Tombstone Tuesday: Josiah & Sarah Smith

This SMITH family tombstone in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana is near the tombstone of my SMITH relatives, but I do not know yet if there is a connection.  I went ahead and photographed it just in case it turns out that we are related.

Source: Salamonia Cemetery (Jay County, Indiana), Smith family marker, photographed by Travis LeMaster, 26 March 2009. 

© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster http://tjlgenes.blogspot.com

Family Milestones: March 22nd

My maternal 6th-great grandaunt, Elizabeth WRIGHT, was baptized on this date in 1761 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Deacon John and Hannah (FESSENDEN) WRIGHT, and the younger sister of my John WRIGHT.  Elizabeth married a Dr. ________ SHIELD.  Nothing further is known at this time.

My paternal 4th-great granduncle, William Haines WOOLSTON, was born on this date in 1802 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  William was the son of Samuel and Hannah (HAINES) WOOLSTON, and the younger brother of my Rachel WOOLSTON.  William married circa 1830 to Mary Boulton DOBBINS, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (SCROGGY) DOBBINS.  Mary was born September 2, 1816.  They had 9 children.  Mary died April 27, 1890 in Vincentown, Burlington County, New Jersey.  William died September 21, 1891 in Ocean Grove, Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Hagaman Resource

I was contacted by James LaLone who let me know about a resource for those researching the Hagaman family and other spellings.  The website  focuses on all brances and spellings of the Dutch surname: Hagaman, Hage(r)man, Hege(r)man, etc.

In my database, I have just a few Hagamans, etc.

Charles Sherman HAGAMAN born November 16, 1844 Rochester, Monroe County, New York.  He married February 1868 in Alexandria, Ohio to Lydia MOULTON, daughter of Albert and Emeline (PHILBRICK) MOULTON.  Lydia was born January 1849 in Illinois.  They lived their lives in Livingston County, Missouri, where Charles was a farmer.  Charles was a Civil War veteran of the 18th New York Infantry.  Charles died in 1925.  Lydia died October 17, 1916 in Chillicothe Township, Livingston County, Missouri.  Both are buried in the Edgewood Cemetery.  Lydia was a sister to my ancestress, Clara MOULTON.

Also, the wife of my ancestor, James GROENENDYKE (1770-1836) is sometimes listed as Johannah HAGERMAN, although I believe her surname should be ANTONIDES.  Interestingly, they did have a son names Thomas Hagerman GROENNEDYKE, so there may be a family connection.

© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster http://tjlgenes.blogspot.com

Family Milestones: March 21st

My maternal 6th-great grandparents, Alexander CROCKETT and Elizabeth WATKINS, were married on this date in 1793 in Jefferson County, Tennessee.  Alexander was the son of David and Elizabeth (________) CROCKETT.  Elizabeth was the daughter of David and Hannah (________) WATKINS.  Alexander was born circa 1760, probably in Virginia.  Elizabeth was born 1775 in Pennsylvania.  They had 11 children.  Alexander died September 15, 1816 in Anderson County, Tennessee.  Elizabeth died after 1855, probably in Newton County, Missouri.

My maternal 7th-great grandparents, Mordecai MENDENHALL and Charity BEESON, were married on this date in 1735 at the Leacock Monthly Meeting, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Mordecai was the son of John and Susannah (PIERSON) MENDENHALL.  Charity was the daughter of Richard and Charity (GRUBB) BEESON.  Mordecai was born circa 1713 in Pennsylvania, probably Lancaster County.  Charity was born cira 1715 in Pennsylvania, probably Chester County.  They members of the Society of Friends.  They had 10 children.  Mordecai died 1803, 11th month, 3rd day in Guilford County, North Carolina.  Charity died 1809, 9th month, 20th day in Guilford County, North Carolina.

My paternal 4th-great grandfather, Jacob LEMASTERS, was born on this date in 1770 in Pennsylvania.  Jacob married circa 1794 to Hannah ________.  Hannah was born September 30, 1778 in Pennsylvania or Maryland.  They had 8 children.  Jacob was a farmer in Mason County, Virginia and moved to Champaign County, Ohio after the War of 1812, eventually settling in Shelby County, Ohio.  Hannah died June 16, 1849 in Shelby County, Ohio.  Jacob died September 21, 1852 in Shelby County, Ohio.

 

Sentimental Sunday: Memories of Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972)

Virgil Lee Wright (1894-1972) was my maternal great-grandfather.  While I don't have any memories of him to share, my cousin Charlie High shared some of the following tidbits:

"Virgil hid his Salem cigarettes in my cattles' corn born bin.  He was always at the fairs when I showed my cattle and he came and visited me in El Paso, Texas while I was in AIT training in the Army.  Bob and Barbara Webster brought him down there."

Another tidbit was relied by Charlie "a guy at the feed barn named Ernie Rector said his family was in a thrashing ring with Virgil and many locals such as Blackledge, Goldie Freese and many more, John and Mike Wright, etc."  I had no idea what a thrashing ring was, until I looked it up on Google and found this book:






Charlie also told me that he named his first steer after Virgil, called him "Virg". 

© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster http://tjlgenes.blogspot.com

Family Milestones: March 20th

My maternal 6th-great grandfather, Nicholas GROENENDYKE, was born on this date in 1749 in Kingston, Middlesex County, New Jersey, the son of Johannes and Sarah Ann (LAKE) GROENENDYKE.  Johannes was married twice, to Violette STORY and Catherine KIPLE.  I do not know which is the mother of my ancestor, James.  Nicholas died February 1808.  Nothing further is known at this time.

My paternal 3rd-great grandaunt, Susannah YOUNG, was born on this date in 1818.  Susannah was the daughter of Phillip and Nancy Ann (McLANE) YOUNG, and the younger sister of my Nancy YOUNG.  Susannah married February 1835 to William REED.  I do not have dates of birth or death for William.  Susannah died February 17, 1878.  Nothing further is known at this time.

Surname Saturday: Dunaway

The DUNAWAY surname is in Eileen's paternal line.  The origins of the surname are as yet unknown.

Stories and history:

Ahnentafel # 23: Ellen DUNAWAY (c1863-     ). Ellen was born circa 1863 in Kentucky, according to the 1870 census of Graves County.  She married George Washington CARTER sometime before 1879, when daughter Emma was born.  Emma listed her parents names on her marriage license in 1896.  Ellen (DUNAWAY) CARTER may be the Lou Ellen CARTER in the 1880 census of Gibson County, Tennessee.

Ahnentafel # 46: David C. DUNAWAY (1833-    ). David was born September 1833 in Kentucky.  He married August 15, 1857 to Margaret Emley PRINCE.  Margaret was born circa 1835 in Kentucky.  They were enumerated in the 1870 census in Graves County, Kentucky and 1900 in Marshall County, Kentucky, where David was a farmer. They may be in the 1880 census of Gibson County, Tennessee.  They had at least 2 children.


Ahnentafel # 92: Benjamin Evans DUNAWAY (c1802-1858).  Benjamin was born circa 1802 in Clark County, Kentucky.  He married November 22, 1832 in Pittsfield, Pike County, Illinois to Martha Hogg MIZE (1809-1842).  Martha was born October 13, 1809 in Kentucky.  She died 1842 in Illinois.  They had 6 children.  Benjamin married secondly to Mary M. ________ (c1813-   ), and had 2 children. They were living in Pike County, Illinois in 1850. 

Ahnentafel # 184: Benjamin DUNAWAY married Sarah EVANS.  Nothing further known.


This is a relatively new line for me to start researching, and there are many holes to fill in.




© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster http://tjlgenes.blogspot.com

With A Little Help From My Friends

Thanks to the encouragement of my friends Earline from Ancestral Notes and Apple from Apple's Tree, I've added a GEDCOM to my user ID at Ancestry.com.  Hopefully others who may be researching my lines will find the information useful, and I can make even more connections. 

I decided to use a GEDCOM that includes not only my daughter's ancestry, but my stepdaughters' as well.  Hopefully, that will generate more 'hits' of potential new information and collaboration with other researchers. This tree contains more 'sourced' information than the tree I have at World Connect, which contains the whole database.

I haven't added any photographs to this tree yet, although I may in the future.  As I understand it, if I upload a replacement GEDCOM, I will lose the attached information previously added.

As my genea-blogging friends pointed out, you can never have too many places to share your tree and make connections.

© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster http://tjlgenes.blogspot.com

Grandpa Lambertson's Accident: September 10, 1917

My maternal 3rd-great grandfather's obituary from March of 1918 stated that he had suffered injuries in an automobile accident the previous September.  I managed to search the local paper the other day and found an article about Carey W. LAMBERTSON and the accident he was involved with.  Turns out it was not an automobile accident, but a wagon incident that nearly killed him.

FELL OFF BRIDGE

Horse, Wagons and Driver in Serious Accident Today.

Carel [sic] Lambertson suffered painful, and possibly internal injuries, and a horse driven by him was so injured that it will die when the animal became unmanagable this morning and backed off the North F and Anderson street bridge.  Mr. Lambertson was driving a spring wagon at the time and before he could save himself he had been thrown down into the creek bottom and narrowly escaped being crushed by the wagon and horse which followed.  A piece of timber from the wagon struck the horse, entering the body and so injuring one lung that it is not believed the animal can live.  Mr. Lambertson was removed to his home where he is reported resting as well as could be expected this afternoon.

 Source: Elwood, Indiana Call-Leader, September 10, 1917, page 1

----

At the time of this incident, Carey would have been 70 years old.  I'm sure that this was a painful injury.  I checked the following couple of days in September, but did not find any other articles that mentioned this incident.

 
© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster

Family Milestones: March 19th

My maternal 2nd-great granduncle, Samuel S. LAMBERTSON, married on this date in 1897 in Tipton County, Indiana to Ida M. STONE.  Samuel was the son of Carey W. and Clara E. (COOK) LAMBERTSON, and the younger brother of my Charles LAMBERTSON. Samuel was born January 11, 1875 in Preble County, Ohio.  Ida was born in 1878 in Franklin County, Indiana, the daughter of William and Alice (SEALS) STONE.  They had one child that died before the 1900 census, when they were living in Hamilton County, Indiana.  Ida died June 19, 1900 in Hamilton County, Indiana.  Samuel died October 15, 1911 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Samuel is buried in the Elwood City Cemetery, Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.

My paternal great aunt, Dorothy Dot LeMASTER, was born on this date in 1900 in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana.  Dorothy was the daughter of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (WEHRLY) LeMASTERS, and the older sister of my Ord Wehrly LeMASTER.  Dorothy married July 21, 1921 to Charles Glendon HUNT.  Charles was born July 13, 1900 in Albright, Indiana, the son of William Allen and Mary Leota (WEBER) HUNT.  They lived in Richmond, Indiana and had 3 children.  Dorothy married secondly on February 8, 1962 to Glen LOCK.  Charles died February 11, 1956 in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana.  Dorothy died October 1984 in Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana.

My maternal 6th-great granduncle, Robert WRIGHT, was baptized on this date in 1758 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Robert was the son of Deacon John and Hannah (FESSENDEN) WRIGHT, and the younger brother of my John WRIGHT.  Robert married circa 1780 to Catherine APPLEGATE.  Catherine was born circa 1762 in New Jersey, the daughter of William and Sarah Catherine (WIGGINS) APPLEGATE.  Robert served in the Revolutionary War.  He was a farmer in Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio.  They had 9 children.  Catherine died before March 12, 1839 in Brown County, Ohio.  Robert died before April 21, 1840 in Brown County, Ohio.

Family Milestones: March 18th

My paternal 2nd-great grandaunt, Rachel LEMASTERS, was married on this date in 1860 in Jay County, Indiana to William E. CUNNINGHAM.  Rachel was the daughter of Luman Walker and Nancy (YOUNG) LEMASTERS Sr. and the older sister of my Luman Walker LEMASTERS Jr.  Rachel was born July 16, 1838 in Shelby County, Ohio.  William was born February 1835 in Indiana, the son of Benjamin and Margaret (CLINE) CUNNINGHAM.  William was a farmer and shoemaker in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  They had 6 children.  William died June 4, 1912.  Rachel died March 12, 1913.  Both are buried at the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

Family Milestones: March 17th

My maternal 4th-great granduncle, Austin PIERCE, married on this date in 1826 to Mary Ann STERLING.  Austin was born September 2, 1799 in Thetford, Orange County, Vermont, the son of Gordon and Thirsa (SMALLEY) PIERCE.  I do not have the dates of birth or death for Mary Ann.  They had 8 children.  Austin died June 17, 1861 in Villenova, New York.

My maternal 3rd-great grandaunt, Elizabeth J. BEALS, was born on this date in Westfield, Hamilton County, Indiana.  Elizabeth was the daughter of John T. and Mary (DAVIS) BEALS, and the older sister of my Nathan T. BEALS.  Elizabeth married May 1, 1867 to Solomon HINSHAW.  Solomon was born November 1841 in North Carolina, the son of Michael and Rachel (________) HINSHAW.  They raised 3 children in Washington Township, Hamilton County, Indiana.  Solomon died November 29, 1929.  Elizabeth died September 9, 1928.  Both are buried in the Summit Lawn Cemetery, Westfield, Hamilton County, Indiana.

Family Milestones: March 16th

My paternal 4th-great grandaunt, Anne WOOLSTON, was born on this date in 1796 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Anne was the daughter of Samuel and Cyllania (WOOLSTON) WOOLSTON, and the older sister of my Rachel WOOLSTON.  Anne married September 20, 1817 in Burlington County, New Jersey to Joshua WOOLSTON.  Joshua was born circa 1797 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  They had 5 children.  Joshua died 1800 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  I do not have Anne's date of death.

My maternal 5th-great granduncle, Daniel PIERCE, was born on this date in 1786.  Daniel was the son of Seth and Bethiah (FIELD) PIERCE, and the younger brother of my Gordon PIERCE.  Nothing further is known at this time.

My paternal 6th-great grandaunt, Hannah HAINES, was born on this date in 1749.  Hannah was the daughter of Jeremiah and Hannah (BONNELL) HAINES, and the younger sister of my Robert HAINES.  Nothing further is known at this time.

 

Tombstone Tuesday: William E. and Rachel (Lemasters) Cunningham

 

William E. and Rachel (LEMASTERS) CUNNINGHAM, my paternal 2nd-great grandaunt & uncle, are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

William was born February 1835 in Indiana, the son of Benjamin and Margaret (CLINE) CUNNINGHAM.

Rachel was born July 16, 1838 in Shelby County, Ohio, the daughter of Luman Walker and Nancy (YOUNG) LEMASTERS.

William and Rachel were married on March 18, 1860 in Jay County, Indiana.

William's occupation was shoemaker and farmer.  They lived out their lives in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.

William died June 4, 1912.  Rachel died March 12, 1913.

Known children of William and Rachel (LEMASTERS) CUNNINGHAM:

• Nancy M. CUNNINGHAM (1861-1938); married David F. RANTS
• Catherine E. CUNNINGHAM (1862-1863)
• Phillip L. CUNNINGHAM (1865-     ); married Eana BRAKE
• John William CUNNINGHAM (1868-     ); married Leona DRAKE
• Orinda CUNNINGHAM (1869-    ); married Elmer I. PAULING
• Martha J. CUNNINGHAM (1873-    );married Elsworth BEARD

To Add Another Online Tree Or Not?

Currently, I have an online database of my entire genealogical database, tjlgenes, online at WorldConnect. While I use this primarily as a source of backup for my data, I've also been contacted by distant cousins who've been kind enough to share corrections and additions through the "post-em" service.

Now that I'm an Ancestry.com subscriber, I've also been able to find others who share a common ancestry and have posted their family trees and photos on the site.  Just recently, I was able to connect with a member of my wife's extended family, and we are in the process of sharing information.  Since Ancestry.com gives you an option to post a family tree on the site as well, I'm debating whether I should create one.

I'm all in favor of sharing my information as far and as wide as possible, but I'm not sure of the best way to create a tree on Ancestry.  Should I upload the whole GEDCOM, or just create a tree one branch at a time?  Should I make it one big tree, or several smaller, independent branches.  Perhaps I'm over thinking the whole process.


© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster

Disappointing news from Arkansas: N.T. Beals research

I received a response yesterday to my inquiry of the Grant County, Arkansas library in Sheridan, regarding an obituary for Nathan T. BEALS.  Unfortunately, they have no records that old, but they did suggest that I try the Arkansas History Commission in Little Rock.

According to their website, a newspaper in Grant County published during this time was the Sheridan Headlight.

I'm still hopeful that there is an obituary out there in an Arkansas paper for Nathan T. or N.T. BEALS, who died February 16, 1915 in Leola, Arkansas. 

© 2010, copyright Travis J. LeMaster

John William Wright (1860-1945)

John William WRIGHT (1860-1945) was my maternal 2nd-great grandfather.  The WRIGHT line has Scottish origins, immigrating from Fife before 1752.

The following facts about John's life are known:

• Birth: He was born February 21, 1860 in Brown County, Ohio, the son of Joseph W. and Rebecca Ann (HEATON) WRIGHT.
• Census: 1860 - He appears in the Joseph WRIGHT household in Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio.
• Census: 1870 - He appears in the Joseph WRIGHT household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.
• Census: 1880 - He appears in the Joseph WRIGHT household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.
• Marriage: He married Ellen KING on May 13, 1888 in Madison County, Indiana.
• Census: 1900 - He appears as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Occupation listed as farmer.
• Census: 1910 - He appears as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Occupation listed as farmer.
• Census: 1920 - He appears as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Occupation listed as farmer.
• Census: 1930 - He appears as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana. Occupation listed as farmer.
• Directory:1931 - He is listed as living at Rural Route 6, Alexandria.
• Directory:1932 - He is listed as living on Wm. Cochran Road, Alexandria.
• Directory:1934 - He is listed as living on Wm. Cochran Road, Alexandria.
• Directory:1935 - He is listed as living on Wm. Cochran Road, Alexandria.
• Directory:1938 - He is listed as living on Wm. Cochran Road, Alexandria.
• Death: He died June 5, 1945 in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana.  Cause of death: mitral regurgitation.
• Obituary: His obituary appeared June 6, 1945 in the Alexandria Times-Tribune.

The following facts need further research and/or documentation to complete my research:

• Death: Need to obtain a copy of his death certificate from the Madison County, Indiana Health Department.
• Obituary: Need to seek out obituaries printed in other local newspapers (Anderson, Elwood, etc.)
• Deeds: Need to seek out land records in Madison County, Indiana.

Ancestry of John William WRIGHT (1860-1945), Ahnentafel # 24 in my ancestry:


Ahnentafel # 48: Joseph W. WRIGHT (1838-1919); Brown Co., OH>Madison Co., IN


Ahnentafel # 96: John WRIGHT (1814-1890); Brown Co., OH


Ahnentafel # 192: George WRIGHT (1780-1853); Pennsylvania>Brown Co., OH


Ahnentafel # 384: John WRIGHT (1755-1810); Middlesex Co., MA>Clermont Co., OH


Ahnentafel # 768: John WRIGHT (1727-1772); Fife, SCT>Anamaboo, New Guinea


Ahntentafel # 1536: Robert WRIGHT (1688-1749); Perth, SCT>Fife, SCT


Related blog posts:

• Tombstone Tuesday: John William and Ellen (King) Wright 

• Obituary: John William Wright (1860-1945) 

• John William Wright (b. February 21, 1860)

Family Milestones: March 15th

My paternal 3rd-great grandaunt, Jane LEMASTERS, married on this date in 1831 in Shelby County, Ohio to Thomas McVAY.  Jane was the daughter of Jacob and Hannah (________) LEMASTERS, and the older sister of my Luman Walker LEMASTERS.  Jane was born 1807 in Mason County, Virginia.  Thomas was born July 25, 1805 in Rockingham County, Virginia, the son of John and Elizabeth (MILLER) McVAY.  They had 4 children. Thomas died December 25, 1884 in Franklin Township, Shelby County, Ohio.  Jane died November 25, 1865 in Shelby County, Ohio.

My paternal 4th-great granduncle, Samuel WOOLSTON, was born on this date in 1797 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Samuel was the son of Samuel and Hannah (HAINES) WOOLSTON, and the older brother of my Rachel WOOLSTON.  Samuel died  December 7, 1802 in Burlington County, New Jersey.

Family Milestones: March 14th

My paternal great-grandmother, Barbara Isabel WEHRLY, was born on this date in 1869 in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Barbara was the daughter of William P. and Olive Jane (SMITH) WEHRLY.  Barbara married November 13, 1886 in Jay County, Indiana to Luman Cooper LeMASTERS.  Luman was born May 27, 1867 in Jay County, Indiana, the son of Luman Walker and Mary Keziah (CHEW) LEMASTERS Jr.  Luman and Barbara had 13 children.  They lived in Valley County, Nebraska and Jay County, Indiana.  Luman died February 10, 1933 in Salamaonia, Jay County, Indiana.  Barbara died February 6, 1930 in Union City, Randolph County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.

My paternal 3rd-great granduncle, Ephraim MAXSON, was born on this date in 1802 in Harrison County, Virginia.  Ephraim was the son of Jesse and Sarah (SUTTON) MAXSON, and the older brother of my Prudence MAXSON.  Ephraim married May 22, 1823 in Clark County, Ohio to Mary SMITH.  Mary was born November 28, 1804 in Virginia, the daughter of Peter SMITH.  They had 6 children.  Mary died August 20, 1886 in Clayton County, Iowa.  Ephraim died March 30, 1856 in Clayton County, Iowa.

My maternal 7th-great grandfather, Thomas BEALS, was born on this date in 1719 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  Thomas was the son of John and Sarah (BOWATER) BEALS.  Thomas married in 1741, 9th month, 12th day at Monocacy, Prince George's County, Maryland to Sarah ANTRIM.  Sarah was born circa 1724.  Thomas was a minister of Society of Friends.  They had 13 children.  Sarah died in 1813, 7th month, 6th day in Highland County, Ohio.  Thomas died in 1801, 8th month, 29th day in Highland County, Ohio.

Family Milestones: March 13th

My paternal 4th-great granduncle, Abraham BYERS, was born on this date in 1803 in Warrington Township, York County, Pennsylvania.  Abraham was the son of Abraham and Mary (STICKEL) BYERS, and the younger brother of my Barbara BYERS.  Abraham married Louisa BOWER.  I do not have dates of birth or death for Louisa.  Abraham died December 31, 1867 in York County, Pennsylvania.  Nothing further is known at this time.

My maternal 6th-great granduncle, Jabesh HEATON, was born on this date in 1714.  Jabesh was the son of Samuel and Susan (HAWES) HEATON, and the older brother of my John HEATON.  Jabesh died in 1802.  Nothing further is known at this time.