Tag Archives: Ohio

The Real Reason for Memorial Day

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Memorial Day — or Decoration Day, as it was originally called — began shortly after the end of the Civil War. It was a way to pay respect to those who had lost their lives in that bloody conflict. Eventually, it grew as a way to honor those who died in any of our nation’s wars.

Like many of you probably do, I head out to local cemeteries on Memorial Day weekend. Ok, I go much more often than just that weekend, but the trip to cemeteries is a key event in my Memorial Day activities.

Gerald Ridenour was from my mom’s hometown. He enlisted in the Army and served in the Army Air Forces. He died in the line of duty in October 1943. His body was brought back to Perry County, Ohio for burial.

Mom was still in school at the time. She remembers that the entire school — and almost all of the town — went to his funeral. “I remember that he was wearing his uniform,” she told me on our visit to Highland Cemetery yesterday.

“At the end of the service at the cemetery, there was someone at the bottom of the hill playing Taps. None of us could see him. It’s something that I’ll never forget for as long as I live.”

Gerald V. Ridenour tombstone, Highland Cemetery, Glenford, Perry County, Ohio. Photo by Amy Johnson Crow, 23 May 2015.

Gerald V. Ridenour tombstone, Highland Cemetery, Glenford, Perry County, Ohio. Photo by Amy Johnson Crow, 23 May 2015.

Gerald Ridenour isn’t related to me, but his funeral is such a vivid memory for my mom, that he almost feels like it.

Sometime this weekend, please pause for a moment and consider the real reason we observe Memorial Day.

Robert Darling: Unmarried, But Key to My Family Tree

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52ancestors-2015-18Too often in our genealogy, we skip over our ancestors’ siblings. That’s especially true when it comes to the siblings who didn’t marry. When we do that (or, rather, don’t do that), we could be shutting ourselves off from valuable clues.

I don’t know a lot about my 4th-great-grandmother Mary Darling Young, but I do know her maiden name (Darling) and that she moved to Washington County, Ohio, where she died in 1855.

In the Washington County, Ohio wills is one for Robert Darling, written 12 November 1841 and probated 30 April 1853.1)Robert Darling will, Will Book 1, page 13, Washington County Probate Court, Marietta, Ohio. “Darling” isn’t a very common surname, so when I saw this in Washington County, I had to look at it. It’s a short will, just two paragraphs:

I Robert Darling of Fearing Township, Washington, Ohio, being in good health of body and sound and disposing mind and memory praised be God for the same and being desired to settle my worldly affairs whilst I have strength and capacity so to do, do make and publish this my last Will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time, heretofore made and first and principally I commit my Soul into the hands of my Creator who gave it and my Body to the Earth from whence it came and as to such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to intrust me I dispose of the the same as followeth, Viz:

To my Loving Brother Andrew Darling I give and bequeath One Dollar, and to my Loving Sister Mary Young I give and bequeath One Dollar, and to my Loving Brother Thomas Darling, I give and bequeath all the rest of my property, Either of Goods and Chattels, Lands and tenements and of all kinds of property of whatsoever name or nature and at his death the property to be given to his heirs and I appoint as my Executors William Affleck and Adam Darling, in witness here I have hereunto set my hand and seal this November the twelfth One thousand Eight hundred and forty one.

/s/ Robert Darling

As I work more on the Darling family, this will is going to be a key document. With it, I now know that Mary Darling Young had brothers named Robert (who also lived in Washington County), Andrew, and Thomas. Having the siblings will make it so much easier to identify the correct Mary Darling.

(Of course, this will begs the question of why Robert left $1 each to Andrew and Mary, while Thomas got all the property. One possibility is that Robert had already given Andrew and Mary some property and that the $1 was a token amount so they couldn’t claim they were left out of the will. It’s also possible that Robert liked his brother Thomas the best 😉 )

Always, always, always look around for the siblings.

Robert Darling will, Will Book 1, page 13, Washington County Probate Court, Marietta, Ohio.

Robert Darling will, Will Book 1, page 13, Washington County Probate Court, Marietta, Ohio. (Click to enlarge.)

References   [ + ]

1. ↑ Robert Darling will, Will Book 1, page 13, Washington County Probate Court, Marietta, Ohio.

Oldest Man in the County: Peter Kingery (52 Ancestors #16)

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There’s a cool thing about genealogy. Even when you have an ancestor who you discovered early on, you can still learn something new about them. Such is the case with Peter Kingery, my 4th-great-grandfather.

The theme for 52 Ancestors this week is “Live Long,” which made me curious about the oldest ancestor in my line, something I hadn’t explored before. Of those with birth and death dates that I’ve documented, it’s Peter Kingery. He died 16 May 1872 in Lawrence County, Ohio. So how old was ol’ Pete when he died?

Peter Kingery death record, Lawrence County, Ohio death record, volume 1. Viewed on FamilySearch.org.

Peter Kingery death record, Lawrence County, Ohio death record, volume 1. Viewed on FamilySearch.org.

102 years, 2 months, 1 day.

Consider that for a moment. Peter Kingery was born before the American Revolution and died after the Civil War. Think of all of the history he saw, the history that he lived through.

His death notice in the Ironton Register described him as “…doubtless, the oldest person in the county.” And with that age came a lot of history.

Speaking at the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference

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The Ohio Genealogical Society is having its annual conference 9-11 April 2015 at the Sheraton at Capitol Square in Columbus. The keynote speaker is the incredible Judy Russell. I’ll be presenting two sessions there:

  • Timelines: The Swiss Army Knife of Genealogical Research (Thursday, 9 Apr at 5:00)
  • How Do I Know That’s My Ancestor? (Saturday, 11 Apr at 4:00)

These two topics are fairly new, but they’ve quickly become two of my favorites. If you stick around for these (yes, both are in the last slot of the day!), I bet you’ll have at least a chuckle or two. (The jokes are pretty bad, so I won’t promise full-out laughter 😉 ) And, oh yeah, you might learn a couple of things about timelines and how to make sure that record you found is really for your ancestor. (The bad jokes are really just a bonus.)

Early-bird registration discount ends Wednesday, March 18!

Save yourself at least $30 by registering before the end of the day on Wednesday, March 18. You can register online or by mail. I hope to see you there!

ogs_conf_logo

Peeking in the House of the Widow Kelley (52 Ancestors #10)

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kitchen-630790_1280Elizabeth Kelley was a widow for half of her adult life. Her husband, Joseph, died in 1834, leaving Elizabeth to raise their young children. Their oldest child was only 14. Surprisingly, Elizabeth never remarried. Instead, she spent the rest of her days as the Widow Kelley.

Elizabeth — or Betsey, as she was sometimes called — lived in Hopewell Township, Perry County and it was there that she died in 1852. I’m confident that her house is no longer standing. I don’t have photos of it and I don’t have a time machine to go back and visit, but I can still get an idea of her household by looking at her estate papers. The inventory of her personal property included:1)FamilySearch.org, Ohio Probate Records, 1789-1996, Elizabeth Kelley estate, Perry County estate cases 171-173; Perry County Probate Court, New Lexington, Ohio.

6 bedsteads and bedding
1 bureau and 1 chest
Window paper and a bread bowl
Coffee pot and coffee mill
Crockery
A table with 6 chairs
Sheep shears
A copper kettle and a large iron pot
A cider mill and press
A wool wheel and reel
6 bread baskets
A 2-horse wagon and a 2-horse plow
3 cows and 4 hogs

The item that caught my eye:

kelley-estate

“1 atlas, old books, geography, &c &c”

All in all, a fairly typical mid-19th century Ohio farm house. But there’s something intimate about seeing the specifics of her household items. We can imagine a table with 6 chairs. We can imagine her covering her windows with window paper and grinding coffee beans in coffee mill. We can wonder who read the old books and did they use the atlas to learn more about their world?

I wouldn’t turn down a photo of Elizabeth’s house, but even if I had one, it wouldn’t give me such a good look inside.

References   [ + ]

1. ↑ FamilySearch.org, Ohio Probate Records, 1789-1996, Elizabeth Kelley estate, Perry County estate cases 171-173; Perry County Probate Court, New Lexington, Ohio.

Tommy Young: The Cousin I Couldn’t Know (52 Ancestors #9)

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It was Labor Day, 1960. Tommy Young was 18 and out with his friend Paul Ballman. They were heading east on Main Street on the east side of Columbus, waiting to turn north onto Noe-Bixby Road. Just waiting for a break in the traffic…

Also heading east on Main Street was Willie Martin. Martin was 34, lived in Columbus… and was allegedly drunk. Martin slammed into the back of the car Paul Ballman was driving, sending it into the westbound lanes, where it hit a station wagon.

The crash sent both cars spinning. “Then a violent explosion flung the two teenagers to the pavement with their clothes on fire.”1)“Holiday Auto Deaths Climb to 3 in City,” Columbus Dispatch, 6 Sept 1960, p. 1. Bystanders rushed to their aid, smoldering the flames with blankets.2)“Crash Claims Life of 17-Year-Old,” Sandusky Register, 7 Sept 1960, p. 2.

Tommy and Paul were taken to St. Anthony Hospital. Paul died at 3:50am Tuesday. Tommy died at noon.

Willie Martin was treated for cuts over his left eye and ear. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to keep a safe distance ahead, and no operators license. The police investigated him for second-degree manslaughter in the deaths of Tommy and Paul. (It is unclear how that investigation turned out.)

Friends and family mourned Tommy and Paul together at a double funeral at St. Pius Catholic Church in Reynoldsburg.

Thomas Joseph Young was the second child of my great-uncle Harold and his wife Ann. He was killed by a drunk driver before I was born.

Found on Newspapers.com

References   [ + ]

1. ↑ “Holiday Auto Deaths Climb to 3 in City,” Columbus Dispatch, 6 Sept 1960, p. 1.
2. ↑ “Crash Claims Life of 17-Year-Old,” Sandusky Register, 7 Sept 1960, p. 2.

Mary and Rebecca Ramsey and the Good Deed of Their Father (52 Ancestors #8)

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John Ramsey died in Ohio in 1810, leaving his widow, Elizabeth, several children, and some land. John also died without a will. While that was poor planning on John’s part, it actually turns out to be good for his descendants (like me).

When someone who owned land dies without a will, the estate needs to take into account all of the heirs so that the land can either be divided among them or sold to another party. Truth be told, you’re sometimes better off having an ancestor die without a will. If he leaves a will, he doesn’t need to name all of his children in it. Die without a will and all of the heirs are going to be listed somewhere.

And so it was with John Ramsey. After his death, his widow, Elizabeth, wanted to divide and sell the land. At the time in Ohio, the heirs of the estate would have had to go through a partition suit, where the administrator of the estate would sue the heirs in order to divide it. I haven’t found the partition suit yet, but the resulting deeds shed light on who the heirs were.

Top of Perry County, Ohio deed book C, page 189, Perry County Recorder's Office.

Top of Perry County, Ohio deed book C, page 189, Perry County Recorder’s Office.

I won’t make you try to read the beginning of the deed. Here’s a transcription:

“Know all men by these presents that I Elizabeth Ramsey Widow and relict of John Ramsey late of Hopewell Township in the County then of Fairfield now Perry deceased and also assignee of Samuel Ramsey John Ramsey and James Ramsey three of the heirs at Law of said John Ramsey deceased and we Robert Fulerton [sic] and Rebecca his wife and Andrew McBride and Mary his wife (which said Rebecca Fullerton and Mary McBride are also children and heirs at law of said John Ramsey deceased) to Elizabeth Ramsey in hand paid…”1)Ramsey deed, Perry County Deed Book C, page 189, Perry County Recorder’s Office, New Lexington, Ohio.

A Quick Note About Heirs

“Heir” does NOT necessarily mean “child of.” It means someone who is legally entitled to inherit from an estate. If you write a will, you decide who your heirs are. If you die without a will, the probate laws in effect in your state will determine who the heirs are.

HeirUnderstanding the Probate Laws

How do we know how the heirs of an estate are? If there’s a will, you have to depend on the testator (the person leaving the will) to spell it out. If there isn’t a will, then you need to understand the laws of probate at the time when your ancestor died. Ohio researchers are fortunate that the Ohio Genealogical Society has published two books that cover the laws of the state through 1831. (Abstracts and Extracts of the Legislative Acts and Resolutions of the State of Ohio: 1803-1821 and …1821-1831.)

A law in 1804 (still in effect in 1810) provided that “if the estate came not be descent, devise or deed of gift, but was acquired by purchase, by the intestate, it shall descent to the children of the intestate and their legal representatives” and “…where one or more of them [children of the intestate] are dead and one or more living, the issue of those dead shall have a right to partition, and such issue, in such chase, shall take per stirpes, that is to say, the share of their deceased parents.” If the intestate had no children, then “the estate shall pass to the brothers and sisters of the intestate of the whole blood, and their legal representatives.”2)Mary L. Bowman, Abstracts and Extracts of the Legislative Acts and Resolutions of the State of Ohio: 1803-1821 (Mansfield: Ohio Genealogical Society, 1994), p. 44.

Long story short: if the intestate had children, those children are his heirs. Also, the children of any of his deceased children are his heirs. Only if the intestate didn’t have children would the heirs be his siblings.

What This Means for the Heirs of John Ramsey

First, John Ramsey purchased the land in question; that puts the law of descent listed above into effect. Samuel Ramsey, John Ramsey, and James Ramsey were named in the deed as heirs at law of John Ramsey, deceased. Rebecca Fullerton and Mary McBride were named as “children and heirs at law” of John Ramsey, deceased.

Since Mary and Rebecca were children, then the other heirs (Samuel, John, and James) had to have been either sons or grandsons of John Ramsey. They couldn’t have been brothers or nephews.

All from a deed.

Land was important to our ancestors. Since it mattered to them, it should matter to us, because it created some great records. The effort it takes to go through land records is soooo worth it.

References   [ + ]

1. ↑ Ramsey deed, Perry County Deed Book C, page 189, Perry County Recorder’s Office, New Lexington, Ohio.
2. ↑ Mary L. Bowman, Abstracts and Extracts of the Legislative Acts and Resolutions of the State of Ohio: 1803-1821 (Mansfield: Ohio Genealogical Society, 1994), p. 44.

Eber Johnson and the Effects of War (52 Ancestors #7)

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This is not Eber Johnson. (I wish I had a photo of him!) But this photo makes me think about what life was like after the war. (Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.)

This is not Eber Johnson. (I wish I had a photo of him!) But this photo makes me think about what life was like after the war. (Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.)

Eber Johnson was not a rich man. Sober and industrious, he was a veteran of the 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery. Though he served in the Civil War for less than a year, those months took a toll on him. According to John Murnahan’s affidavit in Eber’s pension application, “Since his return from the U.S. service he is still a sober man but unable to perform any manual labor to amount to anything.”

Eber, my great-great-grandfather, was a farmer, which means that the 1860 and 1870 agricultural schedules can shed some light on how Eber made his living before and after the Civil War.

In 1860, Eber primarily raised Indian corn, oats, and wheat. He didn’t have much livestock: 2 horses, 2 cows, 4 sheep and 11 swine. Compared to his immediate neighbors1)Compared to 3 households on either side of him in the agriculture census., he was just about average.

By 1870, things had changed. He had more cattle (7 heads of “other”), more sheep (up to 18), and a brand new crop: $150 worth of orchard goods. His value of “homemade manufacturers” went up as well; it was $10 in 1860, but $70 in 1870.

Could this shift toward more reliance on livestock and homemade products be a result of being disabled in the war? Were orchard goods grown because they would be easier — less physically demanding — to raise year after year?

Eber Johnson died January 25 18942)Per his Civil War pension file. and is buried in Locust Grove Cemetery in Lawrence County, Ohio3)FindAGrave memorial. Also have personally visited his grave. You can read more about his experiences in the Civil War here.

1860 agriculture schedule

Part of the header of the left-hand page of the 1860 agriculture schedule.

References   [ + ]

1. ↑ Compared to 3 households on either side of him in the agriculture census.
2. ↑ Per his Civil War pension file.
3. ↑ FindAGrave memorial. Also have personally visited his grave.

Mary Vaughn McKitrick: Cause of Death, Unknown (52 Ancestors #5)

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When you set the theme for a blogging challenge as “Plowing Through,” you might be tempted to focus on a farmer in the family tree. That’s what I had in mind when I set that as the theme for Week 5 of 52 Ancestors. However, I discovered an ancestor for whom I have just plowed through with my research… and missed clues along the way.

Mary Vaughn, my 4th great-grandmother, married John McKitrick in Belmont County, Ohio on 25 September 1836.1)John McKitrick and Mary Vaughn marriage, Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997, FamilySearch.org; digitized image of Belmont County, Ohio marriage volume 4, page 255. In 1850, John was living in Monroe County, Ohio; Mary was not in the household.2)John McKitrick household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Franklin Twp., Monroe County, Ohio, p. 483b, nos. 183/183.

In 1979, Fred L. McKitrick published The McKitricks and Roots of Ulster Scots (Baltimore: Gateway Press). In it, he discounts some earlier McKitrick works and gives at least some specific documentation. He states that Mary died 25 April 1850 and is buried in Mt. Tabor M.E. Cemetery.3)Fred L. McKitrick, The McKitricks and Roots of Ulster Scots (Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1979), p. 94.

Here’s the part that I plowed right through. If Mary died in April 1850, she should be on the 1850 Mortality Schedule. True confession time: I didn’t look for it until this week. <facepalm>

Sure enough, Mary “McKiterick” is listed in Franklin Township, Monroe County, Ohio.4)Mary McKiterick, 1850 U.S. Census, mortality schedule, Franklin Twp., Monroe County, Ohio, not paginated. She was 32 years old, female, born in Maryland, and died in April (1850). Her cause of death is listed as “unknown” and the length of illness, “sudden.”

Mary "McKiterick," 1850 U.S. Census (mortality schedule), Franklin Twp., Monroe County, Ohio.

Mary “McKiterick,” 1850 U.S. Census (mortality schedule), Franklin Twp., Monroe County, Ohio.

Ohio did not keep civil death records in 1850, so there is little chance that I will be able to determine what killed Mary at such a young age. However, I do have a theory. Living with John in the 1850 census was 2-month-old Mary. Although the census was actually taken on 21 October 1850, it appears that the census taker did his job correctly and recorded the information as of the official census date of 1 June 1850. If so, baby Mary was born in late March or early April 1850. My theory is that the “sudden” unknown illness that killed 32-year-old Mary was complications from childbirth.

References   [ + ]

1. ↑ John McKitrick and Mary Vaughn marriage, Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997, FamilySearch.org; digitized image of Belmont County, Ohio marriage volume 4, page 255.
2. ↑ John McKitrick household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Franklin Twp., Monroe County, Ohio, p. 483b, nos. 183/183.
3. ↑ Fred L. McKitrick, The McKitricks and Roots of Ulster Scots (Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1979), p. 94.
4. ↑ Mary McKiterick, 1850 U.S. Census, mortality schedule, Franklin Twp., Monroe County, Ohio, not paginated.

Addie Sarah Kelley: The Maiden Aunt (52 Ancestors #4)

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Addie Sarah Kelley was the unmarried daughter who became the maiden aunt. She was born in 1869, the 5th child of John and Susan (Tucker) Kelley. There would be three more Kelley children who would come along later.

Of the five Kelley daughters, Addie was the only one who didn’t marry. She lived with family members her entire life. Her father, John, died in 1891; Susan was the head of the household in 19001)Susan Kelley household, 1900 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 62, sheet 5A, nos. 100/106., with Addie and her brother William and Jesse living with her. By 1910, Susan and Addie had moved in with William and his new wife Nora Edith2)William Kelley household, 1910 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 128, sheet 8A, nos. 185/185..

Susan died in 19143)Susan Kelly (sic) death certificate, certificate #10989 (1914), Ohio Historical Society, Columbus. Also available on FamilySearch.org. and Addie continued to live with her brother William and his family4)William Kelley household, 1920 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 65, sheet 1A, nos. 1/1.. Even after William’s sudden death in 19275)William Kelly (sic) death certificate, certificate #22222 (1927), Ohio Historical Society, Columbus. Also available on FamilySearch.org. , Addie continued to live with William’s widow and children6)Edith Kelley household, 1930 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 11, sheet 6A, nos. 123/123..

Who was Addie? Was she a dutiful daughter who felt obliged to take care of her widowed mother? Did Addie have a physical or mental challenge, and others were actually taking care of her? Was she bitter that her sisters and brothers married and she did not? Was she carefree, “unencumbered” from the responsibilities of having a family of her own, or was she protective of her nephews, viewing them as the sons she never had?

Addie died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 22 May 1936 and was buried in Highland Cemetery  in Glenford, Perry County four days later7)Addie Kelley death certificate, certificate #34195 (1936), Ohio Historical Society, Columbus. Also available on FamilySearch.org.. When the weather clears, I want to visit her grave. I have a feeling that Addie doesn’t have many visitors.

Addie Kelley 1920 Census

Addie Kelly (sic), 1920 census. 50, single, and living with her brother and his family.

References   [ + ]

1. ↑ Susan Kelley household, 1900 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 62, sheet 5A, nos. 100/106.
2. ↑ William Kelley household, 1910 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 128, sheet 8A, nos. 185/185.
3. ↑ Susan Kelly (sic) death certificate, certificate #10989 (1914), Ohio Historical Society, Columbus. Also available on FamilySearch.org.
4. ↑ William Kelley household, 1920 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 65, sheet 1A, nos. 1/1.
5. ↑ William Kelly (sic) death certificate, certificate #22222 (1927), Ohio Historical Society, Columbus. Also available on FamilySearch.org.
6. ↑ Edith Kelley household, 1930 federal census, Hopewell Twp., Perry County, Ohio, ED 11, sheet 6A, nos. 123/123.
7. ↑ Addie Kelley death certificate, certificate #34195 (1936), Ohio Historical Society, Columbus. Also available on FamilySearch.org.