Hiram Meets and Marries Cordelia Gunnis [Guinness]

Unveiling of the bust of General Isaac Brock in front of the 
courthouse in Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada.

This work is full of swings and roundabouts. You can gain some here and you lose some there. You have to keep trying to prove yourself wrong to be sure that you just might be right. It means a lot of work. I have had to chase down several false leads to ensure that I might be on the right track. Fortunately, the tools are getting better each month.

Take the Automated Genealogy site for instance [Click here for the 1852 Census]. Stumbling on to it saved me a great deal of trouble. I put in 'Hays' and got a hit for a 'Hiram' in Dundas county. Interesting bloke. Immigrated from the United States and lived in Dundas creating generations of people to follow up. But, once you realise,  after reviewing the data of a couple of decades that this could not be our guy, you write him off the list. And, on it goes.

The other Hiram Hays was too young. But, there was a Henry of the right age in Emsley Township, Leeds. So, I followed the link. It led me to a transcribed page that was easy to read quickly. However, you could activate the split view and see the original scanned page from the census book. There are a lot of people doing very tedious work so that we can find our relatives. They deserve our thanks.

What did I find? A lead which was both positive and negative. First the negative, there were no other members of a family with him:

Hays, Henry, Labourer, Ireland, Church of England, 55, M. [He's still there, single, never married, in 1861.]

But, this was positive as well. I had a possible direction to follow, if this was the Henry Hays from Richmond. It meant that Henry was not our likely progenitor. And, it gave me a putative age for Hiram. As I had suspected, they were probably born before the Acts of Union passed in the Parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland in 1800 and taking effect in 1801.

Now, I have to admit that I found a stray bit of interesting information at this point. I cannot discover the source because the link is broken. But, on one of the large names and numbers sites, I found an interesting tidbit on this page of the Sorted By Name site.

HAYS, Hiram (father), and Jane [no surname shown], had a baby, Jane HAYS born 29 Dec 1845 in Elmsley, Ontario, Canada.

I've learned to use the shotgun approach every now and then to break of the monotony of a systematic gleaning. So, I knew that there was something to be found in Leeds. This is part of the positive. I knew that there was a Hiram there somewhere and finding Henry convinced me to investigate further at the Automated Genealogy site; thus, in went a query for Hayes. This is what I found:

Hayes, Jane, Ireland, Church of England, 48, F [Note: Widowed]
Hayes, Hirem, Canada, Church of England, 19, M
Hayes, Margaret, Canada, 10, F
Hayes, June, Canada, 7, F

This was actually in Wolfred Township, Grenville County, Ontaria. But, not to worry, Grenville and Leeds are adjoined. In fact, they are later joined into one county. This is the 1852 Census (begun in 1851 and finished in 1852). So, June or Jane would have been born in 1845. It may be reasonably assumed that Hiram senior died sometime between 1845 and 1852.

Just a few short years later, another event of importance to the family occurs. According to an entry on page 427 of Reid's Marriage Notices, Hiram Hays marries Caroline [Cordelia] Gunnis in Brockville, Leeds, Ontario in the Wesley Chapel on 2 October 1854. The Reverend R. Whitney officiated.

Is this Cordelia Gunnis, the girl with the unfortunate name, the same Cordelia found with Hirom in Brant, Bruce, Ontario and is she the mother of our John Hayes? I'll make the connection in the next posts. And, yes, Gunnis is really spelled: Gunniss, Gennis, Guiness, Guinness and so forth, as well. With the right accentuation, it is easily discerned as the same name [anyone who has been to New Zealand knows the interesting differences that can occur in pronunciation]. Same family origins as well, magennis [Mac Aonghusa], descendants of Angus. Their territory was traditionally the County Down of Ulster Province.

Attribution of Image:

See page for author [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

One more Hiram, perhaps Hierom (Jerome), to go

A soldier of 100th Regiment (PD:75yrs)

When I realised that I would be looking for a Hiram Hayes in Ontario, I did something a bit silly. I just put that into a Google search engine. What I found were some interesting pieces of information about the early settlers in Goulbourn. This would become Richmond, Ontario.

At a site dealing with the early settlers in the Goulbourn Township, we are informed that the soldiers who settled in Richmond had been disbanded in Lachine, Quebec. They were mainly from County Cavan and County Tipperary. In fact, the 100th was known as the Prince Regent or County Dublin Regiment which had been raised in 1804.

The plan was for the soldiers to settle along the border region with the United States to provide a group of trained militia in the event of another incursion from the south. This would also reduce the number of unemployed, and perhaps unemployable, men at arms who might otherwise return to Ireland and England. Ironically, there was a rebellion in Canada in 1837 due, in large part, to poor governance.

Included in a list of yeomen, private, who were late of the 99th Regiment (the 100th after the 95th was removed to become the famous Rifle Brigade) living in the Township of Goulburn, County of Carleton, District of Bathurst are*:

Hiram Hayes E 1/2 No 13 in the 4th Concession of Goulbourn 4 Feb 1824
Henry Hayes W 1/2 No 14 in the 4th Concession of Goulbourn 4 Feb 1824

According to the site linked below**, this setting was not auspicious. It was not well situated in terms of farming. Perhaps more importantly, the construction of a canal at 'Bytown' (Ottawa) meant work for people possessing various crafts or a strong body (similar to the construction of the Eire Canal in New York). This canal work began in 1826. It stifled the further development of the settlement of Richmond which had begun in the early 1820s. The decommissioning of the joint civilian and military authority over the settlement in 1822 had not helped.

The situation for Hiram and Henry seems to fit this nicely. I was unable to find either of them in this area in the census data of 1821/1822.Yet, according to the transcription above, they took up the opportunity for gaining a land concession at the beginning of 1824. However, by 1826, they had sold their 'memorials' to their service in the 100th Regiment of Foot which would have been 100 acres as privates.

In 1826, a John Gordon bought Concession 4, Lot No 13 E from Hiram Hayes on 9 January. Henry sold his portion in stages. He also sold them at a later date. If I am correct, he sold one half of his allotment to Edward Morris, former sergeant in the 99th, on the 4th of November 1826 and the other half on 3 December 1827.***

Notes from the site from which this information about the sale of the lots was gathered provide the following information:

Henry was born in Tipperary, Ireland and was a musician in the 99th (100th). Hiram was a private. 

There is no indication in the notes that they were related. However, as we shall see, they do end up settling near each other in another location.

Where were these two before 1824 and where did they go after 1826? At this point I just shotgunned it and saw something curious in the list for the 1861 Census.

There was a Hirom Hays listed in Brant, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada. Looking closely at the scanned document I was delighted to see:

Hirom Hays, Farmer, 26, Upper Canada, Church of England, Married
Cardale [Cordelia] Hays, 25, Upper Canada, Church of England, Married
William Henery [sic] Hays, 5, Upper Canada, Church of England, Single
John Hays, 3, Upper Canada, Church of England, Single

Cordelia (according to the transcriber) is a twist in the hose; but everything else looks like it might line up. Hiram, William H. and John Hayes. Rosa and Hiram Daniel were born after 1861.

Can I make the connections to Hiram or Henry? Can I make a connection between this family and the Hiram Hayes family that I have found in Michigan. I think there is a prima facie case for both.

But first notice, once more, the spelling of Hiram as Hirom! There may be a good reason for this.

* http://www.bytown.net/goulbour.htm
**Click here to be taken to a site with good background information on the topic.
***http://www.stanzell.ca/Early%20settlers%20Goulb.htm

How Many Hirams Does It Take To Find John Hayes' Ancestors?

I put Hiram Hayes into the search engine for Ancestry and got a hit for the 1880 Census in Hamtramck, Wayne, Michigan. There are other Hayes families around Hiram, such as those belonging to Edward and Michael whose parents turn out to be John Hayes and Ellen Allen. The Hayes familes are all nested together in the census in the northeast corner of the township. However, the details don't all fit. One thing that I notice as I search is that Hiram Hayes arrived in the United States in 1866. Edward and Michael were both born in Michigan in the early 1830s. Hiram was born in Canada around 1864. Can this all be explained? Hmmm...good question.

Just a reminder, our John Hayes records 1872 as the date of his arrival. This has caused me a great deal of anxiety for some time. However, when I finally got all of the pieces of the puzzle together, this information actually helped me to confirm what I had found. It is an amazing tale. Yes, the Guinness family is involved. So, I had better keep moving to get to the pint.

In the 1880 Census, there are two Hirams. One is 43 (1837) and he has a wife, Mary (44; 1836). The other Hiram is 16 and has an older sister named Rosa (18). When I walk the census forward to 1900, I get a bonza hit. [By the way, there is at least one more Hiram, or should I say Hierom (Jerome) in the pile.]

Hiram D. Hayes (36; Oct 1863) is living in Wexford, Wexford County, Michigan with his wife Sarrah E. Hayes (32). They have three children with them: Amy (13), Minnie M. (3) and Russell D. (1). Very significantly, as we will see in a future post, Hiram's father was born in 'France, Canada' and mother 'Canada, Ireland'. Hiram and Sarrah were married in 1887. Sarrah has had four children; but, only three have survived. Her parents were both born in English Canada.

And, where is the older Hiram (60) in 1900? He is living with his wife of one year, Mary (56)! He is also living with a son, William, and his wife of two years, Olive. They are all in Deep River, Arenac, Michigan. He immigrated in 1866 and his parents were both born in Ireland. The age differences betwen the 'two' Marys may indicate that Hiram had married again. This is certainly not unheard of. I'll have more to say about this later.

In the 1910 census, the couple are listed as 63 for Hiram and 60 for Mary. They are still in Arenac. In fact, just two years later, they both die within months of each other. Mary dies of face cancer. While we can access their death certificates, there is not information of consequence as there is no informant. Mary dies first and Hiram is so incapacitated that he can only make his mark. When he dies, there is no family member there to provide information. So, sadly, there is nothing about parents. However, this is not the dead end that it looks like it might be.

Did you notice that Hiram D. Hayes is living in Wexford in 1900? This is Sherman Village. Who else is living in Hanover, Wexford? John, Lottie, Clarence (17), Harry (9), and Eva (7). [Note that in the 1900 Census, Lottie is listed as having 3 of 5 children still living; this will be important below.] Is this enough to link the two families? Perhaps not. But, what if we were to as where everyone was between 1880 and 1900? It certainly gets interesting. We know that Hiram D. and Sarah E. were in Green Oak, Livingston, Michigan in 1898 (between Lansing and Detroit). Their son Raymond, who had been born in 1892, was killed by a horses' kick to his head on 8 May 1898. According to the death certificate, he was buried in the Baptist cemetery there. Their son, Russell D. was born in Green Oak on 15 August 1898.

Minnie M. was born in 1895/1897 in Argenton [Argentine], Genessee, Michigan.

If we look for William Hayes, who might be John's brother, we get the following important hit. A William A. Hayes is in the Census for Maple Forest, Crawford County, Michigan in 1880. He is single. In 1888, there is a land claim in Crawford for a William H. Hayes. It turns out to be for 100 acres which is a lot of land to clear, plow and upgrade by yourself! According to the Crawford County, Michigan Dibean Marriage Index, a William Hayes marries Ellen Ford on 6 September 1889.

When we realize that Florence A. Hayes was born in Royal Oak, Oakland on 7 November 1880, Clarence Milton in Cadillac, Wexford on 2 February 1883; Charles is born in Maple Forest Township on 8 June 1889; according to the "Michigan, Births, 1867-1902" records, of which a scanned copy was viewed, Harry James in Maple Forest Township (draft registration says, Frederick), Crawford on 19 October 1890 and Eva C. in Grayling, Crawford in 1893. It would seem that the Hayes family members were working to support each other in a variety of places. Later, Clarence Cecil, son of Clarence Milton, would settle in Mount Morris with his cousins.

Can I do more? Yep. After all, there is a pint of Guinness waiting for me at the end of the trail.

Just a reminder: William H. Hayes said in the 1920 Census that he arrived in 1871; in the 1910 Census he said 1866. Is it possible that both dates are correct?

Attribution for image: Kenneth Allen [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Picking Up On An Important Clue for Clarence Hayes in Detroit

Frederick H. and Minnie M. (nee Hayes) Woodard gravestone

Sometimes, little things mean an awful lot in the family history game. It is often difficult to know if what is staring you in the face is a clue or a distraction. You have to keep triangulating your data to find the right patterns. This can take years of searching. It can also require that important information surface at just the right time. Finally, it requires patience and perseverance. If you are only content to get things right the first time, you will miss out. You have to be willing to visit and revisit the data and the data sources. They change through time.

Some years ago, I found a Clarence Hayes in Detroit. He was divorced and living with his cousin. His occupation was home decorator. Now, this could have been our Clarence. He was not with Otis Arthur who had married Verona Irene Bulman in September 1929. Otis was living with his mother-in-law, Lena, in Flint, Michigan in the 1930 Census. [Tracking down Frederick Albert Bulman, Lena's husband, at this point is another story.] Lucy is back with her father and brother in Wexford during this census. Her obituary says that this return to Buckley occurred in 1927 and she is referred to as being widowed.

I heard many stories about Clarence while growing up. Some less savory than others. I got the impression that he had gone off the rails in a big way. But, you can never know whether the story is helpful until you've heard all sides. I know that Percy, Verona's older brother, was great friends with Otis. In 1930, they built a mono-winged plane in Flint. Verona told me that Percy introduced Otis to her when they were both teenagers. And, there is evidence from the 1920 Census that Clarence and Lucy were in Flint with Clarence Cecil and Otis Arthur. There is also evidence from the street directories that they were there before that census.

According to the evidence, Clarence is a street car conductor. But, something else was happening. Verona said that Otis disappeared from the Bulman circle for some time. I am not sure if he actually left Flint or if his father's behavior caused him problems. But, there seems to have been a fairly lengthy gap in Verona and Otis' relationship. Perhaps he had accompanied Lucy back to Buckley. Verona was more than pleased when Otis came back into their lives. I have often wondered whether there might be a subtext around second families and so forth; but, this might just be a fertile imagination.

I have always thought of Clarence as a failed farmer who because a street car conductor (nothing wrong with that!). But, recently, street directory information has become available that lists Clarence M. Hayes (Lucy) as a painter in Flint during much of the 1920s. In fact, Lucy and Clarence are listed together until the end of the decade. So, their effective split and Clarence's non-support and desertion may stem from this period.

It is the clue about painting that opened up a new set of possibilities to be explored. If Clarence was a house painter, then, listing himself in a Detroit enumeration district in 1930 as a home decorator is a perfectly reasonable way of managing your image. This is especially true, if you have separated from your family and find yourself living with your cousin.

That leads me to the next little bump. For years, I thought the cousin was the person listed as the head of the household, Frederick H. Woodard. I spent a little bit of time trying to find Woodards listed Hayeses and found nothing.

Then, recently, I thought I would seek out the marriage documents for Frederick and Minnie M. hoping that this might indicate that the relationship had been through Frederick's mother. It was an 'uffda' moment when I discovered that a Minnie M. Hayes had married Frederick according to "Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925, image 438 of 606". Her father was Hiram and her mother was ... E. Soper.

Hiram was either a brother of John or a cousin. Or, was he? How would I be able to make a connection between the families? That is the difficulty.

Clarence Milton Hayes: Man of Mystery (with Canadian connections)

Record of Birth: Otis Arthur Hayes

Otis Arthur Hayes was my grandfather. I never knew him. He died before I was born. He died of a heart attack in his earlier forties. Readers related to Otis will want to take note of this. Otis' brother Clarence Cecil Hayes also died young. So did their mother, Lucy Amy Hayes nee Peper. Lucy and her sister, Edith Bradford, died within a few weeks of each other.

I guess that is why I have been fascinated by a document in my possession. It is a Court of Record document for the birth of Otis. This is where I was able to confirm for the first time that Otis' father was Clarence Milton Hayes (I think there is a novel in the reason for the middle name as we will see).  We also now have confirmation of Lucy's middle name, Amy.

Notice that this Court of Record document was procured on 10 June 1942. There may be a specific reason for this. I have another document from the same Circuit Court in the county seat, Cadillac, Wexford, Michigan, indicating that Lucy and Clarence finalised their divorce on 5 June 1942. The reason for the divorce is a claim of desertion that seems uncontested. Clarence is able to keep his lands and Lucy goes her own way.

First Page of Hayes Divorce

The document states that Clarence had confessed to non-support and desertion. It also states that there were material facts presented in open court to attest to this desertion. We do not have access to this information at present. Perhaps it is on record somewhere. What I have available are the copies of documents passed on to me.

June 1942 is a significant month in the history of my family. The repercussions of this legal action have been long lasting. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the behaviours and decisions of family members that led to this decree have decisively influence our family's ability to know something of its history and heritage.

After several decades of seeking out information, I have been able to unravel something of the mystery of Clarence Milton Hayes after the last census in which he is found with Lucy and his children, Otis and Clarence in 1920. This has taken patient work and the good luck of having access to a wide variety of scanned documents that are increasingly available online. It would be impossible to have conducted this search from Australia. In fact, it would probably have been impossible to do while living in North America without the Internet.

Second Page of Hayes Divorce

Perhaps of even greater importance than finding a little more about Clarence is the fact that I have been able to find many of his father's family. I can even speculate with a reasonable certainty that his grandfather was a private in the 100th Regiment of Foot while stationed in Canada before it was renumbered as the 99th in 1816. It was disbanded in 1818 having been engaged in important contests during the War of 1812. [Think of Sharpe's Rifles; you'll see why later.]

Most of the recruits for the 100th were from various counties in Ireland. Because it was a British Army regiment, we may eventually be able to view the recruitment and regimental records at the Public Records Office (PRO) in London. Having gained my doctorate through researching Australian and British forces captured by the Japanese in World War 2, I have spent some time in the Imperial War Museum and have also found documentation in the National Archives in London. I have also traveled to England with immediate family to investigate family who originated in Wales and Kent. Another trip to London would be nice!

But, I have one more document that I would like to present in this post. Clarence had to register for both the First and Second World Wars. The registration for the later took place in 1942. So, while I have not found Clarence in the 1940 census as yet, I can place him in Detroit in 1942. I know that this is our Clarence Milton Hayes because he lists Clarence Cecil Hayes of Flint, Michigan as the person who could contact CMH when required. This is an important bit of information. A Clarence M. Hayes had been a rather famous and influential photographer in Detroit for many decades and the databases are filled with information about him.

WW2 Draft Registration Card: Clarence Milton Hayes

Like the first draft registration card, this document is important for confirming CMH's birth as 2 February 1883. I have not been able to find any other record of birth as yet. For a long time, I thought that he was the first child of John and Charlotte (Lottie Jarvis) Hayes. However, I have since found a record for the birth of a Florence A. Hayes in November of 1880 which was the year that John and Lottie were married in Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan. John and Lottie are recorded as her parents.

Notice the shaky signature. Also notice that CMH is working for self and that he had been born in Cadillac, Wexford, Michigan. So, he was born, married and divorced in Wexford. Lucy would die in a hospital in Cadillac in 1946. Clarence died in 1963. We know this because the sexton of the cemetery in Wexford County told me the date. I have no other source at this point. I have a newspaper clipping of Lucy's death and interment. I found information on the Internet as to where the couple were buried. But, when we went there in 2011, we had to ask the sexton where they were buried because the graves are unmarked. However, there are stones for Lucy's parents. I would like to procure headstones soon.

As yet, I cannot find anything for Clarence Milton Hayes after 1942. He disappears from the radar. However, there is an important piece of information in the 1930 Census that I have not known how to use until very recently. I was never sure that it referred to our Clarence Hayes. Now I am. I'll tell you about it in the next post.

Seeking and Finding Lost Sheep: John and Clarence Milton Hayes

I got into the game of family history because a Bible with information about the Peper family in Michigan went missing. My Dad wondered who these people were. His sister provided a way forward with the list of names for the Bulman family hand written by her grandfather. I took it from there nearly thirty years ago.

It has been slow going at times. Many times, I put the materials away. I sometimes despair of ever getting everything in this blog. I still have to keep searching for the 'lost sheep'. But, these are stories to be told and histories to explore. These are people who lived and died. Their living made mine possible. Their dying reminds me that I have a limited time to make a difference in the lives of others.

For the next few posts, I would like to bring the Hayes family to the foreground. Specifically, I would like to outline the fortunes of my father's great grandfather, John, and his grandfather, Clarence Milton Hayes. For a long time they were 'brick walls'. I am still looking for information about their beginnings and endings. However, I know have a much clearer idea of what this means.

Indeed, I believe that I have discovered John's family in both Michigan and in Upper Canada (Ontario). I cannot absolutely be certain that I am right at this point. However, my past experience tells me that getting some information out on the blog might lead to someone in the larger family connected the dots more adequately.

Hanover, Wexford County, Michigan will loom large in this story as will Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan.

The Final Mrs. M. Bulman: Mary Bullman nee Lockwood

Here is the last Mrs. M. Bulman in the dead letter saga. I think this is the one. I may be mistaken; but, it makes a great deal of sense. Of course, we may never know. Yet, it has been a useful thread to hang a few stories on like Christmas cards.

Mary Lockwood married Henry Bullman, the son of Patrick and Sarah in 1855. The copy of the registry page that I am working from says that it was a civil ceremony held in Delafield where E.G. Benjamin was the person 'pronouncing marriage'. Delafield has this persons residence. Henry was listed as residing in Pewaukee which is where a P. Bulman is listed in the 1846 and 1855 Wisconsin censuses. The date of the certificate is May 1, 1855 and the date of the registration is July 2, 1855.

Delafield was first settled in 1837 and is across Pewaukee Lake to the west of Pewaukee about eight to ten miles.

In the 1850 Census (2 August) for Delafield, Waukesha, Wisconsin, a E.G. Benjamin is listed as follows:

E.G. Benjamin, 39, M, Physician, $250 real estate, New YorkDelia Benjamin, 34, F, New York
Sule?man Benjamin, 11, M, Ohio
Dewitt Benjamin, 10, M, Ohio
Delia Benjamin, 5, F, Ohio
Pamela Benjamin, 4, F, Ohio

In the same Census (14 August) for Waukesha, Waukesha, Wisconsin are the following:

John Lockwood, 48, M, Laborer, $400 real estate, Ireland
Margaret Lockwood, 49, F, Ireland
William Lockwood, 14, M, Laborer, New Brunswick
Mary Lockwood, 15, F, New Brunswick
M. Lockwood, 5, F, Wisconsin
J.J. Lockwood, 1, M, Wisconsin

A few things to notice. William is listed before Mary who is a year older and I wonder if this is due to the fact that he is listed as having an occupation. Also, the family originally settled in Canada before coming to Wisconsin around 1845. Finally, there is a big gap in the ages of the children between William and M. and I wonder what has happened to these children.

The 1860 Census for New Berlin, Waukesha, Wisconsin:

Henry Bullman, 36, Farmer, $50, New York
Mary Bullman, 24, New Brunswick
George F. Bullman, 3, Wisconsin
Margaret A. Bullman, 2, Wisconsin
William H. Bullman, 5/12, Wisconsin

The 1870 Census for Pewaukee, Waukesha, Wisconsin:

Henry Bullman, 46, Day Laborer, $180, New York
Mary Bullman, 35, Keeping House, New Brunswick
George F. [Frank] Bullman, 14, Wisconsin
Margaret Bullman, 12, Wisconsin
Mary Bullman, 6, Wisconsin
Alonzo Bullman, 3, Wisconsin
Henry Ward Bullman, 1, Wisconsin

The 1880 Census for Greenfield, Monroe, Wisconsin:

Henry Buleman, 56, Farmer, New York (self), New York (father), New York (mother) 

Mary Buleman, 46, Wife, House Keeper, New Burnswick, Ireland, Ireland 

Arvilla Buleman, 22, Daughter, Help [Margaret above] [1m. 4 April 1883 (Eugene Gaylord), La Crosse County; 2m. Charles Wilson 30 April 1889, Monroe County] 

Luella Buleman, 17, Daughter, Help [Mary above] [?m. William Veiten 15 April 1888?] 

Alonzo Buleman, 13, Son, Help 

Mathilda [Josephine?] Buleman, 9, Daughter [m. John Dunlavey 7 April 1892] 

Emma Buleman, 8, Daughter 

Eva Buleman, 4, Daughter

Big transition by 1900. Mary Bolman, who was born in Canada in February 1835 and whose parents were born in Ireland, is now widowed. She is living in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California as the head of the household. She had twelve children and six are still living. Here single daughter Emma is living with her and Emma (May 1870) is the Head nurse of a hospital. Her divorced daughter Mary E. [Eva?] (August 1874) and her grandson Alonzo (April 1896). Mary had immigrated in 1846 is this census

[Here is the Find A Grave link to Henry's headstone: Henry Bulman ( - 1884) - Find A Grave Memorial. Henry had filed for an invalid pension on 1 November 1879 and Mary filed as a widow on 17 March 1884.]

In 1910 Census, Mary Bolman is in Fullerton, Orange, California. She had immigrated in 1840 in this census. This census says that she has seven living children (perhaps a resuscitation at the hospital). Her parents are listed as having been born in Ireland (English). She is living with her son Alonzo who is single and a driller in the oil fields.

In 1920 (3 Feburary) Census, Mary Bulman is 85 and living with her daughter Eva B. Stannard (43) and her husband Charles R. Stannard (64) in Fullerton, Orange, California. Again, the year of immigration is 1840.

According to the information at this California, Find A Grave link:

Mary Bolman (1835 - 1920) - Find A Grave Memorial

Mary Bolman was born 12 February 1835 in New Brunswick, Canada and died 2 December 1920 and is buried in the Hillside Memorial Park in Redlands, San Bernadino County, California. The cause of death was apoplexy and her nearest relative is listed as Eva Stannard.

[Date and place of date is confirmed by the California, Death Index, 1905-1939.]

A very mobile 92 year-old Margaret Bulman

Waukesha Freeman 6 July 1938

ELDERLY WOMAN COMES HERE IN HOUSE-TRUCK 

Fred A. Bulman and mother, Mrs. Margaret Bulman, arrived Friday from their home in Puyallup, Wash., to visit Mrs. William Bochem of this city and Mrs. Lizzie Meyers of Milwaukee. Mrs. Bochem and Mrs. Meyers are sisters of Mrs. Bulman. Mrs. Bulman, who will be 92 years of age in October, is a Civil War widow. The trip from the west was made in a 1 1/2 -ton truck and eleven days were spent in transit to complete the 2200-mile trip. The truck is a house-truck, equipped in similar manner to a house trailer and enabled Mrs. Bulman to have much comfort while en route here.

I note that one of Margaret's sisters is listed as Mrs. Lizzie Meyers. She is living with her father Phillip Mayer (Meyer) in the 1900 census in Milwaukee. He is 89 or 90 years old. Perhaps she married after this. I'll need to follow this lead up. It may just be a mistake.

Many of Margaret's children were spread out along the 'Highline' of the northern states. Here is a picture of Carl and Katherine Miller (Mueller) in later life. I believe that this was taken in North Dakota. At some point, I need to bring in the stories of F.A. Bulman's siblings. Perhaps soon. But, there are other lines of the family as well!

Also note that Lena Bulman nee Kunferman, Fred's wife, dies while Margaret and Fred are on this trip.

More About Benjamin John Kumferman

According to the Wisconsin Death Index, 1959-1997, a Ben J. Kumferman died aged 72 on 27 September 1963 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (Certificate #027223). The U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current, a Ben Kumferman (389-03-4507) who died in September 1963 (Wisconsin last residence) was born on 20 December 1890.

In the Federal Census of 1900, Benjiman Kunferman (somewhat has corrected to Benjamin Kunperman) is nine and was born in December 1890. His father is John Kunferman (47) and his mother is Annie Kunferman (50) who were both born in Switzerland and migrated in 1873 and have been married for 27 years (just before they migrated). John is a farmer. Also listed are Lena (17), John (14), Joseph (12) and Harry (5). They live in Washinton, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. From the Wisconsin State Censuses, 1895 and 1905, Benjamin Kumferman (14) is listed with John (52) and Anna Kumerman (54), as well as Harry Kumferman (10). There in the Town of Washington in Eau Claire County.

His World War 1 Registration Card of 5 June 1917 is signed by him as Ben John Kumferman whose height is tall, his build stout, brown eyes, black hair, not bald. He is living in Fall Creek and works for the County of Eau Claire as a laborer on the State road in Washington. He is 26 years old. Interestingly, his birth date is listed as 21 December 1891. He is single.

On 25 April 1942, he registers for World War II. He is fifty years old. He signs his name as Ben John Kumferman. He has hazel eyes, gray hair, is of ruddy complexion, is five feet and eleven inches tall and weighs 205 pounds.

Again, look at the next card which is Harry Jacob Kumferman who was born 13 January 1895. He is five feet and ten inches tall. He has brown hair and eyes and a sallow complexion. He registers in Altoona in Eau Claire. Ben registers in Milwaukee. Joseph Kumferman is next. He is five feet and eleven inches tall weighing 240 pounds. Hazel eyes, gray hair, ruddy complexion. Injured thumb on left hand. Louis Naton Kumferman is next and he is 62 years old. He gives Mrs. Anna Kumferman on RFD #3 on Fall Creek, Ludington, as his contact address. (Our Anna Kunferman, Louis' aunt I believe, lives on RFD #2.)

In the 1930 Census, Ben (39) is living with his wife, Martha (26), and sons, Robert (7) and Lawrence (5) on Tenth Street in Milwaukee. He is working as a laborer for the Gas Company. They are divorced in the 1940 Census. He is renting and was in the same place in 1935. He is a laborer who works on street improvements for the government. His highest grade was the eighth grade. He and Martha has still been listed together in a street directory in West Allis for 1932. (They were listed together in Milwaukee street directory for 1922 as well.)

In the end, he was remembered by his siblings:

Ben Kunferman (1891 - 1963) - Find A Grave Memorial

I suspect that it was primarily Harry J. Kunferman who is also buried in Forest Hill Cemetery and who lived longer than John (a cousin I believe, and a Spanish American War veteran of 3rd Wisconsin Company E with Herbert L. Boleman!) and Joseph (a brother I believe):

Harry J. Kunferman, Sr (1895 - 1972) - Find A Grave Memorial

BJ Kumferman Writes Home At The End of World War I

In this post, I would like to share a letter that my late aunt, Helen Heckman nee Hayes, found among her papers. It had been written to her great-grandmother. It was from Benjamin J. Kumferman. Yes, Lena spelled her name as Kunferman, as did many in her family. But, her brother spelled it with an 'm'. I have found a number of variations: Kunperman, Kunfermann, Cunferman, and so on. I will normally spell this last name the way Lena did. This is the way that it is found on her parents tombstones.

In sharing this four-page letter, I am seeking to establish our family's connection to this family. I also have a transcription of an 1882 Certificate of Baptism for Ursula Kunfermann. But, I leave that for a later post.

Here are the four pages of the letter which was copied and sent to me in 2006. I have digitally enhanced it to make it legible throughout as there is fading.

If your browser will not load the images or you are having trouble with the script, here is the text of the letter (I have added full-stops where there are are missing in the letter by looking for initial capital or by the sense of the sentence--America and States are not capitalised by Benjamin):

Page 1

Engers Germany

[About 60 kilometers south-south-east of Bonn on the Rhine] 

Feb-17-19 

[Three months after the Armistice] 

Dear Mother 

The last letter I rec'd from you was sent on the sixth of Jan that was the one from Susie. I am well and hope you are the same. We are having good weather here just now. It was trying to rain the other day, But dident rain much. We are all hoping for the day when we will all sail for america where we are  

Page 2 

all more at home but that is hard to tell how long that will be. The people here are somewhat dissatisfied. The Russians are making a little trouble once in a while but that will all blow over I think in time. The people here had a vote on having a ruler and they go a president his name is Ebert. I think that is the way it is spelt. The people here where I am quartered eat horse meat and when they are cooking it I can  

Page 3 

smell it for a block it sure is strong. I saw places on the front where the German Soldiers cut some steakes out from a horses flank. Those were horses that was killed by shell fire. It sure was high time for the war to quit I think. Many things that you ask me in letters that I received from you I caoulnt answer because the censor would not allowe it passed. I wish I cold come home to start in on the springs work.  

Page 4 

Some of the boys that have famleys in the states are getting discharged. 

From your Son 

Pvt B J Kumferman 

2nd Engrs Co-E-AEF 

APO-710 

[Censor: OK H L Hock 1st Lt. E USA]

Private; Engineers; Company; American Expeditionary Force; Army Post Office (Navy: Fleet Post Office)

How did Mandana Phoebe Benner Survive Her Losses?

I wonder how she survived the death of her father in 1864/5 and her mother shortly thereafter? Then, there was the loss of her husband of twenty-four years. Here is the story that I can construct so far.

I can find a reference to Nathaniel Benner in Marion, Washington, Maine in the 1840 census. He (male 20-29) and another person (female 15-19), presumably Phoebe E., his wife, are in agriculture. It may be that he had married previous to his marriage to Phoebe. However, the 1850 census lists them in the enumeration district of Marshfield, Washington, Maine. Nathaniel H. is 29, Phoebe E. is 23 and Susan S. is 9 which means that Phoebe married very early in her life, or Susan is a relative. Nathaniel is a laborer.

In 1860, the family is in town of Rock Creek, Dunn County, Wisconsin with the Post Office as Pepin. N. H. Bremer [sic] is a carpenter from Maine and he is 39. P.E. Bremer is 32 and from Maine. Mandana is nine and was born in Maine. Amanda J. is eight and was born in New York as was N.H. who is four. Emma H. (Hellena it turns out) was born in Wisconsin and is one.

It is a little difficult finding information about the couple. A P.E. Benner is listed in the mortality schedule of the 1870 census with the right information to fit our Phoebe:

Female, White, Widowed, born about 1829 in Maine, aged 40, keeping house, who died July 1869 of consumption (read the actual image as the data retrieval incorrectly posts "old age caught cold", Pleasant Valley, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Her tombstone can be found in the Hadleyville Cemetery, Pleasant Valley, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin and it reads:

Birth 1829; Death Jul. 18, 1869; Phebe E. Benner, Wife of N.H. Benner, Aged 40 Ys 4 Mo 1 Dy

Very interesting photos of the headstone can be found here (Phebe E Benner (1829 - 1869) - Find A Grave Memorial)

(I am mindful that this is the same year that is on Patrick Bulman's gravestone.)

In the 1870 Census for Pleasant Valley, Emma Benner (11) is with George (40), Hester (37) and Albert (21) Dickerson which explains why a George Dickerson applied on behalf of a minor for the pention of Nathaniel Benner in 1 March 1870. Phoebe E. Benner is dead.

Martha Benner (9) is with David (60) and Sarah (57) Cleasby who were farmers.

A Henry Bemer/Benner (15, born in New York, N.H. of 1860) is listed as a hired help to the Kelly family. (Probably Nathaniel Henry Benner, Mandana's brother).

A Jennie Benner (17, born in New York, Amanda J. of 1860) is listed as the domestic helper of the Jones family.

I have yet to find Mandana and am going through all of the census data for Eau Claire county enumeration district by enumeration district. She may not be listed. At twenty, she may be working for a family.

Mandana married Nathaniel Bulman 14 September 1872 in Eau Claire county. (Unfortunately, the Wisconsin Genealogy Index lists her as Mandana Bennez who married Nathaniei Bulman which makes it hard to find them without persistence.) Nathaniel is forty years old and Mandana is twenty-two.

In the 1880 Census, the family is listed as Bowman in Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. There is Nathaniel, Mandan, Herbert (7) and Pearl (5). Nathaniel is a carpenter and Mandan is keeping house. There are two helpers living with them as well. One is also a carpenter. The Bulman family were part-time farmers and carpenter/joiners.

On 17 October 1881, Nathaniel Bulman makes a land claim in Dunn County, Wisconsin. Township 31-N, Range 14-W and Section 18 for 123.84 acres.

Nathaniel Bullman is listed on the 1888 town plat for New Haven (Connersville PO), Dunn County, Wisconsin on the western border towards the middle. This is the same as the land claim above expect that it looks like he has sold 40 acres as the map lists him as having 43.85 + 40 acres.

In the 1900 Census for 12 June, Mandana (misspelt Maudelin) Boleman and Viola B. [sic] Boleman, 22 years old, are together in Menominee, Dunn County, Wisconsin. Viola is a school teacher who had worked nine months in the previous year. Mandana has had two children; both are still living.

On 1 June, Mandana is listed as a widow in the 1905 Wisconsin census and she is living with her daughter Viola P. and her son-in-law, George Schlough in Sheridan, Dunn County, Wisconsin. George and Viola had married on 28 October 1903 in Dunn County. Herbert W. Bulman had married Bertie Terry on 15 May 1898 in Dunn.

I have yet to find her for 1910 and 1920.

Here is Mandana's gravestone:

Mandana Phoebe Benner Bulman (1850 - 1926) - Find A Grave Memorial

Here is Nathaniel P. Bulman's gravestone:

Natianiel P Bulman (1832 - 1896) - Find A Grave Memorial

The answer to the question about surviving the loss of father and mother so close seems to be the response of a community and the particular age of the children. A number were of a mature age for that period and could work for their living. It is interesting that the family settles back in Dunn County and I wonder if there were some family connections that remained there.

Mandana Phoebe Boleman nee Benner

Was Mandana the Mrs. M. Bulman of the 1874 letter announced in the Waukesha Freeman? I do not think so. We have quite a bit of information given us in her obituary that would seem to suggest otherwise. I found this information listed for the Scrapbooks of Newspaper Clippings Concerning Eau Claire & the Chippewa Valley Vol. 2, pages 157-158.

The item is dated for 27 October 1926:

MRS. M.P. BOLEMAN 

Died on October 25, at the home of her son at Connersville, Wis., Mrs. M. P. Boleman. 

Mrs. Boleman was born at Machias, Maine, November 12, 1850. Her parents, Phoebe E. Benner, and N. H. Benner, moved from Maine to Eau Claire during the early days. Her father joined the Union army and died at Cold Harbour. Mrs. Benner soon followed him. Mrs. Boleman was educated in Eau Claire and taught school for a few years; was married to N. Boleman in 1872. He died in 1896. 

She leaves two children, Mrs. George Schlough, of Wheeler, Wis.;  Herbert W., of Connersville; also two great grandchildren, three sisters, four grandchildren and other relatives. 

The funeral was held at the Methodist church of which church Mr. and Mrs. Boleman were members. Interment was at Connersville Cemetery.

So, it is likely that Nathaniel and Mandana were in Eau Claire in 1874.

The following information can be gleaned about Nathaniel H. Benner from the Civil War records:

He joined the 36th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He was a private in Company K and was a musician.

National Park Service. U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.

Original data: National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, online <http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/>, acquired 2007.

His residence at his enlistment was Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin. He enlisted on 29 February 1864 as a musician in Company K, 36th Regiment Wisconsin and died of disease on 10 June 1865 at White House, VA.

Historical Data Systems, comp.. American Civil War Soldiers [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

Interestingly, in the pension data for 1861-1934, a Nathaniel H. Benner of K Company, 36th Wisconsin Infantry left a widow, Phebe E. Benner who filed a claim on 5 December 1864! There is also a minor by the last name of Dickerson, G. (?) who made a claim on 1 March 1870.

(U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934)

Grisel Bullman, the cousin of Nathaniel Bullman, was in a near company of 36th Wisconsin.

Important Documentation for Lena (Ursula) Kunferman and Her Family

My father often mentioned that "Uncle John" Kunferman migrated to Canada. He was a logger and may have sought the solace of the backwoods to escape some of the tensions of family life in Eau Claire. I have found consular documents that provide us with a great deal of information about John and his sojourn in Canada.

These documents also confirm the origins of John's father, and by extension, mother in Switzerland. In fact, the documentation for John is supported by an affidavit on file with the US Consulate in Vancouver, B.C. from John Kunferman senior as to his date of birth and origins. So, we have signed and witnessed documentation as to the background of our ancestors in Switzerland.

[Due to copyright restrictions, I will not post the images obtained from Ancestry. Instead, I will transcribe the document in a later post. However, it would be good to get some other information out in this post that is now partially confirmed by this information.]

The documentation was lodged with the US Consulate in Vancouver, B.C. in 1918 after his marriage to Susie Louise Robertson (born Toronto) in St. Andrews in Vancouver on 17 September 1817. There were affidavits submitted including one from John senior that he had been born on 25 November 1852 in Graubun [sic], Grison, Switzerland. He arrived in the US in March of 1873. John J. junior was born 15 August 1885. He was not the first John in the family. Johann and Annie had a son, Johann, shortly after their arrival. He like many of the other children of the various Kunferman cousins seem to have perished in infancy.

From LDS data (various sources) obtained in 2006, we have the following information about John senior [treat as starting points for further investigations until established with documents]:

A John, Johann, Kunferman or Kumferman was born either 18 or 25 November (perhaps born one date and baptised the other) 1852 in Almens (Almen, Romansch) or Schied, Graubunden or Grandeour, Vaud, Switzerland. His father was Josua, Joshua or Johann Kunferman or Kumferman. (He could have been Josua Johann or Johann Josua.) His mother was Barbara Crestfall, Christophel, Christofel or Christoffel. 

He married Annie or Anna Kunferman or Kumferman on 7 April 1872 Schied, Graubunden, Switzerland.

Annie was born on 25 December 1849 in Bergen or Bergun, Graubunden, Switzerland. She was the daughter of Louis (perhaps Lutzi) Kunferman and Octavia Kunferman.

Something to bear in mind: the families seem to have been quite thick and their naming patterns does make it difficult to sort through. My great grandmother's baptismal certificate lists her as Ursula Kunfermann, Child of John Kunfermann and his wife Anna nee Kunfermann. Born at Eau Claire, Wis., July 1, 1882. Was baptized on the 23 of July In the year of our Lord 1882 in the Name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Witnesses Josua & Ursula Kunfermann, Katherina Knoessfel. Pastor, George Recknagel, Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. John's). [BTW, the doubled-n is probably a Germanic influence of the congregation and pastor.]  

Here are the children of John and Annie Kunferman as I am aware:

Johann (m) 6 May 1873-20 August 1878(?)

Ottilie (f) 18 July 1875-?

Anna (f) 25 June 1877-19 April 1967 [m. Bruno Frederick Bleichrodt] 

Lutzi (Louis/Lewis) (m) 27 September 1879-?

Ursula (Lena) (f) 1 July 1882-22 June 1938

Johann (John) Jacob 15 August 1885-16 September 1950 

Joseph C. 29 March 1888-18 March 1962

Benjamin John 21 December 1891-27 September 1963 who often went by Kumferman 

Harry Jacob 13 January 1895-3 June 1972

How Did Fred and Lena Meet?

I don't know. But, I have a theory. It is just a theory. However, even if the theory proves less than adequate, it is a convenient way to introduce many people who need to become known on this blog.

One of the very great resources for family history is Ancestry. I do not own stock in the company and I won't run their advertisements on the blog. However, I have found it a very economical and effective resource over the years. The more you use it, the more you learn from it.

One of the most important things that I have learned over the years is to look around. I've said it before and I will probably say it again in the future. Stop and have a look around on the documents that are served up to you as a result of a search query.

A number of years ago, I notice something interesting while looking for the Kunferman family in Eau Claire. I wondered if I had not found one of the 'lost' children of Patrick and Sarah Bulman. There on the 1900 census I found Harrison Bullman as a boarder a couple of doors down from John and Annie Kunferman. The Kunferman children living at home are Lena (17), John (14), Joseph (12) and Benjimen [sic] (9).

Later, I realised that this was probably Patrick's son. Further down the street lived Albert F. Bullman (Head at 29) and Jerry D. (Father) and Margarett (Mother). Albert is listed as a farmer and Jerry as a carpenter. Harrison is listed as a millwright (we will see the importance of this later). He has been married for 46 years. However, the age he gave would put his birth date as 1832 rather than 1829 as is found elsewhere.

There are two questions: (a) is this Jerry's brother and why has he gone back to the Bullman spelling? I'll have to follow these two questions up in the next few posts.There are a few assumptions behind the questions. I'll also recount what I have found out about the Kunferman family; it is very interesting and only made available recently.

My theory? I believe that Fred might have been a regular visitor to his uncle Harrison. He could have meet Lena through those visits.

I think that Fred would have felt some obligation to visit his uncle. Both Fred and Harrison's son, Herbert Lemoine (various spellings) where in the 3rd Wisconsin during the Spanish American War. Fred was in in Company D and his cousin was in Company E according to the official records. There is a web-based site that has Herbert's name listed as Herman L. Bobman (http://www.spanamwar.com/3rdwiscroster.htm). We will soon see why this might be so.