The earliest birth in the bible is Collins McArdle. Collins parents who are my direct ancestors seem to be missing, making me think this is Collins (or his descendants) Bible.
Family Bibles
Family Bibles are a great place to find out information about Births, Deaths, and Marriages. The family bible used to be the favorite place to record major events in any family. This shows scans from the McArdle Family Bible (of the Collins McArdle) branch of the family. Lots of great information is included! I have the family Bible on my other side form the Corbly part of the family (Dad’s Side), but these are from my mother’s side. My mother is interesting in tracking down information about her grandmother especially. Hattie Jane Mahaffey – wife of Elmer McArdle.
The History
Collins McArdle – March 20, 1833, the first birth recorded was my 3rd great uncle and born in Virginia. His parents were Nancy Morgan and John McArdle. His brother Uriah was my 2nd great grandfather. Uriah was killed from injuries he received saving his grandchild from a run away oxen team. (The Daily Herald June 14, 1912). The McArdle Bible shown was from the Collins McArdle branch of the family, born in Virginia – moved to Illinois, and then moved on to Kansas. Even being another branch of the tree, these Bible pages are still interesting!
Relating to My Branch
Collins McArdle was only one year in age difference from Uriah. I would assume this would have made them close brothers. My father has a lot of brothers and sisters and growing up in a small house, older siblings had to move out as new siblings were born. My dad actually has a nephew the same age as he is! As I follow Collins through the census in Virginia and Illinois Uriah is nearby throughout Collins Virginia and Illinois years. By the 1860 census, Collins has married and that is the beginning of the split. In the 1870 census, Collins can be found in Kansas, where he remained the rest of his life. Uriah, on the other hand stayed in Illinois in the same area that the family had relocated to from Virginia.
1850 Illinois Census with John McArdle that includes Collins McArdle and Uriah McArdle
1850 Census John McArdle Family (Page 2)
1860 Census – Collins McArdle Family – Illinois
Interestingly enough in the Kansas Census Electra McArdle Wygle is also listed as living with her husband Jacob Wygle and children near Collins McArdle. Electra also being a sibling of my 2nd great grandfather Uriah. Wygles have shown up on DNA results on the different bureaus. The interesting thing is that she is hard to find in the census records as Electra McArdle. In the 1850 Census she had already aged out of the household…. and any census before 1850 only would list the head of the household. Electra is listed as Lectra McArdle marrying Jacob Wygle on 15 Jun 1848 in Iowa, so my thought is that Electra married Jacob Wygle and moved out west, ending up in Kansas. As time went on a message might have been sent to her younger brothers that land was available in Kansas and to come join the land grab.
Most of Kansas became permanently part of the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. When the area was opened to settlement by the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 it became a battlefield that helped cause the American Civil War. Settlers from North and South came in order to vote slavery down or up. The free state element prevailed.
According to records, scores of settlers came to Kansas after the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. The timing does work. I’m not sure which side of the debate this part of the family would have been on, but it does seem that they may have moved to Kansas to join the rush. Of course this is all conjecture… but, it’s interesting to think of the reasons that they may have moved out west, leaving friends and family at the time.
1870 Census KS – includes Collins McArdle and Electra Wygle….
I’m currently working on repairing a family Bible. The Bible itself is pretty amazing. I’ve fixed the spine already and am now working on the pages. The center of the Bible contains the family information and is readable.
Throughout the Bible are pages with beautiful pictures that appear to have had tissue paper pages on the opposing sides. All the images other than one appear to be in good shape. The image needing the most repair includes Moses with the 10 commandments.
The pages have all taken on a yellow tinge from the acid in the paper. Supposedly paper kept out of the light and air will stay white, but this bible was stored in an attic, then a basement and over time moved to be stored in a bedroom until finally coming to stay with me. I have the Bible now in an acid free box with small containers to absorb any moisture. Included in the box is now acid free tissue paper.
I’ve been taking the Bible out as needed to work on the pages. I chose a kit from Gaylord Archival that is museum quality. Gaylord has several Book Repair kits, including some new tool kits. The kit I have includes book binding materials, binding glue, tape for the pages, and several other materials. – I’ve finished the binding and am now working on the pages.
Filmy tape allows the page to be placed together and the tape to be placed over the tear. The tape is almost invisible after being put over the repair. I’ve fixed a few pages, and the tape is working perfectly when the page is whole – but has a rip in the page. I’m at more of a loss when it comes to the repair of the pages that are missing pieces. Missing pieces along the binding edge are the most complex. I’m still working on finding the best method to deal with those pages, but first have been working my way though the pages that are least damaged.
LATER:
Later I will need to look through the pages and find the best way to deal with the yellowing. The yellow pages are throughout the Bible and if there would be a method of reducing the discoloration it might take some time and effort. The Bible is definitely worth the effort though and the majority of the sections have minimal damage.
When my grandmother passed away my mother passed me a few things to look through and for the boys. Most were Sunday Missals for church and bibles. My boys were attending the local Catholic School so she thought they might be interested. I put them to the side and finally found time to look at one. The one I happened to pick was a bible that had initials on the front. I was surprised to find out it was my mother’s brother and sister’s mother’s family bible. I’ve since given it back to my mother to pass on to my cousins, but I took pictures of the family pages before passing it on.
The bible is from the early 1900s and late 1800s and is full of information. It has a W.G. on the front which is my Aunt and Uncles grandmother. There was even a T. Wakeland listed which took me a while to realize wasn’t my Grandmother, but my Grandfather Wakeland’s brother. (Actually my mother figured that one out) These bibles are full of information! Many times they include not only Births, Deaths, and Marriages, but also major family events in history.
Ancestry has some bible records too. I have had one bookmarked for a while that seemed like it should fit. A John McArdle that was killed at age 50 while blasting rocks at Little Falls NY. November 29, 1820. I’ve kept it just in case but can’t find a person to match in my files. I do have John McArdles in my file, but the death date and age range don’t match. It’s always so exciting to find something with so much information that seems to be such a great find, and then so discouraging to not find a match.