The Life of John Slicker (1857-1929) – Part 2

aslickerfamilyhistory John Slicker and Malissa Mansfield , , , , , , , , ,

This is part two of a two-part series narrating the history of John Slicker’s life. Part one of this series The Life of John Slicker (1857-1929) – Part 1 gives a brief narrative of John’s life from 1857, the year he was born, until 1890. This second part highlights events in John’s life from 1890 until 1929, the year he died. As you read part two, you may notice that I have not documented the sale of the property John and Malissa owned in Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. I’m not certain if I had a copy of that property deed and misplaced it; or I just didn’t look for it when I was at the Indiana County Courthouse. Nonetheless, I hope to find it. If I do, I will be updating this post to include the sale of that property. So, if you are interested in knowing about that sale, you may want to check back in a month or two.

August 30th, 1890 Malissa signed a property deed agreeing to pay three hundred and fifty dollars for two lots in Apollo Borough.[1] Five years and two months later – on November 5th, 1895- John and Malissa sold their two lots in Apollo for one thousand dollars.[2] They moved the family to Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. On December 10th of the same year, Malissa purchased eight acres and forty and six-tenths perches. Malissa agreed to pay four hundred dollars for this plot of land.[3] It is here, John and Malissa’s sixth son, William Eugene, was born December 13th, 1896.[4]

January 7th, 1892 John’s mother, Magdlena, passed away. John and Malissa were still living in Apollo. Although I have not found any written record, it is probable that John returned to Webster to attend the funeral service. Malissa who had just given birth three weeks earlier to their sixth child most likely didn’t make the trip, but rather stayed home to tend to the newborn and the other Slicker children.

The year was 1900. Twenty years had passed since John and Malissa were united in marriage. During these twenty years they had moved from Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania to Apollo, Armstrong County to Conemaugh Township in Indiana County. Over the years John went from digging coal in the mines of Webster to working as a catcher in a rolling mill. His eldest son, Frank, now seventeen, joined his father in the rolling mill as a matcher. Malissa with help from son, Samuel, age 15, was farming the eight acres of land she and John owned. It seemed the family worked together to make life better, but it wasn’t easy. Both John and Frank had been unemployed eight months between June 1st, 1899 to June 1st, 1900. Although Malissa purchased the eight acres in 1895, they were still carrying a mortgage.[5]

The year was 1910. By 1910 Frank, Samuel, and Ruth had married and left home. Frank, Samuel, George, James and Ruth’s husband were working at the sheet iron mill. John Slicker had left the mills and turned to farming the land. Malissa and the younger two children were probably helping with the farm work. In the years following 1901, John and Malissa had welcomed young Fred Manners into their home. Fred was listed as an adopted son in the 1910 United States census. John and Malissa were still carrying a mortgage on their property.[6]

The year was 1914. On October 23rd, 1914 John and Melissa agreed to pay three hundred dollars for lots eighteen and nineteen in Washington Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Each lot had frontage of forty feet on a public street then called Brick Road. The lots extended one hundred twenty feet from Brick Road to an alley.[7] Those two lots would become Malissa and John’s last purchased property.

The year was 1917. On February 23rd, Eva Stinogle Vogel, John’s eldest half-sister passed away.[8] She was seventy years old. It is unknown whether John returned to Webster for the funeral service. Eva is buried next to her mother at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.

The year was 1920. It was the start of the Roaring Twenties. The coming decade of economic prosperity and political and cultural change began with women being granted the right to vote, and the enactment of the Volstead Act which closed every bar, tavern and saloon in the United States marking the era of Prohibition. A greater part of the population lived in the cities and small towns than on farms. An increasing number of women were entering the work force. Many American families had extra money to spend; and they spent it on consumer goods – electric washing machines, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners, radios, ready-to wear clothes, and automobiles.

Despite the major political and cultural changes taking place in America, one cultural norm remained almost intact – families living close to one another. And thus, we find John and Malissa Slicker living on Brick Road, Washington Township (now present-day borough of Oklahoma), Westmoreland County; nearby and on the same road, we find John and Ruth Slicker Hardwick and their four children, Albert and Matilda Slicker Seighman and their three children, George M. And Bessie E. Slicker and their two children, and Samuel and Ethel Hardwick Slicker and their five children and Ethel’s mother, Violet Hardwick. John and Malissa’s son, Frank is living with his wife, Estella, and their five children across the river in the borough of Apollo.

At the time of this writing, I have been unsuccessful in locating James C. and William Eugene in the 1920 census. William’s wife, Lela, and their six-month old son, Eugene, are living with Lela’s parents on the west side of Warren Avenue in Apollo.

All the Slicker men, except John, were working in a steel mill. John was a general merchant and owned his own shop. His adopted son, Fred R. Manners was still living with John and Malissa. Fred was seventeen and working as a utility boy for the railroad.[9]

The year was 1921. John must have received the news from his half-sister, Mary, about the passing of his half-brother, Conrad Stinogle. Conrad, a retired coalminer, left this earth on May 22, 1921.[10] He is buried in the Monongahela City Cemetery, in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.

The year was 1924. Mary, John’s half-sister, sold the property she had purchased from John and Malissa in 1880.[11] In 1930 Mary and her two sons, Samuel and James, moved to Butler, Hancock County, West Virginia. Twelve years later Mary, who was living with her son, James in Holidays Cove, Hancock County, West Virginia, passed away.[12]

The year was 1929. On July 31st, about three months before the Roaring Twenties were to come to a crashing halt, John Slicker, our ancestor, left his earthly journey.[13] The second generation of this branch of the Slicker family tree was laid to rest in the Vandergrift Cemetery, in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania.  Malissa would join John twenty-nine years later.

You can visit John’s and Malissa’s Find-A-Grave memorials at:

John Slicker’s Memorial Page at Find-A-Grave

If you know additional details or have a story about John Slicker’s life and would like to share, please do so in the comment section below.

References:

[1] Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 75:75, S.M. Jackson to Melissa Slicker, 13 August 1890; Recorder of Deeds Office, Kittanning.

[2] Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 84:196, John Slicker to Esther Owens, 4, November 1895; Recorder of Deeds Office, Kittanning.

[3] Indiana County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 6976:296, Julia A. Hartlett to Malissa J. Slicker, 10 December 1895; Recorder of Deeds Office, Indiana.

[4]  “1900 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25, July 2017), entry for William E. Slicker (age 3), Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

[5] “1900 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25, July 2017), entry for John Slicker Family (9 members), Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

[6] “1910 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25, July 2017), entry for John Slicker Family (7 members), Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

[7] Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 554:137, John Orr Chambers to John Slicker, 23 October 1914; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg

[8] Pennsylvania Department of Health, death certificate 25302 (1917), Eva Vogel, Division of Vital Records, New Castle.

[9] “1920 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25, July 2017), entry for John Slicker Family (3 members), Washington Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

[10] Pennsylvania Department of Health, death certificate 49167 (1921), Conrad Stinogle, Division of Vital Records, New Castle.

[11] Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 791:59, Mary Sharrow to Paul Tomecko ET UX, 3 September 1924; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg

[12] West Virginia State Department of Health, death certificate 7484 (1942), Mary Sharrow, Division of Vital Records, New Castle.

[13] Pennsylvania Department of Health, death certificate 77663 (1929), John Slicker, Division of Vital Records, New Castle.

© Robin Slicker, 2017. All Rights Reserve.

The Life of John Slicker (1857-1929) – Part 1

aslickerfamilyhistory John Slicker and Malissa Mansfield , , , ,

John Slicker, son of Philip and Magdlena (Friend) Slicker, was born March 17th, 1857 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania[1]. John may have been Philip’s first and only child. He was Magdlena’s fourth living child. Although it is unknown where in Allegheny County John was born, the 1860 Federal Census for Allegheny County shows John, age four, living with his parents and half-siblings, Conrad, Eva and Mary Steinogle in Baldwin Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania near Library.[2] So this is where I will start the story.

The year was 1861. Thirteen days after Abraham Lincoln began his first term as president, John reached his fourth birthday. A few weeks later the young independent nation John’s foreign-born mother, Magdlena Friend Slicker, came to call home engaged in one of its bloodiest wars.

There is no evidence that Philip, John’s father, was ever called to enlist in the Union Army. If not called to take up arms, Philip must have continued picking and shoveling out a living in a nearby mine. As the 1860 Federal census shows Philip’s step-son, Conrad, 14, joined Philip in this physically demanding work.[3]

The year was 1870. The war between the North and South had ended five years earlier; and the nation was reunified. John, age 13, was living with his mother and his half-brother, Conrad Steinogle, in Forward Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. His father, Philip, was no longer with the family.[4] Did he die from a mining accident? Or did he pass from natural causes? Whatever the reason, it must have been hard on the family to lose their loved one and the main breadwinner at such a young age.

The burden of supporting the family fell on Conrad.  It is unclear if John, who was of legal age to work in the mines, was working alongside his half-brother. The 1870 Federal Census lists no occupation for John; and the column for documenting school attendance within the past year isn’t marked either.[5]

In the years following 1870, Conrad, John and their mother moved to Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County Pennsylvania.

The year was 1873. The national economy had taken a downturn; but this did not stop John, now 16, and his step-brother, Conrad, from agreeing to pay $600 for three adjacent lots at the north end of Webster, a village nestled between a steep hillside and the mighty Monongahela River.[6] Conrad and John shared ownership of those three lots until one month after John’s 21st birthday in 1878. In 1878, John and Conrad signed two quitclaim deeds dividing the three adjacent lots into two parcels. Conrad and his wife, Isabella took ownership of the northern half of those three lots. John took ownership of the southern-half of those three lots.[7]

The year was 1880. In the cold month of January, John married Malissa Jane Mansfield, a daughter of John and Nancy Mansfield. About two weeks after their marriage, John and Malissa sold John’s southern part of the three adjacent lots he jointly purchased with Conrad. They sold the property for $600 to John’s half-sister, Mary Stinogle.[8] John and Malissa moved to a house a few streets away. They rented a home near John’s half-sister, Eva and her husband John Vogel. Malissa’s mother, Nancy, and step-father, Samuel Haney, lived about a small-village block away.

John, continued work as a coal miner. But the work was not steady.  The 1880 United States census shows that John was unemployed for six months between June 1st, 1879 and June 1, 1880.[9] He was not alone. By 1880, periods of unemployment in the coal mining industry had become common. These periods of unemployment were not a result of decrease in demand for this fossil fuel. On the contrary, demand for coal was increasing. The technology for mining had improved; but the coal mining industry of the late nineteenth century, like the oil industry of today, experienced periods of boom and bust.

The severest winter weather ever experienced in the United States arrived in the fall of 1880. By October bitter cold and white blizzards began swirling their way across the land dumping massive amounts of snow. The snow and cold continued through October… through November…through December. And into this white, wonderland came Milford, John and Malissa’s first child. What should have been a moment of joy was briefly lived if lived at all. This tiny life, unlike the snow and cold of that winter, did not linger.

The year was 1882. John and Malissa had moved from Webster, Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County to Apollo, Armstrong County. It is probable that John found employment in the Apollo Iron Company, later renamed the Apollo Iron & Steel Company. As the year came to an end, John and Malissa welcomed with joy their son, Frank Walton Slicker, into their lives and home. It was December 30th, 1882.

On January 4th, 1885 John and Malissa welcomed their third son, Samuel John Slicker, into the world. In the eight years following, John and Malissa added a child to the growing family every two years. Their first daughter Ruth Elizabeth arrived September 17, 1887. George Mansfield Slicker arrived on July 29th, 1889. And James Clifford was born December 18, 1891. Matilda Belle, the second daughter, was born November 14th, 1893. The Slicker household was filled with six sons and daughters ranging from infant to eleven years of age.

[1] Pennsylvania Department of Health, death certificate 013051 (1917), John Slicker, Division of Vital Records, New Castle.

[2] “1860 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11, July 2017), entry for Johny Slicker (age 4), Baldwin Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

[3] “1860 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11, July 2017), entry for Conrad Slicker (age 15), Baldwin Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

[4] “1870 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11, July 2017), entry for John Steingle (age 13), Forward Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

[5] “1870 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11, July 2017), entry for Conrad Steingle (age 23), Martha Stengle (age 49) and John Steingle (age 13), Forward Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

[6] Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 364:77-78, Captain John Gilmore and wife to Conrad Stiernogle and John Slicker, 2 June 1873; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg.

[7] Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 96:38-39, John Slicker to Conrad Steinogle, 19 April 1878; Recorder of Deeds, Greensburg. And Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 96:40-41 Conrad Steinogle and his wife, Isabella, to John Slicker, 19, April 1878; Recorder of Deeds, Greensburg, PA

[8] Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Deed Book 101:439-441, John Slicker and Malissa Slicker to Mary Stinogle, 28, January 1880; Recorder of Deeds, Greensburg.

[9] “1880 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11, July 2017), entry for John Slicker (age 23), Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

2017 © Robin Slicker, All Rights Reserved.

John Slicker: Sells First Property to Mary, His Half-Sister

aslickerfamilyhistory John Slicker and Malissa Mansfield , , , , , , ,

This is part three of a three-part series. Part one of this series https://aslickerfamilyhistory.com/2017/05/17/john-slicker-first-property-purchased-at-age-16/ began with John Slicker and his half-brother, Conrad Stinogle, buying three adjacent lots at the north end of a small village in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1873. Part two to this series https://aslickerfamilyhistory.com/2017/05/22/john-slicker-history-of-johns-first-property/ narrates how John and Conrad, using two quitclaim deeds, divided the property in 1878. John took possession of the larger southern part. Conrad took ownership of the northern part. Now, it’s 1880, and John is ready to move on.

January 13th, 1880 John Slicker married Malissa Mansfield. Fifteen days later, John and Malissa sold the property John purchased in 1873 to John’s half-sister, Mary Stinogle. Mary was single and supporting her seven year old son, John W. Slicker¹. Let’s take a closer look at how this property transfer occurred.

It all began in 1873 when John and Conrad agreed to pay $600 for three adjacent lots. In 1878, John and Conrad divided the three lots into two parts. From the description of the division line in the 1878 and 1880 deeds, it seems there is one shared dwelling on the property. These two deeds describe the division line as passing through the halls of the Mansion House and close to the partition separating the Hall from the north rooms.  In 1880, John agreed to sell his part of those three lots to his half-sister, Mary, for $600. The property’s value nearly doubled in seven years.

Following are images of the deed used to transfer the property from John and Malissa to Mary. You may choose to skip pass the deed images to read the rest of this post. With the exception of the first image, the 1880 property deed mostly repeats what has appeared in the 1873 and 1878 property deeds.

 

1880 Property Deed: From John and Malissa Slicker to Mary Stinogle

1880 Property Sale Grantor and Grantee
1880 Property Deed – John Slicker and Malissa Slickers, Grantors and Mary Stinogle, Grantee. Source: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Deed Book 101:439-441, John Slicker and Malissa Slicker to Mary Slicker, 28, January 1880; Recorder of Deeds, Greensburg.

This indenture made the twenty eighth day of January in the year of our Lord one Thousand and Eight hundred and Eighty (Jan 28″ AD 1880 Between John Slicker and Malissa Slicker his wife both of Webster in the County of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania parties of the first part and Mary Stinogle single woman of Webster Westmoreland County in the state aforesaid party of the second part witnesseth that the said parties of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of six hundred Dollars lawful money of the United States of America unto them well and truly paid by the said party of the second part at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt…

 

1880 Property Deed: Description of the Property Transfer in 1873

1880 Desription of Property
This is the first part of the property description given in the 1880 deed. The rest of the description is given in the images below. Source: Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 101:439-441, John Slicker and Malissa Slicker to Mary Stinogle, 28, January 1880; Recorder of Deeds, Greensburg.

All that certain messauge or lot piece or parcel of land situate and lying and being in Rostraver Township Westmoreland County Pa Being in Gilmore Addition to North Webster and being the southern part of three certain lots in said village of North Webster which Capt John Gilmore and Susannah his wife by their deed bearing date the second day of June AD 1873 conveyed to Conrad Stinogle and John Slicker this grantor which deed is of Record in the Office for Recording Deeds & in and for the said county in Book 77 page 364 August 14″ 1873 which three Lots are known and described as follows in the general plan of said village they are numbered No one hundred and forty seven (147) one hundred and forty four (144) and one hundred and forty three (143) on first street bounded as follows…

1880 Property Deed: Description of Property in 1873 (the three Lots) and

the Beginning of the Description of the Property Being Transferred in 1880 

1880 Property Decription
This is a continuation of the property description started in the image above. Source: Ibid.

Beginning at the corner of lot No (148) on First street thence along said street one hundred and fifty feet to the corner of lot No (140) thence along said lot one hundred feet to water street thence along said street one hundred and fifty feet to corner of Lot one hundred and forty Eight (148) thence along said Lot one hundred feet to first street the place of Beginning The part of the above described premises hereby conveyed is bounded and described as follows to wit Beginning on first street at the south East corner of said three Lots thence along said first street seventy nine feet and five inches (79 ft 5 in) to a stake thence through the Hall of the Mansion house and close to the partition separating said Hall…

 

1880 Property Deed: Continuing with the Description Started in Previous Image

1880 Property Description
Continuing with the description started in the previous image of the property John and Malissa Slicker sold to Mary Stinogle in 1880. Source: Ibid.

…from the north rooms and parallel with the line of said lots from first street to water street thence along water street to the corner of Lot No 148 thence along said lot to first street and the place of Beginning the same being the southern portion of the foregoing described three Lots and being the same part thereof which Conrad Stinogle and Isabella Stinogle his wife conveyed to John Slicker this grantor by their Quit claim Deed dated the nineteenth day of April AD 1878 which deed is of Record in the Office for Recording Deeds in and for the said County in Deed Book No 96 pages 40 and 41 May 22nd 1878 Together with…

The story continues:

After the sale of the property, John and Malissa moved near, perhaps even next door to, John’s half-sister, Eva Stinogle Vogel, and her family. John’s and Eva’s property was enclosed by First Street on the west, Center Street on the East and Wall Street running along the north side of the property. Malissa’s mother, Nancy Haney, and step-father, Samuel Haney, lived a few houses away from John and Malissa.², ³, [4] John and Melissa had two children, Milford and Frank, while living in Webster. Then between 1882 and 1885, John moved his small family to Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.

1876 Atlas Map of Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

1876 Map of Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
This is an 1876 map of the village of Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The property Conrad and John purchased in 1873 is not on this map. However, John and Eva (step-sister of John Slicker) Vogel owned the highlighted property on the right. Samuel Haney, step-father of Malissa Mansfield Slicker, owned the highlighted property on the left. Source: Atlas of Westmoreland County 1876, Reading Publishing Company, 1876 (Public Domain).

Mary, John’s half-sister, married Abraham Sharrow. The marriage took place somewhere between the date Mary bought the property and June 1, 1880, the first date of the 1880 Federal Census. Magdlena, the mother of John and Mary, was now living with Mary and her family.[5]

In which year did John and Malissa move from Webster to Apollo, Pennsylvania? After they moved, did they ever return to Webster to visit their families? If you have an answer to these two questions or have any thoughts, facts or details that will add to the story, feel free to share in the comment section. Questions and comments related to the post are welcomed.

¹Mary’s son’s name was reported as John W. in the 1880 Federal Census. However, in subsequent census years and other records, her son’s name was reported as William J. Slicker. Interesting!

²“1880 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29, May 2017), entry for John Slicker (age 23), Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

³“1880 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29, May 2017), entry for Eva Vogel (age 30), Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

[4]“1880 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29, May 2017), entry for Samuel Haney (age 34), Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

[5]“1880 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29, May 2017), entry for Mary Shoraw (age 27), Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

2017 © Robin Slicker, All Rights Reserved.

John Slicker: History of John’s First Property

aslickerfamilyhistory John Slicker and Malissa Mansfield , , ,

This is part two of a three-part series narrating the history of John Slicker’s first property. Part one of this series John’s First Property – Purchased at age 16 narrated the purchase of his first property in 1873 and includes images of the property deed and present-day photos. The third post narrates the sale of the property in 1880. Part two narrates the 1878 events related to the property.

In 1878, thirty-three days after John’s twenty-first birthday, John and Conrad signed two quitclaim deeds dividing the three lots. Conrad took ownership of the northern part of the three lots. And John took ownership of the southern part of the three lots. Read on to learn how this division took place, who received the larger of the two portions and to learn exactly where the division line was drawn.

The year was 1873. John, Conrad and their mother, Magdlena Slicker, had been living in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania for three years or less¹,² when John and his step-brother, Conrad, signed a deed agreeing to pay $600 for three lots in Gilmore’s Addition. Gilmore’s Addition was at the northern end of Webster, Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

Here is what the property looks like today:

2017 view of property once owned by John Slicker.
Here is the property taken from a different angle. The yellow house barely visible on the right side of the concrete building sits on lot 148. Source: Photo taken by Robin Slicker, April 2017.

In April 1878 – thirty-three days after John’s twenty-first birthday ³, John and Conrad signed two quit-claim deeds with the purpose of dividing the three lots they purchased in 1873 (4, 5).

Note to the reader: I have included images of different sections of the two quitclaim deeds. For those who aren’t interested in reading the fancy handwriting of the past, I have included transcriptions for each deed image. In the transcriptions of some of the deeds, I have highlighted lines I thought might be of interest. I also hope the highlighted lines help to distinguish one deed from the other. I have attempted to transcribe as is – leaving the original grammar and punctuation.

1878 Quitclaim Deed: John Slicker to Conrad Steinogle, Deed Book 96, page 38

1878 Quitclaim Deed with John as Grantor.
This is the first paragraph of one of two Quitclaim Deeds signed by John and Conrad in 1878. John is the grantor and Conrad the grantee. Source: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 96:38-39, John Slicker to Conrad Steinogle, 19 April 1878; Recorder of Deeds, Greensburg.

This part of the deed states:

This indenture made the nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy eight. Between John Slicker of Webster, Westmoreland County and state of Pennsylvania, miner, of the first part and Conrad Steinogle of the town county and state aforesaid party of the second part. Witnesseth that the said party of the first part for and in consideration of one dollar in hand paid by the said party of the second part…

 

1878 Quitclaim Deed: Description of the Property, Deed Book 96, page 38

1878 Quitclaim Deed page 38 of Volume 96.
Description of property that John Slicker quitclaimed to his step-brother, Conrad. This is the beginning of the description that appeared in the deed book on page 38. See next image for the rest of the description.

The description on page 38 reads as follows:

…to the following described piece or parcel of land to wit part of three certain lost of ground situate in Gilmore Addition to North Webster in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania which in the general plan of said town are numbered Nos. one hundred and forty seven (147) one hundred forty four (144) and one hundred and forty three (143). bounded and described as follows to wit. Starting at the corner of Lot No 148 on first Street thence along said Street one hundred and fifty 150 feet to the corner of Lot no one hundred and forty (140) thence along said lot one hundred 100 feet to Water Street thence along said Street one hundred and fifty 150 feet to the corner of Lot no one hundred and… (cont. on page 39).

 

1878 Quitclaim Deed: Description of the Property, Deed Book 96, page 39

Description of property that John quitclaimed to Conrad Steinogle.
This is a continuation of the property description started in the previous image. This part of the description appears on page 39 of deed book 96.

The description on page 39 reads as follows:

… forty eight. thence along said Lot one hundred 100 feet to first Street the place of beginning. Which John Gilmore and Susannah Gilmore his wife by deed dated June second of 1873 conveyed to Conrad Steinogle and John Slicker recorded in deed book vol 77 page 364 date Aug 14th 1873 as by reference thereto will fully and at large appear. Starting on first Street at the N.E corner of the said three lots. thence along said street seventy 70 feet and seven inches thence on a line parallel to the line of said Lots from first to water street one hundred feet thence along said street seventy 70 feet and seven inches to N.W. corner of said three lots aforesaid conveyed by John Gilmore and Susannah Gilmore his wife June second of 1873 to Conrad Steinogle and John Stickler of which this is a part thence by line of said Lots 100 feet to first street at the place of starting. the said division line passing through the hall of the Mansion house close to the partition separating the north rooms from said Hall. To have and to hold…..

 

1878 Quitclaim Deed: Conrad Steinogle to John Slicker, Deed Book 96, Page 40.

1878 Quitclaim Deed between Conrad and John.
This is the first paragraph of one of two 1878 Quitclaim Deeds signed by Conrad and John. Conrad and his wife, Isabella, are the grantors. John is the grantee. Source: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 96:40-41 Conrad Steinogle and his wife, Isabella, to John Slicker, 19, April 1878; Recorder of Deeds, Greensburg, PA

This part of the deed states:

This indenture made the nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy eight. Between Conrad Steinogle and Isabella Steinogle his wife of Webster, in the County of Westmoreland County and state of Pennsylvania, parties of the first part and John Slicker (miner) of Webster in the county and state aforesaid party of the second part. Witnesseth that the said parties of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, lawful money of America unto them truly paid by the said party of the second part…

Note: Conrad married Isabella Carmichael December 10, 1876 (6). They had their first child, Margaret, in November 1877 (7).

 

1878 Quitclaim Deed: Description of the Property, Deed Book 96, page 40

Description of property in Webster
Description of Property in Webster. Source: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 96: 40-41, Conrad Steinogle to John Slicker, 19 April 1878; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg.

The description on page 40 states:

…to the following described Lot, piece or parcel of land. To wit: (a part of three certain Lots lying contiguously to each other, fronting on First Street one hundred and fifty (150) feet and running back one hundred 100 feet to Water Street, being in Gilmore addition to North Webster, and in the general plan of said town Numbered Nos. one hundred and forty seven (147), one hundred and forty four (144), and one hundred and forty three (143) being each fifty feet front on First Street and running back one hundred feet to Water Street. The part _____ revised and quitclaimed commencing on First Street at the South East corner of the said three Lots, thence along said street seventy nine feet and five inches to a stake. Thence through the Hall of the Mansion house and close to the partition separating said Hall from the North Rooms, and continuing strait and parallel with the line of said Lots from First to Water Street. the same being the Southern portion of the above described three Lots of ground, which John Gilmore and Susannah Gilmore his wife by Deed bearing date Junes Second one thousand eight hundred and Seventy Three ( June 2 1873) conveyed to Conrad Steinogle and John Slicker, the present grantor and grantee, which deed is of Record in the Office for Recording Deeds in Greensburgh in said County in Book 77, page 364 ….

In conclusion: John and Conrad purchased three lots in 1873. Together the lots measured 150 feet by 100 feet. In 1878, John and Conrad signed two quitclaim deeds dividing the three lots into two portions. Conrad took ownership of the northern part. This part measured 70 feet, 7 inches by 100 feet. John took ownership of the southern part. This part measured 79 feet, 5 inches by 100 feet. The size of the parts seem to have been determined by the division line which “passed through the Hall of the Mansion house.” Given the property description and location of the division line, it seems there was one dwelling structure shared by both John, Conrad, their mother, Conrad’s wife, Isabella, and Conrad’s daughter, Margaret.

What event triggered the division of ownership? It appears that John’s twenty-first birthday was the trigger for the dividing of the property. There is no other event that I am aware of. It couldn’t have been Conrad’s marriage to Isabella. Two years had passed since the date of their marriage. It most likely wasn’t the birth of Conrad’s and Isabella’s first child. Eight months had passed since her birth. The number of occupants living in the “Mansion house” did not change upon the division of ownership. It remained the same. Thus, the changing size of Conrad’s family doesn’t seem to be the trigger for the division of ownership.

Since the division of ownership occurred thirty-three days after John’s twenty-first birthday and nineteenth century law required a male to be twenty-one of age or older to own property, John’s age seems to be the trigger for the division of ownership.

Finally, a question remains: Did the 1873 purchase of lots 143, 144 and 147 include the “Mansion house,” or did John and Conrad build it?

If you have an answer to the question above or have any thoughts, questions or comments that will add to the story, feel free to share in the comment section.

Source Citations:

¹“1870 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21, May 2017), entry for John Steingle (age 13), Forward Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

²Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 364:77-78, Captain John Gilmore and wife to Conrad Stiernogle, 2 June 1873; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg, PA.

³Pennsylvania Department of Health, death certificate 77633 (1929), John Slicker, Division of Vital Records, New Castle.

(4)Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book, 96:38-39, John Slicker to Conrad Steinogle, 19 April 1878; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg, PA.

(5)Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book, 96:40-41, Conrad Steinogle to John Slicker, 19 April 1878; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg, PA.

(6)WikiTree, Isabella (Carmichael) Stinogle. WikiTree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Carmichael-1641: accessed 21, May 2017).

(7)WikiTree, Margaret (Stinogle) Kesterson. WikiTree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stinogle-3: accessed 21, May 2017).

© 2017, Robin Slicker. All rights reserved.

John Slicker: First Property – Purchased at Age 16

aslickerfamilyhistory John Slicker and Malissa Mansfield , ,

The year was 1873. The economy which had flourished in the years following the end of the Civil War was coming to a slow. But that slowed economy didn’t stop John Slicker, 16, and his step-brother, Conrad Stinogle, 26, from purchasing a property from Captain John Gilmore and his wife, Susannah.  The property, a part of Gilmore’s Addition, was located at the north end of Webster, a small village in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

1876 Atlas Map of Webster and Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, PA

Webster, Westmoreland County, PA 1876
The black arrow points to the approximate location of the property purchased by John Slicker and Conrad Stinogle in 1873. Copied from Atlas of Westmoreland County 1876, Reading Publishing Company, 1876 (Public Domain).

On June 2, 1873, John and Conrad, who were working as coalminers and supporting their mother, Magdlena, signed their name to a deed agreeing to pay $600 for three adjacent lots: Lots 143, 144, and 147. Each lot was 50 feet by 100 feet.

2017 Image of Boundary Lines for Lots 143, 144 and 147

2017 GIS Tax Map of Lots 143, 144 and 147.
Here are lots 143, 144, and 147 as they appear on 2017 GIS tax map of Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Note the dotted lines on lot 144. These are the original boundary lines that separated lot 144 from lots 143 and 147. Source: Westmoreland County. GIS Maps. wcgis.us/apps/public, accessed May 15, 2017 for Lots 143, 144 and 147 of Webster, Westmoreland County, PA.

Although these three lots were originally equal in size, overtime their boundary lines shifted. Today the lots sizes are as followed:

Lot 143    38 x 100

Lot 144, PT LT 143 and 147     76.79  x 100

PT Lot 147     35.29 x 100

 June 2, 1873 Property Deed

1873 Property Deed, Book 364, Pages 77-78.
Source: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 364:77-78, Captain John Gilmore and wife to Conrad Stiernogle and John Slicker, 2 June 1873; Recorder of Deeds Office, Greensburg.

You can read the description of the property in the image of the deed given above, or read it below. As you read it, try to follow the boundary lines on the image of the GIS map given above.

Starting at the corner of lot No (148) on first street thence along said Street one hundred and fifty feet to corner of lot (140) Thence along said lot one hundred (100) feet to water street Thence along said Street one hundred fifty feet to corner of lot one hundred and forty eight (148) Thence along said lot one hundred feet to first street the place of Beginning

Unfortunately, I do not have an 1873 photo of these three lots; but I do have 2017 photos. The down-side: the “Mansion” house that John, Conrad and Magdlena called home is gone.

Present-day View of Lots 143, 144 and 147

2017 view of property once owned by John Slicker.
Here is a 2017 view of the property once owned by John Slicker and his step-brother, Conrad Stinogle. The deteriorating concrete building on the right is sitting on lot 147. The wooden fence on the left marks the approximate border of lots 143 and 140. Source: Photo taken by Robin Slicker, April 2017.

 

2017 view of property once owned by John Slicker.
Here is the property taken from a different angle. The yellow house barely visible on the right side of the concrete building sits on lot 148. Source: Photo taken by Robin Slicker, April 2017.

I have added a few more photos for those who are not able to travel to Webster to view the town John Slicker and his mother, Magdlena, called home.

The View East of the Three Lots

View on east side of property purchased by John Slicker.
This is the view John, Magdlena and Conrad would have seen from their front porch. It no doubt looks different today then it did in 1873. Source: Photo taken by Robin Slicker, May 2017.

 

North end of Webster looking back towards Webster

This photo was taken across from the east boundary of the lots once owned by John Slicker and his half-sibling, Conrad Stinogle.

Webster, PA – Late 1800s.

This photo of Webster, Westmoreland County, PA is said to have been taken in the late 1800’s. John Slicker lived in this town from about 1872 to 1882. The property he held jointly with his half-sibling, Conrad Stinogle, is not visible in this photo. Source: Public Domain.

Should you want to find lots 143, 144 and 147 on Google Maps or to drive out to see them in person, here are their present-day addresses:

Lot 143   vacant lot    Nulled Address

Lot 144, PT Lots 143 and 147 with mobile home   121 Bargehr Lane, Webster

PT Lot 147 with Building    123 Bargehr Lane, Webster

(to be continued in the next post)

© 2017, Robin Slicker. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

An Analysis of Magdlena’s Life Events – Part 2

aslickerfamilyhistory Magdlena Friend Slicker , , , , , ,

To read part one: An Analysis of Magdlena’s Life Events – Part 1

Children of Magdlena:

Conrad Stinogle was born in Germany (Bayron) in 1847.

Eva Stinogle was born in Germany (Baden) in 1849.

Mary Stinogle was born in Germany (Bayron or Byron) in 1851.

 

Marriage:

Although no written records of marriages have been found, there is a high probability – based on customs – that Magdlena was married to the fathers of her children. Since marriage records have not been found, I will use other documents to prove the relationships between Magdlena and her children’s fathers. I will begin with the death certificates of Conrad and Mary, two of Magdlena’s children.

The death certificate of Conrad Stinogle names John Joseph Stinogle as Conrad’s father and Magdelena Friend as his mother. The death certificate of Mary Stinogle Sharrow names Conrad Stenogale as Mary’s father and Magdeline Cripps as her mother. From these facts of familial relationships, several questions arise.

Questions to be Answered

First, did the informants (providers of information) for the death certificates accurately name the parents of Conrad and Mary? Was Stenogale a typo, or did the informant erroneously give this family name? If Stenogale is inaccurate and the correct spelling is Stinogle, then did Magdlena marry two men with the family name Stinogle? Finally, with the family names of both sets of parents being different I ask, are Mary and Conrad related?

Conrad and Mary, siblings?

Let’s begin with answering are Mary and Conrad siblings? Many sources taken together seem to support this relationship. The first source, the 1860 U.S. Federal Census, shows the following people living in the same household in Baldwin Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania:

Philip Slicker, age 45, born Germany

Magdlena Slicker, age 46, born Germany

Conrad Slicker, age 15, born Germany

Eva Slicker, age ?, born Germany

Mary Slicker, age 10, born Germany

Johny Slicker, age 4, born Germany

The fact they are living together suggests a family unit. You may have noticed everyone has the family name Slicker. Where is the family name Stinogle? The answer: record keepers were not always accurate. Also, recordkeepers had to rely on the accuracy of the person providing the information. All family members were born in Germany.

 

The 1870 U.S. Federal Census, shows the following people living together in Forward Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania:

Conrad Steinogle, age 23, born Germany

Martha Steinogle, age 49, born Germany

John Steinogle, age 13, born Pennsylvania

Conrad was listed as head of the household. It may explain why his mother and John was listed with the family name Steinogle and not Slicker.

 

In 1872, Conrad Stinogle and John Slicker purchased property together in Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

In April 1878, using quitclaim deeds, Conrad Stinogle and John Slicker divided the ownership of the property they purchased together in 1872.

In January 1880, John Slicker sold his property in Webster to Mary Stinogle. This same year Mary married Abraham Sharrow. The 1880 census shows Mary’s mother, Magdlena Slicker, is living with Mary and Abraham. Mary’s son, John W., age 7 is also living with her. Magdlena’s name was spelled Marthalena, similarly to the spelling in the 1870 census.

 

The 1900 U.S. Federal Census shows the following people living in the same household in Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania:

Henry Hedge, head, age 48, born 1851 in England

Mary Hedge, Wife, age 49, born 1851 in Germany, immigration date 1854

Mago Hedge, daughter, age 17, born 1883, in the state of Indiana

Sam Sharrow, step-son, age 16, born 1883, in Pennsylvania

James T. Sharrow, step-son, age 10, born in 1889, in Pennsylvania

 

February 9th, 1905, the Daily Independent of Monessen, Pennsylvania reported that Sam Sharrow was visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hedge.

Thursday, April 25, 1907, the Daily Independent of Monessen, Pennsylvania reported that Henry Hedge left his home on Tuesday and did not say where he was going. This was the last time anyone had seen Hedge. He never returned.

August 7, 1905 the Daily Independent of Monessen, Pennsylvania reported that Miss Bessie Sharrow had spent a couple of days at the home of her aunt Mrs. Henry Hedge.

In 1911 Mary Stinogle, now a Hedge, mourned the death of her eldest son, William J. Slicker. Mary was the informant for her son’s death certificate. She listed Mary Stinogle as John’s mother. She signed her name as Mrs. Mary Hedge and listed Webster, Pa. as her place of residence.

In 1921, Conrad Stinogle passed away. Mrs. Mary Hedge provided the familial information for Conrad’s death certificate. In the certificate, Mary named Webster, Pa. as her place of residence.

 

The 1930 U.S. Federal Census, shows the following people living together in Butler, Hancock County, West Virgina:

James T. Sharrow, head, age 40, born Pennsylvania

Mabel Sharrow, his wife, age 33, born Pennsylvania

James Sharrow, son, age 10, born Pennsylvania

Mary W. Sharrow, mother, age 79, born Germany, immigration date 1853

 

June 18, 1942 Mary W. Sharrow’s obituary appeared in the Weirton Daily Times. The obituary reported that Mary had lived with her son James T. Sharrow since 1927 when she came to this city (Marland Heights, West Virginia) from Webster, Pa. The obituary stated Mary was the wife of the late Abraham Sharrow.

 

Conclusion – Conrad and Mary, Siblings?

If we were to view each source above separately, we would find it difficult to show a sibling relationship between Conrad and Mary. But as we consider the facts in all the records given above, we can build a case for a sibling relationship between Conrad and Mary. Many of the records mentioned above help to show that Mary Stinogle, Mary Sharrow and Mary Hedge are the same person. Mary Stinogle while Mary Hedge, was the informant for Conrad Stinogle’s death certificate. As is still true today, informants for death certificates were usually family members.

Mary’s Family Name – Stinogle or Stenogale?

Next I will address the family name Stenogale by looking at two death certificates. When Mary died in 1942, her son, James T. Sharrow was the informant for Mary’s death certificate. James reported Conrad Stenogale as Mary’s father. Mary’s father disappeared from the family story in the 1850’s. James was born in 1889. He had never known his grandfather. How could he be certain of his grandfather’s name?

In 1911, Mary’s eldest son, William J. Slicker – research has shown William to have been born out-of-wedlock – passed away. Mary, then Mrs. Henry Hedge, was the informant for William’s death certificate. For his death certificate, Mary reported herself as mother of William – William appeared in the 1880 census as John W. –  and her family name as Stinogle. Now I ask, who is more likely to know Mary’s family name, Mary or her son, James? Mary, of course. Thus, it is almost certain that James, perhaps suffering from a memory lapse, erroneously reported Stenogale as Mary’s family name on Mary’s death certificate.

Before moving on, it is interesting to note that the U.S. Federal Censuses show that James Sharrow lived in Webster, PA in 1900 and 1910. We can conclude from these two records that James lived in Webster for at least these ten years. Records for his uncle Conrad Stinogle show that Conrad lived in Webster starting around 1872 until his death in 1921. Point being, James most likely knew his uncle; and therefore, it seems he would have known his mother’s family name was Stinogle.

Furthermore, in his mother’s death certificate, James reported his mother’s birthplace as Berlin, Germany. Berlin is near the northwest border of Germany – near the border with Poland. It has already been established in other posts that Mary, her mother and her siblings were from the southwestern region of Germany – near the border of France, far from Berlin. Mary died during World War II. Did James, known his mother was born in Germany, just add Berlin to her birth place due to hearing the name in the news? Although I would never want to – without sufficient evidence – rule out the information that James provided in his mother’s death certificate, for now, I choose to go with the information his mother has provided as being the more solid facts. These facts support Stinogle as Mary’s family name.

The Father’s First Name – John or Conrad?

Now I have established that Mary’s family name is Stinogle, and Conrad and Mary are siblings, it is time to decide on a first name for their father.

Mary, as the informant of Conrad’s death certificate, reported their father’s name as John Joseph. James T. Sharrow, as the informant for his mother’s death certificate, reported his grandfather’s name as Conrad. Since it is more likely that Mary would know the name of her father better than her son, James, and I have already shown reasons the information James provided may not be reliable, I choose to use John Joseph Stinogle as the name of Mary’s, Conrad’s and Eva’s father.

Summary of Marriage Events

Magdlena married John Joseph Stinogle about 1846-47. They were the parents of Conrad, Eva and Mary. John disappeared from his family’s life somewhere between the Fall of 1853 – after the conception of Mary Stinogle – and about June 1856 – before the conception of John Slicker. Since divorce was rare in the nineteenth century, it is highly probable John died.

Magdlena then married Philip Slicker sometime during the same period in which John Stinogle disappeared from Magdlena’s life. The son of Philip and Magdlena, John Slicker, was born March 17th, 1857.

Date and Place of Death:

Magdlena Slicker died January 7, 1892. She is buried next to her daughter, Eva Vogel, in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. The dates on the grave marker are the only records of Magdlena’s birth and death that my mother and I have found. We found Magdlena’s place of burial by understanding the custom that people are often buried near other family members. Thus, we followed Conrad’s life right to his burial-place in the Monongahela city cemetery, but Magdlena was not there. Little did we know, we were just a little more than a stone’s throw from her burial-place. We then followed Mary Stinogle all the way to the St. Paul’s Cemetery in Weirton Heights, West Virginia, but still no Magdlena. Finally, we followed the life of Eva. We found her death date and ordered or death certificate. From her death certificate, we learned Eva was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Monongahela, Washington County, Pennsylvania. After learning this cemetery was next to and overtaken by the Monongahela city cemetery, my mother and I headed back to Monongahela. And there we found, Magdlena Slicker buried next to her daughter, Eva and just a little more than a stone’s throw from her son, Conrad Stinogle.

Magdlena’s place of death is unknown. However, from our research it seems Magdlena lived in Webster from around 1872 until her death in 1892. In the nineteenth century, it was common for people to die in their homes. Thus, it is highly likely Magdlena died in her home in Webster, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

© 2017, Robin Slicker. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to a Slicker Family History!

aslickerfamilyhistory Uncategorized

If you are a descendant of Philip and Magdalena Slicker and want to learn more about them and other Slicker ancestors or, you would like to share knowledge about or to help preserve your Slicker ancestry, you have come to a good site for doing just that!

Philip and Magdalena were both born in Germany. They were the parents of John Slicker, born 1857 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and the grandparents of Samuel John Slicker, born 1885 in Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. It is unknown to me if Phillip and Magdalena met in Germany or in the United States. They were living near Library in Baldwin Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (Baldwin Township covered a larger area in the nineteenth century then it does presently) when the 1860 U.S. Census were taken.

Magdalena’s family name was Friend. Before marrying Phillip, she married John Joseph Steinogle (I’m not 100% certain on this name) in Germany. Magdalena and John Steinogle had at least three children: Conrad, Eva and Mary. I am guessing that Magdalena married Philip Slicker sometime between 1852-1857.  For an overview of this family, take a look at the combination pedigree/family chart posted below.

slicker-family-4-generation-chart-new
Each column represents a family with the parents listed at the top of the column. The column on the right shows the family of Phillip Slicker and Magdalena Friend. Their son John Slicker, who is highlighted in blue, is shown in the middle column (2 & 3) with his spouse and children. Samuel John Slicker, the son of John and Melissa , and his spouse, Ethel Hardwick, are shown in the first column with their children. To decide if this is your family tree, you must know if you are a descendant of Samuel John Slicker and Ethel Hardwick. Depending on your age, there may be as many as two or three generations between you and Samuel and Ethel. Typo on above table: Frank Walter is Frank Walton.

To learn more about Philip and Magdalena, go to the Category menu on the right near the top of this page to find their stories and timelines.

In addition to the stories posted for Philip and Magdalena Slicker, you will find several posts narrating the life of their son, John, and daughter-in-law, Melissa Mansfield. You will also find a post telling the life story of Nancy Jane Mansfield Haney, the mother of Melissa Jane Mansfield Slicker.

The initial purpose of this website was to discover, preserve and share the family history of Phillip Slicker and Magdalena Friend and their descendants. But, two plus years into writing stories, I realize that all who descend from Samuel John Slicker share other family lines like Hardwick and Mansfield; and so, I have begun to include the history of these family lines.

So, what’s up next? John Mansfield will be the star of the next published post. John married Nancy Jane Mansfield in 1857. They were the parents of Melissa Jane Mansfield Slicker and Matilda Belle Mansfield Owen. Shortly after the birth of their third daughter, John enlisted as a private in Company G, 101st Regiment of the Union Army. If you have read the posts covering the life of Melissa Mansfield Slicker and Nancy Jane Mansfield Haney, you know John’s fate. John’s story, however, will tell more about his life.

I also plan to write mini-biographies on each of John and Melissa’s children and stories about James Mansfield (father of Nancy Jane Mansfield), Samuel John Slicker and Ethel Hardwick. So, if you don’t find what you are looking for today, be sure to revisit often for the latest updates.

If you don’t know how these names fit into the family tree, click here to view a Slicker and Mansfield Family Tree Chart.

Please note: Although I am enjoying writing the stories for this website, please understand writing them is a very time-consuming task, and I have other areas of life to attend to as well. One, two or even three months may pass between the posting of stories. If you like, you may sign up to follow the blog. This will give you email alerts each time a new post is published. If you have something to share about our ancestors or want to collaborate in researching this family, leave a comment or drop me a line using the contact form.

How to Navigate the Published Posts: There are two ways you can read the published posts for this family’s history. You could scroll down this page to the most recent published post. If you use the scrolling method, realize you are starting with the most recent post and moving backwards chronologically to the earliest published posts. So, if an ancestor’s story is told in three published posts, you will begin with the last part and move backwards to the first part. You may notice that I have placed hyperlinks in the second and third posts of a two or three part series. These hyperlinks will take you to the first part and allow you to move in the order the posts were written. The second method for reading the published posts is to use the Categories menu on the right near the top of the Home page. Once you are in a category, you will find the published posts begin with the most recent published post in that category and move backwards chronologically to the earlier published posts for that category.

Click Here to learn more about the purpose of this site.

1 Fred Manners was an adopted son. “1910 U.S. Federal Census.” Ancestry.com., (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 1, November 2016), entry for Fred Manners (age 6), Conemaugh, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

An Analysis of Magdlena’s Life Events – Part I

aslickerfamilyhistory Magdlena Friend Slicker

Spelling of Magdlena’s Given Name

I have found seven instances where Magdlena’s name appears in writing including her grave marker.

The seven instances are:

Magdlena                 1860 U.S. Census

Martha                      1870 U.S. Census

Marthalena              1880 U.S. Census

Magdelena               Death Certificate of Conrad Stinogle

Magdalene               Death Certificate of John Slicker

Magdeline                Death Certificate of Mary (Stinogle) Sharrow

Magdlena                 Grave Marker of Magdlena Slicker

Various family members and census takers have chosen to spell Magdlena’s name in different ways. This is not surprising. Our ancestors were not as concerned with correct spelling as we are. As we search our family’s history, we should expect to find discrepancies in the spelling of names.

Although most, including myself, would think that the correct spelling of our ancestor’s name would be Magdalena (with an ‘a’), I have chosen to spell Magdlena’s given name as it appears on her grave marker. I believe it is the correct spelling. I do not believe the ‘a’ was intentionally left out so the name could fit on the grave marker. A close examination of the grave marker reveals enough space to have included the ‘a’. Additionally, known the grave marker would be a permanent record, it is possible Magdlena’s children consulted a family record such as Magdlena’s family Bible for the correct spelling of their mother’s name.

Magdlena is also the spelling given in the 1860 U.S. census. In 1860, Magdlena was most likely the only adult home when the census taker had visited. Although census takers varied in their ability to record data accurately and legibly, it is interesting to note that in 1860 the census taker spelled Magdlena’s given name exactly as it would appear on her grave marker thirty-two years later.

Magdalena’s Family Name

My research has produced two family names for Magdlena, Friend and Cripps. In 1921, Mary Stinogle Sharrow, who provided the familial information for her brother’s, Conrad’s death certificate, reported Magdlena’s family name as Friend on that certificate.

Mary Stinogle Sharrow died in 1942. Her son, James T. Sharrow reported Magdlena’s name as Magdeline Cripps creating a discrepancy with the name his mother, Mary, provided on Conrad’s death certificate.

Although Cripps cannot be ruled out, I give more weight to Friend than Cripps as Magdlena’s family name. It is more likely that Mary knew the family name of her mother better than Mary’s son, James.

Birth Date:

Visit Magdlena’s gravesite in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in the town of Monongahela, Pennsylvania and you will discover that Magdlena was born December 6, 1819. This is the only record I have found of her complete birthdate. While it may not be the best evidence – a date recorded at the time of her birth would be better – it is a date. 1819 as a birth year is further supported by Magdlena’s age given in the 1880 census. The census taker reported her age as sixty. The census information was recorded in the month of July. Magdlena turned sixty-one in December. Thus, the age reported in 1880 supports 1819 as her birth year. I found only two documents – the 1860 and the 1870 U.S. census – that do not support 1819 as a birth year. Magdlena’s recorded age in the 1860 census was forty-six; thus, supporting a birth year of 1814. In 1870, her age was reported as forty-nine supporting a birth year of 1821. A document recording Magdlena’s birth at or near the time the event occurred is needed to provide solid evidence of Magdlena’s date of birth.

Birth Place:

Although I am unable to pinpoint the exact location of Magdlena Friend’s birth place, I think enough evidence exists to say she was born in Germany. The 1860 and 1870 U.S. census show Magdlena’s birth country as Germany. Since Magdlena’s occupation was keeping house, she was the one most likely to have reported family information to the census taker when he visited. Magdlena surely knew where she was born.

The 1880 U.S. census may aid us in determining a more accurate birth place within Germany. For this census year, the census taker recorded Magdlena’s birth place as Byron. It helps to know that the name of the country was recorded as the birth place in census records for people born outside of the United States.

A simple search on the Internet produced zero results for a place named Byron, Germany. However, two other genealogists on two different web sites had mentioned that Byron and Baden may be one of the same. They noted from research they had conducted in the U.S. census that certain ancestors were recorded as being born in Baden in one census year and in other census years the same ancestors were recorded as being born in Byron.

Internet research shows Baden was a Grand Duchy of the German Confederation. You can read more in the post “Magdlena Friend’s Life in Germany.” Interestingly, the 1870 census shows Baden as the birth country of Eva, Magdlena’s oldest daughter. The 1880 census shows Mary, Magdlena’s youngest daughter, was born in Byron; but, the 1920 census shows Mary as being born in Bayron. The 1920 census shows Conrad, Magdlena’s oldest son, as being born in Bayron.

Based on the birthplaces provided for Mary in the 1880 and 1920 censuses, Bayron may very likely be a misspelling of Byron.

© 2017, Robin Slicker. All Rights Reserved.