Christian Gruissy Immigration 1835

Christian Gruissy

b c 1792 Switzerland

My 4th Great Grandfather

A Second Look

In 2011 I published a book, The Mark Family Story, that included my Gruissy roots. When I finished it I moved on to other branches of the family. Recently I have gone back to look at some of my Gruissy research notes & I did some searching on Ancestry. As we know, new records are always being added. I was happily surprised to find this record of Christian's arrival in the USA. Previously I had found him in Ohio in 1837. Now I know the he arrived two years before that. I wonder how they traveled from Switzerland to France; what led Christian to Ohio and how he traveled from New York to Ohio. Every discovery leads to more questions.

This record also shows two daughters I had not previously found, Elisabeth and Barbara.

Lesson to myself: Remember to go back and check for new information!

Ship: Rhode Island

Port of Departure, Le Harve, France

Arrival NY City 25 May 1835

Steerage Passengers:

Christian Gruissi          43        male     Laborer            Switzerland

Barbara                      44        female                          Switzerland

Christian                     23        male                             Switzerland

Elisabeth                     18        female                          Switzerland

Barbara                       13        female                          Switzerland

Rosina                         11        female                          Switzerland

John                             9        male                             Switzerland

Source: New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957; 25 May 1835, the Rhode Island; digital image, Ancestry (ancestry.com: March 2018) Christian Grussi.

Related Posts:

• Christian Gruissy, Jr.
• Augustus Ceaser Gruissy

Photographs Reunited!

Esther Barbara Wolf Gruissy & Augustus Ceaser Gruissy

with their grandson

Richard Ray Nichols 

(son of Willis & Rephenia Cathern Gruissy Nichols)

I have had this photograph for some time. I like the framework and the photographer's information. Augustus is my 2nd great grandfather. My paternal grandmother, Ivy Regina Mark Brown, vaguely remembered seeing him as a little girl. She said he was friendly.

Recently (see previous post) a cousin contacted me. Carol  Morrison Moser had read my blog & reached out to me with photographs and family information. Carole is a descendant of Augustus and his first wife, Mary Everett. I am a descendant of Augustus' second wife, Esther Barbara Wolf. 

One of the photos Carole shared is below.

Rephenia Cathern Gruissy Nichols & 

Nancy Regina Gruissy Mark

 Augustus & Esther had 5 children. 

Only these two lived to adulthood.

Look at the two photographs! They must have been taken the same day. They show Augustus & Esther, their two daughters and their grandson. These photographs have been separated for many years and now, due to Carole, they are reunited. This is just one of many advantages of meeting cousins!

Related Posts:

• A New Cousin Found Me
• Nancy Regina Gruissy Mark

A New Cousin Found Me!

Recently I received an email from a New Cousin!

Carole wrote, “Colleen, your blog is wonderful!!  Augustus Ceaser Gruissy is also my Great Grandfather.” She had read my blog and, saw my connection to the Gruissy family and explained her relationship to the family.

Augustus Ceaser Gruissy is our common 2^nd great grandfather.

Augustus Ceaser Gruissy

16 May 1840 OH – 8 Dec 1915 OH

Son of Christian Gruissy & Mary Grorisclauss

Augustus Ceaser Gruissy

Photo courtesy of Carole Morrison Moser

Our great grandfather married three times.

1.     He married Mary Everett on 21 February 1861 in Wayne Co., OH. They had four daughters. Carole’s family line descends from Augustus & Mary and their daughter Margaret Jane Gruissy Morrison. We believed Augustus & Mary were divorced. 

2.     He married Esther Barbara Wolf on 6 Dec 1868 in Stark Co., OH. They had five children. Three died young and two daughters grew to adulthood. My line descends from Augustus & Esther and their daughter, Nancy Regina Gruissy Mark.  Esther died 11 August 1906.

3.     He married Ellen J. Stoner 8 January 1908. She had been twice widowed before the marriage. They had no children together. Family stories say she heard that Augustus was going to leave her out of his will & she killed him with an axe. A great story that we have not proved.

Mary Ann Everett Gruissy

Photo courtesy of Carole Morrison Moser

Since our initial email Carole & I have been sending messages back & forth. We each have photos and information that the other does not have. We also have some photos that are the same. 

Joining in on the excitement of expanding our family’s history is another cousin who contacted me a few years ago. Sharon is also a descendant of Augustus & Mary Everett and their daughter Margaret Jane Gruissy Morrison. Carole and Sharon did not know each other before our recent discoveries. Now, the three of us are having a wonderful time learning about each other & about our family.

This has inspired me to look again at my research & to update my knowledge. I will be writing about the Gruissy family in several blog posts. Of course, this will intrude on my current research of my Brown branches but it is a fun intrusion and I am often pulled in various directions at the same time.

Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Esther Barbara Wolf Gruissy

Photo courtesy of Carole Morrison Moser

By the way, if you have a copy of 'The Mark Family Story' be warned that we are altering the Gruissy Chapter with this exchange of information. Perhaps there will have to be a revised edition. ha!

St. Patrick's Day 2018

An Irish Blessing for you on St. Patrick's Day,

my birthday!

Colleen

My Irish Surnames

Related Posts:

• Happy St. Patrick's Day 2017
• Happy St. Patrick's Day 2016
• St. Patrick's Day 2013
• The Search for an Irish Family Tombstone
• My Ireland Trip

Book Report: Mississippi Territory in the War of 1812

Mississippi Territory in the War of 1812

By Mrs. Dunbar Rowland

Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Company, Inc., 2005

In this short history I endeavor to give a truthful account of the part played by the Mississippi Territory and its soldiery in the Campaign against the British and the Creek Nation during the War of 1812.

This is a reprint of a publication by the Mississippi Historical Society written in 1921.

This small book begins with a description of the Mississippi Territory prior to the war. The larger towns, their leadership and the military units are discussed. The history of the hostilities with the Creek Nation is detailed. Then the author leads us through the events of the war in interesting details. I must admit to having skimmed those details and hope to return to read the entire text soon.

The history of the war is followed by ‘Rolls of Mississippi Commands in the War of 1812’ which fills almost 80 pages of names. I have combed through those names and found family members in Nixon’s Regiment from our Brown and Dillon branches.

If you have soldiers who fought in this conflict or if you are interested in the war, this book will be of interest to you. Find a copy, sit back and read.

MY LIBRARY

At the top of this blog, click on My Library for many more books that I have found useful for genealogical & historical research.

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• Book. North Carolina Research
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Oscar Brumfield, Brave & Gallant Soldier

Oscar Hope Brumfield

7 May 1841 MS - 8 March 1922

Son of Charles Brumfield & Harriet Knight

My 1st cousin, 4x removed

This short newspaper clipping was written by someone with a tender touch of their pen. First, it mentions Oscar's Civil War service, which I had found in other sources. He is described as a "brave and gallant soldier." But the main purpose of this notice is to tell readers that Oscar has been moved to a home where he will live out the days remaining in his life. [This would be three years later.] He is wished "peace and happiness" until he is "called up higher." In 1919 the author of this article knew how to say Oscar would not be recovering; that he would live out his remaining time in this facility; certainly not an easy fact to report. 

Mr. Oscar Brumfield to Beauvoir

Wednesday, Mr. Oscar Brumfield, one of the old Confederate Veterans, left for Beauvior to spend the remainder of his life in the home. Mr. Brumfield was a brave and gallant soldier and during the stormy days of the war between the states he was young and no truer son wore the Gray than Oscar Brumfield. May he find peace and happiness under the shade of the Spreading Oaks at Beauvior and in his leisure dream over the many happy dreams of youth until called up higher, and there let us hope all his earthly ambitions will be fulfilled...

Mr. Oscar Brumfield to Beauvior, (Yazoo City, MS: The Yazoo Herald, 7 March 1919)1; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed February 2018.

Related Posts:

• Sorting the Children of John Wilson Brumfield
• Four Generations in One Source! A Brumfield Bonanza!