#2 - John S Warner and Myranda Petts: a story of Civil War, sisters, cousins and spouses

  John S Warner & Miranda Petts

My husband’s mother’s maternal great great grandfather was John S. Warner [New Hampshire], her maternal great grandmother was Myranda (or Miranda) Anette Petts. Their daughter Addie married a descendant of John Levi Cook (post #1)

The vitals: Civil War service, etc.

 John S Warner

  B. November 1837 in NH

  D. Nov 24, 1911, Keene, NH

Married July 1859 in Marlow, NH

Miranda/Myranda Petts

 B 1843 in NH

 D Jul 29, 1917 in West Swanzey, NH

Children:

*1- Addie Christiane Warner 1871-1966

2- Effie L. Warner B. 1874

3- Lottie May Warner B. 1876

4- Lyman Ferdinand Warner B. 1879

5- George A Warner B. 1884

John was living in New Ipswich, NH when he married Myranda (also spelled Miranda) Petts of Marlow, NH. He was a mechanic when he wed Myranda. 

 

He was 21, she was 17. They were married by DH Call at the Methodist Church in Marlow, NH in July 1859. 

Note their firstborn child was not born until 10 years after their wedding. The Civil War erupted almost right after the marriage.

Civil War Service

In 1860, they were living in Marlow, New Hampshire (23 years).  John enlisted in the Union army in Company A of 2nd New Hampshire Infantry in 1861.
He was wounded in 1862 at The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, when the Union encountered the Confederate rearguard near Williamsburg.  The Union assaulted Fort Magruder on May 5, 1862. Fort Magruder was part of the Peninsula Campaign of the Civil War. John mustered out in 1862, due to wounds received in Williamsburg. 

Post-War

The family lived in 1865 in Winchendon, Mass (1865 Census), though her name is hard to read. It looks like they drifted back to NH after this. (New Hampshire is close to Winchendon).

Helps Their Baby Nephew?

In the meantime her sister Christiana, who was 2 years younger than she, died in 1871 (at 26 years old). She left an infant boy, Don Ferdinand Cook (who was only a few months old). At this time, her sister's family were close by in New Hampshire. I am only speculating but within 5 years the father was remarried and living in Maine. 

And because the widowed father was a Civil War vet taking care of an infant, (though I can't prove it) I am guessing that Miranda (Petts) and John S Warner took care of their nephew Don F Cook when he was very young.

Life In Keene NH

Then from 1880 (when he was 43) till his death John S Warner and family  lived in Keene, New Hampshire. He predeceased his wife while residing at 59 Douglas St, Keene, NH at age 74,“chronic nephritis” is listed as his cause of death.

As mentioned, John S Warner and Myranda Petts Warner had six children:
Addie Christiane (1871–1966), Effie L.  (1874–1950), Lottie May (1876–1950),  Lyman Ferdinand (1879–1952), George Albin (1884–?), and Marion (1886–?)

The Next Generation

I felt free to speculate on the closeness of the sisters due to the closeness of their children. Those early years for the young Don F Cook might have held some good memories because he married into his aunt's family. 

The firstborn Warner child, Addie, ended up marrying her late aunt's only son, Don Ferdinand Cook, the son of Christiana (Petts) & John Levi Cook.  This was a case of cousins marrying cousins. 

 Addie Christiane Warner and Don Ferdinand Cook are my husband's great-grandparents.