I received George Studier’s German birth record from a researcher who voluntarily found it for me. She contacted me through Ancestry.com with the record, and I greatly appreciate her research. The birth record confirmed what I already suspected: Wilhelm Studier was not George’s biological father. While I can’t give a full transcription of the birth…
Category: official records
Jo Daviess County, Illinois Will Records, 1829-1926
I recently discovered at FamilySearch.org the Will Records for Jo Daviess County, Illinois, 1829-1926. It’s part of the Illinois, Probate Records, 1819-1970, collection. I started going through the books individually looking for relatives’ wills. I’ve found about 20, but searching is a pain since the wills haven’t been indexed. Fortunately, all but one of the…
Marriage: Frank Joseph Uhlrich and Theresa Heid
Here is the marriage license of Theresa Heid and Frank Joseph Uhlrich, my ggg-grandparents. When I was out in California this past August, I took a photograph of a marriage certificate copy that my fourth cousin Mary showed me. Theresa and Frank married in Rock Island, Illinois, on November 25, 1858. Theresa was born in…
Property: Isaac Halsey purchases 240 acres, 1844, Williams Co, Ohio
Isaac Halsey, father of Lucretia (Halsey) Lightcap, purchased 240 acres on September 10, 1844, in Williams County, Ohio. Document Type: State Volume Patent. Document #11689. The East half of the South East quarter and the North West quarter of the South East quarter and the East half of the South West quarter and the North…
Marriage: Ernest Edward Lightcap and Blanche Payne
My great-grandfather Ernest Edward Lightcap married his first wife, Blanche Payne, in St. Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan. They married on January 2, 1900. He was 21; she was 20. She died of Bright’s disease on December 29, 1903. Transcription of marriage record: Groom: Name: Ernest Lightcap Age: 21 years Color: White Residence: Indiana Birthplace: Indiana…
Property: Isaac Halsey purchases 80 acres, 1822, Dist. of Delaware, Ohio
Isaac Halsey, father of Lucretia (Halsey) Lightcap, purchased 80 acres in the District of Delaware, Ohio, April 1, 1822. Document Type: State Volume Patent. Document #897. The East half of the South West quarter of section Twenty eight, in township one north of the baseline of Range fifteen, in the district of Delaware and State…
Marriage: Carl Alfred Christensen and Edna Mae Lightcap
Edna Mae Lightcap married Carl Alfred Christensen on May 18, 1928, in Dewey County, South Dakota. Edna was born on August 5, 1910, in North Judson, Indiana, to Benjamin and Hulda (Haryu/Haryre) Lightcap. Edna’s father was the brother of my great-grandfather, Ernest Edward Lightcap.
Marriage: Eleanor (Lightcap) Jones and John Lawrence
Eleanor “Ellen” (Lightcap) Jones was the sister of my 3rd great-grandfather, Levi Lightcap. Her first husband was Samuel Jones who died in 1838. They had a son, William Jones, who was killed in action at the Battle of Stone River, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Civil War. Ellen remarried on December 30, 1841,…
Marriage: Albert Lightcap and Lucy Waggoner
Albert Lightcap married Lucy Waggoner on August 15, 1866, in Putnam County, Ohio. Albert’s parents were Robert and Lucretia (Halsey) Lightcap. Robert’s brother was my ggg-grandfather Levi. Albert and Lucy had six children, five girls and one boy: Mary Evaline, Alberta, Charlotte, Harriet and Louis James.
Marriage: Amelia Strelesky and James Arthur Moore
Amelia “Millie” Strelesky was a younger sister to my great-grandfather, John Joseph “Jack” Strelesky. Millie was born July 1883 in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. She was the fifth of eight children born to Frank and Fannie (Hainey) Strelesky. Millie married James Arthur Moore on May 21, 1907, at Superior, Douglas Co, Wisconsin. They had two children:…
Marriage: James Sanford Lightcap and Sarah Swartz
James Sanford Lightcap married Sarah Swartz on December 31, 1864 in Fulton County, Ohio. James’ parents were Robert and Lucretia (Halsey) Lightcap. Robert’s brother was my ggg-grandfather Levi. James and Sarah divorced in 1871; their daughter Adeline was raised by Lucretia.
Daniel Firestone Will
Daniel Firestone was my 5th great-grandfather. He was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Johannes Feuerstein and Augusta Justina Maria Hildebrand. He married Anne “Nancy” Lang in Cocalico Twp, Pennsylvania, on August 5 1783; Rev. John Waldschmidt officiated. Daniel and Nancy had four children: Samuel, George Washington, Rebecca, and Sarah “Sally”. Rebecca married Christian Smith. …
Marriages of Hattie Brooks
Hattie Brooks was the daughter of Samuel and Mary Jane (Lightcap) Brooks. Mary Jane was the sister of my ggg-grandfather, Levi. Hattie married her first husband, Anson Miley, on Christmas Day 1872 when she was 16 years old. He was 33. Their son, Drayton Luther Anson Miley, was born January 1874. Anson died in October…
Marriage Record: Levi Lightcap and Mary Smith
Levi Lightcap and Mary Smith are my ggg-grandparents. They married in Seneca County, Ohio, on January 26, 1942. Levi’s parents are John and Mary Lightcap. Mary’s parents are Christian and Rebecca (Firestone) Smith. Transcription of marriage: Levi Lightcap and Mary Smith license to marry January 24 1842. [unreadable] The State of Ohio Seneca County –…
Marriage: Percival Davis and Viola Bausman
My great-grandparents Percival Davis and Viola Bausman married on July 17, 1913, in Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois. The certified record of marriage is from 1959. Transcription of marriage certificate: State of Illinois, Stephenson County Certificate of Marriage I, Kenneth G. Schultz, Clerk of the County Court of said County, hereby certify that Mr. Percival L….
Marriage: Lucretia Lightcap and Henry Beck
I’ve been researching Lucretia (Halsey) Lightcap for awhile, and it’s so difficult to find information outside of U.S. Federal Census information about her. Her first husband Robert was the brother of my ggg-grandfather, Levi Lightcap. Robert died when he was about 32 years old leaving Lucretia a young widow with two small boys. I was…
Marriage: John Joseph Strelesky and Ernestine Bertha Sanders
My great-grandparents, John Joseph Strelesky and Ernestine Bertha Sanders, were married September 19, 1906, by a Catholic priest in Dubuque, Iowa. They had four children: Herb, Alice, Eunice and Marjorie. In 1920, Ernestine and her unborn child died of influenza in Sheridan, Wyoming, during the Spanish Flu pandemic.
Chancery Record: Christian Smith granted land for service in War of 1812
As reward for his service in the War of 1812, my gggg-grandfather Christian Smith was granted land by the U.S. government. Christian Smith was drafted into Captain Jacob Catterlin’s 2nd Regiment Ohio militia in Fairfield County, Ohio. He served from September 1, 1813, until March 1, 1814. Military Warrant No. 3833 for 80 acres issued…
Chancery Record: Nathaniel Lynch deed to John Lightcap
I’ve decided that I’m going to start posting chancery records. They are invaluable sources of information. My mother is the queen of finding land records, so all thanks should be directed to her. This is the chancery record that Nathaniel Lynch deeded to John Lightcap, “the East half of the North Part quarter of Section…
Marriage: Rose Streletzky and Joseph Christoph Weber
Tracking down the siblings of my great-grandfather, John Joseph Strelesky, has been challenging. Fortunately, there aren’t too many people with this last name, so when I find it, I can usually determine pretty quickly whether or not they are related. One night I was using FamilySearch.org and found the marriage certificate of Rose Streletzky and…
Forgotten History 