Monday, November 28, 2011

The Printing has Begun















Research gathered

Cousins consulted 

Stories written

Documents & Photos scanned

Book cover selected 

Proof reading done

I am very excited to say The Mark Family Story is being printed and bound. It will be a large (8 x 10) soft cover book with a color cover.  Inside:  many black and white images, charts, timelines, scans of old family letters and documents. Over 400 pages. Learn about the Mark family and its leaves and branches.

When I have the copies in hand I will post that information here. You will be able to order copies here or from Troy Book Makers.


Thursday, November 24, 2011

Vintage Photograph: Thanksgiving 1945


Celebrating Family on Thanksgiving, 1945



left to right:
Jackie B. Guardino (1933 - 1992), Margaret Coyle (1881 - 1972), Patricia L. Reilly Herbert (1930 - 2011), Maryann Coyle Cass (1891 - 1977), Catherine Coyle (1873 - 1952) and Bernard Coyle (1872 - 1946)
Photo from Tara Herbert Cousins

Margaret, Maryann, Catherine and Bernard were siblings, children of Patrick and Margaret (Brady) Coyle.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

The New York State Census

When searching for our ancestors the United States census reports are often used but state census reports are also helpful.  If your family lived in New York State William Dollarhide’s book will help you understand the censuses there. His book includes samples of and blank forms for each census report. County maps are included and county by county census details. 


Dollarhide, William. New York State Censuses & Substitutes
North Salt Lake, Utah: Heritage Creations, 2005.

New York State was among the first states to take a census. The first census was taken in 1825. Reports were also taken in 1835, 1845, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915 and 1925. In general, they were taken between the federal census years and supply most of the same information. I am fortunate to live near the New York States Archives in Albany, New York and can search there. Family Search.org has the 1865, 1875, 1892 and 1905 records on line. I recently used Family Search to take another look for my Coyle and Gartner/Gardner families from New York City. I was unable to find the Michael Coyle family but I did locate the Gardners. My maternal great grandfather, Leopold Gartner (Shown as Lewis Gardner in the report), and his son, Nathaniel Gardner, my maternal grandfather were in the report.

Leopold Gartner
1905 New York State Census, Manhattan, AD 30, ED 13, Page 7, microfilm #1433111 taken on 1 June 1905. Gardner family living at 340 East 87th Street:

Gardner, Lewis, head, WM 43, b. Austria, in USA for 29 years, citizen, Tailor
Gardner, Fannie, Wife, WF 41, b. Austria, Housewife
Gardner, Florence, daughter, WF 20, b. USA, Clerk
Gardner, Nathan, son, WM 19, b. USA, Telegrapher
Gardner, Moses, son, WM 17, b. USA, Telegrapher
Gardner, Albert, son, WM 15, b. USA, at school (8)
Gardner, Anna, daughter, WF 13, b. USA, at school (8)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

November Birthdays, November 16 - 30

Is your birthday coming soon? Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family. Look below and see. Happy Birthday!


16 November    

1776       Christianna WOLF was born in    Pennsylvania, daughter of Johann Jonas & Appollonia (Dick) Wolf.
1902       Madrlyn LONG
 1927       Mary Arline Parker FRAVEL

17 November    

1872       Sarah Agie NEE was the daughter of  Henry & Matilda (Millan) Nee. 

18 November    

1849       Abraham Martin MARK
1864       Annie Idelia McCLENDON
1879       William J. F. FORTENBERRY was the son of William Jackson & Elizabeth Rebecca (Pigott) Fortenberry. He married Annie Myrtis Ellzey. William died in 1966. 

19 November    

1799       Jacob RITTER
1825       Rebecca WOLF
1879       Jemima Annie WOLF
1899       Freddie SMITH
1903       Twins: Mellie Arlene JOLLIFF & Nellie Irene JOLLIFF were born in Ohio, daughters of Samuel Martin & Margaret Maude (Mark) Jolliff. Mellie married Karl Jackson Miller. They had one child. Nellie married Ralph Alvin Parker and had three children. Nellie lived to be 90 years old and Mellie lived to be 91 years old.

20 November    

1820       Henry H. WOLF was born in Pennsylvania, son of John Frederick & Esther Barbara (Schaffer) Wolf. They had four children. 

21 November    

1770       Catherine WOLF
1821       Solomon B. RITTER was born in Pennsylvania, son of Martin & Anna Margaret (Bogert) Ritter. He married Amanda M. Rumfield.
1845       Sarah Lucy BRUMFIELD

22 November    

1894       Grace Eleanor SMITH was the daughter of Walter Lorraine & Emma Julia (Warren) Smith. 

23 November    

1812       Isabella FORTENBERRY
1836       Sarah J. SMITH
1858       Catherine WOLF
1865       Mary Magdalene GRUISSY was born in Ohio, daughter of Augustus Ceaser & Mary Ann (Everett) Gruissy. In 1889 she married Albert F. Lutz. They had no children. At one time they ran a restaurant in Medina, Ohio.

24 November    

1870       Michael COYLE was born in Ireland, son of Patrick & Margaret (Brady) Coyle. He came to the USA in 1885. In 1895 he married Mary Josephine Mullane in New York City. They had seven children. He was a Baker. He was my great grandfather. He was last seen by his family about 1927, when his wife died. I would like ot know what happened to him.

25 November    

1792       Edwin Barksdale ALFORD was born in North Carolina, son of Jacob & Elizabeth (Bryant) Alford. In 1818 he married Martha P. Smith in Mississippi. They had 13 children, all born in Mississippi. He was my 3x great grandfather. He died in 1878.
 1876       Emma D. RITTER
  1876       Nora G. RITTER
  1903       Edna FORTENBERRY

26 November    

1812       Frederick RITTER
1824       James MORRIS
1859       Conrad HERBST
1909       William REAM
1912       Vera Mary HURD was born in Michigan, daughter of Roy & Mona D. (Morrison) Hurd. She married Herbert Dunsmore. They had two sons.

27 November    

1858       Emma Julia WARREN was born in Louisiana. She married Walter Lorraine Smith. They had 14 children.
1906       Maggie Pearl FORTENBERRY
1915       Wesley P. ELLZEY

28 November    

1829       Willis James FORTENBERRY was born in Mississippi, son of William Jasper & Violette (Kennington) Fortenberry. In 1912 he married Louisa Blackwell. They had seven children. 

29 November   

1877       Arther SPICE
1927       Joseph James COYLE was born in CT, son of James Joseph & Madeline (Herbst) Coyle. 

30 November    

1857       Christine WOLF
1908       Duviox B. FORTENBERRY was the son of Lemuel Q. & Lillian (Ellzey) Fortenberry. He married Gussie Alford. They had four children.



Friday, November 11, 2011

Veterans' Day 11 - 11 - 11

c. 1954 Larry Lee Brown
Many thanks to all the Veterans who have and continue to make our country & world safe. Your service continues to be appreciated. We have a long line of soldiers in our family, from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War,... and it continues today.

Special thanks to my uncles:

Robert Allen Brown
Larry Lee Brown,  (1934 - 2007) paratrooper


Robert Allen Brown

Leo D. Brown, Air Force






Leo D. Brown in jeep, Okinawa
To my cousins: I'd love details on the service of our uncles to add to our family's history.

Friday, November 4, 2011

November Birthdays, November 4 - 15

Is your birthday coming soon? Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family. Look below and see. Happy Birthday!


4 November       

1711       Anna Ottilla KNACK was my sixth great grandmother. She was born in Germany where she married Johan Adam Dick in 1731. They came to America  in 1738 and settled in Pennsylvania. They had seven children, the first three born in Germany and the fourth born at sea while sailing to America. Anna lived to be 70 years old.
  1827       Samuel WOLF

5 November       

1883       Addie Angeline CUTRER married Walter Lee Blades, son of William & Morgana (McDaniel) Blades. They had two children: Ira & Velma.

6 November       

1886       Anna Slaby MOORE
1911       Susie SMITH
1915       Ernest Miles MARK was born in Ohio, son of Amos Martin & Lillian (Hoverstock) Mark. He married Helen Virginia Sampsel. Four children: Carl, Naomi, Marita & Melvin. He was a farmer in Chester Township and later a custodian at Congress Junior High School. He was my first cousin, twice removed.
 1916       William T. COYLE

7 November       

1781       Martin RITTER
1927       Jessie Elizabeth OVERBY was born in Kentucky. She married Bernarr Jessee Reynolds in 1950 in Oregon. They had three children: Michael, Rebecca & Patrick.

8 November       

1877       Ralph Clyaton KAUFMAN
1884       Clement RITTER
 1901       Vernon Arthur SPICE was born in Ohio, son of Arthur & Emaline Floy (Moore) Spice. Vernon married Gladys B. Johnson. Four children: Loren, Marilyn, Neil & Carol.
 1902       Peter C. MORRISON
  1929       Robert John SOMMER

9 November       

1870       Joseph Martin ALFORD was born in Louisiana, son of Needham Edwin & Mary Louiza (Stafford) Alford. He died in 1962.

10 November    

1749       Anna Barbara RITTER
 1749       Martin RITTER
 1823       Isaac Nelson BRUMFIELD was born in Louisiana, son of Willis & Nancy Virginia (Holmes) Brumfield.  He married Sarah J. Smith in 1854 in Mississippi. They had ten children.
 1892       Madeline HERBST

11 November    

1854       Emma Louise WOLF was the third child of Jeremiah & Eliza Ann (Reigle) Wolf. She died in 1856, only 23 months old.

12 November    

1812       Abraham MARK was born in Corliss, Pennsylvania. He’s my third great grandfather. I have been unable to find any information on his parents or siblings. He married Mary Isabella Heffelfinger. They had eight sons. Four served in the Civil War.
 1912       William Francis BRADY

14 November    

1838       Julius Newton ALFORD
1874       Marian Francis MARK
1927       John Edward DENISON was born in Louisiana, son of Jimmie Dean & Jessie Ola (Hall) Denison. He died in 2002 in Germany.

15 November    

1808       Jesse BALL married Cynthia Ann Alford, daughter of Edwin Barksdale & Martha P. (Smith) Alford.
1888       Noah E. BALDES
1909       Lloyd HEIGLE
1913       Isaac Omer CUTRER