Lydia Shank

Not long before she died, my mother read the entire set of books in the series Abram's Daughters by Beverly Lewis.  These books tell the story of an Amish family and mom told me that reading them helped her to understand her mother, who was raised Mennonite.  Blanche Myers came from a long line of Mennonites.  This church shares a history with the Amish which dates to the 1500's and the belief in adult rather than infant baptisms.  Both religions are referred to as Anabaptists and come from Germany.  So to understand my mother's family it helps to understand that heritage. 

Lydia Shank is my 2nd great-grandmother on my mother's side.

Her grandfather, Henry Wideman,was born in Pennsylvania but moved his family to Markham, Ontario, Canada in 1803.  As was typical of the time, he followed others of his faith to that area in search of land.  His tombstone says that he was "The First Mennonite Preacher in Canada".

Dickson Hill Cemetery, Ontario, Canada

He died in a logging accident leaving behind his wife Catherine and 8 children (4 had died earlier).  His daughter, Barbara, had already married Michael Shank whose family's Mennonite roots stretch back to Europe.  
 

Michael's 5th great-grandfather, Christian Shenk, was active in the 1000 year old Würzbrunnen church in Switzerland.

Michael and Barbara had 14 children, the 8th being Lydia.  Sometime after the birth of their last child in 1832 they moved to Putnam County, Ohio and Barbara died there in 1836.  She was only 46 years old.  Lydia was 15.

Ten years later Lydia married Jacob Myers, whose family was also Mennonite. The Myers were early settlers in Putnam County who had moved there from Maryland with others from their church.

The Myers and Shanks were farmers. Family is very important in the Mennonite faith and that was probably true of Lydia's family.  There were a lot of aunts, uncles and cousins living in the area and they likely knew all of them.  Though not as conservative as the Amish, they would have led a simple life and dressed conservatively.  Since they were farmers, they would have raised their own food and probably made much of their own clothing.  Lydia and Jacob had nine children.  Surprisingly, only one, my great-grandfather John H. Myers, had children of his own, one of whom was my grandmother Blanche.    

 

Blanche Myers and a Friend

The Mennonite Church is still active today.  You can read more about them by clicking here.

Cornelius Fortman

Cornelius Christhomas Fortman was born October 26, 1894 in Kalida, Putnam County, Ohio.  He was baptized November 1st at St. Michael's Church.  I used to wonder where his middle name came from but you can see here that it is the name of the pastor, Chrisostom Hummer.

Cornelius

Cornelius' father, Theodore, was a widower with 4 children when he married Katherina Elizabetha Kolhoff on August 29, 1892 at St. John the Baptist Church in Glandorf.   Katherina would have been 34 years old and her stepdaughter described her as "dour and unfunloving".  Near the end of her life she spent time in a hospital or institution and the cause of death was "insanity dementia".  Theodore, on the other hand, was said to have "a twinkle in his eye and a wicked wink".  He was a hard worker who cleared his own land and built his house.  He supported education and had a school on his property.  Together they had a daughter and four sons.

Katharina and Theodore Wedding 1893

Cornelius was the oldest son and would have been 15 when his mother died in 1910.  I imagine that his older sister Rosina took on much of the responsibility of caring for the boys.  Cornelius graduated from Kalida high school a few years later...

and on May 13, 1915 he married 17 year old Blanche Myers.  Having been raised Catholic it was probably a surprise that he would marry a Mennonite girl.
 

They lived in Lima, Ohio for the first few years of their marriage where Cornelius was a machinist for the Lima Locomotive Works. Their first child, Geraldine, died as an infant. They had 3 more children before leaving the city for rural Putnam County where both of their families lived and farmed.  By 1930 Cornelius was a tenant farmer with 8 children, including my mom, Frances.  Sometime in the next 10 years they moved to the Myers farm and in 1940 they owned the land.  This is the farm that I remember from visits as a child.  I wish I had a picture of it...

All told, Cornelius and Blanche had 15 children.  Some are still living.  Their oldest son, Edward, died young due to a shooting accident, but the others lived long and have many descendents.  I have few memories of my grandfather.  He seemed to tolerate young children following him to the barn when it was time to milk the cows.  And he tried his best to teach me a tongue twister...Peter Piper...

Please add your own stories to the comments or send me an email...I would love to collect them.

Henry Clay Barber

Henry Clay Barber is my 2nd great-grandfather on my father’s side – Glen, JM, Katie then Henry. He was born in Parishville, St. Lawrence County, New York on March 15, 1842. His parents were Jeremiah B. Barber and Catherine Sterner and he was a farmer. This information is found in the New York, Town Clerks’ Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War¹ which were compiled between 1861 and 1865. This and other sources show that Henry enlisted as a private in Company B of the 72nd New York Infantry on October 13, 1861 and was discharged with a disability on February 7, 1862 after having served only four months. He was “in the hospital most of the time”. His regiment was stationed near Washington, DC and did not see any action until after his discharge.

There is no indication of the nature of his disability and on the 1865 New York state census he records his service and indicates that his health is good. By this time he had married Marion Wight whose family lived near his parents in Gerry, Chautauqua County, New York. He was a farmer and had a one year old son, Clarence. The census shows that the family lived in a framed house valued at $100 (which was the low end for the neighborhood although two families lived in log or plank houses worth less). Five years later he is living near Ellington, still farming though not a land owner, and there is a one year old daughter, Lizzie. By 1875 he was living near Cherry Creek and owned land. There is one more child, my great-grandmother, Katie.

Soon after this the family decided to leave their families in New York and move around Lake Erie to north central Michigan. This journey of 500 miles may have been made by train but it is more likely they went by wagon. Their last three children, Clyde, Louise and Bessie were born in Reed City, Osceola County. It’s hard to know why the family would make that trip but a description from the Portrait and biographical album of Osceola County2 written in 1884 may give a clue…

No better location than this for a town could be found in the county, and none with superior advantages. …with the junction of the two great railroads that traverse the State, and the lovely rolling grounds formed to gratify every taste for the location of homes, and shaded with grand old forest trees, it would seem that nature had left nothing more to be wished for.

It is surrounded by a finely located and rich farming country, and these farms are yearly increasing their acreage of cultivated ground. …Liberal expenditures have been made in improving the streets, grading off the ground, laying sidewalks, etc. …There are also several quite fine church edifices, and a large and handsome school building.
 
The location is extremely a healthy one, and malarial and pestilential diseases are unknown. The people are wide awake and energetic, and endowed with that enterprise so essential to the building up of a great city; they are ready to take advantage of every opportunity that is presented which will increase their business or advance the interests of their town; they are also liberal-minded and hospitable. With these elements in her citizens, with her splendid location and fertile country surrounding her, with her extensive manufacturing advantages, and ready transportation facilities, Reed city can only look forward to a constant and rapid growth and a prosperous future.

Union Depot, Reed City

Henry continued to farm near Reed City probably until the death of Marion in 1892. Soon after, he moved north to Cheboygan, Michigan and married a widow named Flora Birdsall Woodmansee. Together they had a son they named Birdsall. Henry lived out his life in Cheboygan and died there in 1916 at the age of 74. He was typical of the pioneers who moved to new lands as the country expanded. He had survived the Civil War, where more men died of disease than in battle. He raised 7 children and probably knew most of his 21 grandchildren. He lived a modest yet productive life.

Henry's daughter Katie, her husband Dolph Remington and son JM @ 1896

¹Henry Clay Barber; New York, Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War; Collection Number: (N-Ar)13774, Box 9: Roll 6; digital images, Ancestry.com (accessed 22 Feb 2015). Rec. Date: 22 Feb 2015.

²Portrait and biographical album of Osceola County. Chicago, Illinois: Chapman Bros., 1884 Heritage Quest (accessed 22 Feb 2015)

A Sad Story

My husband's 3rd great-grandfather was Hans Jacob Westphalen, who immigrated from Germany in 1855.  He settled in Calumet County, Wisconsin.  Within a few years at least two of his sons, Johan and Peter, had married and moved to Dodge County, Nebraska.  They lived near each other in Everett Township which is northwest of Omaha and just south of Scribner.

Link to Larger 1885 Map

Johan and his wife Christina, had 11 children including Dorothea, who married George Dearinger.  Their grandaughter was Clarice Mae Lewis. Peter and his wife Catharina (Catherine) Thedens had at least 7 children:  Henry, Dora, Minnie, Eda, Frederick, Mathilda and Ferdinand.  This post is about their family.

In genealogy, we sometimes start with cemeteries and work backwards, and sometimes the story is told in the newspapers.

Monument for Eda and Mathilda, ages 13 and 8, died 1888

Lincoln County Tribune, Aug 11, 1888

Omaha Daily Bee Aug 2, 1888

Omaha Daily Bee Feb 3, 1888

Omaha Daily Bee Feb 2, 1888

Omaha Daily Bee Jan 25, 1888

Omaha Daily Bee Jan 24, 1888

Part of The Blizzard, The Columbus Journal, Jan 18, 1888

1885 Nebraska Census

In 1885, Catharina was a widow with 4 children at home. Oldest daughter Dora had recently married Charles Seifert,  and Henry was living with them.  One son, Frederick had died in December, 1883.  Her husband, Peter, had died in Jan 1884.

The Widow Westphalen and children - Eda and Mathilda in front (bet 1884 and 1887)

***

Found on Ober Family Tree on Ancestry.com

Catherine remarried, probably in 1889, to Claus Henry Harms, who had just immigrated from Germany.  He was probably a widower as he had at least one child when they married.  Together they had a daughter, Bertha.  Catherine died in Dodge County, Nebraska on 11 May 1931.

Note:  All newspaper clippings came from Chronicling America.  The photo can be found on both FindaGrave and Ancestry.

Ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War

After an episode of Who Do You Think You Are, my husband asked if he had ancestors who served during the Revolutionary War.  A quick search of my Legacy Family Tree database gave a list of men who were the right age.  I limited the list to direct line ancestors. I then searched for those men in the DAR database.  The following information is copied from the results.  Note that most of these men did not actually serve but were involved in other ways.
  

1)  Nicholas Pitman – your 5^th great grandfather on the Whitaker line:

James Carter – Bessie Whitaker – Elma Combs – Elizabeth Pitman – Isaac Noah Pitman – John Pitman – Nicholas Pitman

DAR Information:

Pitman, Nicholas

Ancestor #: A089377

Service: Virginia    Rank: Civil Service

Birth:   Circa 1735   

Death:   Circa 1797     Shenandoah Co Virginia

Service Source:   Gilreath, Shenandoah Co Va Minute Book 1774-1780, P 50

Service Description:   1) Overseer Of Road

2) Cluverious Coleman – your 5^th great grandfather on the Carter line:

James Carter – Clarence Carter – Martha Coleman – John J. Coleman – Benjamin Coleman – James Coleman – Cluverious Coleman

DAR Info

Coleman, Cluverious

Ancestor #: A024286

Service: 

Virginia    Rank(S): Civil Service, Patriotic Service

Birth: Ante 1743    Virginia

Death: Ante 10-14-1799     Mecklenburg Co Virginia

Service Source: 

Elliott, Rev War Recs Of Mecklenburg Co Va, Pp 157,158,173; Abercrombie & Slatten, Va Rev Pub Claims, Vol 2, Pp 455,658,665

Service Description: 

1) Justice Of The Peace
2) Committee Of Safety; Rendered Material Aid

3) Nathan Fell – your fourth great grandfather on the Lewis line

Clarice Lewis – Oscar Thomas Lewis – Zilpah Morford – Benjamin Morford – Elizabeth Fell – Nathan Fell

DAR Info

Fell, Nathan

Ancestor #: A038794

Service: Pennsylvania    Rank: Private

Birth: 6-4-1760    Bucks Co Pennsylvania

Death: 12-10-1835     Mercer Co Pennsylvania

Service Description: 1) Militia

4) John Mauck – your 5^th great grandfather on the Whitaker line

James Carter – Bessie Whitaker – Elma Combs – Elizabeth Pitman – Isaac Noah Pitman – Elizabeth Mauck – John Peter Mauck

DAR Info

Mauck, John

Ancestor #: A207344

Service: 

Virginia    Rank: Patriotic Service

Birth: 11-25-1739    Opequon Frederick Co Virginia

Death: Ante 11-3-1821     Harrison Co Indiana

Service Source: 

1783 Personal Property Tax List, Shenandoah Co, Va, www.Vagenweb.Org/Shenandoah/Hom/1783ntro.Html; Hening, The Statutes At Large, Vol XI, Pp 112-129

Service Description: 1) Paid Supply Tax, Shenandoah Co, 1783

5) Gavin McCoy – your 4^th great grandfather on the Lewis line

Clarice Lewis – Oscar Thomas Lewis – Thomas Polk Lewis – Eliphalet Lewis – Susannah McCoy – Gavin McCoy

DAR Info

McCoy, Gavin

Ancestor #: A075735

Notice:

Problems Have Been Discovered With At Least One Previously Verified Paper - See Ancestor's Full Record

Service: New Jersey    Rank: Captain

Birth: 1-1-1738    Somerset Co New Jersey

Death: 4-20-1800     Basking Ridge Somerset Co New Jersey

Service Source:

Nj, Rev War Slips: Single Citations Of The Nj Dod Materials, Fhl#570182, Mss #1575, #3919

Service Description: 1) Lt Col Middaugh, Col Hunt, 1st Regt, Somerset Co Militia

6) Robert McKee – your 5^th great grandfather (twice) on the Whitaker line

James Carter – Bessie Whitaker – Joseph Riley Whitaker – Emaline McKee – Robert McKee – William McKee – Robert McKee

James Carter – Bessie Whitaker – Joseph Riley Whitaker – Asbury Whitaker – Elizabeth McKee – Robert McKee – Robert McKee

2nd Cousins

DAR Info

McKee, Robert

Ancestor #: A077492

Service: VIRGINIA    Rank(S): PATRIOTIC SERVICE, STAFF OFFICER

Birth: Circa 1740    Ireland

Death: 10-16-1800     Frederick Co Virginia

Service Source:

NARA, M881, Comp Mil Serv Recs, Roll 1070; Abercrombie & Slatten, Va Rev Pub Claims, Vol 2, P 387

Service Description:

1) Doctor In Units Of Lcols C Febiger, G Nicholas, Col Morgan

2) Furnished Supplies & Medical Assistance

7) David McMorris – your 4^th great grandfather on the Whitaker line

James Carter – Bessie Whitaker – Joseph Riley Whitaker – Emaline McKee – Elizabeth McMorris – David McMorris

DAR Info

McMorris, David

Ancestor #: A078336

Service: Pennsylvania    Rank: Private

Birth: Circa 1750  

Death: Ante 8-14-1818     Frederick Co Virginia

Service Source: Pa Arch, 5th Ser, Vol 5, Pp 300-301, 402-403

Service Description:

1) Capts Francis Murray, Henry Van Horn;

2) Col Joseph Kirkbride, Newtown Company, 1st Batt, Bucks Co Militia

8) Jedediah Mills – your 4^th great grandfather on the Lewis line

Clarice Lewis – Oscar Thomas Lewis – Thomas Polk Lewis – Mary Ann Mills – Jedediah Mills Jr. – Jedediah Mills

DAR Info

Mills, Jedediah

Ancestor #: A079927

Service: New Jersey    Rank: Patriotic Service

Birth: 6-6-1744    Morris Co New Jersey

Death: 2-1-1820     Morris Twp Morris Co New Jersey

Service Source: Early Morris Co, Nj Recs, 1740-1799, P 96; Mins Of Nj Prov Cong, Pp 176, 177, 407, 430

Service Description:

1) Signed General Association Elector Per

2) Ordinance Of 1776

9) George Whitacre/Whitaker - your 5^th great grandfather on the Whitaker line

James Carter – Bessie Whitaker – Joseph Riley Whitaker – Asbury Whitaker – George Whitaker – Joshua Whitaker – George Whitacre

DAR Info

Whitaker, George

Ancestor #: A124215

Service: Virginia    Rank: Patriotic Service

Birth: 1745    Wales

Death: 6-13-1785     Loudoun Co Virginia

Service Source: Abercrombie & Slatten, Va Rev Pub Claims, Vol 2 P 598

Service Description:

1) Furnished Beef for the Army

Need more research –

Jasper Cather

Zephaniah Lewis