Off the Beaten Path in Vienna

When people learn of my travels to Vienna, they typically want to hear about all the things they associate it with: the gilded neoclassical buildings, the opera, the horsedrawn carriages, Wienershnitzel, Sachertorte, and Mozart. But while all of that is indeed here, it is very marginal to my experience of the place. The centralmost 1st district - with its maze of white stone, processions of tourists, ticket peddlers dressed as historical figures, and endless shops selling fur coats and stockings to overcoiffed ladies - is a place I keep away from inasmuch as possible. The absurdly grandiose architecture of the famous Ringstrasse is something I look upon with fond irony, but it does not define the city for me. My experience here has always been that of an on-and-off resident, rather than that of a tourist, and "my" Vienna consists of real neighbourhoods, out of the way cafes, small parks frequented by locals, and other places you are unlikely to find in tourist guides. For me, these places are what makes Vienna special, what creates the captivating atmosphere that so draws me here. And yesterday I spent the day wandering through one of them, on my bike.



While many are no doubt familiar with the Prater - a large park that runs through the Southern part of Vienna and includes an amusement park, a stadium, various athletic facilities and horse trails running through wooded alleys - few venture beyond it into the tiny neighbourhood of Freudenau on the outskirts of town. On the map it does not look like much, and descriptions of it are not particularly inspiring: there is a golf course and a horseracing track, but otherwise it seems unremarkable. But the maps and guidebooks say nothing of the gravel trail that will take you through what can only be described as an enchanted forest, past a cluster of mysteriously abandoned mansions, ancient stables and ethereal-looking horses.



The horses are unexpected, because they really are in the middle of the woods, and not always contained within enclosures. They can be found wandering around untethered between the moss and ivy-covered tress, grazing serenely. I suppose so few people happen through this area, that no one bothers them.



The horses are not only beautiful, but tame and very sociable. You can pet them and feed carrots to them, which I sometimes find lying around.



I've been trying to understand what the horses are doing there and who they belong to, but there is never any human around to ask. I could be wrong, but I do not think that these particular animals are racehorses; the racehorses I've seen are not kept like this and don't behave like this either. A friend suggested that these are therapy horses for handicapped and emotionally disturbed children. Apparently Vienna has an equestrian therapy program, and this could be where the service animals are kept.



Riding on the gravel trail through Freudenau is a soothingly surreal experience. There is such a haunting sense of history, and I am nearly always the only person there. I can hear nothing but the sounds of overhanging tree branches creaking, ravens' wings flapping, horses hooves clip-clopping over dried leaves, and my own bicycle tires rolling over gravel.



Perhaps the uneven gravel, with its occasional ditches and root protrusions, explains why not many feel compelled to venture here. But Jacqueline handles it without a problem.



On the way back to civilisation, I am delighted to pass one of my favourite signs in Vienna. It's charming, because it suggests that the sign is for the cats themselves, rather than humans. "This way if you're a cat."



Of course it's only a sign for a cat shelter.But Katzenheimhas a more romantic ring to it, and I choose to imagine it as a genteel home for wayward felines - no doubt with miniature Jugendstil furniture and catfood served in little crystal dishes.



Right before Freudenau connects back to the Prater, there is a small cafe where I like to go. With traditional outdoor cafes like these in Vienna you never know what to expect. Some will serve awful microwaved food and packaged supermarket sweets that they simply open and dump onto a plate. Others will serve homemade dishes prepared with local ingredients that are as delicious as anything you could order in the best Viennese restaurants. This one leans toward the latter and I am never disappointed with even the simplest food I order there.

I don't usually feel compelled to photograph food, but readers have been asking about this more than anything else! So here is a ridiculously stereotypical meal, photographed just for you: frankfurters and sturm.

Sturm is a sort of fermented young wine, made from the first grape harvest of the season.It is naturally fizzy and low in alcohol, and tastes somewhat like a grapey version of hard cider. There are loads of vinyards outside of Vienna that compete to make the best Sturm in celebration of Autumn, and it's typical to sample them from as many places as possible this time of the year.

And a Viennese Apfelstrudel: heavy on the apples (local and fresh, not canned or jellied!), tart and not sweet, and very light on the crust - which is thin like filo dough, only soft instead of crunchy. There are also raisins mixed in there with the apples, which I could personally do without - but the rest I love. It's hard to eat Apfelstrudel elsewhere after getting used to the version they make here.

It's difficult to explain my attachment to Vienna without discussing my personal background at length. But I hope these pictures help express what words fail to.



Vienna is a large, sprawling city and some of my favourite places are difficult to access without a bicycle. Cycling is truly the best way to travel off the beaten path and to visit all the places I love - on the road and off.

Campobello Island :: The Roosevelt Cottage

Thursday, September 20th - - The Roosevelt Campobello International Park was created in 1964 as a memorial to Franklin Delano Roosevelt who spent summers on Campobello Island from the time he was a year old in 1883 until he was stricken with polio in 1921. FDR last visited Campobello in 1939 but Eleanor and the children returned often, through the early 1960s.






The view of the FDR cottage from the visitor center.


The visitor center has a 15-minute film about the Roosevelt's and Campobello Island as well as several exhibit areas. All are worth spending the time to view.





This little fenced-in area was identified as the "Best Photo Area" and I would imagine just about every visitor to the FDR cottage has taken a photo from this spot... including me.






It does make for a pretty picture, doesn't it?


I did not take any photos of the interior. There are 34 rooms furnished with ordinary, every-day items that were used by the Roosevelt family. Nothing ostentatious or fancy, rather more of a practical and utilitarian nature with an emphasis on comfort and simplicity. That, in itself, was impressive. The rooms have been restored with their original furnishings though the wallpapers are reproductions. The tour of the home is self-guided with docents available to answer questions about the house, its furnishings, and the family.





Later in the day, I took a drive along the carriage roads. Unlike those built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. at Acadia National Park, these roads can be used by motorized vehicles.



According to one of the brochures, very little of the forest cover from the Roosevelt era has survived in the 2800 acre park. Apparently, the interim owners (after the Roosevelt family sold the land and before the park was established) logged the island for pulpwood. The area has been allowed to regenerate. I saw very few large trees on my drive through the forests.



The Herring Cove Provincial Park borders the Roosevelt Campobello International Park. We stayed at the Herring Cove Campground, which was quite nice and reasonably priced. The two parks take up roughly the first third to almost half of Campobello Island. The rest of the island is privately owned by the 1100 or so residents.

Ice tool umbilicals

The Joke Slinger, on the BD Spinner leash, Jan. , the Cascades.



With the invention and popularity of leashless climbing, a once condemmed and decades old climbing tool has come back. While they are not mandatory, they are in vogue. It has been over 35 years since I saw the first pair of umbilicals in use.







Author's umbilicals of 9/16" webbing being used on a quick ascent of Polar Circus in the winter of 1979.

Gregg Cronn photo



Back in the late '70s and into the early '80s umbilicals were looked upon as a weak man's crutch. Mostly thought of as something the Canadians used (but never really did much) to aid sections of rotten, cold and really steep ice. We can blame all that on Bugs McKeith inventing the idea of ice aid while putting up some of today's modern classics, like Nemisis and Polar Circus. Just two among his many, many difficult ice climbs. Most visiting American climbers thought they were way ahead of the game by not using umbilicals while running up the first "free" ascents of the Canadian test pieces. Few outside Canada really made the "first free" ascents many claimed. Canadians had already been there on most of them and didn't fight back the cat calls.



No Internet back in the day so info was often sketchy and incomplete or just a fubar rumor. It was hard to keep track. Of course not every one used umbilicals even back then. But a few did. 1st and 2nd ascents of Slipstream did.



Jim Elzinga photo of John Lauchlan on the 1st ascent of Slipstream



They were not used for aid or for hanging to place screws. Although when required you could do either. The real use was to save your ass if you happen to fall. Hopefully an umbilical would keep you on the ice. BITD leads were long and run out. Ice screws could be hard, difficult or just plain impossible to get in, depending on the ice and out side temps. Weighting your umbilicals is a way to save the 2nd's strength while pulling screws if you can deal with that idea ethically today.No one sane thought the idea of falling with tools and crampons OK. Falling on the old gear generally required a hospital stay or worse.



Once I switched from Chouinard curved tools to a set of Terrodactyls for technical ice I seldom climbed without at least one umbilical attached to my harness or swami. As the tools changed the old umbilicals generally went straight on the new tools. Big jumps from Terros, Clog, Chacal, Pulsar.Pretty simple change as mine were just a set of tied 9/16" nylon tube webbing.



The first manufactured umbilicals I saw..years later ('05) ... where done up by Grivel. The "Grivel, Double Sping Leash" with a mini wire gate "biner" specifically designed for the task. While leashless tools really hadn't caught up with the possibilities yet, Grivel umbilicals were seen on some pretty amazing climbs often used by climbers sponsored by competing tool companies. The umbilical had finally "arrived". But no one outside a tiny circle of hardcore alpine climbers really knew it yet. A quick Goggle Images search will get you photos of Steve House, Marko Prezelj, Raphael Slawinski and a host of others using both the Grivel and BD umbilicals on hard alpine climbs all through the new millenium.



I worry more about dropping a leashless tool, than I do falling off. But when you can protect yourself from both mistakes it makes sense to ante up and use that protection. More than one really good climber has poked fun at me because of my support of umbilicals. More climbs and climbers I admire used umbilicals and have been suggesting you do as well.



Ueli Steck, Grand Jorasses, record speed solo, Jan '09. Jon Griffin photos









Easiest way to get yourself a pair of umbilicals is by reading Dave's web site and making your own. Good stuff!!



http://www.alpinedave.com/leashless_rig.htm

Alpine Dave photo



The second way is buy a pair of the commercially made ones.



Grivel offers several versions and Black Diamond offers their "Spinner" unit.

For what it costs to make a "good" pair of umbilicals both Black Diamond and Grivel offer real value imo.









Here is some detail on what I use and my observations.



Grivel was my first commercial set. I was lucky enough to get the original Grivel 3KN mini biner version with a girth hitch atatchment. Not a big fan of the mini locking version out now. Or a biner attachment to the harness. Good elastic and webbing that attaches to the harness by a girth hitch (small loop is passed through harness belay loop and tails are feed back through and out the small loop cinching tight on the belay loop) Very simple. Length is shorter than some seem to like but if I sit down on the leashes (6'1 and normal ape index) at full extention for both tools the Grivel leash will allow my tools to be out of reach. Just barely so, but still out of reach. It is durable.







Black Diamond had dozens of Spinner Leash prototypes out the last couple of years for real world testing and feedback. Again I was lucky enough to get a pair of those and used them a lot. Better yet for good feedback, I let all my partners use them.







Only thing I can see that has changed in the Spinner leash is the over all length has been shortened on the current version. I've seen current reviews commenting that the BD Spinner leash set up is now too short. Trust me? The Spinner IS NOT too short for anyone under 6'8" and a huge ape index that I know! The "too short" comment doesn't make sense unless the reviewer is mistakenly writing about a short early prototype? Mine on full extention are a full 2 feet past what I can reach.

If you happen to fall on the Spinner you'll have some work cut out for you getting back to your tools. The Grivel set up is managable but only just. The Spinner will make you work for a living it you weight it unprepared. But if you are using the most modern ice climbing techniques you should be stacking your tools on top of each other which should help. You'll need the extra reach to accomplish that and still have only a short fall for your Spinner to catch. It is a tough balancing act to get the right umbilical length and still get it to do everything required of it.

If you need to weight your tools intentionally, you had better stack them or you'll not be able to reach a tool using either brand name.While I like simple and wasn't impressed with the swivel of the Spinner originally, everyone else that used mine was. I bought and had a chance to use a pair of the Blue Ice Boa leasheswhile I was here in Chamonix. Liked themenough I have set my old Grivel's aside and am using the Boa now full time.

I like they pull test @550 daN or 1236 lbf. No one else committing to over 800 lbs. BD says 800# but the UIAA test is 450# which is what theBD and Grivel is rated at, so why bother? Because in climbing gear, more weight, "more better" (strength wise)generally.



More info here:

http://www.blueice.com/en/products/boa-leash

Now available in NA here:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//04/blue-ice-again.html











I try to climb smart and if a technical ice tool goes in my pack so does a umbilical system. See ya out there!



Steve House on the top of the Italian Route, Taulliraju (5830m), first free ascent, three-day roundtrip, with Marko Prezel 2005 (Prezel photo)

The Patron Saint of Bicyclists

"Here, this is for you."



I put out my hand to receive what resembled a brass bracelet, crumpled and oxidised with age.



"I've rescued a few of these off of trashed roadsters over the years. Lovely things they are..."



And that is how I came to possess aSt. Christopher bicycle medallion - a Catholic charm given to me by a Protestant, in Northern Ireland. "Behold St. Christopher and go your way in safety," reads the inscription.






The patron saint of travelers, St. Christopher has been popular with bicyclists in some cultures. In Ireland, various bike accessories with images of the saint can be found - most commonly bells. Medallions like this one are rarer, but this particular one seems to have been popular in County Donegal in the Republic and adjacent areas of Northern Ireland throughout the 1930s-50s. Every so often, the local priest would hold a "blessing of the bikes," with these medallions made for the occasion. Members of the congregation would bring their roadsters to be blessed, at which time the priest would affix the medallion around their seat tubes. The bikes and their journeys would thereupon be protected.





Soldered onto a bracket, the medallion is thin, lightweight and flexible, with a closure that makes it adaptable to a wide range of surfaces.





Local Catholics seem to hold differing opinions regarding St. Christopher. Some have told me he is a made-up saint, just a lucky charm for superstitious travelers. Others say he was indeed a real saint, but has been "retired" by the church. Others still remember people riding with such medallions on their bikes decades ago.



TheBlessing of the Bikesritual has been revived in recent years, mainly in the US. As far as I know, St. Christopher is not mentioned in the proceedings.

The Buff?

30 years ago half of the gear available off the rack in Snells couldn't be had in the US. Half the climbing gear available in the US no one wanted.



Things have changed. Maybe 5% of the gear available in the US is hard to find in Europe and nothing in Snell's can't be had in the US these days. And when you do find it, itis generally cheaper. Although some of it might take a bit of searching.



So what does all this have to do with a Buff? They are big, mean and generally like to be left alone. Mess with them at yourown peril. The burnt and salted earth approach.



First I had heard of THE"Buff" was after a little apre ski at the apartment in Cham. We meet a couple of the local live inBrits just afterlunch at the Requinhuton the VB as they skied by from simu soloing Laratoune. They in turn cheerfully helped us through our stock of wine and beer back at the flat. Couple days later someone wanted to know if they had left their "buff" behind. Iguessed, correctly it seems, it was one of those retro '70s, lycrahead band thangs that were so fashionable in Chamonix.



Figured it was "only" a Chamonix thing so I bought my buddies one each for grins before we left town.



I earned my retro '70s style. Cotton bandanas, wool scarfs of assorted colors, leather head bands. Used them all to good effect with a full head of hair. Often times they required attire bitd.So not uncommon for me to turn up looking. as my wife describes it, like a "muffin head".Which almost, but not quite, squishes my ego. But not my now white, muffin head! Admittedly only half cool with a buzz cut but workable. Yes they work well under a helmet to keep your ears warm. Yes there really are 12 ways to wear one. Pirates, banditos and real men will use only 4.











The "Buff" is made in Barcelona, Spain, of 100% mirco fiber polyester (or Merinowool) and available in every color the rainbowand most patterns you cna imagine at your local REI of all places (or Technique Extreme) for 15 Euro or $20 US for the polyester versions. The cheap knock offswill squish a grown man's head. They dohow ever make most of uslook a bit like a urban camo'edBuff and may be even a bit of a colorful muffin head.



Get alittle style! And add a little color to you shady life style andyour buddy's photos. Get a Buff! Hell, get two and mix it up!



http://www.planetbuff.com/Original-Buff?page=all



Fook'um I earned my muffin headand liked lycra 30 years ago! The colors may fade but a trulyclassic style,doesn't ;-)





Now who is making a good knicker again and bell bottoms...ya, we need some Shoeller bell bottoms!

I'm not in Kansas anymore!

Ah, there's no place like home. An old cliché but oh, so true. As much as I enjoyed the brief sojourn in Springfield and roaming around the countryside in eastern Kansas, and even though I was gone only ten days, it sure feels good to be home.

I decided not to go to Iowa. Mixed results and a bit of frustration in Kansas, combined with realizing that there really just wasn't enough time to do full justice to the search, and the fact that I was just plain tired, lead to the decision to head home yesterday. I got home at about 6 p.m. this evening.

On Monday, from Baxter Springs I drove west on US 160 towards Grenola, in southwestern Elk County. I stopped at the library in Moline, but it was closed. I was hoping they had a diagram of the layout of the cemetery in Grenola. On Sunday (11/18) I had found the transcriptions online for Rachel (Fisher) and John Harvey in Greenlawn Cemetery in Grenola, Greenfield Township, along with several of their children, in section "B". Rachel is the sister of my 2nd Great Grandmother, Louisa Fisher Phend. Rachel died February 18, 1899 and John died in September 1899.

Moline is a small town but Grenola is even smaller. It was about 3 p.m. as I drove down Main Street and I felt as though I was in a ghost town. Not a soul was stirring, not an open store in sight. At the end of Main Street was a sign pointing left that said "cemetery" so I turned. It was a narrow road and seemed like miles, but was probably only about one. The cemetery was on the left, on top of a hill. I turned into the cemetery on the first lane. It was huge. The sections weren't marked. I thought there was no way I'd find them. I drove down each lane, slowly, hoping I'd see their stones.

There have been several times when searching for ancestors that I've gone to a cemetery knowing they were buried there but not knowing where and walking directly to their gravesites. But alas, no such luck this time. I stopped and walked around for a while then gave up and drove on to Winfield, county seat of Cowley County. Rachel and John had moved to Harvey Township in Cowley County sometime between 1870 and 1880. Harvey Township is bordered by Greenfield Township, Elk County on the east, which is probably why they are buried in Elk County.

Tuesday morning I went to the Courthouse in Winfield. Their original marriage record books have been moved to the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum in Arkansas City, about 12 miles south of Winfield. The Probate office has the records digitized on CD Rom discs and they charge $12 for a lookup if you don't have the exact date of marriage. Which of course, I didn't have. Just have an approximate year, and several names to lookup. I asked about Guardianship or Probate records since Homer, the youngest son of Rachel and John, was only 16 years old when they died. The index books didn't list them. The clerk didn't seem to know what the transcribed information online for Homer meant.

Next stop was the Winfield Library. They have a nice little local history section but I didn't find anything helpful there. I then went to the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum. If you have ancestors or relatives that lived in the Winfield and Arkansas City areas then this place should definitely be on your list of places to visit. In addition to the Original Marriage Record Books, they have cemetery records, obituary notices, miscellaneous newspaper clippings, etc., etc. for COWLEY county, and lots of neat things on exhibit. I didn't find anything helpful in my search for the Harvey family except that it appears that none of their children were married in Cowley County!

Since it was "sort of" in the direction of my next destination (Iola, Allen County) I decided to go back to the cemetery at Grenola thinking maybe I'd get lucky this time. Nope. I walked through each section, up and down the rows, for about two hours. It was a gorgeous day. Sun shining, blue sky, not cold, just a little windy. Maybe John and Rachel and some of their family are buried there, but I sure didn't find them! Did get some exercise though.


One of Rachel and John's children, Lillian, and her husband Orlando Sellers are buried in Moline Cemetery so I stopped by there on the way to Howard, the county seat of Elk County. I found the cemetery but when I saw how big it was, bigger than Greenlawn, I turned into the first drive to turn around and leave. As I glanced to the right to check traffic, there they were, right up front, next to the road. Now, why couldn't that have happened with John and Rachel?

By the time I got to Howard the courthouse was closed so I went on to Iola. My intent was to spend Tuesday night in Iola then go to the cemetery and library, etc. to see what I could find on William and Minerva (Joslin) Knight. Minerva is a sister of my 2nd Great Grandmother, Malissa Joslin Brubaker Bower. William died in 1902. Minerva then married a J.N. Storey and reportedly died May 12, 1905 in a wheelchair on the street in Hot Springs, Arkansas. William and Minerva are buried in the Iola Cemetery.

It was dark when I got to Iola so I went to find a motel room, but there was no room at the inn. Three motels in town and they were all full. Nothing available in the nearby towns, according to the innkeeper. It was 50 miles or more north to I-35 and Ottawa, which was near my next destination of Lyndon. . . to be continued.

Shadow Horse

Oh, Dear. I think I brushed Sunny until he was only a shadow of himself. (Sorry about the manure. It's where the hair went to on the wind.)

Hovenweep Revisited

Wednesday, May 11th - - My stop for the night was at Hovenweep National Monument, just inside the Utah border, about 45 miles west of Cortez, Colorado.



Yes, I went through Colorado rather quickly. Blame the weather. Call me a wimp if you will, but these extemes in temperatures are not easy to handle. Anyway, I'll be back someday. (I did spend several daysin Coloradolast year at Mesa Verde National Park.)



Earlier in the day, I had checked the weather forecast for several places along my route. The forecast for Hovenweep was quite favorable and I knew from my visit last year that they had a nice campground. The temperature going through Cortez wasn't much better than it had been after going over the San Juan Mountains but as I continued westward it warmed up to a most comfortable 66 degrees.



I also spent several days at Hovenweep last year and wrote about the National Monument, The Square Tower Group, and The Holly Group in detail. Since the weather was nice, I walked the two-mile trail around and through the canyon to view the Square Tower Group once again. The sun was playing hide-and-seek with the clouds so I waited for some shots until the sun decided to come out. It wasn't an extremely bright light like it was last year and I'm using a different camera so the pictures have an altogether different feel to them.





The largest structure in the Square Tower Group, which is near the campground, is the Hovenweep House. It includes several outbuildings. Here it is seen from the south side of the canyon.





From the north side of the canyon looking at the Twin Towers, Boulder House, and Rim Rock House. Unless you know it's there, it is hard to tell a canyon exists in just a few steps.





A closer look at the Twin Towers, Boulder House, and Rim Rock House.



An even closer look at the Twin Towers (above) and Boulder House (below).



I still find this place to be fascinating, especially how and why these structures were built.





Mother Nature put on another magnificent show at the end of the day.



I've said it before and I'll say it again - sometimes the best sunset pictures are taken looking toward the east (or any direction other than west)! Rain was blowin-in-the-wind and captured the colors of the sun's fading rays.

Another Ancestor Found!

Last Saturday was a very good day! After returning from a lunch break I found another ancestor! At least I think I have... a subdued Happy Dance ensued. I was working with Deed Records in Montgomery County, Ohio trying to obtain copies of those records for William Lavering, Christian Schuder (Shuder, Shuter, Shooter, etc.), Caspar Stoever (Stiver) and the unknown Huntsicker ancestor.



On December 22, 1842 Christian Schuder, Jr. was married to Sarah Huntsicker in Montgomery County, Ohio. They lived in Jefferson Township, Montgomery County until after 1860. They moved to Elkhart County, Indiana prior to 1870. The only information known about Sarah was that she was born February 2, 1817 in Pennsylvania. Her date of birth was calculated from her age at death as shown on her grave marker and her place of birth is from the 1850 through 1880 census records.



Christian's brother, Peter Shuder, had married Barbara Hunsager on February 20, 1826 also in Montgomery County. (Peter was born in 1799 and Christian in 1813.) In spite of the differences in spelling of the surname, it was thought that Barbara and Sarah were sisters. We had no clue as to who their parents were.



Earlier in the week I had taken a break from viewing microfilms and got on the FamilySearch website to get copies of some Ohio Marriage Records. The image provided a bit more information than the “official” copy that my cousin had gotten from the Montgomery County Clerks's Office – Sarah's brother, J. Huntsicker was present at their marriage ceremony.





Marriage of Christian Schuder and Sarah Huntsicker recorded in volume A-2 page 270 of the Montgomery County, Ohio marriages. (Image 486 from familysearch.org)



Apparently there is no “master” index to the deed books for Montgomery County or, if there is, it hasn't been filmed by the Family History Library! So basically you have to get the microfilm for each book and check the index located at the front of each book. I had gotten through 15 rolls of microfilm (26 deed books) when this deed jumped out at me.



On August 14, 1837 the heirs at law of Margaret Huntsicker sold a parcel of land to Emanuel Shank. Sarah is not named as one of the heirs in the first sentence but is listed each time thereafter that the others are named. I think the Recorder simply left her out in that first instance.



There was another family in Jefferson Township, Montgomery County that has a similar spelling – Huntsinger. But research by my cousin, Caroline Conrad Fawley, pretty much eliminated them as being Sarah's family. More research is needed but I'm fairly confident that Margaret Huntsicker is Sarah's mother and that her siblings are Abraham, John Jonathan, Katharine, Margret, Nancy Burnett, and Barbara Shuter.



And, of course, this all begs the question – who was Sarah's father? And what is her mother's maiden name? And where in Pennsylvania did they live? Anyone researching these families? If so, please contact me! kinexxions@gmail.com



Montgomery County, Ohio Deed records v. B-2 pages 450-452. FHL Microfilm 966656. Spelling and punctuation (or lack thereof) is the same as (or relatively close to) what was in the deed book.



[page] 450



A. Huntsicker

&c to

E. Shank



This Indenture made this fourteenth day of Augst in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and thirty seven. Between Abram Huntsicker John Huntsicker Jonathan Huntsicker Margaret Huntsicker of the State of Ohio and John Burnett & Nancy his wife and Peter Shuter & Barbary his wife of the State of Illinois, heirs at law of Margaret Huntsicker decd of the first part and Emanuel Shank of the County of Montgomery & State of Ohio of the second part (witnesseth) that the said John Huntsicker Abram Huntsicker Jonathan Huntsicker John Burnett Katharine Huntsicker, Sarah Huntsicker Margret Huntsicker John Burnett & Nancy his wife & Peter Shuter & Barbary his wife for and in consideration of three hundred dollars lawful money of the United States to them in hand well and truly paid by the said Emanuel Shank the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath granted bargained sold, aliened released, conveyed and confirmed by these presents unto the said Emanuel Shank his heirs and assigns forever All that lot and parcel of land lying and being in the County aforesaid West of the great Miami River and east of a Meridian drawn from the mouth of the big Miami River being the North end of the said Michael Mayers land and bounded as follows viz. Beginning at a post at the North west Corner of the said Michael Mayers land and running along his W Boundary line Southwardly six chains and thirty two links to a post thence westwardly six chains and twenty links to the place of beginning Containing four acres of land And all the Estate, right title Interest, claim and demand of them the said Abram Huntsicker John Huntsicker Jonathan Huntsicker Sarah Huntsicker Margret Huntsicker and John Burnett & Nancy his wife & Peter Shuter & Barbary his wife of in and to the said premises and every part thereof together with all the singular the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging, or in any wise appertaining, and the [two illegible words] and profits thereof: To have and to hold the premises hereby bargained and sold, as meant or intended so to be with the appurtenances to the only proper use and behoof of the said Emanuel Shank his heirs and assigns forever. And the said Abraham Huntsicker John Huntsicker Jonathan Huntsicker Katharine Huntsicker Sarah Huntsicker Margret Huntsicker John Burnett & Nancy his wife Peter Shuter and Barbara his wife for themselves Executors and Administrators doth promise, covenant and agree, to



[page] 451



and with the said Emanuel Shank his heirs Executors and assigns that they [blank space] the true and lawful owners of the premises hereby granted and hand good right, full power and lawful authority to sell and convey the same in manner and form afforesaid. And further that they the said Abraham Huntsicker John Huntsicker Jonathan Huntsicker Katharine Huntsicker Sarah Huntsicker Margaret Huntsicker John Burnett & Nancy his wife Peter Shuter & Barbary his wife their heirs Executors and Administrators will warrant and forever defend the aforesaid premises with their appurtenances and every part and parcel thereoff unto the said Emanuel Shank his heirs and assigns against all persons claiming or to claim by for in and to them or any of them or by from or and in any other person or persons whomsoever In witness whereof the said Abram Huntsicker and Susan his wife and John Huntsicker and Amey his wife, Jonathan Huntsicker Katharine Huntsicker Sarah Huntsicker Margret Huntsicker John Burnett and Nancy his wife Peter Shuter and Barbary his wife, who hereby relinquish all their right, title claim, interest or dower in the premises have hereunto set their hands and Seals the day and year within written.



Sealed and delivered in the presence of Joseph Clingenpel [and] John D. Kiefer



Abraham Huntsicker (his mark)

Susan Huntsicker (her mark)

John Huntsicker

Amy Huntsicker (her mark)

Jonathan Huntsicker (his mark)

Catharina Huntsicker (her mark)

Sarah Huntsicker (her mark)

John Barnet

Nancy Barnet (her mark)

Peter Shuder (her mark)

Barbary Shuder (her mark)

Margaret Huntsicker (her mark)



The State of Ohio, Montgomery County

Before me Joseph Clingenpeel a Justice of the peace within and for the County personally appeared Abrah Huntsicker John Huntsicker Jonathan Huntsicker Sarah Huntsicker Catharine



[page] 452



Huntsicker Margret Huntsicker together with Susan and Amy wives of the Said within named grantors and acknowledged the within deed of Conveyance to be their voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and the said Amy and Susan being examined separate and apart from their said husbands and the Contents of said deed being made knowna and explained to them Declare that they voluntarily and of their free will and accord without fear of their said husbands did and now do acknowledge the signing and sealing thereoff In Testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 14th day of Augt A. D. 1837.



Joseph Clingenpeal J. P. {Seal}



[A similar affidavit was signed by John Barnett and Nancy his wife and witnessed by a Justice of Green County, State of Illinois on October 28, 1837. Peter Shuder and Barbary his wife and Margaret Huntsicker signed their affidavit before James Lamb a Justice of the Peace in Union County, Indiana. The Recorder erred when he wrote that Peter Shuder and Barbary were of the state of Illinois.]





Montgomery County, Ohio Deed records v. B-2 pages 450. FHL Microfilm 966656.





Montgomery County, Ohio Deed records v. B-2 pages 451. FHL Microfilm 966656.





Montgomery County, Ohio Deed records v. B-2 pages 452. FHL Microfilm 966656.