Shaky Leaves : Chesley Franklin LeMaster (1890-1960)

Chesley Franklin LeMaster (1890-1960) was my paternal granduncle, the son of Luman Cooper and Barbara Isabel (Wehrly) LeMaster.  Ancestry.com is currently showing 8 hints from historical records for him in my LeMaster and Allied Families Member Tree.

I have ignored the Ancestry Member Tree hints for now and will concentrate on the records.

One of the databases is U.S., FindAGrave Index, which leads to his memorial page.  

Name:	Chesley F. LeMaster
Birth Date:	1890
Death Date:	1960
Cemetery:	Salamonia Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana, USA
Has Bio?:	N
Spouse:	Clara L. LeMaster
Children:	Dale W. LeMaster
URL:	http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...

Looks like his memorial page needs some updating and biographical information submitted.

In the 1940 census of Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, Chesley, age 47, was renting a farm for $8 per month.  The household consisted of his wife Clara, age 45 born Indiana; son Ralph, age 17 born Indiana; son Dale, age 12 born Indiana; and daughter Patty Lou age 7 born Indiana.  Two older children were not in the household, daughter Doris was married in 1935 and son Donald was married in 1932.

1940 US census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-8, SD 5, sheet 5B, dwelling 179, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 August 2015); National Archives, Washington D.C..

In the 1930 census of Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana, he was enumerated as "Chessley Leamaster", age 39, renting a farm.  The household consisted of Clara, age 35 born Indiana; son Donald, age 16 born Indiana; daughter Dora, age 15 born Indiana; son Ralph, age 7 born Indiana; and son Dale, age 2 born in Indiana.

1930 US Census, Jay County, Indiana, population schedule, Madison Township, enumeration district (ED) 38-8, SD 5, sheet 9A, dwelling 204, family 204, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 August 2015); National Archives, Washington D.C..

I was surprised that I didn't already have these census records in my RootsMagic database.  I've since updated his file.

Another hint that was provided listed the exact date of his birth (which I already had), and provided the location of his birth record with the Jay County Health Department.

Ancestry.com. Indiana Births, 1880-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
Original data: Works Progress Administration. Index to Birth Records. Indiana: Indiana Works Progress Administration, 1938-1940.

One new record that I didn't have sourced in my database was the record of his draft registration during World War I.  He registered on June 5, 1917 in Midland, Midland County, Michigan.  He was a laborer with the Dow Chemical Company in Midland, was married with two children.

Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

If you are related or have any additional information, I would love to hear from you.

Triangulation

Made a connection with my first good case of triangulation on chromosome 15 today.  Contacted a recent match at 23andMe (Robert) and began looking at the possibilities.  What I discovered was that we matched at the same point as a known relative - and therefore we have triangulation!

Robert matches both me and my mother at the same location on chromosome 15.  23andMe rounds the start and end points to be as follows: for both my mother and me, the shared start point is 81000000, for me the end point is 89000000 and for my mother the end point is 90000000.  Not much of a difference, but Robert shares a slightly longer segment of DNA with my mother (10.4 cM) than with me (9.3 cM).

23andMe Segment matches with Robert, I'm green, mom's is blue

Robert also has his results uploaded at GEDMatch, and I was able to confirm the results, the start and end locations for matches with me are as follows:

Robert's results for the start and end location of the match with mom was nearly the same :

But what really got me excited was Robert's match with a known relative on my mother's side, Mildred.  The results for Robert's match with Mildred :

Mildred is my maternal 1st cousin 3 times removed.  Her grandmother was the half-sister of my 2nd-great grandmother, Ida Davis.  The common ancestor between Mildred and myself is Mary Ellen Swafford (1854-1932).

This is how I match with Mildred (note chromosome 15) :

My mother matches Mildred even more (note chromosome 15) :

Because Robert matches on the exact same chromosome in the exact same location to not only me, my mother and Mildred, we have triangulation on this spot, indicating that the match is Identical by Descent, rather than Identical by Segment.  Anyone that matches all of us at this same chromosome and segment must be related through the same line.  Because the common ancestry between myself and Mildred is Mary Ellen Swafford, so the DNA either came from her or one of her ancestors.

Robert is predicted by 23andMe to be a 3rd to distant cousin.  We share just one segment and 0.13% of our DNA.  GEDMatch predicted that the estimated number of generations to the MRCA is 5.2 generations.

One of the surname's in Robert's ancestry is Thacker, and there is a Thacker-Swafford connection, but in the correspondence so far, the names do not match up.  Robert's tree is just getting started, and I hope that by sending my contact an outline of Swafford ancestry we can find a common name. My thought is that the connection is further up line from Mary Ellen Swafford.  She has several female ancestors with unknown maiden names.


The DNA game is an exciting one to play around in, and I appreciate any suggestions or tips.

Researching Darke County, Ohio

Last Sunday I spent the day in Darke County, Ohio, researching my genealogy and getting a history lesson from my dad.  After our day in Jay County on Saturday, we headed out to Greenville, Ohio on Sunday.  My plan was to visit the Garst Museum and their genealogical library which had been on my "to-do" list for quite some time.

As we crossed over the state line, dad shared a few stories about his high school and college days and 3.2 beer.  Ohio allowed 18 year-olds to drink 3.2 beer, and since Jay County was just a few miles away, it was common for them to come over to Ohio.  When we arrived in Greenville, we drove around a bit and located the Triangle bar, where dad and friends from Ball State came down to dance.  It was closed, being a Sunday, but it was interesting to hear dad open up a little bit about his youth.

The first place we visited in the area was the Webster Cemetery (aka Dutch) in Allen Township.  I had previously visited this cemetery two years ago with Eileen.  We quickly located the graves of Nathaniel Chew (1786-1866), dad's 3rd-great grandfather, and Caroline Bishop (Woolston) Chew (1826-1879), dad's 2nd-great grandmother and the first wife of Ezekiel Cooper Chew.  These tombstones had definitely weathered since my last visit.  Also in the plot was the infant Phillip D. Lemasters (1869-1869), the younger brother of dad's grandfather.

This cemetery lies on the Lightsville-Rossburg Road, and I later found out that the former Methodist Episcopal Church that sat there was torn down in the 1890s.  

Waiting for the museum to open, we had to make a lunch stop at Maid-Rite, a Greenville tradition.  We were the second and third customer of the day, some local beat us in the door to be the first customer of the day.

After a bit to eat, we stopped by a pioneer cemetery that we noticed as we were driving around looking for the Triangle bar.  The grave markers of several War of 1812 veterans and other pioneer citizens are preserved there as well as a small stockade.

Always the history teacher, dad took me down to the site of Fort Jefferson.  After visiting the site of Fort Recovery on Saturday and learning more about St. Clair's Defeat and the history of military operations in Ohio in the early 1790s.

And then, the researching began.  The museum opened at 1 p.m., and after paying the admission fee, which allows you to tour the museum and use the genealogy library, I was ready to dig in.  The nice volunteer pointed me in the direction of the surname files.  With over 5000 surnames in its files, the library has quite an extension collection.  Planning for the trip, I had printed off a list of individuals who resided in Darke County before 1930.  Some of my paternal ancestry was briefly in the county, but even on my maternal side there were some collateral relatives who lived in the county as well.

I had great success in the surname files on my maternal lines - the Groendykes and the Lambertsons, and found some information on the Hummel collateral line of my paternal side.  In addition, I was able to find some records from the atlas regarding where the land my Chew family held, and likely where my LeMaster family resided.  Because my families were only in the county for a short period of time, I didn't find much on them in the more general interest books.   We only spent about two hours there, as we were getting tired, but it was definitely worth it.  It will definitely be on my list of places to return again to research, as they had so many family files to research.

We also took the time to explore the museum, including the Annie Oakley collection, and I must say it is one of the nicer small museums I have been in.  Their collections on local history, examples of pioneer life, farming, racing, etc. is definitely worth stopping by to see.

I will be sharing more about what I've found in future posts.

Death Record : Alfred Haldeman, 1917, Morrow County, Ohio

"Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZVN-LZG : accessed 5 September 2015), Alfred Haldeman, 07 Mar 1917; citing Troy Twp., Morrow, Ohio, reference fn 20924; FHL microfilm 1,983,937.

Alfred Haldeman was my paternal 2nd-great granduncle by marriage, married to Susanna Jane Haley (1844-1899), the daughter of George J. and Rachel (Gary) Haley.  Working on updating Ohio death records at FamilySearch for my RootsMagic database, I realized that I didn't have his date of death.

Alfred was born March 15, 1844 in Ohio, according to his death certificate, the son of Christian and Susan (Brinkely) Haldeman.  He died March 7, 1917 in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio due to pulmonary tuberculosis.

The informant for the death certificate was his son, Harvey L. Haldeman, and Alfred was buried in the Haldeman Cemetery.  At the time of his death, he was listed as married, but I don't have a second marriage for him.

A search at FindAGrave located his memorial page, where it states that Alfred remarried to Mary Ann Stull on November 13, 1900 in Morrow County, Ohio.  Will have to search for this record as well.

Alfred and Susan (Haley) Haldeman were the parents of seven known children: Vera B., George Allen, Maude, Christian E., Vernon J., Frank J. and Harvey Levi.  I have not traced their descendants but need to do so as they might have photographs, etc. of the Haley side.

If you have any additional information or corrections or are related to this family, I would love to hear from you.

Geeking Out on Genetic Genealogy

Spent today combining my love of genealogy with interest in DNA by attending a great workshop put on by the Jay County Historical Society by Dr. Michael Lacopo.  Dr. Lacopo's presentation was split into two parts, with the introduction being hosted at the Jay County Public Library and the conclusion being held at the historical society.  Dad came with me, so I was able to spend some quality time with him as well and hear family history stories.

The fact that genetic genealogy has revolutionized genealogy research and brought about the marriage of science and family history is without dispute. Yet DNA testing is a tool that many have either not utilized or have been unsure of the science behind it.  You need not be "geeked out" on the science, but a basic understanding of the biology behind your chromosomes and genetic inheritance is essential to understanding how DNA testing can help with your research.

The presentation was well attended, with a diverse group of genealogists, some of whom had done DNA testing and others had not.  Dr. Lacopo did a good job of explaining the science behind DNA testing and what the various companies that provide the testing offer without losing the audience with the science.  Based on the question and answer period, he also did a good job of relating what types of genealogical problems that DNA test can and cannot solve.

Though I have already tested my DNA at two of the three major providers and was familiar with triangulation, I was able to glean some ideas from this presentation.

I was particularly interested to hear him describe his method's of using DNA testing to solve brick wall problems.  I was familiar with his blog, but it was nice to hear him in person.  I kept hoping I would recognize one of the family names he would mention.

The best quote I heard from him was the maxim that "human beings are not renewable resources" in relationship to the fact that we need to gather DNA from older living relatives now before they are gone.  Their DNA might hold the keys to unlocking family mysteries you are trying to solve.  Dr. Lacopo stressed that genetic genealogy is a numbers game, the more people with known relationships you have tested the better.

Key takeaways from the presentation were:

• DNA testing is a numbers game; the higher the % of matching DNA, the more definitive the relationship
• Size does matter; the larger the segment of DNA you share with a match, the more likely you received the segment from a common ancestor
• More is better; the more people you test with a known relationship the better
• Triangulate and map; once you identify your most recent common ancestor (MRCA) and confirm with another that match on a particular segment

Dr. Lacopo gave some tips regarding the numbers game of DNA testing - that any match over 0.3% is a big deal and that any matching segment longer than 10 cM (centimorgans) has a 99% change of being identical-by-descent, meaning a definite match.  He suggested that you focus on those matches rather than the smaller matches, even thought the DNA testing companies pull in results as low as 7 cM.

The presentation inspired me to work anew on my DNA genealogy, and strive to map out the research plan for the problems I want to solve and seek out cousins to have tested.  I have started compiling my own spreadsheets of DNA matches, and was impressed to see his color-coded DNA segments that he had identified as belonging to certain family names.

This was my first interaction with one of the "rock star" genealogists, and I must say that I was impressed.  I would highly recommend attending one of Dr. Lacopo's presentations if you have the opportunity, and this was a great program put on on by the historical society.

A bonus was that one of the members of the society brought their pedigree fan chart to the presentation and by glancing at it, I noticed we have several points of connection on my mother's side.  I handed him my business card and hope we can begin corresponding soon.

Surname Saturday : Generation Seven

For this edition of Surname Saturday, I'm going to list generation seven of my family tree in hopes of making a connection.  Many times people find my blog through Google searches, and I'm hoping to reach more cousins.  If you are related to any of these families, I'd love to hear from you.

Generations 1 through 6

Generation 7
64. JACOB LEMASTERS : born 21 Mar 1770 in Pennsylvania; married circa 1794; died 21 Sep 1852 in Shelby Co., Ohio.
65. HANNAH ________ : born 30 Sep 1778 in Pennsylvania; died 16 Jun 1849 in Shelby Co., Ohio.
66. PHILLIP YOUNG : born 11 Oct 1787 in Berkeley Co., Virginia (West Virginia); married circa 1806; died 29 May 1850 in Shelby Co., Ohio.
67. NANCY ANN McLANE : born circa 1790 in Berkely Co., Virginia (West Virginia); died May 1825 in Ohio.
68. NATHANIEL CHEW : born 10 Nov 1786 in Gloucester Co., New Jersey; married circa 1812 in New Jersey; died 24 January 1866 in Mahaska Co., Iowa.
69. MARY WEST : born 17 Jun 1795 in New Jersey; died 27 Feb 1848 in New Jersey.
70. ABEL B. WOOLSTON : born 1797 in Burlington Co., New Jersey; married 11 Sep 1819 in Burlington Co., New Jersey; died 12 Jan 1834 in Burlington Co., New Jersey.
71. RACHEL WOOLSTON : born 19 Apr 1800 in Burlington Co., New Jersey; died 11 Sep 1851 in Burlington Co., New Jersey.
72. HEINRICH "Henry" WHERLEY : born circa 1776 in York Co., Pennsylvania; died 15 Jan 1846 in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio.
73. CHRISTENA SAUBEL : born circa 1775 in Pennsylvania; died 19 Dec 1872 in Jefferson Twp., Tuscarawas Co., Ohio.
74. GEORGE PETRY : born 1 Aug 1762 in Strausberg, Germany; married circa 1785; died 1 Jun 1823 in York Co., Pennsylvania.
75. MARY CATHARINA KALTREIDER : born 13 Sep 1762; died 15 Apr 1815 in York Co., Pennsylvania.
76. JACOB SMITH : born circa 1792 in New Jersey; married circa 1812; died 18 Oct 1866 in Hardin Co., Iowa.
77. JANE ELLIOTT : born circa 1792 in George; died after 14 Jun 1860 in Hardin Co, Iowa.
78. JESSE MAXSON : born 8 Oct 1772 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., New Jersey; married 23 Feb 1797 in Harrison Co., Virginia (West Virginia); died 24 Mar 1851 in Clark Co., Ohio.
79. SARAH SUTTON : born 3 Jan 1779 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., New Jersey; died 18 Mar 1863 in Clark Co., Ohio.
84. DAVID SHERICK : born circa 1787 in Pennsylvania; married before 1823; died 22 Feb 1874 in Ashland Co., Ohio.
85. EVE ________ : born circa 1785 in Pennsylvania; died 31 Mar 1862 in Ashland Co., Ohio.
86. DAVID JACOBS : born 3 Oct 1796 in York Co., Pennsylvania; married circa 1817; died 20 Jun 1857 in Wayne Co., Ohio.
87. BARBARA BYERS : born 5 Jan 1798 in Warrington Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania; died 4 Dec 1874 in Congress Twp., Wayne Co., Ohio.
90. NICHOLAS YOUNG : born 1790 in France; married in 1813; died 1855 in Jay Co., Indiana.
91. SALOME ________ : born circa 1793 in France; died 3 Sep 1887 in Jay Co., Indiana.
92. SELAH MOULTON : born 28 Oct 1790 in Rutland Co., Vermont; married circa 1815 Vermont; died 24 Nov 1848 in Licking Co., Ohio.
93. LYDIA FINEL : born 21 Feb 1796 in Rutland Co., Vermont; died 3 Dec 1869 in Licking Co., Ohio.
94. JOEL PHILBRICK : born 24 Apr 1784 in Dracut, Massachusetts; married in 1808; died 1 March 1846 in Licking Co., Ohio.
95. SALLY FOX : born 27 Aug 1788 in Centre Harbor, New Hampshire; died 1868 in Johnstown, Licking Co., Ohio.
96. JOHN WRIGHT : born 4 Nov 1814 in Pleasant Twp., Clermont Co (now Brown Co.), Ohio; married 9 Sep 1834 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 10 Jun 1890 in Brown Co., Ohio.
97. ANNA WARDLOW : born 23 Apr 1816 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 4 Oct 1893 in Brown Co., Ohio.
98. JAMES R. HEATON : born 1 Apr 1805 in Ohio; married 2 Jul 1829 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 9 Apr 1885 in Schuyler Co., Missouri.
99. ELIZABETH JACOBS : born 30 Jun 1811 in Adams Co., Ohio; died 29 Jun 1889 in Schuyler Co., Missouri.
100. WILLIAM KING : born circa 1790 in North Carolina; married before 1816; died 7 May 1869 in Wabash Co., Indiana.
101. SARAH SULLIVAN : born 19 May 1777 in Taneytown, Carroll Co., Maryland; died 14 Jan 1872 in Madison Co., Indiana.
102. WILLIAM SHAW : born 28 Jan 1800 in Pennsylvania; married 29 Aug 1822 in Brown Co., Ohio; died 25 Sep 1849 in Madison Co., Indiana.
103. MARY HECK : born 13 Mar 1803 in Ohio; died 12 Aug 1890 in Madison Co., Indiana.
104. FRANCIS S. PIERCE : born 8 Jun 1806 in Vermont; married 25 Oct 1831 in Wayne Co., Indiana; died 5 Aug 1881 in Wayne Co., Indiana.
105. REBECCA PAGE : born 18 Aug 1806 in New Jersey; died 26 Jun 1893 in Wayne Co., Indiana.
106. ELIAS GROENENDYKE : born 20 May 1818 in Fayette Co., Indiana; married 28 Jul 1839 in Fayette Co., Indiana; died 23 May 1906 in Darke Co., Ohio.
107. NANCY JENKINS : born 1817 in North Carolina; died 11 May 1856 in Madison Co., Indiana.
108. GEORGE WASHINGTON PENISTEN : born 1813 in Pike Co., Ohio; died before 1860 in Madison Co., Indiana.
109. SARAH MUSTARD : born circa 1816 in Ohio.
110. RICHARD ALDERMAN : born 1810 in Kentucky; married circa 1840; died after 1870 in Madison Co., Indiana.
111. ELIZA ________ : born between 1820-1825.
112. JOHN LAMBERTSON : born circa 1800 in New Jersey; married 6 Jul 1822 in Belvidere, Sussex Co. (now Warren Co.), New Jersey; died Oct 1875 in Farmersville, Montgomery Co., Ohio.
113. SARAH A. WILLSON : born circa 1804 in New Jersey; died 21 Dec 1881 in Ohio.
114. JAMES COOK : born circa 1813 in Virginia.
115. MARY ________ : born circa 1814 in Virginia.
116. JOHN T. BEALS : born 25 Jun 1827 in Clinton Co., Ohio; married 19 Apr 1848 in Westfield, Hamilton Co., Indiana; died 18 Sep 1917 in Sheridan, Hamilton Co., Indiana.
117. MARY DAVIS : born 9 Sep 1825 in North Carolina; died 18 Jul 1909 in Cicero, Hamilton Co., Indiana.
118. ISAAC S. POE : born 20 Aug 1830 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; married 11 Aug 1855 in Monrovia, Morgan Co., Indiana; died 20 Nov 1909 in Norton, Norton Co., Kansas.
119. HANNAH MILLS : born 9 Jan 1833 in Morgan Co., Indiana; died 9 Mar 1914 in Norton, Norton Co., Kansas.
124. AUSTIN DAVIS : born circa 1824 in Indiana; married 9 Feb 1850 in Monroe Co., Indiana; died bet. Nov 1850 and Aug 1851 in Monroe Co., Indiana.
125. FANNY REYNOLDS : born circa 1830 in Indiana; died 2 Feb 1883 in Spencer, Owen Co., Indiana.
126. PETER KIRKPATRICK SWAFFORD : born 12 Jun 1827 in Mississippi; married 3 Apr 1853 in Owen Co., Indiana; died 1885 in Spencer, Owen Co., Indiana.
127. MARY ANN CROCKETT : born 1835 in Owen Co., Indiana; died 1865.

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.

Death Record, Bertha G. Fuchs, 1943, Montgomery County, Ohio

"Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X84M-Q7K : accessed 5 September 2015), Bertha G Fuchs, 23 Mar 1943; citing Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, reference fn 18983; FHL microfilm 2,024,128.

Located the death record of Bertha G. Ailes (1888-1943), my paternal 2nd cousin 3 times removed, the daughter of Ethan Dewitt and Mary (Schaefer) Ailes.  Our common ancestor is Phillip Young.  I've been utilizing the Ohio death database at FamilySearch to update missing data in my RootsMagic database.

Bertha died March 23, 1943 in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio of carcinoma of the uterus.  She was residing at 124 Kirkham in Dayton.  She was buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Kettering, Montgomery County, Ohio.

According to her death certificate, Bertha was born March 13, 1888 in Dayton.  Her death certificate gave me the name of her mother as Mary Schaefer.

I know that John and Bertha had at least two children Walter and Mary.  I have more to search to find out if there were additional children and to learn about John's information.

Exploratory Data Analysis : Johannes "John S." Wehrly (1802-1876)

Johannes "John S." Wehrly (1802-1876) was my paternal 3rd-great grandfather.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     John was born June 4, 1802 in York County, Pennsylvania¹.

     1.1. Birth Certificate

            Though Pennsylvania did not record births at this time, I need to search to locate a baptism record.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

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

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of any surviving family Bible that would record the birth of John.  Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes of locating one.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               According to the Wehrly history¹, John was baptized at St. Jacob's church in York County, Pennsylvania.  I need to seek out the actual records of this church and verify the information.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no indication that John was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          John married Barbara Petry.  My database has the date as 1821 in Stark County, Ohio, but I've been unable to find a source to verify this fact.  This may have come from the Wehrly history¹.  If true, they would have been 19 at the time of their marriage.  A search of Stark County marriage records has been unable to turn up a marriage record.  Barbara was born May 28, 1802 in York County, Pennsylvania¹.  They raised 9 children in Preble County, Ohio before moving in 1854 to Jay County, Indiana.  Barbara died August 27, 1880 in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana¹.

          1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if their nuptials were mentioned.

          1.2.2. Anniversary Notice

               John and Barbara's 25th wedding anniversary would have been in 1846 and their 50th would have been in 1871.  Will need to search contemporary newspapers to see if there was any mention of anniversary celebrations.

          1.2.3. Divorce Decree

               There is no indication that John was ever divorced.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          John died November 10, 1876 in Salamonia, Jay County, Indiana.^1,2.  I do not yet have a copy of his death certificate.  Will need to obtain one on my next research trip.

          1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper

               I have not been able to locate a mention of John's obituary in local newspapers.  Will continue to search in hopes that one can be located.

          1.3.2. Funeral Home Records

               I will need to search the local funeral home records of the time to see if they might have a record of the funeral.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph

               John is buried in the Salamonia Cemetery in Salamonia, Madison Twp., Jay County, Indiana².  I do not have a photograph of his tombstone.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1870 Federal Census

               On August 2, 1870, John was enumerated as head of household in Salamonia, Madison Twp., Jay County, Indiana³, as John S. Werly, age 68, retired farmer.  He was born in Pennsylvania and was a U.S. citizen.  The value of his personal estate was $100 and the value of his real estate was $1200.

          2.1.2. 1860 Federal Census

               On June 9, 1860, John was enumerated as head of household in Salamonia, Madison Twp., Jay County, Indiana⁴, as John S. Whorley, age 59, farmer.  He was born in Pennsylvania.  The value of his personal estate was $150 and the value of his real estate was $2000.

          2.1.3. 1850 Federal Census

               On July 18, 1850, John was enumerated as head of household in Monroe Township, Preble County, Ohio⁵, as John S. Wehrly, age 49, farmer.  He was born in Pennsylvania.  The value of his real estate was $700.

          2.1.4. 1840 Federal Census

              On June 1, 1840, John was enumerated as head of household in Monroe Township, Preble County, Ohio⁶, as John S. Werley.  A total of 8 persons listed in the household.  2 white males under 5, 1 white male 20 thru 29; 1 white male 50 thru 59; 1 white female 5 thru 9; 1 white female 20 thru 29; 1 white female 30 thru 39; 1 white female 60 thru 69.

              Some of the ages don't quite add up for the household, but right now that is the closest record unless there was another John Wehrly in Preble County at the same time.

          2.1.5. 1830 Federal Census

              On June 1, 1830, John was enumerated as head of household in Twin Township, Preble County, Ohio⁷, as John S. Whirley.  A total of 3 persons listed in the household.  1 white male 20 thru 29; 1 white female under 5; 1 white female 20 thru 29.

              If my data is correct on the ages, the male 20 thru 29 is John, the female 20 thru 29 is his wife Barbara, and the female under 5 is daughter Susannah.  However, my family group sheet currently shows a son Frederick (b.1827) and son Jacob (b. 1830).  Neither of their birth dates have been sourced in my database, so they may have been born after 1830.

     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 Wehrly family.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not located any records indicating military service for John.

     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 Preble County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana to see what records might mention John.  Will add this to my "to-do" list for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Plat maps in Preble County, Ohio and Jay County, Indiana need to be searched to see what information they might shed on John.

5. Supplemental Records

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

Sources:

1. Wehrly, Blaine & Gladys, "Wehrly & Smith Family History." Report to Wehrly Reunion, New Castle, Indiana, 16 August 1970.  Photocopy held by author.
2. Phyllis (Strock) Franklin, Salamonia Cemeteries : Salamonia, Madison Twp., Jay County, Indiana (Portland, Indiana, USA : The Jay County Genealogy Society, 2000), page 3.
3. John S. Werly household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Twp., Jay Co., Indiana, page 27, Salamonie P.O., dwelling 198, family 201; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 327, page 87.
4. John S. Whorley household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Madison Twp., Jay Co., Indiana, page 9, Salamonia P.O., dwelling 59, family 59; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 269, page 9.
5. 1850 US Census, Preble County, Ohio, population schedule, Monroe Township, dwelling 71, family 71; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 August 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
6. 1840 US Census, Preble County, Ohio, population schedule, Monroe Township, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 September 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
7. 1830 US Census, Preble County, Ohio, population schedule, Twin Township, page 132(penned); digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 September 2015); 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.

Census Sunday : Washington Abernathy household, 1850, Monroe County, Indiana

Washington Abernathy married my maternal fourth great-grandaunt Martha Ann Crockett on February 10, 1850 in Owen County, Indiana¹.  Martha Ann was the daughter of David and Mary Ann (Nosler) Crockett.  While working in my RootsMagic database I noticed that I didn't have a birth place or date for him, and began searching for him in the census.

1850 US Census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Bean Blossom Township, dwelling 507, family 507, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 September 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

According to the schedule, this census was enumerated on October 3, 1850, just a few months after their marriage.  They are in household 507 right next to the Eli Abernathy household.  They are the right age to be his parents.

Washington was a 22 year old farmer born in Indiana who couldn't read or write.  Martha was listed as being 18 years of age and born in Indiana.

Additional searches for information on Washington located a Washington M. Abernathy buried in the Chambersville Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana².  This Washington was born June 17, 1829 and died March 2, 1860, according to the memorial page.

I believe that poor Martha was left a young widow, as I have found a Martha Abernathy in the 1860 census as head of household in Bean Blossom Township, Monroe County, Indiana with three children : Mary Ann, age 8; Sarah E., age 6; and Laura M., aged 4 months.

If you have any additional information or are related to these individuals, I would love to hear from you.

Sources :

1. "Indiana Marriages Through 1850", Indiana State Library Genealogy Division .

2. FindAGrave Inc., FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 5 September 2015), http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Abernathy&GSiman=1&GScid=84606&GRid=24766814&

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

State & Federal census sheets are filled with information for genealogists. Both the population & non-population schedules give us insights into the lives of our ancestors. What have you found that is Surprising? Reassuring? Bewildering? Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Colleen Pasquale of Leaves and Branches.

Surname Saturday : Carlton

The CARLTON surname is in my maternal line.  The origins of the surname are unknown. 

Stories and history :

Ahnentafel # 765: Abigail Carlton. Abigail married April 18, 1720  Francis Worcester (1698-    ).  Francis was born June 7, 1698 in Bradford, Essex Co., Massachusetts.  They had at least one son.  Nothing further known.

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.

Marriage Record : Marie Chew to Glenn Overholt, 1934, Huntington County, Indiana

"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007", database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXNX-TMX : accessed 4 September 2015), Edes Plafair Chew in entry for Glenn Overholt and Marie Chew, 1934.

While working through my RootsMagic database for people with missing information, I located the marriage record of Marie Chew, daughter of Edis Playfair and Bertha (Caupp) Chew, who was my paternal first cousin 3 times removed.  Marie married Glenn Overholt in Huntington County, Indiana.

According to their license, they applied for a marriage license and were married on the same day, Valentine's Day, February 14, 1934 in Huntington County, Indiana.  Glenn's parents were Milward and Mary (Rupley) Overholt, who both lived in Huntington County.  Glenn had been born June 21, 1914 in Wabash County, Indiana.  Marie's mother, Bertha, was still living in Huntington County, Indiana, but her father was deceased.  Marie was born September 12, 1913 in Darke County, Ohio.

Prior to finding this record, I did not know that Bertha's maiden name was Caupp, or that she and Edis had any children.  There may yet be more children to discover.  

If you have any additional information or are related to this family in any way, I would love to hear from you.

Shaky Leaves : Iva Josephine (Ballein) Wardlow (1881-1932)

Iva Josephine (Ballein) Wardlow (1881-1932) is my 1st cousin 4 times removed on my maternal side.  She was the daughter of William Henry and Clarissa A. (Wright) Ballein. Surname variants include Bollein and Boline. Ancestry.com is currently showing 13 hints from historical records for her in my LeMaster and Allied Families member tree.

One of the databases was Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007 which shows her death on October 3, 1932 in Brown County, Ohio.

Name:	Iva J Wardlow
Death Date:	3 Oct 1932
Death Place:	Brown, Ohio, USA

Another database was the FindAGrave Index, 1600s-current which led me to Iva's memorial at FindAGrave.

Name:	Iva Josephine Wardlow
Birth Date:	1 Mar 1881
Death Date:	3 Oct 1932
Cemetery:	Sardinia Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place:	Sardinia, Brown County, Ohio, USA
Has Bio?:	N
Spouse:	John Francis Wardlow
Children:	Bryce E Wardlow  John Ellison Wardlow
URL:	http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...

In the 1920 census, Iva was enumerated along with her husband John F. and two sons, John and Bryce in Sardinia, Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio.

1920 US Census, Brown County, Ohio, population schedule, Sardinia, Washington Township, enumeration district (ED) 47, SD 9, sheet 13A, dwelling 249, family 251, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 August 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

In the 1910 census, Iva was enumerated along with her husband John F. and two sons, John and Bryce in Sardinia, Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio.

1910 US Census, Brown County, Ohio, population schedule, Sardinia, Washington Township, enumeration district (ED) 24, SD 5, sheet 4B, dwelling 114, family 119, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 August 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

I've updated the information that I have for Iva in my RootsMagic database and added her children to my Ancestry family tree.

If you are related or have any additional information or corrections, I would love to hear from you.