Wedding Wednesday - Zehring & Gebhart

 *Golden Wedding

  Fifty years ago, October 22, 1863, Lewis H. Zehring and Miss Elizabeth Gebhart, daughter of Emanuel Gebhart, were united in marriage by Rev. C. Albrecht.  For a half century they have resided in Miamisburg, excepting a brief period, when they resided in the country near town.

  Squire Zehring is one of the best known men in the county, and has always been active in the life of the community.  For over thirty years he served as justice of the peace, and for over forty years has been a notary public.  He served three years as county commissioner.  He is still a director in the Mutal Building Association, in which he was secretary.  For ten years he was mayor of Miamisburg, and is now a member of the Board of Education, and a cemetery trustee.  Industrious, genial and faithful, Squire Zehring counts his friends by hundreds, and though past three score and ten, is still a young man in thought and action.

  Handsome invitations have been issued to many friends for a reception at the Zehring home on Linden Avenue this afternoon and evening, when an opportunity will be afforded to extend congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple, who have enjoyed fifty years of life in unbroken wedlock.

  Their two daughters, Dr. Blanche Zehring of Wells College New York, and Mrs. Laura Zehring Dosch of Elizabeth, N. J., are both at home visiting with their parents for the happy anniversary.

*Miamisburg (Ohio) News, Thursday, 23 OCT 1913, Front Page

Wedding Wednesday - A 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration

 Golden Wedding

  Fifty years ago, October 32, 1863, Lewis H. Zehring and Miss Elizabeth Gebhart, daughter of Emanuel Gebhart, were united in marriage by Rev. C. Albrecht.  For a half century they have resided in Miamisburg, excepting a brief period, when they resided in the country near town.

  Squire Zehring is one of the best known men in the county, and has always been active in the life of the community.  For over thirty years he served as justice of the peace, and for over forty years has been a notary public.  He served three years as county commissioner.  He is still a director in the Mutal Building Association, in which he was secretary.  For ten years he was mayor of Miamisburg, and is now a member of the Board of Education, and a cemetery trustee.  Industrious, genial and faithful, Squire Zehring counts his friends by hundreds, and though past three score and ten, is still a young man in thought and action.

  Handsome invitations have been issued to many friends for a reception at the Zehring home on Linden avenue this afternoon and evening, when an opportunity will be afforded to extend congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple, who have enjoyed fifty years of life in unbroken wedlock.

  Their two daughters, Dr. Blanche Zehring of Wells College New York, and Mrs. Laura Zehring Dosch of Elizabeth, N. J., are both at home visiting with their parents for the happy anniversary.
**The Miamisburg News (Miamisburg, Ohio), Thursday, 23 OCT 1913, Front Page; Copy in files of Karen Krugman.

Amanuensis Monday - The Will of John Early (1854)

                                                                 Will of John Early

  In the name of the Benevolent Father of all, I John Earley of Miami Township in the County of Montgomery and State of Ohio, do make and publish this my last will and testament.

  Item 1st  I give and beqeath to my beloved wife Magdalena Early, all the property of any kind that I may be posessed of at the time of my decease, to use and possess as long she does remain a widow, out of which she shall pay all my just debts, and in case she should again remarry, then what shall remain of said property after deducting her lawful share of the same to be equally divided amongst my seven children with this exception that my said wife shall pay to my son Isaac Early forty dollars on his arriving to the age of twenty one years. Which is intended to make him equal with his brothers each of them having recieved a horse from me heretofore.

  Item 2nd  I do nominate and appoint my said wife, Magdalena and my son, John Early Excutor of this my last will and testament.

  In testimoney whereof I have herunto set my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of December in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Fifty.     /s /John Early

  Signed and Acknowledged by said John Early as his last will and testament in our presence and signed by us in his presence.

 /s/ Daniel Askins

/s/  William Gowdy

 [Will typed exactly as shown in original, no corrections in spelling or grammar have been made.]

John Early was born 7 Jul 1776 in Pennsylvania and died 15 JUL 1854 in Miami Township, Montgomery County, Ohio.  He was married 1 Aug 1820 Rockingham County, Virginia to Magdalena Byerly.  They were the parents of 7 children - John T., David, Lydia, Joseph, Sarah, Jacob and Isaac Early.  

John & Magdalena were my fourth great grandparents.

Tragedy Thursday

        Youth Is Dead In Auto Crash;  Girl May Die
 Herbert Gebhart, Germantown, Killed in Early Morning Accident
      Stella Weaver Is Injured Seriously
    Machine Collides With Another Car When Speeding Near Village

    Herbert Gebhart, 22, R.R. 2, Germantown, was dead and Miss Stella Weaver, 16, daughter of Winfield Weaver, Germantown, was in Miami Valley hospital in a critical condition Thursday as a result of an automobile crash near Ellerton on the Germantown Pike Wednesday night at 11 o'clock.
    Two other persons, C.A. Ward and his wife, Blanche Ward, R.R. 2, Liberty Rd., were slightly injured in the crash, but were not taken to a hospital.  Mrs. Ward suffered scalp wounds.
   Sheriff Fred S. Wolf was advised of the accident by C.L. Plymate, 110 Alameda Pl., and detailed Deputy Sheriff Dwight Conover to the investigation.
   Gebhart died while being removed to St. Elizabeth hospital, while Miss Weaver was taken to Miami Valley hospital by Mr. Plymate, who was passing by the accident scene a few minutes after the crash.
   The girl sustained a fractured skull and internal injuries and may not recover, hospital officials reported.  An examination of the injuries is being conducted.
   Witnesses told Deputy Sheriff Conover that the Gebhart and Ward automobiles were both proceeding in the same direction when the accident occurred.
  Gebhart was said to have applied the brakes to his car, which was reported to have been going at a high rate of speed.  He is believed to have lost control  of the machine, as it crashed into a telephone pole, breaking it off, then careened into the Ward automobile, turning that car over into a ditch.
   The car ended its rolling when it turned over against a second telephone pole.  Gebhart was reported to have sustained a broken neck.  He was the son of Harley Gebhart.
  Miss Weaver was an occupant of his automobile and was unable to give a statement on the accident Thursday morning.
   Sheriff Wolf reported that he had received complaints about speeding on the Germantown Pike and had attempted to break it upby the arrest of a number of offenders.  Several witnesses reported that Gebhart was one of the motorists who caused the complaints to be made to the sheriff.

**Dayton Daily News, 7 APR 1927, Front Page

Fearless Friday - The Death of John B. Gebhart (1874)

   Died From His Injuries
John Gebhart, who resides with his father near Germantown, was engaged on Sunday last, in company with others, in attempting to ride an untamed colt up and down a lane, near the farm house.  Gebhart had succeeded in mounting the colt and riding it a little way, when he was sudedenly thrown violently to the ground, his head striking the fence.  He died on Wednesday from his injuries.  He leaves a wife and three children.


 John B. Gebhart was the son of John Gebhart & wife, Lydia Funk.  He was born in 1848 and died 5 MAY 1874 in German Township, Montgomery County, Ohio.  He was married to Nancy Ball in 1872.  The names of their three children are not presently known.


**Dayton Daily Journal, 8 MAY 1874, Pg. 4

Tombstone Tuesday -

                                                          PIONEER DEAD

  In the death of David Early, Miami Township and Montgomery County loses one of the oldest residents.  He passed away Sunday morning at the home of his son, Jacob Early, east of town, aged 93 years, 4 months, 14 days.

  Mr. Early was born near Staunton, Va., September 29, 1822, and was one of a family of seven children.  In 1832 his parents moved to Ohio. They traveled here in a four horse covered wagon, the journey requiring four weeks.  They located at Lewsiburg, but after one year removed to near Miamisburg on what is known as the Gamble farm.

  In 1854 he was married to Elizabeth Gebhart, and moved on the Adam Schuster farm, east of Miamisburg, lving there three years.  He then removed to Warren county and after nine years residence there moved to his farm five miles southeast of Miamisburg, where he resided constantly until recently.

  Mr. Early was the last of the original family.  His brothers were John, Jacob, Joseph and Isaac; sisters, Mrs. Sallie Fox, Mrs. Lydia Fox.

  Mr. and Mrs. Early were the happy parents of six sons and two daughters: Albert, Peter, Jacob, George, Charles, David Early Jr., Mrs. Wm. Phillips, Mrs. John Emby, all living in the vicinity of Miamisburg.

  Since the death of his wife in 1897 he has been living with his children.  He had unusual health and for eighty years did not have an illness sufficiently serious to go to bed.

  Funeral services were held on Wednesday at 1 pm from the residence of his son, Jacob Early and at 2 pm from the Progressive Brethren Church, east of Miamisburg, Rev. Garber of Ashland officiating. Burial in Hill Grove cemetery.
                                              *********************
Source: Miamisburg News (Ohio), Thursday 17 FEB 1916, Pg. 8, Col. 1

Tombstone - Mary Salome Kreitzer (1795-1884)

Mary Salome Kreitzer nee Gebhart was born 15 SEP 1795 in Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania and dies 23 SEP 1884 in Montgomery County, Ohio. 

She married 16 DEC 1813 to Thomas Kreitzer who was featured last Tuesday on this blog.

Together they were the parents of 7 children -

Peter (1815-1823), George (1816-1855), William (1818-1869), Elizabeth (1822-1878), Jacob (1824-1913), Sarah (1827-1900), and Catherine.

Mary Salome's broken stone lies on the ground in pieces next to her husband, Thomas' in Salem Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Montgomery County, Ohio.



Tombstone Tuesday - Thomas Kreitzer (1790-1859)

The broken headstone of Thomas Kreitzer lies on the ground in Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery, Montgomery County, Ohio. 

Thomas was born in Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania on 30 DEC 1790.  He was married to Mary Salome (Sally) Gebhart on 16 DEC 1813 in Montgomery County, Ohio.

They were the parents of 7 children, Peter (1815-1823), George (1816-1855), William (1818-1869), Elizabeth (1822-1878), Jacob (1824-1913), Sarah (1827-1900) and Catherine.

Thomas dies on 7 DEC 1859, and is buried next to his wife.

Wedding Wednesday - Gebhart & Theobald (1914)

Howard was the son of Elmer Gebhart & Malinda Schmidt Gebhart.  Mary A. was the daughter of Adam Theobald and his wife, Julie Reichard. 

Obituary To Make A Genealogist Proud

As genealogist we rely on obituaries quite a bit. Usually when we find them we are either really excited about how good it is or really disappointed about how brief, or how lousy it is based on how much or how little information is present.  Today's offering is one of the best I have seen, and I love how it handles the female children and their married names.  Take a minute and read through.  I think you'll agree this one is a good one!
                          (click on image to enlarge, browsers back button will bring you back)

Valentine Benner Dead

  Mr. Valentine Benner died at about 3 am last Saturday, November 17, aged 78 years, 2 months, 14 days.  He died in the home of his son, Albert, four miles east of town.
  He was born near Miamisburg September 3, 1828, as son of Jacob and Mary (Gebhart) Benner.  On October 3, 1853, he married Miss Caroline Goudy, daughter of Squire Goudy, and with her celebrated the golden wedding day October 3, 1903.  She died March 23, 1905, aged 73 years, 7 months and 2 days.
   They were blessed with thirteen children. One, Grace, died an infant, and Charles died in the Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, leaving a widow and three children.  The other eleven children survive him and by the their noble lives honor the memory of their parent:  Mary, Mrs Joseph Britton, resides in Wapakoneta; Cornelia, Mrs. J. Loesch, Miamisburg; Miss Lucetta, Denver, Col.; Miss Edith, Chicago, Ill,; Emma, Mrs. G.W. Driver, Ogden, Utah; and Miss Callie, Los Angeles, Cal.  Mason has his home in Dayton, Robert in Middletown, and Samuel M., William G., and Albert live on farms east of town.
  Besides eleven children, he is survived by one brother, Mr. Jacob Benner, residing east of town, and by twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
   Funeral services were conducted on Tuesday afternoon in the home of Mr. Albert Benner, where he spent the last years of his earthly pilgrimage, Rev. F.W.E. Peschau, D.D., his pastor officiating.
   Thus another of our most excellent country citizens and pioneers has left us, and the Lutheran Church has lots one of its oldest members.  He was buried in Hill Grove Cemetery.

Tombstone Tuesday - Thomas Kreitzer

[Pardon the funny spacing - blogger issues this morning!]
=============================================
Individual Report for Thomas Kreitzer
=============================================
     Name: Thomas Kreitzer
      Sex: M
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Individual Information
-------------------------------------------------------------------
          Birth: 30 Dec 1790 - Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
          Death: 7 Dec 1859 - Montgomery County, Ohio         
          Burial: in Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Jefferson Township,
             Montgomery County, Ohio 
         Cause of Death: Unk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Events
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1. Tax List: 1816, Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio.¨ Tax list
   for Montgomery County Ohio shows for Jefferson Township, under Proprietors
   names: Thomas Kreitzer; 143 34/100 Acres (2nd Rate), Range 5, Township 3,
   Section 9, SE part of section; Original Proprietor - Geo. Kuns, 640 acres in
   original entry, Montgomery County; Amount of Tax $3.22515.

   2. Tax List: 1817, Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. Tax list for
   Montgomery County Ohio shows for Jefferson Township, under Proprietors
   names: Thomas Kreitzer; 143 34/100 Acres (2nd Rate), Range 5, Township 3,
   Section 9, SE part of section; Original Proprietor - George Kuns, 640 acres
   in original entry, Montgomery County; Amount of Tax $3.225.

   3. Tax List: 1818, Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio.  Tax list
   for Montgomery County Ohio shows for Jefferson Township, under Persons
   Names: Thomas Kreitzer; 143 34/100 Acres (2nd Rate), Range 5, Township 3,
   Section 9, SE Part of Section; Original Proprietor - George Kuns, 640 acres
   in original entry, Montgomery County; Amount of Tax $2.15.
 
4. Tax List: 1819, Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. Tax list for
   Montgomery County Ohio shows for Jefferson Township, under Persons Names:
   Thomas Kreitzer; 143 Acres (2nd Rate), Range 5, Township 3, Section 9, SE
   Part of Section; Original Proprietor - George Kuns, 640 acres in original
   entry, Montgomery County; Amount of Tax $2.50 1/4.
  
5. He appeared on the census in 1830 in Jefferson Township, Montgomery
   County, Ohio. (5) 1830 Census shows Thomas KREITZER family: 4 males: 1 (5 -
   10), 2 (10 - 15), and 1 (30 to 40); and 4 females: 1 (to 5), 1 (5 to 10), 1
   (30 - 40), and 1 (70 to 80).
 
6. Tax List: 1831, Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. Tax list
   for Montgomery County Ohio shows under Owners Names: Critzer Thomas; R 5, T
   3, S 9, SE Pt Q or Lot, 143 Acres, $700 Value; State & Canal $2.45, County &
   Road $2.10, Township $0.525, Total $5.075.
 
7. Tax List: 1833, Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. (7) Tax list
   for Montgomery County Ohio shows for Jefferson Township, under Owners Names:
   Critzer Thos; R 5, T 3, S 9, SE Pt Q or Lot, 143 Acres, $700 Value; State &
   Canal $2.10, County & Road $2.10, ... Tax list for No. 2 Jefferson Township,
   shows under Owners Names [Chattle Tax]: Kritzer Thomas, 5 Horses $200, 5
   Cattle $40; State & C. $0.72, County & Schl $0.72... same, $100 Money &
   Facty; State & C. $0.30, County & Schl $0.30...
  
8. He had a residence on 1 Sep 1841 in Montgomery County, Ohio.

9. He appeared on the census on 1 Jun 1850 in Jefferson Township, Montgomery
   County, Ohio. 1850 Census shows Thomas KREITZER (59 M Pennsylvania),
   Farmer, Real Estate Valued at $4,500, Sarah (56 F Pennsylvania), Jacob (27 M Ohio), Farmer, Sarah     (23 F Pennsylvania), John (5 M Ohio), and Uriah (1 M Ohio). They were enumearted in Jefferson Township District No. 111, Montgomery County, Ohio.

10. Land Deed: 143 acres, 2 Jan 1851, Montgomery County, Ohio. (10) Thomas
   and Sarah Kreitzer to Jacob Kreitzer, 143 acres, south east corner.(No $$
   given) (next page shows) R-2, p.522 Jan. 2, 1851 Thomas Kreitzer, wife Sarah
   to $2,000 Jacob Kreitzer S.W. 1/4, 143 acres.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Father: Peter Kreitzer (1756-1836) (11)
         Mother: Elisabeth [--?--] (1755-1847)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spouses and Children
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Mary Salome (Sally) Gebhart (15 Sep 1795 - 23 Sep 1884) (12,13)
       Marriage: 16 Dec 1813 - Montgomery County, Ohio (14)
       Children:
          1. Peter Kreitzer (1815-1823)
          2. George Kreitzer Sr. (1816-1855)
          3. William Kreitzer (1818-1869)
          4. Elizabeth Kreitzer (1822-1878)
          5. Jacob Kreitzer (1824-1913)
          6. Sarah Kreitzer (1827-1900)
          7. Catharine Kreitzer (Bef 1825-          )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Birth Notes:
   KREUTZER, Thomas, 30 Dec 1790, Peter & Elisabeth, Altalaha Lutheran Church,
   Rehrersburg

   Birth date of 31 DEC 1789 was  calculated from age at time of death as shown
   on headstone (69-11-7).  However church records from Tulpehocken
   Pennsylvania indicate that his birth date took place on the date now in
   place.

Death Notes:
   Died at the age of 69y 11m 7d.

Marriage Notes (Mary Salome (Sally) Gebhart)
   By Andrew Simon, Minister German Lutheran Church.



**Thomas Kreitzer was my GGGG Grandfather.

Happy Researching!
Karen

So How Do You Spell It Anyway?

One of the things I learned early on in my genealogical journey was that "spelling don't count".   I hear people say things like "my grandmother always said it was spelled _____________".  You fill in the blank, I'm sure you've heard it as well.  And I think most people would agree that you really can't be too hung up on the spelling of the surnames in your genealogy! 

But that really isn't what this post is all about.  What I want to know is how do you handle all the variations in your files?  Take for instance my Gebhart lines. For the most part its spelled Gebhart. But then you go into court records and you find a handful of Gebharts that decided to use the spelling Gephart instead, and when you go out into the cemetery there it is bigger than life itself - the headstone using the same spelling! 

Do you enter in your data base with the spelling you found it as or do you "standardize" all the spellings into one spelling, perhaps entering the alternate spelling in your notes??

No, spelling don't count, but I am curious.  How do YOU handle the multiple spellings in YOUR files & data bases?  I'd love to hear from you with your thoughts on this dilema.

Happy Researching
Karen

Amanuensis Monday - Valentine Gebhart

GEBHART - At his residence on Canal street, 15th ins. of apoplexy, Valentine Gebhart, aged 65 years, 9 months, and 18 days.

Funeral services in the Lutheran church, 17th inst., by Rev. C. Albrecht.

Interment in Miamisburg cemetery.

Mr. Gebhart was born in Miami township, August 28th, 1809, his father being one of the pioneer settlers of this valley. On Monday, whilst unloading corn at the warehouse of Weiser & Hubler, he was struck with palsy, and died on the following day. Being born, reared, and having resided here to the end of life, he was widely and well known by all of our citizens. May he rest in peace.

Lists, Lists & More Lists

Are you a list maker?  I am! I have to do lists for everything.  Shopping, future projects, places I need to go, things I need to do.  Being a genealogist it seems I'm always working on a list of some sort.

This week I've been working on my lists for upcoming trips.  We're not doing trips around the world or anything but you must admit that being prepared aka having a good list is the foundation for a successful research trip. 

Tomorrow we are headed out to Miamisburg, Ohio to do some research on my Gebhart & Early families that lived in that area.  So I've got an extensive list of people who need obits.  While I am pulling newspapers to search & copy, Mark will be going thru the books looking for mention of them there. 

Other lists that are in progress include one for next Tuesday's trip to Fort Wayne and then for our vacation trip I'm working on lists for Pennsylvania (Dauphin, Berks, Lancaster & Schuylkill Counties) and the North Carolina State library & the Archives there as well.  Also hoping to do some work in West Virginia and Ohio along the way. 

Fortunately I don't need them all today.  Most are an ongoing thing in my genealogy software, Legacy.  When I do an obit list I take them out of the software and put them on an excel spreadsheet so they are in chronological order, making two copies, one for me and one for the librarian or Mark, depending on who is pulling the films for me.  Otherwise I use them straight from Legacy.  I print them, bind them in one of my research notebooks and then we are good to go! You can check out the research notebook & obit list by clicking on the link and scrolling down.  Both are there within a few days of each other.

Lists for research trips - they're a good thing!  How do you arrange your lists for your trips?  Do you use them the way your software presents them or customize them for yourself?  I'd like to hear how you do your lists.

Tombstone Tuesday

Headstone of Anna Margaretha Massa Gebhart (1710-1783), my 7th great grandmother.

Altalaha Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery, Rehrersburg, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Found: Baptism Record!

While I was away on my research vacation I blogged about finding the baptism record of my 4th great grandfather, Thomas Kreitzer. I had believed for a long time that Thomas was the son of Peter Kreitzer & his wife, Elizabeth. Sadly I had been unable until last week to prove that Thomas was indeed their son. Well they say seeing is believing. From this point down I've got the documentation sewn up tight. Finding this baptismal record was truly one of the highlights of this trip!

Clicking on the image will open it enlarged in a new window.

The photo below shows the headstone of Thomas Kreitzer, he is buried with his wife, Mary Salome Gebhart Kreitzer in the Ellerton Cemetery, Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio.

Thomas & Mary Gebhart Kreitzer were the parents of 7 children: Peter (1815-1823), George (1816-1855) who married Sarah Apple; William (1818-1869) married Barbara Apple; Elizabeth (1822-1878) married John Gebhart; Jacob (1824-1913) married Sarah Warner; Sarah (1827-1900) married Uriah Patton and Elizabeth (no dates) married Harry Heistand.

Of these my ancestor was George Kreitzer who married Sarah Apple. For more information on the Kreitzer family please contact me either in comments or via email.

Happy Researching!

Karen

Catching Up...

Hello from Pennsylvania -

Been off my keyboard for almost a week so I thought I would take a few minutes & catch everyone up on the progress of my research for the past week!

Our stop in Medina County, Ohio at the library netted us abt 157 obits, some marriage write ups, a wedding photo and more. I don't have the exact numbers with me, I'm not at the hotel right now. But it was a very good day!

We left the library and went in search of some headstone photo's, we found a few that we had been searching for so it wasn't a total wash. I think the highlight of the Medina stop was the full birth, death information on Mark's ancestor Heinrich Augustus Reusch, whose name is on a headstone but no legible dates. Did I mention that this church record also included the name of the village where he was born?

From there we headed over to Centre County, Pennsylvania to research Henry Gates, the founder of Gatesburg, Pennsylvania. I was looking for links between Henry & my George Gates who was born in Pennsylvania in January 1810. Lots of bad info out there, as nothing is panning out YET.

Finally we moved into the area I was most looking forward to - Lancaster County! Paid a visit to the Lancaster County Historical Society - although we found lots of great info we really didn't knock down any walls or make any extreme discoveries. BUT I'll take the tidbits and consider myself blessed that I was able to travel to Lancaster & get the tidbits!

Did find an awesome little English tea room - I'll blog more about that in a later post.

Today (Wednesday) we opted to head over to the Berks County Historical Society . An excellant place to research, and a staff always ready to help! The church records we found there provided so much information I must admit we were sorely tempted to make another trip tomorrow. We've decided not to return tomorrow, but we've barely scratched the surface of this awesome facilty!

The first church records were for The Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Rhersburg, Berks County - the traverse into these church records was quickly rewarded with the baptismal record of my fifth great grandfather, Thomas Kreitzer! The record gives his name, birth date, baptism date, and the names of the sponsors! A photo copy was made and will be scanned very soon after we arrive back at home! There were other Kreitzer records found but none that really compare to this one!

The second set of church records we wandered into were from Christ Church in Stouchsburg, Marion Township, Berks County. We were rewarded with entry after entry on the Gebhart family, and more records on the Kreitzer family as well. Nothing as earth shattering (you did feel it didn't you?) as the baptismal record, but still, quite a few maiden names and many dates that were previously missing from my data base!

Its been quite a week here. Now that the rain has stopped we are hoping tomorrow to do some more headstone photography - somehow I enjoy it more when its not pouring rain! I do believe I've talked Mark into a return trip to the tea shop. The scones are just out of this world!

I'll blog more on the tea room & some other goodies when I return home!

Happy Researching!

Karen

Generational - Phillips Family

The photograph above is of the William Harrison Phillips family. Front row, William H. Phillips, his wife, Sarah Jane Early Phillips, daughters, Mariba Phillips, Elva Phillips. Back row, sons, Charles Phillips, Elwood Phillips (in the hat - my great grandfather), and Earl Phillips.

A bit about the line. This Phillips line has its known beginnings in the area of Rockingham County, Virginia. I say known beginnings because we have not yet discovered the father of James Phillips, the progenitor of this line as we know it.

James Phillips has been difficult to track to say the least, and there is much more work to be done on him. For now what we know is that he was born ca 1780 in Virginia. Not positive on the exact place. I believe he may have been married more than once, but his first wife if he had one is unknown to me. The wife our line descends from is Nancy Alford, daughter of Thomas Alford & Elizabeth Melling. Nancy was born 11 AUG 1801 and is deceased before 1870. James Phillips is deceased it seems bef 1860. No death date or headstone has been found for either James or Nancy.

James & Nancy Alford Phillips are the parents of six children that I am aware of as of this writing. The children were: Robert, Margaret, Mary, Eliza, William and Franklin. Of these six Robert is my ancestor. He & his wife are my 3rd great grandparents.

Robert Phillips (1827-1909) married Parmelia Hess (1829-1916)in April of 1851 in Rockingham County, Virginia. Parmelia is the daughter of John Hess & his wife, Mary Bloss. Robert & Parmelia lie in Springboro Cemetery, Warren County, Ohio as do many of their descendants.

Robert & Parmelia Phillips migrated in 1855 from Virginia to Ohio on the wagon train that was chronicled in a diary kept by another member of the family. We have copies of that journal in our files. The family of Robert & Parmelia included six children to wit: Margaret (1852-1935), Sarah (1854-1854), Emma (1855-1937), William H.(1858-1929), Charles E.(1862-1940), and Euphemia (1865-1879).

Of these six children, William H. is my ancestor. He is pictured in the top photo on this page with his wife, Sarah Jane Early, daughter of David Early & his wife, Elizabeth Gebhart. William & Sarah Jane married 25 MAR 1879, Montgomery County, Ohio. They too are buried in Springboro Cemetery.


William & Sarah Jane Early Phillips were the parents of ten children, of which only five are in the photo at the top of this blog. Their children were Elva, David, Mariba, Elwood, Robert, Clarence, John, Clinton, Charles & Earl. Of these ten, Elwood is my great grandfather.

Elwood Phillips married Edna McCune 23 DEC 1908 in Montgomery County, Ohio. Elwood & Edna were the parents of eight children, of which two are still living. Their children were Raymond, Mabel, Alberta, Goldie, Helen, Mary, Hazel and Elwood Jr.



Photo above shows the happy couple (Elwood & Edna)on their wedding day. The shirt Elwood wore for his wedding is still in the possession of one of his descendants. With the exception of Raymond, the remaining children of Elwood & Edna stayed in the Montgomery County, Ohio and all are deceased but two. Many of their desecendants still remain in that area.

Elwood & Edna's son, Raymond W. was my grandfather. He married Pauline Kreitzer in Union County, Indiana on 11 NOV 1933. Ray & Pauline took their five children and moved to Florida ca 1955. Those five children include Phyllis, Richard, Carolyn, Herman & Gary, all of whom are living and enjoying life in South Florida.

If you find a connection in your tree to this PHILLIPS line, I'd love to hear from you. I've got full dates and places as well as documention on this entire line and I'd love to share it with anyone who might find a connection to the line.

Happy researching!
Karen

Now or Never...

Photos - left, broken headstone of John Hess & Mary Bloss Hess. Right, is repaired stone.

No, I'm not writing about Elvis, although I must admit I did enjoy his music. I just borrowed a line from one of his songs.

I've been blogging a bit about my trip prep. We leave bright & early tomorrow (Friday) for some vacation time. We always try to run away after tax season (we own a tax service)just to get away from the phones that have been ringing off the hook & the constant flow of people in & out of the house. Anyway, we're headed out of town for a week or a bit more to do some family history research. The prep for this has been on going for quite a while. But is it ever really done?

The obituary search lists for both Nashville & Elkhart are done. The cemetery hunt lists are done and ready. Our tickets are bought for the Grand Ole Opry - yep, its true the Krugman's are going to do something besides hang out in cemeteries and libraries, we're actually going to play tourist in Nashville for a while! We figured out a few days ago that one of the biggest events in racing is taking place in the path of our research - yeah, its in our path, notice I didn't say it the other way? Indy 500 is in Indianapolis this weekend. SO we shall go far west around the Indy. Anyhow, studmuffin asks after going thru all the lists I was preparing to put in the briefcase, "what about Butler County?" Huh? "you know Butler County, Ohio?" I had forgotten all about the final leg of our trip, a few days in Butler County, Ohio.

For those of you who don't know where Butler County is, it can be found just to the south of Montgomery County (Dayton area) and Preble County, Ohio. It was formed from parts of Hamilton County, which sits just to the south. At one time that entire area of Ohio was Hamilton County, from the Kentucky border north into what is now Shelby County, Ohio.

So I went into Legacy and printed off a report of the people who "used" Butler County,Ohio as one of their facts for B/d/m or Census. To my surprise, I found almost two pages, or about 83 persons who fit that criteria. Printing off the list from Legacy I decided to go thru them one by one and find out what I knew about each.

Out of the 83 or so persons that appeared on my list, about 15 had at some point removed themselves from Butler County. So those I was able to remove them from my list. Next I went on line (seems I spend ALOT of time there!) and located the Butler County public library. I see from their website they have an obituary index for the local paper as well as some cemetery indexes. COOL! So I've added some time at the library to check out those items. WIth that information I should be able to locate the obituaries I want as well as the locations of the burials for headstone photographs!

The line in Butler County is primarily associated with some of the descendants of John Hess & his wife, Mary Bloss. They are buried there in Blue Ball in Middletown Cemetery. Although a few other lines wandered south from Montgomery County into Butler, lines such as some of the Apples, Emerts, Gebharts, and even some Boomershines! This county has always been one of the counties that I didn't pay lots of attention to, I guess I just didn't realize how many persons in my data base had connections to the area.

All that is left to do today for the trip research is finish off my prep work for the drive thru western Indiana - mostly photographing headstones in counties along the way to Kentucky.

I hope to be able to blog as we are on our trip, sharing my finds & discoveries with you, as well as some great adventure. I like to be up & out early so I'll do my best to keep you up to date. So stay tuned!

As for the rest of my trip prep I guess its now or never eh?