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Archiver > MD-FRED-GEN > 2002-11 > 1037677662


From: Tina Stedman <>
Subject: [MDFred] Marriage in Frederick but cannot find other family Beck/Snurr
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 19:47:54 -0800 (PST)


I have recently found a marriage record for a John
Beck who married Mary A. Snurr on the 9th of Aug 1851.
Online it says that the book, Marriage Licenses of
Frederick County, 1841-1865 by Margaret E. Myers may
contain more information. Does anyone on the list
have this book that wouldn't mind looking it up for
me?

Also any suggestions, I am kinda stuck on this
family!? This is what I have and have done:

I have searched the 1850 Census and have not been able
to locate John Beck and family or Mary Snurr and
family.

I have not yet searched the 1860/1870 Census yet since
I will need to do these by hand since I have not yet
found an online index nor is there one at our library.

The 1880 Census does list John Beck's Household in
Champaign County, OH. This is what it says
John Beck, self, Married, male, White, 33, OH,
Farming, parents born in Prussia.
Mary Beck, wife, married, female, White, 61, Keeping
House, parents born in MD.
Barbry A. Beck, daughter, single, female, white, 24,
MD, parents born in Pruss and MD.
John Gorman, son in law, married, male, white, 27, OH,
works on farm, parents born in Ireland.
Anna M. Gorman, daughter, married, female, white, 26,
M, parents born in Prussia and Maryland.
Charles C. Gorman, grandson, single, male, white, 4,
OH, parents born OH and MD.
Mary N. Gorman, granddaughter, single, female, white,
1, OH, parents born OH and MD.

First some things stick out immediately. There is a
28 year difference in age and the children's father is
not this John Beck if he was born in OH. Questions
and more Questions!!!

Now I look at the 1900 Census for Champaign County, MD
and find that Mary is no longer with us but I do find
John. Here is the short version of what I find. John
was born Apr 1828 and is 73 years old and was born in
Prussia and is living with his daugher Barbara who
matches all that I have.

Did they just make a huge mistake on the 1880 Census?

I also know that John Gorman immigrated to the US in
1840 from the 1900 Census and that he did not become a
naturalized citizen.

Now I also have a letter from John and Anna Gorman's
granddaughter, written about 20 years ago and has
since passed on so I can talk to her myself. In this
letter she states that Anna M. Gorman is her
grandmother and that John Beck and Mary Snurr are her
great grandparents. Due to an estranged relationship
with her father, she lived most of her life with Anna
and John Gorman, her grandparents. They also have a
picture of Mary Snurr and the family gossip is that
her mother was white and her father was Indian and
never married. Several people had made a comment to
Anna about this and she would get mad and never talk
about it.

I also have the obit for Anna Mary Gorman. It tells
me that they moved from MD to OH about 1855. I have
not located John and Mary Beck's obits yet but I am
looking for them.

They had three children, Anna who was born in
Maryland, Barbara and Joseph.

Any help or suggestions on this family would be
greatly appreciated!!!

Tina Stedman
Albuquerque, NM

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