Category Archives: Lineage

Jacob DeCoster Jr. of Hebron, Maine

[Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of posts about the DeCoster family of Maine and Massachusetts. Eventually all the separate biographical sketches will be combined into one family lineage and published in book form.]

Jacob⁴ DeCoster (Jacob^3-2, Isaac¹) born 27 May 1774, likely Plymouth, Massachusetts;[1] died 29 July 1842, Hebron, Oxford County, Maine.[2] He married at Hebron, 20 December 1801, Susanna Row(e).[3] She was born in 1777;[4] died 15 January 1841, Hebron.[5]

In July 1814, when the British attacked Fort Sullivan at the eastern end of Maine’s coast, the citizens of Maine were propelled into the War of 1812. As the summer progressed, the British advanced down the coastline. Portland was considered to be the next target by September, and thousands of militiamen rallied to defend Portland. Jacob, with his brothers Samuel and Rogers, served in Capt. Isaac Bearce’s Company, Lieut. Col. Cyrus Clark’s 3^rd Regiment Massachusetts. They mustered at Hebron and served at Portland from September 13-24, 1814.[6]

Jacob resided, most likely, in Hebron in 1810.[7] By 1820, Jacob ruled over a household of nine members. The household included: two males under ten; three males aged ten to fifteen; one male over forty-five; one female under ten; one female aged sixteen to twenty-five; and one female aged twenty-six to forty-four years of age.[8]

In 1822, Jacob mortgaged a tract of land to the Hebron Academy.[9]

Know all men by these presents, that I Jacob Decoster Jun^r of Hebron in the County of Oxford and State of Maine Yeoman–in consideration of the sum of one hundred and two dollars paid by the Trustees of Hebron Academy in the County of Oxford–the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge–do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey, unto the said Trustees or their successors or assigns forever, a certain tract of land situated in said Hebron being a part of number four in the fourth range in the first division of lots in said town bounded as follows it being the land I bought of William Fogg beginning at the east corner of [?] and Benj^m Rowe’s land and adjoining E. Bearce’s Land, thence north forty five degrees east to Zac Rows land thence North forty five west on said Rows land thirty rods, thence south forty five degrees west to Simon and Benj^mRows land, thence South forty five degrees to the bounds first mentioned thirty rods.

To have and to hold the aforegranted and bargained premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said Trustees their successors or assigns to their use and behoof forever, And I do covenant with the said Trustees or assigns, that I am lawfully seized in fee of the premises; that they are free of all incumbrances; that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Trustees to hold as aforesaid. And the I will warrant and defend the same to the said Trustees their Successors or assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.

Provided Nevertheless, that if the said Jacob Decoster, J^r his heir, executors or administrators pay to the said Trustees their Successors or assigns the sum of one hundred and ten dollars and interest annually, interest to begin the first day of next June and to be paid in three years from the first day of June next then this deed as also one certain note for the above sum bearing were state with these presents given by the said Jacob Decoster J^r to the said Trustees to pay the sum and interest at the time aforesaid shall both be void otherwise shall remain in full force—

In witness whereof I the said Jacob Decoster Jun^r have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty two

Signed, sealed and Delivered

In the presence of us,
Caleb S. Barrows– Jacob Decoster Jun^r [Seal]
Rebekah Barrows–

Oxford ss. December 10, 1822 personally appeared the above named Jacob Decoster J^r and acknowledged this instrument by his [?] to be his free act and Deed. Before me Stephen Myrick Justice of the Peace—

Oxford , ss.–Received April 26^th 1824, and recorded from the original, pr.
Alanson Miller—Register.

Jacob’s family expanded to ten members by 1830. The household contained: two males aged five to nine; two males aged fifteen to nineteen; two males aged twenty to twenty-nine; one male between forty and fifty; one female ten to fourteen; one female aged twenty to twenty-nine; and one female aged fifty through fifty-nine.[10]

In 1836, Jacob sold land to Nathan D. Bearce.

Know all men by these presents, that I Jacob Decoster of Hebron in the County of Oxford and State of Maine in consideration of the sum of one hundred and ten dollars paid by Nathan D. Bearce of Hebron in the county and State aforesaid the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell, and convey unto the said Nathan D. Bearce his heirs and assigns forever a certain tract of land situated in said Hebron, being a part of lot number four in the fourth range and first division of lots in said town, being the land that I purchased of William Fogg, beginning at the East corner of Dimmick D. Rows land and joining Charles Bearce J^r land, thence North forty five degrees East to Zacheus Rows land, thence North forty five degrees west on said Row’s land thirty rods, thence South forty give degrees West to Dimmick D. Rows land, thence South forty five degrees East thirty rods to the bounds first mentioned.

To have and to hold, the aforegranted and bargained premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said Nathan D. Bearce his heirs and assigns, to his and their use and behoof forever.

And I do covenant with the said heirs and assigns that I am lawfully seized in fee of the premises; that they are free of all incumbrances; that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Nathan D. Bearce to hold as aforesaid; and that I will warrant and defend the same to the said Nathan D. Bearce his heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.

In witness whereof I the said Jacob Decoster and Susannah wife of said Jacob hereby relinquishing her right of Dower—have hereunto set our hands and seals this the first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six

Signed, sealed and delivered
In presence of
Willaim Sewell J^r Jacob Decoster [seal]
Susannah Decoster [seal]

Cumberland ss.—June 2^d 1838 Personally appeared the above named Jacob Decoster and acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed.—Before me,

William Sewell J^r—Justice of the Peace.
Oxford ss.—Received May 25, 1842 at 1 o’clock PM and recorded from the original.
By Alanson Mellen Register

Jacob sold eighty acres of land to his son Asa in 1838.[11]

Know all men by these presents, that I Jacob Decoster of Hebron in the County of Oxford, State of Maine, Yeoman.—in consideration of the sum of six hundred dollars paid by Asa Decoster of Augusta in the County of Kennebec Innholder the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said Asa his heirs and assigns forever one lot of land lying in Hebron aforesaid, being part of the lot N^o six in the fifth range and first Division of lots in said Hebron bounded as follow. Viz, beginning at the South corner of said lot, thence running on the Southeasterly end line of said lot one hundred and thirty six rods to the Northeasterly side of the town road, running through said lot to a stake and stones, thence twenty three rods by said [?] to a stake and stone, thence running parallel with said line twelve roads to a stake and stone, thence Southeast parallel with the end line of said lot twenty seven roads to the Southeast side line of said lot to a stake & stones, thence one hundred and thirty six roads to the bounds first mentioned containing eighty acres more or less.

To have and to hold the aforegranted and bargained premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said Asa his heis and assigns, to him & their use and behoff forever.

And I do covenant with the said Asa his heirs and assigns, that I am lawfully seized in fee of the premises; that they are free of all incumbrances; that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Asa to hold as aforesaid; and that I will warrant and defend the same to the said Asa his heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.

In testimony whereof We the said Jacob & Susanna wife of said Jacob in token of relinquishing her right of dower have hereunto set our hands and seals this seventh day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight
Signed, sealed and delivered
In presence of
Solomon Decoster Jacob Decoster [seal]
Susannah [her X mark] [seal]

Oxford ss.–June 8^th 1838 – Personally appeared Jacob Decoster above named and acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed.–Before me,
Joseph G. Cole–Justice of the Peace.

Oxford ss.–Received June 8^th 1838 and recorded from the original.
Register.

On the same day, Jacob and his son George sold an additional lot of land to Asa.[12]

Know all men by these presents, that we Jacob Decoster of Hebron and George Decoster of Canton in the County of Oxford State of Maine Yeoman—in consideration of the sume of one hundred dollars paid by Asa Decoster of Augusta in the County of Kennebec Innholder—the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said Asa his heirs and assigns forever a certain piece or parcel of land lying in Hebron aforesaid being part of lot N^o four in the sixth range of first Division of lots in said town, beginning at a stake and stones at the Southwest corner of land which have bargained to Isaac Ward and joining land of Adam Richardson line twenty rods to a stake and stones, thence Northwesterly forty rods on a line parallel with the line of William Cobb Jun^r land to a stake and stones standing on the bank of the river, thence Northeasterly twenty rods to a stake and stones at theNorthwest corner of Isaac Wood’s land, thence on the line of said Wood’s land forty rods to the bounds first mentioned, containing five acres more of less.

To have and to hold the aforegranted and bargained premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said Asa his heirs and assigns, to him & their use and behoof forever.

And we do covenant with the said Asa his heirs and assigns, that we are lawfully seized in fee of the premises; that they are free of all incumbrances; that we have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Asa to hold as aforesaid; and that we will warrant and defend the same to the said Asa his heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.

In testimony whereof we the said Jacob and Susanna wife of said Jacob & George and Harriet wife of said George in token of relinquishment of right of dower of the said Susanna & Harriet have hereunto set our hands and seals this seventh day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight.

Signed, sealed and delivered
In presence of
Solomon Decoster                                                  Jacob Decoster [seal]
Parnel Irish                                                               Susannah [her mark] [seal]
George Decoster [seal]
Harriet Decoster   [seal]

Kennebec ss.—June 9^th 1838—Personally appeared George Decoster and acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed.—Before me,
Seth May—Justice of the Peace,
Oxford ss.—Received June 16^th 1838 and recorded from the original,
By Alanson Mellen

A few months later, Asa sold his father’s farm to his brother Jacob.[13] Then, Jacob leased the farm back to his parents for the remainder of their lives.[14]

Know all men by these presents, that I Asa Decoster of Augusta in the County of Kennebec and State of Maine–in consideration of the sum of Seven hundred dollars paid by Jacob Decoster Jun^r of Charlestown in the County of Middlesex & Commonwealth of Massachusetts the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell, and convey unto the said Jacob Decoster Jun^r his heirs and assigns forever two certain pieces of land lying in Hebron in the County of Oxford, State of Maine being the same now occupied by Jacob Decoster Sen^r consisting of what was his farm & a piece formerly belonging to David Bicknell’s farm, being the same land that was conveyed to said Asa by Jacob Decoster & George Decoster by their dead staed June 7^th, 1838. Recorded in Book 54 page 250 & Jacob Decoster by his deed of the same state recorded in Book 54 page 214 to which deed reference is made for further description—

To have and to hold the aforegranted and bargained premises, with all the privileges and appurtances thereof to the said Jacob Decoster J^r Jun^r his heirs and assigns, to their use and behoof forever.

And I do covenant with the said Jacob Decoster J^r his heirs and assigns, that I am lawfully seized in fee of the premises; that they are free of all incumbrances’ that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Jacob J^r to hold as aforesaid; and that I and my heirs shall and will warrant and defend the same to the said Jacob Decoster J^r his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.

In witness whereof I the said Asa Decoster have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight.

Signed, sealed and delivered
In presence of
Sam^l F. Brown Asa Decoster [seal]
Nathan Warner

Oxford ss.—September 18^th 1838 Personally appeared the above named Asa Decoster and acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed.—Before me,
Samuel F. Brown—Justice of the Peace.
Oxford ss.—Received February 6^th 1840 and recorded from the original.
By Alanson Mellen Register.

Know all men by these presents that I Jacob Decoster Jun^r of Charleston in the County of Middlesex & Commonwealth of Massachusetts in consideration of two hundred dollars paid me by Jacob Decoster of Hebron in the County of Oxford & State of Maine, yeoman, which I hereby acknowledge to have received do hereby let and lease to said Jacob the land, being the farm on which he now lives situated in said Hebron & the same that Asa Decoster has this day conveyed to me by his deed of this date to said the said Jacob & his wife Susannah.

To Have and to Hold to the said Jacob & Susannah his wife for and during their natural lives.

In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand and seal this eighteenth day of September in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & thirty eight.

Witness Sam^l F. Brown Jacob Decoster Jr. [seal]

Oxford ss. Sept. 18, 1838. Then the above named Jacob Decoster Jr. acknowledged the foregoing to be his free act and deeds. Before me Sam^l F. Brown Justice of the Peace
Oxford ss. Rec^d Feby 6 1840 and recorded from the original pr.
Alanson Mellen—Reg.

Jacob lived out the rest of his days, presumably on his farm in Hebron. Enumerated in 1840, still in Hebron, Jacob’s smaller household abutted his son Jacob Junior’s with two males fifteen to nineteen years of age; one male aged sixty to sixty-nine; one female aged ten to fourteen; and one female aged sixty to sixty-nine.[15]

Susannah died on January 15, 1841. Jacob survived her by a year and a half, dying on July 29, 1842. They were buried in West Minot, at the Riverside Cemetery.[16]

Known children (born Hebron, Maine) of Jacob⁴ DeCoster and Susanna Rowe were as follows:

13.     i.   PARNEL⁵ DECOSTER, b. 14 November 1802; m. David Bicknell and Orrin Irish; d. 1886.
14. ii.   GEORGE DECOSTER, b. 28 October 1804; m. Harriet Bicknell; d. 21 October 1879, Canton, Maine.
15.   iii.   SOLOMON DECOSTER, b. 17 January 1806; m. Cynthia Dunham; d. 2 September 1889, West Minot, Maine.
16.   iv.   HOWARD DECOSTER, b. 19 October 1808; m. Mary Ann Buck; d. 17 August 1881, Buckfield, Maine.
17.    v.   JACOB DECOSTER, b. 6 July 1811; m. Selina Record; d. 1889.
18.   vi. ASA DECOSTER, b. 13 August 1813; m. Martha Fullerton; d. between 1880-1900, likely New York.
19. vii.   FEAR DECOSTER, b. 5 June 1816; d. before 9 September 1818.
20. viii.   FEAR DECOSTER, b. 9 September 1818; m. Samuel Bicknell and Charles H. Goss; d. 14 June 1879, Paris, Maine.
21.   ix.   FEARING DECOSTER, b. 18 October 1820; m. Silence Packard and Joanna Conner; d. 9 February 1897, Brockton, Massachusetts.
22. x.   EPHRAIM DECOSTER, b. 20 November 1822; m. Lydia (Lilly) Heath; d. 6 June 1890, Boston, Massachusetts.

[1] Hebron Town and Vital Records, 1786-1893 [FHL microfilm 0,011,030/ FHL digital film 004,255,378], image 23/597; citing Hebron Town Record, 1700-1800, 13 [item 1]. While all the children of Jacob and Priscilla DeCoster are recorded in the town of Hebron, it is likely that the family was still living in Plymouth or Bridgewater, Massachusetts, when the children were born.

[2] Hebron Town and Vital Records, 1786-1893 [FHL microfilm 0,011,030/ FHL digital film 004,255,378], image 321/597; citing Birth & Death, 1700-1900, 5:79 [item 3]. Also, Find a Grave, digital image (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 September 2016), memorial page for Jacob DeCoster (1774-1842), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,569,505, citing Riverside Cemetery, West Minot, Androscoggin County, Maine: the accompanying photograph shows a newer stone which is probably not original.

[3] “Record of Marriages by Rev. John Tripp, of Hebron, Me.,” Collections and Preceedings of the Maine Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. IV. (Portland: Brown Thurston Company, 1893), 436.

[4] Find a Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 September 2016), memorial page for Susanna DeCoster (1777-1841), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,569,544, citing Riverside Cemetery, West Minot, Androscoggin County, Maine: the accompanying photograph shows a newer stone which is probably not the original. Much debate has been made over the use of the name Morse on Susanna’s stone. She died before Jacob so she would not have remarried after his death. Two possible reasons for the inclusion of the name Morse: it may have been her middle name or the individual who erected the newer stone may have made an error regarding Susanna’s maiden name.

[5] Find A Grave, Memorial no. 38,569,544, Susanna DeCoster; Also, Hebron Town and Vital Records, 1786-1893, image 321/597 [item 3].

[6] Brig. Genl. Gardner L. Pearson, Records of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia: Called out by the Governor of Massachusetts to Suppress a Threatened Invasion during the War of 1812-1814 (Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Co., 1913), 175.

[7] See note 15 from “Jacob Decoster of Maine and Massachusetts.”

[8] 1820 U.S. census, Oxford County, Maine, population schedule, Hebron, p. 218, line 18, Jacob Decoster, Jun^r; NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 37.

[9] “Official Land Deeds Website,” images, Maine Registers of Deeds Association
(http://www.maineregistryofdeeds.com/ : accessed 6 November 2016), Oxford County, Deed Book 24: 106.

[10] 1830 U.S. census, Oxford County, Maine, population schedule, Hebron, p. 34 (penned), line 1, Jacob Decoster; NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 50. The enumerator likely checked off the wrong age category for Jacob as he would have been 56 years old in 1830.

[11] “Official Land Deeds Website,” images, Maine Registers of Deeds Association
(http://www.maineregistryofdeeds.com/ : accessed 6 November 2016), Oxford County, Deed Book 54: 214.

[12] “Official Land Deeds Website,” images, Maine Registers of Deeds Association
(http://www.maineregistryofdeeds.com/ : accessed 6 November 2016), Oxford County, Deed Book 54: 250.

[13] “Official Land Deeds Website,” images, Maine Registers of Deeds Association
(http://www.maineregistryofdeeds.com/ : accessed 6 November 2016), Oxford County, Deed Book 59: 62.

[14] “Official Land Deeds Website,” images, Maine Registers of Deeds Association
(http://www.maineregistryofdeeds.com/ : accessed 6 November 2016), Oxford County, Deed Book 57: 348.

[15] 1840 U.S. census, Oxford County, Maine, population schedule, Hebron, p. 147 (stamped), line 12, Jacob Decoster; NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 146.

[16] Find A Grave, Memorial no. 38,569,544, Susanna DeCoster. And, Find A Grave, Memorial no. 38,569,505, Jacob DeCoster.

Jacob Decoster of Maine and Massachusetts

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[Editor’s Note: I have been working on the genealogy and history of the DeCoster family for over twenty years. The following piece is part of a larger manuscript that I hope to publish in the near future. The book will cover Jacob DeCoster and his descendants for three or four generations. Please check back regularly for my progress.]

Jacob³ DeCoster (Jacob², Isaac¹), born about 1746, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; died 4 August 1830, Hebron, Oxford County, Maine. He married (intention) at Plymouth, 28 July 1770, Priscilla Rogers, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Bartlett) Rogers.[1] She was born 7 July 1751, Plymouth;[2] died 3 May 1830, Hebron, Oxford County, Maine.[3]

Jacob appeared on the Massachusetts Tax Valuation List of 1771 as a resident of Plymouth.[4] At that time, he had no taxable land, livestock, or goods.

An oft recorded tale states that Jacob “was a sailor on a vessel engaged in the coasting trade and was at Charleston, South Carolina, when the news of the battles of Concord and Lexington and the closing of the port of Boston was received there. The agent in Charleston would not let the vessel depart for fear of its being captured. Jacob DeCoster made the journey home to Bridgewater on foot. Tradition says he was nearly two months on the way.”[5] One of the Coercive Acts of 1774, the Boston Port Act, was passed by the British Parliament on 25 March 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party (16 December 1773). The battles at Lexington and Concord occurred over a year later on 19 April 1775.

Jacob enlisted for several terms of service during the Revolutionary War.

Private in Capt. James Allen’s Company, Col. Simeon Cary’s Regiment, pay abstract for rations and travel allowance (251 miles travel allowed) at a camp near New York, dated 9 August 1776.[6]
Nathan Snow’s Company, Col. Hawes Regiment, enlisted 24 September 1777, one month nine days on a secret expedition to Rhode Island, roll sworn at Plymouth.[7]
Packard’s Company, Col. Mitchell’s Regiment, 10 June 1778, 9 month term of service from arrival at Fishkill, New York. Jacob’s physical description was 5 ft. 6 in. with a dark complexion. Residence at Bridgewater.[8]
Private, Capt. Adams Bailey’s (late Capt. Jacob Allen) Company, Col. John Bailey’s 2^nd Regiment, enlistment 10 June 1778, discharged 1 February 1779.[9]
David Packard’s Company, Col. Cary’s Regiment, 22 July 1780, eleven days, marched to Rhode Island on an alarm.[10]

During the Revolutionary War, in January 1777, Jacob, his wife Priscilla, their child Jacob, along with Sarah Rogers (Priscilla’s sister), were “warned out”[11] of Bridgewater. Presumably Jacob provided sufficient security to the Constable as the DeCosters remained in Bridgewater for many years thereafter:

Plymouth SS. To the Constable or Constables of the Town of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth, or either of them Greeting. —

You are hereby required in the Name of State of the Massachusetts Bay in New England forthwith to warn Jacob Decoaster and Priscilla his wife said to be inhabitants of Plymouth, Also Jacob their child and also Sarah Rogers as inhabitant of the fore said Plymouth — immediately to depart out of said Town of Bridgewater, and cease the same, or to give sufficient security to be allowed by us not to be chargeable to said Town of Bridgewater — Hereof fail not and make due Return of this warrant, with your doings there or, unto us or either of us as soon as you can. — Dated at Bridgewater January the 14^th 1777. — Ephraim Cary, Josiah Richards, Nath^l Reynolds, Selectmen.

Plymouth SS. January the 24^th 1777. By virtue of this warrant I have warned and the within named persons immediately to depart out of this Town of Bridgewater and to leave the same. — Abia Packard Constable

Recorded April 8 1777 & Recorded by John Cotton Cler.

Jacob resided in Bridgewater as late as 1790 where he was enumerated. His household consisted of one male over the age of 16, six males under the age of 16, and two females: presumably Jacob; his wife Priscilla; sons Jacob, Samuel, Chandler, John, Rogers, and George; and daughter Hannah. The youngest son, Thomas, may have been overlooked due to his young age.

No land deeds have been found for Jacob in Plymouth County, either in Plymouth or Bridgewater.

The family moved north to Buckfield, Maine, prior to 1797; Jacob was recorded as a taxpayer on the 1797 Buckfield Tax list.[12]

On May 6, 1799, Jacob purchased 119 acres of land in Hebron:

Know all men by these presents, That I William Clark Whitney of Hebron in the county of Cumberland and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Yeoman in my capacity as Attorney to Bossenger Foster of Cambridge in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth aforesaid Gentleman in consideration of the sum of two hundred and thirty eight dollars paid to me by Jacob Decoster of Hebron aforesaid Yeoman the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge – do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said Jacob Decoster in my capacity aforesaid and to his heirs & assigns forever, one lot of Land lying in Hebron aforesaid being lot number eight in the seventh range first division of lots in said Hebron containing by estimation one hundred and nineteen acres be the same more or less reserving the privilege of a road or roads through the same if hereafter necessary.

To have and to hold the said granted and bargained premises, with the privileges and appertinances thereof, to the said Jacob Decoster his heirs and assigns forever, to his and their use and behoof forever. And I the said William C. Whitney in my capacity aforesaid for myself, my heirs, executors, and administrators, do covenant with the said Jacob Decoster his heirs and assigns. That I lawfully seized in fee of the premises, that they are free of all incumbrances; that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Jacob Decoster to hold as aforesaid, and that I will warrant and defend the same to the said Jacob Decoster his heirs and assigns forever; against the lawful claims and demands of all persons claiming by or under me.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the sixth day of May in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and inety nine.

Signed, sealed and delivered,
in presence of
Samuel Parris } William C. Whitney Attorney [seal]
Albion Parris }

Cumberland ss. May 6 1799 Then the above named William Clark Whitney acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed. Before me, Samuel Parris – Just. Peace.

Oxford ss. Received June 4^th, 1810. And recorded from the original, Joseph Russ, Register.[13]

The 1810 census for parts of Oxford County, Maine, was lost with the towns of Buckfield and Hebron included among those missing.[14] A land deed, signed by Jacob and Priscilla DeCoster in 1810, recorded them as residents of Hebron:

Know all men by these presents, That I Jacob Decoster of Hebron in the County of Oxford and Commonwealth of Massachustts Yeoman in consideration of the sum of one thousand dollars paid by Jacob Willis Bridgwater in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth aforesaid Yeoman the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said Jacob Willis his heirs and assigns forever one lot of Land lying in Hebron aforesaid being lot number eight in the seventh range first division of lots in said Hebron containing by estimation on hundred and nineteen acres be the same more of less; reserving thirty two acres the westerly corner and the westerly side of the road leading from Thaddeuos Pratts to Buckfield line also the privilege of a road or roads through the same if hereafter necessary.

To have and to hold the afore granted and bargained premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereof, to the said Jacob Willis his heirs and assigns, to his & their use and behoof forever. And I do covenant with the said Jacob Willis his heirs and assigns, that I am lawfully seized in fee of the premises that they are free of all incumbrances, that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Jacob Willis to hold as aforesaid. And the I will warrant and defend the same to the said Jacob Willis his heirs and assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons claiming by or under my & I Pricela Decoster do relinguish my right of dower to the above granted premices.

In witness whereof, We the said Jacob Decoster and Pricela wife of the said Jacob have hereunto set our hand and seals this first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ten

The word containing interlined or creased before signed

Signed, sealed and deliver
in presence of Jacob Decoster [seal]
Rogers Decoster
Sam^l Parris Priscilla Decoster [seal]

Oxford ss. June 1^st 1810 Personally appeared the above named Jacob Decoster and acknowledged the above instrument to be his free act and deed Before me,

Sam^l Parris Justice of the Peace.
Oxford ss. Received June 4^th 1810 And recorded from the original
Joseph Rust, Register.

Jacob resided in Hebron in 1820. His household consisted of three individuals—one male over 45 years, one female between the ages of 26 and 45, and one female over 45 years.[15]

Priscilla died on May 3, 1830 and Jacob survived her by four months, dying on August 4^th. By 1830, in his early 80s and a widower, Jacob no longer maintained his own household. The household of his son Rogers, a fellow Hebron resident, contained one male between the ages of 80 and 90.[16]

The exact location of Jacob and Priscilla’s graves are unknown. According to tradition, “they were buried in the old burying ground in the vicinity on the road mentioned [Buckfield-West Minot Road].”[17]

Children of Jacob³ and Priscilla Rogers, births of all but the first were recorded in the town of Hebron. However, it is most likely that Jacob, Jr. and possibly Samuel were born in Plymouth and the rest were born in Bridgewater.

2. i.   UNNAMED CHILD⁴DECOSTER, b. Abt. 1771; d. 30 November 1771, Plymouth.[18]
3. ii.   JACOB DECOSTER, b. 27 May 1774; m. Susanna Rowe; d. 29 July 1842, Hebron, Maine.
4. iii.   SAMUEL DECOSTER, b. 15 August 1776; m. Sarah Bacon; d. 14 September 1830, Buckfield, Maine.
5. iv.   CHANDLER DECOSTER, b. 12 December 1778; m. Polly Anna Jordan; d. after 1860.
6.    v. JOHN DECOSTER, b. 19 March 1780; m. Elizabeth Harris; d. 2 May 1861, Buckfield, Maine.
7. vi. ROGERS DECOSTER, b. 24 February 1782; m. Elizabeth Rowe; d. 1867, Hebron, Maine.
8. vii. HANNAH DECOSTER, b. 7 October 1784; m. Benjamin Rowe; d. 17 December 1848, Sumner, Maine.
9. viii. GEORGE DECOSTER, b. 6 February 1786; d. 14 February 1804, Maine.
10. ix.   THOMAS DECOSTER, b. 10 August 1788; m. Chloe Turner; d. 4 March 1869, Sumner, Maine.
11. x.   SARAH DECOSTER, b. 27 May 1789 or 1790; d. 14 December 1875, Buckfield, Maine; unmarried.
12. xi. MARY DECOSTER, b. 27 or 29 May 1792; m. Elkanah Irish; d. 24 June 1865, Buckfield, Maine.

©2016 Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/02/jacob-decoster-of-maine-and-massachusetts/

[1] “Vital Records, indexes (1699-1893) – Plymouth, Massachusetts,” database and images, FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 11 September 2016), v. 2 (1755-1842): 135, image 73/275, Jacob DeCoster and Priscilla Rogers.

[2] “Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988,” database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 September 2016), image 45/3129, Priscilla Rogers, daughter of Samuell Rogers & Hannah his wife, 7 July 1751.

[3] “Maine Death Records, 1617-1922,” database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 September 2016), Priscilla Decoster.

[4] Bettye Hobbs Pruitt, ed., The Massachusetts Tax Valuation List of 1771 (Camden, Maine; Picton Press, 1998); database, Harvard University (http://sites.fas.harvard.edu/~hsb41/masstax/masstax.cgi : accessed 30 October 2016), Jacob DeCoster.

[5] Alfred Cole, A History of Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine: from the earliest explorations to the close of the year 1900 (Buckfield, Maine: 1915), 573. The British closed the port of Boston.

[6] Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (Boston: Wright & Potter Printing, 1896-1908), 4: 633.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] “Warning out” was an early court action made by New England towns under the poor laws. This public notice allowed the town to disavow care of a new family or person moving into the town. Generally, the newcomers were not forced to leave but they could not expect the town to provide welfare should they need it.

[12] Cole, A History of Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine, 737.

[13] “Official Land Deeds Website,” images, Maine Registers of Deeds Association

(http://www.maineregistryofdeeds.com/ : accessed 2 November 2016), Oxford County, Deed Book 5: 302-303.

[14] “Maine Census Guide 1790-1850,” Maine Genealogy (www.mainegenealogy.net/census_guide : accessed 2 November 2016), 1810 Oxford County.

[15] 1820 U.S. census, Oxford County, Maine, population schedule, Hebron, p. 218, line 12, Jacob Decoster; NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 37.

[16] 1830 U.S. census, Oxford County, Maine, population schedule, Hebron, p. 35 (penned), line 24, Rogers Decoster: NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 50.

[17] Charles F. Whitman, A History of Norway, Maine: from the earliest settlement to the close of 1922 (Lewiston Journal Printshop and Bindery: Lewiston, Maine, 1924), 396.

[18] Plymouth Church Records, 1620-1859 (Cambridge: The University Press, 1920), 2: 400, Jacob Decost’s Child, November 30, 1771.

Michael Schiele

2 Replies

Michael Schiele was my 2X great grandfather. I have been working on tracing his descendants for over 20 years. The following lineage only contains his children and grandchildren. As several of his great grandchildren are still living, I will not be posting the subsequent generations online at this time.

As with previously posted lineages, my goal is not to tell the stories of these individuals but to place them within the family for other researchers and for my DNA cousins. The information in this lineage has been previously published in a paper I wrote for my ProGen study group in 2015. Ultimately, when I am finished with the WWII project, I hope to devote more time to telling the stories of these individuals (hopefully in a published book). I have a wealth of information about Michael, once he moved to America. However, very little is known about his origins in Germany, including his birthplace, with sources contradicting one another, using either Wittenberg and Württemberg as his place of origin. These are distinct cities in different regions in Germany. Chances are Michael did not come from either location, but from a smaller village in the surrounding area, which makes locating German records very difficult at this time. Three additional clues to Michael’s origins are: his brother John also emigrated to the United States, both men were taught the trade of shoemaking, and Michael was the third son of Michael and Mary (Smith) Schiele.

Michael¹ Schiele (Michael^A), born 2 November 1831, Germany; died 12 September 1897, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana.[1] He married (1) on 16 July 1856, Summit County, Ohio, Mary Magdalena Miller, possible daughter of David and Mary Ann (Moser) Miller.[2] She was born 15 May 1839, Pennsylvania; died 28 July 1866, either Owen or Clay County, Indiana.[3] Michael married (2) on 12 February 1867, Owen County, Indiana, Elizabeth Krieble, daughter of Isaac and Anna (Haldeman) Krieble.[4] She was born 3 April 1844, in Pennsylvania; died 13 February 1922, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana.[5]

Michael and Elizabeth were buried at Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Indiana,[6] while Mary was buried at the Bower Mennonite Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana.[7]

Children of Michael¹ Schiele and his first wife, Mary M. Miller, were as follows:

+ 2 i. REUBEN JACOB² SCHIELE, born 27 June 1857, Medina County, Ohio;[8] married Lanah Markley;[9] died 20 October 1931, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana.[10]

+ 3 ii. DAVID FRANKIN SCHIELE, born 6 September 1859, Medina County, Ohio;[11] married Eliza Ellen Storm;[12] died 26 November 1916, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana.[13]

4 iii. MARY KATHERINE SCHIELE, born 19 June 1861, Indiana; died 28 February 1862, Harrison Twp., Clay County, Indiana. She was buried at the Bower Mennonite Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana.[14]

5 iv. HENRY SCHIELE, born 3 April 1863, Harrison Twp., Clay County, Indiana; died June 1882, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana.[15] Very little is known about Henry’s nineteen years of life. He attended school both in 1870 and 1880.[16] Additionally, in 1880, Henry was disabled with a broken leg.[17] Henry’s burial location is unknown; he may have been buried with his mother and sisters at the Bower Mennonite Cemetery in Owen County or with his father at Greenwell Cemetery in Clay City.[18]

+ 6 v. MARY ELIZABETH SCHIELE, born 28 July 1866, Clay County, Indiana;[19] married James E. Hixon;[20] died 10 January 1948, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana.[21]

7 vi. ROSSINA SARAH SCHIELE, born 28 July 1866, Clay County, Indiana; died 24 October 1866. She was buried at the Bower Mennonite Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana.[22]

Children of Michael¹ Schiele and his second wife, Elizabeth Krieble, were as follows:

+ 8 i. WILLIAM ALBERT² SCHIELE, born 4 July 1868, Clay County, Indiana;[23] married Clarissa C. Diel;[24] died 20 August 1899, Clay County, Indiana.[25]

9 ii. SILVESTER SCHIELE, born 29 June 1870, Clay County, Indiana;[26] married Jessie L. MacDonald;[27] died 17 December 1945, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.[28]

+ 10 iii. DORETTA SOPHIA SCHIELE, born 11 June 1872, Clay County, Indiana;[29] married Charles E. McQueary;[30] died 30 March 1932, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana.[31]

+ 11 iv. SUSANNA CATHERINE SCHIELE, born 27 August 1874, Clay County, Indiana;[32] married John A. Schwartz;[33] died 23 July 1940, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.[34]

+ 12 v. LOVINA JANE SCHIELE, born 6 September 1876, Clay County, Indiana;[35] married John H. Yegerlehner;[36] died 25 June 1946, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana.[37]

13 vi. NATHAN COOK SCHIELE, born 31 January 1879, Clay County, Indiana;[38] died 6 September 1904, Chicago, Illinois.[39]

14 vii. ANDREW DRAYTON SCHIELE, born 20 December 1882, Clay County, Indiana;[40] died 22 January 1902, Clay County, Indiana.[41]

15 viii. CHARLES OSCAR SCHIELE, born February 1885, Clay County, Indiana;[42] married [?]; died 5 August 1909, Phoenix, Arizona.[43]

Stepchild of Michael¹ Schiele (said daughter born to his second wife Elizabeth Krieble
and James¹ McCoy) was:

+ 16 NANCY MAE² McCOY, born 16 April 1866, Indiana;[44] married Theodore Walker and Stephen M. Kline;[45] died 30 May 1911, Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana.[46]

Generation Two

Reuben Jacob² Schiele (Michael¹, Michael^A), born 27 June 1857, Medina County, Ohio; died 30 October 1931, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana.[47] He married on 8 June 1880, in Clay County, Lanah Markley, daughter of William and Mary ( Overholt) Markley.[48] She was born 26 February 1858, Medina County, Ohio, and died 11 July 1942, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana.[49]

Children of Reuben Jacob²Schiele and Lanah Markley were as follows:

+ 17 i. IDA ELLEN³ SCHIELE, born 19 September 1881, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Jesse George Liechty; died 18 December 1919, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana.

+ 18 ii. EDITH MAE SCHIELE, born 27 February 1883, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married William Leo King; died February 1874, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 19 iii. OLIVER LEO SCHIELE, born 24 October 1885, Harrison Township, Clay County,Indiana; married Clara Bell Light; died 25 December 1965, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 20 iv. WILLIAM JACOB SCHIELE, born 22 June 1888, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Grace E. Morris; died 5 July 1973, Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida.

David Franklin² Schiele (Michael¹, Michael^A), born 6 September 1859, Medina County, Ohio; died 26 November 1916, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana. He married on 19 April 1883, in Clay County, Eliza Ellen Storm, daughter of George J. and Emeline (Cooprider) Storm. She was born 6 October 1861, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana, and died 21 October 1946, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana.

Children of David Franklin² Schiele and Eliza Ellen Storm were as follows:

+ 21 i. NOAH FRANKLIN³ SCHIELE, born 19 March 1884, Harrison Township, Clay County; married Clara Emma Liechty; died 9 August 1958, Paris, Edgar County, Illinois.

22 ii. ISAAC SYLVESTER SCHIELE, born 11 July 1886, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Mamie L. Gibbons; died 9 May 1967, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 23 iii. NELLIE EMALINE SCHIELE, born 27 October 1888, Harrison Township, Clay County; married Albert Leichty; died 3 July 1968, Clay County, Indiana.

+ 24 iv. GEORGE ELIAS SCHIELE, born 21 February 1890, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Alice Harden; died May 1959, Lee County, Florida.

+ 25 v. LESTER ALBERT SCHIELE, born 12 April 1893, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Fay Mills and Ruth A. McCulley; died 29 January 1966, Los Angeles County, California.

+ 26 vi. ELIZABETH SCHIELE, born 22 August 1896, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married William R. Royer; died 31 May 1980, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana.

+ 27 vii. ARTHUR JUDSON SCHIELE, born 23 December 1898, Harrison Township, Clay County; married Guadalupe (Reyes) Ortega; died 8 July 1957, Tecate, Baja California, Mexico.

+ 28 viii. IDA ELLEN SCHIELE, 21 August 1904, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Fred J. Wall; died 17 January 1985, Coal City, Clay County, Indiana.

Mary Elizabeth² Schiele (Michael¹, Michael^A), born 28 July 1866, Clay County, Indiana; died 10 January 1948, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. She married on 16 May 1888, in Clay County, Indiana, James E. Hixon, son of Reed and Margaret (Odebert) Hixon. He was born 30 August 1864, Sullivan County, Indiana; died in 1 October 1947, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana.

Known children of Mary Elizabeth² Schiele and James E. Hixon were as follows:

29 i. ROSCOE “ROSS” REID³ HIXON, born 20 May 1889, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana;
married Minnie K. Wiedman and Theresa I. Dale]; died 31 December 1975, Orange County, California.

30 ii. FREDRICK SYLVESTER HIXON, born 1 September 1891, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; died 3 April 1904, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. Fred was buried at Cottage Hill Cemetery, Brazil, Indiana.[50]

+ 31 iii. MARY MARGARET HIXON, born 8 February 1894, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; married Cornelius Schrepferman; died 25 June 1984, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.

+ 32 iv. CARL KILMER HIXON, born 25 April 1896, Terre Haute, Indiana; married Anna Alfield Olson; died 27 July 1990, Bellevue, King County, Washington.

33 v. JAMES EDWARD HIXON, born 24 March 1901, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; married Ada G. Brittain; died 20 March 1967, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana.

William Albert² Schiele (Michael¹, Michael^A), born 4 July 1868, Clay County, Indiana; died 20 August 1899, Clay County, Indiana. He married on 20 February 1894, in Clay County, Indiana, Clarissa Catherine Diel, daughter of David Diel and Catherine (Latham) Diel. She was born November 1871, in Illinois; died May 1901, Clay County, Indiana.

Known children of William Albert² Schiele and Clarissa C. Diel were as follows:

34 i. LAVINA R.³ SCHIELE, born 1895, Clay County, Indiana; died 25 February 1898, Clay County, Indiana. She was buried at Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Indiana.[51]

35 ii. ETHEL M. SCHIELE, born 1896, Clay County, Indiana; died 1897, Clay County, Indiana. She was buried at Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Indiana.[52]

+ 36 iii. WILLLIAM DAVID SCHIELE, born 2 February 1899, Clay County, Indiana; married Laura A. Fritz; died 21 October 1979, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana.

Doretta Sophia² Schiele (Michael¹, Michael^A), born 11 June 1872, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; died 30 March 1932, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana. She married on 6 October 1901, in Clay County, Charles Edward McQueary, the son of Hiram A. McQueary and Mary A. (Armstong) Moore Sylvester McQueary. He was born 22 November 1870, Clay County, Indiana; died 30 December 1953, Rockville, Parke County, Indiana.

Known children of Doretta Sophia² Schiele and Charles E. McQueary were as follows:

+ 37 i. GLADYS DORETTA³ McQUEARY, born 30 October 1902, Clay City, Indiana; married Edgar Lee Jenkins; died 5 November 1969, Sun City, Mariposa County, Arizona.

+ 38 ii. HARVEY R. McQUEARY, born 26 January 1904, Clay City, Indiana; married Lucille M. Horton; died 10 April 1997, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana.

Susanna Catherine² Schiele (Michael¹, Michael^A), born 27 August 1874, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; died 23 July 1940, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. She married on 31 July 1894, in Clay County, John Alvin Schwartz, son of Christian H. and Sevilla (Rohrer) Schwartz. He was born 15 June 1871, Berlin, Holmes County, Ohio; died 25 September 1936, Elgin, Kane County, Illinois.

Known children of Susanna Catherine² Schiele and John A. Schwartz were as follows:

+ 39 i. CELSUS ALVIN³ SCHWARTZ, born 30 January 1895, Clay City, Clay County,
Indiana; married Margie Slater; died 28 April 1962, Elgin, Kane County, Illinois.

+ 40 ii. WILLENA M. SCHWARTZ, born 21 May 1898, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana;
married Arthur I. Lyons and Earl G. Phillips; died 15 November 1922, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.

+ 41 iii. KENNETH ANDREW SCHWARTZ, born 12 May 1901, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; married Martha M. Wesolowski; died 4 November 1981, De Kalb County, Illinois.

+ 42 iv. CHARLES ROLLAND SCHWARTZ, born 5 October 1903, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; married Miriam E. Lytle; died 31 January 1973, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona.

+ 43 v. DWIGHT ALVIN SCHWARTZ, born 4 January 1909, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; married Joan Ennis; died 31 October 1998, Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinios.

Lovina Jane² Schiele (Michael¹, Michael^A), born 6 September 1876, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; died 25 June 1946, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. She married on 26 March 1896, in Clay County, John Henry Yegerlehner, son of Christian and Elizabeth (Schwartz) Yegerlehner, as his second wife. He was born 10 October 1867, Marion Mills, Owen County, Indiana; died 26 February 1949, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. John married (1) on 6 April 1890, Clay County, Indiana, Emma Harden, daughter of Henry and Melinda (Boleck) Harden.

Known children of Lovina Jane² Schiele and John Henry Yegerlehner were as follows:

+ 44 i. CLARENCE EARL³ YEGERLEHNER, born 26 April 1897, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Clara E. Steiner and Cecil M. (Jones) Oberholtzer; died 29 July 2001, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana.

+ 45 ii. RALPH JOHN YEGERLEHNER, born 19 March 1899, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Mary Faye Zurcher; died 14 May 1994, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana.

+ 46 iii. RUTH ELIZABETH YEGERLEHNER, born 20 December 1900, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married John Earl Mutchler; died 6 October 1983, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.

47 iv. RAYMOND CHRISTIAN YEGERLEHNER, born abt. 29 November 1902, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; died 20 September 1922, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana.

+ 48 v. ROSCOE SCHIELE YEGERLEHNER, born 25 November 1904, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Gladys Ruth Foster; died 28 August 1989, Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida.

+ 49 vi. FLOYD VICTOR YEGERLEHNER, born 20 October 1911, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Ruth Louise Salter; died 29 December 2001, Zionsville, Boone County, Indiana.

Stepchild of Lovina Jane² Schiele (said child born to her husband, John Henry¹ Yegerlehner, and his first wife, Emma Harden) was:

+ 50 SAMUEL ALBERT² YEGERLEHNER, born 7 April 1891, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana; married Esther Mary Zurcher; died 2 May 1944, Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana.

Nancy Mae² McCoy (James¹), born 16 April 1866, Indiana; died 30 May 1911, Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana. She married (1) on 5 June 1888, in Clay County, Theodore Walker, son of John H. and Rachel (Emrick) Walker. He was born 13 June 1863, Clay County, Indiana; died 31 March 1892. Nancy married (2) on 27 August 1896, in Clay County, Stephen Miller Kline, son of Edward and Elizabeth (Miller) Kline. He was born 15 August 1871, in Pennsylvania; died 2 Mary 1932, Staunton, Clay County, Indiana.

Known children of Nancy Mae² McCoy and Theodore Walker were as follows:

+ 51 CHARLES ROY³ WALKER, born 2 May 1889, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; married Mary L. Ruff; died 30 June 1936, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana.

+ 52 MAE ELIZABETH WALKER, born 1 January 1891, Clay County, Indiana; married Edward N. Fouts; died 31 January 1972, Terre Haute, Indiana.

Known children of Nancy Mae² McCoy and Stephen Miller Kline were as follows:

+ 53 FORREST SILVESTER³ KLINE, born 29 June 1897, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; married Gertrude Tjepkema; died 11 January 1976, Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

+ 54 INEZ LORENE KLINE, born 10 January 1899, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; married John P. Ley; died October 1985, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana.

+ 55 PAUL HERMAN KLINE, born 24 March 1901, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; married Helen S. Wimmer; died 28 October 1994, Dane County, Wisconsin.

56 RUSSELL ROMANUS KLINE, born 21 January 1904, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; died 12 December 1927, Livermore, Alameda County, California.

[1] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Michael Schiele (1831-1897), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,151, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Scabbardfish (#4,6844,274) is clear and legible. Also, Charles Blanchard, Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana, Historical and Biographical (Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers, 1884), 438-439. Also, William Travis, A History of Clay County Indiana: Closing of the First Century’s History of the County, and Showing the Growth of its People, Institutions, Industries and Wealth (Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), v. ii, 401. A death certificate has not been located for Michael Schiele. The State of Indiana did not require the filing of death certificates until 1900. Local county boards kept track of deaths prior to 1900, but they were not always well maintained.

[2] Blanchard, Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana, 438-439. Also, Travis, A History of Clay County Indiana, 401. Also, “Summit County, Ohio, Marriage Records, 1840-1980,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 January 2015), Michael Shely and Mary Miller, 16 July 1856. Currently, no direct evidence has been discovered linking Mary Magdalena Miller to the family of David and Mary A. (Moser) Miller. Indirect evidence suggests that there may be a connection between Mary and the Millers. On the 1860 census, the household of David and Mary Miller was enumerated directly after the household of Michael Schiele. The names of Michael and Mary Schiele’s children are similar to those of the family of David and Mary Miller and their children: Reuben, Jacob Henry, Lovina, Susanna and Catherine. While Mary Magdalena’s birth would fit neatly between Susanna and Catherine Miller, an eleven year old Mary was not among those enumerated with the Miller family in 1850.

[3] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Mary Magdalena (Miller) Schiele (1839-1866), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,118,840, citing Bower Mennonite Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Scabbardfish (#4,6844,274) is clear and legible.

[4] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : ac-cessed 22 January 2015), Michael Shiel and Elizabeth Keible, 12 February 1867; citing Owen County, Marriages, C-29: 325.

[5] Indiana State Board of Health, death certificate no. 4002, Elizabeth Schiele (1922); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave .com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Elizabeth (Krieble) Schiele (1844-1922), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,162, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Scabbardfish (#4,6844,274) is clear and legible.

[6] Find a Grave, Michael Schiele (1831-1897), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,151. Also, Find A Grave, Elizabeth (Krieble) Schiele (1844-1922), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,162.

[7] Find A Grave, Mary Magdalena (Miller) Schiele, Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,118,840.

[8] Indiana State Board of Health (Division of Vital Statistics), death certificate no. 32457, Reuben Jacob Schiele (1931); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis.

[9] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), Reuben J. Schiele and Lena Markley, 8 June 1880; citing Clay County marriages, v. 5: 145.

[10] Indiana death certificate no. 32457 (1931), Reuben Jacob Schiele. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Reuben Jacob Schiele (1857-1931), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,773,881, citing Maple Grove Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Jon Rice (#46896745) is clear and legible.

[11] Indiana State Board of Health (Division of Vital Statistics), death certificate no. 300, David Franklin Schiele (1916); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis.

[12] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), David F. Schiele and Ellen E. Storm, 19 April 1883; citing Clay County marriages, v. 6: 23.

[13] Indiana death certificate no. 300 (1916), David Franklin Schiele. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for David Franklin Schiele (1859-1916), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,773,963, citing Maple Grove Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Jon Rice (#46896745) is clear and legible.

[14] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Mary Katherine Schiele (1861-1862), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,118,812, citing Bower Mennonite Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by John Maxwell (#47,998,989) is clear and legible, although the bottom corner of the stone is broken.

[15] Michael Schiele Family Chart, likely created by Gladys R. Yegerlehner, circa 1970s; inherited by and privately held by Deborah Sweeney, Elk Grove, CA. This is a single page, typed document listing Michael, his wives, and all his children, with birth and death dates. It is undocumented.

[16] 1870 U.S. census, Clay Co., Ind., pop. sch., Harrison Twp., Marts P.O., p. 16, dwell. 112, fam, 106, Michael Sheley. Henry and his older brothers, Reuben and David, were marked in the Education category (column 15) for school attendance, while the younger children, Nancy and William, were not. Also, 1880 U.S. census, Clay Co., Ind., pop. sch., ED 240, p. 567A, p. 17, dwel. 67, fam. 67, Michael Schillle. All the children in the household attended school, with the exception of Reuben, aged 22, and the two youngest children, Lovina and Nathan.

[17] 1880 U.S. census, Clay Co., Ind., pop. sch., ED 240, p. 567A, p. 17, dwel. 67, fam. 67, Michael Schillle.

[18] An online transcription of the graves at the Mennonite cemetery includes only Henry’s mother, and the two infant girls. http://www.sweetowen.net/mennonit.htm. The Mennonite cemetery appears to have been active into the 1880s and later. The Greenwell Cemetery in Clay City where Michael, Elizabeth, and several of their children were buried contains burials from the 1880s, and a few from the 1870s. It is also possible that Henry left Clay City after 1880, and died elsewhere.

[19] Indiana State Board of Health (Division of Vital Records), death certificate no. 360, Mary Hixon (1948); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis.

[20] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), James E. Hixon and Mary Schiele, 16 May 1888; citing Clay County marriages, v. 7: 147.

[21] Indiana death certificate no. 360 (1948), Mary Hixon. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Mary Elizabeth (Schiele) Hixon, Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,775,642, citing Cottage Hill Cemetery, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Cliff Blanchard (#47954981) is clear and legible.

[22] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Rossina Sarah Schiele (1866-1866), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,118,793, citing Bower Mennonite Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by John Maxwell (#47,998,989) is clear and legible, although the bottom corner of the stone is broken.

[23] Samuel Krieble Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families (Chicago: Rand McNally & Company, 1923), 239.

[24] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), William Schiele and Clarisy Diel, 20 February 1984; citing Clay County marriages, v. 8: 511.

[25] Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for William Albert Schiele (1868-1899), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,747,678, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Scabbardfish (#46,844,274) is clear and legible.

[26] Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239. Also, Illinois Department of Public Health, coroner’s certificate of death no. 35997 (1945), Sylvester Schiele; Illinois Department of Public Health, Springfield.

[27] Cook County, Illinois, marriage certificate no. 506826 (1909), Silvester Schiele and Jessie Louise Macdonald; FHL microfilm #1,030,457.

[28] Illinois coroner’s certificate of death no. 35997 (1945), Sylvester Schiele. Also, “Death Notices,” Southtown Economist (Chicago, Illinois), 23 December 1945, p. 17, col. 8; digital image, Newspaper Archive (http://www.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 22 January 2015). Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Silvester Schiele (1870-1945), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,061,567, citing Mount Hope Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

[29] Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239. Also, “Michael Schiele Family Chart,” previously evaluated in note 15.

[30] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), Charles E. McQueary and Dora S. Schiele, 6 October 1901; citing Clay County marriages, v. 11: 143.

[31] Indiana State Board of Health, death certificate no. 10590, Dora A. McQueary (1932); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis.

[32] “Ilinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947,” index, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 January 2015), Susie C. Schwartz. Also, “Michael Schiele Family Chart,” previously evaluated in note 15. Also, Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239.

[33] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), John A. Schwartz and Susie C. Schiele, 31 July 1894; citing Clay County marriages, v. 9: 32.

[34] “Ilinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947,” Ancestry.com, Susie C. Schwartz. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Susie C. Schwartz (1874-1940), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,775,963, citing Evergreen Cemetery, Barrington, Cook County, Illinois.

[35] Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239. Also, Indiana State Board of Health (Division of Vital Records), death certificate no. 17359, Lovina Yegerlehner (1946); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis.

[36] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), John H. Yegerlehner and Lavinia J. Schelie, 26 March 1896; citing Clay County marriages, v. 9: 332.

[37] Indiana Death Certificate no. 17359 (1946), Lovina Yegerlehner.

[38] Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239. Also, “Cook County, Illinois, Deaths Index, 1878-1922,” index, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 January 2015), Nathan C. Schiele. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2014), memorial page for Nathan Cook Schiele (1879-1904), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,201, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City (Clay County), Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Scabbardfish (#46,844,274) is clear and legible.

[39] “Cook County, Illinois, Deaths Index, 1878-1922,” Ancestry.com, Nathan C. Schiele.

[40] Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Andrew Drayton Schiele (1882-1902), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,178, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City (Clay County), Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Scabbardfish (#46,844,274) is clear and legible.

[41] Indiana State Board of Health, death certificate no. 334/151, Andrew D. Schiele (1902); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis. Also, Find A Grave, Andrew Drayton Schiele (1882-1902), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,178.

[42] Brecht, The Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, 239.

[43] Arizona Department of Health Services, Public Death Certificates, digital image (http://genealogy .az.gov/ : accessed 22 January 2015), C. O. Schiele, 05 August 1909.

[44] “Michael Schiele Family Chart,” previously evaluated in note 15. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 January 2015), memorial page for Nancy Mae (McCoy) Kline (1866-1911), Find A Grave Memorial no. 96,038,925, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Seth Musselman (#683) is clear and legible.

[45] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” digital image, Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 January 2015), Theodore Walker and Nancy McCoy, 5 June 1888; citing Clay County marriages, v. 7: 155; and Stephen M. Kline and Nancy Walker, 27 August 1896; citing Clay County marriages, v. 394.

[46] Indiana State Board of Health (Division of Vital Records), death certificate no. 222/1598, Nancy Kline (1911); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis. Also, Find A Grave, Nancy Mae (McCoy) Kline (1866-1911), Find A Grave Memorial no. 96,038,925.

[47] Indiana State Board of Health, death certificate no. 32457, Reuben Jacob Schiele (1931); Indiana State Department of Health, Indianapolis. Also, Travis, A History of Clay County Indiana, v. ii, 401-2.

[48] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” Reuben J. Schiele and Lena Markley, 8 June 1880. Also, Travis, A History of Clay County Indiana, v. ii, 402.

[49] “Mrs. Lanah Schiele,” Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, Indiana), 12 July 1942, p. 2. Also, Travis, A History of Clay County Indiana, v. ii, 402.

[50] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2014), memorial page for Frederick S. Hixon (1891-1904), Find A Grave Memorial no. 102,095,632, citing Cottage Hill Cemetery, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph by Cliff Blanchard (#47954981) is clear and legible.

[51] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2014), memorial page for Lavina R. Schiele (1895-1898), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,229, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph was posted by Seth Musselman.

[52] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 December 2014), memorial page for Ethel M. Schiele (1896-1897), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38,083,250, citing Greenwell Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Indiana; the accompanying photograph was posted by Seth Musselman.

Elijah Griffith Laughead

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This is the first in a series of family lineages. These reports are the culmination of over twenty years of family history research. As traditional genealogy intersects with genetic genealogy, it is important to know all of the branches in a family tree, including the female descendants, daughters as well as the sons. In the past, surname books often overlooked females once they “left” the family. In the case of Elijah’s family, the bulk of his descendants are through his three daughter’s lines: Mary, Belle, and Fanny. Researchers attempting to find DNA relatives may overlook the Laughead surname.

I chose to publish Elijah’s family first, even though he was not one of my direct ancestors. He and his children repeatedly crisscross my direct line. Elijah is a double cousin to me. His mother was my 4X great grandmother, Ruth Wilcoxon (Higgins) Harding Lawhead while his grandfather, James Laughead, was my 5X great grandfather. At least two of his children married back into my line of descent. Elijah’s daughter Belle married the older half brother of my great grandmother, Emma H. (Lawhead) Foster, while Elijah’s son George married the granddaughter of my 3x great grandfather, Joseph Lawhead. Several of these descendants would theoretically share higher amounts of DNA than predicted because of the various intermarriages.

This is a work in progress. Please contact me with any corrections or if you would like to see further documentation. This report was not completely footnoted at the time of its original publication. The purpose of this report was to document the descendants, not necessarily tell individual stories. Future revisions will address these in greater detail. The surname Laughead is spelled phoetically as Lawhead. Some branches of the family chose one version of the name over the other in the 20th century as spelling became formalized. The surname was never Ladd or Lloyd. This confusion is a result of the American soundex system which catalogs Ladd and Lawhead together.

Elijah G. Lawhead’s 1911 Obituary

Elijah Griffith³ Laughead (John², James¹), born 1 October 1840 at Marietta, Washington County, Ohio;[1] died 28 July 1911, Hutsonville, Crawford county, Illinois.[2] He married (1) on 13 October 1860, at Lawrence County, Indiana, Mariah McNabb, daughter of Manley and Mary Margaret (Fawbush) McNabb.[3] Mariah was born 6 November 1841, Lawrence County, Indiana; died 21 March 1907, Hutsonville, Illinois.[4] Elijah married (2) on 2 October 1909, at Crawford County, Illinois, Ella M. (Jeffers) Alberty, daughter of Abraham Jeffers and Nancy (Hamilton) Jeffers Dicks, and widow of William H. Alberty. Born 9 October 1849 in York, Clark County, Illinois, Ella died 4 November 1938, Detroit, Michigan.

Elijah and Maria were buried at Hutsonville Cemetery, Hutsonville, Illinois. Ella was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan.

Children of Elijah Griffith³ Laughead and Maria McNabb were as follows:

+ 2 i. MARY JANE⁴ LAWHEAD, born 17 July 1862, Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana; married Alexander Stephens; died 16 January 1929, Springfield, Sangamon County,
Illinois.

3 ii. JOHN M. LAWHEAD, born 22 March 1863, Indiana; married Martha J. [-?-] Watson Pinkstaff and Winnie M. Vance; died 4 September 1940, Melrose, Clark County, Illinois.

+ 4 iii. BELLE RUTH LAWHEAD, born 2 February 1865, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; married James Francis Lawhead; died 7 January 1947, Flat Rock, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 5 iv. GEORGE W. LAUGHEAD, born 24 August 1866, Indiana; married Louisa Delana Jennie Lawhead; died 10 May 1934, Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

+ 6 v. ALBERT SANFORD LAWHEAD, born May 1871, Greencastle, Indiana; married Anna Belle Ayers; died 14 May 1948, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 7 vi. FRANCIS E. “FANNY” LAWHEAD, born 17 September 1872, Greencastle, Indiana; married William Watson; died 31 January 1940, Terre Haute, Indiana.

8 vii. CHARLES LAWHEAD, born 1874, Indiana. He was married and divorced between 1900 and 1910. He died after his father in 1911. No further information.

+ 9 viii. ALDOLPHUS NEWTON LAWHEAD, born 16 September 1877, Mitchell, Indiana; married Lana L. Myers and Mary Elizabeth Plew; died 17 February 1958, Hutsonville, Illinois.

The stepchildren of Elijah Griffith³ Laughead (children born to his second wife, Ella M. Jeffers, and her first husband, William H.¹ Alberty) were:

10 WILLIAM² THATCHER ALBERTY, born 5 February 1873, Hutsonville, Illinois; married Clara Belle Wilkey; died 1 June 1926, Hutsonville, Illinois.

11 NORA ETHEL ALBERTY, born 13 December 1883, Illinois; married Irey S. Brodbent; died December 1966, Detroit, Michigan.

Generation Four

Mary Jane⁴ Lawhead (Elijah³, John², James¹), born 17 July 1862, Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana; died 16 January 1929, Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois. She married on 20 April 1878, Lawrence County, Indiana, Alexander Stevens, son of Jeremiah and Susan (Painter) Stevens. He was born 15 June 1857, Indiana; died 16 March 1934, Indianapolis, Indiana. Alexander was likely first married on 11 December 1873, Lawrence County, Indiana, to Elizabeth Barnett.

Mary and Alexander were buried at Mitchell City Cemetery, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana.

Children of Mary Jane⁴ Lawhead and Alexander Stevens were as follows:

12 i. ALONZO⁵ STEVENS, born about 1879, and died June 1880, Marion Township, Lawrence County, Indiana, at one year of age. Cause of death was a “summer complaint.”[5]

+ 13 ii. NORA BLANCH STEVENS, born May 1882, Lawrence County, Indiana; married Fred Fordyce; died September 1962.

+ 14 iii. OSCAR ROBERT STEVENS, born 11 March 1884, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; married Helen Louise Gleason; died 30 May 1956, Lima, Ohio.

+ 15 iv. LAWRENCE STEVENS, born 27 September 1885, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; married Selma Hamby; died 8 March 1967, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.

16 v. IDA STEVENS, born 9 April 1887, Indiana; married Martin Joseph Conroy; died June 1967.

+ 17 vi. PEARL STEVENS, born 25 November 1888, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; married Charles Edward Kelly; died 2 January 1952, Rural Union, Lawrence County,
Pennsylvania.

18 vii. BERTHA S. STEVENS, born 15 June 1891, Indiana; married Edmund John Burgess and Elmer Frank Foster; died November 1970.

+ 19 viii. CARRIE E. STEVENS, born 1 April 1893, Indiana; married Lawrence William Schweiss; died 22 September 1991.

+ 20 ix. JOSEPHINE ETHEL STEVENS, born 16 February 1894, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; married Hascus L. Gallahon and Henry Long; died after 1961.

21 x. FRANK DELBERT STEVENS, born 2 October 1897, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; married Edith F. Hagen; died 19 January 1961, Decatur, Macon County, Illinois.

22 xi. FRED STEVENS, born December 1899, Lawrence County, Indiana;[6] died 20 October 1900, Lawrence County, Indiana. The primary cause of death was gastroenteritis with exhaustion as a secondary factor.[7]

23 xii. EMMA FRANCES STEVENS, born 17 July 1900, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; married James Willis Lindsey, Lawrence Ellis and Milburn Nolan; died 1963, Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois.

John M.⁴ Lawhead (Elijah³, John², James¹), born 22 March 1863, Indiana; died 4 September 1940, Melrose, Clark County, Illinois. He married (1) on 27 November 1912, Knox County, Indiana, Martha Jane (Williams) Watson Pinkstaff, daughter of Alfred and Sarah (Mauzey) Williams, as her third husband. She was born 28 September 1846, Fleming County, Kentucky; died 20 November 1921, Terre Haute, Indiana. She was married (1) on 18 October 1866, Fleming County, Kentucky, Samuel Watson, son of Henry and Lavina (Harman) Watson. He was born 18 August 1842, Fleming County, Kentucky; died 1 April 1890, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois. Martha married (2) on 11 November 1891, Crawford County, Illinois, Francis Marion Pinkstaff, son of John and Susanna (Foley) Pinkstaff, as his second wife. John married (2) about 1924, Winnie May Vance, daughter of John C. and Celestia N. (Schultz) Vance. She was born 16 August 1882, Illinois; died 30 December 1972, Marshall, Clark County, Illinois. Winnie was buried at Marshall Cemetery, Marshall, Illinois.

The stepchildren of John M.⁴ Lawhead (children born to his first wife Martha Jane (Williams) Watson Pinkstaff and her first husband Samuel¹ Watson) were as follows:

24 WILLIAM A.² WATSON, born 20 March 1868, Kentucky; married Francis E. Lawhead (see #7 for more on this line); died 24 March 1935, Terre Haute, Indiana.

25 LAWSON WATSON, born September 1871, Missouri; died 26 April 1942, Anna, Union County, Illinois. Lawson spent many years at the Anna State Hospital for the Insane. He did not marry.

26 EMMA JANE WATSON, born 28 September 1878, Stanford, Vigo County, Indiana; married Henry Kelly Steffey; died 8 October 1940, Bond, Lawrence County, Indiana.

Belle Ruth⁴ Lawhead (Elijah³, John², James¹), born 2 February 1865, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; died 7 January 1947, Flat Rock, Crawford County, Illinois. She married on 4 July 1884, Clark County, Illinois, James Francis⁵ Lawhead (James⁴, Joseph³, James², James¹), son of James H.⁴ and Margaret A. (Rea) Lawhead. James was born 9 June 1862, Greene County, Indiana; died 26 February 1912, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois.

Belle and James were buried at Hutsonville Cemetery, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois.

Children of Belle Ruth⁴ Lawhead and James Francis⁵ Lawhead were as follows:

+ 27 i. HOMER L.⁵ LAWHEAD, born 22 April 1885, West York, Crawford County, Illinois; married Lulu M. Parr; died 14 May 1959, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 28 ii. MARTHA LAWHEAD, born 29 October 1886, Crawford County, Illinois; married Everett Bradford McGovern; died 29 January 1969, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 29 iii. GRACE L. LAWHEAD, born 19 March 1888, Crawford County, Illinois; married James Calvin Raley; died 7 March 1953.

30 iv. ERNEST LAWHEAD, born 12 March 1890, Crawford County, Illinois; married Eldora “Dora” Melzenia Kirk; died 15 December 1918, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 31 v. MATHIAS “MACK” REED LAWHEAD, born 7 July 1892, West York, Crawford County, Illinois; married Vera Opal Wilkin and Ruth Bell Kimball; died 28 August 1975, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 32 vi. HENRY J. LAWHEAD, born 15 September 1895, West York, Crawford County, Illinois; married Beatrice Alberta Henderson; died 12 February 1964, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 33 vii. HARRY LAWHEAD, born 23 December 1897, Crawford County, Illinois; married Gladys Opal Brittenham; died 31 January 1966, St. Louis, Missouri.

+ 34 viii. EDWARD OTEY LAWHEAD, born 25 April 1900, Crawford County, Illinois; married Bessie Ducommon; died 18 August 1974, Bedford, Lawrence County, Indiana.

+ 35 ix. DENNIS LAWHEAD, born 3 October 1902, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois; married Leola Skaggs; died 3 January 1986, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois.

+ 36 x. FRANK LAWHEAD, born 24 August 1904, Crawford County, Illinois: married Reba F. Kibler; died 17 October 1888, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois.

37 xi. INFANT LAWHEAD, born and died before 1900, Crawford County, Illinois.[8] No further information.

George W.⁴ Laughead (Elijah³, John², James¹), born 24 August 1866, Indiana; died 10 May 1934, Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He married on 19 November 1894, Knox County, Indiana, Louisa Delana Jennie⁵Lawhead (John⁴, Joseph³, James², James¹), daughter of John W. and Elizabeth A. (Abrams) Lawhead. She was born 15 February 1873, Edwardsport, Knox County, Indiana; died 12 April 1959, East Huntington, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

George and Jennie were buried at the Old Frame Cemetery, also known as the Oak Hill Baptist Cemetery, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

Children of George W.⁴ Laughead and Louisa Delana Jennie⁵ Lawhead were as follows:

+ 38 i. RALPH LEO⁵ LAUGHEAD, born 26 February 1896, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; married Helen L. Brueggen; died 3 January 1957, Monongalia County, West
Virginia.

+ 39 ii. PAUL RAYMOND LAUGHEAD, born 13 February 1898, Indiana; married Anne Myrtle Roberts and Alice Townsend; died 30 July 1934, Barberton, Summit County, Ohio.

+ 40 iii. GEORGIA LUCILLE LAUGHEAD, born 13 July 1904, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; married Louis R. Quartz; died 21 September 1968, Alverton, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

+ 41 iv. ROBERT GRIFF LAUGHEAD, born 16 October 1905, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; married to Pauline Kozel; died 16 July 1962, Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

+ 42 v. JOHN WESLEY LAUGHEAD, born 25 November 1908, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; married Jane P. Hittie; died 13 December 1983, Chicago, Illinois.

43 vi. CLINT IRVIN LAUGHEAD, born 12 March 1913, Brazil, Clay County, Indiana; married Carrie Edith Berkshire; died 1 October 1954, O’Hara, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Albert Sanford⁴ Lawhead (Elijah³, John², James¹), born May 1871, Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana; died 14 May 1948, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois. He married on 24 November 1894, Crawford County, Illinois, Anna Belle Ayers, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Robinson) Ayers. She was born October 1874, Illinois; died 20 July 1956, Hutsonville, Crawford, Illinois.

Albert and Anna were buried at the Hutsonville Cemetery, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois.

Children of Albert S.⁴ Lawhead and Anna B. Ayers were as follows:

+ 44 i. HENRY LESTER⁵ LAWHEAD, born 11 August 1891, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; married June Mary Hamilton and Blanche Olive Wicker; died 7 May 1965, Terre Haute, Indiana.

45 ii. ALMA C. LAWHEAD, born 13 March 1894, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; died 15 August 1895, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois. Alma was buried at Hutsonville Cemetery.[9]

+ 46 iii. OSCAR CHARLES LAWHEAD, born 29 January 1897, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; married Lola Lott, Elizabeth [?], and Myrtle (Thomas) Robbins Hersey; died 13 January 1975, Miami, Florida.

47 iv. EDITH G. LAWHEAD, born 24 December 1898, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; died 20 February 1902, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois. Cause of death was peritonitis and gastritis, at age 3 years, 1 month, 27 days. Edith was buried at Hutsonville Cemetery.[10]

Francis E. “Fannie”⁴ Lawhead (Elijah³, John², James¹) born 17 September 1872, Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana; died 31 January 1940, Terre Haute, Indiana. She married on 22 October 1890, Crawford County, Illinois, William A.² Watson, son of Samuel¹ and Martha J. (Williams) Watson. He was born 20 March 1868, Kentucky; died 24 March 1935, Terre Haute, Indiana.

Fannie and William were buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Terre Haute, Indiana.

Children of Francis E.⁴ Lawhead and William A.² Watson were as follows:

+ 48 i. ELMER⁵ WATSON, born 29 June 1891, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; married Lula Elizabeth Walker; died 24 January 1963, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 49 ii. NOBLE A. WATSON, born 27 April 1893, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; married Nancy Ann Cooper and Frona Elizabeth Shouse; died 5 April 1965, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 50 iii. VERNON ALFRED WATSON, born 15 August 1895, Graysville, Sullivan County, Indiana; married Nora Lena Callahan; died 4 August 1982, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 51 iv. ROY CARL WATSON, born 15 June 1897, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; married Marie Kaelin and Goldie Ann (Booth) Hudson; died 14 May 1965, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 52 v. REECE LORIS WATSON, born 5 December 1899, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Indiana; married Lulu Shouse; died 10 August 1964, Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana.

+ 53 vi. HAROLD GRIFFITH WATSON, born 14 April 1902; married Catherine Gerwick and Nellie K. (Hess) Johnson; died 20 June 1970, Terre Haute, Indiana.

54 vii. WILLIAM PAUL WATSON, born 18 May 1904, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; married Marie Newell; died 1 December 1929, Terre Haute, Indiana.

+ 55 viii. EUGENE S. WATSON, born 13 May 1906, Illinois; married Mary Kathleen Brooks; died 22 May 1977, Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana.

+ 56 ix. FREDRICK L. WATSON, born 20 February 1908, Illinois; married Eleanor Handford; died 19 April 1984, Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana.

+ 57 x. BYRON SANFORD WATSON, born 29 March 1911, Illinois; married Alice Gregory; died 15 March 1969, Terre Haute, Indiana.

58 xi. JOY LOUISE WATSON, born 22 October 1914, West Terre Haute, Indiana;[11] died 18 February 1915, West Terre Haute, Indiana. Cause of death was acute bronchial pneumonia, aged 3 months 27 days. Joy was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Terre Haute, Indiana.[12]

Adolphus “Doll” Newton⁴ Lawhead (Elijah³, John², James¹), born 16 September 1877, Mitchell, Lawrence County, Indiana; died 17 February 1958, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois. He married (1) on 9 April 1901, Crawford County, Illinois, Lana L. Myers, daughter of Francis E. and Sarah J. (Fowler) Myers. She was born circa November 1881, Annapolis, Crawford County, Illinois. Adolphus and Lana divorced before 1907. She married (2) about 1908, Clayborn M. Watt. Adolphus married (2) on 18 April 1907, Crawford County, Illinois, Mary Elizabeth Plew, daughter of James F. and Ellen (Salesbury) Plew. She was born 1876, Illinois; died 1949.

Adolphus and Mary were buried at Hutsonville Cemetery, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois.

Child of Adolphus Newton⁴ Lawhead and Lana L. Myers was:

59 i. SYLVA JO⁵ LAWHEAD, born 8 Janaury 1901, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois; married Vernal E. Harrold; died 31 August 1987, Los Angles, California.

Child of Adolphus Newton⁴ Lawhead and Mary Elizabeth Plew was:

60 ii. MARGUERITE LAWHEAD, born circa 1910, Illinois; died 19 November 1973, Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois.

[1] “Elijah Griffith Lawhead,” undated clipping, ca. 1911, from unidentified newspaper; Sweeney Family Papers, privately held by Deborah Sweeney, Elk Grove, California, 2016.

[2] Crawford County, Illinois, Record of Death, vol. 3 (1910-1914): 110, entry for Elijah G. Lawhead, 28 July 1911.

[3] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007,” digital image, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 25 June 2016), citing Lawrence County marriages, vol. D (1860-1867): 61, Elisha G. Lawhead and Maria McNabb, 13 October 1860.

[4] Crawford County, Illinois, Record of Death, vol. 2 (1906-1910): 73, entry for Maria McNabb Lawhead, 21 March 1907; Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 June 2016), memorial page for Mariah McNabb Laughead (1841-1907), Find A Grave Memorial no. 52,800,310, citing Hutsonville Cemetery, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; the accompanying photograph by Cheryl (#47,285,528) is a clear image of the stone.

[5] 1880 U.S. census, Lawrence County, Indiana, population schedule, Marion Township, enumeration district (ED) 5, p. 423 (stamped), p. 35 (penned), dwelling 62, family 62, Alexander Stephens; NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 292; entry for Alzono Stephens crossed out with the notation “dead” written on line. Also, 1880 U.S. census, Lawrence County, Indiana, Marion Township, mortality schedule, enumeration district (ED) 5, p. 1, Alonzo Stephens; FHL microfilm 2,259,486.

[6] 1900 U.S. census, Lawrence County, Indiana, population schedule, Marion Township, enumeration district (ED) 68, p. 12, dwelling 233, family 241, Alexander Stevens; NARA microfilm publication T623.

[7] “Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 June 2016), entry for Fredie Stephins, 20 October 1900.

[8] “Obituary, Mrs. Belle Lawhead,” dated clipping, 9 January 1947 (penned), from unidentified newspaper; Sweeney Family Papers privately held by Deborah Sweeney, Elk Grove, California, 2016. The obituary states that Belle was the mother of eleven children; two were deceased at the time of her death. Also, U.S. census, Crawford County, Illinois, population schedule, Robinson City, enumeration district (ED) 47, sheet 19-B, dwelling 279, family 283, James F. Lawhead; NARA microfilm T623, roll 295. Under the “number of children” column, Belle was the mother of eight children, seven living.

[9] Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : 28 June 2016), memorial page for Alma Lawhead (1894-1895), Find A Grave memorial no. 52,800,250, citing Hutsonville Cemetery, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; the accompanying photograph by Cheryl (#47,285,528) is a clear image of the stone.

[10] Crawford County, Illinois, Record of Death, vol. 1 (1877-1905): 225, entry for Edith G. Lawhead, 20 February 1902. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : 28 June 2016), memorial page for Edith G. Lawhead (1898-1902), Find A Grave memorial no. 52,800,257, citing Hutsonville Cemetery, Hutsonville, Crawford County, Illinois; the accompanying photograph by Cheryl (#47,285,528) is a clear image of the stone.

[11] “Indiana, Birth Certificates, 1907-1940,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 June 2016), entry for Joy Louise Watson, 22 October 1914.

[12] “Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 June 2016), entry for Joy Louise Watson, 18 February 1915. Also, Find A Grave, database and images (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 June 2016), memorial page for Joy Louise Watson (1914-1915), Find A Grave memorial no. 33,554,403, citing Woodlawn Cemetery, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana.