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Barnes, Tobias and Elizabeth Custer |
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Written by Craig B. Adams
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Jun 15, 2006 at 06:34 PM |
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Tobias Barnes (ca. 1806 - 1892)
Elizabeth (Custer) Barnes (ca. 1816 - 1889)
Tobias Barnes was born about 1806 in Pennsylvania. Nothing is known about his early life. His ancestry is unknown.
Elizabeth Custer was born about 1816 near Davidsville, Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Jacob and Catherine Custer.
Elizabeth was the youngest in her family. Her father was married twice. She had older half-brothers and -sisters, Catherine (Custer) Specht, John Custer, Mary (Custer) Oaks, and Jacob P. Custer from her father's first marriage. She also had an older sister, Sarah (Custer) Masters, and brother, Samuel A. Custer.
When Elizabeth was about three years old, her father died. She grew up under her mother's care on a farm in Conemaugh Townshp. Her uncles John and Fred Custer resided nearby.
Around 1837 Tobias and Elizabeth Custer were married, presumably at her home in Conemaugh Township.
Tobias and Elizabeth were the parents of these six children: Hiram Barnes, Jeremiah Barnes, Joanna (Barnes) Adams, Catherine (Barnes) Sparks, Samuel Barnes, and Barbara E. (Barnes) Troxell. It is likely that they had other children who died in infancy.
In 1840 they resided in Conemaugh Township with their infant son Hiram. The 1842 tax list shows that Tobias owned 95 acres of land, had a distillery, 2 horses, 2 cows, and 1 house.
The 1850 US Census shows Tobias and Elizabeth living alone in Paint Township. Their son Hiram was residing with her mother in Conemaugh Township. Surprisingly, their other children's names do not appear on the Census. In 1854 Tobias bought land from Daniel Shaffer, which became the Barnes homestead in Windber, Paint Township.
In the 1860 US Census, all six of their children are listed as residing with them on their farm. Their land was valued at $1500 and their property at $575.
It is not known if either of their sons fought during the Civil War, but their son-in-laws, George W. Adams, William Sparks, and John Troxell all served for the Pennsylvania volunteers.
In 1870 Tobias and Elizabeth resided in St. Clair Township, Bedford County, Pa. Their son Hiram remained on their farm in Paint Township where he and his wife Rebecca Seese Barnes raised their ten children.
In July 1875 Elizabeth's aged mother sold the Custer Farm in Conemaugh Township. She died two years later at the very old age of 95.
In 1880 Tobias and Elizabeth resided in Portage near their daughters Joanna, Barbara, and Catherine. Catherine had one son, and Barbara three children.
Their son Jerry removed to Cambria County and thence to Allegheny Township with his wife Amanda Allenbaugh Barnes and eight children.
In 1884 their son Samuel at about the age of 31. He was unmarried.
On August 9, 1888 their daughter Joanna died at the age of 42, leaving a husband and four children, the youngest, Ervin, just 6.
On March 1, 1889 Elizabeth died at their home in Portage at about the age of of 73. After her death, Tobias went to live with his son Hiram in Windber. Tobias died there on April 2, 1892 at the age of 86.
Surprisingly, none of their children had such longevity as Tobias, or even of Elizabeth. Hiram, at age 62, had the longest life span. Whether they passed alolng to their children any sort of hereditary disease or predisposition to heart disease, cancer, or the like remains a mystery.
Tobias and Elizabeth are buried at Wilmore United Brethren Cemetery, Wilmore, Cambria County, PA. Their four young children are buried there as well.
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Last Updated ( Jun 16, 2006 at 10:48 PM )
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Barnes