Tuesday, February 13, 2018

"Valentine" - #52ancestors - Valentine Joseph Todt 1853-1922

This week's theme for the 52Ancestors/52Weeks challenge from Amy Johnson Crow, is "Valentine." My ancestors have no weddings on Feb 14th, very very few names of Valentine, no Valentine's Day momentoes! But here's my offering for Valentine's Day. 

My 4th cousin twice removed Anastasia Gabrielle Kuhn, born Apr 27, 1854 in East Berlin, Adams, Pennsylvania, married Valentine Joseph Todt on May 1st, 1881, at the Conewago Chapel of the Basilica, Adams, Pennsylvania.

Valentine is only related to me as the husband of my 4th cousin 2x removed! But I will take this opportunity to post on a non-direct ancestor. He was apparently known by his nickname "Felty."

Joseph and Frederica Todt, Valentine's parents, were both born in Germany, and likely immigrated as a married couple. That is only a possibility of course. I have not found other children of this couple in my searches.

Valentine first married Anastasia G. Kuhn and had six children with her, b. in Mt Pleasant Township, Adams, Pennsylvania:
      1. Valentine, b. 1882 aka "William", m. Anna S. Kuhn
      2.  Francis aka "Frank" Gregory, b. 15 Feb 1886, d. 4 Dec 1955 Hanover PA;
              m. 25 Feb 1919 to Mary Jane Eck in Hanover, PA.
      3.  Ellen Gabriel, b. 29 Jun 1888; m. 13 Feb 1912 to Edward L. Weaver in
              Littlestown, PA
      4.  Helen Catherine, b. 10 Aug 1890
      5.  Alverta Elizabeth, TWIN, b. 27 Aug 1893
      6.  George Sylvester, TWIN, b. 27 Aug 1893, d. 8 Jul 1960, Hanover PA

Unfortunately Anastasia died several weeks after the twins' birth [George & Alverta]. Hopefully Valentine had help from family and friends, as the children were still quite small. He was a farmer, and clearly help would have been needed.

On 5 May 1896, Valentine married for a second time, to Susanna Gaul, at the Conewago Chapel of the Basilica, Adams, PA.  Susanna's parents, Jacob and Helena Gaul, were also born in Germany. She was born 18 Jun 1861 in Pennsylvania.

The couple had 3 more children: Irene, Lillian, and John Todt.  I do not have their exact birthdates unfortunately. More research to do at a later time.

Valentine died 14 Jun 1922 in Union Township, Adams, PA, and was buried in the cemetery at the Conewago Chapel of the Basilica, Adams, PA. Eight years later, his second wife, Susanna, died 26 Jan 1930, and was buried by her husband. The gravestone shows their two names, dates of birth and death.

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If any of these are ancestors of yours, I would be happy to hear from you with your comments or corrected information. I am also very happy to share any details I might have that are not shown on this post. Contact information is found at the very bottom of this blog.

Blogger has a glitch which is stopping me from replying to your comments, but please do know that I appreciate your comments very much. You make my day! Thanks so much for stopping by to read my family blog.

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Welcome!

Family, friends, and others - I hope you enjoy these pages about our ancestors and their lives. Genealogy has become somewhat of an obsession, more than a hobby, and definitely a wonderful mystery to dig into and discover. Enjoy my writing, and contact me at celia.winky at gmail dot com if you have anything to add to the stories. ... Celia Lewis