Isaac Walter Holler

ZACHARIAH HELLER/HOLLER/HOLLAR > JOHANNES HOLLAR > GEORGE ELAM HOLLAR m Lucy Robertson (who then married Nathan Poyner) > WESLEY HOLLAR > ISAAC WALTER HOLLAR

Click to enlarge chart

To have a good background on this story, read about Johannes Hollar, and the origins of the Midwest Hollars. You can read about the founding of  Poyner Township here. You can also read about David Owens and Sarah Holler and their families. You can read about Wesley Hollar's brother, John B. Hollar here.

Sarah Hollar was my 3rd great grandmother and married David Owens in Indiana, then came to Illinois and then Iowa with several family members, including her widowed mother, Lucy Robertson Hollar. Lucy's husband George Elam Hollar and she had at least five children, including Wesley, Sarah's brother.

Wesley's birth year is unknown, but he was most likely born in Washington County, Indiana along with the rest of the children. He married Martha "Patsy" Brown 09 Feb 1844 in Washington County.

The couple moved down to Muscatine County, Iowa, where they resided in Sweetland township. The 1852 Iowa census indicates that there were five residents of the household, with only one being a voter, so perhaps three children had been born to them. Two of them I know nothing about. The third, Isaac Walter Hollar, was born about 1850. His parents died when he was very young (and possibly to his siblings) in about 1852.

Isaac's grandmother, Lucy and her new second husband, Poyner township founder, Rev Nathan Poyner, adopted him.Nathan's first wife, Nancy Johnston, was the first person to die in Poyner Township in 1854. Nathan married Lucy a few months later. Isaac was raised in Poyner township in Black Hawk County, from that point.

Residing in the household in 1860 was Nathan, Lucy, Nathan's unmarried son, Thomas, and his adopted son, J. B. Edwards. Nathan died in 1867.

By 1870, grandson Isaac, JB Edwards, Thomas Poyner, Lucy Robertson Hollar Poyner, and two of David Owens' children, Enoch and Sarah were living in the household. In 1880, Lucy was living with her daughter Edna Wheeler and family and Thomas and JB Edwards were living in their own home. Lucy died 19 Aug 1889 of old age at 82.

Isaac was born on 27 Aug 1850. He married Elizabeth Lodica "Libbie" Preston on 30 Mar 1873 in Delaware County. He was farming in Poyner Township in 1880. 1900 found them in Delaware County where Isaac was a teamster.

Isaac & Libbie Hollar Family

In 1908, Isaac sued his adoptive nephew, J. B. Edwards for half the land J.B.'s father, Thomas Poyner left him. That would include land owned at one time by Isaac's adoptive father, Nathan Poyner. The outcome of that case is not known.

On 25 Jan 1910, his wife Libbie died of typhoid fever pneumonia There was a mini-outbreak in the city of Waterloo, Iowa, where they were living. Several people died in the outbreak, which was mostly restricted to a small area on the east side of Waterloo.

Isaac returned to Manchester eventually and died at the home of his daughter, Elsie Straub, on 02 Jul 1934.

The Hollar's had at least seven children including:

1. Elsie Elizabeth, born 16 Jan 1874 in Poyner Township. She married Edward Straub on 14 Feb 1900 in Delaware County. They had two children. Elsie died 07 Jun 1955 in Manchester.

2. Minnie Mabel born 16 Aug 1876, most likely in Poyner Township (some sources say Masonville). She married Emslie H. Frentress and they resided in Jo Davies County for many years. They had six children. Minnie died 06 Nov 1956 in Manchester.

3. William Hollar was born 06 Dec 1878, in Poyner Township. He married Sarah Zarr. They had seven children. They resided in Nashua for many years where Will was a mason and drainage tile contractor. William died 28 Jun 1969 in Charles City, Floyd County.

4. Eva was born 17 Feb 1881 in Poyner Township. She married Harry Duke, a very successful plumbing contractor in Waterloo. They had five children. Eva died 26 Jan 1970 in Cedar Falls.

5. Elzada was born 04 Aug 1885. She married Harry E Rogers and then Louis "Gus" Hill. She lived in Kansas and then in Oklahoma. Her date of death is unknown.

6. Elizabeth "Libbie" Marion was born 18 Sep 1888 in Manchester, Delaware County. She married Robert Earl Wallace and then Karl Eugene Henze Sr. They had three children and spent several years living in Texas. She died 30 Sep 1944 in Des Moines.

7. Bert was born 15 Dec 1890 in Manchester. He married Ethel Frost and they divorced. They had four children, one of whom died at age 3. Bert died 22 Sep 1970 in Waterloo.

The minister who adopted him was actually his grandmother
Lucy Robertson Hollar Poyner and her husband, founder
of Poyner Township, Rev Nathan Poyner.

A. Dorsey Bouque Moves to Indiana

A. Dorsey Bouque

JACOB SMITH > WILLIAM CUSTER SMITH > ELLA MAE SMITH CUNNINGHAM > EFFIE
CUNNINGHAM BOUQUE  m Lester Irwin Bouque > A DORSEY BOUQUE

My 2nd greatgrandfather, William Custer Smith and his wife Mary Ann Munson's daughter Ella Mae Smith moved to Moberly, Missouri after her 1885 marriage to Howard Cunningham sometime after 1893. Howard worked on the Wabash railroad, as many men who lived in Moberly did. Their daughter Effie Mae married Lester Irwin (L. I.) Bouque, son of  Charles Bouque and Alice Smith (no relation). L. I. Bouque also worked for the Wabash railroad. Ella's daughter, Effie and L. I. had seven children. They had a set of twins Harry (1907-1908) and Harold (1907-1924). Lester, A. Dorsey, Carl, and Francis "Frank" survived childhood, along with sister Gertrude. A. Dorsey, whose name was Arthur Dorsey Bouque, was born 03 Jan 1909 in Moberly, Randolph County, Missouri.

Though Howard and Ella Mae created a life in Moberly, none of their children would stay there. Lester would spend most of his adult life living in Europe and would die in Kansas City, Frank and Dorsey moved to Indiana, Carl to Kansas City, and Getrude to NYC and then to New Jersey.

Dorsey's childhood seemed to be filled with all the things kids love including being a member of Troop 12 of the Boy Scouts in Moberly. He graduated from Moberly High School in 1927 and was able to return to his 20th reunion in 1947. Like many young men, he worked for the railroad, but briefly, serving as a ditcher's helper. Sometime prior to 1930, he moved on from Moberly and went to Gary, Indiana to find work. He married Mary Frances Hord on 03 Nov 1930 in Indiana, and had a son Charles on 04 Feb 1934 in Gary.

The couple divorced  Frances worked as a clerk for Kresge after her divorce and died in a hospital after residing in a nursing home in Valparaiso, IN on 15 Mar 1986. Cause of death was a sepsis due to a bowel perforation and a broken  hip.

Dorsey married Donelda Ferne Bowron on 21 Apr 1946.She hailed from Canada and her family had emigrated to the US prior to 1930.

D. Ferne and A. Dorsey had four more children that I could locate. Dorsey worked as a laborer in manufacturing  and later in building construction during his time in Gary. They lived 536 Monroe St in Gary and later at 401 Tyler St. Word was received by L. I. Bouque that his son had died of pneumonia related to Fridelander's bacillus (now called  Klebsiella pneumoniae) in Gary's Methodist Hospital after a five-day illness on 06 May 1959.

Sadly, just two months later, A. Dorsey's son, Harold Wayne, born 09 Aug 1948 in Gary, would die on 03 Jul 1959 at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago a week before his 11th birthday, and would also died of pneumonia.

Wife, D. Ferne died 26 Jul 1979 in Crown Point in Lake County.

Jane Monteith, Nurse & Her Husbands

ANDREW MONTEITH > WILLIAM BOYD MONTEITH > DR. GEORGE MONTEITH m Lucy I Hubbard > JANE ELIZABETH MONTEITH CAMPBELL FRYKMAN HENNING

Canadians at Sicily. Medical evacuations, 1943

I told you recently a little bit about Dr. George Monteith and his family here. Jane was the eldest daughter of Lucy and George. Jane was born 17 Aug 1915 in Hazleton, Emmons, North Dakota, where her father had a surgical medical practice. She attended college at the University of North Dakota and was a member of the Pi Chapter of Alpha Phi sorority. She completed Nursing School in Minneapolis and started her nursing career there.

She met young Dr. Colin Alexander Campbell, a Canadian physician, most likely during his post-graduate year at the University of Minnesota hospital in about 1940. Colin was born 27 Sep 1915 in Ontario, Canada. He was the son of  Dr. Archibald Campbell and Helen Richmond Lindsay. Colin attended Wellington Street School and the Collegiate Institute. He was also a rugby payer. His brother Archie and he were "backfield stars" on the senior football team.

At a young 15 years of age, Colin entered Queen's University to study medicine. He was the youngest

Jane as a Young Woman

graduate of the Class of 1938 and graduated near the top of his class. One summer, he spent at Memorial Hospital in St Thomas, Elgin, Ontario as an intern, and then completed his dual year at Kingston General Hospital.  In 1938-39, he interned at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario and then did a year post-grad at the University Hospital in Minneapolis.

Prior to his marriage, he joined the Royal Canadian Medical Corps. Capt Campbell and Jane got married in Toronto, Canada on Feb 20, 1941.

Capt Campbell served with the Carleton and York Regiment, which was involved in Operation Husky, taking Sicily in mid-1943. While there, he contracted an illness that would have him sent back to Canada. Then Major Campbell died of complications of the illness on 15 Mar 1947. It was considered a service-connected death. He left his widow, Jane and two young sons.

Dr. Howard M. Frykman

Jane went back to nursing and on Dec 29, 1950, she married Dr. Howard Martin Frykman, a successful Minneapolis doctor who also adopted her two sons. Born in North Dakota, 24 Feb 1917, he did both his undergrad and medical training at the University of Minnesota. He took a master's in neuroanatomy and got his medical degree in 1943 after serving two years in the Army. He was injured at Guadalcanal.  He then did his surgical fellowship and post-grad training in colon and rectal surgery. He was described as a "meticulous surgeon" who made great contributions to his field. He was Clinical Surgery professor in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. He had just returned from a trip to England when he discovered he suffered from hypemephroma and passed away on 02 Oct 1969. In 1970, the Howard M. Frykman, MD Memorial Lecture was established.

Jane then married Herbert Karl Henning in 1982. He retired from 3M. He died 07 Feb 2003.

Jane volunteered at the Abbott Northwestern Hospital for 50 years. Jane died on 30 Dec 2010 at the age of 95.

The Great Chicago Fire & the Alexander McCullouchs

ANDREW MONTEITH > MARY ANN MONTEITH m Andrew McCullouch

Typical Chicago Saloon

Andrew Monteith's entire family made it to the United States from Penninghame, Wigtownshire,
Scotland over the course of the 1840s-early 1860s. Most of them ended up in southwest Wisconsin, but the exception was the eldest child, their daughter Mary Ann Monteith. Mary Ann was born 29 Jan 1816 in Penninghame. She there met Alexander McCullouch, also of Penninghame, and they married on 04 Dec 1842 in Scotland. Their three daughters, Isabella "Belle", Sara McClellan, and Janet, were born in Penninghame as well. Janet would die before coming to the US.

Alex and Mary Ann

The first sign of the McCullouchs I could find living in the US was in 1861, where Alex owned a saloon at 161 Market St. The history of Chicago saloons is pretty interesting - it was not usually just a place to drink.

The Great Chicago Fire burned Oct 8-10, 1871 in much of inner Chicago, including Market St. Ninety-thousand people were left homeless and up to 300 died. The fire burned a stretch over four miles wide.  The extent of the damage to the saloon is not known, but he is in business at 167 Market St in 1874. Since some of the buildings along the river were undamaged, he may not have suffered a big loss. The rebuilding of the city took years. He would maintain his property there until about 1885. This area of Chicago was near the riverfront and later be near lower Wacker, in the old interior loop. The residents of the area were heavily Irish and the neighborhood full of boarding houses and tenements.

They resided in what appear to be two different locations - one unknown location where the street number, but not name is provided in the 1870 census and in 1880 on Fifth Ave near Clark, which would be walking distance to the saloon. We might surmise that their home also bore damage from the fire, but we'll never know.

Click to enlarge

We don't know when Alex died, but I would guess around 1885. Mary died on 03 May 1884 in Chicago.

Their daughter Isabelle (born 30 May 1845 in Penninghame) would marry a Dane named Thomas Lovedale. They lost their daughter Sarah "Sadie" in 1904. Isabelle would die on 19 Apr 1913 in Chicago. Thomas and five remaining children would continue to live at 42 Kenilworth Ave in Evanston and become deeply involved in the community. The oldest four children whom I could track never married. The youngest, Henry or "Harry" as he was called, was a sailor in 1891, but I was unable to locate him in records after that, though this obituary indicates he was still living by 1913. UPDATED: I was able to find reference to his death, which occurred "suddenly" on 21 Feb 1914 in Chicago; it appears he may have been married briefly to a woman named Martha.

The many friends of Mrs. Isabell McCulloch Lovedale were shocked to hear of her death, which occurred Saturday, April 19 [1913]. She is survived by her husband, Mr. Thomas I. Lovedale, and five children. Mrs. Lovedale was chairman of the philanthropic committee of the Neighbors, in which capacity she did much for charity both in Chicago and in the township. She was also actively interested in several Chicago charitable institutions. She was also a prominent member of the guild of the Kenilworth Union church. During the four years spent in Kenilworth, Mrs. Lovedale made many friends who will feel her loss keenly.

Lake Shore News (Wilmette, Illinois), 24 Apr 1913, p. 3 

Daughter Sarah, born 12 Aug 1847 in Penninghame, would marry Thomas Fitzgerald and have three children. He would die before 1880 and she would remarry to Robert Cameron and have two more children. She died 16 Apr 1927 in Lake Forest.

Remembering Ardella Jean Mesch Linsey

Ardella Jean "Jean" Mesch was born 02 Mar 1943 to Joseph R. Mesch and Wilma Irene Helmrich. She married Roger Linsey 18 Mar 1962 in Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa. She attended West High in Waterloo.

Jean was faced with some challenges in life, including the successful removal of a benign tumor on her spine that left her partially paralyzed in the last years of her life. She faced it all with humor and grace. Her entire life revolved around not only the children and grandchildren, but the many nieces and nephews who also loved her.

Jean loved Christmas and Christmas was quite the event each year. The thing I remember best is that she never missed sending out holiday cards. I got one every year no matter if I was living in Europe or the States and hers would always be first to hit my mailbox.

She hosted my sister and I many, many times over the course of our childhood and made us feel special. This also meant we got great quality time with our cousins going to the park or out to the woods to cause a little mischief.

Today, I'm remembering my Aunt Jean, who no matter what was going on around her, always came up with a kind word or a smile for everyone and usually a big hug. She died with her children by her side on 16 Jan 2012 at Allen Hospital in Waterloo.

Jesse Smull Family: Henry Bergey Smull

JESSE SMULL m Mary Keil Bergey > HENRY BERGEY SMULL

Click image to enlarge

You can read about Jesse Smull here.  Son Henry Bergey Smull was born in about 1844 and died in mid-1873 (prior to May 12th, when his will was proved) at the age of 29 after a long illness. The family had lived in Frederick, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania for several years and then moved

The Village Record, 12/24/1869

on to Spring City/East Coventry in Chester County.

Henry married Annie E Francis on 18 Dec 1869 in Chester County in her parents' home. She was born 13 Apr 1846 in Spring City. In 1870, the couple was living in East Vincent and Henry's brother James, then 17, was living with them.

On 26 Apr 1873, Henry must have known things weren't looking good. He set down his will. On 12 May 1873, he is referred to as "deceased" and the will was proved. My only observation about his will is he didn't seem to have a lot, but wanted it to go to his wife only if she stayed a widow! There were no children. She didn't stay a widow and remarried about 1879 to Nathan Stubblebine and they had one daughter. She died 21 Dec 1937 in South Coventry, Chaster County.

I, Henry B Smull, of the borough of Spring City in the county of Chester, and state of Pennsylvania,
being of sound mind, memory, and understanding but weak in body, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made. And first, I direct that my body be decently interred, according to the Christian church and that my funeral be conducted in a manner corresponding with my estate and and situation in life. As to such estate as if hath please God to entrust me with. I dispose of the same as follows. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Annie E. all my real and personal property during the time she remains my widow, by her paying the interest of the money now invested in the property in judgment. In case my said wife should desire the property sold during her widowhood, my executor hereinafter mentioned, shall dispose of the same to the best advantage private or public sale using his own discretion, and pay all judgments and just debts, and the balance shall be invested in real estate secured on Bond and Mortgage, by me executor, the interest whereof shall be paid annually to my said wife, Annie E, so long as she remains my widow. Should she again marry, the said money so invested which shall include all my estate, except three hundred dollars, which shall be paid to her in her own right, shall be placed in the hands of a guardian or guardians, duly appointed by the courts or otherwise, for the use of my children. And, I hereby constitute and appoint my esteemed friend, Dr. William Brower, my sole executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I, Henry B Smull, the testator, have to this my will written one sheet of paper. Set my hand and seal this 26th day of April 1873.

Dr William Brower

Henry's "esteemed friend," Dr. William Brower, came from Dutch early settlers to East Coventry township. He spent time at both the Oakdale and Freeland Seminaries before going to Pennsylvania State Normal School. He taught school for six years before studying medicine at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, graduating in 1867. He practiced successfully in Spring City and was involved in the public affairs of the town.

Clan William: Connecting the Story: More on the William Custer Smith Farm

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Amos Munson > Mary Ann Munson m William Custer Smith

and...

Jacob Smith > William Custer Smith m Mary Ann Munson

You can read about my earlier discoveries about the farm of William Custer Smith, who settled at the edge of Butler/Bremer Counties, Iowa with wife Mary Ann Munson here and about his second, younger wife, Alice, here.

Kenn Deike

To summarize, WC Smith had 120 acres in Butler County just a mile west of Plainfield, Bremer County, where he farmed and resided starting in Oct 1866 when he bought the property from New Hampshire pioneer Amos Head, who was postmaster in Horton, Iowa in the late 1850s. Smith paid $800.00. I don't know if he built the family home or not. Amos may well have been the one to break prairie and improve the property for farming, but that will require more research.

In 1870, WC Smith lived in his home with his wife, mother Cathie, mentally handicapped older brother, Isaac, spinster sister Sarah Jane, and his eight kids.

Now let me tell you what I did yesterday. I found out who owned the property now, drove up to their house to get their permission to take photos, and instead got

The original deed with the signatures
of WC Smith's Children, including
notarized statement from daughter
Ella Smith Cunningham, who
lived in Moberly, Missouri
at the time of the sale

invited in (with no notice and not knowing who the heck I was), and spent a lovely morning looking through documents and photos.

Kenn and Mary Deike currently own the property that WC Smith farmed and live on a neighboring property. In December 1898, Kenn's great grandfather, Diedrich Deike, who came from Germany at 17, bought the Smith farm and it's remained in the Deike family for 119 years. One of his family members lives in the house currently on the site. The old farm house is long gone.

He just happened to have all the property documents on the table and we pulled them out and looked through them all. There, the story unfolded. Mary rounded up the family history/recipe book and shared the photos.

After Diedrich bought the house, they built a large barn. The remnants of that barn are still there. I believe there was a previous barn there when the Smith's lived there.

Kenn's grandfather Hugo farmed after his father. The farm photo below is probably very much like it looked when the Smith's were there. I would guess this photo was taken around 1910.

Hugo is third from left. The Diedrich & Minnie Deike family.

I learned a lot during my visit. Including the fact, that while WC Smith could fully support his large, extended family on the bounty of 120 acres, it would take thousands of acres to do the same today. The race track, which I mentioned in this post about son Harland Smith, was located about 3/4 of the way down the 120-acre track of land. The remnants of that are long gone.

What cannot be overstated is that even now, almost four years into my return to Iowa, I am constantly amazed by the generosity and kindness of Iowans.

The farm in early days and today

Wilhemina "Minnie" Deike and her Columbian Wyandottes

The land to the left is the former WC Smith acreage
The race track was down yonder

B&W photos courtesy of Kenn & Mary Deike
Color photos are mine

Recently discovered photo courtesy of Betty Smith Hahn Kelleher that may be the Smith home place original barn. I believe the two adults pictured are Walter Smith and his wife Isabelle Monteith, others unidentified.

Dr George Monteith of North Dakota

ANDREW MONTEITH > WILLIAM BOYD MONTEITH > GEORGE MONTEITH, MD m Lucy I

Dr George Monteith

Hubbard

Dr. George Monteith was born 06 Apr 1887 in Adams, Green County, Wisconsin to William Boyd Monteith and Mary Anna Bleiler. After being educated in the country schools, he went on to university. He receive his medical degree from Marquette University in Wisconsin and after graduating, lived in Blanchardville, Wisconsin.

Lucy Hubbard was the daughter of Thomas and Priscilla Hubbard, born 17 Jan 1889. They originally hailed from the Rock Island area of Illinois, but had moved to near Marion in Linn County, Iowa, where Lucy was born. By 1900, they were living in Huron, Beadle, South Dakota. 1910 found them living in Cherry Grove, Emmons, North Dakota. After she completed her public school education, she taught in Hazleton in Emmons County.

Hazleton, 1913

"Hazelton, named in honor of Hazel Roop, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Roop on whose farm the townsite was located, is situated 20 miles north of the geographical center of Emmons County, 15 miles east of the Missouri River and about 50 miles south and east of Bismarck. Located on the NEV4-30, 135-76 the townsite plat was recorded Nov. 19, 1902. The founding of Hazelton was tied up with the development of the railroad. Twenty years before the town was thought of, the trans-continental line of the Northern Pacific was completed. Almost from the beginning, the N. P. management was interested in the country south of McKenzie. Construction of the branch line south to Linton, however, was not started until June, 1902, and completed in October, 1903. On Nov. 5, 1903, the first trains began operating through Hazelton on a regular schedule. When the N. P. finally did come into Emmons County, the Hazelton site with its beauty of location and expanse of fertile farm land in every direction, marked this as the ideal one for a thriving town... From the date of its birth, Hazelton enjoyed a healthy growth and soon became an important market place....Hazelton, it appears, enjoyed its biggest boom during March, 1906, when 25 new families and 27 carloads of livestock and personal belongings moved into town, swelling the population to about 250 people. In Nov., 1907, J. I. Roop announced that another addition to the original townsite had been platted and that a number of desirable lots were available at reasonable prices. W. L. Yeater opened a new hotel in 1907 which was considered one of the most modern in the state. Another important event occured during November, 1907: Railway mail service was established between McKenzie and Linton, replacing service formerly offered by the stage line..."
(As written by Math Dahl for the Hazelton Jubilee in 1953)
Emmons County History, 1976

Hazleton, Main St Looking North, 1918

In 1911, Dr. Monteith moved to Hazleton and set up shop in March. The first office he had was on the second floor of the Klabunde Store. After 1913, Mr Semling and Mr Porter opened a drug store and provided space in their store for his offices.

On October 13, 1913, he married Lucy Hubbard.

During World War I he enlisted in the armed forces. He was commissioned a 1Lt in the Medical Corps and was assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas, then Ft Sill, Oklahoma. He was sent overseas in May of 1918 and was wounded (gassed) while serving in France. He returned to the US in Apr 1919. He was discharged 06 May 1919 at Camp Dodge, Iowa. He returned to Hazleton after his discharge and resumed his practice.

In 1927, Dr. Monteith was sued for malpractice when Farmer McDonnell injured his arm severely in a threshing machine and he had to go through months of pain and additional treatment. Dr. Monteith prevailed in the case.

Dr. Monteith would continue on as the town surgeon until 1950, when his health began to fail. In 1954, the family moved to Eugene, Lane County, Oregon where George died 26 Feb 1959 and Lucy died 02 Feb 1987.

The couple had five children: Thomas Cavott, Mary Louise, Muriel, George Jr., and Jane Elizabeth.

Jesse Smull Family: John Francis Smull, DDS

JESSE SMULL > CHARLES GEORGE SMULL m Lydia Rebecca Francis > JOHN FRANCIS SMULL, DDS

2544 W Lehigh Ave where the laundromat is currently
was the Smull family home for two generations
Imagine it what it might have looked like 100 years ago

Jesse Smull was one of the Brothers Smull of Bush Valley, Centre County, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Mary Bergey had several children. Their oldest boy was Charles B Smull who was born 20 Oct 1840. He married Lydia Rebecca Francis, who was born 06 Apr 1849 in Chester, Pennsylvania, the daughter of John and Elizabeth DeFrain Francis.

They had two boys. John Francis, born 19 Apr 1874 in Philadelphia and Harry, who died at seven months old in 1873, who was born in Spring City, Chester County. In 1880, Charles was listed as a "provisions dealer," Charles was a "provisions dealer" and partner with Levi Shengle (and possibly with brother Jesse Jr., who in 1880 was also a "provisions dealer." He also boarded with the Shengle's in 1900) in Shengle & Smull, located at 255 N 12th St in Philadelphia at the corner of Vine and N. 12th. That business appears to have operated from the mid 1880s-before 1910. In 1910, Charles as listed as a "solicitor" in the publishing industry.I would surmise that means an advertising solicitor rather than an attorney. The family lived at 2544 W Lehigh Ave.

John Francis was educated at the Philadelphia Central High School and Penn College of Dental Surgery, graduating in 1895.He married Ruth Esther Bankes, daughter of Peter and Mary Whetstone Bankes. They had one child, Ethel Frances, born 24 May 1909.

John was active in the national Dental Association of Dental Surgeons, 32nd degree Mason, Old Guard, City of Philadelphia; Sons of Veterans, Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, IOOF, Knights of Pythias, Fraternal Order of the Eagles, Independent Order of America, Brotherhood of America, He was a retired Major in the National Guard of Pennsylvania, attached to the 3rd Infantry Regiment.

He died, "suddenly," at his home on 23 Nov 1922 at the family's home on Lehigh Ave. His death certificate said he died of a stab wound to his heart, self-inflicted.This is supported by the news item published after his death that states he committed "hari-kari."  The funeral was held the following Monday morning at the David H. Schuyler Building at Broad and Diamond Sts. His widow Ruth survived until 19 Mar 1957.

Jacob Smith Line: Mary Catherine Randolph, Sarah Jane Smith Doole and Isaac Smith

JACOB SMITH > ISAAC SMITH
JACOB SMITH > SARAH JANE SMITH m Frances Doole

My 2nd great grandfather, William Custer Smith (married Mary Ann Munson), came from a family

of seven children: James, John R., Isaac, William Custer, Catherine, Elizabeth, and Sarah. Elizabeth, born about 1836, is presumed to have died young. Their parents, Jacob Smith and Mary Catherine "Catherine" Randolph, moved from Ohio to Fennimore, Grant County, Wisconsin, where they settled in 1846. Jacob is believed to have died prior to 1860, but the Jacob Smith many people have listed on Ancestry.com is not our Jacob (more on that another time--view the probate records for that "other" Jacob, frequently confused with ours, here).

Isaac, born about 1827 in Ohio, was classified as an "idiot," who did not read and write. He was listed as living with his parents 1850 and with his mother "Cathie"  and sister Sarah in 1860 in Fennimore.

Sarah was born 03 Jul 1842 in Jefferson County, Ohio.

Fennimore, Wisconsin

In 1870, Cathie, Isaac and Sarah were living with William Custer Smith and his wife Mary Ann Munson in Butler County, Iowa. Cathie is not seen after 1870. I need another trip to the courthouse to see if there's a death record.

Isaac was living with brother John back in Fennimore in 1880, but by 1885, was back in Butler County with William. Sarah was with William in 1870 and 1885, but not with him in 1880.

No trace of Isaac is seen after 1885.

Sarah, on the other hand, finally married for the first time at age 45 to Frances Doole. They were married 27 May 1887 in Floyd County. Francis "Frank" Doole  was born in about 1812 in Ireland. He had two previous wives and was 75 years old when he married Sarah.  The name Doole in reference to Sarah is spelled alternatively, Duell, Dewell, Deull, and Dual; none of which is correct. Frank appears to have been an entrepreneur:

"A "Blind Pig" which has been successfully operated for the past two years at Floyd by Frances Doole was raided and a large quantity of beer and whisky seized. Doole is in jail at Charles City."

Atlantic Daily Telegraph December 26, 1888

A "blind pig" is an after-hours illegal drinking establishment. Clearly he was a sparkling citizen.

Sarah divorced.

She lived in the Bremer County Poor Farm and Asylum from at least 1895 until her death of old age in 1924. She was not buried in the Poor Farm cemetery as many paupers were, so someone in the family ponied up for a burial, but there is not stone that I can find. She was buried in Willow Lawn Cemetery in Plainfield, where William and Mary Ann and many of their children are buried.

Beloved Mary Welch Monteith Meets a Tragic End

Mary Welch Monteith

ANDREW MONTEITH > ROBERT WARDROPE MONTEITH m Mary L Welch

Robert Wardope Monteith was born in Penninghame, Wigtownshire, Scotland, on 04 Mar 1880 to Andrew Monteith and Isabelle Hendry.  Most of the children came to the US in the late 1840s and to Wisconsin in the early 1950s, so I would presume a similar path was taken by Robert. In 1860, he was living in Liberty Township, Grant County, with his parents and brothers, John, David, and Samuel (John and Samuel would go on to fight in the Civil War and Samuel would be killed in battle). David stayed on the farm and cared for his parents in the retirement.

Robert joined Co H, Wisconsin 7th Infantry Regiment as a First Sergeant on 29 Aug 1861. He would then be promoted to 2Lt in Dec 1861.He was promoted to 1Lt a year later and to Captain in Oct 1863. He would serve on the Field & Staff roster as adjutant for the 7th prior to be named company commander of Company H after his promotion to Captain. His brothers John and Samuel also served in his company.

After the war, he married Mary L. Welch, daughter of John D and Sarah H (Ogden) Welch, born in Madison, Dane, Wisconsin on 20 Nov 1849. They hailed from New York and John was a carpenter. The wedding was held on 19 Oct 1871. She wore a gold cross at her wedding which two generations later would be worn at the wedding of her granddaughter, Jessie Davis to Robert Hall in 1937.

The couple had three children, Robert, Jessie (who died at 31 in 1907), and Ida Jean.

Tragically, Mrs. Monteith, who was very very active in Madison social and club circles, was crossing the street on the evening of 23 Oct 1929 to take her evening meal with Mr & Mrs H H Van Wagenen, when she was struck by an auto driven by a Mr Dreger. The accident was partially attributed to the ongoing storm and he was not charged.

Mrs Monteith was a member of the Woman's Club and the John Bell Chapter of the DAR as well as many other organizations. The will was read shortly after her death. She left $164,500 to her heirs. The executor was The Central Wisconsin Trust Company in Madison.

MRS MONTEITH LEFT $164,500
Children and Grandchildren Share in Estate of Woman Killed by Automobile
An estate of $164,5000 was left by Mrs Mary Welch Monteith, who died her Oct 23, from injuries received when struck by an automobile, according to the petition to prove the will filed in county court today.

Of the $164,500 left by Mrs Monteith, $125,00 is in personal property and the remaining $40,000 in real estate. Indebtedness is listed at $500. Under terms of the will, her grandson, Robert Monteith, Jr, Milwaukee will receive $10,000 in cash, her mahogany furniture, two oriental rugs, a piano and half the silverware. A second grandson, Edwin, brother of Robert, receives $5,000 in cash and the other half of the silverware.

Her son, Robert, Milwaukee, receives $10,000 in cash; her granddaughter, Jessie Louise Davis, Madison, $5,000 in cash and two oriental rugs, and her daughter Mrs Jean Monteith Davis, Madison, $10,000 in cash and all personal jewelry.

The balance of the estate is to be divided equally between her son, Robert, her grandson, Robert Jr., and her daughter, Mrs Davis. The Central Wisconsin Trust Company is named as executor."
Madison Wisconsin State Journal October 29, 1929 (note this was the day of the big stock market crash of the biggest depression in US history - it appears this financial institution did okay, merging with another bank in 1932)

William Boyd Monteith

ANDREW MONTEITH > WILLIAM BOYD MONTEITH m Mary Bleiler

William Boyd Monteith

You can read about the sprawling Monteith Family here.  William Boyd Monteith was born 19 Jan 1826 in Newton Stewart, Penninghame, Wigtownshire, Scotland to Andrew Monteith and his wife, Isabelle Hendry.

Andrew worked as ag labor in Penninghame. His children trickled over to the US in the 1840s/1850s and the senior Monteiths joined them. William, after spending two years in England to learn the stone mason trade at age 18, then returned home. He came to the US from Liverpool to New York on the ship "New World" arriving 27 Sep 1850. Like brother Edward Boyd Monteith, he first lived in Vermont in Caledonia County, where he reportedly spent the winter. According to the 1884 History of Green County, Ch 37, Town of Adams, he then went to Ohio and Indiana then came to Grant County, Wisconsin.

Mary Bleiler

He worked as a stone mason for many years when he decided to go to Kansas, where he stayed for about two years, returning to Grant County in 1858. He reportedly next left for British Columbia in 1860, where he worked with the Cariboo Mines for two additional years. Time in Oregon, California, and Nevada, in the mining industry followed. When he returned to Wisconsin in 1864, he went to Green County where he helped build a flouring mill for Matthew Newkirk and was then employed by Newkirk to "take charge of his mill and farms." He also purchased Newkirk's farm that was improved for crop growing and included 20 acres of timber land.

In 1866, he married Mary Anna Maria Bleiler, whose parents, according to Monteith grandson Alpha McKellar McGinnis, came from Schmeiheim, Germany. Mary was born 06 Dec 1845 in Schmeiheim, making her quite a bit younger than William. Still, they had enough time left together to have eight children.  In 1882, William became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He eventually became the postmaster of Willet, Wisconsin. He would die 18 Aug 1889. His wife Mary died 08 May 1913.

Their children:
1. Jessie Monteith, born 01 Nov 1866 in Farmer's Grove, Wisconsin. Married Dr Archibald Sinclar McKellar on 7 Jun 1897 in Blanchardville, Lafeyette, Wisconsin. He was born 15 Feb 1862 in Belmont, Ontario, Canada, the son of Archibald and Mary. He graduated from St Thomas Collegiate in Ontario and spent five years teaching in public schools. He went to medical school at Western University of London, Canada and trained at Polyclinic in New York City. His first stint as a physician was in Belleville, Wisconsin starting in 1888. He purchased the practice of Dr Rostad in Blanchardville late in 1888. He was very active in community affairs having served as president and member of the village board, school board, Board of Health, president of the Citizen's State Bank, and the First National Bank. After the doctor's death, Jessie gave the land for the Blanchardville Village Park in his memory. They had four children. Dr McKellar died 14 Jul 1924 in  Lafayette and she died 26 Jul 1958 in Madison.

2. St Clair, born 23 Feb 1869 in Farmer's Grove, Green County. He married Aubusta Grunke on 12 Jun 1895 in Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin. She was born 12 Sep 1872 in Germany. They had one son, Willard Allen Monteith, Sr. Prior to 1918, they moved to Los Angeles, California, where St Clair was a machinist. His wife died 20 Oct 1918 in Los Angeles and he died 19 Feb 1957 in Los Angeles.

3. William, born in Jul 1872 in Adams, Green County. Married Anna Alvina Wittenwyler on 17 Apr 1902 in Green County. She was born 17 Jan 1875 in Wisconsin. William died 16 Apr 1911 in Adams at the age of 38. They had no children. Anna died in 1945.

4. Henry "Harry, born 10 Oct 1873 in Adams, Green County. He married Elizabeth Marie Wille on 29 Jun 1905. He was a milk tester for the Borden Milk Co and was retired. They had four children.He died 31 Aug 1963 in Monroe; she died 17 Dec 1985.

5. Robert was born in 1876 and died 29 Oct 1889 in Green County, Wisconsin at the age of 13.

6. John was born 11 Jun 1878 in Adams, Green County. He married Ladoska Soper on 27 Jun 1901. She was born 18 Nov 1883 in Wisconsin. The couple farmed in Birchwood with the parents of Ladoska until the death of Mr. Soper. John then ran a gun repair shop for many years until ill health forced his retirement. They had one son, Robert (1902-1958). John died 02 Mar 1963 in Rice Lake, Barron County and Ladoska died 04 Dec 1966.

7. Edward was born 12 May 1882 in Adams. He married Annie Marie Thompson. She was born 18 Aug 1885 in York, Green County. They farmed until Edward's death 29 Oct 1927. Annie died in Aug 1945 in Detroit, Michigan. They had three children.

8. Isabelle Christina was born 27 Jan 1884 in Adams. She married Edward Herman Scharer who was born 25 Sep 1886 in Green County. He worked as a bricklayer and a greenskeeper. They had two daughters. Ed died in 1958 and Isabelle 02 Apr 1962 in Las Vegas.

9. Dr. George Monteith was born 06 Apr 1887 in Adams. He receive his medical degree from Marquet University in Wisconsin. He married Lucy I Hubbard, who was born 17 Jan 1889 in Marion, Iowa.  George died 26 Feb 1959 and Lucy died 02 Feb 1987 in Lane County, Oregon. They had five children. He will be featured in a coming post.

10. Andrew was born 27 Nov 1888 in Adams. He married Matilda Byrand of England on 17 Jun 1919. They divorced after having two daughters. She married again and lived in Milwaukee. Andrew died 31 May 1968 in Middleton, Dane County, Wisconsin.