Source
Source for: Cynthia Abigail Porter, 3 Oct 1835 - 21 May 1912
Index
General Source: S5Text: She is on AFN BT1J-2C (or ZC) also as just Cynthia Porter.
General Source: S287Page: An Interesting Discovery also p. 59
Note: This file was not labeled so Judith titled it "Family History Problems." The title of this first sheet, however, is "An Interesting Discovery." Also we have later discovered that William Rittenhouse was the first Mennonite preacher but no one who could have ordained him a Bishop ever came to America at that time.
Text: An Interesting Discovery: My maternal Grandfather Alfred Scott Hocking: Through his mother, Cynthia Abigail Porter, was a direct descendant of Rev. Jesse Glover, who brought the first printing press to America. My Paternal Grandfather Austin James Rittenhouse I: Through his father, James Rittenhouse, and his mother, Rebecca Bell, was a direct descendant of William Rittenhouse, the first papermaker and also the first Mennonite Bishop in America. Cynthia Abigail Porter appears on marriage license of son Alfred Scott Hocking and Sarah Bunting in possession (a certified copy) of Elizabeth R. Lamb, original on file at Edwards County Court House, Albion, Illinois.
General Source: S283Page: p. 65 of book
Note: E--mail from Judith Rittenhouse to her children Tom and April Tucker, her niece Molly, and her sister Susan on 23 Mar 2006.
Text: I've been reading Combined History of Edwards, Lawrence, and Wabash Counties, Illinois., especially since we're working on the Hocking genealogy. It is not indexed so I am reading and skimming through it all. It starts in 1682 and goes through 1883.
Our second great grandmother, Cynthia Abigail Porter Hocking weighed 2 and a half pounds at birth. Before her death she weighed 240 pounds. On her tombstone it says she died on 21 May 1912. She died by falling down a well on their property.
Now Mother told me this years ago, probably in the 1970's sometime. I could only envision wishing wells where brick or stone that has been used to build up a circle around the well with a covering of some type for a bucket to hang down from to send below to get the water. I never could figure out how Great grandmother Cynthia could have fallen down a well. My questions were answered in the following excerpt from the book. I was laughing so hard as I read this account that Ted wanted me to read it to him. We laughed a lot about it.
From the book, "This well has a further history connected with it. It was of large diameter, the sides and bottom being of smooth sandstone. At the sinking of it, the digger, William Truscott, had nearly completed his work, and was engaged in sweeping at the bottom of the well, just preparatory to coming to the surface. Suddenly a dreadful hubbub was heard in its vicinity--the mingled voices of a man and beast in agony of distress came forth and attracted every one within hearing to the spot. The cause was at once apparent. A large, fat hog had strayed to the mouth of the well, and had slipped his hind feet over, and was struggling with might and main to recover himself. While in this position, squealing for aid, the man below looked up in terror and loudly roared for help. Seeing that the hog was gradually losing his hold, he flattened himself against the stone sides and waited the dread results. Down went the animal to his instant death; for a moment all was silent. Shouts from the top were given, asking if the digger was hurt? A faint voice said, 'Oh, yes, do haul me up.' The man was brought to the surface, nearly dead with fright. The hog was subsequently removed from the well, but was split open on the back from head to tail, as if the process had been performed with a sharp knife."
So Edna says the wells were flat with the ground and this story shows us that a man and a large, fat hog would both be in the well so I guess poor Grandmother Cynthia fell over the edge for some reason. Falling in the well didn't happen to her until 1912, many years after this book was first written in 1883, or perhaps her story would have been in here also. There was a another story earlier in the well where a 12 year old girl was standing on the well-top; a horse became suddenly frightened and pulled the windlass and curbing from the well, and the child dropped in. The well was about forty feet deep and contained ten feet of water. She was rescued from her perilous situation.
It's fun to find the names of our ancestors mentioned--I'm underlining them so I can add the stories or events to the genealogy program.
Date: 23 Mar 2006
General Source: S285Text: Bone Gap Cemetery
Hocking, Cynthia, Wife of Thomas
1835-1912
General Source: S14General Source: S288Page: Drawer A 35