Revelations in the Newspaper

I am still recovering from a nasty virus/cold bug that hit last week and left me with little get up and go and even less of a voice.  So, that means lots of lying about on the couch with my iPad looking for stuff on the internet.  Oh, woes me… hours on end of looking up things on the internet.

John Miller and Mary Neagle

Yesterday I was browsing around the Library of Congress newspaper collection when I stumbled upon an article in the Jasper, Indiana newspaper.  It was a solicitous tale of a young girl running off with a married man in a twist of lies.  Best of all, it looks like it was my 2^nd great grandmother doing the running.  Oh my!

Last year I wrote a small piece about my 2^nd great grandparents, John Miller and Mary Theresa Neagle, and the mystery of their eldest son.  Family lore tells several stories about this boy, a couple of them I mentioned then.  However, here they are again, as they now become relevant to the article I uncovered yesterday.

In no particular order, I was told:

·         Mary had a child out of wedlock as a young girl and her parents essentially bribed John to take her away with her illegitimate child giving him land in another area to farm on.

·         John was the father and her male relative’s tracked him down and dragged him back home.  It took several years to do and the boy was nearly 5 when they were married.

·         John was never kind to this boy and as soon as he could he ran away from home.

·         In the 1930s his son returned to home but none of the family would speak to the man and told him to leave town. He said his father now lived in California and this line of the family never returned home.

Augusta/Agatha Reichter

There is a lot of good gossip, skeletons, and tid-bits there that a person like me finds horribly irresistible.  Plus, things like this always make for really good stories.  Who could pass up investigating and wonder about a mystery like this?

To get us all on the same page, here is a bit of historical and family context for you.  Mary Theresia Negele (spelling from baptism record) was born to Hubert Negele and Augusta Riechter 10 April 1866 and baptized in Celestine, Dubois County, Indiana on 14 April 1866.  She had two older siblings, Theresia Fredericka born in 1855 and August born in 1863.  The family lived in a large community of German immigrants and were prominent farmers and respected members of the community. (The images of her parents shown here are from a cousin who wishes to be unnamed)

Hubert Negle

From the 1880 Census record I know she was living at home, with her parents, in Hall Township, Dubois County, Indiana.  With the loss of the 1890 US Census the next time I catch up with her is in 1900.  By this time she is married to John Miller (they were married in 1889) and they had several children listed: John, August, Albert, Theodore, Agnes, and Frederick.  John, is listed as a step-son.

When I saw this information the first time I thought that I found the answers.  Here is a “step-son” who was born several years before John and Mary were wed, this must be the rumored illegitimate child.  Step-son seemed odd though, especially since the boy had the last name of Miller.  If he was the father, like one of the stories claimed, then why would he list him as step-son?   The boy was gone by the next Census, and I lost track of him.

The church they attended in Celestine has a baptismal record for John.  It shows that John Dominic was baptized on 13 July 1884 to Mary Nagiele, no father listed.  Then, I looked back at the 1900 Census, there was no birthplace for his father listed.  If John Miller was his father, it should have listed Indiana.

1900 US Census Washington Township, Daviess County, Indiana

The mystery stalled there for over a year since I have no one left alive from those days to ask. Then, I found a newspaper article, and my mouth dropped open.  I couldn’t believe what I had found, the possible answer to my questions jumped to light.

The Jasper Weekly Courier

11 April 1884

Page 5

 Runaway Couple

Last Sunday Miss Mary Negle, daughter of Hupert Negle, living near Celestine in Hall Township, was observed by her parents packing a good deal of clothing in a large valise, and upon being questioned by her parents said she was going on Monday to visit at Mr. Scharrer’s, in Bainbridge township, and expected to be gone a week or so.  As she was a young woman of her own head, nearly 20 years old, and accustomed to doing about as she pleased in such matters, no more was thought or said about it that day, and Monday she left on the visit.  Monday Mr. Joseph Schwartzmiller, who is a married man, with children, and at whose house in Celestine Mary had worked a good deal left Celestine about 3 o’clock in the evening and came to Jasper, after which his wife went to Mr. Negle’s to inquire after Mary, and found she had left home.  She then informed Mr. Negle that she had overheard a conversation that made her believe that her husband and Mary had run off together and it dawned upon the parent that he also had seen some suspicious movements, and he immediately mounted his horse and started after the truant couple.  Visiting Scharrer’s he found Mary had not been there at all, and could find no trace of her whereabouts, but found Schwartzmiller at the United States hotel in Jasper, where he spent Monday night, and left his trunk at the hotel.  Negle secured the services of Constable Gutzweiler and they went to Huntingburg Tuesday in search of some clues to the missing twain, with what success we have not learned.  It is said Schwartzmiller’s domestic life has not been as happy as a teacher’s ought to be, and that he has frequently pined for the liberty of single blessedness in the last few months.  As he was a prominent school teacher in that township, and Mary the daughter of a well-to-do farmer, their actions have naturally caused a great deal of comment. 

  

I have a pretty good hunch that Mr. Schwartzmiller and Mary had an affair, she became pregnant, and they tried to run away together.  The article was printed in April and she delivered John in July of the same year.  Of course, he could be completely innocent and was just helping a young girl out of a jam.  There were no further news stories that I could find about the tryst, much to my dismay.  I guess they had moved onto other town gossip.

After I discovered the possible love interest I went back to the Census.  Honestly I wanted to see what information I could dig up on this mystery man.  Maybe I could find something to help narrow down the suspects. In the 1880 Census they are enumerated next to each other.  Joseph Schwartzmiller, 26, school teacher, born in Bavaria was married to Catherine, 23, born in Indiana to parents from Baden.  I didn’t find him in an earlier census, but I did find a woman named Katy who was a widow with two sons, Francis and August.  If this is her, Francis would have been 4 and she would have been pregnant with August when this scandal broke.

1880 US Census Hall Township, Dubois County, Indiana

Well… what do you think?  Since I don’t have a resolution in the newspaper I am left with an assumption, albeit a pretty good one, that Mr. Schwartzmiller is more than likely John’s father.  Do you think I missed anything?  Somewhere else I should look?  Confession: I even tried to find some Ancestry trees to help me, and there was none for this man.  Wonder if his family wanted to erase him.

Fearless Females: Brick walls

Brick walls go hand in hand with female ancestors and I am sure many of you can relate. There are many little stubby branches off of my main tree trunk because I have the name of a woman and as of yet no clue to her identity before marriage. These lost heritages, sometimes due to the lack of importance placed on woman at those times, make my mind go numb on occasion. 

photo credit: Malenkov in Exile
via photopin cc

I have written on this blog repeatedly about the walls I have encounter through my scant three years of research.  I have even celebrated with you as I have watched a wall crumble down and I was able to watch new branches develop on my tree.  Those celebrations are fewer now, but I am still determined to make them happen.  Even if it takes my whole life.

But that is just it, isn't it? This is now my life’s endeavor. I am also sure it is yours as well.

I want to know more about the people who came before me.  I want to pass that knowledge on.  Not just to my descendants, but to the world. There are stories to be told, lives to be shared, and walls to be scaled. I know that some may never be breached, but that is no reason not to try.  Right?

Below are my most frustrating female brick walls, on my and my husband’s lines.  The ones that, well, let’s just say bug me the most.  They needle me when I try to sleep. I hear them whispering to me from my computer. Come find me… you know you want to… Maybe, just maybe someone out there has the key to unlocking their secrets.

While a person is more than just facts and figures, I didn't want this post to go on for pages and pages so stuck to the basics.  Yes, I only listed a few tid-bits but you and I both know there is more to these women.  If I am lucky there will be follow up posts with stories of discovery and stories of them in the future.

Philena L. Brown

She is my husband's 4th great-grandmother.  Born abt 1810 in Maine and died bef 1880 in Swanville, Waldo County, Maine.  She married twice: James Cunningham and Joshiah Emmerson.  Her sister Mary married James's brother William, also in the Swanville / Belfast, Maine area.  There are family rumors are that the Brown sisters were of Scottish decent after a stop over for a couple generations in Northern Ireland, eventually making their way to New England.

Margaret Ann Brundage

She is my husband's 2nd great-grandmother.  Born 25 Dec 1851 in Illinois, died 15 March 1930 in Portland, Washington, and is buried in Pioneer Cemetery.  She married Stephen Crabb 8 feb 1872 in Putnam, Missouri.  They traveled west to the Washington Territory and were among the first settlers in their area of the future Washington State.

Jane DeVault

She is my 3rd great-grandmother, and most of the following information was given to me (with documents and sources!) by a recently found cousin.  Thank you Sue!  Born 7 May 1830 in Harrison County, Ohio and died 5 Jan 1910 in Lost River Township, Martin County, Indiana.  From her death certificate I know her father's name was Strausbaugh and she was buried in Waggoner Cemetery.  She married Andrew Jackson Davisson in Ohio about 1853.

Mary Amelia Dishinger

She is my 3^rd great-grandmother.  Born 11 December 1835 in Baden-Wurttemburg and died 21 November 1921 in Washington, Daviess County, Indiana.  She arrived in this country with her parents, who are unknown to me, and settled in Dubois County, Indiana about 1847.  Mary, or Amelia as she went by both names, married another German immigrant, John Miller, in 1855 at Jasper, Dubois County, Indiana. 

Dorothy Ann Jent

She is my 5th great-grandmother.  Born 1742 at St. Mary's, Maryland and died in 1812 at Nelson County, Kentucky.  She married Rodolphus Norris in 1765 at St. Mary's, Maryland.

Eliza Johnson

She is my 3rd great-grandmother.  Born in Indiana abt 1842 and died before 1900, perhaps all in Orange County.  She married Willis Mayfield Freeman 7 Feb 1861 in Orange County, Indiana.

Maria or Mary Meier/Meyer

She is my husband's 3rd great grandmother.  Born 1853 in Germany and died 30 April 1900 in New York, New York.  She married twice: Augustus Heinritz and Emil Jahnke.  You can read a post about her and my discoveries here.  

Sally Padgett

She is my 5th great-grandmother.  Born abt 1757 in Maryland and died 1817 in Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland.  She married Edward Arvin (Harvin/Harbin/Harben) abt 1785.

Agatha Reichter

She is my 3^rd great-grandmother.  Born about 1822 in Baden-Wurttemburg and died before 1900 in Indiana (most likely Dubois or Daviess County).  She married Hubert Negle (Nagley/Nagali/Naigly) 19 May 1855 at St. Celestine Church in Dubois County, Indiana. 

Mary Rice

She is my 5^th great-grandmother.  Born abt 1770 on a plantation in Tennessee and died in Harrison County, Indiana 24 June 1835.  She married 5 times: Job Poteet (a Frenchman), Mr. Whitaker, Eliasen Goodwin, and Mr. McCaslin (I list them as Mr. because I don't have a first name for them).  You can read a letter written about her at this post.

Isabella "Bella" Ruddy

She is my husband's 3rd great-grandmother.  Born abt 1838 in Ireland and died between 1920 and 1930 most likely in Hartford, Connecticut or Westchester, New York.  She married James Bennett either in Ireland or in New York City.  

Ann Tachell

She is my husband's 2nd great-grandmother.  Born 1846 in Coates, Sommerset, England and died before 1874 in Wales (most likely in Llwynypia, Glamorgan, Wales).  She married Thomas Pittard before 1869 most likely in Somerset.  Thomas went on to marry her younger sister Jane Tachell after Ann's death.  Thomas and Jane immigrated to the United States with their and Ann's children through New York in 1883.

Post up over at Family Tree Firsts

My latest post from FTF is up, and as always I hope you enjoy the read!

Finding the information for my immigrant ancestors was an amazing feeling. My father and his family have been looking for so long.  In fact, he didn't know the names of anyone past his grandparents in that lineage which makes every discovery even better.

When my parents were in Germany his mother and her sister sent him a letter with the town and regional name of where one of the families had immigrated from.  However, it was lost in one of the three moves after that and now the information is lost with them as well.  All he could remember was that is was in the Black Forest area. Fingers crossed that I can continue to track them down!

So far I have found, online and with the help of distant long lost cousins, the following information on my family from Germany:

Balthasar Miller and Maria Anna Wertsher immigrated from Bayern
John Miller married Mary Amelia Dishinger in Dubois County, Indiana (both were immigrants and were the children of immigrants)
John Miller married Mary Theresa Nagley in Dubois County, Indiana (the first generation born here)
Agnes Miller married Timothy Brennan in Daviess County, Indiana
Their oldest daughter Ruth is my grandmother.

Mary Theresa Nagley was the daughter of Hubert Negle and Agatha Reichter from Baden.

I will be putting the FAN investigation principle in full swing.  You know: friends, associates, and neighbors.  These people may just be the key to unlocking even more secrets.

Image from the Library of Congress