RESEARCH
FAMILIES V-Z: VINSON ~ Peter Vinson
Peter Vinson - or was it Peter Winson?
The uncertainty of whether this is the "Vinson or Winson" family is a good example of the challenges that are encountered when searching genealogy records.
Vinson or Winson? [1]
"During a period of more than half a century, the late Peter Vinson was one of the honored citizens of the Miami Valley where, from humble beginnings, he worked his way to a position of substantiality and independence in his community.
A man of varied abilities, his life held out to him opportunities for participation in several kinds of business, and as merchant, farmer and willow grower he met with equal success, while, as a citizen, he was always respected and esteemed.
Mr. Vinson was born in Germany, in 1832, and at the age of twenty-two years (1853) emigrated to the United States, arriving alone at Hamilton, Ohio, August 5, 1854. He had no finances to speak of and his knowledge of the language was indifferent, but he had the willingness to work and the ability to do things thoroughly and well, and for two years continued at Hamilton, being variously employed.
Removing to Darrtown, he was married in 1856 to Catherine Schmitt, a native of Baden, Germany.
For a number of years at Darrtown Mr. Vinson was a merchant and highly esteemed in business circles as a man of integrity and upright business principles, and in addition was the owner of a farm [2], specializing in willow-growing [3] Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New York, New Orleans, St. Louis, Cincinnati and other points.
He was a member of St. John's church of Hamilton for many years and was fraternally affiliated with the Masons and Odd Fellows at Hamilton and Oxford and the Rebekahs at Darrtown.
In his death, in 1908, his community lost a valued and valuable citizen. Mrs. Vinson died in 1904.
They were the parents of two children: Mary and Wilhelmina.
The later, now deceased, having passed away May 5, 1891, married the late William Pfaff, and they had two children: Clement and Norma.
Mary, the first child, was married March 13, 1877, to Jacob Liebrich, a tailor by trade, who came from his native Germany to the United States in 1875, and settled at Darrtown. Later he turned his attention to farming and the willow-growing business, and Mrs. Liebrich is now the owner of two fine farms in the Darrtown vicinity, of thirty-seven acres and ninety-seven acres, respectively. She is a woman of many accomplishments, and has numerous friends in the county, and is particularly active in the work of St. John's church at Hamilton, of which she has been a member for many years.
She and her husband have two children : Augusta Mary, who married Otto Hirtzel of Cincinnati ; and Peter W. [4], conducting a truck farm at Darrtown, who married Myrtle Grau and has two children : Luther W. and Augusta."
Webmaster Notes:
[1] The content offered on this "Vinson/Winson" page supports the belief that Peter VINSON is the same person as Peter WINSON...and that the duplication of names/records may simply be the result of how the letters "V" and "W" are pronounced by some persons of German descent.
[2] The 1914 Map of Darrtown shows the Vinson "farm" located just north of Darrtown's northern border. It is labeled "Winson."
[3] Note the reference to "willow growing." This crop is also addressed in the Webmaster Notes on the Darr Family page. The Darr family property adjoined the Vinson/Winson property. The area was conducive to willow growing.
[4] According to the Miami Valley Memoirs narrative (at the left) and the Peter Vinson family tree image (below), Peter W. Liebrich was the grandson of Peter Vinson.
With that in mind, review the 1894 passport application (below) which Peter WINSON signed for himself and his grandson, Peter W. Liebrich (DOB: October 23, 1873).
It appears that, sometime between 1853 and 1894, Peter Vinson became known as Peter Winson.
The following information about Peter Vinson / Peter Winson was found at the Miami Valley Memoirs.
The [bracketed] numerals in the left column below refer to webmaster notes in the column at the right below.
Peter Vinson Chronology
(compiled from the "Miami Valley Memoirs" narrative)
1831 - Born in Baden, Germany
1853 - Immigrated to America
1854 - Arrived in Hamilton, Ohio
1856 - Married Catherine Schmitt (also a native of Baden, Germany); this marriage resulted in the birth of two daughters
(Mary Vinson and Wilhelminia Vinson)
1904 - Widowed, when wife, Catherine died
1908 - Died
Peter Winson Application for U.S. Passport - 1894
This photo of Peter Vinson was found in the Memoirs of Miami Valley book.
Peter Vinson
