Table of Contents

Narcissus Throckmorton (c.1826-c.1878)

Birth

Narcissus Throckmorton was born c.1826 1) in either Kentucky or Ohio. 2) Her parents were Daniel Throckmorton and Margaret Snook.

Name

In the 1850 census record, her name is shown as “Narcissa,” but in the 1860 and 1870 census records, as well as in two records for her children, it is shown as “Narcissus.” In general, spelling in records of the time was variable. 3)

Marriage

On 10.Aug.1846, Narcissus married Joshua Marshall. The marriage took place in Jackson County, OH with James B. Johnson, Elder performing the ceremony. 4)   Joshua died in July 1859.

On 15.Nov.1860, Narcissus married Soloman Altman. The marriage took place in Scioto County, OH. Soloman Altman had been married previously to Mary Throckmorton, who was Narcissus' sister. Mary died in March 1859 and was survived by two children who are shown in the household Daniel Throckmorton (Mary's father) in 1860 census records. 5)

Civil War

During the Civil War, Solomon Altman served in the Ohio Volunteer Army, 56th Infantry, Company D (Union Army) at the rank of private. His enlistment and muster date was 8.Oct.1861 and his discharge date was 15.Oct.1864. Solomon would have been encamped at Portsmouth from mid-December 1861 to 12.Feb.1862. After their first engagement in Tennessee (Battle of Fort Donelson), the 56th Infantry was engaged in various battles and marches as they worked their way south. On 22.May.1864, after the Red River Campaign, the regiment went by steamer to New York and then by train to Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. They were given a 30-day furlough to return to their homes, and then returned to New Orleans to perform guard duty until discharge. 6)

For the better part of three years, then, Narcissus would have been raising three young children (the oldest born in 1857) and looking after the family farm while her husband was away at war. During the Civil War, this was the situation of many young women. Afterwards, if the husband returned at all, families had to deal with the aftereffects of a destructive war. While Narcissus and her children may have been luckier than many, the traumatic effects of the Civil War should not be underestimated.

Death

It can be inferred that Narcissus died sometime before the marriage of Solomon Altman and Lavina Gray in Oct.1878. There are no known records of her death and no known gravesite.

Children

Narcissus Throckmorton + Joshua Marshall

Narcissus Throckmorton + Solomon Altman

Footnotes

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1)
Information in census records from 1830-1870 indicate a range 1825-1827 for year of birth.
2)
The 1850 census record shows Kentucky as place of birth, but 1860 and 1870 show Ohio.
3)
A death record for Joseph Marshall shows mother's name as Narcissus Throckmorton, and a marriage record for Zachariah Altman shows name of mother as Narcissus Throgmorton. Other records also show variant spellings of the surnames Throckmorton, Marshall, and Altman. In a handwritten county record of marriage with Joshua Marshall, her name is written in the record column as “Narcisy Snook” and in the text description as “Nancy Snook” – which is difficult to explain. (DNA testing confirms Daniel Throckmorton and Richard Marshall as ancestors for descendants of Joshua and Narcissus, so pretty sure the father of Narcissus was Daniel Throckmorton.)
4)
In some religious denominations existing at the time, an Elder was a type of ordained minister. Under Ohio law, marriage ceremonies could be performed by ordained clergy or by certain civil officers, e.g. Justice of the Peace
5)
Various family trees on Ancestry.com show a third child, Martha Jane Altman, born to Solomon and Mary. There are no known records to confirm this, but that would not be unusual if Martha Jane died as a young child, i.e. before 1860.
6)
For further details on the service of the 56th Ohio Infantry Regiment, see https://www.ohiocivilwarcentral.com/56th-regiment-ohio-volunteer-infantry/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/56th_Ohio_Infantry_Regiment.