Chasing History

Week 39: The theme for Week 39 is “Disappeared.” All of us have someone on our family tree who seems to have just disappeared. This is a good week to write about them. (Who knows – maybe writing about them will help you spot some gaps in your research and give you ideas on new places to look!) Martin Stanley Taylor Born: 24 Jul 1874 • Newberry, York, Pennsylvania, USA Death: ?? Arizona??  2nd great-grandfather Martin Stanley Taylor, my 2nd great-grandfather is the brick wall that I can't seem to break through. I know when and where he was born. I know that he abandoned my 2nd great-grandmother and their daughter. I know he moved to Ohio, remarried, and then settled in Arizona. I know that he outlived his second wife... but that is where the trail ends.  He disappears completely off the records.  I can't find a death certificate or a grave listing.  His first wife, Minnie, is buried at Paddletown Cemetery in Newberry Township. His second wife, Anna, is buried in her f...

  Week 38: The theme for Week 38 is “Animals.” Pet lovers, farmers, birdwatchers, fishermen – this is their week. Who will you write about this week? The Unwritten Stories: My Ancestor, May Yinger May Yinger Birth:  19 Oct 1895  •  York County, Pennsylvania Marriage:   30 Jun 1920  •  Washington, District of Columbia Death:   26 Jan 1981  •  District of Columbia , 1st cousin 4x removed Sometimes, the most intriguing parts of our family history are the details we can only guess at. While I have the basic facts about my first cousin 4x removed, May Yinger, one photograph has me asking more questions than I can answer. This picture, showing May with a boat and a string of fish, is a mystery. I know the key milestones of her life: she was born in York County in 1895, married George William Mason in 1920, and worked as a clerk in Washington D.C. She was a woman who raised a family and, with her husband, found her life's calling in faith. She ...

  Week 37: The theme for Week 37 is “In the News.” Have you made a family history discovery in a newspaper? Minnie Jane Free Taylor Birth: 15 Mar 1870 Newberry, York, Pennsylvania Death: 14 Jan 1952 Rural Newberry, York, Pennsylvania 2nd great-grandmother  The death of my 2nd great-grandmother. I learned through Newspapers.com that Minnie's death was the result of being run over by a car. Her obituary states that she died at home, but it did not list a cause of death. I always assumed that she had died from old age.  I found a newspaper article about her daughter, Lillian, filing a suit for damages. The driver of the car was a man from Washington D.C. named Charles Maywood. Lillian filed for damages totaling $16,388.17.  Minnie was crossing the Old Trail in front of her house in Newberry Township when she was hit by Maywood's car. She suffered serious injuries and her death was determined to be a direct result of the crash. 

  Week 35: The theme for Week 35 is “Off to Work.” Who had an unusual occupation? Do you have memories of a parent going off to work every morning? What about someone whose occupation today would be obsolete, like telephone operators? Henry Repman     Born: December 1819 York, Pennsylvania Died: 31 January 1874 Newberry, York, Pennsylvania Buried: Cassel Cemetery, York Haven, Pennsylvania  4th great-grandfather  In 1860, Henry was a laborer living in Newberry Township, York County. A Civil War veteran, he was drafted in York October 24, 1862, and assigned to Co. A, 166th Pa Inf, serving at the rank of private and functioning as a wagoner. Honorably discharged July 28, 1863. What is a wagoner?  During the American Civil War, a wagoner was a solider that responsible for the supply wagons and teams of mules. Every wagon was pulled by a team of four or six mules.  Wagoners were also called Teamsters. They were in charge of keeping the wagons properly sup...