TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY ~ The marriage record of my great grandmother, Susan Gillespie and her 2nd husband, Clyde J. Smith - 1904

My great grandmother, Susan Anne Gillespie married her second husband Clyde J. “C.J.” Smith on 11 Apr 1904 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.  She had lost her first husband, my great grandfather, Andrew Charles Milne to tuberculosis in Dec 1892.  It must have been a very sad time, as Susan was pregnant with their fourth child, a daughter, who was born in Jun 1893, seven months after the death of Andrew Milne.
 
Other records that I have for Susan indicate that her middle name was Anne.  This record and her death certificate give her middle name as Mary.

One of the interesting things about the marriage of Susan and Clyde, is the age difference.  Susan was 43 years old at the time of the marriage and Clyde was just 25 years old.  This is the first time, in our family, I’ve found a wife that much older than a husband.
I always wonder how people met.  That is one of the questions I would ask all of my ancestors….if only I could.

Here is the handwritten marriage record for this couple.  One thing I noted on this record is that their ages appear to differ from what I have in other records for them.  I have Clyde being born in 1878, which would make his age 26 at the time of the marriage.  This record gives his age as 32.  I have Susan being born in 1860, making her age at the time of the marriage 44.  This record indicates she was 38.  They each changed their age by 6 years.



I have found no record of any children born to this couple.  Susan’s two living children would have been 21 and 11 at the time of the marriage.  My grandfather, Joseph A. Milne, age 21 in 1904, is listed in the Detroit City Directory listing as living at the same address as Clyde J. Smith.

Clyde worked as an Electrician and a Mechanical Engineer, according to the 1920 census and various city directory listings.  I have yet to be able to find Clyde & Susan in the 1910 census.  I looked again today with no luck.

Unfortunately, Susan became a widow for the second time when Clyde died of a brain tumor on 14 Nov 1927, in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.  He was only 49 years old at the time of his death.
 
Susan did not remarry, but lived another 20 years, passing away at age 87 on 12 Nov 1947 in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw, Michigan. 
Both Clyde and Susan are buried at Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit.  In the same plot are her first husband, Andrew Charles Milne, their stillborn son, A.C. Milne and Joseph Milne’s oldest daughter, Dorothy, who died at age 13.  Sadly, there are no headstones for any of them.
 
One of my goals is to somehow find a way (aka the money) to erect a headstone in memory of these five family members who deserve to be remembered.  Here are the FindAGrave memorials for Clyde #39725148 and Susan #39725085.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

WEDDING WEDNESDAY - Andrew Charles Milne & Susan Anne Gillespie - married in 1880

AMANUENSIS MONDAY - Birth & Death Dates from my Grandmother's Journal - July - including Susan Smith nee Gillespie

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

DID MY GRANDPARENTS “ALMOST” WIN A HOME IN A DETROIT SUBURB IN 1956?

I located this interesting article, about my grandfather, Harry W. Gould, published in the Detroit Free Press, Saturday, May 12, 1956.



The home in question was located at 29060 Lone Elm Lane in Southfield, Michigan.  Here is an aerial view from Google Earth.  This street is located just north of Twelve Mile Rd., a few blocks east of Evergreen Rd.

This home was located about 8.5 miles from where my grandparents home was located on Asbury Park in Detroit.  I remember their home very well. 



The dispute over who won the home, based on their guess of how many nails were used in building the home, took place in 1956.  I would have been six years old and my family was still living in Detroit at the time.  We were at my grandparent’s house a lot.  I have to think there was talk about this around the dinner table, or after dinner in the living room.  Don’t you wish you could go back in time and record every conversation?  The things your grandparents and parents talked about?  I know I wish I could.

Here is another newspaper article mentioning that the dispute will be heard in court.



I kept searching to see if I could find out what the court ruling was in the case, and sure enough I found an article published in the Detroit Free Press on December 18, 1957, page 3. 




According to this article, my grandfather, Harry W. Gould, didn’t get the house.  However, he did get a settlement amounting to $7,500 to be paid in monthly installments of not less than $75.
 
This settlement occurred in December 1957.  My grandparents moved to Pompano Beach, Florida within a year or two of that date.  My parents, my brother and I had moved to Pompano Beach sometime in 1957.  We lived a block away from my grandparents.  Sadly, my grandpa, Harry W. Gould, died in February of 1960.  By 1965 my Dad, my brother and I had all moved to San Diego.  My grandmother sold her home in Pompano Beach and moved in with us in about 1967. 

I calculated the payments of that $7,500, if paid at $75 per month, would have gone on for a little over 8 years.  Assuming that they were continued once my grandfather, Harry, had passed away.
 
This was certainly an interesting find and something I’d never heard a thing about.  I even talked to my brother this morning and asked him if he remembered anything about it.  He did not.
 
What newspaper articles have you discovered about your family?  I’d love to hear about them.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST – More from newspapers

NEW YORK NEWSPAPER LINKS ONLINE

FRIDAY FINDS - Anna M. Bezner hit & killed by street car in Detroit in 1906

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS–Week #1–Cornelius FISHER, Sr. (1629-1698/99) of Wrentham, Massachusetts

Photo taken by me as my husband and I entered Wrentham for the first time ever, in November 2009

Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme of "52 Ancestors" in her blog post Challenge:  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog.  I've been wanting to participate in this challenge since it began, I believe 2 years ago.  I’m going to try to write about one ancestor each week, in addition to my other posts.  Perhaps picking those I don’t yet know much about, in hopes that a cousin or two will pop up and help me fill in the blanks.

Today I’ve picked Cornelius FISHER, SR. who is my husband’s paternal 7th great grandfather.

My husband descends from Cornelius Fisher, Sr., as follows (note that the name Cornelius shows up in future generations of this family)

Cornelius FISHER & Sarah EVERITT

Sarah FISHER & Benjamin HALL

Capt. Jeremiah HALL & Dorothy HILL

Jesse HALL & Achsah CLARK

Cornelius Clark Hall & Elizabeth CONICK

Rev. George HALL & Almira ROSETTE

Thomas Cornelius HALL & Cora E. BROWN

Charles HALL & Daisy BRIGHT

Gordon HALL & Dorothy FINK

My husband

Here’s the information I have on Cornelius at this time:

He was born on 16 Aug 1629 in Denton, Norfolk, England to Anthony Fisher and Ales (maiden name unknown).¹  On 22 Dec 1652⁴ he married Leah HEATON in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts.  Leah was born before 13 Apr 1634 in Alford, Lincolnshire, England and died 12 Jan 1663/64² in Wrentham, Massachusetts.  Prior to Leah’s death I have 3 children being born to this couple:

Cornelius Fisher, Jr. (1660-abt 1723),
Ann Fisher (1661 – ?),
Eleazer Fisher (1663-1733)

Cornelius Fisher, Sr., next married Sarah EVERITT on 25 Jul 1665 in Dedham, Massachusetts.  I have no birth information for Sarah and I have recorded that she died in 1676 (no source for that info).  I have one child, a daughter, born to this couple; Sarah Fisher (1668-1751).

The information I have gives a death date for Cornelius Fisher, Sr. as about 2 Jan 1698, with his will being probated on 3 Feb 1699.³  He is buried at the Wrentham Center Cemetery in Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts.
 
NOTE: I wish I’d have known this when my husband and I visited that cemetery in 2009.  I might have been able to locate his headstone, if there is one, and perhaps those of his two wives.  I did take over a dozen photos of other Fisher headstones at this cemetery.

I have located a FindAGrave memorial for him #142988235.  This memorial has his title as “Deacon” Cornelius Fisher.  I find no women named either Leah or Sarah listed on FindAGrave for this cemetery.

OBSERVATIONS:  If Leah and Cornelius were married in 1652 but the oldest child I have recorded for them was born in 1660, were there other children who were born to them prior to 1660?  That’s eight years and considering she had 3 children between 1660 and 1663, it’s likely.

NOTE:  I wrote the above observation prior to adding the sources listed below.  As I reviewed those sources I answered my own question, at least according to what is written.  On page 305 of The Great Migration Begins⁵, where Leah is mentioned, it states that she had 6 children.  This is an example of why I’ve found that writing posts for my blog has improved and enhanced my research.  We review material we have looked at before and notice new things.

Sources that provided various portions of the information listed above are:
1.  England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, FHL film 1657227, Item 29
2.  Massachusetts – Town & Vital Records, 1620-1988 – entry for death of Leah Fisher
3.  Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991, Vol. 13-14, Case #2523
4.  New England Marriages Prior to 1700 by Clarence Amon Torrey, Volume 1, page 545
5. The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1633, by Robert Charles Anderson, published 1996 – Biographical Sketch of Nathaniel Heaton, page 303-305.  Leah Heaton is mentioned on page 305.

Here’s the 3 pages from The Great Migration that talk about Nathaniel Heaton, Leah’s father and his descendants.
(These images are Used by permission of New England Historic Genealogical Society, americanancestors.org)


Since I have a probate record for Cornelius Fisher, Sr., please stay tuned to a future Amanuensis Monday and I will transcribe and share that probate record.

I’d like to find out where both Leah and Sarah Fisher are buried.  I suspect they are also in Wrentham, so I will have to investigate.

If you are related to Cornelius Fisher, Sr., his wives or any of their descendants, I’d love to hear from you.  I’m hoping to make more cousin connections this year.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

HAVE EARLY MASSACHUSETTS ANCESTORS?  This might be your lucky day

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

TIME FOR MY YEARLY PROGRESS REPORT ~ FAMILY STATISTICS FOR 2016–How Have I Done?

This is a topic first shared by Randy Seaver on his Genea-Musings blog several years ago.  I enjoy seeing my progress for the year, so I’ve taken a look at these numbers for the last 4 years.
 
I can generate this information in Legacy 8 by selecting the “About Legacy” icon and then clicking on General.
 
HERE IS THE REPORT FROM 2015
 



Have I made progress in my research?

• Have I added more people/individuals?
• Do I have more Master Sources?
• How about my source citations, more or not?
• How does my percentage of citations compare to last year?

THIS IS MY REPORT FROM 2016 (created on 12/31/2016) – the build date refers to the date of the last update to my Legacy program.

I see an increase in almost every number, so that’s good news.
 
One of the statistics I’m always interested in is my Citations.  We all know how important it is to cite our sources. Have mine increased from last year to this year?  What is my percentage?  Last year my percentage rate was 225.9”% per person.
 
To get the number for this year,  I divide the Citations by the Number of Individuals – 11492 divided by 5060.
 
That gives me a percentage rate, per person of 227.1%.  That’s an increase of +1.2% from last year.  This means I continue to cite my sources and have improved over last year.  However, I’d like to see an even bigger improvement.  Because, between you and me, I’ve been a little bit lazy when it comes to entering my sources this year.
 
With an increase of 264 people in my database, I should be doing better.
 

Let’s take a look at the other numbers compared to last year.

	2015	2016	CHANGE
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS	4796	5060	264
NUMBER OF FAMILIES	1681	1784	103
UNIQUE SURNAMES	1223	1297	74
MASTER SOURCES	703	738	35
CITATIONS	10834	11492	658
MASTER EVENTS	4861	5591	730

I’m happy with what I see.  I’ve added .72 individuals per day, 1.8 citations per day and 2 events per day.
 
My primary goal has never been to see how many people I can have in my tree.  I’ve been researching for 13 years.  Since I’ve been retired these past seven years, I research almost daily.  My primary concern is to document what I find and do thorough work, while growing the tree.  These results prove to me that I am meeting those goals.
 
DO YOU HAVE GOALS FOR 2016?
If so, what are they?

• Better sourcing
• Finding more ancestors and adding them to your tree?
• Going back to review the family members you added long ago?

Whatever they are, I wish you a successful year.
Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SUNDAY’S OBITUARY ~ Harry Whipple Gould–1886-1960–My grandfather

I was only 9 yrs. old when my paternal grandfather died.  We were living in Pompano Beach, Florida.  My grandparents, Harry & Marie lived in a house on the next block from ours.  I was at their home a lot. Prior to moving to Florida we had all lived in Detroit, Michigan.  

I loved my grandpa.  He was always very kind.  I remember that he smoked both cigarettes and cigars.  I have so many questions I’d like to ask him.  But, who asks those questions when they're nine?

Harry Whipple Gould was the second of 6 children born to William “Val” Gould (1859-1924) and Mary “Mae” Eve Thorp (1862-1946).  Harry was born 10 Feb 1886 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.  His brothers were Ford V. Gould (1884-1947) and Roy V. Gould (1888-1971).  Harry also had 3 sisters.  Gladys Lillian (1890-1966), May Adele (1898-1984) and Helen C. (1901-1945).

Here’s Harry in some undated photos, as a young man.


On June 6, 1912, Harry married Marie Wallace Lindsay.  They were married in Windsor, Essex, Ontario, Canada. You can read about my search for their marriage record here WEDDING WEDNESDAY - Where were they married?

Harry & Marie – Wedding photos


Harry and Marie had one child, a son (my Daddy), born on New Year’s Eve 1912.  New Year’s Eve was always a double celebration at our house.

My grandparents both worked for the City of Detroit and/or the County of Wayne at various times.  My grandmother, Marie’s, Uncle Richard “Dick” Lindsay was a City Clerk for the City of Detroit for many years.
 
I ended up spending most of my working career working for municipalities.  First the City of San Diego, then the City of Poway, 29 years in total.  Must be in my blood.
 
Harry and Marie enjoyed swimming.  They had a cottage at Lake Huron in Port Huron, Michigan.  I have many family photos of them at that lake and several other lakes.  I remember going to cottage when I was a little girl.
 

I can identify four people in this photo - bottom right is my grandpa, Harry.  Back row on the right is my Dad, in the striped suit is my Dad's first wife, Elaine and next to her is my grandma, Marie.

Harry Gould relaxing on the couch at their cottage at Lake Huron, Michigan

Harry died just two years short of my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary.  I know my grandma Marie missed him terribly.  She lived with us for a few years prior to her death in 1970.

I have dozens more photos of my grandparents, which I cherish.

My grandfather is buried at Grand Lawn Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan, along with his beloved wife, Marie and other family members.  I visit them every time I go back to Detroit.

You may visit Harry’s FindAGrave memorial here #14481532.


I love you Grandpa and will always miss you.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2016   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

FOLLOW UP FRIDAY ~ Private John Gillen’s letter to his sister, Ella–August 1862

Page 1 and 4 of John's letter - click on the image to enlarge it

Page 2 and 3 of John's letter - click on the image to enlarge it

In continuing the story of Private John Gillen I want to share one of the letters he wrote home to his sister, Ella.  To read the whole story of Private Gillen and his death during the Civil War please read MILITARY MONDAY ~ Civil War Pension File - Private John Gillen - Killed in Action 31 Dec 1862 at the Battle of Stones River

This letter was contained in his Civil War pension file.  I’ve never seen any letters written during war time, from any of my ancestors.  To say this was a big find, is to put it mildly.

NOTE: The stationary I've seen, that was used in the past, was two sided, which was probably then folded one inside the other.  This is why the pages seem out of order to us.

The letter shown was written on August 13, 1862 from Iuka, Mississippi.  I first thought the location as Juka, but my research showed it to be Iuka (I’ve used a different font so you can tell the first letter is an I).

Iuka is located in northern Mississippi near the border of Tennessee.  Here is a map of Iuka during the Civil War, September 1862 (available via public domain).



To read about the Civil War Battle of Iuka please click here.

I made the following transcription of Private Gillen’s letter.  I’ve left spelling and punctuation as it was in the letter and transcribed it to the best of my ability.

                                                                                                                                           Aug 13^th 62

                                                                                                                                 In Camp at Iuka Miss

Dear Sister

  I recd yours & Mothers letters yesterday morning & I will answer yours now and hers in a few days  I am well at present we have changed our camp we are now on the Memphis & Charleston RR at Iuka this is a sort of watering place there is several Sulphur springs 4 of which are all fixed up in stile I tell you I like this camp far better than I did any other camp that we have been in since we have been in this state  I hope we will stay here till it gets cool weather there is plenty of good water & a __branch to go bathing in  a train that is the cars pass here one from each way concequental we get our mail regular which is not often the case with us soldiers we were on a scout last week we started from our old camp on the 4^th & O but it was hot in the 3 reg there was several sunstruck 3 of which died well after that we did all of our marching in the night & layed over during the day we were gone 4 days we broke up one reb camp took 11 prisoners 8 or 10 horses & destroyed a cotton factory well did not exactly destroyed it but put it our of runing order we would have got the whole pile of rebs if it had not been for a lousy citizen he give them notice of our aproach the concequence was they were ready to __ as soon as we got to them ther right wing of our reg was in the advance & the left was in the rear guard consequence they got a few shots at them while we did not get a ___ well there was not much ___ing at the cowardly pups as soon as they commenced to retreat the dog was dead for they was all cav & we infantry well as soon as the rebs left we started for camp & we got to within 8 miles of it when we got orders to march to this place well there was no help for it run out ___& got here the next day making in all 6 days that we had been runing around it was the hardest 6 days march that I ever done in all of my marching it hurt me the most it was not the walking but the loss of sleep for we would be going all night & it was so warm in the day time that a man could not sleep to do ___

Ella I am going to get my pay to day or tomorrow & I will send some of it home & I want you to get your likeness taken & send it to me, don’t get it taken on the same kind of stuff as __unless you have it put in a case I want to see if you grow any I expect you are prety near as large as lib are you not  I am as black as a negro very near I tell you this hot sun will take the white out of a person in short notice I am on guard to day & will have to go & stand to hour now in a few minutes well I believe I written about all I can think about at the present time I want you to write as soon as you get this & give me all of the news I know you folks dont write half of the news sow just sit down and write a few lines slow I dont feel like writing to day & then quit

                                                                        yours ___John Gillen Jr

                                                                              

Private Gillen was killed at the Battle of Stones River, Mississippi just a little over 4 months after writing this letter to his sister.

Things I thought of as I reviewed this letter several times.

• Ella was only 14 when her brother was killed.  I wonder how difficult it was for her?
• How did these letters end up in his pension file?  Did Ella or someone else in the family give them to the pension attorney who assisted with the pension claim?
• Did Ella ever get the “likeness” taken?  If so, did she have time to send it to John?
• Does that likeness/photo still exist?  Did John ever have a photo taken?
• Did Ella or any other family member ever visit John’s grave at the Stones River National Cemetery?
• Two of John’s younger brothers served in the Civil War.  Both were mustered in in 1864 and served just a few months.  Did they serve because of their brother’s death?
• Private Gillen cared about what was going on at home and shared everyday things with his sister.
• How worried must the family have been when two more of their sons joined the war?

There’s a lot to think about when researching our family history.  They have never been just names and dates to me.  The longer I research the more my ancestors come alive.  They live in my mind and in my heart every day.

Do you have any letters from your ancestors, written during wartime? I’d love to hear about them.

If you are related to anyone mentioned in this post, please contact me.  I’d love to hear from you.  We might be cousins.

In remembrance,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2016   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

MILTARY MONDAY ~ Civil War Pension File–Private John Gillen–Killed in Action 31 Dec 1862 at the Battle of Stones River

Today’s post is about Private John Gillen, age 21, who was killed in action on 31 Dec 1862 at Stones River, Tennessee.  He was a Union soldier.

John is the son of John Gillen (about 1804-1880) and Nancy Miller (1815-1913).  He was the 4th child born to this couple.  

Here is the family group sheet.



Private Gillen was the second oldest son.  He was one of three sons to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War.  Both his brothers, Isaac and Martin also served. Those brothers survived the war. However, neither lived past their early 40’s.

Private Gillen was born about 1841 in Ohio.  His family was farming in Union, Lawrence, Ohio in the 1850 census.  By the 1860 census the family had moved to Champaign, Illinois and his father was farming and had real estate worth $600. The family is found in Champaign in the 1870 and 1880 census.  John Gillen (Sr) dies in November 1880.  By the time of the 1900 census Private Gillen’s mother Nancy is living in a home at 420 E. Clark St., in Champaign.  Her daughter, Ella is living with her.  The home is owned and free of a mortgage.

Here is a map and a current street view of E. Clark St. today.


John’s mother, Nancy Miller Gillen, applied for his pension on 22 Apr 1882, as indicated on this pension index card.



I ordered the pension file, my first for a soldier killed in action.  This was the third Civil War pension file I have received, and all of them are full of wonderful genealogical information.

NOTE:  Rather than going directly through NARA for my orders, I use the services of Deidre Denton.  You may access her services via http://twistedtwigsgenealogy.com/ 

I have no affiliation nor do I receive any remuneration from any referrals.  Just letting you know how I got copies of the pension files.

Through the various statements in this pension file I learned that the young John Gillen was responsible for helping to support his family, including sending a large portion of his soldier pay home.  It seems his father, the older John Gillen, was in feeble health and not able to earn a good enough living to support his family.  Once the older John died in 1880, Nancy had no means of support and applied for the pension from her son’s service and death in the war.

Here is her application.  The Green arrow gives Private Gillen’s cause of death.  The Blue arrow gives the date of his father, John Gillen’s death.  And the Red arrow gives the name & exact dates of birth of his three siblings who were under age 16 at the time of Private Gillen’s death.
 


I would certainly say that on that one page alone we have some wonderful genealogical information.  (The entire pension file is 63 pages) The form is signed by Nancy Gillen so we can surmise she is the one who provided the information.  Do we still need to verify those dates?  Yes.

Two of the surprises contained in this pension file are letters written by Private John Gillen to his sister, Ella (Louella Gillen 1848-1942).  I will be transcribing those letters in another post so as not to make this post exorbitantly long.

Private John Gillen is buried at Stones River National Cemetery in Murfreesboro, Rutherford, Tennesse.  There are more than 6,000 Union soldiers buried at this cemetery.  His FindAGrave memorial is #68723997.

There is quite a lot written about the Battle at Stones River, which took place from December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863.  The casualty percentage at this battle was second only to Gettysburg in all major engagements during the Civil War.

https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/national_cemeteries/Tennessee/Stones_River_National_Cemetery.html

http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-stones-river

http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/stonesriver/stones-river-history/10-facts-about-stones-river.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

I hope one day I will find a photo of young Private Gillen, as he talks about family photos in his letters to his sister.  In the meantime, I hope that I’ve honored his memory and his service to our country.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST 

What I Learned from One Single Page of a Civil War Pension File - 1864 - Edith E. Thorp

The Civil War - How our Country Dealt with the Aftermath - Creation of our National Cemeteries

If you are related to anyone mentioned in this post, please contact me.  I’d love to hear from you.  We might be cousins.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2016   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION