Auntie Alice Is My New BFF

I love being the recipient of clues from my ancestors. I mean, sometimes, it's like they left them on purpose. Like they were actually writing to me.

But? My 2nd great grandfather's younger sister, Alice Barbara (Vaughan) Parson's notes weren't really meant for me. {Okay. Maybe they were. You don't know. ;) }And it appears that she was probably addressing one of Daniel's and Annie's children. And I'm gonna guess that it was my 1st great grandmother, my Boo {also named Alice} because she ends up with these photos {but it could have been one of their other children and somehow my Boo ended up with them}.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, there is writing on the photos that is different than Alice's, and because of a note that was with these photos, it's pretty clear that it was Daniel and Annie's daughter, Alice Florence (Vaughan) Truitt {the aforementioned "my Boo"}, who had been trying to identify the photos for her son {my Uncle} to whom she was giving the photos.

So, both these wonderful ladies named Alice wrote on the photos helping to identify the people in the photos to whom they were giving the photos. Makes sense.

But? The first Alice is the one who gives the most clues. And my Boo {second Alice} gets confused on the identification of one of the photos. I would imagine she was quite elderly when she passed these photos on to my Uncle, and her memory might have been a bit less than perfect. Anywho, I'm over the moon they decided to identify everyone.

So, what are the clues the first Alice left?

Remember how I said that I'd been unable to find Daniel's sister, Alice, between 1850 and 1872? Daniel and Prudence had been taken into families after Susanna's death, but I'd been unable to figure out what had happened to their younger sister, Alice. Well, Alice, herself, left me a clue. Maybe. {I love how these dead folk toy with me. They are definitely the cat, and I am gleefully their mouse being batted around.}

Sarah Ann Cordelia (Vaughan) Allison, a.k.a., Auntie Sarah

Back of Sarah's photo.

First? I love the fact that Alice called her aunt, "Auntie." That is too cute. But? Aunt or "Auntie" Sarah's middle name wasn't Allison. Now, Benjamin's father, John T., and his mother, Prudence {Brown} had had 5 kids up in Canada and then his dad and his stepmother {Hester Hawkins} had had 5 maybe 6 kiddos, both in Canada and in Michigan. I say "maybe 6" because it's totally possible that little Rachel Roselia Vaughan may not be Benjamin's and Susanna's, but John's and Hester's {or even another Vaughan's child there in Ypsilanti}. I mean, anything is possible. And more than a few died as children. Out of the living siblings -- both full and half -- Benjamin only had one sister named Sarah. So I quickly had a look-see on FamilySearch.org and found that his sister, Sarah Ann Cordelia, married...

...wait for it...

...a William Allison, which explains definitively, I think, who Alice called "Auntie Sarah." Alice states that, "...as they looked when I first met them after my coming from Yo[u]rk state, Rochester..."

Oh, Alice, you're beginning to be my BFF. Now, she could be referring to a trip of a shorter duration that she took, but it's also ENTIRELY possible that she's talking about where she had been in her younger years. I mean, Ypsilanti is a wee town then and now. If she had grown up near there, it's likely that she would have already known what her family members looked like. Possibly. 

On Alice's own photo {below} she states the photo was taken when she was 18 years old in Ypsilanti. Also, who makes up the "they" on Auntie Sarah's photo? Could she mean these set of photos together below? I dunno. But IF so {and that's a big IF}, then is she saying she'd never met her father?!? Something to mull over {Read: Obsess over.}, for sure. 

What is also interesting is that Alice's mother, Susanna, and Susanna's siblings were supposedly born in New York. And while Susanna's father, Mr. Rook, likes to play hide-n-seek too, her mother, Margaret Barbara (Stuck) Rook and the Stuck family had lived in Seneca, County, New York for a while before going to Michigan. So. Curiouser and curiouser. {Yeah, I went there.}

BTW, the Stuck/Stock line is the Patriot line that I'll be using for my DAR application. Technically, all the proving is done as far as DAR is concerned from the proven Patriot down to Margaret's father. I just need to provide evidence her father was that man, Michael Stuck. {Luckily, her death record says he is, but what else could I find to support that?} But? Because Susanna and her siblings were born in New York and Mr. Rook and Margaret Barbara were their parents, I have to dig around in New York anyways for their marriage and his identity. And I find it more than interesting that Alice Barbara may have lived and been raised near {couple of counties away} where her maternal grandparent's family had lived and in the same state her mother was born. At the very least, according to Alice, she had been there. And that's a very nice clue, Alice. *high-five* {Ah, hell. That's a *double high five*. Put them both up there, Alice.}

Alice Barbara (Vaughan) Parsons

Back of Alice Barbara (Vaughan) Parson's Photo

SO Alice is 18 years old when this photo was taken in Ypsilanti, Michigan. And at the top my Boo identified this photo and my uncle's relationship to her as Alice being his 2nd great Aunt Alice. {Me? I would've called her "Auntie." ;) }

Benjamin Brown Vaughan

Back of Benjamin's photo.

Well, the handwriting on the top is my Boo's, the second Alice. She identifies him to my Uncle as his "great great grandfather." The first Alice, Daniel's sister indicates that Benjamin is her and Daniel's father, and here's the clue. She infers that this photo of him was "Some years after our mother died." She also points out that Benjamin is "Aunt Sarah['s] Brother."

So Alice is saying this photo of Benjamin was taken after their mother, Susanna, died.

Well, knock me over with a feather. If this is correct {Don't look at me like that. Alice lived to be 94. No telling when she wrote this and if her recollections were correct. And I'm pretty sure both Alices will give me a stern talking-to in the After Life about how I dared to question them, but, really, who cares by then? :P }, then Benjamin WAS alive when their mother died in 1852.

Not that I needed any more reason to keep looking for Benjamin, because I didn't. I have a list of records to order and search in -- like probate, orphan, land, newspapers, etc. I'm also waiting on Daniel's Civil War pension record.

But, it's nice to have this clue. If correct, then where was Benjamin and why was he not raising his own children? Not uncommon, but still. And when and where did he die? I want the latter question answered for me and my DAR {Daughters of the American Revolution} and UEL {United Empire Loyalist} applications. The former? I need to know that answer with every fiber of my being.

I'm passionate {Read: tenacious.} like that.

And then I'll be checking Rochester, New York, for the young Alice Barbara Vaughan. I don't necessarily need the knowledge for any applications. Unless, of course, she was living with a -- *clears throat* -- Rook family. {Could I get that lucky?} But her early life is a rabbit hole I can't help but dive into. {Yeah, I went there. Again.} I mean, she went to all that trouble of leaving me the clue. The least I could do is follow up on it, eh? Besides, I might find more family members. And you know what they're gonna have, don't you?

That's right. Family stories. Duh.

Many, many thanks to my first cousins who found me on Facebook and shared these photos with me. Together and with my other second cousins who have found me via my blog, we're pulling this story together one puzzle piece at a time. It takes a village to write a family history.

~Caroline

The Big Vaughan Family Surprise

So. Benjamin Brown Vaughan likes to play hide-n-seek. That's fine 'cause I do too. Bring it, Benji.

And we now know what ultimately happened to Susanna. Sorta. Well, we know the result, just not the details.

And we know all sorts of things about Benjamin's father's life at church, specifically St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

And we have a hunch that Benjamin and Susanna had had a 4th child. {Definitely need more evidence about that, though.}

To be perfectly clear about the church records that I consulted {Read: Pored over with intense delight.}, I did look at and record much more than what I mentioned in my post yesterday. I condensed it down in to a more readable story-like format.

But I also wanted to explain a little more about the Parish Register and how it was organized because I think that it contributes to the story. Now, this Parish Register was a pre-printed book that came with pre-printed instructions on how to fill-out and use the book for the parish. This is integral for understanding how to read the book now in 2013. It has marks in columns throughout the book and the key for those is in the front with the instructions. So please don't think I skippity-do-dahed my way through the microfilm in search of surnames and dates. I did not. I read it and understood exactly what all the marks meant. It also helps that other than the first 3 years of my life when I was Catholic, I've been an Episcopalian. Can't say I'm a "lifer" but I'm close. And being so, made reading the church history compiled and written at the beginning of the Parish Register all the more interesting because it didn't gloss over the difficulties and politics of the Parish.

After the instructions and the history in the Parish Register, are some smaller lists like founders, pewholders, tithers, and the like. Then the larger listing of records begins with sections titled Families, Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, and Burials. The book then ends with an index.

The Vaughan family, as a whole or so I thought, shows up on page 20 indicating when the family was received into the church and also indicating whether each had been received, baptized, confirmed, died, and whether or not they were a communicant in good standing. {All important but especially that last one for being a member on the vestry. I know because my Dad was always on the Vestry, and even my husband has been on one in an Episcopalian Church.} Presumably and usually all the family members would be listed here with their family.

However, as I mentioned yesterday, I still looked for an Index for all these sections, which seemed like a good idea to do before flipping through all the pages in each section looking for Vaughan family members {and allied family members}. To my surprise, I found Susanna, Prudence, Daniel, Alice, and Rachel all listed in the index. Then when I looked them up under burials and baptisms and saw the dates for the events, that's when I quickly timelined the events and concluded that this kind of indicates a "rush job" of sorts. They weren't ever listed in the front under the family. If Benjamin and Susanna had worshiped there, they would have had a Family Entry either with his father {doubtful} or as a separate family {more likely because he was an adult then}.

And IF Benjamin and Susanna worshiped elsewhere {Which Susanna's burial entry, if correct, indicates she had been baptized, confirmed, and a communicant in good standing but, obviously, I'm doubting it was at St. Luke's.}, then that would explain why they aren't here but she has had the appropriate events marked on her burial entry. But? If they had worshiped elsewhere, why weren't their children already baptized? Why did their grandparents need to get that done? And if they worshiped elsewhere, it wasn't Episcopalian because this is the only Episcopal church around for a ways. And the fact that the 3 older kiddos were baptized in a private ceremony as opposed to physically at St. Luke's is remarkable as well. However, the baby, Rachel, is physically baptized at St. Luke's 3 days before her burial.

Also, page 20 where the Family is listed {or, at least, it all should be listed} is microfilmed twice. Why? Because there was a note in the book. SO the fantabulous microfilmers decided to INCLUDE the note. And the note pertains to the Vaughan family. {I obviously have pleased the genealogy gods and goddesses.}

And that's when I realized that Rachel DOES appear in the family listing. It's just under the name Roselia Vaughan and a birth month and birth year with the birth year being wrong, or so I think -- April 1850. However, on the note it indicates Rachel Roselia was born April 1851, which matches her age at death recorded in her burial entry. {And why didn't anyone know her DAY of birth?} Plus? Alice was born in March of 1850 so I think {and I could be wrong} that when they were copying the information from the note to the book, they had an oopsy.

Now, Prudence, Daniel, and Alice are listed on here as well with their birthdates {Daniel's off by a year, I think. Or maybe everything else I have is wrong.} as well as the whole Vaughan family's info. SO this tells me this "note" was written on in at least 2 different time periods -- 1840 when John T. Vaughan and his family is received into the church as well as in 1851-1852 when the 4 kiddos are baptized and when Susanna and Rachel are buried. Even John T's marriage date to his 2nd wife Hester up in Canada is written here and NOWHERE ELSE in this book. {Jealous, much?}

And why for goodness' sakes is this the ONLY note microfilmed? {Notice I didn't say it's the only one in the book because I don't know that, now do I?} I dunno. But? I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth. Duh.

And while Benjamin is listed on this note with all his siblings and his mother, Prudence (Brown) Vaughan {John T.'s first wife who died up in Canada} and he appears in the Family section with them as well, he's nowhere else in this book. I know because I looked at and read all these handwritten records.

Dude is just missing as far as St. Luke's Church is concerned. {Really would love to read the Vestry Meeting Minutes for these time periods. Perhaps a special circumstance would have needed to have been voted and/or decided upon by the vestry.} Further, Benjamin and Susanna are in with their 3 oldest children in Ypsilanti in the 1850 census. Benjamin doesn't have an occupation listed but he does, supposedly, own $300 worth of real estate. And then in 1860, Daniel is living with Susanna's mother {Margaret Barbara Rook} and Susanna's 2 sisters and a brother; Prudence is living with a family across the border in Ohio about 18 miles from her father's brother and his family; and Alice is nowhere to be found in Michigan and Ohio. But, interestingly, Alice is NOT living with her grandparents, John T. and Hester Vaughan there in Ypsilanti. Nor is she living with Susanna's older brother Daniel Rook and his family there in Ypsilanti. Alice is later found married and with children, but her early life and upbringing are a mystery to me.

So my thoughts on Benjamin is that something had happened to him. He's the last of the "them" that needs to be found. I kinda was thinking he, perhaps, had died.

Until some cousins of mine {1st cousins} found me on Facebook and said they thought their dad {my Uncle} had had some pics of Daniel in his Civil War uniform. SO they found the flash drive with the scanned old pics and? Not only did they have Daniel in his Civil War uniform, but they had pics of Alice {Daniel's younger sister} and some other folks. And? Alice had written on the backs of these photos which had been scanned as well.

And one of those "other" folks? Benjamin. That's right. Benjamin Brown Vaughan. SURPRISE!

Benjamin Brown Vaughan

Daniel Rook Vaughan

Alice Barbara (Vaughan) Parsons

So, there you go. Benjamin is finally revealed. Just not the details I was looking for. But? Again, with a gift horse, it's best not to look in the mouth, eh?

The best part is that Alice wrote on the back of these photos and left me more research clues about herself, her aunt, and even one about her father, Benjamin. But? I'll explain all that in the next blog post. {I'm evil like that.}

~Caroline

Note: Sources available upon request because if you think we're related, then contact me at cmpointer [@] gmail [dot] com and we'll figure it out together.

Lost and Found, Hide-n-Seek in Ypsilanti

English: The back of Starkweather Chapel, an example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, in Ypsilanti, Michigan's Highland Cemetery. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In my last blog post, What Happened to "Them"? on this ongoing Daughters of the American Revolution - United Empire Loyalists saga, I revealed my Vaughan family's possible ties to St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Ypsilanti as well as my hopefulness at finding "them," which are my 3rd great grandparents, Benjamin Brown and Susanna (Rook) Vaughan.

I was also hoping that tucked inside that white microfilm box would be confirmation of Benjamin's father's ties to St. Luke's. Had John Towner Vaughan and his family been members there?

And I was also hoping to find some more evidence of Daniel's birth and something about his life before he volunteered for the 1st Infantry Regiment when Lincoln first called up the Union troops at the beginning of the Civil War.

Too much to ask from a little white box?

Maybe.

But one thing I've learned in life is you don't get it if you don't ask for it.

And in genealogy I've found you don't get answers until you start asking questions and looking for the answers.

And in family history you don't get the story until you start writing it.

And, boy howdy, I was quite pleased with the answers that were jam-packed inside that little white microfilm box. {Opening that box was better than opening a box from Amazon.}

According to St. Luke's Parish Register, John T. Vaughan and his family had, indeed, been members at St. Luke's. I'd imagine when the Anglican John T. and his second wife Hester settled in Ypsilanti, joining the newly formed St. Luke's Episcopal Church seemed like the thing to do.

According to the well-kept records, here's what I also learned about the Vaughan family:

• John T. Vaughan was listed as a pewholder in 1840 at St. Luke's.
• John T. Vaughan had been baptized and confirmed at some point in his life in the Episcopal/Anglican church and that he had been received into and a communicant in good standing at St. Luke's.
• John T. Vaughan had been on the vestry {the elective governing body of an Episcopal parish} at St. Luke's.
• John T. Vaughan had died 21 Jul 1865 of "malignant erysipelas" {skin infection} and was buried in Highland Cemetery 22 Jul 1865.
• Benjamin Brown Vaughan had been received into the St. Luke's parish, but beyond that had not participated at St. Luke's at all. He had not married Susanna there nor did it look like they were members there.

Now, I knew they'd probably come to Ypsilanti between 1840 and 1850 because the 1850 census is the first one they appear in America. The records go on to confirm all of John's family with his first wife Prudence {Brown} Vaughan {She passed away in Quebec and John remarried there. At least, that's what I've determined.} and the children he had with both wives in Canada and in Ypsilanti, Michigan. And, right there, in really clear handwriting is John's son, my 3rd great grandfather, Benjamin Vaughan.

This parish register entry for the Vaughan family is priceless because it pulls together the whole family and lists who was dead {at the time the family was received into the parish}, who had been baptized, who had been confirmed, and who had been married.

So, it was a bit disheartening to find that Benjamin and Susanna were seemingly not members of the same church as Benjamin's father. However, I learned bunches about John's life in the church, and the information was definitely needed for my application for United Empire Loyalist membership.

Then I "skipped" in the microfilm to the back of the Parish Register Book to look for an index before combing through all the baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and burials, which are in chronological order by event. 'Cause duh. I'm lazy like that.

And? I wanted to verify there were no other Vaughans in the parish and that there was really no trace of Benjamin and his family, especially Benjamin's son, Daniel Rook Vaughan. I mean, I really need his information for my DAR and UEL applications.

And?

Found: Good News!
They were the only Vaughan family in the St. Luke's Parish through 1893.

Found: More Good News!
There was a Dan'l R, an Alice B., and a Prudence B. listed in the index with their baptismal registry number.

Found: Good & Bad News!
There was a Mrs. Susanna Vaughan listed with her burial registry number.

Well, I knew something bad had happened to Susanna. I've written about it before. It's just not always a thrill to find out you're right about some things.

I quickly jumped back in the microfilm to the burials section to look for the details of Susanna's burial. And there, on page 314, is listed Susanna as having been buried 12 Jan 1852 in Ypsilanti at the tender age of 26. No cause of death and no date of death were listed. However, she is listed as having been baptized, confirmed, and a communicant at the time of her burial. {Really? Which church?}

According to the date, that means she left behind a 5-year-old Prudence, a 4-year-old Daniel {my 2nd great grandfather}, and an almost-2-year-old Alice. {Big sigh.}

Found: Good & Bad News!
But then listed right underneath Mrs. Susanna Vaughan's burial register entry was an entry for an 11-month old Rachel Roselia Vaughan who had been buried 24 Mar 1852 in Ypsilanti. And, again, no cause of death or date of death was listed.}

Just who was Rachel Roselia Vaughan? Had she been a younger and until-now-unknown-to-me sibling of Daniel's? And if so, then the "them" who had been lost between 1850 and 1860 had really been 3 and not 2.

With a heavy heart, I quickly looked up Prudence's, Daniel's, and Alice's baptismal entries for my records and society applications. {Oh yeah. The societies. That's why I was here in the first place. *snort*} And then I found some more surprises. The 3 children had been baptized in a private ceremony under their full names -- Prudence Brown Vaughan, Daniel Rook Vaughan, and Alice Barbary Vaughan -- in a private ceremony all on the same day, 30 Aug 1851. And because the mythical genealogy gods and goddesses didn't want to make anything too easy for me, their grandparents -- John T. and Hester Vaughan -- are listed as their parents and Daniel's birth year is different by 1 year from what I know it to be based on other pieces of evidence.

But, then, listed right underneath their baptismal entries is a baptismal entry for Rachel Roselia Vaughan who was baptized 21 Mar 1852 at St. Luke's, which was just 3 days before her burial.

So. What's the story? Well, I dunno for sure, but it seems that Susanna became incapacitated in some way and, by the end of August in 1851, was unable to take care of her children. It doesn't seem that Benjamin, Susanna, and their kiddos had been members of St. Luke's either. At least, not at first.

So, it seems that Benjamin's father and step-mother -- John and Hester -- came in and took their grandchildren in order to care for them and by the end of August in 1851, they had Prudence, Daniel, and Alice baptized at St. Luke's in Ypsilanti. And then almost 7 months later, they had Rachel Roselia baptized there as well 3 days before her burial.

Good for me, paper-trail-wise. Sorta.

But? I wonder how Susanna had been incapacitated? Illness? Postpartum depression? Accident?

And what about the baby, Rachel Roselia? I'm definitely assuming that she is Benjamin's and Susanna's baby. But I could be wrong about that. Regardless, why did she die? Illness? Birth defect?

And? Forget Waldo. Where in the world is Benjamin in all this upheaval and crisis? Hurt? Ill? Working elsewhere?

So. Some losses and finds in Ypsilanti. And one is still playing hide-n-seek.

And? O Susanna, how I cried for you.

And your babies. For just when I found you and Rachel Roselia, I lost you both. And so did your family.

{Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow and the Vaughan Family Surprise -- some things found and shared with me because of what I wrote. Will Benjamin be revealed?}

~Caroline

Note: Sources available upon request because if you think we're related, then contact me at cmpointer [@] gmail [dot] com and we'll figure it out together.

DAR, Some Secrets, Brother Ed, and the Mayans

US Navy 060417-N-8157C-162 The American flag flies prominently during the World Patriot Tour performance at Hickam Air Force Base (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every time I go to a DAR event [and I'd say even the meetings are events...pomp and circumstance...which is a very nice surprise amidst my usual days filled with mediocrity] and every time I go to my GenSoc meetings, I feel the pressure to get my DAR app completed.

It's not a bad kind of pressure, and it certainly comes from myself. So while working on several app reviews for my 4YourFamilyStory.com site and while monitoring the new Google Plus Communities that Kenneth R. Marks [from TheAncestorHunt.com blog] and I created and while Christmas shopping, I've been going over my research plans trying to figure out what I need to do so I can get my DAR [Daughter of the American Revolution] and my UEL [United Empire Loyalist] applications completed.

And then I got my 23andMe DNA results and I was sidetracked for a while. {And, no, the results won't help me with this research problem. That would have been nice though.}

But now I'm back.

So. I thought I'd list what I need to do next. {And, no, this is not my research plan, my research plans, or my research log. This is a very informal update of where I am and what I plan to do next and some of the reasons why. My formal research plans and research log are located in OneNote in table and narrative formats.} 

After consulting with my DAR Chapter's Registrar by phone a month ago, I found that I don't need to take my supposed Patriot line back to my supposed-but-proven-for-others-Patriot, Melchior Stock because his son, who is my proposed ancestor, Matthias Stock is also a proven-for-others-Patriot. [That's right 2 of them are proven Patriots.] But? I don't even have to prove Matthias' relationship to his son Michael Stock/Stuck [my ancestor] because it's already been done via another descendant of Michael's, through one of his sons.

Now, I don't descend through that same son of Michael's. Nope. I descend through one of his daughters, Margaret Barbara Stuck who married a Mr. Rook and their daughter, Susannah Rook married Benjamin Brown Vaughan, and it's through their son, Daniel Rook Vaughan, that I descend.

Well, him and the very Catholic Annie J. O'Brien from Ireland.

{As a sidenote, my cousin who descends from Daniel and Annie & who found me through this blog, is coming to Texas in January to photograph tombstones, including Daniel's and Annie's. And since I think I found it last year, but it's broken and was too heavy to turn over and verify, we're looking into identifying it and getting it repaired. So we've been collaborating on family info and such via email. Bonus!}

Anywho. My work was lessened somewhat by my local DAR Chapter's Registrar and I found a cousin and I got my DNA test results back. It's raining genealogy here, no?

Oh, and I checked with my local DAR Chapter's Regent about my grandfather. {We're in the same GenSoc and I strategically sat by her at the Christmas Party a little over a week ago, which was a blast, BTW.} Anywho, I told her about my grandfather probably not being divorced before he married my Gran, and she asked if they'd married, and I said yes, and she said no problem. So. My wayward grandfather isn't going to be a stumbling block on my road to DAR membership. {At least, not yet.}

So. Here's what I still need to get and what I have for each generation:

My Birth & Marriage: No prob. Got those.

My parents BMDs: No prob. Got those. [Well, it is a problem that I have their D's, but there's not much I can do about it.]

My Mom's Parents:

Mary Alice Velda Truitt Blacketer {or my Gran}

Death - Can I order a copy of my Gran's death certificate? No. Her death occurred less than 25 years ago here in Texas and for recent deaths {less than 25 years} only immediate-to-her family members can order them. So. I have one aunt and a couple of uncles that could order it, but I'm not close to them nor in touch with them. However, I do have an aunt-by-marriage that I am in touch with so I can ask her if she happens to have a copy. If not, then I'll need to turn to some secondary documentation. An obit would be nice and since I was there at my Gran's funeral and know that my Mom created the obituary, I happen to know my Gran had one. So I need to look for that. She does appear in the Texas Death Index as well as the SSDI. So once I get a copy of her obituary, I can send off for a copy of her Social Security Application. Also, when I go to San Antonio, I need to visit Gran and snap a photo of her tombstone. {Of course, tombstones can be wrong and not very reliable information-wise - especially for birth info - but I'd like it for my records. And I'll be there, so why not?}

Birth - The problem with her birth is that it seems to vary by 1 or 2 years in the census records {which is not unusual, but in her case it doesn't make sense because of her birthday versus the date of enumeration on the census records} and is {maybe} unclear on her U.S. Passport Application. And I'll write more in detail later after I try to obtain some better documentation, which brings me to her Good-Better-Best documentation options for her birth event.

Best case scenario would be a copy of her birth record. However, according to The Family Tree Resource Book for Genealogists: The Essential Guide to American County and Town Sources, edited by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack and Erin Nevius, statewide birth recordings didn't start until 1914 in Louisiana; Rapides Parish is an original Parish; and there is no information listed for birth records in the Parish at all (pp.282-283 and pp. 293-294). And further general information about birth records is given for after statewide recordings began and Catholic church records are suggested for before (pp.282-283). Additionally, a survey of Clayton Library for Genealogical Research's Microprint Collection and their online card catalog yielded nothing for finding birth records before statewide recordings in Louisiana around my Gran's birth year. And a look at FamilySearch.org's online databases as well as their online card catalog yielded nothing as well as for birth records for Rapides Parish, Louisiana before statewide recordings of births and for around the time she was born. So, unless someone out there knows of anything else, I'm going to say - right now - that it probably doesn't exist.

St Mary's Catholic Church, San Antonio (Photo credit: Rennett Stowe)

Better case scenario would be her baptismal record. I found on an index on FamilySearch.org that she was baptized in San Antonio, Texas in 1913 at St. Mary's Catholic Church downtown. So after such a resounding success with obtaining my Boo's {Gran's mother} baptismal record from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Archives, I thought this might not be as difficult as I once thought. However, I talked to a very over-worked Brother Ed at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio Archives, and they're understaffed. 

In fact, it's just Brother Ed. 

Archiving all by himself. 

And he's 'swamped'.

And he informed me it'd be quicker if I could just come down there and do it myself. 

Challenge accepted, Brother Ed. 

So. A trip to San Antonio {3 hours away} to rummage around the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio Archives looking for my Gran's baptismal record is now on my agenda.

Good case scenario would be a copy of her Social Security Application, it should have her birth date and place and her parent's names, but depending on when that was applied for, this will more than likely be a secondary document for her birth information and second best to her baptismal record, in my opinion, even though she would probably have needed her birth certificate {which I think doesn't exist}or an affidavit to apply for it, but it's direct because it should answer the question of her birth event. 

And this is the thinking behind my opinion: If her 'later' baptism was in 1913, then her baptismal record would be preferable because that would have been created closer to the event of her birth. And would clear up {or maybe not} her birth year.

squared circle - mayan calendar (Photo credit: Thom Watson)

But then what evidence did they provide for her Social Security Application and what, if any, did they provide for her baptism? Thus, I'm gonna try to get both. So, we'll see what we can get. And we'll see what we can see with what we get. {And perhaps her SSA is the better case scenario and her baptismal record is the good case scenario.}

{My suspicion is that my Gran was born before my Boo and Claudius were married and my very Catholic Boo tried to keep this under wraps. {And may be the reason my Gran was born in Cheneyville, Rapides Parish, Louisiana while the rest of the family was in Texas.} So, through trying to find evidence, I'll be exposing her secret, which I'm sure I'm going to hear about it from her in the After Life, which may be tomorrow, according to the Mayans.

So I need to collect what evidence I can, and write a proof argument for her birth based on the evidence and my interpretation of the evidence. {But not before tomorrow because I may not have to do the work.}

Marriage - Speaking of rummaging around the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio Archives, I might as well look for my Gran's and my naughty grandfather's {James Wesley Blacketer} marriage record, or blessing, or whatever. From the various indices found on FamilySearch.org, I've {intelligently, I think} guessed {and maybe incorrectly} that they had a civil marriage that was later blessed by a Father So-n-So at St. Mary's Catholic Church, downtown San Antonio. {More on my  guess below.} 

And then I'll go downtown to the courthouse and look for their civil marriage record and their divorce record. {Thanks to my Big Paw Paw's, my Dad's Dad, penchant for women and lawsuits in Bexar County, I know where to go for divorce records.}

Ironically and coincidentally, the courthouse is right next door to...

 {wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...} 

...St. Mary's Catholic Church downtown San Antonio. So. I'll snap a pic of that. {And perhaps I'll partake of some Holy Water on the forehead, some prayer, and maybe even light a candle. Lord knows my family lines and research need it, eh?}

James Wesley Blacketer {My naughty grandfather. The naughty one that is NOT Big Paw Paw, who also happens to be quite naughty in his own right and lived in San Antonio as well.}

Death - I have his death certificate compliments of FamilySearch.org and I already visited him at his grave located at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio and snapped a photo of his tombstone. {But his birth date is off by 2 years on his tombstone.} Oh, and I have his 2 obituaries, which the second has proven to be quite enlightening on some future stories of him, but nothing I need for my applications.

Birth - According to all documentation that I've collected on him, he was born in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa. Now, according to Iowa, I can order it as long as no one really dwells too much on the 'legal' part. {You know, that part where I'm not quite too sure he ever divorced his first wife before he married my Gran.} But while searching in FamilySearch.org, an index indicates that he was baptized a month after his marriage to my Gran at St. Mary's Catholic Church downtown San Antonio. 

Now, why would he do that? Simple. {I think.} To get the marriage blessed by the Catholic Church. Because if you don't think that my Gran's Gran, the very Catholic Annie O'Brien from Ireland and her mother, my very Catholic Boo {Alice Florence Vaughan Truitt} weren't fit to be tied when they found out about my Gran entering into marital bliss with James via a civil union, you're just plain crazy. Well, that's my {maybe intelligent but could be very wrong} guess anyways. 

So. While I'm rummaging around the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio Archives for my Gran's baptismal record and their marriage blessing, I'll have a look-see for James' very-late-but-very-necessary-to-my-Gran {and her mother and her Gran and the Catholic Church} baptismal record as well. At the same time, though, I'll order his birth record from Iowa. It's $15 and what's the worst they can say? No? And why would they? He was born in Iowa and grew up and married the first time in Missouri. {Not that he actually told anyone that. I've just dug around a lot for that info. And wouldn't you know? That marriage record was much easier to get.}

Alice Florence (Vaughan) Truitt {my Boo; my Gran's mother}

Death - I have her death certificate, and while I'm in San Antonio tracing her daughter's records, I'll have a visit with her at graveside and snap a pic of her tombstone for my records.

Birth - I already obtained her baptismal record. And many thanks to the not understaffed Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Archives for that. 

Marriage - Boo and ol' Claudius Roy Truitt {a.k.a., The Jerk} were married in San Antonio, or so says a book of San Antonio marriages in the genealogy department at my local library {15 minutes away.}, Montgomery County Memorial Library. And? Because the lovely local library is in possession of  the microfilm that contains their marriage record in Bexar County, I need to go snap a copy of that. {It's there. I've seen it. I just didn't get a copy at the time.} But? My Boo divorced 'The Jerk' in San Antonio, so while I'm at the courthouse in San Antonio, I might as well snag that record too, no? {'Cause I've learned from Big Paw Paw that sometimes divorce records are boring and sometimes they're not, but they're always full of info and stories.} And maybe I'll even look for their marriage record at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio Archives. 'Cause why not? {Of course, they may not have married there. But I'll be there right next to the very over-worked Brother Ed. So why not look?}

Claudius Roy Truitt

Death - I have his death certificate via FamilySearch.org, and I hunted down his tombstone here in Houston and snapped a photo of it already.

Birth - I have a copy of his birth record compliments of Ancestry.com. {Thank goodness because he was born in Kentucky.}

{So. Basically, 'ol Claudius was reportedly a jerk in real life, but so far, he's not been a jerk to me and my research. So there's that.}

Daniel Rook Vaughan {my Boo's dad}

Death - I have his death certificate via fold3.com back when it was still footnote.com. And I may  have located his tombstone and {hopefully} on this same research trip, I can visit him gravesid

English: Plaque on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Building in Washington, D.C., denoting the founding of the Knights of Pythias at that location in 1864. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

e {with my newly-found cousin} and verify that and snap a photo of his tombstone located in the Knights of Pythias cemetery. And speaking of the Knights of Pythias, I have his membership record from the San Antonio Chapter, and they recorded his death in his membership record. So I think I'm squared away on the evidence of his death. The former is direct and primary and the latter is not as primary and may even be secondary, but it is direct.

Birth - Daniel was born in 1847 in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co, Michigan. And because his father's line is the Loyalist line, and because his father was baptized in the Church of England up in Noyan, Quebec, and because I have a suspicion {Thanks to a published history of the wee town of Ypsilanti.} Daniel's grandfather was the sexton of the still-open St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Ypsilanti and may be buried in the church's cemetery, I think Daniel's - if he was baptized and his family was Episcopalian {like me} like I suspect, baptismal records just might be there. I've already contacted them and they informed me that their records are archived in Ann Arbor which at the time didn't take email or snail mail lookup requests. But according to a recent search in FamilySearch.org, they've microfilmed them since the last time I searched. So I'll be placing a rental order. Of course, I could be wrong about their church membership, but I'll deal with that when I have to, if I have to. {His mother's line was decidedly Lutheran and Ypsilanti is a wee town.} So, on second thought, maybe I'll order the microfilm of the local Lutheran Church's records too.

New Orleans - French Quarter: St. Louis Cathedral (Photo credit: wallyg)

 Marriage - According to a book of New Orleans' marriages located in my local library, Daniel and Annie were married in 1874. So, I need to locate where the information came from. Further, it's indexed on FamilySearch.org so I'm going to need to do some digging around on that. And? Would Annie have insisted the marriage be in a Catholic Church or, perhaps, had it been blessed in one? Of course, that brings up which Catholic Church in New Orleans? {Am I allowed to *snort* at this question?} So, I need to do a more thorough survey of the available records and the locations of said records.

Also, note that Daniel was in the Civil War and received a pension that his widow, Annie, later collected. So. That's a good avenue for information as well for a whole lot of events. Hopefully. So that's going on order as well. But when I'll get it and what's in the pension file, I don't know. 

Annie J. (O'Brien) Vaughan {my Boo's mom}

Death - I have her death certificate via FamilySearch.org. And like I mentioned above, I'm pretty sure of her tombstone. The former is direct and primary for her death event. The latter is for my records.

Birth - I've written about this. And the closest document to the occurrence of her birth that shows her place of birth is her first child's baptismal record created in 1876. As far as the date is concerned, that's going to be the very secondary Death Certificate and her tombstone, once I snap a pic of it. Plus, there are the various census records she appears in which silently indicate she never became naturalized citizen. I'll need to write a proof argument explaining the places I've looked for her birth record information {and not found it}, and lay out the case for the secondary and indirect evidence supporting her birth event at the time of the writing of the proof argument.

And here is the Loyalist-Patriot split. Daniel's paternal line is the Loyalist line, and his maternal line is the Patriot line. But? I'll save that for another time. {And if you've made it this far in my ramblings, you should receive a reward from me, like me stopping for now.}

So. Me and some cemetery visits, some picture-taking, a new cousin, some microfilm ordering and reading, another visit to the Bexar County Courthouse, a visit to St. Mary's Cathedral, a visit to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio Archives, and Brother Ed are all on the horizon. 

Unless the Mayans were right.

San Antonio Texas Alamo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Other folks go to San Antonio for The Alamo. I'm going for some naughty ancestors. Again.  

~Caroline

Note: If you have some recommendations of places to look for those Louisiana records or any others, please let me know in comments below. However, please refrain from doing the actual research yourself. I know it's tempting and I appreciate the gesture, but I'd like to do it myself unless it's totally impossible for me to do it. And this is partly why I didn't give full dates even though I am aware of them and they are in my research plans. And I'm sure I glossed over a bunch of stuff including my complete thought processes, so if you're confused or have any questions or suggestions, please let me know in comments below.

Loyalist + Patriot = ?

What Do You Get When a Loyalist Line marries a Patriot Line?

I decided since I might have both in the family that I'd finally do the work and then apply to Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] and United Empire Loyalists [UEL] at the same time.

As far as my supposed Loyalist line is concerned, I've only one that I know about, and that's my Vaughan line. Josephus Vaughan is a proven Loyalist because he migrated to Quebec and is listed as having received his 200 acres for remaining loyal to the crown. [That's right. He didn't fight either. He just believed in what he believed in for whatever reason, lost his family land in Fairfield, CT, where his father had been the town physician, and was forced to migrate to Quebec.] A few generations later, my Vaughan line returns to America and settles in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co, MI where my 2nd Great Grandfather, Daniel Rook Vaughan, is born and where he signs up at the age of 15 to be a musician in the Civil War. [How 'bout that? Loyalist to Civil War soldier in 4 generations.]

Then I got to thinking about Daniel's mother's family, and how I had found some information on her mother's line, the Stuck/Stock family. And I wondered if that line had been in America during the Revolution, and if so, what side had they been on?

So I took a look, and the supposed progenitor of this Stuck/Stock family line is Johann Melchoir Stock. Then I ran his name through the DAR system, and lo and behold, he's a proven Patriot because he paid taxes. [Yeah. I know. Another non-fighter.] After a little more digging online, I found a lead on some sourced information on the family. One claim was that he may have only paid taxes, but he offered up his sons to the War. Well, I did find one of the sons in the DAR system, but he's not my ancestor, Johann Matthias Stock. It's one of his brothers. So was my Matthias a Patriot? Did he fight or contribute to the effort? I dunno. But there seems to be quite a bit of information available for this family line. Even if I can't prove Matthias was a Patriot, I don't even have to prove Melchoir's Patriot status with DAR because that's already been done. I just need to prove Matthias and Melchoir's relationship. [And that person with the sourced info indicates where Matthias was confirmed. But I digress...]

Anywho. I thought this made an even better story. An orphaned boy [His mom & dad died before he was 15yo.] who became a man in the Civil War was a descendant from a Loyalist and a Patriot. Did he know? Were his ancestors turning over in their graves when he signed up?

So what DO you get when when a Loyalist line marries a Patriot Line? In this case, you get a Civil War vet and an awesome story. And me trying to document it all officially and write about it.

Next few posts, I'll be going through each person and the documentation I have, what I don't have, and how & where I plan to get it. I may even do it as a video tutorial so I can show you how I'm keeping up with it in Family Tree Maker 2012 software. 

Are you ready to see how this story unfolds? Do I have the right characters? Do I really know the ending?

I dunno. We'll just have to wait and see.

~Caroline