52 Ancestors: #13 Hannah Elizabeth Scroggins, NOT "Scrubbrin"

Hannah and Charles Sharon

When I began working on genealogy, I used my grandmother's notes as a starting point.  According to her, my great-great grandmother's name was "Elizabeth Scrubbrin." I thought it was a very strange last name.  Eventually I discovered her real maiden name was Scroggins.

Hannah Elizabeth Scroggins was born October 16, 1874 in Lovington, Illinois.  Her parents were John Scroggins and Laura Hannah Carter.  She had three younger sisters and two younger brothers.

On New Years Day, 1893, she married Lawrence Anderson in Findlay, Illinois.  They had five children: John Orin (1894), Mary Olivia (1895), Charles William (1897), Elsie Ellen (1902), and Harlan Hosea (1904).

It seems that Lawrence died in 1903, before the birth of their last child, Harlan (my great grandfather).  I assume that he died, but I haven't been able to find his death certificate or grave.

On October 18, 1903, Hannah married Charles Leroy Sharon in Illinois.  They had two children: Edith (1907), and Leonard (1910). They moved from Illinois to Oregon during the Great Depression along with John, Charles, Harlan, and Leonard and their families.  All but John later moved back to the Midwest.

Hannah died March 31, 1958 in St. Elmo, Illinois.

Charles and Hannah Sharon and family.

52 Ancestors: #10 Lawrence Anderson, What Happened to You?

Terre Haute, late 1800's.

I don't know much about my great great grandfather, Lawrence Anderson.  I'm not even sure what his full name is.   His marriage record lists him as "L. L. Anderson."  Other family trees on Ancestry.com have a "Lorenzo Lawrence Anderson" with corresponding family members, but I have no real proof this is his name.

Lawrence Anderson was born about 1867 in Indiana.  His parents were Orin McClure Anderson and Mary Ann Bushnell.  Lawrence had one brother, Charles D., and three sisters, Sarah Elizabeth, Mary L., and Jennie B.  The family lived in Vigo County, Indiana.  In 1871,  Lawrence's father died.  His mother died less than three years later.   I found Lawrence in the 1880 census, aged 13, living in the household of his  brother Charles and his family in Sullivan County, Indiana.

He married Hannah Elizabeth Scroggins on January 1, 1893 in Shelby County, Illinois.  I have a copy of their marriage certificate; this is actually the only record I have for him other than three censuses.  They had five children: John Orin, Mary Olivia, Charles William, Elsie Ellen, and Harlan Hosea (my great grandfather.)  In the 1900 census, Lawrence was a farm laborer in Vigo County.

Then, something happened in 1903 -- Lawrence disappeared.  I don't know whether he died or just left the family.   In the 1910 census, Hannah was remarried.  She had been married to Charles Sharon for 6 years.  I have tried to find Lawrence's death certificate.  The problem is I'm not sure exactly where or when he died.  I've searched for him unsuccessfully on Findagrave.com.

If you know anything about Lawrence Anderson or have any ideas about how to find out more about him, please leave a comment!