Ron, Sorry but I don't think that there is a connection. Don't give up on trying though. I will keep your information and if I come across anything I will let you know. Good luck with your search. Cheryl

Could the person who made the post about Smiths from Monroe Co. email me please? I lost that post, and I have Smiths from Monroe Co. I'd like to see who you're looking for. Susan

My ancestors, as far as I can find out, are from the Monroe County area. I am sure of it on my father's side (Henderson), but do not have as much evidence on my grandmother's side. Her name was Margaret Missouri Smith, born 1880. I would really like to find a "connection." Ron Henderson Jacksonville Beach, FL ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

Hello, I am knew to your list and I hope to find lots of information. I am researching the names SKINNER, FRANCIS, PRITCHETT, BOWERSOCKS, WOOD, ADAMS, GOINGS, ,MILLER, SMITH, HOYT. Cheryl Skinner poohnsnug@1st.net

Thank you so much for your answer. I am just now getting into the Hanna line and am trying to make sure these are the ones I want. We only know that a legend says Samuel States married first Hannah Hanna, who probably died in childbirth and had one son Archibald, who I am descended from. The only Hanna that makes sense is Archibald's daughter Hannah. Can't find her any later. She is living in the same township as the States were in and then the use of the name Archibald. I will try to find this other person. There is also a big web page on Hanna descendants http://www.wf.net/~billk/index.html. This Bill has a real lot of information. I am sending him my transcription of the will and will send you a copy also. If you can figure out the missing words I would be grateful. Also do you have any information on the children of Archibald and Hanna? I am trying to find some info on them hoping that some other sibling might know what happened to Hannah. I am driving back to Belmont Co., next week and will attend the CTGS conference on the 16ths. Am coming to work on States family, of which Brady may be included. Have to finish putting my data together before next summers' family reunion. Keep in touch please. Jerilyn

I have a photograph of persons I believe to be the family of Johann Rudolph Bischoff and Kathryn Luikart. The photo is unidentified, of course, and taken when skirts were still long. Is there anyone who might help me with the identification of the people in this photograph? Thanks. Laverne Ingram Piatt Ontario, OH

First an apology. I type very fast and typed my name wrong, and then used auto spell check and since I also don't see as well as I used to I accidentally let my letter go out under the name of Julienne. Wrong it is Jerilyn Sorry I have been very fortunate these past 19-15 years to travel a lot of the world and as I am very interested in the people and their customs I see more than just scenery. I do do the scenery bits, but love the old churches, buildings, museums. I am astounded at how many poor serfs must have died building the tall churches of Europe. This turned out to be very long so if you want - just delete me and go on. Several questions came my way about the cemetery policies in Europe. 1. I do not know if they dig the bones up or if they are gone at the end of the time but will find out. Probably depends on the amount of time you rented your space. 2. I am assuming the rental time starts at the time you purchase the lot. Hadn't really given it any thought before, but that would make sense. I am sure that if the family keeps renting the space they just go on top of each other. 3. One answer said that in England they consider embalming barbaric so they probably don't do it. Particularly today as very environment conscious and that would be putting chemicals in the soil. 4. Other answers brought out the way of the Indians who built pyres and burned their ancestors. Some Indian Tribes put them on the platform in the air and left them. When an Eskimo outlived their usefulness to the community, they just went into the wilderness to die. 5 One answer talked about being in Dublin where they were buried in the dry catacomb and have turned all leatherly. These were the priests and Nuns. I have seen the following in a church in Germany and one in Switzerland for the burial of Saints. They are buried in glass coffins which are kept at the front of the church. They are in their good clothes and are leaned as if on their side and using one arm to hold their head up. This is really odd. The clothes are rotting, but the bones are still OK. I had seen this years ago, but couldn't remember where and we found it again. These were both in Benedictine Monasteries, but I am sure that is not exclusive to them. Will continue with some of our experiences. You have to understand that I have no fear of cemeteries nor have I ever had. In the small towns you visit them often and never forget them on Memorial Day. Our family probably put flowers on 3/4 of the graves every year. My mother, age 82, is still doing it. If we knew the families were too far away or no descendants left to remember the older ones, my mother takes care of it. Plants peonies, iris, etc. Out in western Kansas we don't have as much rain as the East so can't do a lot, but what she can. When I first started this obsession (one of love but an obsession anyway), I used to visit many cemeteries and when the children were young, they were all given the names I needed and on vacations which I carefully scheduled to travel through areas that I needed information from, the four would fan out and yell when they found a name I needed. It is a joke in the family now. I have always had a fascination with the topic as well as medieval history and thus types of torture used by our ancestors. A large paper in high school convinced me that man was not always nice to another man. I am such a softy I can't kill a bug and that is probably why my fascination. Anyway, that might be why I do visit some of the places I do. Now for the travels. In Germany there is not a funeral in a church. They have chapels, I guess you call them that, in each cemetery and it is from there the service is held. No following a hearse, etc. I don't know where that came from. They are buried very soon and as I said in a white shroud. Czechoslovakia was about the same except that I found so many tombstones that had pictures of the deceased on them. I have also seen this at the Czech cemeteries in this country. I find this really great. A lot of the cemeteries in Czechoslovakia had a big stone and were usually covered totally with a large granite slab. Then there were sitting on the slab several small urn types for those who were cremated - again with pictures. We were hunting my husbands families roots at the time and was amazing to find the town they came from that had 9 houses in the 1870's still has 9 houses. As I understand it, they are quite dull on the outside but very nice on the inside - this was to prevent things being taken away during the Communist Regime. When we found his family tombstone it was labeled the family of KOSKAN. Now there were also KOSTKAN's in the same cemetery. Seems some were Catholic and some were Protestant -not sure which, but think KOSKAN were the Protestants. Still working on that. In Rome we took a tour of the Catacombs. I saw not a single bone so asked how can this be the Catacombs with no bones. This was my answer. Many ha been robbed through the years and what was left was not on the tour any more as they had too many people feint. Consequently I got another tour to see how it was done. Paris- When Napoleon rebuilt the city he had to dig up many many cemeteries. He left a beautiful city. At least he didn't build over them. All the bones from each cemetery was kept together and put in the Catacombs under the city and each labeled as to what cemetery they came from and years of use and anything else they might know. How they arranged the bones you can read in the Czech section of this dissertation - guess I had better call it that. The last time I was in Paris I decided to tour the Catacombs. Husband was in meetings all day so I went to the entrance, stood in line (yes it is a big tourist attraction) and paid my money and went down. I am expecting a short little trip. Three hours later I came up far away. They wind all over under the city and I have no idea where I was. Many, many of the tunnels are closed off. Thank God, you would never get back. During World War II, the French Resistance used the Catacombs for their headquarters with no problems. The Germans and others were afraid to go down there in the dark with all the bones.(So they say) In Prague we visited a very very old Jewish cemetery. Here they also were burying one on top of the other. What was interesting is that when they dig for the next person they remove the headstone, bury the new person, put the old headstone back on and add a new headstone. Some of the graves had 7 or 8 headstones. As you know Judaism does not allow cremation-at least that is what I understand. Now the next description does get macabre so if you have a weak stomach - quit reading. I said I would get back to the bone churches. Originally, the bones were all dug up and piled in the crypts of the churches to make way for new graves. A lot of these were the result of the Plague many many years ago. At the one I visited, someone had taken the time to make all sorts of church objects out of the bones. To say it was weird is putting it mildly. One Monstrance (forgot how to spell it) was made using every bone in the human body. The chandelier was made from bones. You would have to have seen it to believe it. No pictures, but I bought postcards. What bones were left were piled very nearly in arches along the sides. Large leg bones all stacked neatly like logs with the skulls sitting on top and all the rest of the extra bones piled behind.. As I said before I know of two Czechoslovakia and one in Italy but there may be more. One more part of the world and I will quit. As you know the Orient has a bad population problem and woman are not allowed to choose how many children they can have in many of the countries. I didn't get into the burial in China other than the Emperors, but in Japan we visited the oddest garden - very sad. There was a shrine covered with probably 5 to 6 hundred small dolls (10 to 15 inches tall). Each doll represented a dead baby, either from abortion or still birth. The numbers were overwhelming and then we were told that they only stay one month and are replaced. This was only for this area of Japan. How sad, but their way of remembering their lost ones. Sorry to end on such a sad note. Travel is fun and like one of the responders to my first missive, it is through the customs of the people and meeting those of other countries that we can perhaps make this a more peaceful country. I have found that wherever I go, people have the same wants for their families. Their customs are different and they go at it a different way, but each wants what is best for their children and none want war or killing. This drive for power causes such disorder in life. We hosted exchange students for 15 years and what a blessing. How can you go to war when you have friends in the country you are supposed to be mad at? OK back to chasing the elusive ancestor. Hope you enjoyed the discourse and I am ready to hit the court houses again. Jerilyn Koskan Orland Park, Illinois

Perhaps this is a little far out, but I have visited in Germany many times and also am impressed with their cemeteries. A little history first. When you buy a plot in Germany you buy it only for a certain amount of years 10, 15, 20, 30 or whatever. If you do not renew your lot fee they come and dig you up and throw away the stone. All the plots are surrounded by a stone curb. The curb, etc - all goes. Now for me I almost had a heart attack on learning this. No wonder the people helping me find the cemetery couldn't understand why I was so excited. There was one case for me where they had used 4 sides of the tombstone and kept burying. Now remember they use pine boxes and white shrouds - I don't think any embalming but forgot to ask. Next, all the cemeteries have water spigots, watering cans, hoes, rakes, etc in strategic spots all over the cemetery for the patrons. Any day you visit you will find men and woman (and I mean even when it is misting and cold) out taking very good care of their plot. They weed them, water them, replace flowers with new when they die. They are beautifully taken care of. It is like an extension of their home gardens. The thing I really don't understand is that when I was there last fall I saw more and more of the most beautiful and large black marble stones all fancily cut with Gold lettering. All this for a few years. Oh well.. Reason for the turnover is obvious and that is lack of space. Now I was in Ireland and the older cemeteries are there. In the cities it is now 6 deep and probably happening in other countries. In Czechoslovakia I cam across what they called a bone church. Because of a lack of specie, all the graves were dug up and all the bones deposited in the grotto of the church. I won't go into more details, but interesting what they did. There are two of these in Czech and one I know of in Italy. Napoleon dug them up and they are in individual cubby holes in the catacombs of Paris. No, I am not macabre but with this hobby of genealogy have found the customs very interesting. My husband travels a lot on business and I go with when I can - that is why I travel so much. Not that I don't love it. Hope this is of interest to some of you. Julienne

If you have German ancestors who lived in Monroe County in the area of Lewisville, Middle or Miltonsburg German Churches, you may be interested in a new book that I have translated and compiled from several volumes of parish records of those churches. It has just been published by Closson Press. Here is some info from their web site: Monroe County, Ohio Church Records: Nineteenth Century Records of Lewisville, Middle (St. John's) and Miltonsburg (St. Peter's) German Evangelical Protestant Churches by Dr. Shirley A. Harmon (October 1999) Understanding a little of the history behind the translation of these records from German to English make getting them to you more exciting. In February of 1977 there was a report in the newspaper, Spirit of Democracy, Woodsfield, Ohio of the finding of a box of church records in an attic. The finder reported the records to Catharine F. Fedorchak who published the report in her "Family Research in Monroe County, Ohio" newspaper column. Ernest J. Thode, Jr. of Marietta, Ohio translated a few of the records in these books which resulted in a 20 page booklet. Mr. Thode also compiled a list of the European origins for some of the individuals mentioned in these church records and Catharine Fedorchak published much of that information in some of her newspaper columns in 1978. Dr. Harmon later discovered these records in the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. The exact history of the record whereabouts between 1977 and 1993 is unknown, however, it is assumed that they were sent to the Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society in Lancaster, PA for safekeeping and preservation. The microfilm of 1993 was made in Lancaster, PA. Realizing the value of these records to genealogists with roots in Monroe County, OH, especially since the majority of the records had not been translated, the author translated, transcribed, and compiled the records into this book. The information found in those parish books primarily names families in Monroe County, OH. Shirley found mention, though, of people from many other locations in southeast Ohio, including Noble, Washington, Belmont, Jefferson, and Guernsey Counties, OH as well as Wheeling, WV and Pittsburgh, PA. There was also mention of individuals living in other parts of the United States. These records represent a major source of information on the European origins for these immigrants to Monroe Co., Ohio. These immigrants were people from Germany, Switzerland, and France (Alsace). Dates of the records were approximately from 1831-1948, but some birth dates were much earlier than the years when family records were entered. The Miltonsburg parish of St. Peter's is located today in Malaga Township, Monroe County, OH; the Middle Church parish of St. John's is located in Summit Township, Monroe County, OH. Lewisville is also located in Summit Township, Monroe County, OH. Includes family book records, baptism/confirmation/marriage and death records, and European Places of Origin for These Monroe County Families. What a find! Index. 8.5 x 11". Paper. 255pp. $26.00 The web site for Closson Press is: www.clossonpress.com/ Thanks - Shirley - ---------------------------- Shirley Harmon saharmon@worldnet.att.net

I am trying to find the names of the parents of Travis Wine, born in 1831, in Gallia County. It's very possible that his parents lived in Monroe County, prior to his birth. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, John R Wyne

Not sure if this made it to the list... it was sent to the wrong address: Does anyone have cemetery listing for Ohio Township, Monroe Co., Oh? Looking for Monroe's buried there. Or any descendants of Miller or Martin Van Buren Monroe. Dianne in Illinois

I can't help you but would be very interested if you have any luck on Rachel Davis. My ancestor Miriam Davis, was the daughter of Rachel Greene Davis from Bucks Co., PA. Miriam married Amos Smith and probably just a coincidence, but names are interesting. Mariam was born around 1800 so a different generation. Are you aware of the Davis web page? I would have to dig for it, but can if you are interested. Jerilyn

Surnames: WALTERS DAVIS Submitter: Reta Grassini (grassini@iline.com) Date: 29 Sep 1999 WALTERS FAMILY IN MONROE CO. George,b,1840's poss. m. Rachel Davis. A.L. b. 1870 d.1899 poss. in the Spanish American War Oscar Amos b.4 Oct.1872 Woodsfield, Ohio Lucinda b.1842 Any information would be greatly appriciated, Reta

I'm looking for any information regarding the marriage of John JEFFERS (b abt. 1805, (possibly Jefferson Co.) Ohio), to Hannah MYERS(RES). The marriage is likely to have occured in the late 1820's to mid-1930s in either Belmont Co., or Monroe Co. Hannah JEFFERS died in 1846, in Beallsville, Monroe Co. In the 1850 Census, residing with John JEFFERS in Sunsbury Twp., Monroe Co., is an elderly woman named Elizabeth WALKER. One could assume that she is a relative of Hannah MYERS(RES) JEFFERS' who came to assist John JEFFERS in raising his young family after Hannah's death According to the Jul 1899 Washington Co., PA, Death Record of Civil War Veteran - George Washington JEFFERS, b. 1836, Monroe Co., Ohio, d. Jul 1899, Coal Bluff, PA, his parents were John JEFFERS and Hannah MYERS, both of Ohio. John is the son of William JEFFERS (b 1761, Ireland, d. Feb 1845) and Sarah JEFFERS(b. Ireland) Both William and Sarah JEFFERS were longtime residents of Belmont Co. William moved from Jefferson Co. to Belmont Co in February 1814 and live there until his death. Research indicates that after William's death, Sarah may have resided with her one of her numerous sons, most likely William Jr, in Beallsville, Monroe Co., until her death. Any additional information would be greatly appreciated. Please send it to me at rjeffers@netzero.net. V.r. Ron Jeffers USA, Retired ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

In a message dated 9/16/99 3:27:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time, koates@voicenet.com writes: > I have 8 generations on the Descendants of Benjamin Ridgeway & Mary Ann > Riggs if you want it. All I need is dates for this family, places, thanks Sandy in Fla Descendants of Benjamin Ridgeway 1 Benjamin Ridgeway b: 20 March 1772 in Maryland d: 27 November 1856 in Monroe Co., OH . +Mary Ann Riggs b: 01 June 1772 in Maryland d: 10 December 1855 in Monroe Co., OH Father: James RIGGS Mother: Mary JOHNSON .... 2 Joseph Ridgeway .... 2 Priscilla Ridgeway b: 11 November 1793 d: 26 January 1868 .... 2 Mary Ann Ridgeway b: 1795 .... 2 Elzy Ridgeway b: 17 April 1802 in Monroe Co., OH d: 13 February 1877 ........ +Jane Cordelia McMunn b: 03 January 1803 m: 26 December 1822 in Monroe Co., OH Father: Mother: .... 2 Ary Ridgeway b: 13 November 1804 d: 15 February 1890 in Monroe Co., OH ........ +John R Dye b: 1803 in Alexandria, VA m: 03 September 1826 in Monroe Co., OH d: 21 September 1844 in Monroe Co., OH Father: Mother: .... 2 Elizabeth Ridgeway b: 1807 d: 20 November 1876 .... 2 Amos Ridgeway b: 1809 d: 08 October 1856 .... 2 James R Ridgeway b: 12 October 1812 d: 17 August 1884 .... 2 Preshia Ridgeway b: 12 June 1797 in Rinard Mills, Washington Co., OH d: 13 August 1849 in Washington Co., OH ........ +Edward Edwards b: 05 November 1790 in Maryland m: in Monroe Co., OH d: 13 March 1827 in Washington Co., OH Father: John EDWARDS Mother: UNKNOWN .... *2nd Husband of Preshia Ridgeway: ........ +Isaac Flint m: Aft. 1827 Father: Mother:

From: K Page <klpage@access1.net> To: OHMONROE-L@rootsweb.com Date: Friday, July 16, 1999 10:06 AM Subject: Early church records Switzerland twp Is anyone aware of any German Swiss early (1820 - 1840) marriage records for Switz twp.? My guess is the church would have been St John's Ev Ch and I read that the early records were burned. I am looking for marriage of Anna Balziger to Christian Bruni in 1828 or so. Believe Jacob Balziger lived in Switz twp according to 1840 census. Karen Richard & Karen Page e-mail klpage@access1.net

In a message dated 9/25/99 6:37:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Samador600@aol.com writes: > EDWARDS: > Edwards, Noah to Conner, Mary 24 Apr 1805 Book A Page 12 > Edwards, Minor to Board, Betsey 12 Dec 1808 Book B Page 21 > Edwards, John to Whiteman, Susanah 26 Jan 1809 Book B Page 21 > Edwards, John to Booth Prudence 13 Jul 1815 Book B Page 76 > Edwards, Mordicai to Benett, Phebe 11 Dec 1817 Book B Page 116 > Edwards, Jonathan to Perkins, Jane 8 Nov 1821 Book B Page 212 > Lappit, William to Edwards, Mary 24 Nov 1803 Book A Page 2 > McMahan, Dennis to Edwards, Jane 26 Aug 1813 Book B Page 19 > These could be related to mine, does anyone have these families? thanks Sandy in Fla Descendants of John Edwards 1 John Edwards b: Abt. 1765 in Maryland? . +Unknown m: in Maryland Father: Mother: .... 2 Edward Edwards b: 05 November 1790 in Maryland d: 13 March 1827 in Washington Co., OH ........ +Preshia Ridgeway b: 12 June 1797 in Rinard Mills, Washington Co., OH m: in Monroe Co., OH d: 13 August 1849 in Washington Co., OH Father: Benjamin RIDGEWAY Mother: Mary Ann RIGGS .... 2 David Edwards b: 15 March 1792 in Maryland d: 26 July 1848 in Ludlow Twp., Washington Co., OH ........ +Rachel Riggs b: 13 March 1795 in Maryland m: April 1817 in New Matamoras, Washington Co., OH d: 02 August 1863 in Ludlow Twp., Washington Co., OH Father: Mother: .... 2 Isaac Edwards b: 1794 in Capon, Hampshire Co., VA d: Aft. 1850 ........ +Mary Ann Little b: 1794 in Virginia m: 05 June 1816 in Tyler Co., VA d: Aft. 1850 Father: Zachariah LITTLE Mother: Mary STAUNTON .... 2 Ruth Edwards b: Abt. 1796 in Maryland ........ +Aaron Davis m: 02 May 1816 in Washington Co., OH Father: Mother: .... 2 Hannah Edwards b: Abt. 1810 in Washington Co., OH ........ +Thomas W Collens m: 25 July 1829 in Washington Co., OH Father: Mother:

Hi, everyone. Thanks to Nan & Betsy, I won't be needing that look-up on the deed I asked about! just wanted to let you know before someone went there to look. Shirley Shore

Here's another land records site for Virginia, including present- day West Virginia, which is not on the BLM site. It also has some grants in Kentucky: http://image.vtls.com/collections/LO.html Good luck, Betsy

For the military land grant, you might find it on the web site for the Bureau of Land Management. The site will ask for your home zip code....then you can search. <A HREF="http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/">BLM - ES, GLO Records - Home</A> If the link does not work for you, here is the address: http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ Nan