PROOF OF DESCENDANCY

THIS PAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AT THIS TIME!!!!

PROOF OF DESCENDANCY OF JOSEPH DONALD AND DOLLIE A. VOUGHT McCURDY

My mother, Leona Mae Shrider Grissom, is the daughter of Levi and Etta Blanche McCurdy Shrider and the granddaughter of Joseph Donald and Dollie Vought McCurdy. Mom knew very little about her mother’s family as she was only 13 years old when her mother died. There had been a big upset in Blanche’s family and the only family members her mother ever talked about were her brothers, Arthur and Ernest and a sister, Esther. She did remember that Blanche’s mother’s name was Dollie. She thought Dollie’s last name was Bowen. She has also told us that her mother went to Ohio and brought Arthur’s daughter, Helen, back to live with them when her mother died and that when Arthur remarried and she took Helen back to live with him it broke her mother’s heart. When the family went to Ohio they always visited Uncle Arthur and his children, Helen and Richard. That is the information I had when I started out on this quest to get to know my ancestors.

Census records, obituaries and news articles are typed as they were originally written .. mistakes and all!

1850 Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio Census

Elizabeth McCurdy is the mother of William McCurdy. His father, James McCurdy was no longer living and Elizabeth lived with her son, John, on the farm where she and James had lived.

1860 Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio census

1860 Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio census

1870 Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio Census

1880 Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio Census

The numbers 293 are in the column numbering sequence of houses visited. The numbers 294 and 295 are in the column numbering sequence of families visited. This denotes Joseph and Dollie living in the same home with his father, William and sister, Sarah.

The birth records of Bertha M. McCurdy (Crawford County Probate Court, Bucyrus, Ohio) state that Bertha May McCurdy was born October 23, 1879, in Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio. Her parents are listed as J. D. McCurdy and D. A. Vough.

I was unable to get a birth record for Joseph Donald McCurdy in Crawford County as they have no birth records prior to 1867. However, the above census records prove to me that Joseph Donald McCurdy was born in 1854 and is the son of William and Zilpha McCurdy.

Joseph Donald McCurdy died September 17, 1887. Using his age at the date of death his birthdate was August 15, 1854.

The FamilySearch International Genealogical Index shows the marriage of Dollie A. McCurdy to John D. Bone (sp) on December 25, 1890 in Van Wert, Ohio.

Batch No.: M514213 Source Call No.: 1015861 Type: Film

1900 Amanda Township, Allen County Census

This census is how I discovered that Blanche’s maiden name was McCurdy, not Bowen!

The 1990 Census record does not list Ernest McCurdy. I also have not found any records for an Ernest McCurdy that fit this time frame. This brings me to surmise that perhaps Joseph E. McCurdy’s middle name was Ernest and he was called Ernest, rather than Joseph. William’s middle name was Arthur and he went by that name.

This census shows Dollie gave birth to 8 children and 8 children are still living. This brings me to surmise that Bertha was still living in 1900 and perhaps was married. She would have been 21 years old.

The birth records of Etta Blanche McCurdy (Crawford County Probate Court, Bucyrus, Ohio) state that she was born August 20, 1881 in Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio. Her parents are listed as Donaldson McCurdy and Dollie Vough.

The marriage records of Etta Blanche McCurdy and Levi Shrider (Allen County Ohio, Marriage Records, Book J, page 205 / Source: Paul Shrider in his book, “Shriders In the United States”) state that Etta Blanche and Levi were married March 30, 1902 in Allen County, Ohio. Her parents are listed as Don McCurdy and Dollie Voeft.

Levi and Blanche McCurdy had 2 children while still living in Ohio. James Sylvester Shrider was born in Toledo, Ohio and Dorothy May Shrider was born in Lima, Ohio.

*** This was hand-written, it is pasted in the front of the funeral book of James Sylvester’s father, Levi Shrider. It is not known if it was written to be his obituary or the words to be spoken at his funeral.

Marshall Township, Clark County, Illinois birth records

1910 Parker Township, Clark County, Illinois

1920 Casey Township, Clark County, Illinois

NAME AGE IN 1920 OCCUPATION
RELATIONSHIP
Levi Shrider 36 Driller / Oil Field
Blanche 38
Dorothy 16
Leona 10
Home was rented


The death records of Etta Blanche McCurdy Shrider (Clark County Court House, Marshall, Illinois) state that she died of Erysepelas. Her Doctor was B. B. Boyd. He attended her from October 22, 1922 to November 11, 1922, when she died. Time of death was 2:30, it did not say am or pm. The undertaker was R. S. Reudy. Burial in Casey Cemetery. Her parents were listed as J. D. McCurdy and Dollar!



CASEY BANNER TIMES

OBITUARY
Etta Blanche McCurdy Shrider passed away peacefully at her home Saturday afternoon, November 11. She was sick just two weeks and her sudden death has been a great shock to her family and friends.
Miss McCurdy was born August 20, 1880, in Crawford county, Ohio, and at her death was 42 years, two months and 21 days.
Miss McCurdy and Mr. Levi Shider were united in marriage March 29, 1902. To this union three children were born: Dora May, James Sylvester and Leona May. James Sylvester died Nov. 25, 1907. Her mother and one brother survive her. The brother was present at the funeral service. There are also many relatives and friends to mourn their loss in a friend and neighbor.
Her religious activities are worthy of note here. Sister Shrider was an honored member of the Christian Church at the time of her death. Like Mary of Bethany fame early in life she chose that good part which was said by the Saviour shall not be taken away from her. Sister Shrider was teacher of the Loyal Workers class, also President of the class. She was present at Bible School two weeks ago and taught the class although sick at the time. Last Thursday the class was entertained by Mrs. W. S. Barkhurst, when prayers were offered for her recovery. On Friday the Pastor called. She wanted to say something but could not be heard. When told that the class prayed for her a smile came over her face. From that time on she grew worse, then on Saturday she quietly loosed her mooring on this earthly life and hand in hand with her Master walked peacefully the valley of the shadow, into the light of life eternal.
So deep is our sorrow that tears fall back upon our hearts. So great is our joy and our hearts must thrill at the glory of that adventure we call death.
Funeral services were held at the Christian Church Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. M. S. Metzler, assisted by Rev. Mathis. Interment in Casey Cemetery.


** Etta Blanche McCurdy Shrider is buried in Washington Street Cemetery, Casey, Illinois.


WILLIAM ARTHUR McCURDY

1920 Lima Township, Allen County, Ohio census

NAME AGE IN 1920 OCCUPATION
RELATIONSHIP
McCurdy, Arthur 34 Conductor Ohio Electric
Hazel 27 Wife
Richard 1 Son
Helen 6 Daughter


1930 Lima Township, Allen County, Ohio census

NAME AGE IN 1930 OCCUPATION
RELATIONSHIP
McCurdy, A. Arthur 43 Automobile sales
Hazel A. 37 Wife / Keeping House
Helen B. 16 Daughter
Richard A. 11 Son
Age at first marriage Arthur 24 Hazel 23





LIMA NEWS JANUARY 20, 1969

WILLIAM McCURDY

William A. (Mac) McCurdy. 79, of 1009 Brice died 2:45 p.m. Sunday in his home.
He was born Nov. 12, 1889, in Van Wert, the son of Joseph Donald and Dolly Vought McCurdy. He married Hazel A. Gipe McCurdy in 1915 at Van Wert, and she survives.
Mr. McCurdy retired from Ohio Street Foundry in 1958. He was a former interurban conductor, and an auto dealer.
A member of Lima Baha’l Community. He is also survived by a son, Richard A. of Libertyville, Ill. And two grandchildren. A daughter, Helen, preceded him in death.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Siferd Westwood Chapel. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.




LIMA NEWS MARCH 25, 1931

HELEN B. McCURDY

Funeral services for Helen B. McCurdy, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. McCurdy, 1009 Brice-av, who died Tuesday night at the District Tuberculosis hospital after two years’illness, will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the home. Dr. Thomas B. Roberts of Trinity Methodist Church and the Rev. D. M. Dachnke of Cridersville will officiate. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
She attended Central High School before her illness and wa a member of Trinity M. E. Church. In addition to her parents she is survived by a brother, Richard McCurdy.



LIMA NEWS AUGUST 20, 1989

HAZEL A. GIPE McCURDY

Word has been received of the death Friday in Leesburg, Va., of former Lima resident Hazel A. McCurdy, 97. Among survivors are one son, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Services will be held Monday in Chestnut Grove Cemetery, Herndon, Va.



LIMA NEWS JULY 8, 1990

RICHARD A. McCURDY

Word has been received of the death Friday at the Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., of Lima native Richard A. McCurdy, 72, of Reston, Va., and the country of Luxembourg. Among survivors are his wife, Barbara M. McCurdy; tow daughters; and five grandchildren. Graveside services will be at 4 p.m. Monday at Chestnut Grove Cemetery, Herndon, Va. Arrangements are under the direction of Green Funeral Home, Herndon, Va.





JOSEPH E. McCURDY


Joseph E. McCurdy was a fireman for the C H and D Railroad. He was killed September 20, 1906 in a head-on collision with another train. He was 21 years old. The report of his funeral was found in the Lima News, September 24, 1906. I also found another very long report about the train accident but failed to write the name of the paper or the date.

I don’t believe Joseph was married for in the September 26, 1906 Lima Times Democrat the Card of Thanks regarding his funeral lists only Dollie Bowen, mother .. Blanche Shrider, sister and Arthur McCurdy, brother.

In the Lima Times Democrat October 15, 1906, his mother, Dollie A. Bowen was named executrix of his estate.

The Lima Daily News January 25,1907 has a report of Dollie Bowen suing C H and D railroad for the sum of $1250.00 in the death of her son, Joseph E. McCurdy.

In the legal notices in the Lima Daily News April 15, 1907 Dollie A. Bowen had filed a petition against John D. Bowen for divorce on the grounds of gross neglect of duty. This is the last I have found on Dollie at this point.



THE TIMES DEMOCRAT LIMA, OHIO SEPTEMBER 24, 1906

WOODLAWN CEMETERY
--------------------
Received the Remains of Fireman Joseph E. McCurdy Today
---------------------
WOODMEN OF WORLD
----------------------
And Members of C.C.O.N.G. Attended the Funeral Services
----------------------------------------
The funeral of Joseph E. McCurdy, the C. H. & D. fireman who lost his life as a result of the head end collision which occurred on the C. H. & D. road near Johnson’s last Thursday night was held this morning at 10 O’clock, from the United Brethren Church at Spring and Union Streets, with the Pastor, Rev. A. E. Davis officiating. The services were impressive and were very largely attended and the floral offering were profuse and beautiful The funeral sermon which was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Davis was an eloquent one.
The funeral was attended by the members of company C. O. N. G.; and by the members of the local camp of the Woodmen of the World and the remains of the unfortunate fireman were consigned to a resting place in Woodlawn cemetery with military and lodge honors. The pall bearers wore militia uniforms.




IN WOODLAWN


The Remains of Fireman Joe McCurdy


Will Be Laid to Rest By the Woodmen and Soldiers
On Monday.


FROM U. B. CHURCH


The Funeral Will be Held
At Ten O’clock Monday Morning.


Fireman Was Conscious
While Work of Rescue Progressed.


The funeral of Joseph E. McCurdy, the C. H. & D. fireman who lost his life in the head end collision which occurred on the C. H. & D. road near Johnson’s night before last, will be held from the United Brethren church on East Spring Street, at 10 o’clock Monday morning and will be attended by members of the local camp of the Woodmen of the World and by the members of the Co. D. O. N. G. The body will be interred in Woodlawn cemetery.
In an account of the wreck, the Dayton Herald says:
Neither Engineer Smiley nor his fireman could escape when the crash came. Both were pinioned under the wreckage and exposed to the scalding water and steam which hissed from the broken pipes in the cab of the passenger engine. Engineer Smiley’s left knee was pinned against the firebox and the leg below the knee was terribly burned and crushed.
Engineer Smiley lived half an hour after the crash. He directed his rescuers how to work to save him, but although they effort was put forth he died before they could save him. It is believed that the death of the engineer was largely due to his inhaling the hot steam which came from the busted pipes.
On the opposite side of the passenger engine cab Fireman McCurdy was pinioned under the wreckage in a similar manner. His left foot was nearly burned off and he was terribly cut and bruised about the head and face. Not withstanding his terrible injuries, McCurdy did not lose consciousness at the time and frequently inquired about his engineer.
The injured fireman was taken to St. Elizabeth hospital. The attending physicians did all they could for him but the man was beyond all human aid and died about 5:30 Friday morning.
Brakeman William A. Lent, on the passenger train, had a miraculous escape from death. He was acting as assistant – conductor to Conductor W. K. Nolte, both Lent and Nolte were engaged in counting their tickets when the crash came.
Lent was sitting in one of the front seats in the first coach of the passenger train. When the tender of the engine was driven back into the coach, he escaped being crushed by a fraction of an inch. Lent was violently hurled to the floor of the car. His back was badly sprained, and his right hand was badly cut and bruised.
Brakeman Lent said Friday: “The first intimation we had that there was another train on the tracks was when the crash came. It was all over in a second. I cannot describe my feelings.” Lent is confined to his home and will be unable to move for several days.
The engine of the freight train was in charge of Engineer Trainer and Fireman Johns. Both jumped from the cab of their locomotive, and escaped with a few bruises received in falling. Trainer was in charge of the engine which ran into another train in Piqua last Sunday.
Their were five passengers on the ill-fated No.135, but none of these were injured. Some of them walked to the car lines and came to Dayton, while the rest waited until the wreck train returned to Dayton.
The wreck train was sent out soon after the wreck occurred, and worked nearly all night in clearing away the debris. Traffic on the road was not opened up until Friday morning.
There was a pathetic scene at the home of Engineer Smiley, Springfield Street, Friday morning. The ill-fated engineer leaves a wife, who is heart-broken over the untimely death of her husband. Engineer Smiley had been running an engine for seven years and never had an accident. He worked five years for the B. & O. and went with the C. H. & D. about two years ago. He had the reputation of being one of the best men on the road, and his loss is a heavy one to the railroad company. His body will probably be buried at Hamden Junction.









LIMA TIMES DEMOCRAT SEPTEMBER 26, 1906

CARD OF THANKS

We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who so kindly assisted us in the hour of sorrow, and Rev. Davis for his appropriate sermon; also the choir and all those who so kindly contributed their floral offerings and especially Co. C. for taking charge of the funeral.
DOLLIE BOWEN, mother
BLANCH SCHRIDER, sister
ARTHUR McCURDY, brother




THE LIMA TIMES DEMOCRAT OCTOBER 15, 1906

Estate of Joseph E. McCurdy, deceased. The undersigned has been appointed and qualified as administratrix of the estate of Joseph E. McCurdy, late of Allen county, Ohios, deceased.
Dated this 13th day, of October, A.D. 1906.

RUSSELL L. ARMSTRONG Attorney DOLLIE A. BOWEN





LIMA DAILY NEWS JANUARY 25, 1907

OUT OF COURT
___________________________________________

RECEIVER OF THE C. H. & D. RAILWAY COMPANY WILL SETTLE CLAIM FOR DAMAGES BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF THE LATE JOSEPH E. McCURDY.
____________________________________________

Yesterday a petition was filed in the probate court of this county in the matter of the estate of Joseph E. McCurdy, deceased, in which Dolly Bowen, as administratrix, represents to the court that she has made a claim against the C. H. & D. railway company through Judson Harmon, as receiver for that road for damages resulting from the loss of the life of the said Joseph E. McCurdy.
The petitioner states that the deceased was a fireman in the employ of the defendant company and that while acting as such on the twentieth day of last September he was injured and died from the effect of said injuries. Now, Judson Harmon, as receiver for the said road has proposed to settle with the petitioner for the sum of $1250, but as no suit has been brought, nor is there any pending against the railroad company on said claim, she believes it would be to the benefit of the beneficiaries of the deceased to settle the claim for damages and asks the privilege of so doing by petition to the probate court.





THE LIMA TIMES DEMOCRAT LIMA, OHIO APRIL 15, 1907

LEGAL NOTICE
______________

In the court of Common Pleas, Allen County, Ohio.
Dollie A. Bowen, Plaintiff, vs. John D. bowen, Defendant.
Notice for publication.
The defendant in the above mentioned case will take notice that the plaintiff has filed her certain petition in the Court of Common Pleas, Allen County, on the fourth day of January, 1907. praying for divorce on the grounds of gross neglect of duty; the defendant is required to answer on or before the 23rd day of April, 1907 or judgment will be taken against him.

DOLLIE A. BOWEN
RUSSELL L. ARMSTRONG, Atty.




RECORDS AT WOODLAWN CEMETERY, LIMA, OHIO

Joseph E. McCurdy
3/31/1885 – 9/20/1906
Parents: Joseph and Dollie McCurdy
Section 25 Lot 82

William A. Mc Curdy
11/12/1889 – 1/19/1969
Parents: Donald Joseph and Dollie Vought McCurdy
Section 35 Lot 735




Helen B. McCurdy
4/30/1913 – 3/24/1931
Parents: William A. and Chloe McCurdy
Section 35 Lot 735

Chloe McCurdy
4/12/1879 – 5/4/1913
Parents: Thomas E. and Martha J. Davis
Section 5 Lot 65