Caroline Matilda Alter (abt. 1805 - 1877)

Born about 1805 in Pennsylvania

Died 29 Mar 1877 at about age 72 in Blairsville, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA

Biography

Peter married, probably around 1831^[1] , Matilda, the widow of a man named Lore (or Loar).^[2] Matilda's full maiden name, Caroline Matilda Alter, appears in the 1914 death record of her son Jacob Alter Singley. Caroline Matilda was the name of a Queen of Denmark; see this wikipedia page.

Perhaps Matilda was related to the Alter family of Allegheney twp., Westmoreland County, which is mentioned in the Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. See also the findagrave profile of the patriarch of this family, John Jacob Alter (1742-1815)

Matilda appears in the 1850 census in Ligonier Twp., Westmoreland Co., PA as follows: Peter C. Singley, 57, farmer, real estate $3000; Matilda, 45; Hannah, 18; Caroline, 14; William, 10; Nicollas, 5; Morris, 3; Harriet Loar, 26; Sarah A. Loar, 23.^[3]

Peter’s widow Matilda, of Blairsville, Indiana Co., PA, signed her will on 16 Feb. 1874, and it was proved 25 May 1877, “the said Matilda Singley having died on the 29th day of March A.D. 1877.” In this will Matilda Singley, “being in my usual health of sound and disposing mind and memory” bequeathed “to my affectionate daughter Catharine Harriet Lore all my household furniture and Real Estate situate on Market Street Blairsville and all money that I now have or may have at my death”; with provision being made for just debts and funeral expenses, and the further provision that the sum of one dollar be paid “to each of my surviving children namely Leasure N. Singley, Jacob Singley, Caroline Singley now Bronson and Sarah Ann McKilvey and Hannah Guler and James A. Lore.”^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Peter’s eldest child by this marriage was born around 1832.
2. ↑ Matilda had three children – James, Harriet and Sarah – who were surnamed Lore (Loar), as is shown by the 1850 census and Matilda’s will.
3. ↑ Heydecker (1979), p. 24.
4. ↑ Indiana County, Pennsylvania Will Book #4, pp. 407-8.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Elissa Boyer for finding Matilda's maiden name on the death certificate of her son Jacob A. Singley; digital image online at ancestry.com