The Slovak Yankee

1950 United States Census

The 1950 U.S. census was released in April 2022.  I just searched it for my and Michael's families in 1950.

My father is enumerated in Jersey City, New Jersey with his mother and sister.

My mother is enumerated in Westbrook, Maine with her mother, sister and maternal grandparents.

All of my grandparents were  divorced.  My mother's parents divorced prior to 1950 and my father's parents divorced after 1950 sometime.

My paternal grandfather is in Queens, New York with his second wife(?).  It  should be noted that  he says he's married but my grandmother notes that she is separated.  Someone is lying to the census taker.  I think it's him.  He's living with his girlfriend who would later become his second wife.

My maternal grandfather is in Fairfield, Maine with his second wife.

Not all the names are indexed correctly.  My paternal grandfather is  indexed under Hallick not Hollick.  My mother is indexed under Rinklen not Pinkham and her grandparents are indexed under Prott not Pratt.  The handwriting is totally legible but the volunteers who index the census are not reliable.

Michael's parents and paternal grandparents are in DC.  And Michael's great-aunt is in Stillwater, Oklahoma, teaching college.  She put her name as Berrigan, Agnes Dr. and they indexed her middle name as D.  Another error.

 

John Clark 1785-1853 Will

In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I John Clark of the County of Brown and State of Ohio do make and publish this my last Will and Testament.

First, I give and devise to my beloved wife in lieu of widower the one third part of all my property boath real and personal during her natural life and all the stock, household goods, furniture, provisions and other goods and chattels which may thereon at the time of my decease. Selling so much thereof if necessary as may  be sufficient to pay any just debts at the death of my said wife the real estate aforesaid and such part of the personal property or the proceeds thereof as may there remain unconsumed and expended, I give and devise to all my children share and share alike except my son Joseph Clark.

Second, to my son Joseph Clark I give and bequeath the sum of fifty dollars in full of the balance of his share as he received  his share previous.

Item 3rd. I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Mary Ellen Clark, daughter of my son James Clark deceased the sum of three hundred dollars to be paid to her Guardian in twelve months after my death to be put out at interest until she shall arrive at the age of eighteen years.

Item 4th. I devise and bequeath to my daughter Nancy Hopkins my son Wm. W. Clark Ryan Clark Austin Clark Milton A. Clark Sara J. Snedacar and Ellen Clark each an equal share of my estate boath real and personal that is share and share alike except my youngest daughter Ellen Clark is to have two hundred dollars more than the rest and also excepting the dividends noted above.

Item 5th. I do hereby nominate and appoint my brother William W. Clark and my wife Ellen  Clark Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby authorizing and empowering them to compromise adjust release and discharge in such manner as they may deem proper the debts and claims due me.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th day of October in the year 1851.

John Clark

Signed and acknowledged by said John Clark as his last Will and Testament and signed by us in his presence at his request

A. C. Dugan

T.W. McKee

Brown County Probate Records 3:91 et seq.

 

Poverty as the villain to Genealogy

As I was preparing the profiles of each of my patriot ancestors, I was also googling their names to see if anyone, other than I, was researching them.  The answer is no one.  I still am the only one interested in these people.  You would  think that after 250 years, there would be at least one other genealogist in the family, but no.

I came across a New Hampshire court case:  Leavitt v. Wallace on google books.  It shows someone suing Meribah Wallace for her farm premised that it all belonged to her father Nathaniel Wallis and he lost it in a law suit in 1834. Meribah  prevails because her father deeded 7 1/2 acres to her previous to the lawsuit.   That was her house and land.

But it shows that Nathaniel Wallace left this earth with nothing to his name.  That's why there's no probate for him.  Or gravestone.  Or death certificate.  This does show that Nathaniel Wallace was alive up to 1834.  After living over 80 years, he left so few clues to his and his wife's identity.  Nothing ties him to his children except for three:  Joseph, Isaac, and Meribah.  By the way, things don't go well for Meribah.  By the 1850 census she's in the poor house in Moultonborough.

So poverty means you leave fewer records and therefore, there's fewer records today to go on.

 

John and Elisha Pike of Rochester, N.H.

In reviewing deeds for the Hayes family, I came across one deed from Strafford County Deeds 41:131.  This deed is between Moses Hayes, Jr. and Joseph Bickford and Benjamin Varney, Jr.  However, deep in the description of the land is this line: "the above land being the share set off to Elisha Pike out of the estate of his father John Pike deceased."  The deed is dated 28 January1802. (and recorded 11 November 1802).

So there's proof that Elisha's father was John Pike.  But how is a Pike descendant to find that information in a deed from a Hayes to a Bickford and Varney?

 

Good Marriage Records but no Bridal Parents

Below is a list of good marriage records, all primary sources, for which the parents of the bride can still not be proven.   I have discussed (railed) about these women many times in many previous posts.  I just find it  odd that they left a perfectly good marriage record and yet no clue as to their parentage.

1. Polly Daniels and Amos Learned, 10 December 1818, Dublin, New Hampsphire.  “Index to births, marriages & deaths registered in Dublin, NH 1760-1990” by Nancy E. Campbell and John W. Harris (Dublin, NH: The Archives 1991), p. 13 and 34.  “’Til Divorce Do Us Part: Marriages and Divorces from Cheshire County, New Hampshire 1776-1899” by Milli S. Knudsen (Heritage Books, 2007), p. 63.
2. Anna Coffin and Moses Hayes, Jr., 3 June 1785, Rochester, New Hampshire.  “The History of the Town of Rochester, New Hampshire 1722-1890” by Franklin McDuffee (2 vols., 1892, reprinted as one volume, Somersworth, NH, 1988), 2:618.  By the preponderance of the evidence her parents appear to be Abner Coffin, Jr. and Keziah Cromwell.
3. Sarah Yeaton and Jonathan Heard 9 May 1782, Rochester, New Hampshire.  “The History of the Town of Rochester, New Hampshire 1722-1890” by Franklin McDuffee (2 vols., 1892, reprinted as one volume, Somersworth, NH, 1988), 2:608.  By the preponderance of the evidence her father appears to be Samuel-3 (John-2) Yeaton.
4. Abigail Cody and Thomas Stack (Jr.) 27 June 1846, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.  Marriages at St. Malachi's, St. John, New Brunswick (Archives of the St. John Diocese).  By the preponderance of the evidence her parents appear to be David Cody and Catherine Daley.  However, the priest didn't record her parents or her birthplace in Ireland.
5. Hannah Holman and Nathaniel Spear, 8 August 1689, Braintree, Massachusetts.  “Records of the Town of Braintree 1640 to 1793” ed. Samuel A. Bates (Randolph, MA, Huxford, 1886), p. 720.
6. Lydia Robertson and Joseph Killen, 13 December 1829, Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada.
7. Elizabeth (---) and Arthur Scoville (III), 10 February 1710/11, Lyme, Connecticut.  Connecticut Vital Records (Lyme, Births, Marriages and Deaths 1667-1852) The Barbour Collection, [Connecticut State Library, 1919], p. 175-6.
8. Rachel (---) and Arthur Scoville (Jr.), 17 September 1690, Lyme, Connecticut.  Connecticut Vital Records (Lyme, Births, Marriages and Deaths 1667-1852) The Barbour Collection, [Connecticut State Library, 1919], p. 175-6.
9. Catherine Marek and Jan Malek, 20 June 1797, Myjava, Slovakia.  “Joanes Malek condam Thomas filius cum honesta virgine Catherine Marek filia ---”  Marriages of Myjava 1783-1805, p. 438, FHL #2408361.
10. Anna Chalupka and Jan Valuch, 29 June 1818, Vrbovce, Slovakia.  Marriages 1816-1822, FHL #2435336-2435337, p. 325.  Possibly the Anna Chalupka baptised 25 December 1797, daughter of Paul Chalupka and Anna Skok.
11. Katharina Migavec and Jan Plesa, 29 January 1788, Vrbovce, Slovakia. 
12. Jean Langlands and Andrew Young, 13 May 1809, Brechin, Scotland.  Register Book Marriages for Brechin (275/5).  Possibly the Jean Langlands baptised on 1 Aug 1784 at Menmuir, Angus, daughter of Robert.
13. Patience Hartford and Isaac Stanton, 7 April 1757, Rochester, New Hampshire.  “The History of the Town of Rochester, New Hampshire 1722-1890” by Franklin McDuffee (2 vols., 1892, reprinted as one volume, Somersworth, NH, 1988), 2:618.
14. Rebecca York and Joseph Wallace, 4 September 1808, Moultonborough, New Hampshire.  By the preponderance of the evidence her parents are Benjamin York and Rebecca Coffin.
15. Mary Chamberlain Wallis and Luther Hale Pinkham, 27 April 1840, New Durham, New Hampshire.  New Hampshire Vital Records.  By the preponderance of the evidence she is the daughter of Joseph Wallace and Rebecca York.

Genealogical Research Utopia

Something a commenter said got me to thinking.  She mentioned that if there were additional Slovak censuses we could track people better.  True.  There's always some sort of record in any given location or given time period that helps researchers and some you wish were much better (or even extant!).  So how would you build your own genealogical utopia?

I would start with Latino names.  That is having both father's and mother's surnames as part of your name.  I would then add in patronymics such as the Dutch or Russians use.  My name would be much more informational if given as Martin Pavlovich Hollick Pinkham de Clark.  

• I would then add a touch of Sweden which started nation-wide vital records in 1750.
• I would add in Great Britain, specifically England and Scotland for all-person censuses that start in 1841.  
• I would add in English parish records that start in 1520 but have them be written by Irish Catholic priests in Latin who included all women with their maiden names.  They even put the maiden names of mothers of both bride and groom on each marriage record.
• There would be a local diarist on duty at all times, such as Master Tate (Somersworth, NH), Samuel Pepys (London), Samuel Sewall (Boston), etc.
• All military records would be based on the U.S. Civil War (Union records) at the National Archives.  
• All handwriting would be standardized and easily read no matter what the time period.
• Everyone would have to leave some sort of probate record no matter how poor they were.

I'm sure there's more that could be added, but you get the idea.  

Follow Friday: Durham, N.H. Death Records 1780-1806

Just when you think you know all you can know about a geographical area, something comes along and surprises you.  Paul Friday has transcribed and published a series of death records which I was unaware of:  Deaths & Burials 1780-1806 Reverend Curtis Coe's Records for Durham, New Hampshire, New Hampshire Genealogical Record 27 (2010):11-26.  These records were part of the Rev. Coe's personal papers and filed in the Coe/Burt Papers in the manuscript holdings of the New Hampshire Historical Society.  No one knew of this resource, not even the editor of the Record, who is an esteemed genealogist (and I think one of the best).

So this is a good example for two things:  (1) If there are no records for town or church, follow the ministers.  Find where their personal papers went.  (2) Historical societies, libraries, genealogical societies, etc. must produce detailed finding aids to their manuscript collections and put them online for search engines to find them.  Who knows what other gems are out there.

Sadly, all my Durham ancestors lived there from 1650 to about 1760.  By 1780 they were in Barrington, Madbury, Rochester, New Durham, and elsewhere.  

State Censuses--An Underused Resource

If you don't own it yet, every genealogist needs to have a copy of Ann S. Lainhart's, State Census Records (Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992).  I believe it has never gone out of print, and rightly so.  It is a directory of all the state census records in the United States, where they are (originals), and what information they contain.  I've had great success using the Massachusetts State Censuses of 1855 and 1865 as well as the Kansas State Censuses, which also ran on the "5" year from 1855 to 1925.  These important genealogical resources may contain additional information not found on the federal censuses, and as you see from the above, you can track a family every five years, rather than every ten.  Not to mention the 1885 and 1895 censuses help the hole created by the lack of an 1890 federal census.  Not all states have state censuses and not all state censuses survive.

As we move in to the digital age more and more, this is a resource I eagerly await being digitized and, more importantly, indexed.  With very few exceptions, these states censuses are not indexed and you always needed to slog through them town by town.  This is why they were seldom used.  However, the Kansas censuses have appeared on Ancestry.com and hopefully more will follow.  The most important state censuses that need to be indexed, in my opinion, are the New York state censuses.  I feel many brick walls will tumble if people can find their ancestors in the 1845 census (which is still head of household, but has birthplace), and the 1855, 1865, and 1875 which are all-name censuses.

As proof of the power of these sources, I direct you to Randy Seaver's Geneamusings blog.  A little while ago, he found his wife's ancestress in the 1852 California census, which is online at Ancestry.com.  This added enough information for him to knock down a brick wall, and get this family back from California to Australia to England.  There he has gone back another two generations, and I would think that after 24 hours at the Family History Library, he could solidify that research and go back even further.  It has been great fun reading the progress of his research and I have been living vicariously dreaming of  such a breakthrough for myself.  This post has a good summary of the posts, but there are many more.  It was all made possible by a state census.

Why Do These Records Exist?

This is a great post.  We all wonder why it is so hard to do genealogy.  It's because the building blocks for genealogical research are for other purposes.

New Durham Free Will Baptist Church Records

Family History Library Film #0987957, items 1 to 4 are the Free Will Baptist Church Records of New Durham, N.H. from 1780 to 1900.  They are an odd bunch of records.  Most genealogical records get better and more complete the more recent they become.  Not these.  The best records are from 1780 to 1820.  After 1820 they peter out almost completely.  The actual records are 10-20 pages of church meeting records and suddenly three pages of marriages.  Then more church meeting records and then three pages of deaths.  And so on, and so forth.  Completely random.  I wish the coverage of 1780 to 1820 were complete, but even that isn't.  However, the vast majority of records fall between those two dates.  After that there are two membership lists from the 1870s and 1890s upon which lines are drawn through members' names with the notation, died and date.

It was easy to find Benjamin York's marriage however:

 

There are some wonderful extras in this record: "Nov. 23^d this day Benjamin York of Middleton was married to  Rebekah Daughter of Abner Coffin of Rochester."  The name of the father of the bride and the places of residences are quite special.  I knew this record existed.  However, a few lines below it I found another marriage for ancestors I didn't expect to see:

[1782] Nov^r y^e 24^th this Day Ebenezer Runnals of New durham was married to Elizebath Daughter of Isaac Stanton of Midelton.

This was quite a discovery for me.  I knew this couple got married, but not that early.  I noted Ebenezer's death record in the New Durham Vital Records and based on that record and the 1850 U.S. census Ebenezer was born ca. 1765 and hence married at age 17, which is a bit young.  More likely he was born about 1762-3 and his age at death was underreported.  His parents lived to be 85 and 93 respectively and his great-grandfather also lived into his 90s.  [I've often wondered if longevity could be an added bit of evidence in making a preponderance of the evidence argument.]  In any case, the marriage record above clearly shows that Elizabeth Stanton married Ebenezer Runnels.  

Again, the "true" purpose of my looking at these records was to see death records post 1865, but there were none.