We are getting close, I can feel it!
Etching in the Window at Belle Grove
Okay, this post was not planned! But I had to let you know about a find that I happened on today! As you have read in the past posting “Mystery in the Window”, we have an etching in one of the upstairs bedrooms that reads:
Carrie Turner
W (or M) Van der burgh
May 18, (18)69
This was done by Carrie (Caroline) Turner, the oldest daughter of Carolinus and Susan Turner. Back during this time, it was common for brides to be to etch their names and that of their fiancés in the window of their homes with their diamond engagement ring. The only problem with is etching is that Carrie Turner didn’t marry Van der burgh and she didn’t marry in 1869. She married Dr. William Jett, a widower and local doctor and they married in 1876.
So the mystery is who is Van der burgh? There have been many theories. One is that it was a close friend of hers that was at the house to celebrate her 21st birthday. Another is that it was a beau that she was to marry, but didn’t for some reason. I don’t think the birthday etching is right. The etching was marked May 18, 1869. Carrie was born on July 1o, 1848. It would have been a little early to be celebrating her birthday. So could it be a beau that she was to marry?
I have spent the last several months trying to figure out this mystery. I first started looking for families in the area and in Virginia named Van der burgh. I hit a dead-end. No names under Van der burg in the state of Virginia during this time. It would have been kind of unusual since most daughters married within families of the area or close by. So then I started to think about the time and what was going on during this time.
The 1869 was just after the end of the Civil War. At the start of the war in 1861, Carrie would have been 13. She didn’t marry until she was 28 years old. For a young girl during the Victorian age, she would have been considered old. But after the Civil War, the local population of men had dropped dramatically. So her options would have been limited. That could explain her late marriage.
Then just recently, I found the hand written letter from Carolinus Turner asking for amnesty for being part of the Confederate side of the war. In this letter, Carolinus talks about how he met General Burnside and General Abercrombie, both Union Generals. He also states that he and his family remained quietly at home and that his home (Belle Grove) had been behind Union lines for most of the war.
We also think that Belle Grove served as a headquarters for the Union Army during their time in Port Conway. We think this is correct because the house bears no scars from shoots being fired at it from the river as it had happened to all the other plantations in the area.
So what if during the Union Army’s time in Port Conway, Carrie met someone named W (M) Van der burgh? It could have been a soldier from another state. But which state? What unit? What side? Until that letter I had no idea. I did have some help just recently too from another blogger who gave me a link for a family of Van der burghs out of New York. (Thank you!)
With the knowledge of General Burnside being in the area, I started looking for a Union unit from New York that may have been in the area. I found one from another bloggers post. Emerging Civil War is the blog and the post is “The Other Port Royal” posted on November 15, 2011. (http://emergingcivilwar.com/2011/11/15/the-other-port-royal/) In the posting it states:
“On April 18, 1862, the Union army entered Fredericksburg and occupied it through August 1862. In the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, is a report from Acting Master Nelson Provost, United States Navy, commanding the USS Anacostia to General Ambrose Burnside about the August 15-16, 1862 “Expedition from Fredericksburg to Port Royal, VA.” The report states that Provost had the steamer with its crew and 25 men of the 9th New York Infantry (Hawkins Zouaves) proceed down the river toward Port Royal because of reports that the Confederates had held regular communication with Baltimore and Richmond. The expedition landed at several plantations along the way, which were deserted by their proprietors. Contrabands told him that recruits for the rebel army were ferried across the river from Port Conway to Port Royal with arms, goods, and stores.”
Yes, I had a unit! Now I needed to find a muster list. It took me most of the day to locate one. Finally I found one. The 9th New York Infantry served the following in our area:
- Expedition to Port Royal August 15-16 (Co. “H”)
- Rappahannock River August 15 (Co. “H”)
- Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15.
- (Co. “G”) at Burnsides’ Headquarters October 31, 1862, to January, 1863.)
Then looking through the muster list, I found ten companies (Co. A – C0. K). I slowly scanned through the list. Under Company A, I found the following:
- Vanderburgh, Richard A 28 * Pvt.
Could this be the Van der burgh we are looking for? Could he have been on the Expedition to Port Royal or could she have met him when her father met General Burnside? If they met, she would have been 14 and he would have been 29. Could they have made friends and wrote to each other for three years? If they were to have married in 1869, she would have been just shy of her 21st birthday and he would have been 36. Could he have died just before they were to marry? Dying at 36 wasn’t unheard of during that time. Could he have been wounded and died due to those wounds?
Now my task is to look for personal information on Richard and see if I can confirm anything. And I also have been studying the etching in the window. Is that a “W” or “M” or a quickly etched “R”?
Close Up
You be the judge
Is it a “W” “M” or “R”?
If we hit a dead-end again on this, I think we are going to have to call the real History Detectives!
I say an “m” as looking at May. Perhaps for “Mr.” Van Der Burgh?
You know that is so funny! Brett and I were discussing it just after I posted it. He said, “It doesn’t look like an R”. I then told him that I thought it was “Mr”. Great minds!
Hint: I’m analytical; in my other life, I was a traffic investigator for over 30 years-shh! Don’t tell anyone-LOL
not a word! 😉
Is it a “W” “M” or “R”?
If I hadn’t read your story, I would have thought it was shorthand for “nee,” as in “nee Van der burgh.” Could her mother have gone by Carrie? Could “Van der burgh” been her mother’s maiden name?
Carrie’s mother is Susan Anna Rose Turner. Her mother’s maiden name was Rose.
Well, phooey.
Well, not sure…but just to throw another thought out there, could the last name be Vanden Burgh, Not Vander Burgh? That looks like the same n at the end of Vande* as the n after the V in Vande r or n?
Enlarging and looking at the etching gives me goose bumps.
We have thought of that too. But I haven’t found any Vanden burgh. Plus when I typed in Google search “Vanderburgh Civil War New York” I got Richard A Van der burgh with those spaces. Just like the etching spaces. Goose bumps… well it is October and Halloween 😉
You’ve done some wonderful detective work on this mystery. I certainly hope you don’t hit a dead end.
Me too. I hate dead ends! I want to know who this is!
What a mystery! You have done some amazing work just getting this far…m? I think it’s an n – vanden too…Interesting.
It am not sure about the Vanden thought. When I typed in Google search “Vanderburgh Civil War New York” it came up with Van der burgh just like it is written in the window.
As always you have me learning more about history. The 9th New York Infantry was one of the Zouave units that served during the Civil War. They were know for their distinctive uniforms They would wear baggy trousers and short open-fronted jackets. They would also have a sash or a distinctive hat. The 9th was know as Kawkins’ Zouaves.
Check out this website: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ny9vihza/index.html The website is all about the Hawkins Zouaves. There seem to be some broken links at the site, but you may want to e-mail the webmaster. There is a long list of sources that were consulted to make the page, so the webmaster may have a lot of print sources that can be referenced.
I will look at it tonight. Thank you!
I have a picture of that uniform when I pulled up the information on the 9th. But we have more info coming in an update post tonight! Get ready for more history!
what a fascinating search process. You will need to write a book on the history of Belle Grove (when you have finished every thing else) it will make interesting reading
Haha I have heard that one a lot lately. I am glad I am doing this blog because I now have a journal to refer back to. Maybe one day!
Yes blogs are a good way to keep records, that is why I originally started mine
What a lovely tale – I do hope you solve the mystery. Good luck!
Thank you! We are working on it!
Once again, you amaze me with your untiring detective work. I really can’t say what letter of the alphabet that is, but it’s wonderful that you’ve come this far, and I hope you untangle the mystery!
Me too. It is driving me crazy! Thank you!
While it still looks like an M to me, the possibility is that it stood for a nickname. There are a large number of VanDerBurghs in my home area. Since the oldest sons of that era were often named for their fathers, they also often had nicknames they were more commonly known by.
I think we have to consider that. But I have some new information I am going to post tonight. A new turn!
Found you a Richard Van Der Burgh…..
http://www.lakedunmorevt.com/vdb/
🙂
I think its an M look at the M in May and they seem exactly the same to to me. So interesting.
Good thought. It is just so hard to make sense of it. It must have been hard writing with a diamond ring.
WOW! That is so cool. I can’t help much with these matters but I can be your support. I watch Scooby Doo a lot. XOXO Bacon
Haha nice Bacon! I need a good snoop! Thank you!
Looking at the date, I’d say they are mirror images of the letter ‘M’.
( if this is a repeat of a comment, I’m sorry. I didn’t have time to read them all) …
Yes I have that one. But the problem with matching letters is that she was using a diamond ring to cut the glass. So that has to be taken into account.
I believe you have your answer. I believe it is Mr. (or perhaps Mrs.) You are absolutely correct. After the War Between the States (War of Yankee Agression in some parts of the south), the number of marriageable gentlemen was almost completely depleted. In the South (probably in the North, too) there was a huge stigma for young lady to pass her 18th birthday without being married. I would imagine she was quite “taken” with a young man and either planned to marry him – in reality – or did something like we did as kids. Did you every write your name as “Mrs” Paul McCartney or “Mrs.” George Clooney? If she had truly been intended to marry Mr. Van Der Burgh, it’s quite likely that he did succumb to either an injury (or its cure) before the nuptials could take place. That happened a lot. If you haven’t yet read the book “Confederates in the Attic,” I highly recommend it. It speaks a lot about actions during the war in Virginia. It is, however, done in an extremely modern and truly interesting way.
Great comments! I will see if I can get that book! Others have suggested Mr. too. I have some more information to post tonight too.
Oh, this is truly fascinating. Good research! I love this story. It would make a great historical novel. That’s it. You need a novel about Belle Grove!
I have heard that one a lot lately. I don’t know when I would be able to put it together, but I am glad I have my notes here on the blog! Maybe after I get this up and going.
perhaps it’s “Mister”
Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2012 03:18:19 +0000 To: danljcooney@hotmail.com
That one is coming up several times. We will have to consider it.
looking at the letter n in the names and comparing it with the m or w in the beginning, i believe that is a M. this was a fascinating story and can’t wait to hear more
We are still looking into it. I have more information I found today that we are going to update everyone on.
I, too, think it’s an M, as it is written exactly like the M in May. What an intriguing mystery. Good luck with it!
That is what I am getting. I have some new information I am about to post on this subject.
You make a great detective! Mystery and history 😉 Oh yeah!
Thank you! I love doing research! It is so much fun to find the one piece that connects things together.