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Birdie Alcena Mayer

Birth Date: 01/13/1869     Deceased Date: 04/06/1928

Sex: F   Click Here For My Photo: PHOTO

Father's Current Name: George William Miller
Mother's Current Name: Clarissa Ellen Miller
Mother's Maiden  Name: Martin

FAMILY TREE INFO

My family was originally from Germany. I married Albert Mayer on October 25, 1885. At one time we lived in Tryon, NE. We gave birth to 12 children...

My father, George William Miller, was born on 10/21/1835 and died on 10/08/1890. My mother, Clarissa Ellen Martin, was born on 12/01/1844 and died on 10/10/1924. She had also married Patrick King on 05/22/1860 who later died on 08/02/1863 in the Civil War (1861-65 see below). My mother and father were married on 09/10/1867. They lived in Nebraska or perhaps Goshin county Indiana?

Clarissa Martin's parents were John Martin (father) and Elizabeth Kilmlenworth Middleton (mother's maiden name). Elizabeth was born in 1806 and died on 03/14/1878. They married on 10/17/1839. They lived in Delaware?

Elizabeth Middleton's parents were Sommerset Middleton (father) and Leah Mary Downing or possibly Mary Leah Downing (mother's maiden name). Sommerset was born on 12/07/1780 and died on 04/22/1824 or 1834 (?). Leah (or Mary) was born on 01/22/1770 and died on 04/03/1834 (19 days before Sommerset). They married on 03/06/1805. Sommerset was from Sussex county Delaware and Leah was from Elkhart county Indiana?

Sommerset Middleton's parents were James Middleton (father) and Mary James (mother's maiden name). James was born in 1750 and died in 1798. Mary was born in 1754 and died in 1797 (1 year before James). They were married in 1775. James fought in the American Revolutionary War (1775-83 see below) and was from Sussex county Delaware. Their children were Polly who was born in 1792 and who married David Downing, Sommerset who was born on 12/07/1780 and who married Mary Downing (possibly the sister of David Downing), John who was born on 02/12/1777 and who married Elizabeth Downing (also possibly the sister of David and Mary Downing).

NOTE: One of the signers of the unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, the Declaration of Independance, issued on July 4, 1776, was a person named Arthur Middleton from South Carolina (use these links for dates, family info, etc.). His father was Henry Middleton who was also a factor in U.S. history. If interested, here are other links with more information on these persons, their history and their family tree (who knows; time will tell if there might be a connection there?)...

http://www.geni.com/people/Arthur-Middleton-Signer-of-the-Declaration-of-Independence/6000000003642202912
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donkelly/RUTLEDGE/MIDDLETON/Bio.htm

Civil War

Civil War, in U.S. history, conflict (1861-65) between Northern states (Union) and Southern seceded states (CONFEDERACY). It is known in the South as the War between the States, and by the official Union designation of War of the Rebellion. Many causes over a number of years contributed to what William H. SEWARD called "the irrepressible conflict": sectional rivalry, moral indignation aroused by the ABOLITIONISTS, the question of the extension of slavery into new territories, and a fundamental disagreement about the relative supremacy of federal control or STATES' RIGHTS. The MISSOURI COMPROMISE (1820) and the COMPROMISE OF 1850 were unsuccessful efforts toward a peaceful solution. The election of LINCOLN as president and the secession (Dec. 20, 1860) of SOUTH CAROLINA, soon followed by six other Southern states, precipitated war. When federal troops were moved to FORT SUMTER, S.C., Confederate Gen. P.G.T. BEAUREGARD obeyed orders to fire on the fort (Apr. 12, 1861). Four more states seceded, making an 11-state Confederacy. Early battles were Confederate victories. Beauregard defeated Irvin McDowell (July 21) at the first battle of BULL RUN. In 1862, G.B. MCCLELLAN's PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN was foiled by Confederate commander Robert E. LEE. In September, however, Lee's ANTIETAM CAMPAIGN was checked by McClellan, and Lincoln drafted the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. The year ended with a Union defeat (Dec. 13) at FREDERICKSBURG, and spring brought a resounding Confederate victory (May 2-4, 1863) at CHANCELLORSVILLE, where Lee, however, lost his ablest general, "Stonewall" JACKSON. Confederate fortunes turned for the worse when Lee undertook the disastrous GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN (June-July 1863). Meanwhile, the Union navy had blockaded the Southern coast, and D.G. FARRAGUT captured New Orleans (Apr. 1862). The introduction of the ironclad warship (see MONITOR AND MERRIMACK) had ended the era of the wooden battleship, but Confederate cruisers, built or bought in England, were causing great losses to Northern commercial shipping. In the West, GRANT's great victory (Feb. 1862) at Fort Donelson was followed by a drawn battle (April 6-7) at SHILOH. Union gunboats on the Mississippi opened the way for Grant's successful VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN. Confederate Gen. Braxton BRAGG was checked at the end of the CHATTANOOGA CAMPAIGN (Aug.-Nov. 1863) and was driven back to Georgia. In the WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN (May-June 1864), Grant forced Lee toward Richmond, and besieged PETERSBURG. Union Gen. W.T. SHERMAN won the ATLANTA CAMPAIGN (May-Sept. 1864) and made a destructive march through Georgia to the sea. The Confederates evacuated Richmond after P.H. SHERIDAN's victory at Five Forks (Apr. 1, 1865). With his retreat blocked, Lee was forced to surrender to Grant at APPOMATTOX (Apr. 9, 1865). The Union victory was saddened by the assassination of Pres. Lincoln (April 14), and by the deaths of more Americans than in any other war. But the Union was saved, and slavery was abolished. The seceded states were readmitted to the Union after RECONSTRUCTION.

American Revolution

American Revolution (1775-83) struggle by which the THIRTEEN COLONIES that were to become the United States won independence from Britain. By the middle of the 18th cent., differences in life, thought, and economic interests had formed between the colonies and the mother country. The British government, favoring a policy of MERCANTILISM, tried to regulate colonial commerce in the British interest, and provoked colonial opposition. The STAMP ACT passed by Parliament in 1765 roused a violent colonial outcry as an act of taxation without representation. The TOWNSHEND ACTS (1767) led to such acts of violence as the BOSTON MASSACRE (1770), the burning of the H.M.S. Gaspee (1772), and the BOSTON TEA PARTY (1773). In 1774 Britain responded with the coercive INTOLERABLE ACTS. The colonists convened the CONTINENTAL CONGRESS and petitioned the king for redress of their grievances. Fighting erupted on Apr. 19, 1775, at LEXINGTON AND CONCORD, and was followed by the capture of Fort Ticonderoga from the British, the battle of BUNKER HILL, and the unsuccessful colonial assault on Quebec (1775-76). The Continental Congress appointed (1775) George WASHINGTON to command the Continental army and, on July 4, 1776, adopted the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. Many colonists, however, remained pro-British Loyalists. The colonial victory in the SARATOGA CAMPAIGN (1777) helped forge a French-American alliance (1778), bringing vital aid to the colonists. Following the terrible ordeal of Washingon's army at VALLEY FORGE and the indecisive battle of MONMOUTH (1778), the war shifted to the South during the Carolina campaign (1780-81). The surrender (Oct. 1781) of Gen. CORNWALLIS at the close of the YORKTOWN CAMPAIGN ended the fighting, and the Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized the U.S. as a nation.