I saw HAMILTON

On November 27, 2019 By jenbumannIn colonel william shepard, ShepardLeave a comment

Because I know people, it’s always good to know people, I was able to see HAMILTON when it breezed through my neck of the woods. And I was able to get excellent seats. It was fantastic. Although, there is so much going on on stage that you can’t see it just once.

And after having seen the show I feel even more of a connection to history when I read things like this:

To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 15 November 1777

Peeks Kill [N.Y.] November 15. 1777. Mr Kennedy’s house.

I arrived at this place last night and unfortunately find myself unable to proceed any further. Imagining I had gotten the better of my complaints while confined at Governor Clinton’s & anxious to be about, attending to the march of the troops, the day before yesterday I crossed the ferry in order to fall in with General Glover’s brigade which was on its march from Poughkepsie to Fish Kill. I did not however see it myself but received a letter from Col. Shepherd, who commands the Brigade informing me he would be last night at Fish Kill and this night at Kings Ferry.3 Waggons &c. are provided on the other side for his accomodation, so that there need be no delay but what is voluntary; and I beleive Col. Shepherd is as well disposed as could be wished to hasten his march. General Poors Brigade crossed the ferry the day before yesterday. Two york regiments Cortlandts & Livingstons are with them. they were unwilling to be separated from the Brigade and the Brigade from them. General Putnam was unwilling to keep them with him, and if he had consented to do it, the regiments to replace them would not join you six days as soon as these. The troops now remaining with General Putnam will amount to about the number you intended, though they are not exactly the same. He has detached Col. Charles Webbs regiment to you. He says the troops with him are not in a condition to march being destitute of Shoes stockings and other necessaries; but I beleive the true reasons of his being unwilling to persue the mode pointed out by you were his aversion to the york troops, and his desire to retain General Parsons with him. I am with much respect & esteem Yr Excellys Most Obedt servt
A. Hamilton
ALS, DLC:GW.

3. Col. William Shepard’s letter to Hamilton has not been identified.

This is a letter that Alexander Hamilton is writing to George Washington, talking about my great grandfather William Shepard. And my great grandfather, Col. William Shepard, was writing to both of these historical figures.

Awesome! History can sometimes be so cool.

Happy Thanksgiving.

P.S. I celebrate giving thanks on this day, not the genocide of the Indigenous Peoples of this continent.

Source: What’s this?https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-12-02-0252

Amund Leaves Norway

On November 20, 2019November 21, 2019 By jenbumannIn amundsonLeave a comment

There is nothing new to learn regarding Amund Amundson’s immigration to the United States from Norway. I know everything regarding the bold facts. The only thing missing was the actual passengers’ list. The only reason I bring this up, is that I finally decided to find out more about Amund’s trip to America and thought I would share.

Amund Amundson turned 19 three days before he boarded the ‘Frigate Bird’ in Bergen on April 23, 1871, with no other family, although it is possible he traveled with others from the same area. He was heading to Minnesota via Quebec, Canada.

The trip took a little over a month, as the ship arrived in Quebec on the 31st of May, but, because 11 passengers had measles, they were not allowed to disembark until the 4th of June. Although, on arrival at Grosse Isle, all emigrant ships were quarantined until they could assure the authorities that they were free of disease.1

A ship of the time rigged as a Bark. This is not a picture of his ship, but it is close.

I estimate the cost for the trip to have been about $15 US (or about $300 in current money), this doesn’t include the outlying cost of bringing all your own food. The ship’s picture I have inserted above was found at http://www.norwayheritage.com, it is known as a bark. Which describes the type of rigging on the ship that when rigged this way needed fewer crew to get ‘er where she was going. According to historical reference, Amund’s ship was sometimes rigged this way. Which also means that Amund’s trip was definitely not aboard a steamship.

The emigrants in those days had to supply themselves with the necessities of life during the passage and be their own cooks and waiters, families as well as single persons. Several people usually combined their kitchen and food chores and it all occurred, as far as I can recall, without much grumbling or commotion. The only items that were provided without cost by the shipping company were the stove, firewood, and water, as well as fresh air when one stood on deck, though the company did not actually provide the latter. To be sure fresh air was also free below deck, but when so many people had to stay in such a limited space at night and occasionally by day, one may more easily imagine its quality than I can describe it.
Recollections from My Journey to America and My First Years in America, by Halle Steensland 2

An interesting tidbit I found when researching more on Amund’s trip was how in 1869 Norway passed a law to better protect passengers from all the scummy company’s trying to exploit them.3

Originally all I had been able to find regarding Amund’s trip was his entry in a database regarding his leaving Norway in 1871. And from this search entry, I have been able to suss out the origins and ancestry of Amund. But I never had an actual passengers list for him.

Here is the database entry from the Digitalarkivet site from about 10 years ago, that helped me find my Amundson ancestors.

And finally here is the passenger list, found at the Quebec Archives. He is listed as Aamund Ammundson Rogdaberg of Ullensvang, 19 years old.

Okay, so Amund is in Quebec. Now what?

Amund, might have purchased a packaged trip to his final destination, or arranged with the captain, as was one of the customs, to continue on to the United States. So that meant he was now going to board a train, as that was the usual mode of transport when heading to Wisconsin, Minnesota or Iowa. And for those folks going to Minnesota, the usual route was to Milwaukee, and from there the train to Minnesota.

If the emigrant is to continue the trip westward by rail, he will be ferried across the St. Clair River at Sarnia to Port Huron in the state of Michigan… For those emigrants who plan to go by way of Milwaukee, it will be most convenient to change trains in Detroit, Michigan, and go to Grand Haven in the same state. From there they can go by steamer across Lake Michigan to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Those who wish to settle in Wisconsin, Minnesota, or northern Iowa usually choose the Milwaukee route as the most convenient.
John A. Johnson, translated by C. A. Clausen4

Amund possibly went right to Goodhue County in Minnesota, as he is found there in the 1875 state census, already married to Jorgina Johnson, and they had a daughter. But not my great grandmother, yet.

So there you have it. And, if I hadn’t known the ship’s name, it might have been a lot trickier to find this little gem. Now I have to work on finding Jorgina’s arrival.

Source:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grosse_Isle
2. http://www.naha.stolaf.edu/pubs/nas/volume33/vol33_08.htm
3. http://www.norwayheritage.com/articles/templates/historic_documents.asp?articleid=27&zoneid=18
4. http://www.naha.stolaf.edu/pubs/nas/volume33/vol33_07.htm

Promotion Woes

On November 11, 2019November 10, 2019 By jenbumannIn ShepardLeave a comment

I thought this might be an interesting short post for Veteran’s Day. My ancestral grandfather William Shepard, of Westfield, Massachusetts, retired a Colonel of the Revolutionary War.

When he first joined up to help further the cause of the Revolution he was a 2nd Lieutenant, as he had had prior experience in the military when it was British. Over the years during the war he was eventually promoted to Colonel, and in 1782 he was recommended for promotion to Brigadier General. It appears that they needed more Generals to run the brigades in the army.

Osgood Gilman
Whereas it appears that there are two Brigades of Troops of the Massachusetts Line now commanded by Colonels
therefore
Resolved that Col. John Greaton & Col. William Shepard the two Senior Colonels in the Massachusetts line of officers be and hereby are promoted to the Rank of Brigadier General in the Army of the United States.

Vote taken December 1782[?] Ayes 9, Nays 11. The Nays have it.

Unfortunately, William didn’t get that promotion. He retired from military service January 1, 1783, possibly because he felt it was a promotion he should have gotten, plus he had served his county for many years, it was time to go home.

However, nine months after he retired a Congressional Resolution dated September 30, 1783, was passed, it appears that his service was finally being recognized, as he was promoted to Brig. General, although without pay of that rank.

Source: Images from Fold3 website.