = 1 (J. William's daughter?)
10-15 (1805-1810) = 1 (granddaughter Lydia 11)
45 & over (<=1775) = 1 (wife Catherine).

3. Census in 1830 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹⁸ Jacob Beicher is listed in Lebanon Borough on page 35 in the 1830 Census. Living in the household are:
Males (born)
Under 5 (1826-1830) = 2 great grandsons ?
15-19 (1811-1815) = 1 grandson (Jacob?)
70-79 (1751-1760) = 1 Jacob
Females (born)
40-49 (1781-1790) = 1 ?? (Mary Michael?)
80-89 (1741-1750) = 1 wife Catherine

This appears to be the household of Jacob Bucher born 1758. His age would be 72 in 1830, and his wife Catherine 83, explaining the two elderly household heads perfectly.

Since his son, John Jacob (born 1782 who would be 48 in 1830) had died of an accident with a sickle, the 15-19 year old male could be either grandson Jacob (born 1812) or William (born 1811). Likely the older William age 19 was already off living on his own, as was Lydia age 21, and this is Jacob.

The female 40-49 could be Mary Bicher (nee Michael), wife of John Jacob (born 1782), since her husband died in 1812.

4. Moved: Abt 1835, Pottsville, Schuylkill, PA. ²

5. Census in 1840 in Pottsville, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁹ The handwriting is unclear on the census page and could be Mr. Beacher or Ms. Beacher with this household:
Males (born)
15-19 (1821-1825) = 1
Females (born)
Under 5 (1836-1840)
5-9 (1831-1835) = 1
50-59 (1781-1790) = 1

The elder Beacher appears to be Mary Michal (1781-1861), wife of the deceased Jacob Bicher (1782-1812) taking care of two of her grandchildren.

6. The grandson of Jacob Beecher (b.1758), Jacob Beecher (b.1812), received $500 to assign his right to his grandfather Jacob's estate to his brother, William. On 4 Apr 1842 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ²⁰ Whereas Jacob Beecher, the elder late of the Borough of Lebanon County of State of Pennsylvania, died intestate leaving certain real estate in the Borough of Lebanon aforesaid, consisting of a house and lot of ground fronting on Cumberland Street in said Borough, bounded on the west, by an alley; on the South by an alley & on the East by a Street. And whereas the said intestate, died leaving no issue besides three Grand Children to inherit same, to wit, William Beecher, Jacob Beecher & Lidia Beecher intermarried with William Meily. Now Know all men by these presents that Jacob Beecher of Centre County & State aforesaid and Angeline his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of Five Hundred dollars, lawful money of the United States to them in hand well and truly paid by William Beecher, of the Borough of Lebanon aforesaid, have remised, released and forever quit claimed and by these presents do for themselves and their heirs remise, release and forever quit claim unto the said William Beecher and to his heirs and assigns forever all the estate, right, title, interest, claim and demand whatsoever of him the said Jacob Beecher and Angeline his wife, of, in or to all that Lot of ground above mentioned with the appurtenances, To have & to hold the said Lot of ground with the appurtenances unto the said William Beecher, his heirs and assigns, to the only proper use and behoof of him the said William Beecher his heirs and assigns forever. So that neither he the said Jacob Beecher and Angeline his wife, nor their heirs nor any other person or persons, for him or them or in his or their names, or right shall or may by any ways or means, at any time hereafter claim, challenge or demand any estate, right, title or interest, of, in or the said lot of ground with the appurtenances or any part thereof, but from all and every action and actions estate, right, title, interest & demand, of, in, or to the premises or any part or parcel thereof, they and every of them shall be forever barred by these presents. In witness whereof the said parties have hereunto set their hands and seals the fourth day of April A.D. 1842.
Signed, sealed and delivered
Jacob Beecher (signature)
Angeline Beecher (her mark)
In the presence of
Joseph E. Orth when Jacob Beecher signed
John Shindel at do
H. B. Mussina when Angeline signed
Abraham Gingrich.

7. Census in 1850 in Pottsville, Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁵ In 1850 living in the South Ward of Pottsville is Jacob Bieger. Obviously the census taker was confused by his German pronunciation of his surname! Jacob Bieger, tailor, age 36, is living with wife Angeline, 35; William, 12; Jacob, 11; Hiram, 8; Benjamin, 6; George, 3; and Nathan, 8 months old when the census was recorded on 29 Aug 1850. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

8. Trinity Lutheran in Pottsville where the church book records all of the children of Jacob Beacher and Angelina were baptized on the same day. Their surnames are recorded as "Beacher". On 28 Sep 1853 in Pottsville: Trinity Lutheran Church, Schuylkill, PA. ⁴

9. Court: Jacob Beacher was involved in a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case over land he purchased in 1842 in Schuylkill County. In 1858 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ²¹ Error to the Common Pleas of Schuylkill county

This was an ejectment by Alexander F. Glass, Samuel Shober, Frederick Shober, William Roberts and James Cummings against John McBarron, Jacob Eisenhuth, James Taggart and Wayne Myers, for a tract of land in Rush township Schuylkill county containing 412 acres 91 perches.

The plaintiffs claimed title under a warrant to Joseph Hoy for 400 acres dated the 24th May 1815 a survey thereon on the 9th June following of 412 acres 91 perches accepted on the 30th of the same month and a patent to Joseph Hoy on the 8th July 1815.

On the 7th June 1842 Philip Hoy and wife and Joseph Hoy and wife conveyed to Jacob Beacher the tract patented to Joseph Hoy for $1600. And on the 4th April 1845 Jacob Beacher and wife conveyed an undivided half of the same tract to George Eisenhuth. The plaintiff deduced a clear legal title from Beacher and Eisenhuth.

The defendants claimed an undivided half of the land. They showed that six warrants each for 400 acres and dated the 24th May 1815 including the one under which the plaintiffs claimed title had been taken out in the names respectively of George Body, Philip Hoy, George Body Jr., Abraham Hoy, Henry Hoy and Joseph Hoy; that they were taken out and paid for by George Body, the father of George Body Jr., and by Philip Hoy, the father of Abraham, Henry and Joseph Hoy in partnership and for their joint use; that they had them surveyed on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of June 1815, and paid the office and patenting fees.

That George Body died in 1841 or 1842 leaving two sons George and Benjamin whose title is vested in the defendants.

That before Beacher and Eisenhuth purchased they had express notice from George Body that he and his brother owned one half of the tract and that it was partnership land. Evidence was also given of an ejectment in 1846 against the holders of the legal title and a writ of estrepement in that suit.

It was further shown that Philip Hoy and George Body Sr. paid the taxes on these lands that at least twice before Beacher purchased. The sons of George Body had paid the taxes and that as early as 1844 or 1845 Jacob Eisenhuth moved on the six tracts known as the Hoy and Body lands that he cut timber over the whole tracts and that he had ever since resided thereon with his family.

Defendants further showed a deed from the treasurer of Schuylkill county to the commissioners dated 6th July 1822 for 800 acres of land in Schuylkill township surveyed to and owned by Body and Hoy sold for $23.40 road tax and a redemption deed dated 27th April 1829 by the commissioners to George Body for $52.

The court below, Higgins PJ, instructed the jury that upon the whole evidence the plaintiffs were entitled to recover. There was a verdict and judgment for the plaintiffs whereupon the defendants removed the cause to this court and here assigned for error that the court below erred in so charging the jury.

FWJ Hughes and Hoffman, for plaintiffs in error. -- The payment of the purchase money to the commonwealth by George Body and Philip Hoy constituted them in equity tenants in common of the whole body of lands surveyed: Sampson v. Sampson, 4 S & R. 333-4; Cluggage v. Duncan 1 S. & R. 117.

BW Cumming, for defendants in error A party entitled to a resulting trust is required to act promptly. Equity refuses its aid after 21 years: Peebles v. Reading, 8 S & R 493; Price on Limitations, 156; Strimpfler v. Roberts, 6 Harris 298.

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Strong J -- The defendants below stood upon an alleged equity. The evidence given to prove that it ever had any existence was slight, and it is doubtful whether a chancellor would have listened to it asserted as it was against a regular legal title. It is said to have been a resulting trust in Joseph Hoy in favour of George Body, in consideration that the latter had paid part of the purchase money of a warrant issued to Hoy.

That payment is proved only by the testimony of Joseph Toll who testified that his father in law Philip Hoy and George Body took up the land that each paid one half in the office and by the testimony of George Body Jr who says that old Hoy and his father took up the six tracts in partnership each paid one half. Neither witness states that he was present when the alleged payment was made nor what wore his means of knowledge of any payment In cases of parol sales where the attempt is to evade the statute of frauds by converting the vendor into a trustee for the vendee by partial execution it has repeatedly been held to be the duty of the court to reject all evidence of a verbal contract if in the judgment of the court when taken as true it does not make out such a case as would induce a chancellor to decree a conveyance: Brawdy v. Brawdy, 7 Barr 157; Poorman v. Kilgore, 2 Casey 371; per Lowrie J. There is at least equal reason for applying the rule to an attempt to set up a resulting trust against a legal title.

But assuming that in this case such a trust was proved did exist when the plaintiffs below brought their ejectment. The warrant was issued on the 24th of May 1815 to Joseph Hoy. Then, if ever, Body paid part of the purchase money, and then, if ever, the resulting trust was born. From that time until June 7th, 1842, a period of more than twenty seven years, neither George Body nor any one claiming under him ever asserted his equitable title, in such a manner as to keep it alive. Nor did Joseph Hoy, the warrantee, or those claiming under him, ever acknowledge its existence. So far from any such acknowledgment was the fact that patent for the land was taken in the name of Joseph Hoy alone the 8th of July 1815, which was a denial of ownership in Body. The facts proved, that Body and his children paid taxes assessed upon a larger body of lands, including that in dispute, but assessed as one tract, called Hoy and Body, part of which was warranted and patented to them, and that George redeemed that large tract in 1829, after it had been sold for taxes, amount to no assertion of this pretended latent equity. Those acts were necessary to save the lands patented to the Bodys, and are consistent with entire forgetfulness of any equitable claim tract patented to Joseph Hoy.

The case is, therefore, embraced within the principle of Strimp v. Roberts, 6 Harris 283, and is ruled by it. The general doctrine of that case is, "that where a warrant is issued to one person, and the purchase money is paid to another, and the patent is afterwards taken out by the nominal warrantee, the right him who paid the purchase money is gone, unless he takes the land, or brings ejectment to recover it within twenty one from the date of the warrant, and after that lapse of time he cannot recover, no matter how clearly he may be able to prove the legal owner was in the beginning a trustee for him."

It further ruled in that case, "that evidence of purchase money paid the plaintiff as the ground work of his title, ought to be rejected the court, if the date of the payment be more than twenty-one years before suit brought, unless it be accompanied by an offer to such acknowledgments on the part of the warrantee as will the case out of the rule here laid down."

So just is this of limitation that the legislature have now adopted it, and have even restricted the period within which a resulting trust be enforced to five years: Act of 22d April 1856 P. L. 532. It follows that the equitable title, which the defendants attempted to set up, had no existence.

This view of the case renders it unnecessary to consider the effect of the ejectment brought to June Term 1846, against the holders of the legal title. The resulting trust having expired long before that time notice if lis pendens be notice of a latent equity, was utterly unavailing to give it new life.

Judgment affirmed.

10. Census in 1860 in New Castle Twp., Schuylkill, PA. ¹⁶ In 1860 living in the New Castle Township is Jacob Bucher, day laborer, age 48, living with wife Angeline, 45; William, day laborer, 21; Jacob, day laborer, 19; Hiram, day laborer, 17; B. Franklin, day laborer, 15; George, 12; and Nathan, 9; and Ann M., 7. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The post office is Broad Mountain.

11. Military between 16 Jun 1863 and 31 Jul 1863 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA: Civil War: Co. A 27th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry Militia (Emergency, 1863). At the Schuylkill County Historical Society in the military records book:
Jacob Beacher
Buried at Odd Fellow Cemetery in Shenandoah.
Co. A 27th Regiment
16 Jun 1863 to 31 July 1863
27th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry Militia (Emergency, 1863) was organized at Harrisburg in June, 1863 to protect Pennsylvania against Lee's invasion. Duty at Columbia and Wrightsville. Defense and destruction of railroad bridge June 28. Mustered out July 31, 1863.

12. Census in 1870 in New Castle Twp., Schuylkill, PA. ³ The 1870 census lists Jacob Beacher, the first census to spell his name this way. He is a laborer, age 57, living with wife, Angeline, 55; 3 sons who are all laborers: William, 31; George, 22; Nathan, 21; and daughter Mary, 18. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The post office is Broad Mountain.

Angeline is listed again in the 1870 Census as Angelina Becker, the head of a household in Shenandoah city occupied by her children William, Herman, Benjamin, George, Nathan, and Mary. It appears the family had two homes, the home they had in 1860 census near Broad Mountain and another in Shenandoah, perhaps because the boys were employed as miners and wished to live near their work.

13. Census in 1880 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ⁹ The census listed at 126 Cherry Street: Jacob Beacher, laborer, 67, living with wife, Angeline, 65, and sons William, miner, 41, and Nathan, miner, 28. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania. The census was recorded 8 Jun 1880.

14. Cemetery: in Shenandoah Heights: Odd Fellows Cemetery, Schuylkill, PA. Newspaper accounts in the Shenandoah Evening Herald in the 1890's state that Jacob Beacher's grave in Odd Fellows Cemetery was decorated on Memorial Day because he was a veteran, but his stone has not been located, nor any account of his death, which occurred after the Jun 1880 U.S. census in which he appears or perhaps the 1881 Boyd's Shenandoah Directory in wich he is listed. On Memorial Day 1891 he is listed as a deceased Civil War veterans in Odd Fellows Cemetery where his sons are buried and next to their graves there are empty tracts where Jacob's stone may have once stood?.

15. Residence: in 1881 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ²² Beacher, Benjamin F., miner, h. W. Centre n Main
Beacher, George W., miner, h al r Oak n West
Beacher, Hiram, miner, h Oak bel West
Beacher, Jacob, h Oak bel West
Beacher, John J., miner, h. 323 W Coal
Beacher, Nathan, miner, h Oak bel West
Beacher, William, miner, h Oak bel West
Dirk, Priscilla, widow Jonathan, h 31 N Jardin
Jacobs, William, laborer, h Line c Main.

16. Newspaper: Evening Herald: Preparations for Observing Memorial Day: The Graves in the Three Cemeteries to be Decorated Tomorrow... Odd Fellows Cemetery...Jacob Beacher, 29 May 1891, Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ²³

17. Newspaper: Evening Herald: Dead Heroes. Where Their Graves Are Located In This Vicinity. The following is the list of the soldier dead buried in teh different cemeteries near town: Odd Fellows Cemetery ...Jacob Beacher..., 27 May 1895, Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA. ¹²

18. Book: Beacher Family History: Jacob and Angeline, 1978. ²⁴

JACOB AND ANGELINE
Written in 1978 by our family genealogist, Bruce Franklin Beacher PhD (1919-2004)

BERNARD "BARNEY" EISENHUTH was well-known among Pennsylvania's backwoodsmen. Fair-haired and blue-eyed, he stood a full head above most of his short-statured contemporaries. His youthfulness was astonishing; he was destined to live longer than any other man in Pennsylvania--over ill years! Born in the Lebanon Valley and baptized a Lutheran on May 10, 1755 (probably by John Casper Stoever, the younger), he grew to six feet and assumed charge of the family when his father left to serve as Captain of Riflemen under General Anthony Wayne. Capt. EISENHUTH never returned, presumably killed in action.

In their youth, BARNEY EISENHUTH and JACOB BICHER were friends in the Lebanon community. But the EISENHUTHs left Lebanon for new lands opening in the mountain valleys after the war. BARNEY met and married a Philadelphia girl, CATHERINE SAYLOR, and tried farming in Pine Grove Township (then Berks County.) They had ten children before fire destroyed their home in 1806 and, with it, most of the family's keepsakes. Relatives and the demand for lumbermen to serve the rapidly growing iron industry of Centre County drew Barney and his family to that area where the EISENHUTH name became established in Penn Township.

When young JOHN JACOB BICHER reached manhood he left the Lebanon Valley seeking his independence and livelihood, as well as his hearts desire -- ANGELINE EISENHUTH. Nothing could have pleased his grandfather and BARNEY EISENHUTH more when the young couple married in 1837 and proceeded to bring a succession of sons into the world that welded the bond between the old friends for life.

The firstborn of JACOB and ANGELINE was named WILLIAM, honoring JACOB BICHER's brother and other family ancestors. His brothers arrived with regularity -- JOHN JACOB (1840), HIRAM (1842), BENJAMIN (1845), GEORGE (1849) and NATHAN (1851.) Meanwhile opportunity for lumbermen shifted eastward to Schuylkill County, the focus of the evolving hard coal mining industry. It was there where the first and only daughter, MARY, broke the male dynasty in 1853. The family moved to Pottsville before 1850 when the flurry of inventions for coal stoves, ovens and furnaces, the development of railroads, and the application of machinery to mining multiplied coal production 40 to 50 fold.

Lumbermen, miners, masons and other tradesmen were drawn as by a magnet to the center of action in Schuylkill County. The word "schuylkill" is Swedish, meaning "to hide." The county is named after the river. Picturesque mountains and valleys hid the great deposits of coal until anthracite became a prime fuel. Now the torn hillsides and great rounds of mine tailings are mute reminders of the historic, albeit frantic, mining period.

Sadly, BARNEY EISENHUTH lost his wife in 1848 when she was 95. He was still capable of a day's work, and already a legend in the State. He moved his home to Pottsville with son GEORGE EISENHUTH and nearby ANGELINE and her sons.

The 1850 United States Census records JACOB BIEGER, tailor, living in the South Ward, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, with his wife, ANGELINE, and six sons. The earliest settlers of the community were from Alsace-Lorraine and Switzerland, via the Schoharie Valley (New York) settlement and the Pennsylvania-German speaking JACOB and his family were at home among fellow "Germans." But Pottsville literally exploded with growth as mining developed and the railroad came to town. It became the seat of Schuylkill County in 1851 as well as the center of communications for rail and stagecoach travel and the news.

Life was rough by today's standards-mining, drinking and fighting became commonplace together and churches were few and sparsely attended. But the people were courageous and patriotic. Volunteers joined the campaign against Mexico under the leadership of Captain James Nagle and the young BIEGER boys followed the news with keen interest in the Freiheits Press and the Miners Journal. Emotions ran high with the outbreak of the War Between the States and when Lee threatened Pennsylvania at Gettysburg WILLIAM and JOHN enlisted.

Many families coming to America have experienced name changes. The BEACHERS are no exception and the enlistment of the Sons of JACOB and ANGELINE in the Union Army marked the introduction and permanent attachment of BEACHER to this branch of the original BUCHER line. Coincidentally in Lebanon, Pennsylvania at about the same time, the enlistment of WILLIAM BICHER, blood-relative of WILLIAM of Pottsville, introduced the name of BEICHER to that line of the family.

WILLIAM and JOHN BEACHER became privates in Company A of the 27th Pennsylvania Infantry on June 16, 1863. On June 24, the regiment, under Colonel Frick, was sent to Columbia on the Susquehanna River to prevent the enemy from crossing the bridge to Lancaster and Philadelphia. The troops took position upon the heights on the right bank, a half mile back from Wrightsville. On the evening of the 28th, the enemy attacked. Frick had no artillery, but held ground until outnumbered and outflanked. He ordered withdrawal across the bridge. A pre-set explosion failed to destroy the bridge and the men had to fire it. Nine were wounded. Then the rebels learned that the Army of the Potomac was on its flank and withdrew to Gettysburg. The rest of the story is world history. On July 31 WILLIAM and JOHN BEACHER were mustered out of the service and went home, unscathed. But Number Four son, BENJAMIN, was aching for action, too. On February 12, 1864, at the age of 20, standing "five feet three inches with brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion," he enrolled as a private in Company F, 80th Regiment, 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry. His older brother, JOHN, re-enlisted with him, perhaps as protector. Their exploits with the 7th gave them enough to talk about at home with their cronies for the rest of their lives.

The Union Cavalry and the 7th in particular had a prior record of mixed successes and failures in combat against the skilled horsemen of the South, especially Morgan and his riders. BEN and JOHN BEACHER joined the 7th Cavalry unit when it was stationed at Huntsville, Alabama. The men received new Spencer carbines, sabers and fresh horses and, after drilling at Columbia set out with Sherman towards Atlanta, fighting at Rome, Dallas, Big Shanty, McAfee Cross Roads, Kennesaw Mountain, Covington, Flat Rock and, finally, Atlanta. Battles continued through August 23, when the campaign closed at Lead's Cross Roads. Losses were heavy and the 7th returned to Louisville for reorganization.

After the battle of Nashville, in which General Thomas defeated and put to rout the rebel army under Hood, the regiment was stationed at Gravelly Springs, Alabama, on the Tennessee River, where it was engaged in drilling and completing its organization and equipment for the spring campaign of 1865. On the 22nd of March it joined the command of General James H. Wilson, and with it set out on the expedition from Eastport, Mississippi across the Gulf States. On the 1st of April, it was engaged in the battle of Plantersville, Alabama, and on the following day, arrived in front of Selma. The position of the regiment in the line of march for that day was third, in the advance brigade of General Long's Division; but upon arriving near the city, it was ordered to the front to lead the assault upon the works.

"I directed General Long," said General Wilson in his report, "to assault the enemy's works by moving diagonally across the road upon which his troops were posted. . . Fearing that this affair (the coming up of the enemy on his rear) might compromise our assault upon the main position, General Long, with admirable judgment, determined to make the assault at once, and, without waiting the signal, gave the order to advance. The troops, dismounted, sprang forward with confident alacrity, and in less than fifteen minutes, without even stopping, wavering, or faltering, had swept over the works and driven the rebels in confusion towards the city. The distances which the troops charged, exposed to the enemy's fire of musketry and artillery, was six hundred yards.

Particular attention is invited to that part of General Long's report which described the assault. He states that the number actually engaged in the charge was one thousand five hundred and fifty, officers and men. The portion of the line assaulted was manned by Armstrong's Brigade, regarded as the best in Forest's corps, and reported by him at more than fifteen hundred men. The loss from Long's Division was forty killed, two hundred and sixty wounded, and seven missing. General Long was wounded in the head, Colonels Miller and McCormick in the leg, and Colonel Briggs in the breast. I doubt if the history of this, or any other war, will show another instance in which a line of works so strongly constructed, and as well defended as this, by musketry and artillery, has been stormed and carried by a single line of men without support."

The regiment was fearfully exposed, and lost heavily in killed and wounded. Lieutenant Jacob Sigmond was among the killed. Col. McCormick fell severely wounded at the foot of the works, as the regiment, in advance of all others, was about entering the fortifications. The command now devolved on Lieutenant Colonel Andress, and under him the regiment participated in the engagement near Columbus, on the 16th of April. On the 20th it arrived at Macon, Georgia, where, the war having substantially closed, it remained until the 13th of August, when it was mustered out of service.

JOHN and BENJAMIN BEACHER survived the campaign without injury and returned home to be mustered out of service on August 23, 1865. Brother WILLIAM also had re-enlisted as a private, this time in Company C, 194th Regiment Infantry, at Pottsville, on July 13, 1864. The regiment was sent to Baltimore for provost duty before returning to Harrisburg, where WILLIAM was mustered out of the service on November 6, 1864.

While the War was in progress, other events were shaping a future home for the BEACHERS in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. For a long time the site had been occupied only by an old tavern, the Kaley House. PETER KALEY (or KEHLEY) settled there to farm sometime after 1820. He found some coal which he carried to the blacksmith in Ringtown over the mountain. But the great seam of coal beneath him attracted the Philadelphia Land Company to purchase his right, allowing him to remain there until his death in 1860. Mining began in earnest in 1862. P. W. SHAEFER of Pottsville laid out "Shenandoah City," choosing an Indian name meaning "sprucy stream" (Or perhaps, "daughter of the stars.") The first building was a frame hotel, followed by houses on Cherry street, where JACOB and ANGELINE BEACHER and their family would settle.

When the War ended, marriages quickly followed. BENJAMIN married SARAH JANE JACOBS while his brother, JOHN, stood as a witness with his girl-friend, ANGELINE OCOM (or OKUM), whom he soon married. HIRAM BEACHER married HENRIETTA JACOBS and established his home in Mt. Carmel. GEORGE (not to be confused with GEORGE BEACHER of Tremont, contemporary, but non-relative) married LINDA BROCIUS, but no children resulted. The 1880 census indicates that GEORGE also may have married a MARY, with no issue.

JACOB and ANGELINE's little MARY, however, proved to be the most productive family member. She married THEODORE BRADY and they had fourteen children, only six of which survived infancy. The BRADYs operated a livery in St. Clair before moving to Philadelphia, MARY part of the time as a widow. WILLIAM and NATHAN continued to live with their parents in Shenandoah for some years before WILLIAM married a widow, PRISCILLA BRIGITTA DERRICK nee WEARY, known affectionately as "Aunt Perhit." Their union added five more to her four, for a total of nine! An active Salvation Army worker-, she reportedly succumbed to consumption after exposure on the streets during severe weather conditions.

NATHAN BEACHER continued as the only bachelor, becoming something of a family legend to the children. Never tied down by the military or marriage, he had contributed to the war effort by "procuring" horses for the 7th Cavalry, presumably for his brothers' benefit, and not necessarily by legal means. "UNCLE NATE" roamed westward, far and wide, periodically returning to his parents' home in Shenandoah to delight his nephews and nieces with tales of his adventures in far-away places. On his last visit he asked to see his brother, BENJAMIN, and was sent to the fire station where BEN was a charter member. He asked for his brother and when Ben appeared he said, "Well, you don't look like him!" Then he was off for northwestern Pennsylvania. Nate was finally buried with his brothers in Odd Fellows Cemetery above Shenandoah.

The Nation would never be the same after the War Between the States, nor would the BEACHER families ever again enjoy a role model like BARNEY EISENHUTH. At the age of 105 while clearing land, he fell and severely injured his hips. He was fastened to a plank by a physician for nine weeks and finally could remain no longer, although requested to do so. He was soon able to walk painfully, suffering from the effects thereafter. On June 22, 1866 at the age of 111 years, 3 months and 12 days, he departed this life. He was attended during his last illness by the Reverend U. Graves of the English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pottsville, who at his request gave him the Communion. During the service the patriarch was melted to tears, and partook as intelligently as ever of the sacred elements. He was laid to rest with other Eisenhuths and Eisenhowers in the beautiful setting of the Old White Church cemetery near Ringtown, the oldest church in Schuylkill County.

BARNEY EISENHUTH left five children, forty-one grandchildren and one hundred and sixteen living descendants. Probably as many more predeceased him. His impact on the BEACHERS was far more than genetic. He was always "early to bed and early to rise," being up at daylight every morning. He always ate plain food, and frequently lectured his descendants for using too much shortening, etc. in their food. He used liquor occasionally, but never to excess, and would taste only the best old-fashioned rye whiskey. Arriving in the world at the outset of the French and Indian War he had experienced the yoke of colonialism, watched his father go off in the struggle for independence without return, followed the Contention among the new States and finally the supreme struggle to maintain the Union. He voted for every President from George. Washington to Abraham Lincoln. He was eulogized in the Pottsville Standard as "one of a class that seem to be getting smaller yearly; to the class who do their duty to God and man, love their country for their country's sake, pay their debts and live honestly and frugally. He goes down to the grave respected and honored by all…one of the few living links between the by-gone past and present."

JACOB and ANGELINE BEACHER lived out the rest of their lives through the 1880's in Shenandoah, never forgetting the grand old man or failing to recount his life and character to their children and grandchildren. JACOB's own grandfather, the Elder of Lebanon, preceded BARNEY EISENHUTH in death by nearly a quarter of a century, and the families gradually lost contact. JACOB's brother, WILLIAM BICHER (BEICHER) died in 1880 and was interred in Mount Lebanon Cemetery by his son, WILLIAM, a veteran of Company K, 127th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, along with their mother MARY MICHAL BICHER and other relatives. The BIECHER name was carried into the 20th century in Lebanon by four sons and four daughters of the marriage of the veteran WILLIAM to LOUISA HARTMAN EMBICH.

It is one of life's fateful facts that bloodlines diverge and lose contact. What an event it would be if all were to be reunited at the feet of the patriarchs and grand dames to renew associations and exchange experiences! But especially to look for the familiar twinkle of an eye, dimpled smile, or gesture that one could identify at once with an ancestor and relative. There is no doubt that some might be called "Little Barney" or "Little Jacob" or "Little Angeline" if this were to happen. And the honored elders would, no doubt, beam their approval.

Jacob married Angeline Eisenhuth, daughter of Bernard Eisenhuth and Catherine Saylor, in 1837 in Pottsville, Schuylkill, PA.^{1 2} (Angeline Eisenhuth was born on 2 Sep 1815 in Bellefonte, Centre, PA,^{1 9 25} died on 2 Feb 1885 in Shenandoah, Schuylkill, PA ^{1 25} and was buried in Shenandoah Heights: Odd Fellows Cemetery, Schuylkill, PA ^{2 25}.)