Indiana - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: Rev. J. A. Adams, Old Mahoning Baptist Church & Fairview Baptist Church

mrs_jrw — 2013-06-10 19:11:38Z

I realize this is a pretty old post, but you can find some information about him here: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11...

Not a relation of mine, no other info to offer.

Re: PALMER

janebarton8 — 2013-05-22 18:55:55Z

Looking for any information on Nancy Jane Palmer - adopted daughter of Terrence and Nellie Palmer Blacklick Pa.

Trying to find out who was biological mother of Nancy - believe she was born in Lancaster, and taken by train to Blacklick by Edythe Trout Bachman.

Re: African Americans in Blairsville

geneman1 — 2013-05-05 14:15:24Z

I think if you keep digging, you'll find more about the Africans in Blairsville. They had their own section of town and many of them were Mulatto, not pure blacks.

I am kind of surprised you found a census record from 1850 with a Black married to a white. That was illegal back then.

My GGrandmother married a Mulatto and she is listed as Mulatto too in the later census years. The man she married, Vincent Yellets, can be traced back to a Revolutionary War hero who was black.

I think you might find this article of interest.

Underground Rail Road in Blairsville, PA
by Jeff Himler/The Dispatch
Staff writer
Friday, February 6, 2004

BLAIRSVILLE--America's Civil War was still five years away when the divisive issue at the center of that conflict--slavery--was contested on other, earlier fronts.
In 1856, Lawrence, Kan., was sacked by a proslavery group, while John Brown led an anti-slavery gang against Missourians at Osawatomie, Kan.

But that same year, in Blairsville, local residents black and white took a stand against human bondage when they, literally, ran a professional slave catcher and his assistant out of town.

Abolitionism ran strong in those days through Blairsville and the rest of Indiana County. That incident, and the rest of Blairsville's largely untold history as a busy stop on the Underground Railroad, will be honored this spring with the placement of a state historical marker near the town's bandstand at Market and Liberty streets.

Since February is Black History Month, the incident also provides an ideal starting point for a review of Blairsville's black history heritage--culled from the collections of the Blairsville Area Historical Society, the Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County and the works of the county's leading historian, Clarence Stephenson.

Dedication of the historical marker is tentatively set for 3 p.m. April 17. The ceremony will bring to a close Pennsylvania's 27th Annual Black History Conference, which will be hosted in Indiana April 15-17 by the Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County, IUP, the NAACP and the Chevy Chase Community Center.

The dedication also will bring to fruition an application process spearheaded by the county historical society and its president, Chris Catalfamo.

In conjunction with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the conference traditionally has dedicated a marker focusing on black history.

Blairsville seemed a fitting place for this year's ceremony, given its long tradition as a place of settlement for blacks and its prominence in the Underground Railroad, a network of safe houses where fugitive slaves found refuge on their way north to freedom.

While basic research into the local history of abolitionists and the Underground Railroad has been completed by Stephenson, Catalfamo is hoping Blairsville's marker--and a similar sign memorializing an anti-slavery court case in Indiana--will inspire a new generation of historians to "work around the corners and add more information" on the important topics.

Major routes for the Underground Railroad converged at Uniontown from the south--in Maryland and Morgantown and Wheeling in Virginia. (West Virginia became a separate state in the Civil War.) From Uniontown, slaves were directed to Greensburg, Blairsville and points north.

Others came through Bedford and Johnstown to eastern Indiana County.

Catalfamo believes a primary feature in Blairsville's importance on the Underground Railroad was its location on the Conemaugh River and the Pennsylvania Canal.

She said, "It was logical for fugitive slaves to come in on waterways. They were one of the primary means of travel at the time, and bloodhounds can't follow you over water."

Though it was not the exclusive source of abolitionists, Catalfamo noted there was a strong link between the anti-slavery movement and Indiana County's large contingent of Scots-Irish Presbyterians.

She pointed out, Presbyterians brought to America a collective memory of persecution at the hands of both Catholic and Anglican authorities in the British Isles. That made them "more passionate about the slavery issue."

Especially likely to oppose slavery were members of the Associate Presbyterian Church, also known as the "Seceder" Church.

"People who were active in the church were more likely to be involved in the Underground Railroad," Catalfamo observed.

There were six congregations of the breakaway sect in Indiana County, including in Blairsville. Eventually, the denomination folded back into the United Presbyterian Church.

Also taking leading roles in local Underground Railroad operations were blacks who belonged to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church--which also was known as the "Freedom Church."

Blairsville's A.M.E. Zion congregation was organized in the 1840s, with services initially held in the town's old log school house at Liberty Street and North Alley.

In September 1842, borough council agreed to rent the building to the congregation "to hold Sabbath meeting."

Among the early members of the church were Catherine Brown, known as "Aunt Kitty;" Peter, Braxton and Emily Jackson; George Bronson; Esther McGinity.

Rev. G. W. Terry of Johnstown was the first pastor.

Another early preacher at the local Zion church was Singleton T. Jones, a prominent member of the faith. Called to preach in September 1844, he joined the A.M.E. Zion Church's Allegheny Conference in 1849, serving a circuit of churches including Blairsville.

In May 1868, Singleton was ordained bishop of the Washington, D.C., area.

In 1873, Blairsville A.M.E. Zion trustees Abraham Johnston, David Brown, Gerry Bronson, Braxton Jackson and John W. Smith erected a one-story frame church on a North Liberty Street lot they'd purchased for $200 from Samuel and Mary B. Dixon.

On June 16, 1887, an A.M.E. Zion festival, featuring a cake walk, was held in Blairsville's Town Hall.

After a move to a new brick church on East Campbell Street, in 1952, Blairsville's Zion flock dwindled and faded, but another congregation, which dates from about 1844, remains in Indiana.

Local black citizens of the 19th century also expressed their religious and community spirit at summer camp meetings.

Such gatherings were held on Aug. 24, 1854 and Sept. 10, 1857, near the farm of Abner Willets, three miles from Blairsville on the Bolivar Road.

A 12-day meeting at the Livengood farm was set to begin on Sept. 10, 1858, with all liquor prohibited within two miles of the grounds, according to the organizing ministers.

Another occasion marked by Blairsville's black community was Aug. 1, 1861. A picnic was held in Shorter's Grove, "a short distance below town," celebrating the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the West Indies.

That Blairsville's abolitionists felt strongly about their cause is demonstrated in the 1856 fugitive slave incident.

According to a period account of the event, compiled by Stephenson, a slave catcher named "Stump," from "Old Virginia," accompanied by Peter Heck, a tailor from Uniontown, journeyed to Blairsville in pursuit of a slave.

They learned their quarry had been hiding with Lewis Johnson, a free black man who was among several Blairsville conductors on the underground railroad.

Stump caught sight of the fugitive standing in the doorway of a store and urged Heck to "grab him."

But the tailor encountered a level of resistance that soon had him and his Virginian confederate on the run.

Heck later told friends that the fugitive tossed him back into the middle street, after which he and Stump were beset by "a swarm of whites and negroes...It was like prodding a pole into a hive of bees."

The two men beat a hasty retreat, heading back out of town along the old canal tow path, while the "angry mob" from Blairsville followed close at their heels.

In fact, Heck indicated, one of the pursuing black men pressed him so closely that..."About every 10 leaps that I made, (his) number 13 boots came into such violent contact with the nether part of my anatomy that I was bodily lifted from the ground. He seemed to say, 'Get off the earth, you cuss, get off the earth.' "

Finally, the town's constable, George Wilkinson, and the mayor, Chester Davis, intervened to rein in the determined pursuers. Still, Heck "arrived home stiff and sore."

Catalfamo notes a similar slave-hunting incident was reported in Blairsville in 1860. But less information has been found to corroborate that event.

According to a contemporary newspaper account, cited by Stephenson, a half dozen "Virginia negro hunters" passed near Indiana after a stop in Blairsville, where two of their number had been attacked on the evening of June 3 by a group of black citizens.

Again, Wilkinson intervened and released one of the bounty hunters, named Patterson.

Mike Crevak, a Civil War-era history buff from Blairsville, points out written accounts of local Underground Railroad activities weren't common, particularly after passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

"They didn't want to leave any record that they were breaking federal law," and risk prosecution, Crevak noted.

He added that citizens were willing to commit cruelty to animals as the lesser of two evils to protect fugitive slaves: "People would try to pick off the bloodhounds," to handicap the slave hunters.

Though many of their anti-slavery activities were conducted in secret, the identities of several Blairsville area Underground Railroad agents were well-known.

In addition to Johnson, they included: prominent Blairsville businessman John Graff; two individuals east of Blairsville with the last names of Palmer and Thomas--the latter probably a reference to Jesse Thomas; James Simpson, who lived between Black Lick and Graceton.

Johnson was born in nearby Derry Township in 1805. His parents were Samuel, a free black man, and Rachel, a slave.

Moving to Blairsville in 1825, he drove a team of oxen for a local merchant, George Mulhollan, before working in the coal mines for 40 years. His 1828 marriage to Jane Bronson produced six children.

His first employer, Mulhollan, lived near the dry goods store of Graff, Blairsville's other leading Underground Railroad agent.

Graff was born in 1800 near Pleasant Unity in Westmoreland County and attended the Greensburg Academy in 1816 and 1817. He worked at his family's farm and distillery business before switching to the mercantile trade at age 30.

In 1837, he moved to Blairsville, purchasing a half interest in a five-story warehouse his brothers, Henry and Peter, had erected on the banks of the Conemaugh River. The brothers built two additional warehouses along the nearby canal.

In 1847, John Graff assumed control of the warehouse, bringing his three sons--Jacob, Paul and Charles--into the family business.

He later invested in local woolen and flour mills.

According to an 1880 history of Indiana County, published by J.A. Caldwell, Graff inherited his anti-slavery sentiments from his parents--a German Mennonite and a pious Huntingdon County woman who had been captured and then released by a group of Indians in Crawford County.

Graff himself switched from the German Reformed to the Methodist Episcopal faith when he moved to Blairsville.

Adhering to an anti-slavery and temperance platform, he became active in politics.

He ran three times for the state House, as a Liberty Party candidate, and, in 1852, was a Congressional candidate on the Free Democratic ticket. He also served as a school director in Westmoreland County.

One of his grandsons, Wilbur P. Graff, became president of the First National Bank of Blairsville and served in the state Senate.

Like his grandfather, Wilbur P. took an interest in the local African-American community. In 1906, when Blairsville's A.M.E. Zion Church was in danger of being sold for delinquent taxes, he paid the outstanding bill and retained the title to the building.

His son, Paul W., deeded the property back to the church in 1953.

Among the original Graff family structures which is believed to have played a part in the local Underground Railroad is a brick outbuilding along South Liberty Street which is now used as a garage by current owners Dewayne and Peggy Dills.

The couple believes the structure, which they've expanded from its original lean-to profile, was erected at the same time as their nearby house. The house was built in 1833 by Henry Graff and was purchased by his brother, John, in 1851.

While John Graff may have harbored slaves in the outbuilding itself, the Dills have heard that a secret tunnel connected the structure to the Conemaugh River, a few hundred yards to the west.

Dewayne notes a small patched "sinkhole" in a nearby section of the driveway may be the result of filling in a well used as an alternate place for concealing fugitive slaves.

Lending that theory credence is a recollection by Blairsville insurance agent Bob Graff who grew up near the Dills property, when it was owned by his uncle, Raymond Graff.

Bob Graff recalled in his younger days helping a Mr. Kelly, who was hired by his uncle to fill in a six by six foot cavity which had rock sides and a wooden top.

In addition to their role at home, helping fugitive slaves, Blairsville's black community sent men to battle with the Union Army against southern slaveholders.

Two members of the extended Lewis Johnson clan served in the Union ranks.

One of Johnson's sons, also named Lewis, served for three years in Co. I of the 41st U.S. colored infantry.

A son-in-law, Samuel McClellen, completed a stint in Co. F of the 32nd Pa. colored volunteers, from Feb. 24, 1864, to May 29, 1865.

He was injured during an engagement at Fort Wagner in Charleston, S.C., and was discharged for total disability.

A member of the United Presbyterian congregation, he was a member of the local Finley Patch post of the Grand Army of the Republic veterans' group.

For many years, McClellen was Blairsville's only barber, having previously worked for a local physician, Dr. F. M. McConaughey.

According to his 1913 obituary, he had to give up his profession at about age 40, when he was "seized by locomotive ataxia."

Eventually, his condition confined him to a wheelchair.

But he continued to be "one of the town's most familiar figures,...always conspicuous on the streets and at many public gatherings," with "a hearty greeting to the passersby."

Two local black veterans were among seven Indiana Countians awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for exemplary conduct in the Civil War.

Both were cited for their part in fighting on Sept. 29, 1864, in an area near Richmond known as Chapins or Chaffin's Farm.

Alexander Kelly, born in 1840 in Conemaugh Township, worked as a coal miner prior to the war.

He later became a first sergeant with Co. F of the 6th U.S. Colored Troops, entering the service at Allegheny, Pa., as a substitute for Joseph Kelly.

According to his medal citation, he "gallantly seized the colors...raised them and rallied the men at a time of confusion and in a place of the greatest danger." He died in 1907 and was buried in St. Peter's Cemetery in Pittsburgh.

James H. Bronson, born in Blacklick Township in 1838, was a barber before enlisting in the 5th U.S. Colored Troops. He entered the service on July 4, 1863, in Delaware County, Ohio, and was discharged on Oct. 4, 1865.

Bronson was a first sergeant of Co. D when he "took command of his company and gallantly led it...all the officers having been killed and wounded."

He later accepted a reduction in rank to sergeant in order to remain part of the regimental brass band. He died in 1884 and was buried in Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie.

A new headstone recognizing Bronson's valorous conduct was dedicated at his gravesite in 1990 by the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War.

By the time the Civil War broke out, black residents had become a familiar minority among Blairsville's populace.

According to the 1810 census, there were only 14 black residents in Indiana County--all of them in Blacklick Township, which then included Blairsville. Census officials listed them as: "all other free persons, except Indians, not taxed."

Throughout the pre-Civil War period, black inhabitants were concentrated in the county's southern communities, bordering the Conemaugh River.

By 1830, the county's black population had grown to 108, including 97 "free colored" and 11 slaves.

Blacklick Township remained in the lead, with 36 free black residents; Conemaugh Township followed with 28 free citizens and one slave; Blairsville Borough accounted for 13 free men and women and six slaves.

By 1850, the county total had jumped to 254 "colored" residents--with 68 in Blacklick Township, 38 in Conemaugh, 29 in Indiana, 28 in Wheatfield Township and 26 in Blairsville.

Ten years later, the county's black contingent had dropped to 186. Catalfamo theorizes many moved north to Canada following passage of the federal Fugitive Slave Act, which offered free black citizens little protection against being claimed as an escaped slave and hauled off to a southern plantation.

But new black arrivals apparently continued, as some communities recorded slight increases in black inhabitants. Blairsville increased its total to 28, Indiana to 33.

In the decades of industrialization which followed the Civil War, many black families moved from the southern states north to Blairsville--joining other ethnic groups as laborers in coal mines and at plants such as the Columbia glass works, which was located between South Liberty Street and the Conemaugh River in the early part of the 20th century.

Black families and other workers at the glass plant lived in nearby rows of company houses and shacks--in a neighborhood known as "Tin Town," after a previous tin mill.

Some local black residents lived to see their 100th birthday:

"Aunt Hannah" Robinson, who was born either in Blairsville or Kentucky before coming to Indiana, where she died in 1892; Elias Woods, a former slave who lived for periods in Saltsburg, Blairsville and Indiana, before succumbing to old age in 1910 in Jeannette.

Others perished in accidents.

Vincent Yellets, one of Blairsville's "most highly respected colored residents," died in a coal mine mishap in 1911;

Matilda George, "one of the most esteemed of the colored residents" of the town, was fatally injured in 1912, at age 85, when her clothing caught on fire.

A luckier fate was in store for Tom Bronson of Blairsville, who worked at a brick kiln.

In 1892, he saved his employer, Isaac Wynn, from death in the kiln's heating chamber.

In honor of his selfless act, Wynn's daughter, Mrs. George W. Craven, in about 1945 deeded a 40-acre family farm near Connellsville for use as a summer camp for African-American youths.

In recent years, older black residents, like their white counterparts, have observed growing numbers of their children and grandchildren moving away from the Blairsville area in pursuit of jobs.

Still, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, 11 percent of Blairsville Borough's 3,607 residents--or nearly 400 people--count themselves as having solely African-American ethnicity.

by Jeff Himler/The Dispatch
Staff writer
Friday, February 6, 2004

Re: African Americans in Blairsville

LaDina45 — 2013-05-01 16:27:12Z

Denise,
That's great! My cousin and I have been trying to trace our family. Johnstons, Harris, McClellan etc. Thank you
email me at ladina_a15146@yahoo.com

Re: African Americans in Blairsville

denisejenningsdoyle2 — 2013-05-01 16:21:32Z

LaDina,
I have information about your family. I have met decendants of Lewis Johnston and Jane Bronson. It is an amazing story and members of the family still live in WPA. I have seen a quilt sewn by Jane Bronson Johnston which is in the possession of one of your Allegheny County, PA cousins. Please contact me. We do a first person interpretation of Lewis.
Denise (denisejennings-doyle@hotmail.com)

Re: james conner family/rossiter pa

logues581 — 2013-04-24 00:49:40Z

Not sure what you are looking for, but James J had five children--have his obit and one of his dgts'.

Sandy
logues58@sbcglobal.net

Re: Grace Edna

Smfridley12 — 2013-04-17 20:56:13Z

Grace was my great grandmother . His son Charles is my grandpa . She lived In rockton,pa but she passed away in 2002.

Re: james conner family/rossiter pa

Connertb86 — 2013-04-14 22:51:54Z

Still looking for continued info on James J. conner of Rossiter, PA. Relative of Col. James Conner of Pottsville.

Re: Townships in Indiana County

dkanyan — 2013-04-05 23:38:29Z

I believe it is 2 words.

Townships in Indiana County

Raona_A — 2013-04-05 02:45:13Z

Does anyone know if Brush Valley township is properly spelled as one word, or two?

Re: Christian Stineman, Sr., d. 1816, Indiana County

Raona_A — 2013-04-03 20:40:05Z

When I sent for the death certificate of Nancy (Amsbaugh) Hadden the information provided by her daughter was that Nancy's father was "unknown Amsbaugh" and her mother was "Elizabeth Stineman". The unknown Amsbaugh was John "Henry" Amsbaugh who lived in Brushvalley township. Elizabeth was his second wife, and she was born between 1811 and 1815 and died 16 May 1886 in Indiana county. She married Henry Amsbaugh after the 1830 census, and her daughter Nancy was born in February of 1841.

Margaret Watts and Isaac Rodgers of East Wheatfield Twp.

rgcolbert — 2013-04-02 13:55:18Z

I am looking for information on Margaret J. Watts (1812-1832) who married Isaac Rodgers (1804-1878) in Indiana County, Pa.. She had a son to him (Robert B. Rodgers) and possibly died in childbirth. Her burial site is listed as being in Nineveh, East Wheatfield Twp., Indiana County, Pa.. I need information on her parents and siblings also. Was there a Watts family living in Indiana Co. around this time? If anyone has any information on Margaret would you please share it with me.

Re: Bowers/Kellar Connection

Raona_A — 2013-04-02 05:22:32Z

Barbara,
Why don't we try the easiest way first. My E-mail is
raonaamsbaugh@yahoo.com If the scan is clear enough, I can transcribe it from that, otherwise I can send you my address by E-mail. I have noticed that other people have been able to attach scanned items, I assume they click on the "attach a file" under where the message board says Attachments.

Raona

Re: Bowers/Kellar Connection

Bsybabu — 2013-04-01 14:00:55Z

Hi! I finally got to the box that had the letters! I am so sorry for the terribly long delay! The question is how do you want the information? I can try to scan the letters (there are actually two of them) and email the scans. Or I can copy them and mail them to you. Or I can sit down and transcribe them to you. I do not know how well they will scan as they are copies of the originals, which are not in my possession. But transcribing them for you will take the longest as the next two weeks are horrendous for those of us in the tax prep business! Just let me know your preference ~ I do have them ready for you ~ FINALLY!!!! Maybe you will be able to sort out the relationships for me since I only have a general idea. Sorry again for the delay!
Barbara Yurkshat

Re: Stineman

MargaretCheney — 2013-03-31 01:00:27Z

John Frederick Steinman
b:1752 d:1823
Married: Sybilla Margaretha Mayer

You have this person listed as a child of Christian Frederick Stineman and Sarah Holderman. Based on the dates of birth and death, it is more likely that John Frederick is a brother of Christian Frederick.

My husband is descended from Jacob Stineman and Elizabeth Ling.

Re: Bowers/Kellar Connection

Bsybabu — 2013-03-27 12:20:35Z

Aarrgghhh ... I completely forgot to get to that letter!! We have a tax business and are at the busiest time possible ... needless to say, genealogy has taken a back burner for the moment. I will see if I can do a quick search this afternoon, and will get back to you as soon as I can ~ I am soooooo sorry!! I've put this on my calendar and in my notes online, so this time I won't forget!

Barbara

Re: Bowers/Kellar Connection

Raona_A — 2013-03-27 05:32:21Z

Barb,
Have you had time to dig out the letter from William Kellar to Amelia Bowers yet? It would be interesting to know what it said.

Re: KELLAR

CarlDitch21 — 2013-03-20 05:29:53Z

I would like to have any information on May Kellar & DanielDitch. I have a newspaper article on the ship wreck where her husband drowned. It;s dated 1851.
I have some information onthe Goodman family...Mary's husband went back to PA one summer, died and was buried in Brush Valley. PA. I;ve seen his grave. I grew up in the area now live inOregon. Family in PA.

carl3@thewoofen.com

Re: KELLAR

CarlDitch21 — 2013-03-20 05:16:58Z

I would appreciate any informatin you have on the Kellar family, especially Mary.

carl3@thewoofen.com

Re: KELLAR

CarlDitch21 — 2013-03-20 05:13:24Z

I don't know where you got your information, but I can give you information about Mary's first husband and Daniel Ditch.

Email me at carl3@thewoofen.com

Re: Ditch Family

CarlDitch21 — 2013-03-20 05:10:13Z

HereI am answering my own comments. Just to add that my e mail address has changed to carl3@thewoofen.com

By the way, the person wanting information on MaryKeller, can contact me.

Carl Ditch

Indiana Borough United Presbyterian and Presbyterian Cemeteries

shryockke — 2013-03-18 16:28:18Z

The following was printed in “The Indiana Times” newspaper on Wednesday, August 12, 1896.

A GOOD MOVEMENT

An effort to be made to have bodies removed from U.P. and Presbyterian Cemeteries:

At the suggestion of the Borough Council, the Boards of trustees of the United Presbyterian and Presbyterian Churches met jointly and passed a resolution requesting persons who have deceased relatives and friends buried in the United Presbyterian and Presbyterian Church Yards to remove them to some of the cemeteries or other burial grounds. The dilapidated, neglected condition of the graves and the grounds is anything but creditable to the town or the friends of those whose remains lie in these church years [sic]. Persons who will remove the remains of friends are earnestly requested to notify some members of the board of trustees of one of these churches within the next 30 days. Should the friends of any persons whose remains lie in the churchyards neglect or refuse to remove them, an application will be made to have them removed by due course of law.

G.W. Simpson, President, United Presbyterian Board of Trustees
W.A. St. Clair, President, Presbyterian Board of Trustees

The following stones were inventoried by members of the Indiana Historical Society in March, 1952.
The following tombstones were removed to the church basement when graves were leveled at the First Presbyterian Church in Indiana, PA.

Allison, Elizabeth, daughter of W. & Mary, died Oct 26, 1851, 16th year of age
Allison, Robert, died Nov 2, 1857, 78 years
Allison, Sarah B., daughter of Robert W. & Mary, died Sep 17, 1813, 31st year of her age
Ewing, Margaret, died Jun 7, 1837 in 44th year of her age
Fenton, William L., Sept 1816 – Oct 19, 1851, 35 years 20 days
Findley, Thomas Franklin, son of Abel & M., died Dec 27, 1869, 4 years, 2 months, 27 days
George, John C., Jan 27, 1823 – Jan 29, 1845
Jamison, Elizabeth, died Feb 3, 1835, aged 61 years, Consort of John
Kelly, Joseph, Sept 13, 1820 – July 5, 1843
McLain, James C., son of William & Mary Lowman McLain, died July 6, 1851, 4 years 6 months
Moorhead, Esther, relict of Fergus died May 19, 1846, aged 69 years
Newell, William Huston, died Feb 13, 1842, 27th year of his life
Pilson, John, died Dec 14, 1834, 74 years
Repine, Rachel, wife of Daniel, died Aug 13, 1871, 82 years
Sebring, William, Feb 23, 1868, 82 years, 10 months, 4 days
Stuchal, Barbara, daughter of Abraham & Barbara, Jan 10, 1806 – Oct 10, 1832
Stuchal, William J. son of Wm.T. & J.R., June 24, 1840 – Oct 31, 1864 White Hall Hosp., Bucks Co., PA

Re: R. S. Stuchell - Indiana County, Pennsylvania

VCCook — 2013-03-16 00:11:03Z

Indiana Messenger 1898 May 11
CHRISTOPHER STUCHUL
Christopher Stuchul died at his home in South Mahoning township,Sunday, May 8, 1898m in his ___ year. He was stricken with paralysis ashort time ago. The surviving children are John T., of Indiana; James,Mrs. Archie McQuilken, of Dayton; Mrs. A. F. Morrow, Mrs. CalvinWyncoop, Mrs. Homer Dodson, of Smicksburg, and Miss Inez at home. The funeral took place yesterday. The deceased was a member of the U.P.church and most highly respected by all who him
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indiana Messenger 1898 May 18
Last week we noted the death of Christopher Stuchal; It should have read, Robert H. Stuchul, of South Mahoning townhship.
The deceased was born in 1826 and was a son of John Stuchul, who, with his brother Christopher, settled early in what is now South Mahoningtownship. They were married to sisters, Rebecca and Jane Mahan, ofScoth-Irish patentage, while the Stuchuls were of Dutch (Holland)ancestry.
JOhn, the father of Robert H., was a man of remarkable physical strength and vigor, and had seven strong, sturdy sons to assist him inclearing away the forests that confronted them in that then new country. The deceased remembered when Abraham Davis brought the firstwagon into that section, and what a curisity it was to the people. Inhis boyhood they reaped their grain with the sickle and threshed it with the flail. His six brothers were: John, of Princeton, Ill;Christopher, who died in the Civil War; Jesse, of South Mahoning township; Joseph, of Boston, Mass., who paid his last visit to his old home in 1891, and William and David, of Dayton, Pa. He had one sister,Eliza, who marrried W. H. Neal, of East Mahoning township; all now dead exceph David.
In youth Mr. Stuchul connected with the church of his parents,afterwarders merged into the United Presbyterian church. In 1853 he married Hannah D. Thompson, a daughter of James Thompson, then deceased, a descendant of James Thompson, one of the earliest settlers of our county,who came in with the Moorheads. This proved a most happy union and they were blessed with seven children, all yet living and mentioned in last week's notice. No parents could have been more devoted to each other and to their children and grandchildren. It was indeed a happy christian home.
Mr. Stuchul's genial temperment and kindly nature made it a delightful home to the young, and his last evening was spent in playing with grandchildren, and his last night in waiting on his aged wife who was seriously ill. His death was very sudden, from heart failure from Bright's disease. The funeral services were conducted by his pastor,Rev. Ewing.

Re: R. S. Stuchell

kathyguthrie4543 — 2013-03-15 22:08:08Z

I have found the following from the Indiana County PA, Her people, past and present reference book:
Robert James son of Robert H Stuchul and Hannah Thompson has a sister Clara Josephine who is the widow of Homer Dodson. This sister may be related to the widow Sallie in your note.

Re: Hawthorn

maryfill74 — 2013-03-13 04:32:35Z

That's strange I have been tracing a William Hawthorn, 1889, he named his daughter Audrey Jean, Do you have any other info?

Re: R. S. Stuchell

beeswalther — 2013-03-12 22:12:05Z

This Alexander Stuchell (son of Jacob and Margaret Fairman Stuchell) is an uncle to the Alexander I am looking at. Thank you for your contribution tho.

Re: R. S. Stuchell

franny01 — 2013-03-10 21:16:51Z

Not sure if this helps. But History of Indiana County on line with Ancestry.
Alexander Stuchell ( or Stuchel) was born on the farm now occupied by William B. Stuchell, White Township, in 1821, and was a son of Jacob and Margaret Stuchell Nee Fraiman, d. (See Sketch of Wm. D. Stuchell, White Township) Alexander was in company I, 206 Pennsylvania volunteers, about one year. His children were; Florinda, m to William A. Evans; Nancy E., m to Samuel Rugh; Evan R., m. to Adelaide Stewart; E. B.; and Mary Bella. Our subject located in Greenville, in 1847, and since has been engaged in the furniture, undertaking and cabinet business. He has used a water wheel for power, six years, intending to introduce a fifteen foot over-shot wheel.

1850 United States Federal census
Alexander Stuchall 25
Martha 24
Florinda 4
Nancy 4

R. S. Stuchell

beeswalther — 2013-03-10 16:40:04Z

I am looking for more information on R. Stuckul, who was born in Pennsylvania and is found in 1905 and after in Oklahoma. I offer the following documentation.

Stuckuel, R.S. age 31 married Troxel, Nellie age 23 on 12 May 1905 in Wheeler, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, Book I page 163. On the 1910 census, Nellie has returned to her Troxel family with son, Ralph Stuchel age 4 and is listed as a widow. The census indicates that Ralph's father was born in Pennsylvania. Ralph will later be adopted by his step-father, Edward Atkinson whom his mother married in 1915. I do not believe Nellie was actually a widow but had probably been abandoned or she left her husband and moved to northern Oklahoma with her parents.

On the 1910 census for Carter County, Oklahoma (originally part of the Chickasaw Nation) Robert H. Stuchul, age 36 born in PA, is a lodger with the widow Sallie Lewis Dodson family, is listed as single and is a blacksmith. He is the right age to be R. S. Stuckuel who married Nellie Troxel.

On the 1920 census for Carter County, Oklahoma, Robert Stuchul age 50 born PA has married Eliza Barbara Boggess Rector Hyde and they live in Ardmore, OK and he is a contractor. He is now 4-5 years older than the Robert Stuchul listed on the 1910 census but I believe he is the same person.

On the 1930 census for Carter County, Oklahoma, Robert S. Stuchul age 61 born PA is still living in Ardmore with his wife Eliza. He is an oil and gas well driller. He indicates that he was 21 years old at his first marriage, which would have placed that event around 1889-1890, which would match up with the Robert G. Stuchell and wife Blanch who are on the 1900 Indiana Co, PA census, Saltsburg Dist 62 listed with 5 children. This census indicates they have been married 10 years and his occupation is listed as oil well driller.

The 1880 only shows one Robert Stuchall near the right age to be the Stuckuel I am searching for and he is the son of Alexander and Martha Coleman Stuchell. on the 1870 he is listed as Robert S, not Robert E. as is written on the 1880 census. He would have been named after Martha's father, Robert Coleman.

I know there are other Stuchell males who could be the father of the R. S. who married Nellie Troxel in Oklahoma. In your research, have you found any other alternatives for me?

Thank you for your time.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

geneman1 — 2013-03-09 01:25:02Z

Thank TJ. Most of it is his.

My work is inclusive of only 3515 of the names in that database and TJ refined the information on some of those.
I never pursued that line in greater deeper detail because I knew TJ was mastering it and spending unending volumes of time on it at that time.

I devoted much of my time to the Keith lines and others who tie into the Borings.

To compare, the Boring lines include 3515 names in my database of 24,696 people while the Keith lines include 5345 individuals so far.

Trust me when I tell you the Inbreeding in these lines will eventually give you nightmares. They were almost religious about marrying into the same concurrent families and among their cousins. So when your tree becomes a vine, do not be surprised.

On my father's mother side, both of her parents had Boring ancestors leading back to the same couple in two different generations. Mom's side eventually ties into them through marriage.

Take a gander at the home page of my genealogy web site.
http://www.genealogyland.com

You see my interpretation of my Indiana and Cambria County genealogy.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

pacsworld — 2013-03-08 18:54:45Z

Doug,

Thank you so much for your reply and the link you provided! And thank you for all the research you have done into the Boring Family tree.

Mike

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

geneman1 — 2013-03-08 15:46:42Z

Virtually all of the Boring information you will find on Rootsweb is a derivative of the work of two people.

1. T.J. Shumaker
2. Doug Srock (Me)

Dozens of people have stolen our decades of work without proper citations. Especially from T.J. He had a massive database online for years which included some of my work. Last I checked he had finally gotten disgusted and removed it. But not before large parts of it had been republished on Rootsweb/Ancestry by dozens of people as their original work.

I just checked again, he has it back online at:
http://www.boringgenealogy.com/

The full Boring family you are seeking is as follows.

Ephraim J. Boring
03-03-1842 to 07-15-1914
Nancy Jane Roberts
10-30-1849 to 09-27-1947

Children

Julia Ann Boring
John D. Boring
James Kenneth Boring
Thomas H. Boring
Abraham Lincoln Boring
Harry Elliott Boring 9-06-1878 to 08-01-1964
Martha Jane Boring
Margaret Boring
Nancy J. Boring
Gilbert Campbell Boring
Katie Bell Boring
Albert Boring
Hugh Boring
Evaline Boring
Mary L. Boring
Edna May Boring
Infant Boring

As for your sources, census is by far the least reliable.
Census takers did NOT have to talk to the family to get information back then. They often talked to neighbors.

No document is set in stone. All public documents are provided by external sources and transcribed 100 different ways. That includes birth and death records, obituaries
and many of the other common documents used to create genealogical profiles.

"Marion Center-East Mahoning the centennial story" > by Clarence D. Stephenson, published in 1969

a_stiver5963 — 2013-03-08 06:02:21Z

I was wondering if anyone here has a copy of "Marion Center-East Mahoning the centennial story"> by Clarence D. Stephenson? I am looking for info on the following individuals:

Mechlin, G. W. page 18
Mechtly, Gerald L. page 207
Meckley, J.M. pages 95,193

Annette Stiver

"Marion Center-East Mahoning the centennial story" > by Clarence D. Stephenson, published in 1969

a_stiver5963 — 2013-03-08 06:02:20Z

Re: HADZIMA/KOTEK/ANDERSEN/ANDERSON

DeeCharletta — 2013-03-05 13:17:39Z

Hi - My grandfather's name was Hadzima. I am researching his family. Please email me rialia@aol.com

Re: Casciere/Guglielmi, Tunnelton, PA , early 1910's-1920's

justincasciere — 2013-03-04 05:40:50Z

My great great grandpa was Frank Casciere and it sounds like he is the one who is Carmine's brother. Frank Married Victoria Rynotti and their son Domenick was my great grandpa (born in 1906), his son, my grandpa was named Frank also, then my father Bryan and me. All my records show them living in Tunnelton, PA and originally being from Collelongo also. Unfortunatly I havent been able to find anything further past what you have found, but i would be interested in any information that you may find in the future.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

cmjplayboy1 — 2013-02-26 03:35:47Z

Must also remember not all census data is correct. I have a Jacob Fuller that in 1850 said he 60 years old in June when census taken, Same person 1860 census said he was 67 in June. same person died Dec 22, 1861 Rayne, PA at age 70 From his wife and children listed in the census can't be anyone else. So at least 2 are incorrect or all three may be wrong.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

barbdale_1 — 2013-02-25 16:05:06Z

I got the newspaper source through a library website. Go to this page, and click on Newspaper Archives. The user name is west, the password is virginia. On the site, scroll down to the bottom and click on the state you want. Then it will bring up a search screen where you can put in the name. You can also select Indiana as a city. There are many articles about the Boring family. It looks like there was more than one Harry Boring, but you can tell by the context who was who.
http://wvinfodepot.org/
Also, search this board - there are lots of messages about the Boring family.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

pacsworld — 2013-02-25 12:48:35Z

wow! somehow I missed this post until now. Thank you again so much for all your information. Again, how exactly did you find those? Where did you search?
Yes, I would love to have a copy of that photo! who knows, maybe I will get lucky and track it down one day! Any idea what "complication of pf diseases" means?

Mike

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

pacsworld — 2013-02-25 12:34:04Z

Thank you so much for your responses and all the time you have spent researching! Can you share with me exactly how you fond the 2 sources you cited in your last post? I am apparently not nearly as good as you with the research because I specifically searched for death announcements/obituaries and could not find those. Did you find them through ancestry or another source? Thanks again for your help!!

Mike

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

barbdale_1 — 2013-02-25 04:00:23Z

INDIANA EVENING GAZETTE SEPTEMBER 29, 1947

NANCY JANE BORING, died in
her late home in Pine Township;
Saturday, Sept. 27, at 10:15 o'clock,
following a long illness.
She was a daughter of James and
Julia Ann Urley Roberts, and was
born October 30, 1849 in Buffington
Township, and had lived her entire
life in the vicinity of Strongstown.
The deceased was the oldest member
of the Strongstown Methodist
Church.
Surviving are these nine children:
John, Harry and Albert New Florence
R. D.; Thomas, DuBois; Gilbert,
Hughie and Mrs. Margaret Bennett,
Strongstown; Mrs. Martha Jane
Adams, Indiana R. D. 3, and Mrs.
Nancy Makins, Huff, Pa.
Sixty-five grandchildren, 181 great
grandchildren, 110 great-great-grand
children and one great-great-greatgrandchild;
one brother, James Roberts
of Johnstown and one sister,
Mrs. Rebecca Pugh of Vintondale R.D. 1 also survive
Friends are being received in the
family home in Strongstown until
Tuesday noon, when the body will
be removed to the Strongstown
Methodist Church where friends
may pay their respects on hour before
the services, Rev. Ralph S.
Robinson a,nd Rev. D. N. Ciampa,
will have charge of the funeral
services, Tuesday afternoon at 3:00.
Interment will be made in Pineland Cemetery,
Strongstown.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

barbdale_1 — 2013-02-25 03:35:32Z

INDIANA WEEKLY MESSENGER JUNE 13 1918

Miss Elda Mae Boring.
Miss Elda Mae Boring, aged 17
years, died at the home of her mother,
Mrs'. Nancy Boring, of Strongstown,
on June 5. She leaves her
mother and the following brothers
and sisters: Mrs. Annie 'Boring,
James and Harry Boring, of New
Florence; John Boring and Mrs. Nancy
Makins, of Clyde; Abe and Albert
Boring, of Bolivar; Thomas Boring,
of DuBois; Mrs. Martha Adams, of
Indiana; Mrs. Thomas Bennett, of
Strongstown; Hugh Boring, of Belsano,
and Gilbert Boring, residing at
home. Funeral services were held
on Saturday and burial was made in
Strongstown cemetery.

If you search www.findagrave.com you can find their gravestones. Harry is buried in a different cemetery than his parents.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

barbdale_1 — 2013-02-25 03:16:33Z

Here is a death notice and obit for Ephraim Boring. The second one lists a son, H.E. Boring of New Florence. There is also an article about a family reunion. Wouldn't you love to have the photograph that was mentioned!

I will see what else I can find. I am not related.

INDIANA WEEKLY MESSENGER JULY 29, 1914

EPHRAIM J BORING.
Ephraim J. Boring died at his home
in Strongstown, Wednesday, July 15,
aged 72 years. He was a Civil war veteran,
having served in Company G, llth
Regiment, P. V. His wife and fourteen
children survive him. Forty seven
grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren
also survive Rev. Weaver conducted
the funeral services Saturday,
July 18, in the Strongstown M. E.
church and interment was made in the
new cemetary at Strongstown.

INDIANA PROGRESS JULY 22, 1914
EPHRAIM J. BORING
Ephraim J. Boring, a well known
resident of Strongstown, died at his
home on Wednesday, July 15 , with a
complication pf diseases. The deceased,
who was a son of Reuben
Boring, was born March 3, 1842. He
was a member of a family of five
children, tho only surviving member
being a brother, John Boring, of New
Florence. He was a veteran of the
Civil war, having served as a member
of Co. G, Eleventh regiment, P.
V. He was married 'in I860 to Miss
Nancy Roberts, who survives with
the following children: Mrs. W. H.
Boring, J. K. Boring and H.E.Boring,
of New Florence; John Boring,
of Clyde; L. H. Boring, of DuBols;
"Mrs. J. 0. Adams, of Indiana;. Mrs. S.
D. Bennett, of Strongstown; Mrs.
Charles Makln, of Huff; Hughey Boring,
of Belsano; A. L. and Albert
Boring, of Bolivar; Gilbert. Eva and
Elda Boring, at home. He is also
survived by 47 grandchildren and 12
great-grandchildren. . Funeral services were
conducted on Saturday in
the M. E. church at Strongstown by
Rev. Weaver, of Belsano, and interment
followed In the new cemetery
in Strongstown.

INDIANA COUNTY GAZETTE JANUARY 25, 1910

FIFTEEN CHILDREN AT
BORING HEARTHSTONE
Remarkable Family Gathering
Held at a Home Near Strongstown
On Dec, 25.
TWO DEATHS IN THREE GENERATIONS

Strongstown, Dec. 30--A remarkable
family gathering and reunion was held
on Christmas at the home of Mr and
Mrs. Ephraim Boring. Eight sons
and seven daughters, with the children
and grandchildren of ten of them, composed
the happy party. A big Christmas
dinner featured the gathering,
after which there were the usual social
diversions, and a photograph of the
group was taken. Mr. Boring ia a
Civil War veteran. His wife, Nancy
Boring, is one of the most highly respected
women in this vicinity.
Five of the children are at home
with their parents. Marcella Boring
is the only child dead. There are
forty-one grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.
In the three generations
there have been but two deaths.

Re: thoughts on contridictions between sources

barbdale_1 — 2013-02-25 02:51:22Z

I think you are the right track with wanting to confirm dates. One way to confirm parents is to look at multiple censuses - in 1880, H.E. Boring, age 1 is listed with Ephraim and Nancy as parents. There is a brother, John, 2 years older than he. In the 1900, the brother who is two years older is named Edward, so it may be the same brother, or not.
Now, as far as knowing when you were born, I am thinking the census worker asked one of the parents, and it is possible they got birth months mixed up, as many children as they had! My great grandparents children in the 1900 census have their birthdates completely switched around. Also, with gravestone, sometimes they were placed several years after a death, when memories were not as clear. The dates on the SSDI and military records are more likely to be accurate, since they were likely reported directly by Harry.
I think the numbers on the census are some census workers code, possibly having to do with how many members in family, since the other families numbers seem to follow that pattern.
I would suggest looking for an obituary or marriage announcement for Harry, or for one of his siblings listed in the census - that would help confirm you have the right family.
You can search free census records at www.familysearch.org

thoughts on contridictions between sources

pacsworld — 2013-02-25 02:35:02Z

I am currently researching my family tree and am having a hard time reconciling certain contradictory information. I am hoping to get some opinions from people more experienced in researching than me. First, allow me to give a slight background: So far during my research, I have made a specific effort to confirm data as much as possible before I enter it into my tree because I have an ultimate goal of publishing a family tree book. And to this point, I have had enough information from living grandparents to confirm that the targets I am researching are the correct targets. However, now that I am currently looking at my great great great grandparents, I really have no way of confirming I have identified the correct person other than by using information I have found in the records. The problem I am facing is when the information does not match, but should.

As a specific example, my great great grandfather was Harry Elliot Boring, born Sept 6, 1878 in Indiana County Pennsylvania, deceased Aug 1964, married to Elizabeth Dell McAdams. Now, I want to determine who his parents are. I have a 1900 census record that I found via the leaf hint. In that record, he is listed as a son, with the father being Ephriam Boring. Now, since I have no personal knowledge to confirm that this is the correct target individual, I wanted to confirm it. I know most people will probably say to simply look at the other members public trees, and I have in fact done that. And numerous other members have Ephriam listed as Harry's father. However, the problem I am having with accepting that as a confirmed fact is that those people have most likely obtained the information from the same census record (and perhaps 1890 & 1880 census records). Or they obtained the information from the other members' trees. Again, I do not want to simply copy other peoples' information without trying to confirm the info in some way.

So, I thought I would simply look at the date of birth info in the 1900 census record for Harry, and if it matches the date of birth info I obtained from other sources, then this would confirm that it is in fact the same harry boring, and therefore, the father is in fact Ephriam Boring. Seemed simple enough. But this is where the mismatching information occurred. I obtained Harry's Sept 6, 1878 date of birth from his social security death index and his WWII Draft Registration. Seems to be this should be correct coming from these sources. However, the 1900 census record lists Harry's date of birth as JANUARY 1878. Now I know people say census records are not accurate, but how does a census worker ask him when he was born and he incorrectly answers January? I would think Harry would have known his own birth date. Does anyone have any thoughts about this or any logical reasons why the birth months do not match if this is in fact the same person.

And in a somewhat related note, I have noticed some ages listed in early 1900 census records cannot possibly be correct based on birth dates obtained from sources such as graves. Again, I would think that someone burying a loved one would know the year their loved one was born. But I also would think that when the census worker asked "How old are you?" The individual would know his or her own age. It just seems crazy to me when things like that do not match.

Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions for me with regard to the above and moving forward? Thank you so much for your time and help! I feel as though simply copying other peoples' trees is not truly "researching."

P.S. If anyone pulls the 1900 census record discussed above, can anyone tell me what the lightly penciled numbers are for that appear at the end of Ephriam's name and written overtop the head of household designation? Thanks again!!

Mike

Re: Fannie Schuggert, Zuker, Sauger, "Sanger"

jim_weinberg — 2013-02-24 16:20:13Z

Lets go email for now at jim.weinberg@hotmail.com for some discussion of my relative Francis Sr and Francis Jr.

Re: Obit Wanted Indiana Messanger

spanm0s — 2013-02-23 19:40:51Z

Hi Gene,

Thank you so much. Do you think there is any chance of getting information from the original printing? Is the "Indiana Messanger" on microfiche or something from back then?

My history is in Indiana, PA and I have lots of questions. Do you live there?

Thank you so very much for your reply,
Vallery

Re: Obit Wanted Indiana Messanger

gwarner0000 — 2013-02-23 18:34:49Z

Vallery,
I have the clipping, I'll try to attach.
Let me know if you can't get it.
Gene

Re: Families in E. Wheatfield Twp

JasmineLing — 2013-02-23 01:35:53Z

Wow! Thank you so much. You have helped me immensely. :)

Re: Bethel United Pres. Church, Centerville, E. Wheatfield twp

JasmineLing — 2013-02-23 01:19:42Z

Yes. That would be wonderful! Thank you.

Obit Wanted Indiana Messanger

spanm0s — 2013-02-22 23:24:14Z

In Indiana Weekly Messanger on 5/21/31 it says "70 years ago Anna Mary Youngblood died age 84". If anybody can find that orgional obit and any information it can glean, I would be very grateful.

Thank you,
Vallery Youngblood