Howdy gang:
Well, here is the summary of all that you all and I have researched, sifted through and compiled in trying to understand Esther Ann Oliver, nee Greenbaum/Greenway:
1854 marriage record: Esther Ann Greenway marries Nathan B. Oliver in Trenton, WI
1860 Census (Trenton, WI): Esther, 24yo (b. 1836) Illinois, and Nathan, 26 yo (b. 1834) New York. Now have 3 kids: Sarah E. (5), Homer P (3), Isabelle D. (1mo). (Homer will be traceable with Esther until his death in 1915.)
1861 military record: Nathan joins the 16th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry
1862 military record: Nathan B. Oliver dies after the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee.
1865 military record: Esther A. Oliver files for a widows pension re: Nathan B. Oliver
1870 Census (Cincinnati): Hester A. Oliver, widow, 34yo (b. 1836) Wis.. Kids Omer P. (13, b. Wis.), Dora (10 b. Wis), Elenora (1 b. Ohio).
1880 Census (Cincinnati): Mrs. Oliver, widow, b. Ohio. Kids Ella (11), Albert (7), and Alice (3).
1880 Marriage record (Cincinnati): Esther A. Oliver marries William A. Wentworth.
1886 Marriage record (Cincinnati): Ella Oliver, daughter of Esther A. Greenbaum and Nathan B. Oliver, marries John Butler.
1890 military record: Peter W. Oliver files for dependancy pension re: son Nathan B. Oliver.
1896 military record: Widow's pension re: William A. Wentworth filed by Esther A. Wentworth, formerly widow of Nathan B. Oliver, Wisc. 16th regiment.
1899 Marriage record: May Oliver, daughter of John Oliver and Ester Treadway (John??? Treadway???), to John B. Schaaf.
1900 Census (Cincinnati): Esther A. Oliver, 76yo, b. England (1823), widow Nathan B. Living with J. B. and May Schaaf (Esther's age mysteriously advances, increasing 14 years from her age indicated in the 1860 Census)
1910 Census (Cincinnati): Esther A. Oliver, 90yo, ( b. 1820) (her age advances yet another 4 years) widow. Living with J. B. Schaaf and his daughter Esther, 8yo.
1915 death record (Cincinnati): Homer Oliver. B. Oct. 7, 1851 (I believe it actually was written (1857) Illinois. Father: Nathan Oliver, mother Esther Swing. (the informant of this info obviously confused Homer's mother's maiden name with his grandmother's maiden name. See below.)
1915 death record (Cincinnati): Esther A. Wentworth, b. Oct. 14 1822 England. Father: Greenway, mother Esther Swing.
I am now certain that the 1915 death record Esther and the 1854 marriage record Esther are/is? the same person. I am totally mystified on the huge discrepancies in age show by Esther's last two Census listings and death record, when compared to her 1860 Census record, as well by the birth place discrepancy in the same records.
Nevertheless, I am also fairly certain that Esther's father's last name was Greenway/Greenbaum, and that her mother's maiden name was Esther Swing.
And of course, since Albert Ellsworth Oliver, the son of my gg Grandmother Esther Ann Oliver, was born in 1873, 12 years after Nathan B. Oliver died, I'm fairly certain that I and scores of other descendants of Albert and his siblings Ella, Alice and May have no Oliver blood in their lineage, and I have no hope of ever finding who exactly Albert and siblings were fathered by.
Thank you all for your enthusiasm, talents and hard work. I could never have arrived at this point without you. If you're ever in Chicago, PM me and I'd love to treat you to dinner. You are welcome to pursue any loose ends if you wish, and I'd appreciate it, but as far as I'm concerned, this thread is completed. Yahoo!
Sincerely,
Joe O