My Trails into the Past

Nell Hutson was my paternal great-grandmother.  She was born either 8 February 1888 as was written on her tombstone [1] or 1889 which is calculated from U.S. federal census records. [2] The best record that might have solved or put into light on this question is the death certificate. She died at the age of thirty-one on  14 July 1919 at home near Gustine, Texas. [3] There is an obituary about her death and burial (even though the paper spelled her name wrong), but no death certificate. [4] Mrs. Tom Johnson Dead Mrs. Tom Johnson died on Monday, July 14, at the family residence in Comanche and was buried Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Union cemetery at Gustine. The many friends of the family will learn with keen regret of Mrs. Johnson's untimely death, passing away as she did in the prime of life when so much of her life was yet in the future. We join the many friends in extending our sympathy to the sorrowing husband and relatives. Nell was born, probably in Gusti...

Joseph Heinrich Horoch, my second great-grandfather, was born in Altenhundem, Westfalen on 3 February 1804 to Johann Horoch and Anna Gertrud Sommer. [1] He was the middle child of five. As was typical of Catholics in Germany at this time, he was baptized the next day, February 3, at the church in Kirchhundem. His godparents were Joseph Sommer of Kirchhundem and Anna Margarete Horoch of Meggen. [2] Kirchhundem and Altenhundem are located in the current state of  North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. These communities are still very small. They are situated in narrow valleys with steep hillsides. The nearest large city is Cologne, some hundred miles to the west. Altenhunden is in the top image and Kirchhundem the bottom, they were very close to each other, along with Meggen Joseph’s father was a tailor (“Schneider” in German), as was Joseph, and later, his son. Johan Anton Hork (our great-grandfather, who came to America). It was common to learn the trade of your fat...

William Cyril Hork was my paternal grandfather. He was born 10 Jul 1899 in Hamilton, Ravalli County, Montana to John Anton Hork and Julia Sievert. [1] He was baptized at St. Francis Xavier Church in Missoula, Missoula County, Montana on 16 Jul 1899 by J.B. Carroll, S.J. [2] His parent’s names were listed as Casper A Hork and Juliana Civert. So had he been born in Hamilton and then the family traveled six days later to Missoula to be baptized? Or had he really been born in Missoula? The birth certificate for William Cyril was created in 1941 as a delayed birth registration. Three pieces of evidence was used to support his birth date: Family Bible, dated 1866, showed William Cyril Hork born July 10, 1899 at Hamilton; his father  John Anton Hork born in Germany and his mother Julianna Sievert born in Joliet, Illinois; and that he was the tenth child listed in the bible. Mabel M. Lindstadt, Superintendent of Schools of Ravalli County, signed and dated 10 Sep 1941...

Mary Martha Gleeson was born in Carleton County, Ontario, Canada on 8 July 1863 to John Gleeson and Margaret Tierney. [1] She was the second daughter and fourth child born to John and Margaret. She was baptized on 2 August 1863 at St. Phillip’s Catholic Church by Father O’Connell. James Douras and Susan Smith were the sponsors. [2] James Douras was John’s sister, Honora’s husband, or rather, Mary Martha’s uncle. At this time, I don’t know who Susan Smith was. Was she a relative of John or Margaret Gleeson, or was she an in-law like James Douras? [Note: Mary Martha’s brother, John, married a Susan Smith later in 1894, but this was not the same Susan.] She moved to Dakota  Territory with her parents around 1880 and married her husband, Warren Edmond Gilbert on 9 Sep 1886 in Mitchell, Davison Co, South Dakota. A newspaper article about the marriage: "Gilbert-Gleeson.  At the Catholic church in this city at 8:30 am Thursday, by Rev. Father Sheehan.  Mary Martha...

Susan Nicholas Davey is my husband’s great grandaunt. She was born 11 Aug 1834 in St. Agnes in County Cornwall, England to Thomas Davey and Mary Nicholas. [1] She was the second child of fifteen. The family, which included five brothers and sisters, left England for America in 1851 or 1852. The ship’s list has not been found but the family was enumerated in the 1851 census in Debtford, London, [2] and on 10 October 1853 birth of the youngest son, Frederick Henry Davey was born in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. [3] Susan was married twice, but the first marriage was to Joseph Muir on 4 July 1854 in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. [4] The marriage occurred at St. Peter’s Church by Rev. Newton Heston. Joseph was also of Reading. St. Peter's Church, Reading, Pennsylvania By 1860 the family, including their son, William Muir, was living in Jeffersonville, Clark County, Illinois. [5] Joseph was an engineer. William was five years old. Joseph died 1...

My three times great-grandparents, Greenlee Bean Selman and Amanda Deborah Oldham were married on 23 Jun 1851 in Cherokee County, Texas. Actually, Greenlee Selman married another Selman, Mrs. Deborah A Selman. Here is a copy of the license for the marriage: [1] “To any Judge Justice of the Peace or Regularly Ordained Minister of the Gospel, you are hereby authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony between Mr. Green Lee R Selman and Mrs. Deborah Amanda Selman and due return make to within Sixty days after solemnization at my office in the town of Rusk. Given under my hand and seal of ?? In the Town of Rusk this 23rd September AD 1851.    W.P. Brittain Clerk Co Court, by his Deputy O.G. Woods.” 1851 Marriage License for Green Lee Selman & Mrs. Deborah A. Selman, Cherokee Co, Texas Now there is no return recorded in the marriage book. When did they marry? Probably not in the same office on that day. Had the minister forgotten to return the marriage? O...

Joseph Gorrell and Matilda Davey met at a boarding house in Kansas City, Missouri where they were both living. She was a maid at the Washington Hotel and lived at 1221 Broadway. [1] They obtained their marriage license on the 19th of December and were married on the same day by the Circuit Court Judge of Jackson County, Missouri. [2] On their application, they were living in different places: he lived at 1121 Central and she lived at 1207 Hasbrook Place. This differed from the city directory for 1900 but perhaps she had moved before the book was printed. Joseph was 31 years old and Tillie was 20. Then fifty-five years later, Joseph and Tillie celebrated their anniversary and it was written up in the newspaper. [3] The Joplin Globe printed lots of newsy articles about citizens of their community. This nice article gave the date of their marriage, the address they had lived in Webb City, the number and names of their four children, and the occupation of Joseph and soci...