No, we sadly don’t have any family artifacts from the moon, but Neil Armstrong’s family does. See the article here about the treasures his widow found stashed in a closet. (See also the Buzz Aldrin video- he is a national hero, now in more ways than one.)

Our more mundane family treasures may not have been to the moon, but they have been other places, perhaps a Civil War battlefield or used daily by our ancestors, which makes them priceless to us.

Above is the actual Civil War drum that belonged to Abram F. Springsteen (1850-1930), one of the youngest drummer boys in the Civil War. Our family, of course, told the story that he was THE youngest in the Civil War at age 12 on enlistment, but there were probably others who were that young as well. Mary Theresa Helbling McMurray, the granddaughter of Abram’s sister Anna Missouri Springsteen Beerbower (1854-1859), remembered going to Indianapolis, Indiana on the train for her grandmother’s funeral, and seeing his portrait in the museum. For many years we wondered what happened to his drum.

Thanks to the internet and Ancestry.com, we finally learned what happened. We got in touch with descendants of Abram’s son, Perry Harrison Springston (note change in spelling of surname), and they had the drum in their home! The drum had been passed on to the oldest son of each of the next generations.

Sadly, this drum is not the one that Abram used throughout the war to give battle commands to the troops and spur them on through marching and fighting, as that was captured by the Confederates along with Abram. He did escape near the end of the war, but without his drum. It was replaced by his comrades, and throughout his life, Abram used that drum in Civil War Veteran parades. He would also walk along the boardwalk in Indianapolis, beating his drum on the anniversary of his enlistment. He was a lifelong activist in Veteran Affairs, and worked for the federal government’s War Department.

 

We were ‘over the moon’ (pun intended) to find the disposition of the drum, and more importantly, the cousins we had not known about! So even if your family treasures are not the Data Acquisition Camera that filmed the landing on Tranquility Base or the Waste Management Cover of the Eagle Lunar Module, they are worth documenting and preserving properly.

 

➡ Springsteen Family, Helbling Family

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1) Secret stash of moon artifacts found hidden in Neil Armstrong’s closet: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/secret-stash-of-moon-artifacts-found-hidden-in-neil-arm-1684449533

2) Family photos of the Springsteen drum kindly shared by cousins and posted with permission without names.

 

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So what does one do when their military career is over at age 15?

Abram Furman Springsteen returned to Indianapolis to attend a private school after the Civil War. He later worked as a brickmason in Indianapolis after learning the trade from his uncle, also named Abram Springsteen (1825-1895).

Abram F. also worked as a clerk in the Federal Pension Department in Washington, D.C. War Department, then transferred to Los Angeles, CA c. 1915. He did receive a pension for his military service, as he was disabled “by Bronchitis and lung disease, contracted between Marietta and Atlanta Ga- between the 8th & 17 July 1864.”

Abram Springsteen married Laura May Longfellow on 11 Jan 1872 in Huntington County, Indiana. The Rev. C. M. Cain married them; Abram was 21, and Laura just 19. They had a child together on 20 Mar 1873, but Laura May died just 24 days after the birth of their daughter, 13 April 1873 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Possibly childbirth complications?)

Abram was living with his parents, brother, and a household servant when the June 1880 US Federal Census was taken. He was listed as a “Clerk in a C. Store.” His daughter Laura Grace Alien Longfellow Springsteen, was not living with them, and we have been unable to find where she was living at that time.  Sadly, she too died at a young age, even younger than her namesake- Laura was just 12 in 1885 when she passed away at her grandparent’s home, on 29 March.

Four months after little Laura’s death, Abram remarried. The Rev. J. Walter officiated at the wedding of Abram and Emma Isola Coombs (1866-1938) on 22 July 1885 at St. Patrick’s Church in Washington, D. C.

Emma and Abram had three children: Walter F. Springsteen (1886-1886), Ruby Marie born 4 July 1887, and Perry Harrison born 6 June 1891. Abram and Emma divorced 28 June 1912 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On 30 October 1912, in Indianapolis,  Abram married Birdie Crozier.  This was her second marriage, as her first husband, Charles B. Rosengarten, died 12 January, 1911.

Abram and Birdie had about eighteen years together before he passed away August 6, 1930 in Sawtelle Military Hospital, Los Angeles, CA. He was a resident of Santille, CA at the time. He is buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery.

Birdie (1873-1932) outlived Abram and collected his pension after his death, $20 per month. She died 10 January 1932 with her residence listed as Hermosa Beach, CA.

Abram was very patriotic, and even when very advanced in years, would walk up and down the street or boardwalk playing his drum on patriotic holidays and in parades. He was very sentimental- not just on Sundays- and very proud of his service to his country.

 

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Family photographs, ephemera, bible.

2) 1880 US Federal Census, Jefferson Springsteen as head of household (indexed as Jeffers. Springstime on Ancestry.com)- Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: 295; Family History Film: 1254295; Page: 244D; Enumeration District: 114; Image: 0190. Accessed 7/5/14.