Week 18 - Institutions - Sheridan family

Institution is a word of many definitions. 

The first one that comes to mind is a public or private place for the care or confinement of inmates, especially mental patients or other persons with physical or mental disabilities. 

Very few families from the last Century have been exempt from dealings with local institutions. Whether a physically challenged person or an elderly family member that really wasn't ill but dealing with issues such as dementia. Much different than today.

My great grandfather Michael Sheridan was sent to the Traverse City State Hospital in 1924. The TCSH was built in 1881. The first superintendent was James Munson. He was a forward-thinking individual and used 'beauty and work' theories. Not drugs and restraints. There was a working farm, wood shops, greenhouses and other activities for the patients to be fully engaged in. 

In 1924, the usual and normal way was to 'commit' a person who could no longer be given the care needed. You didn't just show up and leave someone, you had to have them evaluated and a doctor had to send a letter that the person needed help. Then legally all of his assets had to be listed, items had to be sold, and family members had to sign a form that they agreed with the doctor and any assessments, and then the person could be taken to the 'hospital'.

There is also the institution of the family. Something we all have in common. We have each other's backs, we rejoice in triumphs, commiserate the lows. We research our family to know those that came before. To try and understand their daily lives, how they did daily chores, went to work, came home, customs for weddings, going to school. All the things that we have done.... they did also. Just differently.

My great-grandfather Michael E Sheridan was born 2 Oct 1850 in New York, the son of immigrants Patrick and Margaret (Hughes) Sheridan. By 1854 Patrick and Margaret and their young family were living in Jackson County, Michigan on land that Patrick's father Michael, Sr had bequeathed to him in his Will and in July 1860, they were enumerated in Brooklyn Village, Jackson County, Michigan.  Following the sale of the original bequest, they then settled in Fulton, Gratiot County which eventually became the town of Perrinton. Patrick and Margaret were the parents of seven children. 

Michael (Jr) became a man of means, having inherited the family business and also had worked his whole life on the family farm and at the Poultry Hall. He married Elizabeth Holland 5 Nov 1877 in Owosso, Shiawassee, Michigan and had nine children - seven of them living to adulthood. 

By 1924 Michael took to wandering the streets and was often unruly and threatening. I was told many years ago that he had threatened his daughter in law with a knife. (That would have been Pauline - my grandma Sheridan) He was aged 74 and in today's world, he probably would have been diagnosed with dementia. 

When my great grandfather was struggling physically and mentally, the family would have joined forces and taken turns making sure he was safe, was eating regularly and getting proper medical help, until he needed more care than they could give. Committing him would have felt like a disgrace to the family—a sign that they couldn’t cope with something their ancestors had always managed on their own. 

Michael was remanded to the Traverse City State Hospital by the Probate Court for the County of Gratiot, State of Michigan on the 20th of March 1924. On the 6th of September 1924, Michael died from arterium sclerosis. (Hardening of the arteries) which can cause confusion in the brain.

He was buried in the family plot at Mary Knoll Cemetery in Carson City, Michigan next to his wife Elizabeth (Holland) who had died 9 Feb 1908.

Barbie

Week 17 - DNA - Conner Family

 DNA does not lie.

That is what they say. So, as I was questioning the Conner origins, doing a DNA test would be able to help clear up any controversy. Right?

My husband Dan was a tall, red-headed young man when we met in High School. I soon learned he was the son of another tall, red-headed man. And his dad's brother also had red hair when younger and even went by the name of 'Red'.

With a name like Conner - I was excited to meet, date and eventually marry an Irishman. And his mom was a Daly!

Back in the early1970's there was no such thing as computers, cell phones and DNA testing.  So, I began researching his family the old-fashioned way...by mail, utilizing the local Family Search library, and subscribing to genealogy magazines. My favorite thing to do was take a 'road trip' and my husband was wonderful about driving me about.

His grandfather George Conner was born in Michigan. Great-grandfather William Conner had been born in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. And 2x great grandfather Jacob Conner was born in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania! And so was 3x great grandfather Conrad Conner. 4x great grandfather William was born in 1757 in New York. Where was Ireland?

As I worked my way back through birth, marriage, death, census records (remember, I had to write to all of the courthouses, send some money and then wait for their reply) there began to be more questions than answers.

Canadian census records ask a person's religion. Something that the United States doesn't ask. And from 1851, 1861, 1871...all the way to 1901...our Conner people stated they were Methodist or German Methodist. And nationalities were German, not Irish. Little hints began to come out - no Michael or Patrick names - lots of Conrad, Jacob, Eli, Isaac....

As I researched more into Pennsylvania, I began to look for Quaker records, off the beaten path records, Wills, Probate and land records. Never a definite answer, but just enough to keep the doubts going.

With the advent of DNA testing, I was one of the first to sign up. Dan's dad had passed away when Dan was only 6 years old...but his dad's brother (Uncle George) was still alive then. I offered to pay for the testing and luckily, he said yes. I purchased it, sent it off by mail to him and made the account and waited. And when the results came back - no Irish! German, Northwestern European, Scottish, French (his mother was a Robinet - French Canadian).  Over the last 20 years, DNA results have evolved and now the results are Germanic Europe, Northwestern European, Scottish, French and Irish (2%).

So, I feel that our Conner name is not classified Irish, but definitely German and Scottish. 

That 4x great grandfather William and his wife Rachel (Lemon) had seven children born in Pennsylvania. All of them and their children lived and died in Whitchurch and Stouffville, Ontario, Canada. 

3x great grandfather Conrad and his wife Elizabeth (Keeler) had 13 children. Two of their sons John and James came into Michigan and settled in Isabella County. Conrad and Elizabeth died in Whitchurch, Canada.

1861 Whitchurch, Ontario, Canada census - Religion:  Mennonist

2x great grandfather Jacob and his wife Diantha (Graham) were the parents of seven living children. Five of those children migrated into Michigan: William, Ada, Archibald, Franklin and Edward. Jacob and Diantha lived and died in Stouffville, Canada6+

53.2.

1871 Whitchurch, Ontario, Canada census - Religion:  Methodist

Origin:  German

William Conner (b1864) was the first of Dan's direct line to come to the United States. He arrived 17 Mar 1902 from Sarnia, Canada into Port Huron, Michigan via the Grand Trunk Railroad. He married Ruth (Kipp) in 1907, who he met after arriving in the Lapeer, Michigan area. He became an American citizen in 1926.

<From the History of Stouffville/Whitchurch (Ontario, Canada)....

Settlers began to arrive in Whitchurch Township as early as 1794 and came from a variety of backgrounds. Among the very first settlers to Whitchurch were a group of about 40 Quaker families led by Timothy Rogers. The Quakers came mostly from Pennsylvania, Vermont and New York and settled in the northeast part of Whitchurch in 1801. Hessian (German) soldiers, who had been hired by the British to help fight in the American War of Independence, received parcels of land as payment for their military service. Frederic Baron de Hoen was one such officer who received a total of 13 farm lots or 2600 acres. Those who settled in the southeast part of Whitchurch near Stouffville, were mostly Mennonites from the United States and arrived during the early 1800s.>

I'm still on the fence - German, Scottish or Pennsylvania Dutch? The search is on!

Barbie

Week 16 - Oldest Story - Dillingham Family

Usually, research starts with now and works its way back. But I am going to start at the end of one of my lines (so far). 

It starts with John Dillingham, born ca1490 in Upper Dean, Bedfordshire, England. John married Joan Olyff from Over Dean, Bedfordshire, England. They were the parents of 10 children. I descend from their youngest son William Dillingham, born ca1540. And the next 12 generations down to me have a lot of stories that they can tell.

But I want to concentrate today on my 11th great-grandfather's brother. His name was Walter Dillingham, and he was born ca1526 in Upper Dean, Bedfordshire, England and was married to Alice Roulte.  They were the parents of six children.  

Their first-born son was Francis Dillingham who was born 15 Aug 1568 in Upper Dean, England and died 24 Feb 1625 in Wilden, England. 

Francis was an English Protestant scholar and cleric. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, becoming a Fellow there in 1594. He was one of the 47 scholars appointed to the "First Cambridge Company" charged by James I of England with the translation of parts of the Old Testament for the King James Authorized Version of the Bible. He was renowned for his mastery of the Greek language and authored several theological treatises, including a "Manual of the Christian Faith".  Francis died a bachelor in 1625.

Their second-born son was Thomas Dillingham. Thomas was born 3 Oct 1570 in Upper Dean, Bedfordshire, England. Thomas and his wife Frances Jackman were the parents of two children. Thomas was Rector of Upper Dean, Bedfordshire. A bible (450 years old) was acquired by David Wiltshire, Peterborough, England, that had belonged to Thomas and was fully restored and then donated to Jesus College, Cambridge where Thomas had attended.  An amazing find and very wonderful that it was placed where it can be seen by many. 

Another interesting tidbit is that Thomas is the 9th great grandfather of Lady Diana Frances Spencer and the 10th great grandfather of the future King of England, William, Prince of Wales.  

So, Thomas's father Walter and my 11th great grandfather were brothers, and we can lay claim to a relationship to William, Prince of Wales and his mother Lady Diana Spencer.

Barbie

 

Week 15 - Big Mistake - Smith Family

Way back - back before computers were commonplace, I received a letter from my husband's Aunt Virginia (Smith) Frantz. She was the family genealogist for his Smith/Daly family back then. I had the basics, but she had the 'meat' of the family.

In the letter, she stated that she had discovered that her 2x great grandfather had been William S Smith - who descended from his father William Stubens Smith. This 3x great grandfather had been married to Catherine Johnson, and he was the son of Col William Stephens Smith and Abigail (Adams) Smith, also called "Nabby".  Abigail was the daughter of President John Adams and his wife Abigail (Smith). 

Very exciting news! Of course, the internet was not what it is today, access to far-reaching library shelves was only after a road trip, and often even then, books were not accurate. So, the news languished in my mountains of notes, papers, and even in my software program for a number of years.  Until one day that I decided to try and prove the relationship. Lordy - what a tangled web we weave....

William S Smith is a very, very common name. Especially when you wander back into the late 1700's and early 1800's.  And I had Stubens, Sims and Stephens as a replacement for that S. 

I started my search with my husband's grandmother - Margaret Amanda (Smith) Daly. She was the oldest daughter of Noble Ray Smith and Edith Emily (Stewart). 

Noble Ray was the youngest son of Edward S Smith and Amanda (LeBar). Edward S Smith was the 5th of 10 children of Alexander Sims Smith and Elizabeth (Jenkins). 

So far, so good. All the Birth, Marriage, Death and census records matched up for me. I was on a roll! 

Alexander Sims Smith shows as the son of William S Smith. If Aunt Virginia was correct, William S Smith would have married Catherine Johnson and would have been the son of Col William Stephens Smith and Abigail (Adams).  Col Smith had been born in New York.

But...

Following all of the research - birth, marriage, death, wills, articles in books, articles in newspapers, cemeteries .... our William S Smith was born 1796 in Marykirk, Scotland and on 23 May 1813 he married Jane Dunn in Saint Nicholas, Scotland. They migrated first to Canada and then settled in Mayfield, Lapeer County, Michigan where they and their two sons - John and Alexander lived and died.

And further research - Citing the Magazine of American History Vol XXII - July-Dec 1889 pages 74-76....Page 76, second paragraph states:  The eldest son of Col William Stephens Smith and Abigail (Adams), William Steuben Smith married Catharine Johnson and died childless at Newburgh in 1850.

So, unless Col William Stephens Smith had an illegitimate child, (which was suggested by a researcher that I corresponded with years ago) unfortunately, our family is NOT related to President John Adams. 

Barbie