Locating documents to verify life events is an important part of family research. Even when one is lucky enough to find a birth or death certificate, finding other supporting sources is beneficial. Records for my ancestor John C. Fowler can be found in the Monongalia County courthouse in West Virginia. These documents, especially those concerning his death, have provided significant information about John and his family. Continue reading
Surnames
Census Through the Years: Mary Alice Reese
Mary Alice Reese, my 2nd great grand aunt, was born 143 years ago on June 30, 1878 in Lycoming County, PA to Josiah and Effie Reese; she was the tenth of their twelve children. Most of her life was spent in Lycoming and its surrounding counties. What I know of her comes from the information I gathered from the U.S. Census and other documents from 1880 through 1948 to help piece together a few details about her life. Continue reading
Misc. Tax Rolls–Fayette County PA
This year for tax month—extended to May 17—I have extracted some property tax records for Georges Township, Fayette County, PA. The focus is on the Conn family beginning in 1815 with George Conn, listed in February’s blog, and his sons over a 25 year period. Tax records can provide clues about residency, land ownership, death of a land owner, as well as indicate the potential age of men who become adults and were then taxed for an occupation. Continue reading
Catharine Reclaimed
When I was younger and I drove through Pleasant Unity with my mother, she would often point out a house up a long driveway where her grandmother Mary Frances, known as Fannie, grew up. The house was owned by Fannie’s grandfather Joseph Blackson. My mother mentioned Fannie spoke about growing up in Pleasant Unity as a girl although my mother couldn’t recall the details; my impression was that Fannie’s childhood was not the happiest. Fannie was illegitimate and her step-grandmother did not look favorably on her. Continue reading
The Deeds of George Conn
Recently I have been going through papers I had set aside some time ago for “review at a later date”. These include documents I have accumulated on various genealogy trips to courthouse, libraries, as well as online research. As I read over some of these I have found a few forgotten gems that are buried in these papers. In this stack were several deeds from 1817 for George Conn in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: William Edgar Ludwick
When I began gathering information for my family tree, I was told my great-grand Uncle Will Ludwick had lived in Nebraska and was a minister. Will, formally William Edgar, was brother to Eden and my great-grandfather Alpheus. They were orphaned before they were teenagers, and perhaps because of this, they held a strong value for family and stayed in touch throughout their lives. Although subsequent generations lost contact, some time ago I connected with the wife of Will’s grandson who added to the anecdotes told by my family, which census enumerations helped to substantiate. Continue reading
Remembering Uncle Jack
My maternal Uncle Jack was a large man in size and presence with a booming voice; he was a Marine after all. But what I remember most about him was his big persona; you knew when he came into a room. Yet he was good natured with a jovial disposition. He moved out of Pennsylvania before I was born, but he visited every couple of years, which gave me a chance to become familiar with him while growing up. My first memory of him was when I was very young and Jack and his family stopped by to visit us. I don’t recall the details except excitement around his arrival and departure, most likely because we knew it would be some time before his next visit. Continue reading
Brown Family Reunion
For some September invokes thoughts of colorful fall leaves, crisp autumn air, and the aroma of pumpkin spice. For me September makes me think of my family as this month has become when the descendants of Charles and Lucy Swank Brown gather for a family reunion. It has been held in Indiana County PA for over twenty years, usually on the second Sunday of the month, although some years it had been changed to a different Sunday due to scheduling conflicts. The reunion is a perfect time to reconnect with cousins I might not see throughout the year. This year, unfortunately, it has been cancelled due to Covid19. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: Peter M. Reese
The Reese family has been in Lycoming County and its bordering counties for over 200 years as evidenced by the U.S. census. My great grand uncle Peter Milton Reese, Milton as he was often called, was among this family’s descendants who lived his entire life in these counties. Except for information in a few vital records, most of what I know of my great grand uncle is from the U.S. census. Continue reading
Misc. Tax Rolls — Jefferson County PA
Some years ago when visiting the Jefferson County courthouse I copied several property tax lists for my ancestor Abraham Ludwick and some of his sons. 1837 was the first tax year I copied for Abraham in Young Township; he had moved his family to Jefferson County sometime in the mid-1830s. By the early 1840s Abraham’s sons John and George, now adults, were also listed on the tax rolls for the county in Gaskill Township. By the 1850s more of Abraham’s sons who had reached adulthood and owned land appeared on the tax rolls, now in Winslow Township. It’s possible that the Ludwick families never moved, but the townships around them changed as new ones were formed. In 1855, which is about the time Abraham and Mary moved back to Allegheny County, Abraham’s name was scratched out with a note that property should be assessed to Samuel Ludwick. Continue reading
Relatively Speaking Blog 