Transcribed by Aryl Ann Bashline and published in the Western PA Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Spring 1988), pg. 29.  No copyright infringement intended.

From our family Bible, which originally belonged to my great-great-grandparents, Philip and Maria Catherine (Altman) Bashline, I learned their birth and death dates, and those of their children, plus similar information on their descendants.  Although Philip and Maria Catherine were married on 13 Sept 1849 in Callensburg, Clarion County, PA, by Rev. John Core, this was not originally recorded.  I am, therefore including below only the material from this Bible which was entered by Maria Catherine Bashline herself, and not records added later by other family members.

Births

Philip Bashline was born April 10th year of our Lord 1827

Maria C. Bashline was born Dec 26th year of our Lord 1828

Son born named John H. Bashline July 11th year 1850

Daughter born named Sarah J. Bashline March 12th year 1852

Mary C. Bashline was born Apr 5th year of our Lord 1854

Cyntha Bashline was born Mar 4th year of our Lord 1856

Susannah Bashline was born Mar 22nd year of our Lord 1858

Sophia Bashline was born Nov 28th year of our Lord 1859

Lizzia Bashline was born June 5th year of our Lord 1862

Hannah Bashline was born Aug 29th year of our Lord 1864

William born May 24th 1867

George S. born May 12th 1869

Charles born April 6th 1871

Deaths

Sophiah Bashline died March 12th 1864

Susannah Bashline died March 27, 1864

William Bashline died April 4th 1868

Philip Bashline died November 4th 1880

Seven of Philip and Maria Catherine Bashline's children lived to adulthood:  John who md. Elmina Grant; Sarah who md. James Johnson; Mary who md. John Taylor; Cynthia who md. John Mortland; Lizzia who md. Henry Pierce and Harry Hall; Hannah who md. Chas. Linamen; George who md. Sarah Elizabeth "Lizzie" Fye; and Charles who md. Harriet J. Bell.

Philip and Maria Catherine began their married life in Clarion County; they appeared in Piney Twp. in the 1850 census with their son, John.  By 1860 they had moved to Salem Twp. and, with the advent of the Civil War, Philip enlisted in Company A, 103rd Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers.  After his discharge, the family moved to Nickleville in Richland Twp., Venango County, PA.

Philip's health steadily declined after his Civil War service, and he died in 1880, leaving his wife to manage the farm as best she could.  Their eldest son, John, died about 1884 after a fall from a wagon.  Their daughters, Susannah and Sophia, supposedly died of diptheria.  The cause of William's death is unknown.

Maria Catherine eventually sold the farm to her daughter, Hanna (Bashline) Linamen and lived with each of her surviving children for a short while.

After the marriages of the children, they eventually settled in the Borough of Butler, the county seat of Butler County, PA.  The exception was Sarah (Bashline) Johnson, who, with her husband James and family, moved to Oklahoma.

[A] photograph was taken in Butler ca. 1909 when the Johnsons came back to Butler from Oklahoma for a visit.  Their tales of life out West must have impressed George and Lizzie (Fye) Bashline, for they later moved with their family to Oklahoma.

Pictured are Cynthia Alzina (Bashline) Mortland; Hannah Luquetia (Bashline) Linamen: Charles Leonadis Bashline; George Simeon Bashline; Lizzia Alwilda (Bashline) Pierce, who later md. Hall; Mary Catherine (Bashline) Taylor; Sarah Jane (Bashline) Johnson; and the mother, Maria Catherine (Altman) Bashline, who is holding the Bible from which this [above] record is taken.

Maria Catherine Bashline finally settled with her daughter, Hannah (Bashline) Linamen and lived with her until her death at the age of 92 in Butler, PA.

Charles L. Bashline, her youngest son and my great-grandfather, came into possession of the Bible.  He and his wife Harriet (Bell) Bashline were the parents of two sons:  J. Cecil (my grandfather) and Wade Bashline.  Upon Wade's death at age 77 in Butler, his nephew, James W. Bashline (my father), received the Bible.

From our Bible, and with the aid of various family members, I have progressively gathered more and more family material, not only on Philip Bashline and his descendants but on other branches of our family.

Regardless of the personal information, which the Bible provided, I learned something much more valuable -- the importance of preserving records for future generations and helping others do the same.