Surname Saturday: Sills

The SILLS surname is Eileen's maternal line.  The surname has origins in Hesse-Darmstadt area of Germany.

Stories and History:

Ahnentafel # 15: Ruth Alice SILLS (1889-1959).  Ruth was born March 29, 1889 in Dora, Wabash County, Indiana.  She married Lawrence Solomon LEWIS on February 24, 1906 in Dora, Wabash County, Indiana.  Lawrence was born March 30, 1885 in Lancaster, Huntington County, Indiana.  They raised 12 children in Dora, Lagro Township, Wabash County, Indiana.  After Lawrence's death, Ruth married Elsworth G. STAFFORD and Owen Earl STEVENS. 

Ahnentafel # 30: Christopher SILLS (1840-1913).  Christopher was born February 15, 1840 in Jackson Township, Champaign County, Ohio.  He married Samantha SHELLY on May 21, 1872 in Wabash County, Indiana.  Samantha was born December 16, 1848 in Dora, Wabash County, Indiana.  They had 5 children.  Christopher died March 19, 1913 in Dora, Wabash County, Indiana.

Ahnentafel # 60: George SILLS (1809-1880).  George was born December 1, 1809 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.  He married Mary GRIMES on February 16, 1832 in Champaign County, Ohio.  Mary was born April 19, 1809 in Middleton, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.  By 1860, they were living in Wabash County, Indiana.  They had 6 children.  George died June 9, 1880 in Dora, Wabash County, Indiana.

Ahnentafel # 120: Michael SILLS (1777-1845).  Michael was born June 4, 1777 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.  He married Rosanna FETTERS on February 1, 1803.  Rosanna was born circa 1784 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.  After the War of 1812, they moved to Champaign County, Ohio.  They had 7 children.  Michael died January 18, 1845 in Jackson Township, Champaign County, Ohio.


Ahnentafel # 240: Michael SILLS (1735-1814).  Michael was born December 19, 1735 in Bingen, Hesse-Darmstadt.  He married Barbara RHOADES before 1767 in Pennsylvania.  Barbara was born circa 1735 in Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.  They had at least 2 children.  Michael died November 22, 1814 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

Family Milestones: February 6th

My paternal 3rd-great grandmother, Caroline Bishop WOOLSTON, was born on this date in 1826 in Vincentown, Burlington County, New Jersey.  Caroline was the daughter of Abel B. and Rachel (WOOLSTON) WOOLSTON.  Caroline married December 29, 1842 in New Jersey to Dr. Ezekiel Cooper CHEW, son of Rev. Nathaniel and Mary (WEST) CHEW.  Ezekiel was born January 17, 1822 in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  They moved to Darke County, Ohio.  Caroline died February 27, 1879 in Rossburg, Darke County, Ohio and is buried in the Webster Cemetery, Darke County, Ohio.

My maternal 3rd-great granduncle, George Washington KING, was born on this date in 1823 in Hamilton County, Ohio.  George was the son of William and Sarah (SULLIVAN) KING.  George married March 2, 1845 in Madison County, Indiana to Elizabeth HOWARD.  Elizabeth was born July 18, 1825 in North Carolina.  They raised 13 children in Pipe Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Elizabeth died November 15, 1902.  George died August 10, 1892.  Both are buried in the Sigler Cemetery, Pipe Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana.

Nathan Thomas Beals Obituary & Funeral Notice (1915)

Thanks to the help of the sexton at the Cicero Cemetery, I had a date to search for the obituary of Nathan Thomas BEALS.  I headed out Tuesday evening after work and visited the Hamilton East Public Library in Noblesville.  I was pleased to discover that they had copies of the Noblesville Ledger going back to the time period I needed, February of 1915.

Paydirt was struck with the February 15, 1915 edition of the Noblesville, Ledger.  There on page 1 was the obituary of my 3GGF, Nathan Thomas BEALS, or N.T. as he was apparently known.

N.T. BEALS DIED IN ARKANSAS

Remains Brought To This County And Will Be Buried At Cicero

FORMERLY LIVED AROUND HERE

Fifty-Nine Years of Age and Spent Practically All of His Life in This Locality - Father at Sheridan.

Charles Lambertson, of Cicero, received a telegram, Saturday night, from Leola, Ark., announcing the death of his father-in-law, Nathan T. Beals.  The remains passed through Noblesville, Monday, enroute to Cicero, where the funeral will occur on Tuesday.

His death was a surprise to relatives in this county, although it was known that he had not enjoyed good health for several months.
He was fifty-nine years of age and is survived by a widow and two children - Mrs. Charles Lambertson, of Cicero, and Mrs. Nellie Beals Stober, of Huntington.  He was a son of John Beals, now nearly ninety years of age and who is living with his daughter, Mrs. Joel Hill, at Sheridan.  He was a brother of Mrs. Calvin Sturdevant, an uncle of Dr. J.D., Walter and Elmer Sturdevant, of this city, and a brother of Frank Beals, formerly City Attorney, but now a resident of West Virginia.

He lived in this county all his life until about ten years ago, when he went to Arkansas to engage in the sawmill and lumber business with Ed and Luther Hinshaw.  For many years he was a resident of Cicero.  At one time, he was interested in a hardware store there, but later spent most of his time traveling for a wholesale hardware firm.

Relatives here had known for a few weeks that he had suffered some from malaria fever and nervous trouble and recently had a slight stroke of paralysis.  It is presumed that the latter affliction hastened his death.

Funeral at the M.E. church in Cicero, at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.  Rev. Amos Carson officiating.  Interment in the Cicero cemetery. 

The February 17, 1915 edition of the Ledger had a notice of his funeral, which shed a little more light on when he was in Arkansas.

SERVICES HELD FOR N.T. BEALS

Conducted by Rev. Amos Carson, Assisted by Rev. W.H. Jenkin - Aged Father Present

The funeral services for Nathan T. Beals were held at Cicero, Tuesday afternoon, at 2 o'clock, at the M.E. church.  Rev. Amos Carson, assisted by Rev. W.H. Jenkin, the pastor of the church, conducted the services.  Mr. Beals was a member of the Friends church, of which Rev. Mr. Carson is a minister.

The church was well filled with relatives and friends, and the Masonic and Knights of Pythias orders were well represented at the church and in the procession to the cemetery, where the ceremonies were conducted.

The music was by a quartet composed of Miss Nellie Mendenhall, Mrs. Monte Meek, M.M. Hartley and Clyde Nichols.

The father, Capt. John Beals, although very feeble, was able to be present, and J.F. Beals, a brother, came from his home in West Virginia.  The words of Rev. Mr. Carson were based on the saying of Jesus to His disciples, that it was necessary that He should go away, but that he would send a Comforter.  The speaker had known the family and his words of sympathy were fitting and appropriate.  He drew lessons from the text for the benefit of all.

The obituary as read showed that Mr. Beals had been in business at Westfield and Cicero, before going to Arkansas, about five years ago, and that his birth place was at Grassy Branch, on the Beals farm, near Westfield.  Rev. Mr. Carson spoke of his good qualities, and the concourse of people at his funeral services showed that he was a man who made friends. 

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I've already contacted the Grant County, Arkansas museum, hoping that they would have information on the business ventures of N.T. Beals and the Hinshaws.  Ed and Luther Hinshaw were first cousins of N.T. Beals.


I will need to seek a copy of his death certificate to verify the exact date and cause of death, but preliminary data from this obituary would place his death on Saturday, February 13, 1915 in Leola, Grant County, Arkansas.  Burial was three days later on February 16, 1915 in Cicero Cemetery, Cicero, Hamilton County, Indiana. 

Family Milestones: February 4th

My maternal 3rd-great grandmother, Catherine GROENENDYKE, was born on this date in 1843 in Madison County, Indiana.  Catherine was the daughter of Elias and Nancy (JENKINS) GROENENDYKE.  Catherine married May 5, 1864 in Madison County, Indiana to Edmund G. PIERCE, son of Francis and Rebecca (PAGE) PIERCE.  Edmund was born April 30, 1837 in Wayne County, Indiana.  They lived in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Edmund died January 8, 1875 in Madison County, Indiana.  Catherine died December 10, 1913 in Lafayette Township, Madison County, Indiana.

Wordless Wednesday: December 1969

Source: LeMaster, Travis. Photograph. ca. December 1969.  Digital image.  Privately held by Ord W. LeMaster, Alexandria, Indiana. 2010.

Family Milestones: February 3rd

My paternal 2nd-great granduncle, John P. WEHRLY, married on this date in 1861 in Jay County, Indiana to Catherine E. LEMASTERS.  John was the son of Johannes and Barbara (PETRY) WEHRLY, and the older brother of my William P. WEHRLY.  Catherine was born June 26, 1840 in Shelby County, Ohio, the daughter of Luman Walker and Nancy (YOUNG) LEMASTERS, and the older sister of my Luman Walker LEMASTERS Jr.  They raised 8 children in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Catherine died 1911 in Jay County, Indiana.  John died 1910 in Jay County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

Family Milestones: February 2nd

My paternal granduncle, Floyd LeMASTERS, was born on this date in 1894 in Jay County, Indiana.  Floyd was the son of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (WEHRLY) LeMASTERS, and the older brother of my Ord Wehrly LeMASTER.  Floyd married October 9, 1913 in Jay County, Indiana to Shirley Opal GAGLE.  Shirley was born September 12, 1895, the daughter of James and Myrtle (FREEMEYER) GAGLE.  They had 2 children.  Shirley died in 1982.  Floyd died February 12, 1982.  Both are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

Tombstone Tuesday: John and Mary (Lemasters) Petry

 

John PETRY, son of Charles and Susannah (WEHRLY) PETRY, and his wife, Mary (LEMASTERS) PETRY, daughter of Luman Walker and Nancy (YOUNG) LEMASTERS, are buried at the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.  John was my 1st cousin 3 times removed, while Mary was my 2nd-great grandaunt.

John was born May 27, 1860 in Jay County, Indiana.  Mary was born February 26, 1849 in Shelby County, Ohio.

John and Mary were married on August 4, 1883 in Jay County, Indiana.

John was a farmer, and census records locate the family in Noble, Penn and Greene Townships of Jay County.

Mary died December 28, 1892 in Jay County, Indiana.  John died February 16, 1942 in Jay County, Indiana.

Known children of John and Mary (LEMASTERS) PETRY:

• Bessie PETRY (c. 1891-     )
• Rachel PETRY (c. 1892-     )

Source: Salamonia Cemetery (Jay County, Indiana), John and Mary Petry marker, photographed by Travis LeMaster, 26 March 2009. 

Search for the Death Date of Nathan Thomas Beals

My maternal 3GGF, Nathan Thomas BEALS, is buried at the Cicero Cemetery, Cicero, Hamilton County, Indiana along with his wife, Elizabeth.  A photograph of the tombstone can be found at the FindAGrave.com website.

The tombstone states he was born in 1857 and died in 1915.  Other sources state that his date of birth was February 17, 1856 in Westfield, Hamilton County, Indiana.  The 1900 census lists February 1856 as his date a birth.

When I first started working on genealogy many years ago, I entered his place of death as Hamilton County, Indiana.  After all, he was buried there, right?  That was back when I naively thought that everyone was buried right where they died.

In attempting to document and make corrections to my data, I had run into a problem when I could not locate Nathan's death in Hamilton County, Indiana.  I knew he was living in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana in the 1910 census, so at least I thought I knew he was in Indiana at the time of his death.

An interesting clue showed up in the obituary of his father, John T. BEALS, in 1917.  In that obituary, my Nathan was referred to as "the late Nathan T. of Leola, Ark."

What in the world was he doing in Arkansas?  There is another mystery to solve.

Last week, I contacted my brother, who works for the Hamilton County, Indiana Health Department, to see if he knew who I should contact at the Cicero Cemetery in hopes that they had records of the exact burial date.  With an exact burial date, I hoped I could locate an obituary in the newspaper.

My brother gave me the name of the sexton of the cemetery, Mr. Wills, and I called him yesterday.  He was very polite, but I was a bit disheartened when he told me they had burial records back to 1927, and only some of it was computerized.  I gave him the dates of Nathan and his wife, who died in 1935, hoping that he would be able to locate something.


A few hours later, I received a phone call with Mr. Wills with great news!  They did have a date for Nathan of February 16, 1915.  Now I have something to go by.  Not sure if this is the death date or the burial date, but the other dates for Beals family members that Mr. Wills gave me match death dates.  


Now when I head to the library, I only have a couple of dates to search for an obituary instead of 365 days in 1915. Stay tuned for the results.

Family Milestones: February 1st

My maternal 5th-great grandaunt, Sarah JACOBS, was born on this date in 1789 in Virginia.  Sarah was the daughter of William and Sibell (LITTELL) JACOBS, and the younger sister of my James Thomas JACOBS.  Sarah married February 27, 1812 in Adams County, Ohio to Valentine SHELDON.  I do not have dates of birth and death for Valentine.  Sarah died December 26, 1839 in Brown County, Ohio.  Nothing further known at this time.