David W. Dray - In Memoriam

There were eight of us cousins on my mother's side of the family--children of her sisters.  David Dray was the fourth oldest, son of Doris (Meinzen) Dray, my mom's third sister.  David was five years older than me.  His family moved from the Ridge in about 1958.  Because of the age difference and the distance we weren't close.  Even so, it is a sorrow to know he's gone.  I have no adult photos of him but gosh, wasn't he a cute kid?

Here's a fun memory.  When Dave and his sister, Belinda, who was just a little older than me, lived in the Ridge, there was a big willow tree in their back yard.  We--probably mostly Dave--cut branches to make bows, then we looked for straight sticks to make arrows.  We probably shot at a target of some sort, perhaps on the side of a barn.  (It's funny how incomplete memories can be.)

The following is from the funeral home's website.

David William Dray, aka “The Nicest Guy,” 78, of Willoughby, passed away Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at Burton Healthcare Center.
   Born March 9, 1945, in Warren, he had lived in Richmond Heights before moving to Lake County 34 years ago.
   David was a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan.  He was the most patient person, yet also the biggest procrastinator.  But most of all, he loved his family dearly, especially his girls and boys.
    He was the beloved husband of 30 years to Barbara A. (nee Krych) Dray; loving father of Aimee C. Dray of University Heights and Karmi A. Jones of Willoughby; and cherished grandfather of Jacob R. Lorkovic and Caleb M. Jones. 
   David was preceded in death by his parents, William and Doris (nee Meinzen) Dray; and sister, Belinda Litty.

May you rest in peace, David.  You will be missed.

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 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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Obituary of Tressa Rose (Froman) Doyle - March, 1936

Tressa is my great-great-grandmother through my father's line.  I did not have her obituary until I found this one; however, I did have all the information in the obituary.  But see notes, below.

            Mrs. William Doyle
    Mrs. Tressa Froman Doyle, wife of
William Doyle, died at 5:45 p. m.,
Friday, March 27, 1936, at her home
in Stoneboro after an illness of sev-
eral months.  She was 68 years, six
months and three days of age.
   A daughter of Jacob and Kather-
ine Saylor Froman, she was born
Sept. 24, 1867, at Orangeville, but
had resided in Stoneboro for 54
years.  She was united in marriage
to William Doyle on March 17, 1885.
Mrs. Doyle was a member of the
Stoneboro Baptist church and was
active in all church activities.
   In addition to her husband she
leaves two children, Emma, wife of
E. C. Leathers, and Hazel, wife of
Fred Emerson of Naples, N.Y.  Other
survivors are a brother, John Fro-
man of Stoneboro, nine grandchild-
ren and two great-grandchildren.
   Rev. C. C. Clark of Franklin, pas-
tor of the Stoneboro Baptist church,
will conduct funeral services from
the late home at 2:30 p. m. Monday,
March 30.  Burial in Oak Hill cem-
etery.

This obituary was published on page 6, column 5 in the March, 28, 1936, issue of The (Greenville, Pennsylvania) Record-Argus. 

Notes and Comments

• Tressa's mother's name was generally written as Catherine, not Katherine.
• Tressa's father's name is not Jacob, but John Froman.
  
• The only uncertainty is whether she was born in Orangeville, Pennsylvania, or Orangeville, Ohio.  It is a small town that straddles the border of both states.  I have not found a birth record of any kind for her in either state.  Family members assume it was the Pennsylvania side of the town.
• Tressa's son, Gust Doyle, died just two and a half years earlier, on October 4, 1933. 
  

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 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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Catherine (Saylor) Froman's 1928 Obituary

Catherine Saylor Froman is my great-great-grandmother through my father's line.  She died on December 20, 1928.  She was the mother of seven children.  My father, Lee Doyle, was one of the 19 great-grandchildren mentioned in the obituary.  Because he was 15 when Catherine died he must have known her, but he spoke very little about his youth and the years he lived in Stoneboro.  I learned her name only a dozen or so years ago.

This obituary was published on December 23, 1928, in The Oil City Derrick. 

STONEBORO NEWS

       Mrs. Catherine Froman, age 86
years, and widow of the late John
Froman, died here Thursday morn-
ing after an extended illness.  She
was born in Germany June 4, 1844,
and came to the United States in
1851[?], since that time she has lived
in this vicinity.  She was a mem-
ber of the Stoneboro Baptist church,
and one of its earliest members.
She was a woman of splendid
character and was held in high
esteem by all who knew her.  Five
generations were in her family prior
to her death.  Surviving are the
following children, Gust, Jacob
and John Froman, Mrs. William
Turner and Mrs. William Doyle of
Stoneboro and Adam Froman of
Greenville.  Sixteen grandchildren,
19 great grandchildren and two
great great grandchildren.  Funeral
services will be held from the home
Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
Services will be conducted by Rev.
S. S. Clark of Franklin.  Burial
will be made at Oak Hill cemetery.

Though Catherine's parents' names were not mentioned in the obituary I've found them in other sources. Jacob and Elizabeth are common names, and there are more than a few men named Jacob Saylor, with various surname spellings, living in Mercer County at the same time as Catherine's family.   I'm currently searching for documents to identify which are her parents.  Surname variations include Saylor, Sailer, Sailor, Sayler, Seiler, and Seyler.

Other posts about Catherine:
A Close-Knit Family
The Best Thing About An Intestate Court File
Of Widow Catherine (Saylor) Froman

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 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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Frank B. Riss: from Horse Thief to Justice of the Peace?

Like a dog with a bone, I couldn't give up the search for Leota Gerner's first husband, Frank B. Riss, especially when I realized I already had some information about him in RootsMagic.

I was surprised to find this snippet, below, in The Virden (Illinois) Recorder at Old Fulton New York Postcards.  It was published sometime between February, 1909, and September, 1910.  (I've been unsuccessful in maneuvering the Old Fulton website to get more details about the exact date of this article and its specific location in the newspaper.) 

          Girl Betrays Fugitive.
    Betrayed by his sweetheart, who
gave his photograph to the police,
Frank B. Riss, was arrested near
Streator and taken back to Calgary,
Canada, to answer to the charge of
horse stealing.

To be accurate, I have no way of knowing that this is Leota's husband.  The name, Frank B. Riss, is the same as Leota's Frank, who was born in Streator, Illinois.  They could the be same person, or not.  The distance between Streator and Calgary, Canada, is about 1,616 miles by today's highways, but no doubt further in 1909-1910.  This article leaves me with the questions of how many horses were stolen and whether it was worth the expense to transport Frank that long distance.  And, of course, the question of whether this is Leota's Frank or not. 

Ancestry.com shows Frank B. Riss in the 1917, 1918, 1920, and 1921 Youngstown City Directories as an engineer and in 1926 he appears as a Justice of the Peace with the following description.

RISS Frank B.  [Leota]  Justice of The Peace Berlin township, 13 Central Square, 3d floor Diamond Block, Phone 4-1504 h Berlin Center O

 
Next I find him on his 1930 Ohio Death Certificate from FamilySearch with excerpted information below.  (Click on the death certificate to see it full size in a new tab.)

Name.  Frank B. Riss
Place of Death.  South Side Youngstown Hospital,
      Youngstown, Mahoning County
Residence.  1635 South heights, Youngstown
Husband of Mrs. Leota Riss
Date of Birth.  June 6, 1882
Name of employer.   John Gerner
Birthplace.   Streator, Ill.
Date of Death.   Jan 3, 1930
The Cause of Death was Ac. Gangrenous Pancreatitis
Contributory.   Cholelithiasis (a form of gallstones)
Place of Burial.    Lake Park Cemetery
Date of Burial.   6 Jan 1930

And finally, Frank's death certificate led me to his obituary published in The Youngstown Daily Vindicator on Saturday, Jan. 4, 1930, p. 3, col. 5.  (Image from microfilm at Archives Library of the State of Ohio, no online link available.)

      FRANK B. RISS
             TAKEN BY DEATH
               ---------------
  Former Justice of Peace, One-
     Time Sheriff Candidate,
           Dies in Hospital
               ---------------
   Frank B. Riss, aged 47, of 1635
South Heights Ave., prominently
known in Youngstown in the days
of the “raiding” justices of peace,
died of complications at four p.m.
Friday at Youngstown Hospital after
an illness of three weeks.
   Riss was justice of the peace of
Berlin Township for a number of
years and maintained an office in
Youngstown at Boardman and Mar-
ket Sts.  His constables were active
for several years in liquor raids.
   He was born June 6, 1882, at
Streator, Ill., and had lived in
Youngstown for about 15 years.
   He leaves his widow, Mrs. Leota
Riss, and a daughter, Evelyn Riss.
   He also leaves his mother and
father, Mrs. and Mrs. Fred Riss of
Streator; two sisters, Mrs. Henry
Bollmer, Streator, and Mrs. Lester
Kernan, Chicago, and five brothers,
Edward, Albert, Lafe, Jess and Otto
Riss, all of Streator.
   He was married 14 years ago to
Miss Leota Gerner of Youngstown.
He was a member of the M. E.
Church.
   Mr. Riss has lately been in the
trucking business.
   Funeral services will be held at
2:30 p.m. Monday at the home.  The
Rev. N. B. Mathes will be in charge.
Burial will be in Lake Park Cemetery.

Notes and Comments

Based on the information in the obituary

• Frank moved to Youngstown in about 1915.
• He married Leota in about 1916. 
  
• His daughter became Evelyn Riss instead of Beulah E. Riss from previous records.
• He was "prominently known" when he served as Justice of the Peace and was involved in liquor raids.
  

I have lots of questions about the liquor raids, the danger involved for Frank and his deputies, and how Leota felt about that.  This obituary conjures images of smoky speak easies filled with people on the alert for raids.  If Frank was as well-known as the obituary suggests he is probably in new articles in The Vindicator during the 1920s.  What a lot of searching it would require to find him!

I don't know, and my never know, whether the Frank B. Riss, horse thief, is the same person that Leota Gerner married and who became a Justice of the Peace in Mahoning County, Ohio.  What evidence shows me is that Leota Gerner was married to Frank B. Riss, engineer, Justice of the Peace, and truck driver who died on January 3, 1930.  How I wish I could connect the dots--if there are any--through the years between horse thief and Justice of the Peace.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 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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Research Results Based on Hints in an Obituary

When I found an obituary for Sophia Meinzen Kropp, the supposed sister of my great-grandfather Henry Meinzen, I listed every possible hint in that obituary, which was published in The Steubenville Herald on September 9, 1920, page 15, column 6.  And then I researched based on the hints.  This post is a compilation of the results of that research.

Below are the results of following those hints.  

Hint 1)  died on September 6, 1920

• Ohio death certificate confirmed her death date of September 6, 1920

Hint 2)  celebrated her 78th birthday on Saturday, September 4, 1920

• Ohio death certificate gives birth date of September 4, 1842, which can be used to calculate her age (of 78)

Hint 3)  born in Germany 

• Ohio death certificate confirms
• the 1900 U.S. Census confirms
• the 1910 U.S. Census confirms
• the 1920 U.S. Census confirms

Hint 4)  married Carl Kropp in Germany in 1861  

• church record for Carl's death gives marriage date of September 14, 1863
• Carl's obituary recorded that he married "Sophie Minsinger" in Germany but does not give a date

Hint 5)  immigrated from Germany to the U.S. in 1887 

• 1900 U.S. Census gives 1887
• 1910 U.S. Census gives 1889
• 1920 U.S. Census gives 1889
• Castle Garden transcription gives arrival date of September 23, 1887, and image at FamilySearch (at same link) shows Sophia, Carl, and daughter Sophia arriving together.
• Carl's obituary gives immigration date of 1887.

Hint 6)  settled in Steubenville/Jefferson County upon arrival

• Carl's obituary states that after arriving in 1887 they settled in "this city" (Steubenville).
• Several of the children's obituaries (links below) suggest that they came directly to Steubenville but don't specifically state it.
• I've no other information to substantiate this but it's possible that city directories may list Sophie and Carl.

Hint 7)  husband Carl Kropp died about 15 years ago (therefore about 1905) 

• Carl appeared in the 1900 U.S. Census living with his wife, daughter Sophie, and son-in-law John Spahn
• He is absent from the 1910 U.S. Census 
• The name "Carl Kropt" appears in Jefferson County Probate Court death records with date of death as May 30, 1905.
• His obituary appeared in The Steubenville Daily Gazette on Wednesday, May 31, 1905, giving a death date of May 30, 1905.
• church record gives date of death as May 30, 1905

Hint 7)  Sophie was a member of Zion Lutheran Church

• Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, now Zion United Christ Church, did not produce a membership record for Sophie nor have a record pertaining to her death. 

Hint 8)  She was survived by daughters Mrs. John Spahn and Mrs. Minnie Schuette, and son William Kropp, all of Steubenville

• the 1900 U.S. Census notes that she was the mother of 6 children, 4 living
• Carl's 1905 obituary lists four living children (Minnie, wife of Henry Shutti; William, Henry and Sophie, wife of John Spahn)
• in the 1900 U. S. Census she was living with daughter Sophia and son-in-law John Spahn (She was listed as mother.)
• in the 1910 U.S. Census she was listed as mother-in-law, living with Sophie and John Spahn
• in the 1920 U.S. Census she was listed as grandmother, living with Sophie and John Spahn
• informant on Ohio death certificate was Mrs. John Spahn but no relationship was noted.
  
• Known Child #1  Minnie Kropp Schuette.  Minnie's obituary notes that she was born in Hanover, Germany, and is the daughter of Carl and Sophia "Meingen" Kropp who were also born in Germany.
• Known Child #2  William Henry Kropp.  William's Ohio death certificate notes that he was born in Germany and that his mother was Sophia Meinsen Kropp, also born in Germany.
• Known Child #3  Henry Kropp.  Henry's Ohio death certificate notes that he was born in Germany and was the son of Carl Kropp and Sophie "Don't Know."
• Known Child #4  Sophia Kropp (Mrs. John) Spahn. 

Hint 9  Survived by brother Henry Meinzen

• Henry Meinzen's daughter Isabelle Meinzen's wedding announcement lists as attendees Mr. and Mrs. Carl Cropp, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schuette, Mr. and Mrs. John Spahn, and Messrs. Henry and Will Kropp, but does not note a relationship.
• I've yet to find any information that confirms this sibling relationship.

Comments
I think it's worthwhile to research hints in an obituary.  One may find a wealth of genealogical information.  None of my research on Sophia Meinzen Kropp makes a direct connection between her and my great-grandfather Henry Meinzen but if I had been searching to find more about Sophia without trying to make a connection to a sibling these searches produced great results.  In fact, Sophia's death certificate lists her father's name, and her husband's church record notes his parents' names and the location of his birth.  You never know what you'll find.

—Nancy.

Copyright ©2017-2023 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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Hints for Searching Obituaries and Death Information in Newspapers - Tuesday's Tip

Observations from searching a 1915 newspaper on microfilm last week:

• Obituaries in old newspapers may be under the title, "Death Call,"  "Death Roll," "Obituary," "Obituaries," or a variety of other names.
• All of the above titles may be used in the same issue of the newspaper.
• Obituaries may all be on the same page under one title, or
• Obituaries may be in groups on several different pages throughout the newspaper.  This means that just because you found half a page of obituaries on page 4 (and your ancestor wasn't among them) doesn't necessarily mean you won't find more on page 7.
• They may be published in varying sizes of print.  Reading the fine print on old newspapers on microfilm can be tedious but one doesn't want to miss anything.
• Obituaries may be published as separate news articles without identifying them as such.  
• Look for an obituary in all newspapers published in that location.  If the town has three different newspapers, search all of them.  If one newspaper didn't publish an obituary, one or two of the others may have.   And all newspapers may not have published identical obituaries.  The information omitted from one newspaper may be included in another.
• Search through at least a month's publications after the death date.
• If the person for whom you're searching died in an accident, search newspapers published before the death for information about the accident.
• If the cause of death was other than illness or old age there may be a "Coroner's Inquests" or "Coroner's Report" in the newspaper which may list deaths in which a coroner ruled a cause of death.

Wishing you successful searches.

--Nancy.

Copyright ©2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
.

Research Hints from Sophia Meinzen Kropp's Obituary

My first acquaintance with Sophia (Meinzen) Kropp was in her obituary of Thursday, September 9, 1920, in the Steubenville Herald, which stated that her brother was Henry Meinzen (who is also my great-grandfather).

In addition to her death date (September 6, 1920), Sophia's obituary offered the following clues for further research.

• born in 1842 (celebrated her 78th birthday on Saturday, September 4)
• born in Germany
• married Carl Kropp in 1861 in Germany
• immigrated in 1887
• settled in Steubenville/Jefferson County upon arrival
• Carl Kropp died ~1905 (passed away about 15 years ago)
• member of Zion Lutheran Church
• survived by two daughters and son:  Mrs. John Spahn, Mrs. Minnie Schuette, and William Kropp, all of Steubenville

It is unfortunate that Sophia and Carl arrived in the U.S. in 1887 instead of seven or eight years earlier, when they could have been included in the 1880 census.  As it is, the first census in which they appear is the 1900, living with their daughter, Sophia, and her husband John Spahn.  I've been able to discover more about four of Sophia's children and her husband using FamilySearch's collection of Ohio sources, which I'll post over the next days and weeks.

My hope in searching for Sophia is that she will lead me to hers and my great-grandfather Henry Meinzen's parents and siblings in Germany (assuming that she and Henry really are siblings).

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2009-2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
.

Henry Meinzen's Sister? In Steubenville?

In a previous post I mentioned that I'd found a newspaper article in which Henry Meinzen, my great-grandfather, was listed as a brother.  (Henry is the one great-grandfather for whom I've been unable to find his parents or any siblings.)  The article was published in the September 9, 1920, issue of the Steubenville Herald.  Until reading this obituary I had no indication that Henry had a sibling living in Steubenville, or in the United States, for that matter. 

This is the obituary.

                  Mrs. Sophia Kropp
         Mrs. Sophia Kropp, widow of Carl
     Kropp entered into rest at the home
     of her daughter Mrs. John Spahn on
     West Market street, at 7:30 o’clock
     Monday morning, September 6.  She
     had celebrated her seventy-eighth
     birthday on Saturday.  Although a
     sufferer from heart trouble for some
     time past and in failing health for
     the past two years, her death came
     suddenly, she being fatally stricken
     on Sunday.  She failed to rally from
     this heart attack and slept peaceful-
     ly away at the hour above mention-
     ed.  The deceased was born in Ger-
     many and was married in that coun-
     try in 1861 to Carl Kropp.  They
     came to America in 1887 and settled
     here.  Her husband passed away about
     fifteen years ago since which
     time Mrs. Kropp has been making
     her home with her daughter.  She
     was a member of Zion Lutheran
     Church, was well known and held in
     high esteem in Steubenville and
     throughout the county.  She is sur-
     vived by two daughters, Mrs. John
     Spahn and Mrs. Minnie Schuetto and
     one son William Kropp, all of this
     city and one brother Henry Meinzen
     also of this city.


Notes, Thoughts, Comments

Granted, little family history information came along from my grandfather Meinzen's side of the family.  His older sister, Mina, was the one to whom he referred when anyone asked about his family.  But my mom visited Aunt Mina on a regular basis and you'd think some mentioned would have been made of Mina's father Henry having a sister living in the same city.  Even in Henry's obituary the only sibling mentioned is a brother, Carl, living in Germany.

Were Henry and Sophia close?  Maybe not.  Just three months before this obituary was published Henry lost his wife, Elizabeth (Armitage) Meinzen.

Zion Lutheran Church was the church Henry attended.  It had been a German language church until sometime in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

In a newspaper article about Isabella Meinzen's marriage I noticed that Mr. and Mrs. Carl Cropp attended as well as Messrs. Henry and Will Kropp.  Were members of the Kropp/Cropp family at weddings of Isabella's siblings?  I'll check any marriage announcements to see.

I found Sophia's death certificate.  I'll post that soon.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
.

Alfonzo Gerner - Sunday's Obituary

This obituary and funeral notice were published on January 30, 1952, in the Butler Eagle, page 13.  Alfonzo is the second child of Fred and Elvira (Bartley) Gerner.

         Alfonzo F. Gerner
   Alfonzo F. Gerner, 77, died at
noon yesterday in his home at
Bruin, of a heart attack.
   Mr. Gerner was a son of the
late Fred and Elvira Bartley
Gerner, and  had spent most of
his life in Bruin.  He was the
husband of the late Mona Covert
Gerner.  He was born in West
Virginia, July 25, 1874.
   Surviving are a son, Ross, of
Bruin; five sisters, Mrs. Mabel
Bannon and Mrs. Leota Holland
of Oakland, Calif., Mrs. Della
Fletcher of Massillon, O., Mrs.
Brenda Davis of Louisville, O., and
Mrs. Alma Kitch of Bruin; three
borthers [sic], Warren Gerner of Cali-
fornia, John Gerner of Middle-
town, O., and Paul Gerner of
Bruin.
   Mr. Gerner was a member of
the Methodist Church of Petrolia.

The funeral notice:

GERNER---Friends of Alfonzo F. Gerner
   of Bruin, who died Tuesday, Jan. 29,
   1952, will be received at the Hepler
   Funeral Home, Petrolia...  Funeral
   services will be held at 2 p.m. Fri-
   day, from the funeral home, with the
   Rev. C. C. Headland, pastor of the
   Methodist Church of Petrolia, offi-
   ciating, assisted by the Rev. Frank-
   lin Kreps, pastor of the Bruin Free
   Methodist Church.  Burial will be in
   the Bear Creek Cemetery.  Arrange-
   ments by Hepler Funeral Home,
   Petrolia.

Notes
In the obituary Alfonzo's wife's name is noted as Mona but research causes me to conclude that it was actually Nona.  As far as I know now, all other information is correct.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2009-2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.
. 

Alonzo J. Gerner - Sunday's Obituary

Alonzo J. Gerner is the twin of Alfonzo F. Gerner.  The following obituary was published on page 11 of the October 22, 1940, issue of the Butler Eagle.

Alonzo J. Gerner         

     Alonzo J. Gerner, aged 66, well-
known oil producer of Fairview, died
in the Presbyterian hospital, Pitts-
burgh, at 10 o'clock Monday morn-
ing.
     Mr. Gerner was born in West
Virginia, son of Mrs. Elvira and the
late Frederick K. Gerner.  He re-
moved with his parents to the Bruin
district when a small child and had
resided in the Bruin and Petrolia
districts since that time.
     Surviving are his widow, Lulu
Smith Gerner; a son, Ernest of
Bruin; two daughters, Mrs. Carl
Eppinger of New Bedford, O., and
Aline Gerner of Battle Creek, Mich.;
six grandchildren; his mother, Mrs.
Elvira Gerner of Struthers, O.; four
brothers, Paul of Bruin, Fawn of
Petrolia, John of New Middletown,
O., and Warren of Bessemer and
six sisters, Mrs. Charles Fletcher and
Mrs. Alma Kitch of Bruin, Mrs.
Lane Snare of Steubenville, O., Mrs.
R. E. Davis of Niles, O., Mrs. Fred
Holland, Struthers, O., and Mrs.
Mabel Double of Erie.
     He was a member of the Bruin
Methodist church.
     The body was removed to the
family residence in Fairview until
9 o'clock Thursday morning when
the body will be taken to the Knox
Funeral home in Bruin.
     Funeral services will be held from
the Knox Funeral Home in Bruin
at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon
with the Rev. E. W. Byers of Pitts-
burgh, the Rev. A. J. Rinker of Erie
and the Rev. H. H. Thompson of
the Bruin Methodist church, offi-
ciating.  Burial will be in the Bear
Creek cemetery.

Notes
The newspaper doesn't state Alonzo's death date but a page from a family Bible notes it as October 14, 1940.  At first I wasn't sure the newspaper had the correct information (or maybe it was the Bible that was wrong) but when calculated based on publication date, day of death and day of funeral it is October 14.  (The newspaper was published on Tuesday, October 22.  Since the burial took place on Thursday and he died on Monday morning, the date of death could only be October 14.

I have been unable to locate a Pennsylvania death certificate with either a name and death year search or by browsing the October, 1940, death certificates.

Alonzo's mother's maiden name is Bartley, which, surprisingly, wasn't stated in the obituary.

Alonzo, like his brother, Alfonzo, was married more than once.  He and his first wife are the parents of the children named in the obituary.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2009-2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

The Boy with Merry Eyes

On May 27, my cousin Rex -- the boy with merry eyes -- passed from this life to the next.  Rex was born just a few years before me.

There were 8 of us grandchildren on my mother's side of the family.  My brother and I, nearly 11 years apart, were the bookends, the oldest and youngest.  The other cousins stair-stepped between us.  Rex was a little over two years older than me.  Wedged between us was Belinda, just 9 months older than me and about a year and a half younger than Rex.

Some Sundays my grandmother would make dinner for all four of her daughters and their families.  On those occasions it was a riot of grandchildren running in and out of the house, giggling, playing, teasing.  Rex, of the merry eyes, was the biggest tease of all.  I think he occasionally brought us youngest girls to tears with threats to our dolls' lives.  Belinda and I played well together because we were so close in age and I suppose, if Rex had been a girl, he would have joined us in our play.  But Rex was all boy, laughing and teasing.  Of course, by the time evening came and we all left Gramma's for our own homes, we were on good terms again. 

As Rex and I grew to adulthood and the years passed our contact was through Christmas cards with brief messages and greetings of the season. 

Rest in peace, Rex.  I'll forever remember your merry eyes. 

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

Lucy (VanKirk) Bickerstaff - Sunday's Obituary

Lucy VanKirk was the wife of William H. Bickerstaff.  Her maiden name is sometimes written as Van Kirk, other times as Van Kirk.  She died on October 25, 1967.

Mrs. Bickerstaff, 74,
   Dies; Rites Saturday
   MINERAL RIDGE  —  Mrs.
Lucy Bickerstaff, 74, of the
Windsor Nursing Home, 135 Illi-
nois Ave., Youngstown, died of
a kidney infection at 1:30 a.m.
today in North Side Hospital
where she had been a patient
since Monday.
   Mrs. Bickerstaff was born
July 13, 1893 in Steubenville, a
daughter of Joseph and Sidina
Van Kirk, and came here 55
years ago.  She was a member
of the Methodist Church.  Her
husband, William, to whom she
was married in 1909, died in
1958.
   She leaves three daughters,
Mrs. Emma Miller of Orlando,
Fla., Mrs. Helen McCormick of
Mineral Ridge and Mrs. Marian
Chalker of Girard; four sons,
William of Canfield, Robert and
Clarence, both of Austintown,
and Daniel of Houston, Tex.;
two sisters, Mrs. Mary Evans
and Mrs. Cora Carr, both of
Warren; a brother, Isaac of
Burbank, Calif.; 31 grandchil-
dren and 25 great-
grandchildren.
   Services will be held at 1:30
p.m. Friday at the Lane Funer-
al Home Mineral Ridge chapel,
where friends may call from 7
to 9 p.m. Thursday.

This is an undated clipping from an unidentified newspaper.  My guess is that it is from The Youngstown Vindicator or The Niles Times.  Further research will, I'm sure, identify which newspaper.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

William H. Bickerstaff - Sunday's Obituary

William H. Bickerstaff is the son of Edward Jesse and Mary (Thompson) Bickerstaff.  He was a carpenter for the Mineral Ridge Methodist Church.  I don't personally remember Uncle Will but he was alive during my lifetime.  

       William Bickerstaff
Mineral  Ridge,  Aug.  15—
William H. Bickerstaff, 66, of
Four Mile Run Road died of
complications following surgery
in the Cleveland Clinic at 10:17
p.m. Thursday.  He had been ill
four weeks.
   Mr. Bickerstaff was born Jan.
26, 1892, in Steubenville, a son
of Edward and Mary Thompson
Bickerstaff.  He was a resident
of this area 40 years.  A member
of the Mineral Ridge Methodist
Church, he was self-employed as
a building contractor.
   Besides his wife, the former
Lucy Van Kirk, whom he married
49 years ago, he leaves four
daughters, Mrs. Emma Miller and
Mrs. Helen McCormick of Mineral
Ridge, Mrs. Mary Barnett of
Canfield and Mrs. Marian Chalker
of McDonald; four sons, William
Jr. and Daniel of Youngstown
and Robert and Clarence of Aus-
tintown; three sisters, Mrs.
Emma Meinzen, Mrs. Mayme
Morris and Miss Cora of Mineral
Ridge; four brothers, John, Ed-
ward and Dan of Mineral Ridge
and Andy of Warren; 30 grand-
children and seven great-grand-
children.
   Services will be held at 2 p.m.
Monday at the Lane Funeral
Home, where friends may call
Saturday and Sunday evenings.

This obituary was published in the August 15, 1958 edition of The Youngstown Vindicator.
 
--Nancy.

Copyright © 2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

Dixon and Rebecca - Sunday's Obituaries

Dixon and Rebecca (Smith) Bartley are my great-great-grandparents.  Their daughter, Elvira, was my father's maternal grandmother.  Both died at their home in Bruin, Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

The Butler Citizen, January 4, 1900

BARTLEY---At her home near Bruin,
    Friday, Dec. 29, 1899.  Mrs. Dixon
    Bartley, aged about 85 years.
    The interment was at Bear Creek
cemetery.  Her death makes the first
break in a trio of old couples living at
Bruin.  Harvey Gibson and wife, John
Daubenspeck and wife, and the Bartleys
lived on adjoining places, were all over
80 years of age and all had been married
over sixty years.

The Butler Citizen, April 26, 1900

BARTLEY---At his home in Parker
    twp.  April 22, 1900, Dixon Bartley,
    aged 95  years.


Observations
It's unfortunate that Rebecca's death notice does not state her first name or her maiden name.  If I were searching for her and knew only her maiden name and not her husband's name, this obituary would be of no use to me.  Thank goodness I found other sources that give her maiden name and information about hers and Dixon's marriage.

From other sources I know that Rebecca died of cancer.  Less than four months later, Dixon died of pneumonia.  It could be just me but I have to think that Dixon and Rebecca were really close.  My romantic self imagines that after his beloved wife Rebecca died, Dixon had little reason to keep going, to carry on. 

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

A Succession of Deaths in the Family - Sympathy Saturday

By all accounts Elvira Gerner was a strong woman.  She was the capable farmer's wife; the area midwife; the person neighbors called upon to prepare bodies for burial; and the mother of 16 children, all born alive and at home.  Strength was her character. 

Butler Citizen, February 23, 1899

I have no recorded or verbal history of her and her husband Fred's relationship with Fred's father, Christian Gerner.  When answering questions as informant for her husband's death certificate, Elvira left blank the spaces for the names of her father- and mother-in-law.  Does that indicate grief or sorrow causing absent-mindedness or a lack of knowledge?  If a lack of knowledge, then surely Fred and Elvira's family were not close to his father.  But we don't know either way.

And yet experienced Elvira may have been the person called upon in February, 1899, to prepare Christian for burial.  In fact, compassionate Elvira may have been the person at Christian's side as he struggled through and succumbed to pneumonia.

Christian was 79 when he died on February 18, 1899.  Death certificates had yet to be created so there's no way of knowing when the pneumonia began or how long a doctor had attended him.  Sacramento's The Daily Union of July 19, 1899, page 4, gives this information about congestive pneumonia.  "It is very apt to occur as the culminating difficulty of some long sickness, carrying off a great many old people and feeble people who have been invalids for some time.  In this disease the lungs seem to fill up and the weak vital forces are unable to throw off the accumulations."  Considering his age it is possible Christian could have had congestive pneumonia, but it's only conjecture.

As the oldest male in the family, Fred may have been the executor of Christian's estate but no will has surfaced to give indication of how Christian chose to govern his affairs after his death.  Neither do we know who notified the rest of the family and how if they weren't already at Christian's side.  To my knowledge, no details survive.

We have no way of knowing how long it was before the estate was settled and life returned to some semblance of normal for 46-year-old Elvira and her family:  there were 11 children living at home during this time.  Their ages ranged from 2 years to 25 years.  She and Fred were living in Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, no doubt close to the home where Christian died.

Butler Citizen, January 4, 1900

And then 10 months later came another death in the family.  This time is was Elvira's own mother, Rebecca (Smith) Bartley.  Rebecca died of stomach cancer on December 29, 1899, at the age of 80, leaving behind Dixon, her husband of over 60 years.  The months before her death must have been busy ones for Elvira.  Elvira's sister, Jane, lived at home but surely Elvira spent time helping both of her parents, especially tending to her mother during her illness.  Again, we have no idea how long cancer had ravaged Rebecca's body.  Perhaps her passing was a sweet  release from pain and suffering.

Butler Citizen, February 8, 1900

Less than two months later, on February 6, 1900, both Elvira and her father had cause to mourn another loss:  that of sister and daughter, Jane.  Jane had been the daughter who lived at home, the one who took care of her mother, Rebecca; the one who continued to take care of her aging father, Dixon.  Jane was just 52 when she succumbed to pneumonia.

For Elvira?  To lose two close family members in two months must have been heartbreaking.  Though she had a young family who needed her care and attention she surely mourned the losses.  As for Dixon?  Just four days after his daughter's death, on February 10, 1900, he wrote, or possibly rewrote, his will.    

Death was not finished with the Bartley household.  

Butler Citizen, April 26, 1900

On April 23, 1900, Elvira's father, Dixon, passed away.  It was just a little over two months after his daughter Jane's death in February, and less than four month since his wife's death on December 29.  Cancer and old age were cited as the causes of death.

Even when we know death is imminent due to advanced age or illness; no matter how firm one's foundation of faith, we grieve the loss of loved-ones.  Losing three immediate family members in four months must certainly have filled Elvira with deep sorrow.  But from what we know she had a strong faith.  She also had a family with young children who needed her.  Elvira carried on. 

My sympathies to Elvira.


--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

The Forgotten Son: Adam Froman - 52 Ancestors

Adam Froman is the fifth child and third son of John and Catherine (Saylor) Froman.

Adam's forgotten status is a result of his being omitted from the family records of my aunt, Tressa (Doyle) Wilson.  She named all the other sons and daughters of John and Catherine but Adam was nowhere to be found on her list.  Surprisingly, it was my mother, an in-law in the family, who included Adam, or Ad--she wasn't sure which, in the list of children.  I'll never know how she knew about him.

I was uncertain of his reality as a person until I found him on census records; and then uncertain of his membership in the family until I saw his name on is his father's intestate court file.

Further research on Adam has shown him to be a challenge.  Another researcher sent family groups sheets showing him with his wife and three children and descendants, but did not include source citations.  I don't know where she obtained her information.

Birth

• 15 Nov 1868 (his father John Froman's intestate court file)
• Oct 1866 in Pennsylvania (1900 U.S. Census)
• 23 Jan 1869 in Salon, Ohio (obituary in Greenville Record-Argus)
• 23 Jan 1869 in Pennsylvania (death certificate)

Census records of 1870, 1880, 1920, and 1930 give ages that indicate a birth year of 1869.

Name

• Adam (father's intestate court file)
• Adam L. (obituary)
• Adam David (death certificate)

Sometimes it's hard to know which name is closest to accurate.

Marriages
I've been unable to locate any marriage documents for Adam.  The researcher mentioned above gave Sarah Jane Perrine as his wife's maiden name and a marriage date of "about 1897."  Census records suggest a marriage year closer to 1895. 

• In 1900:  Sadie J., married 5 years.
• In 1910:  Sara, married 15 years.

I believe Adam was married twice.  The other researcher gave Sarah Jane Perrine's death date as March 8, 1915.  Subsequent census records tell the following about his wife.

• In 1920:  Mary
• In 1930:  Mary

It's likely that it was a second marriage for both Adam and Mary:  in 1930 Adam's age at first marriage was given as 27, Mary's as 19.

I'd like to find other sources for marriage information for both marriages. 

Occupation
All census records indicate that Adam was a farmer during his adult years.  He lived in rural Sandy Lake Township until after 1920.  Before 1930 he moved to Hittle Avenue, Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Children
Adam and Sara had three children:
John H., born June 1898 (1900 U.S. Census)
Minnie, born ~1901 (1920 U.S. Census)
Lawrence, born ~1904 (1920 U.S. Census

Death
Adam died July 19, 1930.  His obituary from page 9 of the July 21, 1930 issue of the Greenville Record-Argus says death came "after a long illness."  His death certificate records that he had diabetes and was in a diabetic coma at the time of his death.

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

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

--Nancy.

© 2014 Copyright by Nancy Messier. All rights reserved.

Gust Froman - Sunday's Obituary

Gust Froman is the son of John and Catherine (Saylor) Froman.  He is my great-grand-uncle, brother to my paternal great-grandmother, Tressa (Froman) Doyle.  You can read more about Gust at this post.

           GUST FROMAN.
   Stoneboro, Pa.,  March 12—Gust
Froman, 63, died at his home at 9
p. m., Sunday, after an extended
illness.  Although in declining
health for a number of years, his
death came as a distinct shock to
his relatives and friends.
   Born in West Salem Township,
November 11, 1870, the son of the
late John and Catherine Saylor
Froman, he had been a lifelong
resident of this vicintiy.  He had
been employed as a coal miner, re-
tiring several years ago.
   On September 1, 1898, he was
married to Miss Mary Ann Smith,
who survives.  Other survivors are
one daughter, Mrs. Helen Harsh-
man; three sons, Raymond, William
and James; one granddaughter,
Elizabeth Harshman; two brothers,
Jacob and John Froman, and one
sister, Mrs. William Doyle, all of
Stoneboro.
   He was a member of the Stone-
boro Baptist Church.
   Funeral services will be held at 2
p.m., Wednesday, from the late res-
[idence with Rev. S. S. Clark, past-
or of the First Baptist Church, Frank-
lin officiating.  Burial will be in Oak
Hill Cemetery.]

His obituary is from The Sharon Herald, Monday, March 12, 1934. 

--Nancy.
.

Gustave Doyle - Sunday's Obituary, 52 Ancestors

At the death of his father, Gust Doyle, his son, Lee Doyle, became an orphan.  Yes, Lee was 20 at the time of his father's death in October, 1933, but this death left Lee with neither father nor mother:  his mother died when he was several weeks old.  The loss of his father must have been more than heart wrenching.

                Gustave Doyle
    Gustave Doyle died at his home
in Lake township at 7:10 o'clock this
morning, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 1933,
following a lingering illness.  Mr.
Doyle was 44 years, 10 months and
17 days old.
    Mr. Doyle was born and spent his
entire life on the same farm on
which he died.  He was born Nov.
17, 1888, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Wil-
liam Doyle.  On April 25, 1918, Mr.
Doyle was united in marriage to
Miss Twlia [sic] Ransom.  Surviving are
his wife and six children, Lee, Doro-
thy, Therese, Evelyn, Billy and Don-
ald.  His parents are living in
Stoneboro as is a sister, Mrs. Emma
Leathers.  Another sister, Mrs. Hazel
Emerson, resides in Maple, N. Y.
    He was a member of the Franklin
Moose.
    Funeral services are to be con-
ducted from his late home Friday,
Oct. 2, at 3 o'clock.  Rev. S. S. Clark,
pastor of the First Baptist church
of Franklin, will have charge of the
services.  Interment is to be made
in the Oak Hill cemetery.

Notes
You can never be too careful about information in obituaries.  If someone with no knowledge of the Doyle family read this obituary, it would be easy to take it at face value and accept all the information as fact.  In fact, Twila Ransom was Gust's second wife and their children were Dorothy, Therese (known as Tressa), Evelyn, Billy, and Donald.  Lee was not the child of Gust and Twila but of Gust and his first wife, Beulah Gerner.

The only other error is that Mrs. Hazel (Doyle) Emerson lived in Naples, New York.

This is the second time in recent months that I've become aware of Gust Doyle being called Gustave in a newspaper article.  I doubt I'll ever get the full story on Gust's real name.  Gust Doyle, August Doyle, Gus Doyle, Gustave Doyle of Stoneboro, Pennsylvania:  they are all the same man.

Gust and its variations were popular names in that locality at the time my grandfather was born.  I see them often while looking through census records.  One of the men happens to be Gust Doyle's mother Tressa (Froman) Doyle's brother, Gust Froman, though as a child that Gust's name was noted as Augustus.  Perhaps my grandfather was named for his uncle or perhaps his parents chose it for its popularity. 

Reading this obituary makes me aware of the narrow life Gust must have lived, having spent all of his 44 years living on the same farm, being a farmer and a coal miner.  He was a dedicated husband and father who worked hard to provide a living for his family.  Might he have liked to travel, move to a different place, have a different occupation?  Or were the variety and challenges of operating a dairy farm satisfying work?  People of that time period often gave selflessly to do the right and honorable thing for those who depended upon them.  Gust was one of those dedicated men.

This obituary was published in the October 4, 1933 issue of the Greenville Record Argus.  It was originally in two columns with the first three lines at the bottom of one column and the rest of the obituary at the top of another column.  I cropped them and arranged them in one column for easier reading and posting.

The obituary was a gift from Dayna, a researcher of a family line that meets mine with Tressa Doyle Wilson.  Thank you, Dayna.

. . . . . . . . . . .

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

--Nancy.
.

Elizabeth Laws Doyle - Amenuensis Monday & 52 Ancestors

Elizabeth (Laws) Doyle is my father's paternal grandmother.  Her obituary was published in Greenville, Pennsylvania's The Record Argus on September 6, 1910.

Stoneboro....
Mrs. Elizabeth Doyle died at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry
Jones, August 20, aged 64 years. Mrs.
Doyle was a native of England and
has lived here for quite a number of
years.  Her husband died a few
years ago.  They lived on the hill,
near the old No. 2 mine and kept a
small store.  She was the mother of
twelve children, six boys and six
girls, and had a great many grand-
children all of whom were present
but one, Mrs. Allen Cochran, who
was so far away and could not be
here.  The funeral was held at the
home of Henry Jones, September 2.
A very large number of friends, rela-
tives and neighbors were present.  In-
terment was made in the Oak Hill
cemetery, beside her husband, And-
rew Doyle, Sr.  The sons and daugh-
ters living are:  Mrs. Lizzie Jones,
William Doyle, Mrs. Martha Cochran,
Robert Doyle, Mrs. Maggie Doyle,
Andrew Doyle, Jr., Mrs. Mary A.
Campbell, Isabella, George and John
Doyle and Mrs. Ida Doolittle.  All are
married and some have very large
families of their own.  Those out of
town were Maggie and family, And-
rew and family, of Jackson Center;
Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Campbell and
Isabella and family, of Franklin; Mr.
and Mrs. John Doyle, of Grove City;
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Doolittle, of
Sharon.

Notes
Elizabeth emigrated from England in October, 1870, when she came with her four oldest children to meet her husband, Andrew, who had come the year before. 

The obituary states that Elizabeth was the mother of 12 children but family records tell me there were 14, three of which died within one year of birth.  The obituary names the surviving 11 children.  Though I had the names of all the children, I didn't have the married names of the daughters.  I am pleased to learn the additional information from this obituary.  It will be a great help in locating them in census and other records.

Her children, from the article above (with additional information from family records in brackets) are

• Mrs. Henry (Lizzie) Jones - [Elizabeth Jane] - child #2
• William Doyle [Tressa Froman] - child #1
• Mrs. Martha (Allen) Cochran - child #4
• Robert Doyle - child #3
• Mrs. Maggie Doyle of Jackson Center - [Margaret] - child #5
• Andrew Doyle, Jr. of Jackson Center - child #6
• Mrs. Mary A. (H. H.) Campbell of Franklin - [Mary Ann] - child #7
• Isabella of Franklin - [or Isabell] - child #9
• George Doyle - child #8
• John  (& Mrs.) Doyle of Grove City - child #11
• Mrs. Ida (Clarence) Doolittle of Sharon - child #10

Infant children who predeceased Elizabeth are Emma in 1885; Fred in 1888; and Frederick in 1889.

I love obituaries because they give a researcher a place to start.  Information may be correct or incorrect but at least it's a hint, a suggestion, and possible a fact.

Elizabeth's obituary was given to me by Dayna whose research meets mine at my father's half-sister, Tressa Doyle Wilson.  Thank you, Dayna.

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

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014-2015 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved. .

William N. McClelland - Sunday's Obituary

William McClelland, known to us as Cub, was the husband of one of my father's cousins.

"William N. McClelland Dies; Services Set
     "SHARON, Pa. --- William N. McClelland, 62, of 145 Lyle Drive, Hickory Township, died at 8:40 p.m. Sunday in Sharon General Hospital following an illness of several months.
     "Mr. McClelland was born Aug. 12, 1904, in Stoneboro, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth Newell McClelland.  He had retired March 1 after working 42 years at the Westinghouse Electric Corp.  He was a member of Oakland Methodist Church and the Masonic Orders.
     "He leaves his wife, the former Evelyn Lengauer Leathers; his father in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; a half-brother, Paul of Hannibal, Mo., and a half-sister, Mrs. Edward Fritton of Niagara Falls, N.Y.
     "Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Trevor Sample Funeral Home, where friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday."

Notes
William's wife was Evelyn, known to us as Evie.  Evie's mother, Emma, and my father's father, Gust, were siblings who were both children of William and Tressa Rose (Froman) Doyle.

This obituary comes from an unnamed, undated newspaper.  (My mother was a great saver of newspapers clippings but not a dater of newspaper clippings.)  From other family information I know that Cub died in 1967 but I need to find the exact date. 

--Nancy.
.