Women in Our Trees

Do you ever feel like our family history research is centered on the men in the tree? Have you been able to add details to a 2nd or 3rd great grandmother’s life beyond her vitals, census records and birth of her children? I know I struggle with that.

That’s why resources that provide a glimpse into the lives of our female ancestors are precious. One such source was written by women about women to celebrate Cleveland’s centennial. That source is a four part work titled, Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve and is available on FamilySearch.

Since my Hammond ancestors migrated from Connecticut to the Western Reserve in Ohio, I am fortunate to find information on my Hammond, Hale and Fisk ancestors in part three of this wonderful work.

Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve

The Women’s Department of the Cleveland Centennial Commission

Part 4
December 1897

page 755
Pioneer Women of bath
Summit county
1810-1840

Bath was organized in 1818 and called
Wheatland, afterwards Hammondsburg,
a name it retained as late as 1847, although
changed for many years
previous.
Owen Brown of Hudson. father of the
celebrated John Brown of Ottowasomia;
was a commissioner in 1818, and had
absolute authority to name the town.
“Hammondsburg” was considered rather
lengthy, and for postal convenience,
some of the old settlers thought one with
less letters in it would be preferrable, so
Brown named it Bath.
If any people in this country were
marked out as founders of a new community,
it was the little colony of less
than twenty souls from Connecticut
that settled on the west bank of the
Cuyahoga in Bath in the fall of 1810.
It was like the ancient Greek colonies,
“a miniature company complete in
itself.” Not only did they bring with
them to their new homes their industrious
and frugal habits, their wooden
clocks and spinning wheels, but their
Thanksgiving and other Connecticut
holidays, and their unyielding faith in
their religious creed, and planting them
all in this new community as coincidents
in the fresh soil they were to inhabit.
The site which they were to occupy
was in the region of surpassing loveli.
ness. From the surrounding hills could

page 756
be seen the picturesque Cuyahoga in its
winding course, its banks studded with
majestic forests, not yet despoiled by the
woodman’s axe, and all the land around
lovely with the peculiar beauty of hill,
stream and valley.
Jason Hammond and his wife, Rachel
Hale of Bolton, Ct., were the principal
personages of this colony. Early in the
spring of 1810 they purchased by exchange
of Thos. Bull, 1200 acres in the
northeast part of the township (then
called Wheatland), and in the fall came
on with their family and formally began
the settlement. Some weeks previous
to their removal their eldest son, Theodore,
was sent on in advance to select
the land they were to occupy and prepare
a temporary shelter for the family
when they should arrive. But it was
hard for Rachel Hammond to sever
family and social ties and remove so far
west into a wilderness without company,
so Jonathan Hale, her brother, and Mrs.
Elijah Hale, her sister, both at the head
of families, were persuaded to join the
colony. Besides, the greater the number
to go, the greater security.
This arrangement was carried out and
Jonathan Hale sent on in company with
Theodore Hammond to select his land
and prepare shelter for his family. He
had precisely the same contract with
Bull as did Hammond, only his choice
of land was second. According to his
first letter to his family, still in Connecticut,
after his arrival on the ground, he
had in view only 150 acres, but after
seeing the land he must have decided to
take more, as his deed from Bull, dated
September 8, 1810, nearly two months
after his arrival in Bath, describes fully
500 acres. By reason of the “first choice”
Theo. Hammond (who was twenty-one
years of age) and his father’s family became
the first bona fide settlers in Bath
township. The train for the removal of
this colony consisted of ox teams and
one span of horses, and started from
Bolton at the close of August, and proceeded
to East Hartford. a short distance
west where the Hale families
joined it. The Hales were Glastenbury
people. Elijah, the father of the Rev.
Edward Payson Hammond, the evangelist,
was master of the train as far west
as Cleveland.
Rachel, since her marriage to Jason
Hammond, had seen little of the hardships
of life, but no woman in all the
west brought to bear to the new situation
a braver heart or more practical
mind. From the first she was a pioneer.
The train was stocked with everything
for the journey and for the subsistance of
the families, some time after reaching
their destination. Rachel, the eldest
daughter of Rachel Hammond, drove the
span of horses from Bolton to Bath. Not
a hitch occurred on the whole journey,
although they had a “rocky” time of it, and
were over forty days on the road.
Rachel Hammond, wife of Jason, was
a Hale, born in Glastenbury, Ct. 1758;
came to Bath in fall of 1810, died November,
1842, aged eighty-four, and
buried at Bath in ground set apart for a
public cemetery by her husband. She
was a model housekeeper. Her pewter
mugs and platters were the brightest,
but the old wooden trenchers so long in
use had been supplanted by “blue—eyed”
crockery. Three utensils brought from
Connecticut were indispensable: the cast
iron bake oven, an iron pot and the
black earthen teapot; the last the chief
of the kitchen outfit. Rachel claimed
that in this
LITTLE BLACK STEEPER
she could make a better article of tea
than in any of the later vessels for that
purpose, and as long as she had charge
of the cooking she would use nothing
else. Tea was the old folk’s beverage,
and when “store tea” gave out, as it
often did, sage, pennyroyal or any other
nutritious herb of the fields was substituted.
Rachel never cooked a meal by any
other than the open fire-place. There
is a tradition in the family that she
could conjure up an excellent meal with
only a piece of salt pork for foundation.
The nearest grist mill was located at
Newbury, forty miles distant, but a
domestic mill for milling corn was set up
at home which answered the purpose
very well. It was made of hollowing
out the top of a ‘hardwood stump for a
mortar, rigging a heavy pestle on a
spring pole over the mortar, and with it
pounding the corn fine enough to cook.
Rachel’s linen for the table and bed
was the result mainly of her labor before
marriage. After her marriage she
did very little weaving, although a great
deal of that kind of work was done in the

Page 757
family. Her first home in Bath was a
double log cabin of four rooms and two
huge fire-places, with a drawing capacity
that literally annihilated the surrounding
forests.
It was a query in the settlement what
she could want with so much house-room,
unless she intended to start a tavern!
She lived in this log cabin eight years,
when she moved into the new frame house
erected in 1818, but not finished until
1836, six years after her husband’s death.
Shortly after this she abdicated her place
as housekeeper to her daughter-in-law,
Mrs. Eleanor Sears Jones, wife of Lewis
Hammond, “who succeeded to that important
position. Rachel Hammond
was noted for making excellent loaf cake,
but her strength as a woman extended
far beyond her household affairs.
When neighbors were down with chills
and fever then were her womanly
qualities most conspicuous; her very
touch seemed to soothe the burning
heat and accelerated pulse. If
“AUNT RACHEL”
were only present, the sick took courage.
She understood quite well how to treat
many of the common diseases. Physicians
were scarce, and those who‘ were
in the country were intensely allopathic.
Her religion was practical and earnest.
She and her husband were the first to
take steps for the organization of the
church at Bath center. Both would have
died for the creed of John Calvin. Her
evenings were the delight of her family.
The huge fire-places in winter sent out
a warmth and glow that cheered every
heart and drove out all the gloom which
“crowded around the walls.” When
there were no baskets to make, staves to
split, harness to mend, apples to pare,
there was corn to shell, tow to spin,
ropes to braid or walnuts to crack. Her highest
ambition was to do well her duty,
and “to get wisdom, to get understanding
and forget it not.” She was the mother
of six children, five of whom came west
with her, two daughters and three sons;
Rachel, her eldest daughter, born 1791,
married Leman Farnani (brother of
Everett) ‘and lived and died in Richfield
township. She survived her five children,
then, January, 1868, at the age of
seventy-seven was herself called to rest.
A more loving Christian woman has
rarely lived; kind, true and charitable
to all, to her friends and relatives dear
beyond measure. She taught one of the
first schools in Bath. Her hand all
through life was ever ready in all benevolent,
religious and educational work.
She had annually great quantities of
choice fruit and honey, free gifts to the
worthy poor or friends who asked for
them. In 1855 when Gen. L. V. Beirce
published his “Reminiscences of Summit
County,” she addressed him a spirited
letter criticising severely his account
of the settlement of Bath township.
Rachel Farnam was a good singer and
often led in the choir at Bath before her
marriage. She and all her daughters
were members of the Presbyterian
church in Richfield. Her children were
Darwin and Eleanor; three died young.
She was a faithful, frugal and industrious wife.
Mary Hammond, the youngest daughter
of Mrs. Hammond, born at Bolton,
Ct. 1796, married Dr. Horatio Cooley,
second James Chapman and lived and
died at Chatham, Medina County, where
she is buried. She returned to her
father’s home with her two children
after death of Dr. Cooley, where she remained
until her second marriage. She
was the “worker” of the family where
all were workers. The weaving fell
pretty much to her, and some of the
fabrics she turned out of her loom would
do credit to our modern mills. She was
very active and bright in her work. hardly
knowing fatigue or sorrow in her
young days. She was a splendid example
of what the union of great
physical and mental vigor can do. Like
her sister Rachel, she was an active and
zealous worker in church and Sabbath
school. She had two children by Cooley
and five or six by Chapman. Her eldest
son, Samuel Cooley, is still living and
a resident of Knox County, Ill. Her
grandson, Col. Orrin Cooley, who died
In 1893, gained distinguished honors in
that county. Her eldest daughter, Au-
rilla, married Benj. Stanton of New
York and removed to St. Johns Mich.,
fully forty years ago, where she died and
was buried.
When Mary M. Chapman’s “intended”
brought with him his cousin, a
Methodist minister, to “tie the knot,”
(they came. the night before the wedding)
her parents. stout Presbyterians,
were so exasperated at this that it was with

Page 758
great difficulty they would admit the
good brother into the house. He remained
over night and the following
day officiated at the wedding, but during
that time he received no attention from
the “old folks.”
We can hardly appreciate the prejudice
against Methodists in that day.
That very house, after the death of
Mary’s father, became known all over
the Western Reserve as the “house of
Methodist ministers,” and her brother
Lewis was the founder of the church at
Niles, and class leader of it for nearly
twenty years!
Rebecca Farnam, daughter of John
and Mary Farnam, born at Canaan, Ct.
in 1791, came with her parents to Hudson,
O. early in 1800, thence to Richfield,
Summit County, where she married
at the age of twenty-four, Theodore
Hammond early in 1815, and settled in
Bath, where she died. She had five
children, viz: Maria, died at age of sixty eight;
Jason, accidentally killed at age
of eleven; Augustus, still living; Sarah,
married Nathan Jones about 1840, and
died 1848; James, living in Knox
County, Ill., a rich farmer. He was four
months old when his mother died.
Rebecca’s father was in the Revolutionary
war, and for some time acting as
aide-de-camp to Gen. Washington. Her
mother was a woman of great mental
force; lived to be ninety-five. Rebecca
inherited from her a love for all good
culture, and her home was a constant
school house. Like her mother, she was
fond of reading. One who knew her
intimately says: “She was charitable,
gentle, kind, patient, loving and devoted
to her family and friends.” She was
very zealous and active in educational
work. The site for the select school at
Hammond’s Corners was donated by her
husband. She gave great promise of
much greater usefulness in life, when at
the age of thirty-three, she was called
home by her Master in heaven. Her
brother, Everett, if we except Col. Perkins
of Akron, was the largest landholder
in Summit County.
Mary Fisk, born in 1800 at Watertown,
N. Y., married Theo. Hammond as his
second wife, in 1825. She was sister to
Mrs. Horatio Hammond. When the
first settled minister was called at Bath,
he and his wife lived for a time at Mrs.
Hammond’s. Being “the minister” he
was a privileged character and at liberty
to go where he pleased. For some time
after he came to live in the family the
cream, as it came to the surface on the
milk, mysteriously disappeared. This
troubled Mrs. Hammond; a watch was
stationed and the reverend brother was
caught
SKIMMING THE CREAM
for his luncheon. She was the mother
of twelve children, some of them dying
in infancy and early age. Those that
lived to have names were: Mary, Theodore,
Eloise, Rebecca, Oliver, William,
Olive, Trypheas, Lucy, Milan and
Emily; ‘but all are dead save Theodore
and the last two.
Emily, the youngest, is fifty—one, married
and living in Arkansas; Theodore
is a rich farmer in Knox County, Ill.
Rebecca, the third daughter, was a
graduate of Miss Strong’s at Hudson.
0., and later was herself a popular and
successful teacher at Galesburg. Her
death was very much deplored and the
newspapers of that place gave a very
extended account of her character and
school—work at the time of her decease.
Eleanor Sears Jones, wife of Lewis
Hammond, was born 1800 at Dighton,
Mass. married 1823, at the home of Gen.
O. M. Oviatt of Richfield. She with
her parents removed from Massachusetts
to Bristol, Ontario County, N. Y.
in 1802. Her grandfather, Capt. Alden
Sears, was one of the founders of that
town. Her father dealt largely in unimproved
lands in middle and western
N. Y., and failed. There were ten children,
eight coming to Ohio; Eleanor,
with her brother, Jason, first settled at
Richfield, where she taught school for
a couple of years. Her home was a
famous place for Methodists. During
“quarterly meeting” time as many as
six ministers with their wives would be
present at a time. She never sat down
to eat without company, and an extra
cover laid in anticipation of a call.
In her home were three large brick
bake ovens, the largest with a capacity
for twenty—six two pound loaves. Two
batches of bread were turned out weekly
from this oven. One of the other ovens
was used to bake pies. Hers was a pie
family. From the first, almost, she
took charge of the household, not with-
standing “grandmother” Hammond

Page 759
lived in the family nearly twenty years
thereafter. She was permitted to take
her ease and quietly live in a room
specially provided for her. Eleanor was
a capital manager. More than twenty
cows were milked each day and an
abundance of good cheese and butter
made on the premises in the grass season,
rarely any of which was sold, but
consumed in the family. She was an
accomplished equestrian, and thought
nothing of riding to Richfield or Bath
Center, six and eight miles, to attend
meeting. She had a set of chinaware
brought by her grandfather Sears from
China, which she set out on rare occasions.
Once her brass candle-sticks
turned up missing, but found some days
later in a large jar of boiled cider, where
her youngest “hopeful” had carefully
deposited them for safe keeping. In
winters she had a graceful custom of
inviting five young ladies, one from a
family, her nieces, to make her a visit
and remain four to six weeks. The
young ladies had a sitting room to themselves,
received their own company, and
were in the family only at meal and
prayer times. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hammond
were fair singers and led the singing
in the family and church at Niles.
She was exceedingly charitable; many
times has she packed up food and other
articles and sent them six or eight miles
to
SOME NEEDY FAMILY,
and everything not consumed in the
family was given away to the worthy
poor.
Not a lock was used on dwelling or
store rooms. Her circle of acquaintances was
very large. Her funeral was
one of the largest ever held in the township,
the Methodist minister from Akron
conducting the services. Her life was a
very useful one. She had eight children,
one only of whom was a girl, and she
died young.
Louisa Fisk married Horatio Hammond,
youngest son of Jason and
Rachel, She was an earnest and faithful
worker in the Congregational church
at this place, of which both were lifelong
members. In June, 1848, her
family removed to Galesburg, Ill., arriving
in time to celebrate the 4th of
July at the home of her sister there, Mrs.
Theo. Hammond. From here they
removed to Oneida, Ill. and lived on a
farm.
R0xanna(Fields) Hammond, who
with her husband, Calvin, came to Bath
in June, 1815, was born at Fairley, Vt.

She was one of the first to become
interested in the church at Bath
center, where Mr. Hammond is buried_
Her son, Royal, was elected deacon of
that church at the age of twenty-five.
After the death of Mr. Hammond she
made her home with him, and when he
removed to Ontario, Ill. in 1844, she
accompanied him, and died there in

Her son drove 1500 head of sheep
west at the time of their removal, being
49 days on the road, and she drove the
wagon a great part of the way and doing
all the cooking. In speaking of his
mother recently Royal says: “She was a
very energetic and healthy woman. She
began on a farm right in the woods.”
Theodore, the son of Elijah and Sarah
Hale, married Irene Lyman, born 1814,
at Brattleboro, Vt. She came to Strongsville,
O. when she was three years old.
She was one of the sweetest dispositioned
women the world ever knew.
She had eight children, four living;
Celia E. is in Oberlin, O. Mrs. Irene
Hale died August, 1871.
Sally C. Upson, fist wife of William
Hale (a little boy when his father Jonathan
moved to Bath in 1810),was born
in Tallmadge, married Mr. Hale
November, 1823 and came to live at the
old Hale homestead. Six months after
she died while absent on a visit to Tallmadge.
For second wife Mr. Hale
married, 1831, Harriet Carlton, born
March 18, 1811, died 1854. She was a
niece of Mrs. Jonathan Hale, second
wife. She had five children; Sarah,
Lucy, Olivia, Othello and Josephine.
Othello only now living.
Jane_ Mather, born in Northfield,
Summit County, O., 1821, married, 1838,
Andrew Hale, brother of William, and
settled in the old Hale homestead, where
she still resides. She was a daughter of
Mrs. Jonathan (Mather) Hale. She had
six children; Pamelia, Sophronia,
Clara, Charles 0., Alida and John, all
married and living; Betsey Mather,
another daughter of Mrs. Jonathan
(Mather) Hale, born 1823 at Northfield,
moved to Bath in 1840 and married
Sanford Rogers of Bath. She taught
school at $1.25 per week to buy wedding

Page 760
outfit. Resided in Bath eight years,
when she moved to Galesburg, Ill. She
had four children, three born in Bath.
Josiah Fowler came to Bath with the
colony in 1810, married there and lived
on a farm adjoining Elijah Hale, but
the maiden name of his wife is not recalled.
Another settler about this time
was Polly (Brown) Barber. She lived
in the family of Jason Hammond nine
years. Barber died and she married
second, Fanning. She died in Bath.
She used to say that her life was made
up of “nines.” Her father died when
she was nine years old; at nine she went
to live at Mr. Hammond; she lived there
nine years; when she married Barber,
he lived nine years; she was a widow
nine years, and then married Fanning,
and in nine years he died.
Shortly after the settlement .in the
valley was fairly under way, it began to
spread to the hills, and soon the village
of
HAMMOND’S CORNERS
was founded, with post office, school,
church, tannery, shops of various kinds,
and other New England appliances for
a thrifty community. The site for the
store and school house was donated by
Theodore Hammond, the first bona fide
settler of the township. He became of
age in the May preceding his removal
from Connecticut and was at that time
unmarried. He afterwards was appointed
the agent of the proprietor of the remaining
unsold land, and as such representative
settled a number of additional
worthy families about the
“Corner.”
The married ladies of the colony were
sisters and sister-in-law, they practically
making one family of the whole settlement.
Mercy S. Piper, the first wife of Jonathan
Hale, was born in Acton, Mass.,
April 28, 1779. She was the fourth
child in the family of seventeen children
of Samuel Piper, who was a soldier in
the Revolutionary war. With her
parents she moved to Eastbury, Conn.
about 1783 and married Jonathan Hale
of Glastonbury in 1802. Their home
was in Glastonbury until 1810, when as
previously stated with the families of
Jason Hammond and Elijah Hale they
moved to Bath. In addition to a good
education she had also learned the trade
of a tailoress and many a pioneer was
made happy by receiving from her deft
fingers nicely made garments, the material
of which had been grown, carded, spun
and woven right in the neighborhood.
Leaving comfortable homes on the
banks of the Connecticut and settling in
rudely constructed log houses in the
wilderness meant many privations.
Mrs. Hale was capable of mastering
them all, and her pluck and courage were
often brought to the front. Eighteen
miles from a post office, few books,
no newspapers, no physicians within
miles, and plenty of fever and ague, wild
animals numerous and quite often Indians,
called for indomitable courage.
When the war of 1812 broke out they
were in constant fear of the Indians and
slept with their door barricaded and
their gun and ax by the side of their
bed ready for any emergency.
She was the mother of five children,
three of whom were born in Connecticut—
Sophronia, William and Pamelia;
and two in Bath—Andrew and James,
the latter only now living (1896) in
Akron, O. She was a noble and kindhearted
woman and died in Bath, October
16, 1829. Her eldest daughter,
Sophronia, who helped so materially in
her mother’s work until the old log
house was discarded and a spacious
brick was built, was married to Ward
K. Hammond, May 31, 1827 and settled
on a farm near Hammond’s Corners,
living there until 1837, when they moved
to Delaware County, Ohio, and from
thence to Davis County, Ill., where she
died February 5, 1873.
Her descendants are many, and are
widely scattered through the Western
states,
NOBLE MEN AND WOMEN,
making their impress wherever they go.
Pamelia, her youngest daughter, was
married September 28, 1828 to William
C. Oviatt, who had been a contractor
of blacksmith work in the building of
the Ohio canal, and afterward carried on
an extensive business in carriage manufacturing
at Tallmadge, O. She had no
children of her own, but adopted and
kindly cared for two orphan children,
one the wife of a prosperous farmer in
Nebraska, and the other a prominent
surgeon in Wisconsin.
Sarah Hale, wife of Elijah Hale, and
sister to Rachel Hale Hammond and
Jonathan Hale, was born in Glaston-

Page 761
bury, Conn., Feb. 16, 1771; married her
cousin, Elijah Hale, December 25, 1799
and came to Bath as above stated in

She was a remarkably kindhearted
woman and keenly felt the
separation from her mother, even to her
old age often making preparations and
talking about “going home to see
mother.” She was very strict in her
observance of the Sabbath, which for
her began at sundown Saturday evening
and closed at sundown on Sunday
evening. Her children were Eveline,
Mary and Theodore. The first two
were born in Glastonbury, Conn.,
Eveline, 1801, and Mary, 1804.
Eveline married John Bosworth, Dec.
6, 1821 and moved to Edinburg, Portage
County, where she died May 1,,

She was the mother of two children,
Augusta, who married John Bell.
and who is now living at Muskegon,
Mich. and Eveline, who married James
Cook and is living at Weymouth, Ohio.
The former has numerous descendants
in Michigan and Washington, but the
latter has none.
Mary lived single until October 14,
1860, when she married Deacon Ethel
Strong of Edinburg, O., where she went
to reside. Several years later her husband
dying, she returned to her old
home in Bath, but when her brother
Theodore moved to Oberlin, P. she
moved to Weymouth and spent the remainder
of her days with her niece,
Mrs. Cook.
Of the sixteen who came to Bath in
1810, she was the last one to die.
Royal Hammond, one of the Bath
pioneers who is still living at Galesburg,
Ill. tells of his walking with Mary
through the woods to Richfield to
school and how they came across a
wolf, which graciously let them pass
without molestation, and how they once
caught and killed two young raccoons,
and skinning them proposed to sell
their skins and buy for one a pocket
knife and for the other a side comb.
And how their teacher one day saw a
large flock of deer feeding near the
school house, and telling the pupils to
keep still he ran across the lots for his
gun, expecting to kill one, but while
gone so much noise had been made
that the deer were frightened, and the
teacher came back and gave them all
a good scolding. “Aunt Mary” was
married at the age of fifty—six. She
wore a bonnet made from the silk dress
worn by her grandmother, Rachel Tal-
cott, when she was married in 1758,
In a part of Jason Hammond’s residence
was taught the first school with
pupils of all grades and sizes. Among
the teachers were Roxanna and Phoebe
Jones, sisters of Nathan. The former,
while riding a spirited coal-black colt,
which she was breaking, met for the
first time a young engineer, who was
engaged in laying out and constructing
the Ohio canal, Capt. Richard Howe, to
whom she was married in 1827. A year
later she removed to Akron and organized
the first Sunday school in that place.
This was done in the school house on lot
No. 35, which is still used for school
purposes.
Mrs. Howe continued her Sunday
school ministrations with but few brief
intermissions for a full half century.
She was the mother of seven children,
four of whom are living.
Phoebe Jones, closing her school labors,
married Ira Hawkins, who was a
canal superintendent for a quarter of a
century, at what is now “Ira” post office,
“Hawkins” station on the Cleveland Terminal
& Valley Railway. Leaving
there they removed to the Hawkins
homestead, three miles west of Akron.
They left two sons and one daughter and
three orphan children, whom they
brought up as their own. Early in life
she made it a rule to devote at least half
an hour every day to solid reading, and
to this she adhered, though much of the
time was snatched from sleep after the
family had retired.
Jason Hammond’s son Lewis married
Eleanor Jones, the eldest of the three
sisters, and in time succeeded to his
father’s estate.
A sad accident happened to the family
of Mrs. Eleazar King, which cast a
gloom over the remainder of her life.
They came to Bath in 1826. leaving one
married daughter in Massachusetts.
Lucy King went back to visit this sister,
Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, and both
were returning to the home in Bath when
they were lost on the steamer Erie that
burnt on Lake Erie in 1843.
To the early settlement of the township
Ontario County, New York, contributed
more than any other locality.
Of ‘Puritanic descent, they brought with

Page 762
them some characteristic traits of their ;
ancestry and planted them in the western
wilds. Of the Jones family two brothers‘
not mentioned settled in Westfield
and one in Norton. They were children
of Major Sylvanus Jones, who traced
his descent from Capt. Jones of
THE MAYFLOWER,
and Phoebe Sears Jones, whose ancestral
head on this continent was a passenger
in that memorable voyage.
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania
contributed their quota to this
settlement, and it is claimed that a former
resident of the town, distinguished
in war and jurisprudence, General and
Judge A. C. Voris, is indebted for some
peculiarities to a dash of aboriginal blood
coursing through his veins. Julia Coe
Voris came originally from Connecticut
and became the mother of thirteen Children,
bearing well her part in peopling
a new territory. Her children were early
taught industry, frugality and self-reliance,
and today three generations of her
descendants revere her memory. .
Mrs. Diana Sturdevant and her husband,
Joel, were the first of quite a colony
of relatives that came from Susquehanna
County, Pa., and settled on the
Smith Road on the line of Bath and
Copley. They made the journey with
horses and wagon. Her father, Orlen
Capron, accompanied them on horseback
to help select a place on which to settle.
The father assured Diana when they
started that he would not leave her in a
place he would not like to live himself.
They settled a short distance east of Latta’s
Corners. Then the father returned
to Pennsylvania. In 1820 a daughter,
Amy, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Sturdevant.
Amy is now Mrs. James Arnold,
of Copley, and to her bright and
active memory we are indebted for many
facts that could not has been secured
elsewhere.
Mrs. Arnold remembers, when a little
girl, of hearing Mrs. Rachel Latta tell
with what anxiety and dread she and her
family waited to hear the result of the
battle on Lake Erie. The neighbors
were few and far between. Some started
but they had their wagon loaded and
waited. If the British were victorious
they were to move quickly farther east,
where the settlers were more numerous,
for they expected to be overpowered by
the Indians and scalped without mercy.
Mrs. Latta’s family were great hunters;
though not the first settlers in Bath were
the first in the southern part of the town,
coming in the spring of 1810. There
were seven girls in this family, viz.:
Mary, Charlotte, Sally, Ursula, Rachel,
Betsey and Florinda.
There was an Indian camp a short distance
south of the Latta home on Latta
Run, for some time after they came. One
afternoon Sally was over there playing
with the children, and they asked her
to eat supper with them. She did not
like to displease them by not staying, but
did not think she could relish roast
skunk, so left at the risk of offending
them.
In 1823 there was quite a number added
to the colony, of which Mr. and Mrs.
Joel Sturdevant were the first. Orlen
Capron and his first wife, Amy Carpenter,
and his mother, Martha Metcalf;
Comfort Capron and wife, Mary Ann
Osmun; Hilen Capron and wife, Fanny
Osmun, who settled in Bath; Ara Capron
and wife, Eliza Sweet, and Alfred
Sweet and wife, Clarissa Capron; then
came later Ibra Capron and wife, Louisa
Aldrich, who settled in Copley. They
traveled by wagon and were three weeks
on the road, camping out at night most
of the time. With them came also three
pioneer children, Julia Capron, a babe
of a few months; Hannah Sweet, one
year old, and Leah Aldrich Capron, one
year old. They had been on the road
but a short time when they found that
little Julia could not stand riding over
the rough roads; so her father and mother
took turns walking and carried her
in their arms on a pillow to the end of
the journey. She is now ‘Mrs. Wallace
Nelson, of Cleveland, O.
Hannah Sweet at the age of sixteen
had charge of a family of seven other
motherless children. She spun, wove,
made clothes, and had all responsibility
for four years, when the father married
again, and she married Rial Conkling,
of Bath.
Leah Capron was a most successful
home and neighborhood doctor and
nurse. With home-made remedies she
relieved many distresses. She married
R. R. Marsh and lived many years in
Kent, O.
With this colony too came
“MY GRANDFATHER’S CLOCK,
that was too tall for the shelf, so it stood

Page 763
ninety years on the floor.” Though in
1840 the grandchildren numbered about
forty, not one had dared to penetrate the
mysteries of that huge clock-case. We
could watch with longing the operation
of pulling up the heavy weights and arranging
the calendar, but must not meddle.
The old clock is still in a good State
of preservation in the home of Alfred
Capron, of |Copley, a grandson of Amy
and Orlen Capron. Several others of
the same families were added to this colony
in 1832.
Mrs. Morris ‘Miller, nee Hetty B.
Looker, came from Tompkins County:
N. Y., in 1817 to Boston township on
the Cuyahoga river, with her husband
and three sons. They were eleven days
on Lake Erie from Buffalo to Cleveland
in the little sloop, Livona. Fever and
ague, which was a disease none along
the river could escape, took hold of them
so severely they could not work, so they
moved to Bath in 1823.
The first six months their log house
had neither doors, windows nor chimney,
and Mrs. Miller did the cooking
and baking for a family of seven by the
side of a big stump, and before winter
she and her little boys hauled stone from
the creek on a hand sled and built a
chimney and bake oven.
Many descendants of these families
are now living in Bath and Copley, all
good, worthy citizens.
Mrs. Mary A. Capron, being of a
quiet, inquisitive nature, and also very
kind and sympathetic, seemed al-
ways to know who in the neighborhood
was in need of a kind word or deed: and
was ready in that same quiet way to
encourage and help. Her firm but gentle
discipline was felt wherever_ = she
moved. She was busy all her life of
eighty-four years, because she liked to
be, and it was her delight, even to the
last year, to have the earliest vegetables
from a garden of her own cultivating,
with which to treat her friends. She
settled in Bath in 1823. Mrs. Capron’s
youngest daughter, Alfe Capron, was a
very successful school teacher.
Mrs. Mehitable Brown was one of
Bath’s model housekeepers. Whatever
of other work she did, and she was a
skilled tailoress, her house was always
a pattern of neatness and order. Mrs.
Brown’s granddaughter, Mary Brown, is
a graduate of the Long Island College
Training School for Nurses; was matron
of Akron‘s hospital for some time, and
is now Mrs. W. C. Jacobs, of Akron.
Her husband is Akron’s most noted physician.
Another granddaughter of Mrs.
Brown, Miss Hattie Brown is a graduate
of the Akron high school and is a
very successful young teacher in the
Akron schools at present.
In 1834 Margaret Moore bade Farewell
to her lover, Joseph Brinley, in Frank—
lin County, Pa., and with others of her
family started on horseback to seek a
new home in Ohio, having Copley in
view, as her sister Mary had settled there
earlier. It ‘did not take young Joseph
long to decide that Pennsylvania had
no charms for him when
“PEGGY” WAS NOT THERE.
Next day he started for Ohio, too, and
it seems with a determination to catch
the party so lately gone, for he overtook
them before they were out of the state,
at a little place called Bloody Run, where
by the proper authority the words that
united Joseph Brinley and Margaret
Moore for life were spoken. They settled
in a short time on one of the most
desirable farms in Bath, where they
stayed the rest of their lives, and where
a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Margaret,
are still living. Margaret Brinley was
a successful school teacher for several
years.
Mrs. Elisha Miller, nee Sarah Woodford,
moved from Farmington, Conn.,
to Bath in February, 1827, traveling the
entire distance by sled. She had her
husband and four daughters for company.—
Emeline, Clarinda, Lowley and
Evaline.
Mrs. Wm. Davis, nee Ann Sewell,
with husband and six small children, left
friends and native land in Lincolnshire,
Eng., to make a home in the United
States. They settled first in N. Y. then
came to Bath in 1840. The order, discipline
and domestic harmony in the
one-roomed log cabin, where she raised
her twelve good boys and girls, was
never more complete in any royal palace,
and would have been a blessing to all the
homes in this land of freedom.
A daughter of Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Ann
Wyckhoff, is a fashionable dressmaker
located at Ghent.
The foregoing embraces the record of
the early settlers in Bath township.
Hundreds of others came in later, but

Page 764
even their names we have not the
space to give. The very exalted character
of the original colony naturally attracted
other good people, until all the
desirable unimproved lands were taken
up.
But these pioneer scenes and women,
Indians, wild animals and forests, to~
gether with the little earthen steeper, the
loom, pea porridge, the ancient dinner
horn, and the “moss-covered bucket
which hung in the well,” have passed
away for all time, and in their narrow
cell
“The rude forefathers of
sleep.”
Historians—Mrs. O. W. Hale, of Akron;
Eleanor Hammond Hilliard, of
Cleveland; Mrs. H. W. Howe, of Bath.

The women of northwestern Ohio were fortunate to be remembered in this wonderful work!

Books on Family Search

Recently, I saw a rant on Facebook about those who complain about the global tree on FamilySearch while ignoring all of the other resources available on the FamilySearch site. And I agree with the poster of the FB rant that there are lots of resources available on the FamilySearch site.

Since I’m currently going thru my tree and my older research notes, I’m coming across quite a few notes taken from a source that is often forgotten in today’s Internet age: BOOKS. One of the resources mentioned in the ‘rant’ was the collection of books available thru the FamilySearch site. Thus, I can use this book collection to verify the information found in these old notes.

One such set of old notes that I recently uncovered contains information about my ancestor, Jason Hammond, but leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to creating a source citation.

Since I wanted more information for this source, I searched Google for “history of western reserve”. While the top result was not a book reference, I came across a possibility.

This particular book was full text on Google Books. Thus, I was able to locate page 359 and verify that it was the desired book.

Curious about what a search of books on the FamilySearch site would reveal, I searched for the term: Western Reserve and had 319,756 results!

When I put quote marks around the phrase, the number of results was reduced significantly, but still over 20,000.

Using the advanced search, I searched for the title: History of the Western Reserve. Again, I got a ton of results.

Since my Google search had identified an author, I edited my advanced search to add Upton as the author. That search limited my results to 19, with the first item being the book in question.

Using a digital copy of the book allows me to ‘search’ the entire contents of the book which has the potential to locate additional references. It also allowed me to not only transcribe the section of interest but also to scroll backwards to verify that page 359 was in the section of the book about Summit County.

History of the Western Reserve v. 1
by Harriet Taylor Upton
Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1910

page 334 – Summit County section begins

page 359
Bath Township

Bath township received its first settler in the person of Jason Hammond in the year of 1810. It was originally called Wheatfield, but with the coming of the Hammonds and their prominence in its affairs the name gradually disappeared and the entire township was for many years known as Hammondsburg. Deacon Jonathan Hale and Mr. Hammond left Connecticut within four days of each other, Mr. Hale filing the second claim in the township. Upon its political organization in 1818, it was Deacon Hale who was the means of giving its present name, Bath. At the first meeting of town officers one of the questions put was, What shall it be called, and Mr. Hale spoke emphatically as follows: “Call it Jerusalem, or Jericho, or Bath or anything but Hammondsburg,” and the majority voted to have it christened Bath.
When Messrs. Hammond and Hale located in the township, the Cuyahoga valley was inhabited by a band of Ottawa Indians, the chief of which was Skikellimus, the father of the famous Logan. The present hamlet of Hammond Corners was named after the pioneer settler of Bath Township. Ghent is a flourishing hamlet, in which are several saw and grist mills and evidences of considerable business.

Now, to go back and check out some of those 20,000 books on the Western Reserve!

Jason Hammond Will

Recently, Randy Seaver wrote about ‘de-cluttering’ in his ‘Rabbit Holes with Randy,’ post. That post caused me to again think about my files and the fact that my nieces and nephew don’t have the space nor desire to ‘inherit’ my mass of genealogy papers.

Thus, as I’m working to update my records for my 3rd great grandfathers, I’m also going back thru the paper copies of records that I’ve yet to digitize. One of the documents in my Hammond file is the will of my 4th great-grandfather, Jason Hammond.

Since my paper copy was difficult to read, I was able to download the images from FamilySearch to create a transcription.

Medina County, Ohio
Probate record Old Wills
Vol. 1818-1835
Film 423849 DGS 5866035

page 325
Nov Term 1831

Jason Hammond’s Will
Be it remembered that heretofore that is to say at a term
of the Court of Common Pleas begun and held at the Court
house in the town of Medina within and for the County of
Medina on Monday the eleventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty one
by and before the Hon. Frederick Brown senior [associate] Judge
and the Hon. John Freese and Reuben Smith associate
judges of said county holding said court, then and there
came Theodore Hammond, Lewis Hammond and Horatio
Hammond, executors named in the last will & testament
of Jason Hammond, late of Bath in said county deceased,
by [Van] R. Humphrey their attorney and presented to said
Court the last will and testament of Sd Jason Hammond,
which is in these records and figures following, that is to say

In the name of God, Amen, I Jason Hammond of Bath in Medina
County and State of Ohio do now make this my last will and testament
in the following manner (vis)
Item 1st I order all my just debts to e paid by my executors
hereinafter named with the legacies that is mentioned in the items.
Item 2d I give and bequeath to my wife Rachel Hammond the
use and improvements one third part of lots NO. 29 & 30 during her
natural life and I also give to her one good yoke of oxen one
good riding horse one good cow & ten sheep and all my household
furniture except good feather beds which is to be divided between
Theodore Hammond Lewis Hammond & Horatio Hammond after
my decease.
Item 3d I give and bequeath to my son Theodore Hammond
Lots No. 24 25 that I had of Thomas Bull which I have given
him a deed of gift of lot No. 25 & part of lot No 14 bounded as follows
south on Highway running East & west to the center road west on Allen
B. Smith north on Sarah Hale Est on Richfield Road about 23
acres more or less
Item 5th I give and bequeath to my son Lewis Hammond
Lots no. 29 & 30 and part of lot No 14 about 8 or 10 acres more
or less bounded South & West on Richfield Road. North on Sarah Hale
East on Theodore Hale — I give and bequeath one third part of the
sawmill for twenty years after my decease and then to be Theodore
Hammonds with his mother Rachel Hammond one third part of
the House & Barn
Item 6th I give and bequeath to my son Horatio Hammond
Lots No. 27, 28 with part of Lot No. 14 about one acre and half

page 326
Jason Hammond Will
East on Theodore Hale West on Highway – I give and bequeath one
third part of the saw mill for twenty years after my decease and then
to be to be Theodore Hammonds
Item 6th I give and bequeath to my daughter Rachel Farnum four
hundred dollars with what she has had that is on book charged a
gainst her – one half of the beds & bedding – that is remaining not dispose
of in Item No 2. are to be divided between Rachel & Mary equally
between them – and not to be appraised and no Inventory to be
taken of them
Item 7th I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Cooley four
hundred dollars with what she has had that is on the book charged
against her, one half of the beds & bedding that is remaining not dis
posed of in Item No 2 Rachel& Mary is to be equally between
them & not to be apprised and not inventory to be taken of them
Mary to have the weavers loom and all the apparatus belonging
to it & a right to the north east bed room & the chamber above
in the [?] part of the house with a privilege to the oven well
& sellar so long as she remains in the situation she now is
Item 8th I give my chattles horses sheep & hogs with all my
farming tools my carpenters tools such as two saws cross cut & steel
plate hand say augers chisels two broad axes to my sons Theodore
Theodore Lewis & Horatio Hammonds equally divided between them
amongst themselves all the remaining part of my estate real and
personal to be divided equally between them & my sons Theodore Lewis
& Horatio Hammond they are to pay Rachel & Mary their legacy
Each one to pay equally alike as the same stated in the 6th Item
& 7th Item in [?] chattles horses sheep pork wheat flower & one
fourth part in cash within three years after my decease
Item 9th I do hereby appoint my sons Theodore Hammond
Lewis Hammond & Horatio Hammond to be the executors of this
my last will & testament in witness hereof I have hereunto
set my hands and seal this first day of March 182[6]
Jason Hammond (SS)
Sealed & declared by the Testator
to be his last will and testament in the presence
of us the subscribed who have seen him write
his name and have subscribed hereunto
our names as witness in his presence of
each other
Allen Hammond
Frederick A Sprague
N. B. If these should ever be any thing got from lands on & [Foster]
it shall be divided equally between all five of them
And at the same time of said Court as aforesaid came

Page 327
A Sprague one of the subscribing witnesses to said will
who being duly sworn proved said will to the satisfaction
fo this court, as far as the testimony of one witness can prove
a will and it appearing that Allen Hammond, one of
the witnesses of said will resided without this state to wit
in Elbridge, Onandago County in the State of New York
It’s therefore ordered that a commission with the will an
nexed be directed to Sheldon Pardee of Salina in said Onan
dago County to take the deposition of the said Allen Ham
mond, [?] the probate of said will
And afterwards to wit on the nineteenth day of April, in
the year aforesaid a commission with the will annexed was
issued from the office of the clerk of said Court, and directed
to the said Shelden [Pardee} agreeably to the order of said court
and afterwards, to wit at a Term of the said court
begun and held at the Court house in the town of Medina
within and for the County of Medina, on Monday the seventh
day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and thirty one, bu and before th Hon Reuben Woods
President and th Hon Frederick Brown and Reuben Smith
Associate Judges of said county then and there came the said
executors by their said attorney and produced the deposi
tion of Allen Hammond one of the subscribing witnesses of
said will, which with the proof take at the last term of
this court proved the executors of the will by the deceased
to the satisfaction of tis court, which said will with the
proof so taken are fully approved and ordered to be
recorded

Ohio, Medina County. Old Wills 1818-1835. Film #423849 DGS 5866035. Jason Hammond, 11 April 1831 : page 325 (image 184); digital images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 5 May 2022.

New Connection

In your genealogy research, do you have a FAN (Family Associates, Neighbors) club? If so, do you ever see a name and question whether to add him/her to your FAN club? If so, that’s how I felt about Moses Dooley.

It was like that name, Moses Dooley, kept cropping up in different places and times. My first notes for Moses Dooley are from tax records for Preble County Ohio — living in the same community as my ancestor, James Crawford (wife Sally Smith Duggins) and ‘big’ James Crawford (wife Martha Knight).

Thinking that I should find Moses Dooley in Kentucky with these same Crawford families, I looked back at my Kentucky notes and discovered that I didn’t record anything about Moses Dooley. Rechecking the tax records, I found Moses Dooley in 1794 Madison County, Kentucky — on the same page as several Crawfords. [Kentucky, Madison. Tax Books, 1787-1874. Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, KY. Film #8126 DGS 7834478. Crawford James, William, 1794 Tax bookx 1787-1797, 1799-1807: image 197; digital images, Family Search http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online February 2019.]

Assuming the Moses Dooley of Preble County, Ohio is the same person as the Moses Dooley of Madison County, Ky, that places Moses Dooley traveling a similar migration path as that traveled by the two James Crawford families.

A brief study of the information about Moses Dooley on the FamilySearch tree [L66r-BYH] revealed other connection points with my research:

  • Moses Dooley was born in Augusta County, Virginia in 1748. Augusta County, is where my ancestor, James Crawford, is said to have been born.
  • Moses Dooley died in 1822 in Preble County, Ohio. James Crawford was living in Preble County, Ohio in 1822 and died there in 1854.
  • Moses Dooley’s grandson, Silas Dooley married Isabel McCracken. Isabel’s grandparents were Nathan Sellers and Sarah Finley. The Sellers family is part of my Crawford FAN club.
  • Moses Dooley’s son, Abner married Nancy Douglas. Nancy is the daughter of George and Rebecca Douglas. George Douglas is believed to be the brother of Rebekah Crawford. Rebekah Crawford is believed to be the mother of Sarah Crawford (md Williiam Sellers), Mary Crawford (md. James Sellers) and James Crawford (md Martha Knight)

With all of these loose connections to my Crawford family, I decided to see what else I could learn about Moses Dooley and his family. Digging thru Google searches, I stumbled upon a biography of Reuben Dooley, son of Moses Dooley.

Not only does this biography provide a lot of detail about Reuben Dooley and his parents, but it provides details for their migration path. This path took the family from Bedford County, Virginia to Madison County, Kentucky in 1781. From there the family moved to Barren County, Kentucky and then to Preble County, Ohio.

This migration path is very similar to that of the Preble County Crawfords. Deeds place James and Martha in Barren County, Kentucky prior to moving to Preble County, Ohio. Marriage records place both James in early Kentucky. James and Martha were married in Lincoln County, Kentucky in 1793. James and Sally were married in Garrard County Kentucky in 1799. Both James are believed to have been born in Augusta County, Virginia, one in 1770 and the other in 1772.

Although I haven’t found any relationship between my Crawford line and the Dooleys, this biography provides support for the migration of the Preble County James Crawfords South onto the Marrowbone out of the Garrard County Kentucky area prior to the migration North into Preble County, Ohio.

I am glad I followed that ‘nudge’ to do more research on Moses Dooley. He is now an ‘official’ member of my Crawford FAN club.

DNA JOY!

My mind is ‘jumping up and down’ with joy this morning. Another CRAWFORD researcher contacted me this morning to let me know he had found out his haplogroup: R-Y88686. That is the SAME haplogroup as my brother.

We FINALLY have some evidence that we are related!

We both descend from James Crawford of Preble County, Ohio. His James Crawford was born in 1770 in Augusta County, Virginia and died in 1833 in Warren County, Indiana. My James was born in 1772 in Virginia and died in 1854 in Preble County, Ohio.

Both men were living in Kentucky prior to 1800. His James married Martha Knight in 1793 in Lincoln County, Kentucky. My James married Sally Duggins in 1799 in Garrard County, Kentucky. (Garrard County was formed in 1797 from Lincoln and Madison counties.)

In 1811, his James filed land entry papers showing he had made the final payment for the SW 1/4 of Section 14, Township 7 Range 2 East in Preble County, Ohio. In 1816, my James filed similar land entry papers showing he had made the final payment for the NW 1/4 of Section 14, Township 7, Range 2 East in Preble County, Ohio. Yes, they owned adjoining land.

These two families appear to have migrated together for over 100 years. Thus, we have long suspected a relationship.

Not only has our yDNA tests shown us that we need to keep looking for that relationship, but it has added a third James Crawford to the mix. This James was also in Garrard County prior to 1800. James was born in Augusta County, Virginia in 1758 and died in Jefferson County, Indiana in 1836. In 1779, this James Crawford married Rebecca Anderson Maxwell in Montgomery County, Virginia.

So that’s three members of our haplogroup:

  • three James Crawfords
  • all in Garrard County, Kentucky prior to 1800
  • all born in Virginia – likely in early Augusta County, Virginia
  • no father/son relationship between any of the three James Crawfords

The fourth member of our haplogroup descends from William Nelson Crawford. William was born in 1829 in Ohio. Little information about William has been found prior to his marriage to Julia Ann Decious in 1864 in Lassen, California. By 1877, William and Julia were living in Klickitat County, Washington. William died in Klickitat County in 1907.

This William Crawford may have been the 21 year old William Crawford listed in the household of William Crawford (son of James and Martha Crawford) on the 1850 census in Pike Township, Warren County, Indiana.

If so, that would place William Nelson Crawford in Warren County, Indiana along with James and Martha Crawford and their children and with my ancestor Nelson G. Crawford, son of James and Sally Crawford.

This new haplogroup information says these four families are related. We just need to do more digging to figure out how!

Stoner – Shaffer – Needham Connection

Do you use siblings and their descendants to help you locate information on one of your ancestors? Over the years, I’ve found that following these siblings and their families has led me to information I would never have found by just tracking my ancestoral lines.

Thus, I have decide to re-study Nelson G. Crawford’s sister, Polly and her family. Nelson and Polly are the only children that I’ve been able to verify as children of my brick wall ancestor, James Crawford.

James Crawford’s will actually identifies one of Polly’s children in his will: Martha Jane Stoner.

James Crawford will naming Martha Jane Stoner

Even though Martha Stoner is identified in James’ will, tracking her descendants has proven difficult. I believe Martha married Jonathan Sheffer in 1862 in Preble County, Ohio.

Marriage record Jonathan Sheffer and Martha Stoner (Stover)

An 1870 census record for a household of Jonathan Shaffer in Preble County, Ohio includes four children: Emma, Albert, Laura and Charles.

Finding documents to tie Jonathan Sheffer (Shaffer) and his family to other descendants of James Crawford has proven to be difficult. Even proving that the Laura Shaffer shown in the census is the wife of Abner Needham is tricky.

Researchers of FamilySearch have identified the children of Abner Needham. However, the current consensus for his wife’s name is Laura Scheffler. So not only is there a question of who Laura’s parents are, but also how her surname is spelled.

Thus, I decided to look at some of the original records to see how the name is spelled. First, the marriage record for Jonathan and Martha (shown above) uses the SHEFFER spelling for the name. However, this same record also appears to spell Martha’s name as STOVER and not Stoner.

The marriage record for Abner Needham shows Laura’s name as Laura Sheffer and identifies Jonathan D Sheffer as her father.

Marriage record Abner Needham and Laura Sheffer

So, where is the Schlepper spelling coming from? My guess is that it is coming from a birth record for one of Abner and Laura’s children. The index for Preble County birth records shows the variation in the spelling of Laura’s surname.

Abner Needham children in birth records

However, viewing the actual documents, I believe that the name does not have an ‘L’ in it.

Chester Needham’s birth record
Lavina Needham’s birth record
Russel Needham’s birth record

Additional records that show the parents of the Needham children include the marriage record and the death certificate for Chester Needham.

Chester Needham’s marriage record
Chester Needham death certificate

Based on these various documents, I believe that the spelling of Laura’s name is Sheffer or Shaffer and not Scheffler.

However, I can’t prove that Laura Sheffer descends from James Crawford. I am missing document tying the Sheffer family to other descendants of Polly Crawford and John Stoner. In addition, I have not been able to identify any DNA matches thru this line.

Thus, I’m inviting readers to prove me wrong — to provide proof that I’ve made a wrong conclusion regarding Martha Jane Stoner and her family.

1. Martha Jane Stoner was born about 1837 in Ohio, United States.1

She was listed on the census as a 13 year old white female born OH and was listed as Martha Stover at Gasper Twp. in Gasper Township, Preble, Ohio, United States on 2 Aug 1850.2

She was on the census as a 33 year old female born Ohio and was listed as Martha Shaffer in Preble, Ohio, United States on 1 Jul 1870.34

Martha was also known as Martha Jane Sheffer.

Martha Jane Stoner and Jonathan Sheffer were married on 27 Mar 1862 in Preble, Ohio, United States.510

Jonathan Sheffer, son of Samuel Shaffer and Mary Ann Donahoo, was born on 8 Jul 1840 in Highland, Ohio, United States.11

He was on the census as a 32 year old male born Ohio and was listed as Jonathan Shaffer in Preble, Ohio, United States on 1 Jul 1870.3,12

He died on 4 Jun 1930 at the age of 89 in Detroit, Pike, Illinois, United States.11

Jonathan was buried on 6 Jun 1930 at Blue River in Detroit, Pike, Illinois, United States.11 Martha Jane Stoner and Jonathan Sheffer had the following children:

11. Emma Shaffer was born about 1864 in Preble, Ohio, United States.13

She was on the census as a 6 year old female born Ohio and was listed as Emma Shaffer in Preble, Ohio, United States on 1 Jul 1870.12,14

She lived in Twin Township, Preble County, Ohio on 11 Jun 1880.1516

12. Albert F. Shaffer was born on 18 May 1866 in Preble, Ohio, United States.13,17

Hewas listed as a 4 year old male born Ohio and was listed as Albert F. Shaffer in Preble, Ohio, United States on 8 Aug 1870.1213

He lived in Twin Township, Preble County, Ohio on 11 Jun 1880.18

Albert died on 4 Nov 1894 at the age of 28 in Eaton, Preble, Ohio, United States.17

He was buried at Preble County Home Cemetery in Eaton, Preble, Ohio, United States.17

13. Laura A. Shaffer was born about 1869 in Preble, Ohio, United States.13

She was listed as a 1 year old female born Ohio and was listed as Laura A. Shaffer in Preble, Ohio, United States on 1 Jul 1870.1213

She lived in Lanier Township, Preble, Ohio, United States on 15 Jun 1880.19

Laura lived in Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900.24

She died on 9 Jul 1901 at the age of 32 in Montgomery, Ohio, United States.2526

She was buried at Greencastle in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.2527

Laura was the parent of Anna Keller.2829

Laura A. Shaffer and Abner Needham were married on 12 Aug 1885 in Preble, Ohio, United States.3031

Abner Needham32 was born about 1846.20

He lived in Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900.24

He died on 12 Sep 1930 at the age of 84 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.20,33

The funeral of Abner was held on 15 Sep 1930.20

He was buried on 15 Sep 1930 at Greencastle Cemetery.20

He was the parent of Anna Keller.2829 Laura A. Shaffer and Abner Needham had the following children:

131. Chester Needham was born on 29 Apr 1889 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.2122,24,34

He lived in Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900.24

Chester lived in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1930.20,33

He died on 16 Oct 1943 at the age of 54 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States.34

He was buried on 20 Oct 1943 at Grand Lawn Cemetery in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States.34

Chester Needham and Anna Keller were married on 11 Apr 1910 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States.2829

Anna Keller was born in 1891.

She was the child of Abner Needham and Laura A. Shaffer.2829

132. Russell Jacob Needham24,35 was born in Jan 1892 in Ohio, United States.24,3637

He was born on 23 Jan 1893.35

Russell lived in Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900.24

He registered for the military draft  in 1918 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.35

He lived in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States in Sep 1930.20,33

Russell registered for the military draft  in 1942 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.38

He died in 1964 at the age of 72 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.3940

He was buried on 27 Jul 1964 at Dayton Memorial Park Cemetery in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.3940

Caroline B Hammer41 died in 1954.41

She was buried in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.41

133. Frederick Needham24 was born in Mar 1896 in Ohio, United States.24

He lived in Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900.24

Frederick lived in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States in Sep 1930.20,33

He lived in Bedford, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States in 1964.40

134. Laura Lovina Needham24 was born on 11 Feb 1891 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States.2324,42

She lived in Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900.24

Laura lived in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States in 1930.33

_____ Kingery20 was born (date unknown).

Laura Lovina Needham and Thomas Brett were married on 5 Sep 1933 in Richmond, Indiana.23

Thomas Brett23

135. Emma Needham was born in Jun 1899 in Ohio, United States.24

She lived in Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900.24

Emma lived in San Diego, California, United States in Sep 1930.20,33

She lived in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1964.40

_____ Brown20 was born (date unknown).

14. Charles E. Sheffer14 was born in May 1870 in Preble, Ohio, United States.14

He lived in Lanier Township, Preble, Ohio, United States on 8 Aug 1870.12

  Sources:

      1. 1850 U.S. Census, Preble County Ohio, population schedule, [CivilDivision], [ED], [PageID] Image [Image] of [ImageTotal], [HouseholdID], [Person]; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : [AccessType] [AccessDate]); National Archives Publication M432. [FileNumber] [WebAddress].

        2. 1850 U.S. Census, Preble County Ohio, population schedule, Gasper Township, Preble County, Ohio, image 4 of 23, household 577, James Crawford.

        3. Gilbert, Audrey, 1870 Preble County Ohio Census (: , ), (Doc. #:  CRAWFORD.OH.086).

        4. 1870 U.S. Census, DeKalb County, Indiana, population schedule, Jackson Township, DeKalb County, Indiana, page 315 (image 1 of 29) Image [Image] of [ImageTotal], household 7, John Sheffer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017); NARA microfilm publication T132. [WebAddress].

        5. Gilbert, Audrey, Preble County, Ohio Marriages:  1860-1898 (: , ).

        6. Gilbert, Audrey, Preble County, Ohio Marriages:  1860-1898 (: , ), p. 96 (Crawford.OH.085).

        7. 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 : [AccessType] [AccessDate]; [Page].

        8. Dodd, JOrdan, “Ohio, Marriages, 1803-1900,”Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online (July 2017), Jonathan Sheffer.

        9. “Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online March 2018), Martha Stover / Johnathan D. Sheffer.

        10. “Ohio, Compiled Marriage Index, 1803-1900,” , Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online February 2019), Martha Stover – Jonathan Sheffer.

        11. “Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947,” database on-line, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017), Jonathan Shaffer.

        12. 1870 U.S. Census, Preble County Ohio, population schedule, Lanier Township, Preble County, Ohio, page 156, household 90, Jonathan Sheffer; digital image, Ancestry.com(www.ancestry.com: viewed online July 2017); NARA microfilm publication T132. Found online at [WebAddress]

        13. Gilbert, Audrey, 1870 Preble County Ohio Census (: , ).

        14. Gilbert, Audrey, 1870 Preble County Ohio Census (: , ), p. 70 (Crawford.OH.086).

        15. Preble County, Ohio 1880 Census (Uttica, KY: McDowell Publications, 1983), page 25, ED 2, SD 203 (Ancestry image 22 of 32). Hereinafter cited as Preble County, Ohio 1880 Census.

        16. 1880 U.S. Cneus, Preble County, Ohio, population schedule, Twin Township, Preble County, Ohio, ED 203, Page 25, household 231, Emma Sheffer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online July 2017); NARA microfilm publication T9.

        17. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online July 2017), memorial for Albert F. Sheffer (1866-1894), Find a Grave Memorial no. #115425935, created by Historybuff, citing Preble County Home Cemetery, Eaton, Preble County, Ohio;, Albert F. Shefffer.

        18. 1880 U.S. Cneus, Preble County, Ohio, population schedule, Twin Township, Preble County, Ohio, ED 203, page 25, household 228, Frank Sheffer.

        19. 1880 U.S. Cneus, Preble County, Ohio, population schedule, Lanier Township, Preble County, Ohio, ED 200, page 24, , Laura Sheffer.

        20. “Abner D Needham,” Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio), 14 September 1930; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online February 2018).

        21. “Ohio, Births and Christenings INdex, 1774-1973,” database, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : viewed online February 2019), Chester Dare Needham.

        22. Ohio, Montgomery. Birth and Death Records, 1866-1910.  Film ## 4017450. Chester Dare Needham, 29 apr 1889 Vol. 4digital images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 3 July 2020.

        23. “Indiana, Marriages, 1810-2001,” database, Ancestry,  (www.ancestry.com : viewed online February 2019), Lavina Kingery.

        24. 1900 U.S. Census, Montgomery County, Ohio, population schedule, Harrison Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, ED 87, Sheet 16 A Image [Image] of [ImageTotal], family 423, Abner Needham; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed onlnie February 2019). https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7602/4117773_00433?pid=41239697.

        25. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online 3 July 2020), memorial for Laura Alice Needham (? – 1901), Find a Grave Memorial no. #102071608,

        26. “Needham- Laura,” The Dayton Herald (Dayton, Ohio), 10 July 1901, page 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 4 July 2020).

        27. “Local news,”  Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio), 10 July 1901, page 7; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 4 July 2020).

        28. Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1940, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, Chester Needham, 11 April 1910; database with images, Ancestry ancestry.com . viewed online 3 July 2020. Original Source: Marriage Records. Michigan Marriages. FamilySearch.

        29. Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952, Chester Needham, digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed online 3 July 2020). Original Source: Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952.

        30. Genealogical & Historical Records of Preble County, Ohio (http://gen2.pcdl.lib.oh.us : viewed online 3 July 2020), Laura  Shefffer.

        31. “Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993,” database Laura A. sheffer.

        32. “Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993,” database Laura A. Sheffer – Abner Needham.

        33. “Abner D Needham,”  Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio), 13 September 1930; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online February 2019).

        34. “Michigan, Death Records 1867-1952,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 3 July 2020), Chester D Needham.

        35. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database, Ancestry (Ancestry.com : viewed online 3 July 2020), Russell Jacob Needham.

        36. Ohio, Montgomery. Birth and Death Records, 1866-1910, Russell Needham, Jan 1892; .

        37. “Ohio, Births and Christenings INdex, 1774-1973,” database Russell Needham.

        38. “U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,” digital images, NARA Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 3 July 2020), Russel Jacob Needham; citing .

        39. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online 3 July 2020), memorial for Russell Jackson Needham (? – 1964), Find a Grave Memorial no. #139773720,

        40. “Needham, Russell J.,” The Journal Herald (Dayton, Ohio), 25 July 1964, page 6; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 3 July 2020).

        41. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com : viewed online 3 July 2020), memorial for Caroline B Hammer Needham (? – 1954), Find a Grave Memorial no. #139773675,

        42. Ohio, Montgomery. Birth and Death Rec

Data Review – Preble County Ohio Marriages

Have you ever gone back thru some old research to discover that you’ve missed some details that might help break thru a brick wall?

Well, I decided to review my research of Polly Crawford and her family. Polly is the sister of my ancestor, Nelson G. Crawford. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of research for Polly and her family.

I decided to begin my review by looking at marriage records from Preble County, Ohio to see what I could learn about Polly and her children.

In looking thru my notes, I discovered that I had pulled records for Crawford, Duggins, and Sellers surnames from Ancestry’s database Marriage Records Vol. I 1808-1830 and Vol. II 1831-1840 for Preble County, Ohio.

In looking thru this data, I recognized names for children of several known residents of Preble County Ohio: James and Sally Crawford (my ancestor, James and Martha Crawford, Nathan Sellers, and William and Sarah (Crawford) Sellers.

However, there were several Crawford and Sellers names that I didn’t recognize. Thus, I decided to use the tree on FamilySearch to see whether I could figure out who all of these people are. To my surprise, I discovered some additional families whose children were married in early Preble County, Ohio.

  • Joseph Sellers / Rachel Summers – Joseph is a brother to Nathan Sellers and William Sellers (Joseph Sellers FamilySearch LBK3-VH6)
  • David Lloyd Daniel Crawford (FamilySearch L2QD-4RS)
  • William Crawford / Isabella McClure (FamilySearch L8WF-J2M)
  • Thomas L. Crawford (FamilySearch KZYF-WRL)

Even though I can connect Joseph Sellers and his family to other Sellers families in my data, I don’t know enough about these three Crawford families to place them in my vast pool of Crawford data.

Information on FamilySearch for David Lloyd Daniel Crawford and Thomas L. Crawford indicates that these two families had at least some tie to Maryland. FamilySearch has both of these men as sons of David Crawford II (1740-1812) and Lydia Loyd and grandson of David Crawford I (1710-1785) and Jane Douglas.

On the other hand, William Crawford has Virginia ties – BOTETOURT Virginia ties. FamilySearch shows William as the son of John Crawford (1720-1796) and Margaret Jane Brown.

At this point, I have nothing to tie these three Crawford families to the other Crawford families living in Preble County, Ohio prior to 1830: James Crawford and wife Sally Duggins and James Crawford and wife Martha Knight.

So now, I not only need to update my research of Polly Crawford Stoner and her children but I need to research these other Crawford families in early Preble County, Ohio.

Below is a listing of the various families. Bold text indicates that their marriage record was found in the Ancestry resource.

Nathan A. Sellers / Sarah Finley

  •   Mary Sellers md 1797 Benjamin Neal Bourbon KY
  •   Elizabeth Sellers md 1797 William Snodgrass Bourbon KY
  •   Flones Eleanor Sellers md 1807 Daniel McCoy Bourbon KY
  •   Jannet Jane Sellers md 1811 Henry Duggins Preble OH
  •   Sally Sarah Sellers md 1805 Bourbon KY
  •   Margaret Sellers md 1809 John Bell
  •   Nancy Sellers md 1810 John Hawkins
  •   Elsa Ann Sellers md 1810 Preble James Cox
  •   Nathaniel Finley Sellers md 1822 Mary Barnes Preble OH
  •   Rebecca Finley Sellers md 1818 Alexander McCracken Preble OH

William David Sellers / Sarah Crawford

  •   Nathan Douglas Sellers md 1818 Susanna Hawk Preble
  •         Anna M Sellers md 1840 George Morrow Preble
  •   Rebekah Crawford Sellers
  •   Nancy Sellers md 1817 John Scott Sellers Preble
  •   John Howard Sellers md 1825 Catharine Auter Preble
  •   Mary (Polly) Sellers md 1830 Jacob Swihart Preble
  •   Margaret Sellers md 1832 Harvey Wilson Preble
  •   Celia Amanda Sellers md 1837 William West Preble
  •   Jane Hunter Sellers

Joseph Sellers (FS LBK3-VH6) / Rachel Summers

  •   Mary Elizabeth Sellers md 1810 George Hardy ?Preble
  •   Mary Sellers
  •   Sally Sellers md 1818 Jacob Hawk Preble
  •   Nathan Sellers
  •   Robert A Sellers md 1819 Elizabeth Ward Preble
  •   John Scott Sellers md 1817 Nancy Sellers Preble
  •   Joseph Sellers Jr md 1821 Elizabeth Ward
  •   Jane Sellers md 1821 Ebenezer Bridge Preble
  •   Nancy Jane Sellers md 1820 Benjamin Goldsmith Preble
  •   David Sellers md 1838 Isabella Shields Preble
  •   Elizabeth Sellers
  •   Orpha B. Sellers md 1837 David Johnson Cass IN
  •   William B Sellers md 1831 Rebecca McLane Cass, IN

James Crawford / Martha Knight

  •   Elizabeth Crawford md 1816 Moses Lincoln
  •   Sarah Crawford md 1817 David Shankland Preble, OH
  •   Mary Polly Crawford md 1831 Oliver Swank Warren IN
  •   John Douglas Crawford md 1819 Mrs. Sarah Crawford 1819 Preble
  •   William Allen Crawford md 1827 Letitia Snodgrass Preble
  •   Rebecca Crawford md 1854 William Hatton Warren IN
  •   Nancy Crawford md 1832 Washington Pugh Warren IN
  •   James S. Crawford md 1835 Rachel Shelby Knox IN
  •   Harvey Harrison Crawford md 1834 Mary Pugh Warren IN
  •   Celinda Crawford md 1840 John French Warren IN

James Sellers / Mary Crawford

  •   John Crawford Sellers md 1821 Fannie Brown Garrard, KY
  •   Rebecca Sellers md John Finley Seller (son John Selelrs & Elizabeth Finley) Garrard, KY
  •   Nathan Sellers me 1824 Mary Yowell Lincoln KY
  •   Sarah Sellers md 1826 William Elder Garrard KY
  •   William Harvey Sellers md 1830 Mariah Williams Putnam, IN
  •   Harrison Perry Sellers md 1833 Margaret Vanlandingham Putnam, IN
  •   James Nelson Sellers md 1838 Matilda McCoy Missouri

James Crawford / Sally Duggins – my line

  •   Nelson Crawford md in Warren County, IN
  •   Polly Crawford md in Preble County, OH
  •   Henry Duggins md in Preble County, OH
  •   William A. Duggins md in Preble County, OH

David Lloyd Daniel Crawford (FamilySearch L2QD-4RS)

  •   Jacob Crawford md 1818 Mary Miller Preble OH
  •   Rachel Crawford md 1817 Thomas Cassady Preble OH
  •   Abigail Crawford md 1817 Valentine Phillips Preble OH
  •   Evan A Crawford md 1823 Mildred Roebuck Preble OH
  •   Elizabeth Betty Crawford md 1825 Robert Webb Rush IN
  •   Lydia Crawford md 1826 James McManus (no place given)
  •   David Henry Crawford md 1834 Nellie Eleanor Roberts Clinton OH — NOT SURE HE BELONGS IN THIS FAMILY
  •   Sarah Crawford md 1831 Samuel Stallard Rush IN
  •   David Aperman Crawford md 1835 Margaret Cassady Rush, IN

William Crawford (FamilySearch L8WF-J2M)/ Isabella McClure

  •   Elizabeth Crawford md 1809 Jacob Lybrook Preble, OH
  •   Mary Crawford md 1811 Samuel Hanna no place given
  •   Eleanor Crawford md 1813 James Hanna Franklin, IN
  •   Phoebe Crawford md 1819 William Hanna Franklin, IN
  •   Anna Crawford md 1819 Jacob Miller Franklin, IN
  •   Sarah Crawford md 1821 John Hanna Franklin, IN
  •   Martha Crawford
  •   Maria Crawford md 1824 John Shultz IN
  •   Isaac Crawford md 1829 Mary Ann Shroyer Union, IN
  •   Martha Crawford md 1825 Samuel Eikenbary Franklin, IN
  •   Rebecca Crawford md 1827 Thomas Wolverton, Union, IN
  •   Isabella Crawford md 1832 Jeremiah Bake Union, IN

Thomas L. Crawford (FS KZYF-WRL) md Mary “Polly” Carney

  •   John Crawford – possibly John Crawford who married Polly Hawk in 1817
  •   Mary Crawford md 1822 Joseph Olmstead Preble, OH
  •   Susanah Crawford md ~1820 George Loy OH
  •   Samuel Crawford md 1823 Elizabeth Loy Preble, OH
  •   Evan Crawford
  •   Sarah Crawford
  •   Thomas Crawford md ? Delilah Teford

Below is the data I abstracted from the Ancestry record for Preble County Ohio marriages. I have added probably family ties based on my the family structures found on FamilySearch.

Ancestry.com. Preble County, Ohio Marriage Records Vol. I 1808-1830 and Vol. II 1831-1840 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Short, Anita. Preble County, Ohio Marriage Records, 1808-1840 2 vols. in 1. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994.

Image 19 0f 161 — Image saved to Crawford\Ohio folder OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-VolOne-image19-Crawford
Crawford, Evan A. to Allillia Roebuck 11-13-1823 by George Chideler, M G. page 119 [FS Evan Crawford LZ69-FZC Evan is son of David Lloyd Daniel Crawford]

Crawford, Jacob to Polly Miller 2-12-1818 by Richard Shourt, J. P. page 72 [FS Jacob Crawford LK7S-QH6 Jacob is son of David Lloyd Daniel Crawford]

Crawford, John to Polly Hawk 11-13-1817 by John Hardy, M. G. page 60 [FS John Crawford KCHX-RHV]

Crawford Samuel to Elizabeth (no last name given) 4-6-1823 by Peter Banta, J. P. page 118 [FS Samuel Crawford LTSL-DXY], Samuel is son of Thomas L. Crawford and Mary Carney]

Crawford William, A [FS 2SHS-ZG6] to Luticia Snodgrass 3-15-1827 by Robert Rhea, J.P. page 157 [William son of James and Martha]

Image 35 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im35-Crawford
Huet, Philip to Hannah Crawford 11-4-1813 by Martin Ruple page 34 [FS Philip Huet KZDJ-6Q2]

Image 40 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im40-Crawford
Lincoln, Moses J to Elizabeth Crawford [FS 4JKG-G67] 9-19-1816 by R. Dooly page 54 (Elizabeth Crawford is the daughter James and Martha)

image 50 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-IM50-Crawford
Olmsted, Joseph to Polly Crawford 3-21-1822 by Isaac Stephens, J. P. page 108 [FS Joseph Olmsted LK7D-2ZR Mary is daughter of Thomas L. Crawford and Mary Carney]

Image 52 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im52-Crawford
Philips, Valentine to Abigale Crawford 11-6-1817 by John Quinn, J. P. page 63 [FS Valentine Philips LK7S-CZP Abigail is daughter of David Lloyd Daniel Crawford]

Image 59 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im59-Crawford
Shanklin, David to Sally Crawford [FS K2CT-K2Z] 9-27-1817 by John Hardy, M. G. page 66 (Sally Crawford is the daughter James and Martha)

image 23 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im23-Duggins

Duggin, Willian to Sally Neal 4-29-1819 by John Hardy, M. G. page 89 [William Duggin is step-son of James Crawford, son of Sarah Smith Duggins Crawford]

Dugin, Henry to Jannet Sellers 5-16-1811 by John Hardy page 19 [Henry Dugin is step-son of James Crawford, son of Sarah Smith Duggins Crawford] [Jannet Sellers is daughter of Nathan A. Sellers and Sarah Finley]

image 13 OH-PReble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im13-Sellers

Bridge Ebenezer to Jane Sellers 4-5-1821 by Isaac Stephens, J.P. page 103 [Jane Sellers (FS K2MJ-ZXM) is daughter of Joseph Sellers and Rachel Summers]

image 19 (saved with Crawford surname)
Cox, James to Elsa Sellers 1-2-181- by James Crawford, J. P. page 8 [Elsa Sellers is daughter of Nathan A. Sellers and Sarah Finley]

image 28 saved as Oh-Preble-Marriage-Records-vol1-im28-Sellers

Goldsmith, Benjamin to Nancy Sellers 3-16-1820 by James Crawford, J. P. page 94 [Nancy Sellers (FS LHRG-WGJ) is daughter of Joseph Sellers and Rachel Summers]

image 30 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im30-Sellers

Hardy, George to Polly Sellers 1-16-1810 by Samuel Westerfield page 8 [Polly Sellers is Mary Elizabeth Sellers (FS MVRB-7LX) daughter of Joseph and Rachel Sellers]

Image 32 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-IM32-Sellers

Hawk, Jacob to Sally Sellers 9-1-1818 by James Crawford, J. P. page 77 [Sally Sellers (FS LWBM-2JD) is daughter of Joseph Sellers and Rachel Summers]

Hawkins, John to Nancy Sellers 7-9-1810 – lisc [Nancy Sellers (FS LKT4-GHD) is daughter of Nathan Sellers and Sarah Finley]

image 35 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im35-Sellers
Huffman, Simeon to Nancy Sellers 12-14-1828 by Thomas Winters, M. G. page 173

Image 42 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im42-Sellers
McCracken, Alexander to Rebecka Sellers 4-16-1818 by John Hardy, J. P. page 72 [Rebecka Sellers is dauther of Nathan A. Sellers and Sarah Finley]

Image 58 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im58-Sellers
Sellars, Nathan D to Susanah Hawk 9-22-1818 by James Crawford, J. P. pag e78 [Nathan D Sellers (FS LWBM-R9L) is son of William David Sellers and Sarah Crawford]

Sellers, Ephrain to Katharine Boffworth 1-9-1817 by William Williams, M.G. pge 56 [Ephraim Sellers may be Ephraim Zellers (FS LCPK-6WC)]

Sellers, John to Nancy Sellers 12-11-1817 by John Hardy, M.G. page 69 [John Sellers (FS 27FC-TWH) is son of Joseph Sellers and Rachel Summers] [Nancy Sellers is daughter of William David Sellers and Sarah Crawford]

Sellers John H to Catherine I Auter 3-8=1825 by Robert Rhea, J. P. page 136 [John Sellers (FS L4TB-PGX) is son of William David Sellers and Sarah Crawford]

Sellers, Joesph to Elizabeth Sellers 7-27-1821 by James Crawford, J. P. page 108 [Joseph Sellers (FS L8Q1-LV3) is son of Joseph Sellers and Rachel Summers; Elizabeth Sellers is widow of Robert Sellers]
Sellers, Nathan F to Mary Barnes 11-5-1822 by Isaac Stephens, J. P. page 106 [Nathan F. Sellers is son of Nathan A. Sellers and Sarah Finley]

Sellers, Robert to Elizabeth Ward 5-13-1819 by James Crawford, J. P. page 90 [Robert Sellers (FS L8Q1-LVL) is son of Joseph Sellers and Rachel Summers]

Image 63 – page 57
Swihart, Jacob to Mary Selelrs 6-24-1830 by David Bridge, J.P. page 201

image 132 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol2-Im132-Selelrs
Sellers, David to Isabella Shields 1-23-1838 by Henry Kumler, M. G. pge 360 [David Sellers (FS L8QR-KPZ) is son of Joseph Sellers and Rachel Summers]

image 142 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol2-Im142-Sellers
West, William H. to Celia Amanda Sellers 8-3-1837 by I. Stephens, J. P. page 334 [Celia Amanda Sellers (FS L4TB-5DY) is daughter of William David Sellers and Sarah Crawford]

image 144 saved as OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol2-IM144-Sellers
Wilson, Harry H. to Margaret Sellers 2-2-1832 by David Bridge, J. P. page 234 [Margaret Sellers (L4TB-5Q4) is daughter of William David Sellers and Sarah Crawford]

image 145 saved as Oh-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol2-im145-Sellers
Zeller, Isaac (FS KH4V-2GF) to Levinia Enochs 3-1-1838 by Henry Kesling, J. P. page 347

Zellers, David A to Susan E Sellers (FS KHH7-KNG) 11-17-1840 by George Bonebreak, Eld. page 384

image 122 saved as Oh-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol2-Im122-Sellers
Morrow, George [FS LCXK-QR5] to Anna M. Sellers 11-5-1840 by John M. Gray, J. P. (no page # 390-391) [Anna M. Sellers is Fannie Marie Sellers (FS LK5P-Q3C), daughter of Nathan Douglas Sellers and Susanna Hawk]

Image 61 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im61-Crawford
Stoner, John to Polly Crawford 1-18-1821 by R. Dooley, M.G. page 109 [Polly Crawford is daughter of James and Sally Crawford]

Image 41 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im41-Crawford
Lybrook, Jacob to Elizabeth Crawford 8-17-1809 by Train Caldwell page 6 [FS Jacob Lybrook KD71-FPZ Elizabeth is daughter of William Crawford and Isabella McClure]

image 17 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im17-Crawford
Casada, Thomas to Rachel Crawford 12-23-1817 – lisc [FS Thomas Cassady Jr LK7S-Q13 Rachel is daughter of David Lloyd Daniel Crawford]

Bride’s Index image 74 – OH-PReble-Marriage-Records-Im74-BridesIndex
Bride’s Index image 75 – OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Im75-BridesIndex

Image 11 OH-Preble-Marriage-Records-Vol1-Im11-Crawford
Black, Jacob to Sally Crawford 1-1-1829 by N. Benjamin, J.P. page 174 [FS for Jacob Black LZXB-W85]

Clues from a Letter

Do you ever re-look at a document and discover a new clue? That was my experience when a 4th cousin sent me a copy of a letter – a letter that I think I’ve seen before.

Dodge City, Kansas, March 29, 1907
Dear nephew (William Clay Crawford)
Your ????? to hand. I am glad to hear from you. Your Grandfather
Crawford lived to be 56. Died with colic. Your Grandmother died
about the same age with typhoid. From your Great Grandfather
Crawford lived until the age of 72 and died with sunstroke. our
Great Grandmother Crawford lived 78-don’t remember what caused here
death. Your Grandparents were born in Ohio and died in Warren
County, Indiana (W. Lebanon?). Your Great Grandparents moved from
Kentucky and died in southern Ohio. Your Great Great grandparents
came from Scotland and are buried in Kentucky not far from
Lexington. You are of strong hearty people and ought to live to
be an old man with proper care of your health. I am in only
tolerable health myself. I am muscular paralysis. Will stop off
and see you and family and next time I am through if possible.
Kindly regards to your family
From you affectionate uncle.
J.. H. Crawford
(James H. Crawford)

Clues:

  • Names in parentheses suggest this is a transcription and not a typed letter
  • nephew, William Clay Crawford, son of a brother of James H. Crawford
  • Grandfather – Nelson G. Crawford – died at age 56 of colic
    • Born Oct 1808, died March 1864 – age 55 / cause of death unknown
  • Grandmother – Martha Smith Crawford – died of typhoid
    • Cause of death unknown
  • Great Grandfather – James Crawford – lived until 72 and died of sunstroke
    • According to tombstone, James Crawford was born April 1772 and died July 1854 at age 82
    • Cause of death unknown
  • Great Grandmother – Sally Smith Duggins Crawford – lived until 78
    • According to tombstone, Sally Crawford was born Feb 1770 and died May 1856 at age 86
    • Cause of death unknown 
  • Grandparents – Nelson G. Crawford and Martha Smith Crawford – born in Ohio
    • According to 1850 census – Nelson G. Crawford born in Ohio
    • According to 1850 census  – Martha Crawford born in Indiana
  • Grandparents – Nelson G. Crawford and Martha Smith Crawford – died in Warren County, Indiana (W. Lebanon)
    • Both Nelson G. Crawford and Martha Crawford are buried in the West Lebanon (Warren County) Indiana cemetery
  • Great grandparents  – James Crawford and Sally Smith Duggins Crawford – moved from Kentucky and died in southern Ohio
    • James Crawford and Sally Duggins were married in 1799 in Garrard County, Kentucky
    • James Crawford and Sally Crawford are buried in the cemetery in Eaton (Preble County), Ohio
  • Great Great Grandparents – ? unknown – came from Scotland
    • yDNA evidence supports tie to Crawford family in Scotland
  • Great Great Grandparents – ? unknown – buried near Lexington
    • Parents of James Crawford have not been identified
    • This statement could be about either SMITH family (Martha’s line or Sally’s line)
    • Current records for James Crawford are from Garrard County, Kentucky
    • No evidence of a relationship between Rev. James Crawford of Lexington, Kentucky and James Crawford who married Sally Duggins
    • DAR records from this time period (1907) have records for two different James Crawfords mixed up. Thus, it is possible that this statement is a result of similar confusion about several different James Crawford families.

This letter supports a lot of my current findings. It also reminded me that my research isn’t done – that I need to continue seeking records. In reviewing this letter, I discovered that I need to review my documentation and bring it up to today’s standards.

Who Is This James Crawford?

Have you ever run across a record in a county you’ve been researching and have no idea how the person in the record fits with known families in that area? Well, that’s my situation — and it is anoter James Crawford.

James and Martha Crawford sold land in Barren County, Kentucky. Tax lists for Barren County show a James Crawford with 200 acres on the Marrowbone River. These tax lists also show another James Crawford with 50 acres on the Marrowbone. This second James Crawford is thought to be James and Sally (Smith Duggins) Crawford.

I’ve also identified the family of David Crawford who died in Barren County, KY in 1812.

Now, I’ve found a deed for a James Crawford and Patsy his wife selling land in Wythe County Virginia to Peter Kinson. This 1806 deed indicates that James and Patsy were living in Montgomery County, Ohio at the time.

So, who is this James Crawford? Patsy could be a nickname for Martha. Unfortunately, every record I’ve seen for James and Martha use her given name and not the nickname, Patsy.

Being in Montgomery County, Ohio in 1806 would imply that James and Patsy were early settlers of that state.

Based on that, I checked History.Geo’s First Landowners Project. There are 3 entries for James Crawford in Preble County. Two of these entries are for James and Martha while the third is for James and Sally. The Montgomery county entry is for Robert C. Crawford in 1816. Darke County has two entries: Alexander Crawford 1832 and Norman B Crawford 1831.

The Bureau of Land Management’s General Land Office Records has 3 entries for Crawford in Montgomery County. All of those entries are for Robert Crawford.

A search of ‘Settlers and Builders’ of Ohio does not include any James Crawford nor any Crawford in Montgomery County, Ohio.

Since the 1882 book, History of Montgomery County, Ohio has been digitized and is part of the book collection on FamilySearch, I searched it for James Crawford. Other than references to Col. William Crawford, the only Crawford reference from the early history was in a section on James Grimes. James Grimes emigrated from Rockbridge County, Virginia in 1805 travelling thru Crab Orchard, Kentucky. The James Grimes section names Mr. Crawford as one of those who made the trip with him.

At this point, I can’t place the James Crawford in this deed.

Dooley

Have you ever seen a name in a deed or court document and thought to yourself, ‘Hey, I’ve seen that name before?’ Well that was my situation when I was looking at tax records for Barren County, Kentucky.

Since I found James Crawford with 200 acres of land on the Marrowbone listed on the 1800 tax list for Barren County, KY, I started looking for other people owning land on the Marrowbone. That’s when I found Moses Dooly Junr also owning 200 acres of land on the Marrowbone.

Not only was Moses Dooly Junr in Barren County, but so was his father and brothers.

I remembered the Dooly name from my Garrard County map of the original land owners. Moses Dooly had a land grant (#912) for land in the line fork of Sugar Creek.

This land is near the Mary Crawford land purchased from Richard Cave. Mary’s land would be to the East of Moses Dooley’s land. Just to the Southwest of Moses Dooley’s land is the land grant for Jacob Myers. Some of this land was sold to George Douglas. George Douglas then sold a portion to Rebekah Crawford.

So when I saw Moses Dooly Junr as a potential neighbor to James Crawford, I started paying attention to the Dooly family. Since James and Martha Crawford sold 200 hundred acres of land on the Marrowbone (see Barren County Connection), I believe the James Crawford in the tax record is the James Crawford married to Martha Knight. However, I haven’t found the deed for James’ purchase of the land. Thus, I can’t say for certain which James Crawford is listed in the tax record.

As I was researching the two James Crawfords in Preble County, Ohio, I discovered the Dooly family on the tax records in Preble County, Ohio. The 1816 Preble County, Ohio tax list shows Moses Dooley Senr and Moses Dooley along with several other members of the family.

Since I’ve found the Dooley family and likely both James Crawford families in Barren County, KY and Preble County, OH, I began wondering if Moses Dooley was on the tax lists for Lincoln or Madison Counties. Thus, I returned to the tax lists for Lincoln County, KY where I had previously found George Douglas and Rebekah Crawford along with some Sellars families in 1787. I didn’t find any Dooley names living near Rebekah Crawford in 1787. So, I checked Madison County, KY where I found Moses Dooley and John Doly in 1787.

This places Moses Dooley in the same taxing district as Mary Crawford, James Crawford and William Crawford in 1787. 

This may all be coincidence, but it appears that the Dooley clan followed the same migration path from the Garrard County, Kentucky area in 1787 to the Barren County, Kentucky area in 1799 to Preble County, Ohio in 1816.
Thus, I’ve added the Dooley surname to my FAN club.