Nothing Special - A bit of a Mystery

The topic for the October 1st Carnival of Genealogy is Weddings! I've participated in each of the carnivals since I started blogging in January of this year but thought this might be one in which I wouldn't be able to contribute. As far as I know, there are no special wedding traditions in my family. I wasn't around when my siblings were married so I never attended any of their ceremonies. I have attended the weddings of several of my cousins, all very traditional, nothing unusual.

One of my first posts here at kinexxions was Brubaker-Phend Marriage which was a transcription of a newspaper article about the marriage of my grandparents Vic Phend and Hazlette Brubaker. A small affair, there were no attendants.

Perhaps there is a family tradition of little or no ceremony. The Whitley County Commercial of Wednesday, April 26, 1871 published this announcement (note the spelling of the surnames, should be Brubaker and Joslin):

Married. Bruebaker - Jostlen --- At the residence of the officiating clergyman, Rev. A. J. Douglas, on Thursday, the 20th inst, Mr. William Bruebaker and Miss Malissa M. Jostlen, all of this county. We congratulate our friend Bruebaker in taking unto himself a wife, and wish him and his fair bride all the happiness that it is possible for mortals to enjoy while sojourning upon this mundane sphere.

To date I have not found a marriage record for my 4th Great Grandparents, James Joslin and Abigail Goodrich. At the time James and his parents, Jonas and Ruth Dyer Joslin, would have been living in Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio while Abigail and her parents, Bela and Sally Church Goodrich, were living in neighboring Orange Township.

Lysander Price Joslin, the first child of James and Abigail Joslin, was born May 1, 1825 so it is presumed that they were married prior to his birth. But perhaps not. Based on the following information, published in "Abstracts from Miscellaneous Delaware County Ohio Newspapers 1821-1857" (Extracted by Mary V. Reed. Indexed by Sharlene Shoaf. Delaware, Ohio 1992. page 79), they were married prior to June 30, 1826 but apparently, all was not well:

Delaware Patron. Thursday July 13, 1826.
Whereas my wife Abigail has left my bed and board - I am determined to pay no debts of hers.
James Joslin. Liberty, June 30th, 1826.

Abigail would have been pregnant with her second child at that time, Fanny Philanda Joslin was born in October 1826. Apparently James and Abigail reconciled as they went on to have four more children together. In 1838, James and Abigail and their children moved from Delaware County, Ohio to Whitley County, Indiana. James seems to have disappeared by 1860 - he is no longer living in Whitley County with Abigail, and I've not found him in various census searches in other states. What happened to James? We will probably never know but that doesn't stop us from speculating or searching for more information.

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1916

1916 - Eighth Reunion

[page 1]
The Phend reunion was held June 24, 1916 at the home of Will Phend. there were 61 present to enjoy the bountiful dinner and the good times following. Victor Phend spent his last day with his relatives before departing for the Mexican border.

The total expense of reunion for the year 1916, was $10 all made up in collection. No balance.
Officers for the ensuing year are as follows
Pres. Will Phend
Sec'y Mrs. Mary Phend
Treas. Jacob Phend

Following election of officers was prayer by Jacob Phend
A short talk by Chirst Phend
Oldest present Jacob Phend age 89 June 27 1916
Youngest Mary Alice Phend age 14 mo.
Blanche Evelyn Heckman age 15 mo.

[page 2]
Marriages -
Cecil Phend
Ivy Phend
Waldo Phend
Ivy Senff

Births
Delta Conrad
Cecil Phend. daughter 4th of April

[those who attended]
Mr & Mrs John Phend
Mr & Mrs Henry Phend
Gladys Phend
Bernice Phend
Donal Phend
Vergil Phend
Paul Phend
Gerald Phend
Mr & Mrs Christ Phend, Mary
Mr & Mrs W A Phend
Mr & Mrs F. A. Wehrly } LaMarr & Evelyn
Mr & Mrs Herly Phend
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Phend and Mary Alice.
Mr & Mrs Ivo Phend
Mr. & Mrs Harvey D. Senff
Lucile Senff, Arlena Senff.
Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Albert

[page 3]
Mr. & Mrs. Archie W. Senff
Wilbur R. Senff
Lulu Conrad
Lucile Conrad
Harley Conrad
Mabel Heckaman
Jacob J Phend
Jacob Phend Sr
John W. Miller
Mrs J. W. Miller
Violet Miller
Mr & Mrs Jacob E. Senff
Ruth Senff
Lawrence Senff
Hilda Senff

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1915

June 26, 1915

The Phend and Fisher family reunion met at the Weiss grove. A splendid dinner was enjoyed by all.

Officers for the ensuing year as follows.
William Phend. Pres.
Jacob Phend Tres.
Ivy Wehrly Sec'y

Births since June 27, 1914 as follows.
Emerson Rhodes Aug. 19
Warren Edwin Pletcher Jan. 30
Mary Alice Phend May 3
Ward Miller May 11
Blanche Evelyn May 4
Mary Elizebeth Manuel

Married
Moses Phend.
- - - - - - - - -
Fred Earnest
- - - - - - - - -
Archie Seniff
Bertha Kline

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Jacob and Louisa (Fisher) Phend - part 2

For the beginning of this story, please see the first post on Jacob and Louisa (Fisher) Phend.

In January of 1890 Jacob and Louisa Phend sold their large farm at Hepton to their oldest son, John, and moved into the town of Nappanee, just a few miles north. At about that time there were "two dry-goods and grocery stores, two drug stores, one restaurant and lunch room, one first-class restaurant and grocery, one clothing store, one cigar and stationery store, one hotel, one jewelry store, one furniture store, one furniture manufactory, two saloons, two agricultural warerooms, one harness shop, two hardware stores, two boot and shoe shops, one butcher shop, one livery stable, two saw-mills, one planing mill and starch-box factory, one mill doing general wood work, such as making lath, shingles, etc., one pump factory, two millinery shops, two barber shops, one church, four doctors, two blacksmith, wagon and carriage shops, two insurance agents, two collection agents, two grain merchants, one elevator, one Odd Fellows' Lodge, one cornet band, one union school-building, and last but not least, one weekly newspaper, the Nappanee News."

Louisa Fisher Phend, daughter of Michael and Christenia (Houck) Fisher was born June 27, 1829 in Germany. She passed away on April 4, 1898 at her home in Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana.

After the death of his wife Louisa, Jacob lived either with his daughter, Sophia Ernest, or his son, Christian Phend, until his own death on October 7th 1917. The Nappanee Advance of October 9th had this to say about the life of Jacob Phend: "Mr. Phend was converted in 1853 in a camp meeting held near Hepton. He afterwards owned the farm on which this meeting was held. Since that happy year he has been a devoted Christian. He was one of the founders of the Evangelical church, near Hepton, and also the one at Nappanee. A number of times he was called to the death bed of men who had laughed at his religion. An interesting feature of his long life was that he has read the first German religious paper to be published in America, The Bodshafter, for sixty years. He has been devoted to the church and Sunday school since his conversion though the past few years he was unable to attend, except at rare intervals."

Probably taken about 1890: back row, left to right: John Ernest, Sophia (Phend) Ernest, Samuel Phend, his wife Mary (Laudeman) Phend, Jacob J Phend, his wife Louisa (Grimm) Phend.front row, left to right: John Phend, his wife Mary (Rarrick) Phend, Jacob Phend, his wife Louisa (Fisher) Phend, Christian Phend, his wife Mary (McConnell) Phend. Seated in front of his parents is Henry Phend.

It sure had to be confusing when they all got together. Two men named John, two women named Louisa, three named Mary and two men named Jacob! I wonder if they used nicknames?

This was probably taken before Sam moved to Colorado, which was in October 1907: back row, Jacob J Phend, Samuel Phend, Sophia (Phend) Ernest, and Henry Phend. front row: Christian Phend, Jacob Phend, and John Phend

Jacob and Louisa Fisher Phend had seven children:

John Phend was born July 29, 1848 in Holmes County, Ohio and died December 10, 1931 in Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana. John married Mary Elizabeth Rarrick (1849-1905) on January 18, 1868 and they had five children. After the death of Mary, John married second Margaret E. Reed and after her death he married Eliza Ann Shorb. There were no children from the last two marriages.

Christian Phend was born May 12, 1851 in Greene County, Indiana and died September 3, 1929. He married Mary Emily McConnell on October 24, 1875 in Marshall County, Indiana. They had twelve children.

Samuel Phend was born July 6, 1854 in Marshall County, Indiana and died June 18, 1918 in Elbert County, Colorado. Sam married Mary Ann Laudeman (1853-1922) on December 20, 1877 in Marshall County, Indiana. Samuel and all of his children moved to the Pleasant Plains community in Elbert County, Colorado in 1907. The nearest town, Limon, was 17 miles from their homestead.

William Phend was born August 6, 1856 in Marshall County, Indiana and died on April 5, 1875, aged 18 years, 7 months and 30 days. His cause of death is not known, no obituary or death notice has been found. William is buried in Hepton Union Cemetery, near his parents and other relatives.

Jacob J Phend was born August 22, 1859 in Marshall County, Indiana and died October 10, 1929 in Elkhart County. On October 30, 1884 he married Louisa Grimm (1858-1917). They had eight children. After the death of Louisa, Jacob married Elizabeth Gast Corpe and they had two children.

Sophia Phend was born November 9, 1862 in Marshall County, Indiana and died May 26, 1947 in Elkhart County. She married John William Ernest (1854-1935) on September 12, 1886 and they had two children.

Henry A. Phend was born November 7, 1865 in Kosciusko County, Indiana and died July 10, 1858 in Columbia City, Whitley County, Indiana. On September 4, 1892 Henry married Susie Lula Yarian (1872-1956) and they had ten children. Henry and Susie are my great grandparents. Their oldest son, Rolland Victor "Vic" Phend is my grandfather.

Jacob and Louisa (Fisher) Phend

Jacob Phend was born June 27, 1829 in Aarmuhle, prefecture of Interlaken, Canton Bern, Switzerland. Not quite three years later, on June 11th 1832 Jacob left the city of LeHavre, France on his way to a new country. He was onboard a ship with his parents, Johannes and Susanna Kübla B'hend, his two half-sisters, Barbara and Margaret, and his half-brother, John, "bound for Baltimore, with the intention of settling in Ohio" according to his father's passport. Family tradition has it that as the ship was nearing the American shore they encountered a severe storm that drove them off their course and the ship was driven onto rocks. It is not known where they came ashore, or where they went immediately afterwards, only that by October of 1832 his father had purchased land in Stark County, Ohio. The family settled in that area of Stark County that by the end of 1832 became part of newly-formed Carroll County.

It was there that Jacob grew up, presumably performing the same tasks as any other youngster raised on a farm during that time period. In December, 1840, the Michael Fisher family moved into the neighborhood. Their oldest child was 11 year old Louisa. Seven years later, on August 27, 1847 according to family records, Jacob Phend and Louisa Fisher became husband and wife. It is thought that Jacob and Louisa may have moved to Holmes county, Ohio where his half-sister Margaret Phend Weiss lived with her family. According to family records, it was in Holmes county that John, the first child of Jacob and Louisa, was born on July 29th 1848.



The following year, Jacob moved his young family to Taylor township in Greene County, Indiana. His half-sister, Barbara, had moved there about 1840 with her husband, Christian Feutz. On May 12th 1851, the second child was born to Jacob and Louisa and he was named Christian.

In March of 1852, Jacob sold his land in Greene County and headed north to Marshall County near the Kosciusko County line, not far from where "his wife's people" lived. Louisa's father had died in 1845 and at about the same time that she and Jacob went to southern Indiana, her mother had moved with the other children to northern Indiana. It is not known why she went north and they went south; perhaps she had relatives living there. At any rate, in the spring of 1852, Jacob and Louisa moved their family to northern Indiana and settled in German township, Marshall county.

The Phend-Fisher Family History written by Clarence Phend (oldest son of Christian) in 1928 provides the following account of the family's journey to northern Indiana: "In the year of 1852, Jacob Phend took his family and a few meager possessions which included one horse, a yoke of oxen, a wagon, and a dog onto a canal boat and journeyed to Lafayette, Indiana. While they were loading the oxen and the horse onto the canal boat, the horse became frightened and jumped overboard into the canal. Immediately the dog jumped off the boat, seized the rope to the horse's halter with his teeth and swam to shore with the horse in tow. A passenger on the canal boat, upon seeing this unusual fete performed by the dog, offered to pay twenty dollars for the animal, but the offer was refused. Upon arriving in Lafayette the dog was missing. A thorough search failed to reveal the whereabouts of the animal. From Lafayette they journeyed to their claim in Marshall county by ox cart. There was no house on this land so it was necessary for them to stay with some German people who lived nearby. They immediately set about to build a log house in which to live, and it was here that their children Samuel, William, Jacob and Sophia were born."

The family moved once again, in 1865, but only about one mile east to Scott township in Kosciusko county. They lived near the small town of Hepton, about two miles south of where the town of Nappanee would be built in 1875. That part of the county, as it would have been at the time the Phend's lived there, was described in A Standard History of Kosciusko County, Indiana (1919): "Scott Township was the last of the three northwestern townships to be settled, and it compares favorably, as to soil and drainage, with other portions of the county. The first post office was established in the southern portion of the township during the year 1853. Scott Township settled very slowly, although a small hamlet commenced to form in the neighborhood of the Hepler and Yockey farms. The original name of the village was Hepton. A general store, a mill, a creamery, a good school and other evidences of an intelligent and settled community gradually appeared in that neighborhood."

The farm at Hepton became known as the "Phend Homestead" and it was there, in November 1865, that Henry Phend, the last child of Jacob and Louisa, was born. The "Biographical and Historical Record of Kosciusko County" (1887) states: "Jacob and Louisa Phend purchased 120 acres of partially improved land, and now have about 100 acres in a good state of cultivation. Mr. Phend has built a fine residence and good, substantial farm buildings, and is considered one of the representative farmers of Scott township. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical church."

It wasn't until 1875 that Jacob and Louisa sold their farm in Marshall county to their two oldest children, John and Christian. In the deed there was an added provision whereby a plot of land, to be used for church purposes, was given to the trustees of the Ebenezer Church, Evangelical Association of North America. A small white church stands there today, though I don't know when it was built. Later, Jacob was instrumental in establishing three other churches; one at Hepton, one in Nappanee, and the other at the community of Pleasant Plains near Limon, Colorado.

To be continued. . . see part 2 (link added September 26, 2007)

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1914

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

June 25, 1914
the sixth reunion.

The Fisher reunion was held at McNaughton park in Elkhart. in which their were about 40 present. dinner was served on tables under the trees, near the river. their being no program.

Officers were elected as follows
C. D. Phend. Nappanee Pres[ident]
J. J. Phend Bremen Vice [President]
Mr and Mrs Frank Wehrly Nap[panee] Secrethry

No Births.

Katherine Phend and Rueben Pletcher
Surelda Phend and Barton Thornton
Evelyn Fuller and Walter Shaw.
married.

Samuel Fisher died.
Mrs John Ringenberger died

Indiana National Guard Unit 1907

This photo was probably taken about 1907. Hale Brubaker, in the middle of the back row (the fellow without a hat) was a member of Company G, 3rd Regiment, Indiana National Guard. He was a First Lieutenant at the time he left the unit in 1908 to attend law school at Columbia University in New York City. Click on the picture to enlarge it to see the details. It is obviously a posed photo made to look like a candid shot.

Simpsonized and Cubed

You can blame this on Janice. . .







This is a postcard I sent to my sister from Wisconsin Dells Fifty Years Ago

Funny Genealogy at Cow Hampshire

Rubik's Cube Generator

You too can be Simpsonized at http://simpsonizeme.com/

Carnival Time!

I've been away all day, but just in case anyone missed it, Susan Kitchens has posted the Carnival of Genealogy: Family Wartime Stories with contributions covering the Revolutionary War through the Korean Conflict. A veritable potpourri of human interest stories on how War has impacted families. Susan did a great job in putting the carnival together and adding some extra features and commentary.

Craig Manson was busy writing about copyright and other issues with the IBC and missed out on contributing to the COG, but you can read his story of A Missed Bus instead.

And, just a reminder, PBS will be broadcasting the seven-part series "The War" produced by Ken Burns starting this coming Sunday, September 23rd.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be:

Weddings! Is there a cultural or religious wedding tradition in your family? Do you have a funny family wedding story you’d care to share? Did your grandparents elope? Cousin marry cousin? Is there an especially touching wedding photo in your collection? Do you think your ancestor holds the record for the most times married? Write about a wedding(s) in your family and submit it for the next edition of the COG. The deadline for submissions is October 1st. You can submit your blog article for the next edition using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

NY Times Online to be Free!

NewMexiKen has posted Something worth cheering about . . . "The New York Times will stop charging for access to parts of its Web site, effective at midnight Tuesday night, reflecting a growing view in the industry that subscription fees cannot outweigh the potential ad revenue from increased traffic on a free site."

Not only will the entire site be open to all readers, but this article states that The Times will also make available its archives from 1987 to the present without charge, as well as those from 1851 to 1922, which are in the public domain.

A letter to readers states: "Since we launched TimesSelect in 2005, the online landscape has altered significantly. Readers increasingly find news through search, as well as through social networks, blogs and other online sources. In light of this shift, we believe offering unfettered access to New York Times reporting and analysis best serves the interest of our readers, our brand and the long-term vitality of our journalism. We encourage everyone to read our news and opinion – as well as share it, link to it and comment on it."

I'm guessing that they will require registration, but hey, it's the New York Times, and their archives!

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1913

The Fisher - Phend reunion was held at McNaughton Park at Elkhart Ind. July 24 1913. About 70 being present. A fine picnic dinner was held at noon, After dinner the following programe was rendered.
Opening song.
Bless be the tie That Binds, with Gladys Shaw at the piano.
Prayer by L. S. Fisher pastor of the First Evangelical church at Elk.
Welcome by J. J. Phend
Solo - Walter Shaw.
Piano Duette Gladys & Edith Shaw
Reading Irene Walters.
Duett Fred Earnest & Mrs Fomy [?].
Solo by Little Miss Marie Lusher.
Election of officers. Officers Elected.
Mrs. John Earnest Pres.
Bertha Shaw Sec.Mr. J. J. Phend Tres.

Meeting adj. to meet the last Sat in June 1914 at Rodgers Park Goshen Ind.
Jacob Phend age 87 yrs old was the oldest present
Little Geraldine Lusher 5 mo. the youngest.




[Page 2]
People who attended the reunion at McNaughton Park July 24 - 1913.
Henry Phend Columbia City
Gladys Phend
Berniece Phend
Paul Phend
Garreld Phend
Susie Phend
C C Shaw 870 Tipton St
Vernon Shaw
Surelda Phend Elkhart
Gladys Shaw Elkhart
Leroy A Conrad New Paris
Lulu Conrad
Harley Conrad
Delta Conrad
Lucile Conrad
Ralph Ernest Goshen
Fred I. Ernest Goshen
L. A. Fisher
Samuel Fisher 621 Conne St Lawrence Kan
Jacob Phend Etna Gren Ind
Jacob E. Senff Bremen Ind
Della I Senff
Hilda Seff
F. A. Wehrly Nappanee Ind
Ivy Wehrly
La Mar Wehrly
Evelyn Wehrly
Fred G Phend
Harry Shaw
Sophia Shaw
James Shaw. Elkhart

[Page 3]
Edith Shaw
Grace Walter Hamilton St. Louis
H. J. Ringgenberg Garrett Ind
Kate Mitchel Goshen
Mrs. D. G. Walter
Chester Walter
Esther Walter
Mildred Walter
David Walter
Irene Walter
Mrs. Hazel Burer 317 Myrtle St.
Mrs Walter Slear Jackson, Mich.
Master Elliott Slear
Mrs Nora Lusher
Howard [?] Lusher
Vera Lusher
Marie Lusher
Helen Lusher
Geraldine Lusher
Walter R. Shaw - Elkhart
Mrs. Fred Calkins Crawford St. Elkhart
Mr. Fred Calkins
Mr & Mrs Alfred Kane Bristol Ind
Mrs. C. Gerard 322 S St Joseph St South Bend
Mrs Thomas McGowan New Carlisle, Mi
Mrs. S. L. Little 610 Gardner Court Elkhart Ind
Mrs. C. J. McGowan 610 Gardner Court Elkhart

[Page 4]
Mrs V. R. McGowan Garrett, Ind
Mrs Dora C Walters Elkhart
Mrs Bertha Shaw Elkhart
Jacob Phend Elkhart
Louisa Phend Elkhart
Mrs J W Slear Elkhart
Mrs C. Willson Elkhart
Moses Phend
Katharine Phend
Mr. E. G. Walters
= + = + = + = + = + =
As my research continues on the Phend-Fisher families I am able to "link" more of these people to their families. The entry for "Samuel Fisher 621 Conne St, Lawrence, Kansas" pretty much confirms that the Samuel Fisher I've found in Douglas County, Kansas is the right man. In 1910, he was living on Connecticut St. in Lawrence with his daughters Rachel and Ruth, assuming that "Conne" was used as an abbreviation for Connecticut.

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book, now in my possession. Sadly, the fragile pages have turned brown, separated from the binding, and are, in effect, disintegrating. Some years more information was recorded than in others, but, for me, these pages provide a glimpse into the past. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1911 & 1912

The 3rd reunion of the Phend - Fisher families met at Frank Wehrleys on June 24 - 1911

The A. M. was spent in a social way.
At noon a basket dinner was served under a tent, on the lawn.
There were about 45 present.
In the afternoon songs were sung and a prayer rendered by Rev. Spangler of the Evengelical church at Elkhart.
A talk by Wm Phend.
Other songs.
Remarks by Rev. Spangler then a storm prevented further pleasures.
It was decided to meet at Jacob Phends near Elkhart on June 29 - 1912.
Adjournment.

Mrs. F. A. Wehrly, Secretary.

= + = + = + = + = + =
There is no record of a family gathering in 1912.

= + = + = + = + = + =

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book, now in my possession. Sadly, the fragile pages have turned brown, separated from the binding, and are, in effect, disintegrating. Some years more information was recorded than in others, but, for me, these pages provide a glimpse into the past. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Dad and the 511th

On February 19th 1943, just 3 weeks after his 19th birthday, Jack William Wiseman was inducted into the U. S. Army. A week later he entered active service at Toledo, Ohio.

At about that same time the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment was activated at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. A processing system was set up for screening the volunteers for Parachute duty from all over the country. Every man was interviewed and had to meet the Regiment’s high standards prior to his acceptance. Only 35% of the volunteers met those requirements. Since most of the men had come to the Regiment straight from induction, their entire training, from Basic on up, was of Airborne design. The Regiment was sent to Camp Mackall, North Carolina for 17 weeks of Basic training. Following that training, the 511th journeyed to Fort Benning, Georgia for three weeks jump training. Following Parachute School the Regiment returned to Camp Mackall for Advanced Training.

Apparently, within the upper echelons of the War Department, there was some concern about the effectiveness of and need for large Airborne units. A special test maneuver was ordered for the 11th Airborne Division and it took place for five days during the first week of December 1943. This included a nighttime parachute, glider, infantry, and artillery demonstration. The objective of the division was to capture the Knollwood Airport in North Carolina; thereafter, this exercise became known as the Knollwood Maneuvers. The success of these Maneuvers was very instrumental in the continued use of Airborne troops during the remainder of World War II.

Early in January of 1944, the Division went to Camp Polk, Louisiana, and engaged in additional maneuvers. In April, they traveled by train to Camp Stoneman, California. On May 8, 1944, the 511th departed on the SS Sea Pike with about 2,000 troopers that had been disguised as a "Straight Leg" infantry unit. The ship had been built by the Western Pipe and Steel Corp. and launched in February 1943. It was 492 feet long, with a beam of 70 feet. She drew 29 feet of water and her steam engines pushed her at 17 knots. On May 28, 1944 the Regiment arrived at Oro Bay, New Guinea.

Through October, the 511th was in strategic reserve in New Guinea. During this time they conducted airborne, jungle and amphibious training. On Nov. 7, 1944 the Regiment departed New Guinea on the USS Cavalier for the Philippines. His separation papers show that Dad was involved in campaigns in New Guinea, the South Philippines Liberation, and Luzon. The History of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (link at bottom) provides details of the battles in which the 511th Regiment participated. Not all companies participated in all of those battles. His record shows that Dad was wounded in action on February 8, 1945 at Luzon. It was not a serious wound however.

In May 1945, the division moved into a rest and training camp near Lipa, Luzon where preparations began in earnest for the invasion of Japan. However, on August 6, 1945, the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, followed by the detonation of the "Fat Man" nuclear bomb over Nagasaki on August 9th.

Two days later, the Regiment departed Luzon and was flown to Okinawa. On August 30th the 511th arrived at Atsugi Air Base near Yokohama to occupy the city and guard the docks from which the peace delegation left for the signing of the Armistice. On September 2, 1945 the Japanese formally surrendered during ceremonies onboard the battleship USS Missouri which was docked in Tokyo Bay on the island of Honshu. Two weeks later, the 511th moved to Morioka, Japan to begin the occupation of Iwate and Aomori Prefectures in Northern Honshu. Although some of the troops of the 511th remained in Japan, Dad returned to the states in December 1945 and was separated from service on January 26, 1946 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana having served 2 years 11 months and 3 days, a little more than half of that time had been foreign service.

My Dad never talked about his military service to us kids, even after we were adults. There was only one time, when I was still in high school, that he brought out his box of memorabilia. There wasn't much. A few medals, a couple of pictures, some currency that we called funny money (15 bills of varying denominations), and a small flag. It was a Japanese flag that he had picked up after a battle; it had some dark stains on it that he said was the blood of the "Jap" that he had taken it off of. After he had shown that to us he immediately put everything away again. I don't know what happened to the little flag, but I now have his medals, pictures (unidentified, of course) and papers. I do remember, when we were little, for several summers we went to the Goshen Air Show. We'd meet up with some of his "buddies" and their families. Dad also had two rifles from the war. Mom said that after a particularly rough time, he threatened to commit suicide and she made him get rid of the guns. It was at about that time that we quit going to the air shows.

In May 1977, I was transferred to the Naval Air Station at Yokusuka, Japan. I knew Dad had been in Japan and asked him about it but he still wouldn't talk about his time in the service. It wasn't until after he passed away that I found out the details, from his separation papers and some magazine articles. In 1993, he had joined the 511th Parachute Infantry Association and amongst his papers were eight issues of "Winds Aloft" which is their quarterly publication. It has some very interesting and informative articles, some written by men that were in his company. After having read some of those articles, I think I now know why he didn't want to speak of his experiences.


These pictures have seen better days. My Dad is the young man on the left in the first picture. None of his pictures are captioned so I don't know where or when they were taken.

Currency issued by the Japanese Government while they occupied the Philipines during the war. The Filipinos called it "Mickey Mouse" money due to the fact that it was similar to play money and next to worthless.


The 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment was part of the 11th Airborne Division. Decorations and Citations that Dad received included: American Theater, Asiatic-Pacific with 3 Bronze Stars, Philippine Liberation with 1 Bronze Star, Good Conduct, Purple Heart, Meritorious Unit Award, Bronze Arrowhead, and Victory Medal.



The History of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment by Leo F. Kocher
The Knollwood Manuevers
The battle for Luzon
The Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Wikipedia
Formal Surrender of Japan onboard the battleship USS Missouri
WWII Pictures of Manila on the Island of Luzon
Philippine Pesos issued by the Japanese Government

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1909 and 1910

In Oct. 1909, the families met at the home of Christian Phend in Nappanee, Ind. to re-organize.
Meeting was called to order by Wm. Phend.
A song was rendered.
Prayer by Rev. Walmer.
Talk by Wm. Phend
Talk by Grandpa Phend
Remarks by Rev. Walmer.
The following officers were elected
Pres. - Wm. Phend
Sec'y - Ivy Wehrley
Treasurer - Christian Phend
Song "God Be With You Till we Meet Again" concluded the program.
A good dinner was served to about 40 guests.
Adjourned to meet again at John Ernests, near Dunlap on June 25, 1910.The P.M. was spent in seeing the sights about Nap[panee]

The Sec[ond] reunion of the Phend - Fisher families assembled at John Ernests, near Dunlap, June 25 - 1910.
The A. M. was spent in getting acquainted and exchanging greetings.
At noon a good dinner was served, under the large trees on the lawn. Each one bringing a filled lunch basket. About 70 partook of the bounteous feast.
At 3 o'clock the following program was rendered.
Song by all
Prayer by Geo. Walters.
Solo by Mrs. Belle Miller.
Recitation by Freddie Phend.
closing Song by All.
Adjournment.
Later it was decided to meet at the home of Frank Wehrleys in Nappanee, Ind on June - 1911.

The following were from a distance - Sam'l Fisher - Kan.
Mr & Mrs Delvin Phend - Iowa
Mrs. Belle Miller - Iowa
Mr and Mrs. Jno. Ringenberger - Garret
Mr and Mrs Jacob Phend and family - Mich
Mr and Mrs Henery Phend and family - Columbia [City]
Mr and Mrs. Geo. Walters

To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

The Search for Rachel Fisher

The only information provided by the Phend-Fisher Family History for Rachel, daughter of Michael and Christenia Houck Fisher, was that she married John Harvey.

Twelve year old Rachel Fisher was enumerated with her mother and several other siblings in the 1850 census in Scott Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana. A Soundex search of the 1860 census for 22 year old Rachel Fisher in Indiana provided 11 results, but no matches. There was a Rachel Fischer born in 1839 in Indianapolis but she was born in Germany and married to George Fischer. There was also a Rachel A. Fisher listed in Delaware, Hamilton County but she was born in Indiana and is listed in the household of John and Mary Fisher.

Five results were returned in an "exact" search for Rachel Harvey in Indiana. Three of the listings were for children under the age of ten. There was a 20 year old born about 1840 in Indiana. She was listed in Boon, Cass County in the household of Morris and Elizabeth Harvey. The 21 year old, born about 1839 in Ohio listed in Rochester, Fulton County looked promising. I'm not absolutely positive that this is the "right" Rachel, but it sure makes sense that she would be in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana since that is also where her younger sister, Leah, was living in 1860.

1860 Fulton County, Indiana - Rochester page 671
John Harvey, 29, male, cooper, personal estate valued at $100, born Scotland
Rachel, 21, female, born Ohio
William G., 1, male, born Indiana
Jesse Cook, 21, male, cooper, born Pennsylvania

Rachel and John Harvey were not found in Fulton County or Indiana in 1870 so the search was expanded to the entire United States. The search for Rachel Harvey born 1838 +/- 5 years returned six hits. One of the results could be a match but the family is in Washington Township, Wapello County, Iowa which is in the south-east portion of Iowa, near the Illinois and Missouri borders. Is this the same family as in the 1860 census for Fulton County? I think it is.

1870 Wapello County, Iowa - Washington Township page 291
John Harvey, 39, male, white, Teamster, personal estate valued at 500, born Scotland
Rachel, 32, female, white, Keeping house, born Ohio
William, 11, male, white, born Indiana
Emma, 9, female, white, born Indiana
Lillian, 7, female, white, born Indiana

Guess what? The family is not in Wapello County or the state of Iowa in 1880. Searched again for Rachel Harvey born 1838 +/- 5 years in all states. Six results, but only one born about 1839 in Ohio with a husband named John.

The names of the first three children listed below match the family in 1870 in Wapello County, Iowa. Notice the names of two of the children, Samuel and Lydia, which are the same as two of Rachel Fisher's siblings. Cowley County is in the south-east portion or Kansas, bordering Kay and Osage counties in Oklahoma.

1880 Cowley County, Kansas - Harvey Township page 508
John Harvey, white, male, 49, Husband, Farmer, born Scotland, parents born Scotland
Rachel, white, female, 41, wife, keeping house, born Ohio, father's place of birth not legible, mother born Germany
Wm E., white, male, 21, son, working on farm, born Indiana
Emma, white, female, 19, daughter, born Indiana
Lillian, white, female, 17, daughter, born Indiana
John W., white, male, 9, son, born Kansas
Samuel F., white, male, 9, son, born Kansas
Lydia, white, female, 7, daughter, born Kansas
Alpha, white, male, 5, son, born Kansas

Neither John and Rachel nor their children have yet been located in the 1900 Federal Census. They were not found in various searches in Cowley County, Kansas. There were only 14 pages of the 1900 Cowley County census so I looked at all the pages. They are not there.

Now What? I checked out the Cowley County, Kansas GenWeb but didn't find anything on John and Rachel Harvey.

So, I then did a search on WorldConnect for John Harvey with wife Rachel, which returned 29 results. There was a John Harvey born in Scotland about 1831 with wife Rachel Unknown. Bingo! Guess I should have checked WorldConnect first. . .

I've left a "Post-Em" on Rachel's page and have sent an email to the person who posted the database. I still don't know for sure that this Rachel is Rachel Fisher and I'm not sure that there is really any way of "proving" it. I haven't found a marriage record for Rachel and John Harvey in the online indexes for Kosciusko, Elkhart or Fulton counties so really don't know if her maiden name is Fisher. All I have to go on is a statement in family records that Rachel married John Harvey. That's all. This is the only John Harvey with a wife Rachel, that "fits" the facts of her year of birth and nativity. Is there really enough evidence in these census records to lead to the conclusion that this Rachel is the daughter of Michael and Christenia Fisher? What do you think?

Phend-Fisher Family History - part 1

In 1928, Clarence Phend, grandson of Jacob and Louisa Fisher Phend through their son Christian, wrote the "Phend-Fisher Family History" which was a five page document recounting what he had been told and subsequently learned of the families. Although it contained several "tall tales" and many bits of misinformation, it was invaluable in my initial research, giving me clues regarding some names to look for as well as some clues on where to look for information. A copy of this family history was given to me by both Helen Rhoades Peil and Mary Alice Phend Koontz, both nieces of Clarence Phend. I don't know which one sent it to me first, so I give credit to both of them!

There are some "facts" stated here that have subsequently been proven to be in error. Also, because his sources are not known, some statements are virtually impossible to verify. Regardless of its pitfalls, we are quite fortunate to have this early record of the Phend-Fisher families, and it certainly makes for an interesting story!

Because it is a rather long document this will be split into several posts. You can click on the "Phend-Fisher History" category at the bottom of this post to view other posts related to this topic. My comments follow each section of Clarence's text, which is indented and set within quotes. These people and events will be discussed in more detail in future posts.

"Through information gained from various sources it has been possible to trace the Phend family back to about the year of 1750 or 1760 and the Fisher family back to about 1790 or 1800. John Phend the 1st., grandfather of the deceased Jacob Phend (1st) was born about 1750 or 1760. The exact date and place of his birth are not known but it is believed that he lived and died in his native country - Switzerland."

"John Phend (2nd), son of the above mentioned John Phend ( 1st) and father of Jacob Phend (1st), is believed to have been born in the village of Wilderswed, Berne County, Switzerland; in the year of 1782. He was an orphan and was raised among strangers, and was not afforded the opportunity of securing an education."

Comments: Records from the Gsteig bei Interlaken Kirchenbuch, translated by Sonja Reid (a very distant relative) show that John Phend, the father of Jacob, was christened on January 18, 1782 and that "He is the illegitimate child of Catharina Fendt from Armuehli." There is no record of the name of his father, so we don't know the name of Jacob Phend's grandfather. The records show that John's mother, Catharina died April 13, 1797 and his Swiss Passport issued in 1832 gives his age as 50, so he would have been about 15 years old at the time his mother died.

"It is quite evident that he could not write his name as his mark appears on his passport where his written signature should be. He knew very little about his parents and seldom spoke about anything pertaining to his earlier life or childhood."

"He served in the French Army for eight years and fought during the French revolution in 1800. At this time he was only 18 years old. During the war he was taken prisoner and when he was released at the end of six months imprisonment, he was so poor he could span his body with his hands."

Comments: After examining my copy the passport, I believe John Phend did write his name on that document. And, on the 1849 deed that records the sale of his land, his signature appears, not his mark. His wife Susanna, made her mark (X). John would have been 18 years old in 1800 so it is possible that he served in the French Army, but I don't know how I'd go about proving or disproving it.

"In the year of 1824, at the age of forty two years he married Susanna Kubla. To this union was born four children: John, Jacob, Barbara and Marguerite. John and Jacob were born in Switzerland and according to records kept by members of the Phend family, Barbara and Marguerite were born in Holmes County, Ohio after John and Susanna Phend had reached America."

Comments: John would have been 42 years old when he and Susanna Kübla were married on January 23, 1824 but the records show that they had only two children, Jacob and an infant who was born two years earlier and died soon after birth. John, Barbara and Marguerite were children of his first wife Barbara Wys who died from complications during childbirth in December 1821.

"The passport issued to John Phend when he came to this country is still in existence and shows that he and his wife and four children sailed for America. One record pertaining to their voyage to America states that two of Susanna Kubla's sisters and three of her brothers sailed with them. This same record states that their two younger children, Barbara and Marguerite were born in the U.S. This part of the record does check with the passport."

Comments: It is possible that Susanna Kubla's sisters and brothers sailed with the Phend family to America. I haven't found a passenger record for the Phend family yet so don't know what ship they sailed on. John Phend was traveling with "sa femme et quatre enfant" i.e. with his wife and four children. Clarence has confused one of the grandchildren of John Phend with one of his children. His daughter Marguerite, born in Switzerland, had a daughter named Margaret, born in Ohio. His daughter Barbara was born in Switzerland.

"Information on the passport shows that they were residents of Arhmule in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland; Switzerland being divided into Cantons just as the United States is divided into States. The passport was issued at Interlachen, Canton of Berne, Switzerland; on April 3, 1832 and shows the signatures of the proper officials as they passed thru from one Canton to another."

"The description of John Phend as given in his passport shows that he was fifty years old, that he was a man of medium height, being five feet two inches tall; that he was a blond and had grey eyes and a small roman nose. This description does not tally very closely with the Phend descendants of today."

"The name of John Phend as it appears on the passport is spelled Jean B'hend, Jean being the French name for John. The passport reveals that it was their intention to go to America and make their home there, and that the port of debarkation was to be Baltimore, Maryland."

"They sailed from LeHavre, France on June 11, 1832. At the present time LeHavre is a city of about 160,000 inhabitants and no doubt was quite a large city at the time. It is situated at the mouth of the Seine River. The word Havre means harbor or haven. LeHavre has continued to be a haven all thru the years. We will recall that just a few short years ago it was a haven to thousands of our own young men who took part in the World War and who crossed the ocean in transports that sailed through the submarine infested waters along the shores of Europe."

Comments: Clarence's information ties in with my translation of the passport. Originally written in 1928, "present time" was nearly eighty years ago, He was referring to World War I.

"As the ship was nearing the American shore they encountered a severe storm that evidently drove them off their course to the north-ward and one record states that the boat was driven onto the rocks along the New Jersey shore. Records in regard to this incident are somewhat vague. Apparently some of the passengers went ashore at this point."

"It is not known whether the boat was wrecked and the passengers taken aboard another ship or whether the ship proceeded under it's own power, neither does the record state whether or not John Phend and his family disembarked at this point."

"After studying the Atlantic coast line at this point and taking into consideration that they journeyed to Allentown, Pennsylvania and then on to Pittsburgh, one would be lead to believe that they did not land at Baltimore, Maryland."

"At the point where they went ashore they purchased a wagon in which to carry their luggage and the children. When everything was ready they set their faces westward and the four men and two women took turns at pulling the wagon to Allentown, Pennsylvania, a distance of perhaps seventy-five miles."

"At Allentown they secured a horse from some German friends that had come to America a short time previous to this and from here they journeyed on to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a distance of perhaps two hundred and fifty miles. With the assistance of a horse from Allentown to Pittsburgh they progressed much faster. However, the entire distance of about three hundred and fifty miles from the Atlantic coast to Pittsburgh, required about three weeks time."

"Here they stayed with friends and rested a short time before starting on their journey again. From Pittsburgh, their friends directed them to a settlement of their own people in Starke County, Ohio. To which place they journeyed and then set about in true pioneer fashion to make themselves a home."

Comments: Any actual record of these incidents and events has presumably been lost and whether or not they really happened is anybody's guess. I have been unable to locate any record for the B'hend/Phend family in the ship passenger lists for Baltimore or New York. Helen Rhoades Peil stated that she heard the stories of the shipwreck and journey thru Pennsylvania from Grandfather Jacob. Keep in mind that Jacob would have been only three years old when he came to the United States, but his father was still living in 1849 and could have passed these stories on to him.

To be continued. . .

Recommended Reading - Craig's Legal Analysis of the IBC

As he promised, Craig Manson has started posting his legal analysis regarding the recent fiasco with the release of the "Internet Biographical Database" by The Generations Network (Ancestry.com). The first in the series of posts is Did Ancestry Violate the Copyright Law? . . . Prologue. Subtitled Part I of A Legal Analysis of the Late Controversy, Craig provides us with the "facts" as they are known as well as a discussion of basic legal concepts necessary for understanding his legal analysis.

As an active member of the bar of the State of California and professor at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, Craig is eminently qualified to speak on these issues.

I'm looking forward to his future posts on this subject. For additional reading you might also want to review his posts on Copyright issues.

The Search for the Fisher Children

This past Wednesday and part of Thursday was spent searching the census records for the children of Michael and Christenia Fisher. As expected, the search was more successful on some than it was on others. The surname Fisher being a fairly common one didn't make it any easier. And then there is the Ringenberg, Ringgenburg, Rinkenburg, Rinchinburger, Ringenbarger surname that was a challenge. In total I downloaded 76 census pages on these families! Now I need to evaluate them, transcribe the information and get it entered in my genealogy software.

One of the daughters, Leah Fisher, moved to Rochester in Fulton County, Indiana and in 1863 married William Ream. If you have ancestors or other family in Fulton County you're in for a real treat! Judge Wendell C. Tombaugh and his wife Jean have donated a copy of their data files to the Fulton County Public Library and those files have been put online. These include cemetery records, death record indexes, poor farm records, obituaries, newspaper excerpts, will abstracts, school enumerations and more. Click on the "Local Genealogy" link on the left side of the library home page to access these files. Some of them are available as PDF only but most are also available as HTML files.

The obituaries, from 1914 to 2007, are full transcriptions of the newspaper articles. Each year is a separate file. I don't know how many hours I spent searching and copying late into the night on Wednesday! I already had transcriptions of her obit and that of her husband, but I now have obituaries for Leah's children and many of her grandchildren. 29 obituaries! It's going to take some time to sort through all of that information but what a treasure trove of material it is.

Leah's 1916 death record does not provide the names of her parents but her obituary stated that she had one sister surviving, Mrs. Lydia Conroy of Trinidad, Colorado. The online transcription gave Lydia's surname as Conrad but my previous transcription shows it as Conroy. I didn't make a copy of the obit when I first researched the family so now I'll have to get a copy to see which is correct. Anyway, confirmation that this is the right Leah also comes with this little tidbit found on the Library's website and published in The Rochester Sentinel on Wednesday, April 26, 1899: "Mrs. William REAM went to Nappanee yesterday, because of the death of a sister, Mrs. RHINKENBERGER, who resided there." The grave marker for Caroline Ringgenberg in Hepton Union Cemetery in Kosciusko County (about a mile south of Nappanee, which is in Elkhart County) shows that Caroline died on April 23, 1899. The Ringgenberg plot is near that of Jacob and Louisa Fisher Phend.

The search goes on. . .

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1897

As mentioned in a post on this year's Phend Family Reunion, it was on June 27, 1897 that the first Phend Family Reunion was held. The events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Sadly, the fragile pages have turned brown and have separated from the binding. They are, in effect, disintegrating. I'm in the process of carefully scanning the pages in an attempt to save the information they contain. Hopefully, someday, some other member of the family will be interested in them. I don't know how much longer the pages themselves will stand up to the passage of time but at least we will have the scanned images. The ledger is 5 1/4 inches wide by 11 1/2 inches long.


According to the newspaper article, published on June 30, 1897 in The Nappanee News, (and the ledger) Jacob and Louisa were celebrating the anniversary of their 69th birthday which puts their year of birth at 1828. The gravemarker inscription says that Jacob was born on June 27, 1828 and that Louisa was born on June 27, 1829. Her inscription also says that she died on April 4, 1897 which was 2 1/2 months BEFORE the celebration!

[notes and "missing" information within brackets, commas were added in some of the name lists] From the ledger:

Nappanee
The Phend Family was called to order

June 27. 1897

being being [sic] the 69 birthday aniversery of Jacob and Louisa Phend. there was a family gathering, at their residence on Saturday evening

[first 3 words -A formal Program- were crossed out] Meeting was caled to order at 5:30 by Clarance Phend
An informal Program was rendered
Miss Grace Tintsman Presiding at the Organ
Scripture reading by Chris Phend. Prayer by Christian Ringgenburg opened the program of singing
welcome addrss by Father Phend responce by Henry Phend. declamation by Do [Dora ?] Phend. the Golden Sunbeam. Dare to be true, by Ralph Ernest. A Happy little boy by Freddie Ernest. Select Reading by Carrie Phend.

Supper was Served

[Attending] were
[John Phend a]nd wife and [children] william, Harl, Edwin, Luly.
Christian Phend wife and children Clarance, Orian, Carrie, Delvin, Hattie, Harry, Iva, Bell, Grover, waldo & Clifford
Jacob J. Phend wife and children Moses, Catie, Raman, Surelda & Samuel Phend wife and children Lillie, Quince, Clide, Dora Arlington & Howard. John Ernest wife and children Ralph and Freddie
William Phend wife and child Owen. Harl Phend wife and 2 children Goldie and Ivo. Jacob Seniff wife and 2 children Archie and Iva. Mrs. Caraline Ringenberg. Rev. Christian ringenburg. Claud & Goldie Ringenberger. Rev Hofferbert wife and child Nellie.

The family consists of Father mother six children, thirty two grandchildren [and] five great grand chldren.

A permanent organization was Effected with Henry Phend as President. Christian Phend assistant. Mrs John Ernest Secretary and a board of directers as follows. Clarance Phend, John and Elisabeth Phend, Lillie Phend.a motion was made made [sic] to invite the fisher family. a vote was taken which was satisfactory to that effect. Christian Ringenburger was elected as a director and representative of that family.

Mrs John Ernest Secretary
= = end of ledger transcription = =

Missing in the list of those attending was Henry Phend and family. Henry was there as he gave a response to Father Phend's welcoming address. Most likely Henry's wife, Susie, and their children Victor, Cecil and Gladys were also in attendance.

The Ledger contains entries from the next reunion, which was in 1909. The last entry has the notation "no reunion" and is dated 1943.

Updated September 8, 2007 - added 3rd page for 1897.

Change in Guardianship for the Fisher Children - 1847

In the will of Michael Fisher, signed by him on March 19th 1845, he appointed John Shear and Christian Grosman as guardians for his children. This record changes the guardian to Robert Reed. These records were located back in the mid 198Os when I was just starting research on my families and I don't recall now whether I couldn't find additional records at that time or if I just didn't look any further. It seems like there should have been additional records since the guardians were supposed to make periodic reports to the courts. I need to investigate to see who John Shear, Christian Grosman, and Robert Reed were and to see if they are related to the Fisher family in some way. There should also be a record of the sale of the property that Michael willed to his wife Christenia. Lair Fisher is most likely the daughter Leah who was named in Michael's Will. The oldest daughter, 18 year old Louisa, is not mentioned in this guardianship record. She would marry Jacob Phend on August 27th 1847, eleven days after this record was dated.

Spelling and punctuation retained as in the original. Paragraph breaks added.

Carroll County, Ohio Probate Record C August Term 1847

page 52 (The top portion of the page is concluding another case, signed by WR Lloyd, Clerk)

Caroleine Fisher. Catherine Fisher. Sophia Fisher. Rachel Fisher. Samuel Fisher. Lair Fisher. Solomon Fisher. Lydia Fisher} Minors.

Be it remembered that heretofore towit: at a Court of Common Pleas began and held at the Court House in Carrollton, within and for the County of Carroll and State of Ohio, on Monday the 16th day of August AD 1847. on the first day of said Term. Caroline Fisher & Catherine Fisher came into Court and chose Robert Reed to be their Guardian who is approved as such by the Court, and on motion the Court appoint Said Robert Reed to be the Guardian of Sophia, Rachel, Samuel, Lair, Solomon and Lydia Fisher. Thereupon Said Robert Reed gave bond to the State of Ohio in the sum of One Hundred Dollars Conditioned according to Law with John Reed his Surety who is accepted as such by the Court.

Thereupon Letters of Guardianship issued to said Robert Reed, as follows, to wit.

The State of Ohio Carroll county } By the Honorable John

page 53
Pearce. President of the Court of Common Pleas for the fifth Circuit in Ohio. Thomas Cummings. John Ebersole and John S. Hunter Esquire, Associate Judges of said Court in and for the County of Carroll, To Robert Reed. Greeting! Be it Known that the Said Judges, confiding in your care, prudence and fidelity have by these presents, Appointed Robert Reed Guardian for Caroline Fisher, Catherine Fisher, Sophia Fisher, Rachel Fisher, Samuel Fisher, Lair Fisher, Solomon Fisher, Lydia Fisher, minor children and hers at law of Michael Fisher late of the county of Carroll, deceased investing you the said Robert Reed with full power and authority for them and to their use, to ask, demand, sue for receive and take into your possession and Custody all and Singular, such parts and portions of Estate both real and personal, which is or may be coming to them as heirs to the Estate of the Said Michael Fisher deceased. or which by any other way or means whatsoever doth of right belong them the said minors, and to manage, employ and improve the same for the best advantage and profit during their minority. and to do all and whatsoever May be Necessary to be done in and about the premises As fully and Effectually to all intents and purposes. As they might or could do personally, being of full age.

In testimony Whereof, I William R. Lloyd Clerk of Said Court have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of Said Court at Carrollton, this 16th day of August, Anno Domini, one thousand Eight hundred and forty Seven. W R Lloyd Clerk, By Geo F Kenedy, D. C.