Roland N. Pittenger

I made some copies of loose notes in the Pittenger Family Bible today and did some work on Roland N. Pittenger (ADK's 3rd great grandfather). I am trying to follow the information from Lisa Louise Cook and her numerous podcasts- but especially her tips on Genealogy Made Simple. She suggests that you start at the most recent and work back and begin with the Census reports. SO I started with the 1910 Federal Census and found them going backwards in time. I had a heck of a time finding the 1910 Census for Roland. Where you may ask was he on May 22 1910-less than a month before his death? Well, he was an inmate in the Toldeo State Hospital for the Insane. I was shocked but if we line up all the facts given in the Census Record there was no doubt that even though his name was mispelled-It was really him. For one the Roland M. Pittinger in the hospital was a civil war vet- which our Roland N. Pittenger was. The birth year given was the same for both and both were born in Ohio. I then looked for a Death Index Record for this Roland M. Pittinger and sure enough, there was a death record for this inmate in Toledo and he had the same death date as our Roland. So I looked into the other Census records for Roland and read over the letter that I had found in the Pittenger family bible from Lois Pittenger Underwood to a woman regarding the Pittenger Family History as Lois knew it. So lets start at the beginning and look at the life of Roland N. Pittenger.
Roland was born 18 September 1845 in West Windsor (now Pavonia), Weller Township, Richland County, Ohio to parents Nathaniel Pittenger and Elizabeth C. Osbun. Source: Nathaniel's Bible written in his own hand, a copy resides in the OGS library. In 1860, Roland is a farm hand on his father's farm. Source: 1860 Federal Census, Database online. Weller, Richland, Ohio, post office Olivesburg, roll M653_1029, page 329, image 277. Shortly thereafter, the Civil War broke out and Roland served as a member of the 163 Infantry (National Guard), he entered the service as a Private and left as a Private. Source:National Park Service. U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original data: National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, online <http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/>, acquired 2007. Here is a short description of his unit: http://www.ohiocivilwar.com/cw163.html. In 1870, he is again living on his father's farm. Source: 1870 Federal Census, Database online. Weller, Richland, Ohio, post office Olivesburg, roll 1261, page 394, image 794. On 26 October 1876, Roland marries Eudolphia "Dollie" Sirpless of Little Washington, Washington Twp., Richland County, Ohio. Source: The handwritten record in Roland and Eudolphia's Bible, which resides in RJSK's possession. Their son Nelson Barnes is born in 1878, their daughter Martha in 1879, and their daughter Nellie in 1881. Source: Pittenger Family Bible. Then in 1885, their daughter Dollie is born. Source: Pittenger Family Bible. Eleven days later, Eudolphia Pittenger passes away due to complications of childbirth. Source: Letter of Lois Pittenger Underwood. Lois further states in her letter that Eudolphia's sister Nellie Sirpless Beeler came and took the three girls to raise and that Nelson Barnes was sent to live with his Uncle Will Sirpless. Eudolphia is buried in Litle Washington Cemetery with her mother, father, brothers and of course Roland. Her stone is small and says Dollie across the top. The only other markings are I Love You in small script across the front of the stone. In 1900, we find Roland living in a rental house in Mansfield. Source: 1900 Federal Census, Database online. Mansfield Ward 8, Richland, Ohio. In 1910 we of course find him in the hospital in Toledo. This begs the question of how did he get there? Well, lets look at his life: he lost the love of his life early in their marriage in childbirth, he was unable to care for his own children after the loss, he then lived alone until being commited around the age of 65. He also served in the Civil War but did not fight in many major battles. My guess would be that he probably suffered from depression after Dollie's loss and then suffered from Dementia or Alzheimers later in life. I beleive that he was admitted to the hospital for dementia or the like because he was marked on early Census records as being able to read and write but during his stay in Toledo- he could no longer read or write. This is consistant of dementia or Alzheimers. Roland's story is so sad. He found love in his late 20's, lost his wife in childbirth less then 10 years later, sent away his children, lived alone, lost his mind in is old age and died at the age of 65 amoungst strangers in a hospital. His family who buried him barely even knew him according to Lois Pittenger Underwood-granddaughter.