The Tragic Story of Jonas Hager

I once joked to my mother that her great grandfathers didn't fare so well.  After all, Florian Waldspurger was decapitated in the Hatfield Train Wreck in 1900.  William James Cox died as the result of a hunting accident years after leaving his first wife, Anna Sperry Cox.  William John Vautier lost the use of one arm after taking a bullet in the Civil War.  And then, there is Jonas Hager, who died tragically.  But let's start at the beginning.

Jonas Hager was born 20 January 1866 in Finland Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania as the eldest son of Jonas Hager and Elizabeth Heffentrager.  His parents had both been married before they wed in September of 1865, just four months before Jonas' birth, and both had been left as widowers with children.  The marriage could have been one of convenience, with a pastor's blessing later (as pastors were hard to come by in the then rural area in which they lived).  Whatever the case, there is a great deal of history on both of his parents, but since they are not the focus of this piece, I will save it for some other time.

When Jonas was just fifteen years of age, his father died.  There is some evidence that Jonas Hager Senior was also maimed or crippled, so one can imagine the kind of strain that put on the young lad, as he likely had to work from an early age to help support the family.

At the age of eighteen, Jonas married Christianna Huber, who was three months his senior, in Bucks County.  The couple was wed 8 March 1884 at the Ridge Valley Reformed Church in West Rockhill Township by the Reverend Simon Gross.  Christianna was the sixth child born to German immigrants Johann Georg "George" Huber and Christina Barbara Esser.  Christianna also had to work from a young age, as she worked as a servant for more prominent families in Bucks County.

The couple's first child, Bertha, was born 1June 1884 in Finland Township.  Jonas worked as a blue collar laborer and a moulder, and the family seemed to move around a bit, living in a series of rented homes.  By 1893 when they were living on Green Street in Lansdale, they had three more children, George Alfred (born 7 September 1886), Elizabeth (born sometime in August 1888) and Robert Franklin Hager (born 14 April 1891).  Son Elmer H. was born in the home on Green Street on 26 August 1893.

On the 1900 census, the family was living in a rented home in Hatfield Township, where daughter Jennie Elnora was born just three days before the family was enumerated on the 1900 Census.  An interesting clue from this census enumeration indicates that the couple had a child born between Elmer's birth in 1893 and Jennie's birth in 1900, but that the child had passed away.  Research done so far has not uncovered this unknown child, but I continue to look.

The couple went on to have two more sons.  Webster Linwood was born 5 October 1902 in Lansdale, as was the couple's last son, Jonas Leon Hager, who was born on 12 May 1905, just one year before the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania made birth certificates a mandatory state level registration.

Jonas was an avid outdoorsman, and loved to fish.  He likely supplemented the family's meals with his smaller catches, though he probably kept some trophies as well.  1908 seemed to be no different a year.

On the 15th of June, Jonas Hager skipped work at the plant of Norristown Plumbing Supply Company to go fishing with his three buddies, Paul Henning, Alfred Bateman, and John Jerschen.  It was a slow day, and they wanted to catch some fish, as bass season had just opened up.  After some time of the fish not biting, Jonas got bored.

While his friends made for the shore, Jonas apparently decided to go for a swim, despite his friends' protest that the water was too cold.  He rowed the boat he was using to Barbados Island, just south of Norristown on the Schuylkill River.  He disrobed and jumped into the river for a swim.  However, he only swam for a bit before struggling in the water and going under, drowning in the process.

His three friends panicked when he went under, and instead of helping their friend (one account says they looked for him and could not find him), they fled the scene, reporting his drowning to the police at Norristown City Hall.  The three were arrested, but were later released when it was discovered that the drowning was accidental and not intentional.

Jonas' body was recovered several hours after the incident, and the death certificate was signed by the coroner, Joseph King.  Several newspapers reported on his death, though his age and even his name vary in the accounts.

The Lansdale Reporter summed up best the family's shock:

"The drowned man was 42 years of age and leaves a widow and eight children, three of who are married. The wife and five younger children are heart-broken over the loss of their main support at their humble St. Elmo Street home. The family were preparing to move to Norristown next week, where Mr. Hager had recently secured steady work." (18 June 1908, Page 3)

Jonas was buried five days after his death in Division A, Section D, Lot 16, Grave 1 of Lansdale Cemetery in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.  The undertaker in charge of the services was D. Y. Monday of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Jonas Hager's headstone at Lansdale Cemetery.  Photograph taken August 2017 by the blogger.

Christianna, devastated by the loss of her husband, had to work a series of jobs to make ends meet.  She worked as a housekeeper, a laundress , and cleaned houses to support her children, as Jonas Leon was only three when his father died.  The family moved around, renting rooms and houses as they were able.  By 1930, Christianna did own a home in Lansdale at 623 Cannon Street, which had a radio set according to the 1930 census enumeration.  It was at this home that she died on 2 November 1936 at the age of seventy-one from complications of diabetes.  She was buried five days later next to her husband at Lansdale Cemetery.

Christianna Huber Hager's hedstone at Lansdale Cemetery.  Photograph taken August 2017 by the blogger.

Sources Used:

"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 April 2017), Entry for Jonas Hager and family, Year: 1870, Census Place: Marlborough Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1377, Page: 597B, Image: 422119, and Family History Library Film: 552876; 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 3 January 2017), Entry for Jonas Hager and family, Year: 1900, Census Place: Hatfield Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1442, Page: 2B, Enumeration District: 0204, and FHL microfilm: 1241442; 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 4 January 2017), Entry for Christiana Hager and family, Year: 1910, Census Place: Hatfield Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: T624_1377, Page: 17A, Enumeration District: 0082, and FHL microfilm: 1375390; 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.

"1920 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 April 2017), Entry for Christiana Hager and household, Year: 1920, Census Place: Lansdale East Ward Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: T625_1605, Page: 14A, Enumeration District: 102, and Image: 236; citing Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1930 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 April 2017), Entry for Jonas Hager and family, Year: 1930, Census Place: Lansdale Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: 2082, Page: 30B, Enumeration District: 0053, Image: 87.0, and FHL microfilm: 2341816; citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

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 29 April 2017), Entry for Jonas Hager and family, Year: 1880, Census Place: Marlborough Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1158, Family History Film: 1255158, Pages: 316 C and 316D, Enumeration District: 016, and Image:s 0258 and 0259; 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.

"Bass Fisherman Drowns," The Allentown Democrat (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 18 June 1908, Page 3; online archives, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 20 April 2017).

"Directory of Montgomery County, Penna. 1900-1902," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 May 2017), page 313. "Hager Jonas, Lab, Lansdale"; citing Directory of Montgomery County, Penna. 1900-1902 : containing residence and business directories of all the boroughs, also a list of residents with post office addresses in each township, as shown by the latest assessors' returns. Philadelphia: Journal of Commerce Pub. Co., 1900.

"Drowned While In Swimming," Harrisburg Daily Independent (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), 16 June 1908, page 4; online archives, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 20 April 2017).

Elmer H Hager and Lillie B Grebe, (29 August 1914), Application for Marriage License and Certificate of Marriage: page 269, cn 25117; Montgomery County Archival Records Department, Norristown, Pennsylvania. listed as father, deceased, occupation moulder, born in Finland Township.

Find A Grave, online database (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 23 April 2017), memorial page for Christianna Huber Hager, Find A Grave Memorial # 38455107, citing Lansdale Cemetery (Lansdale, Pennsylvania), memorial created by LWD, maintained by Marti Drumheller, photograph by Anonymous.

Find A Grave, online database (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 20 April 2017), memorial page for Jonas Hager, Find A Grave Memorial # 38455113, citing Lansdale Cemetery (Lansdale, Pennsylvania), memorial created by LWD, maintained by Marti Drumheller, photograph by Anonymous.

Jesse Meyer Cox and Jennie Elnora Hager, (23 March 1918), Application for Marriage License and Certificate of Marriage: file number 30133; Montgomery County Archival Records Department, Norristown, Pennsylvania.

"Lansdale Man Drowned," The Lansdale Reporter (Lansdale, Pennsylvania), 18 June 1908, page 3. 

"Lansdale Woman Dies," death notice, The Lansdale Reporter (Lansdale, Pennsylvania), 3 November 1936, page number not recorded. Transcription found on the Find A Grave memorial for Christianna Huber Hager (memorial number 38455107).

"Lansdaler Drowned," The Ambler Gazette (Ambler, Pennsylvania), 18 June 1908, page 4; online images, POWER Library: PA Photos and Documents (http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/ : accessed 20 April 2017), Wissahickon Valley Public Library's Ambler Gazette Collection. incorrectly listed as James rather than Jonas.

"Oral interview with Dorothy (Cox) Ritter," 1999-2000 by great-niece Kelley Wood (Fullerton, California), owned by Kelley Wood-Davis, Norwalk, Iowa, no notes taken; oral information on family history.

Orphan's Court, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Register of Births 1893-1900, Book 1893-1997, page 198; Entry for Elmer Hager; FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TN-K96Z-Q?mode=g&i=115&cat=321969: accessed 4 January 2017); image 116; FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah; FHL microfilm 925501.

Orphan's Court, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Register of Births 1893-1900, Book 1897-1900, page 120; Entry for Jennie Elnora Hager; FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TN-K9D4-D?mode=g: accessed 26 Dec 2016); image 446; FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah; FHL microfilm 925501.

"Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985," online database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 April 2017), Entry for Jonas Hager and Christianna Heuber, marriage 8 Mar 1884, Ridge Valley Reformed Church, West Rockhill, Bucks, Pennsylvania; referencing the Private Records of Simon K. Gross, Christ Reformed Church at Indian Creek, Ridge Valley, Bucks County. Rearranged and typed by Raymond Hollenbach of Royersford, June 1972. Page 38; Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Collection Name: Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 797; citing Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985," online database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 April 2017), Entry for Jonas Hager and Christianna Huber, marriage 8 Mar 1884, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, The Reverend Simon K Gross Pastoral Records; Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Collection Name: Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 797; citing Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 April 2017), Entry for Christiana Huber Hager, died 2 Nov 1936, cn 104909; Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania, USA; Certificate Number Range: 102501-105500; citing Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 April 2017), Entry for Jonas Hager, died 15 June 1908, cn 54955, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania, USA; Certificate Number Range: 052001-055800; citing Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Roy Krupp and Bertha A Hager, (10 August 1901), Application for Marriage License and Certificate of Marriage: Page 360, ln 11419; Montgomery County Archival Records Department, Norristown, Pennsylvania. listed as father (also had to give consent, as Bertha was only 17)

Chasing the Elusive: The Mysterious Disappearance of Burris Doudney Wood I

This is a "Chasing the Elusive" in that I don't know what happened to my third-great-grandfather, but it is also a story that has been passed down through the family.

This blog post is on the first Burris Doudney Wood in the family.  He named a son Burris Doudney, and he also had a nephew named for him.... the nephew became the famous steamboat captain Burris D. Wood who died in 1902.  Burris' son, Burris Doudney Jr. also disappeared mysteriously and is a "Chasing the Elusive" in his own right.

Anyway, I should start at the beginning.

Burris Doudney Wood was the ninth child and second son born to Abinah Belford Wood and Susannah Humphreys, and their last child to be born in New Jersey.  He was born 9 November 1815, probably in Cumberland County, as Abinah did own land in Greenwich Township there, but it is not known for sure.  What is known is Burris made his way to Franklin, Fayette County, Pennsylvania with the family, and was enumerated on a federal census there in 1820 as the free white son under the age of ten in the household of "Biney Woods."

By 1830, the family was living in Saint Clair Township, just south of Pittsburgh, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  Burris was again enumerated in the household of Abinah Wood (Ancestry has him listed as Anich) as one of two males aged 10-14 in the household.  (Burris' brother David was listed as the other one).

*Side note here - until 1850, the only people listed on the Census Enumerations were the heads of the households.... everyone else was tallied as a person living in the household, so it makes for interesting research sometimes.*

Burris married Miss Julia Blackford (or Blachford) on 1 May 1838 likely in Allegheny County, as he was living there, but the couple could have been in the neighboring Washington County, where Julia was supposedly born.  No records exist to prove this date as the marriage except for what I like to call "the Wood Book" in my research - it's actual title is History and Genealogy of the Descendants of Abinah wood and Susannah Humphreys.  The family is listed as "Wood Family III" for those interested. Julia was born sometime between 1815 and 1817 in the aforementioned Washington County according to family stories,though not much is known about her parentage.  She may have been the daughter of a John Blackford but that is just hypothetical at this point, so I don't have parentage listed for her.

At any rate, the couple lived in Mifflin Township, Allegheny County, according to the household enumeration done in 1840 for the federal census.  Mifflin Township was south and slightly east of what is now present day Pittsburgh.  It was east of Saint Clair Township at the time Burris lived there and most of the people who lived in the area were shipbuilders (Family stories suggest Burris got his start as a shipbuilder).  Burris was enumerated directly after his brother-in-law John Arehart (who married Emma Wood), which suggests that they were neighbors.  Enumerated in his household was himself, Julia, and their infant daughter, Eliza (or Elizabeth).

In 1842, the couple moved their small family, which by this time also had a son, John Devender (born 23 April 1841) to Lower Saint Clair Township, as Burris had bought property on Brownsville Plank Road.  The land he purchased was bought from Alfred Verner for $150 on 2 Jul 1842, and it is assumed the family lived here for a time.  Brother David ought land that bordered it.  However, Burris (and David) apparently went into debt with Verner in 1846, as the land was seized and sold in a sheriff's sale.  Burris was able to buy the land back in 1847, but had also bought two other properties that year, a parcel of land at the corner of  Carson Street and Joseph Street as well as a parcel of land at Clifton and Joseph Street, both in East Birmingham, Allegheny County.  It is not known exactly which property the family lived at.

By 1850, when the family was enumerated again on the federal census living in East Birmingham and where Burris was listed in the local directory as a Justice of the Peace on Joseph Street, the couple had nearly completed their family with the births of their next four children.  Reumah Anne was born 14 Jan 1843.  Margaret M. was born 18 June 1844. William W. was born sometime in 1847 and the aforementioned son Burris Doudney was born 27 May 1849.  All six children (including Eliza and John) were enumerated along with Burris and Julia on the census.

Also in 1850 Burris purchased one more property, having sold off the rest of his properties.  This parcel of land was situated on Wharton Street and Joseph Street in East Birmingham.  He only owned this land for a little over a year, selling it in June 1851.  It is not know where the family moved, though it is likely the remained in East Birmingham and rented.

In 1852, just after the birth of the couple's final son, George W Wood (born 1 April 1852),  Burris had to deal with a legal issue.  He and one Francis Sellers were plaintiffs in a case  against William C. Aughinbaugh and James Moore.   There was an action of trespass on the case for the recovery of $200 for work and labor done by Burris and Sellers.  The case went to the jury on 6 May 1852 and Wood and Sellers received $101.06.

For one reason or another, Burris decided that life in Allegheny County no longer suited his family.  Because this was the heyday of the steamships, and he had connections to shipbuilding, he decided he was going to pack up his family and moved to Saint Louis, Missouri, which was a hub of activity.  Sometime in the spring of 1854, he traveled via boat to Saint Louis, intent on finding a place for his family to live.  On 10 May 1854 he sent a telegram back to East Birmingham instructing his wife and children, who were packing for the move, to stay in East Birmingham until he sent for them.

It was the last message the family ever received.

Theories as to what happened to him abound.  Family members who were interviewed after the fact were adamant that he did not abandon his family and that he had to have been murdered.  He did have the family's fortune on him, and apparently was involved somehow in another lawsuit, though nothing has come to light in regards to any other legal matters.  Nothing has ever been proven as to what happened to him after 10 May 1854, which has been listed as his death date ever since.

I have been searching fruitlessly ever since discovering this story early in my research.  So far, while certain clues have emerged, nothing can cement any theory.  I did search the Deed record index in St. Louis, Missouri to see if there was any record of property bought there, but nothing was recorded.  Burris' name was used in connection with an advertisement for Genuine Holland Bitters, which ran in local area newspapers as late as 1858 and beyond.  These refer to him as "Mr. B. D. Wood late Justice of the Peace, East Birmingham, P[ennsylvani]a."  Perhaps something was amiss?

Julia, back in East Birmingham, was left with seven children under the age of 15.  Family stories gathered through the years suggest that after Burris mysteriously disappeared in 1854, Julia was penniless.  She was also left to raise her family by herself and ended up making ends meet by working small odd jobs, such as cleaning and laundry, until her children were old enough to support her.  She resided in a boarding house on Washington near Main in Birmingham in 1857 listed as a widow, but had moved to Temperanceville by 1860, likely to be closer to Burris' sisters Susannah Wood Ainsworth and Elizabeth Wood Shaffer, as both of them were living there already.

As was contemporary for the time, Julia relied on her sons to survive, residing with John, William, Burris and George at one point or another throughout the rest of her life. What is fascinating is that she was listed as "Mrs. Woods", a widow living by herself on the 1880 census enumeration.

For the final three weeks of her life, she did live with daughter Reumah at 40 South Diamond Street in Allegheny City.  She died there on 25 October 1885 from bronchial pneumonia.  One of her obituaries lists that she died at son John's home, but the death registration itself gives Reumah's address as where she died.  After a funeral at son John's home four days later, she was buried in section B, lot number 73, grave number 3 at Highwood Cemetery in what is now Pittsburgh.

Sources Used:
 "1820 United States Federal Census," online database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 July 2016), Entry for Biney Woods and household, 1820 U S Census, Census Place: Franklin Fayette, Pennsylvania, Page: 147, NARA Roll: M33_103, and Image: 155; citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820. (NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1830 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 July 2016), Entry for Abinah Wood (indexed as Anich), Year: 1830, Census Place: St Clair Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Series: M19, Roll: 144, Page: 208, and Family History Library Film: 0020618; citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830. (NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1840 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 July 2016), Entry for Burris Woods and family, Year: 1840, Census Place: Mifflin Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: 439, Page: 150, Image: 309, and Family History Library Film: 0020536; citing Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. (NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1850 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 July 2016), Entry for Burris D. Wood and family, Year: 1850, Census Place: East Birmingham Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: M432_748, Page: 37B, and Image: 80; citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1860 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 July 2016), Entry for Julia Wood and family, Year: 1860, Census Place: Temperanceville Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: M653_1062, Page: 535, Image: 542, and Family History Library Film: 805062; citing 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 July 2016), Entry for Julian Woods and Household, Year: 1870, Census Place: McClure Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1294, Page: 111A, Image: 335422, and Family History Library Film: 552793; citing 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

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 19 July 2016), Entry for Mrs. Woods, Year: 1880, Census Place: Allegheny Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1088, Family History Film: 1255088, Page: 102A, Enumeration District: 028, and Image: 0202 (enumerated as Mrs. Woods); 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.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 70: 490, Alfred Verner and wife to Burris D. Wood, recorded 10 June 1845; FHL microfilm 8091683.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 77: 384-385, Oliver Ormsby and wife to Burris D. Wood, recorded 11 August 1847; FHL microfilm 1497890.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 79: 79-80, William Phillips to Burris D. Wood, recorded 1 Nov 1847; FHL microfilm 1497891.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 81: 653-655, Elijah Trovillo, sheriff, to William Phillips on behalf of Burris D. Wood, recorder 23 August 1848; FHL microfilm 8091688.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 83: 200-201, Burris and Julianne Wood to John Gilbraith, recorded 20 Nov 1848; FHL microfilm 1497892.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 86: 281-282, George Duncan and Wife to Burris D. Wood, recorded 30 May 1849; FHL microfilm 8091679.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 88: 150-151, Burris D and Juliana Wood to George Hoezel, recorded 12 October 1849; FHL microfilm 1497894.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 88: 607-608, Burris D. (B.D.) and Julian Wood to Thomas Elmore, recorded 12 Feb 1850; FHL microfilm 1497943.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 93: 337-338, Thomas Elmore and wife to Burris D. Wood, recorded 16 Nov 1850; FHL microfilm 1497944.

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 96: 400-401, Burris D. and Julian Wood to Theodore Steinike, recorded 20 July 1851; FHL microfilm 1497946.

Atlas of the cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs (Philadlephia, Pennsylvania: G.M. Hopkins, 1876); digital images, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 April 2018), Plate 110, Temperanceville and part of Chartiers, viewed Elliot Street and the Rolling Mill.

Atlas of the vicinity of the cities Pittsburgh and Allegheny, Penna. : from official records, private plans and actual surveys. (Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins Company, 1886); digital image, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 3 April 2018), Plate 29, viewed the area of McClure and Ashton.

"A Wonderful Remedy - Mr. B. D. Woods," advertisement, Pittsburgh Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 28 June 1855, Page 2, "Mr. B.D. Woods, late Justice of the Peace, East Birmingham, Pa."; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 10 July 2016); advertisement for Genuine Holland Bitters.

"A Wonderful Remedy - Mr. B. D. Woods," advertisement, Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (Wheeling, Virginia [West Virginia]), 5 April 1858, page 2; online images, Virginia Chronicle : Library of Virginia (https://virginiachronicle.com/ : accessed 15 March 2020), The Virginia Newspaper Project.

"Died," death notices, Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennylvania), 27 October 1888, Page 7 "Julia Wood"; online images, Google News Archives (https://news.google.com/newspapers : accessed 20 July 2016).

Directory of Pittsburgh & vicinity for, 1857-1858 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: George H. Thurston, 1857), 229, "Woods Julia A, widow of Horace, BH Washington N. Main"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (http://digital.library.pitt.edu : accessed 3 April 2018).

Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1861-1862 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: G. H. Thurston, 1861), 338, "Wood Julia Ann, widow Burrows, above Steubenville pike n Wood, T(emperanceville)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (http://historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 July 2016).

Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1862-1863 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: G.H. Thurston, 1862), 334, "Woods Julia A., wid Burris D., Elliott, T(emperanceville)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 July 2016).

Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1863-1864 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: G. H. Thurston, 1863), 367, "Woods, Julia Ann, wid Burris, Elliott n Wood, T(emperanceville)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 July 2016).

Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1864-1865 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: G. H. Thurston, 1864), 348, "Woods Julia Ann, wid Barris, Elliott n Wood's mill, T(emperance)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digitial Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 July 2016).

Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1866/1867 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: G.H. Thurston, 1866), 410, "Woods Julia A, wid Burris, Elliott n Rolling Mill, T(emperanceville)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 July 2016).

Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1867/1868 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: G.H. Thurston, 1868), 455, "Wood Julia Ann, wid Barris, Elliot n rolling mill T(emperanceville)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 July 2016).

Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1868/1869 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: G. H. Thurston, 1868), 432, "Wood Julia, wid Burns, Virgin ay, T(emperanceville)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 6 July 2016).

Fahnestock's Pittsburgh directory for 1850: containing the names of the inhabitants of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, & vicinity : their occupation, places of business and dwelling houses : also, a list of the public offices, banks, &c, 1850 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Geo. Parkin & Co, 1850), 105, "Woods B.D. justice peace, Joseph, E Bir"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (http://digital.library.pitt.edu : accessed 6 July 2016).

Find A Grave, database with images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 August 2016), memorial page for Julia Ann Blanchford sp? Wood, Find A Grave Memorial # 19490418, citing Highwood Cemetery (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), memorial created by William Bozic, photograph by William Bozic.

"The Grim Messenger," Pittsburgh Dispatch (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 1 January 1889, page 8; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 31 March 2018).

"History Overview," Mifflin Township History, 2012 (www.mifflintownshiphistory.wordpress.com : accessed 28 March 2018).

"Home Matters," The Pittsburgh Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 5 May 1852, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 3 April 2018).

"Home Matters," The Pittsburgh Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 6 May 1852, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 3 May 2018).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1882/1883 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1882), 804, "Woods Julia, wid ________, 8 Howards Row, Beaver av, Allegheny"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 19 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1883/1884 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1883), 844, "Woods Julia A, wid Veris B, 203 Cass av, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digitall Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 19 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1885/1886 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1885), 953, "Woods Julia A, wid Berris, Ashland av, n McClure av, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 19 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1886/1887 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher & Thurston, 1886), 991, "Woods Julia A, wid Burris, Ashland av, n McClure av, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 19 July 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1887/1888 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1887), 1008, "Woods Julia A, wid Burris, r Shady av, n Eckert, A(llegheny)"; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 20 July 2016).

Jordan, Sarah Strickler. niece of Burris D. Wood, written statement by P.A. Wood, no date recorded; transcribed copy of written statement, privately held by Kelley Wood-Davis, Norwalk, Iowa, 2016. Transcribed by Florence Wood Wolcott and copied by Martha Wood Scudder, who mailed a photocopy to Kelley Wood-Davis in 2001.

Julia Wood entry, Registration of deaths in the city of Allegheny, 1876-1907, volume 3: page 333, Allegheny County City County Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

McIlvain, Josephine. "Twelve Blocks: A Study of One Segment of Pittsburgh’s South Side, 1880-1915." The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, Volume 60, No. 4 (October 1977): 351-370.

"Sheriff's Sales," notice of sale of debtor's property, Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 22 May 1846, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 22 March 2018).

Sidney, J.; J. Neff; S. McRea, Map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, with the names of property-holders : from actual surveys (Philadelphia and Allegheny City: S. Moody, 1851); digital image, Library of Congress (http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3823a.la000699 : accessed 26 March 2018), viewed Lower Saint Clair Township and the area in which the land was located.

St. Louis (City and County), Missouri, Inverted index, W 1804-1891: Year 1854, Negative search; FHL microfilm 8193896.

"Work of the Grim reaper," The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 27 October 1888, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 31 March 2018).

Wood, B.D. (St. Louis, Missouri) to Julia Ann Wood, telegram, 10 May 1854; privately held by Kelley Wood-Davis. Norwalk, Iowa, 2016. transcribed copy of a telegram. Telegram sent to Percy A. Wood in 1903 by Harry W. Wood, grandson of B.D. Wood. Transcription date and creator unknown. Photocopy of transcription was mailed by Martha Wood Scudder to Kelley Wood-Davis in 2001.

Wood, J. H.; T. R. Wood; P. A. Wood; and G. E. Wood. History and Genealogy of the Descendants of Abinah Wood and Susannah Humphreys. Andover, Ohio: Press of the Citizen, 1903.

Wood, William Walker. grandfather of Percy A. Wood, not recorded, statement by Percy A. Wood, no date recorded; transcribed copy of statement made by W. W. Wood regarding the disappearance of his brother, Burris D. Wood, privately held by Kelley Wood-Davis, Norwalk, Iowa, 2016. Transcribed by Florence Wood Wolcott and copied by Martha Wood Scudder, who mailed a photocopy of transcription to Kelley Wood-Davis in 2001.

The Story of William John Vautier

My maternal grandfather's maternal grandfather was a wonderful character, and one of my few great-great-grandparents of whom I have several photographs, thanks to different cousins. He also has one of the most detailed reports of anyone in my family, due in part to persistence and multiple sources (like Philadelphia city directories and a very complete Civil War Pension file!)  This is his story.

The story of William John Vautier starts in Passyunk Township, where his father, Peter Vautier of the truck farming Vautiers had a farm.  Passyunk Township became a part of Philadelphia in 1854, but William's story begins before that.  Though documents claiming his birth took place in Philadelphia aren't entirely inaccurate (given the consolidation of 1854), he wasn't actually born in the city.

William was born 28 March 1840, as the fourth of Peter Vautier and Sarah Young's six children, on the farm the family had in Passyunk Township. He spent his childhood attending the local school and also the Baptist church, for though his parents had married in an Evangelical Lutheran church in Philadelphia (and had baptized his two elder siblings there), there were none in the area they settled.

On 28 November 1860, William's father passed away and the family had to support themselves without him.  Sarah became a huskster, a traveling saleswoman of groceries to support her family (and appeared to do very well indeed), and William was a gardener, most likely on one of his uncles' farms.  However, this was also the time of the growing hostilities between the Northern and Southern states, and as a young man, William felt the call to enlist in the Civil War.

On 20 August 1862, William enlisted in the Union Army, and was sworn into Company E of the 29th Pennsylvania Volunteers by Lt. Setford.  His older brother, Charles, also enlisted three days after him and was put into the same company. The captain of their company was Captain Syke Buemont.  (Younger brother John D. Vautier also enlisted at the age of 17 and wrote a few works about his time in the Civil War.)

William J. Vautier in his Civil War uniform.  Photo in the personal collection of the blogger

Though it cannot be proven with documents yet, William likely saw some sort of action in the battles of Chancellorsburg, Gettysburg, Wauhatchie, Ringgold, Lookout Mountain, and was probably part of the siege in Atlanta, and was likely held in provost for Antietam.  He was with the regiment when they were granted a furlough in late December 1863 until early February 1864 and did come home to Philadelphia for that furlough.  This furlough was granted after three-fourths of the regiment reenlisted (including William) on 10 December 1863.

On 8 December 1864, he was on detached duty as a drug clerk at Hospital 16 in Nashville, Tennessee.  While William was watching a procession of colored soldiers walking down the street who were shooting wild salutes, a pistol was fired from an unknown person in the procession and the bullet lodged in William's left arm.   The ball was never removed and as a result of the injury, William was unable to fully open or close his middle, ring and pinky finger on his left hand.  He was honorably discharged from duty as a soldier in the Union Army on 11 May 1865 in Nashville, Tennessee and came back to his life in Philadelphia.

On 30 December 1868, he was a witness in the trial of George S. Twitchell Jr., who was charged with murdering his mother-in-law, Mrs. M. E. Hill.  William had been asked to help search the property after the fact and testified to his negative search of the privy of Hill house. At the time, he was employed by George Shisler, the son-in-law of his maternal uncle John Young.  William was still living with them in 1870 when the family was enumerated on Rope Ferry Road in the 26th ward of Philadelphia, though he was erroneously listed as being 35 years of age, when in reality he was only 30. The family lived on what was known as the Girard homestead.

William J. Vautier as a middle-aged man, date of photo unknown.  Photo in personal collection of the blogger.

On 7 September 1871, William married Catherine Elizabeth Miller at Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Trinity.  The church is still located on the corner of Wolf and Eighteenth Streets in Philadelphia, and was just up the street from the Girard Homestead.  The couple was joined in marriage by Rev. S.A.K. Francis.

Catherine, or Kate as she was known, was the eldest child of Jacob Miller and Helen DeForest Maurice Sheets.  She was born 7 September 1851  in Philadelphia.  Kate's father was also a prominent farmer, but it is not known how the couple met.

The couple spent the first few years of their marriage living in the southern end of Philadelphia, as their first few children were all born in what is now the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philly.  William worked a series of jobs while living here. He worked as a chandelier maker for a year, went back to work as a gardener, was a general laborer and a teamster at times and then was employed as a grocer.

The couple's eldest daughter, Helen Mary, was born on 19 July 1872 at 1111 Mifflin Street and was baptized at the same church her parents were married at nearly six months later.  Daughter Sarah Miller was born June 1874.  Her place of birth was listed as the Women's Hospital, but that hospital did do births as outpatients as well, so it is not certain if she was born at home or the hospital.  Son Jacob Miller was born 15 October 1875 at 1810 South Twelfth Street.  (Sarah and Jacob were also baptized at Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Trinity.) Son William John was born 3 October 1877 on League Island (he died a little over a year later at 1119 Moore Street).  It is not known where in the city daughter Miriam Crosby was born on 1 December 1878 because she mysteriously is the only one of the eleven children whose birth registration cannot be found.  Son Ellerslie Wallace was the last child to be born in south Philadelphia, as he was born 4 January 1881 at 1728 Passyunk Road. 

The family moved to the Harrowgate neighborhood shortly after Ellerlie's birth.  The family moved to a home on Harrowgate Lane near Emerald Street.  It was here that daughter Julia Ann was born 10 October 1884, son Ellerslie died on 31 August 1883 and son Daniel Miller was born 14 December 1884.  During this time, William was listed in the city directories as a butcher and dealer, liking dealing in groceries and the wares left over from the butchering process.

The house they lived in became officially 3546 Emerald Street, and this residence was listed as the place of birth for the final three children born to William and Catherine.  Ann Grubb was born here 17 September 1877, Laura Elizabeth was born 13 September 1890 and James Wilson, the youngest child, was born here 18 February 1893.  The family lived here for thirteen years.  However, for about a year (1888-1889), William's address on certain documents from his pension file was listed as 526 Stephen Street in Camden, New Jersey.   Evidence suggests that William lived in Camden while the family continued to reside in the Harrowgate neighborhood at the Emerald Street address.  Perhaps he moved to Camden to get a better doctor to examine him for a pension increase.

As a result of the wound he received during his stint in the Civil War, William was put on a disability pension for the rest of his life, since even though he could hold down a job, he wasn't able to work the more manual jobs for too long due to his injured hand and arm.  His original pension was $4 per month, which he started receiving in April of 1873.  However, in 1879 he was awarded an arrears of pension in the amount of $381.87 from 1865 until 1873.  Over the course of the rest of his lifetime, he made several requests for an increase in pension.  He applied for increase in 1885 and was denied.  He again applied in 1888 and was approved for a increase to $6 per month commencing 24 July 1889 (this coincided with his move to Camden, which suggests he may have made the move because the doctors on the examining board in Camden may have been more favorable to increasing his pension than the doctors in Philadelphia). In May of 1891 he applied for another increase to his pension and was approved for an increase to $8 per month commencing 9 March 1891.  In 1907, he applied for another increase in pension, and was granted $12 per month 25 March 1907.  He again applied in 1910 for an increase and on 31 March 1910 his rate was raised to $15 per month.  It was ultimately raised to $24 per month starting 22 May 1912 and ending upon his death.  After his death, his wife applied for a widow's pension and received it.

Also because of his service in the Civil War, he joined the Grand Army of the Republic and was a member of Post 71, General John F. Reynolds in Philadelphia. 

Anyway, back to Philadelphia in 1894.... this was the year that William and family made the move from Harrowgate to a rented home at 3169 Belgrade Street in the Port Richmond neighborhood.  This neighborhood was the final move for William J. Vautier, though he lived in two different houses on this street. For four years they lived at 3169 Belgrade before moving down the street to 3183 Belgrade Street.  The lot the home was on was owned for at least part of the time by one William Allen, and the family rented the home.  It was a row house, as were many houses in the neighborhood (and still are, though the current homes on the street were built in 1920).

Two photographs of the William J. and Catherine E. Vautier family, both taken in the yard of the Belgrade addresses.  Photos in the personal collection of the blogger (I can identify most everyone in both photos if you would like me  to... drop me a line)

The family lived in the same block as did the Elizabeth Hans Waldspurger family at this time, and it is assumed that this was how William's daughter Julia met Elizabeth's son Edward, or how the Waldspurger family came to live on the same block (as son Edward may have let his mother know a home was for rent or purchase on the street after having met the Vautiers).  In any case, the two families joined as one in my genealogy in the marriage of Julia Ann Vautier to Edward Charles Waldspurger in 1901.

William worked as a janitor while living in the Port Richmond neighborhood, and according to family stories, at least part of that time was spent as a janitor at the local school. 

William J. Vautier, circa 1910, in the backyard of his Belgrade home in Philadelphia.  Photo in the personal collection of the blogger.

On 18 February 1913, William John Vautier died at the rented home on 3183 Belgrade Street.  The cause of death on his certificate was listed as apoplexy.  Apoplexy was the term used at that time for a stroke, which is what William very likely died from.  The physician attending to his death was W.R. Knight.  He was buried two days later at North Cedar Hill Cemetery after a funeral at home.  He was buried in section W-6.  His grave was unmarked until 1938, when his daughter in law, Flora Bardsley Vautier, applied for a headstone from the Veteran's Administration. 

William J. Vautier's headstone.  Photo taken August 2017 at North Cedar Hill Cemetery by the blogger.

In October of 1913, the lot upon which the family lived was sold to Theresa Crosson for $1400, and Catherine moved out.  It is not known where she moved to, but it is likely her sons helped to support her and their sisters, as social convention dictated.  The family moved to various addresses on Almond Street in the Port Richmond neighborhood, if following Daniel and James Wilson in the city directories, and by 1919, Catherine was living at 3192 Almond Street. 

Belgrade Street as it looked in August 2017.  While the houses were built in 1920, they are of similar style to the ones that were there.  I took a walk in the neighborhood in 2017 to see where my family lived, and shot this photo among others.

It was here at 3192 Almond Street that Catherine passed away 4 February 1919 from sarcoma of the stomach.  The cancer that took Catherine's life was detected first on 1 July 1918, and from 5 July 1918 until her death, she was attended to by Doctor Rolla L. Smith of 2987 Richmond Street in Philadelphia. Her daughter Ann was her primary caretaker and nurse.  Her youngest child, James Wilson Vautier, was overseas fighting in World War One when his mother passed, and the rest of his siblings chose to not tell him she had died until he returned home two months later.

After a funeral at her home, Catherine was buried next to her husband in North Cedar Hill Cemetery, although to this day, no headstone marks her final resting place.

Son Daniel died in 1937 as a civilian worker aboard the U.S.S. Cassin when a steam explosion caused him and several others to be boiled alive.

Sources Used:
 "1850 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 October 2016), Entry for Peter Voutier and family, Year: 1850, Census Place: Passyunk Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: M432_820, Page: 63A, and Image: 134; citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1860 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 October 2016), Entry for Peter Vautier and family, Year: 1860, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 1 Division 1 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: M653_1151, Page: 52, Image: 56, and Family History Library Film: 805151; citing 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 February 2019), Entry for John L. Young and household, Year: 1870, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 26 District 88 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1414, Page: 595B, and Family History Library Film: 552913; citing 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

"1890 Veterans Schedules," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 October 2016), Entry for William Vautier, Year: 1890, Census Place: Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 80, Pages: 1-2, and Enumeration District: 569; citing Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M123, 118 rolls); Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"1900 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 October 2016), Entry for William Gauitier and family (as indexed in database), Year: 1900, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 25 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1467, Page: 8B, Enumeration District: 0587, and FHL microfilm: 1241467; 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 1 October 2016), Entry for William J Vautier and family, Year: 1910, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 25 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: T624_1398, Page: 15A, Enumeration District: 0539, and FHL microfilm: 1375411; 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.

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 1 October 2016), Entry for Wm. J. Vautier and family, Year: 1880, Census Place: Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1185, Family History Film: 1255185, Page: 430A, Enumeration District: 545, and Image: 0129; 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.

Anna C. Wueteun entry, Birth Registers 1860-1903, "Births Registered during 1887 Jan-Dec." reel 41: page 108, Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865: prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, 5 Volumes (Harrisburg: B. Singerly, State Printer, 1869), Volume One; Page 520; "Vautier, Wm. J., Private, Mustered in Aug. 20, '62, 3 years, discharged by General Order, May 23, 1865".

"City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania," online database with images, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 30 September 2016).  Various years and entries for William J. Vautier and family  (for complete listing of entries, contact the blogger)

Daniel Vautier entry, Return of Births in the City of Philadelphia 1860-1903, fn 6432: Month of December, 1884 returns for J. Howard Evans, M.D., Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"Died," death notices, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 19 February 1913, page 7, entry for William J. Vautier; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 October 2016).

"Died," death notice, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 6 February 1919, page 18, entry for Catherine M. Vautier; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 13 October 2016).

E. Wallace Vautine entry, Birth Registers 1860-1903, book 1877, reel 35: page 54, Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Hellen Vautier entry, Return of Births in the City of Philadelphia 1860-1903, Doctors' Returns: Birth Returns for 1 June 1872 to 1 July 1872 for Wm Patterson M.D., Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Historical Data Systems, comp., "U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865," database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 October 2016), Entry for William J Vautier; Enlisted 20 Aug 1862 as a Private in Company E, Pennsylvania 29th Infantry Regiment on 20 Aug 1862; Mustered out on 03 Jun 1865; citing data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA; Source: History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865.

Jacob Votere entry, Birth Registers 1860-1903, book 1875: page 16, Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Jas W. Vautier entry, Birth Registers 1860-1903, book 1893: page 76, Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Julia A. Vautier entry, Birth Registers 1860-1903, book 1882-1883: page 216, Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Julia Ann Waldspurger wife of Edward Charles Waldspurger SSN 715-14-8640 application of wife for spouse's annuity, 1952; Railroad Retirement Board Inactive Claim Folders, RG 184; National Archives and Records Administration - Atlanta, Morrow, GA.  Father's full name William John Vautier.

Kropp, Sonny. A White Star On My Cap by William J. Vautier (N.p.: Sonny Kropp, 1983).

Laura Elizabeth (Vautier) entry, Return of Births in the City of Philadelphia 1860-1903, Doctor's Returns: Return of Births September 1890 for Mary Leichsenring, midwife, Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"Local Intelligence: The Hill Murder," The Evening Telegraph (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 30 December 1868, page 1. "William J. Vautier sworn - I am employed by Mr. Shissler; the privy at Mrs. Hill's house was searched by me, and nothing was found."; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 11 June 2017).

"Mother, Awaiting Son, Dies: Young Philadelphia, Anticipating Reunion, Not Told of Death," Eveninig Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 8 April 1919, page 6; online images, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov : accessed 13 October 2016), Historic American Newspapers.

National Archives and Records Administration, "U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 October 2016), Entry for William Vautier and widow Catherine Vautier; Roll number T288_488; Invalid application number 183354, certificate number 124364; Widow's application number 1006154, certificate number 761815; filed in Pennsylvania; citing "General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934". Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. T288, 546 rolls.

"Obituary notes," obituary, Harrisburg Daily Independent (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), 19 February 1913, page 10; online archives, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 October 2016).

"Oral interviews with various Waldspurger family members," 1999-2020 by Patricia Waldspurger Mahoney, information and notes collected by Patricia Waldspurger Mahoney and passed along to Kelley Wood-Davis; owned by Patricia Waldspurger Mahoney, Lansdale, Pennsylvania; no notes taken; oral information on family history.

"Pennsylvania, Civil War Muster Rolls, 1860-1869," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 October 2016), Entry for William J. Vautier; Enlistment date 20 Aug 1862; Private Co. E, 29th Pennsylvania; citing Pennsylvania (State). Civil War Muster Rolls and Related Records, 1861–1866. Records of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Record Group 19, Series 19.11 (153 cartons). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 October 2016), Entry for Catherine Voutier, died 4 Feb 1919, cn 16521; citing Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 October 2016), Entry for William J Vautier; date of death 18 Feb 1913; certificate number 22400; citing Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

"Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 8 October 2016), William Vautier, 25 Mar 1879; FHL microfilm 2,031,099; (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDVB-KYP); citing Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"Pension Certificates Issued," The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 6 March 1892, page 8; "Washington, March 4. - Pension certificates have been issued as follows: Issue of February 19, 1892.....Pennsylvania - Originial...... William Vautier"; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 October 2016).

Pension File Claim for William Vautier Private Co E 29 Pa. Vols, pension number 183354; Photocopies provided by NARA in the pension file for William Vautier; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); Records Relating to Pension and Bounty-Land Claims 1773-1942, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, RG 15; 2,807 rolls, National Archives, Washington, D.C., Filed with the Adjunant General's Offie 9 August 1865. (For complete listing of documents, contact the blogger)

Sarah Vautier entry, Birth Registers 1860-1903, book 1874, reel 30: page 71, Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Schanes, Nancy. Family Group Sheet of Peter Vautier and Sarah Young, Vautier Collection; supplied by Schanes, [address for private use], Wilmington, Delaware, September 1988; Information obtained via Civil War Pension Records, Pennsylvania Census Records (1850 and 1880), the diary of John Vautier, Notes from Jill Vautier Miller, and records from St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Photocopy sent by Schanes to Kelley Wood-Davis in 2002.

"U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963," online database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 October 2016), Entry for William Vautier, died 18 Feb 1913; citing Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941. Microfilm publication M1916, 134 rolls. ARC ID: 596118. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92. National Archives at Washington, D.C; Applications for Headstones, compiled 01/01/1925 - 06/30/1970, documenting the period ca. 1776 - 1970, ARC: 596118. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.

Vautier, John D. The Personal Diary of John D. Vautier, transcribed copy (n.p., n.d.), ; online transcription, Robert Weaver and Phyllis Weaver Bickley, WikiTree (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Vautier-28 : accessed 12 February 2019.

Widow Pension for Catherine M Vautier, widow of William Vautier, private, Co. E, 29th Pennsylvania Inf. Certificate number 761815, approved 21 June 1913; Photocopies provided by NARA in the pension file for William Vautier; citing Pension application files based upon service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War ("Civil War and Later"); Records Relating to Pension and Bounty-Land Claims 1773-1942, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, RG 15; 2,807 rolls, National Archives, Washington, D.C. (for complete listing of documents, contact the blogger)

William Vautier entry, Return of Births in the City of Philadelphia 1860-1903, Doctors' Returns: Birth Returns for November 1877 for W.J. Patterson, M.D., Philadelphia City Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How to "Genealogy"

Lots of people have stopped and asked me how did I get started in this fun world of blog writing about my ancestry and historical events in general..... It sort of evolved from the stuff I have collected all of the years,

I have always been interested in history, a trait I probably picked up from my dad, who is an avid war history buff (though he does like history in general as well).  In my research, I have come to find out his dad was an officer in the history club at his high school, so hey, I know it's at least inherited!  But my mom also loved hearing family stories and to this day loves telling me about her own family memories, so I get the trait from both sides.

It helps that I am still very much the type for whom research is fun.  I love the thrill of being immersed in words and documents.  I also love reading, as I grew up immersed in a world of books (thanks to both Mom and Dad).

Anyway, I digress.

I should probably start with my own genealogy journey first.....

My Journey
In May of 1999, my mom's mother, my grandmother Jean Cox Waldspurger, passed away.  I was a senior in high school at the time, so while I didn't fly back for the funeral with my parents, my mom brought me a copy of a small family tree her cousin Pat had created.  Pat also was into history, and loved the family tree stuff, and her family tree sparked something in me.  Since I always loved history, and took every history class at the high school I could take, it was just a natural progression for me to start filling in the blanks on the tree with what information I could find.

That was nearly 21 years ago.....

I made plenty of mistakes in the beginning. I collected a great deal of information, but one huge thing I didn't do was cite my sources.  The researcher in me was even in college at the time, and learning all about MLA and APA and Chicago/Turabian style citations due to the nature of my degree, but I didn't record where I got the information on a death date for my great-grandmother.... or the distant cousin on the tree.  So when others asked me where I found the information, I wasn't able to tell them.  And when my information was challenged in light of new information, I wasn't able to prove anything.  In fact, one whole branch of my original tree has been erased in light of the fact that I had name collected (I just added names and dates without checking first if they were accurate or "mine"), and the name collection information was entirely inaccurate.

I also put blinders on. I would collect names and then birth, marriage and death dates, but really nothing more, which made for a boring read at times.

About 15 years ago, I started to change my thinking about how I do genealogy. I got serious about redoing my entire line, starting at my parents and working my way backwards.  As I did this, I only focused on my own ancestors, not on any of their children or siblings, so I know now I missed a great deal of information, but the information I did collect was useful, and cited properly.

At the end of 2015, the family tree software program I was using on my personal computer, Family Tree Maker, was discontinued by Ancestry.com.  While later the software was picked up by another company, I decided to jump ship with FTM (at this point I also removed my vast trees from their site as well), which I had been using in its various forms since 1999, and go with a new genealogy program (RootsMagic7 for those who are interested).  Making the switch threw all of my sources into disarray, as it converted them into weird formats (which likely meant I didn't format correctly when switching). This actually was a blessing in disguise, which I will get to in a minute.

Also around that time, I decided to get very serious about making sure sources were cited in the "correct" format, meaning the way any professional genealogist would do it (I am not advocating that everyone do it this way though. I tell others that they should "do you" when citing stuff.  This way just works best for the perfectionist in me.) So I started to re-do ALL of my research once more. merging sources from the old program into the newly created and updated (and correct) sources in the new program and going through each of my ancestors, their children and their siblings and redoing EVERYTHING on them as well as adding new information.

I now track just about anything I can about my ancestors... where they lived and worked, how they were described on certain documents, what property they owned, what illnesses they were reported having, etc. etc. etc.  For my Hangman Ropemaking ancestor Jacob Bupp, it means also that EVERY rope he made has its own event, each with the sources I referenced in his series.

It is a great deal of work, but when it comes to families such as my Woods, where there are FOUR Burris Doudney Woods, or my Vautiers, where there are various William Vautiers (among other repeated names), this kind of thing helps me track exactly which Burris Doudney Wood or William Vautier I am looking at when I find a record, because I not only have name and dates of vital information, but also where they were known to live and what occupation they may have done (also likely nicknames for them as well).  The information sheets I send to family members often overwhelms them, but I like to make sure I have documented everything (plus it helps me out when writing these blogs when I have a timeline to follow on my program).  I have uploaded the aforementioned Jacob Bupp's Individual Summary that can be viewed here for those interested in the kind of detail I try to get.

It's been four and a half years since I made the switch, and I am still working on this kind of in-depth research.  Remember when I said the messing up of my sources was a blessing in disguise?  It now helps me figure out what branches of my tree haven't been updated and verified with the newest information.  Some of those branches I may never get to (a number of them are collateral lines.... lines that married into mine or distant cousins that I was merely name collecting in the beginning).  While some are important, others are not as important to me, and will likely remain on the back burner indefinitely.  It's not that I don't ever want to make sure they are "correct," it's just merely the fact that this is a side hobby for me, not my main job (I still have two!), so I don't have all the time in the world, especially in this ever increasing digitization of records, as more information to help genealogy keeps coming online. I am still finding out all I can about the FANs of my own ancestors.

About three years ago, I started to write little stories about each ancestor for my family members. My dear husband suggested I start sharing them with the world, and so this blog was reborn. I like writing about the different journeys my ancestors have taken, and finding out all I can about the places they lived and the social issues of their day.... it helps to breathe life into them in a way I never could have imagined 21 years ago!

How To "Genealogy"
I get told by people they wish they could do what I do.... but they don't know where to start.

Start by writing down what you know, then asking questions of living relatives.  I do a great deal of interviewing of people, via email or phone calls or even face to face conversations.  I write stuff down, or print out emails, and yes, I do use them as sources too. Find a genealogy program you would like to use - there are free ones out there as well as ones to purchase - or just write stuff down on paper.  I still have the early trees my mom and I made for our lines back in 2000.

Then take to the internet.  I do use Ancestry.com a great deal, as I have an ongoing subscription  (note, this is not a plug for their services - I am not receiving compensation from them!) but I also use  FamilySearch (where I recommend people actually start since it is free and there is a great deal of information here) as well as local history societies and library resources for where ever I am researching. West Virginia has a vast collection on their Archives and History site and my own local library has a collection of local history books in their genealogy section that I use heavily while working on my church history.  Other sites that have been useful to me are FindMyPast, Fold3, and Newspapers.com (the latter two being part of my Ancestry subscription)

Also, search engines are great tools to look for other resources. I tend to do that a lot to find the more obscure stuff or when I am moving my research from one location to the next, especially the books that are being digitized on sites like Google Books, Haithi Trust and Internet Archive.  Google is my primary search engine, and I also use it often to define word for me while researching, look up places (I recently wanted to know what county in Kansas a certain city was) so I can fill them in better, and even search "How to use" guides for certain websites.  FamilySearch's Wiki is also very useful for finding just about anything on genealogy.

Like I said before, just because I am VERY precise with my citations doesn't mean that everyone has to be.  Some in the online communities I belong to use simpler sources (finding what works for them), but they do cite where they got information from.  This is a good idea because it can help you keep track of where you got information from already.  There are "how to" guides for this as well (Evidence Explained is the one I use, but there are many different guides out there).  Citing information also helps because if you are challenged about research (I have had cousins argue with me over things in my research) you can then go back and actually find the records that help prove your research to be correct inasmuch as you know it to be.

Don't overlook the old fashioned pen and paper research.  I planned a trip to Philadelphia almost three years ago just to get to THREE different archival repositories since they had records that weren't online (but the indexes were).  After requesting information in person, I paid for copies of that information, and it helped out a great deal.

A tip I tell people is get creative when searching for documents and learn to accept that the way your name is spelled now may not have been the way it always was spelled.  For years I was told my maiden name of Wood NEVER had an "S' on the end of it.  While that is very true in the era of standardized spellings for surnames because of Social Security and birth certificates and the like, it wasn't always the case.  Before the 20th century my ancestors tended to flip flop between Wood and Woods, once even in consecutive documents.

Don't insist a name HAS to be spelled a certain way.  Often, remember that a number of sites use volunteers to index things, so names might not be spelled correctly in the index because the volunteer reads something different.  A number of my Vautier relatives are indexed Vantier because the cursive U looks like a cursive N.  I found my great-great-uncle Jesse Sperry's death record by searching for just his death date, which I had, and discovered he had been indexed as "Jennie Spring" because that was what the volunteer read (I have since submitted a correction), so try date instead of name, or broaden your search by other means.

Each family has a different journey, and finding information to document that journey can be a fun task, if you love to research....

I am more than willing to help others in their journey, if anyone ever needs help. Whether it's offering guidance with how to find materials, being another set of eyes to comb through a resource, or just offering some support or encouragement, I can help.

I've often been asked why I don't do this professionally. I merely state that this is a fun hobby for me, but not something I would want to be paid full time to do. I am happiest doing this when I don't have looming deadlines over me (because I am a bit of a procrastinator when I can be), and I have other pursuits that I enjoy doing as well, so while on occasion I do research on friends' lines for a bit of compensation, I can't ever see myself doing this on a full time basis.