A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy
the genealogy & family research site of Kris Hocker
The next installment in the Unidentified Pennsylvanians series features a photo of a young woman. She may have lived in the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania area and may have been either a friend of or related to either the Greulich, Wieder, Waage, Snyder, or Witmer families. The photo was likely taken in the early 20th century.
For more photos visit the Unidentified People photo gallery.
Happy birthday, George Hocker! George was born 21 Jan 1794 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, a son of Johan Adam and Anna Maria (Hershey) Hocker Jr. He died 6 Nov 1873 in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He was my 4x great grandfather.
The next installment in the Unidentified Pennsylvanians series features a photo of a young woman. She may have lived in the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania area and may have been either a friend of or related to either the Greulich, Wieder, Waage, Snyder, or Witmer families. The photo was likely taken in the early 20th century.
For more photos visit the Unidentified People photo gallery.
Happy birthday, Levi Hocker. Levi was born 17 Jan 1824 in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, son of George and Maria Magdalena (Landis) Hocker. He died 31 Oct 1876 and was buried at Churchville Cemetery.
So, for a twist on the Matrilineal Monday blogging meme, I thought I’d post my matrilineal lines back to the earliest female ancestors.
Mary Catherine Waage Wieder as a girl
Mildred “Mims” Esther Wieder, daughter of Edwin J. Wieder and Mary Catherine Waage, was born 23 Dec 1912 in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania1 and died 30 Jun 2002 in Lansdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.2 She married Russell Roy Greulich on 12 Jun 1937 in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.3 She was a physical education teacher at the time of her marriage and worked for years at a bank in Landsdale before retiring. She had three children—two sons and a daughter (my Mom).
Mary Catherine “Mae” Waage, daughter of Dr. Charles Theodore Waage and Lydia S. Eshbach, was born 27 Oct 1877 in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania4 and was baptized on 29 Nov 1877 by Rev. Frederick Waage, her grandfather.5 She died 28 Nov 1970 in Quakertown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.6 Mae was married to Edwin J. Wieder on 19 Apr 1905 in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania by her uncles Rev. Jacob Kehm and Rev. Oswin F. Waage.7 Mae and Edwin had three daughters—Gertrude Glenna (1907—1963), Mildred Esther (1912—2002), and Helen Doris (1917—2011).
Lydia S. Eshbach, daughter of Henry M. Eschbach and Catharine Lydia Bobb, was born 3 Oct 1845 in Albertis, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania and died 7 May 1910 in Pennsburg, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.8 She married on 29 Aug 1876 Dr. Charles T. Waage.9 Lydia and Charles had one child that I know about—Mary Catharine Waage (1877—1970).
The information I’ve found regarding Catherine Lydia Bobb is not well-documented in my Reunion file. Please consider it unproven supposition and take it with a grain of salt.
Catherine Lydia Bobb, daughter of Daniel Bobb Jr. and Anna Herb, was born 5 Nov 1805 in Hereford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She died 16 Mar 1859. About 1836, she married Henry M. Eshbach, most likely in Bucks or Lehigh County. In 1850, they were living in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania where Henry was an innkeeper.10 To the best of my knowledge, Catherine and Henry had children: Amanda (1838—?) married Rev. Jacob Kehm, Anna Maria (1841—?), Reihel (1843—?), Lydia S. (1845—1910), Rufus (1847—aft 1870), and Elias (1852—?).
Nora Malinda Houdeshell, daughter of George W. Houdeshell and Lovina Caroline Force, was born 25 Oct 1891 in Wooster, Cameron County, Pennsylvania and died 11 May 1965 in Pine Glen, Burnside Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania.11 She married Clyde L. Hoover 16 Apr 1908 in Dubois, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.12 Nora and Clyde had 12 children.
Lovina Caroline Force, daughter of Jefferson Force and Susan L. Mulhollan, was born 28 Jan 1872 and died 28 Oct 1964 in Pine Glen, Burnside Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania.13 She married 20 Jun 1890 George W. Houdeshell.14 Lovey and George had 12 children: Joseph (1890—1890), Nora Malinda (1891—1965), Wilhelmina (1893—1958), Ida Rachel (1896—1950), Anna Belle (1897—1924), Carrie Edna (1900—1989), Wesley Irvin (1902—1903), Thelma Mae (1904—2001), Millard Franklin (1907—1994), William Arthur (1910—1987), Martha Rebecca (1910—bef 1980), and Georgia Caroline (1914—1989).
Susan L. Mulhollan, daughter of John Mulhollan and Emily Boileau, was born 14 Jul 1841 and died 17 Oct 1917 in Pine Glen, Burnside Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania.15 She married Jefferson Force/Forcy 22 Mar 1857. They had 14 children: Wilhelmina (1857—1921) married Robert A. Askey, Catherine E. (1859—1899) married Albert Gilmore, Hannah (1861—1938) married Johnson Watson, Agnes E. (1863—1934) married John Thomas Fye, Carrie Amanda (1865—1934) married William Henry Meeker, Martin (1868—1945) married Delilah Hamilton, John C. (1870—1890), Lovina Caroline (1872—1964), Mary Alice (1873—1913) married Richard Whiles, Martha Ellen (1875—1934) married Jacob Whiles and Wilson Smeal, Lucy Malinda (1876—1960) married William Emerick and John Kein, George W. (1878—1878), William E. (1883—1883), and Albert M. (1884—1884).
Emily Boileau, supposedly the daughter of Daniel Boileau and Mary Robertson, was born circa 1805 and died 27 Jun 1842, possibly at Milesburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania.16 She married John Mulhollan 21 Aug 1823. The couple had 8 children that I know of: Daniel B. (1822—1907), James E. (1823—?), Roland (1831—?), Harriet (ca 1834—?), Emily Jane (ca 1836—?), Sarah A. (ca 1838—?), Mary Ann (ca 1839—?), and Susan L. (1841—1917). There is a break of 8 years between the birth of James E. and Roland; it’s possible that there were more children.
And that’s as far as I can go in these matrilineal lines. For some reason, I thought I’d taken all my lines further back than this, but apparently I still have a bit of work to do. Maybe I should add researching my matrilineal lines to my genealogy goals for 2012.
What have you found for your matrilineal lines?
In my recent travels around the web, reading genealogy blogs, I’ve seen a number of articles about whether or not blog writers should cite their sources. There have been numerous thoughtful, articulate posts written for both sides of the subject. Michael Hait’s blog Planting the Seeds even has a list of blog posts from around the geneaweb on the subject. Now, I’m not going to take a stance on what blog writers must do. Instead, I’ll just tell you why I’ve decided to use source citations.
If you’ve poked around my site at all, it’s pretty obvious that I believe in citing my sources—perhaps to the point of overkill. I won’t pretend that my citations are perfect; I’m pretty sure they’re not. However, they are sufficient to serve my purposes for including them in the first place which are:
1. To let readers know that there is a source.
That may seem like a no brainer, but when I’m searching for information online I will pass on by anything I find that doesn’t include a source. Same with any information where the only source is another FTM or GEDCOM file. If there’s no source, how can you verify the research? How can you determine the accuracy or validity of conflicting information?
I was able to correct a mistake regarding my ancestor George Hoover’s father because I not only verified the sources, but through a re-examination of the sources found a misinterpretation of the information. This led to the identification of two George Hoovers and I was able to determine which was my presumed ancestor.
2. To document where the information came from.
Since the raison d’etre for my site is to share my research and help other researchers, it’s important that I know where the information I’m sharing came from. It not only helps me keep track, but it means that other genealogists can duplicate my research and evaluate it based on their own findings and form their own opinions of its validity.
3. To make sure that it all makes sense.
When I write up a research post, it generally takes me several hours. Why? Because as I take the information from my database and turn into a narrative, I examine every fact, determine where it came from, and whether it makes sense amongst all the other information. Often, I’m pulling up and re-examining documents and sources to double-check the information. While my database allows me to collect information, a blog post requires that I pull those facts together into a logical sequence.
I’ve been able to think through a problem and reach a fairly well justified conclusion during this process for things that I either hadn’t thought through or had taken for granted previously.
3. To produce a quality post.
For me, writing these posts is the equivalent of writing a research report. They may not be up to the standard of a professional journal (and I may be the only person who ever reads them), but I want them to be the best example of what I know—at that particular moment—that I can produce. Later when I revisit the research or add new information, I want to be able to see what I’ve found, what conclusions I reached, and how I reached them. To my mind, that requires source citations.
That said, I don’t believe that every blog post out there should use source citations. Some posts just don’t need ’em. It depends on your audience and your purpose for blogging in the first place.
I use a nifty plug-in called FD Footnotes. It works with self-hosted WordPress blogs. It allows me to insert footnotes simply by adding the citation directly in my text like this:
1
The plug-in will automatically add the footnote reference in the text and link it to the full citation added at the end of the page.
This installment in my “Unidentified Pennsylvanians” series features a photo of a young woman. She may have lived in the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania area and may have been either a friend of or related to either the Greulich, Wieder, Waage, Snyder, or Witmer families. The photo was likely taken in the early 20th century.
For more photos visit the Unidentified People photo gallery.
Happy birthday, Georg Philipp Greulich. Georg was born 9 Jan 1784 and died 12 May 1855 in Haag, Mosbach, Germany. He is my 3x great grandfather through my maternal grandfather’s patrilineal line.
Having written about how to use the online land records at the Pennsylvania State Archives, it’s only fair that I provide examples of what each document entails.
Jacob Hoober’s land patent
This is a transcription of the John Jacob Hoober’s patent for 210 acres situate on the southside of Pequea Creek in present-day Providence Township. Jacob Hoober received a warrant for the tract 24 Jan 1733. It was surveyed to him on 28 Jan 1733.
[150]
“John Penn Thomas Penn and
Richard Penn Esqr true and absolute Proprietaries
and Governours in chief of the Province of Pennsylvania &
the Counties of New Castle Kent and Sussex on DelawareTo all whom these Presents shall come send Greeting
Whereas in and by a Warrant from the late Commissioners
of Property under the lesser Seal of our said Province bearing
Date the twenty second Day of November int he year of our
Lord 1717 the Quantity of five thousand acres of Land was
granted to be surveyed in several Tracts on Conestogoe and
Pequea Creeks in the County now called Lancaster unto
Martin Kundigg and hans heer both of the County adoresd.
in pursuance of which said warrant there was surveyed and
laid out on the twenty fourth Day of January in the year of
our Lord 1733 unto the said Martin Kundigg and hans heer
a certain Tract of Land situate on Pequea Creek aforesd
in the said County of Lancaster Beginning at an Ash Tree
on the southside of Pequea Creek near to Samuel Boyers
Land thence by a line of marked Trees south one hundred
sixteen perches to a Chestnut Tree thence East ninety eight
perches to a black Oak thence East North East one hundred
perches to a hickory thence North twenty four Degrees
West thirty seven perches to a hickory thence by Land of
Jacob Good North by West one hundred eighty eight
perches to a Chestnut Tree thence South by West ninety
six Perches to a Post by the said Creek thence down by
the same on several course one hundred & twenty seven
perches to the place of Beginning containing two
hundred and Ten acres and the allowance of six acres[151]
in each hundred for Roads and highways as in and by the Survey
thereof remaining in our Surveyor General’s Office and from thence
certified into our Secretary’s Office may appear And Whereas the sd
Martin Kundigg and hans heer by a certain Deed or Instrument
in Writing bearing Date the twenty fourth Day of March in the
Year of our Lord 1734/5 for the consideration therein mentioned did
bargain and sell all their Right Title and Interest of and in the
said two hundred and Ten acres of Land and Premisses with the
appurtenances unto Jacob Hoober als John Jacob Hoober of the
said County of Lancaster his heirs and assignes Now at the Instance
and Request of the said John Jacob Hoober that we would be
pleased to grant him a confirmation of the said two hundred
and ten acres of Land according to the Situation of Lines and Bounds
aforesaid Know ye that in consideration of the sum of twenty one
pounds lawful Money of Pennsylvania to our Use now paid by
the said John Jacob Hoober the Receipt whereof we hereby
acknowledge and thereof do acquit and forever discharge the said
John Jacob Hoober his heirs and assignes by these presents
and also for the yearly Quitrent herein after mentioned and
reserved We have given granted released and confirmed and
by this Presents for Us our heirs and succession Do give
grant & release and confirm unto the said John Jacob Hoober
and his heirs the said two hundred and Ten acres of Land as the
same is now set forth bounded and limited as aforesaid with all
mines minerals Quarries Meadows Marshes Savannahs
Swamps Criples Woods Underwoods Tree and Trees Ways
Waters Water Courses Liberties Profits Commodities Advanta
ges hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the
said two hundred and Ten acres of Land belonging or in any
wise appertaining and lying within the Bounds and Lines
aforesaid / [?] full and clear fifth Parts of all royal Mines
free from all Deduction and Reprisals for digging and
refining the same only excepted and hereby reserved and
also free leave Right and Liberty to and for the said John
Jacob Hoober his heirs and assignes to hawk hunt fish
and fowl in and upon the hereby granted Land and Premises
or upon any Part thereof To have and to hold the said
two hundred Ten acres of Land and Premises hereby
granted / Except before excepted / with the appurtenences
unto the said John Jacob Hoober his heirs and assignes
To the only Use and Behoof of the said John Jacob Hoober
his heirs and assignes forever To be holden of us our
heirs and successors Proprietaries of Pennsylvania as
of our Manner of Conestoga in the County of Lancaster
aforesaid in free and common Soccage [sic] by Fielty [sic] only in
Liew [sic] of all other Services Yielding and paying
therefore yearly to us our heirs and Successors at the Town of
Lancaster after upon the first Day of March in every year[152]
from the first Day of march last past One English
Silver Shilling for each hundred acres of the same and in
proportion for the Ten acres or value thereof in Coin
current according as the Exchange shall then be between
our said Province and the City of London to such Person
or Persons as shall from Time to Time be appointed
to receive the same and in case of non payment thereof
within ninety Days next after the same shall become
due that then it shall and may be lawful for us our
heirs and successors our and their Receiver or
Receivers into and upon the hereby granted Land and
Premises to reenter and the same to hold & possess
until the said Quitrent and all Arrears thereof together
with the charges accruing by means of such none
payment and Reentry aforesaid be fully paid and
discharged In Witness whereof the said Thomas
Penn by virtue of the Power Authorities to him
granted by the said John and Richard Penn and of his
own right hath caused the Great Seal of the said Province
to be hereunto affixed at Philadelphia this twenty
second Day of October in the Year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred & thirty six the Tenth Year
of the Reign of King George the second over great
Britain [?] and the nineteenth year of our GovernmentTho Penn (seal)
Recorded ye 4th March 1736/7 1
After a warrant is issued, the Surveyor General directed one of their surveyors to make and return a survey of the requested tract. Jacob Hoober’s warrant was issued 24 Jan 1733. On 28 Jan 1733 a survey was made of 210 acres in present-day Providence Township, then part of Martic Township, adjoining the property of Samuel Boyer and Jacob Good.
Here is an image of the survey1:
Jacob Hoober 1733 survey
You can see this survey and many more at the Pennsylvania State Archives website.