Collateral Ancestors: Census Search II

OK, first off the answer to yesterday's question: A record group for the early 1860s in the US?  

                                                                   CIVIL WAR!!

Check Fold3 for Thomas Wesley in the Civil War records. You locate a Pension File Index Card! Thomas served in an Ohio Infantry regiment and received an invalid pension. [You now know he was wounded, injured or became seriously ill as a result of his military service.] Do one of two things - send to the National Archives [NARA] for the COMPLETE pension file AND Thomas' service record file or find a professional genealogist in the DC area to copy the files for you.

 

While you are waiting for the pension material, return to the census, this time 1880. Two crucial new features: relationship to head of family, birthplace of parents.

Greenfield, Hancock Co., IN:
Thomas Wesley: head - 51 - m - OH - MD - PA - carpenter
Annie                : wife - 49 - m - OH - PA - PA - keeping house
Albert                : son - 26 - s -    OH - OH - OH - laborer
Mary                 : dau - 19 - s -    OH     "       "    - at home
Evan                  : son - 14 - s -    IN      "      "    - at school
Catherine           : dau -  9 - s -    IN      "      "    - at school
Laura King        : dau - 23 - wd- OH    "      "    - seamstress
Nancy King       : grd -  2 - s -    IN - KY - OH - at home

New info: A daughter Catherine, born about 1871 & Laura has married & has a daughter, Nancy, aged 2. Laura is also widowed! Missing: Sally & Thomas Jr.

Double-check the neighbors! Thomas Wesley Jr., wife Ella & two children [Evan - 4 & Laura - 2] are on the same page. There is a Sarah Weber [31 OH, OH, OH], with husband Carl Weber [34 IN, GER, GER] & children: Axel [6], Maria [4] & Wesley [1]. She is a really good candidate for daughter "Sally."

Move ahead to 1900, in the same location. [Remember the 1880 census was destroyed for most of the country.] You turn up the following new information.
Thomas Wesley Jr. - head - b. Feb 1852 [48] m26 - sawyer
Ella                           wife -  b. Mar 1853 [47] m26 4 children/4 living
Evan                         son -    b. Apr 1876 [24] m1 - laborer
Susan                        dil -     b. May 1879 [21] m1 1 child/ 1 living
Jane                           gd       b. Oct 1899 [8/12] s
Laura                        dau      b. Jun 1876 [24] s       school teacher
Thomas Wesley Sr. father   b. Nov 1829 [70] wd  carpenter
Laura Fisher             sis       b. Dec 1857 [42] wd  seamstress
Nancy King             niece    b. Jan 1878 [22] s      dressmaker
Robert Fisher Jr.     neph     b. Jul 1885 [15] s      at school

New info: Nancy died between 1880 & 1900. Evan married & started a family. Laura remarried, had a son & was widowed again. In all likelihood, she married Robert Fisher Sr.

The 1910 census does not include Thomas Wesley Sr. Thomas Jr. is still in Hancock Co., as is much of the rest of the family. Chances are Thomas Sr. has died.

While you are enjoying Thomas Wesley's Civil War records, which will answer many questions, search for vital records in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland & Pennsylvania.  [Kentucky & Germany if you are working on Sally's family.] Check for land records in Ohio & Indiana. You will want to check for probate files as well. Don't forget cemetery records & compiled genealogies either.

I'll let you finish off the Wesley and Roth families on your own!