This is a slightly abridged version of a published and copyrighted document. This Newsletter appears in abridged form for purposes of brevity and ease of reading on the internet. Please see the Geesaman Newsletter Homepage concerning changes. Audrey Shields Hancock
Does your branch of the fmaily hold an Annual Reunion? Since reunion time will soon be here, it is not too soon to make plans for it. We would like to remind each group to have an announcement made in the Geesaman Cousins Newsletter.
Also it would be appreciated if a report would be sent to us for the October issue of such meetings. This report could include a list of persons in attendance, program, background of the group and other items of interest. We would also like to suggest that your group elect a Vice President and corresponding secretary to our national organization of the Geesaman Family Association. If you have any questions, contact your Editor or Co-editor. (BNG)
Additional members since the listing in previous issues are listed below with their addresses:
Mr. Lawrence L. Geesaman, Rt. 1, Box 4440 Grantville, PA 17028Perhaps the oldest reader of Geesaman Cousins is Mrs. Grace Geesaman of Fontanelle, Iowa. She is the widow of Charles Elijah Geesaman, youngest son of Henry Geesaman and second wife, Caroline Chadwick Wiggins Geesaman.He was born 25 Dec., 1877 in Cedar Co., Iowa and died June 30, 1964.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Geesaman were teachers in the same school in the early 1900's and were close friends at that time. However, they each went separate ways. Charles went to North Dakota where he took a homestead. Grace left the teaching profession and went to business college and later became the secretary for the president of a paving company in Waterloo, Iowa.
Charles married in N. Dakota but his wife died leaving him with two small children. A year and a half later he returned to Iowa and persuaded Grace to become his wife and mother of his two children. Charles and Grace also had a daughter. After 25 years on the homestead they returned to Iowa.
Since the death of Charles, Mrs. Geesaman has made her home in Fontanelle, Iowa where her daughter lives with her.
Mrs. Geesaman has been very helpful to your editors and to others by her interesting and informative letters regarding her husband's family. We wish her much happinessin her Golden Years which we trust will pass the century mark.
Charles E. Geesaman was a half-brother of George Washington Geesaman, grandfather of your co-editor, R.F.Kirkpatrick.
OUR KEYSTONE FAMILIES, the genealogy column written by Schuyler C. Brossman, now appears in the Lebanon, PA "Daily News", the Elizabethtown, PA "Chronicle" and the "Press and Journal", Middletown, Pa. Queries on genealogy will be printed free provided they have a Pennsylvania connection and include at least one date. Queries should not be more than 150 words.
Most of our readers know that your editors are trying to build a complete file of Ancestor Charts and Family Group Charts of the members of our Association. However, many of our members have not sent us those charts. Some have said the forms are too complicated.
On the next two pages, 17 and 18, are reproductions of the Family Group Chart of William Gieseman, b. 16 Feb 1769, d. 12 Mar 1813, and the Ancestor Chart of Charley Shultz of Union City, IN. These two charts, in additon to helping to explain how to fill out the forms, should be of interest to most of our readers. A great many of our members are descended from William and Mary Catherine (Meily) Geiseman, and Charley Shultz is a member of the Association who has contributed important information to Geesaman Cousins.
Your editor will send blank Ancestor and Family Group Charts to any member who will fill them out and return to us. There is no charge for the forms, but we would appreciate a stamped, self-addressed business size envelope in which to send you the forms. Write:
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But I changed birthplace of William and Mary Catherine from Roxbury, Cumberland Co., Mass. to Roxbury, Cumberland Co., Pa. I find no record of there being a Roxbury or a Cumberland Co. in Mass. Compiler: R. F. Kirkpatrick P. O. Box 37 Covington, OK |
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Mary Margaret Myers Keeseman, b. 14 June 1898; d. 23 Nov 1972 & Grover Cleveland Keeseman, b 15 Dec 1892, aged 82, resides with his son Calvin. Grover is the son of John Alfred Keeseman (or Geesaman).
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John Alfred Keeseman and Susan Annabelle Stouffer Keeseman and their daughter Bessie (standing). John b. 29 Aug 1860, d 29 April 1941. No dates known for Susan Annabelle or Bessie. This John is listed in the Soundex list, October issue, page 51, Col. 2, List No. 4.
 KEESEMANS ARE FETED AT SILVER ANNIVERSARY PARTY |
Mr. and Mrs. Calvin C. Keeseman, 2106 E. Main St., Waynesboro, PA were the guests of honor Saturday, Dec. 13, 1975 at a 25th wedding anniversary party held at the Faith United Methodist Church social room.
The affair was given by their children, David, Cindy and Andy of the home, and by their daughter and son-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Edward Keller, Hagerstown, MD.
Eighty relatives and friends were present for the occasion. The d�cor was red, silver, and white.
The honored couple was married Dec. 29, 1950 at Memorial Lutheran Church, Shippensburg, PA by Pastor John Sammeul. Mrs. Keeseman is the former Patricia Heberlig.
Mr. Keeseman is employed at Mack Truck Co., in Hagerstown, MD. The connection of Mr. and Mrs. Keeseman with the Geesaman family is clearly shown in the next article.
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Leah Knepper Geesaman, wife of Joseph Geesman [sic], b 19 March 1806, died 1 Apr 1896, gg-grandmother of John E. Geesaman of Quincy, PA.
 THE RICHARD F. KIRKPATRICKs OBSERVE THEIR 55th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY |
Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. Kirkpatrick of Covington, OK, observed their 55th wedding anniversary 14 Feb. at the home of their son and his family in Houston, TX, with their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other relatives as guests.
Richard and Bonnie Davis were married 19 Feb. 1921 in the home of her parents, Dr. and Mrs. S. J. Davis at Canute, OK. Rev. Walter B. Cummings, pastor of First Baptist Church, Weatherford, OK, was the officiating minister. They made their home at first in Weatherford, OK where both attended Southwestern State Teachers College. In 1923 they moved to Noble Co., OK where both taught school for several years.
Prior to his marriage, Mr. Kirkpatrick had taught three terms of school, served in the Navy during WW I and published the Red Rock (OK) Record. In 1926 he re-entered the newspaper and printing field which he followed for more than 50 years.
After working for several newspapers he became a partner in the Alva Daily Record, Alva, OK. He later sold his interest in this paper and bought the Covington Record in 1939 which he owned until 1957. In 1960 he and August Stoll became partners in the Garber (OK) Free Press. In 1966 he sold his interest to Mr. Stoll and retired.
Mrs. Kirkpatrick taught school for 30 years before retiring in 1965. Her last school was at Garber where she taught 16 years.
They have two children, Kenneth K. Kirkpatrick, Houston, and Mrs. Muril W. (Iris Faye) Donnell, Del City, OK; six grandchildren, Sylvia, Linda, & Cynthia Donnell, Del City; Mrs. Richard (Sharon Lee) Harris, Houston; Richard C. Kirkpatrick, Baton Rouge, LA; two great-grandchildren, Kathleen Kirkpatrick and Sean Giese. In addition to their children and families, other relatives present at the anniversary party were Richard�s niece and husband, Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Van Voris, Layfayetter, LA, and their daughter Miss Brenda Van Voris, Houston. Also present were Mr. Clifton Hubert and Mrs. Grace Hubert, parents of Mrs. Kenneth (Grace) Kirkpatrick.
Richard F. is the son of Reuben L. and Lousettah (Geesaman) Kirkpatrick. His maternal grandparents were George W. and Lenora (Holmes) Geesaman; maternal great-grandparents were Henry and Mary (Work) Geesaman; gg-grandparents were George and Elizabeth (Ressley) Geesaman. He believes that his ggg-grandparents were William Gieseman, b. 16 Feb 1769, d 12 Mar 1813, and Mary Catherine Meily, b. 31 Jan 1774, d. 20 Mar 1851. This is yet to be proven. The family group chart of William and Catherine appears on page 17.
We have recently found a family by the name of KEESEMAN who trace their ancestry to the Geesaman line. The discovery happened this way:
Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Keeseman recently celebrated their wedding anniversary and their picture and an article appeared in our local paper, the "Record Herald". We spoke of the similarity of the two names and decided to give them a telephone call. That same afternoon, Calivn and his father, Grover Cleveland Keeseman, came to our house for a visit and brought with them the family Bible.
The family information in the Bible proved that the family had originally spelled the name as we do, Geesaman, but that someone had changed the spelling of the name to Keeseman. The family had lived in the Newburg area and some are still living there. The reason for the change in name is unknown to the family.
Some of the information in the Bible is as follows: "William Han and Sarah Miller were married March tenth in the year of our Lord 1850; Barbara Ann Geesaman born Jan 30, 1852; Louisa Jane Geesaman born November the 30th, 1855; William Alexander Geesaman born Feb. 24, 1857; John Alexander Geesaman born Aug. 29, 1860."
Other records of the family give some of these same names with the last name spelled Keeseman, so it is believed that sometime between 1860 and 1863 the change in name took place.
Calvin was surprised and pleased to see the Soundex information in the October issue, page 51, Column 2, item 4, which he verified as his ancestors.
We hope to print a complete chart in a future newsletter since our records are not now complete. Pictures of this family are on page 19. (BNG)
The Rev. John G. Geesaman, Sr., 66, of Harrisburg, PA, Rd. 4, died 23 Jan. 1976 at Harrisburg Hospital.
He was pastor of the Evangelical Evangelistic Center in Wisconsin for thirteen years, and was a retired mail clerk and a member of the Manada Gap Full Gospel Mission.
He is survived by his widow Edna B.Teeys Geesaman; six daughters: Verna Gamber and Pauline Winfindale of Hummelstown; Lillian Keller and Martha Goodling of Palmyra; Arlene Hess of Mount Joy and Fay Deatrick of Halifax; ten sons: Earl of Hummelstown; Ralph, Courtney and Ray of Linglestown; John, Jr. of Grantville; Leroy and Herman of Fredericksburg; Marlin, Frederick, and Lloyd of Perry Co.; a sister, Mrs. Bertha Hess of Hummelstown; two brothers, Edgar of Hummelstown and William of Palmyra; 68 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
Services were held Sunday, 25 Jan. at 2 p.m. at the Hanoverdale Church of the Brethren with the Rev. Michael Martin, pastor of Mount Laurel Church of God, officiating assisted by the Rev. John Landis, pastor of the Manada Gap Full Gospel Mission. Burial was in the Hanoverdale Cemetery.
Mrs. Catherine R. Geesaman, wife of Claude B. Geesaman of Quincy, Pa. died 1 Feb., 1976 at the Waynesboro Hospital. She had been critically ill and confined to the hospital with a heart condition for the past four months. She had suffered a heart attack in August.
She was born in Quincy Township 16 Sept., 1905, daughter of the late Charles and Margaret (Monn) High. All her life was lived in the Quincy area. She was a member of the Quincy United Methodist Church.
She and Mr. Geesaman were married in March, 1930 and had lived at the present residence for the past 42 years.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Molly A. Gossert, Quincy, and a son, William H. Geesaman, Waynesboro, Rd. 1, and a sister, Miss Stella High, Quincy.
The funeral service was held 4 Feb. at 2 p.m. in the Quincy United Methodist Church in charge of the Rev. Earl L. Sith and Pastor Gerald Houseknecht. Interment was in the Quincy Cemetery.
Mearle L. Geesaman, Sr., 78, or 62 W. Main St., Waynesboro, Pa. died 5 Feb., 1976, in the Waynesboro Hospital. He had been in failing health for the past six months and was critically ill since being admitted to the hospital on Jan. 19.
Mr. Geesaman was born at Rouzerville, Pa. 4 Sept. 1897, son of the late Samuel and Cora (Pryor) Geesaman. His early life was lived in the Rouzerville area.
Mr. Geesaman was a cabinet maker and for 25 years was employed as foreman at the Good Lumber Co. at Quincy. Pa. He later worked for a short time at the Hess Planing Mill, Waynesboro. Prior to his retirement in 1962, he was employed as manager of the Stylemaster Cabinet Corp. in Thurmont, Md. for six years.
He and Mrs. Geesaman were married in Jan., 1918 and lived at the West Main Street address for the past 21 years. He was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
In addition to his widow, Mrs. Orpha S. (Staley) Geesaman, he is survived by these children: Mrs. Orville E. Speak, Waynesboro; Mearle L. Geesaman, Jr., Pasadena, Md.; Richard C. Geesaman, Rouzerville; Mrs. Joseph Bock, Waynesboro, Rd. 2; and Miss Jacqueline F. Geesaman, at home. Also surviving are 17 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two sister, Mrs. Ruth G. Betts and Mrs. Maude G. Mentzer, Rouzerville.
Funeral Services were held on Sunday, 8 Feb. at the Grove Funeral Home in charge of Pastor Charles Reider. Burial was at Harbaugh Church Cemetery.
John C. Mentzer, 81, of Rouzerville, died at the Waynesboro Hospital on 16 Feb. 1976. He had been in failing health for several years and was critically ill since being admitted to the hospital on 12 Feb.
He was born in Chambersburg, Pa., 29 June, 1894, son of the late John A. and Julia (Decker) Mentzer. His early life was lived in Mont Alto and Waynesboro, Pa.
Mr. Mentzer served with the U.S. Navy for four years following World War I. He and Mrs. Mentzer were married in May, 1923 and had made their home in Rouzerville for the past fifty years.
He learned his trade as machinist at Landis Machine Co. and was later employed at Landis Tool Co. and Fairchild Corp. Prior to his retirement in 1966 he was last employed at Frick Co. for 20 years.
In addition to his widow, Mrs. Maude E. (Geesaman) Mentzer, he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Dorothy LeBlanc, Wayne Heights, and a son, Rev. Junior Mentzer, Penns Creek, Pa; two grandchildren; two sisters and a brother, Mrs. Elizabeth Himes, a guest at the Piney Creek Home; Mrs. J. Robert Wingert, Waynesboro; and Charles R. Mentzer, Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.
The funeral was held 20 Feb. at the Grove Funeral Home in charge of Pastor Paul Curfman. Burial was in Burns Hill Cemetery.
Paul Warren Courtney, son of R.T.and Maud (Warren) Courtney, was born 13 May, 1905 at Hannibal, Mo., died 1 Nov., Houston. Texas. He attended schools in Tulsa, Ok., and St. Mary College at St. Marys, KS. He married Cleopha Helvie 20 Nov., 1931 at Shreveport, La., who survives him. He is also survived by a son, Navy Capt. Paul Courtney, Washington, D.C.; two daughters, Mrs. Katie Longhoffer and Mrs. Ann Moskau, both of Houston, TX; and several grandchildren.
Mr. Courtney owned and operated Lub-O-Seal, Inc., Houston, and Mrs. Courtney continues to operate the buiness. Funeral and burial services were held in Houston and interment in Calvary Cemetery, Forest Park.
Mrs. Courtney is the daughter of the late Henry O. and Lulu (Geesaman) Helvie and granddaughter of William H. and Katie (Baer) Geesaman of Chautauqua Co., Kansas. William H. Geesaman was the son of George R. Geesaman, b. 28 Sept., 1828 in Lebanon, Pa., and Elizabeth (Ressley) Geesaman. Mrs. Courtney is a niece of Mrs. Cleona (Geesaman) Appleby, Peru, KS.
Let's get acquainted with the treasurer of the Geesaman Family Association, Mrs. Florence (Krum) Geesaman. She is the wife of Lester Eugene Geesaman who was born in Waynesboro, Franklin Co. Pa. 10 Oct., 1925, the oldest child of David and Helen Cradler Geesaman.
Virginia was born in Ellenville, Ulster Co., N. Y. to William V. and Alice Milburn Krum. She attended high school at Ellenville and lived at Grahamsville, Sullivan Co., N.Y. She attended the Franklin School of Science and Arts in Philadelphia, Pa., majoring in x-ray and Medical Technology. She was employed at Waynesboro Hospital and later by the U.S. Army at Ft. Ritchie, MD.
Lester Eugene and Virginia were married 30 April, 1948 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Hagerstown, Md. by Rev. Wilson Ord.
They have three children:
(Your co-editor would like to share with you this letter received from the Harold Giesemans of Canton, Ohio.--BNG)
Jan. 11, 1976
Dear Cousin:
Just received my copy of the January Geesaman Cousins. The information it contains is really tremendous, great.
The Amelia Gieseman referred to on page 7 is my grandmother, two sons, Arthur and Fred ( Frederick). Fred was my father.
My Grandmother was the daughter of Mansfield Hedges Gilkison and Emiline Dukes Gieseman. My Grandmother's father was the first while child born in Richland Co., Ohio, on 2 Feb., 1811. Spent most of his adult life as the constable and at one time as sheriff of the county.
In the Geesaman Cousins her father's name was spelled "Gilkerson" but in the Genealogy of the Coffenberry Family it is spelled Gilkison, which I believe to be the correct spelling as the name occurs quite often in this book.
I have been trying to find out where my Grandfather Emuel Gieseman came from but no luck to date.
Maybe someone in the Gieseman family would have some information of any Gieseman family that had a son "Emuel". About all we know about him is that he served four years in the Federal Army in the Civil War in the 6th Ohio Light Artillery, died quite young. So if anyone can shed any light on him or his family, I would appreciate hearing from them.
As soon as I can find the time will fill you in on the Gieseman family as I know them from my mother's maiden name down to the present date.
A few years ago I read a weekly genealogical column entitled " Serendipity", which is a six-bit word that I had never heard of before. My dictionary defines it as the "faculty of happening upon fortunate discoveries when not in search of them."
Recently I read a book on "Kentucky Marriages, 1797-1865" in order to learn more aobut my great-great grandmother, Elizabeth (Travis) Driver. I didn't find the marriage of my g.g. grandmother, but I did find on page 195 the marriage of George Gieseman to Miss Kate W. Miller who were married in Frankfort, Ky. 24 Jan. 1860.
This was a "fortunate discovery that I was not searching for". I didn't think Geesamans were in Kentucky. That led me to search the Kentucky Soundex to see if there were any in Kentucky in 1880. You will recall that the Soundex format is:
The order will be followed on the three Geesamans found in the Kentucky Soundex.
1. GEESMAN, Jacob 16 148
White, Male, Age 38 Germany
Jefferson 15th St., Louisville
Gessman, Magdlene wife 37 Germany
Emma dau. 14 New York
William son 10 New York
Caroline dau. 8 New York
Catherine dau. 7 New York
Henry son 5 Penna
Elizabeth dau. 2 Penna
Elizabeth mother 82 Germany
2. GIESEMAN, John 79 70
48 42
White, Male, Age 43 Ohio
Lincoln, McKinney's Sta. Pct Hustonville
Gieseman, Sophia wife 39 Penna
Mary L. dau. 14 Ohio
Earnest S. son 2 Ohio
3. GESSMAN, Thomas 9 72
30 37
White, Male, Age 8
Franklin Frankfort, Dist
(In Institute for Training Retarded Children. RFK)
The book "Muster Rolls of the Volunteers in the War of 1812-1814", published by Genealogical Publishing, Co., Baltimore, Md., list the following:
On page 116, GEESEMAN, John, listed as a private on the roll of Capt. Jacob Dietrick's Co., Second Regt., First Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, commanded by Adam Ritcherd, York, Pa. Served from 1 Sept. 1814 to March 5, 1815.
On page 121, GEISSMAN, John, private in Capt. Henry Doebler's Co., First
Reg., First Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia, command of Col. Maxwell Kennedy at York, Pa. Served from 28 Aug., 1814 to 5 March, 1815.
This newsletter was started with the January issue, 1975, on the initiative and at the expense of a few individuals who wished to accumulate information on the history of the Geesaman-Gieseman-Gessman family and to share this information with other members of the fmaily.
Since the organization of teh Geesaman Family Association, expenses of printing the newsletter is provided for and there should be some money left over for other projects, such as a search of records in Germany for our ancestors across the Atlantic.
Our treasurer informs us that as of 1 March 1976, there was a cash balance of $286.53.
This was after paying the following expenses:
Printing and mailing Oct. issue.................$68.04
Printing and mailing Jan. 1976 issue.............64.83
Printing Membership Cards........................10.60
Stamps at Greencastle P. O. ......................8.00
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Expenses.......................................$151.47
These expenses do NOT include any remuneration for your editors or other officers. Their work is all contributed freely.