Another mystery to unfold

Its me again. I was poking around trying to see if I could find Cowden Roxberry's obit (or Joseph Cowden's for that matter) and came across something that like the last piqued my curiosity. The Butler County Library has a page where you can do a search for obituaries and then order copies of them. They also have a page where you can order a set of CDs that contain the 'News of the Day' which is similar to the Prospect Memories in that they are tidbits from the various newspapers in the area. I was poking around the News of the Day page and found a tidbit for a Lydia Lepley and the mention of a daughter that 'died' in April of 1883. IF and its a big 'IF' but if she is MY Lydia Lepley as in the same one who married Cowden Roxberry (Joseph Cowden) then the article (tidbit) could be a clue as to why in the 1900 census she is listed as having had a child but that he/she was not living at the time of the census. As far as I knew, my paternal grandmother was an only child. So if this little mention turns out to be her mother BEFORE she married (ten years before) it will certainly confirm what the census record shows about her.

Its also interesting to note that 1883 is about three years BEFORE my great-grandfather married his first wife Mary Wagner, a marriage that didn't last very long because Mary died in 1888. I doubt there could've been another Lydia Lepley in Butler county or for that matter Prospect township, but I suppose its possible since apparently there was another Upton Roxberry. The most frustrating thing is that the FamilySearch websites have very little if ANY databases for Pennsylvania and that's where the Lepley, Neely and Roxberry lines in my tree originate (or lived for most if not all of their lives). I sent an e-mail asking how to order specific articles from the News of the Day since I don't want to buy the CDs (not for $100 bucks). Five articles are $10 and I think I can find four more along with the Lydia Lepley one.

More later.

Another possible clue?

Haven't posted anything in a while became the holidays always become a time where other things need to get done and there is very little time if any to do some genealogy research. But since the holidays are coming to a close I had been thinking about starting 2011 off by posting at least once a month with a genealogical tip or strategy that has worked for me.

But I had to post something today because of what I came across when doing some transcribing. I had purchased the 4-volume set of 'Prospect Memories' which is basically a collection of newspaper tidbits regarding the goings-on in the town of Prospect in Butler County Pennsylvania from 1886 till around 1924 or so. They are exactly what I said too, 'tidbits' including when someone's just bakes pie were 'stolen' from a windowsill.

You may not think there would be anything of significance in the four volumes but believe it or not if you are familiar with certain names in your tree you can read through the books and pick out those ancestors and you might even learn a little more about them. My main reason for getting the books was to see if I could perhaps solve the mystery of just WHY my great-grandfather, Joseph Cowden (aka Cowden Roxberry) changed or rather 'assumed' a different name when he moved his family to Ohio, yet when he visited Prospect he was once again known by the name given to him at birth.

I didn't find much about Joseph, but did find a couple of entries regarding Cowden or 'Doc' and that brings me to what I noticed today. I had just started transcribing Volume #2 or Prospect Memories (and putting each into a Word document so that I could print them out) and noticed an entry that piqued my curiosity. It was an 'entry' of sorts, since the books are almost like a diary I guess that involved Lepley (Lepley) Cowden, my great-grandmother's brother Warren. It says 'Warren Lepley has moved from the borough into the house recently occupied by the late Doc Roxberry.'

I know what you're thinking, 'late' must mean that he died but I don't think that's the case here. In fact, I think this narrows down the time frame that 'Doc' went from being known as Cowden Roxberry to when he began calling himself Joseph Cowden. I know from other records that in 1910 Joseph, Lydia and their daughter Arrea, my grandmother were living in Minerva Ohio; this according to the census taken that year. I also know that later in this series of articles (volume #4) that 'Doc' and his wife come back to Prospect for a visit and it mentions Minerva. It also mentions Minerva a second time when it is actually reported that he was involved in an accident while digging a ditch. Both times he is referred to as 'Doc'.

I have been assuming that not long before my grandmother was born in 1903 that Cowden became Joseph, but now I have to consider that its just possible that once Cowden or 'Doc' decided to move from Prospect to Ohio and more specifically Minerva that it was THEN that he became Joseph Cowden and Lydia became Mrs. Joseph Cowden instead of Mrs. Roxberry. I still have not found an obituary for either Joseph Cowden OR Cowden Roxberry and I think that would provide some clues even if it wouldn't solve the name change mystery.

Once again more research is needed and in this week before we close out 2010 and begin 2011 I think I will pursue this mystery and see what other clues I can uncover.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and here's hoping that 2011 is a year of many genealogical discoveries in your own research.

Frustrations of Genealogy Research

Do you know what drives me absolutely crazy when it comes to genealogy research? Having more luck finding information on collateral lines than direct ones, or worse finding tons of information on a line that isn't even a collateral one, but one that is only linked to one of my lines because the person married more than once.

Yesterday I traced a line back, well more than one and although tracing any line back is exciting, the lines are neither direct nor collateral to me. You're probably asking, well then why do that research if the lines/branches aren't even linked to you? Simple, ANY research is a challenge and since I feel that even collateral lines are just as important than direct ones doing the research for them might prove invaluable to someone else someday, especially someone that IS directly linked to the line.

Heck, if genealogists didn't have these frustrations or the occasional brick wall there wouldn't really be any point in doing the research to begin with. Not only that the research itself, especially if you only tackle the direct lines, would become really boring and no one wants that. Besides, you never know when doing collateral research when you'll come across that connection to a direct line that you've been wanting to find for YEARS.

So, even though it drives me crazy to find more on collateral or even non-connecting lines it still gives me a thrill when I CAN trace the line back to England and find the parents that I've searched for or have thought about lately. Like one of my favorite wrestlers is fond of saying, Never Give Up, and that's especially true when it comes to genealogy research.

Later.

Genealogy research ups and downs

Twice in the past few days I have come across names in my research that weren't exact matches to information I already had but they come too close for me to dismiss them immediately. Is it wrong to always go with your instincts? It can be but lately, I can't ignore what they are telling me. Over the past couple of weeks I've tried finding ancestors to a collateral line, because researching direct lines hadn't gotten me far, at least for my maternal lines. I actually did pretty good and got one line, the Bodemers, back to 1500. But then I saw something that I'd never come across before. I didn't get the line completely back to 1500. See, I traced the line back to 1785, but then found a line that I traced back to 1522. The problem is there are at least TWO generations MISSING. And now I don't know if the two lines, both Bodemer are even connected to one another or if they are just two lines of the same surname that happened to be from the same part of Germany. I've tried more than once to make a connection, but the later line only goes so far and the person that COULD connect the two doesn't have a date of birth, at least not one I could find.

Then the other day I thought I would try another line, this time a direct one, a 2nd great-grandmother, Dorothea BODE. I know what you're probably thinking, is she linked to the Bodemer line? I doubt it since because she married into the Gentzen line, they were both born in Prussia, which is a different part of what is now Germany.

I did find a person that ALMOST matches the information I had on Dorothea, in fact its close enough to mine because of the fact that her middle names (two, common in German naming traditions) happened to be two names that her daughters have, Louise and Henriette. One of her siblings also shares a name with her son, William (Wilhelm) Frederick (her son has the initial 'F'). I haven't committed that information to my tree just yet but my instincts are telling me that its probably as close as I'm going to get with that name.

Just a little while ago I tried another direct line to see if I could find any information, this time the country is Denmark not Germany. My 2nd great-grandfather, Fred A. Ring (long story), who isn't actually my 2nd great-grandfather but actually my 2nd great-grandmother's SECOND husband who happened to 'adopt' I guess you could say her four sons from her first marriage (I said it was a long story). Anyway, I put his father's name, Hans, into the FamilySearch 'pilot' site search box but didn't find anything. So then I thought I would try Fred's name and I added the initial 'A' because it just might help distinguish him from other 'Freds'. Believe it or not it worked but here's where your genealogical instincts play havoc.

As I scrolled down the first page I came across a Frederik Alexander Gotje Ring who was born 17 Mar 1854, the EXACT same DAY, MONTH, and YEAR of my Fred A. Ring. Not only that but his first child with Julia was named ALEXANDER. I know, it could just be a BIG coincidence that all that matches the information I have but in all honesty, even if I didn't use my instincts during my research I would still lean heavily toward Frederik and my Fred A. being one in the same person.

Having these research ups and downs are what make doing the research that much more fun, even if it can get frustrating at times. I wouldn't have it any other way, because each name, date or place I find, is one more piece to the never-ending puzzle in my family history. Genealogical instincts should never be ignored, but should also be taken with caution, especially if you don't have any information to compare with what you find on a website. More importantly, have FUN when doing research, because if you don't there's no point in trying to go back just one more generation to actually find an ancestor across the pond.

Persistence strikes again

Since my last entry, I have managed to add on another three generations to the Bertsche line. The cause was a little persistence and the fact that I was trying to update the family history report I'd created for the Walker line when I added another generations to that branch as well. It happened completely by accident and I can thank the FamilySearch 'pilot' site once again. I used that site as well as www.familysearch.org, which is the one that started my genealogy research in 1998. Even though the sites are linked and basically contain the same information more or less, going back and forth between the two I have now traced the Walkers back to my 6th great grandparents and the Bertsche line back to my TENTH great grandparents, for which I'm still gob-smacked over

I just wish I could have this kind of luck with the Wilhelm, or Gentzen lines, but because of progress I've made this week, it gives me a little more hope for those branches, especially the Wilhelm line. I never expected to get those branches back as far as I did and believe it or not there is still the tiniest bit of doubt sitting in the back of my mind, because if any of the research and progress I've done lately turns out to be wrong I will be completely devastated. But even IF that does happen, I will press on and continue my research. And that is all any genealogist can do.

Taking a genealogy plunge

After a lot of thought and some opinions from other researchers, I've decided to add the information I found on Johann Georg Walker and Maria Anna Bertsche (aka George Walker and Mary Ann Bertseh) to my family tree. But before I actually jump in and do that I'm going to gather as much information about their siblings and parents, grandparents etc. as I possibly can. Why you might ask, especially if it turns out to be wrong and I end up removing it. Because IF it does turn out to be the wrong family (which it still might down the road) I want to be able to post the information on the genealogy message boards so that the right family can find it.

The one place that stands out in the research I've done so far has been Schlaitdorf, Germany. That doesn't seem to change except for the occasional marriage record where the couple is married where the bride was born. The FamilySearch pilot site is about the only place I've found information, I haven't found the right trees at Rootsweb, but then again I have never come across another tree there with Gentzen in it either.

I feel reasonably confident that Johann Georg Walker is my George Walker and I feel equally as confident that Maria Anna Bertsche is Mary Ann Bertseh (or Pearce if you like). So if you come across information in your research that is similar to what you know but not EXACT, don't write it off as wrong. Look between the lines and see if it is possible that you could actually be on the right track, because in the end you might be.

Another Clue for George Walker

Did you ever come to a point where your brain is telling you one thing and your heart is telling you something else and your instincts are trying to mediate between the two? That's what I am going through right now and believe it or not I really want to go with my instincts on this one.

I went to the library to use Ancestry to see if I could find any immigration/emigration information on George Walker (or Johann Georg Walcker). Believe it or not you can do the particular search I did for free and at home if you don't have a subscription. Anyway, I put Johann Georg Walker in the search boxes and clicked 'search'. Much to my surprise, the very first hit that came up was for a Johann Georg Walker that was born in SCHLAITDORF, Germany and his destination was OHIO. His application date was 1831, all which pretty much coincide with my George's obituary and I STILL think that Schlaitdorf was shortened to Slidor and its even entirely possible that whoever provided that piece of information for the obituary SPELLED it that way because maybe that's how its pronounced.

I honestly don't know but seeing not just the name but Ohio in the listing made me smile and told me (or at least my instincts) that the parents and siblings I'd found were the right ones. I also tracked Johann George's siblings in Germany and they ALL stayed there, George was the ONLY one to make the trip to America. Unfortunately, the Wuerttemberg Germany Emigration Index at Ancestry doesn't give any other information AND I couldn't find anything on a ship or when specifically in 1831 he arrived. But the word 'Ohio' was the biggest clue for me because that's where my George ended up.

What are my instincts telling me? They are saying that it is very possible that you may have found the key to George Walker's ancestry. I tracked the siblings to see if maybe one of their children went to America and possibly found George or something. With genealogy anything is possible. As for his wife Mary Ann Bertsche (or Bertseh or Pearce) I haven't found anything concrete yet, but the Bertsche family I DID find is the most likely candidate, at least that's what my genealogical instincts are telling me.

More later.