Cziskes in Harrison Township

One item on my ever-growing to do list is to research the land records of Calumet County in Wisconsin for deeds related to the Ciskes (also written Cziske). The Plat Book of Manitowoc and Calumet Counties, Wisconsin, published in 1893, shows two Cziskes on pages 60 and 61.

Cziskes, Plat of Harrison Townships 19-20 North, Ranges 18-19 East, p. 60-61.

 Who are J. Cziske and Jos Cziske?

Jos is a common abbreviation for Joseph. I know of at least three Joseph Cziskes who were living in Harrison township in Calumet County during this period. The first is Joseph Cziske, born around 1839 in Prussia. One of his sons is also named Joseph Cziske, born around 1870. Both are enumerated in Harrison in the United States federal censuses and Wisconsin censuses from 1870 through 1910. The third possibility is Joseph Cziske, born about 1875. He was the son of Franz Cziske and Justina Malest, who immigrated to Wisconsin from Prussia in 1866, settling in Harrison township.

J. Cziske may be one of the Josephs or it may refer to John Ciske, who was born in Harrison in 1871, but who moved to Menasha in Winnebago County around 1890.

Like most genealogy questions, this requires more research.

Book Review: How the States Got Their Shapes

How the States Got Their Shapes. Mark Stein (New York: Smithsonian Books, 2008), 331 pages.

Location is one of the cornerstones of genealogy. Knowing where your ancestors were at a given time helps in finding documents and record repositories.

I came across How the States Got Their Shapes while browsing the shelves at the local library. A mixture of geography and history, Stein examines how the boundaries of each of the U.S. states changed over time to their current form. Maps accompanying the text to illustrate the boundary changes on a state-by-state basis.

After reading the account for each state, I came to a greater appreciation for the many factors involved in setting state boundaries, as well as understand the reasons for border shapes. Even the regular rectangle borders of Colorado and Wyoming have a story behind them.

Stein's writing is very approachable and often humorous. The book includes a select bibliography of source material, most of which are authored works from the twentieth century. The narrative text does point to more source-based material which would be very interesting to research. If only I had the time.

Deed - Thomas J Vandever and Lucy Vandever to Isaac Z Shelton, 12 April 1892

For and in consideration of twelve dollars 

paid to me in hand, and his this promiss

ory note being of date with this Conveyance 

this first note for the sum of $38⁰⁰ and due the 24^th day of 

December 1892, the second for the sum of $50⁰⁰ due Dec

24^th 1893 both of said notes bearing interest from date and a 

lien actioned on the land for the payment of the same

I T J Vandever and wife Lucy Vandever have this day 

bargained and sold, and do herby transfer and Convey to I 

Z Shelton the following described tract of land. Lying in White 

County Tennessee about 2 1/2 miles south of Sparta, and bounded 

as follows to-wit: Beginning on a Hickory near the south west 

Corner of a tract of land deed by Richard Mauldin and his 

white Sam Maulden to Rachel Sims. Running thence E. 

on a line of the same 35 1/4 poles to a Rock Corner of a tract 

of land Conveyed by Richard Mauldin and wife to Taylor 

Clark (Col) thence N 10^o E. 10 3/4 poles to a Rock a Corner of the 

same thence N 28^o E with a line of the Lawery lands 23 3/4 poles 

to two post oaks Corner of same thence N 60 1/2 poles to a Rock 

Sheltons S. E. Corner of tract conveyed to him by H Vandever 

thence west 14 poles to a Rock thence South westwordly 45 poles 

to a Rock thence West 34 poles to a Rock in the line of a 

tract sold by a H P Sims to J. C Vandever, thence south 

2 1/2^o East with said line 45 poles to the Beginning

To the said I Z Shelton his heirs and assigns to have and 

to hold forever And we the said T J Vandever and wife 

Lucy Vandever do covenant with the said I Z Shelton 

that we are lawfully siezed and possessed said land, and 

have a good right to Convey the same, and we do bind 

ourselves and heirs and representatives to warrant and 

defend the title to all of said land except one acre in the 

South west Corner of said tract Claimed by David Bryoles

(leal) which a hereby convey and quit claim to the said 

I Z Shelton his heirs and assigns forever against the

lawful claims of all persons whomsoever And I the 

said T J Vandever in making this Conveyance reserve

Enough of the posts[?] on the out side fence on the tract 

hereby conveyed to build 79 poles of fence 10 posts[?] high 

between me and the said Shelton in Testimony whereof

we have hereunto affixed our signature, this April 

12, 1892

T J Vandever

Lucy Vandever

Personally appeared before me J D Goff Clerk of  

the County Court of said County the above named T J 

Vandever and Lucy Vandever the bargainers with 

whom I am personally acquainted and who acknowledged 

that they executed the within instrument for the pur-

oses herein contained and Lucy Vandever wife 

of T J Vandever having personally appeared before 

me privately and apart from her said Husband 

the said Lucy Vandever acknowledged the execution of 

the said deed to have been done by her freely voluntarily 

and understandingly without Compulsion or Constraint 

from her said Husband and for the purposes therein 

expressed

Witness J D Goff Clerk of Said Court at Office, this 

25^th day of July 1892

J D Goff Clerk

Filed and noted in Reception Book No 2 & page 128 on the 

2^nd day of December 1893 at 11 o clock A.m.

H L Fraser Register

White County, Tennessee, Register of Deeds Volume 33: 490-492, T J Vandever and wife to I Z Shelton, 12 April 1892: FHL 507915.

Transcribed: 19 November 2016 by Phillip Ciske

Deed, Isaac Z Shelton and wife to Thomas J Vandever, 12 April 1892

I Z Shelton
   to deed
T J Vandever

For and in consideration of one Dollar to part
in hand paid, and other valuable considerati-
ons to my Satisfaction we I Z Shelton and
wife Amanda Shelton have this day bargained sold
and do hereby transfer and Convey to T J Vandever the
following described tract of land Lying in the 1^st Civil
District of White County Tennessee, and bounded as
follows to-wit Beginning at a Rock in Rauls West
boundary line, It being the North East Corner of the
tract Sold by J C Vandever to me, running Thence
South 8½ poles to a Rock, thence West 111 poles to a
Rock Thence Southwardly 12½ poles to a Rock Thence
West 27½ poles to a Rock Thence North 2½° West 22 poles and
nine Links Thence East 61¼ Poles to the Beginning
Containing seven and one half acres by estimation[.]
To the said T J Vandever his heirs and assigns to have
and to hold forever[.] And we I Z Shelton and wife
Amanda Shelton do Covenant with the said T J Vande
ver that we are lawfully seized and possessed of said
land, and that we have a good Right to Convey the same[.]
And we do further Covenant with the said T J Vandever
that we will forever warrant the title to said land to him
his heirs and assigns against the lawful Claims of all
persons whomsoever[.] In testimony we do hereunto
affix our signature this the 12^th day of April 1892

attest J D Goff                     I Z   x   Shelton
                                            Amanda   x   Shelton

State of Tennessee
White County

Personally appeared before me J D Goff
Clerk of County Court of said County the
above named I Z Shelton Amanda Shelton the bargain
ors with whom I am personally acquainted and acknowledg
ed that they executed the within instrument for the
purposes herein contained and Amanda Shelton wife
of I Z Shelton having personally appeared before me
privately and apart from her said Husband the said
Amanda Shelton acknowledged the execution of the
said deed to have been done by her freely voluntarily
and understandingly without Compulsion or constraint
from her said Husband and for the purposes therein
expressed
Witness J D Goff Clerk of Said Court at Office, this 25^th
day of July 1892
                    J D Goff Clerk

Filed and noted in Reception Book No 2 page 114 on
the 4^th day of Nov 1892 at 2 o clock p.m.
                Houst[?]n L Fraser Register

White County, Tennessee, Register of Deeds Volume 33: 200, I Z Shelton to T J Vandever, 12 April 1892: FHL 507915.

Transcribed: 19 November 2016 by Phillip Ciske

Deed, James C Vandever and wife to Isaac Z Shelton, 11 July 1888

We James Vandiver and wife Francis
Vandever, have this day bargained and
sold, and by these presents do Convey to
I Z Shelton, the following described tract of land, for
the Sum of Eighty Dollars to us in hand paid, the
receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged; Lying in
the 1st Civil District of White County Tennessee,
bounded as follows: Beginning on a Rock in a line
of a tract of land owned by the Heirs of Eadley Raul
Decd, Thence North 70° East on a line of the same
22 poles and 7 links to a Rock Thomas Vandevers
Corner, Thence West on his line 61¼ poles to a Rock
Said Vandevers line Thence South 2 1/2° East
on a line of the same 22 poles and 7 links to a Rock
J C Vandevers Corner Thence East on his line
61¼ poles to the Beginning Containing by estimation
8½ acres more or less[.] We James Vandever and wife
Francis Vandever Covenant with the said I Z Shelton
his heirs and representatives, that we are lawfully
Seized and possessed of the Premises, herein Convey
so, we have a right to Convey the same; and we
further Covenent with the said I Z Shelton his
heirs and assigns and Representatives to forever
warrant and defend the title to the said I Z Shelton
and his heirs and representatives forever to said
land against the lawful Claims of all Persons
whatsoever[.] I testimony whereof we have
hereunto set our hands and seal, this 11 day of
July 1888.
                J C Vandever {seal}
                Francis  x  Vandever {seal}

White County, Tennessee, Register of Deeds Volume 33: 492, James Vandever and wife to I Z Shelton, 11 July 1888; FHL 507915.

Transcribed: 19 November 2016 by Phillip Ciske