Genea-Musings: 11/27/16

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- Who Is Your MRUA?

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:

It's Saturday Night again -

time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

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

1) Who is your MRUA - your Most Recent Unknown Ancestor? This is the person with the lowest number on your Pedigree Chart or Ahnentafel List that you have not identified a last name for, or a first name if you know a surname but not a first name.

2) Have you looked at your research files for this unknown person recently? Why don't you scan it again just to see if there's something you have missed?

3) What online or offline resources might you search that might help identify your MRUA?

4) Tell us about him or her, and your answers to 2) and 3) above, in a blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a comment on Facebook or Google Plus.

Here's mine:

Number 26 on my Ahnentafel List is Devier James Lamphear Smith. I don't know who his parents are - they are Numbers 52 and 53 on my Ahnentafel List. Here are the vital records, and a synopsis of what I know about Devier's parentage:

Devier James Lamphere alias Smith was born 07 May 1839 in Henderson, Jefferson County, NY, and died 01 May 1894 in McCook, Red Willow County, NE. He married Abigail A. Vaux 04 April 1861 in Rolling Prairie, Dodge County, WI, daughter of Samuel Vaux and Mary Underhill. She was born 28 October 1844 in Aurora, Erie County, NY, and died 11 September 1931 in San Diego, San Diego County, CA.

Based on the available personal, public and government records, this person was born with the name Devier James Lamphear, probably in Jefferson County, New York. His birth parents have not been identified to date. He was adopted by Ranslow and Mary (Bell) Smith of Henderson, Jefferson County, New York, before 1843, when the Smith family moved from Jefferson County, New York to Dodge County, Wisconsin. In March 1866, Devier was granted a name change, by the Wisconsin State Senate and Governor, to Devier J. Smith from Devier Lamphear (although all available records listed him as Devier J. Smith), and he was named as an adopted son in the will of Ranslow Smith.

My hypotheses are that (1) Devier's father had the surname Lamphear (and variants) or (2) that his mother, with the surname Lamphear, had him out of wedlock and gave him up for adoption.

I have written extensively about my search for the birth parents, ostensibly named Lamphere/Lamphear/Lamphier/Lamfear or Lanphere/Lanphear/Lanphier/Lanfear or any other reasonable spelling of the surname, in Jefferson County, New York in the 1840 time frame. One of my posts, which links to others, is Finding Lamphears in Jefferson County, NY - Post 3.

In my search, I have exhausted the court records in Jefferson County NY that are available on FHL Microfilm, the history books, the online databases, the land record indexes, etc. I've also exhausted the Dodge County, Wisconsin records available on FHL Microfilm and online databases. I visited several repositories in Dodge County and the Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison last September, and found no records, newspaper articles or vertical files in those places that identified Devier's birth parents. That leaves other unfilmed, unindexed, non-digitized records that might be found in historical societies, genealogical societies, local libraries, and state archives, and private collections.

If anyone has other research ideas, I would love to hear them!

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Surname Saturday -- JENCKES (England to colonial New England)

It's Surname Saturday, and I'm "counting down" my Ancestral Name List each week.

I am in the 8th great-grandmothers and I'm up to Ancestor #1499, who is Elizabeth JENCKES (1658-1740) [Note: the earlier great-grandmothers and 8th great-grandfathers have been covered in earlier posts].

My ancestral line back through three generations of this JENCKES family line is:

1. Randall J. Seaver

2. Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983)
3. Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002)

4. Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942)
5. Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962)

10. Thomas Richmond (1848-1917)
11. Julia E. White (1848-1913)

22. Henry Arnold White (1824-1885)
23. Amy Frances Oatley (1826-1864)

46. Jonathan Oatley (1790-1872)
47. Amy Champlin (1798-1865)

92. Joseph Oatley (1756-1815)
93. Mary Hazard (1765-1857)

186. Stephen Hazard (1730-1804)
187. Elizabeth Carpenter (1741-????)

374. Daniel Carpenter (1712-1784)
375. Renewed Smith (1717-1766)

748. Solomon Carpenter (1677-1750)
749. Elizabeth Tefft (1687-1750)

1498. Samuel Tefft, born 1644 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; died before 20 December 1725 in South Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, United States. He was the son of 2996. John Tefft and 2997. Mary Barber. He married about 1675 in probably Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, United States.
1499. Elizabeth Jenckes, born about 1658 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died before 12 May 1740 in South Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, United States.

Children of Samuel Tefft and Elizabeth Jenckes are:
* John Tefft (1676-1762), married 1698 Joanna Sprague (1676-1757).
* Peter Tefft (1678-1725), married Mary.
* Esther Tefft (1680-1726), married 1708 Thomas Mumford (1656-1726).
* Joseph Tefft (1680-1735).
* Mary Tefft (1683-????), married 1720 Matthew Newton (1679-1743).
* Samuel Tefft (1685-1760), married 1710 Abigail Tennant.
* Elizabeth Tefft (1687-1750), married 1702 Solomon Carpenter (1677-1750).
* Tabitha Tefft (1688-????)
* Susannah Tefft (1690-1737), married 1705 Peter Crandall (1672-1734).
* Sarah Tefft (1690-1720), married 1710 John Witter (1677-1757).
* Mercy Tefft (1696-????).

2998. Joseph Jenckes, born before 12 October 1628 in Colnbrook, Buckinghamshire, England; died 04 January 1717 in Pawtucket, Providence, Rhode Island, United States. He married before 1656 in probably Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.
2999. Esther Ballard, born about 1633 in England; died about 1717 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States. She was the daughter of 5998. William Ballard and 5999. Elizabeth.

Children of Joseph Jenckes and Esther Ballard are:
* Joseph Jenckes (1656-1740), married (1) 1682 Martha Brown (1664-1727); (2) 1727 Alice smith (1665-1736).
* Elizabeth Jenckes (1658-1740), married 1675 Samuel Tefft (1644-1725).
* Sarah Jenckes (1660-1708), married 1678 Nathaniel Brown (1661-1739).
* Nathaniel Jenckes (1662-1723), married 1686 Hannah Bosworth (1663-1723).
* Esther Jemckes (1664-1720), married 1701 Samuel Millqard (1658-1720).
* Ebenezer Jenckes (1669-1726), married 1695 Mary Butterworth (1677-1726).
* Joanna Jenckes (1672-1756), married 1692 Sylvanus Scott (1672-1742).
* Mary Jenckes (1673-????).
* Abigail Jenckes (1674-????).
* William Jenckes (1675-1765), married Patience Sprague (1674-1770).
* Abigail Jenckes (1676-1756), married 1697 Thomas Whipple (1671-1730).

5996. Joseph Jenckes, born before 26 August 1599 in St. Ann Blackfriars, London, England; died March 1683 in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. He was the son of 11992. John Jenckes and 11993. Sarah Fulwater. He married 05 November 1627 in Horton, Buckinghamshire, England.
5997. Joan Hearne, born about 1607 in Horton, Buckinghamshire, England; died before 28 February 1635 in Hounslow, Middlesex, England. She was the daughter of 11994. George Hearne and 11995. Catherine.

Children of Joseph Jenckes and Joan Hearne are:
* Joseph Jenckes (1628-1717), married 1656 Esther Ballard (1633-1717).
* Elizabeth Jenckes (1630-1638).

Information about this Jenckes family line was obtained from:

* Carl Boyer 3rd, Ancestral Lines, Third Edition (Santa Clarita, Calif. : the author, 1998).

* Meredith B. Colket, Jr., "The Jenks Family in England," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 110, Number 1, Pages 9-18 (January 1956); Number 2, Pages 81- 93 (April 1956); Number 3, Pages 161-172 (July 1956); Number 4, Pages 244-256 (October 1956).

* Meredith B. Colket, Jr., "The Father of Joseph Jenks of Lynn: A Proposed Solution to an Intriguing Genealogical Puzzle," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 122, Number 3, Pages 168-171 (July 1968).

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The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/12/surname-saturday-jenckes-england-to.html

Friday, December 2, 2016

This Week's We're Related Relationships

I have received 9 new cousin relationships on the We're Related mobile app, which is based on Ancestry Member Trees. The new relationships, and my initial evaluation of them, are:

1) Katherine Hepburn - Actress, 7th cousin 2x removed, common ancestor is Anne Smith (1627-1671).

My line back to Anne Smith and her husband John Moore is well documented. Katherine's line goes through Jonathan Moore. My judgment is that this relationship is Probable.

2) Ryan Gosling -- Actor, 8th cousin 2x removed, common ancestor is Sarah Shepard (1667-1746).

My line back to Sarah Shepard is well documented, and Ryan's line looks right in the first generation. My judgment is that this relationship is Probable.

3) Libbi Crowe -- Facebook friend, 7th cousin 1x removed, common ancestor is Anne Belden (1675-1745).

I believe that my relationship to Anne Belden is wrong on the We're Related app because it goes through Rebecca Mead (1766-1830), the purported mother of William Knapp (1775-1856). Therefore, I think that this relationship is Speculative.

4) Henry Ford - Businessman, 7th cousin 3x removed, common ancestor is Martha Ford (1580-1634).

My relationship to Martha Ford on the We're Related app is through her purported son, William Brown (1624-1694). Martha is supposedly married to Peter Brown of the Mayflower. The Mayflower Silver Book for Peter Brown does not list William Brown as a son. The Great Migration Begins book does not list William Brown as a son of Peter Brown and Martha Ford. My judgment is that this relationship is Wrong.

5) Merle Streep - Actress, 8th cousin 1x removed, common ancestor is John Young (1624-1690).

My line back to John Young is well documented, but I don't know about Merle's line. My judgment is that this relationship Probable.

5) Jake Gyllenhaal -- Actor, 9th cousin, common ancestor is Mary Mousall (1633-1669).

My research says that Thomas Goble (1656-1724) was the son of Thomas Goble (1631-1690) and his first wife, Ruth (1633-1668), and not Mary Gove, the second wife. I think Ancestry picked the wrong Member Tree to follow here. My judgment is that this relationship is Wrong.

7) Peyton Manning - Football player, 8th cousin, common ancestor is Josiah Wood (0171-0161) [that's what it says!]

The Josiah Wood in my line is 1687-1753, married to Ruth Walker (1692-1752). Peyton's line is through daughter Anne Wood (1715-1769), who I don'r see in the Josiah Wood and Ruth Walker family. My judgment is that this relationship is Wrong.

8) John Brown - Social reformer, 5th cousin 5x removed, common ancestor is Peter Brown (1600-1633).

I discussed my line back to William Brown (1624-1694) in the Henry Ford relationship above. I don't think I'm descended from Peter Brown of the Mayflower. The John Brown lines goes through a purported son of Peter Brown, named Peter Brown (1632-1692). The son Peter Brown is not listed in the Silver Book or the Great Migration Begins book. My judgment is that this relationship is Wrong.

9) Midge Frazel - Facebook friend, 7th cousin 1x removed, common ancestor is Moses Barber (1652-1733).

I'm pretty sure that my line back to Moses Barber is correct. The app says that Midge's line goes through Benjamin Barber (1707-1792) and a son, Benjamin Perry Barber (1785-1868). I not that the father Benjamin would have been 78 years old when Benjamin Perry Barber was born. I hope that Midge shows that this is correct, or that the app messed up the lineage somehow. My judgment is that this relationship is Possible.

My count is up to 78 famous or Facebook cousins.

I will say it again: My biggest problem with this We're Related app is that it thinks it knows my ancestral lines better than I do, and adds one to three generations to some of my end-of-line ancestors. They may be right, I don't know, and can't really find out because they provide no source material to back up their assertions. If there was authoritative information for my end-of-line ancestors, I would add it. None of the additions have been convincing to me yet.

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The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/12/this-weeks-were-related-relationships.html

New Records Available to Search This Findmypast Friday, 2 December 2016

I received this information from Findmypast today:

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NEW RECORDS AVAILABLE TO SEARCH THIS FINDMYPAST FRIDAY

Over 8.9 million new records are available to search this Findmypast Friday including;

New South Wales Passenger Lists

New South Wales Passenger Lists contains over 8.5 million records. This collection includes records of both assisted and unassisted passengers. The assisted passenger lists cover 1828 to 1896 and the unassisted passenger lists span the years 1826 to 1900. Assisted passengers refers to those who received monetary assistance from another party or agency/government for their passage.

Each result will provide a transcript and image of the original record. The information included on the transcript will vary depending on whether your ancestor was an assisted or unassisted passenger, although most will include your ancestors name, passage type, birth year, nationality, departure port, arrival port and the dates of their travels.

Scotland Non-Old Parish Registers Vital Records 1647-1875

Scotland Non-Old Parish Registers Vital Records 1647-1875 is a collection of registers created by churches outside of the established church. It contains over 12,000 transcripts of births, marriages, and deaths and is a useful alternative to the Church of Scotland's old parish records.

Non-old parish registers are distinctively different from the Church of Scotland's old parish records. The original records are held by the National Records of Scotland and have been diligently transcribed by Graham and Emma Maxwell. The majority span from 1684 until 1861 and cover seven Scottish counties.

Ireland, Royal Irish Constabulary Service Records 1816-1922

Royal Irish Constabulary Service Records 1816-1922 contains over 486,000 records released in association with the National Archives. The collection will allow you to uncover intimate details of your ancestor's career with the R.I.C and includes a plethora of records related to the running and administration of the organisation including general registers, disbandment registers, nominal returns, and more. You can also find records of Royal Irish Constabulary clerical staff.

Each result includes an image of the original document and a transcript. The nature of the information recorded will vary significantly depending on the subject and type of the original document. A full list of the various record types included in the collection can be found at the bottom of the search page.

Ireland, Royal Irish Constabulary History & Directories

Over 43,000 records have been added to our Royal Irish Constabulary History & Directories collection. The collection allows you to explore a variety of publications printed between 1840 and 1921 that will provide further insight into the administration and daily operations of the police force as well as the history of the organisation.

Each record includes a PDF image of the original publication. The collection includes training manuals, codes of conduct, salary scales, circulars and staff lists that cover promotions, deployments, rules & regulations and much more.

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The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/12/new-records-available-to-search-this.html

52 Ancestors - Week 153: #216 John Vaux (1747-1806) of South Petherton, Somerset

Here is my 52 Ancestors biography for week #153:

John Vaux (1747-1806 is #216 on my Ahnentafel list, my 5th great-grandfather, who married #217 Joan Lavor (1763-1836) in 1785.

I am descended through:

* their son, #108 James Vaux (1787-1839), who married #109 Mary Palmer (1790-1845) in 1808.

* their son, #54 Samuel Vaux (1816-1880), who married #55 Mary Ann Underhill (1815-1883) in 1839.

* their daughter, #27 Abigail A. Vaux (1844-1931), who married #26 Devier J. Smith (1839-1894) in 1861.

* their daughter, #13 Abbie Ardell Smith (1862-1944), who married #12 Henry Austin Carringer (1853-1946), who married in 1887.

* their son, #6 Lyle Lawrence Carringer (1891-1976), who married #7 Emily Kemp Auble (1899-1977) in 1918.

* their daughter #3 Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002), who married #2 Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983), in 1942.

* their son #1 Randall J. Seaver (1943-....)

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1) PERSON (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

* Name: John Vaux[1–5]

* Sex: Male

* Father: James Vaux (1704-1776)

* Mother: Amy Terrell (1708-1780)

2) INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

* Birth: before 27 August 1747, South Petherton, Somerset, England[5]

* Christened: 27 August 1747 (after age 0), South Petherton, Somerset, England[5]

* Will Written: 16 June 1806 (after age 58), South Petherton, Somerset, England[1]

* Death: before 11 July 1806 (before age 58), South Petherton, Somerset, England[4]

* Burial: 11 July 1806 (after age 58), South Petherton, Somerset, England[4]

* Probate: 1811 (after about age 64), will proved, Somerset, England[1]

3) SHARED EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

* Spouse 1: Joan Lavor (1763-1836)

* Marriage 1: 2 August 1785 (after age 37), South Petherton, Somerset, England[2–3]

* Child 1: Amy Vaux (1786-1850)

* Child 2: James Vaux (1787-1839)

* Child 3: John Vaux (1789-1790)

* Child 4: William Vaux (1791-1794)

* Child 5: Ann Vaux (1792-1809)

* Child 6: John Vaux (1794-1837)

* Child 7: Joseph Vaux (1796-1872)

* Child 8: William Vaux (1796-1860)

* Child 9: Samuel Vaux (1799-1836)

4) NOTES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

The book, The Vaux Family of South Petherton, by Sara Anson Vaux and Hanna Nicholas, has extensive information about the lives of John and Joan (Lavor) Vaux:

John Vaux was christened on 27 August 1747 in South Petherton, Somerset, son of James and Amy (Terrell) Vaux[5].

John Vaux was sworn on 28 October 1777, and by 1778 he was farming 45 1/2 acres in South Petherton. He was one of the Manorial Court appointments in 1781-2[1].

John Vaux of the parish married Joan Lavor, spinster of the parish, by license on 2 August 1785 in South Petherton parish church by H. Henman, with witnesses John Lavor and John Robins[2-3]. John Vaux was age 37 when he married Joan Lavor, who was age 22.

John and Joan (Lavor) Vaux had nine children between 1786 and 1799, all christened in South Petherton churches. At some point, this family attended nonconformist churches[1].

As farmers and innkeepers, the Vauxes endured the bad harvest in 1795 that caused food riots in England, and the lengthy food crisis in 1799 to 1801. High prices and bad harvests from 1805 to 1813 affected farmers subsistence. The Vauxes probably grew corn, like their neighbors[1].

John Vaux died in South Petherton and was buried on 11 July 1806 in South Petherton[4].

Less than a month before his death, he drew up his will and signed it on 16 June 1806. Here are extracts from the will of John Vaux[1]:

"[The executors, John Baker Edmonds and Stephen Bridge, MD, will handle] my messuage or dwelling house in West Street in South Petherton ... with the Barn Barton Outhouses Garden and Orchard thereto belonging and also my Orchard opposite the gable or pointing end of my Dwelling House and lying on the other side of the Road with the garden to such Orchard adjoining."

"[The executors] are to permit Joan my wife to live and reside in common in my said Dwelling house during so long as she shall remain my widow and unmarried. And also to permit all my children to live and reside in the same Dwellinghouse in common until they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years And subject to such residence in the said Dwellinghouse. In trust as to the said messuage or Dwellinghouse Barn Barton Outhouses Gardens and Orchards for my son James Vaux his Heirs and assigns for ever All the rest residue and remainder of my Tenements Lands and Hereditaments and also all my Goods Chattels and personal Estate whatsoever (except my Copyhold Tenement in Pitway) I give devise and bequeath unto and to the use of said' [executors, who] 'in trust ... for the purposes herin after mentioned ... In trust by one or more Sale or Sales either publick or private as soon as conveniently may be after my decease absolutely to sell dispose of and convey and convert into money the said residue of my Tenements lands and hereditaments and all my personal Estate unto such person or persons his Heirs ... and after payment and discharge of the costs charges and expenses incurred in the execution of such trust then In trust to pay off and discharge my funeral expenses and the expenses of proving my will. And my just Debts of whatever nature or quality soever and after discharge thereof then In trust that they the said (executors) do and shall put and place the residue and remainder of the monies arising from such Sale and Sales at Interest upon real or Government Securities and pay apply and dispose of the yearly interest thereof for or towards the maintenance and education of such Child or children lawfully begotten as I shall leave at my death or with which my wife may be ensient at the time of my decease until he or she or they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years And on his her or their attainment of that age In trust to pay the Principal money so to be placed out at Interest unto and amongst such Children if more than one as and when they respectively attain such age And in case of the death of any or either of the said children before his her or their attainment of the age of twenty one years and without leaving any lawful issue then as to the share or shares both original and accruing of him her or them so dying In trust for the Survivors of them in equal shares and if but one then for such only Survivor And for promoting and facilitating the Sale and Sales herinbefore directed to be made It is my will and I do hereby declare that the receipts and acquittances to be given by the said (executors) for the purchase money to be paid for the purchase of the said premises or any part thereof shall be good & sufficient Discharges both at Law and in Equity unto the purchaser or any part of the said premises hereby directed to be sold..."

"And it is my will that my Copyhold Tenement (subject to my wife's widowhood therein) shall be enjoyed by the persons for whose lives the same is held successively as they are name in the copy of Court Roll relating thereto. And I hereby appoint John Baker Edmonds and Stephen Bridge MD Executors of my last will and Testament."

The will was signed 16 June 1806 with witnesses: William Vaux, William Hole Nicholetts, Edwin Nicoletts. The will was proved in 1811[1].

5) SOURCES

1. Sara Anson Vaux, The Vaux Family of England, the United States, and Australia (unpublished), Chapter 6, pages 19-22, John Vaux sketch.

2. Hanna Nicholas and Liz James, "South Petherton Parish Records," online database, South Petherton Information (http://www.southpethertoninformation.org.uk/index.html), "Marriages, 1754-1806," John Vaux and Joan Lavor entry.

3. "England Marriages, 1538-1975," indexed database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), John Vaux and Joan Lavor entry.

4. Hanna Nicholas and Liz James, "South Petherton Parish Records," online database, South Petherton Information (http://www.southpethertoninformation.org.uk/index.html), "Burials, 1805-1812," John Vaux entry.

5. Sara Anson Vaux, The Vaux Family of England, the United States, and Australia, Chapter 6, page 19.

NOTE: Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme of "52 Ancestors" in her blog post Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog. I have extended this theme in 2016 to 156 Ancestors in 156 Weeks.

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The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/12/52-ancestors-week-153-216-john-vaux.html