Fellows-Elton

While on WorldVitalRecords.com during their free trial, I did a search for ‘Simeon Benedict’ and found a reference to him in Joseph and Philena (Elton) Fellows, Their Ancestry and Descendants by Myrtle M. Morris (1940). It happens that Joseph Fellows and Philena Elton are my fifth great-grandparents and I’m descended from their eldest son, the Reverend Linus Hurlburt Fellows and his wife Lydia Eldred. I hadn’t really explored the Fellows line much so this was a great opportunity to do so.

My great-great-grandmother, Clara Evadne (Uttley) Benedict contributed much of the data for the Uttley and Benedict descendants. She described her son-in-law Oliver Warren as being of “Irish” descent. His grandmother was Irish but most of his lineage was English and Puritan. Nearly every direct line on my mother’s side goes back to early days of colonial Connecticut and Massachusetts with the Harrison line going back to the Mayflower.

I got through all of Joseph and Philena’s descendants through about 1940 and discovered where the error in many of the genealogies I’ve seen originated. It was Ms. Morris who mistakenly placed Nancy Jean Warren as the daughter of Clinton Warren and Evelyn Spaller. (Nancy was the third child of Frank E. Warren and Laura A. Webster and was born after Clara had passed away. Clinton and Evelyn had no children.)

Another minor error I found was for Glenn Charles Chase, son of Charles Chase and Lydia Evadne Benedict. The Morris genealogy shows that he died in May 1919. It was Charles Chase who died in May 1919. His son Glenn lived until 1979, as confirmed by several Benedict cousins who knew him.

VitalRecords.com extended their free access a few more days so I’ll be able to get back on and explore then Fellows-Elton ancestry from Joseph and Philena to their immigrant ancestors.

It’s fascinating reading. I was up until after 2:30 in the morning reading the genealogy. I get so wrapped up in it that I lose all track of time. I guess I’m a genealogy and history geek.

Pomfret, Vermont Records

WorldVitalRecords.com offered free access to its databases this week so I took advantage of it and did some research on my 5th great-grandfather, Oliver R. Warren. I found several Warren references in Pomfret, Vermont, Volumes 1 and 2 by Henry Hobart Vail. (1930). I found biographies, birth, death, and marriage information, and even some historical excerpts.

WARREN, Oliver and Lucy, had three children born in Pomfret. He died 20 Mar. 1813.

Oliver Warren was on the Grand List for 1784 at £10; in 1785, at £9. He then disappears until 1802, when he was listed £33. In 1803 he was listed $25.50. He owned a part of Lot 57, Second Division, for 1785 to 1789. He then left the state for four years. When he returned, he was formally “warned out.”

• Children:
• Oliver, Jr., b. 6 Jan. 1784.
• Daniel, b. 18 Aug. 1785.
• Anna, m. Samuel Woods.

(Pomfret, Vermont, Volume 2, page 594)

I hadn’t known about Anna and I wasn’t able to find any other references other than she married Samuel Woods. I have also heard about another son, Joseph from Cousin Jennifer. She related to me that Daniel had tried to obtain Oliver’s war pension but was unable because he couldn’t confirm whether or not his brother Joesph was living. I would suspect Joseph was probably born in Massachusetts either before 1784 or while Oliver was absent from Vermont. I did find a reference to a marriage in Pomfret of Joseph Warren to Betsy Bullock on March 17, 1807. I also found no records of Lucy after the 1810 census.

WARREN, Oliver, was in Pomfret as early as 1784. On July 6th, 1785, he bougght 13½ acres of No. 47, Second Division, of John W. Dana for £13. This he sold to John Perkins of Barnard on January 23rd, 1789, and left town, returning in 1803 to make his final home. His name is not on the census list of 1790 in any town in Vermont.

(Pomfret, Vermont, Volume 1, page 132)

This passage seems to indicate that he had left the state for 14 years rather than four. I believe he may have returned to Massachusetts during this time.

Oliver Warren was similarly warned. He appears first in the town records as the purchaser of a part of No. 57 Second Division, on July 6th, 1785. He was one of the early settlers. On January 23d, 1789, he sold his land to John Perkins of Barnard and moved from the state. He came back in 1803 and was warned by Marshal Mason, acting as constable under orders of Jeremiah Conant and Stephen Hewitt, selectmen. Possibly some irritation ensued, but Mr. Warren remained in town, and nothing but the record remains.

(Pomfret, Vermont, Volume 1, page 69)

The “warned out” incident requires some clarification. It was the custom then to take great care that anyone moving into a town would not become a burden to the town. Often “warning out” new residents was merely a legal precaution and, when served by the constable, nothing more was done. In cases where the newcomer became a valuable, prosperous citizen, the warning became ludicrous. (Pomfret, Vermont, Volume 1, page 68)

I also found new information on Oliver Warren, Jr.’s children and their families.

Podwils Pictures

I found some photos of Podewils (now Podwilcze) that may be of interest. Podwils, once part of Prussia, was the birthplace of my grandfather, Otto Wilhelm Carl Romig.

Schloß Podwils (Castle Podwils)

Gruß aus Podwils (Greetings from Podwils)

Die Kirche 1930 (The church in 1930)

Die Fußballmannschaft (The Soccer Team)

I have to wonder if the church pictured might be the same church in which my grandfather was christened. It’s quite possible.

In the photo of the Podwils (Podwilcze) soccer team, the players are identified as (standing): Heinz Gùlzow, Erich Ott, Walter Benwitz, Georg Manke, Werner Benz, ?, and Otto Minning. Seated are Walter Nitschke, Paul Fischer, and Willi Schulz. It’s possible that Erich Ott may be a distant cousin.

Finding information on my German and Slovak ancestors has been one of the biggest brickwalls I face.