Friday, March 02, 2012

Exploratory Data Analysis : Cora Belle (Metzner) Haley (1868-1955)





Cora Belle (Metzner) Haley was my paternal great-grandmother.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical facts I have discovered about her.


1. Vital records


     1.1. Birth certificate


          Cora was born August 21, 1868 in Jay County, Indiana1. The State of Indiana didn't require statewide registrations of births until after 1907.  Prior to this date, they were only recorded in the counties where the event occurred.  The W.P.A. indexed births in Indiana after 1882.


          1.1.1. Birth notice in newspaper


          If Cora's birth was recorded in a local newspaper, it has been lost to history.  The Jay County Public Library has newspapers from the late 1880s, and the holdings of the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis do not indicate any newspapers of the period.


          1.1.2. Bible record


          I am not aware of any surviving Bible records of the Metzner family.


          1.1.3. Baptismal record


          The Metzner's were members of the Evangelical Assocation, but I do not know of any baptismal records.  


          1.1.4. Adoption record


          There is no indication that Cora was adopted.


     1.2. Marriage license


          Cora was married on July 21, 1888 in Jay County, Indiana to Eli Weldon Haley2.


          1.2.1. Marriage notice in newspaper


               I have not searched in newspapers of Jay County, Indiana to see if mention was made of Cora and Eli's nuptials.  Have added this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.


          1.2.2. Anniversary notice


               Though I have copies of anniversary notices from the newspapers, they are not sourced, and I need to add that to my "to-do" list.  Need to determine if the notices come from the Portland Commercial-Review or the Graphic.


          1.2.3. Divorce decree


               There is no indication that a divorce ever occurred, and a recent search of court records during the time period did not turn up a divorce.


     1.3. Death certificate


          Cora died April 28, 1955 in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana1.  I need to obtain a copy of her official death certificate from the Jay County Health Department.  According to her obituary, she died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Clarence (Vera) Stuber.


          1.3.1. Obituary in newspaper


               Cora's obituary appeared in the April 29, 1955 edition of the Portland Commercial-Review3.


          1.3.2. Funeral home record


               The funeral home record was the subject of a previous post.  Cora died at 6:40 p.m. and was 86 years of age.  She was buried in the Mt. Zion cemetery and her casket was manufactured by Hutton.


          1.3.3. Tombstone photograph


               Cora's tombstone in the Mt. Zion cemetery has been photographed.  It lists her as Cora B. 1868-1957, and her husband, Eli W. 1866-1957, is also listed4.


2. Census records


     2.1. Federal Census Records


          2.1.1. 1930 Federal Census


               On April 11, 1930, Cora was enumerated in the Eli W. Haley household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana5 as Cora B. Haley, wife, age 62, born in Indiana.  She was aged 19 at her marriage and could read and write.  Both her parents were born in Ohio.  She could speak English and listed no occupation.


          2.1.2. 1920 Federal Census


               On January 2, 1920, Cora was enumerated in the Eli W. Haley household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana6 as Cora B. Haley, wife, age 51, born in Indiana.  Both her parents were born in Ohio.  She could read and write and speak English.


          2.1.3. 1910 Federal Census


               On April 16, 1910, Cora was enumerated in the Eli W. Haley household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana7 as Cora B. Haley, wife, age 41, born in Indiana.  She had been married for 21 years and was the mother of 6 children, 4 of whom were living.  Both her parents were born in Ohio.  She could read and write and speak English.


          2.1.4. 1900 Federal Census


               On June 16, 1900, Cora was enumerated in the Eli W. Haley household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana8 as Cora B. Haley, wife, age 30, born August 1869 in Indiana.  She had been married for 11 years and was the mother of 3 children, 2 of whom were living.  Both her parents were born in Ohio.  She could read and write and speak English.


          2.1.5. 1880 Federal Census


               One June 23, 1880, Cora was enumerated in the John A. Metzner household in Wayne Township, Jay County, Indiana9 as Cora B. Metzner, age 11, single, born in Indiana.  She had attended school within the year.  Her parents were both born in Ohio.


          2.1.6. 1870 Federal Census


               On July 4, 1870, Cora was enumerated in the John A. Metzner household in Wayne Township, Jay County, Indiana10 as Cora Metzner, age 1, born in Indiana.


     2.2. State Census Records


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


     2.3. Agricultural Census Records


          I have not yet investigated these types of census records to see what information might be shed on the Haley farm.


3. Military Records


     3.1. Draft Registration


          Being female, these types of records do not apply.


     3.2. Pension Records


          There is no indication that her husband ever served in the military.  However, her father did serve in the Civil War, and there may be mention of her in his pension application.


     3.3. Service Records


          Not applicable.


4. Land Records


     4.1. Deed Records


          Deed records need to be searched more thoroughly in Jay County, Indiana.  The family lived most of their lives in Noble Township, though did live in Madison Township for awhile.


     4.2. Plat map / county map


          Jay County published a plat map in 1874, 1881, 1887, 1901, 1910 and 1920 that may be relevant to my search for Cora.  


5. Supplemental records


          Supplemental records available to research for Cora include county/city directories, court records and will and probate records.  Searching these will be on my next "to-do" list research trip to Jay County.


Sources:


1. Gloria Schindler & Nancy Saxman, compiler.  Baird Funeral Home Jay Co. Indiana, 1954-1956 (Portland, Indiana, USA: n.p., n.d.).
2. Jay County, Indiana Marriage Records, Book C-F, page 357.
3. Cora B. Haley obituary, Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, USA, April 29, 1955, page 1.
4. Mt. Zion Cemetery (Jay County, Indiana), Cora B. Haley marker, photographed by Travis LeMaster.
5. Eli W. Haley household, 1930 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 38-9, SD 5, sheet 4B, dwelling 97, family 97, National Archives micropublication T626, roll 595.
6. Eli W. Haley household, 1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED [?], SD 40, sheet 1, dwelling 11, family 11, National Archives micropublication T625, roll 440.
7. Eli W. Haley household, 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 69, SD 8, sheet 1, dwelling 15, family 15, National Archives micropublication T624, roll 358.
8. Eli W. Haley household, 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 63, SD 67, sheet 9, dwelling 179, family 181, National Archives micropublication T623, roll 380.
9. John A. Metzner household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Wayne Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 208, SD 6, page 5, dwelling 5, family 5, National Archives micropublication T9, roll 287.
10. John A. Metzner household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Wayne Township, Jay County, Indiana, dwelling 71, family 71, page 9, National Archives micropublication M593, roll 327.






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.

Thursday, March 01, 2012

On This Day : March 1

1675 - Richard CHEW married Frances WOODWARD in Flushing, New York.  Richard was the son of John CHEW and Ann GATES.  They were my 9x great-grandparents.

1760 - Thornton TAYLOR born.  Thornton was the son of Francis TAYLOR and Mildred Ann CRADDOCK.

1784 - James TAYLOR died.  James was the son of Col. James TAYLOR and Martha THOMPSON.

1798 - Hannah WILLIAMS married James ROBINSON.  Hannah was the daughter of Jesse WILLIAMS and Eleanor JOHNSON.

1807 - Caleb MAXSON married Mary BLISS.  Caleb was the son of John MAXSON and Tacy ROGERS.

1815 - Mary C. DEACON born in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Mary was the daughter of Joseph DEACON and Beulah HAINES.

1828 - Content DAVIS born.  Content was the daughter of Nathan J. DAVIS and Keziah DAVIS.

1829 - Bowater SUMNER died in Rainsboro, Highland County, Ohio.  Bowater was the son of Robert SUMNER and Phoebe BEALS.

1839 - Louisa HEATON born in Brown County, Ohio.  Louisa was the daughter of James R. HEATON and Elizabeth JACOBS.

1855 - Reuben H. DAVIS born in Doddridge County, Virginia.  Reuben was the son of Cornelius S. DAVIS and Elizabeth Johnson SUTTON.

1881 - Iva Josephine BALLEIN born in Ohio.  Iva was the daughter of William Henry BALLEIN and Clarissa A. WRIGHT.

1884 - George W. KING married Tecky I. WILLIAMS in Anderson County, Kansas.  George was the son of George S. KING and Nancy E. BOYD.

1884 - Tiney Louetta CUMMINGS born in Alabama.  Tiney was the daughter of John Spencer CUMMINGS and Martha Addling PACE.

1895 - Charles ALDERMAN born.  Charles was the son of George W. ALDERMAN and Sarah JARRARD.

1899 - Luther C. SWAFFORD born in Bledsoe County, Tennessee.  Luther was the son of Jesse SWAFFORD and Dollie A. HALL.

1903 - Margaret PIERCE married John W. JONES in Madison County, Indiana.  Margaret was the daughter of Edmund G. PIERCE and Catherine GROENENDYKE.

1911 - Daisy IVEY born in Benton, Marshall County, Kentucky.  Daisy was the daughter of Samuel H. IVEY and Emma E. CARTER.

1911 - John Alfred BEALS married Harriett May CHRISTIAN in Hamilton County, Indiana.  John was the son of John Franklin BEALS and Dora FODERA.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Wordless Wednesday : Piper & Grandpa

Piper and Grandpa, Evansville, Indiana 18 Feb 2012


Being a grandpa changes everything.  Piper reminds me so much of her mother when she was a baby.  I can't wait to see her again!  


I hope I'm around to teach her things and tell her about her heritage. Maybe one day she will read this blog.  My own grandfathers were gone when I was young, so young that I don't really remember them.