TIME LINE FOR VAN SCYOC FAMILY IN FREMONT CO., IOWA

ONE FAMILY OF VAN SCYOC

Note: DNA of one descendant reveals a link from Ashbel Van Scyoc and Sarah Farley Van Scyoc Fletcher. Van Scyoc was the apparent son of Cornelius and Almira Goodrich VanScyoc who died in Marion Co., Indiana. Two of his half or full sisters, Ruth Van Scyoc Mustard and Elizabeth Van Scyoc Keeler were also in Fremont Co., Iowa with Asbel's family. 

Theory – This line of VAN SCYOC (by its various spellings) represents a line identified by the descendants of Franklin Benjamin Van Scyoc (born 1850-1904) through his son James Leroy Van Scyoc and James’ daughter Elizabeth Menor Van Scyoc Moore. This researcher was given information collected by the daughter of Elizabeth M. Van Scyoc Moore through her daughter Virginia Mae Moore Hudson. The name “Ashbel” as found on various records has a link to the line of Cornelius Van Scyoc and his wife Almira Goodrich. Ashbel may be the son of a first marriage or other close relative due to the appearance in the same county of the Mustard and Keeler families who married into the Marion County, Indiana Van Scyoc line. Tracking Ashbel he appears to match the ages required to join in the opening of Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa Territories and be part of the greater Black Hawk War.

1833 – Iowa would have been part of the Michigan Territory.

1836- - Van Sihock, Ashbel, pg. 71, Desmoines (total of 3 people in residence- no gender given but assumption is three males and since this is close to the earliest white men were allowed into the area of Iowa Territory that may be correct)

1845 -Marriage of Ashbel and Sarah Farley, Holt Co., Mo. Holt Co., Mo included also parts of current Atchison County, Missouri and Fremont Co., Iowa – with some individuals claiming dual residence.

1850 --District #22, Fremont Co., Iowa, "A.V. Schyhock", Sarah Ann, Margaret, Franklin..."  House # 141 listed a 42 year old male farmer born in Virginia, matching the known location and name for the Asbel and Sarah married in Holt Co., Mo. The census included Sarah Ann, 24 years old born Virginia, Margaret, 3, born Iowa, and 6 month old Franklin born Iowa probably in 1850 since the census was dated September and so his birth date of March 1850 would be most accurate.

1852 - Listed as a hard to read scrawl "Abramscyae A." 3 males 2 females, Sidney Twp. Only a transcription was available for examination and there may be great room for transcription error in interpreting the original document and the name. The three males (Ashbel, Franklin, and Jackson) and 2 females (Sarah and Margaret Ann) would match.

1854 -Listed as "A. VanCyoc", 4 males, 2 f, pg. 13, line 11, Sidney Twp. Here again transcription only but the 4 males (Ashbel, Franklin, Jackson and Thomas Benton) and 2 females (Sarah and Margaret) continues to match the known family.

1856 --Listed as "A. VanScyoc"; unclear as to township and maybe Monroe or Sidney

1860 – The census finds no Ashbel and no Sarah with the children all enumerated with cousins among the Keeler family and the Mustard family. Both had married into the Van Scyoc line out of Marion County, Indiana and are assumed kin to Ashbel Van Scyoc of Fremont County, Iowa. Margaret Ann and Thomas Benton Scyoc are enumerated with William and Ruth Van Scyoc Mustard in Sidney Twp on June 19^th, Riley Keeler in Ross Twp. On June 9, 1860. Franklin is with Seth Keeler in Ross Twp., on June 22 and Jackson Van Scyoc is in Ross Twp with Riley KeelerJune 7^th.  Sarah, believed pregnant with Almira Van Scyoc born June or July 1860, may have been closeted with a family or doctor at the time of the census. The mystery of what happened to Ashbel Van Scyco haunts the history. No grave, no record, no story of what happened to him or where has surfaced. If Almira was born during the time period of summer 1860 than she was conceived fall of 1859 (September – November). Is she was born 1859 (as some census suggest) she would have been conceived in 1858. This window of 1858-1860 provides focus in searching for the death, burial or abandonment/divorce of Ashbel Van Scyoc from his family. The family was primarily located in Sidney Twp. If the family did move to another township for the 1856 census a question of why may lead to answers as to the fate of Ashbel Van Scyoc.

1870- Sarah, having married Abraham Lot Fletcher, 6 September 1860 in Fremont County, was enumerated in his home in Scott Township along with most of her children. They, were listed as Fletcher leading to some confusion but the birthdates and locations match the Van scyoc children.  In residence #217, line 15 was one “Abel” Fletcher, 70 born in Virginia, listed as a “loafer” with property ranging between 13,000- 3,000, Sarah, 48, born in Virginia; Almira, 11,born in Iowa; “Bonton”, 15, born in Iowa; and Franklin, “22” born in Iowa, along with a 7 year old Fletcher. These children match the Van Scyoc brood of those still at home: Almira Van Scyoc, Thomas Benton Van Scyoc, Franklin Van Scyoc. At this census the eldest children, Margaret Ann would the wife of John Simpson Shirley and Jackson Van Scyoc was said to have gone with a cattle herd during this time. Son Franklin's responses on some census records of the time reveal his rebellion with the new home life.

1880 – Sarah is listed in the state mental hospital in the eastern part of the state, Abraham Fletcher is listed with the family of one of his sons. Franklin has md (1877) Lucinda Oakley and Almira had married Benjamin F. Beckwith, According to the medical records from the hospital Sarah was suffering from a condition that seemed, oddly, to get worse every time she was released to go home to her second husband. She claimed women secret snuck in the house at night and she grew agitated and aggressive when at home but was calm and peaceful for long stretches in the hospital leading people to agree to her returning home.

1885 -Frank Scyoc, born ca 1853 is listed Plum Hollow, Fremont Co., Iowa; in Scott Twp. Is listed a Abraham Lot Fletcher, 84, born West Virginia and who is a merchant; wife Sarah Fletcher, 57 born Virginia and a Grant Fletcher, aged 19, born in Iowa.

 Research Questions Still Needing Answers:

• When and where did Ashbel Van Scyoc die?  If his last child was born in June or July of 1860, he would have been  in the are in Oct or Nov of the previous year.  Where was he buried? Why are there no records?
• Did Ashbel own any land in the county of Fremont? For whom did he work if he did not? If he had land, where did the land go to, or who acquired the land post his death/disappearance and his wife's remarriage?