An Osgood Family History Mystery

I've come into possession of some old photographs of some Osgood children. I found them on Ebay and bought them in the off -chance that they may be relatives. I figured that even if they weren't "my people," old photos are neat. Besides, I could always upload them to a website that has done me a great service in the past, DeadFred.com and perhaps help someone else in their family history search.

There are 3 photos altogether, but 2 are very similar.

This one says on the back: "1925. Robert Osgood. Ed & Lizzie's babe." There also is an address written: "2672 Poplar St."

There is another similar one taken with a wider lens, but at the same time and the same subject. It says "1925. Robert Osgood. Ed & Lizzie's babe."

I've looked in my database and the only Edward Osgood I have was my grandfather's older brother, born in 1900. I have two Robert Osgoods. One is another brother of my grandfather, born in 1898. The other is his son born in 1922.

I'm fascinated by the address on the back of one. I can't begin to imagine how many Poplar streets there are in the United States! This baby, Robert Osgood, may very well still be alive today, albeit an elderly man about 84 years old.

This photo says on the back: Ed and Lizzie Osgood Children. I don't know if these are additional siblings to the baby in the first two photos, or if the baby is the youngest boy in this photo. It looks like the same porch and house, though.

I'd welcome any clues anyone may have. It doesn't seem like these kids are my direct ancestors, though. I'd be happy to share the originals with their descendants.

For now, I'm off to upload them to DeadFred.

A soldier's story that has yet to be told

Sometimes I'm able to share an ancestor's story on my blog. Other times, I want to post about questions I have been unable to find the answers for....yet. This is one of those posts.

His name was Karl Gottlieb Kline. He was born in Prussia and emigrated to the United States at some point. He married another German immigrant, Amelia Wendel. They were pioneers in Kansas during the 1880's. I first find them in Douglas County, then Marion County, where they are buried. They are my great-great-great grandparents on my mother's side.

The star shaped emblem to the left of their headstone has the initials "G.A.R. 1861-1865" The Grand Army of the Republic. This was a fraternal organization for Union veterans of the Civil War. It would seem then, that Karl was another civil war veteran in my family tree. Excellent!

Ever since 8th grade, I have been a Civil War buff. I'm not sure what initially captivated me. Our 8th grade social studies teachers showed us a lot of historical movies. We saw the entire series of "Roots," for example. We also saw a movie adaptation of the classic book, "The Red Badge of Courage." It starred Richard Thomas of "The Waltons" fame. For me, that movie put me in the shoes of that young soldier who was so ready to go fight...until he heard the sounds of cannon and gunfire ahead. Perhaps that was what did it. Anyway, I did a lot of reading and learning on my own since then about the Civil War. So I'm very interested in the details of any Civil War service I run across.

Try as I might, I have been unable to track down exactly where Karl's service was. I've gone through all the military databases on Ancestry.com. I've been to the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System. I've even had a difficult time tracking down census records of this family. At one point, I wondered if they really even existed!

Through the kindness of a genealogist friend, (you know who you are...) I have found some census records, the earliest being 1880 in Eudora Township, Douglas County, Kansas. I found a great book online on Kansas Memory: Roster of the Members and Posts: Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Kansas, dated 1894. That would fit my time frame, since Karl died in 1907. I manually went through each of the 259 pages and scanned for any mention of a Karl Kline, Karl Klein, Gottlieb Klein, and all permutations of the three names and spellings as I could. NONE. I guess I could have missed it.....if anyone has some time on their hands and wants to try, I would welcome another set of eyes!

I have found records of another German immigrant who fought for the Union by the name of Gottlob Klien, but he was killed during the war. So he's not my Karl. I'll admit in the haze of frustration, I pondered the possibility that my Karl assumed this poor soldier's identity after he died!

The closest I've gotten to some evidence of Civil War military service is a hazy image on a Kansas census record, but I can't really make it out. The 1895 Kansas census includes information on military record (condition of discharge, state of enlistment, letter or name of company or command, number of regiment or other organization to which attached, arm of service.) It kind of looks like Ohio 122. I've looked into that unit, and can't find any names that are even close. I'll put the record at the bottom of this post for anyone who would like to take a stab at it for me. I'd be happy to email it to anyone who wants the file to enlarge to examine it.

So there you have it. One of the reasons I started this blog in the first place was so that others researching the same family lines as I could connect with me and we could collaborate on information. I'm crossing my fingers and saying a prayer to the genealogy fairies on this one.

On the Homefront-Sarah's Memories of the War of the Rebellion

Sarah Warriner Hamilton, my great-great grandmother, was born in March 1843 in Greenville, Illinois. Her mother died three weeks after giving birth to twins when Sarah was no more than 5 years old.

Sarah attended Montbello College at Alton, Illinois and taught school for a number of years. According to a family history, Sarah could have been an author if time had permitted. She wrote a number of short stories and also wrote the lyrics to a hymn after hearing a sermon on John 3:1-2. It's called "My Advocate" and I'm pleased to have a copy if it. I look forward to having my son learn it.

It is my understanding that Sarah kept a journal. I have yet to locate it in its entirety, but have a copy of a few pages that capture her reminiscences of the Civil War. Enjoy

Part of a writing by Sarah Warriner Hamilton Osgood

To go back to the time, when our boys marched away. I am surprised now, when I remember the erroneous ideas, we entertained (that as we young people), of war. We supposed they would be taken right to the seat of war, in a very few days, and lined up in battle, and that all was needed, to make soldiers out of them was a “suit of blue” a sword and gun; little dreaming of the days of drill and dull routine of camp life, they must go thro(ugh) ere they are ready to meet the foe.

So when it came to pass our soldier boys found themselves settled in camp, not far from home, our hearts began to settle back into their normal condition; and life to move on in something of the old routine, only we missed them so. Buying, and selling. Sowing, and reaping, must still go on, tho hearts are breaking.

Now our boys are sent to the front, their furloughs become fewer, life takes on more, and serious phases, varied with letters from the front, and now and then a visit, of a few days from someone of them.

One, what a happy go-lucky fellow he was—and such extravagant stories he told of life on the Gun Boat Fleet on the Mississippi river. While he was at home he conceived the happy idea of taking all his girl friends to the artists-for their pictures to take back with him. There must have been near a dozen, who, sat for a picture. Between two of the prettiest, he managed to seat himself. They had on those ugly shaker bonnets, the fashion of that time. I could not see the roguish face, trying to peer into the demure face of the girl on his left. It made a very comical picture indeed. After he returned to duty he wrote what fine parties they had, with the girls’ pictures in places of honor. He was another of the heroes that died.

I was in the long, long funeral train, that bore him to his last resting place. I heard the ministers voice as in a dream say, his sun has set while it is yet day.

As the stress of those days grew upon us my father, (than whom a greater Patriot never lived), grew haggard, and old, fast. His great anxieties, for his country, caused him sleepless nights. One incident will take to illustrate his tender heart, for the soldiers. It was during the early days of the war, that the papers chronicled the event, of a young soldier found asleep, while on duty and sentenced to be shot. We all felt greatly exercised over it, but, particularly so, was my father. I never shall forget how earnestly he prayed for the life of that young soldier; as tho he were his own boy. And when news came of the reprieve, there was at least, one heart, full of gratitude.

With what intense anxiety we all awaited news, from the front; and especially if a battle were imminent. In order to facilitate the spreading of the news, a tall flagstaff was raised in my uncle’s yard, in sight of all the county about. Whenever there was news received of a battle the flag was run up. If won by Union forces, it proudly floated from the top of the staff; but if the Union suffered a defeat, then it was run up at half mast. How the whole region watched, for the sign of that flag, and could hardly wait the return of the swiftest messenger, to learn the particulars. Were any of our boys in the engagement? Were they killed or wounded? Were questions we tremblingly asked ourselves. And when our brothers were finally engaged with the enemy, and received severe wounds, and came home to us, we began to feel somewhat relieved from the pressure borne so long.

And so the weary months rolled on, the sky growing darker. And then, the clouds began to lift a little, and then to roll away, and Peace has come again. Our old friend, the flag, that has been a sign, to us all thro(ugh) these trying days---now floats from the summit, we fondly said, never to be raised at half mast again, and we are wild, wild with joy.

But how soon, as our joy turned into mourning. Only a few days, and our flag is floating, at half mast again for our beloved Lincoln lies dead. Dead, did they say? We cannot will not believe it, and that was the way we felt in those dreadful days.

Well my butter has come.

Monday Memory - the old Graham house

On our annual vacations to Idaho, we generally stayed at Grandma & Grandpa Graham's home. This is the house my dad grew up in. We would spend a good part of the days over at Grandma & Grandpa Osgood's, but always came back to the Graham place. It had more bedrooms

to put us all in. Plus, over at the Osgoods, at least when I was still little, I still had an aunt and uncle living there.

The "old" Graham place sat in between an apple orchard and a cherry orchard. Grandma & Grandpa bought the place in 1947. Grandpa was a farmer, like his father Guy Graham was. As you can imagine from the orchards, he grew cherries and apples. I remember them shipping our family in California a big box of apples in the fall.

It was great to be able to go and help pick cherries in the summertime. Grandma would give us a bucket and let us go on our way. We ate way more than we gathered! Fresh cherries right off the tree-delicious! I can still see my little brother red-faced with cherry juice and goo all over him! There was an oval "track" that went around the house and Grandpa's barn and garage. In between the two and around the house was a nice lawn. One winter we drove up for Christmas. I was probably around the age of 10. Dad hooked up a sled to a tractor and dragged my brother and I around that oval. It was so much fun....until I kind of fell off the sled and was dragged on the ground for awhile before Dad noticed!

On the edge of the apple orchard was Great-Grandpa Ira Shelton's trailer. He had lived there since 1961. His wife, Alice, had died a couple years earlier. (Great-Grandpa is the son of the mysterious Nathaniel Shelton that I blogged about a few days ago). I would often go and visit him in his trailer. He had stacks and stacks of paperback books out there. When I was around seven, I remember him asking me to guess how old he was. I had no idea, but knew it was pretty old. (At least from a kid's perspective...I realize as I approach 40 that the concept of "old" is relative). He held up 8 fingers and flashed them at me twice--eighty eight. He would give me bananas and we would hang out. Great-Grandpa rarely came into the house, but he did one winter when we were visiting for Christmas. It seemed to be a big deal that he was in the big house instead of his trailer. Great-Grandpa died a couple years later at the age of 90.

Great-grandpa's trailer is on the left of the barn.

Great grandpa shows us his garden in 1972

We would enter the house through the kitchen. Grandma always was able to cook enough for everyone. I found out later that when she was growing up, her mother would cook for all the farm hands in the area. She grew up learning how to feed an army!

In the living room was GRANDPA'S CHAIR. It was his and his alone. Nearby would be a TV Guide, an ashtray and some snacks. I discovered "Whoppers" there one summer. Those chocolate covered malted milk candies will always remind me of then. Grandma and Grandpa liked to watch TV. I remember them watching "The Price is Right" and a soap opera every day. I'm not sure which soap it was....I knew it wasn't the one my mom watched.

I usually slept in a bathroom. That may sound weird, but this was a big bathroom. As I recall, it was on a landing, with stairs going up on the other side of a ceiling, which was slanted. It was pink. There were two single sized beds in the room. On a table was a big shiny conch shell that we were supposed to be able to hear the ocean in. I remember trying to pretend to be asleep on the morning we would be leaving Idaho to go home. Maybe if I never woke up, we wouldn't have to leave! It didn't work. I hated those mornings.

I don't remember ever going up to the next story in that house. I'm sure I did, though.

TV was a big deal at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was on a lot. I was there eating a slice of watermelon on August 16, 1977 and hearing that Elvis Presley had died. I also remember watching the Donahue show with mom and grandma while the show topic was the Jonestown Massacre.

Grandma & Grandpa sold the place when I got a little older and Grandpa retired-it was in the late 70's, early 80's. They moved onto a smaller place in Fruitland and lived in a mobile home with less acreage to take care of. That will be the subject of another memory post in the future. It was a sad time for my dad when they sold the place. I suspect it was for others as well. A few years after that, there was a fire and the house burned down.

All you Graham relatives out there, I'd love to hear some of your memories of the old place. Leave a comment!

Mary's Story

My mom's paternal family line in America goes back to the Puritan era. My first ancestor to arrive in the New World was John Osgood in 1638. He helped to found the town of Andover, Massachusetts. This is the story of his daughter in law, Mary Clement, who married his son, John Osgood, Jr. Mary is my 8th great grandmother.

Mary was born in England and came to the New World with her family, settling in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Her father was the local magistrate and united her in marriage to Captain John Osgood, Jr., in 1653. The Osgood's were held in high esteem by the town of Andover, which Captain John's father helped to found. Mary was described as, "remarkably pious and a good woman." She bore eleven children between 1654 and 1680, three of them dying as infants. Her last baby to die was Clement, in November of 1680.

In 1692, some girls in Salem village were supposed to have the power of detecting witches. The two supposed witch-finders, who were called "afflicted persons," were taken to the Andover meeting house, along with the accused. Mary Osgood had been arrested and was put before them. When Mary looked at them, they went into convulsions. On September 8, 1692, she was questioned before the magistrates.

Frantic from the endless badgering from the court, Mary confessed to being a witch. When pressed to admit an exact time when she began her covenant with the devil, her mind went back to about 11 years prior when she suffered from a "bit of melancholy" around the birth of her last child (which had died). Even her husband initially believed her confession. Mary recanted a month later, explaining that the confession "was no other than what was suggested to us by some gentlemen, they telling us that we were witches, and they knew it, and we knew it, which made us think that it was so. And our understandings, our reason, our faculties, almost gone, we were not capable of judging of our condition; as also the hard measures they used with us rendered us incapable of making our defense, but said anything and everything which they desired, and most of what we said, was but, in effect, a consenting to what they said."

Mary was imprisoned for fifteen weeks in Salem amid brutal conditions. It was so bad that some of the accused died in jail. Mary was released after her husband and other townspeople petitioned for her freedom and her husband posted bond in the sum of £100 for her freedom. Mary was indicted in January 1693 and was found not guilty by a jury later that month.

Source: Roach, Marilynne K., "The Salem Witch Trials, A Day-By-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege." 2002: Taylor Trade Publishing

One web leads to another-Centerview, Missouri

I'm dabbling on a new genealogy social networking site, GenWise. I joined the Missouri genealogy forum and was browsing through the discussion lists. Why Missouri? Well, several generations ago in about 1833, Robert Graham, Jr., moved his family from Wythe County, Virginia, to Johnson County, Missouri. 3 generations later, my great grandfather, Guy Graham, moved his bride, Jennie O. Shipp to Fruitland, Idaho.

I'm probably most familiar with the names of my dad's line, the Grahams. I know the names of the families that married into the Grahams, but not much else. In the past, I have seen the names of families that married into the Grahams: Roop and Shipp both come to mind. (Although there were Hobsons, McGees, and Kings that gave brides to Graham men). I don't know a whole lot about them past their names. However, my genealogy quest goes beyond knowing the names and dates of my ancestors, though. For some reason, I thirst to know who they were, how they lived, and how the events of their times that we now study as history impacted on them.

Anyway, in browsing the lists, I stumbled across a site on Missouri Genealogy, and specifically Johnson County, where Centerview is located. I found out some interesting facts about these other ancestors:

* William Lemuel Shipp, my great-great-great grandfather was a justice of the peace in 1882. In 1902 he was appointed school superintendent and later elected to that post in 1905, 1907 and 1909. This is a photo of William and his family. My great-grandmother, Jennie is the girl on the bottom left.

* Elhanan Roop was the first postmaster after the town of Centerview was officially founded in 1865

* The first school built after the civil war in Centerview was named the Graham school. (Sound familiar?) This was the only school in the township for some time and pupils from a radius of 6-7 miles attended. In 1868, the school district was organized and purchased the private school house. William Lemuel Shipp was one of the principals of this school.

So how does this all fit? Jennie Shipp, William's daughter, married a Graham. Her mother, Mary Elizabeth's maiden name was Roop. Her father was Elhanan Roop, that first postmaster. The possibilities only continue as I go farther back. In just browsing this one site on the world wide web, I ran into a web of relationships and lives that only mean hours of fascinating research for me. I'd better get reading!

Brick Wall #1 - Nathaniel Shelton...Who's your daddy?

A friend, who happens to be a professional genealogist, defined a brick wall as a "solvable problem." I like that definition, especially when I feel like I'll never get past a certain point.

Like this one. I'm hoping that by gathering my thoughts enough to write this post, I may notice something I had not before. If not, then I'm hoping that perhaps another person researching this family line will have a piece of the puzzle I do not.

His name was Nathaniel Shelton. He is my great-great grandfather. He's the one sitting in the chair. It's my understanding that the man standing next to him is his nephew. I can't confirm that becuase I have NO idea about Nathaniel's family of origin. What I would love to find out is who Nathaniel's father was.

According to his death certificate, Nathaniel was born 19 Feb. 1839. This is not sure since the 1900 Census lists the year as 1843. The death certificate says he was born in Kentucky, although census records say different at times. (No town names are ever mentinoed). He died in Memphis, Missouri.

The census records are a mystery. I have been unable to locate him for sure prior to 1870. I know that 2 of his wives names were Sarah, and the names of his children. That is how I am able to say for sure in 1870 that it is my Nathaniel.

1840 Federal Census

I haven't done much here becuase the only named individuals are heads of households, and I don't know Nathaniel's father's name.

1850 Federal Census: Illinois>Hancock>Warsaw Ward 1>page 21

Thomas Shelton, age 36

Marena Shelton, age 25

Nathaniel Shelton, age 12

Nancy E. Shelton, age 7

Stephen Shelton, age 1

This may be him--I don't know for sure. One of my problems is that I don't know his father's name. His death certificate names a "Samuel Shelton" from Kentucky as his father. His widow was the informant on the record, so she may not really know herself.

1860 Federal Census: Illinois>Hancock>Warsaw Ward 1>page 21

Thomas Shelton, age 45, teamster, born in Kentucky

Angeline Shelton, age 29, born in Tennesee

Nathaniel Shelton, age 21, farm laborer, born in Tennesee (actually used " beneath Angeline)

Nancy Shelton, age 15, born in Illinois

Martha E. Shelton, age 9, born in Illinois.

Oh how I wish they asked about relationships in these early records!!

1870 Federal Census: Illinois>Hancock>Township 4, Range 9>Page 4

Nathan Shelton, age 27, born in Illinois, farm hand

Sarah Ann, 22, born in Indiana, keeping house

Cora, 6/12, born in Illinois.

The ages are a bit off here for Nathaniel. If the 1860 Nathaniel were the same as this one, he would be about 31, not 27. But look 10 years later...

1880 Federal Census: Missouri>Scotland>Union>District 87>Page 15

Nathaniel, 35, farmer, born in Indiana, fathers birthplace Kentucky, mother's birthplace Germany

Sarah Shelton, 24, born in Iowa, father and mother born in Virginia

Cora Shelton, 11

Thomas Shelton, 6

Viola Shelton, 2

Kate Brown, 18, boarder, domestic servant

Now Nathaniel is listed as being 35. He should be either 41 or 37!

I know all the reasons why there could be errors here (uninformed informant, human errors, etc).

I do know that the 1870 and the 1880 Nathaniel's are the same person since I do have compiled family records from his wife Sarah Deen Shelton's side of the family, which has the same names of the children.

Also, this is the first time we see anything about a foreign born mother. Interesting....

1890 Federal Census: Veteran's Schedules

Nathaniel is listed here as a Civil War veteran. This confirms other military records I have. Unfortunately, the 1890 census records are largely lost.

1900 Federal Census: Missouri>Scotland>Union>District 149> Page 11

Shelton, Nathan, born 1843, age 57, born in Indiana, Father born in KY, mother in Penn.

Sarah F. Shelton, 1855, age 44, mother of 9, 7 still living born in Iowa, parents birthplaces unknown

Hettie S. Shelton, age 18

Molly Shelton, age 16

Ira Shelton, age 12

Samuel Shelton, age 10

Bennie Shelton, age 5

Ruth L. Shelton, age 1

Some thoughts on this one, the age would match up with the 1870 census. However, it doesn't jive with the 1850 record (assuming it is the same Nathaniel) If he was 57 in 1900, he would have been 7 in 1850....not 12. If he was 7 in 1850, Marena (who was then age 25), could certainly be his mother, having borne him at age 18.

Also, a German born mother, or one born in Pennsylania? There were a lot of German immigrants in Pennsylvania. Could be one or the other. But again, I have NO clue about Nathaniel's parentage. Does Marena sound German? Could be...

1910 Federal Census: Missouri>Scotland>Mt. Pleasant>District 154>page 13

Nathaniel S. Shleton, age 68, married 3x, born in Indiana, Father born in KY, mother in Penn, farmer.

Sarah F. Shelton, age 55, married 2x, mother of 10 children, 7 still living, born in Iowa, parents born in VA

Samuel Shelton, age 19, born in Missouri, father born in Indiana, mother born in Iowa

John B. Shelton, age 14, born in Missouri, father born in Indiana, mother born in Iowa

Ruth Lu Shelton, age 10, born in Missouri, father born in Indiana, mother born in Iowa

Nathaniel died on May 19, 1915 in Memphis, MO at the age of 76 (maybe). The informant on the death certificate was his wife of 35 years, Sarah. Information she gave about her husband for the certificate:

• Date of birth 19 Feb 1839
• His occupation was a teamster. (Strange since census records all say farmer)
• His birthplace was Kentucky (again, census records all say Indiana, except 1870, which says Illinois)
• His father's name was Samuel Shelton (first time we see this name)
• No birthplace of father or mother is listed, nor is mother's maiden name filled out.

After writing this over the past few hours are re-examining the census records, I've come to one hypothesis: Nathaniel's father was Thomas, his mother Marena. He was born in 1843. Thomas was born in KY, Marena in either Germany, or in Pennsyvania of German ancestry.

Of course, this all could be completely wrong. I suppose I now need to start researching Thomas Shelton (and Shelton's in general) in Kentucky??

My head is getting sore!