September Anniversaries in the Family Tree

 

When September finds the aster...

September

Bell family ancestors

24th - James Stanley Bell & Violet Jennivee McGrath married 1938

26th - Mary "Hiley" Ann (Decker) Spann born 1836 

McGrath family ancestors

15th - John Negley & Ruth Foster married 1836

19th - Violet Jennivee (McGrath) Bell born 1917 

28th - Sadie Ellen (Negley) McGrath died 1958, age 78 

Menke family ancestors

2nd - William Harlow Roscoe died 1947, age 88

4th - Caroline (Schukky) Knapp died 1895, age 81

16th - Charles Albert Menke died 1965, age 78 

17th - Caroline Magrethe (Peterson) Jorgenson died 1910, age 63 

20th - Henry Menke died 1915, age 82

20th - Charlotte Isabelle (Roscoe) Menke born 1887 

29th - Ole Jorgenson died 1908, age 71

Mann family ancestors

3rd - Henrietta Abigail (Smith) Gaisford born 1848 

14th - William Mann & Nancy Jane Climie married 1861 

18th - Doris Darle (Mann) Menke died 2017, age 97

Mattingly family ancestors

Boone family ancestors

 1st - Elizabeth (Nally) Ballard born 1785

28th - Mary Frances Charlotte "Lottie" Boone died 1962, age 84 

Tunk Spalding family ancestors

7th - Richard Augustine Spalding died 1850, age 73

15th - Martha Nancy (Mills) Abell born 1798 

22nd - Marcus Thomas Spalding born 1886 

Hutt Spalding family ancestors

Richard Augustine Spalding is the common ancestor of the "Tunk" and "Hutt" Spalding lines.

August Anniversaries in the Family Tree

and August lilies blaze...

 

August

Bell family ancestors

1st - James Stanley Bell born 1907

McGrath family ancestors

Menke family ancestors

Mann family ancestors

29th - Mary Jane (Hull) (Clemie) Jones born 1816 

29th - William Mann died 1905, age 75 (son-in-law of Mary Jane (Hull) (Clemie) Jones) 

Mattingly family ancestors

28th - William Alfred Bryant Mattingly & Mary Frances Charlotte "Lottie" Boone married 1900 

Boone family ancestors

 1st - Robert I Boone born 1837

Tunk Spalding family ancestors

13th - Joseph Abner Abell, II died 1863, age 67 

13th - Mark Theodore Thomas died 1919, age 84

22nd - Martha Nancy (Mills) Abell died 1875, age 76 (wife of Joseph Abner Abell, II) 

Hutt Spalding family ancestors

18th - Mary Susan Isabelle "Belle" Luckett died 1908, age 51

20th  - John Simms died 1879, age 72 

William & Nancy & Mary

 

Copy of Bible Record, property of Doris Menke, date created unknown.

Written in a Bible record, printed in an obituary and etched on his tombstone, the date of February 12, 1830 is recorded as the birth of William Mann. He was born somewhere in England, but I have not found any bread crumbs to the exact location. If he had any siblings, he seems to have not had any contact with them. His parents remain a mystery. He told the 1900 census taker that 1852 was the year he immigrated, but I don't find a William Mann in any ships passenger lists for 1852. 

The first definite record I've found of my Second Great Grandfather William Mann in America is an 1865 listing of voters in Princeville Election District in Peoria county, Illinois. An 1873 map with a list of settlers in Princeville precinct, Peoria County, Illinois indicates that William Mann had settled there in 1854.

In 1860, only one William Mann is listed in census for Peoria county. He is 48 years old living with a Smith family and no one else named Mann. His age would be too old for William and too young to be his father. Our William should be 30 years old, but he might be the man listed in Van Buren county, Iowa living with the Thomas Rain family. That man's age is given as 23 which is too young. But it's interesting because this William worked as a miner and Van Buren county happens to be the same place that Nancy (Climie) O'Brien, a widow with a one-year-old daughter, lived. Her husband had been a miner and was killed in an accident before June 1st, the date of the census. The daughter, Nancy Jane, was born July 23, 1859. William and Nancy were married on September 14, 1861, but I haven't found the location. They spent some time in Macon county, Missouri before William took her back to Princeville, Illinois by 1865. Did William go to Iowa to work in the mines to earn money, try out Macon, Missouri, then go back to Illinois to farm?

When a cousin gave me this photo of William Man and wife several years ago, she said she didn't know which wife was with him. After finding a photo posted online (below) of Nancy's half-sister Jane, I see a strong family resemblance between the two women.

Sisters Jane Jones Vandermark and Nancy Climie Mann, date unknown

Nancy was born in Canada to Thomas Climie/Clemie who was originally from Scotland and Mary Jane Hull an immigrant from Ireland. She had two older brothers, Andrew and Robert. Some people believe Thomas Climie died shortly after Nancy was born, others believe he left his family and married another woman. At any rate, her mother Mary Jane got remarried to Edward Jones and later moved to Van Buren county, Iowa. Together Mary Jane and Ed had four girls and one boy. Mary Jane died when the boy was born in 1854. At age 16, Nancy was likely the caretaker for those children. Two years later her step-father remarried and had two more children. Nancy married John O'Brien in 1858, had her daughter Nancy Jane, and then was a widow within two years. 

Eleven children were born to William and Nancy in Princeville, four died as infants. The only record of them comes from the Bible record. No marked graves for these infant children have been found or recorded.

From the Bible record, the children of William and Nancy:

1.     Ada, born July 10, 1862
2.     Corean, born February 16, 1864, died at birth
3.     Lafayette, born January 13, 1866
4.     William B, born October 25, 1867
5.     Stephen A, born August 25, 1869, died in infancy
6.     Horace M, born July 28, 1870
7.     Marvin Oscar, born November 15, 1872
8.     Carrey, born January 11, 1875, died in infancy
9.     Effa, born March 8, 1876
10.     Clarence L, born June 18, 1878 
11.     Elsie, born August, 1880, died at birth

Between 1880 and 1881, William and Nancy moved their family to Jefferson county, Nebraska. In December of 1881, they lost their oldest son Lafayette. I haven't found the cause of his death at age 15. Nancy died on February 11, 1894, just a day before William's 64th birthday. 

By 1885, William owned 880 acres of land in Jefferson Precinct, Jefferson County, Nebraska. His farm was worth $4650 according to the agricultural census taken that year. He grew corn, oats, wheat & a little rye and livestock included cattle, hogs, chicken and horses.

Mary Armstrong was the daughter of another early Princeville, Illinois setter James Armstrong and his wife Margaret. Mary was a pioneer school teacher in Brimfield and Princeville townships. She was a faithful worker in the church, taught Sunday School and was a member of the Womens Christian Temperance Union. She and her sister Margaret were known all over the northern part of Peoria county where they raised flax and prepared it for cloth themselves. Starting this endeavor during the Civil War, they carded and spun wool and wove it into blankets and rugs for many years. 

It would be interesting to know if William Mann went back to Princeville with the intention of marrying Mary Armstrong, or if Mary had come to Nebraska and they got reaquainted. It's very likely they had known each other during the 1860's when William lived in Peoria County. She and William Mann were both 66 years old when they married in 1896, but I don't know where. It was Mary's first marriage. They lived at 715 Grace Street in Beatrice, William died there on August 29, 1905. Mary died January 17, 1912 and was buried in Coin, Iowa near a niece. 

Bonaparte Cemetery, A Nice Retreat

Born Mary Jane Hull, my Third Great Grandmother's first married name was Climie, and she died with her second married name of Mary Jane Jones. Her life ended in 1854 in a little town in the southeast corner of Iowa called Bonaparte. 

In 2014 as we traveled across Iowa on Highway 2 while on vacation, I was able to visit her grave in Bonaparte Cemetery. This is the second oldest grave (with an original stone) of my direct ancestors that I've been able to visit in person. It's a big cemetery right next to the Honey Creek coming off the Des Moines River on the west side of Bonaparte. It's natural grass had been mowed recently when I was there. Everything was green and with the trees lining the creek it was a pretty place. There was no on-site directory, but after some walking around I was able to find the stone based on the photo posted on Find A Grave.

Mary Jane and her first husband Thomas may have divorced, but I haven't found a record to confirm that. Some people claim his grave is in the Wyoming Cemetery in Ontario, Canada.

Mary Jane had a total of eight children with her two husbands. With Thomas, who is my Third Great Grandfather, she had Andrew, Robert and my Second Great Grandmother, Nancy Jane. With Edward Jones, Mary Jane had five children, Mary, Jane, Margaret, Jeanette and George. She died shortly after George's birth. George lived to be about 80 years old. The remains of her children are resting in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. 

Still legible in person, her tombstone is inscribed: 
"Erected by Edward Jones in memory of his wife Jane Jones who departed this life May 29, 1854 Aged 37 yrs 10 Mos".

Her parents are unknown to me. Mary Jane was born in Ireland, I believe, and moved first to Canada, but I am not sure if her parents ever came to this continent.

Newspaper Clippings - Franklin, Nebraska, 1906

Mary Jones Harwood is a half-sister to my Great Great Grandmother Nancy Jane (Clemie) Mann.  Just two years apart in age, they had different fathers, but the same mother, Mary Jane Hull.  They grew up in Iowa, both got married, moved around with their families and about 1882 both made their homes in Nebraska.  Nancy Jane lived near Plymouth, in Gage County and Mary near Riverton, in Franklin County, a distance of just over 100 miles.  

After learning her death date from a distant cousin, I found her obituary in the Franklin paper.  It was split over two columns, so along with it here's a little news from Franklin County, Nebraska.

Franklin Free Press, March 2, 1906

Column 1, top image

RIVERTON

Our village marshal walks on two canes because of a hurt from a fall. 

Walter Carnahan came home last week and will remain here for a while.

B. H. Hancock left Sunday night for Montana to purchase horses for this market.

The Chitwood sale last week was largely attended and stock brought good prices.

The H. L. Dunkin sale, which was to have been last week, was called off for want of a sufficient number of people to bid.

The Burlington Bridge gang was here this week and put a new foundation and frame-work under the scales at the stock yards, which was greatly needed.

Norman Mead recently rented the Tom Clarke farm on Farmers creek, which created some suspicion for a time, but since Norman has taken on to himself a wife we see why he wanted a farm.

J. D. Fulton shipped his cattle this week, upon which he realized 5 cents, and now John says he has had enough of farming.  He has bought the Bowers property in town and will move back to his old place.

W. O. Renkin of Red Oak, Ia., arrived here last week and has rented rooms on the south side of Lincoln street in which he will open up a barber shop.  He comes highly recommended as a barber.

John Watt from near Red Oak, Ia., has rented the Duncan section north-west of town and moved onto it the latter part of last week.  Mr. Watt is a well-to-do man, but came out here on....

Column 1, bottom image

account of his wife's health.

H. Crilly stopped off here on his way home from St. Joe Thursday to see that his new tenants were properly installed and to look after his stock here.  Mrs. Crilly and son Howard drove down from Campbell to meet him.

A. Holdridge and family, together with his son-in-law, arrived home Sunday morning.  They brought a fine collection of California fruits such as lemons, oranges, etc., which they plucked from the trees 

themselves.  This fruit is on exhibition in the post office.

This is moving time, D. R. Schenck has moved to the Enos farm just north of town.  B. A. Crosby has gone onto the Livengood place west of town and J. H. Benson takes the place vacated by Crosby.  Mr. Pierce from Missouri goes onto the S. J. Taylor farm while Geo. Fisher occupies the H. Crilly place.

OBITUARY

HARWOOD - Mary Jones Harwood was born in Canada Nov. 17, 1840; died at her home east of Riverton Thursday, Feb. 22, aged 65 years.  She came to Iowa in an early day; was married to Charles Harwood in 1867 and to them were born eight children, four sons and one daughter surviving.  

They came to Nebraska in 1882 and Mr. Harwood died here in 1898.  Mrs. Harwood united with the Baptist church when quite young, which faith she adhered to all her life.  She was more than usually attached to her children, who loved their mother as only good children should.

Funeral services were conducted at the Congregational church Tuesday by Rev. G. W. Knapp, after which the remains were laid to rest in the Riverton cemetery.  A sister, Mrs. Margaret Shoemaker, and her son from Burr...

Column 2, top image

Oak, Kans., and a step son from Mankato, Kans., were present at the funeral.

The children wish through these columns to extend their thanks for the help which was so freely furnished during the short illness and during the long period during which the funeral was delayed waiting for the one son, Bert, to arrive from California.

HUNT - Don, the six months old son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hunt, died Sunday, Feb. 25.  Funeral services were conducted at the home Monday afternoon by Rev. W. T. Owen and the little one laid to rest.

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP

Special Correspondence

Chas. Murray has moved onto the Will Burr farm.

Phones have been put in at the Carlson place and Chaney ranch.

J. E. Thompson of Bloomington was a home visitor over Sunday.

Mr. Steele is boring for a well near the house on his place.

Chas. Wharton made a trip to Smith Center Saturday returning Monday.

Joel Fager and family of Denver are visiting at the home of F. N. Phillips.

Chas. Wharton is assisting Fred Wineland is building a dipping tank.

Jay Palmer was thrown from a horse Wednesday and received a sprained ankle.

James Palmer and family of Franklin were visitors at the home of his son Charles Sunday.

Andy Anderson is moving to town this week.  Wm. Mucklow has moved onto the Anderson farm.

John Dunafen has moved onto the Beck property. Mrs. Beck is staying...

Column 2, bottom image 

with her daughter Mrs. Ezra Fager.

O. E. Madison has moved onto S. G. Palmer's place in Kansas.  Mr. Palmer has been making some repairs on the house.

MARION TOWNSHIP

Special Correspondence

Mr. and Mrs. Bird Smith visited at J. H. Chapman's Sunday.

Mrs. L. N. Wentworth boasts the first young chickens of the season.

Several ladies of the neighborhood spent the day Monday with Mrs. L. L. Livengood.

Roy Yapp and sister Miss Rae are visiting friends and relatives in Orleans this week.

Mr. and Mrs. Will Buster and Joe Chapman and sisters spent the evening at L. N. Wentworth's Monday.

Roy Pecht, from Hardy arrived Thursday night with two loads of household goods preparatory to moving on the place vacated by J. H. Chapman.

Lewis, the little son of John Larraway, while out hunting Saturday afternoon accidentally shot himself through the heel.  Dr. McElwee dressed the wound and it is not likely to prove serious.

Mr. and Mrs. W. Q. Lee, who have been spending the winter in California, returned Sunday and are spending a few days with the latter's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Yapp.  They will go to housekeeping on their farm near Atlanta.

For the past five years we have endeavored to keep posted on items of interest for the benefit of FREE PRESS readers, but this week  we lay aside the pen with the hope that our readers have enjoyed the items as much as we have enjoyed writing them.  May God bless the FREE PRESS and all the dear old friends of Franklin and vicinity.

Those Places Thursday - Bonaparte, Iowa

Bonaparte is an historic little town alongside the Des Moines river in the southeast corner of Iowa.  My ancestors, the Clemie's, lived in the area from about 1850 to 1865.  I was able to visit there on my way to Illinois earlier this month.  Many of the buildings in town are marked with "National Register of Historic Places" plaques, although sadly many of them sit empty.

Bonaparte's Retreat was a very nice quiet restaurant with antiques everywhere.  It had a great atmosphere, great food and great service. They don't play the song while you dine, but somehow I still got it stuck in my head.  The building was once a Grist Mill, the water wheel is still there.  We had lunch there on a Thursday and business was good.  

There was a very nice little park next to Bonaparte's Retreat, right along the river.

Unfortunately, this big old building no longer houses an antique store.  I hope this quaint little town can pull through its economic slump.

Tombstone Tuesday - Edward Jones

This stone lies in Mount Ararat Cemetery, east of Centerville, Iowa.  It belongs to Edward Jones.  He would be my Step 3rd Great Grandfather.  

There are several old stones is this little country cemetery lying on the ground and/or in need of repair.  

Mary Jane Hull Clemie Jones - Forever Young

Mary Jane Hull was born in Ireland on August 29, 1816.  Another researcher gave me that birth date years ago, but they didn't give their source.  I have only found a Baptismal record for a Mary Jane Hull in Aghalee, Antrim, Ireland dated November 24, 1816.  The parents on that Baptism record are Joseph and Elizabeth.  If that Mary Jane Hull is the same as mine, she didn't name any of her children after her parents.  She's on my list of international research to do someday.

When she was about 18, Mary Jane married Thomas Clemie (also spelled Climie, Clemy, Klemme et al), in Canada.  They were married about 5 years, then she was apparently widowed.  They had three children:  Andrew, Robert and Nancy Jane, who was my Great Great Grandmother.  All three children were born in Upper Canada or Northern Canada which on some census records is recorded as "NC" which then gets incorrectly transcribed as North Carolina.

In about 1840, she married Edward Jones in Canada.  They had five children:  Mary, Jane, Margaret, Jeanette and George.  The family moved to Van Buren County, Iowa before Jeanette was born.  Mary Jane died in Bonaparte, Iowa at only 37 years old.   The inscription on her stone is "Erected by Edward Jones in memory of his wife Jane Jones who departed this life May 29, 1854 Aged 37 yrs 10 Mos".   Her stone is still very legible after 160 years.

My preliminary findings through census records, findagrave and familysearch online records for the children of Mary Jane (not all confirmed, still a work-in-process): 

• Andrew (1835-1911) married Arminta Loop, they are buried in Centerville, Iowa.
• Robert (1837-?) married Druzilla Kirby on July 3, 1866 in Van Buren County, Iowa.
• Nancy Jane (1838-1894) first married John O'Brien and had a daughter Nancy.  Nancy Jane's second husband was my Great-Great Grandfather, William Mann.
• Mary (1841-1906) married Charles Harwood and moved to Franklin County, Nebraska.
• Jane (1843-1907) married Hiram T Vandermark, they are buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.  On Ancestry I found a photo of Jane Vandermark that, when compared to a photo of Nancy Mann on findagrave, confirms for me that the two were sisters, or at least half-sisters.  The resemblance is remarkable! 
• Margaret (1845-1927) possibly married Absalem Shoemaker and may be the woman buried in the Burr Oak Cemetery, Burr Oak, Kansas.
• Jeanette (1849-?) married Jesse Bailey and moved to Linn County, Iowa.
• I haven't been able to track down George Jones.  He first shows up on the 1860 census record at age 6 so he was born in 1854, which would possibly mean his birth or complications from it may have had something to do with Mary Jane's death.

Within the next two years, Edward Jones married Martha Ensley in Harrison, Lee County, Iowa.  They had 2 children, John and Victoria.  

This is the shot you don't see on findagrave.  The view (somewhat) as her family saw it as they stood by her grave.  I don't know where the family's home was from this point, but having been there now, I know that in the distance is the Des Moines River.  And to the left is the town of Bonaparte, to the right and behind them were fields and farms.  Her children, ranging in age from 19 to maybe just days old, stood on this spot and said their final goodbye to their young mother.

Sunday's Obituary - Edward Jones

Centerville Weekly Citizen, July 8, 1871

"Edward Jones of Sharon township, aged 51 years, died on the 16th of June, of paralysis.  He had been helpless for about six months.  About three years since he united with the Baptist church, in which he has since lived a worthy member.  Before his death he expressed strong hope for life beyond the grave."

This doesn't actually qualify as an obituary, but it's all I've found after seeing a memorial on findagrave for Edward Jones who was buried in Mount Ararat Cemetery in Appanoose County, Iowa.  In 1870, the Edward Jones I'm tracking lived in Sharon township, Appanoose County at age 52.  He was married to Martha, children living with them were George, John W and Victoria along with Mary Bar, age 79, who was probably Martha's mother.  I believe this is the same Edward Jones who in 1860 lived in Van Buren County with wife Martha, children Margaret, Jeanette, George, John, Mary Barr and two 17-year-old boys I don't know how they fit in.  I also believe this to be Edward Jones who was in Bonaparte, Van Buren County in 1850 with his then wife Mary Jane, who died there in 1854.  The children listed in the household were Andrew Jones, (who I think should have been Andrew Clemie) Robert Clemie, Nancy Clemie - all children of Mary Jane from her first marriage to Thomas Clemie.  The Jones children listed were Mary, Jane, Margaret and Jeanette.  

I can't read his age for sure in this clipping - 51?, he would have been about 54.  If no one else claims this guy, then I do.  He would be the step-father of my 2nd Great Grandmother Nancy Clemie Mann.  Her father died when she was so young, Edward would have been the only father she knew.

William & Nancy Mann - Immigrants to America

This is William Mann, but I'm not sure which of his two wives this is.  He was first married to Nancy Clemie on September 14, 1861.  She died in 1894 and on March 6, 1896 he married Mary Armstrong.  This may be their "wedding" photo.  Where he married either woman is still an ancient Chinese secret to me. 

William was born somewhere in England on February 12, 1830.  The huge old trunk in the cyber attic lists him as an early settler in Princeville Township in Peoria County, Illinois, arriving in 1854.  He is also given credit for being a founding member of the White's Grove Baptist Church and having dug the well for the White's Grove School in 1880.  He immigrated in 1852 and if I have learned correctly, in the 1900 census under the "Naturalized" column there is a "Pa", which meant that he had filed his first papers for declaration of intent to become a US Citizen.  

Searches for "William Mann" come up with an astounding number of hits that would take hours to look through.  Because I don't have hours to look, I haven't been very successful finding this particular Mann, which is disappointing.  It makes me act a lot like little Susan Walker in "Miracle on 34th Street", even though there were packages under the tree for me, disappointed that I didn't see the package that I wanted.  I need to remember her mantra - "I believe.  I believe.  It's silly, but I believe."  Positive thinking will help me get through those hundreds of hits and find where in England this William Mann is from.

Nancy had been married before she married William.  Her first husband was John O'Brien and they had a daughter named Nancy Jane who was barely a year old when her father died.  A descendant of Nancy Jane's told me that she didn't know about her real father until just before she was married. 

Thomas Clemie from Scotland, and Mary Jane Hull from Ireland were Nancy's parents. She was born in Upper Canada, which was a British Colony in 1838.  Thomas died when Nancy was about 2, so both she and her daughter lost their fathers at a very young age.  Mary Jane remarried to Edward Jones and had 4 girls - Mary, Jane, Margaret and Jenette. Nancy originally was a nickname for Mary.  I don't know at what point in history it became a name on its own.  Why do I get the idea that Mary Jane Hull's mother's name may have been Mary - or Jane - or both?  The Jones family, with Clemie children Andrew, Robert and Nancy, lived in Van Buren County, Iowa in 1850.  Mary Jane died there May 29, 1854, she was only 37 years old. 

William and Nancy had 11 children together: 

• Ada Belle married (1) Alex Johnson and (2) Sherman Armstrong 
• Corrine 
• Lafayette
• William B married Eliza Carre
• Stephen A 
• Horace M married Lulu Wadley
• Oscar Marvin married Ida Belle Berkey
• Carrie
• Effa married William Camp
• Clarence married Cora Gaisford - my Great Grandparents
• Elsie

Nancy died at age 55 on February 11, 1894, that was the day before William's birthday. Her obituary mistakenly says she was survived by one son, not the four it should have said. William was 75 when he died on August 29, 1905.  

   

A Mann family trait that looks like it comes from William with his white beard in that photo, is snow white colored hair.  It's pretty really, but no one wants theirs to turn white at too young an age.

My original goal when I started doing this research, was to find out what country each line of my family immigrated from.  In this line I have succeeded.  These people were from England, Canada, Ireland and Scotland.  International research is something I've been putting off until I have the time to focus on it - like when I retire.  More and more records are becoming available online, I should go ahead and give it a try.  I believe.  I believe.