Person Page - 87

James Madison Pursley was born in 1867.¹

James Madison Pursley married Mary Margarett William Reid, daughter of William C Reid and Mary Smith.¹

James Madison Pursley died in 1939.¹

Infant Pursley died in 1901.¹ Infant Pursley was born in 1901.¹

Celesta Belle Sechrist was born in 1879.¹

Celesta Belle Sechrist married Lewis Siemon Stephens, son of Thomas Allen Stephens and Mary Smith, on 20 December 1899.^1,2

Celesta Belle Sechrist died in 1963.¹

Martha Jane Cantrell was born in 1873.¹

Martha Jane Cantrell married (--?--) Lewis.¹

Martha Jane Cantrell died in 1929.¹

Floyd Kelly Cantrell was born in 1877.¹

Floyd Kelly Cantrell died in 1950.¹

John Nelson Baker was born in 1925.¹

John Nelson Baker died in 2012.¹

Jackie Lyndolph Gibson was born in 1941.¹

Jackie Lyndolph Gibson died in 1989.¹

Martha Isabel Sawyer was born in 1858.¹

Martha Isabel Sawyer married (--?--) Best.¹

Martha Isabel Sawyer died in 1912.¹

Clayton Ward Murphey Sawyer was born in 1861.¹

Clayton Ward Murphey Sawyer died in 1937.¹

Ebern Sawyer was born in 1868.¹

Ebern Sawyer died in 1932.¹

Huldah Sawyer married (--?--) Murphey.¹ Huldah Sawyer was born in 1871.¹

Huldah Sawyer died in 1948.¹

His middle name may be based on the surname of one or more soldiers that his father, Stephen T Sawyer, served with during the Civil War in Company I of the 122nd Illinois Infantry.² David Sparks Sawyer was born in 1873.¹

David Sparks Sawyer died in 1927.¹

Abner (Little) Sawyer was born circa 1853 at Illinois.¹

Polly Miles Sawyer was born on 18 February 1855.¹

Polly Miles Sawyer died on 25 February 1855.¹

Archibald Silverman was born in 1880.¹

Archibald Silverman died in 1966.¹

Norman L Silverman was born in 1910.¹

Norman L Silverman died in 1980.¹

Hosea Van Sawyer was born in 1841.¹

Hosea Van Sawyer died in 1863.¹

Abner H Sawyer was born in 1843 at Macoupin County, Illinois.¹

Abner H Sawyer served as a sergeant in the 122nd Illinois Infantry, Company I (Union side) from 1862 until his death on 14 Feb 1864.²

Abner H Sawyer died on 14 February 1864 at Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky. He died of disease while in military service.¹ He is suspected to be buried at at Mound City National Cemetery, Mound City, Pulaski County, Illinois. Yhe remains of Union Soldiers who died at Parucah were re-interred at Mound City National Cemetery (Mound City, Illinois). However, no records have been located (by the War Department or Veterans Administration) to confirm that this individual is actually interred in this cemetery. The re-interrement was probably done some time after the end of the US Civil War, probably to consilidate graves. There are 8262 soldiers buried at this cemetery, 2759 of whom are Unknown. Abner H Sawyer is quite possibly one of those Unknowns.¹

Minnie Belle Clay was born on 25 October 1885.¹

Minnie Belle Clay married James Lewis Turnbull, son of John Franklin Turnbull and Sarah Jane Pierce, on 4 July 1902.¹

Minnie Belle Clay died in 1965.¹

Abra L Turnbull was born on 24 January 1913 at near Hebron, MIssouri.¹

Abra L Turnbull died in 1965.¹

Barbara Marie Turnbull was born on 24 January 1913 at near Hebron, Missouri.¹

Barbara Marie Turnbull died in 1974.¹

Irene Johnson was born circa 1915 at Pennsylvania.²

Irene Johnson (listed as Irene Johnson)appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of German Township (Precinct #6), Fayette County, Pennsylvania in the household of her parents, Philip Edward Johnson and Lela Mae Philips, enumerated 27 January 1920 The official date of that census was 01 January 1920. She was listed as age 5, born in Pennsylvania. Her father and mother were listed as born in Pennsylvania. She did not attend school within a year prior to the official census date.²

Irene Johnson (listed as Irene Johnson) appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of German Township, Fayette County, Pennyslvania in the household of her parents, Philip Edward Johnson, and Lela Mae Philips. The official date of that census was 02 April 1930. She was listed as age 15, single, attended school, able to read and write, born in Pennsylvania, and with no occupation listed. Her father and mother were listed as both born in Pennsylvania.³

Irene Johnson (listed as Irene Kelly) appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania in the household of her parents, Philip Edward Johnson and Lela Mae Philips, at 140 Cedar Avenue, enumerated 9 April 1940. The official date of that census was 01 April 1940. She was listed as: age 25, married, did not attend school during March 1940, had completed four years of high school, born in Pennsylvania, and lived in same house on 1 Apr 1935. She is listed as doing housework, not employed for wages, and not seeking such employment the week of 24-30 March. No occupation was reported for her. No 1939 wage income was reported for her and she did not have non-wage income in excess of $50 in 1939.⁴

Irene Johnson and Lela Mae Philips lived on 26 March 1943 at 20-B Midland Heights, Midland, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.¹

Irene Johnson and Lela Mae Philips lived on 3 March 1944 at 72 "A" Street, Van Buren Homes, Vanport, Pennsylvania.⁵

Anne Francis Yarus was also known as Ann Yarus.² She was born on 5 January 1908 at Pennsylvania.^3,4 She became a naturalized US citizen as a consequence of the naturalization of her father, Abraham Yarus, on 21 February 1912 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.³

Anne Francis Yarus (listed as Anna) appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Wilmington, at New Castle County, Delaware in the household of her parents, Abraham Yarus and Rebecca Weinstein, at 2806 Market Street. She was listed as age 11, born in Pennsylvania, single, attended school, and could read and write.⁴

Anne Francis Yarus married (--?--) Millman.²

Anne Francis Yarus died before 2009.²

Violet Yarus was born on 18 March 1910 at Pennsylvania.^2,3 She became a naturalized US citizen as a consequence of the naturalization of her father, Abraham Yarus, on 21 February 1912 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.²

Violet Yarus appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Wilmington, at New Castle County, Delaware in the household of her parents, Abraham Yarus and Rebecca Weinstein, at 2806 Market Street. She was listed as age 9, born in Pennsylvania, single, and attended school (apparently the enumerator's instructions were that no indication of the ability to read and write was to me made for children under age 10).⁴

Violet Yarus appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Wilmiington, at New Caste County, Delaware in the household of her parents, Abraham Yarus and Rebecca Weinstein, at 1807 Franklin Street. She was listed as age 20, born in Pennsylvania, single, did not attend school in the last year, could read and write, and was employed as a bookkeeper in a bakery.³

Violet Yarus married (--?--) Weinstein.¹

Violet Yarus died before 2009.¹

Anne Philips was born in December 1879 in Pennsylvania (probably in Sullivan County).¹

Anne Philips (listed as Anne Phillips) appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Cherry Township, of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania in the household of her parents, David Evan Philips and Johanna Ernestina Hecker, enumerated 28 June 1880. The official date of that census was 01 June 1870. She was listed as age 6 months, born in Pennsylvania, during January 1880. Her father and mother were both listed as born in Pennsylvania. No disabilities or other special situations were listed for her.¹

Anne Philips died on 21 March 1881 at age 1.²

Anne Philips was buried at Old Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Dushore, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.²

The primary maiden name used in this narrative for this woman, "Johanna Ernestine Hecker" is a composite consisting of a first name from an immigration record (described below), combined with middle name and maiden surname taken from a christening record (described in the Notes and Observations section located near the end of this narrative – the first name on that christening record is Anna).The name used on her grave marker is Ernestine Schreivogel Seemann; the last two of those names being the surnames of her two (known) husbands. The suffix "the elder" is sometimes added to her name in this narrative to avoid confusion with her (apparent) daughter, who has a very similar name. The suffix "the younger" is added to the daughter's name at certain locations.

Johanna Ernestine Hecker was born on 31 August 1827 (based on her grave marker), probably in Bavaria, later incorporated into Germany. The 1900 census indicates she was born in August 1828. Other birth years can be inferred from other documents cited in this narrative.^2,3

Johanna Ernestine Hecker married Fredrich Schreivogel.^2,4


A set of immigration records on the FamilySearch web site indicates that a family headed by “Fr Schreivogel” (male, age 30, occupation: farmer) entered the US at the port of Philadelphia, on 12 June 1851. Family members who were traveling with him included “Johanna Schreivogel” (female, age 28, occupation: “none given”) and “Maria Eleon Schreivogel” (female, age 19, occupation: “none given”).

The first two people named in the previous paragraph, might be the married couple, Fredrich Schreivogel and (under a married surname) Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). The reasons for believing this are described in the Notes and Observations Section that appears near the end of this narrative.^5,6,7

Frederick Schreyvogel and "Diana" Scheyvogel, who appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Perkiomen, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, enumerated 12 June 1860, MIGHT be Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). The official date of that census was 01 June 1860. Frederick Schreyvogel’s age was listed as 38. Diana Scheyvogel’s age was listed as 32 (implying a birth c1828). They were both listed as born in Prussia. His occupation was listed as Farmer. No occupation was listed for her. The household was listed as having real estate worth $1000 and personal property worth $300. A girl, listed as Diana Hager (age 5), was living in the household. If the couple listed in this household in the 1860 census is indeed Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (teh elder), this girl might be Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), who would have been approximately age 5 at the time of the 1860 census.

No one was listed in the 1860 census schedule for this household as having been married within a year prior to the date official census date. No one in the household was listed as attending school within the year prior to the official census date. Both adults in the household were listed as being able to read and write (but the census schedule does not indicate what language they could read and/or write). No disabilities or other special situations were listed for anyone in the household.

The household described in the previous paragraphs is the one that has been found to date (20 June 2020) in the 1860 census that seems most likely to have contained Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) and Johanna Ernestina Hecker(the younger). The census enumerator for this area for the 1860 census seems to have been named something like W H Davis. It is quite possible he had no knowledge of the German language, so language differences could have led to some confusion in names of members of the household (and other information concerning them).

Note that the younger Diana and elder Diana in this household had different surnames at the time of this 1860 census. Thus, if they are biological daughter and mother, the daughter could be from an earlier marriage (or relationship) -- but this possiblity (and the child's listed age in 1860) would seem inconsistent with the immigration record described above and the christening record described in the Notes and Observation Section, described near the end of this narrative, if these are indeed all the same people in all of these records. It is also possible that the younger Diana was adopted in some way (likely informally, since there is no record of the child ever taking Schreivogel as a surname). As will be seen later in this narrative, Johanna Ernestine Hecker the elder and Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), seem to have a mother-daughter relationship, but have different surnames, in all (or almost all) of the records in which they appear together (or seem to appear together), even those generated prior to Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger's marriage.⁸

Fredrich Schreivogel (listed as Fort Scheyvogle) and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (listed as Anestena Scheyvogle) appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania at Dushore, enumerated 13 July 1870. The official date of that census was 01 June 1870. Fredrich’s age was listed as 51. Johanna’s age was listed as 43. They were both listed as born in Prussia, with both of their parents listed as born in a foreign country. Their occupations were listed as Hotel Keeper and House Keeper, respectively. The household was listed as having real estate worth $1600 and personal property worth $500. Two other people, Frederick Weck (age 20), listed as a Laborer, and Anne Steenhacker (age 15), listed as a Domestic Servant, were also listed as living in the household.

No one was listed as having been married within a year prior to the date official census date. No one was listed as attending school within the year prior to the official census date. Everyone in the household was apparently able to read and write. No disabilities or other special situations were listed for anyone in the family. The household had no male citizens over the age of 21 whose right to vote was denied or abridged due to reason than rebellion.

The person the compiler (CCF) expected to see in this household, but who does not seem to be present, is Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), the apparent daughter of Johanna Ernestine Hecker. There is a possibility that Anne Steenhacker and Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) are the same person, as they are about the same age and the birth location for Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) is listed as Pennsylvania in some source documents. In addition, there is considerable similarity between their names (for example: compare “Ann Steenhacker” and “Johanna Ernestina Hecker”). The 1870 US Census was the last one in which census takers did not record family relationships (such as wife, son, grand-daughter, mother-in-law) between the head of the household and other members of the household.

The next family on this census sheet is headed by an 39-year-old Immigrant from Prussia named Charles Steenhacker. That household (in addition to a 39-year-old Prussian-immigrant presumed wife) contains two sons, ages 10 and 11 (both born in Pennsylvania). This is, it possible that Anne Steenhacker could be a daughter from this nearby household who was working as a live-in domestic servant at the Scheyvogle hotel. However, it is also possible that the census enumerator (named something like T A Dent) somehow became confused and erroneously “renamed” Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) to Anne Steenhacker, so they are truly the same individual. One can imagine a situation where the census enumerator initially took “rough notes” in the field, with the intention they would latere be recopied so that neater, more legible records could be submitted to the federal government. It is possible that one could mix up people with similar names during such a recopying process. For now, in this narrative, CCF presumes they are different people. “Conveniently” assuming census takers made multiple errors is “too easy.” With enough (assumed) errors, a family history researcher can convince himself that any person is “really” any other person. Thus, for now, Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) is considered missing in the 1870 US census.

One other possibility that has been considered is that Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) was married at the time of the 1870 census (and thus could appear somewhere in the census under a different surname). However, no Pennsylvania marriage record has yet been found for any marriage involving a person with a name similar to Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger, either before or after the time of the 1870 census – including for the presumed marriage, at some point -- to David E Philips). In addition, several searches using Ancestry did not yield any obvious candidates to be a married version of Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger). Information available on Ancestry for Sullivan County Pennsylvania marriages includes surprisingly few marriages prior to around 1900, suggesting that records might be incomplete.⁹

Johanna Ernestine Hecker married John M Seemann circa 1875 in Pennsylvania, probably during the mid-1870s. Her previous husband had died on10 Jan 1872.^2,10,11

John M Seemann (listed as John Sayman) and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (listed as Annistenia Sayman) appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, enumerated 28 June 1880. The official date of that census was 01 June 1870. John’s age was listed as 29. Johanna’s age was listed as 52. They were both listed as having been born in “Berveria” and as being husband and wife. Their occupations were listed as Farmer and Keeping House, respectively. Neither was listed as being disabled or maimed. All four of their parents were listed as also born in “Berveria.” Two additional people were listed as living in the household: Margret Munster (age 18), listed as a Servant, and George Swink (age 30), listed as a Laborer (both of these individuals were omitted from the Ancestry summary transcription of members of the household, but they were clearly listed as members in the handwritten census schedule) . No one in the household was listed as attending school. Everyone in the household was listed as being able to read and write.

Other sources indicate Johanna (the elder) and (despite the occupation listing for him as a farmer in this census) John were hotel keepers in this area at this time. Their residence at the time of this census was at 166th dwelling visited by the census enumerator for this Enumeration District. The 165th dwelling has one family and several apparently unrelated people living in it. This 165th dwelling might represent the "hotel" (or boarding house) that they operated. Her daughter, Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), and the daughter's family, lived at the 168th dwelling visited by the enumerator, which was probably nearby.

The 1880 census indicates that Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) had remarried (to a much younger) man since the death of her previous husband. No record of this marriage has yet been located in the Ancestry marriage records for Pennsylvania. However, that Ancestry database seems to contain a surprisingly small number of marriage records for Sullivan County prior to around 1900. This suggests the database and/or marriage records may be incomplete for that county.¹²

Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder, listed as Ernestine Seman) appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, enumerated 30 June 1900. The official date of that census was 01 June 1900. Johanna’s age was listed as 72 (born Aug 1828) in Germany. This census is unique (up to that time) in that month and year of birth were requested for each individual, in addition to age at the official census date. Her parents were both listed as born in Germany. She was listed as a widow. No occupation was listed for her. The spaces for two questions asked of mothers: the number of children she had given birth to, and the number of those who were still living, was blank. The spaces for her year of immigration to the US, the number of years she had lived in the US, and her citizenship status, were also blank.

Two children, identified as her grandchildren, Lela Mae Philips and Arthur D Philips (listed as Lenna M Seman, age 16, and Arthur D Seman, age 11) were listed as living with her. All members of the household were listed as being able to read, write, and speak English. No one was listed as attending school. The residence was listed as owned with (apparently) no mortgage and not on a farm.

Both grandchildren are listed as having the surname Seman (the surname of Johanna Ernestine Hecker's most recent late husband). A different source suggested that Ernestine might have been been a hotel keeper at this time. However, no lodgers were listed in this dwelling. Similarly, there were none listed in other dwellings documented on this sheet of the census schedule. All of the "nearby" dwellings seemed to have been owned by a member of the family living in them, not rented. However, since this household is listed near the end of the listing for this district (it is dwelling -- and household -- number 295 out of 297 "visited" by the enumerator for this district), this entry might represent a "re-visit" (where the enumerator returned to homes that he had "missed" on the normal route through the district (if, for example, no one was home to provide information when the residence was initially visited. If that is the case, these last few dwellings listed in the evaluation district might not be geographically close to one another.¹³

Johanna Ernestine Hecker died on 28 December 1901 near Bernice, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, at age 74.²

Johanna Ernestine Hecker was buried at Old Zion Lutheran Cemetery (apparently also called Thrasher's Cemetery), Dunshore, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.²



Notes and Observations:


As discussed in the primary narrative (above), a set of immigration records on the FamilySearch web site indicates that a family headed by “Fr Schreivogel” (male, age 30, occupation: farmer) entered the US at the port of Philadelphia, on 12 June 1851. Family members who were traveling with him included “Johanna Schreivogel” (female, age 28, occupation: “none given”) and “Maria Eleon Schreivogel” (female, age 19, occupation: “none given”).

The first two people named in the previous paragraph, “Fr Schreivogel” and “Johanna Schreivogel,” have surnames and ages similar to Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) who both appear in the 1860 census in a household (described below) that also includes a young girl who might be Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger, who later became the mother of Lela Mae Philips. If the Schreivogels are indeed the people who seem to both appear in the 1860 census, then the “Johanna Schreivogel” of 1860 is likely also Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder), who appears (listed using her married sunames) in the 1870 and 1880 censuses of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania (she had a new husband and a different surname in 1880). Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger might be listed in the household with her in the 1870 census entry. Johanna Ernestine Hecker appears in 1900 census (still in Cherry Township) listed as the grandmother of Lela Mae Philips, the daughter of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger.

The logic path in the preceding paragraph (identifying Johanna Ernestine Hecker, the elder, as the person in the immigration record and in specific locations in the 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 censuses) is admittedly tenuous. One other weakness in this chain of logic should be mentioned. The maiden surname used here for Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) has never been found in any source document that is clearly associated with Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger. The maiden surname of Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) has been assigned to her (for purposes of this narrative) based on christening records for a different person – a son, not a daughter (as described a few paragraphs below).

Even if the connections outlined here linking Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger and the Schreivogels are valid, it leaves open the question: Who are the biological parents of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger? That question has not yet been resolved.

It seems likely that neither of the Schreivogels (the couple who appear in the 1870 census – and probably in the 1851 immigration record and in the 1860 census described in the main narrative, above) are biological parents of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger (if it is her on the cited 1860 and 1870 census schedules) because the surnames used for both Fredrich Schreivogeland Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) at the time of the 1870 census (including the elder Johanna Ernestine Hecker’s married surname at the time of the 1870 census, which would also seem to have been her married surname at the time Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger was born) differ from the maiden surname of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger. (Fredrich Schreivogel was deceased and Johanna Ernestine Hecker had a different surname in 1880 due to her remarriage during the 1870s).

If the maiden surnames of both Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder, probably born at some date between 1822 and 1828) and Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger (born 1855) are indeed the same, one possibility is that Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) adopted a daughter of a family member. This could have come about if, for example, Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) adopted the daughter of her brother. However, no records of such a brother entering or living in the US have yet been located (as of June 2020). Similarly, no records of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger have yet been located from prior to her (possible) appearance in the 1860 census schedule described in the main narrative.

No records concerning the third person in the immigration record described above, “Maria Eleon Schreivogel,” after her entry into the US, have yet been located.

Before leaving the subject of how the individuals in these various documented event may be connected with each other, we will note, for completeness, that immigration record described in the main narrative indicates the name of the ship the Schreivogel family arrived on was “Bk Philadelphia”. It is likely a coincidence that the name of the ship they arrived on is the same as the name of the port they arrived at. The term “Bk” may be an abbreviation of “bark” (alternative spelling: “barque”) or “barquentine”. Both of these are types of sailing ships with 3 or more masts (although, one would expect that, by 1851, transatlantic passenger ships would employ some kind of steam power to augment the sails).

As mentioned above, a church christening record from Philadelphia Pennsylvania (not listed in the main narrative, above, seems to relate to this family. On 20 June 1852, a male child was christened with the name Johann Friedrich Schreivogel. The record indicates the child had been born 15 June 1852. The name of the father is listed as: Johann Friedrich Schreivogel (same as the son’s). The maiden name of the mother is listed as: Anna Ernestine Hecker. These parents seem to be Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). This record is the basis (and the only basis) for “assigning” “Hecker” as a maiden surname to Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). No records (other than this for this christening) have yet been located concerning the younger Johann Friedrich Schreivogel (born 15 June 1852). He may have died at a young age (prior to the 1860 census).^1,6,2

Fredrich Schreivogel was born on 27 September 1818 at probably Prussia or Baveria according to his grave marker (some other records suggest other years, but all are in the general vicinity of 1820).²

Fredrich Schreivogel married Johanna Ernestine Hecker.^1,2


A set of immigration records on the FamilySearch web site indicates that a family headed by “Fr Schreivogel” (male, age 30, occupation: farmer) entered the US at the port of Philadelphia, on 12 June 1851. Family members who were traveling with him included “Johanna Schreivogel” (female, age 28, occupation: “none given”) and “Maria Eleon Schreivogel” (female, age 19, occupation: “none given”).

The first two people named in the previous paragraph, might be the married couple, Fredrich Schreivogel and (under a married surname) Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). The reasons for believing this are described in the Notes and Observations Section that appears near the end of this narrative.^3,4,5

Frederick Schreyvogel and "Diana" Scheyvogel, who appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Perkiomen, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, enumerated 12 June 1860, MIGHT be Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). The official date of that census was 01 June 1860. Frederick Schreyvogel’s age was listed as 38. Diana Scheyvogel’s age was listed as 32 (implying a birth c1828). They were both listed as born in Prussia. His occupation was listed as Farmer. No occupation was listed for her. The household was listed as having real estate worth $1000 and personal property worth $300. A girl, listed as Diana Hager (age 5), was living in the household. If the couple listed in this household in the 1860 census is indeed Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (teh elder), this girl might be Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), who would have been approximately age 5 at the time of the 1860 census.

No one was listed in the 1860 census schedule for this household as having been married within a year prior to the date official census date. No one in the household was listed as attending school within the year prior to the official census date. Both adults in the household were listed as being able to read and write (but the census schedule does not indicate what language they could read and/or write). No disabilities or other special situations were listed for anyone in the household.

The household described in the previous paragraphs is the one that has been found to date (20 June 2020) in the 1860 census that seems most likely to have contained Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) and Johanna Ernestina Hecker(the younger). The census enumerator for this area for the 1860 census seems to have been named something like W H Davis. It is quite possible he had no knowledge of the German language, so language differences could have led to some confusion in names of members of the household (and other information concerning them).

Note that the younger Diana and elder Diana in this household had different surnames at the time of this 1860 census. Thus, if they are biological daughter and mother, the daughter could be from an earlier marriage (or relationship) -- but this possiblity (and the child's listed age in 1860) would seem inconsistent with the immigration record described above and the christening record described in the Notes and Observation Section, described near the end of this narrative, if these are indeed all the same people in all of these records. It is also possible that the younger Diana was adopted in some way (likely informally, since there is no record of the child ever taking Schreivogel as a surname). As will be seen later in this narrative, Johanna Ernestine Hecker the elder and Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), seem to have a mother-daughter relationship, but have different surnames, in all (or almost all) of the records in which they appear together (or seem to appear together), even those generated prior to Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger's marriage.⁶ Fredrich Schreivogel appears to have become a naturalized citizen of the US on 5 November 1860 of the Common Pleas Court, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The cryptic summary source document indicates his place of origin was listed as Germany. He given his Declaration of Intent a thte Pennsylvania Supreme Court on 12 Jan 1855.⁷

Fredrich Schreivogel (listed as Fort Scheyvogle) and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (listed as Anestena Scheyvogle) appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania at Dushore, enumerated 13 July 1870. The official date of that census was 01 June 1870. Fredrich’s age was listed as 51. Johanna’s age was listed as 43. They were both listed as born in Prussia, with both of their parents listed as born in a foreign country. Their occupations were listed as Hotel Keeper and House Keeper, respectively. The household was listed as having real estate worth $1600 and personal property worth $500. Two other people, Frederick Weck (age 20), listed as a Laborer, and Anne Steenhacker (age 15), listed as a Domestic Servant, were also listed as living in the household.

No one was listed as having been married within a year prior to the date official census date. No one was listed as attending school within the year prior to the official census date. Everyone in the household was apparently able to read and write. No disabilities or other special situations were listed for anyone in the family. The household had no male citizens over the age of 21 whose right to vote was denied or abridged due to reason than rebellion.

The person the compiler (CCF) expected to see in this household, but who does not seem to be present, is Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), the apparent daughter of Johanna Ernestine Hecker. There is a possibility that Anne Steenhacker and Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) are the same person, as they are about the same age and the birth location for Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) is listed as Pennsylvania in some source documents. In addition, there is considerable similarity between their names (for example: compare “Ann Steenhacker” and “Johanna Ernestina Hecker”). The 1870 US Census was the last one in which census takers did not record family relationships (such as wife, son, grand-daughter, mother-in-law) between the head of the household and other members of the household.

The next family on this census sheet is headed by an 39-year-old Immigrant from Prussia named Charles Steenhacker. That household (in addition to a 39-year-old Prussian-immigrant presumed wife) contains two sons, ages 10 and 11 (both born in Pennsylvania). This is, it possible that Anne Steenhacker could be a daughter from this nearby household who was working as a live-in domestic servant at the Scheyvogle hotel. However, it is also possible that the census enumerator (named something like T A Dent) somehow became confused and erroneously “renamed” Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) to Anne Steenhacker, so they are truly the same individual. One can imagine a situation where the census enumerator initially took “rough notes” in the field, with the intention they would latere be recopied so that neater, more legible records could be submitted to the federal government. It is possible that one could mix up people with similar names during such a recopying process. For now, in this narrative, CCF presumes they are different people. “Conveniently” assuming census takers made multiple errors is “too easy.” With enough (assumed) errors, a family history researcher can convince himself that any person is “really” any other person. Thus, for now, Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) is considered missing in the 1870 US census.

One other possibility that has been considered is that Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger) was married at the time of the 1870 census (and thus could appear somewhere in the census under a different surname). However, no Pennsylvania marriage record has yet been found for any marriage involving a person with a name similar to Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger, either before or after the time of the 1870 census – including for the presumed marriage, at some point -- to David E Philips). In addition, several searches using Ancestry did not yield any obvious candidates to be a married version of Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger). Information available on Ancestry for Sullivan County Pennsylvania marriages includes surprisingly few marriages prior to around 1900, suggesting that records might be incomplete.⁸

Fredrich Schreivogel died on 10 January 1872 at Pennsylvania at age 53.²

Fredrich Schreivogel was buried at Old Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Dushore, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.²



Notes and Observations:


As discussed in the primary narrative (above), a set of immigration records on the FamilySearch web site indicates that a family headed by “Fr Schreivogel” (male, age 30, occupation: farmer) entered the US at the port of Philadelphia, on 12 June 1851. Family members who were traveling with him included “Johanna Schreivogel” (female, age 28, occupation: “none given”) and “Maria Eleon Schreivogel” (female, age 19, occupation: “none given”).

The first two people named in the previous paragraph, “Fr Schreivogel” and “Johanna Schreivogel,” have surnames and ages similar to Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) who both appear in the 1860 census in a household (described below) that also includes a young girl who might be Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger, who later became the mother of Lela Mae Philips. If the Schreivogels are indeed the people who seem to both appear in the 1860 census, then the “Johanna Schreivogel” of 1860 is likely also Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder), who appears (listed using her married sunames) in the 1870 and 1880 censuses of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania (she had a new husband and a different surname in 1880). Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger might be listed in the household with her in the 1870 census entry. Johanna Ernestine Hecker appears in 1900 census (still in Cherry Township) listed as the grandmother of Lela Mae Philips, the daughter of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger.

The logic path in the preceding paragraph (identifying Johanna Ernestine Hecker, the elder, as the person in the immigration record and in specific locations in the 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 censuses) is admittedly tenuous. One other weakness in this chain of logic should be mentioned. The maiden surname used here for Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) has never been found in any source document that is clearly associated with Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger. The maiden surname of Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) has been assigned to her (for purposes of this narrative) based on christening records for a different person – a son, not a daughter (as described a few paragraphs below).

Even if the connections outlined here linking Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger and the Schreivogels are valid, it leaves open the question: Who are the biological parents of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger? That question has not yet been resolved.

It seems likely that neither of the Schreivogels (the couple who appear in the 1870 census – and probably in the 1851 immigration record and in the 1860 census described in the main narrative, above) are biological parents of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger (if it is her on the cited 1860 and 1870 census schedules) because the surnames used for both Fredrich Schreivogeland Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) at the time of the 1870 census (including the elder Johanna Ernestine Hecker’s married surname at the time of the 1870 census, which would also seem to have been her married surname at the time Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger was born) differ from the maiden surname of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger. (Fredrich Schreivogel was deceased and Johanna Ernestine Hecker had a different surname in 1880 due to her remarriage during the 1870s).

If the maiden surnames of both Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder, probably born at some date between 1822 and 1828) and Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger (born 1855) are indeed the same, one possibility is that Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) adopted a daughter of a family member. This could have come about if, for example, Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) adopted the daughter of her brother. However, no records of such a brother entering or living in the US have yet been located (as of June 2020). Similarly, no records of Johanna Ernestina Hecker the younger have yet been located from prior to her (possible) appearance in the 1860 census schedule described in the main narrative.

No records concerning the third person in the immigration record described above, “Maria Eleon Schreivogel,” after her entry into the US, have yet been located.

Before leaving the subject of how the individuals in these various documented event may be connected with each other, we will note, for completeness, that immigration record described in the main narrative indicates the name of the ship the Schreivogel family arrived on was “Bk Philadelphia”. It is likely a coincidence that the name of the ship they arrived on is the same as the name of the port they arrived at. The term “Bk” may be an abbreviation of “bark” (alternative spelling: “barque”) or “barquentine”. Both of these are types of sailing ships with 3 or more masts (although, one would expect that, by 1851, transatlantic passenger ships would employ some kind of steam power to augment the sails).

As mentioned above, a church christening record from Philadelphia Pennsylvania (not listed in the main narrative, above, seems to relate to this family. On 20 June 1852, a male child was christened with the name Johann Friedrich Schreivogel. The record indicates the child had been born 15 June 1852. The name of the father is listed as: Johann Friedrich Schreivogel (same as the son’s). The maiden name of the mother is listed as: Anna Ernestine Hecker. These parents seem to be Fredrich Schreivogel and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). This record is the basis (and the only basis) for “assigning” “Hecker” as a maiden surname to Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder). No records (other than this for this christening) have yet been located concerning the younger Johann Friedrich Schreivogel (born 15 June 1852). He may have died at a young age (prior to the 1860 census).^9,4,1

John M Seemann was born on 3 November 1851.²

John M Seemann married Johanna Ernestine Hecker circa 1875 in Pennsylvania, probably during the mid-1870s. Her previous husband had died on10 Jan 1872.^1,2,3

John M Seemann (listed as John Sayman) and Johanna Ernestine Hecker (listed as Annistenia Sayman) appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, enumerated 28 June 1880. The official date of that census was 01 June 1870. John’s age was listed as 29. Johanna’s age was listed as 52. They were both listed as having been born in “Berveria” and as being husband and wife. Their occupations were listed as Farmer and Keeping House, respectively. Neither was listed as being disabled or maimed. All four of their parents were listed as also born in “Berveria.” Two additional people were listed as living in the household: Margret Munster (age 18), listed as a Servant, and George Swink (age 30), listed as a Laborer (both of these individuals were omitted from the Ancestry summary transcription of members of the household, but they were clearly listed as members in the handwritten census schedule) . No one in the household was listed as attending school. Everyone in the household was listed as being able to read and write.

Other sources indicate Johanna (the elder) and (despite the occupation listing for him as a farmer in this census) John were hotel keepers in this area at this time. Their residence at the time of this census was at 166th dwelling visited by the census enumerator for this Enumeration District. The 165th dwelling has one family and several apparently unrelated people living in it. This 165th dwelling might represent the "hotel" (or boarding house) that they operated. Her daughter, Johanna Ernestina Hecker (the younger), and the daughter's family, lived at the 168th dwelling visited by the enumerator, which was probably nearby.

The 1880 census indicates that Johanna Ernestine Hecker (the elder) had remarried (to a much younger) man since the death of her previous husband. No record of this marriage has yet been located in the Ancestry marriage records for Pennsylvania. However, that Ancestry database seems to contain a surprisingly small number of marriage records for Sullivan County prior to around 1900. This suggests the database and/or marriage records may be incomplete for that county.⁴

John M Seemann died on 3 April 1890 at at his home, which was also his place of business, a hotel, "on the turnpike", about two miles southeast of Berncie, Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, at age 38.²

John M Seemann was buried at Old Zion Lutheran Cemetery (apparently once also known as Thrasher's Cemetery), Dushore, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.²

His original surname was apparently Arthur D Philips. Arthur D Philips seems to have been known almost exclusively by the surname Arthur D Seeman, except for spelling variation such as Seeman and Seaman. In addition, for his World War I draft card (and possible other documents) he used the middle name Leon. His World War II draft registration card used the middle name Lee. See the Notes and Observations sections in the narratives for his biological parents for some of the confusing reseach problems associated with the individual -- and others in his family.^1,2,3 He was born in July 1888 at Lopez, Sullivan, Pennsylvania, according to the information listed in the 1900 census. A later document, his 1917 World War I draft registration, lists his date of birth as 31 July 1889, as does the later Social Security Death Index and the Find-a-Grave website.^1,2,4,5

Arthur D Philips (listed as Arthur D Seman) appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Cherry Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania in the household of his grandmother, Johanna Ernestine Hecker. He was listed as age 11, born July 1888, single, and employed as a day laborer. Both of his parents were listed on this census return as born in Pennsylvania. He is assumed to have been the sister of Lela M. Philips because (1) both of them are listed in this household and are listed as grandchildren of the head of household and (2) the mother of Lela M. Philps (assumed to also be the mother of Arthur D Philips) was known to have died around 1891.¹

Arthur D Philips appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Cherry Township, at Sullivan County, Pennsylvania in the household of his parents, Johanna Ernestine Hecker.⁶

Arthur D Seeman (listed as Arthur R Seaman) appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Colley Township, of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania in the household of Otto Behr and Edith (--?--), enumerated 22 April 1910. The official date of that census was 15 April 1910. He was listed as age 20, born in Pennsylvania. His father and mother were both listed as born in Pennsylvania. His occupation was listed as Laborer on a farm. He did not attend school within a year prior to the official census date. He was listed as able to read and write and speak English. No severe vision, hearing, or speaking disabilities were listed for him.⁷

On 5 June 1917 Arthur D Philips (listed as Arthur Leon Seaman or Seeman) registred for the World War I military draft at Precinct 1, Camden, New Jersey. He gave is date of birth as 31 July 1889 (born Lopez, Sullivan County, Pennsylvanis), his address as 111 Parker Avenue, Wood Lynne, New Jersey, his occupation as an Elevator Mechanic at Enery Elevator Car, in Phildelphia Pennsylvania. He stated he was married, but did not list his wife's name. His physical description was listed as tall, medium build, brown eyes, dark brown hair, and not bald. The Ancestry transcriber spelled his surname as Seaman, but Seeman looks more likely in the two verisions of the surname handwritten on card. The transcription also (incorreclty) lists his residence as Camden, which was where he registered, not where he indicated he lived.²

Arthur D Philips married Pearle (--?--).⁵

Arthur D Philips (listed as Arthur Seeman) appeared on the 1930 Federal Census as a lodger in the household of Linus Barnum of Cooperstown Village (Otsego Township), Otsego County, New York at 58 Chesnut Street, enumerated 10 April 1930 The official date of that census was 02 April 1930. Arthur’s age was listed as 40, born in Pennsylvania, married, first marriage at age 25, did not attend school the previous year, and could read and write. Arthur’s occupation was listed as a Mechanic in the automobile industry (paid employee), and employed. His wife and children were living in Binghamton, New York at the time of this census. Binghamton and Cooperstown are about 80 miles apart.

The home was listed as owned (by Linus Barnum), valued at $5000, and not on a farm. A radio was present in the home. Linus Barnum’s occupation was listed as a patrolman on a road – a highway patrolman, perhaps (and paid worker). His age was listed as 68. Others in the household included his wife and a 14-year-old maid (whose occupation was oddly listed as “None”). No other households on this page of the census schedule included lodgers.⁸

Arthur D Philips (listed as Arthur L Seeman) appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Gilbertsville, Otsego County, New York, enumerated 3 April 1940. The home was listed as rented, at $12 per month, and not on a farm. The official date of that census was 01 April 1940. His sons, Lucas A Seeman (ages 19 and 17), were listed as living with him Arthur and his older son were listed having lived in the same house on 1 Apr 1935 (which was stated to not be on a farm). Arthur D Philips was listed as age 51, born in Pennsylvania, a widower, and not attending school in March 1940, having completed 1 year of high school. Arthur was listed as employed and not seeking work, but it is unclear how many hours he had worked the week of 24-30 March. His occupation was listed as the proprietor of an auto garage (but, oddly, as a paid worker). He worked 30 weeks in 1939, earned $900 in wages and had other income (other than wages and salary) in excess of $50. The combination of being a proprietor, but receiving wages in 1939 and having zero non-wage 1939 income seems odd. One possible (but not totally convincing) explanation is that he became a proprietor in early 1940, but had worked for wages in 1939.

Although the 1940 census lists his marital status as widower, it seems more likely that he was separated (a separation that may have extended for the entire time period between 1930 and 1940, and into later years). His wife appears to have been alive in 1944 and living at the same address as their son Lucas. In addition, his 1966 obituary (described below) suggests that his wife Pearle survived him (it also seems to indicate they lived at different locations at the time of his death).⁹

He registered for the World War II draft on 26 April 1942 at Oneonta New York. He listed is address as Gilbertsville, Otsego County, New York. His phone number was "80". His employer and the contact for some who would always know his address was listed as Ralph Harris, Gilbertsville. He was listed as 5 ft 8.5 inches tall, weight 164 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes, ruddy complexion.³

Arthur D Philips (listed as Arthur Seeman in the Social Security Index and Arthur L Seeman on Find-a-Grave) died in June 1966 at age 77. The location at which he received his last Social Security benefit payment was at Gilbertsville, Otsego County, New York. His Social Security Number was 104-16-9893.

His memorial on the Find-a-Grave web site contains information transcribed from an obituary in the 7 July 1944 issue of The Otsego Farmer and Republican newspaper. This information indicated his death was at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, New York, and his wife at the time of his death was named Pearle (and she apparently lived in Endwell, New York, a different location from his residence at the time of his death). He had two surviving sons (John W and "Lude" -- both of Endwell, New York; "Lude" is proabably a typo for Luke) and two surviving brothers: William Phillips (Florida) and Leon Mayhew (Pennsylvania). Endwell is a suburb on the west side of Binghamton. It is interesting that his survivors knew which of his siblings survived him (and the location of their residences. This suggests that this family, which seems to have become separated whent they were children, had continuted to maintain some degree of contract. He had lived and worked as an auto mechanic in Gilbertsville for over 30 years. He was a member of Butternuts (Masonic) Lodge, F&AM (Masonic Lodge), Gilbertsville Rod and Gun Club, and the Gilbertsville Fire Department (volunteer, presumably).^4,5

Arthur D Philips was buried at Brookside Cemetery, Gilbertsville, Otsego County, New York. His funeral service was a Masonic service, at a funeral home, and officiated by a Baptist minister.⁵