Parents Deny Their Son Shot the Sheriff

Located some more information in newspaper clippings about my black sheep cousin, Harry Pierpont, and his family.  Seems the family felt like the police were harassing them because of their son's involvement with John Dillinger.  They also claimed that he didn't murder the sheriff.

His parents were Joseph Gilbert and Lena (Orcutt) Pierpont.  Lena was related to me on the Metzner side of the family.  Will have to see if I can find out anything else about their tavern plans, I believe at one point they had a restaurant near Lakeville as well.

Hammond Times, Hammond, Indiana
July 13, 1934, page 14

PIERPONTS SEEK COURT ORDER

Goshen, Ind. July 13 (U.P.) - A court order to restrain detectives from following them will be sought by Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Pierpont, parents of Harry Pierpont, Dillinger gang lieutenant.

Their intention was announced upon their arrival here to open a beer tavern two miles west of Goshen.

Both expressed bitterness over their inability to escape constant surveillance.

They denied that their son is guilty of slaying Sheriff Jesse Sarber, of Lima, O., in delivering John Dillinger from jail there last October, and claimed they neither was acquainted with the bandit leader.

They said Pierpont was at home the night Sarber was killed.  He is under death sentence in the Ohio state prison in connection with the murder.

Military Monday : Nathaniel Durbin Chew, World War II Draft Registration, 1942

Working my way through the hints in the Ancestry database for World War II Draft Registrations, 1942 and located this registration in Kent County, Michigan for Nathaniel Durbin Chew, my paternal first cousin three times removed.

Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.United States, Selective Service System. Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Fourth Registration. Records of the Selective Service System, Record Group Number 147. National Archives and Records Administration.

Before locating this record, I didn't have much information on Nathaniel, who was the son of Nathaniel Durbin Chew and Margaret H. Heistand.  Nathaniel's draft registration card indicates his exact date of birth as May 2, 1877 in Rossburg, Darke County, Ohio, where the Chew family lived before they moved by the 1880 census to Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

Nathaniel was 64 years old at the time of the registration, and his nearest living relative was listed as Margaret Chew, of Evanston, Illinois, his daughter. 

Nathaniel's occupation in the 1910 census was given as missionary to Korea, and his employer listed on the draft registration card as Rev. Babbitt of the Courtland Circuit of the Methodist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.


Nathaniel was described as having a light complexion, white male, 5'10" with blue eyes and brown hair.

This draft registration provides a few more clues to add to my database.  Nathaniel was married to Nettie Trumbauer and was the father of three chidlren : Nathaniel, Margaret S. and Elizabeth.  

Military Monday – We all have ancestors who have served in the military. Military Monday is a place to post their images, stories and records of their service in various branches of the military. Military Monday is an ongoing series by Cindy at Everything’s Relative – Researching Your Family History.

Church Record Sunday : Beals Family, Westfield MM, Hamilton County, Indiana

Ancestry.com. U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data:Indiana Yearly Meeting Minutes. Earlham College Friends Collection & College Archives, Richmond, Indiana. 

My maternal 4th-great grandparents, John and Mary (Davis) Beals, were members of the Westfield Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Hamilton County, Indiana.  Quaker membership records and monthly meeting minutes are available at Ancestry.com.

The record card of the family states:

John Beals, born Ohio, 6th month, 26th day, 1827; son of Nathan and Elizabeth Beals; received upon request at Westfield Monthly Meeting, married Mary Davis.
Mary Beals, born Holly Springs, North Carolina, 9th month, 9th day, 1825; daughter of John and Mary Davis; birthright member of Holly North Carolina Monthly Meeting, married John Beals.
Mary A. Beals, born Westfield, Indiana, 3rd month, 27th day, 1859; daughter of John and Mary Beals; received upon request at Westfield Monthly Meeting, released by letter.
John F. Beals, born Westfield, Indiana, 9th month, 21st day, 1866; son of John and Mary Beals; received upon request at Westfield Monthly Meeting.
Nathan Thos. Beals, born Westfield, Indiana, 2nd month, 7th day, 1856; son of John and Mary Beals; received upon request of Westfield Monthly Meeting, married Elizabeth Powe.
Elizabeth Beals; born Whitelick, Indiana, 1856; daughter of Isaac and Hannah Powe, birthright member of Whitelick, Indiana Monthly Meeting, married Nathan T. Beals.
Pearley May Beals, born Westfield, Indiana, 1877;daughter of N.T. and E. Beals, birthright member of Westfield Monthly Meeting.
Maggie Beals, born Westfield,Indiana,  9th month, 1880; daughter of N.T. and E. Beals, birthright member of Westfield Monthly Meeting.
Ethel Beals, born Westfield, Indiana; daughter of N.T. and Elizabeth Beals.
Nellie Beals

Some slight differences discovered in this membership record.  John Beals birth date is recorded as the 26th day, while in the genealogy Chronology of the Beals Family, which he wrote, he gave his birth date as the 25th.  John was not a birthright member of the Friends church, although his father (Nathan C. Beals) had been one, but he had been disowned.  Mary (Davis) Beals birth date matches what I have in my database, her parents John and Mary (Barker) Davis had moved from North Carolina to Indiana.

Of the children of John and Mary (Davis) Beals listed in this membership, Mary, John F. and Nathan Thomas, I have just a couple of updates to my data.  The birth date for John F. is listed as the 21st, when I had it as the 9th in my database, without a source, so there is one correction to make.  Nathan Thomas was in my database being born on the 17th, without a source as well.  So there are two corrections/updates to make.

Elizabeth Poe who married Nathan Thomas Beals was a birthright member of the Society from Whitelick Monthly Meeting in Morgan County, Indiana.  Her parents were Isaac and Hannah (Mills) Poe.

The listings of the children of Nathan T. and Elizabeth (Poe) Beals is a bit confusing.  Pearley May Beals was my 2nd-great grandmother, Pearl May Beals, who married Charles Wilson Lambertson.  I only show three daughters in the family of Nathan T. and Elizabeth (Poe) Beals : Pearl May (1878), Nellie Myrtle (1880) and Ethel Mable (1885).  This record gives the birth date of Pearl as 1877, when I show it was May 11, 1878.  I show Nellie born August 30, 1880 and Ethel born November 27, 1885.  This church membership record gives no birth dates for either Nellie or Ethel, but adds a Maggie Beals, born September 1880.   Did they confuse Nellie's middle name as Maggie and have her birthdate off by a month, or could there have been another daughter, possibly a twin of Nellie?  Being born August 30th, it's not a stretch to think the date could be recorded as September, especially since the birth took place in Nebraska and the membership role was created after the fact.  More mysteries.

Not all of John and Mary (Davis) Beals' children are listed in this record.  Left out are Elizabeth (b. 1849), Emma (b. 1851) and Sarah (b. 1854).  I do not know if they were ever members of the Society of Friends.


Church Record Sunday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites.

To participate in Church Record Sunday, describe a specific church record or a set of church records held by a denomination and how they can assist genealogists.   This is an on-going series developed by Gena Philbert Ortega at Gena's Genealogy.

Surname Saturday : Bowater

The BOWATER surname is in my maternal line.  The origins of the surname are English, and the family was members of the Society of Friends (Quaker).

Stories and history :

Ahnentafel # 1857 : Sarah Bowater (1689-bef1787).  Sarah was born 6mo 17d  1689 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  She married John Beals (1685-ca1745) on September 14, 1711 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  John was born November 28, 1685 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  John died circa 1745.  They raised 7 children.  Sarah died 10m 26d 1777 in Pennsylvania.

Ahnentafel # 3714 : Thomas Bowater (1655-aft1750).  Thomas was born February 10, 1655 in Bromsgrove, Worchester, England.  He married Sarah Edge (1657-1692) on 8mo 4d 1688 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  Sarah was born in 1657.  She died 2mo 2d 1692 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  They had at least 2 children.

Ahntentafel # 7248 : John Bowater (bef1630-1704).  John was baptised April 25, 1630 in Bromsgrove, Worcehster,England. He married circa 1649 to Ann _____ (c1628-1679).  Ann was born circa 1628 and died April 25, 1679 in Warwick England.  They were the parents of 2 children.  John married 9mo 12da 1685 Mary Maunder (unk-1704) at London & Middlesex Quarterly Meeting, England.  Mary died 12mo 10d 1704 at London & Middlesex Quarterly Meeting, England.  They were the parents of 2 children.  John died 11mo 16d 1704 at London & Middlesex Quarterly Meeting.

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Fellow Blogging Cousin Lost

Lost a cousin and fellow researcher this week.  Paula Metzner, who wrote Linnea's Legacy, passed away from cancer.  Paula and I had corresponded off and on over the past few years on our mutual Metzner line. She had done some groundbreaking research that appears to have located the line back into Germany.  Her obituary was in the Kalamazoo Gazette.

I never had the chance to meet her in person, but will miss sharing information.  Now I wish I had shared more and made plans to meet her in person.  She was my fourth cousin once removed.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas !

He Left Town in A Hurry

Looks like I found more details on the alleged embezzler, James Orcutt (1865-1925), my paternal 2nd-great uncle via his marriage to Samantha E. Metzner (1857-1890) in the Farmland Enterprise.  Farmland is in Randolph County, Indiana, just south of Jay County.  Looks like after Samantha's death, James went into a bit of a tailspin.

James Orcutt, timber buyer, who disappeared suddenly from Portland, is said to be a defaulter for a large amount.  Several creditors are regretting his flight.  Among the reported losers are John Ebert, $200; Fred Bimel, $250; William Humphrey, $300, D.L. Adams & Co., $104; Leonard Franks, $100; Shannon Rhoades $950; and Orcutt's mother, $685.  The People's Bank holds $500 of his paper indorsed [sic] by other parties.  Mr. Orcutt is said to have borrowed money from his neighbors, and to have used his individual credit wherever it was good for a dollar.

Farmland Enterprise, Farmland, Indiana
March 24, 1893, page 4

I'll have some interesting court records to dig into in Jay County when I get a chance.  Even his own mother was left holding the bag.

James married in December of 1893 to Nancy Mayo in Delaware County.

Surname Saturday : Bloomfield

The BLOOMFIELD surname is in my paternal line.  The origins are  English, though I've very little information on this line at present.

Stories and history :

Ahnentafel # 2261 : Abigail Bloomfield (1630-bet1714-18). Abigail was born in 1630 in England.  She married Richard Stockton (1635-1707) in 1652 in England.  Richard was born 1635 in Malpas Parish, Cheshire, England.  Richard died September 25, 1707 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Abigail died between 1714 and 1718 in Burlington County, New Jersey.

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

A Resolution of Respect : John Preston Metzner (1872-1900)

More newspaper research led me to additional information regarding cousin John Preston Metzner (1872-1900), whom I've written about previously.  Seems that he was well regarded by those in his church, who published the following declaration:

Resolutions of Respect

Resolutions of respect adopted by Emanuel Union Sabbath school.

 We, your committee, appointed to prepare a tribute of respect to the memory of Preston Metzner, our dear beloved brother, who departed this life April 6, 1900, after an illness of nine months of unspeakable suffering, but which he bore with that humble submission of "God's will, not mine, be done"

Whereas, God in his infinite wisdom has seen fit to call from labor to reward, our brother, Preston Metzner, and,

 Whereas, from mutual and personal acquaintance, we mourn the loss of our brother and co-worker of the Emanuel Union Sunday school, in the great harvest of life; therefore be it, 

Resolved, That while we bow in humble submission to the decree of divine providence, we deeply and sincerely mourn our loss and shall endeavor to cherish him in our memory.

Resolved, That we extend to his family and friends our tenderest sympathy, and with them, mingle our tears of sorrow over this sad event which has deprived them of a son, brother and friend, and us of a faithful member.

Resolved that we sorrow not as those who are without hope, for the hand that has broken can bind.

Resolved, That these resolutions be placed in full upon the minutes of our Sunday school.  A copy be presented to the bereaved family, and also a copy be sent to the county papers for publication.

Peace to his ashes! Consolation to his friends and loved ones! And may sweet memories ever linger around the memories of Preston Metzner.

Respectfully submitted : Estella Prillaman, Nora Stoltz, Wm. Prillaman, Isaiah Weisel, committee.

Portland Semi-Weekly Sun,
Portland, Indiana,
May 4, 1900, page 3

Surname Saturday : Bonnell

The BONNELL surname is in my paternal line.  The origins are likely English, and this particular line was of the Quaker faith.

Stories and history :

Ahnentafel # 573 : Hannah Bonnell (   -1754).  Hannah's birth date is not known.  She married Jeremiah Haines (1713-1774) on September 6, 1736 in Burlington County, New Jersey. Jeremiah was born March 25, 1713 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  They raised 7 children in Burlington County.  Jeremiah died October 30, 1774 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Hannah died August 15, 1754 in Burlington County, New Jersey.

Ahnentafel # 1146 : Robert Bonnell (1675-   ).  Robert was born in 1675.  He married Frances Goodwin (   -1750) on October 16, 1707 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Frances' birth date is unknown. They had at least 3 children.  Frances died 1750 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Alex man was on Oklahoma at Pearl

[This post originally appeared on this blog December 7, 2008.  In memory of the Pearl Harbor attack, I'm re-posting]

Source : Anderson Herald-Bulletin, Anderson, Indiana, Sunday, December 8, 1991.

Alex man was on Oklahoma at Pearl by Jim Bannon.

When we put together our special Pearl Harbor anniversary section recently, we contacted some people in this area who were survivors of the attack.

Another survivor turned up later, and even though we couldn't get his story in the Pearl Harbor section, I thought it deserved telling.

John M. High is 72 years old now and lives in Alexandria. On the morning of December 7, 1941, he was a ship's cook first class serving on the battleship U.S.S. Oklahoma, anchored along battleship row at Pearl Harbor.

High has been in bad health recently, suffering two heart attacks and a stroke and his story was told to me by his son, Charles, of Anderson, who works at Delco Remy.

When the attack came, High was in his bunk, since he had just come off night watch.

The Oklahoma was hit hard. It caught fire and, though it did not sink, it rolled over. Many on board lost their lives.

John High managed to get from below deck to the main deck. Smoke and fire were everywhere. He jumped over the rail and swam through burning oil to safety.

His son says the one story that sticks out in his mind that his father tells of that day is the one about a Catholic priest. It seems several men on the ship were trapped by flames and the only way out was through a porthole.

The priest, a portly man, helped push 12 men through that porthole to safety. But when he tried to get through he got stuck and drowned when the ship capsized. "He saved those 12 men but he couldn't save himself," the younger High said.

He said his father never talked much about Pearl Harbor and World War II. He talked more about it after he had his first heart attack, Charles High said.

A twist on High's story was that his parents were notified their son was missing in action. High was from Rowesburg, W. Va. The message they received read: "The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you that your son, John M. High, is missing following action in the service of his country."

The message added that to prevent any possible aid to the enemy, the parents should not divulge the name of the ship he served on or where it was stationed.

Then on Jan. 2, 1942, his parents got the wonderful news that John was, indeed, safe. John High went on to serve the rest of World War II with the Navy in the Pacific, serving on several different ships.

He went almost nine years without seeing his parents, from 1936 to 1945.

How did he get to Alexandria? He met his wife while in the Navy. She was from Alex and when the war ended they settled there. High worked at Pierce Governor in Anderson for awhile and then joined Haynes Stellite Corp. inKokomo. He retired from Cabot Corp. (which bought Haynes) in Kokomo.

"My father is a very patriotic person," Charles High said, "He has a great love for his country."

Source: NARA Record Group 331, Muster Rolls of Ships based at Pearl Harbor, 1939-47, Oklahoma, BB 37, Muster Roll, 1941, June 30, image on-line at Footnote.com

[John M. High married my maternal great-aunt, Clara Ellen Wright- TJL]

Upgraded to RM7

Christmas came a few days early for me this year, as I downloaded version 7 of the RootsMagic genealogy software.  After watching the YouTube video on What's New in RootsMagic 7, I couldn't wait to try it out and take it for a spin.  I haven't even been using all of the features in RM 6, but am eager to dig into this version right away.

Notice the screen shot above of my database in RM7 and the yellow lightbulbs.  Those are the web hints from both FamilySearch (free site) and MyHeritage (commercial site).  The software API work behind the scenes to check out these databases and show that you have possible matches in the record to the people in your database.  

I'm really impressed with the way technology can be utilized to do the searching in the background for these hints.  Playing around on Saturday morning, I jumped from family to family, seeing what types of hints the software would show me.  I haven't added them to my database yet, but RM7 will allow you to add the sources and images right into your database!  Easy as pie!

I am not a subscriber to MyHeritage, but if I find that the hints are worth it, I may be adding that to my arsenal.  With a free site like FamilySearch having so many records  (and growing all the time), having the software do the hard part of searching will make adding information to my database a snap.

The data clean feature of the software will aid in cleaning up the names and places in my tree by eliminating problems such as invalid characters, same names as spouse, etc.

After watching the video, I'm also looking forward to using the web publishing, a feature from earlier versions I didn't use.  This version looks easy to use, and will allow me to upload and update a family tree easily that can be searched by others. This will be particularly helpful for my DNA matches, many of whom do not have an Ancestry.com subscription.

Surname Saturday : Berry

The BERRY surname is in my maternal line.  The origins of the surname are likely Scots-Irish and needs much more research.

Stories and history : 

Ahnentafel #391 : Mary Berry (1748-1828).  Mary was born 1748 in Virginia.  She married Samuel Nesbit (1754-1814), probably in Augusta County, Virginia.  Samuel was born 1754 in either Scotland or Virginia.  They raised 11 children and lived in Bourbon and Harrison County, Kentucky.  Samuel died before July 1814 in Harrison County, Kentucky.  Mary died October 28, 1828 in Livonia, Washington County, Indiana.

Ahnentafel # 782 : John Berry (c1700-1771).  John was born circa 1700 in Scotland.  He died in 1771 in Augusta County, Virginia.

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

What was he doing in Kansas?

Old newspapers are fun to research in because of the tidbits of information you will find.  I always enjoy the local sections, where the comings and goings of people both near and far are told - sort of like the Facebook of the 19th century.

This particular piece in the Portland, Indiana Daily Commercial regarding a cousin, John Preston Metzner (1872-1900) was particularly intriguing.  Why was he in Abilene, Kansas?  No known relatives were living there.

Portland Daily Commercial, Portland, Indiana
July 3, 1899, page 3

Press Metzner, who has been spending several weeks at Abaline, [sic] Kansas, has returned home.

 John Preston Metzner was the son of Louis Napoleon and Henrietta (Weaver) Metzner.  He didn't live a very long life, dying at 28 years old on April 7, 1900 in Bearcreek Township, Jay County, Indiana.

Perhaps he was in Kansas for his health.  I haven't yet researched the cause of death, maybe his visit was to a sanitarium.  Or, he could have been working out there or just visiting.  As yet, this is just a tidbit in the life of a man cut short.

A link to his memorial page at FindAGrave is located here.

 

Exploratory Data Analysis : James Austin Davis (c1850-1909)

James Austin Davis (c1850-1909) was my maternal 3rd-great grandfather.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          James was born circa 1850 in Indiana, according to census records^1,2, although it was also reported as 1851³ or 1852⁴.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               If James' birth was recorded in a newspaper, I've not located it yet.  Will need to check with local libraries and state archives to see if they have any newspapers from the time period.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I'm not aware of any surviving Davis family Bible that might record his birth.  Will continue to reach out to  family members in the hopes that one can be located.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               I do not know of the church affiliation of the Davis family.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no indication that James was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          James married Mary Ellen Swafford on July 3, 1873 in Monroe County, Indiana⁵.  Mary Ellen was born August 30, 1854 in Monroe County, Indiana. They had two children and apparently were divorced before 1880.  Mary Ellen died January 28, 1932 in Monroe County, Indiana.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of James and Mary's wedding.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               James and Mary's marriage lasted less than 10 years.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               Need to search court records in either Monroe County, Indiana or Owen County, Indiana for divorce record of James and Mary.  By the 1880 census, Austin was no longer living with the family, and Mary was remarried in November of 1884.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          James died June 12, 1909 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.  I thought I had a copy of his death certificate, but apparently have not sourced it in my database.  Will need to add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper records to see if mention was made of James' death.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Somewhere in my files I have the records of the funeral home who handled James' body after his death.  I thought I had sourced that data in my files, but apparently I have not. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               There is no tombstone for James. His body was sent to the Indianapolis Anatomical Board. A memorial page has been set up at the FindAGrave website and can be seen here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1900 Federal Census

               On June 2, 1900, James was enumerated in Cass County, Indiana at the Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane³, as James A. Davis, inmate, born 1851 in Indiana.

          2.1.2. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 3, 1880, James was enumerated in Clay Township, Owen County, Indiana², as Austin Davis, age 30, inmate, insane, born Indiana.  He could not read or write and had no occupation.  He was a resident at the Owen County Assylum.

          2.1.3. 1870 Federal Census

               On August 22, 1870, James was enumerated in the Lewis Walden household Stinesville, Monroe County, Indiana⁴, as Austin Davis, age 18, born in Indiana.  His occupation was listed as hired labor.
          2.1.4. 1860 Federal Census

               On June 18, 1860, James was enumerated in the Joseph Langwell household in Washington Township, Monroe County, Indiana¹, as James A. Davis, age 10, born in Indiana.

     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

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

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          No draft records have been located for James.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I am not aware of any military service by James or his father that would make him eligible to receive military pension benefits.

     3.3. Service Records

          No service records have been located for James.  He was too young for the Civil War, and by the Spanish-American War was in an asylum.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Owen and Monroe Counties, Indiana to see what records might mention James.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps of Owen and Monroe Counties, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information might be relevant to my search for James.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available for research on James 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. Joseph Langwell household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Washington Township, Monroe County, Indiana, page 14, dwelling 46, family 46; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 282, page 687.
2. Owen County Assylum, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Clay Township, Owen County, Indiana, ED 259, SD 4, dwelling 28, family 28; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 303.
3. Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane, 1900 U.S. census, Cass County, Indiana, population schedule, Clinton Township, ED 131, SD 11, sheet 3; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 362.
4. Lewis Walden household, 1870 U.S. census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Bean Blossom Township, page 1, dweling 1, family 1; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 344.
5. Monroe County, Indiana Marriage Records, Book 5, page 442.


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.

Marriage Record : Hannah Lemasters to Joel Brandenburg, Shelby County, Ohio, 1853

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZZQ-JYR : accessed 02 Dec 2014), Joel Brandenburg and Hannah Limasters, 05 Jun 1853; citing Shelby, Ohio, United States, reference vo13 p355 No2; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 562858.

Joel Brandenburg

Hannah Limasters

June 4, 1853

The State of Ohio, Shelby County, ss

I certify that I have this day solemnized the marriage of Joel Brandenburg with Hannah Limasters.

Witness my hand this 5th day of June A.D. 1853

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Located this marriage record of Hannah Lemasters (spelled Limasters in the record) and Joel Brandenburg in Shelby County, Ohio.  This was one of the various Lemasters marriage records I've located at Familysearch.

Believe that this Hannah was the daughter of Lemuel Quinn & Hannah (Allbright) Lemasters.  She would be about the right age.  Will need to do some additional digging to confirm.

Lost Money : Wesley T. Metzner (1889), Jay County, Indiana

Portland Commercial, Portland, Indiana
August 22, 1889, page 5

LOST - On Tuesday, Aug. 6th, between Westchester and Burt Lewis' by way of the township-line road, a buckskin pocket-book containing some money.  Finder will be liberally rewarded by returning to this office.  W.T. METZNER.

---

Wesley T. Metzner was a contractor and the brother of my paternal 2nd-great grandfather, John Adam Metzner.  I wonder if he ever recovered this money and exactly how much was lost.

In the 1900 census, Wesley was living in Wayne Township, Jay County, Indiana and owned his home free of any mortgage.  Westchester is an unincorporated community in nearby Bearcreek township that had its own post office from 1854 to 1904.  Several members of the Metzner family were living in and around this area through the years.

DNA : Mom's Cousin Linda

Corresponding recently with mom's DNA match, Linda, with whom I share no DNA.  Linda matches mom on only one segment, chromosome 1, and is predicted to be a 3rd to 6th cousin, according to 23andMe.

When I contacted Linda and shared my family tree at Ancestry, she wrote back and thought that we might be related on the Caldwell line.  Linda sent me a link to her Ancestry tree as well.  Her Caldwell line comes from Andrew Caldwell who died 1759 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Mom's line, however, comes from an Andrew Caldwell who died 1758 in Frederick County, Virginia.  While there might be a connection further back, this did not appear to be where we connected.

Looking at Linda's tree, I discovered that she had a branch that ended with Ruth Hunt (1745-1767) who married Thomas Thornburgh (1743-1788).  Her Ruth Hunt was born 1745 in Loudon County, Virginia and died January 20, 1767 in Rowan County, North Carolina.  This matches up with the Quaker relative of my mother, Ruth Hunt, daughter of Thomas Hunt (1723-1763) and Ann Beals (1720-1790), members of the New Garden MM, Society of Friends.  Ann Beals was the daughter of John Beals (1685-1745) and Sarah Bowater (1689-bef1767), my mother's 7th-great grandparents.

If this is the connection, it would make Linda and mom 8th cousins twice removed.  The DNA recombination might be a bit higher because I noticed that Linda had Osborn relatives as well, and mom has Quaker Osborn ancestors as well.

I've sent Linda some information today and I'm hoping we can continue the discussion to confirm the connections.

My Mayflower Connection

With today being Thanksgiving, several Geneabloggers have been participating in the meme of listing their Mayflower ancestors.  I discovered a couple of years ago that my family has a direct connection to the Mayflower through the Hopkins line.  I'd appreciate any additions/corrections to this line.

1. Stephen Hopkins (1581-1644) and wife Mary (  -1613).
2. Constance Hopkins (1606-1677) and Nicholas Snow (1598-1676)
3. John Snow (1638-1703) and Mary Smalley (1647-1703)
4. Rebecca Snow (1676-1753) and Benjamin Smalley (1664-1721)
5. Joseph Smalley (1712-1783) and Jemima Ordway
6. Francis Smalley (1744-1811) and Sarah Hutchinson (1750-1780)
7. Thirsa Smalley (1771-1861) and Gordon Pierce (1773-1865)
8. Francis S. Pierce (1806-1881) and Rebecca Page (1806-1893)
9. Edmund G. Pierce (1837-1875) and Catherine Groenendyke (1843-1913)
10. William Francis Pierce (1865-1950) and Clara A. Penisten (1869-1906)
11. Edna Muriel Pierce (1897-1968) and Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972)
12. William Lee Wright (1919-1973) and Bonnie Mae Lambertson (1924-1984)
13. My mother
14. Me

Stephen Hopkins has an interesting story, his page at Wikipedia gives more detail.  Apparently, he was previously shipwrecked in Bermuda, and was the inspiration for Shakespeare's The Tempest.  Tried for treason, found guilty and sentenced to hang, sounds like my kind of ancestor.

Funeral Record : Catherine Metzner (1819-1910), Jay County, Indiana

Baird & Hardy Funeral Home Records, Jay County, Indiana, 1909-1911

Located the funeral record of Catherine (Young) Metzner (1819-1910), my paternal 3rd-great grandmother, while at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne recently.  Catherine was the daughter of Nicholas and Salome Young and the wife of John Metzner (1805-1888).

According to the record, her death occurred at Rome City, Indiana on June 22nd. This matches the facts I'd already discovered through her obituary.  She was living at the home of her daughter, Mary A. (Metzner) Huey, at the time of her death.

According to the record, she was 91 years old.  The funeral was held at 2 p.m. at Mt. Zion church and interment at Mt. Zion cemetery on June 24th. 

No other pertinent details found, nor did it name the informant.

This book is shelved at the library at Gc 977.201 J33scb 1909-11.

Will Abstract : Lewis Bland (1870) Shelby County, Ohio

Shelby County Ohio Will Abstracts Book 2 1869-1881, Shelby County Genealogical Society, Sidney, Ohio, 1999

page 24 LEWIS BLAND  9 Apr 1866  21 Apr 1870 (A-1872)

Of Jackson Tp.  Mentions wife (not named); son Geo. W. BLAND; dau Jane CLATON; the heirs of son Rolla BLAND; step sons Wm. F. & David SMITH.  Wit. William A. JONES John N.W. KIRTLEY 

Located this will abstract of Lewis Bland while at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne recently.  Lewis was the husband of Martha Lemasters (1799-1844), who was the daughter of Jacob and Hannah (____) Lemasters, making Lewis my paternal 3rd-great granduncle.

The will was dated April 9, 1866 and probated April 21, 1870.  I don't have an exact date of death for Lewis, but it must have been before April 21.  

The naming of at least three children George W., Jane and Rolla will give me more potential relatives to search.  I've not looked into the Bland family to trace the line forward.  They might have more information on my early Lemasters.  Apparently Lewis did remarry after Martha's death.  My sources say Lewis was born in 1799 in Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky.  He is buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Jackson Center, Shelby County, Ohio.

Notice that the Claton surname comes back up again, this Jane (Bland) Claton might have been married to a member of the Claton family who married into the Lemasters as well.

I will be looking online at FamilySearch for the original records to see what else I can find about this probate file.

Funeral Record : John P. Wehrly (1838-1909) Jay County, Indiana

Baird & Hardy Funeral Home Records,  Jay County, Indiana 1909-1911

Located the funeral record of John P. Wehrly (1838-1909) while at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne recently.  John was my paternal 2nd-great granduncle, the son of Johannes "John S." and Barbara (Petry) Wehrly.   John was married to Catherine E. Lemasters (1840-1911), the daughter of Rev. Luman Walker and Nancy (Young) Lemasters.

According to this funeral record, John P. Wehrly was born in Pennsylvania on August 28, 1838.  While his father was born in Pennsylvania, census and other records indicate that he was born in Preble County, Ohio.  His date of death December 13, 1909 in South Portland.  I did not have the exact date of death, so know I can look for an obituary and his death certificate.

The record lists his age as 71 years, 3 months and 16 days.  The attending physician was Dr. Paddock and his funeral services were held at Salamonia on December 15th.

The name of the informant was not given, but was likely his wife Catherine.

This book was located on the shelves at Gc 977.201 J33scb 1909-11.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Mary Ellen (Swafford) Davis Gilliland (1854-1932)

Mary Ellen (Swafford) Davis Gilliland (1854-1932) was my maternal 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

            Mary Ellen was born August 30, 1854 near Stinesville, Monroe County, Indiana.  The 1900 census lists her birth as August 1854 in Indiana¹.  The State of Indiana did not require birth certificates until 1907.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

                If Mary Ellen's birth has been recorded in a newspaper, I have not yet located it.  Will need to check with local libraries and state archives to see if they have newspapers from the time period.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of a Swafford family Bible might record her birth.  Will continue to reach out to extended family members in hopes that one can be located.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               I do not know of the church affiliation of the Swafford family.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no indication that Mary Ellen was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License 

          Mary Ellen married James Austin Davis on July 3, 1873 in Monroe County, Indiana².  James was born circa 1850 in Indiana.  They had two children.  They apparently divorced before 1880.  James died June 12, 1909 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

          Mary married Robert Farrell Gilliland on November 15, 1884 in Monroe County, Indiana.  Robert was born November 27, 1849 in Pulaski County, Kentucky.  They raised two children in Monroe County, Indiana.  Robert died August 4, 1916 in Whitehall, Owen County, Indiana.  I need to obtain a copy of their marriage license.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention is made of either of Mary's marriages.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               Mary Ellen and Robert's 25th wedding anniversary would have been November 15, 1909.  Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if any mention was made of any anniversary celebrations.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               Will need to search court records in Owen County, Indiana to see if a record can be located relating to Mary Ellen and Austin Davis' divorce.  In the 1880 census of Owen County,  Mary Ellen was living back with her father, and Austin was a resident of the county asylum. 

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Mary Ellen died January 28, 1932 near Dolan, Monroe County, Indiana.  The cause of her death was uremic poisoning.  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

                Will need to search contemporary newspaper account to see if Mary's death was mentioned.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

                Will need to search the local historical society to see if they have copies of funeral home records to see if I can learn anything about the arrangements for Mary.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Mary Ellen's tombstone in Methodist Cemetery in Ellettsville, Monroe County, Indiana has been photographed³.  A link to her memorial page at FindAGrave is located here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1930 Federal Census

                On April 28, 1930, Mary Ellen was enumerated in the Peter W. Decker household in Montgomery County, Indiana³, as Mary Gilliland, grandmother, female, age 75, widow.  She was born in Indiana, her father was born in Ohio and her mother born in Indiana.  She could read and write and spoke English.

          2.1.2. 1920 Federal Census

               I have not yet located Mary in the 1920 U.S. census.

          2.1.3. 1910 Federal Census

               On May 3, 1910, Mary Ellen was enumerated in Robert F. Gilliland household in Richland Township, Monroe County, Indiana⁴, as Mary E. Gilliland, wife, age 55, married 25 years. She was the mother of 4 children, 3 of whom were still living.  She was born in Indiana and both her parents were born in Indiana.  She could read and write and spoke English.

          2.1.4. 1900 Federal Census

               On June 9, 1900, Mary Ellen was enumerated in the Robert Gilliland household in Clay Township, Owen County, Indiana⁵, as Mary Gilliland, wife, age 45, born August 1854.  She had been married for 16 years and was the mother of 4 children, all living.  She was born in Indiana and both of her parents were born in Indiana.  She could read and write and spoke English.

          2.1.5. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 14, 1880, Mary Ellen was enumerated in the Peter Swafford household in Washington Township, Owen County, Indiana⁶, as Ellen Swafford, daughter, age 24, single.  She was born in Indiana and both of her parents were born in Tennessee.

          2.1.6. 1870 Federal Census

               On July 8, 1870, Mary Ellen was enumerated in the Peter Swaford household in Franklin Township, Owen County, Indiana⁷, as Mary Swaford, age 15, housekeeper, born in Indiana.

     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

          I have not examined these types of census records to see what light they might shed on the Swafford and Gilliland families.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

           Not applicable, as Mary Ellen was female.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I am not aware of any military service by either Mary Ellen's father or husbands that would qualify her for a military pension.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable, as Mary Ellen was female.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

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

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps in Owen and Monroe Counties, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information might be relevant to my search for Mary Ellen.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available for research on Mary Ellen 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. Robert Gilliland household, 1900 U.S. census, Owen County, Indiana, population schedule, Clay Township, ED 106, SD 2, sheet 4, dwelling 92, family 93, National Archives micropublication T623, roll 396.
2. Monroe County, Indiana Marriage Records, Book 5, page 442.
3. Peter W. Decker household, 1930 U.S. census, Montgomery County, Indiana, USA (Brown Township); ED 54-3, SD 6, sheet 8B, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
4. Robert F. Gilliland household, 1910 U.S. census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Richland Township, ED 40, SD 2, sheet 2, dwelling 289, family 296, National Archives micropublication T624, roll 371.
5. Robert Gilliland household, 1900 U.S. census, Owen County, Indiana, population schedule, Clay Township, ED 106, SD 2, sheet 4, dwelling 92, family 93, National Archives micropublication T623, roll 396.
6. Peter Swafford household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Washington Township, Owen County, Indiana, ED 251, SD 25, page 12, dwelling 112, family 112; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 303, page 284.
7. Peter Swaford household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Franklin Township, Owen County, Indiana, page 24, Deem P.O., dwelling 163, family 163; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 348, page 206.

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.