Capt. John Junkin and Martha Findley

---

---

Husband Capt. John Junkin ^{1 2 3}

---

           Born: 12 Sep 1786 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 27 Apr 1814 - ? Mercer Co, PA 3 4
         Buried: 

---

         Father: Joseph Junkin (1750-1831) 1 3 5 6 7 8
         Mother: Elinor Cochran (1760-1812) 9

---

       Marriage: 

---

---

Wife Martha Findley ^{3 4}

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 14 Feb 1813 3
         Buried: 

---

         Father: Hon. William Findley (1741/1742-1821) 3 10 11 12
         Mother: Mary Cochran (1769-      ) 6 13

---

---

Children

---

1 F [Unk] Junkin ⁴

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Hon. William M. Francis (      -      ) 4 14

---

---

General Notes: Husband - Capt. John Junkin

---

It was in 1805 that he and his brother Joseph came to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, to commence improvements on a property purchased by their father in 1800. This property was about two and a half miles south of the county town, and was known as the Hope Mill property.

Captain John Junkin, in the fall of 1812, after Hull's surrender of Detroit, led a volunteer company of eighty-four men - the "Mercer Blues" - first to Pittsburg, and thence, with Crook's brigade, via Steubenville, Mansfield, Sandusky, etc., to Fort Meigs. Captain Junkin was afterward appointed to a captaincy in the regular army.

It was in Capt. John Junkin that the people of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, of that day, took the deepest interest. From his engaging manners, probity and talents he secured the esteem, confidence and respect of his fellow citizens, both young and old, to a very great extent. When Hull's surrender threw Ohio and western Pennsylvania into consternation, he was first lieutenant of the Mercer Blues, a rifle company composed of men drawn principally from Mercer and the eastern side of the county. This company determined to answer the call of their country by volunteering for six months. The captain, who was John Findley, for a domestic reason that reflected credit rather than discredit, could not then leave his home, and resigned his command. John Junkin was then made captain, and Walter Oliver, a brother-in-law, succeeded to his place as first lieutenant, Joseph Junkin, a brother, being ensign. This company was remarkable in many respects. With scarce an exception they were Presbyterians, and connected with some one or other of the organizations of that faith. In camp every tent, with the exception of two, in which the officers officiated occasionally, family worship was regularly kept up. They numbered eighty-four persons, wore their own uniforms, carried their own rifles, powder horns, shot pouches, tomahawks, knives, blankets, bibles and psalm books. They rendezvoused first at Pittsburgh, where they were joined by others, and thence, through the wilds of Ohio, their march was directed toward Fort Meigs. They were accompanied by another company from Mercer County, drawn from the Shenango and Mahoning region, commanded by Capt. Dawson. At Mansfield, Ohio, containing but a few log cabins, they rested a few days. This place was then considered in the Indian country, and the troops were cautious and careful in guarding themselves. On one occasion there was an alarm. Capt. Junkin had his men in line without delay, and while going among them to steady the ranks, and incite their courage, his sleeve was plucked by one of his men, John Feltsbarger, who whispered, "Capt. Junkin! Capt. Junkin! may I go back to turn my pone?" "Oh, yes, John; but get back as soon as you can," was the reply. John left his gun with a comrade, hastened to his tent, turned his pone so that it could be baked properly, and speeded back to his place in the ranks. On resuming his gun he said, "Now let them come on!" The incident afforded a great deal of fun afterward for his companions, but it was the act of a simple-hearted, coolheaded and brave man, who could be depended upon to do his duty whenever emergencies were to be met.
In garrison at Fort Meigs Capt. Junkin and his company were assiduously attentive to their duty as soldiers, taking good care, also, that their Christian duties were not neglected in the camp-life they were leading. On one occasion, while some of the Virginia troops were pitching quoits on a Sunday for amusement, Capt. Junkin found a few of his men among the spectators. He spoke to them kindly, saying: "Boys, what would our pious relatives at home think if they heard that we were thus dishonoring the Sabbath day? Let us retire, so that we may give no countenance to the desecration." They all followed him from the ground. The attention of the commanding general, Harrison, was soon arrested by the way in which Capt. Junkin performed his duties, and he appointed him to the command of a perilous expedition, having for its object the capture of the British vessel, the "Queen Charlotte," then supposed to be lying ice-bound near to Malden. Capt. Junkin had authority to pick his own men, and he took all of them from his own and Capt. Dawson's company. It was expected that a considerable quantity of military stores would be found in the vessel, and the party took with it hand-sleds for the removal thereof, if successful. The lake was reached, the ice traversed until the situation of the vessel was seen, when the party found a quarter of a mile of open water between them and the desired prey. They had no boats, and were constrained to return without other effort to effect the object for which they had started. The return was perilous. The ground swell that prevented their reaching the vessel, after their passage forward, had opened the ice in their rear, but not to such a great extent that in the use of the planks carried on their hand-sleds they could bridge the chasms, and thus escape the perils threatened in the breaking up of the ice on the lake before they reached the shore.
At the end of the time for which the Pennsylvania troops had volunteered their services there seemed to be a necessity for their continuance. At the expiration of their engagement the Virginia troops left Fort Malden, and the Pennsylvanians determined to remain until the army preparing for the recapture of Detroit could be brought up by Gen. Harrison, which detained them another month. In the end Capt. Junkin returned home with every man in his company with whom he left Mercer. His indefatigable and tender care for the health, morals and comfort of his men, as well as his industry in perfecting their military drill and knowledge, not only made him a very valuable officer, but so endeared him to his men and fellow citizens as to cause his idolization among them as long as he lived. His mother's death, caused by accident, occurred but a few days before his march, and while absent his wife, who was a daughter of Hon. William Findley, of Westmoreland County, also died, so that his domestic afflictions while in the service of his country were very great.
The succeeding summer he went to aid in the defense of Erie and the vessels preparing for Com. Perry. The British fleet paraded itself before the mouth of the harbor for several days, and the difficulty was to get the American fleet over the bar at its entrance and out to sea. Perry, as soon as over, called for volunteers from the landsmen for his first cruise, and Capt Junkin, along with fifty others from Mercer County, promptly placed themselves on board his vessels. The cruise lasted four days, without sighting the enemy, when the fleet returned to port. A re-enforcement of sailors, that had in the meantime arrived at Erie, enabled the commodore to dispense with his Mercer County volunteers. It is quite probable that on the report of Gen. Harrison a captain's commission in the regular army was afterward tendered him by the General Government, and so, also, an unsolicited nomination for the Legislature by the Democrats. Whether he thought the country was in more need of soldiers than legislators, or that he was better qualified for the field than a legislative hall, is unknown, but he declined the civil and accepted the military promotion. He was directed to open a recruiting office in Mercer, and was rapidly getting his company filled out when a malignant fever broke out in the barracks. More mindful of the health and comfort of those under his care than of his own safety, he gave such a personal attention to the sick that the disease was contracted by himself, resulting in his death. The writer, then a lad of about eight years, well recollects the public sorrow on that occasion, for the praises of Capt. Junkin, without detractors, were in the mouths of all. Old and young, men and women alike, respected and loved him for the tender care he so uniformly exercised over those under his command, as well as for the engaging manners, high talents and unbending probity that marked his intercourse with his fellow citizens. He was buried with military honors from a house that stood on the Kline corner of the public square. The muffled music, playing a mournful measure, led the way, followed by the military, and then the body borne by pall-bearers, the relatives and a large number of citizens closing the procession. After the corpse had been lowered to its resting place, and the usual religious observances performed, a file of soldiers on each side fired blank cartridges into the grave, after which the unmuffled drums struck up a lively measure, when the procession reformed and returned to the place of starting.
He left but one living child behind him, a daughter. [HMC 1888, 960]

1 Conway P. Wing, D.D., History of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations (Philadelphia, PA: James D. Scott, 1879), Pg 212.

2 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 527, 959.

3 G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 409.

4 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 962.

5 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 168.

6 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 35.

7 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 959.

8 —, Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley (Chambersburg, PA: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897), Pg 489.

9 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 35, 168.

10 George Dallas Albert, History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 207.

11 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 710.

12 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 678.

13 G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 405.

14 Aaron L. Hazen, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1908), Pg 42.