52 Ancestors – #15 Eunice Pitzer – Sifting Through Family Information and the Records

Eunice Pitzer was born August 29, 1813 in Ohio. She is my great great great grandmother.

On August 29, 1836 in Ohio she married (Dr.) William C. Bishop (born January 24, 1816.) They moved from Ohio to Payson, Illinois year unknown. On December 25, 1847, Catharine Lea Bishop, my great great grandmother who married Isaac Harry was born at Payson, Adams County, Illinois.  

On October 8, 1856, Eunice and William moved from Payson, Illinois to North Missouri. William died near Hedge City, Missouri with heart dropsy, October 10, 1877. Eunice died, March 22, 1886, near Edina, Missouri at the home of her daughter Rachel Bishop Griggs, and the family being conscious of her impending death for some time, her burial clothes had all been made by hand by her daughter (Catherine Lea Harry) and sent from Licking, Missouri before her death. Both are buried in the Bishop Cemetery.

The above is from the information that my paternal great aunts gave me on their mother’s side (Effie Harry Mitchell daughter of Catharine and Isaac Harry.) 

My research shows a marriage record that indicates that they were married in Illinois not Ohio. Census records uniformly list William as a farmer so I am not sure where the Doctor came from. Other records indicate that Eunice and William were both buried at the Bee Ridge Cemetery, Edina, Knox County, Missouri – not at Bishop Cemetery – though there are a couple dozen Bishops buried there.

An 1850 census (taken on November 18, 1850) shows us that William and Eunice’s eldest son Anthony was 13 and born in about 1837 in Ohio, George was 12 and born around 1838 in Illinois, John was 10 and born around 1840 in Illinois, Rachel was 7 and born around 1843 in Illinois, Elizabeth was 5 and born around 1845 in Illinois, Catharine was 3, and William born around 1850 (a later census says August 1850.) This tells us that they probably moved from Ohio to Illinois between 1837 and 1838.

The 1860 census shows the Eunice is 46 years old and insane and cannot read or write. She is keeping house in the 1870 census. I am not sure what to make of that.

Other family trees indicate that Eunice was born in Hogs Run, Licking County, Ohio and that her parents were Eunice Ball (born 1775 Virginia) and Major Anthony Pitzer Sr. (born 1771 Virginia) and her siblings were Elizabeth, Mary, John, Anthony, Sarah Ann, Rachel, Richard and James. Eunice was the youngest with her mother dying in 1813 the year she was born. The names of these sibling fit with what Eunice named her own children.

Some of the other trees show that Eunice’s paternal grandparents were John Pitzer (born 1746 Virginia) and Elizabeth Kistner (born 1740 Virginia.) Her maternal grandparents were Mathew Ball (born 1748 New Jersey) and Mary Osborne (born 1740 New Jersey). Her maternal great grandparents were Caleb Ball Jr. (born 1665 New Jersey) and Sarah Wallace (born 1728 New Jersey.) We shall see, but at least the other trees give me places to look for records. 

I find it sad that I don’t know much about Eunice other than a few facts and a few family stories. I know that Catharine when she left Knox County to move to Licking County was very sad to leave her ailing mother (who died less than two years later) and as the wagon pulled out she looked back as long as anything was in sight. Catharine also made her mother’s funeral clothes since she couldn't be there to help.  This leads me to believe that Eunice was loved.

52 Ancestors - #9 Isaac Harry - After the Civil War and His Later Years

(From Great Aunts Veron Mitchell Holden and Gwendolyn Mitchell Wiggins and Cousin Bonnie.)

After the war Isaac remained in Ohio for two years until he moved to Knox County, Missouri with his brother Thomas where they were partners in their own blacksmith business. Isaac sold out to his brother and bought a farm near Hedge City, Missouri where he took as his bride, Catharine Lea Bishop. They were married on November 30, 1870 at the home of her parents, Dr. William and Eunice (Pitzer) Bishop in Knox City, Missouri. Kate, as she was known, was born December 25, 1847 in Payson, Adams County, Illinois. Their first three children were born at this farm – Effie Luella, Cora Estella and Dunie Orella (she later changed her name to Dunie Belle.) Soon after their marriage Isaac converted to the Methodist church of which he was a faithful member until death.
They later sold the farm and bought another one nearer to Knox City (Bee Ridge Community) which was the birthplace of their only son, William Franklin. They lived in this area of Missouri for 18 years.

November 1, 1884, the family left Knox County, Missouri in a covered wagon, drawn by two draft mares and lead horse, will all their belongings, traveling due south 300 miles to Licking, Missouri. They camped each night, and every morning enough biscuits were baked on the handmade portable cook stoves to last the family the entire day. The biscuits were first put on top of the stove to brown the bottom part, and then put underneath to brown the top. The heat came up from a previously prepared mound of hot coals.

They crossed the Missouri River on a steamboat, family, dog, horses, wagon and all. When they arrived at the Osage River they had to cross by raft. Whether the dog did not like this means of transportation or what, the family never knew, but the dog finished the rest of the trip across the river by swimming!

They purchased a 204 acre farm in Texas County, Missouri near Licking. The Harry’s lived with the family in two rooms for three months until the other family could move. The first thing that Isaac did was dig a well as the previous family had carried all their water from a well in the field for years. Isaac and Effie’s fifth and last child Francis Elizabeth was born in May 1885. In 1891, they built a large new two story home.

                                               Taken from Texas County Heritage, Vol  I
                                          First row- Frances, Catharine, Isaac and William
                                            Second row (standing)- Effie, Cora and Dunie

On May 21, 1915, Harry’s wife Catharine died. In 1917 his son William and wife moved in with Isaac and eventually took over the farm.  For twenty-three winters, Isaac sought relief from the pain of rheumatism by traveling to Florida to escape the hard cold winters of Missouri. Other than that he was in excellent health, his voice strong and his vision good up to the time of his death. His family found him to be patient, thoughtful and kind. He was always considered an outstanding citizen, a Christian Gentleman and a man who held the respect and esteem of all who knew him. Conversations with him were both entertaining and instructive.

He was a very active member of the GAR (The Grand Army of the Republic) holding state and national offices and traveled the country to attend the National Encampment meeting until his death. The GAR was made up of Union veterans of the Civil War and was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois and it was dissolved in 1956 when the last member died.

On the Farm Circa 1933 Issac Harry 90, Isaac's Children-Effie 61, Cora 59, Dunie 56 and William 50

Isaac become seriously sick on April 20^th, was then better for a few days, and then gradually grew worse until the end came to an honorable and useful life. His last words were “I am 101 years old and I want to go home.” Isaac Harry died May 17, 1944 and is buried beside his wife at the Boone Creek Cemetery near his home in Licking, Missouri. His funeral services were at the Boone Creek Church in the presence of one of the largest groups ever assembled there. He was dressed in the uniform of the Union Army – a splendid looking old soldier even in death.