Elsie Jane Leamer was the illegitimate daughter of Susan Harlin and Cal Leamer. Elsie was raised by various family members.
She first married to Robert Mitchell Pickel/Bickel on 16 Jun 1904 in Hollidaysburg, Blair County. Robert was the brother of her step-father Henry Pickel/Bickel. They had one child, Gilbert (George) William Pickel.
She next married George Washington Arnold on 28 Dec 1908 in Huntingdon County. Together they had 5 known children: Harry, Leah, Charles, Mary, and Paul.
Elsie died of pneumonia shortly after delivering her last child, Paul, prematurely. Her husband George's stone says he's buried there with his two wives and three babies.
The pension and marriage problem: After Robert's death in 1907, Elsie had applied for a pension for his minor child based on his Civil War service. It took 5 years for the Bureau of Pensions to complete it's investigation when Elsie couldn't satisfactorily answer some of the questions or provide the documentation needed. Based on the reports in the file, it appears that Robert and Elsie lived together for a time prior to their 1904 marriage and Robert died shortly before the birth of his son. Sadly, Elsie learned from the examiner's investigation that Robert had been married not the 2 times prior that she was aware of, but 3 times before. His first and third wives were deceased, however his second wife (Phoebe Croft McCauley) was still alive, and Robert had never divorced her. Elsie's marriage to him declared invalid and their son therefore illegitimate, so he wasn't eligible for benefits.
She first married to Robert Mitchell Pickel/Bickel on 16 Jun 1904 in Hollidaysburg, Blair County. Robert was the brother of her step-father Henry Pickel/Bickel. They had one child, Gilbert (George) William Pickel.
She next married George Washington Arnold on 28 Dec 1908 in Huntingdon County. Together they had 5 known children: Harry, Leah, Charles, Mary, and Paul.
Elsie died of pneumonia shortly after delivering her last child, Paul, prematurely. Her husband George's stone says he's buried there with his two wives and three babies.
The pension and marriage problem: After Robert's death in 1907, Elsie had applied for a pension for his minor child based on his Civil War service. It took 5 years for the Bureau of Pensions to complete it's investigation when Elsie couldn't satisfactorily answer some of the questions or provide the documentation needed. Based on the reports in the file, it appears that Robert and Elsie lived together for a time prior to their 1904 marriage and Robert died shortly before the birth of his son. Sadly, Elsie learned from the examiner's investigation that Robert had been married not the 2 times prior that she was aware of, but 3 times before. His first and third wives were deceased, however his second wife (Phoebe Croft McCauley) was still alive, and Robert had never divorced her. Elsie's marriage to him declared invalid and their son therefore illegitimate, so he wasn't eligible for benefits.
Elsie Jane Leamer was the illegitimate daughter of Susan Harlin and Cal Leamer. Elsie was raised by various family members.
She first married to Robert Mitchell Pickel/Bickel on 16 Jun 1904 in Hollidaysburg, Blair County. Robert was the brother of her step-father Henry Pickel/Bickel. They had one child, Gilbert (George) William Pickel.
She next married George Washington Arnold on 28 Dec 1908 in Huntingdon County. Together they had 5 known children: Harry, Leah, Charles, Mary, and Paul.
Elsie died of pneumonia shortly after delivering her last child, Paul, prematurely. Her husband George's stone says he's buried there with his two wives and three babies.
The pension and marriage problem: After Robert's death in 1907, Elsie had applied for a pension for his minor child based on his Civil War service. It took 5 years for the Bureau of Pensions to complete it's investigation when Elsie couldn't satisfactorily answer some of the questions or provide the documentation needed. Based on the reports in the file, it appears that Robert and Elsie lived together for a time prior to their 1904 marriage and Robert died shortly before the birth of his son. Sadly, Elsie learned from the examiner's investigation that Robert had been married not the 2 times prior that she was aware of, but 3 times before. His first and third wives were deceased, however his second wife (Phoebe Croft McCauley) was still alive, and Robert had never divorced her. Elsie's marriage to him declared invalid and their son therefore illegitimate, so he wasn't eligible for benefits.
She first married to Robert Mitchell Pickel/Bickel on 16 Jun 1904 in Hollidaysburg, Blair County. Robert was the brother of her step-father Henry Pickel/Bickel. They had one child, Gilbert (George) William Pickel.
She next married George Washington Arnold on 28 Dec 1908 in Huntingdon County. Together they had 5 known children: Harry, Leah, Charles, Mary, and Paul.
Elsie died of pneumonia shortly after delivering her last child, Paul, prematurely. Her husband George's stone says he's buried there with his two wives and three babies.
The pension and marriage problem: After Robert's death in 1907, Elsie had applied for a pension for his minor child based on his Civil War service. It took 5 years for the Bureau of Pensions to complete it's investigation when Elsie couldn't satisfactorily answer some of the questions or provide the documentation needed. Based on the reports in the file, it appears that Robert and Elsie lived together for a time prior to their 1904 marriage and Robert died shortly before the birth of his son. Sadly, Elsie learned from the examiner's investigation that Robert had been married not the 2 times prior that she was aware of, but 3 times before. His first and third wives were deceased, however his second wife (Phoebe Croft McCauley) was still alive, and Robert had never divorced her. Elsie's marriage to him declared invalid and their son therefore illegitimate, so he wasn't eligible for benefits.
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