Finally - I found them - sort of

Actually, it's more than a sort of.

My search goal at the Family History Library in Salt Lake for today was to find out something (anything) on Jacob Swartz and his wife Gertrude. I knew that he was born around 1798 in Prussia; immigrated in 1843 via Rotterdam with 3 children and no wife; married Gertrude in Ohio before 1847, when their first son, John was born; and died between 1855 (when the last child was born) and 1860 (when Gertrude and the kids are living with her new husband, George Wise. She and George are found in the 1880 census in Lake County, Michigan. End of knowledge.

Since their son Peter is my great-grandfather, I needed to know more.

I managed to locate:

1. Marriage record for George Weiss and Gertrude Thusin 11 August 1857 in Lorain Co., OH.

2. A will for Jacob Swartz in Lorain Co., OH dated 2 March 1855, with a codicil dated 22 Mar 1855. This is three pages long, and the writing is extremely difficult to read. I'll post it when I get it transcribed. Hopefully, it will tell me something I don't know.

3. An immigration entry for Gertrude Thaisen from Germany to New York, via Antwerp on the ship Eelard, arriving 23 June 1843. This Gertrude was 24 yrs old, making her the correct age for the one I'm looking for. Further confirmation is needed.

What I didn't find:

1. Marriage record for Jacob Swartz & Gertrude prior to the birth of John Swartz.

2. Death record, burial, or probate for Jacob Swartz.

3. Guardianship proceedings for his minor children.

4. Death record or burial for Gertrude Wise (or George) in or near Lake county, MI

5. Additional census information for the Wises.

I need to go through land records next. All in all, not too bad a day!!!

Merryann
http://www.palmersrv.com