PART 1 ----------------- Good Afternoon Vashenan Listmates, One of our big things about researching is being sure that there is a paper trail that backs up what we present. We cross reference everything to make sure the puzzle pieces fit. When we can't find a paper trail, it bothers me and makes me question what is correct and what is not. Everyone leaves a paper trail. The trick is knowing where to find that paper trail. We believe that this research we are presenting is as accurate as it can get. This particular Jacob Rinker Jr. only married twice. First to Mary Fravel and then to Elizabeth Haas. He did not marry a Magdalena as some researchers have reported on Ancestry and Rootsweb. There were several Jacob Rinkers during the same time frame and because these families were so intermarried, people have just mixed them up. Court records helped to straighten out in my mind fact from fiction. We must warn you that there are a few differences with our research and what is in the Rinker book. Always appreciate corrections and any mistakes can be quickly corrected, but please provide some documentation with your correction. Thanks. Gloria --------------- NUMBER SEVEN CHILD OF GEORGE FRAVEL AND ELIZABETH BUSHONG MARY FRAVEL Born: 18 June 1791, Shenandoah County, Virginia, d/o George Fravel Sr. & Elizabeth Bushong Died: 8 June 1821, Shenandoah County, Virginia Burial: St. Pauls Reformed Church Cemetery, Woodstock, Shenandoah Co. VA Married: 20 March 1808, Shenandoah County, VA to Jacob Rinker, Jr., s/o Col Jacob Rinker Sr. JACOB RINKER, JR., s/o Jacob Rinker Sr. & Mary Keller {d/o George Keller & Barbara Ann Hottel} Born: 7 December 1779, Shenandoah County, Virginia Died: 1831, Shenandoah County, Virginia 4 children born to this union Was a merchant in Woodstock with business partner John N. Hill doing business under the name RINKER & HILL Jacob Rinker Jr. served in the War of 1812. ------------------- TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION St. Pauls Reformed Church Cemetery, Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Virginia MARY RINKER Born: 18 June 1791 Died: 8 June 1821 w/o Jacob Rinker Jr. JACOB RINKER JR. Born: 1779 Died: 15 July 1831 ------------------------ NOTE: This will be of interest to researchers. The Rinker book states that there were four children born to Jacob Rinker Jr. and first wife Mary Fravel which we have listed below and 2 children born to him and second wife Elizabeth Haas. Our research show differently. There were three, one a set of twins. Read very carefully the Chancery Suit of 1840 below: Absalom Rinker VS Henry St. John Rinker et al. ------------------------- After first wife Mary Fravel's death in 1821, Jacob Rinker Jr then married 22 August 1822 in Shenandoah County, Virginia to Elizabeth Haas and had three more children, one a set of twins. This is based on the 1840 court record that stated two boys of age fourteen years. After the death of Jacob Rinker Jr. his second wife Elizabeth (Haas) Rinker received a Dower from the estate of Jacob Rinker Jr. and that Dower is mentioned in court proceedings in 1853 when Thomas J. Rinker was asking for division of inherited property from his sister Catharine deceased, with David Lambert and it referred to her as still being alive and remarried. She married Hiram Myers as there is a marriage for an Elizabeth Rinker and Hiram Myers for 5 February 1833 in Shenandoah County and the court case reference Exhibit A was 1834. Neighbor is William Moreland, Guardian of two of the Rinker children. 1850 Federal Census: Virginia 58th District, Shenandoah County Enumerated 19 July 1850 Page 17B Lines 27-31, HH 242/245 Hiram Myers 46/Male/White/Shoemaker/$3000/VA {Hiram bought the Rinker house in Woodstock} Elizabeth Myers 50/Female/White/VA {Elizabeth Haas Rinker} John J. Myers 16/Male/White/AttendedSchool/VA Sophia Myers 14/Female/White/AttendedSchool/VA Samuel Myers 15/Male/White/AttendedSchool/VA ------------------- Augusta County Virginia Marriages Bride: Sophia E. Myers Age 19, Single, Born Shenandoah Co., VA, d/o Hiram Myers and Elizabeth Rinker Married: 24 September 1855 Groom: Asbury Myers Age 24, Single, Born Rockbridge Co. VA, s/o Rudolph Myers and Rebecca Thomas ------------------- 1860 Federal Census: Virginia Northern Sub Division, PO Burkes Mill, Augusta County Enumerated 4 September 1860 Page 224/1038 Lines 25-29, HH 1539/1544 Hiram Myers 54/Male/Farmer/$2000-$670/VA Elizabeth Myers 67/Female/VA Asberry Myers 28/Male/Carpenter/-----$150/VA {Son-in-law} Sophia Myers 24/Female/VA {Daughter of Hiram & Elizabeth} Alberta D. Myers 3/Female/VA {Granddaughter} Nearby Neighbors are Henry and Catharine Bushong, descendants of the New Market Battlefield family. ---------------------------- Then we had the War of Northern Aggression which ruined so many lives as they couldn't cope with the death and destruction. By the end of the war Hiram is dead and so is daughter Sophia's first husband Asberry and Elizabeth is considered insane as we find her in the Western Lunatic Asylum in 1870. In 1871 daughter Sophia remarries. At this point the trail went cold. 1870 Federal Census: Virginia First District, PO Staunton, Augusta County Enumerated 19 July 1870 Page 222A Line 2, HH Western Lunatic Asylum Betsy Myers 68/Female/White/RetiredInAsylum/Insane/VA ----------------- Augusta County Virginia Marriages Bride: Sophia Elizabeth Myers, Widowed Age 35, Born Shenandoah Co. VA, d/o Hiram Myers and Elizabeth Rinker Married: 30 August 1871 in Waynesboro, Augusta County, Virginia Groom: John Bikers Smith, Widowed Age 54, Born Louisa County, VA, s/o Philip Smith and Matilda Bikers ------------------- TO BE CONTINUED: Researched and Submitted by Gloria Bushong