John & Lydia (Goss) Spracklin Rest Peacefully in Green Valley

John and Lydia are both buried in Knox County, Ohio.  They rest peacefully in the Green Valley Cemetery situated a little northeast of Mount Vernon. It is a very lovely setting and well cared for.  It is not too far from their land.

I have had the good fortune to visit the cemetery twice once in 2007 and again in 2011.

There is a transcript online at this link:  scroll down to ROW 14 and you will find Goss and Spracklen/lin names.

http://www.angelfire.com/nt/gvc/cemetery.html

• Goss, Noah d. 7-18-1833 a. 51y
• Spracklen, Lydia d. 1-19-1851 a. 57y-7m-11d (wife of John Spracklen)
• Spracklen, John d. 2-6-1862 a. 67y-27d
• Spracklen, Ida d. 6-7-18?? a. 10 y. (dau. of J.A. & L. Spracklen. 

We see that Lydia died January 19, 1851.  If you take her age and calculate the date with the Ancestry calculator it gives the birth date for Lydia as 8 June 1793.

http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/birthday.html

The date I have for Lydia’s birth is 19 Jan 1796 in Dayton, Ohio.  There seems to be a difference of 3 years in her age?

The Ancestor Outline I have featured on this blog by Armindo Spracklin (wife of Charles E. Spracklin) gives her birth date as 8 June 1796.  This, of course, is not a  primary sources, so I am leaning toward her tombstone as the best source.

So far I have not been able to find any birth record for Lydia.  According to an article about  Solomon Goss Spracklin, a son,  Lydia was the first child born in Dayton, Ohio.  The other history books of Dayton and Montgomery County do not agree, they list a boy. http://iagenweb.org/harrison/bio/geneal13.htm#spracklen

See posted dated August 5, 2011, Ancestor Outline by Armindo Spracklin

The Knox County Genealogical Society published a cemetery transcription book:

Cemetery Records of Knox County, Ohio Vol. 1, Green Valley Cemetery pg. 730, by Richard DeLauder, Editor, 1991: 

This publications lists the following information:

Green Valley Methodist:
page 727: Goss, Noah, d. 18 July 1833 age 51 yr.
page 730 Spracklen, James B. d. 2 June 1862 age 10 y.
page 730 Spracklen, John d. 6 Feb 1862 age 67 yr 27d
page 730 Spracklen, Lydia w/o John Spracklen d. 19 Jan. 1851 age 54 y 7 m. 11d

Partial listing of Green Valley from the DeLauder book for Spracklin/Goss

As you can see if you compare the two publications there is a bit of a difference in the information.  Who is James?

Find A Grave has a listing for Green Valley Cemetery in Knox Co. and a map to show you where it is located.  There are pictures of the tombstones.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GSsr=281&GScid=310479&CRid=310479&pt=Green%20Valley%20Cemetery&

Let’s take a look at my photographs of the tombstones and see what they reveal.  I have written about my travels in 2011 and Mt. Vernon in this blog.  See the posted dated September 11, 2011: Mt. Vernon County Seat – Knox Co., Ohio.

I did not blog about the trip in 2007.  I did mention it when I was starting to write the posts for the 2011 trip.  See the post dated July 13, 2011:  Remembering Ohio 2007. 

The drive from Mt. Vernon to the cemetery is lovely and very easy along a two lane road.  It is not too hard to find the cemetery it is right across from the white church.

Noah Goss, Lydia, John and Ida Spracklen tombstones 2007

The first time I visited this cemetery in 2007, I was with a cousin and it was pouring rain.  We returned the next day so we could enjoy the time there.  The second time I was there in 2011, the weather was wonderful and I was able to dally and walk the cemetery reading more of the tombstones.  Here is a little different perspective and you can see the blue sky:

A Little different view of Noah Goss, Lydia, John and Ida’s tombstones 2011

Let’s start with Lydia’s stone which is not easy to read:

Lydia Spracklen’s tombstone

Let’s get closer to see if we can figure out the dates and information on Lydia’s stone.  I believe it is January and not June for the month of her death.

Lydia’s stone up close

Next, John Spracklen’s stone a little easier to figure out:

John Spracklen’s tombstone

Ida has the little stone that I believe, was mistaken as James in the publication above?

Ida Spracklen dau. of Lydia and John.

Last is the tombstone of Noah Goss which is flaking:

Noah Goss, brother to Lydia.

Let’s get up a little closer to Noah:

Noah Goss – closer

Just so you know that I was really there, here I am in 2011, I would have had my arms around them all but they are too far apart for that:

Bonnie and her 3rd great grandparents Lydia and John.

Is there an obituary notice for John in the local newspapers.  Well, I have not been able to find one.  I have searched all of the Mt. Vernon newspapers with no results.  Here is what I searched at the Mt. Vernon Public Library in their microfilm reels of the newspapers of the area.   I have found a lot of missing issues in the newspapers in Ohio.  They do have abstracted publications of the vital records information from the newspapers and of course, I studied them for clues as well.

1. Tried the Democratic Banner Nov. 1847 to 1851 and 12/1851 for Lydia.
2. Wanted to find Noah Goss but the newspapers for Mt. Vernon at the Mt. Vernon Public Library did not cover 18 Jul 1833.
3. Tried the Ohio Times Jan 1850 to Aug 1852 for Lydia.
4. There were no dates for the Mt. Vernon Paper for 1863 when John died.

Dedication:  I dedicate this post to all my Goss and Spracklin/len cousins, those I have met and those I hope will contact me someday.  Please comment and feel free to copy the photos but I would appreciate getting some credit for the money, time and effort it took to visit John and Lydia’s graveside…Bonnie

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Lydia and John Andrews Spracklin Family

John Andrews Spracklin immigrated to the United States in 1817 and two years later he married in 1819 to Lydia Goss, daughter of Solomon Goss and Olive (Scott) Goss.

Lydia and John Andrews Spracklin had nine (9) children.

What follows below is a summary of their family.  I will present more information on what I know of each family in later posts and give sources in more depth.

1.  Alfred Spracklin, no further information or burial site found.  It is possible he was born in Washington Co., Ohio?  I did look for him when I was there but I was unable to locate a grave.  I did not find a record for his burial in Knox County either.

2.  Ida Spracklin is buried in the Green Valley Cemetery, in Knox Co., Ohio next to her parents.  The tombstone information reads:  6/7/18?? a. 10 y.  If we base her birth on the birth of her sister Mary, we might place her death around 1822 or 1823  1832-33?

3.  Mary G. Spracklin was born in 1824 in Knox Co. and died 25 August 1905 in Liberty Twp., Knox Co., Ohio.  She married 20 May 1852 to a Henry Glancy b. 1803 and died 20 May 1891.  Henry may have been married twice before and one of the wives was named Abigail Mason whom he married on 30 August 1846.

4.  Peter John Spracklin was born 29 January 1826 in Knox Co., Ohio and died 6 May 1899 in Belle Plaine, Benton Co., Iowa.  He is buried in the Wright Cemetery in Belle Plaine.  I had him as Peter D. Spracklin?

He first married Mariah Brokaw (Brocaugh has a variety of spellings) 20 June 1851 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  She was born 21 Feb, 1831 in Ohio and died 29 July 1855 in Belle Plaine, Benton Co., Iowa.  She is also buried in the Wright Cemetery.

Peter married a 2nd time to Catherine Snyder Russell on 25 October 1857 in Benton Co., Iowa.  She was born 27 January 1837 and died on 29 March 1913, Chadron, Dawes Co., Nebraska.  Peter had 2 children with Mariah and 9 children with Catherine.

5.  Solomon Goss Spracklin was born 4 March 1828 in Knox Co., Ohio and died 4 September 1909 in Modale, Harrison Co., Iowa.  He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Harrison Co., Iowa.  He married Louisa Jane Avetts on 2 April 1857 in Johnson Co., Iowa. She was born 26 May 1839 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee and died 14 December 1928 in Missouri Valley, Harrison Co., Iowa.  She is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.   Solomon and Louisa had nine (9) children.  This family has been thoroughly researched by a cousin who is a descendant.

6.  Daniel D. Spracklin 16 Feb 1830 – my 2nd Great Grandfather.  I have shared about Daniel in my blog:  The Barclays of Pine River in the posts dated November and December 2011.  The Barclay blog is where I discuss the life of his daughter Amarilla Spracklin my great-grandmother.  Some Spracklin researchers spell Daniel’s middle name as “Dair” and others spell it “Dare.”  I have seen it both ways.  I have never seen where by 2nd great grandfather has spelled is middle name.  He always used “D.D. Spracklin” or Daniel D. Spracklin.

Daniel was married twice 1st to Elizabeth Keller in 1852 and they had four children including Amarilla.

 He married again a second time to Sarah Blacketer Allgood in 1863 and they had seven children.  Sarah and Daniel are buried in the Community Cemetery 11 miles west of Millersburg. See  ”BJM’s Cemetery Discoveries” blog for the Community Cemetery and for the Titler Cemetery.

http://bjmcemeterydiscoveries.blogspot.com/search/label/Community%20Cemetery

7.  Olive Elizabeth Spracklin born 25 July, 1833 probably in Knox Co., Ohio.  She died in Nebraska on 18 March, 1892.  She first married a Samuel McNutt and he probably died sometime before 1876 in Benton Co., Iowa.  She then remarried to a Wm. P. Merrifield who was born about 1829. I believe she is buried in the Table Rock Cemetery in Nebraska.

8.  John Andrews Spracklin (Jr.) was born 1835 in Knox Co., Ohio.  This son of John and Lydia is usually confused with his father.  To make it even more confusing they died within months of each other.  John is not called “Jr.” to my knowledge but I am using this to separate him from his father.  John Andrews Spracklin (Jr.) died on the 19th of June 1863 at Vicksburg (Walnut Hills), Warren, Mississippi.  He was a soldier in the Civil War and died of a head wound.  I have a great deal of information on John and his wife Drusila (Drucilla) Elizabeth Wolverton.  John and Drusila married 3 November 1855 in Knox. Co., Ohio.  Drusila died 26 September 1875 in Knox. Co., Ohio but I have not been able to find a burial site for her.  She is said to have been buried in Green Valley Cemetery near Mt. Vernon, Ohio where John and Lydia are buried, but I have not found a publication that lists a tombstone for her.  I walked the cemetery on my visit in 2011 but came up with no burial for her.  John and Drusila had three children.

9.  Lydia Spracklin was born 24 January 1838 and died 7 November 1902 in Table Rock, Pawnee Co., Nebraska.  She is buried in the Table Rock Cemetery.  She might have married first to Samuel Sharpneck on 21 June 1855 in Knox. Co., but I have not found anything else out about him.  She married for the 2nd time to Richard Kenner, an Englishman, on 9 September 1856 in Knox. Co.  He was born 16 February 1829 (Jan. 20, 1829 per his tombstone) in Devonshire, England and died 6 May 1901 in Table Rock and is buried in Table Rock Cemetery.  They had three children.  Lydia and Richard took care of the senior John Andrews Spracklin at the end of his life per the 1860 census.

In future posts I will share further information on these children of John and Lydia (Goss) Spracklin.

Trying to pin down John and Lydia’s movements in the early 1820′s in Ohio has not been easy. So far this is the earliest that I can place them in Knox County, Ohio.

1825 Ohio Duplicate Tax Records - Index of the Ohio 1825 Tax Duplicate, pgs. 35-36 Cook, pg. 44 Delano, pg. 64 Goss, pg. 89 Keller, pg. 155 Spraelin, FHL#977.1 R 42 p. Petty’s Press, Columbia, Ohio 1981.  The originals are at the Ohio Historical Society.

Finding John in the 1820 Ohio census or other locations has failed, my theory is that he living with Wine Rood, his uncle by marriage, at the time. The possibility that John was in Virginia has been suggested by an online researcher at one of the message boards.

I did a little poking around but did not find anything on John in the deeds and tax records for Wood Co., Virginia, the area right across from Marietta.  It does suggest that it might be a good idea to study Virginia for more information.

Here are the sources I studied and my findings so far for John Andrews Spracklin in Virginia:

Results for  John Spracklin on films searched in Wood Co. for John Spracklin. Does not mean he wasn’t there just did not find him in these sources.

Personal Property Tax Lists 1801-1850 for Wood Co., West Virginia and found no trace of John Spracklin in FHL#2026409.  I looked at 1823.

Also checked deeds for Wood Co. West Virginia FHLs #577161 and 577167 – Grantee and Grantor Indexes 1798-1935. 

We do find John in the 1830 U.S. Federal Census in  Liberty Twp.  There is a woman between the ages of 30-40 living with him.

John Spracklin is listed as head 4th down from top. This is a statistical census and does not give the names of the family members living with him but it does give age ranges for male and female.

Males:
under age of 5 – lists 3 
10-15 – lists 1
20-30 – lists 1 
40-50 – lists 1 – John himself?
Females:
5 to 10 – lists 1
30-40 – lists 1 – This is probably Lydia 

Source:  1830 U.S. Federal Census, Liberty Twp., Knox Co., Ohio, pg. 251, Roll #M19_134, Image 505, Ancestry.com.

1840 Census, Liberty Twp., Knox Co., Ohio. Again this is statistical and only shows males and females living in the house, John is the 9th from the bottom of the page.

Males:
5-10 lists 1
10-15 lists 2
30-40 lists 1
40-50 lists 1

Females:
under 5 – lists 1
5-10 lists 1
15-20 lists 1
40-50 lists 1

There is also listed below John Spracklin a John Kellar (spelling is different).

Source:  John Spracklin, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Liberty Township, Knox Co., Ohio, Roll 406, Page 241, Image 486, FHL#0029169, Ancestry.com.

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Noah Goss, A Mystery!

Noah Goss is sort of a mystery, at least he is to me.  I have tried to learn more about him, a son of Solomon Goss and Olive (Scott) Goss.

Noah Goss was born 24 June 1782 which means he probably was born in what is presently called Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.  This is the area around Wilkes-Barre that was under the ownership of Connecticut at the time and the land squabbles between Pennsylvania and Connecticut were still going on.   The Revolutionary War was ending so it might have been safe for Solomon and Olive to be living in the area?  

The only record I have found on Noah’s birth is from the information on his tombstone in the Green Valley Cemetery in Knox County located next to his sister’s tombstone - Lydia (Goss) Spracklin.  It states he was 51 years old at his death.  His death date is 18 July 1833 and the age at his death is 51 years.  This means he was born about 1782.

Noah Goss Tombstone

 

As you can see from his tombstone it is standing, but it is damaged and there is evidence that it is flaking.  Someone fixed it for you see at the base what looks like a circular line of new cement.  Fortunately, his grave stone has been recorded and published.  Find A Grave has another photo and description of his tombstone.   

 

Noah Goss more detail

 

Noah Goss

 

The actual date of birth comes from the manuscripts of Flora Montanye Osborn “Additions to the Cooley Family,” The Detroit Society for Genealogical Research Magazine, Vol. VII, No. 1, Sept-Oct, 1943.  This magazine can actually be found in a large public library, or the Family History Library.  You can contact the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library or  seek out the “Keziah Cooley Goss Chapter of the D.A.R., May 3, 1942, Yearbook 1943-1944, FHL#940938 Items 4-5.”

 

Where Flora found this information is unclear.  I suspect she might have learned of these dates through her family connections because she cared for several of the elderly children of Levi Goss, Noah’s younger brother.  Believe me I have tried to find  her sources but have not been able to locate her actual research files which I had hoped might be at some archive in the Ann Arbor area of Michigan? I know that she was a member of the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research but they don’t seem to have her files? Flora did a lot of research on the Goss family back in the 1940′s and is the great-granddaughter of Levi Goss.  She died in 1951 and is buried in the Rice Cemetery near Milan, Michigan.  I will post more on Flora and her work at a later time.

 

As far as I know, Noah did not marry.  If he did it is not recorded in Washington County or in Knox County, Ohio marriage records or indexes which I have studied on several occasions.

 

Ohio Historical Society Reading Room

 

The circumstances of his death would be interesting to know.   I have not been able to find an obituary notice or article about his death either in the newspapers or the abstracted newspaper publications of  Knox County, Ohio.   The newspapers in Ohio are a tough record to search as I learned on my visit there in August of 2007 and again in 2011.  A lot of issues are missing.  There is the fact that they just didn’t publish death information like obituaries until much later.  Still I gave it a valiant try and if you have ever done newspaper research you know it can be slogging work!  I also checked the county abstracted published newspaper books and did not find anything that was of significance. 

 

An estate file has not been found for Noah Goss in Knox County, Ohio where he died.  I have looked at the probate indexes at the Knox County courthouse annex on two occasions and studied the microfilms done by the Family History Library and have had no luck. 

 

What little I know of Noah has come from two deeds that he was involved with. 

 

One is when his father Solomon Goss sold to him the land in Knox County, Ohio and the other is when Noah turned around and sold it to a Stephen Minton.

 

Deed dated  October 2nd, 1815:  Deed of Solomon Goss of Fearing Twp., Washington Co., Ohio selling land to Noah Goss his eldest son in Knox Co., Ohio for $200 (100 acres). Witnesses were Simon Porter and Solomon Goss Jr. and Joel Tuttle JP. Description of Land: ” …certain tract or parcel of Land, Situate and being in said State of Ohio, in the Fourteenth Range & Sixth Township of the United States Military Lands so called, containing one hundred acres, being part of a – tract of Land deeded to me the said Solomon Goss by Zaccheus Biggs July 28th, 1802, Refference thereunto being had, and is butted and bounded as follows, beginning at the North West corner of the tract, Thence Running East Forty eight Chains, Thence South Twenty Chains 83 1/3 Links Thence West Forty eight Chains to the West line of said Tract, Thence North Twenty Chains 83 1/3 Links to the place of beginning.” Knox County, Ohio Deeds, FHL#314037, Vol. B-C pg. 276.  

 

S. Goss to son Noah Goss: Deed

 

 

Deed Dated:  Dec. 15, 1815:  Deed in which Noah Goss sold his land to Stephen Minton of Morris Twp., Knox Co., Ohio on Dec. 15, 1815 recorded in Dec. 16, 1815 and witnessed by Benjn Hillman and Benj. Barney also JP. Description of the land: ” …certain tract or parcel of land, situate and Being in the said State of Ohio in the Second Section, Fourteenth Range and Sixth Township of United States Military Lands so called, containing one hundred acres, being part of a tract deed to Solomon Goss by Zaccheus Biggs July the 28th 1802, Reference thereunto being had – And butted and bounded as follows, Beginning at the North West corner of said tract, thence running East forty eight chains, Thence South Twenty chains 83 1/3 links, Thence forty eight chains to the West line of said tract Thence North Twenty chains & Eighty three & 1/3 links to the place of beginning. To Have and To hold the said….”  Knox County, Ohio Deeds FHL #314037, Vol. B-C pg. 320.

 

Solomon Goss (Sr.) prepared a series of deeds for all but one of his living children in 1815.  They are recorded in Knox County, Ohio deeds.  Normally in a deed, relationships are not stated, but much to my delight they are in these deeds.   

 

 

 

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Solomon and Olive Goss’s Family!

It is now time to turn to my research on Solomon and Olive (Scott) Goss, my 4th great grandparents, who lived their lives during major conflicts like the American Revolution, the Wyoming Massacre and the Connecticut and Pennsylvania land wars.  Life was probably good when they were young children but once their parents decided to move to the Wyoming Valley near the Susquehanna River in about 1769, things got very interesting and probably difficult? Connecticut claimed the area and Pennsylvania was not happy.  Then about 23 years later Solomon left Pennsylvania around 1792-1793 and headed for Ohio which was virgin lands. 

Wyoming Valley!

The marriage date for Solomon and Olive’s marriage is given as 25 June 1776.  Unfortunately and even with a lot of searching I have not found a primary source for this marriage and a location.  I have tried vital and church records for Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.  I have studied every possible piece of history about the Wyoming Valley area.  I would call it a comprehensive search but not necessarily exhaustive.  I visited the Wilkes-Barre area, Connecticut and Massachusetts investigating their resources but nothing has come up on this marriage. 

So I have placed their marriage in Plymouth, now Pennsylvania, across the river from Wilkes-Barre based on their parents land holdings at the time and land records for Solomon Goss.* I refer you to the map above (Microsoft Streets & Trips).  Click on the map and it should open up into a bigger screen, just remember to hit the back button to return to this blog. 

I will discuss Solomon and Olive’s earlier years in more detail in the future and their origins, so this topic of their marriage will be revisited.  If anyone has any primary or even a secondary source (church, bible)  for this marriage and a location please leave a comment. 

The Second Continental Congress voted in favor of independence on July 2, 1776, so they married just days before this momentous event.   Here is a link to a timeline about the American Revolution.

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/revwartimeline.htm

Try this link for the conflict over the land between Connecticut and Pennsylvania as a start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennamite-Yankee_War

Wyoming Massacre: http://www.colcohist-gensoc.org/Essays/wyomingmassacre.htm 

The Susquehanna River - Wilkes-Barre 2008

Solomon and Olive had a family of seven (7) children.

1.  Elizabeth Goss was born 9 December either 1777 or 1778 in the Wyoming Valley probably in Plymouth.  She married Andrew Lake on 17 May 1798 (1797?) in Washington County, Ohio and raised a large family.  Andrew and Elizabeth are buried in the Rainbow Cemetery in Washington County, Ohio.  

2. Noah Goss was born 24 June 1782 probably in the Wyoming Valley (Plymouth).  As far as I am aware Noah never married.  Noah died the 18th of July 1833 and  is buried next to his sister Lydia in the Green Valley Cemetery in Knox County, Ohio. 

3.  Mary Goss was born 4 March 1785 probably in the Wyoming Valley (Plymouth).  Mary didn’t marry but she followed her brother Solomon Goss (Jr.) to Hardin County, Ohio and then to Iowa and is buried probably in Henry County, Iowa.  She died before the 13th of April 1859 in Mt. Pleasant, Henry Co., Iowa. 

4.  Solomon Goss  was born about 5 May 1788 probably in the Wyoming Valley (Plymouth) in Pennsylvania.  He married Mary (Polly) Coburn Devol on 19 November 1812 in Washington County, Ohio.  They lived on his father’s land till about 1832 when Solomon sold it an migrated to Hardin County, Ohio settling near Peter Spracklin the father of his brother-in-law John Andrews Spracklin who married his sister Lydia.  For ease of identification I usually refer to him as “Jr.”  Solomon Goss (Jr.) died 1 November 1864 in Oskaloosa, Mahaska Co., Iowa (death provided by an online source).  Back in 2003 I traveled to Iowa.  I did not blog about that trip so I will share in future posts. 

5.  Daniel Goss was born 23 September 1790 per his tombstone.  He died 18 November 1868 in Belpre, Washington County, Ohio.  He married  Lydia Ackley on 13 August 1813 in Washington County.  He is buried in the Rockland Cemetery in Belpre, Washington County, Ohio.  Lydia Goss is listed in the death records of Washington County as passing on the 20th of October 1873 in Belpre, Washington County, Ohio.  I do not know where she is buried?

6.  Levi Goss or rather the Rev. Levi Goss was born 22 October 1793  maybe in the Wyoming Valley or somewhere on route with his parents to Ohio.  He married Sophia Rummerfield (no record yet found) probably in northern New York state and he died on 31 March 1872 in Medina Township, Lenawee County, Michigan.  He is buried with his family and wife in the Goss Cemetery west of Morenci, Michigan. I visited Levi on a earlier trip to Ohio in 2007 and I will share what I found in later posts. 

Levi is the great-grandfather of Flora Montanye Osborn.  Flora contributed to the research on the Goss family back in the 1920′s to the 1940′s.  She was a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and Mayflower. She corresponded with Paul H. Goss who wrote many manuscripts and articles on the Goss Family.  In the future, I will write about these two individuals and their contributions to the body of knowledge of the Goss family. 

7.  Lydia Goss was born 8 June 1796 probably either in what was eventually called Cincinnati or maybe in what became Dayton, Ohio? The history books of the Montgomery County area state that another male child was the first-born in Dayton?  One of Lydia’s children’s obituaries told the story that Lydia was the first child born in Dayton!  More on this in a later post.  Lydia married John Andrews Spracklin on the 19th of July 1819 in Washington County, Ohio.  She and John are buried with Noah and Ida in the Green Valley Cemetery in Knox County very close to the land that was bequeathed in a deed in 1815 to Lydia by her father Solomon Goss.  Lydia and John A. Spracklin are my 3rd great grandparents and this is my link to the Goss family through her father Solomon. 

8.  David Goss was born probably sometime in the late 1790′s in Washington County but so far no record has been found of his birth or his death which might be about 1810 in Fearing Township, Washington County, Ohio? I will discuss David a little more in a future post.  Not much is known about David but he is usually confused with his brother Daniel. 

NOTES:  Susquehannah was spelled with an “h” at the end in the beginning and then it was later dropped. 

The Wyoming Valley is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania and I found this online series of maps that might help to show it in more detail:  http://www.mapcenter.org/community/wv-model.html  My map above is not as detailed and I am focusing more on the area that was specific to the Goss, Scott and allied families.

*******

Sources:   Here are the general categories of the sources used: Washington County, Ohio vital records, Washington County Cemetery Records, cemetery visits, tombstone photographs, the manuscripts and articles of Paul H. Goss and Flora Montanye Osborn, DAR Applications, compiled indexes, estate files, county history books, deeds, tax lists,  U.S. Federal Census, family histories and more.  Each child and their family will be discussed in more detail in future posts with sources. 

*If you have ancestry in this area of Pennsylvania that has been discussed in this post, you will need to study the writings and books of Donna Bingham Munger.  Her Connecticut’s Pennsylvania “Colony” 1754-1810 Volumes:  Proprietors, Settlers and Claimants are a must.  This link to Amazon has them for sale.  However, you should be able to find copies in your local large library, archive or genealogical society.  Donna, my friend, took many sources and created a detailed index of the land records for the area.  I have seen some of these sources and they are not easy to read.  This three volume set can be of great help to researchers .   

http://www.amazon.com/Connecticuts-Pennsylvania-Colony-Susquehanna-Proprietors/dp/0788442392

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Remembering Ohio 2007

My trip to Ohio in 2007 was a combination trip.  I wanted to visit the Allen County Public Library  because I had heard so much about it.  They had just completed the new building and it was open for business.  The Federation of Genealogical Societies and APG were having their conferences in Fort Wayne and it was no contest.  I was ready! 

I then realized that Ohio was two hours away. Michigan was about the same.  I could drive up to Michigan and visit several cemeteries on one of the days.  Then I would attend the conferences and after drive to Ohio and return to Fort Wayne.  I could visit Kenton in Hardin County and then onto Mount Vernon in Knox County and be able to pay my respects to my Spracklin ancestors.  Morrow County was just a few miles away and I could visit my Keller ancestors.  Okay, I was now really ready to go!

The trip was amazing and I have fond memories of Ohio.  I remember the pouring rain when my cousin and I visited the Green Valley Cemetery the first time.  Having to ask the locals where the Hedding M.E. Cemetery was located in Morrow County.  Driving along a road we thought would be a short cut and coming upon flooding and water over the road.  This meant we had to turn back and figure out another route.  Listening intently to the TV for information about the weather and more flooding.  Going around and around the roundabout in the middle of Mount Vernon.  I am joking about some of these challenges, of course.  It was a very good trip. 

The following repositories were visited at that time:

• Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, excellent genealogical library. 
• The Mount Vernon Public Library http://www.knox.net/genealogy.html
•  The Knox County Historical Society http://www.knoxhistory.org/about.htm
• The Knox County Genealogical Society http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohknox/gensoc.htm
• Morrow County Genealogical Society, in Mt. Gilead:  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohmorrow/libhldgs.html
• Hardin County Genealogical Society in Kenton http://www.hardincountyconnections.com/
• The Ohio Genealogical Society now in Bellville http://www.ogs.org/research/library.php

Cemeteries visited:

• Lee Cemetery in Dudley Twp., Hardin County, Ohio
• Green Valley Cemetery in Knox County, Ohio
• Hedding M.E. Cemetery in Morrow County, Ohio
• Goss Cemetery, Morenci, Lenawee County, Ohio
• Rice Cemetery, Milan, Monroe County, Michigan

We visited the courthouse and annex in Knox County and the staff was very helpful. 

In August 2011 I will be returning to these repositories, societies, cemeteries and doing a whole lot more.  I will travel to Portage County and to Washington County, Ohio as well.  I will start my trip in Columbus so I can visit the Ohio Historical Society and other archives.  Of course, I will return to the Ohio Genealogical Society.  I am getting excited!

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