The Genealogy Do-Over Part 1 – The Software Dilemma

Back in December, Thomas MacEntee announced the Genealogy Do-Over. Since then the big red button above has been popping up all over! There is also a related Facebook group that has generated a ton of good ideas.

I decided to join in for a couple of reasons so I will have a post outlining a goal for each of those reasons.

Today – it’s all about the software! 

The Genealogy Do-Over comes at a great time for me because my database of choice, The Master Genealogist, is no longer supported as of 01 Jan 2015. Yes, I realize that I can continue to use it – probably for years and years. However I prefer to be pro-active and make a new choice while my old database is still viable. So, as part of the Do-Over, I will be starting two new databases from scratch…one in RootsMagic and one in Legacy. I will work in both databases up to, and including, my 4 grandparents. That should give me enough experience to decide which one to keep especially since, for me, this mean siblings and families in each generation.

Here are a few of my issues. The first is color – I love it! In TMG I used it extensively to keep track of the various Zaugg families I had - all descendants of Jakob Zaugg and Anna Stetler. I assigned each of the children a different color and all that child’s descendants (including spouses and children’s spouses) were assigned that color. When I had a great working chart done by Family ChartMasters I had it done in colors to match my database pictured below:



In RootsMagic I can almost approximate that, but there are not enough colors and some of them are ugly! I can’t seem to change them. Also, I can only find a way to color the text not the background. Sometimes that just doesn't stand out enough for me.  I'm still exploring all the ins and outs of the color schemes.

In Legacy it seems I can only assign color going in one direction – I can pick a person and go back their direct line but I can’t pick a person and all their descendants and go forward. I like the fact that Legacy used the background for the color, and also that I can set the colors to be what I want.  What I don't like is that those colors don't seem to "stick" - so when I am looking at the index of names, NO COLORS.

Overall I’m not in love with the options in either software.

The next issue is best put in a picture. This is part of the main screen for my maternal grandfather (in TMG): As you can easily see, he has three children. The issues is that those children did not all have the same mother. In my mind that shouldn’t matter – those are all his children and when I am working on a person I want to see all their children.

In Legacy I’ve been able to do that with the half-siblings option. In Roots Magic I haven’t found a way to view those children without flipping back and forth between spouses.

Finally there is the matter of a timeline. There are approximately a billion posts/webinars/sessions on how to create timelines and how important they are. I totally agree. The thing is I never really worried about creating one because my main “page” for any person in TMG IS a timeline. I can easily see what census info I have (or don’t have) and what events I’ve chosen to document for that person and, by extension, what events I haven’t yet documented.

Both Roots Magic and Legacy have an option to click on a tab and display a timeline. I like the feature in both although I don’t like that it’s a separate "thing" but it’s OK.

One thing I need to do is stop looking at my TMG database and just work in RootsMagic and Legacy during this Do-Over so I can be sure I'm exploring the cool things they can do that possibly I've never considered in my current database.  One of those things is DNA.  I've just gotten started in this area and I want a database that can document this new information.

I should say that what I’ve written here is based on my dumping a GEDCOM into each program when I was doing my Zaugg tracking and then just trying out a few things. I have not yet explored in any depth what is available in each software package. So, it’s possible that I just don’t yet know how to do something – not that a feature is unavailable. That is why I thought starting from scratch in each would allow me to do a good comparison. I know there are tons of options online for learning the features of each.

The Goal: Chose which to go forward with and then continue to update only in that database.
Time: By the end of the Do-Over (13 weeks)

I know that doesn't seem profound, but I'm one that has trouble committing to software because there is always something else new and shiny.  [which is why I already have both RM and Legacy on my computer.]

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #25 ~ William Eickelberg, You're Fired!

First just the facts:

Name: William Eicklberg

Born: 24 Mar 1863, Cölpin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany

Married: 01 Jan 1884 to Nellie Auflick, Charleston, West Virginia

Died:11 Dec 1934, Denver, Colorado [Find A Grave memorial]

Imaging discovering that your great-great grandfather had been fired from his job. Not only that, but it was splashed across the pages of several newspapers. It was a little shocking to read, in bold type at the top of page 3 in The Denver Rocky Mountain News, “EICKELBEG FIRED.” So, how did he end up being publicly dismissed from his job? Let’s start with a little background.

The Eickelberg family arrived in the United States on September 20, 1865 just as the Civil War was ending. The family landed at Castle Garden, New York and shortly made their way to southern Ohio. At 2 ½ William was probably wide-eyed at all the new sights.

At the time of the 1870 federal census, the family is living in the small town of Minersville, in Meigs County, Ohio. As the name implies, mining (of both coal and salt) plays a central role in the economy of this area of Meigs County. In that 1870 census William’s father is listed as a “salt maker” while in 1880 both William, now 17, and his father are listed as “common laborer.” There is no evidence here that either of the Eickelbergs worked in the mines, but certainly mining was all around. It’s possible that one or both did spend some time underground.

When William married on January 1, 1884 his bride, Nellie (Mary Ellen) Auflick, was from a mining family living in nearby Sutton. The Auflicks were already in Meigs County in 1860 when we find Nellie’s father Thomas listed as a “coal digger.”

William and Nellie’s first child was born in 1885 in Carbon, Indiana; a city which was founded by the Carbon Block Coal Company. Once again, coal-mining and the Eickelbergs seem to go together. Later that same year, the family had moved to Breckinridge, Colorado, where William worked in the mining business. From there, the family moved to Lafayette, Colorado, another mining town, where they operated a rooming house, probably for coal miners.

Clearly William has been around coal mining virtually his entire life. I don’t yet know when he became deputy state mine inspector, but I did find a number of snippets in the local papers mentioning his activities in the 1890s.

From page 2 of The Boulder Daily Camera on May 8, 1894:

William Eickelberg, deputy state coal mine inspector, is in the city today, accompanied by D.E. Davis of Lafayette. Mr. Eickelberg’s present trip is made in his official capacity in the pursuit of which he has become recognized as a most conscientious and exacting official. It is said that the coal mines of Colorado were never so thoroughly equipped with everything in the line of preventives of injury and accidents to the operatives as at the present time. Boulder county has just reason to felicitate itself upon the fact that much of this is due to its own representative, Mr. Eickelberg, in the office of state inspector. 

This certainly does not sound like a man on the verge of being fired, does it? Yet just a few short months later, on Thursday, August 23, 1894 his firing is announced in The Denver Rocky Mountain News. We read that the William was “endeavoring to undermine his superior…” It further discusses how he was not working “in harmony” with the Chief Inspector, D. J. Reed because William felt that he should have been appointed Chief.

 It appears that the real issue, however, is a battle of wills between Chief Inspector Reed and the governor of Colorado, Davis Hanson Waite. According to Mr. Reed, Governor Waite had appointed Eickelberg as his assistant and he, Reed, “…was not consulted in the matter at all.” There are reported threats by the Governor to fire Reed and counter claims by Reed that the Governor does not have that power.

So, was William just a disgruntled employee upset that he was not given the top job or is he somehow a pawn in a larger political battle? If I had to guess, I’d say probably a little of both.

Fortunately The Denver Rocky Mountain News was not the only newspaper to comment on the event. The Boulder Daily Camera reported on the firing in this way:

Coal Mine Inspector Reed has fired his deputy William Eickelberg of Lafayette. There has been no love between the men from the first, the deputy having the governor's favor which was denied to the inspector, himself. Some reforms are said to have been accomplished by these gentlemen and miners in this section feel especially kind toward Mr. Eickelberg, by whose order the coal mines have been placed in such condition that the men can work with some degree of comfort and risk of loss of life and limb has been rendered nominal. Reed knows very little about this business but his deputy was a well equipped official from the start and should have been inspector.

William Eickelberg - left

It would appear that William Eickelberg had the favor of the “common man” in this episode of his life. A few months after this affair, he would pen an impassioned letter to the newspaper urging his, “fellow miners and laborers the necessity of united action on Nov. 6th.” He is asking them to be sure and vote for the Populist Party. Governor Waite had been elected from this party in 1893 and the governor appears to have been a supporter of unions as well as women’s suffrage.

 How interesting to find out that great-great-grandpa was a rabble-rouser!

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #24 ~ Barbara Zaugg

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog) 

And now we come to the last child of Jacob Zaugg and Anna Stetler as listed in the Zaugg book.

First just the facts:

Name: (Anna) Barbara Zaugg

Born: 07 May 1843, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland

Married: 03 Jan 1867 to David Shifferly, Wayne County, Ohio

Died:22 Feb 1914, Wayne County, Ohio [Find A Grave memorial]











Barbara and David will have 10 children as listed in the Zaugg book.  I have been able to find 10 children thoughout the various census records and Wayne County birth records although I have to admit that they tend to have wildly varying names.  In the 1900 census Barbara is listed as having given birth to 10 children and having 10 now living.  The family is really fairly straight forward and I can easily find Barbara and her husband in every census that I should always living and farming in Wayne County, Ohio.  It's just that with 10 children this would be another black hole of research on a collateral line and I'm not going to go there. (and I really need to write that on the blackboard 100 times.)

At this point I'll just close with Barbara's death certificate.  And finally, here is a child who get the names of his mother's parents correct in spite of the fact that his grandfather died before he was born and his grandmother died when he was about four.  Much better than several of his older cousins were able to do for their Zaugg parents.

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #23 ~ Peter Zaugg

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog)


First just the facts:

Name: Peter Zaugg
Born: 22 Aug 1839, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Married: 15 Apr 1862 to Mary Catherine Sorgen, Wayne County, Ohio and then to Louise Wable (?) sometime after 1864 possibly in Adams County, Indiana
Died: 25 Apr 1926 Wayne County, Ohio



Here are the few things I know about Peter:

• He arrived with the rest of his family on 30 May 1853 at Castle Garden. 
• By 1860 he is living with his parents in Salt Creek Twp, Wayne County, Ohio. 
• A few years later he marries Mary Catherine Sorgen, also in Wayne County, Ohio.

Here is the theory I currently have about what happens after that:

Shortly after his marriage he moved to Indiana, most probably Adams County, where his oldest sister, Lizzie, and an older brother, Daniel, were already living. Their first child, Mary, is born there and his wife dies shortly thereafter. He then marries a widow (?) named Louise Kohler nee Wable who has three children. At some point prior to 1869, when Aldine/Aline is born, they have return to Ohio. As listed in the 1880 census their children are:  Aline 11, Peter 7, Ida 5, Alfred 3, Albert 1.  The Zaugg book lists another daughter, Louisa.  It's possible she was born between Aline and Peter.

 I believe that Mary, Peter’s first child would have come with them back to Ohio because by 1880 I find a couple that matches the information in the Zaugg book – a Mary and Robert Shanklin. Peter divorces Louise sometime prior to the 1900 census when Peter is living with his brother Frederick. Of interest are several other families listed on the same census pages living close by. They are mostly Zaugg relatives and include the Mary & Robert Shanklin that I believe to be Peter’s daughter and son-in-law. 

Louisa moves back to Indiana with her 3 children from her first marriage as well as the children from her marriage to Peter. In the 1900 census I find her in Adams County with the following Zaugg children: Peter, 22, Ida 20, Alfred 19 and "Alla" (son) 15.  (The ages seem out of whack, but the other children from her first marriage are there as well and line up better.)  I find Peter in the 1910 census living with his sister Barbara and her husband David Shifferly. And finally, I believe he died in 25 Apr 1926 as this death record fits with everything else I know about Peter.
 

Here are just a few of the problems and/or inconsistencies with this theory.

• In 1880 Mary’s birthplace is listed as Ohio. However in 1900, 1910 & 1920 it is listed as Indiana. It is possible that her husband provided the information in 1880 and just didn’t know. That would be especially true if Mary lived in Ohio for most of her life. 
• The census listings for this Mary & Robert Shanklin don’t match any of the children in the Zaugg book. This is not a deal breaker as there are other notable mistakes in the book. However I’ve yet to find a family that is totally wrong. 
• Mary’s parents are always listed as being from Germany rather than Switzerland. This seems an odd “mistake” to make living in a community that was so filled with Swiss immigrants. My only thought here is that, again, Robert gave the information and I don’t see that he was Swiss or German. Maybe all he knew was that his in-laws spoke German.

This brings me to my issue. Here is yet another black hole of research that is not in my direct line, Peter being my my 3rd great grand uncle. I KNOW I should just back away slowly and then turn and run. However when I look at the theory and the issues there are just so many things I could look for – and most probably find – that would clear up some of the weak parts of the theory.  But I really need to move on - at least for right now.

At this point I’m going to finish with the children in the original family – one more to go – and then go back to my direct ancestor, Jacob. My plan will be to circle back around and work on validating/sourcing/citing/generally cleaning up everything related my direct line from me back to Jacob. I think I will also put together at least a semblance of a research plan for the other children based on what holes I turned up in my blog posts. That way as I’m working on my direct line if I’m trawling through say Wayne County marriage records I can quickly see if there are others I need and grab them while I’m at it.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  (until I spot that first shiny object on Ancestry...)

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

I know it’s Monday and Randy’s post is called SATURDAY Night Genealogy Fun, but hey, what’s to say that Monday nights can’t be fun as well?? Not only is it not Saturday, but instead of doing a bucket list, I’m going to do an already bucketed list. Back in 2010 I wrote a post titled, A Bucket List or a Bucketed List?  If you care to read the introduction to that post, I explain why I like the concept of the already bucketed list better. 

So, while I'm cheating in more ways than one, here is Randy's original instructions for us:

Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!): 

Knowing that a "Bucket List" is a wish list of things to do before death:

1) What is on your Genealogy Bucket List? What research locations do you want to visit? Are there genea-people that you want to meet and share with? What do you want to accomplish with your genealogy research? List a minimum of three items - more if you want! 

2) Tell us about it in a blog post of your own (please give me a link in Comments), a comment to this post in Comments, a status line or comment on Facebook, or a Google+ Stream post. 

Think big! Have fun! Life is short - do genealogy first!

Already Bucketed Genealogy List 

Trip to Scotland ~ May, 2007 
My father’s paternal line is 100% Scottish. Both of his paternal grandparents were born in Scotland although they met and married here in the US. For me trips to the ancestral homelands are not about research as much as seeing the places where my ancestors lived. I was able to visit churches they attended and see places they would have seen. Because it wasn’t just a genealogy trip we also visited castles and, of course, saw Loch Ness and did other tourist things – just basically soaking up the Scottish atmosphere.  I can see myself visiting there for a more extended time in the future.

Attend Jamboree ~ June, 2011 
After several years of watching Facebook post and tweets and blog postings by friends, and being

 green with envy, I finally got the opportunity to attend Jamboree in 2011. It was fabulous daah-lings! This was the first time that I got to meet a large number of people who previously were only my friends on Facebook. I felt like I’d know them forever. I was so busy that I only managed one blog post about it. The title, SCGS Jamboree 2011 ~ More Fun Than Christmas!, pretty much sums up my feelings.  I fully intend to go back some day but other things keep getting in the way. For instance this year my oldest niece felt it was more important for me to be at her wedding than to attend Jamboree. I can’t imagine why. But someday I WILL return so maybe this should go on my wish list as well as here.



Attend an FGS conference ~ 2011 in Springfield and 2013 in Ft. Wayne
I had such a fantastic time both years. I feel that FGS really offers things that are beyond just the basics so I learned a lot both years. Both times were also about meeting “old” friends that I’d just never actually met in person. Last year was extra special because I ended up going for the whole week so I could research at the Allen County Public library. I hitched a ride over with Susan Clark so it was genealogy from the minute I got in the car until we got home – wonderful!



Trip to Germany ~ June 2012
This trip was focused on my mother’s side of the family. Both her father and mother have German roots and both families came from the northern part of Germany. We spent time there in all the tiny little places that those ancestors called home.  On her mother's side the trail even led us into Denmark.  I was fortunate enough to have my mom, my sister and my youngest niece along so we also did tourist-y things in the south of Germany.  I'd go back in a heart beat.

Trip to Salt Lake City ~ January, 2013 & January, 2014 [and plans for January, 2015]
What genealogist doesn’t have at least one trip to SLC on their bucket list?? I had wanted to go for years and finally managed it by attending SLIG in 2013. After taking Paula Stuart-Warren’s great class I was hooked and came back the next year and am registered for this year as well. Learning and spending time in the library – a genealogy dream-come-true.

These are just a few of the highlights of my “already bucketed” list. This list could be so much longer.  In the end I managed to obeyed ONE of Randy’s parameters -  to list at least three things.

If I had to put things on a bucket/wish list here's what I'd add:

Trip to Switzerland ~ Oh wait, that’s on horizon this September! It’s a tour based around a particular Swiss surname in my family - Zaugg. [I’m sure friends and family are tired of the Zauggs at this point, but I’m trying to stay focused enough to sort out a few mysteries with them] My other Swiss ancestors were from the same area so it’s going to be awesome.

Attend an NGS conference ~ Fortunately for me the NGS people are thoughtfully conspiring to make this happen in 2015 by holding the conference in my own backyard – St. Charles, MO. I have my hotel reservations so it’s a go as far as I’m concerned.

And finally, I’ll steal from Randy’s list almost word for word ~ Attend every national and regional genealogy conference held during one calendar year. In the process, visit every major regional and national genealogy repository in the same year.

Wow, wouldn’t that be something! Maybe I’ll set aside a special fund and start saving so that when I retire this could be my first year’s activity. We’ll see. 

But regardless of whether I ever get to do that last item, I’m sure that each year my “already bucketed list” will keep growing with the things I’m fortunate enough to be able to do, the ancestral sites I’ll see and most of all the great genea-friends that I’ll meet.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #22 ~ Magdalena Zaugg

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog) 

I've gotten a little out of order with my Zauggs.  Daniel, last week's post, is really younger than Magdalena however I had just had to post about my find at the Indianapolis library while it was more recent.  So, now going back I'll look at Madgelana this week.

First just the facts:

Name: Magdalena Zaugg
Born: Oct/Nov 1834, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Married: 30 Nov 1854 to Nicholas Wahley, Wayne County, Ohio
Died:04 Mar 1914, Wayne County, Ohio [Find A Grave memorial]



In the 1870 census, the family is shown with the following children: Mary 14, Louisa 13, Elizabeth 10, John 7, Emma 4, and  Henry 1.  In 1880, 5 of the 6 children are still at home: Louisa 23, Elizabeth 22, John 17, Emma 14, and Henry 11.  The oldest daughter, Mary, is now married to William Shifferly and they have a young son, Frederic.  

Some trees list another child for Magdalena and Nicholas - Christ born in 1860 and died in 1863.  On the 1910 census, it shows that Magdalena has 7 children, 5 now living (one of the 6 children above, Emma, having died in 1880) so there is certainly room for another child.  Also, the Zaugg book (above) lists Christ as one of the children. 

I haven't been able to locate the family on the 1860 census although I don't believe I'd find this child if the birth date given of Dec-1860 is correct. 

 I find it interesting that Henry Wahley remembers his grandfather's name but not his grandmother's.  Jacob Zaugg died a little over 8 years PRIOR to his wife.  Henry would have only been about 4 when his grandfather died and 12 when his grandmother died.


I wonder if they just talked about Jacob more?


 

A Shaking Leaf Told Me So

 I know that we like to make fun of Ancestry's little shaking leaf, but it really cleared up a mystery for me recently.  Actually, it was a mystery that I had even forgotten about.  In an old box of pictures that my Grandma Ritchie gave me - many of which were picture of my Grandpa Ritchie's family - was this adorable picture.  As you can see, it was taken in Scotland.  On the back, in my Grandma's handwriting it says, "Bill & Hildegard".  At one point she and I had gone through these pictures because "Ritchie" is added in my handwriting.  I didn't think to ask her how it was possible that Bill & Hildegarde, both born in Cleveland, Ohio happened to have their pictures taken in Scotland.  I have to admit that at the time I was so wrapped up in names - either added them to my genealogy or making sure I knew who was in all the pictures - that I never asked any OTHER questions.

So, many, MANY years later I came across this picture and couldn't figure it out. 

I put the picture away and forgot about it - totally forgot about it.  Then, a few weeks ago I was going through my hints - the shaking leaves - and got a hint for Hildegarde Ritchie.  The hint said it was an arrival record in 1905.  Well, I KNEW that was wrong because Hildegarde was born in this country.  Still, it's not that common a name, and I always like to look at a hint before I dismiss it, so I clicked on the actual record.  I was so surprised to see a record for Mary, William and Hildegarde Ritchie - with both of the children noted as "US born".  So this was "my" Hildegarde!  I never knew that my great-grandmother went back to Scotland to visit her family.

Seeing this tickled something in my mind and I remembered seeing this picture - it all came together.  I know this is hardly a stunning discovery - or even a brick wall.  But it was a proof that the names on the back of this picture were correct and it also gave me a look into the life of this family that I hadn't known.  Mary Benzie was only 17 when she came to the USA.  Here she was, 10 years later, coming back from a visit to her parents in Scotland.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #21 ~ Daniel Zaugg

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog) 

Recently on Facebook there was a conversation about someone ending up researching “ …the 2nd wife of the husband of my 1st cousin 4x removed.”   I replied that I had recently had an inquiry about someone in my tree and when I asked Ancestry to calculate the relationship it got - "grand nephew of wife of 2nd cousin 3x removed."  Someone else commented “Want to know who the brother in law of the grandfather of my uncle’s wife's first husband is?”  

In my search for Daniel Zaugg, I ended up going down a similar path and found something in a surprising place.

First just the facts:

Name: Daniel Zaugg
Born: 01 Dec 1836, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Married: Elizabeth Shifferly, 04 Apr 1864,Wayne County, Ohio
Died: Most probably in Adams County, Indiana sometime before his father's will was signed on 19 Oct 1870




Daniel has been rather elusive in terms of pinning him down in any particular place.  I do know that he married in Wayne Co, Ohio in 1864 as we see in this marriage record (Daniel & Elizabeth are shown on the bottom left):

In spite of that, I don't readily find him in the 1860 census in that area.  He is not living with his parent and his 2 younger siblings.  

While I still haven't pinned down his specific whereabouts, I did find something on my recent trip to Indianapolis that is in agreement with the page from the Zaugg book.  I only found it because I tend to look at those "barely connected" people. 

I was looking in the index of Standard History of Adams and Wells Counties Indiana vol II. I didn’t expect to find Daniel, but I did know that his wife had re-married and her second husband was a Civil War veteran.  I thought someone like that might be mentioned so looked for “Stepler.”  I didn’t find an entry for John but did find one for William so I took a quick look.  And there, in an entry for my 1^st cousin 4 times removed’s wife’s second husband’s son I found a mention of Daniel Zaugg.  In the part of the article about William’s father John we read, “He married Mrs. Elizabeth (Shifferley) Zaugg, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio.  She was the widow of Daniel Zaugg, who died in early life, leaving her with three children, Phillip, Lucy and Emma.”

 Certainly not earth-shattering, but it was a fun discovery at the end of my trip. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #20 ~ Frederich Zaugg

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog)

Getting back to my plan of going in order through Jacob Sr's children we are moving on to the 7th child.

First just the facts:
Name: Frederich Zaugg
Born: 25 Mar 1832, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Married: Mary Ann Graber in 1857,Wayne County, Ohio
Died: 11 Feb 1915, Wayne County, Ohio [Find-A-Grave memorial]

This will probably be a short entry as Frederich is pretty straight-forward in terms of where he lived and what he did.

He came with the family to the United States in 1853, when he was 21.  The family came to Wayne County, Ohio and that's where Frederich married, farmed and raised a family.

I've been able to easily identify him in each census after his arrival through 1910.  In 1860 he is listed as a shoemaker but after that he begins farming and stays in Sugar Creek Township for each census thereafter.  His son John lives near him and later his younger son Levi is also living near him.

The only anomaly I found was on his death certificate where his son lists his father's father as "Christ Zaugg" and not Jacob.  Jacob would have died when John was about 14 so this is not what I would have expected.  It's also interesting that he lists his father's mother as "Unknown".   Anna Stetler Zaugg lived until 1885 (John would have been in his mid-twenties at the time) so clearly this is someone that John should have know.  Anna was last living with her son Jacob's family in 1880.

Jacob's family was also living in Wayne County - in Salt Creek Township which is very near where Frederich, and also John lived.

I have searched Wayne County census records and don't find multiple Frederich Zauggs of a similar age.  I feel relatively confident that this is "my man" but I can't explain why John wouldn't have been able to correctly identify his grandparents.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #19 ~ John Wanner

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog)

Once again deviating from my plan of going in order through Jacob Zaugg Sr's children I am going backwards to post about Lizzie Zaugg's husband, John Wanner. [Lizzie is the oldest of the Zaugg children and I wrote about her previously.] However, I found a wonderful obituary/article about John when I was in Indianapolis this past weekend and it deserves to be showcased here.


 First just the facts:
Name: John Wanner
Born: 12-Aug-1820, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Married: Elizabeth "Lizzie" Zaugg, 25-Apr-1845, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Died: 28-Oct-1916, Adams Co, Indiana [Find-A-Grave memorial]




This article had so many wonderful leads to pursue as well as giving me an understanding of where others might have gotten some of their information.

First, I've seen several places that Lizzie and John had "seven children who died in infancy" but I had never known where that supposed "fact" had originated.

However it still doesn't clear up the mystery of those children.  I was able to find two children, born in Indiana, who disappeared after being recorded in the 1860 census  - Frederick, age 7 and Mary Ann, age 4.  In the 1870 census the only children listed are Emmanuel, age 6 (as show in the Zaugg book) and also Isaac, age 8.

The Zaugg book mysteriously shows three infants who did not live. What I don't know is if those three children had been born in Switzerland.  Lizzie and John had been married for 8 years at the time they came to the US and only two young children came with them.  It's certainly possibly that Lizzie had actually given birth to 5 children in those 8 years. 

Finally there are the two girls born in Switzerland who did accompany their parents here - Anna and Elizabeth.  Anna is accounted for in this obituary and it would appear that Elizabeth is as well.  However John and his second wife also had a child named Elizabeth.  The 1900 census shows the family as this:
         John Warner 79
         Mary Warner 47
         Elizabeth Warner 6
         Emma Roth 19
         Ida Roth 10

This household makes sense as clearly Mary brought children from her first marriage.  Both the Roth girls are listed as stepdaughters while Elizabeth is a daughter.

I'd noticed this second Elizabeth before and now this obituary, while I guess not actually clearing this up for me, has given me something else to pursue regarding his daughter "Elizabeth Ehrhart."

Also, the face that the son Isaac is listed as being in California makes me understand why he possibly wasn't listed in the Zaugg book.  It also makes me give more credence to an un-sourced death date listed as taking place in California.  I was skeptical before, but now I think I'll try to obtain that death cert. 

It also It's interesting to me that the article uses the term "died in infancy" when, if I've identified some of these children correctly, Frederick would have been at least 7.  If indeed the first Elizabeth also did not live to adulthood, she would have been at least 10.

 As with each post - I seem to have more questions than answers, but that's what makes this so interesting. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #18 ~ Samuel Zaugg

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog)

Keeping with my plan of going in order through Jacob Sr's children we are moving on to the sixth child.  [skipping John who had died prior to the family coming to the United States]

Samuel Zaugg

First just the facts:
Name: Samuel Zaugg
Born: 25-Jul-1830, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Married: 1st Elizabeth or Marianne Baldinger on 01-Nov-1855, and 2nd Cecile Calame  on 04-Jul-1862 both in Wayne County, Ohio
 Died: 22-Jun-1910, Wayne County, Ohio [Find-A-Grave memorial]

 

Cecile Calame Zaugg

Samuel and Cecile are the parents of Frederick Zaugg who led me to that wonderful find on eBay earlier.



As you can see from the page out of the "Zaugg Book", Samuel had quite a large family with his second wife. Fortunately for me I made a connection through Ancestry with someone  who has pictures from this part of the family as Samuel is her husband's ancestor.  She has graciously allowed me to use any of the pictures she has shared.

Their first two sons both died prior to their first birthdays but Samuel and Cecile would go on to have 4 other sons pictured here as adults:


In birth order they are:
Wesley b. 26 Jun 1867
Frederick b. 09 Jun 1871
John b. 1874
Elmer b. Oct 1882 
[I believe in this picture they are, L to R, Fred, John, Elmer, Wesley] 

Like my ancestor, Jacob Jr, Samuel came to Wayne County Ohio and stayed there the remainder of his life farming and raising his family. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #17 ~ Anna Zaugg Meier/Meyer

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog) 

I said I was going to write about Jacob Zaugg Sr's children and I'm trying to get back on course with this post.

To date we've had:
Lizzie
Christ
Jacob [my direct ancestor]

So next up is Anna ~
 
First just the facts:

Name: Anna Zaugg
Born: 01-Mar-1827, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland
Married: Jacob Frederick Meyer on 28-Jul-1853, Wayne County, Ohio
Died: 30-Mar-1903, Wayne County, Ohio [Find-A-Grave memorial]



Anna is the 4th child and I have most of the basics about her.  As I've reviewed her details I was interested to notice that she married on July 28, 1853.  She and her family did not arrive in this country until May 30, 1853 and just a short 2 months later the family is in Wayne County, Ohio and Anna is marrying there.  I wondered at first if her future husband was someone she met on the boat coming over, but according to the 1900 census, Frederick states his year of immigration at 1836.  I have found possibilities for him in the 1840 & 1850 censuses of Wayne County, so that seems valid to me.











One thing I need to straighten out is the name and identity of her husband.  The marriage record here gives his name as "Jacob Frederick."  Both his grave stone and the "Zaugg Book" give his name as Fred.  That doesn't bother me as I have many ancestors who liked to use their middle names - and often didn't seem to care in which order they listed those names!  However in trying to pin down the census records, I find both a Jacob and a Frederick living in the households.  Even in 1860, after their marriage I find them living with a man I believe is Frederick's father (Jacob) there is also a younger man named Jacob in the household.

Here is the record - and based strictly on the order that the people are listed I'm identifying Frederick and Anny as the married couple and the younger Jacob as an unmarried son and brother of Frederick.  The thing that puzzles me is that if Jacob Frederick Meyer had a brother named Jacob, why was he also given a first name of Jacob?

I'm not sure how much time I'll spend puzzling over this - given that they are collateral relatives.  But each time I write a post for this challenge I find these anomalies that I've never fully chased down.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #16 ~ Frederick Samuel Zaugg or What Can Be Found on eBay

Written for Amy Johnson Crow's Challenge 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. (click on the icon in the sidebar for details at Amy's blog)



First just the facts:

Name: Frederick Samuel Zaugg
Born: 09-Jun-1871, Salt Creek Twp, Wayne County, Ohio
Married: Julia Maria Evemeyer, 03-Sep-1902, Christian County, Illinois
Died: 17-Oct-1941, Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio [Find-A-Grave memorial]

 
Relationship: Frederick is my 1st cousin 4 times removed.

I realize that in my post about the Zaugg Book I said I was going to write about Jacob Sr's children and I'm totally veering off course with this post,  but I think it's justified.

Recently there was a link on Facebook to a treasure trove of items for sale on eBay for some lucky family in Meigs County Ohio - pictures and other family history memorabilia.  I have ancestors from Meigs County, but not one name was familiar.  After I was done drooling over the Meigs County items, I did a quick search for anything Zaugg related.  I decided to pass on the $1,800 "Rare antique Swiss neck cittern (Halszither), bearing the original label by the maker: Johan Zaugg, im ??? ???, Signau ???, 1829." However as I continued to scroll through the offerings I was amazed when this popped up:

It's a small aluminum "pin tray" that looked to be in remarkable good condition.  Before I decided to actually purchase this item, I needed to make sure that the Reverend Zaugg and I actually had a connection.  I seemed to remember seeing something recently in one of my sorting frenzies that mentioned a Rev Zaugg, and sure enough I found the following obituary in my collection:

Lizzie is a sister to my Emma Zaugg and you'll notice at the end it mentions, "Rev F. S. Zaugg, a cousin of the deceased is conducting the funeral service." Anyway,  a little more research revealed that Rev Zaugg and I are indeed related so I am now the proud owner of this piece of Zaugg memorabilia.

Incidentally, this obituary is another one of those items that someone in my family, probably my Grandma Ritchie, carefully cut out leaving no indication as to the newspaper it was published in.  It's a reminder that I need to make a list of all of these, with death dates, for my next trip to Wayne County.  My working theory is that they all come from the Wooster Daily Record but I'd like to verify that.

So, I hope I can be forgiven for this detour in my Zaugg postings after finding this wonderful keepsake.