Beulah Sarah (LeMaster) Rockwell (1866-1940) is my paternal great-grandaunt. What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.
1. Vital Records
1.1. Birth Certificate
Beulah was born September 9, 1866 in Jay County, Indiana, according to my database. Her tombstone lists her birth date as 1865. Her death certificate lists her birthdate as September 30, 18651. The State of Indiana did not require state-wide registrations of birth until after 1907. Prior to this date, they were only recorded in the counties where the event occurred. Jay County, Indiana only has birth records from 1882.
1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper
If Beulah's birth was announced in the local newspaper, it has been lost to history. The Jay County Public Library has newspapers from the late 1880s, and there was a book by Rex Betram, "Jay Co., IN Newspaper Clippings, 1871-1877", but I haven't discovered anything earlier. 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 record of the LeMaster 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 Beulah. The family was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
1.1.4. Adoption Record
There is no indication that Beulah was adopted.
1.2. Marriage License
Beulah married Lynn Lumas Rockwell on November 27, 1888 in Jay County, Indiana, according to my database. I do not have a copy of her marriage license. Need to add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
A preliminary search of the indices at FamilySearch and Ancestry.com did not produce a record of their marriage.
1.2.1. Marriage notice in newspaper
Once I have the correct location for their marriage, will search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of their nuptials.
1.2.2. Anniversary notice
Beulah and Lynn's 25th wedding anniversary would have been on November 27, 1913. Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of any anniversary celebrations.
1.2.3. Divorce decree
There is no indication that Beulah and Lynn were ever divorced, but a search of the court records in Mercer County, Ohio needs to be conducted.
1.3. Death Certificate
Beulah died July 16, 1940 in Ft. Recovery, Mercer County, Ohio2. A copy of her death certificate was the subject of a previous post.
1.3.1. Obituary in newspaper
Beulah's obituary appeared in the July 17, 1940 edition of the Union City Times-Gazette, Union City, Randolph County, Indiana2.
Beulah's obituary appeared in the July 18, 1940 editon of the Portland Commercial-Review, Portland, Jay County, Indiana3.
1.3.2. Funeral home records
According to her obituary2, the May funeral home in Ft. Recovery, Ohio handled the arrangements. Will add contacting them for more information to my "to-do" list for further research.
1.3.3. Tombstone photograph
Beulah's tombstone in the Salamonia Cemetery, Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana has been photographed. The tombstone reads "Beulah S. 1865-1940" and her husband "Lynn L, 1865-1949".
Her memorial page at FindAGrave is located here.
2. Census Records
2.1. Federal Census Records
2.1.1. 1940 Federal Census
On April 16, 1940, Beulah was enumerated in the Lynn Rockwell household in Ft. Recovery, Mercer County, Ohio4, as Beulah Rockwell, age 74, married. She had completed school through the eighth grade. She was born in Indiana, and in 1935 her residence was the same place.
2.1.2. 1930 Federal Census
On April 28, 1930, Beulah was enumerated in the Lynn L. Rockwell household in Ft. Recovery, Mercer County, Ohio5, as Beulah S. Rockwell, wife, age 64, married at age 23. She could read and write and spoke English. She was born in Indiana, her father born in Ohio and her mother born in New Jersey.
2.1.3. 1920 Federal Census
On January 8, 1920, Beulah was enumerated in the L.L. Rockwell household in Ft. Recovery, Mercer County, Ohio6, as Beulah Rockwell, wife, age 54, born in Indiana. She could read and write and spoke English. Her father was born in Ohio and her mother in New Jersey. No occupation was listed.
2.1.4. 1910 Federal Census
On May 7, 1910, Beulah was enumerated in the Lynn L. Rockwell household in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana7, as Beulah S. Rockwell, wife, age 45, born in Indiana. She had been married for 22 years and was the mother of 4 children, all living. Her father was born in Ohio and her mother in New Jersey. She could read and write and spoke English.
2.1.5. 1900 Federal Census
I have not located Beulah in the 1900 census. They should be found in Jay County, Indiana. Will continue to search for them.
2.1.6. 1880 Federal Census
On June 5, 1880, Beulah was enumerated in the Walker Lemasters household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, as Beulah Lemasters, age 14, daughter. She had attended school within the year. She was born in Indiana, her father born in Ohio and her mother born in New Jersey.
2.2. State Census Records
The State of Indiana conducted state census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913 and 1921. These, however, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.
No state census of Ohio are known to exist.
2.3. Agricultural Census Records
I have not yet investigated these types of census records to see what light they might shed on the Rockwells.
3. Military Records
3.1. Draft Registration
Not applicable, as Beulah was female.
3.2. Pension Records
I am not aware of any military service by her husband or father that would have made Beulah eligible for benefits. Her father did serve in the Civil War, but I don't believe she was ever eligible for minor's benefits.
3.3. Service Records
Not applicable, as Beulah was female.
4. Land Records
4.1. Deed Records
Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Jay County, Indiana and Mercer County, Ohio to see what records might mention Beulah and her family. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
4.2. Plat map / county map
Plat maps and county maps for Jay County, Indiana and Mercer County, Ohio will need to be searched. Will contact the local historical society to see what maps they might have in their collection.
5. Supplemental records
Supplemental records available for research on Beulah include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records. Will add these to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.
Sources:
1."Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZ2H-XVJ : accessed 01 May 2013), Beulah Sarah Rockwell, 1940.
2. Union City Obituaries, Darke County Genealogical Researchers online [http://www.dcoweb.org/randolph/UCobits/1941f.html#486], accessed 11 November 2010.
3. Rockwell Rites Are Tomorrow article, Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, USA, July 18, 1940, page 1.
4. 1940 U.S. census, Mercer County, Ohio, population schedule, Ft. Recovery, enumeration district 54-26, SD 4, sheet 1A, household 4, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 April 2013); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
5. Lynn L. Rockwell household, 1930 U.S. census, population schedule, Ft. Recovery, Gibson Township, Mercer County, Ohio, ED 54-23, SD 11, sheet 1A, dwelling 15, family 15; National Archives micropublication T626, roll 1850, Washington, D.C.
6. L.L. Rockwell household, 1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Ft. Recovery, Gibson Township, Mercer County, Ohio, ED 132, SD 3, sheet 6A, dwelling 134, family 134; National Archives micropublication T625, roll 1418, Washington, D.C..
7. Lynn L. Rockwell household, 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 69, SD 8, sheet 9A, dwelling 216, family 220; National Archives micropublication T624, roll 358, Washington, D.C.
8. Walker Lemasters household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, ED 161, SD 6, page 4, dwelling 47, family 48; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 287.
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.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Graduating Class of Portland High School, 1903
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| Portland - The senior class of 1903 posed for the annual high school picture. They are, first row, left to right, Ollie Fleming, Dessie Kinsey Leonard, Maude LeMaster, Myrtle Suman Keith; second row, Beryl Fleming Sasser, Pearl Wetzel Swartz, Esther Bosworth Rines, Pearl Haines Hotsenpiller, Artie Metz, Don Hall, Margaret Brubaker Milley; third row, Pearl Nichols Jones, Carrie Tate Liffring, Carrie Reber, Ada Cecil Close McLeod, Maude Spade Tormohlen, Ina Holloway Burke, Edna Lawrence Williams; fourth row, Earl Pierce, Harlo Hakes Ferris, Milo Culbert and Philo W. Journey. |
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Death Certificate: Beulah Sarah Rockwell, 1940 Mercer County, Ohio
While working on updating my information and completing an exploratory analysis of my paternal 2nd-great grandaunt, Beulah Sarah (LeMaster) Rockwell, I located her death certificate at FamilySearch's database of Ohio records.
One interesting clue was that her birth date was listed as September 30, 1865 in Ohio. In my database I previously had her birth in Jay County, Indiana on September 9, 1866 (unsourced). Her tombstone also reflects the 1865 year of her birth. Her husband, Lynn Rockwell, was the informant on the death certificate.
The funeral home was a bit hard to read, but appears to be the May funeral home. An internet search found the Brockman-Boeckman Funeral Home still in existence in Ft. Recovery, having purchased the May funeral home in 1977. Will need to write to them to see if they have any records.
Beulah's husband had her parents correct, but didn't know their birthplaces. Mother's maiden name was Chew, mis-indexed as Chen by FamilySearch.
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| "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XZ2H-XVJ : accessed 01 May 2013), Beulah Sarah Rockwell, 1940. |
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