Clendening Family Letters
Scope and Content
This collection contains five letters relating to Abram Clendening, a soldier in the 5th Independent Company, Ohio Sharpshooters during the American Civil War, and other members of his family. Included is a single letter written by Clendening at Port Clinton, [Ohio], on December 16, 1863, in which he provides his reasons for enlisting and notes that he will be home for Christmas on a 20-day furlough. Most of the remaining letters relate to events surrounding Clendening's death, the disposition of his personal effects and money, and the location of his grave. Included are letters from George P. Shook and Merella E. Shook of Port Clinton; A. Tilotson [Augustus Tillotson] of the 5th Ohio Sharpshooters; Jacob Hopkins and Eli Doil, the sexton and assistant sexton, respectively, at the U. S. Post Hospital, Bridgeport, Alabama; and A. [Andrew] Clendening, Mill Creek (Berkeley County), West Virginia. The collection also contains a single letter from Boyd Clendening at Johnson's Island, Ohio, to J. H. C. [James H. Clendening], attempting to convince the Clendenings to leave "that rebble country" in West Virginia and move to Ohio. The collection also includes a stamped envelope addressed to James H. Clendening, Mill Creek, Berkeley Co., W. Va.
Dates
- 1863 - 1867
Creator
- Clendening, Abram (Person)
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Family History
An eight-year-old "Abraham" Clendening is listed by the 1850 federal census as the youngest child living in the Berkeley County, (West) Virginia, home of Andrew and Elizabeth Clendening. He continues to be listed (as "Abraham") in his father's home through the 1860 census. Abram Clendening enlisted as a private in the 5th Independent Company, Ohio Sharpshooters on December 8, 1863. He died after being fatally wounded in combat at Hollowell's Landing, Alabama, on May 12, 1864, and was buried in the U. S. Cemetery at Bridgeport, Alabama. (Letters within this collection provide May 11 and May 13 as alternate dates for Clendening's death.)
Like his brother, Boyd Clendening (born June 6, 1838), appears as a resident in the Berkeley County, (West) Virginia, home of his parents through 1860. On December 29, 1863, Clendening enlisted in Company K, 128th Ohio Infantry; the company was mustered into federal service on January 7, 1864. With the 128th, Clendening performed guard duty at Sandusky, Ohio, and nearby Johnson's Island before being mustered out of service at Camp Chase, Ohio, July 17, 1865. By 1880, Clendening had married Elizabeth McKelvey (1850-1923). The 1880 census lists a 35-year-old Virginia native named Boyd "Clendenning" living in Metal (Franklin County), Pennsylvania with wife Elizabeth, 25, and six children. The census lists his occupation as "working iron ore bank." Boyd P. Clendening died in Fannetsburg (Franklin County), Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1892, and was buried in Metal Methodist Cemetery. (Note: his gravestone identifies Clendening as "Boyd Clendenning" and implies that he was born June 6, 1835.)
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
Five letters relating to Abram Clendening, a private in the 5th Independent Company, Ohio Sharpshooters during the American Civil War, including a letter from Clendening, explaining his reasons for enlisting; and letters from comrades and officials regarding his death, the disposition of his personal effects and money, and the location of his grave. Also includes a letter from Boyd Clendening, serving on guard duty in Company K, 128th Ohio Infantry at Johnson's Island, Ohio.
Source of Acquisition
The Clendening Family Letters were purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in 1991.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Clendening Family Letters by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
General
This collection was purchased, accessioned, and originally cataloged as the Abram Glendening Letters. In 2006, the title was corrected to the Abram Clendening Letters. In the course of processing the collection in 2022, the collection's name was changed again, to the Clendening Family Letters, to encompass the Boyd Clendening letter that is within the collection.
Processing Information
The processing and description of the Clendening Famiy Letters commenced and was completed in November, 2022.
- Title
- Clendening Family Letters, 1863-1867
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- John M. Jackson
- Date
- 2022 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu