New York Times Newspaper Article from September 3, 1884 Issue:

VERY NEAR ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT

Kingston, NY..Sept. 2 - Jonas Whispell died at Woodstock yesterday with a few months of being 108 years old. Up to last Friday he was very active and walked about the town. During his life he was very fond of liquor and tobacco. He cast his last vot in 1883. He has seven sons, all of whom served in the rebellion.

Jonas Whispell appears in federal census records living in the small town of Woodstock in Ulster Co, NY from about 1830 through 1880. Living with him were his wife, Margaret Ann Lane, daughter of Gilbert Lane, Jr. and his first wife, name unknown. Also shown living with this couple are many of those seven sons mentioned in the above article, including Peter H. Whispell who served with the 15th Regiment Co E. New York Volunteer Engineers in the Civil War.

My interest in the Whispell (also seen as Whispel and Wispel) family is that Peter H. Whispell, born 14 Jan 1836 in Woodstock, NY is my great,great grandfather through his daughter, Adelia Whispell wife of George Decker residents of Clinton Twp, Wyoming Co, Pennsylvania. Peter H. Whispell's first wife Anna M. Reynolds, mother of Adelia [Delia, born in Woodstock 1862] passed away about 1876 when Delia was but a small child. Widower, Peter H. Whispell subsequently moved to Clinton Twp. in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania probably to find work in the lumbering industry as his occupation was listed as shingle maker remarried about 1880 Eliza Jane Derby in Northmoreland Twp, Wyoming Co, Pennsylvania.

In addition to Delia and her brother, Franklin Whispell, born 1866, children of Anna M. Reynolds and Peter H. Whispell - Peter and second wife, Eliza, had two daughters, Susia Whispell, born 1884 and Ida Whispell, born 1882 in Wyoming Co, Pennsylvania. Copies of Peter H. Whispell's Civil War Pension File #722219 provided by the NARA gave quite a bit of insight into the life of this ancestor of whom I knew nothing previously.

One interesting point is that Peter H. Whispell and second wife, Eliza Jane Derby Whispell are buried in the Dixon Cemetery east of Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co, Pennsylvania. Eliza has a nice headstone and a few feet away is the headstone of Adelia Whispell Decker and husband, George Decker. But until about a year ago, there was no indication of where Peter H. Whispell. who died December 7, 1908 in Clinton Twp, Wyoming Co, Pennsylvania was buried. The Veteran's Affairs Department of the Wyoming County PA Courthouse was very helpful following much research in providing enough information that we could finally determine that Peter H. Whispell is buried beside his wife, Eliza in the Dixon Cemetery. In about 2005 a descendant had contacted the Veteran's Administration to request a veteran's headstone for Peter H. Whispell. Eliza had died about 1890, prior to Peter H. Whispell's death. Peter was in failing health, illiterate as shown by his X mark on the pension application, and "having a poor memory for details" according to the pension affidavits and thus there was never a marker on his final resting place. The request for a marker was made about 2005, the stone was soon delivered, but to the wrong cemetery and sat two or more years unable to be placed as the soldier, Peter H. Whispell, could not be identified as being located in the Sunnyside Cemetery as that is where the headstone was delivered -Sunnyside is about 3 miles from the Dixon Cemetery where Peter H. Whispell is actually interred. Sunnyside Cemetery's caretaker also sees to the small ancient cemetery know as Dixon Cemetery, but had no way of knowing where Peter H. Whispell's grave actually was located or that was where the marker was meant to go. Though the caretaker wanted to do the right thing and get the headstone placed, he was at a total loss to have any notion that Peter H. Whispell was buried over at the Dixon Cemetery. Only a few odd coincidences, much diligence and research, bits of luck and by the grace of God in 2008 did Peter H. Whispell finally receive a Veteran's Administration headstone to mark his grave 100 years after his death. This is a fact for which we are grateful.

Woodstock (NY) Civil War Records also name several other sons of Jonas and Margaret Ann (Lane) Whispell:

Abram Whispell, born Woodstock 10 Jan 1825, parents Jonas Whispel and Margaret Ann Lane. Private 15th NY, Co. F. Enlisted at Woodstock 13 Sep 1864 for 1 year. White. Farmed. Died 6 Nov 1864 of disease acquired in the Army. (Marker in the Woodstock Villiage Cemetery, age 38 years 9 months 7 days.

David Whispell, born Woodstock, 5 Apr 1834, parents Jonas Whispell, Margaret Lane. Private 20th Co. H. Enlisted at Woodstock 5 Sep for 3 years. Farmer. Discharged 17 Jun 1865 - Post Office: Bearsville [NY]

Joseph Whispell, born Woodstock [NY] 5 Apr 1834, parents Jonas Wispell, Margaret Lane, Private 20th, Co. H. Enlisted at Woodstock 5 Sep for 3 years. Farmer. Discharged 17 Jun 1865. Post Office: Bears Ville [NY]

Also listed with these sons was Peter Abram Whispel, born 15 Apr 1846 , Woodstock [NY] who was the grandson of Jonas and Margaret Lane Whispell through their son Fredrick Whispell and his wife, Melissa Taylor. Peter Abram Whispell is shown as enlisting at Woodstock 4 Jan 1864 for 3 years. White. Farmer. Discharged 30 Jun 1865. Post Office: Bears Ville [NY]. Via the Civil War Pension Files for his uncle, Peter H. Whispell and many pages of testimony pertaining to the relationship and/or if Peter A. Whispell and Peter H. Whispell were one and the same person, it was finally established that "Peter A.{Abram] Whispell is the son of my brother, Frederick Whispell" by Peter H. Whispell's own tentimony. And with that many years of confusion and being denied a Pension for his own service with the 15th Regiment, Co E NY Volunteers also known as the 50th NY Volunteer Engineers, Peter H. Whispell was finally granted a pension of $12.00 per month which ended soon after with his death on 13 Nov 1908 and the placing of a veteran's headstone in the year 2008.

My thanks to everyone who played a role in seeing that Peter H. Whispell, son of Jonas and Margaret Lane Whispell, was honored with a headstone that honors his life, his death and his service to our country. It is truly appreciated.