The Dupre Family

My maternal grandfather William Fink was the son of Homer Dupre Fink. Homer was the son of Minerva Jane Dupre, who was the daughter of Abraham Francis Dupre and Minerva Alice Clark.

Abraham Francis Dupre was born Sept 1834 in Huntington Ohio and married Minerva on the 20th of Sept 1855 in Gallia Co Ohio. He died in 1912 and was buried at Mount Tabor Cemetery in Huntington Twp Gallia Co. OH. He was the son of Abraham Dupre and Polly Deckard.

Abraham Dupre was born around 1810/11 on the Isle of Jersey in the Channel Islands. He married Polly on December 5, 1833 in Vinton, Gallia Co. OH and died on September 25, 1894 in Sciotoville, Gallia Co. OH. He's also buried at Mount Tabor Cemetery. The son of Abraham Dupre and Marie DuMaresq, he was seven years old when his family immigrated to America.

Abraham Dupre was born May 5 1774, married in 1808 and died March 14, 1869. He was the son of Abraham Dupre and Jane Lacouter. Marie DuMaresq was born June 5 1787 and died July 12 1852. They had eleven children: Abraham, Mary, Jane, Mancy, Eliza, Philip, Susan, Elizabeth, Ellen, Rufus, and one that died young. When Jane, their third child, was just four days old, they left Jersey for America. The crossing took nine weeks.

Abraham Dupre was the son of Philip Dupre, who was the son of Charles Dupre. Around 1720, Charles and his family left France for the Isle of Jersey. He owned a farm in France, but the only property his family could take with them was what they could carry because of the persecution of Protestants in France. They traveled through the countryside by night and hid in the woods during the day until they reached the Channel, where they found a boat. The boat was chained to a rock, but they broke the chain and rowed to the Isle of Jersey.

My assumption is that the Dupres were French Huguenots. My great aunt Esther Josephine always said that they were the only family line with naturalization papers because everyone else was already here when the United States became a country.

New Information (?) and other news

My grandmother is moving to Florida soon with her son and so has been cleaning out her home. This past weekend, she passed yet another bag to me full of sewing things and other random items, including some genealogy information. I'll have to double check, but I believe that some of the information she gave me is information that I don't currently have in my research, on the Dupre and the Curtis lines.

She also gave me a huge, blank family tree. It's meant to be filled in to the great grandparent level and has lots of blanks for siblings and cousins. I'm going to see if I can alter it to take it out farther than my great grandparents. The alteration was Mama's idea.

I can't wait to start filling it in. If I'd had an acid free pen with me, I would've started while at my parents' over the weekend.

Clifford Ancestry Notes Part IV - The Babbitts

Elizabeth "Betsey" Babbitt's "immediate ancestry is remarkable for cousin marriages...Nathan Babbitt and Abigail Babbitt were brother and sister, and both of them were first cousins of Abiathar Babbitt. So the parents of Elizabeth "Betty" Babbitt were first cousins, and the parents of "Betsey" were both first and second cousins.

"Levi Babbitt had three short terms of service in the militia in 1775, one term in 1777, and one term in 1778. He lived all his life in Norton, MA.

"Nathan Babbitt had one six month term of Revolutionary War service in 1778. He lived all his life in Norton, MA.

"Abiathar Babbitt had three terms of Revolutionary War service in 1777 and 1778. He was born in Easton, MA and lived there after marrying his cousin Abigail Babbitt until they joined the Shakers. All of the family, except Betty, who had married Levi Babbitt, then moved to the Shaker colony at Harvard, MA, where both Abiathar and Abigail later died.

"Edward Babbitt was the immigrant ancestor. His first appearance on record was at Plymouth, MA on a list dated in 1643 of those males between 16 and 60 years and able to bear arms. Probably he was not much over 16 at the time. He bought his first land in Taunton, MA in 1652, and two years later married Sarah Tarne, daughter of Miles Tarne, a leather dresser, of Boston. He bought more land in 1658 and became one of the proprietors of Tauton by 1666.

"Relations with the local Indians became increasingly worse at this period. Finally the conflict known as King Phillip's War broke out. The alarm was given, and Edward and his family fled to the garrison stockade at Taunton, a few miles from their home. According to family tradition, Edward returned home to pick up some item which he had forgotten, but was caught and killed by the Indians before he could get back to the stockade."

Clifford Ancestry Notes Part III - The Shinkles

"Henry Shinkle was born in Lancaster Co. (now Lebanon Co.) PA. He married his first cousin, Maria Margaret Shinkle, later known as Margaret. He died in Fayette Co. IN. After his death, Margaret Shinkle moved to Madison Co. IN and later married a man named Stover. They moved to Missouri where she died.

"Philip Jacob Shinkle was born in Edenkoben, Electoral (Rhenish) Palatinate, Germany. he was brought to Pennsylvania at about 5 years of age. During the Revolutionary War, he was a Private in the Heidelberg Twp. Company of Associators (militia). He married Julia Ann Bolender and later moved to Ohio, where he bought land on 18 March 1805, and died at a date unknown to us.

"Christian Shinkle was born in Heidelberg Twp. Lancaster Co. (now Lebanon Co.) PA. During the Revolutionary War he was also a Private in the Heidelberg Twp. Company of Associators (militia). He married Maria Magdelena _______ and later moved to Lewis Twp. Brown Co. OH in 1805. After the death of Maria Magdalena, he married Elizabeth Stayton.

"Philipp Carl Schenkel was born in Edenkoben, Electoral (Rhenish) Palatinate, Germany. He married Maria Elisabetha Zimpel. As a serf of the Electoral Palatinate, he had to be manumitted (freed) before being allowed to emigrate, but was manumitted and permitted to emigrate without paying any of the usual fees because of his poverty. He and his family came from Rotterdam to Philadelphia on the ship "Snow Ketty" in 1752. They settled in Heidelberg Twp. Lancaster Co. (now Lebanon Co.).

"On July 22, 1984, our three-generations-in-a-van (Richard and Jeanne Forkner, Steve, Jo Ellen, Rich and John Ham) visited Edenkoben, a picturesque town on the Deutche Weinstrasse."

This image shows where Edenkoben is located in Germany.

Powers Family Reunion II

I had a good time this year. I drove down to Mt Sterling KY with my mom and grandma, worked on a few things in the car during the long drive (sewing, costume planning and a job application). While there, I chatted with some distant cousins and discovered that I have one that has the same hobby I do - costuming. I friended her on Facebook and proposed we hang out at DragonCon.

EDIT My distant costuming cousin's name is Melissa and she's descended from Silas Powers, the brother of my 3rd great grandfather Gilson Powers. If I'm using the cousin chart correctly and if she is the same generation as me which is likely given our close ages, especially since Silas and Gilson were only about two years apart, then we are 5th cousins. She emailed me recently and said she'd love to do dinner while we're at DragonCon.

The next reunion might not happen, unless someone steps in to organize it. The spearhead of the reunion so far has decided she'll help for the next one, but not be the main person.

Powers Family Reunion

The Powers Family Reunion is this weekend! I'm super excited to see all my cousins, and probably meet new ones. The reunion is for anyone descended from Jeremiah and Leah (McCarty) Powers.

Most Recent Immigrant Ancestor

Most recent immigrant ancestor - Edwin Bishop Dobell. He was born in 1818 in Staplehurst, Kent, England. He married Harriet Luck on Oct 5 1840 in Cincinnati Ohio and died in the early 1900s there. He was a furniture maker and his parents were Joseph Dobell and Mary Ann Bishop.

Edwin and Harriet had a daughter named Sarah Elizabeth who married George Albert Groff. They had a daughter, Edna, who married Willard Clement Cookman. Edna and Willard are my grandfather Donald's parents.

So my 3rd great grandfather is the most recent immigrant that I am aware of.

Fearless Females March 24 - Shared Traits

March 24 — Do you share any physical resemblance or personality trait with one of your female ancestors? Who? What is it?

This question just makes me giggle. If you saw the women at one of the Powers family reunions, you would understand why. Because we ALL look alike. I’m not exaggerating, we do. I resemble my grandma Jenny to a great extent – same nose, same hair, similar body shape (thin, small breasts, big hips and thighs, tiny very high waist) and we have similar personalities – stubborn, opinionated, etc. The high small waist and larger hips and thighs is very predominate in my family. Even if we aren’t thin anymore, we keep a tiny waist when compared to the rest of our bodies. High cheekbones are also common (I frequently bemoan my ‘chipmunk cheeks’ in pictures where I am smiling).

Example: This is me and my mom's first cousin Carrie. See how much we look alike? We've even had non-relatives tell us we looked like sisters.

So yes, I do share physical resemblance to several of my female ancestors and current relatives. Because we all look alike. Its rather scary actually.

Fearless Females March 22 - Movie

March 22 — If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?

I vote for Mary McNeil Ewing, the ancestor discussed in my first Fearless Females post. I think her life would make an interesting movie – married young, moved more than once farther into the ‘wilderness’, even migrating when she was elderly. I just picture her as this feisty little thing who doesn’t take no for an answer. However, I have no idea what actress to cast. I honestly really don’t like too many modern actresses. I’d want someone small who could play with great strength of character but not be too pretty.

Fearless Females March 13 - Moment of Strength

March 13 — Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation.

Almost every woman in my immediate family has showed courage or strength in a difficult situation. My mother survived basically living at the hospital everyday when my brother was sick as an infant. My grandma Jenny lost her mother when she was only 19 years old, after having nursed Grandma Sarah Helen for years and missing out on a lot of things teenagers should experience. Then my grandfather died young, when he was only in his 50s. And grandma kept going, even though she really didn’t want to. She always told me that I was her saving grace – talking to me kept her sane. I was a baby after all and couldn’t talk back, just listen. My grandma Katie had a still born baby and kept going. We’re good strong stock in my family.

Fearless Females March 20 - Brick Wall Ancestor

March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.

Martha Ann Jones who married John Clark Lyons. She’s my brick wall because it was her second marriage and we don’t know what her maiden name was. And I have no idea how to find out anymore information about her than what I already have. I may have to search marriage records for a Martha and see if I find anything that sounds like her.

Fearless Females March 19 - Surprising Fact

March 19 — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?

My great grandma Fern had a college degree. Considering that she married in the early 1920s, she had gone to school before that time which makes it a really big deal that she went to college. My mom told me recently and I felt amazing, so proud that one of my ancestors had done something so important. Unfortunately, I don’t know where she went. I had a theory and emailed the school but they were unable to find her.

Fearless Females March 2 - Picture of Grandma Leah

March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?

This is my great great grandma Leah with her chickens. My grandma Jenny says that her chickens were mean. I don’t know when it was taken, but I would think sometime in the 1930s or so. I picked it because I’m named after Grandma Leah.

Fearless Females March 12 - Working Girl

March 12 — Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

I think I’m a bit younger than this blog thinks I am. Lol Yes, my mother worked outside the home, not unusual for someone in my age group. However what is unusual is that she worked and my father stayed home and took care of the house. My mother worked as a nurses aid, then went to nursing school when I started kindergarten. She worked as an LPN most of my childhood.

My grandma Jenny went to college in 1963 for her teaching degree when my mom was around five years old. Grandma started teaching at the beginning of 1966 on her associates degree. She graduated when mom was twelve and then went back for her masters in teaching. She taught up until the early 1990s, when she retired. My grandma Katie also has a college degree and I know she used to substitute teach.

My great grandma Sarah Helen used to work as a seamstress to help the family out. I guess its not really working outside the home though. Before she married, she worked in a shirt factory. And my great grandma Fern used to take in laundry when she was married. After my great grandparents divorced, she went to work as a bookkeeper.

My Irish Ancestry

I'm taking a break from my Fearless Females posts to celebrate my Irish heritage in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

First up, the Forkner side of the family and the Hollingsworths. They were Quakers.

Robert or Valentine Hollingsworth was born in England in 1547 but died in Ireland between 1599 and 1601. He may have been a settler. According to Wikipedia, he was in an English militia and went to Ireland as a planter for the Ulster plantation. His wife, Joan Parker, was born in Ireland and their son Henry Hollingsworth was born there as well, sometime in the 1580s. Henry died in Ireland, probably in or around 1675. The family lived in Ballyvickcrannel in the Parish of Segoe, County Armagh.

Henry married Katherine Cornish, who was born in 1590/1602 in County Armagh, Ireland. She died there in 1675. She was the daughter of Henry Cornish, the High Sheriff, and his wife. Henry Cornish was born in Ireland probably around 1576, but died in London.

Henry and Katherine had a son, Valentine Hollingsworth Sr. He was born in County Armag in 1632 and married in 1655 to Ann Ree. He married again in 1672 to Ann Calvert. The first marriage took place either in Tanderagee or Lurgan, County Armagh; the second in Drumgor. In Oct of 1682, he immigrated to America on the "Antelope" and died in 1710 or 1711 in Newark, New Castle County, Delaware. He's buried at the Friends Burying Ground, New Ark Monthly Meeting, New Castle Co, Newark DE.

Ann Ree was born about 1628 in Tanderagee, Parish of Ballymore, Armagh County, Ireland and died in 1671 in Ballyvickcrannell, Seagoe, County Armagh, Ireland. She was buried 1671 in Friends Burial Ground, Moyraverty, Co Armagh, Ireland. She was the daughter of Nicholas Ree

Nicholas Ree was born in the late 1570s in Ireland and was Christened 2 Oct 1597 in Tandergee, County Armagh, Ireland. He married and died in 1631 or 1641, possibly killed in an Irish rebellion.

Valentine and Ann had a son, Thomas Hollingsworth, born in 1661 in Ballyvickcrannell, Seagoe, County Armagh, Ireland. He immigrated in 1682 (presumably with his father and stepmother) and married in Pennsylvania in 1692 to Grace Cooke, who's father was born in Ireland. He died in 1727 in New Castle County, PA (now DE) and was buried at the Friends’ Burying Ground, Centre Meeting, Chester Co. PA.

From there, the Hollingsworths went to the Carolinas, Ohio and finally to Indiana where Daisy Hollingsworth married Hadley Clifford.

My ancestor James Savage (Fink side of the family, they married into the Braley line) was born in Ireland in 1673 and died in Maine around 1745. He's the last of the Savages I have in my research so I don't know anymore about him or his family.

Also in the Fink line, my research shows that the Ewings originally came from Ireland as well. William Ewing was born in Londonderry about 1690 and his son James or Charles was born there as well in 1720. He immigrated to America, married in Virginia in 1740/41 and died in 1800/01 in what is now West Virginia. His son would be Swago Bill who was mentioned in my first Fearless Females post which was about his wife. Swago Bill's mother was Margaret Sargeant and she was also born in Ireland.

Fearless Females March 11 - Tragic Deaths

March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?

My great grandma Sarah Helen died in 1949 from tuberculosis. At the age of 52, she wasn’t terribly young. But my grandmother was only 19. She’d missed a lot of school to care for her mother, although she did graduate from high school. And she finished raising her sister Marilyn. After my grandparents married, Aunt Marilyn lived with them until she married.

There was a definite tragic death in the family in 1882. My 3rd great grandmother Mary Ann Fox (born Kring) died in a flash flood in Frenchburg, KY. She was bedfast and her son John and other family members had tied ropes around her bed and were trying to raise her to the loft when a gush of water came through the door. She was swept away and found days later with other victims of the flood.

Fearless Females March 4 - Wedding Stories and Photos

March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.

My parents were married on Friday July 13, 1979. My mother always wanted a September wedding, but my grandparents had married on a Friday the 13^th and my father wanted to as well, so they wed in July. The church (First Church of God on Pleasant Ave in Hamilton OH which is no longer. Well the building’s there but another church owns it now unfortunately. I miss that church) had a courtyard and that is where the wedding was supposed to take place. However, there was a thunderstorm that day and so the wedding took place in the sanctuary.

My mother still (jokingly) berates my father for it, since she wanted a September wedding.

My mother with her father on her wedding day

I don’t know any stories about either of my grandparents’ weddings.

However, we do have an heirloom wedding dress. My grandfather William was in Korea and was sent to Japan for R&R. He purchased some Japanese silk and sent it to my grandma Jenny for her wedding dress. It has a high neck because she was so skinny that she wanted to hide her collarbones (I take after her, except that I like to display my collarbones, I think they’re pretty) and a little bit of a train, she made it as long as she could with the fabric she was given. When my great aunt Marilyn married a few years later, she wore the dress as well. And my mother wore it when she married my father. The dress has been improperly stored and needs some repair work done, but as a seamstress I know I can handle it. When I marry, I plan to wear the dress with the Brussels lace wedding veil that my grandma Jenny bought me when she took me to Brussels when I was seventeen.

This is my dad's parents, Grandpa Stub (aka Donald) and Grandma Katie at their Friday the 13th wedding.

And this is my mom's parents, Grandpa Bill and Grandma Jenny at their wedding. That is the dress that I have inherited.

Fearless Females March 10 - Religion

March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?

We’ve been members of the Church of God, Anderson IN for four generations. My great grandmother Sarah Helen worked with the revivals before she married. She used to play the piano for W.F. Chappell’s revivals in Kentucky. My grandmother has always been involved. She used to lead the Women of the Church of God group and I think she still participates. My mother goes to church most Sundays and Bible study every Wednesday. Growing up, she says that she went to church twice on Sundays and on Wednesdays. The family helped clean the church as well. I grew up in the church and still consider myself a member of the Church of God, I just don’t attend very often anymore.

My great grandmother Harriet on the Forkner side (she was born a Clifford) was a member of the Disciples of Christ. Her daughter, my grandma Katie, still attends that church. And she has been very active musically – playing in the handbell choir, playing the organ for services and I also think she’s sang in the choir.

Fearless Females March 6 - Heirlooms

March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)

I have several family heirlooms.

I used to have my great grandma Fern’s wedding ring but I lost it. It was a gold band with flowers and leaves on it. My mother said it was cursed. Apparently my great grandfather had bought it at a pawn shop and the owner had told him that the original owner had divorced. My great grandparents also divorced. I wore it for years and in my senior year of high school, took it off during art class while working with clay and left it (and my graduation ring) on the table. Never saw either one again. I still miss my rings. I also have a gold locket with a diamond in it that's engraved that was Grandma Fern's and a gold pocket watch as well. Its also engraved. The locket has flowers, the watch a cross (I think). Oh and I almost forgot the most important thing! My sewing machine was Grandma Fern's as well! I use that more than I use about anything. And its even named Fern after her.

I also have furniture from the Fink side of the family – a dresser and a mirror. They were Aunt Nora’s but I got them when I was about seven. Nora was the daughter of John and Annette Fink, my 3^rd great grandparents, so I guess that makes her my 3^rd great aunt. From what my great aunt Esther Jo said, they may have been brought to Ohio from Pennsylvania when Jacob and Nancy Fink (my 4^th great grandparents) migrated.

I also have a huge woven basket and an abalone shell that belong to my great grandmother Edna’s on the Cookman side (she was a Groff). It took me years to get that basket from my mother. My argument was that I should have it because she was only a Cookman by marriage, not blood. I wonder what she used the basket for...

I don’t know if it’s really an heirloom, but today I’m wearing a top that my grandma Jenny made while she was in the hospital. My mother wore the top and now I wear it. It’s a 70s cream polyester pullover with hand embroidery.

Fearless Females March 7 - Family Recipes

March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

I won’t share the actual recipe, because I believe that family recipes should stay in the family. But we have an egg noodle recipe that pretty much everyone in my family loves. Flour, eggs, salt and milk. That’s it. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. We use it to make chicken and noodles, chicken and dumplings, beef and noodles, I think turkey and noodles has even been done. My mother says it was my step great grandma Gladys’ recipe, my grandmother says it was a pretty common way of making noodles back in the day. But we consider it a family recipe. This dish is a favorite because its easy, hearty and oh so delicious, especially when served over mashed potatoes.

My mother and I always make fruit filled yeast pastry at Christmas time, except we call it 'coffee cake'. And we make several batches of it. Its not really a family recipe (yet). My mother learned it from an older woman at church when she was growing up. Apparently my grandfather would always order some from this woman for family events and at some point my mom learned how to make it herself. Its a long complicated process that takes about three hours per coffee cake, more if we make our own filling which we do do sometimes. But my mom and I are the only ones that can make it, and its very special to us. I look forward to the hours I spend with her in the kitchen every year. I think spending time with her is what makes this dish so special to me.

Fearless Females March 3 - Family Names

March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

We have two family names that have been passed down – Lear or Leah which became Lee. And Helen, which was originally Sarah Helen.

My name is Jennilee and I’m named after my maternal grandmother, Virginia Lee. When she was younger, she was called Jenny Lee and so that’s what my mother named me. Grandma’s maternal grandmother was Leah Powers and she was named after her. The story is that my great grandfather misspelled her middle name on her birth certificate and so she was Lee instead of Leah. Leah was likely named after her paternal grandmother, Leah McCarty Powers.

My mother is Helen. Her maternal grandmother’s name was Sarah Helen. My great grandmother was likely named after her aunt, also Sarah Helen (Aunt Helen, pronounced He-Len, not Hel-len), Leah Power’s sister.

So we have three Sarah Helen / Helens and four Leah / Lees in the family.

On a somewhat related note, my paternal grandfather is Donald Lee, my oldest uncle is Harold Lee, his oldest daughter is Melissa Leigh, my uncle Paul's oldest is Casi Lea and I'm Jennilee. I think we like the name Lee in my family.

Fearless Females March 1 - Favorite Female Ancestor

A blog I just found today (and started following of course) called The Accidental Genealogist has 31 prompts posted for the month of March to explore and share your female ancestors. Since this is right up my alley, I decided to start posting them. I have some catching up to do so expect to be deluged over the next few days til I get caught up.

March 1 Prompt — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

This is a hard choice, because I’m fascinated by so many of my ancestors. Elizabeth Curtis on my father's side is one of my favorites (the first white woman in Madison County, IN, but she's already been explored in an earlier post). My mother suggested my 6^th great grandmother, Mary Ewing, born McNeil, who was born in Virginia, lived in Ohio and Iowa and died in Missouri. Talk about a pioneer!

Mary was born on December 25, 1771 in what is now West Virginia, to Thomas McNeil and his wife Mary Hughes. On November 16, 1785, she wed William Ewing, nicknamed ‘Swago Bill’. Mary was a month shy of being fourteen and Swago Bill was twenty nine. At the age of fifteen, Mary was the mother of Elizabeth and at sixteen another child came, Thomas. Before she was nineteen, she was taking care of three young children and another came before she was twenty one. By the age of thirty eight, Mary had twelve children in the space of twenty two years, all of whom were still living. Mary and Swago Bill’s children were: Elizabeth, Thomas, Jonathan, William II, James, John, Sarah Jane, Enoch, Jacob, Abraham McNeil, George and Andrew. I am descended from William II Ewing.

In 1810, Mary and Swago Bill left their home in the mountains of Virginia and moved to the forests of Gallia County, Ohio, where Ewington now stands. They had ten children under and two children over the age of majority in tow. The Ewing wagon train traveled 160 miles to Ohio and consisted of three covered wagons, twelve horses and several head of sheep, swine and cows. They carried provisions for the trip as well as equipment and tools they would need to build a new home. At Point Pleasant, they built rafts and made several trips across the Ohio River to get all of their belongings across and then traveled a further 20 miles north to their destination. By the spring of 1812, after much work to clear the forest, the family’s new home was ready – two stories made of hewn logs and with a stone chimney.

Twelve years later, in 1822, Swago Bill died, leaving Mary a widow at fifty one and their youngest child Andrew fatherless at the age of thirteen. She lived in their house in Ewington until 1839, when Andrew married and bought property in Wilkesville Township, in what is now Vinton County. In 1853, she left with Andrew for the west. She was in her early 80s, but she would not be dissuaded from going. After all, she’d married a backwoodsman twice her age and already been a pioneer from Virginia to Ohio, what was another trip? They first settled in Iowa for a few years, then moved to Missouri. Mary died there near Ravanna in 1858.

Resources - A lot of research but these two website were particularly valuable:

http://www.oocities.org/genealogyiskewl/pafn25.htm

http://www.familyorigins.com/users/e/w/i/Richard-D-Ewing/FAMO3-0001/d61.htm

I’d like to know where the family land was, unfortunately I have no idea how to research that. I feel like I know Mary pretty well though. She strikes me as a stubborn little thing who knew what she wanted and did it. You have to admire a woman who married a man twice her age when she wasn’t even fourteen yet and then traveled with him to a new frontier. And you have to admire even more a woman who traveled with her son to another new frontier when she was in her eighties. She definitely qualifies as a fearless female.

How Long My Family Has Been In Indiana 2

Here is an examination of the rest of the Forkner / Clifford branches presence in the state of Indiana.

Family #7 - The Showalters and Farmers who married into the Hollingsworth Family

9. Abraham Showalter was born in 1778, married in 1802 and died in 1869. I don’t have locations for these events, but he lived in Franklin County, Virginia and Henry County, Indiana.

8. Abraham and his wife Frances had a daughter named Mary who was born in 1802 and probably lived in Indiana, considering that her father, husband and son all resided in that state.

8. John Farmer was born in 1794 and married in 1820. He resided in Franklin County, Virginia and Wayne County, Indiana.

7. John and Mary had a son, Isaiah, who was born in 1825, married in 1844 and died in 1853. I do not have locations for any of these events, but I do know that he resided in Henry and Madison counties in Indiana.

6. Mary Ellen Farmer was Isaiah’s daughter with his wife, Elizabeth Fifer. She was born in 1850 and died in 1928 in Madison County, Indiana. She resided in Anderson, Indiana.

Family #8 - The Fifers who married into the Farmer family

8. John Fifer was born in 1784 and married in 1808. He died in Indiana.

7. His daughter Elizabeth married Isaiah Farmer. She was born in 1816 and died in 1892. It is probable that she lived in Indiana since her husband did and since her father died in that state.

Family #9 - The Forkners

8. Isaac Forkner was born in 1775 in Surry County, North Carolina. He married Mourning Moura Lawrence in Grayson Virginia in 1797 and died in 1863 in Wayne County, Indiana.

7. Isaac and Mourning had a son, Jesse, who was born in 1798 in Surry County, North Carolina. He married Hannah Cornelious in 1817 in Virginia and died in 1844 in Madison County, Indiana.

6. Jesse’s son Samuel was the first Forkner born in Indiana. He was born in 1821 in Henry County, Indiana. He married in 1844 to Elizabeth McShirley (his first marriage) and died in 1872 in Madison County, Indiana.

5. Elizabeth and Samuel had a son they named Martin Luther. He was born in 1850 in Madison County, Indiana. His second marriage was to Victoria Belle Sharpe and they wed in 1891 in Anderson Indiana. Martin died in 1937 in Anderson.

4. Martin and Victoria had a son they named Samuel Ray. He was born in Anderson Indiana in 1892. He died in 1956 in Anderson Indiana. He was my great great grandfather.

Family #10 - The Cornelious', who married into the Forkner family

8. George Cornelious was born in Madison County, Indiana in 1774.

7. His daughter Hannah was born in 1800 in Indiana. I’ve also seen Pennsylvania as a birth place for her, but find Indiana more believable since that is where her father was born. She died in 1853 in Madison County, Indiana. She married Jesse Forkner.

Family #11 - The McShirleys married into the Forkners

6. Elizabeth McShirley was born in Macon County, Kentucky in 1825 and died in 1858 in Henry County, Indiana. She married Samuel Forkner.

Family #12 - The Sharps, who married into the Forkner family

6. Samuel Sharpe was born in 1832 in Rush County Indiana

6. Malinda Heflin was also born in Rush County, Indiana, but she was born in 1836.

5. Their daughter Victoria Belle was born in 1858 in Rush County, Indiana and died in 1918 in Anderson Indiana. She married Martin Luther Forkner.

How Long My Family Has Been In Indiana 1

My father was born in Indiana. After my recent post on how long my family has been in Ohio, I thought I'd see how long his branch has been in Indiana. And I found out that the Forkner / Clifford branch has been there, just as long as the Finks have been in Ohio. There's so much information though, that I plan to split this post. So here's the first post covering the first six families.

Family #1 - Clifford, Pierce, Forkner, Cookman

10. Johnathon Clifford was born in 1769 in Rumney, Grafton, New Hampshire. He resided in Barnet, Vermont and Fayette County, Indiana and died in 1836 in Fayette, Indiana.

9. His wife Sarah Pierce was born in 1774 in Barnet, Caledonia, Vermont and died in 1862 in Indiana.

8. Johnathon and Sarah had a son , Isaac. He was born in 1812 in Vermont and married in 1841. I don’t have a death date for him, or a location of his marriage or death. However, considering that his parents died in Indiana and his son was born in Indiana, one can assume that he at least lived in the state for a period of time.

7. Emery Clifford is the son of Isaac and his wife Mary. He was born in 1842 in Fairview, Fayette County, Indiana (the first Clifford born in Indiana!) and married Letitia Makepeace in 1864. He died in 1915 in Indiana. IN

6. Emery and Letitia had a son named Hadley, who was born in Anderson, Indiana in 1869. This is our first Anderson birth! He married Daisy Hollingsworth in 1891 and died in 1957 in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.

5. Harriet Clifford was Hadley and Daisy’s daughter. She was born in 1898 in Anderson Indiana and married Samuel Ray Forkner in 1918 in Anderson, Indiana. I don’t have a death date for her.

4. Harriet’s daughter is my grandmother – Kathleen Frances Forkner. She was born in Indiana and married Donald Cookman.

3. Their son Clifford (my father) was also born in Indiana. However, he moved to Ohio, so as we already know, I was born there and not in Indiana. BUT, my uncles’ children (2) were all born in Indiana and my cousins’ Casi and Jessica both have children that were born in Indiana (1). So that gives us ten generations of the family in Indiana.

Family #2 - The Sangstons, who married into the Cliffords.

9. Isaac Sangston died in 1828 and resided in Fayette County, Indiana.

8. His son William was died in 1833 and resided in Brownsville, Indiana.

7. And his daughter Mary Sangston married Isaac Clifford. She was born in 1822 and died in 1866. I don’t have locations for either, but assume she lived in Indiana for at least a period of time, since her father and grandfather lived in Indiana and her son was born in Indiana.

Family #3 - The Makepeaces, who also married into the Cliffords

8. Amasa Makepeace was born in 1777, married in 1800 and died in 1848 in Chesterfield, Union Township, Madison County, Indiana. He resided in Norton, Mass. and Chesterfield, Indiana.

8. Betsey Babbitt was born in 1784 and died in 1858 in Chesterfield, Madison County, Indiana.

7. Amasa and Betsey’s son Alfred was born in 1804 in Norton Mass. I also found that he may have been born in Chesterfield, Madison County, Indiana. He married Hannah Irish in 1828 in Madison County Indiana, resided in Anderson, and died in 1874.

6. Their daughter Letitia (Emery Clifford’s wife) was born 1842 in Chesterfield Indiana and died in 1926 in Anderson Indiana. She lived in both cities during her lifetime.

Family #4 - The Irishs, who married into the Makepeace family

8. James M Irish was born in the 1780s in New York and married in Rensselaer County, New York. He died around 1861 either in Texas or in Madison County, Indiana. Since he’s buried in Madison County, I personally lean towards Indiana as his death place, unless they moved his body.

8. His wife Elizabeth Dibble was born in the late 1780s / early 1790s in Connecticut and died in 1869 in Pendleton, Madison County, Indiana.

7. James and Elizabeth’s daughter Hannah (wife of Amasa Makepeace) was born in 1810 in Nassau, Rensselaer County, New York and died in 1858 in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.

Family #5 - The Hollingsworths, who married into the Cliffords

8. Elias Hollingsworth was born in 1794 in Fish Dam Townhip, Old 96^th District, Union County, South Carolina. He married Elizabeth Curtis in 1814 in Clark County Ohio and died in 1846 in Osage County Missouri. He may have lived in Indiana for a time before moving on to Missouri.

8. His wife Elizabeth was born in 1795 in Harrison County, Virginia and died in 1849 in Indiana, either in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County or Richland Township, Madison County. You may remember Elizabeth from my Pioneers post a little while ago – she was the first white woman in Madison County.

7. Elias and Elizabeth’s son James was born in 1815 in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. He married Mary Elizabeth Shinkle in 1836 in Fall Creek, Madison County, Indiana. James died in 1902in Lafayette Township Tippacanoe County Indiana.

6. James and Mary Elizabeth had a son named George, the first Hollingsworth born in Anderson, Indiana, in 1843. He married Mary Farmer in 1858 and died in the early 1890s in Anderson, Indiana.

5. Daisy Hollingsworth was the daughter of George and Mary. She was born in 1873, probably in Indiana since that is where he father was born. She died in 1940 in Anderson, Indiana. She was the wife of Hadley Clifford, mentioned above.

Family #6 - The Shinkles who married into the Hollingsworths

8. Henry Shinkle was born in the mid 1790s in Pennsylvania, probably in Heidleberg. He married his wife Maria Margaret in 1814 in Feesburg Ohio and died in 1857 in Osage Missouri. I’d like to note here that my great uncle Dick’s research puts Henry’s death in 1827. Henry lived in Indiana.

7. Mary Elizabeth Shinkle (wife of James Hollingsworth) was born in 1819 in Feesburg, Ohio. She died in 1891 in Indiana, either in Anderson or in Lafayette Township, Madison County.

How Long My Family Has Been in Ohio

Growing up, my mom always told me that I was the tenth generation of her father's family to be in Ohio. I always figured that maybe we'd been French trappers (we have a lot of French blood) and that we'd definitely intermarried with the Native Americans. So today I looked through my research and started tracing back. First I did those born in Ohio and got back seven generations which is still pretty respectable. If I add in those who died in Ohio, I only get to nine generations - on more than one branch of the Fink family. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to ten but that only means that I need more research, right?

So here we go:

Family #1 - Carson, Savage, Braley, Fink, Cookman

9. Alice Carson was born in Hallowell, Maine around 1752. She married Joseph Savage in the same town and he died in Augusta Maine in 1809. Alice died sometime before 1840 in Rutland, Ohio.

8. Alice and Joseph had a daughter, also named Alice. She was born in 1782 in Belgrade Maine and married Amos Braley in Sidney Maine in 1800. She died in 1848 in Rutland, Ohio.

8. Amos Braley was born in 1776 in Augusta Maine and died in 1840 in Rutland, Ohio.

7. Amos and Alice had a son named Newell. He was born in 1810 in Sidney Maine and died in 1884 in Rutland, Ohio.

My guess is that Alice Carson came with her daughter and son in law to Ohio sometime after her husband's death and her grandson Newell's birth.

6. The first Braley to be born in Ohio was Rufus, son of Newell and his wife Susannah Palmer. He was born about 1834 in Ohio and married in 1858 in Jackson County, Ohio.

5. In 1873, Rufus and his wife Euclid had a son - Ripley McClintock Braley. He was born in Milton Township, Ohio; married in 1899 in Jackson County, Ohio and died in 1969 in Jackson County, Ohio.

4. Ripley and his wife Cora had a daughter - Calfernie Euclid (named after both her grandmothers, the poor thing) born in 1902 in Wellston, Ohio. She died in 1986, in Ohio.

3. Her son was my grandfather - William Ripley Fink. He was born in 1928 in Wellston, Ohio and died in 1982 in Hamilton, Ohio.

2. My mother Helen Marie Fink was born in Hamilton, Ohio.

1. And then there's me - Jennilee Cookman, born in Hamilton, Ohio in 1981.

Family #2 - Palmer, Braley, Fink, Cookman

9. William Palmer was born in New York and died in Jackson County, Ohio in 1820.

8. His son Austin was born in New York and married Sarah / Sally Frazee in 1811 in Gallia County, Ohio. In 1851, he died in Jackson County, Ohio.

7. Remember Susannah Palmer, Newell Braley's wife? Well, she was the daughter of Austin and Sally and was probably born around 1812 in Ohio.


Family #3 - McClintock, Braley, Fink, Cookman

Remember poor Euclid, wife of Rufus Braley? Well she's a sixth generation --

6. Euclid McClintock was born in Jackson County, Ohio in 1836. She died in Milton Township, Jackson County, Ohio in 1910.

Family #4 - Macomber, Bishop, Gleason, Braley, Fink, Cookman

7. Sarah Ellen Macomber was born in Ohio around 1824 and married a man named Thomas Bishop. She died in 1909.

6. Their daughter Calefernie was born in Ohio in 1843 and died there in 1910.

6. Her husband Levi Gleason was also born in Ohio, in 1835. They married in Gallia County, Ohio in 1859 and he died in 1897 in Ohio. The 1880 census entry for Levi says that both his parents were born in Ohio, but I haven't found their names and information (yet). But that gives us two more seven generation.

5. Levi and Calefernie had a daughter, Cora Evangeline Gleason. She was born in 1877 in Gallia County, Ohio, married Ripley Braley and died in 1952 in Jackson, Ohio. Her daughter, Calfernie Euclid is mentioned above.

Family #5 -- Henger, Eagle, Deckard, Dupre, Fink, Cookman

9. Maria Elisabetha Henger was born in Virginia in 1754. She married George S Eagle and died in 1847 in Racoon Township, Gallia County, Ohio.

9. George S Eagle was born in 1751 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He married Maria Elisabetha around 1753 and died in 1831 in Racoon Township, Gallia County, Ohio.

8. Maria Elisabetha and George had a daughter named Hannah. She was born in the late 1700s (either in 1781 or 1791) in Greenbriar County, West Virginia and died in 1862 in Gallia County, Ohio. Hannah married Richard Deckard in 1798 or 1802 in Greenbriar, Virginia.

7. And they had a daughter named Mary (Polly). She was born in 1814 in Greenbriar, Virginia and died in 1888 in Huntington Township, Ohio.

7. Mary Deckard married Abraham Dupre in 1833 in Vinton, Gallia County, Ohio. He was born around 1810 on the Isle of Jersey. Abraham died in Sciotoville, Gallia County, Ohio in 1894.

6. Mary and Abraham had a son, also called Abraham. And he is the first Dupre born in Ohio. He was born in 1834 in Huntington, Ohio and married Minerva Clark in 1855 in Gallia County, Ohio. He died in 1912.

5. Minerva Jane was the daughter of Abraham and Minerva. She was born in 1879 in Huntington, Ohio; married William Golden Fink in 1901 in Gallia County, Ohio and died in 1951 in Columbus, Ohio.

4. Minerva and William's son Homer was born in 1902 in Rocky Hill, Bloomfield, Jackson County, Ohio. He married Calfernie Euclid in 1923 in Wellston, Ohio and died in 1968 in Hamilton, Ohio.

And we're back to my grandfather, my mother and me to round out our nine generations of this list.

Family #6 -- Ewing, Fink, Cookman

9. William aka Swago Bill Ewing was born in Bath County, Virginia in 1756. He married in 1783 in Greenbriar County, Virginia and died in 1822 in Ewington, Gallia County, Ohio.

8. William's son also named William was born in 1792 in Swago, Buckeye, Pocahontas County, Virginia. He married Sarah Mannering in 1818 in Gallia County, Ohio and died in 1847 in Ewington, Gallia County, Ohio.

7. William and Sarah had a son, also called William (wow my family likes that name, don't they?), born in 1823 in Ewington, Ohio -- the first Ewing born in Ohio. He married Mary White in 1847 in Gallia County, Ohio and died in 1899 in Weir City, Cherokee County, Kansas. I think I remember reading that he was visiting a daughter that had migrated west when he died.

7. Mary White was born in 1829 in Pennsylvania and died in 1890/92. She likely died in Ohio, as she is buried here.

6. William and Mary had a daughter named Annette. She was born in 1853 in Buckeye Furnace, Milton Township, Jackson County, Ohio. In 1872 she married John Fink in Jackson County, Ohio and she died in 1942 in Bloomfield, Ohio.

5. John and Annette had a son, William Golden (shocking another William), born in 1876 in Bloomfield, Ohio. He died in 1944 in Wellston, Ohio. He was the first Fink born in Ohio.

And once more, we meet people already enumerated above -- Homer, my grandfather, my mother and me.

Family #7 - Mannering, Ewing, Fink, Cookman

Remember Sarah Mannering? Well she was the daughter of Jordan Mannering and Elizabeth Clark...

9. Jordan Mascall Mannering was born in 1760 in Sussex in the Delaware Colony. He died in 1837 in Thurman, Ohio.

9. Elizabeth Clark was Jordan's wife. She was born in 1764 in Sussex County, Delaware and died in 1839 in Ohio.

8. Their daughter was Sarah Mannering. She was born in 1796 in Surrey County, North Carolina and died in 1877 in Hancock County, IL. Presumably, she lived in Ohio at some point considering that she was married in Ohio and had children born in Ohio as well.

Family #8 - Foy, Fink, Cookman

7. Nancy Foy was born about 1816 in Pennsylvania. She died after 1880 in Ohio.

7. Nancy was married to a man named Jacob Fink. He was born in East Brunswick, Schuykill, Pennsylvania in 1809. He died after 1880 in Knox, Ohio.

6. Their son John Franklin Fink was born in 1847 in Pennsylvania. He died in 192 in Bloomfield, Ohio.

Jacob and Nancy came to Ohio in the 1850s with John Franklin in tow. John's son William Golden is discussed above, all the way down to me.

Wow, my family has been in Ohio for a long, long time.