Author: joelowry1982

Where Were My Ancestors in 1900?

joelowry1982 Maternal, Paternal

Genealogist Michael John Neill made an interesting exercise of figuring out where his ancestors lived in 1900. I thought I would follow suit to provide a fuller picture of my family in 1900. In 1900, the following ancestors were alive:

(Lowry ancestors are in italics, Witt ancestors in roman.)

Great Grandparents (5):

  • Charles Edward Lowry (1899 – 1975) in Leetonia, Ohio
  • Noah E Groucutt (1882 – 1967) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Kathleen Esther (Rogan) Groucutt (1891 – 1978) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Francis John Witt (1899 – 1992) in Youngstown, Ohio
  • Helen M (Bixler) Witt (1898 – 1985) in Youngstown, Ohio
Three of my great grandparents were born after 1900. The earliest born was Noah Groucutt. He was also the first to die. The latest born was Caroline Porubsky Wolford (1910) and the last to die in 2003.
Great Great Grandparents (16):
  • Michael J Lowry (1868 – 1949) in Leetonia, Ohio
  • Anna F (Lottman) Lowry (1869 – 1945) in Leetonia, Ohio
  • George Peter Pepperney (1871 – 1962) in Charleroi, Pennsylvania
  • Mary Anna (Bahle) Pepperney (1877 – 1935) in Charleroi, Pennsylvania
  • George Leo Groucutt (1862 – 1941) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Bridget (Foy) Groucutt (1862 – 1925) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • James Francis Rogan (1858 – 1938) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Catherine A (Travers) Rogan (1868 – 1933) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Joseph Franklin Witt (1868 – 1943) in Youngstown, Ohio
  • Mary E (Governor) Witt (1870 – 1951) in Youngstown, Ohio
  • William Joseph Bixler (1875 – 1944) in Sharon, Pennsylvania
  • Elizabeth (Perkins) Bixler (1872 – 1951) in Sharon, Pennsylvania
  • Stanton M Wolford (1864 – 1946) in Topeka, Kansas
  • Henrietta (Rogers) Wolford (1869 – 1950) in Topeka, Kansas
  • Carl Porubsky (1885 – 1962) in Kamenka, Saratov, Russia
    • He left for the United States in June 1900.
  • Elizabeth (Schulmeister) Porubsky (1887 – 1972) in Topeka, Kansas
All of my great great grandparents were alive in 1900. The oldest at the time was James Francis Rogan at 42. The youngest in 1900 was Elizabeth (Schulmeister) Porubsky at 13. She was also the last of my great great grandparents to die. The first was Bridget (Foy) Groucutt in 1925.
Great Great Great Grandparents (25):
  • Michael Lowry (1830 – 1928) in Leetonia, Ohio
  • Bridget (Conley) Lowry (1825 – 1904) in Leetonia, Ohio
  • Martin Lottman (1846 – 1921) in Perry Township (Salem), Ohio
  • Margaret (Bretchel) Lottman (1844 – 1924) in Perry Township (Salem), Ohio
  • Frank Pepperney Sr. (1847 – 1927) in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
  • Margaretta (Buhl) Pepperney (1849 – 1923) in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
  • Jacob L Bahle (1832 – 1908) in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
  • Rachel (Schnauffer) Bahle (1842 – 1921) in Allegheny, Pennsylvania
  • James Rogan (1827 – 1910) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Esther (Callahan) Rogan (1832 – 1927) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Anna M (Mooney) Travers (1834 – 1916) in New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • Martin Witt (1830 – 1921) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Elisabeth Louise (Kreher) Witt (1840 – 1930) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Nicholas J Governor (1842 – 1914) in Vienna, Ohio
  • Katherine E (Krantz) Governor (1850 – 1918) in Vienna, Ohio
  • J. G. William Bixler (1843 – 1907) in Youngstown, Ohio
  • Mary (Lehn) Bixler (1850 – 1930) in Youngstown, Ohio
  • Mary (Price) Perkins (1845 – 1829) in Youngstown, Ohio (probable, not confirmed)
  • James Mathias Wolford (1846 – 1905) in Bluffs, Scott, Illinois
  • Harriet (Maines) Wolford (1840 – 1910) in Pleasant Township, Indiana (not Bluffs, Illinois, with her husband!)
  • Mary Ann (Chapman) Rogers (1840 – 1903) in Bluffs, Scott, Illinois
  • Mathias Porubsky (1858 – 1929) in Kamenka, Saratov, Russia
  • Christina (Vogelman) Porubsky (1863 – 1917) in Kamenka, Saratov, Russia
    • She and Mathias left for the United States in June 1900.
  • Michael Schulmeister (1856 – 1937) in Topeka, Kansas
  • Anna Maria (Unknown) Schulmeister (1861 – 1934) in Topeka, Kansas
Five 3rd Great grandparents were dead before 1900. Two others I am not sure of their date of death. The oldest of my 3rd great grandparents is Bridget (Conley) Lowry believed to be born in 1825. The last born is Christina Vogelman Porubsky born in 1963, 38 years after Bridget.

I have no Fourth Great Grandparents that were alive in 1900 that I know of, but I am missing several who would would be likely candidates to still be alive in 1900.
Of my 46 relatives alive in 1900, only seven of them lived in what I consider home, which is Youngstown, Ohio. The rest lived in:
  • New Castle, Pennsylvania: 9
  • Pittsburgh or Allegheny, Pennsylvania: 6
  • Topeka, Kansas: 5
  • Leetonia, Ohio: 5
  • Kamenka, Russia: 3
  • Vienna, Ohio: 2
  • Perry Township (Salem), Ohio: 2
  • Bluffs, Illinois: 2
  • Sharon, Pennsylvania: 2
  • Charleroi, Pennsylvania: 2
  • Pleasant Township, Indiana: 1
Source:
Mostly 1900 Census data through the Lowry-Witt Family Tree

2013 – My Year in Genealogy

joelowry1982 Maternal, Paternal
Some Lowry-Witt genealogy stats for the year:
2 – Number of visits to the National Archives. I hope to better this number in 2014.
4 – Number of cemetery visits. Fortunately for her, I only dragged my wife to one of them.
8 – Number of genealogy webinars I ‘attended.’ There are free webinars on different topics in genealogy offered almost daily. I try to continually increase my genealogy knowledge and webinars are an easy way to do that.
80 – Number of blog entries I’ve written this year.
484 – The number of dollars I’ve spent on genealogy in 2013. Don’t tell my wife. At least my ROI is better than if I’d bought lottery tickets with that money.
1,200 – Number of family photos scanned and uploaded to my Flickr site. A majority of those are Lowry and Pepperney family photos. I have a few additional Witt photos scanned that need to be uploaded. I hope to get that done in the next few weeks.
1,502 – The number of people in my Lowry-Witt family tree. It started as a sloppy mess of a tree, with random additions in there before I started getting serious about genealogy. Instead of starting from scratch with a ‘clean’ tree, I am weeding out the bad info. It’s not the best approach, I know, but it works for me.
7,000 – Approximate number of pageviews on this blog this year. Most of those are by automated bots, but it’s still a great number.

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday – "You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out"

joelowry1982 Lowry, Paternal, Wordless Wednesday

Cowboy Chuck Lowry (the only cowboy in the West armed with a Thompson submachine gun) models the latest Christmas gift in front of the tree at the Lowry homestead. Perhaps Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” was created from this photo.

It’s wonderful to see the small houses around the tree in this photo. Those were under the my grandfather’s Christmas tree until he passed away in 2007. I believe they are with one of my aunts now.

Click to enlarge. Family Collection.

Sunday’s Obituary – George Peter Pepperney

joelowry1982 Paternal, Pepperney
Fifty one years ago this week…
My great great grandfather George Peter Pepperney died on December 25, 1962 at his home in Salem, Ohio. At the time of his death, he left three grandchildren including my grandfather Charles Lowry and eight great grandchildren, including my dad Pat Lowry.
George at home. Family photo.
Source:

“George Pepperney,” Youngstown Vindicator, Page 34. December 26, 1962, accessed November 24, 2013. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aYs_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ilUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1502%2C3145800

Census Sunday – 1930 U.S. Census for Charles E. Lowry and Family

joelowry1982 Census Sunday, Lowry, Paternal
We continue to trace back the family of Charles Edward Lowry. We started in 1940 and today we look at 1930. In 1940, the Lowry’s lived at 207 N Thornton and paid $31 per month in rent. Ten years earlier, they lived down the block and were paying $35 per month. I’m not certain when they moved. Early family photos I have show the house at 207 Thornton, not 106, which has since been torn down.

Relationship to Me:
Charles Edward Lowry (1899 – 1975)
father of:
Charles James Lowry (1924 – 2007)
father of:
Patrick Edward Lowry
father of:
Joseph Patrick Lowry

State: Ohio
County: Mahoning
City: Youngstown

Ward: 1
Block: 44
Sheet: 14A
Enumeration District: 50-3
Enumerated by: Mrs. G(H?)omer James, Enumerator
Address: 106 N Thornton Avenue (map)

Line 47 – 49
Household 250
Rented or Owned: Rented
Monthly Rent: $35
Does this household live on a farm? No

Lowry, Charles E, head, male, white, 30 years old, married. Age first married: 22. Has not attended school or college since Sept 1, 1929. Is able to read and write. Born in Ohio. Father born in United States. Mother born in Germany. Is a citizen. Occupied as a chemist in a steel mill. Actually at work yesterday: Yes. Is a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces: No.

” M. Margaret, wife (H.), female, white, age 27, married. Age first married: 19. Has not attended school  or college since Sept 1, 1929. Is able to read and write. Born in Pennsylvania. Father born in Pennsylvania. Mother born in Pennsylvania. Is a citizen. Is not employed.
” , Charles J., son, male, white, age 5, single. Has attended school or college anytime since Sept 1, 1929. Born in Ohio. Father born in Ohio. Mother born in Pennsylvania.
Note:
(H.) is written on the census form and appears to indicate who answered the enumerator’s questions.

Source:
1930 U.S. Federal Census, Mahoning County, Youngstown, population schedule, Enumeration District 50-3, Sheet 14A, Dwelling 250,. Charles E Lowry; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2013), citing Image: 669.0; FHL microfilm: 2341576. National Archives microfilm publication Roll T626.

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday – Four Generations (Part 3)

joelowry1982 Four Generations, Lowry, Paternal, Pepperney, Wordless Wednesday

I’ve featured a number of photos on the blog that include four generations of relatives. This photo was taken between 1949 and 1962. I can’t be more precise right now because I’m not certain who the baby is, although I imagine this is in the later years of that range based on the suspected age of the individuals in the photo. In addition to an unknown aunt or uncle, the photo includes my grandfather Chuck Lowry, great great grandfather George Pepperney, and great grandmother Margaret Pepperney Lowry. I will need to check the original and see if there is any information written on the back.

Click to enlarge. Family photo.

Census Sunday – 1940 U.S. Census for Michael Lowry and Family

joelowry1982 Census Sunday, Lowry, Paternal
Not often thought of today, my 2nd great grandfather Michael Lowry was still alive in 1940. In fact, he lived to see his grandson Charles graduate from Ursuline High School, depart for France with the Army and be wounded in the fight for Brest, France. He died in Mayhew Nursing Home in Perry Township, Columbiana County, Ohio in 1949. In 1940, Michael was 71 years old living with his wife Annie in Salem, Ohio.
Relationship to Me:
Michael Lowry (1868 – 1949)
father of:
Charles Edward Lowry (1899 – 1975)
father of:
Charles James Lowry (1924 – 2007)
father of:
Patrick Edward Lowry
father of:
Joseph Patrick Lowry

State: Ohio
County: Columbiana
City: Salem
Township: Perry

Ward: 1
Sheet: 11A
Enumeration District: 15-40
Enumerated by: Joseph Corso, Enumerator
Address:  440 West State Street (map)

Line 34 – 35
Household 249
Rented or Owned: Owned
Value of Home: $3000

Lowry, Michael, head, male, white, 70 years old, married. Has not attended school or college since Mar 1, 1940. Completed education through 8th grade. Born in Pennsylvania. Lived in the same house on April 1, 1935. Does not live on a farm. Was not at work for pay the week of Mar 24 – 30, 1940. Was not performing emergency work (CCA, WPA, etc) the week of Mar 24 – 30, 1940. Is not seeking work. Did not have a job or business. Is unable to work. Occupation is a coal miner in a coal mine. Number of weeks worked in 1939: 0. Income received: 0. Receives income greater than $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary.

” Annie (X.) wife, female, white, 70 years old, married. Has not attended school or college since Mar 1, 1940. Completed education through 6th grade. Born in Germany. Lived in the same house on April 1, 1935. Does not live on a farm. Was not at work for pay the week of Mar 24 – 30, 1940. Was not performing emergency work (CCA, WPA, etc) the week of Mar 24 – 30, 1940. Is not seeking work. Did not have a job or business. Is engaged in home housework. Number of weeks worked in 1939: 0. Income received: 0. Receives income greater than $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary.
Note:
  • It is interesting that the enumerator listed the occupation of coal miner for Mike. The instructions say to only list occupation for those who work, and Mike does not work in 1940.
  • Michael and Annie have income other than a salary coming in, so perhaps Michael earned a pension for his work as a coal miner.
  • The X. next to Annie is written on the census form and indicates that she answered the enumerator’s questions.

Source:
1940 U.S. Federal Census, Columbiana County, Salem, population schedule, Enumeration District 15-40, Sheet 11A, Dwelling 249,. Michael Lowry; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 December 2013), citing National Archives microfilm publication Roll T627_3267.