Philips. Lots and lots of Philips.

A few weeks ago, I came in contact with a distant cousin, Philip Hodges. We share a great-great grandfather, David Philip Dean. I sent a short email laying out the history of the name "Philip" in our family. I realized I'd never written it up for this blog, so here it is:

The first known Philip in our direct ancestry was Johannes Philip Welsheimer. "Johannes" was his baptismal name. Normally, this name is not used except in legal and religious contexts. So, he would have been known as "Philip". Philip was born around 1730 in Berlin and immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1766. He was one of a surprisingly large number of "Pennsylvania Dutch" to enter that colony in the early to mid 1700's. This article discusses some of the legal and practical barriers that were put in place to ensure the new Germany-speaking settlers wouldn't change the essentially English character of the colony. Whatever his reasons for emigrating, he was dedicated to his new country and eventually served in the Revolutionary War as a gunsmith. 

His son, also named Philip, immigrated to the U.S. with his father. He was born in 1757 in Berlin, which made him 9 at the time of immigration. He may have been the only family member to come with Philip I, or he may have had a brother named Frederick. It's also possible that a wife or daughters were present but not considered important enough to record. Philip II was a stocking weaver. His original apprenticeship papers have been preserved. They were drawn up between his father and a stocking maker named Adam Edleman in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1770. The name Edleman suggests that the Welsheimers were part of the German-American community in Pennsylvania and may have preferred to make important deals, like apprenticeships, with fellow Germans. Philip II eventually married a woman named Catherine Hull whose ancestry I have not been able to trace but may have been a member of the Hull/Holl family, a Germany Dutch family involved in cloth manufacturing. Regardless of his feelings about his fellow Germany immigrants, he, too, served in the Revolutionary War, in the 3rd Battalion of the York County Militia. 

Philip II was quite successful and bought a good deal of land in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. In July of 1811, he left home in Cumberland township, Pennsylvania, to walk to the coast where he planned to find a ship headed back to Germany. He wished to buy high-quality looms there that he could not purchase in the United States. However, he died of (apparently) natural causes en route to the ship. His body was found weeks later on the road. 

Philip Welsheimer III was the son of the stocking weaver. He was born in 1791 in what is now West Virginia. He grew up there, was a successful farmer, and married Catharine Duley. Their family Bible was the subject of a previous post on this blog. He moved his family from West Virginia/West Pennsylvania to South Salem, Ohio in the 1830s. He died there in 1864. South Salem is where the Dean family was living, as well. Philip's daughter, Anna, married Abram Dean. In 1847, Abram and Anna Welsheimer Dean moved to Des Moines, Iowa. Their youngest son was born there. He was named David Philip Dean, in honor of his grandfather. 

David Philip was the last common ancestor I shared with Philip Hodges. However, the name lives on in both lines, clearly. I'm descended from David Philip's son, Carl Philip Dean, and then Carl's son Philip Carlyle Dean. Both my father and brother are Philips. Except for Anna, who passed the name into the Dean family, we have an unbroken line of Philips back to the 1730s!

Patriotism and Symbols of Hate

While the rest of us were celebrating Veterans Day, someone drew a swastika on the chalkboard in the student center at my university. There are arguments over who drew the symbol and what it means. Many students assume the swastika is related to other white supremacist propaganda that sprang up recently on campus. The College Republicans issued a statement saying it was a liberal false-flag operation. Regardless of who is to blame, this symbol of hate hurts the whole community.

My family and I are not the direct targets of white supremacy. I can only imagine how people who are the direct targets must feel right now. I do feel hurt and betrayed by the use of this symbol, though, on behalf of other members of my community and as a proud American.

Grandpa Cunningham in Germany, 1947

Both of my grandfathers were part of the World War II war effort, as were both of my husband's grandfathers. My maternal grandfather was a career Air Force officer who spent most of the war in Ohio but was sent to Germany and France soon after to help with the reconstruction of those nations. He saw first-hand the destruction the Nazis had wrought. He left behind a young family (my mother was just an infant) in order to serve his country.

My paternal grandfather was a Marine. He stormed the beaches in the South Pacific and fought in well-known battles like Guadalcanal and the invasion of Okinawa. He literally went through hell, and would later say that the only thing that got him through that war was the knowledge that, if the U.S. won, his sons would not have to fight it again. He first son, my father, was born while my grandfather was fighting overseas. He did not meet him until a year later.

Grandpa Dean, just before he left for WWII

My husband's maternal grandfather was an Army doctor in Michigan. His father's father was on submarine crews in the Atlantic. [UPDATE: My apologies, but I got this wrong. My husband's maternal grandfather was stationed in Michigan for part of the war but spent part of it in the South Pacific. He was certainly in New Guinea at one point. His paternal grandfather's submarine duty was also in the South Pacific, not the Atlantic.] They sacrificed so much. It sickens me to think that some punk kid whose greatest sacrifice has probably been using an older-model smart phone would draw the symbol of their defeated enemies on a chalkboard.

I don't usually consider our students to be entitled or bratty. I'm making an exception for this one. Similarly, I don't usually believe in significant differences between the generations, but in this case I can't believe that any Millennial (or GenXer or Baby Boomer) who would draw that symbol is worthy to kiss my grandfathers' boots, or those of any member of the Greatest Generation who gave so much to free our country and others of that taint of fascism.

I blogged last time about Hiram Brattain, my only direct ancestor to fight in the Civil War. I feel similarly about the symbolism of the Confederate flag. With all due respect to those who have Southern ancestry (as I do myself), that flag is a sign of treason. Our nation went through unspeakable horror to remain an undivided nation and rid ourselves of slavery. Whenever I see the Confederate flag flying, especially here in the North, I'm literally sickened that the descendants of men and women who gave, in Lincoln's words, "the last full measure of devotion...that government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from this earth," would display such absolute contempt for their ancestors and our country.

David Philip Dean

David and Sarah "Jennie" Dean

So far, my blog topics have been haphazardly chosen, based on whatever interests me at the moment. To try to be more systematic, while also improving the quality of information I have on Wikitree.com, I'm going to create blog posts for each of my great-great-grandparents. Why my great-great-grandparents? Well, since most of them died before 1940, most of the documentary evidence is old enough to be publicly available. I'd like to write about my great-grandparents, as well, but that will be a collaboration with  my parents who have personal memories of them. 

So, on to my first great-great-grandparent: David Philip Dean

David Philip Dean was born February 16 (or 18th), 1852, on his parents' farm in east Des Moines, Iowa, on the banks of what is still known as Dean Lake (at the end of Dean St.). David was the youngest child of Abram Stewart Dean and Anne Retta Welsheimer Dean. His first name may have been in honor of his mother's brother, David Welsheimer, and his middle name, Philip, was in honor of his maternal grandfather. He had four siblings, three of whom were born in Ross County, Ohio, where the family was living before they joined David's grandfather, John Stewart Dean, in claiming land that had been recently conquered from Native people, who were forced into Oklahoma to make way for white settlers. Unfortunately, Abram died in January of 1859, not long before David's seventh birthday. His mother never remarried, but David's grandfather and multiple uncles and aunts lived nearby.

His childhood was far from easy. According to the Portrait and Biographical Album of Polk County, Iowa. (Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890), David was born in a "commodious house of hewed logs...on the north bank of...Dean Lake. Many privations and hardships were endured by the family, but they labored on, and at length had a good home." The book specifically mentions that David's father had to haul his grain 65 miles for a mill, and that there were no barrel-makers in the area so he created three troughs from a large linden tree to salt down pork, hold lard, and make soap. David's mother cooked on a large fireplace, "slapjacks, corn-dodgers, jonnie cake and lye hominy." The family were devout Presbyterians. One history (but not others) claims the first Presbyterian Church in Des Moines met in David's grandfather's house (1). David's father was an ardent Republican, at a time when that meant supporting the literal party of Lincoln, founded with the goal of ending slavery. Fifteen acres of the family farm were donated to the state for state capitol building. 

Although there must have been plenty of work around the farm, especially with Abram's early death, David and his siblings all attended school. In the 1860 Census for Lee Township, Polk County, Iowa, Anne Dean heads a household of five children, aged 8 to 17, all of whom indicated that they'd attended school within the previous year (2). Ten years later, in the 1870 Census, David was the only child still at home with Anne, but even at 18 and as his mother's only child, he had attended school within the year (3). Clearly, like many of their descendants, the family put a high priority on education.

David married Sarah "Jennie" Brattain on August 22, 1876, in Des Moines (4). He was 24; Jennie was 20. They spent most of their adult lives farming in Polk County, Iowa, but they may have moved within the county. In the 1880 Census, they were in Grant Township, Polk County, Iowa (at which time David's mother, Anne, was living with them) (5). However, by 1884, when their daughter Aura was born, they were listed as living in Clay Township (6). Presumably, this is near the town of Altoona, where they farmed Township 79, Range 23, Section 14, NW1/4 by the 1885 Iowa Census (7). This is where they lived until at least 1910 (8). 

David and Jennie had a large family, although they lost a number of children at a young age. Their children were:

• Mary Louanna (Manie) (1877-1974), married William Henry Edmundson
• Mary Estella (1878-1966), married Herbert L. Swenson
• Esletta (1879-before 1895)
• Ethel Gertrude (1879-1901), married William Casebeer
• Daisy (1881-1885)
• Harvey Edwin (1883-1885)
• Aura (1884-1964), married Karl Edward Hodges
• Eva (1886-1982), married Robert Wallace Trowbridge
• Edna (1887-1890)
• James (1889-1890)
• Infant Son (born and died August 10, 1890)
• Lillian (1891-1962), married Raymond Claire Stiles
• David Merlin (1894-1972), married Irene Louise Greaves and Marie Simpson
• Carl Philip (1895-1971), married Vera Houghton Hancock
• Ralph Hiram (1899-1918)

Sometime between 1902 and 1905, David and Jennie's eldest daughter, Manie Edmundson, moved to Coupeville, Washington, with her husband and children. Sometime after the 1910 Census, David and Jennie moved there, too. Jennie died and was buried in Coupeville, in March, 1919. The following year, David was living with Manie and her family (9). 

Later that year, David remarried, to Abbie Dean, in Washington, Ohio (10). Abbie remains something of a mystery to me, and I wish my Aunt Lil was still here to explain her relationship because I'm sure she knew. "Dean" was Abbie's married name. On their marriage certificate, she is listed as 64 and widowed, the daughter of William W. Perdew and Sarah Seffens. Her original husband, whom she married in Washington, Ohio, in 1876, was John T. Dean, but the marriage record does not include his parents' names (11). My suspicion is that John T. was a cousin of some sort of David's, which is how David met Abbie. After their marriage, David lived part-time in Washington, where he had his own home according to the 1930 Census (12), and part-time at his wife's house in Marietta, Ohio (13).

I've always been interested in David because he was (one of?) the first dedicated genealogists in the family. He was mentioned in several of the family references I found, include the book by Edith Welsheimer (13) about David's mother's line, in which she wrote: "David was the perfect gentleman - kind and gracious, and interested in all with whom he came in contact and able to converse with young and old. To him goes the credit for most of the work on his branch. Though eight years of age, he exchanged many letters with the author, which she values very highly."  

David died in Seattle on April 16, 1941, aged 82 years.

_____
References:
1) Wilson-Baird History by Fran C. Shepherd, 1942, p.2 (available on-line: http://baird-bard-beard.org/BB/downloads/Volume5-March1995.pdf):

2) "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M82L-9MQ : accessed 11 January 2015), David P Dean in household of Ann Dean, Lee Township, Polk, Iowa, United States; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; citing p. 161, household ID 1172, NARA microfilm publication M653, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 803,338.

3) "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDV5-DTF : 17 October 2014), David Dean in household of Ann Dean, Iowa, United States; citing p. 8, family 56, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,914.

4) "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJFP-Z8X : accessed 11 January 2015), David P. Dean and Sarah Brattian, 22 Aug 1876; citing Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, United States, county courthouses, Iowa.

5) "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDLZ-4KN : 24 December 2015), David T Dean, Grant, Polk, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district ED 170, sheet 489B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0360; FHL microfilm 1,254,360.

6) "Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XVZL-FYZ : accessed 11 January 2015), David P. Dean in entry for Aura Dean, 1884.

7)  "Iowa State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HWZL-XMM : 15 November 2014), David Dean, Altoona, Clay, Polk, Iowa; citing p. 235, 1885, State Historical Society, Des Moines; FHL microfilm 1,020,172.

8) "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MG99-TYR : 29 October 2015), Carl P Dean in household of David P Dean, Clay, Polk, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 66, sheet 11B, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,431.

9)  "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHFY-X1B : 14 December 2015), David P Dean in household of William H Edmundson, Coupeville, Island, Washington, United States; citing sheet 6A, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,923.

10) "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VNQM-CJ7 : accessed 11 January 2015), Abram Dean in entry for David P Dean and Abbie A Dean, 23 Nov 1920; citing Washington, Ohio, United States, reference p 431; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 2,320,085.

11) "Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDXT-KYL : 8 December 2014), John T. Dean and Abbie A. Perdew, 01 Jun 1876; citing , Washington, Ohio, reference ; FHL microfilm 0941959 V. 4-6.

12)  "Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3RJ-SQS : 5 December 2014), David P. Dean, 16 Apr 1941; citing Seattle, King, Washington, reference 1448, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Olympia; FHL microfilm 2,023,903.

13) "A History of the Welsheimer Family", by Edith Welsheimer, Bronson Printing, Las Cruces, New Mexico, 1969. https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE97573

Jane Coltrain Williams?

A follow-up to my previous post on Finding Heman Williams: I still can't trace Heman's father, John, due to the preponderance of John Williamses in early 19th century America. However, I connected with another researcher, Linda Coltrin, who makes a good case for his mother's maiden name being "Coltrin" or "Coltrain", and that she was a daughter of Elisha Coltrain of New York. If so, that ties Heman's maternal line into a well-documented New England family that goes back to the Great Puritan Migration, including descent from the Mayflower's William Brewster. (I, too, am descended from William Brewster. If this information is correct, then my husband and I are 13th cousins once removed).

The evidence for Jane Williams, mother of Heman, being Jane Coltrain, daughter of Elisha Coltrain:

1. Her daughter Mary Jane's death certificate lists her mother's maiden name as "Coulton" (names were frequently spelled in a variety of phonetic ways at the time) (1)
2. In census records where she is listed, Jane Williams gives her birth state as New York and her birth year as around 1803. Her children also list their mothers' birth state as New York in later census records (2)
3. In The History of Lorain County, published in 1879, the author states that John D. and Jane Williams came to Ohio from the Cuyoga Lake region of New York (3). Elisha Coltrain, who was born in Massachusetts, was living in Milton, Cuyoga County, New York, by 1799 (4) and lived there until 1840 (5). There is at least one John Williams family in Cuyoga County, New York, in the 1830 census that fits the ages of John and James Williams (6), but this is not conclusive since they may have moved to Ohio by then. Census records from 1800-1840 show numberous Williams families living in Cuyoga County, including at least two separate "William Williams" families in Genoa, New York, in 1820, which is around the time and place when John and Jane Williams would have married (7).
4. John and Jane Williams moved to Ohio by at least 1836 (the date given in The History of Lorain County), but more likely by 1828 (when their son Albert may have been born in Ohio). Elisha Coltrain Jr., the son of Elisha Coltrain of New York, also moved to Ohio.  Extended families often moved together at that time. He was in Lorain County, the same county as John and Jane, in 1850 (8). Unfortunately, it's unclear where either family was in 1840.
5. John and Jane Williams named their eldest son Elisha C. Williams. John D. Williams applied for a marriage license for his son, Elisha C., in Lorain County, Ohio, in 1848 (9)

It's not a slam-dunk case, but the circumstantial evidence is quite strong. Some day, perhaps, someone will find a will or family bible or marriage certificate that pulls the whole thing together, but for now I'm considering this a probable but uncertain connection.

_____

References:

1)  "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6SJ-JB8 : 8 December 2014), Mary Jane Williams, 31 May 1925; citing Camden Twp., Lorain Co., Ohio, reference fn 29901; FHL microfilm 1,992,672.

2) "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXQ2-364 : 9 November 2014), Jane Williams in household of John Williams, Camden, Lorain, Ohio, United States; citing family 567, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

3) From History of Lorain County, Ohio, published in Philadelphia by the Williams Brothers, 1879https://archive.org/stream/historyoflorainc00phil#page/n5/mode/2up/search/Williams

4) New York, Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804. On Ancestry.com 2014 

5) "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHY4-46N : 24 August 2015), Elisha Colston, Genoa, Cayuga, New York, United States; citing p. 110, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 269; FHL microfilm 17,181.

6) "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHP3-WYX : 18 August 2015), John Williams, Sterling, Cayuga, New York, United States; citing 418, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 88; FHL microfilm 17,148.

7) https://familysearch.org/search/collection/results?count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3AWililams~%20%2Bresidence_place%3A%22Genoa%2C%20Cayuga%2C%20New%20York%22~&collection_id=1803955

8) Year: 1850; Census Place: Pittsfield, Lorain, Ohio; Roll: M432_705; Page: 280B; Image: 83

9) "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8PS-QBM : 8 December 2014), Elisha Williams and Harriett Holcomb, 01 Nov 1848; citing Lorain, Ohio, United States, reference p 282; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 447,523.

Finding Heman Williams

Sometimes this blog helps me genealogy by laying out my thought processes, putting the data in a logical order, and creating a coherent narrative from chaos. Sometimes, like in this post, it just serves to document the muddle. Still, there's some hope that the documentation laid out here will make things clearer for someone else, so here goes.

I'm working on Beaver genealogy. I was able to trace my father-in-law's maternal line back a few generations. His great-grandmother was a woman named Minerva J. (Williams) Bradley. According to her death certificate, Minerva's parents were Heman Williams and Emma Jane Hale (1). The certificate also states that she was born in 1872 in Chester, Michigan, but her parents were born in New York. To confuse matters, however, in both the 1900 and 1910 census records, Minerva gave her father's birthplace as Ohio, not New York (2,3). The Ohio birthplace seems correct, at least according to the 1880 U.S. Census for Camden, Lorain County, Ohio, which documented the Williams family consisting of Heman, age 40, born in Ohio; wife Emma J., age 33, born in New York; three children between the ages of 9 and 15 born in Michigan, "Menervia", age 8, born in Ohio; and a younger son (4). The family members who must have provided the information for Minerva's death certificate were probably confused by the fact that her mother was born in New York, and that Heman's family came from New York. In the 1900 census, Heman himself gives his parents birthplaces as New York, but his own birthplace as Ohio (6).

Heman Williams, then, was born around 1840 in Ohio. Tracing him back through the census records, the 1870 Census finds the family in Chester Township, Eaton County, Michigan, next door to a Nelson Williams and his family (5). Heman's wife's name is given as Jane instead of Emma Jane, but it is clearly the same family. Two of the sons from the 1880 census are listed (although the oldest, 5, is shown as born in Ohio, not Michigan), along with an older daughter, Mary, who does not appear in the 1880 census. Again, Heman lists his birthplace as Ohio.

I cannot find him in the 1860 census, but in the 1850 census he was living in Camden, Lorain, Ohio as a 13-year old child in the household of John Williams, 55, born in Massachusetts, and Jane Williams, 49, born in New York (7). Also in the household are six children between the ages of 8 and 22, including Nelson (who we saw later moved to Michigan) and a 10 year old sister, Minerva, clearly the source of Heman's daughter's unusual name. (The source of Heman's unusual name will be discussed below).

Unfortunately, moving back past 1850, we enter a time when census records only recorded the name of the head of household, and did not note ages (except in general categories) or location of birth. However, all of the children listed in the 1850 census were born in Ohio, so the family must have been in the state since 1828. We should be able to find John Williams, Heman's father, in the 1830 and 1840 censuses.

In fact, there are no fewer than 133 possible John Williams households in Ohio in 1830. Looking at Lorain County alone knocks that down to three. The only one whose household fits the known demographics of the family, John H. Williams, is living in Lagrange Township, with one free white male 20-30 (John would have been 25), one free white female 20-30 (Jane would have been around 19), 2 males under 5 and one female 5-10. This seems like a lot of kids for such a young mother, but they wouldn't have to all be theirs. In fact, Jane may have been a second wife. In 1840, there are five John Williamses. John H. Williams is listed as living in "Carmdon" in Lorain County. Such a place doesn't appear to exist, so I would guess this is the same John H. Williams as above, now relocated to Camden, where we know our John Williams was living in 1850. The ages of the family, however, don't perfectly match those known for our Williams family. Besides, as becomes clear below, John's middle initial should be D, not H.

This leads us to some contradictory information from the local histories:

The "History of Lorain County, Ohio", published in 1879 (8), describes Heman's family under the heading "The Township of Camden":

"John D. Williams and his wife, Jane, from the vicinity of Cuyoga Lake, New York, settled upon lots twenty-five and twenty-six, tract eleven, in 1836. Elisha C. now lives upon lot twenty-three, same tract. S.B. is in Kipton village. John W. and Wilson are also residents of the township. Mary Jane lives upon the old place. The only other living member of the family of brothers and sisters is Heman. Albert R. died in 1878. Clarissa and Minerva are also dead."

 The same book, though, describes another Heman Williams who is clearly not our Heman Williams:

"Larkin Williams and family, of a wife and eight children, came from Berkshire county, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1817. He settled on the ridge east of the center...The first doctor to locate in Avon township was Heman, son of Larkin Williams. Dr. Williams is spoken of as a gentleman of fine ability and superior professional attainments....The first death was Lydia M., daughter of Larkin Williams, January 11, 1818. Her remains were the first interred in the cemetery at the center. It is believed that the first post office was established in 1825, and that Dr. Williams was the first post-master." 

The same source mentions that Larkin A. Williams was active in the Baptist church, as were Milo Williams and John Williams, his sons. Larkin also built a school building in 1818.

This is complicated. John D. and his wife, Jane, were the parents of our Heman Williams. But what is their ancestry? Were they related to Larkin Williams and his son, Dr. Heman Williams? The book suggests not, but the primary documentation is hard to pin down.

Several arguments can be made against assuming a relationship with the Larkin Williams family:

• John and Jane Williams are buried in Kipton, rather than the cemetery in Avon where the other Williamses, the known descendants of Larkin Williams, are located.
• A surprising number of people were named "Heman" in Lorain County, Ohio. The 1850 Census, where we first see our Heman, has six other men named Heman.
• The book about Lorain County implies they are not related, or at least doesn't mention such a relationship, despite many other mentions of the Larkin Williams family

Several arguments, however, can be made for assuming a relationship to the Larkin Williams family:

• Although the book says John D. came from New York, in the census says he was born in Massachusetts, like Larkin. His wife was born in New York, so they may have lived there for a while before coming to Ohio.
• The book clearly has some inaccuracies. For example, it claims John D. moved to Camden in 1836, but his oldest son, Albert, was born in Ohio in 1828. Furthermore, not all of the children listed in the census are in the book, and at least one child who is in the book isn't listed on the census (although they may have been too old in 1850). In other words, the book itself shouldn't be considered more accurate than other types of documentation.
• Sure, there were a number of men named Heman, but honestly, how common can this name be? It is more parsimonious to believe that our Heman Williams was named for a relative, either the Dr. Heman Williams who was the son of Larkin Williams, or some previous progenitor for whom they were both named.

The reason I'd like to know if our Williamses were related to the family of Larkin Williams is that Larkin's ancestry is fairly well documented going back to the Great Puritan Migration (9).

One detail that might help clarify the situation: in the 1850 census, Heman, his parents, and his siblings are living with an 86-year old woman, born in Massachusetts, named Mary Hemingway. She was later buried in the Williams plot in Camden, where her tombstone shows she died March 22, 1855, at the age of 92 years, 9 months, 17 days (that would give her a birth date of  June 5, 1762) (10) Could she be Jane's mother? John D.'s re-married mother or an aunt? Regardless, she's the next line to follow.

[Update]:  I was able to connect with another researcher, Linda Coltrin, who is interested in Heman's maternal line (see post on Jane Coltrain Williams). Linda has a death certificate that shows John and Jane's oldest son, Elisha C. Williams, was born in Geauga County, Ohio, in 1818. In the 1820 census, there's a John Williams in Perry, Geauga County, Ohio, with one boy under the age of 10, a man 16-26 (our John would have been 25), and a woman 16-26 (our Jane would have been 17). This seems likely to be our family. What really caught my eye, though, were four Williams families in Painesville, Geauga County, Ohio, in the same census. The names of the heads of those households: Rev. Ebenezer, Ebenezer, John, and...Heman. Heman! It may be hard to determine the exact relationship between these Painesville Williamses and our John Williams, but it seems likely.

________
References:

1) "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X637-WCV : 8 December 2014), Emma Jane Hale in entry for Minerva Jane Bradley, 13 Oct 1925; citing Camdem Twp, Lorain, Ohio, reference fn 58285; FHL microfilm 1,992,681.

2) "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMDF-CGF : accessed 10 December 2016), Lizzie Bradley in household of George Bradley, Camden & Henrietta Townships, Lorain, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 83, sheet 7A, family 164, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,295.

3) "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ML84-P99 : accessed 10 December 2016), Elizabeth Bradley in household of George Bradley, Camden, Lorain, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 101, sheet 2B, family 47, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1206; FHL microfilm 1,375,219.

4) "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M89K-DLJ : 14 July 2016), Herman Williams, Camden, Lorain, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district ED 166, sheet 389D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1042; FHL microfilm 1,255,042

5) "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHHN-PVV : 17 October 2014), Herman Williams, Michigan, United States; citing p. 8, family 56, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,169

6) "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMDF-3ZH : accessed 10 December 2016), Emma J Williams in household of Heman Williams, Camden & Henrietta Townships, Lorain, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 83, sheet 8B, family 211, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,295.

7) "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXQ2-364 : 9 November 2014), Jane Williams in household of John Williams, Camden, Lorain, Ohio, United States; citing family 567, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

8) From ''History of Lorain County, Ohio'', published in Philadelphia by the Williams Brothers, 1879https://archive.org/stream/historyoflorainc00phil#page/n5/mode/2up/search/Williams

9) https://books.google.com/books?id=L5GPjobXdWoC&pg=PA1619&lpg=PA1619&dq=larkin+williams+massachusetts&source=bl&ots=ywkeqh9cXd&sig=V0G5AnfPZG7OecwwiQStRWWLoNM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi57-7qp-vQAhXIjFQKHZ0KCzoQ6AEIQzAI#v=onepage&q=larkin%20williams%20massachusetts&f=false

10) http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=28102480&PIpi=49541381

The genetic legacy of Appolonia Baker Stoecklein

Appolonia Baker Stoecklein
She looks young, and I wonder if she's pregnant
in this picture, perhaps with her first child, Cody.
Photo credit: Annabelle Leyes Clinger

My last post was about Appolonia Baker Stoecklein and her family background. I've been thinking about her recently because I'm grappling with her genetic legacy: gallbladder problems, and in particular, cancers of the biliary and digestive system (Spoiler: I don't have cancer!)

Appolonia died at the age of 41, after suffering for four years from an unknown disease. We don't know what that disease was - it could have been TB or MS - but if I had to guess, I'd say she died from some type of biliary cancer. Her descendants, certainly, have a sad history of succumbing to it. This type of medical history, in fact, is one of the practical applications of genealogy. It can be used for research on the genetic component of biliary cancers, and also as advanced warning for relatives.

What, exactly, is this family history?

First generation:

• Appolonia Baker Stoecklein died in 1895 after four years from an unknown wasting disease, possibly (although it is unproven) cancer. Age 41.

Second generation: Appolonia had three daughters.

• Her eldest, Cora Stoecklein, died of "stomach cancer" (no more specific information is available) in 1961, age 85. 
• Her youngest, Irene Stoecklein Leyes (my direct maternal line great-grandmother) died of gallbladder cancer that spread to her liver, in 1967, age 76. 
• Appolonia's middle daughter, Betty, died of a stroke.

Third generation: Appolonia had one granddaughter and one grandson.

• My maternal grandmother, Mary Jane Leyes Cunningham, died of gallbladder cancer that spread to the liver and other organs, in 1972, age 56. 
• Her brother, Bill, died of lung cancer, unrelated to the biliary system

Fourth generation: Appolonia has seven great-grandaughters and two great-grandsons (I won't give the names for privacy reasons). Joyfully, all but one member of this generation are still alive. 

• My own mother had her gallbladder removed at the age of 27 after developing gallstones during her first pregnancy. The surgeon found no signs of cancer. 
• Sadly, my mother's first cousin died of bile duct cancer in 2013, at the age of 46.

Fifth generation: 11 male and 10 female descendants. I'm one of the older ones, and one of the few to have reached the "danger zone" of middle age (I'm 42). Although I've known since I was quite young that I needed to watch for signs of gallbladder stones, it wasn't until December that I first experienced the classic symptoms of a gallstone attack. I quickly made a doctor's appointment and presented the family history above, at which time the medical-industrial complex swung into high gear. (The doctors were pretty bowled over by the family history. They hadn't seen anything like it.) Because of the cancer risk, I had my gallbladder removed at the nearest big city research hospital, where they could remove it without rupturing it, rush it to pathology to check for cancer while I was still on the operating table, and then - if necessary - remove part of my liver and bile ducts if it turned out I had cancer.

I am very happy to say that the surgery went as well as possible, and I have no signs of cancer. I did, however, have two huge gallstones (one was 3.5cm long!), and the surgeon assures me I'll feel much better once I've healed. Now that I've done more research on gallstone symptoms, I realize that I've been feeling their effects for years, I just hadn't recognized the low-level and constant pain in my side and back as "gallbladder problems" as opposed to "back pain" or "acid reflex" or other issues. I'm very grateful to have this problem taken care of before it could become worse.


To summarize, of the six deceased individuals who are direct descendants of Appolonia Stoecklein, four of them died of cancers of the gallbladder, liver, "stomach", or bile system (all closely related organs). There is clearly a genetic component here, but what is it? It is unlikely to be a simple Mendelian trait, but rather a suite of multiple genes that create high risk for her descendants. The good news, then, is that a suite of genes is likely diluted with each generation.

Lynch Syndrome is one possible hereditary link to bile duct cancers. This syndrome was mentioned to my cousin and her sisters, when she was diagnosed with bile duct cancer. To say someone has "Lynch Syndrome" is to say they carry a dominant variant of one (or more) of five genes. These variants are associated with high risk for colon cancer, in particular, but also pancreas, endomitrium, and liver. These risks can be insanely high (much higher than usual when we say someone has a genetic risk for a particular cancer). For example, individuals have a 52-82% lifetime risk of colorectal cancer, with a mean age diagnosis of 44-61 years, and 30% of individuals are diagnosed before age 40(1). We'll know more about my particular Lynch Syndrome genes soon, but our family history differs from Lynch Syndrome in that most Lynch Syndrome cancers are associated with the colon, pancreas, endometrium, and ovaries. We do not seem particularly prone to cancer in those organs, but rather related organs, such as the liver and gallbladder.

The genes particularly associated with a high risk for bile duct cancer are only now being identified, although initial work suggests they aren't the same genes as those associated with Lynch Syndrome(3). Gallbladder cancer, in particular, is extremely rare, so little research has been done on its heritability. Most gallbladder cancer is caused by gallstones. The constant irritation of the organ by the stones can lead to out-of-control cell growth. Once possibility, then, is that Appolonia Stoecklein handed down genes that made her descendants more likely to develop gallstones, and in particular large gallstones, which are more highly correlated to cancer(2). Certainly, a combination of Lynch Syndrome genes, plus genes associated with the growth of large gallstones, could account for the particular patterns of cancer seen in our family.

As I said, we'll know more soon. I received a personal gene testing kit for Christmas, and the results are due any time now. I look forward to delving into the full data and seeing what I can find. In the meantime, I'd urge any descendants of Appolonia Stoecklein to consult with a doctor to schedule periodic scans of their liver and gallbladder. These are silent cancers, and by the time you're aware of the problem, it can be too late.



References:
(1) Kohlman, Wendy, and Stephen Gruber. 2014. Lynch Syndrome. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1211/
(2) Lowenfels, A.B., et al. 1989. Gallstone Growth, Size, and Risk of Gallbladder Cancer: An Interracial Study. International Journal of Epidemiology 18:50-54. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2722383
(3) Maroni, Luca, et al. 2013. The Significance of Genetics for Cholangiocarcinoma Development. Annals of Translational Medicine Oct: 28. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4200671/

Appolonia Baker Stoecklein

Photo from Mike Cunningham

My plan for the ancestral biosketches was to jump between family lines (that is, one from my mom's side, then one from my dad's side), but I find myself thinking about Appolonia Baker Stoecklein recently. Although my last biosketch was about her husband, John T. Stoecklein, I'm going to write a short sketch of what we know about her family for this week's post.

Appolonia died quite young, at the age of 41. Because her children had few memories of her, they weren't able to pass down much family lore. In fact, we didn't know her full name or anything about her birth family, which, as far as I know, had little contact with her children after she passed away.

I discussed her married life, children, and death in my post on her husband. Other than a few photographs handed down through the family, I have only public documents to shed light on her early life. Luckily, the name Appolonia is unusual enough that she can be easily traced, despite her common maiden name, which was Baker or Becker. Originally, the name was probably Baker with an umlaut over the a, and this got transliterated various ways in English-language documents. Baker is closer to the original spelling, but Becker is closer to the original pronunciation.

Appolonia Baker/Becker was the daughter of Casper and Anna Maria Baker. Casper Baker was born March 18, 1822, according to his tombstone, and his wife was born Feb 2, 1826(1). In census documents, they both list their birthplace as Saxony. Place names in Germany are difficult to interpret. The same town and region names can be used for a variety of different locations, and, of course, the boundaries of those regions could change over time. Saxony, in the period 1820-1860, most likely referred either to the Kingdom of Saxony (an independent member of the German Confederation that included the major cities of Dresden and Leipzig) or the Province of Saxony (a somewhat less coherent region annexed by Prussia and including areas that had previously been part of the Kingdom of Saxony, such as Wittenberg, but also Magdeburg, Halberstadt, and parts of the former territories of Brandenberg and Erfurt.) Where, exactly, Casper and Anna were from is unknown, but my best guess is that they were from the Kingdom of Saxony rather than the Province, since they would have been more likely to give their nation of birth as Prussia in the later case. On the other hand, the areas annexed by Prussia, particularly Upper Lusatia which used to be part of Brandenberg, had much higher Roman Catholic populations, and the Bakers were clearly Catholic, since they are buried in the Catholic Calvary cemetery in Dayton.

So far, I've given Appolonia's mother's name as "Anna Maria", but in fact, her name is a bit of a mystery. In the 1850 census, she is listed as "Mary Baker", 24, of Germany(2). In 1860, she is "Anna M. Becker" of Saxony, age 35(3). In the 1870 census, Casper's wife's name is given as Elizabeth, 41, from Saxony(4). In 1880, she's back to being "Mary Baker", born in Germany, aged 54(5). On her tombstone in Calvary Cemetery, her name is given as Anna M. Becker(1). Her name was probably Anna Maria, since German naming practices tended to give child a more formal first name and a less formal second name. Either one could be used in official documents, particularly in the United States. I'm not sure why she was called Elizabeth in the 1870 census. One possibility is that the 1870 census was mistake (perhaps a neighbor gave the information). This would explain why her age is incorrect in that census, as well. Alternatively, her full name was Anna Maria Elisabeta. 

Anna Maria's maiden name is unknown. On her son Casper's death certificate, it is listed as "Derorph", but I can find no records of this name in the U.S. or Germany. The name may have been imperfectly known by Casper's daughter (who was the source for the information on his death certificate), or it may have been poorly written by the clerk. I can only guess that her maiden name was actually something like Dierdorf.

Appolonia had a number of siblings recorded in the censuses of 1860 and 1870. All were born in Ohio, suggesting her parents were married in the U.S., or moved to the U.S. very soon after marriage, and that they arrived before 1849. The recorded children of Casper and Anna Baker are:

• Mary E. (1849)
• Casper (1852)
• Appolonia (1854)
• Joseph (1856)
• Louis (1858)
• Anne (1859)
• Louisa (1860)
• Katy (1862)
• Emma (1865)

We know from the 1860 census, when Appolonia was 6 years old, that she and her family lived in the fourth ward of Dayton, Ohio. The fourth ward, defined in 1829, was "Bounded on the north by a line running due east from the river to the south line of Market Street and along that line to Jefferson Street; thence north to Third Street, and along Third Street to the corporation line; on the south by Fifth Street, and on the east by the corporation line."(6).  

According to the 1870 census, Casper was a stone cutter. He is also listed as such in a number of city directories. The oldest daughter, Mary, worked as a cigar maker, and the oldest son, Casper, was a shoe maker. Appolonia, 16, was living at home, her occupation listed as "helps mother". Two years later, she married. She would have been around 18 years old.

This was in a Stoecklein family album, so there must have
been some contact between the families.
Photograph from Mike Cunningham

Although Appolonia herself died young, in 1895, a number of her family members would have been in Dayton throughout the childhood of her own orphaned children. Her mother did not die until 1905, for example. I was not able to trace all of Appolonia's siblings, but her eldest brother, Casper Jr., was a shoemaker in Dayton. His wife, Barbara, and his children, Ralph and Carrie, lived in Dayton their whole lives. His married daughter, Daisy Baker Breen, was there at least part of her life.

Similarly, Appolinia's youngest sister, Emma, married Frederick Toby. She was widowed rather young, but lived in Dayton with her children, Frederick Toby and Florence Toby Plummer, (and later her orphaned grandson, Marvin Plummer) until 1950. Part of that time she lived with her sister, Katy Baker, and her sister's daughter, Beatrice Baker Poling. (As a side note, as far as I can tell, Beatrice was illegitimate.) Katy moved to New York in the 1920s with her daughter's family, but would have been in Dayton during the formative years of Appolonia's children.

Louisa Baker married Joseph Bennett, and she also lived in Dayton for her whole life. She had at least three children: Charles Bennett, Corrie Mountjoy, and Henrietta Geiger.

Do any of the Stoecklein descendants recognize these names? Was there ever contact between these Baker descendants and Appolonia's children or grandchildren?

To me, personally, the most pertinent legacy of Appolonia Baker Stoecklein is in her genetic contribution to subsequent generations, but that is a topic for another post, coming soon.

References:
1 - ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=56952586&PIpi=100987812
2 - "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MX3W-6GM : accessed 31 January 2015), Casper Baker, Dayton, ward 5, Montgomery, Ohio, United States; citing family 3261, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3 - 1860 census
4 - "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6L8-NHY : accessed 31 January 2015), Joseph Baker in household of Casper Baker, Ohio, United States; citing p. 88, family 746, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,748.
5 - "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8S3-62R : accessed 15 January 2015), Casper Baker, Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district 159, sheet 331D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1051; FHL microfilm 1,255,051.
6 - http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/3428681.htm

John Thomas Stoecklein

John T. Stoecklein
Photo from Mike Cunningham

Continuing with my series of biographical sketches, I wanted to focus on a member of my maternal line, since I featured Ammon Goode Hancock, my father's great-great grandfather, in my last post.

Photo from Mike Cunningham

John Thomas Stoecklein was my great-great grandfather. The Stoeckleins were about as different from the slave-owning Virginia gentry Hancocks as they could be. John T. was born December 10, 1851, in Dayton, Ohio. His family was Bavarian and Catholic. His father was Joseph C. Stoecklein, born in 1827 in the village of Stadt Prozelten, in the municipality of Faulbach, Bavaria, along the Main river, between Wurtzburg and Frankfurt. The town had about 150 inhabitants at the time of Joseph's birth, and there's not much there, even today, with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants in the whole municipality. John T.'s mother was Carolina Zwisler (also spelled Zwissler or Zwiesler), born around 1833, also in Faulbach, and most likely also in Stadt Prozelten(1).

Bavaria was in turmoil during the 1830s and 40s. In 1837, the Catholic clergy had supported a political movement to change the constitution (mostly the strip Protestants of civil rights), Eventually, political unrest led to the Revolutions of 1848, during which intellectual leaders called for greater freedom and rights for common people. The movement was defeated by the aristocracy, but Bavaria's king, Ludwig I, was forced to abdicate in 1848, replaced by his son, Maximilian II(2).

The unrest in the German states led to a wave of emigration to the United States, particularly among young men who otherwise would have been required to serve in the army during a period of nearly constant, and pointless, warfare. As was common at the time, the citizens of Stadt Prozelten stuck together, even in the New World. Joseph was the first to reach Dayton, sometime before 1849. It was a town of around 12,000 people with a large German population. He got a job at a meat-packing plant, wrote back home, and was soon joined by his brothers, John and Valentine, his father (his mother had died), and many other inhabitants of Faulbach, including the Zwisler family(1).

Joseph Stoecklein and Carolina Zwisler married February 18, 1851 (3). Joseph was 24, and Carolina
was 18. Whether or not they had been sweethearts in Bavaria, they no doubt were drawn to each other as familiar faces in a strange land. Undoubtedly, their families would have been happy to bless this marriage with a "known entity" at a time when they were still trying to find their bearings. Joseph and Carolina's first son, John T., was born 10 months after their wedding. Their second son, Joseph, was born around 1854, and their final child, Charles, in 1858.

Photo from Mike Cunningham

We do not have a lot of information about John T.'s childhood. The family was listed in the 1860 census, living in Harrison Township (part of Dayton) with their three boys and several German borders: Michael Frank, 23, from Bavaria; Christ Plocker, 19, from Wittenberg; and Adeline Feltman, 25, from Hanover(4). Joseph's occupation is listed as butcher, and he reports real estate worth $4000, and a personal estate of $800, which seems quite a fortune for someone who was less than 15 years off the boat. One of their borders, Michael Frank, was also a
butcher, and one wonders if he was an apprentice or employee. The census does not tell us exactly where the family lived, but in the 1864 Dayton city directory, their address is in Dayton View(5).The many spelling variants of their last name makes it difficult to find information about the family through on-line databases. The 1864 directory illustrates that perfectly, with its entries for the brothers "Valentine Steckland" and "Joseph Steocklein".*

John T. initially followed in his father's footsteps and became a butcher. In the 1871 city directory, John is listed as a butcher, living on Mad River Valley Pike in North Dayton(6). At least, I believe this is him. The extended Stoeckline family had a strong tendency to repeat the same first names. This, combined with the erratic spelling of their last name, makes it very difficult to track individuals unless they are listed with their immediate households.

Appolonia Stocklein
Photo from Mike Cunningham

However he was making a living, he must have been doing well, for the next year he married Appolonia Baker (or Becker) on November 12, 1872. Appolonia was born March 8, 1854, also in Dayton. She was the daughter of Casper and Anna Maria Baker, both of Saxony. Her father was a stone cutter, and Appolonia was the third of his eight children. Most documents refer to her as "Lena" or "Loney".


John T. does not appear in another city directory (as far as I can tell) until 1881. Other John Stoecklines are listed, but none of them are butchers, which appears to have been John T.'s occupation until 1882. He may have been working in his father's business. His extended Stoeckline family, meanwhile, was mostly in the brewing or saloon business. His uncle John had moved straight to Miamisburg from Bavaria, in the late 1840s, in order to take a job with an old colleague, Karl Schrouder, who had opened his own brewery(1). And by 1862, John T's uncle Valentine is listed as a saloon keeper on the northwest corner of Williams St. and the Germantown Pike in Miami City (Miamisburg, I assume). By 1871, his uncle John's saloon and brewery is listed in the city directory at

Cora Stoecklein
Photo from Mike Cunningham

429 W. 3rd St. By 1874, Uncle Valentine was prosperous enough to have his name in large print in the city directory as the owner of a wine and beer saloon(6).

John T. and Appolonia's first child, Cora (known as "Cody") was born July 5, 1875 (7). In 1877, on October 31, John T's father, Joseph, died of consumption (8). He was buried in Calvary Cemetery, where a substantial number of my maternal relatives rest. Sometime during that year, John T. and Appolonia's second child, Marie Antoinette (who understandably preferred the name "Betty") was born. In the 1880 U.S. Census of Dayton, John T.'s occupation is listed as "butcher", and his family consists of Lena, little Cora and Nettie, and an 11-month old boy named Willie who had been born in July of 1879. Willie must have died shortly thereafter, as there are no more records of him. Family stories suggest that John T. and Appolonia lost at least two other children (9). We know that there was a daughter named Laura, born around 1882, because we have a newspaper account that she was saved from drowning by her older sister, Cora, at the age of five. Unfortunately, she did not survive much longer, although I have found no record of her death.

From family album, Mike Cunningham

It is possible that John T. and his brother Joseph took over their father's butcher shop after his death. By 1881, they are listed in the city directory as "J. Stoeckline and Bro. (Jos. and John T.) daily market, 327 E. 3rd", with John T.'s personal residence listed as Covington Pike (6). The rest of the family continued to work in the saloon and brewery business, however. Although John T.'s Uncle Valentine appeared to have passed on by 1881, his widow, Sophia, continued to run his saloon at the corner of Williams and Germantown Pile, and at least one John Stoeckline was working as a bar tender. By 1887, John T.'s youngest brother, Charles, had also opened a saloon, and a Joseph Stoeckline (not clear if it's his brother or a nephew/cousin) owned "The Turf" and "The Office" sample bar, billiard hall and lunch counter. (A "sample bar" was another name for a saloon).

Betty Stoecklein
Photo from Mike Cunningham

In 1882, John T. changed his occupation. For the next fourteen years, he is listed in the city directory as a "driver", although his brother continues to be listed as a butcher. John T. may have been a driver for his brother's butcher shop, or he may have begun making deliveries for breweries and saloons. Since he later opened a saloon of his own, that would be my best guess. John T.'s address is given as SE River, between Central Av. and Salem, Dayton View. Later editions of the city directory give the address as 102 W. River. (6).

John T., on the far left, in his driver days?
(photograph from Mike Cunningham)

During this time, John T. and Appolonia's youngest child (and my great-grandmother), Irene Stoeckline was born, on January 12, 1891. Around this time, Appolonia took ill. She died on May 29, 1895, after an illness of four years. She was only 41. We do not know the cause of death, but given the long illness and the subsequent family history, I wonder if she died of liver cancer, like her daughter and granddaughter, as well as one great-granddaughter.

Her death may have spurred John T. to make a change in his career, because in the 1896 city

Irene Stoecklein
Photo from Mike Cunningham

directory, John T. is co-owner of a new business, Shartel and Stoeckline (John L. Shartel and John T. Stoecklein), "LaMascotte Lunch and Sample Room" at 33 S. Main. John T. had joined his family in the brewing and saloon business. He also moved his residence to 731 W. North Ave.(6). John Shartel left the business fairly quickly, for by the next year, the business was listed as "Stoecklein and Brehm (John T. S. and Wm. B.), sample room (same address). His listing appears next to the Stoecklein Brothers saloon (run by Henry and John J.), as well as Charles's saloon and "The Office" sample room, run by Joseph. From 1898 through 1902, John T. appears in the city directory as the sole owner of "The Mascotte Saloon, Restaurant, and Billiard Room", living at 744 S. Main (6).

Irene Stoecklein

Meanwhile, his daughters were growing up. On Oct 18, 1899, John T. married Mary A. Boga (10). She was 35, he was 48. The marriage must have been a significant change for Cody, who was 24 and had presumably been running her father's household since her mother's death. Irene, only eight, would have been most affected. Her grandchildren remember her saying that she never liked her stepmother. The least-affected daughter was Betty, aged 22, who married Earle Hack two years later and left the household (11). John T. and Mary had no children of their own.

By 1902, John T. was successful enough that his name appears in big letters in the city directory. He is living in the same place, but he is now proprietor of "The Mint" Sample Room, 210 S. Main, and proud owner of a rare telephone (number Main 1422) (6).  Not until 1904 does The Mint move to its final location at 136 S. Ludlow. Around the same time, John T. moved his family residence to 334 E. Hickory.

The early 1900s were a period of stability for the Stoecklines. They stopped moving so frequently. Cody remained with her father until his death, so she was there to care for her little sister. The Mint prospered, and Dayton was growing. The calm was short-lived, however.

The Mint, John T. on left
Photo from Mike Cunningham

On March 25, 1913, after storms dropped 8-12 inches of rain on the already saturated Miami River Valley, one of the worst natural disasters in Ohio history hit Dayton. The Great Dayton Flood broke through the levees and sent water up to 20 feet deep through downtown Dayton. Houses were swept away, killing their occupants. Families were stranded on their roofs, some dying during rescue attempts. Gas lines exploded, causing fires that could not be contained because the fire department was unable to navigate the streets. People walked the telegraph

The Mint, on Ludlow St., during the flood
Photo from Mike Cunningham

and electrical wires to safety, balancing high above the flood waters. 360 people died, and 65,000 were driven from their homes.

The Mint was in the middle of the flood. Family history says that John T. lost a number of barrels of expensive whiskey to the waters. Undoubtedly there was a great deal of property damage, as well.

The family home, on Hickory St., was at the very edge of the flood. I have never heard if the family had to evacuate, or if there was any damage to their home. The picture below was taken from the top of a school building in the 500 block of Hickory St, only a few blocks from the Stoeckline home. It seems likely the flood had some effect on their home.

Northward view of flooding taken from the Hickory Street School,
 formerly located at 501 Hickory Street in Dayton. Downtown.
The Stoecklein home was two blocks west of this location.
Dayton is visible in the upper righthand corner. March 26, 1913. from http://ecommons.udayton.edu/archives_flood_images/1/

After the devastation of the flood, the Stoeckline family must have been happy to celebrate the marriage of Irene on June 2, 1914, to Louis Leyes, and the birth of their first child, Mary Jane (my grandmother) on December 8, 1915. We can imagine that John T. was thrilled to finally have a grandchild (Cody never married and Betty had no children).

Louis Leyes with his delivery horses, c. 1913
Photo from Mike Cunningham

I don't know how Irene and Louis met. Louis lived on W. Bruen St., a street which intersected
Ludlow, but which no longer exists under that name. He was also a driver by profession, so he may have met Irene through her father, making deliveries to The Mint. They also, of course, may have met through church or any number of family connections.

John T. and Mary Jane Leyes
from Mike Cunningham

John T. and Mary Jane Leyes
from Mike Cunningham

Irene Stoecklein Leyes and
Mary Jane
Photo from Mike Cunningham

By 1919, John T. closed The Mint (6). Prohibition was approved by the U.S. Congress in January of 1919. Although the law did not take affect until January of 1920, John T. must have seen the writing on the wall. His saloon could survive a flood, but not the prohibition of alcohol. Besides, he was 68 and retirement may have been welcome.

John T. and Cody moved to 1800 E. Wyoming by 1919. Around that time, Mary died, leaving John T. a widower again (12). He lived with Cody until his death, December 21, 1926 (13).



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*To clarify, the family may have always spelled their name "Stoecklein", but as is common at that time, the written records reflect a variety of ways that names were spelled. Frequently, census records, marriage licenses, city directories, and other documents were created by an English-speaking clerk writing down the name as he heard it spoken by the person in question. Even if that person was literate, his or her own preferred spelling of the name was not taken into consideration most of the time. Hence, a wide variety of variations in spelling.



References:

(1) Brown, Ashley. 1899. Stoecklein Family History. Compiled by Colleen Cunningham, 1993.

(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bavaria#Constitution_and_Revolution

(3) "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XD2X-HP2 : accessed 6 January 2015), Joseph Stockling and Caroline Zwissler, 18 Feb 1851; citing Montgomery, Ohio, United States, reference Vol B2 pg 468; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 1,030,835.

(4) "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MCGJ-84G : accessed 31 January 2015), Joseph Steckline, Harrison Township, Montgomery, Ohio, United States; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; citing p. 42, household ID 289, NARA microfilm publication M653, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 805,013.

(5) http://interactive.ancestry.com/2469/4286615?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fdbid%3d2469%26path%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnBrowsing#?imageId=4286722

(6)  Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

(7) "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X67L-5SH : accessed 17 January 2015), John F. Stoecklein in entry for Stoecklein, 05 Jul 1875; citing Birth, Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, reference v 2 p 179, county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 1,030,824.

(8) ("Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F6VZ-CM1 : accessed 13 February 2015), Joseph Stoecklein, 31 Oct 1877; citing Death, Randolph Township, Montgomery, Ohio, United States, source ID v 2 p 179, County courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 1,030,827.

(9) 1880; Census Place: Randolph, Montgomery, Ohio; Roll: 1052; Family History Film: 1255052; Page:755B; Enumeration District: 175; Image: 0672

(10) "Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XDD6-NJ6 : accessed 6 January 2015), Joseph Stoecklein in entry for John T. Stoecklein Or Stocklein and Mary A. Boga, 18 Oct 1899; citing Montgomery Co., Ohio, reference 2:3Q13VCV; FHL microfilm 1,030,845.

(11) "Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XDDX-947 : accessed 5 January 2015), Appolonia Baker in entry for Earle Mócowen Hack and Marie Antoinette Stoecklein, 19 Jun 1901; citing Montgomery Co., Ohio, reference 2:3Q163H5; FHL microfilm 1,030,845.

(12) "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDBM-CYS : accessed 9 November 2015), John T Stoecklein, Dayton Ward 10, Montgomery, Ohio, United States; citing sheet 10A, family 211, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,422.

(13) "Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKY7-3T1 : accessed 9 November 2015), John T Stoecklein, 21 Dec 1926; from "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing vol. , certificate number , Ohio Historical Society, Columbus; Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus.