When I did the blog on the "Strained Relationship" I had approximate birth dates for Elizabeth and Gilbert Jones based mainly on Census Data. I have since acquired digital copies of their burial records, thanks to the Muncie Public Library (IN). Those burial records give the date of death as well as age at death in y/m/d so, based on that info I will now provide the most precise dates of birth for these two people. BTW--still haven't ascertained how Elizabeth (Varner) Jones fits in the Varner family puzzle yet, but I haven't given up.
Elizabeth (Varner) Jones died 12/13/1874 at 79y 9m 22d which makes her date of birth 2/21/1795.
Gilbert A. Jones died 10/21/1883 at 95y 4m 20d which makes his date of birth 6/1/1788. (Calculations made using the Tombstone Calculator at http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/birthday.html)
Monday, August 1, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
A bit of advertising
The Athens County Historical Society printed the preceding blog in the Summer 2011 newsletter "The Bulletin." Just thought I'd mention it.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
A Strained Relationship--Gilbert A. and Elizabeth (Varner) Jones
Actually I am unable to discover the connection of Elizabeth Varner with any of the Varners in our family. So, why am I even posting this? I think I may be part bloodhound. A woman, initials are FHJ, who has been researching her family for years found out about my interest in the Varners of Athens County in the Athens County Historical Society newsletter and emailed me to see if I could add anything to her knowledge. After a brief period of emails flying back and forth, I decided to dig a little deeper into this couple's history. Here is a synopsis of what I discovered:
Gilbert was born in NY state abt 1786 (1850 Federal Census, Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN)
Elizabeth was born in PA abt 1792 (1850 Federal Census, Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN)
They were married 7/14/1814 (FHJ stated that this information was in Gilbert's War of 1812 pension application. The application also states that they were married in Athens Co, OH but no known marriage records of Athens Co back up this assertion)
Gilbert leased 80.6 acres in Athens Twp, Athens Co, OH from Ohio University from 12/4/1815 to 8/31/1816 (Athens Co Recorders Office, Records of Deeds, Book 10, page 509)
Gilbert and Elizabeth were farming in Concord Twp, Ross Co, OH at the time of the 1820 Federal Census and had 2 sons and 1 daughter under the age of 10.
Although I have not found Census Data to verify their residence in 1830, FHJ put me onto the scent of the First Presbyterian Church Records which are archived in Alden Library on the Ohio University Campus in Athens, OH. I discovered the following facts concerning this family from early Athens First Presbyterian Church Session Records:
1. 9/14/1829 Gilbert A. Jones subscribed to "purchase" a pew to support the salary of the minister.
2. 5/23/1830, 4 of Gilbert A. Jones children were baptized: Mary Margarett, Jacob Lindly, Morris and William Wallace. The record specifies that their baptism was an "infant baptism."
3. 4/17/1831 Lewis Jones was baptized as an infant (The 1850 Athens (Town of), Athens Co, OH Census shows that Lewis was 19 and living with his mother, which verifies that the Lewis that was baptized in 1831 was their son, although the baptismal record itself does not list the parents of the child)
4. 10/4/1831 Gilbert A. and Elizabeth Jones are listed on the List of Members
5. 8/22/1832 "Mr.Gilbert A. Jones met with the Session by request on account of his having absented himself from the common and special ordinances of the Gospel--and after some time spent in conversation which appeared to have a salutary effect the subject was postponed for the present. . . ."
6. 1/26/1833 Gilbert A. Jones is on a list of men who voted in a meeting held for the purpose of electing two men to serve as ruling elders.
At the time of the 1840 Federal Census, they were residing in the town of Athens. At that time, only the head of the household's name was listed but the sex and relative age of all the members of that household were included. Thus, I ascertained that they had 5 boys between the ages of 5 and 30 years and 2 girls between the ages of 5 and 20 living at home. By comparing this census and that which I discovered in the Session Records with the 1850 Federal Census (which lists the names of all residents of a household) it appears that the oldest boy listed in this 1840 census may have been hired help rather than one of their children.
At the time of the 1850 census, they were residing in Athens Twp, Athens Co, OH. Their sons, Jacob and Morris are listed separately, but living in the two residences immediately following their parents' listing in the census. The following is the pertinent information given for these three listings:
House 350--Gilbert A. Jones, age 59, farmer, real estate valued at $1300, born in NY; Elizabeth Jones, age 56, born in PA; Lewis Jones, age 19, farmer, born in OH, attended school within the year; Harriet L. Jones, age 17, born in OH
House 351--Jacob L. Jones, age 26, farmer, real estate valued at $600, born in OH; Nancy E. Jones, age 24, born in VA; Hannah N. Jones, age 4, born in OH
House 352--Morris Jones, age 23, born in OH; Mary Jones, age 24, born in OH; Francis E. Jones, female, age 8 months, born in OH
At the time of the 1860 census, Elizabeth Jones was living with her son Jacob and his family in the town of Athens. Gilbert is conspicuously absent. They are listed as follows:
Jacob Jones, age 35, merchant, value of real estate $1200, value of personal estate $2400, born in OH; Nancy E. Jones, age 36, born in OH; Hannah Jones, age 13, born in OH; Herbert Jones, age 5, born in OH; Elizabeth Jones, age 66, born in OH [place of birth is incorrect, as it is listed as PA in every other instance]. Also in the household was Jane Graham, age 21, domestic, born in OH; William Jewell, age 38, shoemaker, born in NJ. (FHJ discovered a Gilbert A. Jones, age 72, born in NY, laborer, residing in the home of D. Tyler and Polly J. Smith in Castile, Wyoming Co, NY at the time of the 1860 census. This could be "our" Gilbert A. Jones, but it should be noted that there is a 2 year age discrepancy and no known relationship between "our" Gilbert and the Smiths.
Interestingly, in the 1870 Census, Gilbert A. and Elizabeth Jones appear in Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN, in the residence immediately following that of their son Morris. Their listing appears as follows:
House 115--Morris Jones, age 43, Dry Goods Merchant, Value of Real Estate $5300, Value of Personal Estate $1600, born in OH; Ada Jones, age 45, keeping house, born in OH; Sarah Jones, 19, born in OH, idiotic; Harriet Jones, 18, born in OH; George W. Jones, 6, born in OH; Charles Jones, 4, born in OH [It appears that this is a wife and four children of a second marriage as the 1850 Census 20 years earlier had his wife as Mary and only child as Francis E.]
House 116--Gilbert Jones, age 84, farmer, value of personal estate $200, born NY; Elizabeth Jones, age 78, keeping house, born in PA
Elizabeth Varner Jones died in 1874 and is buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, Delaware Co, IN. (Find A Grave Memorial# 52042551, Findagrave.com which lists her birth as 1796, PA and death as 1874, Delaware Co, IN)
Gilbert Jones died in Indiana 10/21/1883 and is buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, Delaware Co, IN (Find A Grave Memorial# 29056354, Findagrave.com which also adds the following information: "Born, 1792 in New York. . . Soldier in the War of 1812 in Capt. Ledyard's Company,12th Reg. 4th Brigade at Schenectady, N.Y. Honoorably discharged Sackett's Harbor, N.Y. Feb. 1813." There is also a photo of his War of 1812 Memorial in Beech Grove Cemetery)
Morris Jones and family appear in the Muncie, Delaware Co, IN Census of 1880 (details not included here)
Morris died 8/15/1881 in Kansas, and is buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, Delaware Co, IN (Find A Grave Memorial# 29056394, Findagrave.com adds "Morris Jones, born 1827 in Ohio", and has a photo of his grave which gives his age at his death as "54 years, 7 months and 15 days" which would make his birth right at 1/1/1827)
Of interest to me is that Elizabeth (Varner) Jones spent her last days in Washington Twp, Delaware Co IN during the same period of time that one of the daughters of our Samuel Varner, Rebecca (Varner) Gandy also lived in the same township with her daughter Hortensia and her family, the William W. Dunlaps. (1880 Census)
In summary, while the connection between Elizabeth Varner Jones and our kindred is not clear, it is intriguing that both families followed basically the same migration route from PA to Athens Co, OH and finally migrate to the same township during the same period of time in Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN. Perhaps the next blog will deal with Rebecca (Varner) Gandy and thus get back to those we know to be our own kinfolk.
Gilbert was born in NY state abt 1786 (1850 Federal Census, Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN)
Elizabeth was born in PA abt 1792 (1850 Federal Census, Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN)
They were married 7/14/1814 (FHJ stated that this information was in Gilbert's War of 1812 pension application. The application also states that they were married in Athens Co, OH but no known marriage records of Athens Co back up this assertion)
Gilbert leased 80.6 acres in Athens Twp, Athens Co, OH from Ohio University from 12/4/1815 to 8/31/1816 (Athens Co Recorders Office, Records of Deeds, Book 10, page 509)
Gilbert and Elizabeth were farming in Concord Twp, Ross Co, OH at the time of the 1820 Federal Census and had 2 sons and 1 daughter under the age of 10.
Although I have not found Census Data to verify their residence in 1830, FHJ put me onto the scent of the First Presbyterian Church Records which are archived in Alden Library on the Ohio University Campus in Athens, OH. I discovered the following facts concerning this family from early Athens First Presbyterian Church Session Records:
1. 9/14/1829 Gilbert A. Jones subscribed to "purchase" a pew to support the salary of the minister.
2. 5/23/1830, 4 of Gilbert A. Jones children were baptized: Mary Margarett, Jacob Lindly, Morris and William Wallace. The record specifies that their baptism was an "infant baptism."
3. 4/17/1831 Lewis Jones was baptized as an infant (The 1850 Athens (Town of), Athens Co, OH Census shows that Lewis was 19 and living with his mother, which verifies that the Lewis that was baptized in 1831 was their son, although the baptismal record itself does not list the parents of the child)
4. 10/4/1831 Gilbert A. and Elizabeth Jones are listed on the List of Members
5. 8/22/1832 "Mr.Gilbert A. Jones met with the Session by request on account of his having absented himself from the common and special ordinances of the Gospel--and after some time spent in conversation which appeared to have a salutary effect the subject was postponed for the present. . . ."
6. 1/26/1833 Gilbert A. Jones is on a list of men who voted in a meeting held for the purpose of electing two men to serve as ruling elders.
At the time of the 1840 Federal Census, they were residing in the town of Athens. At that time, only the head of the household's name was listed but the sex and relative age of all the members of that household were included. Thus, I ascertained that they had 5 boys between the ages of 5 and 30 years and 2 girls between the ages of 5 and 20 living at home. By comparing this census and that which I discovered in the Session Records with the 1850 Federal Census (which lists the names of all residents of a household) it appears that the oldest boy listed in this 1840 census may have been hired help rather than one of their children.
At the time of the 1850 census, they were residing in Athens Twp, Athens Co, OH. Their sons, Jacob and Morris are listed separately, but living in the two residences immediately following their parents' listing in the census. The following is the pertinent information given for these three listings:
House 350--Gilbert A. Jones, age 59, farmer, real estate valued at $1300, born in NY; Elizabeth Jones, age 56, born in PA; Lewis Jones, age 19, farmer, born in OH, attended school within the year; Harriet L. Jones, age 17, born in OH
House 351--Jacob L. Jones, age 26, farmer, real estate valued at $600, born in OH; Nancy E. Jones, age 24, born in VA; Hannah N. Jones, age 4, born in OH
House 352--Morris Jones, age 23, born in OH; Mary Jones, age 24, born in OH; Francis E. Jones, female, age 8 months, born in OH
At the time of the 1860 census, Elizabeth Jones was living with her son Jacob and his family in the town of Athens. Gilbert is conspicuously absent. They are listed as follows:
Jacob Jones, age 35, merchant, value of real estate $1200, value of personal estate $2400, born in OH; Nancy E. Jones, age 36, born in OH; Hannah Jones, age 13, born in OH; Herbert Jones, age 5, born in OH; Elizabeth Jones, age 66, born in OH [place of birth is incorrect, as it is listed as PA in every other instance]. Also in the household was Jane Graham, age 21, domestic, born in OH; William Jewell, age 38, shoemaker, born in NJ. (FHJ discovered a Gilbert A. Jones, age 72, born in NY, laborer, residing in the home of D. Tyler and Polly J. Smith in Castile, Wyoming Co, NY at the time of the 1860 census. This could be "our" Gilbert A. Jones, but it should be noted that there is a 2 year age discrepancy and no known relationship between "our" Gilbert and the Smiths.
Interestingly, in the 1870 Census, Gilbert A. and Elizabeth Jones appear in Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN, in the residence immediately following that of their son Morris. Their listing appears as follows:
House 115--Morris Jones, age 43, Dry Goods Merchant, Value of Real Estate $5300, Value of Personal Estate $1600, born in OH; Ada Jones, age 45, keeping house, born in OH; Sarah Jones, 19, born in OH, idiotic; Harriet Jones, 18, born in OH; George W. Jones, 6, born in OH; Charles Jones, 4, born in OH [It appears that this is a wife and four children of a second marriage as the 1850 Census 20 years earlier had his wife as Mary and only child as Francis E.]
House 116--Gilbert Jones, age 84, farmer, value of personal estate $200, born NY; Elizabeth Jones, age 78, keeping house, born in PA
Elizabeth Varner Jones died in 1874 and is buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, Delaware Co, IN. (Find A Grave Memorial# 52042551, Findagrave.com which lists her birth as 1796, PA and death as 1874, Delaware Co, IN)
Gilbert Jones died in Indiana 10/21/1883 and is buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, Delaware Co, IN (Find A Grave Memorial# 29056354, Findagrave.com which also adds the following information: "Born, 1792 in New York. . . Soldier in the War of 1812 in Capt. Ledyard's Company,12th Reg. 4th Brigade at Schenectady, N.Y. Honoorably discharged Sackett's Harbor, N.Y. Feb. 1813." There is also a photo of his War of 1812 Memorial in Beech Grove Cemetery)
Morris Jones and family appear in the Muncie, Delaware Co, IN Census of 1880 (details not included here)
Morris died 8/15/1881 in Kansas, and is buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, Delaware Co, IN (Find A Grave Memorial# 29056394, Findagrave.com adds "Morris Jones, born 1827 in Ohio", and has a photo of his grave which gives his age at his death as "54 years, 7 months and 15 days" which would make his birth right at 1/1/1827)
Of interest to me is that Elizabeth (Varner) Jones spent her last days in Washington Twp, Delaware Co IN during the same period of time that one of the daughters of our Samuel Varner, Rebecca (Varner) Gandy also lived in the same township with her daughter Hortensia and her family, the William W. Dunlaps. (1880 Census)
In summary, while the connection between Elizabeth Varner Jones and our kindred is not clear, it is intriguing that both families followed basically the same migration route from PA to Athens Co, OH and finally migrate to the same township during the same period of time in Washington Twp, Delaware Co, IN. Perhaps the next blog will deal with Rebecca (Varner) Gandy and thus get back to those we know to be our own kinfolk.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
About the will that is posted on my homepage--Varner
This is a portion of the last will and testament of Samuel Varner (1770-1840). This particular Samuel Varner is the father of Benjamin F. Varner who is the father of Hiram H. Varner, who is the father of Lillian Gertrude Varner who married Edward Wentz. They were the parents of my paternal grandmother. I believe this will is now housed at the Ohio Historical Society archives in Columbus but when I viewed it, it was at a University Library. It was falling to pieces but I was able to scan it in order to transcribe it. The transcription follows:
To all whom it may concern, be it known that I Samuel Varner of the County of Athens and State of Ohio, being sane in mind but feeble in health, and knowing that life is at all times uncertain do in the name of God Amen, make and publish this my last will and Testament in manner and form as follows (to wit) First I wish all my just debts and funeral expenses paid, then all my personal property and debts that are due me that may remain I wish retained on the farm subject to the control and management of my Executor in the same manner that I myself have done to sell, buy etc. and the proceeds to be applied to the common support of my family that may remain at home on the farm and for the special support & maintenance of my minor children and to pay the expense of their instruction in the branches of a common school education. Second the Farm on which I now live and all the real estate of which I may die seized or possessed I wish to remain under the control, management and direction of my Executor to be by him or his direction cultivated and the procedes applied to the best advantages in the common support of my family that may remain at home on the farm and for the support and instruction of my minor children as above mention, and for the comfortable support and maintenance of my beloved wife Margaret, and when my youngest child shall come of age I then wish an equal division made of all the personal property that is then remaining or that may have accumulated after defraying expences as above mentioned among all my children, shahre [share] and share alike and all my real estate I then wish sold to the best advantage after setting apart to the widow to my wife Margaret her legal thirds and the procedes, after paying my sons Jackson and George one hundred dollars each, I then wish divided among all my children shahr [share] and share alike.
I have some time since given to my daughters Mary and Susan a bead and Beading* each which I do not wish them charged with in the division above mentioned. I furthur give and bequeath to my son Hiram Varner and to my daughter Margatt [Margaret] each a good Bead and Beading*. lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint Hiram Varner (my son) Executor of this my last will and testament. I do also authorize him and empower him, if at any time it becomes necessary to carry into effect this my will, to sell, at private sale or in such manner and upon such terms of credit or otherwise any he may think proper, all or any part of my personal property, but for no other purpose, and to make acknowledge and deliver a deed in fee simple to the purchaser or purchasers when it becomes necessary to sell my real estate under the provisions of this my last will and testament.
I hereby revoke all former wills by me made. In testamony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the 7th day of April 1839
Signed and acknowledged by said
Samuel Varner, as his last will and Samuel Varner {Seal}
Testament in our presences; and signed
by us in his presence,
David Jones
Isaac White
* Probably should read “beds and bedding”
Notes: the property referred to is located in Vinton County Ohio, about 2 miles east of McArthur. The wife he refers to is Margaret Lake, his second wife. The children mentioned by name were Jackson, George, Mary, Susan, Hiram and Margaret. Hiram, who was named executor was the sixth of seven children from his first marriage (Susannah Uhl). [Andrew] Jackson, George [Washington], Mary, Susan[nah], and Margaret were from his second marriage (Margaret Lake).
I will post more on Samuel Varner and his immediate family in future posts.
Some initial comments
Thought I'd try sharing some of the genealogical research that I have done on my family. This first post is a trial run. I will not post info on family members nearer than my grandparents and probably not even them. So rest assured that you will not appear here.
This blog covers my paternal side--the Roediger side. There are Wentzes, Varners, Weifenbachs, Eichenauers and many others. I will try to be clear about how the focal person of a blog fits in.
If you wish to become a contributor to this blog, your contributions are welcome. Just let me know that you are interested.
This blog covers my paternal side--the Roediger side. There are Wentzes, Varners, Weifenbachs, Eichenauers and many others. I will try to be clear about how the focal person of a blog fits in.
If you wish to become a contributor to this blog, your contributions are welcome. Just let me know that you are interested.
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