Descendants of Peter & Mary (Rhen) Bates
Preface
The objective of this genealogy project is to identify Peter Bates, Mary Ida (Rhen) Bates, and their descendants; however, it may serve to better understand this lineage by bringing forth facts and speculations of the previous generation. The historical record of this family during the middle 1800s is sketchy, at best. There are ongoing efforts to seek out the remnants of historical fact that will more adequately resolve unanswered questions about the lives of Joseph H. Bates, Levina Jennings, William Rhen, and Lydia Wells.
William Rhen was born on September 25, 1819, and was the son of William and Sarah (Thompson) Rhen. He died March 31, 1897. He is buried in the Greenpoint Cemetery, Greenpoint, Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Lydia Wells was born April 15, 1825, and was the daughter of Adam Wells; her mother’s name is currently not known. Lydia died November 5, 1893, and is also buried in the Greenpoint Cemetery, Greenpoint, Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Though the date is unknown, William married Lydia, and they had six children; George W. Rhen (b. March 23, 1851) married Elizabeth Hauser, Mary Ida Rhen (b. December 19, 1860) married Peter Bates, Blanche Rhen (b. June 9, 1862) married Allen P. Shuey, Alfred Rhen (b. February 12, 1865) married Elizabeth Deaven, Laura E. Rhen (b. September 24, 1869) married Alexander R. Donmoyer, and Alberson Rhen (b. August 26, 1870) married Catherine (Katie) Deaven. William was a Carpenter, and Lydia was a Homemaker.
Joseph H. Bates and Levina Jennings were married on July 10, 1853 at Swatara Reformed Church, Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania by Rev. Abraham Romich. Additional information about the Swatara Reformed Church Record is located in the Appendix. Joseph and Levina had six children; Joseph James Bates (b. February 15, 1854) married Mary Jane Plunkett, Peter Bates (b. October 8, 1856) married Mary Ida Rhen, Thomas Bates (b. October 1859) married Mary Jane Baskins, Emma (Amanda) Bates (b. December 1862) married Solomon P. Fake, Harry L. Bates (b. 1865) married Rachel Evans, and Charles Jeremiah Bates (b. 1866). The family resided in the St. Joseph’s Springs area of Union Township, near Greenpoint, Lebanon County.
Joseph H. Bates was born about 1808, but there is no confirmed information as to his origin or final destination. Some suggest that Joseph came out of the mountains into Harrisburg, and then on to Lebanon County, where he married Levina. Others recall word of his abandoning the family in Lebanon County and then moving to Harrisburg. He was a stone mason by trade, though some census records list him as a laborer. The last known record of his existence is the Federal Census of 1870, which places the 62 year-old Joseph in Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, living with 5 year-old Jeremiah. This same census lists a 13 year-old Peter as a farm laborer on the Jacob Kreiser farm; there is reference to neither Levina nor the other children.
Levina Jennings has been a bit of a mystical figure in the memories of the generations following her. She was born in 1833 and was often referred to as a Native American of the Shawnee tribe. While the Federal Census of 1850 places “Louvinah” in the household of George and Magdalena Jennings, it is believed that she was, in fact, the daughter of “Tonok”, a full-blooded Native American of the Shawnee or Iroquois tribe. The most credible documented spellings of her name as “Levina” include the Swatara Church Record and the “Kreiser Family Genealogy.” The Federal Census records have presented variable spellings of her name, but observations clearly note that census takers were not often meticulous with regard to the spelling of names. Speculation suggests that she may have died between 1866 and 1870, after the birth of Jeremiah and prior to the 1870 census.
Though most are convinced that Levina is the daughter of Tonok and distinctly recall the verbal passing of family history as such, there is some suspicion that Levina could, in deed, be Tonok. This speculation exists because there currently is no information as to Levina’s death or burial. Ironically, the burial location of Tonok is known and was marked by a mountain stone at the Moonshine Cemetery in Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. The inscription on the stone was simply “Tonok”. Due to frequent vandalism at the cemetery, it may be correct to assume that this marker is not the original. To further complicate authentication, much of the historical cemetery information was destroyed in a fire at the church some years ago. There has been a restoration of much of the lost information; however, neither Tonok nor Lavina Jennings is listed among that information; this is not to say that one or the other (or both) is not buried there.
In March of 2003, the descendants of Joseph and Levina provided the necessary resources to install a new grave marker which clearly identifies Tonok Jennings as “Our Native American Ancestor.” A photo of the grave markers can be found in the Appendix.
The Moonshine Cemetery is located in Union Township, Lebanon County, North of Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation. Henry Moonshine donated the ground where he and his wife are buried, in order that the very poor would be given their burial plots. Many years ago a Lutheran Church was built on the opposite side of the road. This Church is now a United Zion Church and maintains the cemetery. As noted in the genealogy record of Peter and Mary Bates, several of their children are buried there.
The magnitude of this genealogy project has undoubtedly surpassed its original intentions. Many family members have given time and effort to the development of this compilation. A great deal of information has been gathered from each respective family unit, while other historical information has been gleaned from the efforts of family members who have independently researched and documented family information. There are unanswered questions about certain historical events, but ongoing efforts continue to uncover information that will aid in clarifying these events.
An appendix to this genealogy record provides additional detail about certain source documents, as well as photographs of significant events in the lives of the Peter and Mary (Rhen) Bates family.
Sources of information include Federal Census records, Social Security Death Index records, tombstones and cemetery records, church records, historical books, family knowledge, written correspondence to/from family members, photographs and newspaper articles.
Additions or corrections to this record may be sent to:
Curt Winters
254 Cadwalader Avenue
Elkins Park, PA 19027
email: wintfam@comcast.net