Pike County, Pennsylvania: Family History: FORGED BY FIRE! The Padgetts of Millrift, by Stephen Padgett.
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spadgett1@optimum.net
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Contents
Photo of William W. Padgett upon enlistment 1862
Prologue
Acknowledgment
Chapter 1 Into this world, this great adventure Page 1
Chapter 2 1858 Page 3
Chapter 3 Saw Mill Rift Page 5
Chapter 4 July 14, 1860 Page 7
Chapter 5 The Storm Begins Page 8
Chapter 6 David is Lost Page 12
Chapter 7 Eben is Lost Page 16
Chapter 8 Bill is Captured, John Meets His Fate Page 17
Chapter 9 Escape! Page 19
Chapter 10 Exchange! Page 20
Chapter 11 Levi Page 22
Chapter 12 It's Over! Victoria! Page 23
Chapter 13 Mary Ann Brown and Alice Page 25
Chapter 14 Rattlesnakes! Page 26
Chapter 15 The Poet Page 29
Chapter 16 Sara, Mary and Daniel Halsey Padgett Page 30
Chapter 17 Life in Mill Rift Page 31
Chapter 18 Grandparents David and Rebecca Page 33
Chapter 19 George Page 34
Chapter 20 The Bowlers Page 39
Chapter 21 Charles Agustus Page 41
Chapter 22 Oliver, Washington, Evelyn and Adelia Page 43
Chapter 23 Elizabeth and Martha Page 45
Chapter 24 The Old Soldier Page 46
Exhibits:
1 through 41
PROLOGUE
This is the story of William Padgett and his extraordinary
adventures at the prime of his life. These events molded him into
a most remarkable man. We read about great men who shaped the
country or our world and most of them became wealthy persons who
rubbed shoulders with other persons of high rank and position.
There were also many great men of meager means who made great
sacrifices for the rest of us, because they dared to risk all they
had; their lives, and they possessed the self esteem and courage
to accomplish their goals. William Padgett was one of these
persons; his children also confidently went forth to much
patriotic service for their country with little personal gain.
His parents, David and Rebecca suffered terrible losses during the
American Civil War, however, kept faith in the reason for those
sacrifices. Their history unfolded in the Sussex County, New
Jersey, Pike County, Pennsylvania, Orange and Sullivan Counties,
New York local area.
No reproduction of this book is permitted without the express
written permission of the author [Stephen Padgett <spadgett1@optimum.net>].
A copy is provided to PAGenWeb for free access on the internet.
September 13, 2005 Edition
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work is a combination of fiction, historical fact, Genealogy
and verbal history. I started with the Genealogy of my
Great-grandparents, added oral history, historical facts, written
remembrances and filled the gaps with a small measure of fiction.
I give thanks to my many sources including Judy Rumrill, a cousin
who is also searching the past of our family. Also, the Sussex
Co. Historical Society, 82 Main Street, PO Box 913, Newton, NJ
07860, www.sussexcountyhistory.org
<http://www.sussexcountyhistory.org/>; Minisink Valley Historical
Society [including Deerpark] 127 West Main Street, Port Jervis, NY
12771, www.minisink.org <http://www.minisink.org/>; Orange County
Genealogical Society, 101 Main Street, Goshen, NY 10924; Sussex
County Library, Main Branch, Deborah Mole, Chief Librarian, 125
Morris Turnpike, Newton, NJ 07860; authors of The History of the
14th Regiment Cavalry/159th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers;
the History of the 15th NJ Volunteers Regiment, VI Corps;
Ancestory.com; CWSAC Battle Summaries; written newspaper articles
by Ronald and Alma Allen on the memories of George Padgett; Diane
Allen Banach for photographs; Charles Dowd for his local history
book which included many interviews; and my dear wife, Ilona for
her patience and accompanying me on many research trips to
Battlefields, record centers and Cemeteries. Thanks are due to
the Columns Museum of Milford, Pa, Mill Rift Civic Association
Museum, and various Government Archives.
Chapter 1. Into this world, this great adventure
Bill was born September 21, 1840 in the town of Newton, Sussex
County, New Jersey. Down the birth canal from his secure
place, into the bright, noisy new place! He was the second
child after brother Eben, who was born in 1839. Father and
mother, David Padgett and Rebecca Smith Padgett, were married in
Newton, NJ by the Rev. Teasdale, October 13, 1838. David was born
in 1812 in London Derry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania and
Rebecca in 1816 in New York State. Her parents, Samuel Smith, born
1779 and Ellen, born 1821 moved to NJ from NY. Rebecca's brother
Andrew was born in NJ in 1836. David's father, also named David,
was a carpenter and was born in New Jersey. Bill was followed
into the family by John D. in 1841, David Jr., 1845, Levi in 1848,
Sarah E. in 1850, Mary in 1853 and Daniel Halsey Padgett in 1855.
In 1850, the family lived in Byram Township, David employed as a
laborer. On March 18, 1856, when Bill was fifteen, Rebecca
purchased a parcel of land from Isaac B. Gobble and wife in
consideration of $150.00, 29.5 acres in the town of Byram. This
parcel was bounded by the road to Andover, [Roseville Road], lands
of L. Sherman, W. Mc Kinney, mountain summit, corner of
Sherman/Rose lands. [aka the 29 acre lot] The family moved here
and began subsistence farming. [Exhibits 1, 1a and 19.]
After a few years in school, Bill learned carpentry and became
very handy wielding an axe. He farmed in the summer and cut
timber in the winter. The family traded in Stanhope and Andover
for the necessities, producing what they could on the farm. Their
closest neighbors were W. Mc Kinney to the west, Gobble to the
northeast, near Stag Pond. Punkhorn Creek ran near the bottom of
the mountain to the south of them, in a westerly direction into
Wright's Pond. The nearest gathering of homes was Roseville to
the south in Byram, built to accommodate iron ore miners who
worked in that vicinity, and Andover to the northwest. The family
was Presbyterian and attended the new Andover Church when it was
built in 1858, financed in part by the Andover Iron Works. Prior
to that, they attended the Waterloo Church located on the Andover
to Stanhope Road.
Chapter 2. 1858
June 21, 1858 began early for Bill, now 17. He had big plans
today. He and his friend Sol Hazelton, age 22, were leaving for
Saw Mill Rift, located about 20 miles away in Pike County
Pennsylvania. The plan was to spend a few weeks cutting timber to
be sold to the Railroad, making some needed cash money to
supplement the farming income. Bill and Sol would be riding mules
from their respective family's farms, not needed there because the
haying had just been completed. The day began, thankfully with
low humidity and reasonable temperature, perfect for the long
journey. Bill ate a large breakfast prepared by Rebecca, his
mother in the company of sisters, Mary and Sarah and three year
old Dan. Father and the boys, Eben, John, Levi and David, were
out early with the wagon bringing in the rest of the hay.
Eben, whenever he had any free time, has been trekking over to
Dingman's, Pa, to see Mary Ann Browne, a lovely girl who seemed
deeply attracted to Eben as well. It was an all day hike and he
needed 5 cents for the toll bridge across the Delaware. Her
parents were fond of Eben however, they kept a sharp eye on the
couple.
Sol arrived at 7am and the two lads were off after a quick good
by. As they turned north on Roseville Road and rode past the new
Andover Presbyterian church, they encountered a couple of
neighboring farmers heading the other way. The farmers noted the
packs and axes on the back of the saddles and wished the boys a
safe return. "Behave yourself with that gal Leah, Sol", jibed one
of the farmers, John Ryan. Sol met Leah on a previous working
visit to Saw Mill Rift. By noon, they were passing through
Newton, the county seat and the largest town in the area. They
stopped just north of the town to eat some lunch and rest the
mules. By nightfall, they reached the Dingmans Ferry Bridge. The
bridge was built by Skinner and Clark in 1856 and was very
unstable. It replaced the on and off again ferry which ran when
the previous bridges were blown down and washed out. They crossed
into Pennsylvania where they set up a small camp for the night.
Bill and Sol gathered fire wood, including some dead wild grape
vines and piled it near a carefully constructed stone fire
circle. They would sleep only with blankets, leaning against the
saddles from their mules. The quick supper of beans, homemade
bread and salt pork was finished and Sol added the grape vines to
the fire. They burned rapidly and put off a blue green glow,
smelled wonderful. "Sol, do you think the feuding in congress
will lead to war?" "I am afraid it will and we will most likely
have to go in", replied Sol. It seemed to the young men that
dense clouds were roiling in the south and spreading all over this
beautiful land. On a clear, starlit night like this one, it still
was not hard to imagine the coming storm.
The Padgett's and their Presbyterian peers were raised to
understand that the Republic was a unique and comparatively free
way of life and if torn apart as threatened by the building
struggle over slavery and states rights, it was unlikely either
side would long survive as a small independent country. They
understood that all men and women were born with certain rights
from God, including the right to be free, that no one is
inherently better than another. The Republic, as wonderful as it
is constituted, was fatally stained by slavery. The northern
states had previously eliminated this inhumanity.
Chapter 3. Saw Mill Rift
The next morning they erased the signs of their camp and rode off
northeasterly following the valley floor wagon road and the
Delaware River, reaching Milford, the Pike County seat by noon.
Instead of dining at the Dimmick Inn as did more wealthy
travelers, they finished off their packed food and soon continued
easterly passing the Jail and Courthouse, turning northerly when
they reached the Quicktown to Pond Eddy Road, by the Quicktown
schoolhouse. They reached the log cabin of Sol's brother, John
Hazelton and family, where they would board, as usual on these
working visits. John's wife, Deborah, now pregnant, came out to
greet them with hugs and a kiss for brother in law, Solomon.
"The neighbors four children, Cornelius, age 15, Sarah, age 11,
and the twins, James and Mary, age 9 were here this morning,
looking for you boys". She referred to the children of Solomon
and Hannah Middaugh from the farm down Turnout Road about two
miles distant. "They heard you were coming and were very excited
to see you again".
The next morning, after a breakfast of fresh eggs and bacon, Bill,
Sol and Jim picked up their axes, water and some lunch, headed to
the shed to hook up the wagon to the two mules. After working
their way into the woods, they stopped near the Bushkill Brook,
began cutting Oak and Chestnut trees over eight inch diameter.
These logs would be sawn into lengths and squared to be sold to
the Railroad for ties. The Erie Railroad had pushed its track
north along the Delaware Valley ten years ago, often at open
conflict with the canal workers from across the River. The
undersize wood would be cut into lengths for fire wood to stoke
the boilers on the steam operated engines. When the wagon was
filled, the men laboriously followed the woods road to an open
area adjoining the tracks and the Delaware River. The wood was
stacked and after a two week period, they received their payment
in hard currency. Son George would later say of his father, "He
worked hard at many things, but the work he liked best was
chopping timber and wood. The fact that he liked it so well is
the reason he became so skilled with the axe. I have often seen
him cut down a large tree and the cut would be nearly as smooth as
if it had been planed." "He was a great follower of Abraham
Lincoln and was elated when he was elected as President."
Chapter 4. July 14, 1860
Eben and Mary Ann are engaged to be married and plan to marry on
Christmas, at her parent's home in Dingmans. Bill is again
staying with his friends, Jim and Deborah Hazelton. Now they are
blessed with children, daughter Hannah, age 2 and Martha, age 2
months. Bill is 19 and chopping wood for the Railroad. He also
worked peeling timber, presumably for the tanning industry. Sol,
age 24, now lives in a log cabin with his wife, Leah, age 19, a
neighbor to his brother John. The three are woodsmen and hunters
as well as farmers.
The men's working territory ranges as far as Sullivan County, New
York and down to Sloatsburg and Suffern in Orange County,
supplying the Railroad at various locations. They continue
through the winter with Bill staying at Saw Mill Rift and also
home at Byram. Bill has friends in nearby Stanhope and is very
fond of that village. When home, he attends the Presbyterian
services with his family every Sunday. When working, they always
take Sundays as a day of rest and observe the Sabbath. The
Padgetts have been Presbyterians since emigrating from England in
the early 1700s to New England, finding their way gradually to New
York, southern New Jersey in Salem and Cumberland Counties, the
older David, Grandfather to Bill, moved to London Derry Township,
Chester County, Pennsylvania where he worked at his trade as
carpenter for the Penn family. Father left home and moved to
Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey in 1835 at the age of 23. He
worked as a laborer, met Rebecca Smith and they married Oct 13, 1838.
Chapter 5. The Storm Begins
April, 1861. [Son George Padgett later related] "Bill and his
co-workers were cutting wood for the Erie Railroad in the hills
above Sloatsburg, NY, when a teamster who was hauling the wood
came in for a load and he had a newspaper stating that the
President [Lincoln] had called for 75,000 volunteers. Ft Sumter
attacked April 12, 1861, fell. April 15th Lincoln called for
volunteers. They were called the three month men because of the
length of their enlistment. Bill put his axe on his shoulder and
walked to Suffern, New York and enlisted in a New York regiment
[Company F, 70th Reg., New York Volunteers]. I do not have his
discharge from that regiment as it was destroyed by mice. Just
after the first battle of Bull Run, under General Mc Dowell, his
tour of enlistment was up. During this battle, [sic] he was
wounded in his left hand, so was discharged and returned home to
the Byram farm." This was December 16, 1861.
The military records state that Bill enlisted April 20, 1861 at
Port Jervis, New York, in Company F, 70th Regiment, New York
volunteers. Bill was accidentally shot through the hand September
29, 1861, badly damaging small bones in his hand. He was
discharged December 16, 1861 and returned home to Byram. Son
George later reported, "The doctors thought his hand would be no
longer useful and the small bones were badly shattered. While on
the march, Bill developed a liking for the written word and began
a Diary, written mostly in poetry to relate the tragic events
passing in front of him. Much time was spent in boredom with
moments of sheer terror. He tried to keep up letters to home to
assure his family that all was well.
On August 10, 1862, *Mary Ann gave birth to a daughter, Alice*, at
Eben's and Mary's home in Andover, with mother in law Rebecca
assisting in the delivery. They were all overjoyed at this new
life at the beginning of a tragic war.
By August, 1862, Bill's hand had healed to the point he felt he
could reasonably put it to use. Brothers John, age 21, and David,
age 17, enlisted in the NJ 15th Regiment, Company I on August 14,
1862. Bill decided he could not sit out the war while his
brothers went in harms way. He re-enlisted, this time in Company
I, 15th NJ to be with his brothers. Bill was 21years of age. He
stood 5 feet 5 inches tall, grey eyes and light hair. Levi was
also chaffing at being left out. He was, at fourteen, too young
and his parents forbid his enlisting. Eben secretly told his
brothers that after a reasonable time with his new family, he
would be enlisting as well. The impact of this war on the Padgett
family was appearing to be intense. Three companies were raised
for the 15th Regiment in Sussex County, NJ. The unit organized
at Camp Fairoaks, near Flemington, NJ and mustered in August 25, 1862.
On August 29, 947 men of the 15th boarded a train and headed
south. Stops included Lambertville, NJ; Philadelphia at 7pm where
supper was provided at the Upper Volunteer Refreshment Salon.
They continued to Baltimore, Md., changed trains to Washington.
They marched in the rain to Tenallytown, Md. and set up camp in
the mud. They stayed here from August 27th , working on building
Fort Kearney until September 30th , remained until October, then
marched to Bakerstown, Md. Typhoid Fever struck the 15th . One
third of those stricken, died. On October 31, they marched south,
arriving at Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862. They had
arrived deep in the heart of hostile territory. [Exhibits 11
and 28]
Meanwhile, on October 29th , Eben enlisted at Philadelphia in
Company A, 14th Regiment Pennsylvania Calvary under Lt. Henry K.
Harrison, for three years. Eben is 23 year of age, stood 5 feet 5
? inches tall, blue eyes and brown hair. On the 24th of
November, the organization of the Regiment was completed. They
moved out for Hagerstown, Md., where they received horses, arms
and accoutrements. Drills in the school of trooper, mounted and
dismounted, of the platoon, and squadron, and in evolutions of the
line were prosecuted. On the 28 of December, 1862, the regiment
moved to Harper's Ferry, and went into camp at Charlestown Pike,
the advance post for General Kelly's command. It was engaged in
picketing the approaches from the east and south, scouting the
region on both sides of the Shenandoah River, extending to the
passes of the Blue Ridge and skirmishing with the guerrilla bands
of White and Imboden. [History of the 14th Calvary Regiment]
Bill, David and John 15th NJ:
The battle of Fredericksburg began in earnest Dec 13th , 1862,
the day the Padgett brothers arrived! Gen. Burnside, via Franklin
sent Meade and his divisions forward across the Rappahannock River
and up into Fredericksburg. The Padgett brothers were with the VI
Corps positioned along the Railroad, keeping up a musketry fire,
now and then charging the enemy. They accomplished nothing. The
Federals massed in the city streets, at noon part of the II Corps
moved up the slope toward Marye's Heights. They were repulsed and
Burnside had cost his Union troops 12,653 casualties. Lee lost
5,377 casualties. After holding on in the town for two days,
Burnside asked for a truce to evacuate casualties and withdrew
back across the Rappahannock. The Rebels had held at the sunken
road at the base of Marye's Heights. Bill, many years later
related: "Fredericksburg was one of the worse battles because the
Confederates held a position no General with brains would have
attacked and he [Burnside] lost 15,000 men. Burnside was relieved
by General Joe Hooker.
April 1863. VI Corps badges were awarded to the 15th . May 2,
1863. Now the Army was on the east side of the Rappannock River
so Hooker moved up river about nine miles to an old ford where he
crossed. Now, he left my Corps, [VI], under General John
Sedgwick, to hold Fredericksburg, but when he attacked [Hooker at
Chancellorsville], Hooker seemed to lose his nerve and sent orders
to Sedgwick to cut his way through and come to his aid. Sedgwick
did that and won the second battle of Fredericksburg, and then
marched 8 miles to Salem's Church, where they met the enemy and a
terrible fight took place. My Company [I] was cut to pieces,
every officer killed, leaving a Sergeant in command." 151
casualties were suffered, including 131 in the woods by Salem
Church, by the 15th . The name Sgt. Major Halsey is mentioned as
taking part in this action. [History of the 15th] After
Salem Church casualties, morale of the 15th sank. Following a
rest and alcoholic fortification, Sgt. Paul Kuhl of Company A
reported on June 2, 1863, that "his friends in Co. A were almost a
happy set of mortals as are often found."
The first man killed in action from the 15th was Pvt. Michael
Mulvey. He was alone on picket; saw a Rebel soldier and both
fired at each other. The final shots, fired simultaneously,
killed both. Eight members of the 15th died at Fredericksburg in
this period. Lt. Col. Campbell commanded the 15th at this time.
In April, 1863, the unit held their first live target practice
since the men entered the service!
At Chancellorsville, the 15th saw action next. We charged
gallantly through a thick wood, found the enemy advantageously
posted behind a wall and ditch. We maintained the fight until 8
pm, when owing to a lack of coordination with other units; we were
compelled to fall back. The Regiment lost 150 men killed, wounded
and missing.
Eben 14th Pennsylvania Calvary: Early in May, 1863, the
regiment left Harper's Ferry and proceeded to Grafton, on the
Parkensburg division of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It was
attached to the mounted command of Gen. Averell and associated
with the Fifth and Sixth West Virginia Mounted infantry, holding
the towns of Philippi, Beverly and Webster, against a body of
Rebel Calvary.
Chapter 6. David is Lost
15th NJ: On June 6, 1863, while crossing the Rappannock
River at Franklin's crossing, a skirmish took place. *David
Padgett* was hit and disappeared in the currents. Under fire, the
Company could not recover him and he was never seen again,
presumed dead. It fell to Bill to write home with the tragic news
and it was the hardest letter he had ever written. He was listed
officially as missing in action. [Exhibit 28]
July 2, 1863 found our Company I on the road in pursuit of Lee's
army north through Pennsylvania, arriving in the hamlet of
Gettysburg.
We were assigned a position in the Federal line on a slight rise
north of Little Round Top. [Exhibit 30]
We were not actively engaged but lost several men wounded during
the Artillery barrages before Pickett's charge. We were very
unsatisfied with our Enfield Rifles, and due to the loss of life,
the fields were covered with corpses and Springfield rifles. "We
tossed away our Enfields in exchange for the Springfields. After
the Union victory, we buried the dead of both sides for two days."
Eben, 14th Pa: On the 2nd of July, intelligence was received
that the force at Beverly was surrounded by a brigade of the enemy
under "Mudwall" Jackson, and the 14th Calvary was ordered to make
a forced march for its relief. It moved under command of Major
Gibson. The Rebs had the main road blocked by barricades and
fallen trees, behind which was a heavy body of sharpshooters.
Major Gibson led his men by a circuitous route, mid morning, and
appeared on the plain opposite the town, with skirmishers deployed
right and left, cutting off and capturing the rebel pickets,
compelling the entire hostile force to withdraw. On the morning
of the 4th , the rebel force was overtaken at Huttonville and
brisk skirmishing ensued, the regiment lost 3 wounded. The Rebs
retreated beyond Cheat Mountain. On the evening of the 4th ,
news of the battle at Gettysburg was received, and the regiment
was ordered to march to Webster and by rail to Cumberland. There
it rejoined Gen. Kelly's forces, and after a few days, proceeded
to Williamsport, joining the Army of the Potomac.
Bill, John 15th NJ: On July 5, the 15th moved out in pursuit
in the pouring rain. We came upon the rear guard of Lee's army
near Fairfield, and a sharp skirmish followed. We continued
pursuit for several days and near Hagerstown, Md., we fought
another skirmish, losing two men wounded. One man was shot
through the foot and Jacob Burdett through both thighs. We
continued marching back to the Rappahannock. We were present but
not involved in the taking of Rappahannock Station. After the
Mine Run movement, we entered winter quarters 2 miles from Brandy
Station, Virginia.
Eben, 14th Penn Cav. On the evening of the 15th of July,
1863, Eben's regiment moved up to Cherry Run, crossing the river,
now swollen by heavy rains, marched to within five miles of
Martinsburg where the rebel army was encamped. Encountering the
enemy's pickets, Col. Schoonmaker was ordered to attack and
ascertain his strength. The outposts were driven in upon the main
body, with the loss of five wounded. They returned at night to
the Maryland side. It then recrossed and advanced to Winchester
and rejoined the detachment which had been left at Harper's
Ferry. On the 4th of August, Gen. Averell moved on the Rocky Gap
Raid. Upon approaching Moorefield, Capt. Kerr, with a detachment
of about fifty men, after capturing some guerrillas, fell into an
ambush, fought bravely but was overcome, having one killed, and
three wounded. He escaped with a fragment of his command. The
command, moving through Petersburg and Franklin, continually
skirmishing by the way, and driving Jackson in a brisk engagement
at Warm Springs, on the 20th of August, encountered the rebel
Gen. Jones near the Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, and
attacked. The 14th dismounted, held the right of the line, the
battle raging till nightfall. The battle continued through the
night, and the rebels were reinforced. Ammunition ran low and a
retreat was ordered. The 14th lost 80, in killed, wounded and
missing. Lt. J. Jackson, J. Mc Nutt and Jacob Shoop were among
the wounded. Capts. Bird and R. Pollock were missing. By the
31st of August, having reached Beverly, the unit had been upon
the march, or closely engaged for 27 consecutive days and traveled
over six hundred miles.
On the 1st of November, Gen Averell again led his command
southward, on the Droop Mountain Road, crossing Cheat Mountain,
reaching Huntersville on the 4th . The 14th Reg. Pa and the
3rd West Virginia were sent by a detour from the main road on
which he marched, to cut off a brigade of the enemy stationed at
Greenbrier Bridge, under the command of Mudwall Jackson. Both
roads were obstructed by fallen trees and Jackson made his
escape. At Droop Mountain, they caught up with the rebels and
drove them to the summit. The rebels were flanked and they lost
two pieces of artillery and most of their train. They chased him
to Lewisburg but they escaped. They were in the saddle Dec 8th ,
faced for Salem, arriving after hard riding on the 16th . They
began destroying the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad and immense
store of the rebels. Several bridges and miles of track were
destroyed. The angry rebel armies, hearing of this, were moving
in to try to destroy Averill's Calvary. A retreat was begun,
hampered by storms and heavy swollen streams. Averill
successfully escaped. "I was obliged," says Averill in his
report, "to swim my command, and drag my artillery with ropes
across Craig's Creek, seven times in twenty four hours." The
creek was deep, the current strong, and filled with drifting ice.
On the 20th , the 14th Pa regiment, at Jackson River, while in
the rear, struggling with detrains, the horses being worn out with
incessant marching, was cut off from the column by the destruction
of the bridge, and was supposed, at HQ, to be captured. Gen Early
had demanded its surrender under a flag of truce, but setting fire
to the train, which was completely destroyed; it forded the stream
and made good its escape. That night, the command swam the
Greenbrier, now swollen to a torrent, crossed the Allegheny
Mountains by an old bridle path, moving the artillery by hand,
finally reached Hillsboro at the foot of Droop Mountain and
encamped. The men walked to Beverly by the 25th . Here much
needed rations were received and they proceeded on to Webster.
Then moved by rail to Martinsburg, where it went into winter
Quarters. The men's shoes were worn out, clothing in tatters. In
recognition of their service, the Gov. issued a complete suit of
clothing to each member of the command, the only instance of a
gift of that kind in the war. General Averell summed up in his
official report; "my command has marched, climbed, slidden and
swam, three hundred and forty five miles since the 8th inst."
The service during the winter was of an exceedingly arduous
character, consisting of picket, guard and scout duty, in which
the men were kept incessantly employed. 12th April, 1864. The
command leaves winter quarters and moves by rail to Parkersburg on
the Ohio River and started on May 2nd on a separate but
cooperative movement with Gen Crook's command through West
Virginia to the Virginia and Tenn. Railroad. The road was
obstructed and they were attacked by bushwhackers on the way. At
Abbe Valley, near Jeffersonville, an entire company of the enemy
was captured. Gen Averell moved on to join up with Gen Crook.
The enemy had concentrated a heavy force in his front, and at Cove
Gap, on the morning of the 10th of May, attacked Averell. After
four hours of fighting, the rebels brought up Artillery and
Averell was forced to withdraw. The 14th suffered twelve killed
and thirty seven wounded. The enemy was now in superior force and
growing stronger.
Chapter 7. Eben is lost
The command pushed on to Blacksburg, on the railroad line,
destroying bridges and stores on the way. It joined Crook finally
at Union, the united forces moving on to Lewisburg. They remained
here until June 3rd , and then were ordered to Staunton, to join
Gen Hunter, now moving on the Lynchburg campaign. When the
regiment started from winter quarters in April 1864, a detachment
of dismounted men was left at Martinsburg under command of Capt.
Duncan. Before active operations commenced in the valley, Gen
Sigel, who was in chief command, had the detachment well armed and
mounted, and assigned to duty with Gen. Stahll's brigade. In the
unfortunate action at New Market, on the 15th of May, it was
hotly engaged, losing several in killed and wounded, and having a
large number of horses killed while under infantry fire. It was
on the 26th of May, 1864 in the hospital at Martinsburg, that
Eben Padgett died of dysentery.
Chapter 8. Bill Is Captured, John Meets His Fate
Bill and John, 15th NJ: May 5, 1864 found us in the
"Wilderness", where we could hear the sounds of battle where
Warren had come into collision with Ewell's corps. The order came
to bring up the VI corps to Warren's support. Several men were
wounded, including *Bill Padgett, on May 6th *. [Exhibit 12]
A cannon shot struck a tree near my position and a chunk of wood
hit me in the head, pushing my scalp back 4 or 5 inches, knocking
me unconscious. When I awoke, I found myself surrounded by
confederate soldiers. They had penetrated through a break through
on the right. Leonard Decker of Co. D was killed. *Bill was
carried off to Libby Prison* in Richmond. [Exhibit 35]
John continued on with his Company. The 15th held on and were in
an isolated position, holding until midnight, then without loss,
followed the rest of the Army to a new line in the rear. By 10 am
on the 7th, the works on the new line were made very secure.
By noon, May 8th , the regiment reached the field of action at
Spotsylvania Court House, meeting many of the squads of the V
corps heading to the rear. May 9th the 15th gallantly charged
forward, but not properly supported, had to slowly fall back,
having lost 101 men, however they had performed one of the most
gallant achievements of the campaign*. John D. Padgett lay on the
battlefield shot* through the left eye, the bullet coming out by
his ear. [Exhibits 32 and 33]
After two days suffering on the field, he was recovered and
eventually sent to a hospital in Philadelphia, Pa for a full year
recovery. At this point, until Levi joins Company I in September,
1864, the 15th have run out of brave Padgetts!
May 9, 1864. Bill arrived this morning at Libby Prison and is
lying in a large room on the second floor with many other
prisoners. A Union POW doctor is soaking Bill's scalp with soap,
water and a rag to soften the hardened and crusty scalp. He is
able to stretch it forward and stitch it back to his forehead
skin. On June 8th , 1864, the bulk of the prisoners are loaded
into a train box car and transported south to a newly constructed
prison camp called Camp Sumter, at Andersonville, Georgia. The
trip took several days due to the condition of rails and more
important troop movements. On arrival, I was assigned a space on
a crowded hillside, with no shelter except a stretched blanket to
ward off the rain and weather. It is a very rainy June and a gang
of Union bullies known as the Raiders were running the camp. They
stole anything of value brought in by the new arrivals. They
lived well in a large tent holding up to 40 men while others
starved and died daily of scurvy, diarrhea, dysentery and other
diseases. There were 22,291 men imprisoned here in June 1864.
[Exhibit 31]
Soon after Bill's arrival, a group of prisoners, through a violent
effort, overpowered the Raiders and courts martialed six of their
leaders. They were sentenced to be hanged and were executed with
the cooperation of the prison officials. The other raiders were
forced to run the gauntlet, where some also were killed.
Chapter 9. Escape!
Some prisoners were injected with experimental vaccine for
syphilis, which caused the disease. Maggots, lice and gangrene
also plagued the prisoners. Approximately 25% of the prisoners
died, with bodies being carried out daily. The deplorable
pollution of the only stream caused the prisoners to petition the
authorities to allow digging for water wells. Bill and fifteen
others dug a "well", and then tunneled out under the stockade on
the northeast corner near the end of July. They escaped and
survived by traveling in the swamps at night, fed occasionally by
slaves. They traveled to Florence, South Carolina. Bill tried to
find Sherman's army. He was treed by bloodhounds and returned to
Andersonville. Bill became ill with diarrhea, malaria, and a
kidney problem and most likely, scurvy. His comrades, including
Jacob Henion, who he knew from Sparrow Bush, NY, back in 1858, had
to raise him to his feet and guide him to the latrine trench and
to the stream to bathe.
Chapter 10. Exchange!
On September 6, 1864, the Rebels announced that an agreement
between governments to exchange prisoners had been reached.
20,000 prisoners were to be exchanged. They loaded them on rail
cars, those of them well enough to be moved. The trip to Savannah
took two days to go 240 miles. This move was inspired by
Sherman's march through Georgia rather than any exchange. They
then were moved to Millen, Georgia, Camp Lawton about 80 miles
northwest of Savannah. They stayed in Lawton for six weeks. They
were then offered a chance to join the Rebels and asked to swear
allegiance to their cause! In defiance, they left the field and
had a confrontation with rebel guards. In mid November, word came
that agreement was made to exchange 10,000 sick prisoners. The
others, including Bill, stayed. Near the end of November,
prisoners were boarded on a train and, with many dying on the
train, were sent back to Savannah. They were fed crackers,
loaded another train and taken to Blackshear, Pierce County,
Georgia, 80 miles south of Savannah. After a week stay in the
open, they were taken back to Savannah, for exchange, provided
they signed an oath not to engage in battle until properly
exchanged. They proceeded to Charleston, SC, encamped in a vacant
lot. The city was under siege. They then boarded another train
to Florence, SC, another stockade. Yellow fever had broken out in
Charleston in October. In the Florence stockade, much like
Andersonville, gangrene was a common problem and loss of toes and
fingers, common. Bill was paroled on December 16, 1864, sent to
Union lines.
They were then sent by boat to the hospital. The record shows
Bill returned to his unit April 22, 1865, after recovery at a camp
near Annapolis, Md. In contrast, Bill's son George would later
say: "My father wanted to go to his Regiment which was at or near
Five Forks, Va. which is south of Petersburg, Va. So having
been out of prison about two and one half months, [March 1,
1865], he was in good enough condition, so they sent him to his
Regiment. [Exhibit 17 this is the weapon Bill carried until
discharged from service.]
Soon after he was in the battle of Five Forks and the one history
I have, shows that the VI corps fought with Sheridan's Calvary and
broke the rebel line which forced Lee to move out of those great
works and start to try to join forces with Gen. Johnson somewhere
south of Lynchburg, Va., but the VI corps got ahead of them at
Sailor's Creek. The Rebs under Gen Gordon put up a nasty fight
which was their last Infantry fight. After that it was just the
Calvary fighting until they reached Appomattox Court House."
Chapter 11. Levi
Meanwhile, back on September 7, 1864, brother *Levi Padgett* age
17, enlisted in Company I, 15th Regiment, NJ volunteers, like his
brothers, and reported for duty. This left Mary, Sarah and Daniel
at home with David and Rebecca. At this point, David and Eben
were gone, died in the line of duty, John in hospital at
Philadelphia and Bill a POW. Levi joined the Company in time for
the battle of Cedar Creek and Middletown, Virginia on October 19,
1864. They went into winter camp. He fought at Hatcher's Run, Va.
Feb 5, 1865, and Fort Sheridan, Va. March 25 and stationed at the
siege of Petersburg, Va. where *he was mortally wounded April 2,
1865*. *Levi Padgett died* in hospital at City Point _April 10,
1865_ and buried in City Point Cemetery. [Exhibit 34]
Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Va. April 9, 1865. The toll of
the war to the Padgett family: David, Eben and Levi dead, John
and Bill wounded and their health permanently compromised. Mary
Ann a widow and Alice an orphan! Who can measure the grief that
David and Rebecca must have experienced.
Bill was present at the President's Grand Review. He then went
back to Trenton, NJ where his Regiment was mustered out. [George
Padgett] The 15th marched to Danville April 23-27, 1865, had
duty there until May 18th. They then marched to Richmond, Va.,
then to Washington, D. C., May 18 Ð June 3rd . The Corps review
was June 8th . They were mustered out a Hall's Hill, Va on June
22, 1865. The 15th NJ Volunteers lost 8 officers dead, 239 men
dead. Of total: disease 1 officer, 98 enlisted men; undetermined
reasons, 15 enlisted men. Total loss: 361 men. ["The History of
the Fifteenth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers", Alanson A. Haines,
1883]
Chapter 12. It's Over! Victoria!
John was finally discharged from Mower US General Hospital on May
3, 1865 and sent home to recover further. He rejoined his unit
to be mustered out August 23, 1865. [Exhibit 33]
In September 1865, Bill decided to return to Pike County with his
axe. He was chopping cordwood for a contractor who furnished wood
for the Erie RR at Mill Rift. They were chopping along Deep
Hollow [Cummins Brook] and the men stayed at a boarding house run
by Bart Armstrong and his wife. *Victoria Ferguson*, an
attractive girl of 17 years old, worked for Mr. Armstrong and his
wife. Bill met her while staying at the boarding house and they
fell in love. The following September, 1866 Bill and Victoria
were married by the Rev. G. Dickenson at the Drew Methodist Church
in Port Jervis, New York. They purchased 50 acres and a log cabin
from friend Sol Hazelton, at the end of Turnout Road in Westfall
Township. [Exhibits 2 and 9]
[The land is part of lands of Plotnick as of 2005] They farmed
the poor soil, raising turnips, potatoes and had a cow, pigs,
oxen, chickens and a bull. The farming was mainly for their
family use. Bill cut timber in stone quarries which were started
along the Delaware River. Then he learned to cut stone.
The children of Bill and Victoria were also remarkable people.
Adelia A., born March 30, 1867; Evelyn, born Sept. 9, 1868;
Elizabeth [Lizzie], born Feb. 19, 1870; Minnia, born August 29,
1875 and died while still an infant; Charles Agustus, born Jan.
16, 1877; John H., born April 16, 1878 and died while an infant;
Washington W., born February 22, 1880; Martha Y., born April 17,
1881; George H., born July 12, 1883; Oliver, born April 18, 1885
and Levi H., born August 12, 1889, died an infant. Eleven
children in all of which eight survived to adulthood.
Chapter 13. Mary Ann Browne and Alice [Eben's wife]
Mary Ann Browne Padgett, a widow, applied for a pension for
herself and orphaned daughter, Alice in 1866 while living in
Dingmans, Pike Co., Pa. She moved back near her parents after
Eben's death. In 1879, while living in Mansfield, Tioga County
NY, she applied for arrears on her pension for the period from
Eben's death, 1864 to 1866. She and Alice were members of the
Dutch Reformed Church, as were Mary's parents. In 1880, Alice
married Thomas J. Moon and they lived near Mary in Tonawanda,
Bradford County, Pa. A daughter, Mary was born Feb 1887 and a son
Joseph, March, 1899. In 1900, they lived in Smythfield Township,
Bradford Co. Pa. Mary Ann Padgett passed away Feb. 4, 1899.
Joseph married Ettict who was born in 1895 in New York State.
They lived at Clair Street, Waverly Village, Tioga County, NY.
Chapter 14. Rattlesnakes!
About 1870, Bill started handling Rattle Snakes. He continued this
until 1911. He craved the excitement and gained considerable
knowledge about snakes. He purchased a wagon for this purpose,
with compartments for the reptiles, and lettered "Rattlesnake
Bill" on the side. [Exhibit 7]
He appeared before audiences, lectured and corresponded with
experts and doctors concerning the use of venom for medical purposes.
An account of one of "Rattlesnake Bill's" lectures, reprinted in
1892 is here related: His lecture on Reptiles before The Joker's
Club, Pike County's famous poet and philosopher contradicts Darwin
on points of natural history--- Rattlesnakes are his favorite pets
and he handles them with immunity. Matamoras, August 9 Ð The
"Jokers' Club" last night were treated to a rare and instructive
lecture by Prof. Wm. Padgett of Mill Rift, Pa., on snakes, and
more especially rattlesnakes, which he considers the king of reptiles.
Said he: "Poisonous snakes give birth to their young and do not
hatch them from eggs, as the common belief is. Only those that
are not considered poisonous, lay eggs. On this point, he takes
issue with Prof. Worth, and the great Darwin. Again, he said, the
common belief is that every year adds another rattle to the
snake. This is not a fact. When a rattlesnake is born it has one
rattle; they do not come by years. The yellow rattler is said to
be the female, which is another false impression given to the public."
Mr. Padgett has caught them in the spring when they are of the
brightest yellow and kept them till fall when they begin to turn
black. The rattlesnake has the most deadly bite but is the most
docile and easily killed. When they kill their prey, and the same
is true of other poisonous snakes, they do not do it with their
crushing power but by that deadly fang; they bite and their
instinct tells them whether the bite is deadly or not. If not
they remain quiet; if so, they immediately follow their victim and
are very accurate generally in finding their game in a dying
condition. No matter what it swallows, it is always head first.
Little fish are the best food for captive snakes, but they will
not eat in close confinement. They must have a large cage with
stones, earth and moss, in which they thrive well. The best cure
for bites, he says, is to suck the wound immediately, then to
apply clay and salt, but do not apply bandages nor run or get
heated. Insensibility comes about an hour after the bite.
He says, speaking from actual experience, that the pain of a
rattlesnake bite is terrific. It goes through you from feet to
crown like an electric shock, and you feel as though every hair of
your head was being plucked out one at a time. The limbs fall
asleep, and in a few moments your feet feel as though they weighed
a ton.
Padgett says that the notion that snakes charm their prey is
fallacy. The sensation which the fluttering animal, which yields
to that awful spell, experiences is one of paralyzing terror, not
of delight.
He handles the most venomous and ferocious rattlers with the same
impunity and with as little fear as a child would caress a kitten,
and for some reason, unaccountable to all except Padgett himself,
the reptiles never turn their poisonous fangs against him. After
the professor had completed his lecture, he drew from a box a
rattlesnake about four feet in length, which had eleven rattles,
and holding it up in his hands exhibited its fangs which were
inspected by his audience from their seats. The snake, seemingly
at the request of Professor Padgett, went through the process of
rattling, the shell-like rings on his tail vibrating with such
rapidity that the eye could not follow them. The Professor even
offered those who desired it the privilege of holding and handling
his pet, guaranteeing immunity from harm to those who did so.
Strange to say his offer was declined. Other natives who had a
peculiar empathy for rattlesnakes were Elijah Pelton of Shohola
Glen of the 1880's and Lice Clarke of Dingmans Ferry. [Source:
The Columns Museum, Milford Pa.] Son George relates at a later
date: Why my father handled rattlesnakes, I will never know, but
I believe that after being in danger for 4 years his nerves craved
danger. He gave many exhibitions and lectures, and for some time
had a show. He traded 4 rattlesnakes to Mr. Ditmar who was
curator of the New York City Zoo, for one king cobra, and while in
Milford, Penn. the snake got out of the box and when it came at
him with its head about one foot high, he kicked it in the neck,
then grabbed it and put it back in the box, and it still lived.
George relates further: At Patterson Eddy farm, he was lecturing
to a bunch of young medical students and letting a large yellow
rattler crawl through his hands. He claimed there was no such
thing as charming a snake. One young student had interrupted him
many times and now he said to my father, "just a minute you are
looking that snake in the eyes all the time." Father opened up
the front of his shirt and put the snake in between the two shirts
he had on and let him crawl all the way around and come out again,
then asked the young man "was I looking him in the eye?"
Chapter 15. The Poet
George relates: "He also was known to many as the Pike County
poet. He composed many songs, but he couldn't write the music.
There is no record of them however, I remember quite a few of them
and will give you one poem from memory." "The Battle of
Minisink", [Exhibits 39a and 39b].
One of Bill's songs, a record supplied by the
Estate of Agnes Allen by Diane Banach in 2001 was "The Stone King,
Composed by Crazy Bill of Pike. [Exhibit 40]
Also he composed a poem "Stairway Savages." [Exhibit 41]
During the last century, bluestone quarrying was
big business in Pike County, Pa. Mr. Kilgour, with the aid of Mr.
Parker's money, developed Sholola Glen and Parker's Glen and built
up a stone business which collapsed in bankruptcy, leaving his
workmen unpaid. One unhappy quarryman composed the following
songs and sang them around the country, much to Mr. Kilgour's
embarrassment. I believe these songs were written by Wm Padgett
[crazy Bill] who at one time lived on the farm above the Big
Quarry of Mill Rift." "The story I heard is that Kilgour
subsequently walked out on the No 2 RR Bridge in Mill Rift and
left a neat pile of his clothes on the bridge. It was thought
that he killed himself, however his body was never found. Another
source said he was seen living in Canada." [The author recently
read a report that Kilgour disappeared on purpose, was checked
into an institution in Montreal, Canada. He recovered enough when
he heard of an inheritance in his family in Scotland that he
booked a passage on a liner to England and thence to Scotland. A
Doctor on the ship cared for him and after his adventure in
Scotland returned to the area and restarted his Bluestone business
with some success.]
Chapter 16. Sara, Mary and Daniel Halsey Padgett
Bill's sister Sarah E. married Fred Clow [born NYS 1849]. Fred
was a railroad brakeman. They lived in Deerpark, Orange County,
NY. Their children were Mertie May, born 1873; Charles, born
1875; and Fred, born 1880. In 1920, they were living in Newton,
NJ. Sarah was close to her mother, Rebecca, up to her passing in
1897.
Sister Mary married Joseph Allen May 31, 1873 at Andover, NJ. He
was a railroad brakeman and lived in Port Jervis, NY at the time
of their marriage. Joe was 45 and Mary 20 years old in 1873. The
couple lived in Deerpark in 1880 with four children; Charles born
1874, Samuel born 1878, Van Etten and Len, birth dates unknown.
Mary was a widow in 1900 and later moved to Middletown, NY with
son Van Etten.
Bill's brother, *Daniel Halsey*, was born April 8, 1855 in Newton,
NJ and was the only son too young to serve in the Civil War.
Daniel inherited the farm and was executor for his mother. He
married Harriet M. Campbell
October 30, 1875. [Exhibits 13 and 16, and 36] Harriet lived in
Branchville, NJ and her parents were Conrad and Nancy Handy
Campbell. Harriet was born April 18, 1851. Their children were
Albert C., born April 23, 1876; Frank M. born July 22, 1879; the
twins, Elwood and Elmer, born July 27, 1881; Dana C. born
September 16, 1885; William C. born
August 29, 1891; and Lulu C. born September 29, 1897. Daniel is
the branch of the tree sourcing the later Padgetts of Sussex
County, NJ and of Port Jervis and Deerpark in Orange County, New
York. Daniel passed on February 25, 1922 in Andover; his wife
Harriet on December 1, 1922. Both are buried at the Cemetery
behind the Presbyterian Church in Andover.
Chapter 17. Life in Mill Rift
Bill became addicted to smoking a pipe while in the service of the
Union. He and his siblings were raised to be temperate in habit,
in general. He was against alcohol use and April 16, 1881,
appeared at a temperance meeting in Union hall, Port Jervis, on a
Thursday night. "Remarks were made by Dr. Searles, John Bross,
John Sutcliff and John Ferguson [Bill's father-in-law]. William
Padgett of Pike county entertained the company by remarks and
singing." The forgoing was reported in The Evening Gazette.
Victoria picked up Bill's tobacco habit by lighting his pipe for
him. She smoked Prince Albert in a corn cob pipe. [Exhibit 25]
Charles Agustus Padgett, born in 1877, was a determined lad who
developed an iron temperament. In 1892 at the age of 15, Charlie
worked in the stone quarries as an apprentice. His job was to
hold the drilling chisel while an older worker wielded the sledge
hammer. To tease Charlie, the worker spit tobacco juice on the
chisel head and slammed the hammer home! The juice splattered
into Charlie's face and eyes. At this point he learned that he
must stand up for himself and slugged the hammer man. All the
boys learned the stone cutting business and how to handle an axe.
Washington, born in 1880, became a master at stone cutting.
The log cabin was too small for a family the size of the Padgetts.
[Exhibit 21] In
the winter of 1870, Bill began taking logs to the Sawyer mill to
be cut into boards and beams for a proper house. With the help of
a small loan from David and Rebecca, Bill and Victoria were able
to finish a decent home by the fall of 1871. They constructed a
large barn/chicken house across the field from the front of the
home. The water supply was a hand dug spring in back of the
house. In 1875, shortly after the birth of Minnia, she became
sick from dysentery and died within three weeks. Again in 1878
and 1889 the water borne disease struck and infants John and Levi
perished too. Minnia and John were most likely buried on the
farm; Levi was buried in a plot acquired at the Mill Rift
Cemetery, established in 1888.
Chapter18. Grandfather David, Grandmother Rebecca
Bill's father, *David* suffered a stroke in the spring of 1879,
was partially paralyzed. Rebecca cared for him until 1880, when
it became too difficult. She was sixty four and David sixty
eight. Sarah came when she could but had a family of her own.
Mary lived in Orange County and it was too far to travel daily.
Rebecca did not have cash money to put him in private care
center. In any case they were rare and not generally available.
They were able to place him in the Goshen Poor house, on Quarry
Road, Goshen, NY. After a year of care, he was anxious and well
enough to return home. Unfortunately he suffered a second stroke
and was re-admitted on Feb. 2, 1885. He remained there until *he
died April* *16, 1890*. He is buried at the Poor house cemetery.
[Exhibit 8]
*Rebecca passed on March 27, 1897* at the age of 81. She was
close to Bill, Daniel Halsey, his wife Harriet and daughter Sarah
Clow. Daniel was the Executor and responsible to arrange the
funeral and burial behind the Presbyterian Church in Andover, next
to son John D. Padgett, who was killed by a train August 30, 1889
trying to save his dog. /This was the summer before David died/.
John married *Olivia Ramage* Sept 15, 1877, wed by J. A. Priest of
the Andover Presbyterian church. A hand carved Blue Stone was
made for her, most likely by son Bill. The inscription reads,
*"Fathers, sisters, brothers, there is no love, no care like a*
*mother's.*" This summed up how the children felt about their
dear mother. [Exhibit 5]
Chapter 19. George
Son George was also a very remarkable man. The following stories
were related to Ronald Allen, a newspaper reporter and printed.
"/He said he looked death in the eye on forty two occasions in his
lifetime/. His misfortunes started at the age of six. At this
age, he was as large as his brother Wash, who was ten. Bill kept
some cows, a bull and a team of oxen at this time, 1889. Although
the bull was ugly tempered, George was not afraid of him and was
too young to realize the danger. The animals were pastured in the
upper field.
George and Wash worked in the morning up on the hill cutting
brush, and removed their coats when the sun proved too hot for
them, and laid them on the hill. When noon came, Wash asked
George to move the cattle over to the pasture where they could
obtain water and he would go back for their coats and the dog that
had a woodchuck holed.
After George had moved the cattle over, he picked up a stick and
hit the bull, who had been lying asleep by the stone wall, and
told him to get up. /The bull got up and George was down/! He
grabbed the bull's horns and fortunately his arms were strong, as
the bull shoved him along the ground over freshly cut brush stubs
and stones, which cut his back and sides.
To this day, George can't understand how the bull accomplished
such a feat. Although George was doing some terrible screaming,
it was to no avail as Wash and the dog were out of earshot. His
next recollection is a maze of horns and hoofs and tails and a
blood curdling bellow from the bull. When he was aware of a
modulation he met the eyes of the fourteen hundred pound ox who
had thrown the bull over the wall and into the brush and stood
protecting George. [Exhibit 37]
Upon Wash's arrival with the help of the dog, they got the bull
back into the pasture using stones and clubs. The ox went on
about his business and paid no attention to the fracas. For many
years George would freeze when he heard a bull bellow, and with
good cause. This is one man you can't say "dumb ox" to as he will
ask you, "which ox?"
Once when George was a "little shaver", he and Oran Hazelton, who
was the same age, went sleigh riding together. Oran's sister,
Lizzie, had given him a new sleigh for Christmas. The two boys
took off for Sawyer's hill which was a glare of ice and they could
go like greased lightning! The sled tracks were frozen to ruts
which led to a stone wagon which had been abandoned to the side of
the road because it was worn out. George, who was on the sled at
the time, hit a "Thank you Mam" near the foot of the hill. He and
the sled flew into the air and straight for the front wheel of the
old wagon. The sled split in two! Besides numerous cuts and
bruises he injured his ear and hurt his shoulder.
A few days later, he was sledding the same hill and hit a new
sleigh being pulled to the top by Hannah Malony, who was crossing
the road to talk to some of the girls. At the impact the steel
shoe edge of the sleigh hit him squarely on the chin, cutting it
to the bone. However, had he not hit the sled, he would have
crashed into or under Saul Hazelton's fifteen hundred pound horse
and sleigh that were coming uphill.
When George was ten years old, 1893, he was on his way to bring in
the cows, and spied several partridges feeding on the early wine
fruit grapes. He immediately ran home for a deer rifle Bert
Terwilliger had given his younger brother several years previously.
Although the gun was rusting and had been loaded for years, he
primed it and put on a cap, took a bead on a bird and pulled the
trigger. Kaboom! The gun blew the tube out and cut the top of
his forehead, and the powder burned his eyes! His hat had been
blown off and had a hole in it as big as his fist.
A few years later, he and his brother were cutting wood about a
mile from home at a brook known as the Beaver Dam. A limb above
his head caught his axe causing it to glance and hit his right
foot. The joint of the toe next to his big one was split and an
artery cut. He walked the mile home gushing blood, and as the
nearest Doctor was six miles away, his dear mother knew that the
fleecy side of sole leather having been tanned by oak bark was a
great astringent.
She shaved off six thin pieces and bound three above the wound and
three below and tied it tight with bindings. In a short time the
bleeding had subsided, and George continued to grow.
When he was ten years of age he drove a yoke of oxen through the
summer and worked the Quarry winters. [Exhibit 37] Although he
put in a full day in the Quarry it was his duty to feed the cattle
before going to work, and left the Quarry between 3:30 and 4:00pm
to take the oxen to the brook for a drink, after which he put them
in the barn, and retired to the house.
One particular morning on arising to find a heavy snow had fallen
in the night, he went to the barn to feed the oxen and one was
missing. He proceeded to milk the cows and returned to the house
where his father sternly reprimanded him and made him go in search
of the lost critter. [Exhibit 37]
Since there were no tracks because of the snow, he searched until
noon and returned home soaked to the skin. Although his mother
didn't trust Jake Kent who worked for her husband, and told him
that Jake had stolen the Ox, Bill chose not to believe her. Jake
was a neighbor and supposed friend for 22 years. Jake even swore
an affidavit in support of Bill's application for a disability
pension in 1891. [see Chapter 24]
About midnight, George's brother in law Ross Vanauken, [Evelyn's
husband] came up from Milford and wanted his father-in-law to
identify the skin and horns of the ox Dave Angle had found while
hunting with two other men at the bark of Dave's dog. Dave Angle
knew that the butchered ox was one belonging to George's father
and sent Ross to fetch him. Bill promptly swore out a warrant
upon seeing the evidence.
The sheriff, who was an old German fellow, retrieved the hide and
the meat that had not been consumed. Jake being a very shrewd
person /took distance/. Although they caught up with Jake at a
house known as the "Finley Place" near Vandermark Brook, they did
not pursue him as he had threatened them. He made his escape
through a door which led from the cellar to the surrounding
woods. The searchers found the house empty on entering it. Jake
died some years later near Paterson, NJ.
Note: Ronald Allen, reporter for the Pike County Dispatch wrote
an article Feb 28, 1980, "Rattlesnake Bill remembered" under
"Beetle Hollow". In it he describes Jake Kent as a Robin Hood.
"Jake Kent, no relative of the Kents that settled in Mill Rift,
was a study for a board of brain specialists. He could hardly
read or write, but he was a good worker and a great fisherman. He
was good natured and good with horses, but had a habit of
stealing. He never stole for himself and always gave away the
stolen goods to someone else, but never told them that it was
stolen. [Concerning the Ox,] Mr. Padgett swore out a warrant for
Jake's arrest but he got away from the Sheriff and went to
Patterson, NJ and worked for a man who raised horses. He was
bitten by an ugly stallion in the finger and he died with blood
poisoning and so ended the career of Jake Kent."
When working in the front Quarry with Charlie Sterns and John
Davey, George would start the coal fire so that they could sharpen
the tools, and call his father when the gas had burned off, as he
was allergic to it. The shop contained a box of dynamite of
eight sticks, as four of them had been used and two ten pound
metal kegs of black powder with slide lids on them.
Sterns had laid some fuse caps on the two by four that acted as a
nailer in the side of the shop. The caps had fallen into the
coal/. As George started the fire one morning he did not notice
that someone had removed two sticks of dynamite, and left the lid
off one of the powder kegs or that he had thrown the fuse caps in
the fire with the coal.
As he started the fire there was a terrific explosion that left
him blind for four days. Had a spark of the fire gone in the
powder keg it would have exploded the dynamite and nothing would
have been left but a big hole in the ground!
Chapter 20. The Bowlers
The Padgett children were friends with the *Helt* family
children. Christer Helt, born in Pennsylvania March 1859 and his
wife, Caroline, born in New Jersey June of 1864 moved to a log
cabin located on the Turnout Road about one mile down river from
Stairway and a 45 minute walk from the Padgett farm. Their
children, John, born Sept 1875, Frank born Feb 1878, Warren born
Sept 1880 and Alfred, born Sept 1884, were cohorts and friends to
Bill and Victoria's children. They moved to this location about
1894 when Chris and John worked for the Erie RR, Chris as
Trackwalker and John as a rail layer. Warren also went to work
for the Erie in 1900 as a rail layer.
In 1897, when George Padgett and Alfred Helt were friends and ages
14 and 13, they came up with a grand idea to pick up some of the
popular Bowler hats worn by sports from New York City. The Erie
ran an excursion to Shohola Glen Amusement Park several miles up
the river. One Sunday George stationed himself crouching down out
of sight in a low area along the west side of the track, where a
dry water way crossed under the track, with a long pole. Alfred
stood up on the hillside and smiled and waved to the passengers,
who leaned out the open windows and waved their Bowlers at
Alfred. George used the pole to poke the Bowlers out of their
hands! They were smart enough to quit at two and luckily for
them, their fathers never found out.
The Spanish American War broke out in 1898. When George decided
to enlist in the Army, he was 16 in 1899. Like his father, George
was patriotic. His family revealed his actual proper age, he was
discharged. He promptly enlisted in the Navy, telling them he was
twenty two years old! [Exhibit 20]
He weighed 186 pounds at 16 and 1/2 and the deception was
successful! He could lift a two hundred pound railroad tie at the
age of fifteen and lay it carefully on a pile above his head. He
served in the Navy for four years, being discharged in Breverton,
Washington and was home six months before his twenty-first
birthday in 1904.
While serving in the Navy, readying a ship that was bound for
Japan and the Philippines, the captain ordered the bunkers filled
with coal to capacity. Apprentice boys could enlist at the age of
fourteen, however proved hard to control, and filled the bunkers
with coal from baskets. The bunker was filled up to the deck and
it was George's turn to go down and lying on his side push the
coal to the sides and fill in the corners. The officer of the
deck had given strict orders not to dump the coal any faster then
it could be taken away. The boys passing relay system disobeyed
orders and filled the bunker to the top and continued to pile coal
thus cutting off all the air from George, and he was buried alive.
The air was so thick you could cut it with a knife; he blew out
his torch, and lay there perspiring until the officer of the deck
came by on a periodic check.... the minutes ticked into an
eternity. George was bleeding from the nose when rescued, and the
boys sternly reprimanded.
George, like his siblings, was musical and could play the Banjo.
Two years later, at age 22, March 5, 1906, George married a local
girl he met at the Mill Rift School house at age 7 [1890], *Nellie
Elizabeth Sawyer*. [Exhibit 14A]
On the marriage license, he listed his profession as engineer.
With the help of John Sawyer, George and Nellie built the "Mirror
House/" which was later to become the Glenwood Hotel, on Mirror
Lake in Mill Rift. [Exhibit 14]
Nellie was the daughter of William Sawyer and Mary Wintermute;
she was born December 8, 1883. She had two brothers, John and
Wilbur Sawyer.
Chapter 21. Charles Agustus
Bill's son, Charles Agustus, born January 16, 1877, enlisted in
the army at news of Spanish American War on July 1, 1898,
Battery K, 2nd Field Artillery. He served from Sept 1899 to Dec
1, 1900 under Capt Bjornstead, 42nd FA, Volunteers. The 1900
census found him at Antipolo, Philippine Islands as a corporal,
age 23.
Upon return to the US, Charles was married to an Indian woman near
Fort Logan, Colorado. Coming home one day, he found her with an
officer. He severely beat the officer and took off. He was
arrested for desertion and given a General Courts Martial, found
guilty and sentenced to 18 months hard labor at Leavenworth
Prison, and given a dishonorable discharge. When released,
Charles changed his name to Charles Padget, enlisted again in
the Army at Vancouver, Washington State in 18th Field
Artillery. An evaluation of him Feb 7, 1904 shows him to be a
corporal, single, faithful, and honest of excellent character.
Charles re-enlisted in 1905 at Vancouver at the rank of Sergeant.
From 1906 to 1909 he was stationed at West Point Military
Academy. There in 1909 he met and married Elizabeth Renk, a
German immigrant, born in Hagen, Baden, Germany, emigrated from
Effringen, Baden, via the port of Boulogne, France on the liner
Pennsylvania. [Exhibit 18]
This ship was built by Harlan & Wolff, Ltd. in Belfast, Northern
Ireland in 1897 for Hamburg Lines. It was 579 feet long, 62 feet
wide, 12,281 tons, steam quadruple expansion engines, twin screws
and carried 2724 passengers, 162 first class, the rest in 2nd and
3rd class. The ship was seized in NYC at the outbreak of WW1
and renamed the USS Nassemond. It was scrapped in 1924. She was
raised Evangelish. Her sister Bertha and brother Reinhard
emigrated before Elizabeth. Bertha was working as a housekeeper
in San Francisco, Cal. April 18, 1906 at the time of the huge
earthquake. Their life was an army life, with Charlie working
in service and repairing shoes for the family himself. Lizzie
cooked and cleaned for officers, becoming acquaintances and
friends with officers and their wives. She knew General Douglas
McArthur, for example. She also baked pies and the children sold
them.
Their children were: William, [Exhibits 24 and 27]
born Sept 9, 1909 in Highland Falls, NY near West Point; Helen
born Sept. 9, 1912 at Fort Myers, Virginia; *Harold* born Dec 16,
1914 at Fort Myers; Raymond born July 14, 1917 at West Point;
Elsie born March 25, 1921 at West Point; Lawrence born Jan 10,
1924 at Madison Barracks, Lake Ontario, New York; and Charles born
after Charlie Sr.'s retirement, at Highland Falls. They live on
here while Charlie worked for the Academy a few more years. They
then moved to Mill Rift, Pa and rented the old Knickerbocker
house. Their life story goes on through many eventful years but
that is a tale for another day. [Exhibit 15]
Chapter 22. Oliver, Washington, Evelyn and Adelia
Bill's son *Oliver* was born April 18, 1885. In 1900, Oliver
worked at odd jobs. He frequently helped out on the Knickerbocker
farm in Mill Rift. In 1902, at the age of 17, Oliver, whose
nature was patriotic like his father and brothers, wanted to
enlist in the Army. [Exhibit 23]
He served in California and the Philippine Islands. He saw hot
action there and later told how Guerrillas would bind their
testicles tightly to overcome pain and charge right into their
guns. He married a Philippine wife, however, when he came home at
Army retirement in 1925, they were no longer married. Ollie could
recite Robert Service poems from memory, play guitar and
harmonica. He met Alma Connolly at the Glenwood Hotel and they
were married Dec 28, 1923. They had no children.
Bill's son *Washington* was born Feb 22, 1880. He, like his
brothers, wanted to enlist in the Army. They said he was not tall
enough, being about one inch short. He went home and used weights
to stretch his body. It worked and, one year later, he enlisted
in the Army. Wash enlisted in the Army sometime after 1901, and
when World War I broke out, was a Sergeant in the 6th Infantry
Div. [Exhibits 15 and 26]
As of Dec 6, 1917, the Milford Dispatch reported Wash, now a
corporal in the 51St Infantry, was training in Chickamauga Park
Georgia. He served in France and suffered life long problems from
Mustard Gas. He served twenty years and 6 months and retired. He
married Pearl Henion July 22, 1926. Their children were: Shirley
M. born 1927, Joan M. born 1928, Anne, and Pearl's daughter from a
previous marriage, Audrey M. born 1917.
Wash could tell jokes for hours, clean or off color. He worked
after retirement from the Army as a stone cutter in a Quarry.
Bill's and Victoria's daughter *Evelyn, "Eva*" as of 1900, age 31,
was married to Ross Vanauken, age 39. Eva was working as a
laundress. They lived in Milford and Washington, age 20, was
staying with them as was Martha, age 19. Ross was born in April
1861 in Pennsylvania; his father was born in New Jersey, mom in
Pennsylvania. It is not clear if Ross died or they divorced,
however, they did not have any children. In 1903, Eva /remarried/
to *Lafayette "Lafe" Brink*, employed as of 1910 as a Blacksmith.
They lived at that time at Catherine Street [63?] in Milford,
Pennsylvania. In 1920 they lived on Lower Pond Eddy Road, Pond
Eddy, Pa next door to Eva's cousin Dana Padgett, his wife Alice
and children Lafayette, age 13, Alice R. age 8 and David age 3,
all born in New Jersey. Lafe was employed as a chopper, now 62
year of age, Eva still as laundress, age 52. Eva passed away in
1928. Lafe in 1930 lived as a boarder in Binghamton, Broome
County, New York.
Bill's and Victoria's daughter *Adelia A.* was born in 1867. At
the age of thirteen, she worked as a servant for neighbor and
friends, the Middaughs. Delia married in 1899 at age of thirty
two to *Van Tassel*. It is not clear who he was or even his first
name. Delia was living at home in 1900 when the census was
counted, had no children. She died soon after however little is
known about when or where she is buried. This was during the time
of the Spanish American War and the Padgetts served in the
Philippine Islands. A brother-in-law may have also served there
or was killed there.
Chapter 23. Elizabeth and Martha
Bill's and Victoria's daughter *Elizabeth*, was born 19 February,
1870. She married *Frank J. Wintermute*, son of Whitfield
Wintermute and Anna L. Van Akin in 1889. They lived on Delaware
Street, Mill Rift in 1910, had three children, Irving H. born in
1891, Elsie B. [later married Gail], born in 1894, and Howard W.,
born in 1897. They lived a number of years in the West End of
Port Jervis, NY and sometime prior to 1918, moved to East Orange,
NJ. Lizzie died on May 8, 1942 at home; 19 Orange Street,
Bloomfield NJ. Frank died in 1961 at the age of 84. At the
time of Bill's death at her home, Martha was also staying in
East Orange helping to care for their paralyzed father.
Bill's and Victoria's daughter *Martha Young Padgett* was born
April 17, 1881. In 1900 she lived with sister Evelyn Vanauken
in Milford and had a job there. In 1903 she met *James Beck*
while at work. [Exhibits 38 38a]
He was born in Pennsylvania in 1877, worked for the Erie
Railroad. They lived for a time in Milford, and then moved to
Mill Rift in 1909 with her family, later renting the Sawyer house
and then purchased the Sawyer/Cleveland house in 1920. [White
Pine Lodge] James had one of the first cars in Mill Rift in
1917. Martha and the children lived there until 1929. They cared
for Bill after his stroke for a time and also Victoria stayed
with them. In 1924, James was run over and killed by a drunken
engineer in the rail yards in Port Jervis. Harold, 10 year old
son of Charles was summoned to identify the body. Martha moved to
Matamoras in 1929. She met and married *Walter J. Bradshaw*, born
June 30, 1878, in 1937. He was a Ohio Capt. in the Air Service
and served in the Spanish American War and WW1. He had several
children in a previous marriage. Walter died Dec. 6, 1953.
Martha lived to a wonderful age of 92, dying in 1974. [Exhibit 4]
Chapter 24. The Old Soldier
Bill and his family participated in the early version of the Mill
Rift Civic Association. George helped build the Town Hall.
The Mill Rift Debating Society sponsored a debate between Bill
and another on the merits of Black Americans as compared to Native
Americans. Bill loved an audience, loved to orate and sing. He
passed that trait on to Oliver, Washington and George.
Bill applied for an additional pension Feb, 1891. The record
contains General Affidavits supporting his claim of physical
disability. One dated Feb 17th 1891 from Jacob Henyon, aged 53,
of Sparrow Bush, Orange County, New York. He affirmed that he
knew William Padgett since 1856 and prior to his enlistment as a
sound able bodied man. He further affirmed that he never heard
him complain of any ailment at that time. Jacob was in the
service as a member of Co. E, 6th Regiment NY Cav. Volunteers and
was taken prisoner of war at Trebellian Station, Va. June 11th
1864. He was sent to Andersonville Prison, Georgia, June 28th
1864, where Padgett was also confined and a prisoner. Jacob
remembers that in the month of August, 1864, and while Padgett and
himself were both prisoners, that Padgett was sick with Rheumatism
and Malarial fever. Padgett was very sick, weak and debilitated
and reduced in flesh. Jacob believed that Padgett could not live
to get out of the prison. Jacob nursed Padgett and helped take
care of him and led him down to the brook and helped wash him.
Sometime prior to 1910, J. F. Maloney, as one of his many
professions, was the publisher of a Post Card company, the cards
made in Germany. Local subjects such as scenic vistas of "the
Glen", Mill Rift's business district and the Delaware were popular
subjects. His customers were boarders and tourists from the
cities who arrived by train. One card featured "Rattlesnake
Bill", and his Pets, Mill Rift, Pike Co., Pa.".
In 1911, Bill suffered a stroke which incapacitated him. A
local sent the above mentioned post card, addressed "Mr. C. J.
Fredericks, 50 Church St., NY City, Room 876". "Understand Bill
is a friend of yours. Poor old chap is paralyzed and the snake
business is at a standstill. Signed: Mac Aug. 12, 1911."/
[Exhibits 6 and 7]
An affidavit dated August 19th , 1917 sworn by Dimmick Quick, age
66, a resident of Mill Rift, Pa, and John Davey, age 33, a
resident of Mill Rift, that they have known the soldier 50 years
and 25 years, that the last four years he has been helpless from a
Paralytic Stroke, that they know this fact from living near
neighbors to him, that his speech is affected so to be almost
unintelligible and his left hand and side is useless.
An affidavit dated April 23, 1904 by William Padgett, /that he
enlisted in Co. F, 70th Regiment, NY Vols and discharged for
gunshot wound of left hand, enrolled 18th August, 1862, Co. I,
15th Regiment, NJ Inf Vols, honorably discharged at Hall's Hill,
Virginia on 22nd of June 1865; that he is wholly unable to earn a
support by manual labor by reason of age and gun shot wound of the
left hand, rheumatism Disease of the eyes and he also applies
for benefits of order No. 78.
An affidavit dated 17th February, 1891 by *Jacob Kent* age 31,
resident of Westfall, Mill Rift, Pa; and Horatio Hazelton, age 28,
resident of Mill Rift; that Horatio has know Padgett for 16
years, well acquainted and as a neighbor, that for such time
claimant has been in poor health, suffering as claimed with
rheumatism malaria and kidney disease contracted in Andersonville
prison while a prisoner of war, that he has suffered since and
continues to do so. The said Jacob Kent says he has been in
continual acquaintance with Padgett for 22 years been with him
almost daily, that he knows he has suffered during this time
deponent has known him. That he has heard him state that these
diseases were contracted by Padgett in Andersonville Prison. Both
men state that through personal knowledge, and seeing him work,
that Padgett cannot do more than one half the work of an able
bodied man.
Other affidavits include one from Solomon Hazelton, age 55 years,
a neighbor for 40 years. One from William G Cooper, age 49 a
resident of Shanghai, Howard County, Indiana that he became
acquainted with Wm W. Padgett in Andersonville, Ga. In July as
near as I remember, and in August, '64, his health being very poor
and scarcely being able to see after his own person. What the
disease was I am unable to state as I don't know, and 26 years is
a long time. I have never saw said Claimant since it is not
unlikely his statement is perfectly straight as a man in that
miserable Pen was likely to contract any disease from chicken pox
to Leprosy. I know of where I speak. When said claimant came
into Andersonville he was full of vim but he soon lost it. I have
no interest in said claim and it would not benefit me if he would
get ten thousand dollars of a Pension financially. This is only
that he would be rewarded for his service and Patriotism.
An affidavit by William W Padgett: That it is impossible for him
to furnish Medical testimony on account that at the time he
contracted his disabilities rheumatism, malarial fever and disease
of the kidneys, he was a prisoner of war confined in the Prison
pen in Georgia, and that he received no Medical treatment while
sick, prisoners of war were not allowed treatment at that time.
He further says that he was in no Hospital either brigade,
Division Corps or post while a prisoner, that after he was
paroled and sent to Camp parole near Annapolis, Md. he was
treated in the Post Hospital at that place.
Bill and Victoria had to give up living on the somewhat remote
farm at the end of Turn Out Road, [Bluestone Blvd] in Mill Rift.
They lived at turns with children Martha in Mill Rift, George and
Nellie in Otisville, NY and Elizabeth and Frank Wintermute in Mill
Rift, later West End Port Jervis, East Orange, NJ. Bill suffered
another stoke and died November 5, 1918 at Elizabeth's home in
East Orange, NJ. Daughter Martha Beck was also with him at the
closing, helping Elizabeth with his care. To Bill, it was
similar to entering this world, as he made his way through a
tunnel toward the light. Could he hear the voices and sense the
spirits of his brothers, his parents as he reached toward the
light? Finally this peaceful feeling, the battle is ended.
This very remarkable man took his final journey by train to Port
Jervis, NY and was interred in the Mill Rift Cemetery. The
transit permit listed his death cause as "Arterio Sclerosis." His
grave is marked by a Military stone and a private stone. Victoria
lived on until April 6, 1934. She died at home at 5 am. A
funeral was held at the Mill Rift Town Hall and burial next to
Bill and baby Levi in the Mill Rift Cemetery.
A Declaration for Widows Pension was filed by Victoria the 31st
of December, 1918 and terminated at her passing April 4, 1934,
last paid $36.00 per month to March 31, 1934.
THE END