The Fletcher Clan - The 10 Children of Lewis Henry Clay Fletcher, 1860s-1960s
Lewis Henry Clay Fletcher (1839-1927) and his wife, Martha Ellen "Mattie" Rowe Fletcher (1840-1896) had ten children over a space of 21 years, of whom eight lived well into adulthood. These eight were quite formidable, and even those who moved away from Greencastle, kept close ties to their home town. Three of them became quite prominent, two even on an international stage. A number of their siblings, and nieces and nephews, either worked for these three, or were dependent on them. All were very proud.
On the occasion of the 80th birthday of Grandfather Fletcher, as all of the younger generation and descendants refer to Lewis, a series of formal portraits were taken of the family; this was in April 1919. Some of these photos, as well as others, are on this page, as well as vignettes of each of the children.
On the occasion of the 80th birthday of Grandfather Fletcher, as all of the younger generation and descendants refer to Lewis, a series of formal portraits were taken of the family; this was in April 1919. Some of these photos, as well as others, are on this page, as well as vignettes of each of the children.
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The Whole Fletcher Family, at Rosemont in Greencastle, Penn., April 1919 -
Front (sitting): Frances "Weezy" Bitner, Fred Fletcher, Grandfather Fletcher, Louis "Fletch" Bitner, Mary "Mazie" Fletcher Martin, Martha Julia Fletcher, Rowe Fletcher;
Middle row (standing): Charles "Dutch" Carl, Kathleen "Kass" Bitner, Pitt Carl, Sr., Florence Fletcher Bitner, Wat Fletcher, Elizabeth "Lil" Motter Fletcher, Pitt Carl, Jr., Julia Frary Fletcher, Gil Fletcher;
Back row (standing): Henry Fletcher, Emily Fletcher Carl, Harriet Fletcher (girl), Louise Mann Fletcher, Harry Bitner
Charles Augustus Fletcher (1862-1865)
Mattie and Lewis's first-born came into the world on August 20, 1862 and was named Charles Augustus Fletcher, after his paternal grandfather. The little boy lived only three years, dying on September 25, 1865, just a little more than a month after his third birthday. There is no record of what he died of, or of anything else about his short life, but he has an entry here so as not to be forgotten.
John Rowe "Rowe" Fletcher (1864-1924)
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Mattie and Lewis's second child was also a son and was born on July 23, 1864. He was named John Rowe Fletcher, after his maternal grandfather, and was called, like a number of his siblings, by his middle name, "Rowe". Since his older brother died so young, Rowe was for all intents and purposes the oldest of the Fletcher siblings. More details about him and his family can be found on his own page (which needs to be added still, Jan. 2015), but here is a summary. When he grew up, he moved to Harrisburg, where he became prominent in local affairs and politics. He married Elizabeth "Lil" Motter in 1890 and they had two children. Rowe served as sheriff of Harrisburg. He suffered a stroke on Christmas Eve, 1923, and died six weeks later at the age of only 59.
Mary Ziegler "Mazie" Fletcher (1866-1960)
Lewis and Mattie's third child was the first girl, and she was born September 9, 1866, and was named Mary Ziegler Fletcher, but was called "Mazie". "Ziegler" was Lewis's mother's maiden name, and the "Mary" may have come from a sister of Lewis's who died at age 24 in 1858. Mazie married John Funk Martin on December 27, 1888, and they had four children (two boys and two girls), who in turn produced at least ten grandchildren. I believe that John Martin worked with his brother-in-law, Gil Fletcher, in his mining business, much of which was based in Nicaragua. The census places the family living in Mobile, Alabama in 1900, in Manhattan in 1905, and back in Greencastle in 1910. According to his son's passport application, in 1919, John Sr. was living in La Ceiba, Honduras, along the Atlantic (Caribbean) coast (which probably explains why he isn't in the 80th birthday photos, above). John Sr. died in 1930 at the age of 62, but Mazie lived three decades longer; she died in June 1960 in Greencastle, less than six months before younger brother Gil, and they were the last surviving siblings of their generation.
One of Mazie and John's children, John Funk Martin, Jr. (1889-1971), became a diplomat, like his Uncle Henry. His postings were concentrated in Latin America, like his father's and uncles' business, and included, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Chile (in all of these countries but Costa Rica, his Uncle Henry also served in). He married Marta "Martita" Amunategui (1895-1990), who was from Santiago, Chile, and they had four children. Another son of Mazie and John's, Henry Fletcher "Henny" Martin (1892-1988), became a lawyer and moved to Jacksonville, Florida. He married Viola "Vi" James (1899-1994), and they also had four children, one of whom, Henny Martin, Jr. (born 1926) became a circuit judge in Duval County, Florida. My mother and aunt Missy remember playing and hanging out with several of these eight Martin grandchildren, their contemporaries, at Old Home Week celebrations in Greencastle when they were growing up. My aunt said that she and my mother, along with Steve, Nancy, and Henny Martin, would play "Hares and Hounds" all over Greencastle during Old Home Week, having the grandest time. My mother and Steve Martin, being the older two (born in 1922 and 1923, respectively), were the hares, leaving clues all around town, while Nancy, my aunt, and Henny, being the younger ones (Nancy was born in 1925, while Missy and Henny were born within a few months of each other in 1926), were the hares, and tried to find them. |
Emily Lantz Fletcher (1868-1935)
The fourth child, another girl, is my great-grandmother; she was born April 21, 1868, and she was named Emily Lantz Fletcher. "Lantz" was her paternal great-grandmother's maiden name; where the "Emily" came from, I do not know. Emily has her own page, of course, and here is a summary. Emily was the first woman in the family to attend college; she graduated from nearby Wilson College in 1889. The following year, on November 6, she married Pitt Fessenden Carl, who was also born and raised in Greencastle. They had three children, two boys and a girl. The older son, Charles "Dutch" Carl, became closely associated with his Uncle Gil, one of Emily's younger brothers, when he grew up, and the younger son, Pitt Jr. (my grandfather), was very close to his Uncle Henry, another of Emily's younger brothers, who paid for his college education. Emily died on December 28, 1935, at the age of 67 in the Chambersburg (Penn.) hospital, probably of cancer; her husband had died two years earlier.
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Lillian Martin Fletcher (1879-1891)
Lewis and Mazie's fifth child and third daughter was born May 13, 1870. Lillian died on October 10, 1891, at the age of only 21. My mother and aunt said that the family story was that she died "from eating little green apples."
Henry Prather Fletcher (1873-1959)
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The next child, the sixth, and fourth son, was Henry Prather Fletcher, born on April 10, 1873. "Prather" was his great-grandfather's last name. Henry, also called "Had", or "Prather", as well as Henry, grew up to be very prominent. (More to be added later.)
James Gilmore "Gil" Fletcher (1875-1960)
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The seventh child was another son, James Gilmore "Gil" Fletcher, born on November 17, 1875. I believe he was named for his uncle, John Gilmore "Gilmore" Rowe, Mattie's brother, who had died the previous year at the age of only 32, reportedly from the effects of wounds received at the battle of Chancellorsville during the Civil War. Gil Fletcher grew up to be a very successful businessman. (More to be added later.)
George Frederick "Fred" Fletcher (1877-1947)
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Mattie and Lewis's eighth child was a son, whom they named George Frederick Fletcher, and called Fred, and he was born on December 23, 1877. (More to be added later.)
David Watson "Wat" Fletcher (1880-1957)
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The ninth child was a son, the sixth one, and the fourth in a row. He was born on February 25, 1880 and was named David Watson Fletcher, after his uncle, Judge David Watson Rowe, and like his uncle, he was called by his middle name, shortened to "Wat". (More to be added later.)
Florence Isabella Fletcher (1883-1957)
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The youngest of Mattie and Lewis's children was a girl, Florence Isabella Fletcher, born on the 4th of July, 1883 (when her mother was 43), thirteen years younger than her closest-in-age sister. (More to be added later.)