Puzzle Pieces Should Fit Together

Genealogy is a lot like working puzzles.  We only get the full picture when everything fits together.  Citing sources is our proof that the pieces fit, it helps us remember where we got the information and it is the proof that the information is correct. Tonight, as I was doing a little more research on my Leader line, I came across this, on not one, but two different trees on Ancestry.com. Since Elizabeth Leader is in my family line, this interested me.

This is the page from a family tree that references Elizabeth.

Notice the death information.  She died in 1872.  That is verifiable.  Her source citation references the U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedule.  Those accompanied census data, and we all know that U.S. census’ were taken every ten years, and not in years ending in 2′s.

Second and third mistakes in this citation would be her name and where she died. If she married Oliver McCullough in 1828, her surname was no longer Leader, right?  and if she died in North East, Maryland, why would she appear on the Mortality schedule for Bedford County, Pennsylvania?  Bedford, Pennsylvania is 200 miles from North East, via the interstate today and takes almost 4 hours to travel.

These puzzle pieces really belonged in two different boxes.  The owners of the trees have their puzzles all mixed up!

 

I forgot to add another favorite cemetery!

. . . and how could I ever forget Marietta Cemetery??

John Auxer, Jane Park Auxer, Henry Stoll and Caroline Auxer, their children

Since my Leader family were original settlers of this river town, two cemeteries here reflect my family’s history.  The picture of the John Auxer’s family final resting place is one of my favorites.  It was a chilly day, leaves blowing everywhere, and even the American flag in the distance is flapping in the breeze.  The headstone laying face down is John’s, the broken one next to it belongs to his wife, Jane Park Auxer and the two next to her belong to two of their children, Henry Stoll and Caroline.

Philip and Rebecca Leader

Philip was my g-g-g-g-g-g grandfather’s nephew and has a prominent monument in this historical cemetery.

George W. Leader was Philip’s son and is buried along with his wife, next to her parents in the same cemetery.

Just to walk through this large cemetery and see the history of my family is an experience I would not trade.

I try to do it often.

 

Just when you think you’ve got it sorted out. . .

Church records from just one denomination try to prove you wrong!

I try to look at a different Church register every chance I get.  Today I looked at Lutheran Church records from Conestoga and Columbia.  Doing so has provided an “opportunity” for me to do just a little more research into the George Doebler/Anna Maria Auxer family . . . . . . .
as though I needed an excuse!

Parents: Doebler, George, wf Anna Maria
Child: Christoph, b. Aug 3 1816, Anna b. Sept 9 1819
bapt: Oct 14 1820
Sponsors: parents
Is this this same George and Anna Maria that is in our database? This would put them in their 30′s/40′s when these children were born and it is conceivable that they be their parents.

Burial Records 1841, Lutheran Church, Conestoga, Pa.
Sept. 21, George, son of Jacob Doebler, age 2-1-3
This is conceivably their grandson. Son Jacob was born in 1813.

Burial Records 1842, Lutheran Church, Conestoga, Pa.
Aug. 9, Benjamin, son of George Dabler, age 19-3-15
Another son for George and Anna Maria? The only problem with this being the same George and Anna Maria Auxer in our database is the fact that we have assumed that our George and Anna Maria are the same couple found enumerated in the Borough of Lancaster. If indeed that is “our” George and Anna Maria, why would they travel to Conestoga or Columbia for baptisms? or burials of children when Trinity Lutheran is close to their residence? Two Georges and Anna Marias? hmmmm-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m.

Births and Baptisms, Lutheran Church, Columbia, Lanc. Co., Pennsylvania
Name: Leader, William Henry
Parents: George W., Fannie
Born-Bapt: June 21 1852 – Oct 5, 1852
Sponsors: Parents
We now have a middle name for William along with a baptism date and place.

It seems that the more we find, the more questions we have on what we’ve already found!! I guess that’s what keeps us in the books. . . . . and on the internet!