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.

Sunday's Obituary - Helen Rogers - Trenton, NJ

I wrote last week about the short life of Ellerslie Wallace Rogers, son of Dr. Elmer H. and Mary (Bowers) Rogers.  Sadly, they were to lose another child two and a half years later, their four year-old daughter Helen.  I would have never known about Helen, except I came across this short notice in the Trenton Times:

Trenton Times 21 Jul 1897

Once again, no mention as to the cause of death and I can only guess at the sadness and despair the parents felt, especially the father being a doctor and unable to save his own child.

Just this week I received notification that a Find-A-Grave contributor had added these pictures of Ellerslie and Helen's headstones and I am very grateful to have both of these pictures.

Riverview Cemetery, Trenton, NJ

Rogers Children, Main Stone, Riverview Cemetery

Talented Tuesday - Trenton Physician Discovers Secret in Clays

Trenton Physician Discovers Long Sought Secret in Clays

Dr. Elmer H. Rogers (1858 – 1907), my husband’s great-grandfather, was a well-respected physician and businessman in Trenton, NJ.  Besides his thriving medical practice, it appears he invested in real estate and other businesses.  I recently came across this article in the Trenton Times (17 Jun 1905) that talks about his discovery of a special clay that when made into bricks “possessed the hardness of a piece of granite and the enamel was perfect.”  This article was of special interest to me as his grandson Alvin, who was born nearly twenty years after his death, would later become a stone and brick mason and his son, my husband, a contractor. 

The article talks about Dr. Rogers’ ownership of a property “on which is deposited an almost inexhaustible supply of the right quality in its natural state.”  It goes on to further state his intention to form a company to develop and manufacture bricks to be sold on the market.  I don’t know if this business venture ever got off the ground, it has never been heard of in this generation of the family.  I have not found any further articles to substantiate the company and Dr. Rogers died 11 Apr 1907.  Here is the article as it appeared:

Trenton Times - Saturday, 17 Jun 1905

Sunday's Obituary - Ellerslie Wallace Rogers - Trenton, NJ

I have written before of the sad, short life of the first-born son of Dr. Elmer H. and Mary (Bowers) Rogers, Ellerslie Wallace Rogers.  He was my husband's grand-uncle.  Although his father was a respected Trenton, NJ physician, he was not able to save his own child from dying.  I have not been able to find out why Ellerslie or Wallace as it appeared he was called died, the only mention of his death is this short mention in the Trenton Times on 20 Feb 1895:

Although some months ago I had requested via Find-A-Grave, a photograph of his headstone at Riverview Cemetery in the family plot, I was very disappointed to be told there was none.  However, just this week out of the blue I received notification that another Find-A-Grave contributor had added these pictures of Ellerslie and his sister Helen's headstones (who I will write about also) and I am so grateful to have these pictures.

Riverview Cemetery, Trenton, NJ

Main Headstone - Rogers Children

Those Places Thursday - Mercer Hospital, Trenton, New Jersey

I was lucky enough to score these vintage postcards on eBay of Mercer Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey where my husband's ancestors were affiliated, first his great-grandfather, Dr. Elmer H. Rogers who died in 1907 and then his grandfather, Dr. Alvin Stackhouse Rogers, Sr. who died in 1937.

These postcards are postmarked circa 1910 -1913 so are very indicative of the era.

Those Places Thursday - Trenton, NJ - A Century Ago

Having never been to Trenton, NJ where many of my husband's paternal ancestors lived for quite some time, it is hard to get a feel for the area.  Since there are no family pictures from his father's side of the family I can't look back that way either.  I have been lucky to find a couple of old pictures by purchasing a subscription to the historical archives of the Trenton Times for which I am thankful.

Broad Street, Trenton, NJ Postmarked 1909

Another way I have recently found to get an idea of the times these ancestors lived in is to buy old postcards.  I have been lurking on eBay and bidding on those of interest.  Just last night I lost out on one of Mercer Hospital where both his grandfather and great-grandfather both worked as doctors.  That really hurt, but I have to believe I will come across another one!  Here is one I recently bought with a postmark of 1909 depicting a typical scene on Broad Street.  My husband's great-grandfather, Dr. Elmer H. Rogers, well-known, respected doctor and city physician of Trenton died in 1907, but this is close enough to give me an idea of how he must have driven about daily in his horse and buggy, navigating the streets of Trenton.  Evidently this undertaking could be quite precarious and tricky.  See the stories below.

Trenton Times 18 Aug 1888

Trenton Times 7 Nov 1903

 

 

Trenton Sunday Advertiser 13 Dec 1903

Military Monday - Cadet Clark Hildinger of Trenton, NJ

From the Trenton Evening Times 15 Oct 1933 - Clark Hildinger, son of Charles and Helen (Dunn) Hildinger theater owners of Trenton, New Jersey.  Clark attended the Staunton Military Academy at Staunton, West Virginia.

In 1942, J. Clark, then aged 25 and an executive with his family's theater chain, left for armed forces as evidenced by this article in the Trenton Evening Times 16 Apr 1942.  He was honored in a surprise reception by 50 of his associates including his mother, his cousin Charles F. Sweet who worked for the Hildinger enterprises for many years.  Also, attending was David R. C. Johnston, Clark's uncle who was married to Mary Elizabeth Hildinger, sister to Clark's father Charles Hildinger.  David worked for the Hildingers for many years as a theater manager first starting at the old Park theater which later became the Rialto and later as manager at the Strand.  David Johnston was my husband's great-grandfather.

 

In March of 1943 J. Clark was promoted from private to corporal and headquartered at Fort Dix.  Upon his return to Trenton after his service he again took up his position as an executive with the Hildinger Theater enterprises.