My Genealogy Journey

George Blanchflower Hunt, the immigrant

2010-07-01T18:32:00.000-04:00

I was very excited and busy after I found an online listing for the christening of George Blanchflower Hunt. Not knowing where the Hunts originated from in England I didn't think the genealogy trail would go any farther than Philadelphia, Pa.

Thanks, once again to the The Church of Latter Day Saints (http://www.labs.familysearch.org/ and http://www.familysearch.org/,) I am able to now trace the roots of George Blanchflower Hunt and his family back to England and into the 1600s. Please keep in mind that the following information is based on online research and that more information is needed to be certain that all of the families are connected properly.

On to the good stuff!
Let's start in Saham Toney, Norfolkshire, England, the birth place of George Blanchflower Hunt.

From http://www.wikipedia.com/
Saham Toney is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 14.5 miles (23.3 km) North of Thetford, 27.3 miles (43.9 km) west of Norwich and 101 miles (163 km) north-east of London. The village lies 13.1 miles (21.1 km) west of the town of Attleborough.The nearest railway station is at Attleborough for the Breckland Line which runs between Cambridge and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport. The civil parish has an area of 16.51 km2 (6.37 sq mi) and in 2001 had a population of 1565 in 680 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of Breckland.

St. George's Parish Church

in Saham Toney

From the parish register (and available online) of Saham Toney, I found the christening record for George Blanchflower Hunt, the immigrant. The record lists Hunt, George Blanchflower son of Robert Hunt and Frances Blanchflower christened 14 August 1810. After further research I was able to locate George's siblings.

Children of Robert Hunt and Frances Blanchflower:

1. George Blanchflower Hunt (above)

2. Robert Graves Hunt christened at Saham Toney 16 May 1812

3. William Hunt christened at Saham Toney 4 June 1814

4. Susan Hunt christened at Saham Toney 1 Oct 1819 (burial record for Susan Hunt 4 years old 24 May

1822 st Saham Toney)

George Blanchflower Hunt married Jane Muffett (born about 1811) on 13 Apr 1830 in Swaffham, Norfolk, England witnesses are listed as Jane Muffett and John Muffett. The couple sailed for New York on the Ship Hannibal June 10th of that same year. They then settled in Philadelphia, Pa.

A quick refresher on George and Jane Hunt's children:

1. Charles M. Hunt b. 1831

2. Susanna Francis Hunt b. 1840

3. William F. Hunt b. 1835

4. John P. Hunt b. about 1840

5. Mary Jane Hunt b. about 1842 (also called Jane)

6. Charlotte Hunt b. abt 1846

7. Caroline Hunt b. abt 1848

8. Georgiann Hunt b. abt 1854

Back to England............

I'm not able to track George's father Robert's family yet. There are numerous Hunts in England. I did locate the marriage record for Robert Hunt and Frances Blanchflower. The couple was married 10 Oct 1809 at Saham Toney.

Parents of Frances Blanchflower are George Blanchflower and Frances Sparrow (married 7 Dec 1773 at Saham Toney.)

Children of George Blanchflower and Frances Sparrow are:

1. Mary Blanchflower christened 16 Apr 1775 at Saham Toney

2. Frances Blanchflower (wife of Robert Hunt) christened 16 Aug 1778 at Saham Toney

3. George Blanchflower christened 9 Feb 1777

4. Elizabeth Blanchflower christened 31 March 1782

5. John Blanchflower christened 9 Dec 1787

Parents of Frances Sparrow (christened 8 Jul 1749 at Saham Toney) appear to be Samuel Sparrow and Frances Hoddy.

Parents of George Blanchflower (father of Frances Blanchflower) are Abraham Blanchflower and Esther Layt. Abraham and Esther were married in Ovington, Norfolk, England 11 Mar 1743. George Blanchflower was christened at Ovington 17 May 1747.

Parents of Abraham Blanchflower (born about 1704 in Shipdam, Eng.) are Thomas Blanchflower and Elizabeth Hill

Hopefully soon, I will have more Hunt genealogy that takes us beyond Robert Hunt!

William P. Saxton: A Philadelphia Hatter and His Kin

2010-05-15T08:11:00.000-04:00

William P. Saxton (Grandfather to John A. Saxton)
was born about 1800 in Pennsylvania. His wife was Elizabeth or Ann or Elizabeth Ann. On the 1860 census she's listed as Ann and on the 1850 census it's Elizabeth. The couple was most likely married about 1839 in Pa..

1840 census lists a William Sexton, Northern Liberties Phila., Pa. 1 male and 1 female between 20-30yrs. of age and 1 female under the age of 5.

1850 census 6th Ward of Kensington, Phila., Pa.
Wm. Saxton 42 yrs., occupation Hatter, born in Pa.
Elizabeth 33 yrs born in Pa.
(all children born in Pa.)
Ann E. 11 yrs
Alfred 9 yrs.
Oliver 7 yrs.
Harriet 5 yrs
Mary 1 yr.

1860 census 19th Ward Kensington Phila., Pa.
William P. Saxton 55 yurs occupation Hatter born Philadelphia
Ann 40 yrs. born Philadelphia
(all children listed as born in Phila.)
Alfred 19 yrs.
Oliver 16 yrs.
Harriet 14 yrs.
Mary 11 yrs.
William 3 yrs.

I have not been able to locate the family on the 1870 census as of yet.

1880 census 17th Ward, Philadelphia, Hancock Street
William Saxton, Father, 74 yrs. occupation Hatter born Pa., parents born in Pa. Widowed
Annie E. (Williams) daughter 41 yrs born Pa. Widowed
Annie M. (Williams) granddaughter 17yrs

William Saxton died 31 Aug 1887 Philadelphia at the age of 87 yrs. He is buried at North Cedar Hill Cemetery in Phila. I don't have the death or buiral information for his wife except that she died prior to William.

North Cedar Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pa.

Gravestone that marks the resting place of

William Saxton (abt. 1800-1887)

Annie E. Williams (1838-1908)

Daughter of William and Elizabeth Saxton

Benjamin Williams (1835-1880)

Husband of Annie E. Saxton

Howard L. Williams (abt. 1865-1933)

Annie May Harrigan (1863-1913)

Daughter of Benjamin and Annie Williams

Annie M. Harrigan (Still Born 1887)

John M. Harrigan (1859-1931)

Husband of Annie May Williams

Annie E. Harrigan (May-Sept 1889)

William Saxton's son Alfred was the father of John A. Saxton
Alfred Saxton Family

1870 census 2nd Ward Phila.
Alfred Saxton, 28 yrs, Hatter born Pa.
Annie 25 yrs, born Pa
John 4 yrs born NY
Mary 2 yrs born Pa.
Annie 7 months born Pa in November

1880 census 31st Ward Albert St.
Alfred Saxton 39 yrs, Hatter, born in Pa., parents born in Pa. Unemployed for 3 months of that year.
Annie 35 yrs. Keeping House has Debility, born in Pa., Parents born in Ireland
John R. ( this is actually John A.) 14 yrs born NY
Mary 12 yrs
Harriet 7 yrs
Annie E. 5 yrs

1890 Philadelphia City Directory (McElroy's)
Alfred Saxton Hatter home 3159 Mercer
John R. Saxton Driver 3159 Mercer

1900 Ward 25 Rush St. Phila., Pa.
Alfred Saxton born Nov 1840, 59 yrs, born Pa., Hatter, rents property
Anna wife born Oct 1844 55 yrs born Pa.
Alfred son born Sept 1882 18 yrs single occupation laborer
William son born Jun 1888 12 yrs single at school

1910 census Ward 25 Philadelphia
Alfred Saxton Sr. 69 yrs. married 45 yrs. born Pa, retired has his own income
Anna wife 65 yrs. Had 7 children/5 living born Pa.
Alfred Jr. son 28 single born Pa,. occupation Driver of a wagon
William son 21 yrs single born Pa.occupation Boliermaker for the Railroad

Alfred and Anna died sometime between 1910 ans 1920. I haven't found them on the 1920 census.

Back to William Saxton (grandfather of John A.) ...............
William's son Oliver was a soldier in the civil war Co. E 27th Pa. Infantry. He filed for an invalid pension and the next time I can get to Washington DC. I'll look it up. There is a civil war record for an Alfred Saxton who fought for NY, but was from Pa. (40th NY Infantry.) This Alfred Saxton also filed for an invalid pension. Due to the fact that John A. Saxton was born in NY in 1866 and that this is the only connection to NY I can find for the family, I have a sneaking suspicion that this may be William's son/John A.'s father. When I get a look at the pension file I'll know.

More on Oliver............I found a record on Ancestry.com for Oliver being treated at a US National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Dayton, Ohio. The record lists Oliver Saxton born in Philadelphia, occupation Hatter, 31 yrs. old, injury - gun shot wound of right thigh, injury received May 15, 1864, Reseca, Ga. Oliver was in the home from June 22, 1874 through Aug 16, 1875.

There is an article posted online at http://www.delcohistory.org/ashmead/ashmead_pg285.htm
that tells of the death of Oliver Saxton. The article is included in the book on Delaware County, Pa. History - Tinicum History.)

William's daughter Annie E. Saxton married Benjamin Williams. Daughter Mary/May Saxton married a Mr. Haines. Harriet died shortly after her father. I don't have an exact date.

John A. Saton Family

1910 census Philadelphia
John Saxton 44 yrs born Brooklyn parents born Pa. Does odd jobs, rents home
Mary wife 37 yrs born Phila.
Mary daughter 3 yrs born Phila
Anna daughter 2 yrs. born Phila
John son 1 month born Phila.

1920 census Camden Garfield Ave.
John A. Saxton, owns home, 53 yrs, born NY, occupation laborer
Mary J. wife 47 yrs. arrived in this country 1889 was a naturalized citizen, born in Ireland
Mary A. daughter 13 yrs.
Annie daughter 11 yrs.
Francis son 7 yrs.

1930 census Camden
John Saxton owns home, value of property $8,000.00, 64 yrs. old age 39yrs old at marriage, born NY parents b. Pa, occupation porter at a bank
Mary wife 57 yrs, 32yrs old at marriage born Ireland, parents born Ireland, Naturalized citizen
Mary daughter 23 yrs works for a department store
Anna daughter 21 yrs cashier at a restuarant
Frances son 17 yrs Clerk at a garage
Patrick Kane boarder 20 yrs Helper at a garage

There will be more to follow on the Saxtons in my next posts.

The Haldeman Boys: Franklin and Charles

2010-03-28T19:20:00.001-04:00

If you're a Haldeman researcher you can understand the undertaking it is to research, record and store the numerous documents that contain the Haldeman, Halderman, Haldiman, Holdman, Holderman, etc............. surnames. There are many versions of the Haldeman name and many branches through out the US. My Haldeman research as of late has led me to a story about father and son Franklin and Charles Haldeman of Camden, NJ.

The Franklin Haldeman family was made up of Franklin, born 31 January 1855 in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, his wife Anna Maria (Heins) Haldeman born August 1854 in Pennsylvania, and children (all born in Pa.)

Leroy Stanley b. 1 March 1880
Bertha E. b. 1 Jan 1882
Charles C. b. Feb 1886
Harold F. b. 1889

Franklin Haldeman was a master carpenter. His artistry and skill were featured in an artcile written in The Camden Courier, a local newspaper. The article is complete with a photo of Franklin with the masterpiece of a table he built with 10,954 pieces of wood, brass, ivory, bone, and pearl. The amazing part of the construction process is that he did it with only a pocket knife and a small file! The table was to be displayed at the sesqui-centennial exposition. http://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/archive/2008/07/31/the-sesquicentennial-exposition-of-1926.aspx

Below is the photo from the Camden Courier Newspaper dated June 2, 1926.
(Click full screen above the photo in order to view the entire photo.)

Franklin Haldeman -

Franklin's son, Charles, was a semi-professional boxer and a semi-professional baseball player about the turn of the 20th century. He played with and managed the State Field Club in North Camden. He also played with the Highland SC. (Currently, I don't have anymore information on his sports records or these teams - More to follow.)

Sadly, both Franklin and Charles came down with pneumonia and died on the same day within 20 minutes of each other. The date was 19 Dec 1929. Both were buried together in the New Camden Cemetery, Camden, NJ. I visited the cemetery, but could locate no headstones for the pair. Franklin and his bride, Anna were set to celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve the following week. Charles was 43 years old and single. I can only imagine the saddness felt that Christmas in the Haldeman home, but Anna Maria Haldeman must have had such pride for and fond memories of her son and husband.

We Share Common Ancestors

2010-03-13T15:08:00.019-05:00

Allied families are always interesting to check out and some times they allow you to back door information you can't find directly. I've been researching the Carson Family once again to see what new information I can come up with. I did find that Brigadier General John Miller Carson, Jr. was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal. More details can be found at www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/citation.php?citation=24098

The Brigadier General's daughter was Margaret Sumner (Carson) Holt. Margaret's husband was Henry Chandler Holt, a Yale graduate and President of Central Hanover Bank and Trust Co., NY. The couple's daughter, Margaret Carson Holt, deeded her Great Grandparent's, (Bowen) summer home, "Rosedale" to the Society for the Preservation for New England Antiquities.

Visit www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/Roseland.h tm for information.

Margaret Carson Holt's Grandmother,

Mary Louisa Bowen (right - photo c. 1855) was the Granddaughter

of Lewis Tappan (below - photo c. 1853)

Lewis Tappan and his brother, Arthur, were abolitionist who set out to free African slaves who were brought to America on the ship Amistad. For more information visit

www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=370&nm=Arthur-and-Lewis-Tappan or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Tappan

Lewis Tappan was the Great Grandson of Robert and Mary (Franklin) Homes/Holmes. Mary Franklin was the sister of Benjamin Franklin.

There are so many more details to share about these families, but that will be for another day. There are family genealogies written for the Bowen, Chandler, Tappan, Homes, and other Carson allied families. If you do a Google book search you can view them.

Thomas and Oliver Carson

2010-03-11T17:01:00.007-05:00

I haven't written in a long time mostly because I haven't had time to get deep into my genealogy research :-( But after I pulled a muscle in my back I thought I'd sit a while and begin digging. Well I think I hit pay dirt!

After not getting anywhere with the immigration of Thomas Carson (born about 1800 in Ireland) I took another look online at any new resources available. I found the www.clancarson.com site and a list of some Irish immigrations. On the site was a listing for a Thomas Carson coming to Philadelphia on the Ship Adeline in the year 1831. I searched for the ship on Google.com and found a ships list (www.immigrantships.net); however, there was no Thomas Carson, but a Thomas Cassin. Well, if you know anything about genealogy research you know not to stick steadfast to the spelling of a name. To further my curiosity Thomas is listed with a Jane and Eliza Cassin (Thomas' wife and oldest child's name) , Jane aged 22 and Eliza age 1. (Thomas' age was listed as 29yrs.) These ages fit to my immigrating Carsons. Another curiosity was Eliza being born in Ire, that's if these are my Carsons. I have no listing for Eliza being born in Ireland; however, when the family joins the 3rd UP Church in Philadelphia about 1837 all of Jane and Thomas Carson's children are christened except for Eliza. I'm now thinking that she was christened in Ireland.

The other half of this duo - Oliver Carson - has not been proven to be related to Thomas. I believe Oliver and Thomas are brothers or at least cousins. The two , at times, live together in Philadelphia or very close to each other. There is an Oliver Carson listed as sailing on the Ship Conestoga from Ireland to Philadelphia in 1818. He is 22 years old and a farmer. He lists his town as Aughnacloy, Ireland which is 11 miles from Dungannon where Thomas Carson has been recorded to be from (see Dungannon it is! post.) I'm wondering if Thomas could have been from Aughnacloy as well, but listed as being from Dungannon because it was the closest large town. Oliver never seems to have married and dies in the Almshouse in Philadelphia at the age of 74. Oliver was born about 1799 and Thomas about 1802. There are other Carsons to research for a possible relationship. I'm off to research a Robert Carson who attended the same church in Kensington as Thomas and family.

To Be Continued.................

Connollys and Conleys

2009-08-15T06:24:00.010-04:00

Climbing to the top of the Conley family tree in the US takes one to the year 1828 when Bryan Connolly/Barnabas Conley/Bernard Conley (all one in the same) immigrated to the US, by way of New York. A naturalization document held in the Cambria County archives at Ebensburg, Pa. states the following.

October Term 1835.....
Fancis McGrath, a person who knows Bryan Connolly swore in open court that Bryan Connnolly resided in the US for the past five years and in the State of Pennsylvania one year;

"that is to say he the said Bryan Connolly resided the whole time in Pennsylvania which place is within the constitution of the United States and that during his residence within the United States he has behaved as a man of good moral character; attached to the constitution of the United States and well disposed to the good order and has findings of the same. Francis McGrath has sworn and subscribed in open court this 6th October 1835."

Bryan appeared in court July 3, 1832 to petition the court for naturalization. The following is from the naturalization document. "The petition of Bryan Connolly honorably showeth your petitioner was a natural of Ireland and heretofor and a subject to the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Ireland and he arrived at New York in the state of New York in October 1828."

Bryan Connolly, born about 1807, was married twice, his first wife was Bridget Green (birthdate unknown.) It is unknown as to the nationality of Bridget or where she was born. I am assuming that with a name like Bridget Green, she was Irish. Bridget and Bryan were married at St. Patrick's Church in Newry, Cambria Co., Pa. on May 21, 1830 (as per Rev. Ledoux Books)

Bridget and Bryan Connolly had children: John b. abt 1830, Thomas b. abt. 1832, Christopher b. abt. 1834, James b. abt 1836, Bernard b. abt. 1838, Elizabeth b. abt 1841, and Mary b. abt 1843. It is assumed that Bridget died prior to Jan 1844 due to the marriage date of Bryan and his second wife.

Bryan's second wife was Catherine Reilly (born about 1810-1815) in Ireland. I have no information as to when she came to the US. The couple had children: Mariam b. 17 Feb 1845, Bridget b. 30 Mar 1846, Catherine b. 05 Nov 1847, Patrick b. 01 May 1850, Ann b. 1851, Margaret b. 08 Oct 1853, Matthew b. Abt. 29 May 1855, Michael G.b. 1857(my direct ancestor), Francis b. abt 1859

That makes a total of 16 Conley children (his estate papers list 14-see below)!

On the 1850 Summerhill Twp. census Bryan's name is written as Barnabas Conly, he is listed as 46 yrs old and a blacksmith, Catherine as 40 yrs. old. Children listed include: John, Christopher, James, Bernard, Thomas, Elizabeth, and Mary

On the 1860 Summerhill Twp. census Bryan Connolly's name is recorded as Bernard Comelia (not uncommon for names to be butchered by the census takers.) In 1870

Bryan/Barnabas/Bernard passed away 14 Sep 1864, so it's obvious he no longer appears on the census records.

From his estate paper held at the Cambria County Archives in Ebensburg, Pa.:

"The petition of Catherine Connelly, widow and execution of the last will and testament of Bernard Connelly late of Summerhill Township in the said county deceased. Humbly ____ that the said Bernard Connelly died on or about the 17th day of September A.D. 1864 leaving a widow and 14 children to wit. Bernard, Thomas, Patrick, Mathew, Michael, Francis, William, John , James, Mary, Elizabeth, Bridget, Catherine, and Margaret. That there was no personal estate of the said deceased wherewith to satisfy his debts and that there are debts against the estate of the said decendant whereby it is necessary that his real estate or part thereof be sold to satisfy the same, as by the statement herewith produced appears."

Bernard owned land consisting of 121 acres and 133 perches. The document was date 1 March 1866.

The discrepencies in the number of children and their names could be due to deaths of children prior to the writing of the will or that nicknames were used or that I can find no record in the Rev Ledoux books (Catholic Vital Records of Central Pennsylvania) of these children being born.

Bernard and Catherine's some Michael G. Conley, born 1857 is my direct ancestor. I don't have much information on him at this time. His obituary from the Johnstown Tribune Dec 12, 1923 reads:

"Wilmore, Dec. 12 -Funeral services for Michael G. Conley whose death occurred at his residence here yesterday aftenoon, willbe conducted at St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church at 9:30 o'clock Friday morning. Mr. Conley was 67 years of age and the sone of the late Bernard and Catherine Conley he is survived by his widow Mrs. Rebecca Conley and the following children: Andrew Conley, Altoona; Thomas and Leo Conley, both at home; Bernard Conley, this place, Michael Conley, Portage; Charles Conley, Blairsville, and Rose (wife of Chist Boast,) Lilly."

Michael G. Conley (b. Aug. 1857 d. Dec 11, 1923) married Rebecca Barbara Burnheimer b. Nov 4, 1887(daughter of Peter and Rebecca Burnheimer.) They had children: Bernard, Andrew, Thomas, Leo, Michael, Charles, and Rose. Their son Bernard Augustus Conley is my direct descendant.

Bernard A. Conley (b. Aug. 30, 1889 d. Nov 5, 1957) married Esther Susan Bendon (b. Oct 31, 1893 d. Aug 3, 1934). The couple had children: Emily, Merle, Margaret, Kenneth, William, Mae, and Lawrence.

Obituary for Bernard Conley from the Johnstown Tribune, Nov. 6, 1957 reads:

"Conley, Bernard A. 68 of 919 Conmaugh Ave., Portage, died November 5th, 1957 at home. Born August 30th 1889 in Wilmore. Son of Michael and Rebecca (Burnheimer) Conley. Preceeded in death by wife former Esther Benden. Survived by these children: Mrs. Margaret Kordish, Portage; Kenneth and Merle both of Lilly; William, Mrs. Mae Ratosky, and Mrs. Emily Davenport, all of Barberton, Ohio, and Lawrence, Johnstown; 22 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Brother of Mrs. Rose Boast, Lilly; Charles, Cleveland, Ohio; Michael, South Fork, and Thomas, Wilmore. Last employed by PRR. Friend received after 10:00AM Wednesday in Beck Funeral Home, Portage. Requim mass at 9:30AM Friday in St. Jospeh's Catholic Church, Portage. Interment St. Bartholomew's Cemetery,
Wilmore."

Daughter of Bernard and Ester Susan Conley, Margaret Conley was my Grandmother. Margaret (b. Aug. 22, 1914 d. Feb 18, 1987) married Joseph Kordish (b. Dec. 25, 1911 d. Oct 16, 1989) son of Andrew Kordys/Kordish and Mary Kaszics. Their children are: Joseph, Donald, Judy, and Ronald Kordish.

For more than you'd ever want to know about the family you can look at the family tree on line at http://www.rootsweb.com/. On rootsweb, go to the familytree tab then search for Andrew Kordys and my tree (kingcarsontree) will be the only one that comes up. You can then look at all of my postings.

Previous postings about this family line can also be found under the posting I uploaded in March titled "Cleaning Up the Elders." It begins with the Elder family and how they connect to the Conleys.

Enjoy and please leave a comment,

Smiles!

Happy Trails!

2009-05-14T14:55:00.006-04:00

William Hanna was my 3rd Great Grandfather. When I think of his accomplishments it amazes me that an Irish immigrant in the very early 1800s could make a good living and accumulate 93 acres of land. I don't know when William Hanna arrived in the US but it was most likely in the late 1820s. The first record I have found of him is on the tax lists for Lower Merion in 1830. He has no property listed, but 1 horse and 1 cow. By 1870 he has 94 acres.

Deed on file at the Montgomery County, Pa. archives: Deed book 51 p. 598-599

"This indenture made the first day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty two between Christopher Tennant of the city of
Philadelphia in Pennsylvania marble manufacturer and Suaanna his wife of the one
and William Hanna of the Township of Lower Merion in the county of Montgomery in the state foresaid yeoman of the other part." (William Hanna paid $800.00
for 19 acres and 102 perches of land.) "It being the same parcel of land which
John Masterson and Eliza his wife by their indenture bearing date the Twenty
sixth day of January anno domini one thousand eight hundred and thirty two per
the consideration there in mentioned did grant and confirm unto the said
Christopher Tennant in fee as _________by said indenture relational being there
unto had may at large appear.""Together with all and singular the houses out
houses buildings barns ways woods water courses right liberties.........")

He must have been farming before he bought his Lower Merion, Pa. farm property from Christopher Tennant. I suspect that he was indentured to Christopher Tennant, but I have no proof at this time. More research is needed.

William was married to Mary Davis (her maiden name comes from the death certificate of their daughter Letitia Hanna Lovett) date unknown, but most likely about 1840-1842. Mary Davis is listed as being born in Pennsylvania on all of the census. But because Davis is such a common name I have not had too much luck with my initial research trying to figure out which Davis family she belongs too. There is an early Davis family from Plymouth Meeting/Whitemarsh, Pa. area. I suspect she may descend from this family.

Part of William Hanna's original property is now the Riverbend Environmental Education Center (www.riverbendeec.org). The center runs camps for kids and has public walking trails. Their is a house on the property that was either inherited by or built by William Hanna. I have contacted the center, but they do not know the date the house was built. They were given an estimate for the house being 150 years old. I'm wondering if it is older given the wording in the Deed quoted above. The staff at Riverbend now uses it as housing for the camp staff.

Also on the property are rock walls that are shown on the copy of a deed I own. The deed dates to about 1884 after William Hanna's death. Unfortunately, he was walking along the RR tracks in order to avoid an icy road and was struck by a train. His death came shortly after on Feb. 2 1883. His age at this time was approximated 83-85years old. William Hanna is buried at the Barren Hill Cemetery in Whitemarsh, Pa. there is no stone marker. There is no record of his wife Mary beng buried there, but his daughter Letitia Hanna Lovett has a grave stone in the cemetery.

Also of Interest about William Hanna's property..... part of it was leased by the US Army at the end of the Civil War and used as a discharge camp for soldiers before they were sent home. The property also got the nickname Camp Hanna or Camp Discharge. The only item left from this time period is a sentry box that sits near the entrance of Riverbend. All of the other buildings were torn down and recycled.

Deed on file at the Montgomery County, Pa. archives: Deed Book 144, page 527 William Hanna had a 30 year agreement (beginning 19 Jun 1866) with the Philadelphia and Reading RR that he could own the property that ran between his main property to the Schuylkill River which would pass over the RR tracks.

As a nature lover, it makes my happy to know that the property is accessible to anyone who wishes to explore its trails and that children are being educated on it about our environment.

I will have more information in the future, but for now Happy Trails......................

Just Ramblings and Resources

2009-03-28T09:07:00.006-04:00

I'm always curious when people tell me that nothing interesting has ever happened in their family history or that they know what nationality they are. Most likely they have no clue! I never thought when I started this trip that I would find Presidents, Civil and Revolutionary War soldiers, relatives who fought agains Indian attack and never a tree that I could date back in this country to the early 1600s.

People who are starting out in genealogy will ask me where I get my information so here it goes:

Libraries - obituaries, reference books, local history books
Archives - Reference books, manuscripts, family histories, wills, estate papers, orphan's court
papers, marriage, birth and death certificates, property deeds
NARA (National Archives DC) - Civil War and Revolutionary War Pension records, immigrant
ships's records, other military records, reference books from all states, and more.

Online - http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ (message boards and family trees)
http://www.google.com/ (web, newspaper, and books)
http://www.familysearch.org/ and http://www.labs.familysearch.org/
http://www.ellisisland.org/
http://www.immigrantships.net/
Heritagequest - You need a subscription for this site. You can usually get one free
with a library card, if your local or county library subscribes. Great for census records,
book resources, magazine articles, revolutionary war pensions and other sources.
Check Historical Societies and Local and State Archives websites, some have great resources on the web
http://www.findagrave.com/
Library of Congress -searchable database and go there (you'll need a library card)
ARIAS - Pennsylvania in the Civil War muster roll and more.
http://www.ancestry.com/ pay service, but free at my local library
NY Times and Washington Post have a searchable database. You may be able to view
some articles in full, others you will have to find at a local library.

DAR museum in Washington DC - great resouce for family history books (I'm even in one!)

Historical societies will charge for you to do research on a daily basis unless you have a membership, archives do not charge.

I always try to do as much free research as I can and then hit the pay facilities.

Don't forget to check for obituaries at a library that has the microfilm. Always call first to make sure their microfilm machines are working.
Your local LDS (Latter-Day Saints, Mormon churh research facility) has a wealth of information on microfilm as well. Check their website http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp for locations and available resources.

This list is not complete by any means, just a starting point.
Happy searching

Dungannon it is!

2009-03-23T16:35:00.005-04:00

I've finally come across a lead as to where in Ireland Thomas Carson, the first in our Carson line, emigrated from. While checking what was new online with the John Miller Carson line (see descendary chart below) I came across a snippet view for a book called Burke's American Families With British Ancestry: The Lineages of 1600 Families of British Origin Now Residing in the United States. A typically long title from a British author. The view didn't give me all the information I was looking for, but enough to go seek out the book for more information.

John Miller Carson, Jr. was a West Point graduate and a Brigadier General so it's easy enough to find information on him. His wife, Margaret Forster Sumner, was the granddaughter of Edwin Vose Sumner, Sr. an Army General (you can google his name for his long career and achievements with photos.)

Father of John Miller Carson, Jr. was John Miller Carson, Sr. He was twice President and one of the originators of the Gridiron club (a members only newspaper journalist's club,) a Washington coorespondent for the Philadelphia Public Ledger and the New York Times, a civil war veteran, Bureau of Manufactures of the Department of Commerce and Labor, Clerk of the Ways and Means Committee, Commissioner of Manufactures, asked by President Harrison to be his Secretary of War and by President McKinley to be his private secretary, but turned both positions down. So he's easy to find information on as well, but where do you find information on an ordinary Irish immigrant who works as a weaver and does not to seem to have been a naturalized citizen?

Well, you keep searching.......Thomas Carson, the Irish immigrant and father of John Miller Carson, Sr. made it into Burke's book (by way of an article about his grandson the Brigadier General.) Burke lists Thomas' emigration from Dungannon, Tyrone Co., Ireland (Northern Ireland.) He claims Thomas married his wife Jane Miller about 1829 and emigrated the following year about 1830, settling in Philadelphia. He was born about 1802, so that would have made him about 28 years old at the time of arrival in the US.

Now, to figure out which Dungannon he came from Upper, Middle, or Lower??????
Answers only lead to more questions!

(1st marriage)Thomas and Jane (Miller) Carson>John Miller Carson,Sr.>John Miller Carson, Jr.
(2nd marriage) Thomas and Elizabeth Carson>James Carson>Robert Miller Carson
James and John Miller Carson, Sr. were half brothers

Cleaning up the Elders

2009-03-06T16:44:00.006-05:00

I thought I should revisit some of the family hanging around in the parts of the tree that I haven't touched in a while. I wanted to clean up some of the references and family notes I had for them. I thought that the Maryland Elders were as good a place as any so that's where I began.

Many people descend from the Elder family and there's been much research on the family simply because they were Catholic. They were Cathoilic at a time when it was not prevalent in this country. William Elder II (born 1707) is reported not to have originally been Catholic, but married Ann Wheeler who was. William Elder II named the area of Maryland, Frederick, Co. at the base of the Cacotin Mountains "St. Mary's Mount." "Mount St. Mary's College and Seminary, the 2nd oldest Catholic College in the country was founded 24 Sep 1808 on what was William Elder's property and bears the name he gave the area." (source: "Maryland Elder Family and Kin" by Donnelly 1975 p. 1) This William Elder was a large landowner. There were 32 pieces of land in the Frederick Co., Maryland area that were sold for the building of Mount St. Mary's College and Seminary. Some of the names of William Elder's properties were "Beaver Dam Level," "Black Walnut Bottom," Ogle's Good Will," Arnold's Delight," and Elder's Choice." None of the properties listed here were under 100 acres. (source: Maryland Elder Family and Kin, Donnelly, 1975 p. v)

William Elder II and Ann Weeler had 5 children. Ann died at the age of thirty and William remarried Jacoba Clementina Livers - the daughter of his neighbor, Arnold Livers. Jacoba and William had 7 more children. "Jacoba Clementina was born in England and named by her father Arnold Livers after James II. Arnold Livers was an active partisan of this King. When the monarch collapsed Arnold fled to the country with his young daughter and came to the Province. Here he acquired a vast amount of property." (source: "Maryland Elder Family and Kin" by Donnelly 1975 p. 7)

William Elder II and Ann Wheeler's daughter Mary (born 1735 in Prince George's Co., Md.) married Richard Lilly. Richard was born in Bristol, England in 1728. Richard and Mary's son Joseph A. Lilly (born 1763 in Frederick Co., Md.) married the widow, Charity Ogle Costello. The couple moved to Cambria Co. about 1789. This couple was also Catholic and probably followed Father Gallitizin as many from this Maryland area did. They belonged to St. Michael's Church in Loretto, Cambria Co., Pa. The couple's son Richard Lilly (born 1785) was a member of the 1st Batallion 142nd Regiment of the Pa. militia during the war of 1812. (source: "Maryland Elder Family and Kin" by Donnelly 1975 p. 68) The town of Lilly, Pa. is named for this Richard Lilly. (sources: "Lilly High Flash," students of Lilly High School, 1948." and "Maryland Elder Family and Kin" by Donnelly 1975 p. 68)

Richard Lilly married Elizabeth Holder, also born in Maryland. Their daughter Rebecca Lilly (born 1823) married Peter Burnheimer. Their daughter Rebecca Babara Burnheimer (born 1857) married Michael G. Conley and this couple was my Grandmother's Grandparents. Michael G. Conley was the son of the Irish immigrant, but more about the Conley's at another time.

For more reading on the Elder and Mt. St. Mary's family check out "Maryland Elder Family and Kin" by Mary Louise Donnelly, "The Story of the Mountain" by Mary Miller Meline and Rev. Edward F.X. McSweeney, S.T.D., and "Mount Saint Mary's College and Seminary: A Glorious History of the One Hundred and Fifty Years 1808-1958."

More Later,
Smiles

And in the Beginning.......

2009-03-01T19:08:00.000-05:00

I started this journey when my son was about 4 years old, but that was before the home computer and when you needed to use soundex to look up census records on microfilm. Wow, how much easier genealogy research has become over the last 22 years! I am sooooo grateful for Google Books, The Mormon Church and it's members, rootsweb, and all my fellow researchers.

My latest quest has been the Mareen Duvall Family from Maryland. Mareen Duvall (born 1635)came to America from France about 1650. One of his wives, and my direct descendant, was Susannah Brashear/Brassuer/Brassier. The couple lived on Mareen's plantation in Maryland called "Middle Plantation." Mareen was actually married three times which was not so uncommon during this time period. I have come across many men and woman who have married two and three times over. My line descendends down the tree with Mareen and Susannah Duvall's daughter Susannah who married Colonel Robert Tyler.

Colonel Robert Tyler was a member of the House of Burgesses continuously from 1704 to 1725 (Md. Archives Vol 26, 27, 29, and 30.) In 1695, Robert Tyler was commissioned one of the first magistrates of Prince George's Co. between 1697-98 and was accorded a Gentleman of the Quorum. He was also commissioned in 1708 by Gov. John Seymour. In 1704, he was a delegate to Prince George's Co. and served until 1724 he was then referred to as "Chief Justice at Marlborough." He owned hundreds of acres of land. (from "Mareen Duval of Middle Plantation" by Harry Wright Newman pgs. 162-165.)

Colonel Robert and Susannah (Duvall) Tyler had a daughter named Sabina Tyler (born 1703)who married Nathaniel Wickham. Nathaniel and Sabina (Tyler) Wickham's daughter Sabina Wickham became the wife of William Elder III (born 1729.)

William and Sabina (Wickham) Elder III lived near Emmittsburg, Maryland. Willam Elder II received a patent for land from Lord Baltimore, dated 27 Aug 1732. This is on record at the Mt. St. Mary Archives, Emmitsburg, Md. I visited the archives last summer as well as Mount Saint Mary's and the Elder Family Cemetery. The Elder Family Cemetery is marked by a plaque, surrounded by a split rail fence, and situated under a small grove of old trees. Some of the stones have been replaced and some have been crudely repaired, but yet preserved. It's very peaceful in Emmittsburg and probably not much changed from colonial times.

William and Sabina (Wickham) Elder III had a daughter Ann who married Daniel Delozier, Sr. (born 1750) "On April 2, 1804, Daniel and Ann sold part of a tract of land called "March Weather", located in the middle of the divisional line between states Maryland and Pennsylvania. They moved East of the Allegheny mountains to settle in the unbroken wilderness which is now Cambria County, Pennsylvania. According to a story taken from "History of Cambria County", page 543, "Delozier, Daniel came to Loretto with the McGuire pioneer family..." Ann Elder's father William also came from southern MD (Emmitsburg) to the Loretto area. But before influence by Father Gallitzen to move to Loretto, William Elder owned an area of land he named St. Mary's Mount and named his log cabin home "Pleasent Level". This home was in equal parts divided, one half served as residence for his family, the other half served as a Chapel. Mount St. Mary's Seminary and College at what is now Emmitsburg are on land that the Elder's owned. As mentioned and noted in Elder Family Papers, the family migrated into Pennsylvania by influence from Father Gallitzen "who advocated western settlement to his former congretation."*
*source: Guide to the Elder Family Papers

Now you know how our family got from Maryland to the middle of Pennsylvania. It's all because of Father Prince Gallitzin.

More later :-)