Marie Harper Found in Muncie, 1917

Goshen, Indiana Democrat
June 14, 1917, page 5

\

Marie Harper of Muncie,who disappeared from her home, was found at the residence of her aunt, Mrs. Lena Pierpont, in Muncie.

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Lena (Orcutt) Pierpont (1883-1958) was my paternal 1st cousin 3 times removed and the daughter of James and Samantha E. (Metzner) Orcutt.  She was also the mother of Dillinger gangster, Harry Pierpont.

Marie Harper's relationship has not been determined yet.

Metzner Sole Bidder to Repair Green Township Bridge, Jay County, 1899

Portland Daily Commercial
Portland, Indiana
September 11, 1899, page 1.

The only bid received for the repair of a bridge in Green township was that of W.T. Metzner, and some little question arose because it was not accompanied by a bond, an attorney being called in for a decision.

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This snippet of local news from the Portland Daily Commercial concerns Wesley T. Metzner, my paternal 2nd-great granduncle.  He was the son of John and Catharine (Young) Metzner.  His occupation in 1910 census in Portland listed him as a contractor, which would fit with this bid.  I did not see any follow up articles whether or not he posted a performance bond for the work.

Marriage License Issued : Samuel Hancock and Ida Davis, 1892 Monroe County, Indiana

Ellettsville, Indiana Monroe Citizen
September 24, 1892, page 1

Marriage licenses have been issued to the following named persons since last publication: Samuel Hancock and Ida Davis, David Wright and Martha Jones, John T. Burks and Emma Crews, Morton Fullerton and Minnie Woodward, Thos. Owlings and Amanda Grubbs, Jas. C. Polley and Susan Kelley, Benj. Miles and Nancy Buchanan, John W. Bennett and Agga Simmons, Elsworth McGlothlin and Frank Sears.

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Located another mention of the marriage of my maternal 2nd-great grandmother, Ida Davis (1874-1900) to husband Samuel Hancock.  A previous mention was found here.  I still need to write off for the copy of this marriage license.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Mary Victoria (Rieber) Schaeffer (1853-1883)

Mary Victoria (Reiber) Schaeffer (1853-1883) was Corinne's maternal 3rd-great grandmother.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.


1. Vital Records

     Mary was born circa 1853 in Indiana¹, according to census records.  Her christening record lists her date of birth as September 3, 1853 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana².

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          The State of Indiana did not require birth certificates until 1907, so Mary will not have a certificate.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               Without an exact location or date of birth, it will be difficult to locate any mention of her birth in local newspapers.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am unaware of any surviving family Bible records of the Rieber family.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one does exist.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               Mary was christened on September 4, 1853 at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana².  Her christening record has her name as Maria Victoria Riber.  Her father listed as Petro Riber and her mother as Elisabetha Schuhmacher.  The record gives her birth date as September 3, 1853.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

                There is no indication that Mary was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          I have not yet located a marriage record of Mary and Charles Schaeffer.  They should have been married circa 1872, likely in Evansville.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Without an exact date and location, it will be extremely difficult to locate mention of Mary and Charles' wedding in a local newspaper.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               Without an exact date for their wedding, it will be difficult to locate mention of their wedding anniversary in a local newspaper.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that Mary and Charles were divorced.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Mary died September 16, 1883 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana^3,4,5,6,7,8. According to newspaper reports, she was shot and killed by her husband, Charles. I do not yet have a copy of her death certificate.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

          I have not yet located an obituary for Mary, however, there were numerous articles written about her murder^4,5,6,7,8.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Funeral home records need to be researched to see what information they might shed on Mary's final arrangements.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Mary's tombstone in the Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana has been photographed⁹.

               A link to her memorial page at the FindAGrave website is here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 2, 1880, Mary was enumerated in the Charley Schaeffer household in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana¹, as Mary V. Schaeffer, wife, age 27, born in Indiana.  Her occupation was keeping house.  Both her father and mother were born in Germany.

          2.1.2. 1870 Federal Census

               I have been unable to locate Mary in the 1870 census.  I assume she would still be living in Evansville, as that was where her mother and other family members were living, but she was not living with the family.  Her father died in 1869, so they family may have split up.

          2.1.3. 1860 Federal Census

               On August 22, 1860, Mary was enumerated in the Peter Reber household in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana¹⁰, as Mary Reber, age 7, born in Indiana.  She had attended school within the year.

     2.2. State Census Records

          The State of Indiana conducted state census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1931.  These, however, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          There is no evidence that the Rieber family were anything other than city-dwellers.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          Not applicable, as Mary was female.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I have not located any records of military service by Mary's father or husband that would have made her eligible for these benefits.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable, as Mary was female.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Vanderburgh County, Indiana to see what records might mention Mary.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps in Vanderburgh County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what might be relevant to my search for Mary.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available for research on Mary include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records.  Will add these to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

Sources:

1. Charley Schaeffer household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, ED 87, SD 1, page 6, dwelling 57, family 68; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 317, page 452B.
2. "Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933," index,(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V2XY-Z27 : accessed 19 Apr 2014), Maria Victoria Riber, 04 Sep 1853; Christening, citing Holy Trinity, Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana; FHL microfilm 1433351.
3. Ray Bland, "Matthias and Elizabeth Schaeffer Miller," email message from Ray Bland to Travis LeMaster, 7 August 2010.
4. A Husband Shots His Wife article, Evansville Courier, Evansville, Indiana, USA, September 16, 1883.
5. The Tragedy article, Evansville Journal, Evansville, Indiana, USA, September 17, 1883, page 4, column 6.
6. Another Sunday Murder article, Evansville Courier[?], Evansville, Indiana, USA, n.d.
7. The Wife Murder article, Evansville Courier[?], Evansville, Indiana, USA, n.d.
8. The Schaeffer Murder article, Evansville Courier, Evansville, Indiana, USA, September 19, 1883.
9. FindAGrave Inc., FindAGrave (www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 April 2014), Maria Rieber Schaeffer tombstone.
10. 1860 U.S. census, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, population schedule, Evansville, page 165, dwelling 1225, family 1249, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 April 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.

This post was developed as part of the series relating to Building My 2011 Research Template, an attempt to systematically document and source the details of my ancestors' lives. Comments regarding this template and the conclusions drawn in this article are welcomed.

Obituary : Clara (Moulton) Metzner (1843-1899)

Evangelical Messenger
July 12, 1899, page 443

METZNER - Clara Metzner, nee Moulton, was born Sept. 30, 1843 and departed this life near Portland, Ind., July 4, 1899, aged 55 y., 9 m. and 3 d. She was married to Adam Metzner Nov. 13, 1864; to this union were born 4 children. In 1885 Bro. and Sister Metzner united with the Evangelical Association. They lived as devoted Christians until death. A son and daughter are left to mourn the loss of a Christian mother. The husband and 2 children preceded her in death. J.M. SMITH.

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Clara (Moulton) Metzner (1843-1899) was my paternal 2nd-great grandmother.  She was the daughter of Albert and Emeline (Philbrick) Moulton.  I do not know what church, if any, they were associated with before joining the Evangelical Association in 1885.

DNA : Dad's Ancestry Composition

Dad had his DNA tested with 23andMe as well, and here are the results of his test, using their Ancestry Composition section.

Here is the "Conservative" estimate of his genetic make-up : 97.1% European and 2.9% Unassigned.

These results were consistent with the paper trail genealogy, though I found the 0.1% Finnish interesting, as well as the 0.6% nonspecific Southern European.

Here is the "Standard" estimate of his genetic make-up : 99.4% European, 0.5% Unassigned and 0.1% South Asian.

Now where that South Asian comes into the family tree I have no idea as there are a few branches that haven't been traced.  There is a larger percentage of Southern European in this estimate as well.

Here is the "Speculative" estimate of his genetic make-up : 99.7 European, 0.1% South Asian, 0.1% East Asian & Native American, and 0.1% Unassigned.

The 29.3% British & Irish and the 17.1% French & German make sense considering how many of his lines I've been able to trace to those areas of Europe.  The 5.5% Scandinavian and 0.3% Finnish, as well as the 1.7% Italian and 0.9% Iberian indicate lines that I haven't established a paper trail.

The most interesting is the speculative 0.1% Native American - there is no tradition or evidence found of any Native American in my dad's lines, and the South Asian - which 23andMe indicates India or Pakistan is totally new to me.  Will have to see if I can get other members of his family to test and see what percentages show up.

Obituary : Sarah (Haley) Leonard (1862-1900)

Evangelical Messenger
December 5, 1900, page 779

LEONHARD - Sarah Leonhard, nee Haley, was born, Oct. 26, 1862, and departed this life, Nov. 20, 1900, aged 38 y. and 24 d.  In 1878 she was converted and joined the Ev. Church, her choice, and lived a devoted Christian life until death.  She was married to C. Leonhard, March 24, 1886.  To this union were born 7 children, all living.  She bore her affliction with great patience.  She was a loving mother, a kind companion.  When the end of life drew nigh she glorified God with shouts of victory.  Her last word to husband and children was, "Be prompt in going to church."  Truly she was ready to go and be with Jesus.  The deceased leaves an aged mother, 5 sisters and 6 brothers to mourn her departure; but their loss is her eternal gain.  Funeral services by J.M. Smith.

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Sarah (Haley) Leonard (1862-1900) was the daughter of Sebastian and Lydia A. (Rader) Haley.  She married Christian Leonhard.  Both are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.  I have not yet researched this family to identify all 7 of their children.  In the 1900 census, the family was living in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana with children : Mirlie W., Della A., Grace L., Hazel B., Orval R., Ina F., and William.

Marriage License : Clifford Doty to Fern Metzner, 1915

Goshen Daily Democrat
September 4, 1915,page 8.

Marriage Licenses :

Clifford Forrest Doty, 20, Elkhart; Fern Priscilla Metzner, 18, Elkhart.

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Found this mention of the marriage license of my paternal 2nd cousin twice removed, Fern Priscilla Metzner (1897-1917), daughter of Rev. John Metzner.

A previous post about her young death from tuberculosis was posted here.

I don't know much about her young life, whether they had any children, etc.

Obituary : Susan Jane (Haley) Haldeman (1844-1899)

Evangelical Messanger
September 13, 1899
page 587

HALDEMAN - Susan Jane Haldeman, nee Haley, was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, March 7, 1844, and died at her home in Morrow Co., O., August 30, 1899, aged 55 y., 5 m. and 23 d.  She was converted to God in early life, and united with the Evangelical Association, remaining a faithful Christian to the day of her death.  Nov. 27, 1862, she was married to Alfred Haldeman. To them were born 5 sons and 2 daughters.  She was a loving wife and mother, and a good neighbor, and will be sadly missed.  Her husband, 5 sons, 6 grandchildren, 4 sisters and 4 brothers are left to mourn her sudden death.   W.S. Mills

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Susan Jane (Haley) Haldeman (1844-1899) was the daughter of George J. and Rachel (Gary) Haley.  She was the sister of my ancestor, George Washington Haley.

The names of her children were : Vera B., George Allen, Maude, Christian E., Vernon J., Frank J. and Harvey Levi.  I have not traced their descendants, if you have any information I would love to hear from you.

Grandma June Gilliland Baptized

Elletsville Farm

February 9, 1911, page 1

Ellettsville Baptist Church News

On Saturday Night the pastor baptized eight converts in the baptistry at the Baptist Church at Ellettsville.  The candidates were Mr. W.E. Gilliland, Mrs. Maude Gilliland, Miss June Gilliland, Miss Agnes McNeely, Miss Helen Bauer, Miss Eva Buchana, Mrs. Mary Manors, and Master Albert Gillaspy.

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Found this notice while searching newspapers at NewspaperArchive.com for mention of my relatives.

The Miss June Gilliland was my maternal great-grandmother.  The W.E. Gilliland was her uncle, William Everett Gilliland and the Maude Gilliland was William's wife, Maude Nell (Arthur) Gilliland.  June was 12 years old at the time, William was 25.

William Everett Gillilland was the son of Robert Farrell and Mary Ellen (Swafford) Gilliland.  Mary was the grandmother of June Gilliland, and raised her after her mother's death.

This tidbit of my ancestor's life was interesting to find, and is also evidence that June was using the Gilliland name, rather than her birth name of Davis.  June was a Baptist later in life in Elwood, Indiana as well.

DNA : Mom's Ancestry Composition

Mom had her DNA tested with 23andMe as well, and here are the results of her test, using their Ancestry Composition section.

Here is the "Conservative" estimate of her genetic make-up: 97.5% European, 2.4% unassigned, 0.1% East Asian & Native American, 0.1% Sub-Saharan African.

This differed somewhat from my results by showing the 0.1% East Asian & Native American.  No known paper trail or family legend of that faint amount in our history.  If I were to guess, I would say it comes from her mother's side.

Here is the "Standard" estimate of her genetic make-up : 99.4% European, 0.4% Unassigned, 0.1% East Asian & Native American, 0.1% Sub-Saharan African.

This break-down has her at 70.2% non-specific Northern European; the 2.9% Scandinavian is interesting and represents ancestors I haven't found yet.

Here is the "Speculative" estimate of her genetic make-up: 99.7% European, 0.2% East Asian & Native American, 0.1% Sub-Saharan African and less than 0.1% Unassigned.

The 50.4% British & Irish makes sense considering the number of lines I've found that trace back to England, notice the Scandinavian percentage jumps to 11.5%.  There is a little bit of French & German there, too at 7.7%.

It would be interesting to see if I could get my mom's brother to test as well, to see how his results compared.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Charles Schaeffer (c1853-????)

Charles Schaeffer (c1853-????) was Corinne's materIal 3rd-great grandfather.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     Charles was born circa 1853 in Louisiana¹, according to census records.  I believe that he was born in New Orleans to an emigrant German family.

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          Without his parents' names and an exact date of birth, it will be difficult to locate any record of his birth.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

                Without an exact location or date of birth, it will be impossible to locate mention of his birth in a local newspaper.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am unaware of any surviving family Bible record for the Schaeffer family. Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one can be located.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               Without an exact location or a date of birth, it will be difficult to locate any baptismal record for Charles.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

                There is no indication that Charles was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          Charles married Mary Victoria Rieber before 1872, possibly in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana.  I have not yet located a copy of their marriage record.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Once I have an exact date of their marriage, will search out contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of their nuptials.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               Both Charles and Mary were deceased before their 25th wedding anniversary.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that Charles and Mary were divorced, though a thorough search of the court records in Vanderburgh County, Indiana needs to be completed. 

     1.3. Death Certificate

          The exact date of Charles' death is unknown, as is his whereabouts after the 1883 murder of his wife.  One possibility was that he remarried and died in Louisville, Kentucky.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               Without an exact date of death, I am unable to search for an obituary for Charles.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Once I have an exact date of death, will search to see if there are funeral home records of his funeral available.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

                Once I have located Charles' final resting place, will attempt to obtain a photograph of his tombstone.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 2, 1880, Charles was enumerated as the head of household in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana¹, as Charley Schaeffer, age 27, born in Louisiana. His occupation was listed as a varnisher.  Both his father and mother were born in Germany.

          2.1.2. 1870 Federal Census

               On June 17, 1870, Charles was enumerated in the Peter Schaeffer household in the 8th Ward of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio², as Charles Schaeffer, age 17, born in Louisiana.  His occupation was listed as a varnisher.  Both his father and mother were of foreign birth.

          2.1.3. 1860 Federal Census

               On June 26, 1860, Charles was enumerated in the Peter Schaeffer household in the 11th Ward of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana³, as Charles Schaeffer, age 7, born in Louisiana.  He had attended school within the year.

     2.2. State Census Records

         The State of Indiana conducted state census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1931.  These, however, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.

          No state census records in Ohio are known to exist.

          There are no state census records in Louisiana during the period they lived there.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          There is no evidence that the Schaeffer family were anything but city dwellers.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not located any records indicating military service for Charles.

     3.2. Pension Records

          Not applicable.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Vanderburgh County, Indiana to see what records might mention Charles.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps in Vanderburgh County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what might be relevant to my search for Charles.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available for research on Charles include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records.  Will add these to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

Sources :

1. Charley Schaeffer household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, ED 87, SD 1, page 6, dwelling 57, family 68; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 317, page 452B.
2. Peter Schaeffer household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, 8th Ward, Cincinatti, Hamilton County, Ohio, page 77, dwelling 367, family 648; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 1211.
3. 1860 U.S. census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, population schedule, Ward 11, New Orleans, page 253, dwelling 1795, family 1952; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 April 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.

This post was developed as part of the series relating to Building My 2011 Research Template, an attempt to systematically document and source the details of my ancestors' lives. Comments regarding this template and the conclusions drawn in this article are welcomed.

Wehrly Family Photos

Used my Flip-Pal scanner a couple of weeks ago and was able to scan some photographs from cousin Judy (Wehrly) Solms that were in an album her mother had made.  Her brother, Frank Wehrly had told me about the photos and we were able to spend an afternoon together. Frank & Judy are my second cousins once removed. The photos were glued in an album, and I was able to stitch the family photograph together.

Frank & Kathryn (Migron) Wehrly family
Back row : Janice, Paul
Front row : Judy, Frank Sr., Kathryn, Frank Jr.

Several other photos I was able to scan in full.  It was good to be able to scan these and then share them digitally.

 

Frank & Kathryn (Migron) Wehrly in Ft. Recovery, Ohio

Frank's parents were Alva Monroe & Emma C. (Yaeger) Wehrly.  Alva was the younger brother of my great-grandmother, Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMasters.

Alva M. & Emma C. (Yaeger) Wehrly

This photograph was of several members at a reunion in 1960.

Wehrly Family 1960
Hollis & Betty, Lisle & Cora, Frank & Kathryn, Norval & Mary & Grandma W.

These are the children of Alva & Emma and spouses.  Lisle married Cora Baldauf, Frank married Kathryn Migron, Mary married Norval DeLauter and Betty married Hollis Steen.

There are more photographs to sort through and scan, but it was nice to see these distant family members I had never seen before.

Tracing the Tree Up and Down

If there is one thing that working with my autosomal DNA results has taught me – it’s that I need to be sure to work my family tree both up and down. 

While the goal for most people pursuing genealogy seems to be working the tree up, as in “how far back did you go”, when working with autosomal DNA matches and trying to make connections it becomes quickly apparent that you also need to work your tree down as well.

For example, there are several matches that are 3^rd and 4^th cousins on my 23andMe Relatives page.  I’ve been working on contact them all, making a spreadsheet, trying to figure out where we match, etc.  The hope is that I can connect with as many of these new cousins as possible.  Because many of these matches don’t have a very complete family tree, working “up” it is hard to make a match to my tree if I haven’t worked my tree “down” because the surnames in our files never match.

Does that make sense?  How many branches of my public Ancestry tree (and my database for that matter) are simply taken back generation to generation with just my direct ancestors?  More than I would like to admit.  Yet those are the places where I am likely to make a match.  Rarely did those early American families only have one or two children – often there were a dozen or so – and that is where I need to do some work.

I need to begin to take my far reaching g-g-g-g grandfather’s family and work them forward as much as possible in order to meet in the middle with some of these closer DNA matches.  Otherwise, it will be nearly impossible to figure out just how we are connected.

Looks like I have my work cut out for me!

Gedmatch Cousin : Distant Match but no shared DNA

Cousin Dave reached out to me after seeing a match with the GEDCOM file I had posted at GEDmatch.com.  Though we are not closely related, and shared no DNA, I found it interesting to make another connection.

Dave and I are 9th cousins once removed on the Jewett and Parratt lines. Ezekiel Jewett (1643-1723) and Faith Parrat are my paternal 9th great-grandparents and Dave's 8th great-grandparents.  My line is as follows:

Ezekiel Jewett (1643-1723) and Faith Parrat

Francis Jewett (1665-1751) and Sarah Hardy (1673-????)

Samuel Jewett (1694-????) and Ruth Hardy (1699-1737)

Samuel Jewett (1725-1791) and Sarah ________

Sally Jewett (1749-????) and John Philbrick (1748-1840)

Joel Philbrick (1781-1846) and Sally Fox (1788-1868)

Emeline Philbrick (1817-1881) and Albert Moulton (1819-1864)

Clara Moulton (1843-1899) and John Adam Metzner (1840-1895)

Cora Belle Metzner (1868-1955) and Eli Weldon Haley (1866-1957)

(my paternal great-grandparents)

Dave and I also connect as 9th cousins twice removed. on the Spofford and Burpbee lines.  Samuel Spofford (1653-1744) and Sarah Burpbee (1660-1729) are my maternal 9th great-grandparents and Sarah is the child of Dave's 8th great-grandparents. My line is as follows:

Samuel Spofford (1653-1744) and Sarah Burpbee

Thomas Spofford (1678-????) and Bethiah Hazeltine (1682-????)

 Elizabeth Spofford (1715-1772) and Bennett Field (1709-1770)

Bethiah Field (1746-1807) and Seth Pierce (1744-1835)

Gordon Pierce (1773-1875) and Thirsa Smalley (1775-1861)

Francis S. Pierce (1806-1881) and Rebecca Page (1806-1893)

Edmund G. Pierce (1837-1875) and Catherine Groenendyke (1843-1913)

William Francis Pierce (1865-1950) and Clara A. Penisten (1869-1906)

Edna Muriel Pierce (1897-1968) and Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972)

(my maternal great-grandparents)

Both sets of these families were early settlers of Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts.  

Obituary : Sebastian Haley (1823-1900), Jay County, Indiana

Evangelical Messenger
September 5, 1900, page 571

HALEY - Sebastian Haley was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, March 1, 1823, and departed this life in Jay Co., Ind., Aug. 19, 1900, aged 77 y., 5 m. and 19 d.  He was united in marriage with Lydia Rader, Feb. 5, 1846.  To this union thirteen children were born, of whom twelve survive.  Bro. Haley united with the Evangelical Association in his boyhood days.  He was a subscriber for the "Messenger" over 40 years.  He leaves 12 children and his aged companion with a large number of other relatives.  J.M. Smith.

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Sebastian Haley (1823-1900) was my paternal 3rd-great granduncle, the brother of my ancestor, George J. Haley.  The names of twelve of his children were: Mary Ann, George, John, Frederick, Samuel, Amanda, Elizabeth A., William, Sarah, Rebecca, Jacob and Allie M.  I do not yet know the name of the 13th child, and there is much I need to gather on his descendants.

Sebastian is buried at the Mt. Zion Cemetery in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.

DNA : Eileen's Maternal Haplogroup T1a1

The results of Eileen's maternal haplogroup tested at 23andMe is T1a1, a subset of T1, which comes from her mitochondrial DNA.  This DNA is passed from the maternal line, so it comes from her mother, her mother, her mother, etc. all the way back.

The example populations of British fits nicely with Eileen's very European Ancestry composition results.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Nancy (Young) Lemasters (1812-1904)

Nancy (Young) Lemasters (1812-1904) was my paternal 3rd-great grandmother.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.
1. Vital Records

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          Nancy was born June 2, 1812 in Pickaway County, Ohio¹.  Census records and tombstone records consistently place her birth at this time and place^2,3,4.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               If Nancy's birth was mentioned in a local newspaper, it has been lost to time.  I am not aware of any surviving contemporary newspapers from the area.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of any surviving Young family Bible records.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one does exist.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               I am not aware of any baptismal record for Nancy.  The family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church in days.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no evidence that Nancy was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          Nancy married Luman Walker Lemasters on January 19, 1832 in Shelby County, Ohio⁵.  Their marriage license was the subject of a previous post.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               I have not yet searched out available newspapers from the time period to see if Luman and Nancy's nuptials were mentioned.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               Luman and Nancy's 25th wedding anniversary was January 19, 1857 and their 50th anniversary was January 19, 1882.  Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if any mention was made of anniversary celebrations.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that Luman and Nancy were ever divorced, and a search of the Jay County, Indiana court records did not produce any evidence.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Nancy died August 26, 1904 in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana¹.  I do not have a copy of her death certificate from the Jay County Health Department.  Will add this to my list of 'to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               Nancy's obituary appeared in the September 1, 1904 edition of the Portland Commercial-Review in Portland, Indiana.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Funeral home records might be available that would help in my research for Nancy.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Nancy's tombstone in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana has been photographed.

               Her memorial page at FindAGrave is located here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1900 Federal Census

               On June 4, 1900, Nancy was enumerated in the William Cunningham household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁶, as Nancy Lemasters, mother in law, white, female, born June 1812, age 87.  She was a widow, mother of 12 children, 7 of whom were living.  She was born in Ohio, and both of her parents were born in Virginia.  She could not read or write, but could speak English.

          2.1.2. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 7, 1880, Nancy was enumerated in the Luman Lemasters household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁷, as Nancy Lemasters, wife, age 67.  She was born in Ohio, and both of her parents were born in Virginia.  She could not read or write, and her occupation was listed as keeping house.

          2.1.3. 1870 Federal Census

               On August 3, 1870, Nancy was enumerated in the Luman W. Lemaster household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁸, as Nancy Lemaster, wife, age 57.  She was born in Ohio.  She could not read or write, and her occupation was listed as keeping house.

          2.1.4. 1860 Federal Census

               On June 4, 1860, Nancy was enumerated in the Luman W. Lemaster household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁹, as Nancy Lemasters, age 48, born in Ohio.  She could not read or write.

          2.1.5. 1850 Federal Census

               On September 25, 1850, Nancy was enumerated in the L.W. Lemasters household in Salem Township, Shelby County, Ohio¹⁰

, as Nancy Lemasters, age 38, born in Ohio. She had attended school within the year.
          2.1.6. 1840 Federal Census

               Nancy was likely the white female between the age of 20 and 30 in the Luman W. Lamasters household enumerated on June 1, 1840 in Salem Township, Shelby County, Ohio¹¹.

     2.2. State Census Records

          The State of Indiana conducted state census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1931.  These,Ihowever, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.

          No state census records in Ohio are known to exist.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          I have not yet examined these types of census records to see what light they might shed on the Lemaster farm.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          Not applicable, as Nancy was female.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I am not aware of any military service by her husband that would make Nancy eligible for pension benefits.  Her father, Philip Young, was a veteran of the War of 1812.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable, as Nancy was female.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Shelby County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana to see what records might mention Nancy.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Jay County, Indiana published a plat map in 1874, 1881, 1887, 1901, 1910 and 1920 that might be relevant to my search for Nancy.  I have access to the 1887 and 1901 maps, and need to see what information they contain.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records to research for Nancy include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records. Will add these to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

Sources :

1. Young, L.I.C. Biography of the Young Family 1759-1904, Fremont, Ohio: Fremont Printing Co., 1904, p. 50.
2. Lemaster, Howard M. & Margaret Herberger, "Lemasters, U.S.A., 1639-1965", Carlinville, IL, 1965, p. 195.
3. Luman W. Lemaster household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, Salamonia P.O., page 2, dwelling 10, family 10; National Archives micropublication M563, roll 269.
4. William Cunningham household, 1900 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, ED 62, SD 8, sheet 3, dwelling 48, family 49; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 380.
5. "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZVP-THV : accessed 06 Feb 2014), Luman W Lemaster and Nancy Young, 19 Jan 1832; citing Shelby, Ohio, United States, reference 64; FHL microfilm 562857.
6. William Cunningham household, 1900 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, ED 62, SD 8, sheet 3, dwelling 48, family 49; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 380.
7. 1880 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district 161, SD 6, page 6, dwelling 52, family 53; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 February 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
8. 1870 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Salamonia P.O., page 31, dwelling 231, family 234; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 March 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
9. Luman W. Lemaster household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, Salamonia P.O., page 2, dwelling 10, family 10; National Archives micropublication M563, roll 269.
10. L.W. Lemasters household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Salem Township, Shelby County, Ohio, dwelling 109, family 109; National Archives micropublication M432, roll 729.
11. 1840 U.S. census, Shelby County, Ohio, population schedule, Salem Township, page 101, Luman W. Lamasters, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 March 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.


This post was developed as part of the series relating to Building My 2011 Research Template, an attempt to systematically document and source the details of my ancestors' lives. Comments regarding this template and the conclusions drawn in this article are welcomed.