Connecting the Elons

I have several Elon Carmans in my family tree.

Elon (1792)
Elon Joseph (1840)
Joseph Elon (1872)
Joseph Elon (1891)
Joseph Elon (1901)
Joseph Elon (1914)

There is also an Elon Carman who lived in and around Philadelphia that I knew must be related, but I couldn’t find any definitive evidence of the relationship beyond DNA matches with some of his descendants.

Yesterday, I found his baptismal record. He was baptized at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in North Wales, Montgomery County, PA on 13 May 1833 and his birth date was listed as 14 Aug 1828. While the last name was spelled in the Ancestry index as Cormon, his parents were listed as Elon & Martha, so I am confident now that he is the brother of my great-great-great grandfather Charles R. Carman.

I’ve now identified four children of Elon Carman and Martha Johnson, although I only have Elizabeth’s name and no other information about her:

Elizabeth
Charles R. Carman (1818-1879)
Mary Ann Carman (1821-1898)
Elon Carman (1828-  )

I haven’t found Elon Jr.’s death information yet. He is often listed under different names in documents (Elwood, Leon, Eleon, Titus, Kite/Kitus) and his descendants used the Carmen spelling of the last name.  I’ve done a lot of searching of a lot of different combinations of names & spellings, but so far no luck.

 

Elon & Martha Carman Timeline

This is a timeline of the locations I’ve found Elon Carman & his family and notes to help with further research.

1814 Married, Flourtown, Springfield Township, Montgomery County, PA
? Daughter Elizabeth born c1815? (total guess), Montgomery or Bucks County, PA?
c1818 Son Charles born, Bucks County, PA (according to his death certificate)
1820 Buckingham Township, Bucks County, PA (census)
c1821 Daughter Mary Ann born, Bucks or Chester County, PA?
1826 London Derry, Chester County, PA (school records for Elizabeth & Charles)
1827 London Derry, Chester County, PA (school records for Charles & Mary Ann)
1828 Penn, Chester County, PA (school records for Charles & Mary Ann)
c1829 Elon born, Chester or Montgomery County, PA? (Possible son but no evidence, may be nephew or other relative)
1830 Montgomery Township, Montgomery County, PA (census)
1840 Montgomery Township, Montgomery County, PA (census)

Montgomery County

Flourtown is in Springfield Township in eastern Montgomery County, near Philadelphia County.

Montgomery Township is north of Flourtown and borders New Britain & Warrington Townships in Bucks County.

Bucks County

Buckingham Township is in the center of Bucks County which is east of Montgomery County and north of Philadelphia County.

Chester County

Chester County is southwest of and borders Montgomery County. Chester County is west of & borders Delaware County which is between it and Philadelphia County.

Londonderry Township (London Derry) is in western-central  Chester County.

Penn Township is directly south of Londonderry Township.

 

 

1820 Census 

Enumerated as follows, with possible matches to family members:
1 Male < 10 – Charles about age 2
1 Male 26-45 – Elon about age 28
1 Female < 10 – Elizabeth about age 5?
1 Female 26-45 – Martha about age 28

1830 Census

Enumerated as follows with possible matches to family members:
1 Male < 5 – Elon about age 1 (see below for note on this possibility)
1 Male 5-10 – Unknown who this might be
1 Male 10-15 – Charles about age 12
1 Male 20-30 – Unknown who this might be
1 Male 30-40 – Elon about age 38
1 Female 5-10 – Mary Ann about age 9
1 Female 15-20 – Elizabeth about age 15?
1 Female 30-40 – Martha about age 38

1840 Census

Enumerated as follows with possible matches to family members:
1 Male 10-15 – Elon about age 11
1 Male 40-50 – Elon about age 48
1 Female 50-60 – Martha about age 48

1850 & 1860 Censuses

Elon and Martha Carman are living alone in Philadelphia

 

Elon Carman (c1829-         )

There is an Elon Carman, sometimes reported as Elwood, who married Mary Lowry. I have also found an Elon Kite Carman in newspapers who might be the same person. My working theory is that he is the son of Elon & Martha Carman and the brother to Charles, but I have not yet found any solid records to back this claim. I have matched on AncestryDNA to descendants of this Elon Carman as a 4th-6th cousin.

 

Sources

  1. War of 1812 Widow’s Pension File
  2. Charles R. Carman death certificate
  3. Chester County Poor School Children Records
  4. “United States Census, 1820,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLF-KX8 : accessed 15 January 2017), Ellen Carmon, Buckingham, Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 294, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 99; FHL microfilm 181,405.
  5. “United States Census, 1830,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPT-HJK : 18 August 2015), Elon Cannan, Montgomery, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States; citing 357, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 154; FHL microfilm 20,628.
  6. “United States Census, 1840,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYT-1MC : 24 August 2015), Elan Carman, Montgomery Township, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 51, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 477; FHL microfilm 20,552.

Elon Carman War of 1812 Pension (PA 1867-68)

War of 1812, Martha Carman, widow of Elon Carman

————– 

Certificate Received under Act of March 30, 1866

Application of Martha Carman widow of  Elon Carman a soldier of the war of 1812, for the Gratuity and Annuity authorized by the Act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, of March 30, 1866, entitled “An Act to provide for the payment of Gratuities and Annuities to the Soldiers of the war of 1812′ and to their widows,” and supplementary Act of March 24, 1868.

State of Pennsylvania

County of Philadelphia

On this 2nd day of June A.D. 1868, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas aldermen, in and for the said county, Martha Carman, aged 76 years who being duly sworn according to law, declares and says that she is the widow of Elon Carman who was a soldier of the war of 1812′ that he, her said husband was duly enlisted at Montgomery Co Pa on or about the 15th day of September 1814, and served as a Private in _____ company, commanded by Capt Wentz and attached to Pa Militia regiment, commanded by Col Krickbaum that he served at least two months in said war, that he was honorably discharged the service as a soldier in said war of 1812, on or about the 20th day of December 1814; that he was at the time of his enlistment and at the time of his death a citizen of Pennsylvania; and that she is now a widow and in necessitous circumstances, and that she is not possessed of real or personal estate of the value of $500; that she has not received a gratuity of Forty Dollars, under the Act of March 30, 1866, and that she is not in receipt of a pension or gratuity in pursuance of any special Act of Assembly, of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and she hereby constitutes and appoints Geo. W. Ford, of Philadelphia, her true and lawful attorney to prosecute said claim, and receive her certificate of first payment of annuity, hereby ratifying all that my said attorney may do in the premises and that she is too feeble to attend the Court of Common Pleas.

Martha (her X mark) Carman
Residence, 2312 North 5th St Philada

Witnesses
[signed] William D Moore
[signed] Mrs Caroline Carman


State of Pennsylvania
County of Philadelphia

On the 2nd day of June A.D. 1868, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas aldermen in and for said County and State Caroline Carman a resident of Philadelphia whom I certify to be entitled to credit, and who after being duly sworn according to law, declares and says that she is well acquainted with Martha Carman of Philadelphia Pa who is the widow of Elon Carman who was to her personal knowledge a soldier of the war of 1812, and who was at the time of his enlistment a resident of Montgomery Co and State of Pennsylvania, and was at the time of his enlistment and at the times of his death a citizen of Pennsylvania; that he was duly enlisted at Montgomery Co Pa on or about the 15th day of September 1814, and he served as a Private in —– company, commanded by Captain Wentz and attached to Pa Militia Regiment, commanded by Col. Krickbaum that he served at least two months in said war: that he was honorably discharged the service as a soldier of said war of 1812, on or about the 20th day of December 1814; and that he was the time of his death a citizen of Pennsylvania; that she is now a widow and in necessitous circumstances. Deponent further saith that she, the deponent, has no pecuniary interest whatever in the prosecution of the claim of the said Martha Carman for the Gratuity and Annuity authorized by the act, entitled “An Act to provide for the payment of Gratuities and Annuities to the Soldiers of the war of 1812, and their widows,” approved March 30th, 1866, and Supplementary Act of March 24th, 1868.

[signed] Mrs. Caroline Carman


State of Pennsylvania
County of Philadelphia

On the 2nd day of June A.D. 1868, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas aldermen in and for said County and State Caroline Carman and Susan Campbell both reputable citizens, entitled to full faith and credit, who, being duly sworn according to law, do respectively depose and say they are personally acquainted with Martha Carman widow of Elon Carman a soldier of the war of 1812, applicant for the Gratuity and Annuity authorized by act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, of March 30, 1866, entitled “An Act to Provide for the Payment of Gratuities and Annuities to the Soldiers of 1812; and to their widows;” and supplementary Act of March 24, 1868; that she is in destitute circumstances and pressed with poverty; and from our personal knowledge of the said applicant, she is not possessed of real or personal estate of the value of $500; and they have every reason to believe she is not in the receipt of a pension or gratuity in pursuance of any special Act of Assembly; and that they, the said deponents, have no pecuniary interest in the claim of said applicant and that she is too feeble to attend the Court of Common Pleas.

[signed] William D Moore
[signed] Chas. M. Hallowell

[signed] Mrs Caroline Carman
[signed Susan [her X mark] Campbell

[signed] W.W. Dougherty, Alderman


Application of Martha Carman widow Elon Carman a soldier of the war of 1812, for the gratuity and annuity authorized by the act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, of March 30, 1866, entitled “An Act to provide for the payment of Gratuities and Annuities to the soldiers of the war of 1812, and to their widows.”

State of Pennsylvania
County of Philadelphia

On this Sixteenth day of May A.D. 1867, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, a Notary Public in and for said County Martha Carman who being duly sworn according to law, declares and says that she is the widow of Elon Carman who was a soldier of the war of 1812; that he, her said husband, was duly enlisted at Montgomery Co Pa on, or about the 15 day of Sept 1814, and served as a Private in ___ company, commanded by Captain Jacob Wentz and attached to Pa Militia regiment, commanded by Col Krickbaum that he served at least two months that he was honorably discharged the service as a soldier in said war of 1812, on, or about the 20th day of December 1814; that he was at the time of his enlistment and at the time of his death a citizen of Pennsylvania and that she is now a widow and in necessitous circumstances.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 16th day of May 1867
[signed] Chas. M. Hallowell, Notary Public

Martha [her X mark] Carman
Witness William D Moore
Chas. M. Hallowell


State of Pennsylvania
County of Philadelphia

On this Sixteenth day of May A.D. 1867, personally appeared before me, the subscriber A Notary Public in and for said State + County Caroline Carman a resident of Philadelphia whom I certify to be entitled to credit, and who after being duly sworn according to law, declares and says that she is personally acquainted with Martha Carman of 2312 North 5th St Philadelphia who is the widow of Elon Carman who was to his personal knowledge a soldier of the was of 1812; and who was at the time of his enlistment a resident of the county of Montgomery Penna and State of Pennsylvania, and was at the time of his enlistment and at the time of his death a citizen of Pennsylvania; that he was duly enlisted at Montgomery Co on or about the 15th day of September 1814, and served as a Private in ___ company, commanded by Captain Jacob Wentz and attached to Pa Militia regiment, commanded by Col Krickbaum that he served at least two months in said war that he was honorably discharged the service as a soldier of said war of 1812, on or about the 20th day of December 1814; and that he was at the time of his death a citizen of Pennsylvania; that she is now a widow and in necessitous circumstances, Deponent further saith that she, the said deponent, has no pecuniary interest whatever in the prosecution of the claim of the said Martha Carman for the Gratuity and Annuity to authorized by the act, entitled “An Act to provide for the payment of Gratuities and Annuities to the soldiers of the war of 1812, and their widows,” approved March 30th, 1866.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 16th day of May 1867
[signed] Chas. M. Hallowell, Notary Public

[signed] Caroline Carman


State of Pennsylvania
County of Philadelphia

On this 16th day of May A.D. 1867, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, a Notary Public in and for said County and State Caroline Carman and Eliza Walker both reputable citizens, entitled to full faith and credit, who, being duly sworn according to law, do respectively depose and say they are personally acquainted with Martha Carman widow of Elon Carman a soldier of the war of 1812, applicant for the Gratuity and Annuity authorized by the act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, of March 30, 1866, entitled “An Act to provide for the payment of Gratuities and Annuities to the soldiers of 1812, and to their widows;” that she is in destitute circumstances and pressed with poverty; and that they have no pecuniary interest in the claim of said applicant.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 16th day of May 1867
[signed] Chas. M. Hallowell, Notary Public

[signed] Caroline Carman
Eliza [her X mark] Walker
Witness William D Moore
Chas. M. Hallowell


Original Source Citation:
“Pennsylvania, War of 1812 Pensions, 1866-1879,” index and images, Ancestry.com (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2394 : accessed 27 August 2015), Martha Carman, widow of Elon Carman. (Original data: War of 1812 Pension File, 1866–1879. 2.64. Department of the Auditor General, Record Group 2. Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.)