A Rural Valley and Cowanshannock Family Tree


‎Jeremiah Elgin‏‎ ¹⁾, son of Samuel Elgin and Isabelle Truby‏. Born ‎ May 5, 1837 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA‎ ¹⁾ ²⁾ ³⁾, died ‎ Nov 13, 1903‎, 66 years ³⁾, buried ‎ at Elgin-Old Presbyterian Cemetery, Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA ³⁾ Military Service: Battery M, 204th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Census (‎ 1850 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. ⁴⁾ Census (‎ 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Teacher. Living with parents and siblings. ¹⁾ Census (‎ 1870 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Farmer. Living with wife and children. ⁵⁾ Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Farmer. Living with wife and children. Census (‎ 1900 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Farmer. Living with wife and children Laura V. and Mervin J. ⁶⁾ Married ‎ Sep 27, 1860 Marriage year estimate based on Jeremiah's and Margaretta's statement on the 1900 census that they have been married 39 years. ⁶⁾ (43 years married) to: ‎Margaretta McKelvy‏‎ ⁷⁾ ⁸⁾, daughter of Edward McKelvy and Eleanor Carothers‏. Born ‎ Feb 1, 1841 at Westmoreland Co. PA‎ ²⁾ ⁵⁾ ⁷⁾ ⁸⁾, died ‎ Sep 16, 1911 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA‎, 70 years ⁸⁾ ⁷⁾, buried ‎ at Elgin-Old Presbyterian Cemetery, Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA ⁷⁾ On the 1900 census, Margaretta states that she has had six children, and all six are living. ⁶⁾ Census (‎ 1850 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with father and siblings. ⁹⁾ Census (‎ 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Housekeeper. Living with mother and siblings. ¹⁰⁾ Census (‎ 1870 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with husband and children. ⁵⁾ Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with husband and children. Census (‎ 1900 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with husband and children Laura V. and Mervin J. ⁶⁾ Census (‎ 1910 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Head of household. Widowed. Living with son Mervin and with daughter Laura or Luna - name column says Luna, but age matches Laura. ¹¹⁾ Children: 1. ‎Edward Adison "Jerry Elgin" Elgin‏‎ ⁵⁾ Born ‎ 1858, died ‎ Sep 6, 1916 at Kittanning, Armstrong Co. PA‎, 57 or 58 years, buried ‎ at Rural Valley Cemetery, Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA On the 1910 census, Edward states that he is currently in his second marriage. Birth date reported to be 1859-1862 range on censuses. 1858 date is on grave marker. Alt. Birth: (‎± Nov 26, 1857 at Armstrong Co. PA) Assumes that the death age of "68 years, 9 months, 11 days" mentioned in obituary contains a typo, and that "68 years" should be "58 years" which would be much more consistent with census data. Alt. Birth: (‎ Oct 1860 at PA) ⁵⁾ Alt. Birth: (‎ Oct 11, 1861) Alt. Birth: (‎± 1862 at PA) Census (‎ 1870 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. ⁵⁾ Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. Census (‎ 1900 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Farmer. Living with wife and children. Census (‎ 1910 at Manor Twp. Armstrong Co., PA) Laborer at a glass works. Living with wife and children. 2. ‎Alexander Sloan Elgin‏‎ ⁵⁾ Born ‎ Sep 29, 1863 at PA‎ ⁵⁾, died ‎ Apr 2, 1903 at NM‎, 39 years, buried ‎ at Los Cerrillos, Santa Fe Co. NM Marker in the Elgin cemetery is a cenotaph; states he is buried in Los Cerrilos, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. Census (‎ 1870 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. ⁵⁾ Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. 3. ‎Herbert S. "Samuel Elgin" Elgin‏‎ ¹²⁾ ⁵⁾ ¹³⁾ Born ‎ Mar 28, 1866 at PA, died ‎ Jun 2, 1931 at Anaheim, Orange Co. CA‎, 65 years, buried ‎ at Santa Ana Cemetery, Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA Census (‎ 1870 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. Census (‎ 1910 at Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co. PA) Tea salesman. Living with wife and stepchildren. Located: (‎ Sep 1916 at CA) ¹³⁾ Census (‎ 1920 at Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA) Real estate salesman. Living with wife. Located: (‎ 1922 at CA) ¹²⁾ Census (‎ 1930 at Anaheim, Orange Co. CA) Proprietor of a hotel. Living with wife. 4. ‎Laura V. "Cynthetta Elgin" Elgin‏‎ ¹²⁾ ⁵⁾ ⁶⁾ ⁵⁾ Born ‎ Apr 22, 1870 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA‎ ⁵⁾, died ‎ Feb 17, 1931 at Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA‎, 60 years, buried ‎ at Santa Ana Cemetery, Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA Possibly the Laura V. Elgin who d. on 17 Feb 1931 in Orange Co. CA and is buried in Santa Ana Cemetery, Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA. A Laura Elgin, b abt 1871, single, born PA, both parents born PA, was the landlady of an apartment house in Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA in 1930 (see 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA, ED 30-76, Sheet 21-A, Dwelling 498, Famiy 684). ¹⁴⁾ ¹⁵⁾ Census (‎ 1870 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. ⁵⁾ Alt. Birth: (‎ Apr 1872 at PA) ⁶⁾ Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. Census (‎ 1900 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Dressmaker. Living with parents and brother Mervin. ⁶⁾ Census (‎ 1910 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) On census, one Elgin daughter is listed - Laura or Luna - name column says Luna, but age matches Laura. Living with mother and brother Mervin. ¹¹⁾ Located: (‎ Sep 1911 at Punxsutawney, Jefferson Co. PA) Informant for mother's death certificate. ⁸⁾ Located: (‎ Sep 1916 at CA) ¹³⁾ Located: (‎ May 1922 at Tarentum, Allegheny Co. PA) ¹²⁾ Census (‎ 1930 at Santa Ana, Orange Co. CA) Landlady of an apartment house. Living alone. 5. ‎L. M. Elgin‏‎ Born ‎± 1874 at PA Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. 6. ‎Mervin J. "James Mervin Elgin" Elgin‏‎ ⁶⁾ Born ‎ Mar 5, 1880 at PA‎ ⁶⁾, died ‎ Dec 10, 1910 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA‎, 30 years, buried ‎ at Elgin-Old Presbyterian Cemetery, Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA Census (‎ 1880 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents and siblings. Census (‎ 1900 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Farm laborer. Living with parents and sister Laura. ⁶⁾ Census (‎ 1910 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Farmer. Living with mother and sister Laura or Luna - name column says Luna, but age matches Laura. ¹¹⁾ 7. ‎Luna M. Elgin‏‎ ²⁾ ¹⁶⁾ Born ‎ Jul 17, 1881 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA‎ ²⁾ ¹⁶⁾, died ‎ May 2, 1922 at Tarentum, Allegheny Co. PA‎, 40 years ¹⁶⁾, buried ‎ at Rural Valley Cemetery, Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA ¹⁶⁾ ¹²⁾ Census (‎ 1910 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) On census, one Elgin daughter is listed - Laura or Luna - name column says Luna, but age matches Laura. Living with mother and brother Mervin. ¹¹⁾ Located: (‎ 1914 at Kittanning, Armstrong Co. PA) Cashier. ²⁾ Located: (‎ Sep 1916 at Brackenridge, Allegheny Co. PA)

Sources

1) source: 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA, page: Page 116 (Stamped), Dwelling 1272, Family 1272, Saml Elgin Family
2) source: Marriage License and Certificate of Luna Elgin and Curtis Bittinger
3) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for Jeremiah Elgin (Memorial # 35221065)
4) source: 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA, page: Page 220-A (Stamped), Dwelling 2, Family 2, Samuel Elgin Family
5) source: 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA, page: Pages 127-B and 128-A (Stamped), Dwelling 406, Family 410, Jeremiah Elgin Family
6) source: 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp. (North Division), Armstrong Co. PA, page: ED 3, Sheet 4-A, Dwelling 70, Family 70, Jere Elgin Family
7) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for Margraretta McKelvy Elgin (Memorial # 35221081)
8) source: Death Certificate of Margaretta Elgin
9) source: 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA, page: Page 222-A (Stamped), Dwelling 30, Family 30, Edwar McKelvey Family
10) source: 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA, page: Page 138 (Stamped), Dwelling 1424, Family 1422, Eleanor McKelvey Family
11) source: 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA, page: ED 11, Sheet 1-B, Dwelling 20, Family 20, Magaretta Elgin Family
12) source: Death of Mrs. Curtis Bittinger
13) source: Jerry Elgin
14) source: California Death Index 1905-1939, extra text: Name: Laura V Elgin
Birth Year: abt 1871
Death Date: 17 Feb 1931
Age at Death: 60
Death Place: Orange, California, USA, page: Entry for Laura V. Elgin
15) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for Laura V. Elgin (Memorial # 54536978)
16) source: Death Certificate of Luna M. Bittinger

Citation for: Family Page
"Family Page: Jeremiah Elgin & Margaretta McKelvy." HuMo-genealogy - A Rural Valley and Cowanshannock Family Tree (http://www.ruralvalleyhistory.com/family.php?tree_id=36&id=F2662&main_person=I7665 : accessed 17 June 2025) Jeremiah Elgin #I7665, born ‎ May 5, 1837 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA