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| Samuel Turritin & 3rd wife Catherine Willeman Buck Turritin |
The will of Catherine's father Jacob Willeman, dated 25 September 1855, probated in 1857, made the following provision for his daughter, Catherine Willeman Buck:
To daughter, Catherine, married to John Buck, his farm in Williams County, Ohio, for her and her husband's lifetime and then it is to be sold, with proceeds going to her children.
Jacob's sons, David and William, were executors.
Catherine Willeman was born 27 Dec 1821 in Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania. Her parents Jacob Willeman and Elizabeth Maurer of Pennsylvania German ancestry and were living in Altoona at the time of her birth. The prospect of cheaper land out west lured the family into moving to Sandusky, Crawford, then eventually to Williams County, Ohio. Catherine married John Buck in 1839 at age 18 in Altoona, and they had 3 young children when they moved west to Henry County, Ohio in 1845.
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| Below is the 1850 census that includes 29-year-old Catherine Willeman Buck. page1 |
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| above is the 1850 census that includes 29-year-old Catherine Willeman Buck. page2 |
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| Below is the 1860 census that includes 28-year-old Catherine Willeman Buck. |
By 1866, Catherine had lost her husband John Buck, leaving her with 8 young children. The older girls found jobs as school teachers. In 1870, Catherine's 28-year-old Lizzie Buck is living in Mount Vernon, Iowa living with her father's brother Samuel and his family.
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| The 1870 agricultural census clearly shows the widow Catherine Buck was a prosperous farmer. |
Catherine continued farming as a single mother until 20 October 1878 when she became the third wife a widower with 20 children! Yes, that makes 28 children between them.
This is an excerpt from Samuel Turritin's biography:
"Eight years later [after the death of his second wife and], to the great amazement of his children, Samuel Turrittin married for the third time. He was seventy-two years old at the time he was married by Reverend G. W. Dinius to Mrs. Catharine Buck. The marriage took place in Defiance County, Ohio, on October 20, 1878. Catharine had been born December 21,1821 and was the widow of John Buck (Born February 1, 1810, Died August 1,1866). John and Catharine Buck had the following children: William Buck, George Buck (see the account of Frances Amelia Turrittin Mapes (Knox) ), Sarah Buck Hull, and Clara Buck Snider. Mrs. Buck was fifty-six when she married Samuel Turrittin There were no children from this union. The third Mrs. Samuel Turrittin was liked by all of the Turrittin children and was held in high esteem. In fact, it is known that she made one trip west to visit her step-children living in Minnesota.
Shortly after their marriage Samuel and Catharine moved into the village of Evansport, Defiance County, Ohio. Their home was on lot seventy-eight, and at the time of Samuel's death was valued at $250.00. It was here in Evansport that Samuel would spend the last years of his life, retired from active life. Though he was more feeble from year to year he was, nevertheless, able to be about until a few weeks before his death. Samuel died on May 30, 1885, in his seventy-ninth year, of cancer of the stomach. The remains were buried in Shiffler's Cemetery. Jefferson Township, Williams County, Ohio, in the presence of a large number of relatives, friends, and neighbors. Shiffler's Cemetery, a popular Williams County burial ground, is located on the west side or United States Route 127 between West Unity and Pulaski. About the year 1900 a cyclone swept through Williams County destroying Samuel's gravestone, so that today, it is sad to report, the old immigrant pioneer lies in an unmarked grave.
Catharine Turrittin outlived her second husband by fifteen years. She died in Tiffin Township, Defiance County, July 24,1900. She was buried in the Buck Cemetery, on the Defiance - Williams County line, next to her first husband." Immigrant pioneer; the story of Samuel Turrittin and his children by Thomas Edwin Doughton 1965
As with many blended families, difficulties arose when Samuel's daughter Frances Amelia Turritin gave birth to a son by Catherine's son George. The young couple did not marry, and George eventually moved west, settling in Snohomish, Washington where he died in 1923. The boy, Arthur Bert Mapes born out of wedlock on 12 Apr 1882 to Frances and George was raised by his Frances and her husband Civil War veteran Enoch Mapes. It is unclear whether Enoch formally adopted "Bert", but nevertheless, young Arthur Bert used Mapes as his last name. Some of Bert's children moved west, where they made the acquaintance of their biological grandfather.
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| 1880 census shows Catherine and new husband, son George, and stepdaughter living in the same household. Catherine's other son William is living next door. |
Catherine Willeman Buck Turrittin was born 27 Dec 1821 in Altoona, Blair, PA and died 24 July 1900 leaving a will. Not all of Catherine and John Buck's children are mentioned in her will.
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| The obituary of Catherine Willeman Buck Turrittin |
