Tag: 52 Ancestors

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a writing challenge thought up by Amy Johnson Crow at No Story Too Small. Here are my contributions.

Say What? Census Husband Swapping

Kris Hocker on 29 Jan 2018

Peter and Nancy (Weltmer) Hocker were married 29 March 1828 at Bindangle Church in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County. They ultimately settled in Upper Paxton Township and raised a family of nine children. Two of their sons—Peter Jr. And Martin—eventually left Pennsylvania, staying for a time in Wayne County, Ohio, before finally settling in Polk County, Missouri.

On 26 March 1854, Peter Jr. married Emeline Bogner in Dauphin County. 1 They had three children there before heading west. In June 1860, the family was living in Wooster Township, Wayne County.2

1860 Peter Hocker census record

1860 Peter Hocker census record

Martin Hocker married Julianna Best in Wayne County, Ohio on 20 December 1860.3 Like his brother, he was living in Wooster Township in 1860.4 Right next door to the Best family.5

1860 Martin Hocker census record

1860 Martin Hocker & Julia Best census record

By June 1870, after a brief stop back in Pennsylvania, both families were living in Greene Township, Polk County, Missouri.6 However, a funny thing happened during the census enumeration.

1870 Peter & Martin Hocker census record

1870 Peter & Martin Hocker census record

Did you catch it? The census enumerator put the wrong man as head of each household. If you ignore the given names of each, the facts are correct—age, wife’s name, children, etc.—but the brother’s names were attributed to the wrong household.

The 1880 census enumeration has each of the brothers attributed to the correct household. Martin7 and Peter8 were both living in Jefferson Township, Polk County, and were enumerated one household apart.

1880 Martin Hocker census record

1880 Martin Hocker census record

1880 Peter Hocker census record

1880 Peter Hocker census record

This sort of error is why we don’t rely on any one record to “prove” a fact, but instead locate, examine and assess as many records as we can for an individual over the course of their lifetime. Any one record may, in fact, be incorrect (or partially incorrect). When taken within context of the document record those errors can be easier to see.

Martin Hocker and Julianna Best had children:

  1. Henry D. Hocker was born 6 October 1862, Wayne County, Ohio and died 22 August 1922 in Bolivar, Polk County, Missouri. He married Jane L. Morris, Rosa A. Harris, and Lizzie Harris Lemmon.
  2. John Martin Hocker born September 1867 in Pennsylvania and died in California between 1916 and 1920. He married Mary Ella Russell 14 August 1898 in Polk County, Missouri.

Peter Hocker and Emeline Bogner had children:

  1. Sarah “Sadie” Matilda Hocker was born March 1855 and died between 1900-1910 in Bolivar. She married William Henry Shipley 5 February 1891 in Polk County, Missouri.
  2. Martin August Hocker was born 2 May 1856 and died 11 February 1902 in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri. He married Mrs. Emma (__) Haguewood 15 July 1883 in Bolivar.
  3. Elizabeth Leona Hocker was born 6 September 1859 and died 10 November 1888. She married William Moses Vest on 11 May 1876.
  4. Steven Earnest Hocker was born 25 December 1861 and died 8 October 1962 in Los Angeles, California. He married Laura Belle Jump 12 October 1891.
  5. Clara Jane “Chad” Hocker was born 10 August 1867 and died 8 December 1932 in Chelsea, Oklahoma. She married Reuben Charles Goff 24 September 1885 in Nevada, Missouri.
  6. Emma Margaret Hocker was born 28 September 1868 in Huron, Missouri and died 11 July 1930 in Bolivar. She married James Thomas Henson 27 April 1886.
  7. Martha Nancy Hocker was born 9 June 1871 and died 6 April 1956 in Batesville, Arkansas. She married Frank Meachum (or Mitchum).
  8. Mary Catherine Hocker was born 25 June 1873 and died 12 August 1917. She married Samuel H. Wilson 19 August 1894.
  9. Lewis Peter Hocker was born 22 February 1876 and died 14 January 1917. He married Chloe Grace Tateum on 4 September 1897.
  10. Lily Ann Hocker was born 18 September 1878 and died 17 November 1899 in Bolivar.

Henry Landis Jr. (1764-1824) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 16 May 2017

One of the most common difficulties in researching your family is the common, repetitive use of given names in families. This can not only make it difficult to correctly identify men of the same name and generation, but also to distinguish between father and son.

I’ve run into that situation in my Landis family. Molly Landis was the daughter of Henry Landis and Catharine Baum. According to my Reunion file, Henry was the son of Henry Landis Sr. and Catharine Baum.

At best this would be unusual. It strikes me as suspicious for two reasons: one, I have absolutely no idea where I got this information. None at all. And, two, I’ve repeatedly seen information for Henry Landis Sr. and Henry Landis Jr. conflated into one person.

Henry Landis Jr. was born 10 May 1764 in Lancaster County.1 He died 27 March 1824 in Swatara Township, Dauphin County.2 He wrote his last will and testament on 23 October 1823 and added a codicil on 1 March 1824.3 It was recorded on 14 April 1824. In it he mentions his children, but no wife, meaning she predeceased him. His children included: Jacob, Barbara wife of John Walter, Molly wife of George Hocker, Henry, John, Elizabeth, Adam, Samuel, Sarah Ann, and Joseph. According to Henry’s 1824 codicil, Sarah Ann and Joseph were to be supported out of the funds from the estate until they reach the age of 15 years-old.4

Prior to his death, Henry had stated in a 29 June 1821 Orphan’s Court record that his wife Catharine, a daughter of Barbara Baum of Lancaster County, died before her mother, leaving several children under the age of 14.5 He asked to be appointed as their guardian. They were Henry, John, Adam, Samuel, and Elizabeth.

On 26 April 1785, Henry Landis of Derry Township wrote his last will and testament, naming his wife Anna, and his sons Felix and Henry, and brother John.6 On 4 October 1791, John Kaufman and Abraham Derr were appointed guardians for Elizabeth, Ann, and Jacob Landis, “children of Henry Landis deceased during their minority’s the said children being severally under the age of fourteen years.”7 Henry’s son John Landis, being over 14 years, chose John Kaufman as his guardian.8

His widow Anna wrote her last will and testament on 25 September 1807 and it was proven on 30 March 1818.9 She named her husband Henry Landis and children Elizabeth Reesor, Anne, Christopher (aka Stophel), Peter, and John.

There are several facts that I can deduce from these documents.

  1. Molly’s father Henry Landis died in 1824.
  2. Molly’s mother Catharine Baum died before 1821.
  3. Henry Landis Jr. had children who were born after Catharine Baum died—Sarah Ann and Joseph.10
  4. Henry Landis Jr.’s second wife died before 23 October 1823 as she is not mentioned in his will.
  5. Henry’s father Henry Landis died in 1785.
  6. Henry Sr. was married to Anna when he died.
  7. Henry Sr.’s two eldest sons were Henry and Felix.
  8. Anna named her children as being: Elizabeth, Anne, Christopher, Peter, and John.
  9. Henry Sr.’s youngest children—minors when he died—were John, Elizabeth, Anne and Jacob.

Based on these documents it is not possible to determine if Henry Jr.’s mother could have been a woman named Catharine Baum. Anna did not name Felix or Henry in her will, so they could have been born to an unknown first wife. They were the only living children not named in Anna’s will.

I have not found documentation to show that Henry Sr. had a wife prior to Anna. I have not found a marriage record and/or date for his marriage to Anna that would show whether or not she married him prior to Felix or Henry Jr.’s births. At this point I have no way of knowing whether or not Anna was Henry Jr.’s mother.

Can DNA Help?

Could my AncestryDNA matches shed some light on this question?

I have several matches to known children of Henry Landis Sr. and Anna Poorman (aka Böhrman). Presumably, this could be through DNA that we’ve inherited from Henry. Or it could be DNA inherited from Anna, since I also have a number of matches with no known recent common ancestor, whose ancestral surnames include Poorman. Or it could be from both of them. Triangulation of the segments with Landis or Poorman matches from outside this specific family would be the only way to determine where the matching DNA came from.

I also have a match who is descended from Johann Georg Böhrman. Anna (Poorman) Landis was George’s granddaughter. The match is through one of Anna’s uncles. Assuming that Henry Jr. is the son of Anna, that would make us seventh cousins twice removed.

However, just when I started to get excited, I saw that Ancestry predicts our possible relationship to be fourth-to-sixth cousins. We share 24.3 centimorgans of DNA on two segments. That’s about three times the average amount for seventh cousins. Furthermore, our shared matches do not include any of the other Henry Landis Sr. descendants. So, most likely our shared DNA is not from the Böhrman/Poorman line.11

Conclusions

I’m inclined to believe that I made an error in entering Catharine Baum as Henry Jr.’s mother. Outside of Anna’s will, I’ve found no reason to believe that Henry Sr. had more than one wife in the documentary record. There is no break in the children’s birth years that would indicate a death and remarriage. Anna’s birth in 1745 would make her only 15 years-old in 1760 when Felix was reportedly born, but  either of those dates could be incorrect.

So, based on these assumptions (until proven otherwise), I have the following:

Henry and Anna (Poorman) Landis had the following children:

  1. Felix Landis (1760–bef 30 Apr 1810), married Christina (___)
  2. Henry Landis (10 May 1764–27 Mar 1824), married Catharina Baum:
    1. Barbara Landis (1796–ca 1824) married John Walter (1792–1854)
    2. Jacob F. Landis (1797–1863) married Hanna Emma Fishburn (1798-1838)
    3. Mary Magdalena “Molly” Landis (1800–1825) married George Hocker (1794–1873)
    4. Rev. Henry Landis (1804–1875) married Christina Hocker (1808–1865)
    5. John B. Landis (1805–1857)
    6. Elizabeth Landis (1807–aft Mar 1824)
    7. Adam Landis (1808–aft 1821)
    8. Samuel Landis (20 May 1810–aft 1821)

    Henry Landis married Unknown:

    1. Sarah Ann Landis (1812–?)
    2. Joseph Landis (ca 1809-1814–?)
  3. Anna Landis (30 Jun 1767–8 Jul 1767)
  4. Christopher Landis (27 Aug 1770–13 Jul 1830)
  5. Peter Landis (ca 1773–?) married Eva Lauman
  6. John B. Landis (7 Aug 1775–bef Sep 1829) married Elizabeth Rutt (bef 1785–1823-29)
  7. Anna B. Landis (aft 4 Oct 1777-23 May 1818) married John Reesor
  8. Elizabeth Landis (1778-1846) married Christian Reesor
  9. Jacob B. Landis (9 Apr 1781-3 Feb 1806)
Note: Please take this information with a grain of salt and verify it through your own research. I can’t identify all its sources. It is very much still a work-in-progress!

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my sixteenth 52 Ancestors post.

Mary Magdalena “Molly” (Landis) Hocker 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 6 May 2017

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

Mary Magdalena Landis was born 4 February 1800 in Londonderry Township to Henry Landis Jr. and his wife Catharine Baum. She grew in Derry Township, most likely on land her father purchased from Adam Hocker in 1803.1 She had three sisters: Barbara, Elizabeth, and Sarah, and six brothers: Jacob, Henry,2 John, Adam, Samuel, and Joseph.

On 2 March 1819, Molly married George Hocker, son of Adam Hocker, in Zion Lutheran Church in Harrisburg.3 They most likely lived on Adam Hocker’s property in Swatara Township—as that’s the property that George received per his father’s probate. They had two children: Isemiah, born 9 May 1821,4 and Levi, born 17 January 1824.5 A little over a year after Levi’s birth, Molly died on 22 February 1825.6

I’ve often wondered how George managed after her death. He was a 31-year-old widower with two young children, aged one and four, and a farm to operate. He remarried in 1835, but for ten years he remained a widower. Did he love her? Miss her? How did he manage?

I think that answer to that is family. Both George and his younger brother Adam received the Swatara property from the probate. It’s possible that their mother Mary came to live with them and manage their household. Brothers John and Jacob, who were already married and had started their families, were living on the Derry Township property. Brother Benjamin was sixteen and may have already been apprenticing for his future as a merchant. George was the most in need of his mother’s assistance.

George and Adam shared the Swatara property through the mid-to-late 1830s when Adam sold his share to George and moved to Cumberland County. In the meantime, Adam had married Mary Hoover and started his own family. Molly’s children grew up surrounded by George’s family—grandmother, uncle, and cousins.

George and Mary Magdalena (Landis) Hocker had children:

  1. Isemiah Hocker (9 May 1821–7 Dec 1882) married Henry Wagner
  2. Levi Hocker (17 Jan 1824–31 Oct 1876) married Anna Frantz

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my fifteenth 52 Ancestors post.

John Witmer (1811-1885) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 2 May 2017

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

John Witmer was born 15 January 1811 in eastern Pennsylvania and died 21 May 1885 in Milford Township, Bucks County.1 About 1832, he married Rachel Jones, daughter of Henry Jones and presumably Martha Bartleson. She was born 5 March 1809 in Hilltown Township, Bucks County and died on 10 September 1897.2 Both John and Rachel were buried in the old section of the cemetery at Christ Church in Trumbauersville.

John appears on tax records for Milford Township from 1837 through 1853 on Ancestry and census records from 1840 through 1880.

1880 John Witmer census

1880 John Witmer census

In 1880, John and Rachel were residing next door to their son Eli J. Witmer and his family in Milford Township.3 John was a 69-year-old farmer and Rachel, aged 71, was keeping house.

1870 John Witmer census

1870 John Witmer census

Their children Susanna, Abel, Eli, and Catharine, aged 14 through 27, were still living at home with John and Rachel in 1870.4 John’s occupation was listed as “Super Wiser.” Daughter Susanna was working as a “taylor,” Abel was attending school, Eli was a farm laborer, and Catharine was a domestic servant.

1860 John Witmer census

1860 John Witmer census

In 1860, John and Rachel were living in Milford next door to a Jacob and Susanna “Witemer,” quite likely John’s parents.5 Jacob was 73-years-old and Susanna was 71. John and Rachel’s children John, Milton, Eli, Catharine and William were all living in their household. John was a farmer, while Jacob was a retired farmer.

1850 John Witemer census

1850 John Witemer census

John was working as a “huckster” or peddler in 1850.6 His household included: wife Rachel, children Edward, Henry, William, Mary Ann, Susan, John, Able, Milton, and 70-year-old Henry Jones, Rachel’s father.

1840 John Witmer census

1840 John Witmer census

In 1840, John can be found living near his brothers-in-law Levi Jones and Lewis Jones.7 John’s household included: two males under 5 [Henry and William], one male 5-10 [Edward], one male 15-20 [?], one male 20-30 [John], and one female 20-30 [Rachel]. Henry Jones was likely the 50-60 year-old man in Lewis Jones’ household.

John Witmer and Rachel Jones had the following children:

  1. Edward Jones Witmer (1833-1912), married Lydia Amanda Kline
  2. Henry Witmer (1835-1907), married Caroline Keller
  3. William Jones Witmer (1839-1919), married Elizabeth Hinkel
  4. Mary Ann Witmer (1840-1880)
  5. Susan Witmer (1843-1931)
  6. John Jones Witmer (1844-1909), married Lavinia Nicholas
  7. Abel Jones Witmer (1846-1915), married Sabina Schreiber, Hattie Glassmeyer
  8. Milton Jones Witmer (c1848-1910), married Sarah Pedrick
  9. Eli Jones Witmer (1850-1930), married Caroline Harwick
  10. Catherine Witmer (c1856-?), married Leidy Benner

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my fourteenth 52 Ancestors post, and a make-up post for week thirteen.

William Bonnington (c1816-1885) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 27 Mar 2017

William Bonnington, my four times great grandfather, was born about 1816 most likely in Bowden, Roxburghshire, Scotland.1 He was the son of Robert and Agnes (Inglis) Bonnington.2 He died 11 June 1885 in his brother’s house in Bowden.3

About 1838, he married Margaret Purves4 (or Fairborn).5 She was born about 1821 and died between 1844 and 1847. William married for the second time on 9 July 1847 in Melrose, Scotland to Mary Reavely.6 She was born about 1825 in Galashiels, Selkirkshire, daughter of Mark and Margareth (Paterson) Reavely, and died 21 April 1855 in Newington and Grange, Edinburgh.7 After her death, William married for the third time to Elizabeth Thomson on 16 June 1857 in St. Boswell’s Parish, Roxburghshire.8 Elizabeth was born about 1803, daughter of James and Janet (Goodfellow) Thomson, and died 15 November 1880 in the district of Bathgate.9

William worked as a joiner, a carpenter, and apparently moved with his work. In 1841, he can be found in the census for Galashiels, Selkirkshire.10 By 1851, he and family were in Ladhope, Melrose, Roxburghshire.11 Ten years later, the family was in Colinton, Edinburgh, Midlothian.12 He and third wife Elizabeth, as well as his daughter Isabella, were in Ilkley, Yorkshire, England in 1871.13 By 1881, William was living alone with a domestic in Bathgate, Linlithgow.14

William and Margaret (Purves) Bonnington had children:

  1. Anne Bonnington was born 5 May 1839 in Galashiels and likely died before 1851.
  2. Robert Bonnington was born 30 May 1841 in Galashiels and may have died prior to 1851.
  3. Peter Purvis Bonnington was born about 1844 and died 16 September 1891 of Phthisis Pulmonalis, a.k.a. Tuberculosis, in Lasswade Parish, Edinburgh. He married Elizabeth Buchanan on 17 June 1864 in Colinton.

William and Mary (Reavely) Bonnington had children:

  1. Margaret Bonnington was born about 1849 in Galashiels and died of Typhoid Fever on 23 December 1883 in Selkirk, Selkirkshire. She was a lady’s maid.
  2. Agnes Bonnington was born about 1850 in Galashiels and died sometime before 1855.
  3. Isabella Bonnington was born 16 February 1855 in Edinburgh, Midlothian. She was living with her father and step-mother in Ilkley in 1871, but no more is known about her after that time.

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my thirteenth 52 Ancestors post, and a make-up post for week twelve.

James Smith (c1812-1856) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 25 Mar 2017

James Smith, my three times great grandfather, was born about 1812 in Whitburn, Linlithgow, Scotland1 to Thomas and Agnes (Nimmo) Smith and died on 8 February 1856 at age 44 in Whitburn.2 He was an “engineer,” a.k.a. engine worker, who worked in the coal mines.

On 25 December 1840, he married Isabella Aitken, daughter of William Aitken and Marion Brown of Lanark, Scotland.3 Isabella was born 27 February 1816 in Carnwath4 and died 1 December 1856 in Whitburn.5 Both she and James were buried in the Whitburn church yard.

On Sunday, 6 June 1841, the couple was living with Isabella’s parents at Auchengray in Carnwath parish.6 William and his son John were wrights, son-in-law George Tweedie a laborer, and son-in-law William Smith an ironstone miner.

By 30 March 1851, James and Isabella and their children were living at Crossroads in the parish of Whitburn in Linlithgow.7 They had apparently moved there by 1844 as all their childrens’ birthplaces are listed as Whitburn.

1856 was a terrible year for Thomas, Marion and William Smith, James and Isabella’s three children. After the death of their parents in February and December, they likely went to live with James’ brother and sister: William and Margaret. Marion died 11 May 18578 of hydrocephalus, likely acquired hydrocephalus caused by an injury, infection or tumor. Thomas and William can be found in Uncle William’s household in Whitburn in 1861.9

Thomas remained in Fauldhouse until his death in 1909. William became a ship’s engineer and travelled abroad, eventually marrying in Edinburgh and emigrating to the United States. He filed an intention to become a naturalized American citizen on 20 September 1886 in Berks County and became a citizen on 12 January 1893 at Harrisburg.10

James and Isabella (Aitken) Smith had children:

  1.  Thomas Smith was born circa 1844 and 9 May 1909, Fauldhouse, Greenburn, Whitburn parish. He married married Jane Bryce.
  2. Marion Smith was born circa 1846 and died 11 May 1857, Greenburn, Whitburn parish.
  3. William Smith (25 Sep 1851—23 Feb 1905, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), married Eliza Craig Bennington, 12 December 1882, Uphill parish, Linlithgow

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my twelfth 52 Ancestors post, and a make-up post for week eleven.

Jefferson Force (1833-1910) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 20 Mar 2017

My 3x great grandfather Jefferson Force’s ancestry remains a mystery. He was born 9 December 1833 in Centre County, Pennsylvania and died 20 October 1910 in Pine Glen.1 He married Susan L. Mulhollan, daughter of John and Emily (Boileau) Mulhollan, on 22 March 1857.2 His obituary reads:

“Died at his home in Pine Glen on Thursday, October 20th, Jefferson Force, a well known and respected citizen of that place, aged 76 years, 10 months and 11 days. During the Civil War, he was drafted in 1864 and received an honorable discharge in 1865. He was married to Susan Mulholland in 1857, with whom he spent a long and happy life. Mr Force was a charter member of Messiah Church, of that place and always remained steadfast to the church of his choice and served its teachings. He leaves a large circle of friends to mourn his loss. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. E.A. Meredith.”3

He enlisted in the Civil War on 20 December 1864 and mustered out 17 July 1865 at Alexandria, Virginia. He served in Company E of the 45th Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers, 1st Brigade, 1st Division.4 During this period the regiment was involved in the advance on Richmond, Virginia, the Battle of Cold Harbor, the siege of Petersburg, the Battle of Chaffin’s farm, and the Appomattox campaign.5 Jefferson apparently was not wounded during the war, or at least not enough to impact his health.6

After the war, Jefferson lived and worked in Pine Glen, Centre County, Pennsylvania, as a house plasterer and farmer.7 Between 1857 and 1884, Jefferson and Susan had 14 children, five of whom died before 1900—nine daughters and five sons.

It’s been suggested to me that Jefferson was the son of Isaac and Polly (___) Force, who both died in the 1840s based on a Bible owned by Mrs. Agnes E. Shope. I have yet to find evidence to prove this supposition. A number of young Force children—including Martin and Agnes—can be found in a variety of non-Force-led households in the 1850 census enumeration for Centre County, indicating that they were most likely orphaned.

Agnes was born 8 April 1839 and may have been Jefferson’s sister. She named two of her sons Jefferson T. Shope and Martin V. Shope—both names of Centre County Force men. Jefferson also named a daughter Agnes E., perhaps after Mrs. Shope. She lived in Milesburg, Centre County and died in 1922. Martin V. Force (12 Dec 1835-28 May 1902) lived in Pine Glen and was Jefferson’s neighbor.

Jefferson and Susan (Mulhollan) Force had the following children:

  1. Wilhelmina Susan Force (29 Oct 1857-5 Nov 1921), married Robert Askey
  2. Catharine E. Force (13 Sep 1859-9 Mar 1899), married Albert Gilmore
  3. Hannah M. Force (1 Sep 1861-1 May 1938), married Johnson Watson
  4. Agnes E. Force (1 Aug 1863-16 Jul 1936), married John Thomas Fye
  5. Carrie Amanda Force (23 Aug 1865-3 May 1932), married William Henry Meeker
  6. Martin Luther Force (6 Feb 1868-23 May 1945), married Delilah N. Hamilton
  7. John C. Force (16 Jan 1870-27 Aug 1890)
  8. Lovina Caroline Force (28 Jan 1872-28 Oct 1964), married George W. Youdeshell
  9. Mary Alice Force (28 Jun 1873-12 Oct 1913), married Richard Whiles
  10. Martha Ellen Force (9 May 1875-10 Aug 1934), married Jacob Whiles, Wilson R. Smeal
  11. Lucy Malinda Force (26 Sep 1876-Mar 1960), married William Emetic, John G. Kein/King
  12. George W. Force (6 Jan 1878-10 Jan 1878)
  13. William E. Force (14 Sep 1883-9 Oct 1883)
  14. Albert M. Force (4 Sep 1884-5 Sep 1884)

Jefferson and Susan are my 3x great grandparents.

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my eleventh 52 Ancestors post, and a make-up post for week ten.

Henry Jones (1776-1854) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 18 Mar 2017

Perhaps not so surprisingly, I’ve fallen behind on my 52 ancestors posts. I’m hoping to catch up. Here’s a short one to start me off.

Henry Jones was born 15 July 1776 in Hilltown Township and died 10 December 1854 in Milford Township, both in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.1 He was buried in Christ Church cemetery in Trumbauersville. He was the son of Edward and Rachel (Lewis) Jones.2

Henry married Martha Bartleson by 1806.3 They lived in Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania where Henry was a farmer and carpenter. Martha died prior to 1 June 1830.

Henry and Martha (Bartleson) Jones had children:

  1. Levi Jones (c1807-bef 1870), married Catharine (Rhoads?)
  2. Rachael Jones (5 Mar 1809-10 Sep 1897), married John Witmer
  3. William Jones (c1811-23 Aug 1899), married Mrs. Hedrick and Catharine “Kate” Hartzell
  4. Mary Ann Jones (c1813-?), married Samuel Gilmore
  5. Lewis Jones (10 Nov 1815-21 Nov 1900), married Lydia Frederick
  6. Eliza Jones (c1817-c1849), married Wilson Davis
  7. Matilda Jones (? 1819-?)
  8. Isaac Bartleson Jones (11 Jan 1820-22 Apr 1892), married Sarah Senderling
  9. Henry Jones (12 Apr 1822-22 May 1893), married Peninah Shive
  10. Abel Jones (1 Feb 1824-27 Aug 1853)
  11. John Jones (c1826-?)
  12. Oliver Bartleson Jones (16 Aug 1829-4 Jan 1858), married Mary Elizabeth Bibighaus

Henry and Martha are my 5 times great grandparents.

52 ancestors in 52 weeks
This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my tenth 52 Ancestors post, and a make-up post for week nine.

Philip Hoover (1802-1882) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 25 Feb 2017

I’ve written extensively about my ancestor Christian Hoover and the search for his family. Now that I’ve got another piece of evidence that his parents were Philip Hoover and Hannah Thomas, I thought I’d write about them.

Philip Hoover was born about 1802, most likely on his father’s property on Plum Creek in Armstrong County.1  He was the third son and fourth child of Christian and Barbara (Harmon) Hoover. He died in May 1882 in Burlingame Township, Osage County, Kansas.2

Philip Hoover land survey

1820 Survey for Plum Creek Township land

About 1820, Philip married Hannah Thomas, daughter of John and Margaretta (Mackin) Thomas. She was born 14 July 1802 in Armstrong County and died 16 August 1880 in Burlingame Township.3  Hannah’s sister Sarah had married Samuel Hoover, Philip’s eldest brother, several years earlier. They lived in Plum Creek Township where Philip was a farmer.

On 21 August 1820, Philip had 73 acres surveyed.4 The survey was returned 28 June 1825. Philip sold this land on 3 February 1826.5 When his father died in 1850, Philip received land from his estate. He sold this land in a series of transactions in January 1876 and April 1877 before he and his wife headed west with his son Jacob and his family. Philip and Hannah both died in Burlingame several years later. Jacob and his family continued moving west, finally settling in Grays Harbor County in Washington by 1889.6

Philip Hoover 1850 census household

Philip Hoover 1850 census household

Based on census records, Philip and Hannah (Thomas) Hoover had children, born in Armstrong County:

  1. Christopher Hoover was born circa 1821 and died 1 October 1887, Covington Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He married Caroline Kinnard, also of Armstrong County. She was born about 1830 and died 11 February 1877 in Covington Township.
  2. Mary Ann Hoover was born 22 Nov 1825. She may have married a Fisher.
  3. John Thomas Hoover was born 4 November 1827.
  4. Margaret Hoover was born 1831. She married Stewart Davis Pitt.
  5. Barbara Hoover was born 1833. She may have married a Gibson.
  6. William Hoover was born 1835.
  7. Jacob Hoover was born 8 February 1846 and died 14 September 1909 in Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, Washington. He married Julia Ann Rupert in Pennsylvania.
  8. Ralston Hoover was born 1839 and died 13 June 1862 at Baltimore Cross Roads in Virginia as a result of injuries sustained during fighting in battle during the Civil War.
  9. Sarah Hoover was born 1842 and died 1917. She married Henry Blystone on 28 March 1860.
  10. Samuel M. Hoover was born 1845.

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my ninth 52 Ancestors post, part of week eight.

Godfrey Wißler 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 18 Feb 2017

This week’s ancestor is Godfrey Wißler. He is my five times great grandfather on my mother’s side. I’ve written about him before, posting his last will and testament last December. It was his farm that Heinrich Schneider purchased and that passed down to his son Joseph Snyder, then grandson Henry Snyder.

Godfrey, son of Jacob Wißler Jr. and his wife Esther(___),1 was born about 1757 and died sometime before 21 October 1829 when his will was proven. He married Eva Catharina Weiß, daughter of Hans Erhardt Weiß and Susanna Huth, at New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church near East Greenville on 22 September 1782.2 Eva was allegedly born 1 April 1759, died 5 January 1798, and buried at New Goshenhoppen.3

However, other records seem to contradict this date of death. Godfrey and Eva were members of New Goshenhoppen and took communion there in the fall of 1808 and 1 April 1815.4 Additionally, two of Godfrey’s daughters, including my four times great grandmother Sarah (Wißler) Snyder, were born after 1798.5

In 1800 through 1820, Godfrey can be found in the census enumerations for Upper Hanover Township. His household included one male aged 26-45, two females less than 10, and one female aged 26-45 in August 1800.6 The 1810 enumeration lists one male aged 45+, two females under 10, one girl aged 10-15, and one female 16-25.7 I’m not sure why his wife Eva was not listed, as she’s included in the communion records in 1808 and 1815. In 1820 the household included one male aged 45+, one female 16-26, two females aged 26-45, and one female 45+.8

The census entries don’t clear up the question of Eva’s death. Nor do the known birth dates of his children. In fact, Eva Catharina might not have been his first wife. New Goshenhoppen burial records list the burial of  “Susana, child of Godf. Wissler, aged 9 years, 2 months” on 25 December 1785.9 Since Godfrey and Eva Catharina married at New Goshenhoppen in 1782, either Susana’s birth predates the marriage or Susana wasn’t Eva’s child and Godfrey was married previously.

I have birth dates for two of Godfrey’s daughters—Catharine, born 15 October 1789,10and Sarah, born 8 August 1799. For two others—Elizabeth and Susanna (the second such named)—I have only estimates based on the order in which Godfrey named his daughters in his will. I presume Elizabeth was the eldest surviving daughter as her children are named as receiving the first portion from Godfrey’s estate. Elizabeth was already deceased. She was likely born sometime between 1782 and 1789. Susanna is named in the will as his youngest daughter, so she was born after 1799, most likely making her the 16-26 year-old in the 1820 census.

Given the number of years between Catharine and Sarah’s births, it’s likely that there were unrecorded children who were born in the interim and died prior to the 1800 census. A break like this between births can also indicate the death of a wife and subsequent remarriage. But in this case, that doesn’t necessarily apply. If Eva died in January 1798 and Sarah was born in August 1799, then Godfrey remarried fairly quickly to another woman also named Eva—sometime between January and December 1798. I have yet to locate a record of a marriage.

Assuming that the records I’ve found are correct and apply to this family, then it appears that Godfrey may have been married three times. He would have had to marry his first wife prior to 1776 (Susana’s estimated birth year) and she would have died prior to September 1782. He next married Eva Catharina Weiss on 22 September 1782 and she died in January 1798. He married another Eva prior to December 1798. She was alive as of 7 August 1820 (census date) and deceased prior to 23 April 1825 when Godfrey wrote his will.

Looks like I’ve got more research to do on this family.

52 ancestors in 52 weeks

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my eighth 52 Ancestors post, part of week seven.