GeneaBloggersTRIBE

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Quaker Cousins - Ruthie Joanna Albertson


One of Nathan Elias Albertson's 1st cousins was Ruthie Joanna Albertson, so she was my 1st cousin 3 times removed. She was the daughter of Alpheus and Diana (Moffit) Albertson. Both families came from Indiana to Hardin County Iowa around 1855. It was about a year and a half after Alpheus and Diana were married that Ruthie was born in Oct 1857. By then Nathan was 8 years old. I wonder if as a little boy Nathan was interested in his new baby girl cousin.

When the 1860 census was taken in Hardin County, the census taker chose to use mostly initials rather than first names, so Ruthie was listed as R. J. Alberson [the surname was spelled incorrectly] age 2 with her parents, A and D as well as her younger sister, R. A. age 9/12.

The census taker on the 1870 census recorded her name as Rutha J. Albertson age 12, again with her parents and younger sister, plus now she had a younger brother also, Ezra age 4. 1870 was the same year that Nathan Elias married 15 year old Mary Magdalene Hockett on 8 Oct 1870. Within the next 2 years Nathan and Mary had 2 children of their own, a girl and a boy. I would suspect that Nathan was very interested in his baby girl when she was born.

But I am sad to report that Ruthie Joanna died 7 Nov 1872 at age 15 and was buried at the Honey Creek Cemetery there in Hardin County. I have no information about her cause of death. What would Nathan and Mary have thought about this as Ruthie was just a few years younger than Mary? It is always hard to lose a member of the family, but sometimes it seems harder when they are young.

No comments:

Post a Comment