Harvey OLMSTEAD

A special note of thanks to Olmstead family researcher, Danean Mitchell, w

ho has spent countless hours of research and analysis on this Olmstead lin

e. Danean is working on establishing the names of all of the childr

en of Harvey and Hannah [Mingus] Olmstead. While LDS FHC records and so

me family researchers indicate that: Abigal Olmstead, born February 25, 1

818 in Eldridge, Huron County, Ohio; Hyrum Olmstead, born 1815 in New Yor

k; Mary Ann Olmstead, born about 1820 in Eldridge, Huron, Ohio; Harvey Olm

stead, born 1821 in Harmony, Chautaugua, New York; Hieronimus Olmstead, bo

rn about 1822 in Eldridge, Huron, Ohio; Joshua Olmstead, born January 0

2, 1822 in Eldridge Township, Huron, Ohio; and Margaret Olmstead, born Sep

tember 21, 1827 in Sparta, Dearborn, Indiana are all of the children of Ha

rvey and Hannah [Mingus] Olmstead, Danean's research indicates that the

re may be some additional children born to that union. In particular, s

he is researching the following possibilities: Asa, Diantha (also spell

ed Dyanthy) and Sanford P. Olmstead (see the analysis of census and chur

ch records listed below in regards to possible familial relationships of t

hese individuals).

See 1830 Fulton County, Illinois Census at p. 248 [please note that nam

es and ages of individuals in the final column are based on notes ma

de by Olmstead family researchers Danean Mitchell and Teri Popp made in t

he process of their work collecting census records and are not the not

es of the census taker]:

NAME STATUS AGE [NOTES OF DANEAN MITCHELL]

UMSLEAD, Harvey IM 30/40 years [Harvey was 36 in 1830]

1F 20/30 [Hannah/Anna was 30 in 1830]

1F 5/10 [Dyanthy?]

1F 10/15 [Abigal was 12 in 1830]

3M 5/10 [Hyrum, Hieronimus & Joshua-age 8]

1M 0/5 [Asa? was 4 in 1830]

1F 0/5 [Margaret was age 2 in 1830]

[TEP: where is Harvey Jr. in the list above]

But Compare:

NAME STATUS AGE [NOTES OF TERI POPP]

UMSLEAD, Harvey IM 30/40 years [Harvey was 36 in 1830]

1F 20/30 [Hannah/Anna was 30 in 1830]

1F 5/10 [Mary Ann is 10 in 1830]

1F 10/15 [Abigal was 12 in 1830]

3M 5/10 [Harvey is 9, Hieronimus is abt. 8, Joshua is 8]*

1M 0/5 [no known individual for household]

1F 0/5 [Margaret is 2 in 1830]

[Where is Hyrum b. 1815? is his birth date 1820?]

*It is possible that Hyrum was counted in the males from 5 to 10 yea

rs of age and that Harvey had died (according to Danean there is a death r

ecord for a Harvey Olmstead age 8 in Illinois).

According to Danean Mitchell, the book "Early Mormon Records, Vol. 1," inf

ormation taken from records made in Nauvoo, Illinois between 1839-1846, t

he following Olmstead family appears in the LDS records for the First Wa

rd at p. 3:

OLMSTEAD, Harvey [TEP: husband]

Anna [TEP: wife--Hannah was sometimes referred to as Anna]

Asa [TEP: no record at this time, is this the person referred to as Hieron

imus?]

Margaret [TEP: daughter b. Sept. 21, 1827]

Diantha [TEP: no record in family file; however, LDS records do show th

at Abigal Olmstead Holden was baptized as proxy for a Diantha Olmsted L

DS Film #170382]

Further notes from TEP: If Diantha/Dyanthy was a child of Harvey and An

na (Mingus) Olmstead, why wasn't she baptized during her lifetime? Was s

he too young (Mormons do not baptize persons under the age of 8)? Did s

he die prior to her baptism? If yes, that would explain why Abigal Olmste

ad Holden, Diantha's possible sister, was baptized for Diantha in pro

xy at a later date [see Film #170382 above].

Also see record cited above at p. 26 for the Fairchild family and p. 115 f

or Joshua Olmstead [Ed. note: but which Joshua Olmstead family--who are t

he other members of this household?].

See 1840 Hancock County, Illinois Census at p. 165 [please note that nam

es and ages of individuals in the final column are based on notes ma

de by Danean Mitchell and Teri Popp made in the process of their work coll

ecting census records and are not the notes of the census taker]:

NAME STATUS AGE [NOTES OF DANEAN MITCHELL]

OLMSTEAD, Harvey 1M 60/70 years [Joshua Fairchild][TEP: ?]

1M 40/50 [Harvey age 46]

1F 30/40 [Hannah/Anna age 40]

1M 20/30 [Eli Weed--husband of Abigal Olmstead][?]

2M 15/20 [Joshua age 18]

[Asa age 15][?]

1M 10/15 [Sanford P. age 10][?]

1F 10/15 [Margaret age 12]

2M 5/10 [Joshua Weed][but wasn't born until aft 1840]

1F 5/10 [Emma age 6][?]

2F 0/5 [Mary Ann age 4][?]

[Mary A. Weed][?]

But compare:

NAME STATUS AGE [NOTES OF TERI POPP]

OLMSTEAD, Harvey 1M 60/70 years [?]

1M 40/50 [Harvey age 46]

1F 30/40 [Hannah/Anna age 40]

1M 20/30 [Hyrum age 25?]

2M 15/20 [Joshua age 18?]

[Hieronimus at abt. 18? or Harvey? 19]

1M 10/15 [?]

1F 10/15 [Margaret age 12]

2M 5/10 [?]

1F 5/10 [?]

2F 0/5 [?]

[?]

The following children were already adults according to Teri Popp's record

s: Abigal, age 22 and married to Eli/Joshua Weed (having one possible chi

ld in 1840); Mary Ann, age 20; and Harvey, age 19, if he did, in fact, li

ve to adulthood. But see Danean's notes that place Mary Ann's dob as 183

6, making her a child of 4 in 1840.

According to Danean Mitchell, LDS Film #0581219, "Baptisms in the City," p

roviding for baptisms performed in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois from 1

842-1845 indicates that the following family was baptized:

OLMSTEAD, Joshua [TEP: it is customary for LDS to list husband in record f

irst]

Elizabeth [TEP: it is customary for LDS to list wife, if one exists, next]

Sanford P. [TEP: is this Joshua's son or a brother-since not in alpha orde

r, appears to be a son rather than a brother, but may simply be in chro

no order]

Emma [TEP: is this Joshua's daughter or a sister--see notes on Sanfo

rd P. above]

Mary Ann under 8 [TEP: see notes above on Sanford P. and Mary Ann]

But is the Joshua Olmstead family [if it is actually a family unit] list

ed above the son of Harvey and Anna/Hannah (Mingus) Olmstead or a differe

nt Joshua Olmstead? Who is Elizabeth Olmstead? Joshua, son of Harvey and A

nna, married Mary Walker (according to some records on March 21, 1842 in N

auvoo, Illinois and in other records as August 7, 1839 in Sparta, Dearbo

rn County, Indiana--[notes for TEP: it is possible that both dates are cor

rect--he could have married her in a civil ceremony in 1839 in Indiana a

nd remarried in the Mormon Church in 1842 in Nauvoo or Carthage, Illinois-

-Mormon's do take marriage vows in this manner--it is also possible that J

oshua and Mary married in Indiana and Joshua's family later had the uni

on blessed in the Mormon church in 1842 by proxy]. Alternatively, it is po

ssible that Joshua, son of Harvey and Anna Olmstead, married a woman nam

ed Elizabeth first on August 7, 1839 in Indiana and then married Mary in 1

842 in Illinois--the death rate for families that moved to Illinois with t

he church at that time was quite high. 

There are other problems, though, with the above Joshua being the Joshua t

hat is a son of Harvey and Anna Olmstead. LDS Films #1760805, 1761070, 536

147, 1903726 and 1903782 indicate that Joshua Olmstead, the son of Harv

ey and Anna/Hannah (Mingus) Olmstead received temple ordinances after h

is death and LDS Film #537259 indicates that Joshua and Mary (Weed) Olmste

ad were sealed in marriage after their deaths. Joshua and Mary would not n

eed temple ordinances after death if they had already received them duri

ng their lifetimes. This indicates that the Joshua and Elizabeth list

ed in the Nauvoo Baptism records above may be a different Joshua Olmste

ad family.

It is also possible that Joshua, son of Harvey and Anna, was married pri

or to any marriage to Mary Walker. There are several problems assuming thi

s, though, too. First, if Joshua was born in 1822, and, if the birth dat

es are correct for Sanford P. (b. Dec. 1830 in Illinois), Emma E. (b. ab

t. 1834 in Missouri) and Mary Ann (b. December 25, 1836 in Missouri), th

en Joshua would be far too young to be their father. Next, even assuming J

oshua was old enough to be their father, why, in 1850, is Emma E. livi

ng in the Parrish/Fairchild household in Illinois and why is Mary Ann livi

ng in the Wanamacher household instead of with Joshua and Mary (Walker) Ol

mstead?

Olmstead researcher, Danean Mitchell believes that Asa, Sanford P., Emma a

nd Mary Ann (b. 1836 in Missouri) are the children of Harvey and Anna (Min

gus) Olmstead. According to Danean Mitchell, LDS Film #0581219, "Baptis

ms in the City," providing for baptisms performed in Nauvoo, Hancock Count

y, Illinois from 1842-1845 provides that the following family was baptiz

ed immediately after the Joshua, Elizabeth, Sanford P., Emma and Mary A

nn Olmstead listed above:

WEED, Eli

Abigal

Mary A. under 8

Joshua under 8

Because of the closeness in records, Danean has surmised that Abigal (Olms

tead) Weed knew Joshua Olmstead and that the Joshua baptized immediately b

efore her family was, in fact, her brother. She also feels that Sanford P

., Emma and Mary Ann (b. 1836) are Abigal's siblings. There are still so

me questions, though, regarding this hypothesis. First, who is the Elizabe

th that is baptized with Joshua? Is she really Joshua's wife, Mary Walke

r? Why doesn't the Mormon database show IGI records listing Sanford P., Em

ma and Mary Ann (b. in 1836) as children of Harvey and Anna (Mingus) Olmst

ead? Given Harvey Olmstead's zealous commitment to the Mormon church, woul

dn't he have made sure his younger children were properly baptized and sea

led to him and his wife, Anna/Hannah (Mingus) Olmstead? In the membersh

ip records for the First Ward at p. 3 why are Sanford P., Emma and Mary A

nn not listed as part of Harvey and Anna (Mingus) Olmstead's family? Th

ey still would have been very young in the time span from 1839 to 1846. [N

ote: there is a Sanford P. Olmstead listed in the Civil War Muster recor

ds in Co. D, Unit 7, Missouri Calvary as a Private, box #000390, extracti

on #0036 and record #00002115--do these records list parents for Sanfo

rd P. Olmstead?]

According to Danean Mitchell, the following information is found on LDS Fi

lm #0183379 ("Nauvoo, Illinois, Baptisms for the Dead, 1843 to 1845"):

Person Baptized: Harvey Olmstead

For Whom Baptized: Cooley

Relationship: Grandfather

For Whom Baptized: Elizabeth Fairchild

Relationship: Mother

For Whom Baptized: Israel Olmstead

Relationship: His Father

For Whom Baptized: Jonathan Olmstead

Relationship: His Brother

For Whom Baptized: Elizabeth Olmstead

Relationship: His Sister

1850 Census Records for Harvey and Hannah (Mingus) Olmstead's children [ac

cording to Danean Mitchell's records]:

Abigal Olmstead Weed Holden is located in Pottawatamie County, Iowa

Joshua & Mary (Walker) Olmstead are located in Harden Township, Allamak

ee County, Iowa (what children are listed in this family in the 1850 censu

s?)

[Listed as a child in Danean's notes] Asa & Martha Ann (Williams) Olmste

ad are located in Shullsburg, Lafayette County, Wisconsin [TEP: is it poss

ible that Asa and Hieronimus are the same person? See notes above.]

Margaret (Omstead) Walker is located in Wysox, Carroll County, Illinois

[Listed as a child in Danean's notes] Sanford P. Olmstead has not been loc

ated.

Listed as a child in Danean's notes] Emma E. Olmstead is located in East W

est Galena, Joe Daviess County, Illinois (living with Elizabeth Parish, a

ge 50, born in Canada along with Joshua Fairchild)

[Listed as a child in Danean's notes] Mary Ann Olmstead is located in Ea

st West Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois (living with Daniel Wanamacher

)

No record that matches our Harvey Olmstead in the 1850 Census has been loc

ated by either Danean Mitchell or Teri Popp.

1860 Concord Township, Dodge County, Minnesota Census at p. 37 (taken Ju

ly 4, 1860):

NAME AGE STATE BORN [NOTES OF DANEAN MITCHELL & TERI POPP]

OLSTED, Harvey 66 Vermont [living with son, Joshua Olmstead]

OLSTED, Joshua 37 Ohio

Patty 32 Ohio [did Joshua's wife, Mary, have a nickname?]

Lewis 14 Wisconsin [should this be Joshua's daughter Lois?]

James 12 Wisconsin [Joshua's son]

Mariah 10 Wisconsin [Joshua's daughter, Maria]

Persis 8 Iowa [Joshua's daughter]

Harvey 6 Iowa [Joshua's son]

Frank 3 Minnesota [Joshua's son]

Florabell 1 Minnesota [Joshua's daughter, Flora Rosella]

1860 Milton, Dodge County, Minnesota Census at p. 511 [taken July 18, 1860

]:

NAME AGE STATE BORN NOTES OF DANEAN MITCHELL & TERI POPP

WALKER, John J. 40 Ohio

Margaret 32 Ohio [Harvey's daughter, Margaret Olmstead]

James 12 Wisconsin [Margaret's son]

Theodore A. 14 Illinois [Margaret's son, but age may be incorrect]

Mary 10 Illinois [Margaret's daughter who will marry John Bartholomew in M

innesota]

David 7 Illinois [Margaret's son]

Ambrose 6 Illinois [Margaret's son, Joshua Ambrose]

Edward 1 Minnesota [Margaret's son, Edward L.]

[Danean Mitchell Note: "One clue that tells us which Harvey was livi

ng in Dodge County, Minnesota is a biographical sketch written about Jo

hn Walker that appears in the "History of Dodge County," (1845) at p. 10

23 [providing:] 'Here he was married on the first day of April 1843, to Ma

rgaret, daughter of Harvy and Anna (Mingus) Olmstead. Her father was a nat

ive of Vermont, and died at Milton in January 1880. Her mother was a nati

ve of New York."]

1870 Milton Township, Dodge County, Minnesota Census at p. 786:

NAME AGE STATE BORN [NOTES OF DANEAN MITCHELL & TERI POPP]

OMSTEAD, Harvey 76 New York [living with granddaughter, Mary Walker Bartho

lomew and her husband, John Bartholomew]

1875 Milton Township, Dodge County, Minnesota State Census at p. 238:

NAME AGE STATE BORN FATHER BORN MOTHER BORN

OLMSTEAD, Harvey 81 Vermont Pennsylvania Illinois

BARTHOLOMEW, John S. 34 Pennsylvania Pennsylvania New York

Mary 24 Illinois Ohio Illinois

Frank 4 Minnesota Pennsylvania Illinois

Fred 2 Minnesota Pennsylvania Illinois

Emil W. 1 Minnesota Pennsylvania Illinois

Reference: Steven H. Heath citing all of the following sources covering t

he life and actions of Harvey Olmstead--the "History of the Church of Jes

us Christ of Latter-day Saints," Smith, Joseph (Deseret Book Co., Salt La

ke City, Utah 1948) Vol. III at p. 38-39 (providing that Harvey Olmstead w

as called to the high council at Adam-Ondi-Ahmen on June 28, 1838 and foug

ht in the Galatin Election Battle on August 6, 1838--of which Harvey's pa

rt of the fighting appears to have consisted of throwing crockery at the a

ssailants). According to "A Joseph Smith Chronology," Conkling, J. Christ

opher (Deseret Book Co. Salt Lake City, Utah 1979) at p. 146, Harvey Olmst

ead performs the first baptism for the dead in the Mississippi River wi

th Joseph Smith declaring the baptism valid. And, on Sept. 12, 1840, Harv

ey and Anna Olmstead are baptised for their dead relatives in the Mississi

ppi River (see Nauvoo Temple Records, at p.1). According to "History of t

he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Smith, Joseph (Deseret Bo

ok Co., Salt Lake City, Utah 1962) Vol. VI at p. 340, Harvey Olmstead is s

ent by the LDS Church on April 15, 1844 to Galena, Illinois on a politic

al mission for Joseph Smith who was running for President of the United St

ates at the time. According to the "History of the Church of Jesus Chri

st of Latter-day Saints," (Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, Utah 1960) Vo

l. VII at p. 306 Harvey Olmstead was sent on a mission to set up a chur

ch stake center on October 8, 1844. Harvey and Anna Mingus also receiv

ed a washing and annointing at the Nauvoo Temple in Illinios on December 2

2, 1845 (see Nauvoo Temple Record at p. 46). According to "BYU Studie

s: A Voice for the Community of LDS Scholars," Vol. 13, No. 1 (Autumn 197

2. in an article entitled "The Election Day Battle at Gallatin," by Re

ed C. Durham, Jr., is taken from an eyewitness account of the battle by Jo

hn Butler, providing that the "battle" appeared to consist of a map fighti

ng with sticks and ended with Harvey Olmstead throwing crockery at the ass

ailants (refer to sources cited earlier as well).

Please contact me at teriepopp(at)popp.net if you can make

any connections to this family line! Thank you!

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