Talk about paperwork

So I wanted to go back to Amos and keep working on him.  I went as far as I could with his 2nd wife and him, but I wanted to know more about his 1st wife Amy F Timbrel and their child whom he had left behind.  While looking at Amy I found that her last name was Mitchell and that I had a marriage date for her and Amos.

Before I go any farther in my story of Amy let me tell you what I have had in my "collection" since last fall.  In August, I ordered microfilm from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT.  It was birth, marriage and death records from Mahaska County, Iowa, from the time they started keeping records to the beginning of the 1900's.  I worked from August 2011 to March 2012, combing through all these records.  I made copies when I ran across my family or anyone connected to my family.  But after spending 2 days a week and endless hours going through the microfilm, I just didn't have it in me to come home to sort and organize my new finds.  Call it laziness, sloppiness...whatever but I was done.  So I spent 8 some odd months accumulating this massive amount of information.  I stare at it everyday and everyday I leave it be.  I figured when I got desperate enough I would go deal with it.  WELL, today is that day.  :)

I pulled out my stack of papers last night and took one look at it and said "I'll deal with this tomorrow", apparently that's my solution to this mess. LOL.  I had some last minute stuff to get ready for my cousin's graduation this weekend (insert YAHOO!! for my cousin Trevor Brown's great accomplishment of making it through high school) so I spent a good portion of the day working on that.  However, I still had this pile of papers taunting me on the table.  I started tackling it tonight.  WOW!! I have my work cut out for me but it will be so worth it in the end.

Now the Mitchell family was never on my radar while I spent hours perusing all these records.  But as I now go through them all again, I am so lucky that I am finding them on records with my other family.  These records sometimes have up to 40 names or more.  It takes time to go through each sheet.  But I will make it.

So you may not hear from me for a while for two reasons:
1. I am leaving on Thursday to go home to Gabbs for Trev's big day.
2. When I am home (here I mean) I will most likely have my head buried in a mountain of paperwork....and loving every minute.

I will see you next week sometime! ;)

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Page 1 of Amos & Amy's Marriage record

Page 2 Mahaska County, Iowa 28 Mar 1897

Just a day...

So two things happened today worth a mention.  One, I received the information I had requested from the Santa Cruz Genealogical Society.  They were very, very helpful. Even doing some searching on ancestry.com, in case I didn't have a subscription.  Only problem is that it didn't tell me who Alexander I. Timbrel's parents were.  They did tell me more about his daughter and a possible other daughter.  Unfortunately,  they do not match up with the kids I have for Isaiah and Florence.  So while, this still could be my guy, chances are pretty low.  I will have to think about whether or not I want to pay for his death certificate, which would (hopefully) have his parents listed.

Also, I heard from the Josephine County, Oregon volunteer today.  And she was able to get me the obit's I was wanting for Amos, Permelia, and her 2nd husband Charles Vanarnam.  The closest thing to a clue was in Permelia aka Myrtle's obit., "surviving are friends John and Minnie Freeman." I tried to see if they were still living but no luck there.  I emailed my lady back and am anxiously waiting to hear from her.  Maybe they are still alive and listed in the phone book.  But really, I am not holding out much hope.  Myrtle passed away in 1981 so its probable that they have passed too.  I was really hoping for a maiden name for Myrtle which could have confirmed or denied my theory that Myrtle and Amelia Fuson (Amos' marriage in Denver) are one and the same.  It fits but I need the proof. 

While I am waiting for obits for Florence Timbrel and Guy Gwynne Jr.'s obit, which I sent away for today.  I went back to Amos M. Timbrel's first wife Amy Mitchell Timbrel and their son together John Cecil Timbrel and started working on them.  One thing I noticed is that Cecil, as he went by that later in life, started adding two "l's" to the end of Timbrel.  So instead of "Timbrel" it reads "Timbrell".  It's curious because it just depends on the person whether there was two or one "l's".  For instance, all records for my 2x Great Grandfather Jake show just the one "l".  And that is how it has been spelled for all his descendant's.  I have not seen a real line in the family as to when or who spells it that way.  It just seems to be certain people spell it different.  I had heard a story by another family member that they heard that sometime back when, the family got into a fight and one part went on to spell it "Timbrel" and the other "Timbrell".  I have no proof for that though.  I love those family stories though, they make it all interesting. 

Mabel & Guy Gwynne

So this is why we verify everything.  I really thought this might be my couple because this Mabel's middle name was also Josephine and her husband's name was Guy.  But alas, I received word from the volunteer in Josephine County tonight and she couldn't get all the obits except Guy's but it was enough to tell me that this is NOT my couple.  That explains why the birth date's doesn't match up. :) Back to the drawing board, so they say. 

I also, did find that Josephine County has a very nice historical society that does research...for a fee of course.  Since the volunteer is unable to go look for the others I will pay the fees and have the historical society look for anything they may have on Amos M., Myrtle and Charles (Myrtle's 2nd husband). :)

I have started looking into Mabel's brother Claude Timbrel also (remember they are Isaiah's children, the ultimate goal is finding out what happened to Isaiah).  Claude was a great cattleman in the Grand Junction, Mesa, Colorado area in the early parts of the 1900's.  I have a wonderful photo of him from his younger years.  I think I might have a lead on his grandson though so I will wait till I have time to send him a letter and hear from him before I post it.  I hope that the address I have for him is still current.  I will try to get it written tonight and put in the mail in the morning. 

I am getting ready to leave for Salt Lake City with the Young Women from my church.  I have to get my kids to my brother's because we are leaving at 4:30 a.m. and I will need to get to bed early tonight. :) Wish me luck!

Talk about efficient

Last night, I wrote on how I had applied to the Oregon State Archives for Amos Timbrel's death certificiate.  First thing this morning, I wake up to an email from them with an attachment.  It's Amos' certificate.  :D Talk about efficient!!! Put in a request yesterday afternoon and this morning I am holding a copy of the certificate.  Love it!! Definitely, my guy!  The informant was his wife Myrtle R. Timbrel.  So far I have found three wives for Amos: Amy F. Mitchell, Amelia Fuson, and Myrtle R. Every day is an opportunity to learn.

Also heard from the Fairmount Cemetery.  All they had on Florence was the date she was buried.  I am loving how fast my request are being returned. :)  While I was hoping for more information I at least can narrow it down to a month. :)  I will see if I can find a volunteer in Denver, to look for an obit for her.

Was she 101 or 88??

Today, I managed to do a lot of work and not get many results.  Days like this happen when you are researching your family.  You can look and look for days and not find anything and then the next day hit paydirt. (A little mining reference there from the girl who grew up in mining communities lol).  Today was a look all day and just end up with more questions kinda day.

I spent most of the day looking into two brothers of my Grandpa Jake Timbrel.  Amos Monroe Timbrel and Isaiah "Ike" Timbrel.  Amos is an interesting person.  From what I know of Amos, who also went by Monroe, is that he lived in Mahaska County, Iowa (where most of the Timbrel's in this generation come from) until sometime around 1918.  He then travels to Denver, Co and was working for the American Express Company, according to his wife back home.  She stops hearing from him in the summer of 1918.  In Feb of 1920 she petitions state officials in Colorado to help her find her missing husband.  I am still looking to see if she ever hears  from them.  But I do notice that in May 1918 there is an Amos M. Timbrel that marries in Denver....interesting no?  Well so the next thing I find is a death record for an Amos M. Timbrel in Grants Pass, Josephine, OR in Oct 1948.  Luckily for me, I can request that document from the Oregon State Archives, which I have done.  And asked a volunteer for that county in Oregon to see if there is an obit. Hopefully, that will tell me if I am on the right track.  One thing I note is that I do not find a death record for the "new wife" in Oregon.  So what happened to this new wife?  Why did Amos leave behind a wife, child and very nice farm back in Iowa?  Like I said more questions to answer.

Now, I spent a good portion of my day on Isaiah.  To me there is just something about this man that keeps me coming back.  Maybe it's because I can't figure out what happens to him.  Or the fact that the closest thing to a lead I have is a California Death for an Alexander I. Timbrel that was born about the same time.  Well last week, I sent off for an obit (hopefully there is one) for this mysterious Alexander who bears a resemblance to my Isaiah.  Hopefully, I will get that next week.  But in the meantime I thought I would follow his wife and children to see what pops up.  Sometimes that leads to what your looking for.  Florence (Isaiah's wife) I find is living with their daughter Mabel and her husband Guy R. Gwynne/Gwynn and their two boys in 1920,  Arizona.  Which is where Guy's parents are living.  Florence dies in 1925 in Denver, Colorado.  I have contacted the Fairmount Cemetery to see if there is any more information on Florence.  I had planned on working on all of their children but I never make it past Mabel Josephine Timbrel Gwynn.  Most of the census records I have found for Mabel list her birthday as being abt 1882.  Except the Oregon Death Index, which has a Mabel J Gwynn b. 1895 d. 1983 Josephine, Oregon.  Yep, in the same place her Uncle Amos is living when he passes.  So I email the same volunteer back and ask for Mabel's obit also.  I am crossing my fingers.  The funny thing is the big age gap in the years of birth.  It's normal to see some difference of age but 13 years....that's a stretch for even me.  The only reason I suspect that this might be my Mabel is the fact that it lists spouse's name as being Guy.  I wonder was she trying to make herself younger in her old age or older in her younger years.  I am leaning more towards the first.  So was she a 101 or 88?? Unfortunately, for me Oregon has a state law that prohibits anyone from having access to death certificates for the first 50 years.  In 2033, I will be able to see it. ;) In the meantime, I am really hoping the volunteer comes through with those obituaries.  Mabel's husband worked for a company that sent him out of the country quite a few times.  In 1918, he applies for a U.S. Passport.  Back then, he only had to list on his passport application his family that he was taking with him.  It shows all his information, his sons names, places & dates of birth, but only Mabel's name.  And also when he reapplies in 1924, it just lists her name on the application.  However, on two passenger lists I find for Mabel it gives the 1882 birthdate.  I really can not wait to see if this "younger" Mabel is my Mabel.  I am going to have to mull over Mabel and my questions for her for a couple days.  I think tomorrow I will see what I can dig up on her brother Claude and sister Dott.  :)