Ossian Salisbury: An Ocean of Possibilities (52 Ancestors #03)

Posted on January 15, 2015 by melissawiseheart under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Browning Family, Family History, Genealogy

Ossian Salisbury has been a very tough woman to track down. Part of the reason she’s been so tough to research is because she didn’t live very long. She was born in 1835 and died sometime between 1860 and 1866. The other reason she’s been so difficult is because her name is different on almost every record on which she appears. I’ve come across Ossian Salisbury, Ocean Landsbury, Ocean Stansberry, Osia Ann Sausberry, Ocean Sauelsbury, and Oceanna Browning. My grandmother told me before that she had also seen OssiAnn as a variant given name and Saulsberry and Lounsbury as variant surnames. I have yet to find those.

I don’t know much about Ossian’s origins. She was born in Illinois. Her mother was Elizabeth Burns (or maybe Barnes). She had a stepfather named Bevis. I don’t know if Burns/Barnes was Elizabeth’s maiden name, or Bevis’ surname. Or, Bevis could’ve been his surname and then I don’t know his given name. I know nothing about Ossian’s birth father.

Here are the facts:

1. Ocean Landsbury married Daniel Browning on June 30, 1852 in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. She was seventeen and he was twenty one. Ocean was born in Illinois.

Kentucky Marriages, 1852-1914, p.2, Ancestry

2. Ocean Stansberry married Daniel Browning on June 30, 1852 in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Her mother was Elizabeth Burns.

Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979, FamilySearch

3. Mary Francis Browning was born on December 29, 1856 in Jefferson County, Kentucky to parents Daniel Browning and Osia Ann Sausberry.

Kentucky Births and Christenings, 1839-1960, FamilySearch

4. In 1860, Daniel (28) and Oceanna (25) Browning are living in 2nd District, Jefferson County, Kentucky with their children: Harriet A. (7), Lydia F. (6), and Joseph (3). Oceanna was born in Illinois.

1860 U.S. Federal Census, 2nd District, Jefferson, Kentucky, p.101, Ancestry

5. In 1870, D. (39) and Nancy C. (30) Browning are living in Boston, Jefferson County, Kentucky with their children: George B. (3) and Mary C. (1), and his children from a previous marriage, Harriet A. (17), Lydia F. (16), Joseph (13), and Clara E. (9).

1870 U.S. Census, Boston, Jefferson, Kentucky, p.11, FamilySearch

6. Frances L. Wiseheart was born on June 14, 1853 to parents Daniel Browning and Ocean Sauelsbury.

Floyd, Indiana Deaths, CH-33, p.55, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room

7. In a postcard to Sanford Wiseheart (Ossian’s grandson), Marie de la Montange says that his grandmother’s record needs to be corrected. Her name is Ossian Salisbury.

Postcard from Marie de la Montange to Sanford Wesley Wiseheart, 12 Feb 1938

8. Clara Emma Browning was born on December 15, 1860 to parents Daniel Browning and __________ Salisbury.

Jefferson County, Kentucky Deaths, 1911-1961, Vol. 51, certificate 25121, Ancestry

Why did I choose Ossian Salisbury as the correct spelling of her name? I’ll start with Salisbury. I believe it is Salisbury because it appears that way in two documents, whereas every other spelling only occurs once. In addition, Sauelsbury and Sausberry would both sound similar to Salisbury when spoken. I can’t account for Stansberry without seeing the actual record, but I’d be wiling to bet this is a transcription error and that the name actually is Salisbury, Sauelsbury, or some similar sounding variant. Landsbury is very different, however, I’ve examined a lot of early handwriting firsthand, and I can tell you that cursive capital “S” and “L” do look very similar. I also believe that Marie de la Montange, who was a long time friend of the family, would be more likely to know the spelling of her name than any clerk would be able to guess from someone speaking it.

As for Ossian, Salisbury/Landsbury and Burns/Barnes are English or Scottish surnames. Ossian (or Oisin) was a popular legend in both Scotland and Ireland. Also, Ossian was born in Illinois. Ossian M. Ross settled in Illinois in 1821 and founded Lewistown. He was a Major in the War of 1812. This name would’ve been popular in Illinois around the time of her birth. I can’t account for why a female child was given a name that is traditionally male, but it isn’t unheard of for that to happen. And, again, I do believe Marie de la Montange would’ve known. The pronunciation of Ossian is similar enough to Ocean that it would be easily mistaken if it were only spoken and not written.

Of course, there are far too many variables in all of this for me to set anything in stone. I just had to have something to call her in my pedigree chart and something to work with. I continue, on a regular basis, to search for every variant of Ossian that I can think of with every combination of surnames sounding or looking similar to Salisbury or Landsbury that I can think of. My greatest hope is to find her in the 1850 Census with her mother and stepfather.

Beata Salina: Lady in Waiting (52 Ancestors #02)

Posted on January 8, 2015 by melissawiseheart under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Family History, Genealogy, Springer Family

Beata Jacobine Salina was born in 1636 in Stockholm, Sweden to parents Dr. Baltzar Salinus and Elizabeth Carlsdotter. Dr. Salinus was the court physician to King Charles X Gustaf (Karl X Gustav) of Sweden. It was at court that she met Christopher Springer, who had been a member of the treasurer’s secretariat since 1633, and a court musician before that.¹ Beata and Christopher were married on October 15, 1654.^1,2 Shortly thereafter, Beata became fourth lady in waiting to Queen Hedvig Eleonora.^2,4,5

Christopher, having been born in 1592, was considerably older than Beata.^1,2 The couple started a family right away. They had five children: Elizabeth, born in 1655; Charles, born in 1658; Christopher, born in 1661; Baltzar, born in 1664; and Jacob, born in 1668.¹

In 1669, just one year after Jacob’s birth, Christopher Springer died at the age of seventy seven.^1,2,3 At the time of his death, he was Archives Inspector of the Royal Exchequer.¹ Queen Dowager Hedvig hired Lady Beata as her royal housekeeper at Gripsholm Castle, across Lake Malar from Stockholm.^1,3 It was here that Beata died in December of 1693. She was buried near the castle, at the church at Mariefred.¹

Gripsholm Castle by Carl Abraham Rothstein (1826-1877)

Lady Beata is sometimes listed as Beata Jacobine Hendrickson instead of Salina.^2,4,5 I have yet to determine why. It’s possible that she was married before she married Christopher, however, she would have been very young and that marriage would’ve had to have been very brief. I have read that the family is well documented in the Stockholm municipal records and the Royal Archives, so perhaps I will be able to find out.

Sources

1. Springer, Jessie Evelyn. Charles Springer of Cranehook-on-the-Delaware: His Descendants and Allied Families. Edwardsville, Ill.: 1959. HeritageQuest Online.

2. Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912. HeritageQuest Online.

3. Swedish Colonial News, Vol. 1, No. 19, Spring 1999. Philadelphia, Penn.: The Swedish Colonial Society, 1999. The Swedish Colonial Society.

4. Badger, Matilda Phillips Jones. Genealogy of the Linthicum and Allied Families. Baltimore, Md.: 1936. Internet Archive.

5. Fairchild, Timothy Marsh. The Name and Family of Fairchild. Iowa City, Iowa: Mercer Print Co., 1944. HeritageQuest Online.

Frank Springer: The Wanderer (52 Ancestors #01)

Posted on January 1, 2015 by melissawiseheart under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Family History, Genealogy, Rakestraw Family, Springer Family

Frank Springer is my great great grandfather on my father’s side. He was married to Zerilda Eleanora Rakestraw. Their daughter, my great grandmother, Mildred Gertrude Springer, was my grandpa’s mother. Frank was born in Orange County, Indiana circa 1869 and Zerilda “Ella” was born in Floyd County, Indiana in 1868. Presumably, the two met when Ella went to visit relatives in Orange County. This entire family has been difficult to research, due to various problems such as incorrectly printed information in the newspaper and changing of names without legally changing them. Frank, however, is the biggest mystery.

Family legend says that Frank was a wanderer by nature and also had some mental issues. He left his wife after about a year of marriage, and just after the birth of their daughter. It is said that he went to California and nobody ever heard from him again. There are no known photos of Frank, which adds to the mystique. I think a timeline is the best way to approach this one.

1870

On the Census, Frank is one year old and living in Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana with his parents, John Alexander and Mary (Lindley) Springer. His siblings are Anna L., born 1863; Edward, born 1865; and Mary Elizabeth, born 1867.¹

1880

On the Census, Frank is ten years old and still living in Paoli Township with his parents. Siblings are Anna L.; Edward; Charley, born 1873; Stella, born 1875; and Mattie, born 1877.²

1892

On February 28th, Frank marries Ella N. Rakestraw in New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana.³ (My grandfather told me that Ella hated her first name, Zerilda, and broke up her middle name into Ella Nora and started going by that).

By March 9, Frank and Ella had moved to Ed Springer’s farm, which he had recently vacated, near Paoli.⁴

On November 20th, their daughter, Mildred Gertrude Springer, is born in New Albany.⁵

1893

On March 23rd, a blurb in the Paoli Republican said that Ella had visited her parents in New Albany and returned home to Paoli.⁶

On November 22nd, the Paoli News reported that Frank Springer had gone to the World’s Fair in Chicago.⁷

1894

In May, Francis Marion and Mary Elizabeth Rakestraw petitioned for the adoption of their granddaughter, Mildred, citing that Frank had abandoned her over a year ago and that her mother was an invalid. The petition was granted.^8,9

On June 13th, Ella died of consumption.¹⁰

1900

On the Census, Mildred is living with her grandparents in New Albany.¹¹ I could not find any record of Frank.

1910

On the Census, Mildred is living with her grandparents in New Albany.¹² I could not find any record of Frank.

In July, the Orleans Progress Examiner reported that Miss Mildred Springer had been visiting Edward Springer and his family.¹³ (Orleans is just outside Paoli).

1911

In March, the Orleans Progress Examiner reported that Mildred had been visiting her grandparents.¹⁴

1920

On the Census, Mildred is living with her grandparents in New Albany.¹⁶ Frank is living alone in Paoli Township.¹⁵

In May, at the time of Mildred’s marriage to Sanford Wesley Wiseheart, Frank is living “near Paoli.”¹⁷

1930

On the Census, Mildred is living with her husband and children in Silver Creek Township, Clark County, Indiana. Mildred named her second son Frank.¹⁸ (I’m wondering if this an indication that she had some sort of relationship with her father, or if it’s more that she wished she had. My grandpa said that Mildred always had a fear that her family would leave the house and never come back.) I could not find any record of Frank.

1940

On the Census, Mildred is living with her husband and children in New Albany.¹⁹ I could not find any record of Frank.

To summarize, I have Frank Springer pinned down from 1870 to 1893 and he randomly pops back up again in 1920. My theory is that he went to the World’s Fair in 1893 and got a taste for travel and saw what wondrous things there were in the world and decided to experience it. By 1920, he would’ve been about fifty and was probably ready to settle down, so he came back home to Paoli. I’m thinking the reason that I can’t find him in the 1930 Census is because he died sometime between 1920 and 1930. I have yet to find any obituaries or a tombstone, so that’s my next course of action.

Sources

1. 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, p.24, Ancestry

2. 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, p.6, Ancestry

3. Floyd County, Indiana Marriages, Vol. 10, p.114, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room

4. Paoli Republican, Wednesday, 9 Mar 1892, p.3, c.5, NewspaperArchive

5. Floyd County, Indiana Deaths, Book H-12, p.10, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room

6. New Albany Evening Tribune, Thursday, 23 Mar 1893, p.4, c.2, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room

7. Paoli News, Wednesday, 22 Nov 1893, p.3, c.2, NewspaperArchive

8. New Albany Evening Tribune, Friday, 25 May 1894, p.3, c.2, NewspaperArchive

9. New Albany Daily Ledger, Saturday, 26 May 1894, p.5, c.3, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room

10. New Albany Evening Tribune, Thursday, 14 Jun 1894, p.4, c.2, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room

11. 1900 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.9B, Ancestry

12. 1910 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.14A, Ancestry

13. Orleans Progress Examiner, Thursday, 28 Jul 1910, p.2, NewspaperArchive

14. Orleans Progress Examiner, Thursday, 23 Mar 1911, p.3, NewspaperArchive

15. 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, p.21A, FamilySearch

16. 1920 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.11A, Ancestry

17. Floyd County, Indiana Marriages, Vol. 20, p.375, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room

18. 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Silver Creek Township, Clark County, Indiana, p.14B, Ancestry

19. 1940 U.S. Federal Census, New Albany Township, Floyd County, Indiana, p.10B, FamilySearch

A Wise Heart's Journey

Finding ancestors one step at a time.

Category Archives: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge