Cousin Meet-Up

This weekend, I was at Spencer, Indiana in Owen County for a Patriot Grave Marking with the SAR.

I'd reached out beforehand to my cousin, Shelby, to see if we could meet in person for the first time.  We have been corresponding through email and Facebook for awhile.

At the local McDonald's we were finally able to meet in person.

Shelby is my maternal 3rd cousin 1 generation removed.  Our common ancestor was Ida Davis (1874-1900).  Shelby descends from Ida's daughter Pansy, and I descend from daughter June.

It was nice to meet her in person and share some updates to research.  Additionally, since she now lives in the area where our common ancestors were from, she might be able to help with some on-site research.

Our common ancestral surnames : Gilliland, Davis, Reynolds, Putman, Swafford, Crockett, and Nosler - just to name a few.

An Interesting Cluster of DNA Matches

For years, I've wanted to solve the mystery of who my great-grandmother June's father was - ever since my grandmother first told me the story of how her mother was an orphaned child.  This blog even has a section dedicated to the mystery of Ida Davis and her children's parentage. 

As the above graphic indicates, June's mother was Ida Davis (1874-1900).  By the time Ida passed at age 26, she had two daughters : Pansy and June.  June was my great-grandmother.  Both of these girls were raised by their grandmother, Mary Ellen (Swafford) Davis Gilliland (1854-193) and her 2nd husband, Robert F. Gilliland.  Both girls used the Gilliland surname.

While I continue to search for paper records to document clues as to June's father, when autosomal DNA testing came on the scene I had renewed hope that a nearly 120 year-old mystery might be able to be solved.  I've tested myself and my mother at all the major DNA databases, hoping to utilize the tools to find a connection.

Utilizing the Shared Matching tools at AncestryDNA, I was able to sort my mother's matches with her male cousin "L" on her mother's side.   Because mom and "L" share grandparents, all of their shared matches have to be on either through the genetic upline of either Clemon Lambertson or June Gilliland.  Because I have a rather robust tree, I was able to look at their shared matches and identify several right away and group them into clusters.

The shared matches that I couldn't identify became the ones that I looked more closely at.  One match in particular (M.W.) shared by my mom and Cousin L shares 168cm across 8 segments with mom.  AncestryDNA predicts her in the 3rd-4th cousin range.  Looking at the matches shared with mom and M.W. were many names that were unidentifable.

I began working on building out Quick & Dirty Trees for each of these matches, hoping to find commonality.  Many of these matches only had one or two names in their tree, others were a bit more detailed.  I have scoured them looking for clues in common places and names, hoping to tie them together.  Eventually I was able to tie a couple of them together with common ancestry.

In addition, mom has tested at 23andMe and I was able to find a couple of matches there who also tie into the family tree of the matches at Ancestry.  These matches are distant cousins to each other, but did not know of their connections.

At AncestryDNA, matches M.W., K.H., P.B, and A.S. appear to tie into common ancestry through James Wesley Harris (1862-1926) and Laura Alice Livingston (1860-1942) of Monroe County, Indiana.  Additionally, at 23andMe, matches T.F., K.S. & K.A. also have common ancestry to this couple.

Additional matches at Ancestry further up the line from Harris-Livingston connection include the Vint and Stine families, all of whom have Monroe County, Indiana connections - right in the hotbed of where June's family was living.  I have identified additional matches of mom from these lines on both the Stine and the Vint families.  In the Q&D tree of James Wesley Harris, his mother, Martha Ellen Vint (1840-1918) was the daughter of Wiliam Henry Vint & Sarah Stine.

Recently I was able to have additional cousins test who descend from Clemon and June at AncestryDNA.  They also share common DNA with this cluster of matches.  Cousin A and Cousin B are both my 2nd cousins.

If my Q&D trees are correct, M.W. and K.H. are sisters and P.B. is their 1st cousin. A.S. is the nephew of P.B.  From 23andMe, T.F. is a 2nd cousin to M.W., K.H. & P.B.  K.S. is the son of T.F, and K.A. would be 1st cousin twice removed.

I have worked this tree out using the WATO tool at DNA Painter, trying to figure out a hypothesis.  I need more data, and will be reaching out to other descendants, including those who descend from June's sister, Pansy, to see if we can make the connections work.

While I don't have access to mom's Cousin L's matches to these individuals, I am encouraged by the amount of DNA shared and continue to work the Q&D Tree for more clues to tie in additional matches.  Eventually I will solve the mystery of June's ancestry.

Research Trip to Monroe County, Indiana

Last August, I headed down to the Bloomington area to do research at the Monroe County History Center. I would highly recommend visiting or utilizing this research facility if you have Monroe County, Indiana roots.

I had previously written to the History Center in the past, and they had been very accomodating in regards to providing documents relating to family history.  In preparation for this trip, I had let them know ahead of time that I wanted to look at the following probate records:

*P 101 5 Davis, James Guardianship 1879

*P 102 2 Davis, James Insane 1880

*P 84 5 Davis, James Heirs 1880

*P 87 7 Davis, James Estate 1880

*P 90 4 Davis, James Estate 1880

*P 92 8 Davis, James Estate 1881

*P 93 4 Davis, James Estate 1879 

 *P 236 6 Gilliland, Robert Estate 1916

I was curious if the James Davis listed in these estate records would tie into my Davis family in Monroe County.  Ida Davis' father was James Austin Davis (1850-1909) who was listed as being an inmate in the Owen County, Indiana asylumn in 1880.  Since the Davis family was back and forth between Owen and Monroe Counties, I hoped that the estate records might somehow be related to his condition and guardianship.  The Robert Gilliland estate I was interested in because Robert was the stepfather of Ida Davis.

When I arrived, the museum staff had the records pulled and they were ready for me to look at.  Unfortunately, the James Davis in these estate records was not related to my Davis family at all.  So that was a bust.  

However, the Robert Gilliland estate record was an interesting find.  He died with an estate worth less than $500 in 1916.  Back in 1989, I had written to the Monroe County Clerk's office regarding whether or not they had a will on file for Robert.  The response was that they did not.  Had I been a little wiser in my genealogy research, I would have thought to check for a probate file - which I'm now glad that I have.  Lesson is to always be thinking of additional sources of information and never giving up.  I expect to do a future blog post on the estate of Robert Gilliland.

At the History Center, I was able to then begin searching for other family records that might be relevant to the family, and I was able to get copies made of several land records that I will explore in future posts.

One item of interest was a copy of the marriage license of my great-grandparents, Clemon Beals Lambertson and June Gilliland, which I didn't previously have a copy of.

There was also a photo album of related families where I located a photograph of Everett Gilliland, who would be June's half-brother.

After spending several hours at the museum making copies of land records for future examination, I decided to head over to Elletsville and visit the cemetery where June's mother, Ida, and her grandparents were buried.  It had been probably twenty years since I had been over that way.

The Methodist Cemetery in Elletsville isn't hard to find, in a pretty nice area and was easy to walk around.  I went around and took pictures of known ancestors and any one who had names that looked familiar for further research.

Above is the stone for Robert Gilliland and his second wife, Mary Ellen (Swafford) Gilliland.  Mary was my 3rd-great grandmother.  Her daughter, Ida Davis, is part of my biggest family mystery.  Ida's death certificate indicates that she is also buried in this cemetery, likely near this marker, though there is no stone for her.  The two infants stones in front of Robert & Mary's stone are for Robert & Mary's grandchildren : William Dorris Gilliland (1912-1914), son of William Everett & Maude (Arthur) Gilliland and William Harrell Gilliland (1928-1928), son of William Everett & Florence (Arthur) Gilliland.

Somewhere in this plot is where I believe that Ida is buried.  Logically, since she was 26 at the time, and this is a family plot, she should be here.  But why no stone?  Likely due to cost.  I have tried to obtain records of burials at the cemetery, but no such luck.

As I left, I couldn't help but wonder if my 3rd-great grandmother's spirit wasn't guiding me in some manner, since it turned out the date of my trip to visit her grave was on her birthday.

Categorizing Mother's AncestryDNA Matches

After the Indiana Genealogical Society's annual conference, where I heard some powerful lectures from Blaine Bettinger, I've been spending more time at AncestryDNA looking over my DNA matches.  In particular, I've been focusing on my maternal side matches, as that is where I hope the 120-year old mystery of June Gilliland's father might be solved.

Using some of the tools at AncestryDNA, I've been marking the matches that I can identify in a couple of ways. 

If I know the relationship, I am using the Note feature to add a note to the match that spells out the exact relationship.  This has come in handy when I've had to try to remember exactly how a match ties into a family.

These notes are edited when I click into the matches, but will also display the first couple of lines when I am at the main screen looking at all of mom's matches.

Another feature I've been using is the ability to color-code groups of matches.  Ancestry gives you a color palete and allows you to create groups of matches that you can use in any way you would like.  I've chosen to create groups based on ancestral couples, so I can tell in an instant what branches of ancestors the match shares with mom.

I use these groups to indicate the MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) of the match.  For example, if the match shares, Charles Lambertson and Pearl Beals, then I group them in the Lambertson-Beals group, even though they might also fall into the more recent Lambertson-Gilliland group.

Using these features, I've been able to identify and catergorize several matches without having to reach out to them and ask them how we might be related - I'm able to figure out our common connections and can decide who to reach out to for more information at a later date.

June Kirk (Gilliland) Lambertson (1898-1951), Adoptive Surname, 52 Ancestors # 8

June Gilliland

The eighth ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my maternal great-grandmother, June Kirk (Gilliland) Lambertson (1898-1951). Previously, I'd written about the details of her life in an Exploratory Data post.

June's origin story has been the subject of the first major mystery in my genealogy research.  Her daughter, my grandmother, told me that June was an orphan, but there was more to that story.  June's father's name remains unknown at this point, and this post will tell how she came to have the Gilliland surname. 

June's birth certificate

June was born in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana on June 11, 1898.   Her birth announcement lists the fact that she was born at the "Door of Hope", which was associated with the Wheeler Mission in Indianapolis.  Her birth certificate lists her as "Infant (female) Davis" and her parents are listed as Atkinson and Ida Davis.  The search for just exactly who June's father was continues, with previous posts on the subject here and here. 

Ida (Davis) Hancock Morris (1874-1900), June's mother, has an entire section devoted to the mysteries of her life on this blog.  She died when June was just two years old, leaving her an orphan.  June also had older sister, Pansy.

Both June and Pansy were taken in and raised by Ida's mother, Mary Ellen (Swafford) Davis Gilliland (1854-1932).  Mary raised her two granddaughters, Pansy and June alongside the two children she had with her second husband, Robert Farrell Gilliland (1850-1916).

June Gilliland

I've not yet located any formal documentation that states that June was formally adopted by her grandmother and step-grandfather, or when exactly she started going by the Gilliland surname.  These records may either be located in Monroe or Owen Counties, Indiana.

June has not yet been located in the 1900 census, but her sister Pansy was found living with the Gilliland's and listed with the surname Davis in Clay Township, Owen County, Indiana.

At the time of the 1910 census in Richland Township, Monroe County, Indiana, June was listed as the step-granddaughter in the Robert Gilliland household as "June Gilliland".  According to newspaper accounts of her baptism at the Ellettsville Baptist Church in 1911, June was using the Gilliland surname.  When she married my great-grandfather in Monroe County, Indiana on June 28, 1917, she listed her surname as Gilliland.  Pansy was also using the Gilliland surname when she married Peter Decker in 1912.

Clemon and June Lambertson

It's pretty evident that June clearly went by the Gilliland surname from a young age, whether or not she was formally adopted by her grandmother and step-grandfather.  Whether she ever knew who her father was or his surname will never be known.

This explains why we have the Gilliland surname in our family tree though we do not have Gilliland ancestry.

The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge was created by Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small blog.  The premise is to write once a week about a specific ancestor - whether it be a story, a biography, a photograph or a research problem.

The Dollmaker

The second ancestor in my 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project is my maternal grandmother, Bonnie Mae (Lambertson) Wright.

Bonnie was born 18 February 1924 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana at home at 1906 North F Street.  Her parents were Clemon Beals & June Kirk (Gilliland) Lambertson.  She was the third child of four and the oldest daughter.

Though her birth certificate clearly gives her middle name as "May", Bonnie used the alternative spelling "Mae" during her adult life.  I've found no evidence of a legal change, it was apparently a stylistic choice.

Ruby & Bonnie

Bonnie grew up in the house she was born which was just south of Callaway Park and the pool.  Bonnie and her brothers & sisters all spent a lot of time there working as lifeguards.  City directories show that they were living in that house through 1938.

In the 1939-40 period the family moved from Elwood to near Greentown in Howard County.  Bonnie's grandparents, Charles & Pearl (Beals) Lambertson were living near Greentown and that is likely why the move.  In an interview with Bonnie's sister, Ruby, she mentioned that her dad liked to have space for a garden, as the new place had 3 acres.

1938 freshman photo

The family moved back to Elwood, and Bonnie graduated from Elwood High School in 1941. The story I was told was that during the time she moved to Greentown, she took classes that put her ahead when she returned to Elwood and she was able to graduate in 1941, rather than 1942.

A newspaper story from 1938 mentioned a Halloween party that Bonnie attended with her future husband, Bill Wright.  I do not know if that was the first time that they met, but aunt Ruby told me that she would double date with her future husband, Bob.

Bonnie and Bill were married on 7 June 1941 in Elwood at the First Baptist Church by Rev. Sage.  Shortly afterward, they moved to Alexandria where Bill's family was from. At the time of their marriage, Bill was a factory worker and Bonnie had to have parental consent to get married, as she was only 17.

Her first child, my uncle was born in the spring of 1942 when they were living at 610 West Broadway in Alexandria.  The war was on and my grandpa enlisted together with my great-uncle Bob on 19 January 1944 in the U.S. Army, determined to become pilots.

A heart murmur kept grandpa from becoming a pilot, and instead he became a radio instructor.  One of my first genealogy interviews when I was a teenager was listening to grandma tell me about all of the various Army bases that she travelled to with grandpa with my uncle in tow.  I need to track down the notes, but I seem to remember her saying one time in Biloxi they were scared - must have been a fight between locals and servicemen or something.

Grandpa was always state-side during the war, and after his discharge he returned home and was soon employed at the local post office and Bonnie settled into being a housewife.  By the winter of 1946, they were a family of four when my mother arrived.

Bonnie and Bill were socially active in events in small town Alexandria with groups such as the Elks, the First Christian Church and school parent committees.

By the time I came along, Bonnie was 44 years old, and I was her second grandson.  She lost my grandfather 5 years later, becoming a widow at 49.  I cannot imagine how painful that loss must have been.  One of the ways she dealt with grief was the therapy of doll making.

Bonnie made a Raggedy Ann doll for her niece Vicki for a graduation gift. When Ruby took it to Guide Lamp in Anderson to show it off, people started putting in orders to have Bonnie make one for their kids and for nursing homes.

The dolls were 25 inches and each strand of hair was tied on by hand so that when the dolls were washed they wouldn't come apart.  She  made an estimated 500 of the dolls.

Bonnie enjoyed making dolls and couldn't stand to see a doll without clothes.  She loved to sew and would make matching clothes for my mother and her dolls when she was a girl. My mom still has examples of her handiwork.

As a youngster, I spent more time with Grandma Bonnie than my other grandmother because she lived closer. I can remember going shopping into downtown Alexandria at stores such as Danner's and going to the bakery to get one of their famous caramel rolls.

I remember walking over to her house after playing baseball at the Babe Ruth diamonds and hanging out. One story I remember was that she had a case of Bloody Mary Mix that she didn't want me to tell anyone about because she didn't want them to think she was a drinker.

One time she made me popcorn and I complained that it didn't have any butter on it.  She promptly went to the kitchen and brought back one of those squeeze bottles of butter and coated that popcorn so much so that it wasn't edible.  I learned a lesson that day not to complain.

When I started working on genealogy, I interviewed her about her family history for my Boy Scout merit badge.  She told me what she could about her heritage, and got me started on tracking down the mysteries on her mother's side of the family.

When I was a sophomore in high school, she became really sick with cancer.  I went with my mom & grandma to many of her visits at the Bluffton clinic.  She eventually became so ill that she had to move in with us.

Bonnie died 9 April 1984 at our house at R.R. 4 Box 328, which was rural Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.  I remember her passing like it was yesterday, though it was over 30 years ago.

I was glad I was able to spend some time with her asking her about her relatives.  I wish I could show her some of the things I've found that she probably didn't know about her heritage.

The 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge was created by Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small blog.  The premise is to write once a week about a specific ancestor – whether it be a story, a biography, a photograph or a research problem.

William Gilliland household, 1940, Monroe County, Indiana

Located the 1940 census record of the William Gilliland household in Monroe County, Indiana.  William was my maternal 2nd great granduncle.  Our common ancestor is Mary Ellen Swafford.  William's parents were Robert Farrell Gilliland and Mary Ellen Swafford.

1940 U.S. census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Bloomington Township, enumeration district (ED) 53-20, SD 7, sheet 4A, household 424, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 January 2017); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the enumeration, William and his wife were living in Bloomington Township.  The census states that William owned his home and the value was $2500 and he lived on a farm.  William was 54 years old and born in Indiana.  His wife, Florence, was 42 years old and also born in Indiana.  In 1935, their residence was the same place.

The record shows that William had completed the 8th grade and that Florence had also completed the 8th grade. Roy's occupation was listed as a farmer, while Florence didn't have an occupation listed.

Also listed in the household were son Cleo, age 15, born in Indiana, who had completed the 8th grade; and son Darrel, age 12, born in Indiana, who had completed the 5th grade.

William's children from his first marriage were already out on their own by the 1940 census.  

If you have any additional information or are connected to this family, I'd love to hear from you.

FTDNA Cousin Results

My two maternal first cousins recently tested at FamilyTreeDNA, and the above chart show the amount of DNA they share with me.

Cousin Kellie shares more DNA with me than her brother.  At 1204.82 cm, she is actually a little above the normal expected range for a first cousin.  Cousin James shares 1046.75 cm with me.

By comparison, great aunt Ruby shares 998.10 cm of shared DNA with me.

I am currently working on extracting the In Common With matches that Kellie and James have with me.  Any of these matches should match on either the Wright or the Lambertson side.

Likewise, by comparing their matches with myself and Ruby's matches, we can also narrow down those that match on the Lambertson or Davis side.  I'm hoping that their DNA is one more step towards solving the parentage of June Davis Gilliland Lambertson.

Obituary : Thomas Crane, Bloomington World Telephone, August 16, 1948

Thanks to the folks at the Monroe County, Indiana Public Library, I was able to obtain a copy of the obituary of my maternal 3rd-great granduncle, Thomas Crane (1871-1948), the husband of Mary Florence Gilliland.  The obituary appeared in the August 16, 1948 edition of the World Telephone in Bloomington, Indiana.

THOMAS CRANE DIES AT HOME SUNDAY MORNING

Thomas Franklin Crane, 77-year old former grocery store owner at New Unionville, died Sunday at 7 a.m. at his home, Bloomington Route Five.  He had been ill for the past year and bedfast for 10 weeks.  Death was attributed to complications.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Allen chapel with Rev. W.C. Chafin officiating.  Interment will be in Payne cemetery.  The remains will continue to lie in state at the mortuary.

Pall bearers for the services will be George, John, Elmer, Austin Crane, Horace White and Virgil Emmerett.  Flower bearers will be Sadie, Ruth and Alice Crane, Josie White, Olive Emmerett and Elizabeth Baxter.

Born in Greene county May 9, 1871, Mr. Crane was the son of George and Martha Anderson Crane. He had lived in the New Unionville community for many years, later moving to Kirby, then to the George Deckard property which he purchased and moved into some three months ago.

Survivors include two sons, Millard of Indianapolis, Robert Lee who is serving in the Navy in China; six daughters, Dorothy and Louise at home and Mrs. William Ruggles and Mrs. Robert Balser, both of Monroe county, and Mrs. William Webel and Mrs. Floyd Kerchner, both of Cincinnati; one brother, J. Wesley Crane of Los Angeles and four grandchildren. 

 

The obituary gives me some clues regarding the residences of his children at the time of his death and adds biographical details for me to update in my database.

 

Obituary : Mrs. Thomas Crane, Bloomington Telephone, May 7, 1924

Thanks to the folks at the Monroe County, Indiana Public Library, I was able to obtain a copy of the obituary of my maternal 3great-grandaunt, Mary Florence (Gilliland) Crane (1887-1924).  The obituary appeared in the May 7, 1924 edition of the Telephone in Bloomington, Indiana.

DEATH OF MRS. THOS. CRANE

Mrs. Thomas Crane, at Unionville, died Tuesday afternoon of uremic poisoning after being sick 3 weeks, age 37.  The husband and six children survive, including an infant.  She was a member of the Baptist church and the daughter of Mary Gililan and sister of Mrs. Daniel Stevens of this city.

Funeral Thursday at 10 o'clock at Baptist church of Unionville and burial at Payne cemetery.

There were a couple of spelling errors on the names - her mother's name was Mary Ellen (Swafford) Gilliland and her half sister's name (Delia) was Mrs. Daniel Stivers.  Curiously, her brother William Everett Gilliland was not mentioned in this obituary.

Shaky Leaves : Marriage of William E. Gilliland to Florence Arthur, 1922, Monroe County, Indiana

Found the index record of the marriage of my maternal 2nd-great granduncle, William Everett Gilliland to Florence Arthur in Monroe County, Indiana through Ancestry's hints in my LeMaster & Allied Family Tree.  The wedding took place on May 13, 1922 in Monroe County, Indiana.

This was a second marriage for William Everett Gilliland, his first wife was Maud Nell Arthur.  I'm not sure at this point if she might be an older sister of Florence.

Shaky Leaves : Thomas Crane household, 1930 census Johnson County, Indiana

Found the 1930 census record of the family of my maternal 2nd-great granduncle and family, Thomas Franklin Crane in the 1930 census of Edinburgh, Johnson County, Indiana through Ancestry.com's hints on my LeMaster & Allied Family Tree.

1930 US Census, Johnson County, Indiana, population schedule, Edinburgh, enumeration district (ED) 41-1, SD 11, sheet 17A, dwelling 454, family 461, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 January 2016); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

Thomas was a widower, his wife Mary Florence (Gilliland) Crane having died in 1924 in Monroe County, Indiana.  In 1930, he was enumerated as a Retail merchant, running a grocery, and rented his home for $ 11 per month.  His age was 59, born in Indiana, as were his parents.

Listed in the household were his daughters, Georgiana, age 18; Grace, age 16; Dorothy, age 13; Mary, age 11; and Louise, age 9; all born in Indiana.

Prior to this find, I did not realize that the family had moved from Monroe County over to Johnson County, or that he was involved in the grocery business.

If you have any additional information about this family, I would love to hear from you.

Shaky Leaves : Grace Lucille Crane Balser (1914-1996)

I located the FindAGrave memorial for Grace Lucille (Crane) Balser (1914-1996), my maternal first cousin 3 times removed, thanks to a hint from Ancestry.com.   Grace was the daughter of Thomas Franklin and Mary Florence (Gilliland) Crane.

Her memorial contained an obituary, which helps confirm the relationship and gives additional information about her daughter and her occupation.  In addition, this find allowed me to locate her husband's memorial as well.

Prior to this find, I did not have the name of Grace's spouse or her death date and location.

If you have any additional information on this family, I would love to hear from you.

Crane obits ordered

Ordered two more obituaries from the Monroe County Public Library. They have been very fast in the past and the convenience of paying via PayPal is a plus.

The obituaries I requested were for my maternal 2nd-great grandaunt and uncle, Thomas Franklin & Mary Florence (Gilliland) Crane.

Mary Florence's obituary appeared in the May 7, 1924 edition of the Bloomington Telephone.  She was only 36 years old.

Thomas' obituary appeared in the August 16, 1948 edition of Bloomington World-Telephone.  He was 76 years old.

I will be interested to see what, if any, additional clues will come from these obituaries.

Shaky Leaves : Thomas Crane household, 1910 census Monroe County, Indiana

Found the 1910 census record of my maternal 2nd-great grandaunt and uncle, Thomas F. and Mary Florence (Gilliland) Crane in the 1910 census of Bloomington Township, Monroe County, Indiana through Ancestry.com's hints on my LeMaster & Allied Family Tree.

1910 US Census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Bloomington Township, enumeration district (ED) 126, SD 2, sheet 2B, dwelling 34, family 34, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 January 2016); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

Thomas was listed as a 32 year old married farmer, who had been married twice, married for four years this marriage.  He was born in Indiana, his father was born in Indiana and his mother was born in Kentucky.  He could read and write and spoke English.  His wife, Mary, was 23 years old and was the mother of 2 children, both living.  She was born in Indiana, her father was born in Kentucky and her mother born in Indiana.  No occupation was listed, and she could read and write and speak English.

Children listed in the household were Millard, age 6, born in Indiana; Martha E., age 3, born in Indiana; and Hellen, aged 6 months, born in Indiana.  Also living in the household was Thomas' brother, Horace E. Crane, aged 33, born in Illinois, a farmer.

Before I had located this record, I did not realize that Thomas had been previously married.  From checking with cousin Judy, I learned that his first wife's name was Bertha Brummett and she died a few years after their marriage.

If you have any additional information on this family, I would love to hear from you.

Shaky Leaves : Albert F. Adams household, 1930 census Monroe County, Indiana

Albert F. Adams was the husband of my maternal first cousin three times removed, Gladys Marie Gilliland.   Through Ancestry.com hints, I was able to locate their family in the 1930 census of Washington Township, Monroe County, Indiana.

1930 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Washington Township, enumeration district (ED) 53-25, SD 10, sheet 5A, dwelling 93, family 93, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 December 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

At the time of the census, Albert owned his own home, valued at $2000, owned a radio, and had been married for 6 years.  His age was listed as 30, and he was born in Indiana, as were both of his parents.  He worked as a laborer in a stone mill.

Wife Gladys was 29 years old, born in Indiana, as were her parents.  She did not have an occupation listed.  Children in the household were Wilma, aged 4 1/12, and Albert E., aged 2 4/12, both born in Indiana.  Albert was also mentioned as a "Junior", but his middle name was Eugene, while his father's was Fritch.

I had already located the family in the 1940 census in the same location.  Their son, Lloyd, was the one who provided me with many photographs of the Ida Davis and Gilliland families.

Gladys was the daughter of William Everett and Maude Nell (Arthur) Gilliland.

If you are related in any way to this family, I would like to hear from you.

Marriage Record: Robert F. Gilliland to Mary Davis, Owen County, Indiana, 1884

"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXFV-S4Q : accessed 15 August 2015), Robert Gilliland and Mary Davis, 15 Nov 1884; citing Owen, Indiana, United States, county clerk offices, Indiana; FHL microfilm .

Located the marriage record of my maternal 3rd-great grandmother, Mary Ellen (Swafford) Davis to her second husband, Robert F. Gilliland in Owen County, Indiana while searching at FamilySearch.  Prior to this find, I had thought they were married in neighboring Monroe County.

Mary was the daughter of Peter Kirkpatrick and Mary Ann (Crockett) Swafford.  Robert was the son of William John and Margaret Ann (Wilson) Gilliland.  Both had been previously married.  Robert was previously married to Sarah Kellar in 1879 in Monroe County, Indiana.  Mary was previously married to James Austin Davis in 1873 in Monroe County, Indiana.  Both of these earlier marriages ended in divorce, though I've not yet discovered the records.

I'm not aware of any children that Robert had with Sarah Kellar, but Mary and James Austin Davis had two daughters, Ida (b. 1874) and Delia (b.1877).  Together, Robert and Mary had two children, William Everett Gillilland (b. 1885) and Mary Florence Gilliland (b. 1887).

Later, Robert and Mary helped raise the orphaned daughters of Ida, Pansy and June (my great-grandmother).

Census Sunday : Albert F. Adams household, 1940, Monroe County, Indiana

My maternal 1st cousin 3 times removed, Gladys Marie (Gilliland) Adams, was enumerated in the 1940 census of Washington Township, Monroe County, Indiana in her husband, Albert's household.  

1940 U.S. census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Washington Township, enumeration district (ED) 53-52, SD 7, sheet 8B, dwelling 164, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 July 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

The family consisted of Albert F., age 40, Gladys M., age 31, and children Wilma, age 14, Eugene, age 12, Colleen, age 8, and Loyd, age 6.  All were born in Indiana.  Albert's occupation was listed as a grader of roads.  Perhaps he worked for the local highway department.  All of the children had attended school within the year and their residence in 1935 was the same location.  Gladys had completed one year of high school, while Albert had completed the 8th grade.

Prior to this find, I didn't have the names of the children in the family, other than Lloyd.  Lloyd and I have corresponded, and he supplied me with many fantastic family photos of my Gilliland relatives.

Gladys was the daughter of William Everett Gilliland and Maude Arthur.  Our common ancestor is Mary Ellen Swafford,

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

State & Federal census sheets are filled with information for genealogists. Both the population & non-population schedules give us insights into the lives of our ancestors. What have you found that is Surprising? Reassuring? Bewildering? Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Colleen Pasquale of Leaves and Branches.

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.