Peter Scholl (1813 - 1868)

Born 1813 in Clark County, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza Jane (Coleman) Pursley — married 3 Dec 1848 in Griggsville, Pike County, IL, Justice D. F. Coffey officiating

Descendants

Died 4 Nov 1868 at about age 55 in Buckhorn Township, Brown County, Illinois, United States

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Biography

Name

Name: Peter /Scholl/^[1]

Birth

Birth:

Date: 1813

Place: Clark County, Kentucky^[2]

Death

Death:

Date: 04 NOV 1868

Place: Buckhorn Township, Brown County, IL^[3]

Burial

Burial:

Place: Seaborn Cemetery, northern Pike County, IL, inscription: "Peter Scholl - Died Nov. 4, 1868 - Aged 55 Yrs.^[4]

Reference

Reference: 21

Note

Note: #N9

Sources

• WikiTree profile Scholl-87 created through the import of CORDELL 20110806_2011-08-21.ged on Aug 22, 2011 by David Cordell. See the Changes page for the details of edits by David and others.

• Source: S6 Title: cordell 20020723.FTW NOTESource Medium: Other CONT

Notes

Note N9Pike County History, chapter 59, page 176:

Peter Scholl, son of Abraham, left in April, 1856, for the California gold fields, astride a little sorrel mare named Nellie. This little mare carried him across the great plains and deserts to his destination. Turned out to graze after the gold fields were reached, she loafed around the mining camp for a year or more and her master fed her regularly. Came a day when the little mare returned no more to camp.

Scholl remained in the gold fields for more than three years. Then, in 1860, he went to San Francisco and prepared to embark for home. As he went down a street in San Francisco to take passage on the "Young America" for New York, he heard a familiar nicker a block away. Answering the call, he found his little mare Nellie tied in front of a saloon. The mare greeted him with such manifestations of joy that four men standing near were filled with wonderment. Scholl enquired as to who had ridden the mare into town and when her owner came out of the saloon he asked him how he came into possession of the mare. The man gave a straight account of his ownership, he having purchased her from parties who evidently had picked her up in the gold fields. The man told Scholl that the little mare had become the pet of his children and he was loath to give her up, and Scholl, on the promise that she would be well taken care of, allowed the man to take her away.

Scholl and a friend by the name of Hay engaged passage on the "Young America" but for some reason did not go aboard her but instead embarked on a later boat, the "Yucatan." The "Young America," when three days out at sea, took fire and all on board went down. A letter from the ship's company to Scholl's wife, Eliza Jane, conveyed the sad news that her husband had booked passage on the ill-fated vessel and that all had perished.

Scholl, aboard the "Yucatan," landed at New Orleans in December, 1860, the vessel having weathered heavy seas and raging storms around the Horn. From New Orleans, Scholl came by boat up the Mississippi to Alton and walked from that town to Griggsville. Arriving in Griggsville in the dead of night, he knocked at the door of his home and was greeted by his wife as one returned from the dead. Eliza Jane, however, always said that she was never quite convinced that her husband had perished, that he was too good a swimmer ever to be drowned. His brother, Charles Coleman, had joined in the gold rush to California. One card was received from him stating that he was all right, and never again was he heard of.

Peter Scholl struck gold in California. His grandson, J. E. Scholl, says that he carried with him on his long tramp from Alton to Griggsville in January, 1861 a bag containing ,000 in gold. A gold dollar minted from gold he mined in California is still a keepsake in the Scholl family, being now in the possession of James Virgil Scholl's widow in Detroit, Michigan. A gold breastpin made from the yellow metal he mined was a treasured heirloom kept by his wife Eliza.

Peter Scholl died at the family home in Buckhorn township, Brown county, November 4, 1868. He is buried in Seaborn cemetery on the northern edge of South Prairie in Pike county. The stone that marks his grave bears this simple inscription: "Peter Scholl - Died Nov. 4, 1868 - Aged 55 Yrs."

His widow, Eliza Jane (Coleman) Scholl, on October 17, 1870, married in Pike county Jacob Pursley, with R. M. Atkinson, Pike county judge, performing the ceremony. Later, March 16, 1878, she was again married, her third husband being Albert (Alva) St. John of Pittsfield, who was born in 1857 and is now in his 80th year. For a great many years the St. Johns resided in Pittsfield, west of the King mill, Aunt Eliza, as she was known by many, being distinguished for her kindly deeds. In her prime she was one of the swiftest and most expert weavers and spinners of her day. It is stated that she once wagered with her brother-in-law, Charles F. Gibbs, a skilled tailor, that she could make him a coat in less time than he could make one for her, winning her wager.

Eliza Jane, born in Scott county, Kentucky, May 5, 1827, died in Pittsfield May 2, 1907, aged 79 years, 11 months and 28 days. She is buried in the South (Oakwood) cemetery at Pittsfield.

[cordell 20020723.FTW]

Pike County History, chapter 59, page 176:

Peter Scholl, son of Abraham, left in April, 1856, for the California gold fields, astride a little sorrel mare named Nellie. This little mare carried him across the great plains and deserts to his destination. Turned out to graze after the gold fields were reached, she loafed around the mining camp for a year or more and her master fed her regularly. Came a day when the little mare returned no more to camp.

Scholl remained in the gold fields for more than three years. Then, in 1860, he went to San Francisco and prepared to embark for home. As he went down a street in San Francisco to take passage on the "Young America" for New York, he heard a familiar nicker a block away. Answering the call, he found his little mare Nellie tied in front of a saloon. The mare greeted him with such manifestations of joy that four men standing near were filled with wonderment. Scholl enquired as to who had ridden the mare into town and when her owner came out of the saloon he asked him how he came into possession of the mare. The man gave a straight account of his ownership, he having purchased her from parties who evidently had picked her up in the gold fields. The man told Scholl that the little mare had become the pet of his children and he was loath to give her up, and Scholl, on the promise that she would be well taken care of, allowed the man to take her away.

Scholl and a friend by the name of Hay engaged passage on the "Young America" but for some reason did not go aboard her but instead embarked on a later boat, the "Yucatan." The "Young America," when three days out at sea, took fire and all on board went down. A letter from the ship's company to Scholl's wife, Eliza Jane, conveyed the sad news that her husband had booked passage on the ill-fated vessel and that all had perished.

Scholl, aboard the "Yucatan," landed at New Orleans in December, 1860, the vessel having weathered heavy seas and raging storms around the Horn. From New Orleans, Scholl came by boat up the Mississippi to Alton and walked from that town to Griggsville. Arriving in Griggsville in the dead of night, he knocked at the door of his home and was greeted by his wife as one returned from the dead. Eliza Jane, however, always said that she was never quite convinced that her husband had perished, that he was too good a swimmer ever to be drowned. His brother, Charles Coleman, had joined in the gold rush to California. One card was received from him stating that he was all right, and never again was he heard of.

Peter Scholl struck gold in California. His grandson, J. E. Scholl, says that he carried with him on his long tramp from Alton to Griggsville in January, 1861 a bag containing ,000 in gold. A gold dollar minted from gold he mined in California is still a keepsake in the Scholl family, being now in the possession of James Virgil Scholl's widow in Detroit, Michigan. A gold breastpin made from the yellow metal he mined was a treasured heirloom kept by his wife Eliza.

1. ↑ Source: #S6 Data: Text: Date of Import: Sep 12, 2002
2. ↑ Source: #S6 Data: Text: Date of Import: Sep 12, 2002
3. ↑ Source: #S6 Data: Text: Date of Import: Sep 12, 2002
4. ↑ Source: #S6 Data: Text: Date of Import: Sep 12, 2002