Sophia A Fisher was born on June 30, 1849 in Dover, Ohio, the daughter of John and Magdelena (Winkler) Fisher. In the 1860 Federal Census, John and his wife Magdelena live in Dover, Tuscarawas County, Ohio and they have six children; Sophia (1849), Simon (1851), Joseph (1853), Catherine (1854), Amos (1856), and Amanda (1859). John is a farmer.

Sophia married Nicholas Greenbury Lents on September 12, 1866 in Daviess County, Indiana. In the 1870 Federal Census, Sophia and Nicholas have two son’s, John (1868) and James (1869). Sophia is twenty one years old and Nicholas is a farmer. They live in Van Buren, Indiana. By the time of the 1880 Federal Census, Nicholas and Sophia, who remain in Van Buren, have six children; John, James (1869), Ida (1872-1899), Manda (1874- 1909), Elizabeth (1876) and Lydia (1880-1881) who was just couple of weeks old and not yet named at the time of the census.

By the 1900 Federal Census, They now live in Loogootee, Indiana. They have three children remaining at home; Emma (1886), Eva (1887), Charles (1893). The record states that Sophia has had fourteen children, six of whom are living.

Findagrave.com seems to confirm that Sophia did gave birth to 14 children, eight of whom did not survive their childhood and most died during infancy. The infants are all buried in Daviess County dying before Nicholas and Sofia moved to Martin County. These children were; Mortie, Mary (1871), Simon (1879), Lydia (1880-1881), Montie (1882-1884), an unnamed infant (1884-1884), and Julia (1890-1895). They are buried in Saint Mary’s Cemetery in Cannelburg, Indiana.

Of the remaining children, James Bertie, Sophia and Nicholas’s second son, died in October of 1897 at the age of 28. Sophia apparently gave birth to a son on December 10,1898 and named him after his brother, James Bertie. This second son died on August 10,1899. In the same year, Ida Mary Slater died at the age of twenty eight in Daviess County, Indiana and was buried in the Saint Mary’s Cemetery along with the other family members. In the year 1909, Amanda Lents Fitzgibbon died in July, at the age of thirty-five and in October, at the age of seventeen, Charles W. died. With the exception of Ida Mary, the remaining children are buried in the Saint Martin Catholic Cemetery in Loogootee, Indiana.

By the time of the 1910 Federal Census, Nicholas and Sophia were running a boarding house. They have two daughters and their families living with them and a couple of boarder. Listed in the census, were ; Emma Lents Ford, who is divorced and her daughter Hazel (1903), Earl Lee and their daughter Eva Marie and Granddaughter Audrey(1910), and Louis Kling and Bruce Robinson.

In the 1920 Federal Census, Sophia is found living with her daughter Eva Marie and Earl Lee and their children; Darlene, Wilma and Hazel. Sophia is a widow.

Ninety six years ago, on December 17, 1923, Sophia A. Fisher died in Loogootee, Martin County, Indiana. She was buried along side her husband in the Saint Martin Catholic Cemetery.

Rest in peace, Sophia!

Love Jan

Sophia is my second cousin four times removed… I did not realize how tragic a story this post was going to be. With the holiday and an bout of flu, I had to postpone writing this blog until nearly New Years. Sophia experienced so much death in her lifetime. The heartbreaking death of 10 of her children. And in the end she died of cancer! I can not imagine it. I feel such overwhelming sadness for her.

 

 

Andrew Anderson was born on September 16, 1883 in Tjome, Norway. He was the son of Hans and Ingeborg Helene (Jakobsen) Andersen. Hans and Ingaborg had three sons; Andrew (1883), Jacob Hagbart (1888), Haakon (1891).

In the 1891 Norwegian Census, Hans and Ingeborg live in Grimstad on the island of Tjome. They had two of their three sons at that time, Andres and Hagbart. Hans is a fisherman who is at sea a great deal of the time. In September 18, 1894, two days after Andrews eleventh birthday, Ingeborg died of Typhoid Fever. Andres and his brothers would spend the next three years or so under the watchful eye of their grandmother, Olava Jorgensen while Hans was at sea. Hans eventually married his second wife, Mathilde Zainer in March of 1898. By then Andres was 15 years old and nearing the end of his school years. At about 16 years of age, Andres began sailing on the ship called the Sir John Laurence which was registered in Tonsberg but sailed out of London. In the 1901 Norwegian Census, Andres is listed with Hans, his new wife Mathilde and his two brother but the record states that at the time of the census, he is in London working. He sail the North Sea but made several voyages to America as a deck hand aboard the Sir John Laurence.

In 1904, a twenty one year old man, he decided to go to America where he settled in Marine City, Michigan. He entered the country through Ellis Island. From that moment, He became Andrew Anderson.  The Americanized version of his name. From the moment he set foot in America, he called it home.  I wish I knew how he got from New York to Marine City. He began sailing the Great Lakes soon after his arrival in Michigan. He met his future wife, Addie Densmore, when she delivered milk to the Gus Englehart’s home where he was a boarder.

He sailed on the Great Lakes Steamer Geo King. Postal mail addressed to him from his family in Norway was sent to Andres Andersen in care of Gus Englehart on the Steamer Geo King. The Steamer Geo King transported timber from Minnesota to south eastern Michigan where it would be used to build homes and businesses or move via railroads to other parts of America.

One hundred and twelve years ago from the day of this writing, December 9, 1907, Addie Densmore and Andrew Anderson married in Essex, Ontario, Canada.

The winter of 1907/1908, Addie and Andrew lived aboard a ship in the Chicago Harbor, when the shipping lanes closed. Addie became the cook on the ship that Andrew was working on for a time after they were married. It may have been the Geo King.  I will have to research that more.= but obviously this photo was taken while they were in Chicago shortly after they were married.

Andrew submitted the first of two Naturalization applications in 1909. He listed his occupation as Sailor. The first application was denied because he had not been a residence of the state of Michigan long enough and he had not known his sponsors for more than five years.  It is interesting that one of his sponsors was his father-in-law, Charles Densmore. His citizenship was granted after submitting a second application in 1911.

In the 1910 Federal Census, Andrew is listed with the Charles Densmore Family in Marine City. He and Addie live with her parents when they are not aboard a ship. His occupation is listed as a Wheelman on a lake steamer. It states that he has submitted his naturalization papers but is not yet a citizen. By September 12, 1918, when Andrew register for the WWI draft, Andrew is now a substation operator for the Detroit Union Railroad. He is no longer sailing. They live at 518 Third Street in Marine City.

By the 1920 Federal Census, Andrew and Addie have two children, Olga (1911) and Ray (1916). His occupation is listed as a power house operator. He is a naturalized citizen. They live at 518 Third Street in Marine City. By the 1930 Federal Census, they have seven children; Olga, Ray, Robert (1920), Andrew (1922), Charles (1925), Leah(1928), Herbert(1930). Olga is married and no longer lives at home. So she is not listed in the 1930 Census. Andrew and Addie live on North Elizabeth Street.

By the time of the 1940 Census, Addie and Andrew have had another son John who was born in 1932. Seven of the eight children are still living with Andrew and Addie. The three oldest sons who live at home are employed or looking for employment. Ray is a Machine Operator, Robert is a sailor who is currently at home and Andy is looking for employment according to this census. They live on Elizabeth St in Marine City.

Forty nine years ago today, Andrew died in a hospital in Port Huron after having a heart attack. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in East China Township next to his wife, Addie, who died of Breast Cancer in 1955.

Rest in Peace, Grandpa!

Love and miss you!

Jan

Yes, he was my Grandpa, a very special person to me, Addie died before I was born so Grandpa spent quite a lot of time with us when I was a kid. He went on every vacation with us and was with us for most of the holidays. He was a quiet gentleman who loved his family and all his grandchildren. He became grandpa to all the kids in out neighborhood. When he visited us in the summer he would sit on the front porch and smoke his pipe each afternoon. He would hand out fruit striped gum to all of the children in the neighborhood.  He always cautioned us, “Put your gum in the waste basket when you are done with it or your Mom won’t let me give it to you anymore! ” He had a welcome lap that you could always crawl up on. I miss you Grandpa. When I smell the smoke from a pipe, when I see a round loaf of bread, when I see instant coffee, when I drive past the old cottage in Lakeport…(which is not longer there..) all these things and many more make me think of you!

 

Earl Dean was born on September 7, 1928 in Oklahoma. He was the son of Jacob Nelson and Leah Mary (Jester) Bierig.  In the 1930 Federal Census,  Earl and his family were living in Deep Creek, Oklahoma. Earl’s father, Jacob Nelson, was born in Russia. He was a farmer.  Jacob and Leah have four sons; Walter (1911), Glen (1924), Robert, (1925) and Earl Dean(1928).  By the time of the 1940 Federal Census, Jacob Bierig and his family were living in Seas, Blaine County, Oklahoma. There are four sons listed in the census record at home, Walter is of age and no longer living with them. They have Glen Leroy, Bobbie Lee, Earl Dean, and Ray Loren. Ray Loren was born in 1946.

Earl registered for the draft on September 9, 1946 when he turned eighteen years of age. Earl enlisted in the Army on January 7, 1947 in Okeene Oklahoma. and served until his discharge on April 22, 1948.   Earl married Eddie B Prouty on June 12, 1949 in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.

Earl and Eddie had six children; Deann (1950), Donna Kay (1952), Debra Rae (1954), Dorothy Jean (1956), Dale (1957), Dixie Len (1961). They raised their family in Okeene, Oklahoma.

Earl was a mail carrier for twenty five years. He was a very activity member of his local community. He was a life long member of the Okeene United Methodist Church. He was the commander of the VFW Post and a member of the Jaycees. He was very active in local athletic organizations. He was a Little League coach, St Mary’s Basketball coach when they won the State Championship in 1960 and Golf Club President. He also served on the city council for thirteen years and was Mayor of Okeene for a two year term.

Earl died eleven years ago on December 3, 2008 . He is buried at the Roselawn Cemetery in Okeene, Oklahoma.

Rest in peace, Earl!

Love, Jan

Earl is the husband of my fourth cousin Eddie Prouty Bierig.