Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc.

Est 1887
2024 Ancestor Files
More William’s Background from 1934 Journeys Aside

Journey Aside Article no date on copy thought to be 1930-1934 because of an anniversary fund drive for
St. Paul’s A.M.E.; The reporter not identified; people named are disambiguated here:

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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Anna Hoy paragraph 3:

Anna Hoy line 29 on the 1870 census Bellefonte, North Ward, Centre Co., PA. Anna Hoy is 3 years old in
the census record she is the daughter of Adam and Louisa Hoy. Meaning that Anna was born in 1867 just
after 1866 and the end of the Civil War. In the Adam and Louisa Hoy household is Levi Pennington age
18. Levi enumerated as Black born about 1852 in Virginia, record transcribed and indexed under
Pendleton. Eliza D Harris seen in the same household in 1870. The family is the last one on the page and
continues to a second page.

Hoy household

Line 37 Adam Hoy age 42 lawyer head of household

Line 38 Louisa Hoy age 30
Line 39 Anna Hoy age 3
Line 40 Mary Hoy age 0
Line 1 next page Eliza D Harris age 33 sister-in-law of head
Line 2 Siddia Cherry age 35 domestic servant white
Line 3 Mary Cherry age 16 domestic servant white
Line 4 Levi Pennington age 18 domestic servant black

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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Levi Pennington line 4 age 18 born VA is associated with the Harris girls or the Hoy’s.

There is a portrait of Levi Pennington’s father Thomas Pennington at the Bellefonte Art Museum, Linn
House, Bellefonte, PA. there is a white Levi Pennington baptized as an adult at St. Paul’s Methodist
Church in State College, his residence listed as Boalsburg, PA. To avoid confusion the family surname
morphed into Pendelton from 1880 forward. Levi Pennington/Pendleton was married to Thomazine
Williams. According to her death certificate she is the daughter of Isaac Williams and Sarah Johnson.
Isaac Williams is the great grandson of James Potter aka Hero Wade.

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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Baptism for Caucasian Levi Pennington:

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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In 1850 Eliza Harris found in the home of Dr. George L Potter. George Potter is married to her sister,
Thomasine Harris. Thomasine Harris indexed on records as Samson Potter born about 1829. Their
mother is Mary Ann Harris born Mary Ann Miller about 1805. Mary Ann Miller Harris died 2/1/1851.
Another sister Louisa Harris born 1842 seen 1850 also. Eliza Dunlap Harris eventually married William
Potter Humes.

Line 34 George L Potter 26 Physician Head

Line 35 Tomson/Thomasine (Harris) Potter 24
Line 36 Mary Ann (Miller) Harris 45 (Mother-in-law of head)
Line 37 Nancy Harris 19
Line 38 Jane Harris 17
Line 39 Eliza Harris 13
Line 40 Louisa Harris 8

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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More William’s Background from 1934 Journeys Aside

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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James Dunlap Harris is the correct name for Joseph D Harris named in paragraph 4; Mary Ann Miller
Harris paragraph 4 Mrs. Harris; Daniel Welsh paragraph 4 and John Gray aka John Welsh.

This is a reference to James Dunlap Harris (1797-1842) not Joseph Harris. James Dunlap Harris married
Mary Ann Miller, the daughter of Reuban Miller and Thomazine Valentine. James Dunlap Harris’s father
was James Harris, and his mother was Nancy Ann Dunlap the daughter of James and Jane Dunlap of
Shippensburg, PA.

The article names the runaway slave with Joseph D. Harris/James Dunlap Harris as John Gray. John Gray
follows Mrs. Harris out on a ride for protection and he is captured “back into slavery”. Note that Mrs.
James Dunlap Harris is the sister-in-law of William Ashbridge Thomas. Thomas was married to Eliza
Miller’s the sister of Mary Ann Miller, daughter of Reuban Miller and Thomazine Valentine. Mrs. Harris
sends Daniel Welsh to find John Gray.

Daniel Welsh (1816-1878) is the son of Justice of the Peace William Welsh born about 1787. Daniel
Welsh married Jane Eliza Linn (1811-1910). Jane Eliza Linn is the daughter of Jane Harris and James Linn.
Jane Harris is the sister of James D Harris. In 1860 after the death of both her brother James D Harris and
sister-in-law Mary Ann Miller, the Harris girls, Jane, Eliza, and Louisa come to live with Daniel Welsh and
his wife Jane Eliza Linn (Their paternal Auntie). In the 1860 household of Daniel Welsh is Franklin
Johnson age 16 Black servant. Daniel Welsh rides south for the return of John Gray. Family traditions says
John Gray is John Welsh/Welch. He took Welsh as a surname.

John Welsh marries Mariah Henderson their son Isaiah Henderson Welch 1845-1914 is an A.M.E.
Minister, returned to Bellefonte to bury his father. Mariah Henderson is supposed to be the sister or
niece of Richard Henderson. Henderson’s sister is not located in Meadville records and is frequently
reported as drowned. Richard Henderson as well as a Harriet Henderson are both enumerated in 1830
Bellefonte, Centre County. Samuel Henderson born 1794 is “Supposed” to be part of the same family. A
conflict in records places Richard Henderson’s arrival in Meadville as 1824. John Gray/Walsh’s son Isaiah
Henderson Welch carried the Henderson surname. John Welch and his wife and child had already once
gained freedom about 1846 with the help of William Ashbridge Thomas according to other accounts.

Thomas Pennington paragraph 5

This article relays a story from a Mrs. Livingstone which includes a party boarding the train in Bedford.
The Huntingdon and Broadtop Railroad received its charter May 6, 1852. It did not open completely until
1855. Levi Pennington was born late 1854. He was a babe in arms in 1855 as described. Mrs. Livingstone
is “supposed” to be Eliza Ford married to the then Treasurer of Centre County George W. Livingstone.

Levi Pennington’s death certificate lists his parents as Thomas Pennington and Thomazine Williams.
Thomazine Williams is the daughter of Charles Williams and the granddaughter of James Potter aka Hero
Wade. James Potter is one of the original signatures on the Charter for the Free African Society,
Philadelphia PA. James Potters descendants have more than one surname.

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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James Potter’s children are known as either Potter or Williams. James Potter’s son Joshua Williams family
is in Maryland. The Potter family owned or indentured the Pennington family. John Fergus Potter’s
daughter Margaret married Henry Pennington in 1796.

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Ladies GAR Department of Pennsylvania Inc. Est 1887
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Helped by William Ashbridge Thomas paragraph 6: Isaac Williams, Charlie Green, Louisa Gray,

1. Isaac Williams (1828-1922) is supposed to be the great grandson of James Potter through his
son Joshua and grandson John W. Williams. He married Sarah Johnson (1829-1914). Isaac is
listed as mulatto in 1920. !850 census he is with his parents. 1860 he is living in Mill Hall PA
married with children Sarah, Alvah, and Tamazine. Tamazine Williams marris Levi
Pennington. There is also a Caucasian Levi Pennington and by 1880 the family is using the
name Pendleton.
2. Charlie Green was a hostler for William Ashbridge Thomas. His father is supposed to be
Samuel Green, a shoemaker. He married Maria Keaton of Fredericksburg, MD. His mother
Hester Green was born in 1790 Maryland was living with him in 1880 Bellefonte, PA.
3. Louisa Gray was born in 1802 and found on the 1850 census next door to William D Welsh
with her is Sarah Jackson born 1829 they are in the home of Benjamin Franklin Fellers a
hotelkeeper. In the same house is John D. Petriken (b. 1793) and Moses Thompson (b. 1828).
Louisa is “supposed” to be the sister of John Gray aka John Welsh.

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