Arthur Norman Howard

It has been a while since I discovered any new family tree branches and connections leading to our direct ancestors.
Not long ago, while looking at my notes related to the people who lived in the Hill Country, I realized there was such a connection I had overlooked earlier. First, it was the surname that caught my attention. Howard is one of our direct ancestry lines. The place where that man was born, North Carolina, matched too. Investigating deeper, meaning the predecessors of Arthur Norman Howard, led me (7 generations back) to John N Howard (born in 1718, in Virginia). He was the brother of our paternal 4 x great-grandfather Stephen.
Arthur Norman Howard was John N's great-great-great-grandson and our 5th cousin twice removed.
If it was not enough, there is also a family connection on our maternal side, via the Sigman family. According to the family tree software we have our family tree on, Arthur is the 3rd cousin of an uncle by marriage (Richard Lee Sigman).

Arthur was born on 24 August 1875 in Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina.

1880, the boy lived with his parents, Edward Edmond (27) and Fannie Elizabeth (Gabriel) Howard (26), and siblings, in Mountain Creek Township, Catawba, North Carolina (1). The siblings were Gertrude (age 4), Franklin (age 2), and Chattie (1-month-old).

By 1899, Arthur had been in Texas. On ♡ 8 November of this year, the 24-year-old man married 17-year-old Mary Emma Cook. It was in Caldwell, TX (2). 

 Mary was born on 9 August 1882 in Houston, TX.

After the marriage, the couple lived in Justice Precinct #4, Caldwell, TX (3). Arthur was a farmer.
Soon, children were born to them:
♦ Norman Franklin - born on 10 January 1902,
♦ Gertrude Francis, born in Martindale on 19 March 1904,
♦ Edward Troy, born in Lockhart on 11 October 1906,
and ♦ George Martindale, born on 26 August 1910.

Tragedy struck - Norman died on ♦ 24 August 1918.

Clipping source: San Antonio Express. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 240, Ed. 1 Tuesday, August 27, 1918, newspaper, August 27, 1918; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth430428/: accessed August 14, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.

About two weeks later, WW1 was still going on and on 12 September Arthur was registered by the Army (3).

 

Apparently, after Norman's death, Arthur and Mary drifted apart and their marriage did not survive. When exactly they got divorced, I do not know, but on 14 January 1920, Mary (age 37) had already lived with Gertrude (age 16) and George (age 9) in San Antonio, Justice Precinct #19. In the census record, Mary is listed as a "widow" (4).

At the same time, on 12 January, Arthur (age 44) and Troy (age 13) still lived in Lockhart, TX. However, they no longer had their own house. The father and son were boarders at Mr. and Mrs. John Clark's household. Arthur Howard was employed as a farmer there (5).

The records read that later, Mary with Gertrude and George moved to Los Angeles, California, and in February 1921, Mary remarried (6).

♡ 6 July 1921 - Arthur married again as well. His second wife was Miss Caroline Mathilde Willmann (age 29). The two got married in a Baptist Church in Lockhart, TX (7). 

 

Carrie was born on 11 July 1891 in Hilda, Mason, Mason, TX. She was the daughter of William Anton Willmann and Christine Wilhelmine Leifeste.

Caroline went to school in Mason and was confirmed at the Methodist Church. Later, young Carrie worked at the Deaf and Dumb Institute and then, enrolled in a nursing school. The lady graduated from the Physicians and Surgeons Hospital at the beginning of 1919.

 

 

Clipping source: San Antonio Express. (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 54, No. 33, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 2, 1919, newspaper, February 2, 1919; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth430576/: accessed August 14, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.

 

Clipping source: The Statesman (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 343, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 23, 1919, newspaper, February 23, 1919; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1498366/: accessed August 14, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu;.

 
♡ 15 September 1922, 18-year-old Gertrude got married as well (8). Her spouse was James Lacy McGee.

 

8 April 1930 census - Arthur and Caroline lived in Justice Precinct #1, Lubbock, Lubbock, TX (9).

♡ 12 December 1933 - Troy married Lillian Motheral in Caldwell, TX (10).

 

♡ 5 October 1934 - George married Virginia E Yates in LA, California (11).

♦ 12 January 1938 - Arthur's father Edward Edmond died in Mooresville, Iredell, North Carolina (12).

4 April 1940 - Arthur (age 64) owned a house and farmed in Justice Precinct #1, Caldwell, TX. Caroline (age 48) was a homemaker (13).

♦ 17 May 1941 - Arthur's mother, Fannie Elizabeth passed away (14).

♦ 2 February 1949 - Caroline died in Lockhart at the age of 57 years 8 months and 21 days, after a year-long illness (15).

It seems, after Carrie's passing, Arthur sold the house and farm. Census 10 April 1950 - the man (age 74) lived as a boarder at the house of John A Schaper, a meat cutter, in Caldwell, TX (16).

♦ 7 November 1959 - Arthur passed at the Lockhart Hospital, due to heart failure (17).

Source:
1. "United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC6F-2H7: Thu Aug 03 01:54:39 UTC 2023), Entry for Edward Howard and Fany Howard, 1880.
2. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XL7V-J7M : 10 March 2021), A Howard and Mary Cook, 08 Nov 1899; citing Caldwell, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 980,084.
3. "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXS-T83 : 29 December 2021), Arthur Noruson Howard, 1917-1918.
4. "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH1Z-8QL : Sat Jul 22 22:42:54 UTC 2023), Entry for Mary Howard and Gertrude Howard, 1920.
5. "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCMM-4YX : Fri Jul 21 18:40:57 UTC 2023), Entry for Arthur N Howard and Troy Howard, 1920.
6. "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8FB-2TT : 17 August 2022), Ralph H Mc Coy and Mary E Howard, 1921.
7. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1H-Y41T : 23 February 2021), A N Howard and Caroline Willman, 06 Jul 1921; citing Marriage, citing Caldwell, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 1,703,894.
8. "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8N9-4JR : 9 March 2021), James Lacy Mc Gee and Francis Gertrude Howard, 15 Sep 1922; citing Los Angeles, 9. 9. California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,074,281.
"United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HX7H-8T2 : Fri Aug 04 20:39:11 UTC 2023), Entry for Arthur N Howard and Carolyn N Howard, 1930.
10. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K61R-F5C : 23 February 2021), Troy Howard and Lillian Motheral, 12 Dec 1933; citing Marriage, citing Caldwell, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 1,704,024.
11. "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8JN-9VV : 17 August 2022), George Martindale Howard and Virginia E Yates, 1934.
12. "North Carolina Deaths, 1931-1994", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FPN7-151 : 29 September 2022), Edd Howard, 1938.
13. "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWJ9-Z34 : Tue Jul 25 18:19:43 UTC 2023), Entry for Arthur Howard and Caroline Howard, 1940.
14. "North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HW16-1QT2 : 14 February 2020), Fannie Elizabeth Howard, 1941.
15. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K39B-Y1P : 27 March 2023), Arthur Howard, 1949.
16. "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XGR-MJDR : Sat Jul 29 12:03:48 UTC 2023), Entry for Albert Schneider and Myrtle Schneider, 10 April 1950.
17. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3SL-H18 : 5 April 2023), Arthur N Howard, 1959.
"Families of Kimble County" 1998, Kimble County Historical Commission, South Llano Printing Company, Junction, Texas

 

Cora Belle McIntosh Sigman

Cora Belle McIntosh, our maternal aunt, was born on 18 Dec. 1914 in Harrison, Texas. Her parents were Ethel B. Lollar and Samuel Hollie McIntosh.

Harrison County Courthouse, Marshall, Texas

On 23 March 1934, Cora married Mr. Richard Lee Sigman. Both Cora and her spouse were nineteen then. Richard's parents were Julius Alexander (Bud) Sigman and Lidy Edwards.


Cora Bell Mcintosh
mentioned in the record of Richard L Sigmon and Cora Bell McIntosh
Name: Richard L Sigmon
Titles and Terms: Mr
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 23 Mar 1934
Event Place: Harrison, Texas, United States
Spouse's Name: Cora Bell Mcintosh
Spouse's Titles and Terms: Miss

Record Source:
"Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8Y-Z11R : 10 December 2017), Richard L Sigmon and Cora Bell Mcintosh, 23 Mar 1934; citing Harrison, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 1,405,524.

In 1940, Cora, Richard, and their children lived in Justice Precinct No. 8, Upshur, Texas. Richard Lee was a farmer.

Cora Belle Sigman
United States Census, 1940
Name: Cora Belle Sigman
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Justice Precinct 8, Upshur, Texas, United States
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birthplace: Texas
Birth Year (Estimated): 1916
Last Place of Residence: Same Place

Household

Richard Sigman Head Male 24 born Texas
Cora Belle Sigman Wife Female, age 24, born Texas
Richard W Sigman, Son, Male, 4, born Texas
Billie Ray Sigman, Son, Male, 2, born in Texas
Marvin Sigman, Son, Male, 1, Texas,
William Edwards, Cousin, Male, 13, born in Texas

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4QS-RHY : 15 March 2018), Cora Belle Sigman in household of Richard Sigman, Justice Precinct 8, Upshur, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 230-21, sheet 6A, line 69, family 130, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4153.

Cora and Richard had eight children

- four sons

Richard Wayne, born 21 June 1935 in Ore City, Upshur, Texas (1) - died 7 Dec. 2005 in Dallas, Dallas, TX;
Billie Ray, born 18 Dec. 1937, Harrison, Texas (2) - died 6 Feb. 2017 in Murchison, Henderson County, TX;
Marvin, born in 1939;
Kenneth Neal, born 13 Nov. 1943, Dallas, Dallas, TX (3), died 30 Sept. 1999 in Seagoville, Dallas County, Texas;

- four daughters

Sarah Ladell, born 18 July 1940 in Upshur, TX (4), died 7 Nov. 2007 in Dallas, Dallas, TX;
Wanda Lajean, born 10 Nov. 1942 in Upshur, TX (5), died Nov 7 2007, Dallas, TX;
Carolyn Sue;
Patricia Gay.

In 1959, the family moved to Dallas. I assume it was that year because in Dallas they lived at 8317 Greenmound Ave (7,8).  The house in which they lived was built in 1959.

Cora's husband Richard passed in DOA Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas on 22 May 1976. He was sixty-one years old when died from the cerebrovascular disease caused by hypertension (6).

I do not know where Richard worked when they moved from Upshur to Dallas.

Cora Belle lived about six years longer than her husband. She died on 25 July 1982 in Baylor Medical Center in Dallas due to complications after the bypass surgery she had gone through (7).

Cora and Richard were buried at Grove Hill Memorial Park in Dallas, TX

Unfortunately, we do not have photographs of aunt Cora Belle and her immediate family.

Source:
1. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGP-RXQ : 12 March 2018), Cora Bell Mcintosh in entry for Richard Wayne Sigman, 21 Jul 1935; citing Ore City, Upshur, Texas, United States, certificate 59772, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,283,934.
2. "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VDMP-MJY : 5 December 2014), Cora Bell Mcintosh in entry for Billie Ray Sigman, 18 Dec 1937; from "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Texas Department of State Health Services.
3. "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V842-Z8P : 5 December 2014), Cora Belle Mcintosh in entry for Kenneth Neal Sigman, 13 Nov 1943; from "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Texas Department of State Health Services.
4. "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VDGP-DFV : 1 January 2015), Cora Belle Mcintosh in entry for Sarah Ladell Sigman, 18 Jul 1940; from "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Texas Department of State Health Services.
5. "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VD69-FWT : 1 January 2015), Cara Belle Mcintosh in entry for Wanda Lajean Sigman, 10 Nov 1942; from "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2005); citing Texas Department of State Health Services.
6.  "Texas Death Index, 1964-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JVSB-QPF : 5 December 2014), Richard L Sigman, Dallas, Texas, United States; citing Department of State Health Services, Austin.
7.  "Texas Death Index, 1964-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JVX5-GTY : 5 December 2014), Cora Bell Sigman, Dallas, Texas, United States; citing Department of State Health Services, Austin.
8. findagrave.com

Photo:
Harrison County, Courthouse: By Renelibrary - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59746190

Johannes Sigmann and Sigmann Family - German Connection

There are quite a few side branches of our family tree which lead us to Germany or Prussia. One of them is the line of our uncle by marriage, Mr. Richard Lee Sigman.

Richard was born on 6 August 1914 in Harrison County, Texas. On 23 March 1934, he married Miss Cora Belle McIntosh. They had three sons and four daughters.

Richard's grandfather, Mr. Archibald L Sigman was born in Georgia in 1835, but he moved to Texas. It must have happened before 1860 because The Census record of 1860 mentions him, his wife and two children. They lived in Panola, Texas. The child named Dozier was born in 1858 in Texas.

United States Census, 1860
Name: Archibd Sigman
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1860
Event Place: Beat 7, Panola, Texas, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Race: White
Race: (Original) [Blank]
Birth Year: (Estimated) 1835
Birthplace: Georgia
Page 29

Archibd Sigman, age 25, b. Georgia
Mary Sigman, (wife) age 19, b. Georgia
Dozier Sigman, son age 2, b. Texas
Delpha Sigman, daughter, age 0, b. Texas

Record Source
"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXFT-29K : 12 December 2017), Archibd Sigman, 1860.

What we can also learn from that record is that Archibald was a hatter and the value of his personal estate was $500.

Richard Lee Sigman's great-grandfather of the name Barnet Eli Sigman was born in Catawba, North Carolina (about 1795). His great-great-grandfather Christopher Sigman came to this world in Tinicum, Bucks, Pennsylvania  (on 20 August 1766). During his life, Christopher relocated to North Carolina, where he passed on 21 August 1841.

Jörg Bernhardt Siegman who is the next ancestor in Richard Lee's family line was born in 1722 in Hüffenhardt, Neckar-Odenwald-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Although he died in Lincoln, North Carolina (21 April 1769), it was his father Johannes who was the adult family Immigrant and took Jörg and his siblings to America.

Johannes Sigmann was born on 24 August 1689 (in Hüffenhardt as well) to Georg Sigmann and Margaretha Brenner. Johannes had three wives. He married his first wife Anna Barbara Barleth on 24 October 1713 in Hüffenhardt. She died at the age of 20, about two years later (on 2 February 1715).

Hüffenhardt - city council building

Maria Barbara Manns, daughter of Johann Georg and Maria Manns was Johannes' second wife. They got married where they both lived (in Hüffenhardt) on 18 January 1715.

Mentioned in the record of Johann Sigman and Maria Barbara Mann
Name: Johann Sigman
Spouse's Name: Maria Barbara Mann
Event Date: 18 Jun 1715
Event Place: Evangelisch, Huffenhardt, Mosbach, Baden

Record Source:
"Deutschland Heiraten, 1558-1929," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J4RJ-WL2 : 11 February 2018), Johann Sigman and Maria Barbara Mann, 18 Jun 1715; citing Evangelisch, Huffenhardt, Mosbach, Baden; FHL microfilm 1,189,311.

Maria Barbara was born on 18 March 1692. She died after 18 days in child birth, on 29 December 1728. Johannes was a widower again. Not long, though. On 24 November 1729, in the evangelical church of Hüffenhardt he married Miss Maria Rosina Umberger, daughter of Hans Conrad and Ana Rosina Umberger.

Maria Rosina Umberger (marriage record)
mentioned in the record of Johannes Sigmann and Maria Rosina Umberger
Name: Johannes Sigmann
Spouse's Name: Maria Rosina Umberger
Event Date: 24 Apr 1729
Event Place:: Evangelisch, Huffenhardt, Mosbach, Baden

Record Source:
"Deutschland Heiraten, 1558-1929," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J4RJ-WP6 : 11 February 2018), Johannes Sigmann and Maria Rosina Umberger, 24 Apr 1729; citing Evangelisch, Huffenhardt, Mosbach, Baden; FHL microfilm 1,189,311.

Portal of the evangelical chuch in Hüffenhardt

 Maria Rosina was 28 then, her husband Johannes was 40 and he worked as a smith.

Maria Rosina Umberger
Deutschland Geburten und Taufen (Germany Births and Baptisms 1558 - 1898)
Name Maria: Rosina Umberger
Event Date: 1677 - 1838
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 29 Jul 1701
Christening Place: EVANGELISCH, EHRSTADT, HEIDELBERG, BADEN
Father's Name: Hanns Conrad Umberger
Mother's Name: Ana Rosina

Record Source:
"Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHM7-BKB : 11 February 2018), Maria Rosina Umberger, 29 Jul 1701; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,336,611.

In 1738, Johannes, his children and Maria Rosina emigrated to America. They travelled on the ship "Charming Nancy" which belonged to Mr. Benedict Arnold. The ship left Rotterdam (last from Cowes, England) and arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 9 November 1738. There is the passenger list where Johannes and his three sons Hans Georg (b. 1716), Johannes (b. 1720), and Jorg Bernhard (b. 1722) are listed under the name of Sighman. It seems rather interesting that only male passengers were recorded. Females' names were not on listed at all.


Credits:
Picture of the city council: By p.schmelzle [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], from Wikimedia Commons,
Portal of the church picture: By p.schmelzle [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], from Wikimedia Commons,
Information based on my MyHeritage reasearch.