I am taking a long shot here, to talk about one of the Beeks "brick walls". Polly was the wife of John Beeks. She was born about 1805 in Virginia, and husband John was born there, too, possibly about 1809. The only real fact I have about her is that the two were married in 1830 in Xenia, Greene County, Ohio. The Beeks family had been there for at least 10 years but the Carters were more recent arrivals.
In 1810, there is a John Carter in Monongalia, Virginia in the census, with a daughter the correct age to be Polly. I'm not sure I've located John in the 1820 census, but in 1830 he is in Xenia, Ohio. By this time his wife is gone, and there are two white females in the house. The census date of June 1 is before the marriage date of June 30,1830, so it is quite possible that the 20-29 year old female is Polly.
However, "possible" isn't proof. Just because two families by the same names lived in the same area in 1810 and again in 1830 doesn't mean that these are the same two families, or that their children married. I have looked at several other Carter families who claimed a "Polly" but there is always something "off" about them-John died in the "wrong" place, or before the 1830 census, or something. So I am still looking for Polly's parents, although the John Carter from Monongalia who was in Xenia in Greene County seems a possibility to be either a father or an uncle.
Polly lived her life with John, traveling with him from Xenia to Lagro Township, Wabash County, Indiana. They were there by 1850 (haven't located them in the 1840 census yet), and they lived out their lives there, having at least three children. There may have been more because Anna Meadows, three years old, who could possibly be a grandchild, is shown in the 1850 census. Known children are William, Casey, and Lucy.
I'd be thrilled to hear from any one who knows this couple, John and Polly, but especially thrilled to hear of someone who knows Polly, and whether John is her father. She was born not so long ago, a little over 200 years, and her grave is just a few miles from our home, at the Lagro IOOF cemetery. I'd love to know more of her story. Please contact me at happygenealogydancingATgmailDOTcom. Thanks!
The line of descent is:
John Beeks-Polly Carter
William Beeks-Mary Wise
John Beeks-Elizabeth Wise
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Showing posts with label Polly Carter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Polly Carter. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Friday, April 25, 2014
Harshbarger and Beeks lines: Actively pursuing (AKA brick walls)
OK, I'll admit it. These two lines have fairly robust family trees. A lot is known about some ancestors in these lines, and a little is known about a lot more. A genealogist working 30 years ago would have been thrilled to have such a full family tree. But it's not 30 years ago, and I'm not a genealogist. I'm just trying to find the story of my husband's ancestors, so I can pass it on to our children and grandchildren. And these folks I've been actively pursuing frustrate me!
Here are the "Disturbing Dozen" of missing ancestors in the Harshbarger and Beeks lines. These are all third or fourth great grandparents to my husband, which in genealogy terms is not so very long ago. The first six are in the Harshbarger lines and the last six are in the Beeks line. I am posting them here in the hopes that someone will stumble across one of these names and be able to offer some help, to tell me where I'm wrong or give me ideas about where to look for records.
Henry Cook: born Berks County, Pennsylvania January 30, 1794. Died Whitley County, Indiana, 1861. He also lived in Stark County, Ohio for possibly about 25 years. He had 9 children living at the time of his death, and two young sons named John had died earlier in the early 1820s. His birth name was possibly Koch. His wife was Catherine Whetstone, see next.
Catherine Whetstone was born December 27, 1799 in Berks County, Pa and she died August 19, 1887 in Whitley County, Indiana. That is what is known about her, except for the details in the above paragraph. Her name may have originally been Wetstein, or another variant because this name is spelled in all sorts of interesting ways.
Joseph Withers was born about 1804 in Pennsylvania. His trade was a shoemaker. He is found in Morris Township, Knox County, Ohio in 1840 and in 1850 in Marion County, Iowa. Then he disappears, as far as I have learned. Some of his family ended up in Whitley County, Indiana, with oldest son John being there as early as 1857. He was married to Mary Gearhart in 1832 in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa. He and Mary were the parents of at least 8 children.
Mary Gearhart was born about 1812 in Pennsylvania. I know nothing more about her at this point, other than the information shown above. Her name was probably Gerhard, a generation or two before Gearhart.
Barbara N Long was born in 1826, possibly in Clermont or Brown County, Ohio. I am not sure about that information because it doesn't really make sense as to how she married in 1844 to Benjamin Buchtel in Summit County, Ohio. She moved with Benjamin to Whitley County, Indiana, and after his death married her son-in-law's father, Daniel Kemery. I have not found her death record, so I don't know whether she died in Whitley County or perhaps went to live with one of her children after Daniel's death in 1877 (if she was still living then).
Ann Catherine Wilson was born about 1768 in Virginia, and married Caleb Bennett November 8, 1785 in what is now Wetzel County, West Virginia. She and Caleb had at least 6 children. Caleb died in Scioto County, Ohio on September 23, 1851, but I don't know when Ann died.
On to the Beeks line:
Polly Carter was born about 1805 in Virginia and died March 12, 1880 in Largo, Wabash County, Indiana. She married John Beeks in 1830 in Greene County, Ohio. It appears that they had at least three children, although I don't know of genealogical proof for Casey Beeks. Polly may have been a nickname for Mary.
Jackson Wise is one I am truly actively pursuing at the moment. I think I know who his parents are but I haven't yet seen the records. I've written about him recently, so will not repeat it here, except to say he was born December 27, 1817 in Ohio and died in 1893 in Wabash County, Indiana.
"Possibly Eva" is the wife of Philip Serfass, and that is as much as I know about her right now. Philip was born in 1782 in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. They probably had a large family, if they lived, but I only know of Mary. At one point, the Serfass family were of the Moravian faith, but I don't know whether that applies to this generation or not. I would expect to find that she was of German heritage, if I could find a record of her.
Jeremiah Folsom I have also already written of. He was married to Sally Lock in 1815, and was born about 1795 and died before 1835 probably in Dearborn County, Ohio. His children's guardian was Austin Clark.
Jason Wheeler was born October 4, 1765, possibly in New York, and died about 1843, probably in Lawrence Township, Marion County, Indiana. He was in Herkimer County, New York, in 1800 and Chenango County, New York in 1810, before moving to Clermont County, Ohio with much of his family. He was married to Patience.
Patience, possibly Tracy was born about 1768. The 1850 census can be read either Virginia or Vermont as her birth place. I lean toward Vermont but am keeping my mind open on that subject. She died after 1850 in Lawrence Township, Marion County, Indiana. Other then her marriage to Jason Wheeler and the fact that they had 12 children, that's what I know about Patience.
So you can see that even though these trees are robust, they are certainly not "completed". I need to know more about each of the 12 persons noted above, especially who their parents are. As usual, I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who has any knowledge of any of these people, even if it's just to say "That's all I know, too."
Updated 10/21/2015 correcting birth date for Catherine Whetstone. I am also wondering if perhaps her first name might have been something like Maria or Anna or ?
Here are the "Disturbing Dozen" of missing ancestors in the Harshbarger and Beeks lines. These are all third or fourth great grandparents to my husband, which in genealogy terms is not so very long ago. The first six are in the Harshbarger lines and the last six are in the Beeks line. I am posting them here in the hopes that someone will stumble across one of these names and be able to offer some help, to tell me where I'm wrong or give me ideas about where to look for records.
Henry Cook: born Berks County, Pennsylvania January 30, 1794. Died Whitley County, Indiana, 1861. He also lived in Stark County, Ohio for possibly about 25 years. He had 9 children living at the time of his death, and two young sons named John had died earlier in the early 1820s. His birth name was possibly Koch. His wife was Catherine Whetstone, see next.
Catherine Whetstone was born December 27, 1799 in Berks County, Pa and she died August 19, 1887 in Whitley County, Indiana. That is what is known about her, except for the details in the above paragraph. Her name may have originally been Wetstein, or another variant because this name is spelled in all sorts of interesting ways.
Joseph Withers was born about 1804 in Pennsylvania. His trade was a shoemaker. He is found in Morris Township, Knox County, Ohio in 1840 and in 1850 in Marion County, Iowa. Then he disappears, as far as I have learned. Some of his family ended up in Whitley County, Indiana, with oldest son John being there as early as 1857. He was married to Mary Gearhart in 1832 in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa. He and Mary were the parents of at least 8 children.
Mary Gearhart was born about 1812 in Pennsylvania. I know nothing more about her at this point, other than the information shown above. Her name was probably Gerhard, a generation or two before Gearhart.
Barbara N Long was born in 1826, possibly in Clermont or Brown County, Ohio. I am not sure about that information because it doesn't really make sense as to how she married in 1844 to Benjamin Buchtel in Summit County, Ohio. She moved with Benjamin to Whitley County, Indiana, and after his death married her son-in-law's father, Daniel Kemery. I have not found her death record, so I don't know whether she died in Whitley County or perhaps went to live with one of her children after Daniel's death in 1877 (if she was still living then).
Ann Catherine Wilson was born about 1768 in Virginia, and married Caleb Bennett November 8, 1785 in what is now Wetzel County, West Virginia. She and Caleb had at least 6 children. Caleb died in Scioto County, Ohio on September 23, 1851, but I don't know when Ann died.
On to the Beeks line:
Polly Carter was born about 1805 in Virginia and died March 12, 1880 in Largo, Wabash County, Indiana. She married John Beeks in 1830 in Greene County, Ohio. It appears that they had at least three children, although I don't know of genealogical proof for Casey Beeks. Polly may have been a nickname for Mary.
Jackson Wise is one I am truly actively pursuing at the moment. I think I know who his parents are but I haven't yet seen the records. I've written about him recently, so will not repeat it here, except to say he was born December 27, 1817 in Ohio and died in 1893 in Wabash County, Indiana.
"Possibly Eva" is the wife of Philip Serfass, and that is as much as I know about her right now. Philip was born in 1782 in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. They probably had a large family, if they lived, but I only know of Mary. At one point, the Serfass family were of the Moravian faith, but I don't know whether that applies to this generation or not. I would expect to find that she was of German heritage, if I could find a record of her.
Jeremiah Folsom I have also already written of. He was married to Sally Lock in 1815, and was born about 1795 and died before 1835 probably in Dearborn County, Ohio. His children's guardian was Austin Clark.
Jason Wheeler was born October 4, 1765, possibly in New York, and died about 1843, probably in Lawrence Township, Marion County, Indiana. He was in Herkimer County, New York, in 1800 and Chenango County, New York in 1810, before moving to Clermont County, Ohio with much of his family. He was married to Patience.
Patience, possibly Tracy was born about 1768. The 1850 census can be read either Virginia or Vermont as her birth place. I lean toward Vermont but am keeping my mind open on that subject. She died after 1850 in Lawrence Township, Marion County, Indiana. Other then her marriage to Jason Wheeler and the fact that they had 12 children, that's what I know about Patience.
So you can see that even though these trees are robust, they are certainly not "completed". I need to know more about each of the 12 persons noted above, especially who their parents are. As usual, I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who has any knowledge of any of these people, even if it's just to say "That's all I know, too."
Updated 10/21/2015 correcting birth date for Catherine Whetstone. I am also wondering if perhaps her first name might have been something like Maria or Anna or ?
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