Soloman's Grandsons

It started with a simple signature and ended with the saga of a family tragedy. 

Lately, I haven't been spending too much time on family history.  The past few months have been filled with various "crises" and other events that have pushed my passion into the background. No matter how hard I have tried to find both the time and the desire to pull out the notebooks and fire up the research sites, I just haven't been able to "get up the gumption" to do so.  Today, due to the dreary Ohio weather and the sickness of numerous family members that left us homebound, I decided to sit down at my computer and begin working on some special projects I have had on my to-do list for awhile.

One of these items is the scanning of ancestor signatures from historical documents. After the signatures are saved, I then  attach them to portraits, if they exist,  of the ancestor to whom the signature belongs.  If no photograph exists, I simply attach the signature to both my Ancestry.com family tree and my own family history files. 

(For example, this is a photograph of my 2nd great grandfather, Henry Routsong, whose signature appears several times on the probate records of his father in law, Henry Sweadner.)

My Great Great Grandfather, Henry Mathias Routsong

So today, upon opening the estate files of my 4th great grandfather, Jacob Suman, I discovered several signatures of Suman family members.  One that I wasn't very familiar with is pictured at the top of this post;  Soloman Isanogel, the husband of my 3rd great grand aunt, Elizabeth Suman.

After scanning, cropping, and saving several signatures, I logged into my family tree and began adding each signature, one by one, to my history file.  When I opened the page for Soloman, I realized I had not spent any time researching the Isanogel family. Now was the perfect time to hit that "search records" button.  The typical matching census records were located, along with 2 "Public Member Stories".  I am always interested in reading the stories that members post and I can usually find some very interesting facts from those shared tidbits of information.  Choosing the first story listed, I discovered the following paragraph: (NO CITATION IS GIVEN)

The Pioneer:
"Soloman Isanogle entered land west of Chesterfield three miles and made a farm. His family consisted of 4 sons and 2 daughters. Jacob the eldest, was one of the lst school teachers in the township. Soloman was the grandfather of the Isanogle boys who were murdered by Statler. Mr. Isanogle died in 1844 buried in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Delaware County. His
widow lived twenty-eigth years after his decease and died at the age of 82 yrs in 1876. She is buried beside her husband."

I scanned the paragraph and found myself reading it a second and then a third time to make sure I was comprehending it correctly.  "Soloman was the grandfather of the Isanogle boys who were murdered by Statler."  Grandsons murdered?

There was obviously more to be discovered about Soloman's grandsons.  I searched the records of the member who had uploaded the story, but she had no information about any murders.  It was time for a visit to my favorite search engine.  I decided to look for "Isanogle Murders Madison Indiana" which is where the census records told me that Soloman had lived.  The first hit I received was for a family history file that had been uploaded by a someone.  It was an unusal site and a little confusing, but what I did find was a listing of Soloman's family members.  I knew from the story that the boys were the children of Soloman's son, Jacob.  So, I searched for a link to his family.  Luckily, they were all included.  I went through the list of children's names, birth, and death dates to see if any of his  children had died in the same year. I found that William and Isaac had both passed away in 1868.  Further investigation showed they had both died on 17 March. This was not a coincidence.  Now I knew not only their exact names but I also knew the date they had been murdered.  With this information,  I could do a more thorough search.

 Entering the new facts, I received numerous results; including a Google books "hit".  The entire book, Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County by John L. Forkner and Byron H. Dyson, Anderson, Indiana, 1897, was available on their site and, amazingly,  it was filled with information about the tragic deaths and their aftermath.

 According to the book, on Saturday, 17 March, 1868, a man by the name of George Stottler went to the home of the Isanogle family.  He was drunk and for some reason decided he wanted the use of one of the family's horses.  William, 20 years of age, and Isaac, only 16 years old, refused to give Stottler a horse.  They began to fight and during the ensuing quarrel, Stottler pulled out a knife he had purchased only that day and both men were stabbed "to the heart".   Early Sunday morning, as word spread about the murder, people from the surrounding area became enraged and a "posse",  500 persons strong and armed with various weapons,  set out to find the accused.  Much of the crowd was ready to hang Stottler without a trial and when he was discovered at 11 o'clock that morning, hiding in a field only 1/2 mile west of the murder scene, it took some very determined lawmen to keep Stottler alive long enough to face legal judgement.   He was given a change of venue and he apparently had some of the best legal representation at the time because his life was spared and he ended up with "life imprisonment" at the Michigan City Prison.  During his first few years of incarceration, Stottler was "reckless and malicious" according to the written account, and he actually cut off two of his own fingers to avoid working in the prison cooper shop.  However, after a few years, there were many people who decided that he had paid his debt to society and they began working to get the murderer paroled. 
The Isanogel family and their friends fought hard to keep Stottler imprisoned and they were successful until January, 1897.  For some reason that I cannot personally understand, Governor Claude Mathews pardoned George Stottler and as of the writing of the history book, he was living in Illinois.
I guess my next mystery to solve is what happened to George Stottler after his release from prison.

And so this evening,  I sit here at my computer, amazed once again by how small fragments can be fit together to make quite an interesting tapestry, smiling over the fact that I have added an entirely new branch to my family tree, and a little angry that George Stottler served so little time for such a cold blooded crime.

Tombstone Tuesday - William C. Eagle

On our "staycation" in June, I told my family I didn't care what else we did, as long as I was given one day to visit some cemetaries. We had had an extended Ohio winter and I had been unable to go "ancestor hunting" for an extremely long time.  There were a couple in particular where I had some family research to conduct. So, early one morning, we headed out; notebook and cameras in hand. The first place I had on my list to visit was the Hillgrove Cemetery in Miamisburg, (Montgomery Co.) Ohio.  After finding the family members I was looking for, I managed to talk my family into giving me a little time to just explore this lovely place a while longer.   One of the sites that caught my attention was this beautiful stone of remembrance for a gentleman named William C. Eagle, who died at the age of 30 years and 15 days on 1 August, 1864.  I haven't done any research on this young man, but how tragic it was that he died at such a young age.   

Wedding Wednesday - Carol Burnett Helps My Brother Propose

Rhonda, Carol Burnett, Brian, after the show

The Proposal

                                                  The Happy Couple on Their Wedding Day

For most of my childhood and into my teen years, Carol Burnett "visited" my home each and every Saturday night via television.  As welcome as she was in my house and in my life, I never could have guessed that all these years later, she would have a vital role in giving me a brand new sister and a new name in my family tree.
One evening in early April, I received an unexpected telephone call from my brother, Brian, telling me he had something exciting to tell me.  He explained that he and his beloved, Rhonda had purchased tickets to see Carol Burnett in her personal appearance at Indiana University. As if that was not big enough news, he went on to tell me that he had had a brilliant idea.  He was going to use the occasion to propose to Rhonda and he had managed to include Miss Burnett in his "sneaky" plan.  He had spoken to a contact at the university who in turn put him in touch with some of Carol's staff and to them made his request.  After several phone calls, he received the news that Miss Burnett was thrilled to be a part of the event..  So, the evening was carefully coordinated.  They were to be seated close to the front.  When the "audience questions" portion of the show began, he was to be called upon, at which time he was to "pop the question".   He had to come up with an explanation as to why they suddenly had seats in the front row, rather than their original places, but he told Rhonda that he had found these much better seats on an online auction website.  On the 18th of April, when the appointed question time came during the show, Brian raised his hand and Carol inquired as to whether or not he had a question. His answer was "Yes, I do have a question, but not for you."  At that time he asked Rhonda to stand up and he dropped down to one knee.  Miss Burnett then performed her famous "Tarzan yell" for the crowd as Rhonda joyfully said "Yes" and the crowd cheered. Thankfully, there was a kind person in the crowd who took photographs! Afterward, they were escorted backstage to meet with the lovely and gracious Carol Burnett and they of course, invited her to their wedding!  Brian and Rhonda were married on 23 July, 2011 and I gained not only a new sister, but a great new story for "Genealogy and Me".  Isn't it cool the way that works?

Family Recipe Friday - Elizabeth's Broccoli Salad

When my brother was married in 1974, I gained a new sister, but our family received  a wonderful new cook!  Elizabeth loves to cook and she has discovered some recipes that have quickly become family traditions.  One of those recipes is the one I am sharing in today's Family Recipe Friday. It is Broccoli Salad, and since Thanksgiving of 1976, it has been a staple at just about all our gatherings.

Broccoli Salad
4 10 oz. Boxes chopped Broccoli
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 Eggs
1 c. Mayonnaise
2 Packages Cheddar Cheese

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine broccoli, soup, eggs, mayonnaise and 1 cup of cheese.  Bake 45 minutes. The last 15 minutes sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Rick and Elizabeth, shortly after their marriage in 1974

This recipe is very simple, but looks and tastes incredible!

Those Places Thursday - Howard Johnson's Motel




My Dad, My Brothers, and Me at the Howard Johnson's

 

When I was almost 4 years old, we took our first, and biggest, family vacation.  It was a road trip to Alpena, Michigan and it would require a couple of overnight stays in a motel.  I can't tell you in which city we stopped, but I do have some strong memories about a Howard Johnson's motel.  Since I was so young, they are just fragments of remembrance, but I can close my eyes and see them clearly.  This was the first time I ever had one of those tiny, single serving boxes of cereal that they served for breakfast at the restaurant that was always attached to the motel.  After that trip, I begged my mother to buy them for me at home! The roof was bright orange, the doors to the rooms were alternately green and orange and there were machines that dispensed ice in the hallway.  We took pictures outside the motel before we headed farther north, everyone smiling and clearly having fun.  Within a few years,  we would spend nights in another Howard Johnson's.  This time in Lexington, Kentucky where we went to see my brothers working together as an evangelistic team.  On this trip our group included my grandmother, sister in law, and my brother's girlfriend.  I was older this time and could appreciate the comfortable bed and free stationary!  Each occasion we would have to travel, we would usually look for a Howard Johnsons because it was a name we knew we could trust. 

Mom and Dad in Lexington at Howard Johnsons

In the 90's, of course,  Howard Johnson's Motels decided to change their image and they became Hojo Inns, which I thought made them sound cheap. Even though they were not elegant places to stay, we never had one complaint about a stay in one of their motels.  I can't say the same about some of today's hotel chains.  Whenever I see these pictures, I have to smile remembering that special place, the Howard Johnsons Motel.

Wordless Wednesday - Grandpa and Grandson

This is one of my favorite photographs. It pictures my father and his grandfather, John Huffman, of Sabina, Ohio.  This was taken when my dad was on leave from the Air Force in 1951.

Tuesday's Tip - Internet Archive - Digital Library

One of my favorite resources for genealogical research is old county history books.  I have been amazed at the amount of personal family history I have discovered in books written in the early 1900's about Ohio and Illinois. My ancestors were early settlers in both states and to my delight I have found entire biographical paragraphs written about my relatives. The Internet Archive Digital Library is a valuable site for anyone who is looking for these types of history books and the fact that there is no charge for it's use makes it even better!    I have had to rely a great deal on the resources that are available to me online, so I am always thankful to discover new websites like this one. 

Another site you might wish to check out if you are interested in Army records is The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center.  You can search for Army information, watch videos and more.

Let me know if you make any new discoveries!

Military Monday - NCR Norris Men in the Service

The above article appeared in the monthly magazine that was published by The National Cash Register Company in Dayton.  It states:  "World Wars I and II - Top picture shows L.V. Norris, of Polishing-Plating Department, as a Corporal in World War I.  Above left: Pfc. Edgar M. Norris, son of L.V. Norris, enlisted in the Air Force in February, 1944 and is now a gunnery instructor of B-29's at Clovis, N.M. Right: Corp. Donald L. Norris, another son, is somewhere in Germany with a medical detachment.  He has been overseas since September, 1944 and has seen many of the father's old camping grounds.  The boys are brothers of Jeanne Norris, Telephone Exchange."

I have written previously about NCR and it's importance to my family and to my hometown.  Each month NCR distributed a magazine that detailed not only the business news, but also information about the employees and their families. I am lucky enough to have several of those books and newsletters in my collection.   I have always loved this particular article, which discusses my grandfather, two of my uncles, and my aunt who all worked at NCR along with both of my parents.  

Sentimental Sunday - Grandma at the Grocery Store

Today I was searching through my family history folders when I spied this photograph of my grandmother, Imogene Huffman Shoemaker.   She is pictured standing in the produce department of the little grocery store in Sabina, Ohio where she worked.   She was only 43 years old when my grandfather passed away suddenly of a heart attack and was overnight a single mother without an income.   I remember being told that her parents wanted her to move in with them so they could take care of her and my aunt, who at that time was just a little girl.  My father was just out of high school and soon would be married and entering the service.  My grandma was determined that she would take care of herself so she declined my great grandparents offer of a home and she got herself a job working in the grocery store.  By the time I was born, she had been employed there for many years and  I can well remember driving to Sabina on a couple of occasions when she would still be at work and we would stop in and surprise her.  At Easter, she would sometimes bring me decorations that had been hanging up in the store and she never failed to bring my brothers and me a chocolate bunny or fruit cream eggs as a special surprise.   So, today, I am feeling a little sentimental about this photograph and the memory makes me so proud of all my grandparents and very grateful for the legacy of integrity and determination they gave me.

Shopping Saturday - May, 1940

It's May 10, 1940.  The minimum wage is .30 per hour and the average yearly salary is $1900.00

Winston Churchill has just succeeded Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister of the UK,  Adolph Hitler has just announced the beginning of a fight that would "decide the fate of the German nation for the next 1000 years", James M.Cox, publisher of the Dayton Daily News is visiting his friend and former running mate, Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House.  It also happens to be only 2 days before Mother's Day and you still have to purchase a gift for your mom.  Opening the Dayton Daily News, looking beyond the frightening stories of the war in Europe, you find numerous advertisements for the merchants in the Dayton area.  At Elder's Bargain Basement (one of the stores that will become the Elder-Beerman Department Store) you can buy spring coats for $8.00 and sheer print dresses for only $3.99.  A chenille bedspread is selling for $2.98, while at the Finke Furniture Company on East Fifth St. a complete 11 piece bedroom can be purchased for $59. with $2.50 down and $1.00 a week.

If you want to update your kitchen with a gas range that has "completely everything" you can drive down Fifth Street to the Home Equipment Co. and buy this one for $69.95 with no down payment and $1.00 per week.  So many choices! What do you think she will want?

As I carefully turned the pages of the newspaper for May 10, 1940, I found it interesting to note that the advertisers on the sports page included not only quite a few men's clothing stores but also numerous liquor distillers like the Bardstown Distillery and Rittenhouse Bourbon, while on the society pages furriers and soap companies, like Palmolive ruled the space. 

As much as I love reading the news articles in these old papers, I almost enjoy looking at the advertisements even more.   The Rike-Kumler Company (now Macy's), Thal's, The Metropolitan, Zapoleon, Inc,  Muir's Cut Rate Drugs, and so many more are  now long gone but are a part of our city's rich history.  I try to buy these old newspaper whenever I find one that is affordable. What a wonderful way to see "the way it was" and the products from which our ancestors had to choose!