Surname Saturday – Lander

This apparently simple surname is in fact one of complex origins according to the surname data base. It may be a development of the Olde French "Lavendier" which was usually anglicized to Launder and Lander, and describes one who owned the local laundry, and was therefore occupational.  The same word was confusingly applied to a textile worker who washed the cloth after dyeing.  However, a larger number of British name holders will have a Germanic or Anglo-Saxon origins, and sometimes with a later 17th century Huguenot entry as well to thoroughly mix the brew.  In this case the name is topographical and describes a countryman, one who lived on the land, as opposed to a city dweller.

Bleaching Ground by de Momper and Jan Brueghel II,
early 17th Century

Another origin of the name traces to the town of Landau in Germany, but I, at this time, do not think this family branch goes back in this direction.

It’s interesting to note here, that during my research, I have found this surname spelled many other ways.  This may have occurred when the information was gathered during the time of the census, or the transcriber may have translated the script differently than what was actually written.  Some other examples found besides the ones listed above include Landess, Landere, Landes, Lanner, Landis, Lauder, Larder, Landry, Landers, Landen, Alander, and Sander to name a few.

In any case, I have had to be very open to misspellings for this surname.  It has also been helpful to seek the same document (i.e., census record) but indexed by different organizations, such as Ancestry vs. Heritage Quest.

My husband’s known family history (handed down) begins with Warren LANDER and Trypheni/Tryhphena BILLINGS of Brighton, Somerset, Maine.  I spent a lot of time searching for Billings and I now believe that the evidence points to Tryphena PICKERING and that Billings was probably her middle name.  If this is true, then they married in 1836 in Brighton, Maine and my husband’s great grandfather was one of at least five children (four girls and one boy) from this union.

It was 3 November 1845 that Warren and Trypheni became parents of a son whom they named Warren James LANDER.

“At an early age he removed with his parents to Kingston, Wisconsin.  When he was seven years of age his father died.

In the autumn of 1865, Warren entered Lawrence University at Appleton and graduated as Bachelor of Arts in the summer of 1869 as valedictorian of his class.  He was admitted to the bar in Outagamie County in 1870 and in 1871 took up his residence in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Soon after he settled in Green Bay, he was elected city attorney for Fort Howard and filled this position for six years.”

Green Bay and Fort Howard 1867

On 21 October 1875, Warren married Miss Annah Elizabeth Watson, (born 2 March 1849 in Newbury, Sank County, Wisconsin). The wedding took place in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Willard Lamb (Brother-in-law and sister to Annah) in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  From this union they had ten children.

The Lander family made their home in Green Bay, Wisconsin until Warren’s tragic death on 28 November 1892.

Green Bay Lawyer Hangs’ Himself.

Green Bay, Wis., Nov. 28 - Special Telegram.

- Warren J. Lander committed suicide to-day by hanging himself with a clothes line in the attic of his home on Webster avenue.  For several months Mr. Lander, who is a lawyer, has been a sufferer, having only recently recovered from a severe illness, which culminated in a brain trouble. Though suffering considerably he at- tended to his office duties during the past months until a few days ago, when he was again taken severely ill.

Regarding the character of Warren James Lander, it was stated that, “Mr. Lander was a man of more than ordinary intellectual power, he was an able and successful advocate; being of industrious and persevering habits he soon attained a high standing at the bar and acquired a competence for himself and family.”

©2012 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Surname Saturday – MOREHEAD

Recorded as Morshead, Moorhead, Morehead, and possibly others, this is a name chiefly to be found in Ulster, Northern Ireland. It is a dialectal of the Scottish locational surname 'Muirhead', which derives from the word "muir", a variant of "moor", and "heid", the head or end (of the moor).

Surnameweb.org states “that the name is from one of the sons of Muireadoch of the Kings of Ireland known to have come over to Scotland in the 6th century and known to be a Clan very ancient.”  The Surname data base website adds that the first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Sir William Muirhead, which was dated circa 1399 - in the "Records of Lachope", Scotland, during the reign of King Robert III of Scotland, 1390 - 1406.

Our family records begin much later in Virginia with Burrel MOREHEAD.  Burrel MOREHEAD, son of Thomas MOREHEAD, was born abt. 1822 in Virginia.  He married Sarah FLINN (O’FLYNN) abt. 1845 in Virginia.  By 1850, their family relocated to Monmouth, Jackson, Iowa.  In 1870 they were living in Farmer's Creek, Jackson, Iowa.

Burrel and Sarah MOREHEAD had 12 children.  My husband’s family line is traced through Burrel and Sarah’s daughter, Sara Jane MOREHEAD.  Sara Jane married Samuel Davidson DAVIS.

One of our family heirlooms is a Seth Thomas wall clock (ca. 1870) that belonged to Sarah O’Flynn MOREHEAD.  A couple of note cards are tucked inside the clock and are inscribed with Sarah’s family history.

Sarah Morehead's Clock

Family Notes in Sarah Morehead's Clock

These family note cards state that Sarah O’FLYNN married and became Mrs. Sarah O’Flynn MOREHEAD and lived in Virginia.  She gave birth and raised 12 children in her first marriage.  She married again and became Mrs. Sarah ADAMS and raised his five children.

At the time of the 1880 census, Sarah was listed as married, but Burrel was no longer present. 

Research has shown that Sarah’s second marriage was to Abel ADAMS.  Abel was the son of Amasa and Polly ADAMS, who was born in 1821 in East Aurora, Erie, New York. This was a second marriage for both of them.  He was first married to Mary Louisa TEMPLE.  Abel and Mary ADAMS had eight children.

Sarah FLINN (O’FYLNN) MOREHEAD and Abel ADAMS were married on 5 March 1885 in Iowa.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Surname Saturday – DAVIS

According to accessgenealogy.com, Davis is a Welsh surname, and the family is among the most numerous in England and Wales.  This is due to the fact that there are so many varia­tions of the name.  The original name was David which signifies well-beloved - popular in Biblical days and a favorite among the Scottish kings.

Though of ancient standing in Wales, David scarcely appears in England before the Norman Conquest.  Modified in various forms, it has produced many family names such as Davis, Davidson, Davies, Daves, Dawson, Dawes, Day, Dakin, etc.  The Irish form is M´Daid; the French, Devis.

Our confirmed family history begins February 1851 in Jackson, Indiana when Nathan and Nancy’s second son Samuel Davidson DAVIS (my husband’s great-grandfather) was born.  Nathan was born in Ohio in 1823 and his wife Nancy was born in Indiana in 1824.  In the course of 18 years, Nancy would give birth to at least eight children, six in Indiana and two more when the family removes to Iowa.

The following obituary of Nathan Davis was posted on Rootsweb as follows:

Obituary of Nathan Davis from "The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 60, No 18, p 285, May 2, 1904.
Nathan Davis was born in Warren county, O., Dec 20, 1823, and died at Welton, Iowa, April 9, 1904.
In 1837, his parents moved from Ohio to Indiana, where he continued to reside until 1865. June 29th, 1844, he was married to Nancy Doty, who survives him. Eight of the twelve children born to them still live in eastern Iowa. In 1865, he settled in Clinton county, Iowa, since which time he has made his home in the vicinity of Welton. In early life he joined the Disciple’s church, but after settling in Iowa he became an observer of the Sabbath, and identified himself with the Adventists, the branch known as The Church of God Adventists. The funeral services were held at his late residence, conducted by the writer of this notice. G. W. B.

Sam continued in the occupation of his father becoming a laborer and farmer.  He met and married Sarah Jane MOREHEAD of Iowa in 1874.  Her parents had moved westward from Virginia.

The DAVIS Family
 Sarah, Samuel, and Effie
Photo taken in 1896, Davenport, Iowa

In Welton, Iowa on the 16^th of April 1879, Sarah gave birth to the couple’s only child, a baby girl. Sarah’s mother, Sara O’FLYNN MOREHEAD, acted as midwife when Effie Adele DAVIS was born.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Surname Saturday – Emmerson

According to ancestry.com and the Surname Database, this surname comes from the English name "Emery", itself derived from a Germanic personal name Emaurri, which is composed of the elements amja meaning 'busy' or 'industrious' and ric meaning 'power'.  The name was introduced into England from France by the Normans.  The first recording of "Emery" as a surname dates from about 1182, when a Roger Hemeri was listed in the Cartulary of St. Mary, Clerkenwell (Essex).  Thus, "Emerson", i.e., "the son of Amery or Emery", is first formed as a surname in records in the early 14th Century.

The surname is recorded as Emerson, Emberson and Emmerson in the modern idiom. The marriage of Anthony Emmerson and Margarett Myles was recorded on November 1st 1584 at St. Giles', Cripplegate, London, and one John Emmerson was an early emigrant to the American colonies, leaving London on the "Abigall" in July 1635, bound for New England. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Emryson, which was dated circa 1300, Yorkshire Records, during the reign of King Edward 1, "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 – 1307.

However, our family picks up at George Benjamin EMMERSON.  George was born about 1852 in Richmond, Virginia.  

The particulars have been lost when George met Alice Hannah GILMAN, also of Richmond, but the couple received a small marriage book which shows the record of their union on 18 July 1874 in Washington D.C.  This is the first source I have on this family line to date.

This certifies that George B Emmerson and
Alice H Gilman were by me
United in Marriage according to the Law of God and of the District
of Columbia at Washington
City this 18^th of July 1874
John C Smith
Pastor Fourth
Presbyterian Church

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved

Surname Saturday – Andersen with an “e”

The Internet Surname Database indicates that this name was derived from the pre Christian Greek form of the personal name of “Andreas” meaning “manly”.  It was also held by Christ’s first disciple,  Andrew. 

Our Andersen surname comes by way of Scandinavia.  Family lore and Canadian census records show that my great grandfather was from Norway.  Unfortunately, Wikipedia states that the form Andersen is the fifth most common surname in Norway and Denmark.  This makes it a little more challenging for someone trying to research her family lines back to the Old Country.

Some other spelling variations include:  Anderson, Andersonne, Andersoun, Andersson, Andison, Andresen, Andresson, and Andrewson.  But my father always insisted our name was Andersen with an “e”.  He was proud of his heritage and felt that this was how we showed our Nordic roots.

Here is what I know of our Andersen family line:

Frank Albert Andersen

"Albert" Victor Andersen or (Frank Albert Andersen) was born 17 Apr 1876 in Norway.  (My dad always spoke of his grandfather as “Albert” and was surprised when I found out that his first name was listed as “Frank” in the cemetery.)

At 18 and of medium statue, Albert’s Scandinavian blue eyes melted the heart of 17‑year old Mary Jane Johnson (possibly May Johanssen) from Canada and they were married in 1894.  Mary's father, Charles Johnson was listed in the 1881 Canadian census that he was from Norway and her mother was Canadian-English.

On the 5^th of July 1895 in the city of Montreal, the first of their six children, Frank Victor, (my grandfather) was born.

Then, on 23 September 1897, their daughter Lillian May was born.

Between the years of 1898 and 1899, the family emigrated from Canada to the United States, probably down through Vermont since the family was found on the 1900 U.S. Census records in Barre, Vermont.

In March of 1900, they have their second daughter, Flora. (Flora must have died early because she does not appear in later records.)  This same year, the census shows Frank, May, and the family renting a house on Maser Street in Barre, Washington County, Vermont. Frank is working as a machinist.  (Many others on the census page are working as granite cutters and so it’s quite possible that Frank was working in one of local granite quarries as well.)

In 1902, the couple had another daughter and named her Ruth May.  Then, sometime within the next five years, the family moves to Massachusetts, and in 1908, Helen May is born.

By 1910 Frank is 33 years old and May is 31.  Frank, May, and their four children are living on Poplar Street in Danvers, Massachusetts at the time of the 1910 U.S Census.  He is employed as a machinist at a machine shop.  A year later, their second son William C. is born.

In 1918, the World War I Draft Registration card dated September 12, 1918 shows that Frank Albert Anderson and the family living at 18 Bridge in Beverly, Essex, MA. He is employed as a machinist at the United Shoe Machine Corporation in Beverly.

1920 U.S. Census records show Frank and May renting a home on Bridge Street in the city of Beverly, Massachusetts.  Frank’s first papers have been filed for naturalization and he is working as a (lattie?) machinist in a machine shop.

My cousin, Don Richardson, went to the Salem City Clerk’s office and found out that Frank A. Anderson, who was employed as a die maker/machinist, died at Shirley Hospital in Detroit, Michigan on April 15, 1927 at age 53.  His residence at the time of his death was 766 Piquett, Detroit, Michigan.  I have yet to find out why he would be living separate from his family at that time.

His wife, Mary J. Anderson, purchased a Lot in Greenlawn Cemetery in Salem and she buried her husband on the 20^th of April, 1927 on Lotus Path.  She would join him in the family lot on 11 November 1949.

Sadly, to my father’s dismay, all the Andersons in this gravesite are spelled with an “o”.

©2011 – Frank’s Daughter All Rights Reserved