January Family Birthdays, January 17 - 31

Is your birthday coming soon? Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family who came before. Look below and see. Happy Birthday!

17 January    

1839    Agnes STRAW was the daughter of John Straw & Margaret Wolf. She married Louis R Poffenberger.
1876    David Ellsworth MESSMORE

18 January    

1803    Henry RITTER was born in Pennsylvania, son of Johannes Ritter, Jr. & Anna Mariah. He married Mary Harpster. They had two children: David & Catherine.
1855    Julius Ceaser ALFORD
1877    Sarah A. LOBAUGH
1898    Frank FORTENBERRY

19 January    

1831    Joseph WOLF
1867    Philip M. CREASY lived his life in Ohio, son of Christian Gruissy & Mary Wise. He married Mary Wasem. Their son was Harry Lewis Creasy.  Philip owned a grocery store in Stark County, Ohio. 
1885    Sarah Emma Lorena SMITH

20 January    

1881    Elve Ellis BLADES
1884    May Melissa RITTER
1925    Calvin Ford FRAVEL was born in Virginia. He married Mary Arline Parker, daughter of Ralph Parker & Nellie Irene Jolliff.

21 January    

1804    Eli SMITH was born in South Carolina, son of Jeremiah Smith & Joanna Dillon. He married Orpha Roberts. Eli died 2 August 1838 in Mississippi.
1828    Henrietta KERN
 1846    Eliza Jane SMITH

22 January

1822    Ira Payne ALFORD
1882    Robert C. RITTER
1919    Carell James ELLZEY
1919    Wava Alice MARK has lived her life in Ohio, youngest child of Thomas K. Mark & N. Regina Gruissy.  She married Alvin Braun. They lived on a farm in Seville for over 50 years.
1932    Lynn Holly BROWN

23 January

1903    Nina Belle HURD
1921    Borden Hamilton BROWN
1926    John Joseph COYLE was born in Connecticut, son of James Joseph Coyle & Madeline Herbst.
1935    William Glynn FORTENBERRY

24 January    

1802    John WOLF
1827    Elizabeth Martha Ann CUTRER
1837    Mary L. BRUMFIELD
1867    Eugene Wellington MCCLENDON

25 January    

1823    Alfred FORTENBERRY was born in Mississippi, son of William J Fortenberry & Violette Kennington. He married Aderine Mary Faulk. They had eight children.   
1864    Louisa Armethia FORTENBERRY
1880    Ola SCHILLING

26 January   

 1836    Allen Moses BROWN was born in Mississippi, son of Edward S. Brown & Mary Polly Spurlock. He married Emmaline Smith. They had three children. We can find no record of him after 1870. He is my 2nd great grandfather.

27 January     

1814    Esther Barbara WOLF
1879    Richard W. FORTENBERRY
1898    Arlie PIERCE was born in Mississippi. He married Lyda Mearl Brown, daughter of Jasper Pascal Brown & Rose Ella Brumfield. Arlie & Lyda had six children.

28 January    

1875    George Howard ALFORD
1898    James Joseph MCCALL lived his life in New York City where he was a fire fighter. He married Marion Coyle in 1931. He was injured while putting out a fire and died 25 March 1944.

29 January    

1799    Elizabeth MOWREY
1860    Elnora Elizabeth BRUMFIELD
1876    Maria COYLE was born in Ireland, daughter of Patrick Coyle & Margaret Brady. Maria died 21 December 1885.
1889    Mary Alice WOLF

30 January   

 1931    Maxine Kelly JOLLIFF was born in Ohio. She married Donald Eugene Jolliff, s on of Samuel Martin Jolliff & Arvesta Lavonne.

 31 January   

 1821    Andrew Alexander WOLF
 1854    Oscar J. L. ELLZEY

 1879    Nancy Regina Victoria GRUISSY lived her life in Ohio, daughter of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Esther Barbara Wolf. She married Thomas Kenneth Mark on 28 January 1903. They had seven children. She was my great grandmother. She died 24 May 1959.
1916    John Leo BRADY

January Family Birthdays, January 1 - 15

Is your birthday coming soon? Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family who came before. Look below and see. Happy Birthday!

1 January 

  

 1796    Charles BRUMFIELD in South Carolina
 1800    Mary Polly SPURLOCK was born in Georgia. She married Edward S. Brown & had 5  children.  She died 12 January 1888 in Pike Co., Mississippi. She was my 3rd great grandmother.

1833    Eliza A. SMITH
1894    Euna Clarabelle FORTENBERRY
1873    William Isaac MILLER
1906    Robert Rugh HILE in Ohio
1909    Bartholomew Anthony BRADY in NJ
1926    William Alered HUFF

2 January    

1740    Christian DICK was born in Pennsylvania, the son of Johan Adam Dick & Ottilla Knack. He married Catherine Naugle. Christian & his wife both died on 4 May 1800.
1823    Edwin B. RITTER
1844    Cynthia Elizabeth ALFORD
1898    William Bryan SMITH
1899    Walter L. FORTENBERRY
1923     Wesley PIERCE in Mississippi

3 January    

1910    Twins: Claude & Clyde HURD were born in Michigan, children of Roy Hurd & Mona D. Morrison.  The twins died the day they were born.
1914    Helen Pearl RITTER

4 January    

1867    Tholomiah Rhodes WOLF was born in Iowa and died 28 September 1933 in Kansas. He married Elizabeth Willis.
1885    Luella May WOLF

5 January

1786    Anna Margaret BOGERT
1829    William BRUMFIELD was born in Washington Parish, Louisiana, son of Willis Brumfield & Nancy Virginia Holmes. William married Sarah Lewis.
1850    Lovina B. RITTER in Ohio
1867    James Hollis FORTENBERRY
1869    John G. HUFFMAN

6 January    

1835    Narcissa Izela FORTENBERRY was born in Mississippi, daughter of Gasua C. Fortenberry & Sarah B. Narcissa married Warren M. Huffman and had three children. She died in 1902.
1881    Margaret Maude MARK
1845    Cecil Earl HALL

7 January    

1767    Maria Magdelena RITTER was born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Johannes Ritter, Sr. & Maria Elisabeth Keck. She married John Stumpf.
1869    John T. RITTER
1914    Richard F. WOLFF in Connecticut

8 January    

1903    Karl Jackson MILLER was born in Ohio and married Mellie Arlene Jolliff, daughter of Samuel Martin Jolliff & Margaret Maude Mark.
1910    Lillian FORTENBERRY

9 January    

1884    Annie Elizabeth OTT
1897    Helen Frances COYLE was born in New York City, the oldest child of Michael Coyle & Mary Jospehine Mullane. Helen was my maternal grandmother, Nana. She married Nathaniel Gardner. They had one child, Alberta Joy Gardner Brown.
1906    Ira Evie BLADES

10 January    

1894    Charles Spurgeon ELLZEY was born in Mississippi, son of William S. Ellzey & Amanda A. Fortenberry. Charles married Mae McMillan.

11 January    

1752    Anna Margaret STEININGER married Martin Ritter, son of Heinrich Ritter & Maria Elizabeth Tutt. Anna & Martin had seven children.
1768    John RITTER
1850    William Ephraim BLADES
1876    Julia Mae SMITH

12 January    

1733    Maria Christiana WOLF was born in Germany, daughter of Johan Jacob Wolf & Anna Barbara Orth.
1911    Frank William RITTER
1926    Willie Jean FORTENBERRY
1929    Thiry Yvonne BROWN

13 January    

1880    Samuel Harvey WOLF
1924    Fred Allen BROWN was the son of Hubert Allen Brown & Freddie Smith.  He died 13 July 1932.

14 January    

1807    Margretha RITTER
1818    William Dorten SMITH
1883    Albert Edward GOOD was the son of Joel H Good & Margaret C Brown. He married Elizabeth L Moore. They had six children. Albert lived his life in Ohio.
1885    Tate Edward FORTENBERRY
1885    George F. LOBAUGH
1896    Velma Odene SMITH
1923    Thomas Clarence WILSON Jr.

15 January    

1819    Mary MARCKS

1820    Moses BROWN Jr. was born in Mississippi, son of Moses Brown and Nancy Perkins.
1826    Elizabeth HOPE
1876    Samuel Omelia BRUMFIELD
1915     Edwin MINTER
1937    James Neron SMITH

New Year's Resolution

Three Mrs. Browns on New Years Eve 1960 or 61.

Learn more about your past to know where you future is headed. Become a Follower of Leaves & Branches! Scroll down  to become a follower & you won't miss any newly uncovered photographs, letters, stories or other information about our past. Start 2011 off right.

Nathaniel Gardner (21 July 1882 - 7 December 1944)

Nathaniel Gardner was my maternal grandfather, an interesting character who died long before I was born.

Nathaniel Gardner

21 Jul 1882 NY - 7 Dec 1944 NY

Son of Leopold Gartner & Fannie Edelstein

Nathaniel was the second of five children of Leopold Gartner (April 1860  Austria – 13 June 1948 Buffalo, NY) and Florence (b. October 1860 in Austria). The other children were: Florence Gartner Weisberg (May 1879 in NY – 19 February 1954 in Buffalo, NY); Arthur Moses Gartner (b. 15 June 1884 in NY); Albert Gartner (b. 11 December 1888); and Anna Gartner (b. November 1891 in NY)

In 1900 Nathaniel was living with his parents and working at Western Union as a telegraph operator. He had worked his way up to that position, beginning as an errand boy and delivering telegrams. Nathaniel would work for the Western Union for the rest of his life, until he retired about 1944.

On 9 May 1921 Nathaniel Gardner married Helen Francis Coyle (9 January 1897 – 13 October 1965). They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Manhattan. He was 39 and she was 24. Both families disowned them. At that time a Jewish man did not marry a Roman Catholic woman.  

Nathaniel’s 1923/24 New York State Drivers’ License shows him to be 5 foot 5 inches tall; with black hair and black eyes. He lived at 216 Mt. Eden Avenue in New York City.

Nathaniel and Helen had one child, Alberta Joy Gardner b. 26 March 1928 in the Bronx. She was named for Nathaniel’s brother, Albert, who had died before she was born. She was usually called Joy. Nathaniel took every opportunity to spoil his daughter. They loved to go swimming together. Joy said her father could float on his back and read the newspaper, never getting the paper wet. He called Joy his ‘Pal’.

In 1940 the family moved to Germantown, NY. Nathaniel continued to work in NYC during the week, staying in an apartment there, and taking the train on weekends to his family in Germantown. He had planned to retire but Pearl Harbor was attacked and telegraphers were badly needed. He was a supervisor by then. His health was poor but he worked long hours. When he did retire because of his deteriorating health, it was a short retirement. He died on 7 December 1944, 66 years ago today. My mother always missed him. I wished I could have had him as my grandfather.

The data in this blog post may not contain the most recent research.

For updated information check recent posts related to this family or go to my website.

The Browns, A Quick Look at the Direct Line

Jasper Pascal Brown

Edward Brown  (c. 1730 – c. 1797 in Jones County, NC)

Children: Sarah, Jane, John, Aaron, Hardy, Edward, Moses, Daniel

Moses Brown (7 February 1777 – 27 Feb 1838 Marion Co, MS)

Wife: Sarah Robertson (d. 1810 in Georgia)

Children: Christian, Edward S., James G., Sarah (who married Fortenberry)

Edward Brown (26 July 1806 GA – 7 May 1856  MS)

Wife: Mary “Polly” Spurlock ( 1 Jan 1800 GA – 12 Jan 1888 MS)

Children: Allen Moses, Mary Magdelene, Martha M., Adeline V., James P.

Allen Moses Brown (26 Jan 1836 MS –After 1870)

 Married 28 April 1858

Wife: Emmaline Smith (13 Sept 1831  MS – 3 Aug 1920  MS)
 Children: Mary E., Jasper Pascal, Alvira E.

 Jasper Pascal Brown (15 May 1865 Pike, MS – 8 June 1950 McComb, Pike, MS)

Married 21 December 1887 in Pike Co, Mississippi

Wife: Rose Ella Brumfield (18 July 1867 in MS– 2 Oct 1948 in Magnolia, Pike, MS)

Children: Lucy Viola ( who married Fortenberry), Ina Lucille (who married Alford), Junius Earl, Hubert Allen, Mavis Marie (who married Smith), Lyda Mearl (who married Pierce), Roy Jesse, Mildred Olga (who married Ball), Thelma Lady (who married Reynolds)

 Roy Jessie Brown (8 March 1902 Osyka, Pike, MS – 12 May 1956 Magnolia, Pike, MS)

  Wife: Mary Thelma Ellzey (27 February 1906 – January 1974 in Mississippi)

  Child: Sylvia Rayleen

  Second Marriage: 2 August 1927 in Seville, Medina, Ohio

  Wife: Ivy Regina Mark (8 June 1908 in Medina, Ohio – 18 Sept 2003 in NY)

 Children: Delbert Keith, Leo Dwight, Genevieve Audry,  Jeanette Rose, Larry Lee, Robert Allen,  William Lane

Delbert Keith Brown (27 July 1928 OH – 24 October 2000 NY)

 Married 8 August 1848 in Germantown, Columbia, New York

 Wife: Alberta Joy Gardner (26 March 1928 New York City – 10 August 1992 in Albany, NY)

The data in this blog post may not contain the most recent research.

For updated information check recent posts related to this family or go to

my website.

John W. S. Wolf, Stone Mason & Civil War Soldier

Roster of Ohio Troops: John & Joseph Wolf

John W. S. Wolf

b, September 1841; 

Son of Johan Franklin Wolf & Elisabeth Burkholder; 

John was a stone mason.

This is a unique obituary.

 "John W. S. Wolf." Medina County Gazette 25 September 1908: 8.

John W. S. Wolf was born Sept. 24, 1841, in York county, Pa. When he was 12 years old he came to Ohio. Here he grew up to manhood, and at the call for volunteers in the Civil war he enlisted and served three years, belonging to the 120th O. V. I. In 1867 he married Elizabeth J. Anderson of Dalton, O. To them were born five girls and four boys. One son died in infancy. The rest survive him.For the last two years of his life, Mr. Wolf was a great sufferer, but bore it patiently to the end. He was blessed with an ambition for work which outlived his strength, desiring in his last years to do work which his strength would not allow. The family and neighbors did all in their power to relieve his suffering, but to no avail, and on Sept. 13 his spirit took flight to that better world.Funeral services took place at the family home near center Guilford on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 9:30 o’clock, conducted by Rev. Leith of the Presbyterian church of Seville. Our beautiful American flag showing trueness, bravery and purity, was draped over his casket. He was laid at rest in Woodlawn cemetery, aged 66 years, 11 months, 19 days.Relatives present from afar were: W. Wolf and wife, H. Shelley and wife, G. Thordyke and wife, all of Akron; John Anderson of Ottobein; Joe Wolf of Dundee; and J. Anderson and wife of Canton.
Card of ThanksWe wish to express our heartfelt thanks to all the friends and neighbors who assisted in the sickness and death of our beloved husband and father; also the singers and those presenting the beautiful floral tribute. Mrs. Elizabeth Wolf and family.

Children of John W. S. Wolf & Elizabeth Jane Anderson:

Eliza J. Wolf b. c. 1870 married William Shirley

William E. Wolf b. c. 1871; d. 23 August 1934

John Franklin Wolf b 7 September 1873; d. 4 April 1951

Sarah Emma Wolf b. 8 August 1875

Anna May Wolf b. 3 June 1878

Samuel Harvey Wolf b. 13 January 1880; d. 30 March 1926

Mary B. Wolf b 23 April 1883; d. 1 May 1936 married Arthur Dunham in 1906

George B. Wolf b. 7 July 1884; d. 3 August 1884

Susan A. Wolf b November 1885 married Grant H. Thorndyke in 1908

John W. S. Wolf was the grand Uncle of Ivy Regina (Mark) Brown; brother of Esther Barbara (Wolf) Gruissy.

The data in this blog post may not contain the most recent research.

For updated information check recent posts related to this family or go to my website.

Owen Andrew Mark

Owen Andrew Mark

24 May 1915 - 12 October 1993

Son of Thomas K. Mark & N. Regina Gruissy

Husband of Blanch Bowers

Owen wrote this letter to his sister, Ivy Regina (Mark) Brown c. 1944. He was a farmer & a blacksmith. Owen had enlisted in the Army in 1943.  He mentions the birth of her youngest child, William Brown, b. 22 May 1944 in N.Y.S. 

35049862

Sgt. Owen A Mark
993     H. A. M. Co
A P. O. 350
c/o Post Master, NY, NY

Dear Ivy,

Received your letter. Was a bit surprised to hear you had a 10 lb. Boy. You certainly have a nice family. You have a Basket Ball Team of Boys all your own. Kids are nice to have on hand when you are older I guess. Never thought much about it. The folks were riding Bee because she has a Dog and no Kids. So she doesn’t go home much anymore. What was it to them, after all I am in the army! The same old lady will never learn. She is jealous as well. Bee likes Dad a lot and likes to take them Places if only Mom would be still. However this is between us, Remember the fun we had as Kids? I was a mean Brat! But you never told on me Like the other girls when Bill and I would get into a fight or something. I still can’t remember or picture you as a silver haired lady. I like to Remember you as I remember you I guess, blond, blue eyes, always seeing the funny side. I figure on seeing you all and those Beautiful Catskills and rivers (They say). I am just gonna sit in the Sun and see who can spit the farthest. The way I feel now, I’d make a perfect Bum. How’s Roy? Never hear about him. Wish I had a bottle of whiskey like he used to get. Well keep your chin up and I Hope you’re feeling Great, Owen.

Owen wrote this letter in 1954. He mentions his oldest sister, Isabell (Mark) Nee, his brother Clarence W. Mark, and his nephew, Harold J. Nee.

Jan 13, 1945
Sgt. Owen A Mark
993     H. A. M. Co
A P. O. 228
c/o Post Master, NY, NY

Dear Brownies:

Received your letter of Aug, 23/44 recently. It must have taken one heck of a time to get out of those Rip Van Winkle Hills. Glad you and Isabell had a Good visit. I Frankly was worried about you. I heard some rumors you were ill and so was Billie. Hope you’re doing fine. Guess Billy is on his first Legs by now. Yes, Bee is OK. Proof – she can’t stand Mama but loves Daddy and he is OK. You said it, he is Tops. I am fine and living good. But want to see the states. I kinda like to see you all and the hills when I can. Will win the war on this side one of these Days. I got it all figured. It will be sudden and surprise most of people when we do. For Heavens sake look at my address. The last few times and your Box were to a very old address. I have had 3 APO’s since the address you had. But write if it’s in care of RFD. Your box was very welcome and I thank the Brownies for it. I write to Harold every week But haven’t got together yet. I wonder what’s gonna happen when we come home. Things aren’t gonna be smooth. How’s Clarence? I wish he had got in medics here rather than in the hospital in the states. But he is safe anyway. That’s a lot. Well must close and Love to you all – Owen.

Johannes Peter Wolf of Germany

In tracing our Wolf family line backwards through time and across the ocean to Germany I have attempted to find the father of Johan Jacob Wolf (b. 1694 in Germany).  I used Ancestry.com to look at Wolf family web sites. Different sites claimed different fathers for Johan Jacob Wolf and I could find no actual sources for their claims.

In my visit to the York County Heritage Society; 250 East Market Street, York, Pennsylvania I looked at the family files for the Wolf surname. There was an amazing amount of information, not all linked to ‘our’ Wolf family. Among the piles of papers in the files was a photocopy of page from a book, a book in their holdings:

Bugert, Annette Kunselman. Eighteenth Century Emigrants from German - Speaking Lands to North America. Volume II: The Western Palatinate. Birdsboro, Pennsylvania: 

The Pennsylvania German Society, 1985.

The book discusses emigration from the Western Palatinate section of Germany. As an example it focuses on the Ulmet parish. The oldest church there dates back to 1091. “Ulmet parish provided an unusually large number of emigrants to Pennsylvania.” On 24 May 1632 a battle of the Thirty Years’ war was fought there. Emigrants who appear in the Ulmet Parish records after the Thirty Years’ War include: Jacob Wolf & Joh. Peter Wolf. A later list of inhabitants “reflects the surnames that remained in these villages after the emigration period”. One Wolf family remained in Ulmet parish.

Johannes Peter Wolf & his wife, Susanna, are among the many families detailed in this book. They were the parents of Johan Jacob Wolf, b. 3 May 1694. He married Anna Barbara, daughter of Hans Jacob Orth, in May 1716. Residents of Ronneberg. Their children were: 

Maria Magdelena b. 3 Feb 1717; 

Maria Barbara b. 29 October 1718; 

Joh. Peter bp. 1 Nov 1720; 

Joh. Ludwig bp. 5 Mar 1723, died.; 

Anna Maria b. 10 June 1724; 

Johannes bp 18 May 1726; 

Johann Nickel bp 4 Nov 1728; 

Maria Barbara bp 27 Dec 1730; 

Maria Christiana b 12 Jan 1733; d 16 Jan 1733; 

Joh. Friederich b. 16 Aug 1735; bp 21 Aug 1735.

“Jacob Wolff of Ronneberg moves with wife and children to America.”
“Descendants of Johannes Wolf were prominent citizens of Western York county. The family name became attached to a union church in West Manchester township near York. A plaque at the door of the Reformed Congregation retains the name.”

This information matches with other information I had already unearthed about our family and clearly shows Johannes Peter Wolf & Susanna as the next generation back in the family branch.

The data in this blog post may not contain the most recent research.

For updated information check recent posts related to this family or go to my website.

Adam & Ottilla Dick in York County, PA

Johan Adam Dick

1 Apr 1709 Germany - 29 Sep 1785 PA

Anna Ottilla Knack

4 Nov 1711 Germany - 20 Oct 1782 PA

On a gently sloping hill in the Pennsylvania farm country I found my sixth great grandparents*, Adam and Otilla Dick. A rugged stone fence encloses the Upper Conewago Church of the Brethren Cemetery at 372 Mummert Road in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania. The carefully tended cemetery has many very old tombstones.‎ Three rows back from Mummert Road is a row with several Dick tombstones: 

Adam Dick, 1 April 1709 – 29 September 1785; 

Ottilla Dick, 4 November 1711 – 20 October 1782; 

Sophia Dick, 13 May 1783 – 15 October 1784; 

Catharina Dick 28 December 1774 – 16 January 1792; 

Catharina Dick 1743 – 1800 (daughter in law, wife of Christian Dick).

In York County Heritage Trust, 250 East Market Street, York, Pennsylvania there are many records on the Wolf family. One helpful resource is: Wolfe, J. Arthur. Jonas Wolf of Berwick Township, York County, Pennsylvania: A History and Genealogy of a Colonial Ancestor and Some of His Descendants. Privately Published: 1987.

“Adam Dick was born in Germany 1/4/1709. The record of his parentage or the area of his homeland is unclear. He is listed as an immigrant to America, 11 September 1738, arriving at Philadelphia. Adam was a passenger on the Ship Rob & Alice, Walter Goodman Master, from Rotterdam.”

“Ottilla Knoak, his wife of about a year, accompanied hm.  Appollona, the first child of this emigrant ancestor was born on the ocean voyage near the time of arrival in America.”

“Adam Dick was born in Germany, 1 April 1709. He died 29 September 1785. He was married to Ottilo Knoak 1737. She was born 4 November 1711. She died 20 October 1782. They are buried in the Mummert’s Meeting House Cemetery in Hamilton Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania”.

The book lists these children of Adam and Ottilla Dick:

Appollona, b. 14 – 8 – 1738; d. 26 – 6- 1791 m. Jonas Wolf, b. 12 – 4- 1739; d. 7 -9 - 1787

Christian, b. 2- 1- 1740; d. 1810, m. Catherine Naugle, b. 28 – 6- 1743, d. 4- 5- 1800

Catharine m. George Bittinger

Christina m. Jacob Brown

Susanna m. John Horner

In neighboring Adams County I visited the Adams County Historical Society at 111 Seminary Ridge Road, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I found more evidence of Adam Dick.

Hively, Neal Otto. Original Pennsylvania Land Record Series: Berwick, Oxford, Hamilton, Reading, Tyrone, Huntington and Latimore Townships. Volume II. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: The Adams County Historical Society, 2009.


In Hamilton Township Adam purchased 176 acres of land on 17 March 1770. He called his home "Pleasant Level."

The data in this blog post may not contain the most recent research.

For updated information check recent posts related to this family or go to my website.