Category Archives: Research Process

Sarah Gilliland: Woman of Mystery (52 Ancestors #50)

Posted on by under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Family History, Genealogy, Gilliland Family, Research Process

Before I get started, I want to apologize for the delay in my post.  I’ve had a health issue that prevented me from working on it.  My intention is to do two posts this week to catch up.

I was recently contacted by a distant cousin who wanted more information on the Gilliland family.  This prompted some research on Sarah, the youngest of the Gilliland children.  She has proven to be an interesting person to research.

Sarah Gilliland was born on November 29, 1854 in Indiana to Leason and Serilda (Long) Gilliland.  She died on September 21, 1927 in New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana.1,2,3,4  All other details of her life are sketchy at best.  I decided to do a spreadsheet to help me keep track of where she was and when.  New Albany City Directories were invaluable in this effort.

Sarah Gilliland Time Table

After finding indications that she may have been married, I began looking for her marriage record.  So far, I have been unsuccessful.

Sarah had three children that I know of for sure, and I suspect she was the mother of one other child.  Ava Gilliland was born on January 21, 1883, Daniel Gilliland was born in February of 1886, and Sarilda (or Zerelda) Gilliland was born circa 1892 and died in June of 1895.4,5,6,7

Ava’s father is unknown.  What I know about him is that he was born in New Albany, Indiana, was 40 years old at the time of Ava’s birth, and was not married to Sarah at that time.5  The only thing that I know about Daniel’s father is that he was born in Indiana.4

Comparing the date of Sarilda’s birth and the dates around which Sarah went from being listed as Miss to being listed as Mrs., I’m guessing Sarilda’s father is the man that Sarah was allegedly married to.  I don’t know if all of Sarah’s children had the same father or not.

There is one child that I believe was also Sarah’s.  In Fairview Cemetery, in New Albany, Indiana, there is a stone for the infant of S. A. Gilliland.  This infant was stillborn on September 13, 1880.  The grave is close to the grave of Sarilda.8,9

Sources

  1. Floyd County Health Department. Microfilm. Floyd County, Indiana Deaths (1925-1928): book CH-35, p.120. Retrieved 07 Dec 2015 from Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room.
  2. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1860; Census Place: New Albany Ward 6, Floyd, Indiana; Roll: M653_257; Page: 422; Image: 426; Family History Library Film: 803257.
  3. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Year: 1880; Census Place: New Albany, Floyd, Indiana; Roll: 277; Family History Film: 1254277; Page: 372B; Enumeration District: 076; Image: 0405.
  4. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Year: 1900; Census Place: New Albany, Floyd, Indiana; Roll: 371; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 0069; FHL microfilm: 1240371.
  5. Floyd County Health Department. Microfilm. Floyd County, Indiana Deaths (1882-1885): book CH-1, p.23. Retrieved 22 Dec 2015 from Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room.
  6. Obituary, New Albany Evening Tribune, Wednesday, 26 June 1895, p. 4, column 2, Stuart Barth Wrege Indiana History Room.
  7. Atchley, Margaret, et al., comps. Fairview Cemetery: January 1, 1891 to December 31, 1899. Vol. 4. New Albany, Ind. (P.O. Box 665, New Albany 47151): Southern Indiana Genealogical Society, 1995. Print. The Indiana Southern Counties Collection. p.26.
  8. Clipp, Mary Cuzzort, Richard Clipp, Jackie Murray Nance, Wanda Perkins Stepp, and Shirley Wolf, comps. Fairview Cemetery: January 7, 1866 to December 31, 1880. Vol. 2. New Albany, Ind. (P.O. Box 665, New Albany 47151): Southern Indiana Genealogical Society, 1991. Print. The Indiana Southern Counties Collection. p.37.
  9. “Infant of S A Gilliland (1880 – 1880) – Find A Grave Memorial.” FindAGrave.com. S Carpenter, 28 Nov. 2012. Web. 07 Dec. 2015. Find A Grave Memorial # 101409059.

 

Lydia Slaymaker: Will the Real Lydia Please Stand Up? (52 Ancestors #49)

Posted on by under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Family History, Genealogy, Research Process, Slaymaker Family, Springer Family

The name Slaymaker always makes me think of winter.  It conjures images in my head of a person building a sleigh, even though the spelling is different.  Of course, Schleiermacher, the original spelling, means “veil maker.”  Nevertheless, this auditory association has prompted me to write about Lydia Slaymaker.

In truth, I know almost nothing about her.  However, I hope that what little I do know is enough to straighten out some confusion that seems to be spreading across the internet.  There were two Lydia Slaymakers born in the same century and both lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Both also died young.  I have been trying to find Lydia Slaymaker who married Nicholas Springer, but often the wrong Lydia is attached to the family trees that I come across.

Lydia Slaymaker was born in 1782, the seventh child of John and Mary (Peck) Slaymaker.1,2,4  She married Nicholas Springer, the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth (McIlvaine) Springer.2,3  They had two children:  John Slaymaker Springer (born circa 1810) and Elizabeth Springer.2,5  Lydia died on December 22, 1818 and was buried in Old Leacock Presbyterian Church cemetery.1,4

There was another Lydia Slaymaker who was born in 1769 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.2,6  She died on September 20, 1794 and was also buried in Old Leacock Presbyterian Church cemetery.6  She is often listed as the wife of Nicholas Springer and the mother of John and Elizabeth on family trees.  This is not possible.

First, Lydia was the seventh child of John and Mary Slaymaker.  The third child, Mathias, was born in 1774, so there is no way Lydia could have been born before him.2

Second, Lydia married Nicholas Springer.  Why would she be buried under the name Lydia Slaymaker?  This a good indication that Lydia Slaymaker (1769-1794) is not the correct one, and Lydia Slaymaker Springer (1782-1818) is the correct one.

Third, and last, Lydia’s son, John, was born sometime between 1800 and 1810.  It just isn’t possible for Lydia to have died in 1794 and then given birth to two children.

We all make mistakes.  This research has been a reminder to me that I need to be very careful when I’m fitting pieces together.  I need to check and re-check my dates.  With winter upon us, I’m sure there will be a number of snow days.  I can’t think of a better use for them than verifying my data.

Sources

  1. Egle, William Henry. “Leacock Presbyterian Church.” Notes and Queries: Historical, Biographical and Genealogical, Relating Chiefly to Interior Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, 1898. 79. Google Books. Pennsylvania State Library, 15 July 2006. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.
  2. Slaymaker, Henry Cochran. “Part III. Descendants of Mathias Slaymaker, Second.” History of the Descendants of Mathias Slaymaker Who Emigrated from Germany and Settled in the Eastern Part of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, about 1710. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: n.p., 1909. 115-21. Google Books. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 29 Nov. 2007. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.
  3. Daughters of the American Revolution. “Springer, Nicholas.” A Roster of Revolutionary Ancestors of the Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution: Commemoration of the United States of America Bicentennial, July 4, 1976. Vol. 1. Evansville, IN: Unigraphic, 1976. 601.HeritageQuest Online [ProQuest]. Web. 27 Mar. 2011.
  4. C&P LaPlante Files. “Lydia Springer (1782 – 1818).” Find A Grave. N.p., 26 July 2007. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. Find A Grave Memorial# 20647591.
  5. 1840 United States Federal Census. Ancestry.com, 2009. Web. 27 Dec. 2014. Orange, Indiana. p.95. Line 18.
  6. C&P LaPlante Files. “Lydia Slaymaker (1769 – 1794).” Find A Grave. N.p., 14 Mar. 2006. Web. 08 Dec. 2015. Find A Grave Memorial# 13617389.

 

Viola Browning: The Traveler (52 Ancestors #47)

Posted on by under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Browning Family, Documents, Family History, Genealogy, Photographs, Research Process

This week’s ancestor isn’t in my direct line.  She’s my half third great aunt, my third great grandfather’s daughter from his second marriage.  I took an interest in her simply because of an interesting document I came across.

As I was going through one of my grandparents’ boxes of papers, I found a stack with surnames I didn’t recognize:  Hite, Dell, Ringold, Orr.  I hate it when I can’t connect people, so I set to work.  My first clue was a death record for Viola Browning Hite Dell, the daughter of Daniel Browning and “unknown.”

Daniel’s wife, Ossian, has always been a mystery.  Thinking that Viola might lead me to more information on Ossian made me want to continue to pursue this lead.  The next document was a copy of a passport with a photo.  This was the first time I had come across a non-traditional source and I was very excited.  The copy is poor, but I was able to make out the information.

Browning, Viola - Passport

Passport for Viola Browning Hite, 1920.

Further research revealed that Viola was not Ossian’s daughter, but Daniel’s daughter with his second wife, Nancy Catherine Ringold.1  This was a clue as to what happened to Ossian and when.  I followed that lead, and then I came back to Viola.  I wondered what else I could find on her.

Melvina Viola Browning was born on August 22, 1878 in Jefferson County, Kentucky.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,13  Her parents were Daniel and Nancy Catherine (Ringold) Browning.1,13  Viola married William Marders Hite in 1898.2,3,4  They had one daughter together, Clara M.2,3  William died on March 3, 1917 of myocarditis.4

In March of 1920, Viola applied for a passport, with the purpose of traveling to Holland.6  She received her passport the next week and did go to Holland.7  Viola returned from Rotterdam in June of 1920 on the S.S. Noordam.8

Passenger Ships and Images, N Noordam 1902-1923

S.S. Noordam

New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957, Roll T715, 1897-1957 2001-3000 Roll 2785

Passenger list for S.S. Noordam, 9 June 1920.

Some time after her return, Viola moved in with her daughter and son-in-law, Clara and Luther Wetherby.9  By 1940, she was living on her own again and had taken in a boarder.10

Shortly after that, Viola moved to Florida.  She married James W. Dell in Pinellas County, Florida in 1949.11  Viola died on November 12, 1963 in St. Petersburg, Florida.  She was buried in Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Pleasant Grove, Kentucky.13

Sources

  1. Ancestry.com. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Year: 1880; Census Place: Boston, Jefferson, Kentucky; Page: 4D; Enumeration District:0089.
  2. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Year: 1900; Census Place: Middletown, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: 533; Page: 11A; Enumeration District:0147; FHL microfilm: 1240533.
  3. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.  Year: 1910; Census Place: Anchorage, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: T624_483; Page: 5B; Enumeration District:0001; FHL microfilm: 1374496.
  4. Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.
  5. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1920; Census Place: Middletown, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: T625_577; Page: 4A; Enumeration District:7; Image: 663.
  6. Ancestry.com. U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007.  National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 – March 31, 1925; Roll #: 1120; Volume #: Roll 1120 – Certificates: 1500-1875, 26 Mar 1920-26 Mar 1920.
  7. Passport. 26 Mar. 1920. Viola Browning Hite. Copy in My Possession, New Albany, Indiana.
  8. Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Year: 1920; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2785; Line:12; Page Number: 49.
  9. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.  Year: 1930; Census Place: District 1, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: 752; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0184; Image: 212.0; FHL microfilm: 2340487.
  10. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.  Year: 1940; Census Place: Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: T627_1320; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 56-15.
  11. Ancestry.com.  Florida Marriage Indexes, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001 [database on-line].  Provo, UT, USA:  Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
  12. Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
  13. Florida Office of Vital Statistics. Certificate of Death. 13 Nov. 1963. Viola Browning Hite Dell. Copy in My Possession, New Albany, Indiana.

 

Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm Schröder: A Question of Paternity (52 Ancestors #43)

Posted on by under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Family History, Genealogy, Photographs, Research Process, Schröder Family, Schroeder Family

As I’ve mentioned before, my grandma gave me a pedigree chart years ago.  I use this chart as a road map to finding out more about my ancestors.  On this chart, my grandma gave my great-great-grandfather’s, Frederick Ludwig Schroeder, birthday as December 12, 1850 and his parents as Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm Schröder and Louise Reese.  I have yet to figure out where she found this information.

Years ago, I entered my family tree on MyHeritage.com and, in so doing, connected with a cousin I never knew I had.  This cousin provided me with a photograph of Heinrich and his parents, Friedrich Wilhelm Schröder and Auguste Wilhelmine Besser.

Frederick Wilhelm Schroeder, Auguste Wilhelmine (Besser) Schroeder, and Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm Schroeder (ca. 1875)

Frederick Wilhelm Schroeder, Auguste Wilhelmine (Besser) Schroeder, and Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm Schroeder (ca. 1875)

Earlier this year, I began to get curious about Heinrich.  I looked for him on FamilySearch and found an index to his baptismal record.  He was christened on January 5, 1851.  If that date is correct and Frederick’s birth date is correct, there is no way he could be Frederick’s father!

Unfortunately, there was no image attached to the index and it didn’t give much information.  Fortunately, I work in a place that is certified to receive film on loan from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  I ordered the associated roll, Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898 (German Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898), and looked for Heinrich’s record.  My German is very basic, but I managed to find and decipher it.

Heinrich Ludwig Wilhelm Schröder, son of Friedrich Wilhelm Schröder and Auguste Wilhelmine Besser was born on December 13, 1850 in Prussia.1  Definitely not Frederick’s father.  I feel as though we must be related if we have a photograph, but I haven’t yet figured out how.  Could Heinrich and Frederick be cousins?

It’s disappointing to have to take two generations off of the tree, but I’d rather have it be right.  There is still much work to be done on Frederick to find out who his father was.  My biggest hurdle is that Frederick didn’t live very long.  Consequently, I’m a little stuck as to where to look next for evidence of his parents.

Sources

  1. “Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898,” , FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NZ5S-8XJ : accessed 12 August 2015), Friedrich Wilhelm Schroeder in entry for Heinrich Ludwig Schroeder, 05 Jan 1851; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,050,751.

Harmon Wiseheart: Hard to Find (52 Ancestors #42)

Posted on by under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Family History, Genealogy, Jacobs Family, Photographs, Research Process, Wiseheart Family

Harmon Wiseheart is an ancestor for whom I’ve had to think outside the box to find records.  Some of them were easy, because Harmon/Harman and Wiseheart/Wisehart all come up in the soundex search.  After I had completed my initial run of hunting and gathering, I noticed that I was still missing Census records for him for 1830, 1840, and 1850.  Since he had married Jemima Jacobs in 1830, I could reasonably assume that he would have been head of household in those years.

I decided to look for his wife in 1850, since Jemima is a fairly uncommon name.  I didn’t turn up a Jemima Wiseheart, so I looked for Jemima Jacobs, on the off chance that her maiden name was listed.  What I found was a 17-year-old Jemima Jacobs living with an 80-year-old William Jacobs.  William is Jemima’s father, but my Jemima would have been about 40 and theoretically living with Harmon.  The 17-year-old may have been a niece.  I diligently glanced over the rest of the page and the next household was Armin and J. Wisehart.  No wonder I had such trouble!  And, I sure am lucky that they lived next door to her father.

Next, I looked for Harmon in 1840 and found him pretty quickly.  I must have just missed it in my original search.  I moved on to 1830.  After much searching, with a variety of name combinations, I finally found him.  He had been indexed on Ancestry as Harmon Jacobs.  The actual record clearly shows Harmon Wisehart, but William Jacobs is above him and William Jacobs Jr. is below him, so I can see how this might have happened.  I’m just glad I stuck with it and didn’t give up the search.  Harmon’s story is now more complete, and fairly interesting.

Harmon Wiseheart was born circa 1809 in Kentucky.2,3,4,5,6,7,8  He married Jemima Jacobs on March 14, 1830 in Jefferson County, Kentucky.1  He and Jemima had a farm next door to her brothers, Price Jacobs and William Jacobs Jr.2  In 1850, they were living near Jemima’s father, William.  Both Harmon and William were blacksmiths at this time.3  Their children are difficult to figure out, but I believe Harmon and Jemima had six chidlren:  William Henry, Sarah Katherine “Kitty”, George Allen, James Luminous, John S., Jacob E. Thomas.3,4,5,6,8  By 1860, Harmon was a farmer again.5  In 1870, Harmon was a chair maker, an occupation his sons William and John shared with him.6  Harmon died on April 28, 1876 in Jefferson County, Kentucky.  He was 67 years old.7,8

Price Jacobs and Harmon Wiseheart, circa 1850.

Price Jacobs and Harmon Wiseheart, circa 1850.

Sources

  1. “Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979,” database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F43W-XVD : accessed 19 March 2015), Harman Wisehart and Jemima Jacobs, 14 Mar 1830; citing Jefferson Co., Kentucky, reference ; FHL microfilm 817,868.
  2. Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.  1830; Census Place: Jefferson, Kentucky; Series: M19; Roll: 38; Page: 136; Family History Library Film:0007817.
  3. Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.  Year: 1840; Census Place: Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: 115; Page: 154; Image: 312; Family History Library Film:0007828.
  4. Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1850; Census Place: District 1, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: M432_205; Page: 217B; Image: 439.
  5. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1860; Census Place: District 2, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: M653_377; Page: 1093; Image: 350; Family History Library Film: 803377.
  6. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1870; Census Place: Floydsburg, Oldham, Kentucky; Roll: M593_493; Page: 35A; Image: 73; Family History Library Film: 545992.
  7. Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.  Kentucky. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records – Microfilm (1852-1910). Microfilm rolls #994027-994058. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, Kentucky.
  8. “Harmon Wiseheart (1809 – 1876) – Find A Grave Memorial.” FindAGrave.com. Dorothy Gronefeld, 29 Oct. 2008. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. Find A Grave Memorial # 30962063.