Three approaches to Ancestry Hints

By Don Taylor

We all get them, at least we do if we subscribe to Ancestry.Com and we have a tree on Ancestry. Yes, I’m talking about hints – the beautiful little leaves that let you know that Ancestry thinks it has information that will be of interest to you.  And they are right, I am interested in all those leaves that provide hints to sources and records that probably relate to people in my tree. The problem is I just don’t have enough time to follow all those hints and verify if they really relate to people in my tree that I care about.

I’ll admit, I have a lot of people in my tree I don’t care much about. The first husband of the second wife of my ancestor is such a person.  In my Howell/Darling tree, I have over 4500 hints and in my Roberts/Brown tree; I have over 13,000 hints. There is no way I can look at them all, so I needed to come up with a reasonable plan to relate to Ancestry Hints.

First of all, I recognize that they are Bright Shiny Objects that will take up my time. If I am not careful, they will sap my energy from researching the people that are important to me. So, I fundamentally ignore them. Unless there is a hint regarding an individual that I am currently researching, I ignore Ancestry hints as a matter of normal activity.

screen-shot-2016-10-08-at-3-58-41-pmscreen-shot-2016-10-08-at-3-58-50-pmI do subscribe to receiving alerts about new hints via email.  It is the default setting to receive alerts for new hints, but if you aren’t receiving them, In the upper right-hand corner of your Ancestry account, click on your name, then on Your Alerts. You will then see all the family trees you have access to.  Click “change delivery options” I select to receive New Hints monthly.

Next, in my email program (I use Outlook), I have created a rule that says if the message came from ancestry@ancestry.com and it has the following text in the message, “New Hints in Darling-Huber,” move the message to a Darling-Huber folder in my email system.

When I have a chance to work on my Darling-Huber tree, I go to that Howell-Darling folder and see what I have in the folder. Then I look at the individuals that the emails indicate Ancestry has hints for. As an example, recently it indicated:

John Henry Gensler (1876-1956)

1 new hint

U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Then I go to my Genealogical Program, open up my Darling-Huber tree and search for all individuals named Gensler. Are any of the Genslers in my tree a direct ancestor of my root person? Many genealogical programs use a different icon for individuals that are direct line ancestors and descendants of the root person, so it is easy to see. In this case, none of the Genslers in my Darling-Huber research are directly related so I can ignore the email. (In this case, John Henry Gensler is the father-in-law of the nephew of one of my wife’s great-grandmothers.) I haven’t ignored the hint on Ancestry, that is still there if I need to research John Henry Gensler further in the future but it is no longer in my email.


The next hint is about Sally Munsell. Again, a quick search for persons with the surname Munsell lists Sally Ann Munsell – One of my wife’s 3rd great-grandmothers.  Definitely, a person I want to glean the facts from any appropriate hints and someone I would follow the hints immediately.

Finally, another hint I received was about Samuel Swayze. I have many Swayze’s identified in my wife’s family tree – including my wife’s 5th great-grandfather, Amos Swayze. I do not have this particular Samuel Swayze connected to anyone in my tree. However, this Samuel lived in the same place as other relations at the same time; however, I haven’t proven the connection yet. I know he isn’t a direct ancestor, but he is likely a close relative to a direct ancestor.  This would be a person I would want to research more thoroughly in the future.  As such, I would add a task to my research tasks to:

Investigate Ancestry Hints regarding Samuel Swayze (1653-1738) (The dates are to differentiate him from several other Samuel Swayze’s in my tree.) I’ll get to researching these hints, but probably not today. So, they are in my queue.

My Three Approaches.

  1. Investigate hints for known direct-line ancestors.
  2. Queue hints about potential bloodline relatives with direct-line surnames.
  3. Ignore hints about lines that are not direct line surnames.

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Military Discharge of Asa E. Roberts

Amanuensis Monday

Military Discharge of Asa E. Roberts

Military Discharge of Asa E. Roberts

T:

To all whom it may concern:

Know Ye, that Asa Roberts a Private of Captain ??mon’s Company (I) 31st thirty-first Regiment of Illinois Vols who was enrolled on the 15th fifteenth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty one to serve three years, is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States this 26th twenty sixth day of July 1862 at Cairo, Illinois by reason of Chronic peritonitis and he is perfectly unfit for service.

Said Asa Roberts was born in Roane in the state of Tennessee is 26 twenty six years of age, five feet eight inches high fair complexion grey eyes dark hair and by occupation when enlisted a farmer.

Given at Cairo this 26 day of July 1862.

Wm K Strong

Brig Genl ??? Dist of Cairo.

Facts:

  • Asa Roberts enlisted 15 Aug 1861 for 3 years into Company I, 31st Regiment, Illinois Volunteers.
  • He was discharged 26 July 1862 at Cairo Illinois due to Chronic Peritonitis.
  • Born in Roane, Tennessee about 1836
  • Description: 5’8”, fair complexion, Grey eyes, dark hair.
  • Occupation before enlistment: Farmer
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Buel – Surname Saturday

Brown Line

Name Origin

According to Ancestry.Com, Buel is a variation of Buell. Then they indicate that Buell is, for Welsh, a variant for Bowell and for Dutch, it is an occupation name for a hangman. It continues that Bowell is a variant for Powell and that Powell is an Anglicized form of Welsh ap Hywel meaning “son of Hywel.”[i]

I think that Forebears does a better job of defining the name.  It too says it is Welsh, but that it means “a herd of cattle” or “an ox.” They also mention that it may refer to “Bueil,” a place in France.[ii]

So the question is, where our Buel’s come from, Wales, Holland, or France?

Geographical

The 1840 Census indicated there were 192 Buel families in the United States. Seventy, or 36%, were living in New York. During the 1790 census, the majority of Buel’s were in Connecticut, but my Buel family members were living in Amenia, Dutchess County, New York in 1790.

My Buel Ancestors

I have six known Buel’s in my tree – Two are direct, my 6th great-grandmother, Deborah Buel and her father, my 7th great-grandfather, Grover Buel[iii].  Grover was born in Connecticut on 4 April 1732. He and Jerusha Buck has at least 4 children besides Deborah. They were Jenusha, Simon, Daniel and Grover. All of the children were born in Dutchess County, New York.

My Direct Buel Ancestors[iv]

  • #830 – Grover Buel (1832-1818) – Generation 10
  • #415 – Deborah Buel (1761-1843) – Generation 9
  • #207 – Electa Rowley (1782-1830) – Generation 8
  • #103 – Deborah Buel Mabon (1804-1874) – Generation 7
  • #51 – Mary Electa Parsons (1827-1888) – Generation 6
  • #25 – Marion Sanford (1846-aft. 1885) – Generation 5
  • #12 – Arthur Durwood Brown (1864-1928) – Generation 4
  • #6 – Richard Earl Brown (1903-1990) – Generation 3
  • My mother – Generation 2
  • Me – Generation 1

My known relatives.

My records have 287 known descendants of Grover Buel identified over thirteen generations.

Endnotes

Are you Backing UP your important Genealogical information?
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Biography – Patience Anna Marshall (1845-1919)

Patience Anna Marshall Dean Roberts (1845-1919)

Roberts/Brown #17

By Don Taylor

Patience Anna Marshall’s childhood appears to be pretty much non-existent. Evidence indicates her father died before she was six years old. She was married at 13 years-old, had a child, possibly two, and was widowed by 18.  She married a second time, while she was still only 18, and was widowed a second time at 41 years of age.

Photo of Patience Anna (Marshall} Roberts

Patience Anna (Marshall} Roberts

Late in life, she lived alone. At 71, she suffered a stroke which left her outdoors, lying in water, overnight, until someone noticed her the following day. After her death, she received no marker—no memorial—to commemorate her life.

List of Grandparents

  • Grand Parent: Bert Allen Roberts
  • 1st Great: Hugh Ellis Roberts
  • 2nd Great: Patience Anna Marshall

Birth

Patience Anna Marshall was born on 30 December 1845.  That is the date she indicated as her birthdate when she wanted an increase in her pension payment in 1917. This date is confirmed by the 1900 census which indicates she was born in December 1845.

I suspect she had a difficult childhood. She first shows up in the 1850 Census.[1] There, six-year-old, Patience is living with her mother, Jane Marshall, and apparently a younger brother of Jane, Thomas Lawson, and his new wife Susanna.  Thomas was 21, but Susanna was only 14; the census indicates that Thomas and Susanna were married in the past year. Jane was 30 and there is no evidence of her husband in that household. One interesting note about the 1850 Census, it indicates that both Patience and her mother were born in Tennessee. In all subsequent records Patience is always shown as having been born in Illinois, however, it is possible that she was born in Tennessee, like her parents. Further research is needed on Jane (Lawson) Marshall to clear up this conflict.

Marriage #1

On 7 August 1859, Patience married Thomas Dean.[2] According to the 1860 Census[3], she and Thomas had been married less than a year and Patience was 17 years old.  In reality, Patience was only 14 years old at the 1960 Census time. She had been only 13 years old when she married Thomas Dean.

Patience Anna (Marshall) Roberts

Patience Anna (Marshall) Roberts

On 3 February 1863, Thomas Dean died at the home of Thomas and Susan (Mendenhall) Lawson at Ewing, IL. [4] This appears to be the same Thomas and Susanna that she was living with during the 1850 census and is likely Patience’s uncle.

Elnora Dean, the only known child of Patience and Thomas was born on 26 March 1863, seven weeks after Thomas’ death.[5]

I did a thorough search looking for Patience and/or Elnora Dean in the 1870 Census records without success. Anyone who found them, I’d love feedback below.

Marriage #2

Meanwhile, Asa Robert’s first wife, Elizabeth Minerva Toney, died on 26 May 1872 leaving Asa a widower with several children[6]. Three months later, on 25 August 1872, Asa and Patience were married in Jefferson County.[7]

Eleven months later, Patience’s first child with Asa, Charles Wilson Roberts, was born.

Rosa Della Roberts was born on 26 May 1875.

Florence Elizabeth Roberts was born on 21 Jan 1880.

The 1880 Census shows none of the children of Asa’s first wife’s family still living with him. Only he, Patience, their children together (Charles, Della, and Florence) and Patience’s daughter from her previous marriage (Elnora Dean) are living in Elk Prairie, Jefferson County, Illinois as a household.[8]

On 2 July 1884, great-grandfather Hugh Ellis Roberts was born. Patience would have been 41 years old.

Asa Roberts died on 5 October 1886 and Patience immediately applied for a widow’s pension and was granted it.  I have several documents from her widow’s pension application that need to be transcribed, (They are difficult to read and may need to be electronically enhanced.) which may shed further light onto Asa and Patience’s lives.

Search Military Records - Fold3

The 1900 Census finds (Patience) Anna Roberts living with her two youngest children, Florence and Hugh and a granddaughter. Although Florence is listed in the census as single, the granddaughter is Florence’s child, Nellie.[9]

In 1908, Patience’s youngest child, my great-grandfather, Hugh Ellis Roberts died from consumption at the age of 24.[10]

The 1910 Census show the widow Patience A Roberts loving alone. She owned her own farm near Barren, Franklin County, Illinois.[11]

Stroke

The Mt. Vernon Register, dated April 4, 1917, reports a very sad story about Patience Roberts:[12]

“Aunt” Patience Roberts, aged 73 [sic s/b 71] of Ina, who is visiting with the family of James Derrington, [her daughter Rosa Della Roberts Derrington’s home] suffered a stroke of paralysis last Friday evening and the stroke came upon her as she was on her way to the home of a neighbor, about dusk.

She fell heavily to the ground and where she fell there was a sort of a branch and in it considerable water, but fortunately the old lady did not fall on her face and so escaped being drowned.

She was not a great distance from the place where she had started and saw the folks when they went to the barn that evening to milk but could not make an outcry sufficient to attract their attention and she was compelled to lie in the water all night.

The next morning her plight was slightly improved but she could not make herself heard and children playing near the place saw something unusual moving in the depression and it frightened them. They rushed to the house and told their parents what they had discovered and within a very short time kind hands had removed the old lady to more comfortable quarters. Her condition at this time shows much improvement.

In any event, having a stroke and lying in a water puddle all night is a sad event.  It is events like this that remind us of the importance of watching out for our senior citizens. The story also makes me wonder why her daughter, Rosa, didn’t notice that her mother was missing.

Search Military Records - Fold3Death

Patience died on 26 July 1919 in Sesser, Franklin County, Illinois. She was buried on 30 July 1919 at the New Hope Cemetery near Ina, Spring Garden Township, Jefferson County, Illinois.[13] She has no marker.[14]

Future Actions

  • Process/translate Patience Anna Roberts widow pension application and incorporate new information.
  • Search further for Patience and/or her daughter in the 1870 Census.
  • Extend research to second level sources.
  • When I win the lottery, have a marker made and placed to memorialize the life of Patience Anna Marshall, Dean, Roberts.

Thank You

I would like to thank second cousin Chris H. Bailey for sharing his photos, sources, and research regarding Patience Anna Marshall Dean Roberts. Without his sharing, this article would have been much less complete.

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ENDNOTES

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Update: Union Opera Theater – New Philadelphia, Ohio

I heard back from the wonderful people at Tuscarawas County Historical Society. Their responses helped my determine exactly where the Union Opera Theater was located, when it closed, and when it was demolished.  (Refer: Donna in New Philadelphia, OH, at the Union Theater – 10 April 1920.) Thank you, Tuscarawas County Historical Society!

Image of Union Opera House.

Union Opera House,
New Philadelphia, Ohio
The Daily Times, May 24, 1957; Page 1

The Union Opera House was located “at [the] rear of Hotel Reeves Building” on Ashwood Lane.  The city directory of 1921 indicates that the Hotel Reeves was at 133-135 North Broadway[i], behind the Tuscarawas County Courthouse.

In 1893, the Sharp Opera House burned and the city was without an entertainment venue until the Union Opera House company was organized and the theater built adjacent to the Sherman House (later the Reeves Hotel.)

The Union Opera House opened on December 9, 1897, with “Pudd’nhead Wilson” with Edwin Mayo in the leading role.

The Union Opera House had a capacity of 1,057 – 502 on the main floor, 230 in the balcony, 300 in the gallery, and 24 in box seats. The US Census indicates that the population of New Philadelphia, OH was 10,718, so the venue could hold nearly 10% of the population of the city. However, the city of Dover is adjacent to New Philadelphia and contributed another 8,000 to the population.

The opera house continued with a mix of live shows until 1925 when it changed over to movies only.

The Union Opera House closed on 26 May 1957. The final bill included Rock Hudson’s movie “Never Say Goodby” and Richard Widmark’s film, “Backlash.”[ii]

In July 1957, the Reeves Realty Co. announced that the Union Opera House would be razed for the installation of an outdoor parking lot for patrons of the Reeves Hotel.

Specifications for the Union Opera House:[iii]

  • Proscenium opening: 32×22 ft
  • Front to back wall: 42 ft
  • Between side walls: 66 ft
  • Apron 5 ft
  • Between fly girders: 43 ft
  • To rigging loft: 40 ft
  • To fly gallery: 23 ft
  • 11 Dressing rooms

Further Research

According to the Julius Cahn Theatrical Guide, there were four newspapers associated New Philadelphia at the time; the “Times,” “Tribune,” the “Democrat,” and the “Reporter” (at Canal Dover). I have been unable to find copies of those papers. Find sources for the three papers and see if they have any articles regarding the show.

Endnotes

[i] Ancestry.Com – U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 – New Philadelphia, Ohio, City Directory, 1921, pages 136 and 219.

[ii] The Daily Times (New Philadelphia, OH); Friday, May 24, 1957, Page 1, “To Close Historic Union Opera House Here Sunday” via Newspapers.com.

[iii] The Julius Cahn – Gus Hill Theatrical Guide (1913-1914) – Page 525 – New Philadelphia.

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