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Author: honeysucklefarm.ok

At Honeysuckle Farm, LLC I sell handcrafted aromatherapy and other products. I also customize essential oil products for my customers based on their specific needs and goals. You can find the Honeysuckle Farm, LLC online store here. Days of Our Lives is my genealogy blog that I've had for over 10 years where I write about mine and my husband's family histories. Through Honeysuckle Farm, LLC I offer customized family history research/writing packages for my customers. You can see examples of my writing by going to my family history blog here. Ink & Perfume is my aromatherapy blog where I write about all things aromatherapy and Honeysuckle Farm, LLC. While you're shopping online, take a look at my mom's ebay store. She sells interesting vintage items.

There’s a Way

Today you’re going to get a small glimpse of how my crazy mind works. I’m going back to the second week of May to make up that week’s blog post. The theme was “there’s a way”. In my mind I kept thinking “the way”. Do you remember playing a game where someone says a word and you’re supposed to say the first word that comes to your mind (no filtering)? Well this is how that worked for me on this blog post. My mind said “the way” and then responded with “the truth and the life”. (The Holy Bible~ John 4:16, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.) So that thought led to Christianity, which led to church, which led to preachers, which led to Reverend Charles SEELY. So I present to you today, my Baptist minister ancestor- Charles SEELY.

Charles SEELY and wife, Synthia Arrena FOSTER

Charles SEELY was born in 1826 in Missouri. I don’t know anything of his childhood and I don’t know anything about his parents, siblings, or any of his family. The first time he shows up in any record that I can find is on 15 October 1845 when he married Synthia Arrena FOSTER in Lawrence County, Missouri.

Charles Seely and Syntha Foster marriage record.
Charles Seely and Syntha Foster marriage record.
Second page of marriage record for Charles Seely and Syntha Foster.
Second page of marriage record for Charles Seely and Syntha Foster.

The marriage record started on one page and ended on the next, thus the reason for two photos to show one record.
Synthia was born in 1824 in South Carolina to Frederick FOSTER and Mary (BURNETT) FOSTER. Her family moved from South Carolina to Tennessee sometime between 1830 and 1840. Sometime between 1840 and 1860 they moved to Lawrence County, Missouri.


Finding Their Way from Missouri to Arkansas

Both SEELYs and FOSTERs were present in the area at the time Lawrence County was created. There is an annual “pioneer families” reunion each year in September. The reunion is a big deal complete with printed t-shirts, a day for genealogical information exchanges, etc. See these two websites for information about previous years’ reunions: http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/wormington/44/ (2013 gathering and includes a contact name and email address) and http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/spilman/361/ (2014 gathering). Although neither of our families are listed as pioneer families that are included in the reunion, another SEELY researcher said that she went one year and she seemed to feel it was profitable to her research.

Charles and Synthia had eight children together- Fifth Sergeant Elijah SEELY, blacksmith William, blacksmith James (who went by Frank), farmer John, baby George who only lived 8 months, Mary Ann (my great-grandmother and wife of George BATES), Elzora (who went by Josephine and married a HARRELL), and farmer Charles. They resided in Lawrence County, Missouri until the late 1860’s. Charles owned land there as evidenced by a land patent issued in 1860 and a deed dated 1867. You can view the land patent at this link along with a map of where the property was located-

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO5700__.226&docClass=STA&sid=cduxnu03.ddp.

Around 1868, Charles packed up his family and left Lawrence County, Missouri for Benton County, Arkansas. On 7 April 1869, Charles was licensed as a Minister of the Gospel in Benton County, Arkansas. He was the first preacher at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church located in Gravette, Benton County, Arkansas.


The Way, The Truth, The Life

The recording of his credentials:

Charles Seely's official credentials as a minister in Benton County, Arkansas.
Charles Seely’s official credentials as a minister in Benton County, Arkansas.

I’ve transcribed it here the best I can, leaving any misspellings as they appear in the record:

      Credentials of Seely: Credentials of Charles Seely- Benton County Arkansas This is to certify that we being duly called as a
          presbytary have examined into the carcter, call qualifications of our beloved brother Charles Seely and with the consent of the
          Church of Christ at New Sili (?) to which he belongs have by prayer and imposition of hands set him apart to the great work of
          the gospel ministry and he is hereby authorized to excrise himself in the several parts of the ministerial functions where he may
          be called whether occasionally or Slated by Given under our hands this the 26 day of October 1868
          E. T. Willingham, J. Dungan, Presbytary
          Filed and recorded the 7 day of April 1869
          J. R. Rutherford recorder

Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Gravette, Arkansas.
Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Gravette, Arkansas.
Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Gravette, Arkansas.
Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Gravette, Arkansas.

The Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church was organized in a log school house above Cash Springs in the Gravette, Benton County, Arkansas area on 28 May 1870. The church moved to it’s present location in 1880. The story I read was that Charles was an elder in the church and moderator of the organization committee when he was chosen as the first pastor. I have contacted the church and am waiting on a response. Maybe soon I’ll have an update with new information if the church has any.  I wasn’t able to find Cash Springs on any map but I found Cash Springs Road in Gravette so I’m going on the assumption that Cash Springs is nearby.  Here is a map showing the distance from Cash Springs Road (Where the arrow and pinned spot is) to the current church location:

Map showing Cash Springs Road and the current location of Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church.
Map showing Cash Springs Road and the current location of Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church.

I know Charles performed marriages while he was licensed. He was the minister who performed the wedding ceremony for Greenberry BATES and Eliza PENDERGRAFT in 1872. (Greenberry was one of the sons of John C. BATES. You can read about John BATES in a previous blog post found here: http://happy-girl-24.livejournal.com/16413.html. Charles SEELY’s daughter, Mary Ann, married George BATES- another of John C. BATES’ sons). Later in Charles’ life (after the death of Synthia), Charles himself married a PENDERGRAFT. Two years after Synthia’s death, Charles married Mary Ann (PENDERGRAFT) SEAMSTER. She was the widow of Williamson SEAMSTER who was also a Baptist minister.


Rock Island…Haven’t We Been This Way Before?

One interesting story I found while researching for this blog post was the story of why Charles’ son William packed up his family and moved to Texas and what happened along the way. The story goes that William and his family were living near Gravette, Benton County, Arkansas. He was a blacksmith there. His house and shop were next to each other. Crews were blasting out a path for the Rock Island Railroad nearby (that is possibly the same railroad company that ran the train that hit my great-great-grandfather Samuel WILLIAMS whom you can read about in the blog post at http://happy-girl-24.livejournal.com/20385.html). The crews were having to blast through a hillside to make a deep cut for a section of the railroad and the rocks from all the blasting were falling on William’s house and blacksmith shop. William said he wasn’t going to live where they were tearing up everything so he packed up his family and set out for Texas in a wagon. Somewhere along the way Indians started to attack the family. William’s sons were big boys and they scared the Indians away with their guns.  That’s all of the story I know.  I have to believe they made it to Texas alright since there is now a large branch of distantly-related SEELYs in Texas.

A railroad cut in Gravette, Arkansas.
A railroad cut in Gravette, Arkansas.

I love this postcard found at http://ahc.digital-ar.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16790coll7/id/112/rec/ depicting a railroad cut similar to the one being done (maybe the actual one being done??) near William’s home that made him decide to move.  I also love how Rock Island crept into my stories again.  If you’ll remember, Rock Island was where John BATES (referenced above) was imprisoned during the Civil War.  Also every day on my way to work during the school year, I pass a Rock Island caboose that’s been restored.  I don’t have a photo of it but here is another Rock Island caboose for you to look at:

Rock Island caboose car.
Rock Island caboose car.

I also found this great picture of the old depot in Gravette, Benton County, Arkansas at myoldtownpics.com:

Gravette, Arkansas depot.
Gravette, Arkansas depot.

And I couldn’t help but post this 1901 depot sign:

1901 depot sign.
1901 depot sign.

Finding His Way to His (Heavenly) Home
In addition to being a preacher, Charles was a farmer. He died on 29 June 1891. He had a very short obituary which reads:

      Rev. Charles Seeley died on the 29th of June and was buried on the day following at Gamble’s
          grave yard. Mr. Seeley had lived here a number of years and had lots of warm friends to mourn
          his death.

The obituary appeared in The Bentonville Sun on 11 July 1891.
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about Charles SEELY and “the way” he lived his life.  Here’s hoping you find your way to a safe and happy weekend spent with loved ones.


Until next week,
Lisa @ Days of Our Lives

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way to Find More Information About an Ancestor

I’m going all the way back to the first week in May to a blog theme that I missed. The theme was “Where there’s a will”. I decided to focus on my dad’s family again this week. The focus will be on Aquilla GREER Sr.- my 7th great-grandfather.  Follow the DRAKE line back through Eugene, then Mark, Alonzo, William, Ervin, and Braxton.  Braxton married Martha Patsy GREER.  Martha’s grandfather was Aquilla GREER Sr.

Gunpowder River falls, Baltimore County, Maryland.
Gunpowder River falls, Baltimore County, Maryland.

Above photo is of the falls on Gunpowder River in Baltimore County, Maryland.  Photo found at http://waterfalls.nature.st/Maryland/.
Aquilla GREER Sr. was born in 1716 at Gunpowder River,Baltimore County, Maryland. In 1740, he married Elizabeth LOWE in Maryland. Together they had 8 or 9 children- James, Mary Sarah, Aquilla (my 6th great-grandfather), Elizabeth, William, Moses (possibly the same person as Vinson or could be Vinson’s twin), Vinson, Asa, and Delila. Aquilla passed away on 8 April 1790. His will was recorded on 30 October 1790 in Greene County, Georgia. The will reads:

In the name of God, Amen. I Aquila Greer of Green County being of sound sense and memory thanks be to God, for the same, but calling to mind the uncertainty of this sublenary world and that all flesh must yield when it pleaseth God of his mercy to call do therefore make and constitute this my last will and testament, and desire it may be received as such.

First, I resign my soul to God from whence it came and my body to the earth to be buried at the discretion of wife and others executors hereafter named: and as touching my worldly estate, I dispose of it as followeth.

First my will and desire is that all my just debts be paid.

Item: I lend to my wife Elizabeth Greer all my Negroes and all my stock of horses, hogs and cattle together with all my household goods and furniture, during her life, and after her decease to be sold at the highest bidder.

Item: I give to my grandchildren, heirs of my son Aquila Greer, deceased. Five pounds apiece and no more and the rest of the money divided equally amongst all my children here name’d: Sary Haynes, James Greer, William Greer, Elizabeth Starkey, Vinson Greer, Delia Haynes, Asel Greer: and my will & desire is that my two sons James and William Greer be my executors of this my last Will & Testament.

In Witness hereof I hereunto do set my hand & seal this eighth day of April one thousand seven hundred and ninety. Aquila Greer (L.S.)

Signed, sealed in presence of us John Aikens – Thomas Cane – Will. Greer

The above is a true copy of the Original which was proven & approved the 30th Octr. 1790 in the presence of the legatees who acknowledged the same. Letters Testamentary granted & a warrant of appraizment directed unto messrs. P. Hunter ) Jas Thomson ) Jas. Jackson )

Recorded the 6 th Noven: 1790 by. Will. Phillips R. Pro.

Later there was an appraisal of the property Aquilla owned at the time of his death. It reads:

A Record of the Inventory & Appraizments of Aquilla Greer’s, deceased Estate L# S D

Missan 60 – –

Susanna 35 – –

Cloe 35 – –

Richard 40 – –

Leonard 40 – –

Peter 75 – –

6 head of horses 60 – –

17 head of Cattle 23 – –

1 Rifle gun #3.10. one smoothe con D. w/- 4 – –

1 Chest 20/- one small trunk 5/- 1 – –

1 Case of bottles 12/- One silver watch #400 4 – –

1 Pair of money scales & weights 15/-Cash #2507 26 2 –

2 Beds & furniture 18 – –

6 Hoes 15/- 6 Axes 31/- 2 6 –

1 X Cut saw 10/- One Bever Trap 7/6- – 17 6

3 Trowel hoes 20/- One Barrshear 40/- 3 – –

1 Frs. 2/6 One pair wedges 2/6- – – – 5 –

1 Dozen pewter plates – 18 –

3 Dishes 10/6. Eleven spoons 2/6 – 13 –

3 Basons 7/- Two Ds. 5/-One Candlestick 2- – 14 –

1 wagon, four sets of geer, cloth & Lock chain 25 – –

1 Pair of stealyards 11-/- One foot adze 5/- – 19 –

1 Pair of spoon moulds, nippers & ladle – 12 6

3 Augers 7/- One handsaw 2/6 — – 9 6

1 Round Shave & Padlock — – 4 6

1 Howell 2/6. One drawing knife l/6 – 4 0

1 Hammer l/8 Taper bit & Chisel 2/6 – 4 2

1 Gauge 1/- Case Knives & forks 7/- – 8 –

2 Mens Saddles 26/ One Womans Do. 15/ 2 1 –

1 Jointer 2/6 One Inkstand 2/6— – 5 – #461 .. 0 .. 2

1 Spur l/6. One spice mortar 7/- – 8 6

1 Sugar box 10/- One tin Jack 2/6 – 12 6

1 Razor & hone 3/- Sundry Books 10/- – 13 –

Teapot, Cups & saucers 6/ small trunk 2/ – 8 – 2 .. 2 .. 2 –

#463 .. 2 .. 2 –

1 Pair chards 5/. sheep shears 2/- – 7 –

1 Pair sheers & Looking glass 2/- – 2 –

2 Chares 5/- Pan & Skillet 4/- – 9 –

1 Pair tongs 3/- Six Bells 20/- 1 3 –

2 Potts, 1 oven 42/- Smith’s tools 10/ 2 12 – –

Leather 10/- 40 head of Hoggs 120/- 6 10 –

1 Pair Saddle bags 8/- – 8 –

1 Bond of Twelve wt. Tobacco #6..0.. 6 – – # 17.. 11 .. 0 ====

Amts. #480.. 13.. 2 A just & True Appraizment of the Estate of Aquilla Greer, decea
‘sed Phillip Hunter ) James Thomson ) Sworn Appraisers James Jackson )

A true copy of the Original, Recorded within the limits of the time prescribed by law. By – Wm. Phillips R. Pro.

You may have wondered back at the beginning of Aquilla’s will how many servants he had and what might be learned about them. If you’ll remember, the first few lines of the appraisal of his property named them. I missed that the first time around. I knew there were names in the will but didn’t realize that the appraisal was naming Aquilla’s servants and assigning them value. I guess that indicates the difference in my view of people as property versus the 18th century view of people as property. In case you missed it, the slaves were:

Missan (or Massaw)

Susanna

Cloe

Richard

Leonard

Peter

Aquilla was a Revolutionary War Patriot. He took the Oath of Allegiance in 1777.  He provided food and beef for soldiers in 1781.

I learned a little more about Aquilla from reading his will and associated papers. I learned that he had the tools he needed to care for his livestock. He also had a few blacksmithing and woodworking tools on the list.  He considered himself a Christian. Please note that we cannot judge an 18th century ancestor by 21st century norms and culture. Obviously today, we would not even consider having slaves but in Aquilla’s time, that was the norm for someone with a lot of land and livestock. I do wish that his slaves had been set free instead of sold, but again- that wasn’t the norm and had he set them free it might possibly have been a death sentence to them since they would probably not have been able to find work to support themselves as free people. Aquilla’s life began and ended well in advance of emancipation. Last week I said I didn’t have any rich ancestors but from the looks of Aquilla’s documents and what is recorded about him, he had quite a bit of property.

I like that he provided for the payment of all his debts and the support of his wife for the duration of her life.  I love that he included his deceased son, Aquilla GREER Jr., by including Aquilla Jr.’s children in the will. This is an issue that I have had to grapple with in my own life.

I wonder what I would feel like if I knew that after my passing all my worldly possessions would be itemized, assigned an appraised value, and published for the world to see. I’m a pretty private person. I don’t think I would like that at all. Many of the things I own have purely personal, emotional value and would not be worth anything to most people. It reminds me that I need to get my video inventory done sooner rather than later. I have family treasures and if I don’t label them, no one will know they were important. I’m attaching some photographs of items that are dated around 1790 that showed up on Aquilla’s appraisal list. Please note: these are not, to my knowledge, the actual things Aquilla owned. These are just photographs of similar items. One of the items that left me wondering was the “tin jack”. If anyone knows what a tin jack is- let me know!

Inkstand, ca 1790.
Inkstand, ca 1790.

Inkstand, circa 1790

Pewter Plate, ca 1790.
Pewter Plate, ca 1790.

Pewter Plate, circa 1790

Rifle, ca 1790.
Rifle, ca 1790.

Rifle, circa 1790

Spoon mold, ca 1790.
Spoon mold, ca 1790.

Spoon mold, circa 1790

Silver sugar box, ca 1790.
Silver sugar box, ca 1790.

Silver sugar box, circa 1790

Sugar nippers, ca 1790.
Sugar nippers, ca 1790.

Sugar nippers, circa 1790

Steelyards, ca 1790.
Steelyards, ca 1790.

Steelyards, circa 1790


I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little about Aquilla through his will. Take some time this week to inventory your family treasures so that after your passing they will continue to be handed down and loved for generations to come.

Until next week,

Lisa @ Days of Our Lives

Prosperity- Different Strokes for Different Folks

This week I’m going back to the last April blog theme that I missed. The theme was ‘prosper’. This one was hard. I didn’t have rich ancestors so I had to think a long time about what it can mean to prosper. I thought about telling you a couple of stories about my 2nd great grandfather, William Larkin, who owned a mine in Aurora, Missouri, in 1900 but I didn’t feel like I had enough information and facts to do him justice yet so instead I started to think about what the Bible considers prosperous.

Deuteronomy 30:9-10 says, “The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

So that got me thinking about children and how the Bible says they are a blessing from God- a “heritage from the Lord”, “a reward”, they are “like arrows in the hand of a warrior”, and “blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them”. (Psalm 127:3-5) Also, grandchildren “are the crown of the aged”. (Proverbs 17:6) There are many verses but these are the first couple that really hit me and helped get me started down this path. So I looked at my father’s family and narrowed the list down to the 6 couples who had the most children. Out of those 6 couples, I decided to tell you about Samuel Morris and Emeline Eliza (BELL) WILLIAMS. I hope I can do them justice.

I don’t have a lot of information about Samuel’s early life. There is some confusion about who his mother really is. In trying to figure it out, I decided finally to look only at men named John Williams who were married in Illinois between the years of 1853 and 1869 because I felt like that narrowed it down pretty well. Well, let me tell you- I “narrowed” it down to 178 (!!!) John Williams’ who were married in Illinois between 1853 and 1869. (Are you beginning to understand why it’s June and I’m not done with an April blog post??) So rather than make you wait any longer…I’m just presenting you with what I have. They are one of my “brick walls” so I don’t have a lot of information but maybe I can tell a little of their story.

SAMUEL MORRIS WILLIAMS

Samuel was born in April, 1864 in Illinois. His dad was John W. WILLIAMS. Prior to writing this blog I believed his mother was Nancy (WALLS) WILLIAMS. However during the course of preparing for this blog, I located another researcher who has information that suggests John was married to someone before he married Nancy. I am still trying to sort it out, as is the other researcher- Annie Blanchard. (As a researcher I try to always prove everything I’m told rather than accept what I’m told without question. If you want to do your own research you are welcome to review Annie Blanchard’s post about John Williams at her blog at https://digginggenealogy.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/unpuzzling-the-ancestors-part-ii/.) The link takes you to part 2 of a 3-part blog series about John and his last wife, Armazinda.

By the time Samuel was six years old his family had moved to Licking, Texas County, Missouri, where his brother Charles was born in February, 1870. By 1872, Nancy had passed away and John married Armazinda Frances WALLACE. In 1880, the family was still living in Texas County, Missouri, and included Samuel, his dad John and stepmother Armazinda, his brother Charles, and half-siblings Walter, Alice and Edgar. Other siblings born later included Mabel, Frank, Martin, Elizabeth, and Bertie Frances. Throughout his life, Samuel was a farmer.

ELIZA EMELINE BELL

Eliza was born in July of 1871 in Roubidoux, Texas County, Missouri. Her parents were Quincy and Elizabeth (STEPHENSON) BELL. Eliza had 6 known siblings- two half-sisters named Mary and Cordova, and four siblings named John, Surrena, Josephus, and Samuel. Like Samuel’s dad, Eliza’s dad was married more than once. Eliza’s mother was Quincy’s last known wife. Whereas Samuel was (as far as I know) the first child, Eliza was the fifth child of her father and the third child of her mother.

SOMETIMES LIFE IS A SERIES OF PLUSES AND MINUSES – GAINS AND LOSSES

Marriage License for Samuel Williams and Emma Bell.
Marriage License for Samuel Williams and Emma Bell.

On 18 March 1888, Samuel married Eliza Emeline BELL in Roubidoux, Texas County, Missouri. Samuel was 23 years old and Eliza was 16. (NOTE: In the 1930 census, Eliza stated she first married at age 17. However based on date of birth and date of marriage, she had not yet turned 17 when she married Samuel. Memory is a tricky thing sometimes.)

I’m going to present Samuel’s and Eliza’s life together as a series of gains and losses. Plus signs for the positives (or gains, marked in green) and minus signs for the negatives (or losses, marked in red). I think this is a good way of showing what their life was like up to the crescendo-point in 1905.

++++ Between 1889 and 1896, they had their first four children- Sarah Ann (Aunt Sadie), Jahu, Hosea (or Hose as Mam always called him), and Ida.

– Then the first in a series of tragedies struck the family. Eliza’s mom died in January of 1897.

++ In 1898 and 1899, Samuel and Eliza had Quincy (who sometimes went by Bennie) and Ivy (Aunt Tack).

+/– In 1900, Eliza had another set of twin boys neither of whom survived. This was the second in the series of tragedies for the family.

+ In 1901 my great-grandmother Bessie was born.

– In 1902, Eliza’s dad (her last living parent) passed away.

+ In 1903 Eula (Aunt Ule) was born.

– Also in 1903 Samuel’s stepmother, Armazinda, passed away. Armazinda was Samuel’s stepmother from the time he was 8 years old so surely he felt some loss (if not significant loss) when she passed.

– Then in 1904 Samuel’s dad (his last living parent) passed away.

After all of these losses, 1905 was an excruciating year for the already hard-hit family.

+ In February, 1905 Martin (Uncle Mart) was born.

– That same year Samuel was killed by a train somewhere near either Cabool, Texas County, Missouri or Mountain Grove, Texas County, Missouri. Sources conflict about the location of his death and no official records or newspaper articles have ever been found to verify this. There was speculation that it was suicide. Some family members believe perhaps it was suicide and others believe that it definitely was not.

I know that Uncle Mart must surely have kept Eliza going on many days when she didn’t want to live anymore. In the space of a decade she had lost both parents, her father-in-law and stepmother, and two children. (Averaging it out, that would be almost one lost loved one PER 1 ½ YEARS!!) I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have that many close personal losses in that period of time. Knowing about all of these losses, it makes me think perhaps Samuel might really have committed suicide. Maybe while walking home he had time to think about all of these losses and simply couldn’t see a reason for living and in one brief moment while he was feeling hopeless, a train appeared and he saw that as a way out. I don’t know. It just makes me wonder.


LIFE KEEPS ROLLING ON

Sometimes we survive even when we don’t want to. I’m glad that Eliza made it through this difficult period of her life. In 1908 Eliza married John Charles SNEARY. Everyone I’ve talked to said he was a good man. He was good to Eliza and good to her children and grandchildren. I love him simply because of this. She needed someone good in her life. After marrying, Eliza and John (who sometimes went by Charles) moved to Enid, Garfield County, Oklahoma. In the 1915 Kansas Territorial Census, John and Eliza show up in Iola, Allen County, Kansas. In the household is a 2 year old male child named Rural WILLIAMS. In 1920 the family is living in Commerce, Ottawa County, Oklahoma and Rural is gone. I don’t know Rural’s relationship to the family- nor do I know anything else about him. If he belonged to Eliza and John, why wasn’t his last name SNEARY? I never heard anyone talk of Eliza and John having any children together and Rural came along too late to belong to Samuel. I have not yet found any answers about Rural. I vaguely remember my grandma mentioning a Rural but sadly, I can’t remember what she said. When she said his name it sounded more like ‘Ruel’.

Eliza would see several of her sons go into the military and be sent into battle during World War I but it appears from records that they all came back home. I hope that she enjoyed many wonderful years with her children and grandchildren.

By 1930, Eliza and John were back in Upton Township, Texas County, Missouri living out their final years together. Eliza passed away there in February of 1934. She was buried in Oakland Cemetery in Success, Texas County, Missouri. John passed away two years later in August of 1936. John and Eliza were buried next to each other.

Every time I tell you a story about one of our ancestors, I’m always amazed at how much they lived through and yet still were able to make a decent life for themselves. These are the stories I want our children and grandchildren to see. I want them to know that they come from a long line of strong people and good-hearted people. I want them to know that they have it within themselves to overcome whatever struggles they are facing and whatever trouble they find themselves in. I hope this is what they get from the stories about our people. Pass these stories on to them!
Don’t forget to check out Becky’s blog at http://downintherootcellar.blogspot.com, Theresa’s blog at https://recipesfromlena.wordpress.com/, and Rochelle’s blog at https://theologyformom.wordpress.com/ for more great reading.  🙂
“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”  ~  King David

Until next week,

Lisa @ Days of Our Lives blog

Memorial Day Military Roll Call

This is my Memorial Day 2015 Military Roll Call.  I’m only listing direct ancestors.  If I missed anyone, please feel free to leave a comment or message me.  I did not list cousins, uncles or anyone not in my direct line so if you wish to add yourself or someone that is not in my direct line- feel free to leave a comment or message me.  Happy Memorial Day and don’t forget:

Military memorial plaque.
Military memorial plaque.
POW-MIA meme.
POW*MIA


DRAKE Family:
Vietnam:  Roy Drake
Civil War: Sanders Littrell           
                Joseph Larkin
                Bartlett Underwood
                Quincy Bell
Mexican-American:  Ervin Drake
Revolution:  Aquilla Greer
Also don’t want to forget my son-in-law who served: Timothy Easter
BATES Family:
Spanish-American:  William Riter
Civil War:  John Bates
                James Bullock
                Charles Seely
                John Davis
                Jefferson Latty
War of 1812:  Frederick Foster
                    Benjamin White
Revolution:  William Chenoweth
Bart WILLIAMS’ Family:
Korean:  Bart Williams Sr.
Civil War:  Frances DeWitt
                Richard DeWitt
                William Page
War of 1812:  Isaac DeWitt
Revolution:  Peter DeWitt


PEACE.  PRAYERS.  LOVE.
~Lisa @ Days of Our Lives

Speling- Hoo Neds It??

Let’s wind the calendar all the way back to the first part of April- where I got busy and couldn’t keep up with the blog schedule. (This end-of-the-school-year stuff is killing me!!)  The theme of the week was, “How do you spell that?”  I chose to write about my Latty family- my great-great grandmother Druziller LATTY BULLOCK.  Her mom Irena WALLS LATTY and Irena’s mom Delila WALLS also put in an appearance.  I created a Google map to go with this post but apparently no one can see it unless they are logged in to my account.  So sadly- you have no map to see how many times she moved back and forth in a very small geographical area.
You ask why I chose Druziller for this week? Well…I’ve seen her first name spelled Druzilla and Druziller (Druziller is, the best I have been able to find, the correct way to spell it). I’ve seen her middle name spelled Mahala and Mahaley and also shortened to Halie (Mahala is correct the best I can tell). And I’ve seen her last name spelled LATTA, LATTY, and LATTIE, and mis-transcribed as TUTTIE. I figured that was good enough for the theme this week.
Please meet Druziller Mahala LATTY BULLOCK:

Portrait of Druziller (Latty) Bullock.
Portrait of Druziller (Latty) Bullock.

I only have one photo of Druziller and it is the one posted above. Druziller was born in 1857 in McDonald County, Missouri, to Jefferson and Irena (WALLS) LATTY. She was the first of five known children (Druziller Mahala, Sarah Ellen, James, Lucinda Cynthia, and Martha E.). In the 1860 census she was living with her parents in Pineville, McDonald County, Missouri. She was listed under the name Mahala.

In 1870, the family is found on the census living in Bentonville, Osage Township, Benton County, Arkansas. She was going by the name Mahala. Mahala and her mother (Irena) and younger sister (“Elen”) were living in the household of Thomas NICHOLDS. Irena’s occupation was listed as “keeping house”. Both Thomas and Irena were born in Tennessee. An older gentleman named Philip LYDICK was also living in the home along with a woman named Elizabeth LYDICK, and five children with the LYDICK surname. Irena’s relationship to Thomas is not listed and I do not know what connection they had beyond this one moment in time. While trying to research the relationship of the LYDICKs, NICHOLDs, LATTYs, and WALLS’, I discovered that the children listed as LYDICK children are actually Thomas NICHOLDS’ children and Elizabeth is Thomas’ wife.

In the home next door to the NICHOLDS, LYDICK, and LATTY families, Druziller’s maternal grandmother, Delila WALLS was living with Jesse and Sarah FULLER. Nancy LATTIE was also living in the home with Delila and the FULLERs. Jesse FULLER was the nephew of Irena (grandson of Delila). Jesse’s mother was Irena’s sister, Elizabeth WALLS. I believe the Nancy LATTIE in this census record was Irena’s sister-in-law (Jefferson LATTY’s sister).
Here is an 1874 map of McDonald County, Missouri.  This is what the area would have looked like when Druziller lived there.

McDonald County, Missouri map, 1874.
McDonald County, Missouri map, 1874.

On 2 April 1879 Druziller married my great-great-grandfather, James Mathaniel BULLOCK. They married in Pineville, McDonald, Missouri.

1879 Map of the Arkansas-Missouri state line area that includes McDonald County, Missouri and Benton County, Arkansas.
1879 Map of the Arkansas-Missouri state line area that includes McDonald County, Missouri and Benton County, Arkansas.

Above is an 1879 map of the Missouri-Arkansas border- just as it would have looked when James and Druziller were married and started their family there.
In the 1880 census the couple was located in White Rock, McDonald, Missouri. James and Druziller are listed by their initials (J. M. and D. M.) but their daughter, who was born in May of that year, is listed by her name- Mary E. (Mary Ellen) – and so is Druziller’s mother Irena who was living with James and Druziller that year. In 1883, Druziller had another girl- Syntha Jane. By 1885 the family was living across the state line in Benton County, Arkansas, where they had their first son- William Edward. In 1887, they were back in McDonald County, Missouri in a little town called Caverna where they had my great-grandmother, Laura Ann. After Druziller had my great-grandmother, she gave birth to a son- Clarence Levi in 1890- and twins Oscar Morris and Alice Mae in 1892. I am uncertain which state (Missouri or Arkansas) Clarence was born in but Oscar and Alice were born in Benton County, Arkansas.

Druziller next shows up in records in 1897 when she made a sworn statement on behalf of her cousin-in-law (Sarah Ann FULLER) so Sarah could try to get a pension on her deceased husband (Jesse FULLER) for his military service. Since I don’t have access to the pension files I will have to show someone else’s transcription of the record. That person states that Druziller “made a similar statement to her mother’s” (Irena LEETY WALLS) on the same date as her mother. Irena’s statement is transcribed as :

Affidavit
I, Irena Latty, do solemnly swear on oath that I was personally acquainted with William Tittle from the year 1854 to the time he left. In the same year 1862, I heard that he was dead, and

know from my own personal knowledge he never returned, and that until the present time I have never seen or heard anything more of him, and I am personally acquainted with

Mrs. Fuller and that we are neighbors and have all the reasons to know that she has not heard from or seen Mr. Tittle since his departure in 1862 and I was personally acquainted with

Mr. Fuller from his birth until his death and know that he was never married to anyone but Mrs. Tittle, now Mrs. Fuller, his widow. Signed: Irena Latty.
State of Arkansas
County of Benton

Sworn and subscribed to before me, a Notary Public, on this the 4th. day of August, 1897.
W.A. Blair, Notary Public.

In 1899, Druziller made another sworn statement for Sarah and it is transcribed like this on the above website:
State of Arkansas, Benton County.
Personally appeared before me, a Notary Public, in and for Benton County Arkansas, D.M. Bullock, (Druzilla Mahala Latty, daughter of Irena Walls Latty),

who being duly sworn according to law, certifies as follows: That she has lived a neighbor of Sarah A. Fuller, wife of the soldier, from 1860 to present date and

that she was not married to any person from 1862 to January 19, 1868, and that her present Post Office is Sulpher Springs Ark.
Sworn and subscribed to before me this 3rd, day of March 1899
F.M. Marr Notary Public
My commision expires June 13, 1900

This information was found at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/LATTA/2006-04/1145020385.  The story of Sarah FULLER’s husband sounds like an interesting one and one that the family probably talked about for a long time.

In 1900 the family was listed on census records as living in Sulphur Springs, Benton County, Arkansas. Living in the home were James M. and D. M. (Druziller), and their children Syntha J., William E., Laura A., Levi, Oscar M, and Allice M.. They were among the last few families to be visited by the census taker in Sulphur Springs Township that year.

In 1910 the BULLOCK family was living in Wallace, Benton County, Arkansas. Druziller was a widow and some of her children (Edward W., Levi C., Oscar M., and her married daughter Laura A. RITER) were living with her. She had seven children and according to this census, all seven of her children were still living at the time of the 1910 census. It looks like the three sons may have been supporting the family. Edward was working on a farm, Levi was a railroad worker, and Oscar was also working on a farm. Druziller was widowed seven years prior to this census in 1903. Laura had just married my great grandfather, William RITER, in March of 1910. I’m not sure where he was at the time of the census nor why he wasn’t listed as a member of the household.

Shortly before Druziller’s death, her son William Edward completed the WWI Draft Registration. On his paperwork he listed his nearest living relative as his mother, “Halie Bullock”. This is the only time and the only person I know of that called her “Halie”. He listed her address as “Gravette Benton Ark”. William’s physical description said he was of medium height and build and had black hair and blue eyes. I wonder which parent, if either, he looked like. Levi Clarence’s WWI Draft Registration card gives his physical description as medium height and build, brown hair and brown eyes. Oscar Morris’ WWI Draft Registration card states he is of medium height and build, has brown hair and light blue eyes and that his mother is dependent upon him for support.

Druziller died on 23 November 1919 in Gravette, Benton County, Arkansas. She is buried in Hillcrest Cemetery next to her husband James. It is family oral history that Druziller’s daughter, Laura, had an infant that died shortly after birth that is most likely buried at the foot of James’ grave. No record has been found to verify this story. Druziller’s obituary read:

Mahala Latty Bullock

Mrs D.M. Bullock died at her home northeast of town Sunday, November 23, 1919 following a few days of Illness from Pneumonia.

Mahala Latty was born in McDonald County, Missouri Sep. 19, 1857. She was married to D.M. Bullock, who preceded her in death July 25, 1903. Seven children

survive: Mrs. Ellen Gilbert, Hannock, Mo., Mrs. Cynthia Baty, Mrs. Laura Ritter, Mrs. Alice Rotramel, Edward, Lee and Oscar Bullock of Gravette. The funeral was

conducted by Rev. W.H. Weatherby Monday and burial took place at the Odd Fellows cemetery. Sympathy is extended the family.

(Gravette News Herald 11-28-1919)

According to family stories passed down, Druziller was 1/16 Cherokee and 1/16 Catawba.

For all of the records listed, I still feel like I don’t know much of anything about Druziller. There seemed to be a theme running through her life of returning to places she had already been. And just as Druziller was a widow, so her daughter Laura would be, and her granddaughter Jessie as well. Hopefully one day I will meet someone who knows a little of Druziller’s story and is willing to share it.


Until then,
Lisa @ Days of Our Lives


Don’t forget to click: http://downintherootcellar.blogspot.com
Don’t forget to click: https://theologyformom.wordpress.com/
Don’t forget to click: https://recipesfromlena.wordpress.com/

Two Men and a Passel of Huntin’ Dogs

I’m going back to the first week that I missed (two weeks ago). The theme was “favorite photo”. I knew right away that I wanted to write about my Papa- Troy Columbus BATES- and also about my paternal great-great-grandfather Alford Allen HUBBARD. Even though these two men were from opposite sides of my family and were born 34 years apart, they share a few things in common. One that I find intriguing is that they both owned the same piece of land in Delaware County, Oklahoma, but at different times. They also both had middle names that were handed down through generations in their respective families.

The other thing they have in common is that they both loved to hunt with their coon dogs. I have a photo of the men each with their own pack of hunting dogs. Those are two of my favorite photos.

My grandpa, Troy "Lum" Bates with one of his hunting dogs and 4 coons they got on a hunting trip.
My grandpa, Troy “Lum” Bates with one of his hunting dogs and 4 coons they got on a hunting trip.

^^ Troy “Lum” BATES with one of his hunting dogs and a nights’ worth of ‘coon hides.

My great-great-grandpa Alford Allen Hubbard and three of his hunting dogs.
My great-great-grandpa Alford Allen Hubbard and three of his hunting dogs.

^^ Alford Allen HUBBARD with several of his hunting dogs.

TROY COLUMBUS BATES

Troy was always called Lum. I never knew him to be called anything else. Columbus is a BATES family name that was handed down through the generations in Papa’s family. He was born to Albert and Dettie (GIBSON) BATES in 1912 in Benton County, Arkansas. He lived in Benton County until at least 1940. Sometime after the 1940 census, he and his wife Jessie, and their family would move to McDonald County, Arkansas. Lum and Jessie owned a grocery store and a cafe at different times throughout their lives. Lum once worked one day for the WPA during the depression. He walked off the job that same day because he wasn’t working and found it distasteful to draw a paycheck without working for it. He was very patriotic but never once voted. He had an extreme distaste for the government and was also very superstitious. He was known to go miles out of his way rather than cross the path of a black cat. He chewed Red Bull tobacco and always had a spittoon by his chair for as long as I can remember. He kept the house at least 100 degrees and always wore several layers of clothing even with the house that hot. He loved playing cards and he enjoyed watching Hee Haw when it was airing on television. But the one thing he truly loved to do more than most anything else was ‘coon hunt.

I remember when Papa BATES was keeping a young ‘coon in a cage. It sure was a mean little creature. If you got too close it would hiss at you like a cat. The only time Papa’s Georgia history came out was when he would yell at his hunting dogs. I never knew why he said “here” like that until I learned that his family was from Georgia and then it made sense why he said that word with the accent he did. Lum had lots of hunting adventures over the years.  Some recall a time he was out hunting and came across a huge marijuana patch.  My mom told me that Papa got so desperate to go hunting once that he actually took her and Aunt Mae with him so he could go hunting. That’s dedication- on their part and his! My dad recalled many hunting trips with Papa BATES including one where he got lost and ended up walking a couple extra miles because of it. Other family members threw in their hunting stories as well but my favorite hunting story is this one. When my son was about 9 or 10 we were visiting Granny and Papa. Papa took my son hunting with him, my dad, and my husband. I loved that my son got to share in that tradition while my grandpa was still well enough to do it with him. Derek talked about that hunting trip for years. Derek used to own a hat that looked much like the one Papa BATES always wore. When he wore it it always reminded me of Papa. Derek even had some senior photos taken with that hat on. I miss both of them deeply.  I was unable to locate any of my pictures of Papa Bates with his hat on, unfortunately.

One of DeReK's senior pictures. He wore a hat that reminded me of the hats my Papa Bates used to wear.
One of DeReK’s senior pictures. He wore a hat that reminded me of the hats my Papa Bates used to wear.

^^ DeReK with his “Lum” hat.

Portrait of Troy "Lum" and Jessie (Riter) Bates.
Portrait of Troy “Lum” and Jessie (Riter) Bates.

^^ Lum and Jessie BATES

Troy "Lum" and Jessie (Riter) Bates with two of their sons - David and Butch.
Troy “Lum” and Jessie (Riter) Bates with two of their sons – David and Butch.

^^The only picture I could find of Lum with his hat on.

ALFORD ALLEN HUBBARD

Alford was born in 1878 in Harrison County, Missouri to John Allen and Nancy Jane (CHAMBERS) HUBBARD. Even though Alford’s official documents spell his name “Alfred”, older members of the family insisted it was spelled “Alford” and that is how they said his name.  The name Allen has remained a family name handed down through the generations to the present day. Unlike my BATES family, my HUBBARD family did not stay put for long periods of time. Sometime after 1880 they left Harrison County, Missouri. In June of 1900 Alford was working as a Teamster in the railroad tie industry in Shannon County, Missouri. He was living in Cordz-Fisher Lumber Company’s camp as a boarder in the home of William and Nancy WOODS. Later that year he married Laura BUTLER in Douglas County, Missouri.

Cordz-Fisher Lumber Company Camp, Shannon County, Missouri.
Cordz-Fisher Lumber Company Camp, Shannon County, Missouri.

Cordz-Fisher Lumber Company Camp.  Photo found at http://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow601h.htm.  This website has some other photographs and some interesting history about the lumber industry in Missouri around this time period.

By 1902, when their daughter Rosa was born, the family lived in Christian County, Missouri. Alford was working in a sawmill at the time of the 1910 census and the family was living in North Marion Township in Christian County, Missouri.
Although he listed his employment as being at the sawmill in 1910 and his residence as N. Marion Township, on his 1918 World War I Draft Registration he stated he was a farmer and living in Seymour, Webster County, Missouri.  His physical description states he was medium height and medium build.  He had blue eyes and brown hair. (See below.)

Alford Allen Hubbard's World War I Draft Registration Card.
Alford Allen Hubbard’s World War I Draft Registration Card.

By 1920, they were living in Webster County, Missouri where their youngest child Anna was born. Alford was working as a Tie Inspector at a Tie Yard (railroad ties). They had two sons and three daughters including my great-grandmother, Edith HUBBARD. (See my previous post for information about Edith at http://happy-girl-24.livejournal.com/15638.html).

Railroad Tie Yard.
Railroad Tie Yard.

^^ Railroad tie yard photo found at Missouri Digital Heritage http://cdm.sos.mo.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/msaphotos/id/477/rec/4.

By 1930 they were in McDonald County, Missouri where Alford was working as a railroad tie buyer.  Below is a 1932 Delaware County, Oklahoma school census record for the family.

1932 Delaware County, Oklahoma school census record for Alford & Laura (Butler) Hubbard.
1932 Delaware County, Oklahoma school census record for Alford & Laura (Butler) Hubbard.

In 1940 they were in Delaware County, Oklahoma where Alford and Laura were living with a cousin named Alice Gann. They were listed as Alice’s caretakers. Below is a World War II Draft Registration card for Alford from circa 1945.

Alford Allen Hubbard's World War II Draft Registration Card.
Alford Allen Hubbard’s World War II Draft Registration Card.

Alford died in 1950 and is buried in South West City Cemetery in McDonald County, Missouri.

I don’t have many stories about Alford. I just have the facts I’ve been able to gather from documents.  I have lots of stories about Lum, but then you probably have many of your own.  So I’ll leave you to reminisce about your own experiences with Lum and reflect on the life of Alford.  The next time you hear a hound dog barking, maybe you’ll think of these men and the lives they led.  When you’re done reading and reminiscing, don’t forget to check these other blogs: http://downintherootcellar.blogspot.com, https://recipesfromlena.wordpress.com/, and https://theologyformom.wordpress.com/.


Until next week,
Lisa @ Days of Our Lives

My Granny

After a two-week hiatus I’m back and I brought a friend with me to write today. This week’s theme is “live long”. I knew right away that I wanted to write about my granny, Jessie Ann (RITER) BATES, for this week’s theme. Then my niece Ashley said she wanted to co-write a blog post about Granny and I knew this was perfect timing. There are many stories that can be told about Granny but I LOVE LOVE LOVE that one of our youngest up-and-coming family members wanted to write about Granny so much that she spent part of her spring break doing it. That’s dedication and love! So here is our blog post. We hope you love it. Please feel free to leave your memories of Granny BATES in the comments section.

Jessie (Riter) Bates and Troy "Lum" Bates.
Jessie (Riter) Bates and Troy “Lum” Bates.

^^ Granny and Papa right around the time they were married.

My grandma, Jessie (Riter) Bates.
My grandma, Jessie (Riter) Bates.
Jessie (Riter) Bates.
Jessie (Riter) Bates.

Few, if any, of us remember Granny as she was in the pictures above. But we all remember how much we loved her. These are Ashley’s memories of Granny:

When I was little I would go to my great grandma’s house with my grandma.

My great grandma had dementia and we got to look after her. We would go

to garage sales and play Yahtzee. Sometimes I would go pick apples off of

her apple tree in her front yard. Some days we would visit Aunt Mae before

we went to Great Nanny’s house. My Nanny Kay and I would also go

shopping and help Great Nanny shower. I will never forget the horribly sad

day when she passed away at 100 years old.

Jessie (Riter) Bates and her great-granddaughter (my niece) Ashley Drake.
Jessie (Riter) Bates and her great-granddaughter (my niece) Ashley Drake.

^^ Ashley and Granny.

Jessie (Riter) Bates at her 100th birthday party.
Jessie (Riter) Bates at her 100th birthday party.

^^ Granny at her 100th birthday party.  She always said she was going to live to be 100 years old.

I think Ashley captures Granny’s favorite pastimes perfectly. I also love that she said she “got” to look after Granny. Ashley already embodies the beautiful spirit of the BATES women who have always put family first and cared for their family members in all circumstances without complaint. She’s following a beautiful tradition of caregiving set by her parents, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. She also reflects the Christian spirit of caring for others. I’m so proud of her!

Here are a few more pictures of Granny for you to enjoy as you reflect on your own special memories of her.

My mom Kay, her parents - Troy "Lum" and Jessie (Riter) Bates-, and some of her siblings - Jerry, Mike, Troy, Dennis (?), Butch, and Paul.
My mom Kay, her parents – Troy “Lum” and Jessie (Riter) Bates-, and some of her siblings – Jerry, Mike, Troy, Dennis (?), Butch, and Paul.

^^ Granny with Papa and all her children except David and JD.  (By the way Ashley, behind them is the apple tree I remember when I was growing up.  Seems like Granny always had an apple tree.)

My grandparents - Troy "Lum" and Jessie (Riter) Bates-, and two of their sons - David and Butch.
My grandparents – Troy “Lum” and Jessie (Riter) Bates-, and two of their sons – David and Butch.

^^ Granny with David.

My mom and grandma - Kay and Jessie.
My mom and grandma – Kay and Jessie.

^^ Granny with Kay.  Love this one!

Jessie (Riter) Bates and two of her great-grandchildren (my children) - Shaina and Derek.
Jessie (Riter) Bates and two of her great-grandchildren (my children) – Shaina and Derek.

^^ Granny with Derek and Shaina.

Jessie (Riter) Bates quilting one of her quilts for the Christmas drawing.
Jessie (Riter) Bates quilting one of her quilts for the Christmas drawing.

^^ Granny quilting.  One of my all-time favorite pictures of Granny.


Don’t forget to check out Becky’s blog at http://downintherootcellar.blogspot.com/.  Also check out my friends’ genealogy blogs at https://theologyformom.wordpress.com/ and https://recipesfromlena.wordpress.com/.


Until next week,
~ Lisa at Days of Our Lives

Something About Apples and How Far They Fall From the Tree

This week’s theme is “different” meaning someone who is your polar opposite, someone who acted or reacted differently than you would have, etc. I couldn’t think of anyone more polar opposite of me than my great-grandmother, Bessie WILLIAMS STEELEY LARKIN LANCASTER FORDEN. (There are a couple of surnames left out. My apologies to the at-least-two fellas whose names can’t be remembered.)  Talk about the apple falling far from the tree- I didn’t think I was much like Bessie at all.  I was 10 years old when my great-grandma passed away. What I remember of her is based totally on memories that are 30+ years old. Those memories are also memories of a 10 year old- someone with little life experience on which to base her observations and an understanding that was limited to what adults would let her know (or not know) based on age.


The Bessie I Knew
What I remember of Bessie is that she didn’t have a middle name. She chewed tobacco. She adored and was extremely serious about WWF-style wrestling. She was superstitious to the extreme and was also very serious about that. She had long hair that she wore in a bun for as long as I can remember. She seemed ancient to me although she was only 78 when she died. She seemed rough toward the other great-grandkids but I always felt like I was her favorite and thought she was nicer to me than to the others. (Maybe all her great-grandkids felt this way, I don’t know.) She always made handmade Christmas presents and I still have the last homemade Christmas gift I remember her giving me.
My most vivid memory of her had to have happened not long before her death when she lived with my grandparents. I was walking around my Mam’s house with one shoe on and one shoe off and I walked in front of Bessie. She came unglued!! She yelled at me to get that shoe off my foot and didn’t I know that bad things would happen to me if I walked with one shoe on and one shoe off?!?! Scared me to death. I wasn’t really a superstitious person but neither did I want to tempt fate so I took off that shoe until I found the other one. A couple of days later I hit my head on the corner of a cabinet door I had left open and my head started bleeding and all I could think about was the bad luck she predicted because I walked with one shoe on and one shoe off.


The Bessie Others Knew

Bess (Williams) Larkin.
Bess (Williams) Larkin.

A young Bessie WILLIAMS LARKIN (with short hair!).


I felt like I really didn’t know Bessie very well so I called on various people to tell me what they knew about her. This is what I learned about Bess as an individual and as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother.
Bess was born just after the turn of the century in August of 1901. She grew up in an extremely poor family. When she was about four years old, her father- Samuel Williams- was killed by a train near Cabool, Missouri. Bess had 13 (possibly 14) siblings. I was told that there were such age differences in the siblings that it was almost like two different sets of siblings and some of the older and younger siblings really didn’t grow up together or know each other well. The year prior to Bess’s birth, twin boys were born to her mom and those babies died before Bess was born. When Bess was 16, she lost her brother, Bennie. At ages 36 and 37, she lost her sister Sarah and her brother Hosea (whom the family called “Hose”). In her 50’s she would lose her sister “Ide” (Ida) and her brother Jahu. Eight years before her own death, she would lose her brother Mart (Martin). There were other siblings but I don’t know when they died, except for Aunt Eule (Eula). To my knowledge, Aunt Eule was the last surviving sibling and she died in 1996. Before she died, my dad, Mam, Aunt Carol, and I took a trip to see Aunt Eule and we interviewed her. I will try to get that interview transcribed soon and post it. If I can, I will post some audio as well so everyone can hear Eule. She was quite a character. Many of the WILLIAMS siblings moved away to other parts of the country. Just this past week I spoke with two daughters of Bessie’s brother, Mart. One lives in the Bakersfield, CA area and the other lives in the Sebring, FL area. With 13 siblings, it’s no surprise the family is spread out from one coast to the other. Many of the siblings and their families spent time overseas due to being in the military.
Studies have shown that families in extreme poverty place a high value on being able to entertain others because sometimes the only form of entertainment they can afford is each other. True to this fact, Bessie was a person who could entertain. She was talkative, loud, boisterous, and outgoing. She could play the guitar and harmonica very well and taught all of her children that were interested in learning to play the guitar.

Carl Larkin.
Carl Larkin.

Here is Bessie’s son, Uncle Carl, playing his guitar. I can remember Carl playing his guitar at my son’s third birthday party. He played Hit the Road Jack. My son sang that song for years and “played” it on his toy guitar.) Bessie knew all the old Irish songs and played and sang them all the time. Bessie never met a stranger. I surely wish someone had a recording of her playing and singing because I don’t ever remember hearing her sing or play.
Bess was always superstitious but my dad says so was everyone else at that time. She didn’t let people open umbrellas in the house and if someone handed someone else an open knife, it was promptly refused and the person had to close it before handing it back again because it would bring bad luck if you accepted an open knife.
Bess’s first marriage was at age 13. She married Otis STEELEY. They were only married for a day or two and then they managed to get the marriage annulled. My great-grandpa, Ralph LARKIN, was working for Bessie’s dad around that time. He one day announced to everyone that he would be marrying Bessie and when she turned 16, they married. Ralph was an ultra-religious Pentecostal Holiness. Bessie was “rough”, talked “like a sailor”, and didn’t go to church. Ralph managed to get her turned around but even then she was an “irreverant Christian” as described by one of her grandsons. Ralph and Bessie had 10 children. Ralph was very strict and several of his children didn’t like that. When their children were old enough several moved away from home and didn’t go back. After Ralph’s death, Bess married several more times. She married a man from Joplin, Missouri; a man named Jim who lived in Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma; Palmer LANCASTER; and Bill FORDEN.
Bessie lived in several places throughout her life. As a child and living with her family in extreme poverty, they lived on the river in Kansas City- a very rough area of the city. Also in her childhood she lived in Texas County, Missouri in the towns of Success and Roubidoux. After her dad died and her mom remarried, she lived in Enid, Garfield County, Oklahoma. At age 14 she lived in Iola, Allen County, Kansas. The following year the family was living in the Picher-Cardin, Ottawa County, Oklahoma area where Ralph found work in the lead and zinc mines. In the late 1910’s and throughout the 1920’s they bounced back and forth between Roubidoux, Missouri, and the Miami-Picher, Oklahoma area. In the 1930’s they bounced back and forth between Upton, Texas County, Missouri and Miami, Ottawa, Oklahoma. By 1940 they were living in Beaty, Delaware County, Oklahoma. Since I don’t have census records available to me after 1940, I can’t tell you all the places she lived after that but I know she lived in Delaware County when she died. Her doctor was in Gravette, Benton County, Arkansas and that is where her official place of death is. My dad told me that after Ralph got sick with black lung disease from working in the mines, his doctor told him to move to Arizona where the climate was drier. This was a common recommendation from doctors at that time. So Ralph and Bessie moved to Arizona for a year or two but both of them hated it and they moved back to the Delaware County, Oklahoma/McDonald County, Missouri area before Ralph died.
When my dad was young, he and his 3 siblings were four out of eight grandchildren that lived close to Bessie and were able to visit her frequently. (The others lived too far away to visit often.) He felt that Bessie doted on them and loved them and was very affectionate with them. She always wanted them to come over. They would walk a half mile down the road (the Poynor School road for those of you familiar with that area) from their house to her house after school. They would visit her, eat some of her good cooking, and then make another half mile trek west to their Grandma DRAKE’s home and visit her. I love knowing they were able to do that. It brought back fond memories of when we lived close enough to my husband’s parents that our then-3-year-old son could walk through the back yard and to his grandparents’ home for snacks or meals or visits and hugs. Dad said when they went to Bess’s house she always had food or cooked them food and she was a good cook. Breakfast was always pancakes and if anyone got eggs it was only for grandpa. For other meals, she cooked cornbread and beans; soup; anything she could use her garden vegetables in; she fixed turnips although he didn’t much care for those; fried cabbage; salads with wild greens including sour dock, lamb’s quarters, chickweed and dandelion leaves; poke greens fried in bacon grease; and lots of wild edibles. She had to know how to use wild edibles because the family was so poor. Bess and my grandma Audrey always had the pressure cooker going all summer long canning whatever they could from wild edibles to garden harvests to whatever they were given or could find. On Friday nights before grandpa Ralph got sick, he would come home from work and he and Bess would make dough balls for bait, pack up, and go to Grand Lake for the weekend and fish from Friday night to Monday morning. Grandpa would get up Monday morning and go straight to work and grandma Bess would come home. They fished for what my dad considered to be “trash fish” including carp, buffalo fish, and drum fish. Whatever they caught, Bess would pressure can (bones and all) during the week. Grandpa Mark DRAKE would always tell dad to be sure to tell Grandma Bess to can some fish for him and Grandma Bess would can him some fish and send them over. Dad said the canned fish tasted really good. She also pressure canned mixed greens- meaning any wild edibles she could find growing. Basically, anything that was wild and edible they would eat or can to eat later. Grandpa Ralph and Grandma Bess also always kept a barrel of brine pickles on hand. My dad loved them because they were crisp and salty. He said he could take a fork and fork one out any time he wanted one but if grandma caught him sticking his bare hands in to get one he got in trouble.My dad said Bessie and Ralph had the worst luck with houses Several homes they lived in burned. In one four year period they had two houses in a row burn. The houses were across the road from each other. Because of this they seemed to be constantly starting over from scratch and it was very difficult for them. He remembers the interior of the house that burned down. He said it had no ceiling, just bare rafters and once when Uncle Mart came to visit Bess, he was taking medication and put the medication up on top of the rafters by the roof. He said he was told Mart had Tuberculosis and that he was taking medication for that. Another thing he remembers is that grandma Bess loved Hollyhocks and had huge ones growing all around her house. He doesn’t know why but says he didn’t like the Hollyhocks at all. He could not remember if there was a particular color that was her favorite. She had a huge variety of colors of Hollyhocks. He remembers Bess and Audrey washing laundry in the back yard of one of the burned houses. They had a tub and an old wringer washer. They would wash out the clothes in a tub and then put them through the wringer. They would then turn around and make lye soap in the same tub they washed clothes in. They lye soap was used to wash everything- clothes, skin, etc. The lye soap was made using beef tallow and ashes and he said it was very good for their skin.
After grandma Bess came to live with my grandparents Gene and Audrey, she never complained about being sick. She and my grandpa Gene had ongoing rivalries over wrestling being fake and overrated.  Bess was pretty healthy until she slipped and fell in the bathtub. She twisted her colon and got gangrene. The doctor didn’t realize she had gangrene and by the time he figured it out it was too late and she died. My dad described her overall disposition as being a happy one. He remembers her being a very fun and loving grandmother and very smart. She had a linoleum floor in one of her houses and when it was waxed, it had to also be buffed. After waxing, the linoleum was very slick. So when it was time to buff the floor, grandma Bess threw rags down on the floor and told the kids to get on them and slide. Grandma got her floor buffed and the kids had a great time doing it and didn’t realize they were doing grandma’s work for her. (I seriously can’t imagine my dad buffing the floor like this as a child. lol)
My conversations with others about Bessie WILLIAMS LARKIN were very enlightening. I learned about a Bess that I never knew. The more people talked about her, the more I realized that some apples really do fall close to the tree- even if they don’t know how close they stay. I may not chew twist tobacco and while I might find it fun to go see luchadors wrestle once just for fun with my brother Jared, it’s definitely not something I’m into. I am not THAT superstitious (never mind that just this week I picked up a penny on heads in the parking lot and recited to myself, “Find a penny, pick it up. All the day you’ll have good luck.”). For the past few years I’ve been learning what I can about wild edibles and I started canning when I was in my late 20’s/early 30’s. And nevermind my long hair that just today I wore in a bun…now what was I saying about apples and how far they fall from trees? Yeah…
The Bess my dad knew doesn’t seem like the Bess I knew and I’m so glad I got a chance to hear these stories and get to know her from a grandchild’s perspective. Because don’t we all love grandma’s and their fabulous cooking? This post has really presented her to me as a real person and I love that. I wish I had known then what I know now. I could have learned all my wild edibles knowledge from her and been so much better at it by now. It’s probably a good thing there aren’t time machines. I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Bess. The next time you’re tempted to think you are totally opposite from an ancestor, try to remember that “the apple” really doesn’t fall that far from the tree. You may be more like them than you know.
Don’t forget to click on over to my sister-in-law’s blog post this week about the old country doctor that cared for her family at http://downintherootcellar.blogspot.com/2015/03/last-weeks-52-ancestors-blog-prompt-was.html.  You can also check out blogs of friends at https://recipesfromlena.wordpress.com/…/100-years-ago-today/ and https://theologyformom.wordpress.com/.


Until next week,
Lisa @ Days of Our Lives

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The Power of a Name

“Names have power.” ~ Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief
“Every name is real.  That’s the nature of names.” ~ Jerry Spinelli, Stargirl

Mary Anne BAKER  &  Laura Ann BULLOCK
This week’s theme is “same” and can refer to an ancestor that you have a special connection with, one you are like, one you are named after, one you look like, etc. I chose Mary Anne BAKER DRAKE and Laura Ann BULLOCK RITER because I was named after both of these women.

Mary Anne BAKER DRAKE

Ervin "Poppy" Alonzo and Mary Anne (Baker) Drake and family.
Ervin “Poppy” Alonzo and Mary Anne (Baker) Drake and family.

Poppy and Annie (Mary Anne BAKER) DRAKE above with three of their children.

Mary Anne BAKER (referred to as Annie for the duration of this blog post) is my great-great-grandmother. She was born in Pineville, McDonald County, Missouri and died in South West City, McDonald, Missouri. My grandma told me that Annie was on her own from the time she was 16 years old and was doing laundry for others to support herself. She left home so soon because of her stepmother. There are a lot of stories about Annie but facts about her are hard to come by. One story says that her grandmother was Mary BEAR (no one to my knowledge has been able to document Mary BEAR and I have seen her last name spelled BAIR and BAER) and that she was Native American and was adopted. Another says she was Native American and was adopted after her birth-mom gave her up. No one seems to know why her mom gave her up. The general thinking that I’ve encountered is that she was very ill and dying. I have been unable to prove her Native American heritage. I most recently checked with Choctaw Nation about a person on their rolls with that name and it wasn’t her. I have checked other tribes as well and have never been able to find her. Her vital records show her father was Jehue (also spelled Jhue, Jehu, and Jay Hugh) BAKER and her mother was Mary VETRELL. I believe Mary’s (Jehue’s wife) last name was actually LITTRELL.

Annie went by various versions of her name throughout her life including Anne, Annie, and Anna. Annie is one of a couple of my ancestors for whom I am named. I think a name does say something about who you are. The Bible supports this by showing that names tell a lot about the character of a person. The name Mary is a Hebrew name meaning ‘bitter’. Annie did have somewhat of a bitter life in some respects. I haven’t found a lot of documentation about her early life, but my grandmother told me Annie’s mother (adopted mother, if the adoption story is true) died when Annie was young. That means she lost two mothers as a young girl and possibly a father if Jehue isn’t her biological father. (We will assume for now that Jehue is her father since I have never found any proof that he isn’t.) Annie’s father, Jehue, remarried and Annie and her new stepmother did not get along well. I’ve been told that Annie’s stepmother didn’t treat her well. Annie moved out at a very young age (prior to 18 and I was always told early to mid-teens). She soon married Ervin Alonzo DRAKE. I have been told that Ervin (“Poppy Lonzo”) had quite a temper at times and that he once nearly broke Annie’s leg with a cane when he beat her with it in a fit of anger. I can’t say with certainty this happened. That’s only one story I was told. I also was told that later in years he deeply regretted this incident. I believe he really did love Annie and she loved him. I’ve been told that DRAKE’s from a couple generations past had tempers and liked to fight.

Annie died on 25 April 1947 at age 69. If I remember correctly, she had cancer.

Laura Ann BULLOCK RITER

Laura (Bullock) Riter and three of her daughters including my grandma, Jessie.
Laura (Bullock) Riter and three of her daughters including my grandma, Jessie.

I believe this photo is of Laura and her daughters. My granny- Jessie- is on the far right next to her mother, Laura BULLOCK RITER. To the left of Laura are two other daughters of Laura’s.

Laura is my great-grandmother. She was born in Caverna, McDonald County, Missouri and died in Gravette, Benton County, Arkansas. Laura was petite but her love for her family was giant. Laura’s husband, William Sherman RITER, died when Laura was just 41 years old. She never remarried. She finished raising her children by herself. My granny always said she was a very loving mother to her children and they never felt as though they did without. Granny remembered her mother going outside and playing with the children.

When Laura was in her late 60’s her daughter, Bertha, was diagnosed with cancer. Bertha lived in California at the time with her second husband and the children from her first marriage. Laura moved to California and lived with Bertha, taking care of her until Bertha’s death in 1957. The children’s father was already deceased and now their mother was also gone. The stepfather of the children did not have much of a connection with the children. He and Bertha had not been married very long when she died. So Laura loaded up the children, brought them back to Arkansas and finished raising them. Her family meant everything to her.

The name Laura is an English name meaning ‘crowned with laurels’. The laurel is a plant that symbolizes honor and victory. Laura lived her life with honor and was victorious in the face of difficult circumstances. I so admire her for raising her grandchildren even though she didn’t have to. I know at times that must have been very difficult for her to do.

One last thing that comes to mind when I think of Laura concerns food. Laura baked angel food cakes and when she made them she put candy sprinkles in the batter so that it had a finished appearance of confetti. I rarely make angel food cakes but when I do, I use candy sprinkles in memory of her. A visual reminder o myself tthat I can overcome difficult life circumstances and do my best to live an honorable life. I know that Laura was another one of my great-grandmothers who prayed for my parents and I and I am so grateful to be blessed with a heritage of grandmothers who prayed for me. What a blessing!! Praying for my grandchildren is one piece of my heritage that I carry on for my own grandchildren.
Laura passed away on 3 January 1970 at age 80.

Lisa Anne

Portrait of me as a child.
Portrait of me as a child.

Yep. That’s me- sporting a dress my mom made me, a great smile, and few teeth. That hairstyle looks so familiar… (sorry to all you fashion mavens who think people shouldn’t be wearing the same hairstyle 40+ years later.)

Lisa is a Hebrew name meaning ‘consecrated to God’. I always loved my name and one of the things I love about it is that my name means “set apart or dedicated” to God. Though I’m not perfect, I hope that I live my life in a way that at least TRIES to match the meaning.

When someone says both my names- “Lisa Anne”- specific memories come to mind. One is when I was saying my wedding vows and the judge said, “Do you, Lisa Anne…”. That sent me into a fit of giggles which the judge didn’t much appreciate. The other is that my Aunt Carolyn always called me by both my names. When Aunt Carol was in the hospital and I went to see her for the last time I leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Aunt Carol, this is Lisa Anne.” Nothing the doctors will ever tell me will make me believe that she wasn’t aware of my presence at that moment.

One other thing I remember about my name- it wasn’t the one my parents originally chose for me. It was a change of name made later in the pregnancy but before I was born. I know what name they originally chose for me and it definitely wasn’t me. Things happen for a reason and I’m so glad there was a reason to make a change in my name.
I also appreciate that my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. lived in such a way that the surname I inherited came with a good reputation.  I did not have to live my life always having to overcome a bad reputation left by those who came before me.  For that, I am grateful.

Anne/Ann- The Name We Share
The name I share with both of these women- one from each side of my family- is Anne/Ann. The name means ‘favor or grace; prayer; God has favored me’. In each of our separate lives, God has favored us and given us grace in so many ways and so many circumstances. I’m thankful that each of us can be a favored child of God without pushing anyone else out of their position as a favored child of God. I love that prayer is also a part of the meaning of my name. I know that prayer played a part in each of our lives. It makes me happy to share a name with women who loved God and loved their families. I hope that I share not only a name with these beautiful women but also their love for God, love for and dedication to their families, and their spunk and courage to go on in spite of difficult circumstances.

Our names are very important. We are known by them- whether in a good way or a bad way. You have your name for a reason. Your parents loved you enough to give it to you. It was chosen especially for you. Choose to make your name a good one today.  Lastly, make memories with those you love so that when you are gone and they whisper your name their hearts and minds are filled with all the love and kindness and good things you want surrounding them when you’re gone.

If you want a little more, I encourage you to watch this poem written and read by the then-Poet Laureate Billy Collins about September 11, 2001 called ‘The Names’.  You can find it at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment-july-dec02-names_9-06/.  You can also click on over to these blogs: http://downintherootcellar.blogspot.com, https://theologyformom.wordpress.com/, and https://recipesfromlena.wordpress.com/.

4 March 2023: A little side note. I wrote this blog post almost exactly 8 years ago. I’m not sure why I left out my Granny Bates. Her name was Jessie Ann and she should have been included here.

Until next week,

Lisa @ Days of Our Lives

Comes a Jury of Twelve

Time Is a Great Storyteller.
This week’s theme is “luck of the Irish”­ either someone very lucky or someone Irish or however you choose to interpret that phrase. You’re in luck today because I have lucky AND Irish. I love Irish proverbs, blessings, and toasts so you’ll see several throughout this post. You’ll know them because their text color will be green.


My Irish Roots
If you’re enough lucky to be Irish…you’re lucky enough!
My grandpa BATES’ mom was Dettie Louisa GIBSON. Dettie’s dad was James Thomas GIBSON. For decades my mom and I researched this branch of her family and got nowhere and then one day I got a break on Ancestry. We learned James’ parents were Samuel GIBSON and Lucinda BELL.  Lucinda’s grandfather (James BELL) was born in Ireland. Samuel’s great­-grandfather (George GIBSON) was also born in Ireland.
And now I present to you Samuel’s and Lucinda’s son, James Thomas GIBSON- my 2nd great-grandfather.


James Thomas GIBSON, born 1828 Kentucky
Here’s to a fellow who smiles
When life runs along like a song.
And here’s to the lad who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.

Portrait of James Thomas Gibson.
Portrait of James Thomas Gibson.

At various points throughout James’ life he went by the names J. T., James, and Thomas. James was married first to Elizabeth GARDINER. She passed away and he later married Lucinda DOW ALBIN- my great-great-grandmother. When they married, James had 10 children from his previous marriage and Lucinda had one child living with her from her previous marriage. She had at least one other child that she gave up for adoption after his birth- a boy named William Edgar (ALBIN) GIESE. You can read about Lucinda in my blog post Fresh Start(s) here http://happy-girl-24.livejournal.com/14935.html.  I feel James must surely have had the luck of the Irish on his side about 1879.
Before I get into James’ story though, I want to say that history is what it is. We each make our choices- good or bad. I will never know in this life whether James was truly innocent or guilty of charges made against him.  The court and a jury of his peers made a decision according to the law and that is what will stand for the duration of this world.  I will present to you what I know based on court records.


Rough Beginnings, Rough Middles
For the test of the heart is trouble
And it always comes with years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears.
James entered into his marriage with Lucinda on 16 September 1875 in Adams County, Iowa. It was the second marriage (that I know of) for each of them. James’ marriage had ended with the death of his wife. I suspect Lucinda’s marriage ended because her husband abandoned her and their children although I can’t say for sure. It’s certainly possible that she took the children and left him or that he died. So with both James and Lucinda struggling, they united their families.


Rocky Paths
If God sends you down a stony path, may he give you strong shoes.
In April of 1879, the world was turned upside down for the family once again. James’ daughter Manda (his youngest daughter from his previous marriage) accused James of raping her. A case was filed and a warrant was issued on 8 April 1879. The charge was Rape. On 5 May 1879 James entered a plea of Not Guilty. Subpoenas were issued on 6 May and on 7 May 1879 a “Nolle” was entered and accepted.
Following are five transcriptions of court entries regarding James Thomas and his case:


The first: May, 1879
The State of Kansas
vs                                                          N0184
Thomas Gibson
Now on this 17th day of May AD 1879, the same being the 12th Judicial day of the May 1879 term of this court, this cause came on for hearing, the State of Kansas appearing by E. S. Torrance county attorney, and the defendant Thomas Gibson appearing in person and by his attorney James McDermott and said defendant files a Plea in Bar to the charge contained in the information herein, to which Plea in Bar the county attorney aforesaid demurs which demurer is by the Court sustained, to the sustaining of which demurer the defendant duly excepts, whereupon said defendant is duly arraigned on said Information, and required to further plead thereto, and for further plea to said Information says that he is not guilty as therein charged,
Whereupon said cause is by order of the Court continued until the next term of this Court, and said defendant is required to enter into a Recognizance in the sum of Five Hundred ($500) Dollars, to the State of Kansas with sufficient sureties for his appearance before this Court on the first day of the next term thereof to answer to the charge of the Information herein, and not depart the Court without leave thereof, and to abide the Judgment of the Court, and in default of such recognizance that he stand committed to the Jail of Cowley County until he be discharged according to law.
James plead not guilty and filed a Plea in Bar above. At http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/plea+in+bar “Plea in Bar” is defined as:
An answer to a plaintiff’s claim that absolutely and entirely defeats it. A plea in bar sets forth matters that deny the plaintiff’s right to maintain his or her lawsuit; for example, because the Statute of Limitations has expired or because the claim necessarily overrides a constitutionally protected right of the defendant.
To demur is to disagree or dissent. According to the entry above, the judge affirmed and upheld the demurer of the County Attorney (attorney against James GIBSON).


Comes a Jury of Twelve Good and Lawful Men
May the face of every good news
And the back of every bad news
Be toward us.


The second: August 1879
The State of Kansas
vs                                                           N0184
Thomas Gibson
On the 27th day of August AD 1879 the same being the third Judicial day of the August AD 1879 term of this Court, the Jury in the above entitled case, who retired upon yesterday to deliberate of a verdict in said Cause, and returned into Court by the officer having them (?) in charge, and they announce to the Court through their foreman that they are unable to agree upon a verdict in said Cause the defendant being present by his Counsel,
Whereupon, it satisfactorally appearing to the Court that said Jury cannot agree upon a verdict in said Cause, and no objection being made thereto, the Court discharges said Jury from the further consideration of said Cause.
Above, the Jury has deliberated and returned to the judge as a hung jury. The judge accepts and releases them.


The third: September 1879
The State of Kansas
vs                                                             N0184
Thomas Gibson
Now on this 5th day of September 1879 the same being one of the Judicial days of the August AD 1879 term of this Court, this Cause is by order of the Court continued until the next term of this Court for want of time to try the same at the present term of this Court.  And it is ordered by the Court that the defendant enter into a recognizance in the sum of ($500.00) Five Hundred Dollars, to the State of Kansas with sufficient sureties for his appearance before this Court on the first day of the next term thereof to answer to the charge of the Information herein, and not depart the Court without leave thereof, and that he abide the Judgment of the Court, and in default of such recognizance that he stand committed to the Jail of Cowley County until he be discharged according to law.
Above, the judge is holding James over for trial and the trial will be scheduled for the following court term as the current term is about to end without enough time to re-try James’ case.
Isn’t waiting hard!?


Comes a Jury of Twelve Good and Lawful Men…Again
The person bringing good news knocks boldly on the door.


The fourth: December 1879
The State of Kansas
vs                                                                 N0184
Thomas Gibson
Now on this 13th day of December 1879, the same being the 12th Judicial day of the December 1879, term of this Court, this Cause comes on for trial on the Information of the County Attorney filed herein charging the defendant Thomas Gibson with the offense of Rape, the plaintiff appearing by E. S. Torrance County Attorney and the defendant appearing in his own proper person, and by his attorneys James McDermott and W. W. Perkins, and the parties having respectively announced themselves ready for trial, comes a jury of twelve good and lawful men of Cowley County, to wit, Joseph S. Hill, I. (J.?) D. How, Amos Biddle, William White, H. C. Fisher, Pause King, W. R. Beadell, S. Morris, A. E. Woodard, S. H. Tolles (?), G. W. Webb, & C. C. Robinson, who are duly impanneled and sworn in said Cause, and who having heard the evidence adduced upon the trial of said Cause, the instructions of the Court and the arguments of Counsel, retire under charge of a sworn officer of the Court to deliberate of this verdict, and afterwards on the same day the defendant being present in person and by his Counsel aforesaid, the said Jury are returned into Court by the officer having them in charge aforesaid, and they announce to the Court through their foreman that they are unable to agree upon a verdict in said Cause, Whereupon, it satisfactorially appearing to the Court that said Jury cannot agree, upon a verdict in said Cause, and the defendant or his Counsel making no objection thereto the Court discharges said Jury from the further consideration of said Cause,
Whereupon, the County Attorney aforesaid, with the assent of the Court enters a Nolle Prosequi in said Cause, and said defendant is discharged from further custody and permitted to go hence without day.


The fifth: December 1879
The State of Kansas
vs                                                                   N0184
Thomas Gibson
On the 26th day of December AD 1879 the same being the second judicial day of the August hearing, the plaintiff appearing by E. S. Torrance County Attorney, and the defendant appearing in person and by his attorney, James McDermott, and the parties having respectively announced themselves ready for trial, comes a jury of twelve good and lawful men of Cowley County, Viz. M. Ellinger, J. P. Musselman, F. M. Osborn, Johnson Chandler, John Sinton (?), J. F. Tucker, R. Eastman, S. G. Castor, J. M. Hooker, John F. Miller, M. B.(?) Hennen (?), N.(?) J. Thompson, who are duly empanneled and sworn in said cause, and who, having listened to the evidence and the instructions of the Court, retire under a sworn officer of the Court to deliberate of their verdict.
Here you can see the court record where charges have been brought against him in State of Kansas v. Thomas Gibson:

State of Kansas v. Thomas Gibson court record.
State of Kansas v. Thomas Gibson court record.

On 13 December 1879 the charge was “nollied”. I looked up “Nolle Prosequi” in an online law dictionary and the definition said:
(no-lay pro-say-kwee) n. Latin for “we shall no longer prosecute,” which is a declaration made to the judge by a prosecutor in a criminal case (or by a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit) either before or during trial, meaning the case against the defendant is being dropped. The statement is an admission that the charges cannot be proved, that evidence has demonstrated either innocence or a fatal flaw in the prosecution’s claim or the district attorney has become convinced the accused is innocent. Understandably, usage of the phrase is rare. In the 1947 courtroom movie, Boomerang! the climactic moment arrived when the District Attorney himself proved the accused person innocent and declared nolle prosequi.
So I present to you now my Irish James as a free man- a vindicated man. In my heart I truly, very much hope he was innocent and there was some emotional or psychological flaw in Manda that caused her to accuse him. Perhaps, still grieving over her mother and angry at her father for remarrying, she chose to take vengeance in this way. That is my hope. I could forgive her for that. Grief is difficult.


A Man As Mysterious to Me Today as He Was 20 Years Ago
Better the trouble that follows death than the trouble that follows shame.


James’ life after the trial is somewhat confusing to me because of recent information I found.
What I knew before:
In 1880, James and Lucinda were not living together. Lucinda and her daughter Mary Rebecca were living with Lucinda’s parents in Cowley County, Kansas. James’ whereabouts were unknown. However, he had two daughters with my great-great-grandmother, Lucinda. They had Barbara on 12 January 1881 in Bentonville, Benton County, Arkansas. Then they had Dettie (my great-grandmother) on 7 December 1883 in Winfield, Cowley County, Kansas. So I figured perhaps he was off working somewhere or perhaps the legal trouble flared back up and he ended up in prison. There were ways to explain his absence
But then…WAIT! WHAT?!? In 1880, James appears to be living with a woman named Elizabeth who is almost exactly the same age as his supposedly-dead first wife Elizabeth and there are 3 children with the same names as 3 of his 10 children from his first marriage in the home with him!! All explanations just went out the window.  Maybe more than one James Gibson? So I dig a little deeper.
I take a look back at Lucinda’s timeline and see that in 1885, James and Lucinda ARE living together with Barbara (called Myrtle) and Dettie in Cedar, Cowley County, Kansas. Mary Rebecca was living with her maternal grandparents, Henry and Rebecca DOW. I wonder if they had prejudices against James because of the trial and I wonder if they’d had Mary Rebecca in their own home for so long that they felt she was more theirs and wouldn’t allow Lucinda to take her into Lucinda and James’ home? There will probably never be an answer to that question. I’m not sure Mary Rebecca ever lived with Lucinda again. Fast forward 5 years and Lucinda is married to David Jones. Does that clear things up? About as clear as muddy water…


Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
May you have food and raiment,
A soft pillow for your head,
May you be forty years in heaven
Before the devil knows you’re dead.


All my life I was told James died on 15 October 1886 in Benton County, Arkansas. The fact that I’ve never been able to find any death record or grave was not really that bothersome considering that happens frequently. So you just keep on looking and trying to find it. And then…
Um…why’s he still with that Elizabeth woman in 1900 with one of his ten children?? I give. I’m stumped. Anyone want to help me solve this one?? I’m still searching. The answer is out there somewhere and one day I’ll find it.  But for now, I have no answers and no conclusion for you.  So I leave you now with this unresolved mystery and a few of my favorite Irish blessings and proverbs.


We cannot share this sorrow
If we haven’t grieved a while.
Nor can we feel another’s joy
Until we’ve learned to smile.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
May you live all the days of your life.
~ Jonathan Swift


If you need more genealogy in your life, click on over to my sister-in-law’s blog at http://downintherootcellar.blogspot.com/2015/03/lucky-to-be-alive.html. You can also check out genealogy blogs of friends of mine including https://theologyformom.wordpress.com/ (hoping she has time to hit the blog again soon!) and another friend of mine that I just introduced to the 52 Ancestors challenge (and I’m hoping she joins us!) over at https://recipesfromlena.wordpress.com/…/100-years-ago-today/.  I think you’ll enjoy all of them and each of these wonderful women that I am so grateful to have in my life.


Live. Love. Laugh. Go with God.
Lisa @ Days of Our Lives

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