Robert Reay and Mary Bell's 1808 Marriage Record

I searched for a marriage for Robert Reay and Mary Bell because Martha Reay's baptism record names them as her parents.   (Those blessed baptism records that give the names of both parents!)  This is the only parish record I've found thus far for Robert and Mary.  (Civil records in  England didn't begin until 1837.)  There are plenty of women named Mary Bell but none married to Robert Reay.

The images below come from a FamilySearch collection, England, Durham Diocese Bishop's Transcripts, 1639-1919, which includes records for Cumberland, Durham, Northumberland, York, and Yorkshire.  These were found in the Long Benton section (images 174 and 179) of the Northumberland collection.  The pages of this volume are not numbered.

This is the heading on the first of several pages of baptism, marriage, and burial records from 1808, performed at St. Bartholomew Church in Long Benton, Northumberland.

Transcription:

Duplicate of the Baptisms, Burials, and Marriages in the Parish of Long Benton and County of Northumberland for the Year 1808.

This is the entry for the marriage of Robert Reay and Mary Bell.

Transcription:

Septr. 5.  Robert Reay & Mary Bell

And this is the lower part of a page that contains marriages for 1808, including Robert and Mary's.

Transcription of names at the end of the marriages:

Anthy Allinson, Curate
Ralph Wigham       ] Church Wardens
Francis Rotherford ]

There's not much information for this marriage except names, date, and location.  The record book indicates that it's a "Duplicate" record.  I don't know if the duplicates are extractions or reproductions of the original records.  I also don't know if this is the usual way a parish record was made before a certain date.  I'm used to seeing church marriage records like this one for William Doyle and Martha Reay.  I would love to find a "regular" parish marriage record for Robert and Mary because I believe it would give more information.

This is the line of my relationship to Robert and Mary (Bell) Reay:  myself -> Lee Doyle -> Gust Doyle -> William Doyle -> Andrew Doyle -> Martha (Reay) Doyle Richardson -> Robert and Mary (Bell) Reay.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner.  .

Laura (Bell) Moses - a Deadly Fall

A dozen or so years ago I spent time at the Ohio Archives Library at what was then called the Ohio Historical Society searching their microfilmed Ohio Death Certificate collection to find relatives of ancestors and their newspaper collection for obituaries.  These two documents come from that time.

Whenever I think of ancestors/relatives and accidents, I think of Laura.  She died from a fall off her porch.  Below are her death certificate and extracted information and her obituary and a transcription. 

Laura Bell is my great-grandmother Lydia Bell's sister.  This is our connection, a purely maternal line:  me -> Audrey (Meinzen) Doyle -> Emma (Bickerstaff) Meinzen ->
Mary (Thompson) Bickerstaff -> Lydia (Bell) Thompson. 

Name:  Laura Moses
Place of Death:  Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio
Address:  803 Prospect
PERSONAL AND STATISTICAL PARTICULARS
Sex, color, etc:  Female, white, married, wife of Theodore Moses
Birth date:  June 20, 1862
Age:   79 years  27 days
Occupation:   Housewife
Birthplace:  Salt Run, Ohio
Father:  Jacob Bell, born Ohio
Mother:  Lydia Fithen, born Ohio
Informant and Address:  Theodore Moses, 803 Prospect Steubenville O
Burial Information:  Murphy Funeral Home, Mingo Jct., Ohio
Filed:  July 25, 1941
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH
Date of Death:   July 17, 1941
Doctor's Statement:  He attended deceased from July 14 to July 17, 1941, and last saw her alive on July 16, 1941.
Principle Cause of Death:
    Cerebral Hemorrhage on July 13, 1941, from a fall off of porch
Death Caused by accident:
    Date of injury   July 13, 1941.
    Where did injury occur?  803 Prospect, Steubenville, O
    Specify [where injury occurred]   fall off porch at home
    Manner of injury   Struck side of head & shoulder
    Nature of injury   fall from porch
Doctor:  S. F. Paul, M.D., Steubenville, Ohio     July 21, 1941

The obituary below was published in The Steubenville Herald-Star on Thursday, July 17, 1941, on page 14, column 4.

Injuries Fatal to Mrs. Laura Moses
               ---------------
   Mrs. Laura Moses, 79, died at
her home 803 Prospect avenue at
8:10 a.m. today of injuries re-
ceived in a fall from the porch
at the home on Sunday.
   She is survived by her husband
Theodore Moses and a sister Mrs.
Binnie [sic] Roe.
  The body is at the Murphy
Funeral home in Mingo Junction
and will be taken to the residence
Friday noon. Funeral services will
be held Sunday 2 p.m. at the
home.  Interment will be in the
New Alexander cemetery.

Comments and Observations

• Laura's sister is name "Mrs. Binnie Roe" in the obituary.  I have no doubt this obituary is naming her oldest sister, Lavinia, also known as Vinnie and Viney.  Lavinia married (Wesley) Scott Roe and did not die until 1943. 
• The cemetery in the obituary is recorded as New Alexander Cemetery.  The nearby town was actually New Alexandria.  I'm surprised a local newspaper would make such a mistake.
• The cause of Laura's death reminds me how easy it is for a person to misstep and lose his or her balance.  I find older people, including me, are more susceptible to losing their balance and that, in general, the consequences for them are more dire than for younger people.  A few years ago my foot slipped out from under me at the top of our steps.  I flew down the steps, my bottom bouncing on each one of them.  (I can laugh now.)  At the bottom, I was stunned into stillness for a moment or two.  When I collected my wits, I realized that I had absolutely no damage to any body part.  What a blessing!
• I wonder about Laura's fall.  How high was her porch?  How did her fall happen--down the steps, over the side?  The lot where her home once stood looks like a wooded field on Google maps so I can't learn anything about her porch.  I doubt I'll ever learn more. 
  
• It's amazing the changes to research opportunities over time.  FamilySearch was fairly new when I began research and offered primarily census records.  At the Archives Library it was thrilling to look at an index for Ohio Death Certificates, find a name, look at the film, and learn so much information and, then, be able to find a film with a local newspaper with the same death date and find an obituary, too.  I always felt like I'd hit the jackpot after those research trips.  Of course, it's wonderful to have 24-hour access to records at FamilySearch, Ancestry, and the other resources currently available online.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner.  .

Alexander Bell's 1922 Ohio Death Certificate

Alexander Bell is my great-great-grandmother Lydia (Bell) Thompson's older brother.  Their parents were Jacob and Lydia (Fithen) Bell.

This is a transcription of this death certificate.  Words in all uppercase are the responses.

State of Ohio, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death
1  Place of Death
County COLUMBIANA, Registration District No. 227, File No. [blank]
Township HANOVER  Primary Registration District No. 4338  Registered No. 36842
or Village KENSINGTON
2  Full Name  ALEXANDER BELL
Residence [blank]
Personal and Statistical Particulars
3  Sex  MALE
4  Color or Race  WHITE
5  Single....  MARRIED
6   Date of Birth  MARCH 6th 1848
7  Age  74 years, 4 months, 2 days
8  Occupation of Deceased  FARMER   General nature of industry  FARMING
9  Birthplace  OHIO
10  Name of Father  JACOB BELL
11  Birthplace of Father  OHIO
12  Maiden Name of Mother  LYDIA FITHIAN [sic]
13  Birthplace of Mother  OHIO
14  Informant  MARY C BEALL   Address  KENSINGTON
15  Filed  7/10, 1927  J. N. Sinclair, Registrar
Medical Certificate of Death
16  Date of Death  July 8th 1922
17  I hereby certify that I attended deceased from JULY 1ST, 1922 to JULY 8, 1922, that I last saw hIM alive on JULY 7, 1922 and that the death occurred, on the date stated above, at 1:20 AM.
The Cause of Death was as follows:  ARTERISCLEROSIS [sic], duration 2 yrs.
Contributory MITRAL HEART INSUFFICIENCY (duration) 1 yrs.
18  Where was disease contracted if not at place of death?  [check mark]
Did an operation precede death?  NO
Was there an autopsy?  NO
What test confirmed diagnosis?  [indecipherable]
Signed  Dr. C. C. [indecipherable]
JULY 8, 1922   (Address) E. ROCHESTER
19  Place of Burial  GROVE HILL CEMETERY, HANOVERTON
Date of Burial  JULY 10, 1922
20  Undertaker, License No. 26190  WM C. MAPLE   Address  KENSINGTON O.

This certificate is from FamilySearch's collection of Ohio death certificates.  This certificate can be viewed and downloaded here (with a free FamilySearch account).

Observations

• The 1900 U.S. Census names Alexander's wife as Mary C. Beall who is probably the informant for the information on this certificate.   I notice that Mary spelled her name "Beall" unless that's how she pronounced it and the registrar wrote it as it sounded.  On the other hand, this may not be Alexander's wife at all, something I'll never know for sure since a relationship was not stated.
  
• I am always amazed when the occupation of men in their 70s is listed as farmer.  People probably didn't retire in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  I suppose a farmer kept working until his health prevented it or until he died.  Sturdy people, those farmers of that time.
• Edited to add:  I asked my daughter (who is a nurse) about the inconsistency of the doctor certifying the death at 1:30 a.m. on July 8 when the last time he saw Alexander alive was on July 7.  How would he know the time of death of he wasn't there?  My daughter said that the time of death is not necessarily the exact time a patient dies but the time the doctor arrives to certify the death.  If the doctor is at the patient's bedside when he dies, the time would be more accurate.  Interesting information to me.   
  

–Nancy.

Copyright ©2021, Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
.

Finding Martha Reay and Her Parents

How often does it happen that you find information about a female ancestor and her parents before finding information about her spouse and his ancestors?  Never, in my experience, at least not until now.

William Doyle is the elusive ancestor.  But here's a church record of the baptism of his wife, Martha Reay, giving her birth date, baptism date, the names of her parents, occupation of her father, and a location (which may be where they lived or birth location).

          [At top of page] 1810 
          [page number] 111
          Name  Martha Reay
          Birth  7 Nov [1809]
          Baptism  25 " [Feb]
          Child  1st d d [first daughter?]
          Names of Parents  Robt Reay of Walls End, Pitman   Houghton, by his wife
          Mary late Bell, of Painshaw

I found this record on FamilySearch microfilm 95,029.  The index is available online but the film images are viewable only at a local Family History Center or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

More specific information about the record:
Parish Register Transcripts, Vol. VI, St. Luke's, Wallsend, Northumberland, England
Baptisms}
Burials   } 1798 - 1812
FHL Film 95029, Item 3, image 677, page 111

This is the full page image from the register.  Unfortunately I was unable to download the image and had to use the Snipping Tool to make a copy.  If you enlarge it (by clicking on it) you'll be able to see that it's generally unreadable.  I must find a way to download those images.

Illegible saved image or not, the online image at the Family History Center was clearly legible and I'm thrilled to have found it.  This makes up, in some small way, for my inability to find any records for Martha's husband, William Doyle (other than their marriage record).

This is the line from me to Martha:  me -> Lee Doyle -> Gust Doyle -> William Doyle -> Andrew Doyle -> Martha (Reay) Doyle.

I'm linking this post to Celebration Sunday~Genealogy Happy Dance! at Carolina Girl Genealogy.  This is definitely time for a happy dance.  Thanks for hosting, Cheri.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2017 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
.

Overlapping Years of a Few Females in My Line

During this Women's History Month I've been mentally focusing on the women in my family--women who were daughters and mothers, granddaughters and grandmothers.

I've been thinking about the nurturing influence women have on the lives of their children, especially when children remained at home with their mothers until they went off to school.  "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" may be more true in times past when infants and children traditionally grew up at the feet of their mothers.  Even though times have changed, the bond between mother and child is usually the strongest bond in the lives of children. 

What morals and values did mothers teach their daughters?  How did the daughters learn about work, responsibility, money management, about keeping a home?  How did grandmothers support their daughters as they became new mothers and as their granddaughters grew?  Certainly grandmothers who lived nearby had more contact and, therefore, more opportunity to interact with and teach their granddaughters.

I thought it would be interesting to take note of how many years a daughter had with her mother and her grandmother.  All just for the sake of curiosity, although, of course, there is the aspect of time spent with mothers and the learning that happens when girls spend time with their older female family members....

Audrey and Emma on left

Audrey (Meinzen) Doyle, my mother, was born in June, 1915.

• Audrey's mom, Emma (Bickerstaff) Meinzen, was nearly 22 when she was born.  Their lives overlapped 58 years, from 1915-1973.
• Audrey's grandmother, Mary (Thompson) Bickerstaff, was 42 when she was born.  Their lives overlapped 25 years, from 1915-1940.
• Audrey's great-grandmother, Lydia (Bell) Thompson, was 64 when Audrey was born.  Their lives overlapped 14 years, from 1915-1930.

Mary center left, Emma on right

Emma (Bickerstaff) Meinzen was born in July, 1893.

• Emma's mother, Mary, was 21 when she was born.  Their lives overlapped 47 years, from 1893-1940.
• Emma's grandmother, Lydia, was 41 when she was born.  Their lives overlapped 37 years, from 1893-1930.

Mary (Thompson) Bickerstaff was born in October, 1872.

• Mary's mother, Lydia, was 21 when she was born.  Their lives overlapped 58 years, from 1872-1930.

myself and older daughter

And me?

• My daughters' lives and my life have overlapped 35 and nearly 30 years -- and counting.
• My mother's and my life overlapped 47 years.
• My grandmother Emma's and my life overlapped 23 years.

How about you?  How many years has your life overlapped with the lives of your female ancestors?

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2017 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
.

August 18, 1920 - A Day for the Ladies

This is one last post for 2014 Women's History Month, beginning with the briefest of history lessons about the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution extending the right of suffrage to women....

Article-------

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex....

The resolution that become the 19th amendment was submitted to Congress for ratification on May 19, 1919.  In less than a month, on June 16, Ohio ratified it and just a week later, on June 24, Pennsylvania ratified it.  (Those are important states to my ancestors.)  But in order to become an amendment, three fourths of the states had to pass it.  It wasn't until August 18, 1920 that Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment.  Secretary of State, Bainbridge Colby, certified the ratification on August 26, 1920.

What of my direct-line female ancestors who were living at the time?  Were they eager to vote for a president during their first time in the voting booths?  Did they follow politics?  Did they have strong opinions about local events?  I don't know and probably never will unless I find one of their names in a newspaper.  Still, I'm interested to think of these first-time female voters in my family.

I have eight direct-line ancestors who were living in August, 1920.

My mom, Audrey (Meinzen) Doyle, was born on June 5, 1915.  She would have been five in 1920.  Although she grew into an adult who was avidly interested in politics I'm positive that she couldn't have cared less, or understood less, what women having the right to vote meant.  As an adult she was grateful to have the right to vote.

My grandmother, Emma (Bickerstaff) Meinzen, was born July 6, 1892.  She would have been nearly 28 the first year she would have been able to vote.  At the time she had two small daughters and a strong-will husband.  Was she interested in politics?  Did she have opinions as strong as her husband? 

Mary (Thompson) Bickerstaff was born on 26 Oct 1872.  She would have been 47 when the amendment was passed but probably 48 by the time she first voted.  She lived in small, peaceful Mineral Ridge.  She may have kept up with issues and candidates through local newspapers.  She may have been thrilled to be able to vote.  She had 19 more years to enter a polling both.

Lydia (Bell) Thompson, born May 8, 1851, was 69 years old when the amendment was certified.  As far as I know, Lydia was literate but at 69, would she have been interested in women's rights, in politics?  She lived until February, 1930, so she would have had nearly 10 years to cast her vote in elections.

Elizabeth (Armitage) Meinzen was born on August 24, 1852.  During the year and months that the 19th amendment was being ratified, she was dealing with cancer on her face.  She died two months before women were given the right to vote.  Was she interested in women having the right to vote?  As an illiterate adult, would she have voted?

Elvira (Bartley) Gerner turned 66 in 1920.  Of all of my direct-line female ancestors, I can imagine her being interested and opinionated about women being able to vote.  She was a midwife, had her own buggy, and hitched her own horse to help women in need in her community.  She lived another 23 years.

Tressa Rose (Froman) Doyle was born in 1867.  She was 52 or 53 when she would have had the first opportunity to vote.  Family tradition says she was strong-willed, but there's no information about whether she was interested in politics or interested in being able to cast her first vote for a president.  She would have been able to vote 15 more times.

Catherine (Saylor) Froman is my oldest female ancestor who was alive when women were given the right to vote.  She was 76; born in Germany on June 5, 1844.  Her husband, also born in Germany, became a natrualized citizen which, I believe, gave both of them the right to vote.  Catherine became a widow at a very young age, left with 7 little children.  Perhaps she was too overwhelmed to be interested in voting, or perhaps her English was limited.  Or maybe she was thrilled to be in America and have the right to cast a vote in the first election in which women in America could vote.  She would have been able to vote for eight years.

Having written this post I realized that I truly know nothing about my female ancestors' voting habits.  I wonder if voters lists are available for the areas in which they lived.  It's a new area of research for me so I will have a lot to learn when I begin that search.

Do you know if any of your female ancestors voted in the first election in which women in America could vote?  Do you have any ancestors who actively participated in the efforts to help women get the right to vote?  Do you know the voting history or political leanings of any of your female ancestors?

You can read more about the 19th Amendment on NARA's Featured Documents.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2014-2022 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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Lydia Bell Thompson - Sunday's Obituary

Lydia Bell Thompson was my maternal grandmother Emma Bickerstaff Meinzen's grandmother.  Lydia married John Thompson in September, 1872, in Jefferson County, Ohio.

MRS. THOMPSON TAKEN BY DEATH

Native Ohio Resident Dies Friday at Home in Brooke County

Wellsburg, Feb. 22 -- Mrs. Lyda Thompson, 79, native of Ohio, a resident of Brooke county the past six years, died at 2 p.m. on Friday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Laura Shorts, Cross Creek district. She was born, May 8, 1851, in Jefferson county, Ohio, where she spent most of her life. She was a member of the Christian church. Her husband, John Thompson, preceded her in death several years. Surviving her are five daughters, Mrs. Levi Allen, McKeesport, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Ida Deal of Cleevland [sic]; Mrs. C. J. Bickerstaff [sic], Mineral Ridge, Ohio; Mrs. Jessie Mendenhall, Wheeling and Mrs. Shorts, at home. Funeral services will be held from the late home on Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment will be in the New Alexandria, Ohio, cemetery.

This obituary was published in The Steubenville Herald-Star, February 22, 1930, p. 5, col. 2.
.

Lydia Bell Thompson, Born 160 Years Ago

My great-great-grandmother, Lydia Bell, was born 160 years ago on this day, May 8, 1851. I did not know her in this life but I want her life to be remembered. She married John Thompson and together they had at least 9 children, possibly 11. She died on February 21, 1930.

Happy Birthday, Gramma Lydia.

Below is an image and a transcription of her death certificate. The informant, Laura Shorts, was one of her daughters.

________________________________________________________________

1 PLACE OF DEATH . . .
Division of Vital Statistics, County Brooke
West Virginia State Department of Health
District Cross Creek
CERTIFICATE OF DEATH 1545
Town or City Wellsburg R.F.D.
2 FULL NAME Lyda Thompson
(a) Residence No. Cross Creek

PERSONAL AND STATISTICAL PARTICULARS
3 SEX Female
4 COLOR OR RACE White
5 Single, Married, Widowed... Widow
5a If married, widowed... WIFE of John Thompson
6 DATE OF BIRTH May 8, 1851
7 AGE 78 Years 9 Months 13 Days
8 OCCUPATION OF DECEASED Retired Housewife
9 BIRTHPLACE Ohio
10 NAME OF FATHER Jacob Bell
11 BIRTHPLACE OF FATHER Not Known
12 MAIDEN NAME MOTHER Not Known
13 BIRTHPLACE OF MOTHER Not Known
14 SIGNATURE OF INFORMANT Mrs. Laura Shorts
(Address) Wellsburg, W. Va.
15 Received Feb 22 1930
Lulu Sanders REGISTRAR

MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH
16 DATE OF DEATH Feb 21 1930
17 I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I attended deceased from Feb 21, 1930, to Feb 21, 1930, that I last saw her alive on Feb 21, 1930 and that death occurred on date stated above, at 2 PM.
The CAUSE OF DEATH was as follows: (Primary or beginning cause) Cerebral apoplexy . . . . Contributory: (Secondary or finishing cause) General Debility . . . .
18 . . . . Did an operation precede death? No
Was there an autopsy? No
(Signed) Frank T. Dare M.D.
(Address) Wellsburg W Va
19 PLACE OF BURIAL New Alexandria, Ohio
Date of Burial Feb. 24, 1930
20 Undertaker Frank E. Foster
Address Wellsburg, W. Va.

________________________________________________________________

Jacob Bell - Certificate of Death, Death Notice

Jacob Bell is my maternal great-great-great-grandfather. This is my line to him: me --> Audrey Meinzen Doyle --> Emma Bickerstaff Meinzen--> Mary Thompson Bickerstaff --> Lydia Bell Thompson --> Jacob Bell.

Below are transcriptions and scans of his Ohio Death Certificate and a death notice. (Click on the image to see it larger.)

______________________________________________________________________

STATE OF OHIO, BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS, CERTIFICATE OF DEATH

PLACE OF DEATH
County of Jefferson
Township of Wells
Registration District No. 662
File No. 9410....
2 FULL NAME Jacob Bell

PERSONAL AND STATISTICAL PARTICULARS
3 SEX Male
4 COLOR OR RACE White
5 SINGLE MARRIED WIDOWED Married
6 DATE OF BIRTH [blank]
7 AGE about 91
8 OCCUPATION Farmer
9 BIRTHPLACE Jefferson Co. O.
10 NAME OF FATHER Jerry Bell
11 BIRTHPLACE OF FATHER Maryland
12 MAIDEN NAME OF MOTHER Elizabeth Bell
13 BIRTHPLACE OF MOTHER Jefferson Co. O.
14 THE ABOVE IS TRUE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE
(Informant) Douglas Bell [signature]
(Address) Mingo Jct. O.
15 Filed 2 - 7 1915 W. N. [illegible] [signature] Registrar

MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH
16 DATE OF DEATH February 6 1915
17 I HEREBY CERTIFY That .... death occurred, on the date as stated above, at 9 a.m. (about).
The CAUSE OF DEATH was as follows: Valvular heart disease
(Signed) Wm G. Herb [illegible word] Feb. 6 1915 (Address) Steubenville O.
18 LENGTH OF RESIDENCE [blank]
19 PLACE OF BURIAL OR REMOVAL New Alexandria
DATE OF BURIAL Feb 7 1915
20 UNDERTAKER W F Bun[illegible letters]
ADDRESS Smithfield Ohio

______________________________________________________________________

This notice of death was published in The Steubenville Daily Gazette, Friday, February 12, 1915, p. 2, col. 2

MINGO JCT., ROUTE No. 1
Feb. 8.--. . . .
. . . . Jacob Bell died at his home on Salt Run Friday morning. Funeral services were held Sunday morning at 10:30. Interment was made in New Alexandria cemetery.

______________________________________________________________________

Notes:

Similar death notices were published in The Steubenville Herald-Star (on Thursday, February 11, 1915, p. 2, col. 3) and The Steubenville Weekly Herald on Thursday, February 11, 1915, p. 3, col. 2). The wording was almost identical in all three. I chose to include the one above because it was most readable.

Although the certificate of death states Jacob's marital status as "married," I have been unable to find his wife, Lydia (Fithen) Bell, in any records after the 1880 census. I hope to find Jacob and Lydia buried side by side.

Jacob's calculated birth year from census records is about 1824-25. In the 1850 census he was 25; in 1870 he was 46; and in 1880 he was 55. Based on the death certificate age, he could have been born in 1824.

Jacob's father's first name, Jerry, could be nicknames for Jeremiah, Jerome, or Jeremy. I have not yet searched for Jacob's parents.

The Family of Jacob & Lydia (Fithen) Bell of Jefferson County, Ohio

Below is the family of Jacob Bell and Lydia Fithen as far as I've been able to discover them. They lived primarily in Jefferson County, Ohio. Some of the children passed away years after my mother was born in 1915, and yet this is a side of the family about which never a word was spoken, nor ever a visit was made.

The connection between me and this couple passes through my mother, Audrey Meinzen, and continues --> Emma Bickerstaff --> Mary Thompson --> Lydia Bell --> Jacob & Lydia (Fithen) Bell

It seems that the pronunciation of Bell sometimes migrates to Beal or Bale.

Jacob Bell
b. Nov 1824, Jefferson County, Ohio
d. 6 Feb 1915, Salt Run, Wells Twp., Jefferson, Ohio
-and-
Lydia Fithen
b. abt. 1826,
d. btw. 1880 - 1900
m. abt. 1843/44

Children:
Lavina Bell
b. 18 Sep 1844, Little Rush Run, Jefferson, Ohio
d. 9 Nov 1943, Steubenville, Jefferson, Ohio
Spouse: Scott Roe
m.

Alexander Bell
b. 6 Mar 1848, Ohio
d. 8 Jul 1922, Kensington, Hanover Twp., Columbiana, Ohio
Spouse:
m.

Lydia Bell
b. 8 May 1851, Jefferson, Ohio
d. 21 Feb 1930, Cross Creek District, Wellsburg, Brooke, West Virginia
Spouse: John Thomas Thompson
m. 23 Sep 1872, Jefferson, Ohio

Cruson (Crusin, Crewson) Bell
b. May 1853, Ohio
d. 20 Nov 1900, Mingo Junction, Jefferson, Ohio
Spouse: Mary E. Crooks
m. 26 Mar 1876

Mary E. Bell
b. May 1853, Ohio
d. 21 Oct 1927, Alikanna, Island Creek, Jefferson, Ohio
Spouse: William H. Thompson
m.

Daniel Bell
b. abt. 1855
d.
Spouse:
m.

Josephine Bell
b. 8 May 1859, Jefferson, Ohio
d. 9 Oct 1932, New Alexandria, Jefferson, Ohio
Spouse: Eli Porter
m. 20 Nov 1892

Laura Bell
b. 20 Jun 1862, Salt Run, Jefferson, Ohio
d. 17 Jul 1941, Steubenville, Jefferson, Ohio
Spouse: John Crooks
m. 18 Mar 1880, Jefferson, Ohio
Spouse: Theodore Moses
m. 8 May 1905

Douglas S. Bell
b. 26 Feb 1866, New Alexandria, Jefferson, Ohio
d. 26 Jun 1936, Georges Run, Jefferson, Ohio
Spouse: Celena Boughner
m. ~5 Nov 1885

Frank Bell
b. abt. 1873
d.
Spouse:
m.

If you are a descendant of one of the members of this family or are researching this family, I hope you will please contact me using the contact tab on the left side of the screen.

Since Jacob Bell, my ggggrandfather, was born sometime during the month of November in the year 1824, I'm remembering him and wishing him a happy birthday with this post about him and his family. Happy Birthday, Grampa Jacob.

Lydia's Birthday

My great-great-grandmother Lydia Bell was born on this day in 1851 in Jefferson County, Ohio. She married John Thompson on September 23, 1872. Together they had 11 children, 9 of whom have been found.

I have no photographs of Lydia, no stories, no ancedotes, no memories shared by others to help me piece together an image or life story of Lydia. I wish I did. Is it possible that I'll find another descendant who's grandmother shared memories of her? One can always hope.

Happy Birthday, Gramma Lydia.

My Crewson/Cruzen/Crusin Bell

Of course, he's not just mine, but whenever I find a family member, I just consider him or her "mine."

I've been searching for the family of birth of Lydia (Bell) Thompson, my great-great-grandmother. I've found some of her siblings, but not all. This post explains part of my search for one of her brothers.

In February I explained my search for Cruzin Bell and how I found Robison Cruzen Beall in a book of death records transcriptions. Since Cruzen - or Crewson, Cruzin, Cruson, or any other number of variations - is such an uncommon name I wondered if that was my man. I asked readers if Bell might sound like Beall when pronounced with a Southern accent and if, sometimes, the spelling might change. Several readers responded, and I was encouraged to search further.

The transcription in the book stated that Robison Cruzen Beall died in November, 1900. State death records for Ohio begin in 1908. Prior to that, records were kept at the county level. It's harder to obtain a photocopy of a county death record than a state death record, though I have in the past purchased them.

In this case I decided to look through the local newspapers for an obituary for Robison Cruzen Beall or Crusin Bell, and then decide whether to request a county death record (if I found Beall) or see what family information the obituary contributed to my search (if I found Bell).

With film numbers in hand, I headed to the Ohio Historical Society files of microfilm, pulled the ones I wanted to view (so I could search all three newspapers if I needed to), and rolled the first one to November 20, 1900. And then I began my search, column by column, page by page.

And there he was: Cruzen Bell! And Crewson Bell! I found no one by the name of Robison Cruzen Beall. I continued by search through the other two newspapers, just to be sure, and found two more obituaries, one for Crewson Bell and another for Cruzen Bell. Nary a Beall in sight.













I was hoping that knowing that Bell and Beall might sometimes sound alike and be transposed would help me find his parents in the 1860 and 1900 census records and death information for other members of his family. It hasn’t so far but as I continue to search I’ll be aware of the possibility that I should be searching for both names.

Thanks to Herstoryan who told me that in her Texas accent Bell and Beall are pronounced the same and to the others who responded about name variations. I appreciate your comments and help.


Sources
The first obituary is from The Steubenville Weekly Herald-Star, Friday, November 23, 1900, p. 4, column 7.
The second obituary is from The Steubenville Daily Gazette, Tuesday, November 20, 1900, p. 5, column 3.

Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Messier.

The Children of John and Lydia (Bell) Thompson

John Thompson and Lydia Bell were married on September 23, 1872, in Jefferson County, Ohio. John died on March 4, 1923. Lydia died on February 21, 1930.

John and Lydia are my great-great-grandparents. This is my line to them: me -> Audrey Meinzen Doyle -> Emma Bickerstaff Meinzen -> Mary Thompson Bickerstaff -> John and Lydia (Bell) Thompson

These are their children who are known to me.

Mary Thompson
born 26 Oct 1873 in New Alexandria, Jefferson, Ohio
died 6 Sep 1940 in Mineral Ridge, Trumbull, Ohio
married Edward Jesse Bickerstaff on 15 Mar 1891
They had 9 children; 8 survived to adulthood

Laura V. Thompson
born 15 Dec 1875 in Cross Creek Township, Jefferson, Ohio
died after 21 Feb 1930
Laura is named as Mrs. Laura Shorts in her father’s obituary (1923); and as Mrs. Laura Short of Wellsburg, WV, in her mother’s obituary (1930).

Anna Thompson
born abt. 1877 in Jefferson County, Ohio
died after 6 Sep 1940
Annie is named in her father’s obituary (1923); as Mrs. Levi Allen of McKeesport, PA in her mother’s (1930) and her sister Mary’s obituaries (1940).

Rachel Ann Thompson
born 23 Feb 1878 in Jefferson County, Ohio
died unknown date
It is possible that Anna and Rachel Ann are the same person

Ida Thompson
born ~1879 (8/12 year, b. April of census year: 1 Jun 1879-31 May 1880) in Jefferson County (probably), Ohio
died after 6 Sep 1940
Mrs. Ida Hall is named in her father’s obituary (1923); Mrs. Ida Deal of Cleveland in her mother’s obituary (1930); and Mrs. Ida Diehl of Parkersburg, WV in her sister Mary’s obituary (1940)

James R. Thompson
born 17 Aug 1882 in Jefferson County, Ohio
died after 4 Mar 1923
James R. is named in his father’s obituary (1923)

Elizabeth May Thompson
born 28 Jan 1885 in Cross Creek Township, Jefferson, Ohio
died 8 Mar 1920 in Alikanna, Jefferson, Ohio
Elizabeth May Gather died of septicemia at her parents’ home.

Jessie Thompson
born 27 Aug 1888 in Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio
died after 6 Sep 1940
Jessie is named in her father’s obituary (1923); as Mrs. Jessie Mendenhall of Wheeling, WV in her mother’s obituary (1930); and as Mrs. Jessie Mandenhall of Athens in her sister Mary’s obituary (1940)

Male Infant
born 1 Jan 1891, Cross Creek Township, Jefferson, Ohio
died unknown

I believe there are several more children to be found, based on the 1900 census which indicates that Lydia had 7 living children out of 11 born to her.

If/when I discover/uncover more information I will update this page.

What Happened in this Family?

I want to know what happened in the family of John and Lydia (Bell) Thompson....

From my mother’s records I knew that one of her family lines went like this:
Audrey Meinzen -> Emma Bickerstaff Meinzen -> Mary Thompson Bickerstaff -> John Thompson & Lydia Bell.

I already knew that Mary was born in October 1873, married in March 1891, and died in September 1940. But I knew nothing about her parents other than their names and a general location: Jefferson County, Ohio. That, in combination with Mary’s birth year, was a start.

I began my search with census records and found them in the 1880 census. John T. and Lyddia B. Thompson were living on Main Street in New Alexandria, Jefferson County, Ohio, on June 11, 1880, when the census taker came. John T. was 29, an illiterate laborer. Lyddia B., 26, his wife, was keeping house, and could read and write. Their children were Mary B., 6; Laura, 5; Annie R., 3; and Ida, 8/12 years. Ohio was the place of birth for all of them.

The 1880 census record also helped anticipate a possible year of marriage for John and Lydia. Their date of marriage in Jefferson County, Ohio, was recorded as September 23, 1872. Their names on the county marriage record were recorded as John Thos. Thompson and Lydia N. (or M.) Bell. (No parents’ names were recorded.)

The 1880 census also helped identify the names of children already born and still living. I searched birth record transcripts and requested records for Mary, Laura V., and Rachel Ann (who may also be Annie R.). I found nothing for Ida.

The 1900 census was a different matter. Instead of John Thomas Thompson, I found Thomas Thompson, 52 years, a junk dealer, with wife, Lydia, 4? years. The census indicated that Lydia was the mother of 11 children with 7 still living; and that Thomas and Lydia had been married 11 years.

Except for their ages, the 1900 census information didn’t add up unless this was a second marriage for Lydia. Did she marry her deceased husband’s brother (Thomas) who happened to have as his first name his brother’s middle name (John Thomas)? Or did John Thomas choose to be called Thomas sometime between 1880 and 1900? Or did the census taker make a mistake? And what about the children who were listed in the 1880 census? Mary was married in 1891 when she was 17. By 1900, Laura would have been about 25; Annie, about 23; and Ida, about 20 years - all old enough to have been married, so it wasn’t unusual not to find them living with their parents.

Lydia as the mother of 11 children with 7 living adds up, too, if we consider the children in both census records together and assume that 4 had died. Together the living children were: Mary (b. Oct 1874); Laura (b. Dec 1875); Annie R. (or Rachel Ann) (b. Feb 1878); Ida (b. 1879-1880); James (b. Aug 1881); Elizabeth (b. Jan 1883); and Jessie (b. Aug 1887). Birth transcripts all give the parents’ names as John Thompson and Lydia Bell.

In the 1910 census, I found a John and Lydia Thompson living in Follansbee, Brooke County, WV. The ages seem to fit but John was a shoemaker, and somehow, considering other information from Steubenville city directories, I doubt these are “my” John and Lydia.

Searches of Steubenville city directories were helpful.
1899-1900: John T. (wife Lydia) junk dealer, residing at 615 South
1904-1905: John T. (wife Lydia) junk dealer, residing at the Seminary Building
1913: John T. (wife Lydia) laborer, residing at 238 N. Lake Erie Avenue
1915-1916: John T. (wife Lydia) laborer, residing at 258 N. Lake Erie Ave.

The 1920 census, taken in January 1920, recorded John Thompson, widow, as an inmate at the Jefferson County Infirmary.

I went on a hunt for Lydia Bell Thompson’s death date, sometime between 1915 and 1920 - and came up empty-handed. I searched the Ohio Historical Society Archives, where death certificates from 1908 to 1952 are indexed by name and are available on microfilm. In fact, I searched for both John and Lydia. There were several people with those names, but I decided none of them were mine either because of location or after searching out obituaries for them.

And then! And then suddenly, familysearch.org had the Ohio Death Certificate Index online and it had more search options than just a name. In fact, they also had death certificates from other states. (Note: you can still find Ohio death certificates at familysearch but they are no longer searchable separately.)

I found Lydia first. She died in the Cross Creek District of Brooke County, West Virginia, on February 21, 1930. Could this be “my” Lydia? Probably not, since John was already a widow in 1920, but it was worth a look. FamilySearch linked to West Virginia Vital Records where I was able to find, print, and save her death certificate. It certainly looked like my Lydia: born May 8, 1851 in Ohio; husband: John Thompson. The informant was Laura Shorts. Could that be Laura of the census records?

I decided that one of the Steubenville newspapers might have an obituary, since Lydia had lived most of her life in Jefferson County. Yes, there was one. But one piece of the information was odd: “Her husband preceded her in death several years ago.” How could that be? I was certain this was the right Lydia Thompson because the children were listed, including Mrs. Ida Deal of Cleveland; Mrs. C. J. Bickerstaff of Mineral Ridge, Ohio [my great-grandmother]; Mrs. Jessie Mendenhall, Wheeling; and Mrs. [Laura] Shorts, at home. And, Lydia was being buried in New Alexandria, Ohio, where she and John had lived.

How could both John and Lydia be widowers at the same time?

Then another John Thompson - different from the ones I’d search at OHS - turned up in the FamilySearch Ohio Death Certificate search. His death date was listed as March 4, 1923, in Cross Creek Township at the Jefferson County Infirmary. Again I decided that an obituary might have helpful information. There are lots of John Thompsons and maybe this wasn’t mine.

My search for an obituary revealed two. One indicates that he was survived by his widow and James R. Thompson, Mrs. Mary Bickerstaff, Mrs. Laura Shorts, and Mrs. Ida Hall. That first obituary didn’t mention his place of death, but listed Union Cemetery as his place of burial. The second obituary said that he passed away at the County Home and was survived by daughters Mary, Annie, Laura, and Jessie; and by two brothers, Wm. H. and James R. Thompson. This was definitely "my" John Thompson.

I contacted Union Cemetery for information about his burial. They returned information from their interment directory with his name, date of death, cause of death, date of interment, and first names of his parents. Someone from the Union Cemetery Association added a note: “This is all the information we have on your Great Great Grandfather. He is Buried in County Ground, and no other Relatives are around him. County Ground is Ground owned by The County and is where they bury those who have no one to bury them.”

I want to know what happened in this family. I probably never will, but I want to know why John and Lydia are buried in two different cemeteries. I want to know why John was at the County Home while Lydia was with a daughter. And why did no family member (or members) come forward to buy a plot of land so my great-great-grandfather didn’t have to buried in a pauper’s grave?


Do you have unanswered questions like these for any of your ancestors?


Sources
1880 U. S. Census, Ohio, Jefferson, New Alexandria, Main Street, E. D. 100, written p. 18, Lines 43-48, Family #37, John Thompson and family, 11 June 1880.

1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Jefferson, Steubenville Township, 3rd Ward, Market Street, E.D. #80, printed p. 92, Lines 92-96, Dwelling #8, Family #9, [John] Thomas Thompson and family, 1 Jun 1900.

1920 U. S. Census, Ohio, Jefferson, Wintersville Precinct, Jefferson County Infirmary, E.D. 182, p. 25, line 23, John Thompson, 21 Jan 1920.

Marriage Records of Jefferson County, Ohio, Book 8, Part 1, 1865-1874. (Image shown above.)

Steubenville City Directory 1899-1900. The Burch Directory Company, Akron, Ohio, p. 205.

Steubenville Official City Directory 1904-1905. The Burch Directory Company, Akron, Ohio, p. 275, http://www.digitalshoebox.org/.

Steubenville Official City Directory 1913. The Burch Directory Company, Akron, Ohio, p. 352.

Steubenville Official City Directory 1915-1916. The Burch Directory Company, Akron, Ohio, p. 376.

Certificate of Death for John Thompson, State of Ohio, Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, File No. 19754, (1923), from http://www.familysearch.org/.

Obituary of John Thompson, The Steubenville Herald-Star, Monday, March 5, 1923, p. 10, col. 8, Archives Library of the Ohio Historical Society, Microfilm #13008. (Image shown above.)

Obituary of John Thompson, The Steubenville Daily Gazette, Monday, March 5, 1923, p. 2, col. 6, Archives Library of the Ohio Historical Society, Microfilm #22486.

Union Cemetery Association Interment Directory: John Thompson, and note from Association representative, 4 Aug 2008.

Certificate of Death for Lydia Thompson, West Virginia State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate #2545 (1930), http://www.wvculture.org/">www.wvculture.org. (Image shown above.)

Obituary of Lydia Thompson, The Steubenville Herald-Star, Saturday, February 22, 1930, p. 5, col. 2, Archives Library of the Ohio Historical Society, Microfilm #13041.


Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Messier.

Ancestors and Valentines

Happy Valentine's Day!

This year I've been thinking about love and marriage in years long gone - the years of my ancestors.

I wonder, but don't know, how or if my ancestors celebrated Valentine's Day. No postcards nor candy boxes nor love letters remain in my possession or in the possession of any distant relative I know.

In the care and work of a day 50 or 100 or more years ago, perhaps Valentine's Day was not a topic of conversation. Perhaps it warranted not a passing thought. And yet I can't help but believe - and hope - that the love that Valentine's Day represents was a part of their lives.

And so with love and marriage and Valentine's Day in mind, I'm sharing marriage dates and the lengths of marriage of some of my known ancestors.

Lee Doyle and Audrey Meinzen were married 48 years, 8 months, and 4 days.
Married on 15 September 1938. The marriage ended at Lee's death on 19 May 1987.

William Carl Robert Meinzen and Emma Virginia Bickerstaff were married 58 years, 4 months, and 30 days.
Married on 8 September 1914. The marriage ended at Emma's death on 7 February 1973 (which happened to be the day before her husband's birthday).

Edward Jesse Bickerstaff and Mary Thompson were married 49 years, 5 months, and 22 days.
Married on 15 March 1891. The marriage ended at Mary's death on 6 September 1940.

John Thomas Thompson and Lydia Bell were married 50 years, 5 months, and 9 days.
Married on 23 September 1872. The marriage ended at John's death on 4 March 1923.

William Bickerstaff and Susan Holmes were married 63 (or 64) years and 18 days.
Married on 4 March 1829/30. The marriage ended at Susan's death on 22 March 1893.

Henry Carl Meinzen and Elizabeth Armitage were married 50 years, 2 months, and 2 days.
Married on 24 April 1870. The marriage ended at Elizabeth's death on 26 June 1920.

Gust Doyle and Beulah Mae Gerner were married 1 year, 3 months, and 22 days.
Married on 19 Dec 1911. The marriage ended at Beulah's very premature death on 2 April 1913.

William Doyle and Tressa Rose Froman were married 51 years, and 10 days.
Married on 17 March 1885. The marriage ended at Tressa's death on 27 March 1936.

Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Jane Laws were married 46 years, 8 months, and 12 days.
Married on 11 November 1861. The marriage ended at Andrew's death on 23 Jul 1908.

Frederick Gerner and Elvira Bartley were married 53 years, 8 months, and 2 days.
Married on 24 July 1872. The marriage ended at Fred's death on 26 March 1926.

Dixon Bartley and Rebecca Smith were married 63 years, 5 months, and 13 days.
Married on 16 July 1836. The marriage ended at Rebecca's death on 29 December 1899.

Happy Valentine's Day to my ancestors - and to you, dear readers!


Sources
Card at upper right is an 1862 Valentine's card from Wikimedia Commons at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:My_Dearest_Miss.jpg
Marriage dates are from various sources including family records, county records, transcribed records, and obituaries. If you want specific information, please contact me.

Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Messier.

Accents and Name Variations

What do you think? Do accents affect name variations, especially in regards to the spelling of names before spelling was standardized?

I'd never really thought much about this until I began looking for my Bell relatives who lived in eastern Ohio, across the Ohio River from West Virginia.

The line from me to my Bell family goes like this:

me --> my mother, Audrey --> Emma (Bickerstaff) Meinzen --> Mary (Thompson) Bickerstaff --> Lydia (Bell) Thompson --> Jacob & Lydia (Fithen) Bell

Finding Lydia (Bell) Thompson's death record in West Virginia led me to her parents, which caused me to look for her siblings.

Lydia Bell had a brother identified in various census records as Crusin, Cruson, and an illegible "C_ _ _ _ _ _" in one census record. From those records I learned that he was born between 1850 and 1853. In the 1880 census I found him living in Wells Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, with his wife, Mary, and son George. His age was not completely legible but could be 26. On the 1900 census, taken in June, he was living in Mingo Junction, working as a laborer in a steel mill, still married to Mary, with sons James and Walter. His age was listed as 47, born 1853. I did not find him on the 1910 census.

Through more searching, I found a city directory for Mingo Junction, Ohio, which is located in Wells Township. The date on it was November, 1900. In it I found

Bell, Mary, (wid of Crewson,) 213 n Commercial st.

So then it looked like Crewson/Crusin/Cruson died after June 1900 and before November 1900. I didn't think a death record should be too hard to find with a first name like Crewson/Crusin/Cruson (even though "Bell" is such a common last name). So I looked through the death record transcriptions for 1900 searching for Bell in Wells Township, Jefferson County. He was not there.

I continued to look through the "B" section, hoping perhaps the alphabetization was incorrect. I came upon

Beall, Robison Cruzen, mar., steel worker, born McIntyre Creek, died Mingo Jct., 20 Nov 1900 ae 47 years of inflammation of the bowels

Is it possible that this is my Crewson/Crusin/Cruson? It's such an uncommon name. Of course I have more research to do.

To any of you readers who may have experience with how accents change the spelling of names, or to any of you who may have Southern/West Virginia-ish accents: do you think that a northern "Bell" may sound like a Southern-ish "Beall?"

Thanks for any ideas, thoughts, or opinions.

Sources
1850 U.S. Census
1870 U.S. Census
1880 U.S. Census
1900 U.S. Census
Official Directory of Mingo Junction, November, 1900
Deaths Recorded in Jefferson County, 1889-1908

Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Messier.