Mrs. Electa Hutchins, 1844-1897

Electa Hutchins was born  Electa Ruggles. According to U.S. Census records, she was born in Ohio in 1844. On July 25, 1861, Electa Ruggles married John Beaver. This marriage ended, though it is not clear if it was by divorce or death. On March 23, 1865, Electa Beaver married Charles Hutchins. In 1880, Electa Hutchins resided on Market Street in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. She had a husband and son, both named Charles. Her daughter was named Dora. The elder Charles Hutchins worked for the U.S. Express Company. The younger Charles Hutchins was most likely Electa's son from her first marriage. It appears that after Electa remarried, her son took on the surname of his stepfather. Mrs. Electa Hutchins died on August 19, 1897. This tombstone at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery clearly states that Electa was the mother of Charles L. Hutchins. Rest in peace Electa.

SNGF: Ancestors in the Social Security Death Index

Randy at Genea-Musings has challenged us to learn about ancestors who are listed in the Social Security Death Index. Here are my findings:

My father, Paul Orshoski (1927-1985)  is listed, but my mother, Joyce Parker Orshoski (1931-2010)  is not. My parents are pictured below in a wedding picture from 1950.

The names of Dad's parents, Steve Orshoski (1905-1971) and Emma Yeager Orshoski (1906-1979) are found in the Social Security Death Index. My paternal grandparents are pictured below, shortly before or after they were married.

The name of Grandpa Steve Orshoski's father, Joseph Orshoski (1885-1976) is also found in the Social Security Death Index. Joseph Orshoski, who is my great grandfather, is pictured below with his second wife, Julia Orshoski.

Both Grandpa Joe and my step great grandmother Julia Orshoski were natives of Hungary, and they cherished their adopted new home in America! So, I have found four ancestors in the Social Security Death Index. Thanks for a fun SNGF, Randy!

Elihu Nims, Early Settler of Lyme Township

Elihu Nims was born in 1783 to Asa Nims and his wife the former Mary Worthington in Hampshire County, Massachusetts.  According to the HISTORY OF THE FIRE LANDS, Asa Nims and several of his sons and their families settled in Lyme Township of Huron County, Ohio  in 1827. Sadly, Elihu Nims died shortly after he arrived in Ohio, on August 10, 1827.  He was buried in the Strong's Ridge Cemetery. The weeping willow at the top of Mr. Nims' tombstone symbolized sorrow. Almost 200 years after his death, the inscription of the tombstone of Elihu Nims is clearly legible. Mr. Nims was survived by his wife and several children.

Mrs. Azuba Hoyt Pettibone

Azuba Hoyt was the daughter of Aaron Hoyt and Sophia Brooks, born in Lafayette, New York in 1816. (Some sources say 1817.)  According to Lineage Books from the Daughters of the American Revolution, Azuba traced her lineage back to Noah Hoyt (1753-1827), who served in the Connecticut militia during the Revolutionary War. We read in A STANDARD HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, OHIO, by Hewson L. Peeke, that Azuba's first husband was William Latta Turney. Azuba and William Turney had three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary Augusta, and Josephine. Mr. Turney died before 1852, while on a business trip to the west. By 1870, Azuba had married Hiram Pettibone, and they were residing in Portage, Columbia County, Wisconsin, with Azuba's daughter Josephine Turney. Azuba spent her last years living with her daughter, Mrs. Charles Cooke, in Sandusky, Ohio. On July 21, 1907. Mrs. Azuba Hoty Pettibone died in Sandusky. Funeral services for Mrs. Pettibone were held at the residence of Charles E. Cooke, and burial was at Oakland Cemetery. Obituaries for Azuba Hoyt Pettibone appeared in the July 21 and July 24, 1907 issues of the Sandusky Register.

The Celebration of the Fifth Wedding Anniversary of Charles and Sarah Steen in 1880

Twin lambs were just many of the gifts that were presented to Charles and Sarah Steen on the occasion of their fifth wedding anniversary in Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio in April of 1880.

The Charles Steen family circa 1895

A lengthy article in the Sandusky Register of April 5, 1880 details the festive occasion. An excerpt from the article is below:

The theme for the anniversary party was wooden ware. Some of the many gifts included: fans, toothpicks, a looking glass, hose darner, vases, hamper, sketch of Harry Steen, easy chair, marble top table, rolling pin, horse cart, horseradish grater, pails, clothespins, and of course twin lambs, to celebrate the recent birth of the Steen's twin daughters, Ada and Alpha. 

It was such a delight to read a detailed account of an event which happened so long ago!!

The Henry Milner Household in the 1880 U.S. Census

While the picture above was taken much later than 1880, four of the five individuals pictured were listed in the 1880 U.S. Census in Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio. The twins in the back are my great grandmother Ada Steen and her sister Alpha Steen. Their parents were Sarah Steen and Charles F. Steen, and their little brother Rollin is in front of the twins. In the 1880 U.S. Census, the family lived in a big farmhouse on South Columbus Avenue, which was pictured in the 1874 Erie County Atlas.

Below is the listing from the U.S. Census in 1880.

A transcription of the Census is available at FamilySearch.org :

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Henry Milner	Self	M	60	England
Huldah Milner	Wife	F	50	Ohio, United States
Chas F Steen	Son-in-law	M	29	Ohio, United States
Sarah L Steen	Daughter	F	29	Ohio, United States
Harry M Steen	Grandson	M	4	Ohio, United States
Ada L Steen	Granddaughter	F	0	Ohio, United States
Alpha H Steen	Granddaughter	F	0	Ohio, United States
Louise Shorts	Other	F	22	England
Jno Hand	Other	M	19	Ohio, United States
Frank Griffin	Other	M	32	Louisiana, United States
Fannie Isaac	Other	F	15	England

So many people in one household! There were the owners of the farm, Henry and Huldah Milner. Then came their daughter and son-in-law, Charles and Sarah Steen. Children of the the Steens in 1880 included son Harry, age 4, and baby girl twins, Ada and Alpha. Besides three generations of family members, there were also four servants! Louise Shorto and Fannie Isaac worked as "house girls." John Hand was a hired man, and Frank Griffin was a farm laborer. You may think that Mr. and Mrs. Milner were wealthy. I think they were probably comfortable... In the late 1800s, many farmers had live-in help. The farmers benefited by having help around the house and farm, and the hired folks got room and board, and maybe a salary too! It was a different era...and how I would have loved to been a fly on the wall!!!

Jane Scott Dennis

According to her death certificate (on file at FamilySearch) Jane Scott, also known as Jennie, was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1858 to Lucas Scott and Jane Lawrence Scott. Jane was the spouse of Charles Barney Dennis, a Civil War veteran, and the former postmaster of Sandusky, Ohio. Charles Barney Dennis passed away in 1928. After her husband's death, Jane/Jennie Dennis moved to Pennsylvania. Jane/Jennie Scott Dennis died on July 20, 1939 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, after a lengthy illness. She was survived by a son and daughter. Mrs. Jane/Jennie Scott Dennis was buried in the family plot at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. An obituary for Mrs. Scott appeared in the July 20, 1939 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal. She was mourned by many of her friends in Sandusky.