Notes for Joshua D. BREYFOGLE, SR.

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Notes for Joshua D. BREYFOGLE, SR.

"Joshua D. Breyfogle (son of Jacob D.) was born at Lockport, New York in 1806, but moved some time before 1849 to Delaware, Ohio, where some of his first cousins lived."

EDITORS NOTE: Lewis records the birth location as Lockport, NY while census files for 1850 & 1860 list his birthplace as Pennsylvania. We note this difference here in the event that further information arises to clarify this issue.

SOURCE: What I know about the Breyfogle Family, Lewis W. Breyfogle, 1963, Page 28

Lewis W. Breyfogle pegged the latest date Joshua could have been in Ohio based on the 1849 gold Rush trip, which at the time of his research would have been the only source of time based information available to him. With the release of census date it is now known that Joshua would have traveled to Ohio prior to his marriage in 1838 as his wife, Mary B. Reynolds was born in Ohio and it is assumed that they met and married in or near Delaware County, OH. The first mention of Joshua D. Breyfogle in the US Census files was in 1840. He was listed among 8 other names as living in Delaware Township, Delaware, Ohio. His name was spelled as Brifogle with two other people in the household. The 1840 census recorded only the head of household's name and then tallied the others by age group. There was 1 female child under 5 and 1 female 20 years old and under 30 years old. Using this data Mary would have been 24, which agrees with later data, and their first child, Imogene was 1 year old, agreeing with the child noted on the census form.

SOURCE: 1840 Federal Census Delaware, Delaware, OH

Joshua traveled to California on the 1849 and kept a diary of his travels. "The original draft is on file at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire."

EDITORS NOTE: Joshua's mining trip took him to the Yuba River, California. He was part of the Delaware Company of 1849 along with his brother Charles.

SOURCE: What I know about the Breyfogle Family, Lewis W. Breyfogle, 1963, Page 29

EDITORS NOTE:
The 1850 Federal Census was the first that recorded family members by name and provides the first complete look at this family group. Efforts to find Mary's family are hindered by the fact that prior census forms record head of household names only.

Joshua D. Breyfogle, his named spelled with the current conventional spelling, lived in Delaware, Ohio and was employed as a tailor. His wife Mary lists a birth location of Wales (see notes section for Mary B. Reynolds for discussion of birth location) and Joshua listed as being born in Pennsylvania. The family has 5 children listed, all born in Ohio, Rosilla N [assumed to be Imogene], Charles R., William D., Joshua D., and Arthur R.

SOURCE: 1850 Federal Census Delaware, Delaware, OH

The poor spelling of there last name made searching for Joshua and Mary during the 1860 census difficult. It is assumed that the enumerator spelled the name the way it sounded as the 1840 census was very clearly spelled in the current conventional spelling of Breyfogle. This census form has Joshua Beyfoyle and wife Mary listed in Delaware, Ohio with his continued employment as a tailor. The family is listed with 6 children, Rosella, Charles R., William R., Joshua D., Richard A. and Mary P. The fifth child was recorded as being 10 years old, which would make his birth year about 1850. Joshua D., Jr., and Mary R. are both listed with appropriate ages so it is assumed that the enumerator either erred recording the name of Arthur B. or that perhaps his middle initial should have been R for Richard. Charles R. [AKA Roland by the family] is listed as a clerk, presumably for a retail merchant.

SOURCE: 1860 Federal Census Delaware, Delaware, OH

Joshua D. Breyfogle is known to have enlisted in the 4th Ohio Infantry for service in the Civil War. Like his 1849 Gold Rush trip, he recorded his military service with a daily journal and many letters home. This work is published in a book published under the name of "The Story of Joshua D. Breyfogle, Private, 4th Ohio Infantry (10th Ohio Calvary) and The Civil War" by George E. Carter. This work is a compilation of letters, the diary, and other documents that detail this 4-year effort. The stress of the war years on Joshua and his marriage is attributed to his tragic death as outlined in this newspaper article:

Joshua D. Breyfogle, who shot himself through the head, in Delaware, Ohio, a day or two after the suicide of Rev. Mr. Brush, in the same town, left a note, apparently intended for his family, as follows: "You will find me in the wood-house. I intended to do this last night, but I thought I would not bloody your carpets and bedding, and put it off till to-day. You see that I am perfectly cool and placid - no the least alarmed. I shall join Brother Brush in a few minutes. I die coolly - sober - without any dread of the great hereafter."

SOURCE: The Ohio Democrat, New Philadelphia, OH, February 14, 1868

The author of the Civil War account of Joshua's experience visited the Oak Grove Cemetery where Joshua was laid to rest. The family plot (#35) is on Sycamore Ridge and the primary headstone is marked as "Breyfogle". He further states that cemetery records indicate "Father Breyfogle" with no first name.

SOURCE: The Story of Joshua D. Breyfogle, Private, 4th Ohio Infantry (10th Ohio Calvary) and The Civil War, by George E. Carter, page 6, footnote 13

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