Progenitor
The 'founding father' of the Maryland Mixters.
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Columbus Mixter
Columbus Mixter
Columbus Mixter was born June 23, 1826, in the state of Maryland.
The early part of his life was apparently a blank to him.
He knew very little about his father and we are not certain about his mother, as there is no mention of her in any of the family documents.
Columbus' children were also in the dark about his family.
It seems reasonable to assume that Columbus was an orphan at an early age.
In the 1880 Census Columbus answered "Unknown" to the question, "Father's Birthplace".
Columbus Mixter first appears in the 1850 Census
Columbus Mixter first appears in the 1850 Census
The first mention of Columbus Mixter was found in the 1850 Census. Columbus was working as a farmhand in the Second District of Queen Anne County. The farm was occupied, owned, or operated by a John Carter, his wife Sarah and two sons, William J, and John H.
1850 US Census
Columbus married Harriet Lindemore on the 30th of November, 1851.
Columbus married Harriet Lindemore on the 30th of November, 1851.
The marriage was performed by the Reverend Mr. Bates at the Chestnut Ridge Methodist M.P. Church.
If my research is correct, Harriet was also an orphan.
In 1850 she is listed as working at the home of James Warden in Baltimore County.
Living in a stone row house on Falls Rd.
Living in a stone row house on Falls Rd.
Columbus and Harriet raised their children in one of the row houses on the west side of Falls Road, at the corner of Falls Rd and Old Court Rd, which is now called Brooklynville.
His family grew quickly:
Their first child, Eliza Ann Mixter, b.Sep.12th,1852.
The second child, William Henry Mixter, b. Jan.24th,1854.
The third child, George Thomas Mixter* b. July 29th, 1855.
The fourth child, Martha Jane Mixter b. Aug 18th, 1857.
The fifth child, Mary Catherine Mixter, b. Feb.20th, 1859.
War or Insurrection?
War or Insurrection?
On the 12th of April, 1861, General Beauregard, of the South Carolina forces of the Confederacy, fired on Federal Troops at Fort Sumter. The Union Commander at Fort Sumter suffered no casualties but lacking supplies, chose to surrender on April 13th, 1861.
The sixth child of Columbus and Harriet, Amanda Ellen Mixter b. April.14th, 1861.
On the 15th of April, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln declaring not "WAR" but rather "INSURRECTION", calls for 75,000 volunteers for three months service.
Columbus enlists!
Columbus enlists!
On the 14th, August, 1862, Columbus went to Baltimore and enlisted in the Union Army.
The question is "Why did he enlist? He had six children at home, the oldest 7 years, and the youngest about 1 year old".
According to Civil War historians, the army paid more than any job an unskilled man could get!! A good reason!!!
Columbus was enlisted into the Fourth Infantry Regiment of the Maryland Volunteers by Lt. Thomas A. Mills, and mustered into service on the 20th of August 1862 by Colonel Beall at Baltimore, Maryland.
Records show that Columbus went to Camp Schley, Baltimore.
When he was mustered into the Army, he was listed as being 26 years old. Family records show him to be 36.
Harriet was pregnant with her seventh child when he left for the "WAR."
Eliza Ann Mixter was 10 years of age.
William Henry was 8 years.
George Thomas was 7 years.
Martha Jane was 5 years.
Mary Catherine was 3 years
and
Amanda Ellen was 1 year old.
On April 22,1863, Columbus and Harriet's seventh child and third son, John Robert was born.
Columbus is Discharged
Columbus is Discharged
Columbus was at Harper's Ferry, Maryland on special assignment so it is certain he did not get home for the birth of his third son.
Columbus was individually discharged March 15, 1865.
He received his service pay:
Clothing Account: $24.73
Bounty: $25 paid, $75 due.
Remarks: Paid in hospital by Major Hull for the months of January and February, 1865.
Discharged according to a telegram dated May 4th, 1865.
George or Tom?
George or Tom?
(*) The name of the second son of Columbus has been taken from the 1860 census, Columbus and Harriet's family Bible, and the 1880 census.
I know the difficulties with this name because I have not found a living Mixter who remembered the second son of Columbus as anything but Tom Mixter.
It seems Tom Mixter did not want to be known as George Thomas Mixter.
Life after the War
Life after the War
After Columbus was discharged from the Army he returned to his wife and family at their little stone row house on Falls Rd.
His family continued to grow larger. Columbus found that good work was still hard to find.
Harriet had her eighth child on February 17th, 1866, just about 11 months after his discharge!
Harriet had her ninth child on May 2,1869.
Now the family was complete, but work was still hard to find.
The Move to Towsontown
The Move to Towsontown
By 1870, we find Columbus and his large family minus the three oldest children in "Towsontown".
Assumptions based on the 1870 U.S. Census
Assumptions based on the 1870 U.S. Census
1. The older boys were 15 and 16 years of age so they were ready to train for a trade. Which I think they did! The oldest boys were the only boys who had trades, with the exception of Joseph Slicer.
2. Towson was the closest town to the construction beginning along York Rd through Govans and eventually west to Hampden. Columbus', training only allowed him work in two fields, farming and laboring. He had already made the awful risky choice of joining the army during the Civil War to get higher wages. Now things were even worse, he had two more children and the laboring market was flooded with returning veterans.
3. Another odd thing about the 1870 census is that both Columbus and Harriet are listed as being born in Ireland. This is not verified in any of the family records or in any public records that I know of. Could it be that the majority of the laboring forces were Irish???
A letter from Columbus to his 'dear wife' on Jan. 7, 1862
The Columbus Mixter family in the 1860 U.S. Census
The Columbus Mixter family in the 1870 U.S. Census
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