Week 3: Out of Place (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 2023 Version)

The theme for Week 3 is "Out of Place." Have you ever found an ancestor in an unexpected location? What about finding a record someplace that surprised you? Or what about that one great-great-uncle who moved out West when everyone else in the family stayed put? This is a good week to write about them. Click here to check out all the Themes for 2023!

This week, I have decided to select my 2nd great grandfather, Seymour L Hiltz. Thus, I have posted this week theme under my Hilts and Hiltz cousin Blog. You will notice that the Hiltz surname changes between Hilts and Hiltz. Thus, I use the spelling I find on documents and I am not consistent in using one spelling or another. 

Seymour Hiltz was born about 1850 in Manlius, Onondaga, New York, USA the son of Lawrence Hilts and his wife Nancy. I first find Seymour living with his parents and some siblings in 1855 in Manlius, Onondaga, New York. He is listed as 5 years old and has siblings, Catherine who is 17, George who is 15 and Uriah who is 12. 

In 1860, the family moved to Jefferson, Jefferson County, Wisconsin. George and Uriah are with the family and Seymour is listed as Orville L on the census along with Julius Benson age 5 and Mary E age 3. The transcription for this census list Benson as the last name for both Julius and Mary E, however I think Benson is really a middle name for Julius. Unless, Julius and Mary are really a Benson, perhaps a daughter’s child. I do match some of Julius’s descendants DNA wise.

By 1870, Lawrence, Seymour and Julius are living in Turtle, Rock County, Wisconsin. I don’t find Nancy or Mary at this point. This is my first “Out of Place” occurrence on this branch.

On Nov 5, 1872, Seymour marries Wilina Ellen Booth in Ripon, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. 

On the 1875 Wisconsin State Census, S Hiltz is living in the city of Ripon with another male and one female. The male is their son, Orville Charles Hiltz who was born Jul 28, 1873 in Ripon, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

In 1880, they are found in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois in the US Census. Seymour, his wife Willenny, son Charles O and daughter Mabel E along with his sister-in-law, Wilina’s sister Lois E Tenant. 

On Sep 8, 1883, I find a birth certificate for an unnamed male, the son of Seymour Hiltz and Wilina Booth. This birth record, lists his other living siblings as Orville and Mabel.

By 1900, I don’t find either, Seymour or Wilina. I do find Orville, my great grandfather, being single, living with his married sister, Mabel and her in-laws. Thus, I wonder if perhaps both Seymour and Wilina are deceased.

I find a marriage record from the City of Ripon, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin on July 27th 1890 between Mrs. Nettie Hilts (my Wilina) and George Pansie. Mrs. Nettie Hilts is listed as divorced. Once I found this record, I found Nellie Pansie’s death record and she died Jun 1, 1898 and is buried in Nekimi, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. 

An article appeared in The Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin), Jan 13, 1903 on page 3 that was titled “Was Mourned as Dead”.

A letter was received in Ripon, Wisconsin, address to Wilina’s sister and signed by Seymour Hilts. He wrote, “Can you give me any information regarding my wife and children? I am the owner of a large cattle ranch in the Black hills, with 1,600 head of cattle and am drawing $125 a month as superintended of construction of a new road just building, and am anxious to communicate with my wife and children.” 

The letter was forward to his daughter, Mabel, Mrs. W.G. Buehring in Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. The article stated that the letter was received after Hilts had absented himself from his family for a period of twenty-one years. Several years ago a report of his death was received by his family, so that the receipt of the letter in question came like a message from the grave. 

The letter asked for an immediate reply, which was sent by Mable. However, the letter was returned to her unopened and the man who seemed to have been resurrected from the dead to his family was again lost. 

In the story, Mable stated that 21 years ago, Seymour Hilts, a cooper residing at Traverse City, Michigan and his wife had some difficulty and his wife left him temporarily. She went to live with her sister. After a time, her husband wrote a letter to her asking her to come back to him. The wife agreed to do this provided he would agree to take good care of her and the two children. No reply was received to the letter and the man dropped from sight, leaving the mother with two children.

Thus, this occurred about 1882 and the previous birth record was from 1883. So, this child is still “out of place” and paternity might be the reason for not finding the child living with his mother. Was he given up to someone else? Did he die? This is still an unanswered question.

The article stated that the mother (Wilina) struggled along for a time alone and then secured a divorce from her husband upon the grounds of desertion and remarried.  Several years after her second marriage, Mrs. Hilts heard from the mother of Hilts that he had died and that a letter had been sent to her asking whether she would send money to have the remains taken to her home. Since the mother was unable to get money and the man was mourned as dead. 

Therefore, Nancy Hilts, mother of Seymour Hilts appeared to have been alive around 1894. 

The letter from Seymour was received in Ripon around July of 1902 and was written from the Belle Fourche, South Dakota Hotel, using the hotel stationery. Several replies were sent to the hotel. After those letters came back undelivered, Mabel contacted the postmaster of Belle Fourche who stated that a man giving his name as S Hilts left Belle Fourche for Deadwood, asking that all mail addressed to him be forwarded there. The postmaster wrote to Deadwood and several postmasters in that vicinity and all replied that they do not know of such a man. The postmaster believes that perhaps Mr. Hilts has been living under some other name. 

Mabel suspected that her father may have died since writing the letter as her mother-in-law remembers reading in some paper of the death of a man named Hilts in South Dakota. However, she can’t remember when, how or where or what the first name was. 

If he was still living, he would only be about 54 years old. 

Thus, in this small family, I have been unable to find where Nancy Hilts went to in 1870, since she is not with her husband or sons. Nancy appears to be alive around 1894 and had contact with her daughter-in-law.

As for the child Mary who would be 13 in 1870, I find a Mary age 13 living with Catherine Hiltz Babcock and her husband, Joseph. Since Catherine and Joseph were only married in 1861, this makes Mary 4 years old when Catherine and Joseph were married. Is Mary a child from Joseph, possibly a first marriage? Is Mary actually Catherine’s child? Or is Mary living with her sister to help around the house since they have a 1-year-old child? Since the 1870 US census doesn’t list relationship to the head of household, we can’t be certain that Mary’s last name is Babcock even though this is how it is listed on the census. I have been unable to find Mary Babcock in 1880, perhaps she married? A family history book does show that Joseph was first married to Harriet Colvin, however, doesn't show any children with his first wife.  Thus, Mary Babcock might be a different Mary then the one in the 1860’s census living with Lawrence and Nancy Hilts.

I also, don’t find Lawrence Hilts after 1880. 

Seymour is the main mystery in this story. His disappearance, reappearance and repeat disappearance has cost me many hours of research to no avail. 

Remember to have fun and Just do Genealogy!