October | 2021 | Posting Family Roots

What are the odds that two men with the same surname, ancestors from the same state, and the same oral family tradition about original immigrants to America would meet in a rural Oklahoma town in the 1980s? I believe that the odds would be against them. And, yet, it happened to Daniel Richard Posten, my Dad, and a man named George Avery Posten. From this chance meeting, I became intrigued with a question about George’s grandfather, Benjamin Avery Posten. This post begins my tale which will be continued in later posts.

Our family surname of Posten, with an ‘e’, is not as common as Poston, with an ‘o’. So, when Dad saw the name of George Posten in the local phone book, he quickly called. The two met and exchanged stories, beating the odds against such a chance meeting.

In 1980, after Dad’s retirement, my parents moved to Mannford, Creek county, Oklahoma. Dad’s love of gardening resulted in the purchase of three acres and a small house near the rural community on the banks of Lake Keystone. The lake is about 20 miles west of Tulsa.

I vaguely remember the phone conversation, although I don’t remember the exact date (or even year!) I wasn’t into genealogy at that time although I did enjoy hearing them talk about their childhoods and relatives. The conversation probably went something like this:

Me: “Hi! How are you doing?”

Mom: “We’re pretty good. Dad’s got his most of the garden planted.”

Me: “Oh, well, that’s why you moved out there! I always like the fresh vegetables!”

Mom: “Your dad is really excited! We met a man named George Posten and he lives here in Mannford! We saw the name in the phone book and called. You know that not too many people spell their name like we do.”

Me: “Yes, I know that.”

Mom: “Anyway, we went to visit him and his wife, Lottie. They are really nice people! George was born in Missouri but his grandfather was born in Pennsylvania. And, he remembers hearing the story that two brothers came to America and one stayed in Pennsylvania and one moved south. He thinks that he is related to the one who moved south. He and Dad just talked up a storm!”

Me: “Oh, that’s interesting! Isn’t it odd that the two would meet in Mannford, of all places?”

Mom: “Yes, it is strange! And, you know that your Dad had a brother, George?”

Me: “Yes, Aunt Libby’s husband. I don’t think that I ever met him. ”

Mom: “You didn’t. He was killed in a car accident when you were just a baby. When are you coming to see us?” The conversation ended a few minutes later as we caught up on other news.

Mom and Dad visited George and Lottie on a regular basis until Mom and Dad moved again in 1990. Both frequently talked about the stories shared with George and how similar the stories about family origins were. All of us believed that George and Dad are related. I still believe it, although I can’t prove it.

Briefly, here’s the family lines. Thomas Postens, born 1782 at Monmouth county, New Jersey, is our branches progenitor.[1] Thomas probably moved to Pennsylvania in the 1820s. [2] Thomas and his wife, Esther Brown, lived in either Northampton or Pike county in 1829, where my great-great grandfather, James D. Posten, was born. [3] (Geographic note: current Monroe County formed in 1836 from Northampton and Pike counties). James D. Posten’ s descendants are Daniel S. Posten (my great-grandfather), John R. Posten (my grandfather) and Daniel Richard Posten (my dad), all born in northeastern Pennsylvania. Many of Thomas’ descendants still live there.

George Avery Posten’s family easily traces to Benjamin Avery Posten, born 1839, presumably at Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. [4] From Pennsylvania, Benjamin moved his family to Pulaski county, Missouri, where George’s father, Charley P. Posten, was born. Charley moved to Creek county, Oklahoma, in the 1920s with the family appearing there in the 1930 census. [5] Four of George’s nine siblings moved to California between 1930 and 1940, probably as a result of the infamous Dust Bowl. George died in 1998 and is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Mannford.

The link may lie in Huntingdon county, which is in western Pennsylvania. Several Posten families lived there as early as 1800 including William [Posty][6] and Peter [Posty]. [7] Another person of interest is Cornelius Poste (1830 census, Huntington county, Pennsylvania). I believe that William and Peter migrated west from northeastern Pennsylvania.

So, what are the odds for this meeting occurring? I don’t know. It sure has made my genealogical research interesting! Simply, the BIG question is: Who are the parents of Benjamin Avery Posten? The identity of Benjamin’s mother is based on a single 1850 census record. To be continued. . . .

Disclaimer. I am not the only person who seeks an answer to the question of Benjamin Avery Posten’s parents.

REFLECTION

This post is longer than I hoped. I keep trying for less than 1200 words. Writing helps to clarify my thinking. Before I share my conclusions with you, I felt that I needed to give you the back story. This has been one of my BSO items for several years.

What I learned (again): Meticulous record keeping is a must. This includes notes about what information seems to fit and what doesn’t.

What helped? Previous work done on Posten families in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. Online access to records.

What didn’t help? Debate within myself about when and how to share this information.

To do: Begin writing the next installment.

SOURCES:

[1] . “Posten Family Reunion,” The Wilkes-Barre Record, 11 September 1908; online images, Newspapers.com (http://www.newspapers.com : accessed & printed 18 August 2017).

[2] Thomas Pokins. 1820 U.S. Census, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Hamilton, p. 245, image 256, line no. 22, Thomas Pokins; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed, printed, downloaded 18 May 2020); citing National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C. microfilm publication M33_104.

[3] Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health, death certificate 118955 (1914), James D. Posten; Bureau of Vital Records, Harrisburg.

[4] George Avery Posten family tree, privately owned by Susan Posten Ellerbee. Similar trees also posted on Ancestry website.

[5] 1930 U.S. Census, Creek county, Oklahoma, population schedule, Olive, enumeration district (ED) 0035, pp. 1A & 1B, dwelling 10, family 10, Charles Posten age 62; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 17 October 2021); citing National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Microfilm publication T626.

[6] 1800 U.S. Census, Huntington county, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Union Township, p. 147, line 35, William Posty; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed, printed, downloaded 18 May 2020); citing National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C. microfilm publication M32, roll 40.

[7] 1800 U.S. Census, Huntington county, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Union Township, p. 147, line 36, Peter Posty; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed, printed, downloaded 18 May 2020); citing National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C. microfilm publication M32, roll 40.

Indexes and transcripts of documents provide clues about our ancestors’ lives. However, they typically do not show all information found on the original document. Sometimes, I am so excited to find any information about an ancestor that I forget about a basic principle– indexes and transcripts are just the beginning. The original document tells more of the story. In this post, I tell about a marriage record, a death record, and implications for my future research.

For the past several months, I have been writing a manuscript about my mother’s German ancestors who immigrated to America. I already have copies of some original documents. As I wrote, I identified and requested copies of other documents. New York City Archives staff usually respond to my requests within a few weeks. Documents from New York state continue to trickle in. One marriage record, the subject of this post, especially confounds me.

A short family history. Valentine Maurer, my mother’s great grandfather, immigrated to the United States about 1855. His death certificate[1], received in 2015, listed his parents as Leonhard Maurer and Marie Maurer, both born in Baden, Germany. Additional research revealed that her maiden name was Metzger (details for another post). So far, so good. I searched for more information about Leonhard and Marie, eventually finding them in New York City in 1865. [2]

Next item found, by chance, was a Manhattan, New York marriage index entry for 70-year-old Leonhard Maurer and Crescentia Ley/ Leu. [3] Leonhard’s age corresponded to other records. In August 2021, I found a similar marriage record index entry on a different online database.[4] This one had a certificate number so I requested a copy of the marriage record and received it on 29 August 2021. [5]

Family Search index (Accessed Feb 2021)

Ancestry index (accessed August 2021)

Name: Leonhard Maurer
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 15 Aug 1870
Event Place: Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
Event Place (Original): Manhattan, New York
Sex: Male
Age: 70
Marital Status: Unknown
Race: White
Birth Year (Estimated): 1800
Birthplace: Baden, Germany
Father’s Name: J… Maurer
Mother’s Name: Theresa Metzgas
Spouse’s Name: Crescendia Leu
Spouse’s Sex: Female
Spouse’s Age: 51
Spouse’s Marital Status: Single
Spouse’s Race: White
Spouse’s Birth Year (Estimated): 1819
Spouse’s Birthplace: Baden, Germany
Spouse’s Father’s Name: Peder Leu
Spouse’s Mother’s Name: Sabina Heusler

Name: Crescentia Ley
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 15 Aug 1870
Marriage Place: Manhattan, New York, USA
Spouse: Leonhard Maurer
Certificate Number: 4936

The Family Search entry seems fairly complete. What more could be on the original document? Well, there were several items of interest. Specifically, the certificate included Leonhard’s occupation (saloon keeper), “number of husband’s marriage: No. 3” and “no. of wife’s marriage: no. 1.” Leonhard had been married two other times! I know of only one- Maria Metzger, Valentine’s mother.

Based on the 1865 census and 1870 marriage, Maria probably died between 1865 and 1870. At about the same time as finding the 2^nd marriage index entry, I found a death index entry for Maria Anna Mearer, age 63, who died in 1867.[6] Close enough to spend $15.00 for original certificate! I received a copy of that certificate on 2 September 2021.[7] Names of her parents are not recorded. How do I know that she is MY Maria Maurer? Her age of 63 is somewhat consistent with Maria Maurer, age 62 per June 1865 census. Address of Schols street, 16^th ward is roughly consistent with the family’s location in 1865. “Resident of this city: 10 years” is consistent with 1857 immigration record for Leonhard, Maria, and three of their daughters.[8] In addition, a November 1823 marriage record for Leonhard Maurer & Maria Anna Metzger indicates that Maria was born in 1804.[9] I can now say that she is probably the same Maria Maurer living with Leonhard in 1865.

Per June 1865 census, Maria reported 14 children.[10] I found records for 13 children born 1825 to 1852. My first list included two children, born January 1821 and October 1822. I initially dismissed them as being born outside of marriage. Now, I must consider that these two may have been born to Leonhard and his 1^st wife, possibly also named Maria. And, there is one more child to be found for Leonhard and his presumed 2^nd wife, Maria Metzger.

In summary, based on currently available information, assertions are:

Leonhard Maurer & 1^st wife: 2 children, born 1821 & 1822;
Leonhard Maurer & 2^nd wife, Maria Anna Metzger (1804-1867), married 1823; 14 children born 1825 to 1852; 13 children identified so far; and
Leonhard Maurer & 3^rd wife, Crescentia Leu, married 1870, no children.

REFELECTION

Don’t underestimate the importance of research logs. Include even questionable information and why you question it. Track everything, even indexes/ transcriptions. Record the date you order and receive certificates. Original certificates will likely have information that is not on index. Transcriptions also may not include all information that is on the original document.

What I learned (again!): New information, beyond what is indexed or transcribed, is usually on an original document. A complete research log takes some time now but will save time later. Search more than one database. If information is not found, check back in a few months. Be sensitive to alternate spelling of names.

What helped: Fairly complete citations from previous work.

What didn’t help: I didn’t have digital/ paper copies of all indexes/ transcriptions.

To-do: Review German records again. Ask my German friend if he is willing to translate. Continue systematic ordering of original BMD certificates.

SOURCES:

[1] Valentine Maurer, death certificate no. 16339 (1898), New York City Archives, New York City, New York City, New York; PDF copy received via email 2015.

[2] 1865 New York State Census, Kings county, New York, population schedule, Brooklyn, , p. 34, dwelling 86, family 282, Leonard Maurer age 64; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed & downloaded 26 May 2018); citing New York State Archives, Albany, New York..

[3] “New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940,” database, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24MN-H9H : viewed & printed 5 February 2021), entry for Leonhard Maurer, age 70; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York.

[4] “New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937,” database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 23 August 2021), entry for Crescentia Ley and Leonhard Maurer; citing New York City Department of Records/Municipal Archives.; certificate no. 4936.

[5] New York, marriage certificate no. no. 4936 (15 August 1870), Leonhard Maurer & Crescentia Leu; Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York City Board of Health, New York City.

[6] “New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W7C-WKR : viewed & printed 24 August 2021), entry for Maria Anna Mearer, died 1867, age 63, certificate no. 4931.

[7] Kings county, New York, certificate of death no. 4931 (1 August 1867), Maria Anna Maurer; New York City Municipal Archives, New York City, New York; PDF copy received via email 2 September 2021.

[8] “New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957,” digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed & downloaded 29 January 2021), entry for Leonhard Moerer [Maurer]; citing Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C., microfilm publication M237.

[9] “Niederhausen, Rheinhausen EM: Katholischr Gemeinde:, Heiratsbuch, 1810-1839 (Catholic congregation: marriage book 1810-1869,” church marriage records; digital images, , Landesarchiv Baden-Würtemberg, Staatsarchive Freiburg (http://www.landesarchiv-bw.de : viewed & downloaded 23 August 2021), L10, bd 2322, fig. 35, entry no. 4.

[10] 1865 New York State Census, Kings county, New York, population schedule, Brooklyn, p. 34, dwelling 86, family 282, Leonard Maurer age 64; Maria Maurer, 62.