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Spitznogle Families
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Alternate Spellings - Spitsnogle, Spitznagle, Spitznagel; a newspaper article in 1859 carries the name as "Spittsswaggle" - one can see the possibilities for misspelling are practically endless! The name was originally Spitznagle in Germany. Medieval merchants often took as a surname the type of wares they sold and Spitznagle means "sharp nail" (German American Names, by Geo. F. Jones, 1990). Links - Pullen, Beard, Sam Fuller’s Web Site Contacts - Sam Fuller, descendant of Jacob Spitznogle; has information on many branches of the family, including other states; Alex Radcliffe, descendant of Lorenzo Spitznogle; Ken Schlobohm, researching descendants of Cyrus and Viola Spitznogle Beard. We particularly wish to thank Sam Fuller for help in sorting out this family. Photos - Sam Fuller has a photo of Jacob Spitznogle up on his Web Site as well as several other Spitznogle photos (Note: This is a FamilyTreeMaker Web Site and when it is busy it may give you a message that the page has been moved or deleted - don't believe it - just try at another time!); There are photos of Spitznogle tombstones up on the Miller Cemetry page. |
George and Nancy Spitznogle FamilyGeorge Spitznogle of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Union County, Indiana, was the parent of the Mercer County Spitznogles. He married widow Nancy Shroyer Rice on 1/4/1835 in Union County, Indiana (Ref: Indiana Marriage Records). Nancy was previously married on 5/6/1830 to Aaron Rice. Apparently their were no children of the Rice marriage, or if there were, they did not go with Nancy. Researchers carry her maiden name as Nancy Sawyer, so the clerk recording the Indiana marriage may have misspelled the name.Spitznogle is not a very common name and is not found at all in the 1790 census in America. The earliest we find is Jacob Spitznogle in 1820 in German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Sam Fuller tells us he is George's father. Sam has researched the family back to Germany and has also researched other families of Jacob's children. Sam has a FamilyTreeMaker Web Site including other Mercer County families as well as the Spitznogles. George and Nancy Spitznogle are found in the 1850 Census in Union County, Indiana, in Liberty Township (July 31, 1850), #46: George Spitznogle, 38, farmer, born Pennsylvania; Nancy, 34, Pa; Lorenzo, 14, In; Susannah, 12, In; John, 10, In; Jacob, 7, In; Isaac, 5, In; Willett, 4, In; Mary, 1, In. The Spitznogles were in Mercer County by 1853, as there is a curious listing in Glancey Cemetery Records: "Uglet, grandson of G & N Spitznogle, died 10/1/1853, age 6y 5m 11d." We were first intrigued by the name "Uglet" and then, as we researched the family, by who he was. This was actually George and Nancy's son, Willet Spitznogle, as he is not found with them in the 1860 census. There is no way that George and Nancy had a grandson by 1847. One has to remember that the tombstones were read in the 1960's, and many of the names and dates were very difficult to decipher, and this one was obviously misread. Daughter Susan died 11/16/1854, age 15y 7m 7d, and is buried in Glancey Cemetery next to Willet. (See the Glancey Cemetery page for Sam Fuller's transcription of the Spitznogle grave sites.) George Spitznogle was a judge in the fowl department of the Mercer County fourth annual fair in 1857 (see Social Life page). A present day relative, Erin Spitznogle of Wapello, Iowa, is listed as a winner in a modern Iowa fair. George Spitznogle testified as a character witness at a murder trial in Rock Island County in 1859. See Hampton Page and go to the bottom of the page for information on the trial and for his testimony. We find the family in Eliza Township in 1860: George Spitznogle, 50, farmer, born Pennsylvania; Nancy, 48, Pa; John H., 19, In; Jacob, 17, In; Isaac, 14, In; Mary C., 11, In; George W., 9, In; Nancy J., 9, In; Amanda, 6, Il. Nancy Jane and George were twins. Lorenzo married in 1856 and is also living in Eliza Township (more below). With the two deaths mentioned above, the family is fully accounted for. George and Nancy Spitznogle moved on to Louisa County, Iowa, Jefferson Township, by 1870, along with sons John and Isaac. They are not found in the 1865 Mining and Manufacturing Census of Mercer County. There is a Spitznogle Lake in Louisa County, Iowa, the area where they lived. Go to http://www.topozone.com, type in Spitznogle Lake and change state to Iowa to see map. It was located 8 km southwest of New Boston, so they did not move far away. We also noted a town Spitznogle, Oregon, in old records that is not found today. Sam Fuller tells us that the Elwood Spitznogle (son of Lorenzo) family went to Oregon. More on the Spitznogle ChildrenLorenzo and Elizabeth Pullen Spitznogle FamilySon Lorenzo Spitznogle married Elizabeth Pullen on 12/25/1856. We have up a Pullen page, but have not yet determined for sure who Elizabeth's parents were. Harriett and Madson Pullen had a daughter Esther, age 12 in 1850, born Illinois, and we believe she was probably Esther Elizabeth as we find no further record of Esther.Lorenzo and Elizabeth are found in the 1860 census in Eliza Township, not far from Lorenzo's parents: Lorenzo Spitznogle, 25, farmer, born Indiana; Elizabeth, 22, born Illinois; Elwood, 2; Minnie, 1; Electa, 3/12, all born Illinois. Sam Fuller lists seven additional children: Edgar, Millard, Nettie, Addie, Susie, Jessie, and Jennie. We find a marriage for daughter Minnie Spitznogle to John Browser on 1/6/1881 in Muscatine County, Iowa. John H. and Sarah Shaw SpitznogleSam Fuller tells us that son, John H. Spitznogle, married Sarah Jane Shaw on 12/29/1855 in Louisa County, Iowa, and lists children: Carrie, George, Ameda, and John, Jr. We find a marriage for daughter Armitta J. Spitznogle and Clark D. Sheafor on 2/18/1891 in Muscatine County, Iowa, marriage records. There are many entries for this family in Ancestry World Tree for those who are interested. Bear in mind that Ancestry World Tree is not a primary source, and anything found there needs to be verified.Jacob and Emeline Pullen Spitznogle FamilySon Jacob Spitznogle married Emeline Pullen 3/8/1865 in Mercer County. Emeline, age 4, is found in Rock Island County with widowed mother Harriett Pullen in 1850. They were in Drury Township, which is just across the county line from Eliza Township in Mercer County. She would be sister of Lorenzo's wife, Elizabeth Pullen, if her sister Esther in the 1850 census was Esther Elizabeth.We do not find Jacob and Emeline in the 1870 census in Mercer County, but we do know Jacob died in Arden, Iowa. There is a curious entry in Cemeteries in Muscatine County, page 680: Jacob Spitznagle, May 6, 1832-December 26, 1928, Miller Cemetery, Muscatine, Iowa. There are comments with the entry that Jacob was possibly a Civil War veteran (not likely) and that he was husband of Emaline Pullen, and father of Byron, Orsen, Lee, Thomas, Mrs. Edna Huston, and Mrs. Violet Bierd [Beard]. The Iowa Cemetery records were purportedly gathered by WPA employees in the 1930's, but we feel there must have been some addition to the records at a later date, as Jacob is buried in the Miller Cemetery in Eliza Township in Mercer County, Illinois, according to both the death certificate and obituary of Jacob furnished by Sam Fuller. Obituary of Jacob Spitznogle: (Courtesy of Sam Ross Fuller) Jacob Spitznogle, 86, retired Drury township farmer, died at the home of his son, Thomas Spitznogle, at Arden, Iowa, at 7:05 Wednesday night [12/26/1928 per death certificate] of old age and complications. Mr. Spitznogle was born in Indiana, May 6, 1842. He came to Iowa when a small boy and later took up farming in Illinois where he married Emmeline Pullen. She died 30 years ago. Surviving are the children Byron and Orsen of Drury, Ill; Lee of Wilton township; Thomas of Arden; Mrs. Edna Huston, Drury, Ill; Mrs. Violet Bierd [Beard], Joy, Illinois. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon at the Eliza, Ill. church. Burial will be in the Miller cemetery. The Hoffman Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Sam Fuller lists an additional daughter Eliza, who died at birth or in early infancy. Daughter, Viola Spitznogle, married Cyrus Beard (son of Jacob and Eliza Sloan Beard) on 1/31/1891 in Mercer County. Son, Lee Roy Spitznogle, married Carrie W. Wherry on 1/8/1896 in Muscatine County, Iowa. Carrie Spitznogle is buried in Miller Cemetery in Eliza Township (1880-1932). She is buried beside Geraldine Spitznogle (1919-1967), relationship unknown. Son, Orson Spitznogle, married first to Hattie Stohecker on 29 May 1897 in Muscatine, Iowa, and second to Belle Hesser on 19 December 1900 in Muscatine. Daughter, Edna L. Spitznogle, married David S. Huston on 13 June 1898 in Muscatine. Sam Fuller has more on the children of Jacob and Emeline Pullen Spitznogle. Visit his Web Site linked above. We have not otherwise followed the family to Louisa County, Iowa, as our interest is in the history of Mercer County. |
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