Moses Spafford Teeter Sr. seems to be a popular guy. At least in terms of how often I have found his name online. While looking for a passage about his son (Anna Christina's husband) that I found a while ago, I found more information and evidence that M.S.T. Sr. fought in the war of 1812. I also learned that though he was one of the original settlers of the Toronto Township, the place did not then become the contemporary Toronto, but Mississauga. Now, granted, they are very close together and from what I can gather from Google maps, Mississauga is now very likely part of the city of Toronto. At least I wasn't far off. I found an interesting Mississauga website commemorating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 (yep, that's this year!) with a newsletter, and a list of individuals that were minutemen, serving in the local militia which includes the name, Moses Teeter. There's a really great PBS documentary about the War of 1812 (also with a mobile app!) for readers who might want to know more about this war. Before watching this film I didn't really understand the involvement of Canada in the war!
I also found an interesting book entitled Genealogy from Adam to Christ, with the genealogy of Adam Heineck and Henry Vandersaal, from 1747 to 1881. To which is added a brief account of the author's travels in about sixteen years as an evangelist, and twelve sermons composed by himself. By Rev. SAMUEL HEINECKE, Elder.
It begins with the following passage:
Pike county, Illinois, September 18th, 1862. I here
asked and obtained leave to travel as an evangelist, having
traveled the previous year 3,475 miles and preached 150
times !
Within the book I located the following about a visit with Anna Christina's husband Moses (and presumably her as well) though I am unable to determine exact month or year:
28th, Passed Frankville and Harding, in Luanna county,
Iowa, to Moses S. Teeter's, for the Sabbath.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Diary for Wednesday, October 25th, 1871
Rains this morn. Boys go out & husk corn until noon then Joel Clark comes to dinner. Berty & Pa goes to the church with him to practice for the concert this Eve. it rains a little all day I think no one will come. the boys Ed & Joe husk corn after dinner alone.
Last Monday morn Old Mr Jennings & Abe Shaply were here for money - Pa paid Abe 80 Dollars. owes him 15. Paid Mr Jennings 100. one hundred
Pa was introduced (> this morn) to our other new minister & wife Mr Cooksie. Mr Loc's little house over by the church is Bought for the Parsonage. paid two hundred dollars for it. We hear to day Mrs Othout is getting better. Henry Clark here to Tea. Keeps his horses in our Barn. Joel has his horse here too. drove old maze(?) with his horse up home & Back here. We all go to church to the concert. Nettie Boys & all. Boys get home first & go to bed. there was about 80 persons present. they took in $15 all told. Rainy all day. & raining hard when we come home.
The paragraphs above represent two entries from the same day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. As I was reading these entries, I made another little breakthrough with her handwriting. It is not only names that trip me up, but, in many cases, capitalization. It seems to me that the constant in capitalization (aside from names) is based on which letter is at the start of a word. S, T and B are often, but not always capitals. According to some online references, nouns have been capitalized in both German and English. Anyway, I realized that a word I had been looking at a few times was "Tea". I was originally confused as it looked like the word "Sea" and in a previous post I guessed that it was a slightly strange writing of "Day" as in "to Day". which is also weird. I knew that wasn't quite right but also knew it wasn't "...our new preacher here to Sea". I have since corrected that passage.
Last Monday morn Old Mr Jennings & Abe Shaply were here for money - Pa paid Abe 80 Dollars. owes him 15. Paid Mr Jennings 100. one hundred
Pa was introduced (> this morn) to our other new minister & wife Mr Cooksie. Mr Loc's little house over by the church is Bought for the Parsonage. paid two hundred dollars for it. We hear to day Mrs Othout is getting better. Henry Clark here to Tea. Keeps his horses in our Barn. Joel has his horse here too. drove old maze(?) with his horse up home & Back here. We all go to church to the concert. Nettie Boys & all. Boys get home first & go to bed. there was about 80 persons present. they took in $15 all told. Rainy all day. & raining hard when we come home.
The paragraphs above represent two entries from the same day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. As I was reading these entries, I made another little breakthrough with her handwriting. It is not only names that trip me up, but, in many cases, capitalization. It seems to me that the constant in capitalization (aside from names) is based on which letter is at the start of a word. S, T and B are often, but not always capitals. According to some online references, nouns have been capitalized in both German and English. Anyway, I realized that a word I had been looking at a few times was "Tea". I was originally confused as it looked like the word "Sea" and in a previous post I guessed that it was a slightly strange writing of "Day" as in "to Day". which is also weird. I knew that wasn't quite right but also knew it wasn't "...our new preacher here to Sea". I have since corrected that passage.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Diary for October 24th, 1871
Looks Smokey high wind. Mrs. Othout's Mother and Father came with 6 Oct Train. Mrs. O better to day. D Nolan Sick. Pa shoots a chicken for him & Boys & Berty husking corn. Berty cut up & Salted the hog last night. Pa watching the fire from R R wood. Netty washed out a few things & Bakes apple pies. Minnie makes G. Jelly Cakes then drinks warm tea & goes to bed Sick. I clean up rooms & fix up expecting Mr & Mrs Hazeltine* our new preacher here to Tea. They do now come. But spend the afternoon with Mrs Mother.
It is quite apparent that the process of trying to decipher names will be my downfall in reading this journal. In the first entries, Anna Christina mentioned the new preacher in town but had not yet mentioned his name. The first opportunity I get to learn it, I simply cannot read it. I am hoping that she mentions him again. It also seems like she may be writing about evens that happened before she had the journal - or I may be reading things incorrectly.
I'd also really like to know what G. Jelly cakes are (probably this?) but apple pie and salted pork sounds perfectly wonderful too.
* Update 2/19/12: As I had hoped, the new preacher is mentioned again in the next entries and the writing was easier to read. Instead of what I had originally written, Mr .and Mrs. Heazelting, the name is actually Hazeltine!
It is quite apparent that the process of trying to decipher names will be my downfall in reading this journal. In the first entries, Anna Christina mentioned the new preacher in town but had not yet mentioned his name. The first opportunity I get to learn it, I simply cannot read it. I am hoping that she mentions him again. It also seems like she may be writing about evens that happened before she had the journal - or I may be reading things incorrectly.
I'd also really like to know what G. Jelly cakes are (probably this?) but apple pie and salted pork sounds perfectly wonderful too.
* Update 2/19/12: As I had hoped, the new preacher is mentioned again in the next entries and the writing was easier to read. Instead of what I had originally written, Mr .and Mrs. Heazelting, the name is actually Hazeltine!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Discovering.. My Father
I always knew that my father was very interested in family history and genealogy. In my search for information related to Moses S. Teeter Sr., I found this forum post:
Teeter Family in Canda (yes there was a typo) February 20, 2005
Hello,
I am trying to track my "Teeter" family. I can give a bit of information:
Jacob Clark Teeter was in Waterloo, IA in 1880 and his parents are from Ontario, Canada.
Jacob had 2 sons, Charles and Richard Teeter, both ended up in Charles City, IA. and were house painters.
Richard Teeter had a son named William Roosevelt Teeter (my grandfather) that was a cobbler in Waterloo, IA and Iowa Falls, IA.
William R Teeter had a son; William J. Teeter (my father) b 1926 d 2003.
Thomas B. Teeter (me) b. 1948, and my daughter Autumn R. Teeter, b. 1975.
Any help in getting the info on Jacob C. Teeter and the Canadian Teeter family would be greatly appreciated.
Jacob Clark Teeter was Anna Christina's son. My father died 2 1/2 years ago. He would have been thrilled to see the journal...
Teeter Family in Canda (yes there was a typo) February 20, 2005
Hello,
I am trying to track my "Teeter" family. I can give a bit of information:
Jacob Clark Teeter was in Waterloo, IA in 1880 and his parents are from Ontario, Canada.
Jacob had 2 sons, Charles and Richard Teeter, both ended up in Charles City, IA. and were house painters.
Richard Teeter had a son named William Roosevelt Teeter (my grandfather) that was a cobbler in Waterloo, IA and Iowa Falls, IA.
William R Teeter had a son; William J. Teeter (my father) b 1926 d 2003.
Thomas B. Teeter (me) b. 1948, and my daughter Autumn R. Teeter, b. 1975.
Any help in getting the info on Jacob C. Teeter and the Canadian Teeter family would be greatly appreciated.
Jacob Clark Teeter was Anna Christina's son. My father died 2 1/2 years ago. He would have been thrilled to see the journal...
Diary for October 23rd, 1871 #2
Anna Wholey hurt her arm by jumping off the porch up stairs this morn when G. Othouts house was on fire. Polly Wholey took the Baby to his grans. To day We have 3 Boys husking corn. Edmund - Walker - Joseph Crawford. they were here all last week at 50cts per day. to day they little Gordenier Pa & Berty Built the corn crib & husked two weeks before they got any body to help them. Pa & I came home from Nerties in Leroy, Minn on the 21st of September last month where we had been 3 weeks was there Nerties Birth Day the 19th Sept. De & Witty was up here one week after we came home. De Witt Sick with Fever & Ague - has has a long Sick Spell she'll not be able to work much since last July. Berty & Minnie came back here (on the 6th July) to live & work the Farm - Minnie has been sick most all the time since - was away to strawberry Point 4 day about 2 weeks ago. I went yesterday to see Lilly Othout her Baby two weeks old tomorrow morn. Old Mr Simkins & Nettie's Aunt were here yesterday & last night & to breakfast this morn.
I went with Pa to church yesterday hear our new minister preach first time was his second sermon here. his Text yesterday was go to the *Ant thou Sluggard & learn to be wise. I go this Eve to see Mrs G. Othout find her in her own house. Pa comes over for Me. We come home then go to the church to hear them practice their pieces for the Concert Wednesday Eve.
* "go to the Ant thou Sluggard & learn to be wise". I cannot tell what the word "Ant" is. It appears to be written over / corrected but based on her handwriting the word definitely starts with an A and ends with a T and appears to be 3 letters. Perhaps the minister is suggesting that lazy, sluggardly humans take some inspiration from the industrious ant...
Some names have been underlined as I am unable to decipher them.
I went with Pa to church yesterday hear our new minister preach first time was his second sermon here. his Text yesterday was go to the *Ant thou Sluggard & learn to be wise. I go this Eve to see Mrs G. Othout find her in her own house. Pa comes over for Me. We come home then go to the church to hear them practice their pieces for the Concert Wednesday Eve.
* "go to the Ant thou Sluggard & learn to be wise". I cannot tell what the word "Ant" is. It appears to be written over / corrected but based on her handwriting the word definitely starts with an A and ends with a T and appears to be 3 letters. Perhaps the minister is suggesting that lazy, sluggardly humans take some inspiration from the industrious ant...
Some names have been underlined as I am unable to decipher them.
Clement Jarvis of Kankakee
One of the first things I noticed when I opened Anna Christina's journal were the loose pieces of paper behind the front cover. Among them was a small, newspaper clipping in very good condition. It said the following:
-As the express train was passing through Manteno Ill., on Monday, Clement Jarvis, of Kankakee, attempted to jump from the train, fell, and was mangled under the wheels. He leaves a wife and seven children in poverty.
After reading this I had many thoughts. It was a terrible tragedy. I had no idea what year this piece of paper was from and how did Anna Christina know this person? Were they friends? Family? Acquaintances?
A relatively quick search online referenced an 1872 death notice in the Kankakee (Illinois) Gazette. So far I have been unable to find any other information about him. I am hoping that he is mentioned in the journal.
-As the express train was passing through Manteno Ill., on Monday, Clement Jarvis, of Kankakee, attempted to jump from the train, fell, and was mangled under the wheels. He leaves a wife and seven children in poverty.
After reading this I had many thoughts. It was a terrible tragedy. I had no idea what year this piece of paper was from and how did Anna Christina know this person? Were they friends? Family? Acquaintances?
A relatively quick search online referenced an 1872 death notice in the Kankakee (Illinois) Gazette. So far I have been unable to find any other information about him. I am hoping that he is mentioned in the journal.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Anna Christina's Family #1
Moses Spafford Teeter Sr. was Anna Christina's Father-in-Law and my great, great, great, great grandfather. He was married to Eleanor Conover. He was born in Ontario, Canada and I just found reference to his selling a plot of land in the early settlement of Toronto to Philip Cody, the grandfather of Buffalo Bill Cody. I found this reference in a pretty interesting book available online in a PDF file. It is referred to as the "Dixie Book".
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Diary for October 23rd, 1871 #1
Sorry the first thing recorded in this Book is an accident this morn at 10 Ocl as Teeter was coming from the *P.G. with this Book for me & a bottle of vinegar Bitters & a Bottle *Buchu Extract each one Dollar - all $2.85. Book 75 - also a Bottle *Magnetic Balm for himself for rheumatism. He heard a cry of fire in G. (George) Othout's house. George's house was on fire, his wife badly Burned. Pa helped tear her dress off & get her to *L Monties house where she now lays in bed Suffering very much. I go over to see her, find every woman in town there doing all they can & most of the men are there. The new minister & his wife are there doing all they can. George's hands are badly burned. the Doctor is there, orders them to take off the Cotton Batting Linseed Oil & Flour all of which they used freely until the Doctor came. Now they must paint the parts burned with a paste of white Lead & Linseed Oil. They send the child to Mrs. Othout to take care of.
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