Etzler's of PA in IA
ETZLER, VAN AUKEN, BLACKLEDGE
Posted By: Robert Etzler (email)
Date: 11/8/2009 at 17:04:03
Long query with some detail as to how I ended up in Van Buren CO.
There were three verifiable Etzler's living in Van Buren County in this period of time. The first are two children, Matilda (b. abt 1839, PA) and Thomas, (b. abt 1843, IA). Both are listed as living with David and Hannah White. Presumably, based on the fact that their last name is listed as Etzler, not White, they were not David's children. They could have been Hannah's children from a previous relationship, or the White's could have been tending to the children as favor to another family.
The aforementioned Hannah White was born in 1820 in Columbiana, OH. She was born as Hannah Blackledge. Hannah and her brother, Samuel Blackledge, stayed in the Van Buren area for several decades and are relatively easy to follow through the genealogical record.
Thomas Etzler appears to have died young and there is really very little information about him. Matilda Etzler, however, survived a while and some research can be done. Matilda is first listed on the Vernon Township, Van Buren County, Iowa census for 1850. She is listed on the Iowa state census, listed as Matilda White, in 1856. I have yet to find another confirmed reference to her in the geneological record after 1856. However, I am working on a significant amount of research that suggests she may have married a Myers P. Van Auken and became Matilda Van Auken. A note of caution - this is a very raw theory that is conflcted by the research of some others. A little detail... Matilda Van Auken is listed as being born around 1840 in PA. She also can be found on the Vernon, Van Buren County census for 1860. She is clearly the wife of Myers P. Van Auken. Matilda Etzler has disappeared from the record for this census. It is interesting to note though that both David/Hannah White, and Samuel Blackledge (all connected to Matilda Etzler) are listed on the page immediately before and immediately after Matilda Van Auken on the 1860 census.
Matilda didn't make it to the 1870 census, but following Myers reveals that he hired a farm hand by the name of John Etzler (the third of the Etzler's I have found in Van Buren County, Iowa for the time period).
If you research the Van Auken family tree most researches have attributed Matilda Van Auken's maiden name as Matilda Cook. This was based, presumably, on a letter written by Richard E Munson to the Keosauqua Pubic Library Van Buren County Iowa. I have not seen the original letter, but have received the aforementioned research from a researcher named Jason Snyder. It is true that Myers Van Auken did marry a woman named Cook, Emma Cook, but she was his second wife. Preliminary research into the Cook family has not yielded proof of the existence of a Matilda Cook. Again, this research is very raw, but I am working on the premise that Matilda Etzler became Matilda Van Auken and had several children with Myers P. Van Auken. A photo of Matilda's headstone can be found here, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=van&GSfn=matilda&GSiman=1&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSst=14&GScnty=635&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=42678790&, interestingly, she is buried at the Blackledge Cemetary in Van Buren Co, IA.
Understanding some of the details as to who Matilda is/was may be somewhat premature. But incorporating the fact that the name Etzler was very rare for Van Buren County / Clark County, MO at the time, it seems to be very compelling to research these individuals. I do not have details as to who Matilda's father was. It may be that John Etzler, hired as a farm hand for Myers Van Auken, was actually Matilda's father. John was born around 1823/1824 - which would have made him very young when Matilda was born (15 to 16). It is possible though that John was Matilda's / Thomas' father.
In summary, if anyone has any detail on any of the following:
1) Maiden name for Matilda Van Auken (or preferably marriage record)
2) Any stories/details as to how/why the Blackledge family ended up in Van Buren?
3) Any details on a man who lived in Clark County, MO but buried his daughter in Van Buren - his name was A.C. Etzler (A.C. may be Alexander Charles or Alfred Charles)
Thanks in advance!
Robert
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