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How I Traced the Genealogy of a House

November 5, 2015 by Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager 9 Comments

Have you ever been curious about the history and genealogy associated with a house? Here are 10 ideas help you trace the lineage of a home. 

Genealogy of a House

Several years ago my family and I had the opportunity to spend one year at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania while my husband attended the U.S. Army War College. Carlisle Barracks is one of the oldest Army posts in the United States – second only to West Point – having originally been a British outpost before the Revolution. We were thrilled when we were assigned to live in the old farmhouse on post, due to the size of our family.

Ask the Neighbors

As a genealogist, I was accustomed to living near the world’s largest family history library in Salt Lake City, Utah, which I visited frequently. But for this year, I wanted to find a different kind of project, unique to our location. Naturally, I was curious about this quirky old house we were living in. I started asking around, and was surprised to find that no one on post really knew the background of the house. In fact, when I asked the housing office about it, they casually replied that it was soon going to be torn down to make room for modern homes. That was all the motivation I needed to make researching its history my special project for the year.

The Historical Society

I put my genealogy sleuth hat on and headed over to the Cumberland County Historical Society, one of the oldest county historical societies in Pennsylvania. No sooner had I walked in and explained why I was there, than I was informed that the farmhouse was formerly an important part of the Carlisle Indian School, which operated on post from 1879-1918. Its significance had been dismissed and forgotten, and someone needed to document its history to convince the Army not to destroy it. I enthusiastically volunteered for the job.

Local Publications

They quickly presented me with my most valuable farmhouse record: a copy of a 1918 Indian School magazine article featuring the “old fashioned farmhouse” which was regularly used as room and board for the student farm laborers, and a classroom for their agricultural lessons. The home had been “built some time before the Civil War and was occupied by one of the first families of Pennsylvania.” On the eve of the epic Battle of Gettysburg, just 30 miles south of Carlisle, Confederate troops had invaded the town, and a party of soldiers had been fed and sheltered for the night at the farmhouse.

Land Deeds

My first task was to trace the deed history of the house. I made a visit to the Cumberland County courthouse and was allowed into the back rooms where they keep the original oversized deed books. For someone who is used to seeing land records copied on microfilm, it was a thrill to turn the old handwritten pages myself. Normally, genealogists study deeds to determine familial relationships between grantors and grantees, but this time I was tracking the various owners of the farmhouse. I knew at some point a family had sold the house to the Army. I also knew there was a large spring pond behind the house, and that the small housing development across the street was named “Parker Springs.” Taking this hint, I soon found a record of Andrew H. Parker selling his farm and farmhouse to the U.S. Government in 1887. Cross-referencing the Parker name in the index, I next found Andrew’s father, Richard H. Parker, buying the farm from Daniel Keiffer in 1860. Daniel Keiffer had, in turn, bought the farm in 1855 from Ulrich Strickler, who had owned it since 1825.

Tax Records

Armed with these names and dates, I returned to the Historical Society where the Cumberland County tax books were housed. These old books with their cracked leather covers and yellowed pages were even more thrilling for me to handle than the deed books. Normally, tax records are useful to genealogists for tracing individuals and family groups as they came and went in a county. In this case, I was tracing the farmhouse property through its various owners, watching its monetary value fluctuate over the years. Thanks to very detailed notes from the tax man, I learned that in 1853, Ulrich Strickler’s property included a stone house. Three years later in 1856, Daniel Keiffer’s property contained a brick house. This meant that the brick farmhouse I was living in had most likely been built in place of an older stone farmhouse soon after Daniel Keiffer bought the farm in 1855.

The tax books solved another farmhouse mystery for me. There was a rear addition or “ell” to the house that appeared in the oldest picture of it, taken in 1895. I wanted to know when it had been built. Between 1880 and 1883, the gross value of the Parker farm jumped from $6,240 to $10,300, even though the acreage remained the same, suggesting that it was during this time that the rear wing was added on to the house.

Genealogy of a House

Folklore vs. Fact

As my investigation progressed, I had many conversations with various Carlisle locals, asking what they knew about the farmhouse. The maintenance man who came to fix the old boiler in the cellar said he had heard from a former maintenance man that the farmhouse was used as a social club for the segregated African-American soldiers on post during World War II. I was fascinated by this story, but I also knew that family folklore has often been exaggerated and changed over the years. The wise genealogist takes family stories with a grain of salt, while recognizing that they usually do contain “nuggets” of truth. The same wisdom applies to house histories.

The Local Library

I made sure to include a trip to Carlisle’s public library, which had a special local history room. Genealogists know the great value of these rooms, as they often contain local family records which can’t be found anywhere else. There I found Thomas G. Tousey’s Military History of Carlisle and Carlisle Barracks, which became a foundational source for my study. In it, I learned that after the Indian School was closed at the end of World War I, the Parker farm and its farmhouse continued to serve the post with fresh food and agricultural training. In place of the Indian student farm laborers, “a detachment of colored soldiers” worked the land, and most likely socialized in the farmhouse.

The U.S. Census

Sure enough, the 1930 U.S. Census reported a group of eleven African-American soldiers living together on the north corner of Carlisle Barracks, right where the Farmhouse was. Ten years later, in the 1940 U.S. Census, they were gone. Thus, one of the most-used genealogical sources—the census—had confirmed the folklore, but it had also pointed out the inaccuracy in the story; the farmhouse had indeed been a social center for African-American soldiers on post, but this had happened during the 1920s and 1930s rather than during World War II.

Ancestral Connections

Finally, the census revealed a surprisingly personal connection to my beloved farmhouse. The 1880 U.S. Census showed that Andrew H. Parker, who I knew was living in the farmhouse, had a wife named Mary. Using my superpower genealogy skills, I was able to trace Mary back to her parents and siblings, and I discovered to my great delight that she and I shared the same maiden name—Hammond. Although I have yet to determine if or how our family branches connect, this knowledge adds even greater meaning to my yearlong labor of love.

Genealogy Makes a Difference

Happily, with the historical significance of the farmhouse restored and shared, descendants of the Carlisle Indian School students rallied and convinced the Army to cancel the demolition. Plans are now underway to use the house as an Indian School heritage center, to honor the experiences—both positive and negative—of the thousands of Native children who attended Carlisle and its sister schools throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Remembering our past, documenting our ancestors, and even our historic homes, adds depth and meaning to our culture, and brings people together when they learn of their shared heritage.  The availability of genealogical sources is greater today than ever before.

Genealogy of a House

How will uncovering the story of a historic building or home make a difference in your family or community? Legacy Tree Genealogists would love to help you get started! Contact us today to request a free quote.

Have you ever been curious about the history and genealogy associated with a house? Here are 10 ideas help you trace the lineage of a home.
  • Bio
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Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager

Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager

Carolyn is a professional genealogist and writer with a Bachelor's Degree in Family History and 30 years of genealogy experience. As our lead project manager, she excels in helping clients from all over the world to determine clear project goals, gather and organize their background information, stay informed about research progress, and understand their results. Her personal research strengths focus on house histories and finding elusive early Southern U.S. ancestors through a combination of documentary and DNA evidence. Carolyn specializes in managing projects in the following areas: DNA and Genetic Genealogy Lineage Societies United States British Isles Germany and Eastern Europe Greece
Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager

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  • Tying the Knot: Ancestral Marriage Records and Where You Might Find Them - February 7, 2020

Filed Under: Land Records, Methodology Tagged With: deed, genealogy, historical, history, home, house, land, lineage, map, neighbors, property, society, tax

Previous article: A Horrific Headstone on Halloween
Next article: Finding the Gold in Original Family History Records

Comments

  1. Linda Snow Davis says

    November 6, 2015 at 7:04 pm

    How fortunate you were living there at that time and place to be able to work on this project. You have been able to preserve a great piece of history. I am so happy to hear they have decided to preserve the house and for the actual Heritage Center honoring the Native history that took place there.
    Were you able to determine what tribe of Indians were located there? That would be an interesting piece to add to your work.
    Thank you for sharing your experience, I always love to hear of stories when history is preserved. I also love the style of the house. Would love to see inside pictures in the future. Were you able to take pictures when you lived there? Do you have access to return for pictures before and after the preservation? Would love to see a follow up. Thank you for your work you put forth to obtain this history.
    Regards,
    Linda Snow Davis

    Reply
    • Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager says

      November 7, 2015 at 2:41 am

      Hello Linda,
      I’m so glad you enjoyed my story! The Carlisle Indian School hosted over 10,000 Native children from nearly every tribe in the country in its 39 years of operation. Its influence and legacy was so widespread that some people say “everyone is a descendant of Carlisle.” You can read more about it here: (http://home.epix.net/~landis/histry.htm.

      I created a farmhouse website where I posted my history, historical pictures, and all the pictures I took of it–inside and out. You would enjoy seeing its magnificent spiraling central staircase–our favorite part of the house. Go to https://www.sites.google.com/site/thefarmhouseatcarlislebarracks/.

      I will most certainly want to return and take pictures after it is renovated! I left a piece of my heart there, and am so grateful that it will survive and serve a higher purpose.
      Carolyn

      Reply
      • Jennifer Stewart says

        April 18, 2016 at 2:18 am

        Caroline,
        My family lived in the old Carlisle farmhouse around 1948. My sister and I have felt a strong connection to it all these years. did you know the house is haunted? Did you have any odd experiences while you lived there? I would love to share experiences with you.
        Best,
        Jennifer Stewart

        Reply
  2. Corina Kusch says

    November 8, 2015 at 4:43 am

    Hi Carolyn,
    Thank you so much for the article! It was great to read about the Carlisle Indian school. I do have a connection. My Great Grandpa went there! Not sure when. I’m still learning about him. He was full blood Tlingit Indian. He was all the way from Sitka, Alaska. I’ll have to ask my grandma if she has any paperwork about him from there. I’ll take a look at the websites from the last post. Again, thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager says

      November 10, 2015 at 2:03 am

      Corina,
      Thank you for your compliments! You will definitely want to thoroughly research the Indian School history website (http://home.epix.net/~landis/histry.htm) and click on some of the links to find more information about your Great Grandpa. Dickinson College has just published digital archives of the CIIS records–a veritable treasure trove of information about the Indian students (http://carlisleindian.dickinson.edu/). You will also want to join the CIIS descendants Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/carlisleindianschool/) to stay abreast of new research and events.
      Best wishes and thanks for reading!
      Carolyn

      Reply
  3. Carl Jones says

    November 10, 2015 at 1:20 am

    Carlisle farm House

    From new York to Utah I have seen old log cabins incorporated into newer homes. Thinking of the earlier stone house were there any walls in the house that were thicker than other walls? The brick were likely soft brick locally fired. I hope when they clean off the white paint they are careful not to damage the surface of the brick once the harder service of the brick is lost the brick weather fast. Abstract Masonry Restoration , Inc 6530 S. 400 West Salt Lake City, Utah 84107 Tel. 801-269-6344 email [email protected] have done work on several buildings in Midway. They know how to do a good jay and work nation wide.

    My genealogy expertise is in Inland River Captains and crews. I have about 80 titles that were collected for the value in identifying these river people. I have also created several data bases of early steamboat families and two that cover living river industry families and obituaries old and new. I also have two that deal with current crews 1930’s to the present and one that is for Steamboat personnel mostly prior to the 1930’s.

    Reply
  4. G. D. Ball says

    April 1, 2019 at 10:00 pm

    What a great story! And a great result. Thank you for your work and for this article about it. I had the pleasure of being assigned to that historic post from March 1985 to September 1986. One of my co-workers lived in one of the old homes on the post and took me to see some graffiti carved in the window glass of his quarters by the Confederates who stopped by on their way to Gettysburg.

    Reply
    • Carolyn - Legacy Tree Genealogists Project Manager says

      April 13, 2019 at 3:03 pm

      Hello G.D.,
      It is a pleasure to salute you as a fellow Carlisle Barracks resident. Did you attend the War College, or was it for a different assignment? I would have loved to see that graffiti on the window glass. I will be visiting the post again soon and look forward to reconnecting with “my” Farmhouse and the other historic spaces there. Thank you for your comment!

      Reply
      • G. D. Ball says

        April 13, 2019 at 5:22 pm

        Carolyn, I was on the staff at Carlisle Barracks before I was assigned to the Pentagon. Carlisle is one of my favorite places to have lived. As your article reveals, history permeates the air on the Post and in the surrounding area. The Powder Magazine built by Hessian soldiers taken as POWs in the Revolutionary War. The Carlisle Indian School. The role of Carlisle as a militia gathering point against the Whiskey Rebellion. The proximity of Carlisle to the state archives in Harrisburg and the National Archive in DC. The beauty of the surrounding area. It is on my short list of places to become my retirement home.

        Reply

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