Ancestor Biography – Mercy Eliza Taft  (1822-1884)

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Don Taylor

Roberts/Barnes/Taft Line
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.When I reviewed my possible connections through “We’re Related” to Walt Disney and to my Scarborough Historical friend, Carl, both were stopped by my research blockage at Mercy Eliza Taft.  After Mercy, both lines went through her father, Joel Cruff Taft. My research on Mercy convinced me that her father was indeed Joel and her grandmother was Sarah Whitney, which brings me two generations closer to proving a relationships with both Walt Disney and Carl.

Minuteman – Lexington

While doing this research I also encountered many new and exciting things. Fifth great-grandfather, Silas Taft is a Revolutionary War veteran and was part of the “Lexington Alarm” which was the first real battle of the Revolution in 1775. More about him in a later post. Also, I learned that William Howard Taft, the 27th President of the United States and the 10th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is my 5th cousin, 4 times removed. Taft is the only person to ever be both POTUS and the Chief Justice.

Roberts-Barnes 2017 Research – Ancestor #21

List of Grandparents

  • Grand Parent: Elsie Pansy Barnes
  • 1st Great-grandfather: Joel Clinton Barnes
  • 2nd Great-grandmother: Mercy Eliza Taft
  • 3rd Great-grandfather: Joel Cruff Taft
  • 4th Great-grandfather: Asa Taft
  • 5th Great-grandfather: Silas Taft
  • 6th Great-grandfather: Stephen Taft
  • 7th Great-grandfather: Benjamin Taft
  • 8th Great-grandfather: Robert Taft

Mercy Eliza (Taft) Barnes (1822-1884)

There is confusion regarding Mercy’s first name. Some researchers believe her name was Mary. I think that it is even possible that her first name might have been Marcy or even Mancy. In reviewing the records, I am yet to find a source that I feel is compelling enough to prove her name. People who have seen her grave marker indicate that her name is Mercy. Certainly, her Christian name if Eliza is used in the majority of records regarding her. I’ve decided to use Mercy until I find a compelling source.

Map of Sullivan County showing Fairbanks Township.

Fairbanks Township in Sullivan County, Indiana

Mercy Eliza Taft was the second of ten children of Joel Cruff and Tamise/Fanny Sutherland/Southerland, born in New York on 27 March 1822.[i] It appears that all of her siblings live to adulthood. It does appear that the family moved several times in New York before part of the family split off and settled in Fairbanks Township, Sullivan County, Indiana.

Eliza married Nelson Barnes in New York on 31 October 1839.[ii] Their first daughter, who has one of the most unusual names I’ve ever encountered, Tryphenia Ann Barnes was born on 11 Oct 1841 in New York. The following year the young family moved west to Indiana (1842) by covered wagon and camped near Fairbanks. They started out renting farmland, then slowly purchased land until they had 80 acres.

Over the ensuing years, Nelson and Eliza would have nine children. They are:

Children of Nelson and Mercy Eliza Taft

Children: Sex Birth Death
Tryphenia Ann Barnes F 11 Oct 1841
New York		 03 Nov 1915
Turman, Ind.
Ploutina Mariah Barnes F 09 May 1844
New York*		 23 Mar 1918
Indiana
Theodore E Barnes M 29 Mar 1847
Sullivan, Ind.		 06 Aug 1919
Danville, Ill.
Susan Barnes F Bet. 1848-1849
Indiana		 Bef. 1909
Abraham Barnes M 04 Mar 1852
Indiana		 20-Jan-21
Cyrus John Barnes M 04 Apr 1855
Sullivan, Ind.		 17 Feb 1879
Sullivan, Ind.
Joel Clinton Barnes M 23 Jun 1857
Graysville, Ind.		 30 Jun 1921
Sullivan, Ind.
Lucy Minerus Barnes F 18 Apr 1860 05 Sep 1890
Martha Ellen Barnes F Sullivan, Ind. 16 Feb 1949

*I believe that Ploutina was born in Indiana and not New York.

  • Mercy on left base, Nelson on Right base

    1850 – Living with husband and four oldest children in Turman, Sullivan County, Indiana.[iii]

  • 1860 – Living with husband and six of the children in Turman, Sullivan County, Indiana.[iv]
  • 1870 – Living with husband and five of the children in Turman, Sullivan County, Indiana.[v]
  • 1880 – Living with husband one of her children and one of her granddaughters in Turman, Sullivan County, Indiana.[vi]
  • 1884 – Her husband Nelson died in either January or February.[vii],[viii]
  • 1884 – Eliza died on 4 October 1884 in Turman, Sullivan County Indiana. She was buried at the Drake Cemetery in nearby Fairbanks, Sullivan County, Indiana.[ix]  I find the image available through Find-a-Grave isn’t clear enough to determine the name used on the marker.

Further Actions / Follow-up

  • Find the Taft Family in the 1840 Census.
  • Find the Taft Family in the 1830 Census.
  • Visit the Drake Cemetery and see if I can get a better image of her marker to confirm the name she was known by at the time of her death.

Endnotes:

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Donna Darling at B.F. Keith’s Greenpoint

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Don Taylor

Donna Darling Collection – Part 6

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

This photo of Donna Darling up in lights had no accompanying descriptions in the Donna Darling Collection. So, let the detective process begin.

Photo of B.F. Keith's Greenpoint - Donna Darling - May 1922

B.F. Keith’s Greenpoint – Donna Darling – May 1922

First, I determined that this was the B.F. Keith’s Greenpoint Theater located at 825 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY. Cinema Treasures had several photos of this theater at various times. From the architecture, it is evident this is the same theater, also known as the RKO Greenpoint theater that was at 825 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY.

 

Next, I was interested in when this photo was taken. According to Wikipedia, The silent film “For the Defense” was released in 1922. For more detail, I needed to zoom in. The play board in front of the theater indicates that the movie. In vaudeville, typically any live shows ended the same date that a silent movie ended. So, I’m pretty sure that Donna played B.F. Keiths the week preceding May 18th.

Donna Darling and Company played B.F. Keith’s Greenpoint Theater the week of 11-17 May 1922.

[I posted this a full-sized image of this photo of B. F. Keith’s Greenpoint to Cinema Treasures.]

Followup

I need to do more research for the specific dates Donna was at this theater. I also need to research what happened to the theater.

 

 

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Memories of Martha Barnes Conner

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Don Taylor

Nelson Barnes and Mercy Eliza Taft

Amanuensis Monday
By Don Taylor

It is always amazing when you can find the voice of an ancestor. Thanks to Timothy Foulkes’ contribution to Family Search of the “History of Martha Barnes Conner,” we can read the words of Martha Barnes Conner, the youngest daughter of my 2nd great-grandparents, Nelson and Mercy Eliza (Taft) Barnes. The document posted appears to be a transcript of the original but seems to be faithful to the original because of the archaic spelling and other features of the transcription, such as Hridge (instead of Bridge) and Heron (instead of Merom).

Covered Wagon from period

I can so visualize the plight of Nelson and Mercy in 1842 — Living in their covered wagon with their young child, out of money and relying on the credit from others. Just a rocking chair, a bushel basket for a stool, and a trunk as both a table and to hold their bedding, it was clearly a bleak life. Yet, over the years they purchased their own property and added to it. A true story of pioneer success. There are side stories: One about the wagon that carried mail (and presumably) supplies the 31 miles from Terra Haute and one about a man who dies and was buried near the old Dodd school house.

Document Image

Nelson Barnes and Mercy Eliza Taft

Transcription of typed image transcription.

Nelson Barnes and Mercy Eliza Taft were married Oct 31, 1839 in New York 
state and came to Indiana with their baby in a covered wagon in 1842 and 
camped near Fairbanks they were out of money  he ask a farmer for work 
and went in debt for a bu of corn and a side of bacon, they had sold 
their household goods a piece at a time untill they had nothing left
but a rocking chair a chest that they kept their bedding and clothes in 
and used it also to eat their meals on and a half bu measur that my 
father sat on and also fed his horses in.  he worked for farmers for 
several year and then bough a little piece of land near Dodds Hridge
he kept adding to the farm untill he had a good sized farm at the time of 
his death  I am the youngest child of nine children and the only one 
living  I hays 80 achers of land that my father gave me that he entered 
from the government he rode on horse back to Vincanzes to make the
deed. at the time they only got mail once a week a hack pulled by 
two horses made the trip from Terre Haute to Herom ever other day 
down one day and back to Terre Haute the next and in winter and the roads 
were bad  they stooped and changed horses at a farm house that was 
owned by Hessie Rigs also travelers got their meals there. there 
was where we went to get our mail. I remember hearing my father 
telling of a sick jentle man that was on this stage coach.  that he 
was put off with a man that was taking care of him  the man had a 
contages diseas but was too sick to travel  he died and was burried on
the bluff north of the Dodd school house  my father and a neighbor by the 
name of Mckee made a rough box and took it in talking distance to burry 
him  I remember when I went to school at the old frame school house how 
we children put flowers on the grave  it is marked with a rough stone. 
The frame school house was replaced with a brick and now is not used 
any more 

written by Martha Barnes Conner

(from handwritten note by Martha Barnes Conner, wife of Frank Conner and mother of Garland Conner)

[Note: Martha Ellen (Barnes) Conner died on 16 Feb 1949.  This transcription of the transcription image is by Don Taylor.]

Discussion

I would love to see the original document if Mr. Foulkes or anyone else has it available. Also, I have been unsuccessful in finding information or photos of the Dodd School House. I would be very interested in learning much more about it as well.

Sources

“History by Martha Barnes Conner”
CONTRIBUTED BY Timothy Foulkes to Family Search
https://familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/28314121

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Donna and the Balalaika – 1926

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Don Taylor

Donna Darling Collection – Part 5

Treasure Chest Thursday

By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.Item #5 of the Donna Darling Collection is a photograph. Actually, it is two photographs of Donna with a stringed instrument that I consider one item. One of the images was torn badly. The other had some sticky gunk on it. One had writing and printing on the back; the other one did not. For the image below, I set the color to black and white then auto-set the contrast and brightness. Finally, I brought the sepia up and saved it as a web-sized image.  I did not touch it up.

Photo of Donna Darling with Balalaika

Donna Darling with Balalaika – Donna Donna Revue: Princess and the King – 1926

The back of the picture was stamped, “DONNA DARLING & SAMMY CLARK” as well as (in smaller block print, it is stamped “THE PRINCESS AND THE KING.” Handwritten on the back is “Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark.”  The front of one of the photos says “DAVIES – PORTLAND, ORE.” This one does not.  So between the two photos, I have two stories.

Newspaper photo of Donna (Montran) Darline.

Source: The Independent Record (Helena, MT)  28 Nov 1926, Page 6.

The photo shows Donna playing what appears to be a six-string prima balalaika. The prima balalaika is a Russian instrument.  That fits with Donna’s costume of what looks to me as a “shabby sheik” Eastern European looking outfit. (Hopefully, someone will comment and provide me with exactly what kind of clothing she is wearing.)

I had seen this image before. It was in several newspaper articles during late 1926 associated with “The Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark.”  In 1925, Donna was still performing “Donna Darling and Girls,” So, I am sure this photo was taken in 1926 sometime before the picture was used in advertising in Helena, Montana in November 1926.

FOLLOWUP

The University of Oregon, UO Libraries, Knight Library, 2nd floor North, has several photographic collections.

See: https://library.uoregon.edu/speccoll/photo/abstracts.html

Among those collections is one containing photographs of George W. Davis, who operated the Davies Studio from 1901 until 1925.

I should see if my sister, one of her kids, or my cousin who lives in Oregon, might be interested in stopping at the library and see if they have any photographs from 1926 showing Donna or Sammy in their collection.

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Fanny (Taylor) Blackhurst (1806-1889)

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.I sometimes tell the story that, “I am the oldest Taylor in my generations, that there are no Taylor’s older than me related to me.” (I need to tell the story of how I got the surname Taylor on this blog sometime.) Anyway, that was true until I learned that my third great-grandmother was named Fanny Taylor. So, I did have an ancestor surnamed Taylor, but I didn’t inherit her surname.  I did, however, inherit her mitochondrial DNA. Recently, I was very pleased to learn that my sister’s daughter had a little girl who will carry on Fanny’s mitochondrial DNA. She is the only female of the next generation, that I know of, who can carry on the mtDNA. However, Fanny had five other daughters that I haven’t had a chance to follow.  If you, or someone you know, carry Fanny Taylor Blackhurst’s mtDNA, I would love to hear from you via the comment form below.

Roberts-Brown 2017 – Ancestor #63

List of Grandparents

  • Grand Parent: Madonna Mae Montran
  • 1st Great: Ida Mae Barber
  • 2nd Great: Sarah H. Blackhurst
  • 3rd Great: Fanny Taylor

Fanny (Taylor) Blackhurst (1806-1889)

Flag of the United Kingdom

Immigrant Ancestor from the United Kingdom

I don’t have a clue about when Fanny was born nor who her parents were.  She was indeed born sometime between 1800 and 1811.  Her marker indicates she was born in 1806 and that is consistent with the 1870 and 1880 censuses. However, in the 1860 Census she is reported to be 59 years old, suggesting a birth in 1800 or 1801.  Similarly, the 1841 English Census indicates that Fanny was only 30 years old, suggesting a birth year in 1810 or 1811.  In any event, she was born in England, and both of her parents were born in England also.  I have a lot more research to do regarding Fanny’s life on the other side of the pond.[i],[ii],[iii]

Marriage

Fanny married Stephen Blackhurst on the day after Christmas, 1825 in Rotherham, Yorkshire, England.

Adulthood

Fannie and Stephen probably had eight children.  I am not convinced that “Eleazer” was not Louise with a nickname applied.  If that is the case, then they only had seven children and the entire family came to America.

Children of Stephen and Fannie Taylor Blackhurst

Children: Sex Birth Death
Ellen Blackhurst F 19 Oct 1829
Kingston upon Hull,
Yorkshire, England		 17 Feb 1905
Sheridan, Calhoun, Michigan
Elizabeth Blackhurst F 21 Oct 1831
Sheffield, Yorkshire,
England		 14 Feb 1915
Calhoun, Michigan
Mary Blackhurst F 20 Dec 1833
Sheffield, Yorkshire,
England		 14 Feb 1900
Springport, Jackson, Michigan
William Stephen Blackhurst M 13 May 1835
Sheffield, Yorkshire,
England		 10 Mar 1914
Avalon, Livingston, Missouri
Eleazer Blackhurst ? Bet. 1837-1839
England
Louise Blackhurst F 14 Aug 1840
England		 17 Mar 1927
Albion, Calhoun, Michigan
Phoebe Anna Blackhurst F 15 May 1842
Sheffield, Yorkshire,
England		 17 Aug 1929
Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Sarah H Blackhurst F 29 Dec 1847
Sheffield, Yorkshire,
England		 08 Aug 1928
Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

Adulthood

The family was still in England in 1847, as evidenced by Sarah’s birth in Yorkshire. In 1849 or 1850, the family immigrated to the United States, and they settled in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York.  The New York Census of 1855 asked respondents to indicate how long they had been in the US and it confirms that the Blackhursts had been here for five years. [iv]

Sometime between 1855 and 1860 the Stephen and Fanny moved to Sheridan Township, Calhoun County, Michigan. Stephen was farming, Fanny keeping house, and William, Louisa, and Sarah were in Sheridan with them.[v]

Fanny’s husband, Stephen, died on the day before Christmas, 1869 – two days before their 44th wedding anniversary.[vi]  The 1870 Census finds Fanny as the head of the household with daughters Louisa and Bessy living with her along with their children and Bessy’s husband, Isaac.[vii]

In the 1880 census, Fanny’s son-in-law, Isaac Earl, is the head of the household along with Bessie and their daughter Mary Flora. This Census tells us that Fanny’s parents were born in England. [viii]

Death

Marker - Fannie (Taylor) Blackhurst - Photo by Genealogy Bug Kate

Marker – Fannie (Taylor) Blackhurst

Fannie Taylor Blackhurst died in 1889 at the age of 83. She was buried at Riverside Cemetery, in Albion, Calhoun County, Michigan.[ix]

 

Further Actions / Follow-up

  • Renew research regarding Fanny’s time in England before her immigration to the United States.

Endnotes

[i] Find a Grave, Find a Grave, Fannie Taylor Blackhurst – Memorial 12173135. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12173135.

[ii] 1860 Census, Family Search, Stephen Blacklin – Sheridon, Calhoun, Michigan – Line 7. Accessed 25 August 2013. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWDJ-W8X.

[iii] 1841 England Census, Ancestry.Com, Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, Parish of Holy Trinity, Pages 21 & 22. Stephen Blackhurst.

[iv] 1855 New York Census, Family Search, Stephen Blackhurst – Auburn, Cayuga, New York. Accessed 25 August 2013. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K675-B3M.

[v] 1860 Census, Family Search, Stephen Blacklin – Sheridon, Calhoun, Michigan – Line 7. Accessed 25 August 2013. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWDJ-W8X.

[vi] Michigan Deaths and Burials Index, 1867-1995, Ancestry.Com, Stephen Blackhurst (1799-1869). Birth c. 1799, England – Death 24 Dec 1869, Sheridon, Calhoun, Michigan.

[vii] 1870 Census (FS) (NARA), Family Search, Fanny Blackhurst – Sheridan, Calhoun, Michigan, Page 30, Line 24. Accessed 22 Feb 2016. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHHF-4GM.

[viii] 1880 Census (FS), 1880 Census – Isaac Earl – Sheridan, Calhoun, Michigan.

[ix] Find a Grave, Find a Grave, Fannie Taylor Blackhurst – Memorial 12173135. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12173135.

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