Entry #17
Michael Mick is my husband’s 3rd great grandfather on his mother’s side of the family. There are a few mysteries about him that keep him in the forefront of my genealogical mind these days. Michael was the son of George W. Mick and Elizabeth Park. He was born about 1834 in Plainfield, New Jersey. We are not sure how these Micks fit in with the Micks of Martha’s Furnace, New Jersey, but my mother-in-law and husband have a significant DNA connection to descendents of Michael Mick and Martha Devinney of that line.

Our Michael Mick moved to Philadelphia at some point. He married Mary B. Conklin on 16 June 1857. Their children were: David Augustus Mick (b. 1858 – ), Annie Elizabeth Mick (b. 1862 – d. 1898), Ella Mick (b. 1866 -), Mary Jane Mick (b. 1867 – 1868), William Mick (b. 1870 – ), Hannah Mick (b. 1872 –) and Charles Mick (b. 1874).

Michael Mick served in the Civil War. He enlisted in Company H, New Jersey 3rd Infantry Regiment on 01 Jun 1861 and mustered out on 30 Oct 1862 at Convalescent Camp, VA. In 1884 Michael was a resident of the National Military Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Milwaukee, where it is noted that he was injured by a gunshot wound to the left shoulder causing the loss of his hand. (I assume this means the use of his hand.) Here is another big mystery. Why was Michael Mick so far from home in Milwaukee? There were certainly closer military homes than Wisconsin. He also appears in the 1890 Veteran’s Schedule of the US Census, but back residing in Philadelphia again.

Michael Mick died under mysterious circumstances in 1895. His death certificate states that he was “found drowned” on April 28 of that year; but that is not the whole story.

Tonight I found a snippet of news about this event. I had missed it previously in my searches because it misspelled the surname as “Mack.” The news goes on to say that Michael Mack has been missing for three months and that his address is unknown.

Philadelphia Inquirer, April 29, 1895

To summarize my questions about Michael Mick:
1. How do our Mick’s relate to the Mick’s of Martha’s Furnace?
2. Why was Michael Mick in the National Soldier’s Home in Milwaukee?
3. What were the circumstances surrounding Michael Mick’s drowning?