Researching while sick... just blame it on the cold meds: Next FTF post is up!

My next post is up at Family Tree Firsts, and you can read it here.

For those of you following this blog, you can tell when I wrote it.  Yep, in the middle of my nasty fight with bronchitis.  Yuck!  However, not being able to sleep, or lay down, appears to have some good side affects.

I realized when I was reading the post that I didn't include the link to the family tree I found.  Oops!  Well, for my future reference, and so you can go and see it for yourself, check it out here.  I have also been in touch with the woman who created it.  She has been very helpful and extremely friendly.  Very happy to have found someone willing to answer my questions and be willing to share with me.

Of course, my mother-in-law is just happy to know the family rumors that they are from Cornwall are turning out to be possibly true.  One more place to go on my next trip overseas!

Due to my vacation, I am still in the process of analysing and going through the information from the website and a few extra bits that she has to sent me.  Including an article about Xantippe and her husband, Dr. James M. Burt, which was very informative.  It has presented me with some conflicting information to what my husband's grandmother wrote which means I have some correspondence to write. 

Image from the Library of Congress

Crabb Family

This is my husband’s maternal grandmother’s line.  They start in Indiana and end up in Washington State. 

Lineage:

My husband
His Mom
Elsie Crabb married Howard Mills
John Jeremiah Crabb and Frances Maude Greely
Stephen Crabb and Margaret Brundage
John Crabb and Jane Swan

Stephan Crabb was born in Indiana in 1838 and Margaret Brundage was born in Illinois in 1852.

As of the 1880 census their family and Stephen’s mother Jane were all living in Vancouver City, Clark County, Washington.  According to the census, Jane was born in 1804 in Pennsylvania, her mother was from Virginia and her father was from Maryland.  In the handwritten family history I was given it says that Jane Swan Crabb was born in Cole County Illinois.  However, on every census record she lists her place of birth as Pennsylvania and that her parents are from Virginia and Maryland.

Jane's Husband, according to family history, floated rafts down the Mississipi from Indiana to New Orleans with his brother.  He died from a fall on the docks in New Orleans the same day thier last child was born 27 December 1835.  I would love to be able to prove this...

Margaret was Stephan’s 2^nd wife.  In the 1870 census he is listed living with his mother Jane and Frances Crabb who was 6.  According to the 1880 census the next child was born when she was 9.

The 1860 census has Stephan (aged 22) and Jane living in Ashmore Township, Coles County Illinois.
The 1850 census has Jane (aged 46) living in Clinton Township, Vermillion County, Indiana with 2 daughters. Mary aged 19 and Zantippe aged 14. 

Found John Jeremiah’s Spanish American war enlistment records:

From the Register of Enlistments US Army
Crabb, John J
Enlisted: Aug 12, 1896; Vancouver; by Lt. McCain; for 3 years
Born: Pioneer Washington
Age: 21
Occupation: Barber
Eyes: Brown
Hair: D. Brown
Complexion: dark
Height: 5'10"
Regiment: 14 Inf Company E
Discharged: Aug 11, 1899

Also found his WWI draft card.  It states he was tall with a medium build, brown eyes and hair.  Occupation Farmer, and Married To Maude F Crabb. (Just love how people changed their names on a whim back then.  First to middle, middle to first, spellings….argh).

Bit of family trivia for you:  John Jeremiah’s older brother William enlisted in the army the same time he did.  They both were stationed in Manila together and unfortunately while they were there William died from an illness.  William was originally to marry Frances Maude, but John Jeremiah did instead upon his return.