The Death of Amarilla’s Grandfather, John Keller

On 4 May, 1880 John Keller, Amarilla’s grandfather, passed away from stomach cancer.  John Keller was the father of Amarilla’s mother Elizabeth Keller Spracklin and the husband of Mary Anne Delano Keller.  How this death affected Amarilla is unknown and whether she even knew her grandfather is also unknown.  Amarilla was 21 years old at his death or about that age.

The grandparents had settled in South Bloomfield Twp., Morrow County, Ohio.  Morrow County, Ohio was a composite of several counties: Knox, Richland, Marion and Delaware Counties.  It was established in 1848.  Birth and death records were not recorded till 1867, marriage started 1848 by the county.   Apparently there was a great deal of protest about the formation of Morrow County at the time. 

John and Mary Keller had eleven (11) children.  Elizabeth Keller was their oldest and first-born. 

1. Elizabeth Keller born 4 Aug 1831, probably Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio married Daniel D. Spracklin 1 Jan 1853 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and died in Benson Co., Iowa near Blairstown/Marengo.  Buried in Titler Cemetery northwest of Marengo. This is Amarilla’s mother.

2. Susan Keller born 3 Nov. 1832, Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio d. 20 June 1834, Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio, burial unknown.

3.  Peter Keller born 28 Nov. 1834, Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio married Eliza Ann Everts 6 July 1957 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio.  Peter died 22 May 1869 in So. Bloomfield Twp., Morrow Co., Ohio and is buried with his parents in the Hedding M.E. Cemetery in that location.  His information is listed on the left side of the parents tombstone.   Peter and Eliza had 5 children.  It is possible she remarried to a Mr. Denzer.  Peter served in the Civil War and I believe he died because of his wounds.  I have not obtained his Civil War service or pension record at this time but might when I visit Washington D.C. in June 2011.

NOTE:  The History of Morrow County in various versions is online at Google Books. 

4.  Lovinia Lavinia Keller was born 17 Feb 1837 in Sparta, Morrow Co., married William Golf Helt on 17 Feb 1855 in Morrow Co., Ohio and died 22 Dec 1837 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had 8 children.  I believe William died before 1883.

5.  Amarilla Keller born 28 Mar 1839 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and married Harrison Barr on 12 Sep 1858 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had about 9 children.  Amarilla died 12 May 1915 in Galion, Crawford Co., Ohio and Harrison was before 1910 in Polk, Crawford Co., Ohio.

6.  Caroline Keller born 28 Nov 1841 in Sparta, Knox Co., Ohio married Joseph Higgs Van Houten on 1 Dec 1857 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had 5 children.  Caroline died 2 Jun 1902 in Washington Twp. Hardin Co., Ohio and Joseph followed in 29 Jan 1903 in the same location. 

7.  John Delano Keller Jr. was born 22 May 1844 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and he probably married Mary L. Carson about 6 Dec 1868 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  He died 4 Jun 1876 in Fredericktown, Knox Co., Ohio. 

8.  Mary Ann Keller was born 16 Dec 1846 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and died sometime after 1900.  She married an Alexander Shaffer on 24 Jun 1866 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  They had about 9 children.   I have reason to believe they moved to Richland Co., Ohio to live.

9.  Henry Keller was born 29 Mar 1849 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and married Martha Kees (Keyes) 28 Oct 1871 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  Henry died after Aug 1909 in Morrow Co. and Martha followed in about 1927.  They had 2 children.

10.  Harriet Ellen Keller was born 15 Mar 1852 in Morrow Co., Ohio and married 3 Jan 1875 in Morrow Co. to John Lacy.  She died 22 Mar 1920 in Dresden, Muskingum Co., Ohio and he followed after 1930 in the same location.

11.  William Franklin Keller was born 15 Sep 1855 in Fredericktown, Knox Co., Ohio and married on 22 Dec 1880 in Galion, Crawford Co., Ohio to Ida Catherine Riblet.  They had 3 children.  He died 2 Feb 1911 in Morrow Co., Ohio and she followed on 16 Nov. 1930.

Sources for these children have been the U.S. Federal Census 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910 etc for Knox and Morrow Co., visiting cemeteries and tombstones -  Book:  Cemetery Inscriptions for Morrow Co., Ohio Vols 1-6.  A book: The Genealogical History and Alliances of the American House of Delano 1621 to 1899, pg. 426. (This book gives Sparta as the birth place of many of the children), Deeds from Morrow Co., and Knox Co., Ohio., on-line family trees, message boards, marriages – Marriage Records, 1848-1951, Morrow Co., Ohio.  Repositories have been the Family History library, Morrow Co. Genealogical Society and more.  Death records for Hardin Co., Ohio. and Probate/Estate Records for Morrow, Knox and other counties.  These are the highlights of the sources I have consulted for this family. 

Note:  If you are particularly interested in one of these family lines please contact me for more specific source details and family links.   Place a message in the comments to me and I will respond.  I am still trying to learn more about each sibling so the reseach is ongoing. 

I plan to travel again to Ohio in August/September 2011 and hopefully I will learn more about Elizabeth Keller’s siblings, parents and Amarilla’s aunts and uncles. 

The most important search will be to see if I cannot figure out the parentage of John Keller the grandfather and father of these children who have been listed.  He is said to have been born in Washington Co., Pennsylvania and his death record with Morrow Co. states the same but gives no parents names.  So far I have not been able to make a connection.  Washington County, PA was like a pass through to other parts of the country so they could have just stopped to have the baby and then moved on.  At least this is my theory and the real parentage of John Keller is somewhere in the records in Ohio in Knox, Morrow, or one of the nearby counties?  There were lots of Keller families living in Ohio. 

John did have a will and estate that was probated in Morrow Co.  Usually the clerks are very careful but some of the documents from the clerk books for John’s estate are very difficult to read.  Amarilla is not mentioned in any of these estate documents. 

Source:  Probate Records of Morrow Co., Ohio 1848-1926, and General Index 1848-1950 #388711, No. 1376, FHL#388711 for Index, Record of Wills FHL#288713 Vol 3, pg. 297, proof of will pg. 297.  page 298 not titled but probably Proving of the Will.  Pg. 445 FHL#388724 Affidavit (hard to read) probably filing of the will.  Note:  More needs to be done on this estate in the books and packets.

A search of the newspapers in the area did not reveal an obituary on John Keller but the announcement about the estate was found  

Mt. Gilead – Morrow Co. Sentinel Newspaper 1/1/1879 to 4/28/1881 Thurs, June, 10, 1880 Under New Advertisements: Executor’s Notice – Notice is hereby given that the undersigned have been appointed Executors of the last Will and Testament of JOHN KELLER, late of Morrow County, Ohio dec’d. All person indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate settlement. MARY A. HENRY, WM. T. KELLER (Ex’rs. June 10, 1880 (40-3w).

NOTE:  I do not know who Mary A. Henry is?  Did Mary his wife remarry or do we have another error?

Back in 2007 the Federation of Genealogical Societies and Association of Professional Genealogists held their conferences and Ohio was not that far from Fort Wayne, Indiana.  So I visited the counties of Hardin, Knox, and Morrow in Ohio and spent some enjoyable time there.  I will return in 2011 and see if I cannot find more treasures.  

I also found and visited the Hedding M.E. Cemetery in Morrow Co. 

John Keller and Mary Ann Delano with Son Peter

As you can see the bush is trying to topple the arched stone and when I visit again I will make sure that things are okay.  The stone also has a lot of mold on it and Peter’s information is on the left side next to me but covered in this mold and hard to read.  The stone is near a big tree so it is shrouded in shade.  A cousin had sent me a copy of the tombstone years ago (a descendant of William Franklin Keller) and I thought it was huge but you can see that is about my size and rather unique.  Just click on the photo and you can enlarge it to read it and make a copy.  John is on the left and Mary is listed on the right front columns.

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Pine River: June 1880

June 1, 1880 the U.S. Federal Census was enumerated for Pine River.  We find George is listed with a family but not much detail:

Source:  The George Barclay Family, 1880 U.S. Federal Census Pine River, Cass Co., Minnesota, SD 3, ED 218, pg. 10, Line 1:

Barclay, George, male, 30 years old, husband, tavern keeper, place of birth unclear.  Under George’s name is written wife, age 26 place of birth not indicated, child age 7/12, male born Minnesota.  The wife is keeping house. 

This census is not very clear and lists the family members under George as “wife” and “child” with no names given.  We do know that George has a family started and is living in Pine River.  

Along with George and his family there are two other individuals:  John Eins age 32 and Thomas [Nourling] age 62.  Both men are helping in the Tavern.  John is from Norway and the other is from Kentucky. 

There is only one page for Pine River listed for this census. 

This 1880 census lists as enumeration districts for Cass County as follows with the approximate number of people in parentheses:

The Chippewa Agency (21), Clayton (18), Gull Lake (19) and Gull River (135?), Hay Creek (2), Leech Lake Indian Reservation (6), Not stated – Twps 139 and 140 with 9 pages with children and wives listed (200+), Pelican Lake (3), Pillager (18) , Pine River (5) and West Brainerd (36). 

The birthplace given for George is also obscure and has the word “Native” written above another scribble that is very faded and difficult to read.  It might indicate he refused to answer or more likely he wasn’t home?

The listings from the above census enumeration districts had lots of families listed but most of the population was north of Pine River.

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A Son is born: George Alexander Barclay 1880!

It was a happy day in Pine River the 10th of January 1880 when George and Amarilla’s son George Alexander Barclay as born. 

On my second trip to Minnesota in July of 2001, I found the actual records of George Alexander’s birth that are mentioned in the “Logsleds…” book.  I did not find the actual quote from Rev. Benjamin Whipple that they feature in the book about the baptism of young George. I did find parish records recognizing the birth of the baby boy.   The collection of the Whipple papers at the Minnesota Historical Society is large and complicated and I have tried at least twice to figure it out. 

Source: “21, baptised George Alexander sone of  Geo A. & Amanda Barclay born 10 January 1880 Sponsors parents, Rev. I.A. Gilfillan at 1/2 ____ house.” (Very difficult to read) (Vol. 10 ,P1035, Box 43 Manuscripts, P.E. Church, Diocese of Minn. Vol 8-16 MHS). 

Source:  Whipple Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths 1859-1895 1 Vol., #142.F.15.3B, Minnesota Historical Society.

“Baptisms: August 21, 1880, Pine River, George Alexander Barclay, Parents:  George A. & Ammanda Barclay, Sponsors and witnesses:  Parents and Rev. I.A. Gilfillan.  (Register of Baptisms, Marriages – Whipple Records 142.F.15.3B 1859-1895 1 Vol. – MHS) 

On page 106 first column there is an interesting account of the baptism of baby George in the Logsleds to Snowmobiles book.  This account was taken from The Whipple papers at the Minnesota Historical Society.  

It reads:  “Time evening. Log hotel in the woods, kept by a frontier man and his wife. She is eight miles from the nearest white woman, and between her and Brainerd, 36 miles distant, are just two of her sex. They are happily and contented all alone in the woods with the little infant son God has given them. The Bishop assembles all hands in the dining room and proceeds to baptize the boy. “Name this child,” says the Bishop. “George Alexander,” says the sponsor, the name of the father. “Stop,” says the exulting frontiersman. “George Alexander Barclay,” giving his own name in full. He wished all present and absent to understand that the boy was a Barclay.”

Based on what I have determined, I think it was the Rev. Gilfillan who did the baptism and the journal is housed in the Whipple papers which is a collection of the Rev. Whipple’s. 

There seems to be a little confusion regarding the actions of the father.  The son was named “George Alexander” while the father was “George Angus.”  Did George Angus Barclay name is son after his brother Alexander?

Based on the information from the 1880 census we know that there weren’t that many people in Pine River in 1880 so George and Amarilla were probably far from religious gatherings so they either took this as an opportunity to have their child baptised.  The other possibility is that George was not Catholic.  We see that there are two instances in which George and Amarilla interact with the Episcopal faith, 1) their marriage, 2) the baptism of their child. 

Both Rev. Whipple and Gilfillan are very extraordinary men and no matter which of the two men it was that stopped at the Barclay Ranch is was a major event. 

For Rev. Whipple:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Benjamin_Whipple

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1875-1876 Commissioner?, 1877 Postmaster, 1879 Patent

George and Amarilla settle in at Pine River.  George helps out the settlers before the county was organized in 1897.   He is given credit under the Cass County Commissioners for his assistance.

Source:  Cass County Heritage, Cass County Historical Society, Taylor Publishing, 1999.

pg. 23 – Cass County Commissioners – “Before the organization of Cass County in 1897, we were under the governance of a number of different counties. Prior to 1897 there were a number of men that intervened for the early settlers of Cass County, Charles Ahrens 1872-1875, George N. Bardwell 1872-1875, George A. Morrison 1872-1875, George A. Barclay 1875-1876, Reuben Gray etc.”

UPDATE:  In the Cass County Courthouse in the Bond Book A pg. 2 we find two entries:  1) Certificate of Election, Filed January 22, 1875 @ 11 O’clock in which George A. Barclay receives the highest votes and is therefore elected County Commissioner for the ensuing term.  2) Oath of Office in which George promises to “faithfully and impartially discharge the duties…” Dated at West Brainerd this 4th day of January A.D. 1875…” 

George also took on the role of postmaster for Pine River

Source:  Record of Appointment of Postmasters, #M841, Roll 63 NARA, Minnesota Counties Aitkin-Faribault Co., Target 14, Cass County, Vol. 39, ca 1871-81, Vol. 57 ca. 1881-1892, Vol. 84 ca. 1892-1930.

George A. Barclay was appointed the postmaster for Pine River in 1877 and continued till his death in 1898.  After him came Edward Coyle 5 Jan. 1899, James R. Kinler May 4, 1899, Eddie J. Holman Mar. 21, 1906, W. P. Stervant 24, Apr. 1914, Elmer Dahl, Irvin Lembke, Dec 2, 1924, Oliver Dahl Oct. 16, 1924 to 1930.

A little over a year after his marriage to Amarilla, George obtains another patent for land.  It is interesting that George states he is from Hennepin Co. and not Cass Co.

3. Patent from BML – Cass County –  9/23/1879 – St. Cloud #7946

#7946 Patent: George A. Barclay of Hennepin County, Minnesota, ….St. Cloud, Minnesota..whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said George A. Barclay… and the acts supplemental thereto, for the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section six in township one hundred and thirty-seven of range twenty-nine in the district of lands subject to sale at Saint Cloud, Minnesota containing forty-one acres, and twenty-one hundredths of an acre.  In testimony whereof., I R. B. Hayes… 23 of September 1879, etc…

 

 

 

 

 

NW qtr Sec 6 #7946

 

 

The Deed Mapper software does not do 21/100ths so what you see is an approximation of the patent of 41 and 21/100ths of an acre.  We are now carving out the town of Pine River as George adds to his land holdings.

So far we have about 233+ acres of land totalled for George A. Barclay at this time.  We still have more to go and we have not addressed deeds.

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Amarilla’s Origins in Iowa!

Amarilla Spracklin Barclay was most likely born near Blairstown in Benton County in the state of Iowa on the 17 of November 1858. 

Amarilla’s father was Daniel D. Spracklin and her mother was Elizabeth Keller.  Daniel and Elizabeth  married 1 January 1853 in Sparta, So. Bloomfield Twp., Morrow Co., Ohio. 

Source:  Marriage Records, 1848-1951, Index 1848-1948, Morrow Co., Ohio.  General Index V1A-10, 1848-1948 #388779 Item 1, Marriages v. 1A #388779 Item 2 1848-1858. Keller, Elizabeth to Daniel Spracklin Vol. 1A, pg. 119. Pg. 60, Spracklin, Daniel D. to Keller, Elizabeth on Jan. 1, 1853 by Joel Abbott JP.

I believe Amarilla was born near Blairstown because her father Daniel had land in Leroy Twp., Benton County, Iowa which is where Blairstown is located.   He had migrated from Ohio to Iowa.  According to the 1856 Iowa State census they were in Iowa by 1855.  There are problems with the index of the 1856 census but Daniel is there along with other interesting discoveries.

Benton County was organized as a separate county in 1846 with the town of Vinton as the county seat.  Blairstown was established in 1862.  The town of Marengo was incorporated in 1859 and was more established as a town at the time.  Marengo is the county seat for Iowa County, Iowa and has been since 1845 according to this website which gives a little history of Marengo, Iowa:  http://www.marengo150.com/default.htm 

The two towns are about 9 miles from each other with Blairstown being directly north of Marengo.  I drove the highway between the two towns and it is a nice drive through a canyon and over a hilly area.  Blairstown and Marengo are situated in flat land areas between these rolling hills. 

Between Blairstown & Marengo

Blairstown, Iowa

In the photograph above you see Blairstown in the distance and the water tower to the left.

Source:  Blairstown, 1862 to 1987, History – Town History.  I obtained a copy of this history book from the Blairstown Public Library which has  a genealogical collection.  At that time they were in a temporary building in 2003 so researching was a challenge.  The librarian was very helpful.  The genealogical collection is in the care of another individual through the Benton County Genealogical Society and that information is listed at the library website.  Apparently they are in their new building now, so it would be a much better experience to do research there. 

Here is the link:  http://www.blairstown.lib.ia.us/use-the-library/genealogy2

Benton Co. 1872 Atlas

Daniel’s land in Leroy Twp. is in two 40 acre sections straddling the double line that runs the entire page above, north to south.  He is slightly to the right of the middle of this picture.  If you click on the photo it will enlarge and look for two smudgy dots on each side of that long line.  The township page above is  from the 1872 Iowa County Atlas – Benton County, Leroy Twp. which I found at the Iowa County Genealogical Society.  Blairstown is in the upper right corner of the photograph. 

Be advised that the Iowa County Genealogical Society was in the basement of the Marengo Public Library but they did some renovations a few years ago and the society is now in North English.  See the links to the right on this blog.

Daniel moved to Dayton Twp., Iowa County, Iowa after this 1872 date and he appears in the 1874 Atlas of Iowa County, Iowa published by Harrison & Warner.  Daniel purchased the land in Dayton Twp.  at the end of 1872.  The land in Dayton Township is in the northeast corner of section 19 which is right next to the Poweshiek County line southwest of Millersburg and close to Keokuk County.  Marengo is twenty miles north of Millersburg.  So Daniel put some distance between his original land purchases in Benton County and moved south to Iowa County and obtained a lot more land, all in one large piece. 

To get a better idea of the distance from Blairstown I have below a copy of an atlas page of Iowa County showing Dayton Twp. and if you focus on the white square you can see about where the land was situated.  I am using Millersburg as a reference point.  

Historical Atlas 1875 of Iowa County, Iowa

I found this atlas at the Iowa Digital Library website for The University of Iowa and I chose the page for Iowa County.  http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/atlases  There are more counties listed at this website. 

I have deeds and more information regarding Daniel’s land holdings in Iowa and copies of atlas pages for Iowa County and Benton County. 

I did check newspapers around the time of Amarilla’s birth to see if I could find an announcement or discover her mother Elizabeth’s obituary for March 10, 1859 but I was not successful.  I did see obituaries but mostly news about the farming industry.  I also checked the bible records at the Iowa Historical Society in Des Moines and did not find anything to confirm my theory. 

Amarilla’s mother Elizabeth died four months after her birth. Daniel her father remarried in 1863 to Sarah Blacketer Allgood.  They had seven more children as I have mentioned in a past post. 

Amarilla was born in Iowa and was not unfamiliar with living on a farm and that lifestyle.  So in my opinion this made her adapt well to life on the frontier in Pine River, Minnesota in 1878 after her marriage to George Angus Barclay. 

Amarilla’s family the Spracklins is a very large family and I have been researching them for many years.  There are many others who have done a great deal of work on this family line.  There is Mayflower and DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) connections in Amarilla’s ancestry through both her father and her mother sides and it spans the early history of our country and if I shared all of the research that I have on her family it would take a blog all by itself and it would be a major undertaking. 

The scope and focus of this blog about the Barclay’s is about George and Amarilla’s life together.  In future posts Amarilla will be touched by her Spracklin and Keller families as events unfold in her life.

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Wedding Photos of George and Amarilla!

These photos were given to me by my Aunt Miriam, the granddaughter of George and Amarilla.  She said they were their wedding photos. 

The first one is my great-grandfather George Angus Barclay as a young man. 

George A. Barclay ca. 1878

On the back Aunt Miriam wrote:  “George Angus Barclay, Born _____ Died 1898.  1878 Wedding picture.  Enlisted Aug. 15, 1862, at Fort Snelling (Not correct it was Fort Ridgely) as wagoner, Co., I, 9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. Honorable Discharge 1865. Marched with Sherman. (George probably didn’t march with Sherman as indicated in a past posts dated June 15 and June 25, 2010.) “ 

In dark pen and in another person’s handwriting it reads:  “Print from Screened neg. ,Z3668, Historic Heartland Assoc.”

This photo is supposedly of Amarilla as a young girl.  Miriam indicates that it is her wedding photograph.

Amarilla Spracklin Barclay

On the back in Aunt Miriam’s handwriting:  “Amarilla Spracklin Barclay, Nov. 17, 1858 – Aug. 10, 1942. Born near Marengo, Iowa, died in Pine River, Minn.  1878. Wedding picture age 20.”

Again the same black pen and different handwriting:  “Print from Screened neg., Z3666 , Historic Heartland Assoc.”

Carl Zapffe was the founder of Historic Heartland Association.  His photo collection is housed with the Nisswa Historical Society as far as I know.  I talked personally to the president of the Nisswa society in 2007 about these two photographs and later sent copies and wrote to them.  They eventually wrote me back and told me they were unable to identify or give me any further information on these two photographs.  In exchange he referenced an article about George that I will discuss in a later post.

When I visited Pine River in 2000, I shared these two photographs with the Editor and they were printed in the Pine River newspaper in an article about my visit.  See my March 15, 2010 post – An Appointment – Pine River Journal for more information.  

Mr. Zapffe wrote several oversized historical booklets about “Oldtimers” in Minnesota that I purchased and will feature later on in my posts.   The Crow Wing Historical Society in Brainerd may still have copies.  You can Google his writings which are still out there?  He died sometime in the 1990′s, I believe?

Mr. Zapffe actually corresponded with my Aunt Miriam at some point.  I found a brochure that had family photographs in color in her possession.  There is a photograph of a bride – Christina Ethel Zapffee and groom Thomas Richard Anderson, Jr. dated 1973.  A family group photo with all the names of the children but just Mom and Pop listed and I suspect that Pop refers to Mr. Zapffe.  Other family groupings photos are included in the brochure.  The brochure/pamphlet is 4 pages long.  On the back is a discussion of the Mystical Window featured on the front page and a Merry Christmas at the bottom.  The envelope has a Baltimore, Maryland address and is stamped with Dec. 1973.   The brochure is a real treasure of family photographs for both Anderson and Zapffee who are not my family. 

Would I be interested in the story behind this and how my Aunt Miriam obtained copies of these photographs of Amarilla and George, my great grandparents?  Just another mystery in my family!

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1878: Enter Amarilla Spracklin!

As we have seen, George’s was busy with his life.  He had established a trading post on the south fork of the Pine River, then moved it to higher land, and obtained several patents for land in the area.  In July of 1878 he went to Brainerd for some reason, probably to get supplies or do business, and took time to go a courting.  He met and married Amarilla Grace Spracklin at a friend’s house.

Amarilla had left her home near Blairstown, Iowa and migrated to Brainerd, Minnesota sometime after the 1870 U.S. Census.  Her granddaughter Miriam said Amarilla arrived there about 1877.  Amarilla had been living with her father, step-mother and  half siblings since about 1863 in Iowa. 

If you look at Iowa in reference to Minnesota you would see that Iowa is just straight south of Minnesota. 

State Map of US

Miriam writes in another part of her notes, that Amarilla was not happy in her situation:

“Her father, Daniel Dare Spracklin had two families. Amarilla (Ammarilla , sometimes varied it) belonged to the first family, hated the second and left home.  Supported herself as a seamstress. ” 

“Came to Brainerd, Minn., in 1877 and earned her living as a dressmaker and milliner.” Miriam McDonald Notes circa 1980′s.

There is no state census in Iowa for 1875 so we cannot be sure if Amarilla was still at home at that time.  Miriam makes a further comment:  “Born near Marengo, Iowa, Nov. 17, 1858.”  It was probably closer to Blairstown which is north of Marengo.  In 1878 Amarilla would have been 20 years old.  

The Logsleds to Snowmobile book  makes the following statement:

“On July 27, 1878, in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brainerd, with the Reverend Herbert Root officiating.  George Angus Barclay married Ammarilla Spracklin.  Barclay’s new bride was the first permanent white woman settler on the Pine River.  She continued to hold the distinction for 15 years.” pg. 105 

This reference implies that George and Amarilla were married in the St. Paul Episcopal Church in Brainerd, however the evidence shows that the record of the marriage from the St. Paul Episcopal Church hint that it was at the residence of a C. H. Mayo.  Click on the photo to make it larger.  

St. Paul Episcopal Church Register

Here is a copy of their marriage license.  It is one of several that were in the Civil War Pension file of George A. Barclay’s.

1902 Copy of Marriage License

A brief article found in the Brainerd Tribune dated Saturday, August 3, 1878 on page 2 on the left at the bottom also repeats this information of a marriage at a friend’s house, the home of a C. H. Mayo. 

Barclay & Sprecklin Marriage

How George and Amarilla met is  a mystery.  Miriam said that Amarilla was a milliner, a person who makes hats.  

An article in the Brainerd Daily Dispatch taken from the Centennial Edition (1871-1971) on the history of Brainerd and the Crossing states that their were 21 stores,  and 1 tailor shop.  So it might be possible that George spotted Amarilla in the town at one of these locations? 

“After a brief courtship they were married on July 27, 1878.  Following the ceremony, the new bride of 19 and her husband drove as far as Gull Lake, probably to John Bishop’s half-way house on Bishop’s Creek, where they stayed overnight.  The next day they continued on with their “tote” to George Barclay’s Ranch on the Pine River.” 

Logsleds to Snowmobiles, pg. 112

The Coroner’s Inquest file regarding the murder of George Barclay from Cass County Records had a testimony by a Andrew Whitesides, an employee of George A. Barclay since 1894.  He testified at the coroner’s inquest about George’s murder but in addition he made an interesting comment  about Amarilla – that she was “an inmate of a variety theater?” 

Now the same article I mentioned from the Brainerd Daily Disptach does indicate there were 15 saloons, and 2 billiards halls but it does not mention a theatre in Brainerd?

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George Barclay & D. McNanny – A Partnership in 1875?

Many sources point out that George A. Barclay formed a partnership with a D. McNannie.  The “Logsleds…” book has a full page picture of this man sitting in a chair and make several references to him in the book.  They suggest McNannie was a mixed blood Ojibwe. 

Studying the land laws of the United States back in 1875 might show some interesting reasons for this partnership.  The whole issue of land and the Indians is very complicated and subject to the laws of the U.S. Federal Governments. 

In checking on McNanny/Nannie at the BML website I did not find any other patents in his name, only the two he purchased with George back in 1875. 

Interestingly these two patents are in Section 8 of T137 R29 Wilson Township.  Visualize the northwest corner of Wilson Township – Section 6:  On its right to the east is Section 5.  South of Section 6 is Section 7 and to its right going east is Section 8.  So Section 8 is diagonal to Section 6 and to the southeast.  The Pine River flows through this Section 8 and the Leech Lake Military Trail follows the river. 

1.  Cass  County – 5/1/1875 - St. Cloud #7373

#7373 Patent – D. McNanny and George Barclay of Cass Co., Minnesota, ….deposited in…St. Cloud, Minnesota the South East quarter of the North East quarter of Section eight in township one hundred and thirty-seven of range twenty-nine in the District of Lands subject to sale at St. Cloud, Minnesota containing 40 acres…said tract has been purchased by the said D. McNanny and George Barclay…In Testimoney Whereof, I, Ulysses S. Grant…have caused these letters to be made PATENT.. 1 of May 1875 etc…

2.  Cass County – 5/1/1875 – St. Cloud #7374 

 #7374 Patent – D. McNanny and George Barclay of Cass Co., Minnesota, St. Cloud, Minnesota the lot numbered six of section eight in township one hundred and thirty-seven of range twenty-nine in the District of lands subject to sale at St. Cloud, Minnesota containing 32 acres and seventy-five hundredths of an acre..DO GIVE AND GRANT, unto the said D. McNanny and George Barclay…In Testimony Whereof, F.  Ulysses S. Grant…1 of May 1875, etc…

In Summary

1.  #7373 SE1/4 of the NE1/4 in Section 8 Township 137, Range 29.  This is approximately where this piece of land is located. Click on the map to make it bigger.

Patent #7373 Added

2.  Lot Six (6) in Section 8 Township 137, Range 29. My Deed Mapper software will not do lot’s.  So I do not show this patent on the above topo map. Further detail will be needed to find this particular lot being referred to in this patent.  It is in the same location as #1. 

Go back to the Minnesota Public Land Survey website and you will see a survey done in 1865 that makes this very interesting reading.  Select the township 137 and the range 29 and it will bring up this old map of the area that is very interesting and closer to what George and McNannie knew in 1875.  

http://www.mngeo.state.mn.us/glo/index.html 

Total acres:  40 + 32 75/100th = 40+32 75/100th acres

Another puzzling thing is that this is in Wilson Twp. not Barclay Twp.  as some sources suggest.  Since I could not find any more patents except these two for McNannie he would have to have purchased land elsewhere by deed.  Barclay Twp. is T138 R29 and Wilson is T137 R29. 

Our Target Area of Townships - Cass County

It is interesting to me that they spell McNannie’s name in different ways which is not a surprise but means you do have to be diligent when researching him.  It might be interesting to study the deeds of Cass and Crow Wing for McNannie.  I have not done that at this time concentrating on George and Ammarilla.

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1874: A Patent in Walden Twp?

3.  Patent from BML:  Cass 8/1/1874 - St. Cloud #7084

This patent is in Section 12, Twp. 137, R30 and is Waldon Twp.   

 

 

Our Target Area of Townships - Cass County

 

 

Patent: George A. Barclay of Cass Co., Minnesota office St. Cloud, Minnesota, George A. Barclay the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 12, in Twp. One hundred and thirty seven of Range thirty in the district of lands subject to sale at St. Cloud, Minnesota, containing forty acres.  US Grant, first of August 1874. 

Cash Entry Folder – 7084 St. Cloud, Minn Sec 12, Twp. 137, Range 30, [App] o June 20/74 FOB, Pd August 1st 1874 Rec Vol. 12, Page 168 Ex notice in Tract Book 3/20/34 JGS, Vol. 35, Pg. 16. Other side:  Pat. August 1, 1874, Vol. 12, Page 168. 

Receiver’s Office at St. Cloud, Minnesota, May 22, 1874 George A. Barclay of Cass Co., Minnesota the sum of fifty NW4 NW Section 12, twp. 137, range 30, containing 40 acres at $1.25 signed by J.V. [Browner]

Land Office at St. Cloud, Minn, May 22, 1874 George A. Barclay, Cass Co., State of Minn NW4 NW4 section 12, twp. 137, range 30, containing 40 acres at the rate of 1 dollar and 25 centers per acre amounting to $50 dollars has made payment in full as required by law George A. Barclay shall be entitled to receive a Patent for the lot above described signed by H. L. [Lovelace] Register.

Here is the approximate location of this section of land:

 

 

1874 Walden Twp #7084

 

 

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1874: Barclay Patents Section 6

Below are two (2) patents that were assigned to George A. Barclay in 1874. They are located in Section 6, Township 137, Range 29.  Section 6 is located in the northwest corner of Wilson Township in Cass County, Minnesota. 

Most of the city of Pine River, Minnesota is located in the northwest corner of Wilson Twp. T137  R29.  To the north is Barclay Twp., T138 R29 and Pine River is in the southwest corner.

1. Patent from BML:  Cass County - 8/1/1874 – St. Cloud #7082  

Patent:  George A. Barclay of Cass County, Minnesota, Register of the Land Office at St. Cloud, Minnesota.  The southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section six in township one hundred and thirty seven, of range twenty nine in the district of lands subject to sales at St. Cloud, Minnesota, containing 40 acres, signed by U.S. Grant, 1 of August 1874, etc…(Cash Vol. # 166, Page # 167).

Cash Entry Folder Jacket: Reg. Sept. 21, 74 rect. ackd. October 3/74  – #7082 Cash Entry, Land Office at St. Cloud, Min. Sec. 6, Town. 137 Range 29. [Aff o June 20/74. F.O.B., Pd August 7^th, 1874, Rec Vol. 12, Page 167 Ex .  Notes in Tract book 3/20/34 JGS. Vol 35  g123 – Sec to S/G F. Alderman, Brainerd, Minn Sept 22/86. 

#7082 Receiver’s Office at St. Cloud, Minn. May 22, 1874, Received from George A. Barclay, of Cass County, Minn. the sum of $50.00  dollars and --- cents, being in full for the SE4 SE quarter Section No. 6, Township No. 137, Range No. 29 containing 40 acres --- at $1.25 per acre signed by J. V. Brown Receiver.

#7082 Land Office at St. Cloud, Minn, May 22, 1874. It is hereby certified ...George A. Barclay, Cass Co., State of Minn on this day purchased of the Register of this Office, the lot or SE4 SE4 Section no. 6, in Township No. 137, of Range No. 29, containing 40 acres at the rate of 1 dollar and 25 centers per acre amounting to $50 dollars and -- cents for which the said George A. Barclay has made payment in full as required by law George A. Barclay shall be entitled to receive a Patent for the lot above described signed by H. L. [Lovelace] Register.

2. Patent from BML – Cass County - 8/1/1874 – St. Cloud #7083 

# 7083 Patent:  George A. Barclay of Cass County, Minnesota has deposited in the General Land Office of the United States a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at St. Cloud, Minnesota, George A. Barclay…The south east quarter of the north west quarter of section six, in Township one hundred and thirty seven, of Range twenty nine in the district of lands subject to sale at St. Cloud, Minnesota, containing forty acres. …Do Give and Grant to said George A. Barclay and to his heirs, the said tract of land, above described. In Testimony Whereof: U.S. Grant… first of August 1874 etc… (Cash Vol# 166 Page #168)

#7083

The photo above of Patent #7083 is a copy of the original patent.  It is the only patent that survived to this day of all the patents George purchased and is in the possession of my cousin.  She shared it with me.

Cash Entry Folder Jacket: # 7083 Cash Entry, Land office at St. Cloud, Minn Sec. 6, Town. 137, Range 29, [App] o June 20/74 F.O.B., Pd August 1st 1874. Rec Vol. 12, Page 168 Ex. Notice in Tract Book 3/20/34 JGS, Vol. 35, Pg. 123. Other side:  Pat. August 1, 1874, Vol. 12, Page 168.

#7083 – Receiver’s Office at St. Cloud, Minnesota, May 22, 1874. Received from George A. Barclay of Cass County, Minnesota the sum of fifty and —- cents; being in full for the  SE4 NW quarter of Section No. 6, in Township No. 137, of Range No. 29, containing 40 acres — at $1.25 signed by J.V. [Browner]

#7083 – Land Office at St. Cloud, Minn, May 22, 1874. It is hereby Certified that in pursuance of law George A. Barclay, Cass Co., State of Minn, on this day purchased of the Register of this office, the lot or SE4 NW4 of Section No. 6, in Township No. 137, of Range No. 29, containing 40 acres at the rate of 1 dollar and 25 cents per acre, amounting to 50 dollars and — cents, for which the said George A. Barclay has made payment in full as required by law….George A. Barclay shall be entitled to receive a Patent for the lot above described signed by H. L. [Lovelace] Register.

The 1874 Patents

The patents in bold dark lines were created using the software Deed Mapper a product of Direct Line Software at: http://www.directlinesoftware.com/  This software is used mostly for complicated state land states like Virginia.  However, it does do a perfect patent for a Federal land state like Minnesota.  The patents are approximate to the topo map Pine River Quadrangle, Minnesota, Cass Co., 7.5 Mte Series Revised 1994.

Over the next series of posts I will build on this map of patents for George Barclay. Click on the map to make it larger so you can see it better. 

 Total acres:  40 acres + 40 acres = 80 acres

Please note that preparing these patents has not been an easy task.  It can get very confusing.  So please refer to previous posts that explain how to read a patent or deed.  I am not claiming that I have it correct so if you think there is a problem write me a comment.  Just click on the title of the post and it will bring up a page where you can write a comment.  The other option is to just click on “Leave a comment” highlighted at the bottom of the post.

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