March 5, 2008

Thanks for the bio sketch for Wm. Heath. Did you notice that it lists the 2nd son as Willis and not William. I've never heard of another baby boy. In fact, I only was aware of 3 children George, James and Katherine.

I'm pretty sure I sent a photo of Emaline in a school picture with 2 Seeleys but if I didn't let me know.

PA's Secretary of State is very difficult to get documents but I'm going to try and get some death certificates. I'm also trying to get Katherine's medical records.

I understand that my niece has made contact with my Aunt Georgie and will be checking back with her regarding the pictures of the anniversary party. I've also thought maybe my Aunt Margaret may have some and will send her a note too.

Talk later - again thanks for the bio.

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I think Willis was a nickname for William Jr. because the 1900 census has him as William, son of William Heath. William Jr. was not in the 1910 census because he was deceased. The state of PA or NY would have death certifcates after 1905. My great-aunt Charlotte has a picture of William hanging in one of her rooms taken when he was a teenager.

The family story behind William, brother to George, Jim & Kate was that after their parents were deceased, the two oldest sons, George & William went to work at a winery in upstate NY to support their siblings. Sometime between 1905-1910, William Heath Jr. drowned. The details of this death are a mystery as well as where he is buried. William might be in an unmarked grave in Fox Hill Cemetery. He was not in any census after 1900.

The children & grandchildren of George Heath were told over the years that William drowned in his late teens. That was probably bet. 1905-1908. It would be interesting to know what story came down to Kate's children and grandchildren about their uncle William.

Also another big question to the puzzle is how and why did Jane Shay of Scott Co., MO come to Potter Co., PA bet. 1880-1885. There were no Shay connections from her father's side to Potter Co. The other Shay family of Sweden Township is of no connection or a very distant connection...not enough for her to make that long journey out to Potter. I have to wonder if one of Jane's sisters came to Potter Co. also or if any of her aunts, uncles or cousins from the Mayberry side made their way to Potter Co.

I hope this helps a little with the family history.

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I'm hoping that her medical records will have some info on her parents. I visited my Grandmother (Kate) several times -- particularly when I was first married back in the early 1970s. In the early 1970s, she was dx with a thyroid problem and after receiving medical treatment for this - was transferred to a nursing home (what we call an Assistive Living home today). She lived at the home for several years before her death.

I was also amazed to see her in the earlier (1946) Reunion pictures. My Aunt Edie may have something on this - at one time she was doing a medical history analysis of various family members.

We've also wondered how Jane Shay came to Missouri - but I again after seeing some of the same names, etc., logging industry - I really think there has to be a connection with family in Potter County -- this would make sense as my Dad made the trip out to Missouri to see the old homestead in his mid twenties. Kate was 4 when her mother died so I don't believe she could have told him a lot about Missouri - there had to be other relatives that also had a tie with Missouri.

I noted that Jane and William married in Allegheny Twp - if I remember correctly there may be a correlation with the Warden family connection. I've read so many "stories" but one sticks out about a woman moving to "Ohio" and who travelled back and forth to PA on a horse -- I think this had to do with the Warden family.

I really would like to talk with this Janeth Hargis - I'm convinced that Rebecca Peal was her Aunt. There has to be some pictures, etc., somewhere in Scott County.


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I did not receive any school photos of Emaline with 2 Seeleys. I would be very interested to see the photo if you could send it to me.

Also tonight, I will look at 1880 & 1900 census of potter county and make a list of all people born in Kentucky, Missouri & Ohio. Then I will try and find any family connections Jane might have had.

Do you remember your father mentioning anything about his visit to the old homestead in his mid twenties. That had to be around 1939-1940? Rebecca Peal and her children were still alive. Also if one or both of Jane's sisters were still alive or had descendants still in the area then your father might have meet great aunts, cousins or step family out there. One of your aunts and uncles might remember details of your father's visit.

Being that your grandmother was still alive at the time, she might have known the whereabouts of a few aunts who would be in their 70's or a step-grandmother in her 80's/90. She probably told your father where to go and find this homestead. This all depends on how good of correspondence Jane Shay would have kept with her family after arriving in Potter County and if her husband & children kept up the correspondence with relatives after Jane's death in 1898.

Our best bet for info on the homestead is to try and locate deed records for Scott, MO from the 1860's to present. If we can trace the records of the family farm and see who had the farm passed down to we might be able to find relatives. We know that the Withrow family held onto the farm after James Shay's death and Rebecca still had it after her marriage to Stephen Peal. Perhaps Rebecca passed the farm onto one of her step-daughters or one of their children years later. The farm was James' after all...could have gone to a blood relative by the mid 1880's or 1890's.