Month: March 2009

Where’s Your Irish From?

Kris Hocker on 17 Mar 2009

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d point out some excellent sources for Irish genealogy research.

Ancestry

The 24/7 Family History blog article, Irish Database at Ancestry.com points out several of their most popular Irish databases. You must have a WorldDeluxe membership in order to use them, but I usually find at least some of what I’m looking for on Ancestry. Here’s the list:

  1. Index to Griffiths Valuation, 1848—1864
  2. Ireland, Tithe Applotment Books, 1824-1837
  3. Irish Flax Grower’s List
  4. The Royal Irish Constabulary 1816-1921
  5. Cassell’s Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland
  6. Irish Records Extraction Database
  7. Irish Immigrants: New York Port Arrival Records, 1846-1851

Sometimes you can find Irish ancestors in databases from outside Ireland. I found an Ireland connection while researching my Scottish ancestors through the Scottish Records Office. Here are some other helpful databases suggested by Ancestry:

  1. UK Medical Registers, 1859-1959
  2. UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
  3. New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896
  4. British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
  5. British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920

NEHGS

The New England Historical Genealogical Society are featuring three family bibles from Irish families online. The current features is the Irish Bible record for the John Gough Family, 1822-1878. The Goughs apparently immigrated circa 1822/24 and lived in Albany, New York before moving to Massachusetts and settling in the Worcester area. You can view some pages from the bible online here.

NEHGS also has several excellent articles written by Mary Daly for the Irish American family researcher. If you’ve got Irish ancestors, I’d recommend reading these articles Getting Started in Irish American Genealogical Research and Identifying the Origin of Your Irish Immigrant Ancestor. More articles on Irish research are also available for free.

FamilySearch.org

And, of course, the FamilySearch indexing project also has Irish records available. Currently, the Irish Civil Registration Indexes, 1845—1958 are available for viewing (index only).

Of course, this is only a small part of the information available for Irish researchers. If you know of another great resource, go ahead and post a comment to share it. It’s always great to discover new sources of information! Thanks.

Photo: Christian and Sarah Hershey

Kris Hocker on 17 Mar 2009

Christian and Sarah (Hocker) Hershey

Christian and Sarah (Hocker) Hershey

Christian Millard Hershey married Sarah Frances Hocker, daughter of Henry Landis and Mary A. (Shenk) Hocker on 15 Sep 1910 in Hockersville, Derry township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Adam and Eve (Hamaker) Hocker

Kris Hocker on 17 Mar 2009

Sometimes during your research you come across families with the same surname you’re researching, but you don’t know how or if they fit into your family. The family of Adam and Eve (Hamaker) Hocker is one such family.

Originally, William Wingeard attributed Adam as a son of John and Christianne Catharine (Steirling) Hocker—primarily, I believe because of his age and proximity to where John and Catharine were living in Pennsylvania. However, subsequent research proved that John and his brother Jacob moved their families—including John’s son Adam—to Ohio about 1839. Since Adam and Eve (Hamaker) Hocker remained in Pennsylvania, Adam can not be John’s son.

I am seeking any additional information on this family, especially any data that may lead to an identification of Adam’s parentage.

Adam Hocker was born 19 Oct 1812, possibly in Hummelstown, Derry township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania and died 26 Sep 1870 in Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.1 He was buried in Churchville Cemetery in Oberlin, Pennsylvania. Adam was a farmer, and he first showed up in Dauphin county tax records in 1834 (age about 22).

Adam married Eve Hamaker, daughter of Adam Hamaker (25 Dec 1778—15 Nov 1828) and Magdalena Snavely (17 Oct 1776—5 Apr 1845), on 22 Feb 1838.2 Eve was born 24 Jun 1817 and died 14 Nov 1892. She, too, was buried in Churchville Cemetery on 18 Nov 1892.3

Adam and Eve (Hamaker) Hocker had the following children:

  1. Jacob H. Hocker (1839—1911)
  2. John Hocker (1841—1905)
  3. Adam H. Hocker (1843—1902)
  4. Mary Elizabeth Hocker (1946—1930)
  5. Sarah Hocker (1848—1930)
  6. David R. Hocker (1850—1887)
  7. Malinda Hocker (1853—1926)
  8. Martin M. Hocker (1855—1928)
  9. Anna C. Hocker (1860—1947)

Finding Burial Records Online

Kris Hocker on 16 Mar 2009

I enjoy visiting cemeteries looking for the burial locations of long-lost relations. There’s a sense of connection you feel standing in a place where family is resting. Unfortunately, traveling to those locations is not always possible.

Now you can find grave sites and burial information—sometimes including photos of gravestones—online. Family researchers,  genealogy buffs, and local historians have contributed information from cemeteries all over the country. You can take advantage of their kindness to locate family members you’ve been searching for.

Here are some of the web sites that I’ve used:

  1. Find A Grave (found a lot!)
  2. Interment.net
  3. Cemetery Junction
  4. National Veterans Website (find an American Vet’s grave site)
  5. Tombstone Transcription Project

If you do find someone you’ve been looking for, show a little kindness to someone else and share some of the information you’ve collected. You never know when it’ll lead to a family connection!

Photo: Beth and Violet Seltzer

Kris Hocker on 15 Mar 2009

Bethy and Violet Seltzer

Bethy and Violet Seltzer

Elizabeth and Violet Seltzer, daughters of Charles Augustus and Rebecca (Boyer) Seltzer. Charles Seltzer was a craftsman, a harnass maker.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Henry Uhland Seltzer

Kris Hocker on 14 Mar 2009

Henry Uhland Seltzer (1824—1897)

Henry Uhland Seltzer (1824—1897)

Henry Uhland Seltzer, son of Philip and Maria (Uhland) Seltzer, was born 15 Jun 1824 and died 25 Nov 1897. He was buried in the Palmyra Cemetery. He married Anna Hocker, daughter of Martin and Barbara (Smith) Hocker, 12 Dec 1850 in Harrisburg.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

Photo: Lloyd and Mary Stickel

Kris Hocker on 13 Mar 2009

Mary Hocker and Lloyd Stickel

Mary Hocker and Lloyd Stickel

Mary Crum Hocker, daughter of Samuel Augustus and Amanda Elizabeth (Crum) Hocker, married Lloyd Stickel, son of Nathan E. and Mayme (Hill) Stickel, about 1920 in Illinois.

Photo courtesy of Debbie Brown

Photo: Benjamin Franklin Seltzer

Kris Hocker on 13 Mar 2009

Benjamin Franklin Seltzer (1861—1949)

Benjamin Franklin Seltzer (1861—1949)

Benjamin Franklin Seltzer, son of Henry Uhland and Anna (Hocker) Seltzer, was born 1 Apr 1861 and died 9 Oct 1949. He married three times: first Elizabeth Litzenberger, second Katie Bealer, and third Matilda Sanders.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Bell

John Hocker

Kris Hocker on 12 Mar 2009

John Hocker was born on 12 Nov 1781 in Elizabeth Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, presumably the eldest son of Frederick and Catharina (Fuchs) Hacker.1,2 He was christened on 18 Nov 1781 in Emanuel Lutheran Church, Brickerville, Warwick township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, sponsored by Johannes Zieger and wife Barbara.3 John died in Reamstown, Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1847; he was 65.

John Hacker appears on the census for Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1810, 1820, and 1830. 4,5,6  On 20 Mar 1812, John-with his brother-in-law, Michael Klein-petitioned the court to award an inquest on his father’s estate.7  John subsequently refused his rights his father’s farm, in favor of his younger brother George.8

John first married about 1804 Salome/Sarah Moser, daughter of Johan Adam Moser (8 Nov 1746-26 Jan 1823) and Christina Prunner (5 Nov 1752-5 Nov 1823), in Pennsylvania. 9 Salome was born on 9 Aug 1783 in Pennsylvania and christened in Muddy Creek Lutheran Church, East Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.10 Salome/Sarah died in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, sometime before 1823, possibly as early as 1807. She is referred to as deceased in both her father and mother’s estate documents of 1823.11 She was buried in the Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Reamstown, Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.

They had the following children:

  1. John Hocker Jr. was born about 1804, probably in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania and may have died sometime after Aug 1896 in West Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was likely a farmer in West Cocalico township, Lancaster Pennsylvania. And he may have been the John Hocker who married on 25 Oct 1832 Rebecca Bucher, daughter of Jacob Bucher.
    1. Susanna B. Hacker (ca 1833-?)
    2. John B. Hacker (Jan 1839-1929)
    3. Isaac B. Hacker (5 Mar 1855-24 Jul 1921)
  2. George Hocker was born about 1805, probably in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was still alive in 1828, but nothing more is known about him.
  3. Lydia Hocker was born about 1807, probably in Cocalico township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. She was still alive in 1828, but nothing more is known about her.

Sometime before 1823, John married second Susanna Moser, daughter of Johan Adam and Christina (Prunner) Moser, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Susanna was born 3 Aug 1781.12,13 Susanna died in Durlach, Clay township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on 29 Nov 1863; she was 82.14

John and Susanna may have been married as early as 1811, and quite possibly had a son and two daughters, all born between 1811 and 1820. These children are not mentioned in the will of their grandfather Adam Musser as John’s three children with his first wife are named, because their mother Susanna was still living and therefore she was their grandfather’s direct heir.15

Susanna (Moser) Hacker was listed on the census for Elizabeth township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1850, living with Samuel Weich’s family.16 She was listed on the census for Clay township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania in 1860, living with Samuel Wike’s family.17 Samuel’s wife Sarah was likely the “Sara Hacker,” daughter of John and Susanna, born 22 Mar 1822 and baptized at Salem Lutheran church in Reamstown on 1 Jan 1826.18