Towns of our Ancestors: New Bedford, Massachusetts

(click to enlarge)

Madness Monday - Mary Robillard St. Jean of New Bedford afflicted by involutional melancholia

involutional melancholia:  a form of depression that occurs in late middle age, sometimes accompanied by paranoia; a former term for a state of depression that occurs during the climacteric (menopause of women); agitated depression occurring at about the time of menopause  It is now treated as a major depressive episode.

In the case of Mary Robillard St.Jean - she spent the last 6 weeks of her life in the Taunton Massachusetts State Hospital. Information for her certificate of death was taken from hospital records. It appears her parents took responsibilty for her and her husband's name is marked as unknown (although I imagine the parents knew quite well who the spouse was). She is buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in New Bedford, MA - the same cemetery as her parents. Her death certificate, located using pilot.familysearch.org in the Massachusetts Death Records collection, allowed me to learn her mother's maiden name of Ducharme.

Occupation: Victualler

A victualler is traditionally person who sells food or other provisions; a purveyor of spirits; innkeeper. A licensed victualler refers to a the landlord of a public house or similar licensed establishment.

Chiefly in British reference as shown below for our English ancestor William Dean: an innkeeper

Conveyance (lease and release) for £100 -  10 and 11 Mar 1775:
Richard Sharpe of Stone in Oxney Kent yeoman (only son of TS in AMS5834/10-12) to William Dean of Appledore Kent victualler as AMS5834/8 now in 2 dwellings, late occupied by William Noakes, now William Collins and John Kesford Bounds as AMS5834/8 except E: John Smith; S: James Lamb; dower of Ann Richard Dean widow of TS, now wife of WD excepted
W: H Waterman, John Woollett

Genealogical Acts of Kindness - Church Marriage Record Shared

In hopes of discovery more about the origins of our Kolbusz ancestors, I sent a query via email to St. Stephen's Church - below is the scanned record I just recieved:

Translation provided by the Parish Secretery: 

Wojciech Kolbusz (33 years old) & Apolonia Gobur (25years old).

They were married on February 6, 1893, and were eleventh couple to be married at St. Stephen’s.

He was born in Losnica – Galicja and she was born in Luknorowo – Galicja (her parents: Piotr Gobur and Anna Zradzionka.

 I am always so grateful for Acts of Genealogical Kindness! 

Towns of our Ancestors: Fribourg, Suisse

Freiburg, Switzerland    (Fribourg, Suisse)

Founded in 1157, Freiburg is located on the river Sarine on the Swiss plateau.

Its Old City with its medieval architecture, sits on a small rocky hill above the valley of the Sarine.

This was the hometown of our ancestor, Pierre Miville, born c.1602.  

Pierre married Charlotte Mauger (Maugis) and together with their 6 children settled in Quebec, New France abt 1649.

Madness Monday - Pierre Robillard: Parents Unknown

Using the relatively new FamilySearch.org pilot site, I was finally able to locate a death record for our ancestor Peter (Pierre) Robillard.

We now have a date and cause of death, but, much to our dismay, his parents are listed as unknown! He married Philomena Ducharme c. 1856 and had several children - one of which was his oldest son, Charles, the informant on the death record.  Apparently Peter did not speak much about his family since Charles did not know his grandparents names.
What we did get from the record is a date of birth  - but even this cannot be taken as absolute fact, since the date of birth conflicts with ages sited in census records...a fairly common problem for researchers.  But at least it is another point of reference when researching baptism records.  In any case I am still on the hunt for his parentage.

Follow Friday: automatism

The Place Where I Go

when I have too much clutter in my brain and want to relax:

http://lorilangille.blogspot.com/
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Occupation: ANCIEN MARGUILLIER

  I  recently located the death record of our ancestor Gervais Lambert Champagne (shown below) on PRDH.  It was here we found note of his occupation.

Occupation:  ANCIEN MARGUILLIER      Translation: Former Warden

The warden (Latin matricularis, which keeps a record) was in each parish, whose burden was to keep record of who received the alms of the Church. He serves as Assistant Sacristan, appoints and dismisses the singers, the attendants, etc....
Un marguillier:  A churchwarden is person in charge of administering the property of the parish (land, renting land, schools, pensions and taxes), to ensure maintenance of premises, to keep the Parish register and prepare cases to be brought to the board.

Happy St. Patrick's Day - Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

The Blarney Stone is a block of  bluestone set into a tower in the battlements of Blarney Castle in 1446.  According to the legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab, bestowing upon them the ability to speak with great eloquence or skill at flattery.
The word Blarney has come to mean clever, flattering, or coaxing talk.
The castle, located near Cork in Ireland, remains a popular tourist destination, and you too can kiss the stone.

Tombstone Tuesday - Evelyn Louise (Lefebvre) Imler

Evelyn Louise Lefebvre  

Born 10 Mar 1916 in New Bedford, Massachusetts

Daughter of  Joseph Vital Horace Lefebvre (1872-1926) 

& Marie Anne Turgeon (1887-1969)

On 30 Nov. 1932 she married Albert Edward St. John in New Bedford.

She later married  Author Morgan Hendricks (1946) then Robert Vernon Imler in March 1970.  Evelyn Louise (Lefebvre) Imler died 17 October 2005, in Chandler, Maricopa, Arizona.

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Madness Monday - The 15th day of March

 "Beware the Ides of March," was the soothsayer's warning to Julius Ceasar.

In Roman times the expression "Ides of March" did not necessarily evoke a sense of dread, it was simply the standard way of saying "March 15".

Pi Day / Pie Day

Happy Pi Day / Pie Day

*The fourteenth of March can be written 314 and Pi is 3.14159...

*The Greek Symbol of Pi was first used in 1706 by William Jones.

*The first Pi Day was celebrated in San Francisco in 1988 at the Exploratorium.

This date, March 14th, works out well as the celebration of Pi as it is also the birthday of Albert Einstein who was rather good at math and physics...or so I heard.

Has it been a year already?

 

Today is the one-year anniversary of Tangled Trees. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to say "Thank You" to however many readers I have picked up along the way.

Thank You!

The Wills of Two Nances

Ancestors, Reuben Nance and his father, William Nance, of Virginia, both left wills that listed slaves by name.  These are shared below as part of the Carnival of African-American Genealogy theme: Restore My Name – Slave Records and Genealogy Research
Perhaps those researching slave records can find a generational connection between the slaves named in the two wills.

WILL OF WILLIAM NANCE In the name of God Amen: November the 17th, 1770. I, William NANCE, of the Parish of Meherrin in the County of Brunswick, being of sound disposing mind and memory, thanks be to Almighty God fo r the same, calling to mind the uncertainty of death and that all men must yield thereto when by God required, do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament as followeth to wit: I bequeath my soul to God who gave, hoping and trusting in the Merit and Advocacy of my Blessed Lord and Savior Christ for the remission of all my first follies and offenses, and my body I commit to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my executors hereinafter mentioned, and as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bestow on me I shall dispose in manner following, after all my lawful debts are paid.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son Isham NANCE and his heirs forever, two hundred acres of land lying in Mecklenburg County adjacent to Reuben NANCE and William Fox, also one negro fellow named Harry, one pott, two chairs, bed and furniture, thirty pounds in money and the third par t of my stock of cattle.

Item: I give unto my son John NANCE and to his heirs forever the tract o f land I now live on, also three hundred and ninety acres of land lying in Mecklenburg County adjacent to Drury Malone and Edward Epps, also my negro wench Winney, a negro girl named Judy, one brass lock gun, one feather bed and furniture, two chairs, one chest and the third part of m y stock of cattle.

Item: I give unto my son Reuben NANCE and to his heirs forever two hundred acres of land whereon he now lives being the upper part adjacent to Richard Warthin, also my negro boy named Cook, a negro girl named Luse, one cuba gun, a mare named Pigion, also a new market coat and the third part of all my stock of cattle.

Item: I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Glover and to her heirs forever one negro girl named Phillis, a white horse, a fourth part of a negro girl named Hannah (when sold) and five sheep.

Item: I give unto my daughter Tabitha NANCE and to her heirs forever on e negro fellow named Frank, one bed and furniture, five head of sheep, a mare named Poll, a fourth part of a negro girl named Hannah (when sold) .

Item: I give unto my daughter Mary Lanier and to her heirs forever one negro boy named Emmanuel, five sheep, and the fourth part of what my negro girl sells for, also eleven geese.

Item: I give unto my daughter Sarah Lanier twenty pounds money, one negro girl named Doll (now in her possession), a negro girl named Sarah, a lso five sheep, and a fourth part of my negro Hannah (when sold) to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I give my Sagathy coat to John Lanier. My will and desire is that my crop of corn and tobacco be sold to pay my debts, like I desire that all the remainder of my estate (except my hoggs) that I have not heretofore mentioned be sold, and after my debts and funeral charges is paid, that the remainder part be equally divided amongst my three sons; Isham, John and Reuben.

Item: I give all my stock of hoggs to my son John NANCE. I do hereby appoint make and ordain my three sons, Isham, John and Reuben my sole executors of this my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the d ay and year above written.

his William X NANCE mark

Reuben Nance, the son of William Nance, was born c. 1749 in Brunswick County, VA.

Will of Reuben Nance was dated 10 Jan 1812 and proved 9 Mar 1812 in Henry Co., VA.:

To wife Nancy Nance negro Benn, cow and calf, bed and furniture to

dispose of at her discretion. To wife Nancy for her use during her

natural lifetime or widowhood negros: Isaac, Dyder, Will, Hester, Jury,

Martin, Simon, Joe and Janey also a wagon and team, still, all

plantation tools, cattle stock, land, plantation house, furniture and

the mill. My desire is that my old stock of negros should be divided

between my oldest family of children that I had with my first wife viz:

son William Nance, deduct $175 pd him, son Bird Nance, son Allen Nance,

son Clement Nance, son Joseph Nance, daus Mary Crouch, Susannah

McCulough and Tabithia Shackelford, the following negros, Bess'

children, George, Peter, Moses, Bob, Rachel, Jiney and Gill. As to my

son Isaac Nance, son John Nance, son Reubin (sic) Nance, son Isham Nance

and Dau Sarah Sandford I have given each of them their part as follows:

son Isaac has received one hundred pounds, son Isham one hundred pounds;

son John received negro Amy; dau Sarah Sandford a negro named Liza; son

Reuben (sic) negro named Lucy. The balance of my estate to my last

children: Stephen Nance, Peyton Nance, Sarah Philpott, Edmund Nance,

Lessonla (sic) Nance, Nancy Nance and Reuben Saunders Nance. Appoint

Benjamin Jones as exor. Wit: John Conaway, Edward Richardson, John

Lovell. Thomas Starling, Joseph Gravely Sr sec for Benjamin Jones.

A Casteel Obituary - Served Three Ways

Long, Medium, and a Short Summery of sorts - What format suits you best?
 
Name of Deceased: CASTEEL, Joseph M
Name of Newspaper: Daily Enquirer
Date of Obituary: May 17, 1911

Obituary: Joseph M. CASTEEL of Hettick Came to Macoupin County in 1854 Joseph M. CASTEEL, an old and highly respected citizen of Hettick, departed this life Tuesday at 11:20 p.m., his demise occurring at the family home. He was aged 75 years and 2 months. His wife and seven children, and one brother and one sister survive him, all of whom reside in the Hettick vicinity except one daughter, Mrs. Pashal BROWN, of Carlinville Township. Funeral services will be held at the Hettick Baptist church Thursday at 10 a.m., after which the remains will be taken to Charity church where a short service will be held, interment following in Charity cemetery. Rev. FITZGERALD of White Hall and ENGLAND of Girard will conduct the services. Joseph M. CASTEEL was born in Blount county, Tennessee, March 10, 1825. When his parents migrated to this state and to Macoupin county in 1854 he came with them and they settled on a farm in Bird Township. On April 8, 1859, our subject was married to Miss Minerva A. LASTER and nine children blessed their union, seven of whom, as stated above, survive their father. After his marriage Mr. CASTEEL rented land in this county for awhile and then bought a small farm near Shiloh church in Bird. After two years occupancy of this place, he sold it and purchased the farm near Hettick where he spent most of the remainder of his life, removing a few years ago to Hettick. He was a Baptist, strong in the faith and his political views were embodied in the principles of the Democratic party in the support of which he was earnest and aggressive.


Name of Newspaper: Macoupin County Enquirer, Weekly, Carlinville, IL
Date of Obituary: MAY 24, 1911, page 10

Obituary: Joseph M. CASTEEL, the subject of this sketch, was born in Blount county, Tenn., March 10, 1836, and departed this life at his home in Hettick May 16, 1911, aged 75 years, 2 months, and 6 days. With his parents he came to Illinois October 1854, and settled in Bird township, Macoupin county, in which place he continued to reside until October 1908, when he removed to the village of Hettick, where the Angel of Death visited him. Father CASTEEL professed faith in Christ in the year 1855, but did not unite with the church until April 1876, when he united with the Charity Baptist church and was baptized by Rev. J. J. BRISTOE. Later he went to the organization of the Oak Grove Baptist church in 1879 as a charter member, and was ordained deacon the same year and he bore one-half of the church's expenses for four years. When the Oak Grove and Giliad churches united, he was received as a deacon where he faithfully served until death. He was united in marriage to Minerva A. LASTER April 8, 1859, and to this union nine children were born, namely: Four sons, Douglas, Robert E., Joseph E., and Samuel J.; and five daughters, Dora JOINER, Jennie VAUGHN, Minnie BROWN, Mollie STULTS, and Lulia A. CASTEEL, and of these two preceded him in death, Douglas of adult age and Lulia A. in her infancy. Father CASTEEL was a kind and loving husband, father and neighbor, was always found doing what good he could, not only to his own immediate relatives, but also to all those about him. He leaves to mourn their loss, his wife, seven children, twenty--three grandchildren, one brother, J. P. CASTEEL and one sister, Martha A. PULLIAM, with a host of other relatives and friends. Their loss is his gain. While a voice has been hushed on earth, heaven has been gladdened by another coming home. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Cary FITZGERALD of White Hall at Hettick and by Rev. Wm. ENGLAND of Girard at Charity church after which he was laid to rest in Charity cemetery, where many generations of his family sleep.A precious one from us is gone A voice is hushed and stilled. A place is vacant in our home That never can be filled.

Name of Newspaper: Macoupin County Enquirer, Weekly, Carlinville, IL
Date of Obituary: MAY 24, 1911

Obituary: Those from a distance who attended the funeral of Mr. Joseph CASTEEL were Mrs. Martha PULLMAN, Mrs. C. C. COURTNEY, and Mr. Wm PEEBLES of Waverly; Florence MAHONEY of Springfield; Mrs. Adarine BOYD of Carrollton; Mr. and Mrs. Coy ROACH, of Girard; Mr. Burton CASTEEL, of Benton; Mr. and Mrs. C. B. COURTNEY, Mrs. George ARNETT, Mr. Joseph BIRD, Mr. and Mrs. Foss GORE, Mrs. Viola DEEDS, Mrs. Abbie Seaman DEEDS, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh MINTON, Mr. and Mr. Hugh LOVELESS, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin CALHOUN, Mr. and Mrs. Chris BEST, of Carlinville, and Mr. Thos ENOS, of Palmyra.

Footnote's Free Treasures - Treasure Chest Thursday

Footnote.com  provides access to numerous historical record collections, several of which are free to view without subscribing.  Browse through their Original Documents list and you will see many of the collections  marked free.  History buffs beware - you will easily be sidetracked.

One of these collections, The Pennsylvania Archives, contains essential records relating to one of America's earliest colonies, Philadelphia, from 1664 to 1780, including military, tax, marriage, and land records, as well as documents from American history covering the Revolutionary War and the Whiskey Rebellion.

 Patience is the key to searching these records.  Different search combinations yield varying results.

So what did I find in this collection regarding our ancestors? 
....Request Denied...  I guess running a tavern wasn't meant to be for our Quaker baker from Holland:
Located in the Minutes of the Provincial Council, pg 125:

Meeting of the Council dated 9th of 2d mo, 1686, contains:

plus a reference to the marriage of his daughter, Christian, in series 2, Vol III, Pennsylvania Marriages Recorded, pg viii

Doin' the Happy Jig

As said in the description of the 18th Edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture: "On the feast of St. Patrick, everyone likes to be Irish, at least for one day".

Well I finally came across our first documented ancestor from Ireland - so now at least my husband and children can celebrate the day with a happy jig without feeling like a poser!

Jig: a form of lively folk dance most associated with Irish & Scottish country dance music.

And where did I find this little piece of ancestral history?  At the PRDH while deep into researching our French-Canadian lines!

Voila:

(Marguerite Murphy)

Sentimental Sunday - Rose Kollain Filock

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Rose Kollain Filock

 b.1888 in Austria-Hungary

Daughter of Ignatz & Maria Kollain

Married Joseph Filock c.1908 in Austria-Hungary

Died c.1921 in Jamesburg, New Jersey

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Photo Restoration Brings out the Best

This is a photo of Ignatz and Maria Kollain taken c.1920's on their farm in Jamesburg, New Jersey.

 

I recently submitted it to 399Retouch to see what could be done to improve the clarity. They are easy to work with, provide prompt service and great communication.
Below is the restored photo.  I love that we can now more clearly see the features of our G-grandparents faces, and I am very pleased with the results. Thank you Miles!

 

Ignatz John Kollain b. 23 June 1867 in Slovanisck, Brod, Austria-Hungary; son of Ignatius John Kollain and Barbara Kissinger

He married Maria Pergel Bergner c.1887 

They immigrated to the United States in Oct 1909 on the SS Kroonland.