Eunice Mariah Snow Woodworth Bachman v George Bachman
Orcelia Malinda Bachman Nill v Peter Nill
Mother's Day - A Woman Who Would Be Called Mother in Williams County, OH; Divorces, 1850/1859 and 1870
By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 10 October 2013)
This genealogical detailing features a woman who was married three times; she was the mother of the first child born in Millcreek Twp, Wms Co, OH; she had nine children by her first marriage and three from her second; her second husband had nine children as well from his first marriage; her third husband had four known children from his first marriage making a total of at least 25 children to whom she was either mother or stepmother during her lifetime.
She was divorced from her second husband, knew the grief of losing a son due to the Civil War, and saw from its earliest times Williams County take shape. It would have been a wonderful experience, I imagine, to be able to interview this lady who witnessed so many changes during her settlement here from 1836-1904. We read so much about the founding male settlers of this area, but in my opinion, we need to learn the stories of the founding women as well, because history is the sum of both gender experiences.
Eunice Mariah Snow was born near Syracuse, Onondaga Co, NY on 3 Apr 1818; nothing to-date has been learned of her parents but she did have a brother, Elijah Snow as evidenced by a biographical account of her son Henry Miles Woodworth in Shinn's History of Williams County, OH, 1905, p599-602.
Eunice's obituary stated that she was the only child of her father's second marriage; there is an Elijah Snow (4 Apr 1762, Westborough, Worcester Co, MA - 18 Nov 1841, Lysander, Onondaga Co, NY; first mar Abigail Hopping who died 14 Apr 1810; their children were Susannah, Martha, Jabez, Hannah, Elijah, Sylvester, Isaac, and Sarah Snow). Many of these people later settled in Fulton and Williams Cos, OH, so there may be a connection with this family.
Eunice Mariah Snow first married c. 1833, NY, Josiah Woodworth, the son of Josiah Woodworth, Sr., and Harriet Hunt. Josiah Jr., was born in Leyton, NY c 1810 and died 5 July 1847, Millcreek Twp, Wms Co, OH, as a result of being struck by lightning. In 1835 the Woodworth family had moved first to land 4 miles west of Morenci, Lenawee Co, MI and later to Millcreek Twp. By 2 Aug 1837 Josiah had purchased 2 parcels at the Bronson, MI Land Office; each parcel was 40 acres and were located in Sec 6 and 31 of Millcreek Twp. This land was part of disputed property between Ohio and Michigan.
In Mar 1839 Josiah was a property taxpayer in both Millcreek and Madison Twps. By the winter of 1839 Josiah was in NE Kunkle with Cyrus Barrett; the two men were betting on how many bears each could kill. Barrett was the eventual winner, although Josiah was equally a fine marksman. On 3 Apr 1843 Josiah served as one of the judges in the county election and would also fulfill political roles as a fence viewer and an overseer of the poor.
The Woodworth family is enumerated in the 1840 Millcreek Twp federal census with 2 males under 5, 1 male 5-10, 1 male 30-40, 1 female 5-10, and 1 female 20-30. Josiah and Maria were the parents of the following nine children who were all born in Millcreek except the eldest: Charles Elijah (26 Dec 1834 NY-aft 1905 Des Moines, IA; m Delia A. Sayles, 13 Aug 1864, Fulton Co, OH); Hannah M. (23 Aug 1836 - Bet Jun 1904-1905; m 1854, Oliver G. Smith); Henry Raymond (19 Sept 1838 - aft 1905, Sheridan, WY; m1 Martha Snyder, m 14 Feb 1867, Wms Co; m2 Arphina Starr, 22 Feb 1882, Wms Co); Henry Miles (9 Sept 1839 - 14 Apr 1917, Bryan; m. Susan Margaret Miller, 8 Sept 1861, Wms Co); Anna Eliza (5 Mar 1841 - 1940, Ennis, Madison Co, MT; m bef 1860 Robert N. Renshaw); John E. (9 Oct 1842 - 1 Sept 1922, Monrovia, Los Angeles Co, CA; m Alice A. Miller, 26 Mar 1878, Wms Co); George (31 Aug 1844 - aft 1905, Wisdom, Beaverhead Co, MT; m Florence E. Emerick, 22 Apr 1881, Fulton Co, OH); James Orrin (5 Apr 1846 - 22 July 1864, Atlanta, GA, CW casualty); Amanda Melina (12 Dec 1847 - aft 1905, Bryan; m James Saunders).
Upon Josiah's death he was buried in the West Franklin Cem, Fulton Co, OH where his wife would later join him. Mariah or Maria as she became known in existing records was pregnant with her ninth child at the time of Josiah's death; she found it necessary to marry a second time to someone who would provide financial security for her brood. Maria's new husband, George Bachman, a widower, fit the bill and they were married c. aft July 1847-1848. On 23 Nov 1849 the Woodworth children were granted guardians, Elijah and Harrison Snow, which is another tie to the above-mentioned Snows.
George Bachman b 1812 PA had settled in Millcreek Twp c 1846 with his wife Sarah and his children; after Sarah's death on 23 June 1847 and burial in Primrose Cem, George also would need a wife to help with his family and thus the marriage of George Bachman and Eunice Maria Snow Woodworth would take place.
George and Maria began their own family and had the following three children: Sarah (1851-bet 1860/1905); Henry Josiah (1852-aft 1911, Wauseon, Fulton Co, OH; m Mattie Trowbridge, 15 June 1887, Fulton Co); Orcelia Malinda (1853-1925; m1 Peter Nill, 27 Aug 1870, Wms Co; div Mar 1878; m2 Samuel Young). According to the 1850 Millcreek Twp census records George and Mariah were living together with her nine children. The whereabouts of George's children in 1850 remain to be discovered.
Prior to this census in Nov 1849 Mariah brought a suit of divorce against George. In the records (Journal 4 p67 of the Wms Co Civil and Criminal Court) Mariah stated that she did not want George using property she had brought to the marriage. According to the Issue Docket, Clerk of Courts, 1848-1852, in April 1850 Maria Bachman petitioned for divorce from George Bachman; this action was continued to the October 1850 Term. In October 1850 Mariah stated she did not wish to proceed further with the divorce and George was charged court costs. At the same time George dropped a suit he had filed against an Orville Woodworth. It would appear there was a connection between this Woodworth and Mariah's first husband, Josiah.
Mariah again appeared before the court on 4 June 1859 seeking a divorce stating that George was a habitual drunk of the last 3 years; she was granted the divorce, alimony of $300, and custody of the minor children, Sarah, Maria, Henry, Jonah, Amelia, and Malinda. The divorce, finalized on 30 Nov 1859, is found in Journal 5 p524 and 568.
By the 1860 Millcreek Twp census records Mariah was living with her children Charles, Ann, George, James, and Amanda Woodworth plus daughters Sarah and Orcelia Bachman. Her oldest daughter Hannah Woodworth Smith had adopted Mariah's daughter Amanda before this. Her son, Henry Miles, was living with the Henry Miller family as a farmhand in Millcreek Twp. In the neighborhood lived the Henry Loutzenhiser family where George Bachman, his son George, and his 8-year-old son Henry resided. Mrs. Mary Loutzenhiser was George Bachman's daughter by his first marriage. This Mary Jane Bachman Loutzenhiser was born 9 Jan 1839, Fayette, NY, and later died 28 Oct 1911, Hillsdale, MI. She had married Henry Loutzenhiser, 5 Dec 1857; at the time of her death she left a sister EA Cooley of Quincey, MI and a brother George of Geneva, NY.
Mariah's sons were soldiers in the Civil War as Henry Miles was in Co E 14th OVI and was held prisoner at Belle Isle; John was a member of Co C 111th OVI and brother James was in the 68th OVI when he died at the Battle of Atlanta.
Mariah's obit in "the Bryan Democrat" 7 July 1904 states that by 1867 she was left a widow and married Thomas Ansley who later died by Oct 1892. At the time of Mariah's third marriage she was a widow once and a divorcee once, but in those days for politeness sake she was known as twice a widow.
In the 1870 Bridgewater, Wms Co, OH federal census records one finds the Ansley household: Thomas 53 EN; Mariah 52 NY; Amanda Woodworth 22 OH; Henry Bachman 17 OH; Amelia Bachman 14 OH; Thomas Ansley 17 OH; and Jane Ansley 9 OH. Also in the 1870 Millcreek Twp census there is Amanda Woodworth 22 OH along with Henry Bachman 18 OH who worked as a farmhand for Jacob Glime. In Primrose Cemetery of Millcreek Twp there is a Jane Ansley, wife of T., who died 1 Oct 1866 @46Y 5M along with their daughter Mary Elizabeth Ansley (29 Sept 1842 - 9 Dec 1861 @19Y 2M 9D).
Jane T. Willibee Ansley was born in England, cMay 1820, and she appears to be Thomas' first wife. Thomas Ansley's will was probated on 25 Sept 1901 even though he had died in 1892. At the time of his death he and Mariah lived in Fayette, Gorham Twp, Fulton Co, OH; he named Mariah of Fayette, sons John of Montpelier and Charles of California, MI, and foster daughter Jane Stuck in his will.
Upon Mariah's death on 30 June 1904, Bryan @86Y 2M 27D, she left ten children of her own, 30 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and many friends who called her "Aunt Mariah". She was buried next to first husband Josiah Woodworth along with a Sarah, no last name, who may be her daughter Sarah Bachman. Maria Ansley's will allowed for her property in Jefferson Twp, Wms Co, OH to be split among all her children except daughter Orcilla Young of Stryker as Mariah had done many things before for Orcilla (see below). Daughters Hannah Smith and Amanda Saunders both received $700 each while the others received $5 each plus the residue of her personal property.
According to Roll 22 case number 21 for Nov 1870, Orcelia M. Bachman sued husband Peter Nill for divorce. Orcelia was pregnant with a child by Peter and he agreed to marry her. On 16 Aug 1870 she wanted a writ of attachment for $1.000 on his goods and property as he left her and went to Lucas Co, OH. They married on 27 Aug 1870, but he left her again; she was not given a divorce at that time. From Journal 9 p395 – 1 Mar 1878, Orcelia Nill again sued for divorce stating that Peter had been absent for more than three years. She mentioned her children, Laura May Nill age 6 on 14 Aug 1877 and Ada Sircella Nill age 4 on 11 Nov 1877. She brought Jacob Clay and Israel Osmun to court as her witnesses. Her divorce was granted; she later married Samuel Young c1886.
In the 1900 Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Wms Co, OH federal census p175, the Youngs were listed as Samuel June 1836 OH (63) married 14 years, an oar finisher, wife Orcelia M Oct 1853 OH (46) mother of 4 children, all living, and children Clifford B Mar 1887 OH (13), and Letia M Sept 1889 OH (10); the family lived on Mulberry Street. By 1910 the Youngs had moved to Vine Street, Stryker, Springfield Twp and were enumerated in the 1910 federal census p230, as Samuel 75 OH, Orcelia M 56 married twice, Clifford B 23 OH, and Leta 20 OH. Orcelia Young 66 OH widow lived with her daughter Laura, b Aug 1871, and son-in-law William Bly in the 1920 Jefferson Twp, Wms Co federal census p77. Note that Orcelia claimed to be pregnant in Aug 1870, but daughter Laura was born in Aug 1871; either the record was incorrect or there was another child born before Laura; Orcelia stated in the 1900 federal census that she was the mother of four children which would account for Laura, Ada, Clifford, and Leta.
According to the 1880 federal census for Toledo, Lucas Co, OH, p449D, and the 1900 Toledo, Lucas Co, OH federal census, p5A, Peter Nill, son of German immigrants, was a single laborer in 1880 and by 1900 Peter b Sept 1849 OH had married Gertrude Bone/Pone, born Apr 1864 OH. They were married c1884 and had daughters Alice J b July 1894 and Florence H b Nov 1896 plus mother-in-law Henrietta Bone/Pone b Apr 1841. They lived on 516 Langdon Sreet, and Peter was a partner with Charles A. Hall in a grocery business, located on Langdon and Broadway Streets. By 1910 Peter was 60 OH with wife Eva 47 OH, Alice 17, and Florence 15. The couple had a third child, deceased.
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