This is the tombstone for my 2nd great grandfather, Charles G. Schwenk, at Braddock Cemetery in North Braddock, outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The cemetery is also known as Old Braddock Cemetery and Russell Cemetery. Charles died on 12 November 1893 and was buried in the G.A.R. Plot.
Charles was born in or near Norristown, Pennsylvania and enlisted in the Civil War in July of 1861.[1] He served in the 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry in both Company A and Company C, and mustered out in July of 1865.[2] But this tombstone doesn’t seem to be him, right? “Schwek” and “Co. D” don’t seem to match my Charles.
After looking at many records, I do believe that this is my ancestor. First, the stone is newer, definitely not from 1893, as are many of the stones in the G.A.R. Plot. Below is Charles’ Pennsylvania Veteran Burial Card, which was dated 1935.[3]
The information found in this record confirms what I learned from Charles’ Civil War muster rolls and pension records. He mustered out of Company C on 13 July 1865 as a First Sergeant and died on 12 November 1893.
I have been unable to find Charles’ death recorded in a Pittsburgh death register nor an obituary in the newspaper.[4] All of his military pension records, as well as his wife’s widow’s pensions, report the same death date. In the 1890 Pittsburgh City Directory, Charles is living in Swissvale, right next to Braddock.[5] In the 1895 Pittsburgh City Directory, his wife Mary Ann is listed as the widow of Charles G.[6]
In addition, Charles’ wife Mary Ann was also buried at Braddock Cemetery (according to her obituary as there is no tombstone).[7] Many of Mary Ann’s family are also buried at Braddock, including her daughters, grandchildren and nephew.[8]
Lastly, I checked the roster of Company D of the PA 82nd Infantry, just in case there happened to be a “Schwek” veteran who died on the same date and was buried at Braddock. There is no Schwek on the roster.[9]
So with the information that I have compiled from his military records, as well as census records and city directories, I do believe that this is the tombstone for my ancestor and that a mistake was made on the stone a long time after his death. Sometimes when researching our family, we find errors or mistakes and conflicting information. Comparing all records and details can help us come to a conclusion about what is most likely correct.
There is much to write about Charles’s time in the Civil War. I wrote about his marriage to Mary Ann Burd, but there is even more about his life and family when he lived in the Braddock area. Stay tuned for more about Charles.
Have you found any tombstones with incorrect information?
SOURCES:
[1] Muster-in roll dated 27 July 1861, Compiled Service Record, Charles G. Schwenk, Pvt. Co. A, and 1st Sgt. Co. C, 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780s-1917, Record Group 94, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
[2] Ibid., Muster-out roll, Charles Schwenk, dated 13 July 1865.
[3] “Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012,” digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 March 2019), card for Charles Schwenk, date of death 12 November 1893; citing Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990, Series 1, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Archives and History, Harrisburg.
[4] “Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh City deaths, 1870-1905,” digital images, FamilySearch (www.https://familysearch.org : accessed 14 March 2019); citing Allegheny County Courthouse, Pittsburgh. No entries found for Charles Schwenk, including variant surname spellings.
[5] R.L. Polk, compiler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, City Directory (Pittsburgh: R.L. Polk and Co., 1890), 779; DonsList.net (www.donslist.net : accessed 29 March 2018), entry for Chas. G. Swank; citing University of Pittsburgh Digital Research Library.
[6] R.L. Polk, compiler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, City Directory (Pittsburgh: R.L. Polk and Co., 1895), 892; DonsList.net (www.donslist.net : accessed 29 March 2018), entry for Mary, widow Chas. G.; citing University of Pittsburgh Digital Research Library.
[7] “Mother Dead,” The Monessen Daily Independent (Monessen, PA), 20 September 1927, p. 1, col 1; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 February 2015).
[8] Find A Grave, database and images (https://findagrave.com : accessed 15 May 2019), memorial page for Maine Swank Cubbage (1874-1938), Find A Grave Memorial no. 78041680, citing Braddock Cemetery, Braddock, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Also, Leah F. Cubbage (no. 78041679), George S. Cubbage (no. 78041678) and William H. Burd (no. 78041444).
[9] “Pennsylvania in the Civil War, Infantry Regiments,” PA-Roots (https://www.pa-roots.com/pacw/infantry/82nd/82dcod.html : accessed 15 May 019).
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