After being alerted to an anomaly in my Y DNA STRs (as compared to my cluster mates and the rest of R1b-Z18, I began to look more closely at DYS463. Here is my original post on that New Eyes on Y DNA. As you would see there the Knowltons and Elmer at SMGF share the value of 23 at DYS463. Most of Z18 has 25 there and it's used as something of a predictor for Z18+ status. So this value of 23 stands out. It's one thing to have it stand out at SMGF, but I think it will be more important to have it displayed at FTDNA where most Y DNA research is going on.
To confirm what I'm seeing at SMGF among Knowltons and Elmers I asked my Elmer match and the lead of the Knowlton Y DNA project to test DYS463 as well. The results for Elmer are in and they are DYS463=23 as expected.
It's nice because it solidifies the link between my SMGF Elmer match and my FTNDA Elmer match. At some point in the future I hope to post the same result for the Knowlton match in Z18 as well. I expect the FTDNA Knowltons to line up with the SMGF Knowltons with DYS463=23 as well.
In the cumberland cluster under Z18 Thomas, Chandler, Grundy, Slaghekke all show 25. I know from the respective projects of Pipkin, Dameron and the Winne tester that they also carry 25 at DYS463.
A posting in the DNA Newbies forum got me thinking about CDYa and b values. In the Cumberland cluster, Knowlton, Elmer and I also carry CDYa/b as 35/37. CDYa and b are fast changing positions and mismatches are to be expected there, but it's interesting to me that the three people who have a 23 at DYS463 also match at CDYa and b.
Right now there is another tester who has 35/37 at CDYa and b, Atkinson. I'd be curious to see what their DYS463 result would be to see if there is some pattern there.
Sorting out the Puzzle Pieces in My Big Messy Family
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Connections to Others in Grant Indiana
I decided to spend some more time looking at the man from Butler PA that I can follow fairly well. John Burgess Hollingsworth. This time I focused on histories. Using three histories of Grant county I was able to figure out that John B. Hollingsworth is John Burgess Hollingsworth, his middle name reflects his mother's maiden name. I have some garbled machine translated text from the histories that I'll post here.
This first one is really interesting because it gives him a birth place outside of Pennsylvania which is unexpected. It also lists the Kelsay family (see set in stone) and gives more information about his life:
JOHN B. HOLLINGSWORTH
Retired monument dealer, was born in Hudson County, Ohio, August 5, 1836. His grandparents were natives of Pittsburgh, as were his parents, William Hollingsworth, born June 5 181 1, and Lucinda, born May 8, 1814. William and Lucinda' Hollingsworth were the parents of six children, namely: Wesley B., John B., Gilmore, Mariah, Isabel and William. In 1856 John B. Hollingsworth came to Fairmount Township with his parents, locating in Fairmount, then a village of about a dozen houses. The father opened the first cabinet shop in the Township, making household furniture of all kinds by hand, and supplying pioneers with coffins for their dead.
This is really neat because it gives information about his parents, saying they are from Pittsburgh. No Mention is made of their time in Butler PA. William Hollingsworth makes coffins, which translates very well into the related profession of tombstone manufacturer that Levi Thompson is in 1870. John B becomes a stonecutter instead of a carpenter.
John B. went to school at White
Hall and also at Summitville. He
started to learn the carpenter trade
with his uncle, William Wellington,
then living at Summitville, remain-'
ing with his relative about one year,
then returning to Fairmount and
working at odd jobs until the spring
of 1861.
On April 23, 1861, he en-
listed in Company K, Eighth Indi-
ana Volunteer Infantry, for the
three months' service, remaining
with this regiment until the com-
mand was mustered out on August 6, 1861. He, with Smith Kelsay and
Isaac Smithson, were the first three Fairmount Township men who at the
outbreak of war responded to President Lincoln's call for troops. October
I, 1861, Hollingsworth enlisted in Company H, Twelfth Indiana Volunteer
Infantry, serving seven months in this regiment. With this command he
was discharged May 18, 1862. On August 10, 1862, he volunteered for the
third time, enlisting in Company H, Eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for
three years, or until the close of the war. The Eighth was mustered out
June 14, 1865. He was with his regiment at the battle of Rich Mountain.
West Virginia, July 12. 1861. During his second enlistment his regiment
was on guard duty, being stationed near Sharpsburg, Maryland, guarding
the Potomac River. During his third enlistment he saw hard service with
the Eighth Indiana Infantry, participating with his command in the battles
of Blackwater. Missouri. Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Jackson, Big Black,
Vicksburg, second battle of Jackson, Hall Town, Oppcquon, New Market.
Cedar Creek and T'isher's Hill. At Cedar Creek, on October 19, 1864. just
before Gen. Phil Sheridan arrived to rally his deinoralized army, Hollings-
worth met Harry Norton, who was then sick. Hollingsworth helped his
comrade along as far as Norton was able to go. The Confederates had at
this point flanked the Union forces and it was a case of every man for him-
self. Norton insisted that Hollingsworth go on and take care of himself,
explaining, after much effort, that he was too sick and too weak, to go far-
ther. Hollingsworth reluctantly left his comrade. The Confederates were
upon them. Hollingsworth wheeled around, fired at his pursuers as he re-
treated, and took to his lucls. making his escape to the Union lines as
bullets were "throwing up dirt all about him." Norton fell into the hands
of the Confederates, and was taken to Libby Prison, where h^ died.
Now I know that William Wellington in Summitville (a township in Van Buren Madison Indiana) is John B Hollingsworth's uncle and is teaching him to be a carpenter before the war. You can also see that Smith Kelsay enters the war with John B Hollingsworth.
In June. 1865, Hollingsworth returned home and for many years successfully
carried on a monument business in Fairmount. - On February 17. 1876, he
was married to Mrs. Hary Hall Hathaway, daughter of William and Han-
nah (Stanfield) Hall, who was born February 11, 1844, in Fairmount Town-
ship. To this union four children were born, namely: Martin L., Morton,
Joseph B. and Sarah L., all deceased except Morton.
And here is the mention of the monument business and stone cutting that I am familiar with. So it seems like John B. Hollingsworth may be the source of Levi's stone cutting after all.
Here is more on William Hollingsworth. Notice the bit about "undertaking goods":
WILLIAM HOLIINGSWORTH, undertaker and cabinetmaker, Fairmount, was
born in Chester County, Penn., June 25, 1811, and is the youngest of a
family of five born to William and Hannah (White) Hollingsworth.
The father was a hatter by trade, and followed that vocation until his
death; he died in 1812, and his wife in 1837. The boyhood of our
subject was very like that of any other Pennsylvania lad of the same
period, and he early in life learned the bitter, but beneficent lesson
of self-dependence, and soon took up the business of life in manly
earnest At the age of eighteen years he began to learn the
cabinet-maker's trade, in Pittsburgh, Penn. After serving his
apprenticeship he worked at his trade in different localities. In 1852
he came to Madison County, Ind., where he opened a furniture shop and
salesroom of his own, which he carried on till 1869. He then moved to
Fairmount, where he conducts an extensive business in all styles of
furniture and undertaking goods. He was married in Pittsburgh, Penn.,
April 25, 1833, to Miss Lucinda Burges, a native of Pennsylvania, bora
October 14, 1814, and died in Fairmount in the year 1881. The
following are the children by this marriage : Wesley B., John B.,
Gilmore, Maria and Isabel. The three sons served in the war of the
Rebellion. Gilmore, the third son, died in Fairmount in 1885. Mr.
Hollingsworth is a member of the United Brethren Church. In politics
he is a Republican.
William Hollingsworth is said to live in Madison County and he's from Chester County PA so this family has been on the move for a few generations.
Now I'm going to post an image from an e-book on Grant county that mentions the Kelsays, and John B along with his stone cutting business. The story is about John Montgomery who worked for John Hollingsworth and the Kelsay brothers who bought John Hollingsworth's business:
Another family name really sticks out to me in this listing. I see there are Brodericks. They're not the exact same Brodericks that Levi Thompson lives with in 1860, but they are a Broderick family from Grant Indiana, just like George Broderick (born in Grant) who lives with Levi.
All of this is just adding some cohesion to what I'm seeing in the census. How did these people come together? Maybe if I keep going I will find out why George Broderick and Levi Thompson name their daughters Frances (and probaby both Rena too). Was it a shared cultural item or a respected person in the community? Did they all attend the same church?
If John B Hollingworth is Levi's friend or employer, why isn't he a witness on Levi's pension file? Did they know each other from Butler PA? Is there something for me to look into in Hudson County Ohio in 1850? Is Pittsburgh a stand in for Butler PA or are the Hollingsworths really from there? Who are the Wellingtons?
Lots of questions that could be pulling me closer to good answers or pulling me further away.
This first one is really interesting because it gives him a birth place outside of Pennsylvania which is unexpected. It also lists the Kelsay family (see set in stone) and gives more information about his life:
JOHN B. HOLLINGSWORTH
Retired monument dealer, was born in Hudson County, Ohio, August 5, 1836. His grandparents were natives of Pittsburgh, as were his parents, William Hollingsworth, born June 5 181 1, and Lucinda, born May 8, 1814. William and Lucinda' Hollingsworth were the parents of six children, namely: Wesley B., John B., Gilmore, Mariah, Isabel and William. In 1856 John B. Hollingsworth came to Fairmount Township with his parents, locating in Fairmount, then a village of about a dozen houses. The father opened the first cabinet shop in the Township, making household furniture of all kinds by hand, and supplying pioneers with coffins for their dead.
This is really neat because it gives information about his parents, saying they are from Pittsburgh. No Mention is made of their time in Butler PA. William Hollingsworth makes coffins, which translates very well into the related profession of tombstone manufacturer that Levi Thompson is in 1870. John B becomes a stonecutter instead of a carpenter.
John B. went to school at White
Hall and also at Summitville. He
started to learn the carpenter trade
with his uncle, William Wellington,
then living at Summitville, remain-'
ing with his relative about one year,
then returning to Fairmount and
working at odd jobs until the spring
of 1861.
On April 23, 1861, he en-
listed in Company K, Eighth Indi-
ana Volunteer Infantry, for the
three months' service, remaining
with this regiment until the com-
mand was mustered out on August 6, 1861. He, with Smith Kelsay and
Isaac Smithson, were the first three Fairmount Township men who at the
outbreak of war responded to President Lincoln's call for troops. October
I, 1861, Hollingsworth enlisted in Company H, Twelfth Indiana Volunteer
Infantry, serving seven months in this regiment. With this command he
was discharged May 18, 1862. On August 10, 1862, he volunteered for the
third time, enlisting in Company H, Eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for
three years, or until the close of the war. The Eighth was mustered out
June 14, 1865. He was with his regiment at the battle of Rich Mountain.
West Virginia, July 12. 1861. During his second enlistment his regiment
was on guard duty, being stationed near Sharpsburg, Maryland, guarding
the Potomac River. During his third enlistment he saw hard service with
the Eighth Indiana Infantry, participating with his command in the battles
of Blackwater. Missouri. Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Jackson, Big Black,
Vicksburg, second battle of Jackson, Hall Town, Oppcquon, New Market.
Cedar Creek and T'isher's Hill. At Cedar Creek, on October 19, 1864. just
before Gen. Phil Sheridan arrived to rally his deinoralized army, Hollings-
worth met Harry Norton, who was then sick. Hollingsworth helped his
comrade along as far as Norton was able to go. The Confederates had at
this point flanked the Union forces and it was a case of every man for him-
self. Norton insisted that Hollingsworth go on and take care of himself,
explaining, after much effort, that he was too sick and too weak, to go far-
ther. Hollingsworth reluctantly left his comrade. The Confederates were
upon them. Hollingsworth wheeled around, fired at his pursuers as he re-
treated, and took to his lucls. making his escape to the Union lines as
bullets were "throwing up dirt all about him." Norton fell into the hands
of the Confederates, and was taken to Libby Prison, where h^ died.
Now I know that William Wellington in Summitville (a township in Van Buren Madison Indiana) is John B Hollingsworth's uncle and is teaching him to be a carpenter before the war. You can also see that Smith Kelsay enters the war with John B Hollingsworth.
In June. 1865, Hollingsworth returned home and for many years successfully
carried on a monument business in Fairmount. - On February 17. 1876, he
was married to Mrs. Hary Hall Hathaway, daughter of William and Han-
nah (Stanfield) Hall, who was born February 11, 1844, in Fairmount Town-
ship. To this union four children were born, namely: Martin L., Morton,
Joseph B. and Sarah L., all deceased except Morton.
And here is the mention of the monument business and stone cutting that I am familiar with. So it seems like John B. Hollingsworth may be the source of Levi's stone cutting after all.
Here is more on William Hollingsworth. Notice the bit about "undertaking goods":
WILLIAM HOLIINGSWORTH, undertaker and cabinetmaker, Fairmount, was
born in Chester County, Penn., June 25, 1811, and is the youngest of a
family of five born to William and Hannah (White) Hollingsworth.
The father was a hatter by trade, and followed that vocation until his
death; he died in 1812, and his wife in 1837. The boyhood of our
subject was very like that of any other Pennsylvania lad of the same
period, and he early in life learned the bitter, but beneficent lesson
of self-dependence, and soon took up the business of life in manly
earnest At the age of eighteen years he began to learn the
cabinet-maker's trade, in Pittsburgh, Penn. After serving his
apprenticeship he worked at his trade in different localities. In 1852
he came to Madison County, Ind., where he opened a furniture shop and
salesroom of his own, which he carried on till 1869. He then moved to
Fairmount, where he conducts an extensive business in all styles of
furniture and undertaking goods. He was married in Pittsburgh, Penn.,
April 25, 1833, to Miss Lucinda Burges, a native of Pennsylvania, bora
October 14, 1814, and died in Fairmount in the year 1881. The
following are the children by this marriage : Wesley B., John B.,
Gilmore, Maria and Isabel. The three sons served in the war of the
Rebellion. Gilmore, the third son, died in Fairmount in 1885. Mr.
Hollingsworth is a member of the United Brethren Church. In politics
he is a Republican.
William Hollingsworth is said to live in Madison County and he's from Chester County PA so this family has been on the move for a few generations.
Now I'm going to post an image from an e-book on Grant county that mentions the Kelsays, and John B along with his stone cutting business. The story is about John Montgomery who worked for John Hollingsworth and the Kelsay brothers who bought John Hollingsworth's business:
Why I find this exciting stuff is that it helps me put a timeline and frame in when Levi Thompson became a stone cutter and tombstone manufacturer. It also means there may be more to look into in Grant county and maybe something of interest in the Wellington family.
It gives me the idea that when Levi returned from the war and wasn't fit to be a farmer, John B Hollingsworth gave him a job as a stone cutter. So chances are, Levi lived in Madison county but worked in Grant.
This final bit is about the Methodist Episcopal Church in Grant County. William Hollingsworth was a member of the United Brethren, some united brethren were Moravians but I think in this case it is a Methodist church and was probably the Unity Church in Grant County. William Hollingsworth's children seem to be attracted to the Methodist church as I see familiar names like Isabel Hollingsworth among the congregation.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, of Fairmount, was originally or-
ganized in 1 86 1. The first services were held in the old frame school
house,* which, at that time, stood on the east side of Walnut Street,
between First and Second.
The charter members were William H. Broderick, class leader ;
Agnes Broderick, Joseph Broderick, Martha Broderick, David Baldwin,
Elizabeth Baldwin, Martha A. Wilcuts, Hannah Wilcuts, M. M. Mason
and Anna Mason.
In 1864 the membership had increased by the addition of the fol-
lowing names : John R. Kirkwood, Phebe Kirkwood, George N. Eck-
feld, Sarah M. Eckfeld, (Mary H. Moreland, Mahala Ward, Martha A.
Smith, Thomas J. Parker, Rebecca Parker, John Shields, Martha
Shields, John S. Bradford, Louisia Williams, Rachel Fankboner, Sarah
Moreland, Jane Knight, Delilah Hollingsworth, Wesley B. Hollings-
worth and Isabel Hollingsworth.
ganized in 1 86 1. The first services were held in the old frame school
house,* which, at that time, stood on the east side of Walnut Street,
between First and Second.
The charter members were William H. Broderick, class leader ;
Agnes Broderick, Joseph Broderick, Martha Broderick, David Baldwin,
Elizabeth Baldwin, Martha A. Wilcuts, Hannah Wilcuts, M. M. Mason
and Anna Mason.
In 1864 the membership had increased by the addition of the fol-
lowing names : John R. Kirkwood, Phebe Kirkwood, George N. Eck-
feld, Sarah M. Eckfeld, (Mary H. Moreland, Mahala Ward, Martha A.
Smith, Thomas J. Parker, Rebecca Parker, John Shields, Martha
Shields, John S. Bradford, Louisia Williams, Rachel Fankboner, Sarah
Moreland, Jane Knight, Delilah Hollingsworth, Wesley B. Hollings-
worth and Isabel Hollingsworth.
Another family name really sticks out to me in this listing. I see there are Brodericks. They're not the exact same Brodericks that Levi Thompson lives with in 1860, but they are a Broderick family from Grant Indiana, just like George Broderick (born in Grant) who lives with Levi.
All of this is just adding some cohesion to what I'm seeing in the census. How did these people come together? Maybe if I keep going I will find out why George Broderick and Levi Thompson name their daughters Frances (and probaby both Rena too). Was it a shared cultural item or a respected person in the community? Did they all attend the same church?
If John B Hollingworth is Levi's friend or employer, why isn't he a witness on Levi's pension file? Did they know each other from Butler PA? Is there something for me to look into in Hudson County Ohio in 1850? Is Pittsburgh a stand in for Butler PA or are the Hollingsworths really from there? Who are the Wellingtons?
Lots of questions that could be pulling me closer to good answers or pulling me further away.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Levi Pension Files
Quite a long time ago now, I ordered Levi Thompson's pension records. Not the full pension, but a partial pension. It was listed as the pension most appropriate for genealogists. I think it's an awesome thing, but I was disappointed in how little information on family it really gave. For instance, not even his wife is listed in the pension. The example documents you see when you order show marriage records and other things, but Levi had none of those...at least not in the information I was sent. At some point I will need to order his full pension.
I figured I should include some images of the pension information I DO have though for posterity.
I figured I should include some images of the pension information I DO have though for posterity.
Above is a lot of interesting information, including some information that, if correct, would mean I've been off about his age. If this is 1869 when he's petitioning, and he is 31 then he was born around 1838, not 1834 as I've got listed and as I've seen in the census. It would be more in line with his discharge information which said he was 27 when he mustered out in 1866.
It also contains his own statement about his disability and I think it was written in his own hand, which makes this really cool. Considering that Henry Williamson (my other third great from this family) was illiterate. That makes me think that Levi's life was quite different from Henry's.
I believe the statement is "was taken with a sever pain in my left ankle which inflamed and ulcerated which sore made me very lame and was aggravated by marching and rendered unfit for duty and caused it to ulcerate so bad that it could never be cured so I am very lame and suffer a great deal with it yet."
Pension claim with date stamp.
Statements of witnesses. I think one is named McTiernan and the other is Sylvanus Free. Sylvanus I have tracked a little. I'm not sure about McTiernan. This verifies Levi's occupation in the 1870 census which is Tombstone manufacturer..a stone mason.
A request for more information on Levi (get in line!) and some more documentation of his absence at muster out. He was sick with diarrhea. I imagine caused by a massive infection in his leg.
This page, I think, is the end of the road for Levi's pension in 1902. They didn't have any more information on Levi other than he was sick at muster out. No further indication of a disability case closed. I have no 1880 census for Levi. I have an 1890 Veteran's Roll in Hopewell Ohio saying he lives in Celina Ohio and has a disability of "Stiff Leg". In 1906 his wife's obituary says he disappeared "These 20 years ago" while he was a witness in a trial.
For an idea of what that march to Indianapolis was like, here is a google map if you were to drive it today. It's over a 1,300 miles.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Obituaries and Findings
I ordered several obituaries form The Anderson Public Library for Henry Williamson, Ida Williamson (Thompson), Rena Frances Thompson (Tyler), Mattie Thompson (Clifford), James Thompson and Mary Thompson (Fennimore). Trying to get more information about these people and their families.
I was happy to see that Henry Williamson's obituary listed his civil war service, but a bit disappointed that it didn't contain any information on his parents. In fact that seemed to be the standard with all the obituaries except Rena Tyler. Her obituary lists Mr. and Mrs. Levi Thompson. Hers is the first obituary that mentions him by name. Even his wife's obit leaves his name out.
I also learned that James Thompson is really James Henry Thompson and Mary Thompson is really Mary Alice Thompson. So I have middle names for several of the children. That could be helpful when trying to figure out family relationships.
I also learned the death dates for several of Levi's children. James was 1929, not too awful long after he took that picture. He died in Ida's house. All of that information is good to have too.
I can continue with my plan to order death records for Henry Williamson and Rosa Blades, I will probably add Ida Williamson to that list too. Death records seem to have information about parents on them, so I hope to be able to get mother's names for all three of those people and father's full names if possible. If the state death records turn out to be informative, I might order one for Albert to see if I can get his full name and possibly the full name of Levi.
I put a question in to the Madison County Historical Society to see what resources I might have to learn about the trial Levi was involved in. I haven't heard back from them yet. After some time I may contact the library again to see what they might have there. I imagine it was news worthy, because it was still talked about a decade plus later.
I was happy to see that Henry Williamson's obituary listed his civil war service, but a bit disappointed that it didn't contain any information on his parents. In fact that seemed to be the standard with all the obituaries except Rena Tyler. Her obituary lists Mr. and Mrs. Levi Thompson. Hers is the first obituary that mentions him by name. Even his wife's obit leaves his name out.
I also learned that James Thompson is really James Henry Thompson and Mary Thompson is really Mary Alice Thompson. So I have middle names for several of the children. That could be helpful when trying to figure out family relationships.
I also learned the death dates for several of Levi's children. James was 1929, not too awful long after he took that picture. He died in Ida's house. All of that information is good to have too.
I can continue with my plan to order death records for Henry Williamson and Rosa Blades, I will probably add Ida Williamson to that list too. Death records seem to have information about parents on them, so I hope to be able to get mother's names for all three of those people and father's full names if possible. If the state death records turn out to be informative, I might order one for Albert to see if I can get his full name and possibly the full name of Levi.
I put a question in to the Madison County Historical Society to see what resources I might have to learn about the trial Levi was involved in. I haven't heard back from them yet. After some time I may contact the library again to see what they might have there. I imagine it was news worthy, because it was still talked about a decade plus later.
The Case for Butler Pennsylvania
When I first found out about Butler Pennsylvania (after ordering Levi Thompsons state records from Indiana). I was really really excited. I thought I would surely find him there. Since then, I've been all over the place trying to locate any tie to the area that I can, and I just can't place a Levi Thompson in Butler PA.
It occurred to me though that, even though I talk about it a lot I may not have posted the document that led me there.
It occurred to me though that, even though I talk about it a lot I may not have posted the document that led me there.
So there it is. I have one census record that also says Levi is from Pennsylvania. It's the 1880 where he is missing, but Rosa must have told the census taker that he was born there. In 1860 and 70 I think he's listed as Indiana. The irony of the 1860 census saying Indiana is that John B. Hollingsworth who lives near him is accurately listed as being form Pennsylvania. It's as if, at every point, I must be thwarted.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Task Mastering
I was printing off my forms for death records for Rosa Blades and Henry Williamson (see task list) when it struck me that there was more I could do at the Anderson public library. In the past I ordered obituaries for Rosa Thompson and for Thompsons I thought might be related to Levi. This time around I focused on his children, I ordered obituaries for a James that could be mine..so hard to tell, Mary, Rena, Mattie and Albert. To see if they would shed some light on things. I ordered Ray Bishop Thompsons obit out of curiosity. I also ordered Ida Williamson, Henry Williamson, and Owen Williamson (Henry's brother) hoping they would shed some light on their families as well. Really it's moms I'm trying to track down with those.
So I still have to send in my death record requests for Rosa Blades Thompson and Henry Williamson, but I'm excited to see what I can find from these obituaries in the meantime. Finding moms for Rosa, Henry and Ida will help me determine where some of my genetic relatives fall.
I checked in with the genealogist at the public library in Butler PA to see if she had any Thompson resources that might identify Levi and she also could not find anything in her records. She did come across the Levi Campbell record (born 1844) who is living with James Thompson in Cherry, Butler PA in 1850, but no Levi Thompson.
I asked about orphanages in the area and I asked if it was likely that people would come to Butler to give birth (maybe the Thompsons had a son there but really lived in another county?). I also asked about possible Elmer families in the area.
On the DNA front, making note of that odd marker for my Y DNA cluster of DYS463 = 23. I asked my Elmer match at FTDNA if they would be willing to test, and they were. This will help them better match with the SMGF Elmer and the Knowltons there and it helps strengthen the case that the Elmers, Knowltons and I are in some related group within our cluster. Not a full 67 upgrade but a cheap way to get more data.
This next bit wasn't on the task list, but it's an interesting DNA/History tangent:
I was looking up Knowltons (it's a town name in England and there are a couple). The standard is that the Knowltons are from Kent, but there is another Knowlton..although it's not in Southeast England, it's in Dorset in Southwest England. In an odd coincidence, reading the wikipedia article on Knowlton Dorset I was surprised to see a familiar name in this text: "The Domesday Book also records two hides of the land of the Count of Mortain in Knowlton, named as Chenoltune in the book, held by Ansgar, which was held by Æthelmær in the time of King Edward. " Æthelmær is the name Aylmer is supposed to be linked to and Aylmer becomes Elmer. It's probably just a coincidence, but interesting all the same. Knowlton is a name you would call someone who had moved from Knowlton to your town. Bill from Knowlton would shorten up to Bill Knowlton in no time. According to a few sources the village in Dorset was struck by the black death and abandoned.
So I still have to send in my death record requests for Rosa Blades Thompson and Henry Williamson, but I'm excited to see what I can find from these obituaries in the meantime. Finding moms for Rosa, Henry and Ida will help me determine where some of my genetic relatives fall.
I checked in with the genealogist at the public library in Butler PA to see if she had any Thompson resources that might identify Levi and she also could not find anything in her records. She did come across the Levi Campbell record (born 1844) who is living with James Thompson in Cherry, Butler PA in 1850, but no Levi Thompson.
I asked about orphanages in the area and I asked if it was likely that people would come to Butler to give birth (maybe the Thompsons had a son there but really lived in another county?). I also asked about possible Elmer families in the area.
On the DNA front, making note of that odd marker for my Y DNA cluster of DYS463 = 23. I asked my Elmer match at FTDNA if they would be willing to test, and they were. This will help them better match with the SMGF Elmer and the Knowltons there and it helps strengthen the case that the Elmers, Knowltons and I are in some related group within our cluster. Not a full 67 upgrade but a cheap way to get more data.
This next bit wasn't on the task list, but it's an interesting DNA/History tangent:
I was looking up Knowltons (it's a town name in England and there are a couple). The standard is that the Knowltons are from Kent, but there is another Knowlton..although it's not in Southeast England, it's in Dorset in Southwest England. In an odd coincidence, reading the wikipedia article on Knowlton Dorset I was surprised to see a familiar name in this text: "The Domesday Book also records two hides of the land of the Count of Mortain in Knowlton, named as Chenoltune in the book, held by Ansgar, which was held by Æthelmær in the time of King Edward. " Æthelmær is the name Aylmer is supposed to be linked to and Aylmer becomes Elmer. It's probably just a coincidence, but interesting all the same. Knowlton is a name you would call someone who had moved from Knowlton to your town. Bill from Knowlton would shorten up to Bill Knowlton in no time. According to a few sources the village in Dorset was struck by the black death and abandoned.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Robert Thompson and Ann Kers(e)y
This is the Bermuda triangle of family names. I need to make this note for myself because it can easily become really confusing.
I was researching John B Hollingsworth and family (Hollingsworths Next Door) and it turns out that they bulk of their family moved from Butler PA to Grant county IN, not Madison county. John B Hollingsworth is in Madison county, down the way from Levi Thompson in 1860 but his family group is in Grant..not very far from where he lived in Van Buren, Madison, IN.
It's good to keep in mind here that there are other Hollingsworths roaming this part of Indiana at this time that came from the Carolinas. I imagine they are distantly related.
I decided to look for Thompsons in Grant in 1860 to see if maybe Levi's home group of Thompsons would magically be there. Of course part of my matching the Grant Hollingsworths with the Butler PA Hollingsworths and John B Hollingsworth was that I could follow the entire family from Butler in 1850 to Grant in 1860. It would be hard to know if any of the Grant Thompsons belong to Levi because I can't find him in 1850.
Still I tried, and found a few that were interesting. One of them was way to young to be a parent of any sort, but still of interest. Robert Thompson is in Grant in 1860, he is 40 years old, born in 1820 in Pennsylvania. He is in a household with a woman listed as Ann Kersy who was born around 1835 in Vir..which is I'm sure Virginia, which reminded me of all the Kerseys I looked up while research the Coates family from Butler PA. I've run into genetic matches for my father who have Kerseys and Coates in their families and I spent a bit of time looking at them.
Robert is single when he is listed in the draft records for the Civil War. I don't have much information on him but he may be worth looking up and maybe there is some connection with the Kerseys that is worth putting together. Since he's born in 1820 it's possible he would appear in an 1840 and 1850 census. I could also try to find Ann Kers(e)y from Virginia.
I was researching John B Hollingsworth and family (Hollingsworths Next Door) and it turns out that they bulk of their family moved from Butler PA to Grant county IN, not Madison county. John B Hollingsworth is in Madison county, down the way from Levi Thompson in 1860 but his family group is in Grant..not very far from where he lived in Van Buren, Madison, IN.
It's good to keep in mind here that there are other Hollingsworths roaming this part of Indiana at this time that came from the Carolinas. I imagine they are distantly related.
I decided to look for Thompsons in Grant in 1860 to see if maybe Levi's home group of Thompsons would magically be there. Of course part of my matching the Grant Hollingsworths with the Butler PA Hollingsworths and John B Hollingsworth was that I could follow the entire family from Butler in 1850 to Grant in 1860. It would be hard to know if any of the Grant Thompsons belong to Levi because I can't find him in 1850.
Still I tried, and found a few that were interesting. One of them was way to young to be a parent of any sort, but still of interest. Robert Thompson is in Grant in 1860, he is 40 years old, born in 1820 in Pennsylvania. He is in a household with a woman listed as Ann Kersy who was born around 1835 in Vir..which is I'm sure Virginia, which reminded me of all the Kerseys I looked up while research the Coates family from Butler PA. I've run into genetic matches for my father who have Kerseys and Coates in their families and I spent a bit of time looking at them.
Robert is single when he is listed in the draft records for the Civil War. I don't have much information on him but he may be worth looking up and maybe there is some connection with the Kerseys that is worth putting together. Since he's born in 1820 it's possible he would appear in an 1840 and 1850 census. I could also try to find Ann Kers(e)y from Virginia.
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