Meet Aunt Fanny

and her second husband.

Fanny and David McClelland

Oct. 30, 1943

Using my husband's 3x Great Aunt Fanny's information, I sat down to enter her research into my Legacy database. Typing each name, connecting to siblings, and establishing relationships helps me feel like I am getting to know these family members long gone even if they are not my blood. However, they are the blood of my children and grandchildren.

While typing up information on Jonathan Phillips II, (my husband's 5x great grandfather) I noted his burial place as Hopeville Cemetery. Suddenly I thought maybe I should check this out on Find A Grave. I assumed this cemetery was in Connecticut since this was the state indicated in other information. Yeah, I found it. Find a Grave has this cemetery of only 35 interments right here at my finger tips, and Jonathan Phillips II is one of them.

Then, the internet surfing began. Records, records everywhere. Through a tip on Find A Grave, I discovered a book titled Powers-Banks Genealogy with a detailed section on the Phillips line.  Could this have been the source of Fanny's research? Where would she have come across this book?

Rabbit trails, shiny objects are both references I have read in other blogs about how easily it is to get distracted in this hobby. Well, I just don't care. Here I go down the rabbit trail. Whoooooooooo

I have read through the book Powers-Banks Genealogy in digital form several times. In addition to the title, the cover page reads as follows:
                                  Traced In All Lines To The
                                  Remotest Date Obtainable

                                  Charles Powers 1819-1871
                                           And His Wife
                                  Lydia Ann Banks  1829-1919

                                     Prepared By Their Son
                                           WM. H Powers


              
So what, you say? We don't have Powers or Banks in either family (not that we know of). However, this book contains information about The Phillips Line (1635-1840) and The Gates Line (1600-1840). Here is a refresher:

grandmother of my husband........Ina Marie Reeder Augustus
great grandmother of same..........Minerva Jane Marsh Reeder and sister of Fanny
great great grandmother...............Celestia Mary Phillips Marsh and mother of Fanny.

Oh, there it is.....The Phillips Line.  In fact Celestia Mary Phillips is mentioned in this book. Celestia's father was Elijah Phillips and he was the son of Esquire Phillips. So that makes Elijah my husband's 3rd great grandfather and Esquire his 4th great grandfather.  Esquire was the son of Jonathan II, his 5th great grandfather. Think I am done? Not even close.

4th great grandfather Esquire married Ann Gates. Her family is documented too. Now there is a lot of information that matches Aunt Fanny's writings. I continue to almost think she had once seen this book. It was published in Ames, Iowa, in June of 1921.

That rabbit trail has been fun, but now I need to sit and digest this valuable information.