Always Keep Digging

Posted on October 23, 2023April 20, 2025 by FHadmin

When doing local research, genealogists and historians in the area can be very helpful. They can point you to resources that you don’t even know that you need. Word of caution, however, is to not take their word for it if they say they don’t have any information about the family you are researching. They are likely trying to keep you from wasting your time, but it is important to keep focus. It is likely that you know a lot more about your family than they do and it is unlikely that they have come in contact with information for every family that ever lived in the area. So, keep looking and keep asking questions.

Historic Fallsington

Quite a few years ago, we were doing research in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. One of our stops was at Historic Fallsington. It was close to the area where we believed the Stackhouse family lived during the William Penn era.

The history center in the tiny town had documents, offered tours, and even sold some items of local interest. So, we talked to the woman working there about the Stackhouse family in hopes that we could find some piece of information to help in our research.

Arrival

We told her what we knew of the family’s arrival in Bucks County. We knew they had come about the time William Penn was bringing people to Pennsylvania. There were claims that he had been on the ship Welcome with William Penn, but that seems to be claimed by far more people that there was space on the ship. We would later learn that Thomas and his wife Margery had come to America on the boat “The Lamb,” a ship of 130 tons, in 1682 as a part of William Penn’s fleet. They had left Liverpool in the summer and arrived in Pennsylvania on October 22, 1682.

With Thomas and his wife Margery were Thomas’ nephews Thomas and John, Ellen Stackhouse Cowgill, and Ellen’s children. Ellen was thought to be Thomas Sr.’s sister as a sister Ellen is mentioned in his will. I have read that her husband had been put to death over his religious beliefs. However, I have not verified information about Ellen. It is known, though, that this family and the others on the ship were Quakers from Yorkshire, England.

Seeking Information

The woman very kindly told us that she did not believe the center had any information on anyone with the name of Stackhouse. She said that the name was completely unfamiliar to her and that she didn’t know of anyone with that name living within the township at any time.

We asked if the history book of the township might have anything about the family. It was 300 pages and had been compiled in 1992 to celebrate the 300^th anniversary of the township. Again, she emphasized, apologetically, that she had never seen the name Stackhouse anywhere. And, we couldn’t easily check the book as it did not have an index.

We decided to buy the book anyway hoping to at least learn about the area. And, we found that to be a wise decision.

Thomas Stackhouse’s Brand as shown in the History of Falls Township.

Branding (Photo the brand of Thomas Stackhouse)

The first mention of the Stackhouse family I found in the book was on page 8 where it showed Thomas Stackhouse’s brand for his cattle. In those days, cattle were often branded by cropping the ears of cattle with a particular pattern. Even in the very early days of Pennsylvania, the brands had to be registered with the first being registered in 1684. Thomas Stackhouse’s brand consisted of cutting the top quarter (or less) off one ear (assumed to be the left ear) and notching the other ear on the outside half way down.

The Maps (1690 map)

The area marked in yellow is where Stephen Stackhouse lived. It is within Falls Township and not far from Fallsington.

The book included numerous maps, including land ownership, dating back as far as 1690. Three of those maps showed land owned by the Stackhouse family. The 1690 map showed that Thomas Stackhouse Sr. and Thomas Stackhouse Jr. owned land along Neshaminy Creek south of Newton and about 7 miles from Fallsington. The exact size of their properties seem to change over time with Thomas (not sure which one) purchasing an additional 50 acres over their original lands in 1686. John Stackhouse purchased 200 acres of land about 1695. Later information shows land owned by him to be over 300 acres.

A later map from the 1800s shows the location of Stephen Stackhouse’s property. It is under the name of his grandson who later lived on the property. It was known by descendants as The Old Homestead.

Pennsbury Manor

The book contained a lengthy story about Pennsbury Manor. Russell Stackhouse was a caretaker of Pennsbury Manor in the 1900s. He was mentioned in the book as he had told his successor the story of how the Pennsbury Manor historical site came into existence. As it is told, Charles Henry Moon, a local surveyor, repeatedly pressured the then president of Warner Company, who owned the property where William Penn had once lived to turn 10 acres of the property over to the state for a site honoring Penn. Finally, they gave in and the current site was created. Apparently, Mr. Moon was aware that there was a provision in the deed to the land that the specific piece of the property was to go to the state for this purpose. However, it took a good deal of time and insistence to make it happen.

Other Mentions In The Book

The Supporter of England

The book also mentions a John Stackhouse, who along with numerous others was charged with treason as he supported England. I have been able to verify that this occurred, but I do not know which John Stackhouse this was as they were numerous after a few generations. It is also a bit surprising as the Stackhouse family had apparently come to American because the Quakers were persecuted by the English government. It begs many questions about why he supported England and if he was of the same family.

1914

Stackhouses apparently remained in the area throughout the years. The farm and business directory for Bucks County that was included listed a Stackhouse.

There were other photos and mentions for other families of interest as well. All in all it was a good purchase and we were so glad that we had went ahead and bought the book even though the staff did not know of the Stackhouse family. It gave us new insights and added to the research that we were doing.

The Connection

Rod’s Klinefelter family line connects to Elizabeth Mason Stackhouse, who married Joshua Brooks. Their daughter Ann married into the Klinefelter family. Elizabeth, who lived to be 99, and Joshua left Bucks County behind and moved across the state to Pittsburgh. There Joshua was in business with her brother Mark.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Stephen Stackhouse and Amy Vandike, who married in 1787 at the Presbyterian Church in Newtown, only a short distance from the original Stackhouse property. From there the belief is that Stephen is the son of John, who is the son of Thomas, who is the son of John who immigrated to America from England in 1682. However, despite years passing, I am still in the process of proving this relationship to my satisfaction. The process has been complicated by inconsistent “facts” and interpretations of records. Got to keep on digging!

What A Tangled Web We Weave When We Practice Genealogy

Posted on October 17, 2023October 17, 2023 by FHadmin

About 15 to 20 years ago, I was doing genealogy research for a friend that I worked with in Colorado. As I researched, I found myself 700 miles away in the same neighborhood where I grew up. And, before I was done, her family’s story included characters from not only her family, but my family and another friend’s family trees.

The Hogue Family

My friend had lived in Colorado all her life. We talked about her Hogue family line. She knew that her ancestors had lived in Iowa and moved to Arkansas before settling in Colorado. I dived in researching the family. When I got to her great-great-grandfather George Washington Hogue, I found a record in an unexpected place: Pawnee Township, Bourbon County, Kansas.

So many questions arose. What are the odds? What drew them there? Did our families know each other?

Footprints

I mentioned the family to my dad. He did not know of them, but said that he had seen the name Hogue in the book “Footprints of Bourbon County Families.” He was, of course, correct (photographic memory can be a wonderful resource). The man in the book was George’s son, John Wesley Hogue. The book had a photo of him and told a portion of his story.

John or J.W., as he was commonly known, and his family had travel via covered wagon to Ft. Scott in 1896, where he worked as a fireman. J.W. and his wife Amanda became involved in local organizations and he later became involved in politics.

Neighbors

By 1902, J.W. had moved his family to near Pawnee. According to the story, they lived on the Carpenter Ranch a couple of miles east of Pawnee. However, newspaper articles indicate that the family lived at two different locations in the Pawnee area. Examining the 1905 census I found them to be listed only a few houses from the Killian and Fisch families, which would have been southwest of Pawnee.

The following year, Grandma Nellie (Peelle) McCracken, her parents, and her grandparents moved to the Fisch farm and J.W. moved his family to the Carpenter Ranch. Thus, it appears the two families just missed being close neighbors by a matter of months. But, their paths still had plenty of opportunities to cross.

Johnson School

In 1904, John’s parents George Washington (G.W.) Hogue and his wife Dicy came for a visit. In November G.W. preached at Johnson School. This was the school that Grandpa Joe McCracken and his siblings attended and of which Grandpa’s father Andrew would be the director for several years. Andrew had rented “Grandpa” Johnson’s property just north of the school late the previous year. I wonder with great curiosity if this is the same man named “Johnson “that was said to have taught or given Andrew his special healing ability. (But, that is a story for another day.)

Loss Of A Wife

While in Ft. Scott one day, J.W.’s wife suddenly took ill and never recovered. Her funeral was held at the “old” Methodist Church at 3rd & National in Fort Scott. It was the last service held in the old church before it was torn down to make way for a new larger church. My husband and I married in the “new” church, as did my parents.

The Hotel In Pawnee

Following the death of his wife, J.W. moved from the Carpenter Ranch into Pawnee. At that time, he bought the hotel from W.E. Deesler, who is the grandfather of Doris Mayberry, our long-time neighbor and whose family tree I have also researched.

After a few years and with a new wife, J.W. exchanged the hotel for a small farm a half-mile west of Hiattville. The new owner said that he would keep the livery, which J.W. had run, but did not plan to run the hotel. Thus, the hotel was soon sold. The new owner was the Oscar B. Barton and his wife, who were the parents of Andrew’s niece Florence (McCracken) Barton’s husband.

Grandma & Grandpa Hogue

During the time J.W. ran the hotel and livery in Pawnee, his parents moved to the area. They seemed to be called Grandma and Grandpa Hogue by the locals. Grandma Hogue was known to visit Rocky Vale school, which sat just north of Dad’s property line. And, Grandpa Hogue preached there on at least a couple of occasions.

It was during a time between when Grandma (Peelle) McCracken and her siblings attended Rocky Vale and the time when Dad and his siblings attended. It wasn’t until 1920 that O’Ella, the oldest of his siblings, began her education at Rocky Vale. Three of the McCracken siblings would go on to teach there and Grandpa Joe McCracken would be the director of Rocky Vale for many years.

Alfred Hogue

During this time, there were also visits from other of Grandma and Grandpa Hogue’s children. One of them was my friend’s great-grandfather Alfred. Alfred and his family had moved around, but in 1913 they were living in Mulberry. However, it did not last for long as Alfred left late that summer to scout locations in Colorado for the family. He soon sent word for his wife and children to join him.

And, They Are Gone

J.W. exchanged his farm for Faust Restaurant and boarding house in Fort Scott. However, that venture only lasted a few months before he was also off to Colorado. Soon after Grandma and Grandpa Hogue sold out. It was said that they were heading back to Iowa, but if so, it must have been for a short stay as they were also soon living in Colorado.

Some of the next generation did stay in the general area, but the Hogue’s presence in Pawnee Township was suddenly greatly diminished. And, the interaction between our families would not, as far as I know, occur again until I met my friend many years later.

A Place To Call Home

Posted on October 10, 2023October 11, 2023 by FHadmin

William Jury, born circa 1812, left England for a new life in Canada. With that move he set in motion many moves to come.

Canada

About 1830, William set sail for Canada. After he arrived, he met his future wife Eleanor “Ellen” Willett, who had also arrived In Canada from England. They began a new life together in 1835 and became the parents of four children. In 1848, William built a big barn on the property. He would not live to enjoy the fruits of his labor as he soon became ill with typhoid fever and died.

Somehow Eleanor managed to raise the children. Much of the burden likely fell on John, who was 12 when his father died. He became a shingle maker and when he was 22, he married Matilda White.

Moving to Kansas

In 1868, at only 30 years of age, Matilda died. She was buried in the graveyard of a country church about 4 miles west of Drumbo, Ontario, Canada. It isn’t known if this is the event that set in motion plans to move to America. However, in the fall of 1869, John, his children, his mother, his sister Ellen, and his brother’s family headed southward. Only his sister Ann(Jury) Carr stayed in Canada.

November 23, 1869, they are listed as new arrivals at the Western House Hotel in Ft. Scott, Kansas. The cooks at the hotel were African Americans and this was a whole new experience, especially for the children. They had never encountered an African American prior to arriving in Ft. Scott.

Getting a House

From Ft. Scott, the family traveled 18 miles southwest of Ft. Scott to a friend’s home. They spent a few days with their friends before moving into a clapboard house. They stayed in this house until spring. Then John Sr. bought a farm that had a log house. The house had a tar paper roof. It was gone with the first storm that blew in. So, John Sr. relied on the skills he had learned in Canada and built a shingle roof using black walnut.

The Grasshoppers

When the MK&T Railroad came through the area, the some of the workers boarded with the family. They were all Irishmen and John Jr. remembers them wearing red shirts. However, the railroad workers moved on and so did the family. About 1873, grasshoppers were so bad “they looked like snow coming down.” The family lost all their crops.

So, family sold out and moved to Missouri. It is believed that his brother’s family also moved as they had son born in Chiliothe, Livingston, Missouri on Christmas day 1873. They spent the winter, summer, and next winter in this location. They raised good crops of corn, broom corn, and tobacco. However, they lost several horses before returning to Kansas

Credit: Department of Geography, University of Alabama

Kansas Again

It was during this stay in Kansas that John Jr. claims that he met up with Frank and Jesse James. They were running from the law and he gave them directions through the woods. In exchange, he helped him pull a heifer out of a muddy buffalo wallow. Whether the story is true is unknown. (More search may shed light of the feasibility of the details of this story.)

Michigan

However, after 3 or 4 years back in Bourbon County, Kansas, the family was on the move again. This time, John’s sister Ellen stayed behind as she had married Thomas Harnett of Hiattville. However, John had remarried to Harriett Warner and it is assumed that she made the trip with them as they headed north. John, his brother William, and his mother finally settled near Sand Lake, Michigan where John Jr. hauled logs and shingles.

After about a year, the family decided that they had moved too far north. So, they headed southward, but only for a short distance. This time they purchased 40 acres of timber land near Tallmadge, Ottawa, Michigan, about 8 miles west of Grand Rapids, Michigan. They remained until 1883 when John’s mother Eleanor (Willett) Jury died.

South Dakota

With his mother gone, John Sr. pulled up roots again. This time his brother did not join them in their travels, electing to stay in Michigan.

John sent his wife, daughter Matilda, and daughter Hattie back to Kansas. It is believed that they traveled via stagecoach. It is unknown where his wife and Hattie stayed, but Matilda went to stay with John’s sister Ellen (Jury) Hartnett.

Meanwhile, John Sr., John Jr., and possibly his other sons went to check into homesteading in South Dakota. They found it to be very busy as many people were wanting land. They ended up spending 50 cents to simply sit in a chair overnight. Mighty pricey for the 1880s.

So, they headed back to Kansas.

Kansas Yet Again

By 1885, John was back in Kansas. This time to stay. John Sr. and Harriett lived in multiple locations, but all within spitting distance of Hiattville. He died at his home north of Hiattville in 1911.

Continuing The Tradition

John’s children each moved small distances with John Jr. moving the furthest. Wilbert stayed the closest moving only to Kansas City, Missouri. Meanwhile, Matilda, who married William J. Peelle, moved as far away as Wichita. Both Walter and John Jr. lived in Western Kansas. However, after a time, Walter returned to the Hiattville area and John Jr. moved to Redlands, California.

John Jr.’s children kept the moving spirit alive with some in Western Kansas, some in California, and one who really went rogue and ended up in Bucks County, Pensylvania.

Portions of the story are based on notes of John Jury Jr., brother to Matilda Jury. The notes are not complete as only a portion of the pages have been preserved.

An Early American Nonagenarian

Posted on October 4, 2023October 5, 2023 by FHadmin

We think of people today as living longer than people of days gone by. People today do have the advantage of modern medicine and easier lives. However, even someone born in 1683 could live to a ripe old age.

The Early Years

My 6^th-great grandfather Griffith John was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1683. It is said that he was the second child of six children. His father was John Phillips (John ap Phillips) and his mother was Elinor “Ellen” Haward. The naming delta is due to naming conventions in Wales at the time. Per earlier naming conventions Griffith would have been known as Griffith ap John (Griffith of John). However, it was a time of change in naming conventions and he simply became Griffith John.

Arrival In America

Griffith, his brother Samuel, and Samuel’s wife Margaret arrived in America on the eleventh day of the second month of 1709. Many people have recorded this date as February 11, 1709. However, if the notes in the Bible use Quaker dating of that era, the date would be April 11, 1709, which seems more likely since they are said to have sailed in December.

Griffith and Samuel each had a Bible from Wales. The Bibles that they brought with them supposedly contained a story about a member of the family being knighted for his role fighting in the Crusades. The validity of this story is unknown. However, it is known that they could read and write. And, it was said that besides Welsh, they spoke English with a strong Welsh accent.

Marriage

It is believed that upon arrival in Philadelphia, Samuel, Griffith, and Margaret went to the Goshen area in Pennsylvania that was then known as the Welsh Barony. However, it isn’t until 1714 when Griffith and Ann Williams requested permission to marry at the Chester Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends that we find a record that is verified to be the Griffith of our family line. The Griffith John that is documented in that area in the interval prior to 1714 appears to be a much older widower who came to America before the brothers.

At the time of his marriage, Griffith was 31 years of age; however, Ann, daughter of Robert and Gwen (Cadwalader) Williams, was only 14. Apparently, her parents, who are believed to have been the first settlers in Goshen township, approved of the marriage. If not, it seems highly unlikely the Society of Friends would have approved since her father was referred to as “King of Goshen.” The couple wed on the twenty third day of the seventh month of 1714. .

Uwchlan Township

Griffith John was one of the first men to purchase a plantation in Uwchlan Township. A plantation in those days was really another word for farm. Plantations could be of any size and were not limited to the large plantations of South. His initially was stated to be 100 acres and lie about 1.5 miles west of Lionville, which was about 25 miles west of Philadelphia.

Records appear to show fluctuation in the size of his property over the years. By 1765, Griffith’s property included 120 acres with buildings, 10 acres of woodland, 2 horses and two cows. Five years later, records only listed 115 acres and stated that he had gained 3 sheep. He had no servants, which was keeping with the Quaker life style, which focused more on getting by instead of getting rich.

Uwchlen Meeting House Built in 1756 Still Stands Today

His Ministry

Griffith had become interested in various religions including the Society of Friends (Quaker faith) while still living in Wales. Once in America, he associated with people of the Quaker faith and not only joined them, but, along with his brother, became a Quaker minister.

Griffith was one of the founders of the Uwchlan Monthly Meeting, which was located near Lionville. Griffith and Samuel, were the first ministers at the church, providing services in their native tongue.

The early meetings were held in homes, with the very first being in the home of John Cadwalader, who is likely Ann’s grandfather. Later, a log cabin was built for meetings. It wasn’t until 1756 that a 2+-story stone structure was built. The new building also served as a library and school.

The War

Seizure of The Meeting House

When the Revolutionary War came knocking on their door, the Quakers, being pacifists, denied the use of their building to support the war. However, the Continental Army seized the meeting house. Ironically, Revolutionary War soldiers that died at the meeting house were also buried in the Quaker graveyard, leaving the stain of war on the grounds forever.

Seizure of The Home

Members of the Uwchlan Meeting met in private home while the meeting house was used as a hospital. It was unlikely, however, that the Quakers met in Griffith’s house since George Washington, who is said to have visited soldiers at the meeting house, issued the following order on March 25, 1778.

“The Honorable the Congress having appointed Matthew Clarkson and Major John Clarke Esquires Auditors to settle and adjust the accounts of the Main Army they are to be respected accordingly; Any persons who have any accounts to be audited by them may find them at the house of Griffith Johns about three miles beyond the Pay-Master Generals quarters.”

Although there were at least two other men named Griffith John, the location described likely aligns with this particular Griffith John. If true that the Army used his home, it would have placed him in the middle of a war that he did not believe in.

Longevity

Griffith died on the 29th day of the sixth month of 1778. By this time the calendar had changed; thus, this date would be June 29, 1778. He was 95 years of age. He had been married 64 years, fathered six sons and six daughters, and had been a minister for approximately 70 years. He had continued attendance at meetings until physically no longer able.

Although he lived the plain and simple life of Quakers, Griffith managed to leave a small inheritance to each of his living children and to his grandchildren in the cases where his child was no longer living. Most of the children received 15 pounds of Pennsylvania currency with the grandchildren receiving 10 shillings. Griffith Jr. received the plantation as he had stayed in the area and help care for his parents. Additionally, Griffith Jr. had to provide specific amounts of numerous items, such as, wool, wheat, and apples for Ann as long as she chose to live at the plantation. The provisions changed if she were to move away.

The year following Griffith’s death, the meeting published a testimony to him. You can read a copy of the original document in its entirety below.

Afterward

Many years later when the Civil War broke out, the members of the Uwchlan Meeting willingly gave up their meeting house to be used as a hospital. What was different this time was that their dislike of slavery was stronger than their dislike of war. Thus, they supported abolition by passively helping the north in their fight.

Credit to Marijane “Johnnie” Zerphey, who traveled across the United States and to Wales researching the John family. Many facts herein are based on my research. However, I have supplemented them with information from her extensive research.

The Gift of Surprises

Posted on September 27, 2023September 27, 2023 by FHadmin

Grandpa’ McCracken’s Aunt Minnie Alameda Munroe unknowingly left the family a wonderful gift even though she didn’t name them in her will. The only people included in her will were Charles Munroe (her husband), Mabel Raukohl (her niece), and The Old Peoples Home of Illinois Conference of Methodist Episcopal Church in Quincy, Illinois.

The Probate Paper

Grandpa had kept a paper he had received from the Probate Court in Quincy, Illinois regarding his Aunt Minnie’s estate. It listed all of her heirs, leading to many surprising discoveries. (Thank s to Grandpa and my dad for saving this document!)

The list of heirs was quite lengthy and contained names unknown to the family. The names of these unknown people were sprinkled amongst the known names. Aunt Minnie had no known children nor did her husband Charles. So, who were these people?

Margaret Armstrong

Addie Brown

Martha Boswell,

Eleaner Kealen

Anna Macklin

John Macklin

Lester Macklin

Oltis Macklin

William Macklin

Lawrence McCracken

Bertha Neal

The most prominent name was Macklin, but the name that caught my attention the most was “Lawrence McCracken.” None of the records I had found at that point for Lemuel and Louisiana McCracken, Minnie’s parents, listed a son Lawrence. Who was Lawrence McCracken?

The 1860 Census

After much digging, I had some records, but they didn’t come together into a clear picture. Finally, I started going page by page manually walking through the 1860 census for Lee County, Iowa where Lemuel supposedly lived at the time, but where a census record for that year had not yet been found. Eventually, I found a census record that had been poorly recorded and poorly transcribed. As transcribed online, it included the names shown.

I had expected to find Lemuel, Louisiana, and their son Lemuel Franklin/Francis. However, none of the names were quite right and there were extra people. The names “Samuel “and “Lemuel” look very similar in handwriting of the time, so that was a likely match, but Rosannah was way off. And, who were Delormah, Mary, and Lewis?

Still, I was sure this had to be our family.

Census Record

(as transcribed online)

Samuel McCracker

Rosannah McCracker*

Mary McCracker

Lewis McCracker

Delormah McCracker

Samuel McCracker

* Rosannah is an apparent misunderstanding of Louisiana that occurred in multiple documents.

The Surprises

After many, many hours of research I determined how each of these people fit in the family tree, learning many surprises along the way. (I was going to number the surprises, but that became a bit complex.)

Lemuel McCracken

I found that Lemuel had been married to Sarah Dufer before he married my great-great grandmother. It is assumed his first wife died, but no information has been found about her death.

Lawrence McCracken

Delormah McCracken

Lawrence McCracken was the same person as Delormah McCracken. His name was Delorma (various spellings) Lawrence McCracken. He was the son of Lemuel and his first wife. We had never heard of him before the probate papers. He had been living with another family in 1870. Thus, he didn’t show up with the family in that census. And, although he was only 15, he stayed in Iowa when Lemuel and Louisiana moved to Kansas. He later married and had 8 children. We have DNA matches to many of his descendants.

Louisiana Matteer

Louisiana Johnson

Louisiana Badgley

Louisiana’s maiden name was not Johnson as the family had always believed or Mattser as some researchers believed. Instead, it was Matteer. Her parents were Matthias Matteer and Mary Rodgers. She was the oldest of their 10 kids. After her mother died, Matthias and his new wife Elizabeth Soloman moved to Lee County, Iowa with many of his kids. Louisiana joined them sometime before 1859, coming from Ohio.

Louis McCracken

Louis Badgley

Louis was the son of Louisiana and James Badgley. We hadn’t known he existed and something appears to have happened to him between 1860 and 1870 as no records are found for him after 1860. Additionally, he is not mentioned in the probate papers for Minnie.

Mary McCracken

Mary Badgley

Mary Macklin

Mary was the daughter of Louisiana and James Badgley. Her existence was also a surprise. She married John Macklin in 1865. They moved to Adams County, Illinois, where Lemuel and Louisiana’s children Frank, Minnie, and Ida later lived. It is believed , but not yet proven, that after Louisiana died, Mary raised her half-sister Minnie, who was 27 years younger than her. It is important to note that prior to that time Minnie was called Frances. The name change is a mystery that has yet to be solved, but Frances and Minnie are clearly the same person.

And, The Rest

Mary and John had 8 children. The remainder of the people in the probate document are their descendants. Addie Brown, Martha Boswell and Eleaner Kealen were their children. Otis Macklin, Lester Macklin, Anna Macklin, Margaret Armstrong, and John Macklin were the children of William Macklin, who was deceased.

These members of the Macklin family led to even more descendants of great-great-grandma Louisiana.

The Moral Of The Story

So, as a result of starting with one probate paper, I ended up finding additional marriages for both of my great-great grandparents, additional children for each of them, Louisiana’s parents, Louisiana’s siblings, and a bunch of descendants of the various people. Could they have been found without the paper? It is reasonably likely that I would have eventually pieced this branch of the family together without it. However, it would have set my research back years.

Moral of the story: Don’t toss aside a record just because names on it are unfamiliar or don’t look quite right. You never know what surprises are in store for you with a little (okay sometimes a lot) of research!