Genealogy: (Middle English genealogie, from Old French, from Late Latin genealogia, from Greek genealogia. An account or record of the descent of a person, family, or group, from an ancestor or from older forms.
A family tree.
Various web sites give various statistics of how popular genealogy actually is,
#1 according to Ancestry.com (of course),
#2 next to gardening on others,
#3 behind coins and stamps.
I can only say I’m nuts about it, and have been my entire adult life. Can’t say why.....detective quality to it? the thrill of the hunt? putting puzzle pieces together? Finding the names and dates, where my ancestors lived, how they immigrated and emigrated has led to an entirely new understanding of world history and US history. Way more interesting than the history taught in the 60’s, with all those battles and dead generals.
Now the actions of the Polish government in the 1830’s are apparent in the wave of Jewish immigrants (my Lizzie Stern) in the 1840’s. The French Hugenots were the deal in the 1700’s and brought the Strausbaughs. And the westward migration across this continent swept the DeVaults and Strausbaughs, the Joneses, Springs and Tuss families to new farmland and ranch land as each new territory was opened.
Ohio, starting with Vinton County, was a pilgrimage site on this trip for me (how kind is Leslie to tromp around graveyards and sit in libraries and Probate records offices with me!) Two days in Ohio was just like going to a wine tasting though, little sips here, there, no full glass, but with the promise of more. I plan to fly back after doing a lot more internet research.
We found land records and deeds, marriage licenses of the 1820s-60s, copies of obituaries of 100 yrs ago. Seeing things in print brings people to life for me.
Margaret Devault was my 3rd great grandmother.
Here’s how it goes:
me (because this is all about me!)
my dad Art Jones
Art’s dad Fred Jones
Fred’s mom Cora Devault Jones
Cora’s dad Lewis Devault (found his obit from 1905!)
and Lewis’s mom Margaret Strausbaugh Devault.
(a descendent of the Strausbaughs who came here in 1736 from the Alsace-Lorraine.)
She was born 1818, died in 1859, and there are two stories, one that she died while Lewis and his brothers were off in Colorado digging for gold, and all the children were farmed out to friends and family till he returned, took a new wife, and had more kids. The other story is that after she died he left in anguish. Still the kids were all over town on the census records I looked at. Her parents died the next year and are buried in the same cemetery, though I could not find their names. There are many stones whose inscriptions are gone.
I have no idea why she drew me to her grave, but it was really wonderful to have the chance to visit her and the others. She and Lewis were poor farmers, had lots of kids, and she died young. I bet they didn’t dream of having a sort of immortality, with some crazy descendant traipsing all over the county looking for them!
Little Ellsworth, died as a child. Child of Valentine Strausbaugh
Margaret's brother Valentine
These two graves, front center and right, I believe to be Margaret's parents, Joseph and Christina. On through the rolling hills of southeastern Ohio, up to Harrison County. Quite Appalachian.
The photos below tell another story.
This cemetery in Cadiz, Ohio, according to history books from the 1960's, has 2500 people buried in it, and those names can be found on web sites like Find-A-Grave.com, and the US Tombstone Project.
I have 12 relatives buried there. The names were inscribed by volunteers in the 70’s.
But there are only maybe 30 or 40 graves actually with headstones now, and none are mine. Where’d they go? Well, this monument in the cemetery center that the DAR (pullll-e-ase!) built in 1976, was built with the headstones. They are cemented in as seat backs, and used to build up the seats. And many are backwards, covered by soil and grass. I think they really meant well in 1976 but we decided they get the award for the worst cemetery we have have ever been in. So creepy. We just kept walking around and around in disbelief. And left with great disappointment.
No worries though.
The Springs are still to be found, on the next trip.
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Revolutionary soldier Johan Frederick Spring, and his wife Maria Barbara Steinbrenner (4th great grandparents on the Jones side) are buried "in Harrison county, on the old Compher farm, north of hwy 331, between Piedmont and Holloway, off the old county road 249 that doesn't go through anymore...." .....well, you’ve heard enough...........the pouring rain, the fact that a local farmer told us that some old guy lives in a trailer on the land, and has large dogs, was enough of a deterrent to these two California girls and their little dog. We'll find them next time. With the help of a local historian.
And maps.
And sunshine.
And bear spray.
Written in Morrisville, VT. RJ
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