Mary Sophia Hildebrandt (1842-1921)

-- My paternal 2nd great grandparents were Mary Sophia Hildebrandt and Samuel B. R. Culbertson


-- My great grandfather, William Graham, was born to Samuel B. R. Culbertson and Mary Sophia Hildebrandt in the Shippensburg area of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

-- Sometime after 1880 my great grandfather adopted his Graham name from Mary's mother's 3rd husband, William Irwin Graham.


-- This is Mary's family research paper, and her family directory.

-- This is where all the research papers are, in their own directory.

-- The Hildebrandt name is often spelled as Hildebrand.


Mary Sophia Hildebrandt was born February 17th 1842 to John and Mary Hildebrandt in Stony Point, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

In 1850 Sophia Hellebrand (Hildebrandt) lived with her parents, and two siblings, in Southampton Township, Franklin County.

-- Mary's parents were 45-year-old (born 1805 in Germany) John Hellebrand, and 47-year-old (born in 1807 in Germany) Mary Hellebrand.

-- Stony Point is about 2 miles north of Willow Hill in the northern area of Metal Township, Franklin Count. North of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Near the eastern border of Fannett township in Franklin County, and the southern border of Dublin Township in Huntington County.

-- Stony Point is about 20 miles north-west of Shippensburg and Southampton Township, 46 miles west of New Kingston, and 33 miles north-west of Centerville (Walnut Bottom).


By 1860 Sophia Hildebrandt lived in the post office area of Shippensburg, Shippensburg Township, Cumberland County Pennsylvania.

She was working as a domestic helper for the Philip and Jane Kootz family.

On October 20th 1861 Mary S. Hildebrandt married John A. Nearon in Centerville, Cumberland County, by Reverend A. L. Guss.

-- This is an affidavit made by Mary S. Graham, attesting to her maiden name, her birth date and place of birth, her marriage to John Nearon, and setails on her marraige to William Irwin Graham.

-- John Nearon was 5’ 8” tall, with dark hair, grey eyes, and fair complexion. He was a labored on July 1st 1863, when 25-year-old John registered for Civil Ware service. At the time he was married and living in Cumberland County.


On March 31st 1865 Carrie Odessa Nearon was born to John and Mary in Centerville, Cumberland County.

Then on March 2nd 1866 John died from chronic diarrhea he contracted while serving in the Army.

By December 30th 1868 Mary S. Nearon also filed for a widow’s pension for John’s Civil War Service; Widow Application No. 169.692. For which she received a pension under Certificate No. 142.227.

-- John’s son with Sarah, William A. Nearon, also filed a Declaration for Minor Children for Pension, in the name of his father’s civil war service on February 1st 1867. William J. Shearer was acting as the guardian for William.


By 1870 25-year-old Mary S. Nearon was a housekeeper for 31-year-old John and 26-year-old Margaret D. Weary in the post office area of New Kingston, Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Living with her was her daughter, Carrie Nearon.

On December 19th 1871 Mary S. Nearon of Middlesex married her 2nd husband, Samuel B. R Culbertson of Middlesex, in New Kingston, Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania by W. W. Wanbaugh. Witnessed by David H. Wanbbaugh and John A. Linsdorf.

-- Samuel B. R. Culbertson was born in 1848 to William Homes Culbertson and his first wife, Susanna Hench, in the Sandy Hill area of Madison Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania.


Then on September 12th 1873 my great grandfather, William Culbertson, was born in Walnut Bottom, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

At some point Samuel disserted Mary, and he married Julia Ann Nonemaker from Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. They left the state and moved to Stark County, Ohio, where by September 1875 their first of two children would be born.

By July 18th 1875, Mary Sophia Culbertson married married William Irwin Graham by Mr. Brickley, Minister of the Gospel, and witnessed by Samuel Larkon and Richard Devor and wife.

On June 24th 1877 Mary and William had a daughter, Mary Florence Graham.

By 1880 Mary and her 9-year-old son, William Culberson, and two children with her 3 rd husband, William Graham, and his children from his previous marriage with Mary Oliver, were living in the town of Shippensburg.

On May 19th 1888, Mary S. Graham, Mary Florence, Clara Zora, and Gertrude Viola were baptized at the German Reformed Church in Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

By 1900 William and Mary lived at 232 East Main Street Shippensburg Pennsylvania, and in 1905 they lived on Queen Street.

-- After several weeks of suffering from dysentery, William died at 75 years old Thursday evening, July 30th 1908, in his home on Fort Street, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

--  He was laid to rest August 2nd 1908, in the Spring Hill Cemetery, Section 4.2 Shippensburg Cumberland County.


After William died, Mary and her daughter Clara lived at 340 King Street in the east ward of Shippensburg.

Clara died in 1916, and Mary moved in with her daughter Mary (Florence) Stevick at 3 North Earl Street in the west ward of Shippensburg Pennsylvania.

Then on September 19th 1916 Mary S. Graham filed a Civil War Widow Remarried affidavit under the John Nearon Civil War Pension Certificate. The affidavit indicated she was no longer married with John Nearon, but to William Graham.

Mary's daughter, Florence, then died in 1921, and Mary went to live with her son, William Culbertson (Graham), outside of Shippensburg in Mongul Southampton Township Franklin County Pennsylvania.

While living with her son, William Culbertson, of near Mongul, Franklin County, Mary died from the effects of a stroke and paralysis on February 3rd 1921.

She was laid to rest February 5th 1921 next to William in the Spring Hill Cemetery, Section 4.2 Shippensburg Cumberland County.

Mary Hildebrandt children with her 1st husband, John Nearon.

i. Carrie Odessa Nearon was born March 31st 1865. In 1870 she lived with her mother in the John Weary family. Carried died December 20th 1871.


Mary Hildebrandt-Nearon children with her 2nd husband, Samuel B. R. Culbertson

ii. William Culbertson, was born September 12th 1873 in Shippensburg, Cumberland County Pennsylvania. William went by the name William Graham, who first married Dellia Catherine Killinger, and 2nd to Sarah Catherine Greenawalt.


Mary Hildebrandt-Culbertson children with her 3rd husband, William Graham

iii. Florence Graham (1876-1921). She married William Stevick in 1894.

iv. Clara Zora Graham was born February 16th 1878 in Shippensburg Cumberland County Pennsylvania. Clara was baptized, along with her mother and sisters, on May 19th 1888 at the German Reformed Church in Shippensburg by Reverend J. David Miller.

Clara never married, and lived with her family her entire life. Clara was 36 years old when she died April 21st 1916 of Pulmonary Tuberculosis at the Harrisburg State Hospital. The hospital’s resident Doctor was the informant on Clara’s death certificate. Clara was laid to rest April 22nd 1916 at the Spring Hill Cemetery Section 4.2, Shippensburg.

v. Gertrude (Gertie) Viola Graham was born September 4th 1880 in Shippensburg Pennsylvania. Gertrude was baptized, along with her mother and sisters, on May 19th 1888 at the German Reformed Church in Shippensburg by Reverend J. David Miller.

Gertie never married, and in 1905 Gertie worked at the Egg Crate factory in Shippensburg, when in November she became ill with consumption, and steadily grew worse.

Gertie was 26 years old when she died June 18th 1906 of Tuberculosis (Consumption) at her parent’s home on Queen Street Shippensburg. Gertie was laid to rest June 30th 1906 in the Spring Hill Cemetery Section 4.2, Shippensburg.

John Nearon (1838-1868)

-- I am not related to John Nearon. He did marry my paternal 2nd great grandmother Mary Sophia Hildebrandt.

-- This is John's family directory.

-- Everything on John and his family came from his Civil War Widow Pension record filed by Mary S. Nearon (a.k.a. Mary S. Culbertson and Mary S. Graham), and John's first son, William Abram Nearon.


John A. Nearon was born 1838 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. On March 25th 1858 John Nearon married Margaret Sarah Bennett at her mother’s home in Penn Township, Cumberland County, by Henry Acker, minister of the gospel.

-- Margaret went by the name Sarah. She was born was born June 11th 1838 to Margaret (Mary) Bennett.


In 1850 the family lived in Upper Dickinson, Cumberland County were Mary Bennett, who was 53 years old (b.1797); Anna, who was 27 (born 1823); Daniel, who was 23 (born 1827); Abraham, who was 17 (born 1833); Maria (Mary), who was 15 (born 1835); and Sarah, who was 9 years old (born 1841).

-- Their neighbor was Samuel Coover, who would later witness the marriage between John and Sarah.

-- Mary Vance and Abraham Bennett would later make an affidavit for Sarah’s child, William A. Nearon claim to his father’s Civil War Pension.


On September 27th 1858 John and Sarah had their first child; William A. Nearon, who was born in Spring Mill, Cumberland County.

Sarah was 21 years, 1 month, and 26 days old when she died August 9th 1859 at Spring Mills, Upper Dickenson Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Most likely resulting from a pregnancy.

In 1860 John lived, and worked as a laborer, in the post office area of Dickenson, Upper Dickenson Township, Cumberland County, and Mary Sophia Hildebrandt lived about 12 miles south in Shippensburg.

On October 20th 1861 John married Mary S. Hildebrandt in Centerville, Cumberland County, by Reverend A. L. Guss. John was 5’ 8” tall, with dark hair, grey eyes, and fair complexion.

He was a labored when he registered for Civil Ware Service. On July 1st 1863, 25-year-old John Nearon registered for Civil Ware service. At the time he was married and living in Cumberland County.

John was 26 years old when he enlisted for a one-year service during the Civil war on August 24th 1864 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He served as a private in “C” Company of the 55th Pennsylvania Infantry.

He was discharged from his service on June 13th 1865. In Richmond, Virginia. He received his last pay on December 31st 1864. After his discharge from the Army hospital with chronic diarrhea, he returned home. There he was in constant care from Dr. W. W. Wanbaugh.

On March 31st 1865 Carrie Odessa Nearon was born to John and Mary in Centerville, Cumberland County. Then on March 2nd 1866 John died from chronic diarrhea.

Then on February 1st 1867 John’s son with Sarah, William A. Nearon, filed a Declaration for Minor Children for Pension, in the name of his father’s civil war service. William J. Shearer was acting as the guardian for William.

By December 30th 1868 Mary S. Nearon also filed for a widow’s pension for John’s Civil War Service; Widow Application No. 169.692. For which she received a pension under Certificate No. 142.227.

In 1870 25-year-old Mary S. Nearon was a housekeeper for 31-year-old John and 26-year-old Margaret D. Wearyliving in the post office area of New Kingston, Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Living with her was a 6-year-old (born 1864 in PA) daughter, Carrie Nearon.

On December 19th 1871 Mary S. Nearon of Middlesex married Samuel B. R Culbertson of Middlesex, in New Kingston, Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania by W. W. Wanbaugh. Witnessed by David H. Wanbbaugh and John A. Linsdorf.

John Nearon and Sarah Bennett had one child.

i. William Abram Nearon was born September 27th 1858 near Walnut Bottom, Cumberland County, Pennyslvania.

William married Lillie A. Garrett, who was born August 25th 1861 to Jacob and Catherine Garrett in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County.

Lillie died January 8th 1922, and William died August 31st 1923.


John Nearon and Mary Hildebrandt had one child.

i. Carrie Odessa Nearon was born March 31st 1865. In 1870 she lived with her mother in the John Weary family. Carried died December 20th 1871.