ANCESTORS IN THE NEWS ~ Betty Eleanor Bright, only 15 yrs old, dies in car accident

Betty Eleanor Bright was born on New Year’s Day 1919 in Latrobe, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania.  Her parents are John W. Bright (1882-1967) and Nellie Dallas (1883-1971).  She had one sibling, an older brother named William E. Bright.

Three young people were killed in this car accident.  Betty, age 15,  a 23 year old named Clarence Greeawalt and Howard Foster, age 21.
 

Here is the news article about the accident

Pittsburgh Post Gazette - 22 Jun 1934, page 17

Here is my transcription of the article

Front page, Section 2, column 5
GIRL, TWO YOUTHS KILLED IN CRASH
Titusville Party Wiped Out on Speed Ride
Special to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
OIL CITY, Pa - June 21 - Warning against excessive speed on Venango county highways came from Coroner J. Irwin Zerbe and state police today, following fatal injury to three Titusville young people early today on Titusville-Oil City road, near McKinney Memorial spring.
The dead are Clarence Greenawalt, 23, near Titusville, who died before reaching Oil City Hospital; Betty Bright, 15, Titusville sophomore, and Howard Foster, 21, who died seven hours after the accident happened of a fractured skull.  Greenawalt's neck was broken.
The automobile driven by George W. Hinske of Oil City, en route toward Oil City, had almost come to a stop when the Titusville car, traveling 60 miles an hour or faster, bore down upon him and his wife.  He pulled partly off the highway.
The Foster car hit it a terrific side blow, pushing the radiator against the engine.  Mr. and Mrs. Hinske escaped with bruises.

How sad for the families of these three young people.
 
Betty was laid to rest in Greenwood Cemetery.  You may visit her memorial here #25967355.

If you are related to anyone mentioned in this post or have a comment or correction, please contact me.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

HAPPY 4th–I’ve discovered some new Revolutionary War ancestors! Meet Johannes & Daniel WUNDERLICH

I had touched on these two 6th great granduncle’s in a previous post about the Wunderlich family.  You can read that post here SURNAME SATURDAY ~ WUNDERLICH–Johannes (1700-1760) my 7th great grandfather

In the past couple of days, I’ve learned a bit more about Johannes & Daniel Wunderlich.  My research is no where near complete, but I’ll share what I have so far.

As stated in the blog post referenced above, Johannes & Daniel did, in fact, come to Colonial America in the mid 1750’s and they did marry sisters.

Johannes married Maria Elizabetha Siechele on 11 Jan 1757 in Derry, Pennsylvania.  This is referenced in Pennsylvania, Lutheran Baptisms and Marriages, 1730-1799.

Name:    Johannes Wunderlich
Gender:    Male
Marriage Date:    11 Jan 1757
Marriage Place:    Derry, Pennsylvania, USA
Spouse:    Maria Elizabetha Siechelin [surname spelled many different ways, commonly as SIECHELE]
Source:    Early Lutheran Baptisms and Marriages in Southeastern Pennsylvania

Daniel married Eva Barbara Siechele on 22 Feb 1763 in Paxtang, Pennsylvania.  Also referenced in Pennsylvania, Lutheran Baptisms and Marriages, 1730-1799

Name:    Daniel Wunderlich
Gender:    Male
Marriage Date:    22 Feb 1763
Marriage Place:    Paxtang, Pennsylvania, USA
Spouse: Eva Barbara Siechlin
Source:    Early Lutheran Baptisms and Marriages in Southeastern Pennsylvania

Now, on to the Revolutionary War service of these two German immigrants.
 
Both Johannes & Daniel Wunderlich are listed in the Daughters of the American Revolution, Index of the Rolls of Honor books as verified patriots.
 
Along with that there is the Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012

Here’s the card for Daniel, showing he served in 1st Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Class of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as a Private.

I have not located the Veterans Burial card for Johannes, although I expect that one does exist.

You may visit the FindAGrave memorials for Johannes #25971599 and Daniel #20463721

I’m very proud of these two 6th great granduncles.  They came to a new country, as young men, married and began a new life.  Then when their new country (not even a country yet) began the war for independence, they signed up to serve.

Daniel was 61 years old when he died in 1799 and Johannes (the older brother of the two), lived to be 85.  Wouldn’t I love to sit down and talk to these two men?
 
What would I ask them?

• What was your life like in Germany?
• How long was your trip over to America and how difficult was the trip?
• How hard was it to learn a new language and culture?
• Did your wives speak any German?  Did you teach your children German?
• What would you say to the young Johannes & Daniel if you could talk to them today?
• Are you proud of yourself, your family and your accomplishments?
• Did you ever think that over 200 years after your deaths, one of your descendants would be writing about you?    

Happy 4th and happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SURNAME SATURDAY ~ WUNDERLICH–Johannes (1700-1760) my 7th great grandfather

The Wunderlich family are one of two known families that give me some German heritage.  According to DNA ethnicity results from various sites (which we all know are a work in progress), I do have German ancestry.
 

Here’s a screenshot from my Ancestry DNA.

How am I related to this Wunderlich family?
 
This is a maternal line for me.  I only recently revisited this line and have added many more people to the tree because my 7th great grandparents, Johannes Wunderlich and Anna Barbara Densler had 13 children.¹  I descend from their second child, Jacobina Elizabeth, born 3 Jul 1723.  She married Johann Eberhard Martin (my other German line) on 16 Feb 1745 in Notzingen, Teck Donau, Wurttemberg, Germany.

Here’s the record of the marriage of my 6th great grandparents in 1745.  I originally located this at the Family History Library in 2015. You can also view the record on Ancestry Württemberg, Germany, Lutheran Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1500-1985

This book Genealogical Record of the Wunderlich Family in America –Seventeen Branches compiled by Charles Albert Cornman, assisted by Daniel Wunderlich Nead, M.D., copyright 1911, is a good starting point for research on the Wunderlich family.  There is a name index as well as a place index in the back of the book.

According to the forward in the book, much of the information was obtained via correspondence with descendants.
 
My ancestor Johannes Wunderlich was said to have had a home in Ludwigsburg in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg. He was the Overseer and General Foreman in the King’s work yard.   Two of the sons of Johannes emigrated to America, Daniel in 1751 and John (Johan) at age 18 in 1753.  They settled in Pennsylvania, marrying sisters and engaging in farming.

John is said to have served as a private in the Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolutionary War.  I need to verify this with proper records.

HERE IS HOW I DESCEND FROM THIS FAMILY

Johannes Wunderlich & Anna Barbara Densler – 7th great grandparents

Jacobina Elizabeth Wunderlich & Johann Eberhard Martin – 6th great grandparents

Anna Barbara Martin & John Frampton, Jr. – 5th great grandparents

Rachel Frampton & William Gillen – 4th great grandparents

Emily Gillen & Rev. Isaac C. Hunter – 3rd great grandparents

James Gillen Hunter & Susan Caroline Boggs – 2nd great grandparents

Florence Hunter & Robert Lee Bowden – great grandparents

Florence Bowden & Joseph Albert Milne – grandparents

Patricia Anne Milne & Harry Norman Gould – parents

Surnames listed above are: Boggs, Bowden, Densler, Frampton, Gillen, Gould, Hunter, Martin, Milne, Wunderlich.  I’d love to hear from you, if you are also connected to these families.

Source Information

1. Ancestry.com. Genealogical record of the Wunderlich family in America [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Original data: Cornman, Charles Albert,. Genealogical record of the Wunderlich family in America : seventeen branches. Carlisle, Pa.: Cornman Print. Co., 1988.

I have a lot more work to do on this family and I’ll be sure to write about what I find.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY TRIP - DAY 2 - A RED LETTER DAY!

WEDDING WEDNESDAY - Martin & Wunderlich - Married 1745 in Germany

Happy hunting.
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SUNDAY’S OBITUARY ~ James Hunt, Civil War Veteran–1840-1884

Transcription of the entry in the above image, for James Hunt

HUNT_On Thursday morning, April 17 at his residence at Natrona, PA., James Hunt aged 44 years of age,  late of Company L, 102d Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. Funeral Sunday at 2:30 p.m.  Members of regiment and friends invited to attend.  Sunday train leaves West Penn. Depot, Federal street at 12:50 p.m.

James Hunt is my husband’s 2nd great grandfather on his paternal side.  I have limited information about him.  I know that he married a woman named Catherine and that I have 4 children born to them: Malissa M. (my husband’s great grandmother), Nannie E., Thomas and Jenna. 

Both James and Catherine are buried at Prospect Cemetery in Brackenridge, Allegheny, Pennsylvania.  You may visit their memorial here James #21911467 and Catherine #42828404.

James was working as a Machinist as stated in the 1870 and 1880 census enumerated in Pennsylvania. I have not located a death certificate or register that might give me the cause of his death at the age of 44. 

I do know that James served in the Civil War from 1861-1864.  He was a Corporal in Company L., 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers.  Was his death related to his service?

Here is his Veterans Burial Card


Sadly, James’ wife Catherine preceded him in death.  She died in 1881 at age 47.

I have made a note for myself to look for Pennsylvania death records while I am attending Rootstech later this month.  I will have time to research at the Family History Library while I’m there.

If you are connected with this family in any way, I’d love to hear from you.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2018   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SUNDAY’S OBITUARY ~ ELMER E. BRIGHT and his wife MALISSA HUNT–1889 & 1892 - Week #4

Elmer/Elmer E. Bright and his wife, Malissa Hunt are my husband’s great grandparents on his paternal side.  They are two of the first people I researched when I began this ancestor hunt nearly 15 years ago.  They were the parents of 3 children, one was a twin who died at birth, another was a little girl who lived to 10 months and the third was the other twin, Daisy Bright, who thankfully grew to adulthood and became my husband’s grandmother.  I’ve written Daisy’s story and you can read it here Surname Saturday – Who Was Daisy Bright?

Elmer E. Bright did at age 29 of Consumption (Tuberculosis).  Malissa, his wife, died a little over 3 years later of “possible heart failure.”  These events and the death of those two siblings left Daisy an orphan at the age of 9.

Here are the transcriptions of the obituaries:

DIED – BRIGHT – On Wednesday, April 24 at 6:40 a.m., Elmer E. Bright, aged 29 years and 5 months.
Funeral from his late residence, Breckenridge Ave., Tarentum, Pa., TO-DAY at 2 p.m.  Friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend.

DIED – BRIGHT – On Tuesday, February 16, 1892, at 8:30 p.m., Mrs. Melissa, relic of the late Elmer Bright, aged 30 years, suddenly of heart disease.
Funeral from her late residence, Brackenridge Avenue, Tarentum, Friday, February 19, at 10 a.m.

It doesn’t say much in the obituaries, but Elmer was survived by his parents and several siblings.  Malissa was survived by 3 siblings.

I plan to visit their graves and many other locations around Allegheny County, PA this fall.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

A STEAMBOAT EXPLOSION ~ The death of Nelson Klinefelter in January 1862 - age 35

The Baltimore Sun - 5 Feb 1862, page 1

So, who was Nelson aka Horatio Nelson Klinefelter?

Nelson Klinefelter was the first husband of Mary Jane Flynn/Flinn.  Mary Jane later married William Bright, my husband’s 2nd great grandfather.

I had learned about Mary Jane’s marriage to Nelson Klinefelter from the Greenwood Cemetery website, back in August 2008.  Here is a link to the FindAGrave page for Greenwood Cemetery.
Following is an excerpt from my notes for Mary Jane Bright.

“Bright, Mary J. , (view ), 1839 - 1903, Section 2, Range 18, Lot 7, [was the second wife of William Bright of Sharpsburg. She was first married to a Kleinfelter in Virginia, according to researchers at Ancestry, and when she married William Bright, she brought 3 children into the household from her first marriage. She and William had at 4 children, bringing the house total to 9 children]” contributed by Diane Nichols

I was able to locate the marriage record for Mary Jane Flinn and Horatio N. Klinefelter.  They were married 27 Nov 1851 in Wood County, Virginia.

This record was found on the West Virginia Culture website.  Wood County became part of West Virginia in 1863.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)



Nelson and Mary Jane had 3 children: Horatio born in 1854, Mary born in 1856 and Anna born in 1859.

The family can be found living in Collins, Allegheny, Pennsylvania in the 1860 census.  Also enumerated on this page is Nelson’s brother, Jesse and family and his father Jacob and family.

Nelson’s father, Jacob, was also a River Pilot.



As I began conducting a search on newspapers.com, I came across the sad story about the explosion of the steamboat, Advance, and the death of Nelson Klinefelter.  I also located one article in Chronicling America.
All images of these articles are screenshots.

The first article I located was the one at the top of this page.  Then I also located the following articles.

The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer - 31 Jan 1862, page 3

Cincinnati Daily Press - 3 Feb 1862, page 3

Pittsburgh Daily Post - 4 Feb 1862, page 3 - talking about an investigation into the explosion

The Local News, Alexandria, Virginia - 5 Feb 1862, page 1

The Pittsburgh Gazette - 4 Feb 1862, page 3

The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer - 5 Feb 1862, page 3

The article above, on the left gives us the exact date of death for Nelson.  The explosion occurred on Tuesday, January 28, 1862.  Based on the statement in this article, Nelson died 3 days later, on Friday, January 31, 1862.

“The other pilot, N. Klinefelter, was asleep, his head and one arm lying over the edge of the bed.  His face and arm were terribly scalded and it is believed that he inhaled steam.  He died of his injuries on Friday morning, some hours after the arrival of the Hornet, after being removed to that boat.”

These excerpts are from the article, above, on the right.

“The late explosion of the Steamer Advance – Another Victim – N. Klinefelter, one of the person’s injured by the explosion of the steamer, Advance, at Matamoras, has since died.  The explosion appears to have been one of the most terrific and disastrous on record.”

“The Captain was not on board, one of the pilots named Stweart, filling his place.  He escaped with a severe burn on the right hand.  The other pilot, N. Klinefelter, was asleep, his head and one arm lying over the edge of the bed.  His face and arm were terribly scalded, and it is believed he inhaled steam.”

When I first began reading the articles only stated that N. Klinefelter had been “terribly” burned.  As I continued to locate more articles, I learned of his death.

Nelson’s death left behind his 28 year old widow, Mary Jane, and their three young children, ages 3 to 8 years.  Mary Jane married (in Feb 1864) William W. Bright, a widower with two young children, ages 7 and 5.  The couple went on to have 4 children of their own.

I have searched high and low on the internet and cannot locate a burial place for Nelson.  There were few, if any, actual death records back in 1862, so the only record of his death are these articles and the statement in the Civil War Pension of William Bright saying that Mary Jane’s first husband, Klinefelter, was deceased.

If you have any additions or corrections to anything written here, please contact me.
 
If you are related to anyone mentioned here, I’d love to hear from you.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

SURNAME SATURDAY - Who was Daisy Bright?

AMANUENSIS MONDAY  - Elmer E. Bright - Last Will & Testament – 1889

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY ~ Several obituaries for the BRIGHT Family of Pittsburgh, PA

It’s always a good day when you locate any record for your ancestor.  This week I’ve been working on my husband, Ron’s, paternal grandmother’s line.  The Bright family of Pennsylvania.

It had been several years since I’d looked at this particular family.  Since then, more records have come online and I now have a subscription, full access, to newspapers.com.  I have found hundreds of obituaries, news articles, notices of probate, marriage announcements, military information, travel and visiting notices and more on this website.

Here’s what I located this morning.

Funeral/death notice for Elizabeth C. Eastland Bright, first wife of William C. Bright.  William is my husband’s great granduncle.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT) 



I notice that they are asking Detroit, Michigan papers to copy.  I believe that is because her son, Elmer Charles Bright had moved from Pennsylvania to Detroit.

Obituary for Catherine E. Sawert/Sewart Bright, 2nd wife of William C. Bright.



The article states that she will be buried at Homewood Cemetery, but she is actually buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania.

Obituary for William C. Bright.  William outlived both his wives, and was 94 at the time of his death.



I have the death certificates for all three of these family members.
 
It’s obvious from the obituaries that William and his wives were involved in the Masonic organization.  Perhaps I will be able to find more information about them through that source.  Although I’ve found the Masons to be pretty tight with the information they will share.
 
This is a good day for genealogy research.  I have added all these obituaries to my Legacy database.
 
NOTE:  When you locate any article on Newspapers.com you have the option to clip that article, then view the clipping.  I do this every time.  When viewing the clipping you can then add the article directly to your Ancestry tree, which I also do.  The next thing I do is download or print the article to PDF.  I then convert it to JPG, which allows me a bit more editing freedom and then I add the image to Legacy.

I also use Genealogy Bank, although it doesn’t yield nearly as many hits for me as Newspapers.com.  And as far as Chronicling America, I have never located one single article.
 
Have you had luck finding newspaper articles on your family?  If so, from which site?  How often do you look at the newspaper websites.  I do so, almost daily.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

New York Newspaper Links Online

Tuesday's Tip - More Detroit Newspapers Online

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

FRIDAY FINDS ~ Marriage of William Frampton & Elizabeth Potter - 1680

The marriage record of my 8th great grandparents – William Frampton (1643-1686) & Elizabeth Potter (circa 1652-circa 1711)

(CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)


This is an exciting find for me.  Usually it’s my husband’s family for which I locate the very old records.
 
William Frampton was a Quaker.  The Quakers kept excellent records of church activities, including births, marriages, deaths, meetings, who joined, who moved etc.

It’s not an easy document to read, but here is my attempt at a transcription:

THE CERTIFICATE OF WILLIAM FRAMPTON AND ELIZABETH POTTER AT NEWPORT 27 5 1680

“This is to certifye the truth to all people that William Frampton of the cytie of ______ and Elizabeth Potter of the towne of Newport on Rhod Iland having intentions of marriage according to the ordinance of God and his goyning did lay it before the men and womens meeting before whome their marriage was provinded and then the meeting desiered them to wait for a time and so they querying betwixt the time so the matter coming the second time before the men and womens meetings all things being cleer and they being published acording to the law of this coloney a meeting was ajointed for the purpose at the above sayd towne of Newport wher they tooke one another in the presence of God and in the presence of us heerunder written according to the law of God and the Pradise of the holy men of God in the scriptures of trueth they promising before God and his People to live faithfully together man and wife untill death seperate them according to Gods honorable marriage they then setting both their hands unto it in Rhod Iland the 27 5 1680.”
                                                                          

And God in heaven is wittness to what you say and we are also witnesses whose names are under written ~~

        
The date of 27 5 1680 would be the 27th day of the fifth month, 1680.  In the dating system of the time, this would have been July 27, 1680 because March was the first month of the year, instead of January.

I’ve discovered quite a bit more about this William Frampton and his dealings and association with William Penn.  Stay tuned for more on this story.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2016   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

AMANUENSIS MONDAY–Elmer E. Bright–Last Will & Testament–Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 1889

What does Amanuensis mean anyway?

To put it simply, it means a “person employed to write what another dictates or copy what has been written by another.”

Today I am presenting the last will and testament of my husband’s great grandfather, Elmer E. Bright.
 

Elmer was born Nov 1859 in Sharpsburg, Allegheny, Pennsylvania to William Bright and Mary Jane Flynn.  He married Malissa M. Hunt on 20 Jul 1881.  Malissa was the daughter of James Hunt and Catherine (maiden name unknown).

Elmer or Ellmer as it was sometimes spelled, worked as a glassblower and the family lived in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania.  On 19 Apr 1882 Elmer and Malissa had twins.  One of the twins died at birth and the gender is not known.  The other twin was my husband’s grandmother Daisy Fern Bright.  On 10 Apr 1887 Elmer and Malissa had another daughter. They named her Mabel.  Sadly, Mabel died on 16 Feb 1888 before she could celebrate her first birthday.

Less than a year later we have Elmer signing his last will and testament.  He had contracted consumption/tuberculosis and was only 29 years old.
 

To add more sorrow to this story, his “beloved wife” Malissa died three years after him, on 17 Feb 1892 of possible heart failure.

This event left Daisy an orphan at the age of 10.  She went to live with her Aunt & Uncle, Thomas & Edith Hunt, also of Tarentum.

Here is the actual image of Elmer’s will.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

Here is my transcription of the document, including any words that I didn't understand.

No. 53  Last Will and Testament
                       of
            Elmer E. Bright  dec’d 
    
In the name of God, Amen.  I, Elmer E. Bright of the Borough of Tarentum in the County of Allegheny Pennsylvania being of sound mind memory and understanding so hereby make publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament in manner and form following, hereby revoking any will or wills heretofore made by me

First: I direct all my just debts & funeral expenses be fully paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.

Second: All the rest residue and remainder of my estate real personal and mixed I give devise and bequeathed to my beloved wife Malissa M. to have and to hold during her natural life or so long as she remains my widow, but should she marry again or die, then I give all my said estate to my beloved child Daisey F. provided and it is my will that should my said child Daisey die without leaving to survive her child, children or grandchildren, then I give said estate to her mother, my said wife in fee.

Third I direct also that my said child shall during her min only be mained, clothes and educated out of my estate

Lastly, I nominate constitute and appoint my said wife sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament and I appoint my friend Charles E. Barr Guardian of my said child Daisey F.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of January A D 1889   
                                       Elmer E. Bright {Seal}

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator Elmer E. Bright as & for his last Will & Testament in the presence of us who have, at his request & in his presence & in the presence of each other affixed our names as witnesses thereto.
                                           Thos J. Ford
                                           Nanie Hunt
State of Pennsylvania }
  Allegheny County } ss
       Be it known That on the Third day of May A.D. 1889 before me, Samuel P. Conner, Register of Wills & in and for the County aforesaid came Thos J. Ford and Nanie Hunt the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last Will and Testament of Elmer E. Bright deceased and on their solemn oath did depose and say that they were present and did see and hear Elmer E. Bright the testator therein named sing, seal publish and declare the same as and for his last Will and Testament, and at the time of so doing he was of sound mind and memory to the best of their knowledge and belief and at his request and in his presence they subscribed their names as witnesses thereunto.
Sworn and subscribed before
me the above date
        Sam’l P. Conner                     Thos J. Ford
               Register                          Nanie Hunt
Now May 3  A.D. 1889 the testimony of the above named witnesses being sufficient, I do hereby admit the foregoing Will to Probate and order the same to be recorded as such.
             Given under my hand the above date
                                             Sam’l P. Conner
                                                     Register
State of Pennsylvania
  Allegheny County
    Be it known, That on the 3 day of May A.D. 1889 Letters Testamentary with a copy of the Will annexed upon the Estate of Elmer E. Bright deceased were duly granted unto Malissa M. Bright the Executrix in said Will named who was duly sworn to well and truly administer the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of said decedent and to faithfully comply with the acts of assembly relating to collateral inheritances.
                      Given under my hand the above date
                                         Sam’l P. Conner
                                                 Register

You may visit the memorial’s for Elmer, Malissa & little Mabel by clicking on each of their names.

Here’s a post I wrote about Daisy Bright on Surname Saturday.

PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU ARE RELATED TO ANYONE MENTIONED IN THIS POST.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2015   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

AMANUENSIS MONDAY–Eberhard Martin– died 1784 - Last Will & Testament

What does Amanuensis mean anyway?


To put it simply, it means a “person employed to write what another dictates or copy what has been written by another.”
 
I’m particularly excited to present this transcription today.  It is the recently obtained probate record of my 6th great grandfather, Johann Eberhard Martin, born Jan 1718 in Willington, Notzingen Donau, Wurttemberg, Germany, died  February 1784 in Derry, Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
 
Johann apparently went by the name Everhard or Eberhard in most records and documents once he came to the United States.  However, his baptismal record from Germany does give his first name as Johann.
 
Johann Eberhard Martin married Jacobina Elizabeth Wunderlich on 16 Feb 1745 in Notzingen, Teck Donau, Wurttemberg, Germany.  They had 5 known children: Mary, Rachel, Christopher, Anna Barbara and Elizabeth.
 
Yesterday while looking at Pennsylvania probate records on Ancestry.com I located Eberhard’s probate record.  I was very excited to find this document.  This record gives proof of relationships and further documents this family.
 

Here is the actual document:

 

PROBATE RECORD PAGE ONE

 

PROBATE RECORD PAGE TWO

Here is my transcription of this probate record.  Where a word or words were not readable I inserted an underline.

Eberhard Martin Last   }              

  Will & Testament      }

      No. 132                  }

            

In the name of God Amen. 

I Everhard Martin of Derry Township Cumberland County and the State of Pennsylvania, being very sick and weak in Body But of perfect mind and memory, thank be given unto God calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body donate and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the manner following:  I recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God, that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Buried in decent Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors, And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give divise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.  First I give and bequeath to Jacobina Elizabeth my dearly beloved Wife, all my Household Furniture Belonging to the house and five Pounds in Good a Lawful Money of Pennsylvania, and Thirty Bushel of wheat a fat Hog yearly and every year during her natural life and to have the third of the money made out of the __ables after the debt is paid and the keeping of one Cow and two Sheep during her Life.  Also I give and bequeath to my well Beloved Son Christopher all my land in the __ survey to him his heirs and assigns forever.  Also said Christopher is to find his mother a Bed Room and Stove in it, the stove is to be Bought out the money arising from the Effects.  The Plantation which my son Christopher now lives on adjoining William Frampton and William Corbes is to be sold to pay the debts, and to deed the other Land with.  Also to my Daughter Barbara Fifty Acres of land during her life and to her Husband if he become Baptized and after her Decease to go to heirs.   To my Daughter Mary Fifty Acres of Land where she now lives on, To my Daughter Elizabeth Fifty Acres of Land one Cow one Sheep one Chest a Spinning Wheel a Bed and Bedding.  The Land left to the Girls is to be taken out of the new Survey where Gilbert now lives on and is to them and their heirs forever  Also I give to my Daughter Rachel Twenty five pounds Lawfull money of Pennsylvania to be Raised and Levied out of my Estate, Likewise I Constitute make and ordain my son Christopher the sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament And I do hereby wholy disallow and Revoke all former Testaments, Wills, Legacies and Executors, Ratifying and Conforming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament In ____ whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the Thirteenth day of January in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and Eighty four

Signed Sealed published pronounced

And declared by the said Everhard Martin

As his Last Will and Testament in the presence

of us John Pomber John Vought _______

Be it Remembered that on the Twentyeth Day of February A.D. 1784 the last Will and Testament of Eberhard Martin Deceased was Leagly proved of which the foregoing Record is a true copy and Letters Testamentary issued in Common form to Christopher Martin Executor therein named on the said Twentyeth Day of February A.D. 1784  Inventory and ____ to be Exhibted into the Registers Office the time appointed by Law

       Witness my hand William Lyon Reg

PLEASE contact me if you think you might be related, even remotely, to anyone mentioned in this blog.

 I cannot wait to share other probate records with you.  Stay tuned.

Happy hunting,

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