John and Lydia Spracklin’s Life in Knox County, Ohio

In the last post, I used the tax and census records of Washington County, Ohio to get close to figuring out when Lydia stopped paying taxes in Washington County on the land in Knox County and came to conclusion that it happened about 1820.

Solomon Goss, her father, was on his own again on the land in Fearing Twp. in 1821.  Daniel Goss, the son and brother, appeared on the same page or not, depending on the year.  Solomon Goss (Jr) doesn’t appear till 1826. Solomon Goss (Jr) was to inherit the land.  I refer you to the post on the will of  Solomon Goss, dated December 2, 2012:  The Will of Solomon Goss 1810!

In the last post, I presented a study of the early years of the Solomon Goss family using the U.S. Census and Ohio Tax records at Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org.  This is the post dated March 14, 2013:  John and Lydia (Goss) Spracklin Migrate to Knox Co., Ohio!

The post dated March 6, 2013:  Lydia and John Andrews Spracklin Family, I shared a summary of the their children.  In that post I presented the 1830, 1840 U.S. Census and several Tax Records for Ohio 1825 and 1835.

Let’s revisit these and review them again with additional information:

1825 Ohio Tax Duplicate record

Index of the Ohio 1825 Tax Duplicate. 

pg. 36 –
Sylvanus Cook WN (Wayne) C 13 (There are several columns of Cooks listed pg. 36-37.);
pg 64 Beder Goss PG (Portage) C 45;
Daniel Goss KX (Knox) N 20;
Daniel Goss WS (Washington) N 59;
David Goss MN (Medina) N* 32;
David Goss PG (Portage) C* 44;
George Goss – See Fricker (maybe Pricker), John;
Henry Goss HC (Hocking) A 4;
John Goss PG (Portage) C* 44;
Levi Goss KX (Knox) N 19;
Martin Goss HC (Hocking) C 4,
Mary Goss KX (Knox) N 20;
Solomon Goss WS (Washington) N 59;
pg. 44 there are 8 Delano names but no Stephen;
pg. 89 there are many Kellar/Keller names listed, there are 10 John Kellers noted. One is listed in Keller, John MO (Monroe) C 20;
pg. 155 is listed a Spraelin, John KX (Knox) C 49.

Index of the Ohio 1825 Tax duplicate, compiled by Gerald M. Petty, 1981, FHLBook#977.1 R42 p. FHL#1597666.  

We do find John Spracklin in the 1830 U.S. Federal Census in Liberty Twp. which I presented below. There is a woman between the ages of 30-40 living with him.  I believe that it is reflecting three of their children:  Mary 6, Peter 4, and Solomon Goss is 2 years.

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.

NOTE:  The comments following the numbers are my speculations, if you disagree that is okay with me.  Please comment if you have any thoughts.

Free White Persons – Males:
under age of 5 – lists 3  - Mary, Peter, Solomon Goss?
10-14 – lists 1  -  Ida?
20-29 – lists 1 – I do not know who this might be
40-49 – lists 1 – John himself, age 35?
Females:
5 to 9 – lists 1 - Ida?
30-39 – lists 1 – This is probably Lydia, age 34?

Under 20:  5

20 – 49:  3

Total:  8

Total of All – (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 8

1830 Peter and John Spracklin Appear

There is a listing for a Peter Spracklin in the 1830 U.S. Census living in Liberty Twp., Ohio. Peter is on the first line.   John Spracklin  is on the 4th line down.

Is this Peter the father or Peter the son?  Well I believe it is the father before he moves to Hardin County, Ohio and settles there.  The Peter who is John’s younger brother is living in Kensington, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1830 with 11 people and will later migrate to Trenton, New Jersey.

I will post in the future about Peter and Elizabeth’s children. My focus is on John and Lydia then each one of their children. Here is a quick list of Peter and Elizabeth’s family:  John, Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Parmelia, Anna, Peter, Alfred and George.

Peter Spracklin (SR), 1830 U.S. Census Liberty Twp., Knox. Co., Ohio

Males: 
Males 15-19: 2 - George is in this age group.  Alfred would be 22 years old so he doesn’t fit? So who is the 2nd child?

Males 50-59: 1 – Peter Spracklin the father

Females

Females 50-59: 1 – Elizabeth Spracklin the mother

Under 20: 2

Total Free White:  4

All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 4

Source: 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Liberty Twp., Knox Co., Ohio, pg. 251, Roll #M19_134, Film#0337945, Image 505, Ancestry.com.  Peter Spracklin pg. 251, NARA #M19, Roll #134, FHL #0337945.  Peter Spracklin – Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Page 236, NARA M19, Roll #157, FHL #0020631.

Index of the Ohio 1835 Tax Duplicate Record has this information:

Sylvanus Cook WNESGC C 17;
Daniel Goss WSHBLP C* 25; 
David Goss PRTRND C 209; – Ebenezer Goss’ son living in Portage Co., Ohio
John Keller KNXWNE 7 235;  
Spracklin, John KNXLBR C* 161.

Source: Index of the Ohio 1835 Tax duplicate, compiled by Gerald M. Petty, 1987, FHLBook#977.1 R42 pg. 

I did  tax record research at the Ohio Historical Society on my trip in 2011 and found John Spracklin in Liberty Twp., in 1835, 1836, 1837.  When you look at the Tax Record films you get more detail.  There are two pages to these tax records.   This photo is page 1 and only a portion.

John Spracklin 1835 Tax Record

Caution:  These films were very difficult to read,  I was having trouble keeping the years correct.  I reviewed the film twice but still I am not happy with my recording of the data.  I would like to go back.

The most important part is the land description and it is the same one for all tax records for this time period for John Spracklin.  He adds more land in 1837 as he accumulates more.

1835 Tax Record:  John Spracklin, No. 18 Liberty, R 14, T6, Qtr. 2, E pt 3, 050 acres, value 075. 2nd line Lot 2, 100 acres, 2.2.5 – 2nd page 161 covers the taxes for a total of 0.63.8.

1836 Tax Record –  No. 18, Liberty Twp., Knox Co., Ohio, R14, T 6, Qtr 2, E pt 3, 050 acres, 075 value, R14, T6, 2, lot 2, 100 acres, 2.2.5 value, 2nd page 143 total taxes: 0.84.6.

1837: John Spracklin, R14, T6, qtr 2 E pt 3, 050 acre, 075 value, 2nd line R14 T6, qtr 2, 2, 100 acres, 225 value. 3rd line R14, T6, qtr 2, E pt 1, 050, 075, pg. 150 total tax 1st line 0.84.3, 2nd 2.53.1, 3rd line total tax 7.31.2

Source:  Ohio Historical Society – Tax duplicates (microform) 1809-1814, 1816-1838 Film #GR2532 1835-1837.

1840 Census, Liberty Twp., Knox Co., Ohio. Again this is statistical and only shows number of 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 - John Spracklin about age 45?

Females:
under 5 – lists 1
5-10 lists 1
15-20 lists 1
40-50 lists 1 - Lydia about age 44?

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

In 1850 we finally get to a census that tells us something about the family.

Sadly this is the only census we see Lydia listed in.  She will die very soon in January of 1851.

Try searching using this spelling, “Spacklin,” to find him on Ancestry.com.

John Spacklin age 55, no occupation given, born in England
Lydia Spacklin, age 54, no occupation given, born in Ohio
Mary Spacklin, age 26, no occupation given, born in Ohio
Peter Spacklin age 24, Farmer, born in Ohio
Solomon Spacklin, age 21, blacksmith born in Ohio
*Daniel Spacklin, age 20, farmer, born in Ohio
Olive Spacklin, age 19, no occupation, born in Ohio
John, age 15, no occupation, born in Ohio
Lydia, age 12, no occupation, born in Ohio

Source: John Spacklin (Spacklin) Family, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Liberty Twp., Knox Co., Ohio, No.84, 157, #79, [9] of Sept. 1850. L. V. Parke, NARA Roll M432_700, page. 79A, Image 682, Ancestry.com Image 28 browsing in Knox Co., Liberty Twp. 

So we know that John and Lydia (Goss) Spracklin migrated and settled on the land in Knox County, Ohio about 1820-1821 and raised their family.  The land in Knox County was bequeathed to Lydia in 1815 by her father Solomon Goss in a deed.  This land was to be bought and sold among the Spracklins, Goss and those families that married into these families.  The land was sold after the death of John in 1862 in deeds and in his estate papers.  More to come on John and Lydia (Goss) Spracklin.

*My 2nd great grandfather.

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John and Lydia (Goss) Spracklin Migrate to Knox Co., Ohio!

If you can’t use census you can try to see what the tax records tell you and study both comparing them.  Trying to find ancestors in early Ohio 1787 to 1840 is not easy.  I know because I have been studying Spracklin, Delano, Keller and other surnames to try and find family.

When did Lydia and John Spracklin migrate from Washington County, Ohio to Knox County, Ohio and settle on the land that her father Solomon Goss bequeath to his children?

During my trip to Ohio in August-September of 2011, I spent time at the Washington County Library Local History and Genealogy Annex where the genealogical library is located and staffed by volunteers of the Washington County Genealogical Society, who are members of the Ohio Genealogical Society.  These are great archives to visit and learn about for Ohio research.

Washing Co. Library Annex

They had original Treasurer’s duplicate journals for Washington County on a shelf under the window for access from 1810 to beyond 1836.

Treasurer’s  Duplicate Books

In these books were listings for taxes paid by Solomon Goss and his children. I did not have  a great deal of time so I did a rather poor job of photographing the pages of these books.

Much to my relief and saving me from my slovenly ways, the Family History Library, Familysearch.org has Ohio Tax Records for only a selected group of counties in Ohio:  Ashtabula, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Monroe, Trumbull, Washington (other), and Washington, Waterford Township.  They say they are about 17% complete.

An example of the Treasurer  Duplicate book pages

The photograph above is an example of the Treasurer’s Duplicates and the page is from the damaged book in between 1810 and 1825 in the picture of the books above. It is the brown looking item between these two larger books.

So I spent several hours studying what they had at Ancestry.com and online at Familysearch.org including the images.  Here are a few sources I used in preparation for my trip to Ohio in 2011, I am sure there are more.  (See Familysearch wiki on Ohio Taxation for more ideas – under Ohio Links on right side of this blog)

Sources:

1. “Early Ohio Tax Records,” compiled by Esther Weygandt Powers, Akron, Ohio 1971.  I found it at the Seattle Public Library.  Google Books has a copy but it doesn’t have all the pages for it is only a preview.  Fortunately it worked for me and the book is readily available to photocopy.

2. World Vital Records has this as well “Early Ohio Tax Record: Reprinted with The Index to Early Ohio Tax Records.”  If you have a subscription to this online archive go check it out.  It is possible that your local genealogical society has access for members.

3. If you try Ancestry.com you may find some of the tax lists mixed in with the early U.S. Federal Census because some did not survive for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, so they used them to fill in for the missing U.S. Census.  If you do not have a subscription see your local library for a card.

State Census Records by Ann S. Lainhart is a good source for what census, state, federal and territorial were done for a given state like Ohio.  Worldcat had 929 hits for all 6 editions and at least 6 in my area.

William Dollarhide has a two volume set of books on Census and how to find them.  Census Substitute & State Census Records…” Volume 1 – Eastern States and Volume 2 – Western States, 2008, with Foreword by Leland K. Meitzler.

4. The Ohio Historical Society has Tax duplicates from 1806-1810 and 1809-1814, 1816-1838 on film at the historical society. If you go to their home page scroll down and click on the Archives/Library.  I was there in 2011 and looked at several of those films.  FHL films are from the Ohio Historical Society.

Caution:  They are rather difficult to read and not well identified by the years so you must take your time and take notes and copy carefully.  I had to do it twice to make sure I was recording the years correctly.  The research I did was on Spracklin, Delano and Keller surnames.

http://collections.ohiohistory.org/starweb/l.skca-catalog/servlet.starweb

5. Familysearch.org has “Tax Records of Ohio, 1801-1814 a series of microfilm.  They also have “Index of the Ohio 1825 and 1835 Tax duplicate,” in book form compiled by Gerald M. Petty, 1981, FHL Book #977.1R42, there is an 1812 version on 5 films.

This is a copy of one of the Familysearch tax records and only a piece of it.

1816 Portion of the tax record page showing the Goss Family

Here is the study I did this week trying to learn more about the movements of the Goss family.

Bon’s Census and Tax List Study of Solomon Goss, his children:  Elizabeth, Noah, Mary, Solomon Jr., Daniel, Levi, Lydia 1800 to 1832.  Please be aware that I did my best to be accurate.  I might have made a few mistakes it was tedious to do.

Year	Location	Source	Description	Detail of names
1800 U.S. Federal Census	Marietta Twp., Washington Co., Ohio	1800 U.S. Census at Ancestry.com – NARA	Number of male inhabitants age of 21. This is a name list	Solomon Goss
1801	Adams Twp., Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF #4022412 Image#00026 GS Film#945761	Solomon Goss
1802	Meritown Twp., Wash Co. Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF #4022412 Image#00066 GS Film#945761	Solomon Goss
1803 – August,	Washington Co., Ohio	US Territorial Census Wash Co., Ohio 1790-1890 – NARA Roll M1804, Roll 1 Ancestry.com	Hard to read list of male inhabitants and nothing else	Solomon Goss
1809	Fearing Twp., Washington Co.,	Ohio Census 1790-1890 Ancestry.com	Tax List	Solomon Goss
1810	No. Twp. Listed Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Census 1790-1890 Ancestry.com	Tax List No US Census for Ohio	Solomon Goss
1816	Big Run, Fearing, Wash Co., and Knox Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021667 Image#00058 GS Film #522501	Daniel (Belpre), Solomon SR (Fearing), Noah, Levi, Mary, Lydia, (Knox)

Here is the  1816 Tax Record.  Go to the chart above for the source information.  Solomon is the only one on Duck Creek while the children are all taxes for Knox Co., land.

Daniel Goss, Belpre, 
Acres in original tract: 4000
No. of Lot: 2
Luxury or Allotment: U.S. Military Lands
Situated R, T, S: 14, 6, 2
Quarter
City of: 100
Part or Corner Taxed: Undivided part of 450 acres N.E. corner
County: Knox
Original proprietors: Zaccheus Biggs
Tax D, O: 1, 50

Solomon Goss
Acres in original tract: 100
No. of Lot: 82
Luxury or Allotment: Duck Creek
Situated R, T, S: 8, 3, 18
Quarter
City of: 100
Part or Comer Taxed: 
County: Washington 
Original proprietors: Moses Williamson
Tax D, O : 1, 50

For Noah Goss, Levi Goss, Mary Goss, Lydia Goss
Acres in original tract: 4000
No. of Lot: 2
Luxury or Allotment: U.S. Military Lands
Situated R, T, S: 14, 6, 2
Quarter
City of: 100 acres for Noah, and Levi, 50 acres for Mary and Lydia
Part or Corner Taxed: Undivided part of 450 acres N.E. corner
County: Knox
Original proprietors: Zacheus Biggs
Tax D, O: 1, 50 for Noah and Levi only O 75 for Mary and Lydia

My study continues:

1817	Belpre Twp, Fearing, Wash Co. and Knox Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021667 Image#00195 GS Film #522501	Solomon SR (Fearing), Noah, Levi, Mary, Lydia, (Knox)Daniel Gofs, Belpre
1818	Unknown, Wash Co., Ohio County Land	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021667 Image#00334 GS Film #522501	Solomon SR (Fearing), Levi, Mary, Lydia, (Knox)Daniel Goss
1819	Duck Creek, Wash. Co. County Land	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021667 Image#00475 GS Film #522501	Solomon SR (Fearing), Levi, Mary, Lydia, (Knox)
1820 U.S. Census	Fearing, Wash Co., Ohio	U.S. Federal Census Aug 7, 1820 Ancestry.com	NARA Film M33_95, Image 233	See Below – Soloman Goss

The 1817 and 1818 Tax Records are almost exactly identical to the 1816 except in 1818 Noah disappears. So I skip to the 1819 Tax Record. Noah is gone from the 1819 record as well.

See my post dated November 15, 2011 – Noah Goss, A Mystery! I talk about the deeds of his acquiring the land in Knox Co., Ohio from his father and the sale which was about two month apart.

Solomon Goss
Acres in original tract: 100
No. of Lot: 82
Luxury or Allotment: Duck Creek
Situated R, T, S: 8, 3, 18
Quarter
City of: 100
Part or Corner Taxed:
County: Washington
Original proprietors: Moses Williamson
Tax D, O : 1, 50

For Levi Goss, Mary Goss, Lydia Goss (Noah is no longer listed and Daniel Goss does not appear till 1821 in the Belpre documents).
Acres in original tract: 4000
No. of Lot: 2
Luxury or Allotment: U.S. Military Lands
Situated R, T, S: 14, 6, 2
Quarter
City of: 100 acres for Noah, and Levi, 50 acres for Mary and Lydia
Part or Corner Taxed: Undivided part of 450 acres N.E. corner
County: Knox
Original proprietors: Zacheus Biggs
Tax D, O: 1, 50 for Noah and Levi only O 75 for Mary and Lydia

 Let’s take a look at the 1820 U.S. Census for Washington Co., Ohio

1820 US Federal  Census August 7, 1820  Soloman Goss

NOTE:  Elizabeth is married to Andrew Lake so she is not at home, Noah is about 38 years old, Mary is about 35 years old, Solomon Goss (Jr)  inherits the land in Fearing and married in 1812 to Polly Devol, Daniel lives in Belpre and is married to Lydia in 1813, Levi Goss is in New York or Ontario, Canada.  He was in the War of 1812.  He is about 27 years old.  See my posts about these children of Solomon Goss.

My notes:  The male sections are not as detailed as the females so it makes it hard to figure out who they might be.  Here I try seeing who might fit the numbers.  What do you think?

Free White Persons

Males 16 thru 25: 1 – John Spracklin 24 years old

Males 45 and over:  1 – Solomon himself?

Females under 10: 1

Females 16 to 25: 2 –  Lydia is 24 years old, who is the 2nd female?

Females 26 thru 44: 1 – Mary is 35 years old

Females 45 and over: 1  Olive Scott Goss – maybe, I think she had died before 1810 because she is not in Solomon’s will nor in the deeds records for the land in Knox Co. that he gives to his children.  So who could this be?

Foreigners not Naturalized:  1 – John Spracklin

Engaged in Agriculture: 2

Under 16: 1

Over 25: 3

Total Free White persons: 7

Total White, Slaves, Colored: 7

Maybe that is John Spracklin the one who is not Naturalized and that is why we don’t find him in the 1820 Census?

1821 Additional years: 1821,1822, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1838, 1840, 1842, 1843 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850	Belpre, Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021667Image #00620GS Film #522501	Daniel Goss Belpre with new lands in Belpre
1821	E. Side, Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021667Image #00621GS Film #522501	Solomon Goss
1822	Unknown, Wash Co., Ohio County Land	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021668Image#00065GS Film #522502	Solomon Goss
1823	Unknown, Wash Co., Ohio County Land	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021668Image #00220GS Film #522502	Solomon Goss SR and Daniel Goss
1824	Unknown Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021668Image #00383GS Film #522502	Solomon Goss SR and Daniel Goss
1825	Unknown, Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021668Image #00550GS Film #522502	Solomon Goss SR and Daniel Goss

The rest of the children disappear after the 1820 U.S. Census and Daniel Goss continues through many years and eventually we see that Daniel moves to Belpre and is no longer listed with the Knox Co., lands.  Each of the children:  Elizabeth, Noah, Mary, Daniel, Levi sell their lands to someone else or a family member.  Lydia is the only one that keeps her 50 acres of the Knox Co. lands.

I have written posts on each of these children and I refer you to them for further details, see the Categories on the right side of this blog under SURNAMES – Goss, under Solomon Goss and you will find his children.

Here is the 1821 Tax Record for Washington Co., Ohio, Solomon is listed alone on the page.

E. Side, Washington, Ohio County Land,
Solomon Goss Duck Creek
Acres in the lot: 100
No. of Lot: 82
Situated R, T, S: 8, 3
Quantity&Rate 3: 100
Part or Allotment: 100 Duck Creek
Original Proprietors: Moses Williamson
State Tax: .50 cents
Road Tax: .25 cents
Total 75
Delinq
Remarks:

Daniel and Solomon appear on the same page but their land descriptions are very different for the 1824 Tax Record:

County Land,
Daniel Goss, Belpre,
Acres in the lot: 101 79/100
No. of Lot: 48
Situated R, T, S: 10, 1, 19.20
Quantity&Rate 3: 4
Part or Allotment:
Original proprietors: A. Coburn (Is this Asa Coburn his brother Solomon Goss (Jr.) with Polly’s family?
State Tax: 22
Road Tax: 1
Total 3 2
Delinq
Remarks:

Solomon Goss
Acres in the lot: 100
No. of Lot: 82
Situated R, T, S: 8, 3
Quantity&Rate 3: 100
Part or Allotment: 100 Duck Creek
Original Proprietors: M. Williamson
State Tax: .56
Road Tax: .25 cents
Total .81
Delinq

1826 (2)	Fearing Twp., Wash Co., Ohio Personal Property	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850 Familysearch.org	DF#4021679 Image #00103 & 00081 GS Film #534813	Solomon Goss Jr.
1827 (2)	Fearing Twp., Wash Co. Ohio,	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850Familysearch.org	DF#4021679Image #00409 & 00430 GS Film #534813 Ref 66 & 84	Solomon Goss Jr.
1829	Fearing Twp., Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850Familysearch.org	DF#4021669 Image#00070 GS Film: 522845	Solomon Goss Jr.
1830	Fearing Twp., Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records 1800-1850Familysearch.org	DF#4021669 Image#00367 GS Film: #522845	Solomon Goss Jr.
1832	Fearing Twp., Wash Co., Ohio	Ohio Tax Records1800-1850Familysearch.org	DF#4021670 Image#00084 GS Film: #522846	Solomon Goss

In the above chart we see the shift taking place.  Solomon Goss dies in 1825 and his son Solomon Goss (Jr) moves onto the land in Fearing Twp., stays there till about 1832 and sells the land and moves to Hardin Co., Ohio.  Daniel and Elizabeth are the only children that stay behind in Washington Co., Ohio. I have written several posts about Solomon Goss (Jr) and his family.  See the categories to the right under Surnames – Goss.

 Tax record for 1826:

Solomon Goss Junior
Acres 100
Lot 82
R T Sec: 8, 3, 18
[Aoof] 100/80
Horses
Part or allotment D.Cr.
Original proprietor M. Williamson
State Tax 16.0
County Tax 40.0
Road Tax 4.0
Town Tax 24.0
Total 84.0
Remarks

It is going to be wonderful when all these Ohio tax records are indexed and the images uploaded.  I am looking forward to Morrow, Knox, Franklin and several other counties to review for these records. So go and check out the Familysearch Ohio Tax records, remember they are only 17% complete.

When I copied my census/tax study to this post it squished and moved things around.  Here is a PDF of my Census Tax Record Study all in one:  CensusTaxStudyWashCoOhioEarly1800s

 

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Oak Grove Cemetery, Washington Co., Ohio

Oak Grove Cemetery is located in Marietta in Washington County, Ohio.   There is a book that has the burials listed:

Source:  Oak Grove Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio Burials 1860 to 1920, published by the Washington County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society 1991.  

Oak Grove Burial Book 1991

Here is a map of Oak Grove.  Section 19 is where the bodies from the Old Burying ground where moved to and where the memorial plaque is located.   Find A Grave has this cemetery listed to a total of 9340 graves.

Oak Grove in Marietta

In my post of September 13, 2011 “Marietta and Washington County – A Dream Come True!” I mention my visit to Oak Grove Cemetery because I was in search of Solomon Goss, Olive, David and their grandchildren’s graves.

The post before this dated January 8, 2013 is  about Mound Cemetery.  In that post,  I described the Mound Cemetery book and the different burying grounds used before Mound and Oak Grove and the lack of recordkeeping before 1858.

In Oak Grove there is the history plaque that is dedicated to Englehard Hopper and below his biography is a reference to The Old Burying Ground:

Historical plaque in Oak Grove

“The original burial site of the early pioneers was 600 feet SW of this spot.  28 people were interred there between August 1788 and September 1801, except during the Indian War of 1791-94.  In the Fall of 1871, the remains of 26 were brought to this this lot.  Two were reinterred in the Mound Cemetery.  Contributions by the Durm Family, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Washington Co. Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society.”

The dates given on this plaque are well before Solomon Goss who died in 1825.

This  is the memorial stone erected to the memories of the unknown pioneers.  Next to it are the graves of James Mitchell Varnum and his SAR emblem, and E. Hopper’s grave and emblem.

Oak Grove Cemetery, Pioneer Memorial Stone and more

There is a plaque for James Mitchel Varnum.

James Mitchell Varnum plaque in Oak Grove Cemetery

This is looking down from the Pioneer Monument which is located on a steep hill:

Oak Grove Cemetery

Here is the entrance to Oak Grove Cemetery:

Entrance to Oak Grove

Much to my frustration and disappointment I did not find any clues as to Solomon, Olive, David and the grandchildren’s burials in this cemetery.  I did take the time to find the Pioneer Memorials in Oak Grove and Mound Cemeteries and pay my respects.

A DAR or SAR emblem placed near or in one of these cemeteries may be a possibility for the future to honor Solomon Goss, we will see.

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Mound Cemetery, Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio

Mound Cemetery Entrance Gate

To find the grave site of Solomon Goss and his wife Olive, his son David and the two babies of Solomon Goss, Jr, I studied the cemeteries of Marietta and its surroundings.

Map of Mound Cemetery – also one in the book

Mound Cemetery is one of the oldest.  Was it possible that they transported Solomon’s body to Mound Cemetery from Fearing Twp.?

I was not finding Solomon, nor Olive and their family in any of the Fearing Twp. Cemeteries so I decided to explore Marietta closely and learn about the history of the cemeteries in the area.  I was disappointed to find out that they did not keep records till about 1858 and older burying grounds were opened for development and the bodies were moved at various times to either Mound or Oak Grove.

An Overview of Mound Cemetery

There is a very excellent book that I have already mentioned in the last post.  I suggest that you get a copy of it if you can and read the chapters that are about the history of the area they do mention names of deceased in these pages other chapters including a very carefully prepared listing of the plots and graves in the last couple of chapters.   This book is at the Ohio Genealogical Society in Bellville, Allen County and probably in a major genealogical society or library near you.

 ”Mound Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio” by Owen Hawley.  This is an excellent book published in 1996 by the Washington County Historical Society.

Mound Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio

This book describes the really old cemeteries/burying grounds and what happened to them and the bodies – Here is the Table of Contents:

• Prologue:  Requiem
• East Marietta Burial Sites Before Mound Cemetery

a. Emerson Hill (Old Burying Grounds) “The earliest cemetery was east of the Muskingum in Marietta was the “Ten Acres lying between City Square number thirty-three and the tree acre Lots…which is to be kept as a burying ground forecver (Archer Butler Hulbert, Records of the Ohio Company, Marietta, 1917, II 208) This covers City Square 33 which is the entire block bordered by Sixth, Seventh, Tupper and Wooster streets….Location of this earliest burial ground appears on the “Plan of the Town of Marietta” signed by Rufus Putnam, Superintendent of the Ohio Company’s Surveys, 20 April 1802. ” Names are listed that were buried there but no Solomon Goss. page 5. “…26 others whose remains were exhumed in 1871 and reinterred in the Pioneer Lot in Sect. 19 Oak Grove Cemetery.”  Only two could be identified positively.

“The hill-hugging Pioneer Lot in Sect. 19 in Oak Gove Cemetery is marked by a white monument bearing only the legend “To the Memory of the Unknown Pioneers who Rest Here.  This stone is erected by the Washington Co. Pioneers Association, A.D. 1875.  Names pass away but deeds live on.” In front of this onument are two bronze DAR and SAR gravemarkers for James Michell Varnum…Englehard Hopper.”

Note: The Washington Co. Pioneers Association is defunct and is now the Washington Co. Historical Society.

b. Warren Street at Third Street “This burial ground was opposite City square 11…only one Warren Street burial was recorded: that of Brig. Gen Benjamin Tupper…remains were removed to Mound cemetery.

c. Wooster Street at Third Street…the site of another early East Marietta cemetery.”  It is unclear as to whether the burials were removed to Mound Cemetery?

• Burial Records and Reading of Mound Cemetery
  • “Strange as it may seem, with certain exceptions, Marietta did not always keep a careful record of where it planted its dead.  This is true even of Mound Cemetery for a  considerable part of the 19th century…Rufus Putnam to whom that land had been leased in March 1791 gave the Square to the town for use as  a public burying ground.  It was not, however, until 3 May 1803 that trustees of the Ministerial Land officially set aside a portion of Mound Square as a burial ground; since the ground lay within Section 29 (Ministerial Land), only its trustees could make such official designation.”

“Although no written record of interments was kept before August 1858 it is possible to determine that by May 1803 there and been four burials in Mound…”

It goes on for pages about the history of the Mound Cemetery.

• Marietta’s Ancient Earthworks
  

  The Mound in Mound Cemetery

• Cemetery Fence, Gate and DAR Memorial Plot
• The Receiving Tomb (Ward Stone Vault)
• Tombstones, Stonecutters and Gravestone Designs
• African Americans in Mound Cemetery
• Other Happenings in Mound Cemetery
• Funerals, Funerary Customs and Memorial Verse
  • “…The burial of one early Mound Cemetery couple attests to this.  Caleb Thorniley Sr. died 26 August 1807; his wife Mary (Alcock) Thorniley died within 48 hours on 27 August 1807.  John Holt, Joseph Lincoln and Nathaniel Saltonstall also died during this time.  Writing to his brother Dudley Woodbridge Jr. from Marietta on 5 September 1807, William Woodbridge began: “I am sorry the truth will warrant me in saying that our little town has been and continues to be unhealthy, not withstanding its well merited character of healthiness, a fever has raged among us almost as fatal as the yellow fever. Majr. Lincoln is dead & his wife is at the point of death.  Nott is dead.  Old Thorniley & his wife are dead…There is scarcely a family at the point up and down the Ohio for many miles which has not one or more sick in it.”
  • Conditions during the summer epidemic of 1822-1823…were even more grisly than they had been in the epidemic of 1807.  Since the mortality rate was higher, an even larger number of people were given unceremonious burials. ”
    • There is much more description in this chapter than I have written here.  I was interested in the epidemics.
• Abbreviations, Symbols and Sources
• Burials and Plot Owners – lists in detail the burials they know about and other research done like newspapers
• Index to Buried Names – a quick index to the names throughout the book
• Epiloque: Passage from Shakespeare

Mound Cemetery’s Dedication to the Pioneers of the area.

The  plaque below reads: To the Memory of the Soldiers of the American Revolution buried in Washington County, Ohio Whose Graves are Unknown, erected by the Marietta Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution 1927.  In front of this memorial are rows and rows of the DAR emblem with the names of some of the soldiers on them.  No Solomon Goss was listed.   On my visit I did not go to the DAR house which, I believe, was across the street from the Oak Grove Cemetery.

The DAR Plaque for the Revolutionary War Soldiers

Abraham Whipple’s Monument

Ebenezer Sproat’s Tombstone

On my trip to Massachusetts in the Spring of 2011, I took a drive up to the home of Rufus Putnam’s when he was living in North Brookfield.  In my post dated April 13, 2011 “Monday, April 11, 2011: The Brookfields, At Last.”  This was described in my blog about my trip to Massachusetts and Connecticut in 2011.  I wrote about this visit to Horseshoe Lake.  You will have to scroll to just after the North Brookfield Library to find the part about Rufus Putnam. http://massmeanderings.blogspot.com/

You cannot study the history of Marietta without seeing or hearing about Rufus.  I even visited the Campus Martius and toured his house.  I believe he knew my Goss family.  See the post dated September 13, 2011 “Marietta and Washington County – A Dream Come True!” written for this blog where I discuss visiting Rufus’ house in Marietta.

The tombstone of Rufus Putnam a very important man in the history of Marietta and more

This is a very interesting cemetery and well worth exploring:  Find A Grave has this cemetery listed but I do not know if they have all the tombstones included so you might want to consult the book above and also talk to the cemetery office.

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The Will of Solomon Goss 1810!

Solomon and Olive (Scott)  Goss had Elizabeth, Noah, Mary, Solomon Goss (Jr.), Daniel, Levi, Lydia and David.  I have posted about each of these individuals in past posts.

I have just begun with sharing about Lydia and her life and plan to do more.

It is time now to show the relationship of Solomon Goss to his children.

In 1810 Solomon Goss wrote his will and it was on file at the Washington County Courthouse for years.  What I share with you below is a transcription obtained by Flora Montanye Osborn sometime in the 1940′s.

Transcribed Version

I verified this transcription with the will in the court clerks version:

Source:  Probate Record, 1789-1855 Probate Court, Washington Co., Ohio, Index V A #FHL#946211 Under “G,” Will Record Vol. 4 pg. 132 and 133 FH#946211.  I did had a bit of trouble finding it in these films so do take your time it is there.  I also looked at the copy in the Washington County Courthouse books when visiting in there in 2011.

Solomon Goss Will pg 1

Solomon Goss Will pg 2

In the name of God, Amen; I Solomon Goss, of the Town of Fearing Co. of Washington and State of Ohio, Although laybouring at present under some indisposition of body, yet being of sound and disposing mind and memory and understanding through the mercey of God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following.

First and principally I resign my soul with the utmost humility into the hands of Almighty God my Creator, humbly hopeing for a blessed immorality through the merits and mediation of my Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ and my body I desire may be decently buried at the expense and discretion of my Executor. And as for such temporal Estate as the Lord in his great goodness and mercy hath instructed me to be Steward of, I give devise and dispose thereof as follows, I give and bequeath to my son Solomon Goss, my messuage of tenements wherein and wheron I now dwell with the appurtenances with all the privileges in any way or manor their unto belonging Sittuate in said Town of Fearing which is Lot No. — Allso all my personally property which I own or am in Lawful possession to the said Solomon with the exception of two cows. I give and bequeath to my sons, Noah, Daniel and Levi one hundred acres of land each and to my three daughters Elizabeth Lake, Mary and Lydia Goss fifty acres of land each, which land thus bequeathed to my three sons and three daughfters lyeth in what is called the Milletary tract of land in Range 14 Twp. 6th N. East Corner of Section 2nd to be equally divided among them in joint of Quallity & according to quantity. I do also give and bequeath to my two daughters Mary and Lydia Goss one cow each, being the two cows above reserved which will be left in the hands of my Executor. The one to Mary in three months after my deceas the one to Lydia in three months after she arrives to the years of eighteen if they then demand them, or any time thereafter. An I do hereby will and appoint that my Executor shall pay all cost and charge that he shall be put to in the Execution of this Will and I do hereby revoke all other Wills by me formerly made, and declair this only to be my last Will and Testament and appoint my son Solomon Goss Executor there of in Witness whereof I the said Solomon Goss have to the first side of this sheet of this my will set my hand to this last side being the second my hand and seal, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and ten Twenty sixth day of March.

Solomon Goss (SEAL)

Signed, Sealed, Published and declared by the said Testator Solomon Goss as, and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testator.

Robert Baird
Thomas Stanley
Lucy Stanley

Flora stopped at this point but I found more in the court clerk book and I transcribed it as best I could:

The State of Ohio – Common pleas April 1828

Washington Co., PA — This judgment of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Solomon Goss late of Fearing in this County deceased was presented in court for probate. Whereupon Percy Blake the late Lucy Stanley being sworn deposed and said that she and Thomas Stanley and Robert Baud, with the latter now deceased, subscribed their names as witnesses to the said will in the presence and at the request of the testor who at that time was of sound mind. And ____Warner being also sworn he and the said Percy Blake both deposed and said that the name of Thomas Stanley subscribed as a witness to said will is the proper hand writing of the said Thomas Stanley now deceased, they having frequently seen him write, and being acquainted with his hand writing and therefore the said will and probate thereof are approved and ordered to be recorded. An on the motion of Solomon Gofs the Executor the said will named, ____granted him he having taken the oath that required by Law and together with George Dunlevy & Elisha Allen his Securities ____and acknowledge their bond in the penalty of four hundred dollars conditioned as the law ditates and the Court appoint ____Scanna, Doirt Ward and Asak Perkins to appraise the personal property belong into the said decedents Estate agreebly to Law. Geo. Dunlevy, Clerk.

In this will, Solomon clearly names his children: Solomon as executor, Noah, Levi, Daniel, Elizabeth, Mary and Lydia.

========================================================

There are several points that I wish to express regarding this will.

1)  Solomon makes no mention or provision for his wife Olive (Scott) Goss.  There is no mention of my “loving wife, I bequeath to her.”

2) On all the deeds written by Solomon Goss selling the land in Knox County, Ohio to his children, you will not find the statement for release of dower by Olive at the bottom of these 1815 deeds.

3)  Why does he name his children and their relationship to him in the deeds?  Most deeds do not have that type of wording.

 I submit. that Olive (Scott) Goss did not die on 4 July 1825 like so many publications and sources indicate, but she died prior to Solomon’s will being written.  The will was dated March 26, 1810. He is said to have died on 1 July 1825.  The July 4th date was probably Solomon’s burial date not Olive’s death date.  Unfortunately the graves have been lost to time so I was unable through extensive research to verify this information on my visit to Washington County, Ohio in August/September 2011.

3)  Solomon makes no mention of David, his youngest son or any provisions for him in the will? I did not find a deed for the land in Knox County with David’s name.

I also submit that David the youngest son died before 1810 as well.

Solomon Gosses’ will was probated in 1828 but the only piece of paper from that estate is the court clerk copy of the will itself.  There are no inventories, final accounts, heirs-at-law or other documents.  This is a photograph of the index page on the microfilm showing that at the very bottom they list only one document for Solomon Goss in contrast to the listing given above for another individual.

Probate Index, Washington Co., Ohio

Executor Notice!

This Executor Notice was in the newspaper clipping files of the Washington Co. Historical Society and is the only other evidence that a process was done regarding Solomon’s estate.  I did not find an obituary notice in these clipping files.  I did not take time to study the newspapers which I believe are rather thin in editions  for the 1825 -1828 time period.

A Serious Situation:  Again, the original will of Solomon Goss is missing from the files in the Washington County Historical Society.  Someone removed in back in 1992 leaving a note with initials that was useless.  This was before the books were transferred to the society.  So don’t blame them.  I was there and witnessed in September of 2011 when the President of the Washington County Historical Society tried to find the will for me.  He was very upset when he was unable to do so.  I was also very disappointed for I had traveled many miles to see this original will.

If you know where the  original will is please return it to the historical society so that others like myself can enjoy it in the future.

In this will Solomon Goss acknowledges his children:  Elizabeth, Noah, Mary, Solomon, Daniel, Levi, and last Lydia.  If you are a descendant of Solomon Goss and Olive (Scott) Goss please leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you.

=========================================================

NOTE:  Some of the abstracted published books on the wills and estates of Washington County are incorrect regarding Solomon Gosses’ estate. They confuse the father with the son of the same name.  So please be careful.  Here is an example.

Abstracts of Wills & Administrations of Estates of Washington Co., Ohio Compiled by Genevieve, Mary Potts 390 Oak St. Columbus, Ohio – no date, Fiske Lib. 7/2002 Binder for Washington Co.

Goss, Solomon – of Fearing Township. Will made 3/26/1810, probated April 1828. Children, Noah, Daniel, Elvi (Levi), Solomon, Mary, Lydia and Elizabeth (Lake). 4, 132. NOTE: His wife, Mary was the daughter of Gilbert Deval, Jr. and his wife Mary (Coburn) Deval. See “Genealogy and History of Hugh and Wm. Mason and Allied Familes by mary Eliza Mason. 

It was Solomon Goss the son that married Mary Deval/Devol, better known as Polly.

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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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Wesley Goss: Even More Restless!

Wesley Goss has been a challenge.  Fortunately he lives passed the 1850 U.S. Federal census so he can be traced.  Wesley was restless moving to Iowa about 1840,  but from that point on he at least stayed in Iowa.   He moved around the state and was in the following counties:  Henry, Keokuk, Mahaska, Woodbury, and Clay. 

Wesley was born the 16th of March 1815 in Washington County, Ohio and he married Elizabeth Evans who was born October 26, 1816 either in Vermont or across the St. Lawrence river from Montreal. 

He died of old age on 10 October 1896 and Elizabeth passed 28 July 1901, in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa.  They are buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Clay Co., Iowa.

FindAGrave has a listing for Wesley and Elizabeth and the IAGenWeb has a partial listing that does not include Wesley and Elizabeth:  http://iagenweb.org/clay/cemriverside.htm

“Wesley spent his boyhood days on his father’s farm and acquired such education as only could be had at that time in the common schools.  After three years of farming near Marietta, Ohio, Wesley and his family moved to Iowa.  He took two yoke of oxen and a covered wagon and followed the old corduroy road through Indiana.  The family camped at Chicago, that city then (1839) consisting of a few fishermen’s shacks.  The family settled near Mt. Pleasant,  Henry County, Iowa, but soon moved to a more favorable location near Lancaster, Keokuk County, where Wesley built a flour mill on the Skunk River.  In 1861, the family moved to a farm near Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa. 

While there, Wesley enlisted in a military company known as the “Gray Beards,” for service in the civil war.  He was not permitted to go to the front however, as it was believed that his two sons then at home were too young to properly work the farm. 

 Again greener pastures called Wesley Goss in 1869, when he moved to Peterson, Clay County, Iowa.  During the winter of 1869-70 they lived in the village.  M.E. Griffin, a prominent resident of Clay County, boarded with the family during the first winter.  Mrs. Goss told him that he could pay his board of $25 per month when he made good — and he did both.  The following spring, Wesley took a homestead four miles north and one mile east of Peterson in a community later known as “Yankee.” 

 After retiring from the farm, Mr. Goss made his home for a time in Correctionville, Iowa, and later in Spencer, Iowa.  In 1894, he went to Salt Lake City, where he visited a son for several years.  Upon his return to Spencer, his health began to fail, and Oct. 10, 1896 he passed to the great beyond.  The funeral was held in the Spencer M.E. Church, Rev. Kennedy officiating, assisted by Rev. Thrush of the Congregational Church.  The Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member, conducted the services at the grave in Riverside Cemetery.  He was born of Christian parents, united with the Methodist Church at an early age and was an active worker in the denomination, frequently conducting services himself when no minister was available.  In addition to his church and fraternal interests, he was active as a politician and held the offices of School Treasurer, Postmaster at Yankee and County Supervisor of Clay County.” *

The children of Wesley and Elizabeth are as follows:

1.  Eliza Almeda Goss born 3 March 1837.

2.  James Gilbert Goss born 5 July 1839 in Washington Co., Ohio and died 24 October 1926 in Ollie, Keokuk, Iowa.  He is buried in the Ollie Cemetery there.  He married Eliza Reynolds, daughter of Benjamin Cornwall Reynolds and Sara Lowers.  She was born 16 February 1841 in Peru, Miami Co., Indiana. 

Eliza and James had 10 children: 

1.) Gilbert James Goss 1863-1885 Oakland Cemetery in Ollie, IA.  I am not sure about this cemetery so it may need to be checked.

 2) Lois Almeda Goss 1866-1962. She married an Isaac Lincoln Smith and had 5 children:  Gertrude Almeda Smith, Lillian Mildred Smith, Monroe Oliver Smith, Arminta Lola Smith, Althea Smith.

3) Addie May Goss b 1866 married Leslie McCargar and had Gladys and Harold

4) Joseph Edward Goss b. 1868 married Luzette Richardson and had Mildred, Edward, and Ardith

 5) Laura Ann Goss 1872-1873

6) Emma Viola Goss b. 1874 married Dick Richardson and had no children

 7) Lucy Jane Goss b. 1876 married a Harry Fox and had Dolly

 8) an infant son born and died 1878

 9)  Edith Rose Goss b. 1880 married a Sam D. Crary and had Merrill, Gordon and Robert; and

10) Leona Goss 1884-1894.

The following excerpt was written by James Gilbert Goss:

“I was nine months old when we crossed the Mississippi River.  My cradle was a clothes basket.  Tige, the dog, watched over me and wouldn’t let any one touch the basket.  My first school was at the Henderson Schoolhouse in Clear Creek Township.  I think I was 7 years old when I first went to school.  At 14 years of age I walked from our house to New Lincoln to stay with my grandparents, taking lessons under my uncle Homer Goss, an invalid at the time.  Then my mother and father moved back to New London, Henry Co. where I continued going to school.  An uncle, Dr. James Maynard, and family lived closed to Solomon Goss who were farmers in the vicinity.  When Emily and Olive Maynard, my cousins, went to school and church, I took each by the hand, walking between them on the rails of the railroad and steadied them while they walked a mile and a quarter to church and school.  On Saturday when home from school, I helped Grandfather Goss husk corn and put it in the crib.  When a very small boy, grandfather would call me to stand between his knees and sing old hymns from the Methodist Hymnal.  One hymn was “Lord, in the morning, Thou shalt hear my voice ascending high, to thee will I direct my prayers; to thee lift up my eyes, and oh for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise.”  He was a grand old Methodist, belonging to the Methodist Church at New London and his family took care of the ministers in their home.  In 1868 moved from Keokuk County to Clay County, accompanied by J.H. Reynolds and family, where he took up claims of government land 6 miles north of Peterson.  Two sons Will and Chell and daughter Ella were still with him at home.”  Written by James Gilbert Goss, date unknown.”*

Obituary of James Gilbert Goss:

“James Gilbert Goss was born July 5, 1839 in Hardin County, Ohio and died at Ollie, Iowa, October 24, 1926 at the ripe old age of 87 years.  On the 18th day of May, 1862, he was married to Eliza Ann Reynolds at Lancaster.  On August 18th of the same year, he enlisted in the Federal Army and became a member of Co.I, of the 40th Iowa Infantry Volunteers and served faithfully until August 2, 1865.  On his return from the Civil War, Mr. and Mrs. took their residence on a homestead near Peterson, Iowa where they resided for several years.  Then they moved Des Moines and a little later to Ollie, Iowa, near the home of their youthful days.  They spent the rest of their lives and around Ollie.  Mr. Goss has been a devout Christian practically all of his long life.  He has given freely of his time, money and energy to work of the church.  The militancy that he learned in the service of his country he carried into the work of the Lord and thus he labored until overtaken by old age and infirmity.  His constant happiness is shown in the songs he always sang: which he sang a week before he passed away.  The Rev. Pettit, a former pastor, now of Des Moines had charge.  Burial was made in the Ollie cemetery.”*

FindAGrave: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Goss&GSiman=1&GScid=95730&GRid=48116619&

3.  Mary Adeline Goss, born 10 May 1841.

4.  Charles Wesley Goss born 22 September 1842

The Iowa State Census for 1844, places Wesley in Keokuk Co., Iowa.  This is statistical with the following people in the household designated as numbers: 1, 2,3, 6. Roll IA_117. Ancestry.com.

5.  Lucy Mariah Goss born 9 August 1845

6.  Solomon M. Goss born 3 March 1848, died 1861 Talleyrand, Keokuk, Iowa and is buried in the Talleyrand Cemetery.  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Goss&GSiman=1&GScid=96470&GRid=18982157&

7.  Elizabeth Lucretia Goss born 11 April 1850

The 1850 U.S. Federal Census has Wesley living in District #26, Keokuk, Iowa, Roll #M432_185, pg. 271, Image 542. Ancestry.com. 

Line 29: 693/728: Wesley Goss, age 35 male, farmer $740, born Ohio. Elizabeth Goss age 32 female, born NY. James G. Goss, age 11, male, born Ohio, Mary Goss 10, female, born Iowa. Charles W. Goss, age 8, male, born Ohio. Lency Goss age 6, female, born Iowa, Solomon Goss, age 2, male, born Iowa. Elizabeth Goss, 2/12, female, born Iowa, Eliza A. Goss age 13 female born Iowa.

8.  Olive Angeline Goss born 19 May 1852

The Iowa State Census for 1852 Wesley is in Clear Creek Twp., Keokuk Co., Iowa, Line 22, Roll IA_119, Ancestry.com.  It is statistical and reads:  Males 4, Females 4, Voter 1, Militia 1, total 9.

The Iowa State Census for 1854 we find Wesley is still in Clear Creek Twp., Keokuk, Iowa again it is statistical with 4 Males, 6 Females, 1 Voter and 1 Militia for total of 10.  Line 4, Roll IA_121, Ancestry.com.

9.  William Harlan Goss born 2 February 1855

10.  Chalapha George Goss born 28 February 1858 in Clear Creek, Keokuk Co., Iowa.  He married Anna Jane Huston and had at least two children:  William H. Goss and C.G. Goss. Jr.  (Clear Creek was a township in Keokuk prior to 1880).

A cousin sent me an article on Chalapha from the Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday Morning, April 22, 1945, pg. 8B, Column 1-3. “Native Iowan Pioneer’s Son, Loyal Utahn Knows Life,” by Old Timer.  There is a photograph of this man. What follows is only a portion of a very large and detailed article of this man’s life.

“Chalapha George (Chell) Goss was born on Clear Creek homestead, Keokuk County, Iowa, Feb. 28, 1858, son of Wesley Goss, born in 1815 and Elizabeth Evans born in 1817.  It was his grandfather, Solomon Goss, who floated down the Ohio river on a barge and named Marietta, Ohio after his wife, Marietta.  C. G. Goss’s father and mother had made their way, with him and one other child to Iowa by ox team.  His first log school-house was known as the Shin Bone school.  When the family moved to Oskaloosa, Mahaska county, Iowa, he attended the Gospel Ridge school.”

11.  Ella Rhodavel Goss born 14 January 1860

*Source:  The information given above was found in the “Goss Family and other files, ” FHL#940938, Items 4-5.  One of the papers was the “Goss-Reynolds Family,” by Gertrude Smith who lived in Pittsburgh. It is a typed written manuscript.  This is only a portion of what was in the documentation.  The article about Wesley above, the comments from his son James and the obituary did not have any sources indicated as to their original origin, dates, etc..   There are inconsistencies in the paragraphs above so please check with the census and other source documents. 

The 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Clear Creek Township, Keokuk, Iowa, NARA Roll #M653_329, Pg. 87, Image 88, Ancestry.com.

Line 18, 618/619 Wesley Goss, age 45, male, farmer, $800, 600, Ohio. Elizabeth age 43, female, New York, James C. age 21, male, Ohio. Mary A, age 19, female, Iowa. Charles W, age 17, male, Iowa. Lucy, age 15, female, Iowa. Solomon M. age 12, male, Iowa. Elizabeth F, age 10, female, Iowa. Angeline, age 8, female, Iowa, Amilan, age 6, male, Iowa. Mellville, age 4, male, Iowa. Ella age 5/12 female, Iowa.

The 1870 U.S. Federal Census places Wesley and Elizabeth in Clay County, Iowa, NARA Roll M593_383, Page 120, Image 240, Ancestry.com.

Line 9, 21/21 Goss, Wesley, age 54, m. white, farmer $1000, $1300, Ohio. Elizabeth age 53, female, white, keeping house, New York, mother of foreign birth. Elisabeth S, age 20, female, white, school teacher, Iowa. William H. age 14, male, white at home, Iowa. Chalapatha age 12, male white, at home, Iowa. Ella, age 10, female, white, at home, Iowa, last 3 in school.

The 1880 U.S. Federal Census places Wesley and Elizabeth in Peterson, Clay Co., Iowa, Roll T9_333, FHL#125433, pg. 20, SD4, ED 59, Ancestry.com.

Line 24, 168, Goss, Wesley, White, Male, age 65, married, farmer, born Ohio, father born PA, mother Ohio. Elizabeth, W, Female age 63, wife, married, keeping house, born NY, father NY, mother Canada. Anderson, Benj. W, Male age 12, servant, at home, born Iowa, father Ohio, mother Indiana. Pickering, Orra, White, Male, age 18, servant, farm laborer, born Wisc, father Tenn, mother Indiana.

The 1885 Iowa State Census has Wesley in Correctionville, Woodbury, Iowa, Roll #IA1885_280, Line 29, Family #79, Ancestry.com.

Line 29, 78/79 Frank Davis, East Correctionville, age 21 Male, Single, Born Illinois, N, N, military duty, vote. Wesley Goss, age 69 male, married, born Ohio, N, N, vote. Elizabeth Goss, age 68, F, married, born New York, N. F. Ella Goss age 22, F, Single, Teacher, New York, N, N.

The 1891 Iowa State Census has Wesley living in Spencer, Clay Co., Iowa.  #IA_124, Line 23. Goss, Wesley, Goss, Elizabeth, Ella, W.H. C.G. Emma.

I did not do any probate, birth, death, deed or other research on Wesley and his family.  I have no photographs of their tombstones. 

Please note that the information given above on this family was dated in the early 1970′s.  Hopefully someone has found additional information since that time that includes vital records and more.  So please use this as a guide only!

When I traveled to Iowa in 2003 and visited the State Historical Society, I did not know about Solomon Goss (Jr.) and Polly’s move to Iowa. I learned about it when I saw a note about Wesley, their son, moving to Iowa in the tax records of Hardin County, Ohio.   Be advised that the Iowa State Historical Society has two locations, one in Des Moines and another in Iowa City.  Each covers certain geographic areas of the state.  The state genealogical society called the Iowa Genealogical Society is located in Des Moines near the State Historical Society.  See the Favorite Links – Iowa on the right side of this blog for more information on these archives.

Photo:  The Iowa State Historical Society in Des Moines. This is the main archive and it covers the rest of Iowa.  It has a great newspaper collection and so much more.

Photo:  Iowa State Historical Society Archive in Iowa City on the university campus.  This archive covers the eastern part of Iowa.

Iowa’s State Capital

In summary:  I am a curious person and would like to dig further into this family of Solomon Goss and Polly Devol Goss but time and money is always a consideration.  The other issue is focus, I have other goals.  If I make it back to Iowa, I will do a little more digging because I won’t be able to resist and spend a little more time pinning down the inconsistencies in the stories and determining what happened to all those children.   If you know more about this family and would like to comment, please do!  If you have a link with more information, I would be happy to present it here for others to find you.

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A Wish Fulfilled: Solomon and Polly Goss’s Graves & sister Mary!

Sometimes I think I have a genealogy angel watching over me.  Recently I have been very blessed.  A cousin found me on this blog and she has been very kind and very helpful.  She went out and found the tombstones of Solomon Goss (Jr.) and Mary (Polly) Coburn Devol Goss!  Next to them was Solomon’s sister Mary Goss!! 

Talk about a genealogical happy dance!

The following tombstone photographs were taken by Pat Stoudt a descendant of Virda Huston Spracklin,* a half-brother to my Amarilla Spracklin Barclay. 

Solomon and Polly are buried in the Burge Cemetery in New London, Henry Co., Iowa.  The book by Jerry Devol that I featured in my post of January 29, 2012 “A Little About Mary “Polly” Coburn Devol Goss!” is not correct.  It states that they were buried in Oskalooska, Mahaska County, Iowa. 

Solomon’s will was probated in Henry Co., Iowa and they are in the 1860 U.S. Census there and it all makes better sense!  See the last post about Solomon Goss (Jr.) estate file.  

The Burge Cemetery is west of New London in Henry County off of Main Street and sandwiched between Oasis Avenue and 257th St.  New London is south of Iowa City and located in the southeastern part of Iowa.

A sign for the Burge Cemetery, Henry Co., Iowa!

Burge Cemetery Sign off 260th

Plaque on the pillar for the Burge Cemetery!

Plaque Pillar - Back Entrance

Overview of the Burge Cemetery!

Overview of Burge Cemetery, Goss Stones!

The three stones stand together!

The Goss Stones!

Find A Grave has a listing for Mary Goss d. 1859, Mary S. Goss d. 1865, Solomon Goss d. 1864 and Harriet M. Goss Maynard the daughter who died 1880.  I think some of the listing is not correct?   http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=685810  There are no photos of the tombstones at this site.

Solomon Goss (Jr.) stone, apparently it had been reattached?  It is difficult to see the dates it is so close to the ground.   

Solomon Goss the Son of Solomon & Olive Goss

This is a closer look and you can make out 1864!

Close up of Solomon's stone

The next stone is of Mary C. Goss wife of S. Goss.  It is definitely a C, not an S as listed at FindAGrave.

Mary C. Goss (Polly Coburn Devol)

Mary Goss, the sister!

Mary Goss, sister to Solomon and daughter of Solomon & Olive Goss

FindAGrave has her years as 24 yrs.  I think it reads 84 which would be more accurate! Here is a close up! (Click on the photographs and they will be made larger.  Remember to click your back button to return to this post!) 

This gives a death of April 6, 1859.  See my post dated December 18, 2011, “Mary Follows her Brother Solomon Goss to Iowa!”  I did not have this information when I published that post so this is good news.   

Closer Look at Mary Goss' tombstone

 

Mary Goss, the top of the stone. The sister!

Here is another overview of the Burge Cemetery, New London, Henry Co., Iowa:

I would like to thank Pat for taking the time to go to this cemetery and take these great pictures.  It is not easy to photograph tombstones!   I am glad she had fair weather.  It looks like it is well-kept and that is good news!  I wish I could have gone!  I so love to find my ancestors graves! 

Harriett Goss Maynard is also at the Burge Cemetery, she is a daughter of Solomon and Polly Goss. Here is a link to the Iowa Gravestone Photo Project with a picture of her tombstone:

http://iowagravestones.org/gs_view.php?id=225869

The main page for the Burge Cemetery but I am not finding anyone other than Harriett. Iowa Gravestones website:

http://iowagravestones.org/cemetery_list.php?CID=44&cName=Burge

*Virda Huston Spracklin is discussed briefly in the posted dated December 2, 2011 “Sarah and Daniel’s Family, the second Family!  This post is written on my blog: The Barclays of Pine River: The Lives of George and Amarilla Barclay.  I am slowly working my way to revealing more about the full and half siblings of my great-grandmother Amarilla Spracklin Barclay Dawes Urton on the Barclay blog.  A link to this blog is on the right side panel under Blogs I like!

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A Tip:  This website “The Families of Dennis W. Brumm“ has photographs of some of the Burge Cemetery tombstones and a map showing its location, as far as I can tell no Goss are listed.  It is a very nice and worth checking out there is so much more presented there.  Go to the top of the website  and just above the picture is a Find drop down menus and more: 

 http://brumm.com/genealogy/showmap.php?cemeteryID=4&PHPSESSID=c3e93e92c3c24992994b731071eb1146

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The End Comes: Solomon & Polly Goss Rest Peacefully!

The son of Solomon and Olive (Scott) Goss left his childhood home and headed for greener pastures.  He left Washington County, Ohio about 1832 and headed for Hardin County, Ohio.  He lived there till after 1841 and followed his son Wesley to Iowa.

In 1860 we find Solomon living in Henry County, Iowa. 

Line 1, 2184/88, 1995/95, Sol Gofs, 72, M, Farmer, $4000, $800, PA. Mary Gofs, 65, F, born Ohio. Homer Gofs, 21, M, Farmer, 150, 200, born Ohio.

Line 4, Family 1924/96/ Mary Davis, 36, F, not known. Wilber Davis, 4, M, Iowa.

Source:  1860 U.S. Federal Census, New London Twp., Henry Co., Iowa, pg. 279, July 23, 1860, John S. Bartneff, enumerator, P.O. New London, Ancestry.com.   I do not know what relationship the Davis family if any to the Goss family.

The IA GenWeb for Henry County, Iowa has a transcription of a directory for some of the areas of Henry Co., Iowa for 1859-1860, by Watson Brown Publisher, transcribed by Pat Ryan White.  If you scroll down to New London and then a little further down you will find Solomon Goss listed in the township. 

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iahenry/hendir1860maritosalem.htm

Solomon Goss (Jr.)  died 1 November 1864 and Polly passed about April 1865.  The Devol book by Jerry Devol featured in the last post, has him passing in Oskaloosa, Mahasaka Co., Iowa?  I have tried to verify the burials but with little success checking both Henry County and Mahaska County online sources.  Published records have yet to be searched. 

Update:  The tombstones of Solomon & Polly Goss have been found. They were buried in the Burge Cemetery in New London!  See the post to follow for the details. 

The interesting fact is that Solomon’s  probate and will are in Henry Co., Iowa?  

The estate file for Solomon Goss (Jr.) consists of the following documents: 

• Vol. G, pg. 560-561 – Proving of Will FHL#964924, Friday Dec. 8, 1865 December term.
• Vol. G, pg. 401 Notice of Publication ,
• Vol. G, pg. 485 Appt. of Administrator and Bond, FHL#964924:  Administration was granted to Charles F. Devol as Special Administrator on Nov. 11, 1865 November term.
• Probate Journal Vol. I, pgs. 8 to 12 Report of Sale of Real Estate, Full Record, Notice Proven FHL#964925;
• Probate Journal Vol. J, pg. 576 to 579 Report of Administrator;
• Vol. H, pg. 286-291 Inventory, Report of Appraisers, Report of Sale, Appt. of Regular Executor FHL#964924; March Term 1866, March 19th.  March 10, 1866 by C.E. Devol.
• Record of Heirs FHL#964934 Item 2;  W. Gofs, Daniel Goss, Homer Gofs, Eliza Sawtell, Harriet Maynard, Mary Adaline’s son Solomon B. Hare.  His wife Mary C. Gofs is mentioned in the will.
• Will Record Vol. B, pg. 124-125 FHL#965935.
• Deed of Conveyance by Executor to George Van Beck dated 12 of July 1866, sale of real estate.

Source:  Probate Records 1847-1868, Henry Co., Iowa, FHL films.  V. G-H 1865-1866, #964924; V. I 1866-1867 #964925; V. J-K 1867-1868 #964926 and Indexes to probate papers disposed of, no 1 964934 Item 1 and v. 2 1920-1937 Item 5964935.

The Will of Solomon Goss (Jr.)

Regular December Term 1865 Friday December 8th page 561

Will of Solomon Gofs dec’d

Know all men by the following that I Solomon Gofs of New London Henry County State of Iowa feeling many infirmities and old age coming on do desire to arrange my worldly businesf in the fear of God so as to give my wife and family as little trouble as possible when life shall cease I wish my body to be buried in a plain and Humble manner and after my funeral expenses and debts are all paid I wish my wife Mary C. Gofs – to have and to hold one third of my property personal and real estate what I may leave then wish Twenty dollars to be given to the Missionary Society of the M.E. Church – I then wish any remaining property to be equally divided between my remaining children with this consideration that Wesley Gofs has had one hundred Dollars the receipt is among my papers. And I wish it to be so arranged as to give my grand son Solomon Beverly Ware one half as much as one of my own children. Solomon Gofs –

The foregoing will of Solomon Gofs was this day Signed and acknowledged by the Testation in our presence and we at his request in his presence & into the presence of each other do sign the same as witnesfes – John P. Grantham, G. Thompson.

I Solomon Gofs of Henry County Iowa being as heretofore of sound mind & memory do hereby make the following change or alteration in my will within made by me on the 13th day of February 1860 to wit I hereby change the item of twenty five Dollars give to the Missionary Society of the M.E. Church so as to make it read Fifty Dollars instead of Twenty five. Witnefs my name the 29th of Jany 1861. Solomon Gofs.

The above change or alteration of the written will is this day subscribed in one presence by Solomon Gofs and we in his presence and at his request sign the same as witnefses date above. John P. Grantham, Francis White.

Notes:  Please understand that they use the spelling with the elongated “S” that looks like an “f” in this court clerk version of the original will.  The name is spelled “Goss.”  I try to write it as they did back then.

Summary page of the heirs (click on the photo to make it larger, remember to hit the back button to return to this post - see the list of films above and realize there is more detail in the films.  I am only showing a small portion of the estate file.  I started with the index and worked through the films at the Family History Library.

Record of Heirs Nov 1, 1864

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Additional Information:

Suggestions:  Here are two great sources for graves in Iowa.  One is from the WPA Work Project which was very helpful to me in the published version when I visited Iowa in 2003 and I am glad to see it is now on line: http://iowawpagraves.org/index.php 

The other is the Iowa Gravestone Photo Project:  http://iowagravestones.org/

A wish:  If someone has a picture of Solomon and Mary’s tombstone(s) and location I would be very happy to receive a copy and if they wish, post it here on this blog with their name as contributor.  

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A Little about Mary “Polly” Coburn Devol Goss!

Mary or rather Polly was the wife of Solomon Goss (Jr.).  She was a member of the Devol family who were rather prominent in the Washington County, Ohio area.

I promised to share a little of what I know of the Devol family.  My curiosity of course was always with Solomon and Olive (Scott) Goss and any leads on them.  However, I was also a little curious about where Polly came from.  On my trip to Ohio in August and September of 2011, I finally found the link for Polly to her parents.  I feel much better now!

Apparently I was not the only one that was confused with all the Polly Devol’s that I was finding.  A Robert McCargar wrote a letter on May 18, 1970 to a Mr. Devol in which he is discussing the identity of different Polly Devols.  Unfortunately the letter from Mr. Devol is not included in the correspondence of this file.

“There must be a least two Mary Coburn (Polly) Devols.  Polly #1, as described by you was born but the date is unknown m. Gilbert Devol. Jr. on March 25, 1790 and d. ca. 1802.  She had ten children. 

Polly #2…was born July 5, 1795, according to records in my family.  The Old Northwest Genealogical Quarterly, Vol. IV., p. 86 says that a Rev. David Young married Solomon Goss, Jr. and Polly Devol., Nov. 19, 1812.  Two independently written histories of the Goss family say that Mary Coburn Devol married Solomon Goss Jr. on that same date.  One of these historians says she died April 1865.  This Mary Coburn (Polly) Devol is certainly distinct from the one you describe.  She had eleven children, among them, one named Gilbert Devol Goss. (Polly #2 was my great, great, great-grandmother.) ”  Mr. McCargar was living in Ann Arbor at the time. 

Source:  Goss Family and other files:  FHL#940938 Items 4-5.

The Washington County Public Library in Marietta has an Annex for the genealogical and family history located down the street from the main library to the south.  It is on the corner.  See the links to the right for Ohio.

The Main Library in Marietta, but not the genealogy annex

Mr. Jerry Devol, who passed in the late 1990′s, was quite the researcher having documented many of the cemeteries and the families in the area.  All his work is still housed at the library genealogical annex.  The Washington County Genealogical Society is also located there along with their holdings.  It is a really great archive.

The Marietta Library Annex and Me!

They had in their possession a book titled Rhode Island Genealogical Register, Jan. 1983, Tiverton Wills.

Devol. Jonathan, of Ti, gentleman.  Will dated 6 Aug 1782, proved 2 Sep 1782, pg: 321-322. Mentions: Wife Mary Devol., Sons Gilbert Devol, Silas Devol presumable dec., Stephen Devol., Daniel Devol, Benjamin Devol, & Jonathan Devol Jr. The unnamed heirs of my son Silas Devol. Witn. Charles Hull, Philip Briggs, Thos. Howland.  Note:  The Gilbert Devol mentioned is Sr. I believe?

They also had a big book titled “Devol Early Settlers in Rhode Island (1639) and in Ohio (1788)” with the coat of arms on the front cover.  This book was researched and compiled by Jerry Barker Devol (same as the man mentioned above in the letter) and printed and published by Herbert Gordon Devol.  There are also file folders containing information about the families in the area. I tried Worldcat to search for this book and see where it might be housed and was surprised to see that there is another copy in the Marietta College Library but nothing else was suggested.  The Family History Library had Jerry Barker Devol titles but not this book exact book.  So you will have to call or contact the annex.  The volunteer who does a lot of the research for those who inquire is very eager to be of service.

The Devol Book – it’s very detailed!

Mary Coburn “Polly” is listed on page 127  under Gilbert Jr., here are some highlights:

• III.  Mary Coburn “Polly”
• b. Marietta, Washington County, North West Territory, 5 Jul 1795
• d. Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, __5 Jul 1795.
• m. Solomon Goss, Jr., Harmar, Ohio 19 Nov. 1812, by Rev. David Young, Vol. 4, page 86
• b.  Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (?), 5 May 1788.
• d. Oskaloosa, Iowa, 2 Nov. 1864
• Son of Solomon, Sr. and Olive (Scott) Goss.
• Resident Fearing Township, Washington County, Ohio, 1830

On page 65 Polly’s father and mother are listed – Gilbert Devol and Mary Coburn:

• V. Gilbert, Jr. 10c
• b. Tiverton, Rhode Island, ______1766
• d. Point Harmar, Marietta, Ohio, 25 Apr 1812. Ref.: Western Spectator, Marietta, Ohio
• Buried Harmar Cemetery
• m. 1. Mary “Polly” Coburn, Washington County, North West Territory, 25 Mar 1790, by Benjamin Tupper.
• b. Sturbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts, __ ___ 1770
• d.
• Daughter of Major Asa and Mary (McClure) Coburn.
• m. 2 Rachel Peek, Washington County, Ohio, 14 Jul 1803, by Rev. Nehemiah Davis,
• b. Connecticut 1786
• d.
• Rachel m. 2 Oliver Shute, Washington County, Ohio, 6 Oct 1821, by Rev. John McMahon
• b. New  Jersey, 1786.
• d.

The Devol book goes onto describe more about the life and activities of Gilbert Devol, Jr. with sources.  He was a blacksmith in Point Harmar (west of Marietta) and some of his work has survived.

Polly’s siblings are and I believe these were the children of Mary Coburn from the same book:

Harriet Devol b. about 1795, d. about 1826, m. George Dunlevy 8 July 1812, b. 1776 in Virginia and died 28 Dec 1836, Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio.  He remarried to a Mrs. Eliza (Buell)  Buell, 20 April 1826.  Eliza was born 22 August 1798 and d in Indiana 26 March 1885.  She was the daughter of Timothy and Sarah “Sally (DeWitt) Buell.  Widow of Salmon D. (DeWitt) Buell. Both are buried in Mound Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio, Range 64, Lot 1.

 Clarissa Devol b. about 1791, Farmer’s Castle, Belpre, Northwest Territory m. Joseph Cook (III) 29 November 1812, born 20 July 1785 Long Plain, (Bristol Co.)  Massachusetts, d. 3 August 1823, Belpre, Washington Co., Ohio. Joseph was the son of Captain Joseph Jr. and Elizabeth (Barker) Cook.  Residence Wood County, Virginia then Belpre 1813.  Kept a tavern “Cook House.” They are buried in (Riverview) Cemetery, Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Mary “Polly” Coburn Devol – our subject in past posts and wife of Solomon Goss (Jr.).

Lucy b. 18 Dec 1797, Marietta, d. 17 January 1867, Danbury Twp., Ottawa Co., Ohio m. Isaac Rice 25 November 1816,  b. 7 May 1792, Brattleboro, Windham Co., Vermont and died 14 April 1845 Danbury Twp., Ottawa Co., Ohio.

Gilbert Devol III b. 25 March 1800, Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio and died 24 July 1871, Lancaster, Fairfield Co., Ohio  m. Cynthia Goodwin 25 Mary 1823, she was born 6 April 1803 in Canada and died 8 June 1870 in Lancaster, Fairfield Co., Ohio. They had one child Sophia S. Devol who died after 1897 in Belpre, Washington Co., Ohio?

With his second wife Rachel he had

Harrison Devol b. about 1804 in Washington Co., Ohio and died 29 May 1873 Staunton Twp., Miami Co., Ohio m. Jane Orr 11 June 1835,  b. about 1806 in Pennsylvania and died 6 January 1870 in Staunton Twp., Miami Co., Ohio

Benjamin Franklin Devol b. about 1809 Point Harmar, Washington Co., Ohio and died after 1870, Prairie Creek Twp., Vigo Co., Indiana, m. Sarah C. Turnham 16 December 1841, she was born before 1823 in Spencer Co., Kentucky and died about 1868 in Vigo Co., Indiana.  They had two children Athelinda b. before 1813 m. Myhew Rollins.  Austin Devol b. Feb 1813 and died after 1840, m. Elizabeth Blue 28 November 1838.

The book Abstracts of Wills and Administration of Estates of Washington Co., by Genevieve Mary Potts about 1946 is at the FHL in book and microfilm form, here is the book form FHL#977.198 P28p and I have run into it in other archives. This book is a good start to located estates for families and the Devols, Goss and many others are listed.  Be careful mistakes have been made in the transcribing so check the actual record in the probates of the county.

Contacting the Washington County Library Local History and Genealogy Annex is at this link.

http://www.wcplib.lib.oh.us/locations.htm#hist

Don’t forget the Marietta College’s Special Collections and Digital Collection – Manuscripts and Documents of the Ohio Company in particular for land records regarding the families in the area.  The archivist I interacted with when I visited was very nice and very helpful.   http://digicoll.marietta.edu/oca/

The Washington County Historical Society is also very good and if you are doing any research in the area you need to contact them as well.  They have a lot of the old records from the courthouse.

Regarding the cemeteries in Washington County, Ohio.  I will write a post or two about this topic as regards to my visit there in 2011 with sources and photographs.  Mr. Devol mentions Harmar one of the oldest but it is right on the Muskingum River and has been flooded.  The other is another old cemetery the Mound.

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