52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 12 - 12

The 52 Ancestors prompt for this week is "12". If you look at a numbered ancestor chart and you're at the beginning of it, #12 is your mother's father's father. You could also write about someone with a birthday or anniversary in December or on the 12th of any month.

My mother's father's father was John Wesley Councill and as I looked through my blog posts I realized I haven't written too much about him.

John was born on Feb. 9, 1959 in Centreville, MD to Francis Councill and Mary Ann Meredith. John married Ariana Sparks on Feb. 2, 1887 in Maryland and the couple had 14 children from 1888 to 1907. My grandfather Royce Councill was one of the younger children and was born in 1902 in Queen Anne's County, MD. 
 
In the 1860 census, John is listed with his parents in Queen Anne's County, MD. His father Francis is a farmer. I've found that his birth years vary quite a bit in the census records and in this one, he appears to be 6 years old, placing his year of birth around 1854.

1860 US Census, District 3, Queen Anne's County, MD

In the 1870 census, John's age is given as 13, placing his birth year around 1857.
 

1870 US Census, District 3, Queen Anne's County, MD

In the 1880 census, there is a 21 year old John Councill living with his uncle Thomas Councill in Talbot County, MD. John is working as a farm hand.

John's father Francis died in 1887 and he inherited a section of land in Queen Anne's County. By 1900, John and Ariana have 9 children. Some of his wife's family are also living with them on their farm in Queen Anne's County.

1900 US Census, District 3, Queen Anne's County, MD

A newspaper article published in the Baltimore Sun on May 20, 1908 shows that John had a Queenstown, MD address and was opening a boarding house called the Chester Hotel. It's not clear from the ad whether the hotel was in Queenstown or Baltimore, but this may be the same boarding house as the one listed in the 1910 census.

In 1908, John and Ariana sold their land in Queen Anne's County and according to the 1910 census, they were operating a boarding house in Baltimore, MD. There were 8 boarders living at the house. This census shows that they had 14 children with 12 still living. Their son Julius didn't want to move to the city and was living with an aunt and uncle in Queen Anne's County. I couldn't find their oldest son Herbert in the 1910 census, but he is living in Pennsylvania in the 1920 census.

1910 US Census, Baltimore, MD

John died on Dec. 5, 1916 in Baltimore and his occupation on his death certificate was listed as a watchman in a bank. He is buried in the Baltimore Cemetery on 2500 East North Avenue, Baltimore.

#52Ancestors is a series of weekly family history prompts developed by Amy Johnson Crow.