Obituary : Margaret (Pierce) Jones, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 1923

"Mrs. John W. Jones Dies At Home Near Florida," obituary, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 11 June 1923; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 18 January 2016), The Alexandria Times-Tribune.

Mrs. John W. Jones Dies At Home Near Florida

Mrs. John W. Jones, wife of the brother of Dee R. Jones, died at her home near Florida, southwest of Alexandria, this morning at 8:30 o'clock.  Deceased was the sister of Elias Pierce, a resident of this city.  Funeral arrangements had not yet been made when this was written.

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Was able to locate at Newspapers.com the obituary of my maternal 2nd-great grandaunt, Margaret (Pierce) Jones, daughter of Edmund G. & Catherine (Groenendyke) Pierce.  

Margaret was the wife of John W. Jones and the mother of at least three children: Herman, Lyman and Neal.

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

Mom's DAR Process - Picking an Ancestor

Met with mom on Monday to discuss the process for DAR membership and talked about which Patriot ancestor to choose from.  

Decided to use Francis Smalley-A105541 as the Patriot ancestor to start the process with for a number of reasons.  One reason is that his line comes through our Pierce line which should allow us to gather the necessary documentation.  Another reason is that Francis' father, Joseph Smalley and Francis' father-in-law Samuel Hutchinson Sr. are both recognized as Patriots by the DAR, so mom could later do supplemental applications for them.  Additionally, it is through the Smalley line that mom has a connection to the Mayflower and Stephen Hopkins, a future project.  So if we can get all of the documentation together on the descent from Francis Smalley we can take care of several things at once.

Mom filled out the contact form on the DAR main website and within a few hours was already contacted by the local chapter.  She has given the registrar a line of descent from Francis Smalley and hopes to meet with her next week for initial discussions on how the application process works.

In the meantime, I'm putting together a list of documents that I'm sure we will need and will work with mom on collecting the birth/death certificates, etc. 

If you have experience with this process and have any advice, I'd appreciate hearing it.

If you are related to any of the families on the line, I'd love to share information and update my database.

Our line of descent from the Patriot ancestor, Francis Smalley :

Francis Smalley & Sarah Hutchinson
Thirsa Smalley & Gurdon Pierce
Francis S. Pierce & Rebecca Page
Edmund G. Pierce & Catherine Groenendyke
William F. Pierce & Clara A. Penisten
Edna M. Pierce & Virgil L. Wright
William L. Wright & Bonnie M. Lambertson
mom

DNA: Mom's Cousin Jack - Fourth Cousin

Mom's 23andMe cousin Jack matches her on two chromosomes, and matches me as well.  He is predicted to be my 3rd to 6th cousin.

Jack was quick to write back that he took a look at the family tree, and only saw one name, William Henry Summers that matched.  William Henry Summers was the husband of Margaret P. Pierce.  We traded more information, and I was able to view his family tree at Ancestry and confirm that we are fourth cousins, once removed, through the most recent common ancestors of Francis Pierce and Rebecca Page.

Francis Pierce
Rebecca Page

Margaret P. Pierce               Edmund G. Pierce
William H.H. Summers                Catherine Groenendyke

Francis P. Summers               William F. Pierce

Katie ________                     Clara A. Penisten

Glee William Summers               Edna M. Pierce
Mary J. Hunter                          Virgil Lee Wright

his parents                             my grandparents

Jack                            my mom

                               me

This is the second DNA connection through the MRCA Francis Pierce and Rebecca Page I've discovered through 23andme.  Earlier, I had made a connection with cousin Raj through Margaret Pierce and William H.H. Summers.  Raj and Jack would be 3rd cousins once removed.

Note: This post was drafted before the recent changes to the 23andMe site.

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.

Party in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Maddox, 1918

"In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Maddox," announcement, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 4 March 1918; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 29 March 2015).

RURAL ROUTE, 20

In honor of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Maddox, who will soon move to their new home south of Linwood, a party was given last Tuesday night.  Refreshments were served, and a general good time enjoyed by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clevenger, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thurston, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Bowers, Mr. and Mrs. John Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Thurston, Mr. and Mrs. Purl Ice, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Gooding,Mr. and Mrs. Rube Maddox, Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Stephenson and familes, Mrs. Lon Nichols, Wm. Dickey, Walter Davis and son Ralph, George Hughes.  The Misses Mary Vermillion, Hazel Nichols, Sybrina Tobin, Leona Hughes, Sybrina Tobin, Leona Hughes, Messrs. Marshall Stephenson, Thomas and Edward Tobin.

---

My maternal great-grandparents, Virgil and Edna (Pierce) Wright, were attendees at this party hosted for Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Maddox.

I do not know if this Maddox family was related to the family of Edna's stepmother, Vida (Maddox) Pierce.

I also do not yet know the relationship, if any, with the Frank Wright family. 

Birth Announcement, Clara Ellen Wright, 1916

"Found, A Girl," announcement, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 28 March 1916; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 29 March 2015).

Found, a Girl -

Dr. J.E. Hall reported to the Times-Tribune that there was rejoicing in the home of Virgil Wright, two miles south of the city, this morning over the arrival of a baby daughter.

---
Though it doesn't mention her by name, this is the birth announcement of my maternal grandaunt, Clara Ellen Wright (1916-2005), daughter of Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright.  Clara Ellen was the oldest of their three children.

Second Place at the Halloween Party, 1915

"Halloween Party," announcement, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 1 November 1915; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 29 March 2015).

HALLOWEEN PARTY

A masquerade party was enjoyed by a number of friends Friday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Manring on East Eleventh street.  At 9 o'clock all marks were removed.  Miss Elsie McCord won the first prize.  Virgil Wright second and Kenneth Stoughton third prize.  Games and contents were followed by a Hallowe'en luncheon.  The home was beautifully decorated in black and yellow crepe ribbons, candles, pumpkins and yellow crysanthemums.  Attending were the Misses Elsie McCord, Hazel Foland, Mablel Wright, Mary Manring, Olivia Wright, Sarah Damens, Frances Wright, and Charley Sexton, George Harcastle, William Knopp, Kenneth Stoughton, Kenneth Allen and Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Lawler, Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Frazier, Mrs. Mary Danils, Mrs. McDonald, Mrs. Ada Stroughton and Clarence Smith, of Muncie.

----
My maternal great-grandfather, Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972) and great-grandmother, Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright (1897-1968), attended this Halloween party shortly after their marriage with a number of friends and relatives.  I wonder what customer grandpa Virgil wore to win second prize?

Other relatives include Mabel Wright, daughter of James and  Clara (Hicks) Wright, Virgil's first cousin, as well as her other sisters Olivia and Frances Wright.  Frances Wright's future husband Charles Sexton was also in attendance.

Wedding Announcement, Virgil Wright to Muriel Pierce, 1915

"Rural Route 20," announcement, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 26 March 1915; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 March 2015).

Virgil Wright has joined the "Benedicts," having gone to Anderson and returned with a new wife Saturday. Mrs. Wright was formerly Miss Murrill Pierce, of Alexandria.  A crowd of their friends treated them to an old fashioned charivari Wednesday night.  They will live with Mr. Wright's father for a time at least.

---

Located this announcement of my maternal great-grandparents wedding.  Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972) and Edna Muriel Pierce (1897-1968) were married on June 19, 1915.  Edna was the daughter of William Francis Pierce and Clara A. Penisten.

Apparently, they took up housekeeping for a time with my 2nd-great grandfather, the John William Wright.

Farewell Party for Miss Pearl Cummins, 1915

"Farewell Party," announcement, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 14 May 1915; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 March 2015).

FAREWELL PARTY

Miss Pearl Cummins gave a farewell party at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.A. Cummins, Wednesday evening.  Miss Cummins will leave next week for Lafayette, Ind., where she will enter the State Soldiers' Home to take up nurse training.  Among those present were : Ollie Johnson, Lena and Nema Cranfield, Merl Fuller, Mary Moore, Merl Pierce, Cecil Thurber, Ada Miller, Hazel Walker, Pearl Little, Pearl Robbins, Clema Laycock, Edith and Hortense Brown, Bessie Laycock, Sarah Smith, Eva King, Ruth Jones, Iva White, Gladys Davis, Zetta Johnston, Pearl Cummins, Mrs. Charles Finley, Mrs. John Lewis and Mrs. D.A. Cummins and Earl and Joe Mohler, Kenneth Jones, Kenneth Collis, Rex Fuller, Everett Wilson, Chester Seibert, Park Weewee, Joe Draper, Chester and Virgil Wright, Floyd Miller, Oscar Thurber, Lee White, Allen Walker, William Smith, Rodger Brown, Herbert Johnson, Leslie Noble, James Jarret, Jessie Porter, Jessie Reason, Rodney Farr, Henry Young, Roy Jarrett, Clarence Johnson, Dale Cook, Harry Shaw, Robert Zellers, Frank Clevenger, Homer Scott, Cecil Moyer, Herbert Ferguson, Alfred Garner, John Lewis and D.A. Cummins.

---

My maternal great-grandfather, Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972) attended this farewell party along with his brother, Chester.  Many of those named were friends of the family who appeared often in the social news together.

The Ollie Johnson was my maternal first cousin 3 times removed, daughter of John M. and Martha (Pierce) Johnson.

Farewell Party for Mr. and Mrs. Claude Montgomery, 1915

"A Farewell Party," announcement, Alexandria Times-Tribune, 18 February 1915; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 March 2015).

A FAREWELL PARTY

A farewell party was given at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Montgomery who will soon move to a farm near Reed's station.  Games and music were enjoyed and refreshments served to the following guests: Zelda and Hazel Gale, Myrtle Stephenson, Bessie Larmore, Mildred Fuller, Myrtle Lawler, Lottie Schwinn, Marie Smith, Ollie and Cecil Johnson, Ethel Seybert, Ruth Jones, Clara and Beulah Adams, Merle Pierce, Mary Moore, Nellie Mohler, Omah and Apha Miller, Opal Millspaugh, Marie Brannenberg, of Kendallville, Kenneth Jones, Virgil Wright, Sam Thurston, Bernard Millsbaugh, Joe Draper, Delbert Swindell, Rand Farrar, John Johnson, Rex Fuller, Everett Wilson, Lertie Bushong, Clifford Eppard, Elmer Miller, Earl and Joe Mohler, Jesse Peck, Ollie Schaefer, Walter Hurst, Ernest and Esta Quinn, Frank Simms, Jesse Lawson, Chester Seybert, Ray Fuller, Eddie Warren, Ben Jones, Jesse Gaither, Sanford Hicks and Mr. and Mrs. T.M. Martin and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Montgomery.

----
My maternal great-grandfather, Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972) attended this farewell party that was well attended by neighbors.  I also found several other names in my genealogy database from this party.

The Mr. and Mrs. Claude Montgomery were Claude Benjamin and Ruth E. (Johnson) Montgomery.  Ruth was my maternal first cousin 3 times removed, our common ancestors were Edmund G. Pierce and Catherine Groenendyke.  She was the daughter of John M. Johnson and Martha Pierce.  The Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Montgomery at the end of the list of guests were the parents of Claude.

The Ollie and Cecil Johnson listed were sisters of Mrs. Claude Montgomery, daughters of John M. and Martha (Pierce) Johnson.

I do not place the Merle Pierce in the family at this time.

Census Sunday : William Francis Pierce household, 1940, Madison County, Indiana

My maternal great-great grandfather, William Francis Pierce was enumerated in the 1940 U.S. census in Madison County, Indiana.  His farm was in Monroe Township, and he was residing in the same location back in 1935.

1940 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Monroe Township, enumeration district (ED) 48-58, SD 11, sheet 8B,, dwelling 166, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 December 2013); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

The family consisted of my great-great grandfather, William, aged 74 and his second wife, Vida, aged 54.  William was born in Indiana and Vida was born in Kentucky.  Their children living in the household included Charles, age 21, Robert, age 17, Edmond, age 15, and James, age 8; all were born in Indiana.  A niece, Joan Denton, age 15, born in Indiana was also living in the household.

According to the census, William had completed the 6th grade in education, and Vida had completed the 8th grade.  William's occupation was listed as a farmer, and the value of his farm was $4000.  Son Charles, at 21, was the only person with a listed occupation, that of laborer.

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.

My Mayflower Connection

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

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

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

Surname Saturday : Bacon

The BACON surname is in my maternal line.  The origins of the surname are English.

Stories and history :

Ahnentafel # 3329 : Lydia Bacon (1656-1717).  Lydia was born March 6, 1656 in Newton, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.  She married Samuel Pierce (1656-1721) on December 9, 1680 in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  Samuel was born April 7, 1656 in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  They raised nine children in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  Samuel died July 5, 1721 in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  Lydia died December 5, 1717 in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Anhentafel # 6658 : Daniel Bacon (1615-1691).  Daniel was born 1615 in Winston, Suffolk, England.  He married Mary Reed (1620-1691) in 1639 in Colchester, Suffolk, England.  Mary was born in 1620 in Colchester, Suffolk, England.  They raised eight children.  Mary died October 4, 1691 in Newton, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.  Daniel died September 7, 1691 in Newton, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

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

Obituary : William H. Summers (1844-1911)

Fort Wayne News
September 4, 1911
page 8

Summers

William H. Summers, a prominent farmer residing near Poe, Allen county, died at Hope hospital Sunday evening.  The death was due to obstruction of the bowels.  Saturday the deceased was in good health and spirits.  Sunday morning he suffered a sudden attack and was at once taken to the hospital, where death occurred in a few hours.  For many years, Mr. Summers had resided near Poe and was widely known and respected.  He leaves the widow and eight children.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning at 10:30 o'clock at the M.E. church at Poe.

----

William H. Summers (1844-1911) was the husband of Margaret P. (Pierce) Summers, my maternal 3rd-great grandaunt.  William was born in 1844 in Indiana, and married Margaret on September 3, 1868.  Their eight children were : Mary Lulu, Parker, Edwin, Girdon, Thance, Chauncey, Mian and Ira.

Shortly after their married they lived in Jefferson Township, Wells County, just south of Ft. Wayne.

DNA Match : Cousin Raj

Made a DNA connection with a public match at 23andMe, Raj, who is not currently sharing genomes with me.  Because we are not sharing genomes, I'm unable to compare him with others to see where we match. We share 1 segment, or 0.31% DNA and was a predicted 4th cousin. Raj was listed as my mother's predicted 3rd to 4th cousin, sharing 3 segments and 0.59% DNA.

Looking at his profile at 23andMe, there was no family tree listed, but he did list family surnames and locations, though none of them looked familiar to me.

Because he has a rather unusual name and surname (at least to my ears), I decided to see if I could "reverse engineer" a solution to seeing exactly how we were related.  With the help of Google, FindAGrave and some genealogical intuition, I was able to successfully tie cousin Raj into the family tree.

Using Google, I located him listed as a survivor in his mother's obituary that had been posted to the Iowa Gen Web.  Likewise, his father's obituary had also been posted to the same site.  His father immigrated from India, so I made the deduction that we must be related through his mother's line.

I found the listing for his maternal grandmother's obituary that had been posted to Legacy.com and FindAGrave.com  I also found his maternal grandfather listed at FindAGrave.  There was not much biographical information listed at FindAGrave for his maternal grandfather, but his maternal grandmother's obituary at Legacy.com had her dying in Ft. Wayne, Indiana about 60 miles away from where I live.  Armed with that information, I made an assumption that our connection came from the line of his maternal grandmother's side.

Fortunately, his maternal grandmother lived to be 101 years old and her obituary at Legacy named her parents and stated that she was a native of Ossian, which is just south of Ft. Wayne in Wells County.  I remembered that I had one branch of the Pierce family that had migrated there.

Through the FindAGrave website, I was able to connect Raj's maternal great-grandfather to his maternal 2nd-great grandparents, John H. Simerman and Mary Lula Summers of Ossian, Indiana.  That's when I knew we had a connection.  Mary Lula Summers was in my database (though I had the surname as Sommers), the daughter of William Henry Harrison Summers (1844-1911) and Margaret P. Pierce (1840-1920).

Margaret P. Pierce was the daughter of Francis S. Pierce (1806-1881) and Rebecca Page (1806-1893) and the younger sister of my 3rd-great grandfather, Edmund G. Pierce (1837-1875).  I had found the connection!

I quickly sent a note to Raj through 23andMe, and he wrote me back.  We've begun exchanging information, and I've kick-started my research on these branches of the family that I previously had left blank.

Knowing that I was able to make a connection where one didn't appear possible right away makes me confident that with a little persistence and as complete of a family tree as possible, I can make connections to some of these other DNA matches at 23andMe.  There are so many descendants of my 4th-great grandparents that I need to track down, as that is where many of the connections will be found.

Gedmatch Cousin : Distant Match but no shared DNA

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

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

Ezekiel Jewett (1643-1723) and Faith Parrat

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

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

Samuel Jewett (1725-1791) and Sarah ________

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

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

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

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

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

(my paternal great-grandparents)

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

Samuel Spofford (1653-1744) and Sarah Burpbee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(my maternal great-grandparents)

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

Exploratory Data Analysis Through 2x-Great Grandaunts & Uncles

Though it took much longer that I had hoped, have finally finished by series of exploratory data analysis through my 2x-great grandaunts and granduncles.  Previously, I had written about my results through my 2x-great grandparents.  My next steps are to move on to my 3x-great grandparents as well as start work on some of Eileen's ancestors and Corinne's ancestors.

Working on this series has allowed me to find out where there are gaps in my research and has added much data.  Now I just need to follow up with my "to-do" lists before my next research trip to make sure I use my time effectively.

Here are the links to posts about the exploratory data analysis posts for my 2x-great grandaunts and granduncles:

• Beulah Sarah (LeMasters) Rockwell (1865-1940)
• Phillip D. LeMasters (1869-1869)
• William Clifford LeMaster (1870-1922)
• Mary Elsie (LeMasters) Atkinson (1873-1942)
• Bertha Fidelia (LeMasters) Yaeger (1874-1922)
• Ord Otterbein LeMaster (1876-1937)
• Edith Mabel (LeMasters) Meinholtz (1879-1949)
• Una Maude (LeMasters) Phillips (1884-1968)
• Arthur Raymond LeMaster (1885-1971)
• Vernon Walker LeMaster (1888-1955)
• Minerva Prudence (Wehrly) Jackson (1867-1948)
• John William Wehrly (1870-1954)
• Orilla Catherine (Wehrly) Andrews (1872-1970)
• Benjamin Franklin Wehrly (1873-1895)
• Henry Leonard Wehrly (1875-1924)
• Harvey Allen Wehrly (1877-1968)
• Alva Monroe Wehrly (1878-1952)
• LeRoy Garfield Wehrly (1880-1883)
• Ida Laura (Wehrly) Scholer (1883-1963)
• Blaine Pearle Wehrly (1884-1964)
• Ethel May (Wehrly) Shreeve (1886-1951)
• Martin Nimrod Wehrly (1888-1954)
• Andrew Frank Haley (1864-1937)
• George David Ellsworth Haley (1868-1941)
• Rachel Emma Pernina (Haley) Hanlin Zorn (1869-1963)
• Charles Wesley Haley (1872-1893)
• Carrie Mae (Haley) Graves Booth Marks (1877-1956)
• Ora Amanda (Haley) Bittikofer (1884-1961)
• William A.L. Metzner (1866-1879)
• Wesley F. Metzner (1872-1953)
• Chester Arthur Wright (1896-1955)
• John Herman Pierce (1895-1959)
• Edward E. Pierce (1900-1900)
• Lillian Pierce (1902-1921)
• Nehersta Edith (Pierce) Miller Roberts (1910-1979)
• William McClellan Pierce (1913-1978)
• Cloyd J. Pierce (1916-1962)
• Charles D. Pierce (1918-1991)
• Robert F. Pierce (1923-2005)
• James Louis Pierce (1931-2002)

Exploratory Data Analysis: James Louis Pierce (1931-2002)

James Louis Pierce (1931-2002) was my maternal great-granduncle.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

       1.1. Birth Certificate

          James was born September 10, 1931, probably in Madison County, Indiana, according to my database.  I do not yet have a copy of his birth certificate.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

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

          1.1.2. Bible Record

                    I am not aware of any Pierce family Bible.  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 James.  The Pierce family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

                    There is no indication that James was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          I do not have any details yet on James' marriage, though I do know that he was divorced from his death record in North Carolina. Will continue to search for record of his marriage.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

                   Once I have a date range to search for James' marriage, will be able to search contemporary newspaper accounts for mention of it.
            1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

              Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts for mention of any anniversary celebrations once I've determined the date of marriage.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

                   Although I know that James was divorced from his death record, I do not know when or where the divorce was granted.  Will need to continue to search for documentation of the event.

       1.3. Death Certificate

          James died January 19, 2002 in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina.  My source for this data is from email with a correspondent. The cause of death was not listed on the record I was provided.  Will need to request a copy and add this to my "to-do" list.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspapers to see if mention was made of James' death.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Once I've obtained the obituary information, will contact the funeral home that handled the arrangements to see if they can provide any additional information.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               James' tombstone in the Maplewood Cemetery, Anderson, Madison County, Indiana¹, has been photographed. 

               A link to his memorial page is here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1940 Federal Census

               On May 3, 1940, James was enumerated in the William Pierce household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana², as James Pierce, son, age 8.  He had attended school within the year, his residence in 1935 was the same place. He was born in Indiana.  Note : the line for education indicated "C-3", which according to the instructions would have been 3 years of college, based on his age, assuming that the enumerator meant that James had completed the third grade.

     2.2. State Census Records

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

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          I have not yet investigated these types of records to see what light they might shed on the Pierce family farm.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not been able to locate any draft records for James.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I do not yet know if James received a pension for his service in the U.S. Air Force.

     3.3. Service Records

          According to his tombstone, James served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.  I have not yet investigated his military service.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Madison County, Indiana and Forsyth County, North Carolina, to see what records might mention James.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Madison County published a plat map in 1880, 1891, 1893, 1901, 1910, 1915, 1921, 1923, 1931 and 1940 that might be relevant for my research for the Pierce family.
          5. Supplemental Records

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

Sources:

1. FindAGrave Inc., FindAGrave  (www.findagrave.com: accessed 31 December 2013), James Pierce tombstone.
2. 1940 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Monroe Township, ED 48-58, SD 11, sheet 8B, dwelling 166; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com: accessed 12 December 2013); 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.

Exploratory Data Analysis: Robert F. Pierce (1923-2005)

Robert F. Pierce (1923-2005) was my maternal great-granduncle.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          Robert was born April 21, 1923, probably in Madison County, Indiana, according to my database.  I do not yet have a copy of his birth certificate.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts for mention of Robert's birth.  The Alexandria-Monroe Public Library has newspapers from the early 1900s.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of any surviving Bible record for the Pierce family.  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 Robert.  The Pierce family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no indication that Robert was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          Robert married Blance ________ on August 31, 1946.  Her surname is currently unknown.  

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts for mention of Robert and Blanche's wedding.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

                Robert and Blanche's 25th wedding anniversary was August 31, 1971.  Will search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of any anniversary celebrations.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication of a divorce, but thorough search of Madison County, Indiana court records needs to be completed.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Robert died June 11, 2005 in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana¹.  I do not yet have a copy of his death certificate.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               I have not yet located Robert's obituary in the newspaper.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Once I've located Robert's obituary, I can contact the funeral home to see if they have any additional records.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Robert's tombstone in the Park View Cemetery in Alexandria, Madison County, Indiana² has been photographed.

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

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1940 Federal Census

               On May 3, 1940, Robert was enumerated in the William Pierce household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana³, as Robert Pierce, son, age 17, born in Indiana.  He had attended school within the year and had completed 3 years of high school.  His residence in 1935 was the same location.  He lived on a farm and was born in Indiana.

          2.1.2. 1930 Federal Census

               On April 24, 1930, Robert was enumerated in the William Pierce household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana⁴, as Robert F. Pierce, son, age 7, born in Indiana.  He had attended school within the year.  His father was born in Indiana and his mother born in Kentucky.

     2.2. State Census Records

          The State of Indiana conducted state census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1921.  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 farm.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not discovered any draft registration records for Robert.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I do not yet know if Robert received a pension for his service during World War II.

     3.3. Service Records

          On January 6, 1943, Robert enlisted in the U.S. Army in Indianapolis, Indiana⁵ for the duration of the war plus six months.  According to his memorial page at FindAGrave, Robert served in the Philippines.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Madison County, Indiana to see what records might mention Robert.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Madison County, Indiana, published a plat map in 1880, 1891, 1893, 1901, 1910, 1915, 1921, 1923, 1931 and 1940 that might be relevant to my search on the Pierce family.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available to search for Robert 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.


1. "U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-current," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 December 2013); citing Social Security Death Index, Master File.
2. FindAGrave Inc., FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 December 2013).

3. 1940 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Monroe Township, enumeration district 48-58, SD 11, sheet 8B, dwelling 166, digital images; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 December 2013); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
4. William Pierce household, 1930 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana, ED 48-45, SD 5, sheet 13B, dwelling 321, family 327; National Archives micropublication T626.
5. "U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 December 2013); citing National Archives and Records Administration, Electronic Army Number Merged File 1938-1946.


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.