Olive McArdle

Olive McArdle – wife of Levi McArdle.  Interestingly enough I found a Census entry in 1900 for a Levi McArdle in Kansas that shows him living with the Louthard family as a servant (and widowed).  He is listed as born in April 1855 in Illinois. 

There is also a state census record that shows:

This may also be the correct Levi McArdle. Spelling errors were pretty common. From this it looks like Chas and Janetta were the parents of Levi, Nancy, Edith, Norman, and Douglass.  

I couldn’t find a record of Olive McArdle, but from what I’ve found I’m fairly certain that she was Levi’s wife between this record and the 1900 census.  To research it further, the 1890 census would be a good place to look next, but it is possible that they were not married for long and it was between the 1890 and 1900 census. 

Leroy Trackwell – More

In my Family Tree software, I looked up what I had previously on Leroy Trackwell.  He is listed as the Husband of my 1st Cousin 3X Removed.  I wonder at what point things should be removed from my tree.  It shows his wife is the daughter of Remus McArdle – Son of John and Nancy McArdle. 

I have listed 15 children, but only the first 8 in my system have birthdates.  Leading me to wonder where I got the others.  I started collecting information 30 years ago when I was a teenager.  So some of the information is pretty old.  I also was not as careful about documenting the source of information.  (Of course this started before computers too)….  I do have noted that the children with birthdates came from Karin McArdle who I still keep in touch with.  This is closer to her side of the family also, so those are more likely to be accurate.  At this point I may remove the individuals with no information and assume I can fill them back in if and when I find documentation….  Of course this leaves me with 8 children.  It also leaves me wondering about the 1900 census and the 1 year old listed….  Though interestingly enough the youngest child Gladys was born May 15, 1895 and the mother is listing as having died on May 20, 1895… And the census record I found for 1930 that I wondered about lists a Leroy Trackwell living with a Gladys Kessington in 1930 in Washington….  Then Leroy is listed as passing away in 1934 in Kansas.  It does look like this is the right Leroy Trackwell….  The records I have also don’t list an Effie Trackwell, but do list all the other names in the Census – and my records show this also with a Mary Effie Bridges married to William Trackwell and having a daughter Rosemary.  So that is backed up by the 1900 Census.  Also Margaret is missing from the Census and my records show her as having died in 1892 just over 1 year old.  So that goes to verifying this information also. 

So really though it comes back to how far from your own direct line is it worth investigating.  Though it is really interesting to find this information….

Leroy Trackwell Family

One of the photos in my collection is the Leroy Trackwell Family.  The photo has 8 people in it and I was able to find a census record for a Leroy Trackwell from 1900 in Leavenworth Kansas.

The Census record lists :

I remember from stories I’ve heard that some family was located in Leavenworth, Kansas – so I’m fairly certain this is the right Leroy Trackwell.  The 1900 Census shows that he was 55 and was born in March 1845 in Indiana. He had married in 1874.  There was also a 1930 census record from Rainbow Washington.  He was listed as 85 and listed as Father in Law of the Head of Household.  Members of the Household were:

This would make Leroy the right age, but not sure if the household is correct since the Daughter would be 7 at the 1900 census but wasn’t listed in the previous census. It’s definitely worth making a note of to research more if following this line of the family.

Elmer McArdle, Uriah McArdle, and Mandy McArdle

Here is an example of pictures I have that were scanned from copies of originals.   This picture was Uriah, Elmer and Mandy McArdle taken in front of their homestead.  The middle copy shows the whole picture where as the first and last are higher quality but of just part of the photo.  I find it interesting that the picture looks staged, yet they are all standing far apart. Also at the time this photo would have been taken photos were pretty rare.  This had to have been around the turn of the century.  Elmer and Mandy (Amanda) were two of Uriah’s children. – Uriah died in 1912.  Elmer was born in 1870 and Amanda in 1877 so this would have most likely been right before 1900.

Elmer was my Great Grandfather…

My father, Elmer, Charles McArdle – Ot Spicer & Bluford Smith had (sic) a public show.  Dad’s part in the show was Buffaolow Bill (sic) He was good. Cow Boy.  He did the rideing (sic) and shooting. He let hair grow long like Buffalow (sic) Bill.  That was, back in the times, of 1800. Dad was born Aug 15, 1970 (sic).” (letter to Karin McArdle from Frank McArdle, dated Sept 13, 2000)

Uriah was killed when run over by a wagon saving a little girl – More on that later also.
 

John McArdle Will

Wills are another great source of information.  In this will of John McArdle living in Georgetown IL he lists his children that include Remus, Collins, and Uriah as sons and Cynthia McArdle and Electry Wygle as daughters.  (Also from this we have Electry’s married name. )

It also shows he owned 162 1/2 acres at the time.  It also lists a daughter Albertine, and sons John McArdle and Martin McArdle.  He also listed daughters Mary and Naomi and listed a deceased son, Charles (that had children).  The will lists who will receive what portion of his estate and lists Uriah as the executor.  So from this we know that John McArdle at Age 67 had sons – Remus, Collins, Uriah, John, and Martin that were still living, Charles that had passed away, and daughters, Cynthia, Electry, Mary and Naomi that were still living.  We also know that he had grandchildren from Charles at this time.  He may have had other grandchildren, but Charles is the only one expressly named.   Later I’ll write up the family store about Uriah and how he passed away saving the life of one of his siblings daughters.  (Run over by a team of Oxen I think)  Uriah was my direct ancestor.

Levi McArdle Marriage Cert.

I also have a marriage certificate showing a Levi McArdle’s marriage to Olive Stewart in 1870. (July 29)  Interestingly enough this was officiated by a R. McArdle (Justice of the Peace) in Kansas. I know this is not my direct line ancestor, but am sure this is a branch off of the tree.  I think I have also found the census records for Levi and Remus McArdle, but they aren’t on the top of the pile right now.  They should have been found in Kansas in 1870 and would show where they were from.  I know John McArdle was in Illinois and From Virginia so either would show a possible tie. 
I probably have a lot of this documented, but I’m trying to go back through my files and fill in sources and document records.  

Georgetown Twp, Vermilion county, Illinois Census (July 20, 1870)

It’s amazing the things you can find out from the Census.  The older census records were created by census takers that went door to door and collected names, occupation, and lots of other goodies.  You can find a list of everyone living in the household at the time, their nationality, their parents nationality and lots more.

For the McArdle Side of my family, I looked at the Georgetown Twp Census in 1870 (Census were taken every 10 years)

Listed is Name, Age, Sex, Color, Profession, Value of Real Estate, Value of Personal Property, Place of Birth, Father’s nationality, mother’s nationality, also – attended school, ability to read and write, deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic and so on…. and whether a person is a male citizen 21 years or older (and whether they can vote)
I found three households of McArdles, John, John, and Uriah….

The first John (69 year old Farmer)  had $5000 real estate and $1600 personal property – was from Virginia.  He lived with Cynthia (20), Martin (22) and Polly (18).  Cynthia was listed as Keeping House.  I am guessing from the ages Cynthia and Polly were his daughters – but on this I am guessing.  They are both listed as from Illinois. Martin is listed as a Farm Laborer from Illinois.

Uriah McArdle (35) is listed next with Mary McArdle (25). Uriah is listed as a Farmer with $400 of real estate and $800 in personal property.  He is from Illinois whereas Mary (House Keeper) is listed as from Pennsylvania. 

The final household is another John McArdle (30) with Sarah (30).  They have two children Lucy (4) and Mary (2) living in the house with them.  John is listed as a Farmer with no real estate but $300 of personal property.  Sarah is listed as keeping house.  They are all listed as from Illinois.

A lot of times the census records are the only record we can find to verify children.  Obviously these children and parent all live close together adding to the likelihood that one is the parent of the others and they are all siblings….