Person:Hannah Unknown (1134)

PROOF of Hannah's maiden name (some believe to be MANDEVILLE) continues to elude research. We DO know that she is NOT the first wife of John HOUSEL, NOR was the marriage to John HOUSEL her first marriage. In fact, WE KNOW that Hannah was first married to a Thomas Von KIRK to whom she bore four children named Thomas, Peter, Hannah and Hester. Her second marriage was to a Jacob SNYDER to which she also bore four children: Jacob, Simon, Ann, and Lydia. FINALLY, her third marriage was to John HOUSEL to whom she bore two children (David and Margaret) before John prematurely passed away.^[4], ^[5], ^[6]

!CENSUS:
1850 Census of Center Twp., McHenry Co., IL; Page 373; 12 Oct 1850

RANDOLPH, Joel; 34; Farmer; PA
RANDOLPH, Anna; 31;  ; PA
RANDOLPH, Catherine; 13;  ; PA
RANDOLPH, Clarisa; 7;  ; PA
RANDOLPH, Lydia; 4;  ; PA
RANDOLPH, Jacob; 2;  ; PA

Following, three households later, were Anna's mother, brother and half brother.
HOUSEL, Hannah; 64;  ; $300; NJ
SNYDER, Jacob; 25; Farmer; ; PA
HOUSEL, David; 21;  ; PA


!CENSUS:
1860 Census of Dorr Twp., McHenry Co., IL; Page 558;

Randolf, Joel; 43; Farmer; $800 - $300; PA
Randolf, Anna; 40;  ; PA
Randolf, Clarrisa; 17;  ; NY
Randolf, Lydia; 15;  ; NY
Randolf, Lorenzo; 3;  ; IL

Separated by one unoccupied structure was the household of Anna's brother with her mother living there.

SNYDER, Joseph; 30; Farmer; $1,200 - $300; PA
SNYDER, Sarah; 20;  ; PA
SNYDER, Charles; 1;  ; IL
HOUSEL, Hannah; 72;  ; NJ

NOTE:
Indexed as Hannah HENSELL.


!CENSUS:
1870 Census of Dorr Twp., McHenry Co., IL; Page 271; 14 July 1870; PO = Woodstock, IL

SNYDER, Jacob; 44; Farmer;  ; $3,000 - $1,640; PA
SNYDER, Sarah; 33; Keeping House;  ;MA
SNYDER, Charles; 11;  ;  ; IL
PARKER, Simon; 40; Farm Laborer;  ; VT
HOUSEL, Hannah; 87;  ; NJ

Following, with one household between, were Jacob's sister and one of Hannah's daughters

RANDOLPH, Joel; 53; Farmer; $ --- - $500; PA;
RANDOLPH, Anna; 52; Keeps House ;  ; PA; Blind
RANDOLPH, Jacob; 22; Laborer;  ; NY;
RANDOLPH, Lorenzo; 12;  ; IL
RICHARDSON, Mary; 13;  ; IL

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Grave Recorded, in Find A Grave
   [Includes headstone photo], last accessed Jan 2017.

   [Inscription: HANNAH. WIFE of JOHN HOUSEL. DIED. Apr. 24, 1874. 88y 5m ???]

2. ↑ .

   "United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDY1-XRT : 3 April 2015), David Housel, 1865.
   -----
   Name David Housel
   Event Type Pension
   Event Date 1865
   Beneficiary's Name Hanna Housel

3. ↑ McHenry, Illinois, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1850; Census Place: Center, McHenry, Illinois; Roll: M432_117; Page: 373B; Image: 109
   -----
   Family Number: 166
   Household Members:
   Hannah Housel 64 NJ
   Jacob Snyder 25 PA
   David Housell 21 PA

4. ↑ 'Danville Intelligencer' of Danville, PA
   17 February 1829.

   "MARRIED...
   
   On Thursday, the 12th inst. by James Montgomery, Esq., Mr. John HOUSEL to Mrs. Hannah SNYDER, both of Liberty Twp., Columbia county."
   ------

5. ↑ Data from Columbia County Orphan's Court.

   Source: Columbia County Orphan's Court #15, November Term 1831, page 233 and Columbia County Orphan's Court #6, November Term 1831, page 233. Abstract prepared by Cindy ELDER of the Montour County Genealogical Society.
   
   "John Housel of Liberty Twp., died prior to November 1831, wife Hannah, (formerly the widow of Jacob Snyder, deceased). John died intestate leaving two minor children under 14: David and Margaret Catharine. Hugh McWilliams was appointed guardian. Hannah also had four children to Jacob Snyder, three of whom were under 14 in 1831: Simon, Lydia and Jacob Snyder. Abraham Hendrickson was appointed guardian. "

6. ↑ "OSTEND: AN EARLY HISTORY OF THE OSTEND AND BULL VALLEY AREA"
   pp 67-69, 1980.

   section captioned "Four Great Ladies"
   
   " The third member in the quartet of great ladies was Hannah HOUSEL who, in 1871, reached the termination of a long and useful career. Earlier, in Lime Stone Ridge, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, the young woman had been known as Mrs. Hannah Von KIRK, wife of Thomas Von KIRK and mother of four Von KIRK children, Thomas, Peter, Hannah and Hester. Some time after the death of her husband, Thomas Von KIRK, the widowed lady married Jacob SNYDER, an industrious farmer of nearby habitation.
   
   Hannah's second marriage produced four SNYDER children, Jacob, Simon, Ann, and Lydia, all of whom were very young when the husband and father, Jacob SNYDER, passed away leaving Hannah, again, alone to rear her small and fatherless children. But Hannah married a third husband whose name was John HOUSEL (it may have been spelled HOOSEL). Mr. HOUSEL proved to be a very good husband, provider and father to Hannah's older children as well as to David and Margaret, two HOUSEL children who were the result of his own marriage to Hannah.
   
   But alas, for the third time Hannah suffered the loss of a husband by early and untimely death. After Mr. HOUSEL's death Hannah did not marry again, but remained on the Pennsylvania farm and managed well until 1850, when the great lady migrated to Illinois and to McHenry County with several of her children including two sons, Jacob SNYDER and David HOUSEL. Following a brief stay in the Ringwood neighborhood, the half brothers bought an unimproved tract of hills and valleys located near a great hill in scenic Bull Valley.
   
   Soon the brothers divided their property with Jacob receiving the west portion which included the enormous hill that thereafter gained wide reputation under the name of Snyder's Hill. Jacob improved his farm rapidly, his mother helping greatly by serving as housekeeper. In 1853, Jacob married Sara S. PARKS, a McHENRY girl of substantial background. Hannah continued residence in the SNYDER home eighteen years until her death in 1871. Entombment of the great lady's remains in the Overocker Cemetery followed, and more than a hundred years later descendants of Hannah HOUSEL may be found in nearby parts of the county."

   ---

   
   THE OSTEND CEMETERY WAS ONCE CALLED 'THE OVEROCKER CEMETERY'.
   
   Source: A message dated 1 Apr 2009 through Ancestry.com
   >
   From: BUPPER1947,
   Subject: RE: John and Hannah Housel
   
   ----
   Hello,
   What was once called the "Overocker Cemetery" became known as the Ostend Cemetery. Mention is made of that change on page 64 (last paragraph) of the book OSTEND: AN EARLY HISTORY OF THE OSTEND AND BULL VALLEY AREA published in about 1980. Chapter 12 of that book (starting on page 65) is titled "Four Great Ladies."
   
   Hannah Housel - the wife of John Housel - is buried in the Ostend Cemetery. Her grave marker (damaged) seems to state that she died on 24 April 1874, age 88 years and 5 months. Her burial site is located near the right front of the cemetery.
   
   The book, OSTEND ...." makes numerous references to the Housel family.
   
   The Ostend Cemetery is located on the north side of Illinois route 120 about three miles to the west of McHenry, Illinois or about 3/4 miles to the east of the intersection of Ridge Road and Illinois Route 120. It is located right along side of the highway (120).
   
   Unfortunately our society has no staff at all and, thus, can not do any "by request" research. Neither can we find anyone who is willing to do such work as a volunteer. I can send you a listing of those members of our society who are willing to do such work for an hourly charge. Do let me know if you would like me to e-mail you a copy of that list.
   
   Craig Pfannkuche, Corresp. Secy., McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society