Extracts From the Family Bible of Nancy Jane Kirkland
Extracts by Richard G. Cleaveland 1996

The Kirkland family bible measures 9.5 by 11.5 inches, 1.5 inches thick. It includes several inscriptions and, when presented to me a couple of years ago by Willis Roberts and Helen Higgenbotham Hilton (now Tooley) had several loose sheets of various types, some clearly written by Nancy Jane Kirkland. This set of notes are developed to concentrate the information in both the bible and the loose sheets which were enclosed. An effort has been made to faithfully represent the presentation of the items, with only minor “interpretation” of some handwritten forms.

 Dedication page

Presented to: Ina D. Roberts By Her Mother, N.J. Cleaveland when she is gone July 28th, 1910. Title page: Self-Pronouncing Edition... of the Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments translated out of the original tongue and with the former translations diligently compared and revised together with marginal references, conformable to the edition of 1611, commonly known as the King James Version. Montgomery Ward and Co., Chicago, Ill. Record pages, between the old and new testaments (Handwritten material in italics):

Marriage Certificate:

This is to certify that George David Cleaveland age 23 ½ years and Nancy Jane Kirkland Age 21 years both of Flint, Ind. were solemnly united by me in Rev. Spears of Orland M.E. Church Holy Matrimony near Flint on the 28th day of June in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Six (1866) Conformably to the Ordinance of GOD and the Laws of the Land in presence of Relatives and Friends, about 26 in no.

Family Record - Births

Zula May Cleaveland born May 12th 1867
Kitty Mildred Cleaveland August 24th, 1868
John Monroe Cleaveland Sept. 26th 1869
Mary Iona Cleaveland Oct 19th 1871
Andrew Cary Cleaveland Sept. 4th 1877
Ina Dell Cleaveland Dec. 22nd 1882

Family Record - Deaths

Kitty Mildred Cleaveland Passed away Sept. 5th 1868 age 12 days
George David Cleaveland Passed away June 5th 1909 age 66 years, 6 mo, &16 days.

The above are the only notations in the bible itself. Following are extracts from some of the loose papers enclosed. Most of the others constitute a collection of bible study notes, church bulletins, a copy of The Willing Worker of Fort Wayne, religious memorabilia and so forth. Incongruously there is also a sheet with the complete words of “Wisconsin songs and yells” including On Wisconsin, the Wisconsin marching Song, and so forth.

All of the following appear to be in Nancy Kirkland’s hand.

Sheet 1:

Pa Kirkland died Feb. 4th 1876
Sister Acsah, She died Feb. 4th 1909 Buried Feb. 8th, Just 25 years after Jno’s death

Sheet 2:

 Brother J.J. Kirkland died Aug. 15th /90
Uncle Henry Kirkland died July 1st 1891
Brother Sherm Kirkland died Mch 1st 1897
Sister Alice Kirkland died Nov. 29 1895.

Sheet 3:

James Kirkland born March 9th 1817 died Feb. 4th 1876 Age 58 years, 10 mo, 23 days.
Charity Kirkland born July 15th 1834 Died Dec. 27th 1875Age 46 years, 6 mo. 12 days
Angeline Kirkland died April 20th 1865 Age 33 years and 2 days.

Sheet 4:

Bro. J.J.K. died Aug. 15th 1890
Father K. Died Feb. 4th 1876
Charity L. K. Died Dec. 27 1875
Acsah K. L. Shear died Feb. 4th 1909

Sheet 5:

Well Grant I say poor old Bucyrus. There is where I was born just East of Bucyrus is where my Mothers people lived. That old janitor if he had only lived in B, 37 years did not work for brother John. Tis more than 50 years ago he moved from B- to Crestline early in the 60's, he moved to C. (Signed) By Nancy Cleaveland

Sheet 6:

Children of James Kirkland Jr. born 3-9-1817 Died 2-4-1876.

1. John J. Kirkland born Oct 28 - 1837 died 8-15-1890
2.William Kirkland born July 3 - 1839 died Nov 6th 1862.
3. Leyman Kirkland born Oct. 26 - 1841
4. George Kirkland born infant died _
5. Nancy J. Kirkland born June 19 - 1845
6. Acsah E. Kirkland Shear born May 7 - 1847 died 2-4-1909
7. James Kirkland Jr. born in the fall of 1849 died 2 years old
8. Harriet A. Kirkland born Sept. 1st 1851- Mother died 9 days later
These named are children of The James Kirkland born Mar, 1817 and Harriet Parcher Kirkland his first wife


.
Second wife Mrs. M.J. Andrew a widow with grown family
Third wife Anelina Dille one child a son born Apr 1865 died one week later.
She died 4-20-1865
4th wife Charity Leauback Kirkland mother of the four others born 7-15-1834 died 12-27-1875
x Grant Kirkland born Oct. 13 - 1868
x Alice Kirkland born Mar 9 - 1871 died 11-29-1895 (near Flint)
x Sherman Kirkland born Nov 26 - 1873 died 3-1-1897
x Mamie Kirkland born Dec 9 - 1875

Sheet 7:

Father and Mother of the 13 named below
James Kirkland born Sept. 29th - 1792
Eleanore Lang Kirkland born Mar 15 - 1793

Joseph Kirkland born July 27 - 1812
Anna Kirkland born Nov 22 - 1813
Samuel Kirkland born July 5 - 1815
James Kirkland born Mar. 9 - 1817
Nancy Kirkland born Nov. 28 - 1818
Henry Kirkland born Dec. 14 - 1820 died 7-1-1891
Mary J. Kirkland born May 6 - 1823
George Kirkland born Aug. 30 - 1825
John Kirkland born June 8 - 1827
William Kirkland born July 22 - 1829 died when young
David Kirkland born Mr. 19 - 1831
Boyd Kirkland born July 9 - 1832
Eleanore Kirkland born Mar. 4 - 1834

Sheet 8:Married

Zula M. Cleaveland to Ed Johns Nov. 26th - 1885
John M. Cleaveland to Sadie pease (of Nashua N.H.) Feb. 10 - 1892
M. Ona Cleaveland to George Emerson Apr. 30 - 1896
Ina D. Cleaveland to Roy Roberts Jan 26 - 1898
A. Cary Cleaveland to Annie Graves (of Kendallville Ind. Oct _ 1901

Funeral notice:

At Rest.
Alice M. Kirkland Born near Flint, Ind March 9 - 1871
Died at her home on South Thoman Street, Wednesday
evening at 10 o’cock, November 27, 1895 at Crestline, Ohio.
Funeral services will be held at the Presbyterian Church,
 Friday, November 29, 1895, at 2 o’clock p.m.,
 Rev J.E. Andrews officiating.
Interment in the Crestline Cemetery.

There were included copies of newspaper obituaries of Margaret Bittner Kirkland, wife of Boyd W. Kirkland (1916); Cora Birdella Kirkland (1863); Willie Kirkland (1863); J.S. Kirkland (23 years of age); and Mrs. Soloman (Delia A. Littlefield) Gates (year not stated). These obituaries are transcribed elsewhere.