Batten-Sawhill Genealogy Page

Ancestors of Harold Jay Batten  and  Vesta Valine Sawhill                                            

William Alexander Sawhill was born to Neely Alexander Sawhill and Martha Ellen Weaver on April 9, 1885 in Fulton County, Illinois. He died on December 22, 1970 and is buried in Ebenezer Cemetery, near the town of Truro, Madison County, Iowa (N 41 12.006 W 93 54.555). He married Mary Ethel Travis on January 1, 1907 in Madison County, Iowa. Occupation: Farmer. They had the following children.

One hundred and eighty-seven acres of well improved land in Scott township is the property of Thomas Hamlin Travis and its excellent condition is proof of his energy and progressive spirit. 

Eliza Alice (Aunt Allie) Bird was born to George Anderson Bird and Elizabeth Ann Rhodes on March 27, 1867 near the town of Redfield, Dallas County, Iowa. She died on December 2, 1965 and is buried in the Peru Cemetery, Madison County, Iowa (N 41 13.826 W 93 56.440). She married Thomas Hamlin Travis on February 25, 1885 in Madison County, Iowa. They had the above listed children.

Neely Alexander Sawhill was born to Alexander Sawhill, Jr. and Jennette S. Jamison on April 20, 1856 in Washington County, near Claysville, Pennsylvania. He died on July 26, 1933 after falling off of windmill in Seibert County, Colorado (N 39 18.517 W 102 44.533). He married Martha Ellen Weaver on February 17, 1878 in the city of Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.  The family moved to Seibert, Colorado in the early 1907 and are listed in the 1910 US Census at Seibert, Kit Carson County, Colorado. They had the following children.

Lavina Catherine Beyer was born to John Beyer and Esther Pontius on July 3, 1827 in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. She died on June 22, 1903 and is buried in the Peru Cemetery, Madison County, Iowa (N 41 13.781 W 93 56.478). She married Martin Beatty Travis on January 20, 1847 in Pennsylvania. They had the above listed children.

George Anderson Bird was born to Isaac Bird and Susannah Williams on January 6, 1841 in Fulton , Illinois. He died on April 6, 1924 and is buried at the Chardon cemetery in the city of Atwood, Rawlins County, Kansas (N 39 39.170 W 101 03.240). He married Elizabeth Ann Rhodes on April 3, 1864 in the town of Winterset, Madison County, Iowa. They had the following children.             

Eliza Francis Adams was born to Jesse Adams and Elizabeth Goodman on June 1, 1818 near city of Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky. She died on October 28, 1905 and is buried in the Clark Cemetery, south of the city of Winterset, Madison County, Iowa (N 41 14.110 W 94 04.240). She married James Starr Rhodes on September 28, 1837 near the city of Bloomington, McLean County, Ohio. They had the above listed children.

Ebenezer Rhodes was born on April 20, 1780 in Maryland. He died on December 6, 1842 and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bloomington Township, McLean County, Illinois. Ebenezer was a veteran of the War of 1812 and was a Private in Captain Philip Riser's Company of the Ohio Militia, Aug. 12, 1813 to Sept. 21, 1813. He married Mary (Hargis) Starr on December 6, 1798 at Allegany County, Maryland. They settled at Blooming Grove, in what is now McLean County, Illinois in 1823 and had the following children.

Mary Starr was born on June 19, 1768 at Cumberland, Pennsylvania and died on August 19, 1864 at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bloomington Township, McLean County, Illinois. She married Ebenezer Rhodes on December 6, 1798 at Allegany County, Maryland. They had the above listed children.

Jesse Adams was born in 1789 at Brunswick, Virginia and died on March 11, 1844 at McLean County, Illinois. He married Elizabeth Goodman. They had the following children.

Jesse Adams and wife Elizabeth (Goodrum) Adams first got land in 1817 in Warren County on Trammel Fork of Drakes Creek, Kentucky.  [Note: In 1808, the area occupied by Sumner County, Tennessee and Warren County, Kentucky was ripe for settlement. The local Indian wars had ended about ten years before and a period of growth and development had begun. The land in this area, fertile and plentiful, was irresistibly attractive to the new arrivals. People settled in the valley of the Cumberland River and the lands of the Highland Rim. Most of the new arrivals were from Virginia and North Carolina, of English or Scotch-Irish extraction.] They sold this land warrant of 50 acres in 1825 to Micajah Harmon for $225. Their daughter, Eliza, was born there in 1818. In 1825, the family moved nearer Bowling Green.  In 1836, Jesse Adams sold out and with two other families formed a wagon train and went to McLean Co., Illinois.  Here Jesse died and Elizabeth and her twelve children and grandchildren came to Iowa. But not before the pretty eighteen year old Eliza had met young James Starr Rhodes who was studying for the medical profession. However, he always wanted to be like his dad, Rev. Ebenezer Rhodes who founded Bloomington, Illinois in 1823. So in middle life he became a minister.  He and Eliza married in 1837 and moved to Winterset, Madison County, Iowa. 

Elizabeth Goodman was born in 1788 at Fauquier, Virginia and died in 1865 at Hamilton County, Iowa. She married Jesse Adams. they had the above listed children.

Isaac Bird was born to Thomas Bird and Sarah Butler on July 15, 1808 in Frederick County, Virginia. He died on May 17, 1903 in Council Bluffs, Iowa and is buried in the Peru cemetery, Madison County, Iowa (N 41 13.784 W 93 56.476). He married Susannah Williams on September 23, 1830 in Holmes County, Ohio. They had the following children.

Susannah Williams was born to Jehu Williams and Sarah Arbuckle on July 31, 1814 in Licking County, Ohio. She died on July 26, 1870 and is buried in the Peru cemetery, Madison County, Iowa (N 41 13.784 W 93 56.476). She married Isaac Bird on September 23, 1830 in Holmes County, Ohio. They had the above listed children.

Jehu Williams was born on August 24, 1774 at Allegheny, Pennsylvania and died on October 29, 1837 around Welcome, Pennsylvania. He married Sarah Arbuckle around 1805. They had the following children.

Sarah Arbuckle was born December, 1780 and died on August 26, 1825. She married Jehu Williams around 1805. They had the above listed children.

William Travis  was born to William A. Travis and Mary Love on 10-27-1774 at  Spruce Creek Valley, Pennsylvania d. 1-27-1840 Dayton, Pennsylvania.  William Travis and Mary Gahagan had been promised in marriage by their families. Both of their fathers fought in the Revolutionary War. William  Travis and Mary Gahagan had the following children.

Mary Elizabeth Gahagan was born to Thomas Gahagan and Cristina Jungerman Young on 8-29-1779 Hopewell, Cumberland, Pennsylvania d. 10-29-1831 Dayton, Pennsylvania. William Travis and Mary Gahagan had been promised in marriage by their families. Both of their fathers fought in the Revolutionary War. Later, in 1802, William built the first mill in what is now West Mahoning Township, PA.

Thomas Bird b. around 1754 Virginia d. 1835 Holmes County, Ohio.  He married Sarah Butler. They had the following children.

Thomas Marion Bird was born to Isaac Bird and Nancy  Susannah Williams on December 20, 1841 Illinois  and died on December 27, 1907 at Creston, Iowa. He married on August 11, 1870 in Madison County, Iowa to Nancy Dudney b. August 1849. They had the following children-

Biography-

Nancy Dudney  was born to Abraham Dudney and Mary Harris in August, 1849, Indiana and died on August 11, 1870 and is buried in  Madison County, Iowa. She married Thomas Marion Bird and had the above listed children.

William Travis was born in 1720, possibly in Wales. He died in 1788. William Travis married Mary Love. He emigrated to the United States in 1802, bring along his wife and family. They had the following children.

Mary Williams was born to Jehu Williams and Sarah Arbuckle on March 26, 1806 in Pennsylvania. She died in 1859 Holmes County, Ohio. On February 14, 1822, she married Thomas Butler Bird. They had the above listed children.

John Beyer was born to David Beyer and Sarah Crum on November 7, 1786 in Sinking Valley, Blair County, Pennsylvania. He died on September 20, 1836 at Tipton, Blair County, Pennsylvania. He married Esther Pontius in 1897 at Union, Pennsylvania. They had the following children.

Esther Pontius was born to John Pontius and Maria Barbara Katterman on April 10, 1781 at Buffalo Valley, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. She died on September 17, 1880 and is buried at Dayton, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. She married John Beyer in 1807 at Union, Pennsylvania. They had the above listed children.

David Beyer was born to Andrew Beyer and Philipina Weyland on September 7, 1763 at Frederick Towne, Maryland and died on December 1, 1841 at Tipton, Pennsylvania. He married Sarah Crum. The had the following children.

Sarah Crum was born to William Crum and Mary Ann Barrick on October 17, 1767 at Frederick, Maryland and died on September 25, 1845 at Tipton, Pennsylvania. She married David Beyer. They had the above listed children.

Andrew Beyer was born in 1733 at Montgomery, Pennsylvania and died in 1773 at Montgomery, Pennsylvania. He married Philipina Weyand and had the following children>

Philipina Weyand was born on November 10, 1737 at Montgomery, Pennsylvania and died on December 22, 1814. She married Andrew Beyer and had the above listed children.

William Crum was born on June 7, 1731 at Somerset, New Jersey and died on October 11, 1790 at Frederick, Maryland. He married Mary Ann Barrick and had the following children.

Mary Ann Barrick was born in 1747 at Frederick, Maryland and died on June 27, 1798. She married William Crum and had the above listed children.

John Pontius was born to John Frederick Pontius and Anna C. Zeller on August 16, 1751 at Tulpenhocken, Berks, Pennsylvania and died on October 5, 1836 and Dayton, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He married Maria B. Katterman on December 10, 1776 at Mahoning, Ohio. They had the following children.

Maria Barbara Katterman was born to David Katterman and Catharina Barbara on September 24, 1753 at Tulpenhocken, Pennsylvania and died March, 1810 in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. She married John Pontius on December 10, 1776 at Mahoning, Ohio and had the above listed children.

John Frederick Pontius was born on August 18, 1717 at Berlangenbach, Deu, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany and died on June 16, 1792 at Northumberland, Pennsylvania. He married Anna C. Zeller on January 14, 1743 at Tulpenhocken, Pennsylvania and had the following children.

Anna C. Zeller was born in 1722 at Tulpenhocken, Pennsylvania and died in 1771 at Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania. She married John F. Pontius on January 14, 1743 at Tulpenhocken, Pennsylvania and had the above listed children.

David Katterman was born on July 12, 1731 at Michelfield, Heidelberg, Germany and died November, 1806 at Union, Berks, Pennsylvania. He married Catharina Barbara in 1752. They had the following children.

Catharina Barbara was born in 1731, Pennsylvania, d.?

Abraham Dudney was born around 1826 in Tennessee and died in April, 1902, Madison County, Iowa. He married Marry Harris and had the following children.

Mary Harris was born around 1826 in Indiana and died after 1880. She married Abraham Dudney and had the above listed children.

Ancestors of Harold Jay Batten  and  Vesta Valine Sawhill

Jay Fred Batten was born to Joseph S. Batten and  Susan Elizabeth (Lizzie) Buzzard on September 28, 1894 around Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa. He died on February 19, 1964 and is buried at the Masonic Cemetery in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa (N 41 36.518 W 93 41.059). He married Edna Hazel Wright. They had the following children.

Edna Hazel Wright was born to Francis (Frank) Harvey Wright and Anna May Randall on December 22, 1895 at Russell, Lucas County, Iowa. She died on September 28, 1971 and is buried at the Masonic Cemetery in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa (N 41 36.518 W 93 41.059). She married Jay Fred Batten. They had the above listed children.

Joseph  S. Batten was born to William H. Batten and Mariah Shoemaker in October, 1857, Ohio, died in 1941 and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa (N 41 20.810 W 93 05.770). He married Susan Elizabeth (Lizzie ) Buzzard on September 6, 1883 in Marion County, Iowa. They had the following children. According to the  1900 Census, he was a blacksmith. The 1920 Census shows him to be a farmer.

Susan Elizabeth Buzzard was born to George F. Buzzard and Sarah Keefer in 1858, Pennsylvania. She died in 1932 and is buried at the Greenwood Cemetery,  Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa (N 41 20.810 W 93 05.770). She married Joseph S. Batten. They had the above listed children.  

Francis (Frank) Harvey Wright was born to David Shucks Wright and Mary Ann Roseman on January 14, 1859 and died on August 18, 1929 and is buried at the Bethel Cemetery, north of Russell, Lucas County, Iowa (N 41 02.653 W 93 09.577). He married Anna May Randall on December 24, 1885 in Lucas County, Iowa. They had the following children.

Anna May Randall was born to Stephen Randall and Isabella Lowry on May 25, 1867 in Illinois. She died on November 13, 1923 and is buried at the Bethel Cemetery near Russell, Lucas County, Iowa (N 41 02.390 W 93 09.340). She married Frank Harvey Wright on December 24, 1885. They had the above listed children.

William H. Batten was born to Henry Batten and Margery Craven on February 5, 1823 in Ohio. He died on January 17, 1899  and is buried at the Pleasantville Cemetery, Pleasantville, Marion County, Iowa (N 41 22.530 W 93 16.320). He married Mariah Shoemaker on October 30, 1851 in Pike County, Ohio. They had the following children.

Mariah Shoemaker was born to Simon Shoemaker and Magdalena Miller on April 8, 1825 in Pennsylvania, died on May 9, 1909 and is buried at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Pleasantville, Marion County, Iowa (N 41 22.530 W 93 16.320). She married William H. Batten. They had the above listed children.

George F. Buzzard was born to ___________ and __________ in 1833, Pennsylvania. He died March 6. 1897 and is buried at the Ute Cemetery in Aspen, Pitkin County, Colorado (N 39 10.490 W 106 48.350). He married Sarah Keefer on March 6, 1855. George F. Buzzard enlisted into the Union Army as a Private on January 5, 1864 while living in Knoxville, Iowa. He was 31 years old at the time. On January 24, 1864, he mustered into G Company of the 40th Iowa Infantry. He mustered out on August 2, 1865 at Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation, now the state of Oklahoma. His wife, Sarah or Sadie, died in 1875.  The 1880 Census shows George F. Buzzard to be a widower. Sometime after 1880, he left Iowa and headed for Colorado to prospect for silver. It is not known how many of the children went with their father to Colorado. On March 6. 1897, the Civil War veteran fell victim to an avalanche at Conundrum Gulch. His funeral was held on March 10 at the Ute Cemetery and conducted by the local G.A.R. Post (Grand Army of the Republic), the Ladies Circle, and the Women's Relief Corps. 

3 Year History of the Iowa 40th Infantry Regiment Iowa, Organized November 15, 1862, Mustered Out June 5, 1865

Fortieth Infantry. Col., John A. Garrett; Lieut.-Col., Samuel F. Cooper, Majors Sherman G. Smith and Lawson A. Duncan. The last of three years' regiments to fill its ranks and enter the field was the 40th, which was mustered into service at Iowa City Nov. 15, 1862. On Dec. 17 it was ordered to Columbus, Ky., which was threatened by an attack from Forrest. It remained there and at Paducah until May 31, 1863, when it was ordered to join in the Vicksburg campaign. It was stationed on the Yazoo river in the vicinity of Haynes' and Snyder's Bluffs, as a part of the army of observation, to prevent Johnston's reinforcing Pemberton in Vicksburg. On July 23 the regiment was embarked for Helena and in a few days it marched with Gen. Steele's army on Little Rock. It remained at the latter place until March, 1864, when it marched out on the ill-fated expedition, designed to aid Gen. Banks in the unfortunate Red River campaign. At Okalona, the regiment was engaged with the enemy, and it was also engaged at Prairie d'Ane where 7 of the regiment were wounded. During the battle of Jenkins' Ferry, the 40th did not fight in a body, but all the companies fought bravely and well, four under Col. Garrett being in a position to lose more men in proportion to their number than any other regiment engaged. Out of less than 100 men, 45 were lost. On Nov. 29, thirty men of the 40th, on the steamer Alamo on the Arkansas river, were attacked and followed along the river near Dardanelle by Confederate cavalry, and a sharp fight of an hour and a half ensued. The Federals fired from behind sacks of oats which received the balls of the enemy, and 2 Confederates were killed and 1 wounded. In the early part of 1865, Col. Garrett was assigned to the command of the District of South Kansas with headquarters at Fort Gibson, I. T., and his regiment remained with him till mustered out at Fort Gibson on Aug. 2, 1865. The losses of the regiment during its term of service were: deaths from battle, 15; deaths from disease, 186; wounded. 43; discharged, 133.

Ute Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Excerpts from the NRHP: Sometime around 1900, and certainly by 1905, Evergreen Cemetery became known as Ute Cemetery, possibly connecting it to the nearby Ute Spring, Ute Avenue, or the town of Aspen's short-lived but original name, Ute City. Although the population of Aspen began to decline following 1893, the Ute Cemetery continued to be used. Death certificates located at the Pitkin County Courthouse indicate that at least twelve people were buried there between 1891 and 1907, among them a laborer, a farmer, a prospector, a housewife, a ranch hand, and several children who succumbed to scarlet fever, cholera, diphtheria or complications at birth. In March of 1897, another Civil War veteran was buried there. George F. Buzzard served with Company G of the 40th Iowa Infantry, and perished in an avalanche in Conundrum Gulch at the age of 66. Buzzard was buried in a funeral conducted by the G.A.R. Post, the Ladies Circle and the Woman's Relief Corps.

The 1900 US Census shows Doc and George Jr. living in S. Berthoud, Larimer County, Colorado. He had the following children.

Sarah (Sadie) Keefer was born to Benjamin Keefer and Mary Magdalena Baker on September 8, 1834, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. She died on November 15, 1875 and is buried at, Greenwood Cemetery, Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa. She married George F. Buzzard on March 6, 1855. They had the above listed children.

Benjamin Keefer was born to Johannes Jacob Kieffer and Anna Catherine Schoener on September 22, 1792 in Pennsylvania and died on February 11, 1873. He married Mary Magdalena Baker on October 31, 1816. They had the following children.

Mary Magadalena Baker was born to __________ and ___________ in 1797 and died on September 4, 1866. She married Benjamin Keefer on October 31, 1816. They had the above listed children.

Henry Batten was born around 1780 in Hyland County, Ohio and died in the same area. He married Margery Cravens. They had the following children.

Margery Cravens was born to ________ and __________ on January 15, 1790 and died on April 2, 1869,  buried at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Pleasantville, Marion County, Iowa. She married Henry Batten. They had the above listed children.

David Shucks Wright was born to an unknown father and Laura Ann Story on December 10, 1828 in Hamilton County, Ohio. He died on September 4, 1915 and is buried at the Bethel Cemetery, north of Russell, Lucas County, Iowa ( N41 02.646 W -93 09.559). David Shucks took the name of his step-father, Joy Wright. He married Mary Ann Roseman on November 4, 1852 in Scott County, Iowa. They had the following children.

Mary Ann Roseman was born to James Roseman and Ann Parks on February 8, 1832 in Guernsey County, Ohio. She died on November 27, 1910 and is buried at the Bethel Cemetery, north of Russell, Lucas County, Iowa ( N41 02 38 W-93 09 33). She married David Shucks Wright on November 4, 1852 in Scott County, Iowa. They had the above listed children.

James Roseman was born to William Rosemond and Elizabeth _________ (2nd wife) on March 19, 1800 in N. Ireland. He died on June 7, 1887 and is buried in the Bethel Cemetery, north of Russell, Lucas County, Iowa. He married Anne Parks. They had the following listed children.

Anne Parks was born on September 11, 1808 in Ireland. She died on September 11, 1859 and is buried in the Bethel Cemetery, north of Russell, Lucas County, Iowa. She married James Roseman and had the above listed children.

Joy Wright b. December 30, 1801 73-8-4 d. September 3, 1875 and buried at Bethel Cemetery, Lucas County, Iowa (N41 02.662 W -93 09.580). He married Laura Ann Story. He was the step-father of David Shucks Wright

David Shucks Wright b. December 10, 1828, d. September 4, 1915

Laura Ann Story was born on  July 25, 1807  73-4-22 d. December 17, 1880 and buried at Bethel Cemetery, Lucas County, Iowa (N41 02.662 W -93 09.580). She entered marriage to  Joy Wright with one child, David Shucks, who took the name of his step-father, Joy Wright.

Simon Shoemaker was born to Samuel Shoemaker and Julia Ann Weaver on August 27, 1796 in Rockingham County, Virginia and died on January 3, 1870. He is buried at the Pleasantville Cemetery, Pleasantville, Marion County, Iowa (N41 22.914 W093 16.367). In 1812, Simon "Yellow" Shoemaker served with Captain Caleb Haskin's Ohio Militia. He married Magdalene Miller on August 30, 1819 in Highland County, Ohio. They had the following children.

Magdalene Miller was born to Michael Miller and Juliana ___________ in May, 1798, Pennsylvania. She died on October 12, 1867 and is buried at the Pleasantville Cemetery, Pleasantville, Marion County, Iowa (N41 22.914 W093 16.367). She married Simon Shoemaker on August 30, 1819 at Highland, Ohio. They had the above listed children.

William Rosemond was born to James Rosemond and Nancy Cook in 1775 at County Leitrim, Ireland and died on August 8, 1841 at Fairview, Ohio. His first wife was Catherine ________ and his second wife was Elizabeth ________. From the two marriages, they had the following children.