Robert Wilson, Are You Really Robert Nelson?

Most of us genealogists have likely had the challenging experience of not finding an ancestor in a census record where we think that ancestor should be.  It can be frustrating.  Since there are 20 years between three census records we have to wonder if the ancestor moved away from the area, then moved back.  Or whether the census taker missed the family altogether.  Or whether the census taker misheard or wrongly recorded the name.  So many possibilities and each might take a different approach to solve.

I've been diving into census records for Robert Nelson and his family.  In 1840, 1850, and 1870 he and his family were living in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio.  Of those three censuses, only in the 1850 and 1870 records are names and ages of (probable) family members listed but no relationships are declared.  Trying to find him in 1860 has required more effort.  I considered many possibilities but resorted to searching page by page through the Steubenville Township entries to see if I could find him and his family.  They are not there, at least under the name of Robert Nelson.

However, I found a family with the head of household identified as Robert Wilson in the 1860 Census, living in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio.  See the 1860 image below (imaged edited for clarity).  Or see a digital image of the 1860 census page here at FamilySearch (with a free account).

In 1850, these are the people listed with Robert Nelson. 
>Robert Nelson, 50 [b. ~1800]; occupation was coal digger, born England
    Jane, 45, [b. ~1805], born England
    Daniel, 24, [b. ~1826], born England
    Elizabeth, 18, [b. ~1832], born Pennsylvania
    William, 17, [b. ~1833], born Ohio
    John, 14, [b. ~1836], born Ohio
    Robert, 10, [b. ~1840], born Ohio
    Thomas, 8, [b. ~1842], born Ohio
    Alice, 6, [b. ~1844], born Ohio
    Emily, 4, [b. ~1846], born Ohio
    Mary, 1, [b. ~1849], born Ohio

In 1860, these are the people listed with Robert Nelson or Robert Wilson
>Wilson, Robert, 60 years, [born ~1800], miner, born England  (Robert also owned property.)
    --- Jane, 54, [b. ~1806], born England
    --- John, 23, [b. ~1837], born Ohio
    --- Robert, 21,[b. ~1839], born Ohio
    --- Thomas, 18, [b. ~1842], born Ohio
    --- Emma, 15, [b. ~1845], born Ohio
    --- Mary, 11, [b. ~1849], born Ohio
    --- Anna, 10, [b. ~1850], born Ohio

In 1870, these are the people listed with Robert Nelson
>Nelson, Robert, 70, {b. ~1800], coal miner, born England  (Robert also owned property)
    Nelson, Jane, 64, [b. ~1806], born England
    Nelson, Annie, 19, [b. ~1851], born Ohio

This is the comparison of names and ages of individuals in census records in 1850, 1860, and 1870, or for the younger children, in 1860 and 1870:
Robert at 50, 60, and 70, always born in England, always a coal miner
Jane at 45, 54, 64, always born England
Daniel, Elizabeth, and William appear with their parents in only the 1850 census
John at 14 and 23
Robert at 10 and 21
Thomas at 8 and 18
Emily/Emma at 4 and 15
Mary at 1 and 11
Anna/Annie at 1 and 10 (in 1860 and 1870)

The names and ages seem to align across the census records from year to year, but is that enough for me to claim that the 1860 census with Robert Wilson as head of household is really Robert Nelson?  I would like to say yes, but I hesitate.  Have you had a similar experience?

I searched for Robert Wilson in 1850 and 1870 in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, but did not find anyone with that name.  That does not discount that Robert Wilson may have moved into the county in time for the 1860 census, and then moved away.  But where would Robert Nelson have been in 1860?  I haven't found him anywhere in that census.

I intend to look at neighbors of Robert Nelson to see if that helps clarify that Robert Nelson and Robert Wilson may or may not be the same person.

Would you consider Robert Wilson to be Robert Nelson with this information?  If you have thoughts or ideas of how else I can search and confirm, or next steps  I could take, please share!  I'd be grateful.

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2025 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Robert Nelson and Family in the 1850 and 1840 U.S. Census Records

I'm continuing my research on Robert Nelson, my third-great-grandfather, and his family, going from most recent to earlier records.  I posted the 1870 U.S. Census not long ago.  Finding him in the 1860 census has proved challenging, so I moved back to the 1850 and 1840 census records.  (Going for the low-hanging fruit here.)  All three census records that I've found show him and his family living in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio. 

The earlier U.S. census records (1850 and before) are not as helpful as census records in 1880 and after (which include relationships to head of household) but they give names and the location of an individual or family during the year the census was taken, plus hints about possible/probable family members.

Because I search from the most recent information to earlier information, I'm posting the census records in reverse chronological order.

Both images are available at FamilySearch (with a free acount) by clicking on the links.  Additionally, you can click on the images which will open in a new tab and then you can enlarge the images to take a closer look.

Robert Nelson and Family in the 1850 U.S. Census:  (Available here at FamilySearch.)

This is an extraction from the record.  (Robert and family begin on line four.)

1850 U.S. Census,  Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, State of Ohio, 15 August 1850, printed page 81 (two pages/number), Dwelling-house 1146, Family # 1223, lines 4-14
Persons whose usual place of abode on the first day of June, 1860, was with this family
    Robert Nelson, 50, male, coal digger, born England [born ~1800]
    Jane Nelson, 45, female, born England [born ~1805]
    Daniel Nelson, 24 male, born England [born ~1826]
    Elizabeth Nelson, 18, female, born Pennsylvania [born ~1832]
    William Nelson, 17, male, laborer, born Ohio [born ~1833]
    John Nelson, 14, male, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1836]
    Robert Nelson, 10, male, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1840]
    Thomas Nelson, 8, male, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1842]
    Alice Nelson, 6, female, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1844]
    Emily Nelson, 4, female, born Ohio [born ~1846]
    Mary Nelson, 1, female, born Ohio [born ~1849]

Notes

• Emily Nelson, age 4, is, I believe, Emma Nelson, my great-great-grandmother.
• I notice that Robert and Jane were both born in England.  Their son Daniel was born there in 1826 but daughter Elizabeth was born in 1832 in Pennsylvania.  This suggests that the family of three came to the U.S. between 1826 and 1831-1832.  Now I can search for them on a passenger list.
• Also, if their first son was born in 1826, it's likely that they married between 1820, when Jane was 15, and 1825.  Now I can search for a U. K. marriage record.

Robert Nelson and family in the 1840 U.S. Census:    (Available here at FamilySearch.)

This is an extraction from the record.  (Robert's name is beside the T in Township, about halfway down the page.)

1840 U. S. Census,  Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, no date, page 87
    Robert Nelson
    2 males under 5 years  [Robert, ~0 & John, ~4]
    1 male 5-10 years  [William, ~7]
    1 male 10-15 years  [Daniel, ~14]
    1 male 40-50 years  [Robert, ~50]
    2 females 10-15 years  [Elizabeth, ~8 and Alice, ~15 or 16]
    1 female 30-40 years  [Jane, ~35]

Note
The 1840 census makes it a little harder to narrow down a possible birth date with its five-year span for ages, but as noted in brackets, I believe the ages generally correspond to the 1860 census record.

Having the probable birth years will help in locating Ohio death records, assuming the individuals died after Jefferson County began keeping death records in 1867 or after the State of Ohio began keeping death records in 1908.  Newspapers may help if obituaries of family members were published (and can be found with the aid of OCR!).

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2025 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Robert Nelson and Family in the 1870 U.S. Census

Robert Nelson is a common name but not so common that I find multiple men of the same name living in Jefferson County, Ohio.  It has been helpful that other researchers have documented the life of Robert and Jane Nelson and their family, but because of the commonness of their names through the years and in various locations, there seems to be some confusion with multiple people of the same name in online family trees (particularly FamilySearch's Family Tree and particularly in English records).  Therefore, I'm searching for and reviewing records for accuracy in the hope of clarifying.

I began my search of census records with the 1870 Census because a previous researcher shared a death announcement published on October 1, 1875, in the Steubenville Weekly Gazette stating that Robert Nelson, Sr., age 75 years, formerly of Steubenville, had died in Montgomery County, Illinois.  She thought, and I agree, that this is our ancestor, Robert Nelson.

Below is the page from the 1870 U.S. Census with Robert Nelson with wife, Jane, and daughter, Annie.

1870 U.S. Census.   (Available here at Ancestry with an account.)
Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio.  14 Jul 1870, written page 25, image 25 of 53; Steubenville post office.  Dwelling 191, Family #191, Lines 22-24

• Nelson, Robert, 70, male, white, coal miner, $1500 real estate, born England, parents foreign-born 
• Nelson, Jane, 64, female, white, keeping house, born England, parents foreign-born
• Nelson, Annie, 19, female, white, born Ohio, parents foreign-born

Information I garner from this record
> They lived in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio.
> Robert was born in England in about 1800.
> He was a coal miner.  (Was he still working at the age of 70?)
> He owned property.
> Jane was born in England in about 1806.
> Robert and Jane were immigrants.  Might there be a passenger list?
> Might there be naturalization papers?
> Annie, their daughter, was born in Ohio in about 1851.
> If Annie died in Ohio after 1908 I may find an Ohio death certificate for her.

Clues for next searches
> Look for Jefferson County property records for Robert Nelson, both purchase and sale
> Check for information about coal mines in and around Jefferson County, Ohio.
> Might there be a county birth record for Annie Nelson?
> Find previous census records for this family.
> Look for Ohio death certificate for Annie Nelson with parents Robert and Jane.

This is my line from my mother to Robert and Jane:  Audrey Meinzen --> Emma Bickerstaff --> Edward Jesse Bickerstaff --> Ellis H. Bickerstaff (and Emma Nelson) --> Robert and Jane Nelson

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2025 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner.  

1850 or 2020 Census? I'd Rather Have the 1850, Please

In March, 2020, our mailbox received not just one but three pieces of mail from the U.S. Census Bureau.  Two were envelopes, the other a postcard.  All three announced that our response was required by law.  And census day wasn't until April 1.  With so many deaths from this pandemic I wonder if the descendants of some early responders to the census questions might be confused by seeing an ancestor listed as alive in the census on April 1, 2020, yet finding a death certificate for the ancestor dated sometime in March, 2020.

Responding to the questions online, all 13 of them, brought to mind the 1850 U.S. census with its 13 questions.  They rival each other for brevity, if not content.  I know the U.S. Census was not created to benefit family historians but from a family history viewpoint I'd rather have the 1850 census over the 2020 any day.  You? 

Just for interest's sake, here are the questions from each of these two census years.  The questions asked on the 1850 U. S. Census (and all other years except 2020) can be found at United States Census Index of Questions.  The questions on the 2020 U.S. Census can be found at United States Census 2020 - Questions Asked on the Form where you can read why the questions were asked and a guide for responding if you have any doubts.

1850 U.S. Census, Questions for Free Inhabitants  (Census date was June 1.)

1. Number of dwelling house (in order visited)
2. Number of family (in order visited)
3. Name
4. Age
5. Sex
6. Color  (This column was to be left blank if a person was White, marked "B" if a person was Black, and marked "M" if a person was Mulatto.)
7. Profession, occupation, or trade of each person over 15 years of age
8. Value of real estate owned by person
9. Place of Birth  (If a person was born in the United States, the enumerator was to enter the state they were born in. If the person was born outside of the United States, the enumerator was to enter their native country.)
10. Was the person married within the last year?
11. Was the person at school within the last year?
12. If this person was over 20 years of age, could they read and write?
13. Is the person "deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict?

2020 Census Questions  (Census date was April 1.)
Questions 1-5 were household questions.  Numbers 6-13 were to be answered for each individual living at the address.

1. Number of people living or staying at this address
2. Name of each person who was living or staying at this address
3. Was the house, apartment, or mobile home owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan; owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan); rented; or occupied without payment of rent?
4. Your telephone number
5. Person's name
6. Sex
7. Age and date of birth
8. Of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin (with option to answer yes or no)?
9. Race (Each option has a space to claim a more detailed ancestry such as Black or African American; American Indian or Alaska Native; Chinese; Asian Indian; Samoan; etc.)
10. Name of Person 2 living at this address
11. Does this person usually live or stay somewhere else?
12. How is other person living in the home related to the first person?  (Respondent can choose from sixteen relationship options.)

There's not much overlap in the questions:  name, age, sex, color.  And location.

Paper-lover that I am, it's hard to imagine what this 2020 census would look like if it had to be compiled into a form other than online.  I love the paper census pages with columns of questions and rows with names and responses to the questions.  The organization makes it easy to view quickly as well as comb through carefully.  This 2020 Census will probably never be presented in such a simple format.

As brief and uninformative as the 2020 Census is (from a genealogist's viewpoint) there's a good chance that any of you reading this post and many others who won't but who are family historians, are already keeping records for yourself and your immediate family members which will give more information than a U.S. Census ever could.  Pity the new researcher in 2092 who's just beginning, hoping to find helpful information in the 2020 census.

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2020, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Snapshot of Dixon Bartley's Farm, 1880

I searched for and found Dixon Bartley in the 1880 U.S. Agricultural Census where Dixon and his neighbors were enumerated in Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.  Dixon was not a poor farmer in 1880, nor was he one of the wealthiest among the other 119 farmers recorded in his township's census report. 

Below is a transcription of the 1880 U.S. Agricultural Census for Dixon.

Schedule 2.--Production of Agriculture, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, S.D. #10, E.D. #51, pg. 2, line 9, June 3, 1880. 

Column [Column numbers not included had no entries.]
  1    Bartley Dixson
  2    Owner
Acres of Land Improved.
  5    100 acres tilled land including fallow and grass in rotation (pasture or meadow)
  6    20 acres land in permanent meadows, permanent pastures, orchards, vineyards
Farm Values.
  9    $4000 value of farm including land, fences, and buildings
10    $100 value of farming implements and machines
11    $1000 value of livestock
Fences.
12    $50 value of fences, cost of building and repairs in 1879
Labor.
14    $50 paid for wages for farm labor during 1879 including value of board
16    $800 estimated value of all farm productions (sold, consumed, or on hand) for 1879
Grass Lands.
17    12 acres mown land
19    20 tons hay harvested
Horses of all ages on hand June 1, 1880.
22    4  
Neat Cattle and Their Products - On Hand June 1, 1880.
25    5 milch cows
26    6 other
27    4 calves dropped
Neat Cattle and Their Products - Movement, 1879.
29    10 cattle sold living
30    8 cattle slaughtered
33    700 pounds butter made on the farm in 1879
Swine on hand June 1, 1880.
45    10
Poultry on hand June 1, 1880, exclusive of spring hatching.
46    40 barnyard
47    50 other
Cereals - Buckwheat.  1879.
51    4 acres
52    108 bushels crop
Cereals - Indian Corn.  1879.
53    4 acres
54    175 bushels crop
Cereals - Oats.  1879.
55    6 acres
56    180 bushels crop
Cereals - Rye.  1879.
57    6 acres
58    60 bushels crop
Cereals - Wheat.  1879.
59    3 acres
60    45 bushels crop
Potatoes (Irish.)  1879.
78    1½ acres
79    250 bushels crop
Orchards - 1879.
84    6 acres apple
85    700 bearing trees apple
Bees - 1879.
97    200 pounds honey

Dixon owned at least 120 acres of land, with 31 one of those (or 31 addition acres) used to grow food products.  Dixon's farm appears to have been the primary producer of apples -- 700 trees on 6 acres -- and honey -- 200 pounds -- in Parker Township in 1879.

This record for Dixon, and for other farmers in Pennsylvania in 1880, is available at this link to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission website where you can choose the county where your ancestor lived and view the record.  A large, clear view of this particular image for Parker Township is available here.

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2020, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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A Trio of Firsts

I began family history research just before FamilySearch and Ancestry became readily available online.  That means I started census research using microfilmed copies of Soundex index cards to find my families in the census.  Do you remember those cards?

Elizabeth Meinzen is 2nd from left with sunbonnet
Henry Meinzen is 4th from left with pipe

The first family I searched for was my mother's paternal grandparents whose surname was Meinzen and who, I knew, were from Steubenville, in Jefferson County, Ohio.  From my mother I learned that the family consisted of Henry and Elizabeth Meinzen, and their children, my mother's aunts, Belle, Mina, Lula, and Naomi, plus her father, Bob or Robert.

This was my first experience with Soundex and I learned that the code for their name was M525.  The first census I searched was the 1900 census.  Going to the public library to do this research, using the microfilm reader, finding their family -- it was all so exciting!

When I found the Soundex index card on the microfilm I noticed that there were two cards because there were so many people in the family.  I questioned whether it was really my great-grandparents or not because of all the extra people.  The card had a list similar to the one below, except, of course, it had been typed on a typewriter on what looked like 4" x 6" cards.

These are the names that were on the 1900 Soundex card:

• Henry Meinzen
• Elizabeth Meinzen
• Hannah Meinzen
• Edward Meinzen
• Isabella Meinzen
• Walter Meinzen
• Minnie Meinzen
• Luella Meinzen
• Bertha Meinzen
• Robert Meinzen
• Jacob Meinzen
• Naomi T Meinzen

There was enough similarity between the names my mother had given me and those on the cards to decide it was my family.  But who were all these people whose names my mom hadn't told me?  Did my grandfather really have nine brothers and sisters?  How did my mom not know this?   Finding the answers to those questions was a multi-year research effort.

Since finding this family in the census, I've spent a good amount of time researching each individual (plus others who weren't listed with the family in the 1900 census).  It's been an adventure filled with births, marriages, accidents, deaths, and some humor, too.  Stories and information about my Meinzens thread their way through blog posts over the years. 

This trio of firsts -- first family to research, first Soundex to find, and first census to view -- were perfect for a new researcher.  I would not change a thing about my first research experience.

This post was written for the prompt "First" for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, 2019.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2019, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Martha Doyle and Children in the 1841 U.K. Census

Family records (written but passed down by word of mouth, I think) gave William Doyle's death year as 1844.  When searching for him and his wife and Martha (Reay) Doyle, I hoped I would find them together in the 1841 U.K. Census.

 I found his wife, Martha, and their children in Bedlington, Durham County.  Martha is on the left page (19) at the bottom, the children are on the top of the right page (20/36).  They appear to be living with Joseph and Susan Robinson, age 25, and a little girl named Frances.

They were enumerated like this:
         Martha Doyle, female, 30 years, not born in Durham
         Jane Doyle, female, 15 years, not born in Durham
         Wm Doyle, male, 10 years, not born in Durham
         Larence [sic] Doyle, male, 10 years, not born in Durham
         Andrew Doyle, male, 5 years, not born in Durham
         Martha Doyle, female, 2 years, not born in Durham

But William was not with them.  Where might he have been?  A few months ago I posted the possibilities of William's whereabouts in 1841.  Further research since then has given me an answer to my question.  Details to follow.

William and Martha (Reay) Doyle are my third great-grandparents.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2017-2018, Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
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Sophia (Meinzen) Kropp in the 1900 U.S. Census - Census Sunday

Because Sophia's obituary stated that immigrated to the U.S. in 1887, I knew I might be able to find her and her family in the 1900 U.S. Census, especially after finding her in 1920 and 1910 where both years she was living with her daughter and son-in-law.

Her 1920 obituary also indicated that her husband, Carl, had died fifteen years earlier.  I was interested to see if he would be on the 1900 census.

I know that the 1900 U.S. Census asks married women how many children they've had and how many are living.  From Sophia's obituary in 1920 I learned that three were living.  I was interested to learn if she'd had more children. 

In 1900 Sophia and Karl Kropp were enumerated in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, S.D. 15, E.D. 75, Sheet #7, Page #221A, Dwelling #119, Family #119, lines 9-14.  Image is from FamilySearch.  (Click image to enlarge.)

Below is a partial transcription of this census record.

• Spahn, John, head, white, male, born Oct. 1874, 25 years, married 0 years, born Germany, immigrated 1889, in the U.S. 11 years, naturalized, Daryman [sic], 0 months unemployed, can read, write, speak English, rents farm, #69 on farm schedule
• -------, Sophia, wife, white, female, born Jul 1876, 23 years, married 0 years, mother of 0 children, born Germany, immigrated 1887, in U.S. 13 years, can read and write, speaks English
• Kropp, Sophia, mother, white, female, born Sep 1842, 57 years, married 38 years, mother of 6 children, 4 living, born Germany, immigrated 1887, in U.S. 13 years, can read and write, does not speak English
• -------, Carl, father, white, male, born Jan 1835, 65 years, married 38 years, born Germany, immigrated 1887, in U.S. 13 years, 0 months unemployed, can read and write, does not speak English
• -------,  William, brother, white, male, born Oct 1866, 33 years, single, born Germany, immigrated 1885, in U.S. 15 years, naturalized, dary [sic] laborer, 0 months unemployed, can read and write, does not speak English
• -------, Henry, boarder, white, male, born Dec 1868, 31 years, single, born Germany, immigrated 1885, in U.S. 15 years, naturalized, green grocer, 0 months unemployed, can read and write, does not speak English

Observations and Comments

Sophia's birth information (September 1842) is the same as on her death certificate.

Her immigration year (1887) is the same as in her obituary.  Previous census records give different immigration years.

Sophia's and Carl's "married 38 years" suggests a marriage year between 1871 and 1873, but her obituary states she and Carl were married in 1861.  Perhaps the person responding to the census taker's questions counted backward (like I occasionally do) and miscounted. 

The birth years of the children in this census are 1866, 1868, and 1876.  Children could have been born between 1862 and 1865 and between 1869 and 1875.  Did the others immigrate to the U.S. or stay in Germany?  Did they die here or in Germany and if in Germany, did they die as infants, children, or adults?

It's interesting that William's relationship is recorded as "brother" and Henry's as "boarder."  I believe both are brothers.  It seems that they immigrated two years before their parents.

Finding Carl Kropp, Sophia's husband, on this census and not on the 1910 census suggests that he probably died between 1900 and 1910, and that the "fifteen years ago" of Sophie's 1920 obituary may be accurate.

The search continues.  I wish I knew now whether this Sophia and my Henry Meinzen are siblings.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
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Sophie (Meinzen) Kropp in the 1910 U. S. Census

I'm working my way back in time searching for Sophia (Meinzen) Kropp, hoping to find information to support her relationship as sister to Henry Meinzen, my great-grandfather.  I moved from the 1920 U.S. Census to the 1910 U.S. Census.

Sophie (or "Siphie," as the census taker wrote) is at the tail end of the list of family and hired men who lived with Sophie's daughter and son-in-law.  She was already a widow at that time.

In 1910, Sophia and her family were enumerated in Wintersville Precinct, Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, on April 23, 1910, recorded in S.D. #18, E.D., #95, Sheet 4B, lines 56-67, Family #73.  This image is from FamilySearch.  (Click to enlarge images.)

A partial transcription for Sophia's family is as follows:

• Spahn, John, head, male, white, 35 years, married 10 years, born Germany, immigrated 1889, naturalized, speaks English, dairy farmer, can read and write, owns farm with mortgage, #21 on farm enumeration
• -------, Siphie M, wife, female, white, 33 years, married 10 years, mother of 4 children, 4 living, born Germany, immigrated 1887, naturalized, speaks Englihs, can read and write
• -------, Wilhelmine S A, daughter, female, white, 9 years, single, born Ohio, attended school
• -------, Carl J, son, male, white, 7 years, single, born Ohio, attended school
• -------, John [?], son, male, white, 4 years, single, born Ohio
• -------, William T, son, male, white, 1 3/12 years, single, born Ohio
• Clendenning, LeRoy M, hired man, male, white, 33 years, single, born Ohio, speaks English, laborer on dairy farm, can read and write
• Hoffstetter, John, hired man, male, white, 31 years, born Switz, parents born Switz, immigrated 1887, naturalized, laborer on dairy farm, can read and write
• Nicelworth, Michael, hired man, male, white, 25 years, single, born Germany, immigrated 1904, Al[ien], speaks English, laborer on dairy farm, can read and write
• Schuchter, Ignecz, hired man, male, white, 21 years, single, born Germany, immigrated 1907, Al[ien], speaks English, laborer on diary farm, can read and write
• Wittstrom, John, hired man, male, white, 21 years, single, born Germany, immigrated 1904, Al[ien], speaks English, laborer on diary farm, can read and write
• Kropp, Siphie, mother-in-law, female, white, 65 years, widow, mother of 6 children, 4 living, born Germany, immigrated 1889, speaks German, can read and write

Comments and Observations
I don't know if there was a prescribed order of recording individuals living in a dwelling but I've never before seen a mother-in-law listed after hired men.  The order I usually see is family, grandchildren, in-laws, hired/non-family members.  Might the order in this census suggest something about the mother-in-law/son-in-law relationship in the Kropp/Spahn family?

Because I'm working backward it makes sense that if Sophia didn't speak English in 1920 she wouldn't have spoken English in 1910 but one can never tell from census records.  It's possible the 1900 census may record something different.

Sophia's immigration year was noted as 1889 in this census, as 1899 in the 1920 census.  Her obituary gives her immigration year as 1887.   If Sophia immigrated between 1887 and 1889 she would have been between 42 and 44 years old.

From this census I learn that I should search for six children, four living and two dead (in 1910).  Did two die in the U.S. and/or in Germany?  Because Sophie's listed as a mother-in-law, the wife in this census, Sophie/"Siphie" Spahn, was likely born Sophia Kropp and is the older Sophia's daughter.  First child of six found.

The search continues.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
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Sophia (Meinzen) Kropp in the 1920 U.S. Census

Sophia (Meinzen) Kropp's death came a few months after she was enumerated in the 1920 U.S. Census.  She was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Sophie and John Spahn, and their family.













Sophia and her family were enumerated in Wintersville Precinct, Jefferson County, Ohio, on January 16 & 17, 1920, recorded in S.D. #17, E.D., #182, Sheets 7A and 7B, lines 49-59, Family Visit #144.  (Click to enlarge images.)

Partial transcription for Sophia's family is as follows:

• Spahn, John, head, owns home with mortgage, male, white, 45 years, married, can read and write, born Germany, speaks English, Farmer, General Farming, own
• -------, Sophia, wife, female, white, 43 years, married, can read and write, born Germany, speaks English
• -------, Wilmena, daughter, female, white, single, 19 years, single, not attending school, can read and write, born Ohio, speaks English
• -------, Carl J., son, male, white, 16 years, single, not attending school, can read and write, born Ohio, speaks English
• -------, John W., son, male, white, 13 years, single, attending school, can read and write, born Ohio, speaks English
• -------, William T., son, male, white, 11 years, single, attending school, can read and write, born Ohio, speaks English
• -------, Anna, daughter, female, white, 8 years, single, attending school
• -------, Mary, daughter, female, white, 5 years, single, not attending school
• -------, George, son, male, white, 2 years, single
• Kropp, Sophia, grandmother, female, white, 76 years, widow, immigrated in 1899, can read and write, born Germany, cannot speak English
• McClain, Elmer, hired man, male, white, 19, single, not attending school, can read and write, born Minnesota, speaks English, laborer on farm, earns wage

Comments about this record
I did not transcribe the immigration years for the individuals.  Immigration years vary from 1889, 1884, and 1899 even though all of the children were noted as having been born in Ohio.  Further research suggests that Sophia Kropp, her husband, Carl, and their daughter, Sophie (Kropp) Spahn, immigrated in 1887.  (More about that in another post.)

It's noted in this record that Sophia Kropp cannot speak English.  I'll be interested to see if the 1910 and 1900 censuses record the same information.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
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Lost in 1910 - Census Sunday

Of course Alfonzo Gerner knew where he was in 1910 so he wasn't lost, but I haven't been able find him in 1910.

I started my research on Alfonzo with his obituary.  It named his recently deceased wife, Nona Covert Gerner, and child, Ross Gerner of Bruin.  It all seemed so simple then.  But people's lives can be so complex.

Then I found Alfonzo's World War I draft registration from Newkirk, Kay County, Oklahoma, permanent address Baldwin, Pa., on which he gave his wife's name as Meta or Geta.  (I've found nothing to support a wife named Meta/Geta.  A clerical error?  More research?)

Next I sorted through his marriages (not finding Meta/Geta) but instead found

• Nona Covert in Alfonzo's obituary.  I assumed she was his first and only wife and found that she was also known as Nona, Elva, Elva W., and Winona E. and had been previously married.
• Hattie Slagle.  Hattie was the surprise first wife, evidenced by a marriage record on FamilySearch with a marriage date in December, 1896.  I delved into that mess and learned, from the 1900 Census and Hattie's death certificate, that Alfonzo and Hattie divorced sometime before their son, Ross Gerner, was 3.  Ross was born in February, 1897.  I was unable to find an obituary for Hattie but I doubt it would have mentioned a divorce.

Finally, I discovered Alfonzo's gravestone which notes that he was the husband of Elva W. Covert (aka Nona, Winona, etc.).  He is buried in Bear Creek Cemetery, Bruin, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

I hope to learn Alfonzo and Nona's marriage date but have been unable to find a marriage record.  I thought census records might help me narrow down a date.  These are the results of my census searches, from his earliest to his last.

• 1880.  Alphonzo, white, male, 5 years, son, born West Virginia.  He was living with his parents, Fred and Elvira (Bartley) Gerner, in Scott District, Putnam County, West Virginia. 
• 1900.  Afolzo [sic] F., son, white, male, born Jul 1874, 25 years, single, born West Virginia, oil pumper, can read & write, speaks English.  He was living with his parents in Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.  
• 1910.  I cannot find him in 1910.
• 1920.  Fawn, head, rents, male, white, 46 years, single, can read and write, born Pennsylvania, coal miner.  Alfonzo was living in Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.  Interestingly, just seven homes away were Elva and Evert R. Coovert [sic] with their five children.
• 1930.  Alfonso, head, rents, male, white, 55 years, first marriage at age 53, born Virginia.  His wife was Winona, age 51, first married at age 17.
• 1940.  A. F. Gerner, head, male, white, 65 years, married, 4 years of school, born Virginia, farmer and miner on own account.  His wife is Nona, age 62.

I find it interesting that even though Alfonzo was married in 1897 and divorced by 1900, he listed himself as single in subsequent census records.  And not only that, in 1930 he give his age at first marriage as 53.  It's possible, of course, that his wife gave the information to the census taker and knew nothing of his first marriage, at least at that time.  However, she must have known he'd been married because Alfonzo's son is named as her step-son in her obituary.

The census records I've found help me narrow a marriage date for Alfonzo and Nona to about 1928.  I hope I can find a marriage record for them.  And I'm trying to decide whether to invest more time in Geta/Meta.  Would you?  For your grandmother's brother?

But where could Alfonzo Gerner have been in 1910?  The first name variations themselves present a search challenge greater than his surname.  I had hoped that Heritage Quest would help, with its concise presentation of census records based on any number of variables for a broad or narrow name or location, but the Heritage Quest I remember no longer exists.  I'll do a little more research but I don't think it's essential to find his 1910 census record.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2009-2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
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Snapshot of the Gust Doyle Farm, 1927 - Census Sunday

I have an unending fascination with my near ancestors -- the ones who might have been alive during my lifetime had disease or illness not taken them early.  Had they lived I might have known more about their lives and visited the environments in which they lived.  For my farmer ancestors, an agricultural census seems like a tiny window into their lives -- a snapshot, if you will -- of animals, crops, and chores on the farm. 

The Pennsylvania Triennial Farm Census--1927 gives the barest image of the farm where my father and grandfather lived.  At the time the census was taken, between October 13 and November 29, 1927, Gust Doyle would have been 38 or 39 (his birthday was on November 17); my father, Lee, was 14.  Also living on the farm were Gust's second wife, my father's step-mother; and their four children, my father's half-siblings.  Gust's information is on p. 5, line 23.

Column
 1     Gust Doyle - Name of Operator
        R.D. 1, Stoneboro - Address (R.D. & Post Office)
 2     O - Owner, Renter, Manager
 3     1 male under 10
 4     3 females under 10
 5     2 males 10 and older
 6     1 female 10 and older
 7     140 total acres all land in farm
 8     35 total acres land used for crops during season
 9     7 acres corn for grain
10    6½ acres corn for silage and fodder, etc.
11    6 acres wheat for grain
12    15 acres oats for grain
13    no acres rye for grain
14    no acres buckwheat for grain
15    ½ acre Irish potatoes
16    no acres tobacco
17    no acres tame alfalfa hay
18    21 acres all other hay
19    no apple tress of bearing age
20    14 apple trees of non-bearing age
21    18 peach trees of all ages
22    2 pear trees of all ages
23    2 horses including colts
24    no mules
25    2 horses & mules of working age
26    18 milk cows & heifers 2 years old and over
27    2 heifers 1-2 years old to be kept for milking
28    4 all other cattle including calves
29    no sows or gilts for breeding
30    no other swine including pigs
31    no sheep including lambs
32    30 hens and pullets of laying age
33    30 other chickens
34    no hives of bees
Equipment and conveniences - report number of each
35    1 running water in kitchen
36    1 furnace heating system
37    no milking machines in use
38    1 automobile
39    1 motor truck
40    1 tractor
41    no gas engines
42    1 telephone
43    no radios
44    1 silo
If farm is equipped with electricity, source of current
45    not own plant
46    1 power station

Had the census requested an account of other fruits grown on the farm in addition to apples and pears, Gust would have answered that there were up to several acres of strawberries grown and harvested each year.  The Doyle Farm was known for its strawberries and was situated on what was called Strawberry Hill.

The Pennsylvania Triennial Farm Census--1927 is available at the website of the Pennsylvania History and Museum Commission.  Thank you for the snapshot, PHMC!

–-Nancy.

Copyright ©2014-2021 by Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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What's a Clean Desk, In Comparison?

This morning I was sitting at home minding my own business with a little plan for the day.  I didn't have much energy:  yesterday we drove six hours (round trip) to spend eight hours with our daughters and grandchildren to celebrate one daughter's birthday.  That's a lot of travel in one day and I felt tired.  But I decided that I could at least neaten the table where my computer sits:  clean up, clear out, and put away (or at least organize) the 8" high pile of papers and folders.

Most of the papers were family history-related, so I couldn't do much without turning on the computer to verify whether I'd added the information to RootsMagic.  But you know how one thing leads to another:  I opened RootsMagic, checked my email, then opened feedly to see what was new in the family history blogging world.  (Think little energy, easily sidetracked....)

As I scrolled down feedly I came to The Genealogy Insider post, 17 Genealogy Things To Do If You Have Only a Few Minutes.  Well, I have a few minutes, I thought to myself.  What can I do?  I stopped at the suggestion to check google books for an ancestor.

Instead of going to google books my mind jumped to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission website; wandered to the Pennsylvania State Archives; and then meandered to the online Farm Census Records -- and my fingers followed every one of those thoughts.  (Between each meaningful stop I explored the Archives to see if there were other helpful resources available.)

At the Farm Census Records I found a surprise.  There were the 1927 Triennial Agriculture Census Manuscripts for Pennsylvania with links to images.  I believe those are new because the last time I looked at ag census records at that site I saw only the 1850 and 1880.

In truth, 1927 isn't far back into history.  I was searching for a recent ancestor, one I might have known had he lived to old age.  It's true that I do already have some information about my grandfather and his farm but I learned more from this census.  (And I do enjoy learning about the lives of my ancestors as opposed to gathering only names and dates.)

So here you have it.  Several hours after reading the post on feedly the pile of papers and folders is still here.  The table with the computer is not a whit cleaner.  I've added nothing to my RootsMagic file.  But I learned that on my grandfather's farm in 1927 he grew 15 acres of oats for grain; had 18 peach trees; owned 30 laying hens; and milked 18 cows without the aid of milking machines; plus 35 additional pieces of information about life on that farm.  I can almost imagine bypassing time to look through a window into his world.  Not just my grandfather's world, but my father's world when he was 14 years old -- the world he never spoke about.

I will clean my desk tomorrow.  What's a clean desk compared to a "view" of my father's and grandfather's farm?

Here's to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission!  And to Diane at
The Genealogy Insider for suggesting searches that take only a few minutes.  (No matter that I spent several hours on this one!) 
 
--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

A Close-Knit Family - Mappy Monday

I can't help but think that despite being a widow -- or perhaps because of it -- Catherine (Saylor) Froman somehow managed to raise a close-knit family.  Her seven children were all born within 9 years of each other so it makes sense that they would have become each others' friends and playmates in childhood, not to mention the probable need to work together, physically as well as emotionally, for the good of the family.

Until adulthood or marriage, the children lived with their widowed mother in Pymatuning Township on the west edge of Mercer County.  At marriage, they moved to their own homes.  The daughters married first:  Elizabeth between 1881 and 1883; Tressa in 1885; Catherine in 1888; and then the sons:  Jacob in 1889; Adam in 1895; Jacob again in 1898; Gust in 1898; and finally John in 1910.

Searching through four decades of census records fosters the image of a close-knit family.  The 1900 U.S. Census, the first after most of the children had moved from home, finds Fromans in and near Stoneboro, Pennsylvania.  Stoneboro is a small community in Lake Township on the eastern side of Mercer County, whose town proper consists of less than 2 dozen streets.

In 1900, I found

• John, Jacob, and their mother, Catherine, in Lake Township, E.D. 146, dwelling 36, family 36
• Gust Froman in Lake Township, E.D. 146, dwelling 36, family 37
• Catherine on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 167, dwelling 13, family 13
• Elizabeth on West Mercer Road, Stoneboro, E.D. 167, dwelling 208, family 209
• Tressa on an (unnamed street), E. D. 167, dwelling 231, family 232
• Adam in Sandy Lake Township, E.D. 157, about 2 miles east of Stoneboro

Sandy Lake is a smaller village than Stoneboro, situated about 2 miles northeast of Stoneboro.  The village had its own enumeration district during the census years in this post.  Surrounding Sandy Lake is the township of Sandy Lake where most of the land was rural farmland.  Adam was in the township of Sandy Lake, not the community of Sandy Lake.

In 1910, I found

• John in Lake Township, E.D. 163, dwelling 30, family 30
• Jacob and his mother, Catherine, in Lake Township, E.D. 163, dwelling 30, family 31
• Gust on unnamed street in Stoneboro, E.D. 184, dwelling 126, family 135
• Elizabeth on Strawberry Hill, Stoneboro, E.D. 184, dwelling 191, family 202
• Tressa on Strawberry Hill, Stoneboro, E.D. 184, dwelling 187, family 198
• Adam in Sandy Lake Township, E.D. 175, dwelling 62, family 65
• Catherine in Sandy Lake Township, E.D. 175, dwelling 134, family 140  (Catherine and family had moved)

In 1920, I found

• John on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 94, dwelling 131, family 136
• Jacob and mother, Catherine, on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E. D. 94, dwelling 132, family 137
• Gust on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 94, dwelling 136, family 142
• Elizabeth on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 94, dwelling 138, family 144
• Tressa on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 94, dwelling 106, family 106
• Adam in Sandy Lake Township, E.D. 77, dwelling 122, family 122
• Catherine in Sandy Lake Township, E.D. 77, dwelling 57, family 57

Elizabeth Froman Proud died in 1927; her mother, Catherine (Saylor) Froman, in 1928.

In 1930, I found

• John on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 43-78, dwelling 88, family 88
• Jacob on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 43-78, dwelling 89, family 89
• Gust on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 43-78, dwelling 73, family 73
• Tressa on Linden Street, Stoneboro, E.D. 43-78, dwelling 67, family 67
• Adam on Hittle Avenue, Greenville, E.D. 43-25, dwelling 233, family 239
• Catherine in Sandy Lake Township, E.D. 43-53, dwelling 99, family 100

Greenville is located nearly 20 miles west of Stoneboro, still in Mercer County.  Rather than Adam having been the forgotten son, Tressa (Doyle) Wilson may not have known him because visits may have been less frequent.

Most of the siblings seemed, over the years, to gravitate to Linden Street in Stoneboro -- all except Catherine and Adam.  Perhaps it's the times in which I live when people move every few years, and move away from parents and siblings, that causes me to be so surprised at the proximity of the Froman siblings' homes.

By the 1940 census all of the siblings were gone.  Just as they'd been born within 9 years of each other, they all passed away during a 9-year period.  

No stories have been passed down so I have no knowledge of family dynamics among these Froman siblings.  How I wish I did!  But all things considered, they continue to impress me as a close-knot family.

--Nancy.

© 2014 Copyright by Nancy Messier. All rights reserved.

52 Ancestors - Learning about Mary Richardson

Mary Richardson is my great-great grandmother.  I was thrilled to find an image of her marriage record online today at FamilySearch.  She married Jacob Thompson on July 24, 1848 somewhere in Jefferson County, Ohio.

The marriage record transcribes as,

No 26            Jacob Thompson & Mary Richardson

              The State of Ohio, Jefferson County SS
                                         I hereby certify that on the 27th day
              of July A D 1848 Mr Jacob Thompson and Miss
              Mary Richardson were legally joined in marriage
              by me a Justice of the Peace.
                           Given under my hand this 24th day of
              August A D 1848
                                                      Thomas Thompson

Could Thomas Thompson, Justice of the Peace, have been related to Jacob Thompson?

I know little about Mary other than what I can discern from this marriage record and census records plus what I've found about her children from Ohio death certificates.  It seems that she had (at least) 8 children, born between 1849 and 1869.  She is named as the mother (and her husband the father) of these individuals on Ohio death certificates.

• Elizabeth R., born 17 Jun 1849
• John, born abt 1850 or1851 (my direct ancestor)
• Martha Jane, born 4 Mar 1853
• Rachel Anna, born 7 May 1856
• Mary Ellen, born 20 Jan 1858
• William Henry, born 4 Apr 1861
• James R., born about 1866
• Amos R., born about 1868

Census records reveal the following.

• In 1850, Mary was 26, living in Cross Creek Township with her husband and one child, Elizabeth.
• In 1860, she was 37, living in New Athens Township, Harrison County, Ohio.  Jacob was a coal digger.  There were 5 children:  Elizabeth, John, Martha, Rachael, and Mary.
• In 1870, she and Jacob were back in Cross Creek Township.  She was 47 years old.  There were the same children as in the 1860 census, plus William, James, and Amos, a one-year-old baby.
• In 1880, at age 58, Mary was a widow living in Cross Creek Township.  Her children, Mary, William, and James were living at home; in addition; her son John and his wife, Lydia, and their four daughters were living in the home.

There is no sign of Mary Richardson Thompson after the 1880 census.  And since Amos, about 12 years, wasn't at home in the 1880 census, I'll have to look for him.

By my calculation, Mary was born between 1822 and 1824, and died sometime after she turned 58.  How I wish the 1890 census hadn't been destroyed.

Obviously, I have more work to do.  At the very least, I hope to find death records or obituaries for her and her husband.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This post is in response to Amy Johnson Crow's call to her readers to write about 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. 


-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2014-2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Tracking Down Christian, Son of Christian

While waiting for obituaries for Alfred and Emma Gerner Vensel to arrive from the Butler Area Public Library Obituary Index I decided to see if I could find Emma's brother, Christian.  The 1860, 1870, and 1880 U.S. Census records for their father, Christian Gerner/Garner/Gardner, indicate that his fifth child and third son is Christian Gerner, born about 1854.  My great-grandfather, Fred Gerner, is likely the brother of Emma and Christian.  Below are overviews of the records I found for a man named Christian Gerner who was born in Pennsylvania in 1854.

As far as I can see, through marriage, census, and death records, the names and ages follow along almost exactly.  The only obvious discrepancy is Christian's month of birth, stated as July on his marriage record and June in the 1900 census.    I believe this is the son of Christian and the brother of my great-grandfather Fred Gerner.  I plan to order a death certificate for Christian and hope to find obituaries for Christian and Amanda/Mandy in Google newspapers.

Marriage, 22 October 1886, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Christian Gerner, born on 12 July 1854, in Clarion County, Pennsylvania
residing in Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania, occupation was Driller
and
Amanda Daubenspeck, born on May 16, 1858, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
residing in Clarion County, Pennsylvania

1900 U.S. Census, North Franklin Township, South Washington Borough, Washington County, Penna., E.D. 148, sheet #5, page #238A, family #75, lines 14-17

• Christian Gerner, born June 1854, 45 years old, married 13 years, born Penna, parents born Germany, oil pumper
• Amanda Gerner, wife, born May 1858, 42 years, married 13 years, born Penna, parents born Penna
• Maurice L. Gerner, son, born January 1890, 10 years, born Penna, parents born Penna
• Russel D. Gerner, son, born Jul 1892, 7 years, born Penna, parents born Penna

1910 U. S. Census, McKim Disrict, Pleasants County, West Virginia, E. D. 62, Sheet #8B, family #140, lines 70-73

• Gerner Christian, 55 years, married 24 years, born Penna, parents born Germany, pumper/oil lease
• -------- Amanda, wife, 51 years, married 24 years, born Penna, parents born Penna
• -------- Morris L, son, 20 years, single, born Penna, parents born Penna, pumper/oil lease
• -------- Russell D, son, 17 years, single, born Penna, parents born Penna

1920 U.S. Census, Anaheim City, Anaheim Township, Orange County, California, E.D. 52, sheet #6A, page #163, family #144, lines 11-13

• Gerner Christian, 65 years, born Penna, parents born Germany, no trade/profession
• -------- Amanda J, wife, 61 years, born Penna, parents born Penna
• -------- Russell, son, 27 years, single, born Penna, parents born Penna, no trade/profession

1930 U.S. Census, Anaheim City, Orange County, California, E. D. #20-1, written sheet #5A, page #5, family #115, lines 31-34

• Gerner Christen, 75 years, 32 years at first marriage, born Penna, parents born Germany, retired
• -------- Mandy J, wife, 71 years, 28 years at first marriage, born Penna, parents born Penna
• -------- Morris L, son, 40 years, divorced, 21 years at first marriage, born Penna, parents born Penna, oil driller/oil field
• -------- Russell D, son, 37 years, single, born Penna, parents born Penna, oil driller/oil field

1940 U.S. Census, Anaheim City, Orange County, California, E.D. 30-2, sheet 316A, household #428, lines 38-39

• Gerner Maurice L, head, 50 years, divorced, born Penna, oil worker/fields 
• -------- Amanda, mother, 81 years, widow, born Penna

The 1940 census indicates that Christian died between 1930 and 1940.  I searched the California Death Index, 1905-1939 and learned that Christian died on October 9, 1935.  For Amanda's death information I search the California Death Index, 1940-1997, also at FamilySearch and learned that she died on July 22, 1953.

I hope that Christian's death certificate will give his parents' names and that an obituary might contribute even more information.  I just have to order one and find the other.  (I especially wish that California death certificates were available free online somewhere.) 

--Nancy.
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Gerner Collaterals

Sometimes the best next step is to search for the siblings of an ancestor.  When I can't find any more evidence of a relationship between my ancestor and his or her parent, one other hope is to find a relationship between my ancestor's siblings and his/her parents (assuming I can find siblings).

Fred Gerner is my ancestor of interest.  He was born between 1847 and 1849 in Germany and immigrated to the U.S. soon afterward.  Except for short stints in West Virginia and another in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, he lived most of his life in Butler County, Pennsylvania.  His Butler County locations included Fairview, Bruin, and Saxonburg.  Fred died on March 26, 1926, in Bruin, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

Christian Gerner was named as Fred's father on Fred's death certificate.  Searching U.S. Census records I've found the children listed below, including a boy named Fred, in the home of Christian Garner/Gardner in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

Emma

• born about 1847 in Prussia
• 13 in 1860
• gone in 1870 census

Fred

• born about 1849 in Prussia
• 11 in 1860
• 21 in 1870
• gone in 1880

 Isabell in1860, Elizabeth in1870, Lizzie in 1880

• born about 1851 in Prussia 
• 9 in 1860
• 19 in 1870
• 29 in 1880

Charles

• born about 1853 in PA
• 7 in 1860
• 17 in 1870
• 27 in 1880
• I have already received Charles's death certificate in which his father is named as Christan Gerner and his mother as Mary E. Sthal.

Christena in 1860, Christopher in 1870, Christian in 1880

• born about 1854 in Pennsylvania
• 6 in 1860
• 16 in 1870
• 25 in 1880

John

• born about 1856 in PA
• 4 in 1860
• 14 in 1870
• 23 in 1880

Having identified possible siblings of Fred Gerner, I can now proceed to search for them in other records.

--Nancy.
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Where On Earth Is Christian? -- Mappy Monday

You can read about Christian and his family.  You can read about Christian and his neighbors.  But I'm not sure you can read about Christian and his property (except that he claims property ownership in census reports).

The 1860 and 1870 U.S. censuses of Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, both indicate that Christian/Christopher Garner/Gardner owned property.  (And he probably continued to own the same property in 1880 based on neighbors in the 1880 census.)  But if that's so, why is his name and the location of his property not shown on the 1874 map of Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania?  (You can enlarge the map by clicking on it.  It will open in a new window.  If you click again, it will enlarge again.)

On the right hand side of the map from about the middle up, you can see the names of Christian's near neighbors.  In fact, you can almost follow in the footsteps of the census takers in 1860 and 1870, going from south to north:
--> A. McAlroy (or Andrew McElroy)
--> A Story (Alex B. Story)
--> S. Wiles (Simon Wiles)
Christian should be here according to 1860, 1870, and 1880 census reports.
--> W. McGurvey (or Wm. McGarvy)

Other neighbors mentioned in the 1870 census and shown on the 1874 map include Mrs. Mortimer, T. Jamison, S. Farringer, and J. Kaylor, among others.

As far as I can see, C. Garner/Gardner's name does not on this map in the neighborhood or anywhere else.  Am I blind?  Have I missed C. Garner/Gardner/some other variation of his last name?

Do you ever feel like an ancestor just doesn't want to be found?  Hmph!

--Nancy.
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Christian/Christopher and His Neighbors, 1860-1880

I recently posted results of my search for Christian Gerner with name variations Christian/Christopher Gardner/Garner/ (possibly Gerner) and his family/their families in 1860, 1870, and 1880 census records.  I've been reviewing those records, continuing to guess that they are the same man, yet continuing to seek confirmation.  With this post I'm looking specifically at Christian's neighbors in those censuses.  Below are the individuals listed in each census beginning one page before Christian and ending one or two pages after his page.  (The page numbers refer to written page number/printed page number).

1860 census
Christian Gardner, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
40 years, farmer, owned property, born Prussia
Neighbors (pp. 45/405, 46/405, 47/407) (40 lines/page)

• Thomas Jamison, John Smith, Nichols Snow, George McKinney, Alex B. Story
•  Peter Kaler, Andrew McElroy, Simon P. Wiles, Christian Gardner, Wm. McGarvy, Henry P. Shakely
• James Blany, Hugh Young, Samuel Ervin, John S. Moor, Henry Wagoner, Mathew Porterfield

1870 census
Christopher Gardner, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
50 years, farmer, owned property, born Prussia
Neighbors (pp. 14/220, 15/221, 16/222, 17/223) (40 lines/page)

• Leonard Keller, Ann Keller, Elisabeth Farringer, Simon Farringer, Hiram Farringer, George McKinney, Thomas Jameson
• William B. Jameson, W. W. McDermott, John B. Jameson, Alex B. Storm/Story, Andrew McElroy, Simon Wiles, Christopher Gardner
• William McGarvey, John J. McGarvey, Matthew J. McGarvey, Jane Mortimer, Joseph Wiles, G. W. Wiles, Henry Wiles, Washington Campbell, Amos Campbell, Jacob Kaylor
• A. L. Campbell, Andrew Campbell, William Gibson, Jacob Hepler, James Wilson, Geo. H. Graham, James Blaney

1880 census
Christian Garner, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
60 years, farmer, (census did not question whether property owner), born Prussia
Neighbors (pp. 50/219, 51/220, 52/221) (50 lines/page)

• Rozilla C. Wiles, Frank Sweney, Jacob M. Zarmun (?), Jacob Calendar, Wash. Campbell, Adophus Gral, Jos. F. Campbell, William H. Shakley, Donald Anderson, Edward D. O'Brien, Lewis E. Robinson, Albert E. Anderson, Jason C. Thompson
• Georgia A. Hannah, John M. Dixon, Philander Mock, Christian Garner, Alford Heusel (?), William J. Myers, Alex B. Storey, Jas. S. Jameson, Isaac Kaylor
• Hiram Farringer, Francis Hamon, Andrew G??ves, George McKinney, Joseph Horton, Samuel McKinney, Edward H. S???, Ann Niblock, David Boyd

Observations/Thoughts
I notice that several names appear from census year to census year and that they are in the same sequence.  (In 1880 the census taker recorded the census in reverse order from the census takers in 1860 and 1870.)

• George McKinney (1860, 1870, 1880)
• Alex B. Story/Storm (1860, 1870, 1880)
• Andrew McElroy (1860, 1870)
• Simon Wiles (1860, 1870)
• Christian/Chrisopher Garner/Gardner
• William McGarvy (1860, 1870)
• Washington Campbell (1870, 1880)

Based on the record that several near neighbors remain the same throughout the 20 years, I believe that Christian/Christopher is the same man in all three censuses.  In years subsequent to the 1860 census additional names/families appear amongst the earlier ones.  Some of the additional families may be the sons and daughters of the individuals in the 1860 census.  Since it was a farming area, it makes sense to me that the fathers gave property to their children as they became adults and/or at the time of their marriages.  Another possibility is that property owners sold parts of their property to others.

Next I will look at an available Butler County property map current to the time.

This research doesn't give me any evidence to further my thought that this man is my ancestor.  I believe it supports my idea that Christian/Christopher are the same man with name variations.  I'm still searching for my connection to Christian Gerner.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2013-2018, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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Gerner, Garner, Gardner: Surname Variations or Not?

Can it be?  Can names vary so widely that the same individual would be identified by the surnames of Gerner, Garner, and Gardner?  I would not have thought so but after some census searching for Christian Gerner, I'm beginning to wonder.

I finished searching all the FamilySearch Pennsylvania probate records with "G" surnames that are available online and did not find Christian Gerner in any of them.  Where else to search? I can't give up so easily.

I decided to search census records on Heritage Quest (HQ), a resource that is available for home use from my local public library.   I like HQ for some kinds of searches.   It doesn't search name variations but that can be done on FamilySearch or Ancestry.  However, Heritage Quest does allow me to search by first name only if I choose.  I can request a wide search through all census years and all states, or I can narrow the search to a specific year or a specific state.  If I ask for a state search, the results are broken down by county and when I click on one of the counties, the list is broken down to individual names with the township where each lived.  A first name search works well if the given name is not as common as John or William.

In the image to the right you can see the results of my search on "Christian" in 1860 in Butler County, Pennsylvania.  (You can enlarge the image by clicking on it.)  Look way down to the second name from the bottom and you'll see "Christian Gardner."  The Christian in this census was 40, was born in Prussia, and lived in Fairview Township.  The age and residence correspond with the information I have from a death notice about Christian Gerner.  Could they be the same man?

In the 1880 census I found Christian Garner, 20 years older, living in the same location.  Hmmm.

I looked at the 1860 census results to see if any of the family names were the same and if so, if the ages corresponded to those in the 1880 census.

I've listed the results of three census years in chronological order.

This is what I found in 1860 for Christian Gardner:
Christian, 40, born Prussia
Elizabeth, 37, born Prussia
Emma, 13, born Prussia
Frederick, 11, born Prussia
Isabell, 9, born Prussia
Charles, 7, born Pennsylvania
Christena, 6, born Pennsylvania
John, 4, born Pennsylvania

I next searched for "Gardner" in the 1870 census and found this:
Christopher, 50, born Prussia
Elisabeth, 45, born Prussia
Frederick, 21, born Prussia
Elisabeth, 19, born Prussia
Charles, 17, born Prussia
Christopher, 16, born Pennsylvania
John, 14, born Pennsylvania

This is what I found in 1880 for Christian Garner:
Christian, 60, farmer, born Prussia
Elizabeth, 56, wife, born Prussia
Charles, 27, son, born Prussia
Lizzie, 29, daughter, born Prussia
Christian, 25, son, born Pennsylvania
John, 23, son, born Pennsylvania

I see that the names and ages of some family members correspond through the years.  But is Christian Garner the same man as Christian Gardner and Christopher Gardner?

Because a township is a fairly large geographic location, I thought it would be helpful to know if this Christian/Christopher's neighbors were the same/similar from census to census.  I thought knowing that would help me know whether the surnames were name variations for the same man or if they were different men.  I'll share the results of that search in another post.

Oh, that elusive Christian!  And I still don't know for sure that he's mine!

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2013-2018, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
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