Family Stumbling Blocks - Potential Brick Walls

Awhile back I started to post missing information on various families that would fill in some gaps on the family tree. I thought I'd get started on that idea again. I apologize if I'm repeating myself from before.

PRALL: I would have to say one of  my chief stumbling blocks involves the death dates of my great-great-grandparents, Isaac Rittenhouse Prall and Ann Bathia Rhodes. The year of death passed down for Isaac is 1880. No month or day accompanies that year, nor does a location. Isaac accompanied one of his daughters on the move from York Co., PA to Ohio. He appears in the 1870 census in Clinton Co., OH with daughter Ann and her family [Leander Kohler]. The Kohlers were in Paulding Co., OH in 1880, without Isaac. Did he die prior to 1880? He wasn't on the Mortality Schedule for 1880. Did he die in Clinton Co., Paulding Co. or somewhere in between while the family was moving? Where was he buried? Did the family ship his remains back to York Co. to be buried next to Ann or was he laid to rest in Ohio?

Likewise, the date of death of Ann is in question. The year passed down is 1865. The last record I located proving that she was still living was a deed for 8 April 1861. The next record, a deed for 15 February 1865 would have required her signature or mark. It was not there. If Ann died in 1865, then it was probably during January. No cemetery record has been located. My guess is that they couldn't afford a marker or it is long gone!

 

Contacts!!

One of the reasons I started the blog was in hopes of making contacts with researchers sharing common ancestors. I've only had two contacts so far, but that's a start!

I recently received a message from a Hubbard descendant. We both have a gaping hole in the pedigree chart - the name of the wife of our common ancestor. Levin Hubbard married 3 times and the names of two of his wives have been uncovered. Unfortunately, wife #2 remains "unk." and she's the one we need! Grrrrrr!!

Looking ahead at the Genealogical Society of Marion County's upcoming programs

The GSMC program schedule is tentatively set through May. Here's a look at what's coming up:

March 8: Using FamilySearch.org [Frank Merrill] at the Fishers Family History Center.
April 12: Topic TBA [Margaret McMahon] at the Haughville Branch of the IMCPL
May 10: Land Records [Lexi Merrill] at the Wayne Branch of the IMCPL

June 14: I may be taking the June slot at the Irvington Library, topic: TBA

I will be holding Beginning Genealogy classes on March 1, April 5 & May 3 at the GSMC Library. It's free!

The Wabash Valley Gen, Society has invited me to speak on "Researching Collateral Ancestors" on Monday eve. March 10.

SLIG 2015

Here's the schedule for the 2015 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. SLIG will be based at the Hilton next year. Hope  a whole bunch of you attend, especially for Problem Solving! The dates are January 12-16!!

1.   The Family History Law Library (Judy Russell and Rick Sayre)

 

2.     Researching in Original Resource Repositories (John Colletta)

 

3.     Advanced Genealogical Methods (Thomas W. Jones)

 

4.     Finding Immigrant Origins (David Ouimette)

 

5.     Advanced German Research (F. Warren Bittner)

 

6.     Advanced Research Tools: Post-War Military Records (Craig R. Scott)

 

7.     Resources & Strategies for United States Research, Part I (Paula Stuart-Warren)

 

8.     From Confusion to Conclusion: Writing Proof Arguments (Kimberly Powell and Harold Henderson)

 

9.     Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy (Debbie Wayne)

 

10. Diving Deeper into New England (Advanced) (D. Joshua Taylor)

 

11. Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum (Angela McGhie)

 

12. Problem Solving (Judi Hansen)