Tombstone Tuesday - October 25, 2016 - John Croy Robart

John Croy Robart 

 

John Croy Robart was born in Portage County, Ohio on December 29, 1836 to James English Robart and Annie Croy. He was one of twelve children; Phoebe(1825), Minerva(1825), Annie(1826), Sybil(1829), James, Rachel(1832), Mahala(1833), John C.(1836), Catherine(1839), Franklin (1843), Amelia, Hiram. 

James Robart, John's father, lived in Tuscarawas County, Ohio where he married Annie Croy and they began their family. From there they moved to Fulton County Ohio for a short period of time before going to Michigan and settling near Coldwater, Michigan in 1844. James purchased a small piece of land from the government and began to improve it. While clearing the land, he was killed when a tree fell on him in 1848. Annie remarried Allen Heber in 1858.

John C Robart was educated in Michigan schools and remained with his mother and sisters until 1859 when decided to relocate to Iowa. While in Iowa, he worked in farming and freight transport into and out of the great plains. In 1861, John he began farming in Monroe County, Iowa. In 1866, he returned to the transport business and worked for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad before returning to farming in Missouri. Eventually landing work in the coal mines in Kansas City where he learned how to use heavy earth moving equipment. Soon after he began working on the construction of roads and highways. In 1876, he returned to Michigan and settled in Ottawa County.

He married Susanna Thrall on December 1, 1863 who was a native of Delaware County, Ohio, the daughter of George and Annie Thrall of Russell, Iowa. They had three children; Charles C(1863-1864), Mary E(1865), and Carl J(1870). 

In 1880, John C Robart was elected Highway Commissioner and was a Census Enumerator, School Inspector(1883) and Justice of the Peace(1882). In 1892 and 1893, he was re-elected Highway commissioner and for sixteen years was the School Director for the school district.

John Croy Robart died on October 25, 1927 and is buried in Pilgrim Home Cemetery located in Holland, Ottawa County, Michigan with his wife Susanna.

Rest in Peace,

Jan Smith

Much of the information from this Bio was obtained from a Rootsweb Bio on John C Robarts and a bio on Findagrave.com. Thanks for the information.

Tombstone Tuesday - October 18, 2016 - Noble Paget McLam

Noble Paget McLam was born on September 9, 1861 in Norwood, Ontario. He is the son of Thomas and Esther (Paget) McLam. The first evidence I find for Noble is in the 1871 Canadian Census. His parents are living in Acton, Halton, Ontario, Canada.  Thomas and Esther have five children; Samuel(1846), Sarah Jane(1847), Ann(1857), Noble(1863) and Mary Agustine(1865).

I found an 1885 Halton County Directory which list the McLam men:  James is a Blacksmith, Noble is a blacksmith, Sam is a carpenter, Thomas is a shoemaker or cobbler.  

Noble Paget McLam married Roxy Swackhammer on January 1, 1891.

County Marriage Record

Close up view of Noble McLam and Roxy Swackhammer marriage license.

It appears from other researchers that Noble and Roxy may have had as many as five children but I can not confirm that as of this post.  They had two daughters; Bertie(1892- 1982) and Stella(1900-1990) and it appears that they had three sons; Noble Arthur(1898-1899), Franklin(1899-?), Cecil (1903-1904). The three sons died as infants. I will continue to try to verify this information.

Noble P McLam was a Blacksmith until 1935 when he retired. Roxy died in 1935.  He died in on October 18, 1943.  According to both death certificates they are buried in Acton, Ontario. I am unable to find tombstone photos for either Roxy or Noble. Note that on the death certificate the informant is Mrs J Adamson of Acton, Ontario and it states that she is a daughter. Bertie married John Cole who died in 1927, did she remarry and Adamson?  Or is this Stella? A mystery for another post. I have not found tombstones.

Noble Paget McLam

If I ever find them I will post them here.

Rest in Peace,

Jan Smith

Tombstone Tuesday - October 11, 2016 - The Robart Family Connection

I have yet to find a descendant who I can verify has died on this day...October 11.  That is quite amazing and the first time in all my years of writing Tombstone Tuesday Blogs that this has happened.  I am certain that out of 5341 descendants that I have identified, someone must have died on this day but I have not found that piece of data yet in the "Haystack"! I do not have death information for each person in my tree. That will be a job for this winter and next too... 

 Two weeks ago I wrote about Ina (Anna) McGoogan who was 23 months old when she died in 1861.  During that research and my research for this week, I found lot of interesting information on Hannah Robart's family.  Just kind of stumbled on it really. Someone has done a lot of work and shared it on Ancestry.com since I looked at her family. There have also been a lot of new records added to Ancestry.com.

Some time ago, I got this photo from my sister Pam. She had it at the Corner store. She really does not remember why.  It is a piece of class with the photos attached to the glass.  The picture is of  Hannah Robart McGoogan and William McGoogan.  I have never seen anything like it. The frame needs some repair. I thought I would reglue some of the corners and paint it.  Hannah and William are my 3XGreat Grandparents on my father's side of the family.  They are the parents of Amanda McGoogan Crites.

Mother- Hannah Robart McGoogan

Daughter- Amanda McGoogan Crites

Granddaughter- Cora Crites Smith

Thought it was interesting to put these photos all together...Mother, Daughter and Granddaughter. Personally, I think Amanda and Cora take after the McGoogans...

With the research from this week, now we have identified Hannah's parents, our 4X Great Grandparents, John and Catherine Spangler Robart, our 5X Great grandparents, John and Amelia English Robart and our 6X Great Grandparents, on both sides, Vincent and Madeline Robart and Robert and Margaret Adamson English.

This is all new information for our tree.  This takes this family back to the Revolutionary war time period. All these families are large.  Have 10 to 12 kids and so do their kids, It is all rather crazy, which gives me a lot more work to do in the coming weeks. The Robart Family came from the Dover, Ohio area of  Tuscarawas County just as the Crites Family did.  John Henry Crites and Amanda McGoogan were born in Indiana so I can not connect the Crites to the Robarts before Indiana, though they may have known each other.  The McGoogan's came from the Westmoreland, Pennsylvaina area with a brief stop for a few years in Richland, Ohio as they moved west.  The McGoogans date back to the time of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 also.

The work this week probably added more than 100 new descendants to our tree....sometimes it happens that way. This data was very thorough with mulitple sources for verification. We have birth and death information for most of these new additions.  In the coming weeks, you will hear about them!

Happy Hunting,

Jan

Tombstone Tuesday - October 4, 2016 - Andrew J Pettit

Andrew J Pettit

Andrew Petit was born in Genesee County on May 30, 1868, the son of Myron and Ester Losee Pettit. Myron and Ester had three children whom were all born in Thetford Michigan; Andrew J(1868), Voila (1-3-1870), Julia(1871-1874)

In the 1870 Federal Census, Andrew is living with his parents in Thetford. Andrew is two years of age and Viola is 5months. They are still living in Thetford ten years later for the 1880 federal census.

He married Cora Farrell, on July 30, 1890 in Mt Morris, Lapeer County, Michigan. Cora was the daughter of Simon Farrell and Mary Furguson. Andrew and Cora lived in Otter Lake, Michigan. Andrew is 22 years of age and Cora 19 years of age.

In the 1900 Census Andrew and Cora are living in Genesee, Michigan with three children, a boarder and a servant; Vernon(1890), Nina(1892), Mildred(1895), Ross Smith (boarder)and Estella Smith(servant). By the 1910 Federal Census the family is living in Forest, Genesee County ; Vernon(1892), Nina(1892) Mildred(1895), Adrain(1902), Leone(1905), Lewis(1907), Lula(1907). The family remains in Forest for the 1920 Federal Census with the following children; Adrain, Leone, Lula, Lewis, AJ(1910), Orvil(1915). By the 1930 Federal Census only AJ and Orvil are still living at home. The family still resides in the Forest location in Genesee County.

Andrew Pettit died on October 4, 1950 in rural Mundy Township of Genesee County. He is buried with his wife Cora in the Otisville, Smith Hill Cemetery. I was hoping to get a photo of the Tombstone but there isn't on online. I'll have to go get one and post it later.

Rest in Peace,

Jan Smith

Tombstone Tuesday - September 27, 1994 - Elizabeth Jean Kaake Tietz

Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Kaake Tietz

Elizabeth was born on January 27, 1934 in Sandusky, Michigan, the oldest daughter of a set of twins born to Charles and Rose (O'Malley) Kaake . Her twin sister was Patricia Louise. She had three brothers and three sisters; Betty(1934), Pat(1934), Charles(1935), John(1938), Rose Mary(1939), Colin, Sharon.

Betty (as we knew her) married Howard F. Tietz on December 5, 1952. They had five children; Gary Arthur, Patti Lee, David Allen, Amy Lyn, Mark Edward. Betty was my Mother -in-law for 19 years and a forever, wonderful friend.

Howard ran Tietz's Restaurant with his brother, Harold after taking it over from their parents. Betty worked at the Imlay City Bank after her children were all in school before going to work for Doctor Harrington for many years.

Leah Smith and Betty Tietz at my graduation -1973

Betty was a special person though she and I did not always see eye to eye. I have learned that it is often the case with mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws. She helped me to learn a lot about relationships and how to navigate through the good times and the bad.  Betty had a host of medical aliments through the years but it was Ovarian Cancer that took her life on September 27, 1994. She is buried in the Imlay Township Cemetery in Imlay City, Michigan. She will always hold a special place in my heart. I think of you often, Betty!

Rest in Peace.....Love you,

Jan Smith

Tombstone Tuesday - September 20, 2016 - Ina (Anna) Alice McGoogan

Ina (Anna) Alice McGoogan

Ina (Anna) Alice McGoogan was born on September 24, 1859, the daughter of William and Hannah Robart McGoogan in Zanesville, Indiana. In the 1860 Federal Census, William and his family is found living in Lafayette Township, Allen County, Indiana. The last name is spelled McGougan and the family is living between brother, John MaGougan with his family and sister, Elizabeth Clark with her family. They have three children listed; Amanda which was translated as Annanuda(age 5), Austacias (age3) and Anna (9 months old). My information indicated that Anna was Ina. Hannah is listed as Fanny M. Ina (Anna) died on September 20, 1861. The other daughter, Austacias (Anstacia) must have died between the 1860 census and the 1870 Census because Amanda(age 16) is listed in the 1870 census and the next child listed is George who is 8 years old and born in 1862. The children listed in 1870 census are; Amanda(1854), George (1862), Mary L. (1866), Arabella (1868). 

I do not have tombstone photos for these children , this is the family plot in Hoverstock Cemetery in Zanesville, Indiana  where the rest of the family is buried. 

Rest in Peace, to these two McGoogan Angels!

Jan Smith