The First Baptist Church of Milford Center

The First Baptist Church of Milford Center was organized May 12, 1855, with the following constituent members: Elijah Witter and wife, Joseph Halteman and wife, John S. Fulton and wife, Lucy A. Lucas, Horace Andrews and Thomas Andrews, with Elijah Witter as Deacon, and Joseph Halteman as Clerk. Trustees, Elijah Witter, James Simpson, Joseph Halteman and Horace Andrews. The following have been pastors of the church: Revs. James Simpson, A.J. Wyant, H.H. Witter, Gray D. Bryant, John Wright, H.H. Dunaway, W.N. Bean, and Rev. H.P. Clark who is the present Minister.

W. H. Beers, The History of Union County, Ohio. Vol. 2, Pt. 1 p. 188

The tale of two Fannies

There was no way around the fact that the records were sealed. In perpetuity. Like forever. Without a court order, there was absolutely no way to get to them. The Probate Court clerks would not even provide a date range so we could figure out if the records were even related to, Frances (Fannie) Dixon, the Great, Great, Great, Great Grandmother in question. There was only one whispered hint. They were usually sealed for reasons of adoption or insanity. Well, we knew it wasn't adoption. She arrived from Virginia as a married woman.

I sat at the dining room table drumming my fingers and pondering the options. Fannie died in 1863 at 63 years old. She was in the census in 1860. It didn't make sense that she would have been committed because she died just 3 years later, safely in her bed.

I went back to the drawing board, frustrated. Well, OK, let's then revisit the last census she was in. For the first time, I noticed that they had a girl, named Fannie, living with them who was 22. That would have made her mother over 40 when she had her. Not all that unusual. But, what if the girl had Down's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or some birth defect. In the 1870 census, Grandma Fannie's husband John is living with their son, John Jr., no daughter Fannie to be found.

Working under the assumption that the girl had some sort of issues and lived at home until the mother died, then the father and brother could not or would not handle her, I took a chance, and checked the 1870 census to see if she might have been a resident at the local Infirmary. Bingo. There she was. She was also there in 1880.

Since my sister has a copy of the Infirmary records, I called her; and sure enough Fannie Dixon was placed in the Infirmary in 1867. So, her family did try to manage her for four years. BUT also in those records, was her being transferred to the State Hospital in 1888 at the age of 50. The State Hospital was the Insane Asylum.

While I do not know what Fannie's diagnosis was, I now believe that the sealed records at the Probate Court are where her family had her committed. Perhaps her condition deteriorated or she grew violent as she aged. There is no 1890 census to look at and I am not even sure if the residents of the State Hospital were enumerated in any census.

Have you found sealed records in your search? Were you able to work around them?

Perennials for Old Ancestors

Many, many years ago, (mmm, maybe, oh heavens, maybe 20) my aunt Betty and I planted daisies at the grave of Martha Holmes Romick Schertzer, one of my ancestors on her side of the family. I am not sure if those daisies are there any longer, (deer would be my guess) but I still love the idea of perennials for old, out of the way stones from long ago ancestors. I have been talking about doing it again for some time. Since I'm here in Ohio for my Mom's birthday, I cajoled my sister into digging up some perennials from her backyard to take over to Mitchell cemetery, one of the oldest in the county. On, may I add, the afternoon on one of the hottest days. Many of my mother's early ancestors (Browns and Patches) are buried there.

There were Black-eyed Susans for Susannah Brown (1834-1895). Heh. Appropriate, no?

And Coneflowers for her husband, Isaiah (1829-1896)

Our more distant ancestors are buried in the old section of the cemetery.

Rosanna Maus Brown, (1747-1832) the wife of Adam Brown, was the matriarch of the clan. In about 1831 or so, (at age 84) she made the rugged cross-country wagon trip with her youngest son Christopher and his family.

Her eldest son Windle (1768-1850) and his wife, Amelia Wilson (1773-1853) followed in 1834. Sometimes the choice of flowers was about the size of the plant rather then about any significance. Windle's stone is short while Amelia's is tall.

I cannot even imagine when flowers might have been planted for them last.

Met and Married on the Same Day or Not

The oldest son of Joseph Temple, Sen., was born May 6, 1827, in Adams County, Ohio. His parents moved to Jackson township when he was fifteen years of age. He remained at home with his parents until over age, clearing, making rails and building fence being his principal occupations.

July 6, 1849 he was married to Lucy A. Andrews, 23, who was then teaching school in Arbela. Her parents, Horace and Azubah Andrews, resided near Marysville and she borrowed a horse of one of the school directors, ostensibly to pay a visit home. He, not wishing her to travel so far unprovided with an escort and, not knowing that she was already supplied, asked Mr. Temple to accompany her. Of course the modest Joseph meekly acquiesced; and early Friday morning they stared for Marysville, well mounted. A heavy shower delayed them and the hour for dinner found them on the bank of Blue Creek. Halting before the door if a rude log cabin, they inquired for dinner and were invited to dismount. They were treated to an antenuptial feast of corn bread, speck and onions. Arriving at Marysville, they repaired to the residence of Esq. Jas Turner and were there married, when in Mr. Temple's own language, "we got on our horses and went on our way rejoicing."

Sunday they returned, she to the school room and he to the harvest field.

When her school closed Mr. Temple rented his grand-mother's farm and they went to housekeeping in the rude log house yet standing near his present residence, a memento of those early happy days.

Memories & Sketches, Civil War Era, Northern Union County, Ohio, Ancestrails Study Group, 2000, p. 98. Material taken from the Richwood Gazette, 1890s.

This begs but also answers some questions.

Was Joseph and Lucy Ann courting prior to the ride? This sketch seems to suggest that might be the case, OR did she meet and marry Joseph all in the matter of a few hours. If so, for a modest man, he must have been a smooth talker.

Lucy Ann Andrews was my Great, Great, Great Aunt, sister to John Morris Andrews. I found Azubah Andrews, their mother, in the 1860 census living with her Grandson Horace on the Temple farm. Her son, John Morris Andrews, while living in the same township was not closeby. While trying to figure out the Temple connection and how Azubah could be living on the same farm, yet in a separate household, I stumbled across the fact the her daughter, Lucy Ann married a Temple. After reading this sketch, it now makes sense since there was a separate cabin. While there still are questions, small locally published booklets can provide clues to how our ancestor's lived.

Civil War Service

Granville Robertson’s Civil War service according go his Obit.

He served two months as a private soldier in the Civil War; afterwards volunteering as a sharpshooter. He hired a substitute afterward, paying him $200 in money and signing over his bounty to him, amounting to $500 altogether. His substitute’s name was Benjamin Messer. He lives near Newton now Raymond.

When the adjutant general of the state ordered the organization of the militia he enlisted in Co. D. 1^st Regiment in Union County, and was elected second Lieutenant. He served in that capacity during the organization but was never call into actual army service. John Hartshorn was colonel of the regiment and A.P. Hill was government drill master.

Richwood Gazette March 6, 1913. P. 1 c 4.

This a copy of the 1890 Veterans Schedule.