Author Topic: Abr'm Grothouser in Northampton County Militia  (Read 7855 times)

Rick

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Abr'm Grothouser in Northampton County Militia
« on: August 28, 2009, 05:50:21 PM »
There is a Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File which is available on the website of the Pennsylvania Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/archive.asp?view=ArchiveIndexes&ArchiveID=13, in which you can find several index cards for Greathouses of PA who were recorded in various militia units across PA.

In the index cards for the Greathouses of Northampton County, PA, there was a William who served in the companies commanded by John Stahl, a William who served in the companies commanded by John Stacher and an Abr'm Grothouser who served in the company of John Stahl.

For the two Williams there are multiple records for both of them. William in Stacher's company was documented from 1780 - 1783. William in Stahl's company was documented in 1778 and 1783.

However, regarding the Abr'm Grothouser... there is only one record which suggests he served in Stahl's company and that record would be the index card itself, available here:

http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/Archives/13/12/CDLOAD/revwar/0018/3078.gif

As you can see, that index card does suggest that there would have been an Abr'm Grothouser in the company of John Stahl between 1780-1783. These index cards were created in the 1960s by more than likely an underpaid government worker, so we really need to see if this Abr'm Grothouser's presence in this unit can be supported by other records.

If you look at the 1778 roster for Stahl's company in which William Grothouse was in the 2nd class and note the others in his class, you will notice that there was an Abraham Peckman in the same class as William.

1778 Stahl Company... William Grothouse and Abraham Peckman in the same class.
http://www.footnote.com/image/3420418/grotehouse/

Source. PA Archives, Series 5, Volume 8, Fourth Battalion, Northampton County Militia, Page 87.

Then if you look at the 1783 roster for Stahl's company, in which William Grothouse was in the 2nd class, you will notice that for the Abr'm in that class, his last name was noted to have been illegible. There was no Abraham Peckman listed.

1783 Stahl Company... William Grothouse and Abr'm "illegible" in the same class.
http://www.footnote.com/image/3530652/grothouse/#3530652

Source: PA Archives, Series 5, Volume 8, Fourth Battalion, Northampton County Militia, Page 360.

So there appears to be a conflict between the Rev War Index card created in the 1960s versus the PA Archives, Series 5, Volume 8 edited by Thomas Lynch Montgomery in 1902.

Until the microfilm of that militia roster can be viewed to see if the last name for Abr'm is legible or illigible, there will be a question about whether there was or was not an Abr'm Grothouser who served in John Stahl's company of the Northampton County Militia in 1783.

Except for that Rev War Military Index Card, so far, a relatively exhaustive search for Greathouse records in Northampton County, PA has failed to uncover any other records which would suggest that an Abraham Grothouser was residing or served in the militia of that area.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2009, 08:54:08 AM by Rick »
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