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* Marilyn Nelson Morgan of Washington State*

Updated August 22, 2005
My maternal grandmother's father's family came from Pennsylvania. Daniel Gearhart, served in the War of 1812 from Northumberland Co. where he married Mary Treaster, probably granddaughter of Martin Treaster, Treyster who came to America on the St. Andrew in 1734 from Rotterdam, Holland. Their son Daniel married Margaret Ann Cameron, in Mercer Co., she was the daughter of George Cameron and Martha Casteel. Daniel & Margaret Gearheart journeyed from Pennsylvania in the 1850's making stops in Iowa, Kansas, Oregon & finally in Washington State in the early 1900's.

Cameron family tradition says George Cameron's ancestors were from the Highlands of Scotland and his wife Martha Casteel's father was a Frenchman. George Cameron appears to be the son of Allen Cameron and Elizabeth Carmen, daughter of Poss Carmen. At this time I don't have any proof, but Allen Cameron was the only Cameron in the 1790 Alleghney Co., PA census. George & Martha named a son Allen and a daughter Elizabeth.

Samuel Casteel was Martha's father. His pension file says he was born in Pittsburgh in 1741. History shows us that this area of Pennsylvania was under French control at that time. If he was born there, he most likely was the son of a Trapper. In 1776 he enlisted at the "Forks of the Yough". On September 11, 1777 he was at the battle of Brandywine with George Washington's troops. He was at the defeat at Paoli (Poole) and the battle at Germantown October 4, 1777. He may have been wounded at this time because he doesn't mention being at Valley Forge. In 1779 he was at Fort Pitt where he fought against the Indians up the Alleghney River and received his discharge there after the war.

Other Surnames on my maternal line: Adkins, Cox, Graves, Henderson, Madison, McClain, Piggott, Roberts, Smith, Wheeler and many Quaker lines

Amos "Crandall" Hopkins one of the first settlers of Antelope Co., Nebraska, was the great-grandson of Jonah Hopkins of Rhode Island. Jonah's emigrant ancestor, Thomas Hopkins, came to America in 1636. Thomas had two sons whose descendants are well researched. William the oldest son was the ancestor of Stephen Hopkins, who signed the Declaration of Independence, and his brother Esek Hopkins, who was the first commander of the American Navy. The younger son Thomas is the ancestor of our line.

Jonah married Abigail Whitman, daughter of John and Sarah Sprague Whitman, who was descended from Richard Warren who came to America on the Mayflower. Jonah was a minute Man from Rhode Island, where he was listed in the 1777 Military census of Rhode Island. Jonah's son Oliver's pension file mentions he served in 1779 for his father Jonah.

Oliver and his wife Susanna Bennet Hopkins moved to New York before 1800. About 1813 Oliver was found in the Military Tract of Onondaga Co., New York, later Cortland Co., New York. "Crandall", my great-grandfather, was born in Virgil, Cortland Co., New York, May 22, 1825. He was the son of Gardner and Freelove Parker Hopkins. Between 1835 and 1840 Gardner moved his family to Ashtabula Co., Ohio.

"Crandall" became a sailor on the Great Lakes about 1840. He attained the position of mate by the time he was 20. On November 20, 1845 he married Miss Thankful Otisca Ames at Girard, Erie County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Allan and Nancy Glancy Ames. Late 1850 or early 1851 he moved his family to Lafayette Co., Wisconsin. They farmed there about 17 years, raising 12 children before deciding to go to Nebraska where his homestead entry is dated October 22, 1868.

July 13, 1870, my grandmother Millie, their 13th child was born.

Some of Paternal lines: Ames, Anderson, Arnold, Bennett, Glancy, Hopkins, Nelson, Parker, Smith, Whitman
***
Marilyn Morgan
1225 Humboldt St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
A-United States
marilynmorgan1@comcast.net

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