Exploratory Data Analysis : Edmund G. Pierce (1837-1875)

Edmund G. Pierce (1837-1875) was my maternal 3rd-great grandfather.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     Edmund was born April 30, 1837¹ in Wayne County, Indiana.  

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          The State of Indiana did not require birth certificates at this time.  

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

                If Edmund's birth was mentioned in a local newspaper, it has been lost to time.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of any surviving family Bible that would record the birth of Edmund.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one can be located.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               I am not aware of any bapitsmal record for Edmund, nor the church affiliation of the family at the time.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for future research trips.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

                There is no indication that Edmund was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          Edmund married Lydia P. Duell on October 17, 1858 in Preble County, Ohio^1,2.  Lydia was the daughter of Joshua and Abigail (Borton) Duell.  She was born March 26, 1838 in Pilesgrove, New Jersey and died September 14, 1860³.  They had no known children.

          Edmund married secondly to Catherine Groenendyke on May 5, 1864¹ in Madison County, Indiana.  Catherine was the daughter of Elias and Nancy (Jenkins) Groenendyke.  She was born February 4, 1843 in Madison County, Indiana and died December 10, 1913 in Madison County, Indiana.  They raised 5 children in Madison County, Indiana.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of Edmund's nuptials.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               Edmund was deceased before reaching the 25th year mark for either of his marriages.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that Edmund and Lydia or Edmund and Catherine were ever divorced.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Edmund died January 8, 1875 in Madison County, Indiana, according to my database.  The State of Indiana did not require death certificates at this time.  Will need to seek out additional sources to determine his exact date of death.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of Edmund's death.  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 records of funeral homes that might shed some light on Edmund's funeral.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Edmund's tombstone in the Maplewood Cemetery in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana⁴ has been photographed.  A link to his memorial page at FindAGrave is here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1870 Federal Census

               On July 15, 1870, Edmund was enumerated as the head of household in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana⁵, as E.G. Pierce, age 33, farmer.  He was born in Indiana and was a U.S. citizen.  The value of his real estate was $3200 and the value of his personal estate was $750.

          2.1.2. 1860 Federal Census

               I have not yet located Edmund in the 1860 federal census.  He should be living in Preble County, Ohio.  He was married two years earlier in that same county.  His wife, Lydia, died in 1860 as well.  Will continue to search for the record.

          2.1.3. 1850 Federal Census

                     There is a record of an Edmund Pierce, age 13, living in Wayne County, Indiana living in the James Walker household in Washington Township, Wayne County, Indiana.  This is where I would expect to find the Pierce family, but the rest of the family has not been found.  I do not know of any relationship with the Walker family.  Much more research needs to be done to locate Edmund's father, Francis, and the rest of the family in the 1850 census.

     2.2. State Census Records

          The State of Indiana conducted 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 investigated these types of census records to see what light they might shed on the Pierce family.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not yet located any draft registration records nor military service for Edmund.

     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 Preble County, Ohio and Madison County, Indiana to see what records might mention Edmund.  Will add that to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps of Preble County, Ohio and Madison County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information can be gleaned that might be relevant to my search.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available for research on Edmund 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. Pierce, Frederick Beech, "Pierce Genealogy...posterity of Thomas Pierce...", Press of Chas. Hamilton, Worchester, MA, 1882, page 327.
2. http://www.usigs.org/library/vitals/oh/preble/prebmarr.htm.
3. Lydia B. Pierce, FindAGrave.com online [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9257485], accessed 3 October 2010.
4. FindAGrave Inc., FindAGrave (www.findagrave.com : accessed 16 September 2015), Edmund G. Pierce tombstone.
5. E.G. Pierce household, 1870 U.S. census schedule, Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana, page 32, dwelling 235, family 235; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 336, page 184.


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.

Tombstone Tuesday: Edmund G. & Catherine (Groenendyke) Pierce

Source: Maplewood Cemetery (Anderson, Madison County, Indiana), E.G. Pierce family monument, photographed by Travis LeMaster, 23 June 2009.

 Source: Maplewood Cemetery (Anderson, Madison County, Indiana), Edmund G. Pierce marker, photographed by Travis LeMaster, 23 June 2009.

Edmund G. PIERCE is buried in the Maplewood Cemetery, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.  Edmund is my maternal 3rd-great grandfather.

Edmund was born April 30, 1837 in Wayne County, Indiana, the son of Francis S. and Rebecca (PAGE) PIERCE.  His first marriage was October 17, 1858 in Preble County, Ohio to Lydia P. DUELL (1838-1860), daughter of Joshua and Abigail (BORTON) DUELL.  After her death, he moved to Madison County, Indiana, where he married May 5, 1864 to Catherine GROENENDYKE, daughter of Elias and Nancy (JENKINS) GROENENDYKE.

Edmund and Catherine were the parents of 5 children.  Edmund was a farmer in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana.  I have not discovered any record of Civil War service.

Edmund died January 8, 1875 in Madison County, Indiana.

Source: Maplewood Cemetery (Anderson, Madison County, Indiana), Catherine Pierce marker, photographed by Travis LeMaster, 23 June 2009.

Catherine GROENENDYKE was born February 4, 1843 in Madison County, Indiana, the daughter of Elias and Nancy (JENKINS) GROENENDYKE.  

After her marriage to Edmund, she lived out her life in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Her biography was printed in the 1914 history of Madison County by Forkner.  

Catherine died December 10, 1913 in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana.

Tombstone Tuesday – To participate in Tombstone Tuesday simply create a post which includes an image of a gravestone of one or more ancestors and it may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

The first wife of Edmund G. Pierce (1837-1875)

My maternal 3rd-great grandfather, Edmund G. PIERCE, was married on October 17, 1858 in Preble County, Ohio to Lydia DUELL, daughter of Joshua and Abigail (BORTON) DUELL.  Lydia was born March 26, 1838 in Pilesgrove, New Jersey.

Edmund and Lydia's marriage was short-lived, as she died September 14, 1860, according to her tombstone, and is buried in the West Grove Cemetery, Centreville, Wayne County, Indiana.  The Borton/Duell family Bible record, however, records her death as "Lydia B. Pierce departed her life the fifteenth of the eight month 1860".

Lydia's family were Quakers, and I haven't found any evidence that Edmund was, though I do not know what faith the Pierce family was.

Ancestry user oregontrailgal has provided me with information from the Bible, and has posted the information online.

I have yet to find the family in the 1860 census.  They could be in either Preble County, Ohio or Wayne County, Indiana.  Edmund was living in Wayne County, Indiana in the 1850 census.  After Lydia's death, he married Catherine GROENENDYKE in 1864 in Madison County, Indiana - my line.

Preble County, Ohio and Wayne County, Indiana are both border counties, so I will have to continue to search for records in both places.

Family Milestones: April 30th

My maternal 3rd-great grandfather, Edmund G. PIERCE, was born on this date in 1837 in Wayne County, Indiana.  Edmund was the son of Francis S. and Rebecca (PAGE) PIERCE.  Edmund married October 17, 1858 in Preble County, Ohio to Lydia P. DUELL, daughter of Joshua and Abigail (BORTON) DUELL.  Lydia was born March 26, 1838 in Pilesgrove, New Jersey and died September 14, 1860.  Edmund married secondly on May 5, 1864 in Madison County, Indiana to Catherine GROENENDYKE, daughter of Elias and Nancy (JENKINS) GROENENDYKE.  Catherine was born February 4, 1843 in Madison County, Indiana.  They had 5 children.  Catherine died December 10, 1913 in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Edmund died January 8, 1875 in Madison County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Maplewood Cemetery, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.

My paternal 3rd-great granduncle, M. David JACOBS, married on this date in 1867 in Wayne County, Ohio to Mary GAULT.  David was the son of David and Barbara (BYERS) JACOBS, and the younger brother of my Susan JACOBS.  David was born October 22, 1836 in Congress Township, Wayne County, Ohio.  I do not have the dates of birth and death, nor parentage for Mary.  David died October 8, 1913.  Nothing further is known at this time.

My paternal granduncle, John Leland LeMASTER, was born on this date in 1902 in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana.  John was the son of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (WEHRLY) LeMASTERS, and the older brother of my Ord Wehrly LeMASTER.  John married July 2, 1920 in Jay County, Indiana to Dortha LeEtta DeLAUTER.  Dortha was born December 21, 1902 in Jay County, Indiana, the daughter of W. Otto and Pearl (EARHART) DeLAUTER.  They had 6 children.  Dortha died May 24, 1976.  John died January 13, 1980.  Both are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.
 


© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster http://tjlgenes.blogspot.com

Edmund Pierce household - Madison Co., IN

The E.G. PIERCE household appears in the 1870 census of Lafayette Twp., Madison Co., IN. Edmund G. PIERCE was my maternal 3rd-great grandfather, the son of Francis S. and Rebecca (PAGE) PIERCE.

In the 1870 census, E.G. is listed as a 33 year-old farmer, born in Indiana, with real estate valued at $3200 and a personal estate valued at $750. His wife, Catherine, was aged 27, born in Indiana, and cannot read. Children listed were a son, W.F., aged 4; son E.A., aged 3; and daughter, Martha, aged 1 year.

Edmund G. PIERCE b. April 30, 1837 Wayne Co., IN, d. January 8, 1875 Madison Co., IN., m(1) October 17, 1858 Preble Co., OH to Lydia DUELL, daughter of Joshua and Abigail (BORTON) DUELL; m(2) May 5, 1864 Madison Co., IN to Catherine GROENENDYKE, daughter of Elias and Nancy (JENKINS) GROENENDYKE. Lydia b. March 26, 1838 Pilesgrove, NJ., d. September 14, 1860; Catherine b. February 4, 1843 Madison Co., IN., d. December 10, 1913 Madison Co., IN.
Children of Edmund G. and Catherine (GROENENDYKE) PIERCE are as follows :
i. William Francis PIERCE b. July 10, 1865 Madison Co., IN., d. September 21, 1950 Madison Co., IN., m(1) Clara PENNISTEN; m(2) Vida MADDOX.
ii. Elias A. PIERCE b. February 14, 1867 Madison Co., IN., d. March 1963 Madison Co., IN., m(1) Flora CURTIS; m(2) Katie ________
iii. Martha PIERCE b. November 16, 1868 Madison Co., IN., d. February 29, 1932 Madison Co., IN., m. John JOHNSON
iv. Lyman PIERCE b. March 1871 Madison Co., IN., d. December 4, 1938 Madison Co., IN., m. Lavina SUNDERLAND.
v. Margaret PIERCE b. April 1873 Madison Co., IN., d. June 11, 1923 Madison Co., IN., m. John W. JONES

Today in my database : Edmund G. Pierce (b. April 30, 1837)

Today's featured relative in my database is my maternal 3rd great-grandfather, Edmund G. Pierce.

Edmund was born April 30, 1837 in Wayne Co., IN., and died January 8, 1875 in Madison Co., IN. He was the son of Francis S. & Rebecca (Page) Pierce.

Edmund married Lydia P. Duell, daughter of Joshua & Abigail (Borton) Duell, on October 17, 1858 in Preble Co., OH. Lydia was born March 26, 1838 in Pilesgrove, NJ, and died September 14, 1860. There were no known children from this marriage.

Edmund married secondly to Catherine Groenendyke, daughter of Elias & Nancy (Jenkins) Groenendyke, on May 5, 1864 in Madison Co., IN. Catherine was born February 4, 1843 in Madison Co., IN, and died December 10, 1913 in Lafayette Twp., Madison Co., IN.

I descend from Edmund & Catherine (Groenendyke) Pierce, through their son, William Francis Pierce.