The Hopkins Family

This is the Oliver Hopkins Family.   I thought maybe you should meet them all as they will probably end up at some point in the story.  Oliver Hopkins and Rose Stine met and married in Akron, Ohio while working at Goodyear.  Oliver was born in Slate, Wood County, West Virginia and Rose was born in Sardis, Monroe County, Ohio.  Oliver and Rose had ten children: Ova Alberta, Orville Oren aka Bud, John Sheridan, Ruth Inez, Clarence Donald, Paul Eugene, Anna May, Jack Douglas, Harry Lewis and Alice Fay (listed in birth order).  Many of the children were born in different places, Parkersburg, West Virginia, Woodsfield, Ohio, Akron, Ohio, and Atwater, Ohio.  Oliver worked at Goodyear and was a preacher for the Church of Christ in a few different churches through the years.  Bud and John both served in World War II. Bud served in the Navy.

I'll always be grateful that I knew my Great Grandma Rose and sad I was never able to meet my Great Grandfather Oliver.  I had ten years with Rose and she impacted those few years a lot.   I remember going to visit her and listening to the stories of her growing up.  I still remember one visit when she told us about how when the snow got too deep in Woodsfield they'd hook the horses up to the sleigh and ride around in the winter wonderland all bundled up.  To me it sounded like great fun.  She attended every birthday party and every holiday event as well as every Sunday morning at church.  She couldn't write well due to her ever increasing Parkinson's disease, so she would type notes, cards and letters to us.  I love coming across those notes she wrote to us.  Things for us to remember and hold on to.  Rose almost lived to her 91st birthday.  She was a special treasure to our family.

Kelly

Postmortem Photography

On December 13, 2012, the NGS Blog posted about Postmortem Photography.  You can check out their post at the link below.  Have you found any postmortem photos while researching?  I have bunches of actual cemetery photos, heck even that photo of my Great Grandparents standing next to their shiny new tombstone, but in all of the photos I have gone through I have only found one postmortem photo.  This photo was found, unlabeled among John Robert Roger's personal photos.  There was a whole slew of family and friends that sent John photos.  John lived in West Virginia most of his life. These young women and the baby could be related or not; no one has been sure.

Kelly



http://upfront.ngsgenealogy.org/2012/12/postmortem-photography-at-turn-of-20th.html

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

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

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

Non-Paternity Events in Your Family

On the Transitional Genealogist's Email List this past week they have been discussing Non-Paternity Events vs. Adulterers.  Quite interesting I might say and if you are interested you can read the emails on the archives page at: TGF list  

Everybody has them in their families, the only difference is, do they talk about it or do they stuff the information in the back of the closet and in hopes that no one would come looking.  In my family there are two known non-paternity events, at least two that we know about currently.  One event was a secret and the other was just out there and everyone knew.  There is one adulterous relationship back in early Maryland that is rumored in the family, but that has yet to be proven.  We'll talk about that juicy bit another day...

My Granny's (Dollie) "non-paternity" event occurred in 1909 in Putnam County, Ohio.  The story goes that Carrie got pregnant from someone who was boarding at their house and worked on the railroad.  Frank & Samantha Littrick (Carrie's parents) sent Carrie away to a "farm" to have her baby.  Meanwhile, Samantha stuffed her dress to imitate a pregnancy.  When Carrie came back Samantha "had" her baby.  Dollie was raised as Samantha & Frank's child and Carrie was married off a couple of years later.  Carrie had nothing to do with Dollie's upbringing and did not see her much at all during her life. This was told to me by a few different cousins, but according to Dollie's children they knew nothing about the whole story (hence the reason it was a secret in our branch of the family).   Dollie's original birth record lists her mother Carrie and an unknown father.  All of Dollie's other records list a variety of combination of Samantha, Carrie and Frank as parents. To date, nothing has been found to point to a father for Dollie.

Our other "non-paternity" event was for my other side of the family.  My Great Grandmother, Ollie Minnie Laymire was working on neighboring farms in WV for extra money for the family when she was raped, according to her daughter, my Grandmother.  She gave birth to Rex Posten Laymire in 1918, two years later she married my Great Grandfather (John Rogers) and he "adopted" Rex and his name was changed.  As with Granny's birth, we don't know who Rex's father was, but our only clue is the name Posten.  There were people with the surname Posten in the area at the time that Ollie was living in WV.

I don't know about you, but I would choose to have the stories put out there and talked about.  Obviously it is a tender subject with some, (you should have been there they day I confronted my Grandma about Dollie!!) but don't you think that the family has a same right to the information about how they got here as the person with the knowledge?  My advice would be to step lightly but don't let the stories disappear with the last generation.

Kelly

The Frank & Samantha Littrick Family

John & Ollie Laymire Rogers, holding son Rex

Treasure Chest Thursday ~ Recipes

Isn't it great to find out your ancestors can write?  It is always fun to find something they had written not just signed or marked.  Given to me by my Grandmother, is this recipe written by Minnie Jane Hartsell Rogers Nose.  My Grandmother knew Minnie, I wish I had.  She sounds like she was a really interestng person and boy the things she has seen.

Minnie was born 16 February 1879 in Preston County, West Virginia to Robert A. Hartsell and Mary Neff.  Minnie married Thomas Milton Rogers 26 November 1896 in Preston County.  Thomas died 10 May 1906 from being struck in the head by falling timber, leaving Minnie with six children under the age of ten. 

Minnie lived until 20 March 1967.  We are not sure of the date when Minnie wrote out her recipe for Pumpkin Cake, but we know she wrote it down for the family.  For me it is very neat to have something that my Great Great Grandmother wrote down for us, I bet she liked Pumpkin Cake.

Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Ollie Minnie Laymire Rogers

Ollie Minnie Laymire was born 12 January 1887 to John Henry and Louisa Virginia Nose Laymire at Scotch Hill, Newburg, Preston County, West Virginia. She was the third eldest of twelve children. Although I never met Ollie, I have heard many stories about her from various family members. She had a tough life and was interesting.
When Ollie was 31 years old she gave birth to her first son, Rex Posten Laymire in July 1918. To this day we do not know who the father is. In January of 1920, Ollie married John Robert Rogers. They changed Rex's middle and last name to Rex Rudolph Rogers. They went on to have two boys and two girls together. Things were not going well for the expanded family and they separated. John taking the boys to New York and Ollie staying in West Virginia with the girls. At times the children were living with different families. John and Ollie were divorced in 1942. Each of them remarried again. Ollie died 12 August 1952 and is buried where she was born, just down the road in Hunt Cemetery, not far from her parents. As I am writing this, I notice that Ollie's tombstone is wrong, just because it is written in stone doesn't make it true!

Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Andrew Walter Nose

Happy Tombstone Tuesday! I must say it is one of my favorite days! In honor of Memorial Day, lets take a look at Andrew W. Nose. My dear 3rd Great Grandfather was born 2 June 1827 in Taylor County, Virginia. He married Celiah Celestial Snider about 1854 in Virginia. They had ten children together, of whom I am descended from their daughter Louisa Virginia Nose.

Andrew served in Company B of the 17th West Virginia Infantry during the Civil War. But it wasn't just his service to his country that made Andrew interesting. Andrew had a busy life, with ten children, the effects on his body after the war, he seemed not to be able to keep a wife. Celiah died in 1877. In 1878 he married Miss Ellen Pierce. They had one child. Then in 1886 he married Miss Annie Thorn. Finally in 1906 he married the young Miss Sarah E. Calls, who was 46 years younger then himself.

After all though, Andrew was a pensioner. But pensioners were not without their problems. It seems one day according to the letters and affidavits in his pension file, some young man taking him to town, forged Andrew's pension voucher and robbed him. In the following letters and court case, many of the persons involved had their characters described. In fact the "Pensioner's wife is notorious for unchastity in the neighborhood where she lives and Pensioner has several times left her on account of her bad conduct in this respect".

Kelly

Surname Saturday ~ Hopkins

Moving to my other side of the family for this week's Surname Saturday. Hopkins this week and Rogers next week, talk about a popular surname! At least neither name is in the top 100 most popular names according to the US Census Bureau.

My Hopkins line is traced back to William Hopkins born about 1755 in New England. Darn not connected to the Mayflower, at least not yet that I or the family knows of!

William married Frances Wilkinson and had at least two children, of whom, William Rodman Hopkins born 1779 in Maryland is my ancestor. William Rodman married Nancy Anne Oakley in 1800 in Virginia. Hmmm, could I be related to Annie Oakley!?

Their son John Rodman Hopkins was born in 1804. John married Edith Bartlett about 1825 in Virginia. Thomas Bartlett Hopkins was born to them in 1830 Virginia. Thomas married Emma Amelia Connolly in 1856. Thomas served in the Civil War as a Corporal, Company F, 11th West Virginia Infantry. He wounded his left leg. Their son Samuel Sheridan Hopkins was born 1868 West Virginia. Samuel is my Great Great Grandfather.

Samuel married Sarah Louise Bolen in 1897 Wood County, West Virginia.

Kelly

My Great Great Great Grandmother

Rebecca Murray Rogers lived a long life. I bet she saw an awful lot. She has always fascinated me. Rebecca was born 16 January 1842 in Virginia to Thomas and Mary (Frick) Murray. The story that was told by a descendant of Rebecca's brother is that Thomas was born to a Negro woman and William Murray, a white man in Maryland. Thomas and his brother Robert moved from Maryland to Virginia with other mulatto families sometime before 1830. On the 1850 and 1860 US Census, Thomas and the children are all listed as Mulatto.
Rebecca married John Rogers before 1867 in West Virginia, probably Monongalia County. Rebecca and John went on to have seven children, of whom, Thomas Milton is my Great Great Grandfather. John died in 1893 and Rebecca lived to be 78 years old, dying 28 February 1920 in West Virginia.
One day with further research I'll get to the bottom of this story in Maryland!
Rebecca is the woman in the photo at the top of this page.
Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mary Polly Watson Gandy

Mary Polly Watson was born 24 Dec 1787 in Maryland. She married Levi Preston Gandy 20 Jul 1805 in Monongalia County, Virginia. Mary died 23 Dec 1847 in Scotch Hill, Newburg, Preston County, Virginia. She is buried in Hunt Cemetery which is on Scotch Hill in Newburg, Preston County, West Virginia.

I really don't know much more about Mary. I know that she and Levi had atleast one child, Matilda, who was born in 1812. She is on the to research more list!

The funny thing is, I have been to this cemetery a few times, as my Great Grandmother is buried here and Andrew Nose, one of my family's Civil War veterans. It wasn't until last year I knew, Mrs. Mary Gandy was my relative too!

Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Frank & William Laymire

"Newburg Shaft Explosion Killed 39 in 1996
MINE HORROR!
Explosion of Fire Damp
In the Deep Shaft
AT NEWBURG
On Last Thursday Afternoon,
January 21st
Not a Man Escaped to
Tell the Sad, Sad Story
AN AWFUL CALAMITY" and The Preston County Journal, Thursday, January 19, 1962 in West Virginia, goes on to recount the horrible news of the mine explosion. In January of 1886 three other articles were located on the mine explosion, one in Augusta, Maine; Wellsboro, Pennsylvania and Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday January 26th at 4:50 pm, the decomposed bodies of William and Frank Laymire were brought up out of the mine. "William and Frank Laymire, near Independence, twin brothers, went to work in the mine on Monday before the day of the explosion. Their brother lately cut his throat in the asylum at Weston, the particulars of which were published in this paper." The Preston County Journal, Thursday, January 19, 1962. (This would be their brother, Samuel Henry Laymire, I have yet to get all of the details on his death)

William and Frank were born to William and Maria Louisa (Shafferman) 20 May 1862 in Preston County, Virginia. The twins were buried together with their mother and siblings in Bethel Cemetery, Scotch Hill, Preston County, West Virginia.

Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday - Oliver & Rose Hopkins

For my first Tombstone Tuesday chat with you, I will show you all my favorite tombstone photo that I own. My Great Grandparents are posing next to their tombstone for us. Don't you wish all of our ancestors had thought like this for us? :)


Oliver Orren Hopkins was born to Samuel Sheridan and Sarah Louise (Bolen) Hopkins 2 September 1899 in Slate, Wood County, West Virginia. Rose May Stine was born 21 February 1901 in Sardis, Monroe County, Ohio to John Calvin and Mary Ann (Hayes) Stine. Oliver and Rose (Stine) Hopkins were married 11 March 1919 in Summit County, Ohio. Oliver was an Evangelist Preacher for the Church of Christ as well as a Rubber Worker during the week at Goodyear. Oliver died after a fall from a ladder 28 February 1978 in Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio.


I grew up knowing Grandma Rose. She was a loving and nice, christian woman. I remember her telling us stories of her growing up in southern Ohio. She also liked to bowl over at Midway Lanes in Akron. Grandma Rose lived to see her 90th birthday, which was quite a celebration. Rose passed away 7 November 1991 in Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County, Ohio.


Rose and Oliver are resting with many other Stine and Hopkins family just outside of the West Union Church in the West Union Cemetery, Woodsfield, Monroe County, Ohio.

Kelly

Sentimental Sunday

Sarah Louise Bolen Hopkins was born 20 March 1875 to Jeptha Jacob Bolen and Mary Melvina Robison in Wood County, West Virginia.
Sarah married Samuel Sheridan Hopkins 31 July 1897. Sarah and Samuel had ten children.

Their second son, Oliver Orren Hopkins was born 2 September 1899 and married Rose May Stine 11 March 1919. Rose and Oliver went on to have ten children themselves. Their second son was John Sheridan Hopkins, my Grandpa.

This is my Great Great Grandma, Sarah holding my Grandpa John in October 1924. While cleaning out my Grandma's (John's wife) attic, we found my Grandpa's baby outfit.

A rather nice way to compliment the picture.

Kelly