Lysander and Lydia Robison Joslin

In about two weeks I'll be going to Springfield, Missouri to attend the fourth reunion of the Descendants of Lysander and Lydia Robison Joslin (DLLRJ). Held every two years, the first DLLRJ reunion was in August 2001 in Springfield, Missouri. The picture at right is my mother and her sister, Pat, standing in front of "the wall" of descendants. Lysander and Lydia are my 3rd great-grandparents.

In July 2003 the reunion was in Monroe, Louisiana and in August 2005 it was in Whitley County, Indiana. The gathering is a little late this year because there was so much going on with the various families. That and the fact that families are scattered all across the United States (New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Indiana, Wyoming, Missouri, New Mexico and elsewhere) added to the complexity.

Lysander Price Joslin was born May 1, 1825 in Delaware County, Ohio and was the son of James and Abigail Goodrich Joslin. Lydia Robison, the daughter of Henry and Anna McMorron (or McMorrow or McMorran - another of my "roadblocks" to be discussed in a future post) was born October 10, 1825 in Champaign County, Ohio. Lysander and Lydia met up in Whitley County, Indiana where they were married on August 23, 1843 when Lysander was 18 years old and Lydia was 17. Between November 1844 and June 1868, Lydia would give birth to 15 children, 5 of whom would not live beyond their third year. (Photo at right: Lysander and Lydia Joslin, received from Harry Joslin, Jr.)

If you were to go by census records alone, you would think that Lysander and Lydia lived in Whitley County, Indiana continuously from 1850 through 1870, but you would be wrong. Records show that in October 1866 Lysander and Lydia sold their land in Whitley County and headed west with all of their living children. The oldest daughter, Anna Eliza, had married William Klingaman the previous October and records of them were found in Jefferson County, Iowa. The last two children of Lysander and Lydia were born in Iowa in June 1868; they were the twins Elmer and Elmus. Elmer died within a month of his birth and is presumably buried in Iowa.

In March of 1867, Lysander filed a law suit against the man who had purchased the land in Whitley county. Seems the fellow had not made the mortgage payments as promised. A Whitley County deed record of May 25, 1868 shows that the land was sold at auction and purchased by Lysander Joslin. It is not known when Lysander and Lydia returned to Whitley County though it would have been after the birth of the twins and prior to the 1870 Federal Census. All of their children, except for Anna Eliza, returned to Whitley County with them.

On January 8th 1877 Lysander and Lydia once again sold their property in Whitley County. They kept possession until March 1st so it is presumed that the family didn't leave until the spring of 1877. This time they went to Barton County, Kansas. They are found in the 1880 Federal Census in Cheyenne Township. In the 1885 Kansas State Census they are in Odin Township, Barton County.

Of the 10 adult children of Lysander and Lydia, all except Malissa left Whitley County. Some of the children remained in Kansas near their parents, but others moved on to Okalahoma, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Washington, South Carolina, and Missouri. One possibly went to California.

Found online in February 2001 were these two items from "Barton County, Kansas Newspaper Gleanings: Short stories from Barton County newspapers gleaned for your edification and entertainment."

• Hoisington Dispatch -- Thursday, June 12, 1890: Mr. H. P. JOSLIN, of near Odin, was a caller Saturday and ordered the Hoisington paper sent to his address.
• Hoisington Dispatch -- Thursday, July 10, 1890: L. P. JOSLIN was in from Odin Friday and reported a very heavy hail storm in his vicinity the night before. Much damage was done to wheat, corn and fruit. Mrs. JOSLIN lost about fifty little chickens and twenty-five turkeys by the storm.

By 1895, Lysander and Lydia had moved to Melvern Township, Osage County, Kansas. The Kansas State Census for that year shows the following summary of statistics relating to their farm:

• Production of Agriculture: 40 acres, 38 under cultivation. 130 rods of hedge fence and 100 rods of wire fence. Cash Value of farm is $1,000. There are 30 farming implements. Will plant 30 acres of corn in the spring of 1895.
• Has 100 Bushels of corn on hand 3/1/1895. Cut 3 tons of tame hay in 1894 and 40 tons of prairie cut. Sold $100 worth of poultry and eggs. Made 800 pounds of butter. Has 3 horses, 8 milch cows, 18 other head of cattle, and 80 swine. Sold $500 worth of animals for slaughter.
• Has 100 apple trees, 30 peach trees and 12 cherry trees. Made 5 gallons of wine in year ending 3/1/1895, has 2 bee stands and 1 dog.

On January 26, 1899, the day after Lydia passed away her obituary was published in the "Current Remark". This newspaper was published in Lyndon, Osage County by James Downey "J.D." Quillen, son-in-law of Lysander and Lydia.

"Lydia R., wife of L.P. Joslin of our neighborhood, died yesterday morning, January 25th, after about a week's illness of pneumonia. The funeral occurred at 11 o'clock to-day at the Baptist church in Lyndon, and the body will be laid to rest in the Lyndon cemetery. Mrs. Joslin was born in Urbana, Ohio, October 10, 1825, and was married to L.P. Joslin in August, 1843. She united with the Methodist church at the age of sixteen and was elected a life member of the North Indiana Conference, but in after years she united with the Baptist people, and at the time of her death was a member of the Lyndon Baptist Church."

After the death of his wife, Lysander sold his farm and moved to Keighly, Butler County, Kansas to live with his daughter, Minerva Knight. Lysander died less than four months after Lydia. His obituary was published in the Columbia City Weekly Commercial, Whitley County, Indiana on May 31st.

"The death of L.P. Joslin occurred last Sunday, May 14th, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. William Knight, at Keighly, Butler county, Kansas of heart disease. Accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Knight, the remains reached here Tuesday afternoon, and after a short service at the grave, were laid to rest beside his wife, whose death occurred the 25th of last January at their home south of this city.

Lysander P. Joslin was born near Columbus, Ohio May 1, 1825. The family moved to Whitley County, Indiana where he grew up, and in August 1843 was married to Lydia Robinson. From this union fifteen children were born, six of whom are now dead.

The family came to Kansas in 1877, and to this county eight years ago, buying the place since occupied as the Joslin home. After the death of Mrs. Joslin, he went to Butler county to make his home with his daughter.

Mr. Joslin was one of those good old fashioned, honest, industrious men whose purpose and aim in life was to do the best he could. But when his life companion, whose love, council and companionship he had enjoyed for over fifty-five years, passed on to that other home, he lost much of his interest in this life and was ready to go where she had gone. In this, his heart's desire is met, and who can say that it is not well? It is. And, while sad hearts mourn them here, there is greater joy on the other side, where two souls re-unite for the life which is all joy, and eternal.

The brothers and sisters of the Joslin family desire to extend their sincere thanks to all those who so kindly assisted them and gave them comfort and sympathy in the trial and bereavement at the death of both mother and father. - Lyndon, Kansas Current Remark May 18, 1899.

Mr. Joslin, the father of Mrs. William Brubaker, of Troy township, is well and favorably remembered by many of our older citizens."

It has taken considerable time and effort on the part of four family researchers, but we have located living descendants of most of the adult children of Lysander and Lydia and made contact with most of them. Some are not interested in the family history and won't be attending the reunion the Friday after Thanksgiving, but I'm sure that we'll have a good time and enjoy the companionship of extended family during the holiday. I'm looking forward to seeing those distant cousins again.

Weather permitting, I'm hoping to take a few days the following week and come home the "long way" through eastern Kansas and parts of Iowa to do research on siblings of some of my other ancestors. I'm in the process of trying to figure out which facilities to go to and determining what information I would like to find.

This is getting to be a rather long post, so see the post "Children of Lysander and Lydia Joslin" for information on their children.