2025- 3 - The Danger of Being Honored. PS Bancroft

Peter Sanford (PS) Bancroft was the subject of post #1. He went from being a fellow on a farm out in the country, to being a professor, a head of an academy, a Civil War Captain, a journalist and an editor.

One day the little city of Butler sought to honor its Civil War veterans. I am told he was asked to be the guest of honor in Butler at a Civil War Dedication. As it is with most stories I hear, I wasn't paying attention to the date, but to the story. It may have been the unveiling of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Butler, (which was as late as 1902) or it may have been 50 years after the war, 1915. PS Bancroft, by now a widower and respected townsman, was gussied up nicely, dressed in his finest clothes that day. He was on the dais, but they wished to place him near the cannon. He obediently moved to it, not realizing their intention was to shoot it off.

What his immediate reaction was, we don't know (did he jump, or yell?). He remembered that day every day afterward, for the consequence of having a cannon shot at his side was he was totally deaf in his one ear for the rest of his life. So, while the war cost him his arm, being honored for being a soldier & an officer in the war cost him his hearing.

Butler PA 1908

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2026 - 1- Andreas Brügger and Regular Herter Swiss Immigrants

Andreas Brüngger and Regular Herter- Swiss Immigrants Andreas Brüngger was born in July 1699, the third son of Hans Konrad Brüngger and Maria Weidmann. On 26 April in 1720 he married Regula Herter in Elsau, Zürich, Switzerland. Their first two children did not live beyond a year (one born in 1721, and Hans Konrad born in 1722). In 1724, Ulrich was born; followed by Jacob Brinker (Sr) i n 1726 (d 1785); Maria Elisabeth (1727-1798); Abraham Brinker (1734–1764). It’s difficult to determine if the entire family immigrated together but Andreas arrived in Philadelphia arrived with other Swiss and Germans in 1735 on the ship Brigantine Mary . Andrea's name was "anglicized" to "Brinker" in the colonies. Andreas' wife, Regula Herter (Hester) was born in Hettlingen, Zurich Canton, Switzerland on September 8, 1695 to Junghans Hester (Herter) and Barbara Gutherz. I would guess she may have immigrated with the children when the youngest (born in 1734)...

2025- 4 -Flora G Bancroft (Tilton) A Timeline

Flora G Bancroft (Tilton) My great grandmother wrote a will the year she died. The will is short and reflects how much (or how little she possessed). Floras' life was circumscribed by difficulties and some personal tragedies. Born after the end of the Civil War, she lived through the so-called Spanish-American War, World War 1, the "Spanish Flu", the Crash and the Great Depression, and World War 2, dying in 1949. She buried two husbands in her lifetime. Her father had served in the Civil War. Her mother died when she was young. I am not sure where she was schooled but I'm sure her father made certain she got it (possibly why they moved from the farm?) Like many people of the era she lived nearly her entire life with extended family. This post is a time line of her life events-connecting them to those people I believe she was closest to. After all, what affects our loved ones, affects us, I believe it relevant information when writing a personal...

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