27 & 28, 29 & 30: Andrew Samuel Bream and Rebecca Plank, and Levi Taylor and Catherine Hoffman

My best guess about the occasion for this photo:
the photo commemorates when Andrew and
Rebecca's farm was paid off, assuming
that's a land title in Andrew's hand.

With one huge exception--having two armies marching around Adams County, onto their farms, and into Gettysburg in July 1863--Andrew and Rebecca Bream and Levi and Catherine Taylor almost certainly lived healthy, productive, uneventful farming lives from birth to death. They were all born on farms; farmed for a living; and died on their farms. 

It was a good time to be a farmer in south central Pennsylvania. Family-owned farms gave everyone above the age of six or so productive roles, while tight-knit communities provided solid sources of help when needed. Even the events of July 1863 didn't set them back very much. Although Catherine had to endure two terrifying incidents which would be recounted for decades by her daughter Sarah, the federal government reimbursed the farmers for the livestock the Rebels stole. (See image at left.)

During the 1800s, Pennsylvania farmers lost their top national ranking as food supply for the nation when the agricultural output of the Midwest overtook Pennsylvania's. However, Pennsylvanians led the way in mechanizing their farms. Manufacturers sprang up across the state to produce the equipment used by farmers there and elsewhere. Using gadgets ranging from hand-cranked apple peelers to dog-powered churns, Pennsylvanians sought to reduce the drudgery of farm work and increase their productivity.

Improvements in transportation during this time also transformed agricultural markets. Two developments—an ambitious statewide paving program in the early 1800s and railroads in the mid-1800s—likely caused our ancestors to re-think their crop choices.  Adams County farmers began to concentrate on peaches and apples for sale outside the home market, while continuing to provide other basics like dairy products, poultry, meat, and vegetables for the local communities.

Andrew Bream (1821-1892) and Rebecca Plank (1822-1905) were married in 1846. They had eight children between 1847 and 1867, our ancestor Joseph was their fourth child and second son. One of the children, David, died in infancy. 

Record of Andrew's registration for the draft, in June 1863, a month before the Battle of Gettysburg

Andrew was married and 41 years old in March 1863 when Congress passed the first conscription act in US history. This put him in conscription “Class II”, which was men who were subject to military duty after the men of Class I, which was all men from 20-35 years of age and single men up to the age of 45. However, under “Remarks,” the record for Andrew reads “Furnished substitute.”  I wasn’t able to find out much about this practice—for example, how did you find a substitute and how much did the substitutes charge? One website says: “Substitutes consisted of those under age 20, honorably discharged veterans with two or more years of service, alien residents, and (later) black citizens.” Fortunately, I can find no evidence that he sent his eldest son, who was only 16 at the time--Amos has no military records that I can find. 

Both Andrew and Rebecca are buried where they attended church, at the Upper Bermudian Cemetery, along with many other of our ancestors. I visited there with my grandmother, Esta James, in the early 1970s, and could read many of the tombstones. However, when I visited in 2022, many of the oldest stones had deteriorated to the point where I could no longer read them. Still, if you're in the area, drop in. It's still an active church and the setting is lovely. 

Levi Taylor (December 12, 1826 - June 23, 1913) and Catherine Rebecca Hoffman (October 4, 1827 - February 4, 1912) married in 1852, and had nine children from 1852-1866. Our ancestor, Sarah, was their fifth child and second daughter. Sarah's older sister Mary died at age five, when Sarah was a toddler, but the others survived to adulthood. 

For Catherine's harrowing story of facing up to both Union and Confederate soldiers, see her daughter's profile.