The Householder Roots of the Family Tree, con't.

Albert and Calvin HOUSEHOLDER in the Civil War

The Civil War broke out in 1861 and on August 20, 1862 the 23-year-old Albert enlisted for a three-year term in the Union Army. He stood 6' 0" tall and had sandy hair and gray eyes. He was signed up by Captain Paisley on September 8, 1862 and was mustered in as a Private in Co. D, 126^th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.) at Steubenville, Ohio. His record shows that in December of 1862, Albert owed the U.S. Government 48 cents for 1 canteen, which he still owed in April of 1864. He must have settled up because he made Corporal on May 13, 1864.

The 126^th O.V.I. fought in the Middle Division, Sixth Corp of the Army of the Potomac. They saw action in the Battle of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and Petersburg under General Grant; Monocacy Junction under General Wallace; Snicker's Gap, Opequan [or Third Winchester], Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek under General Sheridan; and ended the war fighting in the Battle of Petersburg. Albert's only furlough during his two years, ten months and five days of service was for 20 days and began March 13, 1865. He contracted smallpox [he believed while on the cars between Harrisburgh [sic] and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania] and they broke out upon his arrival at home in Jefferson County.

Contrary to Albert's own statement on the 1890 Veteran's Census that he "never lost one day of duty while in the service and never missed a battle that the regiment was engaged in during that time" he probably missed at least part of the battle of Appomattox, the siege of Petersburg, and the pursuit of Lee. This must have been very disappointing to him since these were the last days of the war, and he was obviously dedicated to the cause since he signed up for the duration. If he had been able to return after the 20 days, he would have shown up right after the fall of Petersburg and during the pursuit of Lee. It is hard to tell his exact date of return to battle. After his furlough, Albert does not appear in the Company D morning report until May 15, but he may have returned sooner than that. These reports were irregular and didn't always show men who were sick or on duty.

Albert was mustered out of the army on June 25, 1865 near Washington, D. C. He possibly was a part of the Grand Review of the Union Army in Washington. He was discharged with no disabilities and no hospital record. (More about the 126th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.)

His brother, Calvin, enlisted for a 100-day period on May 13, 1864 at Madison, Ohio. Calvin was 23 years old, stood 5' 11" tall and had light hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. He was mustered in as a Private in Co. D, 142^nd Regiment, Ohio National Guard Infantry on the same day he enlisted at Camp Chase. He was mustered out September 2, 1864 at the end of his enlistment period.

Both Albert and Calvin later in life applied for pensions from the U.S. Government . Albert because the small pox had affected the small of his back and caused his eyes to become very weak, and affected the sight of both of his eyes; Calvin due to chronic diarrhea and stomach distress. This was common among veterans of the Civil War. Very few of them came back without ill effects from the diets, conditions and diseases that ran rampant in the army.

By the time the 1870 Census was taken, Albert, 31, had met and married Mary Elizabeth Elliott, 22, on 11Sep1866 [Marriage Record Book 7 1850-1866, pg. 670, Jefferson County, Ohio]. They are shown as residents of Saline Township, possibly next door to his parents, Matthias and Rebecca. They had two children, Margaret R., 3, and Albert Jr., 1. Albert was a coal miner and his property was valued at $600.

Albert and Mary Elizabeth Householder, c1875

Albert Householder and Mary Elizabeth in Irondale, Ohio

In 1870 Matthias, 82, and Rebecca, 72, were still on their land which was valued at $600 and had personal property valued at $175. Calvin, 29, and his wife, Ellen Pugh, 20, are listed in the same household as Mathias and Rebecca. Matthias had retired from farming and Ellen and Rebecca were keeping house. Neither Calvin nor Matthias could write and Rebecca could not read or write. Shortly after the census was taken on 1Jun1870 Rebecca died in Irondale, Ohio on 19Aug1870 of diphtheria at the age of 72. Her death is recorded in Vol. 1, pg. 34, 101 at the Jefferson County Court House, Steubenville, Ohio. No burial sites have been located.

The 1880 Census shows that Albert, 41, and Mary E., 31, lived in Irondale, Saline Township, Jefferson County (on Householder Hill in Cream City.) Albert was a laborer, possibly in the tin mill of Wallace, Banfield, and Co., the first tin rolling mill in the United States. At the time, they had seven children: Marg. R., 13; Albert, 11; Benj. F., 8; Thos. W., 6; Mary A., 4, born 28sep1875 (later married Howard Owen Elliott); Elizabeth E., 2; and Chas. A., 7 mos. Albert's father [Matthias] is listed as born in Maryland and Mary Elizabeth's parents are listed as born in Ohio.

Calvin, 39, and his wife, Ellen, 30, also lived in Irondale, where Calvin worked as a laborer. Calvin also lists his father [Matthias] as being born in Maryland.

Albert and Mary Elizabeth continued to live in Irondale and four more children were born to them there:

Calvin and Ellen Householder had a daughter, Edith Amel, born to them on 2Jul1883 at Irondale. Ellen was born in 1849 and died in 1896 at age 47 and is buried in New Somerset Church Cemetery. Ellen’s tombstone reads:

Matthias has not been located on the 1880 census so he either died between 1870 and 1880 or he moved to a different county to live with another one of his children. Adjacent counties have been researched, but no death record or burial site has been located. According to family memories he lived to be 103 years old. Research is complicated because there is another Mathias [married to Susanna Close] who lived in Jefferson County at the same time. The tombstone of Mathias Householder [wife Susanna] reads he died 9Dec1884 at age 84. "Deaths Recorded in Jefferson County 1867-1887" lists a Mathias Householder as being born 27Jun1781 and dying 9Dec1884. If this is the Mathias who married Susanna why does his marker say "age 84" when he would have been 103 years old? It's possible the family mixed up the grandfather and great uncle. The confusion is obvious.

Mary Elizabeth Elliott Househoulder on the porch of her sons Ben and Wade in Chester, WV, c 1920s

Albert and Mary Elizabeth move to Chester, West Virginia

In 1897, U.S. Steel bought Wallace, Banfield and Co. In 1900, the company moved to Chester, West Virginia and became the Chester Rolling Mill, and later was absorbed by the American Sheet and Tinplate Company. Ben and Wade (Albert's and Mary Elizabeth's sons), who worked at the mill, bought a house at 512 Florida Avenue in Chester and their parents moved from Hammondsville to live with them there.

Mary Elizabeth died 22Oct1928 at the age of 81 years. The cause of her death was hemopledgia. Her son, Wade, gave the information on her death certificate. Wade gave Carroll County, Ohio as her place of birth. Albert died just five months later on 9Mar1929 at the age of 91 years. He had been under a doctor's care for 3-1/2 months. He was senile and the cause of death was arteriosclerosis. He died at home and the funeral was held there. He was buried in New Somerset Church Cemetery, New Somerset, Ohio alongside his wife. His son, Benjamin, gave the information on his death certificate. Ben gave Albert's parents place of birth as Pennsylvania and Albert's date of birth as 18Oct1838.

Mary Elizabeth Elliott Househoulder c 1928