15 November 2020

I May Be On To Something Here

 (You may want to read the original post on this subject.  It’s over on my Random Ramblins’ blog.  I posted it before I started this blog).

As a youngster I was quite shy.  I had a grand total of one date while I was in high school.  In fact, you couldn’t really call it a date.  A girl that I had known since I was 5 was a member of the homecoming court during our senior year and her boyfriend had to have an emergency appendectomy two days before the homecoming dance.  I think his appendix had ruptured, but I don’t really recall.  Her hall locker was close to mine and I heard her tell one of her girlfriends that now she had no one to go with and didn’t want to go alone.  She needed someone to escort her to the homecoming court presentation.  I gallantly offered my services, and she accepted.  So not really a date, more of a stand in. 

I really haven’t improved in being able to start a conversation or just be natural with folks I don’t know. I suck at small talk and unless I’m in a situation, such as a job, I will not start a conversation with people I don’t know. 

All that to say that I went out of my way to contact a DNA match out of the blue back in July of this year.  Email conversations, to me at least, are easier to handle since I’m not face-to-face.  A person can choose not to reply to a message, and it doesn’t seem to bother me.   And when it comes to contacting a person on the various genealogy sites, more often than not I don’t get a reply.  So, it isn’t really rejection.  More like apathy on the other person.  I choose to contact this particular person because she had taken the time to upload her DNA results to multiple repositories, as I have, and we appeared to be a close match.  As a bonus, she matched folks that I knew were on my paternal side. And I’m struggling mightily with my Campbell research.  Lo and behold – she answered.  Once, I assured her that I was NOT a stalker, we have been in steady email contact ever since. 

The key to this whole adventure was in one of her early emails; “I do know that on my dad’s mother’s side, I believe that my Great Grandmother was a Campbell.”  Not much to go on, but I saw that glimmer of hope.  Her family had a story of a Campbell in the tree.  That was all I needed.

I built a quick test tree in my software of choice, FamilyTree Maker, with just the basics from her public family tree.  Going no father back than her grandparents.  The I let the interwebs do its thing.  FamilySearch (FS) is very nice FREE website that has searchable records just like the paid sites.  They also have family trees that are searchable.  And just like any user contributed family tree, their trees can be full of errors.  I found a match via FS that listed what I hoped was her family.  If it was the correct family, and if I could verify the information, then just as her family history claimed, her great grandmother (her father’s mother’s mother) would be Catherine Campbell.

My DNA match (I’ll just call her cousin – it’s a bit more personal), so my cousin, knew that the family we were looking at lived in Centre County. Pennsylvania.  Same as mine.  This match at FS showed them in Centre County as well.  Hmmm… This looks interesting.  My great grandfather, Samuel W. Campbell, lived in Centre County, and had a sister Catherine, whose age was right for a match. 

Problem was, by my records, this Catherine was married to a McKinley, not a Heverly.  So, something was off.  Looking back over the sources for this Catherine, I noticed that the death certificate I had assigned to her listed different parents.  Obviously, this was a problem.  As I mentioned in the post linked at the top, I found that the Catherine Campbell that married into the McKinley family was not my 2x great aunt.  That meant I could set out to prove, or disapprove, that “my” Catherine Campbell was my cousin’s great grandmother.  The biggest issue turned out to be her name.  I found a marriage record for the correct gentleman, but the brides name was Kate Campbell.  Naturally, no information on her parents was on the record.  It’s usually not that easy!  But Kate is a known sobriquet for Catherine, so I didn’t discard it.  

Marriage License for Heverly and Campbell
Marriage license for James Heverly and Kate Campbell

 I also found the death certificate for my cousin’s great aunt that lists Catherine Campbell as the mother, and the correct great grandfather.  It was looking better, but not confirmed. 

Janette Heverly Tyson Death Certificate
Janette Heverly Tyson's death certificate showing Catherine Campbell as mother.

My cousin and I continued to research this couple, but we didn’t find a whole lot more for documentation.  The just by chance, she sent me a picture of the great aunt we had the death certificate for, with my cousin’s dad and his sister.  The family story was that the picture was taken on Pike street in Milesburg, PA.  That made bells go off in my head, but I couldn’t remember why Pike street sounded familiar.

That was back in August of this year.  Fast forward to early this week.  While researching my last post, it came to me why Pike street was so familiar.  My great grandfather (Samuel W.) and his family are also listed as living on Pike street in the 1910 and 1920 census records.  And both families can be found in the 1890 “Centre Lines” publication, in Milesburg Borough, that publication does not give any addresses or other means of locating the families within the township.  The 1900 census doesn’t have any street names listed either, but both families are listed as in Boggs Township.  So, we can definitely say they were neighbors.

I fired off an email to the wonderful folks at the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library.  The amazing team has answered several questions for me, so I thought they would know of any online resources to see historical maps of Centre County.  I was hoping that I could at least find the basic area that I was researching.  I was just lucky enough to catch Erin Hicks, one of the assistants in the PA Room, just before she closed up shop for the weekend.  She sent me a link to the “Digital Map Drawer” on the Penn State website.  I think I found more than a simple map of the county.

Below is a cut out of the Atlas of Centre County Pennsylvania: From Actual Surveys.  This is the lower left corner of the survey for Milesburg, so, the south west corner of the map.  In the 1870 census, the Heverly family is listed in Boggs Township, Milesburg Borough, while my Campbell family is in Snyder Township, Blair County.  According to an 1870 map of Pennsylvania, the two townships were not that far apart.  But what I found that just about blew my mind, is well, shown here.

Cropped Map Image
Nichols, Beach and A. Pomeroy, & Co. Atlas of Centre County, Pennsylvania: From Actual Surveys. Philadelphia: A. Pomeroy & Co., 1874. "Atlas of Centre County, Pennsylvania: from actual surveys".<https://collection1.libraries.psu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/maps1/id/25509> (14 Nov 2020).

The street is Turnpike, on the west side of the street is a home for J. Everly and almost right across the street is a home for W. Campbell.  Everly shows up quite often in place of Heverly in many records.  “W” is my great grandfather’s middle initial. It’s quite possible that by 1910 Turnpike had been shortened to just Pike street.  Also shown on the map, is Curtis & Linn.  It’s the property just south of W. Campbell’s property and, my great grandfather, Samuel W.’s obituary mentioned that he had been employed there.  Could this just be where my cousin and mine families meet and married?  Not complete proof, but add in the census records, the death certificates, the marriage license, and DNA matches to this cousin and another cousin of hers, I have to say that I’m about 99% sure. 

Campbell House in Milesburg, PA
The Campbell house in Milesburg, PA, on Pike Street.

As the tree diagram shows, coming from my  2x great grandparents, James And Ann Elizabeth (McCauley) Campbell, my line goes through their son, Samuel W. and Eleanor (Taylor) Campbell, and the two cousins I match through their daughter, Catherine and James Heverly. 

SVG Family Tree TreeCampbell-Bodle

Generated by Parallax View's SVG Family-Tree Generator V5.3.3. See https://parallax-viewpoint.blogspot.com/2018/09/svg-family-tree-generator-v50.html Married on Monday September 7, 1711 in Churchville, Pennsylvania, USA. Married on Sunday January 28, 1753 in NY. Married on Saturday October 10, 1789. Married in 1828. Married in 1813 in Ulster, County Down, Ireland. Married on Thursday April 5, 1832 in Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Married in 1823 in PA. Married in 1847 in Penn. Married on Friday August 28, 1835. Married on Tuesday January 16, 1883 in Milesburg, Centre Co., PA. Married on Friday January 5, 1877 in Howard, Centre Co., PA. Married on Wednesday January 20, 1909 in Williamsport, Lycoming, Pennsylvania, United States. Married on Thursday February 7, 1946 in Rockville, Montgomery, Maryland, USA. Born in September, 1827 in Franklin Township, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, United States. Died before Monday June 2, 1890 in Pennyslvania, USA. James Campbell (1827-c1890) Born on Tuesday March 15, 1831 in Howard Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Died in 1921 in Howard Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Ann E. McCauley (1831–1921) Born on Tuesday March 26, 1861 in Center County, Pennsylvania. Died on Friday February 8, 1924 in Bellefonte, Centre Co., PA. Samuel W. Campbell (1861–1924) Born on Monday October 4, 1858 in Ridgway, Elk, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Sunday January 2, 1927 in McKeesport, Allegheny Co., PA. Eleanor A. Taylor (1858–1927) Born on Monday March 31, 1884 in Howard, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died on Wednesday February 5, 1919 in McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Herbert J Campbell (1884–1919) Born on Friday March 27, 1885 in Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died on Monday July 21, 1975 in Miami, Dade Co., FL. Josephine M. Bodle (1885–1975) Born on Thursday March 28, 1912 in Milesburg, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Tuesday February 19, 1985 in Miami, Dade Co., FL. Donald S. Campbell (1912–1985) Born on Sunday May 1, 1921 in Fork Dillon, South Carolina. Died on Friday November 23, 2001 in Columbia, Richland Co., SC. Geneva M. Hicks (1921-2001) Born on Tuesday November 25, 1958 in Miami, Dade Co., FL. Bruce L. Campbell (1958–) Born on Thursday July 16, 1857 in Helca Furnace, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Died on Tuesday December 11, 1923 in Flemington, Clinton, Pennsylvania, USA. Jerome Bodle (1857–1923) Born on Saturday March 10, 1860 in Hecla Furnace, Centre, Pennsylvania. Died on Friday April 4, 1941 in Lock Haven, Clinton County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Elizabeth E. Chapman (1860–1941) Born in 1781 in PA or NJ. Died after 1860 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania ?. Henry McCauley (1781-c1860) Born in Ulster, County Down, Ireland. Died in Down Co., Ulster, Ireland. Martha Lindsay (?–?) Born in about 1813 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died on Wednesday August 29, 1877 in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. James Bodle (c1813–1877) Born in about 1816 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died in about 1858 in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Naomi Gunsalus (c1816-c1858‐ ) Born in 1773 in Ireland. Died in about 1845 in Spring Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. David Bodle (1773-c1845) Born in Pennsylvania, United States. Died in Centre, Pennsylvania, USA. Mary Brown (?–?) Born on Saturday July 4, 1807 in Howard Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Saturday July 22, 1882 in Centre Co., Pennsylvania. Jacob Taylor (1807–1882) Born on Wednesday April 12, 1826 in Union City, Centre Co., Pennsylvania. Died on Sunday March 29, 1891 in Howard Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Mary 'Polly' Hancock (1826–1891) Born in about 1776 in Middlesex, England. Thomas Taylor (c1776–) Catherine Wilson (?–) Born on Friday June 11, 1802 in Kersey, Elk, Pennsylvania, USA. Died in 1876 in Centre Co., PA. James R. Hancock (1802–1876) Born in 1806 in England. Died. Sarah Taylor (1806–?) Born on Sunday December 21, 1760 in Chester, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Wednesday March 1, 1843 in Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States. James H. Jr (1760–1843) Born in 1767 in York, York, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Monday February 1, 1847 in Fishertown, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States. Elizabeth Robinson (1767–1847) Born on Saturday September 2, 1730 in Moreland, Lycoming, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Tuesday January 26, 1796 in Newbury township, Bedford, Pennsylvania United States. James H. Sr (1730–1796) Born on Friday May 11, 1725 in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks, Pennsylvania, United States. Died in 1787 in Newbury, York, Pennsylvania, USA. Elizabeth Randall (1725–1787) Born on Saturday October 6, 1770 in Adams, Pennsylvania. Died in April, 1831 in Clearfield (now Elk) County, Pennsylvania, USA. Libni Taylor (1770–1831) Born in 1775 in Pennsylvania,. Died in 1831 in Fox, Clearfield, Pennsylvania, USA. Sarah H. Willis (1775–1831) Joseph T. Sr (?–) Ann Willis (?–) Born in 1796 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died in 1834 in Howard, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. John W. Gunsalus (1796–1834) Born on Thursday November 24, 1796 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died on Tuesday November 8, 1887 in Adrian, Lenawee, Michigan, United States. Elizabeth Gunsalus (1796–1887) Born on Tuesday March 2, 1756 in Minisink, Orange, New York, United States of America. Died on Thursday March 15, 1838 in Howard, Centre, Pennsylvania, USA. Richard D. Gunsalus (1756–1838) Born in 1766 in Ireland. Died on Wednesday June 13, 1838 in Snow Shoe, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Eustacia A. Lucas (1766–1838) Born on Wednesday February 10, 1734 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, USA. Died on Thursday March 1, 1787 in Wayne, Mifflin, Pennsylvania, USA. Jacobus Gonsalis (1734–1787) Born on Saturday March 26, 1735 in Kingston, Ulster, New York, USA. Died in 1787 in Somerset, Pennsylvania, USA. Sarah Westbrook (1735–1787) Benedict Lucas (?–) Mary McKibben (?–) Born on Sunday April 7, 1754 in Kingston, Ulster, New York. Died on Monday May 13, 1816 in Washington, Pennsylvania. Emanuel Gunsalus (1754–1816) Born in about 1765 in Virginia. Died after 1850 in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States. Agnes N. Macklin (c1765-c1850‐ ) Born in about 1815 in Howard Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Wednesday November 24, 1875 in Howard Twp., Centre, Pennsylvania. Henry N. Chapman (c1815–1875) Born in about 1827 in Howard Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Thursday October 20, 1898 in Romola, Curtin Twp., Centre County, Pennsylvania. Margaret Miller (c1827–1898) Born in 1785 in Pennsylvania, United States. Died on Sunday February 20, 1853 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. George W C. Jr. (1785–1853) Born on Friday November 2, 1787 in Upper Milford, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, USA. Died on Tuesday December 25, 1855 in Spring Twp., Centre County, Pennsylvania. Margaret E. Shuler (1787–1855) Born on Thursday December 25, 1755 in Scotland, UK. Died on Tuesday January 14, 1834 in Pennsylvania, USA. George W. C. Sr. (1755–1834) Born in 1755 in Sussex, New Jersey, USA. Died on Monday May 13, 1833 in Pennsylvania, USA. Maria A. Hall (1755–1833) Born in August, 1723 in Little Blacktown, Alvah, Banffshire. Died on Saturday February 22, 1806 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. George A. Chapman (1723–1806) Isobell McIran (?–) Born in 1761 in Salford, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died on Saturday October 16, 1824 in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Henry Shuler (1761–1824) Born in 1764 in Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Elizabeth Unknown (1764–?) Born in 1718 in Salford, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died in 1766 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Wilhelm Shuler (1718–1766) Born in 1712 in Pennsylvania, USA. Died on Monday December 1, 1788 in Salford, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Elizabeth Tyson (1712–1788) Born in 1672. Died in 1779 in Salford, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Gabriel Schuler (1672–1779) Born in 1685 in Hoppenville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Died in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Margriet Rodes (1685–?)

But I will ask again; if any more experienced genealogy folks think my logic is in error, please let me know.  I am anything but an expert when it comes to interpreting records.  Plus, there is a good bit of bias on my side to make this match.  Fresh and unbiased eyes are always welcome.  My tree on Ancestry is public, so feel free to look it over and leave comments.  You do need an account on Ancestry, but the do have free limited access accounts.  My profile is brucelcampbell.  

Peace,
B

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