Susan (Harvey) Preall (1831 - 1903)

Born 6 Apr 1831 in Pennsylvania, United States of America

Wife of Charles F. Preall — married 18 Feb 1849 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

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Biography

Susan was born on 6 April 1831, in Pennsylvania. ^[1]

On 18 February 1849, she married Charles F. Preall. They were married by I H Roche, of St Paul's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ^[2] They had at least these children:

Andrew J Preall (ca 1853-1913)

Amanda Preall (ca 1855-?)

Thomas Preall (1856-1944)

Virginia Preall (1859-1899)

Charles A. Preall (ca 1859-1869)

James C. Preall (1861-1861)

Harry Preall (ca 1866-1870)

William Preall (ca 1866-?)

Collins Preall (ca 1868-?)

Julia G. Preall (1869-1948)

Harriet Preall (ca 1872-?)

In 1860, they were living in Jackson Township, Cambria, Pennsylvania. They were living with their children Andrew J, Amanda, Thomas, Virginia, and Charles A. ^[3]

At least Susan returned briefly to Philadelphia, since James was born and died there. James' death certificate gives 'back of 111 Prime Street' as the address, ^[4] and the 1861 city directory lists a Charles F Preall, cooper, at 'Gallatin pl r 111 Prime'. ^[5] Charles F Preall, cooper, was also listed in the 1856 directory at 12 Federal Street. ^[6]

Charles was drafted. On 18 November 1864 he was mustered into service, at Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. He served in company K of the 82nd Pennsylvania Volunteers. He mustered out with his company on 13 July 1865. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

While Charles was serving in the Army, their neighbor Polly Paul, and her apprentice Cassie Munday, were murdered, on 7 June 1865. (I have ordered a recent book about the murder.) John Ream and David Riddle were initially tried for the murder in September, but since they were both able to provide alibis, the prosecution abandoned the case. Oddly, they were initially charged only with Polly Paul's murder, and the prosecution apparently intended to try them next for Cassie Munday's, but on 13 October they escaped. But after an inmate testified that while Daniel Buser and John B. Houser were in the state penitentiary together, they planned to murder her and steal her money, Buser and Houser were arrested and tried. They were found guilty, and were executed, on 20 April 1866. ^{[10] [11]}

Susan Preall testified that Houser had come to her house the day before the murder. The newspaper reported her testimony in this way: ^[12]

'It is further alleged that this same prisoner, John B. Houser, was seen on Tuesday, the 6th day of June, the day before the murder was committed, within three-fourths of a mile of Polly Paul's, making particular inquiry about Polly Paul, and otherwise moving and acting in a singularly noticeable manner. To show this, Mrs. Susan Preall and Mrs. Sarah Paul were called an examined on the part of the Commonwealth. This testimony is so important that we refer to it at length.

'Mrs. Preall testifies:

'"My residence at that time [the time of the murder] was between Isaac Paul's and Summerhill; on the road that leads to Paul's.

'"There was a man came there with a tin box the day before the murder. It was on Tuesday. He asked me for a drink. He asked me if Moyers lived there. I told him a family by the name of Myers lived there before I came. He said he had been round there ten years before. Then he asked me about the property I lived on; who owned it. I told him who had it. He said he was out for buying property; he thought that would suit him. He asked me when my husband would be home from the army. He asked me who was my next neighbors. I told him Mr. Warner lived one road, and Mr. Paul the other. When I said 'Mr. Paul,' he said 'is she married?' I told him I didn't say Mrs. Paul, I said Mr. Paul was my next neighbor. Then he asked me if I had any cupping, or leeching, or tooth drawing to do. Then he started.

'"I had never seen the man before. There is a man in the Court House that looks like him; that biggest, large dark completed man [Houser] looks very much like him. He is the same height, same complexion, and looks very much like that man. He had a mustache, dark clothes, and white shirt. His language was broken German; he spoke very broken.

'"It was between 12 and 1 o'clock. He came in the back way. When he started, he started toward Warner's. Then he turned round and said 'did you say that was the way to Paul's?' I said, no. Then he turned round and went toward Paul's. He had a tin box in his hand; one just like that. [The box in the court.] I can't see any difference. It was a small box like that.

'In her cross-examination she said,—"I lived on the road that goes out past Paul's. That man wore the same kind of mustache, not so much round the fact. I was not examined before. That evening I went to Summerhill and told it at Mr Cooper's house. It was before I heard of the murders. I was examined before the Justice. He was talking with me more than 5 minutes; may have been 10 or 15. I hadn't seen any one then that looked like Ream. I had seen Riddle; he wasn't there. Riddle didn't look like the man that was at my house. It is half a mile from my house to Isaac Paul's."'

In 1870, they were living in West Wheatfield Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, with their children. He was an oak cooper, with $200 in personal property. ^[13]

In 1880, they were living in St. Clair, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He was a cooper. They were living with their children Thomas, William, Collins, Julia, and Harriet. ^[14]

Susan and Charles moved to Colorado in 1882, with four of their children--apparently their four youngest, William, Collins, Julia, and Harriet. ^[1]

On 6 January 1888, her husband, Charles, died, of cancer. ^[15] He was in charge of the keg factory at a nail works. He was buried in the Mountain View Cemetery, Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado. ^[16]

On 22 August 1890, Susan applied from Colorado for a pension based on Charles' Civil War service. She received one. ^[8]

Susan died on 27 May 1903. She is buried in Ninevah Cemetery, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Find A Grave: Memorial #84757238, 'Susan Sarah Harvey Preall', created by Diane Nichols, added 10 February 2012, accessed 19 September 2020; citing Ninevah Cemetery, Indiana County, Pensylvania.

   born 6 April 1831, died 27 May 1903

   pictured stone has inscription: 'PREALL SUSAN WIFE OF CHAS.F.PREALL APR. 6, 1831 MAY 27, 1903'

2. ↑ 'Pennsylvania and New Jersey, U.S., Church and Town Records, 1669-2013', Charles F Preall and and Susan Harvey (18 February [1849]); database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2451/images/40355_267303-00364 : accessed 26 November 2020); citing Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records, reel 373; citing St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia.

   '" [sc. Feb. 1849] 18 Charles F. Preall to Susan Harvy both of Phila " [sc. I. H. Roche [?]]'

   [the minister's name is clearer on the right-hand side of the previous page of the ledger]

3. ↑ 1860 U.S. census, Jackson Township, Cambria, Pennsylvania, population schedule, p.323 stamped = 405 penned, family 3019; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBSX-GWN : accessed 17 September 2020); citing National Archives, microfilm series M653, roll 1088.

   Charles Preall, 30, male, cooper, $100 in personal property born Penna

   Susan, 26, female, born Penna

   Andrew J, 7, male, born Penna

   Amanda, 5, female, born Penna

   Thomas, 3, male, born Penna

   Virginia, 2, female, born Penna

   Charles A, 6/12 [on 1 June 1860], male, born Penna

4. ↑ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, death certificate, James C Preehall, 20 March 1861; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DKPW-JBR : accessed 12 November 2020).

   James C Preehall

   male, white, one month old, born Philadelphia, to Charles F Preall and Susan

   died 20 March 1861 of concussion [?]

   ward 2, back of 111 Prime St

   buried 22 March 1861, Mutual [sic]

5. ↑ 'City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania', database with images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/16/77701992 : accessed 22 July 2020); citing publisher C. Sherman and Son, year 1861, p.796.

   'Preall Charles F., cooper, Gallatin pl r 111 Prime'

   'Preall James, hotel, N E Front & Almond'

6. ↑ 'City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania', database with images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/16/148474442 : accessed 22 July 2020); citing publisher Edward C and John Biddle, year 1856, p.518.

   'Preall Charles F., cooper, 12 Federal'

   'Preall James, shoe mr [?] Horstman's ct'

7. ↑ 'Muster-Out Roll', co. K, 82nd Pennsylvania Volunteers (13 July 1865); image copy, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9040/images/41733_0057-00063 : accessed 26 November 2020); citing Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Record Group 19, Series 19.11.

   'Enlisted Men Present

   [number] '32

   [name] 'Preall Charles

   [rank] 'Private

   [age] '25

   [joined for service] 'Drafted

   [period] '1 year

   [mustered into service] 'Nov 18th 1864 Hollidaysburg Pa Capt Lloyd

   [last paid] 'Maj McBlair Dec 31st 1864

   [traveling no. of miles to place of rendezvous] '250

   [date of last settlement of clothing] 'Nov 18/64

   [amount for clothing in kind, or in money advanced since last settlement] '36.48

   [value of equipments to be paid for if lost or destroyed] [blank]

   [bounty] [blank]

   [stoppage for muskets and equipments puchased by authority of the War Department] '6.00

   [remarks] [blank]

8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} 'U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934', Charles Preall (1890); database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/4654/images/32959_033043-04309 : accessed 26 November 2020); citing National Archives, microfilm series T288, roll 378.

   Charles Preall

   widow Susan Preall

   service K 82 Pa Inf

   widow's pension, filed 22 Aug 1890, application 461133, certificate 309225, filed from Colo.

9. ↑ Samuel P. Bates, History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865 (Harrisburg: State Printer, 1869), vol. 2, p.1246; image copy, Making of America (https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/aby3439.0002.001/1258 : accessed 30 November 2020).

   [under 82nd regiment, company K]

   'Preall, Charles, do. [sc. Private] [mustered into service] Nov. 18, '64 [for] 1 [year] Drafted—mustered out with Co., July 13, 1865.'

10. ↑ 'The Gallows: Execution of Daniel Buser and John B. Houser', The Ebensburg Alleghenian, Thursday 26 April 1866, p.1; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/71173753/ : accessed 8 December 2020).
11. ↑ A recent book about the murder, which has not (yet) been consulted for this profile: Paul Petrunak, Jr, In Time: The Killing of Polly Paul (Mill City Press: 2019).
12. ↑ 'The Paul-Munday Murder', The Ebensburg Alleghenian, Thursday 15 February 1866, p.1; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/71172750/ : accessed 8 December 2020); her testimony is reported on p.2 col.2.
13. ↑ 1870 U.S. census, West Wheatfield Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, pp.403 verso - 404 recto stamped = pp. 12-13 penned, family 90; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6QB7-XPT : accessed 30 November 2020); citing National Archives, microfilm series M593, roll 1351; indexed under 'Charles Pratt' on FamilySearch; other entries indexed under 'Preall'.

    Chas Preall, 41, male, white, oak cooper, $200 in personal property, born Pa, male citizen eligible to vote

    Susan Preall, 38 [?], female, white, born Penna

    Andrew J. -, 18, male, white, shoe [?] maker, born Penna

    Amanda -, 15, female, white, born Penna, in school

    Thomas -, 14, male, white, at home, born Penna

    Virginia -, 12, female, white, born Penna, in school

    William -, 4, male, white, born Penna

    Collins -, 2, male, white, born Penna

    Julia, 6/12, female, white, born Penna, born Dec

14. ↑ 1880 U.S. census, St Clair, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, population schedule, enumeration district 122, p.336 A stamped = 13 A penned, family 115; image copy, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBL-9CGL : accessed 17 September 2020); citing National Archives, microfilm series T9, roll 1205.

    Charls [sic] F Preall, white, male, 50, married, cooper, born Penna

    wife Susan, white, female, 48, married, housek, born Penna

    son Thomas, white, male, 24, single, laborer, born Penna

    son William, white, male, 14, single, laborer, born Penna

    son Collin, white, male, 12, laborer, born Penna

    daughter Julia, white, female, 10, at school, born Penna

    daughter Harriet, white, female, 8, at school, born Penna

15. ↑ Charles F. Preall, death notice, The Times (Philadelphia), Tuesday 10 January 1888, p.3, col.4; image copy, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/52202753/ : accessed 23 August 2020).

    'PREALL.—Jan. 6, Charles F. Preall, of South Pueblo, Colorado, formerly of Philadelphia.'

16. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #30842666, 'Charles F Preall', created by Cindy, added 24 Oct 2008; database with images, accessed 23 August 2020); citing Mountain View Cemetery, Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado; picture of stone added by Vaughan Mavir.

    pictured stone has inscription: 'CHARLES F. PREALL SEPT. 23, 1829 JAN. 6, 1888 C.W.V.'

    includes transcription of obituary:

    'Pueblo Chieftain Sat.Jan.7,1888

    'A Case Of Cancer

    'At 3:30 yesterday morning occurred the death of Charles Preall,who has been in charge of the keg factory at the nail works. He was nearly sixty years old. Mr. Preall leaves a wife and four children here, and four in the east who are now grown and married. He came out here from Pennsylvania in 1882. The funeral is to he held at 2 o'clock tomorrow. The cause of Preall's death was cancer. About three years ago a knot formed in the lower side of his right arm just above the elbow. It was about as large as a walnut, and was supposed to be a small tumor. He went to the hospital and had it cut out. The lump again formed,however,and then again. The third time a part of the muscle of the arm had to be removed with it. When it again came back Preall concluded not to have it cut away. It grew larger and larger,and finally broke and spread out. It was a terrible affliction,and the man's whole system became fatally permeated with the disease, which at last proved fatal'

See also

• Susan Harvey, on FamilySearch's Family Tree