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Scrapbook of
LEVI VARNER
Through the joint research and collaboration of Suzy Bettac and Marie Robinson.
Suzy is a direct descendant of Rachel (Coon/Kuhn) Varner and her second husband, Larimer Mitchell
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Suzy Bettac knew her ancestors were Rachel (Kuhn) and Andrew Larimer Mitchell. Through her research, she learned that Rachel was first married to a Varner--Rachel was living next door to her parents in the 1850 East Deer Township, Allegheny County, census and was listed as Rachel Varner. As she didn't know who that Varner was and he was obviously dead by 1850, she started looking in the 1840 census in the East Deer Township area for any Varners. She found Lafayette. She figured that one of Lafayette's sons was the right age to be Rachel's first husband. And, in the 1840 census, Lafayette was two lines down from Rachel and her parents, further firming up her theory. It seemed like the logical answer until she found me and learned what the Varners knew of Rachel and Levi Varner. Jane and Polly Varner's death information indicate they were both born in Freeport--1840 and 1842 respectively. And, one of John Varner's sons was named Lafayette and was born in 1841. Another source for the name Lafayette, was Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette (1757-1834) who was an early American hero from the period of the Revolutionary War. I've included below census images that relate to Levi, his mother, her second husband, Larimer Mitchell, and Levi's descendants. Suzy Bettac heard of a contact, back in 1999 when I was communicating with her, of
a person who had a reunion picture and one of the people named was Rachel Mitchell. Periodically I email Suzy to see if she's seen that picture yet. Suzy would dearly love to have a photocopy of the old letter that Mary (Bitts) Varner and Rachel Mitchell wrote to Lafayette when he was in the civil war. |
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| A large part of the information on the descendants of John Taylor Varner and wife Laura (Walker) is thanks to Jane Volo who is connected to the Walkers through the marriage of one of Laura's sisters to a John Dunlap, whose mother Maria was the daughter of William Henry Verner. We are working with Jane to see if there is a connection to our early Verner/Varners. |
| 1846 |
The following advertisement appeared in various Western Pennsylvania newspapers in October of 1846, soliciting subscribers to a soon-to-be published book on the early history of the Varners' area of Pennsylvania. The book contains twenty two chapters, and was published by Daniel W. Kauffman in the year 1846 and printed by Theo. Fern of Harrisburg, Pa. The work is attributed to Daniel I. Rupp and is so catalogued.
"It is confidently believed, that it will be found to be the most perfect, full and ably written "Early History of Western Pennsylvania, of the West, and Western Expeditions," that has yet been published; and that the publisher's promise to his subscribers has been more than fulfilled...the work will embrace the early History of the first visits of Europeans to the Mississippi Valley, and to the West of Pennsylvania, all the principal Early Settlements on the Ohio, and its several tributaries; a detailed account of the causes that led to the French War, and the Indian Wars; the formation and progress of the Ohio Land Company, 1748, etc."
The list of subscribers is appended at the end of the book by county and lists only Armstrong and Clarion County subscribers. It is possible that other editions may contain lists of subscribers from other counties where the book was sold.
Levi Varner of Armstrong County was a subscriber. |
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Where Rachel Kuhn's parents had their property before moving to Tarentum and then Freeport, by 1855. Varner were northwest just over the Butler County border. Rachel's mother is buried in Freeport Cemetery dying in 1855. Jacob Sr. dying in 1863 or 1864 per the Freeport Taxes (see below). |
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1845 Buffalo Township, Butler County Tax
- Varner, John, 100 Acres at 5.00, 2 Horses at .40, 2 Cows at .15, total of 5.55
- Varner, Levi, S.M. at .50, 1 Cow at .08, total of .58
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1846 Buffalo Township, Butler County Tax
- Varner, John, 100 Acres at 5.00, 2 Horses at .25, 3 Cows at .18, total of 5.43
- Varner, Levi, S.M. [single man] [no tax], Cow [no tax]
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1847 (about), John Taylor was born. No baptism record found to date. Was Levi living in Tarentum or East Deer Township, Allegheny County, with his wife Rachel (Kuhn)? Rachel was next to her parents in the 1850 census. |
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April 1850, little Levi Jr. was born this month per the 1850 census where he was four months old on August 20, 2007. No baptism record found to date. |
| 1850 |
Levi Varner died before August 20, 1850. The Allegheny County Orphans Court records have nothing regarding Levi Varner, nor guardianships for the children. |
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19 August 1850, Buffalo Township, Butler County, Levi's widow, Rachel Varner (22) and son, John T. (Taylor) (3), are in the home with the family of Rachel's uncle, Peter Coon (Kuhn). Note: This census shows that baby Levi is not with Rachel and John T. |
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20 August 1850, East Deer Township, Allegheny County. This census page, one day later, shows Levi's widow, Rachel Varner (24), son John T. Varner (3), and Levi (4/12). Rachel's residence is located next to the residence of her parents, Jacob and Margaret Coon/Kuhn and her siblings. Jacob and Margaret "Coon" (ages 54 and 52), Jesse (age 21), Juliana (age 20), Isaac (age 18), Nancy I. (age 16), and Samuel C. (age 12). A theory is that Rachel was in Butler County with her relatives, uncle Peter Coon and family, where baby Levi died. So the census taken on 19 August showed that there was only Rachel and her son, John T., left of her family. Meanwhile, in Allegheny County, a neighbor or Rachel's family did not know of little Levi's death, and contrary to the rules of census taking, entered Rachel's family information on the census through the information of a neighbor or her family rather than directly from the resident. It's possible that little Levi Varner was buried in a cemetery in Buffalo Township, Butler County, or Tarentum, Allegheny County, where Rachel's parents settled. It's also possible he was buried in his father's grave in Freeport Cemetery. |
| Freeport Cemetery 
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Copy of the 1903 newspaper article, "The Old Grave Yard, How It Is Cared For And List Of The Occupants," detailing the inhabitants of the old Freeport Cemetery before it was moved. Near the top of the middle column the article states: "Mrs. Jacob Kuhn 1855, Henry Kuhn, 1852, Levi Varner, in 1850...." Mrs. Jacob Kuhn was Rachel's mother, Henry Kuhn was her brother (per Suzy Betac). This is Levi Varner, husband of Rachel (Kuhn), and son of John and Mary (Bitts) Varner. Levi's grave was later moved to the new Freeport Cemetery, and buried in the same plot as John Varner and Mary Bitts, per the Sexton's Book. Moved into another grave from the old Freeport Cemetery were: Anna Bitts, William Bitts, and William Bates. William Bates (William H. Bates) was the husband of Anna Catherine Bitz, youngest sister of our Mary Bitz--William died before 1847. Neither of these two graves has headstones. |
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20 August 1850, Freeport, Armstrong County, Andrew (farmer) is also in the census with his mother, step-father (James and Jane Woods), and brother James, four pages from John and Mary (Bitts) Varner. They're surname is listed as Michler. |
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2 September 1850, East Deer Township, Allegheny County, Andrew Larimer Mitchell, future husband of Rachel, is with his aunt, four pages down from the page containing Rachel Kuhn's family Larimer ran boats on the canal from Butler to Pittsburg. |
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1850, Andrew Larimer's mother and step-father. |
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1860 census, John T. is not listed in the census with Rachel and Larimer Mitchell, nor found living with anyone else, so far. |
Where is
John T.? |
1860 Census |
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1860, Freeport Taxes [Kuhn] This is Jacob Kuhn, father of Rachel, Levi's widow. Rachel's mother died in 1855 and was buried in the original Freeport Cemetery, where Levi was buried. |
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1861, Freeport Taxes
- Jacob Varner, Lot 70, 75� value crossed out "See Jacob Kuhn"
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1861, Freeport Taxes, Jacob Kuhn, part of Lot 59 |
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1862, Freeport Taxes, Jacob Kuhn, part of Lot 59 |
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1863, Freeport Taxes Jacob Kuhn, part of 59 |
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1864, Freeport Taxes Jacob Kuhn, part of 59 |
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1870 Tarentum Borough, Allegheny County, Taylor (23) living with his mother and step-father, Rachel and Larimer Mitchell |
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1876 Mrs. E. A. Walker joined the church Laura joined in 1883 (United Presbyterian Church in New Kensington) and left in 1891 for Duquesne, Allegheny County. Duquesne is a suburb of Pittsburgh. Hiram Raymond Varner lived there until 1910. Not known who this is at this time.
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1879 __________ declaration states that "Lareme" Mitchell resides in Butler Borough, Butler County |
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1880 Verona Borough, Allegheny County, John T.'s mother, Rachel Mitchell, and family. John Taylor is not with his mother. He has his own family--see below. |
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1900, Greenbrier, Summers County, West Virginia. John Taylor's mother, Rachel Mitchell, died before the 1900 census was taken. Her husband, Larimer, was living with his daughter's family in Greenbrier, Summers County, West Virginia. |
John Taylor and Laura (Walker)
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1879, 1 July, marriage of John T. Varner (son of Levi and Rachel) and Lara (Walker) through the pastor H. H. A. Ketzmiller. Found in a publication located at the Community Library of Allegheny Valley, Tarentum, Pennsylvania, listing the baptisms performed through the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Freeport, Pennsylvania, from 1839-1880. |
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1880 Lower Burrell Township, Westmoreland County, John now has his own family, John T. (33), Laura (25), Ruth (4), and Hiram (2). John Taylor Jr. was born in 1881. |
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1881, 8 January John Taylor Jr., son of John Taylor and Laura (Walker) was born, per the marriage certificate of John Taylor Jr. and Valley (McGinnis) in 1902. |
Headstone picture soon to come. |
1881, 2 December John Taylor, son of Levi, died and is buried in Round Hill Cemetery, New Kensington, Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, per cemetery headstone listing. No obituary found. Also buried in this plot is an infant. |
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1883, 1 January, Mrs. Laura Varner joined the United Presbyterian Church in New Kensington |
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1890 census burned |
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1892, 11 February, deed of James and Martha Walker, of Lower Burrell Township, Westmoreland County, to Laura M. Verner, of Duquesne, Allegheny County. Laura was deeded 5,000 square feet of property in Lower Burrell Township. The property bordered her sister, Sarah Gilby's property. John was age 11. |
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1900, New Castle, Lawrence County, John Taylor Sr's widow, Laura (43), and daughter Ruth (24). It indicates that Laura had three children and three children still living. The third child was John T. Verner (known thanks to the research of Jane Volo). |
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1900, Lower Burrell, Westmoreland County, John Taylor Verner (age 12), son of John Taylor and Laura (Walker), is a foster son with Sarah (Kate) (Walker) Gilby and husband John C. (Charles) Gilby. Sarah was the sister of Laura (Walker), John Taylor Jr.'s mother. States John T. Jr. was born in January 1881. It is not known why John Taylor Jr. was a foster son of Sarah and John Gilby. John Taylor was born in 1881 per his marriage record to Vallie McGinnis, so John should have been 19 in this census. |
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1910, 21 April, New Castle City, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Laura Verner, head. Living with her is daughter Ruth, and son-in-law Charles F. Downan(?). |
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1914, Laura moved to Akron, Ohio, per her death certificate of 1931, stating she had been a resident in Akron for 14 years. |
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1920, 6 & 7 January, Akron, Summit County, Ohio. Laura, age 65, is a proprietor of a rooming house. |
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1930, 15 April, Laura Verner, age 74, living with daughter, Ruth (age 53) and son-in-law Thomas Worton (age 57), Akron, Summit County, Ohio. Thomas was a clerk in a pool room. |
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16 March 1931, Laura died of Paralysis of Old Age, in Akron, Summit County, Ohio. Her residence was 119 North College. Death certificate states she was born at Valley Camp, Pennsylvania. Laura was living with her daughter Ruth, and Ruth's second husband, Thomas Wharton. |
John Taylor Jr. and Valley/Vallie (McGinnis)
son of John Taylor Sr. and Laura (Walker)
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1900, Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, Pa. Vallie's widowed mother (wife of Zenus McGinnis) |
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1902, 17 February Marriage Certificate, Probate Court, Mahoning County, Ohio, John T. Verner and Valley (McGinnis). John was a resident of Arnold, Pennsylvania, age 22, as of 8 January 1881, his parents names were confirmed as John Taylor and Laura Walker. Valley was age 21 as of 14 October 1901, her residence was Mahoning County, Ohio, her place of birth was Emlenton, no occupation, her father's name was Zenis McGinnis and her mother's name was Emma (Miller). Actually, Emma is Martha Emma. She is actually Martha Emma (Walker) McGinnis. Her sister was Laura (Walker) Varner. John Taylor Jr. and Valley (McGinnis) were cousins. Valley was born 14 February 1883. |
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1910, 20 April, Lower Burrell, Westmoreland County, John "Vernon" (age 28), wife Valley (age 25), George (age 6), Gladis (age 5), Robert (age 3), Sarah (age 9 months). John and Valley married 8 years at this point. John was a laborer doing "odd jobs." |
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1918, WWI Draft Registration, dated 12 September 1918, John Taylor Verner, Miner, born 6 January 1881. Living in Valley Heights, Lower Burrell Township. Mail route is Arnold, R.F.D. #1. Employer is ___________ |
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1920, 16 January, Lower Burrell, Westmoreland County, John T. Verner (age 39), Valley (age 36), George (age 17), Gladis M. (age 14), Robert H. (age 12). John was a miner in a coal mine. |
| Image not available--error at Ancestry |
1930, Upper Burrell, Westmoreland County, John T. Verner (49), Vallie (45), George T. (28--deceased by 1972), Robert W. (21--deceased by 1972), Sarah C. (age 19), Ruth V. (17--deceased by 1972), Gilbert J. (12), Francis (12--deceased by 1972), Laura G. (9), Walter P. (8), Hiram R. (6), Louis A. (4--deceased by 1972), Velma J. (Jane) (3), Doris C. (1 month). Gladys was 25 and not living with the family but alive in 1972. Was Lois (alive in 1972 per Vallie's obituary) the same as Louis A.? Image cannot be checked through Ancestry at this time (5/18/2008). |
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1947, 29 October, John Taylor died per Valley's obituary. |
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1954, Vallie moved to Apollo per her obituary |
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1972, 22 June, Valley died, per her obituary, in Citizens General Hospital, New Kensington, following a lengthy illness. Her surviving children: Gilbert Verner, Maywood, California
Walter, Greensburg, Pa.
Hiram (Barney), Rural Valley
Gladys (Verner) Weston, Creekside, Pa. [103 in 2008]
Sarah (Verner) Bolt (Harold), New Kensington, Pa. [97 in 2008]
Laura (Verner) Such (John), Lower Burrell, Pa. [87 in 2008]
Lois (Verner), Greensburg, Pa. [died 19 February 2003]
Jane (Verner) Schuffert, Apollo, Pa. [81 in 2008]
Doris (Verner) Spinks (Melvin), Apollo, Pa. [78 in 2008] |
Hiram Raymond Verner
son of John Taylor Sr. and Laura (Walker)
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About 1898, Ray and Rebecca were married. |
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1898, September, daughter Laura was born. |
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1899, 13 December, son Raymond was born. |
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1900, Duquesne Boro, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, census. Ray H. (born November 1877) a barber, age 22, with wife Rebecca (born December 1877), also 22, daughter Laura (born September 1898), and son "Ray H." (born December 1899). |
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1902, son James R. born. |
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1910 |
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1914? moved to Ohio? |
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1916, 2 March, daughter Wilma died, Summit County, Akron, Ohio. Wilma was born 14 January 1904. She died of Pulmonary TB. Death certificate indicated that her mother's maiden name was Croyle, Rebecca L. |
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1917, 10 October, Ray (Hiram Raymond) Verner, Barber, died of an abscess of the brain with Emphysema a contributing factor. Ray was 39 years old. Buried in East Akron Cemetery. |
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1917-1920, Rebecca married Frank Henry. |
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1918, 12 September, WWI Draft Registration for Raymond Westley Verner. |
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1920, Akron, Summit County, Ohio, Rebecca "Henry" (43) living with husband Frank (49) and sons Raymond W. (18), James R. (20), and daughter R___ D. (6 1/2 or 6 and 8 months). Frank was a construction foreman. |
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1930, Tallmadge Township, Summit County, Ohio, Rebecca "Verner" living with daughter Laura and husband Glen Smith. Also living with the Smith's were James (28) and Dolly R. (16) Verner. |
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1945, 28 January, Rebecca L. died in Akron, Ohio, at the age of 67. She was born 18 December 1877. Buried in East Akron Cemetery. |
Ruth (Verner)
daughter of John Taylor Sr. and Laura (Walker)
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1920, 15 January, Akron, Summit County, Ohio. Ruth and Thomas H. Wharton. |
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1930, 15 April, Laura Verner, age 74, living with daughter, Ruth (age 53) and son-in-law Thomas Worton (age 57), Akron, Summit County, Ohio. Thomas was a clerk in a pool room. |
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1946, 1 December, Ruth's husband, Thomas Wharton, died at the age of 72. He was born 22 January 1873. |
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Ruth died |
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Descendants of Levi and Rachel (Kuhn/Coon), and descendants of Rachel and her second husband, Larimer Mitchell. |
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1959 Charles E. Varner and his wife Maureen were baptised as adults in Union Presbyterian Church, New Kensington (not sure who this is). |
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