John Andrews Spracklin (Sr.) His Estate!

John Andrews Spracklin died 6 February 1862.

He was living with his daughter Lydia in 1860 according to the U.S. Federal Census.

#1264, #1277 Line 26:  Richd Kenner, age 30, male, farmer, born in Eng.; Lydia age 22, female, born in Ohio; Chars age 3, male born in Ohio, George age 8 male born in Ohio; Jno. Spracklin age 66, male, value of real estate is $6000, personal value $964 born in England; Wm. McKay age 23, male, born in Ohio; ____ McKay age 29, female born in Maryland.

Source:  Family of Richard Kenner, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Liberty Twp., Knox. Co., Ohio, NARA Roll M653_995, pg. 312 (175) 4 Aug, 1860 [      ], Ancestry.com. 

John A. Spracklin did not have a will.  There was a probate process.

The photo of the index below, shows father, John Andrews Spracklin SR, and son, John Andrews Spracklin JR, on the same page.  You would need to see the headings of the page to understand what the volumes and the pages mean.  It was dark and difficult to read.  I have tried to lighten up the page but it is still fuzzy.

John SR and John JR

These are from the court clerk transcribed versions of the probate records that are in the big huge journal books that you find in the courthouse.  This is a summary of the films and the different records I found.

Probate File Journal entries:
John Spracklin (Senior) or John Andrews Spracklin

1. General Index V. 1, 1852-1914 FHL Film 1299062* gave the following information on pg. 114.

T.F. Cole, Administrator, appointed 10 Feb. 1863

History of Knox County, Ohio, pg. 631 by Albert Adams Graham at Google.Books describes a Thomas F. Cole who was living in Liberty Twp., Knox County, Ohio.  He was of an old English family.

http://books.google.com/books?id=DBAtAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=Cole&f=false

C. Wolfe page 839 same book:  

http://books.google.com/books?id=DBAtAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=snippet&q=Wolfe&f=false  There are references to the Wolfe Settlement in Liberty Twp.  There is a C. Wolfe on the 1847 land map I posted before.

2. Journal Vol. B, pg. 667 – Appointment of Admin., additional information found, Vol. B, pg. 711 Adm. Part. – FHL# 2130104

3. Administrator Applic, Bonds & letters: Vol. 1, pg. 107 – FHL#1299058

4. Inventory, Estate Record: Vol. J, pg. 101 -FHL #1294319

5. Sale Bill, Estate Record: Vol. J, pg. 103 – FHL #1294319

6. 1st Settlement, Estates Settled Record, Vol. B, pg. 621  FHL#2130348 – partial.

7. 2nd Settlement, Estates Settled Record, Vol. C, pg. 116, 117 – FHL #2130348

Note: Vol. C, pg. 254 additional comments – not in #2130348 unable to locate.

Helpful Books for courthouse research:  ”Courthouse Research for Family Historians, Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures,” by Christine Rose.  Also her:  ”Courthouse Indexes Illustrated.”

This last booklet helps to take the mystery out of the index books which can be very confusing.  You probably can find these two books in a genealogical society library or at a good-sized public library.

I find that doing probates/estates can be very confusing.  The films are not always easy to interpret and it is much easier to do this research when physically at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, because you can pull several films to work on.

The reference to vault films at the Family History Library means they are not housed at the library and have to be ordered in advance.  I usually do that about 2 weeks before I visit the Family History Library.

There are also what are called estate packets but they can be very hard to read because of the handwriting.  They are the file that houses the original documents.  I will talk about that in a future post.

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John Andrews Spracklin (Sr.) Naturalizes…

When I was looking at court records at the Family History Library I discovered that John Andrews Spracklin (SR) naturalized in October of 1853.

When I visited the Knox County Records Center Annex in Mount Vernon where they keep the records, I decided to check out the clerk journals and see if there was anything else associated with his naturalization.

Naturalization is usually done in two parts, the declaration (1st part) and then the naturalization (2nd part).  I had found the 2nd part at the Family History Library but the Records Center had the 1st part.

John Spracklin a native of England age 60 years this 4th day of November A.D. 1856 appeared before the undersigned at the office of the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within Knox County Ohio and makes oath and to absolutely denounce and abjure forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign potentate, State or sovereignty whatever and particularly Queen Victoria the present reigning Queen of the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Ireland of whom he is now a subject.  Witness by official signature this 4th day of November A.D. 1856.  Signed by A.C. Elliott Clerk of K C P.

Source:  Court Minutes, Court of Common Pleas, Knox Co., Ohio, 1855-58, pg. 256, Declaration of Intention of J.A. Spracklin, 4 November 1856.

I have no idea why John, at the age of 60, would decide to become naturalized, unless the laws had changed? A topic I have no expertise in.  All his children had been born here in the United States, maybe he did it for them?

Probate Court Knox County Ohio. October 10th A.D. 1859

John Spracklin Naturalized:

On this day John Spracklin an alien and native of England a free white person appeared and proved to the satisfaction of the Court that on the 4th day of November A.D. 1856 made before the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Knox County, Ohio the requisite Declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States and by the oaths of John Tarr and ______Weathcot that he has resided within the United States for more than five years last past and in the State of Ohio for more than one year last past and that during all that time has behaved as a man of good moral character attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and disposed to the good order and happiness of the same. Wherefrom the said John Spracklin here in open Court made solemn oath that he will support the Constitution of the United States and that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure forever all allegiance and fidelity to every Foreign Prince Potentate State or Sovereignty whatever and particularly to Victoria the present reigning Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.  It is therefore ordered that a Certificate of Naturalization issue to the said John Spracklin which is accordingly done.  J.S. Davis Probate Judge.

John Spracklin’s Naturalization a portion

Source:  John Spracklin Naturalized, October 10, 1859 Probate Court , Knox County, Ohio, Vol. B, 1852-1863, page 310, FHL#2130104 Journals Volume A-B.

So Lydia’s Englishmen did become a U.S. Citizen.

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John and Lydia Spracklin settle on Solomon Goss Land in Knox Co., Ohio

John and Lydia settled on the land in Knox County, Ohio, purchased by Solomon Goss, Lydia’s father, from Zaccheus Biggs on 28 July 1802.

Mr. Biggs has a patent for land for Knox County at the BLM Land website as well as many others. On the patent it states that he obtained the land, “4000 acres, appropriated for satisfying Warrant for Military Service.”  The Biggs family was very busy in Ohio buying and selling land.  They were not the only ones.

The link below to the BLM will take you to the search page.  I used in my search, Ohio, Knox Co., and “Biggs.”  This search will get you to the patent Biggs had for Knox County.  It showed up at the bottom of the search page.  If you just search for Zaccheus Biggs you might not get the one you want.  Also be aware that they spell the name most creatively especially the first name in many abstracts and documents.

The Biggs Patent before Solomon Goss

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx#searchByTypeIndex=0&searchTabIndex=0

Title Transfer:  3/20/1800

Land Office:  Ohio,

Authority:  June 1, 1796 United Brethren Warrant (1 Stat.480)

Survey:  Ohio

Acres:  4000

Accession/Serial Nr.: OH2100

BLM Serial Nr.: OH No S/N

Sec. 2, Twp. 6-N, Range 14-W, US Military Survey, OH, Knox 2nd quarter of Township

There is a deed at the Washington County Historical Society in Marietta in the stacks in books. It is down the hall and around the corner.  This society was given a great many records from their county courthouse so you may have to check with them for older records.

Zaccheus Biggs is selling 450 acres of land to Solomon Goss in 1802.  The deed is very hard to read and of course the book contained only a copy of the original deed handwritten by the court clerk. It was very faint in certain parts of the document where the ink had faded.

Zacch* Biggs)

Deed)

Sol. Gofs) 

Know all men by these presents that I Zaccheus Biggs of Jefferson County in the Northwest Territory, Esquire. For and in consideration of the sum of Four hundred and fifty dollars to me paid in hand before the ensealing hereof, by Solomon Gofs of the County of Washington in said Territory, husbandmen, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and myself therewith contented and satisfied, I do hereby give grant bargain sell and convey unto the said Solomon Gofs his heirs and asfsigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land lying and situate in the County of Fairfield in the Territory aforesaid containing four hundred and Fifty acres, bounded and butted as follows viz:  beginning at a post at the Northeast corner of Section Number Two in the Sixth Township of the fourteenth range of the United States, Military Lands ___ called, thence [west ] Seventy two chains [courfing a small branch of Owl Creek  thirty Links upside of a post, thence south sixty two chains & thirty links to a post Thence east Seventy two chains to a post thence North Sixty ___ chains __________to place of beginning.  To have and to hold the gr____and bargain premises with the privileges and appurtenances thereof to him the said Solomon Gofs, his heirs and asfigns forever as of Fee Simple and ____ said Zaccheus Biggs _____any heirs, executors and administrators.  Covenant with the said Solomon Gofs his heirs and asfigns that I ____lawfully Seized is free of the premises that they are free from all impediments _____ that I will so warrant and _____the same.  To the said Solomon Gofs his heirs and asfigns forever, against the lawful claims and _______of all persons claiming __________________.

In witnefs whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 28^th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & two.  Signed and sealed by Zac’hs Biggs

Singed Sealed & delivered in the present of ___Rufus Putnam and So____Putnam

Washington County __ Personally appeared this twenty eight day of July, Eighteen hundred & two Z___ Biggs signer and sealer to the witnessed Instrument and acknowledged it to be his act & deed Before me.

____Rufus Putnam Justice of the Peace.

412 Washington County __ January 15, 1803 __________is a true copy and text Dudley [Headbridge] Rec’d

Page 1 of the Zaccheus Biggs deed of Land to Solomon Goss 1802

In 2007, I was traveling in the northern part of Ohio.  I had attended the FGS (Federation of Genealogical Societies) conference in Fort Wayne were the Allen County Library is located.  After that conference I headed east to Ohio which is about two hours to get to Kenton, Ohio and then another hour to Mt. Vernon, Ohio.  I couldn’t pass it up.  Knox County was part of Fairfield County till it broke off after this deed was written and recorded in March 1, 1808.

The Recorder of Deeds in Knox County is in the Records Center and they had this huge map of Knox County dated 1847.  Yes, before three of the townships were annexed to Morrow County which was established in 1848.  I purchased the large map for $5.00.  I do not know if they are still selling them?

The Knox County Genealogical Society is in the basement.  If you visit stop by.  Their hours are limited so check their website.

The deeds are on the main floor and the court records are in the basement of the Records Center near the genealogical society.

This website is for all government offices in Ohio so be careful if you start exploring, they do have a map to the location, I have identified Knox for you:   http://www.ohiorecorders.com/knox.html

Knox County Records Center, Ohio, Go here for the Records for Knox Co, Ohio

Lovely Courthouse but it is not where the records are!

Here is a portion of that map featuring the townships of Liberty and Bloomfield Twps. Remember South Bloomfield was part of Knox in 1847 but became part of Morrow County in 1848.  The area in yellow highlights the Spracklin land and a little more.

Knox County before Morrow is formed 1847

NOTE:  This map is not only important for Spracklin Research but for anyone who had family in Knox Co., Ohio in 1847.  This is also important to me for my John and Mary Keller research. The parents of Elizabeth Keller who married Daniel D. Spracklin a son of John and Lydia Spracklin.

Interesting stuff:  In the past I have mentioned Rufus Putnam and the deed above is signed by a Rufus Putnam. He was a Justice of the Peace in Washington County.  I visited his land in North Brookfield, Massachusetts where he lived before he left for Marietta, Ohio.  I visited Campus Martius and viewed the house that he lived in.  They had it indoors inside the museum to preserve it.  The land office building is outside this museum.  He knew the Goss family.  He knew Capt. Philip Goss and Judith and probably Philip Goss and Keziah Cooley.

Try this link to his papers at the Marietta College Library Special Collections.  Who knows you might get luckier than me and find something about your family.  Click on the finding aid to see all the people he interacted with in his life.  Does the name Timothy Pickering mean anything to Goss researchers.  Also try the search engine.  Enjoy.

http://drc.library.marietta.edu/handle/2374.MARIETTA/428

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Lydia Goss marries an Englishman from Somerset!

I return to my third great grandmother and her story.

Lydia Goss  married on 19 July 1819 in Washington County, Ohio to John Andrews Spracklin an Englishman from Somerset County, England.

John and Lydia’s Marriage Record 1819

Source:  Washington County, Ohio Marriage Records, V1-3, pg. 111, Marietta, Ohio FHL#0941958.   As you see John’s last name is spelled “Spraklin.”

There are other sources of compiled marriages indexes for Ohio that I have consulted and you might run into them:

1.  Washington County, Ohio Marriages 1789-1840 pg. 36 for Delano, pg. 37-38 Devol., pg. 56 Goss, pg. 119-120 for Scott, pg. 128 Spraklin.  Compiled by Bernice Graham & Elizabeth Cottle and sponsored by the Marietta Chapter of the DAR and the Washington Co. Historical Society, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1976.   This book is pretty widely distributed.

2.  Washington Co., Ohio Marriages 1789-1822, by Robert D. Craig.  I found a copy at the Fiske Genealogical Library in Seattle.  He spells John’s last name “Spranklin.”

3.  Ohio Marriages, Recorded in County Courts Through 1820: An Index, by Jean Nathan, Chairman, Ohio Genealogical Society, 1996.  On page 278 you will find Delano and Dillinse, pages 405-406 Goss, and Rood is on page 889.

Arminda’s Pedigree Outline

The above pedigree outline was featured in a past post.  I repeat a portion of it here specifically showing John and Lydia’s information.  This is the document that started me on my quest to learn more about this family.  It was given to me by my Aunt Miriam, my dad, Keith’s sister.  The complete full outline is featured in the post dated August 5, 2011 – see Archive list on the right of this blog.

Washington County Courthouse, Ohio

On my trip to Ohio in 2011, I stopped at the Washington County Courthouse in Marietta to look at the records.  I shared that experience in a past post.  I feature the same photo of me checking out the probate records in their special record room.

These are not original journals but copies of the originals.   They had probate, marriage and a lot more in this room.  They took me to the room and left me to do my work.  The advantage is that you have the opportunity to look at a variety of records and search out more individuals, which I did.  They had finding aid books by name that helped to locate the records.  The Washington Co. Historical Society has many original court records. So check both the courthouse and the historical Society.

I did look up John and Lydia’s marriage record and others and it was a photocopy of the original journal and also looked just like the microfilm I listed above.

Marriage records Washington Co., Ohio

So where did the actual marriage take place?  Solomon Goss her father was on the land in Fearing Twp. by 1819.  Did she marry there or did she marry in Marietta?  This would imply that they married so John could be close to his relatives the Roods?  Did she marry at her sister Elizabeth Lake’s home in the Rainbow area northwest of Marietta?  Fun to speculate?

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Lydia Goss,youngest daughter, given land in Knox County, Ohio!

As you will recall, I have posted about all of Solomon and Olive’s children except one.  I did  not go in chronological order of their age and birth because I wanted to talk about my link to this family in more detail.  So I skipped ahead to David Goss (8th child, see  post dated July 1, 2012) and then went back to cover Levi Goss (6th child, see posts dated July 16, 2012 through  November 4, 2012).

I now come to Lydia Goss the youngest daughter and 7th child of Solomon and Olive Goss.  She is my 3rd great-grandmother and she is the one that marries into the Spracklin/len Family.

Lydia birth date is given as 8 June 1796 and it has been suggested that she was the first child born in Dayton, Montgomery Co., Ohio.  This claim appears in a biography of one of her children, Solomon Goss Spracklin, who migrated to and lived in Harrison County, Iowa.  I will share what I know about Solomon Goss Spracklin and the other children of Lydia in future posts.

Source:  History of Harrison County, Iowa, National Pub. Co., 1891, pg. 524.  A version of this book is online at the Harrison County, Iowa GenWeb under County biographies:  http://iagenweb.org/harrison/bio/geneal13.htm#spracklen

Her birth date was listed on an “Ancestor Outline” written by Arminda Spracklin wife of Charles E. Spracklin, Lydia’s grandson.  I shared this outline in the post dated:  August 5, 2011 “Ancestor Outline by Armindo Spracklin.”  This outline was given to me by my Aunt Miriam McDonald, my father’s sister.

So far, I have not found any confirmation of this birth in the Dayton history books nor the Montgomery County, Ohio history books.  I have other information about Solomon Goss her father from those books which I will share in later posts.  The county of Montgomery was not established till 1803 so vital statistics were not recorded till 1867.  The deeds were recorded starting in 1805 and probate in 1803.  Hamilton was the original county and that is where Cincinnati is located.  My interest in Lydia’s birth date and location would tell us where Olive and Solomon were at the time.

Lydia was deeded land by her father Solomon Goss  in 1815, just like her other siblings.  She receives her share of the land in Knox County, Ohio.   Remember her older brother  Solomon Goss (Jr.) he  inherited the land in Fearing Twp. , Washington Co., Ohio.

While most of her siblings sold off their share of the land in Knox County Ohio, Lydia did not.  She along with her husband John Andrews Spracklin settled on that land in the early 1820′s and raised their family, migrated from Washington Co., Ohio to Knox County, Ohio.  It would be in the family for many years till John’s death in 1862 and pieces would be bought and sold among family members during those years.

Solomon Goss to Lydia Goss 1815

Deed of Solomon Goss of Fearing Twp., Washington Co. to his youngest daughter Lydia Goss on April 19, 1815 recorded Oct 2, 1815 for $100 and 50 acres. Witesses where Simon Porter and Solomon Goss Jr., Joel Tuttle JP. Description of land: ” …certain tract or parcel of Land, Situate and being in said State of Ohio, in the Fourteenth Range and Sixth Township of the United States Military lands so called, containing fifty acres, being part of a tract of four hundred and fifty acres of Land Deeded to me by Zaccheus Biggs July 28th 1802, Refference being had thereunto, butted and bounded as follows beginning at the South East corner of said tract of 450 acres, Thence North Twenty chains 83 1/3 Links to the South East corner of Land this day deeded by me to Mary Goss, — Thence West Twenty four chains to land deeded this day to Daniel Goss. Thence South Twenty chains 83 1/3 Links Thence East on the South line of said tract of 450 Twenty Four Chains to the place of beginning…”

Source:  Vol. B-C Knox County, Ohio Deeds, pg. 274, FHL#314037.

As you can see this is a typed version of the deed which is in the deed books for Knox Co., Ohio.  I have been to the Knox County Annex in Mt. Vernon and the chances of finding the original deed are probably slim.  Deeds were usually copied from the originals and kept by the owner and the copies stayed at the courthouse.  This was obviously redone at some point by a court clerk.

Knox County Annex, Mt. Vernon, Ohio

Note:  When you research women you usually run into road blocks so when you do find something that gives you a clue about a female ancestor it is pretty exciting. It is very unusual to find a relationship mentioned in a deed.  I wish they had made it a legal requirement but they did not.  So these deeds are even more precious.  Thanks grandpa!

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Mary Goss, School Teacher!

Mary Goss was a school teacher.  She is mentioned in the History of Washington County. 

“Mary Goss taught a small school of young children in an old log barn.”  History of Washington Co., Ohio, pg. 688,  C. Williams & Bros, 1881.

She was a daughter of Solomon and Olive (Scott) Goss and was born 4 March 1785 probably in the area that Connecticut claimed ownership of which we know as Luzerne County.  The area eventually went under the ownership of Pennsylvania in 1786.  

Again for Mary Goss, the actual date of birth comes from the manuscripts of Flora Montanye Osborn, a cousin of mine.  Flora is a descendant of Levi Goss, a younger brother.

1.   ”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.

2.  ”Keziah Cooley Goss Chapter of the D.A.R., May 3, 1942, Yearbook 1943-1944, FHL#940938 Items 4-5.” 

3.  Notes of Flora Montanye Osborn DAR Goss Family File: Flora writes: “I have a song book which states “From Mary Goss of Washington Co, Ohio to Mary Goss of Lenawee Co., Mich.”)   

Note:  The Mary Goss of Lenawee Co., Michigan is a daughter of Levi and Sophia Rummersfield who married Joseph Rice Flora’s grandparents.

Mary’s father, Solomon Goss, deeded land to her just like he did to her brother Noah and her sister Elizabeth (Goss) Lake.  Date of deed 19 April 1815:

Deed of Solomon Goss of Fearing Twp., Washington Co., Ohio to his second daughter Mary Goss (Gofs) for $100 (50 acres). Witnesses were Simon Porter and Solomon Goss, Jr. and Joel Tuttle JP. Description of the land: ” …certain tract or parcel of Land, Situate and being in said State of Ohio in the Fourteenth Range and Sixth Township of the United States Military land so called, containing fifty acres being part of a tract of four hundred and fifty acres of Land deeded to me by Zaccheus Biggs the 28th July 1802, Refference thereto being had, butted and bounded as follows beginning at the South East corner of a Tract of land this (day) deeded to Elizabeth Lake, Thence West Twenty Four Chains to Lands this day deeded by me to Levi Goss, Thence South Twenty Chains 83 1/3 Links, Thence East Twenty four Chains, Thence North Twenty Chains 83 1/3 links to the place of beginning….”

Source:  Knox County, Ohio Deeds, Vol. B-C, pg. 274-275, FHL#314037.

Not too many years later Elizabeth Lake husband Andrew decided to sell their share of the land in Knox County to Mary.  Here is a transcription of that deed to the best of my ability in being able to read the interesting spellings and legalese. 

Andrew Lake
Deed to
Mary Goss
Rec’d for Record
Jany 5^th 1818
 

To all people to where these Presents shall come.  Greetings:  Know ye, That we, Andrew Lake and Elizabeth his wife of Washington County and State of Ohio, for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred Dollars, lawful money to use in hand  before the ensealing hereof  well and truly paid by Mary Goss of the same County and State.  The receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, and ourselves therewith fully satisfied and contented. Have given, granted, bargained, sold, alien, conveyed & confirmed and by these Presents do freely fully and absolutely give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, convey and confirm unto her the said Mary Goss, her heirs and assigns forever, a (page 6 ) certain tract or parcel of land situate and being  in the said [County] of Ohio, in the fourteeth range and tenth Township of the United States Military land (so called) containing fifty acres being part of the tract of land containing four hundred and fifty acres, deeded to Solomon Goss on the 28^th of July 1802 by Zaccheus Biggs.  The land hereby conveyed abutted and bounded as follows:  Beginning at the north east corner of said tract of four hundred and fifty acres running thence West four chains to lands belonging to Noah Goss.  Thence south twenty chains 33 1/3 links: thence East 24 chains; thence North 20 chains 33 1/3 links to the place of beginning, being the said land conveyed to said Elizabeth Lake by Solomon Goss, April 19, 1815. 

To Have and to Hold the said granted and bargained premises, and all the appurtenances, privileges and commodities to same ___ anywise belonging to her the said Mary Goss, her heirs and assigns forever to her and their only proper use, benefit, and behoof forever in fee simple and we the said Andrews and Elizabeth Lake for ourselves, heirs, executors and administrators, do convenant to and with the same Mary Goss her heirs and assigns that before the ensealing hereof ___ she true sole and lawful owners of the above bargained premises and are lawfully seized and possed of the same in their own proper as a good perfect and absolute estate of Inheritance in fee simple have full forever and authority to sell and convey the said bargained premises, in manner as aforesaid, and furthermore do convey and engage the above demised premises to the said Mary Goss___  and assigned against the lawful claim or demands and persons or persons whatsoever forever hereafter to Warrant, secure and defend by these presents.

In Witness thereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 26^th day of December, in the year of our Lord one hundred and sixteenth.  Signed, Sealed and Delivered in the presences of Geo. Dunlevy, Elizabeth Cogswell.  Signed Andrew Lake (Seal) Elizabeth Lake (Seal)

The State of Ohio Washington County ss.  At Marietta, Dec. 26 A.D. 1816.  The above named Andrew Lake and Elizabeth Lake his wife the signers and sealers of the above instrument personally appeared and acknowledged the same to be their free and voluntary act and deed before me and the said Elizabeth being examined freely and apart from her said husband relinquished all right to dower and other estate in the fee conveyed by said Deed.  Certified mg. Aug 28^th, 1817 Sardius …….. State of Ohio Washington County ss.  I George Dunlevy Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and said County do hereby certify and make know that Sardius…who hath signed his name to the annexed certification was at the —– his signing and certifying the matters and things in the same certification and was act this being is an acting Justice of the Peace within and forever duly elected, commissioned and qualifying agreeable to the said State and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to all things by him, this certificate – as well in Courts of Justice as Elsewheres.

In testimony Whereof I do hereunto set hand and affix my official seal at Marietta in said County this first day of December A.D. one thousand eight hundred and seventeen.  Geo. Dunlevy, Clerk. (Seal).

Source:  Deed Book 1, 1843 Recorders Office, Knox County Annex, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, 2011.

Mary appears years later as a witness on a deed in 1835 involving land being sold to Peter Spracklin.  Her brother Solomon Goss (Jr.) is also a witness.  

Wine Rood. Grantor, to sell land in Dudley Twp. to Peter Sprantlen Grantee of Hardin Co., Ohio. Description: “…The east half of the south east quarter of section No. Twelve (12), in Township No. (5) Five, south of Range No. 12 Twelve in the District of Delaware containing 80 acres more or less…(Signed by Wine Rood and witnessed by Solomon Goss and Mary C. Goss 1834).

Note:  Peter Sprantlen’s name is spelling very different here but it is still the Peter Spracklin who is the father-in-law of Lydia (Goss) Spracklin sister to Mary Goss. 

Source:  Hardin County, Ohio Deeds, Vol. A, pg. 366-368 (373-375), FHL# 913819,

Jump ahead two more years to 1837 and Mary Goss appears in the deed records.   This time it is in Knox County, Ohio.  In this deed she is the grantor and she is selling land to John Spracklin of Knox County. 

Deed: Mary Gofs of Union Twp., Washington Co., sold land to John Spracklin of Knox Co. on Jan. 24, 1837 and recorded in August 12, 1837. The deed was for $250. Witnesses were S. Bartlett and Andrew Lake. Description of Land: ” …following described lots a parcel of land to wit, one tract situate in said State of Ohio, in the fourteenth Range and Sixth Township of the United States Military lands, so called, containing fifty acres, bounded as follows beginning at the South East corner of a tract of land deeded the 19 of April 1815 by Solomon Gofs to Elizabeth Lake, hence that 24 chains to lands deeded to same day by Solomon Gofs to Levi Gofs, hence South 20 chs 38 1/3 links, thence East 24 chains, then North 20 chs 83 1/3 links to the place of Beginning, likewise one other tract of fifty acres deeded by Elizabeth and Andrew Lake to me 26th Dec 1816 situate in the aforesaid Military lands in Range 14, Township Sixth, both of these tracts were conveyed to Solomon Goss by Zacheus Biggs on the 28th of July 1802, being a part of four hundred and fifty acres conveyed by said Biggs to the said Solomon Gofs on that day.” 

Source:  Knox County, Ohio Deeds, Vol. R. pg. 354, FHL #314044.

Mary will follow her brother Solomon Goss (Jr.) and his family to Iowa.

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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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Mt. Vernon County Seat – Knox Co., Ohio

 I visited Mt. Vernon from August 26 to September 2, 2011.  I am home now but I will continue to post highlights about the trip and archives that I visited and hopefully it will assist you in your research in these areas of Ohio.

Records Annex, Knox County, Ohio

Mt. Vernon is the county seat for Knox County, Ohio.  The courthouse is located just down from the Records Annex  at 117 High Street in Mount Vernon (Hwy 36) and not far from the round-about in the center of Mt. Vernon.   The Recorder’s office (for deeds) is on the floor when you enter through the main door.  The Record Center is in the basement.  I suggest you visit both for court documents such as probates, court records and more.  The clerks are all helpful and very nice.  The Recorders office has the indexes and books right out there for you to access.  The first index to 1843 contains a listing of old deeds.  I asked the clerk behind the counter and was told they go all the way back in the first book to 1803.  They will let you take photographs. 

Deed Index, Knox County, Ohio

I  tried to dig deep into early Knox County history looking for Kellers, Delano, Askins and more.  I have already studied the Spracklins and associated surnames of the children so I am confident I have them covered.  I decided this time to emphasize the other surnames. 

The Knox County History and Genealogical Society is also located at 117 High Street  in a room in the basement area right across from the Records Center office.  They have updated their website so you might want to check it out.   They are very small but I noticed that there was change from my last visit and they had been busy.  They have an obituary file, family histories, have books and more.  They are also very helpful.  Hours are short so check the website.  They are in the process of updating the cemetery books done by R. DeLauder so keep and eye out because they will make them even better.  Unfortunately they have to rebuild the database because the company that printed the books went out of business.  They could use volunteer help. 

Public Library of Mount Vernon & Knox County

The Mt. Vernon Public Library  (Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County) is located on Sugar Street and Mulberry St.  There is parking in the back of the library.  You can enter on Sugar (a narrow ramp up to the parking) or try Mulbery which is one way going south.  I visited the History room in the Mount Vernon Library which is heavy on Knox County sources.  They also have Mount Vernon newspapers on microfilm, family histories, city directories, school yearbooks and more.  It is worth a visit.  I spent two hours one day and another hour on another day at the library checking sources for obituary readings, plat maps and more. 

History Room of Library, Mt. Vernon, Ohio

The Mound Cemetery, one of the oldest in Knox County, is just north of the public library and even if you don’t have family buried there I suggest you visit it.  It is amazing, for there are a lot of huge, I mean huge, monuments in this cemetery.  I was overwhelmed by it.  You know me, I have seen a lot of cemeteries on my travels but this was awesome.  So once again get a map from the Delauder publications (Knox county books) so you can find the graves you are interested in and that may still be a challenge.  I will feature this cemetery in another post in the future. There are Kellers buried in Mound Cemetery.

Overview - Mound Cemetery, Mt. Vernon, Ohio

My recommendations are that if you want to do genealogical research in Knox County then you need to visit the Knox County Historical Society, Knox County History and Genealogical Society, the Mount Vernon Public Library and the Courthouse Annex and include the Morrow County Genealogical Library Annex as well.  Each has sources to offer and is worth a little of your time.  Now they might duplicate what each other has but because of the short hours of some of these respositories you may have to revisit a book or source and you will find it at one or the other location. 

I would like to encourage those of you with Knox and Morrow County roots, including the surrounding counties,  to submit some form of our family history:  copy of a bible, chart, booklet, reports to the historical society and genealogical societies.  It is really needed!!!!  I would also like to encourage you to volunteer your help if you live in the area or join as a member and learn about the people who built this State of Ohio.

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