Christina, wife of Abram Sponable 1850-1918

Sometimes as I research to figure out the maiden name of women, I may find it easier to prove who they are not.

On the Ancestry website, hints for my Christina come up with a maiden name of Nellis. When I follow the link to the 1860 Census in St Johnsville, Montgomery, New York another problem arises. Who are Christina Nellis parents? Are they Edward Nellis and his wife Margaret or John H Nellis and his wife Christina.

To make a long story short, I found from the 1850 US Census both Nellis couples above where living with Jacob J Klock (1779-1851) and per Jacob’s will from 1851, both Margaret and Christina were his daughters.

Going forward, I found Christina Klock Nellis Find A Grave Index which listed Christina Vedder (1851-1915) as her daughter. When I clicked on the daughter’s name, I found Christina Vedder’s will. Here she identified that her father was John Henry Nellis and her husband was Johnathan Vedder.

Now I found a 1900 US census for my Christina Sponable who was born in Mar 1852 in New York State and has been married for 24 years and she had one child who is still living. In fact, the son Seeber Sponable is listed several households above Christina and her husband Abram.

I also found a 1900 US Census for Christina Vedder who was born in Oct 1851 in New York State and has been married for 30 years and she also had one child who is not still living. Her child, Edward K Vedder (1871-1876) was linked to her Find A Grave Index.

In spite of finding a tree, with Abram Sponable’s wife listed as Christina Nellis with parents of Edward Nellis and Margaret Klock, I am more than confident to say, my Christina, wife of Abram Sponable is not Christina Nellis and in fact Christina Nellis parents are not Edward Nellis and Margaret Klock but are John Henry Nellis and Christina Klock.

Moral of the story and something I remind to all my fellow researchers, take other people’s trees with a grain of salt and do your own research and see if you can come to the same conclusions. Also, I still haven't figured out what was my Christina's maiden name.