52 Ancestors - #53 Finding the James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt Brown Family

When I wrote about Thomas Brown, my 2nd great-grandfather (52 Ancestors #8, 2014), I didn’t know anything about his parents.

I’ve done more research.

Clues in the Death Certificate

Thomas’s 1927 death certificate named his parents.  On the line for name of father was James Brown, birth place unknown.  Oh goodie, Thomas no-middle-initial Brown and J-a-m-e-s no middle initial B-r-o-w-n. I’m in common name hell.  On the positive side, the death certificate said Thomas was born in Highland County, Ohio.

On the line for name of mother was Sarah Van Pelt, birthplace Highland County, Ohio.  Oh dear, Sarah, another common name with nicknames: Sally or Sadie.  But a maiden name and birthplace – most excellent!  Thank you, Roy West.  He was the informant on the death certificate, the husband of Thomas’s daughter Murta from his second marriage.  Was Roy accurate?

Not the Family Bible but Close

Next, I read The Family Register of Thomas Brown and Rebecca A. Edwards, married 22 February 1880.  This was a four-page handwritten record of marriages, births and deaths of the Brown, Edwards and related families.  Did Rebecca Edwards Brown write the entries?  What or who were her sources?

On the page for Births, someone wrote “Sarah. Vanpelt was Born oct 9, 1798”; Thomas Borwn [Brown] was born June 3, 1943 [1843]

On the page for Deaths, someone wrote “Sarah. Brown. Died Sept 17, 1859”; Thomas Brown died April – 1927

Are the two Sarahs the same person?

Where was James Brown?  He wasn't anywhere in the family register.  Why?

Early Ohio Marriages

The FamilySearch Research Wiki helped me with my next discovery.  The Wiki page for How to Find Ohio Marriage Records guided me to early Ohio marriages.  I entered the names of my couple and there appeared James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt.  They were issued a marriage license on 26 Apr 1837 in Highland County, Ohio.  Was the marriage ever recorded? Who performed the ceremony? Always more questions.

Source: Ancestry.com. Ohio, County Marriage Records, 1774-1993

Click on any image to enlarge.

The year of the marriage license sparked a memory of an entry in the Brown Family Register.  Written on the Births page after the entry for Sarah Van Pelt was “Susanah Brown was Born may 29, 1838.”   Then on the page for Deaths after Sarah Brown, “Susanah. Brown. Died June 19, 1857.” 

Could Susanah be the daughter of James and Sarah?

Look at the five-year age gap between Susanah and Thomas.  If they were siblings, that’s long enough for the birth of another child in between.  Given the birth dates in the family register, Sarah was about 39 years old when she married James and 45ish when Thomas was born.  Not unheard of for the time, just something to keep in mind.

First Census Without Ticks

The 1850 U.S. federal census was the first census to record more details about all persons in the household.  Congress wanted a more accurate population count for tax collection and congressional seat apportionment.  Starting in 1850, census enumerators recorded the names of every person in the household, their age as of the census day; sex; color; and birthplace; occupation of males over age 15; value of real estate; whether married within the previous year; whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, or "idiotic"; whether able to read or write for individuals over age 20; and whether the person attended school within the previous year.

I used several search strategies to locate the Brown-Van Pelt family but have yet to find the family unit.  I’m at least looking for James, Sarah and Thomas.  I entered minimal to many details on vital information, only James, only Sarah, only Sally, only Thomas, only Highland County, Ohio to all of Ohio, and various combinations of all of it.

Source: Year: 1850; Census Place: Jackson, Highland, Ohio; Roll: M432_694; Page: 252A; Image: 417

Sally was the key.  I found Sally, Susan and Thos Brown living in the household of Abram Horst in Jackson Township, Highland County, Ohio. Could they be my Sarah and Thomas Brown maybe Susanah?  Sally was 45, female and born in Ohio; Susan was 10, female, born in Ohio and attended school within the year; and Thos was 8, male, born in Ohio and attended school with the year. Six others were in the household including Abram Horst.  He was a farmer, 23, born in Ohio with $1400 as the value of real estate owned.

Where was James Brown?

The calculated years of birth of the Browns based on their ages in the census did not coincide with the births in the Brown Family Register.  Susan’s (Susanah?) age was off by two years and Thomas’s by a year.  Pretty close.  Sally’s (Sarah?) age was off by seven years!  That’s a lot.  Is it possible that Sally (Sarah) was born about 1805, not 1798? Which record is more reliable, the 1850 census or the Brown Family Register?  I don’t know the informant on either.  Besides, she wouldn’t be the first woman in my family tree whose age “fluctuated”.  And who was Abram Horst and the others?

You're probably wondering if I read the page before and after the census page where I found  the three Browns.  Yes I did.  I'm glad I did.  Susan Vanpelt was on Line 38.  She was 76, female, born in Virginia and $400 was the value of her real estate.  Also in the household was Benj Vanpelt, age 25, male, born in Ohio and an "idiot".  Was Sarah related to Susan and Benj?

Source: Year: 1850; Census Place: Jackson, Highland, Ohio; Roll: M432_694; Page: 252A; Image: 417

Sorry, you’ll have to Share

I found James!  In 1845, he and Sally Brown filed a lawsuit against Susanah Vanpelt et al in Highland County Ohio Common Pleas Court alleging they have an interest in a tract of land on the waters of Brush Creek, the home farm of the deceased Benjamin Vanpelt.  The court held that the children of Benjamin Vanpelt were tenants in common with James and Sally, and that Susannah, the widow, was entitled to dower rights.

Source: Common Pleas Court Records of Highland County, Ohio 1805-1860,

compiled by David McBride, c.1959

More questions!  Is James my James Brown? Is Sally my Sarah Van Pelt?  Is she a daughter of Benjamin and Susanah?  If so, she had many siblings.  Remember Susanah/Susan Brown in the family register and 1850 census? Naming patterns are clues.  Need more records. 

Summary

I presented this story in the order the five records were found.  Piece by piece, the jigsaw puzzle of my Brown-Van Pelt family is taking shape.  Naming and location patterns are emerging but more evidence is needed to confirm relationships.  Below is a chronological summary of research to date:

• Family register naming Sarah Van Pelt (b. 1798), Sarah Brown (d. 1859), Susanah Brown (1838-1857) and Thomas Brown (1843-1927). Unknown author, unsourced, undated. No James Brown.
• 1837 marriage license for James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt in Highland County, Ohio.
• 1845 court case filed by James Brown and wife Sally against Susanah Vanpelt et al. in Highland County, Ohio.
• 1850 U.S. federal census with Susan and Benj Vanpelt in Jackson Township, Highland, Ohio.
• 1850 U.S. federal census with Sally, Susan and Thos Brown in household of Abram Horst in Jackson Township, Highland, Ohio. No James Brown.
• 1927 death certificate for Thomas Brown naming James Brown and Sarah Van Pelt as his parents. Thomas and his mother born in Highland County, Ohio.

What do you think?  Your ideas and comments are welcome!

To be continued…

Epilogue - 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge

Thank you to Amy John Crow and her blog series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge on No Story Too Small.  I finished the challenge and learned more about my ancestors than I did before.

I didn't want to end the Challenge with just the 52nd post. Something extra was needed - like a bow on a package, a cherry on top of the sundae.  How about a list befitting the end of the year?  I have two to wrap up 2014:

Top 10 Most-Read Posts 

1. Mrs. Mary Daulton Clark Identified Using Two Key Resources (#33)
2. Ethel May Kendall Hibsch, the First Family Historian (#48)
3. Henry M. Kendall, Orange Juice in his Blood (#47)
4. John Ernest Hübsch 1838-1909 (#1)
5. James Hutson Abandoned Family (#4)
6. Ida May Brown Kendall, My Mystery Woman (#10)
7. Comings and Goings of Adam Clark, 1842-1926 (#7) 
8. Thomas Brown, Native of Ohio 1844-1927 (#8)
9. Jane Clark Brown 1846-1918 (#2)
10. Cephas A. Eisenman 1874-1946, Lifelong Minnesotan (#9)*

My Top 5 Ancestors**

1. Ethel M. Kendall Hibsch and Alba W. Hibsch: my grandparents - I just need more time to get to know you and have a Root Beer float.
2. Jane Clark Brown: why did you really live in an insane asylum most of your life?
3. John Ernest Hübsch:  tell me about your hometown in Prussia and sailing to America.
4. Thomas Cresap: how did you survey the wilderness and were you as vile as they said?
5. Rebecca Cresap Ogle:  tell me about frontier life in Ohio and raising 13 children.

     +1 Alva Leo Hutson: let's talk about homesteading in early 1900s North Dakota over a bowl of  your ice cream.

Thank you for reading  about my ancestors throughout the past year.  I hope you'll continue to read my blog and remember to post a comment about your thoughts.  Much appreciated!

 *resulted in a cousin connection!

**of course I'd like to talk to all of my ancestors but this list includes the ones who especially piqued my curiosity.

Ida May Brown, the Clarks, Kendalls and Morris County Kansas (52 Ancestors #50)

This is another article for the series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small.

Joseph Clark was two years old in the 1850 census[1] enumerated in Franklin Township, Adams County, Ohio.  He lived with his parents, Benjamin Daniel Clark and Hannah Carrigan Clark and seven older brothers and sisters.  He married Anna Maria [Mariah] Smart in 1868 in Highland County, Ohio.[2]  They had two children, Cora Blanche Clark and Ottie Claud Clark.

For 20+ years, the family lived in the Ohio townships of Franklin and Bratton where Joseph was a farmer.  Then, in 1900[3], I found Joseph, Ann [Anna Maria] and Ottie living in Ohio Township, Morris County, Kansas. 

Where?

My Kendall family lived in Morris County, Kansas.

Did my Kendall’s and my Clark’s know each other?

Yes they did.  And there’s more.

Let me rewind and tell the story from the beginning.

While researching the 1880 census for Benjamin Daniel Clark, too many results came back even in the same county.  Solution – search only for Clark, 1880 census and Adams County, Ohio.  Perfect - only eight results – much more manageable.

Found him!  Daniel Clark, as he was recorded, lived in Bratton Township, Adams, Ohio.  Hmm, why move after living in Franklin Township, Adams County, Ohio for so long?  Did other Clarks live in Bratton?  I looked again at the eight names on the results list and selected Joseph Clark, head of household, because Daniel had a son named Joseph born in 1848.

In 1880, Joseph Clerk [Clark], age 31, lived in Bratton Township, Adams County, Ohio.  He was a farmer and his wife Mariah A., age 31, kept house.  They and their parents were born in Ohio.  They had one child, a daughter, Cora Blanch, age 2, born in Ohio.  I was certain he was Daniel’s son based on proximity to Daniel, year of birth and one particular member of the family.

I gasped out loud when I saw her name!

Ida M. Brown, niece, age 10, born in Maryland. 

I couldn't believe my eyes.  Joseph’s niece lived with them.  My great-grandmother.  My mystery woman.

1880 U.S. Federal Census excerpt of Joseph Clark Family with Ida M. Brown
(click images to enlarge)

I've been looking high and low for any paper trail for Ida May Brown prior to her marriage in 1887 to Henry Martin Kendall.  To date, “sideways” searching for her was fruitless but finally, a major crumble in my brick wall for her.  Of course, it didn't help that her birthplace in the 1880 census record was incorrectly transcribed as Maryland instead of Missouri.  Well, the digitized image of the census page wasn't exactly clear but it sure looked more like “MO” than Md” to me.  Her birth date was off by one year, 1870 instead of 1869 but not really a big deal.

As to the previous question – did my Kendall’s and my Clark’s know each other?  Yes, they were neighbors in the 1895, 1900 and 1910 censuses.  In the 1900 census, the Kendall family was Dwelling #25 and the Clark family was Dwelling #32, digital page 3 and page 4.  Joseph Clark, brother of Jane Clark Brown, my second great-grandmother, was a long-time neighbor of James W. Kendall, brother of Henry Martin Kendall, Ida May Brown’s husband and my great-grandfather.

Wow.

1895 Kansas State Census excerpt showing Kendall and Clark Families

1910 U.S. Federal Census excerpt showing Kendall and Clark Families

More research awaits me as these revelations sink in.  For now I’m thinking of the lessons learned from my new discoveries:

• Use simple Internet searches; less is more
• Look on the page before and after the census page on which your ancestor appeared
• Search sideways – children and siblings of your direct ancestor

Gotta go now, it’s time for my Happy Dance.

Future Research

Pending, too busy dancing…

Sources

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[1] Year: 1850; Census Place: Franklin, Adams, Ohio; Roll: M432_657; Page: 20A; Image: 44.  Source Information: Ancestry.com.

[2] Jordan Dodd, Liahona Research. Ohio, Marriages, 1803-1900.  Ancestry.com 

[3] Year: 1900; Census Place: Ohio, Morris, Kansas; Roll: 491; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0107; FHL microfilm: 1240491. Ancestry.com. Also see James W Kendall on digitized image page 3, Dwelling number 25, Family number 26.

Benjamin Daniel Clark, Lifelong Resident of Adams County, Ohio (52 Ancestors #49)

This is another article for the series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small.

My third great-grandfather Benjamin Daniel Clark lived in Adams County, Ohio all of his life.  He was a farmer but I don’t know yet what he farmed.  He was born on 25 Oct 1815 and died on 24 Nov 1895 at age 80.  His parents were Stephen Clark (1771-1851) and Rebecca Cresap Ogle Clark (1783-1853).[1]  He was recorded as Daniel in census records.

Daniel was twice married, first to Hannah Carrigan (1819-1854) followed by Irene Hill (1819-1889).  He was buried at Flat Run Cemetery, Adams County, Ohio.  He and Hannah had ten children; he and Irene had four children.[2]

What’s My Line?

Daniel’s daughter Jane Clark Brown was my second great-grandmother, her daughter Ida May Brown Kendall was my first great-grandmother and her daughter, Ethel May Kendall Hibsch, was my grandmother.

The Census

Daniel Clark was enumerated in the censuses for 1850 - 1880.  I may have found him in the 1840 census.  Data points seemed consistent with the 1850 census for name, home in 1850 and person’s ages.  But who was the one free white person age 50-59?  Maybe his mother or mother-in-law?

Daniel Clark Family in 1870 U.S. Federal Census
{click image to enlarge)

The 1840 U.S. Federal census[3] only recorded the name of the head of household.  Numbers in categories sufficed for others in the household.  By comparing the 1840 and 1850 censuses (which had all family names and ages), a calculated match was made for my Clark family.  Danial [Daniel] Clark lived in Franklin Township, Adams County, Ohio.  His household consisted of one free white male under 5 [Edward Clark?]; one free white male 20 - 29 [Daniel Clark?]; two free white females under 5 [Mary and Edath Clark?]; one free white female 20 - 29 [Hannah Clark?]; one free white female 50 - 59 [mother, mother-in-law?]; one person employed in agriculture: 1 [Daniel Clark?]; six total free white persons.

In the 1850 U.S. Federal Census[4], Daniel Clark was 25, born about 1825 in Ohio and lived in Franklin Township, Adams County, Ohio.  The household consisted of wife Hanah [Hannah] Clark, 35; daughters Mary Clark, 13; Edath [Edith] Clark, 12; M A [Martha] Clark, 9; Susan Clark, 6; Jane Clark, 4; and sons Edward Clark, 11; Adam Clark, 8; and Joseph Clark, 2.  In about 1852, two more children were born, Mahlon Clark and Sarah E Clark, possibly twins.

In the 1860 U.S. Federal Census[5], David [Daniel] Clark was 44, born about 1816 in Ohio.  He lived in Franklin Township, Adams County, Ohio, post office Locust Grove.  The household consisted of his second wife Irena Clark, 40; daughters Mary Clark, 23; Adah Clark, 21;  Martha Clark, 18; Jane Clark,13; Sarah E Clark, 8; and Drousilla [Drusilla] Clark, 3; and sons Edward Clark, 20;  Adam Clark, 16; Joseph Clark, 11; Mahalon [Mahlon] Clark, 8; and Daniel Clark, 5.

In the 1870 U.S. Federal Census[6], Daniel was 54, born about 1816 in Ohio.  He lived in Franklin Township, Adams County, Ohio, post office Scott.  The household included wife Irena Clark, 51; and daughters Ada Clark, 31; Sarah E Clark, 18; Drusilla Clark, 13; and Minerva E Clark. 7; and sons Mahlon Clark, 18; Daniel W Clark, 14; and Stephen D Clark, 9; daughter-in-law Mary J Wiley, 24; and farm hand, Sanford Shoemaker, 18.  Seems Daniel was prosperous. The value of his real estate was $10,000+ and the value of his personal estate was over $1,800.

The 1880 U.S. Federal Census[7] was the last one in which Daniel was appeared before his death in 1895.  He was 64, born about 1816 in Ohio and lived in Bratton Township, Adams County, Ohio.  His father was born in Pennsylvania, his mother in Maryland.  He was a farmer.  The household included wife Irene Clark, 61; sons Stephen D. Clark, 19 and Parson A. Clark, 16; and daughter N. Ellie Clark, 12; and servant Jane Thompson, 16.

Future Research

• Obtain records for birth, marriages, land and death
• Find Daniel in the censuses for 1820 and 1830
• Determine the nature of his farming
• Determine Civil War service
• Determine if Mahlon and Sarah Clark were twins
• Learn more about the geography of Franklin and Bratton Townships

Sources

[1] Find-a-Grave.com Memorial #40382217

[2] Subject to verification - according to several public trees on Ancestry.com, Daniel married Hannah Carrigan on 6 Jun 1836 in Adams County, Ohio.  She died in 1854 after which he married Irena Hill on 6 June 1854 in Adams County, Ohio.

[3] Year: 1840; Census Place: Franklin, Adams, Ohio; Roll: 375; Page: 39; Image: 82; Family History Library Film: 0020158. Ancestry.com

[4] Year: 1850; Census Place: Franklin, Adams, Ohio; Roll: M432_657; Page: 20A; Image: 44.  Source Information: Ancestry.com.

[5] Year: 1860; Census Place: Franklin, Adams, Ohio; Roll: M653_928; Page: 250; Image: 495; Family History Library Film: 803928. Ancestry.com.

[6] Year: 1870; Census Place: Franklin, Adams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1167; Page: 10B; Image: 24; Family History Library Film: 552666. Ancestry.com.

[7] Year: 1880; Census Place: Bratton, Adams, Ohio; Roll: 989; Family History Film: 1254989; Page: 6D; Enumeration District: 001; Image: 0015. Ancestry.com

Henry M. Kendall, Orange Juice in his Blood (52 Ancestors #47)

This is another article for the series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small.

Henry Martin Kendall, unknown date
(click images to enlarge)

Henry Martin Kendall, son of Lewis Henry Kendall and Sarah Jane Harris Kendall, was born on 9 Feb 1864 near Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky.  He was my great-grandfather.  Most people called him Marty. 

Henry had six siblings:

• James Kendall, born 1857
• Celia Ann Kendall, born 1859
• John A. Kendall, born 1861
• Rebecca Susan Kendall, born 1866
• Elijah Kendall, born 1869
• Melvin Hayden, born 1872

Sometime after Rebecca was born, the Kendall’s moved to Clark’s Creek, Morris County, Kansas.  Henry’s father was a farmer so quite possibly he found some chores suitable for a young lad like Henry.  Unfortunately, Lewis died on 31 Jan 1874 when Henry was 10 years old.  The family remained together with Sarah becoming head of a full house of children aged 2-17.  James, the eldest, probably assumed responsibility for managing the farm.

Fast forward several years and on 26 Jul 1887, Henry, 23, married Ida May Brown, 18, in Council Grove, Morris County, Kansas. 

26 Jul 1887 Marriage License for Henry Martin Kendall and Ida May Brown,
Council Grove, Morris County, Kansas

Henry and Ida also had a full house - six children:

• Charles Pirl Kendall, born March 1888
• Celia May Kendall, born March 1891
• Henry Walter Kendall, born May 1894
• Joseph Lloyd Kendall, born August 1896
• Ethel May Kendall [my grandmother], born May 1899
• Thomas Arley Kendall, born Feb 1904

Off to California

When did Henry and Ida arrived in California?  I pieced together some clues but needed a more definitive answer.  I turned to the California voter registration records.  The early records were data-rich on their own but they're especially helpful in finding ancestors in the absence of other records or large gaps of time like in between census years.[1]

Wow, the answer was 1890.  The California Great Registers[2] of 1890 and 1892 placed Henry (and presumably Ida, Charles and Celia) in Glendora (post office Azusa), Los Angeles County, California.  The San Gabriel Valley.  His occupation was blacksmith in 1890 and farmer in 1892.  The latter record described him – 5’10, light complexion, gray eyes and light hair.

California Great Register, 1890

Or maybe November 1889.  I gasped with glee when I found a newspaper article dated 1934 - the 18 page edition of the Covina Argus was devoted to celebrating its 50th anniversary and the growth of the valley.  Current and former residents reflected on their role in settling the area including my Kendall family.  Some of the information in the article fits with records and familiy stories and more clues surfaced, namely the house still standing in 1934, moving to Norwalk. and 'four corners'.  

Covina Argus Newspaper on Newspapers.com 12 Oct 1934, page 6

The Los Nietos Years

Next, the 1896 California Great Register placed 32 year old Henry in Los Nietos[3], Los Angeles County, California.   His eyes were blue now and his hair black!  He could read the Constitution in English and write his name.  I don’t know when or why my Kendall family moved to Los Nietos.  I suspect the move was as early as 1894, the year of son Henry's birth.  Henry Martin operated his blacksmith shop there until 1905.

The Citrus Ranch Years

Yet another mystery - why the Kendall’s returned to the San Gabriel Valley where they lived upon arrival in California.  In 1905, Henry bought 25 acres of land for $2,300 in Baldwin Park, Los Angeles County, California.[4]  The property was at the northwest corner of San Bernardino Road and Orange Avenue (now called Azusa Canyon Road).  My Uncle B told me that Henry and son Charles built the barn first, staying in a tent on the property and riding back and forth to Los Nietos by horse as needed.  Uncle B said that his mother liked to quip that she lived in a barn!  (I can see her saying this with a very straight face.)

Once again, Henry set up his blacksmith shop on the ranch which likely served as the primary source of income to supplement his other job – starting a nursery to plant an orange orchard – Valencia and Washington navels to ensure a year-round growing season.   His business sign read “Kendall Ranch, Sunkist Affiliate”.  I’m still looking for the sign.  One year when the crop yield was particularly good the Kendall children received a $100 gold coin for Christmas.  A very good year indeed!

The valley was predominately agricultural - citrus orchards were most prevalent with a smattering of walnut groves.  Packing houses were abundant.  After years of being at the mercy of packing houses and shippers, citrus growers organized cooperatives to ensure uniformity in pricing and marketing.  For a number of years, Henry was a director with the Irwindale Citrus Association.

Covina Argus Newspaper 16 Dec 1927
on Newspapers.com

Community Involvement
Before his involvement with the citrus association, Henry was a member of the Baldwin Park School Board.  He was tasked with recruiting a teacher for the two-room schoolhouse and apparently had someone in mind.  Away he went on his horse to Los Nietos/Whittier to hire Mrs. Margaret Heath.  He must have thought highly of her from his days in Los Nietos -- maybe she taught his children there.  My grandmother was one of her first pupils in 1906.  Years later, Mrs. Heath was Uncle B’s teacher.

Excerpt from profile of Mrs. Heath from
1951 Alumni Bulletin, Indiana Teacher's College

Two other boards of directors occupied his attention:  the First National Bank of Baldwin Park and the Baldwin Park Water Company.  Newspaper accounts indicate he was a member of the water board for at least three years.

Covina Argus Newspaper 10 Jan 1914
from Newspapers.com

The Shack

Was Henry lured to sand and surf for relaxation?  Only 30 miles from the ranch lay the ocean; that's via today's highways and cars.  Before WWII, he and his sons built “the shack” and a one bedroom house in front of it in Seal Beach, Los Angeles County, California.  It may have been on Dolphin Street, off Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) near the railroad tracks, a block from the beach.  Ida lived there for awhile after Henry died.   Her grandson Robert M. Hibsch lived with her from 1941-1943.  He looked out for her after work and before he entered military service.  Oh, to have the house in the family today.  Home values there now are over a half million dollars.

Thirty-Two Years Later

My great-grandfather was part of the burgeoning years of the citrus industry in the San Gabriel Valley for over three decades.   He made a mark in his community through involvement.  This quiet-unassuming man died[5] of leukemia on 14 May 1937 at age 73 and was buried in Glendora, Los Angeles County, California at Oakdale Memorial Park.  Awhile later, Charles sold the ranch property for his mother who moved to a house on Virginia Street in Covina.  The new owner razed the structures and built an ice skating rink where my cousins skated a number of times.  The property was sold again and is currently unoccupied. 

Obituary, Henry Martin Kendall published 21 May 1937
in the Covina Argus Newspaper on Newspapers.com

Future Research

• Obtain records for birth, death, properties, boards and associations
• Learn more about Alosta and boundaries for Baldwin Park, Covina, and Irwindale
• Learn more about boundaries for Los Nietos, Whittier and Norwalk 
• Obtain photos of Alosta, citrus ranch house and the Seal Beach shack
• Research Henry's children, neighbors and associates for more insight
• Learn more about blackmithing in the valley; what Henry made  

Sources

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[1] California voter registration records help locate most male citizens between the years of the federal censuses. The first voter registration records were county poll lists. Although poll lists were required by law after 1850, the earliest records are incomplete. In 1866, poll lists were replaced by voter registers known as the Great Registers. Each voter was required to register with the county clerk, giving his full name, age, state or country of birth, occupation, and address.  Subsequent registers included a physical description of the voter. FamilySearch Wiki

[2] California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 23; FHL Roll Number: 976932; Ancestry.com. 

[3] West Whittier-Los Nietos is a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, near the San Gabriel River and the San Gabriel River Freeway (605 Fwy.). Wikipedia 

[4] Interview with Charles P. Kendall in 1936 published in the Covina Argus newspaper.

[5] Obituary, Covina Argus newspaper, 21 May 1937.  Newspapers.com 

Brown, Clark and Hibsch, my Veteran Ancestors (52 Ancestors #40)

This is another article for the series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small.

By United States Department of Veterans Affairs;
Veterans Day National Committee
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Happy Veteran's Day to my ancestors about whom I've already written and one who will soon be profiled. They served their country well in several wars.

• Thomas Brown, my second great-grandfather, from Highland County, Ohio, served in the Civil War.
• Adam Clark, my second great-uncle, from Adams County, Ohio, served in the Civil War.
• Herman August Hibsch, my second great uncle, from Los Angeles County, California, served in the Spanish American War.
• Robert Martin Hibsch, my father, from Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, served in WWII.
• Alba William Hibsch, my grandfather, from Los Angeles County, California, served in WWI.

I offer a special tip of the hat to my uncle and brothers who are also honored veterans of the Korean War, Vietnam, and the Iraqi Wars.

Thankfully, they all returned home.

Joseph D. Brown, Ohio Farmer with Low Profile - Ancestor #36

This is another article for the series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small.

Joseph Daniel Brown was the first child born to Thomas Brown and Jane Clark Brown in December of 1867, possibly in Adams County, Ohio.  By 1880, Joseph was living with his father and step-mother, Rebecca Ann Edwards Brown, in Wilson Township, Clinton County, Ohio.  He had two younger sisters, Ida May Brown Kendall and Hannah Ellen Brown Ballenger but they were not in the household.

Marriage record for Joseph D. Brown and Eva Belle Allen, 1899

Joseph was 31 years old when he married 25 year old Eva Belle Allen on 15 Feb 1899 in Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio.   For the duration of their marriage, they lived in Turtle Creek Township, Warren County, Ohio.  Joseph was a farmer on a rented farm, Eva kept house.  No record of children has been found.

On 16 Jun 1919, Joseph died of pulmonary tuberculosis.  He was buried in Lebanon Cemetery in Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio, Plot: Section H.  Joseph was my third great uncle.

This can’t be the end of Joseph’s story.  I still have questions.  Where was three year old Joseph in 1870?  Did he have any interaction with his sisters?  Did he really not have any children?  Was he in the local newspaper?  There must be more records to be found.  Sigh.

Sources
1880, 1900, 1910 censuses
Marriage record on Ancestry.com
Death certificate courtesy of Steven Trudgeon Family Tree
Burial on Find-a-Grave
Steve Morse Relationship Calculator

Mrs. Mary Daulton Clark Identified Using Two Key Resources - Ancestor #33

This is another article for the series "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks", a challenge by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small.

Using City Directories and the Census to Identify Relationships

The Covina Argus[1] newspaper is a treasure trove for stories about my ancestors who settled in the San Gabriel Valley of southern California.  Most prevalent were stories about my Kendall family which may not be so serendipitous.[2] 

On the 16^th of November 1917 one snippet in the social column caught my eye:

Source: Covina Argus on newspaperarchive.com

“Mrs. Kendall” was my great-grandmother, Ida May Brown Kendall.   I've written previously about what a mystery her life is to me prior to her marriage to Henry Martin Kendall.  Consequently, any hint of her interaction with others, especially people with the surname Brown or Kendall, gives me hope of discovering details of her early life.  Bonus point if Ohio was mentioned.

Abundant Clues

Here’s a list of clues I gleaned from this two-sentence news item:

1. Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Kendall lived on Orange Avenue in November 1917
2. Mrs. Mary Clark had a daughter named Miss Daisy Clark.
3. Daisy Clark was not married.
4. The Clarks arrived on Wednesday.
5. The Clarks were from Cincinnati, Ohio.
6. The Clarks were visiting “relatives”.
7. Mrs. Clark was Mrs. Kendall’s cousin.

Did I miss anything? 

What My Existing Records Show

·        Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Kendall lived on Orange Avenue in 1917.

·        “Mrs. Kendall”, nee Ida May Brown, was the daughter of Jane Clark and Thomas Brown.

·        Jane Clark’s father was Daniel Clark, second wife was Irena, and they lived in Adams County, Ohio.

The Big Question

Based on what I already know, I think this news snippet is worthy of further research. So, who was Mrs. Mary Clark and her daughter Daisy and how were they related to “Mrs. Kendall”.  Was Mrs. Mary Clark married or a widow?  Sometimes, newspapers would refer to a widow at Mrs. “Her Given First Name” followed by “Her Married Last Name” such as Mrs. Mary Clark.   I’ll need to verify all of this information.  Sorry Uncle Louie, just because you’re the newspaper publisher doesn't necessarily equate to accuracy.

City Directory Search

I like using city directories so that’s where I focused my initial search on Ancestry.com -- Mary Clark; lived in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio (filter set to county and nearby counties); keyword Daisy.  There were way too many results – Mary Clark was just too common of a name without more search criteria which I didn't have.  Switching the search to Daisy Clark with keyword Mary Clark was more promising.    The chart below shows the results for years 1917-1924.

  

Year	Names/Listing	Town
1917[3]	Clark, Daisy B. res. 2367 Norwood Av ------ Grant, blacksmith, res. (Mary)	Norwood
1919[4]	Clark, Daisy D. res. 2367 Norwood Av ------ Grant U. blacksmith, res. (Mary E.) ------ Mrs. Mary E., furnished rooms, res same	Norwood
1922[5]	Clark, Daisy, machine operator,  res. 2367 Norwood Av ------ Grant V. blacksmith, res. (Mary E.)	Norwood
1924[6]	Clark, Daisy B. forelady,  res. 5420 Carthage Av ------ Grant, blacksmith, res. (Mary E.)	Norwood

Now, my working assumption based on the city directory results was that Mrs. Mary Clark was not a widow but married to Grant Clark at the time of the newspaper article and that their daughter was Daisy B or D. Clark.  Note Grant’s middle initial in 1919 and 1922, and his occupation.  The next step is to determine whether there’s a relationship between Grant Clark and Jane Clark Brown, the mother of Ida May Brown Kendall.

Census Search
The census was just the resource I needed to establish a relationship between Grant, Mary and Daisy Clark, their residence and his occupation for comparison to the city directory listings.  The census search was extensive in order to reach Jane Clark’s parents.  Below are the findings from 1860-1930:

Year	Household	Location
1930[7]	Clark, Grant: head, born 1869, Ohio. age 61, blacksmith -------- Mary, wife, age 58	Cincinnati, Ohio
1920[8]	Clark, Grant: head, born 1869, Ohio. Age 51, blacksmith -------- Mary E. Clark, wife, age 49 -------- Daisy D. Clark, age 24, daughter Abernathy, Charles, age 47, lodger Wieman, John R., age 54, lodger	Norwood Twp Ward 4, Hamilton, Ohio
1910[9]	Clark, Grant U. S.: head, born 1870, Ohio, age 40, blacksmith -------- May [Mary] E., wife, age 38 -------- Icie M., daughter, age 17 -------- Daisy D., daughter, age 14	Cincinnati Ward 23, Hamilton, Ohio
1900[10]	Clark, Gray [Grant]: head, age 31, born Dec 1868, farmer -------- Mary, wife, age 30 -------- Icy M., daughter, age 7 -------- Daisy D., daughter, age 6, born May 1894 Daulton, Syvilla, mother-in-law, age 61	Huntington, Brown, Ohio
1890	Not found
1880[11]	Clark, Edward: head, laborer, born 1840, age 40 -------- Jane Clark, mother, age 30 -------- Mary Clark, daughter, age 14 -------- Grant, son, born 1869, age 11 -------- Raymond, son, age 8 -------- Nannie Clark, daughter, age 5	Jackson, Highland, Ohio
1870[12]	Clark, Edward C: head, age 29 , -------- Sarah J Clark, wife, age 22 -------- Mary E Clark, age 4 -------- W [U] Grant, age 2	Scott, Adams, Ohio
1860[13]	Clark, David [Daniel]: head, age 44 -------- Irena, wife, age 40 -------- Mary, daughter, age 23 -------- Adah, daughter, age 21 -------- Edward, son, age 20 -------- Martha, age 18 -------- Adam, age 16 -------- Jane, age 13 -------- Joseph, age 11 -------- Mahalon, age 8 -------- Sarah E, age 8 -------- Daniel, age 5 -------- Drousilla, age 3	Franklin, Adams, Ohio

Analysis

The city directories showed that Grant, his wife Mary and Daisy lived at the same addresses.  Grant was a blacksmith on each listing.  Grant’s middle initial was U or V.  Mary’s middle initial was E on three of the four listings.  Daisy’s middle initial was D or B.

The 1900-1930 censuses showed that Grant and Mary were married, Daisy was one of their daughters and they lived in Cincinnati (of which Norwood was a suburb) from 1910-1930.  Grant was a blacksmith during this period.  His middle initial was U or U S on a couple censuses.  Mary’s middle initial was E on the 1910 and 1920 census.  Daisy’s middle initial was D on the census years 1900, 1910 and 1920.

The 1860 census showed that Daniel Clark had several children, including Jane (my great-great grandmother) and her brother Edward.  The 1870 census showed that Edward was married and had a son named Grant with middle initial U.[14]   

Conclusion

City directory and census research results have reasonably convinced me that Mrs. Mary Clark was Mrs. Kendall’s cousin by marriage.  Mrs. Clark had a daughter named Daisy and they lived in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1917 at the time of their visit with Mrs. Kendall.   Mary Clark was married to Grant U. Clark, whose father was Edward Clark and one of Edward’s sisters was Jane Clark.  Jane Clark married Thomas Brown and one of their daughters was Ida May Brown Kendall. 

Grant Clark was Mrs. Kendall’s first cousin (blood relative).[15]  Uncle Louie’s newspaper article in 1917 was accurate.  I won’t pick at the absence of the precise cousin relationship – that only matters in genealogical research.

The visit by Mary and Daisy Clark intrigued me.  It inferred a level of interaction by my great-grandmother with her cousin Grant and Uncle Edward Clark.  Could one of the descendants of Edward or Grant hold more clues about who raised her after her parents were divorced?  More threads for future research.

I sure hope I'm related to someone reading the many names in this post.  Whether you are or not, add a Comment below or send me an email by clicking on the Contact Me tab above.  Thanks!

Sources

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[1] Digitized editions of the Covina Argus newspaper included available on Newspapers.com.  The article of this posting was on newspaperarchive.com.

[2] Know that my grandma Ethel May Kendall was married to Alba Hibsch whose mother’s (Martha Bashor Hibsch) sister (Cordelia Bashor), was married to the publisher, James Lewis Matthews.

[3] Year 1917 - Publication Title: Norwood, Ohio, City Directory, 1917; Publisher: Williams; Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[4] Year 1919 - Publication Title: Norwood, Ohio, City Directory, 1919; Publisher: Williams; Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[5] Year 1922 - Publication Title: Norwood, Ohio, City Directory, 1922; Publisher: Williams; Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[6] Year 1924 - Publication Title: Norwood, Ohio, City Directory, 1924; Publisher: Williams; Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[7] Year: 1930; Census Place: Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio; Roll: 1806; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0411; Image: 671.0; FHL microfilm: 2341540.

[8] Year: 1920; Census Place: Norwood Ward 4, Hamilton, Ohio; Roll: T625_1395; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 473; Image: 1177.

[9] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cincinnati Ward 23, Hamilton, Ohio; Roll: T624_1194; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 0268; FHL microfilm: 1375207.

[10] Year: 1900; Census Place: Huntington, Brown, Ohio; Roll: 1242; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 0009; FHL microfilm: 1241242.

[11] Year: 1880; Census Place: Jackson, Highland, Ohio; Roll: 1033; Family History Film: 1255033; Page: 335A; Enumeration District: 044; Image: 0050.

[12] Year: 1870; Census Place: Scott, Adams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1167; Page: 183A; Image: 372; Family History Library Film: 552666.

[13] Year: 1860; Census Place: Franklin, Adams, Ohio; Roll: M653_928; Page: 250; Image: 495; Family History Library Film: 803928.

[14] The transcriber identified the middle initial as W but I think it's U and submitted a correction to Ancestry.com.

[15] Relationship Calculator by Steve Morse  http://stevemorse.org/relation/calculator.html