Gathering Rosebuds

This week I took to social media in order to learn more about my great-grandmother June and her sister Pansy.  I've been on Facebook, for some time and am a members of several genealogy groups but had not fully utilized the power of social media.

I located the Facebook page for the Monticello Public Library in Monticello, Indiana and posted a request to locate any family members of my great-aunt Pansy (Davis) Decker Timm and her husband, Raymond.  Within an hour, I had a response asking me to email one of the staff members, which I did.  She quickly replied and gave me a phone number to Raymond's son.

Making the call to the stepson of my great-grandmother's sister, who died in 1968, might seem odd to some people, but not to this genealogist.  I was pleasantly surprised that he was very helpful in providing some information about Pansy and his dad, including how they met,  but also directed me to contact Pansy's daughter-in-law, who was still living in Crawfordsville at the age of 98.

Wednesday was a snowy day here in Indiana, and fortunately for me, I was able to catch Mary at home and speak with her about Pansy as well as my great-grandmother, June (Davis) Lambertson. She was sharp as a tack! Again, here I was talking to her about someone who had died in 1951.  We had a pleasant talk, she was able to give me some details on the family, and I was encouraged to call again with more specific questions.

I was glad most to hear that June and Pansy's families were in contact with each other, at least while June was living, and that they would visit each other.  Mary was able to fill me in on where Pansy's grandchildren are living.  On a future call, I will attempt to get all of the names and contact details if she has them.

The old maxim of "gathering your rosebuds while you can", has certainly applied in this case.

Exploratory Data Analysis: Pansy (Davis) Decker Timm (1894-1968)

Peter W. Decker & Pansy (Davis) Decker, undated photograph

Pansy (Davis) Decker Timm (1894-1968) was my maternal great-grandaunt.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.

1. Vital Records

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          Pansy was born December 11, 1894¹.  The location is not definitely known, probably Monroe County, Indiana or Owen County, Indiana.  A search of the W.P.A. index for these counties has been fruitless.  One source stated that Pansy was born December 11, 1895 in Ellettsville, Monroe County, Indiana².

          The father of both Pansy and her sister, June (my great-grandmother) is unknown and has been the subject of a previous post.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspapers to see if mention was made of Pansy's birth.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of any surviving Bible record for the Davis or Gilliland family.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one might be located.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               I am not aware of any baptismal record for Pansy at this time, nor do I know for sure any church affiliation.  Her grandmother, Mary, was associated with the Baptist denomination.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               I have found no official record of any adoption of Pansy or her sister June.  However, both were raised by their maternal grandmother and step-grandfather, Robert and Mary Ellen (Swafford) Gilliland, and used the Gilliland surname.  Whether or not this adoption was made official through a court, I do not know and will have to seek out records in both Owen and Monroe Counties, Indiana to be sure.

     1.2. Marriage license

          Pansy married on December 11, 1912 in Monroe County, Indiana to Peter W. Decker.

          Pansy married in 1955 to Raymond Fred Timm.

          1.2.1. Marriage notice in newspaper

               Will need to search out contemporary newspapers to see if their nuptials were mentioned.

          1.2.2. Anniversary notice

               Pansy and Peter's 25th wedding anniversary would have been December 11, 1937.  Need to search out the local newspapers to see if mention was made.

          1.2.3. Divorce decree

               There is no indication of any Pansy and Peter were ever divorced.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Pansy died on January 26, 1968 in Monticello, White County, Indiana.  I do not 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

               Pansy's obituary was published in the January 27, 1968 Crawfordsville Journal-Review³.  I've written about her obituary in a previous post.

               I need to search out other area newspapers to see if they also mentioned her death.

          1.3.2. Funeral home records

               According to her obituary, the Anfenberg Funeral Home in Monticello handled her funeral arrangements.  I need to add contacting them for more information to my list of "to-do" items.

          1.3.3. Tombstone photograph

               Pansy's tombstone has been photographed in the Freedom Cemetery.  Her memorial page at the Find A Grave website contains a photograph.

               The transcription reads: "Pansy Decker Timm Dec. 11, 1894-Jan. 26, 1968".⁴

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1940 Federal Census

               On April 1, 1940, Pansy was enumerated in the Peter W. Decker household in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana⁵, as Pansy L. Decker, age 45, housewife, born in Indiana.  Living in the household were her husband, Peter W., age 50, and daughter Wandalee, age 16.  According to the handwritten notes on the margin of the census, the information was provided by Peter Decker's sister-in-law.  I am not sure who this might be.  According to the census, the family was living at 702 Mill Street, and was living at the same location in 1935.

          2.1.2. 1930 Federal Census

               On April 28, 1930, Pansy was enumerated in the Peter W. Decker household in Brown Township, Montgomery County, Indiana⁶, as Pansy Decker, age 36, born in Indiana.  She was age 17 at her first marriage, could read and write and spoke English.  Her mother and father were born in Indiana, and no occupation was listed.  Also in the household was husband, Peter W., age 39, born Indiana; son Wilbur, age 12, son Jeane, age 9, daughter Wandalee, age 9, and daughter Virginia, age 4 and Pansy's mother, Mary Gilliland, age 75.

          2.1.3. 1920 Federal Census

               On January 6, 1920, Pansy was enumerated in the Ernest Patton household in Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana⁷, as Pansy Decker, sister-in-law, age 25, born in Indiana.  She could read and write and spoke English; and both parents were listed as born in Indiana.  Also in the household were her husband, P.W. Decker, age 29, born in Indiana; and son Wilbur, age 1 1/2 years.

          2.1.4. 1910 Federal Census

               On May 3, 1910, Pansy was enumerated in the Robert F. Gilliland household in Richland Township, Monroe County, Indiana⁸, as Pansy L. Gilliland, stepgranddaughter, age 15, born in Indiana.  She could read and write and spoke English.  Both of her parents were born in Indiana.

          2.1.5. 1900 Federal Census

               On June 9, 1900, Pansy was enumerated in the Robert Gilliland household in Clay Township, Owen County, Indiana⁹, as Pansy Davis, granddaughter, born December 1894 in Indiana.  She could read and write and spoke English. Both of her parents were 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 1921.  These, however, were merely for the purpose of determining legislative apportionment.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          I have not yet investigated these types of census records to see what light it might shed on the Gilliland or Decker farms.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          Not applicable, as Pansy was female.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I am not aware of any military service by father or husband that would have made Pansy eligible to receive a military pension.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable, as Pansy was female.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Monroe County, Indiana and Montgomery County, Indiana, to see what records might mention Pansy.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for future research trips.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Monroe County published plat maps in 1920, 1923, 1927 and 1928 that might be relevant to my research.

               Montgomery County published plat maps in 1936, 1941, and 1947 that might be relevant to my research.
          

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available to research for Pansy include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records.  Will add these to my "to-do" list for future research trips.

Sources:

1. Pansy Timm, no. 307-26-2546, Social Security Death Benefits Index of the U.S. Social Security Administration.
2. Pansy L. Timm obituary, Herald-Journal, Monticello, Indiana, January 27, 1968.
3. Mrs. Pansy Decker Timm obituary, Crawfordsville Journal-Review, Crawfordsville, Indiana, January 27, 1968.
4. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave.com, photograph, tombstone for Pansy Decker Timm (1894-1968), Waveland, Ind., memorial no. 42709136.
5. Peter W. Decker household, 1940 U.S. Census, Montgomery County, Indiana, 4th Ward, Crawfordsville, Indiana, Union Township, SD 6, ED 54-26, sheet 15B, household 331, dwelling 702, micropublication T627, roll 1080; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
6. Peter W. Decker household, 1930 U.S. Census, Montgomery County, Indiana, Brown Township, ED 54-3, SD 6, sheet 8B, family 198, household 198, micropublication T626, roll 620; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
7. Ernest Patton household, 1920 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Indiana, 3rd Ward, Bloomington, Indiana, Perry Township, ED 184, SD 2, sheet 4, dwelling 89, family 100, micropublication T625, roll 457; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
8. Robert F. Gilliland household, 1910 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Indiana, Richland Township, ED 40, SD 2, sheet 15, dwelling 289, family 296, micropublication T624, roll 371; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
9. Robert Gilliland household, 1900 U.S. Census, Owen County, Indiana, Clay Township, ED 106, SD 2, sheet 4, dwelling 92, family 93, micropublication T623, roll 396; 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.

On This Day : January 26

1671: John PIERCE born in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.  John was the son of John PIERCE and Deborah CONVERS.


1697: Joseph HERITAGE married Hannah ALLEN in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  Joseph was the son of Richard HERITAGE and Mary TIMMS.


1732: William WRIGHT born in Falkland, Fife, Scotland.  William was the son of Robert WRIGHT and Elizabeth HENDERSON.


1756: Johanna ANTONIDES born.  Johanna was the daughter of Pieter ANTONIDES and Catherine VANDERVEER.


1765: David WRIGHT born in Foodie, Fife, Scotland.  David was the son of Charles WRIGHT and Peggy MORRIS.


1774: Samuel PIERCE died in Mansfield, Windham County, Connecticut.  Samuel was the son of Samuel PIERCE and Lydia BACON.  He was my 8x great-grandfather.


1798: Joseph WRIGHT born in Kentucky.  Joseph was the son of John WRIGHT and Sarah FLEMING.


1827: Johann Karl Ludwig KAHRE died.  Johann was the son of Johann Jurgen KAHRE and Anna Catherine Elisabeth OBERMEIER.  He was Corinne's 6x great-grandfather.


1832: William MAXSON married Delilah BOWLAND in Harrison County, Ohio.  William was the son of Jonathan MAXSON and Mary MAGDILINE.


1845: Nathaniel LEWIS married Mary ZOOK.  Nathaniel was the son of Nathaniel LEWIS and Nancy Ann SNIDER.


1855: Ellen A. MOULTON born in Ohio.  Ellen was the daughter of Charles MOULTON and Charlotte Cordelia PHILLIPS.


1860: Nettie Belle STOUT born in Adams County, Ohio.  Nettie was the daughter of Moses B. STOUT and Nancy PARKER.


1881: Elizabeth BEALS died in Converse, Miami County, Indiana.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Andrew CHEW and Anna Marie BARTHUS.  She was my 5x great-grandmother.


1882: Isaiah W. DUFFEY born.  Isaiah was the son of Isaac Fremont DUFFEY and Della BENJAMIN.


1886: Jesse Clarence LEE born in Ray County, Missouri.  Jesse was the son of William Burrell LEE and Margaret Jane SWAFFORD.


1899: Harley Alden DAVIS born.  Harley was the son of Winchester Journey DAVIS and Lula Iona DAVIS.


1968: Pansy TIMM died in Monticello, White County, Indiana.  Pansy was the daughter of Ida DAVIS.