On this day, 13 November 1871, Samuel Noel passed away. He was my 4th great-grandfather.
Samuel Noel was born on 16 January 1798, in Adams County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Daniel and Maria Noel.
Samuel Noel was baptized on 20 March 1798, at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (Conewago Chapel) in Conewago, Adams County, Pennsylvania. (Today, this church is known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and is the oldest Catholic church in the United States that is built of stone.)
Little more is known about Samuel Noel’s childhood. The next time he appeared in records was on 5 November 1820, when he married Margaret Felix at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Conewago, Adams County, Pennsylvania. Margaret was the daughter of Joannes “John” Felix and Elizabetha “Elizabeth” Keefer.
On 12 March 1822, the couple welcomed daughter Matilda Noel to their home in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
Son Mathias Noel (my 3rd great-grandfather) was born two years later on 4 May 1824.
In 1830, the Noel Family resided in Hamilton Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania. Their household consisted of one male age 5 to 10 (Mathias), one male age 30 to 40 (Samuel), two females under the age of 5 (names unknown), one female age 5 to 10 (Matilda), and one female age 30 to 40 (Margaret).
Circa 1833, son Stephen Noel was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Then, about 1835, daughter Cecilia M. Noel was born.
Sadness overcame the Noel Family, when Stephen’s elderly father, Daniel Noel, passed away on 8 August 1837, in the Adams County poorhouse. Known as the Adams County Almshouse, this facility was opened in 1820 and consisted of the almshouse proper, the infirmary, and the insane asylum. It is unknown in which building Daniel Noel resided.
In 1840, the Noel Family lived in Mount Pleasant Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania. Their household consisted of one free white male age 5 to 10 (Stephen), one free white male age 15 to 20 (Mathias), one free white male age 40 to 50 (Samuel), two free white females age 5 to 10 (Cecilia and unknown daughter), one free white female age 10 to 15 (name unknown), one free white female age 15 to 20 (Matilda), and one free white female age 40 to 50 (Margaret).
On 29 August 1850, Samuel Noel, his wife Margaret, their son Stephen, and daughter Cecilia were still in Mount Pleasant Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania. Samuel and his son Stephen were both working as carpenters.
On 25 June 1860, Samuel Noel, his wife Margaret, daughter Matilda, and her son Anthony Deardorf were residing in Mount Pleasant Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania. The home was valued at $500, and personal property was valued at $150. Samuel Noel was a day laborer.
Three years later, the war came to rural Adams County. On 1-3 July 1863, about ten miles from the Noel abode, in the county seat of Gettysburg, a fierce battle was waged. Dubbed the deadliest battle of the Civil War, death and destruction prevailed. Troops from both sides moved throughout the area, commandeering supplies from locals. How the Noels fared during this time is not known, but it can be surmised that times might have been difficult for the family.
On 13 August 1870, Samuel and Margaret Noel and their daughter Matilda were enumerated in District 95, Mount Pleasant Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania. Their home was valued at $500, and personal property was valued at $800. Samuel Noel still supported the family as a day laborer.
However, that situation would change the next year, when on 13 November 1871, Samuel Noel died in Mount Pleasant Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was 73 years old. He was buried the Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church Cemetery, Bonneauville, Adams County, Pennsylvania.
Princes, Paupers, Pilgrims & Pioneers 
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Love the photos and hearing about your ancestors!
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Regarding David Henry Noel post:
Woah — super interesting! That’s pretty cold of Elizabeth, though, if she called herself a “widow” based on David’s poverty? Although, if they listed the cause of his death so accurately, you would think they also would have recorded any mental illness (if understood as such). Mystery!
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Thank you so much, Ann Marie. Since I did not have a personal photograph of Samuel Noel, I wanted to include a couple of the places he (and his father) saw in their lives.
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A great blog…Enjoyed all the photos that you included…
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An interesting sidenote: Daniel Noel’s great-great-grandson (my 2nd great-grandfather) was a resident of the York County Almshouse: https://kindredconnection.wordpress.com/2017/08/20/david-henry-noel/.
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So interesting! Yes, I had that same thought: Why he wouldn’t have lived with the rest of the family if destitute? Hmmmm, dementia is also a compelling argument (and very sad if that’s the case)… I guess we will never know!
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It is an interesting twist in the story, isn’t it? The reason I am uncertain about which facility he stayed was because of his advanced age. He might have been destitute, although one would think he would have resided with family instead of going to the poorhouse. Perhaps Daniel Noel was too sick to stay with family and too poor to pay for healthcare, or maybe he was stricken with Alzheimer’s/senility or was just plain bonkers. However, because he was 91 years old at his death, I am more inclined to believe he was either very ill or was suffering from dementia.
Your great-aunt and Zelda Fitzgerald’s connection…How fascinating! That would be a fabulous blog post!
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Ohhh very interesting about Daniel Noel! Love a good mystery/possible insane asylum stay! My great aunt was supposedly in the same asylum with Zelda Fitzgerald that apparently burned down… hmmm… I might need to double check this story with my mom!
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