Elizabeth Hanthorn

Elizabeth Hanthorn was no stranger to loss.

Born in 1827, she married her husband Thomas in 1853, but lost him six years later. That left her to care for three step-children (Julianne, Luke, and Sarah), two boys of her own (Elmer and Charles), and a third child on the way.

Three months after Thomas died, their daughter Mary Ann was born. Sadly, Mary Ann died the following year, a month after Elizabeth's own father died.

Elizabeth's step-son Luke left home when the Civil War started, having enlisted at age 16 in the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment. He too, would die before the war was over. He was captured in the 1863 Bristoe Campaign, and died as a prisoner of war in Georgia's notorious Andersonville Prison.

The end of the war offered no respite from her losses. In 1866, Elizabeth's younger son Charles died before turning 10 years-old. It's unknown if, like Mary Ann, he died of a childhood disease or some kind of accident.

Yet all was not lost. In 1868, Elizabeth (then 41 years-old) married a widower named William Ackley, who was also a veteran of the war. Elizabeth's remaining son Elmer and William's son John were a year apart, and both worked in the glass industry. In the following years, William and Elizabeth would have two more children together (Emma and Sarah).

William, who was 16 years older than Elizabeth, died in 1897, but Elizabeth survived until 1911 -- long enough to see her son Elmer R. Brown have many children of his own.

He named his first son Luke, after his older half-brother who died when he was 9.

He named his second son Charles, after his younger brother who died when he was 11.

He named his third son Elmer R. Brown, Jr.

And it was Elmer Jr.'s daughter Eleanor who became my grandmother.