Thursday, December 25, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
52 Ancestors - John William Landers - Greenbacker
Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.
Me - My Mom - Ruby Alberta Belknap - Bessie Beatrice Landers - James Robert Landers - John William Landers
My third great grandfather John William Landers probably had a great impact on his granddaughter, Bessie Landers and her brother, Fred and sister, Ruby. In the 1900 census, John and his wife Mary have their three grandchildren living with them on a farm in Mercer County, Illinois. John is stated as being 70 and Mary as 67. They have had eight children of their own, four of them alive in 1900. John is listed as a farmer and his grandson, Fred, is listed as a farm laborer. He owns the farm, but it's mortgaged. The children's father James R. Landers is living in a house in Aledo, Mercer, Illinois with his 2nd wife and their four children.
To find out a little more about John W. Landers, there is a little biography in the book "The History of Mercer County" published in 1882.
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| John W. Landers |
I wasn't sure what a greenbacker was. But after I read a couple of websites, I learned that it was a political party active between 1874 and 1889. It was named after the green currency used during the civil war. The party had some modern views about income tax, eight hour work days, and women rights to vote. Not sure what it means that he was religiously a liberal.
John W. Landers and Mary Humbert's marriage can be found on the website FamilySearch. On March 21, 1853 they were issued a marriage license in Fountain County, Indiana. They were married three days later on March 24 by Thomas Lyons J.P. They were married for 56 years.
John died in Abingdon, Mercer, Illinois on April 22, 1909. He's buried in the Keithsburg Greenmound Cemetery in Keithsburg, Mercer, Illinois. His wife Mary lives till 1924 and buried beside him.
More about the Landers family:
52 Ancestors - Bessie Beatrice Landers (Belknap) his granddaughter
Sources:
Monday, December 1, 2014
52 Ancestors - Andrew Danskine Aitken - Not Forgotten
Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her. I've not posted for a while and I'm quite far behind. I was going to post this last month. But I figure even if I can post a few more stories it's better than nothing.
While searching for information on Danskine family members, I came across some information on Andrew Danskine Aitken. He happens to be my 1st cousin twice removed. He would have been my great grandmother's (Elizabeth Danskine) nephew. Andrew was born in Airdire, Lanarkshire, Scotland on July 15, 1882 to Elizabeth's sister, Janet and Janet's husband,(John Aitken). He may have been named after his uncle Andrew Danskine who was a grocer and spirit merchant. Andrew never got to meet the uncle he was named after, as Andrew the grocer died at the age of 27 years old in 1875. Andrew grew up in a family of boys. He had two older step brothers William and James Danskine, an older brother John, and two younger brothers (Robert and Thomas Russell). Andrew was a young man of 25 when his aunt, Elizabeth and her family immigrated to Canada in 1907.
The sad part of discovering Andrew was that he was one of the fallen soldiers of World War I. He was killed in action on August 4th, 1916 in Egypt and is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website as buried in the Kantara War Memoial Cemetery. He was a Second Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers, Lowland Field Company. Andrew, also, has a memorial at the New Monkland Cemetery in Airdrie, Scotland.
Andrew was not only a solider, but he was an architect and teacher.
ANDREW DANSKINE AITKEN
A.R.I.B.A.
Second Lient. L.D.R.E
Killed in Action in Egypt
4th August 1916 Aged 34 Years
There is a biography and a photo of Andrew on the Dictionary of Scottish Architects website.
More on the Danskine family:
Sunday's Obituary - James Danskin his great grandfather
Source:
Airdrie, Lanark, Statutory Births 1855-2013, birth of Andrew Danskine Aitken; digital image, ScotlandsPeople (http://scotlandspeople.gov.uk/: 12 November 2014); 651/01 0317.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
52 Ancestors - John William Smith - Dorest Carpenter & Joiner
Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.
Me - My Dad - Dorothy Eleanor Warry - Edith Elinore Smith - John William Smith
My 2nd great grandfather John William Smith was born June 17, 1841 and baptized July 18 at St. Peters church in Parkstone, Dorset, England. He was the only son of William Smith and Sara Hoare. John William was named after his grandfathers, they both happened to be John and his father William. His daughter Edith (my great grandmother) named her youngest son John William.
He grew up in a multi generational home in Parkstone, Dorset. According to census records John, his sisters (Sarah, Louisa, and Ann), and his parents resided with his maternal grandparents (John Hoare and Jane Cookman). His paternal grandparents (John Smith and Diana Payton) had both passed away before he was born.
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When John was 24 years old he married Sarah Everton Wakeman on October 1, 1865 at the St. Peters church. John and Sarah raised their four boys and three girls in Parkstone.
John lived to the old age of 89, dying in Parkstone, Dorset. He survived his wife Sarah by 16 years. According to the England & Wales, National Probate Calendar on p. 406 (on Ancestry website) John William Smith died April 9, 1931. He was living at 31 Cromwell-road in Upper Parkstone, Dorset. Probate in Blandford July 16 to his sons, Horace Gordon Smith, a bricklayer and Sydney Hastings Smith, a florist. The effects were 728£ , 13s, 1d.
"England and Wales Census, 1851," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/SG2J-44P : accessed 14 Oct 2014), John W Smith, England; citing "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," index and images, findmypast.co.uk (www.findmypast.co.uk : Brightsolid, n.d.); PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
"England and Wales Census, 1861," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M7LW-S1R : accessed 14 Oct 2014), John W Smith, Parkstone, Poole, Dorsetshire, England; citing "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," index and images, findmypast.co.uk (www.findmypast.co.uk : Brightsolid, n.d.); PRO RG 9, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
"England and Wales Census, 1871," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V5RM-N8K : accessed 14 Oct 2014), John William Smith, Constitution Hill, Kinson, Dorsetshire, England; citing "1871 England, Scotland and Wales census," index and images, findmypast.co.uk (www.findmypast.co.uk : Brightsolid, n.d.); PRO RG 10, folio 65, p. 13; Poole registration district, Canford subdistrict, ED 4, household 55, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 830893.
"England and Wales Census, 1881," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X3K1-D94 : accessed 14 Oct 2014), John Smith, Kinson, Dorsetshire, England; citing "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," index and images, findmypast.co.uk (www.findmypast.co.uk : Brightsolid, n.d.); PRO RG 11/, p. , The National Archives of the UK, Public Record Office, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm .
"England and Wales Census, 1901," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XS49-ZTH : accessed 14 Oct 2014), John William Smith, Branksome, Dorsetshire, England; citing "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," index and images, findmypast.co.uk (www.findmypast.co.uk : Brightsolid, n.d.); PRO RG 13, county, registration district, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
"England and Wales Census, 1911," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X7KL-R7L : accessed 14 Oct 2014), John William Smith, Poole, Upper Parkstone Dorset, Dorsetshire, England; citing "1911 England and Wales census," index and images, findmypast.co.uk (www.findmypast.co.uk : Brightsolid, n.d.); PRO RG 14, county, registration district, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Sunday's Obituary - Lettis Ellen Knox (Littrell)
Another huge thank you to my cousin Jo for finding and sharing this obituary for my third great grandmother.
Mrs. Littis Ellen Littrell, eldest
daughter of George and Clarissa Knox
was born in the town of Joy, Maine,
April 14, 1830, emigrating with her
parents to Illinois in 1842 at the age
of 12 years, making the entire trip in
a wagon. She was the oldest of a
family of six children, a brother and a
sister surviving her. In 1849 she was
united in marriage to John H. Littrell
of Dubuque, Iowa. To this union
were born eight children, two dying
in infancy and one daughter who
died in 1888. Those living to mourn
her loss are Mrs. Lucinda Hersom of
Fonda, Iowa, Charles Littrell of Kan-
sas City, Kansas, William H. Littrell
of Nebraska, Mrs. Sadie Highfield of
Oakville, Iowa, and Harry L. Littrell
of Keithsburg, besides twenty-one
grandchildren, thirty-five great grand-
children, five great great grandchild-
ren and host of warm friends. She
was a kind and devoted mother and
grandmother. In her early years she
united with the United Brethren
church, remaining a steadfast member
until about ten years ago when she
placed her membership with the
Christian church of which she was a
member at the time of her death,
which occurred at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. Sadie Highfield of Oak-
ville, Iowa, Nov. 17, 1916. She was
86 years, 8 months and 2 days old
and was one of the oldest pioneers of
Mercer county. She came here when
the country was a wilderness and the
Indians were numerous and lived to
see Mercer county one of the foremost
counties in the state. The funeral
services were held in this city Sun-
day, Nov. 19th. Rev. Shepherd of the
Methodist church, assisted by Even-
gelist, Conn, officiated at the services.
Burial took place in Greenmound cem-
etery.
Mrs. Littis Ellen Littrell, eldest daughter of George and Clarissa Knox
was born in the town of Joy, Maine,
April 14, 1830, emigrating with her
parents to Illinois in 1842 at the age
of 12 years, making the entire trip in
a wagon. She was the oldest of a
family of six children, a brother and a
sister surviving her. In 1849 she was
united in marriage to John H. Littrell
of Dubuque, Iowa. To this union
were born eight children, two dying
in infancy and one daughter who
died in 1888. Those living to mourn
her loss are Mrs. Lucinda Hersom of
Fonda, Iowa, Charles Littrell of Kan-
sas City, Kansas, William H. Littrell
of Nebraska, Mrs. Sadie Highfield of
Oakville, Iowa, and Harry L. Littrell
of Keithsburg, besides twenty-one
grandchildren, thirty-five great grand-
children, five great great grandchild-
ren and host of warm friends. She
was a kind and devoted mother and
grandmother. In her early years she
united with the United Brethren
church, remaining a steadfast member
until about ten years ago when she
placed her membership with the
Christian church of which she was a
member at the time of her death,
which occurred at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. Sadie Highfield of Oak-
ville, Iowa, Nov. 17, 1916. She was
86 years, 8 months and 2 days old
and was one of the oldest pioneers of
Mercer county. She came here when
the country was a wilderness and the
Indians were numerous and lived to
see Mercer county one of the foremost
counties in the state. The funeral
services were held in this city Sun-
day, Nov. 19th. Rev. Shepherd of the
Methodist church, assisted by Even-
gelist, Conn, officiated at the services.
Burial took place in Greenmound cem-
etery.
The Times Record
Aledo, IL
Vol XXXIII, #23,
23 November 1916, Part 2, p. 12
"Keithsburg Happenings"
Aledo, IL
Vol XXXIII, #23,
23 November 1916, Part 2, p. 12
"Keithsburg Happenings"
More about the Littrell family:
Fearless Females - Mini Profile Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Wordless Wednesday - Family Tree
Earlier this year I created a large family tree on our dining room wall with photos of Robert's and mine relatives. It was a fun project and all of those photos can be enjoyed.
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| Paterson & Foster Tree |
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Wordless Wednesday - Rock Lake
I posted a photo in 2013 that had Finnish on the back. I had a cousin comment with a translation. Thanks. Here is another photo in my collection with Finnish.
Friday's Faces from the Past - California 1949
52 Ancestors – Matti Mattinpoika Haukijärvi – Finnish great grandfather
Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.
Me – My Mom – Fridjof Makie – Carolina Waara - Sakris Honkawaara – Matti Mattinpoika Haukijärvi
Here is another one of my Finnish ancestors. I’m having difficultly figuring out if I should just use the patronymic names, include the farm names or the name that was recorded in the records in my genealogy database. For now I have decided to have the surname as the last name they went by with other names recorded as suffixes. I’ve tried to record the names in Finnish although the records are in Swedish. Since my ancestors probably were known by their Finnish names. My Finnish side of my family has required me to think differently about names and records and learn a little Swedish and Finnish. What I’m really enjoying are the church records. They are quite addicting. It’s like solving a great puzzle. Between the Finland's Family History Association and Genealogical Society of Finland website, you can discover ancestors going way back.
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| Oulu Coat of Arms |
Matti was born July 28, 1808 on the Heickilä farm in the village of Puhos in the parish of Pudasjärv , Oulu, Finland to Matti Mattinpoika Riecki and Elsa Pekkantytär Timonen. Following the Rippikirjat books, Matti's family lived on the Heickilä farm from 1799 to 1822. Then the Heickilä farm seems to remain empty till 1854. He is then found at the Haukijärvi farm from 1823 to 1838, with his wife, Elsa Maria Erikintytär Ruokangas who he married on March 17, 1830. Also on the Haukijärvi farm are Matti's parents, Matti and Elsa and his sister Christina and her husband, Henric Johonpoika Wäisänen with their children. Four of Matti's children are born here including my 2nd great grandfather, Sakari in 1837. The other children born at Haukijärvi farm are: Matti, Elsa, and Erkki.
Matti and his family is found in the Rippikirjat books from 1839 to 1845 under Torpare och backstugusittare (crofters and cottager) with three more children, Juho, Anna Lisa and Maria Magdeline. Then from 1846 to 1853 he is found under Backstuguhjon m. fl i Jurmu läslag (not sure of the translation) with another child Erkki (the first Erkki having died).
Matti and his family are back at the Heickilä farm from 1854 to 1880. Maybe longer as 1880 is the last year of the Rippikirjat books for Pudasjärvi online at Finland's Family History Association.
More on Matti family:
52 Ancestors - Sakris Honkawaara (his son)
Sources :
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