Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Rev War Naval Records

Yes, we did have a navy from 1775-83. It wasn't much. A handful of ships attempted to wage war against the British navy. Most of the "American navy" was made up of privateers. [Pirates to the enemy.] These ships engaged British vessels along the coast of America. [There was also Arnold's little makeshift navy on Lake Champlain.] Many of the privateers who were taken prisoner were sent to Forten Prison in Portsmouth, England to await prisoner exchange, parole or the end of the war.

Check state military records and histories to see what is available on these naval veterans. Also check for pensions.

Monday, May 30, 2016

American Revolution

With the events leading up to the "shot heard 'round the world" at Lexington, MA in April of 1775, the British-American colonies opted for independence from their mother-country. With a handful of victories and a basketful of defeats, the Continental Army outlasted Great Britain.

You may have Patriot ancestors or Loyalist ancestors or both. Your ancestors may have switched sides at some point between 1775 and 1783.

The best example of switching sides was Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold. He was one of Washington's most prized generals. Vanity, greed, politics and other factors led Arnold to agree to sell the plans to West Point to the British. The plan failed and Arnold went from hero of Saratoga to traitor.

Some Hessian soldiers [German mercenaries] deserted and enlisted in the Continental Army. Other soldiers deserted and switched sides as well.

Loyalists were known to switch sides as well. After the war most of the Loyalists fled to Canada or returned to England.

The pension files will only help if you have ancestors who served in Continental Line [regular] regiments. Militia companies were frequently attached to Line units for a brief time and qualified those militia men  for pensions. Check state archives for military records for soldiers. Some are online. Check the DAR and SAR websites to search for soldiers. Also check for other lineage organizations that focused on Rev War soldiers and sailors.

For militia service, biographical collections, local and state records are your best options.

Loyalist records? Search for websites that focus on Loyalists. There are a few of them out there.

As always, check Ancestry, Family Search and other sites to see what military records they have.


Sunday, May 29, 2016

100th Indy 500

OK, this has nothing to do with genealogy, other than there are a few drivers with distinguished racing family trees. Here's my "general" prediction for the 100th running of the Indy 500:

Top 1/3 of the field in no particular order: Andretti, Brabham, Carpenter, Daly, Hinchclffe, Hunter-Reay, Kanaan, Kimball,  Mann, Newgarden, Rahal.

Top Rookie: Brabham

Most Laps Lead: Andretti

Winner [my five hopefuls]: Rahal, Newgarden, Kimball, Kanaan, Hinchcliffe

You didn't think I'd pick the top 10, did you?

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Military Conflicts pre-1775

The British Colonies [Dutch, Swede as well] were involved in military engagements before the American Revolution. These involved local militias for the most part against local Native American Indian tribes. Perhaps one of the most notable conflict was King Phillip's War in New England in 1675-6.

In some cases, you had colony vs. colony; New Netherland and New Sweden were frequently at odds in the years before the Brits took over both colonies [NY, DE] in 1664. The Dutch regained control of New York briefly in  the early 1670s.

The Seven Years War [French and Indian War in America] pitted the British and their American subjects against the French on American soil. [1754-1763] Many of the Indian tribes sided with the French. George Washington gained fame as a Virginia militia colonel and hero after Braddock's troops were ambushed by French & Indian forces. Shawnee and other tribes raided frontier settlements in the Ohio Valley.

Research local county and state records to see if your ancestors or their families were involved in any of these conflicts. If you have Indian ancestors, check them out too - at least tribal activities. Check sites for the Colonial Wars and local militias in the counties where your ancestors settled.

I can claim ancestors from King Phillip's War and the French and Indian War.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Washington's Immortals

*@#%^!!! computer! [see Wed. post]

I started reading Patrick K. O'Donnell's Washington's Immortals the other day. The book is about Smallwood's Maryland regiment - the Maryland Line - during the Revolutionary War. My interest stems from both an interest in the period and having a collateral ancestor serve in the 1st Maryland- Captain Edward Prall [Praul] of Harford Co.

"Uncle Ed" doesn't get mentioned by name in the book [whah!], but does get so indirectly. One of the soldiers from Harford Co. recalled his company's captain and 1st lieutenant being killed and his 2nd lieutenant being shot in the hand. That 2nd lieutenant must have been, 2nd Lt. Edward Prall, who received such a wound at the Battle of Long Island [Brooklyn].

Gen. Smallwood was attending a courts martial when his regiment went into battle. Under Major Mordecai Gist, 400 Marylanders stood off Scottish Highlanders and Hessians while the rest of the Continental army retreated. Washington's comment while he watched the troops being cut to ribbons, "My god! What brave men I must today lose!"

250+ Marylanders were killed or captured. Edward Prall was one of the latter. He would return via prisoner exchange in time to march with the remnants of his regiment from the winter encampment at Valley Forge.

I'm only 70 pages into the book, but it's a good read, well written and researched. Pick it up - especially if you have a member of Smallwood's regiment in your family tree.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

More Military Research

[Computer issues yesterday!]

More research options:

If you are looking for pre-20th century information....



(1) Local histories [state, county, etc.] often give the military history of the area. Regiments and individuals may be mentioned, as well as bios of soldiers.

(2) Biographical records of cities, counties, etc. will detail the lives of prominent citizens. Military service is generally included, as well as service of ancestors.

(3) Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database: searchable for Union and Confederate servicemen. Database will give you unit, state, regiment of soldier/sailor. There are also collections of stories, photographs and the like.
https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm

(4) Valley Forge Legacy: The Muster Roll Project: Allows you to search for Rev War soldiers who were at the Valley Forge encampment. Below is the entry for my Edward Prall [you may have to be spelling specific]. The list of dates are from muster rolls. Some entries may give more details. This includes companies or regiments that were on coastal guard duty to protect the army from British invasion. http://valleyforgemusterroll.org/muster.asp

IDLast NameFirst NameRankStateRegiment
MD31300PraulEdwardCaptainMaryland1st Maryland
ID: MD31300
Captain Edward Praul Commissioned Officer
State: Maryland
Ethnicity:
Division: 5th
Brigade: 1st Maryland
Regiment: 1st Maryland
Company: Company Comander
DEC 1777
JAN 1778
FEB 1778
MAR 1778
APR 1778
MAY 1778
JUN 1778
          
Check the internet for similar sites for other wars.


 

Monday, May 23, 2016

Military Research

Today's post takes a look at some military research sites:

(1) Fold3: This site deals primarily with military records of a wide scope. Revolutionary War pension files can be accessed here.  I believe they are working on doing the same with Civil War pensions. $

(2) Ancestry.com has a nice collection of military records. $

(3) National Archives [NARA]: You can order military records directly from the Archives. 20th century records are housed in the St. Louis facility. Some have been destroyed, so double-check availability. I would recommend hiring a professional genealogist to go to the Archives to copy pensions. It will probably be cheaper.

(4) Son of the American Revolution Library in Louisville, KY

(5) Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, D.C.

(6) State Archives: Check your state archives to see what military records are available onsite and online. Maryland has a fantastic Rev War database.

More tomorrow!

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Military Research Intro

When we think about military service, we tend to think of a handful of wars/"conflicts": Wars in the Middle East [from the Gulf War to present], Viet Nam, Korea, WWII, WWI and the Civil War.

Some tend to forget the war that gave us our independence - The  American Revolution.

Others that frequently get overlooked: War of 1812, The Indian Wars [c1865-1890s], The Seminole Wars, Mexican War, Spanish-American & Philippine-American Wars, French and Indian War & Colonial Wars.

Technically, any war predating the American Revolution would not be a US-involved conflict, but they still involved our ancestors!

When you start researching your military ancestors, start early - the mid-1600s and go from there.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Military service

I'll lead off with recommending Fold3 www.fold3.com as an excellent site for military records.

As Memorial Day approaches, put some effort into finding out about your ancestors' military service. You may have a history of several consecutive generations of servicemen/women in your family. You may have ancestors who served in one or two wars. There might even be the veteran of consecutive wars.

Ask living relatives about their service or that of their parents, etc. Don't push it if they don't want to go into details.

 When I was teaching, the son of a colleague came in to talk to our classes. He had recently returned from a tour in the Middle East. Naturally, one of the kids asked, "Did you kill anybody." The reply was, "That's a question you don't ask."

 I'll be revisiting military research over the next week or so.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Marriage Records: Usual and Unusual Sources

Here are some sources for marriage records:

(1) Marriage bonds, licenses, returns found at the local court house.

(2) Newspaper notices.

(3) Compiled genealogies & local histories - you'll need to confirm them with primary sources.

(4) Church records.

(5) Town or local court records.

(6) Journals

(7) Family Bible

(8) Deeds, wills, probate records. Paper was at a premium during the 1600s - 1800s, so every now ans then a marriage [birth or death] was recorded in the margins.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Dealing with Deaths of Ancestors

Frequently you may have trouble tracking down death dates of ancestors, especially if the died before localities were required to officially keep vital records.

Here are a few suggestions on where to look for or how to determine death dates:

(1) Death certificates and records - easiest first if you can locate them.

(2) Cemetery records: burial permits, day books, gravestones. You may get a range in information from exact date to year only.

(3) Newspaper obits, death notices, funeral notices.

(4) Probate: Note the date of the will, if there is one, and the date of the probate or the date the inventory was taken. The death date will probably be close to the probate. It may be a few days or a couple of months.

(5) Marriage records: If there is a 2nd marriage [or 3rd, etc.] for an ancestor, that can give you a clue to the date of death of the spouse. If a man or woman had young children when the spouse died, he/she probably remarried within a year or two. At least you have a ballpark figure to work with. Beware of divorces! The departed spouse may have just left, not died!

(6) Births: The birth of a child can help in determining death dates. Look at the birth of the youngest child, if the father remarried. Chances are his wife died in childbirth or shortly thereafter. [You need that remarriage for this to be a good option.] Also note that in some cases the child may have been born after the father died, so beware of that.

(7) Census records: It may be a 10 year gap, but it's a starting point. Just make sure you check to see if the ancestor moved or the name was misspelled next time. Also check to see if he/she is in a later census.

(8) Taxes: Some states keep wonderful tax records. Follow your ancestor until he doesn't appear again. Then check ahead a year or two just to be safe. If you've reached a dead end, your ancestor has probably died or moved.

(9) Local histories & records: Search for the ancestor to see if he/she appears. A death date or, at least, a time frame might be given.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Births: What to check & when to estimate

Determining the birth date of an ancestor can  range from super-easy to extremely tricky.

Some sources to check:
(1) Birth records - obviously!
(2) Cemetery records: Hopefully, the gravestones or cemetery records will have the full DOB, or at least the birth year. In some cases, the date of death will be followed by the age at death. [67 yrs 2 mo 14 days] This requires a little math!
(3) Death certificates/records
(4) Newspaper obits, death or funeral notices
(5) Probate files: The ages of minor children may be included, or at least recognition that they are minors.
(6) Marriage records: ages may be included; if bride or groom is underage, then a family member will grant permission. Know the ages that people customarily marry at a given time in history. If males generally married between 20-25 and women between 18-22, then you have a workable range.
(7) Census records: don't depend on ages being accurate. Sometime people fib, or the informant may be wrong.


Try to find multiple sources for births. I have cases where the age on death certificates is wrong and the census is right!

Monday, May 16, 2016

Follow the Families

One thing that you hopefully learn early on in your research endeavors is to study the neighbors of your ancestors. I've been working on a project that centers primarily in Fauquier Co., VA & Coshocton Co., OH.  I've been focusing on about three families that migrate from Virginia to Ohio during the early 1800s.

Those families for a maze of relationships. The three primary surnames are Wright, McCoy & Graves. They intermarry with each other, plus a Norris family and a couple of others. The web is tangled as one generation of, say, Wright - Norris pairings marries into the McCoy and Graves families and in the next generation you have 2nd & 3rd cousins marrying with great frequency. In a few cases widows & widowers of the families marry one another.

The families move as a group from one locale to another. Study one & you study all.

In my own research, the Crousore, Smith, Reel and Reeder families migrated from Pennsylvania or western Virginia to the Clinton Co., OH area. From there they traveled pretty much as a group from Ohio to Rush, Delaware, Madison, Howard & Tipton Counties in Indiana, with a few siblings or cousins dropping off along the way.

Keep those family migrations in mind as you research. It may be two families or a half dozen, but chances are you will find connections to your ancestor somewhere in the mix.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

More on Anjou

I discussed fraudulent genealogies yesterday. Here's a good link for more info, including families affected.
https://www.geni.com/projects/Gustav-Anjou-Fraudulent-Genealogist/4449

Here are some other links of interest:
http://genbriand.com.ar/genealogy_fraud.htm
http://www.genealogy.com/forum/general/topics/gen/37674/
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tmark/GeneFraudsArticle.html

There is also the unintentional disaster. Many of us latch onto family trees, genealogies, etc. that are flat out wrong in the connections made by the authors. No harm is intended in most cases, just misguided research.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Anjou-itis: Fraudulent Genealogies

Gustav Anjou was a self-styled genealogist during the early 20th century. He was a native of Sweden.  Anjou compiled numerous pedigrees that delighted his clients. Unfortunately, most of them were fraudulent.

Noted genealogists Robert Charles Anderson and Gordon L. Remington wrote articles about Anjou in 1991. Anderson noted that  "A typical Anjou pedigree displays four recognizable features:
1. A dazzling range of connections between dozens of immigrants to New England; for example, connections far beyond what may be seen in pedigrees produced by anyone else.
2. Many wild geographical leaps, outside the normal range of migration patterns.
3. An overwhelming number of citations to documents that actually exist, and actually include what Anjou says they include and
4. Here and there an invented document, without citation, which appears to support the many connections noted under item 1 above."  [from Wikipedia article on Anjou.]
So, basically, Anjou used legitimate sources to compile fraudulent works. Many reputable genealogists relied on Anjou's works over the years. If you have used a genealogy compiled by Anjou, double-check everything in it!

I recall several years ago finding a list of fraudulent genealogies on-line. Google the topic to see if the list is still available.

Interestingly enough, I have used items researched and published by Anjou, especially in colonial New York/Netherland. The information has turned out to be accurate.

The guy could have been legit, but there wasn't the motivation, I guess.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Gen-8: Hugh McDonald Prall Kids


Second Generation [9th Generation]
 
 
2.  Cora Edith Prall (Hugh McDonald-1) was born on 20 Aug 1876 in Ohio. She died on 13 Jun 1961 at the age of 84 in Sacramento, Sacramento Co., California.23

Cora Edith Prall and William Edward "Red" Squires were married on 15 Apr 1895 in Grant Co., Indiana.24 William Edward "Red" Squires56,2534, son of Robert N. Squires and Mary Elizabeth Wright, was born on 19 Nov 1876 in Wayne Co., Indiana.35 He died on 10 Oct 1947 at the age of 70 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California.23 The Squires family appeared in the Marion, Indiana Directories between 1895 and 1926:
1895 [p. 174]:
 William E. Squires - conductor, street car - boards, 513 S. Adams; Carrie Squires - boards, 513 S. Adams;
Robert Squires - boarding, 513 S. Adams

1897 [p. 173]:
George A. Squires - candy maker, works - Dilling & Co., boards - 1215 S. Adams; Robert Squires - butcher, resides - 1215 S. Adams;
W.E. Squires - motorman, resides 1215 S. Adams

1899 [p. 157]:
George Squires - works, Dilling & Co., boards - 1215 S. Adams;
Wm. E. - motorman, resides - 1843 S. Adams

1901-02 [p. 530]:
Wm. E. Squires [Cora E.] - motorman, Union Traction Co., home - 1843 S. Adams

1904 [p. 350]:
W.E. Squires [Cora] - conductor, UT, boards - 2302 S. Adams

1906-07 [p. 363]:
W.E. Squires [Cora] - street railroader, 119 W. 20th; Minnie Squires - 119 W. 20th

1908-09 [p. 372]:
Wm. E. Squires [Cora] - conductor, home - 2002 S. Washington

1911-12 [p. 424]:
W.E. Squires [Cora] - superintendent, UT Co., home - 2110 S. Adams

1913-14 [p. 381]:
W.E. Squires [Cora] - division superintendent, Indiana Union Traction, home - 1318 S. Boots, phone - 1284

1919 [p. 476]:
Cerel Squires - student, boards - RFD 11;
Wm. E. Squires - div. supt., Union Traction Co., resides - RFD 11

1921 [p. 515]:
V. Gerald Squires [Hazel A.] - electrician, boards - 1528 W. 3rd;
Wm. E. Squires [Cora] - div. supt. UT of Indiana, resides - RFD 11

1923 [p. 410-411]:
V. Gerald Squires - student, Marion Business College, resides - 1528 W. 3rd; Wm. E. Squires [Cora] - div. supt., UT of Ind., resides - RFD 11

1925 [p. 404]:
Wm. E. Squires [Cora] - supt., UT Co., resides - 202 Iroquois Building

As is evidenced from the Marion directories, William E. Squires was a conductor on a street car for many years. No explanation was found in the following source's end code. Presumably, it is from January 1897. "Squires, W.E. "Reddy" - has been motor car [i.e. street car] pilot through Gas City for two weeks; will be replaced by W.A. Lucas; will then be on the Jonesboro - Marion Line. [G1/1/97], p. 214"

After the Squires family moved to Lake County, Indiana, they built a house on Miller Beach on Lake Michigan. Cora's nephew, Hugh Prall, spent several summers visiting the family. One summer, Pop and his cousins purchased an old car for $5 and rebuilt it. Bob [Robert] Squires was a drum major at Emerson High School. He worked at the Gary Steel Works, where his father was a paymaster. Sid [Ceral] worked at Gary Screw and Bolt Works.

Shortly after his parents retired to California, Gerald made the move west and became an animator for Disney Studios. Betty [Evans] Price, Sid's step-daughter, and her husband operated a chain of Laundromats in Indianapolis. [story related by my father.]
William Edward Squires and Cora Edith Prall had the following children:
 
              4              i.   Von Gerald Squires, born 13 Jul 1895, Grant Co., Indiana; married Hazel Snoke, 2 Dec 1918, Lake Co., Indiana; died 31 Oct 1975, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California.
              5             ii.   Cerel [Sid] Squires, born 20 Apr 1901, Grant Co., Indiana; married Mae J. Jones, abt 1928, Indiana; died Dec 1979, St. Petersburg, Pinellas Co., Florida.
              6            iii.   Julian Dale Squires, born 12 Nov 1909, Grant Co., Indiana; married Miriam Virginia Welch; died 19 Oct 1994, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo Co., California.
                            iv.   Robert Squires was born on 29 Feb 1912 in Grant Co., Indiana.3637 He died in Nov 1955 at the age of 43 in Wheeler, Porter Co., Indiana.37
 
3.  William Marshall Prall56,16,3841 (Hugh McDonald-1) was born on 30 Dec 1878 in Grant Co., Indiana.38 Between 1902 and 1939 he was a Candymaker for J. F. Carmody in Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.38 He died on 23 Dec 1939 at the age of 60 in Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.38,42 Post influenzal encephalitis William was buried on 26 Dec 1939 in Memorial Park Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.38 William Marshall Prall was born shortly after the family arrived in Grant Co., Indiana in 1878. His sister, Cora, was born in Ohio and their parents probably left there around the end of 1877 or beginning of 1878. The family lived on a farm in Sims Township for several years before moving into Marion.
By 1895 both William and his father were listed as "solicitors" [evidently working as pollsters or vote tabulators] and residing at 703 S. Washington. The family had moved to 1210 S. Boots by 1897 and William Prall was working at B.F. Fowler Candy Factory. He left Marion about 1901.

In 1901 William found employment as a candymaker in Cincinnati. From 1901-1906, he was listed as Marshall Prall and was boarding at the northeast corner of Court and Race, except for 1906 when he was rooming at the southwest corner of 2nd and Vine.

William Marshall Prall fathered a son, Arthur, in 1904 with Mary Ida "Marie" Laeschele. Arthur was born on 28 October in the Cincinnati City Hospital. Marshall and Marie married 27 March 1906. The marriage did not last. Marshall moved to Indianapolis by 1907, where he appeared in the city directory that year.
  He filed for divorced on 3 June 1910. [Marion Co. case #80962, entry docket #102, room H] The divorce was finalized on 3 October 1910. From 1907 -1909, he was listed in the city directory as Maurice Prall. [FHL # 1611619-20]

Marshall Prall worked for J.F. Darmody, a candy factory, in Indianapolis for 33 years. His boss asked him to make a special business trip to Chicago and rewarded him with a new radio. The Prall household became a gathering point for the broadcast of the Gene Tunney - Jack Dempsey heavyweight championship boxing match in Chicago on 22 September 1927. Tunney won the fight in ten rounds. [story related by my father]

William Marshall Prall married Mayme Faucett on 23 December 1911. Mayme was working as a clerk at Vonnegut Hardware at the time of the marriage. Her brother, Lester ["Buddy"] signed as witness. William and Clint Pentzer [who married Mayme's sister Freda] were both boarding at the Faucett residence at 609 N. California St. The couple had two children, Dorothy and Hugh.

William Prall registered for the first World War draft on 12 September 1918. His card contained the following information: medium height, slender build, gray eyes, black hair; occupation: candy maker, place of employment: J.F. Darmody, 27 W. Maryland, residence: 29 N. Beville.

The family was residing at 29 N. Drexel Ave. when William Marshall Prall died from post influenzal encephalitis on 23 December 1939 at St. Vincent's Hospital. He was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery on E. Washington St.

William Marshall Prall and Mary Ida "Marie" Laechele were married on 27 Mar 1906 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio.43 Mary Ida "Marie" Laechele4345, daughter of Franz Oscar Laechele and Anna Schelmann, was born on 22 Apr 1888 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio.46 She died on 27 Mar 1970 at the age of 81 in Kenton Co., Kentucky.47 Mary Laechele was the first wife of William Marshall Prall. They married in 1906 while living in Cincinnati. She was born in Cleveland to German immigrant parents.
It is not known if Mary accompanied her husband to Indianapolis in 1907. Marshall field for divorce in Indianapolis in 1910. Marie, working as a waitress in Cincinnati, remarried four days after the divorce.

In the 1910 census, Mary's twice widowed mother, living in Ripley County, Indiana, was shown with a 5 year old grandson named Otto Prall. Mary and her 2nd husband, James Schultz, were shown with a 15 year old son named Arthur Schultz in 1920. Since Arthur's birth record shows his surname as Prall, it is doubtful that he was adopted by Schultz.

Following James' death in 1930, Mary married Edward Burkard in Roanoke, Virginia in 1931. The couple eventually moved to Kenton Co., Kentucky where both died in 1970; Mary on 27 March and Edward on 1 May.
 
William Marshall Prall and Mary Ida Laechele had the following child:
 
                              i.   Arthur "Otto" Prall4850 was born on 28 Oct 1904 at City Hospital in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio.48,50 Arthur was born at the City Hospital in Cincinnati on 28 October 1904, nearly 17 months before his parents were married on 27 March 1906. The file for pre-1909 births at the University of Cincinnati Archives and Rare Books Division shows that Arthur's parents were Marshall Prall, candymaker, born in Indiana and Mary Laechele, born in Ohio.
Arthur was shown as Otto in the 1910 census. He was living with his maternal grandmother, a native of Germany, which may explain the error. The census enumerator may have mistaken Anna's pronunciation of 'Arthur' [perhaps 'Arter'] for 'Otto'. In 1920, Arthur was living with his mother and stepfather and was enumerated under Schultz.
 

William Marshall Prall and Mayme [Lulamae] Faucett were married on 23 Dec 1911 in Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.16 Mayme [Lulamae] Faucett51, daughter of Charles Elmer Faucett and Elizabeth June [Lizzie] Cawby, was born on 25 Aug 1885 in Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.5253 She died on 14 May 1960 at the age of 74 in Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.53 Sarcoma of the uterus with abdominal ...? She was buried on 16 May 1960 in Memorial Park Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.53 Mayme was ill with diabetes. She was also known as Mayme Prall.54 Mayme was the eldest child of Charles and Lizzie Faucett. She married "Marsh" Prall in 1911 and they had two children, Dorothy and Hugh.
In 1927 a tornado ripped through Indianapolis. At the time, the Pralls were living in one half of a double residence on Temple St. Mayme's parents were living in the other half. Aunt Dorothy had gone to see a movie at the Tacoma Theater earlier in the day. Grandma had no idea if the theater had been hit and was frantic. As it turned out, the Tacoma was spared. In fact, Aunt Dorothy had no idea that a tornado had hit nearby. The house suffered some minor damage from a fallen tree.

To me, Mayme Faucett was always "Grandma." I had very faint recollections of my maternal grandparents and my paternal grandfather died 12 years before I was born. Mayme Faucett Prall was the grandparent I remember.

She served as a frequent baby-sitter at our house on Elizabeth Street and her own apartment on Linwood. Grandma lived in a ground floor apartment at Linwood and Pleasant Run Parkyway. Her sister and brother-in-law, Freda and Clint Pentzer lived in an apartment in the same complex across the street. Uncle Clint and Grandma's neighbors served as backups to give her an occasional break from grandson watching duties.

Grandma was diabetic. It was my job to make sure she did not drink any Pepsi [which she loved and stocked up on, but could not drink, when I was visiting] while I was at her apartment. Unfortunately, diet-sodas had not been developed while Grandma was alive. She would have enjoyed a Diet Pepsi.

The only time I was really suspicious of my grandmother was the day she told me I was to take Mom downtown. Going to downtown Indianapolis was a major event. That usually meant visiting the toy departments of the major stores like L.S. Ayers, Block's, Wasson's, and Kresgee's; or going to a movie theater like the Circle. I was about seven and my mother was supposed to take ME downtown. Our Irish Setter, Peggy, was 17 and in poor health. When we got home, I could not find Peggy and Mom in the bedroom with Grandma crying. Pop had taken Peggy to the veterinarian to be "put to sleep." [50s vernacular for "put down."] We all lost a family member that day. Peggy had been part of the family since puppyhood and part of my entire life. Grandma had been on hand to break the bad news to Mom.

Mom had told me not to expect any "big Christmas presents" from Grandma because she was living on a budget .That made the last Christmas present I received from her extra special. It was a dinosaur play set that included the more "realistic dinosaurs" of the time. I was a real dinosaur fanatic in 1959-60 and was very pleasantly surprised with the set of dinosaurs, plastic palm trees, and rock formations. I used the pieces from that set when I taught my third-graders about prehistoric life twenty-five years later.

When I visited my grandparents' grave site at Memorial Park Cemetery in 1999, I jokingly thanked Grandma for passing on the diabetes to her only grandson.
William Marshall Prall and Mayme [Lulamae] Faucett had the following children:
 
              7              i.   Dorothy Prall, born 12 Dec 1913, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana; married Charles Ross, 25 Jul 1931, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana; died 6 Mar 1986, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.
              8             ii.   Hugh Charles Prall, born 19 Jan 1918, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana; married Ruthjane Mc Hugh, 23 Aug 1940, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana; died 11 May 2007, North Collier Hospital, Collier County, Florida.
 
Sources:

        1. Grant County Department of Health, Marion, Indiana Certificate of Death, Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: Hugh McDonald Prall, Volume: CO5, p. 101, Number: 0044245.

        2. Editor: John Gibson, History of York County, Pennsylvania (F. A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago, IL, 1896).

        3. 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Fairfield Twp., Highland Co., Ohio, Record Type: census, Household: Charles W. Praul, Record Info: Book 1, p. 88B, Film: M593_1222 (9 July 1970).

        4. Auglaize Co. [OH] Marriage Record, Record Type: Marriage, Name Of Person: Hugh M. Prall - Margaret J. Wolary (8 October 1874).

        5. Marion City Directory & a Gazetteer of Grant Co., Indiana (Marion, Indiana: E.L. Gaithwait & Co. Printers & Binders, 1897).

        6. 1904 Marion City Directory (Marion, Indiana: Tribune Co. Press, 1904).

        7. Marion Daily Chronicle: Death of Hugh Prall, Location: Marion, Grant Co., IN, Page: 3 (6 May 1907).

        8. Marion Leader Tribune: Death of Hugh Prall, Location: Marion, Grant Co., IN, Page: 2 (6 May 1907).

        9. Marion News Tribune: Death of Mrs. Prall, Location: Marion, Grant Co., IN (28 January 1910).

        10. Heugh Prawl, 1880 US Federal Census, Sims Twp., Grant Co., Indiana, p. 421-C; Family History Library FHL # 1254279; NA: T9_0279.

        11. 1880 U.S. Federal Census for Jackson Twp., Van Wert Co., Ohio, Record Type: census, Household: Charles  Prall, Record Info: p. 300B, Film: FHL # 1255073 / NA # T9_1073 (1880).

        12. Marjorie Snyder, Prall Family Records, Compiler Address: York Co., PA (before 1995).

        13. Grant County [IN] Health Department, Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: Hugh McDonald Prall, Volume: none given.

        14. Grant County [IN] Health Department, Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: Hugh McDonald Prall, Volume: none given, p. 101.

        15. Marion, Grant Co., IN City Directory for 1887-88 (Democrat Steam Printing House, Marion, IN, 1887).

        16. Application for Marriage License, State of Indiana, Marion County, Record Type: Marriage, Name Of Person: Wm. M. Prall - Mayme Faucett (23 December 1911).

        17. Marion Daily Leader: Death of Mrs. Prall, Location: Marion, Grant Co., IN (27 January 1910).

        18. Record of Deaths in County of Grant [IN], Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: Margaret Jane [Wolary] Prall, Volume: not given, p. 47.

        19. 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Union Twp., Auglaize Co., Ohio, Record Type: Census, Household: William Woolery, Location: Auglaize Co., OH, Record Info: Census, Film: FHL # 552671 (1870).

        20. 1860 US Federal Census for Sims Twp., Grant Co., IN, Record Type: census, Household: William Ullery [Wolary], Record Info: Part 1, p. 262, Film: M653_261 (14 June 1860).

        21. Grant County Department of Health, Marion, Indiana  Certificate of Death, Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: Margaret Jane [Wolary] Prall, Volume: 014, Number: 0044246.

        22. Record of Deaths in County of Grant [IN], Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: Margaret Jane [Wolary] Prall, Volume: not given.

        23. California Death Index, 1940-1997, Url: Ancestry.com.

        24. Ancestry.com Indiana Marriage Records 1845 - 1920 [from Indiana Works Progress Administration records 1938 - 1940], Url: Ancestry.com, Grant Co., IN Marriage Records Volume II Book 10, p. 462.

        25. Marion & Grant Co. Directory - 1913/14  (Taylor, Michigan: R.L. Polk & Co., 1913-1914).

        26. Ralph D. Kirkpatrick, Local History and Genealogical Abstracts from Jonesboro and Gas City, Indiana Newspapers, 1889-1920 (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, @ 1996).

        27. Marion, Ind. City Directory -1895     (Marion, Indiana: E.L. Goldthwait & Co. Printers & Binders       , 1895 ).

        28. Central Union Telephone Co., Indiana Division: Directory of Marion Exchange & Toll Stations (Chicago, Illinois: Central Union Telephone Co. , 1899).

        29. Marion, Ind. & Grant Co. Directory (unknown: unknown, 1901).

        30. Marion, Ind. & Grant Co. Directory - 1906/07 (unknown: unknown, 1906).

        31. Marion City Directory & Grant Co. Gazetteer for the years  1908 - 1909, The Inter-State Directory Co. (Marion, Indiana: Tribune Co.   , 1908 ).

        32. Union Directory for Marion, Ind. - 1911/12 (Marion, Indiana: Commercial, 1911).

        33. R.L. Polk Marion, Ind. & Grant Co. Gazetteer 1919, 1921, 1923, 1925 (Indianapolis, Indiana: R.L. Polk  , 1919-1925).

        34. Pop's Recollections; from personal knowledge of Hugh C. Prall (Bonita Springs, FL), Personal knowledge; provided 1990-2006.

        35. 1880 US Federal Census for Centerville, Wayne Co., Indiana, Record Type: census, Household: Robert Squires, Record Info: p. 213C, Film: FHL # 1254322 / T9_0322 (1880).

        36. 1930 US Federal Census for Gary, Calumet Twp., Lake Co., IN, Record Type: census, Household: William Squires, Record Info: ED 2, p. 8B, Film: T626_598 (1930).

        37. SSDI Entry for Robert Squires, Subject: Robert Squires (Genealogy.com, 7 July 2004).

        38. Standard Certificate of Death, Indiana State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics [Marion Co.], Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: William Marshall Prall, Number: 37861 (23 December 1939).

        39. Indianapolis Star: William M. Prall Dies, Veteran Candy Maker, Location: Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN (24 December 1939), Film #294.

        40. 1910 US Federal Census for5th Ward, Indianapolis, Center Twp.,  Marion Co., IN, Record Type: census, Household: Charles E. Faucett, Record Info: Bk. 3, p. 21A, Film: T624_367 (15 June 1910).

        41. WWI Draft Registration Card: William M. Prall, Record type: military draft registration, Subject: William Marshall Prall, Photographer: NARA, Url: Ancestry.com, Series: 13-3-18 C, File name: 1304 / 3688 [17 February 2006].

        42. Indianapolis Star: William M. Prall Dies, Veteran Candy Maker, Location: Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN.

        43. LDS Family History Library, "Ohio Marriages 1800 - 1958," database, familysearch.org, Family Search Record Search (http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#start: accessed 25 May 2010), marriage record; citing Ohio-EASy.

        44. Mary Proll, 1910 US Federal, Hamilton Co., Ohio, population schedule, Cincinnati Ward 6, 8B, Enumeration District (ED) 68, 32, 109, 261; National Archives micropublication T624, 1190.

        45. Otto Prall, 1910 US Federal, Ripley Co. Indiana, population schedule, Franklin Twp., p. 4B, Enumeration District (ED) 143, 89, 90; National Archives micropublication T624, 176.

        46. LDS Family History Library, "Family Search Record Search," database, LDS Family History Library, Ohio Births and Christenings 1821-1962 (http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#start: accessed 29 May 2010), birth - Mary Ida Laechele; citing Ohio-VR.

        47. Ancestry.com, "Kentucky Death Index 1911-2000," database, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com: accessed 25 May 2010), death of Marie Burkard; citing Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Public Health.

        48. Otto Prall, 1910 US Federal, Ripley Co. Indiana, pop. sch., Franklin, ED 143, p. 4B, 89, 90.

        49. Arthur Schultz, 1920 US Federal, Hamilton Co., Ohio, population schedule, Cincinnati Ward 10, p. 3A, Enumeration District (ED) 178, 218, 73; National Archives micropublication T625, 1390.

        50. Arthur Prall entry, Cincinnati Births 1874-1909: , University of Cincinnati; Archives & Rare Books, Cincinnati, Ohio.

        51. Recollections of Family Members; from personal knowledge of Terry D. Prall (Arcadia, FL); provided 1951-2006.

        52. Compiler: Indiana Works Progress Administration, Index to Birth Records, Marion County [IN], 1882-1920 inclusive (Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 1939, 1968).

        53. Indiana State Board of Health, Division of Vital Records, Medical Certificate of Death, Record Type: Death, Name Of Person: Mayme Faucett [Prall], Number: 017800 (14 May 1960).

        54. William M. Prall & Mayme Faucett, marriage application. (23 December 1911), City-County Building, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Gen-8: Hugh McDonald Prall


Eighth & Ninth Generation: 

First Generation

1.  Hugh McDonald Prall111 was born on 23 Nov 1852 in York Co., Pennsylvania.1213 He died from Bright's Diseae on 6 May 1907 at the age of 54 in Herbst, Grant Co., Indiana.1,78,14 He was buried on 7 May 1907 in Herbst Thrailkill Cemetery, Grant Co., Indiana.78,13 [no record of headstone] Hugh was a carpenter, farmer, solicitor, clerk, canvasser, collector, cornice maker.1516 Hugh McDonald Prall was born in York Co., Pennsylvania on 23 November 1852, the youngest of 10 children. The family lost their farm during the early years of the Civil War and his mother died in 1865. During the decade of the 1860s, many of Hugh's siblings were marrying and moving weat into Ohio.
It would appear that shortly after the death of Ann Bethiah Prall [his mother], Hugh and his father joined the westward migration. By 1870, father Isaac had moved in with daughter Annie Kohler in Clinton County and Hugh had been apprenticed to his second eldest brother, Charles Wesley, a carpenter in Highland County. Charles had moved to Van Wert County by 1880. Hugh must have found carpentry work in Auglaize County while the family was on the move. He married Margaret Jane Wolary there in 1874.The couple had a daughter, Cora Edith, born in 1876 prior to their move to Grant County, Indiana. Son William Marshall was born there in 1878.

The Pralls resided on a farm in Sims Township in 1880. They lived in Marion from at least 1895 until 1904. It would appear that they moved to the town of Herbst, just outside of Marion, after 1904. Hugh's obituary mentions his residence there in 1907. Margaret suffered a stroke and moved back to Marion, residing with her daughter's family until her death in 1910.

Hugh was trained as a carpenter, but was farming in 1880. He was listed as a solicitor, collector, and clerk in the Marion directories. On the marriage application of his son, he was listed as a cornice* maker.

OBITUARY NOTICE: Marion Daily Leader/Tribune, p. 2, column 5: Monday, May 6, 1907:

"Hugh M. Prall, aged 55 years, died at 1 o'clock Monday morning at his residence in Herbst after a long illness.
  He leaves a wife and two children, a daughter, Mrs. Will Squires of Marion and a son Marshal [William Marshall] of Indianapolis. The funeral will take place Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock from the M.E. church in Herbst. Interment will be made in the Thrailkill Cemetery. Mr. Prall was well known in Marion, where he visited on many different occassions."
Marion [IN] City Directories:
1895: [p. 148]
PRALL, William M., solicitor, boards, 703 S. Washington
PRALL, Cora, boards, 703 S. Washington
PRALL, Hugh McD., solicitor, boards, 703 S. Washington

1897: [p. 150, 173]
PRALL, Hugh M., clerk, res., 1210 S. Boots
PRALL, William M., works-candy factory, boards, 1210 S. Boots
SQUIRES, George, candymaker, works-Dilling & Co., boards, 1215 S. Adams
SQUIRES, Robert, butcher, res., 1215 S. Adams
SQUIRES, W.E., motorman, res. 1843 S. Adams

1899: [p. 135]
PRALL, Hugh, canvasser, res., 1008 S. Adams
PRALL, Marshall, works-B.F. Fowler, boards, 1008 S. Adams
SQUIRES, George, works-Dilling & Co., res., 105 S. Nebraska
SQUIRES, James A., barber, City Barber Shop,, res., 813 S. Gallatin
SQUIRES, Wm. E., motorman, res., 1843 S. Adams

1903-1904:
PRALL, Hugh M. [Margaret J.], collector, home, 1818 S. Adams
SQUIRES, James A. [Anna], home, 510 S. Adams
SQUIRES, Wm. E. [Cora E.], conductor-UT Co., home, 1818 S. Adams

Adams, Washington, and Boots Streets are consecutive North-South streets in Marion. The Pralls lived in a, roughly, eight block area covering those three streets from 1895-1904. B.F. Fowler Confectionary, William M. Prall's workplace, was a candy company located on 224 W. 3rd St.
  He remained in that line of work after he moved to Indfianapolis. Will Squires was employed by the Union Traction Co., which ran the street cars in Marion. [Marion City map]
*[a molded projection that crowns a wall]

Hugh McDonald Prall and Margaret Jane Wolary were married on 8 Oct 1874 in Auglaize Co., Ohio.4 Margaret Jane Wolary17, daughter of William Wolary and Sarah Hubbard, was born on 26 Oct 1856 in probably Grant Co., Indiana.1820 She died heart failure on 27 Jan 1910 at the age of 53 in Marion, Grant Co., Indiana.2122 She was buried on 29 Jan 1910 in Herbst Thrailkill Cemetery, Grant Co., Indiana.9,17 [unmarked grave] The obituary notice for Margaret Jane from the Marion Daily Leader reads as follows: "Mrs. Prall died Thursday morning, Jan. 27, 1910, following a 'lingering illness with heart trouble, followed by a stroke of paralysis' at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Will E. Squires. She was survived by Mrs. W.E. Squires and Wm. Marshall Prall of Indianapolis. Age 52. Buried at Herbst-Thrailkill Cemetery."

Hugh McDonald Prall and Margaret Jane Wolary had the following children:


              2              i.   Cora Edith Prall, born 20 Aug 1876, Ohio; married William Edward Squires, 15 Apr 1895, Grant Co., Indiana; died 13 Jun 1961, Sacramento, Sacramento Co., California.

              3             ii.   William Marshall Prall, born 30 Dec 1878, Grant Co., Indiana; married Mary Ida Laechele, 27 Mar 1906, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio; married Mayme [Lulamae] Faucett, 23 Dec 1911, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana; died 23 Dec 1939, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana.