Friday, April 17, 2015
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940
The records of the Evangelican Lutheran Church of America, 1875-1940, are now available on Ancestry.com. This is great news for me, because I have many Swedish and Norwegian ancestors who attended Lutheran churches. The records have been available on Archives.com for a couple of years, but I could never figure out a way to search only that collection, or to browse images without first doing a search and viewing a record. Since Scandinavians may be listed under patronymics or surnames (in the case of Norwegians, they often used the name of their farm in Norway), and there are so many people with the same patronymics, it is useful to be able to browse the records for areas where ancestral families lived. I know that this collection contains records for some of my Norwegian relatives in Minnesota. I hope to be able to find more records.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Thriller Thursday: Robbed, Beaten, and Thrown Out of Car
On 1 October 1914, my great-grandfather's brother John Reynold Gatlin began a drive from Chicago, Illinois to Indiana, where his (and my great-grandfather's) older sister Mary Florence (Gatlin) Pate lived. His friend Charles Harris accompanied him on the trip. Two other men that Charles Harris knew joined them while they were still in Chicago. When they were near Lafayette, Indiana, John was beaten by the three men and thrown out of the car. In addition to the car, the men stole a diamond stud and $103.
I suspect that there may be more to the story. John had been in trouble with the law before.
The car belonged to John's brother-in-law William K. Wells. I am still trying to determine how the two men were connected. John's older sister was married to Downie Campbell Pate. His other sister Anna was married to Frank Joseph Smith at that time. In 1920, John was enumerated in the United States census with his apparent wife Ermer, but her age was given as 21. He had at least two subsequent marriages. On his World War I draft registration card, John stated that he was single. William K. Wells' sister could be an unidentified wife.
I suspect that there may be more to the story. John had been in trouble with the law before.
The car belonged to John's brother-in-law William K. Wells. I am still trying to determine how the two men were connected. John's older sister was married to Downie Campbell Pate. His other sister Anna was married to Frank Joseph Smith at that time. In 1920, John was enumerated in the United States census with his apparent wife Ermer, but her age was given as 21. He had at least two subsequent marriages. On his World War I draft registration card, John stated that he was single. William K. Wells' sister could be an unidentified wife.
Indianapolis Star, 3 October 1914, page 4
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Tax Day
Since 1955, April 15 has been Tax Day. Federal income taxes began during the Civil War, when the Revenue Act of 1861 was passed. The Revenue Act was repealed in 1871. The first peacetime income tax was imposed in 1894, when the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act was passed. One year later, the Supreme Court ruled that the tax was unconstitutional in Pollock v. Farmers' Loan and Trust Company. The Sixteenth Amendment (passed on 2 July 1909 and ratified on 3 February 1913) gave the United States Congress the right to impose a federal income tax. From 1913 10 1918, the deadline for filing tax returns was March 1. It was then changed to March 15. In 1955, April 15 became the deadline.
Other taxes have been collected in the United States since colonial times. In 1800, my 5th-great-grandfather Andrew Russell was listed as a taxpayer in Pulaski County, Kentucky. He was the only white male over 21 in his household. (He had married my 5th-great-grandmother Hannah Hardgrave a year earlier.) He had two horses.
1800 Tax List, Pulaski County, Kentucky. Pulaski County (Kentucky). Tax Assessor. Tax books 1799-1822. Frankfort, Kentucky: Kentucky State Historical Society, 1952-1953. Family History Library microfilm 8209.
In 1811, my 6th-great-grandfather Francis Hardgrave (the father of Hannah, Andrew Russell's wife) was listed as a taxpayer in Davidson County, Tennessee.
1811 Tax List, Davidson County, Tennessee. Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data:
Early Tax Lists of Tennessee. Microfilm, 12
rolls. The Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.
References
April 15: More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Tax Day
A Century of Income Taxes: The History of Tax Day
History of the US Income Tax
Lincoln imposes first federal income tax
Pollock v. Farmers' Loan and Trust Company
Revenue Act of 1861
16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Federal Income Tax (1913)
United States Taxation
Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act
Other taxes have been collected in the United States since colonial times. In 1800, my 5th-great-grandfather Andrew Russell was listed as a taxpayer in Pulaski County, Kentucky. He was the only white male over 21 in his household. (He had married my 5th-great-grandmother Hannah Hardgrave a year earlier.) He had two horses.
In 1811, my 6th-great-grandfather Francis Hardgrave (the father of Hannah, Andrew Russell's wife) was listed as a taxpayer in Davidson County, Tennessee.
References
April 15: More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Tax Day
A Century of Income Taxes: The History of Tax Day
History of the US Income Tax
Lincoln imposes first federal income tax
Pollock v. Farmers' Loan and Trust Company
Revenue Act of 1861
16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Federal Income Tax (1913)
United States Taxation
Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
Amanuensis Monday: Joseph S. Tarkington's Southern Claims Commission Claim: Cross-Examination of Witness, Alfred Smith
When Joseph S. Tarkington filed Louisiana claim #12265 with the Southern
Claims Commission, another of his witnesses was his former slave Alfred Smith. I do not know if Alfred was related to Joseph's other former slave who testified, Jack Smith. Alfred's cross-examination is
transcribed below.
Cross-examined by the Commissioner - Witness answers as follows:
My name is Alfred Smith, I am 40 or thereabout. I live in New Orleans and am engaged as fire-man on a Mississippi river boat. I was born a slave of the claimant and lived with him until the end of the war. I do believe that the claimant always had been a strong Union man, during the war I have often heard him talk against the Confederacy and say he did not want anything to do with it and would not be mixed up with it. I have heard men threaten to whip the claimant and drive him out of the parish on account of his Union sentiments, and for a long time he could not go to town for fear of these threats being executed. The claimant and his wife often gave United States soldiers food, milk, &c. but he never gave the Confederates anything at all - they were too much against him. I used often to go to Franklin with the claimant and the people would beset him to join them in Secession and threaten to whip him if he did not, but he would always refuse and take no part at all in the fuss. One time I remember of they were going to cow-hide him because he would not join them and had he stood they would have whiped [sic] him, he ran away manfully jumped into his skiff and went home. I feel sure that the claimant never could prove loyalty to the Confederacy if the same had been maintained as a separate government because of the reasons I have already expressed. I have no interest in this claim at all.
his
Alfred X Smith
mark
Sworn before me this 25th day of June 1872
Wm. Grant
Special Comm
Cross-examination of witness, Alfred Smith, 25 June 1872; Orleans Parish, Louisiana claim no. 12265 (Joseph S. Tarkington), Allowed Case Files, Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880; Settled Accounts and Claims, Third Auditor. Records of the Treasury Department Accounting Officers, Record Group 217. National Archives, Washington, DC. Available from Fold3.
Cross-examination of witness, Alfred Smith, 25 June 1872; Orleans Parish, Louisiana claim no. 12265 (Joseph S. Tarkington), Allowed Case Files, Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880; Settled Accounts and Claims, Third Auditor. Records of the Treasury Department Accounting Officers, Record Group 217. National Archives, Washington, DC. Available from Fold3.
Cross-examination of witness, Alfred Smith, 25 June 1872; Orleans Parish, Louisiana claim no. 12265 (Joseph S. Tarkington), Allowed Case Files, Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880; Settled Accounts and Claims, Third Auditor. Records of the Treasury Department Accounting Officers, Record Group 217. National Archives, Washington, DC. Available from Fold3.
Cross-examined by the Commissioner - Witness answers as follows:
My name is Alfred Smith, I am 40 or thereabout. I live in New Orleans and am engaged as fire-man on a Mississippi river boat. I was born a slave of the claimant and lived with him until the end of the war. I do believe that the claimant always had been a strong Union man, during the war I have often heard him talk against the Confederacy and say he did not want anything to do with it and would not be mixed up with it. I have heard men threaten to whip the claimant and drive him out of the parish on account of his Union sentiments, and for a long time he could not go to town for fear of these threats being executed. The claimant and his wife often gave United States soldiers food, milk, &c. but he never gave the Confederates anything at all - they were too much against him. I used often to go to Franklin with the claimant and the people would beset him to join them in Secession and threaten to whip him if he did not, but he would always refuse and take no part at all in the fuss. One time I remember of they were going to cow-hide him because he would not join them and had he stood they would have whiped [sic] him, he ran away manfully jumped into his skiff and went home. I feel sure that the claimant never could prove loyalty to the Confederacy if the same had been maintained as a separate government because of the reasons I have already expressed. I have no interest in this claim at all.
his
Alfred X Smith
mark
Sworn before me this 25th day of June 1872
Wm. Grant
Special Comm
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Halifax Resolves
On 12 April 1776, the Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress authorized North Carolina's delegates to the Second Continental Congress (Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, and John Penn) to vote for independence. This action was the first to call for independence. It was directed to all the colonies and their delegates at the Continental Congress. Because the Fourth Provincial Congress met in Halifax, North Carolina, the action became known as the Halifax Resolves.
References
Halifax Resolves
The Halifax Resolves (North Carolina History: A Digital Textbook)
Halifax Resolves (North Carolina Manual)
Historic Halifax: Halifax and the Revolution
North Carolina Advocates Independence
Saturday, April 11, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 15 "How Do You Spell That?": James Mapplebeck
James Mapplebeck, the second husband of my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters and the adoptive father of his stepchildren (my great-grandmother Kathleen Graham and her brother Garfield), had an uncommon surname. At times that has been advantageous. For example, it would have been much more difficult to find the newspaper articles about my great-grandmother and the father of her oldest child (whose name had been previously been unknown to me) if she had been using her birth surname instead of her adoptive surname. However, sometimes finding members of this family can be challenging, because the surname has been spelled many different ways in records. The first part of the name is pronounced "Maple." (I learned this from my family, and it explains why I have often found the name spelled with only one p in records.)
The Mapplebeck family came from Rawcliffe, Yorkshire, England. The name is usually spelled Mapplebeck in British records. Some examples from FamilySearch include the indexed baptismal record of James' father George Mapplebeck, the indexed marriage record of George Mapplebeck and his first wife Mary Stephenson, and the indexed baptismal record of George and Mary's son William Mapplebeck (James' half-brother). But in Canada and the United States, I have found many different spellings. In the 1851 Census of Canada, George, Mary, and William were enumerated in York County, Canada West (Ontario) with the surname Maplebeck. In the 1861 agricultural census of Canada, George was enumerated in Minto Township, Wellington, Canada West with the surname Mappelbeck. James may have been born in Minto Township. According to his death certificate, he was born on 29 December 1858. George purchased land in Minto Township in the mid-1850s.
In 1871, the Mapplebeck family lived in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. The 1871 Census of Canada enumeration is the first one that I have located for James. The family surname is spelled Mapplebeck in the census record. When James' father George died on 15 May 1878, his surname was spelled Maplebeck.
In the early 1880s, James, his brother George, and his mother Jane moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. James and his brother worked as glassblowers. In the 1883 Lovell's Montreal Directory, all three family members appear in the alphabetical directory with the surname Mappleback, and in the street directory with the surname Mapplebeck. James married my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters on 20 November 1885. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the record from St. Mary's Church in Hochelaga. He became a father to Elizabeth's two children Kathleen and Garfield, from her marriage to James Graham. They used his surname until they were adults. (Kathleen took the surname Walker after the birth of her first child, and used her married name, Boe, after her marriage to John Boe. Garfield returned to his birth surname, Graham, when he was in his mid-20s.)
In the 1891 Census of Canada, James' surname was written as MapleBack. In FamilySearch's and Ancestry.com's index to the 1891 Census of Canada, his name appears as Back James Mapleback. The Mapplebeck family moved to Alton, Madison County, Illinois, where James worked as a glassblower for the Illinois Glass Company. His mother Jane, sister Sarah, and brother George moved to Camden, New Jersey. His half-brother William Mapplebeck lived with his wife and children in Hamilton, Ontario.
By 1898, James had moved to San Francisco, California, where he worked as a glassblower for San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works. His surname was spelled Mappelbach in the 1898 and 1899 San Francisco city directories. His wife and her children remained in Alton, Illinois.
By 1900, James had moved to Martinez, Contra Costa County, California. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the 1900 United States Census. He lived in a household headed by a man named N. P. Ohaver. He and J. J. Barfield, age 15, were both listed as "Partner." He was listed as a glassblower.
In 1910, James lived in Alabama, Sacramento County, California. He worked as a teamster in a vineyard. In the 1910 United States Census, his surname was spelled Mapplibeck.
In 1914, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Index to Precinct Register, Yuba County, California. He was listed in the Far West District, He lived in Wheatland, was a farmer, and was a Republican.
I have not been able to locate James in the 1920 or 1930 United States censuses. His death certificate suggests (based on length of residence in California, 47 years) that he continuously lived in California after he arrived in the late 1890s. Perhaps his surname is badly misspelled in the census records.
In 1934, James Mapplebeck was on the list of registered voters in Sacramento County, California. He was a laborer in Sacramento, and was a Republican.
In 1936, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Sacramento city directory as a resident of Home for Aged. In the 1940 United States census, James was listed as a resident of Home for the Aged in San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California. He was enumerated with the surname Maplepeck.
James died of bronchial pneumonia in Sacramento County Hospital on 7 September 1946. He was buried in Sacramento County Cemetery.
So many spellings!
Lovell's Montreal Directory, For 1883-1884, Containing an Alphabetical Directory of the Citizens, Street Directory, an Advertisers Classified Business Directory, and a Miscellaneous Directory, to which is added Directories of Coteau St. Louis, Coteau St. Pierre, Cote des Neiges, Cote St. Antoine, Cote St. Luc, Cote St. Paul, Cote Visitation, Hochelaga, Lachine, Laprairie, Long Point, Longueuil, Mount Royal Avenue, Mount Royal Vale, Notre Dame de Grace, Outremont, St. Jean Baptiste Village, St. Lambert, St. Louis of Mile End, Town of St, Cunegonde, Town of St. Henry, Verdun, and Village of St. Gabriel. Corrected to June 16th, 1883. Montreal: John Lovell & Son. Available from Ancestry.com. Canada, City and Area Directories, 1819-1906 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
St. Mary's Church, Hochelaga, Quebec,
Canada. Marriage of James Mapplebeck and Elizabeth Winters, 20 November
1885. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique
Drouin. Available from Ancestry.com. Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
1891 Census of Canada, Ste Marie Ward, Montréal Centre, Quebec, district 172, page 1, family 5. Available from Ancestry.com. 1891 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
J. P. Hodge and Sons' Directory of the City of Alton, North Alton and Upper Alton, 1895-1896. Alton, IL: J. P. Hodge & Sons. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory for Year Commencing May 1898. San Francisco: H. S. Crocker Company, 1898. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
1910 United States census, Alabama, Sacramento County, California, population schedule, enumeration district 87, supervisor's district 2, sheet no. 5A. Available from Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Index to Precinct Register, Yuba County [California], 1914. General Election November 3. Page 16. Available from Ancestry.com. California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
1940 United States census, San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California, population schedule, Home for the Aged, sheet no. 2B. Available from Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
The Mapplebeck family came from Rawcliffe, Yorkshire, England. The name is usually spelled Mapplebeck in British records. Some examples from FamilySearch include the indexed baptismal record of James' father George Mapplebeck, the indexed marriage record of George Mapplebeck and his first wife Mary Stephenson, and the indexed baptismal record of George and Mary's son William Mapplebeck (James' half-brother). But in Canada and the United States, I have found many different spellings. In the 1851 Census of Canada, George, Mary, and William were enumerated in York County, Canada West (Ontario) with the surname Maplebeck. In the 1861 agricultural census of Canada, George was enumerated in Minto Township, Wellington, Canada West with the surname Mappelbeck. James may have been born in Minto Township. According to his death certificate, he was born on 29 December 1858. George purchased land in Minto Township in the mid-1850s.
In 1871, the Mapplebeck family lived in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. The 1871 Census of Canada enumeration is the first one that I have located for James. The family surname is spelled Mapplebeck in the census record. When James' father George died on 15 May 1878, his surname was spelled Maplebeck.
In the early 1880s, James, his brother George, and his mother Jane moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. James and his brother worked as glassblowers. In the 1883 Lovell's Montreal Directory, all three family members appear in the alphabetical directory with the surname Mappleback, and in the street directory with the surname Mapplebeck. James married my great-great-grandmother Catherine Elizabeth Winters on 20 November 1885. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the record from St. Mary's Church in Hochelaga. He became a father to Elizabeth's two children Kathleen and Garfield, from her marriage to James Graham. They used his surname until they were adults. (Kathleen took the surname Walker after the birth of her first child, and used her married name, Boe, after her marriage to John Boe. Garfield returned to his birth surname, Graham, when he was in his mid-20s.)
In the 1891 Census of Canada, James' surname was written as MapleBack. In FamilySearch's and Ancestry.com's index to the 1891 Census of Canada, his name appears as Back James Mapleback. The Mapplebeck family moved to Alton, Madison County, Illinois, where James worked as a glassblower for the Illinois Glass Company. His mother Jane, sister Sarah, and brother George moved to Camden, New Jersey. His half-brother William Mapplebeck lived with his wife and children in Hamilton, Ontario.
By 1898, James had moved to San Francisco, California, where he worked as a glassblower for San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works. His surname was spelled Mappelbach in the 1898 and 1899 San Francisco city directories. His wife and her children remained in Alton, Illinois.
By 1900, James had moved to Martinez, Contra Costa County, California. His surname was spelled Mapplebeck in the 1900 United States Census. He lived in a household headed by a man named N. P. Ohaver. He and J. J. Barfield, age 15, were both listed as "Partner." He was listed as a glassblower.
In 1910, James lived in Alabama, Sacramento County, California. He worked as a teamster in a vineyard. In the 1910 United States Census, his surname was spelled Mapplibeck.
In 1914, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Index to Precinct Register, Yuba County, California. He was listed in the Far West District, He lived in Wheatland, was a farmer, and was a Republican.
I have not been able to locate James in the 1920 or 1930 United States censuses. His death certificate suggests (based on length of residence in California, 47 years) that he continuously lived in California after he arrived in the late 1890s. Perhaps his surname is badly misspelled in the census records.
In 1934, James Mapplebeck was on the list of registered voters in Sacramento County, California. He was a laborer in Sacramento, and was a Republican.
In 1936, James Mapplebeck was listed in the Sacramento city directory as a resident of Home for Aged. In the 1940 United States census, James was listed as a resident of Home for the Aged in San Joaquin, Sacramento County, California. He was enumerated with the surname Maplepeck.
James died of bronchial pneumonia in Sacramento County Hospital on 7 September 1946. He was buried in Sacramento County Cemetery.
So many spellings!
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