Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Spin the Ancestor Roulette Wheel!

Yesterday Randy Seaver of Geneamusings.com posted an “Ahnentafel Roulette” challenge for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun; the mission this week:

1. What year was one of your great-grandmothers born?  Divide this number by 125 (use a calculator!) and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number."
2. Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ancestral name list (some people call it an "ahnentafel" - your software will create this - use the "Ahnentafel List" option, or similar). Who is that person, and what are his/her vital information?
3. Tell us three to five facts about that person in your ancestral name list with the "roulette number."
4. Write about it in a blog post on your own blog, in a Facebook status or a Google Stream post, or as a comment on this blog post.
5. NOTE:  If you do not have a person's name for your "roulette number" then "spin" the wheel again - pick another great-grandmother, a grandfather, a parent, a favorite aunt or cousin, yourself, or even your children!

I love playing Ahnentafel Roulette, so even though I’m a day late, here’s my submission:

My paternal great-grandmother Sarah Belle Forshee was born in 1856. Her birth year divided by 125 is 14.848, rounded up to 15.

On my pedigree chart, #15 is my maternal great-grandmother Ruth Franklin.

• Ruth Franklin was born 12 March 1851 in Ohio, probably Union County, the eldest child of Joseph Franklin and Rhoda Cary, and died 28 August 1914, in Parsons, Labette County, Kansas. She married David A. Snider on 5 January 1871 in Union County, Ohio.
• Ruth had eleven children—nine sons and two daughters. Her eldest daughter, Myrtle Arminta Snider, was my grandmother.
• Ruth and David moved from Ohio to Kansas in 1880. They were enumerated in the census in Leesburg Township, Union County, Ohio, on 17 June 1880, but their fifth child Byron Lee was born in November 1880 in Kansas.
• Ruth was the great-granddaughter of Luther Cary, a soldier in the Revolutionary War; it is through this line that I joined the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
• Ruth (Franklin) Snider shared her mitochondrial DNA with her daughter Myrtle (Snider) Yawman (my grandmother), her granddaughter Beaulah (Yawman) Sherrell Spurlock (my mother), and me and my sisters, Deanna and Jennifer. I had only a son, but her mitochondrial DNA continues down to the daughters and granddaughters of Deanna and Jennifer.

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - The Rivers of my Ohio Ancestors

Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings has presented a map-based challenge for this week's edition of Saturday Night Genealogy Fun. The mission this week is to: 

1)  I posted The"Rivers of America" Map yesterday, and demonstrated how to find the downstream course of a river in the United States, or the upstream watershed area of a river.  Please refer to that blog post. 2)  This week, your Saturday Night Genealogy Fun mission is to make a map using the National Atlas map (at http://nationalatlas.gov/streamer/Streamer/streamer.html) showing the downstream course of a river that one of your ancestors may have traveled on.  What does it tell you?  What did you learn?  Did they live at other places on that river, or downstream of that river?
 3)  Tell us about it in a blog post of your own (please show us the map you created - use an image snipping tool or take a screen shot), or make a comment here on this post, or write a Facebook status or a Google+ stream post. 

Some of my maternal ancestors—the Gandy, Cary, Franklin, and Snider families—settled along Bokes Creek in Union County, Ohio. Here is the map of the downstream trace:

I was a little surprised to learn the outlet for Bokes Creek is the Gulf of Mexico.

The site allows you to generate a stream trace detail report with lots of interesting information about where the trace travels along its route. Here is some of that data for Bokes Creek:

The Snider family migrated from Ohio to Kansas in the late 1800s. It is possible that they traveled the Ohio River on their journey west.

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Surname Saturday - Ancestor #30 - Joseph Franklin

One of my goals for 2012 is to use the Surname Saturday blogging prompt as a way to assure that I spend some time researching each of my family lines and that I have appropriate source citations for the genealogical facts related to my ancestors. I’ve decided to use my ahnentafel report and work back through the generations starting with my grandparents, writing a summary of each ancestor. If you discovered this post through a search engine and find one of your ancestors listed here, please leave a comment to let me know.

My maternal 2^nd great-grandfather Joseph Franklin was born 25 December 1826 in Clark County, Ohio, the oldest child of Arad and Nancy (White Franklin).[1]

On 11 July 1849, Joseph married Rhoda Cary in Union County, Ohio.[2] Joseph and Rhoda had five children who lived to adulthood:

• Ruth Franklin (1851-1914)[3] – my great-grandmother
• Nancy Franklin (1853[4]-1875[5])
• Richard Franklin (1856[6]-after 1880[7])
• Fannie Franklin (1859[8]-1904[9])
• David Franklin (1865-1932)[10]

He married second Emily Tyler on 1 November 1877 in Marion County, Ohio.[11] Two children were born of this union:

• William Arad Franklin (1878[12]-1959[13])
• Abi Della Franklin (1879-1935)[14]

Joseph was a laborer, sometimes making brick or tile (an industry in which several collateral families were engaged), sometimes working on a farm. There is no indication on any census record that he owned property, and he has not been found in any of the deed indexes for Union County, Ohio.

Joseph died on 12 October 1895 in Jackson Township, Paulding County, Ohio.[15] The location of his burial is unknown.

Following are opportunities for additional research:

1. Continued research in records of Union County, Marion County, and Paulding County, all areas in which Joseph lived during his life time.
2. Newspaper research in Marion County and Pauling County.
3. Research on descendants and collateral lines to see if a living relative can be found who has more information on Joseph’s life.

---

[1] Mrs. Willis Holloway, "Arad Franklin and Nancy White" (Franklin Family Researchers United, Vol. 5, page 37, Jan. 1993 ; accessed online, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ffru/Docs/FFRU_back/index.html, 2010.)

[2] Union, Ohio, Marriage Records, 2: 207, Franklin-Cary; FHL microfilm 573,776.

[3] Labette County, Kansas, death certificate no. illegible (1914), Ruth Snider; Kansas Board of Health.

[4] 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Leesburg Township, Union County, Ohio, p. 28, dwelling 421, family 397, Joseph Franklin; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Feb 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 1044.

[5][5] Marion County, Ohio, "Death records, 1867-1908," (Marion County Courthouse, Marion), Volume 1, p. 74, Fannie Franklin; FHL microfilm 384,350.

[6] 1860 U.S. census, pop. sch., Leesburg Township, Union County, Ohio, p. 28, dwell. 421, fam. 397, Joseph Franklin.

[7] 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Leesburg Township, Union County, Ohio, enumeration district (ED) 81, p. 187A (stamped), dwelling 255, family 255, Arad Franklin; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 Oct 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1073. In 1880, Richard was living with his uncle Arad Franklin, Jr. He has not been found in any record after that date.

[8] 1860 U.S. census, pop. sch., Leesburg Township, Union County, Ohio, p. 28, dwell. 421, fam. 397, Joseph Franklin.

[9] Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, "Ohio Obituary Index," database, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 Apr 2012), entry for Fanny Burkepile.

[10] Ohio Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, death certificate 70649 (1932), David Franklin; digital image, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 23 May 2012).

[11] "Ohio County Marriages, 1790-1950", Marion County Ohio, Marriages, 8: 237, Franklin-Benton, 1877; index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 Feb 2012).

[12] "Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 Feb 2012), entry for William Arad Franklin; citing Family History Library film number 384336.

[13] "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007," database, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 Oct 2012), entry for William A. Franklin, died 31 January 1959.

[14] Ohio Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, death certificate 63606 (1935), Della Abia Raney; digital image, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 28 Feb 2012).

[15] Paulding County, Ohio, "Records of Deaths, Volumes 1-4, 1867-1908," (Paulding County Courthouse, Paulding), Joseph Franklin, died 12 October 1895; FHL microfilm 925,299.

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Sunday's Obituary - David Franklin (1867-1932)

David Franklin was the youngest child of Joseph and Rhoda (Cary) Franklin, my maternal 2^nd great-grandparents, making him my great-granduncle. He was the mayor of Magnetic Springs, a village in Union County, Ohio; I have not yet found any information about his term in office. I did, however, find that he served as assessor in 1910. The date of birth in his obituary is likely inaccurate. Although the information in the obituary and his death certificate are the same, the informant was someone named Arthur Petty, whose relationship to David Franklin is unknown. The month and year of David’s birth were reported as January 1867 in the 1900 federal census and that year is consistent with his age as reported in every federal census on which he was enumerated.

“Former Magnetic Mayor Succumbs

———

Death Follows Operation at Jane Case Hospital — Funeral is Held Sunday Afternoon

———

David Franklin, 67, of Magnetic Springs, died Thursday, December 29, at the Jane M. Case hospital, Delaware, following an operation for hernia, to which he had submitted three days previous to his demise. He was formerly mayor of Magnetic Springs and was engaged in business there for many years.

Mr. Franklin was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Franklin, and was born in Ohio, October 15, 1865. He was never married.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Kimbal Sunday afternoon, January 1, at two o'clock in the Winter chapel. Burial was made in Maple Dell cemetery, in charge of Lloyd Winter & Son.”

[Source: "Former Magnetic Mayor Succumbs," Richwood Gazette, 5 Jan 1933, p. 1, col. 5; digital images, NewspaperARCHIVE (http://access.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 17 May 2012).]

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Sunday's Obituary - Mary Elizabeth Franklin Cary (1827-1901)

Mary Elizabeth Franklin Cary is one of my 2nd great-grandaunts, the sister of Joseph Franklin, my 2nd great-grandfather. She married George W. Cary, and Joseph married George's younger sister, Rhoda.

.  

"Obituary," Richwood Gazette, 2 Jan 1902, col. 5;
 digital images, GenealogyBank
(www.genealogybank.com : accessed 3 Jul 2010) 

“Mary Elizabeth Cary was born February 23, 1827, in Leesburg township, Union county, Ohio, about one-half mile northeast of Pharisburg on the farm now know as the Drum farm. "Mother" Cary was the daughter of Arad and Nancy Franklin and was one of 11 children. She was united in marriage to George W. Cary Oct. 7, 1847, who died Oct. 19, 1888. To this union was born 7 children; 3 only came to the years of accountability and are living, 21 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Mrs. Cary became a member of the Universalist church at Pharisburg more than 50 years ago. During all these years she has lived an earnest, devoted and exemplary Christian life. She died Dec. 16, 1901, aged 74 years, 9 months and 23 days. The funderal services were held at Claibourne M. P. church on the 18th at 11 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Welchimer assisted, by Rev. J. F. Wilkins.”

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Surname Saturday - Ancestor #15 - Ruth Franklin

One of my goals for 2012 is to use the Surname Saturday blogging prompt as a way to assure that I spend some time researching each of my family lines and that I have appropriate source citations for the genealogical facts related to my ancestors. I’ve decided to use my ahnentafel report and work back through the generations starting with my grandparents, writing a summary of each ancestor. If you discovered this post through a search engine and find one of your ancestors listed here, please leave a comment to let me know.

My maternal great-grandmother Ruth FRANKLIN was born 12 March 1851 in Ohio.[1] She was the firstborn child of Joseph and Rhoda (CARY) FRANKLIN.[2]

Ruth grew into adulthood in Union County, Ohio,[3] and married David SNIDER on 5 January 1871.[4] The 1900 census record indicates she was the mother of 10 children:[5]

• Lawrence W. (1871-?)[6]
• Omer Roy (1873-before 1900)[7]
• Ottous Adelbert (1876-1942)[8]
• Myrtle Arminta (1878-1958)[9] – my grandmother
• Byron Lee (1880-1969)[10]
• Wilbur Grey (1884-1954)
• Ernest A. (1886-1978)[11]
• Nettie (1888-?)
• William L. (1890-?)
• Lester Evan (1893-1969)[12]

At some point after the 1880 census,[13] David and Ruth moved with their family to the southeastern area of Kansas.

Ruth died on 28 August 1914 and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Parsons, Labette County, Kansas.[14]

All I know about Ruth is what I have been able to glean from records. She was my mother’s grandmother, but she died before my mother was born, so Mama never knew her. As I continue to do descendancy research on this family, I hope that I will be able to learn more about her. It would be wonderful if I could find a distant cousin who has a photograph of her!

---

[1] Labette County, Kansas, death certificate no. illegible (1914), Ruth Snider; Kansas Board of Health.

[2] 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Leesburg Township, Union County, Ohio, p. 28, dwelling 421, family 397, Joseph Franklin; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Feb 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 1044.

[3] 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Taylor Township, Union County, Ohio, p. 1, dwelling 4, family 4, Joseph Franklin; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Feb 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 1274.

[4] Union County, Ohio, marriage certificate no. 4852 (1871), Snider-Franklin; Union County Courthouse, Marysville.

[5] 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Lincoln, Neosho County, Kansas, Enumeration District (ED) 155, sheet 1A, dwelling 3, family 3, David A. Snyder; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 493.

[6] "Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 Feb 2012), entry for Lawrence W. Snider; citing Family History Library film number 1015856.

[7] "Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800-1962," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 Feb 2012), entry for Omer Roy Snider; citing Family History Library film number 1015856.

[8] State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, "California Death Index, 1940-1997," online database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 Mar 2012), entry for Ottous A. Snider, died 9 Sep 1942.

[9] Washington State Department of Health, death certificate 10617 (1958), Myrtle A. Yawman; Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Olympia.

[10] findagrave.com, digital images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 Mar 2012), Find A Grave Memorial #28399745, Lee B. Snider, created by TiogaRose, 19 July 2008.

[11] Social Security Administration, "Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Ernest Snider, 1978, SS no. 338-12-2201.

[12] Social Security Administration, "Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Lester Snyder, 1969, SS no. 513-14-3782.

[13] 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Leesburg, Union County, Ohio, enumeration district (ED) 81, p. 181A, dwelling (unreadable), family (unreadable), David A. Snider; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 Feb 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1073.

[14] Labette County, Kansas, death certificate no. illegible (1914), Ruth Snider.


© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - Franklin-Degood Deed - 1873

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

Here is another deed executed by Arad W. Franklin (my maternal 2^nd great-granduncle) and his wife Nannie for the sale of property in Union County, Ohio. I am not sure whether Mr. Degood is a Wilber or a William, as both names are used in this deed.

The land description in this deed notes that the parcel is part of a survey in the Virginia Military District, an area of land reserved by the State of Virginia for payment for services of Revolutionary War Soldiers. The description also names several roads which should make locating the property on a map fairly easy, but I haven’t yet done that.

In this deed, Nannie releases her dower right, something I do not remember seeing in other deeds I have transcribed so far.

“A W Franklin            )

To Deed                     )

Wilber Degood         )

Know all men by the Presents: That we A W Franklin & Nannie M Franklin wife of A. W. Franklin of the County of Union And State of Ohio, in consideration of the Sum of nine Hundred Dollars to them paid by William Degood of the Same place the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby Grant Bargain, Sell and Convey to the said Wilber Degood his Heirs and Assigns forever, the following Real Estate situated in the County of Union in the State of Ohio and in the Virginia Military District and bounded and described as follows: Being a part of Survey N^o 3696.

And bounded as follows on the north by the Delaware and Bellfountain State Road, on the west by the Schoolhouse Lot and the Franklin Road on south by Land owned by David Mclain, and on the East by Land now owned by Wilber Degood containing Sixteen and three fourths acres more or less.

To Have and to Hold said premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging to the said Wilber Degood his heirs and Assigns forever. And the Said A W Franklin & Nannie M Franklin for themselves and their heirs do hereby covenant with the said Wilber Degood his heirs and Assigns that they are lawfully seized of the premises Aforesaid: that the said premises are Free and Clear from all Incumbrances whatsoever: and that they will forever warrant and Defend the same with the appurtenance, Unto the said William Degood his heirs and assigns against the lawful claim of all persons whomsoever.

In Witness Whereof The said A W Franklin and Nannie M Franklin his wife who hereby releases her right of dower in the premises have hereunto Set their hands and seals this nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventy three

                                                A W Franklin            {seal}

                                                Nannie M. Franklin  {seal}

Signed Sealed and Acknowledged in presence of

Richard Franklin      )

Othniel Jewitt           )

State of Ohio Union County S S..

Be in Remembered that on this nineteenth day of April AD 1873 before me the Subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for said County personally came the above-named A W Franklin the Grantor in the foregoing Deed, and acknowledged the signing and sealing of the same to be his voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. And the said Nannie M Franklin wife of the said A W Franklin being at the same time examined by me separate and apart from her said husband, and the contents of Said Instrument being by me made known and explained to her she then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same and that she is still satisfied therewith as her voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.

In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and on the day and year last aforesaid

                                                Othniel Jewett J.P.

Rec^d June the 2" 1873 Recorded June 3" 1873

                                                Hiram Rouey Recorder Union Co. O”

[Source: Union County, Ohio, Deed Books, 1819-1877, 38: 134, A. W. Franklin deed to Wilber Degood, 3 Jun 1873; FHL microfilm 572,564.]

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - Franklin Brothers Quitclaim Deed 1874

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.

This week I have transcribed an 1874 quitclaim deed between three of the sons of my maternal 3^rd great-grandfather Arad Franklin—Arad W., Asahel, and Culwell. For $50, Arad W. and Asahel, along with their wives, relinquished to brother Culwell their title in two acres in Union County, Ohio. I haven’t yet discovered how the brothers acquired this land and whether the fourth son Joseph (my 2^nd great-grandfather) also held an interest. It is possible that, in 1874, Joseph was living in another county (probably Marion), and I need to research deeds there to see if a quitclaim deed was recorded.

“A W Franklin & wife )

To Deed                      )

Colwell Franklin        )

Know all men by these presents that we A W Franklin Nannie M Franklin this wife & Acel Franklin Madora Franklin his wife in consideration of the Sum of fifty Dollars to them paid by Culwell Franklin do hereby remise[?] release and forever quit claim unto the said Culwell Franklin his heirs and assigns forever all our title interest and estate legal and equitable in the following premises with the appurtenances situate in Union County & State of Ohio and bounded and described as follows to wit Being part of survey No 3696

Beginning at the south west corner of the Farm[?] former owned by richard Hoskins de(s)cribed running thense easterly with Delaware & Bellfountain Road and in the center thereof twenty Rods to a stone thence N 7^o50" sixteen Rods to a stone thence westerly parallel with the aforesaid Road twenty Rods to the west line of the said Richard Hoskins Farm thence with the said west line Southerly to the Beginning containing two acres more or Less.

In Testimony whereof we the said A W Franklin & Nannie M Franklin his wife & Acel Franklin & Medora Franklin his wife have hereunto set their hands and seal the twenty fifth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy four

                                                A W Franklin               {seal}

                                                Nannie Franklin         {seal}

                                                Acel Franklin              {seal}

                                                Medora Franklin        {seal}

Executed & Delivered in presence of

G. W. Cray

O Mirrel[?] Jewett

The State of Ohio Union County, SS..

Before me a Justice of the peace in and for said Coun[t]y personally came the said A. W Franklin Nannie M. Franklin his wife & Acel Franklin Medora Franklin his [wife] and acknowledged the signing and sealing of the within quit Claim Deed to be their voluntary act and Deed for the uses & purposes therein mentioned and the said Nannie M Franklin & Medora Franklin being at the same time examined by me separate and apart from their said husbands and the contents of said instrument being by me made known and explained to them they then declared that they did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same and are still satisfied therewith as their free act and deed

this the twenty fifth Day of February AD 1874

                                                O Merrill Jewett Justice of the Peace

Rec^d March 10^th 1874 Recorded March 17 1874

                                                Hiram Rouey Recorder”

[Source: Union County, Ohio, Deed Books, 1819-1877, 39: 235, A. W. Franklin & wife deed to Colwell Franklin, 17 Mar 1874; FHL microfilm 572,564.]

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Those Places Thursday - Arad Franklin's Property in 1877

Earlier this week, I posted a transcription of the deed for Arad Franklin's original land purchase in Union County, Ohio, in 1828. According to Arad's obituary, he lived on that property until his death in 1897. Below is a land ownership map of Richwood Township, Union County, Ohio, in 1877. Arad's property is marked with a red arrow; it appears that he had sold a portion (or portions) of the original parcel by 1877. I need to research the records for sales.

The blue arrow marks Franklin Street. I wonder if the street was named for Arad, one of the earliest settlers in the area?

Source: Ancestry.com, U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918,
map of Richwood Township, Union County, Ohio (1877),
Ancestry Collection Number: G&M_37, Roll Number: 37, Image 72;
Library of Congress, Washington; citing LOC microfilm. 

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - Arad Franklin Purchases Land in 1828

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.


My maternal 3rd grand-grandfather Arad Franklin purchased a 50-acre tract of land in Union County, Ohio, in 1828, from Culwell Williamson. The purchase price was $100.28. Following is a transcription and image of the deed.

“Calwell Williamson

to

Arad Franklin

This Indenture made and concluded this tenth day

of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight

hundred and twenty eight by and between Calwell

Williamson of Union County in the State of Ohio of

the first part and Arad Franklin of Union County

in the State of Ohio aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth, that said Culwell

Williamson for and in consideration of the sum of One hundred Dollars

and Seventy five cents to him in hand paid or secured to be paid: the

receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath given, granted, bargained, sold

released, conveyed and confirmed and by these presents doth give, grant,

bargain, sell, release, convey and confirm unto the said Arad Franklin

and unto his heirs and assigns forever. a lot of land lying and being in the

county of Union in the State of aforesaid, on the water of Bokes creek being

part of survey No. 8694. bounded and described as follows to wit.

            Beginning at two beeches northeast corner to Isaac White's land: thence

S. 83 E. forty one poles to a sugar tree beech and ash and thence S 5 40 W two

hundred and eighteen poles to two buckey's and a hackburry on the

bank of Bokes creek. then up the creek with the meanders thereof

S. 82 W. fourteen poles N. 50 W. twelve poles S 30 W. twenty poles and

S. 47 W. ten poles to the southeast corner to said White's land: thence

with said White's line N. 5^o 40' W. two hundred and thirty seven poles

to the beginning Containing fifty acres.

            To Have and to Hold the above described premises

with all the privileges and appurtenances belonging or in any wise

appurtaining unto him the said Arad Franklin and unto his heirs

and assigns forever. And the said Culwell Williamson for himself

and for his heirs executors and administrators covenant and promise

to and with the said Arad Franklin his heirs and assigns, that

he is lawfully seized of the premises aforesaid: that he has good

right and full authority to sell and convey the same in manner

aforesaid: and that the said premises are free from all incumbrances.

            And further that he the said Culwell Williamson himself

his heirs executors and administrator will well warrant and truly

defend the premises aforesaid unto the said Arad Franklin

and unto his heirs and assigns forever. against the lawful claims

of any person or persons whomsoever.

            In Testimony whereof the party of the first part hath

hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year above written.

                                                                    _his

Signed sealed and delivered                  Culwell x Williamson {seal}

                                                                  ^mark

in presence of

Levi Phelps

Richard Hoskins

State of Ohio Union County ss: Personally came before me the subscriber a

Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Calwell Williamson signer of the

within deed of conveyance and acknowledged the signing and sealing thereof

to be his act and deed for the purposes therein expressed. Given under my hand

officially this 25th day of September, 1828.

                                                                              Henry Swartz {seal}

                                                                              Justice of the Peace

Filed June 30 and recorded July 8. 1831.

                                    R. Andrew. Recorder."

           

[Source: Union County, Ohio, Deeds, 3:95, deed, Culwell Williamson to Arad Franklin, recorded 8 Jul 1831; Family History Library microfilm 571796.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Sunday's Obituary - Arad Franklin (1802-1897)

Arad Franklin, one of my maternal 3rd great-grandfathers, died in Union County, Ohio, on 5 November 1897, just a few weeks shy of his 95th birthday. Following is a transcription of one of several obituaries that were printed in local newspapers.

“Again we are admonished that death is abroad and has chosen for its victim our much esteemed and beloved friend, Mr. Arad Franklin. There is a charm in the life of a good man and its triumphant closing that throws its influence back far beyond the number of his earthly days, and like the setting of a golden summer's sun, leaves its rich gild upon the memory of the living long after he has passed away. It is therefore befitting that such a life and death should be given as encouragement and inspiration before the living that they may imitate the example. And the recent death of Arad Franklin impresses this thought with peculiar force just now. He was born in [New] York state December 9, 1802 and in boyhood came with his parents to Ohio and settled near Millville, Delaware county. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary [Nancy] White, of Pharisburg, who died about 17 years ago, and to them were born 11 children, 8 of whom are living to realize the loss of a devoted christian [sic] father. Some time after his marriage he moved to Union county and bought the property in this neighborhood, where he spent the remainder of his days. In early life he united with the Methodist Protestant church at Pharisburg, but when the Christian Union church was organized at Beech Grove 34 years ago he moved his membership to that church where it remained till he died. Mr. Franklin was endowed with a keen perception of the right and a [unreadable] courage to [unreadable] it and he has held official positions in the church [several lines of text unreadable]

morning at 5 o'clock, lacking only one month and 4 days of being 95[?] years old. The remains were conveyed by Undertaker Thomas to Hopewell church where the funeral sermon was preached by Rev. B. Hogan, after which the Masonic order took charge of the services. A large crowd of sorrowing friends followed the remains to the grave where they were laid to rest to await the resurrection morn."

[Source: "Magnetic Springs," Richwood Gazette, 11 Nov 1897, p. 2, col. 2; digital images, NewspaperARCHIVE.com (access by subscription : accessed 3 Jul 1910).]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: July 12

1849: My maternal 2nd great-grandparents, Joseph Franklin and Rhoda Cary, were married in Union County, Ohio. A copy of the entry in the marriage register follows:

[Source: Union County, Ohio, Marriage Records, 2: 207, Franklin-Cary; FHL microfilm 573,776.]

The officiant at the marriage Abijah Gandy, Justice of the Peace, was Rhoda’s uncle, her mother’s brother.

Joseph and Rhoda had five children who lived to adulthood: Ruth (from whom I descend), Nancy, Richard, Fannie, and David.


© 2011 Denise Spurlock