Cyrus Nagle (1859-1945) [1]
We’re coming down the home stretch of the #52Ancestors challenge, so I’m mixing things up a little bit this week. Rather than write a narrative, I decided to create a timeline of a great-great grandfather’s life.
I knew virtually nothing about Cyrus prior to beginning my research. The only fact I could remember my Grandma Lucy telling me about her mother Lottie’s parents is that they lived in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. She also had the photograph below tucked away, and I only saw it for the first time this year.
The Nagle family in the late 1890s:
Cyrus and Amanda with children Lottie, Florence, and Benjamin [2]
Two notes on the timeline:
1. I found that the surname was interchangeably spelled Nagle and Nagel in various records, with Nagle becoming more prominent over time.
2. I featured church records and newspapers as sources. In the case of the newspaper articles, I let the news speak for itself. I kept some of the surrounding text for added context (for example, "Bryan versus Roosevelt in 1916?" in a 1914 newspaper).
The Life of Cyrus Nagle
9 Dec 1859
Cyrus was born to Robert and Sarah (Kreidler) Nagle. He was their second to last child. The family lived in Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania and was supported by Robert’s trade of shoemaking. [3]
1870
10-year-old Cyrus attended school and lived with his parents and siblings. [4]
26 Apr 1879
Having moved to Quakertown in nearby Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 19-year-old Cyrus became a member of First United Church of Christ of Quakertown. [5]
1880
20-year-old Cyrus worked as a baker living with a German baker and his large family in Quakertown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. [6]
19 Aug 1882
21-year-old Cyrus married 16-year-old Amanda Osman. [7]
29 Jun 1883
Daughter Lottie Sarah was born. [8]
14 May 1885 [9]
5 Jun 1885
Daughter Florence Emma was born. [10]
8 Dec 1889
Son Benjamin Harrison was born. [11]
11 Jun 1896 [12]
14 Mar 1897
Wife Amanda, just before her 31st birthday, was a patient at the Gynecean Hospital in Philadelphia, being treated for either ovarian or uterine cancer. [13]
Apr 1898
“Florence Nagel, dau. of Cyrus underwent a new treatment for diphtheria, hoping to save her life.” [14]
26 Feb 1899 [15]
Sep 1899
“Thieves walked on to Cyrus & Amanda Nagle's yard & stole a rooster & hen.” [16]
28 Aug 1902 [17]
*Observe the major life events of this family over the next few years.
28 Nov 1903
Oldest daughter Lottie married Palmer J. Hahn. [18]
11 Dec 1904
First grandchild, Phaon Leopold Hahn, was born. [19]
21 Dec 1904
Baby Phaon died. [20]
10 Mar 1905
Wife Amanda died while in the Gynecean Hospital undergoing surgery for a recurrence of cancer. The cause of death was recorded as “shock from anesthesia.” [21]
4 Sep 1905
Younger daughter Florence married Harlan Vincent Charles. [22]
20 Jan 1906
Widower Cyrus married Emma Warmkessel (see same page above). [23]
24 May 1906 [24]
16 Jun 1907
Lottie (divorced from Palmer after their baby’s death) married Harry Norbeck. [25]
11 Feb 1908
Mary Janice Norbeck, granddaughter to Cyrus was born. [26]
Mary Janice with parents Harry and Lottie, circa 1910
8 Apr 1911
Cyrus was a census enumerator![27] (What genealogist doesn’t love that detail?)
14 Feb 1913 [28]
20 May 1914 [29]
16 Aug 1916 [30]
20 July 1917
Little Lucille with her father and older sister, circa 1919
10 Apr 1919 [32]
I wonder if Cyrus invented this toy for his granddaughters Janice and Lucy?
Oct 1919
“Cyrus Nagel grew a pumpkin weighing 64 pounds.” [33]
10 Dec 1919 [34]
9 Mar 1921 [36]
2 Apr 1927 [37]
3 Feb 1932 [38]
11 Dec 1939 [39]
1 Nov 1940
Evidently, this old man had no patience for Halloween Pranks. [40]
18 Mar 1945
Cyrus Nagle died at age 85. [42]
Take-away for your family history: Give timelines a try! They are an excellent tool for recreating the story of someone's life. When I began, I knew only one fact about my grandma's grandpa (his town of residence). I had not even known his name! By the time I finished this timeline, I felt like I understood the experiences, both large and small, that shaped his life.
Sources:
[1] Cabinet card photograph, circa late 1890s, original in possession of Dee (Groenendaal) Droms, granddaughter of Lottie (Nagle) Norbeck.
[2] Ibid.
[3] For exact birthdate and parents’ names, see Pennsylvania Department of Health, Certificate of Death no. 20650, Mr. Cyrus Nagel, 18 March 1945, Bucks County; viewed at "Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966," database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018); citing Series 11.90: Death Certificates 1906 -1966, Record Group 11: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg. For relative ages of siblings and Robert’s occupation, see "United States Census, 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 14 November 2018), Pennsylvania > Northampton > Lower Saucon Township > image 54 of 94n.d.); citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). Also, "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 14 November 2018), Pennsylvania > Northampton > Lower Saucon > image 79 of 128; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
[4] "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 14 November 2018), Pennsylvania > Northampton > Lower Saucon > image 79 of 128; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
[5] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 35 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), church record book, page 80, membership record of Cyrus Nagle, 26 April 1879.
[6] "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 14 November 2018), Pennsylvania > Bucks > Quakertown > ED 160 > image 28 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
[7] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 89 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), church record book, page 169, record of marriage of Cyrus Nagle and Amanda Osman, 19 August 1882. Also, “Nagle-Osman,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 24 August 1882, page 3, column 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[8] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 7 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), church record book, page 7, record of birth and baptism of Lottie Sarah Nagle, 29 June and 15 September 1883.
[9] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 14 May 1885, page 3, column 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[10] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 8 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), church record book, page 8, record of birth and baptism of Florence Emma Nagle, 5 June and 27 July 1885.
[11] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 8 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), church record book, page 9, record of birth and baptism of Benjamin Harrison Nagle, 8 December 1889 and 19 January 1890.
[12] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 11 Jun 1896, page 2, column 4; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[13] 14 Mar 1897 newspaper. Also, “Death of Mrs. Cyrus Nagle,” The Allentown Leader (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 18 March 1905, page 6, column 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[14] Aimee Pattison, “This month in Quakertown history,” Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pg/QuakertownHistoricalSociety/posts/ : accessed 14 November 2018).
[15] “Quakertown,” The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 26 Feb 1899, page 36, column 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[16] Aimee Pattison, “This month in Quakertown history,” Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pg/QuakertownHistoricalSociety/posts/ : accessed 14 November 2018).
[17] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 28 Aug 1902, page 6, column 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[18] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 97 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), church record book, page 182, record of marriage of Palmer J. Hahn and Charlotte Nagle, 28 November 1903.
[19] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 238 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), register of deaths, page 514-515, no. 3, Phaon Leopold Hahn, born 11 December 1904.
[20] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 238 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), register of deaths, page 514-515, no. 3, Phaon Leopold Hahn, died 21 December 1904.
[21] "Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 14 November), 004008766 > image 217 of 536, Amanda Nagel, 10 March 1905; Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Also, “Death of Mrs. Cyrus Nagle,” The Allentown Leader (Allentown, PA), 18 March 1905, p. 6, col. 6.
[22] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 164 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), register of marriage, page 242, no. 2, marriage of Harlan Vincent Charles and Florence Emma Charles, 4 September 1905.
[23] “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database with digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018), PA-Bucks > Quakertown > United Church of Christ > First United Church of Christ > image 164 of 245; citing First United Church of Christ (Quakertown, PA), register of marriage, page 242, no. 5, marriage of Cyrus Nagel and Emma Warmkessel, 20 January 1906.
[24] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 24 May 1906, page 1, column 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[25] “New York, New York, Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937,” database, Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9105 : accessed 14 November 2018), entry for Lottie Nagel and Harry Worbeck [Norbeck], 16 June 1907, Manhattan; citing New York, New York marriage certificate no. 17113.
[26] “Pennsylvania, Birth Certificates, 1906-1910" database with digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 November 2018); citing Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Birth no. 29498, Mary Janice Norbeck, 11 February 1908; Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg.
[27] “Town Keeps Growing,” The Allentown Democrat (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 8 April 1911, page 15, column 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018)
[28] “Pleasant Valley,” The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 14 February 1913, page 9, column 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[29] “Cyrus Nagle’s ‘Kiyudle’,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 20 May 1914, page 2, column 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[30] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 16 August 1916, page 2, column 7; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[31] “Lucille N. Groenendaal,” Lancaster Newspapers (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), obituary, 22 February 2011; transcription, FindAGrave.com (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66014567/groe : accessed 18 January 2018).
[32] “Odd Toy Invented by Quakertown Man,” The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 10 April 1919, page 5, column 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[33] Aimee Pattison, “This month in Quakertown history,” Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/445191038929332/permalink/670612203053880/ : accessed 14 November 2018).
[34] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 10 December 1919, page 1, column 6; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[35] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 1 September 1920, page 4, column 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[36] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 9 March 1921, page 1, column 7; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[37] “Quakertown,” The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 2 April 1927, page 21, column 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018)
[38] “Quakertown,” The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania), 3 February 1932, page 3, column 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[39] “Quakertown,” The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 11 Dec 1939, page 9, columns 7-8; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[40] “Halloween Pranks,” The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 1 November 1940, page 27, column 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[41] “81 Years Old,” The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 13 Dec 1940, page 27, column 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 14 March 2018).
[42] Pennsylvania Department of Health, Certificate of Death no. 20650, Mr. Cyrus Nagel, 18 March 1945, Bucks County. Also, “Cyrus Nagle,” The Allentown Leader (Allentown, Pennsylvania), 19 March 1945, page 9, column 1, digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 9 March 2018).