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 – A 100 Word Genealogy Challenge

Randy Seaver of GeneaMusings has come up with another great challenge:

1. This SNGF is based on the 100 Word Challenge (http://100wc.net/) that school children are participating in around the world.  They are given a word or phrase to write a story about in one hundred words.
2. Write a short 100 word story using the phrase ",,,the most interesting ancestor I have..." in 100 words.  [Hint:  If you write it in a word processor, you can use Tools > Word Count (or similar) to count words]
3. Share the story with all of us by writing your own blog post, writing a comment on this blog post, or put it in a Google Plus Stream or Facebook Status or Note.  Please leave a comment on this post so others can find it.

For this exercise, I am going to choose Rhoda (Cary) Franklin as my most interesting ancestor. One of my maternal 2nd great-grandmothers, she was the daughter of Ephraim and Matilda (Gandy) Cary. She was born probably 9 January 1833 in Union County, Ohio. At the age of 16, she married Joseph Franklin. Rhoda and Joseph had five children who lived to adulthood. Rhoda was institutionalized in 1870 for what was described as “melancholia from the death of a child.” She was released two years later. I have never been able to find a death date or burial location for her.

© 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

Military Monday - Never Paid, Bounty Due

Last week I wrote about Henry Sloas, the husband of my 3^rd great-grandaunt Mary Burton, who was judged to be a “disloyal citizen” by a military commission in Kentucky during the Civil War. Mary (Burton) Sloas saw not only her husband arrested and sent to a Union prison camp, but her eldest son, Franklin, as well!

As shown on the record card below, Franklin enlisted in Captain Field’s Partisan Rangers in Carter County, Kentucky, on 5 January 1863. On the muster roll from which this card was prepared, he was marked absent, captured by the enemy on 9 May 1863, having never been paid and with an enlistment bounty due.

This second card records that he appeared on a list of prisoners of war, having been arrested at Louisa, Kentucky, on 8 May 1863, and received at Camp Chase on 16 May 1863. He is described as being 17 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, with grey eyes, light hair and a fair complexion. He died at Camp Chase on 3 July 1863.

[Source: Compiled service record, Franklin Sloas; Civil War; NARA Publication M319, Compiled Military Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Kentucky; digital images, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 23 Jun 2013).]

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Military Monday – Henry Sloas, a Disloyal Citizen

While conducting research on the siblings of my 2^nd great-grandfather James H. Burton (1822-1905), I found FindAGrave Memorial #5714647 for Henry Sloas, the husband of Mary Burton, my 2^nd great-grandaunt. According to the memorial, Henry died of typhoid fever on 28 October 1863 while imprisoned at Camp Chase in Ohio and is buried in an unmarked grave at Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.

The memorial gave some information about an incident during the Civil War in which Henry was believed to have been involved. Click here to read the account.

Based on what I could find about the Henry Sloas who served in the 48^th Virginia Infantry, I believe that was a different man. However, after some digging around in the Confederate records on Fold3, I found the following document on a hearing before a military commission in Louisa, Kentucky, which resulted in Henry Sloas being sent to Camp Chase just a few short months before his death.

"Louisa Ky

Proceedings of Military

Commission held at

Louisa Easter[n] Ky.

in the case of

Henry Sloas a

Disloyal citizen

  

Recd. C. C. May 16^th 1843."

"Case of Henry Sloas.

John C. Porter, on oath states that he arrested Sloas, because I considered him a disloyal citizen and because I believe he had his large gun out and buskwhacked [sic] Gen. G W. Morgan cvl.[?] last fall. I know him to be a very strong rebel. He frequently harbored the rebels, and was reported to be in the habit of carrying information to them. I heard him say at a log rolling, that the first Union men that came about his house, he be damned if he wouldn't make one less of them. When I asked him, the other day, for his gun, he said he had not had it for a month, but when I raised my gun and cocked it he showed me wher [sic] it was. It was further reported that he was one of the men who dug the hole to put Huff and others who had were murdered last winter.

(In answer to prisoner) I have heard you this this [sic] was a war for negro equality, and that if any party was right it was the Jeff. Davis party.

The commission Recommend him to be sent to Camp Chase.

Capt. John Dalzell                 A Brown Jr Let. Col. and

Judge Advc Mil Com            Protem Pres.

The prisoner denies every assertion of the witness and affirms that he prove by the miners' own mother[?] that he has lied_"

Case of Henry Sloas; Unfiled Papers and Slips Belonging in Confederate Compiled Service Records;
National Archives Records Administration, Publication M347;
digital images, Fold3.com (www.fold3.com : accessed 16 Jun 2013).

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Wordless Wednesday - Love is in the Air #4

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Arnold Lee Sherrell and

Sandra L. Svoboda

and their wedding party

(my brother and sister-in-law)

14 February 1959

Los Angeles County, California

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Wordless Wednesday - Love is in the Air #2

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Gary Arnold Hutchcraft and

Deanna Dale Sherrell

(my brother-in-law and sister)

29 August 1953

Temple City, Los Angeles County, California

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - 1812 Will of William Cook

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.

William Cook, of Surry County, North Carolina, was the brother of Thomas Cook, my 4th great-grandfather. I thought it interesting that William felt that it would be best if his executors rented out his property and the profits therefrom given to his widow; I have not previously seen that provision made in a will.

 “In the name of God Amen. I William Cook, of the County of Surry, and State of North Carolina being weak in body but of sound mind and memory, blessed be God for the same, do this seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord 1812, make and publish this my last will and testament, in manner following, Viz.

First of all, I recommend my soul to God who gave it, and my body to its native dust, to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner, at the discretion of my Executors; and as to my worldly goods that it hath been pleased God to bless me with, my will and desire is that they be disposed with as follows,

Item I give unto my beloved wife Elizabeth Cook my molatto boy Lewis to be her own property forever. I also lend to her my said wife my negro woman Milley together with the whole of my moveable or perishable property of every discription (negro Bob excepted) also the profits of my land and plantation, dwelling house, out houses, and so forth, where I now live during her natural life or widowhood; and in order that the same may be managed to the best advantage I direct that my Executors rent out continuealy my said land and plantation and return to my said wife the profits of such rent during the above said term. Also I desire that if is should appear to my Executors to be necessary that they should sell such part of my stock and working tools as they may think usless to my said wife and the product of such sale to be equally divided among my children.

After the death or widowhood of my wife Elizabeth Cook, I give and bequest the aforesaid negro woman Milley to my daughter Mary Holeman and my land and plantation where I now live containing three hundred and twenty acres I give unto my sons Wiles [Miles?] and John Cook to be equally divided between them.

Item. I give unto my daughter Lucy Holeman my negro man Bob. I also direct that my two Lotts in the Town of Huntsville be sold and the product of such sale to be equally divided among my children as above saidtioned

I also do nominate and appoint my said wife Elizabeth Cook Executrix and my son John Cook and Thomas Wright Executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby revoke and disannul all others wills by me made and do acknowledge this only to be my last will and testament.

In testimony whereof I the said William Cook hath set my hand and seal the day and date above written in presents of

Test     Henry Hampton                                  William Cook {seal}

            John Angel

State of North Caroline Surry County May Session AD 1812.

John Angel (one of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will and testament of William Cook) made oath that he saw the said Cook sign publish and declare the same to be his last will and testament, that he was of sound and disposing mind and memory and at the same time he saw Henry Hampton sign the same as a witness thereto which was ordered to be recorded; done accordingly

                                                                        by Jo Williams CC”

[Source: North Carolina, Surry County, Wills, 1792-1827, William Cook, Vol. 03, pg. 100, image 126; digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 24 Jan 2013).]

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Wordless Wednesday - Love is in the Air #1

Digital image. Original held by Denise SPURLOCK, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Lomita, California, 2012.

William L. Yawman and

Myrtle Arminta Snider

(my maternal grandparents)

September 26, 1897

Neosho County, Kansas

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - A Second Deed from Richard Cook to Thomas Cook

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.


Last week I published the first of two deeds from Richard Cook to his father Thomas Cook (one of my maternal 4th great-grandfathers). This second deed for 40 acres, also on Brushey Mountain in North Carolina and the land on which Richard was living, was dated 31 March 1818, just two days after the first deed. This deed also was not recorded until 15 July 1819, after Thomas Cook's death.

“Richard Cook to Tho^s Cook Deed 40 Acres land

This Indenture made the thirty first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen between Richard Cook of the county of Wilkes and State of North Carolina of the one part and Thomas Cook of the County and State aforesaid of the other part. Witnesseth that for an in consideration of the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to me in hand paid by the said Thomas Cook the receipt whereof is hereby fully acknowledged that the said Richard Cook hath given, granted, bargained, sold and by these presents do give, grant, and sell unto the said Thomas Cook his heirs or assigns to a certain tract or parcel of land containing forty acres be the same more or less it being part of the land whereon the said Richard Cook now lives. Beginning on a White oak, thence nearly West to my North line it being a conditional line made between Richard Cook and Thomas Cook Including all the lands North of said line concluding forty Acres be the same more or less with the appurtenances and all rights titles and priviledges and improvements the same anny ways belonging to him the said Ritchard Cook his heirs or assigns forever and the said Cook himself his heirs do hereby coventent [covenant] and agree to and with the said Thomas Cook that said Cook his heirs or assigns shall and may forever hereafter peaceably and quietly injoy oqupy [occupy] and precess [possess] the aforesaid grant and land without Molistation and the said Ritchard Cook himself his heirs Executors, Administrators or assigns do by these presents warrant and forever defend the right and title of the aforesaid granted lands and primises to him the said Thomas Cook his heirs and assigns forever against the right title or claim or Intrest of anny person or persons whatsoever, In witness whereof I Ritchard Cook hath hereunto set my hand and fixt my seal the day and date first above written.

Signed, sealed and delivered  }

I[n] prsents of                        }                                              Richard Cook {seal}

James Clanton

Enos Anderson

W. W. Martin

                        (wrote on the back.)

North Carolina            }

Wilkes County            }          May Term 1819

The within Deed was duly proven in open court by the oath Williams W. Martin in order to be Registered.

                                                                        Test R. Martin, Clk.

Registered       }

15^th July 1819  }”

[Source: Wilkes County, North Carolina, Deeds, 1768-1964, 24: 432, indenture, Richard Cook to Thomas Cook, dated 31 March 1818, recorded 15 July 1819; FHL microfilm 392,960.]

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - 1818 Deed - Richard Cook to Thomas Cook

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.


Because I am working with my newfound cousin Connie on our Cook ancestors, I am trying to transcribe all the documents I have scanned relative to this family. Today I am publishing the image and transcription of the first of two deeds from Richard Cook to his father Thomas Cook (one of my maternal 4th great-grandfathers). This deed for 100 acres on Brushey Mountain in Wilkes County, North Carolina, was executed on 29 March 1818, but not recorded until 15 July 1819, after Thomas Cook's death.

“Richard Cook to Thomas Cook Deed 80 Acres land

This Indenture made the twent[y]ninth of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen Between Ritchard Cook of the County of Wilkes and State of North Carolina of the one part and Thomas Cook of the County and State aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth that for and in Consideration of the sum of one hundred dollars to me in hand paid by the said said Thomas Cook the same where is fully acknowledged that the said Richard Cook hatch given Grnated Bargained sold and by these presents do give Grant and Sull unto the said Thomas Cook his heirs or assigns to a certain tract or parcel of land Containing Eighty acres on the Brushey Mountain Beginning at a red Oak in Thomas Cooks line West sixty poles to a Chesnut in Martains line thence North with said line thirty poles to the corner then West sixty poles to a White Oake North eighty two poles to a red oak East twenty five Poles to a read Oak in Gilreaths line South six poles to the former East one hundred and seven poles to a Chesnut Oak thence South to the Beginning with the appertances and all Rights titles Privilleges and Improvments the same in anney ways Belong to him the said Richard Cook his heirs or assigns forever and the said Cook himself his heirs do hereby covnant and agree to and with the said Thomas Cook that said Cook his heirs or assigns shall and may forever hear after peaceably and Quietly Injoy Oquipy [occupy] and pocess [possess] the aforesaid Grant and Land without Molestation and the said Richard Cook himself his huars [heirs] Executors administrators or assigns do by these presents warrant and forever defend the Right and titel of the aforesaid Granted land and primses [premises] to him the said Thomas Cook his heirs nad assigens, forever against the Right title or clame or Intrust [interest] of any person or persons whatsoever in witness whereof I Richard Cook hath hearunto set my  hand and fixt my seal the day and year first above Ritten.

Signed Sealed and Delivered }

In presents of                          }                                              Richard Cook {seal}

James Kanton [Clanton]

Enox [Enos] Anderson

W. W. Martin

(wrote on the back)

North Coralina            }          May Term 1819

Wilkes County            }          The within deed was duly proven in open Court by the oath of William W. Martin in order to be Registered.

                                                                                                Test. R. Martin, Clk.

Registered 15^th July 1819 }”

[Source: Wilkes County, North Carolina, Deeds, 1768-1964, 24: 429, indenture, Richard Cook to Thomas Cook, dated 29 March 1818, 15 July 1819; FHL microfilm 392,960.]


© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - 1776 Will of Abijah Gandy

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.

Years ago I was given information about my Gandy ancestors by other researchers; part of that information included a statement that Abijah Gandy, one of my maternal 5th great-grandfathers, died at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777. I recently found Abijah's will posted on FamilySearch and have transcribed it below. Abijah wrote his will on 23 April 1776 and it was proved 12 March 1777. Abijah wrote that he was "very Weak and Sick in Body." Was his infirmity the result of service in the Revolutionary War or did he recover and then enlist in Revolutionary forces? Either way, he evidently did not die during Washington's legendary encampment at Valley Forge which happened during the winter of 1777-1778. To date I have not found any record of service during the Revolution nor have I found a burial location.

“In the Name of God Amen this Twenty third day of Apriel and year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Six I Abijah Gandy of the County of Cumberland and Province of West New jersey being Very weak and Sick in Body but of Perfect mind and Memory thanks be to God there for Calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is apointed for all men once to Dye I do make and ordain this to be my Last will and Testament[.] Princaply and first of all I do Give my Soul to Almighty God that Give it and my Body I do Recomend to the Grave to be Buried in a Decent Christian Manner at the discresian of my Executors nothing Doubting but I Shall Receive the Same again in the General Resurection by the Power of God and as to worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this Life, I do Give and Dispose of in manner following[:] first my will is that all my Just deb[t]s and funeral Charges be fully paid. 2^d I do Give and Bequeath to Mary Gandy my Dearly Beloved Wife the use of the Plantation I live on During her Life for the Bringing up of my Children. 3^d I do Give to my oldest Son Henery Gandy the planation that I Live on at his mothers Decease or the Lower part. 4^th I do Give to my Son Abijah Gandy twenty five acres of Land across the upper part of this Plantation. further my will is that my Son Henery out of his part Shall pay to my Son Shepherd Gandy the Sum of Ten Pounds when Shepherd is of age and he Shall further pay to my Daughter Deborah Gandy the Sum of Five Pounds when She is of age and and if henery Should dye under age my will is that Abijah shall have his part ^{^and Shepherd shall have Abijahs} or if Abijah Should dye Shepherd Shall have his Part further my will is that my Two younger Sons Should when of Proper age be Bound out to as Good Trades as may be in that day, agreeable to an agreement that was made if my Son in Law Lives with his mother till he is of age my will is that he Shall have my Loom and Tackling and I do hereby apoint Mary Gandy my wife, and Nathan Shepherd Executors of this my Last Will and Testaman and do hereby disalow all others and do Establish and Confirm this to be my Last Will and Testament.

Signd Seald Publish,d and Pronous,d in the

Presence of us

Gideon Heaton                       Tabitha Shepherd                    Abijah Gandy

            her

Anna     X    Lore

            mark”

[Source: New Jersey, Probate Records, 1678-1980, Cumberland County, file 611F, will of Abijah Gandy; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 Oct 2012).]

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Wordless Wednesday - Uncle Bill and Mom

Digital image. Original held by Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Lomita, California, 2012.

William Howard Yawman and

Beaulah Belle Yawman

circa 1918

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Surname Saturday - Ancestor #31 - Rhoda Cary

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-grandmother Rhoda Cary was born 9 January 1833[1] in Union County, Ohio, the seventh child of Ephraim and Matilda (Gandy) Cary.

On 11 July 1849, Rhoda married Joseph Franklin in Union County, Ohio.[2] The couple 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] 

On 21 May 1870, John B. Coats, Judge for the Probate Court of Union County, Ohio, signed an “Application for Admission” of Rhoda into the Central Lunatic Asylum in Columbus, Ohio.[11] On the same day, a “Medical Certificate” was signed by one Dr. Skidmore stating that Rhoda had been judged insane; he stated that she had been “insane for three weeks and ‘melancholic’ for five months.” The cause was specified as “probable affection [affliction?] of the lungs producing debility and loss of child producing melancholy.”[12] On 30 May 1870 Rhoda was admitted to the asylum located in Dayton, Ohio, having been taken there by Lory Ford.[13] She remained there for over two years, until she was returned to Taylor Township in Union County on 21 August 1872.[14]

Looking at the number of years between the births of Rhoda’s two youngest children, it appears that there could have been another child born between them and then one or more  children born after David. Certainly, recurrent stillbirths or children who died shortly after birth would have impacted Rhoda’s mental health. Was the lung condition possibly tuberculosis? Daughter Nancy died in 1875 from scrofula, which is defined as a tuberculosis infection the lymph nodes in the neck.[15]

Rhoda has not been found in any records after August 1872. Her husband Joseph remarried on 1 November 1877 in Marion County, Ohio.[16] It is unknown whether she died or whether they divorced. No burial location has been found. None of Rhoda’s children were living with Joseph at the time of the 1880 census.[17]

There are several opportunities for additional research:

1. Continued research in records of Union County and Marion County, both areas in which Rhoda may have lived after her release from the asylum, to see if there is any record of death or divorce.
2. Newspaper research in Union and Marion counties, to see if there are any references to Rhoda.
3. Research on descendants and collateral lines to see if a living relative can be found who has more information on Rhoda’s life and death.

---

[1] Ephraim Cary Personal Bible, ( n.p., n.d.), Family Record page and front inside cover pages; privately held by Rev. Darrell Joiner, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], Lincoln, Maine, 04457. Copies provided to Denise Spurlock in 2001. It is unknown whether Mr. Joiner held the actual Bible or only copies thereof.

[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] Union County, Ohio, Probate Court, Application for Admission, 21 May 1870, Rhoda Cary; scanned image received from Judy Price (jmbp_99@yahoo.com), 1 May 2011.

[12] Union County, Ohio, Probate Court, Medical Certificate, 21 May 1870, Rhoda Cary; scanned image received from Judy Price (jmbp_99@yahoo.com), 1 May 2011.

[13] Union County, Ohio, Probate Court, Warrant to Convey, 27 May 1870, Rhoda Franklin; scanned image received from Judy Price (jmbp_99@yahoo.com), 1 May 2011.

[14] Union County, Ohio, Probate Court, Warrant to Convey, 19 August 1872, Rhoda Franklin; scanned image received from Judy Price (jmbp_99@yahoo.com), 1 May 2011.

[15] U.S. National Library of Medicine, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002330/, accessed 14 October 2012

[16] "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).

[17] 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, York Township, Union County, Ohio, enumeration district (ED) 72, p. 20A, dwelling (blank), family 47, Joseph Franklin; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Feb 2012); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1073.

© 2012 Denise Spurlock

Sunday's Obituary - Mrs. Nancy E. Yawman

Nancy E. Yawman, one of my maternal great-grandmothers, died on July 14, 1919. Her obituary provided information about her religious affiliation, something I did not know. I found it interesting that they printed information on when her body was shipped from the place of death (Miami, Oklahoma) to the burial location (Parsons, Kansas) and that her son accompanied the body.

“MRS. NANCY YAWMAN BURIED IN PARSONS

Mrs. Nancy E. Yawman, who died at the home of her son John Yawman Tuesday, was buried in Parsons, Wednesday afternoon. The body was shipped Tuesday. John Yawman accompanied the body to Parsons.

Mrs. Yawman has been a member of the Baptist church here and is well known. Her 73d birthday was celebrated at the home about four weeks ago.”

[Source: "Mrs. Nancy Yawman Buried in Parsons," Miami District Daily News, 16 Jul 1919, p. 1, col. 5; digital images, GenealogyBank (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 14 Oct 2012).]

© 2012 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.

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[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