Amanuensis Monday - Elizabeth (Rudy) Greenawalt's Will

The Last Will of Elizabeth Greenawalt, deceased,

In the name of God amen.

I Elizabeth Greenawalt of Barree township Huntingdon county, Pa being in good health of body and of sound and disposing mind praise be to God for the same.  And being desirous to settle my worldly affairs while I have strength and capacity so to do, do make and publish this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills made by me heretofore and first principally I commit my soul into the hands of my creator who gave it and my body to the Earth to be intered in the bury ground of st stevens beside by Last Husband and as to such worldly affairs where with it hath pleased God to intrust me to dispose of the same as followeth Infirmeries I will that all such Just debts as shall be by me owing at my death together with funeral expenses and all charges touching the proving of or otherwise concerning this my will shall in the first place paid out of the real estate and from and after payment thereof and subject there unto then.  My will is that all the residue of my chattels merchandise and household furniture shall be independently appraised and after such appraisement that the same shall be divided into four equal parts to my daughter Barbara Wilson one forth also the Bea----. To my son John Evertts one fourth (if he is not living when I come to dye his share is to be divided between his sisters & Brother)[within parentheses was crossed out] to my son George Everetts one forth to my Daughter Margaret Wilson one fourth to my grand child Seibert Johnston I give & bequeath to him the contents left in the spare room upstairs Also the cookstove this property will not be praised that is left to Seibert Johnston. I also give & bequeath my last husbands children Kate Myton Hetty Frye Graffius Greenawalt Elizabeth Pen & John Everts son & daughter of Nicholas Evetts descd on Dollar each after the expenses of my funeral and debts is all paid out of what I claim in the farm which is about three hundred dollars.  I want equally divided among my first children share & share alike I do here by nominate constitute and appoint C C Kocher of Barree township Huntigdon co Executor of this my will hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time made and declare this only to be my last will and testament in witness where of I have this day set my hand seal this 3^rd day of July 1894

                                                                                Elizabeth Greenawalt, her seal

[Source:  Family History Library microfilm #854237]

Elizabeth's will mentions her last husband, John Greenawalt; burial in St. Stephen's Church Cemetery; children with first husband, Philip Everts:  Barbara Wilson, John Evertts, George Everts and her deceased son's, Nicholas Everts, children - John Everts and Elizabeth Penn; child from relationship: Margaret Wilson; and children with John Greenawalt:  Kate Myton, Hetty Frye, Graffius Greenawalt, and deceased daughter's, Arminta Johnston, son - Seibert Johnston.

Dawson - 3 generations

Taylor Dawson, grandson Gerard Dawson, son Challis Dawson
Scottland, Illinois
Sept 3, 1930
[Source:  Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society]

1880 Federal Census - John Greenawalt Household

John and Elizabeth (Rudy) Greenawalt's 1880 Federal Census enumeration.

1880 Federal Census of Barree Twp, Huntingdon Co, Pennsylvania
[Source: Ancestry.com]

Detail from the above form of the John Greenawalt household.

John Greenawalt, age 58, with his wife Elizabeth, 64, were enumerated in the 1880 census.  Also living in their household were their granddaughter Ida Wilson, age 17, and their grandson Elwood Johnson, age 2.  All four were born in Pennsylvania as were all their parents.  John is a farmer.

Elwood Johnson is Seibert Ellwood Johnston, the son of Henry Howard and Arminta (Greenawalt) Johnston.  Arminta died the day Seibert Ellwood was born:  16 July 1877.  Arminta was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Rudy) Greenawalt.

Ida Wilson was the daughter of was the daughter of Margaret Croyle Greenawalt and Henry Wilson.  Margaret Croyle Greenawalt was Elizabeth (Rudy) Everts' daughter from a relationship with Samuel Croyle following the death of her first husband Philip Everts and prior to her marriage to John Greenawalt.

Workday Wednesday - McKeesport Tin Plate Co.

Seibert W Johnston, born 27 September 1908, married Lillie Marie Gafvert on 20 April 1927 at age 18.  He worked for McKeesport Tin Plate Company.  His payroll badge is in a tin frame which doesn't show well in this photocopy.  Note the badge lists his age as 20 and the date - 4 days after his wedding.



McKeesport Tin Plate Co.
Pay Roll No. 4029
Seibert Johnston
Nationality:  American; Age 20
Height 5-9; Weight 136; Color Hair Li; Color Eyes Bl
Signed:  Seibert W Johnston
H.M. 4/24/27



Tombstone Tuesday - Howard Johnston Family

Henry Howard Johnston, son of Irvin and Christina (Nelson) Johnston is buried at the Riverview Cemetery, Streator, LaSalle Co, Illinois.  Buried next to him is his 2nd wife, Lizzie.  Then, daughter Coda Ray Johnston who died as an infant, daughter Nellie (Johnston) Thomas and her husband, James Thomas.

Riverview Cemetery, Streator, Illinois
Name:  H.H. Johnston; Date 5/6/91; Lot 110, Block 12
1. Howard H Johnston, 2. Elizabeth Johnston, 3. Coda Ray Johnston
4. and 5. (handwritten) - for M & M James Thomas



The note from June 2009 states that "the graves were purchased May 6, 1891 by H.H. Johnston.  Coda Ray Johnston was a daughter of Howard & Elizabeth." There is a discrepancy between the dates on the cemetery's form and Coda Ray's grave marker.  The grave marker has a birth date of Oct 16, 1891 and a death date of May 6, 1892.

Also buried at Riverview Cemetery is daughter Edna (Johnston) Roberts, her husband Thomas Roberts, and their son, Stan Roberts with his wife Maxine.

Howard's son Seibert Ellwood Johnston, and his wife Marie Catherine (Doumont) Johnston, is buried at the McKeesport-Versailles Cemetery, McKeesport, Allegheny Co, Pennsylvania. Marie is not listed on the grave marker.

I have not found a burial location for Howard's first wife, Arminta (Greenawalt) Johnston, who died in 1877 in Huntingdon Co, Pennsylvania.

Sunday's Obituary - Moses Rodenberger

Moses Rodenberger was the 6th of seven children of Samuel and Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger.

Brazil Daily Times
Brazil, Indiana
March 23, 1934
[Source:  Clay Co. Genealogy Library]

Aged Pioneer of Brazil Dies at Indianapolis

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Moses Rodenbarger, Veteran of Civil War, Died Thursday at the Age of 95 Year

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Drove Six Yoke of Oxen to West in ’59

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Remains will be brought to this City Saturday Afternoon at 2:30 O’clock for Interment at Cottage Hill Cemetery.

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   Moses Rodenbarger, one of the few remaining early pioneers of Brazil, died at 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon at the home of Indianapolis of uremic poisoning at the age of 95 years.  Mr. Rodenbarger was a veteran of the Civil war and made his home in Brazil for many years before moving to Indianapolis.  For the past eight years he had been crippled by a fractured hip which he sustained in a fall but was able to be up and around his home until his final illness.  His last visit to Brazil was made at the time of the Clay county centennial in 1925.

   Mr. Rodenbarger’s early life was spent in Brazil but in 1859 he left Brazil and drove a six yoke team of oxen transporting settlers to the far west.  He made the trip by way of the Smoky Hill route as far west as what was known as Robey’s ranch, braving the dangers of roving bands of savages who were constantly on the war path.  He later visited his brother, John Rodenbarger, who then lived at Turkey Run, near Ft. Scott Kansas, where the famous Dalton gang was then in its ascendency.  Early in 1861 he returned to Brazil and that spring enlisted in the Union army, serving three years in the hottest fighting of the Civil war.  After the war he returned to Brazil and engaged in the carpenter trade, being a member of the bridge gang of the Vandalia railroad for many years.

   He is survived by a daughter and son, Miss Dora and Dolph Rodenbarger, both of Indianapolis.

   The remains will be brought to Brazil tomorrow afternoon and interment will be made at Cottage Hill cemetery at 2:30 o’clock.

                                       ************



Indianapolis News
Indianapolis, Indiana
March 24, 1934
[Source:  Indiana State Archives]

    Moses Rodenberger, age ninety-five, who braved hostile Indians, thirst and famine in transporting settlers across the plains of the far west in 1859, was buried Saturday in Brazil.

   Mr. Rodenberger, who was the last remaining person who voted for incorporation of the town of Brazil in October, 1866, died Thursday evening at the home of a son, Dolph Rodenberger, 901 Carrollton avenue, with whom he had been living eight years.

   The son recalled many thrilling tales told him by his father concerning fights with Indians as he drove his six-yoke ox team across the plains and deserts.  Mr. Rodenberger was a veteran of the civil war and after years of adventure settled down to become a bridge carpenter on the old Vandalia railroad, now a part of the Pennsylvania system.  He had been ill only five weeks.

   He was a member of the Masonic order, both in Bridgeport and in Indianapolis, and had a wide circle of friends in Indianapolis as well as Brazil.

   He is survived by the son and a daughter, Miss Dora Rodenberger, also of Indianapolis.

   Burial was in a Brazil cemetery.

Levi C Rodenberger - U.S. Patent Awarded 1886

Levi Cornwall Rodenberger was the 7th and youngest child of Samuel and Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger.  Levi was born on 5 April 1843 in Owen Co, Indiana.  He was enumerated in the 1856 Iowa State Census living with his brothers in Boone, Boone Co, Iowa.  Levi enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War and spent some time in a Prisoner of War camp.  During the 1870, 1880, 1890 Veteran's and 1900 Federal Censuses, Levi lived in several counties in Oregon.  By September 1908, Levi and his family moved to California:  Humboldt Co and later San Francisco.  He died on 25 May 1933 in San Francisco. 

Levi had four boys with his first wife, Martha Jane Sherrill:  Walter Lee, Willard Roland, Harold Darward, and Kenneth Maren Rodenberger.  After Martha Jane's death, Levi married Sherry Abigail Dean.  They had five sons:  Arlin Adair, Merle Milin, Carl Fern, Herbert "Toad" Clare, and Robert Dean Rodenberger.

In 1886, while living in Medford, Oregon, Levi was awarded U.S. Patent No. 346,776 for Boot-Protector.

Pacific Rural Press
Vol. 32, No. 7, 14 August 1886
List of U.S. Patents for Pacific Coast Inventors
[Source:  CA Digital Newspaper Collection]

Levi C Roenberger of Medford, Oregon
Protector for Boots or Shoes
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,776 - Dated Aug 3, 1886
Application filed Jan 15, 1886. Serial No. 189,771 (No model)
[Source:  US Patent and Trademark Office Patents, 1790-1909 on Ancestry]

L. C. Rodenberger
Protector for Boots or Shoes
 No. 346,776
Patented Aug. 3, 1888
[Source:  US Patent and Trademark Office Patents, 1790-1909 on Ancestry]