John LeMaster, 1929 Ball State Teachers College, Orient (yearbook) photo

1929 Ball State Teachers College, Orient (yearbook)

http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/BSUOrntYrBk/id/2452/rec/11

While searching the Ball State University Digital Archives collection, I came across this yearbook photo of John Leland LeMaster (1902-1980) while he was studying as a graduate student.  John was my paternal granduncle, son of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMasters.

John LeMaster, B.S.  Salamonia, Ind.

Industrial Arts

Mathematics

As mentioned in a previous blog post, John graduate from Ball State in 1929 after previously teaching at Redkey and Converse and was the principal at Cowan High School.

 

 

Research Notes : February 18, 2015

Research has been limited lately with work commitments and other more pressing matters, but did manage to sneak in a bit of family history research so far this week:

• On President's Day, took advantage of a day off from work to visit the Jay County Historical Society Museum, where I copied the original probate estate packets for Luman Walker Lemasters, George W. Haley, George Haley, John Metzner and John Adam Metzner.  This will give me a ton of stuff to sort through and plenty of fodder for future posts.  Plus, spent time with my dad and visited my aunts and uncles in Portland.

• Continue to work through my RootsMagic database, correcting the Quaker dates that I had originally adding in the system with only the year for the date and included month & date with the place. Ex : 1815 (8mo 3d) New Garden MM.  I was unaware that the database can handle the date sort in the correct order, and have been working through a query that looks for any place name with a parenthesis in it to make corrections.  At the same time, I am eliminating county names with the place names I had for the monthly meetings, as many encompassed more than one county.  Now the place name will simply say "New Garden Monthly Meeting, North Carolina".

• Watched the latest episode of "Genealogy Roadshow" this week on PBS.  I thought the best story was the first one, where the women found out that her grandmother's family had helped Jews escape from Austria - and that they actually were cousins of her family.  Why do so many families continue to keep secrets? 

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

---

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.

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.

Hannah Lemasters household, 1850 U.S. census, Shelby County, Ohio

1850 U.S. census, Shelby County, Ohio, population schedule, Salem Township, page 316, dwelling 161, family 161; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 Nov 2014)

Realized I didn't have the 1850 census sourced in my database for widow Hannah Lemasters (b. 1810 PA), widow of Lemuel Quin Lemasters.  Hannah was living in Salem Township, Shelby County, Ohio.

The value of Hannah's real estate was listed as $600.  She was listed as age 40, born in Pennsylvania.  Others in the household include Hannah W, age 16, Marthy, age 13, Eliza, age 11, and Jacob, age 10, all born in Ohio.  Also in the household is 4 year old Sarah E. Reed, born in Ohio.

The names line up with the children of Lemuel and Hannah, though Eliza I have in my data as Elgiva.  The 4 year old Sarah Reed is the daughter of Jesse Reed and Phebe Ann Lemasters (1818-1849).  Why she is not living with her father, I do not yet know.  He is living in the next household, along with a 7 year old Lewis Reed (a brother?) in the John and Elizabeth Lorton household.  Will need to do some more digging in the court records there.

Petition of Rueben Claton, Shelby County, Ohio, 1853

While searching at the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne on Sunday, I started digging into some of the published books on the stacks relating to Shelby County, Ohio.  I was looking for some more evidence to confirm my theories about what happened to the widow Hannah Lemasters, widow of Lemuel Quin Lemasters.

In the book, "Complete Record of Land Sales : Probate Court - Shelby County, Ohio, 1852-1862" compiled by Gladys Dearduff and published in 1997 by the Shelby County Genealogical Society, I located the following :

1853 Nov 5 LIMUEL Q. LEMASTER estate.  Petition by Rueben CLATON, grdn of minor heirs: Martha, Eljwah & Jacob LEMASTER. Dower rights to Hannah CLATON.  Apprs: Abraham STOUT, Jesse LOW & Peter SHEPLEY.  Land : part of S 1/2 SE 1/4 Sec 33 T2 R73 (ca 40 acres) ; sold 16 Feb 1854 to Wm. HOBBY.

Though I need to dig into the actual probate records (which are online at FamilySearch), this snippet tells my that the Hannah Lemasters whose marriage I located in Shelby County to Ruben Claton on June 1, 1851 was the widow of Lemuel Quin Lemasters.  This land sale record was protecting her dower rights (rights she brought into the marriage) and names the minor children of Hannah & Lemuel, even if they did mangle the spellings.  The children were Martha, Elgiva and Jacob.

I'm so used to alternative spellings for Lemaster/Lemasters and now I'm pretty sure that Claton is an alternative spelling for Clayton.

The book was located in the stacks with a call letter of Gc 977.101 Sh4sL

Marriage Record: Hannah Lemasters to Ruben Claton, Shelby County, Ohio, 1851

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZZQ-85C : accessed 17 Nov 2014), Ruben Claton and Hannah Lemasters, 01 Jun 1851; citing Shelby, Ohio, United States, reference vo13 p261 No3; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 562858.

The State of Ohio, Shelby County, S.S.

I certify that I have this day solemnized the marriage of Ruben Claton with Hannah Lemasters.

Witness my hand this 1 day of June A.D. 1851.

V. Guerin, Minister.

----

Located this marriage record of Hannah Lemasters and Ruben Claton (Clayton?) on June 1, 1851 in Shelby County, Ohio.  This was one of the various Lemaster marriage records found in the county on FamilySearch.

I believe that this Hannah is the widow of Lemuel Quin Lemasters, who died in June 1843 in Shelby County.  Lemuel was the son of Jacob and Hannah (---) Lemasters.  I believe Ruben's surname is Clayton.  

I've been doing some digging in probate records in Shelby County, and am pretty sure that this is Lemuel's widow based on the records I've found.  More to come.

Lemaster Marriage Records, Shelby County, Ohio

After locating the information about the marriage Newman Smith and Martha Lemaster in Shelby County, Ohio, I searched the FamilySearch database to see if there might be other marriage records in the county for my relatives. 

Because the surname is sometimes spelled with an 'a' or with an extra 's' at the end, I did a wildcard search for L*master* marriages in Shelby County, Ohio, and this is what I found in the indices of their databases:

S.S. Leymaster married Sarah E. Mills on 4 October 1877.

Martha Lemaster married Newman H. Smith on 25 August 1861.

Lemuel Lemasters married Hannah Allbright on 24 May 1832.

Hannah Lemaster married Joel Brandenburg on 5 June 1853.

Luman W. Lemasters married Nancy Young on 19 January 1832.

Martha Lamaster married Newman H. Smith on 25 August 1861.

Hannah Limasters married Joel Brandenburg on 5 June 1853.

S.S Leymaster married Sarah E. Mills on 4 October 1877.

Roscoe Leymaster married Harriet J. Hetzler on 4 October 1900.

Hannah Lemasters married Ruben Claton on 1 June 1851.

Elvira Lemasters married Lewis Clayton on 6 March 1855.

Jane Lemasters married Thomas Mcvay on 15 March 1831.

Luman W. Lemaster married Nancy Young on 19 January 1832.

Martha Lamaster married Newman H. Smith on 25 August 1861.


Some of these are obviously the same marriage record, though in separate databases and in some cases, indexed with different spellings of the surname.

Know relatives in this mix are my 3rd-great grandparents, Luman W. Lemasters and Nancy Young.   The Lemuel Lemasters who married Hannah Albright is Luman's brother, and the Jane who married Thomas McVay is a sister.

I have some theories as to the identities of the others in the county I will be exploring in future posts.

Newman Smith and Martha Lemaster, Shelby County, Ohio, 1861

Received an exciting email this week from a potential cousin on my LeMaster side who wrote:

my 2xggfather's brother Newman Smith wife was Martha J. Lemaster, they married in Shelby county Ohio on August 25, 1861. He was also known as Rev Smith a minister of the Methodist church of Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. I think she is the daughter of Luman Walker Lemasters (1808 - 1888) (also a minister of the Methodist church )and   Nancy Young Lemasters (1812 - 1904).  Can you please confirm this?

It is always exciting to make possible new connections, and I don't usually find them on my surname that are close.  Luman Walker Lemasters and Nancy Young Lemasters are my paternal 3rd great grandparents.  As they were married in Shelby County, Ohio and lived there until the mid-1850s, any other Lemaster in that vicinity has a good chance of being a close relative.

I was not aware of the marriage record of Newman Smith and Martha J. Lemaster in Shelby County, Ohio.  A quick search of Familysearch located the record:

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XDPP-FQJ : accessed 06 Nov 2014), Newman H Smith and Martha Lamaster, 25 Aug 1861; citing Shelby, Ohio, United States, reference volume 4 page 184; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 562859.

I quickly wrote him back and let him know that I did not think that the connection came through Luman Walker Lemasters and Nancy Young, as their daughter Martha was born too late to be the one who married in 1861.  Their Martha J. was born circa 1851 and married in 1872 in Jay County, Indiana to William Loofborrow.

That Newman was a Methodist minister is interesting, as that was the occupation of Luman Walker Lemasters and other members of the extended family.  They were closely associated with the Methodist church.

However, where I think there might be a connection is through Luman's brother, Lemuel Quin Lemasters (1811/2-1843) and Hannah Albright.  Lemuel died young, but he did have one son and three daughters.  One of those daughters was named Martha, who was born circa 1837.  She would be the right age to be the one who married Newman Smith in 1861.

I checked out Newman Smith's FindAGrave memorial and noticed that he had a son named Perry Quin Smith and that Perry named his son Lemuel.  Circumstantial evidence, I know, but the use of the uncommon names may indicate a connection.

I need to dig into the records in Shelby County, Ohio and see what I can find on Lemuel's family after his early death.  I believe at one time I requested his estate records, but I haven't sourced them into my database.

I'm waiting with fingers crossed to see if this potential cousin responds with more information and whether or not I'll be able to add more cousins to the tree.  I wonder if he has done any DNA testing?

Jay County, Indiana Petit Jury List, September 1897

Portland Weekly Commercial
Portland, Indiana
September 9, 1897, page 3

The petit jury which will report on September 20, is composed as follows:

William R. Loux    ... Green

B.J. Kimble          ... Noble
John Ashcraft       ... Penn

Andrew Campbell .... Bear Creek
L.N. Metzner        ... Wayne

Joshua Armstrong ... Madison
Wesley Jordan     ... Jackson

Wilbur Milligan    ...  Bear Creek

J.E. Franklin         ... Madison

George Daugherty ... Bear Creek

M.J. Atkinson        ... Madison

Alfred Grissom      ... Knox

---

This listing of the members of the petit jury in Jay County, Indiana contains a couple of names with ties to my family.

The L.N. Metzner of Wayne Township has me a bit confused.  I'm not sure which Metzner this is.  There are a couple of Lewis (or Louis) Napoleon Metzner's in the family, but one died in 1900 in Bear Creek Township, Jay County,  and the other was living in Ft. Wayne in Allen County at the time.

The M.J. Atkinson of Madison Township is Matthias Jefferson Atkinson (1863-1923), my paternal great granduncle, husband of Mary Elsie LeMasters (1873-1942).

Photograph : Luman Walker LeMasters Jr. & Mary Keziah (Chew) LeMasters

Luman Walker LeMasters Jr. & Mary Keziah (Chew) LeMasters

How appropriate that on Memorial Day weekend I would receive a blessing in my email inbox from cousin Jill - a photograph of Civil War veteran Luman Walker LeMasters Jr. (1842-1931) and his wife Mary Keziah (Chew) LeMasters (1847-1927).  They are my 2nd-great grandparents.

I noticed in the photograph that Luman is wearing a medal signifying he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.  Luman served in Company C, 39th Regiment of Indiana Volunteers, enlisting in July 1861.  The unit was later reclassified as the 8th Indiana Mounted Infantry.  

It was a part of the mounted infantry on 3 July 1863 that he was wounded at Decherd's Ford, near Winchester, Tennessee.  He was shot through the left breast.  He spent time in the hospital in Nashville and Louisville before being discharged with 1/2 disability on February 27, 1864.  The notes of his injuries state: Gun shot wound of the chest.  The ball entered between the first and second ribs (left side) and lodged within the thorax.

He came home and married Mary Keziah Chew, daughter of Dr. Ezekiel Cooper Chew, on October 2, 1864 in Versailles, Darke County, Ohio.  I've often wondered if Dr. Chew was helping treat his wounds, and that is how he met Mary.  Either way, as the ancestor of the LeMaster families of Jay County, Indiana, had he not survived the war, we wouldn't be here.

Wehrly Family Photos

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

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

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

 

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

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

Alva M. & Emma C. (Yaeger) Wehrly

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

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

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

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

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

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

     1.1. Birth Certificate

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

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

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

          1.1.2. Bible Record

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

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

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

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no evidence that Nancy was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

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

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

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

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

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

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

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

     1.3. Death Certificate

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

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

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

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

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

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

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

               Her memorial page at FindAGrave is located here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1900 Federal Census

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

          2.1.2. 1880 Federal Census

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

          2.1.3. 1870 Federal Census

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

          2.1.4. 1860 Federal Census

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

          2.1.5. 1850 Federal Census

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

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

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

     2.2. State Census Records

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

          No state census records in Ohio are known to exist.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

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

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          Not applicable, as Nancy was female.

     3.2. Pension Records

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

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable, as Nancy was female.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

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

     4.2. Plat map / county map

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

5. Supplemental Records

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

Sources :

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


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

DNA : My Paternal Haplogroup I1

The results of my paternal haplogroup tested at 23andMe determined that I was a part of haplogroup I1

I find it interesting that the highest frequency of this haplogroup was found in Scandinavia.  Paternal haplogroup is passed down from father to son, so somewhere way back there I have an ancestor from northern Europe.  With my dad being tested, he should also be in the haplogroup as well.

Only males have the Y-DNA haplogroup, but if females have their brothers or father’s tested they can find the haplogroup associated with their surname.

With my direct male LeMaster genealogy not being a definite connection to Abraham Lemaster of Charles Co., MD, I would be interested in seeing how my DNA compares with others who have a paper trail genealogy back to Abraham.

DNA Relatives : Closest Matches

23andMe's DNA Relatives finder has identified 3 individuals as being between 3rd and 4th cousins.  I've reached out and sent introductions to all of them, so far I'm sharing genomes with two of them.

The first relative, Ed, shares the most DNA with me 1.02% and we connect on two segments.  The locations of his ancestry (Fort Wayne, IN and Jay County, IN) led me to believe I would find a connection to my paternal lines.

Comparison	Chromosome	Start point	End point	Genetic Distance	# SNPs
Ed vs Travis LeMaster	1	3000000	42000000	63.8	7637
Ed vs Travis LeMaster	5	1000000	5000000	11.9	1244

The second relative, Bill, shares DNA with me of .70% but we connect on five segments.  Again, the locations listed for his ancestry (Geneva, IN and Ft. Recovery, OH) led me to believe the connection would be on the paternal side.

Comparison	Chromosome	Start point	End point	Genetic Distance	# SNPs
Bill vs Travis LeMaster	1	201000000	215000000	20.4	3098
Bill vs Travis LeMaster	3	174000000	180000000	7.9	1216
Bill vs Travis LeMaster	13	74000000	85000000	9.1	2047
Bill vs Travis LeMaster	14	43000000	51000000	6	1414
Bill vs Travis LeMaster	19	55000000	59000000	9	844

The third relative has not responded to my request to share genomes, yet.  We share DNA of .58% on four segments.

By comparing Ed's family tree he provided, I quickly discovered a paternal line connection through the Moulton and Finel families. Selah Moulton (b. 1790 Rutland Co., VT d. 1848 Licking Co., OH) and Lydia Finel (b.1796 Rutland Co., VT d. 1869 Licking Co., OH) were my paternal fourth great-grandparents.  Ed and I are fourth cousins once removed.

Looking at Bill's surnames, I recognized a common surname and discovered that we have a paternal line connection through the LeMasters and Chew families.  Luman Walker LeMasters (b. 1842 Shelby Co., OH d. 1931 Jay Co., IN) and Mary Keziah Chew (b. 1847 Burlington Co., NJ d. 1927 Jay Co., IN) were my paternal second great-grandparents.  Bill and I are third cousins. 

This is exciting - I've found a couple of fairly close cousins and have reached out to several more.  In fact, my inbox has been flooded with responses to my invites to share genomes.  Now I have to go through them and see if we can start finding the connections.

This DNA testing has re-energized me and inspired me to dig deeper, share more online with my family trees (Ancestry, WorldConnect, etc) and get more family members tested.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Luman Walker Lemasters Sr. (1808-1888)

Luman Walker Lemasters Sr. (1808-1888) was my paternal 3rd-great grandfather.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data  have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          Luman was born March 11, 1808¹ in Mason County, Virginia (now West Virginia). Luman's birth in Virginia is noted in several successive census records.  There were no birth certificates recorded during this time period. One published genealogy cited his date of birth as February 19, 1808 in Mason County².

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

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

          1.1.2. Bible Record

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

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

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

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no indication that Luman was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          Luman married January 19, 1832 in Shelby County, Ohio^2,3 to Nancy Young.    

          A copy of the marriage record was the subject of a previous post.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               I have not yet searched historical newspaper collections to see if any mention was made of Luman and Nancy's nuptials.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for future research.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

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

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that Luman and Nancy were ever divorced, though a thorough search of records in Shelby County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana needs to be completed.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Luman died April 15, 1888 in Jay County, Indiana^{2, 4}.  His death certificate listed the cause of death as uraeumic poison (i.e. kidney failure).  His death certificate did not list the time of death or the location of his burial. 

          A copy of his death certificate was the subject of a previous post.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               A search of local newpapers from the time period did not locate an obituary for Luman.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Will need to search local funeral home records to see if they have mention of Luman's funeral.  The Jay County Historical Society has many of these records.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Luman's tombstone in the Salamonia Cemetery, Salamonia, Indiana has been photographed¹.


2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 7, 1880, Luman was enumerated as the head of household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁵, as Luman Lemasters, age 72, Farmer, born in Virginia.  His father and mother were both born in Pennsylvania.  Living in the household was his wife, Nancy, age 67, born in Ohio, and daughter Mary, age 25 and son John, age 24, both born in Ohio.

          2.1.2. 1870 Federal Census

               On August 3, 1870, Luman was enumerated as the head of household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁶, as Luman W. Lemaster, age 61, born in Virginia.  His occupation was listed as a farmer.  The value of his real estate was $5000 and his personal estate was $500.  He was a U.S. citizen.  Living in the household was his wife, Nancy, age 57, born in Ohio, daughter Phebe J, age 23, daughter Mary, age 21, daughter Martha J., age 18 and son John S., age 15, all born in Ohio.

          2.1.3. 1860 Federal Census

               On June 4, 1860, Luman was enumerated as the head of household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana⁷, as Luman W. Lemaster, age 52, Farmer.  He was born in Virginia.  The value of his real estate was $4000 and the value of his personal estate was $545.  Living in the household was his wife, Nancy, age 48, born in Ohio, son Philip, age 23, daughter Catharine, age 19, son Walker, age 17, son Jacob, age 15, daughter Phebe, age 13, daughter Mary, age 11, daughter Martha J, age 9, all born in Ohio and son John S., age 5, born in Indiana.

          2.1.4. 1850 Federal Census

               On September 25, 1850, Luman was enumerated as the head of household in Salem Township, Shelby County, Ohio⁸, as L.W. Lemasters, age 42, Farmer, born in Virginia.  Living in the household was his wife, Nancy, age 38, born in Ohio, son Philip, age 14, daughter Rachel, age 12, daughter Catharine, age 10, son L.W., age 7, son Jacob, age 6, daughter Phebe, age 4, and daughter Mary, age 1, all born in Ohio.

          2.1.5. 1840 Federal Census

                On June 1, 1840, Luman was enumerated as head of household in Salem Township, Shelby County, Ohio⁹, as Luman W. Lamasters.  There was 1 white male under 5; 1 white male between 30 and 40; 2 white females under 5 and 1 white female between 20 and 30 in the household.

     2.2. State Census Records

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

          No state census records in Ohio are known to exist.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

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

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

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

     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 Shelby County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana to see what records might mention Luman.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

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

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records to research for Luman 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. Franklin, Phyllis (Strock). Salamonia Cemeteries: Salamonia, Madison Twp., Jay County, Indiana. Portland, Indiana, USA : The Jay County Genealogy Society, 2000, page 19.
2. Young, L.I.C., Biography of the Young Family 1759-1904, Fremont, Ohio : Fremont Printing Co., 1904, page 50.
3. "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZVP-THV : accessed 06 Feb 2014), Luman W Lemaster and Nancy Young, 19 Jan 1832; citing Shelby, Ohio, United States, reference 64; FHL microfilm 562857.
4. L.W. LeMasters, death certificate Book H1 page 71 (1888), Jay County Health Department, Portland, Indiana.
5. 1880 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district 161, SD 8, page 8, dwelling 52, family 53; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 February 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
6. 1870 U.S. census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, Salamonia P.O., page 31, dwelling 231, family 234; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 March 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
7. Luman W. Lemaster household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, Salamonia P.O., page 2, dwelling 10, family 10; National Archives micropublication M563, roll 269.
8. L.W. Lemasters household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Salem Township, Shelby County, Ohio, dwelling 109, family 109; National Archives micropublication M432, roll 729.
9. 1840 U.S. census, Shelby County, Ohio, population schedule, Salem Township, page 101, Luman W. Lamasters, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 March 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.


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