Lucretia Ann (Lindsay) Hennager (1830 - 1916)

Born 20 May 1830 in Cobourg, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Wife of Joseph F Hennager — married 25 Feb 1852 in De Kalb, Illinois, USA

Descendants

Died 15 Jan 1916 at age 85 in South Bend, Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Mindy Silva [send private message] and Myrla Birch [send private message]

Biography

Lucretia "Chrisha" Ann Lindsay was born on the 20th of May 1830 in Ontario, Canada. She was the youngest of the six children born to David Lindsay and Nancy Williams. A confident person, even as a child, it is said she could chop wood with the best of them and rode her pony bareback.^[1] She took flax and wool from the farm to make her own clothes, and worked in her father's mill when he needed a hand.^[1] At the age of eighteen she found an orphaned child and quickly took her in and mothered her.^[1] Chrisha's family had moved to Vermilion, Illinois by the time she was twenty as her father appeared on a tax list in that county.^[2]

Marriage

Crisha married Joseph F "Jobe" Hennager on the 25th of February 1852 in De Kalb County, Illinois.^[3] Eight years later Jobe and Crisha were living two hundred miles away in Liberty, Iowa (near Jobe's parents).^[4] In the house with them were their three children Elizabeth (age 7), George (age 5) and Lydia (age 2).^[4] They owned no real estate and $50 of personal estate.^[4] Jobe was working as a Farmer while Crisha took care of the home and family.^[4] Crisha had turned her sewing skills towards tailoring and made clothes for her children and others.^[1] Although 1860 saw the 'first comprehensive reform in women's legal status'^[5] Crisha most likely split her days between caring for the children, sewing clothes as requested and helping Jobe with the farm.

DeKalb County, Illinois

The next decade held many changes for the family. Crisha was living in De Kalb, Illinois in 1870.^[6] Next to her was her brother-in-law Silas and his wife Elizabeth. Jobe was not listed, but their children Lydia (age 11), Oliver (age 9), Charley (age 5) and Frank (age 1) were in the home.^[6] Lydia attended school with Oliver while Charley and Frank stayed home with their mother.^[6] Their birth places reflected their moves as Crisha, Lydia, Oliver, Charley and Frank were born in Canada, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa and Illinois respectively.^[6] Crisha at age forty was the 'Head of Household' of this family of five. Both of her parents had died in the first half of the decade and Jobe's parents were too far away to be of any help. They had seen the American Civil War come and go, with Illinois being a major source of troops for the Union Army. While many women took up jobs to make uniforms and supplies for the armies, women's rights became even more at the forefront of conversation.^[7] In the year 1878 a Woman Suffrage Amendment was introduced in the United States Congress.^[7] The country had seen changes also as the presidency had changed from James Buchanan, to Abraham Lincoln, to Andrew Johnson and finally Ulysses S Grant.

Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Crisha turned fifty in the year 1880. About two years before they had moved to Elmo, Minnesota.^[8] Her daughter Lydia had married Peter Salmond in 1878 in Parker's Prairie, Minnesota.^[9] Though the 1880 census was taken just three weeks after her fiftieth birthday her age was stated as 'forty-four.'^[8] Jobe was in the home and working as a Farmer.^[8] Oliver (age 19), Charley (age 14) and Frank (age 11) worked as Farm Laborers. Ady, at age nine, attended school while Ella, age four, stayed home with Crisha. Jobe's father Daniel had died in 1875 leaving his mother Betsy the only living grandparent to their children. Rutherford B Hayes was finishing out his term as the nineteenth United States President.

1900 Federal Census

Crisha was age seventy at the turn of the century and living in South Bend, Minnesota with her daughter Ady and her family.^[10] Jobe, a year older than her, had finally retired.^[10] As Crisha grew older she took the white ash wood Jobe had split and wove them into colorful baskets; too weak to work the farm any more.^[1] Their son-in-law Daniel Cameron worked as a Farmer to support the family.^[10] Their children Viola, Alexander and Ada were all under the age of seven.^[10] Ady had lost one child, while Crisha had seen the passing of three children.^[1][10] Jobe's mother Betsy had died nine years prior. In broader terms the country had seen the NWSA and AWSA reunited as the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Harriet Tubman and others had formed the National Association of Colored Women (NACW). William McKinley was ending out his term as United States President while Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt had not yet begun his.

Crisha's one love died on the 3rd of November 1908. His cause of death was Prostate Cancer. Two years later she was still living with Daniel and Ada.^[11] Their children Viola, Alexander, Ada and their adopted son Rick all attended school.^[11] Crisha would sit and knit "mittens and gloves with the prettiest backs" for the grandchildren as she watched them grow.^[1] Jerry and Ellen Bolton with children Willard and Luella were boarders.^[11] Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt had ended his presidential term and William Taft was now the president. In 1912 Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive (Bull Moose/Republican) Party would become the first national political party to adopt a woman suffrage plank.^[7]

Women's rights may not have been forefront in her mind as Crisha, age eighty, watched her grandchildren grow. Woodrow Wilson, elected in 1913, would be the final president that Crisha would see take office. In February of 1915 Crisha fell, dislocating her hip and causing great injury to her body.^[12] Unable to get out of bed she gradually weakened.^[12] Crisha died in January of 1916 at the home of her son Charley.^[12][13] Cause of death was Lobar Pneumonia with Fracture of the Hip a contributory factor.^[13] Crisha was predeceased by her husband and three children, and survived by eight children, a sister, ninety grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She had seen twenty-two different presidents in office during her lifetime, and with Jobe had been the progenitor of a large, loving family. Chrisha was laid to rest in the Minneopa Cemetery next to Jobe.^[14] "And by her death many a one lost a friend most dear."^[1]

Photograph taken by Joe Reinemann

Residence

1830: Ontario, Canada

1850: District 21, Vermilion, Illinois^[2]

1860: Liberty Township, Buchanan, Iowa^[4]

1865: Iowa^[15]

1869: Illinois^[16]

1870: De Kalb, De Kalb, Illinois^[6]

1880: Elmo, Otter Tail, Minnesota^[8]

1895: Elmo township, Otter Tail, Minnesota^[17]

1900: South Bend, Blue Earth, Minnesota^[10]

1910: Roosevelt, Roseau, Minnesota^[11]

Family

Husband: Joseph F "Jobe" Hennager

Wife: Lucretia "Chrisha" Ann Lindsay

Married: 25 Feb 1852, De Kalb County, Illinois

Children:

1. Elizabeth Jane (Hennager) Adams b 11 Nov 1853^[4]
2. George Washington Hennager b 5 Aug 1856^[4]
3. Lydia (Hennager) Salmond b 15 Nov 1858^[4][6]
4. Oliver Mac Hennager b 1861^[6][8]
5. Unknown "William" Hennager b 1864^†
6. Charles Frederick "Charley" Hennager b 10 Aug 1865^[6][8]
7. Unknown "Alfred B" Hennager b 1866^†
8. Frank J Hennager b 1 Mar 1867^[6][8]
9. Addie A "Ady" (Hennager) Cameron b 23 May 1871^[8][10][11]
10. Ella Mae (Hennager) (Bolton) (Kimball) Portlock b 9 Jun 1875^[8]
11. (Unknown) Hennager b aft 1852,^†[10] d bef 1900^[10]

^†Note: Lucretia said in the 1900 census that she bore ten children and seven were living. Two of the three other children have been said to be William and Alfred but that may be incorrect. See their profiles for details.

Research Notes

• Where were William and Alfred in 1870? And in 1880? Were they two of the three children that died?

• It's purely speculation but I wonder if Jobe had gone back to help his parents in 1870. He returned to the family so it wasn't as if they had divorced (still unusual during that era). He wasn't in his father's household in Iowa but could have been with a sibling there as his father lived with his brother Lawrence, his wife and their six children. Possible future research: check census records for his siblings to see if he appears with one of them. Jobe's father lived in Iowa in 1870 and died five years later.(Silva-1055 19:05, 2 January 2019 (UTC)) Update: As Addie was conceived the same month that the 1870 census was taken, Jobe had most likely left within weeks of the census. He may have simply been going back to take care of their Iowa property as Frank was born in Iowa in 1867 and Crisha was in Illinois in 1870.(Silva-1055 14:41, 4 January 2019 (UTC))

• The 1900 Federal Census states that Crisha had ten children while only seven were living. The purported death dates for all ten of the children born by then are after 1900. More research will need to be done to determine which children had died. (Note that William and Alfred may have died young, explaining their absence in the 1870 census). Additional Note: William and Alfred were not listed as surviving children of Crisha in 1916. This means them and one other (unnamed) child predeceased her.

• Jobe's son Charley was the informant on his death certificate. Jobe's father died when Charley was ten, his mother died when Charley was sixteen. They didn't live in the same state, so he may not have known them. Jobe's parents are listed as 'Unknown' on his DC.

• Jobe's age was listed as 83 on his death certificate (making him born in 1825). As his census records were consistent in listing him one year older than Lucretia (all except for 1880), I believe that the year/age was 'guessed' by Charley or simply misunderstood.

• Not all of the maps linked in the Residence section contain these families. They are, however, accurate portrayals of what was, or would be, neighbors and towns people to them at the time they lived there. The spelling for Hennager was written as it sounded (with the hard 'g') so was 'Hennecker.'

• I contacted Joe Reinemann, the person that took her tombstone picture for FindAGrave, and asked for permission to use his photograph.(Silva-1055 19:55, 4 January 2019 (UTC)) UPDATE: I got permission from Joe today to use his photograph of the tombstone.(Silva-1055 12:08, 2 March 2019 (UTC))

Lucretia wove willow baskets for family use and to sell to supplement family income. She was living with her son and family at the time of her death. Cause of death, fractured hip and pneumonia.

Sources

^{[3] [13] [12] [14] [18] [2] [4] [6] [8] [17] [10] [5] [11] [19] [7] [1]}

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Irish, Lydia Salmond. Poem for her grandmother Lucretia (Lyndsay) [sic] (Hennager), written November 1928, 2 pages, found on Ancestry current 'owner' unknown.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880," database with images, Ancestry (US Federal Census Non-Population on Ancestry$ : accessed 2 January 2019), entry for David Lindsay, 1850, District 21, Vermilion, Illinois; citing a database containing U.S. federal non-population schedules from 1850-1880 for the following states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington Territory. NOTE: David had 70 acres unimproved land, 190 acres improved land, $1500 farm value, $75 of farm implements, $250 of livestock, $60 bushels of wheat and $400 bushels of Indian Corn
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Certificate of Marriage, Joseph Hanegan to L A Lindsey, 25 Feb 1852, De Kalb County, Illinois. County Clerk's office, Sycamore, Illinois.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8} "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (United States Census : accessed 1 March 2018), Lucrecia A Hennegan in the home of Joseph Hennegan, 1860.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Woloch, Nancy. Women and the A American Experience (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984), p. 185.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9} "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (United States Census : accessed 1 March 2018), Lucretia Hennager, Illinois, United States; citing p. 35, family 311, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,714.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Barber, E Susan. One Hundred Years toward Suffrage: An Overview. Library of Congress Collection, donated material 1 November 1938, viewable online at nps.gov (National Park Service).
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9} "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (United States Census : accessed 1 March 2018), Lucretia Hennecker in the household of Joseph Hennecker, Elmo, Otter Tail, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district ED 176, sheet 206C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0629; FHL microfilm 1,254,629.
9. ↑ Email conversation on 4 Mar 2020 with cousin M.J.B., copy in the records of Mindy Silva.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 10.9} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (United States Census : accessed 2 January 2019), Chrisha Hennegar in household of Daniel Cameron, South Bend Township, Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 29, sheet 2A, family 18, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,758.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5} "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (United States Census : accessed 2 January 2019), Lucretia A Hennoger in household of Daniel D Cameron, Roosevelt, Roseau, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 251, sheet 2A, family 28, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 722; FHL microfilm 1,374,735.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} Mrs Lucretia Hennager obituary, Mankato, Minnesota, Mankato Free Press, 17 January 1916, p. 8. Copy in the possession of Mindy Silva.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Death Certificate for Lucretia Ann Hennagir, 15 January 1916, File No. 1424, Minnesota Division of Vital Statistics. Copy in possession of Mindy Silva.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Burial Index : accessed 11 July 2016), Lucretia Ann Lindsay Hennager, 1916; Burial, Mankato, Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States of America, Minneopa Cemetery; citing Find A Grave: Memorial #142458532
15. ↑ Inferred residence in 1869 per son Charley's birth.
16. ↑ Inferred residence in 1869 per son Frank's birth.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} "Minnesota State Census, 1895," database with images, FamilySearch (Minnesota State Census : accessed 1 March 2018), Lucrela Henegar in the household of Joseph Henegar, Elmo township, Otter Tail, Minnesota; citing p. 13, line 12, State Library and Records Service, St.Paul; FHL microfilm 565,794.
18. ↑ "Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990," database, FamilySearch (Minnesota Deaths and Burials : accessed 4 December 2017), Lucreata Lindsey in entry for George W. Hennager, 22 Dec 1925; citing Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, reference 22498; FHL microfilm 2,218,711.
19. ↑ Death Certificate for Joseph Hennager, 3 November 1908, File No. 1174, Minnesota Division of Vital Statistics. Copy in possession of Mindy Silva.

See Also

• Women's group celebrates foremothers, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Green Bay Press-Gazette, 9 March 2004, p 9, col 1-4.

• Lindsay, Margaret Isabella. The Lindsays of America a genealogical narrative and family record... (Albany, NY: Munsell's Sons, 1889), np.

(Return to Biography)

• family