Wedding Wednesday: Nina Leech and Clifford Clark

On 1 September 1917, my first cousin twice removed Nina Lorraine (or Lorene) Leech and Clifford Irwin Clark obtained a marriage license.

Nashville Tennessean and Nashville American, 4 September 1917, page 5

Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZWW-N2M), Clifford Irwin Clark and Nina Lorene Leech, 1 Sep 1917; citing Davidson, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 2,073,884.

Nina and Clifford were married that evening at the home of Rev. William C. Alexander, 1800 8th Ave. S, Nashville, Tennessee.

Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZWW-NKB), Clifford I. Clark and Nina L. Leech, 01 Sep 1917; citing Davidson, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. 14966, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 2,073,884.

Nashville Tennessean and Nashville American, 7 September 1917, page 5

Rev. Alexander was the pastor at Glen Leven Presbyterian Church in Nashville.

Nashville City Directory, 1917. Nashville, TN: Marshall-Bruce-Polk Co. Page 40. Available from Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Nina was the daughter of Patrick Henry Leech and my great-grandmother's sister Laura Belle Tarkington.

Tuesday's Tip: Look for Husbands' Names Too

March is Women's History Month. Many of my posts this month will focus on female family members.

When searching for information on married women, also look for them under their husbands' names. A search for "Malinda Lawrence" would not have found this article on the Bethlehem Lutheran Ladies' Aid meeting in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana. The article mentions my 2nd-great-grandmother's sister Malinda (Borg) Lawrence, but refers to her as "Mrs. Charles Lawrence." She and her daughter Dorothy ("Mrs. Edward Harbrecht") were both honored at the meeting, since their birthdays were in March.

Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso, IN), 11 March 1939, page 7

Leap Day

In the Gregorian calendar, an extra day is added to the month of February every four years, except century years that cannot be divided by 400.

When it is not a leap year, some people who were born on February 29 celebrate their birthdays on February 28, and others celebrate on March 1. My aunt celebrates on February 28. The legal date of birth on non-leap years is often March 1, but it can vary depending on the jurisdiction.

One of my aunts was born on February 29. Going by the number of actual birthdays, she is 18 years old today, younger than her children and most of her grandchildren!  ;)

References
February 29
Leap year

Church Record Sunday: Matilde Josefine Eriksen

Chicago's vital records prior to 8 October 1871 were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. However, church records record the birth, baptism, and burial of Matilde Josefine Eriksen.

Matilde Josefine was the daughter of my 2nd-great-grandmother's brother Elias Eriksen (also spelled Erickson) and his wife Ingeborg. She may have been their first child; I have not found records for any earlier children. She was born on 4 November 1863.

Records for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois are available on Ancestry.com in the collection U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940. Although it would seem from the name of the collection that no records are available before 1875, some earlier records are available for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church.

Contents of Membership Record Books #2, #3, and #4, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois. Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.

On 31 January 1864, Matilde Josefine was baptized at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church.

Baptismal record for Matilde Josefine, daughter of Elias and Ingeborg Eriksen, 31 January 1864. Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois. Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.

An August 1864 burial was recorded for Elias Eriksens Barn (Elias Eriksen's child.)

Burial record for Elias Eriksens Barn [Elias Eriksen's child], August 1864. Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois. Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.

Although no name is given, I believe that this child is Matilde Josefine. I have not found any earlier children of Elias Eriksen, and I have found no further record of this Matilde Josefine. Another child of Elias Eriksen, born on 24 September 1869, was given the same name and was baptized at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church on 25 December 1869.

Without these church records, I would not know about the first Matilde Josefine Eriksen. Now she will be remembered.

Surname Saturday: Tarkington

According to 4crests.com, the surname Tarkington is an ancient English locational name which means "one who came from Torkington in Cheshire." It is also spelled Torkington and Turkington.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames confirms the information about the surnames Torkington and Turkington, and mentions another variant form, Talkington.

Ancestry.com. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: Bardsley, Charles Wareing Endell. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames : With Special American Instances. London: H. Frowde, 1901. Page 759. 

My proven Tarkington ancestors are:

Anna Gertrude Tarkington
born 16 April 1889, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
married Henry Brown Gatlin 19 November 1909, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
married Walter Enloe Davis
died 9 July 1959, Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York

James William Tarkington
born 28 May 1850, Tennessee
married Anna Malvina Binkley 30 November 1880, Davidson County, Tennessee
died 12 June 1894, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

Joseph Tarkington
born 8 November 1830, Tennessee
married Amanda Russell 12 June 1849, Davidson County, Tennessee
died 19 April 1903, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

I suspect that Joseph was the son of Joseph S. Tarkington and Amelia Owens (or Owings or Owen), but Joseph S. Tarkington's statement on his Southern Claims Commission application that his only children were a daughter that died in infancy and a son who died in the Mexican War make it difficult to prove. (Joseph S. did not raise his son(s) and may have thought that his claim would not be approved if he admitted to having a son who was in the Confederate army.) If I am right, I descend from two Tarkington lines: Amelia's mother was Nancy Tarkington, the daughter of William Tarkington.

Friend of Friends Friday: Slaves of William Dew

On 25 August 1798, the New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina newspaper Newbern Gazette published a notice which stated that seven slaves belonging to William Dew of Edgecombe County, North Carolina had run away.

Newbern Gazette, 25 August 1798, page 3

RUN away on the 10th instant, seven negroes, to wit: A fellow named MARCUS, thirty seven years old, very crooked in one of his nees––He had on white broad cloth pair of breeches, and cotton shirt. Also, a finall negro fellow named BOB, stout made––had on when he went away, an oznaburg shirt, and a pair of Virginia cloth striped trowsers. Also, a stout black woman, named SARAH, with two small children, one two years old, and the other child is five months old, at her breast. Also, a finall negro woman, named HANNAH, and a small girl child, about ten months old.
   I some expect they will lurk about Newbern. Whoever will apprehend said negroes, and bring them to me, in Edgcombe county, or secure them so that I get them, shall be handsomely rewarded.
   August 20.                                      WILLIAM DEW.


One of the slaves, Marcus, was captured and jailed in Jones County, North Carolima. A notice was placed in the 22 December 1798 issue of the Newbern Gazette. William Dew was asked to reclaim Marcus after proving ownership and paying charges.

Newbern Gazette, 22 December 1798, page 3

ON the 6th Instant, was committed to Jail in Jones County, a negro fellow named MARCUS, said to be the property of William Dew of Edgcombe County.––The owner is requested to prove his property, pay charges, and take him away.
                                                         JOHN BROWN, Jialer.
Jones county, December 22.

Thriller Thursday: Murder Near Tonawanda, New York

Atlas and Argus (Albany, NY), 20 October 1860, page 2

On 17 October 1860, a woman's body was found on the tracks of the Buffalo and Niagara Falls road, about a mile from Tonawanda, Erie County, New York. One person reported that the woman was standing near the track and fell over as a train approached. The train stopped, and it was discovered that the woman was dead. Her throat had been cut. Another person reported that the woman's body was lying on the tracks and was run over by a train. Her body was cut into two, but it was discovered that her throat had previously been cut. Either way, the killer apparently wanted the woman's death to seem to be the result of a railroad accident.

My 3rd-great-grandparents John and Ann (Walker) Winters were living in Tonawanda at the time that the murder took place.They probably heard about it.