Copyright 2000, Esther Doyle Read

Updated 2 March 2003

READ FAMILY CONNECTIONS

MARIA CATHERINE KINNEY MESSLER⁴

355. MARIA CATHERINE KINNEY,⁴ (Catherine Read³, Aaron Read², Joseph Read¹) was born 6 April 1840 in Warren County, New Jersey (LDS Batch# 8514203; Newberry c1934; Scott-Fritzen 1998; 1850 United States Federal Census, page 455) and died 12 April 1920 (Reuther n.d.b). Scott-Fritzen gives the death date as 2 April 1920, in Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey. Maria was the second daughter and fourth child of the thirteen children of Catherine Read and Isaac Snover Kinney. In 1850, Maria lived with her parents on her grandfather Aaron Read's farm in Blairstown Township, Warren County. She was 10 years old and was attending school (1850 United States Federal Census, page 455). Ten years later, on 16 February 1860, Maria married John Livingston Messler, Jr. in Warren County, New Jersey (DiPetro 1998).

John Livingston Messler was the son of John and Annie Messler. John was born 19 October 1835 Blairstown, Township, Warren County, New Jersey and died 10 March 1896 in Blairstown Township (Reuther n.d.b; Scott-Fritzen 1998). In 1870, John Messler, Jr. was a farmer in Blairstown Township. The family owned real estate valued at $13,135 and a personal estate valued at $1,250. The Messlers had four children in 1870: Isaac K., Catherine, Simon H. and Anna. A hired farm hand named Jonthan A. Smith oarded with the family. He was a 16 year old native of New Jersey (1870 United States Federal Census, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 178B-179A, 5 August 1870). The Messlers lived in Walnut Valley, Blairstown Township in 1880. John was still a farmer. Seven of the Messler children lived at home of the children. The Messlers lived in dwelling 132 and were family 140. John's parents, John and Annie Messler lived in the same dwelling with John and Maria. They were family 141. John Messler, Sr. was a retired farmer. According to the census, John, Sr. was blind. The Messler's near neighbors in 1880 were Erastus V. and Macrina Raub. Erastus Raub was Maria Kinney Messler's second cousin (1880 United States Federal Census, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 289B, 10 June 1880). John is listed in the 1887 Warren County History and Directory (Weaver and Kern 1887) as a farmer living in Frelinghuysen Township, Post Office Marksboro. John and Maria (Kinney) Messler are buried in Union Brick Cemetery, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey (Reuther n.d.b). In the 1850 census Maria's name is given as "Mariah," the 1870 census gives her name as "Maria." On the tombstone her name is written as "Maria C. Messler". John and Maria share a single stone in Union Brick which is inscribed:

Side one
John L. Messler
Born Oct. 13, 1835
Died March 10, 1896
Side two
Blank
Side three
Maria C.
his wife
Born Apr. 6, 1840
Died Apr. 2, 1920
Side four
Blank

Maria Kinney and John Messler were the parents of 7 children born between 1861 and 1877. They had at least 11 grandchildren born between 1885 and 1911, 12 great-grandchildren born between starting in 1914 and into the 1930s, and at least 1 second great-grandchild. Total identified descendants equals 31.

CHILDREN OF MARIA CATHERINE KINNEY AND JOHN LIVINGSTON MESSLER:

887. (i.) ISAAC KINNEY MESSLER⁵, was born 27 September 1861 in Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey and died 25 February 1911 in Somerville, Somerset County, New Jersey (Scott-Fritzen 1998). He married on 16 February 1889, Lillian Stevenson.

888. (ii.) CATHERINE "KATIE" MESSLER⁵, was born 19 June 1863 in Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey (LDS Batch #509751) and died 8 August 1880, age 17 years, 1 month and 19 days. In 1870, she lived with her parents in Blairstown Township. The census indicates that although she was 6 years old in January 1870, she had not yet started school (1870 United States Federal Census, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 178B-179A, 5 August 1870). She was still a resident of her parents household in 1880. The Messlers lived in Walnut Valley, Blairstown Township. Katie was still attending school in 1880 (1880 United States Federal Census, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 289B, 10 June 1880). She died almost two months after the 1880 census was taken and was buried in Union Brick Cemetery, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey (Reuther n.d.b). Her gravestone was not noted during a visit to Union Brick in March 2003.

889. (iii.) SIMON H. MESSLER⁵, was born 10 July 1865 in Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey (LDS Batch# C509751) and died after 1930 (1930 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 48-93, Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County, Pennnsylvania, page 3A, 16 April 1930). In 1870, he lived in Blairstown Township with his parents. He was not yet school age (1870 United States Federal Census, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 178B-179A, 5 August 1870). He was still a resident of his parents household in 1880. Simon worked on the Messler's Walnut Valley farm as a farm hand. He also attended school during the census year (1880 United States Federal Census, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 289B, 10 June 1880). In 1887, Simon was listed in the Warren County History and Directory (Weaver and Kern 1887) as a resident of Blairstown Township, Post Office Blairstown. No occupation was listed. He married Unknown, this marriage ended in divorce. By 1920, Simon and his wife were separated. He lived in Hardwick Township, Warren County. According to the census he was married, but no wife appears in the census with him. He was employed as a laborer and was living with the family of Peter S. Bonfair. Peter Bonfair was a 47 year old farmer. He and his wife Grace (age 40) rented a farm in Hardwick. The household also included their three children: Titman (age 18), Elsie (age 10) and Roberta (age 3). Titman and Elsie were in school (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 157, Hardwick Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 6B, 23 January 1920). Simon was divorced by 1930. He had moved across the Delaware River to Upper Mount Bethel Township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Simon boarded with Milton LaBarre and worked as a laborer at odd jobs. LaBarre was 39 years old and single. He rented the house that he, Simon and two other men lived in. LaBarre owned a grocery store. The other two men in the house were also boarders. They were a 74 year old widower named Josph F. Miller and 57 year old Samuel Rusler. Miller worked as a laborer at odd jobs, Rusler worked as a laborer for the State highways. Like Simon, Rusler was also divorced. At the time of the census Milton LaBarre and Joseph Miller were employed, Simon and Samuel Rusler were both unemployed. All the men in the household, with the exception of Simon, were natives of Pennnsylvania (1930 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 48-93, Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County, Pennnsylvania, page 3A, 16 April 1930).

890. (iv.) ANNA M. MESSLER⁵, was born circa 1868 in Blairstown Township, Warren County and died unknown. In 1870 when the census was enumerated, she was the youngest child in the Messler household (1870 United States Federal Census, Warren County, New Jersey, pages 178B-179A, 5 August 1870). She lived with her parents in Walnut Valley, Blairstown Township in 1880 and attended school (1880 United States Federal Census, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 289B, 10 June 1880).

2377. (v.) GEORGE B. MESSLER⁵, was born 1872 in Blairstown Township, Warren County and died 1920 in New Jersey (Ramseyburg Cemetery). George married circa 1883, Lizzie K. Cook. They are buried in Ramsey burg Cemetery.

891. (vi.) DELBERT J. MESSLER⁵, was born 4 December 1873 in Blairstown Township, Warren County and died 3 July 1927 (Union Brick Cemetery). In 1880, Delbert lived with his parents in Walnut Valley, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey and attended school (1880 United States Federal Census, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 289B, 10 June 1880). Delbert was still single in 1920. He was employed by the railroad as a laborer. Delbert lived in the town of Blairstown and was a boarder in the home of Elias J. and Olivia Mackey. Elias Mackey was 75 years old and was employed as a laborer. His wife Olivia was 37. She was employed as a wash woman (1920 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 151, Blairstown Town, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 16A, no date). Delbert never married. He died in 1927, he was 53 years old. He is buried in Union Brick Cemetery, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey. He is in the same plot with his parents and his borther Clark and sister Katie. The stone was field checked March 2003 and is inscribed:

Messler
Delbert J. Messler
Born Dec. 4, 1873
Died July 3, 1927

892. (vii.) JACOB "CLARK" MESSLER⁵, was born 13 December 1877 in Blairstown Township, Warren County and died 21 September 1949 (Union Brick Cemetery). He appears as Jacob C. Messler on the 1880 census. Clark resided with his parents on their farm in Walnut Valley, Blairstown. Clark was the youngest child in the household and did not attend school (1880 United States Federal Census, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey, page 289B, 10 June 1880). Clark boarded with the family of J.I. Blair Crisman (age 37). The Crisman household included Blair's wife Mary (age 31), his two sons Raymond and Herman (who were 5 and 2 years old repecively) and a domestic servant names Myrtie Titman (age 12). Blair was a farmer, Clark worked as a farm laborer. According to the census, Clark was unemployed for eight months of the 1900 census year (1900 United States Federal Census, Enumeration District 189, Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey, sheet 8A, 15 June 1900). Clark married late in life. He married in 1929, Maggie (Maiden Name Unknown) Sipley.. Maggie was born circa 1879 in New Jersey and died unknown. She had at least six children by her first marriage: Raymond, Harry, Andrew and Walter Sipley, Mrs. Clinton Lauer and Nellie Sipley Read (wife of Walter of Hainesburg) (Blairstown Press, 21September 1939). In 1930, Clark and Maggie lived in Hardwick Township, Warren County. Clark was the caretaker for the County Home. By 1939, they lived in Blairstown. Clark died in 1949 and was buried in Union Brick Cemetery, Blairstown Township, Warren County, New Jersey. He is in the same plot with his parents and his borther Delbert and sister Katie. His tombstone was field checked on 25 March 1003 and is inscribed:

Messler
J. Clark Messler
Born Jan. 13, 1877
Died Sept. 21, 1949

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