Samuel Christy

Samuel Christy was born on 11 Sep 1819 in Indiana, United States.^1–3

He lived in Jasper Township, Fayette, Ohio, United States on 21 Sep 1850.^4–5

He sold land on 9 Oct 1850 in Fayette, Ohio, United States.⁶

Samuel H. Christy is listed as a 31 year old farmer on the 1850 census in Jasper, Fayette County, Ohio. Acording to the census, Samuel owned $541 in real estate and was born in Ohio. Also listed in the census was a 26 year old female, Lydia; a 7 year old female, Emily J; a 5 year old female Elmidia, a 3 year old female Rhoda E and a 2 year old male, Eli S. All were born in Ohio.

Samuel lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States on 1 Aug 1860.⁷

Samuel Christy was listed as a 40 year old male born in Indiana on the 1860 census. Samuel’’s occupation was farming. He owned $1600 in real estate and $200 in personal estate. Also listed in the household was Lydia, aged 36 and born in Ohio; Emily, female age 17 and born in Ohio; Rachel E, female age 15 and born in Ohio; Shela M, female age 8 and born in Ohio; Ebenezer, male age 7 and born in Indiana; Samuel M, male age 5 and born in Indiana; Lydia A, female age 2 and born in Indiana; and Hester female age 6/12 and born in Indiana.

He registered for the military draft  in Jul 1863 in Indiana, United States.⁸

He lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States on 6 Jul 1870.⁹

Samuel Christy was listed as a 51 year old farmer born in Ohio on the 1870 census living in Jefferson, Tipton County, Indiana. According to the census, he owned $2000 in real estate and $200 in personal property. Also listed in the household was a 34 year old female, Mary S.; a 17 year old male, Ebenezer; a 14 year old male, Milton; a 12 year old female Lyda; a 10 year old female, Esther; a 3 year old female, Samantha; an 1 year old male, George and a 7/12 year old female, Nancy. All besides Samuel were born in Indiana.

Samuel lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States on 22 Jun 1880.¹⁰

Samuel H Christy is listed a a 53 year old farmer and cabinet maker who was born in Ohio on the 1880 census living in Tipton County, Indiana. Also listed in the census was his 49 year old wife, Maria; a 24 year old son, George, an 11 year old daughter, Nancy, an 8 year old son, Henry and a 76 year old mother, Rachael.

He signed a will in 1887 in Tipton County, Indiana.¹¹

He lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States in 1900.¹²

Samuel Christy was listed as an 80 year old male farmer on the 1900 census living in Tipton County, Indiana. According to the census, Samuel was born Sept 1819 in Ohio. Also listed in the household was his wife, born Dec 1830 in Indiana, a son, Henry, born Feb 1872 in Indiana; a grandson, Vern Plough born March 1888 in Indiana; a grandson Hurshel born Aug 1890 in Indiana.

Samuel died on 24 Mar 1904 at the age of 84 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.^2–3,13

He was buried on 25 Mar 1904 at Hills Baptist Church Cemetery in Pickard, Clinton, Indiana, United States.^2–3

He had his will proved on 30 Mar 1904 in Tipton, Indiana, United States.¹¹

Samuel had his estate probated on 23 Nov 1904 in Tipton, Indiana, United States.¹¹

1st Wife – Lydia Gallimore

Samuel Christy and Lydia Gallimore were married on 3 Mar 1842 in Fayette, Ohio, United States.^14–16

Lydia Gallimore¹⁷, daughter of Isom Gallimore and Judith Bentley, was born on 25 Mar 1824 in Ohio, Kentucky, United States.^1,17–18

She lived in Jasper Township, Fayette, Ohio, United States on 21 Sep 1850.⁴

She lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States on 1 Aug 1860.⁷

Lydia died on 1 Feb 1864 at the age of 39 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.^18–19

She was buried after 1 Feb 1864 at Hills Baptist Church Cemetery in Pickard, Clinton, Indiana, United States.²⁰

2nd Wife – Mary Amos

Samuel Christy and Mary Susan Amos were married on 18 Nov 1866 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.^19,21–22

Mary Susan Amos^2,19,23 was born on 1 Aug 1837 in Indiana, United States.^2,24–25

She lived in Sugar Creek Township, Clinton, Indiana, United States on 27 Jul 1860.²⁵

She lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States on 6 Jul 1870.⁹

Mary died on 21 Oct 1872 at the age of 35.^2,24

She was buried at Hills Baptist Church Cemetery in Pickard, Clinton, Indiana, United States.²⁴

3rd Wife – Mariah Burk

Samuel Christy and Mariah Burk were married on 14 Oct 1871 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.^26–27

Mariah Burk² was born on 27 Dec 1830.^2,28

She lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States in 1880.¹⁰

She lived in Jefferson Township, Tipton, Indiana, United States in 1900.¹²

Mariah died on 18 Dec 1907 at the age of 76 in Sugar Creek Township, Clinton, Indiana, United States.^2,28

She was buried.²⁸

Samuel and Lydia were the parents of

• Emily Jane Christy (1843-1864)
• Rachel Elmeda Christy (1845-1927)
• Rhoda Elizabeth Christy (1850-1851)
• Eli Salathiel Chirsty (1848-1851)
• Shelamiah Christy (1850-1861)
• Ebenezer Christy (1853-1941)
• Samuel Milton Christy (1855-1924)
• Lydia Alice Christy (1858-1888)
• Esther Christy (1860-1924

Samuel and Mary were the parents of

• Samantha Christy (1867-1873)
• George Christy (1868-1938)
• Nancy Christy (1869-1934)
• William Henry Christy (1872-1906)

ENDNOTES:

1. 1860 U.S. Census, Clinton County Indiana, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Tipton County, Indiana, page 189, family 1384, Samuey H Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 23 July 2022); NARA microfilm publication M653.

2. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online July 2017), memorial for Samuel Henry Christy (1819-1904), Find a Grave Memorial no. #13717296, created by Judy, citing Hills Baptist Church Cemetery, Pickard, Clinton County, Indiana; accompanying photograph by Judy, Samuel Henry Christy.

3. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Samuel H St G Christy, 1904; database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online December 2018).

4. 1850 U.S. Census, Fayette County Ohio, population schedule, Jasper Township, Fayette County, Indiana, page 156, household 1293, Samuel H Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online October 2017); NARA microfilm publication M432.

5. U.S. Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880, Samuel Christy, 20 September 1850; database with images, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com : viewed online 23 July 2022).

6. Ohio, Fayette County. Deeds, v. P 1850-1853.  Film #292618 DGS 8141941. Samuel H. Christy, 9 Oct 1850 Vol. P: page 51 (image 35); digitized images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 24 July 2022.

7. 1860 U.S. Census, Tipton County, Indiana, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Tipton County, Indiana, page 189 Image 15 of 34, household 1425, Samuel H Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online November 2017); NARA microfilm publication M653

8. “U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865,”Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com:  accessed July 2017), card for Samuel H Christy, Sub dist No 88,Tipton County, Indiana; citing Consolidated Listsof Civil War Draft Registrations, 1863-1865, NM-65.

9. 1870 U. S. Census, Tipton County Indiana, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Tipton County, Indiana, page 15, household 110, Christy, Samuel; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017); NARA microfilm publication T132.

10. 1880 U.S. Census, Tipton County, Indiana, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Tipton County, Indiana, ED 135, page 44 Image 33 of 40, household 394, Samuel H Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017)

11. Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1789-1999, Samuel H. St. G. Christy, 1887; database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 14 December 2021).

12. 1900 U.S. Census, Tipton County, Indiana, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Tipton County, Indiana, ED 124, Sheet 6 Image 11 of 32, family 115, Samuel Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 20 January 2022)

13. “By Star Special Service,” The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana), 26 March 1904, page 6; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 3 September 2020).

14. “Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017), Lydia Galimore – Samuel H. Christy.

15. Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016, Samuel H Christy – Lydia Galimore, 3 March 1842; database with images, (www.familysearch.org : viewed online October 2017).

16. Ohio, Fayette County. Marriage Records, v. A-C 1810-1855.  Film #292630 DGS 4016243. Samuel H Christy, 3 Mar 1842 Vol. B: page 197; digitized images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 23 July 2022.

17. Mrs. Rachel E. RIcketts, death certificate #2011237 (27 January 1917), Kansas State Board of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Topeka, Kansas.

18. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online July 2016), memorial for Lydia Gallimore Christy (1824-1864), Find a Grave Memorial no. # 13717108, created by Judy, citing Hills Baptist Chruch Cemetery, Pickard, Clinton County, INdiana; accompanying photograph by Judy, Lydia Gallimore Christy.

19. 1870 U. S. Census, Tipton County Indiana, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Tipton County, Indiana, page 15, family 110, Samuel Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 23 July 2022); NARA microfilm publication T132.

20. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online July 2016), memorial for Lydia Gallimore Christy (1824-1864), Find a Grave Memorial no. # 13717108,

21. “Indiana, Marriage Index, 1800-1941,” Ancestry.com,  (www.ancestry.com : County Court Records at Williamsport, IN, Clinton County, Indiana, viewed onine (5 January 2022), Samuel H Christy.

22. “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019,” database with images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : viewed onine 23 July 2022), Samuel H. St. G (or Y) Christy.

23. Indiana Marriages, 1845-1920 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000), Book C-4, OS Page 524

24. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online 5 January 2022), memorial for Mary Susan Amos Christy (1837-1872), Find a Grave Memorial no. #13717123, created by Judy, citing Hills Baptist Church Cemetery, Pickard, Clinton County, Indiana; accompanying photograph by Judy, Mary Susan Amos Christy.

25. 1860 U.S. Census, Clinton County Indiana, population schedule, Sugar Creek Township, Clinton County, Indiana, pae 143, family 1043, John C Amos.

26. “Indiana, Marriage Index, 1800-1941,” Ancestry.com,  (www.ancestry.com : County Court Records at Williamsport, IN, Clinton County, Indiana, viewed online (13 December 21), Samuel H Christy.

27. “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007,” digitized images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : viewed online 23 July 2022), Samuel H. Christy.

28. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Maria Christy, 18 December 1907; .

Books

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible music here) is to:

1) What is a “new to you” resource that is helping your genealogy research? [Thank you to Linda Stufflebean for suggesting topics!]

Looking back over my recent research, the only source that could be considered ‘new to me’ would be the Online Digital Library on FamilySearch. Since I had written a scheduled post about this resource, I decided to use that post for my response to Randy Seaver’s Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge.

Have you used the BOOKS (or Online Digital Library) on FamilySearch? While I had read/heard about this valuable resource, I had forgotten to about it. I actually stumbled upon it when trying to update a very poor citation.

Hoping to find a digital version of the September 1935 issue of the DAR Magazine, I searched Google and Archive.org and several other sites with digital resources. Not finding anything, I returned to Google and tried a different search. That search led me to a digital copy in the Online Digital Library on FamilySearch!

By locating a digital copy, I was able to create a better citation and transcribe portions of the article into the ‘notes’ area for the citation.

Since creating the new citation, I need to replace the old ones with this new one. Thanks to the changes in RootsMagic 8, I can tell how many times the bad source was used.

To merge the sources, I highlight the source I wish to keep and click on the 3 vertical dots in the upper right corner of the SOURCES screen. This opens a menu where I can select MERGE SOURCES.

That opens the SELECT SOURCE window where I’m prompted to select the source I wish to merge into the other source

Clicking the OK button opens a window comparing the two sources.

Clicking on the MERGE DUPLICATES button merges my ‘bad’ source into my new one. Now, I have 3 citations.

Clicking on the > to the right of the number of citations will open the CITATION window.

Now, using the 3 dot menu, I can highlight the citation I wish to keep and then select MERGE CITATIONS from the menu.

Like the MERGE SOURCES process, this opens a window where I’m prompted to select a citation I wish to merge into the previously highlighted ‘good’ one.

This opens a window comparing the two citations.

Clicking on the MERGE DUPLICATES button merges the ‘bad’ citation into the newer ‘good’ one. While this process works one citation at a time, it allows me to get rid of my ‘bad’ citations.

Now, I need to learn more about the BOOKS – or Online Digital Library at FamilySearch.

• Is Your Family in the Update Digital Library?

Saturday Tidbits

1940 Draft – Nemaha County, Kansas

Courier Tribune
December 12, 1940

Draft Order
(Official List Continued)

751 Raymond V. Savage
752 Melvin Armstrong Noel
753 Kenneth Dale McKee
754 Halsey McLaughlin
755 George Edward Olberding
756 Martin Owen Ford
757 Vernon Berton Tibbetts
758 Ira Laverne Schroeder
759 John Felix Wilhelm
760 Frank Joseph Hermesch
761 Harold William Schleif
762 Francis Edward Becker
763 Elwyn Charles Haug
764 Benedict Paul Clacys
765 Leonard Andrew Adams
766 Clarence William Ford
767 Allen Louis Gilbert
768 Luther James Clark
769 Cyril Henry Holthaus
770 Albert Lester Andrick
771 George Edwin Eichelberger
772 Harold Levern wood
773 Gerald Francis Sourk
774 Frederick F. Stoldt
775 Francis William Andres
776 Harold Elbert Fund
777 Paul C. C. Korber
778 Reuben N. Moser
779 Leo John Waller
780 Clarence Raphael Haug
781 Lyle Sylvester Russell
782 David Edelman
783 Herbert Kreitzer Lichty
784 LeRoy A. VanDalsen
785 Eldred Allen Lowry
786 Francis LeRoy Zelfer
787 John Lawrence Welborn
788 Richard George Hatch
789 Cyril Herman Boeding
790 Arthur Mile Carpenter
791 Carl S. Krotzinger
792 Louis Wenger
793 Wilbur Samuel Haxton
794 Howard Charles Luse
795 Victor Merle Krainbill
796 Joseph Frank Wicki
797 Jake A Lehman
798 Joseph Anthony Burdick
799 Francis G. Engelken

Friday Finds

In an attempt to figure out whether I was working with one or two men named Thurston Wells, I ordered land entry records from the National Archives. As it turns out, the records I ordered were not for my ancestor, but for the ‘other’ Thurston Wells. The major clue to the difference is that these papers were filed by a single man and my ancestor was married in 1851.

Sworn Declaration and Corroborating Affidavit

To Perfect Titles to Lands Entered for Actual Settlement and Cultivation Under
the Graduation Act of August 4, 1854

Declaration
County of Genesee
State of Michigan

On this 12th day of April 1856, personally
appeared before me, the undersigned R. Bishop Receiver
Genesee Mich for the county and State aforesaid Thurston
Wells, who being duly sworn by me according to law
deposes and says, in relation to the land entered by him the 12th
day of December 1856, per certificate of purchase No. 6047
that the same was for his own use and for the purpose of actual
settlement and cultivation under the provisions of the act of Congress
of 4th August 1854, “to graduate and reduce the price of the public
lands to actual settlers and cultivators,” that he is at this time in the
occupancy of said land, and has been residing thereon since the first
day of May 1855; that he has improved the
same by clearing and fencing about one
acre of the same and that he has erected
a dwelling house thereon and now re
sides in the same
that he has made or entered no contract or agreement, either directly
or indirectly, for the sale or transfer of said land, and that he was
twenty-one years of age at the time he entered the same.
Thurston Wells
Sworn to and subscribed before me, on the day and year first
above written.
R Bishop
Receiver

Corroborating Affidavit
County of Genesee
State of Michigan
Before me, R. Bishop Receiver Genesee Mich
personally appeared John McIntyre who, being duly
sworn according to law, deposes and says, that he is well acquainted
with Thurston Wells who subscribed the foregoing
declaration and knows him to be the identical person who entered the
land described therein, and that he is now, and has been residing on
said land since the first day of May 1855 and that
his statement in regard to the improvements on the land he well
knows from personal observation to be true.
John McIntyre
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 12th day
of April 1856
R. Bishop
Receiver

No. 6047 Receiver’s Office at Genesee, Decr 12 1854
Received form Thurston Wells
of Tuscola County Michigan the sum of Thirty
dollars and _ cents; being in full for the Southwest 1/4 of Southwest quarter of section no. three in Township No. 10 N of Range No 10 E containing forty acres and __ hundredths, at $.75 per acre
$30
R Bishop Receiver

6047
United States Land Office, at Genesee, Michigan
December 12th, 1854
I, Thurston Wells of Tuscola County, State of
Michigan, being a single man, and over twenty-one years of age, and
having applied to enter the South west Quarter of the
South west Quarter of Section Num
ber Three (3)
in Township No. Ten (10) North of Range No. Ten (10)
East, containing forty (40) acres
under the act entitled “An act to graduate and reduce the price of the public lands to actual settlers and
cultivators,” approved 4th August, 1854, do solemnly swear that I enter the same for my own use, for the
purpose of actual settlement and cultivation, and that, together with said entry, I have not acquired form the
United States, under provisions of said act, more than three hundred and twenty acres, according to the
established surveys; and further that that the said land is not now in the occupancy of any settler whose
settlement thereon existed at the date of said law.
Thurston Wells
Sworn to and subscribed before me on
the 12th day of December 1854
R Bishop Receiver

No 6047 Land Office at Genesee December 12 1854
It is hereby certified, that, in pursuance of law, Thurston Wells
Tuscola County, State of Michigan on this day purchased of the Register
of this Office, the lot or South West qr of South West qr
of Section No. Three (3) in Township No. Ten N of Range No. Ten E
containing forty acres, at the rate of
twenty five cents per acres, amounting to Thirty (30
dollars, for which the said Thurston Wells
has made payment in full as required by law.
Now therefore be it known, that on presentation of this Certificate to the
Commissioner of he General Land Office, the said Thurston Wells
shall be entitled to receive a Patent for the lot above described.
Wm M Fenton Register

Two Samuels

Do you have ‘favorite’ lines in your tree? I’m referring to those lines that you have spent the most time researching compared to other lines. I have to admit that I do have at least one favorite line – my CRAWFORD line.

Thus, I might conclude that I did not do a very good job of researching my third great grandfathers for my other lines. However, when I look at the sourcing I added to these lines in comparison to what was available during that time, I did fairly well at adding sources. These sources included census records and published history and genealogies. While I made two trips to Salt Lake where I obtained quite a few deeds for my ancestors, I did not have time to search for these deeds for all of my lines.

So, when I began reviewing my information for Samuel H. Christy, I found that I don’t have any land records for Samuel, even though the census indicates he owned real estate in both Fayette County, Ohio in 1850 and in Tipton County, Indiana in 1860. [Samuel Christy in my Ancestry tree]

1850 U.S. Census, Fayette County Ohio, population schedule, Jasper Township, Fayette County, Indiana, page 156, household 1293, Samuel H Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online October 2017); NARA microfilm publication M432.

1860 U.S. Census, Tipton County, Indiana, population schedule, Jefferson Township, Tipton County, Indiana, page 189 Image 15 of 34, household 1425, Samuel H Christy; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online November 2017); NARA microfilm publication M653

Unfortunately, the Tipton County, Indiana land records are locked and will have to be searched at a later date. However, the Fayette County, Ohio land records are available. Thus, I started searching for land records for Samuel Christy in Fayette County.

That initial search showed quite a few grantor records for Samuel Christy.

Fayette County Ohio, Grantor Index, A-K 1810-1913, Film 292607 DGS 7900590, page 224 (Image 129)

These first entries in the grantor index for Samuel Christy are a major clue to the existence of a second Samuel Christy owning land in Fayette County, Ohio. The clue is the date of the deeds. Since my Samuel H. Christy was born about 1819, he would not have been old enough to own let alone sell land in 1834. Thus, there has to be a second, older Samuel Christy.

Fortunately, there is one entry in the index for a Samuel H. Christy.

Fayette County Ohio, Grantor Index, A-K 1810-1913, Film 292607 DGS 7900590, page 224 (Image 129)

As a deed for the sale of land, Samuel’s wife must also sign the deed. Since the wife’s name on the deed is ‘Lydia Christy’ I believe this deed is for my ancestor, Samuel H. and Lydia (Gallimore) Christy.

Another clue is found by comparing the Oct 1850 deed for Samuel H Christy to the June 1851 deed for Samuel Christy. Both of these deeds are for land that was part of survey 1342. Thus, it is possible they are for the same Samuel Christy. The deed for Samuel H. Christy in Book P on page 51 appears to have been signed by Samuel H. Christy and Lydia Christy.

The 1851 Samuel Christy deed does not include a wife. The signature also indicates that Samuel Christy could not sign his name since it says ‘his mark’.

Thus, I believe my original conclusion that there are (at least) two men named Samuel Christy selling land in Fayette County, Ohio. Much additional research will be required to figure out who this second Samuel Christy is. For now I’m concentrating on my ancestor, Samuel H. Christy.

Below is the deed where Samuel H. Christy and his wife, Lydia, sold land in Fayette County, Ohio.

Oct 5 1850 Christy Samuel H to David Cramer Book P page 51

Image 35 – page 51

Samuel H Christy
To Deed
David Creamer
$750 – 50 – 1342

Know all men that I Samuel H. Christy and
Lydia Christy wife of said Samuel H. Christy of the
County of Fayette and State of Ohio in consideration of
the sum of seven hundred & fifty dollars in hand paid
by David Creamer of the County & State aforesaid have bargained and sold
and do hereby grant bargain sell and convey unto the said David Creamer
his heirs and assigns forever, the following premises, situate in the County of Fay
ette in the State of Ohio and in Jasper Township and bound and described
as follows. Beginning at a stone & Hickory northwest corner to David Christy
thence S 142 poles to a large Elm the southwest corner to said Christy. Thence W
56 1/4 poles to a honey locust 7 elm corner to Samuel Fifth home thence N 142
poles to three elms & Bur oak corner to Fifth home. Thence E 56 1/4 poles to the begin
ning containing fifty acres of land be the same more or less being part of a
survey made in the name of Thomas Shaw No 1342. To have and to hold
said premises with the appurtenances unto the said David Creamer his he
irs and assigns and the said Samuel H. Christy & wife for themselves and
heirs do hereby covenant with said David Creamer his heirs and assigns that
they are lawfully seized of the premises aforesaid, and that the premises are
free and clear from all encumbrances whatsoever, and he will forever war
rant and defend the same with the appurtenances, unto the said David Cream
mer & his heirs and assigns against all lawful claims of all persons whom so ever
In Testimony whereof the said Samuel H. Christy and Lydia his wife have
hereunto set their hands and seals this fifth day of October the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Fifty.
Samuel H.. Christy (seal)
Lydia Christy (seal)

page 52 (image 36)
Signed sealed & Acknowledged
in presence of us
J. B. Creamer
David D. Christy

The State of Ohio Fayette county SS
Before e J. B. Creamer a Justice of the Peace
in and for said County personally appeared the
above named Samuel H. Christy and Lydia
Christy his wife and acknowledged the signing
and sealing of the above conveyance to be their voluntary act and deed; and the
said Lydia Christy being at the same time examined by me separate and apart
from her husband and the contents of said instrument made known to her by me
she then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same
and that she is still satisfied therewith; this fifth day of Octr A. D. 1850
J. B Creamer JP
Recd 20th Recorded 21st Nov 1850

Ohio, Fayette County. Deeds, v. P 1850-1853. Film #292618 DGS 8141941. Samuel H. Christy, 9 Oct 1850 Vol. P: page 51 (image 35); digitized images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 24 July 2022.

Research Notes Revisited

Do you keep research notes? This is a part of the genealogy process that professional genealogists have incorporated into their research process for years. However, this is a process that I’ve never truly adopted.

My first exposure to the process of creating such notes was in an Ancestry video that I watched several years ago where Crista Cowan explains the difference between NOTEES and COMMENTS on the Ancestry family tree.

After watching that video, I tried creating notes for some of my ancestors. In the process of creating these notes, I found that I could create a PERSON NOTE in my RootsMagic file.

RootsMagic 8 Person Notes – Judson Crawford

With TreeShare, I can upload those PERSON NOTES to my tree on Ancestry where they appear as NOTES.

While this process works and achieves the goal of keeping research notes, I found several drawbacks in the process.

• No spell checker for the PERSON NOTE in RootsMagic
• Bold formatting in RM is not transferred to Ancestry
• Bulleted lists is not available
• Changing the color of the font or highlighting is not available
• The note is NOT visible or editable while working on facts/sources for the person. In other words, I can’t have both windows open at the same time.

To get around these drawbacks, I created notes in MS Word. However, this hasn’t become a habit. Thus, the files I created have not been updated. Nor have I created files for the ancestors I’ve researched since then.

And then I watched the video by Connie Knox about what she would do if starting a genealogy project from scratch. And there at about 17 minutes, she discusses research notes.

While watching this video and thinking about my recent research involving my 3rd great grandparents, I realized that research notes would be very helpful. For example, the information I have for my ancestor Ozias Wells is based on a family Bible, two biographies of a son, and someone else’s descendancy report. I have not done exhaustive research of Ozias and have a lot of holes (questions) about his life.

Thinking about this need, I watched the video by Family History Fanatics about research notes.

After watching these videos, I concluded that I need to be keeping research notes — but they need to be a regular part of my research process and easily updated. In addition, they need to allow for the use of highlighting and other formatting tools.

While others may use One Note or Evernote to organize their research and maintain research notes, I struggled with these tools. About three years ago, I discovered another tool that I’m using to keep track of my research. While actually created for authors, I’ve found Scrivener to be very useful for my research process. I talked about how I use Srivener to track my research – including transcriptions of documents in my 2019 Research Notes post.

While I’ve been using the RESEARCH portion of Scrivener to keep track of my findings, I haven’t tried to ‘write a book’ on the DRAFT portion of the program. Thinking about this need for RESEARCH NOTES, I started thinking about putting them in Scrivener along with my research – but in the DRAFT portion.

Experimenting, I created Research Notes for Ozias Wells in Scrivener.

I found that I could use various formatting tools to help organize these notes – including the use of color to highlight questions. Since these notes are stored in the surname Scrivener project, they are alongside the notes I’m taking from various sources.

While creating the notes for Ozias Wells, I also found that I’m relying on about 3 sources for all of the information I have for Ozias. This process also helped me insert notes and questions that will hopefully develop into research questions to guide future research. Hopefully, this use of Scrivener to create research notes will become a habit helping me further my research.

Ozias Wells

Ozias Wells was born on 15 May 1796 in Northampton, Fulton County, New York.^1–4

He lived in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States in 1820.⁷

He  purchased rights to gypsum and plaister in the undivided sixth part of all the gypsum or plaister that can be discovered as found on the whole or any part of all that certain piece or parcel of land consisting of thirty acres and being the north part of the second fifty acre lot in this subdivision of lot number forty in said town of Sullivan on 9 Jul 1825 in Madison, New York, United States.¹¹

Ozias lived in Madison, Madison, New York, United States before 1830.^13–14

He was aa delegate to Anti-Mason Convention in 1830.¹⁵

After 1830 he worked for an uncle digging a canal near  Princeton, Mercer, New Jersey, United States.¹⁴

Ozias died on 5 Aug 1832 at the age of 36 in Princeton, Mercer, New Jersey, United States.^{1–2,4,14,17–18}

He was buried in 1832 at Princeton Baptist Church Cemetery in Penns Neck, Mercer, New Jersey, United States.¹

Ozias Wells and Mary Kennedy were married on 18 Mar 1818 in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.^2,4,18–19

Mary Kennedy, daughter of John Kennedy and Anna Barnes, was born on 21 Feb 1799 in Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York, United States.^{2,4,14,18,20–21}

She lived in Calhoun, Michigan, United States in 1837.^14,17

She lived in Calhoun, Michigan, United States in Jul 1840.²²

Mary lived in Clarendon, Calhoun, Michigan, United States on 21 Oct 1850.²³

She lived in Clarendon, Calhoun, Michigan, United States on 9 Oct 1860.

She lived in Clarendon Township, Calhoun, Michigan, United States on 9 Aug 1870.²⁴

Mary  resided in 1873 in Chester Township, Eaton County, Michigan.²⁵

She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.¹⁴

She lived in Kalamo Township, Eaton, Michigan, United States on 18 Jun 1880.²⁶

Mary died on 23 Mar 1885 at the age of 86 in Kalamo, Eaton, Michigan, United States.^{2,4,14,20–21,27}

She was buried in 1885 at Kaloma Cem. in Eaton, Michigan, United States.²¹

Mary and Ozias were the parents of six children:

• On 27 Mar 1819, a child named Benjamin Franklin Wells was born in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.^5–6
• On 26 Feb 1821, a child named Thurston Kennedy Wells was born in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.⁸
• On 9 Jan 1823, a child named William Wallice Wells was born in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.⁹
• On 6 Mar 1825, a child named Hannah Anne Wells was born in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.¹⁰
• On 14 Jan 1827, a child named Mary Jane Wells was born in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.¹²
• On 8 May 1831, a child named Nancy Phidila Wells was born in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.¹⁶

ENDNOTES:

1. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online November 2016), memorial for Ozias Wells (1795-1832), Find a Grave Memorial no. #144143986, created by GSNJ Tombstone Hounds, citing Princeton Baptist Church Cemetry, Penns Neck, Mercer County, New Jersey;, Ozias Wells.

2. Crawford Family Papers; privately held by Marcia Philbrick, , Seneca, Kansas, 2016. Wells Family Bible. copy obtained from Doris Ryan, daughter of Cecile Mentzer Beine.

3. Valerie Radee, (Albion, Michigan) to Marcia Philbrick, letter, 28 October 2003; Wells Family Correspondence, privately held by Marcia Philbrick. , 2022. Wells Family Group Sheets – with documentation.

4. Doris Ryan, , Descendants of Ozias Wells and Mary Kennedy; supplied by Ryan, , created before 2010. Marcia Philbrick 2010.

5. Michigan, Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995. Benj F Wells, 25 Dec 1891 database, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 5 October 2020.

6. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online 16 December 2020), memorial for Benjamin Franklin Wells (1819-1891), Find a Grave Memorial no. 3155335683, created by BluMoKitty, citing Hillside Cemetery, Kalamo, Eaton County, Michigan; accompanying photograph by miran, Benjamin Franklin Wells.

7. 1820 U.S. Census, Madison County, New York, population schedule, Sullivan, Madison County, New York Image 11 of 11, Horiah Wells; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017)

8. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online September 2016), memorial for Thurston Kennedy Wells (1821-1893), Find a Grave Memorial no. #55747283, created by J. Geoghan, citing Yates Center Cemetery, Yates Center, Woodson County, Kansas; accompanying photograph by RisingSun, Thurston Kennedy Wells.

9. “Michigan, Death Records, 1897-1929,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online October 2017), William Wallace Wells.

10. Smith John E., Editor, Our County and Its People, a Descriptive and Biographical Record of Madison County, New York (N.p.: Boston History Company, Publishers, 1899), page 96; digital images, FamilySearch.org, http://www.familysearch.org Film 934838 Item 1 : viewed online 12 June 2022.

11. New York, Madison County. Deed records, 1806-1900.  Film #404305 DGS 711997. Ozias Wells, 9 Jul 1825 Vol AE: page 281; digitized images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 21 July 2022.

12. “Michigan, Death Records 1867-1952,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online October 2017), Mary Jane Humeston.

13. 1830 U.S. Census, Madison County, New York, population schedule, Sullivan, Madison County, New York, page 402 Image 29 of 52, Ozias Wells; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017)

14. , Portrait and Biographical Album of Barry and Eaton Counties, Michigan (Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1891), p. 278-279; digital images, Archive.org, http://www.archive.org viewed online 22 June 2022.

15. Tuttle, William, Names and Sketches of the Pioneer Settlers of Madison County, New York (Interlaken, NY: Heart of the Lakes Publishing, ), p. 272.

16. “Michigan, Death Records 1867-1952,” database Waney P Doolittle.

17. Durant, Samuel W., History of Ingham and Eaton County Michigan (: , 1880), p. 492 (Doc. #: Wells.MI.016).

18. Valerie Radee, (Albion, Michigan) to Marcia Philbrick, letter, [RecordDate]; Wells Family Correspondence, privately held by Marcia Philbrick. , 2022. [Details].

19. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 database, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7836/). Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 : viewed online 22 July 2022.

20. Valerie Radee, (Albion, Michigan) to Marcia Philbrick, letter, 2003; Wells Family Correspondence, privately held by Marcia Philbrick. , 2022. Michigan records; family group sheets.

21. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online October 2017), memorial for Mary Kennedy Wells (1799-1885), Find a Grave Memorial no. #155336266, created by BluMoKitty, citing Hillside Cemetery, Kalamo, Eaton County, MIchigan; accompanying photograph by miran, Mary Kennedy Wells.

22. 1840 U.S. Census, Calhoun County Michigan, Clarendon, Calhoun County, Michigan, image 7 of 8, Mary Wells; digital images,  (: viewed online 22 July 2022).

23. 1850 U.S. Census, Calhoun County Michigan, population schedule, Clarendon Township, Calhoun County, Michigan, image 12 of 16, family 199, Mary Wells; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 27 June 2022); NARA microfilm publication M432.

24. 1870 U.S. Census, Calhoun County, Michigan, population schedule, Calhoun County, Michigan, page 8 Image 8 of 30, family 67, James Doolittle; digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : viewed online 21 May 2022)

25. Halsey, Drouscella Perry, Index of Landowners of Eaton County Michigan, 1873 (: , 1992), page 6, 92 (Doc. #: Wells.MI.010).

26. 1880 U.S. Census, Eaton County Michigan, population schedule, Kalamo Township, Eaton County, Michigan, enumeration district (ED) ED 74, page 26, household 296, Benjamin F. Wells; digial images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017); NARA microfilm publicaiton T9.

27. Photograph, Tombstone, West Clarendon Cemetery, Calhoun County, Michigan read by Valerie Radee, 1995, Kaloma Twp. Cemetery, Eaton Co., MI.

Merging Sources

Do you have a poorly crafted source in your RootsMagic file that you would like to replace with another? I have to admit that I have such sources in my file.

In the past, I have worked my way thru adding the new source/citation and deleting the old one – one fact at a time. Today, as I was working with my WELLS research I came across a source that needed updated – but it had been used 285 times.

Not wanting to work my way thru numerous individuals and 285 facts to switch out the source, I decided to experiment with merging the source.

First, I did a backup of my file. That way, if my experiment failed, I could restore the backup and start switching out the sources.

My next step was to create a ‘new’ source using a template based on Evidence Explained standards. The template I used was one I had copied from one of the built-in RootsMagic templates. It was for a letter.

Using my template, I entered the information for the new source.

With my new source highlighted on the SOURCES screen, I pulled down the 3 dot menu and selected MERGE SOURCE.

Then, I highlighted my ‘bad’ source. (Family-Wells MI)

By selecting the 2nd source (my bad one), a window opened showing the two sources side by side..

This allows me to compare them before merging. If I had selected the sources in the ‘wrong’ order, I could swap them at this point. Since these sources are arranged in the way I wish to merge them, I clicked on MERGE DUPLICATES. That removed my ‘bad’ source and moved all the cited facts to my new source.

I don’t know why I haven’t tried this before! It was a simple way to switch out a new updated source for my older ‘bad’ source.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

It’s Saturday Night – 

time for more Genealogy Fun! 

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible music here) is to:

1) Who is a mysterious person in the family tree you’d like to learn more about? [Thank you to Linda Stufflebean for suggesting topics!]

When it comes to my tree, I have several mysteries. The ‘most’ mysterious would have to be my SMITH line – or should I say lines? And two of those SMITH mysteries are in my CRAWFORD line.

My third great grandfather, Nelson G. Crawford, married Martha SMITH in September 1833 in Warren County, Indiana. While I have yet to find any source tying Martha to her parents or siblings, I have found some evidence that suggests her mother may have been Hannah Smith. While Find a Grave does not contain a record for Hannah Smith, the book, Inscriptions from Western Warren County, Indiana Cemeteries, Volume II, by Rosella Jenkins, contains a major clue. A 56 year old Hannah Smith who died in 1847 is buried in the same cemetery as Martha Smith Crawford: the West Lebanon Cemetery.

While this book does not indicate the location of the burials, I was able to locate the stone during one of my visits to the cemetery. My memory says that the stone was located on the East side of an aisle across from the stones of Nelson and Martha Crawford. Unfortunately, when I made a return trip to the West Lebanon Cemetery, the stone for Hannah Smith was missing.

What I did find was a pile of tombstones around a tree and several deer wondering thru the cemetery. Thus, I think it likely that the deer pushed over tombstones which were then piled around the tree.

Not only did Nelson G. Crawford marry a SMITH, but his mother’s surname was also SMITH. Nelson’s father, James Crawford, married Sally Duggins in September 1799 in Garrard County, KY. Sally’s marriage to James Crawford was her second. She had previously been married to Alexander Duggins.

An Amherst County, Virginia marriage record for Alexander Duggins and Salley Smith indicates that Ann Shoemaker gave permission for the marriage.

Thus, I have hints as to the identity of the mothers of both Martha and Salley Smith – but not the fathers. These two lines have been a mystery in my tree for years!

Saturday Tidbits

1940 Draft Roll – Nemaha County, Kansas

Courier Tribune
December 12, 1940

Draft Order
(Official List Continued)

700 Reuben Edelman
701 Lawrence Henry Heiman
702 Francis Lawrence Mohlman
703 Edward M. Boeding
704 Raymond Royal Burns
705 Gottlieb J. H. Hinton
706 Paul C. Ehlers
707 Harry Leroy Tryon
708 Alvin Wm. Hartman
709 Robert Vernon Dean
710 Albert Henry Heinen
711 Marion Ross Moser
712 Oliver Russ Mosteller
713 Francis Flaherty
714 Paul John Tanking
715 Henry August Becker
716 Charles Thomas Carman
717 Harold Andre Harwick
718 John Leslie Milne
719 Alvin frank Boeckman
720 Alyosius John Broxterman
721 Glen Albert Newman
722 Orville Kenneth Burget
723 Albert Joseph Wichman
724 Albert Vincent Becker
725 Claude Herbert Walker
726 Paul Albertus Johnson
727 Lloyd Melvin Stoldt
728 Russell Eugene Firkins
729 Amos Marion Wright
730 Clemens Carl Sudbeck
831 Wilbert Jacob Leuthold
732 Vincent Mathias Schmitz
733 Edwin Streit
734 John Irven Daily
735 Verne Lane Couch
736 Theodore William Brien
737 Virgil M. Stallbaumer
738 Lawrence Bernard Wessel
739 Lawrence Wm. Luckeroth
740 Clyde Eldon Sourk
741 Russell Carl Shepherd
742 Wilbern Frances Olberding
743 Chris Wm Aeschliman
744 Virgil Benny Murphy
745 John Ruben Watkins
746 Joe Haverkamp
747 Hubert Louis Stallbaumer
748 Loyd Ehrsam
749 Herbert L. Johnstone
750 Elvin Edward Watkins