August 22, 2014

**Antietam Friday**

Near the Mumma farm on the Antietam National Battlefield is a well-kept path that leads to the Mumma family cemetery. Unfortunately, I didn’t walk back since it was raining, but I got curious about who might be buried there. (That’s where that terrific site called Find A Grave, which comes in handy for my Gettysburg soldiers list, proves itself invaluable). I picked out a few people to study and remember.

First I found Elizabeth Catherine Neikirk Middlekauff, called Betsy, interesting since the Neikirk and Middlekauff families were known to inhabit parts of the Antietam battlefield. She was born in 1812 and died in 1880, daughter of Henry and Nancy Furry Neikirk. Betsy married John C. Middlekauff and had a large family. Also of interest is Daniel Price Miller who died in November 1862 at age 84. It was believed that he died of illness after being exposed to the atmosphere of death at Antietam. He was married to Catherine Rowland Funk and was the father of Jacob and Elizabeth.

Another particularly sad burial is that of Allen Russell Mumma, who died January 1878 at age 1 1/2. He was the son of Daniel and Augusta Rohrbach Mumma. (Take note that the Rohrbach family once owned the land where Rohrbach Bridge, or Burnside Bridge, is located). Allen’s mother outlived him by only 5 years. Another child burial is that of Catharine Amelia Mumma who died in November 1849 just before her second birthday. She was the daughter of Jacob and Ann Mumma.

There are many more people buried at the Mumma Cemetery, and of course they all deserve time and attention, but this is just a smattering chosen randomly. I highly encourage you to check out the cemetery’s entries on Find A Grave, or, if, possible, visit in person. It’s a great way to honor men, women and children whose lives ended so long ago.

**HONORED TODAY**

PVT. GEORGE A. ACKERT

Co. C, 80^TH New York Infantry

Born abt. 1838 --- Died July 21, 1863 at age 25

Pvt. Ackert, who enlisted in September 1861, was born in Connecticut. He was a quarryman by trade (at least one record lists him as a clerk) and was wounded in the mouth on the first day of battle. He died at Philadelphia’s Satterlee Hospital of pyaemia and was later buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery.


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