Happy Mothers' Day

In Memory of my Mother,
who taught us the value of family,

& to all my Grandmothers.

Follow the links to learn more about these wonderful women.

My mother,

Alberta Joy (Gardner) Brown

My Grandmothers:

Ivy Regina (Mark) Brown, 1908 OH - 2003 NY

Helen F. (Coyle) Gardner, 1897 NY - 1965 NY

My Great Grandmothers:

Rose Ella (Brumfield) Brown, 1867 MS - 1948 MS

Nancy Regina V. (Gruissy) Mark, 1879 OH - 1959 OH

Fannie (Edelstein) Gardner, 1860 Austria - 1908 NY

Mary Josephine (Mullane) Coyle , 1867 Ireland - 1927 NY

My 2x Great Grandmothers:

Emmaline Melina (Smith) Brown, 1831 MS - 1920 MS

Martha Elizabeth (Alford) Brumfield, 1846 MS - after 1910

Elidia Rebecca (Ritter) Mark, 1854 OH - 1912 OH

Esther Barbara (Wolf) Gruissy, 1836 PA - 1906 OH

Devorah Dora (Horn) Gartner, 1838 Poland - c 1880

Netty (Grofs) Edelstein, b 1834

Margaret (Brady) Coyle, c 1855 Ireland - 1934 CT 

Brigid (English) Mullane, c 1848 Ireland - 1920 ireland

My [known] 3x Great Grandmothers:

Mary Polly (Spurlock) Brown, 1800 GA - 1888 MS

Euseba (Fortenberry) Smith, 1809 SC - 1878 MS

Charlotte Temple (Ott) Brumfield, 1813 LA - 1895

Martha P. (Smith) Alford, 1802 SC - 1861 MS

Mary Isabella (Heffelfinger) Mark, 1819 PA - 1904 OH

Isabell (Fisher) Ritter, 1828 OH - 1870 OH

Mary (Grorisclauss) Gruissy

Elizabeth (Burkholder) Wolf, 1814 PA - 1856 OH

Jute (Henes) Gartner

Mary (Cunningham) Coyle, c 1810 - 1848 Ireland

Catherine (Gibney) Brady, 1818 Ireland - 1873 Ireland

Julia (Sullivan) Mullane, Ireland

Ellen (Hogan) English, Ireland

My [known] 4x Great Grandmothers:

Sarah (Robertson) Brown, d 1810 GA

Frances (Traylor) Spurlock, 1782 - 1846 MS

Joanna (Dillon) Smith, 1778 NC - 1821 MS [Double grandmother!]

Violette (Kennington) Fortenberry, 1786 SC - 1858 MS

Margaret (Kelly) Brumfield, b 1772 NC 

Margaret (Jackson) Ott, 1777  SC - 1854 LA

Elizabeth (Bryant) Alford, 1765 - c 1793

Elizabeth (Mowrey) Heffelfinger, 1799 PA - 1871 OH

Anna Mariah Ritter, 1777 PA - 1842 OH

Elizabeth (Mowrey) Heffelfinger, 1799 PA - 1871 OH

Catherine Fisher

Barbara (Straum) Gruissy, c 1792 Switzerland. - OH

Esther Barbara (Shaffer) Wolf, 1777 PA - 1866 PA

Mary (unknown maiden name) Coyle, Ireland

Elan ( ) GIbney, Ireland 

My [known] 5x Great Grandmothers:

Christian  (unknown maiden name) Robertson, d 1810 MS

Jemimah (Hollis) Smith, c 1755 SC - 1819 SC  [Double grandmother!]

Anne (Lawrence) Dillon, c 1762 NC - c 1830 MS  [Double grandmother!]

Hannah (Eubanks) Faulkenberry, 1748 - 1815 SC

Martha  (unknown maiden name) Kennington

Elizabeth (unknown maiden name) Brumfield

Mary (Durham) Kelly, c 1745 VA - 1830 TN

Mary Elizabeth(Ott) Ott, 1759 SC - 1816 SC

Lucy (Newton) Ott, 1720 - 1790 NC

Eve  (unknown maiden name) Mowrey, d 1827

Maria Elizabeth Keck, 1747 PA - 1813 PA

Appollonia (Dick) Wolf, 1738 at Sea - c 1791 PA

My [known] 6x Great Grandmothers:

Rosannah (Hagan) Hollis, b 1735 VA  [Double grandmother!]

Mary  (unknown maiden name) Dillon  [Double grandmother!]

Ann (Ashley) Lawrence, b c 1733 NC  [Double grandmother!]

Elizabeth (unknown maiden name) Brumfield, 1720 - 1758

Margaret (Collough) Durham

Margaret (Fitchner) Ott

Mary (Steely) Ott

Mary Elizabeth (Tutt) Ritter, 1723 - 1787

Hannah (unknown maiden name) Keck

Anna Barbara (Orth) Wolf, b 1697

Anna Otillia (Knack) Dick, 1711 - 1782

My [known] 7x Great Grandmothers:

Esther (Canterbury) Hollis d 1769

Elizabeth (Nichols) Lawrence

Lucretia Ann (Hicks) Ashley

Mary (Riggins) Durham

Rachel  (unknown maiden name) Colclough, b 1678

Gretchen (Schmitts) Ott

And all those grandmothers yet to be uncovered!

Roses for all my grandmothers.

This is a repost from 2019 & updated for today.

Related Posts:

• Alberta Joy Gardner Brown
• Ivy Regina Mark Brown
• Helen F. Coyle Gardner

Elisabeth Burkholder in PA

This prompt comes from Amy Johnson Crow at her blog, No Story Too Small. She suggests we write once a week about a specific ancestor.

Elisabeth Burkholder Wolf

24 May 1814 PA – 22 June 1856

Daughter of Abraham Burkholder

My 3x Great Grandmother

Pennsylvania

I have not looked at information about Elisabeth in quite some time. I felt like I had to dig her up and dust her off. I looked at my notes in Family Tree Maker and thought; I must have more about her than that so I went to my file cabinet, pulled open one of the drawers full of my father’s family folders but found no additional notes there. 

Elisabeth Burkholder was mostly likely the daughter of Abraham Burkholder. I have evidences of him in Franklin Township, Adams/York Co., PA. If you research Adams/York Counties you know that the boundary line moved so people changed counties without ever moving their homes.

Elisabeth married John Franklin Wolf. They had nine known children born in York, PA. 

In 1850 John & Elisabeth were in Franklin Twp., York, PA. John was a stone mason. Next door was their oldest daughter and her husband, Sarah & James Williamson. The children of John & Elisabeth were living with their sister rather than their parents.[1] I could speculate on why they were living next door but I have no way of knowing the real reason.

Elisabeth short life story ended 22 June 1856, about a month after the birth of her last child.[2] Less than five months later John married again. On 6 November 1856 he married Caroline Philips.

As with many ancestors I wish I knew more about Elisabeth. She had only four decades to leave her mark but her children and their children carry the line forward. 

1 Elisabeth Burkholder b: 24 May 1814 York, PA, d: 22 Jun 1856
... + John Franklin Wolf b: 11 Apr 1809 Berwick, Adams, PA, d: 10 Mar 1883 Medina, OH
......2 Sarah Wolf b: Abt. 1833, d: Unknown
...... + James T. Williamson
......2 Esther Barbara Wolf b: 14 Jun 1836 York, PA, d: 11 Aug 1906 Medina, OH
...... + Augustus Ceaser Gruissy b: 16 May 1840 OH, m: 6 Dec 1868 Stark, OH, d: 8 Dec 1915 Stark, OH
......2 Susan Wolf b: 26 Sep 1839, d: Unknown
...... + James Custer m: 6 Nov 1873 Wayne, OH
......2 John W. S. Wolf b: Sep 1841 PA, d: 13 Sep 1908 Medina, OH
...... + Elizabeth Jane Anderson
......2 Joseph Wolf b: 8 May 1844 York, PA, d: 11 May 1924 Plain Twp.
...... + Anna Eliza Kohr m: 22 Aug 1872 New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas, OH
......2 Margaret Ann Wolf b: 03 Sep 1846, d: 29 Jan 1864
...... + Jugandt
......2 Justina Wolf b: 24 Aug 1850, d: 1851
......2 Samuel Wolf b: 2 Feb 1853, d: Unknown
......2 Frederick Wolf b: May 1856, d: 2 Sep 1856


[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Franklin Township, York, Pennsylvania; John Wolf & James Williamson families.
[2] The Diary of Ivy Mark Brown, great granddaughter of Elisabeth.

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.

June Family Birthdays, June 1 -15

 Is your birthday coming soon? Happy Birthday!

Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family who came before. Look below and see. I posted this series back in 2011. This version has been updated with more information. I hope you find it as much fun as I do.

Even if it is not your birthday, look at the highlighted SURNAMES. Maybe you will see a name from your family & learn a little more about them.

Click on the links to learn more about the people & places.

1 June        

1891     Harry RITTER, son of Parson Scott Ritter & Abigail Amanda Hottenstein

1894    Eli Eddie BLADES b. in Louisiana, son of Eli B. & Morgana Blades. Married Annie Clotee Cutrer.

2 June        

1903     Hettie Muriel ELLZEY, daughter of William S. Ellzey & Amanda Adarene Fortenberry; wife of Willis Emmitt Gulledge

1940    Dale JOHNSON

3 June        

1807    Edwin SMITH b. in Mississippi, son of Jeremiah Smith & Joanna Dillon.

1855    Susan Penelope FORTENBERRY, born in MS; daughter of Alfred Fortenberry & Aderine Mary Faulk

1878    Anna May WOLF; daughter of John W. S. Wolf & Elizabeth Jane Anderson

4 June        

1755     Hans George OTT, born in SC; son of Casper Ott

1832    Matilda MILLAN

5 June        

1762    Jacob WOLF b. in Pennsylvania, son of Johann Jonas Wolf & Appollonia Dick. Married to Cornelia Knight. Daughter: Margaret Wolf. 

1783    Andrew WOLF, born in PA; son of Johan Friedrich Wolf 

1832     Thomas Sands BROWN; born in Ohio; son of James Brown 

6 June         

1931    Sally Louise SHEETS

1932    Gerald MAURER b. in Ohio, son of Elmer Maurer & Pauline Morrison. Gerald died the day he was born.

7 June        

1822     Aaron BROWN, born in MS; son of Moses Brown & Nancy Chandler Perkins

1856    William Edward FORTENBERRY, born in MS; Willis James Fortenberry & Louisa Blackwell

1858    Charles Sumner BROWN  b Iowa, son of Aaron & Elizabeth Brown. 

8 June        

1858    Patrick Hines ALFORD, son of Hines Berry Alford

1908    Ivy Regina MARK b OH, daughter of Thomas Kenneth Mark & N. Regina  Gruissy. She was my paternal grandmother. She married Roy Jessie Brown in 1927 in Ohio. She was the mother of seven children.  My father, Delbert K. Brown, was her oldest child. The family moved to New York State about 1941. My grandmother loved flowers & gardens. She collected milk glass. She loved spending time with her family. She lived 95 years. 

9 June        

1835    Benjamin Franklin RITTER, born in PA; son of Michael Ritter

1929    Dorothy June HURD b. in Michigan, daughter of Howard M. Hurd & Marian Lehman. Married Vern James Simons. 

10 June        

1724    Anna Maria WOLF b Germany, daughter of Johan Jacob Wolf & Anna Barbara Orth. 

1782     TWINS. Jonathan & David LAWRENCE; sons of John Lawrence & Mary Duke

1884    Henry Lucius ALFORD, b in MS; son of Needham Edwin Alford & Mary Luzina Stafford

1921     Earl Vernon ALFORD, son of Hugh Edwin Alford 

11 June        

1753    Johannes Theobald RITTER, b in PA; son of Heinrich Ritter & Maria Elizabeth Tutt

1849    Peter Alfred WOLF, b in PA; son of John Jonas Wolf & Sarah Ann Chronister; husband of Mary Elizabeth Adams; father of 5 children

1888    Adolphus Oliver SMITH, son of Adolphus Scott Smith & Julia Jane Simmons. Married to Grace Graham. Father of nine children.

12 June        

1928    Olivia Margaret SHAW, daughter of John R. Shaw & Mary Jeanette Mark.                     Married David Walter Foss. 

13 June        

1862    Mary Elizabeth GATLIN married William Franklin Ellzey, son of John Shaffer Ellzey & Saryntha Smith. They had eight children.

1897    Alva William BLADES

1912     Baxter Edwin BRUMFIELD, son of John Edward Brumfield & Ada Beatrice Fortenberry

14 June - - Flag Day        

1798    Isaac OTT was the son of Jacob Ott & Margaret Jackson. My 4x great uncle.

1835    William J. M. SMITH, son of Wyatt Smith & Euseba Fortenberry. My 3x great uncle. 

1836    Esther Barbara WOLF; My 2x great grandmother; daughter of John Franklin Wolf & Elisabeth Burkholder; second wife of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy I have copies of several letters between Esther & her daughter, N. Regina Gruissy Mark.

15 June        

1854    Sarah Louise FORTENBERRY

1883     Martin Edgar ALFORD, son of Needham W. Alford & Laura E. Brumfield

1884    Arthur Moses GARTNER b. in New York City, was the son of Leopold &                             Florence Gartner. My great uncle. 

1888     Grace Anne WOLF, son of Francis Jonas Wolf & Ida Virginia Spangler

To learn more about my family's branches

order & read the Books I have Written.

Our Browns Roots

&

Remembrances

Forget Me Not: John W.S Wolf, 1908 PA

John W. S.  Wolf 

Son of John Franklin Wolf & Elisabeth Burkholder

 died in 1908 PA

He was my 2nd great - grand uncle. 

His obituary appeared in the Medina County Gazette (Ohio) on 25 September 1908. It is a unique tribute.

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 120^th 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.

Here is a partial list of his descendants:

 ..... 1 John W. S. WOLF b: September 1841, d: 1908
..... + Elizabeth Jane ANDERSON
........... 2 Eliza J WOLF b: Abt. 1870, d: Unknown
........... + William SHIRLEY
........... 2 William E WOLF b: Abt. 1871, d: 23 August 1934
........... 2 John Franklin WOLF b: 07 September 1873, d: 04 April 1951
........... 2 Sarah Emma WOLF b: 08 August 1875, d: Unknown
........... 2 Anna May WOLF b: 03 June 1878, d: Unknown
........... 2 Samuel Harvey WOLF b: 13 January 1880, d: 30 March 1926
........... + GRACE b: 1878, d: 1968
................. 3 Bessie WOLF
................. 3 Orrin WOLF
................. 3 Ivan WOLF
................. 3 Thelma WOLF
........... 2 Mary B WOLF b: 23 April 1883, d: 01 May 1936
........... + Arthur DUNHAM
........... 2 George B. WOLF b: 07 July 1884, d: 03 August 1884
........... 2 Susan A. WOLF b: November 1885, d: Unknown
........... + Grant H THORNDYKE

September Birthdays, September 1 - 15

 Is your birthday coming soon? Happy Birthday!

Maybe you share your special day with someone in our family who came before. Look below and see. I posted this series back in 2011. This version has been updated with more information. I hope you find it as much fun as I do.

Even if it is not your birthday, look at the highlighted SURNAMES. Maybe you will see a name from your family & learn a little more about them.

Click on the links to learn more about the people & places.

1 September      

1863       Emma WOLF was born in Ohio, daughter of John Franklin Wolf and Caroline Orwig.  She married C. Prentice Waldo. Their children: Lydia, Winfred, Waylan & Blake.

1906       E. J. FORTENBERRY, son of Lemuel Q. Fortenberry & Lillian Ellzey

3 September      

1773       Catherine Eva RITTER, born in Pennsylvania, daughter of Johannes Ritter & Maria Elisabeth Keck. She married Henry Romig.  Seven children: Jonathan, Henry, Maria, Jesse, Charles, Susan & Lea.                         

1846       Margaret Ann WOLF, daughter of John Franklin Wolf & Elisabeth Burkholder

1853       Julia Jane SIMMONS

1927       Doyle Alton BALL, son of James Alton Ball & Mildred Olga Brown

4 September      

1717       Julius ALFORD was born in Virginia, son of James Alford. He married Lucy Newton. They had seven children.  He died in 1771 in North Carolina. He was my 5x great grandfather. 

1880       William H. LOBAUGH

5 September      

1830       Eliza Jane ELLZEY was born in Mississippi, daughter of John & Elizabeth Ellzey. In 1850 she married Burrell Taylor Fortenberry. Their children: John, William, Henry, Benjamin & Luke.  She died in 1899.

1882       William Stuart WOLF, son of Peter Alfred Wolf & Mary Elizabeth Adams

1923       Clyde Earl PURDY

6 September      

1861       Edwin MARK was born in Ohio, the 8^th son of Abraham Mark & Mary Isabella Heffelfinger. He repaired shoes at the Miller Shoe Store. He died in 1920. 

1863       Emma S. KRICK

1893       Lottie Lee BRUMFIELD, daughter of Isaac Nelson Brumfield & Sarah Smith

7 September      

1872       John Andrew GRUISSY lived his short life in Ohio. He was the only son of Augustus Ceaser Gruissy & Esther Barbara Wolf. He died in 1878. He may have died from diphtheria.

1873       John Franklin WOLF, son of John W. S. Wolf & Elizabeth Jane Anderson

1887       Annie Clotee CUTRER

1891       Robert E. BALLARD

1930       Madeline Mary COYLE, daughter of James Joseph Coyle & Madeline Herbst

8 September      

1878       Jonas E. LOBAUGH

1896       Maud Mavis FORTENBERRY was one of twelve children of Joseph Gazie Fortenberry & Corine McDaniel. 

9 September      

1780       John HOOVER

1804       Frederick WOLF was youngest of nine children of John Franklin Wolf & Elisabeth Burkholder.

1824       Charles B. RITTER, son of Martin Ritter & Anna Margaret Bogert

10 September   

1826       Frank B. ELLZEY

 1847       Robert L. SIMMONS

 1849       Lacey Ann ALFORD, daughter of Warren Jackson Alford & Celia Ann Lewis

 1915       Caroline Veda BROPHY, born in Ohio, daughter of William Clarence Brophy & Frances Gertrude Moore.  She married Tom Rodgers. They had two children. 

11 September   

1812       Stephen BALLIET, born in Pennsylvania, son of Joseph & Susan (Green) Balliet. In 1836 he married Ann Lowrey. Their son was Albert Harrison Belliet.

1828       Samuel A. BLACKWELL

12 September   

1819       Warren Jackson ALFORD, son of Edwin Barksdale Alford & Martha P. Smith

1873       Thomas Lemuel ALFORD, son of Needham Edwin Alford & Mary L. Stafford

 1888       Emily Augusta MORRISON was born in Ohio, daughter of Seth Benner Morrison & Margaret Jane Gruissy. In 1904 she married Frank Peters. Their children were Margaret & Seth. 

13 September   

1831       Emmaline SMITH was born in Mississippi. She was my 2^nd great – grandmother in my father’s family  tree. She was the daughter of Wyatt Smith & Euseba Fortenberry.  In 1858 she married Allen Moses Brown. Their children: Mary, Jasper Pascal & Alvira. Allen probably died soon after Alvira’s birth. 

1853       Walter Lorraine SMITH

14 September   

1833       Armanda Miranda FORTENBERRY, daughter of Gasua Chapman Fortenberry & Sarah Brown; wife of Lorenzo Dow Snell

1877       George A. MORRIS married Mary Louise Fortenberry, daughter of Thomas Benton Fortenberry & Gabriella Sanders. They had seven children: Willie, Boyce, Theodore Roosevelt, Delphin, George, Lank & Pershing Hoover. George died in 1943.

1908       Nolan SMITH

15 September   

1858       Rebecca Eleanor RITTER was born in Pennsylvania, the second of seven children of Daniel Ritter & Annette Romich. 

To learn more about my family's branches

order & read the Books I have Written.

Our Browns Roots

&

Remembrances