I am very curious about the Wampole history and what tribe they are from. I am also trying to learn about the Wampoles buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA.
For years now I have been trying to learn the family name of my gggmother, “The Elusive Elizabeth” who was born in 1827. The oral history went like this, “she was married five times and all her husbands died on her! And she married a Grant, who was a cousin to U.S. Grant.”
Well, slowly I have made some headway. Her daughter, Mary Ann Cotton, was her second child born in 1853 in Phila. She had a first child with J. Kearns in 1847- I have Elizabeth married to an Edward Jones with the two girls in the 1860 Philadelphia Census. She married a man named Ranagan or Rangan before 1888, and they had a son, Howard (1868-1888).
Now Howard Ranagan/Rangan is buried with his half-sister, Sallie Kearns (1847-1903)- she never married. There are four burial sites on the plot. Next to Howard and Sallie (who are in the fourth site) is Elizabeth Ranagan/Rangan (I think this is my Elusive Elizabeth- and mother to my ggmother, Mary Ann Cotton. The dates on her headstone read 12/26/1827 – 5/5/1907.
In the 2nd site are three WAMPOLES: George, Mary and Elizabeth who were removed from Union Cemetery in 12/14/1876. I have no dates of birth or death for these people, and the headstone only lists their names.
Finally, in the first site is Margaret Wampole- no dates on headstone, but the cemetery cards notes she was interred at age 79 yrs on 10/31/1876.
The plot was originally purchased by Margaret J. Scout on 9/6/1876, obviously in preparation for the pending death Margaret Wampole who was interred a month after purchased. Then in Dec, 2 months later, Margaret J. Scout had the remains of George Wampole, Elizabeth Wampole and Mary Wampole brought to the site (They are all three in the 2nd site).
On November 26, 1888 Howard was interred there, and on Jan 10 1889 (after Howard’s death), Margaret J. Scout gifted the gravesites to Sallie Kearns. Sallie died next (1847-1903) and was interred on 1/10/1903 (she is noted to be on top of Howard. Then the last burial was Elizabeth Ranagan/Rangan who was placed between George, Elizabeth, & Mary Wampole and her two chldren. She was interred on 5/9/1907. So there is an implied family relationship here, but I am lost to figure it out as yet.
One of my suspicions is that Margaret Scout bought the site for her Mother (Margaret Wampole) and that she then had her Father (George Wampole) brought over with Mary and Elizabeth. The cemetery records reveal that Mary’s name was Mary W. Scott, but the headstone reads as I have mention above with the additional names of Mary Wampole and Maggie Scout. These last two were never buried there. It is possible that my Elizabeth was a daughter of George and Margaret Wampole (if they were husband and wife). Margaret’s age of 79 in 1876, would make her the right age range. Then the owner Margaret J. Scout could be Elizabeth’s sister and Howard and Sallie her nephew and niece.
I apologize for this detail, and if it does not fit any of your records. My ggmother and gmother had features consistent with the Indian heritage with somewhat prominent broad noses and wide set eyes and flattened facies. I have NEVER before heard anything of there being Indian heritage in our family, which now has me suspicious. I know that in the 19th century, there were Indian cultures that were seeking to be assimilated and I would assume marriage to non-Indian peoples would be considered a means of acculturation (and then not to talk about it).
I would appreciate hearing from you. Thom Wallace (tcwallace@earthlink.net)