Joseph Kerr Heap (1832 - 1878)

Born 4 Sep 1832 in Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (McGinnis) Heap — married 15 Oct 1856 (to 1878) in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri

Descendants

Died 2 Jan 1878 at age 45 in Lost at Sea aboard the U.S. Navy dredge ship McAlester

Biography

Joseph Kerr Heap was born on September 4, 1832 in Ohio, United States, son of George Washington Heap (1806–1874) and Elizabeth J Fiske (1810–1874).

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:

1. Carrie Heap (1858–aft. 1924)
2. Joseph W. Heap (1859–1878)
3. Stephen A. Heap (1861–1889)
4. James McGinnis Heap (1863–1922)
5. William Porter Heap (abt. 1866–1938)
6. Grace Darling Heap (1868–1934)
7. George Heap (1869–aft. 1870)

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

1. ↑ "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.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH83-ZG7 : 14 December 2017), Jos Heap, 1860.
3. ↑ "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.
4. ↑ 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).
5. ↑ 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]
6. ↑ "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.
• Sourced Bio: KC