That Census Mess!

I knew I was going to have an issue with my Kettler line. I just knew it. Sure enough, I have no idea what I was thinking when I linked some of these censuses. After I untangled August Christian Kettler with August Ludwig Kettler (the latter I think also had a twin who died near birth by the name of August Friedrich Kettler) I went to untangle some of the William Kettlers. Actually, it wasn't much of an issue since William Christian Julius was also know as Julius Kettler, and was the son of William Kettler. It is this senior William Kettler who is giving me a headache.

You see, I think he was married more than once. Especially since I find him with two of his children, Julius and Sophia in the 1860 census. Julius was born in 1852 and Sophia in 1854. The problem? The only recorded wife, Regina Wilhelmina Louise Henriette Donnerberg (and variations in the arrangement of her names) weren't married until 1861. For most people, that probably wouldn't be an issue, but I doubt these people had 2 children before they married. The real problem? William appears on that 1860 census with the two children, and Charlotte, born around 1830. William the senior was born in 1828. I think if Regina were their mother, she'd have been enumerated with them. And Charlotte was not one of her multiple names.

Also enumerated with William the senior is 82 year old Mary Kettler. Hmmmm. His grandmother possibly? An aunt? More investigation is in order.

At this point, I have to honor Lucille Francis, who lives in Ohio and is adding biographical info to Find-a-Grave. She is a very special person. Thanks, Lucille!

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

It's Happening Again!

As I straighten out the mess I call the census - somehow people came unlinked in these shared facts and I have no idea how - I am finding stuff. Stuff that doesn't pertain to census at all.

For instance, Jane Percival, whom I think is the daughter of Timothy Percival and Louisa Shattuck. She married Henry W. S. Field in 1824 in Boone County, Kentucky, where a lot of my Percivals married. Her age is sketchy in the census. Let's just say she was born between 1798 and 1807. I do believe I found her headstone on Find-a-grave. It gives her age at death, if you can believe it. But no death date. And of course no birth date. So I printed all this out and stuck it ... under my pile of census to fix. Refiling now into the cemetery folder I have. And I have them in 1850 and 1860. The 1850 census says she is 46. Maybe. The 1860 lists her as 52. Um. Probably not! She is gone by 1870, so probably have the correct stone in Missouri. Time will tell.

Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes

I'm NOT Talking to You! Or: Yes, I AM Talking to You.

I grew up in a family of six children, five of whom were girls. I can only imagine what it was like for my dad.

In moving through my LONG list of census to fix, I came across this household in the 59th district of Fayette County, Kentucky in 1880:

Arthur DeLong (head) age 28
Etta (wife) age 24 *Real name Henrietta*
Henrietta (daughter) age 2
Henrietta Berkley (mother-in-law) age 53
Sallie Curtley (aunt) age 68.

Are we seeing the problem here?  I never understood the concept of giving a daughter the same name as the mother. It's compounded obviously by the grandmother also being called Henrietta. Arrgh. I'm sure Mr. DeLong referred to her as Mother Berkley and not by her first name, but I am sure there was a lot of confusion anyway.

And poor Aunt Sallie. They spelled her last name wrong. It should be Kirtley.



Copyright 2010-2016, ACK for Gene Notes