Fisher Family - Index to Posts

An Index Post is how I keep track of all of the blog posts that have been written on a family line. It helps keep me organized and allows visitors to easily find information on that family. This post will be updated as new blog posts are written on the family. Please contact me at kinexxions@gmail.com if you are researching this family or have additional information on them.

Michael and Christenia Houck Fisher, my 3rd Great Grandparents, emigrated from Germany to the United States about 1835. Their first three children were born in Germany and the last six were born in Stark County, Ohio. Michael died between March 19, 1845 when his will was signed and April 21, 1845 when his will was brought before the court for probate.

• Michael and Christenia Fisher - Immigrant Ancestors September 02, 2007
• The First Record of Michael Fisher September 03, 2007 [purchase of land in December 1840]
• The Will of Michael Fisher - April 1845 September 04, 2007
• Change in Guardianship for the Fisher Children - 1847 September 05, 2007
• The Search for the Fisher Children September 08, 2007
• Gathering Information October 08, 2007 [Trip to Goshen and Elkhart for marriage records and obituaries.]
• Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger Index [Index to a series of posts with transcriptions of the Reunion Ledger entries 1897-1943]

1. Louisa Fisher and Jacob Phend (My Great-Great Grandparents)

• Jacob and Louisa (Fisher) Phend September 26, 2007 [Biography & Photos]
• Jacob and Louisa (Fisher) Phend - part 2 September 26, 2007 [continued with Biography & more Photos]

2. Caroline Fisher and Christian Ringgenberg

3. Katherine Fisher and George Walter

4. Sophia Fisher Foltz Walter
After the death of her husband, Franklin Foltz, and her sister Katherine, Sophia married George Walter.

5. Rachel Fisher and John Harvey

• The Search for Rachel Fisher September 11, 2007 [Rachel Fisher married John Harvey about 1858, later she moved to Iowa and Kansas]
• I'm not in Kansas anymore! November 30, 2007 [Summary of research trip to Kansas]

6. Samuel Fisher and Lucretia Davis

• A Tale of Two Pensioners November 23, 2008 [Samuel Fisher's Pension Record]
• Samuel and Lucretia Fisher January 11, 2010 [Brief biographical sketch]
• Tombstone Tuesday :: Fisher and Davis January 12, 2010 [Samuel, Lucretia and her mother Glorianne Caswell Davis are buried in Colyer Cemetery,Douglas County, Kansas.]
• The Children of Samuel and Lucretia Fisher January 13, 2010 [The little bit of information that was found on the children.]
  

7. Leah Fisher and William Ream

8. Solomon Fisher
Born about 1843 in Ohio. He enlisted on January 7, 1862 and served as a private in Company I, 48th Regiment, Indiana Infantry. Solomon reportedly died on September 19, 1862 at Iuka, Mississippi.

9. Lydia Fisher and Aaron H. Conroy

• Special Delivery... November 06, 2007 [Received Aaron Conroy's Pension Record]
• Aaron & Lydia Fisher Conroy - Civil War Pension November 10, 2007

Originally Posted on March 3, 2008 :: Last Updated on January 13, 2010

Post date adjusted December 29, 2012 so that when a search for the surname is done on the blog this post will appear first the search list.

The Children of Samuel and Lucretia (Davis) Fisher

Samuel Fisher was the sixth of nine children born to Michael and Christenia Fisher. Samuel was the brother of my great-great grandmother, Louisa (Fisher) Phend, she was the oldest child in the family. The children of Samuel Fisher, listed below, are my 1st Cousins 3 times removed.

A previous post outlined the little information that is known of Samuel and his wife Lucretia. They were the parents of seven children:

1. Mary Ellen Fisher (1868-1944) married Norval Elmer Stevenson. The 1910 Federal Census for Lone Star Village, Marion Township, Douglas County, Kansas (page 8b) shows that their children were: Mabel I., age 13; Fay F. (daughter) 11; John W., 10; Walter J., 9; Thelma E., 4; and Vera L., 2. A daughter, Ruth, was born in May 1907 and died in June 1907.

Her obituary was published in the Lawrence Daily Journal World on Wednesday February 2, 1944. She had resided for the past 13 years with her brother in Bakersfield, California but she died Tuesday, February 1st at the home of her sister, Mrs. R. L. Seamans at 1308 Massachusetts street [Lawrence]. Burial was in Pueblo, Colorado. Survivors were five daughters and two sons: Mrs. Lila Childs of Lawrence, Mrs. Carl Nieder of Lone Star, Mrs. Walter J. Meade of Anaheim, California, Miss Thelma Stevenson of Pueblo, Colorado, and Mrs. Fred Ulrich of Bakersfield, California, John W. Stevenson of Long Beach, California and Walter J. Stevenson of Bakersfield, California. Other survivors were one sister, Mrs. Seamans, and one brother, W. M. Fisher of Bakersfield.

2. Rachel Catherine Fisher (1870-1943) married Louis Flory after the 1910 census. Her obituary was not found in the Lawrence Daily Journal World. The Family Data Collection on ancestry.com gives her marriage as May 10, 1910 and date of death as October 30, 1943.

3. Dewitt Caswell Fisher (1872-1941) married Florence Johnson about 1918. On Saturday March 15, 1941 the Lawrence Daily Journal World published a notice of his funeral which was to be held in Seattle, Washington where he had died the previous Thursday. Survivors were a daughter Jean and a son Dale as well as one brother W. M. Fisher and three sisters, Mrs. L. M. Flory and Mrs. R. L. Seamans, of Lawrence and Mrs. R. S. Stevenson of Bakersfield, California. According to the 1930 Federal Census for Seattle, King County, Washington (page 33), Dewitt worked for the Internal Revenue [Service] and was a veteran of the Spanish American War.

4. Walter Milton Fisher (1874-???? was living in Bakersfield, California when his sister Mary died in 1944 and when his sister Ruth died in 1955.) The Family Data Collection on ancestry.com gives his date of death as November 14, 1960.

5. John Clayton Fisher (1877-???? was deceased when his brother Dewitt died in 1941). The Family Data Collection on ancestry.com gives his date of death as July 27, 1937. Place of residence is not known.

6. Arthur Garfield Fisher (1881-???? was deceased when his brother Dewitt died in 1941). Place of residence is not known.

7. Myrtle Ruth Fisher (1884-1955) married Robert Seamans (1881-1958). They are interred at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. According to her obituary published on April 14, 1955 in the Lawrence Daily Journal World, Mrs. Ruth Fisher Seamans was born in the Alfred community in Douglas County. Survivors were her husband Robert L. Seamans and a son, David A. Seamans of Pullman, Washington and a brother, Walter Fisher of Bakersfield, California.

If anyone has additional information on these people or their children, please contact me via email at kinexxions@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

Tombstone Tuesday :: Fisher and Davis

On September 11, 2009 I visited the public library in Lawrence, Kansas. Though I was unable to find an obituary for Samuel Fisher – the brother of my 2nd great grandmother, Louisa (Fisher) Phend (they were children of Michael and Christenia Fisher) or for Samuel's wife Lucretia (Davis) Fisher I did locate obituaries for several of their children, which will be the subject of future posts. I also obtained directions to Colyer Cemetery where Samuel and Lucretia are buried. During a visit to the health department to get their death certificates I found out that the records are not available at the local level, they have to be obtained from the State of Kansas.

I had to backtrack south and west of Lawrence for a short distance to get to Colyer Cemetery. It is in a rather remote area which involved traveling a bit on gravel roads and by the time I got to the cemetery, the rear of the van and my bicycle (hanging off the back end of the van) were caked with dust. From the top of the hill where the cemetery sits, you can see for quite a distance. There was a farm to the northwest and another to the northeast but nothing could be seen to the south. Remote, indeed. Very pretty. And very quiet.

The road to Colyer Cemetery, Marion Township, Douglas County, Kansas. Looking to the north.

The Fisher plot, looking to the northwest. The two barrell-shaped stones are for Lucretia and Samuel.

LUCRETIA A. FISHER / BORN AUG. 23, 1845 / DIED OCT. 31, 1909

SAMUEL FISHER / 1840 – 1913 / CO. A. 9 KAS. VOL. CAV.

FOOTSTONE.
SAMUEL FISHER / CO A / 9 KANS. CAV.

A Tale of Two Pensioners chronicles the mix-up of the pension records for this Samuel Fisher and another man of the same name.

In the second photo above, there is a marker to the south of Lucretia, which I am guessing is her mother. According to her marriage record (Douglas County Marriage Book 2 Page 33 Located at the County Clerks Office in Lawrence, Kansas), Lucretia's maiden name was Davis.

See detail below.

OUR MOTHER
GLORIANNE M. / CASWELL / WIFE OF / IRVIN DAVIS
BORN JUNE 10, 1821 / AT WATERTOWN N. Y.
DIED JAN. 30, 1882 / AT LAWRENCE KAN.
ALL'S WELL

Samuel and Lucretia Fisher

Samuel Fisher was the sixth of nine children born to Michael and Christenia Fisher. Samuel was the brother of my great-great grandmother, Louisa (Fisher) Phend, she was the oldest child in the family.

Samuel was born February 24, 1840 probably in Stark County, Ohio where the family was living at that time. When Samuel was just five years old, his father passed away, cause of death unknown. On August 16, 1847 Robert Reed was appointed guardian for Samuel and his minor siblings. For some reason there were no earlier records of guardianship and I found no record of Mr. Reed being released from his duties. However, by the time of the 1850 census, Christenia Fisher was found with five of her children, including Samuel, in Scott Township, Kosciusko County, Indiana (page 311). Two daughters were married and the two younger children were living with their married siblings.

It is not known when or why Samuel moved to Kansas but on May 28, 1863 he enlisted as a Private in Company A of the 9th Kansas Cavalry and served with that unit until his discharge on July 17, 1865 at DeVall's Bluff, Arkansas. Two and a half years later, on November 25, 1867 Samuel was married to Lucretia Davis in Douglas County, Kansas (book 2 page 33). He was 27 years old and she was 22.

Federal Census records of 1870, 1880 and 1900 as well as Kansas State Census records of 1875 and 1895 show that Samuel and his family resided in Marion Township. In each of those records it states that Samuel was born in Ohio and where it gives the nativity of his parents, it shows that they were either foreign born or born in Germany. The 1895 census also states that he came to Kansas from Indiana. In 1910, the widowed Samuel is living with his daughters Rachel and Myrtle Ruth (both trained private nurses) on Connecticut Street in Lawrence, Kansas. His wife, Lucretia, had passed away on November 11, 1909.

On July 24, 1913 Samuel Fisher attended the Phend-Fisher Family Reunion held at McNaughton Park in Elkhart, Indiana. His address was listed as “621 Conne St Lawrence Kan”. Samuel passed away six weeks later, on September 7, 1913. Samuel and Lucretia are both buried at Colyer Cemetery in Marion Township, Douglas County, Kansas.

On a visit to the library in Lawrence, Kansas in September 2009 I was unable to locate an obituary for either Samuel or Lucretia. However, I did locate obituaries for several of their seven children. Additional information on the children will be included in a future post.

1. Mary Ellen Fisher (1868-1944) married Norval Elmer Stevenson.
2. Rachel Catherine Fisher (1870-1943) married Louis Flory.
3. Dewitt Caswell Fisher (1872-1941)
4. Walter Milton Fisher (1874-????)
5. John Clayton Fisher (1877-????)
6. Arthur Garfield Fisher (1881-????)
7. Myrtle Ruth Fisher (1884-1955) married Robert Seamans.

A Tale of Two Pensioners

A little over a year ago (before NARA raised their prices) I ordered the Civil War Pension files for three of my relatives (my 2nd great granduncle Samuel Fisher, Aaron Conroy the husband of my 2nd great grandaunt Lydia Fisher, and for Eli Yarian who is my 2nd great grandfather). They all have lots of useful and interesting information.

One problem though. I ordered the file for the wrong Samuel Fisher ;-(

Of course, I didn't know that until I opened the package from NARA. I had searched the Civil War Pension Cards on Footnote. I saw the card for Samuel Fisher that had served in Co. A 9th Regiment, Kansas Cavalry and ordered the file.

Anyway, after I got the NARA package I located the pension card for the other Samuel Fisher, the one I really wanted. The weird thing is that at the bottom of both of their pension cards it makes reference to the "other" Samuel. I just didn't see it. Or else I ignored the information. Not only that, the one I wanted also included his date of death, which matched my information. Sure wish I had clicked through a few more cards though. . .

But the government got them mixed up back in 1894, so maybe I shouldn't feel so bad. The moral of the story is don't assume there is only one person with the right name in the right unit (even though its wrong), or in the right location. I still haven't ordered the file on the "right" Samuel Fisher, primarily because of the cost. (I wonder how long it will be before Footnote has the Civil War Pension files online?)

On October 5, 1891 the Samuel Fisher who resided at Alfred in Douglas County, Kansas (the one who is my relative) filed an application (1064047) for pension based on his service in Co. A of the 9th Regiment Kansas Infantry for which he received pension certificate 1028602. Card shown above, image from footnote.

On March 3, 1894 the Samuel Fisher who resided at Osceola, Missouri filed application 1260663 based on his service in Co. B 9th Reg't Provisional Mo. Mil. [Missouri Militia]. He received pension certificate 890462 that was based on the service of the Kansas Samuel. Image from footnote.

If anyone out there is related to the Samuel Fisher described below, I'd be happy to send the file to you. . . it's about 100 pages.

Samuel Fisher resided in Lowery City, St. Clair, Missouri when he filed his application in August 1894. He was 67 years old and asked for a pension due to rheumatism and general debility. He stated that he had served in three different regiments of Missouri Militia. His original declaration also stated he served in the 9th Kansas Cavalry though he later said he didn't know how that got included.

On June 7th 1900, Missouri Samuel was living in Trenton, Hitchcock county, Nebraska. A special examination was held on that date. In his deposition, Samuel states that he was 74 years old on the 17th day of last March. He is a farmer and resides about five miles southeast of Trenton. He was born in Montgomery County, Kentucky near Mt. Sterling. In the fall of 1859 he moved to Grundy County, Missouri. Twelve years ago he moved to St. Clair, Missouri and in January 1899 moved to Hitchcock County, Nebraska.

He served six months in Co. E 9th Mo. Provisional Cavalry. The regiment was on duty at Chillicothe, Missouri doing guard duty and moving around Missouri guarding block houses and rail roads. In 1863 he was called to duty in Co. D 2nd Batt'n Mo. S.M. Cav. and also served in Co. E 8th Reg't Mo. State Militia. He states that he never served in Co. A 9th Kansas Cavalry. On August 9, 1894 he received a pension of $10 and saw that his certificate was for Co. A 9th Kans. Cav. and thought it was just a mistake. It was noticed when he was changed to the Des Moines, Iowa agency a short time ago.

He goes on to say that he has been married twice. First to Mary Dennis in Bass County, Kentucky in March of 1853. He thinks she died in 1872 in Grundy County, Missouri. He next married his present wife, Elizabeth Blue, on January 20, 1880 in Livingston County, Missouri. She had been married once before to John Mason who "disappeared and never could be found and my wife obtained a divorce from him about 1878 or 1879".

Samuel and Elizabeth have three children under the age of 16 years (dates recorded in the family bible): Otto Fisher, born Oct. 9, 1884; Everett Fisher, born Oct. 9, 1886; Edna M. Fisher, born Nov. 20, 1890. Witnesses to the deposition were Elizabeth A. Fisher and Richard Fisher.

I wish my ancestors were as easy to find in the census records as this Samuel was. Of course, it helps to know where he was. . .

In 1850, Samuel Fisher was a 22 year old farmer living in Division 2, Bath County, Kentucky. In his household was Mary Fisher, age 20; Levi Fisher, age 3/12; and John J. Fisher, age 10. All were born in Kentucky.

Samuel Fisher was 32 years old and living in Trenton township, Grundy county, Missouri in 1860. He was a farmer with a personal estate valued at $250. In the household was Mary, age 30; Martha, 8; Lydia, 5; Levi, 10; Moses, 3; and Moses, age 44, a farmer with real estate valued at $4000 and a personal estate of $500. Everyone except Martha was born in Kentucky, she was born in Indiana.

In 1870, Samuel Fisher was found in Liberty Township, Grundy County, Missouri. He was 44 years old, a farmer, real estate valued at $1600 and a personal estate valued at $900. He had been born in Kentucky. There were six children listed in the household, no wife: Martha, age 18, born Indiana; Lyddia, 15, born Kentucky; Moses, 12, born Kentucky; Mary, 9; John, 6; and Jesse J., 3. The last three were born in Missouri.

Samuel Fisher, age 53, was found in Lincoln Township, Grundy County, Missouri in 1880. He was a farmer, born in Kentucky. Listed with him was his 19 year old daughter, Mary M. and two sons, John R., age 15 and Jesse J., age 12. Also a 13 year old female with no relationship given - Annie Mason, age 13. His children and Annie were all born in Missouri.

The 1900 census for Grant Precinct, Hitchcock County, Nebraska shows Samuel Fisher, age 73, born June 1826 in Missouri, married 28 years, his parents were born in Kentucky, and he was a farmer. Listed in the household are: Betsey R., wife, born June 1880, age 59, had 12 children with 7 living; Richard, son, born Nov 1882, age 17; Otto, son born Oct 1885, age 14; Everett, daugt [sic, sex is male], born Oct 1886, age 13; and Edna, daughter, born Nov 1889, age 10. Betsey and the children were all born in Missouri.

Now, back to the pension file: In the letter submitted by the special examiner it states that Samuel "is drawing pension based upon the service of another man, although it is the service stated in his original declaration. How he came to hit upon that service is not clear, but there is nothing at this state of the investigation that indicates design or criminal intent."

It was recommended that his claim should be put on hold until it could be determined if the pensioner "was in the U. S. Service or not." For possible use in identification, a tintype picture of the man, taken about 20 years ago, was obtained, which is to be returned to the claimant. The examiner goes on to say "I do not put much reliance upon some of his statements regarding his services as he seemed to be somewhat muddled on this question." The examiner also recommended that the files of the two Samuel Fisher's should be separated to help eliminate future confusion. (Duh!)

On November 17, 1900 a letter was sent to Samuel Fisher at Trenton, Nebraska informing him that he would be dropped from the pension rolls because he was not the same Samuel Fisher who had served in Company A of the 9th Regiment Kansas Cavalry. He was officially dropped from the rolls on January 7, 1901 though he continued his battle for another four years. On October 11, 1905 his application was rejected "for the reason that the claimant has no title to pension. . . he did not render ninety days military service during the War of the Rebellion."

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger Index

A brief history of the Phend-Fisher Family Reunions can be found in the post The first Saturday in August

This index has been created to make it easier to locate entries for specific years.

• 1897
• 1909-1910
• 1911-1912
• 1913
• 1914
• 1915
• 1916
• 1917-1918-1919
• 1920
• 1921
• 1922
• 1923
• 1924-1925
• 1926
• 1927
• 1928
• 1929
• 1930
• 1931
• 1932
• 1933
• 1934
• 1935
• 1936
• 1937
• 1938
• 1939
• 1940
• 1941
• 1942-1943

I'm not in Kansas anymore!

Ah, there's no place like home. An old cliché but oh, so true. As much as I enjoyed the brief sojourn in Springfield and roaming around the countryside in eastern Kansas, and even though I was gone only ten days, it sure feels good to be home.

I decided not to go to Iowa. Mixed results and a bit of frustration in Kansas, combined with realizing that there really just wasn't enough time to do full justice to the search, and the fact that I was just plain tired, lead to the decision to head home yesterday. I got home at about 6 p.m. this evening.

On Monday, from Baxter Springs I drove west on US 160 towards Grenola, in southwestern Elk County. I stopped at the library in Moline, but it was closed. I was hoping they had a diagram of the layout of the cemetery in Grenola. On Sunday (11/18) I had found the transcriptions online for Rachel (Fisher) and John Harvey in Greenlawn Cemetery in Grenola, Greenfield Township, along with several of their children, in section "B". Rachel is the sister of my 2nd Great Grandmother, Louisa Fisher Phend. Rachel died February 18, 1899 and John died in September 1899.

Moline is a small town but Grenola is even smaller. It was about 3 p.m. as I drove down Main Street and I felt as though I was in a ghost town. Not a soul was stirring, not an open store in sight. At the end of Main Street was a sign pointing left that said "cemetery" so I turned. It was a narrow road and seemed like miles, but was probably only about one. The cemetery was on the left, on top of a hill. I turned into the cemetery on the first lane. It was huge. The sections weren't marked. I thought there was no way I'd find them. I drove down each lane, slowly, hoping I'd see their stones.

There have been several times when searching for ancestors that I've gone to a cemetery knowing they were buried there but not knowing where and walking directly to their gravesites. But alas, no such luck this time. I stopped and walked around for a while then gave up and drove on to Winfield, county seat of Cowley County. Rachel and John had moved to Harvey Township in Cowley County sometime between 1870 and 1880. Harvey Township is bordered by Greenfield Township, Elk County on the east, which is probably why they are buried in Elk County.

Tuesday morning I went to the Courthouse in Winfield. Their original marriage record books have been moved to the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum in Arkansas City, about 12 miles south of Winfield. The Probate office has the records digitized on CD Rom discs and they charge $12 for a lookup if you don't have the exact date of marriage. Which of course, I didn't have. Just have an approximate year, and several names to lookup. I asked about Guardianship or Probate records since Homer, the youngest son of Rachel and John, was only 16 years old when they died. The index books didn't list them. The clerk didn't seem to know what the transcribed information online for Homer meant.

Next stop was the Winfield Library. They have a nice little local history section but I didn't find anything helpful there. I then went to the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum. If you have ancestors or relatives that lived in the Winfield and Arkansas City areas then this place should definitely be on your list of places to visit. In addition to the Original Marriage Record Books, they have cemetery records, obituary notices, miscellaneous newspaper clippings, etc., etc. for COWLEY county, and lots of neat things on exhibit. I didn't find anything helpful in my search for the Harvey family except that it appears that none of their children were married in Cowley County!

Since it was "sort of" in the direction of my next destination (Iola, Allen County) I decided to go back to the cemetery at Grenola thinking maybe I'd get lucky this time. Nope. I walked through each section, up and down the rows, for about two hours. It was a gorgeous day. Sun shining, blue sky, not cold, just a little windy. Maybe John and Rachel and some of their family are buried there, but I sure didn't find them! Did get some exercise though.


One of Rachel and John's children, Lillian, and her husband Orlando Sellers are buried in Moline Cemetery so I stopped by there on the way to Howard, the county seat of Elk County. I found the cemetery but when I saw how big it was, bigger than Greenlawn, I turned into the first drive to turn around and leave. As I glanced to the right to check traffic, there they were, right up front, next to the road. Now, why couldn't that have happened with John and Rachel?

By the time I got to Howard the courthouse was closed so I went on to Iola. My intent was to spend Tuesday night in Iola then go to the cemetery and library, etc. to see what I could find on William and Minerva (Joslin) Knight. Minerva is a sister of my 2nd Great Grandmother, Malissa Joslin Brubaker Bower. William died in 1902. Minerva then married a J.N. Storey and reportedly died May 12, 1905 in a wheelchair on the street in Hot Springs, Arkansas. William and Minerva are buried in the Iola Cemetery.

It was dark when I got to Iola so I went to find a motel room, but there was no room at the inn. Three motels in town and they were all full. Nothing available in the nearby towns, according to the innkeeper. It was 50 miles or more north to I-35 and Ottawa, which was near my next destination of Lyndon. . . to be continued.

Aaron & Lydia Fisher Conroy - Civil War Pension

Civil War Pension Application 1098499 filed March 11, 1892
Aaron Conroy, P.O. Pitkin, Gunnison County, Colorado
Enlisted February 17, 1865 and served as a private in Co. B, 7th Reg't, Illinois Infantry and was discharged at Springfield, Illinois on July 9, 1865

Request for a pension under act of June 27, 1890. Declaration made April 30, 1892.

• He contracted kidney disease at or near Goldborough, N. Carolina on or about February 1865, caused from exposure.
• Since leaving the service he resided in Illinois, Kansas, Iowa and Colorado. Peoria Ill, Lawrence Kansas, Des Moines Iowa, Pitkin Colo.
• His occupation has been that of a Engineer and Machinist.
• He is partially unable to earn a support by reason of the following disabilities: Neuralgia of the heart and kidney complaint & rheumatism incurred at Aspen Colo in March, April and May 1884 working in Spar Mine, but has had the kidney trouble since 1865.

Surgeon's Certificate. Examination was made on June 22, 1892 at Gunnison, Colorado. Aaron stated he was suffering from neuralgia of the heart, rheumatism, and diseased kidneys. He was 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall, weighed 140 pounds, and was 49 years old. The opinion of the examining board was that he was entitled to 4/18 rating for the disability caused by rheumatism and 4/18 for that caused by Diabetis Millitis. However, his request was denied on April 17, 1893 by the Bureau of Pensions.

On May 26, 1893 he filed another affidavit with additional evidence including statements by four of his neighbors; W. W. Stephen and John A. Henderson who both work with him, Charley Scales who is a butcher and Provision Stover, and Scott Dickinson who is a Hardware and Furniturer. A portion of their statement: "We are satisfied that these ailments are not caused by any vicious habits. We know him to be a strictly temperate moral and of a good repute since our acquaintance with him." Denied again.

On May 7, 1896 Aaron filed another application. Statements were signed by W. W. Stephen, John Dempsey and G. A. Dewey on his behalf. One of the doctor's stated that there was no evidence of diabetes millitis but that tests indicated that Aaron suffered with Bright's disease. The examining board rated him 6/18 for disease of the heart, 2/18 for rheumatism and 4/18 for disease of kidneys. Nearly a year passed, and on March 16, 1897 he was once again denied. However, his case was apparently referred to a "Medical Referee." There was a medical call slip where he was told to report for examination. At the bottom where it provides space for noting who made the examination is written "I went to Gunnison on 20th of July 1897 and no one present but McIntosh. Aaron Conroy. You see I have done my duty."

Finally, on September 28, 1897 he was awarded his pension at the rate of $6 per month, commencing on May 7, 1896. So it looks like he may have gotten some back pay.

On May 4, 1898 he filled out a circular that was included with his payment. The following questions were asked (I love his response to the third question!):

• First. Are you married? If so, please state your wife's full name and her maiden name.
  Answer. I am married, wife full name is Lydie Ellen Conroy, maiden name Lydie Ellen Fisher.
• Second. When, where, and by whom were you married?
  Answer. Thursday Sept 8th 1870 Lawrence Kas. by Chas Chadwick, Justice of pease.
• Third. What record of marriage exists?
  Answer. Sunshine & Clouds. More Sunshine then Clouds.
• Fourth. Were you previously married? If so, please state the name of your former wife and the date and place of her death or divorce.
  Answer. No I was not married before.
• Fifth. Have you any children living? If so, please state their names and the dates of their birth.
  Answer. I have raised two. old Ills Soldiers girls one from 4 weeks old, up until She was married. The other from 3 years old until now She is 13 years. No children of my own.

On September 12, 1904 Aaron submitted a Declaration for Increase of Pension stating that he is 2/3 unable to earn a support by manual labor. And here, for the first time, it states that he was born on January 15, 1843. The request for increase was denied because he failed to appear at two hearings.

However, he doesn't give up! On March 15, 1907 he again applied for an increase, under the new act of February 6, 1907. And now we get a little more information about him. He is 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall, has a light complexion, gray eyes and light hair. His occupation is that of an Engineer. He was born January 15, 1843 in Wenchestard, Ind. Since leaving the service he resided in Peoria, Ill until 1869. Thence Lawarence Kansas until 1872. Thence Des Moine Iowa until 1879. Since Pitkin Colo up to Date. He is a pensioner by Certificate No. 945.276 at $6 per month. That he has heretofore applied for pension "Increase. Did not git it."

Persistence pays off. His pension was doubled, to $12 per month. He was dropped from the rolls under the act of June 27, 1890 and allowed under the act of February 6, 1907. There was a notation "age over 62" so perhaps that had something to do with the increase. I'm not familiar with the various acts under which pensions were given.

The rules changed again by the Act of May 11, 1912. So, on May 25, 1912 he submitted another declaration and request for increase. This declaration gives his height as 5 feet 6 inches, light complexion, blue eyes, and auburn hair. His occupation is not legible. He was born January 15th 1843 in Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana. His places of residence were Peoria Ill 1865 to 1868, Lawrence to 1871, Desmoines Iowa 1878, Leadville 1880, in Pitkin most the time to current day.

He apparently doesn't like the slowness of the system and writes a letter to the Pension Commissioner on January 15, 1913 which in part reads "I thought I would write you a line in regards to my former application which was allowed May 30th 1912. . . Private and Corporal Co. B. 7th Regment Illinois Volunteers Infantry. Yours very Respectfully, Aaron Conroy Pitkin, Colo. P. S. Now 70 years old to day. Born Jan. 15th 1843"

He didn't get a response right away so wrote another letter on March 20th 1913: "Dear Sir Mr. J. L. Davenport, commissioner of Pension. I see by the National Tribune paper of March 13th that you have ran up all the applications up to June the 3rd and my case being May 30th. Now it is March 20th and most all the old boys have got theres. I thought you might overlooked my case. Aaron Conroy number 945.276 My last aplation was acknalaged by you January 20th 1913. pleas look this up & ablige an old friend & Commarad."

The paperwork shows that on February 20, 1913 he was approved for an increase in his pension to $15 per month with an effective date of May 30, 1912.

Good old government bureaucracy at work. In May 1913 he receives a letter from the Bureau of Pensions "Relative to your claim for pension under act of May 11, 1912, in which you allege that you are 70 years of age, and that you were born January 15th 1843, you are advised that the best obtainable evidence of the date of your birth is required by this Bureau."

In his response, Aaron states that "My daughter now lives in Denver and her H.H. goods in Newbraska thoue she tells me she will write to the parties thare & try to git the old family bible if it is realy nessary." A typewritten transcript was sent to the Bureau from copies sent to Aaron by his daughter May.

Several more increases were given: to $18 commencing January 15, 1913; to $21 January 15, 1918; to $30 on June 10, 1918. These appear to be automatic increases.

On April 2nd 1915 Aaron had to fill out another family questionnaire. Most of the information was the same as previously submitted but with several additional questions:

• No. 8. Are you now living with your wife, or has there been a separation?
  Answer. I am living with her yet & Expect to Untill Death.
• No. 9. State the names and dates of birth of all your children, living or dead.
  Answer. Name of my oldest Daughter is Oliva Louise Conroy, Born Dec. 16, 1872 at Lawrance Kansas. Next Daughter Was Born in Pitkin Colo, Augt 11th 1884. Thay are both Married & have family of thear own And Living.

A couple of contradictions here. In May 1898 Aaron states "I have raised two. old Ills Soldiers girls one from 4 weeks old, up until She was married. The other from 3 years old until now She is 13 years. No children of my own." The second girl would have been born about 1885, which matches the 1915 statement. In the 1900 census (Pitkin, Gunnison County, Colorado pg 10) it shows that Lydia has 1 child with 1 living. The 1910 census (same place, pg 13) shows she has 2 children, with 2 living. Confusing, yes? So are the girls theirs by birth or by adoption?

On July 16, 1925 there is simply the following statement: "The name of the above-described pensioner who was last paid at the rate of $50 per month to Jun 4, 1925 has this day been dropped from the roll because of death July 2, 1925." Another document says that "he has been a member of the Colorado Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at home Lake since November 13th 1920 and that he died on the 2nd day of July 1925."

Lydia Conroy applied for a widow's pension on July 11, 1925. She was living at Homelake, Colorado at the time. In her declaration made in Rio Grande County, Colorado Lydia stated "she is 81 years of age, that she was born May 8th 1844 at Stark County, Ohio. She has no children living under 16 years of age." Lydia signed her name on the deposition.

I previously had her birth as March 1845 based upon the 1900 census. A closer look at the image shows it to be May 1845. But this brings up several issues. I have her brother Solomon born in 1844 based on the fact that he was 6 years old in the 1850 census and 17 in the 1860 census. All of the other children of Michael Fisher are listed in order of birth in his will. Solomon is listed before Lydia; perhaps Solomon and Lydia are twins? Or maybe Solomon was born in 1843 instead. Michael's will was signed on March 19, 1845 and went before the probate court on April 21, 1845. Since Lydia is listed in the will she was probably born in May 1844 rather than 1845.

One of the witnesses for Lydia who attested to the fact that she and Aaron Conroy had lived together their entire married life was Mrs. Mame Stevenson, who lived at 2924 Colfax Ave in Pueblo. Mrs. Stevenson also stated that she was 57 years of age and a niece of Mrs. Lydia E. Conroy. Another name to investigate!

Lydia was awarded a pension on November 13, 1925 of $30 per month commencing on July 11, 1925. A "Drop Report" was issued on September 15, 1926. Lydia Fisher Conroy passed away on August 27, 1926. Her name is at the top of the report along with an address of 4924 Colfax Ave., Pueblo, Colorado. There is no other document that shows her death.

Summary:

• Aaron Conroy was born January 15, 1843 in Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana
• Lydia Ellen Fisher was born May 8, 1844 at Stark County, Ohio
• Aaron enlisted February 17, 1865 and served as a private in Co. B, 7th Reg't, Illinois Infantry and was discharged at Springfield, Illinois on July 9, 1865. He was 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall with a light complexion, gray or blue eyes and light or auburn hair.
• Aaron and Lydia were married on September 8, 1870 in Lawrence, Kansas
• He was and engineer and machinist and worked in mines. He had a sense of humor, was probably stubborn, and above all, didn't give up.
• Aaron died July 2, 1925 at Home Lake, Colorado
• Lydia died August 27, 1926 probably at Pueblo, Colorado, 4924 Colfax Ave.
• A niece, Mrs. Mame Stevenson lived at 2924 Colfax Ave, Pueblo in October 1925
• Both Aaron and Lydia were somewhat literate.

Places of Residence during their married life:

• Lawrence, Kansas to 1871
• Des Moines, Iowa to 1878
• Leadville, Lake County, Colorado to 1880
• Pitkin, Gunnison County, Colorado until November 1920
• Home Lake, Rio Grande County, Colorado until July 1925

Children (natural or adopted?):

• Oliva Louise Conroy born December 16, 1872 at Lawrence, Kansas
• Unnamed daughter born August 11, 1884 in Pitkin, Colorado
• In February 1913, one of the daughters lived in Denver, Colorado
• Both were married prior to April 1915

Special Delivery...

On September 2nd this year (before the price increase went into effect) I placed on order online with NARA for the full Civil War Pension Files of my 2nd great grandfather, Eli Yarian, and for Aaron Conroy, the husband of Lydia Fisher. Two weeks later I placed an order for the pension records of Samuel Fisher. I'm fairly certain that Lydia and Samuel are the children of my 3rd great grandparents, Michael and Christenia Fisher.

Today UPS delivered a thick envelope with the records of Aaron Conroy. I haven't counted the number of pages yet, but the stack is about ½" thick. A quick look through the papers shows that Aaron Conroy married Lydia Fisher on September 8, 1870 in Douglas County, Kansas which matches up with the record I had previously found online. "Aldia" Fisher was enumerated in the household of Samuel Fisher in the 1870 census of Marion Township, Douglas County. Additional records found online show that Samuel was the son of Christopher Fisher and Christine Houk. Though the names don't quite match up I'm convinced that this Samuel is the "right" one. The 1910 federal census of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas shows Samuel living on Connecticut Street and the 1913 Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger gives his address as "621 Conne St Lawrence Kan." The 1914 Ledger states simply that "Samuel Fisher died" while online records show that he died September 7, 1913.

A few minutes ago, at the NARA site, I entered the order numbers for the remaining two requests. They have copied the records for Eli Yarian and that file is awaiting shipment. For Samuel Fisher, whose records were ordered two weeks later, the request is still in servicing, which means they are looking for the file. It's kind of neat that you can check the status of your orders online.

Now, I've got some reading to do!

Oh, and something else came today, but not via UPS. This came from Mother Nature - the first snow flurries of the winter season along with cold winds. There was a light dusting of white on the ground and rooftops this morning and a "whiteout" for a few minutes at about 10 a.m. Thankfully, it didn't last long.

Gathering Information

The search continues for the descendants of the children of Michael and Christenia Fisher who remained in northern Indiana: Caroline Fisher and Christian Ringgenberg, Katherine Fisher and George M. Walter, Sophia Fisher and William Foltz, and Sophia Fisher and George M. Walter.

Today, I went to Goshen (about a 45 minute drive from where I live) to get the information from the marriage records for their children and some of their grandchildren. I had previously gotten some of the dates from the WPA Index which covered the years 1850-1920. I just wanted to verify the information so did not get copies made. Elkhart county is one of the Indiana counties where you can't get copies made from the bound volumes of marriage records. They will make copies from the microfilmed copies at their archives office and mail them to you. The cost is reasonable, only 15¢ per copy and they are sent within a couple of days, but I have too much paper as it is and decided not to get copies since these are just relatives and not my ancestors. Eventually, possibly within the next year or two, Indiana marriages will be available as digital images from FamilySearch so if I really want copies I can get them at that time.

After about two hours spent verifying that information and transcribing some additional records I was off to Elkhart to get some obituaries. The Elkhart Public Library has an online database to the Obituaries in the Elkhart Truth. The database currently indexes obituaries that appeared in that newspaper from 1921 through 1944, and 1967 to the present. It is an ongoing project with new entries being added weekly. As a service, they will provide copies by mail but since I had so many and was going to Goshen, I decided to go on up to Elkhart and get them myself.

By spending some time this past week doing searches in the online index, finding the obituaries in the microfilm was a piece of cake. After 2 ½ hours, I had printouts of the 33 obituaries on my list! A look through those gave me the dates of death for three other relatives and I was able to get those obituaries as well.

So, now I need to go through all of this new information, evaluate it, and get it entered into my genealogy database! Hopefully I'll get a few clues on where to find some living descendants and will be able to make contact with some "new" cousins!

It had been a while since I was in Goshen or Elkhart and I was amazed by how much growth there was in the area. Lots of new houses and commercial development. I took the "back roads" coming home and noticed signs of fall coming on. Soy beans being harvested. The corn has mostly changed from bright green to a dusty tan. Some leaves are changing color, some are just turning brown and falling off the trees. It's been dry and rather warm here in northern Indiana this fall. It was in the high 80's this past weekend. I hope we still get some of the bright colors as autumn leaves us, though I'm not really looking forward to the winter that will follow.

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)

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?

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. . .

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.

The Will of Michael Fisher - April 1845

Michael's will names his wife and all of their children. Thank you, Michael! The oldest child, Louisa, was 16 years old at the time and would later marry Jacob Phend. They were my 2nd Great Grandparents. Census records indicate that the youngest child, Lydia, was born in March 1845 - just a few days before Michael wrote his will.

Carroll County, Ohio Probate Record B April Term Anno Domini 1845



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

page 222
Estate of Michal Fisher } Decd. Be it remembered that heretofore to wit at a Court of Common pleas began and held at the Court house in Carrollton on the Twenty first day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty five in and for the County of Carroll and state of Ohio.

On motion to the Court by John H. Tripp the Last will and testament of Michial Fisher Decd was brought into Court and the two subscribing Witnesses to said Will towit John Gladheart and Isaac Mufby [Mofby, Mosby, Musby ?] came before the Court and being duly qualified say that they saw the testator sign said will at the End then to that they attested and signed said will in the prescence of the Testator that the Testator when he signed said will was of sound mind and Memory of full age and not under duress

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wich Testimony is hereby reduced to writing and filed - Which will is in the words and form following to wit

In the name of the benevolent father of all I, Michael Fisher of the County of Carrol & State of Oho do make & publish this my last will & testament in manner and form as follows to wit

1st it is my will and desire that all my just debts and funeral Expenses be fully paid

2nd I give and bequeath to to my beloved wife Christina Fisher all my sheep that are on my farm amounting to thirteen old ones and four Lambs

3rd I give and bequeath to my wife one cow and the horse all the flour and ten Bushel of wheat and a field of Wheat three acres more or less besides as much house hold and Kitchen furniture as a widow is allowed by law where there is no will

4th I give devise & bequeath unto my wife the farm on which I am now living consisting of sixty two acres and for as long as She shall remain my widow but in case my personal property should not be sufficiant to pay my just debts as aforesaid then it is my desire that as much of the farm be sold off the west end as shall be sufficient to pay said debts by my Executor herein appointed

5th but in case my wife should again marry then it is my desire that the Balance of the farm be sold Either at a public or private Sale and the Money arising from said sale be paid over to my Children Louisa Caroline Catharine Sophia Rachael Samuel Leah Solomon Lydia Either at the day of their Marriage or when they become of age which shall first happen

6th I appoint my Esteemed Nehibor Jacob Loutzenhiser Executor of this my Last will and Testament.

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7th I appoint my Neibors John Shear and Christian Grosman Guardians for my Children. In testamony where of I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 19th day of March 1845 signed in presence of John Gladheart Isaac Muffy Michael Fisher, his mark

The State of Ohio, Carroll County. To all to whom these presents shall come greetings. Know ye that the Court of Common pleas of said County hath hereby granted Letters Testamentary on the Estate of Michal Fisher deceased unto Jacob Loutzenhizer to whom is Granted the administration of all and singular the Goods Chattles Money Rights and Credits of said deceased and also the proceeds of all the Real Estate of said deceased which he may be authorized to sell and whose duty it shall be to administer the same and to adjust and settle up the account of the Estate of said deceased in all respects agreeably to law. In testimony whereof the seal of said Court is hereto affixed Witness my signature at Carrollton in said county this 21st day of April AD 1845

Daniel M Cook, Clerk

The First Record of Michael Fisher

The first record I have of Michael Fisher comes from Carroll County, Ohio Deed Book 6 page 475 and is dated December 21, 1840. Michael was apparently a resident of Stark County, Ohio when he purchased 62 acres of land in the Southwest Quarter of Section Six in Township Sixteen in Range Six (SW ¼ S6 T16 R4) in Carroll County. John Phend owned 80 acres in the NE ¼ of that same section. Michael's daughter Louisa would marry Jacob Phend, son of John, in August 1847.

Talk about legal speak:

John Shover to Michel Fisher. To all to whom these presents shall come greeting. Know ye that I John Shover of Stark County Ohio, for the consideration of Eight hundred and fifty dollars Received to my full Satisfaction of Michel Fisher of the County and State aforesaid do give grant bargain Sell and confirm unto him the said Michel Fisher the following described tract or lot of land Situate in the County of Carroll and State of Ohio and being south west quarter of section number six in Township Sixteen in range number six and is bounded As follows by the lines of Said quarter containing Sixty two acres more or less. To have and to hold the above bargained and granted premises with the appurtenances thereof unto him the Said Michel Fisher his heirs and assigns forever to his and their own proper use and behoof and Also I the said John Shover do for my Self my heirs Executors and administrators covenant with the Said Michel Fisher his heirs and assigns that at and until the issuing of these presents I was well Seized of the premises as a good indifinable Estate in fee simple and have good right to bargain and sell the same in manner and form as is above written and that the same is free of all Encumbrances what soever and further I the Said Joseph Shover do by these presents bind myself and my heirs forever to warrant and defend the above bargained and granted premises to him the said Michel Fisher his heirs and assigns against all claims and demands whatsoever. And I Anna wife of the Said John Shover do hereby in consideration of the money as the aforesaid paid to my said husband release and forever quit claim unto the said Michel Fisher his heirs and assigns all my right of dower in and to the above described premises. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this twenty first day of December Anno Domini one thousand Eight hundred and forty.

Signed Sealed and delivered presence of David Huston