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The Burning and Reconstruction of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1864-1870 Gordon Boyer Lawrence

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The Burning and Reconstruction of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1864-1870 Gordon Boyer Lawrence University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository Master's Theses Student Research 2008 The burning and reconstruction of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1864-1870 Gordon Boyer Lawrence Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/masters-theses Part of the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Lawrence, Gordon Boyer, "The burning and reconstruction of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1864-1870" (2008). Master's Theses. 1228. http://scholarship.richmond.edu/masters-theses/1228 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT THE BURNING AND RECONSTRUCTION OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, 1864-1870 GORDON BOYER LAWRENCE CANDIDATE FOR DEGREE IN MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND JUNE2008 PROFESSOR ROBERT C. KENZER Although many studies of Chambersburg's devastation during the American Civil War have been researched, all have focused on the military actions taken by both sides during the conflict. This thesis instead attempts to explore some of the effects of military actions upon the permanent civilian population. The Introduction develops a sense of the events which transpired in the town on the fateful day of July 30, 1864, provides an overview of potential research subjects, and details sources available to complete successfully the research parameters outlined. The early development of the community is explored in Chapter 1. This data is necessary for a reader's understanding of Chambersburg's business and social structure at the dawn of the 1860's. Chapter 2 narrates events which occurred within the town during the period 1860-1864 with some analysis of the effects upon thy civilian population during that time. The third chapter deals extensively with studies conducted in the areas of migration · patterns, and occupational changes that transpired from the burning event to the end of the decade. Research was conducted upon the permanent household heads as to their wealth during the decade of study and resultant changes. Further study delved into patterns of recovery from the destruction caused by the burning. Additional findings were enumerated in the conclusion. Although a wealth of material was uncovered by the research, only several selected areas were developed for this project. Some of these undeveloped areas are pointed out in the conclusion. Chambersburg survived as the only northern town touched by wide-spread devastation caused by the sectional conflict. In this respect, the town mirrored numerous southern communities who sustained similar fates. The reaction of the population was much the same as in that region. A few left for other locales, but the majority of permanent residents banded together and, sheltering their own, stoically began the laborious process of rebuilding the town, its wealth, and their individual lives. i UNtV. Of RICHMOND l1SR.ARY APPROVAL PAGE I certify that I have read this thesis and find that, in scope and quality, it satisfies the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Professor Robert C. Kenzer, Thesis Advisor THE BURNING AND RECONSTRUCTION OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 1864-1870 By GORDON BOYER LAWRENCE B.A., Frederick College, 1965 A Thesis Submitted by the Graduate Faculty Of the University of Richmond In Candidacy For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In HISTORY JUNE,2008 Richmond, Virginia iii UNIV. OF RICHMOND l l~R.AAY ©COPYRIGHT by GORDON BOYER LAWREN CE, 2008 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There arc literally dozens of individuals and organi1.ations to whom I am indebted for infonnation and support provided in this work. First. and foremost, I wish to express gratitude to my family. especially my wife Dulce Maria Lawrence. for unflagging support for this endeavor. Additionally. thanks go to the faculty and staff of the University of Richmond for their encouragement and especially to library personnel for assistance on this project My thesis advisor. Professor Robert C. Kcnzer lent his full co-operation to my efforts. and his steadfast encouragement through out is gratefully acknowledged. Additionatty, Professor John D. Tread\i.·ay was gracious enough to provide a second reading. and his suggestions were exceedingly helpful. In the Chambersburg area. numerous persons a..;sisted me in the discovery of the materials used to develop this thesis. Again. my family aided in this area. My first cousin Harold Seth Hoover Junior and his wife Becky graciously lent their home for my stays in lO\m, and guided me to primary sources of infonnation. Wayne L. Hoover provided family infonnation as well. Annette Hoovcr·Jluber, my second cousin and an employee at Wilson College spearheaded my initial research efforts in that area of my research. \. Dr. Ted Alexander, Historian for the Antietam Battlefield Park, United States Park Service, provided excellent background information during my initial investigations. Ann Ludwig, member of a long-term resident Chambersburg family provided additional sources of information on family matters and other town individuals. Shippensburg State University allowed access to important Masters Theses on related subjects. The Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce provided photographs of the town before and after the burning event. The Coyle Free Library and its employees were tireless in their efforts to discover relevant materials especially news articles published since 1864 on this subject. Also, the local Kittochtinny Historical Society of which this researcher in a life member provided full access to microfilm data on the Pennsylvania Border Commission Applications and Records. Additionally, numerous biographies on individual members of the community of the time were graciously made available on an extended hour's basis by individual Society members who gave their time freely so that I might access records after normal business hours. The Cumberland County Historical Society lent excellent cooperation to my efforts and much original material was uncovered there as well. The original Franklin County Courthouse Tax records were made available for my inspection by courthouse employees also. Grateful acknowledgement as well is conveyed to numerous others whom have not been specifically mentioned here. Vl TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vu LIST OF TABLES Vlll INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1: BUILDING A TOWN 14 CHAPTER 2: TUMULTUOUS TIMES 1860-1864 49 CHAPTER 3: A PHOENIX RISING 1865-1870 78 CONCLUSION 104 ENDNOTES 114 APPENDICES 139 BIBLIOGRAPHY 272 vu LIST OF TABLES Table Page APPENDIX 1: TABLES RELATING TO EARLY POPULATION DEVELOPMENT IN CHAMBERSBURG 1.1 Population of Chambersburg and Franklin County, 1790-1870 140 1.2 1790 Franklin County alphabetized white heads of households holding other free persons and/or slaves, and alphabetized free African-American households 141 1.3 Study of Franklin County households holding other free persons and/or slaves in 1790. 146 1.4 1800 Chambersburg alphabetized white heads of household with slaveholders highlighted and numbers of slaves held. 147 1.5 Growth of free black population in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania from 1800-1880. 153 APPENDIX2: STUDY GROUP TABLES 2.1 Study group master list with subgroup designations. 334 persistent heads ofhouseholds 1860-1870. 155 2.2 Study group master list with individual detailed information. 334 persistent heads of households 1860-1870. 164 2.3 Study group- Subgroup A. 58 persistent heads of households without real estate holdings during the decade 1860-1870; with or without personal property. 178 2.4 Study group-Subgroup B. 41 persistent heads of households with real estate in 1860, but no real estate in 1870; with or without personal property. 182 2.5 Study group- Subgroup C. 40 persistent heads of households without real estate in 1860, but with real estate in 1870; with or without personal property. 186 2.6 Study group- Subgroup D. 195 persistent heads of households with estate viii in both Hi60 and 1870; with or without personal pmpcrty. 190 2.7 Nativity of the 334 person study group. 199 2.8 Occupation.s of the 33-1 pernln study group. 200 2.9 Changes in occupation of the 334 person study group during the decade of the I !\60' s. 20-i 2.10 Occupational persistence and migration amongst 334 person study group during the decade of the 1860's. 216 2. I I Percentiles of pcr..istence of significant I K<>O occup:itions amongst 33-1 person study group. 219 2.12 Numbers and percentages of Ch:imbcrsburg household heads in I !\60 and 1870 ccnsa-.cs. 221 APPENDIX 3: GENERAL POPULATION TABLES AND COMPARISON TABLES BETWEEN GENERAL POPULATION AND STUDY GROUP 3.1 Occupation.s of all persons in I 860 and 1870 census data. 22.i 3.2 Numbers of building trader.men 18<>0 vs. 1870. 232 3.3 Sativity of Chambersburg hou.r.chold heads I X60-l X70. 233 3 .4 Raw numbers of prof~sion.aJs 1l<i<iO vs. I S70 in total Chambcnburg populalion. 234 1\PPENDIX 4: BORDER COM!\USSION TABLES AND CO!\f PARISON TABLES BETWEEN BORDER CO~f~flSSION AND STUDY GROUP 4.1 Alphabcti7cd compa.rati\·c !ht of Oumbcnburg re<.idcnt\ with n:ahy r~scs c.Ju<.ed by the huming. 23<> 4.2 Alphabcti7cd Ji<,ting of Clu.mbcnhurg rc<oidcnt.s p~ling onl)· pcrwnal property daim.." ro rhc Pcnmyl\°31Jia border commis\mf.. 252 IX 4.3 Alphabetized listing of persistent study group members with border commission claims. 264 4.4 Border commission claims in the order dwelling number from 1860 census. 267 APPENDIX 5: ALPHABETIZED AND COMPARATIVE LIST OF CHAMBERSBURG RESIDENTS FROM THE 1860 AND 1870 CENSUSES 5.1 Alphabetized complete list of residents of Chambersburg in both 1860 and 1870 census. Note: This document is 264 pages in length. The information has been stored electronically and is available upon request.
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