kinexxions

The Marriage of Samuel Bray and Susanna Ball

2012-05-23T19:45:00.002-04:00

In looking over the documents that I have on the Bray family, I realized that I did not have the marriage record for Samuel Bray and Susanna Ball, my 3rd great grandparents. They also happen to be first cousins. Samuel was the son of John and Nancy Bray while Susanna was the daughter of James and Margaret (Bray) Ball. John and Margaret were the children of Henry Bray.

I don't know how I missed getting their marriage record when I was last there in 1999! Anyway, on the drive back to Indiana from Nelson County, Kentucky I stopped at the courthouse in Owenton, Owen County, which is south of Gallatin County which is directly across the Ohio River from Switzerland County, Indiana. On the south wall of a small room in the Clerk's office were several shelves of marriage books. There was a very large marriage register that simply listed the marriages in date sequence, giving the names of the brides and grooms for each marriage and stating whether a bond had been filed.

Looking closely at the books on the shelves I saw that there were some books of Minister Returns and for Permissions. After a bit of searching, I found the books for the time period that Samuel and Susanna were married - 1821. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the book for the Permissions as it contained the original documents! The individual slips of paper were encapsulated in plastic with four or five per page and they were filed by year, sort of.

Susanna Ball would have been 23 years old and Samuel Bray was 24 at the time of their marriage. Since she was over the age of 21, I really didn't expect to find a permission slip, but it was quite interesting to look at the documents. So it was pretty cool when I found the small slip of paper where James Ball gave his consent for Samuel Bray to marry his daughter! The only other record that I had that she was the daughter of James and Margaret was a transcription of Bible pages in Margaret's widows pension file. The only factor that I can think of as to why a permission slip would be needed for their marriage is that they were first cousins. What other reason would there be for needing a permission slip if both parties were over 21 years of age?

“I do hereby certify that James Ball consented in my presence that Samuel Bray Should intermarry with his daughter Susannah Ball. Augt 29th 1821. Jacob Ball.” (Owen County, Kentucky Permission Slips 1819-1853 accessed May 19, 2012.)

Having had success with the Permission Slips, I moved on to the Minister Returns. It also contained the original documents, which were somewhat larger slips of paper encapsulated in plastic.

“Kentucky Owen County
I James Medley a minister of the gospel legally authorised to Solemnize marriage do Certify that pursuant to a licence Issued from the office of the Clerk of Owen County Court I this day joined in marriage Samuel Bray of the state Indiana and Susannah Ball of said County given under my hand this 29th day Augu 1821 [signed by] James Medley” (Owen County, Kentucky Minister Returns 1819-1836 accessed May 19, 2012.)

The drive from Bardstown to Owenton on the state roads through the hills of Kentucky was beautiful - especially with the sunshine and blue skies. But the icing on the cake was finding these documents... it was definitely a fruitful day. And yes, I had to restrain my enthusiasm while at the Clerks Office but a little “happy dance” ensued once I got out to the parking lot!

Locating the Ancestral Lands in Kentucky

2012-05-22T16:39:00.002-04:00

After leaving Cincinnati on Sunday after the NGS Conference, I headed a little further south and west to Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky. One of my “goals” was to see if I could determine where the land of Henry Bray was located. Henry is my 5th great-grandfather (times two). His daughter Margaret as well as his son John are my 4th great-grandparents. Margaret married James Ball and their daughter Susanna married John's son Samuel. Yes, they were first cousins. At least it reduces the number of ancestors that need to be researched!

Most researchers of this family put Henry's birth at about 1727 but, thus far, no record of his birth has been found and no other record has been found that indicates when or where he may have been born. Margaret, his first known child was born about 1753 (she was 83 years old when she filed for a widow's pension on September 2, 1836). The 1727 date for Henry's birth was likely estimated based on a probable age of 25 when he was married, assuming that he was married a year prior to the first child's birth. Henry's wife, Cathryn, was mentioned in his will of 1798. However, it is not known with certainty that she was the mother of his 11 children, the last of whom was born about 1770.

Various researchers put Henry's place of residence in the area of Washington County, Maryland and Hampshire County, Virginia (now part of West Virginia), which are only two counties away from each other. There is record of a Henry Bray signing the Oath of Allegiance in 1778 in Washington County, Maryland and a record of a Henry Bray enlisting in 1781 in Washington County, Maryland who was discharged as "unfit for service" several months later. But, again, it is not known for certain that this is “our” Henry Bray.

What is known is that Henry's son, Frederick, while residing in Hampshire County, reportedly enlisted along with his future brother-in-law, Edward Roberts in August 1776. Another son-in-law, James Ball, also enlisted in 1776 in Capt. William Voss' company while residing in Hampshire County, Virginia. A year later, Henry's son, John, just a little over 16 years of age enlisted in the same company. So it would seem that at least some of the children of Henry Bray were residing in Hampshire County, Virginia at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

By 1790, Henry and 9 of his children had removed to the wilderness of what would become Kentucky, with most of them settling for a time in Nelson County. Tax Records show that John Bray was listed in Nelson County, Virginia in 1785 with 2 whites, 1 white tiths somewhere on “the southern waters of Rolling and Beech Forks westwardly of the the waters of Hardings Creek." In 1787 John Bray was listed with 1 tithable in “Pottinger's and Bean's Old Companies.”

On July 19th, 1788 John Bray was included in “A list of Tithes” in “Capt. Charles Reed's Company on Pottinger's Creek" with 3 tithables. Also listed were his brothers Peter and Daniel. Henry Bray shows up in the July 1790 taxlist as part of “Capt. Masterson & Willetts Company" along with sons John and Peter. All three were listed with 1 tithables. Various members of the family continue to appear in extant tax lists through 1799-1800 in Nelson County.

Enough of the background, now on to the land records of Nelson County...

In a land record dated July 30, 1790 and recorded August 8, 1803 (Book 6 pages 224-225) Henry Bray was bound to Aaron Atherton for £90. If Henry Bray conveyed a clear deed of 100 acres off the lower end of the “Survey whereon he now lives” to Aaron Atherton then the obligation would be void. The interesting thing to me is the fact that this record was dated July 30, 1790 while Henry Bray did not purchase the land “whereon he now lives” from Samuel and Anne Oldham until December 15, 1792 (recorded May 4, 1799 in Deed Book 5 pages 424-425).

Another record in Nelson County Deed Book 6 (pages 436-438) and dated July 14, 1805 is essentially correcting the deed that was recorded in 1792 between Henry Bray and Samuel Oldham because the description was in error...

The description of the land in the 1792 deed appeared to place the land on the south side of Pottinger's Creek (the bold-italicized text below indicates differences in the land descriptions in the two deeds):

“Beginning at Meshack Carters So. West Corner two honey Locusts on the Bank of Pottingers Creek extending thence with Carters line two Hundred and thirty three poles to his corner two Walnuts thence with his line South seventy eight West seventy one poles to two white Oaks thence South twelve Degrees West one hundred & eighty poles to three White Oaks thence West thirty poles to a Chesnut Oak & Double Maple thence South forty five West twenty eight poles to two White Oaks and Iron wood thence sixty three degrees West two hundred & eighty poles to two red Oaks & white Oak thence South 27º E 173 poles to an Ash & prissimmon Tree on the Bank of Pottingers Creek thence up Pottingers Creek the meanders thereof to the Beginning.”

In actuality the land was on the north side of Pottinger's Creek as shown in the 1805 deed:

“Beginning at two Honey Locusts and a Hickory on the North Bank of Said Creek. Thence North twelve Degrees West two Hundred and twenty two poles to two Walnuts, thence North Seventy eight degrees East Seventy poles to two white oaks. Thence North twelve degrees West one Hundred and eighty poles to three White oaks thence North forty five Degrees West thirty poles to a Double Maple & Chestnut Oak, thence South forty five Degrees West eighty four poles to two white Oaks & an Iron Wood, thence South sixty two Degrees West two Hundred & eighty four poles to two Chesnut Oaks & a White Oak, thence South Twenty eight degrees East one Hundred and sixty Eight poles to a Persimmon & Beech on the bank of Pottingers Creek, thence up the same binding therewith to the Beginning.”

The 1805 deed also stated that the land was “near the Mouth of Pottingers Creek” and a little further into the deed it said it was “on the North Westardly side of Pottingers Creek.”

In addition, a deed dated November 23, 1807 in Book 6 pages 693-694 the land is described as being on “the North Bank of Pottingers creek.” In this deed, Aaron Atherton executor of the estate of Henry Bray, is selling 450 acres of land to Ignatius Clark, which bordered the 100 acres that had been “laid off for Abraham Bray,” son of Henry.

Regarding that 100 acres laid off for Abraham Bray... I don't have a copy of the deed but an entry in “Abstracts of Deeds 1803-1818 Nelson County, Kentucky” compiled by the Nelson County Historical Society (citing page 365 of Deed Book 11) shows that Aaron Atherton and wife Ann of Hamilton, Ohio sold 100 acres on the North bank of Pottinger's Creek “near the corner of Ignatius Clark” on September 12, 1806 to Abraham Bray. So it appears that Aaron Atherton received his 100 acres of land.

The will of Henry Bray was dated March 2, 1798 and was recorded in Nelson County, Kentucky Will Book A (pages 373-375). Aaron Atherton, named as the executor, filed his bond on July 9, 1799 and the estate was admitted to probate. All of the land transactions mentioned above were recorded in the Nelson County deed books as a result of the probate process.

With the information in the corrected deed, it has been shown that the land that Henry Bray purchased was “near the Mouth of Pottingers Creek” and “on the North Westardly side.” But where was Pottinger's Creek?

That answer was found in the Atlas of Nelson & Spencer Cos., Kentucky (D. J. Lake & Co., 1882). The above cropped and enhanced image shows the southern tip of Nelson county. The dark line going across the image is the Knoxville Branch of the L & N Railroad, which runs alongside Pottinger's Creek.

This road map provides a little perspective on the location, the area of New Haven and New Hope is circled in green.

A slightly different perspective from Google Earth with Nelson County outlined in blue. The squiggly meandering of the “Rolling Fork of the Salt River” creates the western border of Nelson County. The area of interest is outlined in red. All of those dark green areas are tree covered hills. It's pretty rugged countryside.

The topographical map above is a small portion of a map from the Libre Map Project website where they have digital maps for every state. (The individual files can be rather large and are a direct download when you click on your selected locality map.)

At this point it is not possible to determine exactly where the 550 acres of land purchased by Henry Bray was located. Considerably more research in the land records is required to bring ownership up to the current time and to locate the land in its proper place.

But based on the knowledge that it was “near the Mouth of Pottingers Creek” and “on the North Westardly side” I'm fairly confident that his land was within the red rectangular area in the above image.

I spent several pleasant hours one day driving around the area. I think the northern stretch of State Road 247, where it connects to State Road 52 just east of New Haven, goes through or nearest Henry's land. The terrain is hilly with narrow roads running through the valleys. There were numerous farms and fields - one farm had a sign posted stating it was a Kentucky Farmstead, established in 1785. I didn't take any photos during the drive since I was by myself and there really was no where to pull off alongside the road.

NGS 2012 Recap :: Fantastic!

2012-05-15T13:15:00.000-04:00

First of all, I have to agree with many of the other genea-bloggers who have posted their thoughts about the NGS Conference in Cincinnati - IT WAS FANTASTIC!

All of the sessions I attended, with the exception of one, were excellent. And the company was incredible. It was so much fun meeting and spending time with “old friends” whom I knew through their blogs as well as meeting some new ones.

Of course, I spent a lot of time with my room-mate Laura Cosgrove Lorenzana and hung out a lot (during sessions and lunches and evenings) with Susan Clark, Linda McCauley, Tina Lyons, and Shelley Bishop. I also met Amy Johnson Crow, Kathy Reed, Lori Thornton and several others whose names I don't recall at the moment!

Two social highlights for me came on Saturday - the first was when a blog reader, Linda Edwards, caught my attention as a group of us were walking into the Hyatt after the sessions were over. She recognized me and I'm very glad that she came forward and said so! It was a really neat moment. Thanks, Linda!

Later that evening after supper at Champs with Kathy, Susan, Linda, and Laura we were relaxing and talking with each other when DearMyrtle came in. She sat down and chatted with us for a while then moved on over to her supper group. From what I understand, Laura and I left too soon - an hour or so later some of the more well-known speakers, including Elizabeth Shown Mills, came into Champs. I'm sure that Susan and Linda enjoyed their time rubbing shoulders with the “rock stars” of genealogy!

As I stated above, all of the sessions I attended (except one) were excellent. All of the presentations by Thomas Jones and Elizabeth Shown Mills were filled to capacity but luckily I was able to get into all of them. It was worth getting there a bit early or waiting in a long line to enter their sessions. Even though I have no intentions of becoming a “professional” genealogist, the practices they espouse regarding documentation, research reports, etc. can be put to use in my own research - hopefully making it better. I discovered that in some ways I already use some of the concepts they talked about but definitely not to the fullest extent.

The last session by Mills was partially titled “Information Overload” and it was appropriately named for by that time my head was nearly bursting with so many ideas and so much new information and thinking about how to apply it all to my research in the hopes of finding some of those elusive ancestors!

Lori Thornton and Becky Wiseman (photo taken by Susan Clark).

Susan Clark and Becky Wiseman (photo taken by Lori Thornton).

The view across the Ohio River from our balcony seating at the Moerlein Lager House on Thursday evening.

Supper was a braised short-rib grilled cheese sandwich with sweet potato chips. It was oh, so good! Laura had the shrimp tacos shown in the background. And yes, a little beer was imbibed.

The conference was over and everyone was homeward bound. Tina Lyons stopped to say goodbye as I was watching the vendors below dismantle their displays.

I want to thank everyone I met but especially Laura for being my room-mate and Susan, Linda, Kathy and Tina for allowing me to tag along to lunches and spending some time with them in the evenings. It truly made the conference more special for me! Thanks, everyone! It's such an understatement, but I had a great time...

My Bags are Packed... I'm on my way

2012-05-08T10:23:00.000-04:00

Off to Cincinnati... In a few minutes, I'll be heading south to attend the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference! I wasn't sure I'd be able to go but thankfully situations change. I've got a roommate to help share costs (Thanks, Laura) and I'm very happy to be going even though we won't be staying downtown.

This will be my 3rd NGS Conference but the first one where I feel like I actually “know” some of the other people who will be there, even though we may have never met in-person. Reading blogs will do that...

I've gone over the schedule several times and selected at least one session (sometimes two!) for most time periods. Obviously, I can't be in two sessions at the same time so difficult decisions will have to be made when the time comes. There are so many good things to choose from. I'll be concentrating on the sessions regarding finding the elusive ancestors (of which I have more than a few) as well as locating obscure and/or unusual records. I'm especially looking forward to attending several sessions with Thomas W. Jones and Elizabeth Shown Mills, neither of whom I've had the pleasure of seeing before.

Cincy, here I come!

It's Looking Better...

2012-05-06T16:00:00.002-04:00

One day this past week was spent at the Allen County Public Library attempting to determine the validity of the statement made in an article by Carrie Bray in 1949 that her great-grandfather (my 3rd great-grandfather) John Bray had arrived in Indiana on March 5, 1816.

An affidavit by Daniel Bray in the Revolutionary War pension file of his father John Bray, stated that “Some time in the early part of the year 1816, he went to the land office of Cincinnati to enter the North East quarter of Section No 25, town No 2, range 3 West. That owing to some mistake in the land office he could not effect an entry and he was obliged to return home and that his father John Bray, then went to the office and entered the said quarter...”

So the “problem” was: When was the land actually purchased and why did Daniel state that it was in Range 3?

The book “Indiana Land Entries Volume I” by Margaret R. Waters, published in 1948, contains the records for Indiana that are from the Cincinnati Land Office. It covers the area known as the “wedge” in the southeast corner of the state.

The map above shows the status of the Indiana Territory in 1810 with the four counties in existence at the time: of Knox (Kn), Harrison (Har), Clark (Clk), and Dearborn (Dea). The “wedge” mentioned in the Waters book was the area known as Dearborn county in 1810 as well as neighboring portions of Clark County.

By 1814 there were a few more counties in the Indiana Territory. Franklin and Wayne counties were created in 1811 while Switzerland was created in 1814 from that Dearborn “wedge” area as well as from portions of other counties. The two maps above are from the Genealogy Inc. website.

In the introduction of her book, Margaret R. Waters states that the records were copied solely for genealogical purposes to enable a searcher to learn if an ancestor located in Indiana and if so, where and when. To save time and space the acreage and final certificate numbers were omitted. A minimum amount of information is given (name, property description, date of entry) but enough to determine if the person of interest entered land in what would become the state of Indiana.

At the top of page 79 was the entry for John Bray showing that he entered the “NE 1/4 of S25 on 3-5-1816”. The line just below John, includes the name of Edward Ray who may be the same person who married Jane Bray, daughter of John. The previous page (78) showed that the land was in Switzerland County in T2N, R4W of the 1st PM (Township 2 North, Range 4 West of the 1st Principal Meridian).

The map above (from the Waters book) shows the “wedge” area of land from the Cincinnati Land Office included in the book “Indiana Land Entries Volume I”.

This enlarged portion of the previous map shows the townships that comprise Switzerland County. The dotted lines show the boundaries of Switzerland and Ohio Counties. (Ohio County was created in 1844 from Dearborn.) The land that John Bray purchased was in T2N R4W, which is in that tiny red triangle bordering Range 3 West.

Portion of a Switzerland County Map from the My Indiana Home website showing the location of Braytown in Craig Township.

Luckily for me, the Allen County Public Library has a series of microfilms called “Ohio Land Records” which includes the records of the Cincinnati Land Office. Film OLR-110 contained “Cincinnati Land Office Entries, 1814-1829” and it was even indexed by page number. Most of the page numbers were missing or illegible but it didn't take long to find his entry since I had the date he entered the land.

Cropped portion of the page showing the entry for John Bray (last entry on the image). The date at the top shows the transaction was made on March 5th 1816. The text in the column on the right states “John Bray of Franklin County applied to enter the North East quarter of Section 25 Town 2 Range 4 West - Containing 159 44/100 acres and produces the Receiver's Receipt No 30668 dated this day for $79 72/100 amt [?] being the one fourth part of the purchase money of said quarter Section of Land.”

So it seems that the date of March 5, 1816 as given by Carrie Bray in her 1949 article correlates to the date of purchase of the land. It also confirms the statement made by Daniel Bray in his affidavit that he went to the land office in Cincinnati “some time in the early part of the year 1816”.

But there was a surprise in the land entry document - the statement that John Bray was “of Franklin County”.

In searching the web for information, I came across the site Cincinnati Land Office Records, which appears to be a part of the Ohio Memory project even though those records are not included in their list of collections. The site contains images of the original land patents issued to the purchasers. There are only a little over 300 documents currently online but it is going to be an awesome site when they get more documents published. Anyway, at the bottom of the second paragraph of “About this collection” it states

“In certain instances it has been impossible to determine the correct state of origin of the purchaser; generally this is due to the fact that both Indiana and Ohio have identically-named counties, such as Franklin County. In these cases, both Ohio and Indiana have been listed as the state of origin.”

So that might present a little problem. However, Franklin County, Indiana is so very close to Switzerland County while Franklin County, Ohio is further north and east, closer to the central part of Ohio. Since we don't know the whereabouts of John Bray between 1805 and 1816 (as mentioned in The Evidence at Hand) it is possible that he could have ventured further north, but I don't think so. Perhaps that is just wishful thinking on my part. If he was “of Franklin County, Indiana Territory” then that would be evidence that he was actually residing in the area and would definitely be eligible for membership in the Territorial Guard Society of Indiana.

We have the record of the land entry on March 5, 1816 and the statement by Daniel Bray that he, then his father John, went to the Cincinnati Land Office in the early part of 1816. Does that constitute enough evidence to be able to say that they were then residing in the Indiana Territory?

What other records exist during that time period that can be used to help substantiate the claim that John Bray resided in the Indiana Territory in 1816?

This Looks Promising...

2012-05-02T13:30:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in the post The Evidence at Hand I am attempting to determine if my 4th Great-Grandfather, John Bray, would be eligible for the Territorial Guard Society of Indiana, which requires that he “lived within the boundaries of present-day Indiana on or before December 11, 1816 (the date Indiana was admitted to the United States).

I've been looking through the 78 pages of his pension file. Most of the documents pertain to his widow's attempts to receive his pension after his death in 1832. Long story short, she receives a pension, then she remarried in 1835 to John Bakes and lost the pension, he dies a few years later, and she reapplies for John's pension, which she receives until her death in 1876.

John had applied for a pension on June 20, 1818 through the Circuit Court of Switzerland County, Indiana (National Archives Pension File W 4145). His application was approved on August 9, 1818 and he was allowed a pension of $8 per month retroactive to the date of his application.

Of course, the documents were not in date sequence when they were microfilmed and subsequently digitized so it is like jumping back and forth in time (I'm also creating an index of the documents for future reference).

It doesn't appear to me that all of the documents relating to John's pension are in his file. There is a handwritten note stating “Suspended - See Letters to Claiment & Agent 16 Sept 1823.” Then written below that is “Suspension removed 6th Sept 1824 - See letters to agent & pensioner.” Those letters are not part of the images that were downloaded from what was then Footnote.com in 2007.

It was in the 76th image that I found a document dated February 24, 1824 that looks quite promising. I don't think it would be considered “proof of residence” on it's own merit, but it just might lead me to the document that could provide that proof! I believe it was created to validate the fact that John Bray was not a large landowner and as a result his pension was reinstated. The transcription is below and the images follow.

page 76:

The State of Indiana, Switzerland county SS

Personally appeared before me William C Keen a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid Daniel Bray, of lawful age, who after being duly Sworn deposeth and Saith that Some time in the early part of the year 1816, he went to the land office of Cincinnati to enter the North East quarter of Section No 25, town No 2, range 3 West. that owing to some mistake in the land office he could not effect an entry and he was obliged to return home and that his father John Bray, then went to the office and entered the said quarter, in his own name instead of ours, that he paid the one half of the entrance money, and claimed the one half of the quarter, that the balance of the money was paid for the entering of said quarter by John Cotton and Samuel Bray, and they claimed the other half of said quarter - but on making the final payment, John Cotton, Samuel Bray and myself made an arrangement, so that I was to have and pay for but Sixty acres of the land - John Cotton was to have and pay for forty two acres and a half and Samuel Bray was to have and pay for the balance of the Quarter and was given the balance of the Money due from me on said quarter to John Bray, as it was entered in his name, to make the final payment for us and the land was patented in his name and he has since gave us our deed and further saith not.

Daniel {his mark} Bray.
Sworn to and Subscribed before me this 23d day of Feby AD 1824. Willima C. Keen Justice of Peace.

It should be noted that Samuel Bray (my 3rd great-grandfather) is also the son of John Bray and John Cotton is his son-in-law, husband of his daughter Elizabeth.

page 77:

The state of Indiana, Switzerland County } SS

Personally appeared before me William C. Keen, a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid, John Cotton, who after being duly Sworn deposeth and Saith that he paid for forty two acres and a half of land off of the within mentioned quarter Section of land as therein Stated and further saith not.
Sworn to and Subscribed before me this 23d day of February AD 1824. William C. Keen

The next paragraph on the same page has lines drawn through it...

The state of Indiana Switzerland county }SS

Personally appeared before me William C. Keen a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid, Samuel Bray, who after being duly sworn deposeth and Saith that he paid for the balance of the within quarter section of land as mentioned in the within affidavit of Daniel Bray and further Saith not.

I have copies of the three deed transactions wherein the land in question (actually Section 25 Township 2 Range 4) was transferred in January 1823 to Daniel Bray, John Cotton, and Samuel Bray.

Switzerland County, Indiana Deed Book B p413. January 1, 1823. John and Elizabeth Bray sold to Daniel Bray 60 acres in S25 T2 R4 West for $120. Recorded November 29, 1823.

Switzerland County, Indiana Deed Book C p78-79. January 1, 1823. John Bray and Elizabeth Bray wife of the said John Bray... for the sum of ninety dollars sold to John Cotton forty two and a half acres in S25 T2 R4 West. No date given for when it was recorded. Deed prior to this one was recorded on September 15, 1825.

Switzerland County, Indiana Deed Book D p490-491. January 29, 1823. John Bray and Elizabeth Bray his wife sold to Samuel Bray for $50 Land off the north west Corner of the north East quarter of Section Twenty five Township two and Range four... The number of acres was not given. Date recorded was not given.

Document dated February 23, 1824 from Revolutionary Pension File of John Bray W4145.

Document dated February 23, 1824 from Revolutionary Pension File of John Bray W4145.

Next step? Records of the Land Office at Cincinnati...

The Evidence at Hand

2012-04-30T20:45:00.000-04:00

The Indiana Genealogical Society has a new lineage society that goes by the name of the “Territorial Guard Society of Indiana” which was formed in honor of the bicentennial of the War of 1812. To qualify you must be an Indiana Genealogical Society member who is a direct descendant of someone who lived within the boundaries of present-day Indiana on or before December 11, 1816 (the date of Indiana statehood).

In this previous post I stated that I have one possible ancestral candidate who could be considered - John Bray of Switzerland County - but the information I currently have that says he was here in 1816 is hearsay...

John Bray, my 4th Great-Grandfather, was born April 28, 1761 (251 years and 2 days ago - perhaps it is a “good omen” that I learned of the Territorial Guard Society on the 251st anniversary of his birth!). John Bray is a proven Revolutionary War Patriot who, thankfully, lived long enough to file for and receive a soldiers pension (filed June 20, 1818 in Switzerland County, Indiana). John enlisted in September 1777 in Romney, Hampshire County, Virginia as a Private in the company of Capt. William Voss - he was 16 years and 5 months old at the time of his enlistment. His pension application states that he participated in the battles of Brandywine (where he was wounded), Dela, Monmouth, in N. J. and in the taking of Stoney Point and in several small skirmishes. He was honorably discharged at York town in Pennsylvania in 1780 after having served three years, the length of his enlistment. John is buried at McKay Cemetery in Craig Township, Switzerland County, Indiana.

After the Revolutionary War, John Bray, along with his parents Henry & Cathryn Bray, and six of his adult siblings, some of whom had families of their own, left their home in Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia) and moved into the wilderness of western Virginia, to the area that would become Nelson County, Kentucky.

Henry Bray begins appearing in tax lists for the area in 1790 with a deed dated December 15, 1792 showing him purchasing 550 acres of land on Pottinger's Creek (south of Bardstown). However, John Bray and several of his brothers begin appearing on the tax lists in 1785 when John is taxed on 2 whites, 1 white tith. “Somewhere on the southern waters of Rolling and Beech Forks, westwardly of the waters of Hardings Creek." It is thought that John and several of his brothers entered the area first while his parents and other siblings followed later.

In fact, John may have been the first of his family to go into the area that would become Kentucky. In February 1781, a John Bray was one of five men examined and found to be qualified for the office of Deputy Surveyor for Lincoln County (Virginia) “whereupon they took the oath of allegiance and the oath of office.” I don't know for certain that this is my John Bray - he would have only been 19 years old at the time. He would turn 20 on April 28th. (Lincoln County was one of three counties created in 1780 from Kentucky County, Virginia. The other two were Jefferson and Fayette. On November 29, 1784 Nelson County was created from Jefferson.)

Tax lists from 1785 through 1796 show that John Bray resided in Nelson County. He was listed as having 50 acres of land in only one year, 1793. I have not (yet) done land record research on him. A John Bray appears in the Hardin County tax lists for 1799, 1800, and 1805. It could be the same man - Hardin County borders Nelson county on the west and was formed in 1792 from part of Nelson county. It has been a few years since doing this research so other tax lists as well as other resources may have become available, but John seems to have “disappeared” for a while. In 1807, John is mentioned in a deed record along with his brothers and sisters, all of whom are listed as being “of Nelson County” Kentucky. However, it is known for certain that several of those siblings were definitely not living in Nelson County at that time.

Nelson and Hardin counties in Kentucky are circled in red. The blue circle is where Switzerland County, Indiana is located.

So where was John Bray after 1797 (or 1805 if he was the John Bray in Hardin County) and until June 20, 1818 when his pension claim was filed in Switzerland County, Indiana? At this time all I can say for sure is “I don't know.”

A few years ago my cousin Caroline found an article written March 20, 1949 by Carrie Bray of Vevay, Switzerland County, Indiana. Carrie was a great-granddaughter of John Bray through his son Daniel. I don't know if this is the full article, it is what I was given.

“The first blacksmith was Nathan Morgan and son Willis. Nathan Morgan and Nancy Morgan Bray are brother and sister. The braytown Christian church was built in 1850. Our father David Bray, helped haul the brick on Ox carts.

“Great grandfather Bray, revolutionist, enlisted Sept. 1777 in Romney, Va. His wife Nancy Morgan Bray, who died before coming to Indiana, so grandfather and four sons and two daughters - Nancy, Betsy, John, James, and Samuel, and Daniel - my grandpa, his wife, Catherine Wallace Bray and their 2 children, Susan who married Meshac Lanchmen and Benjamin, never married. These are the ones Braytown was named for. The state was created 4 days after their arrival, March 5, 1816. Mr. George Craig was one of the first settlers. Mr. James Shaw named the Post Office Craig after him. The first mail carrier was in 1870.”

I have very little information on Nathan Morgan - he is on my to do list and I consider him to be one of the members of the John Bray FAN Club. Nathan may be Family, if he is indeed a brother of the wife of John Bray. (As far as I can determine, the above article is the only “documentation” available that John's wife was Nancy Morgan. Of course, her name has been posted in numerous online trees as well, sans sources.) Nathan could also be an Associate as well as a Neighbor. What I do know is that he applied for a pension based on his service during the Revolutionary War. When he filed his application on June 7, 1832 he was 80 years old and a resident of Switzerland County.

Nathan Morgan stated that he entered service in 1777 or 1778 as a volunteer and served as a private in the Virginia Militia under Captain William Love. He marched to North Carolina, and was stationed part of the time in Chirels [?] Head Mine in Montgomery County, Virginia. He did not receive discharge papers and no one that he knows of that is living can verify his service. Nathan was born in the state of Delaware on the 22nd of October 1752 and he has evidence of birth at home in his father's records. Nathan lived in Virginia prior to enlisting and resided in Virginia two years after service. He then removed to Georgia and lived there 8 years, then to South Carolina for 3 years. He lived in Kentucky about 27 years and has lived in Indiana 20 years. [Abstract from Switzerland County Probate Record Book A, page 326] If he had been a resident of Indiana for 20 years in 1832, that means he came here about 1812.

According to published cemetery transcriptions, Nathan Morgan is buried in McKay Cemetery, the same cemetery as John Bray. Also according to the published transcriptions, Find A Grave, and several online trees as well as information from another researcher (way back in 1999 and 2000), Nathan Morgan died on September 4, 1839. However, when I was in Salt Lake City last October, I happened across a record for Nathan in Switzerland County Probate Order Book 1 (page 328) dated the 17th day of October 1835 in which Lewis H. Morgan was named Administrator of the estate of Nathan Morgan based on the report of Robert McKay the 3d that “fifteen days had fully Elapsed Since the death of the Said Nathan Morgan.” An online tree shows that Nathan had a son born October 24, 1809 named Lewis Howell Morgan. That tree lists 15 children born to Nathan, from 1776-1813 by two wives, both named Elizabeth!

Administration of the Estate of Nathan Morgan, granted to Lewis H. Morgan. Switzerland County Probate Order Book 1 (page 328) dated the 17th day of October 1835.

I don't know if pursuing additional information on Nathan Morgan will provide any clues as to when John Bray arrived in Switzerland County but it may well help with the identification of his wife, reported in the above article by Carrie Bray to be Nancy Morgan, sister of Nathan.

Reviewing the article by Carrie Bray a little further, she names the children of John Bray at the time he came to Indiana as “Nancy, Betsy, John, James, and Samuel, and Daniel” but she left out one daughter, Jane. Named in his will (dated June 26, 1832) were sons John, Daniel, and Samuel and daughters Jane Ray, Elizabeth Cotton, and Nancy Culver. Also named were his second wife Elizabeth, whom he married in 1820, and their three children George, Amelia, and Sophia.

In her article, Carrie says “The state was created 4 days after their arrival, March 5, 1816.” This is either an error on her part or a transcription error on the part of my cousin. I'm hopeful, but skeptical, that the date of March 5, 1816 is actually the date John Bray and family arrived in Indiana, which was admitted on December 11, 1816 as the 19th state of these United States. Do you think the evaluation committee for the Territorial Guard Society would allow John Bray to be admitted based on Carrie's story? Not likely...

I have three versions of the pension application of John Bray! Portions of the file were printed from microfilm in the late 1990s at the Allen County Public Library (those are stuck away in storage). Twelve pages (all that were available at the time) were downloaded in 2006 from Heritage Quest. Then in 2007 I downloaded 78 pages from Footnote (now Fold3). A few pages have been transcribed but nothing that gives any clues as to when he came to Indiana. I'll be reviewing those documents as well as the few land records that were obtained at Salt Lake City in October of last year. Maybe I'll get lucky and find something of use in his pension file!

'Twas a Day of Learning

2012-04-29T21:40:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a nice day spent in the company of pleasant people - a group of genealogists! The Indiana Genealogical Society Conference was held in Fort Wayne with a little over 100 folks in attendance. I went with my friend Cindy so didn't “hang out” with the other geneabloggers. I did meet Tina Lyons at check-in (we recognized each other right away) and caught up with her again during a break in sessions. Also saw Linda Herrick Swisher and introduced myself but it was just as a session was beginning and we didn't get to talk. Harold Henderson was there but when I finally saw him in one session, he was out the door so quickly when it ended that I missed him. Some other time, perhaps.

There were two “tracks” for sessions. I attended two sessions with Debra S. Mieszala: The first was “Lessons From A Snoop: Collaterals and Associates” in which she discussed the importance of researching not just your ancestors but everyone around them. I've done quite a bit with collateral relatives but very little with associates. They could be the key to cementing relationships and there are some that I know I should follow up on.

The second session that I attended with Debra was “Digging Through Documents Word By Word” where she emphasized that relationships as we know them today are not necessarily the same as they were back in the day. Sister, brother, cousin, Junior, Senior, aunt, uncle, etc. could and often do not mean the same thing to us that they did to our ancestors. I was aware of that from personal experience - My dad called any relative older than him aunt or uncle, when in fact they were some degree of cousin. The man we all called “Uncle Howard” was actually Dad's 1st cousin once removed. Given the fact that he was 40 years older than dad, it made sense to us to call him Uncle.

The third session for me was “Becoming Expert On Using Ancestry” with Melissa Shimkus, which reinforced that there is always something new to learn. The most important thing I took away from this session was a reminder that wild card searches can be used - something that I haven't taken advantage of so much - and that there are other options to obtain alternate spellings besides soundex.

Neither Cindy nor I were interested in the last session - one tract covered Patent records (those of the inventor kind, not land patents) and the other was on creating a book using Family Tree Maker and Microsoft Word. Neither of us uses either of those programs, so we skipped out for the day and headed home.

We did attend the “Annual Meeting and Awards” session. Two friends, Charlotte Blair and Judy Richter received certificates of merit based on their work as the Whitley County Genealogist and Noble County Genealogist, respectively. They were also recognized for their many contributions to their local societies as well as with the Indiana Genealogical Society.

Other awards given at the Annual Meeting were for inductees into the Society of Civil War Soldiers of Indiana and the newest society that was created in honor of the anniversary of the War of 1812 called the Territorial Guard Society of Indiana.

My ancestors Jacob Wise and William Brubaker were part of the “first” class of inductees into the Society of Civil War Soldiers of Indiana in 2007. I have one possible ancestral candidate for the Territorial Guard Society of Indiana - John Bray of Switzerland County. But the requirements are rather stringent - you must be a “direct descendant of any person who lived within the present boundaries of the State of Indiana on or before the day of statehood on December 11, 1816.” It's going to be tough to prove since the information I currently have that says he was here in 1816 is hearsay...

I've been Slacking Off...

2012-04-22T15:45:00.000-04:00

Here it is, nearing the last week of April and it's hard to believe that I've only published three blog posts this month! You'd think with all the “extra” time I have now since I'm not traveling I'd get more accomplished. But that hasn't been the case. I have however, finally gotten to watch the entire Harry Potter series! I had never seen any of them. Now I understand why Elyse is all ga-ga over Mr. Potter! Last night I watched the first of the “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, which I had also never seen. The books were read many, many years ago but amazingly I remembered some of what took place. So you see, I have accomplished something these past few weeks...

I've had several interesting “conversations” the last few weeks with a couple of Hoffman researchers. Some tend to agree with my theory and others say no, there were two men named Michael Hoffman who married women named Maria. But no one can come up with any concrete documentation either way, not even me – yet! It is going to take “on site” research to uncover documents that aren't online to help resolve that issue. The truth is, we may never know for sure. But I haven't given up...

Last Wednesday (April 18th) I finally broke down and purchased a new laptop with Windows 7, a 750gb hard drive, and 6gb of memory. An amazing little machine that only weighs a little more than 4 pounds. Considerably heavier than the netbook I've been using but Oh, so much faster at everything! Yes, I am aware that Windows 8 will be coming out later this summer or early this fall, but the netbook was getting painful to use as a “full-time” computer. It's little hard drive was nearly full and it's 1gb of memory was terribly slow. It has served me well these last 2 ½ years and will most likely still be used on research trips - after everything except genealogy stuff is removed.

Of course, getting the new laptop ready for use has been a time-consuming process, as well as more than a little frustrating at times. But I have finally gotten the basic software that I use installed and updated to Windows 7 and they all seem to be functioning properly.

All of my data files have been transferred too. I was totally amazed by the speed at which that was done! Of course, there was an issue with the program used for the backups, which took more than four hours to resolve, but it's working and backups now take a fraction of the time they took with the netbook.

Everything considered, I am very happy with the new laptop. I just have to get used to using a larger keyboard again - some really strange looking sentences have been typed in the last few days!

Next Saturday I'll be attending the Indiana Genealogical Society Conference in Fort Wayne. I'm looking forward to meeting other Genea-bloggers who will be attending. And maybe learning a few new research tips and ideas as well.

For now... I'm back to reviewing and analyzing documents gathered during my recent visits to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. It's been going slower than anticipated, partially held up by additional research on the Hoffman family but the time spent on that “project” was well worth it...

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Baptism Records :: Four Children of Michael Hoffman

2012-04-13T16:05:00.001-04:00

These Baptisms are a part of the ancestry.com record set Montgomery > New Hanover > New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran. As always, double-click on the images for a larger version.

Portion of Image 64. First page listing Hofman baptisms (the second page did not include any baptisms of children for Michael Hoffman). It should be noted that the transcription above has an error regarding the sponsors for Joh: Dietrich Hofmann - they were actually Dietrich Schädler and wife.

Of the five children underlined above, only Joh. Dietrich was mentioned in the estate records for Michael Hoffman who died on January 6, 1777. It is presumed that the four other children were deceased prior to Michael's estate entering probate and that they had no living children. The baptism record for Dietrich was posted yesterday, below are the other four.

Baptism record from the New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran congregation.

Portion of Image 303. Anno 1749 written at top of page.

parents: Michael Hofmann and Anna Maria

child: Johannes

born: 14 November [1748]

baptized: 21 May [1749]

sponsors: Joh: Conrad Lutz and wife

Johannes would be the son of Michael Hoffman and his first wife Anna Maria. No death record has yet been found for Anna Maria (the first wife) but my theory is that she could have died from complications resulting from the birth of Johannes. Baptism records for their first four known children have not been found yet either. They may have been living in a different area of what was then Philadelphia county. (The New Hanover area would not become a part of Montgomery County until 1784.) Michael purchased his land in what would become Alsace Township, Berks County in February 1748.

Michael married his second wife, Anna Maria Engel Schedler on July 2, 1750. (See the post Questioning the Status Quo :: Oh, Maria!)

Baptism record from the New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran congregation.

Portion of Image 313. The year 1752 is written at the top of the page.

parents: Michael Hofmann and Anna Maria

child: Anna Maria

born: May 18

baptized: July 19

sponsors: Hans Jorg Schädler and wife

Baptism record from the New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran congregation.

Portion of Image 316. The year 1753 is written at the top of the page.

parents: Michael Hofmann and Maria Engel

child: Johann Michael

born: 23 May

baptized: 11 June 11

sponsors: Johann Michael Kurtz and wife

Baptism record from the New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran congregation.

Portion of Image 360. The year 1761 is written at the top of the page.

parents: Michael Hofman and Anna Maria

child: Hofman, Eva

born: 27 Sept

baptized: 22 Nov

sponsors: George Schaedler and wife

Curiosity won - and So did I...

2012-04-12T20:50:00.003-04:00

Quite often I get frustrated with using online trees, particularly those on ancestry.com but I continue to use them for clues. And sometimes you get lucky if there are sources attached, which doesn't happen all that much.

At the time I was checking these trees last week, I already had a record of Dietrich's baptism but decided to click through to see what the record was because it looked like a different source than what I had.

I was surprised to see an image. Other records of baptisms I'd seen on ancestry were like the above but without images. I was a bit disappointed because it appeared to be the same document in my files. But I clicked on through anyway.

The above is a portion of the page. The entry for Joh. Dietrich is 3rd from the bottom. Looking at it closely I noticed that his sponsors were different than the record I had. The copy I already had shows the sponsors to be Dietrich Schadler and wife while the sponsors for Johannes (just above Joh. Dietrich) were Joh. Schwenk and Regina! This is apparently another transcription of the records. But how could I know which is correct?

The other thing I noticed, which I've circled in red in the above screen shot, is the number of images for this record set. Curiosity got the better of me and I started “jumping” through the images a hundred at a time. Image 150 looked like a journal or diary as was image 250. But image 350 displayed baptism records written in German Script! I had landed on baptisms for the year 1758 so started going back 20 pages pages at a time. Image 310 was for August 1751 so back one more page and there in the lower right corner was the entry for Dietrich! How cool is that!!

Above is a portion of image number 309 with the year 1751 at the top of the page. The entry for Dietrich is on the second line. It shows that his parents (in the first column) are Michael Hofmann and Maria Engel. The second column shows Joh: Dietrich born 22 June baptized 21 July. In the third column are the sponsors Dietrich Schädler and wife. No, I don't read German but this was, luckily for me, quite legible. And of course, having the transcriptions helps.

If you have an ancestry account and are logged in you can click on this link to get to the full image. There are two pages per image and Dietrich's entry is at the bottom of the second page.

This is part of a larger collection of “Pennsylvania Church and Town Records, 1708-1985” which ancestry added and which Randy Seaver wrote about in January. Being a little more curious, today I took a look to see what all was in the Montgomery > New Hanover > New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran set. You have to have an ancestry.com account to view the images.

“A List of Baptisms from 1740 to 1825 as they appear in the records of the congregation. New Hanover Lutheran” begins with Image 1.

A Diary or Journal begins with Image 141 which is dated 1865 Cheltanham, Montgomery Co. Pa. I didn't take the time to determine the writer. It begins in 1865 and goes through 1893. There were names written throughout. The first few lines of the first image: 6th mo 8 oh 1865. Our wedding day, were married at Germantown Meeting. A warm tho. pleasant day. A good many friends to dinner, more to tea, about 50 beside our family. Our bridesmaids and groomsmen all went home with us and spent the night. They were Enos Laikin and Mary Ann Imes, William Taylor and Mary A. Ogborn, Morris Ogborn & Susan Leattergood.

Miscellaneous Documents starting with Image 267: Permission to microfilm, then documents relating to the incorporation of the German Lutheran Congregation. Some documents in German Script, later ones in English.

Baptism Records in German Script begin with image 280. They start in 1744 and continue through 1878. Marriages begin with image 683 and go from 1809- 1882.

Deaths start with Image 721. The year 1886 is on the first image and 1884 on the last of 10 images so they aren't in any kind of order.

There's a bit of the history of the congregation, lists of Members and Communicants 1855-1919, Baptisms of Infants 1885-1912, Marriages 1887-1912, Burials 1886-1913 with a notation on the last page that there were “500 funerals at New Hanover to date”, more Communicants 1906-1921.

There are 20 images of German Script dated from 1744-1765 appearing to be congregation history and old records as well as several pages of signatures (in German) dated 1765-1790. And finally, Miscellaneous Records in German Script 1766-1796 (marriages, lists of trustees).

It's truly amazing the various types of records found in this data set. Most of them are of no use to me since my ancestors were gone from Pennsylvania by the late 1790s but what I found there (the baptism record of Dietrich Hoffman) is absolutely fantastic!

Questioning the Status Quo :: Oh, Maria!

2012-04-10T15:45:00.001-04:00

While most of the Genealogy World (and apparently many “ordinary folk” as well) here in the States were all excited about the release of the 1940 census last week, I was consumed with puzzling through some information that Nick, another Hoffman descendant, had sent me – in fact, I spent two full days at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne gathering more information!

Referring to the title of this post, “Status quo” literally means “the existing state of affairs” and from indications in nearly every online family tree that I have viewed (over 50 of them on ancestry.com alone), the wife of Michael Hoffman is Maria (or Mary) Engle (or Engel). But in this post I'm going to question that premise...

When I wrote the first post on Michael Hoffman I basically “went along” with all of the other researchers in stating that Michael's wife was Mary Engel. Even going so far as to say “I find it fascinating that, apparently, Mary's maiden name was usually included in records giving her name, at least that is the case with some of the baptism records and with Michael's estate.”

After all, her name was given as Maria (Engel) in the baptism records of two of their children in “Trinity Lutheran Church - Reading, Pennsylvania: An alphabetized compilation of baptisms, marriages, and deaths from 1751-1904” prepared by Jacqueline B. Nein & Gail H. Hesser, 1988. (As usual, double-click on the images to view a larger version.)

The baptismal record of Samuel Hoffman, son of Dietrich, suggested that perhaps Michael's widow had remarried after his death in 1777:

Church record of Zion's or Spiess's Reformed and Lutheran Church, Upper Alsace Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1774-1845. Copied by William J. Hinke, July 1921. Typed April 1944.

page 10: parents: Dietrich Hoffman, Susanna
child: Samuel b. Apr. 6, 1785 bapt. May 29, 1785
sponsor: Frederick Lies & wf. Maria Engel

And in “Berks County Pennsylvania Marriages 1730-1800 volume 1” by Frederic G. Paul and Jeffrey J. Howell (HP Publishing, 1986) I found evidence of that assumption, noting however that the record does not state that both parties were widowed:

v1 59 - 21 Dec 1784 - Friedrich Lies – Exeter, Maria Hofmann

The death of Frederick's first wife was found in Berks County Church Records of the 18th Century” by F. Edward Wright (Family Line Publications, 1993):

Deaths: 1784 – March 27 – Frederick Lies's wife, b. July 13, 1736. [v1 p187: Schwartzwald Reformed Church]

Investigating things a little further while looking for Engel and Hoffman marriages I came across several rather interesting records in “Marriages and Deaths of Montgomery County Pennsylvania 1685-1800” by Charlotte Meldrum (Willow Bend Books, 1999). {Note: My Hoffman contact, Nick, had sent me a scanned page of the marriage record for Joh: Michael Hoffman but the source was not identified, thus the trip to the Allen County Public Library. It should be noted that Berks County was formed in 1752 from parts of Chester, Lancaster, and Philadelphia counties and Montgomery County was created in 1784 from Philadelphia County. I think the area where Michael Hoffman lived was originally part of Philadelphia County.}

Angel, Philip and Schmiedin, Anna Maria, md. November 24, 1748, at New Hanover. [p84 Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trappe – 3rd entry in image below]

Hofman, Joh: Michael, widower, and Schedlerin, Engel, md. July 2, 1750, in New Hanover township. [p85 Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trappe - 2nd entry in image below]

At first glance, the names Schmiedin and Schedlerin looked very similar and I thought perhaps that Anna Maria Schmiedin Angel could have been widowed and married Michael Hofman as her second husband. But then, I found the record below and realized that if “Engel Schedlerin” had been a widow, it should have stated that fact in the record. It should also be noted that the “in” at the end of a German surname simply indicates the feminine form of the name, thus Schmiedin and Schedlerin are actually Schmied and Schedler and appear to be two distinct surnames.

Schmied, Walter, widower and Scheidin, Anna Maria, widow, md. August 12, 1750, in Coventry township. [p85 Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trappe]

Another entry on the same page (5th entry in above image) was interesting because of the Schädler surname, which could be the “real” spelling of Schedler. It should also be noted that, according to documents in his estate file, Michael Hoffman had a daughter “Dorothea Now the Wife of Henry Shedler”.

Schädler, Johan Jürg, widower and Bechtelin, Anna Maria, widow, Jürg, md. August 7, 1750. [p85 Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trappe]

Another source (shown above) was found for the marriage of Joh: Michael Hoffman and Engel Schedlerin. If possible, it would be rather nice to find the original record, if still available, but two transcriptions of the record seem to indicate that the names are probably correct.

Going back to that marriage record for Joh: Michael Hofman and Engel Schedlerin, I got to thinking that perhaps Engel was a misspelling of Angel and that Angel or Engel was one of Maria's given names. Below are all of the records found for Maria in “Berks County Church Records of the 18th Century” by F. Edward Wright (Family Line Publications, 1993) where she is listed as a parent or sponsor, and assuming that she also married Friederich Lies. Entries are listed by date, and yes, there are quite a few entries, which makes this post really long, but I think they are crucial to my theory regarding her name:

Maria Barbara Westlie, daughter of Salomon and Maria Elizabeth, b. January 3, 1753 bapt. - - . Sponsors Michael and Anna Maria Hoffman. [v1 p14 - St. Gabriel's Church]
Michael Close son of Peter and Elisabetha, born October - -, baptized April 11, 176-. Sponsors: Michael Hoffman and wife Maria. [v1. p227 - St. Paul's Church, Amityville, Pa]
Anna Barbara of Michael Hoffman and Maria Engel, b. October 22, 1765; bapt. November 27, 1765, Sponsors: Georg Schwarz and wife Anna Barbara. [v5 p52 - Trinity Lutheran Church Reading]
Jacob Fritz son of Joh. Martin and Sarah, born October 2, 1767, baptized February 21, 1768. Sponsors: Michael Hofman and wife Anna Maria. [v1. p229 - St. Paul's Church, Amityville, Pa]
John Barefoot son of Samuel and Jenny, born May 30, 1768, baptized October 16, 1768. Sponsors: Michael Hoffman and wife Anna Maria. [v1. p230 - St. Paul's Church, Amityville, Pa]
Johannes of Michael Hoffmann and Maria Engel, b. May 3, 1770; bapt. June 3, 1770. Sponsors: Johannes Koch and Eva. [v5 p71 - Trinity Lutheran Church Reading]

{rwNote: Michael Hoffman died January 6, 1777. Maria Hoffman married Frederick Lies on 21 Dec 1784.}

Johann Friederich Lies son of Peter and - - , b. Dec 4, 1785, bapt. March 20, 1786. Sponsors: Johann Friederich Lies and wife Maria Angel. [v1 p52- Schwartzwald Reformed Church] {rwNote: I think it is highly unlikely that her maiden name would have been used in a baptismal record, especially given the fact that she was married twice, assuming of course that she was married to both Michael Hoffman and Friederich Lies.}
Jacob Mueller son of Jacob and - - , b. 8 mos last Thursday, bapt. March 20, 1786. Sponsors: Johann Friederich Lies and wife Maria Angel. [v1 p53 - Schwartzwald Reformed Church]
Anna Maria Engle daughter of Elisabeth and ---, b. 8 wks old, bapt. June 29, 1787. Sponsor: Anna Maria Engel. [v1 p57 - Schwartzwald Reformed Church] {rwNote: am including this simply for reference because of her name.}
Anna Maria Schroeder daughter of Engel b. August 9, 1794 bapt. January 18, 1795. Sponsors: Henrich Lies and wife Anna Maria. [v1 p108 - Schwartzwald Reformed Church] {rwNote: is Engel a first name in this record?}
Maria Elisabeth Hoffman daughter of Christian and - - , b. October 5, 1785, bapt. November 20, - - . Sponsors: Jacob Koch and Maria Angelina Hoffman. [v4 p41 - Zion's or Spiess's Reformed and Lutheran Church] {rwNote: including this record for reference to the name Angelina. At this point, I don't know how or if Maria Angelina Hoffman is related to “my” Hoffman family.}
Daniel Ganser son of Andrew and - - , b. November 2, 1786, bapt. December 26, - - . Sponsors: Frederick Lies and Anna Maria. [v4 p42 - Zion's or Spiess's Reformed and Lutheran Church]
Maria Catharine Hoffman daughter of Henry and Susanna, b. July 26, 1790, bapt. July 10, 1791. Sponsors: Frederick Lies and wife Maria. [v4 p44 - Zion's or Spiess's Reformed and Lutheran Church]
Joh Heinrich Hoffman of Michael Hoffman and Elisabeth, born May 8, 1789, bapt. August 30. Sponsors: Friedfrich [sic] Lies and wife Maria. [v4 p173 – Christ Church on Bieber Creek (Mertz)]

Other than those for Maria, there were few entries for the Angel/Engel surname and even fewer for the Schädler (Schaedler, Schedler) surname. I'll be looking at those records as well as others and attempting to find out more information on the people mentioned.

Baptismal records in “The Lutheran Church in New Hanover (Falckner Swamp) Montgomery County, Penna. by Rev. J. J. Kline, which was published in v20 of The Pennsylvania-German Society Proceedings (Lancaster, Pa, 1911) page 261 provides additional clues to a possible Schädler connection:

{I've rearranged the records according to date of birth...}

Hofmann, Johannes... Nov. 14, 1748... May 22, 1749... Michael and Anna Maria... Joh. Conrad Lutz and wife {rwNote: This baptism is prior to Michael's marriage to Engel Schederlin, indicating that his first wife was also named Anna Maria. Good grief!}
Hofmann, Joh. Dietrich... June 22, 1751... July 22, 1751... Michael and Maria Engel... Dietrich Schädler and wife {rwNote: Dietrich Hoffman was the first child born to Michael and his second wife.}
Hofmann, Anna Maria... May 18, 1752... July 19, 1752... Michael and Anna Maria... Hans Jorg Schaedler and wife
Hofmann, Johann Michael... May 27, 1753... June 11, 1753... Michael and Maria Engel... Johann Michael Kurtz and wife
Hofman, Eva... Sept. 27, 1761... Nov. 22, 1762... Michael and Anna Maria... George Schaedler and wife

If you've made it this far, I congratulate you!

My premise or theory that questions the status quo regarding the wife of Michael Hoffman is that Maria was born “Anna Maria Engel Schedler” and that the “Engel” referred to in the baptismal records is simply recording her given name. It just does not make sense to me that her maiden name would be given in those "Lies" records, particularly if she was married twice. Of course, this theory hinges on the two marriage records noted near the beginning of this terribly long post and assuming that she is the same person in both records: Engel Schedler(in) marries Joh: Michael Hoffman and after his death marries Friederick Lies. Of course, there is always the chance that there was more than one Michael Hoffman in this area. I haven't done enough investigation yet to determine that possibility.

Oh, and if my theory pans out, I think it also confirms the misgivings mentioned in this post on the Heirs of Michael:

“Now, I don't know about you, but that's quite a span of years with the oldest child being 36 and the youngest being only 4 years old. Call me skeptical, but I'm thinking that Maria Engel may have been Michael's second wife. If she is the mother of all 13 children, she would likely be into her 50s when she had the last child. Possible, I suppose. But I don't have a date of birth or place of birth for Maria or Michael.”

What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts, dear readers, and especially anyone researching this Hoffman family (Michael or Dietrich or their children). Please leave a comment or send me an email at kinexxions “at” gmail “dot” com. At the very least, this information should give us all researching this family something to think about...

And one last little thing... my contact Nick also provided me with information about the possible parents of Michael Hoffman, so you haven't read the last about this family just yet! I can't thank him enough for sending me the information and copies of documents. Thanks, Nick!

For previous posts see the Hoffman-Huffman Family :: Index to Posts

The Dunfee Family :: Children of Mary Bonnett Lovett

2012-03-31T06:00:00.048-04:00

See this previous post for information on Mary Dunfee who married Isaac Bonnett and James Hanson Lovett. Mary was the mother of eight children, five with Isaac and three with James.

1. Rebecca Bonnett was born about 1836. She is listed in census records with her mother from 1850 through 1870 and is listed as age 14, 24, and 34, respectively. In 1870, Mary Lovette is head of household but Rebecca Bonett is listed as owning real estate valued at $8,850 and has a personal estate of $1,390. Rebecca's occupation is “works at home”. In 1860 she was listed as a seamstress.

According to Holmes County, Ohio marriage records, a Rebecca Bonnett was married on October 31, 1876 to Richard Pawers. They were found living in Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas in 1880, 1900, and 1910. However, I am not convinced that this is the right Rebecca Bonnett!

Why? Well, the 1880 census shows that Richard Powers has an 18 year old step son named John Bonnett who was born in Ohio. There is also a 3-year old son James Powers. The 1900 census shows that Richard and Rebecca have been married 24 years, which would put their year of marriage at about 1876, which means they are likely the ones married in Holmes County. Rebecca is listed as born in July 1836. She was the mother of two children, both living. And, in 1910 the census shows that Rebecka was married twice.

The Ohio Marriages database on FamilySearch were searched for a Rebecca marrying a Bonnett but came up empty. The 1870 census was also searched for Rebecca Bonnett born about 1838 and John Bonnett born about 1862.

So... since the Rebecca Bonnett who married Richard Pawers/Powers is probably not the right person, I really do not have any information on her beyond the 1870 census. She was not found in the 1880 census.

2. Isaac D. Bonnett was born July 30, 1838. He married Sophronia Greenlee on June 15, 1865 in Ashland County, Ohio. Isaac was a farmer. He died December 27, 1877 and Sophronia died February 16, 1879. They are both buried in the Pioneer/Old Sixteen Cemetery in Ashland County, Ohio. They were the parents of five children: Henry Bonnett (born about 1866), Isaac Dean Bonnett (born December 21, 1867 died July 12, 1942), Nettie Bonnett (born about 1869), Louie Bonnett (born August 23, 1873 died March 16, 1874), and Bertie L. Bonnett (born December 16, 1876 died August 11, 1877).

Louie and Bertie are buried beside their parents in the Pioneer/Old Sixteen Cemetery. Holmes County Will Book 2 show that Sophronia's estate was probated on February 28, 1879. The will lists daughter Nettie (she got the picture album) and sons, Henry and Dean. I have no information on Henry. Nettie was listed with her grandmother, Mary Lovett, in the 1880 census but I have nothing further on her.

Isaac Dean was married on February 28, 1895 to Josephine Van Numman in Wayne County, Ohio. They were the parents of two children: Isaac Donald Bonnett (1895-1942) and Martha Bonnett (born about 1909). According to the Find A Grave memorial for Isaac Donald he died on May 3, 1942 at Camp O'Donnell in the Philippine Islands with burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

3. George Bonnett was born about 1840. In May 2008, I wrote about him as the “news boy” who left a $20,000 estate. It was an undated newspaper article and at that time I didn't know when he had died, guesstimating that it was after 1910. The article stated that George was the proprietor of a corner news stand. He had in his possession a letter written to him before 1876 (it was “more than 35 years old” at the time) from his brother Isaac and that letter led authorities to his next of kin.

Since then I've found several records that I thought might be him (still not sure of the first two):

An 1888 Illinois Voter Registration on ancestry.com listed George Bonnett residing at 128 Harrison St. No City was given on the record. His nativity was Ohio, he had resided in the precinct for 7 years, in the county 10 years, and in the state for 17 years.
An 1889-1890 City Directory for Quincy, Illinois (also on ancestry.com) listed George H. Bonnet as an apprentice on The Patriot, presumably a newspaper.
And, most recently on FamilySearch, a Cook County Illinois Death Record that shows George Bonnett died on December 11, 1911 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois of pneumonia with exhaustion as a contributory factor. His age is given as 63 years with a birth date of 1848, which is off a bit since census records show that he was 10 years old in 1850 and 20 in 1860. His birthplace was listed as United States. His occupation was Paper Deliverer for the Daily Tribune and his address was the Harrison Hotel. His former occupation was miner, which might have been how he accumulated such a large sum of money. He was single and had been a resident of the City and State for 15 years. George was buried on December 14, 1911 in Rosehill Cemetery.

4. Albert Bonnett abt 1842. He was not found in the 1860 or later census records. No further information.

5. Henry Bonnett abt 1844. He was not found in the 1870 or later census records. No further information.

6. Charles M. Lovett was born January 11, 1851 near Lakeville in Holmes County, Ohio and died December 9, 1935 in Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio. There is an extensive biography of him published in volume 3 (pages 1173-1174) of the “History of North Central Ohio : Embracing Richland, Ashland, Wayne, Medina, Lorain, Huron and Knox Counties” in 1931. He married Vera A. Powell on November 27, 1871. They adopted a daughter, Iva, who married Henry S. Palmer. Iva and Henry had one son Charles Lovett Palmer. Iva died on December 27, 1941. Her death record on FamilySearch lists her husband as Harry S. Palmer.

Charles held a variety of jobs. He was first a farmer and stockman. He was elected county treasurer of Wayne County in 1891 for two terms; was manager of the Wooster Shale Brick Paving Company; agent of the Southwestern Railway Company; president of the Millersburg, Wooster & Orrville Telephone Company; and vice president of the Wayne Building & Loan Company of Wooster.

7. Alveretta Jo Lovett was born about 1852 and died in March 1948. She was married on May 1, 1877 to William H. Shipp in Holmes County, Ohio. In 1900 they resided in Gilead Township, Morrow County, Ohio where William was a Grocer and sold General Merchandise. By that time they had had 6 children but only 4 were living. Their 18 year old son Fred was an Apprentice Turner while 16 year old Ernest was and Apprentice Jeweler. Twelve year old Harry was in school while 5 year old Vincent wasn't. They also had a 25 year old servant, Deborah Long, living with them.

In 1910, the William H. Shipp family is residing in Mount Vernon, Knox County, Ohio where William works in a furniture store. Son Harry, age 22, is recently married (to 17 year old Mabel) and does General Engine Work. Son Vincent, 15 years old, also resides with them.
The family wasn't located in 1920, but in 1930 William and Alveretta were living on North 10th street in Kansas City, Kansas. They owned their home, which was valued at $5,000 and William was retired.

Alveretta Lovett and William H. Shipp were the parents of six children: Nellie Edith Shipp (born March 29, 1878 died September 4, 1878 buried in Plum Run Cemetery, Holmes County), George Hazlett Shipp (born May 28, 1879 died January 6, 1887 also buried in Plum Run Cemetery), Fred Lovett Shipp (born July 13, 1881), Charles Ernest Eugene Shipp (born October 1883), Harry Herbert Shipp (born March 22, 1888 died October 1971), and Roger Vincent Shipp (born February 8, 1895).

8. Franklin E. Lovett was born March 28, 1858 in Holmes County, Ohio and died July 2, 1900 in Wayne County, Ohio. He was married in Holmes County on April 22, 1880 to Ida Barton. They were the parents of three children: Mary Maudie Lovett (born September 16, 1881 died January 13, 1887), Grace G. Lovett (born July 31, 1883 died December 10, 1974), and Glen Barton Lovett (born February 2, 1886).

Mary Maudie is buried in Newkirk Cemetery, Wayne County, Ohio near her parents. According to the death notice of Alveretta Lovett Shipp dated March 26, 1948 and published in the The Loudonville (Ohio) Times, Alveretta was “an aunt of Mrs. James Drumm of Wooster” which can only be Grace Lovett but I didn't find a marriage record for them in the Ohio Marriages database on FamilySearch. Glenn Barton Lovett married Mary Nice on October 5, 1910 in Wayne County, Ohio.

Sources are available upon request. If you are researching any of these families, please contact me at kinexxions "at" gmail "dot com.

The Dunfee Family :: Mary Bonnett Lovett

2012-03-30T16:55:00.001-04:00

This is the third installment in the series started in December 2011 on the presumed children of James and Sophia (Hazlett) Dunfee. Additional information on the Dunfee family can be found in Dunfee Family :: Index to Posts.

A biography of Mary's son Franklin E. Lovett, published in 1889 in the “Commemorative Biographical Record of Wayne and Holmes Counties, Ohio" (pages 641-642) states that Mary (Dunnfee) Lovett came to Ohio with her parents. “James Dunnfee was born in North Carolina in 1786, and died at the age of seventy-six years; his parents came from Ireland. Sophia (Hazelett) Dunnfee was born in Pennsylvania, her parents having been driven from Scotland during the religious persecutions.” Census records for James Dunfee indicate that he was actually born in Pennsylvania.

Mary Dunfee was born March 19, 1816 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. She was first married to Isaac Bonnet on March 25, 1836 in Wayne County, Ohio. He died on February 2, 1846. Two years after Isaac's death, on March 28, 1850, she was married to James Hanson Lovett in Holmes County, Ohio.

Census records from 1850 through 1880 show Mary Lovett residing in Washington Township, Holmes County, Ohio. In 1850 (page 287) she is listed with her second husband, James Lovett, and her five children from her first marriage. They are listed on the same page as her parents, James and Sophia, as well as the household of a brother, Jonathan.

From the above mentioned biography of Franklin E. Lovett we learn that James Hanson Lovett “was born September 7, 1823, and when seventeen years of age began teaching, an occupation he followed several years during the winter months, being engaged in the summers in farming.”

The “History of North Central Ohio : Embracing Richland, Ashland, Wayne, Medina, Lorain, Huron and Knox Counties” (v3 pg 1173-1174) published in 1931, contains a biography of Charles M. Lovett, son of James and Mary. It states that James Hanson Lovett was a native of Ohio, that he died at the age of 44, and is buried at Millersburg, Ohio.

Page 216 of the 1860 census for Washington Township, Holmes County, Ohio (post office Nashill) shows what could be considered a somewhat confusing family dynamic.

Twenty year old George Bonett is listed as the head of household in dwelling 1482, family 1504. With him are 15 year old Henry Bonett, 10 year old Charles Lovett, 8 year old Eva R. Lovett, and 5 year old Franklin Lovett. All were born in Ohio. George and Henry are farm hands.

In the next dwelling (1483, family 1505) we find Mary Lovett as head of household. She is a 42 year old widow with real estate valued at $4,000 and a personal estate valued at $700. Mary was listed as born in Pennsylvania. Listed with her were 24 year old Rebecca, a seamstress; 22 year old Isaac, a farmer and three children with the Ship surname: Susan M, age 13; John H., age 11, and William H., age 9. All except Mary were born in Ohio.

It is possible that there may have been two dwellings on the Lovett farm and perhaps the Ship children were visiting at the time. They were neighbors of Mary Lovett. In 1850 (page 288) The David Shipp family included a one year old male named John and a three year old female named Malcom in the along with seven other individuals. In 1860 the David Ship family is on page 215 (dwelling 1481, family 1503). In 1877, Mary's daughter Alveretta Jo Lovett would be married to William H. Shipp.

Mary Dunfee Bonnett Lovett died on March 25, 1900 at the age of 84. Census records through 1880 show her residing in Washington Township, Holmes County, Ohio. Mary is buried next to her first husband, Isaac Bonnett, in the Pioneer/Old Sixteen Cemetery in Lake Township, Ashland County, Ohio. Mary was the mother of eight children, five with Isaac Bonnett and three with James Lovett.

To be continued... see The Dunfee Family :: Children of Mary Bonnett Lovett

Hoffman-Huffman Family :: Index to Posts

2012-03-25T22:50:00.005-04:00

This is an "Index" to posts on the Hoffman-Huffman family. I'd love to hear from anyone related to these people, or anyone who might have additional information on them. Please contact me at kinexxions@gmail.com

Susannah Huffman (my 3rd great-grandmother) was born on March 9, 1804 and was the 2nd of eleven children born to John and Catharine (Coy) Hoffman. Her obituary states that she was born in Columbiana County, Ohio but her census records from 1850-1870 show that she was born in Pennsylvania.

According to family Bible Records and her obituary, Susannah was married to John D. Berlin on February 16th, 1826 (probably in Columbiana County, Ohio although no marriage record has been found for them). They would become the parents of ten children and would move to Portage County, Ohio in 1846 and 18 years later to Elkhart County, Indiana where they would live for the remainder of their lives. See Berlin Family :: Index to Posts for information on their family.

Susannah's parents, Catharine Coy and John Hoffman were married October 24, 1801 in Washington County, Maryland. Sometime between 1804-1806 they moved to Columbiana County, Ohio where they raised their family of eleven children.

Dietrich and Susannah (Alder) Hoffman came from Franklin County, Pennsylvania (which borders Washington County, Maryland) to Columbiana County, Ohio at the same time as John and Catharine. Evidence suggests that “my” John is the son of Dietrich and Susannah but complications arose when I discovered that there was more than one man named John Hoffman residing in Columbiana County at the same time.

Going on the presumption that Dietrich was indeed the father of “my” John Hoffman, I continued research on that line which led to Michael Hoffman of Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Additional research certainly needs to be done to ensure that the connections given here are valid. Below are the posts that have been written on this family thus far:

The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: Susannah & John - - March 04, 2012 - - Documents the “link” between Susannah and John, primarily through his estate papers.

The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: John & Dietrich - - March 06, 2012 - - Discusses the fact that there was more than one man named John Huffman/Hoffman living in Columbiana County during the same time period, 1808-1860, and attempts to make the case that “my” John Hoffman is the son of Dietrich.

The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: Detrick - - March 08, 2012 - - Provides documentation and information about Dietrich/Detrick Hoffman's life and estate file, including a list of heirs who filed a Petition for Partition of his real estate. Also lists the available evidence indicating the possibility that “my” John is indeed the son of Dietrich.

The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: Michael - - March 14, 2012 - - Presents the information that was found on Michael and Maria (Engel) Hoffman in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: Heirs of Michael - - March 15, 2012 - - Documents from Michael's estate files show that he had 13 children living at the time of his death with their ages ranging from 36 to 4 years of age.

Questioning the Status Quo :: Oh, Maria! - - April 10, 2012 - - It appears that Michael Hoffman was married twice. This post presents the possibility that the maiden name of Michael Hoffman's second wife was Schedler and that Engel is one of her given names rather than her surname. Marriage records and baptismal records provide the basis for this theory.

Curiosity won - and So did I - - April 12, 2012 - - The original baptism record was found for Dietrich Hoffman!

Baptism Records :: Four Children of Michael Hoffman - - April 13, 2012 - - Baptism records from the New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran congregation (in what is now Montgomery County, Pennsylvania) for four children who were not mentioned in the 1777 estate records for Michael. They are presumed to have died, without children, before the estate entered probate.

If you are researching this family, please contact me at kinexxions@gmail.com

Originally Posted on March 25, 2012 :: Last Updated on April 13, 2012

The Grand Canyon :: Navajo Point and Desert View

2012-03-20T03:00:00.006-04:00

Navajo Point is the last viewpoint before arriving at Desert View. Quite Spectacular. Indeed.

And a closer view of The River.

And this is how it looks from Desert View. The exterior of the Watch Tower was being renovated the last time I was here and this area was not accessible. I think the little blue wheelbarrow adds something to the picture, I'm just not sure what!

A slightly closer shot of the same view as above.

Each one of the stones used in construction of the Watch Tower was reportedly selected by the architect Mary Jane Colter. She also determined where each stone was to be placed.

I did go inside and was going to go up but after the first few steps, my legs cried out “no way” so I turned around. I was completely enthralled by the interior and took plenty of photos the last time, which you can see here.

The view to the east, looking out over the desert. The Little Colorado Gorge lies a few miles away and the terrain is still quite rugged.

And so, as the road to Desert View comes to an end, so too does this Journey of mine... I've made it safely back to Indiana. I'm Home Again. Thank you to everyone who has followed along, I'm so glad you could join me for the ride...

For those of you who are feeling the need for a bit of adventure, my cousins Sue & Fred will be hiking into the Grand Canyon in a few weeks. Then they will be traveling in the West and in May will follow the coast north and “driving” to Alaska via the Marine Highway. They will be spending the Summer Up North! I wish them well in their journey and will be following along virtually, as many of you have been following me...

The Grand Canyon :: Moran Point & Hance Rapids

2012-03-19T05:00:00.015-04:00

At Moran Point, I parked on the east side of the parking lot, and as I got out of the van this was what I saw! The Colorado River can be seen more frequently on the eastern side of the park because the canyon walls are not quite so steep.

Walking to the western side of the viewpoint, the view was even more breathtaking. If you look closely a little to the right of the center of the picture you can see the Hance Rapids. (Better seen if you double-click on the image to get a larger version.)

There was an area to the left and below the viewing area that provided a better view. The lighting was fantastic and really showed off the colors of the Canyon.

Zooming in a little closer... A small tour group showed up while I was there and the guide explained that the Hance Rapids were the largest in the Canyon. He said the waves were 12-15 feet high and the rapids were 200 feet across! Wherever a tributary joins the Colorado there will be rapids, partly from the debris carried into the river by the tributary.

The camera set at the maximum 30x zoom and from a slightly different angle. It looks a little “rough” but still doesn't look like the waves are all that big. Like many things in life, it's just a matter of perspective...

One Last Chance...

2012-03-18T11:45:00.002-04:00

Thursday, March 15th - - As I was driving east along Interstate 40 I decided to take the time to visit one of my favorite places – after all, I might not get back this way again, at least not any time soon. The Grand Canyon is only about 60 miles north of I-40 and it was simply not possible for me to pass it by, especially after I checked the weather report and found that it was going to be a beautiful day!

It was about 11:30 in the morning when I arrived to find the parking lots nearly full. I certainly wasn't expecting that!

Like most visitors, the first place I went was to Mather Point. As you can see, it was a bit crowded.

But the view from Mather Point is worth bumping elbows with other visitors or having to wait until someone moves away from the railing so you can get that “perfect” shot. The weather could not have been better. The temperature was in the low 60s and there was barely a breeze blowing. Also, the “blue haze” wasn't too bad either.

Because there were so many people and I had only a few hours, I decided to skip the western end of the rim trail. You had to walk or take the shuttle buses to see that side of the canyon and I had walked much of it the last time I was here. Instead, I went to get some lunch and then take the drive along the road to Desert View at the eastern end of the park.

While in the cafeteria line I learned why there were so many people here – it's Spring Break! I should have known but the thought just never crossed my mind.

It was a leisurely drive to Desert View (over four hours to drive 30 miles!) with stops at nearly every viewpoint along the way and spending as much time as desired at each one. The further along the drive, the fewer people there were. I took lots of pictures, but I also took time to simply sit in the sunshine and enjoy the gorgeous day and the awesome views.

The view from Grandview Point near the beginning of Desert View Drive.

This tree is amazing. Beyond words.

It looks so close, but 'tis far away. I think that foreground area is Cedar Ridge!

There will be a few more posts on my short visit to the Grand Canyon... so many pictures, and such a beautiful day!

Homeward Bound...

2012-03-16T05:00:00.016-04:00

Not quite two years ago (April 5, 2010) after I had been on this Journey for seven months, Craig Manson asked me “How long will you be traveling?” My response was “Till I’m done!” Well, folks, I'm done! And I'm tired...

I woke up last Saturday morning with the realization that I didn't want to go to California. I didn't want the hassle and stress of driving in the horrendous traffic. I just didn't want to deal with any of it. This may sound absurd, but anywhere I'd want to go in California, I've already been. Besides, I'm tired. Yes, there are a few people I'd like to have visited – cousins and friends – but, quite frankly, the traffic and dealing with the weather have taken it's toll. I'm done! And I'm tired...

So, I spent a few days in northwest Arizona mulling things over, trying to determine if this was just a little funk I was in. But it wasn't. I really don't want to go anywhere else either. It's too early to go north and the arid southwest seems, well, quite honestly, not all that appealing right now. Besides, I'm done! And I'm tired...

It has been a marvelous Journey. I can still feel the cold spray of water falling on my face at Niagara Falls and the brisk morning air of that first fall in Vermont. I can see the stillness of the ocean while kayaking in Belfast Harbor and smell the ocean air after a storm at Kennebunk Beach. I see the fog rising from the valleys of Shenandoah National Park, and the sunsets. Oh! The Glorious Sunsets!

I can smell the decaying leaves in the “rain forest” and feel the “sponginess” of the earth beneath my feet in Olympic National Park. I was awed by Mount Rainier and amazed at the deep blue color of Crater Lake. From east coast to west coast and so many places in between. The things I've seen. The things I've done. I went halfway down into the Grand Canyon – and made it back up to the Rim! I went up to the top of Angels Landing – and safely down again. And Alaska! I drove to Alaska! Can you believe it? So many thoughts are going through my mind, so many memories, so many wondrous sights. In one sense, yes, it is over. But in another sense, it will never be over...

But the fact is, it is done. It is time to go home. Back to Indiana. There is a part of me that is sad because it's over. But there is a bit of relief as well. It's time to move on to the next phase, whatever it might be.

But that doesn't mean my traveling days are forever over... I still have a research trip to take into Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and maybe New York. If not this summer, then next. Depending upon how long it takes me to sort through all of the documents I scanned at the Family History Library! And I'm trying to talk my cousin Babs into taking that “Joslin Heritage Tour” that had to be canceled. When that will happen depends upon her schedule.

In my post announcing this Journey on August 3, 2009 I wrote

“I believe in serendipity. Not just in family research, but in travel also. As one door closes, another opens… one phase ends, another begins. I'm a little nervous and a lot excited about the prospects of this journey but I feel it is the right thing for me to be doing at this particular time. The stars have aligned. It's time to go.”

Yes, I do believe. It is time to go. Home.

However, it's not quite over, yet. I've still got 1750 miles to go and I did make one last “touristy” stop yesterday...

A Side Trip to Rhyolite

2012-03-15T19:15:00.001-04:00

Friday, March 9th - - Today was a lazy day. I spent much of the morning hanging around the campsite soaking up some sunshine. Then another camper told me about the “ghost town” of Rhyolite just across the state line in Nevada. It was a 60+ mile drive from the campground and the “real” town of Beatty was a few miles further. At Beatty I filled up the gas tank with regular unleaded for just $3.67 per gallon. At the two stations in Death Valley National Park it was nearly $6.00 per gallon! Maybe not worth the drive specifically to fill up but since I was already there it was definitely worth it!

I have to admit, Rhyolite didn't do much for me. I got there around noon so the harsh desert lighting was even harsher than normal. There were only three buildings of any real interest. All of the others were little more than piles of debris.

This was the tallest and biggest building still standing.

The same building as above, from a different viewpoint.

I just love the blue accent of the corners.

The village Mercantile store.

This house was built of glass bottles embedded in concrete! It is surrounded by a tall fence, presumably to protect it from vandals. It looked like it was in pretty good condition.

Glass bottles embedded in concrete.

A “side-yard” was filled with these little structures made of concrete and bits of glass.

Lovely Lavender.

The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: Heirs of Michael

2012-03-15T05:00:00.033-04:00

The first document listing the heirs of Michael Hoffman was dated May 15, 1778 and was the Petition for Partition of the Real Estate.

Estate of Michael Hoffman

Berks County, Pennsylvania Probate Files

Family History Microfilm 1653590 Accessed February 11, 2012

To the Honorable the Justice of the Peace of the County of Berks at an Orphan's holden at Reading the 15th day of May in the Year of our Lord 1778.

The petition of Martin Hoffman, eldest Son and Heir at Law of Michael Hoffman late of Alsace Township in said County Yeoman deceased.

Humbly Sheweth That your said Petitioners Father Michael Hoffman died the 6th Day of January Anno Dom. 1777. leaving a Widow, named Mary and twelve children, to wit. Your Petitioner aged thirty six Years, Dorothea Now the Wife of Henry Shedler of the Age of thirty Years, Burghard Hoffman of the Age of thirty three Years, Dietrich of the Age of Twenty seven Years, Christian of the age of twenty three Years, Elisabeth of the Age of Nineteen Years, Henry of the Age of Eighteen Years, Catherine of the Age of fifteen Years, Barbara of the Age of twelve Years, Michael of the Age of twelve ten years, John the age of six Years & Mary of the Age of four Years all thereabouts.

That the said petitioners Father died Intestate Seized in his Demise as of Fee of and in A certain messuage on Tenement and Tract or Parcel of two hundred Acres of Land Situate in Alsace Township aforesaid.

Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Honours would be pleased to award an Inquest to divide the Said Estate among the said Children, if the Same can so be, without prejudice to or Spoiling the same, and if not to Value and Appraize the said Real Estate of the said Decedent, Agreeable to the Directions of the Law in Such Case made and provided.

And your Petitioner as in duty bound will pray, Martin Hoffman

The next document, also dated May 15, 1778 was the Inquisition ordering the Sheriff to have an appraisal made of the land which Michael Hoffman owned. I'm not going to transcribe the entire thing here because it basically reiterates what was in the Petition for Partition listing the heirs. However, even though it still says there were twelve children, the name Philip is inserted after Martin's age and just before the name of Dorothea.

Top portion of a document in the probate file ordering the Sherriff to have an appraisal made of the land which Michael Hoffman owned.

On June 9, 1778 the real estate was appraised by “twelve free honest and lawful men” who found that the land could not be parted and divided among the children “without prejudice to or spoiling the whole thereof” and it was appraised at seven hundred pounds.

Petition of Maria Hoffman stating that there were 13 children of Michael Hoffman and requesting that guardians be named for the four minor children under the age of 14.

To the Honble the Justices of the orphans Court of Berks county held at Reading the 14th day of August 1778.

The petition of Maria Hoffman Administratrix of Michael Hoffman Late of the said County Yeoman Deceased

Honorably Showeth That the said Michael Hoffman Lately died Intestate leaving 13 Children and a Considerable Real & Personal Estate to and among whom the same does Descend.
That our Petitioner has administered to the said Estate as the Widow & Relict of sd Decd.
She therefore humbly prays your honour Would be pleased to appoint Some proper persons As Guardians to take care of the persons & Estates of the the Minor Children of the said Deceased, to wit, Barbara, Michael, John & Maria All under the age of fourteen years.

And your Petitioner Will over & pray.
Maria Hoffman {her mark}

The Orphan's Court Journal (v2 p248) shows that Jacob Lanciscus and Paul Feger were appointed Guardians of the four minor children under the age of fourteen. Also, guardians were appointed for the four minor children above the age of fourteen: Henry chose George Babb, Elisabeth chose Frederick Shleare, and Catherine chose Jacob Lanciscus.

On that same day (August 14, 1778) a document setting forth the amounts to be distributed to the heirs was filed (see below). However, the distribution wasn't actually made on that day. It seems that “Martin Hoffman Should hold & Enjoy the Real Estate of his said father Valued as aforsd to him & his Heirs forever According to Law” but that Martin was to pay equal shares to the younger children.

There is a document in the probate file showing that Dietrich filed a claim and was paid his share (₤33-6-8) of the real estate on August 16, 1779. Martin then sold the land for ₤1500 Pounds on October 1, 1779 to Daniel Schrader (Deed Book 7 p199). The land had been appraised at ₤700 and Dietrich received his distribution based upon the appraised value. I wonder what Martin paid the other children?

As an aside, the deed tells us that Michael Hoffman purchased the tract of land, which was then in the County of Philadelphia, and which contained 166 acres, on February 22, 1768 from Bernhard Keller.

Distribution of Real Estate of Michael Hoffman

Berks County, Pennsylvania Probate Files

Family History Microfilm 1653590 Accessed February 11, 2012

Combining information from baptism records and documents in the probate file, we can say with some degree of certainty that the heirs of Michael Hoffman were (ages, thereabout, given as of May 15, 1778):

Martin, age 36, born about 1742
Philip, age not given (probably 34-35 years old, born about 1743-1744?)
Burghard, age 33, born about 1745
Dorothea, age 30, wife of Henry Shedler, born about 1748
Dietrich, age 27, born about 1751
Christian, age 23, born about 1755
Elizabeth, age 19, born about 1759
Henry, age 18, born about 1760
Catharina, age 15, born about 1763
Barbara, age 12, born about 1766 (Anna Barbara, born October 22, 1765)
Michael, age 10, born about 1768
John, age 6, born about 1772 (Johannes, born May 03, 1770 – perhaps he died young and John born 1772 is really the second John?)
Mary, age 4, born about 1774

Now, I don't know about you, but that's quite a span of years with the oldest child being 36 and the youngest being only 4 years old. Call me skeptical, but I'm thinking that Maria Engel may have been Michael's second wife. If she is the mother of all 13 children, she would likely be into her 50s when she had the last child. Possible, I suppose. But I don't have a date of birth or place of birth for Maria or Michael.

I also find it curious that Dorothea is listed “out of sequence” given that her age is 30 and Burghard, who follows her in the lists of children is 33 years old.

I've barely started research on this family; obviously, additional research is needed. And, I'll repeat what I've said before – If anyone researching this family finds these posts, please contact me at kinexxions “at” gmail “dot” com.

Update April 10, 2012: Please see Questioning the Status Quo :: Oh, Maria! for my theory regarding the maiden name of Maria Hoffman.

The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: Michael

2012-03-14T05:00:00.023-04:00

Even though I wasn't sure if Dietrich Hoffman was the father of “my” John Hoffman, since I had the resources available, I decided to see what I could find on Michael Hoffman who was reported to be the father of Dietrich. The information that I had received from Maggie Evans in April 2000 was in the form of a family group sheet prepared by a 2nd cousin of her father. It showed that Johann Dietrich Hoffman was born June 22, 1751 in New Hanover, Pennsylvania and that his parents were Michael and Maria (Engle) Hoffman.

Update April 10, 2012: Please see Questioning the Status Quo :: Oh, Maria! for my theory regarding the maiden name of Maria Hoffman.

In a previous post, I mentioned the baptisms of four children of Dietrich Hoffman in the Zion-Spiess Church records in Upper Alsace Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. What I didn't mention in that post was that the sponsors were included in the version created by William J. Hinke in July 1921.

Henry b. Dec. 14, 1777, bapt. Febr. 20, 1778 – sponsor was Henry Alter
John b. June 22, (1778) – sponsor was John Papp
John Michael b. Mar. 10, 1782 – sponsor was Valentine Hartman
Samuel b. Apr. 6, 1785 bapt. May 29, 1785 – sponsors were Frederick Lies & wf. Maria Engel

I also erred in the post mentioned above in stating that the mother of the children was not listed. The parents for Samuel were given as “Dietrich Hoffman, Susanna”. Susanna's maiden name is reportedly Alder, which could also be Alter, so I'm wondering if Henry Alter is her father or in some other way related. I have found one online tree that gives her parents as Georg Henrich “Henry” Alter (1715 – 1784) and Mary Magdalena (1727-) with no source information.

Also, you might have noticed that the sponsors of Samuel Hoffman were Frederick Lies & wf. Maria Engel. I did a double-take when I saw her name... perhaps putting the cart before the horse here, but Michael Hoffman's estate entered into probate on February 4, 1777. So, unless there was another Maria Engel in the area it looks like Michael's widow married Frederick Lies.

I need to spend more time reviewing the baptism records for Spiess Church, but it should be noted that Frederick Lies & wf Maria were sponsors for at least three other baptisms. This information certainly opens up some avenues for research into the Alder/Alter line as well as the Engel/Engle line.

In addition, two baptisms for children of Michael & Maria (Engel) Hoffman were found in the book “Trinity Lutheran Church - Reading, Pennsylvania; An alphabetized compilation of baptisms, marriages, and deaths from 1751-1904” prepared by Jacqueline B. Nein & Gail H. Hesser, 1988.

Anna Barbara, born 10/22/1765, baptized 11/27/1765, sponsors Georg & Anna Barbara Schmarz
Johannes, born 05/03/1770, baptized 06/03/1770, sponsors Johannes & Eva Koch

As stated above, Michael Hoffman's estate entered into probate on February 4, 1777. He did not have a will and his wife Mary Engel Hoffman was made administratrix of his estate.

Estate of Michael Hoffman, 1777

Berks County, Pennsylvania Probate Files

Family History Microfilm 1653590 Accessed February 11, 2012

Know all Men by these Presents, That We Mary Engel Hoffman Widow and Relict of Michael Hoffman late of the Township of Alsace in the County of Berks in the Province of Pennsylvania Carpenter deceased, John Koch of the Township of Exeter in the said County Yeoman and John Myers of the same place Mason are held and firmly bound unto Benjamin Chew Esqr... for the Sum of Three hundred Pounds... Dated the fourth Day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven.

I find it fascinating that, apparently, Mary's maiden name was usually included in records giving her name, at least that is the case with some of the baptism records and with Michael's estate. I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that there were probably other women by the name of Mary Hoffman in Berks County at the same time and her maiden name was used to distinguish her from the others. That assumption will be investigated further...

Since Michael did not leave a will, the next most important document for genealogists is one that names the lawful heirs. I've found several online trees on the family of Michael and Maria but most of them include only one or two children, while several have 10 or 11 children, some include Dietrich and some don't. There are several documents in Michael's estate file that list his children but apparently there was an issue with the number of children...

To be continued... see The Huffman-Hoffman Kinexxion :: Heirs of Michael

Death Valley :: Scottys Castle

2012-03-13T05:00:00.048-04:00

Be forewarned – this post is graphic intensive – lots of photos!

Thursday, March 8th - - Continuing on with today's excursion, it was only a few miles further north to Scotty's Castle. Walter Scott was a shyster. Using the lure of untold millions of dollars worth of gold in his mine, he duped wealthy business men into financing his imaginary mine – though they didn't know the mine really didn't exist! He eventually incurred the favor of a wealthy business man from Chicago. Albert Johnson, in poor health found another kind of wealth from the dry desert air and an escape from the busy life he led. He enjoyed Scotty's company and the tales he told, whether true or not.

In the early 1920s Mr. Johnson began construction of a vacation home – his wife didn't care much for camping and sleeping on the ground but she enjoyed being in the desert. Within a short time, the palatial house became known as “Scotty's Castle” and the Johnson's went along with it all, perhaps getting a great deal of pleasure in the ruse they were playing on friends and guests who visited the ranch and listened to the stories told by Scotty.

You can read more about the story behind Scotty's Castle on the Death Valley website. It's a fun and interesting story!

As you are driving in from the south, through pretty much barren land, nestled in a small valley at the end of Death Valley National Park there is a little oasis, likely the only potable water in that end of the valley, and nearby is the site upon which Mr. Johnson chose to build his little house.

The courtyard between the two buildings with the clock tower in the background.

Inscribed above the door is “Death Valley Ranch” which is the name the Johnson's gave the place.

The interior of the house is dimly lit, the windows are covered with the original draperies some of which were made of leather. The draperies are closed to block out the sunlight and help preserve the furnishings. Oddly enough, photographs are allowed to be taken inside – even with flash!

The main entry-room was impressive with its floor to ceiling fireplace spanning two floors. The second floor has a balcony that goes completely around the entry-room.

The tour guides dress in period costumes from the 1930s, which is when the Johnson's opened their home to tour groups to help pay for the upkeep of the ranch.

Decorative tiles over the kitchen sink.

The kitchen stove, with copper cooking utensils. The little white appliance on the left of the shelf above the stove is a toaster. Their vacation may have been in a remote area, but the Johnson's had the latest and most modern features.

A floor level view of that fireplace, taken from the kitchen doorway.

A corner fireplace in one of the guest rooms upstairs.

The music room. To the left was a long alcove with a player organ. As part of the tour, they turn it on and play one song. It was beautiful and quite loud.

The elaborate ceiling of the music room. The cables are part of the original construction, used to keep the walls from bulging outward.

A beautiful stained glass window in the west wall of the music room.

Looking up the spiral staircase that leads to the top of the tower, which can be seen on the right side of the photo below.

A front view of Scotty's Castle. The pool in front goes the entire length of the house, and more. The tour guide said it had never been filled with water. If you look closely you can see a cross on the hill above and behind the house. Scotty's grave is to the left of the cross, he died in 1954.

I was amused by the “old prospector” weather vane atop the front tower, probably depicting Scotty on one of his legendary mining expeditions.

Death Valley :: Ubehebe Crater

2012-03-12T05:00:00.015-04:00

Wednesday, March 7th - - After stopping at Zabriske Point and the visitors center I drove the 60 miles or so to the north end of the park. On my last visit the road was under construction with long delays and I didn't have the patience to deal with it. I spent the night at Mesquite Spring Campground, which as rustic as it is, is one of the nicer campgrounds in the park – the campgrounds at Texas Spring, Sunset, and Stovepipe Wells are little more than parking lots with the campers lined up side by side.

Thursday, March 8th - - I was still quite tired from the drive on Tuesday and slowly got myself up and around this morning. Since I had never been in this area of the park before I took a look at the Visitor Guide. I knew Scotty's Castle was only a few miles away but wasn't aware that the Ubehebe Crater was even closer. (Ubehebe is pronounced u-bee hee-bee.)

The crater was formed about 2,000 years ago when hot, molten rock turned groundwater into steam. The intense steam pressure built until the superheated combination of steam and rock exploded. The explosion spewed shattered rock over a six-square-mile area, in some places to depths of 150 feet. Ubehebe is the largest of many explosion craters in the area – it is a half mile across and about 600 feet deep.

Several trails lead into the floor of the crater. I didn't even attempt to go down. You can't see them in the photo above, but there are two people down there.

See, there they are... barely visible at full zoom!

A trail also follows the crater rim, how long it is I don't know. I did follow the path up to another smaller crater, which according to a sign was half a mile distant.

A panoramic view of Ubehebe Crater. The parking lot is down that path on the left side of the crater, about half way into the picture. Be sure to double-click on the photo for a larger version, then click again when it opens – it is an incredible landscape.

Death Valley :: Zabriskie Point

2012-03-11T05:00:00.006-04:00

Wednesday, March 7th - - I was tempted to spend another night at the motel in Pahrump because the strong winds were still blowing. But the sun was shining and patches of blue sky were showing through the clouds and the weather forecast called for diminishing winds later in the day. There was still quite a bit of dust in the air and the mountains in the distance were rather hazy looking. It was late morning when I left Pahrump and the drive to Death Valley National Park was rather nice. There wasn't a lot of traffic to fight with and I was driving into the wind so the van wasn't buffeted from the side like all day Tuesday.

Having been stationed in California, I have visited Death Valley several times the latest being in April 2010. Like many of our National Parks, each time you visit you see things in a different way. The quality of the light is always different depending upon the time of day and other atmospheric conditions. And the light is what makes things seem to appear different. Because there was so much sand and dust in the air I concentrated this time on the closer views at Zabriske Point, abstracting Mother Nature a bit. There is no sense of dimension in the photos, no way to tell how large or how small the mounds of dirt and rocks really are...