Wanted: The Clawson Boys

Tags

relatives, research

 

I have hunted these guys up and down, back and forth, over and under, and just about any other way I can think of. They’ve remained mostly hidden or under cover, and as adults, just plain disappeared.

Here’s what I know.

• Nettie married the boys’ father, William L Clawson, 29 Nov 1905 in Crittenden County, Arkansas. ¹
• Nettie Clawson then married George W Wilson, 11 Jul 1909 in Mississippi County, Arkansas. ²

According to the 1910 Census, Lee CLAWSON was born about 1907, and Clayborn CLAWSON was born about 1908. I emphasize their last names because this is not the way they are listed on the census. Their relationship to the head of the house, G. W. Wilson, is actually step-sons:

Neither is Mary’s last name Wilson (listed above Lee), but that’s a story I started in this blog post. Gladdis is George’s daughter from his previous marriage.

Speaking of marriages, check out the number in the married column. Across from George (G.W.) it says M4. And for Nettie it says M3, but I’ve found records for possibly four previous marriages for her. Appreciate the enumerators taking down this information. What I’d really like to know is who gave the answers to the enumerator.

I didn’t notice for the longest time that Nettie says she’s the mother of five children, but only three are still living (I was too busy trying to figure out relationships). That’s Clayborn, Lee, and Mary, which begs the question, what happened to the other two children, and who was the father(s)?

So in May of 1910, Nettie and George have been married for nine months. The census lists four children, but none of those children are “theirs.” That changes on the 1920 census.

1920 United States Federal Census: Dist. 0159, McGavock, Mississippi County, Arkansas

George is listed as head and 58, Nettie, his wife is 38. Mary is 15 and still listed as Wilson even tho she’s not his daughter. Lee is 13, and Clayborn is 12. Again both listed as Wilson, but aren’t Wilson’s boys. Gladis is 11. They have two children: Loyed is 5, Catheareen is 1½. And a boarder living with them named Earn Clarence Wilson who is 16. He’s probably a relative, but I have yet to figure out how. Notice none of the children attended school since Sept. 1. From what I understand, they lived among black people, and everyone picked cotton.

These are the only documents I’ve found with Lee and Clayborn on them. Lee does, however, appear in the 1930 census.

1930 United States Federal Census: Dist. 23, Golden Lake, Mississippi County, Arkansas

Again Wilson is listed as his surname. Loyd (15) and Catherine (12) are still living with their parents, and George and Nettie have added one more child, Irene, aged 10. At least I “think” it’s George and Nettie. The enumerator has John as Head, Nettie as wife, and George as Father. So John apparently is George’s son, but a little confusing what Nettie and George’s relationship is since George’s marital status is listed as widow?

But back to the Clawson Boys. They seem to have disappeared after 1930. Searching with Wilson and/or Clawson, the only thing found is a death for “Cleburne Clason” on 18 Oct 1928 in Crittenden County, Arkansas. ³

Crittenden County borders the south side of Mississippi County so sounds promising, but can’t tell for sure until I see his certificate. There is an affiliate film number listed in the record, but after clicking, it says “No records found for Film Number.” I asked at the local Family History Center, but they couldn’t tell me what it meant. Apparently it’ll have to be ordered through the county or the State.

They are as frustrating as their half-sister, Mary. All born in the 20th century, yet they show up on so few records. Thus far, a mysterious enigma.

---

¹⁾ “Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V4XF-CKD : accessed 12 February 2016), Wm L Clawson and Nettie Lefler, 29 Nov 1905; citing, Crittenden, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 1,020,230.
²⁾ “Arkansas Marriages, 1837-1944,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7SB-JJG : accessed 12 February 2016), G. W. Wilson and Nettie Clawson, 11 Jul 1909; citing Mississippi, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 1,302,551.
³⁾ “Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VJRN-M17 : accessed 12 February 2016), Cleburne Clason, 18 Oct 1928; derived from “Arkansas, Death Index, 1914-1950,” database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); a multigenerational derivative citing Division of Vital Records, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950 (Arkansas: Arkansas Genealogical Society).

 

Advertisements

DNA Tests

Tags

ancestors, DNA, genealogy webinar, relatives

There will be nothing new and earth shattering in this post! Simply trying to reduce my ignorance about DNA by researching DNA testing and results, along with reviewing my notes on DNA webinars I attended.

DNA is an abbreviation for Deoxyribonucleic acid.⁽¹⁾ You’ll probably never need to know that unless it comes up in a trivia game, or you want to impress someone!

We were all born with 46 chromosones, well, most of us anyhow.  People with Down’s Syndrome were born with a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

Our mother gave us our X chromosome, and our father contributed our X or Y chromosome. Our sex is also determined by our father: X = female. Y = male.

That’s the basics — most likely learned in your junior high science class. Pretty simple to follow.

My first exposure to DNA education occurred in 2013 when I attended a Legacy Family Tree webinar by Ugo Perego entitled “The New Frontier in Genetic Genealogy: Autosomal DNA Testing.” Since it was listed as an Intermediate/ Advanced Level webinar, a lot went over my head. I am reviewing my notes from his webinar to try and decide which test and/or company to choose for my DNA testing.

Ugo explained the major autosomal DNA tests available to genealogists, how they work and what to expect from them in order to reconstruct our genetic family history.⁽²⁾ He emphasized that DNA testing is to support what we’ve discovered in our genealogical research, not to replace it.

Figure out who needs to be tested. If you want verification of your paternal side of the family, have a male get the Y-DNA test. It can help you find people in your direct line of your father’s side of the family. That’s Dad, grandfather, g-grandfather and so on.

If you’re more interested in your maternal side of the family, a female should take the mtDNA test. It can help you make connections with the direct line of your mother’s side of the family. Mom, grandma, g-grandma, etc.

He talked about the four DNA testing companies: 23andMe, Family Tree DNA, Ancestry, and Genograhic Project, and their differences. Two points I remember:

1. 23andMe is a private company (with money) so tests are generally cheaper.
2. Ancestry’s very new to DNA testing. There had only been 120,000 people who tested with them. [Bear in mind, this webinar was presented in May of 2013.] He also expressed his opinion that their testing was not as accurate as 23andMe or FTDNA.

At his company website, you can read more about these testing companies. If you’ve never heard of Dr. Ugo A. Perego, here’s his bio:

• CEO for the Salt Lake City-based Genetic Genealogy Consultant
• Scientist affiliated with the DNA laboratory of Professor Antonio Torroni at the University of Pavia in Italy
• Previously a senior researcher with the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation
• Earned a PhD in Genetic and Biomolecular Sciences⁽³⁾

He knows what he’s talking about, I think! He has presented four different webinars at FamilyTreeWebinars. I will be reviewing notes from other webinars and posting more soon.

What about you? Have you had your DNA tested? Are you thinking about having it done?

---

1. Wikipedia
2. Family Tree Webinar
3. Dr. Perego’s Presenter Details

 

My Aunt Became My Uncle?

Tags

ancestry research, relatives

My 2nd great-grand Aunt accidentally fell into my lap this week…or is she really my Uncle? Confusing, yes?

courtesy FamilySearch.org

When I started down my bumpy genealogy road a few years ago, I began with this line of the family. I dutifully entered the siblings of my 2x g-grandmother into my family tree. Francis was a one year old in the 1860 census index at Family Search.

Her gender is listed as female, both in the index above, and the US Census below:

courtesy Ancestry.com

Plainly there’s an F in the gender/sex column, so she was labeled female in my tree.

Note to self: Never take anything for granted when doing research. And especially don’t trust an index! Everyone makes occasional mistakes, always check the original document. Even enumerators made errors.

In my early blissful ignorance, I never even noticed that at age 12 in the next census (1870), Francis was listed as a male. I made an assumption based on one record: Francis = female.

courtesy Ancestry.com

And that was the end of Francis, for I could find nothing else after 1870. I eventually decided that she must have died in childhood. Thus she has sat on a back genealogy shelf for quite a while, patiently waiting for the truth to be discovered.

Recently Ancestry sent me an email saying that her father, Asa Edwards, had a new hint. Asa has also been an enigma because I haven’t been able to trace back any farther in his line. So I excitedly checked his hint, only to find it was a State of Washington Death Record Index.

As far as I knew, Asa died in Wisconsin. I found his Record of Death in Wisconsin at Family Search and Ancestry. And he’s buried in Wisconsin. So why did Ancestry throw me a State of Washington Death Record?

Closer inspection showed me it was a child of Asa Edwards who died: Francis Maxwell Edwards, Gender: Male.

Shaking my head I’m thinking, not my relative! Must be someone else with the same father’s name. Ah, so  many newbie errors…

Nope, I am wrong. Mother’s given name matches. Mother’s maiden name closely matches (they have Ward, it’s Wood). Birth state matches. Even approximate year of birth matches.

courtesy Washington State Archives

After more digging, I discovered I had missed the male designation in the 1870 census…duh! Then I found Francis in the 1880 census. How this eluded me is a mystery! That also listed him as male. There’s a pattern emerging here.

• 1860 US Census: age 1, Stockton, Jo Daviess, Illinois, USA
• 1870 US Census: age 12, Exeter, Green, Wisconsin, USA
• 1878 WI Marriage Record: age 20, to Nancy Estella Moffitt, Twin Grove, Green, Wisconsin, USA
• 1880 US Census: age 22, Jefferson, Green, Wisconsin, USA
• 1900 US Census: age 42, Bergen, Marathon, Wisconsin, USA
• 1915 Kansas Census: age 57, Wichita, Sedgwick, Kansas, USA
• 1920 US Census: age 62, Parker, Yakima, Washington, USA
• 1930 US Census: age 72, Wenatchee, Chelan, Washington, USA
• 1940 US Census: age 81, Norden, Snohomish, Washington, USA
• 1949 WA Death: age 90, Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington, USA

Look what that Ancestry hint helped me find! I learned details are important. And if you miss or overlook those details, it’s not so good.

So I filled in a lot of missing puzzle pieces. I discovered my Aunt was really my Uncle! Who knows what genealogy puzzle piece will fall into my lap next.

 

WWI Soldier Falls Before Deployment

Tags

relatives, WWI

When Harry Phillip Haynes was born on Friday, December 18, 1896, in Fitchburg, Dade County, Wisconsin,¹ his father, Washington Elonzo Haynes, was 29 and his mother, Elizabeth (Poths) Haynes, was 24. They had been married about 6 years and he was their fourth child.

On June 14, 1900, the US Census lists Veazie, Washburn County, Wisconsin as Harry’s residence². He was three years old (soon to be four) and lived with his parents mentioned above, four siblings, his 73 year old maternal grandfather, Philip Poths, who was widowed, and his single maternal Uncle, Charles Poths, who was 21.

Up the road a few houses lived his paternal grandfather, Washington E Haynes, with four children under 18. Washington’s second wife, had passed away the year before. Harry’s paternal grandmother passed away in 1879. Harry’s mother, Elizabeth or Lizzie as she was sometimes called, reports that she’s the mother of 5 children, and 5 were still living. Washington, Harry’s father, was working as a Day Laborer.

By 1905, the family was living in Springbrook, Washburn County, Wisconsin³. Harry is now an eight year old middle child with three born before him−Mammie, age 14; Elmer, age 12, Eddie, age 10, and three were born after him: Walter, age 6, Myrtle, age 4 and Manley, age 1. That means he had four brothers and two sisters.

The family had relocated to Scott, Washburn County, Wisconsin by 1910.⁴ The census lists his father’s occupation as a farmer. Harry and his six siblings are all living at home. His mother, Elizabeth, is missing from this census. Although I can find no Record of Death for her, she did pass around 1911. A search in Find-A-Grave reveals that she shares a tombstone with Harry.

My theory is no marker was placed at the time of her death. And when the first of her children died, the family placed a marker for both, and didn’t remember the mother’s death year correctly. Or perhaps she was away getting treated at the time of the census in 1910. This is one of those nice genealogy puzzles that dangle in front of us and drive us nuts if we let them!!

Harry was 21 years when he filled out a WWI draft card on June 5, 1918 in Shell Lake, Washburn County, Wisconsin⁵. RFD#1 in Springbrook, Washburn County, Wisconsin was listed as his current residence. He worked for McCloud & Smith at 87th Ave West in Duluth, St. Cloud County, Minnesota as a laborer. A little digging on the internet seems to indicate this was a construction company⁶. He is of medium build, medium height, blue eyes and brown hair with no apparent physically disqualifying faults. He lists his father as his nearest relative, so apparently was still single.

Part two of Harry’s story will be posted shortly.

————————
¹ “Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRNC-P95 : accessed 6 January 2015), Haynes, 18 Dec 1896; citing Fitchburg, Dane, Wisconsin, reference p348 no50 rn1793; FHL microfilm 1,302,858.
² “United States Census, 1900,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MM2K-LCX : accessed 6 January 2015), Harry P Haynes in household of Washington E Haynes, Minong & Veazie towns, Washburn, Wisconsin, United States; citing sheet 5B, family 94, NARA microfilm publication T623, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,241,821.
³ “Wisconsin, State Census, 1905,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11108-107378-12?cc=1443899 : accessed 6 January 2015), Washburn > Spring Brook > image 4 of 5; State Historical Society, Madison.
⁴ “United States Census, 1910,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MP2Z-8GP : accessed 6 January 2015), Harry P Haynes in household of Washington E Haynes, Scott, Burnett, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 43, sheet 9A, family 99, NARA microfilm publication T624, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,375,715.
⁵ “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-26426-1734-77?cc=1968530 : accessed 6 January 2015), Wisconsin > Washburn County; A-Z > image 798 of 2211; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
⁶ The Bridgemen’s Magazine, Volume 8, p. 151. Google books.

Dangling Connection Comes Back to Haunt Me

Tags

photos, relatives, research

It’s Halloween. Don’t really celebrate the holiday any more, but found it interesting that an old connection came back to tantalize and haunt me today.

In August, I wrote about a photo found in Hawaii of some of my relatives: The George Brecheisen family.

l to r: Elizabeth (Shumacher), Adelia, Carl, Millard, George Brecheisen

In a September post, Photo from Hawaii, part 2, I talked about on the back of the photo were written the words. “George Breckhisen, some relative of my father Tillman Miller.”

Although I’ve worked off and on to figure out the relationship, I haven’t been successful. It was sitting on the back burner, percolating away.

Today the gentleman in Hawaii contacted me about more info he’s found about Amanda Miller, Tillman’s wife: an Ohio death certificate. She died 10 March 1931 in New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. According to said death certificate, her mother was a Thompson. Great to know her mother’s maiden name. That may come in handy down the road!

According to Find-A-Grave, Amanda Miller, along with her husband Tillman, are buried in East Avenue Cemetery in New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.

They most likely lived their entire lives in Tuscarawas County. George’s three older siblings were born in France. But he was born in Ohio, and lived in Green, Ashland, Ohio for the 1860 census.

Although Tuscarawas County and Ashland County aren’t next to each other, they are close enough for relatives to have settled in.

image from Wikipedia Public Domain

The Hawaiian gentleman also found siblings of Amanda, including one named Caroline. And on the back of the latest photo it says something like, Aunt ‘Cal,’ sister to my grandmother Amanda Miller. She never married. Cal could conceivably be a nickname for Caroline.

I still suspect George Brecheisen and Tillman Miller might be cousins due to the closeness in their birthdates (George – 1855 and Tillman – 1859). But there’s a lot more work to do to prove this theory, to say nothing about trying to flesh out the Miller line further to #1, prove this is the right Miller family, and #2, try to see where the connection lies between the two lines.

Maybe a solution to this puzzle that keeps coming back to haunt me will be my Christmas present!

Photo from Hawaii, part 2

Tags

ancestry research, relatives

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about a photo found in Hawaii that made it’s way back to me. Now I’ve heard from the gentleman who sent the photo to me, that he’s found another photo that might be related.

Remember I said someone has written on back of that photo, “George Breckhisen, some relative of my father Tillman Miller.” Well, now it appears there’s another photo at the Antique Shop that says something like, “Aunt ‘Cal’ sister, to my grandmother Amanda Miller.”

At first I figured it wasn’t related to the photo I received. After all, it was the George Brecheisen family! Then I remembered the little written blurb on the back about Tillman Miller. And got to wondering, is Amanda Miller possibly related to Tillman Miller?

Miller is a common last name. And I don’t have any Millers in my tree. How does one search for someone when you don’t know a date of birth, or a residence?

A search for Tillman Miller in Ancestry living in Michigan brought up a couple matches, but none with an Amanda in them. George Brecheisen lived in Michigan, but does that mean his relative, Tillman Miller, did also? Maybe not. Perhaps that’s why they had the photo, because they weren’t close to each other. And George wanted Tillman to see his family.

George was born in Ohio. So I did an Ancestry search for Tillman Miller in Ohio. F. Tillman Miller pops up in a 1880 census with a wife named Amanda. Hmmm, he was born in June, 1859, near the time of George’s birth of 1855. Is this possibly a relative? Perhaps a cousin?

With a few more clicks and searches in Ancestry, and some help from FamilySearch, I have now fleshed out this Tillman’s immediate family. But to determine if George and Tillman are related, I have to go up both Tillman and Amanda’s trees. I suspect Amanda’s maiden name may be Thompson, as a later census lists a brother-in-law named Thompson living with her and her husband. But I need more proof to back this up.

And what if Amanda is really Tillman’s mother? How do I know which female relative of Tillman’s this Amanda is?? I can’t really assume the same person wrote on the two different photos until I see the photo and compare the handwriting.

Have you ever had to start midstream, so to speak, in research? This is the first time I’ve tried to connect someone to a person in my tree without starting with something concrete. It’s a little disconcerting!

But I keep thinking about this other photo in Hawaii. It certainly deserves to be reunited with relatives. I can’t locate a tree in Ancestry with this Tillman Miller in it, at least not the Tillman Miller I found. And looking in FamilySearch under genealogies produces no trees whatsoever containing him.

Any suggestions, ideas, helpful tips? Or should I just leave the photo where it is, and hope it finds it’s way back to relatives eventually?

Friday Faces

Tags

ancestry research, relatives

About a week and a half ago, I was contacted by someone I had corresponded with in Ancestry a couple years ago. She noticed a social media post about a photo with a surname that matched one in my tree.

She asked if it might be one of my relatives. I checked, and sure enough, that George Brecheisen appeared to be my George Brecheisen. She put me in contact with the person who found the photo in an antique shop, in Hawaii, of all places. After emailing back and forth a few times, he agreed to sell it to me for cost of the photo plus postage.

Yesterday I received it in the mail! I can’t tell you the pride and pleasure it gave me to open that envelope and look at the faces of the Brecheisen family.

l to r: Elizabeth (Shumacher), Adelia, Carl, Millard, George Brecheisen

Appears to be a special occasion, as they are certainly dressed up. On the back of the photo someone has written, “George Breckhisen, some relative of my father Tillman Miller.”

Here is a photo of an older Adelia. I see a resemblance not only to the teenager Adelia in the above photo, but there’s a strong family resemblance to her mother. What do you think? Do we have the right family, even if it was discovered over in Hawaii?!

Since I’m short on time, I used Ancestry’s story view to quickly generate George’s story.

click to view larger image

I am posting the photo along with George’s Life Story in hopes that during a search, some of his descendants will find the photo, and hopefully fill us in with more details of his life. Maybe the relationship of Tillman Miller will be explained. It is also hoped that the mysterious journey of the photo from Michigan to Hawaii will be discovered!

Mystery Monday, cont.

Tags

relatives

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about the puzzle of Mary Louise (Lefler) Gipson Ethridge. Didn’t know much about her, and had very few records.

Since that post (due to a thoughtful and smart cousin), I’ve since received a death notice and an obituary from The News Leader newspaper in Miami.

Mary (Lefler) Gipson Ethridge Obituary, cropped.¹

Mary L. Ethridge
Mary L. Ethridge, 63, Rt. 2, Homestead, died Dec. 13 [1965].

She is survived by her husband, Nagel M.; daughter, Mrs. J. T. Smedley; brother, Lloyd Wilson, three sisters, Mrs. Vestus Rouse, Mrs. Kathleen Golden and Mrs. Irene Henry, and three grandchildren.

She came here in 1961 from Marked Tree, Ark.

Services will be held today at 2 p.m. at Philbrick-Coral Gables Chapel. Burial will be in Flagler Memorial Park.

It lists four siblings, one brother and three sisters:

1. Lloyd Wilson
2. Mrs. Vestus Rouse
3. Mrs. Kathleen Golden
4. Mrs. Irene Henry

Of course the girls are listed under their married names. But the supposed brother’s surname is Wilson? This is not the maiden name listed on her marriage bond record from 1920. Or perhaps Lefler is not her maiden name, maybe she was married previous to this? She was 18 when this form was completed. It could be possible.

Or he could be a half or step sibling. More clues with three sisters’s names, and more mysteries to be solved.

Cousin’s Birth Record

Tags

ancestry research, relatives

Nora Marie Hudson was born on 1 June 1885, in Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin. On 9 Aug 1899 she was married to Wm. Patrick in Rock County, Wisconsin. She had barely turned 14 when she married.

In 1900 she and her new husband lived in Avon, Rock County, Wisconsin with her father and mother.

By the 1905 Wisconsin census the family had moved to Prairie Farm, Barron County, Wisconsin. She has two daughters, Gladys born in 1902, and Grace born 24 Mar 1905, my first cousins 2x removed.

I can find no record of Gladys’ birth, other than censuses. Grace’s record of birth was found in Family Search’s Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926. There is a short note in it I’ve not run across before. Under Name Note it says: “Other issue. One girl.”

This second item was also found at Family Search with the same Name Note.

It refers to the same film number.

In checking with the Wisconsin Historical Society’s website, Grace’s birth comes up in a search, but provides even less information.

Wisconsin State Law prohibits the online reproduction of a complete vital record.

However this did provide a learning experience for me. I didn’t realize Wisconsin prohibited online reproduction of complete vital records. Apparently ordering the microfilm is my next option.

Can anyone tell me what other issue refers to?  I haven’t seen this before, so am unclear what it means. Is it referring to Gladys’ previous birth, or possibly another girl born the same day?

 

Success!

Tags

1700s, relatives

After nearly giving up on MyHeritage.com’s free military records week-end, early yesterday morning I had some success. Evidently the trick for my relatives was to look back as far as I could.

At the beginning of my search process, I started with the Viet Nam War and moved backwards from there. Was back practically to the Civil War and nothing new was surfacing.

So I gave up….but after one day I was back at it again! And in the wee hours of a dark thundery Memorial Day morning, I found not one, not two, but three 4^th-g-grandfathers who fought in the Revolutionary War. I ended up with 14 different records or documents or transcripts for these three ancestors.

The first one I found was David Jepson, born 5 Sep 1762 in Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts. I had “heard” he served more than three years in the Revolutionary War, but hadn’t gotten around to searching very hard for records to verify that.

Now I have evidence that he actually did serve in the Revolutionary War. The first record that came up was a pension file. The Pension Roll of 1835, Volume 1. It is listed as the most complete roll of Revolutionary War pensioners ever published.

record from myheritage.com

I still have to look for column titles so I have some idea of what the info means. Their viewer didn’t allow me to enter a specific page to go to, just scroll forward or back one. That’s a lot of clicks from page 895 back to the beginning.

There was also this record: Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, a Compilation From the Archives, Volume 8, published 1896.

record from myheritage.com

Jepson, David. Descriptive list dated Northampton, Sept. 14, 1790, of men detached from Col. Israel Chapin’s (2d Hampshire Co.) regt. for the term of 3 months, agreeable to resolve of June 22, 1780; Capt. White’s Co.; age, 17 yrs.; stature 5 ft.; complexion, light; engaged for town of Chesterfield; mustered July 5, 1780; also, Private, Capt. Ebenezer Sheldon’s co., Col. Seth Murray’s regt.; enlisted July 14, 1780; discharged Oct. 10, 1780; service, 3 mos. 4 days, including 7 days (132 miles) travel home; company raised to reinforce Continental Army for 3 months; also receipt dated Springfield, May 10, 1782, for bounty paid said Jepson by Moses Dresser, Chairman of Class No. 3 of the town of Chesterfield, to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 3 years.

There’s evidence he signed up for the war for three years. I was also thrilled to find a short description of him. Seeing him described as 5 foot tall and light complexion gives me a little idea of what he looked like.

I also found another record of registration and two records about his burial in Vermont.

record from myheritage.com

Searching in Find-A-Grave, I found him buried in Pownal Center Cemetery in Pownal, Bennington County, Vermont.

Using My Heritage’s free military records search week-end, I was able to find out more about my 4-g-grandfather. Could these records have been found elsewhere? Perhaps. Maybe even probably. Obviously with Find-A-Grave, it should have been easy to find, had I been looking. But it wasn’t a branch I was working on.

Because My Heritage gave access to military records over Memorial Day week-end, it prompted me to work on that branch of my family, and learn more about my 4th g-grandfather. For that I am happy and grateful.

Thanks, Grandpa David, for your service to our fledgling, forming country back in the late 1700s. You and your service are not forgotten.