Surname Saturday : Aaronsen

The AARONSEN surname is in my paternal line.  The origins of the surname are Dutch, though I have much to discover about them.

Stories and history:

Ahnentafel # 281 : Hannah Aaronsen (1739/44-1788).  Hannah was born between 1739 and 1744 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  She married in April 1762 in Burlington County, New Jersey to Cornwell Woolston (1738-1814). Cornwell was born 1738 in Burlington County, New Jersey and died May 22, 1814 in Northampton, Burlington County, New Jersey.  Hannah died October 28, 1788 in Burlington County, New Jersey.

Ahnentafel # 562 : Joseph Aaronsen (1706-     ).  Joseph was born in 1706 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  He married August 25, 1736 in Burlington County, New Jersey to Hannah Folwell (1718-bef1749).  They raised 5 children in Burlington County, New Jersey. Hannah was born in 1718 in Burlington County, New Jersey and died before 1749 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Joseph died in Chestefield, Burlington County, New Jersey.

Ahnentafel # 1124 : John Aaronsen (1678-aft1741).  John was born in 1678 in Flushing, Queens County, New York.  He married before 1702 in New Jersey to Mary ________ (c1680-    ).  They had 5 children.  John died after December 14, 1741 in Mansfield, Burlington County, New Jersey.

Ahnentafel # 2248 : Dirk Aarosen (bet1635/45-1678).  Dirck was born between 1635 and 1645 in the Netherlands.  He married between 1655 and 1665 to Sarah ________ (c1640-aft1707).  Sarah was born circa 1640 and died after 1707 in New York.  Dirck died in October 1678 in Flushing, Queens County, New York.

Related blog posts:

• Happy Anniversary : Joseph Aaronsen and Hannah Folwell

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

DNA : My Top Ten Matches at 23andMe

Here is a screenshot of the top ten DNA matches for me at 23andMe.  My parents are my closest matches.  Because I was fortunate enough to be able to have them tested, all of my other matches show whether they are paternal or maternal matches by the "P" or "M" displayed after their names.  For privacy reasons, I've erased the last names of public matches.

My next closest match is on my paternal side, William, who I've already contacted and determined that we are third cousins through common ancestors of Luman Walker Lemasters Jr. and Mary Keziah Chew.

The next closest public match is on my maternal side, Ellen. We've corresponded but have not made the connection.  She has not yet shared a family tree, but states she has many Quaker ancestors, so that gives me a starting point to searh on my maternal side.  She is predicted to be a 3rd to 5th cousin, which means we could share 2nd-great through 4th-great grandparents.  

I have reached out with introductions to the remaining matches and hope that they eventually respond.

Photograph : Luman Walker LeMasters Jr. & Mary Keziah (Chew) LeMasters

Luman Walker LeMasters Jr. & Mary Keziah (Chew) LeMasters

How appropriate that on Memorial Day weekend I would receive a blessing in my email inbox from cousin Jill - a photograph of Civil War veteran Luman Walker LeMasters Jr. (1842-1931) and his wife Mary Keziah (Chew) LeMasters (1847-1927).  They are my 2nd-great grandparents.

I noticed in the photograph that Luman is wearing a medal signifying he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.  Luman served in Company C, 39th Regiment of Indiana Volunteers, enlisting in July 1861.  The unit was later reclassified as the 8th Indiana Mounted Infantry.  

It was a part of the mounted infantry on 3 July 1863 that he was wounded at Decherd's Ford, near Winchester, Tennessee.  He was shot through the left breast.  He spent time in the hospital in Nashville and Louisville before being discharged with 1/2 disability on February 27, 1864.  The notes of his injuries state: Gun shot wound of the chest.  The ball entered between the first and second ribs (left side) and lodged within the thorax.

He came home and married Mary Keziah Chew, daughter of Dr. Ezekiel Cooper Chew, on October 2, 1864 in Versailles, Darke County, Ohio.  I've often wondered if Dr. Chew was helping treat his wounds, and that is how he met Mary.  Either way, as the ancestor of the LeMaster families of Jay County, Indiana, had he not survived the war, we wouldn't be here.

DNA Match : Cousin Lila

Made a DNA connection at 23andMe with cousin Lila, who shares 1 segment of DNA with my mother.  None of that DNA passed to me, at least not enough for Lila to show up as a match on my DNA relatives.

Lila and my mother match on chromosome 19:

Comparison	Chromosome	Start point	End point	Genetic distance	# SNPs
Lila vs. Gloria	19	1000000	11000000	25.4 cM	1957

We've been trading messages back and forth, and by looking at her family tree I was able to find the connection - through the Hadley family.  This is one of the Quaker lines that stretches pretty far back.

Lila  and Travis

1. Sixth cousin 3 times removed (common ancestor: Joshua Hadley & Patience Brown)

2. Eighth cousin twice removed (common ancestor: James Brown & Honour Clayton)

3. Ninth cousin twice removed (common ancestor: Richard Brown & Mary [brown])

4. Ninth cousin twice removed (common ancestor: Richard Brown & Mary [brown])

5. Ninth cousin twice removed (common ancestor: William Clayton & Prudence Lanckford)

6. Ninth cousin twice removed (common ancestor: William Clayton & Prudence Lanckford)

Joshua Hadley (1703-c1760) and wife Patience Brown (1712-1783) were our common ancestors.  Lila descends from son Simon (1737-1803), while I descend from daughter Mary (1739-1810).

The Hadley Society has a searchable database at WorldConnect.

Charting the DNA connections

Spending some time this weekend updating the spreadsheets I've created to track the DNA matches for myself, Eileen and mom and dad.  There is a lot of data to track, but have had some success in making connections.  Kitty Cooper's blog has a lot of good tools for DNA research.

Finding out that the autosomal matching works much better if you have a fairly extensive family tree.  Without it, it is nearly impossible to find the matches just from a few surnames listed.  Also, find that 23andMe is a bit clunky in their family tree.  Having more success with those who have a tree at Ancestry or somewhere else.

Will be sharing some of the stories in a later post.

Marriage Record : Leslie Lemuel Beals and Anna Arline Weil, Hamilton County, Indiana, 1920

"Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VXP5-HNN : accessed 20 May 2014),  entry for Leslie Lemuel Beals and Anna Arline Weil, ; citing Hamilton County; FHL microfilm 001320369.

Located the marriage license application for my maternal 3rd cousin 4 times removed, Leslie Lemuel Beals and Anna Arline Weil in Hamilton County, Indiana at Familysearch.org.

Leslie was the son of John Wilson Beals and Magnora Perry.  Anna was the daughter of Bernard Weil and Emma Rose.

Leslie was born August 31, 1890 in Hamilton County, Indiana and resided in Noblesville. He was working as a mechanic. Though this is the first marriage I've discovered for him, he had been previously married and that marriage ended by divorce in 1919.

Anna was born January 28, 1897 in Hamilton County, Indiana and resided in Nobelsville.  She was working as a clerk.

Their marriage took place on July 31, 1920 in Hamilton County.

"Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VXPV-TZD : accessed 20 May 2014), Leslie L Beals and Arline Weil, 31 Jul 1920; citing Hamilton County; FHL microfilm 001320360.

Church Record Sunday : Lambertson Family, Hinkle Creek Friends MM, Hamilton County, Indiana

Ancestry.com, U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1994 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data :Indiana Yearly Meeting Minutes. Earlham College Friends Collection & College Archives, Richmond, Indiana.

Quaker records and meeting minutes have recently been added to Ancestry.com.  Not just the abstracts from Hinshaw's Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, but actual records from Earlham College, Swathmore College, Guilford College and Haverford College collections.  Last night I decided to dig in and see what I could find.

My maternal 3rd-great grandparents, Carey and Clara (Cook) Lambertson and family had joined the Society of Friends in the late 1890s, which I knew from Willard Heiss' abstracts of Indiana Friends records.  Searching the database in Ancestry, I was able to find membership records of the Hinkle Creek Monthly Meeting in Hamilton County, Indiana, which provided some good information on the family, even though they spelled the surname as Lamberson, without the 't'.

The record card of the family states :

Carey Lamberson,  born Butler County, Ohio 29th day, 4th month, 1847; son of John and Sarah Lamberson

Clara E. Lamberson, born Preble County, Ohio 16th day, 11th month, 1848; daughter of James and Mary Cook

Lola Lamberson, born Madison County, Indiana 28th day, 6th month, 1883; daughter of Carey and Clara E. Lamberson.

All were received into membership by request on the 21st day, 2nd month, 1899.  This was not all of the Lambertson family.

These birth dates agree with what I've previously recorded in my database, though I had Lola born in Hamilton County, Indiana.  That source was from a correspondent.

A key fact uncovered her was that Clara's parents were named as James and Mary Cook and her birthplace named as Preble County, Ohio.  Previously, her parentage was not clearly known, as I had found a census record that appeared to be her in 1850, but Clara's death certificate stated her father's name was William, and her mother was _____ Hirharger, both born in Virginia.  I had written a post on Clara's ancestry before.  The informant for her death certificate was likely her daughter, Lola, at whose house she was staying when she died.  Now, this record card is pointing me in the direction of my previous hunch.

The record card also indicates that Cary and Clara were married 1st day, 10th month, 1869; and that Lola married Omer Whisler on 15th day, 4th month, 1905, facts that agree with my data.

The entire family was dropped from the membership of the Hinkle Creek meeting by discontinuance of name by request.  Cary and Clara were dropped 20th day, 2nd month, 1917 and Lola was dropped 20th day, 5th month, 1919.  According to his obituary, Cary was a member of the Friends church at Providence, Hamilton County, Indiana at the time of his death in 1918.

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Church Record Sunday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites.

To participate in Church Record Sunday, describe a specific church record or a set of church records held by a denomination and how they can assist genealogists.   This is an on-going series developed by Gena Philbert Ortega at Gena's Genealogy.

Obituary : Mrs. Clara (Moulton) Metzner (1843-1899)

Portland Daily Commercial
July 3, 1899
page 1

METZNER.

Mrs. Clara Metzner, widow of Adam Metzner, who died nearly four years ago, passed away at 1:30 this morning at her home six miles northeast of this city, aged 55 years.

The funeral will be held on Wednesday at the Mt. Zion church, by Rev. Smith; interment in the Mt. Zion cemetery by Baird & Gilpia.

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Located this obituary of my paternal 2nd-great grandmother, Clara (Moulton) Metzner (1843-1899).  She was the daughter of Albert and Emeline (Philbrick) Moulton, and married John Adam Metzner on November 13, 1864 in Jay County, Indiana.   They were the parents of four children.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Ezekiel Cooper Chew (1822-1888)

Ezekiel Cooper Chew (1822-1888) was my paternal 3rd-great grandfather.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     Ezekiel was born January 17, 1822 in Gloucester County, New Jersey¹. The Abel Chew family Bible listed his birth year as 1823².

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          The State of New Jersey did not require birth certificates at the time of his birth.  The State Archives has birth records from 1848.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               If Ezekiel's birth was recorded in a local newspaper, it has been lost to time.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               The family Bible record of his son, Abel, was transcribed in a message board²

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Ezekiel married December 29, 1842 in New Jersey¹ (probably Gloucester Co.) to Caroline Bishop Woolston.  Caroline was born February 6, 1826 in Vincentown, Burlington County, New Jersey.  They had 14 children in New Jersey and Ohio.  Caroline died February 27, 1879 in Rossburg, Darke County, Ohio.

               Ezekiel married secondly December 23, 1880 in Darke County, Ohio³ to Laura V. (Skeggs) Hubler. They had two children.  Laura was born circa 1853 in Maryland and died in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana.

               Ezekiel married thirdly between 1883 and 1888 to Mary Jane (Riddle) Adams Keiser, probably in St. Joseph County, Indiana.  Mary was born December 28, 1845 in St. Joseph County, Indiana.  They had one child.  Mary died in 1921.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               Ezekiel and Caroline's 25th wedding anniversary would have been December 29, 1867.  Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if there was any mention of anniversary celebrations.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that Ezekiel was ever divorced.  He was twice widowed.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Ezekiel died August 27, 1888 in St. Joseph County, Indiana⁴.  I do not yet have a copy of his death certificate.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               Ezekiel's death was mentioned in the September 1, 1888 edition of the South Bend, Indiana Weekly Tribune⁴.  I will need to search newspaper accounts other mentions of his death.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Will need to search the local historical society to see if they have copies of the funeral home records to see if I can learn anything more about the arrangements for Ezekiel's funeral.  Will add this to my "to-do" list.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Ezekiel's tombstone in the Lakeville Cemetery, St. Joseph County, Indiana has been photographed.  A link to his memorial page at FindAGrave website is located here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1880 Federal Census

              On June 12, 1880, Ezekiel was enumerated in the Frederic Whitacre household in Mississinewa Township, Darke County, Ohio⁵, as E.C. Chew, age 57, boarder.  His occupation was listed as physician.  He was born in New Jersey, and both of his parents were born in New Jersey.

          2.1.2. 1870 Federal Census

               On July 8, 1870, Ezekiel was enumerated as head of household in New Madison, Twin Township, Darke County, Ohio⁶, as Ezekiel Chew, age 47, born in New Jersey.  His occupation was listed as physician.  The value of his real estate was $1200 and the value of his personal estate was $800.  He was a U.S. citizen.

          2.1.3. 1860 Federal Census

               On August 2, 1860, Ezekiel was enumerated as head of housheold in Neave Township, Darke County, Ohio⁷, as Zechel Chew, age 65, born in New Jersey.  His occupation was listed as doctor.  The value of his personal estate was $100.

          2.1.4. 1850 Federal Census

               On September 2, 1850, Ezekiel was enumerated as head of household in Jackson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio⁸, as Ezekiel Chew, age 27, born in New Jersey.  His occupation was listed as doctor.  The value of his personal estate was illegible.

          2.1.5. 1840 Federal Census

               Ezekiel is likely the white male, aged 15-19 in the household of Nathaniel Chew in Haddonfield, Newton Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey.   This household fits with what I know of his family. Note there are 3 Nathaniel Chews in the 1840 census of Gloucester, plus one Nathaniel W Chew and one Nathaniel C Chew.  

          2.1.6. 1830 Federal Census

               Ezekiel is likely the white male, aged 5-10 in the household of Nathaniel Chew Junior in Greenwich Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey.  There were two other Nathaniel Chews in Gloucester County in 1830, one was a Tanner and the other was Esquire, which was likely Ezekiel's grandfather.

     2.2. State Census Records

          Ohio state census records are not 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 Chew family.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not located an records indicating military service for Ezekiel.

     3.2. Pension Records

          Not applicable.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Montgomery and Darke Counties, Ohio and Jay and St. Joseph Counties, Indiana to see what records might mention Ezekiel.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps in Darke County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana need to searched to see what information might be relevant to my search for Ezekiel.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available for research on Ezekiel include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records.  Will add these to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     On May 1863, Ezekiel was listed in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana as E.C. Chew, lawyer, class B, license $10.00 on the tax assessment list⁹.

     On June 24, 1863, Ezekiel was listed in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana as E.C. Chew, lawyer, class B, license $10.00 on the tax assessment⁹.

     On January 25, 1864, Ezekiel was listed in Lancaster, Madison County, Jay County, Indiana as E.C. Chew, physician, class B, license $10.00 on the tax assessment⁹.

Sources :

1. Chew, Robert L., "Genealogy of the Chew Family", Gloucester County (NJ) Historical Society, Woodbury, NJ, 1982, page 261.
2. Chew Family History & Message Board / Re: Abel Woolston Chew Bible, Ancestry.com online (http:://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.chew/6.40.44.78.80/mb.ashx], accessed 19 November 2010.
3. "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X8KJ-7BC : accessed 27 Apr 2014), Ezekiel C. Chew and Laura H. Hubler, 23 Dec 1880; citing Darke, Ohio, United States, reference v e p 405 n 1311; FHL microfilm 1030773.
4. South Bend, Indiana Weekly Tribune, September 1, 1888, Obituary of Mr. Chew.
5. 1880 U.S. census, Darke County, Ohio, Mississenawa Township, enumeration district 65, SD 2, page 1D, dwelling 101, family 101; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 May 2014); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
6. Ezekiel Chew household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, New Madison, Twin Township, Darke County, Ohio, dwelling 128, family 127; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 1194.
7. Ezekiel Chew household, 1860 U.S. census, Darke County, Ohio, population schedule, Neave Township, page 164, dwelling 1166, family 1128.
8. Ezekiel Chew household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Jackson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, dwelling 901, family 901; National Archives micropublication M432, roll 714.
9. Ancestry.com. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA : Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2008.  Original data : National Archives (NARA) microfilm series : M603, M754-M771, M773-M777, M779-M780, M782, M784, M787-M789, M791-M793, M795, M1631, M1775-M1776, T227, T1208-T1209.


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.

Marriage Record : Ezekiel Cooper Chew and Laura V. (Skeggs) Hubler, Darke County, Ohio, 1880

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X8KJ-7BC : accessed 27 Apr 2014), Ezekiel C. Chew and Laura H. Hubler, 23 Dec 1880; citing Darke, Ohio, United States, reference v e p 405 n 1311; FHL microfilm 1030773.

Located the marriage record of my paternal 3rd-great grandfather, Ezekiel Cooper Chew (1822-1888) to his second wife, Laura V. (Skeggs) Hubler, on December 23, 1880 in Darke County, Ohio.

Ezekiel's first wife, Caroline Bishop (Woolston) Chew, had died the previous year. Ezekiel and Caroline had 14 children together.  Laura's first husband was John Hubler.  I do not know if he was deceased or if they were divorced.

Ezekiel and Laura had two children together, Herbert Deacon and Edis Playfair.  One source indicates that Laura died in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana.  Ezekiel was a physician and served a number of years in Jay County, Indiana and Darke County, Ohio.

Ezekiel later married again for a third time, when he moved to St. Joseph County, Indiana.

DNA : Eileen's McMillen match

Was contacted by Retta, a McMillen researcher, in regards to a match with Eileen's DNA on Chromosone 1.  She asked to share family trees, and I believe we have a match through the McMillen family.

Eileen's maternal 3rd-great grandfather, James E. McMillen (b. 1811) was born in New York and the family migrated on to Marshall County, Indiana.  The theory that Retta and other McMillen researchers is putting forth is that James was the son of the James & Keziah McMillen of Cussewago Twp., Crawford County, Pennsylvania.  Retta directed me to another McMillen research, Mary Urban's tree at Ancestry.

This James & Keziah had at least 4 childen who appear in census records in Crawford/Erie Cos., PA as well as Niagara/Erie Cos., NY where members of the Willard family (who married McMillen) are located.  

James McMillen was born circa 1780 Rhode Island was buying land in 1829 in Crawford County, Pennsylvania.  

The DNA match shows a connection, now it is just a matter of finding the paper records to tie them all together.  I have found a few other McMillen's in Marshall County, Indiana and have forwarded their contact information on to Retta.  Hopefully, the paper trail will be able to match up soon.

Marie Harper Found in Muncie, 1917

Goshen, Indiana Democrat
June 14, 1917, page 5

\

Marie Harper of Muncie,who disappeared from her home, was found at the residence of her aunt, Mrs. Lena Pierpont, in Muncie.

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Lena (Orcutt) Pierpont (1883-1958) was my paternal 1st cousin 3 times removed and the daughter of James and Samantha E. (Metzner) Orcutt.  She was also the mother of Dillinger gangster, Harry Pierpont.

Marie Harper's relationship has not been determined yet.

Metzner Sole Bidder to Repair Green Township Bridge, Jay County, 1899

Portland Daily Commercial
Portland, Indiana
September 11, 1899, page 1.

The only bid received for the repair of a bridge in Green township was that of W.T. Metzner, and some little question arose because it was not accompanied by a bond, an attorney being called in for a decision.

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This snippet of local news from the Portland Daily Commercial concerns Wesley T. Metzner, my paternal 2nd-great granduncle.  He was the son of John and Catharine (Young) Metzner.  His occupation in 1910 census in Portland listed him as a contractor, which would fit with this bid.  I did not see any follow up articles whether or not he posted a performance bond for the work.

Marriage License Issued : Samuel Hancock and Ida Davis, 1892 Monroe County, Indiana

Ellettsville, Indiana Monroe Citizen
September 24, 1892, page 1

Marriage licenses have been issued to the following named persons since last publication: Samuel Hancock and Ida Davis, David Wright and Martha Jones, John T. Burks and Emma Crews, Morton Fullerton and Minnie Woodward, Thos. Owlings and Amanda Grubbs, Jas. C. Polley and Susan Kelley, Benj. Miles and Nancy Buchanan, John W. Bennett and Agga Simmons, Elsworth McGlothlin and Frank Sears.

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Located another mention of the marriage of my maternal 2nd-great grandmother, Ida Davis (1874-1900) to husband Samuel Hancock.  A previous mention was found here.  I still need to write off for the copy of this marriage license.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Mary Victoria (Rieber) Schaeffer (1853-1883)

Mary Victoria (Reiber) Schaeffer (1853-1883) was Corinne's maternal 3rd-great grandmother.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.


1. Vital Records

     Mary was born circa 1853 in Indiana¹, according to census records.  Her christening record lists her date of birth as September 3, 1853 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana².

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          The State of Indiana did not require birth certificates until 1907, so Mary will not have a certificate.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               Without an exact location or date of birth, it will be difficult to locate any mention of her birth in local newspapers.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am unaware of any surviving family Bible records of the Rieber family.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one does exist.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               Mary was christened on September 4, 1853 at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana².  Her christening record has her name as Maria Victoria Riber.  Her father listed as Petro Riber and her mother as Elisabetha Schuhmacher.  The record gives her birth date as September 3, 1853.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

                There is no indication that Mary was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          I have not yet located a marriage record of Mary and Charles Schaeffer.  They should have been married circa 1872, likely in Evansville.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Without an exact date and location, it will be extremely difficult to locate mention of Mary and Charles' wedding in a local newspaper.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               Without an exact date for their wedding, it will be difficult to locate mention of their wedding anniversary in a local newspaper.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that Mary and Charles were divorced.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Mary died September 16, 1883 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana^3,4,5,6,7,8. According to newspaper reports, she was shot and killed by her husband, Charles. I do not yet 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

          I have not yet located an obituary for Mary, however, there were numerous articles written about her murder^4,5,6,7,8.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               Funeral home records need to be researched to see what information they might shed on Mary's final arrangements.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               Mary's tombstone in the Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana has been photographed⁹.

               A link to her memorial page at the FindAGrave website is here.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1880 Federal Census

               On June 2, 1880, Mary was enumerated in the Charley Schaeffer household in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana¹, as Mary V. Schaeffer, wife, age 27, born in Indiana.  Her occupation was keeping house.  Both her father and mother were born in Germany.

          2.1.2. 1870 Federal Census

               I have been unable to locate Mary in the 1870 census.  I assume she would still be living in Evansville, as that was where her mother and other family members were living, but she was not living with the family.  Her father died in 1869, so they family may have split up.

          2.1.3. 1860 Federal Census

               On August 22, 1860, Mary was enumerated in the Peter Reber household in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana¹⁰, as Mary Reber, age 7, born in Indiana.  She had attended school within the year.

     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 legislative apportionment.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          There is no evidence that the Rieber family were anything other than city-dwellers.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          Not applicable, as Mary was female.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I have not located any records of military service by Mary's father or husband that would have made her eligible for these benefits.

     3.3. Service Records

          Not applicable, as Mary was female.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Vanderburgh County, Indiana to see what records might mention Mary.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps in Vanderburgh County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what might be relevant to my search for Mary.

5. Supplemental Records

     Supplemental records available for research on Mary include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records.  Will add these to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

Sources:

1. Charley Schaeffer household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, ED 87, SD 1, page 6, dwelling 57, family 68; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 317, page 452B.
2. "Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933," index,(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V2XY-Z27 : accessed 19 Apr 2014), Maria Victoria Riber, 04 Sep 1853; Christening, citing Holy Trinity, Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana; FHL microfilm 1433351.
3. Ray Bland, "Matthias and Elizabeth Schaeffer Miller," email message from Ray Bland to Travis LeMaster, 7 August 2010.
4. A Husband Shots His Wife article, Evansville Courier, Evansville, Indiana, USA, September 16, 1883.
5. The Tragedy article, Evansville Journal, Evansville, Indiana, USA, September 17, 1883, page 4, column 6.
6. Another Sunday Murder article, Evansville Courier[?], Evansville, Indiana, USA, n.d.
7. The Wife Murder article, Evansville Courier[?], Evansville, Indiana, USA, n.d.
8. The Schaeffer Murder article, Evansville Courier, Evansville, Indiana, USA, September 19, 1883.
9. FindAGrave Inc., FindAGrave (www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 April 2014), Maria Rieber Schaeffer tombstone.
10. 1860 U.S. census, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, population schedule, Evansville, page 165, dwelling 1225, family 1249, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 April 2014); 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.

Obituary : Clara (Moulton) Metzner (1843-1899)

Evangelical Messenger
July 12, 1899, page 443

METZNER - Clara Metzner, nee Moulton, was born Sept. 30, 1843 and departed this life near Portland, Ind., July 4, 1899, aged 55 y., 9 m. and 3 d. She was married to Adam Metzner Nov. 13, 1864; to this union were born 4 children. In 1885 Bro. and Sister Metzner united with the Evangelical Association. They lived as devoted Christians until death. A son and daughter are left to mourn the loss of a Christian mother. The husband and 2 children preceded her in death. J.M. SMITH.

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Clara (Moulton) Metzner (1843-1899) was my paternal 2nd-great grandmother.  She was the daughter of Albert and Emeline (Philbrick) Moulton.  I do not know what church, if any, they were associated with before joining the Evangelical Association in 1885.

DNA : Dad's Ancestry Composition

Dad had his DNA tested with 23andMe as well, and here are the results of his test, using their Ancestry Composition section.

Here is the "Conservative" estimate of his genetic make-up : 97.1% European and 2.9% Unassigned.

These results were consistent with the paper trail genealogy, though I found the 0.1% Finnish interesting, as well as the 0.6% nonspecific Southern European.

Here is the "Standard" estimate of his genetic make-up : 99.4% European, 0.5% Unassigned and 0.1% South Asian.

Now where that South Asian comes into the family tree I have no idea as there are a few branches that haven't been traced.  There is a larger percentage of Southern European in this estimate as well.

Here is the "Speculative" estimate of his genetic make-up : 99.7 European, 0.1% South Asian, 0.1% East Asian & Native American, and 0.1% Unassigned.

The 29.3% British & Irish and the 17.1% French & German make sense considering how many of his lines I've been able to trace to those areas of Europe.  The 5.5% Scandinavian and 0.3% Finnish, as well as the 1.7% Italian and 0.9% Iberian indicate lines that I haven't established a paper trail.

The most interesting is the speculative 0.1% Native American - there is no tradition or evidence found of any Native American in my dad's lines, and the South Asian - which 23andMe indicates India or Pakistan is totally new to me.  Will have to see if I can get other members of his family to test and see what percentages show up.

Obituary : Sarah (Haley) Leonard (1862-1900)

Evangelical Messenger
December 5, 1900, page 779

LEONHARD - Sarah Leonhard, nee Haley, was born, Oct. 26, 1862, and departed this life, Nov. 20, 1900, aged 38 y. and 24 d.  In 1878 she was converted and joined the Ev. Church, her choice, and lived a devoted Christian life until death.  She was married to C. Leonhard, March 24, 1886.  To this union were born 7 children, all living.  She bore her affliction with great patience.  She was a loving mother, a kind companion.  When the end of life drew nigh she glorified God with shouts of victory.  Her last word to husband and children was, "Be prompt in going to church."  Truly she was ready to go and be with Jesus.  The deceased leaves an aged mother, 5 sisters and 6 brothers to mourn her departure; but their loss is her eternal gain.  Funeral services by J.M. Smith.

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Sarah (Haley) Leonard (1862-1900) was the daughter of Sebastian and Lydia A. (Rader) Haley.  She married Christian Leonhard.  Both are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.  I have not yet researched this family to identify all 7 of their children.  In the 1900 census, the family was living in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana with children : Mirlie W., Della A., Grace L., Hazel B., Orval R., Ina F., and William.

Marriage License : Clifford Doty to Fern Metzner, 1915

Goshen Daily Democrat
September 4, 1915,page 8.

Marriage Licenses :

Clifford Forrest Doty, 20, Elkhart; Fern Priscilla Metzner, 18, Elkhart.

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Found this mention of the marriage license of my paternal 2nd cousin twice removed, Fern Priscilla Metzner (1897-1917), daughter of Rev. John Metzner.

A previous post about her young death from tuberculosis was posted here.

I don't know much about her young life, whether they had any children, etc.

Obituary : Susan Jane (Haley) Haldeman (1844-1899)

Evangelical Messanger
September 13, 1899
page 587

HALDEMAN - Susan Jane Haldeman, nee Haley, was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, March 7, 1844, and died at her home in Morrow Co., O., August 30, 1899, aged 55 y., 5 m. and 23 d.  She was converted to God in early life, and united with the Evangelical Association, remaining a faithful Christian to the day of her death.  Nov. 27, 1862, she was married to Alfred Haldeman. To them were born 5 sons and 2 daughters.  She was a loving wife and mother, and a good neighbor, and will be sadly missed.  Her husband, 5 sons, 6 grandchildren, 4 sisters and 4 brothers are left to mourn her sudden death.   W.S. Mills

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Susan Jane (Haley) Haldeman (1844-1899) was the daughter of George J. and Rachel (Gary) Haley.  She was the sister of my ancestor, George Washington Haley.

The names of her children were : Vera B., George Allen, Maude, Christian E., Vernon J., Frank J. and Harvey Levi.  I have not traced their descendants, if you have any information I would love to hear from you.