Katherine Dunham, Buried on the Family Ranch in Idaho

An article in the Kooskia Mountaineer of October 23, 1915 reported that Katherine Dunham had died at the home of her son Daniel Dunham, and she was buried at the family farm, at her request. Katherine Dunham was my third great-grandaunt. Her death certificate lists her date of death as October 22, 1915, and place of burial was given as the Dunham Ranch, near Kooskia, Idaho.
















As often is the case, there were a myriad of discrepancies connected with the records I found relating to Katherine Dunham. Katherine Cross(spelled Catherine in most early records) was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Charles Cross and Patience Manning on July 13, 1839. Her death certificate states that her mother's name was Catherine Cross, and was a native of Virginia. However, the death certificates of Katherine's brothers, James and Charles A. Cross, both list the wife of Charles Cross as Patience Manning, who was born in Kentucky. The newspaper article states that "Grandma" Dunham, as she was fondly known, was the last of a family of ten children, but I have not found evidence of nearly that many children.

Some other records, however, seem to be completely accurate. In 1850, Catherine Cross is listed as being 10 years of age, and residing in Portland Township of Erie County, Ohio, with her parents Charles and Matilda Cross, along with her five brothers and sisters. Erie County Probate Records list the date of marriage of Catherine Cross and Hezekiah Dunham as August 16, 1871. The birth record of Catherine's only son was found in Paulding County, Ohio. Though he later went by the name Daniel James Dunham, Daniel's birth record states that a James Daniel Dunham was born on December 6, 1875, in Benton, Paulding County, Ohio, to H. Dunham and Catherine Cross Dunham. Daniel's death certificate stated that he died on April 14, 1929, and he too was buried at the Dunham Ranch near Kooskia, Idaho. Abstracts of Daniel's birth and death record were obtained at Family Search Labs.

I have no idea why Katherine/Catherine and her husband Hezekiah Dunham moved to Idaho, County, Idaho in the late nineteenth century. Maybe someday I can travel to Idaho and try to locate the Dunham graves at their former family ranch! And even though all the records do not match up perfectly, I was delighted to receive the newspaper clipping which reported the death of Katherine Cross Dunham.

Elizabeth Marshall Cross

My great great great grandmother, Elizabeth Marshall Cross, was born in Germany in 1845. Her father was Nicholas Marshall (sometimes spelled Marschall) who was born in 1815 in Licherode, Hesse, Germany. According to the book SANDUSKY THEN AND NOW, Nicholas was first married to Ann Elisabeth Schmidt, and secondly to Catherine Elisabeth Erckmann. (Unfortunately we do not have enough information to know if Elizabeth Marshall was the daughter of Anna or Catherine Marshall. )The Marshall family settled in Sandusky, Ohio in 1848. In the 1850 census the family appeared in Portland Township in Erie County, Ohio. Portland Township was an early name for a portion of the city of Sandusky. Nicholas was 34 in 1850. His wife Catherine was 31. Elizabeth was listed as being age 6, and her brother Ernst was 10 years old. The census enumerator wrote down Ernst's name as Antz, but all other records list his name as Ernst. During the Civil War, Elizabeth's brother Ernst Marshall and her future husband James Cross both served as Union soldiers. She must have spent many hours hoping and praying for their safe return.






On July 1, 1867, Elizabeth Marshall married James Cross. In the Civil War pension file of James Cross, we see a listing of the children of James and Elizabeth. (Double click on the image below for an enlarged view.)


















In the 1870 Census, Elizabeth and James Cross were living in the home of James Cross's widowed father, a native of England. They had two little children, and the James' brother and sister also lived with them. By 1880, Elizabeth and James had six childen. Elizabeth's oldest son, Nicholas Charles Cross, became a Brother with the Xaverian Brothers. In a biographical sketch of Nicholas Charles Cross, who became known as Brother Sulpicius, I read that though Elizabeth Marshall Cross was a convert to the Catholic Church, she read scriptures to the children every morning and evening. It is not a surprise that her son and granddaughter both devoted themselves to a life devoted to religious service.

In the 1900 Census for Erie County, James and Elizabeth Cross had only two children left at home, and Elizabeth's father Nicholas Marshall was living with them. A brother of James Cross resided with James and Elizabeth as well. Elizabeth Marshall Cross died on September 6, 1907. She was laid to rest at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio. She spent her life nurturing others, and her family missed her deeply.

A Look at the Will of Charles Cross

Recently I had an opportunity to view the will of my fourth great grandfather Charles Cross. His will, now on microfiche at the Erie County Courthouse,was Case #1028 in Erie County Probate Court, which was filed at the Courthouse shortly after the death of Charles Cross on November, 18, 1889. Judge A.E. Merrill was the judge of Erie County Probate Court in 1889.

Some of the pages of the will were very difficult to read.






















The undertaker who handled my great great great great grandfather's funeral was J. Krupp & Son, on Market Street in Sandusky. Besides handling funerals and embalming, J. Krupp & Son were also furniture makers. The bill states that Charles Cross had a cloth casket with handles and a name plate, and eight hacks had been in use at his funeral.















The tombstone of Charles Cross was purchased from Christian Schlenk. The monument cost $65.00, and the engraving cost $24.00.





















Several members of the Cross family are remembered on this monument at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.


















This section of the will of Charles Cross gives the names and residences of his four surviving children. Sons James Cross and Charles A. Cross both lived in Sandusky, Ohio. Catherine/Katherine Dunham was living in Buffalo Gap in South Dakota. South Dakota had just become a state in the same month that Charles Cross died, so the state is listed simply as Dakota. Another daughter, Mary Cowell, was living in Antwerp, Ohio in 1889.
















A portion of the inventory of items in the household of Charles Cross included a listing of the titles of several books and periodicals. Charles Cross owned books about religion, travel, history, geography, and literature. He seems to have been a man of many interests!






















While I was unable to read every single word on this lengthy document, I certainly learned some interesting things about Great Great Great Great Grandfather Charles Cross! I am fortunate that the wills of many of my ancestors are on file right in my hometown. Now if there were only more hours in a day, so I could get on with that task!

A Blessing Came in the U.S. Mail

An Archivist with the Xaverian Brothers from Massachusetts mailed a special photocopy to me through the U.S. mail. It is from the Sixth Provincial Chapter, held in Baltimore, Maryland on June 26-27 1908. My great great granduncle, Nicholas Charles Cross, is pictured at the far left of the picture above. He later became known as Brother Sulpicius. As it was explained to me, the Chapters were held by persons in ministry in the Catholic church, so they could discuss the issues of the time.

I was so delighted to see this picture of Brother Sulpicius when he was a young man. He was about 40 years of age in 1908. Along with the photocopy of this 1908 picture was some information about the ministry of the Xaverian Brothers. Thank you so much my Archivist friend in Massachusetts!

Brother Sulpicius, C.F.X. (Nicholas Charles Cross)

Through the generosity of Brother Arcadius Alkonis, C.F.X, an Archivist with the Xaverian Brothers in Danvers, Massachusetts, I have learned a great deal about my great great granduncle, Nicholas Charles Cross, who later became Brother Sulpicius with the Xaverian Brothers. Brother Alkonis provided me with a copy of the Cyrenian No. 11, by Brother Adelbert, C.F.X, which gave a lengthy biography of Nicholas Charles Cross, as well as information about the Xaverian Brothers and the St. John's Prep Cemetery, along with a lovely print taken from a negative of the St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, Kentucky. Having read through these very interesting historical resources, I will share with you what I learned about Nicholas Charles Cross.






















Nicholas Charles Cross (sometimes listed as Charles Nicholas Cross) was born on May 10, 1868 to James and Elizabeth (Marshall) Cross in Sandusky, Ohio. He was baptized at Holy Angels Church in Sandusky, having been named for both his grandfathers, Nicholas Marshall and Charles Cross. (Charles Cross served as the first Catholic Mayor of Sandusky, Ohio, from 1853-1856.) Rev. R.A. Sidley was the priest at Holy Angels Church who officiated at the baptism of Charles Nicholas Cross/Nicholas Charles Cross on May 17, 1868.







(Baptism record is from the Ohio, Dioceses of Toledo Catholic Parish Records from Holy Angels Parish, accessed at Family Search.)


As a young man, Charles assisted Rev. Edward Graham in instructing young people with catechism classes at Holy Angels Church. After reading a booklet about becoming a Xaverian Brother, Charles felt the calling to become a teacher with the Xaverian Brothers. Nicholas Charles Cross entered the novitiate of the Xaverian Brothers in Baltimore, Maryland on May 3, 1889, and he received the name of Brother Sulpicius on July 13, 1889. On July 11, 1891, Brother Sulpicius vowed his life to God according to the Rule and Constitutions of the Brothers of St. Francis Xavier.

The first assignment of Brother Sulpicius was at St. Xavier Institute in Louisville, Kentucky, where he stayed until 1902. Throughout his career, Brother Sulpicius was always considered an outstanding religious teacher. Besides teaching classes, Brother Sulpicius met with students for book discussions, and he worked to increase the number of books at the St. Xavier Library. Brother Sulpicius was director of the high school department at Cathedral High School in Wheeling, West Virginia, after which he served as Superintendent of St. Paul Academy in Portsmouth, Virginia. In 1906, Brother Sulpicius was appointed Superior at St. Joseph's in Somerville, Massachusetts. In 1911, Brother Sulpicius became the founding Superior at St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, Kentucky. Besides being the Superior and Director at St. Joseph's College, Brother Sulpicius also directed the boys' choir, and taught math, chemistry, English, and stenography.















During the years 1915-1919, Brother Sulpicius was in ministry at St. Joseph's in Baltimore, Maryland. He then went back to St. Joseph's in Somerville, Massachusetts from 1919-1925. Due to continuing health problems, Brother Sulpicius was given lighter duties at St. Joseph's Juniorate in Peabody, Massachusetts, where he served as Spiritual Director of Postulates. Brother Sulpicius passed away on June 9, 1931, and he was buried at the Xaverian Brothers Cemetery in Danvers, Massachusetts. A summary of the life of Brother Sulpicius appeared in the Xaverian Menology, and it read in part:

Brother Sulpicius had lived in the community for forty-two years, the delight or the despair of all who had dealings with him. He was the non-conformist who did nothing because it was the thing to do. He held unorthodox opinions, and he delighted in silencing if he could, all objectors.

How I wish I could have met this hard-working, devoted man of God, who shared many ancestors with me! Thank you, Brother Alkonis, for providing me with such excellent resources so I could learn more about Nicholas Charles Cross!

Was She Named Mary, or Lillie, or Lula, or Louise....?

My great great grandmother, Mary Louise Cross Larkins, is pictured above. She is seated to the left of the young woman marked "Gr. Irene," who was my great grandmother. According to the database Michigan Marriages, available at Family Search Labs, Lula M. Cross married Thomas F. Larkins, on January 7, 1889, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.













When I did a search at Family Search Labs, for individuals whose father was named Thomas Larkins and whose mother's maiden name was Cross, I got these results. (Click for a larger view.)










When Irene's older brother Edwin Charles Larkins was born in 1889, his mother's name was listed as Lillie Cross. In 1915, my Great Grandmother Irene listed her mother's name as Mary L. Cross when she got married to Emmett W. LaTourette. When my Great Grandmother Irene got married to John Bour in 1919, she stated that her mother's name was Mary Louise Cross. When Grandma Irene married William Howard Graham in 1922, she said that her mother's name was Louise Cross. In the 1900 U.S. Census for Erie County, Great Great Grandmother Mary Louise Cross Larkins' first name was listed as Lulu. When I interviewed a distant cousin, Inez Wilson, long ago, she referred to Mary Louise Cross Larkins as Lou. So many names for one person!

Whenever my mom spoke of her Larkins and Cross family ties, she always called Gram Irene's mother Mary Louise, so that is what I consider her name to be. Mary Louise Cross Larkins, who went by so many different first names, died on July 20, 1912, at the age of forty one. From reading some old newspaper clippings, it appears that Great Great Grandma Mary Louise Cross Larkins had a deep rooted Catholic faith, and adored her children and extended family. She was buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio, next to her beloved husband Thomas F. Larkins.

Charles A. Cross, Sandusky Photographer

Charles A. Cross was my third great granduncle. The advertisement above appeared in the September 13, 1894 issue of the Sandusky Register, when C. A. Cross had a photography studio at 134 Tiffin Avenue in Sandusky. I especially enjoyed reading a portion of his ad which was written in verse:

From all parts of the city on railroad track
The car will take you there and bring you back.
No stairs to climb unto the top.
No elevator to brake and let you drop.
But on the ground right level with the street,
You step within, your journey is complete.

Mr. Cross informed his potential customers that they could reach his studio easily by the streetcar, and than once they arrived, they would not have to use any elevators or stairs, since his gallery was on the ground floor of the building. In the book ARTISTS IN OHIO, 1787-1900: A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY, published by the Kent State University Press in 2000, we find a brief entry for Charles A. Cross. The sketch informs us that Mr. Cross was active in photography in Sandusky from about 1873 through 1900. He started out as an assistant to A. C. Platt, and then had his own studio on Columbus Avenue. According to the 1894 advertisement that appeared in the Sandusky Register, it appears that for some time the photography studio of C.A. Cross was located at 134 Tiffin Avenue.

Charles Amedius Cross, according to his death certificate, was born on May 24, 1847 to Charles Cross and Patience Manning.



















Church records from Holy Angels Church in Sandusky, Ohio list Charles Amedius Cross's christening date as June 11, 1848. He was christened by the pioneer priest Father Joseph Projectus Machebeuf. The Catholic parish records from the Toledo,Ohio Diocese, 1796-2004 can be browsed online at Family Search Records Labs.






Charles A. Cross died on March 14, 1912, as a result of heart disease. While his death certificate indicates that he was buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery, no stone has been located for Mr. Cross. It is very possible that he is buried in the Cross family lot in Section D of St. Joseph's Cemetery. A few photographs taken by C. A. Cross are found in the holdings of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center, but I have never seen any pictures of Cross family members taken by Mr. Cross. Oh how I would love to see those family photos!

The Brief Life of Matilda Cross

Matilda Rosa Cross was my third great grand-aunt. She was born to Charles Cross and Patience M. Manning Cross in 1851. She was christened at Holy Angels Catholic Church, on July 12, 1851, by Rev. J. V. Conlan. Her baptismal sponsors were a Mr. Spalding and Martha Martin. The baptism record was recorded in church books at Holy Angels Catholic Church, and is accessible at Family Search. These particular records are not indexed, but searching is relatively easy if you have a rough idea of the time frame involved. You can view each page at full-screen, and flip through the records page by page with ease at any computer.





Matilda's father was the first Catholic Mayor of Sandusky, Ohio, serving in that office from 1853-1856. Little is known about Matilda's mother, Patience, except that she died sometime after Matilda's birth in 1851 and before 1860. Sadly, Matilda Cross died very young. Her death was recorded in Holy Angels church records as September 14, 1866, when Rev. R.A. Sidley was serving as the priest. Matilda was 15 years old at the time of her death.




Matilda's brother James went on to serve his country in the Civil War, and another brother, Charles A. Cross was a photographer in Sandusky, Ohio for several years. My gut feeling is that Matilda was a special little girl to her family, especially since she lost her mother at such a young age. How I wish I could see some Cross family photographs that surely must have been taken by Charles A. Cross! Though Matilda's name has not been inscribed on the tombstone, St. Joseph's Cemetery records indicate that she is buried in the same lot as her father, Charles Cross, in Section D.

The Civil War Service of Great Grandma Irene's Grandfathers

Long before my great grandmother Irene Larkins was born, her maternal and paternal grandfathers had both served in the Union Army during the Civil War.























A native of Ireland, Patrick Larkins served in Company K of the 19th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted on April 23, 1861, and mustered out on August 31, 1861. Patrick worked on the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, and later worked at Hubbard's lumber yard in Sandusky. He and his wife Bridget had a family of seven children, all baptized in the Catholic church.

My Great Grandmother Irene's maternal grandfather was James C. Cross. He was a carpenter by trade. The father of James Cross, an English immigrant named Charles Cross, was the Mayor of Sandusky from 1853-1856. James Cross enlisted in military service at Monroeville on September 19, 1862, as a private in Company G of the 123rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. At the time of his honorable discharge, at Camp Chase, Ohio on June 12, 1865, James Cross had risen to the rank of Corporal.


















Between 1868 and 1883, James Cross and his wife Elizabeth Marshall had a family of six children. He provided the birth dates of all his children on a document in his military pension file.























Both Patrick Larkins and James Cross were buried at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio. Keeping in the family tradition of service, my Great Grandmother Irene's uncle, Nicholas Charles Cross became a Brother in the Catholic Church with the Xaverian Order. Her fist cousin, Naomi Cross, was a nun who worked in the Hough area of Cleveland in the 1960's. Naomi changed her name to Sister Bertha after she entered into religious service.

Through the years I have never seen a photograph of my ancestors James Cross or Patrick Larkins, nor have I ever heard any stories about their years in military service during the Civil War. I get the impression that both men must have felt it was their duty to serve their country. Seven of my Great Grandma Irene's great grandparents were born in foreign countries. I am proud of my ancestors' service to their families and their country.

Marriage Record of Thomas F. Larkins and Lula Cross: A Closer Look

In a previous blog post, I discussed finding a brief marriage record of Thomas F. Larkins and Lula M. Cross at a very helpful online site related to Kalamazoo County Genealogy, at http://kalamazoogenealogy.org.














After entering the names of the bride and groom into the Family Search Labs database, I was able to learn a little more about this couple. Their names were listed in the collection entitled: Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925. This "hit" led to an image of the marriage record from Kalamazoo County, Michigan. (Click on the image for a larger view.)








The date of the marriage was January 7, 1889, and the minister who officiated was Rev. Thomas Ryan. As was also listed on the 3 x 5" card from Kalamazoo Genealogy, the ages of the bride and groom were listed, along with the names of the parents of the couple. When looking at the record as listed at Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925, I see a slight variation in the first names of the witnesses to the wedding of Thomas F. Larkins ad Lula Cross. Instead of Joanne Ryan and Maria McHugh, the names are listed as John Ryan and Mary McHugh.

Since the wedding took place in 1900, I decided to try to locate John Ryan in the U.S. Census for 1900. John Ryan was listed as living in Kalamazoo County, Michigan in 1900, and his birthplace was Ohio, the same birthplace as Thomas F. Larkins. Going back twenty years, I find a John Ryan living in the household of Patrick and Hannora Ryan, in a large family including seven children, and residing in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio, the very county where Thomas F. Larkins was born and died!

The maiden name of the mother of Thomas F. Larkins was Bridget Ryan. So....was Bridget Ryan the sister of John Ryan's father Patrick Ryan? Or were these two young men both of Irish Catholic origin just close friends? Sadly, I do not know the exact connection between Thomas F. Larkins and John Ryan, who was one of the witnesses at his wedding. And since the minister was Rev. Thomas Ryan, it is possible that he may have been related to Mr. Larkins or Mr. Ryan, or possibly to both of them! What I did determine was that Thomas F. Larkins and John Ryan were teenage boys in the 1880 census in Sandusky, Ohio, and they both were at Kalamazoo County, Michigan on January 7, 1889, on the occasion of the wedding of Thomas F. Larkins and Lula M. Cross. So many questions, but not so many answers!

Civil War Pension File of James Cross

After requesting the military and pension records of my ancestor, James Cross, a Union Civil War Veteran. here are some of the things I learned from looking his file, which was several pages long:

James Cross, who is buried in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio, was a Civil War Veteran. He served in Company G of the Ohio 123rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Several items of genealogical interest can be learned by looking through the Civil War Pension File for James Cross. In a paper from the Bureau of Pensions of the Department of the Interior, dated March 3, 1889, we learn that James Cross married Elizabeth Marshall on July 1, 1867. Rev. R. A. Sidley performed the marriage service, and the record of that marriage is on file at the Erie County Courthouse.




Also listed on the 1889 document are the names and birthdates of all of the children born to James and Elizabeth Marshall Cross:

Nicholas Charles Cross, born May 10, 1868
Mary Louisa Cross, born August 15, 1870
Henry Edward Cross, born November 12, 1874
Anna Cross, born October 28, 1877
Blanche Lorette Cross, born November 11, 1879
Joseph Ernest Cross, born December 1, 1883

The signature of James Cross can be seen at the very bottom of this paper.

On the Declaration for Pension dated April 20, 1907, even more details are provided.



James Cross stated that he was discharged honorably from the service on June 12, 1865. He gives his physical description as: height of 5 feet and 6 and one half inches,light complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. His occupation was listed as carpenter. His address was 528 Pearl Street, Sandusky, Ohio. Witnesses to this document were Henry Hart and Josh B. Davis.

The Declaration for Pension dated May 16, 1912, states that James Cross was enrolled at Camp Monroeville in Huron County, Ohio on September 19, 1862. Mr. Cross also stated that he was born in Sandusky, Ohio on March 14, 1843.



James Cross died on December 14, 1913 in Sandusky, Ohio, at his home on Pearl Street. Father Graham officiated at his funeral, which was held at Holy Angels Church. James Cross was buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery, near his father, Charles Cross, a former Mayor of Sandusky.  A final paper from the Bureau of Pensions,Department of the Interior, declared that James Cross, who served with Co. G, 123rd Ohio Infantry, was dropped as a pensioner, due to his death. This document which was sent to the Commissioner of Pensions was dated March 23, 1914.

Though the prices for obtaining Civil War Pension Records from the National Archives went up in 2007, these records can be a wealth of information for the family history researcher.

Monday Madness: Who is Sophia Moross ?

On a Rootsweb Site for St. Clair County, Michigan, I ran into this marriage record:

==============================================
4 July 1861, St. Stephen's Church, Port Huron
Charles Cross, 49, Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio
Sophia Moross, 44, Port Huron
William Leblaw & Victoria Noross, both of Port Huron; L. Kilroy, Catholic
===============================================
Charles Cross was the Mayor of Sandusky from 1853 to 1856. His first wife Matilda (some records list her name as Patience) died sometime between 1850 and 1860.

In the 1870 Erie County, Ohio Census Record, Charles Cross does not have a spouse listed. To date, I still do not know where Charles Cross and his bride of 1861 lived, and I do not know what happened to Sophia Moross Cross.

If anyone has any clues about Sophia, please let me know! Thanks!

Charles Cross died on November 18, 1889, and he is buried in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.

Naomi Cross, "Sister Bertha"

Sister Bertha, who was born Naomi Cross,is seen at the left of the group below, at a wedding in the Hough area of Cleveland.















Naomi Cross was born in 1897 in Sandusky, Ohio, to Harry and Sophia Cross. Naomi's great grandfather Charles Cross was the first Catholic Mayor of Sandusky, and her grandfather James Cross was a Union Veteran of the Civil War.During her youth, Naomi was a member of Sandusky's Holy Angels parish, and she attended Holy Angels Parochial School. Naomi Cross became a nun with the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. She was known as "Sister Bertha." Rev. Robert C. Wolff wrote in his book about Sister Henrietta, who was a driving force in doing mission work in Cleveland's Hough area, that Sister Bertha was a key person in Sister Henrietta's ministry. Rev. Wolff stated about the Hough Mission Center, "Henrietta organized the larger programs; Bertha carried out the details of assembling, cooking, portioning and distributing food." Rev. Wolff wrote that from 1967 to 1981, Sister Henrietta and Sister Bertha were inseparable.

Sister Henrietta wrote of Sister Bertha in a 1970 issue of Catholic Universe Bulletin that "Sister Bertha is one who doesn't spare herself, she gives her all to look after the poor, just as Saint Vincent de Paul did." Sister Bertha died in 1981, from cancer. She is buried at Cleveland's Calvary Cemetery. In a 1981 Catholic Universe Bulletin, Sister Henrietta wrote about Sister Bertha, "When Sister Bertha, worn out in the service of God, closed her eyes quietly last week, she left behind a legacy of kindness and goodness and the most unselfish love...Everyone knew her and loved her..." While most of her life Sister Bertha ministered in the Cleveland and Summit County areas, she learned her core Christian values in Sandusky, Ohio.

Sister Bertha's tombstone at Calvary Cemetery can be seen at this link. Over one thousand cemetery records from Cleveland's Calvary Cemetery can be accessed at the Calvary Cemetery Search Engine, an ongoing project.

Marriage Record of Thomas F. Larkins and Lula M. Cross

(image from http://kalamazoogenealogy.org)

While just googling around one afternoon, with the surnames of my Irish Larkins ancestors, I came across this image of an index card which abstracted the marriage record of my great great grandparents, Thomas F. Larkins and Mary Louise Cross (she was identified as Lula M Cross in her marriage record.)

The website where this index card was found is: Kalamazoo County Genealogical Records, at http://kalamazoogenealogy.org. Resources found here include: Vital Records, Family Trees, Probate Records, and information from cemeteries, schools, directories, schools, and more. The site is searchable by surname.

Though Thomas and Mary Louise were residents of Sandusky, Ohio, they were married at St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Kalamazoo County, Michigan on January 7, 1889. The priest's name was Rev. Thomas J. Ryan. The parents of Thomas F. Larkins were Patrick Larkins and Bridget Ryan, so it is a good possibility that Rev. Ryan was related to Bridget Ryan Larkins. The witnesses to the wedding were: Joanne Ryan and Maria McHugh. To date, I have not find any genealogical connections to these witnesses, but perhaps in the future I will determine more details about them.

Sadly, Mary Louise Cross Larkins died in 1912, at the age of 42. Thomas remarried, to Emma Lieke, who loved his children and grandchildren and helped to raise Grandpa Tom's granddaughter Doris Wheeler. Pictured below are: Thomas Larkins, his daughter, Irene Larkins Risko, granddaughter Doris Wheeler Parker, and great granddaughter Joyce Parker. Search for the surname Larkins in this blog to read earlier posts about members of the Larkins family in Erie County, Ohio.

James Cross, Civil War Veteran

James Cornelius Cross was born March 14, 1843 to Charles Cross and Patience Manning Cross. His father was born in England, while Patience was a native of Kentucky. James Cross was a carpenter by trade, and was very active in the Catholic Church. He married Elizabeth Marshall, a German immigrant, who converted to Catholicism when she married James.

During the Civil War, James Cross served in Company G of the 123rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was a member of the McMeens Post of the G.A.R. in Sandusky. James Cross died on December 14, 1913, and is buried in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.

The son of James and Elizabeth, Nicholas Charles Cross, became a brother in the Catholic Church. He taught school in Bardstown, Kentucky, and Peabody, Massachusetts.