Rebecca Ann (Heaton) Wright (1841-1890) was my maternal third great-grandmother. What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.
1. Vital Records
Rebecca was born 1841 in Ohio, likely in Brown County1.
1.1. Birth Certificate
The State of Ohio did not require birth certificates at the time of Rebecca's birth. Statewide recording of births started in 1867.
1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper
If Rebecca's birth was mentioned in a newspaper, I've not yet located it. Will need to check with state and local archives to see if they have any newspapers from the time period.
1.1.2. Bible Record
I'm not aware of any surviving Heaton family Bible that mention's Rebecca. Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one can be located.
1.1.3. Baptismal Record
I'm not aware of any baptismal record for Rebecca. I am not sure of the church affiliation of the Heaton family at this time.
1.1.4. Adoption Record
There is no indication that Rebecca was adopted.
1.2. Marriage License
Rebecca married Joseph Wright on November 1, 1857 in Schuyler County, Missouri2. Rebecca's parents had moved to Liberty Township, Schuyler County, Missouri in the mid-1850s, along with others from Brown County, Ohio.
1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper
I have not yet searched out available newspapers from the time period to see if Rebecca and Joseph's nuptials were mentioned.
1.2.2. Anniversary Notice
I have not yet searched out available newspapers from the time period to see if mention was made of Joseph and Rebecca's anniversaries, either. Their 25th wedding anniversary would have been November 1, 1882. Rebecca passed away before their 50th. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
1.2.3. Divorce Decree
There is no indication that a divorce ever occurred, and a recent search of court records during the time period did not turn up a divorce record.
1.3. Death Certificate
Rebecca died March 25, 1890 in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana3, from german measles. The State of Indiana did not require death certificates at this time.
1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper
Record of Rebecca's death has not been found in any extant local newspapers from the time period.
1.3.2. Funeral Home Records
Will need to search records of the local historical society to see if they have any records of funeral homes that might pertain to Rebecca. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next trip.
1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph
Rebecca's tombstone in the I.O.O.F. cemetery in Alexandria, Indiana has been photographed
4. A link to her memorial page at FindAGrave can be found here.
2. Census Records
2.1. Federal Census Records
2.1.1. 1880 Federal Census
On June 18, 1880, Rebecca was enumerated in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana5 in the Joseph Wright household as Rebecca Wright, wife, female, age 42, Keeping House. Rebecca was born in Ohio, as were both her parents.
2.1.2. 1870 Federal Census
On September 13, 1870, Rebecca was enumerated in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana6 in the Joseph Wright household as Rebecca Wright, female, age 31, Keeping House. Rebecca was born in Ohio.
2.1.3. 1860 Federal Census
On June 28, 1860, Rebecca was enumerated in Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio7 in the Joseph Wright household as Rebecca Wright, female, age 20. Rebecca was born in Ohio.
2.1.4. 1850 Federal Census
On August 23, 1850, Rebecca was enumerated in Scott Township, Brown County, Ohio8 in the James Heaton household as Rebecca A. Heaton, female, age 9, born Ohio. Rebecca had attended school within the year.
2.2. State Census Records
The State of Indiana conducted census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1931. These, however, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.
No state census records in Ohio are known to exist.
2.3. Agricultural Census Records
I have not yet examined these types of records to see what light they might shed on the Wright farm.
3. Military Records
3.1. Draft Registration
Not applicable, as Rebecca was female.
3.2. Pension Records
I am not aware of any military service by her husband that would make Rebecca eligible for pension benefits.
3.3. Service Records
Not applicable, as Rebecca was female.
4. Land Records
4.1. Deed Records
Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Madison County, Indiana and Brown County, Ohio to see see what records might mention Rebecca. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
4.2. Plat map / county map
Plat maps of Madison County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information that can be gleaned that might be relevant for my search.
5. Supplemental Records
Supplemental records to research for Rebecca 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. Heaton, Dean, "The Heaton Families : 350 Years in America", Gateway Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1982, page 120.
2. Ancestry.com. Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007.
Original data: Missouri Marriage Records. Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives. Microfilm.
3. Sandra Freeman, "John William Wright - Ellen King family group sheet," compiled [n.d.] (Alexandria, Indiana, USA). Notes say information from Zelma Cooper & Gloria LeMaster.
4. FindAGrave, Inc., FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 17 Oct 2016), Rebecca Ann (Heaton) Wright memorial.
5. Joseph Wright household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, ED 21, SD 3, Page 39, dwelling 329, family 330; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 293., Page 106.
6. Joseph Wright household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, Page 38, Alexandria P.O., dwelling 275, family 270; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 336., Page 210.
7. Joseph Wright household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Washington Twp., Brown Co., OH, Sardinia P.O., dwelling 360, family 360; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 938., Page 25.
8. 1850 U.S. Census, Brown County, Ohio, population schedule, Scott Township, page 338 (stamped), dwelling 921, family 926, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 October 2016); 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.
Monday, October 17, 2016
Monday, September 19, 2016
Perry Langwell (1853-1916) at Indiana Central Hospital for the Insane
While searching through the Indiana Death Certificates database at Ancestry, I found this one for Perry Langwell (1853-1916), who was my maternal 3rd-great granduncle, the son of Joseph & Fanny (Reynolds) Langwell.
I was particularly interested in the fact that his place of death was the Indiana Central Hospital for the Insane, and a contributing factor in his death was listed as manic depression.
The reason I found his stay at the hospital interesting is that my ancestor, James Austin Davis (1850-1909) also suffered from mental illness, having spent time in the Owen County Asylum and the Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane at Logansport, where he died.
James and Perry were half-brothers, both were sons of Fanny (Reynolds) Davis Langwell (c1830-1883) of Owen County, Indiana.
There were no family stories of any mental illness passed down in the family, whether by design or the fact that these facts were not known until I uncovered them. James Austin Davis' mental illness may have set off the chain of events that led to his daughter Ida's life choices, as chronicled at my Ida Davis Mystery page.
Regarding Perry's stay at the hospital, the Indiana State Archive had some information on their website:
I wrote off to the archives to see what the cost would be to obtain the information they had for Perry.
For a small fee, they will be able to provide me with copies of the records they have for Perry. I will be writing off this week to obtain them and see what personal information and diagnosis is contained in the admission book.
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| Perry Langwell death certificate, Marion County, Indiana, April 28, 1916 |
James and Perry were half-brothers, both were sons of Fanny (Reynolds) Davis Langwell (c1830-1883) of Owen County, Indiana.
There were no family stories of any mental illness passed down in the family, whether by design or the fact that these facts were not known until I uncovered them. James Austin Davis' mental illness may have set off the chain of events that led to his daughter Ida's life choices, as chronicled at my Ida Davis Mystery page.
Regarding Perry's stay at the hospital, the Indiana State Archive had some information on their website:
I wrote off to the archives to see what the cost would be to obtain the information they had for Perry.
Mr. LeMaster: thank you for your inquiry. Perry Langwell did not leave a very big paper trail. We do not have his commitment papers. His medical case file was not preserved. We do, however, have his entry in the Hospital’s admission book. It does contain both personal/family history and his diagnosis. Also cause of death.
For a small fee, they will be able to provide me with copies of the records they have for Perry. I will be writing off this week to obtain them and see what personal information and diagnosis is contained in the admission book.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Wordless Wednesday : The Old Tree House
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| The old treehouse Ami High, Michelle, LeMaster, Jason LeMaster, Jim McDermitt, Travis LeMaster |
Monday, August 22, 2016
Contacted by the match of a match
Was contacted by April, who is helping work out the ancestry for Danny, the man who reached out to me but didn't know his paternal ancestry. April's husband is also a DNA match for Danny.
In looking at his GEDMatch number, her husband didn't match me, my dad or my 2nd cousin, so this leads me to believe that we are both related to Danny on different lines.
Danny's connection to me is estimated to be at 4.4 generations to the most recent common ancestor at GEDMatch, we match at chromosome 6.
Hopefully, some of the other matches at chromosome 6 will overlap with Danny and provide some clues as to who the common ancestor might be.
I know that it is possible, as I have read about these cases being solved on various DNA discussion groups. We just need more to test.
In looking at his GEDMatch number, her husband didn't match me, my dad or my 2nd cousin, so this leads me to believe that we are both related to Danny on different lines.
Danny's connection to me is estimated to be at 4.4 generations to the most recent common ancestor at GEDMatch, we match at chromosome 6.
Hopefully, some of the other matches at chromosome 6 will overlap with Danny and provide some clues as to who the common ancestor might be.
I know that it is possible, as I have read about these cases being solved on various DNA discussion groups. We just need more to test.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Charting the atDNA matches
I sent out a massive spreadsheet with charts of those who matched myself, my father and cousin Jeffrey hoping to spur further research and collaboration. I tentatively called the spreadsheet "LeMaster atDNA", even though many of these matches will turn out to be cousins that share other uplines. At the least, since the common ancestry of dad, Jeffrey and myself is Luman Cooper LeMasters and Barbara Isabel Wehrly we know that these matches are cousins somewhere in the upline.
My sheets had a page where all of the matches were listed, then a table showing how I had compared each match to each other and how many segments and centimorgans were shared. Still another chart had the total amounts of shared DNA mapped out with the chromosome and the start and end point. Each chromosome had its own separate sheet of data where I graphed out the overlapping segments.
At first glance, chromosomes 7 and 15 seem to have a lot of overlap amongst the group of people I've been able to compare. I'm so thankful for sites like GEDMatch - i just wish more people would upload their results.
Only one email address from GEDMatch was a bounce, and I've already had a reply from someone who is helping, Danny, the gentleman who reached out to me earlier. Danny's paternal ancestry is a unknown to him at this point, and that is where we match, so this will be an interesting journey.
My sheets had a page where all of the matches were listed, then a table showing how I had compared each match to each other and how many segments and centimorgans were shared. Still another chart had the total amounts of shared DNA mapped out with the chromosome and the start and end point. Each chromosome had its own separate sheet of data where I graphed out the overlapping segments.
At first glance, chromosomes 7 and 15 seem to have a lot of overlap amongst the group of people I've been able to compare. I'm so thankful for sites like GEDMatch - i just wish more people would upload their results.
Only one email address from GEDMatch was a bounce, and I've already had a reply from someone who is helping, Danny, the gentleman who reached out to me earlier. Danny's paternal ancestry is a unknown to him at this point, and that is where we match, so this will be an interesting journey.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Wordless Wednesday : William Lee Wright, 1933
Photo of my maternal grandfather, William Lee Wright, taken in 1933 (age 13-14).
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Reaching out to close matches
Reached out this weekend to all of my close matches at AncestryDNA and encouraged them to share or link their results to a family tree. So many people have tested there and haven't bothered to even enter rudimentary information about their family tree. A couple of my matches had a family tree, but didn't link their trees to their DNA results.
I encouraged each one of those matches to upload their results to GEDMatch so we could compare chromosomes.
In addition, I reached out to matches that I shared in common with my cousin Jeffrey - so I know those matches should either match me on the upline from the LeMaster/Wehrly line.
So far, the only response I've received one response. Danny, a man who is predicted to be a 4th-6th cousin, who doesn't know his father. He has uploaded to GEDMatch, so I will try to help see where we have a match.
I encouraged each one of those matches to upload their results to GEDMatch so we could compare chromosomes.
In addition, I reached out to matches that I shared in common with my cousin Jeffrey - so I know those matches should either match me on the upline from the LeMaster/Wehrly line.
So far, the only response I've received one response. Danny, a man who is predicted to be a 4th-6th cousin, who doesn't know his father. He has uploaded to GEDMatch, so I will try to help see where we have a match.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Baby Steps : LeMaster and Wehrly DNA
Made contact with Jeffrey, an AncestryDNA match who was predicted to be a 3rd cousin to see if we could compare information and chart our common DNA. Jeff and I are actually 2nd cousins once removed - our common ancestors were Luman Cooper LeMasters and Barbara Isabel Wehrly.
According to AncestryDNA, we shared 189 cM over 10 DNA segments. Unfortunately, AncestryDNA doesn't give you a chromosome browser to show you exactly which chromosomes we match on. It's knowing where we match that can help segregate which DNA comes from the LeMaster side.
I was able to have Jeffrey to upload his AncestryDNA results to the 3rd party site GEDMatch. Here are the results of the comparison of our DNA:
They only match on 4 segments for 62.5 cM. The matching chromosomes are on 2,8,15 & 16.
I also compared Jeffrey to my dad, to see what DNA they share together.
Jeffrey and my dad share 11 matching segments and 344.5 cM of DNA, much more than he shares with Debbie or myself. The chromosomes they match on are 3,4,5,6,7,8,10,15,18 & 21 - including two sections on chromosome 6, just like he shared with me.
The common ancestry of all of us testing above are the LeMaster and Wehrly lines, so the DNA we share has to come from these branches or upline from them. Right now chromosome 6 seems to be behaving very interestingly.
I'm beginning to collect data on matches that I share from the three testing sites to chart out an mark which DNA is coming from which side of the family. This will come in handy for helping those distant matches that triangulate with us in finding the common ancestors.
I was able to have Jeffrey to upload his AncestryDNA results to the 3rd party site GEDMatch. Here are the results of the comparison of our DNA:
GEDMatch shows us matching on 8 segments and 192.4 cM. The differences between AncestryDNA and GEDMatch are due to the cutoff minimum in GEDMatch to be counted as a matching segment.
As you can see, Jeffrey and I match on chromosomes 4,5,6,8,15,18 & 21. We have a break in chromosome 6 with two long stretches of shared DNA.
Next, I compared Jeffrey's results with that of my first cousin Debbie to see where they matched each other.
I also compared Jeffrey to my dad, to see what DNA they share together.
Jeffrey and my dad share 11 matching segments and 344.5 cM of DNA, much more than he shares with Debbie or myself. The chromosomes they match on are 3,4,5,6,7,8,10,15,18 & 21 - including two sections on chromosome 6, just like he shared with me.
The common ancestry of all of us testing above are the LeMaster and Wehrly lines, so the DNA we share has to come from these branches or upline from them. Right now chromosome 6 seems to be behaving very interestingly.
I'm beginning to collect data on matches that I share from the three testing sites to chart out an mark which DNA is coming from which side of the family. This will come in handy for helping those distant matches that triangulate with us in finding the common ancestors.
Tuesday, August 09, 2016
He Drowned in the Potomac
Sometimes an ancestor or relative seems to call out to you, wanting their story to be told. Before yesterday, all I knew of William H. Cunningham was his year of birth (1905) and date and place of death (1929, Washington D.C.). While working on updates on his father, John W., I was drawn to search old newspapers to see what I might find. It turns out this led me on an interesting search.
John W. Cunningham (1868-1947) was my paternal first cousin 3 times removed, the son of William E. Cunningham and Rachel Lemasters. Our common ancestors were the Rev. Luman Walker Lemasters and Nancy Young. While updating his death certificate information from Ancestry.com, I found out that at one time he was the Sheriff of Jay County, Indiana. Curious to see what stories might mention his service as Sheriff was what led me to the unknown story of his son, William H. Cunningham.
The story that grabbed my attention was a news report that appeared in several newspapers across the state, telling the tale of William's death by drowning:
Looking for a death record, I searched FamilySearch and located a record of his death, which gives the date as May 18, 1929. This may be the date when his body was recovered. I was unable to obtain an image of the record, only the following:
Knowing that he was a student at Georgetown University, I went online to see what they had in the way of digital archives. They have their old yearbooks and newspapers available for viewing. In the May 16, 1929 edition of the student newspaper, the Hoya, I found the following article:
There is much more to research on this young man and his life, but at least now the story of his untimely death will be known.
William is buried in Green Park Cemetery in Portland, Jay County, Indiana. A memorial page for him exists at the FindAGrave site.
John W. Cunningham (1868-1947) was my paternal first cousin 3 times removed, the son of William E. Cunningham and Rachel Lemasters. Our common ancestors were the Rev. Luman Walker Lemasters and Nancy Young. While updating his death certificate information from Ancestry.com, I found out that at one time he was the Sheriff of Jay County, Indiana. Curious to see what stories might mention his service as Sheriff was what led me to the unknown story of his son, William H. Cunningham.
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| The Daily Reporter (Greenfield, Indiana), May 13, 1929, page 1 |
Young Man Drowned.
Portland. - This city city was shocked today to learn that William Cunningham, 24-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Cunningham here, a student at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. was drowned in the Potomac River while canoeing Sunday. According to reports from Washington the body has not yet been recovered.What a sad fate. I immediately began searching for more information, and found a little more detail in a similar news report:
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Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, Indiana), May 13, 1929, page 14Hoosier Student Drowns.Potomac River Has Not Yielded Body of Portland Young Man. Portland, Ind., May 13 (A.P.) - Mr. and Mrs. John W. Cunningham, of this city, have received a message telling of the death of their son, William Cunningham, age twenty-four, by drowning in the Potomac river at Washington. The body has not been recovered. The young man, a student at Georgetown University, was riding in a canoe with two other students when the craft was upset by a whirlpool. He told his companions to swim to shore and he would bring the canoe in. They swam to safety, but Cunningham was carried under the surface by another whirlpool. The parents, one brother and one sister survive. His father is a former sheriff of Jay county. |
This record gives me William's middle name as Harvey. He was named for his grandparents - William Cunningham being his paternal grandfather and Harvey Drake being his maternal grandfather.
Knowing that he was a student at Georgetown University, I went online to see what they had in the way of digital archives. They have their old yearbooks and newspapers available for viewing. In the May 16, 1929 edition of the student newspaper, the Hoya, I found the following article:
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| Hoya, Vol. 10, no. 28 (May 16, 1929), page 1 |
F.S. STUDENT DROWNED SAT.
W.H. Cunningham loses Life in Potomac as Canoe Capsizes Below Chain Bridge
W.H. Cunningham, 24-year-old junior at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, was drowned in the Potomac River last Saturday afternoon when a canoe in which he was riding with two companions turned over in the swift water about half a mile below Chain Bridge.
Cunningham, with Willard Burkett and W.W. Stevens, his roommates and fellow students, started up the river for an outing early in the afternoon. At Dempsey's boat house they were joined by a friend, George Davlin.
In two canoes they stared to paddle up the river. About half a mile from the bridge they came to a swift stretch of water and Cunningham and Burkett tried to make their way through in their canoe. Unable to force their way through the rapids, they paddled to an island where they were joined by Stevens and the three of them resumed the attempt.
They had progressed about 100 yards into the swift water when the canoe was caught broadside in the rapids, the water spinning the frail craft around and tipping it over. Burkett, who had been kneeling in the bottom of the canoe, was nearly drowned when his leg was caught in a seat. All three of the boys came to the surface and seized the canoe.
Unable to right it, they began drifting downstream. Stevens swam to shore. Burkett and Cunningham continued to drift with the canoe, calmly discussing the best means of reaching shore without damage to themselves or the craft. Burkett, at Cunningham's suggestion, removed the pillows from the canoe and seized one of the paddles which was floating alongside. With this burden he released his hold and started for the Virginia short [sic], calling to Cunningham to steer the canoe into shallow water if possible. Cunningham answered that he thought he would be able to bring it ashore.
Burkett, on reaching the shore, looked around for his companion. He saw the canoe bobbing in the current, but Cunningham had disappeared.
Burkett ran back up stream to the point where Davlin was in the other canoe. They paddled down the river in a futile search for their friend.
The drowned youth, said to have been a strong swimmer, lived in Portland, Ind. With Burkett and Stevens, he attended Western Reserve University before coming to Washington. The three boys lived together here at 2410 Twentieth Street.This article not only gave me the important details of how William died, but also gave me avenues of additional research - the fact that he had attended Western Reserve University as well. I will need to research local newspapers in Jay County on my next trip to the library.
There is much more to research on this young man and his life, but at least now the story of his untimely death will be known.
William is buried in Green Park Cemetery in Portland, Jay County, Indiana. A memorial page for him exists at the FindAGrave site.
Monday, August 08, 2016
Indiana Databases at Ancestry Make Subscription Worth Price
Whenever I hear of someone complaining about the high prize of subscription genealogy websites such as Ancestry.com, I have to wonder about where their priorities lie. Genealogy as a hobby or passion is no different than anything else one might do with your free time - you willingly pay for what you want to get out it in the way of enjoyment. For me, I would never spend money playing golf or attending concerts, but if that is what you want to spend your money on, who am I to tell you you are wrong.
Recently, Ancestry added three databases relating to Indiana genealogy that has made the annual subscription price worth its weight in gold, so to speak. Because so much of my ancestry has Indiana ties, I was ecstatic when I found out that birth, death and marriage records from the state level were being imaged and would be available in 2016 at Ancestry.
The publication of these databases has kept me busy updating and adding to the information in my database for my direct and collateral lines with Indiana ties. Right now, I working through the death certificates database and finding information regarding spouses, causes of death and residences that I didn't already have.
Having all of these records in one place makes research cheaper because the costs of these long form certificates from the state are $8.00 each. If I went to each county, I could be paying even more for a certificate. Just recently, I paid $10 per certificate for county level death records. It only takes a few of these online images for me to reach the break-even point on the cost of a certificate. In addition, having the long form from the state will give you information not found at the county level, such as who the informant was for the information.
Knowing who the informant was for the information provided can be extremely valuable in evaluating the accuracy of the information given. On the death certificates, information given regarding birth date and names of parents are suspect as clues only - as oftentimes the informant was a son or grandchild who didn't know the maiden names or exact dates of birth. I've recorded the information as I've found it - using as a clue with a bit of skepticism. Informants were under a lot of stress and grief, and it is easy to make errors. I've seen grandmother's maiden names given instead of the deceased's mother's maiden name and I've also seen the birth date of the informant instead of the deceased. In those cases, I'm assuming that the informant simply was too distraught to understand the question they were being asked.
The long form death certificates also give the manner of disposal and the funeral home and cemetery where they were buried, providing additional avenues of research. Far-flung relatives could die in one part of the state and be buried "back home" or next to a first spouse.
The most frustrating piece of information is when you are looking for the names of the parents and the informant states "don't know". Sad to think that they didn't know the names of their grandparents, but with extended families and lots of years between them it is easy to see how a granddaughter or grandson whose elderly grandparent died at their home wouldn't know where they were born or who their parents were when answering the questions of the physician.
The saddest thing I'm finding while researching these Indiana death records are the number of young children dying from measles and pneumonia. We are blessed these days to have antibiotics and access to healthcare. Tragedies do still occur, but they are more rare and shocking today than they were 75 to 100 years ago when it was common for families to lose a child or two.
I look forward to being able to knock down some brick walls and expand my knowledge of extended families through the information gleaned in these databases. I'm only part way through my database on the death certificate database, I can only imagine how many more discoveries I'll make when I begin with the birth and marriage records from Indiana.
Recently, Ancestry added three databases relating to Indiana genealogy that has made the annual subscription price worth its weight in gold, so to speak. Because so much of my ancestry has Indiana ties, I was ecstatic when I found out that birth, death and marriage records from the state level were being imaged and would be available in 2016 at Ancestry.
The publication of these databases has kept me busy updating and adding to the information in my database for my direct and collateral lines with Indiana ties. Right now, I working through the death certificates database and finding information regarding spouses, causes of death and residences that I didn't already have.
Having all of these records in one place makes research cheaper because the costs of these long form certificates from the state are $8.00 each. If I went to each county, I could be paying even more for a certificate. Just recently, I paid $10 per certificate for county level death records. It only takes a few of these online images for me to reach the break-even point on the cost of a certificate. In addition, having the long form from the state will give you information not found at the county level, such as who the informant was for the information.
Knowing who the informant was for the information provided can be extremely valuable in evaluating the accuracy of the information given. On the death certificates, information given regarding birth date and names of parents are suspect as clues only - as oftentimes the informant was a son or grandchild who didn't know the maiden names or exact dates of birth. I've recorded the information as I've found it - using as a clue with a bit of skepticism. Informants were under a lot of stress and grief, and it is easy to make errors. I've seen grandmother's maiden names given instead of the deceased's mother's maiden name and I've also seen the birth date of the informant instead of the deceased. In those cases, I'm assuming that the informant simply was too distraught to understand the question they were being asked.
The long form death certificates also give the manner of disposal and the funeral home and cemetery where they were buried, providing additional avenues of research. Far-flung relatives could die in one part of the state and be buried "back home" or next to a first spouse.
The most frustrating piece of information is when you are looking for the names of the parents and the informant states "don't know". Sad to think that they didn't know the names of their grandparents, but with extended families and lots of years between them it is easy to see how a granddaughter or grandson whose elderly grandparent died at their home wouldn't know where they were born or who their parents were when answering the questions of the physician.
The saddest thing I'm finding while researching these Indiana death records are the number of young children dying from measles and pneumonia. We are blessed these days to have antibiotics and access to healthcare. Tragedies do still occur, but they are more rare and shocking today than they were 75 to 100 years ago when it was common for families to lose a child or two.
I look forward to being able to knock down some brick walls and expand my knowledge of extended families through the information gleaned in these databases. I'm only part way through my database on the death certificate database, I can only imagine how many more discoveries I'll make when I begin with the birth and marriage records from Indiana.
Wednesday, August 03, 2016
Wordless Wednesday: Bonnie Lambertson & William Wright, 1941
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| Bonnie Lambertson & William Wright, 1941 |
Monday, August 01, 2016
DNA: More Testing in a Different Pond
Activated three AncestryDNA kits this weekend - one for my wife and one for each of my parents. This will be the second test for them, as they have already tested at 23andMe. Hoping that by fishing for relatives in another pond, we will discover more clues and relatives.
I was able to show mom & dad this weekend the different number of matches that I had received through AncestryDNA, including many on my paternal side. I've already reached out to some 2nd and 3rd cousins and have encouraged them to upload their results to GEDMatch so we can compare on a chromosome browser.
I've not done much recently with my DNA results, but hope to get back into it now that my new job situation has settled down a bit.
I was able to show mom & dad this weekend the different number of matches that I had received through AncestryDNA, including many on my paternal side. I've already reached out to some 2nd and 3rd cousins and have encouraged them to upload their results to GEDMatch so we can compare on a chromosome browser.
I've not done much recently with my DNA results, but hope to get back into it now that my new job situation has settled down a bit.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Wordless Wednesday: Clemon and Helen (Fisher) Lambertson, 1961
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| Clemon and Helen (Fisher) Lambertson, 1961 |
Colorful Family Stories
The Monday before last, a gathering was held at my parent's house because my uncle & aunt were up from Tennessee and mom wanted to gather all of the cousins together for a cookout. It was a gathering of first cousins on both my Lambertson and Wright side.
It was nice to see everyone again, a few of whom I hadn't seen in quite some time. The best part of the evening for me was the chance to share some stories on the Wright side with my mom's 1st cousins.
Since the house I grew up in used to be the farm house where my great-grandparents, Virgil and Muriel (Pierce) Wright lived, the cousins had memories to share of the farm when it was a working farm as well as tales of my great-grandparents. I have no direct memory of my great-grandparents, and the stories I've received from my mother were not the same memories that her cousins shared - partly because they grew up next door and were at the farm more.
It was interesting to hear that my great-grandfather Virgil told my great-grandmother that he had quit smoking, yet was hiding cigarette cartons out in the grain so he could smoke in the barn, to the stories of great-grandmother testing the cousins urine for blood sugar levels (diabetes runs in the family), before allowing them an ice cream treat. Those type of stories make them a bit more colorful than just names and dates.
It was nice to see everyone again, a few of whom I hadn't seen in quite some time. The best part of the evening for me was the chance to share some stories on the Wright side with my mom's 1st cousins.
Since the house I grew up in used to be the farm house where my great-grandparents, Virgil and Muriel (Pierce) Wright lived, the cousins had memories to share of the farm when it was a working farm as well as tales of my great-grandparents. I have no direct memory of my great-grandparents, and the stories I've received from my mother were not the same memories that her cousins shared - partly because they grew up next door and were at the farm more.
It was interesting to hear that my great-grandfather Virgil told my great-grandmother that he had quit smoking, yet was hiding cigarette cartons out in the grain so he could smoke in the barn, to the stories of great-grandmother testing the cousins urine for blood sugar levels (diabetes runs in the family), before allowing them an ice cream treat. Those type of stories make them a bit more colorful than just names and dates.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Wordless Wednesday : Tiny Dancer
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| Michelle LeMaster, Alexandria, Indiana, 1978 |
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Sugar Grove Cemetery, Wayne County, Indiana : Pierce Family
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| Francis S. Pierce (1806-1881) my 4th-great grandfather |
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| Rebecca (Page) Pierce (1806-1893), my 4th-great grandmother |
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| Stone sans aluminum foil |
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| Albert O. Pierce and wife Sarah. Albert was son of Francis & Rebecca (Page) Pierce |
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| View looking back towards the church |
These photos were taken earlier this year on a visit to the Sugar Grove Cemetery in Wayne County, Indiana. My mom, dad & I headed there and into the courthouse in Richmond while working on documentation for mom's application for the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The cemetery was found relatively easily, and is located in a rural area next to the church, which appears to still be in use. The church was a United Brethren in Christ church.
I have not been able to determine that Francis or Rebecca ever attended this church, but it is possible. More likely they were living with their son, Albert, at the time of their death and this was the nearest community cemetery. From what I have found, there are no surviving records of the early church.
For more on the cemetery, read here.
In order to get a better picture of the tombstones, we used aluminum foil to help bring out the inscriptions. I feel that this didn't work out too badly.
Friday, July 15, 2016
DNA : First Cousin Match at AncestryDNA
Unfortunately, AncestryDNA doesn't offer a chromosome browser to show me exactly where we match and use that to compare against other matches.
My cousin's husband and I have been corresponding, they did they DNA test for the ethnicity results, and have a tree at the site. My cousin's results were updated to GEDMATCH, and below are the results.
GEDMatch predicts the estimated number of generations to a MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) to be 2 generations - which is correct, we share common grandparents.
We share DNA on 24 matching segments as detailed in the chart. I will use this data to begin mapping other matches against me and my cousin. I can check my other known paternal line matches and see where we all match and segment out the various lines to determine if the additional matches are through the LeMaster side or the Haley side.
Now I have DNA results from my paternal side at AncestryDNA and my maternal side at FamilyTreeDNA and both are uploaded to GEDMatch.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Wordless Wednesday: Shrine Circus
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| Evansville Press, Evansville, Indiana, November 25, 1998, page 1 |
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Exploratory Data Analysis : Elizabeth (Shaw) King Cochran (1827-1900)
Elizabeth (Shaw) (King) Cochran (1827-1900) was my maternal 3rd-great grandmother. What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about her.
1. Vital Records
Elizabeth was born October 29, 1829 in Fayette County, Indiana
1,2,3,4,5,6,7.
1.1. Birth Certificate
The State of Indiana did not require birth certificates until 1907, so no birth certificate for Elizabeth is available.
1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper
If a Elizabeth'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 Bible record for the Shaw family that would record the birth of Elizabeth. Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one will be found.
1.1.3. Baptismal Record
I am not aware of any baptismal record for Elizabeth, nor do I know the church affiliation of the Shaw family.
1.1.4. Adoption Record
There is no indication that Elizabeth was adopted.
1.2. Marriage License
I have not been able to locate a marriage record for Elizabeth and Daniel King. They were married December 5, 1847 in Madison County, Indiana1. After Daniel's death, Elizabeth married William H. Cochran, circa 1876, in Madison County, Indiana. Likewise, I have not been able to locate a marriage record for them. The courthouse in Madison County, Indiana suffered a fire in 1880 and early marriage records were lost.
1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper
Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of Elizabeth and Daniel's nuptials or Elizabeth and William's nuptials.
1.2.2. Anniversary Notice
Elizabeth and Daniel's 25th wedding anniversary would have been December 5, 1872. Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of their anniversary.
Elizabeth passed away prior to being married for 25 years to William.
1.2.3. Divorce Decree
There is no indication that Elizabeth and Daniel or Elizabeth and William were ever divorced. Will need to search court records in Madison County, Indiana in order to complete an exhaustive search.
1.3. Death Certificate
Elizabeth died October 10, 1900 in Frankton, Madison County, Indiana2. Her cause of death was typhoid fever.
1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper
Will need to search contemporary newspapers to see if I can locate a copy of Elizabeth's obituary or death record.
1.3.2. Funeral Home Records
Will need to search the local historical society to see if they have funeral home records that might shed some light on Elizabeth's funeral. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph
Elizabeth was buried in the Howard Cemetery, Pipe Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana. There was no marker found for her in a search of the cemetery.
2. Census Records
2.1. Federal Census Records
2.1.1. 1900 Federal Census
On June 13, 1900, Elizabeth was enumerated in the William Cochran household in Frankton, Madison County, Indiana7, as Elizabeth Cochran, wife, born October 1827, age 70, married 20 years. She was the mother of 10 children, 6 of whom were living. She was born in Ohio and her father was born in Pennsylvania and mother in Kentucky. She could read.
2.1.2. 1880 Federal Census
On June 28, 1880, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Wm. H. Cochran household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana4, as Elizabeth Cochran, wife, age 50, keeping house. She was born in Indiana and her father was born in Ohio and mother born in Kentucky.
2.1.3. 1870 Federal Census
On September 12, 1870, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Daniel King household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana6, as Elizabeth King, age 39, keeping house, born in Indiana.
2.1.4. 1860 Federal Census
On July 31, 1860, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Daniel King household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana5, as Elizabeth King, age 31, born in Indiana, cannot read and write.
2.1.5. 1850 Federal Census
On August 21, 1850, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Daniel King household in Jackson Township, Madison County, Indiana3, as Elizabeth King, age 20, born in Tennessee.
2.2. State Census Records
The State of Indiana conducted 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
I have not yet investigated these types of records to see what light they might shed on the Shaw or King families.
3. Military Records
3.1. Draft Registration
Not applicable, as Elizabeth was female.
3.2. Pension Records
I am not aware of any military service for Elizabeth's father or husbands that would have made her eligible for a pension.
3.3. Service Records
Not applicable, as Elizabeth was female.
4. Land Records
4.1. Deed Records
Deed records will need to be thoroughly searched in Madison County, Indiana to see what records might mention Elizabeth and husbands Daniel and William. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
4.2. Plat map / county map
Plat maps of Madison County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information that can be gleaned that might be relevant for my search.
5. Supplemental Records
Supplemental records available for research on Elizabeth 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. Sandra Freeman, "John William Wright - Ellen King family group sheet,", compiled [n.d.] (Alexandria, Indiana).
2. Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900-2011. Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
3. Daniel King household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Jackson Township, Madison County, Indiana, dwelling 274, family 274; National Archives micropublication M432, roll 158, page 97.
4. Wm. H. Cochran household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana, USA, page 58, ED 21, SD 3, dwelling 451, family 453; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 293.
5. Daniel King household, 1860 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Monroe Twp., page 145, dwelling 1025, family 1023; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 277.
6. Daniel King household, 1870 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Monroe Twp., page 35, dwelling 255, family 249; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 336.
7. William Cochran household, 1900 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Frankton, ED 102, SD 67, sheet 10, dwelling 313, family 324; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 386.
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.
1. Vital Records
Elizabeth was born October 29, 1829 in Fayette County, Indiana
1,2,3,4,5,6,7.
1.1. Birth Certificate
The State of Indiana did not require birth certificates until 1907, so no birth certificate for Elizabeth is available.
1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper
If a Elizabeth'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 Bible record for the Shaw family that would record the birth of Elizabeth. Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one will be found.
1.1.3. Baptismal Record
I am not aware of any baptismal record for Elizabeth, nor do I know the church affiliation of the Shaw family.
1.1.4. Adoption Record
There is no indication that Elizabeth was adopted.
1.2. Marriage License
I have not been able to locate a marriage record for Elizabeth and Daniel King. They were married December 5, 1847 in Madison County, Indiana1. After Daniel's death, Elizabeth married William H. Cochran, circa 1876, in Madison County, Indiana. Likewise, I have not been able to locate a marriage record for them. The courthouse in Madison County, Indiana suffered a fire in 1880 and early marriage records were lost.
1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper
Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of Elizabeth and Daniel's nuptials or Elizabeth and William's nuptials.
1.2.2. Anniversary Notice
Elizabeth and Daniel's 25th wedding anniversary would have been December 5, 1872. Will need to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if mention was made of their anniversary.
Elizabeth passed away prior to being married for 25 years to William.
1.2.3. Divorce Decree
There is no indication that Elizabeth and Daniel or Elizabeth and William were ever divorced. Will need to search court records in Madison County, Indiana in order to complete an exhaustive search.
1.3. Death Certificate
Elizabeth died October 10, 1900 in Frankton, Madison County, Indiana2. Her cause of death was typhoid fever.
1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper
Will need to search contemporary newspapers to see if I can locate a copy of Elizabeth's obituary or death record.
1.3.2. Funeral Home Records
Will need to search the local historical society to see if they have funeral home records that might shed some light on Elizabeth's funeral. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph
Elizabeth was buried in the Howard Cemetery, Pipe Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana. There was no marker found for her in a search of the cemetery.
2. Census Records
2.1. Federal Census Records
2.1.1. 1900 Federal Census
On June 13, 1900, Elizabeth was enumerated in the William Cochran household in Frankton, Madison County, Indiana7, as Elizabeth Cochran, wife, born October 1827, age 70, married 20 years. She was the mother of 10 children, 6 of whom were living. She was born in Ohio and her father was born in Pennsylvania and mother in Kentucky. She could read.
2.1.2. 1880 Federal Census
On June 28, 1880, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Wm. H. Cochran household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana4, as Elizabeth Cochran, wife, age 50, keeping house. She was born in Indiana and her father was born in Ohio and mother born in Kentucky.
2.1.3. 1870 Federal Census
On September 12, 1870, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Daniel King household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana6, as Elizabeth King, age 39, keeping house, born in Indiana.
2.1.4. 1860 Federal Census
On July 31, 1860, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Daniel King household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana5, as Elizabeth King, age 31, born in Indiana, cannot read and write.
2.1.5. 1850 Federal Census
On August 21, 1850, Elizabeth was enumerated in the Daniel King household in Jackson Township, Madison County, Indiana3, as Elizabeth King, age 20, born in Tennessee.
2.2. State Census Records
The State of Indiana conducted 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
I have not yet investigated these types of records to see what light they might shed on the Shaw or King families.
3. Military Records
3.1. Draft Registration
Not applicable, as Elizabeth was female.
3.2. Pension Records
I am not aware of any military service for Elizabeth's father or husbands that would have made her eligible for a pension.
3.3. Service Records
Not applicable, as Elizabeth was female.
4. Land Records
4.1. Deed Records
Deed records will need to be thoroughly searched in Madison County, Indiana to see what records might mention Elizabeth and husbands Daniel and William. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
4.2. Plat map / county map
Plat maps of Madison County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information that can be gleaned that might be relevant for my search.
5. Supplemental Records
Supplemental records available for research on Elizabeth 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. Sandra Freeman, "John William Wright - Ellen King family group sheet,", compiled [n.d.] (Alexandria, Indiana).
2. Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900-2011. Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
3. Daniel King household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Jackson Township, Madison County, Indiana, dwelling 274, family 274; National Archives micropublication M432, roll 158, page 97.
4. Wm. H. Cochran household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana, USA, page 58, ED 21, SD 3, dwelling 451, family 453; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 293.
5. Daniel King household, 1860 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Monroe Twp., page 145, dwelling 1025, family 1023; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 277.
6. Daniel King household, 1870 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Monroe Twp., page 35, dwelling 255, family 249; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 336.
7. William Cochran household, 1900 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Frankton, ED 102, SD 67, sheet 10, dwelling 313, family 324; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 386.
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.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
90th Birthday
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| Ruby Walsh 90th Birthday |
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Weekend Packed With Family Reunions
This past weekend turned out to be packed with family reunions, both on my side and my wife's side of the family.
On Saturday, Eileen and I attended the Pefley-Lewis reunion at Bozarth's Campground in Lagro, Indiana. It had been several years since we had last attended this reunion of her mom's side of the family. This is a combined family reunion that has been held for about twelve years or so. Eileen's mother was a Pefley and her grandmother was a Lewis. There were two Pefley brothers who married Lewis sisters, so the Pefleys who were there are all Lewis, but not all the Lewis members are Pefleys.
Their reunion is held inside, with everyone bringing a covered dish. There was a table set up where pictures and family documents were displayed. One neat find this year was that a letter written by Eileen's great-grandmother, Sarah (Peeples) Pefley to her children. Eileen took pictures of it and I hope that I can use it for a future blog post. This reunion also has a silent auction to raise money to pay for the rental of the facilities, etc. and holds a bingo game.
This group was pretty large and spread out from across the country, so name tags were used to help identify who was who. Also, everyone went around the room and identified themselves and how they were related to either the Pefley or Lewis clans. This was helpful as many were 2nd cousins or so, and it can be hard to keep track of who belongs to which family. A sign up sheet to track attendance and update contact information was also kept.
On Sunday, my mom and I went to the Pierce family reunion at Beulah Park in Alexandria, Indiana. I joked that we were crashing the reunion. Mother's grandmother was a Pierce. This reunion has been held for several years, though neither of us had ever attended. Mom wasn't aware of her dad ever attending, but we do know that her aunt Clara Ellen attended. Mainly these are the descendants of my 2nd-great grandfather, William Francis Pierce. Mom and I descend from the first marriage, while most of the attendees are from the second marriage.
Everyone at this reunion also brings a covered dish and since it was held inside on a hot day that worked out well. After eating, everyone went around the room and introduced themselves and how they were related, etc. Mom introduced us and we were very welcomed. It was nice to put faces to the names that I had collected in my family research. We let them know that mom had recently become a member of the DAR through this particular line, and I shared some of my genealogy research. There were six Pierce boys from the second marriage, so there are a lot of cousins. I was struck in particular how one looked a lot like my grandfather, who was his first cousin. Because of the age differences, my grandfather was the same age as many of his uncles. Mom didn't remember ever attending this reunion as a child, but thought they were probably at the lakes when it it was held.
A business meeting was held for this reunion as well, and cash prize of $1 was given to the youngest and oldest member there. Reports were given of any births, deaths or marriages within the year as well. The winner of the youngest member was the cutest little four-year old boy. A group picture was taken of all of the attendees as well and they had a sign up sheet to track attendance and update contact information for the record.
All in all, this weekend was a positive experience on the family front, seeing some faces who were familiar and meeting some "new" family members. In addition, there were several ideas on how to host a reunion that can be incorporated into our LeMaster reunion.
On Saturday, Eileen and I attended the Pefley-Lewis reunion at Bozarth's Campground in Lagro, Indiana. It had been several years since we had last attended this reunion of her mom's side of the family. This is a combined family reunion that has been held for about twelve years or so. Eileen's mother was a Pefley and her grandmother was a Lewis. There were two Pefley brothers who married Lewis sisters, so the Pefleys who were there are all Lewis, but not all the Lewis members are Pefleys.
Their reunion is held inside, with everyone bringing a covered dish. There was a table set up where pictures and family documents were displayed. One neat find this year was that a letter written by Eileen's great-grandmother, Sarah (Peeples) Pefley to her children. Eileen took pictures of it and I hope that I can use it for a future blog post. This reunion also has a silent auction to raise money to pay for the rental of the facilities, etc. and holds a bingo game.
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| Eileen & I at the Pefley-Lewis reunion |
On Sunday, my mom and I went to the Pierce family reunion at Beulah Park in Alexandria, Indiana. I joked that we were crashing the reunion. Mother's grandmother was a Pierce. This reunion has been held for several years, though neither of us had ever attended. Mom wasn't aware of her dad ever attending, but we do know that her aunt Clara Ellen attended. Mainly these are the descendants of my 2nd-great grandfather, William Francis Pierce. Mom and I descend from the first marriage, while most of the attendees are from the second marriage.
Everyone at this reunion also brings a covered dish and since it was held inside on a hot day that worked out well. After eating, everyone went around the room and introduced themselves and how they were related, etc. Mom introduced us and we were very welcomed. It was nice to put faces to the names that I had collected in my family research. We let them know that mom had recently become a member of the DAR through this particular line, and I shared some of my genealogy research. There were six Pierce boys from the second marriage, so there are a lot of cousins. I was struck in particular how one looked a lot like my grandfather, who was his first cousin. Because of the age differences, my grandfather was the same age as many of his uncles. Mom didn't remember ever attending this reunion as a child, but thought they were probably at the lakes when it it was held.
A business meeting was held for this reunion as well, and cash prize of $1 was given to the youngest and oldest member there. Reports were given of any births, deaths or marriages within the year as well. The winner of the youngest member was the cutest little four-year old boy. A group picture was taken of all of the attendees as well and they had a sign up sheet to track attendance and update contact information for the record.
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| 2016 Pierce Family Reunion, Alexandria, Indiana |
All in all, this weekend was a positive experience on the family front, seeing some faces who were familiar and meeting some "new" family members. In addition, there were several ideas on how to host a reunion that can be incorporated into our LeMaster reunion.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Joseph Wright's land : Madison County, Indiana
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| Atlas and Directory of Madison County, Indiana, American Atlas Co., Cleveland, Ohio, 1901, |
Here is a section of the plat map of Madison County, Indiana showing Section 25 where Joseph Wright had his land. You can see by this representation that his land was located on both sides of the railroad tracks.
You can see that he had 79 acres on one side and a 39 acre piece on the other. This atlas was from 1901 and the land that he bought from his dad in 1867 was only 80 acres, so the section to the west had been added on to by later purchases.
Notice that there was also a 40 acre parcel next to this owned by Jas. & Joseph Wright - this was Joseph's son, James. Next door you will also find land owned by William Hicks, who was James' father-in-law.
The homestead that stood there was torn down in the late 1980s.
The farmhouse that I grew up in was located on this map in Section 36 on the parcel that was owned by Margaret Starr. The land in Section 36 didn't come into Wright hands until approx. 1915 or so. Will have more on that later.
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