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.

The Duley Family of Harrison Indiana

Harrison County Indiana
Image from wikimedia

Another one of the treasures I received in the mail from my dad's sister was this family history.  Originally written by Martha Duley for her nephew Donnie Lasley, it is 7 pages long and was hand copied from the original between 1901 and 1916 by my 3rd great aunt, Abbie Duley Lasley.  I know it was written before 1916 as Abbie makes a note to her sister Sarah Duley Bline at the end, my third great grandmother, who died 21 March 1916. 

The Duly family was from Kentucky, but settled in Harrison County Indiana around the Corydon area.  I loved reading the story of my "marrying" grandmother.  I couldn't believe how much history there is that even I didn't know, plus many new names and places to go research.

There are tons of run on sentences, but I am not sure that is actually the case.  One, they may have not shown up in the photocopy I have.  Two, she constantly uses two parallel lines, like an equal sign, to break up the sections.  Maybe those would be periods?

Family history originally written by Martha Duley July 11, 1901 for her nephew Donnie E. Lasley

Rewritten by Abbie Duley Lasley for her sister Sarah Duley Bline

Page 1

Family Record

William Duly was you great grand father his wife name was Mary Denbo I think they were booth of a Irish decent there were 11 children born to them 7 boys and 4 girls = they names were Samuel. John. Phillip. Robert. Thomas. Jimmy the poor fellowas an idiot. Samuel married Polly Tomson. Phillip married Marrien Pigg.  Robert married Nellie Brown.  Thomas died in infancy yes I forget William married Jane Brown = the girls was Sallie = Elizabeth = Nancy and Rachel = Elizabeth married a Wheeler = Sallie married James Carral = Nancy married Georg Wheeler = Rachel married Louis McDanal = John Duley your grandfather married Rebecca Poteet her father name was Job he was your great grandfather and he was a french man = John Duley and Rebecca Poteet was married July the 7 1825 = to them were born ten children four boys and six girls = Benjamin was the oldest = Mary Carline = and Alford Poteet = and William Henry = Rebecca Ann = John Rice = Francis Catherine = Sarah Elizabeth = Rhoda Albertine = Eliza Emmanaline = tjere were twins Alford died when he was 18 = all the others lived to rais familys of there own = Benjamin married Martha Rowe = Mary married Robert Denbo = William married Cathern Septer = Rebecca =

Page 2

married John Fravel = John R. married Mary Lasley = Catharine married James Deatrick = Sarah married Francis Bline = Abbie married Benjamin Lasley = Emma married Craven (?) Farish =

Bens Duley had 12 children = Wills had 11 = John R 8 = Mary 4 Rebecca 11 = Catherine 9 = Sarah 7 = Abbie 6 = Emma no children = I cant give the date of all there marriages = for I do not remember = they all married in Harrison Co Ind = only Will married in Posey Co Ind = and Abbie married in Illinois = they was all borned in Harrison Co Ind = Only Will he was borned in Kentucky John Duley / William Duley further lived in Kentucky when his son Will was born = your grand father Duley was borned in Kentucky so was your gran mother = this is about all I no of John Duleys family.  Samuel Duley died in November 1846 – a man by the name of Wm Heth Struck him and broke his scull and he had laid out all night and died from the effect of the wound poor fellow it was a sad blow to this family and friends all the rest of the family died a natural death = Sallie and Elizabeth died in Iowa = Nancy Rachel went west and we have no account of there deaths but of course they are dead. these are

Page 3

John Duleys sisters.  I cant tell how many children there was among your mother unkles and aunts for I do not no but there was a plenty and as far as I no they was all honorable = and hard working people nun of them was rich = but a great many of them was good and religious your gran father Duley and grand mother was booth members of the M E Church. and booth lived and died christians I never met a more devoted christian than your grandmother Duley.  and many times I have Seen and herd her shout the praises of her redeemer = I will now tell you what I know of your great grandmothers family her mothers maiden name was Mary Rice.  She was borned in Tennessee her father was well off and owned a lot of slaves.  She first married a Mr. Whitaker he died and left her with six children.  Three boys and three girls.  There names was John and Joseph and Rice and Rhoda and Nancy and Elizabeth = She went from Tennesse to Kentucky = and there  married Job Poteet = as I sed befor he was a frenchman there were five children born to them 3 girls 2 boys = there names were Alford and

Page 4

James and Polly and Elizina and Rebecca that was your grandmother name = Elizina died young and James got killed be a wagon upsetting on him when he was a boy.  when Mr Poteet died your great grandmother come to Ind. when it was a wilderness and she entered the land.  that is now kown as the gran father Duleys farm near here after sometime she married a man by the name of Eliasen Goodwin, he was a school teacher she lived wuiet a while with him = and he died = so the she married agan a man from Kentucky names McCaslin and they did not live agreeable = so the parted and in her old days she lived and died with her children now you see your great gran mother was a marring woman = she was a fine lady and her proffession was that of a Doctor.  She went far and near as long as she was able to wait on her patients she died at aunt Polley Kitermans on June the 24 1835 = age 65years 7 months and 13 days aunt Polley Kitterman lived on the old Isack Bline place at that time

Page 5

and Mrs McCaslin is buried in the field on that place where several of the family connection are also buried.  I never met her but I have been told.  She was most remarkable women of her time and a good women =

Family Records here are the dates and births
John Duley was born April the 19^th 1802
Rebecca Duley his wife was born January the 9^th 1808
There children Benjamin Duley was born May the 12^th 1826
Mary C Duley was born March the 17^th 1828
Alford P Duley was born October the 12^th 1830
William H Duley was born May the 6^th 1833
Rebecca A Duley was born May the 17^th 1835
John R Duley was born January the 16^th 1837
Francis C Duley was born May the 12^th 1840
Sarah E Duley was born May the 30^th 1843
Rhoda A Duley was born November the 28 1847
Eliza E Duley was born November the 28^th 1847
John Duley and Rebecca Poteet was married July the 7^th 1825.  I cant tell who married them for I never was told = Rebecca Duley wife of John Duley died March the 11^th 1861: age 53 years 2 months and 2 days.  John Duley died July the 14^th 1864 age 62 years 2 months and 25 days.  Alford Duley died September the 15^th 1848 =

Page 6

age 18 years 11 months and 3 days.  Mary Duley mother of John Duley died December the 17^th 1850 = William Duley father of John Duley died February the 5 1851 = booth wer age 75 years = Jimmy Duley brother of John Duley died April 1 1864 aged about 50 years he was a poor idiot but he said just before he died that he was going to heaven to shout glory hallejih with hid father and mother I think he seem angeles while dying = Dannie I have tried to tell you what I can remember about the conection I hope it may interest you I wish I new more = but I have told you all about the older ones and you no a good many of the younger ones = I never herd of any of them being hung or being in jail and I think to take them all together they are a pretty good set of people = all honest and many of them religious which is better than riches for a good name is more to be diserved than great riches = I believe there is doctors and lawyers and preachers = and teachers and a host of good folks among the family conection and if there are any bad ones lets look over them and think of the good ones = for I feel sure that

Page 7

when the last roal is called there will be a goodly number ready of our conection to enter in through the gates into the city of the new Jerusalem there we shal no them better than we do here = my prayer is that you and I may be one of the number =

Written for Donnie E Lasley

By his aunt Martha Duley
July the 11 1901

I wrote this off for you and your
[missing piece of page] written by Abbie Lasley
Sarah if you have this printed =
please send me one and tell me what it cost and I will send you the money for to pay you
From your loving sister
Abbie Lasley

Keep this it might be the instergation of some of your being made rich some day