1865 New Nork State Census - B C Taylor

Evening,

This afternoon I perused 316 pages of the 1865 New York State Census for the 5th Ward of the Town of Buffalo in Erie County, New York State. I was able to locate the Taylor Family in the 1st Election District. B.C. and Kathi Taylor are listed with their five children: Elenora; Benjamen; Kathi; Sophia; and Gress. B.C. Taylor is enumerated with no occupation.

Sources: 1865 NY State Census,

and Family History Library microfilm FHL[0825684]

My transcription -

Page 71

I. Population. CENSUS of the Inhabitants living in the First Election District of the Fifth Ward of the City of Buffalo in the County of Erie, N.Y., on the first day of June 1865.

This Enumeration was made by me, on the 17th day of June, 1865.
Mathias Buettler Enumerator

Dwellings.

1 Numbered in order of visitation. - 383
2 Of what material built. - framed
3 Value. - 800

4 Families numbered in order of visitation. - 549

5 Names of every person whose usual place of abode was in the Family on the 1st day of June, 1865.

Include as in the family those absent in the army and navy. - B.C. Taylor, Kathi Taylor, Elenora Taylor, Benjamen Taylor, Kathi Taylor, Sophia Taylor, Gress Taylor

6 Age. - 48, 35, 15, 13, 11, 7, 1
7 Sex. - M, F, F, M, F, F, F
8 Color {White, black or mulatto. - blak, , mul, mul, mul, mul, mul
9 Relation to the head of the family. - , wife, child, child, child, child, child
10 In what county of this state, or in what state, or foreign country born. - Virginia, Germany, Erie, Erie, Erie, Erie, Erie
11 Of how many children the parent. - 5
12 Number of times married. - 1
13 Now married. - 1
14 Now widowed. -
15 Single. - , , 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
16 Profession, trade or occupation. - None
17 Usual place of employment, if out of the city or town, where the family resides. -

Voters.

18 Native. - 1
19 Naturalized. -
20 Alien. -

21 Colored person not taxed. -
22 Owner of land. -
23 Over 21, and not able to read and write. -
24 Deaf and dumb, blind, insane or idiotic. -

Employment in military or naval service of United States.

25 Now in army. -
26 Now in navy. -
27 Formerly in army. -
28 Formerly in navy. -

You'll notice that three houses before on the Census page is the Adam Gerhing family. Could this Adam Gehring, age 30, be Kathi (Catherine née Gehring) Taylor's brother? Or at least someone related?

I discovered online a document, Censuses For New York State in the Grosvenor Room at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. It is a very good work and reference.

Enjoy,

Jim

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1892 New York State Census - Benjamin and Catherine Taylor

Morning,

And sometime we luck out. Even though the majority of the 1890 Census were lost, at times we can find "replacement" documents that just fit the bill.

This morning, happenstance maybe, pure luck maybe... I stumbled upon a copy of a 1892 New York State Census, dated February 16, 1892, a copy from 107 years ago which included the names of Dr. Benjamin and Catherine Taylor.

And here's the copy from microfilm FHL[825693] -

Sources: New York. Erie County. 1892 State Census. 

Erie County Courthouse, Buffalo, New York and the Family History Library

My transcription -

Page 1

Enumeration of the Inhabitants living in the Third Election District of the Seventh Ward of the City of Buffalo, in the County of Erie, N.Y., on Feb. 16, 1892. Edward Tesving?

NAME. - Benjemin Taylor
Male or Female. - M
AGE. - 70
Color. - C
IN WHAT COUNTRY BORN. - US
Citizen or Alien. - C
OCCUPATION - Doctor

NAME. - Cathaen Toylor
Male or Female. - F
AGE. - 63
Color. -
IN WHAT COUNTRY BORN. - Germany
Citizen or Alien. - C
OCCUPATION - H Keeper

Based on this new/old information we have two more approximately calculated years of birth for both Benjamin as circa 1822, and Catherine as circa 1829.

Enjoy.

Jim

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1861 Canada Agricultural Census - Gustavus Anderson - London, Ontario

Evening,

I discovered the 1861 Canada Agricultural Census enumerating Gustavus Anderson and his stead, holdings, and farming efforts.  It is amazing the information that is provided.  Two other Andersons; David and Clayborne, along with Gustavus are included on this census page.  Is there some connection?  Don't know... More research and investigation needed.

And the Gustavus Andersons: Spring Wheat, Peas, Oats, Indian Corn, Pigs, and Butter. In 1860 five acres of land, fully cultivated, all crops.

Sources: 1861 Census of Canada, 

Data imaged from Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Canada 

and Ancestry.com

My transcription -

PUBLIC ARCHIVES OF CANADA MICROFILMED 1955

141

AGRICULTURAL CENSUS, Enumeration District No. 1 St. Lawrence Ward of the Township of London County of Middlesex. E. Robinson Enumerator

44

1 - NAME OF OCCUPIER - Gustavus Anderson
2 - Concession of Range. - 1
3 - Lot or part of Lot. - 7

NUMBER OF ACRES OF LAND.

4 - Total held by each Person or Family. - 5
5 - Under Cultivation. - 5
6 - Under Crops in 1860. - 5
7 - Under Pasture in 1860.
8 - Under Orchards or Garden.
9 - Under Wood or Wild.

10 - Cash value of Farm, Dollars. - 250
11 - Cash value of Farming Implements or Machinery, Dollars. - 20

FALL WHEAT.

12 - Acres.
13 - Produce in Bushels.

SPRING WHEAT.

14 - Acres. - 2½
15 - Produce in Bushels. - 37

BARLEY.

16 - Acres.
17 - Produce in Bushels.

RYE.

18 - Acres.
19 - Produce in Bushels.

PEAS.

20 - Acres. - 1
21 - Produce in Bushels. - 37

OATS.

22 - Acres. - ½
23 - Produce in Bushels. - 20

BUCK WHEAT.

24 - Acres.
25 - Produce in Bushels.

INDIAN CORN.

26 - Acres. - ½
27 - Produce in Bushels. - 12

POTATOES.

28 - Acres. - ½
29 - Produce in Bushels. - 80

TURNIPS.

30 - Acres.
31 - Produce in Bushels.

MANGEL WURTZEL.

32 - Acres.
33 - Produce in Bushels.

34 - Carrots, bushels.
35 - Beans, bushels.
36 - Hops, lbs.
37 - Hay, tons of 2000 lbs. or bundles of 16 lbs.
38 - Clover Seed, Timothy Seed, or other Grass Seed, bushels.
39 - Flax or hemp, lbs.
40 - Wool, lbs.
41 - Maple Sugar, lbs.
42 - Cider, gallons.
43 - Fulled Cloth, yards.
44 - Linen, yards.
45 - Flannel, yards.
46 - Bulls or Oxen over 3 years of age.
47 - Steers or heifers under 3 years of age. - 1
48 - Milch Cows. - 1
49 - Horse over 3 years of age. - 1
50 - Value of same, Dollars. - 40
51 - Colts or Fillies under 3 years of age.
52 - Sheep.
53 - Pigs. - 4
54 - Total value of all live Stock, Dollars. - 75
55 - Butter, lbs. - 35
56 - Cheese, lbs.
57 - Beef in brls. of 200 lbs.
58 - Pork in brls. of 200 lbs.

FISH.

59 - Quantity dried in Quintals.
60 - Quantity Salted and Barrelled.
61 - Quantity sold, Fresh.
62 - Pleasure Carriages kept.
63 - Value of ditto. Dollars.

MINERALS.

64 - Copper Ore mined. Tons
65 - Value of ditto. Dollars.
66 - Iron Ore, mined. Tons
67 - Value ditto. Dollars.
68 - Produce of Orchards and gardens. Dollars.

69 - REMARKS.

1861 CANADA WEST CENSUS

Enjoy,

Jim

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16 Ancestral Lines

Good Afternoon,

I thought you may like a visual presentation of the 16 Anderson Ancestral Lines. As we know, it is a work in progress.

I have used the individual's state of birth on record. A "?", question mark, represents a current unknown.

Enjoy,

Jim Click here to continue reading...

August 28, 2009 - GG-Grandfather Talbot Turner and The Civil War - Part 2

Good Afternoon,

So that we can visualize the relationship of great-great-grandfather Talbot Turner in perspective with his immediate family I have created a Descendant Chart. As always the information on the Descendant Chart can and may change depending on the source and reliability of the data. As you can see there are some identified boxes in the Chart that are highlighted. (On my PC they are a light tan bordering on a dull yellow. Based on your video card and your monitor capabilities the color may be some what different.) The highlighted boxes represent the immediate blood line of the owner.



Following up from Part 1, in conjunction with the two previously found Pension Index Cards from Footnote.com and The National Archives, I discovered the following dated "1891 Sep. 28":

and the following dated "1904 or 1914 Jan 7":


These also are from The National Archives extracted from the Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; T288; (Reference Roll 482: Turner, Leander--Tyas, Jonathan). This collection only holds the names of Union veterans as the pension files were for federal benefits. The application and certificate numbers are for the pension case file housed at The National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.

In the case of great-great-grandfather Talbot Turner and his widow, great-great-grandmother Susan J. Turner the application numbers (transcribed) are "1060326" and "797538", respectively. The certificate numbers are "752454" and "572270", respectively.

Registration is required to submit a Reference Request or Order Reproductions online. The Pension Application Files may provide a wealth of information as outlined in the linked description.

Compiled by Mr. Bennie J. McRae, Jr., I discovered the following site: U.S. Colored Infantry Regiments, which provides the Organization, Location and Original Designation. The information provided for your great-great-grandfather Talbot's regiments was:

1. Organization: 65th U.S. Colored Infantry; Location: Benton Barracks, Missouri; Original Designation: 2nd Missouri Colored Infantry; and

2. Organization: 67th U.S. Colored Infantry; Location: Benton Barracks, Missouri; Original Designation: 3rd Missouri Colored Infantry.

Enjoy... To be continued,

Jim

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August 27, 2009 - Fantastic Note and Great-Great-Grandfather Talbot Turner - Part 1

Morning,

What an exciting discovery that was made with the small piece of paper with your grandmother Ora Louisa (née Lewis) Anderson's writing -


Transcribing the note:

Front -

67th Regiment
Talbot Turner
Sergeant, Company "A"
of the 67th Regiment of
U.S. Ifantry Corps

1864 was made Sergeant

J.B. Nickerson
Adjutant of the regiment

A.J. Edjerton
Colonel
Commander of the Regiment
Discharged 1865
Glasgow, Mo.

Back -

Grandpa Turner
My mother's
father

And then the wheel's started turning.

So many wheels and cogs that I thought that this search could expand over a series of Blog postings.

First hit from Footnote.com - Civil War and Later Veterans Pension Index contributed by The National Archives.


The 1891 Sept. 28 card provides an additional bit of information to grandmother Ora Louisa's note. The card notes "Co. F, 65 Reg't US. C. Inf." in addition to the "A. 67 US. C-Inf."

The next successful hit -

It's two years earlier: 1889 Sept. 28, and the Company information "Co. A, 67 Reg't US. C. Inf." and Additional Services "F 65, US. C Inf" is reversed as compared to the 1891 card.

My immediate question refers to both cards. On both cards "Late rank" is entered as "P". What does the "P" rank represent? Obviously my first thought is "Private"... and of course this is not in line of thought with the great-great-grandfather Talbot's rank of "Sergeant" as noted by your grandmother.

Finding relevant data at Ancestry.com, which in turn is corresponding to the information included in the African Civil War Memorial, the Rank highlighted for great-great-grandfather Talbot Turner is "Sergeant". So the question is what does the "Late rank P" stand for on the 1889 and 1891 cards?

To be continued,

Enjoy.

Jim

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1837-1857 Buffalo City Directories - Taylor and Gehring

Good afternoon,

I've been examining the Buffalo City Directories from 1837 to 1857. I decided to conduct a very preliminary study on the appearance of two names. One name is that of your great-great-grandfather Benjamin C. Taylor. The other name is that which may be the maiden name of his wife, your great-great-grandmother Catherine Gehring.

I discovered this great image of Michigan Street Baptist Church at the What To Do, Buffalo Niagara website.

My approach was simple. Copies of the same 1837 through 1857 Buffalo City Directories are available through the LDS Family History Library on microfiche numbered FHL[6043723-6043744]. Per the Catalog the complete FHL collection are on 121 microfiche and 52 microfilm reels. The Directories are available from 1827 through 1930. I also was able to locate an online map of Buffalo in 1850.

The first part of the study identifies, at this point, six specific entries that can be attributed to your great-great-grandfather Benjamin C. Taylor. I have included the 2-page spreadsheet of the Buffalo City Directories Study 1837-1857. Using the map I was able to locate the approximate locations of the Taylor house; "106 Walnut" and "Walnut near Sycamore". The following inserts of the Directories' pages include 1850/51; 1855; 1856; 1857; 1858; and 1859.

The next surname, Gehring, the maiden name of your great-great grandmother Catherine (née Gehring) Taylor may be a bit more difficult to determine. I mean that it may be somewhat difficult to determine any Gehring family connections as current paperwork does not highlight any such relationships. On a survey of the mentioned Directories I have located those names that may appear to be similar to the "Gehring" and "Ghering" that you provided me. From 1837 through 1857, but not conclusive, I have found at least the following variants on the name in the Directories: Gehrein; Gehring; Goehring; Gahring; Grahling; Gering; Gerling; Geering; Gehrung; Gearing; Gering.

As we have not established a current linking of your great-great-grandmother Catherine with her immediate family, that is the "Ghering" family, at this time, I have been able to also zero in on those names, similar in some way that may be located near to the location of the Benjamin C. Taylor address, that is, "Walnut n Sycamore" and "106 Walnut". A number of these should be further investigated to see if there may be some clue that may lead us to factual evidence of a relationship.

Have fun with this information.

Jim

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July 12, 2009 - Possibly Gustavus Anderson and the Underground Railroad at Eppes Plantation - Part 6

Good Morning,

In my search on the Internet, my search for the name of your great-great grandfather Gustavus Anderson, I have unearthed a document that seems extremely interesting. The document Slavery and the Underground Railroad at the Eppes Plantations, Petersburg National Battlefield is a Special History Study by Marie Tyler-McGraw. It is A Study Prepared under the Cooperative Agreement between the National Park Service and the Organization of American Historians, and presented by the Northeast Region of the National Park Service, U.S Department of the Interior in 2005.

The part that I discovered on my search, from Page 51 of the document:

William Still’s accounts sometimes tantalize more than they inform. He does not give us — and perhaps did not have — the identity of C.A. or G. A. who wrote the following letter, apparently about James Hill, a young Petersburg man hidden in Richmond for more than three years. This young man may be James Anderson Hill. There is a connection between the Anderson and Hill families, not yet explained. 151 “Dear Brother Still – I received a message from brother Julius Anderson asking me to send the bundle on but I has no way to send it. I have been waiting and truly hoping that you would make some arrangement . . . the bundle has been on my hands now going on two years, and I have suffered a great deal of danger...” 152 Shortly after this, James Anderson [Hill] left Richmond for Boston.

The footnotes at Pages 62 and 63 are:

151 The 1850 and 1860 Indexes to the Richmond Free Black Census, Valentine Museum, Richmond, show free black Anderson and Hill families living very near each other in the city. One is Gustavus Anderson, who may have been G.A., the author of the above letter. The names Gustavus and Julius Anderson suggest German paternity.

152 Still, Underground Railroad, 205.

The link to the Slavery and the Underground Railroad at the Eppes Plantation should bring up a PDF file. It can be downloaded. If the PDF document is not brought up via your Internet connection, a Google search can be done for Eppes Plantation Virginia Gustavus Anderson.

Extremely interesting reading.

And I'm off to look for some more.

Jim

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July 9, 2009 - Anderson Children, 1840 and 1850 - Part 5

Good Evening,

I have come across the possible take on two Census pages for the Anderson family, 1850 and 1840 both of Henrico County, Virginia. The two pages of the identified 1850 Census are shown in Part 4.

The 1850 Census has the parents Gustavus Anderson at 35 years and Amelia Anderson at 33 or 35, depending on how I read it. Gustavus's occupation is entered as "Lawyer" and he has real estate valued at "$800". It should be taken into account that per family tales he, great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson was a free man.

According to the 1850 Census they have seven children listed of which the first two would be of concern when comparing to the 1840 Census; William H., 16 and Anne Eli, 12. The next daughter, Martha J. is listed as either 7 or 9 years, and all-things-being-equal would not appear on the earlier 1840 Census.

In the 1840 Census I found the head of household, Gustavus Anderson and the household includes a total of 10 Free Colored Persons, broken down as follows:

• 3 Males Under 10,
• 3 Males 10 & under 24,
• 1 Male 24 & under 36,
• 1 Female Under 10,
• 1 Female 24 & under 36,
• 1 Female 36 & under 55.
  

My assessment on the 1840 possibilities are:

1. Gustavus, Head of Household = 1 Male 24 & under 36. (He is listed at 35 years in the 1850 Census.)
2. Amelia, Wife = 1 Female 24 & under 36. (She is listed at 33 or 35 in the 1850 Census.)
3. William H., Son = 1 Male Under 10. (He is listed at 16 in the 1850 Census.)
4. Anne Eli, Daughter = 1 Female Under 10 (She is listed at 12 in the 1850 Census.)

This would account for 4 of the 10 occupants. The one Female entered in the 36 & under 55 column could be a parent or any other female relative or acquaintance. As she was listed as a Free Colored Person it would appear that there is a greater, but not definite, chance of her being somehow related to either Gustavus or Amelia.

My concern would be the five other males all under 24 years of age; two Under 10 and three 10 & under 24. One iteration, as they are all enumerated as Free Colored Persons could be that they were possibly sons of Gustavus and Amelia. Under this scenario it could be deduced that Amelia may have had a son (or sons) when she was very young, at the extreme of 13 years. Is this possible? The answer is yes. And taking this thought forward, Amelia could have had a child, all sons, consecutively for three years, and further she would have had three more sons and a daughter from the ages of 16 through 24. The thought would be that she had had seven children by the time she was 25 years old. And this would translate that Gustavus and Amelia had at least 15 children. A large family, but a possibility; seven children by 1840, another six by 1850, and two more through 1861.

An alternative could be that the young males, all or some, at the most five could be relatives and/or friends of the family. The point of note is that they are all listed as Free Colored Persons. The other possibility is that a notation on the 1840 Census could be an error.

Based on the history of the times and the information as provided by the 1840 Census this positioned this household as one of a small percentage, which narrows the possibility that this may have been the family that I'm looking for.

And I've enclosed a Gustavus and Amelia Anderson Descendant Chart of them and their offspring accounted from 1850 forward.


Enjoy,

Jim

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July 8, 2009 - The Ontario and Virginia Andersons - Part 4

Good afternoon,

Today, I've been adding Census records to the Sandra J Anderson Garcia Jun 15 2009 Legacy database. All of the Ontario Canada Voters' List as mentioned in Part 3 have been entered to the database, specifically to great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson.

We had a bit of an accident in the kitchen this morning and a cup of coffee was spilled onto a number of my cookbooks... Thanks-be that none got on the genealogy documents. I suppose the old trick of "antiquing" the papers could work to give them a bit of authenticity, but ink-jet print jobs smear and run... The cookbooks that got "java'd" are drying now.

As I entered the information from the 1861 Canada Census, (on the left) identifying great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson as head of household, and the 1891 Canada Census, (on the right) with great-great-grandmother Amelia Anderson as head of household, I noticed a number of differences that should be noted. The major differences are the reported ages of the individuals. I need to do a comparison analysis and try to identify a possible correct year of birth for each.

And to top it all, I discovered two new Censuses. An 1850 US Census taken in the Western District in the County of Henrico in the State of Virginia, and an 1840 US Census of the Eastern District of Virginia. Both are subsequent enumerations of the Gustavus Anderson family.

The 1850 US Census for the Anderson family now allows us to note that your great-great-grandparents Gustavus and Amelia Anderson had, at this point in time of recording, at least nine children. They were:

1. William H., born about 1834 in Virginia.
2. Ann Eliza, born about 1838 in Virginia. I have found three other birth year possibilities: 1841, 1847, and 1856. The 1856 year can be eliminated based on the information provided in the 1850 US Census.
3. Martha J., born about 1841 in Virginia. As Martha J. is recorded at a younger age than Ann Eliza by about three or four years It could be safe to conclude that sister Ann Eliza was not born in 1841.
4. Maria L., born about 1843 in Virginia.
5. Sarah, born about 1845 in Virginia.
6. Elizabeth, born about 1847 in Virginia. The year 1847 conflicts with the same year found for older sister Ann Eliza on the 1861 Ontario Census. It also appears that there was additional confusion of ages enumerated in 1891 Ontario Census between Ann Eliza and Elizabeth.
7. Gustavus, born about 1849 in Virginia. An alternate birth location is given as Canada in the 1910 US Census taken in Erie County, New York which would be in conflict with the 1850 US Census recorded in Henrico County in Virginia which of course enumerated that he was born in Virginia.
8. Caledonia, born about 1854, in the United States The 1891 Ontario Census records that she was born in 1861 which would mean that the 1861 Ontario Census could not have her listed at 7 years old, which it does.
9. Nathaniel, born about 1859, in Ontario, Canada.

The 1840 US Census requires a different analysis process. The information that is typically provided on this Census is the name of the Head of Families, and a corresponding number of persons as categorized by Free White Persons; Free Coloured Persons and Slaves. As mentioned I did discover an entry for one Gustavus Anderson in the Eastern District (or Territory) of Virginia and in Henrico County. I am investigating the possibility whether this is could be your great-great-grandfather. It may be as the Gustavus Anderson family is listed as Free Coloured Persons. I will continue this analysis and provide the same on my next posting.

Enjoy,

Jim

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July 6, 2009 - The Wealth of History of Gustavus Anderson - Part 3

Afternoon,

My thoughts as I was working on July 5th's posting was that the proverbial snowball has begun rolling down the hill. Well please change the visual to an avalanche down a mountain. The finds for great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson now do not appear to be slowing down. There are so many leads that all this work will definitely take some time to review and analyze, yet alone try to order it all into a good stream of his life.

I am labeling this posting Part 3, andas I have completed two subsequent postings Parts 1 and 2. This is to provide an easier way of referencing specific postings, as needed.

I did mention in Part 2 that I had also found an 1861 Canada Census and the Ontario, Canada Voters' List - 1877 through and including 1886 specific to Gustavus Anderson. I thought that today I would work on providing the information on the Ontario, Canada Voter Lists as there is some time required on preparing each image document for your review. Chapter 8 of the book The Revised Statutes of Ontario 1887, provides a good reference point for perusing of the The Voters' Lists Act, RSO 1877....

The following are the 10 years which include great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson on the Ontario, Canada Voters' List. (If you print these documents I would suggest noting each individual printed page with the corresponding year as the year itself does not appear on any of the images. This will avoid confusion at a later date.)

1877 (Coded OVL001);
1878 (Coded OVL002);
1879 (Coded OVL003);
1880 (Coded OVL004);
1881 (Coded OVL005);
1882 (Coded OVL006);
1883 (Coded OVL007);
1884 (Coded OVL008);
1885 (Coded OVL009);
1886 (Coded OVL010).

As great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson passed away in 1886 I searched for an equivalent Voters' List for great-great-grandmother Amelia Anderson. I did not find any specific to her name but I did see subsequent years with a Mrs. Anderson listed. This will require further investigation.

Further information is provided on Wikipedia regarding Concession roads referencing the terms Concession and Lot as used on the Voters' Lists.

Much more to come,

Enjoy,

Jim

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July 5, 2009 - Gustavus Anderson Definitely Lived in London, Ontario - Part 2

Good Afternoon,

The data and documentation is coming at me quicker than I can absorb it. And having to jump across the Canadian American border from Buffalo, New York to London, Ontario, and back, my gathering of new information can appear somewhat hectic.


View Larger Map

I've stumbled across the following since early this morning:

1. 1871 Canada Census. See this morning's early posting, Andersons in Ontario - 1871
   
2. 1881 Canada Census.
3. 1886 Death Registration for great-great grandfather Gustavus Anderson.
4. 1861 Canada Census.
5. Ontario Voting Lists - 1877 through and including 1886

1881 Canada Census (coded ON002)

Originating from the Library and Archives Canada, in Ottawa, Ontario, the reporting of the 1881 Canada Census enumerates that the Anderson family in London had reduced in size. Great-grandfather Gustavus is not listed on the 1881 Census but we know that he is living with his wife, your great-grandmother Elnora Elizabeth (née Taylor) and their children in Buffalo at Walnut Street. Your grandaunt Amelia Grace Anderson had just been born on the 26th of March when the 1881 Canada Census was begun on the 4th of April.

Great-grandaunt Elizabeth is also not listed with her family in the 1881 Canada Census. I have discovered a possibility of her whereabouts on the same Census, working for a Blizard family who are two houses away from your great-great-grandparents' home. All the information matches the Elizabeth Anderson of the 1871 Canada Census except that 1881 Elizabeth is listed at only 23 years old. Based on the age listing from the 1871 Census she should be enumerated at about 33 years in the 1881. Otherwise as everything else matches, this could be an extreme coincidence, except for the age difference. I will be investigating this further.

Another note is that great-grandaunt Caledonia is not present in the 1881 household... And a great-grandaunt Carrie has appeared. She, great-grandaunt Carrie was never listed on the 1871 Census. In 1871, Caledonia was entered at 17 years old. If she had been entered to the 1881 Census her age should be about 27 years. But great-grandaunt Carrie is entered at 26 years in 1881. They could be twins... or Caledonia and Carrie are one and the same person. Aren't there twins in your ancestral lines? The Turners?

1886 Death Registration for Great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson (coded DON003)

Via Ancestry.com and from the Archives of Ontario, Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1934, I was able to discover an actual registration entry possibly listing the death of great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson. The actual date, 29 April 1886 is not included in the entry but the date of registration is 4 May 1886. The points of matching are his name, Gustavus Anderson; his occupation, Farmer; and location, London Township, County of Middlesex, Ontario. As the registration date is only five days from the date recorded of his actual death, it is highly possible that this Registration refers to Gustavus Anderson, Sr.

I will be investigating the two other items; the 1861 Canada Census and the Ontario Voting Lists and provide you my thoughts shortly. For your information and interest the 1861 Census appears to be specifically agricultural and of farming in nature. The Ontario Voting lists also seem to be poll lists of landowners and I have been able to extract the name of Gustavus Anderson on 10 subsequent years from 1877 through and including 1886.

As I mentioned to you before, the snowball effect is just beginning...

Enjoy,

Jim

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July 5, 2009 - Andersons in Ontario, Canada - 1871 - Part 1

Thanks to the Canada Public Archives and Ancestry.com I was able to quickly track down your great-great-grandparents Gustavus and Amelia Anderson... and family. This is thanks to the publication of the 1871 Canada Census for District No. 9 East Middlesex, Sub-District E. Township of London in the Province of Ontario.

The Anderson family includes seven members:

1. Gustavus; aged 56; occupation Farmer
2. Amelia; aged 57;
3. Ann Eliza; aged 30; occupation Servant;
   
4. Elizabeth; aged 23; occupation Servant;
   
5. Gustavus; your great-grandfather; aged 22; occupation Waiter;
   
6. Caledonia; aged 17; and
7. Nathaniel; aged 12.

All were born in the United States except Nathaniel, who was born in in Ontario. This of course could imply that the Andersons have been in Ontario, Canada since at least 1859.

Explore the Census page. It will be coded ON001 and I have to enter the related information into the Anderson Garcia database.

Jim Click here to continue reading...

July 1, 2009 - Was There A Jeanette Lewis?

Evening,

I entered the name Jeanette Eley Lewis from the Descendant Chart that had been created from family files and was provided to me. The offspring of Ben 1856-1932 and Sarah (Sarah) Turner 1861-31 on the chart as entered are: Ora 1-8-90-9/70, O’Dell, Mildred, John, Jeanette Eley, Sadie, Ila, and Jewelle. I have inserted a copy of the same.

The logic of her death entered from a “Highly reliable” source is taken from the fact that she does not appear as a part of the list of house members on the 1900 US Census for Troy Township, Monroe, Iowa dated the 20th June 1900. The 1900 Census lists all the household including: Ben, Sallie, Udel T., Mildred J., Ora L., John E., Jewell E., Sada N., and Ila. There is no indication of a Jeanette Eley as indicated on the Chart.

When I first compared the two documents; the 1900 US Census and the Descendant Chart I noticed that Jeanette Eley only appears on the Chart, whereas Jewell E. appears on both. This means that there are three possibilities that I can think of:

1. Jeanette Eley may have passed away at some time before the 1900 Census was recorded,
2. Jeanette Eley was staying at someone else’s house at the time that the Census was taken, or
3. Jeanette Eley and Jewell E. are the same person, and the information on the Descendant Chart is less reliable.

At this point in time I decided to enter both names, Jeanette Eley and Jewell E. to your database. I decided to go with the first point that Jeanette Eley had passed away. My reasoning:

1. The birth years of all the other children who are included in the Census range between 1886 and 1899 which would indicate that unless she, Jeanette Eley, was older than Udel T. and it could mean that she had possibly left the family and could be recorded elsewhere or
2. There are some “conception possibilities” between the birth years of the children that she had been born and passed away at an early age.

The source, the Census is what is “Highly reliable”, definitely not my logic nor the Descendant Chart. And of course the 1890 US Censuses were destroyed by fire in St. Louis so at this point there is not any other documentary proof immediately accessible.

I hope this makes sense. It does not mean that it is fixed in stone and of course can change at any point.

Jim

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June 19, 2009 - Happy Solstice and Taylors Galore!

Morning,

I would presume that even though you have a fair bit of material to wade through, you do not want me to stop searching, finding and sending. And on that note here's a gift this morning.

I believe the inserts from the 1850....1851 Commercial Advertiser Directory For The City of Buffalo Directory published in 1850 includes a listing of your great-great-grandfather Benjamin C. TAYLOR, a cook living at Walnut Street near Sycamore Street. I'm not sure when in 1850 this Directory was published but as the efforts to gather information were manually accomplished the information could actually be that of 1849. And 1849 is the approximate birth year that we have for your great-grandmother Elnora Elizabeth (nee TAYLOR) ANDERSON.

I've also included copies of the 1850 (1st below on left) and1860 (2nd and 3rd below) US Censuses taken in Buffalo specific to your gg-grandparents Benjamin and Catherine (nee GHERING) TAYLOR. You should note that the occupation "Cook" provided on the 1860 Census corresponds to the same as provided in the 1850....1851 Directory.

And at some opportune moments, just a when it may be an "Aha" moment, a possibility unfolds itself to me, to us. At Line 24 of the 1860 Census listed is a "George Gearing" and family. The name GEARING is just too close in sound and possible pronunciation to that of your gg-grandmother Catherine's maiden name GHERING. And George GEARING birthplace is listed as "Bavaria". All-things-being-equal George and his wife Christine GEARING could be your gg-grandmother Catherine's parents, and therefore your 3-times, that is, great-great-great grandparents.

When I briefly survey the single pages of the censuses referenced above, I notice that there is an abundance of "German-type" surnames. It would make sense that the TAYLOR family is close by as your gg-grandmother Catherine, who is listed as of "Germany", may live close to her family. Just a thought, but definitely a possibility. Also all-things-being-equal your gg-grandfather Benjamin may have arrived in the Buffalo area around the late 1840s.

But wait, there is more! I also discovered the Thomas S. Cutting 1848----1849. Buffalo City Directory, published in 1848. And I found a listing for one "Gehring George, vegetable dealer under terrace market bd walnut cor william", and of course I've attached the same.

And it continues, I found the same George GEHRING and family in the 1850 US Census (to the right) for Buffalo, which matches the George GEHRING in the 1848----1849 Directory, which corresponds to the George GEARING in the 1860 US Census.

This is not a definite but pretty damn close!!!

Enjoy,

Jim

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