Cornelius Christian Beecher ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13}

   FamilySearch ID: MR4C-TK4.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1850 in Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA. ¹⁴ John Bucher, laborer, 39, was living with daughter Lucy A., 13; David, 11; Cornelius, 9; Lydia, 6; John, 3; and William 1. His real estate was worth $200. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

2. Census in 1850 in Franklin Twp., Adams, PA. ^{1 18} Peter Beecher, laborer, age 60, was living with Catherine, 58; Joseph, laborer, 22; Elizabeth, 23; Ann M., 18; son Sam, 15; Mary C., 1 and a twin? William, 1.

Peter has no real estate value, suggesting he was living on land owned by the previous neighbor, Eve Rife, age 57, apparently a widower living with Jonas Oner[?], 21; Elenora Figley, 21; and Cornelius Beecher, laborer, 9 [there is a 6 before the 9 but with it appears to be crossed out.] Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

3. Census in 1860 in Gettysburg, Adams, PA. ¹⁹ Cornelius Beecher, 18, was an apprentice to blacksmith to Samuel H. Foulk, 53, and was living with Samuel's family: wife Emma, 54; David Z., 9; Anna M. L., 7; Alice J., 4; and Samuel, 1. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania, except the elder Samuel in Ohio.

4. Cornelius Beecher filed claim and later was paid $62.50 by PA for horses, cattle, sheep, crops and food stolen by Rebel soldiers during the Jul 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. on 11 Nov 1868 in , Adams, PA. ²⁰ Date of Application: 11 Nov 1868
Date of Appearance: 20 Oct 1871
No. of Claim: 3417
Name of Applicant: Cornelius Beecher
Address: Township: Straban
Address: Post Office: Gettysburg
General Fund: Original Claim: 62.50
Sinking Fund: Toal Award: 62.50
Award: Personal Estate: 60.00
Award: Real Estate: 0.00
Award: Total: 60.00.

5. Census in 1870 in Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA. ²¹ The 1870 census recorded Corneille Beecher [index mistake], farmer, 26, living with wife Emma, 23; daughter Mary Ann, 3; and Sarah E. 1 year; and Lizzie R., 2 months old, born in April. Also in the home was Lydia Cashman, 50; and brother David Beecher, farmer, 33. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. The post office was Gettysburg.

6. Census in 1880 in Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA. ¹ Carnelius Beecher, 37, farm laborer, was living with wife Emma, 33; Mary, 13: Ella, 11; Lizzie, 9; Nettie, 7; and Minnie, 1. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

7. Newspaper: Star & Sentinel, 1 Feb 1898, Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA. ²² Candidate for Supervisor of Cumberland Twp. Cornelius Beecher d. (Democrat).

8. Census in 1900 in Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA. ³ Cornelius Beecher, farmer, 55, born Feb 1845, widowed, was living with son Harry, at school, 13, born Dec 1886. Also with them is boarder H. Margaret Miller, house keeper, 45, born Feb 1855, widowed. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

9. Census in 1910 in Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA. ²³ Cornelius Beecher [indexed in census as Beecker], 65, widowed, is living at 150 Emmittsburg Rd. He is a farm laborer. In his household is Hannah Miller, widowed, 53. They and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

10. Cause of Death: apoplexy (cerebral hemorrhage), 2 Feb 1920, Cumberland Twp., Adams, PA.

11. Newspaper: Gettysburg Times: "The funeral of Cornelius Beecher, of Greenmount, which was to have been held this morning, has been postponed until Saturday morning at 10:00 o'clock.", 5 Feb 1920, Gettysburg, Adams, PA.

12. Obituary: New Oxford Item: obituary of Cornelius Beecher on 5 Feb 1920 in New Oxford, Adams, PA. ²⁴ Cornelius Beecher, aged 75, died at his home near Greenmount Monday morning. He was a life long resident of Adams county and spent the majority of his life in the Greenmount section. Five children survive him, including Mrs. Powers Pittenturf and Mrs. John Bowers, of Gettysburg.

13. Obituary: Gettysburg Compiler on 7 Feb 1920 in Gettysburg, Adams, PA. ¹¹ Cornelius Beecher died at his home near Greenmount on Monday at the age of 75 years. He was a life-long resident of Adams county and spent the majority of his life in the Greemount section. Five children survive him, Mrs. Powers Pittenturf and Mrs. John Bowers, of Gettysburg; Mrs. David Sentz of Harney, Md.; Mrs John Adams, of Rome, N. Y., and Harry Beecher, of Detroit, Mich.

14. Gettysburg Times:Notice of Estate Sale for Cornelius C. Beecher on 3 Apr 1920 in Gettysburg, Adams, PA. Administratrix's Public Sale of Valuable Personal Property on Friday, April 9th, 1920.
The undersigned administratix of the estate of Cornelius C. Beecher, late of Cumberland Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, deceased, will offer at public sale at the late residence of Cornelius C. Beecher, along the Emmitsburg Road, about four miles south of Gettysburg, the following valuable personal property:
FARM STOCK AND MACHINERY
Horse, two buggies, one a falling top; one horse wagon; two horse plow; two horse spring wagon; shovel plow; corn forks; good saddle; several sets of harness; hay; corn fodder; straw; lots of good lumber; oak plans; oak boards; lot of corn by the bushel and chickens by the pound.
HOUSEHOLD GOODS
Beds; bedding; old-fashioned bureau safe; chests; trun; corner cupboard; organ; half dozen cane seated chairs; lot of plan bottom chairs; tables; cook stove; ten plate stove; lot of home-made and ingrain carpet; stone crocks; jars; iron kettle; copper kettle; wash tubs; lot of pots; pans and kettles; dishes and other articles too numerous to mention.
Sale will commence promptly at one o'clock P. M., when terms and conditions of sale will be made known by the undersigned.
MARY A. PITTENTURF
Admistratix of Cornelius C. Beecher, deceased.
Spangler, auctioneer.
Duboraw, clerk.
J. Donald Swope, Esq., Attorney for estate.

15. Letter: Letters on File at Adams County Historical Society re: Cornelius Beecher, 2003, Gettysburg, Adams, PA. ²⁵ Russ A. Pritchard, Jr.
Log House
402 Atway Road
Holly Springs, MS 38635

Mr. Woody Christ
Adams County Historical Society
111 N. West Confederate Avenue
Gettysburg, PA 17325

January 30, 2003

Dear Mr. Christ,

Thank you so much for taking my telephone call yesterday. Jim Thomas said you were the person to assist in my inquiry.

Now that you have answered my question about the identity of Mr. Cornelius Beecher mentioned on the tag from the Shields Museum attached to the English Short Rifle left on the battlefield by CPL. Henry W. J. McMath, Co. B, 6th Alabama Infantry, I wonder if you could send me a xerox copy of the card or source of that information for inclusion in my file on the firearm?

I would further impose on your good nature and knowledge of the battlefield as a Licensed Guide to request that you send me your idea of the action of the O'Neal's Brigade, and specifically the 6th Alabama, on July 3rd in which action CPL. McMath was killed. As I mentioned the label states "Found at Peach Orchard by Mr. Cornelius Beecher shortly after the battle". What Peach Orchard would that be?

Again, thank you for your kindness and generosity in assisting me in resolving this puzzle. If there are any charges for copying or whatever, just include an invoice and I'll send you a check immediately.

Sincerely, Russ A. Pritchard, Jr.

---REPLY LETTER FOLLOWS---

5 February 2003

RUSS A PRITCHARD JR
LOG HOUSE
402 ATWAY ROAD
HOLLY SPRINGS MS 38635

RE: Cornelius C. Beecher (1845-1920)

Dear Mr. Pritchard:

I have received your letter dated 30 January 2003 regarding the inscription on a rifle that you purchased at the Shield's estate sale.

Usually for a request as yours, there would be a charge for research. However, I decided to volunteer some of my personal time; so here we go.

Enclosed please find the following:

- Obituary of Cornelius Beecher taken out of the Gettysburg Compiler

- Excerpt from the 1860 census for Gettysburg

-Excerpt from the 1870 Census for Cumberland twp.

According to his obituary, Cornelius spent most of his life "near Greenmont." As I mentioned to you in our telephonic conversation on 29 January 2003, Greenmount is located in Cumberland township about five miles south of Gettysburg on Business Rt. 15 (Emmitsburg Road) where it crosses Marsh Creek. There, Marsh Creek is the dividing line between Cumberland and Freedom townships.

Now, based on where Cornelius's name appeared in the 1860 census, he was an eighteen-year-old apprentice blacksmith residing in the home of Samuel K. Foulk, blacksmith. Unfortunately, based on Cornelius's age, marital status, and lack of property, his name would not appear on any of the tax records until he reached the age 21; so we cannot track exactly where he was living in 1863. But, his name also does not appear in any Gettysburg borough, Cumberland or Freedom township tax records between 1860 and 1870.

Nevertheless, in 1860 Cornelius was an apprentice to Mr. Foulk. Foulk was a son-in-law of Mary Thompson, who resided in what would later be called Lee's Headquarters. The Foulk residence stood on the south side of the Chambersburg Pike, located approximately across the street for the present Pizza Hut. The blacksmith shop was also situated on the south side of Buford Avenue (Chambersburg Pike) a short distance west of its present juncture with Elm Street

Now, the location of the Foulk residence is about a three quarters of a mile south of where on 1 July 1863 O'Neal's Brigade engaged elements of Robinson's Division on the Moses McClean Farm situated north of the Mummasburg Road next to the southeast slope of Oak Hill. Based on Bachelder's First Day situation map, there were orchards not only on the McClean Farm, but also around and near the Foulk residence.

However, in the 1870 census, Cornelius, a twenty-six-year-old tenant farmer lived with his family in Cumberland township. His household included his wife, Emma, and three children, the oldest of which was born about 1867, probably about the time Cornelius married. In the census, the Beecher household is listed immediately after the Timbers family and immediately before the Jacob Herbst and Socks families.

Through years of experience working with census records, the location of one's name in the record does not automatically imply that they lived next to each other. Nevertheless, as you may know, the Timbers Farm was situated just west of Devils Den, sandwiched between the "triangular-shaped field" south of the Wheatfield, and south of the Rose Farm. Checking the 1872 atlas map for Cumberland township, the John Socks farm is located near Marsh Creek (and has a covered bridge named after him). I could not find a Jacob Herbst listed. Nevertheless, we do know that along present Pumping Station Road, just east of where it crosses West Confederate Avenue and about a half mile west of the famous Peach Orchard, was the Warfield House, where, according to the 1858 atlas map, there was a "smithy."

We know that O'Neal's Brigade fought in the area immediately west and southeast of Oak Hill on the first day. His official report notes that his troops were held in reserve on the second, somewhere "behind the railroad" or near the Fairfield Road, possibly near Lee's Headquarters, and on the morning of the third, his troops fought over on the Union right on the southeastern slopes of Culp's Hill. Based on the Bachelder situation maps, there were no orchards in the area of the Christian Benner and Zachariah Tawney farms where that fight took place.

If the weapon was dropped by its Southern owner, it would have to be at these locales - none of which are within two miles of the famous Peach Orchard on the Emmitsburg Road.

So without knowing where Beecher lived when he picked up the rifle or who actually dropped it, my conclusion we can't say for certain. Assuming that the soldier in the 6 Alabama Volunteers (Cpl. Henry W. J. McMath, Co. C.), whose rifle was picked up by Beecher and which found its way into the Shield's Museum on Rt. 30, did not lose his weapon prior to the battle, then the location that at least comes close to matching where an orchard stood where the 6 Alabama fought would be on or near the McClean farm northwest of Gettysburg.

But, you know, there is another possibility - could the rifle have been dropped at a previous battle and picked up by a soldier in Birney's Division of Sickles Third Corps, possibly at Chancellorsville, and it was that Yankee who dropped it in the famous Peach Orchard?

Sincerely,

Elwood W. Christ,
Archivist/Assistant Historian,
Adams County Historical Society

Enclosures

P.S. If you want to make a donation to the society feel free to do so.

Cornelius married Emma Margaret Long, daughter of Edward Long and Mary Ann Beacaw. (Emma Margaret Long was born on 14 Apr 1847 in York Springs, Adams, PA ^{1 26 27}, christened on 6 May 1848 in York Springs: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Adams, PA,^{26 27} died on 27 Apr 1897 in Gettysburg, Adams, PA ²⁸ and was buried in Gettysburg: Evergreen Cemetery, Adams, PA ²⁸.)