Happy Independence Day America!!

In Remembrance

On this Fourth of July, 2011 remembering my husband's ancestors who fought for our country including his 5X great-grandfather Samuel Callender (1756 - 1830) who fought in the Revolutionary War, his first cousin twice removed, Dr. Lawrence Harrison Rogers (1883 -1959) who served in WWI, another first cousin twice removed, Corporal John Clark Hildinger who served in the Army in WWII and his own father, Alvin Stackhouse Rogers (1926 - 1993) who served in WWII in the US Navy aboard the US Nevada.

Military Monday – George Washington’s Bodyguard - Samuel Callender

Samuel Callender 1756 - 12 Mar 1830

Sadly, I haven’t had much time to work on my genealogy research lately, but today while I was cleaning off my desk I took a break and started clicking on those leaves on Ancestry.com on my husband’s genealogy.  His family history is so rich and full of interesting characters.  I have long been interested in his two times great-grandmother Elizabeth Mariah London Johnston, daughter of  Truman Beauman London and great-granddaughter of Samuel Callendar.  I have been planning for some time to write about Eliza Maria as she was known, but today as I was looking at her family tree I noticed the shaking leaf on Samuel Callendar who would be my husband's five times great-grandfather, and realized there were six (6) hints.  Although I had added him to the family tree some time ago, I had never really paid much attention to his line.  Imagine my surprise to realize that he was a Revolutionary War veteran, but not only that, according to Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards; he was a body guard to George Washington!

The burial card states he was buried in Montdale Cemetery in Montdale, PA in Lackawanna County.  At first I could not find a cemetery with that name in Lackawanna County, but after a few minutes of searching I finally discovered he was already listed on Find-A-Grave in Scott Valley Cemetery in Montdale, Lackawanna County, PA.  Click on the link to see the great picture of his stone which also mentions his service and duty as body guard to George Washington.

What another great find in my husband’s family history!  Of course, as usual, I am more excited about it than he is……sigh.