© Kathy Duncan, 2026
This is a mini-case study in why it pays off to research your ancestor's siblings. I know many researchers only focus on their direct line and ignore siblings. Siblings, however, frequently help break down "brick walls." This was the case in uncovering James S. Piper's parentage.
In an earlier post, I presented a letter that Capt. James S. Piper wrote from Monterey, Mexico, to his brother, Dr. John R. Piper, of Washington, DC. This is the only document I have found so far that links James S. Piper to any of his siblings. Meanwhile, I have found nothing that directly links him to either of his parents.
Dr. John R. Piper of Washington, DC, was a homeopathic doctor. When he died in 1871, his obituary was brief, but loaded with information:
Dr. John R. Piper was the son of Philip Piper of Baltimore. That means that Capt. James S. Piper was also the son of Philip Piper. Philip Piper died in 1860, and his obituary was published in The Sun:
Almost ten years after Philip Piper's death, his youngest son, Frank A. Piper, died in California:
Twenty years after Philip Piper's death, his unmarried daughter, Catherine Piper, died.
Twenty-two years after Philip Piper's death, his grandson Horatio N. Piper died. Horatio N. Piper was the son of Capt. James S. Piper, so this obituary indirectly links James S. Piper to his father, Philip Piper.
Thirty-four years after Philip Piper's death, his unmarried daughter Mary Piper died.
Fifty-one years after his death, Philip Piper's last known surviving child, Elizabeth Piper, died. Unlike her siblings, her relationship to Philip Piper is not stated in her obituary.
Capt. James S. Piper is the only child of Philip Piper's for whom I have not found an obituary.
Elizabeth (Powers) Piper, Plot Twist
James S Piper Goes to Philadelphia, 1876
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