Zachariah Alban

Zachariah Alban

Zachariah seems to me to have been the most industrious of the 5 sons of George ca.1776.

He enlisted in the Maryland Militia during the war of 1812 at the age of 15 years.

He would learn to read and write 4 years later. Probably the first in the family. He states that he learned to read and write from an old Irish school teacher. That could perhaps point father George's origin to the Irish John Alban of Virginia(1790 Tax List).

Not only was he a successful farmer , but served as a Justice of the Peace around 1850 in Union Meeting House (Middletown) in the 6th district of Baltimore County.

By the process of elimination and locality I believe that his firstborn was Mordecai B: ca.1822 son of he and Frances Ensor and married to a close neighbor Dorcas McCullough daughter of James who lived a stone's throw from Zachariah in 1850.Map

From looking at land owners maps from 1850 to 1877 it would appear that Zachariah Alban owned more than one tract of land in Baltimore county. In 1850 he owned land above Beckleysville Road and southwest of his son Mordecai who appears on Cotter Rd.

A map of 1877 shows him owning land on Beckleysville Road just north of Kidds Schoolhouse Road. That plot of land would later be owned by J Alban, probably his son Joseph F who married Julia Gardner. A later map shows Julia Alban as owner of 106 acres at that location.

The map of 1877 shows M Alban in the 6th District of Baltimore County on Cotter Road. That location is verified in the 1920 census records of his son William A. Mordecai and his wife Dorcas were buried in the Middletown Cemetery at Freeland and Middletown Road.

Church records show that Zachariah and his family attended Gunpowder Baptist Church in what is now Freeland, Balto Co., Md. They orginally held services in the Union Meeting House.

Father George and Zachariah had both served for short stints in the War of 1812. Both served in the Maryland Militia.

George's documentation shows that he served for 23 days from 18 Aug 1813 to 10 Sep 1813 under Cpt. Edward Lawson. Son Henry would later file an affidavit in which he said he remembered a different version of his father and brother's service.

Read my transcription of an affidavit sworn by Zachariah Alban, son of George Alban. General Affidavit

Zachariah applied for his Bounty Land benefits 9 March 1878. His battle to obtain those benefits lasted well into 1879 and from the information contained in numerous documents it does appear his application was finally rejected.

The dispute about Zachariah's benefits, arose over a claim that he served under Cpt. Lawson as a substitute for his father George Alban who was given leave to return home to care for a confined wife Mary.

At first his loyalty to the Union during the Civil War was in question. One letter from an unnamed Postmaster, most likely one of the 'politically correct' hypocrites of his day, states that he was not 'STRICTLY' loyal and that he didn't need a pension because he lived comfortably.

Later his neighbors and some who had served with him would verify his character as loyal and even stated that he served as a respected Justice of the Peace in the area of Union Meeting House (Middletown).

Zachariah's documented service was as a Pvt in the Maryland Militia from 25 Aug 1814 to 27 Oct 1814 under Cpt Eli Stockdale. It would appear that he was never given credit for time served under a Capt. Lawson where he served as a substitute for father George who had briefly returned home for the birth of a child.

On a side note, Zach says that he was there to watch the bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 13-14 1814. So, he was there when Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner.

It would appear that his monetary pension of 8 dollars per month was granted 14 Feb 1871. He states that he didn't realize at that time that he was entitled to Bounty Land.

Read my transcription of an affidavit sworn by Zachariah Alban, son of George Alban. General Affidavit

This information (about 97 pages of correspondence) is available at Fold3 and Ancestry.com - Pensions of 1812.

Zachariah's name and signature also appear as Justice of the Peace in witness to a warrant application for Bounty Land by one Charles Baublits 19 May 1855. Also witnessing the document one George E Alban (brother).

Read my transcription of that document. Bounty Land Application

Quotes from pages:
"According to claimants allegations he was only 15 years of age when service was made in Capt Stockdale's Co."

"Mary Albin made her claim for bounty land before Zachariah Alban, therefore there was another Zachariah (over)....Alban, or this claimant has falsely alleged that he did not know he was entitled to bounty land.......Mary Alban's atty. lived in Carroll co., but I do not find her Po address....."

"That said George Alban died about 25 years ago in Balto Co now it being a part of Carroll co."

There is also an affidavit of brother Henry Alban of Grave Run Baltimore co, age 76, as witness to his brother's identity. In it he states that his mother Mary received bounty land which she sold to a Daniel Hoover. States she died 16 or 17 years prior to 1878 and that her PO address was Grave Run, Baltimore co. Md. Henry also states that though there were nephews in the area named Zachariah Alban, none were old enough to have served during the 1812 conflict.

Read my transcription of an affidavit sworn by Henry Alban, son of George Alban. General Affidavit

If you are good at reading the chicken scratch produced by writing with quill and ink, you can probably get a lot more information from these pages. Other names mentioned are neighbors and friends Armacost, Kidd, Wm Hoffman, Talbot and more.

And a shout out to our great Uncle Sam who started shafting Veterans as far back as 1878. Who would you trust, an 80 year old Vet, his brother's sworn affidavit or a government as inefficient at data record security then as they are today?

Union Meeting House

Joseph and Z Alben are listed as farmers of Union Meeting House 1878
Maryland directory 1878

*His date of death is confirmed by the termination of his 1812 war pension early in 1888.

See: Source Material for Historical Maps of Land Tracts.

Descendants of:

Mordecai b:ca.1822
+ Dorcas McCullough
William A b:1842
Susan b:1844
Ann b:1846
Dorcas Ann b:1856

Thomas b:1828
+ Elizabeth Ann Hare
Jane b:1853
Anna Mary b:1856
Thomas Howard b:1862

Zachariah b:1830
+ Mary Ann Shue
Rebecca b:ca.1853
Reuben b:ca.1856
William b:1858
Elizabeth Frances b:ca.1861
Jennie b:ca.1863
Zachariah b:ca.1869
Charles b:ca.1871
May b:ca.1876
Harry b:ca.1877
William b:1878

George b:1832
+ Mary A?
Benjamin b:ca.1848
William b:ca.1858

Joseph F b:1844
+ Julia Gardner
Emory W b:1868
Harry F b:1870
Harvey N b:1875
Winfred P b:1880
Ethel N b:1885

William A Alban 1842

The 1900 Census reveals a discrepancy in the origin of one of the William Albans.

The common belief is that Joseph P Alban fathered William A who married Ann Elizabeth Hare.

The 1900 census report shows that this William is the son of Dorcas McCullough who was married to Mordecai Alban.

Also Eugina is listed as a daughter in law who is probably the spouse of Eli S.

The 1880 census verifies this connection. Mordecai living in the 6th district of Balto Co and Son William A next door. This map verifies the location. Children of Wm A: Ella Kate, Dorcas A, Eli S and Susie J.

The 1870 census shows Wm A son of Joseph living close by with wife Sarah in the 5th district of Balto Co. It is possible that this Wm A died before 1880. The census shows a widowed Sarah Alban living in Sweetair, Balto.

 

⇐George Alban 1776 Eli Alban⇒