Halloween theme

With today being Halloween and witches being associated with the holiday, I thought I would take the opportunity to pay tribute to an ancestor.

Rebecca Nurse, daughter of William Towne and Joanna Blessing, and wife of Francis Nurse, was accused of witchcraft on 19 March 1692 at Salem Village in Massachusetts.

Rebecca was one of many innocent victims who found themselves on the wrong side of a community dispute and the irrational actions of a group of teenaged girls. The Nurses and other families had grown dissatisfied with the local minister, Samuel Parris. Among the supporters of Parris were the Putnams.

Parris proclaimed that those who opposed him were in league with the Devil. His niece, Abigail Williams, and daughter, Betty began behaving strangely, with Ann Putnam and other girls following suit. A local slave, Tituba, was charged with being a witch. Other accusations followed, nearly all in the anti-Parris camp. Rebecca, 71 years old, and two of her sisters were among those accused.

On 29 June 1692, Rebecca and others were tried and convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. On the 19th of July, Rebecca and others were hanged for being witches. One of Rebecca's sisters was also hanged.

Those convicted of witchcraft were eventually pardoned, posthumously. Salem Village eventually became Danvers.

Superstition and politics had been the primary factors in the "Salem Witch Trials."

Crazy discoveries in genealogical research

In addition to my own genealogy and a handful of "for-hire projects" that I've done over the years, I have also worked on my girlfriend's lineage. Her mother's Chew family was extensively researched several years ago. That Chew line has ties  to Presidents Madison and Taylor. I have looked into a few of the less researched families in the tree. A little research and some accumulated notes have been made available for her father's side. That's where most of my research has been focused.

A few interesting items have surfaced during the research:

1] We share common Howell lineage on her maternal and my paternal side.

2] We also have ties to the Berry family. Elizabeth Berry is my direct ancestor. The daughter of Elizabeth's brother, Joel, married into my girlfriend's Mullins line.

3] Parts of our families followed the same basic migration route. They settled in Virginia, moved on to Kentucky, then to Indiana.

4] In a real twist, my Thomas AND Elizabeth [Berry] Crail are buried in the same cemetery in Pendleton Co., KY as her Thrasher ancestors. There are only 51 graves in the cemetery!

5] We share some of the same heritage: English, Irish and Huguenot.

6] We both have Mayflower lineage.

I have considerably more instances of New England and Mid-Atlantic settlement, as well as German, Dutch and other Western European ancestry.

NYC Vital Records at risk of being made inaccesible

The NEHGS recently notified its members that New York City was considering blocking access to vital records. The NEHGS and other family history organizations sent out petitions to be signed in protest of the NYC actions. Responses were overwhelmingly against the NYC proposal. The following is a link to the results of the initial hearings. Several other family history organizations joined forces with NEHGS's effort. The link below offers an update on the hearings.

https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/blog/genealogy-groups-community-members-unite-preserve-access-records?utm_source=Advocacy&utm_campaign=50e807380f-doh_hearing_wrap_up&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_268524e093-50e807380f-58862115

Research Trip Results: Crails in the tax lists 1799-1812

The final installment on my research findings deals with the Pendleton Co. Tax Lists.

Entries for
Thomas Crail [c1743-1809]: 1799, 1801-1808. He is listed as being over 21, generally with 150 acres on the main fork of the Licking River. In 1799 & 1802, he  is recorded with a white male 16-21 & another white male over 21 in 1803.

Elizabeth Crail [wife of Thomas]: 1809-1810; with Thomas' 150 acres.

Absalom [son]: 1806, 1811, 1812; over 21, 75 acres on Grassy Creek [1811]

Wilson [son]: 1808-1812; over 21, 140 acres on Grassy Creek [1809-10], 150 acres ['08], 100 acres on Grassy Creek ['11], 100 acres on the Licking River ['12].

James [son]: 1804, 1805, 1807-1812; over 21, 150 acres on Grassy Creek [1811]

John [son]: 1799, 1804; over 21, no acreage

William [probably brother or nephew]: 1811, over 21, 285 acres on Grassy Creek.

Estate Sale Bills turned up interesting items. Rhodam Ellis estate 1817: Wilson Crail & Gabriel Mullins. John Thrasher estate 1818 [father of Nancy Thrasher Mullins]: James Crail & Stephen Mullins.

Payments were made to James Crail from John P. Williams' estate in 1819.

Absalom Crail moved to Campbell Co., KY [1807], Butler Co., OH [1820], Shelby Co., IN [by 1850]
Wilson Crail moved to Cincinnati during the 1840s.
John Crail moved to Cincinnati about 1805.
Elizabeth Crail predeceased her father.
Elizabeth Berry Crail died in the early 1840s at the home of son, Wilson.
James spent most of his life in Indiana after leaving Kentucky about 1811-12. At some point he was in Ohio, where son James was born. 

Research Trip Results: Stewart

James Berry Crail married Margaret Stewart [Stuart]. Pioneers of Pendleton County gave the Stewarts a mention.

Charles Stewart was taxed in 1799 Pendleton Co. for 262 acres on Crooked Creek. He and wife Elizabeth sold an acre of land on the forks of the Licking River for $1 to the Baptist Church for a site of a meeting house.

Probable children:
1. Robert - m. 16 Nov 1802 Jane Risqué [Charles signed marriage bond]
2. James - m. 9 May 1803 Hannah Risqué [Charles signed marriage bond]
3. Margaret - m. James B. Crail
4. Anne - m. 26 Mar 1810 Robert Nicholson [James gave proof on marriage bond]

Did my Crail ancestors hide their marriage records along with the 1840-70 censuses? None located yet for Thomas & Jane Wilson, Thomas & Elizabeth Berry, James B. & Margaret Stewart or James B. & Mary Ann Jones!

Research Trip Results: Crail

Although there was nothing that jumped out of the Crail information that was earth-shattering, there were bits and pieces that helped add to the story. I found two sources; one, the Pioneers of Pendleton Co. entry and a write-up on the Crails in the vertical family files drawer.

Pioneers had only two sentences on Thomas Crail Sr. One stating that he came from either Scotland or Northern Ireland in the 1700s; the other identifying his wife as Jane Wilson.

Info on Thomas Jr. was a little more detailed: early county pioneer, born about 1750 in Maryland, wife Elizabeth - probably Berry - born 1750-60, Elizabeth died after 1840 while living with son Wilson.

In 1795, Thomas owned 150 acres on the North Licking River in Campbell Co. [part that became Pendleton Co.] He died 23 Apr 1809 and was buried in the Thrasher Cemetery at Grassy Creek. His will named wife, Elizabeth, and children Absalom, Wilson, James, John and Elizabeth.

A brief sketch was given on each of the Crail children.

For James Berry Crail, it states he lived in Pendleton Co. until 1811, then moved to Indiana. Listed are children Thomas J., James B., Robert Ralston, Margaret C. and 3 other daughters and a son, unnamed.

James B. married Mary Ann Jones [1811 OH - 11 Aug 1887], who was buried in Indianapolis, lived in Shelby Co., IN

As I said, nothing really new, but supportive of other sources.

The article from the vertical file fleshed out Thomas Sr. a bit. He may have landed in Virginia in 1765, then on to Maryland and Pennsylvania. Jane Wilson was the daughter of a James Wilson of Chester Co., PA. Tentative list of children: Thomas Jr., John, William, Richard, Peter, James, Mary, Philip, Alice, Jane & Elizabeth.

A Thomas Crail appears as a freeman at London Derry, Chester Co., PA in 1767. Thomas Creal is recorded as a 4th class private in Captain Charles Reed's militia company for Chester Co. in 1781.

Thomas was in Allegheny Co. [formerly part of Washington Co.] PA in 1790 near John. He is on the tax roll in 1791. [A Thomas Crail also served in Washington Co. during the war, not mentioned here.] He was in Campbell Co., KY by 1795.

The 5 Crail children are named. Of special interest is James B[erry?] Crail. Born 1783 Pennsylvania, married Margaret Stuart. They lived in Cincinnati and in Shelby Co., IN.

This is the first record I have seen placing James in Ohio. If James Berry Crail Jr. was born in Ohio as stated by various family members, his parents had to be there for the event - well, at least his mother had to be there.

Research Trip Results: Berry

Unfortunately, the Pioneers of Pendleton Co. bio on Joel Berry did not include any information on his parentage. His parents were "not known" according to the article.

The sources used for background [Rev War pension, VA & KY Tax lists, land grants, court records] were not necessarily conducive to identifying parents.

It was Joel's daughter, Rebecca, who married Richard Mullins - brother to Stephen, my girlfriend's ancestor.

Research Trip Results: Mullins & Thrasher

While doing research on my Pendleton Co., KY families, I discovered that my girlfriend's Mullins family resided there as well. In fact, one of her ancestor's brothers married a daughter of Joel Berry - brother to my Elizabeth Berry Crail!

I turned up more on the Mullins origin, French Huguenot here, although, based on other research the Mullins clan may have had Irish roots. Not much new information turned up on the first fairly well documented member of the family, Matthew. I did find a nice bio on his son, Gabriel, which included some background on Gabriel's wife, Rachel Ballard, and her family. Gabriel's son, Stephen, also had a short bio in Pioneers of Pendleton County.

Pioneers also included a little info on Stephen's wife's family, the Thrashers. Stephen married Nancy Thrasher. Nancy's father, John, was buried in the Thrasher Farm Cemetery - a burial ground not only for the Thrashers, but a handful of other local families.

Among the Pendleton pioneers buried at Thrasher Farm was my Thomas Crail.

The Best Laid Plans......

Well, I had grand plans for my Kentucky research trip: A stop at the Campbell Co. Genealogical & Historical Society Library in Alexandria, followed by a visit to the Pendleton Co. Library in Falmouth. I would be looking for information on the Crail, Berry and Mullins families. [The latter for my girlfriend.]

I received an email on Wednesday that the Courthouse in Alexandria was being renovated and the CCHGS, housed there would be closed until sometime in November. Argh!

So that left the library in Falmouth. I was able to access the "Pioneers of Pendleton County, KY" & copied the pages covering the above named families. Added to that was information on a few allied families. The library held abstracted tax and court records, as well.

It was not the haul I had hoped for, but a nice haul nonetheless. Details forthcoming!

Research trip coming!

Hopefully the Crail story will flesh out some as I venture to Campbell and Pendleton Counties in neighboring Kentucky this week.

I have made contact with research facilities in both counties. [Always advisable! Your schedule may not fit theirs, especially if your destination relies on volunteers!]

I have a rough idea of what material both places have on the families that I'm interested in. [Check with staff or the facility's holdings or catalog before you go.]

I will organize my notes and venture forth in hopes of finding plenty of new details or, at least, verify what I have. [The more evidence, the better!]

Report on results forthcoming!

Crails in the Indy Directories

In my quest to locate my Crail ancestors, I have searched the Indy directories [primarily] from 1855 until about 1952.

The earliest entry was for Sylvester Crail in 1863. He resided in west Indianapolis and was listed as a soldier. Entries were spotty from 1865-1873. Sylvester appeared 5 times, his step-son William, 3 times and brother John once.

Using census and other records to assist the search, I have been able to match most of the Crails within four groups, those of the four brothers: Sylvester, John, Aaron and George.

Knowing when certain family members were elsewhere - having moved, military service, etc. has been helpful. So utilizing the census, marriage, military, tax, land, death and other record groups is crucial to the search. Family lore can help too!

For example, knowing that Aaron's family [widow Catherine and kids] was in Hamilton Co., IN during most of the 1870s was helpful. The 1880 census placed them back in Hamilton Co. [Eldest son James, a blacksmith, at least was in Indy for 1778-80.]  James next shows up in Indianapolis in the 1913 directory [1911-12 are missing].

Knowing that he was in Peru or Tipton, IN through the early 1890s, steered me away from Indy. Various records [birth, marriage, veterinary college, directories, census, federal employment ] gave me his location until 1911, when he was transferred back to Indy.

It takes a variety of records to complete a story!
 

City Directories

City directories are a fantastic source for researching urban ancestors. Some locales publish rural or suburban directories as well. I have utilized directories for cities of various sizes: Chicago, Muncie,  Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Covington, Newport, Marion, Peru, Shelbyville and others - mostly in Indiana and the Cincinnati area.

The format is fairly routine: names are, of course, alphabetized. With each entry you will find the given name, occupation, residence (whether the person is the householder [h] or boarder [b]), and in some cases the place of employment. If a woman is widowed, then (widow of _____) will be entered.

You may also find advertisements for a relative's business. Streets are listed in the back of the directories with house/business numbers and residents/owners. [You can find out which relatives lived nearby!] There is a list of abbreviations near the front of each directory.

Check the town or city of interest to see when the directories were published. Directories may be missing for some years. Ancestry.com, World Vital Records and some other sites offer a limited number of directories. Most libraries will have copies on microform or the actual directories.

If you are researching Indianapolis-based ancestors, Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis [IUPUI] has a superb digital collection of city and suburban directories beginning with 1855 and running to 2001. https://ulib.iupui.edu/collections/icd You can do a keyword/surname search or simply flip through the pages.

If your ancestor is not in the directory, check the next few years earlier and later. He/she may have been missed.

Once the ancestor stops showing, you can assume that they moved, died, or in the case of females - remarried. I have seen one entry that stated that the person returned to Ireland!

Entries had probably reached the age of majority at his/her first listing.

Don't let the occupation mislead you. A person may be listed as a laborer one year, a carpenter the next and then as a mechanic. Focus on the specific - he was probably a carpenter. [Early on, a mechanic was someone who worked with his hands.] Mechanic, as in auto mechanic, wouldn't be common until cars became commonplace.

Location can help you with relationships. Same address? Probably family. Folks with a common surname [rare, unusual or limited number] are probably related. [This does not apply with Smith, Jones, Lee or entries with 25 or more of that surname.] Surnames that frequent a given neighborhood are likely family.

City directories are a valuable resource, fun and interesting to examine.

What new information was gleaned from Sylvester Crail's State Soldiers' Home Application?

Prior to acquiring a copy of Sylvester's application, which was made by written request to the ISSH, I knew his service record, date & place of birth, etc. I was hoping for some new details into Sylvester's life and his family's.

What I learned:
1] He was living in Carmel. Hamilton Co., IN in 1897.
2] Sylvester arrived in Indiana at age 12 & had resided in Marion & Hamilton Co. for 30 years. [That would mean he arrived in Indiana about 1847 & the Hamilton/Marion area in 1867.]
3] He laid claim to two marriages in 1857 & 1886, both in Indy. [That would mean he was off by 10 years on his residency in Hamilton/Marion.]
4] There were 3 surviving Crail kids: Ann E. Lyons [30, California], Sarah [25, Cal.] & John S. [23, Carmel, IN] [Again, he was off on details. They were all about 10 years older than he reported.]

How accurate the details were depended upon Sylvester's recollections. The doctor reported Sylvester suffered from chronic gastritis and was very feeble and unable to work. His memory may well have been affected. Sylvester died the next year at age 63.

Civil War Research: State Soldiers Home Applications

You may have a Civil War vet who spent his final years in a Veterans Home or State Soldiers Home. The veteran would have been required to apply for residency. That application might have some very valuable information for the family historian.

Aaron Crail's eldest brother, Sylvester, found himself in dire circumstances by 1897 and applied for admission to the Indiana State Soldiers' Home in Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN. The following questions were asked on the application. I would imagine that similar questions were asked on the forms for other states' soldiers' homes.

1] full name & age
2] when & where born
3] company & regiment
4] rank
5] were you enlisted more than once? if so company & regiment
6] dates of enlistment
7] where enlisted
8] muster-in date
9] discharge date
10] where discharged
11] honorable discharge?
12] receive pension? how much?
13] nature of disability
14] occupation
15] able to read & write
16] money or property? how much?
17] resident of state?
18] how long? give town, county
19] marital status, when & where married to current spouse
20] age of wife
21] do you wish wife to join you?
22] number of children living, names, ages, PO address of each
23] unable to support self & family?
24] agree to do proper amount of work & obey rules of ISSH?
25] previous application to a Nat'l or State home?
26] discharged from same? reason
27] understand rules, promise to obey them?
28] willing to pay costs of residence?
29] willing to pay to gain residence?

The application was to be notarized and accompanied by a physician's certificate.

Civil War Service Records: follow-up

Yesterday's post detailed Aaron Crail's Civil War service file. Today, I will flesh it out and offer some research suggestions.

Service record highlights:
(1) Company descriptive book card: This is a gem.  In addition to rank, company and regiment, the card gives you the age, height, weight, hair and eye color and complexion of your ancestor. The date, place and term of enlistment is also given.

(2) Company muster, muster-in and muster-out rolls: The date and place of signing up, enlisting and mustering-out [discharge] is given.

(3) Company muster rolls: Every two months a card was added to the file with any or all of the following information: present or absent, stoppage of pay or amount due the government from the soldier, remarks [explains why soldier was absent or present], surname of person filing muster information.

(4) Hospital muster roll: Details on when, where soldier was hospitalized.

(5) Returns: Details on hospital stays.

Aaron Crail  enlisted on 9 March 1864 and was mustered in as a private in Co. I, 124th Indiana Infantry on 17 March 1864. [The same dates and unit as brother John.] Aaron was reported sick while on duty at Cleveland, TN on 5 April 1864. He was hospitalized at Atlanta on 18 August. By January 1865, Aaron had been transferred to Columbia, TN, where he was fit enough to serve on safe guard duty [possibly hospital guard or protecting local citizens]. Over the next two months, he was back in the hospital. By April, Crail had been removed to Camp Dennison near Cincinnati, OH. During May, Aaron was in Louisville, KY [on leave or seeking medical treatment?]. Crail was discharged and sent home on 6 June 1865.

The 124th saw action during the Atlanta Campaign [May - Sep 1864]. Torrential rains fell during the campaign. Aaron contracted, or exacerbated, a case of tuberculosis/consumption during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Aaron would survive less than three years after the war. He died on 28 March 1868 on his farm near Castleton, IN.

Further research:
(1) Soldiers and Sailors System Database: If you have a name, you can probably find your soldier.
(2) Fold3 has the pension card index for Civil War soldiers [as do other sites]. Use the pension number to order the file.
(3) NARA: Order service and pension files from the Nat'l Archives. [Hiring a genealogist to copy the files may be cheaper than NARA copy fees.
(4) Look up regimental histories on-line.
(5) Check appropriate state archives for enlistment records of soldiers and unit histories.

Civil War Research: The Military Service File

If you have a Civil War ancestor who served in the Union Army, be sure to request the service file from the National Archives [NARA]. If your soldier - or his widow - filed for a pension, request the FULL pension. It may cost a bit more, but you won't miss anything of potential interest.

The service file is the main subject today. The soldier's cover sheet will give his name, rank, company and regiment. There will also be a series of card numbers listed. These cards will give you the veterans service history. There will also be a line showing the "Number of personal papers herein."

I'm going to use my great-great-grandfather Aaron Crail's service file as an example.

Cover page: Crail, Aaron - Co. I - 124th Indiana Infantry - Private
There are 16 card numbers listed and 0 personal papers.

1st card: Company Muster Roll: period of enrollment - to Apr 29, 1864; joined - 9 Apr 1864 at Indianapolis for a period of 3 yrs.; mustered - same date & place; present at muster

2nd card: Detachment Muster-in Roll: age 24; Pvt., Co. I, 124th Ind. Inf.; Indianapolis, Mar 17, 1864; paid $60 bounty.

3rd card: Company Descriptive Book: age - 24; height - 5'10"; dark complexion; hazel eyes; dark hair; born - Marion, OH; occupation: farmer; enlisted: Mar 9, 1864, Indianapolis by T.F. Howell for 3 yr. term.

4th card: Muster for May & June, 1864 - present

5th card: Muster for July & Aug., 1864 - absent; sick in hospital since Aug 19, 1864.

6th card: Muster for Sep. & Oct., 1864 - absent; left sick in field hospital near Atlanta on Aug. 18, 1864.

7th card: Muster for Nov. & Dec., 1864 - absent; left sick in field hospital near Atlanta on Aug. 18, 1864.

8th card: Muster for Jan. & Feb., 1865 - absent; in hospital at Camp Dennison, OH.

9th card: Muster for Mar. & Apr., 1865 - absent; hospital, Camp Dennison

10th card: Muster for May & June, 1865 - Discharged June 6/65 at Camp Dennison, OH by order of War Dept.

11th card: Muster-out Roll: Greensboro, NC, Aug 31, 1865; last paid June 30, 1864.

12th card: Hospital Muster Roll: Dennison USA General Hospital, 6th Division, Camp Dennison, OH for Nov. & Dec., 1864; Attached to hospital - Nov. 26, 1864 - sick; present.

13th card: Hospital Muster Roll: Jan. & Feb., 1865 - sick, present.

14th card: Hospital Muster Roll: Mar. & Apr., 1865; Attached to hospital Dec. 18, 1864 - sick, present.

15th card: Appears on Returns as follows:
Aug/64 - sick Cleveland, TN [Apr 5/64] 
Sep/64 - field hospital, Atlanta, GA [Aug 18/64]
Oct - Dec/64 - sick in hospital
Jan/65 - on safe guard, Columbia, TN
Feb - Mar/65 - sick at hospital
Apr/65 - hospital at Camp Dennison, OH
May/65 - absent Louisville, KY
June 6/65 - Cincinnati, mustered out in accordance with telegram dated War Dept., May 2/65

16th card: Detachment Muster-out Roll: mustered out on June 6, 1865, Camp Dennison, OH; paid to June 30/65 [$78.43]; bounty paid -$60; bounty due -$240; mustered out by order by telegram A.G.B. May 3, 1865.

Here you have the military record of Aaron Crail. Aaron spent most of his time in a hospital. Other soldiers' records will show more of their field action.

I'll sum up the record in tomorrow's post.

Next step in the Crail Research: Road Trip!!

I feel that I have about exhausted all of the on-line resources for the Crail family. That leaves a trip to where records might be available. I am planning to make a trip to Pendleton and Campbell Counties in Kentucky where the family lived during the early 1800s.

I am hoping that local resources will shed some light on Thomas Crail Jr., his ancestors and descendants.

The trip won't be for a couple of weeks, so this will probably the last Crail post until I return from the Bluegrass State.

The Death of James B. Crail Jr.

I have bee speculating on James Berry Crail Jr.'s death in several posts. His demise probably came between 1854 and 1875 [his last appearance in records and his wife's appearance in the city directories.] If the Mrs. Crail in the 1860 Warren Twp., Marion, IN Census was James' widow, then he died between 1854 and the 1860 enumeration. The question then becomes where?

Aaron Crail died in Hamilton Co., IN in 1868 and was buried in the small Eller Cemetery near his home.

Sylvester died at the Indiana State Soldiers Home in Lafayette, IN  in 1898 and was buried there.

John died in Indy in 1907 and was buried at Crown Hill's National Cemetery.

George died in 1920 and was buried at Crown Hill.

Mary [Jones] Crail died in 1887 and was buried at Crown Hill.

Numerous family members were buried at Crown Hill as well.

If memory serves me correctly, Crown Hill opened in the early 1860s. Bodies interred at the old city cemetery were moved there after a flood.

If James died during the early 70's in Indy, Crown Hill would have been the likely burial site. If earlier, was he born in a farm cemetery plot? In another county's small cemetery? Was he visiting family out of state when he died? The family seems to have stuck to Marion and surrounding counties, so James likely died in the area. Perhaps it was in an unmarked grave? That mystery may never be solved!

The 1860 census mystery!

There is one extreme longshot clue on Mary A. Crail - the 1860 census.

1860 Warren Twp., Marion Co., IN [Film # M653_279 /803279, p. 239]

James Snyder    55 m farmer             b. VA
Lucy A.  "         41  f  house keeping b. NY
C.H. Smith       18  m farm laborer    b. IN [all children b. IN]
Alonzo Snyder 16  m farm laborer
Elizabeth  "      13  f
Abigail     "      11  f
Wilson S. "       9  m
Emma      "       4   f
Clara       "        2  f
        Crail       45  f                          b. OH

Who is this woman surnamed Crail born c1815 in Ohio? The first name is nearly illegible. It does begin with the letter 'M', but appears to be Mrs. Could this be Mary A. Crail? Warren Twp. is just east of Indianapolis/Center Twp.

James Snyder married Nancy A. Smith on 23 Apr 1843. Lucy Simmons had married Collins C. Smith on 10 Oct 1840 in Switzerland Co., IN. [Nancy & Lucy are the same person.] C.H. Smith was a product of that marriage. There are no apparent ties between the Smith, Snyder & Simmons families.

Could this woman be Mary A. [Jones] Crail? Perhaps. The age is close, off by only 2-3 years. The birthplace of Ohio is spot on. I suspect that the family was in central Indiana. Sylvester, John & Aaron were living in southern Hamilton Co. or in rural Marion Co. George was in Indianapolis, or close enough to enlist from there during the Civil War. In 1860, he was old enough [17] to have been a farm or day laborer & living with another family. James B. Crail may have died between 1854-59.

Mary A. Jones, a.k.a. Mrs. James B. Crail: What I know about her.

What I know about Mary A. Jones Crail:

(1) She was born in Ohio according to her death certificate, census records and the death records of at least two of her sons.

(2) Mary died in Indianapolis on 11 Aug 1887 at the age of 76, placing her birth about 1811.

(3) She was the wife of James B. Crail and the mother of Sylvester, John, Aaron & George. Mary & James probably married about 1832/3.

(4) Her father was T. Jones according to her death certificate. Mother listed as "unknown."

(5) Mary bought town lots in Marietta, Shelby, IN in 1851 & 1853. She and James sold the lots in 1854.

(6) She is listed as Mrs. Mary Crail in the 1875/6 Indy directory, residing at 353 E. Market, home of son John Crail.

(7) The 1876/7 directory has her as Mrs. Mary Crail, residing at the home of son Sylvester.

(8) Mary is not listed in the 1877/8 & 1878 directories.

(9) In 1879, 1882, 1883, 1885 & 1886, she was entered as Mary A. Crail [widow James] & resided at the home of son John. Mary did not appear in the 1880, 1881 or 1884 directories.

(10) Mary was enumerated in Indianapolis in 1880, in the household of her son, John. The record gives the birthplace of her father as Kentucky & her mother as Ohio.

(11) Following her death in 1887, Mary was interred at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indy.

Bits and Pieces on James B. Crail Jr.

What bits and pieces of facts do I know about James B. Crail Jr.?

(1) From the 1880-1900 census records and death certificate of his son John, James was born in Ohio. If James was the eldest of James and Margaret Crail and born about 1809 - his parents were in Southern Ohio at that time, perhaps married there enroute to Kentucky.

(2) He resided with his parents in Pendleton Co., KY until 1820 when James Sr. moved to Indiana [Harrison Co. 1820s. Washington Co. 1830]

(3) By about 1832, James was married, probably in Ohio, to Mary A. Jones. 

(4) His two eldest sons, Sylvester [1835] and John [1837], were born in Hamilton Co., OH. Tax records support this time frame.

(5) Aaron was born in Marion Co., OH  in 1839.

(6) Shelby Co., IN tax lists suggest that he was in that county with the rest of the family. George's birth certificate states that he was born in Miami Co. [well north of Shelby] in 1843.

(7) On 28 Nov 1849,  a James B. Crail & others deed the site for the building of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Colerain Twp., Hamilton Co., OH.

(8) From 1851-1854, James and Mary were in Marietta, Shelby Co., IN [town lot deeds].

(9) Census, marriage, military records and city directories place Sylvester, John and Aaron in Hamilton and Marion Counties, IN from 1854-1875. [Aaron had died in 1868; Sylvester married in Johnson Co.- bordering Shelby - in 1854.]

(9) From 1875-1887 [her death], Mary A. [Jones] Crail was residing in Indianapolis.

(10) James died between 1854 and 1875, probably in Central Indiana.

Ancestry of Elizabeth Berry Crail

Working from Find A Grave, the Van Gundy Family, Geni and Wiki Trees, the following is believed to be the ancestry of Elizabeth Berry, wife of Thomas Crail Jr.

(1) Elizabeth Berry [c1760 prob. VA - aft 1812 KY?]
     m. Thomas Crail c1774 possibly MD

(2) Enoch Berry Sr. [c1725 King George Co., VA - 1818 KY]
      m. unk - bef 1750 VA

(3) Henry Berry [c1694 King George Co., VA - 16 May 1748-3 Feb 1748/9 King George Co., VA]
     m. Sarah Porch [1694-1750] c1715 VA

(4) Henry Berry [1652 Old Rappahannock Co., VA - 7 Oct 1695 Henrico Co., VA]
      m. Sarah Harper [c1655-1714] c1672 VA

(6) Henry Berry [1626 England - 1677 Old Rappahannock Co., VA]
      m. Ann Saunders [1628 Lancaster Co., VA - aft 1677 VA] c1649 VA

Do I have any issues with the proposed lineage? Yes, getting Elizabeth from VA to MD in order to marry Thomas Crail. I haven't tracked down Enoch's migration into KY as of yet, so his route is not known. Other than that crucial little detail.....

Find A Grave: Cautionary tales from a personal standpoint

As promised, here are a few "oops!" moments that I have discovered while using Find A Grave. I am relatively sure that all are a result of the information available to the contributor, not malicious research errors. The handful of items show here are on my Crail family.

(1) John Berry Crail:  Married Malissa (Bowley) Crail. Son of James Berry & Mary A. (Jones) Crail. Father of Albert Ruttle, Bertha, Cora, and Mary. Brother of Aaron, Mary E., George & Sylvester.

My records show John's middle initial as 'V.' He married Melissa Richardson, not Bowley. I have not located any records confirming a sister named Mary E. Crail.

(2) James Berry Crail Jr.: died 25 March 1868. Daughter Mary E. born about 1864.

Son Aaron died on 25 March 1868. The odds of father and son dying on the same day are slim. No records for James have been located after 1854. A daughter born in 1864? Mother Mary A. [Jones] Crail was born in 1811. That would mean she was 53 when Mary E. was born. I doubt that seriously.
John, son of James and Mary, died have a daughter, Mary E. Crail, born in 1864.

(3) Sylvester E, Crail: His middle initial was 'B.' Two children were omitted - Sarah J. and John.

(4) George Berry Crail, Sr.: Son of James Berry Jr and Mary A. (Jones) Crail. Married Anna (Holly) July 1, 1870. Father of Mary Ellen, James Franklin, Margaret, Alice, Geo. Berry JR., Harry Everett Crail and others.

Harry Everett Crail was the son of James and Mima [Simmons] Crail, not George B. This has been one of my pet peeves for years! Crail researchers just keep repeating that error.

(5) John Crail: Son of Catherine (O'Neil) and Aaron Crail. Brother of Georgie (Bender), Margaret (Church), David, Tom, and James.

Although Catherine and Aaron had a son John, this isn't him. This happens to be the son of Sylvester. Sylvester's John died 29 Dec 1925 [b. 1867]. Aaron's John was born in 1864, but there is no further info on him. Georgie and Margaret were actually Catherine and Martha.


There are my Big 5 for my Crails. Again, let me emphasize that Find A Grave is a wonderful site and great tool for family historians. It is also subject human error! Use it often Use it with caution.