A Genealogical Perspective: Correcting Errors in Local Histories

A Genealogical Perspective: Correcting Errors in Local Histories W HILE SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION about the family of his maternal great-great-grandfather, Orville Phillips of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Isar Gustave Nordin, jr., discovered errors in three published local histories. More important than the clearing of the record was the method Mr. Nordin used to establish the facts. His use of documents of genealogical importance serves as a guide for others involved in this kind of problem-solving. As the case is presented the reader will realize the value of each document used to prove the point. The three passages containing the errors are given below: James's daughter, Melissa, born August 2, "[The James Drake Family] 1821, who died September 14, 1873 married first Lebbeus Phillips, and settled on a farm about a mite east of Kingsley Corners, and she had two sons, Lebbeus and Orval." Mary Ann Bidwell Higby: The First Hundred Years: A History of Townville, Pennsylvania & Vicinity. (1924), 127. "Orville Phillips was the son of Lebbeus and Melissa (Drake) "Melissa was born Ovid, Senceca Co., N.Y., August 2, 1821, and died September 14, 1873 at Little Cooley, Pa. (She married (2) Charles D. Chapin) Orville married (1) Steuben Twp., December 25, 1866 Caroline Reckefus Phillips, dais. of Mary Nipper...,, Crawford County Genealogy-Steuben Township Cemeteries-Baker Cemetery, compiled by Eugene Throop. (1979) 404. In reference to the original vestry of the Townville Calvary Episcopal Church, one of the vestrymen listed was a C. Phillips. History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, edited by Warner & Beers & Co. (Chicago, 1885), 657. The first two references incorrectly state that Melissa Drake married Lebbeus Phillips, rather than Enoch Phillips. Proof is needed to establish that Lebbeus and Orval [Orville] were the sons of Enoch and Melissa (Drake) Phillips. The 1840 Census for Athens Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania lists Enoch Phillips, male 30/40; female 20/30; 2 males under 5. p. 312. 316 Genealogical Perspective 317 It has been stated that Melissa (Drake) Phillips was born in 1821, so she should be the female age 20/30 listed above. One of the sources shown below proves that Lebbeus Phillips was born in 1838, and was the son of Enoch Phillips and Melissa Drake. He would have been 2 years old in 1840. The other source shows the Orville Phillips was born early in 1840, making him the other male under age 5. Death Certificate, Monument Twp., Logan Co., Kansas, #55K, shows that Lebbeus B. Phillips died 27 February 1914, age 76, giving his birth date as 17 FeIvrttary 1838 in Townville, Penna. States that he was the son of Enoch Phillips and Malissa [sic] Drake. Burial Records of Calvary Episcopal Church, Townville, Crawford Co., Pennsylvania, p. 111. Orville Phillips, age 43, died at New Townville, Friday, February 8th 1884. To prove that Lebbeus and Orville Phillips were brothers the two documents below provide the evidence. Petition for Probate of Will of Lebb-eus B. Phillips was filed 28 April 1914: heirs-at-law, his widow Sarah Phillips and his nephew, Orville R. Phillip& Logan County, Kansas. Baptism Records of Calvary Episcopal Church, Townvilie, Pennsylvania., p. 53. Orville Reuben Phillips, born Feb. 2nd, 1875, Steuben Tp. son of Orville and Sarah (Capers) Phillips, was baptised October 25th, 1883. Perhaps at this point some additional background information is needed to explain some of the documents used here to cite additional proofs. Nothing more is known of Enoch Phillips after the 1840 Census listing. There is some speculation that he "went West" taking his two young sons with him. This supposition can be strengthened by the fact that Melissa (Drake) Phillips appears in her father's household in the 1850 Census, The 1850 Census, Athens Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. p. 396. James Drake, age 55, farmer/Sally Drake, age 51/ Melissa Drake, age 29. [The entry shows the 5 known brothers and sisters of Melissa Drake, but there is no listing here for her 2 young sons.] Further proof that the elder brother, Lebbeus Phillips "went West" can be found in the following record: Obituary of L. B. Phillips. Oakley Graphic, Logan County, Kansas, 6 March 1914. It is stated here that "At the age of 12 years Mr. Phillips moved to Wisconsin from whence he enlisted with the 1st. Wisconsin Cavalry in 1862." Also in the obituary of Lebbeus Phillips is the statement that he was in Wisconsin by 1850, where he married Sarah Drom in Wilmot, S 1$ The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Wisconsin in 1872. He is not to be found in the 1850 Census, but has been located in Illinois in 1860. 1860 Census, Antioch Twp., Lake Co., Illinois, p. 57. Lebbeus Phillips, age 22, farm laborer, born in Pennsylvania/ [in the household of H. S. Shepard, farmer]. The 1860 Census, Steuben Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, p. 973. Lavica [sic] Philips, age 60, widow, owner of real estate, born in N.Y., head of household/ Orville Philips, age 19, farmer. This would indicate that this is the Orville Phillips born about 1840 in Pennsylvania. In her will dated, 5 October 1874 [Will Book D: 550, Crawford County] Louisa Phillips left "all my farm" to her "dear nephew Orville Phillips." The marriage of Orville Phillips is another fact that should be corrected in Crawford County Genealogy. The document below is evidence of this: Court of Common Pleas of Crawford County, Pennsylvania: The Libel of Orville Phillips, 26 September 1872. Decree of the Court, 23 May 1873. " That your Libillant was on the Twenty Fifth day of Dec. A.D. 1866 Lawfully joined in marriage with Caroline R. Nipper ," [from the Divorce Decree]. The third County History error was that cited in The History of Crawford County listing among the vestry of Calvary Episcopal Church, Townville, Pennsylvania, a C. Phillips. Mr. Nordin wrote to the Episcopal Dicocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania asking them to look at the original records [as he had], and confirm that the record showed O. [Orville] Phillips rather than C. Phillips. This was vouched for by the Reverend Terry Russell, assistant to Bishop Davis in 1987. Letter dated 6 April 1987, The Reverend Terry Russell, assistant to Bishop Davis. The main reason for this exercise is to warn the seeker of genealogical information that many 19th century local histories quite often did print erroneous family information. The warning is to proceed with caution when using these resources—do not always accept the printed word! Mr. Nordin has proved by his assiduous efforts that they very often confused the facts. All the documents used in this search for the descendants of Orville Phillips (18404 884) of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, as well as those used to contradict the assertions of the three local histories so cited, are on file in the Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania in FC/Orville Phillips, courtesy of the researcher, Ivor Gustave Nordin, Jr.