Joseph (24) and Margaret McGinnis (32) were married on October 15, 1856 in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri.[1] Margaret was born on June 20, 1824 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Their known children were:
Residing St. Louis, MO in 1860.[2] By 1869, the family had moved to Louisiana, where Joseph worked as a Steamboat Engineer.[3] The family was well-respected locally. After 1875, Joseph was promoted to 1st Engineer on the U.S. Navy dredge ship McAlester. Sadly, the ship disappeared at sea on 2 Jan 1878. All hands were lost.
Joseph died on January 2, 1878, Lost at Sea aboard the U.S. Navy dredge ship McAlester, aged 45. [4]
Research Notes
A special act of Congress provided small pensions for widows and orphaned children of the sailors who died in the tragedy. [5][6]
Sources
↑ "Missouri Marriages, 1750-1920," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2DK-V22 : 11 February 2018), Joseph Kerr Heap and Margaret Mcginnis, 15 Oct 1856; citing Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri; FHL microfilm 528,176.
↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M87X-SQS : 12 April 2016), Joseph R Heap, Louisiana, United States; citing p. 75, family 743, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,024.
↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99273880/joseph_kerr-heap: accessed March 1, 2024), memorial page for Joseph Kerr Heap (4 Sep 1832–3 Jan 1878), Find a Grave Memorial ID 99273880; Buried or Lost at Sea; Maintained by Debbie G Morrogh (contributor 47912404).
↑ 45th Congress, 2nd Session, House of Representatives: "Loss of the Dredge boat McAlester." Congressional Serial Set: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1878. Ex Doc no. 67.[1]
Proceedings and Debates... Vol VII, Part II, p. 1520 [2]
↑ "United States Navy Widows' Certificates, 1861-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPH2-FY6 : 8 December 2014), Joseph K Heap, 1861-1910; from "Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Dependents of Civil War and Later Navy Veterans (Navy Widows' Certificates), 1861-1910," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); certificate 9680, NARA microfilm publication M1279, roll 12551-12575.
Acknowledgements
WikiTree profile Heap-36 created through the import of Watson Family Tree Large.ged on Oct 21, 2011 by Jonathan Watson.
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