Trip to the Clinton County Courthouse

I am planning my Courthouse trip to Clinton County tomorrow. I get the whole day off and will try to make the most of it!

Update soon.

Unfortunately I have to postpone the trip today. I woke sick and have the makings of strep throat. I will spend most of my in bed and having chicken broth to eat.

Charles Alfred Jameson

I've changed the look of my Blog to include a picture in the header of my Great Grandfather Charles Alfred Jameson.

It is one of my favorite pictures.

Charles Alfred Jameson:

born 29 July 1897

died 28 Sep 1974

Parents are Samuel M. Jameson and Emma Almeda Tharr

Charles married Clara Rachel Carnes 25 Jan 1919

their children are:

Arthur Elwood Jameson

Marilyn Jean Jameson Mussetter

Patricia Agnes Jameson Allamon

Robert Alfred Jameson

Ivan Lee Jameson

Breakall / Brakeall Surname

I have finally started organizing my Breakall/Brakeall family notebook.


I have a GG Grandfather that I need to get some clarification on the correct date of birth. I can see how this has become an issue after collecting all the documents that I currently have and organizing it into chronological order.

The problem family member is my gg grandfather Frank Brakeall:

Frank F. Brakeall

(someplace I had seen his middle initial as B but have not come across where I've seen it.)

Death - listed as Frank F. Brakeall dd. Sept. 24th 1948 (11:30 am)

states his bd. as June 20, 1882 and age as 66 years 3 mo. and 44 days

cause of death: Suffered gunshot wound to the chest (Suicidal)

Newspaper article - Frank F. Brakeall age 66

I found the news article at NewpaperArchives.com

U.S. WW II Draft Reg. Card - Frank F. Brakeall bd. June 20, 1883

U.S. WW I Draft Reg. Card - Frank F. Brakeall bd. June 20, 1884

1930 Census - Frank F. Breakall age 45 approx. b. 1885

1920 Census - Frank F. Brakeall age 36 approx. b. 1884

1910 Census - still need

1900 Census - Frank Brakeall age 13 listed birth date as June 1886

1890 Census - no 1890 to help compare

Birth Certificate - The copy I found from Clinton Co. Courthouse has two dates listed

beside his name. Breakall, Frank

First date is May 18th (not sure if the year is 1886)

Second date is June 20th 1886

parents are Martin V. and Anna R. Breakall. At the time I made this copy I did not think to copy the header at the top for each entry to know what the corresponding column would mean. So I will try to remember this in the future.

Ok. This is all the information I have at this time. I do not have a copy of his marriage record yet. I will add it to my check list.

The problem comes in when I do searches for Frank Brakeall/Breakall there is an 1870 census record for his parents Martin B and Rebecca A Brakeall

1870 Census Record includes:

Brakeall, Martin B. age 28

Rebecca A. age 25

William age 7

Martha age 5

John age 2

Frank age 1/12 (1 mos.)

1880 Census Record includes:

Brakeall, Martin age 39

Anna R. age 36

William age 17

Martha S. age 15

John A. age 13

Harry age 10 (born in 1870?)

Harvy age 8

Ida M. age 6

Florence age 3

Marla age 8/12

So far from what I can tell is that in 1870 there was a Frank Brakeall born in May of 1870. Which could explain why there are two dates listed on the copy of the birth certificate I have. But what about 1880? No Frank listed but Harry? who was 10 and would have been born in 1870. Did the name change for some reason? The fact the Frank was only 1 mo. old in Jun of 1870 he would have been born in May. So the likelihood that there were two Franks seems impossible and still have borne a child in 1870 named Harry? unless Harry was born in 1871 or 1869 and just happened to be listed as 10 yo in June of 1880 census? I don't believe that is the case, but I guess anything is possible, it is Genealogy. It just seems more likely they changed his name or possibly his name is Harry Frank?

At the time I got the Birth Certificate I did not know about the Census record showing a Frank born in 1870 and 1880 listed a 10 year old Harry, or I would have tried researching a birth certificate for Harry also.

The other problem is when I research my Frank at Ancestry, most people have the birth date of May 18th 1870 listed for my Frank who is married to Rita Robinson. It just makes me wonder if they really did the research on Frank or are they just going by what everyone else has entered based off the Census. All other documents for Frank F. Brakeall who is married to Rita Robinson lists his birth date as Jun 20th 1882/1886. The most convincing for me would be the birth certificate since it is written up pretty close to time of the birth event, so this would be 1886. (I'm wondering now about the other date of May 18th, just wish I had the book from the courthouse in front of me to answer that question.)

So this is a mystery. I think the most obvious answer would be to find a birth certificate for Harry, but I have not been able to go back to Clinton County to do anymore record searching. So this is a trip I need to plan to do again, and I can look at the book again that I originally found Frank's birth in. Needed records for all Frank's sibling would be helpful. That is a project I have been putting off for awhile.

I hope family members can help out too. I have not contacted many Brakeall/Breakall researchers yet, but will have to start searching for them now. I'm ready for another brick wall to come down!

See ya 'round the bend!