Miss Lucille Mayo at church. Mildred C, Elsie M & myself sat together. Roswell, Carl & Ernest sat in back of us. After entertainment we served cake & cream to performers. Ernest & Carl went home after entertainment. I rode down with Kirby’s. Bought my cake in Cushman’s on 33rd Street.
M.E.W’s had meeting at church. We had choir rehearsal at church. Ernest did not rehearse for choir he came upstairs once through about 9:40.
I received my order of records from the New Jersey State Archives on Saturday. The record you see above was too big to fit onto my scanner, so I tested out the app recommended to me for my iPhone. It worked pretty well! Especially under the conditions I was trying. It would have probably worked a bit better in daylight on a flat surface.
Anyway, onto the record. The record I sent for was the marriage record for George Yohn and Josephine Doremus. I’m currently trying to figure out if George Yohn is in fact George Thorward. What I like about the above record is that the marriage date fits with what I know for George and Josephine. I also like that Josephine Doremus is listed. There was another Josephine Doremus in the 1870 census but she was living in Newark and not Caldwell. In 1880 there is no trace of Josephine and George Yohn. Only Josephine and George Thorward. Everything about the above record fits with George Thorward except the Yohn last name. It is a bit disappointing to see the parents names listed as “Not Known” for George. Though it raises another question. Did George lose his parents when he was young? Did that prompt his immigration to America?
I did search the online index for name changes on the State Archives website but I found no trace of any Yohns or Thorwards. I’d love to get my hands on some local history books from the church or even the newspapers. My Grandpa told me that there is some stuff in local books about the Thorwards because they were integral in the Methodist Church of Caldwell.
Included in the envelope with my records was a note from the Archives. They explained to me that they included the entire page as counties were only required to report once a year the births, marriages, and deaths from their county. Individual records weren’t issued by the State until June 1, 1878. So the record they sent me is actualy for the whole period of May 1871 to May 1872. So to me that tells me, if another Josephine Doremus had married George Thorward in November of 1871, it most likely would also be listed on this page.
I’m getting closer and closer to confirming my assumption that there was a name change. Once that happens, I’ll have more questions. Was Thorward the original German name or was Yohn? Did George adapt Yohn when he immigrated and then wanted to change it back? Were the children born under the name Yohn? Will this impede me in finding their birth records?
Previous entries in the George Yohn craziness:
Stayed home as my cold was not a whole lot better. Alethea class in charge of supper at church. Served chicken, carrots & peas, cranberries, apple sauce, lemon meringue pie. Ernest came home with me after. Ma & he & I sat talking until 12 o’clock.
Stayed home from work. Had a cold in my head & chest. Ma bought new suit & dress and I got blue & white crepe dress. Rather chilly
Lovely Day. Ma, Pa, Ruth G. & I went down to Conference to hear appointments read at night. Got home about 12 o’clock.
Went out to Sunday School & Church in morning. My cold so bad I couldn’t sing very much. Showered on and off all day. Ma, Pa & I went to Suffern at 5:15. It blew up very cold and I rode in the bottom of cars on the way back. Ernest & his Grandmother went down to Conference Sunday morning.
Okay, so I thought if I took a little time to do some Webb family research, it’d be a break from the frustration of the Mays family. I was wrong. In fact, I was so wrong I might be right. After finding the treasure trove, I wanted to take another look at the information it gave for Reuben H Webb and his wife Ann Thompson. I’m not doubting the biography but there was something that stood out glaringly for me. I don’t know what to do about it. However, it kind of fits in with the fact that Reuben moved around a bit after losing the land he cleared initially.
You see, on FamilySearch.org it has in two separate databases that Reuben Webb married Ann Thompson on 15 Feb 1806. Why my original family file says 1805, I’ll never be able to tell you. That’s how crazy my file is.
I was a little blocked about what to write about next on the blog. Then Ancestry.com released new Civil War documents!
In the Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865 database, I found both Reuben Thompson Webb and his sons Reuben Horace and James A! Unfortunately, I’m still finding no proof that Reuben’s brother James ever served in the Civil War. Hopefully this changes soon. The family legend says that he died of injuries and gave his death date as September of 1863. Maybe this just means that I haven’t found him in the records yet. I’m still looking!
Miss K, Miss Pusch, Miss W, Miss S & myself went to see ‘Little’ Nellie Kelly. Very good show. We met Miss Peters and had lunch at Chin Lee’s. Went home on the 6:24. Went to bed about 9 o’clock.