This is Chapter Two of four. In this chapter we will write about Joseph White, his family and their 19th century lives, in the Trumbull and Geauga Counties of northeastern Ohio.
Tangible Artifacts
We have been fortunate with our ancestors Joseph and Belinda (Stitle) White, to have discovered a number of nice online photographic images of them. In the era we live in today, with nearly all photographs being created digitally, we benefit from and are grateful for the immediacy of an online electronic file. As such, electronic files don’t exist as tangible artifacts which you can satisfyingly hold in your hands.
With photographs having such immediacy today, does anyone remember what it was like to drop off your film at a local Fotomat, and then pick it up days later?
As it is now, if electronic files go offline, there goes the history (!) This family genealogy blog, by also being electronic, is of that same tentative type. For some of our ancestors we have no images. Even so, for others we are fortunate to have some [paper] photo prints, a couple of daguerreotypes, and even a couple of very old tin types.
We sometimes wonder if this clear absence of physical photographic artifacts will have an impact on the work of those genealogists who follow us? (1)
Together For Almost Half A Century
Joseph White was born on September 25, 1831, in Weatherfield township, Trumbull County, Ohio — died October 13, 1905 in Burton township, Geauga County, Ohio. On February 6, 1856, he married Belinda Stitle in Trumbull County. She was born about 1837, location unknown — died October 1902, Geauga County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Henry Stitle and Elizabeth Bowman. Joseph and Belinda had nine children, (see footnotes).
The portraits of Joseph White and Belinda Stitle are undated, but we believe that they are circa 1856, being done near the time of their marriage.
In the previous chapter, we saw in the 1850 Census that Joseph White was living at the home of his parents James and Elizabeth White in Weathersfield Township, Trumbull County, Ohio. After they married, they continued living in that township, likely near his parent’s home. According to the 1932 book, Family History of James White and Fannie Pittinger, (which we referred to in chapter one), “They lived in Trumbull County about six years, when they moved to the north-eastern part of Middlefield, Geauga County.” [Ongoing, this book will be referenced as Pittinger].
The 1860 Weathersfield Census finds them living there, and the family is growing. His wife Belinda and their two oldest sons William and Lemuel are inferred by their initials. (Some of our family members are descended from Lemuel). Joseph is working as a farmer.
“The first settlers in [nearby] Cuyahoga County followed the usual pioneer routine. They made clearances, planted corn, buckwheat, and rye, fenced in garden patches, and kept oxen, cows, and swine. When the soil had been “tamed” by other crops, they sowed wheat. They carried on their activities in spite of malaria, the ravaging of crops by multitudes of squirrels, and attacks on their livestock by wolves. Many were really professional land clearers who, after a few years, moved on to repeat the farm-making process elsewhere. The remainder, like the incomers [to the Western Reserve] who bought partially cleared holdings, became regular farmers.” (Case Western Reserve University) (2)
If I Were A Carpenter…
When his wife Belinda was 8 months pregnant with their fourth son James Albert, Joseph signed up for the Civil War Draft Registration service. [Comment: We cannot know if this busy young father with many children at home, did this out of a patriotic spirit, or if he was encouraged to do so. His enlistment date was August 24, 1864 and his discharge date was July 18, 1865 — less than one year as the Civil War was coming to an end]. We learned these dates from the Ohio, U.S., Soldier Grave Registrations information, which also told a couple of other interesting things:
- His enlistment record lists him as a carpenter, not a farmer.
- Curious about this declaration, we scanned the enlistment lists, and saw that many of the people who were listed as farmers, ended up serving in the infantry. (This means that they marched around a lot!)
- We speculated that somehow he learned that listing himself as a carpenter would allow him to be valued in a specialized manner. This idea makes sense because he served in the Navy, and not the Army.
- We had never heard of Ohio having a Navy during the Civil War, but they did, and it had more to do with the Ohio River, rather than Lake Erie. This makes sense, since the river border the southern states.
- We also noticed that the ship he served on was called the Grampus.
Seaman Joseph White, United States Civil War Navy recruit, likely boarded a train near Cleveland and made his way across Ohio to Cincinnati for his tenure of service. (3)
The Confederate Gunboat, Grumpus*
There were two ships with this odd name. The first was “a 252-ton stern-wheel river steamer, was built in 1856 at McKeesport, Pennsylvania, for civilian employment. Taken over by the Confederate Army [i.e., captured by them] in early 1862, she served as a transport and gunboat on the Mississippi River. Grampus was scuttled [purposefully sunk by Confederate forces] off Island Number Ten on 7 April 1862 when that fortification surrendered. However, she was apparently raised by Union forces and was probably destroyed by fire on 11 January 1863 under the name Grampus No. 2.”
“The second USS Grampus was a side-wheel steamer in the United States Navy… Originally named Ion, she was purchased by Rear Admiral David D. Porter for the U.S. Navy on 22 July 1863, at Cincinnati, Ohio, for US $9750. She was stationed at Cincinnati, Ohio, and used as a receiving ship for the Mississippi Squadron. By 14 November 1863, with Acting Master Elijah Sells in command, she was recognized as a ‘nice little receiving vessel in first-rate order,’ but contained no furnishings or weapons other than ten cutlasses and revolvers.” (Department of The Navy — Naval Historical Center)
This is likely where Joseph White put his carpentry skills to good use since this time period coincides with his enlistment dates. “With Acting Ensign C.W. Litherbury in command, Grampus remained at Cincinnati, Ohio, assisting in stripping of ships for conversion to gunboats, and effecting their delivery to fleet staging points for the Mississippi Squadron, principally Cairo, Illinois, and Mound City, Illinois.” (Wikipedia)
*Comment: With a name like Grumpus, doesn’t it sound like everyone was in a bad mood, or at least their nic-named Odd Uncle was having a tough day? (4)
Family Life in Middlefield and Burton Townships
After his service in the Navy during the Civil War, Joseph returned home to his family and that’s probably when he met his youngest son James for the first time. Pittinger records that, “they built for themselves a log house in the woods on land given to them by his father in the Spring of 1860 or 1861.” Since the Census of 1860 has them living in Weathersfield, it is probable that they moved after that census, or certainly after his Civil War service.
Pittinger further states, “After a few years they sold this land and bought eighty acres one mile south of Middlefield Village and moved a house from the other side of the road to this land. Here they lived for several years…”
The Amish Community
Middlefield is renowned for its Amish community. In our modern era, the Amish might seem a bit anachronistic, but when the White family moved there, the Amish looked just like everybody else then. “The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, Christian pacifism, and slowness to adopt many conveniences of modern technology.” (Wikipedia)
Late in the 19th century, “Amish from Holmes county, in search of fertile farm land, started migrating north into Geauga county, settling in Middlefield township… [this] community is the second largest settlement in Ohio and the fourth largest settlement In North America. Among the businesses are furniture, leather, bakeries, machine shops, stores and construction companies. Some Geauga County Amish supplement their income selling maple syrup, tapping into the extensive maple forests in the area.” (Middlefield Township History)
With the household crowded with the energy of four sons and one daughter, it’s rather nice to see that in the 1870 Census, Belinda finally has some help around the home. Elizabeth Watter, from Massachusetts and aged 47, is there is to help with all the never-ending chores.
The Smithsonian Institution reminds us that a farmer’s wife “had their spheres of responsibility on the busy, self-sufficient farms of the era. As always, the family was the first concern of a homemaker, as she did the housework and child care. In addition, however, she would be responsible for the poultry, the dairy cows, the care of the milk and butter, the garden and the preserving of food for winter. Laundry, ironing, cooking, baking, sewing and mending took much of her waking hours. She also might be called on for occasional light work in the fields, but the mores of the era argued that women didn’t do field work. This was just as well, since she was busy from morning to night with her own work, in addition to being pregnant or nursing through most of her work years.” Observation: Neither of us will complain anymore about having too much to do.
Even though they seemed to prosper in Middlefield — in 1872, “they moved to Burton [the township next door] where they spent the remaining years of their lives.” (Pittinger)
It seems that the White family continued steadily forward season-to-season. Their lives, although filled with hard work, improved and they prospered. As we can see on the 1880 census below, even as the parents were in their 40s, their house continued to be filled with children. At this point, their oldest ones would soon start to create their own families within the community. However, we can’t learn anything more about the Whites (from the Census) for the next 20 years.
The 1890s Census
Unfortunately, the 1890 Census was destroyed by a fire in 1921 at the Commerce Department Building in Washington, D.C. Actually, there was more than one fire, the first one occurring in 1896. First with these fires, then with the further catastrophic damage from the water used to put out the fires, then improper storage of the tatters that remained — the 1890 Census is considered to be utterly lost. (5)
in Washington, D.C. (Image courtesy of raogk.org).
The Making of Modern America
As the century wound down, we observed in the 1900 census much change within the White Family in the last 20 years. Many of their children have moved out of the home. We still see living there sons Milo (37), and Perry (24), both working as farm laborers, and daughter Lillie Belle (21), working as a school teacher.
Though their life was rural, Modern America was unfolding before their eyes — “The end of the 19th century saw the advent of new communication technologies, including the phonograph, the telephone, and radio; the rise of mass-circulation newspapers and magazines; the growth of commercialized entertainment, as well as new sports, including basketball, bicycling, and football, and appearance of new transportation technologies, such as the automobile, electric trains and trolleys.” (Digital History, Overview Of The Gilded Age)
As a contrast to all this change, the photo montage above shows scenes from Burton township toward the final period of Joseph and Belinda White’s lives. We believe that the handsome photograph of him (above center) is from this period. Belinda White passed on in 1902, and Joseph White passed on a few years later, in 1905. Their lives were spent almost entirely within the arc of the 19th century.
For much of their lives, photography was expensive and formal, used to document only very special occasions. We rather like this informal snapshot of the Whites, showing them in a casual moment, waiting patiently, not quite sure how to pose for the camera. No doubt it was taken by someone who was happy to use a new portable camera to take a quick ‘snap’ of mom and dad.
In the next chapter, we will be writing about the second oldest son of this family, Lemuel White. He is the Great-Great-Grandfather of some of our family members. (6)
Following are the footnotes for the Primary Source Materials,
Notes, and Observations
Tangible Artifacts
(1) — one record
Rare Historical Photos
Fotomat: Remembering America’s Drive-Through Photo Processing Booths of the 1980s
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/fotomat-old-photos/
Note: For the Fotomat “Drive Thru” photograph.
Together For Almost Half A Century
(2) — fourteen records
Joseph White
in the Web: Ohio, Find A Grave Index, 1787-2012
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/70559/records/630229?ssrc=pt&tid=49710386&pid=13176192222
and
Joseph White
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43606915/j-whit
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 25 Sep 1831, Weathersfield Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, USA
DEATH: 13 Oct 1905 (aged 74)
“Joseph White was a farmer in Middlefield. He was the son of James White and Elizabeth Irwin of Weathersfield Twp. He was a Civil War veteran.”
Day of Death: 7 Sources incl. Geauga Co OH VR & Cemetery Records, compiled by Jeannette Grosvenor and the GCGS. Sometimes an online Ohio DC or obituary was the source for dates, locations, relationships. The Geauga Co Archives photo is used with their permission.
Joseph White
in the Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993
Trumbull > 1833 – 1870
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61378/records/3883808?tid=&pid=&queryId=4ced6a08-68b7-4ff3-98cf-25e08d1f9408&_phsrc=Ftd3&_phstart=successSource
(Joseph)Book page: 253, Digital page: 127/498
Belinda (Stittle) White
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43606997/belinda_white
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 1837, Lordstown, Trumbull County, Ohio, USA
DEATH: Oct 1902 (aged 64–65), Ohio, USA
The short biographical at the top says Belinda was the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Stittle (or Stitle).
They had nine children, which are more than listed on the findagrave.com website, as follows:
- William Henry White, 1856 — 1944
- Lemuel White, 1858 — 1938
(Some of our family members are descended from Lemuel). - Joseph Milo White, 1861 — 1949
- James Albert White, 1864 — 1918
- Mary E (White) Fowler, 1867 — 1943
- Charles E White*, 1870 — 1954
- Lucy Ann (White) Donaldson, 1873 — 1956
- Perry White, 1876 — 1958
- Lillie (White) Dayton, 1878 — 1954
*Observations 1: There is some confusion with the name of this child. We have speculated that this might have been a twin birth of two boys: Robert and Charles. It is interesting to observe that the name “Robert” is overdrawn on the census sheet in another pen, and that the baby is one month old. However, the census was recoded in March, so this points to a February 1870 birthday, when the birth is listed as May 26, 1870. (see Observation 2) So what’s going on with this census?
Joseph White
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Geauga > Middlefield
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/records/38826285
Book page: 5, Digital page:5/37, Entries 31 through 39.
Observation 2: This file records a May 26, 1870 birth date for a Robert White. There is no record for a boy named Charles in this period. It is not clear if this is the date the birth was recoded, or it is the actual birthdate.
Birth – Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X692-SF2
Book pages: 28-29, Digital page: 47/319, Last entry on the page.
Observation 3: It is highly unlikely that when having twins, one preceded the other by two months (and then perhaps died?) We know that Charles White existed and that he used May 26, 1870 as his birthdate. Perhaps they just had a difficult time trying to name this baby?
Charles E White —
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68152107/charles_e_white
Information on Belinda Stitttle’s parents found in the gallery section of this link. (For names and dates only. Do not use for other information).
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/193290280/person/182514484827/facts
[Portrait of Joseph W. White]
Joseph W. WHITE
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/193290280/person/182514484792/media/d060d988-9081-4ec8-a710-a32dddb90b3e
[Portrait of Belinda O. Stittle]
Belinda O. STITLE
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/193290280/person/182514484816/media/99946359-9d39-4559-885a-7221de641b12
Family History of James White and Fannie Pittinger and their descendants
by Andrew J. White and Franc White
https://archive.org/details/familyhistoryofj00unse
Note: Pages 100-101 for family profile.
Historic Map Works
ITEM #US20160
Weathersfield Township
From Trumbull County 1874, Ohio
Published by L. H. Everts in 1874
https://historicmapworks.com/Map/US/20160/Weathersfield+Township/
Note: For their first residence in Weathersfield by the James White home.
Joseph White
in the 1860 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Trumbull > Weatherfield
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/records/42167378
Book page: 114, Digital page: 2/76, Entries 8 through 11.
Note1: They are living next door to his brother John White’s family.
Note 2: His wife Belinda and their two oldest sons William and Lemuel are inferred by their initials.
Case Western Reserve University
Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
Agriculture
https://case.edu/ech/articles/a/agriculture
If I Were A Carpenter…
(3) — five records
Joseph White
in the U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865
Ohio > 19th > Class 1, L-Z, Volume 2 of 4
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1666/records/1151389?tid=&pid=&queryId=39b64cdb-0ea9-4522-969f-ac79b801a601&_phsrc=ZiX6&_phstart=successSource
Book page: 581, Digital page: 555/624, Entry line 15.
Note: The ledger for this record has an entry date of June 27, 1863.
| Enlistment Date | 24 Aug 1864 |
| Discharge Date | 18 Jul 1865 |
| Death Date | 1905 |
| Burial Place | Middlefield, Ohio, USA |
| Cemetery | Middlefield |
| Branch of Service | Nav |
Joseph White
in the Ohio, U.S., Soldier Grave Registrations, 1804-1958
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61438/records/295185?tid=&pid=&queryId=9d684c8c-0e68-4498-b68a-f5cd31af2fc1&_phsrc=ZiX1&_phstart=successSource
Note: Viewing this file requires a Fold3 membership.
Department of The Navy — Naval Historical Center
Online Library of Selected Images: Ships of the Confederate States
CSS Grampus (1862-1862)
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/sh-us-cs/csa-sh/csash-ag/grampus.htm
“CSS Grampus, a 252-ton stern-wheel river steamer, was built in 1856 at McKeesport, Pennsylvania, for civilian employment. Taken over by the Confederate Army in early 1862, she served as a transport and gunboat on the Mississippi River. Grampus was scuttled off Island Number Ten on 7 April 1862 when that fortification surrendered. However, she was apparently raised by Union forces and was probably destroyed by fire on 11 January 1863 under the name Grampus No. 2.”
Note: For the historical information and the scuttled ships illustration.
Naval History and Heritage Command (for Grumpus ship images)
https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-53000/NH-53762.html
Note: For the historical information and the ship in battle illustration.
USS Grampus (1863)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Grampus_(1863)
Family Life in Middlefield and Burton Townships
(4) — eleven records
Joseph White
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Geauga > Middlefield
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/records/38826285
Book page: 5, Digital page: 5/37, Entries lines 31 through 39.
Note 1: They have now relocated to Middlefield, Geauga County, Ohio.
Note 2: In addition to wife Belinda, children are: (Wiliam) Henry, Lemuel, (Joseph) Milo, James, Mary, and Robert, who is one month old.
Note 3: Household servant Elizabeth Watter from Massachusetts.
The Smithsonian Institution
The Changing Role of Women on the Farm
by Eleanor Arnold
from Family Farming In The Heartland
https://folklife-media.si.edu/docs/festival/program-book-articles/FESTBK1991_10.pdf
Atlas of Lake and Geauga Counties 1874, Ohio
Published by Titus, Simmons and Titus in 1874
In General: https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4014coll25/id/163
Middlefield [map] https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4014coll25/id/242
Amish
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish
11 Hidden Wonders of Amish Country That Redefine Rural America
https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/11-hidden-wonders-of-amish-country-that-redefine-rural-america/
Note: For Amish carriage image.
Middlefield Township History
The Rich History of Middlefield Township
https://middlefieldtownship.us/history/
Atlas of Lake and Geauga Counties 1874, Ohio
Published by Titus, Simmons and Titus in 1874
Burton [map] https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4014coll25/id/240
Historic Map Works
ITEM #US20291
Burton Township
From Geauga County 1900, Ohio
Published by Stranahan, H. B. and Company in 1900
https://historicmapworks.com/Map/US/20291/Burton+Township/Geauga+County+1900/Ohio/
Note: For Joseph White Burton township property detail.
Joseph White
in the 1880 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Geauga > Burton > 067
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/23353169
Book page: 19, Digital page: 17/22, Entries 2 through 12
Note 1: They have now relocated to Burton, Geauga County, Ohio.
Note 2: In addition to wife Belinda (recorded as Melinda), children are: Wiliam Henry, Lemuel, Joseph (Milo), James, Mary E., Charles E., Lucy A., Perry and an Unnamed Daughter, one month old. (Could this be Lillie?)
Note 3: Lillie’s reported birth year on the 1900 Census is 1878.
Note 4: Son Robert from the previous census is absent. (He did not survive).
1890 — The 1890 census has not survived.
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness
Fate of the 1890 Population Census
https://raogk.org/census-records/1890-fire/
Note: For illustration and historical information.
The Making of Modern America
(5) — six records
Digital History
Overview Of The Gilded Age
https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraid=9&smtid=1
Joseph White
Ohio > Geauga > Burton > District 0043
in the 1900 United States Federal Census
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/records/40096127
Book page: 14, Digital page: 27/38, Entries 21 through 25.
Note: Children present are Milo, Perry, and Lillie B.
Joseph W. White [Portrait as an older man]
Joseph W. White
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/49710386/person/13176192222/media/8d39039b-e965-46e9-a0a8-63f0adb1ae6f?queryId=12b514cb-2b3f-4e86-a421-619ca714e7ef&searchContextTreeId=&searchContextPersonId=&_phsrc=XhQ1&_phstart=successSource
Burton Collage:
The Cleveland Memory Project
Burton Memory Project
https://www.clevelandmemory.org/burton/
[Jpseph W. White and Belinda O. Stitle photograph, circa 1900]
Jester-White Family Photos_0002
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/169247482/person/142193537622/media/cfab5e55-dcf3-4b90-a316-ff8ba2b98190?queryId=d604decd-05d3-4736-8be0-d387bf974f0d&searchContextTreeId=&searchContextPersonId=&_phsrc=mkz17&_phstart=successSource
Joseph W White
in the Ohio, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1786-1998
Geauga > Probate Files, Vaughn, Jesse-Whitmore, Stephen
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8801/records/13935968?tid=&pid=&queryId=df692af4-633f-43bd-a63f-e64b23fbe746&_phsrc=kju25&_phstart=successSource
Notes: There are 11 images in this file. Joseph died intestate, meaning that he did not leave a Will.
Our Ancestors, Our Narratives 