James Hiram Sheets family ca. 1916 Edith - Ella - Clifford - Lester - Ray - James - Birdie
I had found a Henry Sheets in Hardin Co., OH who matched the age, was born in VA and lived near a Hiram Trump/Van Trump who was married, in Augusta Co. to Elizabeth Sheets. This Hiram Trump and Henry Sheets are listed in the 1833 tax rolls for Augusta Co., VA. This Henry moved to Henry Co., IA in 1847, and died there in 1857, with a tombstone that indicated he was born about 2 Feb 1780. Living near him in Henry Co. was Hiram and Elizabeth Sheets Trump. Secure in the belief that this was the right Henry, I had placed him in my Sheets history.
Early in the summer of 1995, following a lead given me by a cousin, I contacted Glenn Sheets of Delaware Co., OH, and in an ongoing correspondence learned that he and other researchers in his family had placed the Augusta Co. Henry Sheets in their history also. Glenn sent me photos of tombstones that show their Henry buried in Delaware Co., OH in
1856. The names and dates match and frakturs on the stones say that he was born in Augusta Co., VA. Their documentation is quite good and I was at a loss to explain the two Henry's, both born in Augusta Co., VA in early February 1780, and both moved to Ohio about the same time.
Further research of the Augusta County tax rolls, however, revealed a Henry Sheets in the Southern Tax District who fit the age and family profile, and I am focussing on this Henry as my ancestor. If anyone accessing this site can help, please do.
At this time, I must start with the Henry from Hardin Co., OH as the earliest of the Sheets line of my ancestors:
Henry Sheets b. 2 Feb 1780, Augusta Co., VA, d. 27 Mar 1857 Henry Co., IA.
George Washington Sheets b. ca. 1817, d. about 1 Oct 1871, m. 19 Oct 1843 Hardin Co., OH to Mary Elizabeth Schwartz, b. 21 Mar 1819, d. 26 Mar 1850 Henry Co., IA, m.2 13 May 1852 Henry Co., IA to Eva Ann Lewis Gardner, b. 16 Mar 1825 OH d. 9 Dec 1922 Antelope Co., NE, widow of William Gardner and dau of Andrew and Mary Bowers Lewis of OH. George was a veteran of the Civil War, serving in Co. D, 4th IA Cav. He was about 47 at the time of his enlistment, and said he was only 45 because soldiers over age 45 were detailed to guard prisoners and handle supplies. He contracted smallpox in boot camp and, although he recovered enough to go back into the line, was in poor health for the rest of his life. He applied for a pension, but died before the paperwork was completed. George is buried in Pleasant Hill cemetery in Henry Co., IA.
James Hiram Sheets b. 6 Feb 1853 Henry Co., IA, d. 16 Jan 1936 Antelope Co., NE, m. 24 Apr 1886 Antelope Co., NE to Ella Bahl, b. 15 Sep 1864 Blackhawk Co., IA, d. 27 May 1929 Norfolk, Madison, NE, dau of Bernhard Bennett and Julia Lohr Bahl of Blackhawk Co. James and Ella are buried in Park Center cemetery in Antelope Co., NE. James middle name came from Hiram Trump, George's friend and brother-in-law.
Argatha Birdie Sheets b. 15 May 1897, d. 17 Oct 1978, m.1 16 Jul 1913 Antelope Co., NE to James Walter Hauser, b. 15 Oct 1879 Shelby Co., IA, d. 3 Mar 1919. M.2 Clifford Lynch, b. 1892, m.3 Dave Miller, m.4 Lloyd Brittell. Argatha and Lloyd are buried in O'Neill, NE cemetery.
Mildred Violet Hauser b. 12 May 1914, d. 28 Apr 1979, m.1 15 Sep 1928 Butte, NE to Harley Ivan Miller, b. 4 Nov 1914, d. 16 Apr 1963; m.2 17 Apr 1966 Neligh, NE to Earl Udey. Mildred and Harley are buried in the Clearwater, NE cemetery.