Laura Cahill

Laura's Men

Tomlinson

Crispen

(under construction)

Thomas

(under construction)

Estell

(under construction)

Laura Cahill

and coworkers

Laura is on the top left of the pix

Laura Sarah Cahill is this researcher's Great-Great Grandmother. She gave birth as an unmarried woman to Mollie Tomlinson, December 2, 1873, in Franklin Township, Ross County, Ohio. Mollie’s Father is listed as Jacob Tomlinson. Mollie resided with Laura Cahill until she (Mollie) married.

Mollie Tomlinson married Jonathon Grable October 20, 1893

In the 1900 Federal Census Ross County, Chillicothe, Ohio living on Paint Street.

John Grable - age 35      

Lilly - age 26

Letie Bridenbaugh - age 19 "Boarder"

John Grable is Mamie Grable’s Father and Lilly her stepmother.

Living next door to John Grable in the 1900 census is George Brown, born June 1837, age 63. Married 19 years. Born Ohio.

George Brown’s Father - born Virginia

George Brown’s Mother - born Virginia

Occupation - Day Labor

George Brown Wife, Mary Brown. Born in Ohio, February 1836 age 63 Married 19 years

Mary Brown’s Father - born Virginia

Mary Brown’s Mother - born New York

Mother of 6 Children

Living children 3

Samuel Brown, Son - born October 1872 age 17

occupation Day labor

Laura Sarah Cahill went on to marry 3 men, including William Crispin, LeGrand Thomas, and Vernon Estel (see footnotes below).

Mollie Tomlinson Grable  gave birth to Mamie Grable, (this researcher’s Grandmother) May 5, 1895, in Ross County, Ohio.  

Mollie Tomlinson Grable is said to have died in childbirth with Mamie Grable in 1895.

In the 1900 Federal Census, Mamie Grable is found to be living with Laura Cahill, and John Shipley and his children after Dora Cahill Shipley, his wife and Laura’s sister, died. 

John and Dora Shipley’s children:

Frank  born  July  1883

Mary  born  June  1885

Jerry  born  March  1888

The 1910 Federal Census states

Le Grand Thomas - age 59 

Laura, wife - age   55

Mamie Grable, step-granddaughter of  Le Grand  Thomas - age 15 

They are living on East Street, Chillicothe, Ohio.

Laura marries Vernon Estel in 1915

Vernon Estel &

Laura Cahill Estel

1915

Laura Estel

Chillicothe City Directory - 1927

Laura Cahill Estel's Death Certificate

~

Laura Estell

Lydia Smith married Jeremiah French in 1837. Their daughter, Mary, begins my family. The Cahill women lived first in Franklin Township and then Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio, then Cincinnati and Sabina, Ohio, then moved to California, and finally back to Chillicothe. A circle is closed for my Cahill women.

MARY FRENCH CAHILL ... her daughter, LAURA CAHILL ... her daughter, MOLLIE TOMLINSON ... her daughter, MAYME GIBSON ... her daughter, DOROTHY GIBSON WICKENSIMER ... her daughter, JUDIE WICKENSIMER MIRACLE. THESE ARE THE WOMEN OF MY FAMILY.

Mary French married Sylvester Loren Cahill in 1852. Together they had four children. Mary was reportedly a good mother and cared for her children until they married and left home. Sylvester, on the other hand, went off to war in 1863 and never returned. Documentation has been found that indicates he deserted the Union Army Ohio Infantry and joined the Virginia Cavalry. He spent most of the war in the Hospital, the last being Chimborazo in Richmond, Virginia. It is believed by this researcher that our Great Great Grandfather died soon after leaving the hospital, never returning to to his wife and children in Ross County, Ohio. There is a J. Cahill buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia and we await the documentation of this burial.

A document can be found on this site showing his wife having him declared dead in 1873, 7 years after the end of the Civil War. She requested and obtained complete control of her children and their assets.

Laura (Mary French Cahill's first born and oldest of her three daughters), as an unmarried woman, gives birth to Mollie Tomlinson, on December 2, 1873. Mollie’s father, Jacob Tomlinson, was 19 and Laura was 18. Jacob moved to Mt. Pleasant, Madison County, Ohio, and can be found living with his wife, Emma, and year old daughter, Clara, in the 1880 Census.

Laura, and her Granddaughter, Mayme, lived with John Shipley after Dora -- Laura's youngest sister and John Shipley's wife -- died in 1893 of tuberculosis. Laura helped John raise his children as well as her granddaughter, Mayme, until she (Laura) met and married William Crispin. Mr. Crispin died not long after they were married. Laura Cahill Crispin was then asked by Le Grand Thomas for her hand. Having no money and no way or inclination to make a living on her own, and with a Granddaughter to raise, she accepts. Unfortunately, the same fate befalls Mr. Thomas -- he dies soon after they marry.

Finally, Vernon Estel proposes marriage to Laura Cahill Crispin Thomas, and she gladly marries the gentleman. She reportedly likes Mr. Estel, who makes a good living for the couple. Mr. Estel, however, dies in 19??. Laura Cahill Crispin lives the rest of her life happily with her Granddaughter Mayme and her family and dies in 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Mollie lives with first her Grandmother (Mary French Cahill) and her mother, then with her Mother alone until she married. Mollie married Johnathan Grable, October 20, 1893. She was, by all accounts, very much in love with her husband. Mollie and Johnathan had a daughter, born May 5, 1895. They named the girl Mayme. Mollie never recovered from the problems connected with childbirth and died 6 months after Mayme was born. Mollie is buried at Three Locks Cemetery in Franklin Township, Ross County, Ohio.

Mayme never lived with her father, but was raised by her Grandmother, Laura Cahill. Mayme Grable is thankful to have a caring and able grandmother who teaches her the finer points of housekeeping, cooking, sewing, and generally taking care of her family with care and ability. Mayme works at the shoe factory until she marries.

Mayme Grable met Henry S. Gibson in 1815. They marry after Mayme decides that the man she loved is not the man to marry, while Henry is. Henry, the son of Silvers Porter and Hannah Anthony Gibson, is a schoolteacher. After he marries, he becomes a “Furnace Man” -- he sells or works with heating the rest of his life.

Mayme and Henry have two children. Dorothy is born in 1915 and Ralph, her brother, 4 years later in 1919. Henry starts drinking for his own reasons and Mayme asks him to leave the house, which was located at 365 Vine Street, Chillicothe.  He does and they never really live together again. Henry stops drinking and moves to Portsmouth, Ohio. Although a reconciliation was attempted in 1948, when Mayme went to Portsmouth where Henry lived and worked to see if they could be reunited, they couldn’t and Mayme lived the rest of her life with her children, first with Dorothy helping to raise her grandchildren, and then with her son, Ralph, and his wife, Mary Rambo Gibson . Mayme lives with Ralph and Mary in Sabina, Ohio, until her death in 19??

Dorothy Louise, the daughter of Mayme Grable and Henry Gibson, falls in love with Richard (Dick) Wickensimer. They are engaged for a couple of years while Dick goes to Military School in Illinois. They marry and have three children: Jay, Judie, and Jill.

Their marriage is not a happy one. Dick drinks and has interests outside the home and Dorothy divorces him. Dorothy never remarries and spends her life working in a job she loves and traveling. Dorothy dies in 1997 with her daughters by her side.

Which brings it to my generation—I love this stuff.

Judie