Mug Book Monday: Ethan Allen WESTBROOK (1837 - 1902)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. On Mondays, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

Ethan Allen WESTBROOK was the seventh of the eight children of my fifth-great-grandparents, Peter and Fannie (MARBLE) WESTBROOK, and a brother of my fourth-great-grandmother, Amanda (WESTBROOK) KIMBALL.

He was a Civil War soldier whom I featured in my Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Series in 2008.

"E. A. Westbrook, farmer, section 16, Dayton Township, is a son of Peter and Fannie (Marble) Westbrook, and was born in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, March 29, 1837. His parents were natives of New Jersey and New York, respectively. They came to Michigan in an early day and settled in Kalamazoo County, where they were engaged in farming, and where they died.

"Mr. Westbrook was only one year old when his parents came to Michigan. He remained at home until the death of his father, since which time he has been obliged to care for himself. He came from Kalamazoo County to Newaygo County in the fall of 1867 and bought 80 acres of school land on section 16, Dayton Township, where he has since lived and now has 50 acres in cultivation.

"Dec. 31, 1865, in Kalamazoo, he married Cinderella J., daughter of Myron and Rachel Harrington, who was born in Kalamazoo County, Nov. 7, 1843. Her parents were natives of the State of New York and came to Kalamazoo County in the fall of 1843. Mr. Westbrook enlisted Oct. 10, 1861, in the 13th Mich. Inf., and served until the close of the war. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Corinth, Chickamauga, Bentonville, N. C., and numerous others. He was wounded in the arm at the battle of Chickamauga, and again in the thigh at the battle of Bentonville. On account of his first wound he was unable to do service for three months, and was laid up four months by reason of the second wound. He was honorably discharged at Detroit, Mich. Since that time he has followed farming, excepting two years, when he was engaged in teaming. He receives a pension. Politically he is a Republican.

"His children, by his present wife, are: James W., born Dec. 8, 1869; Amanda L., April 6, 1875; Laura M., Dec. 12, 1876; Mabel A., April 12, 1882. Myron D. died at the age of 18 months. Mr. Westbrook had one child by a previous marriage, William P., born March 14, 1860."

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The "school land" mentioned in the second paragraph refers to the Homestead Act of 1862 in which the sale of land in Section 16 of each township was used to fund public education in that township.

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This biographical sketch was taken from Portrait and Biographical Album of Newaygo County, Michigan: Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of all the Governors of Michigan and of the Presidents of the United States. Also Containing a Complete History of the County, From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, published in Chicago by Chapman Bros., 1884. Ethan's biographical sketch was found on page 280. This county history, along with many other ones, can be found at the Internet Archive.

Mug Book Monday: Jeremiah REDENBAUGH (1824 - 1895)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. On Mondays, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

Jeremiah REDENBAUGH was a nephew of my children's paternal 4th-great-grandmother, Hulda (REDENBAUGH) DAILEY.

This biography mentions Jeremiah's father, Henry R. REDENBAUGH, Hulda's brother. It also mentions his grandparents, Frederick and [Anna] Margaret (HANEY) REDENBAUGH, who are my children's 5th-great-grandparents.

There are three great ties to American history in this biography, namely the famous Battle of Tippecanoe, the War of 1812, and William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States.

"Jeremiah Redenbaugh is a retired farmer, living just outside the city limits of Crawfordsville, but he still retains possession of his farm, which is located in Walnut Township, Montgomery County. Mr. Redenbaugh is a son of Henry R. Redenbaugh, one f the early settlers of this portion of Indiana, who was born January 2, 1800, near Redden, Ohio.

"Frederick Redenbaugh, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Germany, came to this country some time during the last century, and first located in Pennsylvania, whence he moved to Ohio, and from there to Indiana in the early days of the settlement of the state. After coming here he first settled among the pioneers of Jefferson County, and then came to Montgomery County, where his life was closed at the advanced age of eighty-six years. He was a soldier under Gen. Harrison at the famous battle of Tippecanoe, and he served with the General during the war of 1812. He married Margaret Haney in Pennsylvania, and they had twelve children, of whom their son William, who lives in Fountain County at the advanced age of eight-one years, is the only survivor. the grandfather of our subject was an ardent Democrat in his day, and was a leader in local politics.

"Henry Redenbaugh was the fifth child born to his parents, and was a young man when he accompanied them to Jefferson County, this state. He there met and married Mary Douglas, daughter of Jeremiah and Jane (Huthert) Douglas. They had come from England to this country and first settled near Cincinnati, whence they afterwards removed to Jefferson County, this state. After his marriage Henry Redenbaugh remained awhile in Jefferson County, and then came to Montgomery County in 1828. He took up eighty acres of government land, which he cleared and improved, and developed it into a fine farm, upon which he remained until his death, September, 1891, at the venerable age of ninety-one years. In dying he left behind him an honorable records as an active and useful pioneer, as a good citizen, and as a desirable neighbor. He was the father of twelve children, of whom the following grew to maturity and are still living: John, a painter, residing at Newton, Kans.; Jeremiah; Mary (Mrs. Brush), who lives in Iowa; Sarah Ann, who lives in Boone County; William R., a resident of Crawfordsville; Joe, a resident of Mace, and Eliza (Mrs. McMullen) a resident of Boone County.

"Jeremiah Redenbaugh was born in Jefferson County, in the southern part of this state, May 25, 1824, and he was a child of three years when his parents brought him to their new home amid the pioneer scenes of Montgomery County. He was reared in Scott Township, and has a distinct recollection of the appearance of the country in all its wildness when he was a boy, and he can remember when Crawfordsville had but three or four houses in it. He made his home with his father until he was twenty-one, and then married established a home of his own with the help of his wife. She was Elizabeth Corn in her maiden days and a daughter of William Corn, of Clark Township, one of the early settlers of the county.

"Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Redenbaugh, of whom five are living: Sarah Jane, wife of Thomas N. Hosier; William, George W., Eliza Ellen and Nancy Eddenfield. Mr.  and Mrs. Hosier have one child, Viola Ellen aged nine years. The names of the deceased children of our subject are: Joseph Henry, Albert, Mary Alice, Andrew, Charlie and John, and one child who died in infancy unnamed. April 29, 1888, Jeremiah Redenbaugh had the misfortune to lose his wife, who had walked by his side for more than forty years, and to whose encouragement, cheerful assistance and wise counsel he was greatly indebted. Her age at the time of her death was sixty years, six months and twenty-seven days[.] She left behind her a blessed memory as a wife, mother and friend.

"Mr. Redenbaugh bought a piece of land in Walnut Township after his marriage, and there he and his wife commenced keeping house together. He worked hard to improve it, and bought other land until his farm comprised two hundred acres of most excellent farming land. In 1886  he retired from active business, and from the rental of his farm he derives a good income. His career as a farmer has placed him among the substantial citizens of the township, although he began life poor. This fact shows that beside being diligent, prudent and thrifty, he also carried on his work methodically, and was shrewd and far-seeing in his management of his affairs. Politically he is a Democrat of stanch principles. He belongs to the Montgomery County Horse Thief Detective Association, and has always entered readily into any scheme for protecting the interests of the farmer."

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This biographical sketch was taken from Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties, Indiana: containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens : together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, published in Chicago by Chapman Bros., 1893. Jeremiah's drawing and biographical sketch was found on pages 444-446. This county history, along with many other ones, can be found at the Internet Archive.

Mug Book Monday: Frank L. BISSELL (1828 - 1902)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. On Mondays, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

This biographical sketch is actually about the son-in-law of a couple of my ancestors, my adoptive 4th-great-grandparents, Dennis CONCIDINE, Jr. and his wife, Honora "Nora" GILLIGAN. I include it here, because in several sentences mentioning his wife's family, it mentions this couple, as well as a third ancestor, Dennis' father, Dennis CONCIDINE, Sr. It's another good example of expanding your search beyond your direct ancestors, and looking at siblings, cousins, and in-laws.

The Concidine name has a variant spelling of Constantine in this biography; understandable considering Concidine and Considine (another variant) both mean Constantine.

     "Frank J. Bissell was born at Montvale, Conn., October 4, 1828, a son of Abel and Mary (Vallett) Bissell, of Hebron and Montville, Conn., respectively. Abel Bissell, born in 1785, was a clothier by trade. In early life he run [sic] a carding and woolen factory. In 1848 he came to Bergen being 18 days coming by canal from New York. He reared children as follows: John, Calvin, Jeremiah, Frank, Lucy A, Phebe, and Rachel. He died August 30, 1861, aged 75 years. His wife was born April 1, 1786, and died January 14, 1879, and was a daughter of Jeremiah Vallett, a farmer of Connecticut, whose children were John, William, Jeremiah, Mary, and Nancy. Frank J. Bissell was reared in Connecticut, worked in a carding-mill and a tannery, and after coming to Genesee County became a farmer. He came to Le Roy in April, 1863, locating where he now resides, and where he owns a fine farm. He married, April 18, 1854, Mary Ann Constantine, a native of Java, Wyoming County, and a daughter of Dennis and Honora (Gilligan) Constantine, who were born in Ennis and Durah, County Clare, Ireland, and came to the United States in 1811, with two sons and a daughter, locating first in Rochester, and finally in Java, where he settled on a farm of 100 acres. His children were John, Patrick, Bridget, Margaret, Mary A., Ellen, Catharine, and Elizabeth. Mr. Constantice died in 1861, aged 74 years. He was a son of Dennis Constantine, of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Bissell's children are Mary L., now of Wichita, Kan., Francis E., and Catherine G. They have liberally contributed to the erection of the Roman Catholic Church for which he purchased the bell at a cost of $500."

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I did not have a death date for Frank or a birth or death date for Mary Ann. I did find their graves (here and here) on FindAGrave.com, which gave me that information. A biography of Frank's brother-in-law and Mary Ann's brother, John D. Concidine, was featured on an earlier Mug Book Monday post here.

This biographical sketch was taken from Gazetteer and biographical record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890, edited by F. W. Beers and published in Syracuse, New York by J. W. Vose & Co., June 1890. Frank's sketch was found on page 515. This county history, along with many other ones, can be found at the Internet Archive.

Mug Book Monday: Joseph Chaplin (1755 - 1812)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. I have been highlighting ancestors or relatives that were featured in these mug books.

It's been a while since I've written a Mug Book Monday post. I was reminded of how much information there is available on my children's paternal ancestor, Joseph CHAPLIN. In my database, I have this gentleman listed as Joseph Chaplin, III, as his father and great-grandfather, as well as his son and a grandson, were also named Joseph. This particular Joseph was born 1755 in Connecticut to Joseph CHAPLIN and Sarah STEDMAN,[1] and is my children's 5th-great-grandfather. (5 August 2014: I've updated this post with corrected information on Joseph's birth.)

These sketches come from History of Cortland County [New York], with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, edited by H. P. Smith, and published in 1885 by D. Mason & Co., Syracuse, New York. It can be found online at the Internet Archive here.

pg. 58

In the year 1792 Joseph Chaplin came into the town of Virgil and made the first permanent settlement; he located on lot 50 and two years later moved on his family. He explored and surveyed the State Road from Oxford, Chenango county to the Cayuga lake during the first season, afterward employing assistants and fulfilling his contract for the construction of the road. It was completed in 1793-94; after which he brought in his family. About the same time a road was surveyed and partially cut through the wilderness from the south, near the river, until the present site of Marathon village, when diverging from the stream, it crossed the south line of lot number 72, about three-fourths of a mile east of the village of Marathon, and continuing in a northerly direction, intersected the State road on lot 42 in Freetown and so passed on northward through the county to the Salina salt works, giving it the name of "the Salt Road." These two roads were the first in the county that were worthy of being called roads.

pg. 60

The principal difficulty with which the pioneer had to contend was the absence of roads, mills and markets. The first authorized road in the county was the old State Road alluded to as having been opened by Joseph Chaplin [1] and finished as far as his contract went, in 1794. This road extended from Oxford, Chenango county, to Ludlowville, on the eastern shore of Cayuga lake, a distance of about sixty miles. Coming into this county in the southeastern part, it passed through Willet, thence along the north line of the present town of Marathon and through Virgil.

1. Mr. Chaplin was drowned a few years later in the Hudson river at Coxsackie. See history of town of Virgil.

pgs. 319-320

To facilitate the settlement of this section of the country, a road was projected, connecting Oxford with the Cayuga lake, to pass through this town. Joseph Chaplin, the first inhabitant, was entrusted with this work. The instrument by which he was authorized to engage in it was authenticated on the 5th of May, 1792. He spent that season in exploring and surveying the route, the length of which is about sixty miles. he came to lot No. 50, which he owned, and afterwards settled, erected a house and prosecuted his work, having a woman to keep the house and cook for workmen. The work for cutting and clearing the road was done in 1793-94; so that he moved his family from Oxford over in the winter of 1894-95, employing six or seven sleighs freighted with family, furniture, provisions, etc.

Mr. Chaplin married Mrs. Abigail Messenger, who was the mother of Gideon Messenger one of the pioneers of Virgil Corners, and of Nathan Messenger. By her had three sons and four daughters. His son Joseph married a Miss Chatterton and finally died in the southwestern part of Illinois. He was distinguished in the locality where he resided as a man of intelligence and integrity, was chosen a justice of the peace and a major in the militia, and was familiarly known, on that account, as "Major Chaplin." His family were Harriet, who married a Mr. Patten and removed to Illinois, where she died; Joseph, who was last heard of in Pennsylvania; Aaron, now living in Jessop, Iowa; Polly, who married a Mr. Cook and lives in Cazenovia; Gideon, who died in Iowa; Cornelius, who married a daughter of Sylvester Crain, of Virgil, removed to Stockton Cal., where he died Feb. 22d, 1874; Sylvester, now living in Harford, this county; Catharine, who married one of the Shevalier family, of Virgil, and now lives at Macomb, Ill.; and Jacob, now living at Union, Storey Co., Iowa. Daniel Chaplin, the second son of the original Joseph, had a family, but we have not found a record of it.

Benjamin Franklin the third son, was father of George A. Chaplin, who now lives in Marathon, and of Walter L., who lives at Messengerville. The daughters were Sally, Ruth, Marietta and Isabella, two of who are still living. Such is a brief record of the descendants of the first settlers of Virgil.

This Joseph CHAPLIN, IV (c. 1786-1854) who married Lana CHATTERTON is also mentioned on page 330 of this book as being a captain for the town militia during the War of 1812. Joseph IV and his son Gideon are my children's direct ancestors.

pg. 331

Early Births, Marriages and Deaths--The first child born in town was John, a son of Joseph Chaplin, who was drowned in the spring of 1798, aged two years. The first who lived to mature age was John Frank, in autumn, 1797. Next to him was James Gee, in March, 1798; Betsey N. Roe and B. F. Chaplin, in February, 1799, and Hiram Ball and Hiram Bouton, in the same year. 

pg. 332

Some of the people in an early day directed their attention to the cultivation of fruit, especially apples. Very soon after his first settlement Joseph Chaplin sowed the seeds for a nursery of natural fruit, and Enos Bouton did the same soon after, and most of the oldest orchards are from these nurseries.

pg. 334

Several events have transpired that have caused great sensation for a time, and made a lasting impression on many minds. The first was that of a boy lost in the woods. In May, 1796, Daniel Chaplin, son of Joseph Chaplin, and father of Mrs. Gleason, aged about fourteen years, set out to drive a cow to Mr. Frank, and took with him a few pounds of flour. The cow became refractory and turned out of the road, and in endeavoring to get her back he lost the road and wandered in the trackless wilderness. The cow returned home, thus giving notice that he was lost. An alarm was given and about fifty men assembled, which was a great number for so sparse a population. He was gone four days and three nights without food, and was found on the 'Bridge Road,' in Dryden, by Aaron and James Knapp, of Homer. They ascertained who he was, and proceeded to help him home. He had the flour with him, but the weather having been rainy, it had become mouldy and they threw it away. He was very faint and weak, but being supported on each side he could walk, and they arrived at his father's house about midnight, where his mother had about thirty men in and about the house, and was preparing victuals for them to take in their search on the morrow. Mr. Chaplin was absent at the time. We shall not make the vain attempt to paint the scene caused by his arrival.

There is more information on the Chaplin family in this book, mainly about descendants who are not my children's direct ancestors. Also, there are several mentions Chaplin's place, indicating that not only the home located on a major intersection of the humble original road system, but that it was used as a reference point by many of the early settlers.


1. Susan Farrell Bankhead, CG, Lehi, Utah [(E-ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE)], to Miriam J. Robbins, e-mail, 5 August 2014, "Joseph Chaplin Blog Post,"; privately held by Robbins, [(E-ADDRESS) & STREET ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Spokane, Washington. Mrs. Bankhead wrote an article about Joseph Chaplin which was published in the January and April 2012 issues of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society's Record.

Tuesday's Tip: More County Histories and Biographies

A year and a half ago, I wrote a post titled, "County Histories and Biographies (Mug Books)," in which I listed numerous online digital book sites where you can find these rich resources. Since that time, I have found more state-specific sites, either at the state websites themselves, or on genealogical web-hosting sites. Some have text-only pages and/or only have a few county books listed, while others have dozens of mug books in glorious digitized format. I hope these continue to be helpful in your research.

California County Histories and Biographies links - http://www.cagenweb.com/cpl/cpl_bio.htm

Idaho History and Biography links - http://www.idahogenealogy.com/index.htm

Illinois Harvest - http://illinoisharvest.grainger.uiuc.edu/index.asp - do a search for "county history" or "county biography"

Indiana County History - http://www.countyhistory.com/ - they also have biographies

Iowa County Histories - Digital Collections of the Iowa State University - http://cdm16001.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p15031coll6

Kansas History and Heritage Project - http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kahhp/onlinecounties.html

Michigan County Histories and Atlases - http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micounty/

Missouri County History Project - https://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/mdh_splash/default.asp?coll=mocohist

Montana Memory Project - http://cdm103401.cdmhost.com/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15018coll43

New York State History - Towns and Counties - http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/scandocs/towns.htm

North Carolina - NCpedia.org - check out the "Biography & People" tab

Pennsylvania County Histories and Biographies links - http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pahist.htm

Tennessee - from Goodspeed's History of Tennessee - http://www.tngenweb.org/records/goodspeed.html

Washington - http://www.historylink.org

Wisconsin Local and County Histories - http://preview.wisconsinhistory.org/Content.aspx?dsNav=N:1175

Mug Book Monday: George Rice WESTABY, I (1822 - 1894)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. On Mondays, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

     
"The Salem M. E. Church.--This church, located on a picturesque rural spot at the junction of the roads leading from Thompson's Mills to Schapsville, and from Apple River to Elizabeth, on section 23, was erected in 1869. It was the first built in the township, Christopher Columbus Thompson and William Witham being the active men to whose zeal, exertions and influence the Methodists are indebted for  its erection, George Westaby donating the land (one acres) on which it stands. It is a commodious frame building, 23 by 44 feet; cost $1,600, and is clear of debt. It was dedicated by Rev. S. A. W. Jewett. Rev. Archibald Smith, of the Rock River Conference was the first pastor. He died in 1869, and was succeeded by Rev. F. R. Mastin, Messrs. Roberts, Brotherton and Kennedy, in the order as mention. W. J. Liberto at present holds service fortnightly, the pulpit on alternate Sundays being filled by Mr. William Witham and other local preachers. The congregation numbers forty members, and has a large attendance at Sunday services. The people of all denomination (Catholic included), and many of no religious belief, subscribed towards its erection. Henry Evans, William Witham, Ichabod Sampson and George Westaby were the first trustees. The present ones are William Sincox, William Witham, Charles Westaby, John Bastian and William Chapman."

"Westaby C. farm; Sec. 25; P. O. Houghton.

"WESTABY GEORGE, Farmer; Sec. 23; P. O. Houghton; son of Thomas and Mary Westaby, of Barron [sic - Barrow-upon-Humber], Lincolnshire, Eng., where he was born Nov. 19, 1822; was married April 12, 1850, to Miss Ann, daughter of Wm. and Maria Wilson, of Alton LeMoor [sic - Holton le Moor], Lincolnshire, and emigrated to this Co. same year; she was born Oct. 22, 1822; they have four children: Stephen, born June 12, 1852; Tom, March 12, 1855; Wilson, July 17, 1857, and George Rice, March 29, 1863; they lost by death two daughters and one son; they are raising a grand-nephew of Mrs. Westaby, Thomas Wilson, born in Eng. Aug. 28, 1864, whom she brought to this country on her return from a visit to her native home and relations; Mr. W. owns 584 acres valued at $11,680; is Road Commissioner; has been Overseer of Highways; School Director four terms; Assessor and Collector several years; Republican in politics; Independent in Religion; donated site (one acre), for the Salem M.E. Church, and was a member of the Building Committee.

"Westaby S. farm; Sec. 25; P. O. Houghton.

"Westaby W. farm; Sec. 25; P. O. Houghton."

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George Rice WESTABY, I was my children's paternal 4th-great-grandfather. There is mention of his parents, Thomas WESTABY and Mary SPAULDING, wife, Ann WILSON, and their son, George Rice, Jr. (who went by "Rice"), and parents-in-law William WILSON and Maria [--?--], all of whom are also direct ancestors of my children.

"Independent in Religion" doesn't mean non-denominational or non-religious. In older English census records, the Independents were listed with the Congregationalists. They have similar roots as the Separatists (known in America as the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony), and the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Charles WESTABY, mentioned in the paragraph about the Salem Methodist-Espicopal Church, as well as the first entry of Westabys ("C. Westaby") in the biographical listings for Thompson Township, was George's brother, who emigrated with him in 1850. The "S. Westaby" and "W. Westaby" listed after George were likely his nephews, either Spencer or Spaulding, and William, as they are farming in the same section as Charles. However, it is possible they could instead have been his sons, Stephen and Wilson.

This information was taken from The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, containing A History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc.: A Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of the Northwest, History of Illinois, Map of Jo Daviess County, Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., published in Chicago by H. F. Kett & Co., 1878. The paragraph regarding the Salem M.E. Church is found on pages 610 and 611, whereas the biographical sketches are found on pages 794 and 795. This county history, along with many others, can be found at the Internet Archive and Google Books.

Mug Book Monday: Samuel Austin SNOOK (b. 1859)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. Each Monday, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

     "SAMUEL A. SNOOK, proprietor of a well-known hardware store in Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, is a representative of one of the old pioneer families of this country, being of the eighth [sic - sixth or seventh] generation of the Snook family in America.
     "William Snook, the great-great-grandfather of Samuel S. [sic] Snook, was the great-grandson [sic - son or grandson] of the pioneer ancestor of the Snook family, who emigated to this country from Germany. He married and raised a family.
     "Matthias Snook, son of William Snook, married Christina Kleckman [sic - Maria Christina Kleckner], and had a number of children.
     "Levi Snook, son of Matthias and Christina (Kleckman [sic]) Snook, was a farmer in Center [sic - Centre] county, Pennsylvania, where his death occurred in 1877 [sic - 1889]. He was a strong supporter of the Union party. He married Sophia Kleckmer [sic - Margaretha Wolfart(h)], and raised a family of children: 1. Matilda, married John Frazin. 2. Rueben [sic] W., of whom later 3. Jacob W., married a Miss Stover. 4. Elizabeth, married George Walford. 5. Kate, married John Rute. 6. Matthias, unmarried, was killed during the Civil war. 7. Elias W., married Rinda Reid, 8. Amelia, married Charles Bierly. 9. Barbara, married Nathaniel Courier. 10. Levi W., married a Miss Berry.
     "Reuben W. Snook, eldest [sic - third] child of Levi and Sophia (Kleckmer) [sic - Margaretha Wolfart(h)], was born in Center [sic] county, 1833. He followed the occupation of farming in Clinton county, Pennsylvania, for about ten years, then removed to Bellefonte, Center [sic] county, Pennsylvania, residing there for about five years, and is at present (1906) living in retirement in Forsythe, Rosebud county, Montana. He is a member of the German Reformed church. He married Mary Walker, daughter of Daniel and Mary [sic - Hannah] (Erhardt) Walker. Daniel Walker was a farmer and mill owner, and one of the largest landholders in Myles [sic - Miles] township. He had children: Samuel, Jerry, Jonathan and two daughters. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Reuben W. Snook were 1. Samuel A., of whom later 2. Emma, married Amos Fehl. 3. Ellen, married Ira Brungard. 4. Rebecca, married George Westaby. 5. Sadie, married James Kenealy. 6. Annie, married a Mr. Armstrong. 7. William. 8. John. 9. Edward. 10. Howard. 11. Elizabeth. 12 Maggie. [Correction: some of these children were not Mary Walker Snook's, but were instead Reuben's through his second wife, Elizabeth Nearhood. There are also children missing from this list.]
     "Samuel A. Snooks [sic], first son and eldest child of Reuben W. and Mary (Walker) Snook, was born in Myles [sic] township, Center [sic] county, Pennyslvania, May 23, 1859. He was educated in the public schools of Bellefonte, where he was apt and studious. He then served a three years' apprenticeship to the wire drawing trade, and then held a positon of clerk in the Cambria County Bank of Johnstown; was with Bantly Fronheiser for three years, and then in the hardware business with John Dibert until 1889, when the flood of May 31, of that year, destroyed the building. Mr. Snook established a hardware store at No. 514 Main street, in 1899, and has conducted this very successfully up to the present time (1906). He is highly respected and esteemed by a large circle of friends and business acquaintances. He is a member and trustee of the United Brethern church, and a stanch supporter of the Republican party. He is a member of Johnstown Council, No. 401, Royal Arcanum.
     "He married, April 10, 1889, Annia G. Shaffer, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Kantner) Shaffer, who had six children: Sarah, John E., Mary, Catherine, of Allentown, Annie and Margarett. Samuel Shaffer was a salesman. The children of Samuel A. and Annia G. (Shaffer) Snook are: Earl, born February 9, 1890. Clyde, October 11, 1892. Mary E., November 27, 1894. Robert W., October 3, 1898. John S., February 5, 1901."

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Samuel Austin SNOOK was the brother of my children's 3rd-great-grandmother, Rebecca Catherine (SNOOK) WESTABY. There is a great deal of genealogy in this biography, some of it correct, some of it definitely not so. While transcribing this biography, not only did the genealogical errors make me cringe, but so did the obvious and numerous spelling and punctuation errors. Of great interest to me, however, is the note that Samuel's business was destroyed by the Johnstown Flood of 1889. This was one of the worst disasters in history of the United States in which 2,209 people were killed from the South Fork Dam on the Little Conemaugh River bursting, causing 20 million tons of Lake Conemaugh to cascade down the river. It damaged or destroyed five towns, killed 99 complete families, and caused $17 million dollars (the equivalent of over $407 million dollars today) of damage. To date, only the Galveston Hurricane of 1901 and the attacks of 9/11 in 2001 produced more casualties. Several movies and numerous books, including one written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough, have featured this disaster.

This biographical sketch was taken from Volume III of the History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania with Genealogical Memoirs, by Henry Wilson Storey, published by The Lewis Publishing Company of New York and Chicago, 1907. Samuel's sketch was found on pages 626 and 627. This county history, transcribed and with images, can be found at the Cambria County, Pennsylvania GenWeb site.

Mug Book Monday: Reuben Wohlford SNOOK (1833 - 1912)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. Each Monday, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

 

     "REUBEN W. SNOOK.--Born in Center [sic - Centre] county, Pa., June 27, 1833, and reared and educated in that sturdy old commonwealth, Reuben W. Snook brought to Forsyth, Mont., the qualities of industry and frugality for which the people of his native state are distinguished, and has put them to good and productive usefulness. His parents, Levi and Margaret (Wohlfort [sic]) Snook, were born in Pennsylvania and they there died; the former in 1879 [sic - 1889] and the latter in 1881 [sic - 1882]. Their ancestors on both sides of the family came to the United States with a Germany colony in 1684, and settled near York, Pa., where they were profitably engaged in farming for generations. [Correction: The SCHNUCH family came to Dutchess County, New York c. 1736 and the WOLFARTH family came to Berks County, Pennsylvania sometime before 1730. Reuben's maternal grandfather, Phillip WOHLFARTH, I did immigrate to York County, Pennsylvania from Berks County.] Reuben Snook remained at home working on the farm and attending the district schools in his neighborhood as he had opportunity until he reached the age of maturity. After leaving school he learned the trade of a carpenter. He worked in his native state as a journeyman and railroad bridge builder until 1883. In the spring of that year he brought his wife and children to Montana and located at Forsyth. There he followed the business of contracting and building for eight years, and erected most of the frame buildings that were put up in the early growth of the town--about forty in all. In 1893 he quit working at this trade and homesteaded a ranch on the Yellowstone which he sold soon after and removed to his present ranch, one mile from Forsyth. This ranch, compromising 168 acres, was purchased by Mr. Snook in 1890, and is devoted to horses, cattle, farming and dairying. Mr. Snook also owns valuable town property in Forsyth. In politics he is a Republican, and has rendered faithful service in various official stations. He was a justice of the peace for a number of years, was appointed public administrator in the spring of 1901, and was census enumerator in 1900 for district No. 104, then in Custer county.
     "Mr. Snook was married in Center [Centre] county, Pa., in 1858, to Miss Mary Walker, a native of that state, who died there in 1873 [sic - 1870]. He contracted a second marriage in 1874 [sic - c. 1871], at the same place, being united on that occasion with Miss Margaret [sic - Elizabeth] Nearhood, also a Pennsylvanian by nativity. They are the parents of seven children: Annie, wife of W. H. Armstrong, a stockman near Forsyth; William, living at home; John and Howard, cowboys; Edward, an Alaska miner; and Lizzie and Maggie, living at home. The children of the first marriage are: Austin, married and living at Johnstown, Pa.; Emma, wife of Amos Fehl, a tanner at Clearfield, Pa.; Helen Martha, wife of Ira Blumgard, a farmer in Center [Centre] county, Pa.; Rebecca, wife of Rice Westerby [sic - George Rice Westaby, II], living at Forsyth, Mont., and Sadie, wife of J. H. Kenealy, a dairyman, near Forsyth."

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Reuben Wolhford SNOOK was my children's 4th-great-grandfather on their father's side. The above biography, while giving a detailed description of Reuben's life in Montana, is an example of how such biographies can be riddled with simple errors such as spellings and dates which are off by a few years, as well as gross errors such as the completely incorrect background on the immigration from Germany to colonial America. While I'm still sorting out Reuben's children by both wives, I do believe several children are missing from the lists detailed here. There is also a family story that says the Snooks first went to California from Pennsylvania, before heading to Montana, but so far, I've found no documents to back this up.

Forsyth, Montana was originally a part of Custer County. In 1901, Rosebud County was formed from part of Custer County with Forsyth as the county seat.

This biographical sketch was taken from Volume Part II of Progressive Men of the State of Montana, published in Chicago by A. W. Bowen and Company, c. 1902. Reuben's sketch was found on pages 1815 and 1816. This county history, along with many others, can be found at the Internet Archive.

Mug Book Monday: Jeremiah "Jerry" F. YORK, II (1855 - 1946)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. Each Monday, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

     "Jerry F. York, a well-known and progressive farmer of Atlas Township, this county, was born in that township and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in section 36 of that township, south of the village of Goodrich, March 28, 1855, son of John H. and Anna (Crothers) York, both of whom were born in Erie county, New York, who came to Michigan in 1850 and settled in this county, where they spent their last days.
     "John H. York was born in 1823, son of Jeremiah and Rhoda (Sweers) York, the former of whom was a soldier in the War of 1812 and a person of prominence in his home community, a well-to-do farmer, who at one time and another held various local public offices. John H. York grew up to the life of the farm and in 1847 married Anna Crothers, who was born in 1825, daughter of John and mary (Wycoff) Crothers, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of the state of New York. In the fall of 1850 he came with his family to this state and settled ona farm of forty acres in the north half of section 36 of Atlas township, this county, and there established his home. He later added to his farm until he became the owner of one hundred acres and was accounted one of the substantial farmers of that neighborhood. He was a Republican and he and his wife were members of hte Methodist Protestant church, in which he was a class leader and in which his wife served as a steward. He died on November 12, 1898, and his widow survived until February, 1904. They were the parents of seven children, of whom three are deceased, one who died in infancy, one who died when two years old and Marium, who married Henry Frick and died in 1912. The survivors are Mrs. Ella Dillenbeck, of Atlas township; Mrs. Matilda Watkins, of Goodrich; Jerry F., the subject of this sketch, and James L., who is living on the old home.
     "Jerry F. York remained on the old home farm until his marriage in December, 1877, after which he began farming for himself. For two years he continued farming on the old home place and then moved to the village of Goodrich, where he made his home for sixteen years, a part of which time he was engaged in the harness business. In January, 1896, he bought a farm of sixty acres in section 10 of his home township and ever since has made his home there, doing well at his farming operations and becoming quite well circumstanced. Since moving there he has bought more land adjoining and now has a well-kept farm of one hundred and twelve acres. He and his wife are members of the Maccabees and he is a member of the Masonic lodge at Ortonville.
     "Mr. York has been twice married. It was on December 23, 1877, that he was united in marriage to Rachel Ann Baxter, who also was born in Atlas township, daughter of Eli and Rachel Ann (Cummings) Baxter, both members of old families in this county, having come here with their respective parents in the days of their youth and growining up amidst pioneer conditions of living. Eli Baxter, who lost his life while serving as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, was a son of Edward and Mary (Herrick) Baxter. Mrs. Rachel A. York died on May 26, 1880, leaving one child, a daughter, Leno, who married Robert Goodfellow, now living at Castle Rock, Washington, andhas four children, Lee, Warren, Loretta and Lola Lillian. On April 22, 1896, Mr. York married, secondly, Eva Cummings, who also was born in Atlas townshp, daughter of Edward and Susan (Dalby) Cummings, the former a native of this county and the latter of Erie county, New York, who are still living on the old Cummings homestead north of Atlas, for many years honored and useful residents of that community. Mr. and Mrs. York are rearing a lad, Clarence Streater, whose care they assumed in June, 1906, when he was six years old. Jerry F. York is a Republican and has been treasurer for twelve years of school district No. 10, Atlas township, and is serving his third term as justice of the peace.
     "Edward Cummings, father of Mrs. York, is an honored veteran of the Civil War and for many years one f the most influential residents of his part of Genesee county. He was born on a farm in section 3 of Atlas township, January 22, 1844, son of Lewis and Elsie (Cummings) Cummings, both natives of Erie county, New York. Lewis Cummings was born in 1814, son of Stephen Cummings and wife, the former of whom was a solder in the War of 1812, and grew to manhood on a farm in his native county. There he married Elsie Cummings and in 1836 came to the then Territory of Michigan with his wife and two children, Rachel and Orlando, and settled on a tract of four hundred acres in section 3 of Atlas township, this county, which he had picked out ona previous trip to this part of the country, and there he and his family established their home in a little log house, being among the very earliest of the settlers of that part of Genesee county. Lewis Cummings was a good farmer and a man of excellent judgment and prospered in his affairs, until he presently came to be regarded as the wealthiest man in Atlas township, the owner of six hundred and forty acres of fine land and ever interested in movements having to do with the advancement of the community of which he was from the very first one of the leading factors. He was for many years member of the Congregational church at Goodrich and was ever foremost in local good works, so that at the time of his death on October 1, 1883, he was widely missed in that community. Lewis Cummings was thrice married, his first wife, Elsie, having died in 1851, leaving seven children, four sons and three daughters, Orlando, Oscar, Stephen, Edward, Rachel, Loretta and Elsie.
     "When the Civil War broke out Edward Cummings was still in his teens, but he enlisted for service in the Union army and served until the close of the war as a member of Company I, Thirtieth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry. Upon the completion of his military service he resumed his place on the old homestead farm in Atlas township and has lived there ever since, the owner of two hundred and twenty acres of his father's considerable estate. On April 19, 1866, he was united in marriage to Susan Dalby, who was born about twelve miles from the city of Buffalo, in Erie county, New York, in 1839, daugher of Benjamin and Sarah C. (Paxton) Dalby, the former a native of Pennsylvania and th latter of New York state, who came to Michigan with their family in 1855 and located about twelve miles south of Pontiac, whence they moved to Goodrich, in this county, where Benjamin Dalby conducted a blacksmith shop the rest of his life, his death occurring about 1871 and that of his widow in the spring of 1888. On April 19, 1916, Mr. and Mrs. Cummings celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and were the recipients of heartfelt congratulations on the part of their hosts of friends in this county. During her earlier years Mrs. Cummings was a school teacher in this county, having taught sixteen or seventeen terms of public and private, or 'select' school, and amonght ehosts of youngsters who learned their letters under her careful tutelage was the editor of this history, who has never ceased to entertain the highest regard for his old teacher."

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This is indeed a long biography! Although Jerry YORK was not my ancestor, he was the older brother of my great-great-grandfather, James L. YORK, who is given a brief mention at the end of the second paragraph. He was named for his paternal grandfather, Jeremiah F. YORK, I, and was frequently called "Jerry". Jerry's ancestors, John H. YORK, Anna CROTHERS, Jeremiah F. YORK, I, Rhoda SWEERS, John CROTHERS, and Mary "Polly" WYCKOFF are all my ancestors and are mentioned here as well. This biography may sound familiar, since the one of Jerry's father, John H. YORK, was featured in last week's Mug Book Monday. This biography was published 24 years later, so there is updated information from his father's; namely, the deaths of his parents and sister Marium.

There is a great deal of information on the CUMMINGS family in this biography, since both of Jerry's wives were CUMMINGS descendants and were first cousins to one another. This is a great example of paying attention to those families who intermarried with your own, because by tracking them, you can often track immigration trails and further your own research. The CUMMINGS family lived near the YORK family in the Town of Clarence, Erie County, New York, before both families migrated to Atlas Township, Genesee County, Michigan. Also noted is that both Stephen CUMMINGS and Jeremiah F. YORK, I served in the War of 1812. It's possible they served together, although I have not found information to prove so. What I have discovered is that many New York War of 1812 Veterans moved to the western part of the state after the war, notably Niagara and Erie Counties, having previewed the land while being stationed at Black Rock near present-day Buffalo. This was the case for my Jeremiah F. YORK, I, who had originally been from Saratoga County, New York in the eastern part of the state. 

This biographical sketch was taken from Volume II of History of Genesee County, Michigan: Her People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families by Edwin O. Wood, LL. D., President, Michigan Historical Commission, published in Indianapolis by the Federal Publishing Company, 1916. Jerry's sketch was found on pages 609 through 612. This county history, along with many other Michigan ones, can be found at the Michigan County Histories and Atlases Digitization Project website.

Mug Book Monday: John H. YORK (1823 - 1898)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. Each Monday, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

     

     "JOHN H. YORK. Our readers will be pleased to find upon this page a sketch of one of the most worthy and venerable citizens of Atlas Township, Genesee County. This septuagenarian is a representative of the best class of our citizens, and is a native of Erie County, N. Y. His birth took place December 27, 1823 and he is a son of Jeremiah and Rhoda (Sweers) York, the latter being a native of Vermont and the former a soldier in the War of 1812.

     "From early youth John York was engaged in the work of a farmer and received his education in the district schools of his native county. His father was a prominent man in his township and served as Constable, Collector and Deputy Sheriff for eleven years.

     "Our subject was married March 11, 1847 to Anne [sic - Anna] Crathers, who was born in Erie County, N. Y. December 11, 1825, and was a daughter of John and Mary (Wycoff) Crathers. The father was a Pennsylvanian and the mother a native of the Empire State. Seven children have blessed the home of our subject and five are now living, namely: Marian, wife of Henry Frick; Jeremiah; Ellen, now Mrs. Alton Dillenbeck; Matilda, who married Charles Watkins; James. Milton and John N. are deceased.

     "In the fall of 1850 Mr. York removed with his family to Genesee County, and settled upon the farm where he now lives, a property which was then only partially improved. Upon this he has bestowed great labor and has it now in an excellent condition. It comprises one hundred acres of some of the best land in the county and it is in a highly productive condition. All this is the result of the united efforts of our subject and his wife, who have labored shoulder to shoulder through the hard times of pioneering and together have accumulated a property which provides well for them in their old age.

     "Mr. York has served as School Director and is active in promoting all educational movements. He and his wife are both members of the Protestant Methodist Church in which he is Class-leader, and Mrs. York is now serving her third year as Steward in the church. He is a Republican in politics and both he and his wife are highly esteemed members of society."

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John and his wife, Anna CROTHERS (CRATHERS is an alternate spelling) were my 3rd-great-grandparents. It is believed that both of them were born and married in what is now the Town of Clarence in Erie County, New York. Listed in this biography are four of my 4th-great-grandparents: Jeremiah F. YORK, I; his wife Rhoda SWEERS; John CROTHERS; and Mary "Polly" WYCKOFF. Also listed is my 2nd-great-grandfather, James L. YORK, John and Anna's son. Finding this biography many years ago was like winning the lottery, as John's great-granddaughter, who was my paternal grandmother, was an adoptee, and I was building this family tree from scratch, with little information. I used this biography for a spring board to check vital and census records, land records, and to order Jeremiah's War of 1812 Veteran's Pension Record from the National Archives, which provided me with even more material. The land in Genesee County that John farmed was originally claimed by his (presumed) uncle Stephen YORK as part of his bounty land for serving in the War of 1812, although it appears that Stephen never resided on it, but remained in Erie County, New York.

This biographical sketch was taken from Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of teh Presidents of the United States, published in Chicago by the Chapman Brothers, 1892. John's sketch was found on pages 600 and 601. This county history, along with many other Michigan ones, can be found at the Michigan County Histories and Atlases Digitization Project website.

Mug Book Monday: Ezra DICKINSON (1798 - 1886)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. Each Monday, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

Ezra Dickenson [sic], a retired farmer of Auburn, was born in Sharon, Litchfield Co., Conn., Aug. 26, 1798. He was reared a farmer, living with his parents till his majority. In 1819 he went to Ohio and located in Johnson Township, Trumbull County, where he bought a tract of wild land which he cleared and cultivated, residing there until 1836, when he came to Indiana and entered 120 acres of Government land in Concord Township, De Kalb County. In 1842, having three children who were [deaf] mutes, he sold his farm in Concord Township and bought one near Hicksville, Ohio, that his children might have the advantage of the deaf and dumb asylum. In 1852 he sold his farm, and returned to De Kalb County and bought a farm in Wilmington Township where he lived till 1880, when, feeling the infirmities of old age creeping on, he sold his farm and bought a residence in Auburn that he might spend the rest of his life in a more quiet manner. When he came to Indiana, De Kalb County was a dense wilderness. Indians were plenty, but white people scarce. There were no roads, and oxen were the only teams used. He was one of the first Petit Jurymen of the first Circuit Court of De Kalb County. The first court was held in a log house on the site of the present court-house in Auburn. The jail was a loft over the court-room, which was entered through a hole in the floor, and the ladder taken away to prevent the escape of prisoners. The nearest markets were Fort Wayne and Hicksville. While living in Wilmington Township, Mr. Dickenson served four years as Justice of the Peace. In 1861 when, in his sixty-third year, he enlisted in Company F, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry, barely passing the examination of the mustering officer, who took him to be about forty-five. April 3, 1862, he was discharged for disability. He is living with his fifth wife who was Mrs. Rebecca (Waldron) Sibert, to whom he was married April 22, 1882. He is the father of twelve children, eight of whom are living. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and his wife of the Lutheran church. He is a member of DeLong Post, No. 67, G. A. R. He has affiliated with the Republican party since its organization.

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Ezra was my fourth-great-grandfather. His first wife, Cynthia PHILLIPS, was my ancestor, as was their daughter, Lucy May (DICKINSON) KIMBALL, who is one of the four children deceased by the time this sketch was published. Several years ago, I highlighted Ezra's Civil War service here.

This biographical sketch was taken from History of De Kalb County, Indiana, together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, published in Chicago by Inter-State Publishing Co., 1885. Ezra's sketch was found on page 864. This county history, along with many others, can be found at the Internet Archive.

Mug Book Monday: John D. CONCIDINE (1823 - 1906)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. Each Monday, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

      "John Considine was the eldest son of Dennis and Nora (Gilligan) Considine, and was born in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. He was brought to the United States when four years old by his parents, who lived in Rochester, N. Y., four years, and then went to Wyoming county [New York] and spent the remainder of their lives. In 1849 Mr. C. went to Grand Rapids and engaged in the lumber trade seven years, when he purchased 80 acres of land, sec. 16, Byron tp. He gave 33 acres to his son when he attained his majority. He was married in Bowne, Trent [sic Kent] Co., Dec. 25, 1849 to Elizabeth, daughter of Duncan and Mary (McPherson) McDiarmid, who is of Scotch ancestry, and was born at Wheatland, Monroe Co., N. Y., Oct. 2, 1829. Of nine children four are living, born as follows: Effie, Aug. 23, 1852; John D., Sept 3, 1854; Mary E., Aug. 16, 1863, and James W., April 25, 1869."

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John was my adoptive third-great-grandfather. The family name was generally spelled with a second C: CONCIDINE. This sketch lists six other direct, albeit adoptive, ancestors: his parents Dennis and Honora ("Nora"); his wife Elizabeth; her parents Duncan and Mary; and their son John Dennis, listed here as John D. I have found the senior John listed in other documents as John D, and the younger as John Dennis. It's likely they both were John Dennis, Senior and Junior, but until I find clarifying documents, I have them as John D. (the elder) and John Dennis (the younger) in my database. John Dennis CONCIDINE's daughter was Nellie May. She and her husband Alfred Henry HOLST adopted my paternal grandmother.

Four of the five children (all who seem to have died young) who not listed in this sketch were Amy, b.c. 1854; Mary, b. c. 1856; Peter, b. c. Nov 1859; and a stillborn child born 21 Sep 1867. The last child is unknown.

This biographical sketch was taken from History of Kent County, Michigan; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, published in Chicago by Charles C. Chapman & Co., 1881. John's sketch was found on page 612. This county history, along with many other Michigan ones, can be found at the Michigan County Histories and Atlases Digitization Project website.

Tuesday's Tip: County Histories and Biographies (Mug Books)

What They Are and Why They're Useful
Yesterday I started a new theme for my blog, Mug Book Monday. "Mug books" are are collections of biographical sketches usually found within or alongside county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. As our nation celebrated its centennial in 1876, genealogy and local history became of interest to the layman, and this spurred the publication of county histories and biographies. Often, a family or individual had to pay to have their biography written up and published. If a person were lacking in finances or interest in having their life story published, then there possibly won't be a biography for him, even if he were a prominent citizen. Also, keep in mind that because someone might have paid to have the biography written, it would tend to highlight only the positive aspects of this person's life or ancestry. It's also possible that there could be erroneous information given, perhaps even deliberately. Beware of sweeping generalizations, such as "the subject's mother-in-law was of Scottish heritage" or "his grandfather fought with Washington in the American Revolution." Nevertheless, county histories and biographies are great secondary sources for genealogists because they often list parents, siblings, children, spouses, and in-laws; track migration; depict photographs of the individual and/or their home or business; and give birth, marriage, death, and burial dates and locations. This is especially important as vital records were not usually kept until the late nineteenth or early twentieth centuries in many states. Additional information often includes occupations, religious and political affiliations, and societies in which the individual was a member. Remember to check to see if your ancestors' siblings, cousins, or in-laws were featured in mug books, as an indirect way to glean genealogical gems.

Does Your County of Interest Have a Published History or Biographical Sketches?

One of the best resources to find out if your county of interest has a published history or biographical sketches is A Bibliography of American County Histories compiled by P. William Filby. Your local library or genealogical society may have this title. If not, you could possibly order it through interlibrary loan (ILL) at your public library (more on ILL below). This will not only let you know if there are mug books for your county, but what the titles, compilers, and publication dates are for those items. This covers over 5,000 county histories published as of September 2000.

Another good resource to check is the FamilySearch catalog, which lists all the books, microfilm, and microfiche held at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. At this point, you're not looking to actually obtain the book. You're simply doing a place-name search in the catalog (remember to list the state first, then the county), then looking for titles in the biography and history sections for that location. Once you have a title, you can again check your local library or genealogical society to see if they have the mug book, or use WorldCat to have one sent to you. Another option is to order the microfilmed or microfiched book to your local FamilySearch Center or have a researcher at the Family History Library do a look up in the book for a small fee (more on that below).

By entering the county name and a phrase such as "spokane county history" or "muskegon county biographical", Google can come up with a linked title either available in electronic format on the Internet or listed in a online bookstore, such as Amazon. Note that if your county name is very common, you may wish to list the state name in your search as well: "lincoln county washington" "county history".

Where to Find Mug Books Online

The easiest way to access a county history or biography is right here on the Internet. Many have been digitized or transcribed and are available on subscription or free websites. Here are five ways to access these books:

1. Subscription sites - here are some well-known genealogy subscription websites containing many county histories and biographies; you may already have subscriptions to these or can access them for free via your public library or FamilySearch Center: American Ancestors (NEHGS), Ancestry, GenealogyBank, WorldVitalRecords
2. Digitized free book sites - FamilySearch Family History Books, Google Books, Hathi Digital Trust Library, HeritageQuest Online (requires a library card from a participating library; many FamilySearch Centers also have free access), Internet Archive, Project Gutenberg
3. Archives, Libraries, Societies, Genealogical County Sites - to find digitized mug books, check out state, county, local and university archives (many are linked at my blog in my Online American Digital Archives and Databases series, or the Repositories of Primary Sources site); public library sites; and genealogical and historical society sites. Many transcribed mug books can be found at genealogical county sites such as USGenWeb, USGenNet, or GenealogyTrails. Use all these sites by going to the local level of your county of interest to find what might be available. For instance, use the PublicLibraries site to find a library in your county of interest to see if there is a digitized local history book on that library's website.
4. Portals - sites that link you to other sites where the digitized or transcribed books reside: Cyndi's List, DigitalBookIndex, LearnWebSkills' County and Town Histories, Linkpendium, Online Books Library Page. Depending on the site, you can either run a search on a title, or work your way down to the county page to find the book of interest.
5. Google Search - Go to Google or your favorite search engine and enter the name of the title you want, in quotes: "History of the counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania, with Biographical selections"

Where to Find Mug Books Offline

Because everything is not on the Internet (shocking, I know!), your best success in finding the mug book with your ancestor's story may come at your local public library or the collection at your local genealogical or historical society. Most public libraries and some societies have their card catalog available online, allowing you to do pre-research. Keep in mind that mug books are nearly always considered reference books and usually aren't allowed to be checked out. If you can't locate the mug book at a local library, using interlibrary loan (ILL) is the next best step. Check out WorldCat to see where the title may be held, then ask your local librarian to help you order it through interlibrary loan. Some library districts, like my own, allow their patrons to make an ILL request directly from their website. At others, you will need to come into the branch and fill out a form. Keep in mind that depending upon the policy of the lending library, you might not be allowed to bring the book home and can only view it at your library's branch. If that is the case, see if you can are allowed to photocopy or photograph the pertinent pages containing your ancestor's biography. In other cases, the book may not be available to lend to your library, but you can request the holding library to make photocopies for you and send them to your library or mail them to you directly. There may be a small fee for this.

Yet another offline option is to use your local FamilySearch Center. Volunteers at these local branches of the Family History Library (FHL) can help you order mug books on microfilm or microfiche from Salt Lake City to be viewed on machines at your local FamilySearch Center. Once you know how to do this, you can also order these directly on the FamilySearch website. There is a small rental fee involved. Books are not generally loaned to a FamilySearch Center from the FHL. However, you can request that a researcher at the FHL do a look up for one of your ancestral names in a mug book. If found, photocopies can be made and mailed to you, again for a small fee. Check with the volunteers at the FamilySearch Center for assistance with this.

Mug Books in Other Countries

The United States does not have a monopoly on county histories and biographies. Canada's Local Histories Online site is called Our Roots/Nos Racines.While I haven't found specific Canadian ancestors so far, I've enjoyed reading the local history of where they lived. In 1899, the Victoria County History was created, "an encyclopaedic record of England's places and people from earliest times to the present day." These books can be found at Victoria County History and British History Online. For these and other countries, many links to online county histories and biographies can be found at WorldGenWeb sites.


Join Me

I encourage you to attempt to find a biography or family history in a mug book. Even if you don't find one, take the time to read the local history and look at the maps to gain insight into the background and geography of where your ancestors lived. If you're lucky enough to discover an ancestor or relative has been highlighted, then please join me in blogging about them on Mug Book Monday. There's definitely going to be a limit to the amount of posts you can write for this theme, as we only have so many ancestors that had histories published. However, this is a great way to share these published treasures with our family and other researchers!