Names You'll Be Glad Your Mother Didn't Give You. A Humorous Look At Some Interesting Names in My Files.

 This is the post that put us in the top five for Crestleaf Surname Scavenger Hunt Contest.  You can still vote for us - Crestleaf , click on Blog, Surname Scavenger Hunt and vote for Humorous Surnames Genealogy Frame of mind.  If you've voted, Thanks! 


Many years ago when we were expecting we were discussing names. I was convinced that we were having a girl (I was right).  One of the names on our list was Amanda.  My husband wanted to use the middle name Lynn.  I said nope.  Are you kidding me?  Amanda Lynn...  yep, say it quickly.  You get it right?  A mandolin..  Although it was a girl, and we did name her Amanda we didn't use the middle name Lynn.

But as I look thru my data base I find myself going "what were they thinking?" when I look at these couple of names that I came across.

1. My first one was Frances C. Jones aka Fanny.  She was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky in 1835.  Well she was okay until on 25 OCT 1882 when she married Dr. Adolphus F. RASH.  She became Mrs. Fanny Rash.  Really?  Is there anything more I need to say?

2. I just couldn't pass this one up either.  I mean, really?  Prior/ Pryor L. Breeding born in 1843 in Claiborne County, Tennessee.  Being the eighth of 11 children of John Breeding and Betsy Stone maybe had something to do with it, but really Prior/Pryor?  Does make you wonder what were they thinking?

3. This one I just never understood. I mean, his father's name was John, I'm sure there were lots of other options out there but, no, they named their son, George P. George.  I mean really? 

4. Another that I never really understood, sort of made me shake my head, was America Indiana?  I thought maybe they liked Indiana or something.  Turns out to my knowledge they were never even in Indiana.  Kansas yes, but Indiana no.  Hmmm?

5. I have to wonder who came up with the Given name of Green?  I have 32 men in my data base named Green.  A few are farmers - okay maybe they have green thumbs?  One or two are Doctors? The rest are just varying occupations.
Some names I see and I just wonder and marvel at the creativity expressed in the names...  Names like Centennial Nix,  Columbus George Washington Nix, and then the ever popular Littlebury?  I've got quite a few of those with the spelling varying but Littlebury?  Where did that come from?


How about you?  Got any strange name combinations in your files?

Tombstone Tuesday - Benton Lutheran, Elkhart, Indiana

Fallen headstone of Anna Margaret Rumbarger Boomershine, wife of Peter Boomershine.  Margaret was born 29 JAN 1782 in Pennsylvania and died 29 OCT 1867 in Elkhart County, Indiana.  She rests with her husband, Peter Boomershine in Benton Lutheran Cemetery, Elkhart County, Indiana.

*Photo by Mark Krugman

Elkhart County, Indiana Roots?

On November 2nd I was privileged to be the featured speaker for the day long Family History Seminar put on by the Elkhart County, Indiana Genealogy Society.  It was a great day!

I went down a day early because I had heard about the Elkhart County Historical Museum.  Having lots of "relatives" who relocated to Elkhart County from Montgomery County, Ohio, I was immediately interested in seeing what I might find in Elkhart.

So I went down to the Elkhart County Historical Museum and did some research.  The staff was helpful beyond measure, I can't say enough great things about this research library.

Check out the website, they have a listing of their holdings

Tombstone Tuesday

Fanny Hurst nee Nunn, was born ca 1789 probably in Virginia.  I do not know who her parents were.  She married William Hurst, son of John "Mill Creek" Hurst and his wife, Elizabeth Breedwell, ca 1815 probably in Claiborne County, Tennessee.  They were the parents of at least six children -
- Jackson Columbus Hurst, Jefferson Hurst, Levi Hurst, Malinda Hurst, Claiborne Hurst aned Washington Hurst. 

She died 20 APR 1873 and is buried next to her husband in Deer Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana. 

Work on this family is on going, so if you have more information on this family I'd love to hear from you. 

Monday Musings....

Happy Monday!   This past weekend we took a road trip over to Medina County, Ohio for some research.   They remodeled their library a few years ago and it was SOOOOOO worth it!

I was working on a list of people that I had not been able to locate an obituary on.  Sometimes if you can't find an actual obituary you can find more information in the social pages or elsewhere in the paper.  I had about 20 pages of people (4 listings per page) that I was searching for. 

Wish I could say I found all that I went in search for, BUT I did locate about 23 or 24 that had write ups in the social pages about funeral's or something.  It wasn't a waste, we had a great lunch at a little place near the library,  sat outside, enjoyed the sunshine and just chilled together.

Our next big research road trip will be the first week of July when we are headed to Montgomery County Ohio & the surrounding counties for a week of research & fun hanging out with some of our Ohio research friends! 

The electricians are here preparing the brackets & wiring for the solar going on our roof.  Trying to type up the things I found on Saturday but the footsteps, the drills and the hammers is quite distracting.  We'll see how I do!

Happy Researching!

Tombstone Tuesday - Exactly Who Is This Anna Boomershine?

This Boomershine headstone lies in Benton Lutheran Cemetery, Elkhart County, Indiana.

The only question is, who is she? 

If you know who this Anna Boomershine is I'd love to hear from you.

Monday Musings

ITs been a crazy few months here at our house.  Its always busy this time year with our tax business.  So that makes me a tax widow.  Sure, I manage the office part of the business but he does all the returs.  So while he does that I have lots of time to get stuff done on the genealogy home front.

So I've been busy - I finally made the switch from pc to a Mac, going with a laptop, which I connected to two monitors.  Sure makes transcribing easier!  But that change meant moving all my photo's and files.  Took me a about two weeks to get it all moved and get used to everything.  But its done now and I'm good. 

The genealogy is always on the forefront with me, seems I always have something going on.  This Wednesday I'll be working on some Indiana research at the Allen County Library in Ft Wayne, one week from tomorrow I'll be researching German church records in Salt Lake City!   So I've used alot of my tax widow time to prep for those two trips.

And no,  I'm no closer to switching genealogy software. For now I'm just staying with Legacy in the paralells world!

How about you?  What have you been working on??

Ft Wayne Friday - Henry F. Dauer (1933)

                                                    OLD RESIDENT DIES
                                            Henry F. Dauer, 77, Succumbs After Long Illness
Henry F. Dauer, 77, died at 11:45 o'clock Friday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ernest H. Felger, 1602 Lake avenue after an illness of one year. He had lived with the daughter for seven years. Mr. Dauer, who was born in Fort Wayne in 1855, was a millwright, having been last employed by the Vail Cooperage company. He was a member of the Christ Lutheran church. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Margaret Merrillat, Mrs. Mary Felger, Mrs. Frances K. Everett, all of this city, and Mrs. Bertha Everett of Pleasant Mills; a son, Herbert A. Dauer of this city; 11 grandchildren; one
great-grandchild; a sister, Mrs. Louise Gick, and a brother, August Dauer of the Tillman road. The body will be taken from Klaehn & Sons funeral home to the residence of Mrs. Felger this afternoon. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Felger home and at 2:30 at Christ Lutheran Church, Rev. Richard Trojan officiating. Burial will be at Lindenwood cemetery. Friends are asked to omit flowers. 

Birth:	Nov., 1855 Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana, USA
Death:	May 5, 1933 Fort Wayne Allen County Indiana, USA **Photo by Jim Cox  ***Ft Wayne Journal Gazette,  6 May 1933 Pg 2

Tombstone Tuesday - Schaich

Christian Schaich was born 1839 and died 26 FEB 1916 in Ft. Wayne, Allen County, Indiana.  He is buried at Lindenwood Cemetery, Ft. Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. 

*Headstone photo by Jim Cox
** Newspaper Clipping - Ft. Wayne Sentinel, 28 FEB 1916

Treasure Chest Thursday - A Photo of Grandma

Pauline Kreitzer Phillips, Prob. Miamisburg or Germantown, Ohio

Date unknown

  Pauline married 11 NOV 1933, Liberty, Union County, Indiana to Raymond William Phillips (1909-1984).  They were the parents of five children, Phyllis E., Richard W., Carolyn L., Herman G., and Gary R. Phillips.  Pauline died 19 APR 1988 in Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida.

**Photo from the personal files of Karen Ansley Krugman

Tombstone Tuesday - Col. Zollinger

Civil War hero, Union Army colonel, who lead troops at Murfreesboro, Shiloh, Franklin and Nashville. Was also with Sherman during the Atlanta campaign. Later became Allen County Sheriff and served as Mayor of Fort Wayne for 6 terms. Recognized for many municipal accomplishments and for having left $133,000 remaining in the city's treasury at the time of his retirement. 

 Headstone location:  Lindenwood Cemetery, Ft. Wayne, Allen County, Indiana

 Headstone Photo courtesy of Jim Cox

*Allen County Historical Scrapbook

June 1977

**Contribution compliments of Jim Cox, Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Wedding Wednesday - Dermody & Wilder (1912)

   From the Ft. Wayne, Indiana Journal-Gazette, 8 MAY 1912

**submission by co-blogger, Jim Cox

Military Monday

  Lyle C. Ott was born ca 1924 in Noble County, Indiana, the son of Clinton Oliver Ott (1891-1969) and his wife, Edna May Harlan (1896-1987).  He never married and had no known issue.
                                       

April 1, 1944
Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Journal-Gazette, Pg. 3 -
 Pvt. Lyle C. Ott, 19, has been missing in action in Italy since February 16, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clint Ott of 801 East State Blvd, formerly of Kimmell, learned by telegram Friday.
 Private Ott, serving with the infantry, has been in North Africa and Italy since going overseas in November, 1943.  He has inducted soon after his graduation from Cromwell High School last April.
 A brother, S Sgt. Lenier Ott is with the army in Shrieveport, LA.;  Pvt. Ott trained at Camp Helby, Mississippi.

Jan, 1945
Mr. and Mrs. Clint Ott Receive Belated Data On Death Of Son

  After many months of striving to obtain reliable and authentic information relative to the time, place and occassion of the death of their son, Private Lyle C. Ott, Mr. and Mrs. Clint Ott of 801 East State Boulevard, Fort Wayne, formerly of Kimmell, have received communications from the office of the Quartermaster General, Washington, which outline the facts as they have been obtained by the division of our war department.

  Regarding the burial of their son, Mr. and Mrs. Ott have been advised:

"The official report of burial discloses that the remains of your son were interred in Plot J. Row 33, Grave 1251, in the U.S. Military Cemetery Carano, located approximately 30 miles northwest of Naples, Italy."  (The burial took place "on the 28th of Dec 1944.")

   Another letter from the same office conveys this information:

  "Your desire to be fully informed regarding the death of your son, Private Lyle C. Ott, is most understandable.  Information now available shows that on 16 February 1944 your son and other members of his organization were engaged in an attack on enemy positions near Cairo, Italy.  During this engagement the third platoon, of which he was a member, was surrounded by the enemy, thereby cutting them off from the rest of the company.  Every attempt was made to reach the stranded men but without success, due to the superior force of the enemy.  Subsequently he was reported missing in action.  Later a casualty message received from the Commanding General on the Mediterranean Area stated that he was killed 16 February 1944 in Italy, the same day he was previously reported missing. I regret that no further details regarding his death were given, but I am sure you will understand how extremely difficult it was under actual battle conditions to record all information regarding casualties."

    This letter also explains why Mr. & Mrs. Ott had reveived no word from Lyle's commanding officer or chaplain.  It states that "this procedure of reporting casualties was not in effect at this time."

    The letter also explains why Lyle was not granted a furlough following the completion of his basic training and before being sent overseas.  It states: "Generally it was possible to grant leave after completion of basic training, but cases did occur where this was not possible due to the urgent need for  personnel with specific qualifications and training.  You may be assured, however, that this did not result from discrimination nor callousness on the part of the military authorities, but was one of the sacrifices necessitated by the magnitude of the war."

   Lyle's parents have not yet received his personal affects, but the letters they have received infer everything possible will be done to return these to them.

   Explanation of the great difference in the date of death as compared to that of burial it is assumed that the interment on December 28, 1944 was the second or final burial.  That is the body was in a temporary grave from February to December.


16 FEB 1945
Ft. Wayne, Journal Gazette, Pg. 1

TWO MORE FORT WAYNE MEN KILLED IN ACTION; SIX WOUNDED; TWO ARE MISSING

   Two more Fort Wayne infantrymen, Pvt Lyle C. Ott and Pfc Jean E. Counseller, have been killed in action while six others have been been wounded and two are reported missing.
   Pvt. Ott, 19, son of Mr. & Mrs. Clint Ott, 801 East State Boulevard, was killed while serving with an infantry division, according to a telegram received yesterday by his parents. He was graduated from Cromwell High School and soon after graduation in April, 1943, he entered the service. Pvt. Ott received his training at Camp Shelby, Miss., before going overseas in November 1943, and had served in North Africa and Italy.
   Surviving besides his parents are two brothers, Lester Ott, with the infantry in France, Roger Ott, at home, and three sisters, Carnee Ott at home, Edith Stahley, Kimmel, and Flo Carson, New Waverly.

Tombstone Tuesday

George B. Schott Dies At Domestic 

Death Claims Prominent Citizen of Nottingham Township

  

George B. Schott, 88, highly respected retired farmer of Nottingham township, died at his home, one half mile south of Domestic, at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon.  Death ws attributed to infirmities and indigestion.  He had been confined to his bed for about six months due to infirmities but was only seriously ill two days.

  Born in Logan county, Ohio, April 12, 1841, he was the son of George and Margaretta Bowman Schott.

  Mr Schott was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Keller on December 1, 1865, who preceded him in death.

  He was a Civil war veteran and served in the One Hundred and Twenty-eight Regiment Ohio Volunteers.

  He was a member of the Church of Christ of Domestic, and had membership with the G. A. R. of Geneva.

  Surviving are two daughters, Sarah E. Schott, of Petroleum; Mrs. Lilly M. Reynolds, of Montpelier; and a son, Henry C. Schott, of Petroleum.  One brother, H. F. Schott, lives in Garden City, Iowa.

  Three brothers are deceased.

  The funeral will be held at the Church of Christ in Domestic, at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.  Burial will be in the Alberson cemetery.                                                         *************

 Mrs. George B. Schott Dies At Domestic  

Well Known Resident Of Nottingham Township Is Dead.   

Mrs. George B. Schott, living near Domestic, passed away at 6:00 o'clock Thursday evening, after an illness since Monday, from acute indigestion.

  The husband and three children survive: Henry Schott, of Petroleum; Mrs. Frank Reynolds, of Montpelier; and Sarah Schott, living at home.

  Mrs. Schott was one of the well known residents of the vicinity of Petroleum and she will be moarned by a great many friends and relatives.

  The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at Domestic.

Fearless Friday - Howard Rat Killer Miller

 Howard "Rat Killer" Miller

I have to admit I've never been fond of rodents.  And yes, this is a genealogy blog.  BUT, sometimes you stumble across something that is just too good to pass up.  Genealogy or not.   And this clipping, which I found in a Ft. Wayne Paper, is one of those.  

I was so focused on what I was after I totally forgot the paper & dates, but I did remember to get a good copy. 

Take a minute and read about Mr. Miller and how he does what he does.  I don't think I could crawl around on my hands & knees looking for the holes of rats...  Anyway - enjoy the read!  

Happy Friday!

Tombstone Tuesday

The Gospel Messenger,  16 FEB 1918 -

Peoples, Henry, born in Ohio Aug. 21, 1840, died in Elkhart, Ind., Jan. 28, 1918, aged 77 years, 5 months and 7 days.  He was united in marriage to Susan Boomershine Feb. 3, 1862.  To this union were born two sons and three daughters, of whom one son and three daughters remain, together with seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, two brothers and two sisters.  The deceased united with the Church of the Brethren at the time of the Civil War.  Later he renewed his covenant with the Lord, and died singing and praying.  Services by the writer at the Goshen City church Feb. 1.  --  J. W. Kitson, Goshen, Ind.

Henry Peoples died 29 JAN 1918 and was buried 1 FEB 1918 in Benton Lutheran Cemetery, Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana. 

His wife, Susannah Boomershine Peoples was born 24 OCT 1840 in Indiana and died 11 MAR 1917 Elkhart County, Indiana. 

Follow Up Friday - Wilbur Kreitzer

 Asks $21,000 For Crossing Accident
          C.G. Erbaugh, Administrator of Kreitzer Estate, Files Suit Against Railroad

                                    ______________________________
   Three damage actions for an aggregate amount of $21,000, growing out of an accident at the P.C.C. & St. L. railway crossing at Main Street, in Trotwood, Oct. 19, 1913, were filed in Common pleas court on Tuesday by C.G. Erbaugh, as administrator of the estates of Ruth Kreitzer and Edwin[sic] C. Kreitzer, her husband, and as guardian of Wilbur Kreitzer, their infant son.
   On the date mentioned the Kreitzers, in an automobile, were struck as they ran upon the railway crossing.  The father and mother were instantly killed, while the child suffered many cuts and bruises.



**Wilbur is the son of Walter Kreitzer & Ruth Erbaugh Kreitzer, featured in Tragedy Thursday, yesterday on GFOM.

From an unknown newspaper clipping, Indiana - 1931 -

                        Trotwood Man is Found Dead Along Road in Indiana

               Officials Say Wilbur Kreitzer Thrown From Auto as It Rounded Curve.

  The body of Wilbur Kreitzer, 22, of Trotwood was brought to that village Tuesday from Indiana in which state it has been found Monday morning on a road east of Liberty Mills, a settlement near Huntington, Ind.

  Funeral services are to be conducted Wednesday morning at 10:45 o'clock in the Trotwood Church of the Brethren, burial being made in the cemetery there.

  Officials of Indiana who investigated the death of Kreitzer, reported they believe he was thrown from his car as it rounded a sharp curve.  The roadster was found in a ditch nearby.  He had been dead about an hour and a half, the coroner stated.

  Kreitzer, who was a graduate of Manchester college in Indiana this spring and who had been employed to teach mathematics at Jefferson township school, a subject in which he had majored at college, was on his way from Ft. Wayne to North Manchester, where he roomed during the summer, when the accident occurred.

  A peculier coincidence is that both the parents of the man were killed in an automobile accident in 1913 when he was but four years of age.

Monday Musings

Headed out to research in Dayton, Ohio this Saturday.  So I'm hoping to get some more items added to my to do list.  I want to get it all on a spread sheet so that it is all organized chronologically.  Makes it so much easier to get the microfilms that way. 

Now that the holidays are upon us I've been doing a ton of sewing.  With both of my children moving into new homes this year there are some things that I'm working on for them and for some friends.  I could have sworn it was summer a few weeks ago!  Where did the time go?

Refining my Christmas research trip list as well.  One of our long standing holiday "traditions" is a Christmas research trip.  Mr. Brown Eyes is off between Christmas & New Years so we try to take a few days and go somewhere to research and get some down time from all the holiday hoo ha...  Its become a real tradition and we really look forward to it.  Biggest decision is where to go? 

Wedding Wednesday - A Week of Thankful

Today's Thankful is about weddings.  More specifically about marriages.  I'm thankful for the couples who married...  and had marriages that set the example for me.  My grandparents on my dad's side married 65 years, my mom's parents, married 51 years!  With generations of marriages in a family tree there are many, and mine is no exception.  But these two, perhaps because of my relationships as a child with these two couples, make them special to me.  What an example they set! 

Top photo - Annie Elizabeth Nix & husband, David Ansley with son Clarence Ansley (my dad!).  David & Annie were married 21 APR 1933 in Grady County, Georgia.

 Lower image, Raymond Phillips and wife, Pauline Kreitzer Phillips with me.  Ray & Pauline were married 11 NOV 1933 in Union County, Indiana. 

Hodge Podge Friday - Niblick (Ft Wayne, IN)

Mrs. John Niblick Dies This Morning

Prominent Decatur Woman Dies Today

   Mrs. Mary Jane Studabaker Niblick, 86, member of a pioneer Decatur family, and a prominent social and church worker, died this morning at 6 o'clock at the Adams County Memorial Hospital.  Death was attributed to old age.

   Mrs. Niblick, widow of the late John Niblick, was born in Decatur on August 6, 1855, the daughter of Judge David and Harriet Evans Studabaker.  Her family was among the first settlers in the community.

   During her entire life the deceased was an ardent member and worker in the First Methodist Church and one of the city's foremost club women.  She and her sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Morrison, shared the distinction of being the only two presidents of the Decatur Library Board.   During the first World War, Mrs. Niblick served as head of the Adams County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  In 1906 and 1907, she was president of the eighth district of the federation of woman's clubs.  She was a member of the local Shakespeare Club.

   In addition to being an ardent worker of the Decatur WCTU, she was a charter member of the missionary society of the First Methodist church and an organizer of the ladies aid society of the church.  She later became a charter member of the women's society of Christian service, which was formed in 1940 by the uniting of the home missionary society, the ladies aid society and the women's foreign missionary society.

   She was a graduate of the Glendale Women's College in 1875.  On May 18, 1876, she was married to Mr. Niblick.  He preceded her in death on May 4, 1930.  She was the last member of her family.  Three sisters and two brothers preceded her in death.

   Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. A. D. Suttles of Decatur, Mrs. O. P. Edwards of Leipsic, Ohio, and Mrs. H. H. Stoner of Chicago. Two sons, Jesse D. and Burton S. are deceased.  Six grandchildren and four great grandchildren survive.

Funeral Monday

    Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the residence, 222 Jefferson Street, with Rev. R. W. Graham officiating.  Interment will be in the mausoleum at the Decatur cemetery.

   The body was taken to the Zwick funeral home.  It will be returned to the residence Sunday and may be viewed there after 2 p.m. until time for the services.

[Obit courtesy of co-contributor, Jim Cox]