Rosanna Ishmael was born on May 9, 1848 in Fleming County, Kentucky to John A Ishmael and Margaret Keel.  Rosanna had three siblings–John, Laura and Samuel–although when exactly John was born is not clear.  In the early 1850s, John and Margaret packed up the family and moved to Illinois.  According to the 1855 Illinois State Census for Cole County, they were accompanied by other Ishmael families, likely brothers or cousins of John Sr.  Margaret was counted in the July 1855 census, however, it would appear that she died not long after that, although it is not known whether she was laid to rest in Illinois or Kentucky.  Also, Laura may have also perished during this time as her whereabouts are unknown after 1855.

The 1860 census indicates that John Sr has taken a second wife, likely in early 1856.  It’s assumed the marriage between John and Mary A Hunt occurred in Kentucky since she was a native of Bath County. This marriage added eight more children to the family as half-siblings to Rosanna–Margaret, Nancy, John Thomas, Martha, James, George, Sarah, and Minnie.

As the last of Rosanna’s siblings were being born, she married and started her own family.  She married farmer Timothy Ishmael around 1868 and they settled in Nicholas County, Kentucky.  Together they brought twelve children into this world, Nine of those offspring would live to adulthood–Margaret, Lilly, Eugene, Anna Belle, Lucy, Gertrude, Charles , Rosa and Ethel.  Both Clara and John Samuel died as toddlers while Liddie only survived a couple months.

Rosanna’s father John passed away in 1898 and a few years later in 1906, her husband Tim also left this world.  Rosanna’s children continued to grow up and move on with their lives.  In 1921, her daughter Lilly Alexander preceded her in death after a year long battle with liver cancer.  Rosanna joined them in the afterlife on September 6, 1923 at the age of seventy-five.

Rosanna Ishmael is my 2nd cousin 4x removed on my dad’s side.

REFERENCES

• United States Census, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1910, 1920
• Kentucky Death Index
• Find a Grave website
• Fleming County, Kentucky marriage index
• Illinois State Census, 1855