Women played an essential role in American society as mothers and homemakers.
In the Civil War (1861 to 1865) eleven Southern states seceded from the U.S. and formed the Confederate States of America.
Mary M. Baker Rockel was called Polly. She was born on November 6, 1810 in the part of Rockingham County, Virginia which is now Page County. Her parents were Philip Baker and Mary Elizabeth Kessler.
When she was 18, she married Adam Rockel on February 5, 1829 in German Township, Clark County, Ohio. Adam was born in 1793 in Pennsylvania. His parents were Peter Rockel and Anna Maria Brown. According to The Centennial Celebration of Springfield, Ohio by Benjamin Prince, Adam served in the War of 1812.
Mary and Adam's children included:
Peter Rockel (1831-1896, married Margaret Shick (1834-1864),
Harriet Rockel Shawver (about 1833, married Michael Shawver),
Henry Rockel (1835-1924 married Mary Ann Richards),
Mary E. Rockel Collins (about 1841, married Joseph H. Collins), and
William Rockel (about 1844, married Hester Ann Heller).
The family (Adam Ruckle) appeared in the 1850 census in German Township. The family consisted of Adam who was age 56 and a farmer, Mary who was 39, Peter who was 19, Hariel who was 17, Henry who was 15, Mary C. who was 9 and William age 6.
During the Civil War, they remained in German Township. They were there in 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses.
Adam died in 1884. Polly died on April 14, 1886 when she was 75 years old and was buried with her husband and sons Peter and Henry at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Tremont, Clark County, Ohio.
In 1831 Page County, Virginia was
created from
Rockingham
and
Shenandoah
Counties. Originally it was part of Frederick County.
Clark County, Ohio was formed March 1, 1817, from Champaign, Madison and Greene Counties. The first settlement was in 1796. The inhabitants of German Township were German Lutherans who came from Virginia.
