In April of 2003 I was able to purchase a copy of the book The Doster Genealogy by Mrs. Ben Hill Doster (1945, 286p.), thanks to Lynn Doster. My interest in this family is based on my father's mother being LeElla Caroline Doster, daughter of Charles Doster, who emigrated from Württemburg to the United States in 1879.
Unfortunately, my branch of the family is listed in the appendix, under "Buffalo Names", with no links to the tree that is detailed in the body of the book.
This web page will first try to establish the relationships among these Dosters, then try to determine where in the tree they fit. Speculation will be kept to a minimum, and will be noted when present.
Here is a register book for Gottlob Doster, the oldest ancestor of which I am aware in our branch of the family, showing all the descendants of his which are known to me at present. As explained on my main page, details are excluded for living relatives.
It is unclear to me when this list was created. The appendix states that there are probably duplications in many cases, and this is indeed true. It is likely that this list of names comes from several sources, spanning several decades.
The numbers and letters after each name (eg. "I.A.1.a") show the location in the register book for the individual, to make referencing them easier.
Here are descriptions of the people who are listed on page 263 (first page of the appendix) as living at 41 Nevada Ave.:
Gottlieb Doster [I], who went by the name John G. Doster, was the brother of Charles Doster [III], the owner of 41 Nevada. It is possible that, after his death (date unknown), some of his children went to live with their uncle.
Here are descriptions for the other people listed in this appendix, as best as I have been able to determine:
Charles Doster, son of Gottlob and Katherine (née Müeller), was born in Großbettlingen, Württemburg, Germany, and emigrated to Waverly, Ohio in 1879, at the age of 11, with his mother, stepfather, and siblings (his father died when he was young, date unknown). After Waverly, they moved to Columbus, Ohio, and finally to Buffalo, New York.
It is my belief, after reading through the book, that my great-great-grandfather, Gottlob Doster, could be the same person listed on page 242 (person number I.A.6 in Branch number 17), as the date of birth would be about right. Also, the person in the book is listed as having married someone named "Miller", and my gggrandfather married Katherine Müeller, who has a similar-sounding surname. It is also true that he did not emigrate. It is possible there were four older children who died, as the oldest child of theirs of whom I was aware, Gottlieb, was born when Katherine was 28 years old, and the source for this information could have been created prior to his birth.
If it is true, it means that our line of descent goes something like this:
Branch 17 (Page 240):
I. UNKNOWN DOSTER, ancestor, b. about 1775 Grafenberg, Württemberg.
Farmer, 6 chil. (A-B-C-D-E-F below). Did not emigrate.
A. George Frederick Doster, b. about 1800 Grafenberg, Württemberg.
m. Dorothea Geiger. Farmer. Did not emigrate. 6 chil.
6. Gottlob Doster, b. about 1825 Grafenberg, Württemberg.
m. Miller. Did not emigrate. 4 chil.
a. Four Doster children, all of whom died.
6. Gottlob Doster, b. about 1825 Grafenberg, Württemberg.
m. Katherine Müeller, b. 25 May 1838 in Grafenberg, Württemberg.
Did not emigrate. 10 children, four of whom died, six
of whom emigrated.
(register book, starting with known descendants of
Gottlob Doster, goes here.)
If anyone who reads this knows the source of the information shown on page 242 for Gottlob Doster, I'd appreciate it if you would send me a message.
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