Trails

Mary Jane Webster was born August 30 1848 in Bloomville, Seneca county, Ohio. She died July 7, 1910 in Deshler, Henry county, Ohio. The two places are about 50 miles apart. It doesn’t appear from the time and their farm histories that Mary Jane traveled much in her life. She is my husband’s great-great-grandmother, married to Erastus Fredrick.

It is from her Ohio Death Certificate that we discovered her parent’s names, Joel Webster and Marguet Trall were the names as they appeared online from Ohio’s database. Joel was easy to find online in the 1850 US Census, confirming the family lived on a farm in Seneca county and that Mary Jane had a sister Charlotte, just two years older. The census had her mother’s name as Margarette. But an online search didn’t show a Trall family.

Yesterday I had some free time (don’t laugh, a retiree’s time is seldom free!!) and located the actual census page for Joel Webster, not just an abstract. Low and behold!! Right next door is Noah Trail. Could that abstract of the death certificate have a misspelling? Only a bit more research could tell, so I began searching for Noah Trail. Not much luck.

However, there was another Trail, a Granberry, in Seneca county. His name stood out a bit more and was traceable through other genealogy sites, with a great deal of information. That put me in touch with a researcher in Australia, who responded to my query the same day. Margaret (Trail) Webster was the daughter of James Trail III (1781-1852) and Mary (Buxton) Trail (1782-1858) who are buried just outside of Bloomville, Ohio. There were four generations to add to my Beloved Husband’s pedigree chart on the Trail/Trall line along, as well as some additions on their spouse’s parents. Eleven more ancestors as well as their children. A good day’s work!

It takes time and study to reach the correct connections for this hobby. How could I possibly do less for my eternal soul?

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

Should we do any less than rightly dividing the word of truth? Do we question the Bible on our own or are we listening to someone else’s thoughts and words? Do we think that such discussions are divisive and filled with strifel:

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. (2 Timothy 2:23 KJV)

Paul does not mean to ignore questions, and explains further how we should respond:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; (2 Timothy 2:24-25 KJV)

We are not to avoid searching questions. Peter tells us how to prepare to respond, even to those who are confrontational, not just seeking truth:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. (1 Peter 3:15-16 KJV)

Become familiar with God’s work and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you.