THREE:  PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH (AND SWISS)

"SFA" stands for the Smith Family Archives, assembled and transcribed over many years by Leanna Lois Claudia Smith, daughter of Alonzo; her great-nieces Mellie Morris Smith (daughter of Herbert Gustavus) and Gertrude Fairchild Smith (daughter of Maurice Leigh); and great-great-niece Mildred Aileen Nash (neé Mellie Agnes Smith: daughter of Francis See).

"Sprout" stands for Oliver Snyder Sprout's 1939 article "Andrew Snyder: A Revolutionary Soldier Who Reached the Age of 112 Years," in Papers Read before the Lancaster County Historical Society, Vol. XLIII, No. 4, pp.128-130.

Internet sources are indicated by tildes (e.g. ~internet).  A complete list can be found on the Sources page.  Due to the transient nature of Internet entries, only a few hyperlinks will be provided to outside webpages; such as ~a (www.ancestry.com) and ~f (www.familysearch.org).  The United States Federal Census records for 1850 through 1930 cited below are available at ~a (except for 1890's, which was badly damaged in a 1921 fire and later quietly destroyed).
 

            P-2    Mary Ann and the W(e)ikels
 

● Bound Out

Mary Ann Snyder, "the first child of the union of Andrew Snyder and Barbara P(f)eiffer"—actually Barbara Metzger/Metzgar—was born Apr. 10, 1792 in Maryland.
This birthplace appears as "Md." in the 1850 census and fully spelled out in 1860's, though after that Mary Ann usually got recorded as a native Pennsylvanian.

The SFA tells us that "at the age of ten years [she] was bound out to a family by the name of John Muma, near Hanover, PA."  In other words she was indentured as a servant, as indeed "was then the custom."  ~mason/children states that "parents very often apprenticed or sent out their children to serve another family at around age ten."  In Mary Ann's case, the Mumas "were very kind and good to her and with whom she lived until she was of age."  (Click on the thumbnail to the right to see an 1872 map of Hanover's York County, just west of Lancaster County across the Susquehanna; and here to see a Wikipedia map.)

In Hanover on Jan. 1, 1815, Mary Ann was married "by Rev. John Melcihimer" (Melchimer?) to John Weikel, who'd been born in Hanover on Mar. 11, 1788.  John served in Capt. F.Metzger's company of Hanover volunteers, attached to the 39th Regiment Maryland Militia during the War of 1812—which was still going on, despite Dec. 1814's Treaty of Ghent.  "Shortly after their marriage [John] was ordered to Baltimore and many are the times [Mary Ann] has told us of the dreadful time the women had as they saw their husbands, brothers, and sons go away to fight the redcoats" (as per the SFA).
 

● Going by Wikel

According to the Dictionary of American Family Names (via ~a), Weikel is a variant spelling of Weigel, which in turn was a medieval pet form of the Germanic personal name Wigand ("warrior").  Most of our Weikels took variant spelling a step futher, going by "Wikel" between their christenings and burials—as did John and Mary Ann and their ten children:

* Samuel Wikel [Sr.]:  born Oct. 7, 1815 in Hanover; of whom see more in Chapter P-3
* Louisa A. Wikel:  born Jan. 16, 1817
* Catharine Wikel aka Catherine Wikel:  born July 2, 1820; died young
* Henry Wikel:  born Oct. 11, 1822
* Susannah Mary Ann Wikel:  born Oct. 24, 1823
* William John Wikel:  born Feb. 28, 1825
* Joshua Wikel:  born Aug. 1/4, 1827
* Mary Catherine Wikel:  born Aug. 23/24, 1829
* John A. Wikel [Jr.]:  born July 28, 1832
* Cornelia Jane Wikel:  born Apr. 28, 1836

These names and dates are taken from Samuel Wikel's own "Family Record" in the SFA.  Nothing further has been found regarding Henry, Susannah, or Joshua Wikel, other than all had died by 1892 (as had their better-documented siblings Louisa, William, and John); so Catharine may not have been the only child who died young.  This is borne out by the 1830 census, which includes a Hanover household headed by "John Weigle": one each male and female in their thirties, one each male and female aged 10-15, two males aged 5-10, and one female aged under five.  Respectively, these categories would account for John and Mary Ann; Samuel and Louisa; Henry and William John; and Mary Catherine—implying Susannah and Joshua had both died by then.
 

● Westward to Amanda

Circa 1833 the Wikels relocated west to Ohio.  ~hinman says Cornelia Jane, the youngest child, was born in "Amanda, Ross County, Ohio"; but Amanda is in Fairfield County, while Ross County is considerably to its southwest.  However: there is an unincorporated village called Amanda in Butler County's Lemon Township, a couple of miles south of Middletown.  (Click on the thumbnail on the right to see an 1875 map of Butler County, or here to see a Wikipedia map.)  This Amanda is southwest of Blue Ball—whose name came from a tavern owner who "displayed a big blue ball to attract illiterate stagecoach drivers"—and since there's also a Blue Ball in Lancaster County PA, just east of New Holland and all too close to Intercourse, it may have sounded a homelike note.

The first Wikel grandchild (of whom more momentarily) was born in Lemon Township's Amanda on Apr. 15, 1838 or 1839; and the second one, Ellen Margaret Wikel (co-subject of Chapter S-2), was born in Middletown on Feb. 8, 1840.

In the 1840 census of Lemon Township, "John Weikle" heads the following household:
     * one male in 50s [John Sr. was 52]
     * one female in 50s [Mary Ann was 48]
     * one male in 20s [Henry would have been 28; Joshua would have been 23]
     * one male aged 15-to-20 [William was 15]
     * one female aged 10-to-15 [Mary Catherine was 11]
     * one male aged 10-to-15 [John Jr. was 8]
     * one female aged 5-to-10 [Cornelia was 4]

Not an exact match, but a good deal closer than the household of a different "John Weikle" in Butler County's Ross Township (southwest of Hamilton): a male and female each in their 30s, two girls aged 15-to-20, and a girl and boy both under five.

● Louisa and the Sinkeys

The SFA says Mary Ann's eldest daughter Louisa A. W(e)ikel married John Sinkey, as was confirmed by ~history/butlerlemon: A History and Biographical Cyclopedia of Butler County Ohio, published in Cincinnati in 1882.  Page 659 mentions Louisa and John, their firstborn and her husband:

Daniel C. SNYDER was born in Madison Township, May 3, 1837.  His parents were Daniel and Catherine Ann SNYDER.  He is a farmer.  He was married December 10, 1857, to Mary Jane SINKEY, daughter of John SINKEY and Louisa A. WEIKEL.  She was born in Amanda, Lemon Township, April 15, 1838...

But just to keep the waters muddy, ~history/butlermadison—page 609 of that same Cyclopedia—presents us with contradictory information:

John SINKEY was born at Amanda, in Lemon Township, and was the son of John SINKEY, a native of Pennsylvania, and Mary SHIELDS.  The latter came from Ireland.  He was first a distiller, but was afterwards a farmer, and has followed this occupation for thirty-nine years.  He was married in Lemon Township to Rebecca HEDDING, daughter of William HEDDING and Mary BLACK, who came from Pennsylvania in 1838.  She was born in 1823.  They have had nine children.  Mary Jane SNYDER, [the eldest,] was born April 15, 1839...

Over on page 659, ~history/butlerlemon listed five children born to Daniel C. Snyder and Mary Ann Sinkey—the one born in 1838, daughter of Louisa A. Weikel:

* Sarah C. Snyder:  born Jan. 1, 1859
* John M. Snyder:  born Nov. 22, 1862
* Daniel S. Snyder:  born Nov. 21, 1866 (dead by 1882)
* Clara L. Snyder:  born Dec. 13, 1871
* William M. Snyder:  born Apr. 21, 1875 (dead by 1882)

—but ~maryjanesinkey claims these children belonged to the Mary Ann born in 1839, daughter of Rebecca Hedding.  And Butler County's 1850 census does little to demuddify the waters.  In Madison Township we find:

* John Sinkey (age 38) occupation farmer, $3000 in real estate, born in Pennsylvania
* Rebecca Sinkey (age 27) born in Pennsylvania
* Mary J. Sinkey (age 13) born in Ohio
* Isabel Sinkey (age 11) born in Ohio
* James Sinkey (age 6) born in Ohio
* William Sinkey (age 5) born in Ohio
* John Sinkey (age 4) born in Ohio
* Daniel Sinkey (age 10 months) born in Ohio

This household corresponds to ~history/butlermadison's on page 609, where John and Rebecca's other children are listed as Isabel (born 1841: married a Cooper), James (born 1844), William H. (born 1845), John W. (born 1847), and Daniel (born 1849), plus three younger children.

No other mention is made of Louisa A. W(e)ikel Sinkey, then or subsequently.  Yet if you believe the ages in the 1850 census, Rebecca Sinkey would have been only 14 years old when Mary Jane was born—not impossible, but a less likely maternal candidate than the 21-year-old Louisa.  Moreover: Lemon Township's 1840 census gives John Sinkey a household of two males in their 20s, 1 female in her 20s, and two girls aged under five.  ~coddington/shields notes the rival Cyclopedia entries and wonders, "Was John Sinkey, Jr. married twice?"

Yes he was, as confirmed by ~hancock/sinkey's research into old Butler County wedding records; so we can recap the case of Sinkey vs. Sinkey as follows:

John Sinkey [Jr.] was born c.1811-12 in Amanda, Lemon Township, the son of John Sinkey [Sr.] (1773-1814) and Mary Shields of Ireland.  On May 27, 1837 he married "Louisa Wikle" aka Louisa A. W(e)ikle, and they had two daughters:

* Mary Jane Sinkey:  born Apr. 15, 1838 or 1839
* Isabel Sinkey:  born Oct. 9, 1840 or 1841

Louisa evidently died by Mar. 9, 1843, when John married "Rebecca Hadden" aka Rebecca Hedding (born 1823, daughter of William Hedding and Mary Black).  Besides Mary Jane and Isabel, John and Rebecca had seven more children: James Sinkey (born May 23, 1844); William H. Sinkey (born Dec. 25, 1845); John W. Sinkey (born May 1, 1847); Daniel Sinkey (born Dec. 27, 1849); Charlotte Sinkey (born 1852); Sarah E. Sinkey (born Jul. 12, 1857); and—according to ~history/butlermadison—another Charlotte Sinkey (born Apr. 27, 1860).  The 1860 Middletown OH census (as per ~hancock/sinkey) includes no children after eight-year-old Charlotte, so perhaps Sarah was short-lived.

On Dec. 10, 1857 Mary Jane Sinkey—daughter of Louisa, stepdaughter of Rebecca—married Daniel C. Snyder of Madison Township (born 1837, son of Daniel Snyder [Sr.] and Catherine Ann [surname?]).  We may presume that they did have the five children listed above by ~history/butlerlemon; but persistent fishing has tracked their household to only two censuses a half-century apart:

1860—Crawfordsville, Union Township, Montgomery County, Indiana
     Daniel C. Snyder (age 23) occupation farmer, born in Ohio
     Mary J. Snyder (age 22) born in Ohio
     Sarah C. Snyder (age 1) born in Indiana
     Daniel S. Morris (age 11) born in Ohio [a farmhand?]

1910—Madison Township, Butler County OH
     D. C. Snyder (age 72) born in Ohio, father from Pennsylvania, mother from Ohio
     Mary Jane Snyder (age 72) born in Ohio, father from Ohio, mother from Pennsylvania; married 52 years (so c.1858); five children, four living
     Kate Snyder (age 50) born in Indiana, single, occupation department store

The Kate of 1910 was apparently the Sarah C. of 1860; yet no sign then or earlier of John M., Clara L., Daniel S., or William M. (the latter pair having died by 1882).

Louisa Wikel Sinkey's younger daughter Isabel Sinkey married farmer Peter R. Cooper (born c.1838-39) circa 1863.  They lived till at least 1920 in Jackson Township, Preble County OH (north of Butler County; Jackson Township is on the Indiana border.)  Although Isabel's name is variantly spelled Isabell, Isabelle, and Isabella, her age almost consistently indicates a birthyear of 1840 rather than ~history/butlermadison's 1841.  She and Peter had a daughter Lillie R. Cooper (born c.1874) who c.1894 married farmer Leora Allen "Ora" Mettert (born Nov. 28, 1874).  They in turn had two sons, Harry Leland Mettert (born Jan. 26, 1896) and Walter S. Mettert (born Oct. 31, 1902).

However: this fine consistency unravels in Preble County's 1900 census.  Here Lillie is not only Lily, and Ora and Harry's birthdates are entered as "Oct. 1873" and "Apr. 1895," but living with the Metterts are Ora's parents-in-law—Peter R. and Minerva Cooper.  (The handwritten "Minerva" is very faint, as though entered at a different time from the rest of the census.)  Both Coopers have grown seven or eight years younger: Peter's born in "Feb. 1845" and Minerva in "Aug. 1848," and they've been married for 30 years instead of 37.  (At least they did have one child instead of negative-six.)  To further muddifying the 1900 waters, an Isabel Cooper is living one household over—the wife of Daniel C. Cooper.  This Isabel was born "Nov. 1850," has been married for 27 years and had three children.  In 1910,  though, Peter R. Cooper is again paired with Isabel (both aged 70, married 47 years, having had two children)—while Daniel next door is with "Sarah A. Cooper" (both aged 69, married 42 years, and also having had two kids). 

Hopefully the aberrations of 1900 stemmed from sloppy bureaucracy rather than fin de siècle spouse-swapping.  But, as with the fifty-year disappearance of Mary Jane & Co., it's almost as though the Sinkey sisters were determined to keep future genealogists guessing.

● William and Eleanor

William John Wikel, though the sixth child of Mary Ann Snyder and John Wikel [Sr.], is next in line after Louisa when it comes to information.  Born Feb. 28, 1825, William served during the Mexican War (1847-48) as a first sergeant in Company D, 6th U.S. Infantry.  He returned to Butler County OH and lived there for the rest of his life, first in Madison Township (1850) and then Middletown thereafter.  William married Eleanor "Ellen" [surname? born June 1833 to parents from New Jersey] and worked as a carpenter (1850), "school teach" (1860), clerk in a lumber yard (1870), and day laborer (1880).  During the summer of 1864, William—like his older brother Samuel—enlisted in Company G, 167th Ohio Infantry.

William and Eleanor had eleven children, nine of whom survived to adulthood:

* John D. Wikel:  born Jan. 1850; was a jewelry store clerk in 1870 and a silversmith (in Denver, Miami County IN) in 1880; may have had a child in North Dakota in 1886 (see below) but by 1900 was a divorced boatman in Waconia Village, Carver County MN; by 1910 was a "widower" living with his mother and working at a "boat livery on lakes"
* Franklin Wikel aka Frank P. Wikel:  born Mar. 1854; worked as a millwright in a tobacco factory; married Elizabeth [surname? born Oct. 1859] c.1880-81; they had no children and lived in Middletown through at least 1920
* Louisa E. "Ella" Wikel:  born Feb. 1859; married farmer Hiram Clark (born Dec. 1858, son of Martin and Elizabeth Clark) in 1880, when they lived with his family in Madison Township; had two daughters, Edna M. Clark (born Mar. 1881) and Elsie M. Clark (born Jun. 1884); lived in Middletown (where Hiram was a livery man) at least from 1892 to 1900
* Ida M. Wikel:  born May 1861; worked as a dressmaker; lived unmarried with her mother till Eleanor's death in 1912, then with sister Lula in 1920
* Charles O. Wikel:  born c.1863-64: worked as a timekeeper in a tobacco factory; married Laurena B. [surname? born c.1870] c.1888; they had no children and lived in Middletown through at least 1910; by 1920 Charles and wife (here named Florence like her landlady, but born c.1870 like Laurena so may have been Laurena) were boarding with the Leptheoses, a Greek barber's household
* James Sheldon Wikel:  born Aug. 1866-67: he too worked in a tobacco factory, as carpenter, millwright, and machinist; married Mary Mae Kelly (born Feb. 1874 or 1875, daughter of Cornelius C. Kelly and Adaline Luibel) on July 28, 1892; they lived in Middletown and had seven or eight children†; James died on July 18, 1945 and Mary followed on Aug. 6, 1951
* Laura M. Wikel:  born c.1869: no information after 1880
* Clara Wikel:  born c.1872: no information after 1880
* Lula Wikel aka Lulu Wikel:  born Apr. 1875: married laundryman Curtis C. Pierce c.1900, when they lived in Lorain OH; had two children, Edna Pierce (born c.1901) and Anna May Pierce (born c.1904); was widowed by 1910, she and her daughters living with Eleanor, brother John and sister Ida in Middletown; by 1920 Eleanor and John were gone and Lula was head of the household, despite Ida's being 14 years her senior; Lula worked as a tobacco factory tagger in 1910-20

William J. Wikel died Nov. 7, 1888 and was buried in section 8, lot 216, grave 4 at Woodside Cemetery, Middletown OH.  However, that interment didn't take place till Oct. 24, 1889 (as per ~butler/vetgraves)—leaving us to wonder where he might have been during the interim.  Eleanor survived him by almost a quarter-century, sharing her Middletown home with daughter Ida and other offspring.  In 1900 this included a granddaughter, Clara Wikel, born Aug. 1886 in North Dakota; her father was most likely John D. Wikel the errant silversmith turned boatman.  Clara in turn most likely married farmer Abraham Hurd (born c.1883) and was living in Liberty Township, Union County OH by 1910, with four-year-old Florence B. Hurd and six-month-old Helen L. Hurd.

Eleanor Wikel died aged 79 and was buried with her husband William in Woodside Cemetery on Sep. 19, 1912 (as per ~woodside).

● On to Atlanta (IL): John and Priscilla

In 1849 John and Mary Ann Snyder Wikel, together with their two youngest children, extended their westward trek to Illinois.  The 1850 census of [blank location,] Peoria County IL includes:

* John Wikell (age 62) occupation carpenter, born Pa.
* Mary A. Wikell (age 57) born Md.
* John Wikell (age 18) occupation labourer, born Pa.
* Cornelia Wikell (age 15) born Ohio

They settled about nine miles south of Peoria, at Groveland in Tazewell County; there John Wikel [Sr.] died Sep. 29, 1855.  Cornelia married a year later (see more below) while the widowed Mary Ann, accompanied by John [Jr.], moved to Atlanta in Logan County IL—about twenty miles southwest of Bloomington—to be near their daughter/sister Mary Catherine Burrows (see more ditto).  The household immediately after the Burrowses in Atlanta's 1860 census consists of:

* John Wickel [transcribed as "Mikel"] (age 28) occupation master carpenter, born in Ohio, $1000 in real estate, $200 in personal estate
* Priscilla Wickel [transcribed as "Mikel"] (age 23), born in Ohio
* Mary Wikel [transcribed as "Wicket"] (age 65) born in Maryland (spelled out in full—not abbreviated)

Had John truly been Ohio-born, this would indicate the family's move from Pennsylvania took place a year or so earlier than reported by the SFA.  However, Atlanta's 1870 census punctures this notion (while erring on another):

* John Wikel (age 38) occupation carpenter, born in Pennsylvania, $1570 in real estate, $450 in personal estate
* Priscilla Wikel (age 31) occupation keeps house, born in Ohio
* Laura Wikel (age 9) "at home," born in Illinois
* William Wikel (age 4) "at home," born in Illinois
* Mary Wikel (age 76) "at home," born in "Penn" [rather than Maryland]

The 1880 census maintains both stances while muddling others:

* John A. Wikle (age 48) occupation carpenter, born in Pennsylvania, as were both parents
* Percila [sic] Wikle (age 43) occupation keeping house, born in Ohio as was her father, mother came from Maine
* Laura B. Wikle (age 19) "at home," born in [overwritten PA], parents both from Ohio
* William Wikle (age 14) "at home," born in [overwritten PA], parents both from Ohio
* Mary Wikle (age 87) "at home," born in Pennsylvania, as were both parents

From these and other sources, principally ~judy, we may recap that John A. Wikel [Jr.]—born July 28, 1832, the ninth child and youngest son of John [Sr.] and Mary Ann—married Priscilla Moore (born Jan. 1837 in Ohio); served in Company E, 7th Illinois Infantry from Feb. 1864 to July 1865; and died c.1882, aged about 50.  Priscilla lived on in Atlanta IL through at least 1920, by which time she has shed about six years from her age, appearing as "77" rather than 83.

John [Jr.] and Priscilla had two children:

* Laura B. Wikel:  born c.1861; married farmer Stephen Kitchen Judy (born Aug. 19, 1858 in Tazewell County IL, son of Robert Musick Judy and Margaret Ann Hatfield); had two children, Nellie Judy (born in Kansas c.1883) and Robert M. Judy (born in Kansas c.1887); and died between 1892 and 1900, when the widowed Stephen and kids were living in Madison Township, Montgomery County IN
* William T. Wikel:  born May 1866 in Illinois; worked as a carpenter, like his father; married Alpharetta "Etta" [surname? born Nov. 1871 in Illinois to parents from Tennessee and Kentucky] c.1901; had a daughter, Viola Maude Wikel (born Dec. 1905); in 1900 all three lived with William's mother Priscilla in her Atlanta IL household, which was next door to John's cousin Carrie Burrows Turner (of whom see more below); died by 1910, when Etta and Maude were living two houses down from Priscilla; 1920 finds Etta (a private nurse) and "Maud" (a stenographer in a garage) in Bloomington IL.

After John [Jr.]'s death, his mother Mary Ann "made her home with her daughter, Mrs. M.C. Burrows, in the west part of town" for the rest of her life.
 

● Bumps on the Head: M.C. and the Burrowses

Mary Catherine Wikel, born Aug. 23 or 24, 1829, was the eight child and fourth daughter of Mary Ann and John [Sr.]  Circa 1847-48, before the Wikels moved from Ohio to Illinois, she married Charles Henry Burrows (born Apr. 25, 1825 in New York, son of Eda Burrows [1793-1838] and Jane Seelye [1796-1885]).  By 1860 they lived in Atlanta IL, and that year's census describes the Burrows household:

* C.H. Burrows (age 36) occupation lecturer (phrenology), born in New York, $2000 in real estate, $500 in personal estate
* Mary C. Burrows (age 30) born in Pennsylvania
* Oscar G. Burrows (age 11) born in Ohio
* Mary L. Burrows (age 9) born in Illinois
* "Imeona" Burrows (age 7) born in Illinois
* Albert P. Burrows (age 4) born in Illinois
* Carry A. Burrows (age 8 months) born in Illinois

At first the present author interpreted Charles's occupation as "lecturer (theology)" in the 1860 census, and as "theologist" in 1870's.  But closer inspection of the latter entry made it look a lot more like phrenologist; and by Googling "phrenology" along with "Burrows," the present author was promptly rewarded by the following flipkart.com listing:

Phrenological Description of [blank]: As Indicated by the Developments of Body and Brain, arranged and published by C.H. Burrows, practical phrenologist, Atlanta, Illinois.  (Originally published by Lincoln IL's Herald Print in 1870; reprinted by the University of Michigan Library in 2005, with text viewable here and also on Google Books.)

Phrenology, which analyzed character and personality by studying the shape of the skull and bumps on the head, was called a "pseudo-science of the present day" as early as 1843—by François Magendie, pioneer physiologist and enthusiastic vivisector.  But phrenology was taken very seriously in the 19th Century, by such luminaries as Charlotte Brontë (who had Mr. Rochester display his "solid enough mass of intellectual organs" in Chapter 14 of Jane Eyre)—and it presumably provided C.H. Burrows with a practical income till his death c.1875.

Charles and Mary Catherine had seven children:

* Oscar G. Burrows aka O.G. Burrows:  born c.1849 in Ohio; c.1875 married M.E. "Maggie" Darnell (born c.1845: surname from previous marriage; mother of Oscar's stepdaughters Helen Darnell aka Ellen Burrows [born c.1864] and Hattie Darnell aka Hattie Burrows [born c.1847]); lived in David City NE in 1880, where he worked as a harnessmaker; by 1885 was a telegraph operator in Robinson KS; during 1892-95, O.G. and Maggie lived in Seneca KS
* Ida Burrows:  born Apr. 1851 in Illinois; c.1880 married coal-and-ice dealer Charles H. Chisam (born Jul. 1849); had three sons: Arthur J. Chisam (born Aug. 1877), Raymond C. Chisam (born Oct. 1879), and Howard A. Chisam (born Mar. 1883); lived in Omaha, 1900 and 1910; by 1930 Ida was widowed and living in Long Beach CA, appearing in that city's directory through 1939
* Imogene Burrows aka Geneva Jane "Neva" Burrows:  born Dec. 1852 in Illinois; in 1873, married harnessmaker Adolphus C. Miller aka Adolphe Miller aka A.C. Miller (born Nov. 1843 in Germany to a German father and French mother, emigrating in 1854); had nine children‡; in 1900 "Geneva J." was living next door to her mother in Atlanta IL; widowed by 1930 and living (as "Jenevra") with her sister May; died 1937
* Albert P. Burrows:  born Aug. 1854 in Illinois; married Ida M. [surname? born Sep. 1860] and had six children, only three of whom were living in 1900: Edna P. Burrows (born June 1886 in Iowa), Ruby A. Burrows (born June 1891 in California), and Ralph A. Burrows (born Nov. 1894 in California); in 1900 lived in La Canada, Burbank Township, Los Angeles County CA, where Albert worked as a cook
* Carrie A. Burrows aka Carrie Bell Burrows:  born c.1859 in Illinois; c.1877 married stock dealer (i.e. cattle buyer) Benjamin Turner aka B.F. Turner (born c.1857) and had two daughters, Lois Turner (born Dec. 1877) and Nellie Turner (born June 1880); appears in Atlanta's 1900 census as a widowed dressmaker and head-of-household—yet by 1910 B.F. Turner is alive and home again, with notes showing he and Carrie have been married 33 years; both remain together in Atlanta IL in 1920 
* May I. Burrows:  born Dec. 1861 in Illinois; was living in Faribault, Minnesota in 1892; married grocer Onslow H. Barrass (born Feb. 1851) in 1897 and lived in Tonica Village, Eden Township, LaSalle County IL; worked as an artist in 1910 and a (widowed) civil service clerk in 1930, when she lived with her sister Geneva in Atlanta IL
* Maud Burrows: born Aug. 1866; lived with sister Carrie and brother-in-law Benjamin in 1880; married farmer John F. (Frank) Thompson (born Jan. 1867) c.1892, when they lived in Tonica IL; had at least two children: Mildred L. Thompson (born Jul. 1895 in Illinois) and Clifford William Thompson (born Nov. 17, 1911 in Idaho and died Jan. 2, 1980 in Sonoma CA); was living in Cherry Township, Montgomery County KS in 1900, and Rupert, Minidoka County ID by 1920

By 1880 the widowed Mary Catherine's household had dwindled to her 19-year-old daughter May, who would go on to pay homage to her grandmother in the 1892 proceedings described below, and then in 1919 (as "Mary Barrass") would write about Andrew Snyder in "Wanderings Among Historic Places" (for which see Chapter P-1).  Her mother struck a blow for accurate genealogy in the 1900 census, where "M.C. Burrows" appears as a Pennsylvania native, as does her father—but her late mother (for the first time in forty years) is shown as having been born in Maryland. 

Mary Catherine Wikel Burrows, who once visited her Grandfather Snyder's grave ("from which a flag always is flying"), died Apr. 27, 1911 at the age of 81.
 

● Cornelia and the Hinmans

Cornelia Jane Wikel, the tenth and youngest child of Mary Ann and John [Sr.], was born in Amanda, (most probably) Lemon Township, Butler County OH on Apr. 28, 1836.  She accompanied her parents to Groveland IL, and there on Sep. 21, 1856 married farmer Charles Stillman Hinman (born Jul. 17, 1835 in Binghamton NY, son of Charles Grandison Hinman [1810-1868] and Sarah Hosley Whitcomb [1816-1877]).  Charles and Cornelia soon moved to Hawleyville in Page County IA, settling in Clarinda (the Page County seat) by 1880.  They had four children:

* Harriet (Hattie) Hinman:  born c.1858 in Iowa; died Dec. 10, 1865; buried in Hawleyville IA
* Minnie Belle Hinman:  born Mar. 16, 1864; taught in the Clarinda high school before marrying contractor William Wesley Welch (1859-1928: son of John Welch and Susan Haupt) on June 24, 1883; had eight children§; was active in the Methodist church; died Oct. 16, 1903
* Annie Hinman:  born c.1868, married Charles Leader
* Royal Grandison (Roy) Hinman:  born Sep. 29, 1872; moved to Nebraska by c.1895 when he married Myra M. [surname? born Jan. 1876 in Nebraska]; worked in Omaha as a newspaper printer; had two children, Irene Hinman (born Jan. 1896) and Mildred Hinman (born Dec. 1899)

Charles Hinman died in Clarinda on Jan. 26, 1898; two years later the widowed Cornelia was living with daughter Minnie and her many Welches in Essex Town, Nodaway Township, Page County IA.  W.W. Welch was a prominent citizen, profiled (with a full-page photograph) in History of Page County, Iowa: Volume II (by W.L. Kershaw, Chicago: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1909).  Cornelia comes in for her share of praise on page 231 of this volume:

Mrs. Hinman still resides in Clarinda and has made her home in Page county for the past half century, so that her memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present.  She relates many interesting incidents of the early days and has been a witness of many of the events which have left their impress upon the annals of this part of the state.

Cornelia Jane Wikel Hinman lived on alone in Clarinda though at least 1925.  She died in Omaha on Sep. 8, 1928 at the age of 92 and was buried in Clarinda Cemetery.  Added together, Cornelia's lifetime and that of her mother spanned one hundred and thirty-six years.
 

● Centenarian

Mary Ann Snyder Wikel's hundredth birthday was celebrated on Apr. 9, 1892 (a day early) "with a grand family reunion," and the Atlanta, Illinois Argus gave it much coverage:

Considering her advanced age Mrs. Wikel is wonderfully well preserved, and can get about very well.  Recently she fell and injured herself quite severely, but she has again about regained her accustomed health.  Physically there seems to be no reason why she may not live several more years.  In good weather she walks about the yard and enjoys herself in this manner a great deal.  Mentally she is not so strong being quite childish, and unable to recognize some of her friends.  Mrs. Wikel has ever been an active, hard working woman and inherits a strong constitution.  Of ten children born to her, she has outlived all but three.  Long life seems to be hereditary in the family[,] her father having lived to be extremely old, having died at the age of one hundred and thirteen [sic] years.

Granddaughter May Burrows delivered an account of Mary Ann's life:

Her vigor has been a subject for remark from all who have known her for many years.  Her sprightly step and pleasant face were familiar to every one who lived between our home and Uncle John's.  Her strength of mind and body is today phenomenal, though both have suffered since her eyesight has been so poor that she cannot recognize many whom she once knew.  It was a great affliction to have her eyesight fail so that she could not read nor sew, for she took such comfort in her papers, books, and sewing.  Her Bible she read so often.  She was a member of the Lutheran church.
     We boast of the wonders of the nineteenth century and of the many important inventions, discoveries and improvements of the age, but how many of us even in talking of the great age of the dear old grandmother realize that she is older than the century, that all these marvelous changes have come in her lifetime...  Where now we celebrate her hundredth birthday, away back in the morning of her life, the Indian roamed his native forest with no thought of the encroachments of civilization—the wolves, bears and deer feared nothing but the Indian's hunting parties...
     With the removal from Pennsylvania Grandma was separated from brothers and sisters and never again in this life were they to meet.  Her only sister [Catherine Zook] died last April...  Her only brother [John Snyder Sr.] lives in Columbia, Penn. and still longs to see the sister from whom he parted sixty-five years ago.  Grandma's father... was of German-Swiss origin and from him comes the hardy frame and nature of our family.  The marvelous record of longevity in the family will never cease to be a source of wonder to all its members.

A week later, post-reunion, the Argus reported:

The exercises were opened by the reading of the 103rd Psalm and the 14th chapter of John, and prayer by Mr. M.V. [or A.V.] Scott...  The hymns 'Lead Kindly Light' and 'Abide with Me' were sung by the assembled friends.  Miss Burrows read [her biographical] sketch and sang the sacred song 'I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say.'  Remarks were made by Mr. Scott, Mrs. Folk and Mrs. Jacobs (Pennsylvania nieces), Mr. Judy, Ms.[?] McFarland and Mr. [Samuel] Wikel.  The exercises closed with Grandma's brother's favorite hymn, 'How Firm a Foundation,' and prayer by Mr. Wikel.  All the guests partook of the birthday dinner.  Grandma seems in her usual strength after the excitement of the day and has been out of doors since.
 

● Sterling Qualities

Mary Ann Snyder Wikel died in Atlanta on Feb. 6, 1893, and was survived by three of her children; 27 grandchildren (including Ellen Wikel Smith); 43 great-grandchildren (including Herbert Gustavus Smith); and two great-great-grandchildren (including Mellie Morris Smith).  Her funeral took place from Mary Catherine Burrows's home: "The services were largely attended and were conducted by Rev. A.V. [or M.V.] Scott, after which the body was taken to the Atlanta cemetery for burial."  Of Mary Ann it was said: "A long life, a sweet gentle character...  She drew a pension from the War of 1812 and was thus never a burden upon anyone and this was her comfort in old age."

On Feb. 17, 1893, the Leroy, Illinois Free Press announced that:

The Oldest Resident of Logan County at last Gives Way to the Grim Destroyer...  To but few people is given one hundred years of life, one of those few being Mrs. Mary Ann Wikel, of Atlanta... [who] peacefully passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M.C. Burrows...  Since the celebration of her 100th [birthday] last April, Mrs. Wikel had failed slowly but surely, life's machine giving way to the infirmities of old age...  Her vigor had been a subject of remark for many years, and until a comparatively recent date she was able to go about, and look after slight duties around the house.  Mrs. Wikel was a member of the Lutheran church and a lady of many sterling qualities.

 

            Notes

† The seven children of James Sheldon Wikel and Mary Mae Kelly were: William C. Wikel (born Sep. 1893, worked as an "odd jobs" electrician), Marie Wikel (born Jan. 1895), Raymond J. Wikel (born Feb. 16, 1897, worked as a machinist, served in World War I, died Feb. 16, 1964); Pearl B. Wikel (born July 1899, worked as a clerk); Hiram Wikel (born c.1902, worked in a sawmill); Flora L. Wikel (born c.1904-05, worked as a clerk in the county probate office, married Charles Terrence Kelly, had two children, died Nov. 6, 1987 in Miami FL); and Adeline Wikel (born c.1912).  The 1910 census indicated there was an eighth child who had died before 1900.
‡ The nine children of Imogene Geneva Jane Burrows and Adolphus/Adolphe (A.C.) Miller were: Zella Miller (born c.1874); Charles C. Miller (born c.1875); Imogen[e] Miller (born c.1877);  Kenneth B. Miller (born Aug. 1878); Claude I. Miller (born Apr. 1880); Maude Miller (born Jan. 1882); Roy Miller (born June 1884); Lucille Miller (born Mar. 1886); and Irene Miller (born Aug. 1891).  The first five lived with their parents in 1880; the latter six ditto in 1900.
§ The eight children of Minnie Belle Hinman and William Wesley (W.W.) Welch were: Harry H. Welch (born Aug 29, 1884; died July 15, 1893); Helen Welch (born July 1886; graduated from Northwest University in 1905); Phillip Haupt Welch (born Oct. 15, 1888; attended Armour Institute in Chicago; died June 17, 1954 in San Mateo County CA); Margaret Welch (born Nov. 1890); Earl R. Welch (born June 28, 1893; arrested in 1914 for robbing four schools and a YMCA; died Mar. 14, 1920); Ruth H. Welch (born Feb. 10, 1896; was Principal of Nodaway Consolidated Schools in 1928; died Sep. 10, 1958); Edith Mary Welch (born Nov. 29, 1898; married Lyman Orlando Hopkins [1898-1950] and had one child; died Nov. 27, 1935; and Edgar Wesley Welch (born Feb. 5, 1900; married Ruth [surname?] and had one child; died June 1982).  All as per ~avenson and History of Page County, Iowa.

●  Sprout says Mary Ann Snyder was born Mar. 19 (not Apr. 10), 1792 and married "John Wikle" on Jan. 10 (not Jan. 1), 1815.
●  The 1800 census lists three different John Mumas in Pennsylvania, one in York County's Heidelberg Township—just east of Hanover.  The other two both lived east of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, which is York County's neighbor to the northeast.  One of these John Mumas reappears in the 1810 census.
●  No Weikel/Wikel/etc. appears in Pennsylvania's 1800 census.  In 1810's, Henry and Peter "Weikle" head households in York County's West Manchester Township; but 1820's census again comes up blank Wikelwise, at least in York County.  In 1820, a John Wikel is found in Skippack and Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County PA; and a John Weigel in Stonycreek Township, Scott County PA.
●  Only one source gives Samuel Wikel a middle initial—L.—which has not been included in the list above or subsequent chapters.
●  Both the Atlanta Argus and Leroy Free Press gave Samuel's birthdate as Oct. 1st, not 7th; and Henry's as Oct. 24th (like Susannah's), not 11th.
●  ~butler/memoirs (1919's Memoirs of the Miami Valley) indexes quite a few Weikels in Butler County OH; none of whom are directly connectable to Mary Ann and John's children.
●  Although Butler County's Amanda does not appear on Rand McNally's 2002 Ohio State Map, it is mentioned in 1998's ~lemontownship: "Once, Lemon Township was a prosperous farming community with interesting small towns—Middletown, Amanda, Monroe, Lesourdsville and Blue Ball"—all of which can be found on Butler County's 1875 map.  In recent years Lemon Township has been steadily annexed by Middletown and Monroe.
●  Mary Ann's daughter Louisa should not be confused with another Louisa Weikel born c.1815 in Pennsylvania, the child of Christian and "Mrs. Christian" Weikel, who married Tobias Nace or Nase, had a daughter Clara Nace/Nase (born c.1856), and died in Bucks County PA in 1882: as per ~schwenk/stout.
●  Audrey Shields Hancock, webmistress of ~hancock/sinkey, notes that Isabel Sinkey Cooper's death record stated she was the daughter of "Louisa Wikle."
●  ~kauffman/tree provides some information, principally dates, regarding James Sheldon Wikel's family; the rest came from censuses, which show Mary's mother Adaline and brother William Kelly living with the Wikels in 1900; and an eighteen-month-old granddaughter, Arlene M. Wikel, doing the same in 1930—her parentage unclear.  James's household was quite tightknit—even by 1930 only three of the seven children (Marie, Pearl, and Hiram) had left home.
●  Some Mettert family details were found at ~mettert, ~beaman/bauermeister, and Harry Mettert's draft registration cards.  Ora Mettert died Jan. 7, 1957 and Lillie/Lilly Cooper Mettert on Apr. 20, 1966.  Harry Mettert married Bertha [surname?] c.1919, lived in Dayton, worked as a stenographer and bank cashier, and had a son named Robert Mettert (born c.1924).  Walter Mettert married Clara A. Aydelott c.1923, had a Preble County farm and a son named Thomas S. Mettert (1924-1934).  Both brothers—according to their separate online trees—died on Feb. 28, 1967.
●  William J. Wikel's military service in the Mexican and Civil Wars was found in ~butler/vets.
●  Eleanor/Ellen Wikel appears as "Elmira" in the 1860 census; her and William's surname is variously spelled Weikel, Wikel, and Weikle.
●  Lula Wikel Pierce's husband's first name (Curtis C.), occupation (laundryman), date of marriage (1900), and whereabouts with Lula that year (Lorain OH) are unconfirmed acquisitions from the 1900 census—in spite of the bride's first name being transcribed as "Sula."
●  Another educated guess was young Clara Wikel's having married Abraham Hurd: there being no other (locatable) Clara of similar age who'd been born in North Dakota to parents from Ohio, and was herself living in Ohio in 1910.
●  An Abraham Hurd who was born in Ohio on Jan. 29, 1882 died in Santa Clara CA on Nov. 4, 1967, as per the California and Social Security Death Indexes.  No other post-1990 trace of him, Clara, Florence, or Helen ("Hellen" in the 1910 census) has been found.
●  Some Burrows family details were derived from ~mathison/nordeen, where Ida appears as "Mary Ida"—confusingly like her younger sister May I.; she is simply "Ida" or (as a married woman) "Ida B." in all censuses and directories.
●  Mary Catherine Burrows appears in Volume 56 of the Daughters of the American Revolution's Lineage Book (as number "55625").
●  Ida Burrows's husband Charles H. Chisam (transcribed "Cyren H." in 1910) was born in New York to an Irish father; the 1910 census said Ida's father also came from Ireland.
●  ~lminday supplies the name of a fourth child of Albert P. and Ida M. Burrows: the short-lived Glen Burrows.
●  Carrie Burrows Turner's daughters Lois and Nellie both worked as schoolteachers in 1900, the year their father B.F. appeared to be dead.  "Turner" is transcribed as "Tarner" in the 1910 and 1920 censuses, when B.F. has returned to life and Carrie.  (No clue whether this resulted from separation/reconciliation, or some Spanish-American War version of Castaway.)
●  In the 1900 census, May Burrows Barrass has two stepchildren, Eva A. Barrass (born July 1885) and Carl O. Barrass (born Mar. 1888); both were gone from their father's home by 1910.
●  In the same census, Maud Burrows Thompson—though given the correct age of 34—is shown with the birthyear "1868."
●  In the 1920 census, Mildred L. Thompson works as a bookkeeper.  Her brother appears as "Cliford B."; his vitals and middle name were found in the California Death Index.
●  Many Hinman family details were taken from ~avenson, which calls Charles Hinman a carriagemaker rather than a farmer.  In the 1880 census his occupation can be interpreted as either "keeper of fine horses" or "keeper of five houses."
●  Charles Hinman's parents and siblings also lived in Hawleyville IA in 1860, one household over from Charles and Cornelia.
●  ~hinman says Charles and Cornelia had a fifth child, LaRoy Hinman, who like Royal/Roy lived in Omaha; no other details were given.  The 1910 census does agree that Cornelia had a total of five children, of whom only two were then living.  Royal/Roy's birthdate was found on his World War I draft registration card.
●  Annie Hinman's marrying Charles Leader was in ~hinman.
●  After Minnie Hinman Welch's death, W.W. married Edith Brown Gibson in 1906.
●  ~avenson says "Cornilia Jane" was born in Amanda, Fairfield County OH on Apr. 26th, not 28th; and died on Sep. 9th rather than Sep. 8th—but the latter date was cited by the Sep. 10th Clarinda Herald (as per ~odell).
●  In the April 8, 1892 Atlanta Argus, "The following are expected to be present at the birthday [party on] Saturday, April 9: Mr. and Mrs. Folk and Mr. and Mrs. John S. Snyder and family, of Columbia, Penn.; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wikel, of Urbana, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. O. G. Burrows, of Seneca, Kan.; Miss May I. Burrows, of Faribault, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Thompson, of Tonica, Ill; Mrs. C.S. and Roy Hinman, of Clarinda, Iowa; Mrs. Ella Clark, of Middletown, Ohio; Mrs. Yeazel [sic], of Indianapolis, Ind.; Mrs. Chisam, of Omaha and Mrs. Thayer, of Bloomington, Ill.  The resident descendants are Mrs. M.C. Burrows, Mrs. A.C. Miller and family, Mrs. Ben Turner and family, Mrs. Stephen Judy and family and Wm. Wikel."  (This "Wm." was most likely the son of John A. and Priscilla, and grandchild of Mary Ann.)
●  The April 15th Argus reported a slightly different turnout: "Those present from a distance were Mr. Samuel Wikel and wife, of Urbana, Ohio; Mrs. Mary McChesney and two children, Middletown, Ohio; Mrs. C.S. Hinman and Mr. Roy Hinman of Clarinda, Iowa; Mrs. John Folk, Mrs. John Snyder and two children, Columbia, Pa.; Mrs. Wm. Jacobs of Paradise, Pa.; Mr. and Mrs. O. G. Burrows, Seneca, Kas.; Mrs. C.H. [or C.W.] Chisam and son of Omaha, Neb.; Mrs. Frank Thompson, Tonica, Ills.; Miss May I. Burrows, Faribault, Minn.; Mr.[?] Wm. Yeazell, Indianapolis, Ind.; Mrs. Carpenter, Delavan, Ill.; and Mrs. Packard, Bloomington."
●  The present author has been unable to identify Mrs. Carpenter of Delavan IL or Mrs. Thayer and Mrs. Packard of Bloomington.
●  The Leroy Free Press indicated their obituary had appeared in the previous week's Atlanta Argus, and was reprinted by permission.
 

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