Last week, J. W. (Bill) Janes wrote a Letter to the Editor of the Lake Gazette to correct the date of birth for his great-grandfather G. W. Hagan. He was born Feb. 13, 1845, not Feb. 18, as reported in the Years Ago column of February 20, 2010. I was impressed that Mr. Janes not only noticed the error but took time to set the record straight so I couldn’t resist trying to learn more about this branch of the Hagan family.
What I discovered, and I’m sure Bill Janes knows, illustrates how difficult it can be to get accurate information about our ancestors, making it even more important to correct published errors when we have uncovered the facts.
Mr. Janes said his great-grandfather was born at Elizabethtown, Ky. and died at Monroe City. He is buried at Indian Creek.
That should logically give him ancestral ties to Thomas Hagan, who immigrated to Maryland from Ireland in 1662, and Joseph Hagan, the Monroe County pioneer mentioned in the Walter and Joyce Hagan family profiled in the “Monroe City Sesquicentennial History” published by the Lake Gazette in 2007. But does it?
A transcription of burials in St. Stephen cemetery at Indian Creek, available at the Monroe County Historical Society Research Center in Paris, only gives the years of birth and death for George W. Hagan (1845-1940) and his wife Mary E. Hagan (1850-1915.)
Missouri is extremely fortunate to have the images of death certificates that were issued between their inception in 1910 and 1958 currently available on line at the Missouri Secretary of State’s web site, http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates/. The information contained in death certificates is often incorrect or incomplete but offers researchers clues to uncover the facts. A broader search of census and marriage records can sometimes, but not always, correct information that was unclear or unknown to the informant.
The Missouri Death Certificate for George Washington Hagan confirms that he died on March 5, 1940, just 11 days after his 95th birthday.
He lived at 404 S. Chestnut St. Monroe City; was a widower and that his wife’s name was Mary Elizabeth. He died from influenza and was buried March 8, 1940 at St. Stevens [sic] Cemetery by Wilson & Son funeral home. The informant’s signature is rather difficult to read, but is probably his son Gilbert R. who signed the certificate as R. G. Hagan.
The 1930 census of Monroe County shows George W. Hagen [sic] lived with Gilbert on South Chestnut. From there the information begins to show inconsistencies that raise more questions.
The death certificate says George was born in Howard County, Ky. There is no Howard County, but Elizabethtown, as stated by Mr. Janes, is the county seat of Hardin County.
It further says that George’s parents were Fielder Hagan, born in Maryland, and Mary Elizabeth Skees, born in Kentucky. The Missouri Death Certificate for Mary Elizabeth Hagan shows that she was born Aug. 23, 1850 in Hardin County, Ky., the daughter of Elison Skeeys and Olivia Nolen, also born in Hardin County.
She died Dec. 10, 1915 and is buried at Indian Creek. The form for death certificates issued in 1915 did not ask the name of a spouse, but at the time of her death she was married and G. W. Hagan was the informant.
The information on Mary Elizabeth Hagan’s death certificate is a good indicator that Gilbert Hagan listed his mother’s maiden name rather than his grandmother’s on George’s death certificate. A check of births and deaths recorded in Monroe County between 1883 and 1885, also available at the Missouri Secretary of State’s web site, confirms his error. On May 6, 1884, a daughter was born to George Hagan and Mary E. Skeys. She was the sixth child of this mother.
Because George Washington Hagan was born in 1845 and died in 1940, he should appear in all available census records that list each individual by name between 1850 and 1930. The 1900 census of Stoutsville shows that George W. and Mary E. Hagan were married about 1868. Only eight of their 10 children were then living. Other census records identify nine children by name and age that are remarkably consistent throughout, even with a variety of spellings for their surname. The infant daughter born in 1884 completes the family.
In 1860 George, age 15, lived at Indian Creek with Fielden and Mary Haggan [sic] and nine siblings ranging in age from 18 to two. Harriet, age five, was the first child born in Missouri which places this family here by 1855. According to the 1860 census, Fielden and Mary were both born in Kentucky, and had married within the year. Later census records say Mary C. Hagan was born in Missouri. That would seem reasonable because the 1850 census of Hardin County, Ky. shows Fielder J. and Harriet Hagan [sic] were both born in Virginia. (Is this a census taker error?) Their seven children, including George Washington and his twin James Monroe, age five, and brothers Edward R., age three, and Fielder H. Hagan, age one, appear in the 1860 census for Monroe County, Mo. at their appropriate ages. The Monroe County census taker could have marked the marriage box in error. He also checked that five of the Hagan children, then living at home without spouses, had also married within the year. Good help is hard to find. Still it is hard to believe that Fielder’s daughter Harriet, born in Missouri, would have been so named if her mother had been Mary rather than Harriet. Three children were apparently born in Missouri to Fielder and Mary C. Hagan: John, Louisa and Richard.
One would also think that there should be a Missouri marriage record about 1868 for George Washington Hagan and Mary Skees/Skeys. Although the Monroe County marriage records available on line at ancestry.com are more complete than many counties, I did not find a marriage record for this couple. Catholic church records are better than most, but filing records with the County Court was up to the local priest. When George Washington Hagan’s brother, Fielder H. Hagan (incorrectly indexed as Fielder F. by ancestry.com) and Sarah Yates were married November 19, 1872, by Thomas Bonacum, priest of the Catholic Church, he waited until Feb. 16, 1874 to file their marriage record, with eight others that he had performed, dating back to October 1872. I found no record of a Missouri marriage for Fielder T. and Mary C. Hagan and although it would be logical for them and perhaps even Harriet Hagan to have been buried at St. Stephen, they do not appear in the cemetery record.
The mystery of Fielder T., Harriett, and Mary C. Hagan is further complicated by Missouri Death certificates for three of George Washington Hagan’s brothers. According to the 1880 Monroe County census, Fielder T. and Mary C. Hagan had a son Richard born in 1863. At that time a grandson, Hugh Donley, age 14 was also a member of the household. The Missouri Death Certificate for Richard Ledwith Hagan says his parents were Fielder Hagan, born in Kentucky and Mary Donley, born in Missouri. Richard was born August 17, 1863 and died Nov. 9, 1944. He is buried at Holy Rosary in Monroe City. Edward Rogers Hagan was born May 15 1847 in Kentucky and died July 4, 1924 at Laddonia, Audrain County, Mo. He is buried at Indian Creek. His Missouri Death Certificates lists his parents as Fielder Hagan and Susan Grimm, both born in Kentucky. Fielder Henry Hagan, born Jan. 10, 1849 in Kentucky, died Feb. 28, 1936 at 407 S. Locust in Monroe City and is also buried in Holy Rosary. His Death Certificate lists parents Fielder J. Hagan and Mary Smith.
There may be merit to Fielder H. Hagan’s mother’s last name being Smith, but Mary was probably the first name remembered by the living relatives. In 2000, Verne Cotton posted a query to an ancestry.com message board asking for more information about the ancestors of Harriett Smith who this researcher said married Fielder Hagan on Oct 6, 1838 in Nelson County, Ky. According to the query, Harriett probably died January 7, 1851, which in view of census records is a dubious date of death. If, in fact, the marriage location is correct it might indeed lead to family ties with the Joseph Hagan family profile in the “Monroe City Sesquicentennial” book.
With all the information readily available to genealogists in the modern age of electronic communication, the bare facts do not give personality to a well-researched family history. A nicely written obituary for Mary Elizabeth Hagan published in the Monroe City Semi-Weekly NEWS December 14, 1915, confirmed much of my research and identified the two children who died before 1900. She came to Missouri in February 1852 with her mother, widow of Elisha Skees, and a sibling. She married George W. Hagan January 7, 1868. Their 10 children were listed as: “Mrs. John Janes of Laddonia; Riley Hagan, who lost his life in the St. Louis cyclone; Mrs. J. G. Pierceall, of this city; Mrs. Jerome Mudd, southwest of Monroe; Mrs. Will Hurd, of Stoutsville; Mrs. Charles Montgomery, of Center; Mattie Hagan, who died at the age of 15 months; Alvia and William Hagan, of Vandalia, and Gilbert Hagan, of this city.”
Mr. Janes has obviously done his homework on his branch of this large and important Monroe County family, and I hope at some point he will provide the Monroe County Historical Society Research Center with a copy of his work for our family files. The more “cousins” involved in family research the greater the likelihood that a treasured family document will surface to help solve some mysteries. While the Historical Society does not normally initiate research on specific families, we do act as a repository for information that lets distant cousins contact each other and share information. Not every story that could or should be told has been fully explored. Together we can help preserve our heritage for the generations yet to come.


 

90 Years Ago
March 5, 1920
Twin sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. John S. Doak of Kirksville on Feb. 27. One lived only a few hours. Mrs. Doak was the former Miss Lenore Bristow of this city.
A son was born on Feb. 29 to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kendrick east of town.
E.W. Schweer left for Bremerton, Wash., to make his home. Mrs. Schweer and son were to follow later. Mrs. Schweer had served as cashier of the Citizens Bank continuously since its organization in 1913. He was succeeded as cashier by George E. Chipman. In Bremerton, Schweer was to be associated with his brother-in-law, J.E. Wood, in the operation of a chain of retail dry goods stores.
Mrs. Will Drake and Miss Monica Lee purchased the millinery store of Mrs. Lucy Davis.
Miss Gertrude Allison Warren and Henry C. Calvert of Emden were married in Shelbyville on March 3.
R.B. Lambert and R.O. Kelly of Brookfield purchased what was known as the Bohrer farm of 433 acres from R.S. and Harry McClintic and W.W. Fuqua at a consideration of $130 an acre.
80 Years Ago
March 6, 1930
The Rev. P.J. Barrett, who had been assistant pastor of Holy Rosary Parish here, was transferred to the Catholic parish at Adair in Adair County.
Miss Gladys Hamilton of near Ely and Benjamin G. Mette of the Woodland community were married in Palmyra March 2.
The Rev. Edgar L. Knight, on March 2, entered upon his fourth year as pastor of the Monroe City Christian Church.
September 1931 was selected as the time when the mammoth centennial celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the organization of Monroe County would be held. A feature was to be a pageant depicting the county’s 100 years of history.
February 1930 was the warmest February recorded by the U.S. Weather Bureau at Hannibal in 38 years. The temperature for the month averaged 43 degrees, which was 12.5 degrees above normal.
W.V. Garnett began work as second trick operator at Fowkes, the new station recently opened by the Wabash Railway just west of Paris.
C.W. Byrd opened a garage and service station in the Graham building on North Main Street.
Mrs. D.H. Stevens of this city held a record for Sunday School attendance, having attended every Sunday for 13 years.
J.F. Renshaw resigned as traveling salesman for the Huber Mfg. Co., maker of threshing machine outfits. He had represented the company for 14 years.
Mr. and Mrs. John W. Cox and Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Cox and daughter, Kathleen, returned to Monroe City to make their homes after residing in Shelbina for four years.
70 Years Ago
March 7, 1940
George W. Hagan died at the age of 95 years. Born near Elizabethtown, Ky., Feb. 13, 1845, he had resided in and near Monroe City all but six years of his nearly a century-long life.
Mr. and Mrs. T.E. Willard celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on March 5. Open house was held on Sunday preceding the actual anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Willard had spent 42 years of their wedded life in the Monroe City community,
Mary Pike was elected captain and Rosemary Quinn, co-captain, of the girls’ basketball squad of Holy Rosary High School. Billy Pike was elected captain of the boys’ cage squad of that school.
Twenty-three students in Monroe City High School were announced as honor students for the second six weeks of school. They were Hulda Hedberg, Rosella Jefferies, Frances Bell and Rose Hays, seniors; Suzann Turnbull, Wanda Bailey, Doris Blackwell, Thelma Burditt, Marjorie Dean, Catherine McColloch and Marilyn Henderson, juniors; Mary Ellen McCarthy, Martha Jean Straub and Charlotte Ann Henderson, sophomores; Marion McClintock, J.C. Harrison, Joyce Fry, Charlesa Heather, Charlotte Colley, Anna Lou Harrison and Deana Bastian, freshman. Also in the eighth grade were Emma Jean Shively, Natalie Moyers and Virginia Bell, and in the seventh grade, Phil Kibbe, Dorothy Dean, and Billy Griffith.
A son was born March 5 to Mr. and Mrs. Lee K. Taylor of Des Moines, Ia. Mrs. Taylor was the former Miss Anna Cecile Forsythe of this city.
60 Years Ago
March 9, 1950
The 50th anniversary of the Royal Neighbors of America as a fraternal life insurance institution was to be observed March 23 in the home of Mrs. Ezra Johnson.
Mrs. Mary Cline observed her 88th birthday March 2.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Walker and children moved to the property at the southeast edge of Monroe City which they purchased from Mr. and Mrs. James A. Montgomery.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Quinn were parents of a son, Robert Joseph, born Feb. 26.
Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Masters of Hutchison, Kan., were parents of a son, Steven, born March 6. Mr. and Mrs. Donald Madden were parents of a daughter, Kathryn Rose, born March 4.
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Shoemaker were parents of a son, Emmett Leroy, born March 6.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Walkup were parents of a son born March 5.
50 Years Ago
March 3, 1960
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Cornish returned to Monroe City Feb. 24 from a vacation spent in New York City and a cruise to the West Indies and South America.
A blue and gold carry in dinner and banquet celebrating the 50th anniversary of the organization of Boy Scouts was held Friday night, March 4, at the public school lunch room.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith were to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary March 3.
The door-to-door canvas Sunday by members of the Fidelis Club netted a total of $264.55 for the Heart Fund.
Oscar Clark, 69, a retired businessman of Monroe City died Saturday, Feb. 27. He secured the Ford agency for automobile and tractors and started the Clark Motor Sales.
Mrs. and Mrs. Clarence Littrell of Stoutsville, lifetime residents of Monroe County, were to observe their 48th wedding anniversary, March 6.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith were parents of a son born Feb. 27.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph William Smith were parents of a daughter born March 1.
40 Years Ago
Feb. 26, 1970
Two years have passed since the disappearance of John Wade Wagner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Wagner. The 16-year-old youth was last seen Feb. 17, 1968.
Three Monroe City R-I basketball players were named to the Clarence Cannon All Conference teams, G.V. Saffarrans, Marvin Robinson and David Benson.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Smith were to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on March 22. The couple was married March 3, 1920 in Iowa Falls, Iowa.
Births: a daughter, Amy Christine, Feb. 21 to Dr. and Mrs. T.A. Castoldi of Alice, Tex.; a son, was born Feb. 23 to Mr. and Mrs. Floyd A. White of Kansas City.
30 Years Ago
Feb. 28, 1980
Owing to a mild winter, the Monroe City Board of Alderman voted a 10% reduction on city utilities. A previous 10% discount on electric rates was to remain in effect also.
With road work and bridges in the Cannon Dam area 90 to 95 percent complete, travelers were getting a preview of things to come when water would being to backup in the lake.
Monroe City placed five players on the All-Conference Teams. Thad Burditt to the first team, Jeff Holiday, Melinda Morris and Brad Burditt were name to the second team.
Eric W. Lear, son of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Lear and a freshman theatre major at Northeast Missouri State University, was appearing in a college production of Passacaglia.
Dian Kunce, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kunce of Hunnewell and a senior theatre major at NMSU, was directing the University Players production of Passacaglia.
Marine Private Michael Lipe, son of Mrs. Helen M. Lipe was featured in a story published in the “Hawaii Marine” on the wallet he found and how he tried to find the owner.
Births: a daughter, Erica Lynell, Feb. 24 to Mark and Nelsie Utterback.
The Monroe City PTA raised $2,100 during the PTA Olympics held at the school.
The man, who shot and killed Walter J. Hagan and wounded Jerome Kreigshauser in St. Louis July 18, was sentenced to life in prison.
20 Years Ago
March 1, 1990
The Clarence Cannon Conference basketball team players were announced as Norma Jackson, Regina Gottman, Erin Quinn, Jason Stark, Clay Talton and Tommy Jackson. Coach Bob Plourde was named CCC Girls coach of the year.
Cheryl Elliott was named as the branch manager of Marion County Mutual’s Monroe City office.
Maurice “Pete” Ritter was honored after 22 years with the Northeast Region Missouri Veteran’s Commission. He retired March 1.
Mrs. Ted Ratliff was featured in the News as she had been with the 4-H program for 40 years.
10 Years Ago
Feb. 29, 2000
Taken from the files of The Lake Gazette
Kathy Chinn of Clarence made the announcement that she had filed as the 10th District State Representative seat. Scott Hays was to be her campaign manager.
Births: a son, Cole Eric, Feb. 11 to Pan and Neal Alsup of Castle Rock, Colo.
Three hundred forty-one cases of Girl Scout cookies were delivered to Lorenson Plumbing to be distributed to the area Girl Scouts who sold them.
Boy Scout Pack 132 braved 22-Degree weather in their winter campout held at Route J. Those attending were Matt Burns, Darrin Tallmage, Nick Silva, Derek Abbott, Nathan Abbott, Cole Buckman, Dayne Plunkett, Matt Martin and Paul Hancock.
Dewella Holliday made her 1500th point during the basketball game between Monroe City Lady Panthers and the Marion County Lady Mustangs.