Elmira Barton McKinney Drinker (1859-1934)

 

Elmira Barton McKinney was born on 10 May 1859 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania to David L. McKinney (1819-1863) and Martha McKelvy (1822-1902).

On 17 Nov 1891, Elmira married my 6th cousin, Richard Carleton Drinker (1865-1928). 

Marriage record of Elmira and Richard

In 1900, Richard and Elmira were living on Delaware Ave in Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania. They live with their two daughters Rachel and Eleanor and a servant named Mary Gillen (age 32). Richard was working as a foreman. 

Sometime between 1900 and 1910, Richard and Elmira moved from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts. In 1910, Richard and Elmira (Ella) were living at 66 Chestnut Street in Quincy, Massachusetts with their two daughters- Rachel and Eleanor. The house is no longer there according to Google Maps. At the time, Richard was working as a forge engineer at a ship yard. 

In 1920, Richard and Elmira were living at 79 Dimock Street, Quincy, Massachusetts. The house was built in 1915 and still stands today; it has 6 bedrooms. Richard was an in dependent consulting engineer working from home. 

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Robert and Elmira had 3 children together- 

Richard Carleton Drinker Jr. (1893-1893)

Rachael Reynier Drinker (b 1895)

Eleanor Rodman Drinker (1896-1982)

Elmira died in 1934 at the age of 74 in Boston, Massachusetts. She is buried near her husband in the Old Rosemont Cemetery in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. 

The Mendenhall Inn- Mendenhall, Pennsylvania

After posting my previous blog post onto Facebook, a woman brought my attention to the Mendenhall Inn in Mendenhall, Pennsylvania. I haven't heard of this one, so I was excited to do some research. 

Mendenhall Inn 
Photo Courtesy of Google Images

The Mendenhall Inn

323 Kennett Pike

Mendenhall, Pennsylvania      (More pictures of the inn below)

The inn was named for the village of Mendenhall in Pennsylvania that was incorporated in 1881 and named after a farmer named Ellwood Mendenhall, who was my 4th cousin, 8x removed.

Ellwood Mendenhall was born on January 8, 1808 in Pennsbury, Pennsylvania to Aaron Mendenhall (1760-1827) & Sarah Ann Woolas (1774-1865). He had 5 siblings: Ann, Isaac, Hannah, Sarah, and Martha.

Ellwood Mendenhall's home 

In 1849, Ellwood purchased 135 acres of land and established a north railroad siding with a freight station, creamery and mail depot. Along with his brother Isaac, they established the first "station" on the Underground Railroad over the Pennsylvania state line after Thomas Garrett's house in Delaware. 

About 1832, Ellwood married Sidney Cox (1810-1858) and they had 5 children: 

1. Alfred Mendenhall (1831-1874)

2. Milton Mendenhall (1834-1920)

3. Clarkson Mendenhall (1837-1927)

4. Hannah Cox Mendenhall (1842-1939)

5. Sarah Mendenhall (b. 1844)

After Sidney died in 1858, Ellwood remarried to Lydia Gamble on November 5, 1862 and they had one daughter- 

6. Sarah Gamble Mendenhall (1864-1957)

Ellwood died on March 2, 1894 at the age of 86 years old. He is buried in the Longwood Cemetery in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. 

Gravestone of Ellwood Mendenhall

More pictures of The Mendenhall Inn:

The Mendenhall Immigrants

My 11th Great-Grandfather was Thomas Mildenhall III. He was born in Marridge Hill, England to Thomas & Anne Mildenhall.

Thomas Mildenhall III 
I'm not even sure where I got this picture from (obviously a hand-drawn portrait). I think from Ancestry.com YEARS ago.

Thomas married Joane Strode (1634-1682) on 12 Aug 1649 in Aldbourne, England at the Aldbourne Parish Church.

Thomas and Joane had 9 children:

 

1.    Margery Mildenhall (1655-1742)

2.   Thomas Mildenhall IV (1657-1729)

3.   John Mendenhall (1659-1743)

4.   Joane Mildenhall (1661-1731)

5.   Benjamin Mendenhall (1662-1740)

6.   Stephen Mildenhall (1664-1721)

7.   Moses Mildenhall (1666-1738)

8.   Aaron Mildenhall (b. 1669)

9.   Mary Mildenhall (1670-1728)

Thomas died at the age of 52 on 05 Jul 1682 in Sommerset, London, England. He is buried in the Holy Cross Churchyard in Ramsbury, England: 

The Holy Cross Churchyard 
(on my bucket list!!)

Many of the Thomas' children immigrated to America after his death. They each recieved money and/or land in their father's estate. The ones who immigrated sold their land and/or used the money to move to America. They purchased land in Pennsylvania from William Penn.      

Thomas' 7th child Moses Mildenhall (1666-1738) was the first to immigrate to America. He only stayed a year. He thought the land and township to be too rough so he travelled back to England, married Elizabeth Bacon (1673-1737) and had 9 children. 

Other children of Thomas Mildenhall who immigrated around 1685- they became one of the prominent families who established Chester County, Pennsylvania. 

1. Margery Mildenhall (1655-1742)- Thomas and Joane's 1st child. She, along with her husband Thomas Martin (1650-1714) and their first 4 daughters made the trip along with her brothers. 

Margery & Thomas Martin had a total of 7 children: 

Mary (1675-1721), Hannah (b. 1679), Sarah (1680-1744), Rachel (1681-1775), Moses (1686-1739), George (1688-1780) and Elinor (b. 1694). 

2. John Mendenhall (1659-1743)- my 10th Great-Grandfather. John was single but quickly married after settling into Pennsylvania. 

  

John married first Elizabeth Maris (1664-1705) and they had 3 sons: George (1686-1758), John Jr. (1688-1765) & Aaron (1690-1765). 

John married secondly to Esther Maddock (1661-1713)

3. Benjamin Mendenhall (1662-1740)- Benjamin married Ann Pennell (1668-1749) and they had 11 children!

Ann (1690-1691), Benjamin Jr. (1691-1743), Joseph (1692-1748), Moses (1694-1731), Hannah (1696-1768), Samuel (1698-1749), Rebekah (1699-1727), Ann (1703-1789), Nathan (1705-1705), John (b. 1712), Robert (1713-1785).

This is Benjamin's money box.

In Jan 2019, it was located in Berk's County history center, but then given back to Chester County
Gorgeous and amazing that it's still around!!!!!

You can read more about the transfer of the box Here.

One of Benjamin's descendants is President Richard Nixon! 

4. Mary Mildenhall- Mary traveled with her brother's and sister to Pennsylvania as a single woman. On 17 Apr 1685, she married Nathaniel Newlin (1665-1729). They had 7 children:

Jimima (1685-1723), Elizabeth (1687-1723), Nicholas (1689-1768), Nathaniel Jr. (1690-1732), John (1691-1753), Keziah (b. 1696), Mary (b. 1697). 

Mary and Nathaniel started a Mill in near Concordville in 1704. Can you believe that the mill ran until 1941?! Both the Mill and their home still stands!

The Mill- learn more about it Here.

Mary and Nathaniel's family home

My bucket list includes all of these places in this post. I would LOVE to immerse myself in the places where my ancestors stepped. 

A Million Mendenhalls: Charles James Mendenhall 1888-1940

Charles James Mendenhall

Born: 10 Jul 1888 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Charles was the son of Joseph Doane Mendenhall (1852-1898) & Laura Launcelot Newell (1857-1942). He had 5 siblings: 

1. Margaret (1881-1881)

2. Laura Newell (1882-1980)

3. Cookson (1884-1884)

4. Mark Twain (1885-1935)

5. Hayes Cookson (1890-1992)

In 1909, Charles married May E. Hallowell (1890-1971). There were 3 different marriage records for Charles and May- 2 in 1909 for Philadelphia and 1 in 1909 for New Jersey, which is odd.

Charles and May had 2 daughters: 

1. Edna E. (1909-1990)

2. Margaret Laura (1910-2008)

WWI Draft Registration Card

Census Records: 

21 April 1910- Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Charles was living at 6633 Haddington Street, home was owned. He was head of the household, a bricklayer for a construction company.  He lived with his wife and daughter Edna.

06 Jan 1920- Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Charles is living on N. Robinson Street. He's the head of household, renting now. He's living with his mother, 2 sisters, wife, 2 daughters and a boarder. It looks like he's fallen onto some hard times.

05 May 1930- Upper Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania: Charles is living at 7100 Emerson Ave- Home is rented @ $40/month. He's head of the household, a bricklayer still. He's living with his wife and daughter Edna who is a stenographer for an insurance company. His daughter Margaret is living with her husband Melvin Brobst in Prospect Park, PA. 

Charles died on 16 May 1940 in Burlington, New Jersey, he was 51. He was buried in the Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia, Section 74.

~Charles is my 6th cousin, 5x Removed.

Mappy Monday- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This post was supposed to be last weeks, however, I was sick and didn't finish it- so here you go! :) 



My 9th great grandfather- John Mendenhall Jr. (1688-1765) received a land warrant on 16 Apr 1743 at the age of 54 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received 1000 acres. I wish I knew exactly where this land was, but I suppose I would have to travel to Philadelphia myself and do more research.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1740s

Photos courtesy of Google

Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania. It has 1.548 million people living there (2012). 

European colonization began in 1609 when a Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson first entered the area. The first English settlement occurred in 1642 when 50 puritan families from New Haven Colony of Connecticut established land near the Schuylkill River. But it wasn't until William Penn came from England- given the Pennsylvania land from the King of England that it really grew. 

Philadelphia grew from a few hundred inhabitants in 1683 to over 2500 in 1701. 

At the time when my ancestor was living in/near Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin was in Philadelphia with his printing press.

Things to see in Philadelphia- 

~Philadelphia Museum of Art
~Liberty Bell
~Independence Hall
~Independence National Historical Park
~Philadelphia Zoo
~Benjamin Franklin Parkway