Angus Archibald Methven ^{1 2 3 4 5}

  General Notes:

There seems to have been two or more Angus Archibald Methvens living in close proximity in Pennsylvania or Ohio during the 1800s making it difficult to discern which one was actually the son of Thomas Methven. There are little or no records describing the family members of Thomas Methven and his wife, Elizabeth Lightfoot other than the knowledge that Elizabeth died in Wayne County, Ohio in 1835. Presumably that would mean that Thomas Methven was also living in Wayne County, Ohio at the time. Thomas later died in Wayne County in 1874. But supposedly their son, Angus Archibald Methven, was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in either 1832, 1833, or 1834. This suggests that after the birth of Angus in Pennsylvania, the family then moved to Wayne County, Ohio by 1835 which is when Elizabeth died there.

There is a 1850 US Census record showing Angus living with the James Ryle family in Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. If his father, Thomas, had remained in Wayne County following the death of his wife, then why did the young Angus return to Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and board with another family instead of remaining in Wayne County, Ohio with his widowed father?

There is also a 1860 US Census record showing Angus and his wife, Mary, living in the same area of Cumberland County, PA.

A civil war record shows Angus serving with Co. F, 158th PA Inf from Oct 1862 until 1863.

That same Angus appears on the 1890 US Special Census record of Surviving Soldiers in Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

But here are some records that can cause confusion as to which Angus was the son of Thomas Methven. There is a marriage license for an Angus A. Methven marrying Susan M. Williams on 23 Apr 1862 in Williams County, Ohio. Maybe if Angus had remained with his father in Ohio after his mother had died in 1835 instead of traveling back to Cumberland County, Pennsylvania then this could be the correct Angus Methven. But the distance between Wayne County and Williams County suggests too great of a distance and therefore not likely to be the correct Angus Methven.

There are 1895 and 1905 Minnesota State Census documents which show an Angus A. Methven born about 1832 or 1833 in Ohio living in Minneapolis with what would appear to be his children, Freese, Kate, Blanche, Rose, Roy, and Don. This Angus A. Methven was born in Ohio and his parents were both born in Pennsylvania. The father of Angus Methven was born in Scotland so this makes it unlikely that this was the correct Angus Methven. And besides, the census records from Minnesota show that all of his children were born in South Dakota which is a location that it was doubtful that the real Angus Methven ever visited.

The pension application for Angus A. Methven who served in Co. F, 158th PA Inf. was filed on 15 Feb 1907. There is another application for a Angus A. Methven who served with Co. M, 9th Ohio Cavalry, Co. C, 16th Ohio Inf., and Co. E, 9th Ohio Cavalry. This pension application was made from South Dakota so it would appear to be for the Angus A. Methven who had moved to Minneapolis for the 1895 and 1905 Minnesota State Census. This Angus Methven later appeared at the US National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Sawtelle, California in 1911. An interesting fact is that census schedule notes that his nearest relative was a son living in Tama County, Iowa, something that will quickly become apparent that it could be the same family or at least Angus' adopted son, Harry Methven

There is an 1820 US Census record for another Angus A. Methven living in West Hanover, Dauphine County, Pennsylvania. Since this was at least 10 years before the Angus who was the son of Thomas Methven was born, this Angus was not the same person and probably not related at all but does point out just how common of a name was Angus A(rchibald) Methven.

Harry L. Methven, the supposed adopted son of Thomas Methven was married in 1900 in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa which was less than 100 miles away from the location of at least one of the children of the Angus Methven who was found in Minneapolis and later moved to the US National Home for Disabled Soldiers. Perhaps this was just a coincidence but I can't help but suspect that the events are related in some manner. That marriage document for Harry L. Methven lists Mary Schauffer as his mother.

Another marriage document from nearby Linn County, Iowa shows Roy Methven, who was born in South Dakota and was the son of the Angus A. Methven from Minneapolis and the US National Home for Disabled Soldiers, was married to Ethel Montgomery. It shows his mother's name of "M. E. Herchiser". The gravestone for the supposed true Angus Archibald Methven, son of Thomas Methven, shows his wife's name as "Mary Ellen". So now the question becomes was Mary Ellen Schauffer the same person as "M. E. Herchiser"?

The different surnames of Schauffer and Herchiser gives me pause to wonder if one might have been her maiden name while the other was a married name from a previous marriage. The reason that this may seem to be important is that on the 1900 census form with Angus in Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Mary E. Methven indicated that she had given birth to a total of 6 children and only 2 were still alive. Obviously those 2 surviving children were Maria Elizabeth Methven and U. S. Grant Methven but who were the other four?

The Find-A-Grave record for Angus Archibald Methven does list four other children: an infant daughter that died in 1859, and infant son that died in 1860, a daughter named Annie who died in 1867, and a 2 year old son that died in 1873.

The Angus Archibald Methven that appears on the Find-A-Grave page shows a gravestone with a birth date of 6 May 1833. However, the 1880, 1900, and 1910 US Census records indicate an age that provides a birth year of 1834. The 1900 US Census form specifically indicates his birth date as May 1834 instead of the 1833 shown on the gravestone.
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of 3 December 1832 and a birth location of Cumberland County, PA.

^{4 7}

• He has alternate birth date of 6 May 1833 and a birth location of Cumberland County, PA.

• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in South Newton Township, Cumberland County, PA on 16 August 1870. ⁴

1870 US Census
Page 3, Dwelling 15, Household 16
South Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Anges Methron..37..PA..Carpenter

(Living with wife and 2 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was May 1834, then his age should have been 36 instead of 37.
.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Newton Township, Cumberland County, PA on June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 392A, District 84, Roll 1122
Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Anges Meathman..Self..46..PA..Marketman

(Living with wife, 2 children, and 1 adopted son.)
.

• He appeared on the 1900 US Census in Newton Township, Cumberland County, PA on 27 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 16B, District 21, Dwelling 322, Family 332
Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Home owned, no mortgage
Married 42 years
Angus A. Methven..Head..May 1834..66..PA..Carpenter

(Living with wife and granddaughter.)
.

• He appeared on the 1910 US Census in Newton Township, Cumberland County, PA on April 1910. ⁵

1910 US Census
Sheet 12B, District 29, Household 288
Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Angus A. Mathven..Head..76..PA..Widowed
Elizabeth Mowers..Daughter..48..PA..Widowed

(Angus was widowed and living with his widowed daughter.)
.

Angus married Mary Ellen Schauffer in 1858.^{1 2} (Mary Ellen Schauffer was born in September 1828 in Pennsylvania ^{1 2 4} and died between 1900 and 1910.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in South Newton Township, Cumberland County, PA on 16 August 1870. ⁴

1870 US Census
Page 3, Dwelling 15, Household 16
South Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Anges Methron..37..PA..Carpenter
Mary Methron..42..PA..Keeping House
Mariah Methron..8..PA
U. S. Grant Methron..6..PA
.

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Newton Township, Cumberland County, PA on June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 392A, District 84, Roll 1122
Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Anges Meathman..Self..46..PA..Marketman
Mary E. Meathman..Wife..51..PA..Keeping House
Lilly Meathman..Daughter..18..PA..At Home
W. Grant Meathman..Son..16..PA..At Home
Harry Meathman..Other..4..PA..Orphan Home Raising Him
Mary Haslet..Other..78..IRE..Keeping House
.

• They appeared on the 1900 US Census in Newton Township, Cumberland County, PA on 27 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 16B, District 21, Dwelling 322, Family 332
Newton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Home owned, no mortgage
Married 42 years
Angus A. Methven..Head..May 1834..66..PA..Carpenter
Mary E. Methven..Wife..Sep 1828..71..PA..6/2
Mary M. Mowers..GDau..Dec 1886..13..PA
.