Hefti – Surname Saturday

Darling-Huber-Trümpi-Dürst-Hefti Line
Darling-Huber-Trümpi-Dürst-Streiff-Hefti Line
Darling-Huber-Trümpi-Becker-Wichser-Zweifel-Hefti Line
By Don Taylor

Name Origin[i]

Family Search indicates that Hefti is a Swiss German surname from Middle High German heftec or heftic, meaning ‘strong, durable.’

“Hefty” is an Americanized form of Hefti.

Geographical

In the world, Forebears reports there are about 3,813 individuals with the Hefti surname. It is most prevalent in Switzerland, where over 70% of the people with the surname live.

In the US, Forebears indicates that most Hefti’s live in California (49), and the highest frequency is in Nebraska, where one in 8,759 people have the surname.

Direct Hefti Ancestors (7 from 1636 to 1775).

  • 1st Great-grandparent: 15,  Bertha Barbara Trümpi Huber (1884-1968)
  • 2nd Great-grandfather: 30.  Bernhead Trumpi (1844-1913)
  • 3rd Great-grandfather: 60.  Bernhart Trumpi (1817-1879)
  • 4th Great-Grandather: 120. Bernhard Trumpi (1776-1848)*
  • 4th Great-grandmother: 121. Anna Maria Dürst (1770-1858)
  • 5th Great-Grandmother: 241. Anna Magdalena Becker (1745-1801)
  • 5th Great-grandfather: 242. Joachim Dürst (1727-1785)
  • 5th Great-Grandmother: 243. Rosina Streiff (1743-1805)
  • 6th Great-Grandmother: 483. Anna Wichser (1702-1768)
  • 6th Great-grandmother: 485. Elsbeth Hefti (1702-1775)
  • 6th Great-Grandmother: 487. Magdalena Hefti (1707-___)
  • 7th Great-Grandmother: 967. Anna Zweifel (1692-1753)
  • 7th Great-grandfather: 970.  Fridolin Hefti (1664-1724)
  • 7th Great-grandfather: 974. Andras Hefti (1670-1714)
  • 8th Great-Grandmother: 1934. Ann Hefti (1648-1639)
  • 8th Great-grandfather: 1940. Franz Hefti (1639-1700)
  • 8th Great-Grandfather: 1948. Mathias Hefti (1636-1686)

* I have not personally researched this ancestor or the following ancestors. Instead, I am relying on the research of others to suggest these individuals and their relationships tentatively.

Locations of my Hefti Ancestors

Mathias Hefti (1636-1686) is my earliest known Hefti ancestor. He was born in Adlenbach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and died there. His son, Andreas, was born in Germany but died in Glarus Canton, Switzerland. All the other Hefti ancestors lived in Glarus. None of my known Hefti ancestors ever came to the United States, although several Hefti families settled in New Glarus, Green County, Wisconsin, where my Trümpi/Trümpy also settled.[ii]

My Direct Hefti Descendants

With three Hefti 8th Great-grandparents, I expected many descendants and know of 196 descendants of Ann, Franz, and Mathias Hefti in my tree: 43 Trumpi/Trümpim, 14 Dürst, and 14 Hefti.

I have previously written about 4 of them.

Ancestor Photographs

Photo of Florence Wilma (Huber) Darling.
Florence Wilma (Huber) Darling
Bertha Barbara (Trumpi) Huber


Sources


Endnotes

[i] Common surname origins include:

  • Occupations (such as “Farmer”
  • Physical characteristics (such as “Short”)
  • Places or landmarks (such as “Hill”)
  • Patronymics, derived from father’s name (such as Johnson from ”son of John”).

[ii] New Glarus Public Library – Family History Notes – Winter 2010.  www.newglaruspubliclibrary.org/files/2010%20Winter%20Newsletter.pdf

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The Plummer Bible #2

Linwood Dyer Collection
Family Bible Sunday
By Don Taylor

Family Bibles are great for genealogical research. They are historical records that typically are primary sources[i]. Also, The information is usually provided by someone with firsthand knowledge of the event. Sometimes, Bibles record information not documented elsewhere.

This Bible is from the Linwood Dyer Collection at the Scarborough Historical Society and is Accession Number 2023.01.401.

Marriages

Marriage section of the Plummer Bible #2.

Cape Elizabeth Nov 28, 1874, by Rev A P Hillman. Mr. David O. Plummer to Miss Alice A Stone of C E.

Births

Deaths page from the Plummer Bible #2.
  • Walter Everett Plummer – April 15th, 1875
  • S. Josephine Plummer – Jan 21st, 1882.
  • Blanche P Roberts – Feb 8th 1892.
  • Howard O. Dyer – Dec 5th 1900.
  • Isabel Plummer – Feb 15th 1903.
  • Linwood O Dyer – Oct 30th, 1903.
  • Alice L Dyer – Sep 19th 1905
  • Dorothy F. Plummer – Feb 4th, 1906
  • Thelma E Dyer – Aug 10th 1909
  • Alvin Laidlaw [no date entered]
  • Nellie E Laidlaw – Sept 1st 1915.
  • Jeanette Johnson – November 7th, 1920
  • Linwood Dain Dyer – July 16th, 1925 [Corrected]
  • Johan S McKeen – Nov 6, 1933.
  • John Henry McKeen – Feb 3, 1931

Deaths

Births page from the Plummer Bible #2.
  • Israel C Smith – Died January twenty seventh Day = 27 = 1857 – Aged 49 [??].
  • Sarah Sinnott – Died September 11 = 1846, Aged 63
  • William A Sinnott – Died February 27=1849 Aged 67
  • Alice A Plummer Died January 31, 1911
  • Walter E Plummer – Nov 23, 1909

Comments & Conclusions

  1. Many records appear to take the marriage information of David Plummer and Alice Stone from the “Samuel D. Rummery Book” dated 20 July 1927, which indicates they were married on November 21, 1873. However, this bible suggests they were married on Nov 28, 1874, by Rev A P Hillman and suggests it was in Cape Elizabeth. I believe the bible was written closer to the event’s time and probably by David or Alice. I think the November 28th date is correct.
  2. Various trees on Ancestry and the tree on Family search indicate Walter Everett Plummer was born in April 1875. This bible provides the day of the month he was born – April 15th, 1875, which may be new information for many researchers.
  3. Family Search indicates that Linwood E Dyer was born on October 3, 1903. This bible indicates he was born on October 30, 1903. The Ancestry trees I reviewed indicate the date of October 30, 1903, so it appears that Family Search has his birthdate incorrect.
  4. The remaining Bible entries appear consistent with Ancestry Public Trees and Family Search’s tree.

Endnotes:

[i] A primary source is any record created during the time you are researching – an eyewitness account. Primary sources can take many forms, such as newspapers, letters, journals, tax lists, court documents, church records, or a census. Even published books can be considered primary sources if they were printed during the time of your study. – https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Primary_sources.

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Rufus Harry Darling in the Censuses

Census Sunday
Darling Research
Darling Line
By Don Taylor

Introduction

I first looked at the life of Rufus Harry Darling about ten years ago. I briefly looked at him in 2019 and found him “in the news.” Since then, my genealogy database corrupted and I’ve found I need a “do-over” for much of my research. I’ve also learned to enter my findings into Family Search to ensure they will be available for future researchers. Also, my current process includes cleaning up any wrong entries or sources that I might have, assuring my sources are “properly cited,” and confirming what I know is synced to my Ancestry Family Tree and documented on Family Search.

Rufus was born in 1857. His father, Rufus Holton Darling, died when he was about a month old, leaving little Rufus to be raised by his mother alone. He was married twice. He married Ida Ready in 1889; she died in 1898. He remarried Hannah McAllister in 1907 (sometimes, erroneously, said to have married in 1905). He died in 1917. So, I would expect to find Rufus in all of the Census records from 1860 to 1910.

Censuses

1860[i]

Age 3 – Living with his mother, Elizabeth J Darling; sisters, Mary, Elizabeth, and Emma (Emily); brother, Abner; grandmother, Catherine Swazey; and uncle, Theodore, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1870[ii]

Age 13 – Living with his mother (Mrs. R. H.) Darling and sister Emma (Emily) are in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1880[iii]

Age 22 – Although he was “away,” he was enumerated with his mother, sisters Kate & Emma (Emily), and niece Kitty at 42 Rose Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1890 – Not available.[iv]

1900[v]

Age 43 – Rufus was rooming at 5 East 7th Street, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. He had been married for ten years (?) and was working as a traveling salesman. 

1910[vi]

Age 47 [sic], Rufus was rooming at the Curtis Hotel, 10th & Broadway, Kansas City, MO. He had been married for five years [sic], had two children [Elizabeth & Robert], and was a stock salesman. 

Although the age is incorrect and the number of years he was married is erroneous, his birthplace, the birthplace of his parents, his number of children, and his occupation are correct. Rufus & Hannah married in 1907; however, they told people they married in 1905 to “legitimize” their daughter Elizabeth. Being married for “5 years” makes this Census record consistent with one document and oral history. Additionally, Rufus was 27 years older than his wife, Hannah. I believe they kept to a story that he was only twice Hannah’s age (22) when they married, as Hannah’s father was very unhappy with the age difference between Hannah and Rufus. 

Conclusion

Although there are several other Rufus H Darlings in various census records, I feel comfortable I have followed Rufus Harry Darling through the census records throughout his life. With this knowledge, I can confirm my other sources regarding his life. 

Follow-up

Some records indicate that Rufus’ first wife, Ida, died in 1898. However, the 1900 Census indicates he was married for ten years. I need to confirm Ida’s death. 

I also need to confirm Rufus’ life events in 25 other sources.


Endnotes:

[i] 1860 Census, Various, 1860 Census – Rufus H Darling [sic] – Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan. “United States Census, 1860”, Village of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Page 19, Line 29. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW6W-SQB.

[ii] 1870 Census, Various, 1870 Census – Rufus H Darling – Kalamazoo Village, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Page 100, Line 33. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHHB-HNT.

[iii] 1880 Census, Family Search, 1880 Census – Rufus H Darling – Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan. SD 1; ED 134, Page 15, Line 48. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWSN-DLB.

[iv] The 1890 US Census for Michigan is not among those who survived the fire that destroyed much of the 1890 Census Records. See FamilySearch Wiki for details.

[v] 1900 Census, Various, 1900 Census – Rufus H. Darling – Kansas City,  Ward 3, Jackson County, Missouri. SD 5, ED 21, Sheet 7B, Line 89. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3CB-VGP.

[vi] 1910 Census (NARA, 1910), Various, 1910 – Rufus H Darling – Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Ward 1 – Sheet 11 A, Line 16. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLMX-MH7.

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Photo Friday – Cary (née Swasey), Enemark, & Johnson

Linwood Dyer Collection – Part 007
By Don Taylor

This week, for Photo Friday, I identified the people in three photos from the Linwood Dyer Collection[i] and need help identifying the 30 more people in two photos. 


James & Mary (Swasey) Cary & Family, circa 1903.

Daughters: Florence, Lillie, & Mattie.

The photo identifying information includes the studio: Smith Photo Co., 27 Monument Sq., Portland, ME. The back contains the following information.

Carrie
One of twins name Florance,
Aunt Ester
Carrie was last name & husband owned co in Portland repaired motors small (electric)

Photo of James & Mary (Swasey) & Florence, Lillie, & Mattie Cary, circa 1903.
Photo of James & Mary (Swasey) & Florence, Lillie, & Mattie Cary.

What I learned while researching this photo.

On Family Search, I found Florence H. Cary, daughter of James H (LWL3-YFQ) and Esther Mary (Swasey)(MRP9-CWB) Cary, who had twin sisters, Lillie Mae and Mattie Ethel Cary. The twins were born on 24 April 1894, and Florence was born in 1896. 

The 1900 US Census lists James H. Cary and his wife, Mary S., living at 14 Bedford Street in Portland. His mother, Harriett, and brothers, Walter & Benjamin, live with him. James is an Electrician. 

The 1905 Portland City Directory lists James H Cary Electrical Works, manufacturers of Dynamos, Motors, Elevator Controllers. [Also] Automatic Starting Devices, Dental Motors, Repair Work a Speciality,. Special Organ Motors and Controllers. Motor Supplies of All Kinds. Office and Factory, 81 Cross St. Telephone 911-3.

On the back of the photograph, the notation about one of the twins being named Florance is in a different pen and hand than the other writing. I believe it is in error. Also, I think Esther and her surname are misspelled. However, I am confident this is the family taken about 1903 when Florence was seven, and the twins were about nine. 

I added this photo of Jacob to my Linwood Dyer Collection tree on Ancestry.


Hans Jacob Petersen Enemark, 1905.

The photo identifying information includes –

Dec 1905 – Please accept my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year – Jacob Enemark.

Postcard of Hans Jacob Petersen Enemark, circa 1905

Why I believe this to be the individual.

  • The 1900 US Census lists Jacob Enemark as a 23-year-old shoemaker living with his wife, Camilla, and son Carroll (8 mos.) at 26 Gilman, Portland, ME. Jacob was born in Denmark and was a naturalized citizen; he had been in the US for nine years and was born in July 1876.
  • The 1905 Portland City Directory lists three people with the surname Enemark. Jacob is a Shoemaker, and the other two, Asmus & Christian, are shoe repairers. 

I am confident this photo is a Christmas card photo from Jacob to a customer in South Portland that acted as a reminder of him (and his shoemaking). Ancestry Family Trees suggest this is Hans Jacob Petersen Enemark, born 28 Jul 1976 to Asmus Peter & Christense Henriette (Brun) Enemark. 

I added this photo of Jacob to my Linwood Dyer Collection tree on Ancestry.


Neils Sofus Johnson, 1938 (age 16).

Photo of Neils Sofus Johnson, 1938,
Neils Sofus Johnson 1938,

The photo identifying information includes [Photo Studio] Kennedy – Portland, Me. Handwritten is

Neils Sofus Johnson, ’38 | DoB Feb 13, 1922 Neils Johnson Jr. | Sincerely Neils, Jr. ’38.

It doesn’t get much better or easier to identify someone than when the name and date of birth are provided. A quick search of Ancestry.com found Neils Sofus Johnson, the son of Neils Sofus and Annie Marie (Lund) Johnson. He was born on 13 Feb 1922 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, and died on 1 Sep 2014 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.

I added this photo of Neils to my Linwood Dyer Collection tree on Ancestry.


Watson Family (Friends of Olla Swasey), circa 1910.

The photo identifying information includes:

  • A stamp indicating the photo was taken at Pier Studio, Edward E Rhoads, propr., Old Orchard. 
  • The back says,

Watson – friends of Ola Mae Swasey.

What I learned while researching this photo.

Photo of the Watson Family, friends of Olla Swasey, circa 1910.
Watson Family, friends of Olla Swasey, circa 1910.
  • Find a Grave indicates there is an Olla M (Colter) Swasey buried at Black Point Cemetery, Scarborough, Maine. She died in 1932 (aged 48-49)
  • A look Watson in the 1910 US Census found 
    • Oscar F Watson, a Widower, age 35, lives in Old Orchard with his in-laws and two children, Marion (age 10) and Philip (age 9).
    • Stephen & Genette live in Saco with their three daughters, Gertrude, Lillian, & Dorothy (ages 20, 13, & 3, respectively). 
    • James & Georgia Watson are boarders in Saco. They could easily have had a child in the early 1910s.
  • My quick review of newspapers failed to find Olla/Ola Colter/Swasey mentioned with any Watsons. 
  • Based on the clothing and photographic style, I believe this photo was probably taken about 1910.

There is insufficient information to identify the people in this photo. I would love to hear if you know the Swasey family of Scarborough and possibly know of their friends. 


Class Photo – Unknown School, Unknown Year.

The photo identifying information includes a tag that says,

Photo - Unknown class, probably Roosevelt School, So. Portland, Maine.
Unknown class, unknown year, probably Roosevelt School, So. Portland, Maine.

Presented by the Portland Evening Express and Press Herald.

What I learned while researching this photo.

  • Sadly, there is no other identifying information regarding this photo. As such, I’d like to remind everyone to please label and identify who, where, and why any of the pictures you have. It will significantly help future holders of the photo. 
  • My Internet search of similar photos resulted in one photo with the same presented by label. It was the Maine Preservation website and a photo of the 1929 class of Roosevelt School. 
  • The South Portland Historical Society has several photos of Roosevelt School Classes. As I perused their photo collection online, I saw no class photos with the same background. 

Hopefully, someone can help identify the class in this photo. If you can help, please use the comment form below. If you don’t want your comment publicly published on my website, put “Private” in the text, and I’ll be sure not to post it publicly. 

I have only posted this photo here and to my Flickr Photostream.


Conclusion 

  • I feel really good about being able to share the photo of Neils Sofus Johnson, Jr., Jacob Enemark, and the James Cary family. 
  • I have my suspicions about the Watson family photo, but I’m not confident enough to say anything more about the photo.
  • Finally, I hope someone can identify the school, date, and possibly some of the students in the final photo. It has the potential to identify 29 children.

I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before. 

Due to software limitations, the images uploaded to Family Search and Flickr have higher quality than those linked here. 


Endnotes

[i] This collection includes hundreds of photos, documents, and genealogies of people who lived in Scarborough, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, & Old Orchard, Maine. My goal is to analyze the images and reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image. The originals in this collection are held by the Scarborough Historical Society.

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The Stone Bible

Linwood Dyer Collection
Family Bible Sunday
By Don Taylor

Introduction

Family Bibles are great for genealogical research. They are historical records that typically are primary sources. Also, The information is usually provided by someone with firsthand knowledge of the event.[i]Sometimes, Bibles record information not documented elsewhere.

This Bible is from the Linwood Dyer Collection[ii].


Marriages

John Stone of Limington and Elizabeth A. Haskell of Cape Elizabeth were married Sept 16th, 1835, By Elder Wm Pierce.

Births

John Stone was born June 9th, 1815.
Elizabeth A. Haskell was born Aug. 16, 1819.

John J. Stone was born Nov 14th, 1845, in Cape Elizabeth.
Susan E Stone was born Feb 2nd, 1849, in Cape Elizabeth.
Alice A Stone was born April 5th, 1852, in Cape Elizabeth.

Deaths

None Recorded.

Comments & Conclusions

The Bible appears to be that of the family of John and Elizabeth (Haskell) Stone. The 1850 US Census confirms the family living in Cape Elizabeth. 

Family Search has profile 2S2L-YTH for John (senior). It indicates he was born on 10 June 1815, a day after this Bible indicates. There may be a conflict between several sources regarding his place of birth. This Bible and some researchers indicate he was born in Limington, while his family Search profile suggests he was born in Cape Elizabeth. 

Family Search has profile MYNL-4DD for Elizabeth Alice Haskell. That profile suggests she was born in Biddeford, York County, Maine. The Bible and several other researchers suggest she was born in Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, Maine. 

Family Search profiles for John (the younger) and Susan are consistent with this Bible entry; however, Family Search indicates Alice as born in April 1845. The 1880 Census indicates she was 29 years old, suggesting her birth in 1850. The conflicts with her birth year and the birth of her first child bear much further analysis and assessment of the various sources available.


Endnotes:

[i] Be careful about the source author. Occasionally, Bible record recorders do not have first-hand knowledge and fill in the information years after the event. 

[ii] Scarborough Historical Society, Linwood Dyer Genealogy Collection – Accession No. 2023.01.403.

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