My Genealogy Hound

AULABAUGH, SAMUEL A. farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 4, P.O. Carrollton. The subject of our sketch was born in what is now termed West Virginia, on the second day of November, 1833, the seventh child of Jacob and Elizabeth Aulabaugh. In the old Dominion State young Samuel attained his 17th year, when his parents emigrated to the West, located in Greene County, on the farm now owned by Samuel Aulabaugh, who has, since this date resided in Greene County; in 1864 he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Ann Hankins, a daughter of Alexander Hankins, by whom he has six children: Sarah M., John C., Walter L., Mary E., Ida M., and Lottie H. Mr. Aulabaugh owns a valuable tract of land comprising 129 acres, acquired by energy and industry. Jacob Aulabaugh and Elizabeth Robinson, daughter of Abraham and Rebecca Robinson, were married Aug. 26, 1819. “I was born in Morgan County, Va., on the 10th of January, 1797. My father, born in Maryland, was of German origin; and my mother, who traced her ancestry to Germany, was born in Pennsylvania. I was but a child when my father died, and to the care of my mother were left a family of five children, four boys and one girl. Not being in easy circumstances, my mother labored hard for two years to provide for her family, and then received a proposal of marriage from R. Buck, a native Irishman, a good man in many respects, although at times he displayed an ungovernable temper. The learning of the family was the Bible; the family library was Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, the Saint’s Rest, one or more books of sermons, one volume of Whitfield’s works, and a work on Predestination. Both my foster father and my mother were diligent Bible readers, and I believe both were blessed with a good knowledge of the old and new Testaments. In my sixteenth year I left the home of my youth and proceeded to Boonesborough, Maryland, where my sister and several of my uncles lived. The war of 1812, had already commenced and intemperance and vice of every kind was prevalent, and indeed it was considered genteel to swear, drink, gamble and dance. I soon discovered that I needed now more than ever the advice and instructions of my parents, but happily for me, I had been taught to read the sacred volume, and the truths it contained made a vivid impression upon me. I hired out by the month and my duties were to drive team from Williamsport to Baltimore; wages were low, but by economy, I kept myself decently clothed. I made an attempt to apprentice myself to the blacksmith trade, but failed in accomplishing my object. My next venture was to hire to a mason, where I remained until enlisting as a soldier from the vicinity of Bladensburgh, under the command of Gen. Winter; the British had marched to Bladensburgh; Winder collected his forces and joined by Commodore Barney and the Baltimore volunteers, proceeded to Bladensburgh, and on the 24th of August, 1814, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, a general engagement took place; it lasted but a short time, when the American troops gave way in disorder, the order of retreat was to Montgomery Court House, but a large portion of the soldiers never halted at the court house, and the retreat was characterized by extreme disorder.” The above is a copy of an article written many years ago by the father of the subject of this sketch.