1950 Kansas Census

Are you eagerly awaiting the release of the 1950 census? If you follow Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings blog, then you may have seen his challenge to identify members of our ancestral families that will be in the 1950 United States census.

Although it will be interesting to see the household configurations in the 1950 census, there is census data available for that time period -- IF the person lived in Kansas. Yes, that's correct, one can find census data for Kansas thru 1961. This information can be found in Ancestry's collection: Kansas, City and County Census Records, 1919-1961.

Since all of my ancestral lines were in Kansas prior to 1919, this collection has proven to be very helpful.

For example, my great-grandmother, Josie Crawford was living in Dodge City in 1950. Thus, I did a search of the collection for a Josie Crawford living in Ford County, Kansas.

Duplicate or Different?

Do you ever check out someone else's tree to see if they have something that disagrees with what you have? I know I'm usually looking for confirmation, but I appreciate seeing conflicting information. That conflicting information makes me re-look at what I have and to look harder for additional sources to support what I have.

That's likely one of the reasons I work with the tree on FamilySearch. On this tree, I can look at the changes made to an individual. If those changes differ from information I have compiled, I can message the user making the changes and/or post a discussion about the change.

Thus, I utilize the 'watch' button to mark individuals I'm researching. Not only have I marked my ancestors to 'watch' but I've also marked other individuals in my research that I'm having trouble finding sources. Each week, I get notified of changes to those 'watched' individuals.

This morning's notification list included Eliza Honor Van Valkenburg, the second wife of my ancestor, Albert J Hutchinson. That's when I discovered that there are TWO of them in the Family Search tree.

Since I haven't found birth or death information for her, I have no idea which  Honor Van Valkenburg is the correct one. However, I do believe that these are the same women and that they are the same person I have in my database as Eliza Honor Van Valkenberg.

Honoring Fallen - Sgt. Ralph Wayne Griffith

Sgt. Ralph Wayne Griffith
Born: 7 June 1920
Sergeant in the 12th Cavalry during World War II


Ralph Wayne Griffith filled out his "Registrtion Card" in Wallace County, Kansas. He signed the card, Wayne Griffith.

Crawford ThruLInes Question

I like Ancestry's new ThruLines feature!

Unfortunately, it is pointing out one of my frustrations with my DNA results. I have several verified second and third cousin DNA matches on my Crawford line but we never got a DNA circle for my 3rd great grandfather, Nelson G. Crawford. When Ancestry released ThruLines, I was hoping to locate some fourth cousins thru one of Nelson's other children.

However, the ThruLines for Nelson G Crawford only includes DNA matches going thru my 2nd great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford. It does not include any lines going thru the siblings of Washington Marion Crawford.

Golden Legacy

Does your family throw a big parties? Have you had the good fortune to celebrate Golden Anniversaries in your family?

My first exposure to a Golden Anniversary celebration was for my grandparents: Leon and Winnie Crawford.

Pauline E. Briles

Emporia Gazette
Wednesday, July 18, 1984
page 2 column 4-5

Film E1506

KS State Historical Society

Artie Ricketts

     Frances Artlissa 'Artie' Ricketts was born on 7 Apr 1868 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.^1–13

She lived in Sugar Creek Township, Clinton, Indiana, United States on 1 Jul 1870.¹⁴ Artlissa Rickets was listed on the 1870 census in the household of James Rickets. According to the census, she was two years old. She lived in Everett Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States on 1 Jul 1880.¹⁵ Frances A Ricketts was listed on the 1880 census as the daughter of James M Ricketts. According to the census, she was twelve years old. Frances lived in Everett Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States on 1 Mar 1885.¹⁶ Artlissa Ricketts was listed in the household of James M Ricketts on the 1885 Kansas census. According to the census, Artlissa was 16 years old.

    Edward Grant Briles and Frances Artlissa 'Artie' Ricketts were married on 19 Feb 1890 in Woodson, Kansas, United States.^2,17–23 She was also known as Frances Artlissa 'Artie' Briles.

DNA Heritage and Challenge

During a recent visit with some old friends, the discussion turned to genealogy and DNA. Expecting an answer regarding ethnicity, they asked where my family comes from.  My immediate response was KENTUCKY.

Perhaps this quick answer was due to my recent THOMPSON research in Ohio County, Kentucky. The more likely reason is that a lot of ancestral lines seem to go thru Kentucky. (or New York). My brother's migration map from his Ancestry DNA test illustrates our heritage.

Nettie Adell Wells

Nettie Adell Wells was born on 5 Feb 1873 in Woodson, Kansas, United States.^1–18 She lived in Liberty Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States on 1 Jul 1875.¹⁹ She was found on the 1875 Kansas census as a 13 year old female and was listed as Nettie Wells. She lived in Liberty, Woodson, Kansas, USA on 1 Mar 1885.²⁰

Nettie Adell Wells and Charles Oliver Mentzer were married on 18 Oct 1893 in Yates Center, Woodson, Kansas, United States.^{2,7–10,12,21,33–55}
She lived in North Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States on 1 Jul 1895.²² She was found on the 1895 Kansas census as a 21 year old female born IN who came to Kansas from Ind and was listed as L.O. Mentzer.

Charles Oliver Mentzer

     Charles Oliver Mentzer was born on 1 Jul 1869 in Kewanee, Henry, Illinois, United States.^{1–12 1,10,13–14} He lived in Kewanee, Henry, Illinois, United States on 23 Aug 1870.¹⁵ Chas O Mentzer was listed in the household of Geo Mentzer on the 1870 census. According to the census, Chas was 1 year old and born in Illinois. He lived in Woodson, Kansas, United States in 1871.²

Range 14 East 6th PM Index

Have you ever had trouble documenting a father/son relationship? Or, have you had trouble separating records for men of the same name? My go to source in these situations has been the land records.

In Kansas, we are lucky in that most counties maintain what is called the Range Index. Basically, this is an index of the land transactions for the range. What is nice about this index is that each quarter section has its own page. Thus, it is easy to see how land was transferred over time.

Last August, I was able to travel to Woodson County, Kansas to track down a court case and to obtain copies of the land records for my Mentzer, Wells, and Ricketts families. Below is a transcription of the information found in the index for Range 14.

Woodson County, Kansas
Range 14 Index

1869 Briles Deed

Coffey County Kansas
Deed Book O
Page 603

Warranty Deed
This indenture made this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand sixty nine between Alexander Briles and Sarah his wife of Neosho Township in the County of Coffey and State of Kansas of the first part and Noah W Briles of Neosho Township in the county of Coffey and State of Kansas of the second part witnesseth that the said party of the first part in consideration of the sum of four hundred dollars to them duly paid have sold and by these presents do grant and convey to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns all that tract or parcel of land situated in Coffey County and State of Kansas and described as follows to wit: The West Half of the North East Quarter of Section Twelve in Township Twenty Three of Range Fifteen (15) East containing eighty acres more or less with its appurtenances and all the estate titles and interest of the said parties of the first part therein and the said Alexander Briles and Sarah his wife do hereby covenant and agree that at the delivery hereof they are the lawful owners of the premises above granted and seized of a good and indefeasible estate of inheritance therein free and clear of all encumbrances and that they will warrant and defend the said in the quiet and peaceable possession of said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever. In Witness whereof the said parties of the first part have hereunto set their hands and seals this day and year above written.
Alexander Briles (seal)
Sarah Briles (seal)
State of Kansas
County of Coffey
On this twentieth day of September AD 1869 before me a justice of the peace in and for said county came Alexander Briles and Sarah Briles his wife to me personally known to be the identical persons describe in and whose names are affixed to the above conveyance as grantor and acknowledged the same to be their own voluntary act and deed. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my official seal on the day and year last above written.
W F Thornberry
JP
Filed for record Nov 19 1872
At 11 am Stumped 50C
Wm H Bear
Register of Deeds

Pets

I recently watched a video that included a Golden Retriever puppy going down a slide. This brought back memories of our family dog, Peppy. Peppy joined the family while we were living on P street in Lincoln, Nebraska. When Peppy was a puppy, we would take him to Woods Park for him to go down a short children's slide. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of Peppy going down the slide.

Leon Russell Crawford

Leon Russell Crawford was born in Newton Kansas on the 6^th of Feb 1894.

According to Leon’s wife, Winnie Crawford, the family lived in Oklahoma when Leon and his sister Bernice were young. Winnie stated:

Judson Crawford worked on a ranch in Oklahoma because Josie’s sister and husband were there. The family all almost died. Judson was extremely ill. The children, Bernice (over 2) and Leon (1) almost died because of poor diet.

Documentation for this story has not been found. However, Josie’s sister and husband did live in Oklahoma.

The family was living in Dodge City by his 6^th birthday. As a child, Leon attended the Third Ward School that was located on Boot Hill.