The difference an obituary makes
Fran is just getting into genealogy (with a little help from her neighbor!) but she wanted to know a bit more about her grandparents, especially Leo Burton, as he was the first conductor for the Chicago Northwestern streamliner her great grandfather, Joseph Yencer, who was in the Civil War. For those of you who have put off getting those all important obituaries, here is an illustration of what information can be found just by writing to the Clinton library and asking for a copy of and obituary or two. We got the obituaries and funeral notices and the information we gained is in red in the following outline. So you can see what a difference an obituary can make. To read the obits, click here.
Descendants of Joseph Yencer
Generation No. 1
1. JOSEPH1 YENCER. He married MINERVA JANE KREMMER.
Notes for JOSEPH YENCER:
Joseph was in the GAR Gen. N.B. Baker Post 88 of Clinton. It lists him as being born Nov. 16, 1843 in Dumontville, OH. He died Apr. 03, 1931.
Joseph was in the Civil War and fought at Chattenooga, TN. The GAR lists him as a Private in Co. F 17th Reg OH Inf. He enlisted Sep 02, 1861 and served 3 years. He was wounded June 18, 1864, near Kenesaw Mountain, GA. He was shot in the hip. The family still has the ball that was removed from the wound.
They lived at Basil Ohio which later became Baltimore. The picture of the couple was taken at Tobias Studio, Lancaster Ohio.
Children of JOSEPH YENCER and MINERVA KREMMER are:
2. i. ADA M.2 YENCER, b. 11 May 1878, Near Basil, Ohio; d. 06 Sep 1962, Clinton, Iowa.
ii. SADA YENCER, m. W. A. BARR. Residence: 06 Sep 1962, Cleveland, Ohio
iii. PERRY " Uncle Doc" YENCER.
iv. MILTON YENCER. M. Washington Yencer Jan 1893 is written in a book Fran has.
v. BROTHER 1 YENCER, d. Bef. 06 Sep 1962.
vi. BROTHER 2 YENCER, d. Bef. 06 Sep 1962.
Generation No. 2
2. ADA M.2 YENCER (JOSEPH1) was born 11 May 1878 in Near Basil, Ohio1, and died 06 Sep 1962 in Clinton, Iowa1. She married LEO BURNETT BURTON 11 Aug 1910 in Columbus, Ohio2, son of WILLIAM BURTON and SADIE.
Notes for ADA M. YENCER: Ada was a member of the First Methodist Church, Lyons Eastern Star, White Shrine and the auxiliary of O. R. C.
There was a Charles Yencer from Lancaster, Ohio who attended the funeral of Ada's husband in 1945. What relation is this to Ada? In talking with her mother, Fran found out this was Ada's cousin. There is also a cousin named Grace.
Notes for LEO BURNETT BURTON: Leo was the first conductor for the Chicago Northwestern Stream Liner, City of Los Angeles, in Clinton.
Leo was active in Masonic circles. He was a member of Western Star lodge 100, A. F. & A. M.; DeMolay consistory, A. A. S. R. Masons; Kasba temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Davenport; Keystone chapter, 32, R. A. M.; Magi shrine, 26, White Shrine of Jerusalem; and a past patron of Lyons chapter, 130, Order of the Easter Star. He was a member of the First Methodist church, the Order of Railroad Conductors, the Clinton War Dads and Sons of Union Veterans.
More About LEO BURNETT BURTON: Occupation: Bet. 1905 - 1945, C & N W Railway; Residence: Abt. 1922, Boone (Iowa or Ohio? Fran thinks Iowa)
Child of ADA YENCER and LEO BURTON is:
3. i. MARY JANE3 BURTON.
Click on the thumbnail to see a larger picture of Leo's train, the City of Los Angeles.
Endnotes
1. Clinton Herald, "Death notice of Ada Burton," 06 Sep 1962
2. Clinton Herald, "Death notice of Leo B. Burton," 03 Feb 1945.
What will we do next?
Since Fran is new to genealogy, I thought it would be a good idea to keep track of her progress. Maybe you will learn something new or get an idea of where to look next in your own research. We'd love to get any tips or information you might have that could help us out.
