Grandson of a (Supposed) Raccoon

Perhaps the following short story is certainly more suitable for early October instead of late February. I recently learned that October 1st is International Raccoon Appreciation Day. This find came simultaneously with an interesting and bizarre obituary I saw in a vintage newspaper while researching a completely different story.

International Raccoon Appreciation Day (IRAD) is a day meant to celebrate all animals, specifically raccoons, that, while being an important part of their ecosystem, are misunderstood. Often these "bandit-looking" creatures are commonly associated with thefts from garbage cans and dumpsters, but moreso rabies. It's fair that most of us consider these woodland creatures as “pests” or “nuisance animals," like foxes, wolves and coyotes. 
 
The raccoon is a nocturnal mammal characterized by its bushy ringed tail. It is native to North America and can be found in many parts of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the northern part of South America. There are also raccoons in Germany, Russia, and Japan.

IRAD was started in 2002 by a young girl in California. It was meant at first to show that some folks liked and respected raccoons, as evidenced by a plethora of raccoon items from stuffed animals to t-shirts. There are also some people who have misguidedly tried to keep raccoons as pets. As word spread of the young lady's campaign (mainly to the girl’s relatives in various world countries), the name was changed to International Raccoon Appreciation Day in 2003. The day also encourages people to protect the raccoon’s natural habitat.

Raccoons drawn by J W Audubon (1812-1862), artist and son of the famed ornithologist

​I have yet to see a raccoon here in Mount Olivet, but I would bet that we've had some of these visitors in the past as I've seen coyotes, foxes, deer, and even a bear. A few weeks ago I was drawn to the Mount Olivet gravesite of Henry Milo Warrenfeltz, born January 15th, 1864. He wasn't my prime search on that particular day as I found him solely by stumbling upon the obituary of his paternal grandmother while working on another story about quilting. I soon after sought out his grave in Mount Olivet's Area T, and found him a literal hop, skip, and a "shoot if you must this  old grey head" from the final resting spot of Barbara Fritchie. Remember that I said "shoot" here as that plays a paramount role in our story.

Grave plot of Henry Milo Warrenfeltz and wife Daisy in Area T/Lot 3

Henry would be my Mount Olivet connection to an interesting early immigrant  family that descends from Switzerland. They have the prototypical story of Frederick County with early German and Swiss immigrants settling in the northern reaches. The apocryphal tale says that our mountainous terrain at the eastern edge of the Maryland Piedmont reminded these people of their former homes in Europe, thus inspiring them to clear forests for family farms.

In this particular case, it is said that Johann Jacob Werenfels (1730-1807) came to America around 1749 from his native town of Basel. The surname would eventually be anglicized to Warrenfeltz in time, and it would become one of the well-known names of the area up to the present-day.

This gentleman apparently acquired 999 acres of land between Wolfsville and Ellerton on the western foot of Catoctin Mountain, north of Myersville. In the late 1770s, he married Hannah Ann Hartman (1754-1818) and raised 11 children on his large farm. Johann Jacob is also said to have made buckskin breeches and gloves. His neighbor, Godfrey Lederman (later Leatherman), was a Revolutionary War veteran, and owned a like amount of property to the north of his, which was considered to be in Wolfsville. Three of Mr. Lederman's children would marry three of Mr. Warrenfeltz' children. 

Warrenfeltz Family Cemetery in Ellerton on the Harmony-Ellerton Road. This was formerly the site of Edward G. Leatherman farm.

Grave of Johann Jacob Werenfels (1730-1807). It translates from German to read: ""Here rests Jacob Werenfels was born on 21 February 1731 died 12 September 1807 and left behind 11 children."

Grave of Hannah (Hartman) Werenfels (1754-1818)

Close-up view of Wolfsville-Ellerton vicinity on this 1858 Isaac Bond Map showing Warrenfels family properties as labeled on map. The original property is to the center/right along the Harmony-Wolfsville Road and marked with heirs "P Warrenfels" and "J Warrenfels." Henry Milo Warrenfeltz grew up on the farm of his father, Daniel Warrenfeltz, which is located upper left and marked as "D. Warrenfels."

One of these pairings would be Johann Jacob Warrenfeltz, Jr., born September 21st, 1785 and Mary Ann Lederman (1788-1879).  The couple married in 1809 and built a nice stone house on a 30-acre parcel that "John" bought from his father-in-law. By 1828, the couple had ten children with one of these being Daniel Warrenfeltz (1814-1901), the father of Henry Milo Warrenfeltz —the gentleman who started our impromptu "roots quest" here, and buried in Mount Olivet within Area T.

​Henry Milo is somewhat of a "Burial Black Sheep" of the family in terms of resting place, as his parents and most of his siblings were interred in Wolfsville Reformed Cemetery.

Wolfsville Reformed Cemetery

Here is where our story gets a little interesting in regard to "wildlife fun," just not so much for the aforementioned grandfather of Henry Milo Warrenfeltz ​—Johann "John" Jacob Warrenfeltz, Jr. We must slip back to the 1820s to tell the story of his unfortunate death. And yes, this is where this week's colorful story title comes in.

​The history of raccoon hunting in our time can be traced to Native Americans, who hunted them for food and pelts. The practice was adopted by European settlers, who introduced raccoon hunting dogs to the equation in Colonial times. George Washington was credited with owning some of the best raccoon hounds. Early dogs had trouble tracking the raccoons when they climbed trees, so breeders developed varieties that learned how to follow treed raccoons.  In the mid-to-late 1800s, raccoons were hunted primarily for their pelts.  A fair price for a pelt, half a century later in 1885, was 25 cents. 

On the 9th of October, 1828, John and a few of his teenage sons (likely including Daniel aged 14) went on a night-time hunting excursion in the darkened woods by their home. Descendant Virginia Kuhn Draper wrote in her book The Smoke Still Rises (published in 1996) that this party was not the only one in the vicinity on this particular, moonlit evening. Apparently a neighbor, a Mr. Kline, had gone out in search of squirrels for his supper that night. It seems that Mr. Kline had instant success in bagging his prey and was on his way back home when his dog started to bark wildly ahead. When he caught up to his hunting companion, he found that his dog had "treed" a raccoon, as it had taken refuge in the top of a tall arboreal specimen.

Mr. Kline discharged his firearm a few times with no luck of shooting the "interloper." Feeling he did not have the right ammunition, he quickly returned to his nearby home in hopes to return shortly and finish off the business at hand.

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Meanwhile, while Kline was on his way for greater firepower to fell the raccoon, John Warrenfeltz and his boys came on to the scene as their dogs "re-treed" the raccoon, who I am assuming was a little late in trying to make a great escape (after Kline stepped away for the moment). 

Mr. Warrenfeltz had been successful in killing the rogue animal on his first shot, however it was lodged between tree branches. John laid down his gun and proceeded to climb the tree in an effort to retrieve the masked-beast. Just then, Mr. Kline returned to the area with a silver bullet in his gun's chamber. Unfortunately, this is when a major breakdown in communication between all parties occurred.

Hagerstown Torch Light and Public Advertiser (Nov 15, 1828) John's name was mistakenly written as Winefelt instead of Warrenfeltz.

What a tragedy, and one that would later be recounted in newspapers throughout the country in 1879 upon the death of John's widow, Mary Ann,  who would die on June 27th, 1879 at the age of 90. She had remarried in 1831, but would raise her children (including Henry Milo's father Daniel) into adulthood. Her obituary told the melancholy story of her first husband being mistaken for a raccoon, 61 years earlier.

Maryland Union (July 10, 1879)

Grave of Mary Ann (Leatherman) Warrenfeltz Ludy (1788-1879) in Wolfsville Reformed Cemetery

Although well known in the upper Middletown Valley, the former Mrs. Warrenfeltz would become "almost-famous" posthumously the country over as her obit (carrying this sensational story of her first husband's death) would be carried everywhere. I found newspapers presenting the disturbing last moments of life for John Warrenfeltz all over the country. I even found it published in German!

Philadelphia Times (July 5, 1879)

(Baltimore (MD) Der Deutsche (July 3, 1879)

As with many stories, it became a bit embellished along the way. Nonetheless, this sensational tale from Ellerton, MD made publications all over the country including the Westminster (MD) Democratic Advocate, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Times, Bridgeton (NJ) West Jersey Pioneer, Winnemucca (NV) Silver State, Ironton (MO) Iron County Register, Austin-Mower County (MN) Transcript, Superior (WI) Times, Decatur (IL) Daily Review, Sterling (IL) Gazette and the Jeffersonville (IN) National Democrat to name a few.

As for the gravesite for John Warrenfeltz (aka Johann Jacob Warrenfels, Jr.), I could not find one. Jacob Holdcraft's Names in Stone didn't help me in this arena either. I hypothesize that he would have been buried with his parents in the Warrenfeltz Family Cemetery shown earlier, or in the Wolfsville Reformed Burying Ground. His gravestone was either lost to time, or never placed. He did leave Mary Ann, his wife, with multiple children and a large farm to run. She remarried soon after as I've stated.

Transcript of the estate sale of John Warrenfeltz' property in August 1829. (Note that Frederick attorney L. P. W. Balch, mentioned in a recent "Story in Stone," handled the guardian and trustee duties). This info is from MDGenWeb (c) Copyright 2024.

Williams' History of Frederick County states that John's son, Daniel, would become a prominent member of the community and Catoctin District. He would eventually purchase property from the heirs which included 130 acres of farm and timber land, and spent his life cultivating and improving it. He was also engaged in sawing out timber for buildings of all kinds. Daniel married Susan Ludy, daughter of another local and prominent farmer of the area, and had 13 children, raising 11 to maturity, Henry Milo being the second youngest.

Daniel Warrenfeltz and family living near Wolfsville in the 1880 US Census

Grave of Daniel and Susan Warrenfeltz in Wolfsville Reformed Cemetery

Daniel eventually operated a farm west of Wolfsville which can be found on the Bond Map of 1858, and again on the Titus Map of 1873. This is where Henry Milo Warrenfeltz spent his childhood. The boy would attend local area schools and had a successful professional career engaged in teaching, running a commercial business, and lastly, banking. He was also one of the incorporators of the Catoctin and Pen Mar Railway Company. He can be found in census records living as a boarder in Elder Hotel on East Main Street in Emmitsburg. 

​Henry Milo  married late in life a local woman named Daisy Ramsburg, and the couple lived in her family home (with a sister) at 12 East Third Street in Frederick. 

1910 US Census showing Henry Milo Warrenfeltz living at the Elder Hotel on East Main St in Emmitsburg, MD

The brick townhouse to the right is 12 E Third St, home to Henry Milo and Daisy Warrenfeltz from 1937-1943

​Henry Milo Warrenfeltz' life story is represented in his obituary of November 27th, 1943. His death made the front page of a Frederick News edition which included up to date information about the second World War raging in Europe and the South Pacific. However, there was absolutely no mention of his grandfather's untimely death.

Frederick Post Nov 27, 1943 edition with H M Warrenfeltz obit in lower right and in full below

Frederick Post (Nov 27, 1943)

The great-grandson of the supposed "Ellerton (supposed) Raccoon" was laid to rest in Mount Olivet Area T/Lot 3. Henry's wife Daisy (Ramsburg) would join him here in March, 1954.  

Gravestone of Henry Milo and Daisy Warrenfeltz

One particular rabbit hole, or should I say "Raccoon Hole," that I explored with no luck was finding out where that nifty middle name of "Milo" came from. Although, I couldn't make this familial connection, I did make another to a stuffed animal that relates nicely to the wonderful world of raccoons. ​

Along the way of research, I also found this interesting aside on the magical internet. The unsung heroes, or instigators in our story are the four-legged hunting companions of John Warrenfeltz and Mr. Kline. You could call them "coon dogs," a popular name for such well-trained beasts. Well, I learned that there exist a Coon Dog Memorial and its located in a special graveyard in Colbert County, Alabama. It's called the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard. 

This is a specialized and restricted pet cemetery and memorial, reserved specifically for the burials of coon dogs. The cemetery was established by a man named Key Underwood on September 4th, 1937. Underwood buried his own dog there, choosing the spot, previously a popular hunting camp where "Troop" did 15 years of service. More than 300 dogs are buried here.

Troop's gravestone

Key Underwood with Troop

Surrounded by chain link fence and barbed wire, the Coon Dog Memorial is the centerpiece of the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard