Sunday, October 4, 2015

Elijah Busby: Civil War Veteran (52 Ancestors #23)

Elijah Busby was born Nov 17, 1831 in Carroll Co, Ohio to John Wisner Busby and Anna Merriman. One of 14 children born to this couple.

Elijah grew up a farmer's son, working in the fields of his father's Ohio farm in the spring, summer and autumn, while attending public school during the winter months.

In the spring of 1852 at the age of 20, Elijah struck out on his own and headed West to Iowa. Finding himself in Mahaska County he hired on as a farm hand earning ten dollars a month.

He worked the farm for several years, saving what he could and dreaming of something better. By 1857 Elijah had met Eliza Ann Bass, daughter of William L. Bass and Margaret Roberts. The couple married on April 30, 1857. That same year the couple began farming their own rented piece of land.

Their first child, a son they named William, was born in March 1859. Soon after that Elijah purchased his own land, two adjoining tracts of 80 acres each in Madison County, Iowa. In August of 1861 their second child, a daughter whom they named Laura Alice, was born. The couple happily set about building a home and a life when the rumblings of unrest began to stir in the country.

In October of 1861 Elijah felt the call of duty and enlisted with the Union Army as a private in Company F, 4th Iowa Cavalry. I can't begin to imagine what toll this decision took on the family, or the hours of discussion leading up to Elijah's commitment, knowing that in doing so he would very well not see his family for the next three years, if ever again.  He was sent to Springfield, MO and then on to Arkansas, where he was involved in the battle of Cotton Plant in July of 1862.

Elijah's regiment was then involved in the battle of Vicksburg in Mississippi in May 1863.

On June 22nd, 1863 the regiment was engaged at Bear Creek (Jones Plantation) near Vicksburg, Mississippi, where Elijah was taken prisoner and held in Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia for the next four months. The conditions at Libby were notorious. Overcrowded conditions lead to disease, famine and death. Over one thousand prisoners were crowded into large open rooms with barred windows, leaving them exposed to the harshest of weather conditions. Mortality was high.
Libby Prison - Richmond VA
Elijah was exchanged on September 6th 1863, and returned to his regiment at Vicksburg, where he re enlisted as a veteran and was promoted to 2nd corporal.

In October 1863 Elijah was granted a furlough and he returned home to spend a month with his young family. He had not seen his wife or children in just over 2 years. What must it have been like, returning to the ordinary after witnessing such violence and terror? Was it even ordinary any more?

During his month at home Elijah sold the 160 acres in Madison County and purchased 80 acres in Adams Township, Mahaska Co, Iowa. Why? One can only speculate that 160 acres was a lot to manage for his wife, left alone with two small children for the past two years.

On the expiration of his furlough Elijah returned to the army and remained with his regiment until the close of the war.

He mustered out at Atlanta with the rank of commissary sergeant and received an honorable discharge in Davenport in July of 1865. Elijah had participated in ten skirmishes and had been promoted 6 times throughout his time of service.

******

Back in civilian life, in a newly reunited America, Elijah set about building his farm and his home. He worked the land, improved the existing buildings and built new ones. He and Eliza had four more children; Emma, born in 1867, John in 1869, Homer in 1873 and Lena in 1877. He would make his living and his home on this farm in Adams Twp. for 17 years.

Around 1880, when Elijah felt he had developed his property sufficiently, he sold his 80 acres to purchase a 200 acre farm in Monroe Twp. Iowa.

For the next 17 years Elijah, with the help of his sons, continued to build and develop the farm, creating fenced fields and pastures. Building barns, silos and other out buildings. Working the land, creating wealth to support a family of six.

Elijah remained active in the affairs of the day. He was a staunch Republican for many years, later giving his support to the Greenback party and the Roosevelt Populists. He was a frequent delegate to the conventions of his party. He served as justice of the peace, a township trustee and sat on the school board.

About 1897, when Elijah was 65 or 66 years old and looking to retire from the farming life, he purchased a small tract of 8 acres in Rose Hill, IA containing a fine house and garden. He rented out the large farm, which afforded him a comfortable retirement.

Elijah and Eliza spent many golden years together, living into their 8th decade enjoying the fruits of their labor; surrounded by their family, all of whom stayed close, and over a dozen grandchildren. In his lifetime his children prospered and grew and became successful citizens in their own right.

Sadly, in July of 1917 the couple buried their oldest son, Dr. Wm. Busby. Elijah and his wife would soon follow. The couple died within 2 days of one another, Elijah on the 14th of December 1917, Eliza followed two days later. They are buried side by side in Rose Hill Cemetery.

*****

Beginning as a young farm boy from Ohio with not a penny in his pocket; nor friend or family in Iowa; Elijah managed to build himself a fine empire and a successful life and family despite, or perhaps because of, the hardships and horrors of war early on in his adult life.

He was a strong, courageous, loyal and determined man.









Monday, September 21, 2015

Irving Augustus Potwin: Outdoorsman (52 Ancestors #22)

Irving Augustus Potwin. Man of adventure. Born March 9, 1878 in Corning IA to Monroe Augustus Potwin and Ella Augusta Burt. Irv was the fourth of five children born to Monroe and Ella, and by all accounts had a mostly carefree middle-America-type childhood. His parents were well educated, well liked and successful in the community. His family lived in a large comfortable home with plenty of food on the table and clothing to wear.

It was not without a dark time or two, however. When Irv was 7 his older brother drowned while swimming one hot August day. This was the family's second loss of a child, their first child having died the summer of 1869 on their journey to Iowa.

When Irv's younger brother came along in 1892 his mother had started to become weak, and tired easily. She was weary and was unable to keep up with the daily household duties. His sister was summoned from New York City, where she was living, to care for their mother and baby brother.

 In 1893 Irv was sent to Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota to study on recommendation of his sister, who had taught there for a time. He stayed for two years, returning home on school breaks and holidays. He studied the classics as well as mathematics and business courses. Irv would tell stories of the severe winters he endured while in MN. From a recollection by his daughter "Before the winter months many structures were erected, which appeared to be scaffolds over all the walkways; one who lives through a winter in snow country is familiar with snow fences, but these strange looking skeletons were a puzzle until the snow storms arrived. The students and all residents walked on top of the snow by way of the high stilts"

When Irv was home on holiday he would be found in the company of Miss Carrie Elizabeth "Bess" Twining. The two were childhood friends, having attended church and Sunday School together as well as two years of Academy prior to Irv going to Minnesota. The courtship began in earnest when the two would walk home together at the end of the school day. Bess recalled "I used to see him in Sunday School and Irv would rest himself on the roof of the woodshed. I'd often see him for he would ride his huge bicycle and that was the way he'd get off it."


 
The couple was married on January 3, 1899 in the home of the bride.

Their first child, a daughter named Dorothy Irene "Dot" was born in 1900, and shortly after that Irv got the idea into his head to go to Oklahoma, a new territory, not yet a state. The plan was hatched between Irv and his long time friend Gus Nelson that they would venture to Oklahoma to establish a home, and return for Bess and baby Dot.

While in Oklahoma Irv contracted smallpox and was gravely ill for some time, delaying his return home to Iowa. When he did return, Oklahoma had made enough of an impression on him that he packed up his family and moved to Guthrie OK in 1901.

Irv and Gus
During this time Irv's mother had been getting progressively weaker and was finally given the diagnosis of cancer. In 1901 while Irv was in Oklahoma, his mother traveled to Chicago for an operation that would, hopefully, save her. It did not and she died in March, 1902.

In April of 1902, in Oklahoma Territory, Bess gave birth to their second child, a son named Kenneth. Irv had established himself as a house painter and teamed up with his friend Gus who was a carpenter. The two helped build the new community of Guthrie, OK. Later Irv started a water service, hauling barreled water and delivering it to the homes.

Sometime around 1903 Irv and Bess moved back to Iowa, settling in Des Moines. Irv's friend Gus had heard of a position for bank cashier at the Des Moines National Bank. Irv applied and was hired. His education in mathematics was what won him the position.

In 1904 the couple welcomed their third child, Elizabeth into their family. They had a fine, large home on College Ave, Irv was doing well at the bank, life was good.

In 1907 their son contracted measles and died. Irv left the bank to pursue accounting positions at various Des Moines businesses. Among them the Des Moines Brewing Company and Jaeger Manufacturing.

In 1910 Irv broke ground on a new two story house on 33rd St, at the western edge of Des Moines. There was much open country and the feeling of freedom and being close to nature. Irv was an outdoor man and enjoyed sports, so he had on his new property a fine clay court constructed for tennis. The streets were being paved at the time so Irv had the steam roller, being used for the road construction, driven on the new court to make it firm and even.

Irv fishing in Minnesota
Every fall Irv and Bess would head north on an annual hunting trip. His daughter recalls their home being filled with many trophies.

By 1916 the stirrings of war overseas was leaving Americans uneasy. In 1917 Irv and his family, like all the families in America at the time were talking about the Selective Service Act. Waiting and watching, Irv observed young men from Des Moines being called to fight. By September 1918 Irv was called to register for the draft. He was 40. He was never called to serve. However the family participated in the war effort in other ways, they dug up their fine clay tennis court to plant a potato field to supply food for themselves and the community.  Irv was now the president of Smith Silo Hardware Co.

After the war and the Armistice was signed, life returned to normal. Irv constructed a brand new house on the site of the former tennis court turned potato field and the family moved into it in 1920. That same year  Irv opened his own accounting office.  He worked for himself for the next 18 years.



The years of the "roaring twenties" were good for the family. Irv and Bess saw their daughters married and starting families of their own. In 1923, when their youngest wed, she remained in the home for a time with her new husband, giving birth to her first two children there. Irv and Bess would eventually becoming grandparents to nine grandchildren.

The story gets a little foggy around 1929. According to a memoir written by his daughter, Irv was said to have purchased a home for his in-laws upon his father in law's retirement. The census records and city directories show Irv and Bess residing in a 6 unit apartment building, in the same apartment as Bess's parents. The home on 33rd was occupied by another family. However, a year after his in law's pass away, Irv and Bess are once again in their home on 33rd. Did Irv, in fact, purchase the apartment building? Why didn't the in-law's come to stay at the big home?

On the morning of August 16, 1938 as Irv was preparing to enter his automobile for the usual day at the office, he died. He was just 60 years old. His daughter writes of "no more pain or suffering", but it is unclear if he was ill prior to his passing.

Irv is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Polk Co, IA














Sunday, September 20, 2015

Old Stories, New Eyes; Verifying Family Lore: Tales From The Cave, part two

Sunday morning.

Labor Day weekend.

Anxious to get back in the Cave to solve the problem I uncovered yesterday.

I knew the answer was there - or at least an explanation. I needed to dig deeper.

{Palm slap to forehead} The obviousness hit me. I needed to look at every city directory between the years 1911 and 1920.

Feeling a bit stupid, I settled in for a session of flipping through electronic records, year by year, verifying my great grandfather's address.

An hour or so later, my grandmother's story was proved correct, partly. The family did move in 1911 and again in 1920. BUT that still didn't prove that the house was built in 1919 and not 1916.

Argh.

Back to the city directories. This time instead of the name, I  employed the handy street index located towards the back of each directory. Looking up the house number and street, I flipped through the virtual pages, electronically unindexed, of course. Knowing both addresses all I needed to do was look for the year the address of the second house first appeared.

Tedious. Time consuming. Oddly rewarding, I must confess.

I felt a little like a time traveller, maybe that is part of the draw of genealogy for me. Anyway, another two hours passed and guess what?! Yup. The second address did not appear until 1920! The Genealogy Queen was correct!

But what about the Zillow listing? What about that?

Again I had to resist the urge to hop in the car and drive the 300 miles to Polk County to show them what I had discovered, and maybe could their be a chance that their records were wrong?

I gave myself a good talking to and decided to just let it go. For the sake of my story I had the proof that I needed. I did put it on my spreadsheet (thanks Thomas MacEntee!) for future research.

OK. On with the story. This should wrap up nicely now, I thought.

I worked my way through the 1920's. The marriage of my grandmother, the career of my great grandfather. Everything was lining up with the "family story" left by my grandmother.

Until 1929.

Oh, oh. Another discrepancy. Or perhaps merely an omission of more detailed information? Rats!

The tale was told that my great grandfather was so successful in his business that he was able to buy a house for his in-laws to retire in. That's not exactly what the records were telling me. I did find my 2nd great grandparents in the 1930 census - but they were living with my great grandparents - AND they were all living in a apartment!?!

Back to the city directories and the year 1929. Shoot. The (extended) family was living in the apartment. The 'big house" had a different family residing in it. 1929! We all know what happened that year. Could my great grandfather have lost everything? Was he forced to sell the big house and move to an apartment?

Noooooo!!

Apart from driving to Polk Co and looking at the real estate histories for the house and the apartment, I had to just let it go, for the moment. (Put it on the ol' spreadsheet for a later looksee)

OK. The Queen has been correct up to this point, why would I doubt her now? I continued to dig into those city directories.

My great grandfather remained in business, his ad ran in the city directory every year. Good.

I took a look at my 2nd great grandparents. 2nd great grandma passed away in December 1932, and 2nd great grandpa in April 1933 Hmm. The foursome was listed as living in the apartment every year from 1929 to 1933. Hmm.

Then I looked at 1934.

Well, well, well. Guess what!? My great grandparents were back in the "big house"!

This just opened up all sorts of questions.

Why did they move to the apartment?
Why did they move back to the big house?
Why, if they were caring for the elderly relatives, did they not just care for them in the house?

Argh!!!!

Resigned to the fact that I would not know the answers, at least not today from the comfort of the Cave; I accepted, grudgingly, that I had reached the end of my quest.

I still don't feel the story is "wrapped up", but the ending is a happy one. And further research revealed that the house remained in the family until at least 1960 - the last year I was able to find a city directory online.

I really need to get to Polk Co one of these days .....




Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Old Stories, New Eyes; Verifying Family Lore: Tales From The Cave, part one

I had finally committed to catching up with my 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks challenge.

I miraculously had the entire house to myself for a full three days over the Labor Day weekend. No distractions, no obligations. I could hunker down in the Cave, clad in the athletic apparel of the genealogist (pj's and slippers), and power through some major research!

On Saturday I got up at a reasonable time, shuffled into the Cave and laid out a plan. Eight ancestors in three days. Should be doable. I had a good outline on all of them. This time I decided to be a little more methodical. I would concentrate on my maternal side. I would start with my four maternal great grandparents and continue with my four 2nd great grandparents on my maternal grandfather's side. (I had done the four on my maternal grandmother's side previously). Easy peasy.

My grandmother, the Genealogy Queen, had written a family story in the early 1980's. I started my research there using her facts and anecdotes. First up: my grandmother's father. Again, easy peasy. She had already written his story. All I needed to do was double check the facts and lay it down "on paper".

This should be a breeze!

Enter modern technology. What my grandmother did from memory, many hours at the microfiche, and personal correspondence with other relatives to produce her "finished" story was only the tip of that genealogical iceberg! (We knew this, didn't we?)

Nine hours later, bleary eyed and needing a shower, (and well past wine o'clock!), I walked away from the computer to sort out all the new information I had found, and to contemplate the discrepancies I had discovered. So much for eight ancestors in 3 days! I hadn't even finished one!

To clear my head I binge watched Who Do You Think You Are (naturally), poured myself a glass of wine, and found something to heat up. Once I was "all genealogied up", I shuffled back into the Cave for another look. I had to be missing something.

The bones of the story worked with all the proof I could find except for one detail. In my grandmother's recollection, the years of 1916 to 1920 were not lining up with what I was finding. Sure, she would have been 12 to 16 years old - her memory of the sequence of events could be off.

But she's the Genealogy Queen!

She would not have written something without exhaustive proof. Even from her own memory.

To match up her time line I looked at all the records available to me online. I  searched newspapers, scrutinized the census', checked the city directories. What was throwing me off was the dates listed for the construction of the houses her father was said to have built, and the timeline of where the family resided.

The story went that my great grandfather built a new home for his family shortly after 1910. He then built another larger new home right next door after WW1, around 1919, on the site of the family's Victory Garden. Great story!

I wanted to verify this, of course, before I wrote about it as truth. I took another look. Ran it all again. Maybe I was seeing it wrong?

The census did not help, as I could only verify the 1920 address with this story. I looked at the city directories for 1910 and 1911, and the family did in fact move during that time. The 1911 address was different than the 1910 address (which matched the 1910 census) and the 1920 address would, 9 years later, be right next door! Cool. That works.

Next up Google Earth. Where the problem started.  I put in the address and "flew" right to the house. I looked at the 1911 house, still standing, and the 1919/20 house right next door. Zillow helped me along from there. Both houses had some photos included so I got to look inside and poke around a bit. Then I noticed something disturbing. Zillow lists the second house as being built in 1916. What??? No, how could this be? This does not line up.

I checked the description on the 1911 house and it was correct: Year built 1911.

If the second house was built in 1916 and not 1919/20 then what else is off in my grandmother's timeline? And the charming anecdote she told of the Victory Garden that stood where the new house was later constructed. What about that?

I resisted the urge to get in my car and drive to the Polk County Recorder's office right then and there to solve this. Besides, it was a holiday, ... and Saturday night, .....Oh, and well over 300 miles away.

Tired and frustrated, I decided to call it a night.

...to be continued ....

Monday, August 10, 2015

Jesse Thomas Sr.: Might As Well Be John Doe (52 Ancestors #21)

Jesse Thomas Sr.

An infuriating Quaker.

Might as well be John Smith or Doe. Seems Thomas was a very common surname among the Quakers in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Very common. Hair pulling frustration common. And (of course) there are (at least) two Jesses.......

Now, I'm sure my 3rd great grandfather didn't mean to be so difficult, and buried somewhere deep in the tomes of Quaker history lie the answers. Alas, a trip to Swarthmore is not in my future any time soon.

So today, as I write this short sketch, the answers I seek remain buried.

I admit I do have ulterior motives for this post. A little fishing expedition. The more we all can get out onto the world wide web, the more chance there is for someone; anyone, anywhere; to stumble across it and perhaps supply a missing piece of the puzzle. Genealogy appears to be a solitary pursuit, you know, with the Cave and all, but it is only successful with collaboration.

Also I might add, that I have avoided this for a while.  Quaker genealogy really is a study unto itself and I must admit that it boggles my mind and makes me cranky.

So here is what I know.
  • Jesse Thomas Sr. was born about 1786* in Chester Co., PA. His parents UNK to date.  FYI there are 41 heads of household in Chester County in the 1790 Federal Census with the Last name of Thomas. Forty One! Thirty two of those households report male children under 16. (Jesse would have been 4 at the time) By 1800 there are 30 heads of household, by 1810 (eureka!) there is but one Jesse listed in Chester County with 2 young adults and one child. (The 1786 Pennsylvania Census of Taxpayers lists 52 Thomas'.... but let's not go there)
  • He married Rebecca (or Rebecah) Hampton in 1808* in Chester Co., PA They were members of the Fallowfield Monthly Meeting in Chester Co., PA. 
  • Rebecca (Rebecah) was born May 12, 1790 in Bucks County, PA, the daughter of Jonathan Hampton and Elizabeth Phillips. This is one case where there is actually more recorded info on the woman than the man!
  • The couple had at least 11 children, according Quaker records. You'd think with 11 descendants there would be numerous people looking for Jesse, wouldn't you?
  • In 1820 the family requested removal from the Fallowfield Monthly Meeting in Chester Co., PA. in preparation to move to Ohio. They requested admittance to the Stillwater Monthly Meeting in Belmont Co., OH.
  • In 1839 the family is listed in the Deerfield Monthly Meeting records in Morgan Co., OH.
  • In 1842 Jesse is listed in the Chesterfield Monthly Meeting in Athens Co., OH, having died in February. He is recorded as being buried at Plymouth. Could that be Plymouth, Washington Co, OH?  There is a Jesse Thomas listed in the 1840 census residing in Westley Twp, Washington Co, OH - Plymouth is in Westley Twp. Plus my grandmother (the Genealogy Queen) has in her notes that the family was from Westley Twp.

*Dates are from other family trees. I usually don't use this type of information as I have not been able to source it, but I am including it this post as a stepping off point.

As I mentioned above, there are a few records for a Jesse Thomas born in 1791 to a Phillip and Hannah Thomas. He was born in Chester but the family attended the Goshen Monthly Meeting - probably not our guy.

There is a record of a Jesse Thomas "accomplishing" his marriage in 1806, but it was recorded in the Philadelphia Northern District Monthly Meeting - probably not our guy.

And that is it. That is all I know.  If only my Genealogy Cave was equipped with a time machine .......

Well, a girl can dream.


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