The Hawley Connection

Recently I shared the results of my Ancestry.com DNA test. It has been very interesting to look at the family trees and the lists of surnames that my cousins have researched. Honestly, I'm not seeing a lot of familiar surnames. This is, I'm sure, because I have only just scratched the genealogical surface of my own family tree. Hopefully, as I collect more evidence and push back to older generations some of the connections will start to make more sense.

One family line that seems both prolific and more inclined to participate in DNA testing and tracking down family connections is the Hawley family. Any time I have a surname in common with one of the people on my match list it's almost sure to be through the Hawley line connecting with my 2x-great-grandmother, Rachel Hawley.

Rachel Hawley m. John George Klein (my great-great-grandparents)

Mary Elizabeth Klein m. William A. Dixon (my great-grandparents)

Wallace B. Dixon m. Sophie Karvoius (my grandparents)

While I'm still focusing my research efforts on my grandfather's generation, I do have some information about Rachel and John Klein to share. Since I have yet to acquire birth records for John and Rachel, I offer the following regarding their birth information:

John George Klein
b. 1834; Wustenberg, Germany (1870 census)
b. 1838; Prussia (1880 census)
b. July 1837; Germany (1900 census)
b. 1838; Germany (1910 census)
b. 1837; Germany (Wustenberg)  (1920 census)
b. 1837; Germany (1930 census)

Rachel Hawley
b. 1845; Ohio (1870 census)
b. 1844; Ohio (1880 census)
b. Sep 1841; Ohio (1900 census)
b. 1841; Ohio (1910 census)
b. 1839; Ohio (1920 census)

It seems likely that John George Klein was born in Wustenberg, Germany in July of 1937, and Rachel Klein was born in September of 1841 in Ohio. The ages in the census seem to hover around those dates, though the gap in their ages certainly decreases [according to census records] as they get older]. The 1870 census is certainly the least consistent date.

 

1865 - Ohio

John G. Klein and Rachel Holley [Hawley] were married on 30 November, 1865 in Butler County, Ohio. (1)

30 November 1865. John George Klein married Rachel Hawley in Butler County, Ohio.

1870 - Indiana

Probable birth record for Mary Elizabeth Klein, 3 November 1867, Ohio.

In the 1870 Federal Census (2) they were living in Union Township, Union County, Indiana (Post Office: College Corner, Butler Co., Ohio). John, listed as 36 years old was working as a farm laborer. The census indicates that he was a citizen of the United States. Rachel, age 25, was keeping house and raising their children. Five years after their marriage they had three daughters: Mary E. (3), 4 years old; Katy, 3 years old; and Anna [possibly Ida], 1 year old. All of the children were born in Ohio.

Two other children, that I know of, were born between the 1870 and 1880 censuses; Christina, was born on 9 July 1876 (4), and Clara Nancy B. was born on 9 October 1877 (5). Both girls were born in Milford Township, Butler County, Ohio. It is also possible that another daughter, Gertrude, was born in 1878. I have seen her recorded on a family group sheet that was done by a relative in the 1980's, but no sources were cited, so I have no actual proof of this. She would have been two years old in 1880, but does not appear in the household enumeration for that census.

 

1880 - New Jersey

In 1880 the Klein family was living in Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey. (6) Their residence was at 62 Elizabeth Avenue. John's age is now listed as 42, and Rachel's age is given as 36. John is still listed as a laborer, but he had been unemployed for four months in the census year. The date of the census is 1 June 1880. The children in the household were Mary E., 13; Charlotte [possibly the Katy of the previous census?], 12; Rose [possibly the "Anna" from 1870 census?], 11; William, 9; Clara, 3; and Julia, 1. Christina, born in 1876, does not appear on this census.

I believe that Julia is actually Effa Julietta, born 30 March 1879 in Milford, Butler County, Ohio. (7) This means that the family moved from Ohio to New Jersey some time between the end of March 1879 and 1 June 1880, the date the census taker recorded their household information.

Here is a remarkable thing. Rachel had Malaria when this census was taken. She also had six children in the house ranging in age from 13 to 1 year old. I cannot imagine how she coped. At that time the cause of Malaria was unknown, and there was no real cure.

The same family group sheet that lists Gertrude (b. 1878) as one of the children also lists a son, Franke, born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on 25 Jun 1884. I'm still searching for him as well.

1900 - New Jersey, with grandchildren

The next Federal Census that the family appears in is the 1900 Census. (8) They are living at 132 Livingston Street, Elizabeth, NJ.  John is still the head of the household, his age listed as 62, born in July 1837. He is employed as a laborer at "Singers" - the Singer Manufacturing Company. Rachel's age is 58. Her birth month and year are September 1841. She is getting closer in age to John! In 1870 there was a 9 year age difference, in 1880 it was 6 years, and in 1900 we're down to 4 years difference. Confusing? You bet! The record also indicates that she is the mother of 13 children, 7 who are living at the time.

Rounding out the household in 1900 we find their son, William J., age 27, born in November of 1872. He had been married for 10 years, but his wife is not included in the household. It seems likely that she passed away, but more research is needed there. William is working as an oysterman, which is a traditional occupation for the men in the Dixon family. His oldest sister, Mary Elizabeth, had married into the Dixon family by this time and her husband was employed as an oysterman.

The children in the household in 1900 are John and Rachel's grandchildren, William's offspring. They are William J., Jr., age 7, born August 1892; Catherine, age 4, born June 1895; and Sarah, age 3, born in April 1897. All of the children were born in New Jersey.

1910 -  New Jersey, with granddaughter

In 1910 the family is living at 21 Butler St., Elizabeth, NJ.  John, age 72, is working as a janitor in an office. This census shows that he came to the United States from Germany in 1856, and that he is not a veteran of the Civil War. Rachel, now 69 years old [maintaining the four year age gap] claims that she is the mother of eight children, five of whom are living. This conflicts with the 13 children/7 living that was indicated in the previous census. The only other person in the household is a granddaughter, "Mamie," age 13. Mamie is attending school. (9)

1920 - New Jersey, living with their son

In 1920 John & Rachel Klein are living in the household of their widowed son, William, at 118 Franklin Street, Elizabeth, NJ. Also in the household is William's son, Fred, age 12. William is working as a dock builder. (10) [Side note: Mary E. Klein Dixon's second husband, Thomas Payne, was also a dock builder.]

At this time John Klein, age 83, is no longer working. Rachel is really catching up in age now. Just a two year gap as she lists her age as 81. Interestingly, the record indicates that John came to the United States in 1860, but he was naturalized in 1808. Time travel. That explains it!

1930 - New Jersey, John widowed, living with his oldest daughter

Mary Elizabeth (Klein Dixon) Payne,
daughter of John G. and Rachel (Hawley) Klein.
Taken after her 1927 marriage to Thomas Payne.

The last census that includes information on my 2x great-grandparents is 1930. (11) Rachel (Hawley) Klein has passed away. I haven't yet discovered her date of death. John George Klein, age 93, is living with my great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Klein Dixon) Payne, and her second husband, Thomas Payne, in their home at 125 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, NJ

Also in the household is Hazel Dixon, daughter of Mary E. Klein and William A. Dixon, and John Payne, Thomas Payne's brother.

John Klein's year of immigration is again given as 1860.

Burial Information 

John and Rachel (Hawley) Klein are buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Hillside, New Jersey. (12)

Further research:

• Immigration and naturalization documents for John George Klein.
• Birth records for Rachel Hawley and John George Klein.
• Birth records for Katy [or Charlotte], Anna,  Rose, William, Julia
• Death record for Christina, b. 1876, d. between 1876 - 1900
• Identify other children who died before 1900.
• Death records for Rachel Hawley and John George Klein.

Sources

(1) John G. Klein and Rachel Holley, marriage, (30 November 1865), Record of Marriages, Vol. 4: 77 [No. 961]; Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, Hamilton, Ohio.

(2) Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009), Ancestry.com, Year: 1870; Census Place: Union, Union, Indiana; Roll: M593_363; Page: 74B; Image: 458; Family History Library Film: 545862. Record for John G Kline.

(3) "Unknown"entry, Butler County Record of Births, Vol. 1: page 18, number 391, Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, Hamilton, Ohio.  

(4) Christina Klein entry, Butler County Record of Births, Vol. 1: page 376, number 10,226, Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, Hamilton, Ohio.

(5) Clara Nancy B. entry, Butler County Record of Births, Vo. 1: Page 402, Number 10,779, Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, Hamilton, Ohio. 

(6) Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010), Ancestry.com, Year: 1880; Census Place: Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey; Roll: 800; Family History Film: 1254800; Page: 2C; Enumeration District: 163; Image: 0007. 

(7) Effa Julietta Klein entry, Butler County Record of Births, Vol.1: Page 432, Number 12330, Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, Hamilton, Ohio.

 (8) Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004), Ancestry.com, Year: 1900; Census Place: Elizabeth Ward 2, Union, New Jersey; Roll: 995; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0096; FHL microfilm: 1240995. Record for John Klein.

(9) Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006), Ancestry.com, Year: 1910; Census Place: Elizabeth Ward 4, Union, New Jersey; Roll: T624_909; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 0062; FHL microfilm: 1374922. Record for Rachael Klein.

(10) Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010), Ancestry.com, Year: 1920; Census Place: Elizabeth City Ward 4, Union, New Jersey; Roll: T625_1069; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 72; Image: 782. Record for John G Klein.

(11) Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002), Ancestry.com, Year: 1930; Census Place: Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey; Roll: 1386; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0061; Image: 850.0; FHL microfilm: 2341121. Record for John Klein.

(12) The Evergreen Cemetery (Hillside, New Jersey), map of cemetery, 22 July 1975, burial location for John George and Rachel Klein.