Reading County History Books - Clues In the Biographies

I took over the position of County Coordinator for the Lucas County, Iowa GenWeb project in 2010.  I do not live in Iowa and none of my ancestors ever lived in Lucas county. I browse the Internet for PDF files of books, microfilm of census records, etc. that I can transcribe and post on the Lucas county page. I just finished transcribing the biographies included in a history of Lucas county published in 1881. Check the "What's New" page for a link to these biographies. As I am transcribing, I find that I am learning alot about Iowa history.  It is very fascinating.    It is amazing the stories told in the biographies.  One man walked to the gold mines in Nevada, it took him a year to reach his destination.  Many of the men, were Civil War soldiers, some Confederate and some Union.  All of these sketches inform the readers of the locations where the subjects were born, how long they lived there, were they moved to and when, etc. Some went back to their previous home to marry and brought the new bride to his home in Lucas county. One man told of falling off of a wagon on their migration to Iowa when he was an infant.  His leg was crushed by the wagon wheel and his father had to amputate his leg nine days later, saving his life. There are so many great stories of courage and strength possessed by these pioneers.

I haven't taken the time to put together a migration time line for Lucas county, but I can imagine the wonderful data that could be presented!  I can envision a map with lines beginning at the point of origin.  Perhaps a table of locations and the names of the families who came to Lucas county from that location.  Not everyone who came to Lucas county stayed, many moved on to other locations. There is a later book that I  have transcribed and posted of Lucas county history published in 1913.  Both of these books offer many clues for those whose ancestors stopped in Lucas county, if even for a short time.

I enjoy reading county history books published 100 years ago and older.  They are less politically correct and you never know what you might find.  That's not to say that what is written is 100% accurate.  Skeletons may still be hidden from public view.  Still these county histories offer clues to the past and should not be overlooked!

Go find a county history!  You'll be glad you did!

Estate Record - John Cope, A Case Study

In browsing through the images of Ohio County Probate Records, on FamilySearch,  in search of my 3x great grandfather's estate, I found the will of John Cope.  This name interested me greatly since my 2x great grandfather is John Cope Louthan.  I will share with the what I found in the Estates Records 1841-1842 in Columbiana County. I found it very educational for me as to what may be found in these type of records.

Ohio, Probate Records, 1789-1996-Columbiana-Estate records 1841-1842 no 2353-2453

Case # 2362 Doc. CP 2, Pg 83

The will of John Cope was written 27 Aug. 1841 and  recorded in the probate court clerk's office on 19 Oct. 1841.   He left the farm to his widow, Mary Cope, but his personal property was to be sold.  Mary was allowed to live and collect the revenue from the farm so long as she remained a widow.  Upon her death the land would be sold and the proceeds divided among their children: Rebecca, Jason, Edmond, Elizabeth, Ann and Sarah.  His personal property was sold on 3 Nov. 1841 and an accounting of the sale recorded with the probate court on 19 Nov. 1841.   John Cope had borrowed money in the sum of $400 dollars and signed a binding agreement between him and the Fund Commissioners of Columbiana county, by the virtue of a Act of the General Assembly  entitled "An act providing for the distribution and investment of this state's proportion of the Surplus Revenue.  He had to pay $200 on demand with the balance at 7%  interest  was due within three years.  The agreement was made on 11 June 1840.  It doesn't state the his purpose for this money.    A letter filed with the probate court for the final accounting of his estate we find the death date of July 1854 for Mary Cope and a record of the money she received from John's estate.   Now the land is to be sold and the proceeds divided among John's children.  In this packet is a document dated December 23, 1855 noting the guardian, Jos. De Camp,  of the minors of Jason Cope; Charles, Jason and Amos, and  also mentions the two older sons of Jason and gives their ages: William age 24 years and John Clay age 22 years. All three men, Jos DeCamp, William Cope and John Clay Cope, signed the document.  Another document in this packet is from Van Buren County, Iowa appointing guardians for the minors of Sarah Jones, dec'd.  Harry Robb was appointed guardian of Margaret, David H, John M, Samuel, Roller, William and Appeline date 8 March 1858.  Amos H Levan was the attorney assigned to obtain the quit claim deeds from Rebecca Havil, Elizabeth Baker and Ann Hadley.  Emund Cope's attorney was James Crook.  The quit claim deed filed on behalf of Rebecca Havil of Hancock county, Ohio,  is the only one containing a description of the land; NE 1/4 Section 31 Township 12 Range 2  beginning at the Northwest corner then East with the section line forty chains and fifty links to the corner post then west until it strikes Gouchnaires South East corner (he owned 20 acres in the Southwest corner of the section) then round the lot to the west boundary of the quarter section, then along that line to the beginning, containing one hundred and forty acres and fifty-six hundredths of an acre.  The land sold for a total of $4,360.50 and a full accounting of the disbursement to the heirs was filed on 19 Sept 1860.
There are nearly 80 images in this packet, some of which are duplicated.

In a previous search in probate records for this county, I found a guardianship for Moses Louthan minor of John Louthan dec'd, appointing Joseph Hamilton his guardian.  There was nothing else in that packet.  After seeing the guardianship of the Jones' minors from Van Buren county, Iowa, I realized I need to find the county of death for John Louthan and search for his estate record in that probate court.  I will need to go back and read the history of Beaver county, PA to see if it states the county of John's death.   It was also informative in that the will was filed in 1841 but the estate could not be settled until after Mary's death as so stipulated in the will.  In this case it took nearly twenty years, but the packet is recorded not in the 1860 estate files but with the 1841 estate files.  While I didn't find a link to my 2x great grandfather, it was interesting to read.

Love the hunt, even when it leads me down a side road!

Talented Tuesday - Baseball, A Family Affair

I have written about the baseball players in my paternal line.  Well, guess what?  My mom was a baseball player too!

My mom was reared on a farm in Woodward County, Oklahoma.  She is the youngest of seven children, so with her parents, they had their own baseball team.  The parents, Mitchell W. and Mary (Steinmetz) Hoag, taught their children to play baseball.  The baseball players were Florence, Elena, Mary, Gilbert, Mitchell Jr, Dale and Clara (mom).

I knew from my grade school years, that Mom played softball one summer back in the mid '60s.  I asked her if she had ever played on a town team before.  She wrote back her story of playing baseball in the field on the farm. Most country kids can identify with the concept.  All you had to do was pick the places that would stand for the bases.  They had a good supply of bats, gloves and balls.  Mom would practice catching the ball by tossing it in the air.  Once she had perfected this skill, she began throwing the ball over the garage and,  running as fast as she could, catching the ball on the other side.  She wasn't allowed to throw it over the house, as a window might get broken.  The garage was just big enough to house the Model A car.  By the age of nine, Mom could throw the ball into the air and hit it with the bat.

In elementary school, sixth grade to be exact, she played the position of catcher.  She was the only one who could throw the ball to second base.  This is the position that she played during her softball career.

In the '60s when we moved to Kansas.  This little community played baseball and softball, after the school term ended for the year.  One year they didn't have enough girls to fill the high school girls softball team.  Three moms volunteered to play on the team!  Mom stepped up and played catcher.  She could still throw the ball to second base and she wasn't afraid of being hit by the batter.  The local clothing store, Oser's Department Store, was their sponsor.  This was the only time Mom played softball as an adult.  She had four children, the youngest being two years old, at that time.  The next summer, she was expecting number five; who arrived in November.

My mom also played basketball in high school.  Oh, and, hum..., well..., no, I didn't inherit those genes!

Mappy Monday- Following John Cope Louthan

1897 Township Map of Linn County, Missouri

Detail showing R60 N R20W Section 34

John Cope Louthan, my 2x great grandfather, moved from Washington County, Ohio to Linn County, Missouri following the Civil War.  He purchased 240 acres in Benton Twp. A General Warranty Deed made the 26th day of February, 1884, shows the land being sold to his step-father, William Ormiston, for $3,000. (see below)  The township map above  shows section 34; this map is from 1897.  

Sale of land in Linn County, Missouri

 You will notice on the deed above, John is listed as a single man.  He was widowed in 1881 and married again after he sold his land and just before he moved to Kansas.  John moved to Barber county, Kansas in 1884 where we find a land patent for him in the Osage Trust Lands.

His land patent states the following: Osage Trust Lands, Certificate No. 2700.

Whereas John C. Louthan of Barber County, Kansas has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Larned, Kansas, whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said John C. Louthan according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, entitled "An Act making further provision for the sale of the Public Lands," and the acts supplemental thereto, for the Northwest quarter of section twelve in township thirty-one south of range eleven west of the sixth principal meridian in Kansas containing one hundred and sixty acres according to the official plat of the survey of the said lands returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General, which said tract has been purchased by the said John C. Louthan.  Dated 18 November 1899.  John went to Barber County in 1884 and it took his 15 years to pay for his 160 acres.  The plat map to the right is from 1897.

 In the Land Run into the Cherokee Outlet (Cherokee Strip) John C. Louthan left Barber county, Kansas and filed on a homestead in Oklahoma Territory.  You will see him highlighted SE of the Barnes community.  His son, Robert Hiram Louthan is highlighted to the west of this community.  His land patent on this quarter section of land is as follows:

Homestead Certificate 4493, Application 7105.

Whereas there has been deposited in the General Land Office of the United States a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Alva, Oklahoma, whereby it appears that, pursuant to the Act of Congress approved 20th May 1862, "to secure Homesteads to Actual Settlers on the Public Domain," and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of John C. Louthan has been established and duly consummated in conformity to law, for the South East quarter of Section Twenty five in Township Twenty North of Range Sixteen West fo Indian Mericidan in Oklahoma containing one hundred and sixty acres according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Land, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General: ... Dated 1 July 1903.

I use maps in my genealogy research because I like to see with my eyes where they lived in relation to  landmarks, geography, and communities in that area. I can also find the names of their neighbors, who may have migrated to that location about the same time as my ancestor. This can lead to discovering possible unknown relatives. I endeavor to find the map that was printed nearest the time period during which my ancestor was a resident.  It helps to put those township, range and section numbers into perspective.  

What doesn't show on the Major County Plat Map (above), is the location of Hope Cemetery just south of John Cope Louthan's homestead.  Using a modern map found on Google Maps, I found the cemetery and the road on which it is located today.   

Amanuensis Monday - Will of Joseph Hamilton

Columbiana County, Ohio, Probate Case No. 639

In the possession of Lisbon Historical Society Archives, 119 Ease Washington Street, P.O. Box 191, Lisbon, Ohio 44432.

In the name of God amen.

I Joseph Hamilton of Saintclear Township Columbiana County an State of Ohio.  Being sick and weak of body but sound mind memory and understanding blessed be God for his mercies. And knowing the uncertainty of this transitory life, do make and order this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following (to wit,) I commend my immortal soal to God that gave it, and my body to the dust to be buried ina a Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors herein after named.  And as touching such worldly property as it has be pleased to God to bless me with I give and bequeath as follows (to wit,) and I first order that all my just debts and June *** exepenses be paid as soon as conveinantly ca be after my decease. 

Items, I give and bequeath to my  dear wife Mary Hamilton the one third of all my personal Estate to her her heirs and assigns for ever and the one third of all the incomes arising from all my real estate for and during her natural life, And all the rest and residue of my estate both real and personal I give and bequeath to my five daughters, viz., Elizabeth Sarah Mayanne Matilda and Pamara share and share alike as tenants in common for them their heirs and assigns for ever. And lastly nominate and appoint my said wife Mary, and my soninlaw Philip Cooper exectors of this my last will and testament, renounsing all other wills and Bequeaths made by me heretofore, declaring this to be my last will and testament and no other.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my had and seal the 14th day of October in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty three. In the presence of the subscribing witness who at my request and in my presence have set their names as witnesses.

(signed) Joseph Hamilton (seal)

Witness present at signing & sealing

H B Blathana was interlined before signing between the 25th and 26th lines.

(signed) Nathaniel Martin

(signed) Terah Jones

Recorded Nov 7, 1823

The Inventory of the personal Estate of Joseph Hamilton deceased, appraised the 29th day of November, 1823.

• 1 Grey mare $55.00
• 1 Brown horse $40.00
• 1 Grey colt $38.33
• 1 Dark red cow $7.23
• 1 Brendle cow $3.66
• 2 Calves $4.66
• 41 Sheep at 76 cents each $31.16
• 1 Stack of hay $5.66
• 1 Windmill ** screen $9.33
• 1 Cutting Bone $1.00
• 1 Lot of Hogsheads & Barrels $1.66
• 2 Set of Horse Geers $9.00
• 1 Sled double trees and Log chains $5.00
• 1 Harrow $4.16
• 2 Plows $10.66
• 1 Waggon $33.33
• 1 Stove and pipe $8.00
• 1 Lot of Planes Augurs & Chisels $3.00
• 1 Cross cut saw $3.13
• 1 Jack screws and tar can $2.66
• 2 Pack saddles & two old Barrells $-.86
• 2 Chopping Axes & 1 Iron Wedge $2.00
• 3 Hilling & 1 Grubbing Hoe & 2 Picks 3.25
• 1 Broad Axe Scythe & Cradle $2.50
• 1 Bead stead Chaff Bead and being $4.00
• 1 Feathers & Chaff Do. 2 quills & 1 Sheet $6.66
• 1 Woman's and 1 Man's saddle $7.33
• Lumber in Shop Loft $-.50
• 1 Large 1 Small pt & 1 Kettle $3.75
• 1 Hand Saw & Hammer $-.37 1/2
• 1 Grind Stone $1.00
• 1 Clock $7.33
• 1 Rifle Gun $8.50
• 1 Bureau $6.33
• 2 Jugs $-.50
• 1 Dresser & Furniture $5.00
• 1 Lot of Religious Books $3.75
• 1 Falling Leaf Table $2.00
• 1 Lot of Chairs $2.00
• 1 Loom 5 reeds 3 peer of Geers $6.00
• Grains in the ground $10.00
• 12 Geese at 18 0/4 Each $2.25
• 1 *** And Irons and Tea Kettle $1.25
• 1 Shovels & Tongs $1.00
• 1 Iron Oven and Spider $2.00
• 1 Horse coller Hern & tresses $1.50
• 1 Pocket compass $2.00
• 1 Stillard $1.50
• Total $371.86 1/2

We Nathaniel Martin William Batton Terah Jones after being duly sworn , did appraise the above specified property on the day above written, Given under our hands.

(signed) Nathaniel Martin William Batton Terah Jones

Amount of appraisment taken by the widow appraised $371.86 1/2

Debts due to the Estate

By Richard Huston 5,,94

By John Pearson 1,,31

By Even Frazer  Jos note due 7,,50

By Do., Jos Do., Sept 5th, 1824 5,,56

By Do.,    Due Sept. 5th , 1825 7,,50

By  Balld from the Estate of Jos Hamilton deceased 13.75

Whole Amount $413,,46 1/2

We certify that the foregoing is a true statement of the personal Estate of Joseph Hamilton deceased, given under our hands the 24th day of February 1824.  

her X mark Mary Hamilton

(signed) Philip Cooper

exctors

Sunday's Obituary - Oldest Settler and Good Citizen

On Thursday morning we received the sad news of the death of Mr. W. C. Hedrick, one among our oldest settlers and good citizens.

William C. Hedrick, was born Nob. 23, 1853, and died Nov. 13, 19913.  Aged 59 years, 11 months, 21 days.  He was united in marriage to Nancy M. Hazelton, of Republic, Mo., on Dec. 24, 1871.  He was the father of 9 children, four boys and five girls, all of which survive him.  He has been a member of the Christian Church for 30 years.  He die in the faith of a living God.

Funeral services were held at the Chester school house, at 4:30 p. m., by Rev. J. C. Shuck and remains laid to rest in the Chester cemetery by the side of his wife. 

Text: St. John, 6th Chapter and 40th Verse - "And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life.  And I will raise him up at the last day."

Mr. Hedrick had many friends and a large crowd gathered to pay the last respects to the departed one.

Peaceful be thy silent slumbers,

Peaceful in thy grave so low;

Thous no more will join our number,

Thou no more our sorrows know.

Yet, again we hope to meet thee,

When the days of life is fled.

And in Heaven with joy to greet thee,

Where no farewell tears are shed.

Rev. J. C. Shuck

  _______________________________________________________

Card of Thanks

The sons and daughters of W. C. Hedrick, thank the many friends in their sad bereavement.

Published November 21, 1913 in the Fairview Republican, Fairview, Oklahoma; page 6, column 4

 

Sympathy Saturday - Anna Jane Haddow Louthan

Anna Jane Haddow, a girl of Scottish descent, was born in Washington county, Ohio  on the 8th day of June in 1840 to  Robert and Janet Ormiston Haddow.  Her parents came to America in 1834.  She married John Cope Louthan in Washington County, Ohio during the Civil War, on 11 April 1864.

John enlisted in the company F, 36th OVI and served from 26 Aug 1861 to 11 March 1865.   She moved to Linn county, Missouri with John's mother and stepfather, William and Harriet Ormiston, before the close of the war and he joined them there upon his discharge.  Anna Jane gave birth to seven children in Linn county, the last four living only a matter of months.  Mary Rosa, Dec. 1873-Feb 1874; Lewis Alvin, Jan 1875 -Apr 1875; Lula Jane, May 1877 - Oct. 1877 and George Perry, Aug 1879 - Mar 1880.  Anna Jane died in June 1881 from complications due to a miscarriage.  She was survived by her husband and  three sons; Edwin Alonzo (b. 1866), Robert Hiram (b. 1868) and Samuel Oscar (b. 1872).