Sarah Raesbeck Woodin 1831-1908

Who is Sarah Raesbeck Woodin? According to the photo she is “Dad’s Mother.” This photograph is one on many from the Wilma Woodin Collection. Wilma Woodin Morey, 1922-2016, was my mother’s cousin or my first cousin once removed. So, “Dad’s Mother” would be the mother of Martin Luther Woodin, 1873-1931, or the wife of Abel Woodin, 1827-1887.

With the use of online computer digital images, I was no closer to identifying Sarah than the paper copies I received in the early 1990s. Maureen Taylor, The PhotoDetective,  tells me that every photograph wants to tell me a story. So, Sarah what is your story? What records are now digitized that Wilma did not have access to years ago?

Sarah Giles was baptized 2 November 1831 in Bromsgrove, Worcester, England according to the Family History Library Film Number 321128. The index for the baptism date is 1831 and several census records agree. The 1841 and 1851 English Census records approximate 1832. So, when the quarantine is over, this will need to be verified (May 2020). Her father is listed as James Giles; her mother is listed as Mary Giles. The 1861 English Census reads that Mary’s father is Richard Lewis.

Sarah Giles married Abel Woodin on 9 June 1851 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. According to digital records, the family crossed the Atlantic in 1880. Abel died 1887 and was buried in LaSalle County, Illinois. Sarah married a second time to John Raisbeck on 17 September 1890 in Grundy County, Illinois, Illinois Marriages FHL film 001415756. View the 1900 United States Federal Census, John, Sarah and Thomas were enumerated in Bureau County, Illinois. Thomas was born in 1881 in Illinois. Thomas’ obituary reads that he was born in Braceville, Grundy County. At this time, my further research reveals that Elizabeth Wilson was the mother of Thomas and Rachael Raisbeck. Sarah was still married to Abel Woodin in 1881. Family papers reveal Sarah’s death date as 1908, as of May 2020 I am unable to find an obituary or any document.

For me, the photo question has been answered, Sarah was born Giles, married first time Abel Woodin, married second time John Raisbeck.

My connection, Sarah Giles was the mother-in-law of my great aunt, Eugenie Luella COUCH 1878-1959. See my tree, Roots Digger (Under Construction), on Ancestry.com for the source citations; or, see my tree, Roots Digger 2020, on MyHeritage.com.

Thank you Wilma for your many, many hours putting together this family for future generations!

Lewis A. Armstrong, author “Oklahoma Boy on the Bumpy Road of Life” Review

“Tis so delightful to tell stories and share the fun of it with others…” Written by the author, Lewis A. Armstrong, on the back cover of Stories By An Oklahoma Boy. Retired Colonel Armstrong writes about what is important to him: family, church, career. He has self published topics from cookbooks to humor books; hopefully more are in the works. For this blog, I have chosen three of his family books: Oklahoma Boy on the Bumpy Road of Life, published 2018, Stories By An Oklahoma Boy, published 2014, The Writings of Leonard E. Armstrong, published 2012.

In The Writings of Leonard E. Armstrong: Stories, Poems, and Letters, Lewis compiles his brother’s poems, letters and stories. The dedication reads, “Although he no longer walks on the face of the old earth, yet he would dedicate this work to his grandchildren and great grandchildren whom he loved dearly…” The reader catches a glimpse of Leonard’s closeness to his family. One chapter titled, Big Red, puts in plain words the love of a grandma to let her three year old grandson fed the chickens and gather eggs. The rooster decided to scare the three year old. The rooster ended up invited to Sunday dinner. Another chapter, Merry Christmas, Christmas in Florida, rewrites The Night Before Christmas, “They knew that Santa was well on his way, In a shiny red sports car instead of a sleigh…”

Stories By An Oklahoma Boy provides many wonderful memories of hours spent listening and/or reading Han Christian Anderson, Brothers Grimms’ and others. My dad’s copy of Grimms’ sits on my shelf today. My personal favorites are the Bobbsey Twins and Winnie the Pooh; this may be because my cousin read to me. Later, I shared Winnie the Pooh with my son.

Oklahoma Boy on the Bumpy Road of Life makes available a glimpse into the author’s family. The author acknowledges people who have contributed to the person he turned out to be. Lewis shares the bumps and high points in his life. He starts with his 1941 smiling baby photograph. He ends with, “I will be 77 on August 18, 2018. There are benefits with age, but there are limitations as well… You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.”

Thank you, Lewis A. Armstrong, for sharing your life and family with your readers! We are no longer strangers, we are now friends too!

My connections with Lewis A. Armstrong: 

• Mr. Armstrong has been a member of Our Genealogy Group, Morrow, Georgia, for several years. This is where I met Lewis and Linda.
• Lewis is two years younger than I am, this provokes my childhood memories.
• We both are interested in the Armstrong surname. My direct Armstrong family came from Pennsylvania to New York then to LaSalle County, Illinois. Did any travel further west to Oklahoma?

Your narratives encourage others to share their family!

Colonel Armstrong, Thank you for your service to our country!

Emma L BAUMGARTEN 1896-1970 married William F ZIELKE

   ZIELKE
William F. Zielke, veteran of World War 1, June 10 [1966], beloved husband of Emma, nee Baumgarten; dear father of the late Gilbert; fond grandfather of Mark;... read the rest of his obituary in the Chicago Tribune, 11 June 1966 on Newspapers.com.
   ZIELKE
Emma Zielke, nee Baumgarten, of Brighton Park, beloved wife of the late William; loving mother of the late Gilbert; dearest grandmother of Mark; dear sister of Walter (Emily) Baumgarten and Marie (William) Schrader;... read the rest of her obituary in the Chicago Triune, 10 December 1970 on Newspapers.com.

Emma L Baumgarten is my second cousin two times removed. I do not like the expression "removed." but that is the technical wording. The whole Baumgarten family has been a series of twists and turns. It appears that each generation has the same names recycled over and over again. Emma presented a different problem. Beside Emma L, I also have Emma Emelie in the same generation. Now back to Emma L and my confusion with her family. Emma was born 9 July 1896 in Lockport, Will County, Illinois. In 1919 according to the Cook County marriage index, Emma married William F. Zielke of Chicago. This should be simple, just find an Emma and William about their age in the U.S. census in Chicago.

Who would have planned for two different Emma's marring two different William's. Naturally, I only found one in the beginning in the 1930 census, so attached the wrong census to my family. My family was married in 1919, the other Emma and William were married in 1911.One family, the one I wrongly added to my tree, had five children. The correct family had only one son, Gilbert.
It has taken several full days of research to finally correct my mistake. I was able to find Zeilke obituaries on Newspapers.com. What are the odds of two Emma and William Zeilke would be raising families in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois at the same time.

My lesson is to always look for more than one source for information. Question my own research. Do NOT believe trees or census, these are only hints. AND apologize to the Zielke family for adding the wrong people to my Baumgarten tree. If it were not a question from a cousin, I would not have found this mistake. We all need to work together!!! Any suggestions for my tree, see Roots Digger family tree (under construction) on Ancestry.com. happy tree climbing and roots digging, Selma

McCudden, Pemberton, and Schuler from Will County, Illinois served in the Civil War

Franklin McCudden (1840-66), James Pemberton (1837-1914) and Charles Shuler (1845-1904) from Will County, Illinois enlisted in Company I, 9^th Illinois Cavalry on the 23^rd of February 1865. They enlisted in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. All three were mustered out on 31^st day of October 1865 in Selma, Alabama. A National Genealogical Society (NGS)research trip to Washington DC provided me with documentation of their service.

After reading their Compiled Military Service Records, Carded Medical Records and Pension Applications, many more questions than answers surface. McCudden and Pemberton are farmers while Shuler is a boatman. Pemberton applied for a pension stating a mule rolled on him. At this time, there is no record in his medical file regarding the accident. Further research into unit records may reveal more clues.

The only military marker for Civil War service is on the grave on Charles Shuler in the Lockport City Cemetery. Franklin McCudden is buried in the Lockport City Cemetery. James Pemberton is buried in the Brooks Cemetery in Homer Glen. The gravestone photographs are from www.findagrave.com. 

What is the connection between these three men? Charles Schuler is the brother-in-law to Franklin McCudden. After Frank died, his wife Elizabeth married George Pemberton. What is George’s relationship to James? Future research, I mentioned that records offer more questions than answers.

For articles on Washington DC research or Civil War research, please read:

Civil War research of Union textual records

Genealogy: Researching textual records at the NationalArchives Washington DC

Genealogy: Union Civil War Pension Records offer familyhistory gems

How to use Union Civil War documents with your familyhistory

Contact me with your family history challenges, SelmaBlackmon

Census: Research family relationships, part 4

1868 marriage application. Illinois, Will, Lockport. John Shuler and Lena Baumgarten

This series of articles demonstrates how to research family relationships from the digital U.S. population schedule census records. The further back the researcher traces the family, the more difficult it is to verify information. The 1870, 1860, and 1850 U.S. population schedule censuses are the first to offer individual household member’s names, ages, occupations, and birthplaces. These census years may provide relationship clues only. The relationship to the head of the house is NOT given!

All of the research techniques from part 1 of this series have been used in this last research project. Using the Schuler family as an example, the family historian would print out the index sheets and digital census sheets from 1870 back to 1850. The index search on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org is restricted to the location of Lockport, Illinois and the surname Sch??ler or Sh??ler. In this project, location is more important than exact name spelling.
The 1870 index results:

• John Schoeler, 28, Quarry hand, lives in a boarding house, born Prussia
• Caroline Schoeler, 19, servant, lives with a private family, born Illinois

Enumerated together:

• Ann Schoeler, 47, keeping house, born Switzerland
• Jacob Burly, 55, ship carpenter, born New York
• Charles Schoeler, 22, canal teamster, born Illinois

Enumerated above Ann Schoeler:

• John Schaler [Schoeler], 28, canal captain, born Illinois
• Magdalena Schaler, 27, keeping house, born Oldenburg
• Henrietta Baumgartner, 58, born Oldenburg
• Maria Baumgartner, 19, born Oldenburg
• Julius Baumgartner, 17, born Oldenburg

1860 index results:

• Eliza Shuler, 17, servant, lives with a private family, born Illinois

Enumerated together:

• Ann Shuler, 41, keeping house, born Switzerland
• John Shuler, 18, born Illinois
• Elizabeth Shuler, 16, born Illinois
• Charles Shuler, 14, born Illinois
• Mary Shuler, 12, born Illinois
• Caroline Shuler, 10, born Illinois
• Agnes Shuler, 7, born Illinois
• Stephen Shuler, 1, born Illinois

1850 index results:
Enumerated together:

• John Shuler, 35, laborer, born Germany
• Eufen Shuler, 31, born Germany
• John Shuler, 8, born Illinois
• Eliza Shuler, 7, born Illinois
• Charles Shuler, 4, born Illinois
• Mary A. Shuler, 2, born Illinois

The project will include comparing the Schuler name and all variations in Lockport, Illinois between the years of 1870 back to 1850 at the same time while looking for any similarities such as birth year, place, or occupation.
According to the census records of 1880, 1900, and 1910, John was born between 1839 and 1842. Starting with the 1870 records, separate John Schoeler the quarry worker born in Prussia from John Shaler the canal captain born in Illinois. The 1880, 1900, and 1910 census records list his occupation as teamster born in Illinois; not an exact match. The marriage license between John Shuler and Lena Baumgartner dated 1868 provides the link for John Shaler and Magdalena Shaler in 1870.
In 1860 and 1850, one abode carries the name Shuler. Four given names are carried from 1850 to 1860. Remember, the census records do NOT offer relationships, only clues. According to family research of other documents such as marriage license, baptismal records, newspaper clippings, and land records, the Schuler family in Lockport, Illinois is:

• John Schuler, born about 1815, native language German
• Anna, wife, born about 1819, native language German
• John, son, born about 1840 in Illinois
• Elizabeth, daughter, born about 1842 in Illinois
• Charles Henry, son, born about 1845 in Illinois
• Mary Ann, daughter, born about 1848 in Illinois
• Caroline, daughter, born about 1850 in Illinois
• Agnes, daughter, born about 1852 in Illinois

Without marriage certificates, written family documents, and oral tradition, the family relationships would NOT have been identified from the 1870, 1860, or 1850 census.
Other questions:

• Who in 1870 is John Schoeler, quarry worker?
• Is Caroline in 1860 and 1870 the same person?
• Who is the Eliza in 1860?
• Who is Stephen in 1860?

Census records offer hints or clues not absolute facts.
For comments and questions, please contact Selma Blackmon.

Census: Research family relationships, part 1

1940 U.S. Census. Illinois, Will, Frankfort. ED 99-11. Sheet 5B. William Kampe. National Archives. Washington, D. C. Ancestry,.com. accessed 15 April 2013

Digital census records offer a treasure of family clues. Is it possible to build a family from only digital census records? Sometimes this is the single clue to family members. This series of articles will attempt to demonstrate how to research family relationships from digital census records. In this series, the example demonstrates the techniques. Read for ideas not names or locations. FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com offer census indexes.

Research techniques:

• Start from the most recent census available and work backwards
• Build from the known to the unknown
• Abstract the information thoroughly and correctly
• Do not read into the record what is not there
• Connect to the right family
• Use collaborating documentation

The example for this article is a scanned image of the 1940 census; see photo. The genealogical citation would read as follows: 1940 U.S. Census, Will County, Illinois, population schedule, Frankfort Village, Frankfort Township, enumeration district (ED) 99-11, sheet 5B, household 181, William Kampe; digital images, Ancestry.com (complete URL; downloaded 5 April 2012); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
In 1940, the enumerator recorded the following data “Relationship of this person to the head of the household...” on each person in the family unit.
The census image answers the question of the relationship of each person to William Kampe:

• Wilma is his daughter.
• Henry is his son.
• Mildred is his daughter-in-law.
• Selma is his granddaughter.

The census does NOT answer the questions:

• Who is Henry’s wife?
• Who is Mildred’s husband?
• Who are Selma’s parents?

Further research, beyond census records, is needed:

• Marriage license
• Birth certificate
• Newspapers
• Family members

Beyond the census results:

• Henry J. Kampe and Mildred L. Schuler were married on Nov 19, 1938. The genealogical citation would read as follows: Illinois. Will County. Marriage Certificates. Marriage license no. 52414. County Clerk’s Office, Joliet, Illinois.
• Selma’s birth certificate verifies that Henry John Kampe and Mildred Louise Schuler are her parents. The genealogical citation would read as follows: Illinois. Will County. Certificate of Birth. [Information privately held].

Census records offer hints or clues not absolute facts.
For comments and questions, please contact Selma Blackmon, thank you.