The Search for Edwin Mattoon Joslin

Monday afternoon, being somewhat bored with watching mindless television shows, I sat down at the computer, logged onto the internet, and decided to see if I could find out anything more about Edwin Mattoon Joslin. Edwin is most likely a brother to my 3rd great grandfather, Lysander Price Joslin.

Researching the siblings of your ancestors can lead to some wonderful discoveries and is also a way of meeting some very nice people who also happen to be related, albeit somewhat distantly. It is highly likely that Edwin and Lysander are the sons of James and Abigail (Goodrich) Joslin. According to census records, James and Abigail may have had at least six children: Lysander (1825-1899), Fanny Shoemaker (1826-1905), Edwin (abt 1830-?), Joseph (1832-1919), Emily Eliza Long (1837-1929) and Mary Lucicia (abt 1843-?). I've been able to locate and be in contact with descendants of four of their children - all except Edwin and Mary. But that was soon to change.

The first "real" record we have of Edwin is on August 1, 1844 when James and Abigail Joslin sold 20 acres of land in Whitley County, Indiana to Edwin M. Joslin and another 20 acres to Joseph A. Joslin. Edwin was only 14 years old at the time and Joseph was 12. In July 1841, James had sold 40 acres of land to Lysander Price Joslin, who was 16 years old at the time. Those 80 acres of land had been purchased by James Joslin on August 25, 1838 prior to the family's departure from Delaware County, Ohio.

Edwin Joslin, aged 20 years, was listed in the 1850 census for Whitley County, Indiana with James and Abigail Joslin (page 472). Edwin was a farmer with real estate valued at $200. His place of birth was listed as Ohio.

On January 21, 1851 Edwin Joslin sold his 20 acres of land to Lysander P. Joslin for $200. On November 1, 1853 Lysander purchased the other 20 acres of land from Joseph, thus acquiring the original 80 acres of land that had been purchased by James Joslin in 1838.

Whitley County Marriage Records show that Edwin M. Joslin was married to Sarah Fellows on November 9, 1854 by Samuel D. Klugston, M. G (Book 1 page 182). Edwin was about 24 years old at the time, and Sarah was about 16 years of age.

I had previously found Edwin residing in LaPorte County, Indiana in 1870 (New Durham Township., page 271) and also in 1880 (Michigan City, page 38).

In 1870, Edwin M. Joslin was 37 years old, a farmer with a personal estate valued at $100, and he had been born in Ohio. Listed in his household was 32 year old Sarah, born in Ohio; Flora, age 15, born in Indiana; Alice, age 12, born in Illinois; Warren, age 11, born Illinois; and Ellen, age 8, born Illinois.

In 1880, Edwin Joslin was 51 years old, a laborer, born in Ohio with parents born in Vermont. His wife and two children were listed in his household. Wife, Sarah, was 39 years old, keeping house, born in Ohio. Her father was born in New York and her mother in Vermont. The son, Warin, was 20 years old, a laborer, and was born in Illinois. Daughter Nella was 18 years old and born in Illinois.

Missing from the household in 1880 were the two oldest daughters, Flora, who would be about 25 years old and Alice, aged about 22. Neither one has been found in the 1880 census index.

In 1900, Edwin M. Joslin and his wife Sarah were found in Island Grove Township, Sangamon County, Illinois (page 109) residing with the family of their daughter Flora. The head of the household was Wm Clark, age 52, born June 1847 in Indiana. Flora, William's wife, was 42 years old, born August 1857 in Indiana. The record shows that she had one child, with one living. Also in the household was Clifford Clark, son of William and Flora, age 13, born April 1886 in Indiana. Edwin was listed as William's father-in-law, age 70, born Dec 1829 in Ohio, and married 44 years. His father was born in New York and his mother in Connecticut. Sarah, mother-in-law, was 61 years old, born Feb 1838 in Ohio, and she was the mother of one child with one living.

As a point of interest, listed on the same census page as the Clark household was Luther M. Joslin, nephew of Edwin and son of Lysander Price Joslin. In actuality, Flora was the mother of two children. She had been previously married and had a son named Edwin Mattoon Cole, born September 1882. I have no idea why Sarah stated that she had only one child when she was really the mother of four children.

In 1910, the Clark family is found once again in Island Grove Township, Sangamon County. This time in Berlin Village (page 293). The record shows that William Clark, 65 years old, had been married twice, married 24 years. He was born in Indiana and was a carpenter. His wife, Florence A. was 55 years old, she had also been married twice, was the mother of 3 children with 3 living, and had been born in Indiana. Also listed in the household were Edward M. Cole, step-son, 27 years old, single, born in Indiana, occupation carpenter and Clifford W. Clark, son, 22 years old, single, born in Indiana, occupation laborer. I have no record of a third child for Florence/Flora.

Edwin and Sarah Joslin were not found in the census index in Illinois in 1910 or subsequent years. In 1920, Flora Clark, age 63, widow, is listed in the Village of Berlin, Sangamon County (page 243). I haven't located her in the 1930 census index.

In my notes for Edwin, another researcher states that Edwin had a son Edwin that lived in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana. So Monday evening, thinking that perhaps Edwin Sr. had gone to live with his son, I broadened my search criteria for the 1910 census and found an Edwin Joslin enumerated in the household of Edward and Nellie Gunkle in Perry Township, Tippecanoe County (page 59). Edward Gunkle was 42 years old, had been married once for 22 years, and was born in Indiana. His wife Nellie was 46 years old, married twice, had two children both living, was born in Indiana, and her parents were born in Ohio. Edwin Joslin, father in law, was 80 years old, widowed, born in Ohio. His father was born in New York and his mother in Connecticut.

I also found an Ed Joslin in Lafayette (page 6b) who was 49 years old, born in Illinois with parents born in Illinois. In his household were his wife Stella and 5 children.

Then I went back to the 1900 census and found Evella and Edward Gunkle in the same location as 1910 and Edward Joslin, with wife Stella, in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County (page 37a). This record showed that Edward was born in January 1861 in Illinois. His father was born in Ohio and his mother in New York.

On the slim chance that someone might have posted their data, I then clicked on the "family trees" tab in the ancestry search box. Lo and behold, several databases for Edward Joslin with wife Stella came up on the screen. But as I clicked on each one, the following message came up: "We are currently unable to find the person you are trying to access. We may be experiencing technical difficulties, or it is possible that this person has been removed from this tree." This brings up a question - if you delete a tree from ancestry.com is it truly deleted? Apparently not, I think. Anyway, I kept clicking on each database in the list and finally got one that took me to the page for Warren Edward Joslin. (I'm not sure if you have to be signed in to ancestry or not in order to view the tree, if so, the link won't work unless you are logged in.)

Bingo! The parents listed for Warren Edward Joslin were Edwin Matton Joslin and Sarah Arella Fellows! Who-hoo, another possible cousin had been found! (Time out for a little Happy Dance!) I contacted the owner of the database Monday evening and we have exchanged several emails. And, of course, I sent her a link to this blog so she can see what information I have posted on the Joslin family. The real kicker is that she lives in Indiana, southwest of Indianapolis. Pretty cool, huh!

According to her information Edwin Matton Joslin was born December 17, 1829 and died April 3, 1916 in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana and his parents were James Joslin & Abigale Goodrich. Edwin's wife, Sarah Fellows, was born February 26, 1839 in Jackson County, Ohio and died July 20, 1903 in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

I'm really hoping that she already has the death record for Edwin Mattoon Joslin and that it confirms his parentage. Or perhaps, she has some other documentation that James and Abigail are Edwin's parents...