Finding family history in newspapers

As I have stated before in this blog, family history is more than just names and dates and places. Family history includes stories about our progenitors, helping us to know more about them.

Today, newspapers are a dying breed. Most newspapers are published online; people are more likely to get their news from cnn.com, and their social news from Facebook. Up until the 1960's or so, however, newspapers often contained social pages listing prominent citizens' comings and goings.

In searching old newspapers, I found some articles about my family.

This is my father's birth announcement:

My grandfather was killed in a terrible accident. My grandmother apparently sued the railroad for it. In 1918, $25,000 was the equivalent of about $500,000 today. She settled out of court several months later for a pittance (about $800, I believe). Even then, if she wanted any of the money she had to petition the courts and bring proof that the money was for the children.

A few days ago, my mother reminded me about her cousin, Evelyn, and a family tragedy. I searched online and, using a free trial of a paid database, found this story:

 

Another of mom's cousins described it this way:

 Our Aunt Ada Justina “Dude” Vetter McLees was fatally burned in a fire which was started by cleaning some clothes with gasoline.  She only lived a few hours because her burns were so severe.

Six weeks prior to our Aunt’s death, her husband, (our Uncle)  Russell Ellis McLees died when his truck was struck  at a railroad crossing.  Our cousin Evelyn Armintha McLees suffered fractures of both legs when her father’s truck was struck by a railroad train.  Evelyn was thrown out of the truck but caught the cow catcher and was dragged for nearly a mile before the train could stop.  Her father died in the accident. Just six weeks later, she watched in horror, as her mother was fatally burned in the gasoline fire. 

And my mother adds:

I did get to see Evelyn after the accidents.  I can’t remember who brought her to Everett.  She was still on crutches.  I did not really know any of my cousins because I was too young when we left Montana.  I did see a couple of other cousins once when they came to visit.

I wanted to mention that cleaning clothes with gasoline was a very common practice for years.  I looked up this video (about 10 min) called “More Dangerous than Dynamite” You should watch it if you have time.  Watch it clear to the end about the housewife in the video.  Just enter “More Dangerous than Dynamite” on your computer.  It was the first video I watched.  There are several more there too.

On the video is says that one gallon of gasoline or other flammable fluid used as a cleaning solvent has the explosive source of 83 lbs. of Dynamite.

Finding the Ottes

Otte home in Patterson NJ

My maiden name is Otte, pronounced with a short "o" sound: \ott\. Where did this name come from? Who are my ancestors?

I have spend years researching these questions, but couldn't find many answers until the advent of modern communication.

 I knew that the name was Dutch. Although my father never knew his father (as detailed in an earlier post),  he knew that his father spoke several languages and was of Dutch ancestry. The 1880 census confirmed that Richard (or Dirk) Otte was born in Holland.

In the early 2000's, I placed some queries on a family history bulletin board (this was long before the Internet we have now!) and received a reply from a man named "Ed Otte." He said that he thought we might be cousins. It turned out that his great-grandfather was my grandfather's brother! I wrote back and told him about the misspelling of the family name in the 1880 census, and the discovery that Richard Otte was really Dick Otte. He ran with that information, and within a few months presented me with the Otte line back to Pieter Hendik Otten van Willegen, who died in 1581.

Where does this information come from?  Family Search has a LOT of Netherlands records. They say, "When you have Dutch ancestors you are one lucky person as many records have been put on websites that are available to all at no cost." Several of the descendants of Lenndert Marinus Otte (who had at least two sons migrate to America) have combed these databases and compiled the information.

If you have older relatives, start asking questions while they are still alive. Aunts, uncles, and cousins may have information available or even valuable clues to where information can be found. "Cousin" is a very loose term. I once met a relative who was entering his senior year of high school, just as I was. His great-grandmother was my grandmother's twin sister, so we weren't really cousins, but that is how we viewed each other. I have found a lot of pictures and information from these distant cousins.

Another way of finding relatives is through DNA testing. Today, it isn't very expensive (https://www.23andme.com/) and gives you valuable information about where your ancestors came from and who might be a cousin. When my son, Daryl, had his DNA tested, he received information that he might be related to three people: his first cousin, Kyle Olson, and two other people: Ginny Sanchez and Ed Otte. When he asked me about this, I told him that Ginny and Ed had done a lot of the research that I now have, and I actually had dinner once with Ed! Ginny now has a Facebook page, "Otte Family Tree (Ottes from Paterson, NJ USA)" that I just discovered. She has a lot of pictures that I will be placing in FamilySearch for others to enjoy.

Mayflower descendants

Another group that can help you with your family history is the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. One hundred two passengers crowded aboard the Mayflower for the crossing to America. According to a family line that I tied into, I am a direct descendant of Edward Doty.

 

There are many published genealogies on Family Search and Ancestry.com that you can tie into; the accuracy of these genealogies vary. Be sure that you find a genealogy with SOME sources, and verify that the sources aren't just referring to another person's family tree. 

Once I found a marriage record for Siemon Reynolds and Mary Snell in Plynouth, Massachussetts, in 1809, I knew I was on the right path.

My Mayflower connection is through the Field line. The Fields have been in America since it was America.

How can you find out what famous Americans you are related to? Go to https://www.relativefinder.org/ and sign in with your FamilySearch user name and password. It compares a list of famous people to your ancestors, and displays any connection that it finds. I am descended not only from Mayflower pilgrims, but also from Rebecca Blake, a woman who was convicted of witchcraft in Salem, Massachussetts.

Mormon Redress Petitions and Harvey Olmstead

A few days ago, I talked about my 4th-great-grandfather, Harvey Olmstead, who was an early member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joining the church sometime in the first few years of its organization in the 1830's, he suffered many of the persecutions of those early saints.

When Governor Boggs of Missouri issued the Extermination Order, allowing any Mormons in the state to be shot on sight, no questions asked, the Saints had just a few days to leave Missouri (and the United States). While Joseph Smith was imprisoned in Liberty, Missouri, he asked all of the 12.000 - 15,000 refuges to petition for redress. His instructions are recorded in the 126th section of the Doctrine & Covenants:

1. And again, we would suggest for your consideration the propriety of all the saints gathering up a knowledge of all the facts, and sufferings and abuses put upon them by the people of this State;
2. And also of all the property and amount of damages which they have sustained, both of character and personal injuries, as well as real property;
3.  And also the names of all persons that have had a hand in their oppressions, as far as they can get hold of them and find them out.
4. And perhaps a committee can be appointed to find out these things, and to take statements and affidavits; and also to gather up the libelous publications that are afloat;
5. And all that are in the magazines, and in the encyclopedias, and all the libelous histories that are published, and are writing, and by whom, and present the whole concatenation of diabolical rascality and nefarious and murderous impositions that have been practiced upon this people—
6. That we may not only publish to all the world, but present them to the heads of government in all their dark and hellish hue, as the last effort which is enjoined on us by our Heavenly Father, before we can fully and completely claim that promise which shall call him forth from his hiding place; and also that the whole nation may be left without excuse before he can send forth the power of his mighty arm.

About 800 people did this. Although no redress was ever given by the government, these petitions have been gathered and published in the book, Mormon Redress Petitions. Harvey has two petitions in this book.

The first was issued on May 13th 1839: (spelling is as in the original)

An account That I Hervy omsted have against the state of Missouri in Consequence of Mobocracy first the expences and time for moveing from Illinois to Jackson County State of Missouri: $50.00
For improvements in Jackson County Made on Congress Land: $25.00
Lost 2 hundred Bushels of Corn at 25 cent pr Bushel: $50.00
To fodder of 2 acres: $10.00
To Ten bushels of Potatoes at 25 cets pr Bushel: $2.50
To one Calf: $3.00
To 32 acres of Deeded Land at 5 Dollars pr acre: $160.00
To Expences of Crossing the River into Clay county: $2.50
To Time taken to hunt a house and fencing it and moveing into it in Clay County: $16.00
Expences of moveing from Clay to Ray County Mo: $3.50
Expences of moveing from Ray to Davis Co makeing 5 trips Takeing 20 days at 3 1/2 Dollars pr Day $70.00
To improvement & Claim on Congress land in Davis Co: $250.00
To Six hundred Bushels of Corn at 25 cents pr Bushel: $150.00
To 15 bushel of potatoes at 50 cents pr Bushel: $7.50
To 8 hundred Bundles of fodder at $1.25 cents per Hundred: $10.00
To seven Tons of hay at 3 Dollars pr ton: $21.00
To three Calves take from me out of the field worth: $11.00
Two ploughs taken out of the field worth: $12.00
one horse: $40.00
Eight head of hogs worth eight Dollars a piece: $64.00
thirteen shoats worth 2 Dollars a piece: $26.00
Building a house in Diahman worth: $30.00
2 axes 1 Bedsted grubbing hoe and three hoes worth: $9.00
2 Sheep worth 4 Dollars a piece: $8.00
Moveing from Davis to Caldwel County: $7.00
Expence of Building a house in Caldwell County: $20.00
Expence of Moveing from caldwel County to the state of Illinois and the time it took to move: $97.50
Subtotal: $1254.50
To 4 acres of wheat at 10 Dollars pr acre: $40.00
Total: $ 1,296.50

I Shall not attempt to put any amount on my sufferings as it is out of my power to Describe my feelings and I am inadequate to the task but will Just Relate that I was one with my family that was Drove from Jackson County in the time that the Mob Broke out against the people of god there and myself wife & Children were driven out in the Cold winter from out homes & possessions into Clay County where we had to hunt a Covering to keep us from the blasts of winter again we were Driven with out Children from Davis County out of the State of Missouri and in consequence of So long an exposure to the inclement weather it proved Almost to intolerable a burthen to be borne but after a long and serious fit of sickness in the State of Illinois She through the Mercy of god I hope will Recover but our sufferings we cannot Relate in full therefore I shall leave it with your honorable Body to Determene what I Should have or whether I Should have any thing or not. 

The second was an individual affidavit signed in 1840:

I doe here by testify that I emigrated to Jackson Co and State of Missouri in the year 1832 and in 1833 a mob arose and I saw them throw down a two story brick building ocupyed as a private dwelling below and a printing office above and they broke the press Scatterd the type and paper and they tared and fethered Bishop Patridge and they took me prisner and kept after this they met in council and resolved to put us out of the County (peaceably if we can, forceable if we must) they took one prisner and the next morning a company headed by a Baptist Priest came to my house and warnd me to leave the county which I we did.

whil in clay co we wan threatend if we did not leave there, and they agread to let us have Caldwell Co I moved from there to David Co in 1838 made a claim and intended to enter when it came in market but a mob arose and I was compeld to move to Adam Ondi Ahman and soon after my house was burnt my plows taken my stock distroyed soon after I was cald away on buisnes, and when I returned I found an armed soldiery encamped in the Town under the command of Gen. Wilson and non was allowd to pass out without a pass from him, and then they must be escorted out and ten days was given for all to move out of the county in and we was only permitted to stay till spring and then to leave the State at the perril of our lived which we did Signed this 4 day of Jan A D 1840.

What a wonderful addition to our family history! These two statements give us a lot of insight about the life and times of these saints. There is no record of the death of Harvey's wife, Hannah Mingus Olmstead, but she probably died somewhere in the Winter Quarters, Iowa area.

If you have surfed into my blog, and want to know if one of your ancestors are in the Mormon Redress Petitions book, leave a comment below with the name and I will look it up for you.

Back to the Fields

I have done some historical research on George Field, who was born in Pensacola, Florida in 1778 but moved at some point to New Brunswick, Canada. You may remember that the book "Pioneers of Aroostook Maine" said:

  The Field Family was one of the oldest in Aroostook, Me. George Field was born in Pensacola FL in 1778. His father died when he was young and after his mother remarried they moved to New Brunswick

Why would the family have moved all the way to New Brunswick? It probably had to do with the Spanish siege of Pensacola, which began on March 9 of 1781.

According to history.com:

After successfully capturing British positions in Louisiana and Mississippi, Spanish General Bernardo de Galvez, commander of the Spanish forces in North America, turns his attention to the British-occupied city of Pensacola, Florida, on this day in 1781. General Galvez and a Spanish naval force of more than 40 ships and 3,500 men landed at Santa Rosa Island and begin a two-month siege of British occupying forces that becomes known as the Battle of Pensacola... On the morning of May 8, 1781, the 18-year British occupation of Pensacola, Florida, ended with a British surrender. The British lost 105 men; the Spanish lost 78. An additional 198 Spaniards were wounded. Spain took 1,113 prisoners and sent 300 Britons to Georgia on the promise that they would not reenter the British military.

At the end of the Revolutionary war, the new Americans were upset  that Florida had not fought with them, so did not invite the state to join the new Union. Many loyal Britons (and probably the Field family) left the area for what is now Canada, a much more welcoming area for Loyalists. Florida did not become a territory of the United States until 1821.

We are getting pretty far back in history now. How can we push our lines back further? One help is the Daughters of the American Revolution. Founded on October 11, 1890, one of their purposes was to "perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence." Many women at that time undertook genealogy to prove that they were descendants of these valiant fighters. If we can link into one of their lines, we can push our genealogy back to the 1700's.

After doing a little more research, then going to the DAR Genealogical site, we find Zebedee Snell:

 

The red icon on his entry says that they have a list of his decendents, starting with:

 

My records show that Ruevilla Reynolds, the wife of George Oscar Field, is the granddaughter of Siemon Reynolds and Mary Snell. Someone has applied to DAR membership under the National Number 268145, along with supporting documentation. For a small fee, I can purchase copies of this documentation. If you find someone on the census that was old enough to fight for our freedom in the 1770's, check to see if their name is in the DAR database. Or, search for just the last name and see if you can find their father.

I have several Revolutionary War veterans in my line, which has helped me in my research.

Harvey Olmstead

The Olmstead family is a little more difficult to research because of the spelling of the last name. Many of the early Olmstead's were not literate, so we find the name spelled "Almstead", "Olmsted", "Omsted" and other variations.

Many critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons") say that the church hides its early history. That is not true -- we have preserved our history and find it easily available. Here are some recorded stories about Harvey Olmstead.

I can't find a picture of Harvey Olmstead, but do have a picture of his grandson, Harvey Olmstead Heath. Harvey's daughter, Abigail, was the only one of his children to go to Utah.

For more on Abigail, and the story of how Abigail came to Utah, visit the Popp Family History page and search for "Olmstead."

Childhood

As a young boy, he was held prisoner by the British Army:

 In a history about Abigail Olmstead Holden, which was written by her grand-daughter, Harriet Heath Gates, she wrote:
“Abigail Olmstead was born in Ohio, near Lake Erie, February 25, 1818.  She was a daughter of Harvey and Margaret Olmstead, the same Harvey Olmstead that was captured by the British Army during the Revolutionary War, and held prisoner for 7 years, after which he escaped.”

Another version by Teri Popp: 
"It is told he and another boy, just meer boys, were taken prisoners, the British were afraid they would carry news back to the army, so they kept them a long time and then they escaped."

Baptism for the dead

He is recorded as being the first person in this dispensation to be a proxy for the baptism for the dead:

Source: Reminiscent account of Simon Baker, Journal History, LDS Archives Baptism for the Dead Introduced I was present at a discourse that the prophet Joseph delivered on baptism for the dead 15 August 1840.1 He read the greater part of the 15th chapter of Corinthians and remarked that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brought glad tidings of great joy, and then remarked that he saw a widow in that congregation that had a son who died without being baptized, and this widow in reading the sayings of Jesus "except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven," and that not one jot nor tittle of the Savior's words should pass away, but all should be fulfilled. He then said that this widow should have glad tidings in that thing. He also Said the apostle was talking to a people who understood baptism for the dead, for it was practiced among them. He went on to say that people could now act for their friends who had departed this life, and that the plan of salvation was calculated to save all who were willing to obey the requirements of the law of God. He went on and made a very beautiful discourse. Notes 1. The occasion of this discourse was the funeral of Seymour Brunson, a prominent member of the Church in Nauvoo. The introduction of the doctrine of ordinance work for the dead changed the face of Mormonism and while it was slow in building, became the foundation of one of the major efforts of the Church. It is possible that Joseph Smith was preparing the ground for this in his sermon of 8Apr40. Joseph Smith announced that a temple should be built in the following conference of the Church (see 3Oct40(2)). After the temple announcement, the following day he preached again on the subject of baptism for the dead (see 4Oct40). Two women who were present at the discourse left statements at the "History Office, Great Salt Lake City, Nov. 29th, one-half past 10 o'clock a.m." Jane Neymon states that Joseph preached Seymour Brunson's funeral sermon and then first introduced the subject of baptism of the dead, and said to the people, "I have laid the subject of baptism for the dead before you. You may receive or reject it as you choose," Sept. 13th (Aug. 15th) she then went and was baptized for her son Cyrus Livingston Neymon by Harvey Olmstead. Joseph on hearing of it at table in the evening, asked what he said, on his telling what the ceremony was it proved that father Olmstead had it right Vienna Jaques witnessed the same by riding into the river on horseback to get close so as to hear what the ceremony would be. [Statement in "Addresses" Joseph Smith Collection, Box 4 folder 4, LDS Archives.] (Harvey Olmstead was a neighbor to Joseph Smith, and is mentioned in the information above.)

Mormon Redress Petition

Harvey also recorded his testimony in a Mormon Redress Petition. I read it many years ago, and have recently ordered a copy of an out-of-print book which contains these petitions. When I receive the book, I will post his testimony on this blog.

What is a Redress Petition? The story begins in on October 27, 1838 when Governor Lilburn Boggs issued Missouri Executive Order 44, also known as the Extermination Order. The order was issued in the aftermath of the Battle of Crooked River, a clash between Latter Day Saints and a unit of the Missouri State Guard in northern Ray County, Missouri, during the 1838 Mormon War. Claiming that Latter Day Saints had committed open and avowed defiance of the law and had made war upon the people of Missouri, Governor Boggs directed that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace—their outrages are beyond all description". The militia and other state authorities—General John B. Clark, among them—used the executive order to expel the Latter Day Saints from their lands in the state following their capitulation, which in turn led the Latter Day Saint migrate to Illinois.

Brigham Young asked all of the people who lost property to petition the federal government for redress. Nothing ever came of these petitions, but they were gathered and published in October of 1992. 

James Henry Olmstead

My great-great grandfather was James Henry Olmstead. How can I find more information about him than what we already did?

Have I already said how much I love findagrave.com? So many people have contributed to this site. I found a story about James Olmstead on his findagrave page:

James H. Olmstead, a substantial farmer residing in section 19, Taylor Township, came to Harrison County, in the spring of 1872, and settled in Clay Township, where he rented farm until the autumn of 1873, then he bought eighty acres of land in Clay Township, which he tilled for three years, then sold and rented in Cincinnati Township until the spring of 1881, at which date he removed to Butler County, Kan., bought a farm and remained until August of that year. He then sold and returned to Harrison County, Iowa, and lived on a rented farm until the spring of 1887. At this date he went to No-Man's-Land, south of Kansas, but only remained two months, when he retraced his steps to Harrison County, again he rented land that year, and the following spring bought the farm he now occupies.

Mr. Olmstead was born in Wisconsin, August 16, 1849. He is the son of Joshua and Mary (Walker) Olmstead, the father being a native of Illinois, while the mother was born in Indiana. The father was a miller by trade. In 1850 our subject with his parents removed to Allamakee County, Iowa, and in 1856 to Dodge County, Minn. At that date Minnesota had not yet been admitted into the Union, and there were but three families living in Dodge County. They remained there until the spring of 1866, when they started over land for California going by the way of the Neosha Valley, Kans., and being so captivated with that section of the West, our subject's father bought land in Lyons County, Kan., and died in Butler County, Kan., in 1875. Our subject remained at home with is parents until twenty-one years of age, and then took a homestead in Butler County, Kan., remaining there until the spring of 1872, when he came to Harrison County, Iowa.

He was married in Lyons County, Kan., in 1869, to Miss Ellen Wilson, by whom two sons have been born, William and Robert. Ellen (Wilson) Olmstead, died in Butler County, Kan., and for his second wife our subject married Miss Ella M. Parker, the daughter of David and Emily (Stark) Parker. The date of our subject's marriage was August 1, 1874, they being united in Harrison County, Iowa. By this marriage six children have been born – Minnie M., Harvey, Emma A. (deceased), Oran F., Herman L. and Erle A.

Ella M. (Parker) Olmstead, was born in Ohio, October 2, 1853. Her father was born in Canada, her mother in New York State. They removed to Harrison County, Iowa, in June 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Olmstead are members of the Christian Church, and politically he affiliates with the Republican party.
 

Until I found this, I had no idea that he was married before being married to Ella Parker. My grandmother talked about "the uncles" who watched over her, but never knew that these uncles may have included William and Robert. More research to do...

If you think your family history is complete ("My <mother|aunt|great-uncle> has done it for years") you are probably wrong. I have been doing family history for 45 years or so, but still make new findings frequently.

What do we know about his father, Joshua? His findagrave link doesn't tell us a lot. His gravestone doesn't tell us much, either:

We do find him in the 1870 Census in Kansas, along with his children who were still living at home:

A little searching on familysearch.com shows us Joshua and Mary's marriage record:

What is so special about this marriage date and place? They were married in Nauvoo, Illinois! From this, we find that Joshua and Mary were early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It will take some more work to find mention of Joshua and Mary in Nauvoo, but we do know that Joshua's father, Harvey Olmstead, was called by Joseph Smith to be a high councilor in the Adam-Omni-Ahman Stake:

Linking into an early Mormon line is going to make things easier -- many of these people did their genealogy and recorded their lines, thus giving us a head start on things. The Olmstead line has been traced back to the 1300's.

Next -- Harvey Olmstead and his ancestors.