Teachers Training Class. Had cold in my head. After prayer meeting (Mr. Miller lead) the prayer meeting crowd went over to parsonage to wish Mr & Mrs Gillespie Godspeed.
I’m Overwhelmed but On Track
First thing first, I have to say a big thank you to Jennifer over at The Erudite Genealogist. She wrote up an awesome entry giving everyone advice on what to take with you on a research trip. In fact, I’m going to be digging into the spare room closet this week and making sure I have an empty scrapbook case on wheels to get started! So again, THANK YOU!
Now that I have some great advice to follow, it’s time to break into the nitty gritty work. That work has been what has kept me from blogging. Those darn Mays ancestors are driving me crazy but I’m slowly getting them entered into my file. I found that I’m not focusing so much on finding any new directions, I’m just trying to verify what I have with the resources I currently have. When I’m not driving myself crazy there, I’m trying to set up a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to organize the research I want to do on location.
As I get my information together, I’ll keep you updated on my progress. Most likely I’ll have more questions, so I’ll probably ask those as they come. Right now I’m not sure of the exact dates of this traveling. I just know I’ll be in Upstate New York for the 4th of July weekend. The plan is to leave time after the holiday for heading to New Jersey for a little research. Plans always change though so there might be a separate trip to New Jersey needed.
I’m also going to Ohio to visit family this summer because it’s our turn to make the drive. I want to get out a little and visit the Brown County cemeteries where my Webb ancestors are buried. I’m unsure of where Reuben H Webb from Orange County, VA is buried but I hope to figure it out and visit his grave also. I know his son, my 3rd great grandfather, is buried in Kentucky in an abandoned, derelict graveyard. So I hope the same isn’t true for his father.
Reuben was living with one of his sons in 1850. I believe he died shortly after the census. The family was living in White Oak, Highland County, Ohio at the time of the census. I believe James’ wife was born and raised there. Next door to James and Reuben is Alice Webb-Bell. Alice was foreign to me until I found her son Starling living with another of her brother’s in 1880. Then as I tracked back, I found her and later found a mention of her name associated with Reuben. Acc0rding to Reuben T Webb’s biography, his father was forced to move several times after circumstances caused him to lose his property. My question would be did Reuben die in Highland County or Brown County, where the family was living in 1860? This is something I am going to try and find out before I head to Ohio.
Sorry to get off subject, I do that often. So I have several lists going, one for births, deaths, and marriages. Another for cemeteries. I’m also going to start making an obituary list. Looking at the local newspapers is something I haven’t had the opportunity to do before (Ancestry.com’s collection is severely limited), so I’ll be really excited to get to check those out.
Diary of Llewellyn: April 17, 1923
Lovely Spring Day. Geo & I went up to church to practice for M.E.W. Entertainment. Roswell, Ernest, Roy V. D., Brad, Carl, Geo & I there. Brad did not stay. When I finished with my part with Carl & Geo, Ernest asked me to stay and see how it went off & what I thought of it. Carl asked to take me home. I said Ernest was going down with me. Ernest & Roswell walked down with me. Miss S told about position in Mr. Rose’s office.
Next Entry: April18, 1923
Diary of Llewellyn: April 16, 1923
Pa got his money from the Government or the smash up of the car Sept 1920. Ma & Pa took papers up to Safe Deposit vault and then went over to Roseland. I went to bed at 9 o’clock. Clear & quite cool.
Next Entry: April 17, 1923
Diary of Llewellyn: April 15, 1923
Hailed & snowed early in the morning. Was a chill in the air all day. Showered lightly around 5 o’clock. Ernest came home from Manasquan in time for church service. Decided to go to Institute at Middletown, Conn with Leaguers. First Sunday for Mr Armstrong. Very good crowd out both morning & night. Viola up to Aunt Belle’s. Aunt Grace sitting up. Love’s came up from Plainfield. Mr. Burcker’s wife died sometime during Sun. night.
Next Entry: April 16, 1923
Diary of Llewellyn: April 14, 1923
Carl had party at his house. We had a very nice time. Got home about 12:30. carl got the car out and took Jack Cook, Irene M and myself home. Wore my blue printed dress. Ernest went to Manasquan so could not come to party. Those there were Roy V. D., Adeline, Ottilie, Gus, Irene, Carl, La Moss, Dwight J, Charles Steller, Ruth McNeiel, Jack Cook & myself. (Paulina or Ernest could not come)
Next Entry: April 15, 1923
Diary of Llewellyn: April 13, 1923
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.
Next Entry: April 14, 1923
Diary of Llewellyn: April 12, 1923
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.
Next Entry: April 13, 1923
George Yohn… again
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:
Diary of Llewellyn: April 11, 1923
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.