Grandpa Baldwin’s Birthday

Happy Birthday Grandpa Baldwin 

Jess William Baldwin was born March 28, 1898, in Eliasville, Young County, Texas.  His parents were Allen and Mary (Stewart) Baldwin.  When Jess was about 15 years old, his parents moved up into Oklahoma - near Mountain Park, Kiowa County, Oklahoma.  It was in Oklahoma that he met a young lady named Mabel Leffel.  Mabel had also been born in Young County, Texas.  Her parents had moved to Oklahoma in 1904. 

Mabel and Jess Baldwin

Jess and Mabel married on Christmas Day 1917.  They were the parents of fourteen children and grandparents of 46 (50 including step-grandchildren) and great-grandparents of about 89.  In 1934, the Jess and Mabel Baldwin family moved from Oklahoma and eventually ended up living in Colorado, where a lot of the family still resides.

Grandpa was a stockman and spent most of his life buying and selling livestock.  He was especially good with horses and always knew a good horse when he saw one. He worked at the Cortez Sale Barn and later ran a Sale Barn in Montrose, Colorado.

Grandpa died 50 years ago on March 8, 1972.  He has been missed everyday of those 50 years by his family.

Since starting this blog in 2008, I have added many posts about Grandpa Jess.  Below are links to most of them.  The first post listed, My Favorite Cowboy, has been one of this blog's most viewed and popular posts.

My Favorite Cowboy

Jess Baldwin at the Cortez Sale Barn
Jess & Mabel married Christmas Day 1917
Jess and Mabel Baldwin  Obits
Jess and Mabel Baldwin Family 1928 
Jess Baldwin and Dyslexia
Hats Off to the Cowboy
Baldwin Family Tree
Allen Baldwin Family

My Favorite Cowboy Colorized

Baldwin Family Christmas 

Jess and Mabel Baldwin 1966 

In Living Color

Baldwin Family 1947 

Cause of Death for Ancestors

Where to Find a Cause of Death 

For years I searched for death dates for my ancestors.  Death dates were found in family records, bible records, headstones, obituaries, death records, etc.  The death dates were not always combined with a cause of death.  And, if cause of death was mentioned, I did not always pay attention and record the cause.  I have since repented of my negligent ways and always try to find a cause of death, as well as the date of death.

Mortality Schedules

Mortality Schedules were included in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 US Federal Censuses.  The mortality schedules asked questions regarding those who died in the twelve (12) months prior to the census enumeration.  During the 1850 to 1880 time period, the mortality schedules are among the best sources for cause of death if your ancestor happened to die in the year leading up to the census. 

My 4th great-grandmother, Sarah McNeil, died in March prior to the census being taken on June 1st, 1860.  She is shown in the Parke County, Indiana 1860 Mortality Schedule on page 41, line 24.  Information given: Name: Sarah McNeal; Age: 60; Female; Born: Virginia; Died: Mar 1860; Cause of death: Consumption; Sick 14 days. 

1860 Mortality Schedule, Parke County, Indiana, line 24
Sarah McNeil, 4th Great-Grandmother
Died of Consumption

Death Records

Of course, the best place to find a cause of death is a death record/certificate.  Most states did not start recording deaths until the early 1900's, although some local health departments in larger cities began recording deaths in the mid-1800's. Most of our ancestors lived on the frontiers of Oklahoma and Texas in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  Death certificates were not widely available in Oklahoma and Texas until the 1920's and sometimes even into the mid 1930's - especially in Oklahoma. Thankfully by 1938 there was a death certificate for my grandmother's (Mabel Leffel Baldwin) cousin, Florida Tucker Stanford Leffel.  Her death certificate solved a big mystery, read about it here.

Death Certificate for Florida Melissa (Tucker Sanford) Leffel
Florida died of acute coronary occlusion 

County Records

Sometimes death information can be found in county records.  James Baldwin died in 1905 before death certificates were issued, but Robertson County, Texas kept a County Record of Deaths.  James Baldwin of Seale, Texas, 59 years old, died of pneumonia on 11 Feb 1905 in Seale, Texas.

 

James M Baldwin died of pneumonia on 11 Feb 1905
Robertson County, Texas Record of Deaths, Vol 1, pg 8

County Coroner records will also give cause of death.  A mysterious disappearance of Thomas Box Jr was solved with Arizona County Coroner records from 1884.  His remains were found in the Arizona desert and a coroners inquest was held on 26 Oct 1884.  Read here.

Other sources for finding a cause of death prior to death certificates being issued are obituaries, newspaper articles, military records, pension records, funeral home records, biographies, local history books, and family records/stories.

Obituaries

Sometimes an early obituary might mention a cause of death (but often times not).  The example below of the 1891 obituary for my 3rd great-grandfather, James Wilson (1814-1891), mentioned his cause of death as "tumor of the stomach".   

James Wilson Obituary
The Democrat. (McKinney, Tex.), Thursday, April 9, 1891 

Next is a 1903 obituary for Elizabeth Weiss Martin and her daughter, May Martin.  Both, mother and daughter, died of measles on the same day, March 8, 1903.

Mrs. John Martin and daughter, May, died of Measles.
11 March 1903, Rock Island Argus and Daily Union, pg 8

Newspaper Articles

In addition to obituaries, newspapers will sometimes mention a cause of death in a newspaper article.  Several examples are found in the Republican Banner newspaper (Nashville, TN).  In 1845, there was a news report of a tree limb falling on and killing our 4th great-grandfather Britton Medlin. 

Britton Medlin died when a tree limb fell on him.
Republican Banner, Nashville, TN; Monday, April 14, 1845

 In another 1854 article titled, "Health of Lebanon", our 3rd great-grandmother, Mrs Sam'l Medlin (Rebecca Morgan), was mentioned in a list of those who died of cholera.  

Mrs. Samuel Medlin died of cholera
Republican Banner, Nashville, TN, 8 Jul 1854

If death is caused by murder, there will almost always be a newspaper article.  Click here to read several newspaper articles about members of our extended family who were murdered.  Below is a news article about the death of Thomas Box.  Read more about his murder, click here. 

 

Arizona Stockman Murdered
Dodge City Globe, Dodge, Kansas
18 Nov 1884

Military and Pension Records

Other records that might show a cause of death are Military and Pension records.  I have found pension records a great source for death information.  In 1914, 2nd great-grandfather Henry Stewart left Oklahoma and traveled to a Military Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas where he died. His death record with cause of death was found in his pension file.  If he had stayed home in Oklahoma, he would not have a death record during that time period.

Henry R Stewart death record
Civil War Pension File

Books

Books, such as local history books, biographies, and family history books, will occasionally give a cause of death. David Miller Leffel's cause of death is recorded in the book, Tainted Breeze The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas 1862, by Richard B McCaslin.  David Leffel was one of 40 Union sympathizing men who were hanged by Confederates in 1862 at Gainesville, Texas.  David Miller Leffel is also listed on the Memorial Monument of the men who were hanged.

Monument to those who were hanged in
the Great Hanging at Gainesville October 1862

Montague, Texas county histories tell of the death of James Jackson Box in 1866.  James Jackson Box was shot, killed, and scalped by Kiowa Indians, his baby daughter was also killed, and rest of his family kidnapped on 10 Aug 1866.  To read about the Massacre of the Box Family, click here.

Cause of Death Pedigree Chart

Below is a pedigree chart of my direct ancestors.  I created the pedigree chart back four generations without names and only the cause of death (if known) and age at death for each ancestor.    

Related Posts: 

David Miller Leffel

James Wilson

Died of Cholera 

Henry Stewart Civil War Pension

Britton Medlin

Died of Measles

Mystery Solved

Murder in the Family

Remains Found in Arizona Mountains 

Box Family Massacre 1866 

Find A Grave Memorial links can be found here

Grandma McNeil

 Sarah Margaret Cole McNeil

1826-1905

Sarah Margaret Cole McNeil
1902

Sarah Margaret Cole, the daughter of Nathan Cole and Anna Margaret Goble, was born 21 February 1826, in Sullivan County, Indiana.  Her birth, along with births of her husband and children, was recorded on a sheet of paper that was tucked in an old family bible.

While Sarah's obituary states she was born in Sullivan County, Indiana, I have never found any records indicating that the family actually lived in Sullivan.  All records for Sarah's parents are found in Parke County, Indiana.  Sarah was living in Parke County, Indiana when she met William S McNeil.  She was 21 years old when she and William married on 17 October 1847 in Parke County, Indiana by Justice of the Peace Scott Noel.  .  

William S McNeil and Sarah M Cole Marriage Record
Parke County, Indiana

The young couple continued to live in Parke County until  about 1854 when they moved to Taylor County, Iowa.  In the 1856 Iowa State Census, William and Sarah are enumerated in Ross Township, Taylor, Iowa.  William and Sarah have two children, S.A. (Susannah Amanda) and T.C. (Thomas C.).  An older daughter, Eliza Jane, had previously passed away.

1856 Iowa State Census, Ross Township, Taylor County 
Wm S McNeil Family

Sarah's youngest brother, Timothy Cole, is living in the household with them.  Next door to the McNeil family was Sarah's sister, Abigail Cole Stine, and her family. 

William and Sarah moved again a few years later.  By 1860, they were living in Nodaway County, Missouri.  The census shows that two more children were added to the family: Rocksa (Roxie Ellen)  and Nancy (Nancy Abigail). The family is still in Nodaway County, Missouri for 1870 Federal Census.  The post office given in the census is Maryville.  Two sons more sons had been born into the family: Nathan H. and James H.

In 1878, the family moved to Smith County, Kansas.  William homestead land in Harvey Township, Smith County, Kansas.  William and Sarah remained in Kansas the remainder of their lives.

William died on 5 February 1894 and was buried in the Cedar Cemetery.  Sarah has not been found in the 1900 census, but was most likely living with her son, Nate.  In 1902, the McNeils  had a family reunion.  The following newspaper notice for the reunion was published in the Smith County Pioneer newspaper.

1902 McNeil Reunion

As mentioned in the above newspaper article, the family had their picture taken by Photographer Stone.  Below is a colorized version of the family group photo.

McNeil Family Reunion 1902

(Back row: Martin M. Hatfield, Nancy McNeil Hatfield, Thomas C. McNeil, Mary "Stella" Reed Hoyt, George Hoyt, Addie Ball, Noah Ball, Alma Peterson Hatfield, Amos Reed, Charles E. Hatfield. Middle row: Minnie Newbrey McNeil, James "Harmon" McNeil, Verna McNeil, Susie Hoyt McNeil, Nathan H McNeil, Grandma McNeil (Sarah Cole McNeil), Levi Ball, Susan McNeil Ball, Albert Reed, Roxie Ellen McNeil Reed. Children: Clinton Hatfield, Lenard McNeil, Juanita Higby, Nellie McNeil Miller, Lester McNeil, Blanche Hatfield, Blanche McNeil Miller, Alfred Hatfield.)

The family photo taken at the reunion is remarkable for several reasons: (1) Only known picture of Sarah Margaret Cole McNeil was taken at this reunion and (2) All of Sarah's living children were at the reunion and in the photo.

Another picture was taken at the reunion.  This photo was of Grandma McNeil (Sarah Margaret Cole McNeil) and her children.  Back row (L-R) Harmon McNeil, Nathan McNeil, and Thomas McNeil.  Sarah and daughters are sitting in the front row (L-R): Nancy McNeil Hatfield, Grandma Sarah Cole McNeil, Susannah McNeil Ball, and Roxie Ellen McNeil Reed.  

Grandma McNeil and her children 1902

Below is a close-up of Grandma McNeil.  It is the only known photo of Sarah M Cole McNeil.

Sarah M Cole McNeil 
1902

Sarah was known as "Grandma McNeil" to the community.  In 1899, Grandma McNeil is on the sick list by the Smith County Pioneer Newspaper.  And in 1904, Grandma McNeil is reported to have been stricken with apoplexy (incapacity resulting from a stroke).

Smith County Pioneer Newspaper
9 Feb 1899

Smith County Pioneer Newspaper
8 Dec 1904

Sarah died two months later on 5 February 1905.  She was almost 79 years old.  Sarah was buried in the Cedar Cemetery next to her husband, William.

Grandma McNeil Obituary
Smith County Pioneer, 2 Feb 1905

McNeil Headstone
Cedar Cemetery

Remember the Alamo

This day, one hundred eighty-six years ago, was an eventful day in our family's history. The Battle of the Alamo took place on March 6, 1836.

Our Sadler and Lindley ancestors made the move from Illinois to Texas in 1833.  They, along with many other colonists living in Texas, were accustomed to the freedoms they had enjoyed previous to moving into Texas and were not happy with Mexico's increasing dictatorial attempts.  

Texas in Revolution
23 Oct 1835, Richmond Enquirer, pg 4

By the latter part of 1835, the Texians were engaging in battles and revolting against the Mexican government.  Our family's Jonathan Lindley was part of this movement of revolt. 

Jonathan Lindley joined Capt. Carey's Company in the regular Texas Army in the fall of 1835.  Jonathan then participated in the Battle of the Bexar on December 14, 1835, in which the Texians captured the city of  San Antonio de Bexar and fortified the Alamo into a fort.  Afterwards, Jonathan and many others returned home for Christmas hoping that the Revolution was over.  At some point in time after the first of the year, Jonathan returned to help defend the Alamo.

Alamo Battle - Texas State Archives

On February 23, 1836, a Mexican army commanded by General Santa Anna began a siege of the Alamo.  The siege lasted for 13 days.  At dawn on March 6, 1836, Santa Anna's Mexican assault troops stormed the Alamo and overpowered the Texians.   All the defenders of the Alamo, about 189 men, were killed in the battle, which lasted about 90 minutes.  After the battle, Santa Anna had the bodies of the dead stacked and burned.  

Battle of the Alamo

During the siege, on March 2, 1836, a congress of Texians convened at Washington-on-the-Brazos and declared Texan Independence from Mexico.  News of the Alamo's fall, prompted many to join Sam Houston's army and fight for Texan Independence.  On April 21, 1836, the Texan Army attacked Santa Anna's army at San Jacinto.  The battle, which lasted only 18 minutes, was a victory for the Texans.  The battle cry for the Texans was "Remember the Alamo!"

The Alamo

Alamo

Related Posts:

Jonathan Lindley - Defender of the Alamo 

John Sadler

Samuel Washington Lindley