Lester Daniel CAPPS 1878-1947 & 4 wives

   Why start a Do Over or Work Over? Mistakes!!! Read EVERY document. How much was missed or misinterpreted because I did not completely glean every paper. My example: Lester Daniel CAPPS born 1878 in Iowa and died 1947 in South Dakota.
   If only census records were searched, Lester would have had one or maybe two wives and two children. Without looking closer, possibly his children would be linked to the wrong wife. Let us start working back as we do in genealogy. US census for 1940 has Lester and Kathryn only. US census for 1930 has son, Chauncy and his wife Joan. Lester's wife is Mabel. In the 1920 US census, Lester, Mabel and two children Edna and Chauncy. In the 1910 US census, Lester, Stella and two children Edna and Chauncy. Remember, the census enumerator asks about the relationship to the head of the household, not to each other.
   Let us look further, again starting from the most recent and working backward. On 29 October 1836, Lester married Kathryn Krudwig Nichols. This was his fourth marriage and her second marriage. WOW! Three more marriage records to find! Thanks to Ancestry this task has been completed. On 26 November 1930, Lester married Emma Wood, number three. On 9 October 1915, Lester married Mabel Hall, number two. Mabel is listed as divorced; Lester is listed as widower. About 1901, Lester married Stella Mae Mitchell, number one. according to the 1910 US census, Stella and Lester had two children, Edna and Chauncy. Stella Mae Mitchell is the mother of Edna and Chauncy. If I had stopped with the 1920 and 1930 census, I would have guessed wrong, assuming Mabel as their mother. This accounts for the four wives. So far, I have not found any other children for Lester.
   What is my connection to Lester? Lester Daniel CAPPS is brother-in-law of my first cousin twice removed. This is on my paternal ELSNER line. For my tree, see Roots Digger family tree on Ancestry.
   How come I am chasing this far out? Lester's wife may be a DNA match. Also, I have found newspaper articles on other family members that have given me clues.

Mrs. Esther Dunham, wife of Lindsey Dunham - who is she?

Mrs. Esther Dunham, wife of Lindsey William Dunham (1820-1899), who is she or who are they? The census records reveal a female named Esther living with the family from 1850 to 1900. As with all research, more questions than answers.

Lindsey William Dunham was born in Vermont and died in Wisconsin. He lived an interesting and exciting life during his 78 year span. Many interesting tales could be written about Lindsey such as his working with Jane A Dunham in Rome, New York, possibly as a tailor. But, this article is about who are the two Esther's?

In 1844, Norman Baldwin and his wife Louisa and Moses Baldwin sold land in Rome, Oneida County, New York to Esther Ann Dunham and her husband, Lindsey. At that time, all the people involved lived in Verona, New York. In 1850, Norman, Esther and Lindsey live in the same house in Manitowoc Rapids, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  The Manitowoc Herald newspaper provides a notice for non payment of others debts by Lindsey. The paper is dated 1856. The notice states that father-in-law, Norman Baldwin and Esther A, his wife, have left the home. Lindsey files for divorce in 1858. I am unable to find Esther Baldwin in the 1860 census. According to the divorce court records, she went to Iowa with her father. In the 1870 census, Esther Baldwin is living in Honey Creek, Iowa County, Iowa with Moses Baldwin, her brother. Norman, her father, was buried in Koszta, Iowa County, Iowa, in 1859. The Find-A-Grave memorial offers information on the rest of Norman's family. This information includes Esther Ann Baldwin's death in 1878. At this time, I am unable to verify her death or burial.

Who is Esther James? The census offers either New York or Vermont in 1834 as possible birth locations. In 1850, she was living with Samuel and Rebecca James in Port Washington, Washington County, Wisconsin. In 1860, Esther is living with Lindsey and Jay Dunham in Howard, Brown County, Wisconsin. The 1870 census lists Esther Dunham with Lindsey, Jay and Rebecca James. A note on the census page states that Rebecca is living with her daughter. The 1880 census offers only Lindsey and Esther with a wide age difference. In the 1900 census, Esther is living with Jay, listed as his mother. This is where the confusion starts. She is widowed and married 49 years, the calculations would state she was married in 1851. Also, stated that Esther had three children with one living. To me, this sounds like she was previously married. To whom? When? Where? I am not able to find another records on her.

Compare the two Esther's in Lindsey Dunham's life:
Esther Baldwin was born about 1826 in New York to Norman and Louisa Baldwin
Esther James was born in 1834 in either New York or Vermont to Samuel and Rebecca James

Esther Baldwin married Lindsey about 1844 in Verona, New York. Hopefully will find church records to verify this marriage.
Esther James lived in home in 1860. Married about 1860? Unable to find records. Was she previously married?

Esther Baldwin died 1878.
Esther James died 1901.

For more of my research, view my tree, Roots_Digger family tree, on Ancestry.com.

William Lange/Lang/Long (1846-1928) from Germany to Illinois to Iowa

The life of William Lange/Lang/Long is as varied as his surname. According to his personal testimony from his Civil War Pension, William was born 7 May 1846 in Rakow, Mecklenburg, Schwerin, Germany. Family history offers that William and his sister Sophia immigrated about 1862. I have not found either of their names on a passenger list. Many lists have been lost. At this time, I have found no other prior family history.

On 21 January, William Lange enlisted for the Civil War. Lange or Lang is the German equivalent of Long. William enlisted, served and mustered out with other men from Frankfort. John Herbst was one of these men. 

John Herbst married Sophia Elsner and William Long married Louisa Elsner; the ladies were sisters. On March 1, 1867, he married Louisa Elsner (1849-1931) in Frankfort, Will County, Illinois.

According to his obituary, William was the last Civil War Veteran from Remsen, Iowa. He died March 11, 1929. Several obituaries are online, on Find A Grave and in the newspaper collection for My Heritage. Williams death certificate is included with his widow's Civil War Pension application. The pension application is available from the National Archives, Washington, D.C. "Disposition of Claimant, 23 June 1928, Louisa Long, widow's pension application no. 1609472,certificate no. a6-23-28 service of William Long (Pvt., Co. F. 64 IL Infantry, Civil War.) Civil War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs; Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C."

After the war, he returned to Frankfort, Will County, Illinois, acquired a wife, started a family and worked as a farmer. Also, he learned to speak English and write his name, at first Wilem and later William always Lang to Long.

Timeline:

• 1864 - resided in Frankfort, Will County, Illinois
• 1867 March 1 - married Louisa Elsner in Will County, license number 2830
• 1868 May 4 - birth Anna eventually married Tenhoff
• 1870 January 15 - birth Mina eventually married Koerner
• 1873 January 26 - birth Will or W.C.
• 1876 March 15 - birth Fritz or F.W.
• 1879 - resided Monee, Will County, Illinois
• 1880 March 30 - birth Ludwig or Louis deceased by 1915
• 1882 - resided Matteson, Cook County, Illinois
• 1883 March 27 - birth Emma eventually married Copps
• 1886 - resided Plymouth County, Iowa
• 1888 - resided Remsen, Plymouth County, Iowa
• 1888 May 23 or 27 - birth John
• 1916 July 10 - son, John F. enlisted at Ft. Logan, Colorado, 4th Co., Coast Artillery; 1920 July 10 discharged at Ft. Douglas
• 1922 March 19 - extended stay in Sioux City, Iowa hospital with surgery
• 1926 January 12 - applying for pension increase due to mental weakness and unable to care for self, poor hearing
• 1926 February 9 - "Loss of memory so that he has to be told and shown what to do, " wife continues, "He need aid in changing clothes. He does not know his own clothes from those of another person. His mind is very dull."
• 1928 March 16 - Died at Remsen, Iowa of cerebral hemorrhage and arteriosclerosis. He was buried in the Remsen Cemetery.
• 1931 - Louisa, William's widow dead.

William and his family leave many research questions. Also, I have no photos of this family. Lots of questions yet so little time to research. What family stories do you have to share? contact me, Selma Blackmon.