This previous post was a summary of the Tax Lists, Land Records, and Census Records for each of the Jacob Switzers, and in that post this Jacob was identified as Jacob #4.
The Estate File in Columbiana County, Ohio (Number 4874) gives his name as Jacob G. Switzer while the Columbiana County Cemetery Inscriptions (v1 p6) lists him as Jacob C. Switzer. I'm going with Jacob G.
Jacob G. Switzer died March 25, 1859 at age 70y 4mo 17d (date of birth calculates to November 8, 1788). He is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio.
His wife Catherine/Catharina died December 17, 1850 at age 62y 3mo 5d (date of birth calculates to September 12, 1788). She is also buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. The gravestone transcriptions give her name as Catharina. The Ohio Death Record for Anna ( Switzer) Grove gives her mother's name as Catherine Mummert while that of Sophia Sweitzer shows it to be Catherine Murmmouh. A record on Find-a-Grave gives her name as Catharina Murmmoth.
On April 16, 1859 Isaac Switzer of Stark County, and James Crook and Joseph Anglemyer of Columbiana County signed a bond for $.. for Isaac Switzer who was named Administrator of the estate of Jacob G. Switzer.
Above is a portion of the final account that shows there was a balance of $917.63 in the estate of Jacob G. Switzer which Isaac Switzer was ordered to distribute according to law.
“The deceased in his lifetime having made advancements to most of his children of unequal sums, in order to equalize each as near as possible, the above balance was distributed as follows between the six heirs who have received the least by way of advancement, as per receipts filed.”
The above statement implies that there were possibly other heirs that did not receive a part of the final distribution... Census records seem to show that there may have been other children not named as having received a distribution.
The heirs that received a distribution and the amount they received were:
Ann Switzer – 194.60 ½
Sophia Switzer – 194.60 ½
Benj. Switzer 134.60 ½
Lydia Keck – 194.60 ½
Eliza Crook – 94.60 ½
Isaiah Holloway agt for Susan Holloway - 94.60 ½
Probate Judges & Attorneys fees – 10.00
Equal balance in Admr's hands $917.63
In the sale bill for the estate of Jacob G. Switzer, which was very difficult to read, there were several entries for a Tobias Switzer but none for Isaac or Benjamin. Is Tobias a son? Tobias also owed several notes to the estate amounting to $452.07 and it was reported in the final account that T. Switzer had paid $456.28 to the estate.
This Jacob Switzer does not appear in Columbiana County census records until 1830 and then he is listed in Fairfield Township from 1830 through 1850. See the above-mentioned previous post for details on the census records and well as the land ownership information.
From the census records it was determined that the family of Jacob and Catherina Mummert Switzer seems to have consisted of at least:
one male born 1826-1830
two males born 1821-1825
two males born 1816-1820
two females born 1826-1830 [Anna born 1829 + one other]
one female born 1821-1825 [Sophia born 1822 and Lydia born 1824]
one female born 1816-1820 [Eliza born 1818]
one female born 1811-1815 [Susan ?]
Known children of Jacob G. and Catharina Switzer (they received a distribution of his estate):
- Susan (Switzer) Holloway is probably the Susan Switzer who married Charles Holloway on March 10, 1839 in Columbiana County (v3 p208).
- Eliza/Aliza (Switzer) Crook. Aliza was born October 4, 1818 and died April 20, 1903. She is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. Eliza married James Crook on September 12, 1844 in Columbiana County (v3 p382). James Crook was born September 17, 1820 (calculated from age at death) and died October 23, 1895 at age 75y 1m 6d. He is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio.
- Anna (Switzer) Grove was born December 25, 1825 in Fairfield Township, Columbiana County, Ohio and died March 16, 1910 in Columbiana, Columbiana County, Ohio. The Ohio Death Record of Anna Grove gives her parents as Catherine Mummert and Jacob Switzer. Anna was widowed at the time of her death. Since she was named as Ann Switzer in the distribution record or her father, it is likely that she married “Mr. Grove” after 1860. The informant on the death record was Valentine Grove.
- Sophia Switzer was born May13, 1830 in Ohio and died April 27, 1916 in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio. She is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. The Ohio death records give her parents names as Catherine Murmmouh and Jacob Sweitzer.
- Benjamin Switzer was not found in a quick search of the marriage records or census records for Columbiana County.
- Lydia Ann (Switzer) Keck was born April 27, 1837 and died March 11, 1870 and is buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio. Lydia married to Peter Rick [Reck/Keck] on 27 April 27, 1858 in Columbiana County (v38 p333). Peter was born October 17, 1834 and died October 6, 1900. They are buried in Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio.
Other possible children of Jacob G. and Catharina Switzer:
- Isaac Switzer was the Administrator of the Estate of Jacob G. Switzer. He may be the Isaac Switzer who married Christina Zimmerman on January 2, 1840 in Columbiana County (v3 p226). He was found in the 1850 census in Lexington Township, Stark County, Ohio (page 462): Isaac Sweitzer was 37 years old (born about 1813 – doesn't quite “fit” the ages of “sons” in family of Jacob G). He was a farmer and was born in Ohio. In his household were Christina Sweitzer, 40; Silvenus Sweitzer, 8; Henry Sweitzer, 6; and Benjamin Sweitzer, age 3.
- Tobias Switzer was the only Switzer that purchased goods from the estate. He also owed several notes to the estate, which he paid on April 6, 1860.
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I do not plan to pursue this family any further. The information is being presented here because I have it and hopefully it will be of some use to another researcher someday.
The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.
The Stronghold House as seen from across the the canyon, from the south side.
These are the same two buildings in the previous photo, taken from a slightly different angle. Using the zoom distorts and compresses the view somewhat.
Two towers, looking northwest.
The same two towers, looking northeast.
Detail showing the stonework.
Hovenweep House, the largest structure in the area, along with several outbuildings. As seen from the south side of the canyon.
Hovenweep House, on the edge of the canyon. Looking to the east.
The Square Tower. Perched on a boulder, at the bottom of the west end of the canyon.
Ruins Canyon, looking east. The two towers are just below the rim of the canyon near the center of the picture. Several other structures dot the landscape, almost blending in with the boulders.
