Joseph Kirby & Rosanna Mock

Joseph Kirby was born in 1829 to an unknown Kirby and an unknown Imler, presumably in Bedford County, PA.  Joseph’s half-sister, Catherine, was born a few years later to an unknown father and an unknown Imler.  This would indicate that either Joseph’s father had died or that his parents had not been married.  No records pertaining to his childhood have been found, leaving the names of his parents unknown at this time.

Joseph was a shoemaker and in 1854 he married Rosanna Mock, the 15 year old daughter of fellow shoemaker Frederick Mock.  There are discrepancies in the birth records for their first son Alexander, but it seems most likely that he was born in October of 1855.  After Alex, they had Catherine in 1856, Frederick in 1863, and Elmer in 1864.  Catherine died in 1859, two months before her third birthday.

Joseph must have done well as a shoemaker.  In 1862, during the Civil War, men his age were drafted into service.  His draft records show that in 1862 he paid a man named David Langham to serve as his substitute.  Joseph would have paid several hundred dollars to have David take his place.  That was a substantial sum in the 1860’s.  In 1864, another Act required service, however, Joseph filed an exemption after being found feeble of constitution.  Whether or not he was feeble is unknown but I have my doubts.  This exemption came three months after the murder of his father-in-law at the hands of Federal soldiers.  During the election day gatherings that Frederick Mock (Joseph’s father-in-law) had participated in, many in the crowd were verbal in their support of false exemption letters as a means to circumvent service.  Joseph may have been a supporter of false exemptions.  Fredericks politics certainly seemed to lie in that direction.  Maybe Rosanna, after losing her father, refused to let Joseph serve for fear of losing him as well.  Whatever the reason, Joseph stayed home and did not serve during the war.

The family lived in St. Clair in Bedford County and often visited nearby Altoona in Blair County.  The 1870 census records show the family living in Altoona and Joseph is listed as a laborer and Rose keeps house.  After this record, things get confusing regarding Joseph and Rosanna.  The 1880 census records show Joseph back in St. Clair listed as a widower.  It was assumed that Rosanna had died.  However, an obituary for her mother Barbara in 1905 stated that Rosanna was alive and married but her whereabouts were unknown.  This made it appear that Rosanna had left the family and possibly married another.  However, after several years of research, records were found for a Rosie Kirby born in 1838 and died in 1900, buried in Fairview Cemetery in Altoona in the plot owned by Joseph & Rosanna’s son, Elmer.  This makes it seem that she remained in Altoona and that Elmer knew where she was.  She was buried June 8, 1900, mere days before the 1900 census.  No census record was found for Joseph that year and Rosanna’s mother, Barbara, indicated that one of her four children was dead.  Since her other three daughters were still living, it would seem she was aware of Rosanna’s passing.  Joseph may have been out of town at Rosanna’s funeral which could explain why he was not enumerated.  

What happened to Rosanna during this period?  Why was Joseph shown as a widower on the 1880 census if she was still alive?  Why do no census records exist for her in 1880?  Did she run off?  Did she have a mental breakdown?  Why did her mother’s obituary indicate she was still alive in 1905?  Why was the line on Joseph’s death certificate for marital status left blank?

Despite what was going on with Rosanna, life continued for Joseph and the boys.  Joseph remained in Bedford County and was a charter member of the East St Clair chapter of the Odd Fellows (#922) in 1875.  The mission of the IOOF is to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.  Could his service be somehow tied to something that occurred with Rosanna?

Joseph remained close to his mother-in-law, living next door to her on Covered Bridge Road near what is now Freedom Lane.  He eventually moved to nearby King Township before passing away in 1906.