Email From Gary Aden to Gary Aden
Email Dated 8/14/2001     

     Arriving in Washington, D.C. from Pennsylvania, I pause to reflect
on my journey thus far. I take note of the fact that all the known
progenitors to enter the country through Pennsylvania came from what at
that time were areas of continental europe where German was the common
language even though Germany as a nation was not to be established until
nearly a century and a half later shortly after  the Aden and
Wilts^Wiltz families emigrated. Two out of the three progenitors'
families- Theobald Mechling and John Peter Lauer- were later(1900- John
W. Aden m. Jessie Mechling)  to become twigs of the Aden Branch in the
organization of my pedigree. Of course, the Swiss- German-originating
Hunsucker surname  is an Allen Branch twig, remarkable in that the rest
of the Allen twigs appear to have originated in the British Isles where
English was the spoken language. Relevant to the Aden Branch, I realize
that I have now introduced all the known twigs in that line although I
will have occasion to resume discussing the details as I traverse the
country on my trip. The rest of the twigs to be introduced will be those
from the Allen Branch. 

       I will resume paying respects to  family gravesites of national
significance by visiting the Arlington National Cemetery gravesite of my
great grandfather's(George Harrison Mechling{1849-1924}) brother, Henry
W.B. Mechling(10/14/1851 Mt. Pleasant, Pa.- 4/10/1926 Washington, D.C.),
who was with General Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn and
received the Congressional Medal of Honor for "curageously(sic) holding
a position with 3 comrades, that secured water for the command on June
25 and 26, 1876". He was a blacksmith and saddler while living in the
Indian Territory. He donated a number of his medals and other valued
pieces to the Smithsonian Museum where I will head next. It is of
interest that his father, Aaron, was also a soldier serving as a
Sergeant in the Union Army during the civil war and being mustered out
after losing the sight in his left eye in the Battle of Peachtree Creek,
having previously been wounded in combat at Wauhatachie, Tennessee. W.A.
Trassanito's "Gettysburg- A Jounal in Time" describes Devil's Den where
Henry Mechling fought and contains a letter by Henry on page 108 about
the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

My last stop will be at the DAR exhibit in Memorial Continental Hall.
The surname pertaining to my visit provides an opportune introduction to
the next portion of my trip. The Camp name is an integral part of
colonial and Revolutionary history which traverses the southern states
and Texas and is very important for the Allen Branch. In this case, I
will be looking at an important relic of Revolutionary history donated.
The Battle of Kings Mountain was fought on October 7, 1780 on the
property of Nathaniel Camp, 6th son of Thomas Camp III and Winifred
Starling Camp.  Following the defeat of the British at Kings Mountain,
Nathaniel Camp found a conch shell used as a horn for signaling by the
British commander which he later donated to the Daughters of the
American Revolution, a most generous and forgiving act considering that
his brother, John, was accused and found guilty of treason. The verdict
was set aside by a higher court and no property was ever confiscated
which was the usual price of such accusations in those times, but don't
you think that would make you think twice before feeling very charitable
toward patriotic organizations. Perhaps, had he known of the DAR's
subsequent actions roughly 175 years later wherein they expelled an
Illinois chapter who had used Thos. Camp III and John Camp credentials
as the foundation for membership, he would have kept the conch shell in
the family. Even more puzzling is why the DAR mistakenly marked a Lt.
John Camp's gravesite, believing him to be our John Camp, with a DAR
insignia a half century before this expulsion action. The DAR's position
on this matter has been challenged in all manner short of legal action,
but they remain inflexible in their ruling. Next Stop: James City and
Colonial Williamsburg which will generate more tales about the Camp
family. 

      Gary Carl Aden 8/10/2001