was an American pioneer

Pleasant Davis b. 1844

/ Kirstin Miller

Pleasant Davis: 1st cousin 4 times removed on RootsMagic tree.

Davis, Pleasant son of HortonPleasant Davis was born in Ohio on November 30, 1844. He was one of 13 kids of Horton and Florida Russell Davis. Horton’s dad, Pleasant’s grandpa was Pleasant Davis married to Sarah Horton, both of Virginia. Names ‘Pleasant’ and ‘Horton’ were carried on through the generations as first or middle names for sons. One ‘Pleasant’ went by Plez. This Pleasant married Huldah England on February 17, 1868 in Ohio. Soon after Pleasant’s family and older sister Sarah Davis Martin and her family left Ohio for Illinois where Pleasant lived for a few years. Pleasant’s other siblings were in Iowa, North Dakota and sister Martha, in photo, went all the way to Oregon. By 1883 Pleasant was in Union, Iowa with his dad, mom and some siblings. Pleasant and Florina’s son Clement Pleasant Davis was born in Union and 4 Davis daughters Florina, Mary, Sarah and Victoria were all married in Iowa.

Florina died around 1888 and Pleasant with his younger kids, they all headed for the Cherokee Nation where the 1889 Indian (land) Appropriations Act gave up land for purchase and President Harrison proclaimed “unassigned lands were open for settlement under much less stringent rules”. Today the area is north eastern Oklahoma, it was called ‘Cherokee Nation’ on census forms from about 1840? until Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

1900 census Davis family in Cherokee Nation

Pleasant’s family lived in Bluejacket where he farmed. His sons Horton and Warren helped on the farm, the younger kids were in school. Bluejacket is 50 miles north east of Tulsa with a population of about 300 today. Pleasant’s daughters Florina and Victoria with their families joined their dad in Bluejacket, Oklahoma. Pleasant died at age 78 on April 3, 1924 and is buried at Bluejacket Cemetery.

Sources

  • Davis, Pleasant, Public Ancestry photo, “wrae7711 originally shared this on 25 Apr 2013”
  • This Land podcast on Cherokee Nation, how it began
  • Cherokee Nation, some history at Wikipedia
  • Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939 at FamilySearch
  • Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934 at FamilySearch
  • 1900 US census at FamilySearch

Elizabeth Parrish b. 1691

/ Kirstin Miller

Elizabeth Parrish: 8th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Elizabeth Parrish was born March 19, 1691 in Groton, Massachusetts.  Elizabeth was the 2nd of 10 children of John and Mary Waddell Parrish. Elizabeth’s dad John and mom Mary Waddle were both born in Massachusetts, their ancestors were from England and Scotland. Elizabeth had 9 bothers and sisters and 4 half siblings.

Sometime before 1704 Elizabeth and her family moved to Preston, Connecticut where the family was admitted to the First Congregational Church, “Nov 15, 1704 John PARISH & Mary, his wife, by letter from Ipswich”

Also in Preston, CT Elizabeth married Francis Tracy, grandson of Thomas Tracy, on January 6, 1714. The Tracy family of England were original settlers, founders of Preston. “Thomas Parke, Thomas Tracy, and others established Preston … Owaneco, son of the Mohegan sachem Uncas, gave a confirmatory deed for the land in 1687”.

The Parrish and Tracy families were interconnected. Benjamin Parrish married a Tracy sister, Elizabeth’s sisters Mary, Sarah and Lydia married a Tracy brother.
And in my family tree Elizabeth Parrish and Francis Tracy are 6th great grandparents on my mom’s family side.
Elizabeth’s sister Lydia P. and Francis’s brother Christopher T. are 6th great grandparents on my dad’s family side.
In Elizabeth and Lydia Parrish’s lives, from 1680s on, the chances not taken, choices made, relationships built, risks taken, all led to my descendants in Iowa connecting. I don’t think about it for too long- it makes my head spin.

Parrish to speedy

Elizabeth and Francis’s first Iowa ancestor was Delia Angell, age 15, she came to Iowa after her dad Dexter died and she lived with older brother Charles Angell . Delia would marry William Flood, the great grandparents of Elizabeth Speedy, my grandma.

Parrish to miller

Lydia and Christopher’s first Iowa ancestor was Leydia Connable Gaines, age 59. Leydia and husband Obed Gaines traveled by wagon from Indiana to Waverly, Iowa to live with son William Gaines and his wife Sarah Swain, the great grandparents of Faber Miller, my grandpa.

Sources

Franklin Pierce Miller b. 1855

/ Kirstin Miller

Franklin Pierce Miller, great uncle on RootsMagic tree.

Franklin was born September 1, 1855 in Stark, Ohio. He was the 2nd child of Peter and Esther Young Miller and the older brother of William L Miller, grandpa of Faber Miller.

Frank’s family moved from Stark County, Ohio to Bremer County, Iowa before 1870. Frank had 5 brothers and 1 sister, Lillie and all grew up on the family farm in In Lafayette Township, Bremer County. On Christmas Day 1888 Frank married Harriet ‘Hattie’ Finney, her family was also from Stark, Ohio. Frank and Hattie had one son John Cleveland Miller.

In August 1898 Frank and brother in law George Bailey, husband of Lillie Miller Bailey, went to Nebraska to look at farms. The Bailey and Miller families decided to move to Nebraska and in January 1899 a farewell surprise party was held, “Frank Miller of LaFayette leaves next week for Nebraska with a car of household goods, etc. and his family will go later. Their neighbors gave Mr. and Mrs. Miller a farewell surprise party one evening last week, enjoying a pleasant time socially and before bidding their host and hostess good bye presented them with a handsome center table.”

The Millers and Baileys stayed in Nebraska and for about 7 years. By 1910 both families had moved to Aurora County, South Dakota. Brother Sylvester Miller was already there with his family, the southeast . Frank and Hattie’s son John married Teresa Gales. The couple had 10 kids, stayed in South Dakota where John farmed, owned a lunch room in the 1930s.

Frank was a widow in 1913. In Aurora he was a produce merchant on the 1920 census. The 1930 census shows Frank was retired and lived with John Gelsen and family and other boarders. John Gelsen was 43, a retired police officer, his parents from Germany and New York. David Marsh was 21, a retail merchant at a general store his parents were from Russia. John Robinson was 27, he managed a lumberyard his parents were from South Dakota and the Netherlands. Peter McGooty was 74, same age as Frank, he owned a billiard hall and his parents were from Ireland. Narem Grueznor. was 31, she sold hardware, her parents were from Wisconsin. Frank lived to age 78. He and Hattie are buried at Silver Ridge Cemetery
in Stickney, Aurora, South Dakota.

Sources

Minnie Roose b. 1855

/ Kirstin Miller

Minnie Charlotte Roose 2nd great aunt on RootsMagic tree.

Minnie Roose was born 12 November 1855 in Germany, a middle child of Garbrand and Catherine Renistra Roose. When Minnie was 6 years old in 1862, she sailed with her family to America. They left from Bremen, Germany and sailed on the Adler, ‘eagle’ in the English language. The Roos family docked in New York and went on to Freeport, Illinois, 900 miles west. No idea how they traveled. When they got to Freeport an established German American community welcomed them. Minnie’s youngest brother Johann, grandpa of Stanley Roose, was born in Freeport in 1865.

New York arrival 1862

Around 1876 Minnie and family were in southern Butler County, Iowa near Aplington and Parkersburg. On July 18, 1878 Minnie married Harm Haren, also from Germany. Harm and Minnie married in Grundy County and lived the remainder of their lives there, in Palermo Township, Grundy County, Iowa. Harm was a farmhand “for two years, after which he engaged in the operation of rented land until 1882 when with the capital he had acquired through industry, perseverance and economy he purchased the farm which has since been his home.” Minnie and Harm had 9 kids, 5 sons and 4 daughters. Harm died in 1918, a long life, he was 67 years old.

34 years later in 1952, Minnie was 97 years old and featured in a 75th anniversary issue of the Grundy Register, Grundy Center’s local newspaper. Minnie was the oldest resident of the area. There’s a photo and a story of her life, family.

Minnie lived another 13 years to age 109 or 110. Minnie and Harm are both buried at Fairview Cemetery in Grundy Center, Iowa.

Sources

  • New York passenger lists 1820-1891 at FamilySearch
  • The Grundy Register 1952 Jun 5 at Ancestry
  • Portrait and biographical record of Jasper, Marshall, and Grundy Counties, Iowa at HathiTrust
  • Public Ancestry photo, “ivametge originally shared this on 04 Aug 2012. Top Row L-R Henry, Otto, Claus Bottom Row L-R John, Harm, Hubert”Public Ancestry photo, “ivametge originally shared this on 04 Aug 2012. Top Row L to R_ Ella, Anna Second Row- Mae, Kathryn (Trina) Front- Minnie”
  • Public photo on FamilySearch, ” Contributed By SchwartzBarbaraHaren1 24 December 2017″

Mary Magdalena [ ] Young b. 1787

/ Kirstin Miller

Mary 4th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Mary Magdalena was born in 1787 in Pennsylvania. Her last name, parents, nothing is known of her until she was married to Michael Young around 1807. They married in Pennsylvania and lived there until about 1820.

In 1820 Mary and Michael had moved to Stark County, Ohio. They had 2 children in Pennsylvania, then 5 more were born in Ohio. The Young family owned land, farmed. In 1850 Mary was 63 years old and on the 1850 census she lived in Marlborough Township, Stark, Ohio with her husband and youngest son Israel. Her older kids were married and in homes of their own. Michael and Israel farmed, Mary kept house and probably had a spectacular garden. Mary’s daughter Esther had married Peter Miller and they moved near Waverly Iowa. Their son William Miller was the grandad of Faber Miller.

Mary died at age 70 and is buried at Union Cemetery in Hartville, Stark County, Ohio.

Sources

  • 1850 United States Federal Census at Ancestry
  • New map of Stark County, Ohio at Library of Congress
  • Trinity Lutheran Church, Canton, Ohio : births, baptisms, deaths, marriages at FamilySearch
  • Find a grave memorial 105743390

Elizabeth Jeffrey b. 1779

/ Kirstin Miller

Elizabeth Jeffrey 4th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Elizabeth was born in 1779 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. She was the oldest child of Samuel and Jane Hanna Jeffrey. A published family history states Elizabeth’s dad Samuel Jeffrey was from Ireland and came to America, first Maryland then Pennsylvania. There’s no proof for this, just a statement.

Around 1795 Elizabeth married Andrew Crooks from Pennsylvania. Elizabeth and Andrew had 7 kids. Four of the seven kids stayed in Pennsylvania. 2 moved to Ohio and 6th child Elizabeth Crooks married William Stewart in PA then went all the way west to Shell Rock, Iowa. Elizabeth Crooks Stewart was the great grandma of Elizabeth Speedy.

Elizabeth Jeffrey Crooks died in 1818 at age 36. She is buried at Montour Cemetery in Oakdale, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Her husband Andrew remarried, died 30 years later and is buried in the same cemetery.

Sources

Sarah Dewey b. 1770

/ Kirstin Miller

Sarah Dewey 6th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Sarah Dewey was born on February 14, 1770 in Vermont, the 2nd of 7 kids of David and Sarah Witter Dewey. Sarah’s 4th great grandpa was Thomas Dewey, in colonial America in 1631, from England. Some say all American ‘Dewey’s’ are descended from this Thomas Dewey. No proof, just a rumor.

Connable-Dewey

Sarah Dewey married John Connable, a widow, on November 5, 1786. They lived in Franklin, Massachusetts, 10 miles north of Rhode Island. They had at least 10 children. At their home they farmed and John had a mill pond and mill yard. Sarah had her last child Samuel Connable in 1805. It’s stated in a family history book that Sarah, with her baby Samuel, her husband and her dad. they all went to Oneida County, New York to visit family. Sarah died there on October 25, 1806 and is probably buried in Bridgewater, New York. She was 37 years old.

Sarah’s children married, had families and stayed in the Massachusetts, New York area, except for 2: John Jr. went to Ohio. Daughter Leydia and husband Obed Gaines moved west, all the way to Iowa where their son, William’s daughter Mary Gaines, married James Miller, whose son William was the dad of Faber, husband to Gladys Cable.

Sources

 

Abraham Bair b. 1784

/ Kirstin Miller

Abraham Bair 5th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Abraham Bair, born 1784, in Adams, Pennsylvania was the oldest son of Jacob and Barbara Bair who were probably 2nd generation German Americans. By 1810 Abraham was 22 years old and with his family had moved west to Ohio, a state for 7 years, since 1803. On March 31, 1812 Abraham married Elizabeth Harter. A family history book states this was the first marriage in Stark, Ohio. “Tradition says the marriage ceremony of the first couple was: You bromis to take te voman you holt by te hant to pe your vife, and tat you will shtick to her through hell-fire und dunder? Den I bronounce you man and voman, by Got!!,”

Abraham fought in the War of 1812, his pension records show he fought with the Ohio Militia in Captain James Downing’s Company. Abraham and Elizabeth had at least 7 children and lived on a farm. They grew clover, corn, hay, hemp, oats, wheat; produced butter, honey, milk; raised bees, bulls, cows, geese, hens, horses, pigs, sheep.

Bair, Abraham will

Abraham’s 1829 inventory, partial from his estate

Abraham died at age 45 in 1830. His will was dated September 5, 1829. Brother in law Jacob Harter was the administrator. Abraham’s inventory included 2 iron kettles and a Dutch oven, barrels, a weavers loom and gears, a spinning wheel, a plough, a wagon saddle and sheepskin, a black mare, a bay horse, walnut and poplar boards, Dresden ware and a wooden clock with case. The will is several handwritten pages. In 1833 Abraham’s town lot was offered for sale, his children who were still minors, had Abraham’s brothers and brother in laws as guardians, estate managers.
Sources

  • War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815 at Ancestry
  • Ohio Repository, The (Canton, Ohio) 1833 May 17 at Ancestry
  • Ohio, Wills and Probate Records, 1786-1998 at Ancestry
  • Ohio county marriages 1789-2013 database at FamilySearch
  • Notes on the Bowman, Harter and Sauer families at FamilySearch

Jane Howlett b. 1753

/ Kirstin Miller

Jane Howlett 5th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Jane, from Maryland, was born in 1753, the oldest child of Andrew and Margaret Howlett. Jane and her siblings grew up near Baltimore. Andrew Howlett owned lands: Howlett’s Ambition and Howlett’s Triangle, the two lots totaled 75 acres.

Baltimore, Maryland

About 1770 Jane married Henry Crooks. In 1776 she was 23 years old. On the Maryland census, Jane and family lived on a farm which Jane would have taken care of, when Henry went off to the Revolutionary War. After the war, Henry earned land from his military service. In 1786 on the Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, Jane and Henry, their family lived in Washington County, in western Pennsylvania, about 5 miles east of the Ohio River. Jane and Henry had 7 kids, 4 sons and 3 daughters.

Jane died in 1816, Henry lived another 15 more years. They are both buried at Raccoon Church Cemetery in Candor, Pennsylvania, USA. They share a headstone, carved with on the front and on each their initial J. C. and H. C. on the back. Henry Crooks was in the Revolutionary War so has a

Sources

Maria Anna Kryder b. 1770

/ Kirstin Miller

Maria Anna Kryder 5th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Maria Anna Kryder was born in 1770 in Berks County, Pennsylvania to John & Anna Fuchs or Fox, the 2nd of 5 kids. In 1790 Maria married Johann Fryberger and by 1800 Maria and Johann had 3 kids and were on the census in Centre County, about 147 miles west of Berks County, PA. In 1810 Maria and Johann had 7 kids and lived on a farm in the same area. Maria’s brother John and his family were nearby.

The 1820 US census has Maria with Johann and kids in Stark County, Ohio. Along with Maria’s brother John Kryder and family and hundreds of others from Pennsylvania they moved 200 miles further west to Stark, OH. Maria’s parents and other siblings stayed in Pennsylvania. Maria’s daughter Elizabeth Fryberger married Henry Miller. Their son Peter Miller and his wife Esther moved 700 miles further west to Bremer County, Iowa, their great grandson was Faber Miller my grandpa.

Miller, Wm bio with mom

Elizabeth, daughter of Maria and Johann 

Maria was a widow in 1845, she was 75 years old. Maria lived to age 81 she died in 1851. Both she and Johann are buried at Maplegrove Mennonite Cemetery in Hartville, Stark County, Ohio, USA.

Sources