This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/WCE.2ACIB/969.1.2.1 Message Board Post: Eric: Here is an excerpt from my research files that covers Mary Ellen "Ella" (Biggs) Frakes.... Hope this helps you. And please let me know what you think, or if you have further information about the Biggs families in Fountain and Warren counties. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1845: From The Descendants of Philip and Phoebe (Case) Frakes, by Nina Belle (Howlett) Frakes, privately published, San Mateo, CA 1984, 2nd ed.: “The following are believed to have been the children of Daniel and Agnes (Harris) Frakes: ... 12. Peter, b 12 November 1845...” (And,) “Peter “Squire” Frakes, born 12 November 1845, was the youngest child of Daniel and Agnes (Harris) Frakes.” [CF Note: 1. Peter Frakes is this writer’s direct great grandfather. Born in Sullivan County, Indiana, probably at the property known as the “Daniel Frakes Homestead”, south of Fairbanks and northwest of Scott City, near Turman Creek, he was Daniel and Agnes Frakes’ youngest child. 2. Peter’s eldest siblings (John, Polly, and Sarah Ann) ranged in age from 21 to 25 years. All three were married and probably were not living in the household when Peter was born. 3. Peter’s teenage brothers Aaron (17) and Jacob (19) were not yet married and probably still lived in the household. 4. The younger children, Rhoda, Wesner (Western), Hiram, and Alexander, ranged in age from 3 to 12 years. Without a doubt they also were living in the house at Peter’s birth. 5. From Peter Frakes’ perspective, he had a total of nine brothers and sisters who survived childhood. During his lifetime Peter’s brothers and si! sters would, in their turn, provide him about 54 nieces and nephews, of whom about 14 died very young. Peter also fathered 11 children in his lifetime. 6. In the notes and recollections of Ethel (Vickery) Frakes, Peter’s daughter-in-law, contained in Nina (Howlett) Frakes’ genealogical files, dated 1965, there is a commentary about the occurrence of red hair in this branch of the Frakes family. Ethel states “Peter Frakes had sandy red hair. His wife Ella Frakes had auburn hair. Anna Harris (daughter of Rhoda Frakes-Harris) had red auburn hair. Many of Peter and Ella’s children had reddish hair. This explains the reddish auburn tones in Peter’s grandson Randall Frakes’ hair.”] 1849: From The Descendants of Philip and Phoebe (Case) Frakes, by Nina Belle (Howlett) Frakes, privately published, San Mateo, CA 1984, 2nd ed.: “... Mary Ellen “Ella” Biggs, who was born 4 November 1849. Ella was orphaned at an early age, and subsequent knowledge of her family was lost; but the 1880 Census gives their birthplace as Ohio. Ella was raised in the family of Tirah Harris, a brother to Agnes and Benjamin Harris, Jr.” From “Agnes Harris Family”, compiled by Odessa Anna Russell circa 1950-58, and transcribed by Randall Harris January 18, 2001, posted at the web site of Randall Russell, at URL http://members.cox.net/randall.harris/Russel/AgnesHarris.htm: “... Ella Biggs of Fountaine County born 1850... Ella Biggs parents were Uriah and Jane (Boggs) Biggs.” From History of Sullivan County—Closing of the First Century’s History of the County, and Showing the Growth of It’s People, Institutions, Industries, and Wealth. By Thomas J. Wolfe, Editor, The Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1909, pp. 341-342: “Biography of Alva DeBaun, a farmer of Fairbanks Township, Sullivan County... marriage April 28, 1887 to Emma Frakes,... a daughter of Peter and Ella (Biggs) Frakes. Her father was born in Fairbanks Township and her mother in Fountain County, Indiana. The grandparents were Daniel and Agnes (Harris) Frakes, of Butler County, Ohio, and Uriah and Jane (Boggs) Biggs, of Fountain County, Indiana...” [CF Note: 1. Attempts by this writer to corroborate the identification of Mary Ellen “Ella” Biggs parents and birthplace have provided mixed results. 2. The 1830 Census of Fountain County, IN records a household headed by a Uriah Biggs age 20-30 with a wife 20-30 and their children. If this man was Ella’s eventual father he would be 39-49 years old in 1849, a reasonable fit. Unfortunately this is not proof this man is her father. 3. A June 9, 1841 Fountain County, IN marriage record shows a Uriah Biggs marrying a woman named De1ilah Jane Baythe. There is no evidence to prove this man is Ella Biggs father, either. 4. A May 3, 1844 marriage record in neighboring Warren County, IN has a Uriah Biggs marrying a woman named Jane Dixon. There is no evidence to prove this man is Ella Biggs father, either. 5. Tirah and Agnes Harris’ brother Benjamin Harris, Jr. had a son James Harvey Harris. This makes James their nephew. James married ! Rhoda Frakes, Peter’s sister, and Agnes (Harris) Frakes’ daughter. This web of relationships makes Tirah Harris an uncle to Peter Frakes as well, so it is highly likely Peter was familiar with the members of Tirah’s household. 6. The 1850 Census of Sullivan County, IN shows Tirah Harris (30) as a head of household, with wife Lucetta (Steele), and 4 children which include a Mary Emma, age 2 months. Could this Mary Emma be Mary Ellen Biggs who was born in November 1849? The dates fit perfectly. 7. The 1860 Census of Sullivan County, IN shows Tirah Harris has passed away. HIs widow Lucetta (Steele) Harris is the head of household, with 3 children which include a “Mary A.” who is 10 years old. Could this be the same “Mary Emma” from the 1850 Census for this household, and could it also be our Mary Ellen Biggs? 8. As matters stand there is no data available—anecdotal or primary—to explain how Mar! y Ellen “Ella” Biggs was orphaned or how she may have come to live in the household of Tirah and Lucetta (Steele) Harris in Sullivan County, IN.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cheers, Charles Frakes Scotts Valley, CA