Thoughts on January, Goals, and Preparing for SLIG

I love hanging a new calendar on the wall. There’s something about seeing all those days, all those fresh possibilities, ahead. Give me a new planner and a few colored pens and I’m happy as can be. No matter that I know it will soon be as fully packed as the last one—it’s still bright and clean, and hope abounds.

In the past I’ve written out goals for the year, but this January I decided not to. Things change so much in the course of a year that I typically find myself disappointed in December that I didn’t accomplish what I said I intended to, in spite of how much I actually did accomplish.

Instead, I’m setting a few specific quarterly objectives that take into account deadlines for articles, presentations, and projects I already have on my schedule. That way I may have some reasonable chance of achieving them and feeling good about it. I’m only doing the winter objectives to begin with. It’s a short, manageable list, designed to keep me focused.

The advantage of this quarterly approach is that I’ll have the chance to set new objectives three more times this year. Gives me a clean slate at the start of each season. I like that.

One objective on my winter list is to learn more about my ancestors from Virginia. I have two clusters of Virginia ancestors: the Roush family in Shenandoah County, and the Ballenger, Adams, and Nalley families in Prince William, Fauquier, and Fairfax counties. My primary focus is the Revolutionary War period and the decades following it, as my direct ancestors were all in Ohio before 1840.

To do this, I need to learn how to find, interpret, and use some of the lesser-known historic records that may hold evidence of them. That ties in with my upcoming trip to the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) from January 22-29. I’m taking a course called Virginia from the Colonial Period to the Civil War, taught by Barbara Vines Little and Victor Dunn. I’m excited about this opportunity and hope it opens some new doors for me.

Naturally, I want to work in as much research time at the Family History Library as possible. But because my time outside the classroom is limited, I need to do some prep work ahead of time. That’s what I’m working on now. I’m identifying questions I have and the record groups that might provide answers, and looking up microfilm numbers and print resources in the FamilySearch Catalog. That should help me hit the ground running in Salt Lake City.

Identifying and finding resources in the FamilySearch Catalog is not that difficult, but it’s not altogether intuitive, either. Want to know how I do it? I outlined my step-by-step process in an earlier post, Tips for Planning Your Trip to the Family History Library. This is my go-to strategy in preparing for a successful research trip.

Researchers study roll upon roll of microfilm at the FHL

As a bonus, the post also includes a packing list of items you just might find invaluable when you get to the FHL. Referring back to it is saving me time this week as I’m getting my suitcase and research bag ready. I guess one of the perks of having a blog is that it occasionally reminds you to take your own advice!

SLIG is always a great opportunity to connect with other genealogists and make new discoveries. It’s an energizing way to begin a new year. If you’re going to be there, please look me up—I’d love to see you. If not, I wish you success with whatever it is you hope to accomplish this winter. Happy New Year!

-Shelley

Jacob Roush and Philip Roush, Virginia Militiamen: 52 Ancestors

Two hundred and thirty-nine years ago (almost to the day), two of my 6th-great-grandfathers took a bold step. The spring of 1775 had brought troubled times to the American colonies. Relations with Great Britain had grown increasingly strained. In early April 1775, the battles at Concord and Lexington confirmed that there was no turning back. The rumblings of discontent had sprouted into outright confrontation, and the American Revolution was underway.

Patriots in Virginia, as in other colonies, quickly formed local militia companies to protect their homes and fight for the cause of American independence. Jacob Roush and Philip Roush were among the men who enlisted in the Dunmore County Militia, under the command of Capt. Jacob Holeman, on May 29, 1775.

I first found evidence of Jacob and Philip’s service as I worked on my application for the Daughters of the American Revolution. The DAR uses the transcription of Jacob Holeman’s enlistment roster in Revolutionary War Records Virginia by Gaius M. Brumbaugh as its source.[1] This is an excellent derivative source, and I’m grateful for it. But as genealogists, we’re urged to seek the original source whenever possible. So that’s what I did when I visited the Library of Virginia during the recent NGS 2014 Conference in Richmond.

Wow. What a thrill to see the list itself! (Even though it’s a negative photostat, and still technically a derivative, it's as close as I’m ever likely to get to the original.) Somehow, holding it made the excitement of that long-ago time, and the power of the commitment these men made, seem like a tangible thing to me. It was no small thing to fly in the face of the royal government and pledge your loyalty to the colonial militia. Their lives, and the security of their families and livelihoods, were on the line.

The two-page document is titled, “A List of the Mens Names in Dunmore County Militia under the Command of Capt. Jacob Holeman.” On the second page, after the names, is the official decree: “By Virtue of the Power and Authority to me given as Lieutenant of the County of Dunmore I do hereby Enlist the with Nam’d Men under the Command of Capt Jacob Holeman. Given under my hand this 29^th day of May 1775.”[2] (I’m still working to decipher the flowery signature of the official who signed it.)

A few of my observations about the list, some of which aren’t readily apparent from the transcription in Brumbaugh’s book:

• The men are listed in three columns. All names on the first page are written in the same clearly legible handwriting; there are no signatures. A few names are crossed out, as though they were later removed from the roster. On the second page are 15 more names, written in a different hand, that appear to have been added after the official declaration.

• In Brumbaugh’s transcription, the names are in alphabetical order, and the last name is given first (i.e., Roush, Jacob and Roush, Philip). On the original list, the names appear to be in the order that the men presented themselves. They are not in alphabetical order, and the first name comes first, just as it would be said aloud.

• While many of these men were German, the spellings of their names were anglicized, probably according to how the scribe heard them. Rausch, which morphed into Roush, is spelled Rouse in four places here (brothers Philip, Jacob, Henry, and John Jr.). Zirkle, commonly seen as Circle, is spelled Cirkle (Andrew, Michael, and Peter). The surname Durst, which became Darst in later generations, is spelled Dirst (Abraham and Isaac—Abraham Durst is my 7th-great-grandfather). Clearly, spellings were not yet standardized.

• Crease lines are evident, indicating the document was folded. A portion of the second page bears the address, “To Capt. Jacob Holman Dunmore County,” as though it was to be delivered to him. (no “e” in Holman in the address)

The Library of Virginia's terms of use preclude me from posting a picture of Jacob Holeman’s List here, and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the chances that others have to view, photograph, and copy the document for their personal use. So I’ll share just a small portion of the list where the names of Philip, Jacob, and Henry Roush appear, to give you a sample of the beautiful handwriting. Philip’s name is just above the fold, with some wear evident.

I’ve heard we should seek the original record for the sake of accuracy and completeness. That’s fine and well, but from my experience, I’d add: do it for the sense of connection it gives you. Seeing an original document brings your family history alive in a way that a published transcription simply can’t do. And sometimes that history is just so cool, isn’t it?

--Shelley

© Copyright 2014 Shelley Bishop

The “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” series is coordinated by Amy Johnson Crow, CG, author of the blog No Story Too Small.

Related Posts:

Roush Family Ancestry

Lewis Zirkle: Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

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[1] Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, Revolutionary War Records Virginia (1936; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1995), p. 607-608.

[2] Shenandoah County, Virginia, Dunmore County Militia Roster, Captain Jacob Holeman’s Company, 1775; accession no. 21127, “Dunmore County Revolutionary War papers, 1775-1814,” Box 53, 2 leaves; Library of Virginia, Richmond.

Researching Catharine (Fox) Roush: 52 Ancestors

Next week I’ll be attending the National Genealogical Society’s 2014 Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia. I’m particularly looking forward to hearing some of the presentations on Virginia records. I know I have several Virginia ancestors and suspect I may have even more, so I’m also excited about working in some research time at the Library of Virginia while I’m there.

One person I want to investigate is Catharine Fox, wife of Jacob Roush. Jacob served in the Dunmore County Militia under Captain Jacob Holman during the Revolutionary War.[1] (The name of the county changed to Shenandoah in 1778, after the patriotic colonists tired of the British Lord Dunmore.) Although I’ve found a number of records for Jacob, I know much less about his wife Catharine, who is my 6th-great-grandmother. According to DAR records, she was born in 1758 in Berks County, Pennsylvania.[2] I haven’t been able to find a birth or baptism record to verify that information yet, but it’s a clue, at least. Her parents are unknown.

Fortunately, I have found some records naming Catharine:

• The marriage bonds of Shenandoah County, Virginia, show that Jacob Rausch secured a bond to marry Catharine Fuchsin on 21 February 1775.[3] The record, which I’ve only seen in abstracted form, uses the German spellings of both surnames. (Fuchs is the German word for Fox, and the –in suffix at the end of the name indicates the person is female.) In the absence of a surviving marriage return, I’m following the DAR’s lead in using this as the date of their marriage.

• The births and baptisms of Jacob and Catharine’s first seven children were recorded in the registry of Old Pine Church in Mill Creek, Virginia. The registry is written in German, but has been transcribed by Klaus Wust.[4] The original book is at the Library of Virginia, and I would love to see it, if it’s not too fragile to handle. The family’s record appears on page 7. One entry in particular intrigues me. The only sponsor for the baptism of Jacob and Catharine’s first child, Rosina, born 20 January 1877, was a woman named Catharina Fuchs. Who was this Catharina? Could she have been the mother, aunt, or cousin of the Catharine Fuchsin who married Jacob Rausch? (Note: Catharine’s name is also spelled Catharina in German records, including the baptism registry.) I think there’s a strong probability of a relationship between the two women of the same name, but I don’t know its exact nature.

• The Old Pine Church registry also contains an entry for the baptism of Johannes Fuchs, son of Adam Fuchs and his wife Elisabeth, born 19 February 1784.[5] Could this Adam Fuchs be the brother of Catharine (Fuchs) Roush? The surname is uncommon enough to make me suspect so, but as yet I have no proof.

• The final clue I’ve found to Catharine’s birth family comes from the last known record that she and Jacob created in Shenandoah County. After both of Jacob’s parents died, they moved west and bought land in what is now Mason County, West Virginia, and Gallia County, Ohio. They sold their remaining Shenandoah County land on 9 September 1799 to Peter Fox. Catharine made a mark (X) instead of signing her name.[6] Who was Peter Fox, and might he also have been Catharine’s brother?

Catharine (Fox) Roush is buried in Roush Cemetery in Cheshire, Gallia County, Ohio. Her date of death is a mystery. I think she may have died relatively early in their residence there, because she did not sign the customary dower release when Jacob sold land in October 1809, or any time thereafter. Jacob wrote a detailed will in January 1827, and Catharine is not mentioned in it.

So where does this leave me? Well, first I need to develop a research focus for Catharine. I’m considering this: "How was Catharine Fox, who married Jacob Roush in February 1775, associated with fellow Shenandoah County residents Catharina Fuchs/Fox, Adam Fuchs/Fox, and Peter Fox?" Then I want to take a good look at the Library of Virginia’s online catalog and determine which resources I want to see next week. And I’d better get cracking—it’s coming up fast!

--Shelley

© 2014, Shelley Bishop

“52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” is coordinated by Amy Johnson Crow, CG, author of No Story Too Small.

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[1] Gaius M. Brumbaugh, Revolutionary War Records Virginia (1936; reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1995), p. 607-609.

[2] Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogical Research System, “Ancestor Search” database (http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/?Tab_ID=1 : accessed 28 April 2014), Jacob Roush of Virginia, Ancestor #A098978.

[3] John Vogt and T. William Kethley, Shenandoah County Marriage Bonds, 1772-1850 (Athens, Georgia: Iberian Press, 1983), p. 243.

[4] Klaus Wust, Old Pine Church Baptisms, 1783-1828, Mill Creek, Virginia (Edinburg, Virginia: Shenandoah History, 1987), p. 19-20.

[5] Ibid., p. 20.

[6] Amelia C. Gilreath, Shenandoah County, Virginia Deed Book Series, Volume 4: Combination Minute Book, 1774-1780, and Deed Books M and N, 1799-1804 (Nokesville, Virginia: privately published, 1989), p. 57; citing Shenandoah County Deed Book M: 47, Jacob Roush to Peter Fox (1799).

Related Posts:

Roush Family Ancestry

Jacob Roush, 1803 Ohio Deed

52 Ancestors: Minnie King Steele, the Oldest Ancestor I've Known

Some little girls like getting all dressed up in stiff crinoline skirts and fancy velveteen dresses, with bows in their hair and shiny new shoes. Let me say for the record right here that I wasn’t one of those girls. Apparently, I gave my mother quite a hard time when she tried to make my little toddler self look appropriately elegant for a once-in-a-lifetime family photograph. I was not impressed. Then.

But I am now.

The idea to take a five-generation picture started with my grandma, Wilma Steele Herrel. She wanted a photograph that included her own grandmother, Minnie King Steele, as well as her young granddaughter. It was timed around some family occasion—perhaps her own September birthday—in 1961. My mother remembers that on the appointed day, everyone gathered at the home of Wilma’s father, Homer Steele, in Columbus, Ohio. She thinks Wilma’s brother-in-law, Merle Rhoten, a professional photographer, most likely took the picture.

And so, a moment in time was captured. Five Generations, 1961: from left to right, my mother, holding me; my grandmother, Wilma Lucille Steele Herrel; my great-great-grandmother, Minnie L. King Steele; and my great-grandfather, Homer Burdell Steele.

I have no memory of my great-great-grandmother, but clearly she knew me, and today I marvel that our lives overlapped. Minnie L. King was born November 23, 1873, in the town of Cheshire in Gallia County, Ohio.¹ Her father, Newel King, was a Civil War veteran, having served in the 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company B. Her mother, Electa Roush King, was descended from a line of Roush patriots from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

Minnie King grew up in Cheshire, along the Ohio River in the southernmost part of the state. She had many Roush aunts, uncles, and cousins on the West Virginia side of the river, in Mason County. That may have been where she met her husband, George Phelps Steele, who lived in Mason County. She married George on 17 January 1893 in Meigs County, Ohio, when she was 19 years old.²

Minnie and George had two sons, Homer (in the picture) and Walden Steele. By 1900, the family had moved north to Columbus, where they rented a home on the city’s south side and George worked at a steel mill.³ George passed away in 1925, and Minnie lived the rest of her life as a widow. During her later years, she lived with her sister, Bella King Stickelman, in Dayton. Because of this, my mother called her “Grandma Dayton.”

Mom remembers Minnie as being a really nice person, always friendly, cheerful, and optimistic. She was an impeccable and fashionable dresser, with a good sense of style. A cute little black terrier was her constant companion.

Minnie was 87 years old when the five-generation picture was taken in the fall of 1961, and turned 88 in November. I don’t know whether she had been showing signs of not doing well, but it’s good that my grandma insisted on getting the picture when she did. Minnie died shortly afterwards, on December 13, 1961.⁴

To think that I was held and loved by someone born in 1873, the daughter of a Civil War soldier, amazes me now. Minnie is the oldest ancestor in any of my family lines that I've actually known. She was the only great-great-grandparent still alive when I was born. At the time, of course, I had no inkling of the family history that one photograph could represent, or how much it could mean to me decades later.

I just wanted out of that stiff, scratchy skirt.

--Shelley

1. Gallia County, Ohio, Birth Records, v. 1: 117, no. 13, Minnie King (born 1873); Probate Court Office, Gallipolis.
2. Meigs County, Ohio, Marriage Records, v. 9: 102, George Steel and Minnie King (1893); Meigs County Museum, Pomeroy.
3. 1910 U.S. census, Columbus Ward 1, Franklin County, Ohio, population schedule, ED 37, p. 2B, dwelling 40, family 41, George P. Steele; digital image, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: accessed 18 August 2009); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1180.
4. Ohio Department of Health, death certificate no. 86054 (1961), Minnie L. Steele; Office of Vital Statistics, Columbus. 

© Shelley Ballenger Bishop 2014

This is one of a series of family history stories written for “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks,” coordinated by Amy Johnson Crow, CG, author of No Story Too Small.

Related Posts:

Newel King, 91st OhioVolunteer Infantry

Roush Family Ancestry—Surname Saturday

Veterans in My Family Tree

For this Veteran’s Day, I’ve challenged myself to compile a master list of my ancestors who served in the military. I want to pull this information together both as a tribute and as a reference to the veterans I’m researching, organized by the war they fought in. When I read about a new military records database that’s just become available online, or discover a resource for researching a particular war, I’ll have a ready reminder of the names I want to search for. A side benefit is that compiling any list of this sort tends to expose gaps in my research, and reminds me of things I want to check into.

The veterans I’m researching in my family tree are:

Revolutionary War

Philip Roush (6th great-grandfather)

Born: 18 March 1841 in either Pennsylvania or Virginia

Died: 1 March 1820 in Cheshire, Gallia County, Ohio

Served in: Dunmore County (Virginia) Militia under Capt. Jacob Holeman

Enlisted: 29 May 1775

Rank: Private

Spouse: Catharine Kelchner

DAR Ancestor Number: A098986

Pension Record: none known

Buried: Roush Cemetery, Cheshire, Ohio

Notes: Dunmore County is now Shenandoah County.

Jacob Roush (6th great-grandfather)

Born: 1746 in either Pennsylvania or Virginia

Died: March 1830 in Cheshire, Gallia County, Ohio

Served in: Dunmore County (Virginia) Militia under Capt. Jacob Holeman

Enlisted: 29 May 1775

Rank: Private

Spouse: Catharine Fox or Fuchs

DAR Ancestor Number: A098978

Pension Record: none known

Buried: Roush Cemetery, Cheshire, Ohio

Notes: Jacob also fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant in Lord Dunmore’s War, before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, under Capt. John Tipton.

War of 1812

No ancestor currently known

Civil War

Newel King (3rd great-grandfather)

Born: 17 January 1838 in Cheshire, Gallia County, Ohio

Died: 17 September 1896 in Cheshire, Gallia County, Ohio

Served in: Company B, 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Enlisted: 6 August 1862

Rank: Private

Spouse: Electa Roush

Pension Record: Invalid certificate #186,803; Widow’s certificate #436,094

Buried: Gravel Hill Cemetery, Cheshire, Ohio

Notes: Newel contracted measles during the war, resulting in hospitalization in the U.S. General Hospital in Gallipolis and a lifelong struggle with epilepsy.

John Steele (3rd great-grandfather)

Born: June 1826 in Wythe County, Virginia

Died: 28 April 1873 in West Columbia, Mason County, West Virginia

Served in: Company K, 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Enlisted: 16 October 1861

Rank: Private

Spouse: Mary Russell

Pension Record: Widow’s certificate #373,222

Buried: unknown

Notes: John was hospitalized due to illness in Huntsville, Alabama, and for the last year of his enlistment served as company cook. He suffered from weakness and disabilities after the war.

Ludwig Scheibel (2nd great-grandfather)

Born: 29 September 1839 in Germany

Died: 25 December 1910 in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio

Served in: Company G, 6th Missouri Volunteer Infantry

Enlisted: 23 May 1861

Rank: Private

Spouse: Paulina Trebtan or Treptau

Pension Record: Invalid certificate #27,522

Buried: Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio

Notes: Ludwig also went by the American name “Louis.” He received a gunshot wound in battle at Chickasaw Bayou in late December 1862, and was given a disability discharge in April 1863.

World War I

Roy David Eberhard (great-uncle)

Born: 9 March 1894 in Allentown, Pennsylvania

Died: 6 September 1977 in Westerville, Ohio

Served in: 324th Field Artillery, U.S. Army

Enlisted: 5 October 1917

Rank: Private First Class

Spouse: Ethel Jewett

Pension Record: unknown

Buried: Union Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio

Notes: Roy served in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Battle of Argonne Forest) on the Western front.

World War II

Dwight Charles Ballenger (great-uncle)

Born: 27 April 1916 in Westerville, Ohio

Died: 20 January 1990 in Westerville, Ohio

Enlisted: 22 December 1942

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Spouse: Betty Rosensteele

Pension Record: unknown

Buried: Otterbein Cemetery, Westerville, Ohio

Have you found a good way to keep track of the veterans in your family tree? If so, I’d like to hear how you do it. And if not, why not make a list like this for yourself? If you post it online, feel free to share a link in the comments section below.

Wishing every veteran a good Veteran’s Day, with heartfelt thanks—

Shelley

Related Posts:

Newel King, 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Thank You to a Special WWII Veteran

Honoring Civil War Veterans at The Ridges

The National Mall at Night

Enjoying the Ride of Summer

You might have noticed things have been a little quiet here at A Sense of Family lately. That’s because in real life, things have been going full-tilt: up, down, around, sideways, you name it. And the roller coaster doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon. Here’s what I’ve done in the past three weeks:

Took part in an amazing week of learning and fun at GRIP (the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh), as a student in Joshua Taylor’s class, Bridging the 1780-1840 Gap: From New England to the Midwest. Not only did I learn a lot about this fascinating but challenging time period, I enjoyed good talks with friends and got to know new people. Between the knowledgable and approachable instructors, high quality course content, great company, and the relaxed summer camp atmosphere, GRIP is a winner all around.

Classmates Harold Henderson and Kimberly Powell puzzle things out at GRIP

Got lost trying to find an old cemetery in Bainbridge, Ohio where my husband’s 4th-great-grandparents are buried. If anyone needs to know how not to get to McFarland Cemetery, just give me a shout. (I did eventually find it and got some nice pictures—it’s a pastoral spot.)

Spent a week at my husband’s family’s lake house in northeastern Ohio with my kids, father- and mother-in-law, sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. Every year, we rent trailers, walk to a roadside diner for breakfast, hang out in the boats, read novels, and take turns fixing happy hour and dinner. Despite the cloudy and cool weather, we had a good time (as the bottles in the recycling bin can attest) and are ready to do it again next year.

Visited the Portage County Historical Society to do some research in their files, shelves, and scrapbooks full of mostly original materials on the people and history of the area. They have the county’s old probate packets, and while I didn’t find the one I was hoping for, I looked through Fitch Bishop's again, just because it’s so cool. Even though I came away with only small nuggets of information—no big breakthroughs—it was an afternoon well spent.

Attended the 85th annual Roush (Rausch) & Allied Families Association Reunion with my mom and aunt. I met a new-to-me cousin with a neat family heirloom (more on that in a later post), posed in the annual family picture, and learned to sing “Homelands of the Roushes” (well, don’t hold me to that last bit).

Volunteered in the Genealogy Tent at the Dublin Irish Festival, answering people’s questions about how to find their family history. I love doing this. You never know what the next person in line might ask. Of course, I had to stay after my shifts and listen to some soul-stirring and rabble-rousing Irish music, too. Over three days, my son and I made the rounds between The High Kings, Red Hot Chili Pipers, FullSet, Carlos Nunez, and We Banjo 3, watched the dancers from the Richens/Timms Academy, and joined the late night fun fest outside the Gaelic Storm tent. Awesome.

We Banjo 3 at the 2013 Dublin Irish Festival

Responded to a new cousin and fellow researcher who spotted a connection with my 3rd-great-grandmother on one of my Ancestry.com family trees. Seriously, you’ve got to love those shaking leaves.

Ok, I’m just going to stop there. You get the picture. Now I’m helping two kids get ready to go back to college, going to Athens for a wedding on Saturday, and trying to make a research plan for the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne. Because the next big thing on the agenda is the 2013 FGS Conference, which starts in just one week. At the rate I’m going, it will be here in the blink of an eye. If you haven’t signed up yet, you still have one more day, through Wednesday, August 14, to register and get access to the syllabus in advance. Or just show up at the door of the Ft. Wayne Conference Center and join in. I’d post a list about what I’m packing, except I haven’t even started yet (what, that doesn’t surprise you?). If you’d like to see what other, more organized people are packing, here’s a post from the FGS Conference Blog that might help.

It’s a wild ride, this thing called Summer. I’m hanging on tight and loving every minute of it. Hope you’re having a good one, too.

--Shelley

Lewis Zirkle: Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

Randy Seaver has invited us to indulge in some “Semi-Random Research” during his weekly Saturday Night Genealogy Fun at Genea-Musings, saying:

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:

1)  We're going to do a little bit of Semi-Random Research tonight...

2)  Go to your family tree database of choice (you know, like RootsMagic, Reunion, Ancestry Member Tree), and determine who the very last person on your list of names is.

3)  What do you know about this person based on your research?  It's OK to do more if you need to - in fact, it's encouraged!

4)  How are you related to this person, and why is s/he in your family tree?

5)  Tell us about it in a blog post of your own, in a comment to this blog post, or in a Facebook Status post or Google+ Stream post.

I decided to take Randy up on this challenge, because the last person in my Reunion database is from a family I haven’t written about before. His name is Lewis Zirkle, or in the original German, Zerckel. The surname is sometimes found in American records as “Circle.” Lewis is a collateral relative to me, related by marriage to my seventh-great-aunt, Mary or Magdalena Roush.

Lewis Zirkle was born about 1740 in Telford, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.(1) He was one of several sons of Lewis Zerckel the elder, who emigrated from Germany and later migrated from southeastern Pennsylvania to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia before the Revolutionary War, the same as Mary’s father, John Adam Roush (Johan Adam Rausch).

Lewis Zirkle the younger settled on Smith Creek in Rockingham County, Virginia, near the town of New Market. Family lore holds that he and Mary had four sons and four daughters. They remained on their Smith Creek land all their lives. At the time of Lewis’ death at age 77, he owned 1500 acres, with a tannery and a mill. He died January 22, 1815. He and Mary are buried in the graveyard of St. Matthews Lutheran Church in New Market.(2)

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has recognized Lewis Zirkle as a patriot for his contributions to the Revolutionary cause.(3)

The histories of the Zirkle and Roush families intertwined further with other marriages, even as descendents of both families moved westward and settled in Gallia County and Meigs County, Ohio. In studying one family, it helps to study the other. They played a big role in each other’s cast of friends, associates, and neighbors over the course of multiple generations.

Thanks for this challenge, Randy!

--Shelley

(1) Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com: accessed 11 April 2010), Lewis H. Zirkle memorial, no. 33568802, created by Jonathan Grimm on 5 February 2009, citing Saint Matthews Cemetery, New Market, Shenandoah County, Virginia.

(2) Lester L. Roush, History of the Roush Family in America, vol. 1 (Strasburg, Virginia: Shenandoah Publishing House, 1928), p. 677-682.

(3) “Ancestor Search,” Genealogical Research System database, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/?tab_id=0: accessed 12 January 2013), Lewis Zirkle, ancestor no. A131098, Virginia.