My Old Ohio Home - records

Some Hook marriages in Canaan, Maine, 1802 to 1804

2024-11-07T00:00:00-05:00

Here are some Hook marriages in Canaan, Maine, from the years 1802 to 1804. I say "some," but those were the only ones I found. And "1802 to 1804," but the records extended a few years in either direction if I remember right. At any rate here they are in chronological order.

These records are on films that haven't been indexed to match the page of the original books. An explanation of how to find the image of the original record follows each transcription.

Norridgewock Vital Records, 1779 to 1882

Joseph Hook, of Canaan
Sally Webb, of Canaan
Event Date 30 Aug 1802
Event Place Norridgewock, Somerset, Maine, United States

Image 4 of the film informs us that it is of the Norridgewock Vital Records, 1779 to 1882. Image 13 is the grooms' index telling us that the marriage of Joseph Hook is on page 256 of the original book. Image 164 is of page 256, on which we find:

Joseph Hook with Miss Sally Webb, both of Canaan, August 30, 1802

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4D6-B5G

John Hook
Sally Oaks
Event Date 12 Jun 1803
Event Place Canaan, Somerset, Maine, United States

image 37: Caanan, Maine, Vital Records, 1784 to 1891
image 43: the index: the John Hook marriage is on page 6 in the old book, page 21 in this one.
image 63: page 21 of this book which says:

1803, June 12, John Hook to Sally Oaks

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4FQ-XL2

Abigail Hook
James Dudly
Event Date 30 Aug 1803
Event Place Canaan, Somerset, Maine, United States

image 37: Caanan, Maine, Vital Records, 1784 to 1891
image 41: the index: the James Dudly marriage is on page 6 in the old book, page 21 in this one.
image 63: page 21 of this book which says:

1803, August 30, James Dudly to Abigail Hook

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4FQ-6Z9

Lucy Hook
Philip Powers
Event Date 5 Apr 1804
Event Place Canaan, Somerset, Maine, United States

image 37: Caanan, Maine, Vital Records, 1784 to 1891
image 48: the index: Philip Powers marriage is on page 7 in the old book, page 22 in this one
image 63: page 22 of this book which says:

1804, April 5, Philip Powers to Lucy Hook, by Bryce McLeellan, J.P.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4FQ-N93

This last record turns out not to belong to the Hook family. Lucy "Hook" should be Lucy Hood, as we will see in a following article, maybe.

James and Thomas Cunningham, Ballygowan Townland

2023-06-12T00:00:00-04:00

Earlier Cunninghams

Flaxgrowers' List, County Down, 1796

in Kilbroney and Kilkeel

Cunegan Patrick Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Arthur Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Catherine Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Christopher Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Daniel Kilkeel Down
Cunigan James Kilkeel Down
Cunigan John Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Patrick Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Peter Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Phelemy Kilbroney Down
Cunigan Shane Kilkeel Down
Cunigan Thomas Kilkeel Down
Cunnigan George Kilkeel Down
Cunnigan Henry Kilkeel Down
Cunnigan Peter Kilkeel Down

Freeholders List, 1820

no Cunigans (or Colgans) anywhere in Kilkeel
one Divine: Divine, James Lurganreagh Same James & John Divine & W, Thompson

Tithes Applotment List, 1830

Cunigan Bernard Ballygowan
Cunigan James Jr. Ballygowan
Cunigan James Sr. Ballygowan
Cunigan John Ballygowan
Cunigan Patrick Ballygowan
Cunigan Peter More Ballygowan
Cunigan Peter Ballygowan
Cunigan Thomas Ballygowan
Cunigan William Ballygowan

only one Divine: Mary in Lurganreagh
(many Colgans)

James Cunningham

Possible children's baptisms:

Ann Cunningham baptism 1843
Kilkeel Parish Register, baptisms:
November 2, 1843, Ann Cunningham.
no parents, location, or sponsors in this section of the register
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633230#page/12/mode/1up

Thomas Cunningham baptism 1846
Kilkeel Parish Records, Baptisms
23 August 1846
Thomas, [son] of Jas Cunningham and Cath. ___
sponsors: Bernard and Mary Cunningham
findmypast transcribed her name as Doran
other possibilities are Feran, Toner, Teer?, or maybe Trainor or Divine if the name is cut off.
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000633230#page/22/mode/1up

Thomas Cunningham

Children's Births

Kilkeel Catholic Parish Records

baptism: 17 December 1873 Catherine, of Thomas and Mary Ann Cunningham
baptism 5 January 1876, Mary Margaret, of Thomas and Maria Ann Cunningham
[note: found if you look for 1877]

Civil Records

Catherine Cunningham, 14 January 1874, Ballygowan, Kilkeel, daughter of Thomas and Maria, formerly Cunningham. informant: James Cunningham, his mark, occupier, Ballygowan, Kilkeel. This means James was the occupier of the house in which the child was born. OED: occupier = a person living in a dwelling as its owner or tenant
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1874/03165/2161005.pdf

Mary Margaret Cunningham, 31 January 1876, Ballygowan, daughter of Thomas and Maria, formerly Cunningham. informant: the father
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1876/03073/2126436.pdf

James Cunningham, 22 May 1880, Ballygowan, son of Thomas and Maria, formerly Cunningham. informant: Sarah Cunningham of Ballygowan, her mark, present at birth
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/cert_amends/cert_1880/2054272a.pdf

Thomas Cunningham, 21 August 1883, Benagh, son of Thomas and Maria, formerly Cunningham. informant: the father
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1883/02728/2003329.pdf

Note: Thomas, the father, is not in the Valuation Revision Books for Benagh for 1880 to 1883 or 1884 to 1898

Sarah Ann Cunningham, 6 November 1885, Ballygowan, dau of Thomas and Maria, formerly Cunningham. informant: the father
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1886/02618/1966378.pdf

Elizabeth Cunningham, 15 November 1889, Ballygowan, dau of Thomas and Maria, formerly Cunningham. informant: the father
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1889/02457/1912898.pdf

Censuses

Census of Ireland 31 March 1901

house 7 in Ballygowan
Thomas Cunningham, 53, head, farmer
Maria Cunningham, 50
Thomas Cunningham, 17
Sarah A Cunningham, 14
Lizzie Cunningham, 11
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Greencastle/Ballygowan/1235766/

Note: I didn't find a marriage record for Sarah Cunningham in Kilkeel from 1901 to 1911

Census of Ireland 2 April 1911

house 8 in Ballygowan
Thomas Cunningham, 65, farmer, house 8
Maria Cunningham, 63, married 37 years, 6 children, 6 alive
Thomas Cunningham, 27
Lizzie Cunningham, 20
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Greencastle/Ballygowan/245022/

James and Thomas Cunningham - Land Records

    Griffith's Valuation and Valuation Revision Books  
    parcel year name                acreage  
     4     1864 James Cunningham, senior    4 acres, 2 rods, 30 perches  
           1879    
           1883  James Cunningham, senior  
           1885  Thomas Cunningham  
           1913 Thomas Cunningham       in fee  
           1915  parcel 5B from Charles Cull to Thomas Cunningham  
           1924  Maria Cunningham. and 5B to Maria Cunningham  

NI will calendar index: d 12 Feb 1922, grant of administration 8 Nov 1922  
       Full Abstract: Administration of the Estate of Thomas Cunningham late
       of 12 Ballygowan County Down Farmer who died 12 February 1922 granted
       at Belfast to Maria Cunningham the Widow Effects £47 D.B.N. P.R. 05/08/1937  
       also 5 Aug 1937 Cunningham Thomas of Ballygowan county Down farmer died
       12 February 1922 Administration (d.b.n.) Belfast 5 August to Thomas
       Cunningham junior farmer. Unadministered effects £2. Former Grant Belfast
       8 November 1922.

not found

There are no other baptisms for children of James Cunningham and Cath in the index to the parish registers.
There is no marriage for a James Cunningham and Cath early enough in the parish registers to be Thomas' parents.

to do

Catherine (Devine) Cunningham's death, 1865 to 1901,

she is not

3rd Qtr 1868, age 70 - received June 27, 2023
Returns Year 1868
Returns Quarter 3
Returns Volume No 11
Returns Page No 360

That woman died in Drummondlane, Kilkeel, and was a widow.

request this

3rd Qtr 1866, age 61
Returns Year 1866
Returns Quarter 3
Returns Volume No 11
Returns Page No 353

Some other Cunninghams in Ballygowan

Land Records

    parcel year    name                                    acreage  
    13    1864  James Cunningham, publican                  3, 1, 0  
          1878  reevaluated, increased rates, noted: public house in holdings  
          1883  James Cunningham, publican  
          1892  William Cunningham  
          1906  Henry Nicholson  
    12a,b 1891  William Cunningham  "Ho[use?]corn mill laboress", office, land  
          1895  William Cunningham      flax mill  
          1904  Henry Nicholson

Census of Ireland 31 March 1901

John Cunningham, 55, farmer, not married Mary Cunningham, 62, sister, not married

William Cunningham, 52, head Serah Cunningham, wife, 42
Patrick, 22
Ellen 18
Tessia 16
Fredrick 13
Edmond 11
Dorothy 9
Minnie 7
Nellie Cahalane, 2, grand daughter

Rourkes of Ballintur--1793 to 1901

2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00

John Rourke, first revision book

In this, as it turns out rather long, article, we are going to start in 1901 and walk ourselves back through the Ballintur records, looking only at the Rourke families, trying to trace each family back as far as we can. As I read it over again I am reminded of the probably apochryphal words of James Joyce upon finishing Ulysses: "It took me twenty years to write it so it can take them twenty years to figure it out."

1901 Census

On the 1901 census of Ballintur Townland, Kilbroney, County Down, there are three families named Rourke.

Family 1: John and Edward Rourke, uncle and nephew. households 2 and 3. Occupied various parcels of land whose numbers started with 23.

Family 2: James Rourke and son Francis. household 18. parcel 1.

Family 3: Thomas Rourke and son Felix. household 16. parcel 3.

Griffith's Valuation

On Griffith's Valuation, taken in 1863 and 1864 in County Down, these three families and their holdings are as follows:

Family 1: Edward Rourke, the father of the Edward Rourke in 1901: 17 acres, 3 roods, 38 perches.

Family 2: John Rourke, Jr, the father of James Rourke in 1901: 9 acres, 2 roods, 10 perches.
John Jr was also subleasing 1 acre, 1 rood, 15 perches to someone else.

Family 3: Felix Rourke, the father of Thomas Rourke in 1901: 7 acres, 3 roods.

They are joined by two other Rourke households:

John Rourke, son of Terence: 7 acres, 1 rood, 20 perches, as parcels 4A and 4B.
John appears to have died by 1867. His land passed to Stephen Cull and then to Stephen's son Patrick.

Owen Rourke: 1 acre, 3 roods, 15 perches as parcel 8.
Owen also sublet a total of 2 acres, 2 roods, 35 perches to other men. One of these men was Edward Sloane, who by 1873 had taken over parcel 8 as well.

Tithe Applotment Books, 1834

The Tithe Applotment Books "were compiled between 1823 and 1837 in order to determine the amount which occupiers of agricultural holdings over one acre should pay in tithes to the Church of Ireland," according to information on National Archives of Ireland: Tithe Applotment Books page.

Images of The Tithe Applotment Book for Kilbroney Parish can be found at PRONI-Tithe Applotment Book for Kilbroney. A transcription/index of them can be found at Tithe Applotment Book - Kilbroney Index.

(Edited this next section December 17, 2019)

Here are the Rourkes and their total holdings in acres, roods, and perches. There were 40 perches in a rood, and 4 roods in an acre. I listed them in the same order as in the book, but there were other families in between.

[other families preceding]
John Snr Rourke 3 acres, 1 rood, 15 perches
James Rourke 10 acres, 1 rood, 19 perches
William Rourke 6 acres, 19 perches
John Jnr Rourke 7 acres, 1 rood, 6 perches

[1 other family]
Owen Rourke 5 acres, 1 rood, 35 perches

[other families]
Felix Rourke 1 acre, 34 perches
John Snr Rourke, again 9 acres, 18 perches

[other families]
Terence Rourke 7 acres, 2 roods, 10 perches
Felix Rourke, again 7 acres, 1 rood, 27 perches

[other families following]

(Edited this next section in April 2019 and December 2019)

At this point, I really should look at the Kilbroney Parish records to see who was alive and who wasn't, and how old they were in 1834, but here goes anyway.

I'm almost positive that James Rourke of the Tithe Applotment Book was the father of Edward Rourke listed on Griffith's. That would make him an ancestor of "family 1" found on the 1901 census.

I'm also almost positive that John Rourke Jnr from the Tithe Applotment Book, is the same as John Jr on Griffith's Valuation, putting him in "family 2".

And Felix Rourke also shows up in both the Tithe Applotment Book and on Griffith's. He is an ancestor of "family 3".

Next to consider: Owen and Terence Rourke, who were in both the Tithe Applotment Book and on Griffith's. Neither of their families seem to have lasted much past Griffith's Valuation, or at least not as land tenants in Ballintur. I don't know where they fit in with the others.

Next, John Rourke Sr of the Tithe Applotment Book is not listed in Griffith's Valuation. He might be the John Rourke who died at age 85 in 1857, a few years before Griffith's Valuation. And he may be the father of Michael Rourke, who is on Griffith's in Ballyneddan. Michael was the husband of Alice Cunningham. Both John and Michael were blacksmiths. Michael's son Frank, in Peoria, Illinois, said his grandfather died at age 86. That would make John about 37 when his first child was born, and 50 when his youngest was born.

That leaves William in the Tithe Applotment Books. The given name "William" occurs in Michael Rourke's family in Ballyneddan as well in "family 1" later in the 1800's. But I haven't found it so far in either "family 2" or "family 3". Was William more closely related to John Rourke Sr and to James Rourke than to the other families? It is hard to tell.

And was this William Rourke the husband of Rose Fitzsimmons, the couple that settled in Dubuque, Iowa? According to descendants of that couple, William was from Ballintur. William arrived in the US by June 22, 1847–after the Tithes Applotment Books and before Griffith's Valuation. See William O'Rourke and Rose Fitzsimons at 50webs.com.

Freeholders' List, 1819

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland says that "Freeholders were men who either owned their land outright or who held it in a lease for the duration of their life, or the lives of other people named in the lease."

On this list we find the following Rourke men, as freeholders in Ballintur, all renting from William Needham, and all recorded in Kilkeel on October 22, 1819:

Felix Rorke, holding his land for his life or the lives of: Thomas, John, Richard Rorke
Francis Rorke, holding his land for his life or the lives of: Michael, Terence, John Rork
Terence Rorke, holding his land for his life or the lives of: Michael, Terence, John Rork
James Rourke, holding his land for his life or the lives of: William Rourke, James Sloane, Fra. Rourke

Because of his given name, I think it is safe to say that Felix Rorke is part of family 3, and is probably the man listed in 1834 by that name.

James Rourke is very likely family 1, and the same James Rourke as in 1834. Note that he is the only one who names a "William" as a man for whose life he his holding the lease. Does this connect William with family 1 again? Is he the same William as on the Tithe Applotment Books?

Francis Rorke is very likely family 2. The given name re-occurs later in that family. But where does he fit in to the land succession on the Ballintur parcels? He is probably a contemporary of John Rourke Senior, and we put John Senior on family 2's parcels, or kind of anyway.

Also interesting is the fact that Francis and Terence both list the same three men, but I don't know what to make of it. Are Francis and Terence brothers? If so, does Terence belong with family 2? Are all three men naming three men younger than themselves, to guarantee that their lease won't end anytime soon? I don't know.

Freeholders List, 1793

This list and the one from 1819 are both combined and are found at PRONI: Freeholders Records, which says "1793-1829 - Protestants and Catholics with 40 shilling freeholds were allowed to vote."

There are two Rourke men in Ballintur on this list from 1793. Both registered in Newry on 24 October 1793:

William Rork
Thomas Rork

This looks to me like the generation before the men listed in 1819. Looking at the Kilbroney Parish Records we find a burial of a Thomas Rourke in 1814, a William in 1816, and another William in 1819 at age 78.

And on the other end of things, the men on the 1819 list might be explained by the Parish Records:
1) A Felix Rourke marries and starts a family in 1821.
2) Likewise for a Francis in 1814.
3) I'm fairly sure that my ancestor, James was born about 1799, obviously too late for the 1793 list, but age 20 in 1819. Could he have been the tenant of record at age 20 if his father was one of the men named William who had just died? Sounds possible. James' first known child was born in 1822.
4) Terence may have married before the marriage records start in 1813.

So, by the time we work backward to the 1793 Freeholders list, have the three families we started with in 1901 merged into only two? If so, then William is likely the progenitor of Family 1 and Thomas of Family 2 and Family 3.

Conclusion

Now is the time to pause and look back at our journey and realize that, for the most part before 1864, we have been walking in 'the mists of time.' Your guess as to how these families fit together is just as good as mine. We've been working without all the other types of records available for the British Isles and American colonies for the same time period: censuses, births, marriages, deaths, wills, and deeds.

So what is our next destination? In my dreams, I am going to the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast, which holds the Kilmorey Papers, the records of the landowners for Ballintur and surrounding townlands. Regarding the Papers, the Introduction says:

"Rental material is fairly abundant, although much - particularly for the Newry estate, post-1881 -- has been retained for business purposes. For 1810 and 1811 there are rent ledgers-cum-leasebooks for the entire Irish estates of the 12th Viscount Kilmorey in Cos Armagh, Down and Louth, giving details of leases back to 1731. A later rent ledger of 1813, also covering the entire estate, includes a list of 'Tithes of the Lordship of Kilmorey' -- a term which does not seem to be used elsewhere. There is a good run of Newry rentals, 1820-1881, with a largely uninterrupted blank between 1840 and 1870; and a complete run of Mourne (ie Kilkeel and Greencastle) estate rentals, 1882-1906."

Perhaps there is enough information for Ballintur to identify the Rourke tenants before 1864. I am guessing that Ballintur would fall into the Newry rental section. In actual fact, I will probably take a longer look at the Parish Records and see if I can fit the families together a bit.

Update, January 2018

I emailed PRONI to ask if the Kilmorey Papers contained the rental books for Ballintur, and the person who replied showed me how to search the collection myself. I clicked on a few links and found out that the rental books for the Mourne Estate were included for 1837, 1838, and then from about 1870 forward. (Ballintur was part of the family's Mourne Estate.) Those years would not tell us anything about the three O'Rourke families that we don't already know. So our walk through the past in Ballintur is going to end in the mist—and I won't be going to Belfast anytime soon.

Credits

Image of the First Valuation Revision Book is from the PRONI site and is subject to Crown copyright protection

Michael McAneny of Cleveland: naturalization

2018-10-09T00:00:00-04:00

Having found James McAneny's death record, I was inspired to keep going on the family. Here is his brother Michael's naturalization card. As far as I can tell, this was some kind of summary of information made after the fact, along with the immigrant's current address.

Michael McAneny Naturalization Card-front

Michael McAneny Naturalization Card-back

Transcription:

[front]
Michael McAneny, Ward 21, precinct D
present address: 1260 East 80th St
Office No. 32876
Native of Ireland, naturalized July 10th, 1901
in U.S. Southern District. Court, New York, New York County, NY
age when naturalized: 29. age when recorded: 42.

[back]
moved to
1230 E 84th, on 20 October 1917, Ward 21, precinct F
1342 E. 94th, on 23 October 1919, Ward 21, precinct M

So Michael was naturalized in New York City about 1901. I wonder if the family settled there when they arrived. I found James in a Cleveland City Directory in 1898 along with someone that might have been their father. And I didn't find any other immigration records for the McAnenys in Cuyahoga County. Of course that doesn't mean they're not there.

Credits

Image of naturalization index card from Ohio County Naturalizations at Familysearch.org

A Surname Index to Mary Ann Snider's Reminiscences

2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00

Below is a surname index to Mary Ann Snider's Reminiscences, which are found in the Documents section of this website. Hopefully it is complete. I did not list every page on which Mary Ann or her immediate family is mentioned. The number following the name is the photocopied page on which the name appears. I hope you enjoy it.

For an introduction to the manuscript see the article Mary Ann Snider, Reminiscences.

Surname Index

Bess, Billy (fictional or real?), 2
Biddle, Mrs (teacher in York PA), 2
Brady, Hugh James, 4
Eckstein, Elizabeth, 1
Fore, Dan, of Shirleysburg, 17
Harrison, President William Henry, 7
Horton, Maggie, 7
Huffman, Clementine, 13
Kauffman, Mr and Mrs, of Shirleysburg, 17
Kern, Joseph, 2
Kern, Mary M. 13
Kern, Samuel Mclane, 8
Kern, Sarah, 2, 5
Kiel, Anne, 1
Kiel, Hendrik, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11
Kiel, John Hendrik, 1
Kiel, Katocha, 1
Kiel, Mary Ann, throughout
McMillan, Katherine "Kitty" (Kern), 6
McMillan, Uncle [Robert], 6
Mechling, Rev. and Mrs. of Greensburg, 3
Mock, John, of Shirleysburg, 17
Rotz, Jacob, 9
Rugan, Rev. of Greensburg, 11
Simpson, Mr., 13
Snider family, 12 to 22
Snider family in Germany, 8, 9, 10
Snider, "Uncle" George, 17, 20
Snider, Jacob, 8 to 22
Snider, "Uncle" Philip, 8, 9, 10
Sprout's Hotel, 19 miles from McConnellsburg, 13
Statler's Hotel, near Laughlinsville, 13
Steinbach, Margaret, 2, 8
Stern, Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Kern), 6
Stern, John, 6, 7
Stout, Rachel Anne, 3
Williams, W. W., 13
Wise, Will, 4

Henry and Sarah (Kern) Kiel, Family Bible

2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00

A transcription of the family Bible of Henry G and Sarah (Kern) Kiel, from a photocopy of the original in the possession of a descendant. A photocopy of the original is in the Documents/Kiel section of this website under bible1.pdf, bible2.pdf, and bible3.pdf.

Family Bible Record of Henry G. and Sarah (Kern) Kiel of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, page 1

The earlier births are recorded in the second column. A copy of the original is in the Documents section of this site.

page 1, first column

Henry G Kiel was married to Sarah Kern on the 24th of June 1824 by the Rev Mr Painter

John Henry Kiel was born on the 7 day of January in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty eight.

Sarah Elean Kiel, was born on the 22d February, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and forty

Celia Anthus L Kiel was born on the 26 April ad 1843 Baptised by Rev W. [or M.] Long

Elizabeth E. Kiel was Born on the 2th day of March ad 1845

Emma Henry Kiel was Born on the 4th day of Augst 1848

page 1, second column

Margret Elizabeth Kiel was born on the 3th day of May in the year eight hundred and twenty five

Mari Een Kiel was born on the 29[?] of July 1828

Jacob Steinbaugh Kern Kiel was born November 8th 1829

Daniel Morris Kiel was born on the 19th of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and th [page torn] one

Joseph White Kiel, [page torn]
September 13, in th [page torn]
of our Lord, one [page torn]
eight hundred [page torn]
four

page 2, first column

Joseph White Kiel, died on the 24th December, in the of our Lord [sic], eighteen hundred and thirty nine

John Henry Kiel, died on the 31st of December in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and thirty nine

Celea Anthus L. Kiel was born 26 April A D 1843 Baptised by Rev. W. Long

page 2, second column

Henry G. Kiel Died on the 14th February In the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and forty eight

page 3

Married on the 30th October By the Rev Henry R Kern
Mr. Thomas Young to Miss Margaret E Kiel Daughter of H G Kiel and S Kiel all of The Borrow of Greensburgh

Henry and Sarah Kiel, 1847 Letter

2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00

A transcription of a letter from Henry Kiel to his wife Sarah "Sally" (Kern) Kiel, from a photocopy of the original in the possession of a descendant. A photocopy of the original is in the Documents/Kiel section of this website under Letter1.pdf and Letter2.pdf. In the same folder is another transcription made by another descendant of Henry and Sarah.

[Phila scratched out] New York July 12th 1847

Dear Sally

after spending one Sabbath in New York
i will give you the particulars of what has happened. in the first
place the sabbath is not observd here. the first thing that
saluted my ears after I got up was a parcel[?] of boys in the street
crying out Newspaper for Sale. after while the different church
bells began to chime and play verry buatafull. after that i
wint up stairs to my room waiting for Mr. Souer to come. he did arrive
til eleven o clock. i wondered why he did not come soner. i begin to
think that he had over done himself on Saturday night owing to us
walking about so much for whe wint and paid Dr Vogeley a visit.
he lives about 3 myles from where whe board. whe spent a verry
pleasent evening. the doctor and his lady was very glad to se us. they
are well and doing verry well. whe left that about 10 o clock. it
was after 11 o clock before i got home to my boarding house. wel Mr
Souer had to walk about two myles after that and that was the reason
why I thought he had over done himself. but to return to sunday,
after Mr Souer had arrived he came up to my room and escqused
himself for not coming soner. he said he had overslept himself. he tooked
some tyme and then proposed to take a walk. whe to the Bowery
and from there to Castle Garden. then whe went on board a Dutch
vessel and asked for the Captain. he came forward and was introduced
and whe where invited down in the Captain's cabin. he than brought
out some Dutch beer. after that he brought out his long smoke pipes
and whe began. i wisch you had been here, you would have laught
to kild yourself, and the Dutch had to go it with a perfect rusch after.
staying a while, the Captain took us and showed us every
apartment in his vessel. i was much pleased with my visit. it brought

[page 2]
back the days of my childhood and i thought i was really in Amsterdam.
but to proceed, whe returned to his boarding house after dinner.
Mr Souer took me down to his boording house that was about
two myles and remained there til almosst six o clock. he has
a splendid room fitted up for himself in graat style.
after that whe went to a family by the name off Camp, a
low dutch family, a Merchant that is worth about eight
thousand dollars. whe staid their a little while and than
Mr. Souer and Mr Camp and Jacob and myself started down
Broadway. Mr Souer observed to me he thought that my
supper would be over and proposed to go to a saloon
and take supper. so whe did and called for four suppers
elegantly served up. after that he would have me to go
to the great Castle garden one off the most splendid
places i ever saw. there was at leest about ten thousand
persons there. they played sacred music til ten o clock. after
that i wint home and wint to bed after spending a very
laborious sabbath. Newyork certainly is one off gratest places
in the unitedstates. Jacob is wel and is verry wel
contented. i think that this week or next week he
will git a sattuation. give my best lofe to my children
and a kiss to my little [Eck?]. Newyork is a place to spend money
if a man has it. Nothing more at present, but remain,

Yours, H G Kiel
Mr Souer sends his respects to you all.

James McAneny of Cleveland: his death record

2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00

While I was going back through the information on my mother's side of the family, I solved one mystery: what ever happened to Catherine Rodgers' first husband, James McAneny? She remarried shortly after their last child was born, but I was never able to find James' death record. Why? Because I was looking in Cleveland and he died in Chicago.

Here is an image that was once at Familysearch.org:

James McAneny's death record

So Catherine was a month or so pregnant with James' last child, Lillian, who was born in April 1911. Here is an summary of the information on his death record:

James McAneny, age 38, white male, married, born in Ireland, birth date and parents unknown. Length of residence in US, Illinois, and Chicago all unknown.
Died Aug 12, 1910.
Occupation: Boiler maker, Chicago & Northwest Railway, which he worked at from 1905 to 1910.
Usual residence: 4123 Carroll Ave
Died at Monroe Street Hospital of shock and scalds, suffered while cooking a flue on C & NW Ry Co. Engine 1334. Determined by an inquiry by Peter M Hoffman, coroner or coroner's physician.
Burial: August 15, 1910, in Cleveland

Edited to add: A descendant of Lilian McAneny has confirmed that James died in Chicago. He remembers seeing the telegram that his grandmother Catherine received informing her of the news.

Mary Ann Snider, Reminiscences

2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00

Mary Ann Snider

In March 1907, Jacob S. Royer of Dayton, Ohio, put together a twenty-two page typescript entitled Reminiscences of My Grandmother's Life. It is Mary Ann (Kiel) Snider's account of her life in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, as a young girl, and also of the early years of her married life with Jacob Snider in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. It covers a time period from before 1833 to after 1865.

In his introduction Mr. Royer says: "I expect few eyes to read these pages save those of her children or grandchildren, and therefore will write in a familiar way of the things that most interest our family relations." I believe he underestimated the value of the manuscript. It should be appealing to anyone with a desire to know what life was like in Western and Central Pennsylvania in the early to mid-1800's.

Mary Ann remembered when the stage coach was the main form of transportation, when Methodist outdoor camp meetings were being held, and when wood was the main fuel in what would soon be coal country. She witnessed President William Harrison's funeral cortege on its way west from Washington, DC. And she had Confederate soldiers knocking on her door during the Civil War.

Mr. Royer's concluding sentence is: "I hope that these stories which I have set down just as she told them without any additions, will prove as interesting to such others as may read them, as they have to me."

I hope so also, and I hope that readers will enjoy having them posted here on this site. The Documents section of this website has the images of Mr Royer's typescript under SniderTranscript.

See also the article A Surname Index to Mary Ann Snider's Reminiscences.

Patrick McQuaid, Jacob Kern, George W Kern, of Greensburgh, PA, Indenture Papers

2018-10-08T00:00:00-04:00

Kern-McQuaid Indenture Papers

Below is a transcription of the indenture papers of Patrick McQuaid, apprentice to Jacob S and George W Kern in Greensburgh, Pennsylvania, beginning April 30, 1827. A link to a digital image of the original is here: Patrick McQuaid, Jacob Kern, George W Kern, of Greensburgh, PA, Indenture Papers.

The transcription was done from the digital image of the original document which I received from a descendant of George W. Kern. It had been passed down through the Kopelin family to Mildred Wagle, who gave it to the father of the person I received it from. The document is posted and transcribed with the permission of the owner.

The original document was a printed "boilerplate" legal form, with spaces for the names of the individuals involved and the details of the apprenticeship.

This Indenture, Witnesseth:

That Patrick McQuaid, the son of Rudy McQuaid dec'd, of Hempfield township, Westmoreland county, and state of Pennsylvania, (by and with the advice and consent of his Mother testified by her signing as a witness hereto) hath bound and put himself, and by these presents doth bind and put himself, apprentice to J & G.W. Kern of the borrough of Greensburgh county, and state aforesaid, Hatters after the manner of an apprentice to dwell with and serve the said J & G.W. Kern their executors, administrators and assigns, from the day of the date hereof, for and during, and until the full end and term of four years and two months thence next ensuing, and fully to be complete and ended: During all which term, the said apprentice his said master faithfully shall serve, and that honestly and obediently in all things, as a dutiful apprentice ought to do: And the said J & G.W. Kern their executors, administrators, or assigns, shall teach, or cause to be taught and instructed, the said apprentice in the art trade, and mystery of a Hatter and shall find him the said apprentice sufficient meat, drink, washing, lodgings, and apparel during said term, shall send him six months to night school and give him a freedom suit worth twenty dollars.

In Witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, the thirtieth day of April in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven.

SIGNED AND SEALED
IN PRESENCE OF

her his
Margaret Bussard Patrick McQuaide /Seal/
mark mark

E A. Johnston Jacob S Kern /Seal/
[maybe C A. Johnston] Geo. W. Kern

BEFORE ME, the subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace, in and for said county, came the parties to the above Indenture, and acknowledged the same to be their act and deed for the purposes therein set forth. WITNESS my hand and seal, this thirtieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven.

A. Johnston /Seal/