Saturday Fun for Me!

Like other genealogists, I can't pass up a cemetery!  It is always interesting to check out the local cemeteries no matter where you happen to be or what you are supposed to be doing....so while on a "tap tap" ride (that is a Haitian Taxi for those of you who don't know) instead of watching the scenes of Haiti two weeks ago, I was on the look out for cemeteries!

We passed a few rather quickly, but I did manage to snap a few photos as we buzzed down the road!

Kelly

Wordless Wednesday

abt 1935 Hopkins Family Reunion @ Oliver Hopkins' Farm in Laings, Monroe County, Ohio

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mary Ann Murphy Conlin & daughter Lizzie

Mary Ann Murphy was born 28 December 1843 in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland to John & Marion Young Murphy.  Mary Ann married Bernard Conlin 16 July 1869 in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland.  Mary & Bernard had their first two children, Patrick & Marion in Scotland.  They had Catherine in Wadsworth, Medina County, Ohio and then went back to Scotland for a few years where they had three more children, Margaret, Mary & John.  When they came back to Medina County, Ohio, they had one last child, Lizzie.  Shortly thereafter, it seems that Mary and Bernard separated, but never divorced. Mary died 17 March 1908 in Akron, Summit County, Ohio.  Mary is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Wadsworth with her daughter Lizzie who died of small pox in 1893.
Bernard died a few years before Mary and is buried near his brother, Peter Conlin, in a now unmarked grave in Doylestown, Wayne County, Ohio.
Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Charles Henry & Dollie Salicia Littrick Stone

Charles Henry Stone was born 22 November 1907 in Columbus, Hickman County, Kentucky to James Henry & May Belle Wells Stone.  Charles was their 8th child.  Dollie Salicia Littrick was born 23 February 1909 in Ottawa, Putnam County, Ohio to Carrie Belle Littrick.  Dollie's father is unknown.  
Charles and a few of his siblings came to Akron, Summit County, Ohio sometime between 1920 and 1928 looking for work.  Charles got a job at Goodyear in Akron.  Dollie came to Akron with her family by 1919.  After Dollie graduated from High School she obtained a job at Goodyear, where thru friends, Charles and Dollie met.  They were married 13 October 1928 in Summit County.  Charles and Dollie made their home in Akron and had two girls, Ethel and Helen.  
Charles passed away 13 August 1971 in Akron and Dollie passed away 16 February 2000 in Stow, Summit County, Ohio.  They are buried together at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Akron. 

 Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Thomas Milton Rogers

In keeping with the Thomas theme in my family, below is Thomas Milton Roger's tombstone.  He is buried in Burns Cemetery, Preston County, West Virginia.  See my previous post for more information on Thomas' family.  When his wife Minnie died in 1967, a new joint stone was erected next to Thomas' old stone.

 

Memorial Mondays ~ Thomas Milton Rogers

Thomas Milton Rogers has always intrigued me.  Thomas is my Great Great Grandfather.  He was the first born child of John Rogers (he has his own research issues if you can imagine!) and Rebecca Jane Murray, born 4 August 1872 in Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia.  Thomas married Minnie Jane Hartsell on 29 November 1896 in Preston County, West Virginia. They were married by Minnie's father, Robert A. Hartsell, a Civil War Veteran.  Thomas was baptized in the Old German Baptist Church in May of 1898.  Minnie and Thomas had five boys and one girl.  Sadly, Thomas was struck in the head while cutting timber a month after his daughter was born.  He never recovered from the blow.  He died on 10 May 1906 in the Reno District of Preston County, West Virginia.  Thomas was buried in Burns Cemetery, Rowlesburg, Preston County, West Virginia, on a mountain of course.

The one odd thing is, for some reason in family papers we have a typed copy of the obituary.  The next task for Thomas is to locate the original.

Kelly

Wild Wednesday in Genealogy ~ Era Newton Littrick

It was a wild Wednesday for one of my relatives on the 28th of May 1958.  Although, maybe after traffic court he wasn't as wild....Era Newton Littrick plead guilty at the Mansfield Municipal Court in Mansfield, Ohio to minor traffic charges.  He was fined for improper passing on Route 42.  Better watch out, you never know when you might get caught and it will stick around for your relatives to find out years later!

Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Thomas Bartlett Hopkins

Thomas Bartlett Hopkins was born 5 February 1830 in Monongalia County, Virginia to John R. & Edith Bartlett  Hopkins.  He was the 4th of 5 children born to John and Edith.  Thomas married Mary Potts on 1 March 1849, together they had 4 children.  Sometime after the birth of their 4th child, Julia, Mary died.  Thomas then married Emma Amelia Connolly 4 August 1856.  They had 12 children together, of whom, Samuel is my ancestor. 

A few months after Thomas' 8th child was born in 1862, he enlisted in the Civil War becoming a Corporal in Company F of the 11th West Virginia Infantry.  Thomas served for three years.  According to his pension claim that was "filed October 31 1877 That while in the line of duty at New Creek West Va on or about the 4th of August 1864, he received a gun shot wound in the left leg, the ball passing through the leg at the knee joint, between the joint of the knee and large leaders or tendons of the leg, severing some of the leaders and interfering with his moving about". After healing in the Union Hospital for some time, Thomas was discharged in 1865. 

Thomas went home and continued to work on his farm with his many children until he died on 10 August 1897 in Wood County, West Virginia.  He was buried at Salisbury, Wood County, West Virginia.

Kelly

Memorial Mondays ~ John Stine

One of my shortest obituaries is for John Stine.  John was born 4 April 1821 in Greene Co., PA to Michael B. & Hannah Jane Alton Stine.  He was one of 15 known children. John moved to Monroe Co., OH with his parents. It was there that he met and married Rebecca Milner 8 September 1842.  Rebecca died in 1846 about a year after the birth of their second child.  John then married Elizabeth Eckelberry, daughter of Abraham & Hannah Dawson Eikleberry, on 8 September 1847.  They went on to have 10 children together, of whom Isaac is my ancestor.  John died of typhoid fever on 8 June 1886 in Monroe Co., OH.  He is buried in West Union Cemetery in Monroe Co., OH.  John's obit appeared in the  Monroe Gazette, Woodsfield, Monroe, Co., OH on 18 June 1886. 

Isaac Edward Stine died 8 days later of typhoid fever on 16 June 1886.  No obituary has been found for him.  He was only 35 years old & had 9 young children with his wife, Rosanna Henthorn.

Kelly

Memorial Mondays ~ Elizabeth Nouvier Gardner

With all obituaries you need to be on your toes.  You are not sure who gave the newspaper their information, so you have to assume that there will be mistakes. There could also be valuable clues to lead you to more sources.  With Elizabeth's above obituary it was also reinforced that you need to search multiple counties for an obituary.  Elizabeth died in Canal Fulton where she was living at the time but her obit was published in the Wayne County Newspaper, not the Stark or Summit County Newspaper.
Using original records, Elizabeth's birth date is wrong in the obit, it is 27 January 1809.  She was born in France as Elisabethe Nouvier.  The Gaertner/Gardners came to America about 1831, not 1828.  In 1828, they were still in France, they had two children that were born in died there before they left for America.
So don't forget to track down all of those wonderful obituaries waiting for you to find!
Kelly

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your Genea-Bucket List

Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Fun! ~
Are you ready for Saturday Night, and more Genealogy Fun??  I hope so!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

Knowing that a "Bucket List" is a wish list of things to do before death:

1)  What is on your Genealogy Bucket List?  What research locations do you want to visit?  Are there genea-people that you want to meet and share with?  What do you want to accomplish with your genealogy research?  List a minimum of three items - more if you want!

2)  Tell us about it in a blog post of your own (please give me a link in Comments), a comment to this post in Comments, or a status line or comment on Facebook.

Think big!  Have fun!  Life is short - do genealogy first! 


Well that is tough call!  I want to do so much! :)
1.  First up for me would be to be able to attend the Boston University Course.
2. Attend NGS, FGS, OGS & go to Salt Lake all in one year!  Oh and NIGR and play at the Archives too!
3. Head to KY to tour a few counties to do research as well as Frankfort to the Archives and Historical Society!
4.  Go to Scotland!!  To do research and track down those ancestors.
5.  Can't forget, Must go to Moselle, France to see where all my French ancestors were from, sigh, that would be an awesome genealogy moment!! 

What's on your Genea-Bucket List?
Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Thomas Edward & Helen Jean Stone Coghan

For today's tombstone, I am going to show you my Grandparent's stone.  They were both cremated and their remains are at the Northlawn Memorial Gardens in Peninsula, Summit County, Ohio. 

Kelly

Memorial Mondays ~ Col. James Francis Moore

I thought it would be fun and interesting to begin sharing all of the obituaries that I have collected for my family.  You can learn a lot about your family if you are lucky enough to have obituaries for your ancestors.  They are definitely worth hunting for.  Today, I am going to start by sharing my oldest obit that I have found to date. 

Col. James Francis Moore was born 12 August 1751 in Baltimore County, Maryland to James Francis Moore and Hannah Willmott.  Moore married Ann Standiford 18 February 1773.  Shortly after his marriage to Ann, Moore and his family moved to Pennsylvania.  On 19 March 1776, Moore joined the 12th PA Line to serve his country in the Revolutionary War.  By 1781, Moore was living in Kentucky with his family where he owned property and became involved in politics.  Moore died 14 December 1809 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Kentucky Gazette, Lexington, Kentucky, 19 December 1809

Frankfort, Dec. 16.

DIED- On Thursday evening Last, of a paralytic affection, Col. JAMES F. MOORE, a senator from the counties of Jefferson & Bullitt.  It is a source of pleasing reflection, amidst sorrow to the relatives of the deceased, that he carries to the silent tomb, the unfeigned regret of his numerous acquaintances and friends. Col. Moore, if we mistake not, was one of those, whose courage and virtues, achieved the salvation of our common country—and in other respects, he was an active and useful member of society: On this melancholy occasion, the following resolution was unanimously adopted by both houses of the legislature.

“Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, that in testimony of respect to Col. James Francis Moore, deceased, late a member of the Senate, that the members of the general assembly, will attend in procession his body to the grave, and wear mourning during the present Session of the General assembly, in honour of his memory.”

Kelly

Wild Wednesday in Genealogy ~ The French Protestant Huguenot Church

It was an exciting day for me when I went to see the only still operating French Huguenot Church in America in Charleston, South Carolina.  I went to tour it just because it was French and I am a descendant of French Huguenot, Maureen Duvall.  Maureen came to Maryland about 1650 with 150 immigrants under Colonel William Burgess.  One of his children was Susanna, who married Robert Tyler.
While touring the church and taking photos, a church member was telling us about the church that was built in 1681.  It was beautiful.  Then my Mom noticed Maureen's name on the wall!  The church member explained that when the church needed to be updated, they asked for donations from other French Huguenots in the US, so if a name is on the wall, a descendant of them donated money to help the church.  It was a very wild surprise.
So if you ever get to Charleston, you should check out this historical church.

Kelly

French Church

Duvall Society

Tombstone Tuesday ~ John Henry Shafferman

John Henry Shafferman is one of my immigrant ancestors.  He was born 10 May 1809, possibly to James and Mary Shafferman.  John came to the USA from somewhere in Germany in about 1846 with his second wife, Mary Catherine Haberkotten and four of his children, including my ancestor, Maria Louisa.  In 1850 the Shafferman family was living in Maryland where John was a laborer.  They were affiliated with the St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Cumberland where a few of their children were baptized.  John soon found a job for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which led the family west ward, through Virginia, and ultimately to live in Taylor County, West Virginia.  

John had three children with his first wife and seven children with Mary Catherine.   John died 24 October 1885 in Taylor County, West Virginia.  He is buried next to his wife, sharing a tombstone in Bluemont Cemetery, Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia.

Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Charleston, South Carolina

Last week while on vacation I managed to ditch the boys and head to The French Protestant (Huguenot) Church in Charleston, South Carolina (more on that another day).  On the walk thru the French Quarter, we passed St. Phillips Church Cemetery.  This was a very neat cemetery, the Pinckney Family are buried here.

Kelly

Thursday's Thrills

I went to the Recorder's Office today to continue working on a deed project for the Norton Historical Society here in Summit County, Ohio.  I pulled over 50 deeds to get started.  But while pulling the deeds, I found two deeds that are for cemeteries in Norton.  Will be interesting to see if they are for the two known cemeteries or if they are for a now non-existant cemetery.
I also found an interesting deed as follows:
"David Hudson
to
Stephen Upson
Received Hudson Decemr 6th of David Hudson, a certian three year old black cow which I am to keep for her milk untill the first day of May next and at that time return to said Hudson at his dwelling house in good flesh unless said cow is killed by falling of trees, by wind, biting of snakes or killing by lightening or in case I do not return said cow on that day, I am to pay for said cow in good Merchantable yard wide linnen brown cloth at thirty three & one third cents pr. yard. The cow to remain Hudsons property, untill returned or paid for as above. The cow is valued at Fourteen Dollars.
Stephen Upson
Ebenezer Sheldon
George Kilbourn
Recvd March 30th & Recorded April 2nd 1811
Wm Wetmore, Recorder"
Deeds, A: 424, Summit County Recorder's Office, Akron, Ohio


Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Benjamin & Ann (Dea) Rolston

Benjamin and Anna (Dea) Rolston are my 6th Great Grandparents on one of my Father's lines. Benjamin was born 4 Oct 1788 in Rockingham County, Virginia.  But old Ben moved around some. He went to Champaign County, Ohio from Virginia and then moved on to Hancock County, Ohio in 1837 and finally settled in Nemaha County, Nebraska where he died 10 Feb 1873.  Along the way he married Miss Anna Dea who was born on 2 May 1793 in Maryland and died on 12 Feb 1873 in Nebraska and shares Ben's tombstone in Karn Cemetery.  They had at least 9 children together, including my 5th Great Grandmother, Julia Ann Rolston born on 2 Feb 1810 in Virginia.

Kelly

Treasure Chest Thursday ~ Military Uniforms

  

You never know what you'll find when you are digging through your Grandparent's attic.  My Grandpa's World War II jacket had been up there for a while until his eldest son took it home with him.  Grandpa's time in the War was not really ever talked about.  It was something Grandpa didn't want to talk about.  After he passed away and I was digging around and asking questions like any good genealogist would, I found out from my Uncle that Grandpa talked about the War with him once and only once.  My Uncle filled me in on what he knew and I took the research from there.  We had my Grandpa's discharge papers so I went to the Military and ordered his medals.  I found out from my Uncle that my Grandpa had thrown them away when he got home and didn't want them.  Once the medals arrived I sent them to my Uncle and he placed them on the jacket where they should be.  He then had professional photos taken of the jacket and we surprised my Grandmother with the photos.  She was very pleased.  I understand why my Grandpa didn't want to talk about it and share, but we wanted to honor him and all he went through as a Paratrooper in World War II and as a German POW.

To Grandpa John, the best Grandpa in the world!
Kelly

Wordless Wednesday

Mary Ann Hayes Stine standing behind her mother, Susan Billiter Hays

  Monroe County, Ohio

Happy New Year 2011!

With a new year beginning it is time to take a look at my Genealogical Goals for the year.  In 2010, I think I completed a lot on my list.  I divided my goals into categories: Data, Writing, Research and Education.  My data goal was to source all of my documentation I already had, get the information into my database and evaluate it.  I am not done, but I have made considerable progress and have solidified my record keeping and have it down pat.

My writing goals for 2010 kind of fell through the cracks with all of the data, sourcing and filing I was doing.  I did manage to put together four lineage applications, but got no complete papers written.  This is going on the goal list for 2011.

I feel I redeemed myself in the research goals.  I went on three research trips instead of just one, I went to four new repositories in my research and ordered at least 15 genealogical requests for documents and microfilm.  

My education goals were:

1.      Attend at least one conference/workshop

2.      Keep up to date with the NGS Quarterly

3.      Read 3 new skill books & apply what learned

4.      Watch the APG, BCG & NGS Lectures online

I did attend the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference, the all day seminar on Pennsylvania Research at the Akron-Summit County Library and the all day seminar in Pittsburgh with Elizabeth Shown Mills.  I have also kept up to date in my reading of the NGSQ and attended the Great Lakes APG discussion groups throughout the year.  I read and applied some new books but I still need to finish watching the lecuters put online, especially since there are some new ones!

So in 2011, I plan to keep plugging along with my data and sources, make at least another 12 requests for documents or microfilm (I have already done 3!), go on another research trip, and visit a new repository.  I also plan on writing a paper on my Grandfather's WWII history and submit him into the Purple Heart Museum.  As well as keeping the same education goals, I would like to continue working on compiling information and writing towards my BCG Certification.

I think I have plenty to keep myself busy, I hope you do to! Enjoy!
Kelly