Genealogy Time Machine

If you're like myself, you're constantly wishing you could speak to a long-deceased ancestor. Even just for a minute or two. This happened to me tonight and it got me to thinking.. why not blog about it? So here are my absolute top three choices of who, when, where and why I would go back in time.

#1

Who: My 2nd-great-grandmother, Eszter Tóth Gombás

When: October 1909

Where: Ellis Island

Why: According to family stories, she brought along with her while immigrating from Hungary to America, documents on her noble heritage and family tree. Within these documents was information detailing a family connection to a king from about 600 years ago. I know much of her ancestry, but I would do anything to know what details she knew on her noble Hungarian heritage.

#2

Who: Hiram Howell

When: 1853

Where: Tippah County, Mississippi

Why: I want to know all the details of his murder! Why did his son-in-law, Lindsey Slaughter, shoot and kill him? And why wasn't he convicted of murder?

#3

Who: My 3rd-great-grandmother, Ellen Hovis Martin

When: Late 1830's

Where: Lincoln County, North Carolina

Why: She was an illegitimate daughter of first cousins. She lived in a house with her mother and two other illegitimate children, on land that her paternal grandfather had specifically given to her mother.. to provide for her. Ellen's biological father died when she was only 5 years old. It would be amazing to peak into the life of Ellen in her pre-teen years, to see what kind of hardships she was going through and what life was like for her, her mother and her siblings.

I would love to hear your top three choices! Share them in the comments or post the link from the blog post!

Surname Saturday #23: Hovis/Hoffman (Illegitimate Line)

This has been an extremely difficult line to research. But, thanks to a very helpful lead from a newly found cousin a few years ago, I was able to knock down a brick-wall and find a wealth of information. Here is what I know on this family:

1. Ellen P. Hovis
b. 04 Mar 1824, Lincoln County, North Carolina
d. 1870/1880, Carroll County, Mississippi
m1. Robert Caneda/Kenedy; 23 Jan 1840, Lincoln County, North Carolina
m2. William S. Martin; 02 Sep 1845, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Margaret E. Kenedy, b. abt 1841, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Mary C. Martin, b. abt 1846, Gaston County, North Carolina
*Elmira Terissa Martin, b. 28 Jan 1848, Gaston County, North Carolina
*Samuel Christopher Columbus Martin, b. 02 Feb 1850, Gaston County, North Carolina
*Saliana Martin, b. abt 1854, Gaston County, North Carolina
*John L. Martin, b. Feb 1856, Gaston County, North Carolina
*Nancy Martin, b. abt 1858, Gaston County, North Carolina
*Ollie M. Martin, b. abt 1860, Mississippi

2. Jonas Hoyle Hoffman
b. abt 1788, Lincoln County, North Carolina
d. 1829, Lincoln County, North Carolina
m1. Mary Costner; abt 1813, Lincoln County, North Carolina
m2. Mary "Polly" Hovis; NOT MARRIED
*Eli Hoffman, b. 30 Feb 1814, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Michael Hoffman, b. 28 Dec 1816, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Jacob W. Hoffman, b. 10 Nov 1818, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Jonas Hoffman, b. 20 Jun 1820, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Ephraim Hoffman, b. 01 Jul 1822, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Ellen P. Hovis, (above) ILLEGITIMATE WITH MARY "POLLY" HOVIS
*Miles Hoffman, b. 12 Jul 1825, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*John McLean Hoffman, b. 10 May 1827, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Lanie Salena Hoffman, b. 01 Apr 1829, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Anna Mary Hoffman, b. 01 Apr 1829, Lincoln County, North Carolina

3. John Hoffman "Rich John", Revolutionary War soldier
b. abt 1760, Germany
d. 24 Sep 1832, Lincoln County, North Carolina
m. Margaret Hovis; abt 1785, probably Lincoln County, North Carolina.
*John Hoffman, b. abt 1786, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Jonas Hoyle Hoffman, (above)
*Catharine Hoffman, b. Jan 1790, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Jacob Hoffman, b. abt 1792, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Elizabety "Betsy" Hoffman, b. 01 Jun 1794, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Daniel Hoffman, b. 21 Jun 1797, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Joseph Hoffman, b. abt 1800, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Adam Hoffman, b. abt 1802, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Susanna Hoffman, b. abt 1804, Lincoln County, North Carolina
*Peter Hoffman, b. 10 Mar 1808, Lincoln County, North Carolina

4. Jacob Hoffman (speculative information)
b. abt 1716, Germany
d. abt 1789, probably North Carolina

FamilySearch Find Of The Day: Hiram Howell's Estate Probate Court Minutes

I had originally found this record several years ago, via microfilm through the LDS at my local FHC. It's located on microfilm number #0895813. Reading over the document, there may be a clue to another possible minutes entry, nine months after this one. Here is an image and extract of what is now available, freely online:


State of Mississippi
Tippah County
Be it remembered at a cession of the Probate court begun and held in said county on the third Monday and 16th day of January 1854 present and presiding the Hon. James Rogan judge of said court and the following proceedings were held to wit:

Hiram Howell, Dec'd.
        It appearing to the satisfaction of the court that widow and next of kin of Hiram Howell deceased destins administering his estate.
        It is therefore ordered by the court that letters of administration of the goods chattels and personal estate of Hiram Howell dec'd be granted to Milton McKay on his taking the oath prescribed by law and willing into bond in the sum of four thousand dollars with J. B. Selles and B. D. Nabers as securities and the said Milton McKay thereupon appeared in open court and took said oath and together with said securities signed sealed and delivered said bond.
        Said letters are now granted and ordered to be issued and recorded according to the statute.
        It is ordered by the court that William Robinson, B. D. Nabers, Thomas Bibb be appointed appraisers to stalcre? and appraise the good  chattels and personal estate of Hiram Howell deceased and that a warrant issue.
        It is also ordered by the court that the said William Robinson, B. D. Nabers, Thomas Bibb copy off and set apart to the widow and children of Hiram Howell dec'd one year provisions.
        It is also ordered that the said William Robinson, B. D. Nabers and Thomas Bibb do lay off and set apart to the widow of Hiram Howell dec'd the property exempmt from execution and which descends to said widow.
        It is ordered by the court that Milton McKay administrator of the Estate of Hiram howell deceased sell the goods, chattels and personal estate of his intestates estate upon a credit of nine months that be first advertise the time and place of sale as directed by the statute and take approved security for the purchase money.

Surname Saturday #13: Vance

Vance is the surname of my 2nd-great-grandmother on my maternal side. This is what I know on her family:

1. Minnie Josephine Vance
b. 03 Aug 1872, Montgomery County, Mississippi
d. 16 Jun 1919, Montgomery County, Mississippi
m. Allen Parks Rodgers; 08 Jan 1894, Montgomery County, Mississippi
*Joe Allen Rodgers, b. 06 Nov 1896, Carroll County, Mississippi
*Norman Lester Rodgers, b. 09 Jan 1897, Carroll County, Mississippi
*Fred Lamar Rodgers, b. 22 Feb 1900, Carroll County, Mississippi
*John Archie Rodgers, b. 04 Feb 1906, Carroll County, Mississippi

2. Joseph Wney Vance
b. Dec 1849, Tippah County, Mississippi
d. Feb 1881, Montgomery County, Mississippi
m. Zilpha Azalene Blaylock; abt 1871
*Minnie Josephine Vance, (above)
*Thomas Jefferson Vance, b. 03 Oct 1875, Montgomery County, Mississippi

3. George W. Vance
b. abt 1826, Tennessee
d. 1859/1860, Carroll County, Mississippi
m. Temperance "Tempey" Howell; about 1844, possibly Mississippi
*Thomas Vance, b. about 1846, Mississippi
*James C. Vance, b. about 1848, Mississippi
*Joseph Wney Vance, (above)
*R. Elizabeth "Betty" Vance, b. about 1854, Mississippi
*William M. Vance, b. abt 1855, Mississippi
*Hugh H. Vance, b. abt 1858, Mississippi
*Mary C. Vance, b. abt 1859, Mississippi

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Heritage Pie Chart

Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings has come up with the following challenge this week:

Your mission tonight, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) List your 16 great-great-grandparents with their birth, death and marriage data (dates and places).
2) Determine the countries (or states) that these ancestors lived in at their birth and at their death.
3) For extra credit, go make a “Heritage Pie” chart for the country of origin (birth place) for these 16 ancestors. [Hint: you could use the chart generator from Kid Zone for this.] [Note: Thank you to Sheri Fenley for the "Heritage Pie" chart idea.]
4) Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a post on Facebook or google+.

Here are the 14 I know (plus the states for the two that I do not know based on the information given by their daughter in the census).


1. Sándor Gombás, born 21 Feb 1872 in Büdszentmihály (today Tiszavasvári), Hungary. Died 02 May 1931 in Goff, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

2. Eszter Tóth, born 22 Sep 1874 in Tiszadob, Hungary. Died 04 Apr 1950 in Lore City, Guernsey County, Ohio.

3. Franciszek Grządziel, born 1872 in Barycz, Brzozów, Poland. Died 10 Jun 1927 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

4. Amelia Stec, born 29 Jun 1887/1888 in Barycz, Brzozów, Poland. Died April 1968 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

5. Joseph Adas, born 21 May 1882 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Died 20 Feb 1939 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

6. Josephine Domagalski, born 04 Sep 1886 in Medina, Orleans County, New York. Died 14 Nov 1958 in Manteno, Kankakee County, Illinois.

7. Wojciech Czarny, born 24 Apr 1888 in Osobnica, Jaslo, Poland. Died Oct 1961 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

8. Rozalia Sophia Wozniak, born 1887 in Osobnica, Jaslo, Poland. Died 22 Oct 1959 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

9. Allen Parks Rodgers, born 29 Jun 1873 in Carroll County, Mississippi. Died 14 Apr 1945 in Duck Hill, Montgomery County, Mississippi.

10. Minnie Josephine Vance, born 03 Aug 1872 in Montgomery County, Mississippi. Died 16 Jun 1919 in Montgomery County, Mississippi.

11. Samuel Christopher Columbus Martin, born 02 Feb 1850 in Gaston County, North Carolina. Died 16 Feb 1922 in Grenada or Montgomery County, Mississippi.

12. Samantha Aylene Costilow, born 02 Dec 1869 in Holmes County, Mississippi. Died 13 Aug 1908 in Carroll County, Mississippi.

13. Johann Philip Julius Stuempges, born 30 Nov 1860 in Newton, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Died 16 Feb 1951 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin.

14. Anna Weishaupt, born 06 May 1867 in Graber, Leitmeritz, Bohemia. Died 11 Jan 1951 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin.

15. Herman Wilhelm Gustav Martin, born 21 Jun 1882 in Gross Schönfeld, Kreis Greifenhagen, Pommern, Germany. Died 17 May 1968 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin.

16. Maria Summ, born 23 Jul 1883 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin. Died 06 Apr 1972 in Antigo, Langlade County, Wisconsin

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - the 1940 US Census

This is going to be a fun post. I saw on a website, that the 1940 census will be open to the public as of yesterday, one year from now. Immediately, I began thinking of who I should find first.

I've already been able to find my maternal grandparents. My grandfather, Thomas Thurman Rodgers, was born in Duck Hill, Montgomery County, Mississippi on 15 Jun 1928 to Fred Lamar Rodgers and Ellen Inez Martin. Here is an excerpt of him with his family in the 1930 census:

Rodgers, Fred L., Head, 30, Mississippi, Mississippi, Mississippi, Farmer
Rodgers, Ellen I., Wife, 27, Mississippi, Mississippi, Mississippi, Farm laborer
Rodgers, M. J., Son, 11, Mississippi, Mississippi, Mississippi
Rodgers, Virginia A., Daughter, 6, Mississippi, Mississippi, Mississippi
Rodgers, Wilburn H., Son, 4 8/12, Mississippi, Mississippi, Mississippi
Rodgers, Thomas T., Son, 16/12, Mississippi, Mississippi, Mississippi


My maternal grandmother was Elaine Florella Stuempges. She was born 31 Dec 1926 in Polar, Langlade County, Wisconsin, to Walter John Stuempges and Sylvia Maria Martin. Here is an excerpt of her with her family in the 1930 census:

Stuempges, Walter, Head, 30, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Bohemia, Mechanic in Garage
Stuempges, Sylvia, Wife, 20, Wisconsin, Germany, Wisconsin
Stuempges, Elaine, Daughter, 3, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Wisconsin
Stuempges, Eunice, Daughter, 1, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Wisconsin

As for my paternal grandparents, they were born after the 1930 census. My grandfather was John Edward Gombash. He was born 02 Oct 1935 in Caretta, McDowell County, West Virginia and was the son of Alex Gombash (previously Sándor Gombás) and Catherine Grządziel. Along with my great-grandparents and my grandfather, there will be 6 other children listed.. siblings to my grandfather. They're all living, so I won't state names and dates out of respect for their privacy.

My paternal grandmother was Mary Louise Adas. She was born 02 Mar 1940 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to Edward Robert Adas, Sr. and his wife Martha Violet Czarny. Now knowing she was born in 1940, I'm REALLY hoping she's listed in the census. I'm not sure of the months of which the census was take that year, so I'll have to do some research on that topic. She had one younger brother who was born in 1941.

I'm going to be really curious about my paternal great-great-grandmother, as well. She was Eszter (Tóth) Gombás. Her husband, my great-great-grandfather, had died in May of 1931. She will have been a widow for 9 years now. I'm not sure of the exact location of where she will be, but I believe she may be in Lore City, Richland Township, Guernsey County, Ohio. That's where her daughter Julia (Gombash) Mayors was hopefully living at the time. I do know that Eszter died in April of 1950 in Lore City. Maybe she'll even appear in the 1950 census, too! Boy am I impatient! :)

The Search For My Howell's: Land Deeds of Tippah County, Mississippi, 1836-1870

Land Deeds of Tippah County, Mississippi, 1836-1870

By: Martini, Don

B367

22 Nov 1838

Angus & Margaret M. Gillis of Marshall County, Mississippi to Hugh Davis

Wit: H. B. Howell, Samuel McCorkle

D452

08 Jan 1841

Josiah Alexander to David Howell of Fayette County, Tennessee

Wit: James Thompson, Milton Alexander

F97

24 Feb 1845

G. W. Vance to Simon R. Spight

Wit: Charles G. Yancey, Richard Shelton, James Embrey

F259

16 Jan 1843

Littleton C. Meeks to Johnathan Howell

Wit: P. N. Black, A. C. Nelms, J. M. Marthcross

G165

13 Jul 1846

Andrew Prather to daughter Jane G., wife of David B. Vance

G597

06 Jan 1847

George Street & Agnes M. Howell of Marshall County, Mississippi to James Howell

Wit: John C. Howell

G598

25 Jan 1847

James C. & Elizabeth Ann Howell to James Hurley

H197

03 Apr 1848

David & Parthene Howell to Hiram Howell

I198

09 Jun 1849

B. F. & Mary F. Scott to David Howell

J188

17 Aug 1850

Thomas & Charity Haley to Johnathan Howell

J567

26 Nov 1850

David & Parthenia Howell to F. W. Vance (G. W. Vance?)

K41

26 Jun 1851

John & Margaret E. Wright to Patrick H. Vance

K193

13 Oct 1851

George & Elizabeth Shankle to David Howell

K318

17 Jan 1852

G. W. & Temperance Vance to T. J. Davidson

M231

03 Dec 1852

Reece & Lugonia Howell to William Robinson

M576

11 Apr 1853

Orlando & Martha Davis to Reece Howell

N246

26 Jun 1854

Reece Howell to Rachel Howell

O325

04 Apr 1855

Reece Howell to O. F. Philbrick

P369

03 Nov 1855

Johnathan & Mary Howell of Studdard County, Missouri to Matthias Nelms

Q231

25 Jan 1855

Elizabeth Ann, widow of James C. Howell to James S. Roundtree

W735

01 Feb 1869

David Howell to son W. Y. Howell

My Brick Wall - The Costilow Family

When I first began my research and connected with extended cousin from Mississippi, they gave me the initial information on the Costilow's to begin my research.

My 3rd-great-grandfather is a James Andrew J. Costilow, born 25 Dec 1833 in Yazoo County, Mississippi. He died 22 Feb 1923 in Montgomery County, Mississippi. The family originally believed him to be the son of Christopher Costilow and Mary Reeder from Harrison/Barbour counties, Virginia (now West Virginia). Christopher and Mary Costilow did indeed have a son named James A. Costilow, born 10 Nov 1831 in Harrison County, Virginia, but he is not our James. James from Virginia, was married to an Eliza Robison in 1859 and could later be found in Barbour County, West Virginia in the 1870 census.

After finding that census and marriage information, I was positive that we did NOT connect in with the Virginia Costilow's. I soon found a 17 year old "James Costilough" in the 1850 census in Yazoo County, Mississippi. He was listed in the household of John Z. Bell and his wife Bertha. Also listed was a "Henry Costilough" at the age of 15, a probably brother to James.

I later found a marriage for a John Z. Bell to a Mrs. Mary B. Castlow on 14 Apr 1848 in Yazoo County, Mississippi. So this Mary Bertha Castlow/Costilough Bell is obviously the widowed mother of James and Henry. More in-depth research into Mississippi marriages finds a marriage for James Castilow to a Berthia Hopkins on 17 Sep 1818 in Adams County, Mississippi.

So now we know that James and Henry Costilow are the sons of James Costilow and Mary Bertha/Berthia Hopkins. A simple google book search brought up a title called "The David Hopkins family of New Jersey, 1696-2006", by Mildred Hopkins Pretzer and Dwayne Lewis Pretzer. The book listed a Bethia Hopkins, wife of James Costelow/Castillow, as the daughter of Gideon Hopkins and Sara "Sally" Luce/Luse. Both were originally from Morris County, New Jersey and resettled in Adams County, Mississippi sometime about 1796, when Gideon and Sally were married.

So, the ancestry of Mary Bethia Hopkins Costilow Bell is well documented, with her ancestors going back to the early English and French kings. As for her husband, James Costilow/Costelow/Castilow/Castillow, nothing is known prior to their marriage in 1818.

James appears in the 1818 MS State census for Adams County, as "James Costilow" and with only 1 male over 21 years of age in the household. So this was obviously before they married. He also appears in the 1820 and 1830 Federal census for Adams County. In 1820 he is listed as "James Costlow" and in 1830 he is listed as "Jas. Costeloe".

I am seeking any information on James Costilow. Anything of his parentage, siblings or any kin in general is appreciated, or even where he came from. Also seeking any death and probate information for him sometime between 1840 and 1848 in either Yazoo or Holmes counties, Mississippi.