Geiszler Genealogy

In the post " Who else was in Franklin County, Ohio in 1880 ?" I featured 50 Townsends, 17 of which are heads of households. The purpose of the one name study in Franklin County, Ohio is an attempt to find relatives for William James Townsend . This is the first installment of perhaps 15 posts detailing those Townsends of Franklin County. Year: 1880; Elizabeth Townsend in household of Geo W Shoaf, Census Place: Hamilton, Franklin, Ohio; Roll: 1015; Family History Film: 1255015; Page: 186A; Enumeration District: 009; Image: 0475 The first name I wished to examine was Elizabeth Townsend ( LJBR-MYD ) who was listed in the 1880 US Census in the same town as my great grandfather William. The first thing that jumped out to me was that Elizabeth was born around 1838 in Scotland. Her husband could be born in England if Isabell's Shoaf's (LZD5-C1C) reference to her father (with Elizabeth being her mother) being born in England is an accurate relationship. She...

The hunt for ancestors continue with the second of 15 heads of households named in the 1880 US Census with the last name Townsend in Franklin, County. "United States Census, 1880,"John Townsend, Truro, Franklin, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district 015, sheet 310B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1015; FHL microfilm 1255015. In 1880, John and Catherine Townsend and their two boys Joseph and John were living in Truro, Franklin County, Ohio. John Townsend (FS ID: LJY6-82Z) was born in 1814 in Maryland, as were his parents. His wife Catherine was born around 1826 in Ohio, and her parents were also from Maryland. Joseph was born around 1853 and John around 1860. Both were born in Ohio. However, ditto marks by the census maker says the both of the boy's parents were from Maryland. Was Catherine really from Maryland or did the enumerator become ditto mark happy? If John was relate...