I'm Indexing the 1940 US Census!

This is really a fun and rewarding opportunity and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in family history, or those who enjoy list-making and archival projects.  Just visit FamilySearch.org for more info on how you can help!

Pleasant Farmers

It's so fun to run across photos of ancestors! This is Samuel Pleasant Wiles (1816-1897) and his wife Mary "Mable" Bigger Wiles (1813-1901). They are the great-great-great-grandparents of my husband.

Samuel was a farmer in Pleasant Township, Logan County, Ohio. His property was located 13 miles from the county seat Bellefontaine, between T-78 and C-77, flush against T-35. The dwelling was in the corner of T-78 and T-35. This information I found on the 1875 plat map of Pleasant Township. The photos I found on Ancestry.com, courtesy of a user named rsburk2000.

Samuel and Mable > James Leander Wiles > Hattie Almeda Wiles > Frances Louella Wortman > George Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop

Lot Wortman's Will

For this article we will exit the Logan County area and take a look at eastern Ohio where the Wortman family came from.

Here is a special treasure found through the wonderful network of Ancestry.com. It's the full text of the will of Lot Wortman, direct paternal ancestor of my husband's late grandmother Fran (Wortman) Bishop. Lot Wortman lived in Muskingum County, Ohio in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. I have copied this transcription of his will.

Transcription of a photocopy received from Delores Mustaine of the handwritten will of Lot WORTMAN of Muskingum County, Ohio. Upon comparison with the will recorded in the Muskingum County, Ohio Will Record Book, (LDS #317,300, Book C, pages 228-229), it is clear that Delores sent a copy of the original will. Lot's signature is very shaky, probably reflecting age and/or illness. He may have only signed the will, not written it entirely himself. 

In the Name of god Amen

I Lot Wortman of the County of Muskingum and State of Ohio Considering the uncertingty of living and Certinty of Deth   Being weak in Body but of sound mind Memory and understanding Do make and publish this to be my last will and testament in maner and form as follows

1st   it is my Will that all my just Debts and funerall Expenses be fully Paid

2d   it is my Will that all my Real Estate with all the appertaines their unto belonging and all my Parsonal Estate also Shall be and Remain in the hands of my beloved wife Margaret Wortman So long as She lives an Remains my widdo to the use of her and the familly that unmaried Children that now is with her So long as they Remain Single.

3d   it is my Will at the Deth or marage of my Wife Margaret Wortman all my Real and Parsonal Estate is to be Sold at Publick Sale and my three Sons: Samuel Wortman, John Wortman and Joshua Wortman are to have one hundred Dollars apeas in part of their Clame on my Estate and my three younger Sons Eliza Wortman, Jesse David Wortman and Jonothin Washington Wortman are Each one to have two hundred Dollars and Each one a hors Beast worth about forty Dollars apeas in part of their Clames on my Estate and my four Dauters Rachal geyer, Elizabeth Bradford, Margaret Wortman jaison/junor and Rebecah Wortman each are to have one hundred Dollars apeas and the Remaining Bellanc of my Estate to be Equilly Divided among all my Children and lastly I appoint my Cep___Hanks and James Carnes my Executors of this my last Will and testament and Request Joh Wortman and Amaziah geyer to sine their names as witnesses to to this above Will.

In testimony Whereof of the within named Lot Wortman hath here unto Sined name and acknowledged the within will to be my last will and testamant Revoking all former Wills by me made   Sined and acknowledged in the Presance of 

John Wortman

Amaziah Geyer

Lot Wortman

February the 4th A.D. 1839

Lot Wortman was buried in the Bethel Cemetery in Highland Township, Muskingum County, Ohio. He is the great-great-great-great grandfather of my husband as follows:  Lot Wortman > Joshua Wortman > Benjamin Chase Wortman > George William Wortman > Frances Louella Wortman > George Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop

Historic Map Works

I just found a really cool way to look at old plat maps overlaid upon Google maps. I smell a road trip..! Check it out!

http://www.historicmapworks.com/Overlay/?m=59432&c=US

Cousin Dick

Once upon a time, near the small English village of Fulford lived a young man named John Inskeep and his sister Ann. There were actually five other siblings, but they all stayed behind in England while John and Ann sailed to the Americas early in 1702. John's wife Mary and their infant son John came along as well.

John begat lots of offspring and became a judge, and Ann became the wife of a Hussey and begat triplets plus lots more offspring, and then...

In 1913 Ann (Inskeep) Hussey became the great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother of Richard Nixon.

In 1954 Judge John Inskeep became the great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather of Bruce Bishop.

And thus, Richard Nixon and my father-in-law are 8th cousins once removed. Their shared ancestors are John and Ann's parents: John and Sarah (Ward) Inskeep, of Fulford, Staffordshire, England.

You can read about it here, in the 2001 historical compilation by Roger Keight of the Fulford Parish Council in Staffordshire, U.K.

photo of President Richard Nixon from Wikipedia.org