Ancestor Unbirthday - Abt 1815 - Ludwig Falk

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Yesterday I posted about my German gt-grandmother and today is her husband, Ludwig Falk, my German gt-grandfather. Most of what I wrote about her after their marriage would apply to him also. So what do I want to write today?

When was Ludwig born? I am not sure about the date which has been published in some of the on-line family trees, 5 Jul 1815. It could be correct, but I haven't seen the original source to be able to evaluate it. Where was he born? There are some entries in the on-line trees, but they don't seem reasonable to me.

I believe that Ludwig was married for the first time 2 Apr 1839 at the evangelical church at Grabau, Kries Wirsitz, Posen Province, Prussia (now a part of Poland.) Grabau was located about 30 kilometers west of Nakel where he married Anna Louise. His first wife was Marianna Kuss, the widow of Stephen Vinski. Their first child, Rosalie, was baptized at Grabau in 1840. I haven't yet found the record for August, said to be born in 1842. Wilhelmine was born in 1845 at Bielawer Kolonia and baptized at Nakel. Henriette was born in 1849 at the same location and both she and her mother died soon after that because Ludwig remarried in 1850.

When Ludwig was married at Nakel, his place of residence was again listed as Bielawer Kolonia. His occupation was kolonist. Wikipedia defines that as Colonist, person who migrates to a colony , a settlement in another country, militaryly managed by his homeland. I believe this means that Ludwig or his family were Germans who moved to Poland when it was partitioned to Prussia. A recent map of the area shows the village of Bielawy located about 3 kilometers west of Naklo nad Notecia (the Polish name for Nakel).

Research in a different country is difficult, so I am glad that Ludwig and his family immigrated to the United States in 1858, and it was there my grandfather was born in 1880.

Ancestor Birthday - August 30 - Anna Louise Boehm - 1832 - 1901

Anna Louise Boehm was my German gt-grandmother. She was born 185 years ago, 30 Aug 1832. Her birth place was in Josephkowo, which was in Kreis Wirsitz, Posen Province of Prussia. This location is now in Poland. She was baptized at the Evangelical (Protestant) Church in the nearby larger town, Nakel. Her parents were Michael Boehm and Anna Rosina Leu. The church record noted that her parents were not married. She was confirmed at the same church on 11 Oct 1846. By that time her father was deceased.

She was married to Ludwig Falk on 24 Nov 1850, again at the same church. He was a widower with 3 young children. We know that she and Ludwig had at least 2 children before they immigrated to the United States in 1858. There may have been one or more who died young.

Anna, Ludwig and the 5 children: Rosalie, August, Wilhelmine, Charles and Caroline, traveled to Breman where they took the bark Wieland. They arrived at Baltimore, Maryland on 22 Jun 1858. I wonder how Anna felt during that ocean trip since she was pregnant at the time. Their next child, John, was born in December that year, after they had moved to Muscoda Township, Grant County, Wisconsin. They sold that property and moved east to the next county, near Avoca in Pulaski Township, Iowa County in 1865. By then they had 3 more children: Leonard, Henry and Conrad. After they had moved they had 6 more children: Albert, Elizabeth, Ida, Frederick William, Theodore and Julius (who was my grandfather.)

Both Anna and Ludwig were charter members of the St. John's Lutheran Church at Avoca when it was officially organized 1 Feb 1891. A number of Anna's children moved to Iowa and two of her children, Henry and Ida died before her. Ludwig died 31 Jan 1899 and she was living with Frederick William and his family when the 1900 census was taken. Anna died 27 Jul 1901 and was buried at the Avoca Cemetery.

Rosa's Cousins - James Lester Shipman

James Lester Shipman was another one of Rosa's 1/2 1st cousins, so he was also my 1/2 1st cousin 3 times removed. James was the oldest child of William Lester and Elizabeth (Stewart) Shipman, born 9 Apr 1893 in Michigan. On his World War I registration James reported he was born as Vassar Michigan and on his World War II registration he reported he was born at Caro Michigan. Both of these were in Tuscola County, about 10 miles apart. Maybe he was born on a farm somewhere between them.

At the time of the 1900 census James appeared in the household of his parents as a 7 year old who had attended school. Also in the household was his one sister Gladys, spelled there as Gladdis, and his 65 year old grandmother Hulda Shipman. They were living at Metamora in Lapeer County Michigan. Lapeer was the next county south of Tuscola. His father was working as a farm laborer. By 1910 the family had moved back to Tuscola County, and 17 year old James was shown with his parents and sister in Wells Township. His occupation was farmer, working out. This entry was dated 15 Apr 1910, but he was probably the same 17 year old James Shipman listed in the entry dated 11 May 1910 in Tuscola Township in Tuscola County. There he was 1 of 2 hired men in the household of William Boardman, a dairy farmer. Then it was the next month, 4 Jun 1910 when James L. Shipman married Laura P. Frisbie. James listed his age as 18, (he probably was just 17) and Laura was 17 and had her father's consent. He listed his place of residence as Wilmot, working on a farm.

When he registered for the draft for World War I in 1917, he claimed exemption because he had a wife and 3 children to support. They were living at 779 Coplin in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Jame was working in real estate for Higgins Real Estate Company. For the 1920 census they appear to have moved down the street for their address was 671 Coplin Ave. James and Laura then had 4 children, 3 daughters: Maxine, Donna and Geraldine and 1 son, Lester James who was 11/12 years old. By now James was working as a mechanic for a motor company.

I have not yet found James in the 1930 census, however I did find Laura as the head of a household living at 14811 Lozier Ave in Detroit. She was marked as divorced. There were now 5 children, with the youngest, Wayne at age 5. The two oldest girls were working, Maxine as a telephone operator and Donna as a cashier for a theater box office. In 1940 Laura was still in Detroit at a different address, working as a hospital maid, with only her youngest son, 15 year old Walter W in the household. On 6 Aug 1942, Laura remarried to Leon W. Livermore. She died in Florida 22 Jan 1986.

James was on the 1940 census in Cortland, DeKalb County, Illinois working as a farm operator. Cortland was a small town as Wikipedia gives the 1940 population as 230. James had remarried to Alice Katherine Klemm 2 Feb 1928 at Oregon, Illinois. They had 2 children, Katherine in 1932 and Alice Marie in 1934. Alice Marie died in 1935 before her 1st birthday. Katherine was in the household in 1940 age 7, along with her 21 year old half-brother, Lester. When James registered for the World War II Draft in 1942, he was living at Maple Park in DeKalb County, but was working at Hammond Indiana for the Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company.

It was just a few more years before James died, 10 Jun 1945, at Tinley Park, Cook County, Illinois. He was buried at Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery, Maple Park, DeKalb County, Illinois. His widow Alice, who died in 1969, was also buried there.

Rosa's Cousins - Wendel D. Spaulding

If you have been reading this series about Rosa's Cousins, you may have noticed all those I have already done have been female. So for the next two, which are 1/2 1st cousins to Rosa, I plan to write about some males.

According to the Social Security Death Index, Wendel Spaulding was born 29 May 1903 and died Dec 1965. So he would have died at age 62. He was the son of John and Mary Jane (Shipman) Spaulding. Mary Jane was a half-sister to Rosa's father, Joshua Rodney Shipman. They shared the same father, but different mothers.

Wendel first appeared on a U.S. census in 1910 as a 6 year old with his parents and an uncle (Henry F. Spaulding) in Indianfields Township, Tuscola County, Michigan. Wendel seems to have been a late in life baby as his two older sisters, Nellie and Jennie, were over 20 years older than he was. When Wendel was 16 the 1920 census taken in January showed the family living at 243 East Grant Street in Caro in Tuscola County. Then Caro had a population of about 2700. I find it interesting that I was able to visit the Tuscola County Courthouse which was located in Caro. Wendel's father was working as a driver for a creamery and Wendal's occupation was listed as manager for a creamery station.

Apparently it was the same year, 20 Oct 1920, when Wendel was married for the 1st time to a woman named Ethel. This was shown on a divorce record which was granted 25 Oct 1928 in Saginaw Michigan where Wendel was living then. Saginaw was about 30 miles west of Caro in the next county. There had been no children from this marriage. It was a little over a month later, 1 Dec 1928 when Wendel married Lula E. Miers. The 1930 census showed them living in Saginaw at 2411 Deindorfer Street with one child, Donna M. age 4/12. Here Wendel's occupation was projectionist for the movies. It appears there were more children born to Wendel and Lulu, but it seems that this marriage didn't last because Wendel married again in Steuben County, Indiana 8 Jun 1937 to Irene Bush. Wendel and Irene were on the 1940 census in Saginaw at 1815 State Street, with 2 children in the household, Donna age 10 and Shirley age 7. Then Wendel was working on his own account as an operator of a gas station [and] parking lot. In the 1939 Saginaw city directory he was listed as an auto mechanic and in 1941 it showed filling station. But Wendel and Irene did not stay together either as their divorce was granted 9 Nov 1945.

It was just a little over 20 years later when Wendel died in Dec 1965. He was buried in Pleasanton Township Cemetery in Manistee County, Michigan.

Rosa's Cousins - Jennie Is a Mystery

The Shipman Family History listed one of Rosa's Cousins as Jennie Shipman (Conroy) Kelley. It listed her as a child of Lucy Ann Shipman Conroy who had married Patrick Conroy. Jennie was shown with a birth date of 1864 and a death date of 26 Dec 1926 and a marriage to William H. Kelley 22 May 1880.

I found a digital image of Jennie's death certificate from Michigan. The informant was her husband of 46 years, William Kelly. This certificate showed her parents as John Peters and Helen (unknown). What did this mean? Was Lucy not her mother? In Jennie's obituary, it stated that she died at the home of her uncle, William Shipman. William was Lucy's half-brother. In Lucy's obituary from 1914, it stated that one of her survivors was one daughter, Mrs. Jennie Kelley of Jefferson, Ohio.

What could the census tell me?

Looking at Jennie:

• In 1920 in Gladwin County Michigan Jennie and William had their son Waldo's family and a 92 year old man named John R Peters in their household. The relationship listed for John Peters was none.
• In 1910 in Ashtabula County Ohio the head of the household was their son Willie with his wife, Jennie and William and John P. Peters. Here John (age 82) was listed by Jennie's son as his grandfather.
• In 1900 in Crawford County Pennsylvania the Kelley household was Jennie and William and their 2 children: Wallie and Mabel.
• In 1880 in Ashtabula County Ohio there was a William H. Kelley age 26, single in the household of his parents.
• In 1880 in Ashtabula County Ohio there was a Jennie Peters age 16 in the household of John and Marion H. Peters. She was listed as adopted daughter.
• In 1870 in Ashtabula County Ohio there was a Jane Peters age 6 in the household of John and Helen Peters. The 1870 census did not list relationships.

Looking at Lucy:

• In 1910 in Clare County Michigan Patrick and Lucy were working in a household with their 13 year old son. Lucy was married 19 years, had had 3 children, 2 living. This would make her marriage to Patrick about 1891.
• In 1900 in Clare County Michigan Lucy was Lucy Conroy with Patrick Conroy and a 3 year old son Harry. Lucy was married 14 years and had 1 child. This would change the marriage date to about 1896. I haven't yet found a marriage record.
• In 1880, I haven't found Lucy. I not sure what name to search for.
• In 1870 in Tuscola County Michigan in the household of Joseph Shipman, Lucy's father, was a Lucy Bunsen, age 23. Some family trees have listed a marriage to a Bronson.
• In 1860 in Ashtabula County Ohio in Joseph Shipman's household was Lucy Shipman, age 13 and in 1850 Lucy was 3.

On August 23rd I wrote a post about Rosa's cousin Irene Chase who wrote her a letter in 1877 from Ashtabula County Ohio. In that letter (which I transcribed) Irene mentions visiting Jennie Peters. This very well may be the same Jennie.

Currently my conclusion is that Jennie was Rosa's 1st cousin and my 1st cousin 3 times removed. From the 2 obituaries, she was the daughter of Lucy and an unknown father. Patrick Conroy does not seem probable. Jennie was adopted by John and Helen Peters, whether this was a legal adoption I am not sure. As an old man, John was living with her family.

If anyone has more information I would love to hear about it.

Rosa's Cousins - Carrie Wright

One of Rosa's 1st cousins on her Shipman side of the family was Carrie Wright. So Carrie was my 1st cousin 3 times removed. She was born in Ohio 24 Nov 1864 to Thompson and Philena (Shipman) Wright.

The family moved to Missouri for awhile and Carrie appeared on the 1870 census as a 5 year old with her parents in Mooresville Township, Livingston County, Missouri. By the 1880 census they had moved back to Ohio, to Perry Township, Lake County. Carrie was now 15 and had completed the 8th grade and was working as a school teacher. She now had a younger sister in the household, Ettie, age 9. The census stated that Ettie was attending school. I wonder if Carrie was her teacher. Their uncle James Wright, their father's brother, was also in the household.

Carrie was married to Charles Reed 3 Nov 1896. She and Charles were living with his brother and mother in 1900, still in Perry Township, Lake County. Carrie and Charles' only daughter, Charlene Elsie Reed was born 30 May 1903 and was listed with them on the 1910 census as a 6 year old.

Before the 1920 census Carrie's widowed mother, Philena, came to live with them. Her mother died in Feb 1922, then Charles died in April of that same year. So Carrie and her daughter moved to the city of Painesville before the 1930 census. They were living at 41 Orchard Grove and C. Elsie was working as a stenographer for a health center. They continued to live there in 1935 and for the 1940 census, when Charlene E. was working as a secretary. It was about 2 months after the census was taken in April that Carrie died 29 Jun 1940. She was buried next to her husband in the Evergreen Cemetery in Painesville.

This is the obituary published in the Painesville Telegraph on 2 Jul 1940.

Her daughter Charlene Elsie Reed never married and died 15 May 1990 in Cuyahoga County Ohio and was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery where her parents were buried.

Rosa's Cousins - Shipman Family

For the past 4 days I have written about Rosa's Cousins from her mother's side of the family, the Chases. Next I plan to write about her father's side of the family, the Shipmans.

Her father, Joshua Rodney Shipman, had at least 4 full siblings and 4 half-siblings, as his mother, Mary Carey, died when J. R. was about 15 and his father remarried.

A family history was published in 1962 by the Shipman Historical Society, The Shipman Family in America, compiled by Mrs. Wayne A. Carl (Rita Shipman), Mrs. Egerton Crispin (Angela Shipman), and Mr. & Mrs. William Henry Shipman.

This history shows the following names for those who would have been Rosa's 1st cousins:

Carrie (Wright) Reed

Etta (Wright) Fobes

Ella (Brown) Adams

Jennie Shipman (Conroy) Kelley

Then it lists those who would have been 1/2 1st cousins:

Nellie (Spaulding) Dickinson Wright

Jennie (Spaulding) VanGeisen Howell

Wendell Spaulding

James Lester Shipman

Gladys Anna (Shipman) McDurmon

Alta (Sommerville) Bowling

I plan to choose 4 from these two groups and write about them over the next 4 days. Watch and see who I choose.

Rosa's Cousins - Lillie Chase

According to her Find A Grave entry, Lillie Mae Chase was born 25 May 1868 in Oceana County, Michigan, the daughter of Crawford and Mary (Johnson) Chase. Crawford Chase was the oldest brother of Lucy Jane (Chase) Shipman, Rosa's mother. He has been a little difficult to research. In 1850 he was not with the rest of the family, but as a 16 year old was with a different family, but in the same county in Connecticut. By 1860 he was married and living in Geauga County, Ohio, next door to Lake County where his parents were. The 1863 Civil War Draft Registration placed him in Crawford County, Pennsylvania in the area where his wife was from.

The 1870 census showed 2 year old Lillie with her mother and siblings in Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kansas, in the household of her mother's family. Her father was listed on the Mortality Schedule for Cherokee County as having died in February of that year. However he was also listed on the Mortality Schedule for Mercer County Illinois. Checking that entry it showed him listed from the household of his parents and siblings. It appears that both his wife and his parents reported his death in Feb 1870.

When Lillie appeared on the 1880 census she was with her mother and older brother in the household of Ralph Chase where she was listed as a daughter. Ralph was Crawford's brother and had apparently married Crawford's widow Mary. The household also included Hattie, age 6, the daughter of Ralph and Mary. They were living in Leroy Township, Lake County Ohio.

On 19 Jun 1887 in Lake County, Lillie married James Hulbert, a widower who was 20 years older than her. They were in neighboring Ashtabula County for the 1900 census with their 2 older children: Henry J. and Vira I. Their 3rd child, Reed was born in 1904 and the 3 children were all still at home for the 1910 census. James, Lillie, Vira and Reed all appeared in the Ashtabula City Directories for 1915 and 1918 in the rural section. However that was a little misleading because James died 6 Oct 1916 and was buried in Lake County Ohio.

Although I haven't found a marriage record, Lillie had remarried before the 1920 census, as she was listed as Lillian Vincent with her 15 year old son, Reed Hulbert, in Ashtabula County. I haven't yet located her in 1930 or 1940 censuses, but she died 29 Dec 1952 in Orwell, Ashtabula County, Ohio, with the name Lillie M. Turner so apparently had married a third time. She was buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Andover, Ashtabula County.

Rosa's Cousins - Irene Chase

Rosa's cousin Irene makes me sad. Irene was born about 1863 (the same year Rosa was born) in Ashtabula County Ohio to James and Sarah (Chase) Chase. Sarah was the oldest sister of Rosa's mother Lucy Jane. It makes research a little harder when someone named Chase marries someone else named Chase.

Irene only appeared on one census, 1870, in Dorset, Ashtabula County. She was 7 years old in the household of her parents James and Sarah along with her older brother Eugene, age 17, and an older woman, Esther Hance, age 70. Some researchers have assumed that Esther was the mother of Sarah, so have listed Sarah's surname as Hance. However we have the marriage information for James Chase and Sarah Chase from Connecticut.

Irene died just 8 years later, 5 Jul 1878, and was buried at Dorset Cemetery. I always find it sad when children die as teenagers. But I feel her death more keenly because among our family papers is a letter Irene wrote to Rosa about a year before, 29 Jul 1877. I will quote my transcription of her letter.

Dear Cousin Rosa,

I received your letter day before yesterday and was very glad to hear from you. Jennie Peters stayed with me last night she got a letter from you yesterday. We are pretty well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same. Gene [Eugene] took Hatt [his wife Harriett] up to her folkes yesterday to stay a week or so, so we are all alone. I have got a little niece, she will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. she weighes 10 3/4 lbs. I will send you one of my pictures just as soon as I have some taken you send one of yours in your next letter and I will send one of mine as soon as I can get some taken. Aunt Mary Chase says that you & I look enough alike to be sisters. I am 5 feet and 6 inches tall and weigh about 115. I went to a partie week ago Saturday night and to one last Tuesday night and I am a going to one next Thursday. I wish you was out here. I have got a new white dress and a calico one. I will send a piece of each. We got a letter from Aunt Emily Anderson the same time we got yours stating that Grandpa Chase was dead. We have got our wheat and grass and part of our oats cut. We had good crops. The grasshoppers are trying to eat our oats all up The grasshoppers are very thick here. have you got any out there. my school is out it was out a week ago last Saturday. I got the prize for being there the most days and whispering the less time, the prize was a silver napkin ring with my first name printed on it. I is very nice. You wanted to know where I went the fourth. I stayed at home in the forenoon and went over to Jennie Peterses in the afternoon. Well, I must close for the time, write soon as you get this. I thank you ever so much for your card, please send your picture you shall have one in return as soon as I can get some. I am a goin to go to singing school. It commences a week from next Tuesday. Write soon.

Yours Truly Irene J. Chase

Dorset, Ohio

Rosa's Cousins - Nellie Grace Chase

Rosa had a double relationship to Nellie Grace Chase. Nellie was her 1st cousin and therefore my 1st cousin 3 times removed. But also Nellie had married William Smalley, Rosa's husband's brother, so she was Rosa's sister-in-law.

Since Nellie was married to my Dad's granduncle, he always referred to her as Aunt Nellie, so I grew up calling her that also. She was one of the few relatives from Nebraska who came to visit us in Oregon and I always enjoyed her visits. She was fun to be around. Probably the reason she came to Oregon was not just to see us, but some of her children lived in Oregon.

Nellie was born 5 May 1872 in Henry County Illinois, the daughter of Wells Morgan and Sarah Jane (McLaughlin) Chase. Nellie was the 2nd child of 4, 1 brother and 2 sisters. As a baby they moved to Mercer County Illinois and when Nellie was about 12 years old they moved to Saline County Nebraska. It was there not long before her 16th birthday that she married William Smalley on 1 Mar 1888. She and William soon moved to Sherman County Kansas and they settled on a homestead. Later they moved back to Nebraska, first to Saline County where they were enumerated on the 1900 census with their first four children: Clyde, Lee, Floyd and Sarah Fern.

By 1910 they were living in Nuckolls County Nebraska with their 6 children, including the 2 youngest, Raymond and Maymie. These 2 were still living in the household with their parents in the 1920 census. I haven't yet found the family for the 1930 census, but in 1940 they were living in the city of Superior in Nuckolls County with no children left at home.

William died in 1944. Nellie lived as a widow for more than 20 years until her death 16 Mar 1965. They were both buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Superior Nebraska and have a double gravestone. One of their descendants shared a copy of the funeral program for Nellie with the family. I found it very interesting that the songs listed were ones which I have played for funerals myself: "The Old Rugged Cross," "In The Garden," and "Have Thine Own Way."

Rosa's Cousins - Sadie (Sarah) Jane Chase

Today I am beginning a series of posts about 1st cousins of my gt-grandmother Rosa Ella (Shipman) Smalley. So of course they are also my 1st cousins 3 times removed.  I found it interesting that the last 2 ancestors I wrote about, Isaac Norton and Stephen Scoville, were both 3rd gt-grandfathers of Rosa.

Rosa's mother was Lucy Jane Chase, so the first set of 1st cousins will be children of some of Lucy Jane's siblings. Sadie or Sarah Jane Chase was born 28 Jan 1874 in Saline County, Nebraska, to Luman and Lucy Elizabeth (Pratt) Chase. Sadie's father had been born in Connecticut and her mother in England and they had met and married in Illinois.

It was Christmas Eve, 24 Dec 1891, in Saline County when Sadie married William Otis Cogswell. Sadie was not yet 18 and William was 21.

Their oldest child Clara was born in May of 1893 there in Nebraska. Then they moved to Colorado where their second child Archie was born in Feb 1897. By 1899 they were living in Sherman County Kansas where William obtained a homestead. Sadie's cousins Rosa and her brother, Timothy Crawford Shipman, were living in that County also. The local newspaper, the Goodland Republic reported on 2 Feb 1900 that T. C. Shipman and family had visited at W. O. Cogwells Sunday. Two children, Edna and Charles Otis, were born while they lived in Kansas.

The Goodland Republic reported on 16 Oct 1903 that W. O. Cogswell had returned from a 3 months stay at Deer Park Washington and planned to sell his Kansas farm and move to Deer Park. He apparently followed through with this plan and their youngest child Ethel was born about 1906 in Washington. The family was listed on the 1910 census in Deer Park, which was in Spokane County. However another listing in 1910 showed the same family names and ages in Williams Valley, Stevens County, Washington.

On the 1920 census Sarah and William and the 3 younger children were shown back in Saline County, Nebraska. By 1930 they had moved to Oregon and were listed with the youngest son living in Veneta, Lane County. Around 1934 they moved to nearby Springfield, Oregon, and on Christmas Day in 1935, the day after Sadie and William celebrated 44 years of marriage, Sadie died from a stroke. She was buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery. Her husband William died 11 May 1961 and was buried next to her at Laurel Grove.

Ancestor Birthday - Stephen Scovill[e] - 1706

The 20th of August 1706 was the date my 6th gt-grandfather Stephen Scovill[e], the son of Stephen & Sarah (Champion) Scovill[e], was born in the town of Lyme Connecticut as recorded in the Barbour Collection.

Sometime before 1729 Stephen moved to the town of Haddam Connecticut, which was just north of Lyme. It apparently was in the eastern section which became East Haddam in 1734 because the Barbour Collection listed East Haddam as the location of his marriage to Rebecca Millard 16 Jan 1729 (most likely 1728/29). It then listed 10 children born to Stephen and Rebecca.

A family history for the Scovells compiled by Jennie M. (Scoville) Holley and Homer Worthington Brainard in 1941 listed 11 children: Stephen, Samuel, Rebecca, Sarah, Timothy, Henry, Srah, Elizabeth, Hannah, Irene and Stephen.

You may have noticed that some of the names appeared twice. The first Sarah died at age 5 months, so the next daughter burn about 6 years later was also given the name Sarah. Sadly the 2nd Sarah died at age 7. The oldest son was named Stephen. He died unmarried at the age of 22. About 3 months after the older Stephen died, a baby boy was born into the family, the youngest child, and he was named Stephen. He turned out to be my 5th gt-grandfather.

I didn't find a copy of Stephen's original will, but the family history by Holley and Brainard gave a summary of the will. It was dated 13 Apr 1778 and proved at Colchester 7 Mar 1780. So probably Stephen died between those 2 dates.

Trying to Transcribe - Will of Isaac Norton - Pt 2

Here we learn what Isaac is willing to his daughters.

Viz 7th to my Daughter Abigail Beck my will is & I do give the sum of

five shillings at my decease to be at her disposal forever.

8th my will is & I do give to my daughter Mary Curtis the Dwelling

house where she now lives together with the use & improvement of the

land upon which the house stands & two rods in width of land from sd house to

my well with the use of one half of sd well during her natural life

& also the sum of ten pounds out of my household goods at her disposal forever.

9th My will is and I go give to my daughter Lydia How the sum of fifteen

pounds to be at her disposal forever after my decease.

10th my will is & I do give to my daughter Anna Scott the sum of five

shillings at my decease to be at her disposal forever.

11th my will is and I go give to my two granddaughters Lusinda King and

Lusina King the sum of Sixteen Pounds to be equally divided between

them at my decease & to be at their disposal forever.

12th my will is and I do give to my Daughter Deborah Blakely the sum fifteen

Pounds at my decease to be at her disposal forever.

Lastly my will is & I do make and ordain my Sons Isaac Norton & Joel Norton

to be my soule executors of this my Last will and Testament and I do

hereby ratify and confirm this and no other to be my Last will and Testa

ment in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and date

within.

Signed, Sealed published and pronounced

and declared by the sd Isaac Norton                                 Isaac Norton { seal }

as his Last will and testament in Presence

of James Beckwith

Hannah ?earritt

Zebulon Peck Jr

Trying to Transcribe - Will of Isaac Norton - Pt 1

Isaac Norton wrote his will in 1782 and names his wife and nine children to receive bequests. He also tells more about his Christian faith than many of the wills I have seen.

In the Name of God Amen, this 22 Day of Febry A.D. 1782

I Isaac Norton of Farmington in the County of Middlesex & State of Con

necticut being advanced in years but of sound mind & memory. Thanks

be given to God therefor Calling to mind the mortality of my body knowing

that is is apointed to all men once to die Do make & ordain this my

Last will & Testament that is to say first and principally of all

I give and bequeath my Soul into the hands of God who gave it

trusting in the ______ & intercesion of the Son Jesus Christ as advocate

& Redeemer & my Body to the Earth in Decent & Christian Burial at

the direction of my Executors hereafter named nothing Doubting but

at the General resurection I shall receive the same by the mighty power

of God and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God

to bless me with in the world, I give & demise and dispose of in the follow

ing manner. My will is that after my just Debts are paid that the remain

ing part Shall be Divided as followeth:

Viz. To my well beloved wife Mary Norton I give and bequeath the use & improv

ment of one third part of my Dwelling house & barn together with one

third part of all my improved Lands Livestock and movable Estate

During the sd time of her natural life & all my household goods at her disposal forever.

2ndly my will is and I do give to my Son Silvanus Norton the sum of five

Shillings Lawful money to be paid out of my movable estate at my

decease to be at his Disposal forever.

3rdly my will is and I do give to my Son Isaac Norton Jr. Eight acres of Land

__________________________________Live on bounded North on

highway East on Reuben Hungerfords Land being forty three rods in width at

the East end & running west until it makes full eight acres which Land

I give to him for part of the Land that he the said Isaac has given to

my Son Silvanus at Norfolk & further I do give to the said Isaac

the one half of the remainder of the farm that I now live on which

is to be upon the North side of sd farm Extending from east to west

according to the _______ of sd farm together with the one part of my live

stock and the one half of my

farming tools & wearing aparel & Empty Casks at my Decease

to be at his disposal forever.

4thly My will is and I do give to my son Aaron Norton the one-third

part of my livestock at my decease to be at his disposal forever.

5thly my will is and I do give to my son Joel Norton the remaining

part of my farm that I now live on which I have not given to my

Son Isaac which is to be upo the south side of sd farm

including the dwelling house & Barn together with the one third

part of my live stock and the one half of my farming tools

and wearing aparel & Empty Casks at my Decease to be at his

disposal forever.

6thly my will is that my Sons Isaac Norton and Joel Norton shall pay

to my daughters out of my movable Estate at my decease in the

manner following Provided that I & my wife do not live to spend the estate.

Ancestor Birthday - Isaac Norton - 1712-1793

Isaac Norton was my 6th gt-grandfather. His birth to Joseph and Deborah (Cruttenden) Norton on 17 Aug 1712 was recorded in the Barbour Collection for Durham, Middlesex County, Connecticut. The town of Durham was formed in 1708. His marriage to Mary Rockwall, of Windsor, on 12 Nov 1735 was also recorded in Durham.

From his will written in 1782, we can see that Isaac and Mary had at least 9 children, 4 sons (Silvanus, Isaac Jr, Aaron, Joel) and 5 daughters (Abigail Peck, Mary Curtis, Lydia How, Anna Scott, Deborah Blakely). I was glad to see that my 5th gt-grandmother, Lydia (Norton) Howe received a bequest of 15 pounds from her father's will.

When he wrote his will in 1782, Isaac stated that he was of Farmington, County of Hartford, State of Connecticut. On the 1790 census, Isaac was listed in the town of Bristol, which was formed from Farmington in 1785 and was on the west side. There were just 2 people in his household, he and a female, probably his wife Mary. Adjoining entries show his son Isaac with 7 people in his household and his son Joel with 8 in his household.

The Hale listing of headstone inscriptions for Bridge St. Cemetery, in the town of Bristol, showed that Isaac died 4 Jan 1793 and Mary died 23 Nov 1791. The Find A Grave entry for Isaac gives the death year as 1797, however I believe that is a misreading of a very old gravestone. The Hale listing was done in 1934, so the gravestone might have been easier to read then.

I am planning that tomorrow and the next day I will do a transcription of Isaac's will.

Quaker Cousins - Rachel Viola (DeWees) Harvey

So far, for the Hartley cousins, I posted about the son of Rebecca's oldest sister and then yesterday I posted about the daughter of one of Rebecca's brothers. Today is a daughter of Rebecca's youngest sister, Hannah who married David DeWees.

Mary Magdalene (Hockett) Albertson's 1st cousin, Rachel Viola DeWees was born 4 Apr 1860. She was the 6th child of 9. Because she was born before the census date, she appeared on the 1860 census as a child aged 5/12 in Monroe Township Morgan County Indiana. Her grandmother DeWees was also in the household. Rachel is one of the rare people who appear in 8 different U.S. Censuses. The family was still living in Morgan County in 1870 and Rachel was shown as age 11 and had attended school.

It was in Morgan County on 25 Jul 1878 when she married Albert Harvey. Her name on the marriage record was shown as Viola R. Dewees. They were living in Brown Township in Morgan County on the 1880 census. Their oldest child, Byron, was like his mother in that he was listed as age 5/12. They were still in Brown Township for the 1900 census. Both of their 2 children were still living at home, Byron age 20 and Lucile age 17. Her mother Hannah, now a widow, was living with them when she died in 1903.

Sometime before the 1910 census they had moved to the town of Mooresville, still in Brown Township. Albert was working as an inspector in the car barns and Byron was living with them and worked as a farm laborer.

Then within the next 10 years Albert and Viola moved to Hendricks County Indiana, the next county north of Morgan. They were living by themselves in Guilford Township and Albert was listed as a farmer in both the 1920 and 1930 censuses. They were living at the same place in 1940, but their daughter Lucile Dutt and her 23 year old son were living with them. The 1940 census gives the information that Rachel Viola had completed the 8th grade in school.

It was just a little over a year later when she died 2 Jul 1941, and was buried in the Mooresville Cemetery in Mooresville, Morgan County Indiana. He husband Albert died a little over a year later 14 Oct 1942 and he was also buried in the Mooresville Cemetery and they have a double gravestone.

Quaker Cousins - Lydia Caroline (Hartley) Mendenhall

Another one of the 1st cousins of my gt-grandmother, Mary Magdalene (Hockett) Albertson, was Lydia Caroline Hartley, the daughter of Rebecca's brother, Norton Daniel Hartley. I find it interesting that Rebecca named her oldest son Norton and her daughter who was just 2 years older than Mary Magdalene she named Lydia Caroline. So my gt-grandmother had a 1st cousin named Lydia as well as a sister named Lydia. Lydia Hartley was my 1st cousin 3 times removed.

Cousin Lydia was born 15 Jan 1846 in Preble County Ohio to Norton Daniel and Deborah Ann (Jones) Hartley. Lydia was the 6th of 12 children. They family had moved to Indiana by 1852 and then to Iowa by 1855. The family was listed in Cedar Township, Lee County, Iowa on the 1856 Iowa state census and the 1860 and 1870 US census. Lydia was listed as Lydia in 1856 and 1860 and as Caroline in 1870. Also in the 1870 household was E. Mendenhall, a 20 year old farm laborer. Mendenhall was a well known Quaker name.

It was the next year, 8 Jan 1871, when Lydia Caroline Hartley married Evin Mendenhall. They soon moved to Kansas as their oldest daughter was born there in December of 1872. They were listed on the 1880 census in Crawford Township, Cherokee County Kansas and she was back to Lydia again. The family was found on the 1900 census in Harrison Township, Franklin County Kansas, with their 7 living children, 5 girls and 2 boys. Franklin County is almost to the eastern edge of Kansas and my gt-grandmother lived in Sherman County Kansas which is at the western edge. The Mendenhalls were still in Franklin County on the 1910 census. Lydia Caroline was listed as Line or Lina. Two unmarried daughters were still living with them. Lydia died there 15 Apr 1916 and was buried in Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas. Her husband Evin died in 1922 and was buried in the same Cemetery and they have a double gravestone.

Quaker Cousins - Thomas Clarkson Grave

Thomas Clarkson Grave was a 1st cousin of my gt-grandmother, Mary Magdalene (Hockett) Albertson. Thomas' mother Eliza (Hartley) Grave was a sister of Mary's mother, Rebecca (Hartley) Hockett. So Thomas was my 1st cousin 3 times removed.

Thomas was born 13 Sep 1840 in Indiana to David and Eliza (Hartley) Grave. He was the 7th child of a family of 11 children. He was listed in the family in the 1850 census in Wayne Township, Wayne County, Indiana, as a 9 year old who had attended school within the year.

On the 16th day of the 7th month 1855 a certificate was received at the Quaker West Union Monthly Meeting in Morgan County, Indiana, which included Thomas. For the 1860 census the family was now in Morgan County. His father was listed as a weaver.

The Find a Grave entry for Thomas states that he was a Civil War Veteran. I haven't yet found the evidence for that except he was marked as a Union veteran on the 1910 census and he was disciplined by their Quaker church in 1867 for military service, but was accepted back by them.

He married Anna Hubbard 15 Oct 1868, which was reported to the West Union Quaker Meeting.

Their first son, Caswell, was born in January of 1870 so he was included with them on the 1870 census age 4/12. Thomas was working as a farm laborer. He reported personal property valued at $3,000.

On the 1880 census, I hope the information was correct, since Thomas C. Grave was the enumerator. They were living in Monroe Township, Morgan County, Indiana. They now had a second son, Benjamin, age 2, plus a 21 year old nephew, Henry Wintermote, was living with them.

When they took the 1900 census, the two older boys had left home, but there were two more, Thomas born in 1880 and Floyd born in 1883. Thomas now owned his farm, free of mortgage. The two younger sons were gone from home by 1910 and Anna had died in 1908, so Thomas was a widower and there was a hired woman and a 14 year old niece in the household.

By 1920 Thomas was listed as head of household, age 79, with no occupation. Also in the household was a hired man, his wife and 2 daughters. It was in 1924 when Thomas died. He was buried in West Union Cemetery in Monrovia, Morgan County, Indiana. He and Anna have a double stone.

Some Falk Family Pictures of Children

Some of the members of the Falk family in Oregon lived in the Halsey - Harrisburg area. But there were also some of the clan who lived in the Salem area: Conrad and his family and Theodore and his family. One of Conrad's grandsons has graciously shared a number of photos with me and here are two showing some of Conrad's children.

This is Alice and Philip about 1905.

This is Leslie and Ruth 1915

He also shared a photo of Theodore's children: James and Dorpha, early 1920s

Tomorrow I plan to begin sharing some more Quaker cousins of my gt-grandmother, Mary M. (Hockett) Albertson, from the Hartley side of the family.

It's My Birthday

In 1940 I was listed on the census, in Shedd Precinct, Linn County, Oregon.

Time -- Sometimes it just takes time for results to happen

I provided a DNA kit from FTDNA for my friend who was an adoptee. She took the test a little over 2 years ago. Her nearest matches were in the 3rd to 4th cousin level and it was hard to find where any connection might be.

I also tried to do genealogical research for her with the limited information that we had, a copy of the original birth certificate. We thought we had found the birth father's family and had quite a lot of information gathered. We had a probable half-sister test her DNA a year ago and there was no match. Apparently a false name for the father was given on the certificate.

We were also doing research about the birth mother and had a good idea about her parents and grandparents. But we had not found any living relatives, that is, until yesterday. I read my e-mail that had come in the past few days and found a notice from FTDNA that my friend had a new match at Family Finder. So I looked at it and it was a match of 2nd cousin level. I did a Google search for that surname and found some individuals, living in the Marquette Michigan area. That was where we believed my friend's birth mother had been born. Then I got another e-mail from the match herself, wanting to try to make the connection since it was her highest match. It was also my friend's highest match, so with her permission I wrote back to the new match with a summary of what we had gathered about that family. It was wonderful this morning to receive the e-mail from the new match. Yes, they are 2nd cousins and the new match has pictures and information to share.

So, after 2 years from the time she tested, my friend does have a living biological 2nd cousin. It was good to have time to do genealogical research so we could supply the needed information to show the connection.

DNA testing can give us bad news and good news. We were sad when the supposed half-sister did not match. But now a 2nd cousin has been found.

Some Bond Family Baby Pictures

So far this week I have posted some pictures from the Smalley family and yesterday from the Albertson family, so today it is the Bond Family's turn. I really don't have a lot of baby pictures of the relatives, but do have a few.

This is my grandmother's, Florence (Bond) Falk, first cousin: Guy Bond, born in 1897, the son of Melvin and Fanny (Burton) Bond.

This is my mother's, Wilma (Falk) Albertson, first cousin: Clifton Stewart, born about 1902, the son of John and Ivy (Bond) Stewart.

This is my mother's sister: Violet Falk, born 1924, the daughter of Julius and Florence (Bond) Falk.

Fotos of Family and Fish

On Father's Day I posted some pictures of my father, Lester Albertson, and grandfather, O. J. Albertson, showing off fish they had caught. While looking through my photos I found three more members of the Albertson family who had been fishing. These are 1st cousins of my father.

These are the Slaight brothers, Raymond and Wesley, taken in 1913 while the family was living in Alberta, Canada. Their mother was an Albertson.

This is cousin Wilfred Albertson. I think he looks a lot like my Dad. 

Ancestor Birthday - August 8 - Sarah Chastain 1797-1875

Sarah Chastain was my 3rd gt-grandmother. She was born 220 years ago today. I have many of the "facts" about her life on my website. http://www.joanneskelton.com/p16.htm#i388

But in thinking about her life, sometimes I have questions. I know that she moved more than once. She was born in Virginia, was married in Kentucky, then she and her husband, John Bond, moved to Indiana, then Illinois, then Iowa and finally to Oregon Territory. After John died, she probably moved to Washington Territory where she died. I wonder if all of those moves were her choice, or did she just have to follow the men in her life.

Sarah was 18 years old when she married John in 1815. I expect she was glad that John was a member of the same church she was, the East Fork Baptist Church in Henry County, Kentucky. It was just a little over 9 months later when their first child, a son, was born. When they moved to Indiana in 1822 they had 4 sons, age 6 and younger. I wonder if Sarah wished for a daughter. If she did, she got her wish because on Christmas Eve, 1823, their first daughter was born. Eventually Sarah and John had 4 sons and 4 daughters.

I wonder if it seemed that time was moving quickly when their next to oldest son married a Bond first cousin while they were living in Illinois. After they moved to Iowa all of the other children married and soon Sarah was grandmother to a number of grandchildren. In 1847 her youngest son with his wife and 2 children traveled to the Oregon Territory where he was to work with the Baptist Church there as a missionary recruit. Would she have been proud or maybe fearful, or more likely both. It would have been a sad event when they learned that in 1849 he had been accidentally killed. Probably Sarah was glad that her daughter-in-law had family there to help her. John's father died about 1851 and John was named in the will. I have always wondered if that helped his decision to follow his two daughters and their families who had gone to Oregon Territory as settlers in 1852. Whatever the reason, Sarah and John and the rest of their children and grandchildren followed in their covered wagons in 1853.

Sarah had now moved from a state bordering the Atlantic to a Territory bordering the Pacific. It was soon after they arrived that they settled on a donation land claim. Their youngest daughter and her husband settled on an adjoining claim a few months later. The children spread out over the Territory, so I wonder if she got to visit with them much as the farthest were over 100 miles away.

It appears they were living in the Oregon Terrritory when Oregon became a state in 1859. John died about 1866 and it is probable that Sarah went with some of her daughters' families when they moved to Washington and that is where she died about 1875.

Treasured Memories From the Past - Photos of Smalley Relatives

Yesterday I included a photo of my 2nd gt-grandparents, John Wilson and Rachel Ann (Hemphill) Smalley, and their children. It was probably taken in the early 1890s.

Today I will show a couple of other photos that I have from the Smalley side of my family.

This is the Lafe Smalley family from about 1910. My grandmother is in the picture and she moved to Oregon in the summer of 1911.

In 1944 my gt-grandparents, Lafe and Rosa Ella (Shipman) Smalley came for a visit to Oregon. So the family who lived in Oregon got together and someone took a snapshot. I was sitting on my grandmother's lap and my Dad was standing holding my brother.