Author: joelowry1982

Census Sunday – 1850 U.S. Census of Mathias and Godfrey Wolford

joelowry1982 Census Sunday, Maternal
One of the fun and fascinating things about family history is tracking where your ancestors lived. Within my family, we always think of the Wolford’s as being a clan from Topeka, but if you trace them back far enough, you find that they didn’t live that far from Youngstown. The 1850 U.S. Census shows several Wolford families living in Jefferson Township, Coshocton County, Ohio.
The 1850 Census was the first to list each member of the household. Previous census records only listed the heads of the household and the number of people living there. With the additional names, it’s much easier to track family lineage. The 1850 Census shows two Wolford families farming side by side. My 4th great grandfather Mathias Wolford and his family owned $500 worth of land while his brother Godfrey Wolford lived next door on a much larger plot, valued at $1000.
In 1850, Jefferson Township was becoming a very suitable place to live, as the newly built Walhonding Canal provided a link to the larger Ohio and Erie Canal and eventually, the Great Lakes. For farmers and 3rd generation Americans Mathias and Godfrey, the canal system would have provided a relatively inexpensive means of transporting goods to market and returning farming equipment to the homestead.
Relationship to me:
Mathias Wolford (1821 – 1876) and Godfrey Wolford (1812 – 1880)
father of and uncle of:
James Mathias Wolford (1846 – 1905)
father of:
Stanton M. Wolford (1864 – 1946)
father of:
Raymond Hudson Wolford (1909 – 1970)
father of:
Barbara Jean Wolford
mother of:
Rebecca Ann Witt
mother of:
Joseph Patrick Lowry

State: Ohio
County: Coshocton

Township: Jefferson Twp.
Enumeration District: 26
Enumerated by: T. Hutchinson, Asst. Marshal

Dwelling No 16
Mathias Wolford, age 29, Male, Farmer, $500 (value of real estate), born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Eliza.          ”      , age 25, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
James M.   ”      , age 3, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Derinda      ”      , age 2, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Francis M  ”      , age 2/12, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Dwelling No 17
Godfery Wolford, age 37, Male, Farmer, $1000 (value of real estate), born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Susanna.  ”      , age 30, Female, born in Pennsylvania, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Eliza.       ”      , age 11, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
William    ”      , age 10, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Mathias   ”      , age 8, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Mary      ”      , age 6, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Wilson   ”      , age 3, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Isaac    ”      , age 1, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Source:

Mathias Wolford household, 1850 U.S. census, Coshocton County, Ohio, population schedule, Jefferson township, page 327, dwelling 16, family 16; National Archives micropublication M432_670. Ancestry.com; Page: 164A; Image: 333. Link. Accessed 13 Jun 2013.

Funeral Card Friday – Caroline B. Wolford

joelowry1982 Funeral Card Friday, Maternal, Porubsky
I have a small collection of funeral cards. It seems that whenever a family member dies, I don’t take one funeral card. I take seven or eight. Thus, I have a lot of funeral cards for just a few relatives. My great grandmother Caroline lived to be 93 years old. I didn’t go to her funeral as I was closing out the first semester of my senior year of college in Cleveland and the funeral was 900 miles away in Topeka. I think my mom brought this back for me. A lovely quotation from the Prayer of Saint Francis is on the card.

Military Monday – World War I Draft Registration of Carl Porubsky

joelowry1982 Document, Maternal, Porubsky
In 1918 America was deeply involved in World War I and men were needed by the thousands to serve in the United States Army. The Selective Service Act of 1917 authorized the government to conscript men into service to fight overseas. On September 12, 1918, the pool was increased requiring all men 21-45 to register. 
With wife Lizzie and daughter Caroline at home in Little Russia 33-year old Carl Porubsky, my great great grandfather, went to the local registration office and was registered for possible conscription into Uncle Sam’s Army.
Interestingly, this draft card lists his name as Charles. I’m certain it’s for Carl. The date of birth, wife’s name, and address all align with other sources I have for Carl. Perhaps the woman transcribing it, Besse Buechner, heard ‘Charles’ in Carl’s heavy accent?

Memorial Day 2013 – A Visit to Calvary Cemetery

joelowry1982 Bixler, Groucutt, Lowry, Maternal, Military, Paternal, Tombstone, Witt

I took some time out this Memorial Day to visit Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio. Calvary is the ‘home’ cemetery, and countless relatives are buried there. My Lowry great grandparents and grandparents’ graves are just inside the gate in Section 55, so they were first stop. Last year or so, my aunts planted several Hosta plants, which have grown nicely around the grave.

My aunt Chris and I were just talking yesterday that there was no flag on my grandfather’s grave, and I confirmed that today. A quick visit to the cemetery office, which was open on Memorial Day to handle the crowds, rectified that situation. Chuck served in D Company, 28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division during World War II, and was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in the Battle for Brest, France. He took home part of a German grenade in his leg as a souvenir. You can read more about his military service on my other blog, The Wartime Letters of Private Charles Lowry, U.S. Army.
After leaving my grandparents, I wandered over to my grandpa Howard Witt’s grave. It was harder to find than I remembered, so I made a second visit to the cemetery office. He’s buried in Section 47, Lot 552, Grave 2, directly behind my aunt Renee Witt and her dad, John Santorilla. I was probably about 10 feet away the first time I went, but found it immediately after I stopped by the office. Howard’ grave also lacked a flag. Another trip to the cemetery office, a chat with the clerk about coming back to Youngstown, and back to the grave I went. At all the graves, I spent a few minutes of cleaning grass clippings, wandering around to read the other names before it was off to find my great grandpa and grandma Witt in Section 45.

My great grandparents Francis and Helen Witt are buried together with their daughter, my great aunt Helen Witt. I was fortunate to know two of my great grandparents, and Francis was one of them. He was always sitting in his recliner in his house on Osborne Ave when we walked in, would point his cane at me and say, ‘Hey, I know you!”. I’m sure he did, but with probably 40 great grandkids by the time he died, he just wasn’t quite sure of my name! When his daughter, my great aunt Helen, passed away in 2009, she was cremated and her remains are buried above her moms. She has a flower vase in her memory.

Next time I go, I’ll have to better prepare. Some basic gardening tools would have helped clear the grave markers a little better. There were a few older graves to the left of my Witt great grandparents that are almost completely lost to Mother Nature. A quick sprucing would save them from disappearing under the grass. I’ll add this to the list of things to do when I’m home this summer.

Wedding Wednesday – Groucutt-Roberts Rite is Solemnized

joelowry1982 Groucutt, Paternal, Wedding Wednesday
Appearing in The Vindicator on October 9, 1949, is the marriage announcement of my great aunt Barbara ‘Babs’ Groucutt to David Roberts. They were married the day before at Saint Columba Cathedral by the future Bishop of Youngstown, James Malone.
File:Stcolumba.jpg
Saint Columba Cathedral as it would have appeared in 1949. (Wikipedia)
Source:
“Groucutt-Roberts Rite is Solemnized,” Youngstown Vindicator, Section C, Page 5. October 10, 1949, accessed May 7, 2013. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5qNJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S4QMAAAAIBAJ&dq=groucutt-roberts%20rite%20is%20solemnized&pg=1060%2C1822094

The Lowry’s Were In Court… 105 Years Ago

joelowry1982 Lanaghan, Lowry, Paternal
There was no E!, TMZ, or The Daily Mail, but there was a newspaper covering the family drama in 1908. It seems that my 3rd great grandfather Michael Lowry and his daughter Margaret Lowry Lanaghan were fighting it out in court over the status of the will of Michael’s wife Bridget. Great great great grandma Bridget Conley Lowry died on May 8, 1904. Clearly some time had passed before her will was executed. The Vindicator reports that a motion for a new trail (sic) was overruled by Judge Hole. Margaret is indicating that her mom may have been a little cuckoo when the will was written. Next step: Get my hands on that will!
Source: 
“Columbiana County,” Youngstown Vindicator, Evening Edition, Page 12. May 15, 1908, accessed May 9, 2013. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1bZjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UIEMAAAAIBAJ&dq=margaret%20lanaghan&pg=6576%2C6004815

Family Recipe Friday – Porubsky’s Chili

joelowry1982 Maternal, Porubsky, Recipe

I haven’t been to Topeka in 20 years, but I’m certain that a small deli in Little Russia was putting out the same chili then that can be found there today. Topeka is the birthplace of my great grandmother Caroline Porubsky and an eponymous deli, Porubsky’s.

Porubsky’s Deli at 508 N.E. Sardou Street was first opened by Charlie Porubsky in 1947. Charlie is my 1st cousin, 3x removed. For those of you who aren’t good at figuring out cousin relationships (which was me, before my interest in genealogy), I’ll break it down for you starting with my 3rd great grandmother, Christina Porubsky:

Charles and my great grandmother Caroline were first cousins.
Charlie’s grocery and deli soon became famous for two things: hot pickles and chili. Now, I say all of this having never been to Porubsky’s Deli. But there’s enough on the internet for me to believe this is true. There’s even a documentary:
 
 
Porubsky’s chili recipe appears on a few different websites, and while I can’t verify its accuracy, I figured I would give it a try anyway and report back for my millions of loyal readers. So here, complete with photos, is the supposed Porubsky’s chili recipe:
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds coarsely ground chuck
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • Two 16-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • Tobasco to taste
  • Saltine crackers

  1. In a large skillet or gallon pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until they are soft.
  2. Add the beef and salt. Cook until the beef is completely browned, breaking it up with a fork as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat.
  3. Add the chili powder, cumin, Worcestershire, sugar, tomato sauce, and 2 cups water.
  4. Bring the chili to a low boil and summer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the beans and simmer 15 minutes more.
  6. Add the Tobasco and more salt, if desired.
This was delicious!
The chili was a winner in my book. A very simple beef and red bean chili with great flavor and mild heat. You could obviously jack that up with more Tabasco or by adding red pepper. I added a few dashes of Tabasco and it was perfect me for. If you’re looking for a great, simple recipe, give this one a try.
Links:

Sources:
Jane and Michael Stern. Porubsky’s Grocery Store Chili – Kansas. The Recipe Link. http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/1999/0767902637_1.html. Accessed May 8, 2013.

Matthew Porubsky. “Porubsky’s Transcendent Deli.” YouTube. Gizmo Pictures, August 9, 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctCI3Ss2lUg. Accessed May 8, 2013.

Treasure Chest Thursday – 1924 Birth Certificate of Jean Groucutt

joelowry1982 Document, Groucutt, Paternal, Treasure Chest Thursday
I, J.E. Plummer, Chief, Division of Vital Statistics, do hereby certify the following to be a true and correct copy of the CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH OF
Mary Jean Groucutt

 

I posted this one before, back in December 2012 but wanted to revisit it because I basically posted the original without giving it a thorough look. My grandmother’s birth certificate is in incredibly awful condition. It has been taped and folded repeatedly. It’s currently laying flat, but it’s one of those documents that I’m glad I could digitize because it may not survive it’s next examination.
There are a few fascinating points to this birth certificate. First, it was issued on September 27, 1930. You will notice my grandmother’s date of birth is December 23, 1924. It was not uncommon for those born before 1940(-ish) to only obtain a birth certificate when it was needed for another purpose, such as the start of schooling. Second, this birth certificate indicates that my grandmother had a sibling who died before she was born. The birth certificate reads:
Number of children born alive to this mother, including this child (if born alive): 6
Number of this mother living, including this child (if born alive): 5
My dad, aunts, and uncles have never spoken of an aunt or uncle who may have been born and died at a young age. My research has likewise not turned up this child. All of my grandmother’s known siblings survived into adulthood, and when she died in 1987, my grandmother was thought to be the first to pass away. Obviously, I have some digging to do.