Monthly Archives: June 2014

52 Ancestors Challenge: Week 25 Recap

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52ancestors-week25I’m back! Thank you to everyone who posted their posts in the comments the last two weeks. I appreciate it. There was no way I could have done the recaps while I was gone.

This recap covers June 18-24.

Cathy Meder-Dempsey shared the story of Rachel Proffitt, a War of 1812 widow who struggled to receive her pension. Jackie Holloway told the tragic story of Henderson Crutchfield. Schalene Dagutis revealed that her ancestor who marriage happy. Speaking of being “marriage happy,” Colleen Greene’s great grandmother might have been a bigamist.

My two posts while I was away didn’t publish. (It might have had something to do with me not schedule it…) My #23 and #24 were Isaac and Margaret (Morrison) McKitrick. I have #25 (which should be this week’s) almost ready, but have not had a chance to put it together. Geez, now I’m behind in my own Challenge…

Isaac and Margaret (Morrison) McKitrick: 52 Ancestors #23 and 24

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I had originally set this to be two separate posts that would publish while I was gone. But since I forgot to actually schedule them, I’ve opted to combine these into one post. (I hate it when computers do what I tell them to rather that what I want them to do.) Without further ado, let me introduce you to one set of my 3rd-great-grandparents.

Isaac McKitrick was born in 1838, likely in Belmont County, Ohio, and was the son of John and Mary (Vaughn) McKitrick. Isaac was of the right age to be in the Civil War, but I have yet to find any service for him. (Still looking!)

On 21 October 1860, he married Margaret Morrison, daughter of John Morrison. Together, Isaac and Margaret had 10 children: Elmer, John, Lavada Jane (my 2nd-great-grandmother), Charles, William, Henry, Jacob, Margaret, Susan (“Susie”), and Mary.

Isaac died 26 March 1920 in Elyria, Ohio. Margaret died  14 April 1924 in Detroit, Michigan. Both are buried in Ridgelawn Cemetery in Elyria.

Isaac and Margaret (Morrison) McKitrick with their daughter Susie.

Isaac and Margaret (Morrison) McKitrick with their daughter Susie.

I’m Back and With Stories to Tell!

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Seeing that your flight is on time is a good thing!

Seeing that your flight is on time is a good thing – especially when your layover is already 5 hours long.

You may have noticed a bit less activity over here on No Story Too Small lately. I’ve been traveling. I was fortunate enough to be able to go with my daughter on a WWII-themed tour through Europe that her college sponsored. We spent 12 days in England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands (for about an hour!), Luxembourg (for about 2.5 hours!), and Germany. It was fantastic!

I’ll be sharing some stories in the near future. I’ll also be posting my 52 Ancestors posts that I forgot to schedule before I left 😉

It’s great to be back!

 

52 Ancestors Challenge: Week 22 Recap

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52ancestors-week22First, a bit of news about the weekly recap. For the next two weeks (June 11 and June 18), I will not be able to do the recap. (Don’t worry — it’s all good.) I have posts scheduled for those days and you’ll be able to leave a link to your posts in the comments. NOTE: if you’ve never left a comment on this blog, I suggest you leave one in the next day or two. Comments for first-timers are held for moderation, and I will not have time to moderate them after Friday afternoon.

Shelley Bishop shared why she went looking for an original record about her Virginia militiamen relatives and why she’s glad she found it. Find out what Myra Vanderpool Gormley’s grandparents have in common with chickens. (Myra, I couldn’t pass that one up!) Continuing on last week’s military theme, Pam Schaffner wrote about her relative Edmund B. Clayton of the 1st Maine Cavalry who died at Andersonville. My two favorite ancestor names this week: Niki Davis’ Lucy Jane Land and Jana Last’s Crecenciana Aurora Matus Villatoro.

My post this week was about my 3rd-great-grandfather Abisha Danison.

Diane’s memorial to her mother, Hélène, is beautiful. Diane – we are all so sorry for your loss.

Abisha Danison: I Just Love the Name (52 Ancestors #22)

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letter-a

“A is for Abisha.” Not something you typically read in children’s alphabet books.

Sometimes, you come across an ancestor whose name just seems neat. Abisha Danison, my 3rd-great-grandfather, is one of those ancestors for me.

There are a few records that possibly shed light on the rather unusual name. He is occasionally listed as “Abijah.” (If you say it out loud, you can hear how Abijah and Abisha could be interchanged, especially if you use a softer “J.”) There are several Abijahs in the Old Testament. I’m going to go out on a limb and say my Abisha was more likely named for the king of Judah than for the wife of King Ahaz. (Then again, maybe my ancestors were progressive and didn’t buy into gender-specific names.)

Abisha (my ancestor, not the king of Judah) was born in Maryland 14 November 1791. In 1816, he married Mary “Polly” Deffenbaugh. By 1820, they were living in Hopewell Township, Perry County, Ohio, where he and Mary lived for the rest of their lives.

Abisha and Mary had nine children:

  • Upton
  • Ellen
  • Matilda
  • David
  • Leonhard
  • Charlotte (my great-great-grandmother)
  • Harriett
  • Abisha, Jr.
  • Mary Ann

Abisha Danison died 16 May 1868 and is buried in the Danison Cemetery in Hopewell Township.

Resources:

  • Abisha Dannison household, 1820 U.S. census, Hopewell Township, Perry County, Ohio, page 8.
  • Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp.. Maryland Marriages, 1655-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
  • Perry County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society, Perry County, Ohio Hopewell and Madison Township Cemeteries (by the Chapter, Junction City, O H, 1989), 9.
  • Wikipedia, “Abijah,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abijah, accessed 3 June 2014.

52 Ancestors Challenge: Week 21 Recap

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52ancestors-week21It’s been a crazied, hectic week…. again. That means that this recap is late…. again. This recap covers posts from May 21 – May 27.

Several bloggers featured military ancestors this week, including Judi Carroll-Thompson who featured her ancestor Julius Copeland of the 42nd U.S. Colored Troops. Dave Lucey wrote about his relatives Gilbert Stanhope and George Stanhope, both of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery. Terri wrote about her cousin James Doyle Albey who was killed in action in Korea. Beth Gatlin shared stories and photos of her relative Ferdinand Constand Schneider, who was killed in World War I.

Tim Graham summed up the meaning of Memorial Day beautifully with his tribute to his relative Clyde C. Kitch, who gave all.

My contribution this week was about my great-grandmother, Margaret Priscilla Kingery Johnson, and has a few tips about researching common names.