Wallace Austin Losee was born on February 9, 1907 in Clio Michigan. He was the son of George S. and Mae Eveleen (Boyer) Losee of Clio, Michigan. George and Mae had five children; Lester (1903), Lillian (1905), Wallace (1907), Mary Florence (1911) and Ernest (1913).

In the 1910 Federal Census, Wallace is three years old and was found with his parents and two siblings, Lester and Lillian. The family is living in Thetford, Genesee County, Michigan. George’s brother, Merton Losee is also living with them.  Four short years later, Mae died at the age of thirty, leaving George to raise very young children. George was a farmer. Wallace was seven years old when his mother died. In the 1920 Census, Wallace is with his father and his new wife Alice. They are living in Flint’s Second Ward on Wisconsin Street. With George and Alice are Lester who is sixteen, Wallace is thirteen, Ernest is six years old and Alice’s son, Gerald Delude who is sixteen. Mae and George’s girls, Lillian and Mary Florence, live with their Grandmother, Mary Florence Boyer nearby in Flint. In 1930, Wallace worked for a brief time in the auto industry in Flint.

Wallace served in the Air Force during both WWII and the Korean Conflict according to his burial plaque. I do not find enlistment records for him. Between 1931 – 1933, there is a Wallace A Losee who appears in Army Transport records. He is a Private and he travels between New York City and Panama several times. It appears that he may have served in Panama for several years. If this is Wallace Austin, then he served in the Army before serving in the Air Force, but without enlistment records I can not be sure about these records.  His obituary indicate that he enlisted in the Air Force in 1935 and served 20 years. He obtained the rank of Master Sargent at the time of his retirement in 1955.

On the 30^th of May, 1934, Wallace married Aileen Pearl Allison in Flint, Michigan. He was married by Everett A Smith who was his brother-in-law, married to his sister, Lillian Losee Smith. On July 9, 1937, a divorce was granted to Aileen Losee. According to the divorce decree, Aileen and Wallace had a seven month old son, Gerald A. Losee.

In the 1940 Federal Census, Wallace is living in Macomb, Michigan. He is an aircraft mechanic at Selfridge, Air Base. Wallace married Nettie McLaughlin on December 8, 1940 in Routoul, Champaign, Illinois. He worked at the Chanute Air Force base in Champaign, Illinois. Wallace and Nettie had two daughters; Teresa and Celia.

Forty nine years ago, Wallace died on September 10, 1970 in the Chanute AFB Hospital. He was buried in the Locust Grove Cemetery in Philo, Illinois.

Rest in peace, Wallace!

Love, Jan

Wallace is my Great Uncle.

James Samuel Thomas Stranahan was born on April 25, 1808 in Petersboro, New York. He was the son of Samuel and Lynda (Downer) Stranahan. Samuel and Lynda had three children; Belinda (1805-1805), James S.T. (1808), Mary Ann (1810). They lived in Petersboro, New York.

I did not find a marriage record for James Stranahan and Marianne Fitch.  They were married around 1840 and at that time James was living in New Jersey according to a bio listed below.  By the 1850 Federal Census, James and Marian live in Brooklyn, New York. Living with them are their two children and his mother; Mary Ann (1840), James Fitch (1844) and Lynda (1782).  In the 1855 New York Census and again in the 1860 Federal Census, James and Marian are found living in Brooklyn with their children and James’ mother. Marian Stranahan died on August 30, 1866.

On July 20, 1870, James married Clara C Harrison in Westfield, Massachusetts. In the 1880 Federal Census, James and Clara are recorded in Brooklyn with James Fitch and James’ married daughter, Mary Ann Croxson. Mary Stranahan Croxson’s husband John Croxson died on December 31, 1873.  In the 1892 New York State Census, both of these two grown children of James S T Stranahan still are living at home.  It appears that Fitch Stranahan never married. Clara is also listed and she is just a few years older than Mary Ann at the age of sixty.

James Samuel Thomas Stranahan 

James S. T. Stranahan was a very important figure both local New York government and in our national government as stated in the Biographical information outlined below.

Biography from Appleton’s Cycopedia of American Biography

He received his education in the local schools of Petersboro where he later was a teacher. He also studied Civil Engineering. After his primary education was complete he traveled the Upper Lakes wanting to begin trading with the Indians who lived there but he soon found the business to be undesirable so he engaged in the woolen trade. He began working in 1832 with Garret Smith in developing the manufacturing interest of Oneida County. In 1838 he was sent as a Whig to represent the Oneida district in the Legislature. In 1840 he moved to New Jersey and became interested in the construction of the railroads, accepting stock in payment for his work. He settled in Brooklyn in 1844. In 1854 he was sent again to Congress and served from 1855 -1857. Mr Stranahan was a member of the Police Commission in 1858 and a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1860 and 1864. During the Civil War he was an active supporter of our National Government and President of the War-fund committee. The War-fund committee founded the “Union” in order that the government might have devoted support. In 1860, he was appointed president of the park commission in Brooklyn and held the office for over 22 years. He was instrumental in creating Prospect Park, and the system of boulevards known as Ocean and Eastern Parkways. He was president of the Union Ferry company and the Great American Docks. He was also instrumental with the building of the East River Bridge.

Bio from Findagrave

“US Congressman. He was elected to represent New York’s 2nd District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1855 to 1857. Born in Peterboro, New York, James was considered the “Father of Prospect Park” and played a key role in virtually every great civic project in Brooklyn during the second half of the 19th century, including Ocean and Eastern Parkways and the Atlantic Docks. He was president of the Union Ferry Company, trustee of the Brooklyn Bridge, headed the Brooklyn’s Parks Commission, and led the movement to unite the cities of New York and Brooklyn. A statue of Stranahan, paid for by grateful citizens, was erected at Prospect Park’s north entrance before he died, where it still stands. After his death in 1898, his funeral cortege was the first ever permitted to pass through Prospect Park.”

Bio by: BKGeni

One hundred and twenty one years ago today James Samuel Thomas Stranahan died in Saratoga, New York at the age of ninety. He is buried in the Stanahan plot in the Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Green-wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York

Rest in Peace, James!

Love, Jan

James Samuel Thomas Stranahan is the second cousin of the husband of my first Great Grand Aunt…(I know that it is a stretch…but James was the only person identified who died on this date…)

Elizabeth Meyers (Myers) was the daughter of Henry and Margaret (Keller) Meyers (Myers)who was born on August 9, 1829 in Tuscarwas County, Ohio. Elizabeth lived her younger years in Dover, Ohio where she met and married Jesse Crites.  Elizabeth had at least one sister.

Jesse and Elizabeth left Ohio and settled in Wells County, Indiana between the 1840 and 1850 Federal Census. Jesse and Elizabeth are found with their first born son, Daniel, in the 1850 Federal Census for Union Township, Wells County, Indiana.

On January 1, 1850, Jesse Crites was granted land in Wells County, Union Township, Indiana. If he spent the first few years clearing and improving it, it would become his. He worked with his first cousin Daniel Fisher, who received a grant next to Jesse’s . They shared a wagon and each had a single horse which they put together to form a team.  These two men and their team worked together to clear their land.

This photo is believed to be Jesse and Elizabeth Crites

By the 1860 Federal Census, Jesse and Elizabeth have four children; Daniel (1850) , John H (1852) , Mary M ( 1856) and an unnamed 1 month old son. Jesse has cleared his land and is a farmer. In the 1870 Census, Jesse and Elizabeth have three children; John Henry who is eighteen years old, Mary who is fourteen years old and Jesse F who is five years old. By the 1880 Federal Census, the older children have married and left home but Jesse F. and Sarah Louise remain at home. Jesse is fifteen years old and Sarah is nine. After the 1880 Federal Census, I do not find records for Elizabeth and Jesse. I believe that they moved to Markle Indiana and lived with their daughter around 1900.  They remained in Zanesville, Indiana area.

Elizabeth Myers/Meyers Crites -1829-1908

This photo was identified by my Grandfather, Everett Smith in the early 1970’s to be that of Elizabeth Meyers Crites, his Great Grandmother Crites. I suspect that it is from around 1900.

One hundred and eleven years ago, Elizabeth died on August 27, 1908 at the age of seventy-nine. She is buried in Hoverstock Cemetery in Zaineville, Indiana.

Rest in peace,  Elizabeth!

Love,  Jan

Elizabeth is my three times Great Grandmother

Alton May Dazey was the daughter of Aaron and Dorcus (Smith) Dazey. She was born on January 7, 1866 in Attica, Indiana according to her death certificate and was living with her parents in Milford, Iroquois County, Illinois by the 1870 Federal Census. Aaron and Dorcus had four children in that Federal Census; Chas (1862) , Flora (1864) , Alto M. (1866), Clinton (1870). By the 1880 Federal Census, Aaron and Darcus have five children; Charles, Jessie, Alto, Clinton and Cora. The family remains in Milford, Illinois. Jessie is likely Flora from the 1870 Federal Census.

Alto M Dazey married Samuel Sloan on October 26, 1886 in Iroquois County, Illinois. They settled in Stockland, Illinois by the 1900 Federal Census where Samuel was a farmer.  They had three children by this census; Homer (1887) , Porter (1889) , and Aleta Geraldine (1895). By the time of the 1910 Federal Census, all three of their children remain at home and they have a farm hand working for them whose name was Roy Stanley. It appears that the two older sons and Roy list there occupations a farm hands / laborers in the 1910 census. By the time of the 1920 Federal Census, the Sloan family has moved to Milford. The to older sons are on their own and Aleta is twenty three years old and remains at home.

By the 1930 Federal Census, Samuel and Alto remain in Milford. Their thirty four year old daughter, Aleta lives with them and a 7 year old Granddaughter, Lorraine Sloan. Samuel and Alto are now in their sixties. Samuel is still working. He is a cattle buyer. The daughter, Aleta G. , is a school teacher. In the 1940 Federal Census, Alto and Samuel are now in their mid seventies. Aleta G. and Lorraine still live with them and they remain in Milford.

Seventy two years ago, on August 20 , 1947, Alto May Sloan died in Milford, Illinois at the age of 81 years old. She is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Milford , Illinois. With her husband, Samuel Sloan who died about six months after Alto.

Rest in peace, Alto.

Love Jan

Alto’s mother, Dorcus is the daughter of Joseph Smith who through DNA is a close match to my James Smith although I have not determined the exact relationship.

Elizabeth Saurin was born in England in about 1846. I have little information about Elizabeth. I could not find immigration records. SO far it is unknown how and when she came to Canada from England.

Elizabeth and John Hainer married on September 23, 1881 after the death of John’s first wife, Hannah Larroway.

In the 1881 Canadian Census, John and Elizabeth live in Louth, Ontario. They have John’s two sons and his oldest daughter from his first wife, Almeda (1846) living with them; William(1877) and James(1879). Almeda is Hannah’s daughter but if the sons were born the dates that they list in the Census, they were born after Hannah’s 1873 death so I do not know who their mother is.  I have listed in my tree a daughter;  Louisa(1881) who is likely Elizabeth’s daughter .

Elizabeth died one hundred and thirty five years ago on August 6, 1884 at the age of thirty- eight. It is believed that she died in childbirth. It is unknown where she is buried. She died in Ontario Canada in the Niagara area.

Rest in peace, Elizabeth!

Love , Jan

Elizabeth was the second wife of of my first cousin four times removed, John H Hainer.

I almost skipped writing this post because there is so little information and a lot of conflicting information.  If I every get information to clear this up.  I will update this posr.

Merlin Dwight (Doc) Studebaker was the son of Lula Etta (Wert) and Clay Studebaker. He was born in Uniondale , Indiana on August 28, 1923. Etta and Clyde had three sons; Merlin Dwight (1923), Lamoine Kenneth (1924-1926), and Richard Eugene(1930).

In the 1930 Federal census, Clay and Etta are living in Uniondale, Union Township, Wells County, Indiana. Clay is a construction worker who works on roadways and drainage systems. Merlin is listed with his parents and Syrus (Homer) Wert, Etta’s father is also living with them, he is seventy six years old. Lamoine died in 1926 before the federal census. In the 1940 Federal Census, The family remains in Uniondale and they now have two sons living with them and Etta’s Father, Homer who is now eighty-six.

Merlin registered for the draft in June of 1942. He enlisted into the Army in January of 1943. He serviced in the Army during WWII and rose to the rank of Sargent according to his burial records.

Merlin’s Obituary was shared on his Findagrave page.

Source: Bluffton News-Banner 
August 14, 2004 

Preferred memorials to the church or the Shriners Hospitals for Children.”

Merlin died fifteen years ago on August 13, 2004. He is buried in the Hopewell Cemetery in Camden, Indiana according to his military records but I do not find a cemetery of that name in Camden. So I can not be certain where he is buried and while Findagrave has a memorial for him, they do not list him in a cemetery.

Rest in peace, Merlin!

Love Jan

Merlin is my second cousin one time removed.

Adam W. Vrooman was born in Schenectady, New York, on February 3, 1716. He is the son of Wouter and Maria (Haleenbeck) Vrooman. The Vrooman family were early settlers of the area of New York which today is known as Albany, New York. Adam W. is identified through christening records from the Dutch Reformed Church records. I have identified ten children born to Wouter and Maria Vrooman through Dutch Reformed Church records, they are ; Adam (1708-1708), Engltie(1709), Isaac, Dorothea, Adam (1716), Jacob (1717), Christyntje (1723), Rachel (1724), Barent (1725), Elizabeth (1727). I have seen as many as seventeen children listed in family trees in Ancestry. I have only listed the ones that I had source records for.

Adam married Susanna Swits on January 29, 1742 in Schenectady, New York. This marriage is listed in the church records. They had at least seven children : Wouter Adam (1744), Jacob (1747), Isaac (1750), Maria (1751), Helena (1753) , Isaac Adam (1755), Jannetje (1757). The US Dutch Reform Church records verify the christening of each of these children. Most of the children were sponsored at their baptism by one of the Aunts or Uncles listed as siblings of Adam W in the first paragraph.

Two hundred and sixty years ago, on July 30, 1759, Adam died. There is a detailed Will available thru a state of New York ; Wills and Administrations, Vol 0021-0024, 1758-1764 records. His last Will is dated January 4, 1759. He states that he is in ill health but of sound mind. As detailed as the will is, I can not doubt that statement. All of these children are named and his wife were identified in the will. He is likely buried in Vrooman Cemetery in Schenectady, New York or Vale Cemetery where his parents were buried but I do not have proof that this time. There were many Adam Vroomans in this family. Each of the son’s of Wouter Vrooman has an son named Adam. It was a common Vrooman name for many generations.

The Vrooman’s of New York were very prosperous and Adam was no different. At the time of his death , he left all of his adult son’s property and his married daughter were left money.

I do not have the definite connection with this family in my tree. I did at one time but after finding so many conflicting records, I removed the connection until I can figure out the correct connection. There were Vrooman loyalist who left New York and went across the border into Canada, where much of my family members lived at the time of the Revolutionary war a few years after Adam’s death. When this family connection is re-established, I will update this blog. This is good winter research work.

Rest in peace, Adam!

Love Jan

Harvey Franklin Hainer was the son of Colin Harvey and Ethel (Matthews) Hainer born on September 9, 1933 in Ontario, Canada. Colin and Ethel had two children, Harvey F and Elizabeth L. Harvey and his parents lived on Ambrose Street in St. Catharines  according to voter registration lists which show both his parents in 1945 and 1949.

Harvey Franklin Hainer served in the Royal Canadian Air Force according to his tombstone but I did not find records in Ancestry.com for Canadian Military. He may have served during the time of the Korean Conflict. I also was unable to determine the exact date that Harvey married Marina (Mori) Shearer.

Harvey and his wife, Mori, lived on Ida Street, St. Catharines, Ontario.  Harvey and Mori had two children according to information extracted from their Obituaries. Their children were Harvey and Debbi. According to a school year book Harvey Jr was born in 1954. Debbi appears to have been born after Harvey.

In a 1963 voter registration directory, Harvey Franklin’s occupation was a machine operator. In 1968, his occupation is listed as operator. In 1972, Harvey is a tool grinder and they still lived on Ida Street.

Ten years ago today, on July 23, 2009, Harvey Franklin died in St. Catharines, Ontario. He is buried in Maple Lawn Cemetery.

Maple Lawn Cemetery

Maple Lawn Church

Rest in peace, Harvey,

Love, Jan

Harvey Franklin is my third cousin once removed.

Mary McCormick was the daughter of Thory and Christina Margaret (McKinnon) McCormick born in Glengarry County, Canada in 1800. Her father’s name was taken from the Canadian marriage record for Mary McCormick and William Cameron listed below. It was hand written and difficult to read but Thory is what it looked like.

On October 3, 1820, Mary married William Cameron at St Raphael Catholic Church in Glengarry County, Ontario. Mary and William may have had as many as fourteen  children which I find listed in Ancestry, but I had eleven listed previously from my Mother-in-Law’s research; William, Mary, Allan (1825-1825), Catherine, Jennette, Anne, Christine, Donald Daniel , John, Margaret, Isabelle, Ellen, Grace, Charles.  The birth years of many are conflicted so I left them out of this blog.  They lived in Charlotteburg, Ontario.

The exact year that Mary and William came to Michigan is unknown.  Charles  Cameron’s 1914 Michigan Death records indicate that he was born on Goderich, Ontario in 1846. Mary’s husband died and was buried in the Kenockee Cemetery in Emmett, Michigan in 1858. I looked for immigration records and border crossings but did not find any.

In the 1860 Federal Census for St Clair County, Michigan, Mary is living in Emmett, Michigan with her son and her children. John (1835) is twenty five and listed as head of household. Mary is a fifty-nine year old widow with eight underage children ;  Christine (1834) is next 26, Margaret (1837) is 23, Isabelle (1839) is 21, Daniel (1841) is 19, Ellen (1843) is 17, Grace (1844)is 16 , Charles(1845) is 15 and William (1852) is listed as 8 years old.

In the 1880 Federal Census, Mary is living with her son William and his wife, Mary and their nine children in St Clair County, Michigan. She is eighty one years old. Living next door is Daniel Cameron and his wife Mary.

One hundred and thirty-three years ago today, July 16, 1886, Mary died at the age of eighty-nine. She is buried in the Kenockee Cemetery in Emmett, Michigan. A St Clair County death register indicate that Mary was 89 years old when she died of old age which would mean that she may have been born as early as 1797 but her stone states that she was born in 1800.

Rest in Peace, Mary,

Love, Jan

Mary McCormick in the fifth Great Grandparents of my sons, on their fathers side of the family. During the research for this blog I saw many conflicts when it came to dates and family members. I added what I felt was most probably true. If you find discrepancy and can show me sources for your information I will go back and make the necessary changes.

Robert Allen Hart was born on December 31, 1898. He was the son of Robert Richard and Etta May (Haines) Hart. He was born in Mount Carmel, Illinois.  In the 1900 Federal Census, Robert Allen (1898) and his sister Katherine(1896)are listed with their parents in Mount Carmel, Illinois. The elder, Robert R. Hart,  is working for the Railroad in Mt Carmel, Illinois. In the 1910 Federal Census, Robert lives with his parents and seven siblings; Robert (1898), Rolla (1901), Elner (1902), Maude (1904), Zura (1905), Bessie (1907), James (1908), Etta (1910).

Robert Allen Hart enlisted with the 16^th Illinois Infantry on May 13, 1917. He served during World War I and was honorably discharged on May 12, 1919.

Robert Allen married Grace Goodson on November 19, 1919 in Princeton, Indiana. In the 1920 Federal Census, Robert is 21 years old and he is listed with his 20 year old wife, Grace. He lists his occupation as laborer in a button factory. They live on West Fifth Street in Mt Carmel, Illinois. Findagrave seems to indicate that Grace and Robert had a daughter born in 1920. Her name was Madeline Kristine Hart. She died in 1927. It seems that Grace and Robert split sometime after their child’s death.  I am unable to find a divorce record for Grace and Robert, I do find that Grace Goodman Hart marries a Wallace McCarthy in 1928 in Illinois.

Robert Allen married Estella May Weaver on May 10, 1930 in Muscatine, Iowa.

On December 17, 1935, Robert Allen became a Prison Guard at the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison in Iowa.

In the 1940 Federal Census, taken on April 25, 1940, Robert and Estella are living at Fort Madison, Lee County Iowa.

Seventy nine years ago today, Robert Allen died at the Sacred Heart hospital the day after he received a gunshot wound in the neck while attempting to thwart a prison escape. The following is a newspaper article detailing the event.

Mason City Globe Gazette (Mason City, Iowa) July 25, 1940

2 Men Confess Guard’s Murder in Penitentiary

“Haenze and Sullivan Sign Statements in the Killing of Robert Hart”

Des Moines, (AP) R. W. Nebergall, chief of the Iowa bureau of criminal investigation, announced Thursday that Lowell Haenze, 27, and Ivan Sullivan, 28, have confessed to the murder of Fort Madison penitentiary Guard Robert Hart, killed when the pair made an aborted attempt to free another convict several weeks after their own escape.

Haenze, Sullivan and another convict, Estes, broke thru the electric fence at the rear of the prison on June 22.

Hart was fatally shot on July 8 when two or three men came to the prison fence, threw over a shotgun and a pair bolt cutters and attempted to free another convict, William Cunningham. Cunningham committed suicide by firing a shotgun charge into his head when he was thwarted in an attempt to break through the fence. Hart was patrolling the high prison fence and fired on Cunningham and the other men before he was felled by a bullet in the neck. Nebergall said that both Sullivan and Haenze had signed statements admitting they were a party that attempted to free Cunningham and that they fired at the guard.

Nebergall said the statement was obtained by prison officials at Fort Madison working with State Agents Delbert Murray and Robert Gregson, the Lee County Sheriff and County Attorney. He declared that officers were not yet satisfied with what part that Estes may have played in the second escape attempt. He is currently still at large.  A woman who figured both in the escape of Haenze, Sullivan and Estes and in the second attempt has been arrested in Missouri, but Nebergall said that he had no details on her arrest. “

Robert Allen Hart was buried at the Oakland Cemetery on July 11, 1940 with full military honors.

Rest in peace, Robert!

Love, Jan

Robert Allen Hart is my third cousin two times removed.