Summer Notes

Wading into the genealogy again. Made two nice discoveries this summer.

First, I was contacted by 2nd cousin Daniel Mathews. He was searching for his brothers: Jay, Michael (deceased), and David. While I couldn't find these people, I did make contact with a Scott Mathews. This is the same Scott Mathews noted in the blog entry of March 30, 2016. He and Daniel are half-siblings. It took a few weeks, but eventually they spoke on the phone for the first time ever.

Elizabeth Ruby Obit

Via the Versailles Republican Newspaper of 1888 and the generosity of fellow genealogists, I obtained the obituary of my 4th great-grandmother, Elizabeth Ruby. Like most obituaries, this one provided a lot of specific and new information. A transcription of the obituary follows:

Elizabeth Ruby was born in Virginia, Sept 6th 1809 and departed this   life April 4th 1888, aged 78 years, 6 months, and 29 days. She came to Indiana with her parents and settled in Ripley county in early childhood. She was married to John McKittrick in 1826 (whose wife had died, leaving him with two little daughters, Margaret and Isabelle, the latter dying a few years ago) who preceded her to the better world 21 years ago. To them were born ten children, eight sons and two daughters. She also took into her family and raised as her own child, May McKittrick, who had been left an orphan at the age of seven years. Four of her sons enlisted in the Union Army, in the late civil war, one of whom, Morrison Ludlow, laid down his life at the battle of Stone River, in defense of his country, Feb. 12, 1863, and another, Robert, was wounded. She united with the M.E. church in early life at what was then known as the Kincain school house, afterward removing her membership to the Green Chapel M.E. Church, Dillsboro Circuit, and has lived a faithful consistent Christian life. She was not demonstrative in her Christian experience. She loved her church and let her life, rather than words, speak out her religion. In the midst of her trials, the loss of husband, son, and stepdaughter, she bore with Christian patience and fortitude. She died as she had lived, leaving as a heritage to her children the fact that she was not dead, but sweetly sleeping in Jesus. She leaves seven sons, two daughters, a step-daughter, a number of grandchildren, and a host of friends and relatives to mourn their loss.

A lot of information, indeed.

I've plans to travel to central Missouri this year to research the Daniels, Thomas, Johnson, Griffiths, Morgan, and Jones family branches. Will need to sharply focus the research to maximize my limited time.