I just started searching on this website and I am having trouble finding information and making connections between relatives. I hardly have any information at all, because it looks like my immediate family's history is kind of cloudy. All I really know is that my grandfather's name was Hollis Done. He lived in California. I don't have a birth year, but he died in 1972. The only information I can find on him is his death certificate. From what I can recall from my memory, he was born in Indiana, and still possibly has family there. If anyone knows anything more, I would really appreciate any responses. I know I didn't have much information to start out with. Thanks.

Cory – Your grandfather, HOLLIS E DONE was born 21 November 1925 in Wabash Township, Parke County, IN (possibly in the town of Mecca). He died 26 November 1972 in San Bernardino, CA and his SS# was 314-20-3727.

He was one of at least 9 children born to WILLIAM EDWARD DONE (born July 1888) and LILLY ALICE KELTNER (she preferred Alice & was born Dec 1885). They married about 1905 & they and their children were all born in IN. Their children were: Edith born 14 July 1906, a son born 16 Oct 1907 that died before 1910, Vernon born about 1909, Freeman William born 9 Mar 1911 (died 31 July 1974 in AZ), Harold born about 1918, Violet L born 3 Feb 1920, Opal S born about 1922, Norma E born about 1924 and HOLLIS E born 21 Nov 1925. They probably had other children between 1911 and 1918, but I could only find a few in the birth index and the 1920 Census pages for Wabash Township are officially deemed lost.

LEWIS R KELTNER was born May 1860 in IN. Sarah Bell Plagle was born Oct 1864 in IN (her father was born in IA and her mother was born in KY). They married about 1881. They had at least seven children: John W born Nov 1882, LILLY ALICE born Dec 1885, Mandy E born Nov 1887, Charles L born Jan 1892, Edgar born Feb 1895, Golda Bell born 12 Apr 1904, and one child that died young – name unknown. All children were born in IN (probably Parke County).

Lewis R KELTNER was the son of WILLIAM H and Ida KELTNER. William H KELTNER was born about 1825 in TN. He was the son of JOHN (born abt 1793 in SC) and Margaret (born abt 1795 in SC) KELTNER. He was married at least twice. His first wife, Ida, was born about 1828 in NC. They probably married about 1847 in TN. His second wife, Rebecca D, was born about 1832 in NC and they married in IN between 1861 and 1870. He had at least 12 children: Sara A born about 1848 in TN, Allen P born about 1850 in GA, Mary C born about 1855 in IN, William B born Nov 1857 in IN, LEWIS R born May 1860 in IN, Isaac M born about 1863 in IN, Sherman E born about 1865 in IN, Calista A born about 1866 in IN, Emma E born August 1869 and died before 1880 in IN, Lila E born about 1872 in IN, Netta born about 1874 in IN, and Nancy C born about 1877 in IN.


WILLIAM EDWARD DONE was one of seven children born to EDWARD H DONE and MARY J STARK. Edward H Done was born July 1864 in IN. Mary J STARK was born Oct 1868 in IL. They married 4 Mar 1885 in Vermillion Co, IN. Their children were: WILLIAM EDWARD born July 1888, Jessie J born Dec 1890, Ruth born Aug 96, Frances L born 12 Dec 1902, Lewis born about 1906 and 2 children that died young – names unknown.

The Indiana Marriage Index shows that the parents of EDWARD H DONE were JOHN DONE and SALLY CARTER. Both were born in VA according to the 1880 IN Census where John was found living with his sister, Sarah, and her family in Florida, Parke Co, IN. In the VA Census taken on 23 July 1850 in District 60, Smyth County, VA is a listing for a miller, John Done, 28, his wife Julia, 28, and their three children: Charles, 5, Lucy Ann, 4 and Sarah C, 3. Living on a nearby farm was Abram Hunnel and nine of his relatives, including his widowed daughter, Sally CARTER & her children: William, 10, Abram, 8, Julia, 5, and Adaline, 3. So sometime between 1850 and 1863, Julia died, John married Sally, and they moved to Indiana. On 11 Jun 1872, Sarah Done (index showed Dove) married Robert Kirkley in Greene Co, IN. They had one son, Fletcher. Robert died and she married George W Potter on 23 Feb 1876 in Vermillion Co, IN. They had at least one child – a daughter, Silva born about 1877. - - - The Indiana Marriage Index showed Edward’s bride as Mary Starks, Age: 17, Father: Wm and Mother: Jane Sheals. The 1900 Census shows all three born in IL. The Illinois Marriage Index shows that William STARK and Hannah Jane Shields were married on 1 January 1865 in Clark County, Illinois.

The info above should give you a good base to build on. Here’s a few hints for your research:

Spelling: The records you are researching are subject to bad spelling, bad handwriting and bad indexing. In many cases, people dropped their first names and used their middle names instead. In the 1800’s and before, most people didn’t know how to read or write, so their names were changed by the local record keepers. In the early 1800’s and before, spelling was also affected by the ethnic origin of the record keeper. The original immigrant for my surname was named Konrad Dom and was German. He used the English version, Conrad Dome, after he arrived in PA in 1723. I did find some records with the Irish version, Doam. The family moved to MD and then in the 1790’s to VA. During the first 10 years or so, any marriages that were recorded were spelled Dohm or Dohme (the phonetic spelling). Some moved to KY and then continued west – they continued to use Dome. The ones that stayed had their name changed to the Dutch/Swiss version, Doom. All six versions are pronounced the same. One tax list showed Coonrod Doam. Due to the fact that German handwriting is different than English and German has such a harsh pronunciation D’s and T’s were confused, so I have a list of over 50 variations when checking a new database (including Done & Doan). And, speaking of databases, here are some free ones you should check out –

The LDS have the largest genealogical library in the US in Salt Lake City. Try their website at -
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp

If you are trying to find info in a certain state, RootsWeb has a subsection called Roots-L. Go to the following site - http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/ - link to the state you want and you’ll find a list of links for info in that state. That’s where I found the ‘Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900’ http://www.library.sos.state.il.us/GenealogyMWeb/MarriageSea... and other info that is made available by the State of Illinois.

Happy hunting !!!
Bobbi D

PS – If you don’t have a genealogy program, try the free one on this site. I have several programs that I bought, but I like this one the best. Just click on the tab ‘Family Trees’. You can download a copy of the program to your hard drive, or, you can use the online version. Unfortunately, due to identity thieves, you should avoid any specific info after 1930 or on living relatives. If, sonetime in the future, you find another program that you like better, the info can be transferred. You WON'T have to start over.