Daniel D. Spracklins Estate: Revisiting the Partition Deeds of his heirs…

I promised I would share about the partition deeds that were part of the estate of Daniel D. Spracklin in each of the posts about his children but I ended up getting to involved with the writing of each post about Daniel’s 2nd family and didn’t have the room.

So let me share the deeds for some of the heirs of Daniel and I think they are really wonderful.  These are not the originals but typed copies of the deeds by the court clerk.

Here is the post that I wrote in August titled: Daniel D. Spracklin’s Estate: The Partition Deeds, August 29, 2015. This post referred to a Referree Deed as well which I will not share here.

Here is the list of those who participated in the partitioning of Daniel’s land in Dayton Twp., Iowa Co., Iowa and these deeds helped me to find where the they all went.

1. Spracklin, V.H. & wife (Mae) Co. of Sanborn, So. Dakota – 1/23/1917 – $149.50.  This is Virda Huston and his wife Mae.

2. Spracklin, E.S. & wife (Mrs. E.G. Spracklin) Co. of Shelby, IA – 9/23/1916 – $150.50 – This person is Elmer George Spracklin son of Henry Spracklin, brother to Amarilla and of the first family.

3. Spracklin, P.S. – Single…his wife, Co. of Iowa, IA. – 1/13/1917 – $150.50 – I think this is Peter George Spracklin who is a son of Daniel and Sarah Spracklin.

4. Spracklin, C.E. etal (wife is Arminda V. Spracklin & Ammarilla Dawes, single) – 12/22/1916 $152.50 – This is the one in which Amarilla Barclay Dawes and Charles Edward Spracklin came together to release their claim on their father Daniel’s land.  It is done in Minnesota.

5. Spracklin O.R., single Co. of Sanborn, So. Dakota – 1/18/1917 – $153.50  – Based on the Heir-at-Law form that I have featured on this blog in my posts about Daniel’s Estate, I think this is Raymond Ortha Spracklin another son of Henry Spracklin and Elizabeth Bendon.

Partition Deeds for Daniel Spracklin’s Estate 1915

Partition Deed for Daniel Spracklin

These deeds were together in order in the book at the courthouse on my trip to Iowa in 2003 and I do not understand why there were only these individual’s listed.  Based on the Heirs-at-law form from Daniel’s estate there should be more?  Reed Spracklin, was the Administrator of the estate so he had an agreement with Daniel.

Source:  D.D. Spracklin, Register of Deeds, Iowa Co., Iowa, Marengo, Iowa, Book 73, pg. 88, Iowa County Courthouse. 

Daniel D. Spracklin’s Estate: The Partition Deeds

There were two very important events that took place regarding Daniel’s estate. The most important document in the probate/estate packet was the Heirs-at-law form that showed the heirs of Daniel.  I have shared that with you in a previous post.

The second was a series of deeds selling the land of Daniel D. Spracklin. These deeds were found in the court clerk books and included most of Daniel’s heirs, including Amarilla. You will note that C.E. Spracklin’s deed includes his wife Arminda and also Amarilla Dawes because they were from Minnesota.

Partial of the deed for C.E., Arminda and Amarilla

Here is a list of Grantors: Quit Claim Deeds for Sec 19, Twp. 78, Rng 12 – NE 1/4 Dayton Twp., Iowa Co., Iowa:

1. Spracklin, V.H. & wife (Mae) Co. of Sanborn, So. Dakota – 1/23/1917 – $149.50
2. Spracklin, E.S. & wife (Mrs. E.G. Spracklin) Co. of Shelby, IA – 9/23/1916 – $150.50
3. Spracklin, P.S. – Single…his wife, Co. of Iowa, IA. – 1/13/1917 – $150.50
4. Spracklin, C.E. etal (wife is Arminda V. Spracklin & Ammarilla Dawes, single) – 12/22/1916 $152.50
5. Spracklin O.R., single Co. of Sanborn, So. Dakota – 1/18/1917 – $153.50

Grantee: Thomas Stapleton
Date of filing: Jan. 25, 1917 for all of the above quit claim deeds
Time: 4:40 and 4:45 pm.
Date of Instrument: Next to name above

On the following page, after the above deeds, was a Referee Deed that I would not have known about if I had not looked through the court clerk books in person in the Courthouse.  Apparently Reed and Lydia went to court.  I have yet to do further research on this deed which might mean searching court records for more information.

Pg. 89 H.W. Hatter, Referee to Thomas Stapleton – Referee Deed, Jan. 29, 1917. $155.70. Regarding the sale of the land that D.D. Owned and the Plaintiffs are R.A. Spracklin and Lydia M. Ross. Apparently it was sold at $14,444.00 and approved Mar. 1916 by the court to be sold to Thomas Stapleton.

When I post about each of these heirs of Daniel’s in future posts, I will share these deeds in more detail.

Traveling to Iowa in 2003 in Search of Spracklins…

Over Iowa 2003

Back in 2003, my research on my family was pretty new, I had been to Washington D.C and Minnesota but I was still searching for family.  I decided to travel to Iowa because I had been in contact with a Spracklin cousin who emailed me.  Jerry is a descendant of Henry Spracklin, Amarilla’s older brother from the first marriage of their father Daniel. He lives in Iowa.

Over the years, I have learned that my genealogical research trips are just as important as putting together the research and scrolling through sources.  I learned this from Paul H. Goss who did research on the Goss family.  He didn’t journal his research visits to cousins to learn about the Goss family history back in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.  If you read his manuscripts you will see that he hints at these visits but he doesn’t elaborate on them.  Paul’s visits to cousins or Goss descendants was very important and needed to be reported and sourced.  I have a lot of respect for my cousin Paul Goss.  It would have been nice to know where he obtained some of his information.

In reviewing my journal from my trip to Iowa, it brought back the whole trip and reminded me of my time in Iowa.

Here is a summary of that trip that opened the door on my research of the Daniel D. Spracklin families which included Amarilla my great-grandmother and her origins.

My trip to Iowa started on Friday, April 25, 2003 and ended on Wednesday, May 7, 2003.  I flew into the Cedar Rapids Airport. I flew first to Chicago and then walked that airport from one end to the other to get to my connection to Iowa. Always check out an airport’s website they have great information to help plan your trip.

This airport was a small airport so it was not hard to find the car rental desk and my car for the trip. Once I had settled into the new car, I made my way south to the Amana Colonies Holiday Inn east of Williamsburg.  It doesn’t seem to be there anymore and is probably under another name.

My goal was to visit courthouses, societies, libraries and cemeteries in and near Marengo and Blairstown, Iowa in search of the Daniel D. Spracklin families and Amarilla’s origins.

When I prepare for a trip like this, I make an itinerary that is extremely detailed for each day of the trip.  I know exactly what I plan to do that day after studying the websites of different repositories I want to visit. I add the addresses of repositories, their phone numbers, times they are opened and write all that information on the itinerary so I don’t have to search for it if I get lost or there is a problem that occurs, or I have to reschedule. My itinerary is there to guide me and can change.  The journal is what really happened on the trip.

Later I started using Microsoft’s Streets and Trips (now discontinued as of 2014 and support ending 2015) to prepare a road trip itinerary. I like this software because it will break the route down by each day. The map is not always detailed enough so I do use GPS either in the rental car or on my cellphone.  Cellphone GPS when traveling Internationally would be too costly. So I still need maps to help guide me. Before the trip I go to Google Earth or Google Maps to see the road using the satellite version.  Areas of the route I am unclear about I drill down so I know what might happened.  Still there are always surprises. I then make copies of my S&T maps and make sure I have a good state and or county map.

Armed with my itinerary, research goals, research papers, maps, and routing information, I head out on my adventure.

Marengo Public Library

Once settled into the my hotel after the airplane flight, I prepare for my day. My first stop was Marengo, Iowa. I spent time in the Marengo Public Library using its newspapers and going into the basement where the Iowa County Genealogical Society was housed at that time. They were very helpful.  ICGS has moved to North English. Don’t confuse them with the Iowa Genealogical Society which is the state society located in Des Moines. The ICGS volunteer was very kind and kept the society open longer than was posted. She helped me locate cemeteries to view, found books, microfilm and more.  I was very impressed with this society. UPDATE: The Iowa County Genealogical Society is not in the library anymore. I can’t find them but know they were very small after they left the library. I hope they gave their holdings to an archive.

The most significant items found where the Atlases for Iowa and Benton County showing Daniel’s land. Most of what we did was eliminate history books and other sources.  Daniel was proving to be difficult to find.

Marengo Courthouse town in distance…

My biggest outing was to the courthouse for Iowa County in Marengo and it was there I obtained copies of the Probate/Estate packet for Daniel D. Spracklin. The county website has a much better picture of the courthouse. County websites are tough to get around in, so just be persist till you find what you are looking for, call and ask.

http://www.marengoiowa.com/index.php?pageid=636f6d6d756e6974795f69643a30

I waited patiently while the clerk copied the file and had my money ready to pay for the copies. She was not necessarily happy with me. I agreed not to make her copy all of the creditor receipts and instead I look at them and made my choices.  It was well worth the wait to obtain this file and see Amarilla listed as an heir-at-law of Daniel D. Spracklin along with her brothers and sisters.  Oh yes, the floors did creak…

Loy’s B&B in the distance

After a couple of days, I moved from the hotel to Loy’s Bed & Breakfast which was closer to Marengo.  It was really a farm-house where they were renting out the lower floor to visitors like myself.  I wanted to see what it would be like to stay on a farm in Iowa.  The proprietors were very nice. The man who was the owner of the farm, worked for the farm cooperative and was kind to study the estate papers of Daniel’s especially the inventory.  He said that Daniel was a general farmer and had many items that indicated this.  I was grateful, I am city girl.  He was very knowledgeable and told me how the farming was done today.

While staying at the farm B&B there was a storm and the sky got really black and I mean black and hung low to the ground. There were reports of tornadoes to the south. It slowed me down a little and made me a little nervous.  I am a city girl you know.

While in Marengo, I found a lovely cafe to the left of the park where the locals gathered.  The seats were a little worn but the food was good comfort good. It looks like its probably gone now. Sigh!

Oh, I did experience a traffic jam in Marengo.  The train that goes through the town to the south blocked my progress for about 20 minutes, giggle.

Marengo’s Park in the town Center

I also drove from Marengo up to Blairstown to get a feel for the land and see the area. It is a little more rugged along that road and flattens out when you get to Blairstown. The public library at the time was going through construction so they had a prefab building housing the collection.

The Benton County Genealogical holdings were not there at my visit, they were at another location for safety. Now that the new library has been built they are housed there.  It is really a nice library from the pictures and they have a genealogy room. UPDATE:  Things have changed and I am not sure where the Benton County Genealogical society has their holdings at this time 6/1/2023

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

Blairstown, Iowa Sign

The road to Blairstown

I did not go to Vinton to see the Benton County Historical Society holdings which would be of interest for Spracklin research.

http://iagenweb.org/benton/bchs/bchs.htm

I did make it to Belle Plaine but my search for Peter Spracklin’s grave, a brother of Daniel, failed because there was some confusion about where he was buried.

Blairstown’s Water Tower

I had to reschedule to the next day to go and study that collection which was in a bank in Blairstown.  The librarian was very helpful and kind.  I did do a search of the newspapers in the time frame of 1858-1859.  There were obituaries but I did not find anything about Elizabeth Keller Spracklin’s death or any Spracklins.  I found others with familiar names from the Titler cemetery.  Apparently you had to have money to appear in the newspapers which were mostly about farming and politics at the time.

Titler Cemetery

I visited the Titler Cemetery which is northwest of Marengo on the road to Blairstown.  It is where Elizabeth Keller Spracklin, Olive and Mary are buried.  It was not in good shape and I could not find the graves on that visit.  (See below for the results of another visit.)

Once I was done with my visiting in the Marengo area, I did a little backtracking and headed east to Iowa City. My next goal was the State Archives of Iowa Branch which is located in Iowa City on the campus of the University. I stayed at the Haverkamp Bed and Breakfast up the street from the Archives. It was very convenient to the Archives and I could walk to it.  It looks like they are closed now.  It was a great area of the city where there were a lot of old houses.  My room was up on the 3rd floor and very nice and cozy.

State Archives for Iowa in Iowa City

I spent a wonderful several days at the Archives getting all kids of information about the Spracklins of Iowa. I searched cemetery records, vital records, and more at this location.

Once all my research at this location was done, I took the car back to the airport and shuttled back to Iowa City to await the arrival of my cousin Jerry who was coming to pick me up.  I would be staying with him and his family in Des Moines. My goal was to visit the Iowa Genealogical Society, and the main branch of the State Archives of Iowa and Historical Society in Des Moines.

Jerry came to Iowa City and we drove back to the Titler Cemetery north of Marengo. He found the stones for the Spracklins piled under a tree.

Piled under a tree, sigh…

The cemetery as in bad shape and I didn’t want to leave Elizabeth and the babies there. The stones were not on the graves put piled under trees.  See my BJM Cemeteries blog for a more thorough description of the Titler Cemetery and all my photos of tombstones (not necessarily complete.) Here is the starting post there are many more about this cemetery, so scroll to the cemeteries on the right side and find Titler.

Millersburg’s sign

We also stopped at the Community Cemetery was near Millersburg. I usually like to visit a cemetery several times before I leave. We found the graves of Daniel, Sarah and Alfred Spracklin.

Community Cemetery near Millersburg

We stopped at more cemeteries for his mother’s side of the family and then headed west to Des Moines. I spent a lovely fives days with Jerry’s family. He was extremely generous and shared his research of Henry Spracklin’s family with me. Henry is Amarilla’s older brother.

We visited the state genealogical society, Iowa Genealogical Society in Des Moines and just as they were closing I found some information about Peter and Solomon Goss Spracklin. There are two publications of the Titler Cemetery and you need both to get a total picture.  I got copies of these publications.

Iowa’s state archives and historical society

We later went to the main State Archives in Des Moines and that is where I found the obituaries of Daniel and Sara Spracklin and did deed research on Daniel, his brothers Peter and Solomon Goss Spracklin.  I really should have been there for two days not just one.

I am referring to the State Historical Archives housed as part of the State Historical Society of Iowa.  https://iowaculture.gov/history/research

 http://www.iowahistory.org/archives/

On May 7th a Wednesday, Jerry took me to the airport in Des Moines and said goodbye to me and it was sort of sad but we have kept in touch over the years and I have shared my findings with him.  I helped him find Elizabeth Downey Spracklin, Henry’s wife.  We now what happened to her after his tragic death.  I have written about his death on this blog.

As you can see my trip to Iowa focused on Iowa City, Marengo, Blairstown and Des Moines.  There was not enough time to visit other areas of Iowa. So maybe another trip is in order.  We will see.

I am very glad I did visit Iowa in 2003 because I learned that the reason I could not find the Spracklins was because they all left Iowa County by the time Daniel died in 1915 and had scattered to other parts of Iowa and other states mainly going north to Minnesota and west to the Dakotas. So by 2003 you had to dig for information. Once I knew where they all went, that opened the door to more research.

Dedication:  I dedicate this post to the memory of Netha Meyer’s whom I met on my trip there, she was very helpful an enthusiastic and even offered to look up more obituaries and go to the courthouse with me. See her memorial on the Iowa County IA Genweb page.

Note: BJM Cemeteries Blog will be removed from the web. See the page on this blog about that event.

Sarah and Daniel’s Family, the Second Family!

Daniel and Sarah Spracklin by permission

Daniel D. Spracklin married Sarah Blacketer Allgood on 21 November 1863 in Marengo, Iowa Co., Iowa.

Marriage of Daniel to Sarah 1863

Source:  Marriage Record of Daniel and Sara Spracklin Vol. C 1863-1874, Microfilm at the Iowa Genealogical Society, Des Moines, Iowa. Marriage Record, November 21, 1863. D.D. Spracklin and Sarah Allgood received marriage license November 21, 1863, State of Iowa, Iowa County. I herby certify that on the 22nd day of November 1863. D.D. Spracklin and Sarah Allgood were by me joined together in marriage. Given under my hand the 22nd date of November 1863, D.W. Chance J.P.

Daniel & Sarah’s Children

Photo:  L to R: Reed A. Spracklin,  Daniel Goss Spracklin, Charles Edward Spracklin, Virda Huston Spracklin, Peter George Spracklin, Lydia Marie Spracklin, Daniel Goss Spracklin Reed Andrews Spracklin.  There seems to be a little disagreement in the family as to which one is Daniel and which one is Reed. Based on other photos I think that the update is correct (11/2014).  I think they look cold.  I would say this was taken about 1908 or maybe 1915???

Daniel and Sarah’s Children:

1.  Lydia Marie Spracklin was born 12 July 1864, Benton County, Iowa and died the 27th of May 1930 in Somers, Calhoun Co., Iowa.  She married Thomas Jefferson Ross on 9 Sept. 1881 in Dayton Twp., Iowa Co., Iowa.  They are both buried in the Cedar Cemetery, Rinard, Calhoun County, Iowa.

2.  Virda Huston Spracklin was born 11 June 1866 in Benton County, Iowa and died 15 November 1927 in Woonsocket, Sanborn County, South Dakota.  He married Lillie Mae Amsden on 12 November 1889 in Rockwell City, Calhoun Co., Iowa.  They ar both buried in the Eventide Cemetery in Woonsocket.  I was very excited to see that FindAGrave has a picture of Virda’s tombstone.  I have tried to figure out how I could visit.

3.  Reed Andrews Spracklin born 24 August 1868, Benton Co., Iowa and died 18 July 1938 in Jordan, Garfield Co., Montana.  He married Julia Ann Siler on the 29th of December 1897 in Greenfield Twp., Calhoun Co., Iowa.  They are buried in the Pioneer Cemetery in Jordan, Montana.  Reed was the administrator of his father’s estate.  I have visited his granddaughter Bertha Spracklin Roufley on several occasions and learned a great deal about Reed.

4.  Daniel Goss Spracklin was born 21 Sept. 1870 in Benton Co., Iowa and died the 8th of August 1927 in Calhoun Co., Iowa.  He married a Susan Matilda Marrow on the 29th of January 1907 in Iowa Co., Iowa.  I do not yet know where Daniel is buried.

5.  Peter George Spracklin was born the 31st of August 1872 probably Iowa Co.  His father Daniel had moved the family from Benton Co. to Iowa County and 20 miles south and it was about this time that he made that move.  Peter died on the 26th of January 1956 in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania.  He married Etta Mae Hall on 1 January 1896 in Calhoun Co., Iowa but that marriage didn’t last.  Peter has descendants in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and I have had the great fortune to meet them while traveling in Ohio in 2011.

6.  Charles Edward Spracklin was born the 19th of September 1874 probably in Iowa County.  He died on the 10th of September  1946, Deerfield Township, Cass County, Minnesota and is buried in the Bethlehem Cemetery, McKinley Township, Cass County, Minnesota.  He married Arminda Victoria Ward sometime in 1915 in Pine River, Cass County, Minnesota.  I have been to the graveside of both Charles and Arminda.

7.  Alfred Marion Spracklin was born 16 July 1876 in Iowa County, Iowa and died Dec. 12 1893 in Iowa County.  He is buried with his parents in the Community Cemeter east of Millersburg.  There is some confusion in the published cemetery records of his exact birth date.  Some say it was 1899 but I believe it was 1893.  More on Alfred in a future post.

Each one of the children of Daniel and Sarah and has a great story to tell.  One of my biggest problems in tracking the descendants of Daniel and Sarah was that most left and lived in other parts of Iowa or headed for the Dakotas, Minnesota, Oregon, California even some went back to Pennsylvania.  By the time of Daniel’s death  in 1915 they had scattered.  Spracklins are a restless bunch and they don’t like to leave records unless you are willing to dig for them.

I pause to give a great deal of credit to my whole and half cousins who have helped me to learn more about each one of these families, the first and the second of Daniel’s.  I am grateful for their passion and willingness to share.   Of course my interest tends to lean toward the first family so forgive me if I error or fail to present all information.

Note:  The two photographs were given to me by my cousin Gloria Spracklin Spinler  Gloria Stocker Spinler a great granddaughter of Reed Spracklin. She gave me permission to share.  Her Aunt Bertha helped to clarify and confirm correctly, who the persons in the photograph were.  Reed was her grandfather.

Spracklin and Keller Connection – Amarilla’s Parents

The partition deed of John and Mary Keller’s land featured in the post dated October 8, 2011 “Partition Deed:  Morrow County, Ohio 1884,” connects Amarilla to the Keller family.

To understand Amarilla you have to understand that she was part of a very large family, actually two, as well as extended families of Keller and Spracklin.  Her father Daniel D. Spracklin married twice as I have indicated in past posts.  So Amarilla had full and half siblings.

Daniel marries Elizabeth 1852

Daniel’s married first to Elizabeth Keller and they married in Morrow County, Ohio on the 28 December 1852 (another source as their marriage 1 Jan 1853).

By 1856 they had migrated to Benton County, Iowa and settled there.  Sadly Elizabeth Keller died the 10th of March 1859 just months after she gave birth to Amarilla.  Amarilla never knew her mother having been born the 18th of November 1858.  She was just a baby!  This marks the first tragedy that my great-grandmother Amarilla experiences in her life.

Elizabeth, Oliver and Mary’s Tombstone, Titler Cemetery, Iowa

Let me describe Daniel and Elizabeth’s family of which they had four (4) children.  Only 2 survived to adulthood, Henry and Amarilla:

1.  Henry Franklin Spracklin b. 13 September 1853 probably in Toledo, Ohio as his parents began their journey to Iowa.   He married Elizabeth Downey 16 November 1875 in Keokuk County, Iowa.  He died 22 June 1893 in Davenport, Iowa in a lumber mill accident leaving 9/11 children.  He was listed as a grantor in the partition deed along with his sister Amarilla Barkley.  It placed Henry in Muscatine County, Iowa in 1884.

2.  Oliver Solomon Spracklin b. 18 October 1854 based on the U.S. census.  He was probably born in Iowa.  He died 10 September 1855. He is buried in Titler Cemetery northwest of Marengo, Iowa with his sister Mary and mother.

Oliver’s separate stone!

3.  Mary Ellen Spracklin born 17 August 1856 in Iowa and died 27 September 1861 in Iowa.  Mary is also buried in Titler Cemetery with her brother Oliver and mother Elizabeth.

Mary’s inscription on the main tombstone

4.  Amarilla Grace Spracklin was born 17 November 1858 in Benton Co., Iowa and died in Pine River, Cass County, Minnesota 10 August 1942 under the married name of Urton.  She is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Brainerd, Minnesota near her first husband George Angus Barclay.

My Aunt Miriam had in her possession a letter written by Elizabeth on one side and on the other a letter written by Daniel dated January of 1858.  I will share that with you in the next post for it further connects Amarilla to the Keller family.

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Sources

Ancestor Outline by Armindo Spracklin featured in the posted dated August 5, 2011 “Ancestor Outline by Armindo Spracklin,” on my other blog:  Solomon Goss of Fearing Township in Ohio.  This outline was given to me by my Aunt Miriam. Armindo was the wife of Charles Edward Spracklin, one of Amarilla’s 1/2 brothers.

Family History Notes of Miriam McDonald, grand-daughter of Amarilla Spracklin Barclay, approximately 8 pages.  There is personal information contained in these notes so I am carefully sharing them through this blog and other blogs.

Death Certificate of Amarilla Urton, #02159, Aug. 10, 1942, Pine River, Cass County, Minnesota.  , Minnesota State Department of Health, Records, Minnesota Historical Society, index online at the MHS.

Cemetery Records of the Titler Cemetery originally by Mrs. Kaye Sanches of Des Moines, Iowa, retyped by Marion A. Gunderson, 2001, at the Iowa Genealogy Society Library. As you can see by the tombstone pictures above, the stones are up against a tree and not over the grave.  There where depressions near the stones in the soil that I almost stumbled into.

Visit to the Titler Cemetery by the compiler in April of 2003 go to the page about the BJM Cemeteries blog on this blog for more information when photographs of the cemetery were taken. Marengo, Iowa. See BJM’s Cemetery Discoveries blog posts starting with the date of July 17, 2010 were I feature the Titler photographs. 

Census for the State of Iowa 1856, Vol. 48, Film#1021301, pg. 78-80 State Historical Society, Des Moines, Iowa.  Be careful the index of this 1856 census does not show Daniel for some reason?  Ancestry.com has the Iowa State Census.  Also featured in the July 1, 2011 post (see below).  Before Daniel and after him are Blacketers and Merrifields that are enumerated.

1860 U.S. Federal Census was discussed in the post dated July 1, 2011 “Stepping Back In Time: Amarilla’s Life In Iowa Before George!” on this blog.

Marriage Records, 1848-1951, Index 1848-1948 FHL#388779 Morrow Co., Ohio.  Vol. 1A, pg. 119 for Daniel and Elizabeth’s marriage FHL#388779.

Sources for Henry Spracklin and Amarilla will be detailed in future posts.

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 (license issued 31 Dec, 1852) and marriage solemized on 1 January, 1853 in Sparta, Morrow Co., Ohio and died in Benson Co., Iowa near Blairstown/Marengo 1859.  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.