From: Debbie Jennings
Date: 08/03/06 01:36:47
To: INOWEN-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [INOWEN] Diseases anyone??
I would be interested in knowing if any other researchers have come across
what they feel is a large amount of deaths (more then 2 in a family) during
the years of 1865-1866 in either Owen or Putnam Counties. The deaths I am
looking at are within families, something to signify that perhaps there was
an epidemic of sorts during that time frame.
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Hi Debbie: I am sending an outline of some of my HOFFA ancestors who died
during that time frame -- hope you can sort it out... I've always wondered
if there was some sort of sickness they all died from.. Don't know for sure.
Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert at iggy29(a)sbcglobal.net
Well, you know I've been looking for the burial place of the children of
ABRAHAM and NANCY(DUNGAN) HOFFA, who died (according to the Bible records
that Tracy shared with me.) ABRAHAM and NANCY were living in Union Co., IN
after their marriage in 1847. NANCY was born in Brownsville in 1825 and
ABRAHAM and his family moved to that area around 1837.
Their children, that died very young:
(*)Grew to become adults:
Sarah Elizabeth, b. 12-3-1848; Union Co.
d. 9-22-1859; Owen Co.
George W., b. 7-14-1850; Union Co.
d. 5-13-1853; Union Co.
*Eliza Emaline, b.4-7-1852; Union Co.
d. 4-7-1934; Decatur Co., IA
(Nancee's g grandmother)
Mary Francis, b. 11-11-1854; Fayette Co.
d. 9-14-1859; Owen Co.
James Andrew, b. 11-8-1856; Owen Co.
d. 10-12-1858; Owen Co.
*Huldah Anna, b. 9-24-1858; Owen Co.
d. 11-23-1931; Lincoln Co., NE
*Robert McClelland, b. 12-17-1860; Owen Co.
d. 4-5-1928; Pottawattamie Co., IA
Johnnie, b. 5-30-1862; Owen Co.
d. 8-11-1867; Owen Co.
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My Theory: George W. died in Union Co., 1853 at the age of 2 years. So, he
is buried somewhere in Union Co. I have not been able to find the location;
need to see the 1850 Union Co. census to see who ABRAHAM and NANCY were
living close to -- and where, in Union Co. I haven't been able to find a
cemetery record as of yet.
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James Andrew died 10-12-1858 in Owen Co.; age 1
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My Theory: ABRAHAM and NANCY moved to Jordan Village; Morgan Twp; Owen Co.,
IN about 1855. (They show up on the 1860 census there.) They are living 2
houses away from ABRAHAM's brother JACOB JR. and SARA ANN (TATE) HOFFA.
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Mary Francis died 9-14-1859 in Owen Co., age 4;
Sarah Elizabeth died 9-22-1859 in Owen Co., age 10;
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Also note that JACOB HOFFA SR. died 9-19-1859.. His will is dated 8-11-1859,
stating that he is sick. He is buried in Olive Hill Cemetery.... There is
also Mary M. Hoffa, daughter of J.&A., who died 9-27-1859; buried in Olive
Hill Cemetery.
I think she may have been a daughter of JACOB JR. and SARAH 'ANN' HOFFA.
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My Theory: I believe there must have been some sort of sickness/epidemic
that all of these children and JACOB SR. died from -- all within a few days
of one another.. According to JACOB SR's will, he had been sick for about 3
weeks when he died.
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Johnnie died 8-11-1867 in Owen Co.; age 5.
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My Theory: Since 4 of ABRAHAM and NANCY's children died in Owen Co., and
there is no record of their burial in Olive Hill Cemetery, or Zion Hill
Cemetery -- I believe I know where they are buried..........................
..
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Stay on your toes now!!!!!
Remember when I transcribed the article about Jimmy Hoffa? His great
grandfather was JOHN HENRY HOFFA, an older brother to ABRAHAM HOFFA... JOHN
HENRY and his wife, ANN ELIZABETH (COOK) HOFFA are both buried in Cunot
Cemetery in Owen County...
John Henry Hoffa - 9-1-1817 to 2-12-1882.
Ann Elizabeth Hoffa - w/o John - 1-9-1817 to 1-22-1897
****Directly next to their headstone, there are 4 small markers with no
names...
My Theory: These 4 small markers are for the 4 children of ABRAHAM and
NANCY HOFFA.. It may be that John Henry gave them the 4 plots..
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Since Johnnie had died in 1867, I believe ABRAHAM, NANCY, ELIZA, HULDAH and
ROBERT moved on to Assumption; Christian Co., IL. The show up in the 1870
Census there. (I have no clue as to why), but ABRAHAM's oldest brother,
ISAAC HOFFA and SUSAN (UMBEHAND) HOFFA's son was living there -- he was
Samuel Hoffa, who married Isabella Knox. Isabella died in 1877 and she
wanted their son to go live with her sister, Mary Knox -- MRS. JOHN HOFFA in
Bowling Green, IN.
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By 1880 ABRAHAM, NANCY and ROBERT are in Long Creek, Decatur Co., IA.
HULDAH had met and married THOMAS M. JOHNSON in Christian Co., IL (while
they were living there); ELIZA had married HENRY F. PRICE; and they all
lived next door to one another...... And, we know the rest, right?????
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I have pictures of the Cunot Cemetery in Owen County, IN. We took these
shortly after I transcribed the article about Jimmy Hoffa. You should be
able to see the 4 small markers next to John and Ann Elizabeth's large
headstone