Chasing the Elusive: Lewis Sheets

I am really working on another one of my illustrious ancestors, Jacob Sheets (which is taking awhile, hence lack of blog posts lately - I am also working on another project as well research wise, so my time is divided).  But in doing research on him, I have been thoroughly researching each of his children as best as I can, and came across a dead end in a few of his children, most noticeably Lewis F. Sheets.

Let's start at the beginning:

Lewis F. Sheets was born 9 Sept 1833 in Philadelphia, according to an affidavit his elder brother swore to.  He was the youngest child of Jacob Sheets (also Sheats), a Philadelphia boat builder, and his second wife Mary (likely with the surname Kelty).  Lewis was just fourteen years old when his father died in 1847, and his guardianship was awarded to one Samuel Kelty, who may have been a brother to Lewis' mother.

Note here: There are many variations in spellings for his names. Most notably on his first name it appeared throughout his life that he used Lewis and Louis interchangeably.  His last name was spelled a variety of phonetically correct ways.  Since spelling of names was not standardized in the time he lived, it can arguably be stated that any of the spellings is the correct one.

There is a great deal of family lore surround Lewis' father, which I will eventually get to when I finally write Jacob Sheat' blog post, but there is one major tale of lore that affects Lewis that I can share now.  it is said that Jacob Sheats was a gambling man and went so deep into debt that the youngest four children were farmed out to others for care since he could not afford to take care of them.  While I have not been able to find documents to support this family story entirely, I do know that one Catherine Field did raise Lewis' older sister Helen for a bit, which lends some credence to the story.

I have not been able to find him on the 1850 census.  His elder brothers (Joseph B. and Jacob S.) were enumerated in Upper Alloways Creek, Salem County, New Jersey and Northern Liberties, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania respectively.  His two surviving sisters (Deborah C. Sheets Whiteside and Helen M.D. Sheets) were both in Philadelphia County on the census, in Northern Liberties and Passyunk respectively.  It is not known who Lewis lived with though, and if he was enumerated with his own name or the name of the family he lived with.  It is something I keep searching for.

Around 1858, he married Evalene Hocker, who was born about 1837 to Charles and Mary Hocker.  The couple made their home in Philadelphia's 11th Ward near Pier 31, living at 155 Dana Street for much of

their married lives.  It was in this area that the couple had ten children; George, Mary H., Abraham Lincoln (who died young), a stillborn daughter, Charles Barnecoat, Edward M. (who also died young), Richard E., Jacob M., Francis and Emma H.

As a young man, Lewis worked briefly as a policeman, but spent more of his adult life as a stove moulder and then as an inspector at 20 South Seventh.  Newspaper articles form the time indicate the address was the Philadelphia City Gas Works,and an article regarding the company in April 1884 referred to one"Inspector Sheetz" giving a meter reading that was in excess.  The company for which he worked is still in existence today, and is still city run.

In 1886, he purchased a grave loot deed number 9160 at Odd Fellow Cemetery in Philadelphia.  His son Edward was removed to this plot, as he had died 21 October 1870.  Also noted as being removed to the plot were children Jacob and Lewis Miller, who were Lewis' young nephews via his sister Helen.

In September 1896, son Charles was involved in a fight just outside the Eleventh Ward Republican Club which resulted in a man's death.  He, along with two others, were charged with the death of Francis X. "Frank" Hollweck, but at the Court of Oyer and Terminer on 19 January 1897 the three men were found not guilty.

1901 was the last city directory in which Lewis Sheets was listed in Philadelphia, still living at 155 Dana (which was 155 Nectarine at this point, having had a street name change around 1897/1898), but working as a "collector."  The neighborhood in which the Sheets lived in was left to the wreckers sometime before 1923, and is now part of Interstate 95.

It appears that sometime after this point, Lewis and Evalene made the move to Cape May County, New Jersey, where they lived with daughter Mary and her husband Francis Hoffman.  On 8 August 1904, Evalene died in Rio Grande, a census designated area in Cape May County.  Her body was brought back to Philadelphia, where it was interred in the family plot at Odd Fellow Cemetery after a funeral at son Jacob's home at 143 Nectarine. (Daughter Emma was buried in the same plot just three years prior, having died from pyaemia following mastitis at the age of 20).

Lewis continued to live with his daughter and son-in-law after Evalene's death, having been enumerated with them in both the 1905 New Jersey State Census and the 1910 Federal Census.  

Here is where he gets elusive.......  He completely disappears off the radar after the 1910 Federal Census.  Mary and Francis Hoffman are enumerated without any mention of him in the 1915 New Jersey State Census, and since death record indices for New Jersey from that time period have been "lost", finding any record of his death remains elusive.  He was NOT buried in the Odd Fellow Cemetery plot with his wife per the cemetery records available, nor have searches of available online newspapers at my disposal (on Newspapers.com or Genealogy Bank) revealed a death notice.

So the search continues, and until then, he will remain an "elusive" to chase.....

Sources Used

"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 May 2020), Entry for Louis Sheetz and family, Year: 1870, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 10 District 32 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1395, Page: 563B, and Family History Library Film: 552894; citing 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

"1900 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 May 2020), Entry for Louis Sheet and household, Year: 1900, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 11 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Page: 2, Enumeration District: 0196, and FHL microfilm: 1241456; citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

"1910 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 May 2020), Entry for Francis Hoffman and family, Year: 1910, Census Place: Middle Cape May, New Jersey, Roll: T624_870, Page: 2A, Enumeration District: 0092, and FHL microfilm: 1374883; citing Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Affidavit of Joseph B. Sheets regarding descendants of Jacob Sheets, sworn 6 Feb 1852 in front of Robert Guestner, Justice of the Peace for Salem County, New Jersey, in Bounty Land Warrant Application number 91618-40-50, Service of Jacob Sheats (Capt. Henry Freas' Co., NJ Militia, War of 1812); Photocopy of affidavit provided by Robert Young in 2004 to Kelley Wood-Davis; citing War of 1812 Pension and Bounty land Warrant Applications, Record Group 15, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.

Affidavit of Samuel Kelty, guardian for Lewis F. Sheets (minor) affirmed 6 Feb 1852 in front of Robert Guestner, Justice of the Peace for Salem County, New Jersey, in Bounty Land Warrant Application number 91618-40-50, Service of Jacob Sheats (Capt. Henry Freas' Co., NJ Militia, War of 1812); Photocopy of affidavit provided by Robert Young in 2004 to Kelley Wood-Davis.

Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "1880 United States Federal Census," database online with images, Ancestry.com Operation, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 May 2020), Entry for Lewis Scheetz and family, Year: 1880, Census Place: Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1172, Page: 453B, and Enumeration District: 190; citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C

"City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania," online database with images, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 18 May 2020), various years and entries recorded; contact blogger for more details.

"Death Follows a Blow," The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 25 September 1896, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 September 2020).

"Died," death notice, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 4 April 1901, page 14; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 20 May 2020). entry for Emma Sheets Brady.

"Died," death notice, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 10 August 1904, page 7; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 18 May 2020). entry for Evalene Sheets.

"Died," death notice, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 8 February 1907, page 7; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 18 May 2020). Entry for Jacob M. Sheets.

"Gas Trust Committees," The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 24 April 1884, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 June 2020).

"Held for Trial," The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 27 September 1896, page 17; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 June 2020).

"New Jersey State Census, 1905," database online with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 20 May 2020), Entry for Louis F Sheets in household of Frances Hoffman, , Cape May, New Jersey, United States; p. 14, line 17; FHL microfilm 1,688,593; citing Department of State, Trenton.

"Notes of the Court," The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 20 January 1897, page 12; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 June 2020).

"Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-1999," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 May 2020), PA-Philadelphia> Philadelphia> Not Stated> Odd Fellows Cemetery, 22nd and Diamond Streets > Image 1100 of 1345, entry for Lewis Sheets, deed 9160, dated 1 June 1886; citing Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Births, 1860-1906," online database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 May 2020), Entry for Abrm. Lincoln Scheets, 18 July 1862; bk 4 p 144; FHL microfilm number 1289307; citing Board of Health. Department of Records.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Births, 1860-1906," online database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 May 2020), Entry for Chas. Barnecoat Sheets, 16 Oct 1865; bk 1865 p 275; FHL microfilm number 1289310.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Births, 1860-1906," online database, FamilySearch, Entry for Edward Sheitz, 12 Nov 1868; bk 1868 p 303; FHL microfilm number 1289312.

"Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950," database online, FamilySearch, Entry for Francis Sheets, born 19 Jan 1877; FHL microfilm number 2195605.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Births, 1860-1906," online database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 May 2020), Entry for Richard E. Sheetz, 21 Mar 1871;bk 1871 p 41; FHL microfilm number 1289313.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 February 2020), Entry for Edward M. Sheets, 19 Feb 1870; FHL microfilm 1,994,724; citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 February 2020), Entry for Jacob M. Sheets, 06 Feb 1907, FHL microfilm 1,319,490.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch, Entry for Sheets, 01 Mar 1864; FHL microfilm 1,986,424.

Petition to the Honorable L. Piraldo, Commissioner of the Pension Office for issue of bounty warrant to guardian of Lewis F.Sheets by W. L, Allans, dated 27 August 1853, in Bounty Land Warrant Application number 91618-40-50, Service of Jacob Sheats (Capt. Henry Freas'Co., NJ Militia, War of 1812); Photocopy of affidavit provided by Robert Young in 2004 to Kelley Wood-Davis.

Petition to the Pension Office regarding eligibility of claim of Helen F. Sheets as a minor child of Jacob Sheets, deceased filed by W. L. Weaver, esq. of Salem, New Jersey 5 June 1852, in Bounty Land Warrant Application number 91618-40-50, Service of Jacob Sheats (Capt. Henry Freas'Co., NJ Militia, War of 1812); Photocopy of affidavit provided by Robert Young in 2004 to Kelley Wood-Davis.

Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network Interactive Maps Viewer (http://www.philageohistory.org/tiles/viewer/ : accessed 5 June 2020), viewed the area around 155 Dana on several maps, including present time map.

Taylor, Frank H. "In Nectarine Street," digital image, Library Company of Philadelphia (https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/digitool%3A67899: accessed 22 May 2020), Information on Dana Street, where Lewis Sheets lived; citing Frank H. Taylor Collection.