b. 1800

William Knapp b. 1809

/ Kirstin Miller

Update Winter 2020 William Knapp is most likely NOT the grandfather of William Cable. A marriage record for Violetta Cable lists Eliza Frey as mom. Violetta was the youngest child of Jonathan Cable, so Eliza Frey Cable is probably the mother of all the Cable kids. Census records show Charlotte Knapp and Eliza Frey about evenly as he mom, but the 1908 marriage record is most likely correct with Eliza Frey, first wife of Jonathan Cable as mom of the William Cable and siblings.

William Knapp b. 1809, dad of Charlotte Cable, 2nd wife of Jonathan Cable.

William is the father of Charlotte Knapp who is probably  NOT the mother of William Cable. William Knapp was born in New York and married Rhoda Bower at age 20. William and Rhoda lived in Orange County, New York until about 1849, when they left for Dane County, Wisconsin where Rhoda’s brothers and sisters had settled. Rhoda died soon after arriving in Dane, Wisconsin in 1850. The Knapp children were in their teens and 20s when their mom died. William may have drifted or may have stayed in Wisconsin with the Bowers.

In 1864 William enlisted as a private in the 129th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K. The 129th was right there in Atlanta September of 1864 when the city was burned then occupied by the troops. William was a Union soldier until June, 1865 and fought battles in Kentucky, Tennessee, Atlanta and Raleigh, North Carolina.

William’s next residence record is the 1880 US census, he’s in Charles City, Iowa a gardener living on his own. Five years later the Iowa 1885 census shows him living with his daughter Charlotte Knapp Cable and family including grandson William Cable. William’s final home was in Marshalltown, Iowa in what was then the Iowa Soldiers Home. He may have lived in one of the small cottages. William died at age 79 on January 1, 1889 and is buried at the Iowa Veterans Home Cemetery.

Sources: Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1879-1903 at Ancestry; Civil War soldiers and sailors system (CWSS) at National Parks Service.

Charlotte Knapp b.1831

/ Kirstin Miller

Charlotte Knapp was probably the mother of William Cable so probably 2nd great grandmother.

Charlotte’s husband Jonathan Cable was definitely the father of William Cable, who was father of Gladys Cable. Jonathan was married first to Eliza, after her death he married Charlotte. Jonathan and Eliza were definitely the parents of John Cable, John’s death certificate proves this. The mother of the younger Cable children Chancey, William, Sarah and Violetta is not definite. Most likely Chancey’s mom was Eliza and Charlotte Knapp was the mom of William, Violetta and Sarah. No records prove this, on some records William’s mother is Eliza, on others his mother is Charlotte.

If Charlotte Knapp is the mother of William Cable, his ancestors go all the way back to the 1630s Winthrop Fleet, 11 ships that sailed from England to America.

For sure Charlotte was born in New York around 1831 and married a first husband. Then as a single woman (widowed, divorced) she joined her brothers and sisters in Dane County, Wisconsin where around 1850 she married William Cable, there is no marriage source. In 1870 Jonathan age 60, Charlotte age 36, Chancey age 20, William age 18, Sarah age 15 and Violetta age 13 live in Pleasant Grove, Floyd County, Iowa.

Charlotte and Jonathan were Methodists and helped get a church started in Pleasant Grove in the summer of 1867. “A gentleman named Swan … was the first preacher during the summer of 1867. The next summer Methodists of Charles City sent one of their local preachers … at the first meeting there were about fifteen present, including Jonathan Cable’s family. Link to History of Floyd County, Iowa on HathiTrust

In 1885 Charlotte’s dad William Knapp lived with the Cable family. Cable, Jonathan, Charlotte, William and William Knapp screenshot1885 Floyd, Pleasant Grove, Iowa the Iowa census, Cable, Jonathan, Charlotte, William and William Knapp screenshot.

Charlotte most likely died in Chicago on June 2, 1899 and is buried in Dane, Wisconsin near her brothers, sisters and mom, Rhoda Bowers in a tiny, very rural cemetery in the middle of cornfields, link to Google maps location. Her husband Jonathan Cable’s death and burial info are unknown.

 

Catharina Renistra b. 1820

/ Kirstin Miller

Catharina Renistra 3rd great grandmother on RootsMagic tree
Catharina was born the 20th of September 1820 in Harlingen, Friesland, Netherlands.

In 1846 Garbrand Roos crossed the Wadden Sea and married Catharina in Harlingen where their oldest son Jan was born in 1847. The family sailed to New York arriving on August 18, 1862 then went on to Freeport, Illinois where youngest son Johann was born: Johann, father of George Roose, father of Stanley Roose. By 1870 the family was in Iowa, first Grundy then Butler County. They owned land and farmed. Catharina was a widow in 1888 and on the 1900 census she is 78, head of household, living in Butler County. Her occupation was a capitalist: Persons living on income from land, stocks, etc., were to be reported as “Capitalist.” Her income was from farm land.  Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS).

Renistra, Catherina headstone snapshot

This summer, I searched for Catharina’s headstone at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Aplington, Iowa. Catharina’s husband, sons, a daughter, grandchildren all were buried in the cemetery but there was no record or photo of Catharina’s headstone. It turned out Catharina shared a headstone with her husband, her hame, birth and death dates on the alternate side, just not photographed or documented.

Sources

  • Netherlands marriages 1565-1892 database at Family Search

  • New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 at Ancestry

  • Iowa deaths and burials 1850-1990 database at Family Search

  • 1900 United States Federal Census at Ancestry

Lulu Stewart b. 1870

/ Kirstin Miller

Lulu Stewart 1st cousin 3 times removed or 3 generations away on RootsMagic tree

Lulu was born in Shell Rock Iowa in 1870 the youngest child of John and Martha Graham Stewart who were both born in Pennsylvania. In 1894 Lulu married Daniel Zahniser, also of Pennsylvania. They married in Shell Rock and were living in Mercer, Pennsylvania by 1900 and had at least one child. Daniel was a a bank teller, Lulu managed the home.

 

Lulu Stewart
The Overlook, a Historical Postcard

In her later years or months Lulu lived at The Overlook in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. The Overlook Sanitarium was founded by Dr. Elizabeth McLaughry in 1911. Dr. McLaughry signed Lulu’s death certificate and the Dr. stayed active in her hospital from 1911 to about 1946. “The vast grounds of the sanitarium featured a scenic view and the staff made sure the patients enjoyed the outdoors as a sort of mental therapy.” Read more about The Overlook and Dr McLaughry at Lawrence County Memoirs

Lulu died in 1944, her husband Daniel lived for another 7 years, they’re both buried in the historic Easton Cemetery, in Easton, Northampton, Pennsylvania.

James Davis Miller b. 1845

/ Kirstin Miller

James Davis Miller, my 2nd great grandpa on RootsMagic tree.

James Miller was born June 27, 1845 in Elkhart, Indiana to Jacob and Sarah Davis Miler. The 1850 US census shows James with his parents and 7 siblings, living on a farm. In 1854 after James’ dad died, his family trekked from Indiana to Nashua, Iowa about 400 miles. In 1870 James was 25, his family farmed near Janesville, Iowa.

Miller, James and Ella snapshot
James Miller and Ella Gaines marriage certificate.

In 1878, James, or JD, married Mary Ella Gaines in Waverly, Iowa on November 13. JD and Mary Ella lived near Greene, Iowa where they farmed and had 2 sons William and James. Later in life they visited the west coast where Mary Ella’s two sisters lived. In 1905 JD and Mary Ella travelled to the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon. The Expo lasted 4 months with 1.6 million visitors- it was a big deal. From the local newspaper September 20, 1905, ” Mr and Mrs James Miller living west of town have been enjoying the wonders of the Portland fair for the past week and Mr Miller’s brother Jake has been helping care for things on the farm during their absence”.

Agricultural Palace Lewis and Clark Expo 1905
Agricultural Palace 1905 Lewis and Clark Expo in Portland.

JD was a widow in 1917. In 1925 he lived with his son William and family including grandson Faber b. 1905. JD lived to age 84, he died in 1929. From his obituary, “He has been industrious and has prospered through the years. He was honorable in his dealings with his fellows and is highly respected by those who knew him.” James Davis Miller is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Greene, Iowa.

Sources

Johan Roose b. 1865

/ Kirstin Miller

Johann Roose b. 1865 my 2nd great grandfather on RootsMagic tree

Johann was born April 19, 1865 in Freeport, Illinois, USA the 5th child of Garbrand and Catharina Renistra Roose. Garbrand and Catharina with their 4 kids left East Friesland, Germany and sailed to America, and arrived in New York on August 12, 1862. 

Johann and family are on the 1870 census, they lived in Ogle, Illinois. On the census page at least half of their neighbors are from Germany. Johann and family moved west to Grundy Center, Iowa where they’re on the 1880 census and lived on a farm. Johann owned 80 acres of farmland in 1884 in Pleasant Valley, a township of Grundy County, Iowa.

On March 14, 1888 Johann, now John, married Lena Wisbar in Parkersburg, Iowa then he and Lena moved to Jefferson Township a few miles north. John kept farming, and buying land in Iowa and Nobles, Minnesota. In 1912 John sold his Minnesota land, saying “Iowa land is good enough”.  In 1917 John farmed near Bristow. By 1925 at age 60 he lived in Allison with Lena and their youngest daughter Lela. John died at age 61 on October 18, 1926. A newspaper story tells he visited with friends in Clarksville that morning, returned home and died, suddenly, of a heart attack. He is buried at Allison Cemetery in Allison, Iowa.

Roose, Johan and Lena marry snapshot

Sources

Sam Miller b. 1883

/ Kirstin Miller

Sam Miller great uncle of Faber Miller who married Gladys Cable.

Sam Miller was born February 20, 1883 in Lafayette, Bremer County, Iowa. This person is new  to the Miller side of the family tree, just recently added when he was mentioned in his sister Lola’s obituary. He doesn’t have a lot of records and went by both Sam and Ira, his name may have benn Ira Samuel Miller. On the 1885 Iowa census he is Ira age 12 living with his family the 5th of 7 kids. Next record is the 1900 US census he is Samuel Miller, a boarder in the home of Avery and Maude Chambers. His next record is the 1930 US Census, he is Sam, married to Gladys living in Amery Wisconsin (same place his parents and brother Frank had lived). Sam is a barber and Gladys is a telephone operator and like most of their city neighbors they own a radio set. In the WW 2 draft registration April 27, 1942, his name is Ira Sam, a barber, living in Amery, Wisconsin, his wife Gladys is next of kin.

draft 1

The Old Man’s Draft required all US men between 45 to 64 to register not for a military draft but to get information on labor skills of the workforce in 1942. A long questionnaire was part of the registration but wasn’t kept, only the cards. More info here. 

Leonard Cable b. 1889

/ Kirstin Miller

Leonard Cable b. 1889 brother of Gladys Cable who married Faber Miller. Leonard in RootsMagic tree.

Leonard was the son of William Cable and first wife Nellie Stroud. Leonard was born in Pleasant Grove Township near Greene, Iowa in 1889. The Cable family lived on a farm. In Senior Grammar School Leonard and his sister Ruth were listed as perfect school attenders, never tardy never absent for at least 2 years.

Cable, Leonard and Ruth

Leonard’s jobs included railroad mechanic, paper hanger, machinist and a shipping clerk at a furniture store. He stayed in touch with his dad after his parent’s divorce and in 1915 stopped for a visit in Greene, Iowa on his way home to Kansas. Leonard’s WW 1 draft card shows him in Chicago, 1503 E 64 St, a machinist, living with and taking care of his mom. Leonard stayed single and died in 1920, age 31, of lobar pneumonia.

Emma Wisbar b. 1886

/ Kirstin Miller / 2 Comments

Emma Wisbar great aunt on RootsMagic tree.

An update for Emma Wisbar and Lee Cheney: Both Emma and Lee had a child prior to their 1920 marriage. Emma had a son, Vernon, on September 18, 1908, she was 20 years old, there is no record of a father. An Iowa delayed birth record for Vernon shows his birth date and place, mom and no father’s name. sister Lena Wisbar was a witness on this record. In the same year 1908, Lee Cheney married Winifred Thompson and in 1909 they had a daughter Irma Cheney and must have divorced soon after. Lee’s ex-wife and daughter were also in California, living in San Diego in 1930.

Emma Wisbar was was the youngest child of Martin and Mary Walters Wisbar. She was born in Butler County, Iowa April 7, 1886. The 1900 US Census shows Emma attending school, she could read and write. In her home both German and English spoken. In 1910 Emma was 22, living with her parents and 2 of her 7 siblings. She was a server in a restaurant.

The 1920 US census has Emma living in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Louis at 312 East 1st Street in Waterloo, Iowa with 3 other boarders. Emma was 33 years old and a waitress in a hotel. Lee Cheney was another boarder. He was 36 and a barber. The 1920 census was taken on January 7 and Emma and Lee Cheney were married on September 9, 1920.

screenshot

On the 1930 US census Emma and Lee have moved to Oakland, California, both still working, Lee a barber, Emma a waitress at the YMCA Their rent was $22 each month. They lived about 20 miles west of San Francisco and probably traveled to see the Golden Gate Bridge being built from 1933-1937. Both Emma and Lee lived into their 70s. Lee died on January 27, 1962 and Emma exactly 2 weeks later on February 10th. Both are buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, Oroville, California, Find a Grave Memorial 

Ancestry. Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1937
L H Cheney, barber age 38 m. Emma Wisbar 33 years, Fort Dodge, Iowa September 9, 1920.

Eliza Frey b. 1823

/ Kirstin Miller

Eliza Frey, my 2nd great grandma on RoostMagic tree.

Eliza was born around 1823 probably in Pennsylvania, and married Jonathan Cable by 1846. Their first son John was born March 22, 1847 in Somerset, Pennsylvania. In 1850 Eliza age 37, husband Jonathan age 44, and sons John age 2 and infant Chancey appear in the 1850 US Census of Jefferson, Greene County, Wisconsin. Eliza Frey has few records, in family history this is known as a “brick wall”.  Eliza’s birthdate, birthplace and place and date of death are unknown or estimated. She’s on the 1850 census and mentioned on son John’s death record and daughter Violet’s marriage record.

screenshot

Sources

  • US Federal census 1850