Ancestry Saturday: He Hewed The Timber Into Central Ohio History

Columbus, Ohio at a time when the Broad Street Bridge (at middle right) is made of wood.

Charles Harper's 1911 obituary reads, "He hewed the timber for the first Broad street bridge in Columbus, and a part of the timber is still in use. He hewed the timber and was a contractor for a large part of the material in the old state penitentiary."

These two sentences give my kids' fourth great grandfather on their mom's side a lasting place in Central Ohio's history. There are ironic tie-ins to family history too.

The Broad Street Bridge is not made of wood today, but it's a landmark and a vital artery in Columbus' economic past, present, and future.  Ironically, in the 1990's, their grandfather on their dad's side, John Platt, had his offices in Columbus overlooking that same bridge.

Today, the site of the "old state penitentiary" is a high-end retail and housing district.  The district's place in Ohio's history, though, is more owed to a horrific fire April 21, 1930 in which 322 prisoners perished. 

Ironically, a 1930 Census record taken two days before the fire, showed Richard Harper was there.  Richard Harper, convicted for petty theft, died in that 1930 fire in the building built by his great grandfather.  He was brother to my kids' great grandfather, Orville Harper.

Charles Harper's memorial stands an hour northwest of Columbus near Richwood, but his lasting impact is still right there in the heart of the Capitol City.

Ancestry Saturday: An O-H-I-O Tradition

Among my grandfather E.D. Naylor's belongings was a ticket for the 29th edition of "The Game" between Ohio State and Michigan.

Today, the 111th edition is played at Ohio Stadium.

The Buckeyes lost that day in 1932, 0-14 to a Michigan team that included Gerald Ford, the future U.S. President.  It was also a Michigan team that would be declared National Champions too.  That's a pretty memorable game.

His seat in Sec 11A would be pretty good today too.  Inflation has eaten away at the price, though.  The closest seat his $3 ticket goes for today on StubHub is $244.

Go Bucks!

Ancestry Saturday: Why Germans Chose Ohio

I wasn't in Germany for a full day and the answer was clear. Germans chose to emigrate to places in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, because of the similarities.

During a recent business trip, I found, shockingly, how alike the Southern parts of Germany are to my home state. The geology and geography match. The mix of manufacturing-oriented suburban towns and urbanized business centers is alike. Even the dry senses of humor and disciplined culture are similar.

I got to do zero ancestry research (no one who knows me will believe that statement), but it was a productive trip. When I shared how at home I felt in their country, the business conversation got easier with our business contacts too.

I have reasons galore to go back.

Ancestry Saturday: Generational Overlap

This obituary would have been helpful if I had found it two years earlier than I did, but it's a great confirming piece nonetheless.

Charles Harper's family is recited for three generations in here.  My kids' fourth great grandfather on their mom's side had quite a 91-year life and this obit covers it well.  It's as extensive as any I've seen.

It's the stories that make it even more interesting.  Charles Harper's life not only tied into Ohio history but also our family history.

The obit says Harper "hewed the timber for the first Broad Street bridge in Columbus." 

It's not real clear when that was, but it is quite an interesting historical tidbit nonetheless.  It's made all the more interesting since my kid's grandfather worked in an office building in the early 1990's that overlooked that same bridge.  He could watch the bridge be rebuilt in the 1990's from his corner office.

The obit also said, "He hewed the timber and was a contractor for a large part of the material in the old state penitentiary."  That same penitentiary had a brutal fire in 1930, a major historical event in Ohio as 322 inmates perished. 

Sadly, Charles Harper's great grandson, Richard Harper, was incarcerated in the old penitentiary and would die in that same fire.  Richard would have been uncle to my mother-in-law, though he died before she was born.

Today, Nationwide Arena and the Arena District of Columbus sits where the old pen sat.

His fourth great grandkids have visited his grave.  Now, they have some landmarks to remember him by too.

Ancestry Saturday: Award in Hand

This is the First Families of Ohio award and the 1803 pin for pre-Statehood status. Both are from the Ohio Genealogical Society lineage society to remember my ancestors who were proven to have come to Ohio before 1820 and, in some cases, before 1803.

212 Years of Ohio Pride, Verified

The Ohio Genealogical Society gave recognition today for a member of my family being in Ohio before Ohio became a state.  Thanks to James and Sallie McConnell coming to Ohio before Ohio was a state, I earned First Families of Ohio status with the pre-statehood designation.

They got married in Kentucky and came across the Ohio River, probably, in 1798.  I could prove it in 1802.

I missed the actual ceremony today, but I can celebrate nonetheless.

Ancestry Saturday: That W Isn't For Worthington

Don't call my third great grandfather Thomas Worthington Sanders anymore. 

I've updated my tree to show Thomas W. Sanders, but the "Cunningham Family Bible" reference to Winfrey T. Sanders has me better than 90% convinced that the W was for Winfrey, not Worthington.

I've written before about Group Think in Genealogy and advanced the thought further with With a Preponderance of Evidence.  Now, I hope this third column helps to remove the name "Worthington" from Thomas W. Sanders forever from my fellow researchers' family trees.

Ohio's sixth Governor with Southern Ohio roots named Thomas Worthington.  He's the one whose view from his Adena home served as the inspiration for the Ohio seal.  He, even, had Highland County, Ohio relatives so the name Worthington is prominent in the Sanders' families home area.

That doesn't mean Thomas W. Sanders is Thomas Worthington though.

I have yet to find a single primary or secondary record to document the W is for Worthington.  The bible record has Winfrey.  One Census has W.T.  His obit reads Thomas W. Sanders.  My Eastern Ohio cousin who did his research before the Internet, admitted he didn't know from where the name Worthington came.

For me, this all adds up to removal of the name Worthington from association with him.

Oh, and by the way, I now have a photo. My great grandfather, reportedly, was part of verifying this was him. Here is Thomas W. Sanders (1840-1899):

I give permission to anyone to use this photo for personal purposes as long as you agree to stop using the name Worthington as his middle name.  Agreed?

Ohio Ancestors 2013 Year in Review

I'm reading newspaper updates on the stories of the past year.  Why not a blog version?

Here's some updates on the ohioancestors.blogspot.com columns from the past year.

My column of the year was the eight-part series titled Solved: The Their-Disselbrede Mystery.  The update is that my father-in-law has, for the first time, visited the cemetery where his grandparents William and Barbara Disselbrett are buried.  It was a less than 30 minute trip, but he never knew where to look.

Trading Finds was about Elaine in Wisconsin.  She sent me a photo of my kids' third great grandfather as a trade for my finding some records for her.  I traded back again when I sent her one that included her great grandfather a few months later in Are These The Same People?

I preached, mostly to myself, the need to document vital records for my five-generation family tree in March.  I celebrated finding the elusive Gretna Green marriage of Royal and Grace Smith Platt in August though.

The digital photo matching search for which regimental band trombonist was my great grandfather proved right on.  More From The Mogon Attic brought an end to the mystery and showed the value of digital photo face matching software.

That great Mogon Attic find was a true highlight for the year too.  I'm Facebook friends with my second cousin once removed, third cousin, and third cousin once removed in Pittsburgh now.  There's little chance of losing that connection now.

I puzzled about Group Think in Genealogy that had me wondering who were the  parents of Thomas Worthington Sanders.  Now, months later, I found my cousin in Eastern Ohio admitting that he doesn't know where the name Worthington as Thomas' middle name came from in the first place.  I've taken that name down and posted an update to the columns on it.  Since I've now also located an obit and a photo of Thomas W. Sanders, I'll have more to say about this in the future.

In September, I sweated out the acceptance of my "proof" of James McConnell being in Ohio pre-statehood.  Not long after, I got accepted into the First Families of Ohio lineage society with the coveted pre-statehood status to boot thanks to James McConnell.  Oh yeah, they generously added some ancestors I hadn't even sought too.

On Veterans' Day, I put my first list of Revolutionary War patriots together and marveled that my kids could boast, by my research, at least 21 patriots in their bloodline.  This month, I grew the list to 27.

2014 has more mysteries to solve.  Stay tuned.

Ancestry Saturday: Cemetery Hopping

Last weekend brought me to Southern Ohio and stops at six cemeteries, documenting my family tree.

Dawson (or as the stone engraver says, Dosson) Naylor was my fourth great grandfather. I would see my fourth great grandmother and sets of two more generations too before the end of the day. 

Here's the list:

4GG Julie Ann (Gutridge) Naylor

3GG Nancy (Woolums) Naylor

3GG William Naylor

2GG George Naylor with 2GG Nannie (Sanders) Naylor

3GG George Bernard with 3GG Harriet (McConnell) Bernard

2GG Charles Bernard with 2GG Lummie (Cox) Bernard

Ancestry: When a RoboSearch Just Won't Do

A long-time goal of my research got fulfilled yesterday. I now have the most definitive proof to date that my family first set foot in Ohio before Ohio was a state.

Ohio became a state in 1803 and some circumstantial evidence pointed to my fourth great grandfather coming to the territory in 1798 or 1799.

I was stuck though.

So, I made a trip. I had to do it in person. No online, digital search had produced the results.



With the Northwest Territory Census of 1802 in hand at the library in Georgetown, Ohio, I found James McConnell along with his brother, Thomas, and brother-in-law Amos Ellis among the 154 males in Pleasant Township, Clermont County, Ohio.

Done.

Ancestry Saturday: The Vindy State Desk

The Youngstown Vindicator Newsroom circa late 1940's

My Grandfather had a career with the Youngstown Vindicator spanning five decades from the 1930's through the  1970's.  He covered the infamous Sheet and Tube strike in June 1937 and wrote about getting shot at by Pinkerton guards in a story that hit the national news wire then.

His stories of The Vindy years where always great to hear.

I found this newsroom depiction handmarked "Youngstown Vindicator, the early days" in among Richard E. Platt's collection of memoirs.

He's depicted at a typewriter at the "State Desk" for the Vindy.  He was Assistant Editor at the State Desk early in his career.

Another ancestry find, kids.  Keep it.