Tuesday, March 11, 2014

52 Ancestors: #10 Granville Bailey (1876-1897)

Climbing My Family Tree: Granville Bailey (1876- 1897)
Granville Bailey, age 21
posted with permission of Christina Inman
Click to make bigger

Amy Johnson Crow of the blog “ No Story Too Small” issued a 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge for this year. The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor  (click on the badge in the right sidebar to be taken to her blog for details and weekly roundups of all the participating blogs).

This week I didn’t have a lot of time to do research as I had other things to do on the weekend (like taxes, among other things). I am working on several people in the Bailey branch of the family who will provide interesting stories, but they aren’t ready to write up yet.  

I’ve chosen this week to write up my great-grand uncle Granville Bailey who tragically died young. I don’t know very much about him. Writing these posts every week are very good for bringing to the fore front how much I don’t know about a person and for giving me ideas of where I should look next on the person I’m writing about.

Granville Bailey was born in approximately 1876 in Kansas to my great-grandparents Edward C. and Martha Emily (Wolfington) Bailey, two years after their marriage.  The year before they lived in Ottawa, Kansas in Franklin County, according to the 1875 Kansas State Census, and I know that four years after his birth they lived in Putnam, Kansas in Anderson County with Granville, his older brother Howard, his younger brother Lloyd  (one of the Lloyds), and his younger sister Myrtle who was just a baby at the time (1880 U.S. Census). His father was a fruit grower then.

I don’t have any record of where the family was in 1890 because the census for that year was largely destroyed in a fire in the basement of the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C., in 1921. Before researching Granville, I knew that the family had moved to Findlay OH by 1900 since they were there for the 1900 U.S. Census, I had thought that perhaps the moved was precipitated by a desire to move away from bad memories after Granville died since Granville was not on the 1900 Census and the back of the picture indicated that he was 21 years old in the picture and that Granville had died in an accident in or near Chicago as a young man – I’ve found nothing to confirm or deny that yet.

In doing more research to write up this post I discovered that he died probably in either late October or early November  1897, and that the family had already moved to Findlay by that time. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Ohio Obituary Index indicates that Granville’s obituary, or an article about his death, was written on page 1 of the “The Weekly Jeffersonian “ (Findlay Ohio),  on 3 November 1897. As it is a weekly paper I can’t say for certain that he died in November.  In any case, it appears that Granville died within a year of the picture that heads this post being taken, at age 21. It is sad that he didn't get to have a life.

Aggravatingly, unlike the other (later) Findlay papers, The Weekly Jeffersonian's archives have not been given to NewspaperArchive.com, Newspapers.com, GenealogyBank.com, or the Library of Congress' chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. Or anywhere else. Usually if a paper is online I can find the article, as you know. (Think Myrtle, lol!) There is a form I can fill out to order a copy of the article for only $3.00. I haven’t done that yet, but I will. Originally I’d thought I’d only order documents on direct line ancestors, but I’m curious and I want to know more about this young great-grand-uncle! I'm also trying to find newspaper articles in Illinois. It also occurs to me now that I ought to check the 1885 Kansas Census -- if I can't find them that might indicate that the family moved to Ohio to be closer to other family shortly after Edward filed for military invalid benefits (he was a blacksmith the rest of his life - I don't know what sort of injury he had yet as I haven't got that file yet).

If anyone reading this knows more about Granville and what happened or about his family, please contact me through the comments or through the  e-mail address which is listed on  the “Contact Me” page of the blog. I would be delighted to hear from you.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Treasure Chest Thursday: Picture of my 2nd Great Grandfather Edward Carleton Bailey

Climbing My Family Tree: Treasure Chest Thursday  - Edward Carleton Bailey (1849-1926)
Posted with permission of Christina Inman
Click to make bigger

This is another of the photos sent to me by my newly discovered cousin. Isn't it wonderful? Edward Carleton Bailey, of (at various times) Huntingdon County PA; Franklin and Anderson Counties, Kansas; and Findlay in Hancock County Ohio. I'm going to add it to the post I've already done on him (here), but wanted to make sure everyone saw it, and so this post. : )

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

52 Ancestors: #9 James A. Bailey (1855 - ?), Man of Mystery

Climbing My Family Tree: James A. Bailey (1855- ?)
Posted with permission of Christina Inman
Click to make larger

This post is my 9th in Amy Johnson Crow's challenge to write about 52 Ancestors in 52 weekls. For more details about the challenge and a weekly roundup of all those posts of those participating in the challenge, click on the badge over on the right margin.

James A Bailey was my maternal grandfather's mother's father's youngest brother, or, one of my maternal 2nd-great-grand-uncle's: brother of Edward C. Bailey  and Rebecca Ella Bailey. He has been a man of mystery for me. For the longest time my only proof that he existed has been my great-grandmother's notes, which say, in pertinent part, "Papa also had a brother James who bred "fine" Kentucky horses....Papa's brother Jim never married. He liked to make money and was very nice looking."  And in the batch of photographs sent to me by my newly discovered cousin was this
this photograph (which says on the back: "Uncle Jim, Papa's brother, Oil Well Man, also a breeder of fine Kentucky horses").

I'm glad that I spent last week tracking down his sisters as I doubt that I would have found as much as I have about him without knowing about their lives, in general. One thing I found answered a question I'd been unable to answer when I did Ella's story last week, but in answering that question, it opened up so many more!

James A. Bailey was the fourth and youngest son of John and Maria Bailey; his only younger sibling was Rebecca Ella (known as "Ella"). He was born in December 1855 and his younger sister was born in 1858. I first found him on the 1860 census with his mother and three of his sisters, Lydia, Eliza Jane, and Ella, living in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. I don't know where his father* or any of his brothers are that year. Although I do know that at least two of his brothers will serve in the Civil War in the next few years, and the oldest will die in it.

When I wrote about Ella I told you that I'd lost her until she married her husband in 1881, but I found both James and Ella in the 1870 Census, mainly because they were together and the ages were appropriate.  James and Ella are living in the home of Samuel Huber, 55, a tailor, and his wife, Mariah, also 55, and their son, William, who is 16, still in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. James, although only 14, and the son are listed as "laborer" and Ellie as "at home". Does this mean that both their parents are dead? I haven't been able to find out yet.**

James next appears in the 1880 Census at age 23, in Bradford City, McKean County, Pennsylvania.  He is a boarder in the home of S.R. (32) and Naomi Hershman (29). Both men drill oil wells for a living.

As we all know the 1890 Census doesn't exist, and I next found him in the 1900 Census, when he was 44 and still single. He was listed as a boarder in the home of  his sister Eliza Jane (48) and her husband Mordecai Tate (50) and their two daughters Maud, age 25, and Alabama [poor girl!], age 22, in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Mordecai is a wagon-maker and James still identifies himself as an oil well driller.

And that is the last I've been able to find him so far. I've not found anything about breeding horses either. I sort of surmise that he has died by 1926 as Edward's obituary lists only one surviving sibling: Richard. But then, they could have lost track of him too. I am continuing to look but that's all I have as of this posting. If you know anything about James A. Bailey, or anyone in my blog, I would love to hear from you!

[*UPDATE: I have since found out that James' father died in 1858, per his mother's request for a pension based on his brother John's Union Army service, See Mariah/Maria William Bailey Huber's story.
**UPDATE: I don't know why it took me so long to figure this out: in 1870, James and Ella are living with their Mother and her new husband, Samuel Huber. See Mariah's story, above link, and Eliza Jane's story.]  

I plan:
to look in Kentucky
to trace the Huber family a bit to see if I can determine whether they are related to John or Maria (Williams) Bailey
to check whether there are archived newspapers for Huntingdon County during the relevant time periods.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

52 Ancestors: #8 Rebecca Ella Bailey Fisher (1858 - before July 1926)

Climbing My Family Tree, 52 Ancestors, #8: Ella Bailey (1858- before 1926?)
Ella Bailey (1858- before July 1926?)
Posted with permission of Christina Inman
Click to make bigger


I chose this week's entry because of the pictures my mother's cousin sent me. I don't have as much information as I'd like of my 2nd great-grand aunt Ella as I'd like, but courtesy of cousin Teeny I've got some great pictures!

In all the records I've found, except for the 1860 Census where she is listed as "Rebecca E", my 2nd-great-grand-aunt is known as Ella, and that is the name she is known by on the back of the photos I received as well. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1858, to John Bailey and Maria Williams, probably either in  Huntingdon County or Mifflin County as the 1850 Census had the family in Union Twp, Mifflin County and the 1860 Census placed the family in Jackson twp, Huntingdon County. She is the sister of my 2nd-great-grandfather Edward Carleton Bailey, who I wrote up as my 4th 52 Ancestors entry.

It is wonderfully odd to find I have ancestors from the Mifflin co/Huntingdon Co. or Juniata Valley area of Pennsylvania. I wish I'd known that when I went to Juniata College in Huntingdon PA [by the way, a great school for anyone looking for a college]. It was a great four years and gave me a great education and enduring friendships.  The next time I go back for a reunion, I'll have to schedule in some family research time.

I don't know anything about her early family life yet. At some point she met William W. Fisher, who was also born in Pennsylvania, although I don't know where yet. They married in 1881 when he was 28 and she was 23. In 1884, their daughter Grace was born in Pennsylvania.  But as of 1886, they lived in Findlay, Ohio, as their daughter, Fern was born there. The 1900 Census says that she had 3 children, but only two were surviving at that point. My great-grand-mother's notes say that "Ella had three girls: Grace, Bird, & Fern", but I've not found any other reference to Bird, so Bird may have died.

Climbing My Family Tree: Grace & Fern Fisher, daughters of Ella Bailey & William W. Fisher
Grace and Fern Fisher,
picture taken at Nichol's Photography 334-1/2 S. Main St Findlay, OH
Posted with permission of Christina Inman
Ella's husband William Fisher listed his occupation as an oil driller in the 1900 Census, at which time they were still in Findlay, Ohio. But sometime between 1900 and 1910, William, Ella and Fern  moved to Chautauqua County NY. Perhaps it was after older daughter Grace married Duke Watson? The Findlay City directory shows Grace and Duke living together as husband and wife as early as 1904.

Before they left town, Ella had another picture of herself taken at Nichol's photography. It is labeled on the back, "Aunt Ella Fisher, Papa's sister"

Climbing my family Tree: Mrs. Ella Fisher (1858-before 1926?)
Mrs. Ella Fisher
picture taken at Nichol's Photography 334-1/2 S. Main St Findlay, OH
Posted with permission of Christina Inman
Ella and William lived in Chautauqua County NY, where William worked as a oil driller and Ella kept house through 1920. In 1919 Fern had married Arthur Carlson in Canada. He was born in New York so I don't know why they went to Canada to get married. In 1920, Fern and her husband were living with Ella and William at the time of the Census.

But at the time of the 1930 census William is living in Wichita, TX with his daughter Grace' and her husband, Duke; Duke is the Superintendent of an oil field and, at age 77, William is listed as a laborer at an oil field. Ella is not listed on the census. I don't know whether she has died or whether she is simply elsewhere that day. As I can find no other reference to her, and as my 2nd-great-grandfather's obituary does not mention her as a survivor, I think she died before July 1926. (Edward's obituary says one brother, Richard, survived him.)

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What I still need to find:

More information on the John & Maria Bailey household in the Juniata Valley; what was the family life like. Anything else on Ella and Edward's parent's John Bailey and Maria Williams.
When and where did Ella meet William and when/where did they marry?
Why did they move to Findlay, OH? (They arrived there before Edward and his family did.)
Why and when did they move to Chautauqua County NY?
Why did Fern get married in Canada? And where are she and her husband after 1920?
When & why did Ella die? Is there an obituary somewhere?
When did William die? Is there an obituary somewhere?



Thursday, February 20, 2014

Treasure Chest Thursday: Picture of 2nd great-grandparents and great grandfather Snyder

Climbing My Family Tree: Kathryn (1857-1931), Philip (1882-1967), and John Snyder (1854-1925)
Click to make bigger
Posted with permission of  Christina Inman

I recently received a packet of wonderful photos from my mother's cousin, Christina, who I'd never met (to my recollection) but who contacted me after she saw my post on Myrtle Bailey, her grand-Aunt and my great-grand Aunt. We're now friends on Facebook! And I've met her daughter Susan via email and Facebook as well (Susan is has done a lot of family history research on both sides of her family ). Thank you, Teeny!

This photo is of my 2nd great grandparents on the Snyder side: Catherine (Snyder) [1857-1931] and John Snyder [1854-1925], and their son, my great-grandfather, Philip Aaron Snyder [1882-1967]. on the back it  of Catherine that "She was a real nice lady" and that "She was cross-eyed". The back of the picture spells her name "Kathryn". In my research, I've seen it spelled about every way you can imagine. I chose to label the picture here with the spelling I've seen most often. I did my 2nd "52 Ancestors" post on my great-great grandfather John Snyder, and I did a post last December on my great-grandfather Philip Snyder. This is indeed a family treasure!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

52 Ancestors: #7 Don B. Snyder (1918-2012)


Climbing My Family Tree: Don B Snyder (1818-2012)



When I was young my Mom would talk about family members from when she was younger. I remember her talking about "Uncle Don in the Army & Uncle Don in the Navy" in WWII. This is "Uncle Don in the Army."

Don B. Snyder was my grand-uncle, my grandfather's youngest brother. I decided to write about him this week because I'd been adding transcriptions of newspaper articles to my Ancestrydotcom tree this weekend and he has, by far, the most newspaper articles written about him. He had an exciting young life; he may have had an exciting later life too but I don't really know much about that because he moved out of town and stopped making the local paper!

Don was born May 15, 1918 to Philip (age 36) and Pauline (age 27) [Bailey] Snyder; he was the youngest of their five children: Clarence (1910-1884); Christina (1912-1942); Phyllis (1914-2005); Paul (1916-1975) and Donald (1918-2012). He grew up in Findlay Ohio.

In 1935, when he was 17, he started boxing as a featherweight on the local circuit for boxing shows held in V.F.W. club arenas and American Legion Halls. He fought in 3- and 6-round bouts with other local amateurs. The local press said he displayed "a lot of ability and promise" and "handled himself capably". [1] By 1938 and 1939, he had grown into that promise and was headlining fights and competing (& winning) in Ohio Golden Gloves tournaments. Most of the articles I found were describing who was fighting whom and where the impending bout was to take place, and Don was frequently a headline draw for the night's event. But one time his victory was written up with a 7-column large headline!

"SNYDER GIVES APEL TERRIFIC SIX-ROUND LACING
Don Snyder, the 128 pound rubber man, bounced in and out and all over the ring, as he gave Joe Apel, Bowling Green junior lightweight, a terrific lacing in the main six-round go at the V.F.W. club's arena last night before a crowded house.
Apel, a half head taller and 7 pounds heavier, was dropped to the canvas eight times under Snyder's furious two-fisted assault, but the game and courageous Bowling Green battler was still on his feet at the finish.
DOWN FOUR TIMES IN SIXTH
The rubber man's thudding lefts and rights floored Apel in the first and fourth, twice in the fifth, and four times in the last two-minute session. The bell clanged as he hit the resin in the fourth. With two or three exceptions, Apel took nine counts before regaining his feet. The bout, Snyder's fourth straight victory in as many appearances at the club, was easily the most spectacular of any he has fought before the fistic followers." 

As you see by this time in 1938 he was being called "the rubber man"; that was not a description of his boxing skills but because he was working as a laborer for the Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. in Findlay, OH. In 1938 he also joined the National Guard (Company C, 148th Infantry, Ohio National Guard).  There are long stories in the local paper describing Company C's annual 15-day summer field training, usually at Camp Perry in northern Ohio, but in 1940 in the Wisconsin woods, along with several regular Army Units. The articles always listed every man participating: Don advancing from Private to Private First Class to Corporal.

On October 21, 1940, he  and his guard unit were mobilized into active duty with the regular Army and deployed to Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg Mississippi for where the 148th Infantry, as part of the 37th Division, began a long  training program designed to make it one of the best fighting units in the country. After 16 months of rigorous training, the unit moved to Indiantown Gap and finished off its pre-embarkation training designed for European service. At the end of March 1942, Sgt. Don B. Snyder transferred from Indian Town Gap, PA to Ft. Benning GA for a three-month officer training course.

On September 8, 1942, Don's older sister, Christine (Snyder) Bunts, was killed in a car crash. He was still assigned to Ft. Benning then.  I couldn't tell if he was allowed to come home for the funeral. He was deployed overseas to the Pacific Theatre in November 1942. 

When he entered regular Army service he was single, but he married to Ardyth Lucille Ebersole (daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Virgil Ebersole of Arcadia, OH) while he was serving. I don't have a date for that. I did find a newspaper article announcing the birth of Don & Ardyth's son Philip Ardon (I think they combine Ardith & Don for the middle name) on January 5th, 1943. Staff Sergeant Don Snyder arrived home that day from Camp Carrabelle FL (Army Amphibious Training Center) for a 10-day furlough.

At some point, Don (probably when he went for Officers training when the rest of his unit was deployed to the South Pacific) was transferred from the 148th Infantry, 37th Division, to the 151st Infantry, 38th Division, later known as "The Avengers of Bataan". Don Snyder took part in the battle that won the 38th Infantry that title. The Findlay Republican Courier, wrote his part up as follows, on 16 April 1945:

"Despite Japanese mortar and sniper fire, Technical Sergeant Don B Snyder, of Findlay, leading a platoon of the 151st Infantry, 38thDivision, maintained a continuous supply line to the front in the battle of Zig Zag pass on Bataan. There were no beaten trails through the jungle-like thickets but the platoon was able to keep the supplies moving. Tech. Sgt. Snyder is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Philip Snyder and the husband of the former Ardyce Ebersole of Arcadia. He was a well-known boxer prior to entering the Army and has continued winning numerous titles while in service. Overseas 15 months he now holds the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Defense ribbon, and [?] Pacific and Phillipine Liberation ribbons with two campaign stars."
38th Infantry Division- Avengers of Bataan, image bought from Veteran Graphic
Image bought from Veteran Graphics


In 1945 he was sent home in a plane on leave because he had been shot in the leg. His left leg is in a cast in the below photograph. Don is on the left, Paul in the middle and Clarence on the right.

Climbing My Family Tree: Don, Paul, and Clarence Snyder 1945
Click to make bigger


Don seems to have had problems in his marriage in the years after the war as he filed for divorce April 2, 1947. She counter-filed on August 30, 1947, and was granted the divorce on December 30, 1947. However, apparently, they got back together later because their daughter, Cathryn Adele, was born in October 1949.

After returning to work for Cooper Tire and Rubber after the war, Don became active in the union, initially Findlay Local 207, United Rubber, Cork, Linoleum and Plastic Workers of America, CIO,  becoming President of the first union in the plant, and being re-elected President after it became the Findlay Local 207, United Rubber Workers of America, CIO. He was also named to the District Executive Board of the United Rubber Workers of America, and represented the union at National Conferences in Omaha NE and Buffalo NY. During that period he also spoke up on behalf of local civic employees, such as the police and firefighters, when they were seeking raises from the city. After he was no longer president of the union, he continued to serve as the chief steward during contract negotiations in 1950.

Someplace between 1950 and 1959 Don moved to Temperance Michigan, as he was living there at the time of his parents 50th Wedding anniversary on March 6, 1959.In Temperance, he became a barber. He was a barber for 30 years, first in Michigan, and later in Toledo, Ohio, and later still, in or near Yankeetown, Florida.

On March 31, 1960, Don married Mrs. Florence Kay (Fry) Crider, of Findlay. The bride wore a navy taffeta dress with white accents and a white orchid corsage. Attendants were Mrs. Bethany Brandenberry, sister of the bride, and Philip Ardon, of Temperance Michigan (Don's son). After a short honeymoon, the couple moved to Toledo, Ohio.  

At some point, they moved to Florida, where Florence died on February 11, 1981. After her death, he moved back to Toledo and retired.

In approximately 1983 he married Florence Zumbrunn-Snyder. Although the marriage was dissolved about a year later on 4 January 1984, according to all the relatives who have talked to me or written me about it, they remained very close for the rest of his life.He lived thirty years longer and died on January 12, 2012. His obituary said that he was survived by his son, Phillip A. Snyder of San Francisco; daughter, Kathryn Gonzalez of Florida; step-children, Cynthia Tutak, Pamela Criger, Denise Naibor and Richard Criger; two grandchildren; 9 step-grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. 

Don's obituary said he was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and a 30-year member of the National Speleological Caving Society. His main hobby was exploring non-commercial caves, mostly in Kentucky. It also said that he deeply appreciated the care given to him by his stepdaughter, Cynthia Tutak and his dearest friend Florence Snyder.

For future research: I need to find something establishing marriage dates for the marriages to Ardyth Ebersole and Florence Zumbrunn; perhaps a copy of the divorce decrees; and much more information to fill in the large blank spaces I have in his life after 1960.

Other Related Posts (links):

















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Federal Censuses: 1920, 1930, 1940

NewspaperArchive.com: 12 February 1935 Findlay Republican Courier p. 9; 18 April 1935 Findlay Republican Courier p. 11; 15 April 1938 Findlay Republican Courier p. 10; 16 July 1938 Findlay Republican Courier p. 2; 30 June 1939 Findlay Republican Courier, p. 5; 9 August 1940 Findlay Republican Courier, p. 13; 21 October 1940 Findlay Republican Courier, p. 2;31 March 1942 Findlay Republican Courier p. 12;6 January 1943  Findlay Republican Courier p. 6 ; 16 April 1945  Findlay Republican Courier p. 11;   2 April 1947 Findlay Republican Courier. p. 16; 30 August 1947 Findlay Republican Courier p. 7; 3 0 December 1947 Findlay Republican Courier p. 3; 21 October 1949 Findlay Republican Courier p. 10; 2 April 1960 Findlay Republican Courier p. 9; 3 February 1948 Findlay Republican Courier p. 6; 11 March 1948 Findlay Republican Courier p.9; 15 May 1948 Findlay Republican Courier, p. 18; 3 August 1948 Findlay Republican Courier p. 16; 30 September 1948 Findlay Republican Courier, p. 2; 16 Feb 1950 Findlay Republican Courier p. 9 (I've more articles transcribed on Ancestry Tree. These are just the ones that informed this post.)

Obituary, Toledo Blade January 14, 2012.; Found (by my cousin, Kevin Rainey) at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/toledoblade/obituary.aspx?n=don-b-snyder&pid=155455342#sthash.prUNRYva.kHoQsHsa.dpuf 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/38th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

52 Ancestors: #6 Abram Wolfington, 1810 - abt 1874

This week I am going to write about my 3rd Great Grandfather Abram Wolfington as part of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge begun by Amy Johnson Crow of the No Story Too Small blog. I had started to write about him last week when I all of a sudden had some significant breakthroughs in the life of his wife, my 3rd Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Manley Bixler Wolfington Moore, and I wrote about her instead. I've not had as much luck with Abram.

According to the 1850  and 1870 Censuses, Abram was born in North Carolina in approximately 1810. I think his parents were Abraham and Esther Wolfington, and, if so, Abram, is likely one of the two males under ten enumerated in the 1820 Census as part of Abraham Wolfington's family in Orange County Indiana. He doesn't seem to be accounted for as part of Abraham's family in the 1830 Census but I've not found him on his own yet that year; he would've have been approximately twenty in 1830.

I know that he was probably married prior to marrying my 3rd great-grandmother as he brought several children to that union: William (bn abt 1837), James (1839-1918), Marinda (bn about 1842), Eliza J (bn abt 1845), and Valentine (bn abt 1848). I have found a marriage between "Abraham Wolfington" and Lucinda Rodman on May 29, 1836, which occurred in Harrison Indiana. However I'm not certain yet that it is my 3rd great grandfather she wed, even though the timing would be right for the birth of William, for three reasons: 1) I've not found any other mention of her yet anywhere; 2) I've not found any other document placing Abram in in Harrison Co. Indiana; 3) no where else does Abram use the name "Abraham" until after his (probable) father dies. I have more research to do obviously!


Climbing My Family Tree: 1850 census Abram Wolfington
Click to make bigger


In 1850, at the time the Census was done Abram was living in Paoli, Indiana with his children, William, James, Marinda, and Eliza, and a 70 year old woman named Lydia Jackson, who may have been helping to care for the children and keep house -- the census does not say. It does say that Abram is a wool carder. 


Hi father died that year. His (probable) mother Esther Wolfington is found, in the 1850 Census, living alone in French Lick In, which is in the same county as Paoli.

Abram was 41 when he married my 3rd Great-grandmother, Elizabeth Manley Bixler, a young woman of 22 years of age, on March 30, 1851, in Orange County Indiana.  Over the course of their marriage, they have 8 children: Martha Emily (1852-1915, my 2nd great grandmother), Clarence (bn abt 1854), Isabel (bn abt 1856), Alfred (bn abt 1858), Annie (bn abt 1863), Emma (bn about 1863), Charles CR (bn abt 1867) and Clifford (bn abt 1867).  In 1860, he is still a wool carder, but in 1870, he described himself as a Teamster.

We know that he died in or before 1874 as my 3rd great-grandmother remarried in 1874 to a childhood friend of her deceased husband. (Mr. Moore's Findagrave.com memorial states that he "married Mrs. E.M. Wolfington the widow of a comrade of his boyhood.") My great-grandmother's notes say that he died "on the road to Kansas" as the family was moving there, but I've not yet found anything which confirms this, nor which gives me a death date.  More research to do!

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 [Great-grandmother's notes; Federal Census for 1820, 1830, 1850, 1860 and 1870,   (for  Abraham Wolfington, Esther Wolfington , and Abram Wolfington,); Kansas Findagrave.com Memorials #16972829; Orange County, Indiana, Index to Marriage Records 1826-1920.]