{"id":11755,"date":"2025-04-08T23:49:50","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T04:49:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsallinthesynapse.net\/Family_History\/?p=11755"},"modified":"2025-04-08T23:49:50","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T04:49:50","slug":"the-search-for-louisiana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsallinthesynapse.net\/Family_History\/the-search-for-louisiana\/","title":{"rendered":"The Search For Louisiana"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n

My great-great grandmother Louisiana has been a bit tricky to search.  It would have been much easier if there hadn\u2019t been so many mistakes both in family information and records.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Family Story<\/h1>\n

Louisiana was married to Lemuel McCracken.  Her maiden name was Johnson.  She was feeling ill and the family headed to other family, in Peoria, Illinois.  It was said that she died along the way and at least part of the family assumed that she was buried along a trail.  She was only 49 and left behind several young children.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Louisiana\u2019s Maiden Name<\/h2>\n

Johnson<\/h3>\n

I spent years searching for Louisiana Johnson. Records said that she was born in Ohio, but where?  And, why couldn’t I find her?<\/p>\n

Since our grandfather was Andrew Johnson McCracken, I thought it was likely that Louisiana’s father was Andrew Johnson.  So, I searched for an Andrew Johnson that had a daughter Louisiana or who could have a daughter her age.  Again, I found nothing.<\/p>\n

Still, I really didn’t question the name as it had been passed down in the family. Cousin Mitzi said that she never questioned it because she was told that Louisiana was a cousin to her great-grandfather William T. McCracken’s first wife Lauretta Johnston.  Since Johnson and Johnston are often interchanged, that seemed to support the story.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mattser<\/h3>\n

During this time, I was contacted by a man who claimed Louisiana’s maiden name was Mattser.  A genealogist he knew had looked (I believe in person) at records for Louisiana and had determined Mattser was the correct last name.<\/p>\n

I shared our story of Johnson.  He simply stated that he trusted and believed the woman and he knew her to be accurate.<\/p>\n

So, I researched the name Mattser.  I did not find anyone in Ohio with that name at the time that Louisiana was born or during her early years.<\/p>\n

It appeared that neither Johnson nor Mattser were Louisiana’s maiden name.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Incorrect “Fact” Highlights<\/h2>\n

Family Information<\/h3>\n