Genealogical Gems

The iron ore mines in Eden Township , southern Lancaster County , have been leased by Peacock & Thomas, of Conestoga Furnace On This Day in 1883. The mine, located near the old Conowingo, is owned by Shultz & Hess. The new lease holders plan to install new machinery. The new manager will be Amos Smith. Sources Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 8 December 1883. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress. On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

It was On This Day in 1844 that an Anti-Mormon mob murdered Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in Carthage , IL . Smith, born in 1805, was the founder of the Mormon religion. The religion, also known as the Church of Latter Day Saints , was criticized for some of its practices – such as polygamy. Having settled in Nauvoo , IL , Smith had announced his candidacy for president of the United States earlier in 1844. It was two years later that Brigham Young, Smith’s successor, led the Mormons out of Nauvoo into the Valley of the Salt Lake , where the Church is headquartered today. Source: This Day in History.   History.com. 27 June 1844. On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

A man was found hanging to a beam in his barn On This Day in 1880. Andrew Miller was found in his Jersey Shore , Lycoming County barn. It is believed to have been murder. George Smith and Miller’s wife, Catharine, have both been arrested in this case.   According to an entry for Andrew Miller on Find A Grave, his murder was the “crime of the century.” He had been born in 1822 in York County . Catharine Miller and George Smith, again according to Find A Grave, were lovers and had three girls together. Catharine died the following year.   Andrew is buried in Pine Creek Cemetery , in Jersey Shore . Catharine was buried there as well.   Sources: “Andrew Miller,” Find A Grave   Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 18 March 1880 . Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Lib. of Congress.     On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events.     ...

Chester County (PA) has uploaded several records on its sites that may be of interest if tracing your family there, including marriage records. Chester County kept marriage records from 1852 to 1855 and then again from 1885 to the present. Go to the "Records, Guides and Indexes" page on the Chester County, PA site at http://www.chesco.org/index.aspx?NID=193 . Now to be honest, I have this page bookmarked because I can never find it on the main page and it just frustrates me to no end so if you would like to do the same ... go to the page then add it to your Favorites. Once there, you have a choice of so many records! But for today - click on the " Birth, Death and Marriage " link on the left side. Select Marriages. For the years mentioned above, you can search by groom or bride. Remember if you are searching by the bride to use her maiden name.   The information that you MAY get from these records include: Groom's last name Groom's first nam...