#52Ancestors: WK 12: John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt

** cross posted from Lass Chronicles **
His name is my name, toooooooo!

You can thank me later for the earworm. This week's theme is "same" and rather than try to shoehorn a relation into resembling me or (my life), I thought I'd look at names.

The top 5 male names from 1914 to 2013¹ are:

1. John
2. James
3. Robert
4. Michael
5. William

The top 5 female names for the same time period¹ are:

1. Mary
2. Patricia
3. Jennifer
4. Elizabeth
5. Linda

My tree, as of Jan 2015, has 1007 people. Comparing the national list to my tree:

Male

• John (40)
• James (31)
• Robert (16)
• Michael (10)
• William (35)

Female

• Mary (23)
• Patricia (3)
• Jennifer (2)
• Elizabeth (13)
• Linda (2)

I'm inclined to think that the people before me bucked the trends when naming their children. I'd actually like to look at this more. The Social Security Admin site even has a breakdown of top names by decade. I'm a nut for reports and playing with numbers. It would be interesting to compare my tree to each decade.

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1. Ssa.gov,. 2015. 'Top Names Over The Last 100 Years'. http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/century.html.

#52Ancestors: WK 11: The Irish Connection

** cross posted from Lass Chronicles **

Kiss me, I'm Irish!

Based on the AncestryDNA test, I am 38% Irish. I could have told you I had Irish roots before I took the test. My 2nd great grandfather was born in County Limerick, Ireland. Michael Henry ROACH (also spelled ROCH, ROCHE or ROACHE) presents some problems for me. Most of the problems have to do with documentation.

Let's start with his headstone and the only census I have found him in, the 1900 U.S. Census.

Davis Headstone, Magnolia Cemetery¹

Michael H. Roach and family, 1900 US Census²

Close up of M.H. Roach, 1900 US Census

His headstone states he was born 24 Dec 1863. The 1900 US Census states he was born Dec 1859. That is a significant difference in years. Next, is a transcribed portion of a Baptism register from the Roman Catholic Parish of Rathkeale in County Limerick. The transcription sates that Michael Henry Roach was baptized 29 April 1857.³

Baptism record: Name - Date of Baptism - Sponsors/Godparents

Finally, I have a passenger list record for one Michael Roach, born about 1856, arriving 29 Oct 1874 in New York.⁴

Transcription of passenger list: Michael Roach (age 18)

Here are my current problems:

I have no idea who provided the info for the headstone or when. You will notice the headstone is marked DAVIS. The most recent death date is 1974. The oldest is 1913. I'm inclined to believe that the stone was not placed until 1971 or 1974. It could have been placed in 1916, but unlikely.

I do not have a copy of Michael Henry's death certificate. I can get it. I just keep putting it off.

The census is notoriously full of errors. There's no indication of who provided the information. How much trust do I put into this document?

I have no provenance for the register transcription. That alone should make the transcription suspect. Gee, I guess I will have to go to Ireland myself. Shucks.

I do not have Michael Henry's naturalization records. In the 1900 US Census, he is enumerated as being naturalized.

He does not show up in the New York Emigrant Savings Bank, 1850-1883.⁵

He doesn't show up in the U.S., Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1795-1972 (Louisiana isn't covered).⁶

He doesn't show up in the U.S. Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 (Louisiana isn't covered).⁷

I can't browse for him in the Louisiana, Naturalization Records, 1831-1906 because the digitizing project is only to surname "Jury." ⁸

I have more places to search. I have more records to sort through. Today, though, I'm celebrating my Irish heritage.

Sláinte!

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1. Findagrave.com. 2015. 'Michael Henry "Mike" Roache, Sr (1863 - 1919) - Find A Grave Memorial'. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=14824525.
2. Year: 1900; Census Place: Lake Charles, Calcasieu, Louisiana; Roll: 560; Page: 27A; Enumeration District: 0016; FHL microfilm: 1240560. http://ancstry.me/1Er3r6n.

3. Catholic Parish Transcript. Attached to other trees controlled by cousins.

4. Year: 1874; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 394; Line: 1; List Number: 1160. http://ancstry.me/1Er31gs.

5. Search.ancestry.com,. 2015. 'New York Emigrant Savings Bank, 1850-1883'. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8760.

6. Search.ancestry.com,. 2015. 'U.S., Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1795-1972 (World Archives Project)'. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1193.

7. Search.ancestry.com,. 2015. 'U.S. Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995'. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1192.

8. Familysearch.org,. 2015. 'Louisiana, Naturalization Records, 1831-1906 — Familysearch.Org'. https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1459894.

#52Ancestors: WK 10: Grace, wife of Isaac

** cross posted to Lass Chronicles **
While looking at information on David Edwin GREEN, I found his brother: John William Bartow Green.

I have always found the naming of children fascinating. Generally, there is a U.S. trend to name at least one child with the mother's or grandmother's maiden name.¹

John and David are the sons of David Green and Elizabeth REYNOLDS.  David Edward Green is the son of Isaac Green and Grace B __.

Funny fact I've been tracking. A lot of my female ancestors used the first letter of their maiden names as their middle initial.

Enter my most recent research on the Green family.

In 1850, Isaac and his wife Grace B. Green are enumerated in Georgia with four children.²

Family Detail - Isaac and Grace Green, 1850 U.S. Census

In 1860, Mrs. Green and son James are enumerated in Georgia.³

Family Detail - Mrs. Green, 1860 U.S. Census

She is missing in 1870 (so far).

In 1880, Gracy Green, her daughter, and two grandchildren are enumerated in Georgia.⁴

Family Detail - Gracy Green, 1880 U.S. Census

I have looked for hours this week for a marriage record for Isaac Green.  I'm currently running on the assumption that Grace's maiden name is Bartow.

Now, this is a wild guess. It's one I'm willing to run with for now. Maybe "Bartow" is misspelled? Maybe Bartow isn't even her name. Whatever the case, I need to pick a starting place on learning more about Grace, the wife of Isaac -- my 4th great grandmother.

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1. Maybe this is dying out? Is this common other countries? Sometimes I yearn for the Spanish and Mexican convention of adding the mother's maiden name to the child's name.

2. Grace B Green in the 1850 United States Federal Census. Year: 1850; Census Place: Division 90, Warren, Georgia; Roll: M432_86; Page: 150B; Image: 308

3. Grace Green in the 1860 United States Federal Census. Year: 1860; Census Place: Goose Ponds District, Warren, Georgia; Roll: M653_140; Page: 17; Image: 17; Family History Library Film: 803140

4. Gracy Green in the 1880 United States Federal Census. Year: 1880; Census Place: Goose Pond, Warren, Georgia; Roll: 170; Family History Film: 1254170; Page: 104C; Enumeration District: 120; Image: 0409

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Optional Theme: Week 10 (March 5-11) – Stormy Weather. This is the time of year that the northern hemisphere starts to see severe storms. (As if the blizzards in New England this winter haven’t been bad enough!) What ancestor endured a particularly severe storm? It could be something like a tornado or blizzard or it could be a “storm” of bad things.

#52Ancestors: WK 9: CORNSTUBLE, Mary Francis

** cross posted to Lass Chronicles **
This week, I'm thinking out loud about my research for Mary Francis CORNSTUBLE. First, a little background.

Mary Francis Cornstuble was born about 1881 in Missouri.  She was the middle child (and second daughter) of Dora Bell (GINGER) and John E. Cornstuble.¹ On 3 Dec 1896, 15 year old Mary Francis married Welcome ADAMS.

Marriage Record: Mary Francis Cornstuble & Welcome C. Adams²

A little less than a year later, my great-grandfather (Benjamin Franklin Adams) was born. Five more children followed (Robert, Daisy, John, David, and Opal). Sometime after 1918 (Opal's birth year) and before 1930 (when Welcome is enumerated as divorced), Mary Francis and Welcome divorced. She remarried a man named Alec or Alex Smith. Alec/Alex died in 1930. Mary Francis is enumerated in the 1940 U.S. Census with her daughter and son, Opal and Robert. Sadly, on 7 Jan 1950, Mary Francis died in a house fire.

Death Notice: Mary Francis (Cornstuble) Adams Smith³

Myths vs. Reality and the beginnings of a One-Name Study

When I was about ten...maybe a little older, I was told by my grandmother, Eulaliah, that we had several "Indian" names in the family. Cornstubble, Cornsilk, and Rainwater. I was told that we are descendants of either the Choctaw or Cherokee nations because of where our family was from, Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, Northeast Texas -- an area some will know as Arklatex or Arklatexoma.

First, I've never found a Cornsilk or Rainwater in the family tree. Cornsilk and Rainwater are in my general search area. Those names (as well as Cornfield, Corntassel, and Cornshucker) show up in the Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Dawes Census Cards for Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914.⁴ However, Cornstuble is the name that I have to follow; and it, so far, has never appeared in any Indian Census record I have searched.

Second, I have been told Cornstuble is not "Indian" -- although, that's up for debate beyond the scope of this post. I can say MY Cornstuble family traces to Illinois. Does that help or hurt the family mythology?

At RootsTech, there was at least one session on One-Name Studies. I didn't attend (hello, conflict!), but I am now wishing I had. Cornstuble presents an interesting topic for study.

The US Census Bureau says that Cornstubble appears 145 times in the 2000 Census.⁵ That is 145 potential cousins! The US Census Bureau does not include Cornstubble in the 1990 Census data.⁶ The methodology for the 1990 summary explains why some names don't end up in the list.

There are variations and/or misspellings for the Cornstuble name in Illinois, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas between 1850 and 1940: Barnstable, Comstuble, Connstuble, Constable, Cornstable, Cornstble, Cornstoble, Cornstubble, Cornstufle, Cornstusle, Coustablle, Scorstubble...

Based on my brief searching and spot checking, the name Cornstuble pops up in Illinois, Kentucky, and Maryland; and for at least one individual has a German origin.

All of this makes me think I need to consider a one-name study for Cornstuble. As a bonus, just today, I found a website that seems to cover an entire branch of the Cornstuble family: Descendants of Stephen Cornstub(b)le. I'm about 90% sure this is my Cornstuble family. How 'bout them apples? #52Ancestors turns up all kinds of interesting things!

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1. The Cornstuble children are:
Sarah Jane Cornstuble (1876 – 1922)
Henry Douglas Cornstuble (1879 – 1900)
Mary Francis Cornstuble (1881 – 1950)
Charley Cornstuble (1883 – 1920)
Sherman Cornstuble (1887 - ?)

2. Familysearch.org,. 'Frances Cornstuble and Welcome Adams, "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957" — Familysearch.Org'. N.p., 2015. Web. 5 Mar. 2015.

3. Newspapers.com,. 'Obit: Mary Francis Cornstuble Adams Smith - On Newspapers.Com'. N.p., 2015. Web. 5 Mar. 2015. (Joplin Globe, 8 January 1950, Page 4).

4. Ancestry.com,. 'Oklahoma And Indian Territory, Dawes Census Cards For Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914'. Ancestry.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.

5. U.S. Census Bureau. 'Frequently Occurring Surnames From The Census 2000'. Census.gov. N.p., 2015. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.

6. U.S. Census Bureau. 'Frequently Occurring Surnames From The Census 1990'. Census.gov. N.p., 2015. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.

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Optional Theme: Week 9 (Feb 26-Mar 4) – Close to Home. Which ancestor is the closest to where you live? Who has a story that hits “close to home”?