John Johns and Philippa b. 1800

/ Kirstin Miller

John Johns and Philippa 4th great grandparents on RootsMagic Tree

John was born around 1800 in Mylor Cornwall England. He married Philippa, last name unknown, around 1820. John and Philippa stayed in the Mylor area and had 7 kids: 5 daughters and 2 sons. Their children were baptized in the local church from 1827 to 1840. John was a gardener, Philippa would have managed the house.

Johns, John 1851 England census

John died then was buried on September 25, 1856 he was 55. John may have known about his grandson Richard Mockford born on September 21, 1856 but probably not, news traveled way slower in 1856. John’s grandson Richard Mockford left NY for Iowa where he married Matilda Flood and they named their daughter Philippa after Richard’s mom and grandma. Great granddaughter and the 3rd Philippa married Harve Speedy, their first child was Elizabeth Speedy.

New York 1856John and Philippa Johns in Cornwall did live to see their daughter Philippa marry Henry Mockford in July of 1853 then sail to New York in November 1855. John and Philippa probably had a postcard in the mail, from daughter Philippa Johns Mockford in America, showing the Statue of Liberty.

Sources

John Kryder b. 1736

/ Kirstin Miller

John Kryder 6th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

John or Johann was born in France, Germany or Pennsylvania on or around April 22, 1736, sources vary. By 1767 he was definitely in Pennsylvania where he married Ann Maria Fuchs or Fox. John and Ann had at least 5 children born between 1768 and 1775 in the area of Lancaster, PA.

John and family were part of the German American Pennsylvania community. During the American Revolution they were in the Big Runaway of 1778: “The Big Runaway was a mass evacuation in June and July 1778 of settlers from the frontier areas of what is now north central Pennsylvania during the American Revolutionary War.” The locals knew of the dangers because of the war, had requested aid: rifles, armed men from the Continental Congress, none of it arrived in time. So everyone fled with livestock and whatever possessions they could carry. Books and movies could be made about this one event, it’s huge and lasted through 1779 when the American gov’t committed more aid to “security of the frontier”.

Kryder John bacon and beef soldJohn sold bacon and beef to the Continental Army during the American Revolution. His neighbor George Marquart had the mutton and Jacob Yeiser provided the brandy. At some point John fought in the American Revolution. There’s no military records yet, but his headstones recognize his service in the American Revolution and the French Indian Wars. John has a headstone probably original from his death in 1803 and then a newer marker which his descendants set out out in 1994.

Sources

Margaret Malone b. 1818

/ Kirstin Miller

Margaret Malone 4th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Margaret was born in Pennsylvania on June 30, 1818, the daughter of Andrew and Mary Malone. By 1830 the Malone family was in Stark County, Ohio. On the 1830 US census Margaret’s family shows a total of 6 people. Before 1850 only men’s names were recorded, women and children in the home were tick marks. The 1830 census has Andrew and Mary Malone with 4 kids, a son 20-29, Margret and another daughter 10-14 and a daughter 15-19. No names or information for any of Margaret’s siblings yet.

In Ohio on March 24, 1836 Margaret married George Bair. George’s family was also from Pennsylvania and moved to Ohio in 1805. Ohio’s population was 45,000 in 1800 then 1.4 million in 1840 with lots of German Americans coming to Ohio from PA. Margaret and George Bair had 5 kids: 4 daughters and a son. Their oldest child Elizabeth Harter Bair married Samuel Druckenbrod whose daughter Fiana Druckenbrod lived with her grandparents for at least one year. Fianna married William Miller in Ohio and they moved to Bremer County, Iowa where their daughter Lola married another William Miller and had a son Faber Miller.

Bairs, Malone, Millers, Kryders in Plain Ohio.

Margaret and George, their neighbors the Bairs, Kryders, Millers

Margaret and George farmed. An 1870 atlas of Stark County show Margaret and George’s land, surrounded by relatives all around. Close neighbors left to right: J and WL Miller, JM Kryder, Franklin Bair, JH Bair, JS Miller and George Bair and Margaret’s land at bottom right.

George and Margaret are both buried at Saint Jacobs Lutheran Cemetery, in Stark County. They share a headstone. Margaret died in 1894, 2 years after her husband.

Sources

Thomas Glenn b. 1766

/ Kirstin Miller

Thomas Glenn, my 4th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Thomas Glenn was born on March 4, 1766 in Pennsylvania. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth, newly discovered ancestors, maybe from Coleraine, County Londonderry, Ireland, not a lot of facts and records yet. His dad most likely came to America with others from Ireland at the beginning of the Irish Potato Famine.

Thomas Glenn married Jane Bromfield on May 12, 1789 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania at the Presbyterian church. Thomas and Nancy probably had 10-12 children and farmed in Island Creek, Jefferson County, Ohio. Thomas fought in the War of 1812, a major in Andrews Regiment, Ohio Militia.

There was a cholera epidemic in Ohio that began in 1830. Both Thomas and his daughter Elizabeth died of cholera. Thomas was 82, Elizabeth was 55. Thomas is buried at Island Creek Cemetery in Toronto, Jefferson County, Ohio, in the “Pioneer Section”.

The 1850 US census mortality schedule database proving Thomas and Elizabeth’s deaths is little morbid but packed with family history information and at the bottom, a note of about the crops, land soil and cholera in the area. “The above township is well adapted to raising wheat crop, oats and indeed almost kind of product common to this country. The land is rolling but little broken rich and fertile soil mostly limestone. Wheat and apple crop … in 1849 of the farmers … our third crops better … the cholera carried off many of the citizens in 1849” Some of the note is unreadable.

Glenn, Thomas and Elizabeth 1850 mortality schedule
Thomas Glenn and daughter Elizabeth Speedy 1850 mortality schedule


Sources

  • Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850 at FamilySearch
  • United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records at FamilySearch
  • United States Census (Mortality Schedule), 1850 at FamilySearch

Catherine Kryder b. 1775

/ Kirstin Miller

Catherine Kryder 4th great aunt on Roots Magic tree

Catherine was born May 8, 1775 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to John and Anna Maria Fuchs/Fox Kryder. Parents John and Anna both migrated from Germany and married, raised their family in Lancaster, PA, “By 1775, Germans constituted about one-third of the population of the state.” [At Wikipedia with sources.] Catherine was the youngest in the Kryder family. Her older sister Anna Maria married Johann Fryberger and they left for Ohio where their daughter Elizabeth married Henry Miller and their son Peter moved on to Bremer County, Iowa where his son William had a daughter Lola, mom of Faber Miller.

Catherine’s parents and siblings and her husband and children are recorded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mennonite Vital Records, 1750-2014. These are individual index cards, 1000s of cards, typed up to track local family histories. The cards are part of the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, still in Lancaster, PA right next door to the Tanger Outlet Center. Mennonites are/were an Anabaptist group committed to peace and pacifism, following the ministry of Jesus. Mennonites were named for Menno Simons of Friesland, Netherlands who was a contemporary of Martin Luther and other Protestant leaders. A person could spend months learning about the history of and current Mennonite religion.

Back in PA, Catherine married Michael Hess in 1795. Catherine and Michael had 11 kids, 9 stayed in Pennsylvania, son Benjamin left for Kansas, daughter Anna left for Illinois. Michael was a soldier in the American Revolution. The only record, so far, of his service is a veteran’s burial index. One of his soldier benefits may have been the chance to buy land. In 1818 Michael bought 100 acres of unimproved land from the US gov’t at 10 pounds per acre. Michael and Catherine with their family and, probably, helpful neighbors would have turned this unimproved land into a homestead and farm, with their hands and tools, machinery of the 1800s. They would have built up a house, barns, fences, water wells, chairs, beds and hundreds of other things.

Catherine and Michael’s family are connected through marriage with other Miller relatives: Bair, Druckenbrod and Harter- families that started in Pennsylvania, moved on to Ohio, then on to Iowa. Catherine and Michael are buried at Stover Cemetery in Aaronsburg, Pennsylvania, an older country cemetery.

Sources

Deborah Angell b. 1639

/ Kirstin Miller

Deborah Angell 8th great aunt on RootsMagic tree.

Deborah was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1639. Her dad Thomas Angell and mom Alice Ashton were ‘banished’ from Massachusetts and left for Rhode Island with Roger Williams then in 1636 founded Providence, RI. The census of 1636 shows 10 families, 25 households in Providence. Elizabeth Speedy and her ancestors are related to 4 of those 10 families: Angell, Arnold, Smith and Williams.

Angell, Deborah marriageDeborah Angell married Stephen Sabeere on November 7, 1668. Deborah and Stephen lived in Providence all their lives and had at least 3 children. Deborah Sabeere is in her mom and dad’s wills. Her dad leaves her shillings, her mom leaves her clothing, woolens and linens, a chamber pot and some wooden trays.

Angell, Thomas and Alice wills

Just like us in modern times, our ancestors argued, disagreed, fought then compromised, made-up and worked together for the good of the cause. In November of 1672 Stephen Sabeere and neighbor Henry Palmer traded insults: Stephen Sebeere called Henry Palmer’s wife a witch, Henry called Stephen a French dog and rouge. Both men were in court on November 19, 1672 and each had to acknowledge their error in judgment.

Sources

 

Jan Roos and Meenke Schroder b. 1798

/ Kirstin Miller

Jan Garbrand Roos and Meenke Andressen Schroder 4th grandparents on RootsMagic tree.

Roos Renistra marriage

Jan Roos was born in 1798 and married Meenke Schroder, she was born 1801. They lived in Leeuwarden, a city and municipality in Friesland, Netherlands. Jan and Meenke probably lived in the city. Jan and Meenke didn’t migrate to America while most of their children did.

Jan and Meenke are included on the marriage records of their son Garbrand  who married Catherine Renistra in Leeuwarden and also on the marriage record of their son Harm who married Lammechien Takens in Ogle County, Illinois.

Garbrand and Catherina Roose stayed in Ogle County for a few years. Soon after their son Johann was born in 1865 they moved on to Grundy County, Iowa where their grandson George Roose was born in 1888. George married Mary Frerichs, parents of Stanley Roose.

Sources

  • Illinois county marriages 1810-1940 at FamilySearch
  • Leeuwarden at Wikipedia 
  • Netherlands, Friesland Province, Civil Registration, 1811-1950 at FamilySearch

Pleasant Davis and Sarah Horton b. 1790

/ Kirstin Miller

Pleasant Davis and Sarah Horton, are most likely, 4th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree.

Pleasant Davis and Sarah Horton were both born in Virginia around 1790. They married on September 9, 1806 in Virginia. Pleasant fought in the War of 1812: 87th Regiment, Virginia Militia, he was a private. An Indiana death certificate for daughter Susan Davis Black has both Peasant Davis and Sarah Horton on the record. Proving Sarah Davis -great grandma of Faber Miller- is their daughter has no factual records but has some probable records. There is the book ‘A tabulation of the descendants of Joseph Horton : a soldier of the American Revolution’ a published family history with reference to Horton Davis who went to Iowa- probably Sarah Davis’s brother. Also there is a family history compilation, not quite a book, some of it shared on Ancestry, that may be the reason Florence Miller, sister of Faber, and Ellen Mitchel 1st cousin 1x removed of Faber and Florence, wrote up notes on their ancestors to share with the person working on the family history, way before online family history existed. And Sarah Davis and Jacob Miller named sons: James Davis, Horton and Pleasant Miller; common to carry on family names, maiden names of mothers. 

Burdine's letter

Sources

William Stewart and Jenny White b. 1776

/ Kirstin Miller

William and Jenny White Stewart 4th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree

William’s will, his Find a Grave memorial and a letter are all the records for William and Jenny. Both were probably born in Pennsylvania about 1776, then married around 1796 and probably farmed in Allegheny County, PA. Jenny and William had at least 5 kids: sons John and William and 3 daughters, names unknown, all mentioned in William’s will. Son John stayed in Pennsylvania and his sons Alexander and Henry were in the Civil War. Son William married Elizabeth Crooks, their daughter Elizabeth Stewart is the mom Harve and great grandpa of Elizabeth Speedy.

John’s son Henry wrote a letter to his cousins Harve and Ernest Speedy. Henry was a genealogist and was working on his Stewart family tree. He shared his info with his cousins, not sure what his cousins shared back with him.

Stewart, Henry letter to Harve Dec 31 1939

Stewart, Henry letter to Harve Speedy Dec 31 1939

William wrote his will May 7 1813 in Moon Township, Allegheny County, PA. The will names John and William and 3 daughters, names not given, one is probably Francella or Francina. Part of the will, handwritten 3 pages: My body I commit to the dust and my soul unto god who gave it me as to my worldly substance that God has been pleased to bestow me I divide in the manner following. I leave and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Jenny Stewart one of my houses and she is to have her choice of them. -William leaves his wearing apparel and books to his children, at the discretion of his wife. Except the large Bible which he leaves to son William. John receives a saddle. All the remaining is offered up for sale, as his family thinks proper.

William has a Find a Grave memorial at Clinton UP Cemetery- most likely that’s his burial place. Jenny White Stewart’s death and burial place are unknown, it’s likely she remarried.

Sources

Jacob Miller and Mary Stephenson b. 1771

/ Kirstin Miller

Jacob Miller and Mary Stephenson on RootsMagic tree

Jacob Miller was born in 1771 in Monroe, Virginia. Mary Stephenson was born in 1772 in Virginia. They share a single record, their marriage on July 2,1802 in the commonwealth of Virginia. Jacob’s dad Jacob and Mary’s dad Samuel gave permission for the marriage and signed the marriage certificate. The Miller, Stephenson, Pleasant Davis and Horton families were all connected in Virginia, then Ohio. Jacob and Mary’s son Jacob married Sarah Davis. Sarah Davis Miller’s mom’s family is the Horton family and they have a published family history that may give more clues to Jacob Miller and Mary Stephenson of Virginia.Miller, Jacob Sr marriage 1802

Their wedding record, “Know all men by these presents that we Jacob Miller and Samuel Stephenson are hold and firmly bound into James Monroe, Esq gov’r of the commonwealth of Virginia and his supervisors in sum of 150 dollars with condition that there is no lawful cause to obstruct a marriage intended to be solemnized between the said Jacob Miller and Mary Stephenson of this county and that this obligation to be void otherwise to be, and remain in full force and virtue sealed with our seals and dated this third day of July eighteen hundred and two. Jacob Miller , his mark and Saml Stephenson.”

Sources

  • West Virginia Marriages1780-1970 database at FamilySearch
  • Public Ancestry photo “Nicole Meruvia originally shared this on 09 Jan 2012”