CENTRE LINES

The ROSSMAN Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on ROSSMAN. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

One book in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deals with the Rossman family. It is: Marion Edgar Rossman's Rossmans in America (1990).

There are 9 different first-name entries for Rossman in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' ROSSMAN neighbors in 1890:

In BENNER Township:

Annie--Bellefonte

In BOGGS Township:

John, 40, laborer--Roland Amanda Susan--Roland

In GREGG Township:

Howard F., 28, clerk--Spring Mills Clara J. John 3 John, 63--Farmers Mills Elizabeth Josiah C., 34, farmer--Farmers Mills Mary L. Bertha Carrie N. John B. 8 Grover C. 6 Elmer C. 4 Abner W. 2

In HAINES Township:

Kate--Woodward

In HOWARD Borough:

William B., 39, shoemaker Mary Y.

In POTTER Township:

George W., 15--Spring Mills Henry, 47, undertaker--Tusseyville Mary E. Michael, 38--Tusseyville Anna R. Marion R. Bertha G. Blanche Margaret N. William H., 13--Tusseyville

In SPRING Township:

David, 58, laborer--Pleasant Gap Mary Sarah C. David M., 28, farmer--Pleasant Gap Mary J. Harry A. 5 Anna C. Vira S. Robert R. 1 mo.

In WALKER Township:

Philip S., 23, laborer--Nittany Nora M. Rachel A.--Nittany Harvey S., 31 Samuel J., 30, laborer--Nittany Sarah M. Bertha A. Wilbur R. 6 Annie V. James W. 2