Sunday's Obituary - William Gerald Dawson

To go with my last posting, of Wednesday, here is the obituary for William Gerald Dawson, who was called Gerald.  [I made the photocopy of the obituary from a scrapbook located at the Edgar Co, Genealogy Library, Paris, IL in May 2010.]

In Memory of William Gerald Dawson

   Gerald, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.V. Dawson, was born in Freeport, Stephenson, Co., Illinois, February 21st, 1910.
   He died in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, April 27th, 1918, after a brief illness.
   He leaves baby-sister, father and mother, his grandparents and many relatives and friends.

We know that brother is not dead -
Although his voice to us seems stilled,
He speaks - as yet- in accent clear,
And all our hearts with love is filled.
We loved his happy childish ways,
To all - he to our hearts endeared,
His way he won through paths of love,
Towards things sublime - and never feared.
As memory calls to mind all Good -
His form will rest beneath the sod,
His Soul lives on throughout the years
For this is Life - and Life is God.

   Funeral services were conducted at the Scottland Methodist Episcopal church, Scottland, Ill., April 30th, at 10 a.m., by Rev. F.P. Bonnefon, pastor of Edgar circuit.  The pall-bearers were four of his cousins.
   The burial was in the Chapel cemetery.

Wednesday's Child - William Gerald Dawson

William Gerald Dawson, son of Talmage Virgil and Florence Mabel (Osborn) Dawson, was born 21 February 1910 in Freeport, Stephenson Co, Illinois.  He died 27 April 1918 at Sioux Falls, Minnehaha Co, South Dakota, of appendicitis. He was buried at Wesley Chapel Cemetery in Scotland, Edgar Co, Illinois.

So traveled for a little lad . . . his father worked for the railroad.

Gerald, Tally and Florence's little boy.

Wm. Gerald Son of
T.V. & F.M. Dawson
1910-1918

Genealogical Coincidences

It has happened twice this month!  I'm entering data on Find A Grave and decide to search the cemetery's memorials.  A name from my family tree has recently been entered - Elizabeth Digby Dawson.  I did not have a death date nor burial location for Elizabeth.  I began to link some of her children's memorials to Elizabeth's memorial.  I found someone had posted photographs of the individuals on their memorials.  I emailed the contributor and find out that she is a daughter that I didn't know about and we are "cousins" . . . AND she is interested in genealogy.  Both of us have summer travel plans, but hope to share our information soon.

The second time occurred last night.  I had found a book published in 1930 that listed some family names, death dates, and burial locations.  After updating my database, I entered the information on Find A Grave.  I searched, by last name, the site verifying that a memorial had not already been established for one individual at Earlham Cemetery, Richmond, Wayne Co, Indiana and found that his father's memorial had been entered that day.  The same day that I'm entering his children's memorials!  Now I was able to link together more family members.

I just love when some of the puzzle pieces click together so easily!  Don't you?

Sunday's Obituary - John Harland Rodenberger

This is the obituary for my great-great-grandfather, John Harland Rodenberger.  My mother, in 1951, made a transcription of his obituary.  This copy was printed from microfilm by Jeanne Ommerle on a visit to Kansas in 2010. 

"The Modern Light" (Columbus, KS) Thursday, 24 Sept 1908, Pg 3

"    John Rodenberger, second son of Samuel and Susanna Rodenberger, was born in Indiana Nov. 20, 1831 and departed this life, after a protracted sickness, near Hallowell, Kan., Sept. 16, 1908, aged 76 years, 9 months and 14 days.
     Deceased was raised in Indiana near where he was born, on account of having to help his widowed mother support her seven children, two brothers of whom survive him, Levi Rodenberger of Fortuna, Calif., and Moses Rodenberger of Bridgeport, Ind., he received only a very meagre education.
     On April 27, 1854 he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Lowery Spring of Putmanville, Ind., who departed this life Sept. 8, 1895.  To them eight children were born Iona S. Dawson of Scotland, Ind., Chas. C. Rodenberger of Scammon, Kan., Cara M Speith of Hallowell, Ida May Dawson of Scotland, Ill., Mary Alice Speith of Hallowell, Thaddeus Rodenberger, deceased, and Nellie G Walker of Dewey, Okla.
     On May 1897, he was again united in marriage to Elizabeth A. Mathews of Janesville, Ohio, who with his seven surviving children, were with him during his last illness, and mourn his loss.
     The services were at his residence near Hallowell and he was laid to rest in the McKee cemetery."



There are a few errors in the typed obituary:
   John died 6 Sept 1908, not the 16th.
   Elizabeth Lowry Spring is the more common spelling, not Lowery.
    Iona S. Dawson of Scotland, Ill., not Ind.

Traveling

Yesterday I drove 13 hours from Virginia to Florida - a long trip alone by car.  On the trip, I thought about my ancestors and all their travels.  My mother made the following transcription on a trip to Illinois from Pennsylvania in 1951.  The pages she copied were stuffed inside the family Bible at her cousin's house.  Wayne T Dawson's mother Ida May (Rodenberger) Dawson was the younger sister of my great-great-grandmother, Iona Celeste Silvana (Rodenberger) Dawson.  Both sisters married brothers:  Iona married Taylor Dawson and May married Doug Dawson.

"Iowa - November 13, 1855
Charley's birth - November 18, 1857 in Iowa
First trip west - Boonsborough, Iowa 1856
South to Bourbon County, Kansas - July 1858
Trip North to Boonsborough, Iowa after household goods, 1859
$8 - clarinet
$10 - violin in exchange for homemade violin made of curly sugar tree brought from Iowa
Buffalo Hunt, September to October 1860
Back to Indiana, December 1860"

I believe the transcription is in error for Iowa - Nov. 13, 1855.  I believe it should be Iona instead.  Iona was born on that date in Clay Co, Indiana.  I found Iona's father, John Harland Rodenberger, his wife Elizabeth, and daughter Sylvana, age 1, and John's 4 brothers enumerated in the 1856 Iowa State Census in Boone, Boone Co, Iowa.  John, Elizabeth, Celestia, and Charles C were enumerated in the 1860 Census of Bourbon County, Kansas Territory.  John and Elizabeth's 3rd child, Clara Melvina Rodenberger, was born July 19, 1861 in Indiana.  In the 1870 Federal Census the John H Rodenberger family was enumerate in Sheridan Twp, Cherokee Co, Kansas.

Now that is a lot of travel . . . and not in the comfort of an air conditioned car with restaurants along the way.

Wedding Wednesday - Taylor and Iona Dawson

My great-great-grandparents, William Taylor Dawson and Iona Celeste Silvana Rodenberger, married 13 September 1874 in Cherokee Co, Kansas.  Iona was 19 and Taylor 25 years old.

"In 1870, . . . I followed the advice of Horace Greely and went west.  I landed in Kansas,  "  by Taylor Dawson, in a 1936 article published in the Chrisman Courier, reflecting on his family's history.  Taylor lived in Edgar Co, Illinois prior to his move to Kansas.  He and Iona, with their family, moved to Edgar Co, Illinois between 1885 and 1887. 

Taylor and Iona had 7 children:  Dottie Maud, Judge Leighton, Lois Lacona, Talmage Virgil, Dixie Beryl, Dudley Theo, and Challis Carmen Haddon Dawson. 

Tombstone Tuesday - Zion Reformed German Church, Poland, Clay Co, Indiana

 In June 2008, I found a website that had photos from the Zion Cemetery in Clay Co, Indiana. [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inclay/zioncem/POLor.html].  I found a photo of the tombstone for Saml Rodenberger, my 4th great grandfather who died on 7 October 1845 in Owen Co, Indiana.   Samuel Rodenberger owned parcels of land in both Owen and Clay Counties, Indiana. 

In May 2010, I visited this cemetery and took a photo of Saml's gravestone.  The amount of deterioration from 2005, when the website was established, to 2010 is amazing!  Thankfully, so many people are photographing gravestone before they become illegible or broken.



May 2010





http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inclay/zioncem/POLor.html



Amanuensis Monday - 1895 Postcard, Kansas to Illinois

"Mr. Taylor Dawson, Scotland, Edgar County, Ill."

"Hallowell, Kans
July 18 -95 -

Dear Bros. & Sisters.  Iona seems to be some better today.  Had a light chill not so hard as yesterday.  We are fighting them as hard as we can with hot brick last night & today.  We feel in hopes maybe we can keep another bad one off.  Will let you know.   Can never tell when she takes one & not live an hour.  Your sister Elsie."

I don't know what illness my great-great-grandmother, Iona (Rodenberger) Dawson had at this time.  I do know that, at some point, she had typhoid fever.  Iona must have been visiting her parents, John Harland and Elizabeth Lowry (Spring) Rodenberger at their farm near Hallowell, Cherokee Co, Kansas.  Iona and her husband Taylor Dawson and their six surviving children lived in Scotland, Edgar Co, Illinois, near Taylor's family. 

Taylor's younger brother, Stephen Arnold Douglas "Doug" Dawson, married Iona's younger sister, Ida May Rodenberger.  Doug and May, with their three sons, at this time, also lived in Scotland, Edgar Co, Illinois.  Iona and May's siblings remained in Kansas.

The postcard is dated July 18, 1895.  Did Iona go visit because her mother was ill?  Her mother, Elizabeth L (Spring) Rodenberger died September 8, 1895.

Funeral Card Friday - Marie C (Doumont) Johnston

Marie Catherine Doumont, daughter of Desire Francis G Doumont and Rosine Joseph Thierry, was born 15 November 1877 in Belgium.  The Doumonts, aboard the SS Noordland from Antwerp, Belgium, arrived in New York on 19 May 1887.  They settled in Washington Co, Pennsylvania. 

Marie married Seibert Ellwood Johnston on 8 June 1898 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, Pennsylvania.  Marie and Seibert E were my great-grandparents.

Marie Catherine (Doumont) Johnston died 13 August 1944.  She was buried in the same grave as her husband, Seibert Ellwood Johnston, at McKeesport Versailles Cemetery, McKeesport, Allegheny Co, PA.

Movie Night

As my husband and I head out to see the latest Harry Potter movie, I remembered this newspaper article.  My great-grandfather and his second wife, Dr. and Mrs. A.L. Dillon and the then governor of New Mexico see a movie together.  Article found at NewspaperArchive.

Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger Anderson

I mentioned Susannah's obituary in yesterday's post.  On a research trip to Vigo and Clay Co, IN, I visited the Indiana State Archives in Indianapolis.  I didn't allow for enough time (only had two hours before my flight), but found one of my main goals - Susannah's obituary on microfilm of the Democrat, Brazil, IN on Feb. 2, 1888.

"Died, at her home, at this place, Sunday night last, of general debility, Mrs. Susanna Anderson, aged 80 years 4 months and twenty days; funeral services, Tuesday at 10 o'clock, conducted by Rev. T. Calvin Stewart.  The deceased was a native of Canada, born near Lundy's Lane, 1807.  She was the mother of Moses Rodenberger of this city, and aunt to F. W. Schromyer."

My cousin, and fellow Rodenberger/Dice/Spring/Moreland researcher, Ray found Susannah and Samuel Rodenberger's marriage record on microfilm from the Family History Library - marriage records of Montgomery Co, Ohio. The recording is the last on the page "20th of March 1829"



Starting Out

This is my first post.  I am both a quilter and genealogist; although, the genealogy part has been my main focus for the past several years.  Both avocations are similar:  taking pieces and putting together the whole.

Last week I happened upon a book at my local library's genealogy section:  Early Ohio Tax Records compiled by Esther Weygandt Powell.  I searched the index looking for my family's surnames and found a familiar name:  Peter Dice. 

Peter has been most elusive prior to his daughter's wedding on 20 March 1829 in Montgomery Co, OH where Susannah Dice married Samuel Rodenberger.  From the various U.S. Censuses, Peter Dice was born in Pennsylvania around 1766.  Through Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger Anderson's obituary, Peter lived in Lundy's Lane, Canada in 1807.

In the Early Ohio Tax Records, Peter Dice was included in the list:  "1822 and 1823 Taxes Unpaid, Feb. 23, 1825" in Richland Co, Ohio.  Now I have a new area to focus my search for more information on Peter - who was his wife?  did Susannah have siblings?  who were Peter's parents? 

Such an exciting find when I didn't plan on researching my tree!