The World of My Ancestors

I will start my story with my material grandmother, Della Malinda Ash Hopkins Shaw. Della Melinda ASH was born 5 Nov 1905 to Lorenzo (Lou) D. ASH and Sadie Susan MITCHELL. She had one older sister and 2 brothers. Both of the brothers died when they were infants. Della, the third child, was born in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio. She died 20 Aug. 1948 in Chatham, Essex, New Jersey. She is buried in Hollywood Memorial Park, Bloomfield, New Jersey. She married Gerald George HOPKINS on 7 May 1924 in Monroe, Michigan. The Marion Daily Star reported that she wore a grey and blue crepe dress and carried ophelia roses. My aunts birth certificates indicated that Gerald was born between March and September 1905 to Nellie MOUCK/MOCH and “Duke” HOPKINS.

 My mother told me that her mother told her that when Della and Gerald were dating Gerald use to draw beautiful pictures on the tablecloths and the restaurant would keep them. Della and Gerald had 3 daughters. Jeanne Virginia, born in Marion, Marion, Ohio. Doris (Dot) Mae, born in Somerville, Sussex, New Jersey. Geraldine (Gerry) Marie, born in Glen Ridge, Essex, New Jersey, died 27 April 2007 in Helena, MT. About 1927 Della, Gerald and daughter Jeanne moved from Ohio to Newark,New Jersey, along with Della’s sister Sylvia and husband Robert BROWNLEE and their mother, Sadie ASH. While living in Somerville, New Jersey, my mother Doris was born. Gerald was working on a dairy farm at this time. My mother told me that she remembers that her mother use to talk about sitting under the tree in the field where she would wait for Gerald to come for his lunch. They later moved back to Montclair before Geraldine was born. Sometime in early 1932 Gerald left his family to go get his paycheck and he never returned. So Della raised her three daughters alone. For 7 years with the help of the local welfare office they looked for Gerald. There was no trace. According to family stories, in about 1940 Della had him declared legally dead so that she could go on with her life. In about 1942 Della married Bill SHAW. Bill later went off to war. Della died 20 Aug 1948 from cancer. I have been very fortunate that my mother and both of her sisters live in Boulder and that I got to talk to they about their family. They have told me many wonderful stories about when they grew up. I know that her daughters wish that they had had more time with their mother. They said that Della had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to go places and do things with her girls. She must have been a very strong woman and a very loving person to raise three girls alone. I think that she did a great job, because my Mom and both of my Aunts are great ladies who would help anyone in need and they all have a great sense of humor. It is a shame that she died before her grandchildren could get to know her.

Labels: ASH Family

 

 HOPKINS UPDATES!

In 2007 we lost my Aunt, Geraldine HOPKINS DIMICK MORNICK. She was the youngest of sister.  From the research I have done I think she is also the one most like her father, Gerald HOPKINS. Our family went thru a very trying year in 2011 and 2012.  I lost my husband, Jimmie ROGERS, to cancer in November 2011.  This was a very hard thing to deal with.  Then in March of 2012, we lost Jeanne HOPKINS PERRY.  She was the older of the 3 sisters and I spent many hours talking family history with her.  She was the one who told me what little I knew about my grandfather, Gerald George HOPKINS.  Then in October 2012 I lost my mother, Doris Mae HOPKINS GRIGGS GARDNER.  I was very close to my mother and this was another terrible loss.  Then in December of the same year my dad (step-dad)   Ralph William GARDNER went to join mom.  Since then we have also lost dad's sister Adele GARDNER

So now I am back to my genealogy to try to find family members who have hidden from me for many years.  In September of 2016 I decided to do my DNA.  I was hoping to find out something new.  It came back as I expected with my of my history being from England.  This was not a surprise as I have found 3 of my lines to England.

Then in September of 2017 I received a message from a man whose name was Ronald CAMERON.  He was showing that we were closely related.  When I looked at his tree I could not find how.  Then in May I got a message from Jennifer BAY, Ron's daughter, and she also was suppose to be related closely.  She had checked my tree on Ancestry.com and thought she knew how we were related.  After some researching on both sides we have come to believe that we are related thru my grandfather Gerald HOPKINS.  I have been so excited to have found other people who are also HOPKINS related. 

Then a a few weeks later all three of us were sent a message that we had another DNA match.  It was a match with my grandfather's brother, Paul HOPKINS' family.  As we search and explore these new cousins and more DNA testing I hope to finally know about the HOPKINS family and get together to meet all these new people.  It will be an exciting journey and I will try to keep my blog updated on the results.

26 January 2020
Update on what has happened on since I last posted.  Ron  CAMERON and William HOPKINS, son of my grandfather's brother, Paul, had their male DNA done.  They share the same grandfather.  So Ron Cameron is my mother's half brother and Jennifer Bay is my first cousin.

While researching to make the connection, we have found:
Gerald G HOPKINS left Newark, New Jersey in the spring of 1932.  I am thinking my grandmother probably told him she was expecting another baby. He moved west to Denver, Colorado.  I found that he married Jo Dee WILLIAMS 29 Dec 1932, in Yuma County, Arizona.   On the marriage record it says he is a resident of Denver, Colorado and a native of Ohio, he was a photographer. His name is Jerald George HOPKINS.  Jo Dee WILLIAMS was Jo Dee LONG when she married Gerald.  She was also from Denver.  They were married  29 December 1932.  I don't believe that he was divorced from his wife, Della.  They family story is that Della had him declared dead in about 1942.  I never found that record when I was in New Jersey a few years ago.

Jerald and Jo Dee had a daughter Gladys Jo Hopkins 21 April 1935, in Sacramento, California.  She died 30 April 1995.  On her marriage record to Carl E Hood, she list her father as Gerald George Hopkins. The were married in Santa Monica, California, 27 December 1956.

According to Voter's Registration from 1932-1938 Jerald G and Jo Dee HOPKINS lived in Oroville, California.
In 1937 City Directory in 1937 they lived at 600 Robinson, Chico, California.
In 1938 Jerold HOPKINS is living at 10436 Telfair Ave, Los Angeles County, California.
In 1940 Jerald M  and Mrs. Jo Dee HOPKINS lived at 2203 Grand Canal, Los Angeles County, California
(Note the change of the middle initial)
In 1942 Jerald and Mrs. Jo Dee HOPKINS are living at 1212 Trolley Way, Los Angeles County, California.
In 1944 Mrs. Jo Dee HOPKINS is living at 349 1/2 Indiana Ave, Los Angeles County California.  Jerald is not listed.

This is where I lose Jerald M. HOPKINS.  When he married his third wife Opal Douglas he was using the name of Jerald Madison CAMERON. They were married in Washo County, Nevada on 26 May 1945. Jennifer said that they were also married in 1942 in Reno.  I have not found that marriage record.  I know that Madison is Gerald's brother's middle name.
Ron was born in 1943 and his brother in 1945.

In Jan 1947 Jerald M CAMERON, of Colorado, was sent to San Quentin prison for grand theft. He was transferred to Chino on 21 Mar. 1947.
He also used the name  Rodney CAMERON.
I have him in 1953 living in Salt Lake City, Utah living with Allyne O. CAMERON.  From what Jennifer has told me Jerald and Opal divorced in 1953.

In April 2019 I went to Salt Lake City to do research and to meet my uncle, Ron CAMERON.  It was a great experience.  He reminds me of my brother, John.  We are both trying to find information on Jerald. He doesn't have alot of memories of his father. He also doesn't know where he went after the divorce of his parents or know when Jerald died.  So the hunt continues.

Labels: HOPKINS family

NELLIE MAY MOUCK/MOCK

Nellie May MOUCK was born 21 Sept 1878 in Lock Haven, Clinton Co., Pennsylvania. Her parents were William John MOUCK and Ida MINCER. On 27 Aug 1897 she married Duke (his real name is Issac) HOPKINS in Jefferson Co., Pennsylvania. He is the son of John and Lucy (Lucinda) HOPKINS. Duke was born in Oliver Twp., Jefferson Co., Pennsylvania. I found this information on their marriage records in Jefferson Co., Pennsylvania.  From this marriage they had 4 children. Jesse, born 1898 in Elk Co., PA, Grace born 15 Aug 1898 in Pittsburgh, PA, Paul born 18 Dec 1899, and Gerald George, born 19 September 1904. Gerald is my direct line. I don't know alot about Nellie. I know that she married Bert CLARK, probably in Shelby, Ohio. She divorced him in 1919 in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio. She then married Herman EALY 21 Jan 1920 in Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio. Nellie lived out the rest of her life in Marion and died 17 May 1942 at the home of her daughter, Grace Landon, in Marion. Herman died 6 Apr 1941 at the home of his daughter in Morrow Co., Ohio. From what I can gather, I believe they were not living together at the time of his death. I would love to find out more about Nellie, her children and her life. I did go to Marion this past summer and found where Nellie and her daughter and granddaughters are buried. Just didn't find out much about their life.

Update 5 November 2020: after finding my Uncle Ron Cameron thru my DNA match.  (See Update on Hopkins family) I would never been able to get some of my brickwalls down if it wasn't for me doing a DNA test thru Ancestry.  I have not kept in touch with the new family members as I should, but with what is going on in the world it can be hard to do.

Jesse HOPKINS was born 19 May 1897, Grace HOPKINS was born 15 Aug 1898, Paul Russell HOPKINS, and Gerald George HOPKINS was born 18 Sept 1904. These children of Duke HOPKINS and Nellie MOUCK had quite the life.

Jesse was about 8  when is father died.  According to Records at the Athens Children;s Home in Athens, Ohio, Jessie and brother Paul were admitted 27 March 1908.  Nellie would have been a widow with four children under 10 at the time.  The two boys were placed there by  the Waterloo Trustee. Grace and the youngest son, Gerald stayed with their mother.  Jesse was indentured on 2 Jan 1909 to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Pfieffer.  His brother Paul always believed that Jesse was adopted out. Jesse went back to live in Marion, Ohio some time round 1918.  On 9 August 1919 he married Retha BAKER, daughter of Ralph BAKER and Lulu MITCHELL.  Jesse joined the Navy 30 July 1918.  Jesse and Retha divorced.  

    About 1922 Jesse married Ola Kathryn RENSLER probably in California.  The had two children.  Gerold born 1923 and died in 1943. He is buried in Cambridgeshire England, and Shirley in 1925 and she died in 2001. On the 1930 census Jesse and family were living in Los Angeles, California.  His occupation is listed as a policemen.  In 1940 he is listed in Los Angeles with a different wife.  He later moved to Washington. He died in 1953 at the Naval Torpedo Station, Bremerton.  Cause of death is crushed by two "electric mules" while on the job.  He is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in California. 

Grace HOPKINS was born Pennsylvania  Birth: Birth Record in Pittsburgh shows female HOPKINS born to Duke and Nellie HOPKINS.  They lived at 2945 Smallman in Pittsburgh at the time.  Duke was a Railroad Fireman.  Marriage records from Marion, Marion, Ohio shows she married Leo WINTERS. Her parents were Duke Hopkins and Nellie Mock.  Says she was born in Pittsburgh PA 15 Aug 1897. Her real birthday was 15 Aug 1898.  She had 3 children with Leo.  Clarence Eugene was born in 1918 and died in 1919. Jesse May was born in 1919 and died in 1925. Ruth Anna was born 1921 and died in 2000.  She was mentally handicapped.

 Grace was not sent to the Athens Children's Home when her 2 brothers were. She was probably staying home to help with her youngest brother Gerald.  I have no idea why two children were kept at home.

    Marion Daily Star,Marion, Ohio,  11 Sept 1923, Grace Winters files for divorce from Leo Winters.
    Marion Daily Star, Marion , Ohio, 26 Sept 1923 Grace Winters and Emmett Landon arrested for disorderly conduct. Complaint signed by Leo Winters. 

    Marion Daily Star, Marion , Ohio, 15 Nov 1923, Leo Winters cross petition for divorce from Grace Winters.

    Marion Daily Star, Marion , Ohio,7 April 1924, Death notice for Jessie M Winters, daughter of Leo and Grace Winter. Her obituary was in  12 April 1924newspaper.

Grace was married to Emmett Landon on 10 May 1924.  She is listed in her husband Emmett's obituary.  They lived at 137 John Street at the time of his death on 18 Aug 1948.

Grace also married  Edward Cook on 2 Sept 1955 in Marion, Ohio. She is listed in his obituary along with her daughter.They lived at 419 W Church St. Marion at the time of his death,3 April, 1961

20 Feb, 1991,  The Marion Star, Marion, Marion, Ohio.  She died at the Community Nursing Center.  States that she had worked as a registered nurse with Marion General Hospital.  Says she is survived by her daughter Ruthann Landon of Mount Vernon, and nieces and nephews.  A son, a daugther, a brother and a sister were deceased.

Paul Russell HOPKINS was born 18 December 1899.  In his mother's obituary he was listed as where about were unknown.  Since matching up with Paul's family thru our DNA I have learn more about Paul.  He was sent to the Athens Children along with his brother Jesse on 27 Mar 1908.  He would have been 8 years old.  He always thought his brother was adopted, but records showed he was indentured out to a family.  Paul ran away from the Children's Home 24 November 1915, just before his 16th birthday and joined the circus.  He worked with a circus into the 1940's.  I have several newspapers articles about his circus life. His act was Captain Jack and he was buried alive.  Paul's son William sent us pictures of him where he is dressed for a show. 

Paul  was married to a woman named Hilda and they had 2 children. Bessie born in 1932 and Randolph born in1933.  Hilda too Paul to court several times for failure to provide for his children.  I have not found a marriage record for this yet. According to the newspaper articles they lived on the east coast.

 1 Mar 1952 Paul married Priscilla VIR in Maine.  They had 8 children.  7 of them are still living, so I will not go farther with his family.

Paul died in October of 1978 in Brooklyn, New York, where his oldest daughter Bessie lived.

 

 

 

Labels: MOUCK Family

This is the headstone of William Ash and Margaret Simpson Ash. They are buried in Kenton Cenetery, Kenton, Ohio. Buried next to them is their son Oresta William Ash. He doesn't have a headstone.

Labels: ASH Family

Gerald George HOPKINS was born in 1905 to Duke and Nellie MOUCK HOPKINS. He married Della Malinda ASH daughter of Lorenzo and Sadie MITCHELL ASH, in Monroe, Michigan, 7 May 1924. The announcement in the Marion Daily Star, Thurs. 8 May 1924 shows they had eloped to Monroe and were married by Reuben Crosby, Minister,  in his home. It also states Gerald is a contractor. It says that Mrs. HOPKINS is daughter of Mrs. KLINGEL of Park Blvd. They started their married life in Marion, Ohio, where they had their first daughter Jeanne in 1925.

Also in the Marion Daily Star newspaper dated 2 Sept 1924, Gerald was arrested for failure to provide for his wife. He was released after he agreed to give his wife $5 a week. In the 1925 and 1926 city directory of Marion, Della is listed as the widow of Gerald HOPKINS. We know this is not true.

In 1927 Gerald, Della, Jeanne along with Della’s mother Sadie, sister Sylvia and her husband Harold BROWNLEE, moved to New Jersey. Sadie, Sylvia and Harold all went to Newark, while Gerald and family ended up in Huntterdon County. In the 1930 census, taken in April, they lived in Tewkesbury. It shows he was a laborer on a dairy farm. My mother, Doris was born in Somerville later that year. By 1932 the family had moved back to Newark to be near the rest of the family. One day Gerald went to get his paycheck and has never been heard from since. In Sept of 1932 their third daughter, Geraldine was born. According to my mother and her sisters, the welfare and Della searched for Gerald. He was never found. He was declared legally dead so that Della could go on with her life. I have never found this record yet.

The last item I have found on Gerald was in his mother’s obituary. He is listed, but where about unknown. That was in May 1942.

 

See updates on HOPKINS family on this blog.

Labels: HOPKINS family

William ASH was born 8 Feb 1845 to Thomas ASH and Sarah HARDY in Oswego, New Brunswick, New York. He died 9 Nov 1921 in Palestine, Texas at the home of his son Willis. He was the 2nd of 5 children. On 15 April 1867 he married Margaret Jane SIMPSON in Hardin Co., Ohio. They had 9 Children. Mary Gladys who married Marion MUSGRAVE, Willis Norton who married LouEmma PACKER, Baby Ash, who died at birth, Lorenzo Dow who married Sadie MITCHELL, Oresta William, Agnes Luella who married Jacob COOPER, Alba M who married 1st Arthur WELTZ, 2nd James BURNS, Ada Viola who married Jacob E BARKER and Fay E who married Frank REIGLER.

William enlisted in the Ohio Volunteers during the Civil War and was in the 15th Regiment, Company I. He was wounded in the left leg during the “Battle of Chickamauga” in Georgia and later lost his leg. He was discharged in 1864 and received a pension due to his wound.

According to his pension records. William was 5 ft 8 in tall and had light complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was a farmer before going into war. It also listed all his children and when he was married.

William and Margaret lived in Marseilles, Ohio until after 1881. At that time they moved their family to Hardin Co., Ohio until the death of Margaret on 30 Mar 1916. William then moved to Palestine, Texas to live with his son, Willis and family. Both Margaret and William are buried in Grove Cemetery, Kenton, Hardin Co., Ohio.

Labels: ASH Family

Thomas ASH was born in Sussex, England, 8 Oct 1812. He came to the United States sometime before 1843. He married Sarah HARDY 10 Jan 1843 in Ontario Co., New York. The had 5 children, Alexander, William married Margaret SIMPSON, Sarah, Thomas who married Adeline BOYER and James. The first 4 were born in New Brunswick, New York. The last son, James was born in Ohio.

After 1850 the family moved to Wyandot Co., Ohio, where Thomas raised his family. He enlisted on 21 Nov 1861 in the Civil War. He was discharged 20 Nov 1863 in Lookout Valley, Tennessee because of chronic rheumatism. His son, Alexander,died during the war and is buried in Camp Wood, Ky and son William also enlisted in the Civil War. After the his wife died Thomas lived with his son Thomas Jr. Thomas Died 25th Oct 1897 and is buried in York Street Cemetery in Jackson, Wyandot Co., Ohio.

Labels: ASH Family

Lorenzo (Lou) Dow ASH was born 28 Sept 1872 in Marseilles, Wayandot Co., Ohio, to William ASH and Margaret Jane SIMPSON. He married Sadie Susan MITCHELL, 22 Nov 1898 in Hardin Co., Ohio. They had 4 children, Ovan, born May 1900, died before 1910. Sylvia D., born 29 April 1901 in Marion, Marion, Ohio, died 18 Apr 1989 in West Palm Beach, FL. Della Melinda, born 5 Nov 1905 in Marion, Marion, Ohio, died 20 Aug 1948 in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Arthur born 10 Feb 1908 died 20 Mar 1908 in Marion Co., Ohio. According to the 1910 census Lorenzo worked as a yardman at the engine works. Sadie and Lorenzo divorced in April 1919 in Marion Co., Ohio.

Lorenzo married Elizabeth (Glenn) DURBIN 11Aug 1919 in Bucyrus, Ohio. They lived in Marion and Hardin Co., Ohio. He died in 9 Jan 1948 and is buried in Ridgeway Cemetery in Hale Township, Hardin Co., Ohio.

Labels: ASH Family

This is a picture of my Aunt Gerry (Geraldine), Aunt Jeanne and my grandmother Della Malinda Ash Hopkins Shaw taken abt 1945/6 in Newark, New Jersey.

Labels: HOPKINS family

Sadie Susan MITCHELL was born 27 Feb 1881 in Hardin Co., Ohio to Thomas MITCHELL and Ellen BLANCET. She was the 10th of 13 children. She married Lorenzo Dow ASH 22 Nov 1898 in Hardin Co., Ohio. They had 4 children, Ovan, born May 1900, died before 1910. Sylvia D., born 29 April 1901 in Marion, Marion, Ohio, died 18 Apr 1989 in West Palm Beach, FL. Della Malinda, born 5 Nov 1905 in Marion, Marion, Ohio, died 20 Aug 1948 in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Arthur born 10 Feb 1908 died 20 Mar 1908 in Marion Co., Ohio. Sadie and Lorenzo were divorced in April 1919. On the 1920 census Sadie was living in Marion, Ohio with just her daughters. On 22 Oct 1922 Sadie married Charles W Klingel in Marion, Ohio. They divorced in 1928 and she took back the name of ASH. About 1927 Sadie and both of her daughters, Della and Sylvia and their families moved to Newark, New Jersey . She was living with her daughter Sylvia when she died on 28 Nov 1941 in East Orange, New Jersey. She is buried in Otterbein Cemetery, Hardin Co. Ohio. From what my mother and Aunts have told me my great grandmother was a confinement nurse. My mother would go over to her house to help her clean and her grandmother would make beans and cornbread. Mom asked her where she learned to cook them because her mother never cooked them. Her grandmother said that it was an old southern dish. I have since learned that Sadie’s mother was from Alabama. Sadie was a very religionist lady. She did not believe in dancing and the movies. On Sundays you were suppose to go to church and read the Bible. My mother remembers that her mother would let them go to the movies on Sundays, but told them to make sure that they did not tell their grandmother where they were going. I have a copy of a letter that Sadie wrote to her granddaughter Jeanne and a postcard that she sent to her when she was visiting her brother Minor in Marion, Ohio. I only have one picture of Said, but in it I can see which side of the family I take after. My Aunts and mother keep telling me I am a lot like their grandmother.

Labels: MITCHELL Family