Joan . . . Hang in there. We've talked before, I think. I can't get to it tonight but will this week. I'm fairly sure I have some parentage information on him but have to dig it all out because BEST is a sideline for me. Valentine married a relative of mine, Eleanor Montgomery WOODSIDE. I had photos of their tombstones and that of several of their children. I also have ALL of their children's names and several with marriage information. The Eleanor BEST you refer to IS Valentine's widow and my cousin several times removed. Eleanor's father, James WOODSIDE, was an older brother of my ggg-grandfather, John WOODSIDE. Just like you are trying to tie them all together, I'd like to find more on VB's siblings for background . . . he was such a well-known man and the person most responsible for Montour County finally being carved out of Columbia. I would dearly love to have a copy of that "front page Obit". By the time he died, his son-in-law was running the paper. When you finally tie it all up neat, I'd to know how they interconnect, too. BTW, does it say WHICH Presbyterian Church? There were two in Danville. The early one and first was Grove Presbyterian. Later, because some folks didn't want to have to travel north of the canal, Mahoning Presbyterian English Church was formed and Grove's congregation split. The Memorial Park across from the Grove church was formerly the first cemetery which became "full" so they either moved the bodies to Fairmont, etc or, if no family claimed them for removal, they laid down the tombstone, added more soil and created a park. Lovely preservation of history, that. Kathleen Woodside Freiburg woodside.1728@home.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan Best" <joanbest1@earthlink.net>, Monday, April 23, 2001 11:28 AM > Help!!! >> I am looking for family information on Valentine BEST. <Big SNIP> My ancestor was Michael BEST who was in the 1810 Greenwood Twp. (now Columbia Co.) census, later is mentioned as teaching school between 1816 and 1824 in a school run by Eleanor BEST, who was, I think, someone's widow-don't know who. (Michael's wife was named Anna.) I have the information on John Best b. 1759, Michael's brother, and his son James H. BEST. <<

Help!!! I am looking for family information on Valentine BEST. Being the responsible person that I am I got the front page obit for this well-known person (He was the founder and owner of the Danville Intelligencer, and in 1847 elected State Senator for the counties of Columbia, Luzerne and Wyoming. In 1849-50 he was elected Speaker of the Senate.) His death October 28, 1857 was front page news in his own paper as well as the Bloomsburg Democrat. The obit says he was born near Danville on 8th March 1801 but does not name his parents. It states that "he was constantly solicitous for the comfort and welfare of his immediate friends and family. With an ardent love and affection for his children, he was frequently urging upon them some new indulgence." But he doesn't name them either! It does say he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. I would appreciate any information on Valentine or any of the other BEST families in this area in the early 1800s as I am trying to figure out how they tie together and develop the complete family picture for central PA in the early 1800s My ancestor was Michael BEST who was in the 1810 Greenwood Twp. (now Columbia Co.) census, later is mentioned as teaching school between 1816 and 1824 in a school run by Eleanor BEST, who was, I think, someone's widow-don't know who. (Michael's wife was named Anna.) I have the information on John Best b. 1759, Michael's brother, and his son James H. BEST. Thanks for all help

I have some old car titles dated in 70's and one 1959, marriage licenses, divorce papers and death certificates dated in 1920s for Reese and Blackwell, Jones, Murray, Also property deeds from Jackson township these are also dated from the 1920s & 30's, If anyone would like these papers please E-mail me and I will gladly give them to you. Barb E. Harrisburg. Pa

HI everyone, I just wanted to again say thanks to everyone who was able to help me out with my earlier post! I am looking for Peter Jacoby, Mary MargaretJacoby, (later)Coleman, Carrie Belle Jacoby, their daughter, who listed the address(on SS# app.) I had asked about earlier as where she was born. I am also looking for Cornelious/ius or Connors C. Coleman and George Charles Coleman. The men were in the construction industry I believe, bridges mostly. At least that is what I have been told. Carrie never married and worked in other peoples homes as a servant. Two I know of were Ralph E. Miller (when she was 32 yrs old) and A. (Z?.T?2nd initial) Robbins at 229 Market, Bloomsburg, PA (when she was 77 yrs. old in 1955) Mary Margarets maiden name was possibly Barnes, but it's very hard to read. Would any of you have run across any of these folks? I appreciate any help you might be able to give me. Thank you again, Joan Previous message <<Could someone tell me where Millertown R.D, Columbia, PA is located?>>

Kathleen has it exactly right. Start checking in Northumberland Co. , but remember the earliest records of that area ,now Bloomsburg , were Wyoming TOWNSHIP and Bloom TOWNSHIP of Northumberland Co. Sorry I do not have the specific dates but some areas now considered Bloomsburg (like the area at the point of Fishing Creek & the River ) were Wyoming Twp. Tax records on microfilm are available. All Columbia Co. records from it's beginning in 1813 are at Bloomsburg Court House. The earliest Deed book has records that applied to the area were copied over from Northumberland Co. by a special State permission. This was to make the pre-1813 deeds easily accessible locally. All this makes it a real puzzle , especially for researchers that live outside PA and never resided in these Counties. All the best in your search. Loraine Danville, Pa

Diana . . . These may help provide further information on the formation of Columbia and Montour Counties from Northumberland and the constant changes in Township lines from 1813 to 1850. RootsWeb Columbia County PA Website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacolumb/cchome.htm Look for the "Township History" section. They don't have all the townships up yet but they are taking this information from Battle's History of Columbia County. RootsWeb Northumberland County, PA Website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~panorthu/ Look for Bell's 1891 History of Northumberland County. Also, further down you will find a section on township formation that might be helpful since Columbia was taken from this County in 1813. RootsWeb Montour County PA Website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~pamontou/mchome.htm I've thrown this one in because Montour was cut from Columbia in 1850 or so as I mentioned in my last email. I don't see that they have included any of Battle's History of Montour County, which is actually a combined work in one of the History of Columbia and Montour Counties, but you may find is useful for other information. Kathleen -- Phoenix, Arizona woodside.1728@home.com

Diana . . . This County mess was a little different. I know. I've been there and my family were part of Danville's founders. If I were you, I'd start in Northumberland, the county seat of which is just across the Susquehanna in Sunbury. I have addresses if you need them. Here's the thing. If the person died in 1813, the exact year the legislature approved the division of Northumberland and depending on when in that year the person passed, they could have been probated in Northumberland. Also, it takes some time to set up a county operationally. To further complicate matters, when Columbia was formed and Danville selected as the County Seat, Danville was near the central point in the county only because of some slight of hand by a few Danville supporters that caused Turbutt and Chillisquaqua to be included in the new county. The residents of both twps had emphatically returned a vote to remain in Northumberland and protested wildly. By 1815, the Commonwealth of PA legislature returned those two to Northumberland. This now placed Danville far off center and started the second rowel within the new County by the residents of Bloomsburg who had fought so hard to be named the County Seat instead of Danville. They began protests again citing that "they" were now more central the new County's inhabitants than Danville. The protests in Turbutt and Chillisquaqua also restarted by those citizens that wanted to stay in Columbia. In 1818 they returned "parts" of each Twp to Columbia. This struggle between Danville and Bloomsburg over the location of the County seat began almost at most following the creation of Columbia . . . and continued until finally in 1847 the State approved removed to the Seat to Bloomsburg. ALL the records were moved. I know this again because my gggg-grandfather died in 1815 and his probate and estate files are ALL in the Columbia Courthouse in Bloomsburg. Danville as a Seat did not remain idyll long. A relative of mine, Valentine Best, then in the State Legislature began at once petitioning for a new County. In 1850 Montour was formed with its Seat at Danville. Montour's records begin from that time only. This area was virtually a mess from 1813 until the dust settled around 1852. In the intervening years townships came and went from County to County, new ones formed and parts of old ones sliced off. Columbia and Montour County History books are almost a must to work this area as is Northumberland's. I believe some or all may be online. I have to run to work now but will try to remember to check tonight and let you know. -- Kathleen

Joan, Millertown is located in the Bloomsburg, Columbia County area, it is Madison Twp. Who are you looking for? Arlene ----- Original Message ----- From: <PACOLUMB-D-request@rootsweb.com> To: <PACOLUMB-D@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 11:00 PM Subject: PACOLUMB-D Digest V01 #26

Hi Kathleen, Thanks for the information. That's very interesting that it should affect the events in 1813 so significantly. Another person on the list is also looking for someone's probate who died in 1813. I'm going to make a wild quess and say that we should be looking in Montour county as well, as that's where Danville is currently the county seat. My reasons are: When counties separated (especially out here in Iowa) new counties began their new records, but the old records stayed in the original county. If by chance records were recorded in Danville, the current county seat of Columbia in 1813, and then it became the county seat for Montour, the records we're looking for are actually in Montour! It became so hectic here in Iowa that in 2 particular counties a madman thieved the county land records from the prior courthouse in the middle of a thunderstorm on horseback across 12 miles of dirt road. He was struck by lightning and the records scattered. Some were retrieved, other were not. To this day, there is a book of land records with one county's name sitting in the other county's vault and when I asked the recorder why it wasn't transferred back her reply was "It's been here for 100 years and I'm not about to give it back!" Whoa!!! So this is how I've discoverd records aren't always where they're supposed to be. Thanks for the insight! I appreciate the time you took to explain it. Sincerely, Diana Mother Hubbard's Cupboard http://www.rootsweb.com/~genclass/ 8 Free Online Genealogy Classes Kathleen Woodside Freiburg wrote: > . > An ever-decreasing Bloom Township existed as such an entity until" > > "March 4, 1870, an act prepared by Hon C. R. Bucalew, was passed by the legislature, in which the limits of the town are defined . . . by a single declaration, 'that the Town of Bloomsburg shall hereafter include all the territory now included within the limits of Bloom Township.'" (Extract from History of Columbia County, J.H. Battle, 1887. p 161 reprint by The Bookmark, 1978.) > > Bloom Township, existed in 1813 when a portion of Northumberland County was separated a new county, Columbia was formed. It remained in existence in some form until March, 1870 as noted above. In the intervening years a portion was removed in 1818 to the new Mt. Pleasant Twp; in 1840 another piece to the new Orange Twp; 1844 saw a portion go to the new Center Twp and the last piece in 1853 to a new Scott Twp. It remained as such until the legislative act of 1870 dissolved it into the Town of Bloomsburg, also the County Seat. > > In 1813, however, which you request, Bloom Twp - Northumberland County would have remained intact but then (1813) found itself residing in Columbia County who's County Seat at that time was Danville. > > Kathleen Woodside Freiburg > woodside.1728@home.com > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Diana Muir" <dmuir@intelligented.com>, Thursday, March 29, 2001 9:32 AM > > > If a person lived in Bloom township, Northumberland county in 1810, died > > in 1813, and the county became Columbia in 1813? What township would now > > included the old Bloom township whose name was evidentially done away > > with? > > > > Diana > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB -- Dr. Diana J. Muir, Ph.D. ******************************************* What good is magic if it can't save a unicorn? ******************************************* Intelligent Education, Inc. http://www.intelligented.com/

. An ever-decreasing Bloom Township existed as such an entity until" "March 4, 1870, an act prepared by Hon C. R. Bucalew, was passed by the legislature, in which the limits of the town are defined . . . by a single declaration, 'that the Town of Bloomsburg shall hereafter include all the territory now included within the limits of Bloom Township.'" (Extract from History of Columbia County, J.H. Battle, 1887. p 161 reprint by The Bookmark, 1978.) Bloom Township, existed in 1813 when a portion of Northumberland County was separated a new county, Columbia was formed. It remained in existence in some form until March, 1870 as noted above. In the intervening years a portion was removed in 1818 to the new Mt. Pleasant Twp; in 1840 another piece to the new Orange Twp; 1844 saw a portion go to the new Center Twp and the last piece in 1853 to a new Scott Twp. It remained as such until the legislative act of 1870 dissolved it into the Town of Bloomsburg, also the County Seat. In 1813, however, which you request, Bloom Twp - Northumberland County would have remained intact but then (1813) found itself residing in Columbia County who's County Seat at that time was Danville. Kathleen Woodside Freiburg woodside.1728@home.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Diana Muir" <dmuir@intelligented.com>, Thursday, March 29, 2001 9:32 AM > If a person lived in Bloom township, Northumberland county in 1810, died > in 1813, and the county became Columbia in 1813? What township would now > included the old Bloom township whose name was evidentially done away > with? > > Diana

If a person lived in Bloom township, Northumberland county in 1810, died in 1813, and the county became Columbia in 1813? What township would now included the old Bloom township whose name was evidentially done away with? Diana -- Dr. Diana J. Muir, Ph.D. ******************************************* What good is magic if it can't save a unicorn? ******************************************* Intelligent Education, Inc. http://www.intelligented.com/

Could someone tell me where Millertown R.D, Columbia, PA is located. I also need the township it would be located in so I can look up surnames in the correct census. Thanks so much for any help. Joan

Hello everyone. Our Columbia County folks seemed to stay in Catawissa. George Waters b. ca 1814 was the father of Samuel Waters. We know Samuel Waters moved to NC just before 1870. We are trying to find out what happened to George Waters. Could we ask for a look up please? Does anyone have access to the 1870 census index? We would love to know if George Waters is on it and any other Waters that stayed in Columbia Co. We appreciate any help anyone can give.

PLEASE DISREGARD. I SENT THIS LETTER TO THE WRONG LIST

I'm looking for someone who can do a look up of the 1900 census in Shamokin, Northumberland, County. I'm looking for: head of house- Joseph Angelovich abt 44 born in Russia Wife- Hermina abt 35 Son- William ? abt 12 My thanks in advance, Missy Zuber

These Carters are buried in the Old Chillesquaque Presbyterian Cemetery near Pottsgrove, PA. I'm looking for information on William Carter, b. Aug 11, 1773 and died Nov. 10, 1853 and his son, William Carter, b. Aug. 12, 1799 and died Dec. 18, 1830. There is also a Mary Carter, died 1822. Mary's stone is a small sandstone marker crudely inscribed by hand and is next to the elder Carter. It is not listed in any of the printed cemetery readings that I have seen, and is noticable only when the sun hits it late in the afternoon. There is also a Hannah, wife of John Lunger, buried next the the younger William, who did have a sister Hannah. However, she is 20 years younger than William. The younger William was married to Anna Marie Vandling who married Chrisian or Christopher Shell after William's death. I have quite a bit of genealogy from this point forward. Any information on this family would be greatly appreciated.

Hillside Cemetery is still in operation. I recently attended a funeral there. They may have record of date of internment , plot owner ,etc. Answer as to who to contact might be gotten from CATAWISSA Monument Works, 428 Mill Sr. Catawissa , PA 17820 570-356-2305. OR Records of burials might be available through Col Co. Historical & Gen. Society They are online at <www.colcohist-gensoc.org> Loraine Danville,PA

Sorry about the first message. I am looking for any information concerning Hillside Cmty in Catawissa, PA. Is it still around? Does anyone know if they would have death certificates? Christy

This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------F612182ECE4ECCAA3212BC15 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi all! and attn John Penman! Special thanks to the person who sent me the lead on Sarah Thornton buried in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa that she found in ancestry.com. Turns out it is Sarah Thornton Bird, who married Wellington Bird in 1841 in Bloomsburg, Northumberland County, PA, then moved to Fredericksburg, Oh and then to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1849. They had 9 children, all named with Thornton as their middle name. In the county history for Henry County Iowa it says she was born in 1811 in Bloomsburg to Eli Thornton (first time I have EVER seen his name in print!) a revered member of the PA Legistlature! Wow! Even my uncle was impressed! No reference to his wife, but we're slowly putting together a family group. Her obit on 14 Aug 1895 gave reference to an elderly brother in his 80s still living, a sister, and a 1/2 brother. I also know of another sister Julia Ann Thornton who married James Hobert in Muscatine, IA in 1844. Again, thank you! Anyone needing the Bird information or this line of Thorntons, let me know. I copied everything I could find and all the remaining Thorntons in Mt. Pleasant are descendants. -- Dr. Diana J. Muir, Ph.D. ******************************************* What good is magic if it can't save a unicorn? ******************************************* Intelligent Education, Inc. http://www.intelligented.com/ --------------F612182ECE4ECCAA3212BC15 Content-Type: text/x-vcard; charset=us-ascii; name="dmuir.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Description: Card for Diana Muir Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="dmuir.vcf" begin:vcard n:Muir;Diana tel;cell:319-621-5827 tel;fax:678-795-0925 tel;home:678-795-0925 tel;work:770-518-4800 x-mozilla-html:FALSE url:http://www.intelligented.com/ org:Intelligent Education;Curriculum Development version:2.1 email;internet:dmuir@intelligented.com title:Dr. adr;quoted-printable:;;1175 Grimes Bridge Road=0D=0ASuite 100-A;Roswell;GA;30076;USA fn:Diana Muir end:vcard --------------F612182ECE4ECCAA3212BC15--

Is anyone on PACOLUMB researching the surname KERR (KEHR)? If so, I would be interested in hearing from you. My grandfathers sister Ethel ATKINSON married a man with the last name of KEHR (KERR) but I don't have a clue as to what his first name was or where they were married. Ethel grew up in Bloomsburg, Columbia County so I thought it to be the most logical place to look first. Thanks! Nancy http://home.att.net/~rascalz/genealogy.htm SEARCH my GEDCOM at Rootsweb: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=rascalz ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Researching Surnames ATKINSON, GLEDHILL (Halifax Yorkshire, ENG, Philly, PA & Newton, MA), TAYLOR (Lancashire, ENG), JACKSON DICK, JUNG, LEIXNER, SCHMITT, SCHMIDT, GILCHER, MAURER, MERCKER, STROBEL, WEBER - (Pfalz, Germany) ZSCHAU (Prussian province of Saxony) GRIESBACH (Rheinland Prussia) O'DONNELL (Waterford, IRL), CANNON, SHEA, VALLELY, MCDONALD - (Ireland, Boston, MA)