Jack Franklin was kind enough to pass along this photo of my gg grandfather Dr. Alexander Allan Staats and his wife, Margaret Summers.  Dr. A.A. Staats was born 3 Apr 1838 in Freeport Twp, Harrison, OH.
Now that I think about it, he has a birthday coming up! What do you get a 171-year old that he doesn’t already have? I looked briefly for a “J.K. Farley Photography” in Summerfield in Watkins’ History of Noble County, the 1880, 1900, and 1920 censuses, and found none listed. I would guesstimate this photo sometime around 1890-1900, although it might be a little earlier.

Alexander led an interesting life, as did his family. At some point, I am vowing to write an article on a few generations of the Staats family, as they made the trek from New Castle, DE to Luzerne Twp, Fayette, PA to Freeport Twp, Harrison, OH, finally landing in what is now Noble County in 1838 (no, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it happens to be the same year Alexander is born…but that is a story for another day.) It is through the Staats line that I applied and was accepted for membership in the First Families of Ohio lineage group of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

Jack Franklin, although I am not sure of his exact Franklin lineage as it relates to mine, is a distant cousin. Interestingly enough, he grew up in the Summerfield, OH area and remembered my great grandfather, Wilbur Staats, as his mailman. I had never met Jack, but he found my website and related that story. It was one of the things that convinced me I needed as much presence on the web as I had time to create. If someone remembered my ancestor as their mailman, what other uncovered delights might be out there?

Thank you, Jack!