While visiting my daughter in August in Rockville, Maryland, I went to the National Archives for three days while she was working during the day. I had been there for three days in June looking for information on Daniel McCoy, a Revolutionary War ancestor who had applied for a Revolutionary War pension in June, 1820, prior to his death on 30 January 1821. See previous blog posts on him for more information. I wanted to find the pension payment vouchers to see what additional information they might provide on him that wasn't in his pension file. There was nothing for him in the Selected Final Payment Vouchers that I checked in June (Record Group 217, Series 722). I also checked Registers of Pension Payments (14 unindexed volumes) in Record Group 217, Series 206 in June to see if they showed when he was paid by the Pennsylvania agency in Philadelphia but there were no entries for him. This is not as daunting as it seems since only certain volumes contain records for the Pennsylvania agency. The early volumes are the only ones that contain information on payments made under the Act of 1818 but I did not know this until I looked at all the volumes.
I decided to look at the Settled Accounts of Pension Agents in Record Group 217, Series 721 when I went back there in August. I knew he had been approved for a pension on 10 July 1820 from his pension file and I knew that he had died on 30 January 1821. I began by checking the Pennsylvania agency in Philadelphia for the fourth quarter of 1820 and the first quarter of 1821 but found nothing for him. I then checked the second quarter of 1821 and hit the jackpot. Daniel and John McCoy, as the administrators of his estate, filed for the pension payment due him. They appointed Robert Toland, an attorney in Philadelphia, to receive the payment for them. A pension payment could only be paid at that time by a pensioner receiving the payment himself at the U.S. Bank in Philadelphia or having an agent receive it for him. The administrators for Daniel McCoy, Sr. received $86.93 for the period from 4 March 1820 to 30 January 1821 when he died. Among the papers with the pension payment voucher is a letter dated 9 December 1820 stating that the schedule of his property had been received and that his pension would be paid the next March but no arrearages would be paid. The Pennsylvania agency was checked for the third quarter of 1820 but I found nothing for him. Since he was approved for a pension on 10 July 1820 retroactive to 8 June 1818, he should have received $167.16 in arrearages according to his pension file. No record could be found of it having been paid during the period from July, 1820 to May, 1821 when the final payment was made on his pension. I will look for it again if I am able to go back to the National Archives. The papers that were found with his pension payment voucher are included here since they contain valuable information that is difficult to access.
The pension payment voucher was number 874 and was filed with the M's for the second quarter of 1821 for the Pennsylvania agency in Philadelphia.
This is the pension certificate that was issued to him in July, 1820.
This is the four pages that the administrators submitted to receive the final pension payment for Daniel McCoy, Sr. Note that it gives the date when he died and includes the signatures of his administrators, Daniel and John McCoy, who were also his sons.
This was the letter sent to Daniel McCoy, Sr. in December, 1820 that the schedule of his property had been received and that he would be paid the following March but that no arrearages would be paid.
The following is the power of attorney for Robert Tolland.
The following is the receipt for the final payment.
I have been working on my Rowland family lately. See the previous post on Welsh Origin of Griffith Rowland and his parents of Cambria County, Pennsylvania for background on the Rowland family. William Rowland (1801-1883) was born in Cambria County and moved to South Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania about 1838. He married Clarissa Rundel (1809-1897) on 12 April 1832, probably in Cambria County. According to the History of Indiana County by Stewart, her parents were Gilbert Rundel and Amy Nichols from Genesee County, New York. This is the only place where I have found the maiden name of Gilbert Rundel's wife. Gilbert Rundel was living in Jackson Township, Cambria County in the 1830 census and in Carroll Township, Cambria County in the 1840 census. His wife Amy was living with her two sons Chaney and Asept in Carroll Township, Cambria County in the 1850 census. She was born about 1774 in Rhode Island according to the 1850 census. Gilbert was born between 1770 and 1780 based on his age in the 1840 census. He probably died sometime between 1840 and 1850 since he does not appear in the 1850 census.
Part of Pennsylvania was claimed by the Susquehanna Company as part of Connecticut in the second half of the 1700's. This was the area along the Susquehanna River. There was bloodshed and conflicts over this area claimed by both Pennsylvania and the Susquehanna Company settlers as part of Connecticut. In 1782 court commissioners, under the Articles of Confederation, decided this area belonged to Pennsylvania but cautioned Pennsylvania to treat the Susquehanna Company settlers fairly. Luzerne County was created in 1786 so that Susquehanna Company settlers could elect their own justices of the peace and representatives to the Pennsylvania legislature. All of the land claims of the Susquehanna Company settlers were not resolved with Pennsylvania until 1810. Luzerne County covered a much larger area in 1786 than it does today. Present day Bradford County was created in 1810 from parts of Luzerne and Lycoming counties.
Gilbert Rundel appears in the 1820 census in Canton Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He appears in the 1810 census in Caledonia Township, Genesee County, New York. Caledonia Township is part of Livingston County, New York today.
Gilbert appears in the 1800 census in Wysox Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. There is a Timothy Nichols living next to him in the 1800 census in Wysox Township. Reuben Case, Timothy Nichols' son-in-law, is also living nearby. Timothy Nichols and Reuben Case are living in Hebron Township, Washington County, New York in the 1790 census. Gilbert Rundel appears on an assessment list in Granville Township, Washington County, New York in 1799. Granville and Hebron townships in Washington County are adjacent to each other. Timothy Nichols, Sr. transferred land in Hebron Township, Washington County to his son Timothy Nichols, Jr. in 1797. Timothy Nichols, Jr. appears on an assessement list in Hebron Township, Washington County in 1799. Reuben Case settled in present day Troy Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania in 1798 according to a Bradford County history by Heverly. Timothy Nichols and his son-in-law, Reuben Case, and Gilbert Rundel were all living near each other in Wysox Township, Luzerne County in 1800.
A "Petition of the Inhabitants of Pennsylvania Who Settled on Lands Claimed Under Grants From the State of Connecticut" was read by Congress on 5 January 1802. Among the 1150 names on the petition dated 1 November 1801 were those of Reuben Case, Timothy Nichols, and Gilbert Randell. Congress did not act on their petition since they felt the matter had already been settled. It is believed that Amy Nichols' father was Timothy Nichols although positive proof has not been found.
Genesee County, New York was opened for settlement in 1802 and originally encompassed all of western New York. Gilbert Rundel left Luzerne County sometime after 1801 and was living in Caledonia Township, Genesee County by 1810. Sometime between 1810 and 1820 he moved to Canton Township, Bradford County. Sometime between 1820 and 1830 he moved to Cambria County. No deeds were found for Gilbert Rundel (also checked various spellings) in Genessee County, New York. No probate records were found for Gilbert Rundel in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
The 1820 census probably gives the best snapshot of Gilbert Rundel's family:
Free white males 16 thru 25-2
Free white males 45 and over-1
Free white females under 10-2
Free white females 10 thru 15-2
Free white females 45 and over-1
Number of persons engaged in agriculture-1
Cheney and Asept were living with Amy Rundel in the 1850 census but Clarissa is the only one of his daughters whose name is known.
Timothy Nichols married Experience Bowen on 9 September 1764 in Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island. Their marriage is recorded in the town records as well as the births of two of their children: Experience born 2 November 1766 and Timothy born 12 July 1769. Timothy Nichols household in the 1790 census in Hebron Township, Washington County, New York consisted of the following persons:
Free white males under 16-1
Free white males 16 and over-1
Free white females-4
His daughter Experience was not included in his household in 1790 since she had already married Reuben Case. His son Timothy would have been about 21 in 1790. If Amy was one of his daughters, then he had a son and three daughters whose names are unknown. Note that the 1850 census states that Amy Rundel was born in Rhode Island.
Volume 3 of Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and his descendants states that Timothy Nichols was a blacksmith and had sold all his property in Coventry, Rhode Island by 1772. The book also states he was absent from Coventry's 1774, 1777, and 1782 censuses; and from its town "inventory" in 1778. Where did Timothy Nichols move after he left Coventry? He purchases land in 1790 in Hebron Township, Washington County, New York and is in the 1790 census there. It should be noted that Washington County, New York is adjacent to Vermont and Connecticut. The New England Historical and Genealogical website, American Ancestors.org, has a database that has many New England records. The only records in its database for Timothy Nichols are for his marriage to Experience Bowen,and the births of their children, Experience and Timothy, mentioned previously. Timothy Nichols and his son-in-law, Reuben Case, appear in the 1820 census for Danby Township, Tioga County, New York. It is believed that this is where Timothy Nichols and his wife probably died since he does not appear in the 1830 census there. There are no deeds or probate records for Timothy Nichols in Tioga County, New York.
If anyone has any additonal information on Gilbert Rundel or Timothy Nichols, I would love to hear from you. Does anyone know the names of Gilbert Rundel's or Timothy Nichols' other children?
William Buterbaugh (1778-19August 1859)and his wife Christena Rodkey/Rotkey (1776-25 September 1859) are buried at the East Mahoning Baptist Cemetery in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. They had eight children who will not be named since the Buterbaugh family is not our focus here today but their children are named in the following Indiana County deeds: deed book 25, page 626 and deed book 26, page 121. The short biography for Joseph L. Buterbaugh in Caldwell's 1880 History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania on page 482 gives his grandparents' names as William and Christina Buterbaugh nee Rotkey. This is the only mention of her maiden name that I can find other than later family histories. William Buterbaugh came from Huntingdon County where Elias and Rosina Rodkey owned a tavern in Williamsburg, Woodberry Township. A William Butterbaugh is living in Morris Township, Huntingdon Township in 1800 near Joseph and Peter Butterbaugh. William Butterbaugh is 16 to 25 with a wife the same age and one son under 10. He appears in 1810 in Allegheny Township, Huntingdon County under the name Wm Booterbaugh and in 1820 in Woodberry Township, Huntingdon County under the name William Butterbock. He is in Green Township in the 1830 census under the name William Buterbaugh.
Now for the Rodkey family. Elias Rodkey first apppears in Williamsburg, Huntingdon County in 1798 when he is taxed under the U.S. Direct Tax. He owned 2 houses and 2 lots in the town of Williamsburg. He also appears in the 1800 census but died prior to
19 December 1801 when his wife Rosina and son Jacob filed letters of administration to administer his estate. Rosina appears in the 1810 census as R. Rodkey in Williamsburg, Huntingdon County. She is a female 45 years and over living near her son Jacob. She died sometime after this.
Elias and Rosina Barbara Rodkey had children baptized at Friedens Lutheran Church (also known as the Allemangel or White Church) near Stony Run, Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania between 1762 and 1776. The name was spelled Ratchen or Rathge in the baptismal records. These records are available in Rev. Schumacher's record book, in the baptismal register for Friedens Lutheran Church, and on Ancestry.com. There are two baptims for a Christine:
1). Christine Rathge, born 9 December 1773, baptized 1 January 1774
Parents: Elias and Rosina Rathge
Sponsors: Geo. Michael Reinhart and Chrine Boeander
2). Christine Margaret baptized 11 August 1776, 13 weeks old
Parents: Elias and Rosina Barbara Ratchen
Sponsors: Henry Geuck and Anna Marg. Boelender
If one goes by the information on Christena Buterbaugh's tombstone, she was born about 1776. That would indicate that it is the second Christine but I have never seen the name Margaret used for her.
Elias and Christine Rodkey and their children appear in church records in Maryland between 1784 and 1796. Elias and his wife Rosina Radge(h) appear in the records of St. Benjamin's Lutheran Church (also known as Krider's or Pipe Creek) near Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, as communicants and sponsors in 1786 and 1791. Their son Jacob and his wife Margaret have two daughters, Elisabeth (1786) and Mary (1796) baptized at this church.
Elias' son Jac. Radgie, single, and his daughter, Cathr. Radge, single, were communicants on 7 November, 1784 at St. Mary's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Silver Run, Carroll County, Maryland. It is assumed that Elias and his wife Rosina were living in Carroll County, Maryland also at this time.
The Lutheran church record for St. Paul's Church of Arcadia, Baltimore County, Maryland, was destroyed in a fire but the Rev. C. Stork Jones published a pamphlet in 1902 on the history of the church. According to this pamphlet, Elias and Rosina Barbara Rathge and their children Christina and Daniel appeared in the records for this church in 1794.
A Nicholas Rathge of Albany Township died in Berks County in 1760. His will was written 22 April 1760 and probated 23 May 1760. He names his wife Maria Anna Ursula and his children Elias and Anna Margaret in his will. Elias Ratchen and Maria Ursula (son and wife of Nicholas Rattge) were sponsors for Maria Ursula, daughter of Johann Wilhelm Weynand and Gerdraut on 13 November 1757 at the Allemangel Church (see Record Book of Daniel Schumacher).
Nicolas Rattge arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 26 September, 1737 on the ship, Saint Andrew Galley. Although only male names are recorded on the ship's lists, his wife Maria Ursula and children Elias and Anna Margaret probably came with him since he was married and his children were born prior to his arrival. Johan Nickel Radge and Maria Ursula Helffrich (May) were married on 4 December 1717 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. Anna Margretha Radje was born 22 May 1727 and baptized 25 May 1727 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. Elias Radgen was born 17 August 1732 and baptized 19 August 1732 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. These records are in Anna K. Burgurt's book, Eighteenth Century Emigrants From Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt To Pennsylvania. They are available on FamilySearch.org. There is a discrepancy on the last name of Maria Ursula. FamilySearch states her name is Maria Ursula Helffrich. Anna K. Burgurt's book states she is a daughter of Henrich Helffrich May. The original marriage record needs checked to clarify which one is correct.
There was an Elias Ratgen on the same ship, Saint Andrew Galley, that arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 26 September 1737. He is often confused with Nicholas Rathge's son Elias that died in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Elias Ratgen was a son of Joachim and Rosina Dorothea. He was born 27 March 1715 and baptized 29 March 1715 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. He married Magdalena Spindler on 14 May 1737 in Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. His second wife was Rosina Ziegler according to the Genealogical and Biographical Annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, page 940. He died before 28 June 1788 in Berks County, Pennsylvania where he owned property in Cumru Township. An Orphans' Court record in Berks County dated 25 March 1789 (Orphans Court Proceedings Volume 4, page 64) names his heirs. It names his wife Rosina, his "eldest and only son Elias," as well as his daughters and their husbands.
Joachim and Rosina Dorothea Radge also had a son Johann Jacob Radge, who was born 25 October 1719 and baptized 28 October 1719. He was on the ship, Robert and Alice, that arrived in Philadelphia on 3 December 1740. He died before 28 July 1784 in Berks County, Pennsylvania where he owned property in Union Township. An Orphans Court record in Berks County dated 11 August 1784 (Orphans Court Proceedings Volume 3, pages 105-106) names his heirs. It names his wife Catharine, sons John and John Adam, as well as his daughters and their husbands.
It is not known how the Elias and Jacob Radge, sons of Joachim and Rosina Dorothea Radge, were related to Nicolas Rathge but it is very likely that there was a close relationship since they were all from Pfungstadt, Hessen-Darmstadt. It is possible that Joachim and Nicolas were brothers but further research into the records in Pfungstadt is necessary before any definite conclusion can be reached.
Daniel
McMillen was born in 1777 and was a son of John and Mary McMillen whose family was discussed in the last blog post.
A
biographical entry for William McMillen in the History of Indiana
County, Pennsylvania by Caldwell on page 474 states that Daniel McMillen
was a son of John and Mary McMillen. John McMillen names Daniel
McMillen as his executor in his will and Daniel McMillen is a witness for Thomas McMillen's will. It is believed that Daniel and Thomas McMillen were brothers. Daniel and Mary McMillen were living in Plum Creek Township, Armstrong County in the 1850 census. Daniel and Mary both died sometime after 1850.
Daniel McMillen married Mary Reynolds, a daughter of John Reynolds, according to the biographical entry for William McMillen. She was born about 1785. John Reynolds' will was written on 6 September 1824 and was probated on 8 January 1825 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (see will book 1, page 122). His will names his wife Mary and children. He leaves his daughter, Mary McMillen, $50. He signs his name John Runnels.
Daniel McMillen and Mary Reynolds had the following children:
1) William McMillen (1808-1881) married Elizabeth Cessna (1814-1895). His will names 5 children (Indiana County WB 5, page 144-146). He also had a son Silas according to census records and the biographical entry for him.
2) John (born about 1814-died after 1880) and Martha Forster (born about 1833) had 10 children according to census records.
3) Robert Beatty McMillen (1817-1878) married Catharine Helman (born about 1824-25-died before 1878). Indiana County deeds name 9 children.
4) Samuel McMillen (1822-1900) married Elizabeth Juart (1831-1919). His will names 4 children (Indiana County WB 9, page 440.
5) James McMillen (1825-1905) and Martha A. Powell (1839-1884) had 6 children according to census records and his obituary.
All of Daniel and Mary McMillen's children, except for their son John, moved to Indiana County. John remained in Plum Creek Township, Armstrong County. William, Beatty, and Samuel lived in South Mahoning Township, Indiana County. James lived in Rayne Township, Indiana County and was in Company F, 74th Pennsylvania Volunteers, during the Civil War.
Beatty McMillen and Catharine Helman were my second great grandparents. More information regarding their family will be given in a future blog post.
John McMillen and his wife Mary were my 4th great grandparents. They settled in Derry Township, Westmoreland County and later moved to Allegheny Township (now Plumcreek Township) in Armstrong County where John McMillen and his son, Smith McMillen, purchased 156 acres from Nathan Burns in 1807. John McMillen and his wife were from Ireland but it is not known when they immigrated to Pennsylvania. Their son, Smith McMillen, was a tailor in Blairsville, Indiana County. Several of the children of their son, Daniel McMillen, moved to Indiana County where many of their descendants live today.
John McMillen was born about 1740 to 1750 based on his age in the 1830 census. He died in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County where he wrote his will on 26 May 1830. He died about July, 1831 since his will was probated on 28 July 1831 (will book 1:117-118). He leaves his property to his son William and to his daughters Jane and Susannah who never married. He also mentions his son Smith McMillen with whom he had bought this property. His son Smith McMillen sold his undivided one half interest in this property to his brothers, Robert and William McMillen. When his son Robert died without lineal descendants, Robert's undivided one fourth interest in this property reverted back to his father, John McMillen. John McMillen names Daniel McMillen as his executor. Wm Coulter and Archd McIntosh witnessed his will.
A John McMillen (Jr.) is living near John McMillen (Sr.) in the 1800 census in Derry Township, Westmoreland County and a John McMillen (Jr.) and Thomas McMillen are living near John McMillen (Sr.) in the 1810 census in Kittanning Township, Armstrong County. Plumcreek Township was formed from Kittanning Township. Thomas McMillen is living in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County in the 1820 and 1830 censuses and owns property near John McMillen in Plumcreek Township. John and Thomas McMillen are also believed to be sons of John McMillen based on their close proximity to him.
A biographical entry for William McMillen in the History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania by Caldwell on page 474 states that Daniel McMillen was a son of John and Mary McMillen. John McMillen names Daniel McMillen as his executor in his will and Daniel McMillen is a witness for Thomas McMillen's will.
John and Mary McMillen had the following childen:
1) John McMillen
2) Daniel McMillen was born in 1777 and died after 1850 in Armstrong County. He married Mary Reynolds and had five sons, four of whom died in Indiana County.
3) Thomas McMillen was born before 1784 and died about October, 1833 when his will was probated in Armstrong County (will book 1:155). He had two sons and three daughters by his first wife whose surname may have been McCoy. He had two sons and three daughters with his second wife Margaret.
4) Smith McMillen was born between 1780 and 1790 and died about August, 1846 in Blairsville, Indiana County when letters of administration were granted for his estate in Indiana County (will book 1:576). He and his wife, Martha Craig, had seven sons and three daughters.
5) Jane McMillen was born about 1782 and died 23 November 1853 in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County where her will was probated on 29 November 1853 (will book 2:59). She was never married.
6) Susannah McMillen was born about 1784 and died 18 September 1853 in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County where her will was probated on 20 September 1853 (will book 2:54). She was never married. Both she and her sister Jane left their property to their niece, Mrs. Sarah Foster and her children.
7) Robert McMillen died before 1830 when his father wrote his will.
8) William McMillen was born about 1789 and died 22 August 1854. He and his wife Jane (Smith) McCoy had two daughters and a son (Armstrong County Orphans Court Records 2:323).
Daniel McMillen and Mary Reynolds are my third great grandparents. Additional information will be given about them in a future blog post. If anyone has additional information on John McMillen's children, please contact me. I am always willing to share any information I have with anyone.
My fourth great-grandparents were Griffith Rowland and Jane Jones. I knew they were born in Wales but did not have the name of a village or parish. There is a lot of information in the county histories for Cambria and Indiana Counties on Griffith Rowland's family but the county histories did not provide a location in Wales as to where Griffith Rowland and his family lived. I finally found the answer to this question from marriage records on Find My Past and a will for Rowland Williams that the National Library of Wales had online.
Griffith Rowland settled in Cambria Township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania about 1795. This later became Cambria Township in Cambria County in 1804. He married Jane Jones, a daughter of William Jones, sometime after 1800 when he appears in the 1800 census in Cambria Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania living with a male and female over 45 years of age.
Griffith Rowland's parents were William Rowland and Elizabeth Ellis. William Rowland was known in Wales as Rowland Williams since the Welsh used the patronymic naming system whereby a man was known by his name (son of) and his father's name. Thus, Rowland was the son of a man named William. Rowland Williams died before 9 June 1795 when his will was probated in Wales. He was living in Tyddyn Issa in the parish of Llanllechid in the county of Caernarvon when he wrote his will on 15 July 1789. He names his wife Elizabeth Ellis in his will and his brother Ellis Williams as well as his sons: William Rowlands, Ellis Rowlands, and Griffith Rowlands. He also names his daughters Ellin, Jonet, and Grace who were under 21 at the time his will was written. His sons Ellis and Griffith Rowlands were named as executors.
Information about the Rowland families of Cambria and Indiana Counties are given in the following county histories: a biographical entry for William Rowland in the History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania published in 1880 by Caldwell; a biographical entry on the Rowland family in Indiana County, Pennsylvania by Stewart; and a biographical entry for Rev. Elias Rowland in the Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania by Wiley.
Three children of William Rowland (Rowland Williams) and his wife Elizabeth Ellis emigrated to Cambria County, Pennsylvania:
1) Ellis (1765-1858) married Catherine Hughes (1773-1840)
2) Griffith born 1771
3) Joned (1777-1834) married Rev. William Williams (1777-1848)
Griffith Rowland and his wife Jane Jones had the following children:
1) William (1801-1883) married Clarissa Rundel (1809-1897)
2) Maria (1803-1867) married John Crumb and Joseph Craig
3) Isaac (1805-1887) married Elizabeth Keller
4) Jacob
5) Griffith J. (1809-1871) married Mary Mikesell and Margaret Jordan (born 1811)
6) John (born about 1811- died after 1860) married Jane Conrad
7) Eliza (1814-1883) married Enoch Reese (1811-1889)
Griffith died 1 June 1847 in Cambria County, Pennsylvania and left a will naming his wife and children. His wife Jane was born in 1777 in Wales and died 18 May 1850 in Cambria County.
The Rowlands were Baptists and attended Baptist churches in Cambria and Indiana Counties. Griffith and his wife Jane as well as his daughter Joned and her husband William Williams are buried in Bethel Baptist Church cemetery right off Route 422 outside of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. Baptists do not practice infant baptism.
The Church of England was the official church in Wales in the 1700's. All other churches were known as non-conformist churches, including the Baptist church. There are parish records for the Church of England in Wales in the 1700's but little if any for the non-conformist churches. However, all marriages after 1754 had to be performed in the Church of England in Wales.
There are no baptismal records for any of Rowland Williams' children in the Church of England parishes and no parish records exist for the non-conformist churches. A marriage record does exist for a Rowland Williams and Elizabeth Ellis in the Church of England parish for Llanllechid, Caernarvonshire, Wales. They were married on 23 June 1762. A William Williams and Jonnet Rowland were also married in this parish on 2 March 1798. These marriage records with the will of Rowland Williams establish that the family of Griffith Rowland lived in the parish of Llanllechid, Caernarvon (same as Caernarvonshire), Wales.
Llanllechid is a village, a parish, and a sub-district in the Bangor district and is 3 1/2 miles SE of Bangor. Martha Jones, a great-great granddaughter of Ellis Rowland gave his birthplace as Bangor, Caernarvonshire, Wales. This information is consistent with each other. Caernarvonshire is now Gwynedd in Wales due to name changes of the counties.
There were two George Helmans living in Indiana County, Pennsylvania during the 1800's. They were first cousins. Both were born in the 1780's in Franklin County, Pennsylvania to sons of George Sebastian Helman. George Helman who eventually settled in East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania was a son of John Daniel Helman. John Daniel Helman left Franklin County, Pennsylvania and moved to Somerset County, Pennsylvania where he was living in the 1810 census. The first wife of George Helman (son of John Daniel Helman) may have been Catherine Seese. His second wife was Mary Miller. More information will be given on the George Helman living in East Mahoning Township in a future blog post.
George Helman who settled in Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania was a son of George Sebastian Helman, Jr. George Sebastian Helman, Jr. remained in Franklin County, Pennsylvania where he died in 1832. Estate records in Franklin County, Pennsylvania give the names of his children. Among them was the George Helman of Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. His first wife was Catharine Heffner (Heiffner) who was a daughter of John Heffner. The surname Heffner has various spellings. She is often erroneously listed as the first wife of the George Helman living in East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Her father's will written in 30 August 1823 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and probated in 1828 gives us the first clue. Although it does not give her husband's first name, her father prevents him from sharing in her inheritance by giving her the interest on it and giving the principal to her children after they become 21. He states that her husband deserted her and their children leaving them living in poverty (...her husband being a worthless husband he discerting his wife and left her in the greadest poverty therefore shall the said Helman forever be excluded from having any part of my estate..)
The second clue to the identity of Catharine (Heiffner) Helman's husband occurs after the death of George Sebastian Helman, Jr. in 1832. George Helman, one of the children of George Sebastian Helman, Jr, is presumed dead and Catharine's brother, John Heffner, is appointed guardian in 1833 for George and Catharine's children: Elizabeth, Susan, John, Polly, and Peter, all of whom are over 14 years of age except for Peter. The guardianship order is vacated in 1835 since he is not deceased. George Helman must have come forward to collect his inheritance.
Catharine Helman is listed as a head of household in the 1830 and 1840 censuses in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She is living with a John W. and Elizabeth Cromer in the 1850 and 1860 censuses in Franklin County. She had a daughter Elizabeth so this is probably her daughter and son in law. Find A Grave has a tombstone for Catherine Heiffner Helman born 14 February 1782 and died 9 April 1863. She is buried in Mont Alto Cemetery, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
George Helman is living in Washington Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania with Fanny in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. He is living with his son Gordon in the 1870 census. Gordon Hellman's death certificate gives his parents' names as George Helman and Frances Strange. It is not known if George Helman obtained a divorce before marrying or living with Fanny since the Franklin County records indicate he deserted his wife and children sometime prior to 1823. He then shows up in 1835 to collect his inheritance from his father. He evidently was living with Fanny soon after leaving his wife Catharine since he has children with her in the 1820's and 1830's. When George Helman sold property in 1860, Fanny did not release her dower right but it is not known if she was living then. It is not known if George's children to his first wife Catharine and his children with Fanny knew about each other.
George had the following children with Frances Strange:
1) William Helman (about 1825-4 April 1864) married Sarah Ellen Conner (1829-1915)
2) James Helman (born about 1826 to 1830-died after 1860) married Mary Ann Harmon
3) Gordon Helman (1829-26 March 1916) married Elizabeth Conner (1820-1911)
4) George Helman (about 1836-31 December 1861)
5) John Helman (born about 1838)
William, Gordon, and George were in the Civil War. William and George died during the Civil War. The pension file for William Helman's widow, Sarah Helman, is available on Fold3. George Helman, Sr. applied for a pension based on his son George's service in the Civil War but never received it.
See the will of John Hieffner in Franklin County Will Book D-pages 26 to 28.
See the guardianship record for George Helman's children in Franklin County Orphans Court Record Book C-pages 300 and 301 and the order
vacating the guardianship order in Book C-page 409 since George Helman was not deceased.
The above records are available on Family Search in their Pennsylvania Probate Records but they are not indexed. They are organized by county and can be easily accessed with the above information.
