SMULL: Henry Smull of Brush Valley

I'm just now getting around to sorting through photos from my big trip to Pennsylvania, to hunt the trail of the Brothers Smull. My first post on my trip is here. I had such a great time with Evonne Henninger who runs the Facebook page Penns Valley Past and Present. Four Smull brothers arrived in Brush Valley to build the Lutheran church in Rebersburg: Jacob, Peter, Henry, and Jesse. Once building was complete, Jesse returned to the family while the three, Jacob, Peter and Henry, remained to build lives in the beautiful newly settled countryside on the other side of the Ridge and Valley Provice of the Appalachian Mountains, sitting between Nittany Mountain to the north and Brush Mountain/Shriner Mountain to the south. Peter was my third great grandfather. Jacob died relatively young but his home still stands on the main street in Rebersburg. Henry and his large family from his two wives, became part of the fabric of the area.

Henry's first wife was Elizabeth Royer, daughter of Johannes Christopher Royer and Magdalene Gross. The couple had seven children. Elizabeth died in 1834 at the age of 37, two weeks after she gave birth to their last child, Thomas Jefferson Smull. Henry then married the daughter of one of the prominent farmers Daniel Kreamer and Anna Kern) in the region, widow Catherine Kreamer Hosterman. They had an additional five children to add to the four children she had during her marriage to George Hosterman. George had died the same year Elizabeth Royer Smull died.  

I had not seen a photo of any of the Brothers Smull until I made my trip to Brush Valley. This is a photo of Henry, born in the 18th century, and his second wife, Catherine. This alone made the trip worthwhile.

Henry Smull and Catherine Kreamer Hosterman Smull c. 1860

Genealogy Trail: Brush Valley - Home of the Brothers Smull

Last week I made the long-awaited trip to Brush Valley in Pennsylvania. This includes towns like Centre Hall, Rebersburg, Aaronsburg, Smullton, and other villages within Centre County at its east end. I had the immense pleasure of having a tour guide, Evonne Henninger, who is the greatest historian of the area for whom I could wish. We spent the morning traveling around the valley and spent a bit more time in Rebersburg, the place my family had settled. I learned more in two days there than in years of studying from afar.

As a refresher, Johann Peter Schmoll and Julianna Sarah Mueller lived in Montgomery County,
Pennsylvania. They had ten children. Four of these went to Centre County to help build the Union Church in Rebersburg. Jacob, the oldest of the four, Peter, Henry, and the much younger Jesse. Jesse later returned to Montgomery County, but the others did not. The church was used from 1823-1876  by the Lutheran and Reformed denominations. According to Evonne, the bricks for the church were made along Elk Creek in Smullton (formerly Kreamersville) in the area of the Raymond Bair farm. Evonne drove me past this location. They razed this church after a Lutheran and a Reformed Church were built next to each other in 1876. The Amish recently purchased one of these, but neither is being used as a church at this time.

Jacob Smull's 1825
Georgian Style Home

After the building of the church, Jacob, Peter and Henry (1799) stayed on and became a big part of the community. Jacob ended up a building a German-influenced Georgian style house on E Main St in 1825 which still stands. He ended up dying in 1830. The two daughters of his marriage who survived to adulthood moved on to Lock Haven in adult life.

Peter, who is extensively written about here on the blog, left in 1847 for Stephenson County, Illinois. His entire family eventually joined him in that area.

That left Henry. Henry farmed and did whatever else he could to make a living. His first wife, daughter of one of the town's earliest residents, Elizabeth Royer, had seven kids. She died in 1834. Henry married immediately the former Catherine Kreamer, who was the widow of George Hosterman, who also died in 1834.  They combined their families and continued with life in Rebersburg. The couple had an additional five children.

One of the cool things he did was operate a toll house on Rockville Rd near Hwy 192. Toll houses existed on many roads in Pennsylvania. The tolls paid for maintenance and operation of the road since the government was not then involved. Henry Smull, in addition to his farm, had a toll house in Rebersburg. The toll house is on the right. Operators of such toll houses could earn a chunk of change each month as well. Tolls at one toll house were:

Henry Smull's Toll House on Right

Toll Gate Charges –

A score of sheep – 4¢ (score = 20)

A score of hogs – 6¢

A horse with his rider – 3¢

A score of cattle – 12¢

A sulkey with 1 horse and 2 wheels – 6¢

2 wheels & 2 horses – 9¢

4 wheels & 2 horses – 12¢

4 wheels & 4 horses – 20¢

Henry also had an opportunity to go to other parts of Pennsylvania and picked up ideas along the way. He

remodeled his toll house with unique diagonal design. During his time in Rebersburg, he also farmed. We went to the farm he ran between what was originally Kreamerville and Rebersburg. Today, the farm is in the hands of the Amish and a new homestead has been built.

Here is Henry's toll house with its unique design:

And here is the Henry Smull barn (later the C H Smull barn and now an Amish barn). This is an example of a L-shaped Pennsylvania barn.

There was so much more to learn about Henry and his kids on this trip. What I loved most is that I could feel the place and see the mountains and see how the villages connected to the mountains. It allowed me to gain perspective that no book or Internet record could provide. And, having a tour guide like Evonne was priceless. More to come.

B&W photos courtesy of Evonne Henninger of Penn's Valley, Past & Present

Mystery Muddle: Ancestry DNA and Me

I just had to. So, for Christmas this year, we all got DNA tests done. Mine had some surprising results
that I haven't quite figured out since my research has not indicated much of it to be true. The Scandinavian results was 61% and Iberian Peninsula was my next big group at 11%. Based on my work with the family tree, I expected a lot more English and German and I have no idea where the Iberian Peninsula thing came from. So, it will be fun figuring it all out.

One of the features of Ancestry DNA is the matching they do between you and others who share some DNA. Some are closer relatives, but most are distant - 4th to 6th cousins or more. The results of this was not surprising for the most part. People I'd been in contact with over the past few years are confirmed as actually being DNA-connected as well. If there were ever any doubt, my dad can be assured that he is in fact the child of his known parents!

What was a big surprise was this close cousin (1st/2nd) that popped up that I'd never heard of before. I couldn't figure out from what I could learn, how we were related. I contacted her and she told me her tale. Her mother had been adopted. She had traced her birthmother's family (Simmons) and a likely birthmother but had no clue on the birthfather.

The process of research on the detective trail is the fun part for me. First, I needed to establish that I was not related to her on "Sue's" mom's birthmother's side. That was borne out rather quickly. That meant that I might find the key to solving the puzzle.

Then, I took the shared DNA connections and used them to exclude possibilities based on the year of birth of the mother and age of the birthmother - two estimated things we knew.

The solution was found in the Smith-Smull line. The only Smith-Smull crossovers were with Jennie Elnora Smull and Kate Smull, who both married Smith men from our line. Jennie's boys were ruled out as were two of Kate's boys. Then, that left one Smith boy. I feel fairly confident that we have located the birthfather of her mother.

I absolutely live to work on puzzles like this. And, I got a new close cousin out of the deal. Pretty cool.

More on Franklin Sylvester Smull

Time to update the suit?
Franklin Sylvester Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHON SMULL m Mary Jane Cooper > FRANKLIN SYLVESTER SMULL m Clarissa Belle "Clara" Orcutt

I talked about Franklin before, here. Now, we have a photo to go with the name. The sleeves on his suit made me chuckle. Looks like he had it for a while and grew a little.

Franklin seemed to be a typically law-abiding citizen, but like many farmers, had little side businesses going. In June of 1889, he was arrested by Deputy US Marshall Hopkins for bootlegging. Since no mention is later made of a jail sentence, he most likely lost his still and paid a fine.

Also located, thanks to one of my amazing cousins on the Smull/Cooper side, is a photo of Sylvester and a young Clarissa Belle "Clara" Orcutt, his bride on their wedding day. They were married in the Smull home by Justice M. Roberts on Feb 15, 1893. The Orcutts were a large and early pioneer family.

I followed Franklin through about 20 years of adulthood. He opened and closed multiple barber shops, farmed some summers on rented farms in Jackson and Bremer counties, and seemed to do what he could to raise his growing family. There was nothing exceptional in his life other than that he was a young man, with five children, who did his best to raise his family. His life was tragically cut short by illness at the age of 39.

Franklin and Clara Orcutt Smull on their Wedding Day

Ralph, Orle, Opal, baby Maude (Irma  hadn't
arrived yet)

William Joseph "Bill" Wagner, Professional Baseball Player

JOHN WAGGONER > WILLIAM WAGNER (Mary Smull's brother) > JOSEPH WAGNER >

WILLIAM JOSEPH WAGNER m Mary Veronica Doyle

The Cooper side of the family had this guy, from the Miracle Braves of 1914, but the Wagner side (Mary Waggoner married one of the Brothers Smull of Brush Valley - Peter) had William Joseph "Bill" Wagner.

John Waggoner's son William lived in Centre County, Pennsylvania and in the 1850s, removed, along with many others from the area, to Stephenson County, Illinois, where Williams' family settled in Oneco Township. William and his wife Julie Rider had at least five children, among them Joseph Wagner, who married Mary Hershey about 1855. Joseph was born 04 May 1831 in Miles Township, Centre County. Mary was born in Canada on 06 Jun 1837. The Joseph Wagner's also went to Stephenson County, but decamped from that area to Buchanan County, Iowa. He died in 1904 and his wife in 1907, after raising three children and were buried in Old Barclay Cemetery in Black Hawk County, Iowa.

Their son William Joseph Wagner married Lizzie Cronemiller. William was born in 1863 in

Stephenson County, Illinois and his wife was born in 1864 in Illinois. They had five children, including William Joseph "Bill" Wagner, who was born 02 Jan 1894 in Jesup, Buchanan County, Iowa. By 1910, he was 16 years old and was apprenticed at the Illinois Central railroad boilermaker shop in Waterloo, Iowa. Just a couple years later, his turned his sandlot skill in the still young sport of baseball into something more.

BILL WAGNER ONCE HIT FOR HONUS WAGNER
NOW ILL HERE, MAJOR LEAGUER RECALLS BASEBALL THRILLS
by John Neagle, Courier Sports Writer
The umpire turned to the crowd and roared "B Wagner hitting for H Wagner!"
The occasion was a June day in Pittsburgh in 1916.

Today, almost 35 years later, this memory and other of bygone baseball days are the main comfort of a lonely, old time ex-big leaguer. He's Bill Wagner of Waterloo, bedridden most of the time at the home of his son, Al Wagner, of 35 Rainbow Dr.

On that June day in 1916, Bill, a rookie up with the Pirates from Sumner, Ia, town team, received "the greatest thrill of my career because, you see, H Wagner was the great Honus Wagner."

Despite his illness, Bill beamed and went on to say, "It was a close game and Honus hadn't been hitting that day, so the manager sent me up to the plate and I got a single to tie the ball game. Bill Hinchman, our right fielder, followed me and poled out a home to ice the ball game."

Wagner, now 57 years old, played sandlot ball as a kid and when he was "about 17 or 18" went directly to the Waterloo team of the Class D Central association as a catcher in either 1913 or 1914. In those days the ball park was by Deere's plant. Doc Andrews was manager of the team.

Honus Wagner

After playing about half the season with Waterloo, Bill joined the Sumner ball club. It was there that Chick Frazier, Pittsburgh scout, spotted him and signed him on with the Pirates.

Frazier immediately took his rookie to St Louis, where the Pirates were playing. The trip to the Mound city was the first time Wagner hd ever been stone's throw from Waterloo."
He said, "I was a pretty excited kid. We immediately went up to Manager Cap Clark's room in the hotel upon arriving in St Louis, and there I met Honus Wagner for the first time. After introductions and a brief visit, Honus took me out and bough me my first pair of big league baseball shoes. Boy, did I feel good! That Honus was one great guy."
Bill went on: "That season I caught batting practice and worked out with the team but didn't get into any games."

Asked if any of the old timers gave him any tips on catching during that time, Bill replied, "No, not a bit. At that time you were supported to be good enough to be up there or you wouldn't have been there. They were a rough and tough bunch in those days. It seemed to me they made it especially tough for a rookie to see if he could take it. If you couldn't take it, you were all done."

The next year Pittsburgh farmed him out to Youngstown, Ohio in the old Central League and the following season he was sent to Terre Haute, being recalled to Pittsburgh in the fall. The next year, 1916, he played the entire season with the Pirates.

Bill said, "I played in about 50 ball games that year, catching mostly for a pitcher by the name of Wilbur Cooper and sometmes taking over first base, I hit 260, which I felt wasn't too bad for a player not playing regularly.

The Waterloo man was only thumbed out of one ball game during his major league carreer. At Philadelphia the umpire put the tag on him for a catcher's balk and in the resulting ------ Bill was given the heave ho!

"Never did hear of that catcher's balk before or since," Bill reminisced, "I don't recall who was up to bat, but he made like he was going to bunt and I came forward and the guy changed his mind and started to take a full cut. The bat hit my glove and the ump waved him down to first. I raised so much of a fus about it I got waved to the dugout."
The next year found Will with Columbus Ohio, in the American Association after a trade deal involving Earl Hapulton, a southpaw pitcher.

The American Association closed the season a month early because of World War I and BIll finished the year out with the Boston Braves.

George Stallings, known as the "miracle men" was manager of the Braves at that time. Bill caught about half of the remaining games for Boston and recalls having batted against the great Walter Johnson. Asked if he got a hit, Bill laughed and replied, "No, no, I wasn't trying to get a hit. All I was doing, was trying to get a foul ball I didn't even touch the ball, but I went down swinging. When the Big Train let fly that ball looked like a pea coming across the plate. His curve ball was just as fast as his fast ball, too."

After finishing the season with the Braves, Wagner went back to Columbus in the American Association but after a short while jumped his contract and went to Steelton in Pennsylvania in an outlaw league that paid more money. He got $750 a month. That, said Bill, 'was the biggest mistake of my career."

Joe Tinker, manager of Columbus, blacklisted Bill for five years and fined him $500 but Wagner didn't have to pay the fine because he never returned to organized baseball.
Leaving Steelton, Bill played ball with various teams, including Oelwein, a team "that beat everything around this part of the country." 

It was while with Oelwein Bill hit the longest ball ever hit in the old Dubuque ball park. Syl McCauley, a lefthander, formerly with the White Sox, was on the mound for Dubuque when Bill got hold of a curve ball and sent it soaring out over the fence to land on the Chicago Great Western tracks beyond the ball park. Throughout most of his career Bill batted in the cleanup position because of his ability to hit a long ball.

The oldtimer wound up his playing days with Nash Motorsof Kenosha, Wis in the North

Bill and dog Tiz just prior to his death

 

Shore League. The team was made up of all ex-big leaguers.

Wagner was the only player from Waterloo to make the big leagues until 1949 when Jack Brumer went up with the White Sox. Actually Bill was born four and a half miles northwest of Jesup, Iwa, but when he went to the majors, drowned out the more feeble voice of Jesup, claiming him as a native son.

Like most oldtimers, Bill takes a dim view of the present day ballplayers. "They aren't as rough and don't hustle like they did in those days. We really battled every ball bame. I sure would like to see Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb and some of the boys tie into the modern live ball too," he chuckled.

 The ex-railroad boilermaker said the top pay of his career was $750 a month with Steelton and I guess my best batting average was 312 with Columbus. I'm not sure about my lifetime average but would say it was around .285." 

Several years ago Wagner was selected on an all time Waterloo baseball team by a group of old timers.

The ex-major leaguer's advice to young ball players? It is "Take care of your legs; when your legs go bad, you go bad all over."

Wagner's present illness hit him about two months ago, forcing him to give up his job on the Illinois Central. As he waved the reporter out of his sick room, Bill added a parting remark, "You know memories are fine but I am very lonely and sure would appreciate a letter or two from some of my old friends."
Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa
Monday, January 8, 1951 

Bill and Mary had two sons, John Allen Wagner (Waterloo) and Robert Joseph Wagner (Ft Madison). Bill spent the rest of his working life as a boilermaker for the Illinois Central. His wife Mary died on 17 Jan 1950 in Iowa City of a serious illness. Bill passed away three days after the article above was published, on 11 Jan 1951. He did have an opportunity to read the article and it made him happy.

The Waggoners of Centre County: William Wagner

JOHN WAGGONER > William WAGNER m Julia Rider

Peter Smull married Mary Waggoner/Wagner, daughter of John Waggoner/Wagner. I've not ascertained who the mother is, but it appears as though John, brother William, and the Smulls were all neighbors in 1830/1840 census.  As a whole bunch of people from Miles Township did, William Wagner and his family moved on to Stephenson County, Illinois in the 1850s, settling in Oneco. Father John and wife are no longer living in the 1850 census. It also appears there is at least one other child of John - aged 30-40, married, with at least three children living with them. Who that is, I don't know yet. Still working on that angle.

William, born in about 1797 married Julia Rider. She was born in 1805 in York, Pennsylvania. The couple had ten children, some of whom stayed in Pennsylvania as their parents and other siblings

Wm Wagner, died Oneco,
Stephenson County 1870

moved west.

William lived until 29 Sep 1870 and died in Oneco. His will went through probate in December. His wife lived on until 20 Apr 1879, and also died in Oneco.

1. Margaret was born 03 May 1827 in Miles Township, Centre County. She married William Herman and I've thus far located three children, John Henry, Clark, and Arabella  Herman Keen, all of whom settled in Pennsylvania. She died 03 Sep 1893.

2. Sarah was born about 1829 and died in 1865 in Miles Township, Centre County. She married first George Aurand and had a daughter, Emily Jane. George died and she married Samel Shutt and had four more children.

3. Joseph Wagner was born 04 May 1831 in Miles Township, Centre County. He married Mary Hershey about 1855. She was born 06 Jun 1837 in Canada. They had three children, Nancy Amelia, Abraham, and William "Will" Washington Wagner. Joseph and his wife originally settled in Stephenson County, Illinois and then moved on to Black Hawk County, Iowa. Nancy & Will both moved to Iowa; Abraham remained in Stephenson County. Joseph's grandson, William Joseph Wagner, played professional baseball from 1915-1919 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Braves. I'll post about him separately.

4. George Wagner was born in Oct 1833 in Miles Township, Centre County. He married Anna Margaret Weiss. They had eight children and lived in the Lock Haven area of Pennsylvania. George died in 1921 in Lock Haven. His wife Anna, died in 1888.

5. William Wagner was born 1835 in Miles Township, Centre County He married Elizabeth Rex about 1858. They moved to Floyd County, Iowa. Their five children were raised in Floyd County. Elizabeth died in 1922 and William died in 1913.

6. Mary Wagner was born about 1837 in Miles Township, Centre County. I have no other information on this child.

Rosa Klontz Wagner

7. Jacob R Wagner was born in 1840 in Miles Township, Centre County. He married Eliza Jane Divan on 17 Feb 1867 in Green County, Wisconsin. They then located to Illinois and then southern Wisconsin, the moved on to Iowa and settled in Butler County. Their twelve children are spread across Wisconsin, Illinois,  and Iowa. Jacob died in 1925 in Butler County and his wife preceded him in death in 1919.

8. Peter Wagner was born 23 Aug 1841 in Miles Township, Centre County. He reportedly died on 02 Aug 1918 in Oneco, Stephenson County, but I have not been able to find a lot on this Wagner. His wife was Catherine Divan, sister to Jacob's wife.

9. Samuel Wesley Wagner was born in 1848 in Miles Township, Centre County. He married Rosa A Klontz in Stephenson County about 1872. They had six children who were raised and lived in Marble Rock, Floyd County, Iowa.Samuel died in 1927 and Rosa died in 1928 in Floyd County.

10. Emily Wagner was born about 1851 in Miles Township, Centre County. That is all I know about her at this time.

Peter L Smull Family: Oscar S Smull, County Home Superintendent

UNK SMULL > PETER SMULL > PETER L. SMULL > OSCAR SAMUEL SMULL

I wrote about my questions and points related to Oscar's father, Peter L Smull, here. Oscar S Smull was born 13 Sep 1861 in Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois. In 1870, he was living with his parents, Peter L and Rebekah Smull. Peter L Smull, Jr., the eldest of the two boys, was not living at home. In 1860, he had been living with his grandparents, Peter and Mary Smull. The 1870 Census indicates Peter L Jr. was living with Simon and Rebecca (Brown) Rote in Lancaster, most likely as labor. He was 12. In 1880, Oscar was working as a farmhand on the C.A. Sullivan farm in Stephenson County.

Oscar grew up and married Miss Cora Stites on 02 Oct 1887. She bore him three children: Lucy Amanda, Archie Leroy, and Florence. She died 28 Jul 1895. In  1900, Oscar and his daughters were living with his cousin Thomas Newcomb Smull. Newcomb and his wife had one child who had died during her first year of life. They ended up raising the girls, and later, Archie, after his living situation at the John McDaniels farm.

Oscar married Lena Gerbitz, who was born on 23 Mar 1888 in Cadiz, Green County, Wisconsin. They married 09 Oct 1907 in Dubuque, Iowa. They had four more children: Edrye, Marjorie,  Oscar James "Jim," and Francis W.

Between 1910-1913, Oscar was appointed as Superintendent of the County Poor Farm, later called the County Old Folks' Home. In 1935, his pay was $1,800 per year.  Thinking back, that was a time when the poor elderly and infirm needed some provision for their care. This was a time before Social Security. When the old age pension was started in 1935, the Home had 70 residents; with 30 of those over the age of 65. Those under 65 years old would be able to remain in the home once the new pension started.

In 1927, a terrific fire destroyed the 3-story stone and brick building and annex after a fire of unknown causes started in the attic. Smull was working in the fields and saw smoke from the fire. Amazingly, all 59 old residents were rescued, including the six who were missing at the original count. Only two firefighters were injured. Smull was reappointed by the County Commissioners each year until his retirement in 1942.

After his retirement, he and his wife moved to 1408 South Chicago Ave, Freeport and lived in town. Friends gave them a little shower with gifts since they were basically reestablishing their home all over again.

Oscar died 11 Dec 1945 and Lena died 20 Oct 1952 in Freeport.

Matilda Smull Family: Sarah Meyer & George McGilligan

UNK SMULL > PETER SMULL > MATILDA SMULL m Daniel Meyer > SARAH MEYER m George McGilligan

Sarah A Meyer was the oldest child of Matilda Smull and Daniel Meyer. She was born 19 Dec 1851 in Rebersburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania. She married George E McGilligan on 02 Mar 1875 in Stephenson County, Illinois.

Sarah and George had one son, Willard Erwin McGilligan, on 03 Apr 1876 in Rock Run. Sarah got ill and died in a hospital in Chicago on 08 Mar 1898. The funeral was held at her parents' home and she was buried in Dakota Cemetery.

By 1900, George had moved to Carlton, Tama County, Iowa and later to Janesville, Iowa. He married Eliza Wiltse on 26 Nov 1902 in Floyd County, Iowa. George died 12 Sep 1924 in Warren Township in Bremer County.

Willard had five children who remained in the Bremer/Black Hawk County area of Iowa. He died 07 May 1944 in Janesville.

George had three brothers, two of whom remained in Stephenson County. Brother Charles experienced the same bad reporting that this guy did. Charles was a member of Co L, during the Spanish-American War in the late 1890s. He then enlisted in the regular army and joined Co C, 9th Infantry and was sent to the Philippines during the insurrection. It was reported that he and another Stephenson County soldier were killed in a particularly violent way at the hands of insurgents. Then, the war department announced that oops, they didn't mean it, he was really not on the KIA list. Charles was alive and was eventually discharged, returning to his normal life in Ridott in Stephenson County.

Mystery Muddle: Who is John W "Johney" Smull of Centre & Stephenson County?

I believe John W. Smull is the "missing" son of Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. This has been a major ponderable in my studies. Without a birth or death certificate, it leaves some room for question, but I'm pretty sure I solved this particular mystery at last.

Who is John W. Smull of Centre County who moved to Stephenson County in 1870?

Records are sadly lacking with any specificity for the era 1800-1850. No names on census reports except the household head, no great newspaper items for rural areas, blah, blah.

Here's what I know:

The various census from 1820-1840 indicate that Peter and Mary had a dozen children. I was able to identify 11 and believe the missing child was a boy born between 1826-1830.

John W. Smull's middle initial stands for "Wagner." If he is Peter & Mary's child, he would be the first son of the union and Waggoner is Peter's wife's maiden name. Mary's father's name was John. Germans often named their children after someone specific - in this case, it would be his maternal grandfather John Waggoner.

Now, we know that John W. "Johney" Smull was born 30 Apr 1826 in Pennsylvania and as of the 1850 census, resided in Rebersburg. It is reported that in 1850, he married his wife, Amelia Kahl. They lived in Pennsylvania until 1867, when they are found in Illinois. They were the last of the Peter & Mary children to head west. In 1880, they are in Waddams, Stephenson County.

Click to enlarge

Peter's son, Peter L., is still a bit of a mystery and I don't know how he was with his children. When Peter L's son Oscar's first wife died, Oscar's son Archie went to live Ella & JW McDaniel - but that didn't work out so well. The three children and Oscar resided with "his cousin" Thomas N Smull, who is Thomas Newton Smull, son of John W. Smull. The children remained with TN Smull and his wife after Oscar's remarriage and are often confused with being TN Smull's children, when they are in fact, Oscar's by his first wife.

Johney's first son is named Myron Peter Smull. Peter would be Johney's father if my surmise is correct.

The only fly in the ointment is that Peter and Mary also had a son named Johnathan Smull, born in 1834 (my 2nd great grandfather). Would they have two such similarly named sons? German children often had three names at baptism and could have been called any of those names at any point in their lives. Hmm. Very curious. Johnathan (1834) is never referenced with a middle name nor middle initial. He was also referred to as Johnathan, not usually John or Johnny. Based on all of the German naming traditions and varied uses of their 3-name system, I would say it would be possible to have both a John and a Johnathan in the same family - especially if children were named after specific other people.

Johney died in McConnell, Stephenson County 04 Feb 1903. Amelia died 05 Oct 1907.

I'm calling it - this is indeed the last of the Peter Smull, Mary Waggoner children.

Smull Family Stories

Peter Smull, was one of three brothers of German descent who settled in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the early 1800s. Peter, a stone mason like brothers Henry and Jacob, eventually moved to Stephenson County, Illinois in the 1850s. 

I believe I've confirmed these brothers were all children of Johan Peter Schmoll and Juliana Sarah Mueller. 

JOHANN PETER SCHMOLL & JULIANA SARA MUELLER

The Schmoll/Schmehl/Smoll/Smull Connection Looks Like it's Coming Together at Last

PETER SMULL & MARY WAGGONER

Mystery Muddle: Solving the Mystery of the Early Smulls
Mystery Muddle: More on the Brothers Smull
Mystery Muddle: The Children of Peter Smull
Mystery Muddle: Who is John W. "Johney" Smull of Centre & Stephenson County 
The Schmoll/Schmehl/Smoll/Smull Connection Looks Like it's Coming Together at Last

CATHERINE SMULL (TWIN)
Peter Smull Family: Catherine Ann Smull
SARAH ANN SMULL (TWIN)
Sarah Ann Smull
MARY SMULL 
Peter Smull Family: Mary Smull
JOHN WAGNER SMULL 
Mystery Muddle: Who is John W. "Johney" Smull of Centre & Stephenson County 
MATILDA REBECCA SMULL
Peter Smull Family: Matilda Rebecca Smull
Matilda Smull Family: Sarah Meyer & George McGilligan  
JULIA SMULL
Peter Smull Family: Julia Smull
PETER SMULL
Mystery Muddle: The Children of Peter Smull
Peter L Smull Family: Oscar S Smull, County Home Superintendent
Mystery Muddle: Who is Rebecca Cronoble
Archie Smull: Mystery of Basswood School
JONATHAN SMULL
Peter Smull Family: Johnathan Smull
  Johnathan Smull Family: Franklin Sylvester Smull

  Johnathan Smull Family: More on Franklin Sylvester Smull

      Orle Smull & Ruth Cagley, Part I
      Orle Smull & Ruth Cagley, Part II
Johnathan Smull Family: Jennie Elnora Smull
  Johnathan Smull Family: Viola Geneva Smull
  Johnathan Smull Family: Kate Smull
    The Edwin Smith Family
    Mystery Muddle: The Many Marriages of Marie/Mary Adaline Smith
    The Cappoens/LeRoy Line: Leo Lee Linsey
    Edwin Smith Family: Vivian Katherine Smith
    Edwin Smith Family: Evelyn Joyce Smith
  Personal Interviews: Saidee Smull Family History
  The Spectre of a Killer: Typhoid Strikes the Williams Family
  Johnathan Smull Family: Florence Smull
    Defective, Dependent, & Delinquent Classes: Dimmick Farr
    Unbearable Loss: A Fishing Trip with Pa
ADAM SMULL
Peter Smull Family: Adam Smull
SAMUEL SMULL
Peter Smull Family: Samuel Smull of South Dakota
The USC Trojans: Willis Smull's Children 
HENRY SMULL (1842)
Peter Smull family: Henry Smull (1842)
CHARLOTTE AMANDA SMULL
Charlotte was classified an "idiot." She lived with her parents, and then her sister Julia until her death at age 38.

SOME OTHER SMULL STORIES FROM THE BRUSH VALLEY BROTHERS SMULL

JACOB SMULL

Jacob Smull Family: Jacob & Elizabeth Smull Burkert 
Jacob Smull Family: Uncle Billy Klise and Anna Elizabeth Smull  

HENRY SMULL

Henry Smull Family: Thomas Jefferson Smull
Thomas Jefferson Smull Family: Dr T J Smull, Jr
To Infinity and Beyond: Chuck Yeager Wasn't the Only One with the Right Stuff!
Stalag 17B: SSgt Azzan C McKagan
Jacob Guerney Smull: Mystery of Ghost Farm
Roy Brownlee, A Victim of the Philippine Insurrection 
Centre County, PA: Miles Township and Smullton's Inception 
Sarah Smull & Samuel Gramley of Centre County
The Gramley Boys of Centre County

FROM THE REST OF THE LINE

JESSE SMULL

Brothers Smull: Jesse Smull
Jesse Smull: Henry Bergey Smull 
Jesse Smull Family: James Bergey Smull
Jesse Smull Family: John Francis Smull, DDS 
James Bergey Smull Family: Judson Gray Smull, Jr. 
James Bergey Smull Family: Jesse McGarvey Smull

WAGNER FAMILY

The Waggoner's of Centre County: William Wagner  

William Joseph "Bill" Wagner, Professional Baseball Player  

THE "OTHER" SMULL FAMILY

There is also a family of Smulls descended from Andrew Smull (1765-1818) who are often mixed in with "our" Smulls. While they followed a similar trajectory in pioneering, they are not from the same direct lineage. Still, some of them keep cropping up - and not in a good way.

The OTHER Smull Family, Pt 1 (Madam Della)  
The OTHER Smull Family, Pt 2 (Robber Roy Smull)  

Edwin Smith Family: Evelyn Joyce Smith

WILLIAM CUSTER SMITH > EDWIN SMITH M

KATE SMULL > EVELYN JOYCE SMITH m
Marvin Guy Ripley

EVELYN BORN: 25 Apr 1914, Plainfield, Bremer, Iowa  |
DIED: 17 Dec 2002, Convoy, Van Wert, Ohio
MARRIED 1:  10 May 1940, Northwood, Worth, Iowa
MARVIN: BORN: 15 Jan 1914, Carrville, Floyd, Iowa |
DIED:  16 Nov 1990,Van Wert, Van Wert, Ohio

Evelyn graduated from the Plainfield High School Class of 1931. When Marvin was young, he and his brother Max, boxed in Charles City to earn extra money. Both were athletes. Marvin joined the US Navy in 1935. He married  Evelyn after a bridal shower in early May of 1940. They went by bus to Maine, where Marvin was currently stationed. Nine months later, their daughter, Cheryl Kay was born in a Waverly hospital and then taken to the the family home in Plainfield. Family from both sides immediately descended to meet the new addition. In 1942, while Marvin continued to serve away from home, his father, Frank Ripley, became ill and died. Marvin returned on emergency leave upon getting word.

420 Main St Plainfield

With the war on, Marvin was deployed and Evelyn remained in Plainfield, purchasing the Smith
home on Main St. It had a large garden which provided much of their food and had an outhouse. Edwin Smith granddaughter Janis Ladnier recalled a story where on Halloween, prankster liked to tip outhouses, but on one occasion, tipped it while Kate Smith was using it. Whether that is true or legend is not assured.

The war was difficult and Evelyn was not only raising Cheryl, but had adopted her nephew Harold, son of sister Verlie and her first husband Ted Michaelsen, and cared full-time for her mother, Kate. When Marvin finally returned and the decision was made to reenlist after the war, it must have been a difficult one.

Finally, Marvin received orders for shore duty as a recruiter in Ohio. They remained in Springfield, but Marvin once again went to sea. The family still in Ohio, he finally retired. They remained in Ohio for the rest of their lives, ultimately moving to the NW corner of Ohio where their daughter was living. Interestingly, Springfield wasn't very far from where the original Ripley pioneer, Col Judge David C Ripley had started out in Gallia County.

Edwin Smith Family: Vivian Katherine Smith

WILLIAM CUSTER SMITH > EDWIN SMITH M KATE SMULL > VIVIAN KATHERINE SMITH m Leland Barr

VIVIAN BORN: 07 Jul 1912, Plainfield, Bremer, Iowa  | DIED: 07 Dec 1986, Waverly, Bremer,Iowa
MARRIED:  03 Jul 1938, Plainfield, Bremer, Iowa
LELAND BORN: 02 Nov 1906, Shell Rock, Butler, Iowa | DIED:  13 Mar 1979, Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa

Vivian and Leland

When Vivian and Evelyn, her youngest sister, were young, you’d be hard pressed to find one without the other. They were found traveling here and there together, visiting various friends and relatives, attending school events, or shopping in Waverly. Vivian graduated from Plainfield High School in 1929.

Vivian met a young man from Shell Rock, Leland Barr, son of  William Barr and Marie Hufstader. In 1938, they married and she and Leland set up housekeeping in Plainfield. He made his living doing day labor. In April 1943, they moved to Waterloo where he had secured employment with Rath Packing Company, a major employer with good pay and benefits. Then, in August, Leland was drafted. He was and sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for basic and advanced training in October.

After a 10-day furlough, he was sent to England and spent the next two years attached to the 49th

Vivian visit Leland before he left
for Europe

Combat Engineers serving in England, France, and Belgium. While overseas, he fell into a mine shaft and was seriously injured; his legs were never the same. After the war, he was discharged as a private in December, 1945, returning to Waterloo and started work at Hartman Locker. He was rehired by Rath in early 1947, and according to Evelyn’s daughter Cheryl, he had a job  operating the large swing doors in the plant which wouldn’t tax him too much due to his war injuries. He remained with Rath until retirement.

Over the next few years, Leland spent several stints in the hospital for various medical issues including a ruptured appendix. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 1963 with an open house at their home in Waterloo at 217 Mobile St, across the street from the Linden Methodist Church, where they attended.

Leland got cancer and died in Iowa City Hospital in 1979. Vivian remained in her home briefly, but then moved to a nursing home in Waverly until she died. Though the Barrs had no children, they are remembered fondly by their nieces and nephews.

Peter Smull Family: Sgt Jonathan Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHON SMULL m Mary Jane Cooper

Click image to enlarge

My 2nd Great Grandfather. Johnathan Cooper was the eighth of 12 children born to Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. He was born in 1834 in Centre County, Pennsyvlania and came to Stephenson County, Illinois with his parents in the 1850s.  John married Mary Jane Cooper, daughter of William Lloyd Cooper and Elizabeth Beams, 06 May 1860 in Monroe, Wisconsin, making this the second Cooper/Smull connection. Mary Jane's sister Ann's daughter Lorena Thompson married Samuel Smull, John's brother.

John was a sergeant during the Civil War, serving a year with the 147th Illinois Infantry Regiment. The regiment was organized at Camp Fry, Chicago, for a year on 18 Feb 1865 and were attached to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Separate Division, District of Etowah, Department of the Cumberland to July 1865 and to the Dept of Georgia to January, 1866. They saw service primarily in Georgia, including skirmishes with guerillas and regular soldiers for the next several months. They then returned to Springield, Illinois in January 1866 and John was discharged on 08 Feb 1866. The regiment lost three enlisted to battle/injuries and 31 to disease.

Johnathan Smull and Mary Jane Cooper

Since they had just started their family with two children before he left for war, they continued adding upon his return, adding six more, all born in Stephenson County, except the last three, who were born in Chickasaw County, Iowa. John owned 80 acres in Dakota, Stephenson County in 1866, which he sold prior to leaving for their next adventure. The Smull's moved to Chickasaw County in 1876 to farm in the Bradford area. According to his death record at the Chickasaw County Courthouse, John would die at age 51 on 16 Oct 1885 of a chronic intestinal enlargement of the liver for which he was treated by Dr. J. D. Horton. Dr. Horton indicated the condition was longer in duration than the last treatment period. Mary would move the family into Plainfield in neighboring Bremer County.

An older Elizabeth Beams Cooper,
mother of Mary Jane Cooper Smull

She cared for her elderly mother, Elizabeth Beams Cooper until her mother's death in June of 1897 in Plainfield. Mary Jane would die in Plainfield 14 Feb 1905 after a long illness.

The Smulls had eight children, including my great grandmother Katherine Mabel "Kate" Smull. The children of John and Mary Jane would play a significant role in the community and life of the small town of Plainfield for the next hundred years.

Listing the children, who will each be profiled at some point are:

1. Ulyssus: 1863, Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois to bet 1881-1885 in Chickasaw County, Iowa. There are no dates on his grave. He is listed in the 1880 US Census but not the Iowa 1885 Census. There is no death record for him in Chickasaw County. 

2. Franklin Sylvester: 06 Mar 1865, Rock Grove to 12 Jul 1904 in Plainfield.

3. Jennie Elnora: 27 Jul 1869, Rock Grove to 09 May 1956 in Iowa. She would also connect withe the Jacob Smith family heretofore mentioned many times.

4. Viola Geneva: 06 Aug 1871, Rock Grove to 21 Nov 1947.

5. Katherine Mabel "Katie: 27 Sep 1873, Rock Grove to 04 Mar 1956, Waverly, Bremer, Iowa. Kate would also marry into the Jacob Smith line.

6. Saidee L.: 11 Jan 1877, Bradford, Chickasaw County, Iowa to 02 May 1962, Denver, Bremer, Iowa.

7. Florence: 20 Jun 1883, Bradford to 19 Aug 1963.

8. Amy: Dates unknown, died as infant/young child.

John Smull, Civil War Veteran and wife Mary Jane Cooper Smull
Son Ulysses' stone is next to his mother's
Greenwood Cemetery, Nashua, Iowa

Peter Smull Family: Henry Smull

PETER SMULL > HENRY SMULL m. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Smith

Click on image to enlarge

Henry Smull (1842*) was born 23 Feb 1842 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, to Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. He came with his family to Stephenson County, where he attended school. After school, he began working as a farm hand and also did carpentering on the side. On 04 Nov 1864, he married his wife Elizabeth "Lizzie" Smith, daughter of John S. and Catherine Smith. She was born on 23 Aug 1846 in Stepehenson County.

Please refer to the discussion of the parentage of Henry's father Peter here.

Smulls at work (left to right)
WW Smull (standing), Earl, Charles, Roy,
HA Smull (standing)

In 1875, they moved to Shelby County. Henry purchased a parcel of 80 acres to get his farm started, later adding to the holdings. In the intervening years, he worked to improve his property and effectively cultivate the land until he decided to retire. They moved into Macon in Shelby County and built a home. Even after his retirement, he retained 120 acres. 

Henry was an independent in his politics, and according to the Portrait and Biographical Record of Macon County, 1893, "He has never been an office-seeker, in fact, has always avoided office, and though twice elected Justice of the Peace, refused to serve." 

Henry died 01 Mar 1900 in Macon. His wife Lizzie lived to age 86 and died 22 Mar 1933 in Decatur, Illinois.

The Smulls had six children, two of whom died as the result of a horrible car-train accident and one in infancy.

1. William W. was born 21 Nov 1865 in Stephenson County, Illinois. He married Hannah Belle Curry on 17 Oct 1888 in Mowequa, Shelby County. The couple farmed. She was born 03 Sep 1863 in Indiana to Enos and Catherine Curry. William died 30 Dec 1931 in Penn, Shelby County and Belle on 22 Feb 1947. They had two children: Earl and Edith.

WW Smull Hannah Belle Curry Wedding

2. Henry Arthur Smull was born in Freeport, Stephenson County on 30 Dec 1867. He married Martha Jane "Mattie Denton" 26 Aug 1891 in Shelby County. She was the daughter of Johnathon Denton and Eliza Jane Campbell and was born on 01 May 1868 in Oconee, Shelby County. Henry also farmed. They had six children: Roy Arthur, Ethel, May Lucille, June, Gladys Ruth and Ferne. H. A. died 27 Mar 1954 in Decatur and Mattied preceded him on 20 Jun 1933 in Macon.

3. Bertha C. was born 07 Sep 1871 in Stephenson County and died 27 Feb 1947 in Decatur. She lived with her mother until her death and then retained the family home. In 1930, she was listed as a "gardener." She was critically injured in a car-train accident that killed her sister instantly and injured three other women. Bertha died of her injuries the following day.

4. Elizabeth was born 28 Jul 1876 in Shelby County and married Dr. Oscar F. Plummer in 1913.Dr. Plummer was a widower with two children: Harold and Fred. Dr. Plummer died 14 Jun 1938 in Macon and Elizabeth died 26 Feb 1947 in a car-train accident that took her sister's life and injured three others. 

5. Charles E. was born 24 Feb 1879 in Shelby County. In 1910, he was clerking at Draper and Webb's drug store. He married Eula R. Kitch Koehler, a divorced woman with one child, in 1914. At that time, Charles was a restaurant keeper. He maintained his restaurant for 12 years until his death. Charles had a long illness and died 26 Feb 1925 in Macon. He had no children.

6. Pet was 22 Mar 1883 and died a month later in April in Shelby County.

* I will always refer to this Henry as Henry Smull (1842) in order to differentiate him from his uncle Henry who will play a part in the stories here. He will be referred to as Henry Smull.

Peter Smull Family: Julia Smull

PETER SMULL > JULIA A SMULL m John Haas

Click image to increase size

Julia was born 08 Nov 1830 in Centre County, Pennsylvania and married John Haas, son of David Haas and Barbara Mitterling in 1847 in Pennsylvania. John was born 20 Dec 1832 in Juniata County, Pennsylvania. My family will intersect with this sprawling Haas clan again on the Cooper side of the family.

John was also the grandson of Capt Valentine Haas, a veteran of the War of 1812 serving in the 77th Pennsylvania Militia under Lt Colonel George Weirick. Valentine was also a justice of the peace. The family at that time resided in Snyder County.

The Haas' moved, along with many of the Smulls, to Stephenson County, Illinois after their marriage and settled near Dakota where they farmed. Their daughter Ida was born on 06 Oct 1871 in Rock Grove, Stephenson County. 

The 1910 census indicates that Julia had three children, with two living, but I have found no evidence of other children at this time. Ida is the only one who resided with them during any available census of 1880 and 1910, but I've not located the 1860 and 1870 census for this family so it's totally possible an older child grew up and was gone before the 1880 census. There is a stone on either side of the Haas main monument - both unreadable. I believe one is an infant and since Ida's obit says she is buried in this cemetery, I believe the larger stone to the right is hers. I've been to this cemetery and there is no other monument for Ida here. (CEMETERY: Rock Grove Union Cemetery, Stephenson County, Illinois).

In 1880, their household consisted of John, Julia, Ida and Julia's sister, Charlotte Amanda, who had been cared for by her parents until their deaths (she was classified as "Idiot"). Amanda, as she was called, died three years later at age 38.

John died on 27 Sep 1881 in Dakota at the age of 48. His widow, Julia, remarried at some point, to a man named Miller. The 1910 census supports this as well as her sister Mary Smull Meyers Frantz's 1908 obituary which has Julia Miller as a surviving sister.

Julia died on 24 May 1912 in Dakota.

Ida remained single her entire life and in the 1930 census, she is listed as a servant in the Oscar and Lena Smull's home in Silver Creek in Stephenson County. Oscar was the son of Peter Smull, Jr. Her death record indicates she died on 10 Apr 1938 in McConnell, Stephenson County and her job was listed as housekeeper. Services for her were held at the Oscar Smull home.