Long Ago and Far Away

James McCarrell

2012-01-24T20:06:00.000-06:00

Our Ancestress Margaret McCarrell Graham has many descendants who are active in their respective churches, and we believe she was probably one of the organizers of the Bethlehem Baptist Church. Dwight found a notation about her nephew Pleasant Baker McCarrell, which included an interesting tidbit about her father (my 5 great grandfather). For a photo of P.B.McCarrell, click here.

Pleasant Baker McCarrell was the son of Joseph G. and Jane McCarrell, being one of a family of eleven children. His paternal grandfather, James McCarrell, was born in Scotland. but, coming to this country, settled first in Virginia, then moved to Tennessee, settling in Knox County. His grandmother came from Pennsylvania, but was of Irish descent, hence the Scotch-Irish characteristics of our subject. P. B. McCarrell belongs to a family of singers, and was himself a fine singer. His grandfather was educated for a preacher. but discovering his real gift, decided to be a singer. When Dr. J. R. Graves lectured and preached in Blount County he lead Brother McCarrell associated with him as his singer. They were so well suited to each other, Dr. Graves said, "When I get to be bloody, `Bake' McCarrell shall be my Sankey."

http://knoxcotn.org/old_site/tnbaptists/McCarrell_pb.htm

We also know that James McCarrell originally settled in Virginia.

P. 339. Mar. 26, 1785. Jas. McCarroll, in consideration of 100 pounds, paidby John Logan, sells all his household furniture, within & without doors,sixhead of cows, 13 head of sheep, 7 head of hogs, waggon and furniture and 4 horses, also smith tools, in forks of James River, for his entering special bailfor him, to be delivered up when sd. Logan is released from sd. special bail.

Witnesses: W. Davidson and Geo. Poage.P. 339. Mar. 26, 1785.
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/botetourt/history/other/briefofd264gms.txt

We also found in the book Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish settlement in Virginia, Volume 3 page 315 that James McCarrell sold 260 acres called Snoden's Spring to John Joans (Jones) on 27 March 1761 for 12 pounds. He moved to the Knox County Tennessee area to the place pictured above.

Louise's Red Letter Poems

2012-01-08T13:51:00.001-06:00

While going through my books, I opened this one and saw this inscription "From Mrs. E.W. Newsom To Louise Wicker Harrisburg, Ark. 1930"

I noted some writing on one page---took me back to my poetry reading days. Those markings were for reading a poem aloud for a contest or a grade.

Then, I found these notes written by Mom.

I did check on the Newsoms in the 1930 census. They didn't own the house, but rented it. They did live across the street from the First Methodist Church which is still there. They had no children because Laura didn't marry until she was 30. In 1930, Billy was 70 years old and Laura was 56, so Mom was right---they were old by 1930 standards.

According the census, Laura Newsom's sister, Dora Steele owned the house and was worth $3500. (versus the Newsom's $5) So, Mrs. Steele was the wealthy one. I tried to see what the house looked like today, but it has been torn down with new buildings and parking lots. Oddly, the house my grandparents and mother lived in may still be standing! 205 East Hamilton. Click here

So, Mom didn't get the trunk of linens, but she did get a love of books and the warmth of surrogate grandparents which are worth more than a trunk of linens.

Ingalls Update

2011-11-14T13:39:00.002-06:00

I have written several posts about the Ingalls family----Amanda Reiter married William Barber Ingalls. Amanda was the sister of my great-grandmother Mary Reiter Long. We know she is in the photo above by the fence post, but aren't sure which one she is. One of Amanda's granddaughters found my blog and has given me more information on her family and hopefully a better photo! Here is the photo of Amanda Reiter Ingalls and her daughter Gertrude Daisy Ingalls Richter taken in about 1920.

The Ingalls attended Bethlehem Baptist where one of their children, Rowena, is buried. Click here for church records which include them.

But, five children did survive:L-R Dwight, Dorothy and Gertrude. Seated: Arley holding Walter. Arley was also known as "Fritz" which is what his niece called him. Click here for more photos and information about this beautiful family.

Margaret wrote that "Fritz" or Fredrick Arley Ingalls did go to West Point as did his son (James M. Ingalls) pictured above. She also sent me a link with Jim's obituary written by his son. Click here. There is information about the whole family in that link. All of the information sent me to Ancestry.com where I found the death certificate for Fredrick Arley Ingalls who died at 38 years old of melanoma---the same disease that took my dear cousin Bob Delaney.

While Margaret didn't know of anyone else who had melanoma, she did recall that her mother said it had started as a spot on his arm. The death certificate says it started in a deep nerve. Captain Fredrick Arley Ingalls was buried in the National Cemetery at the Presidio of San Francisco with his wife and son Jim Ingalls, Sr.

Dabney History

2011-09-06T09:08:00.001-05:00

Since my brother Jim and Deb will be going to Versailles and my sister Jane may go again someday, I thought I'd write up the information on our relative who lived at Versailles. Madame de Maintenon pictured above in Versailles is not an ancestor but the half-sister of an ancestor. Our grandmother was Vivian Maupin Long; her father was Henry Wesley Maupin; his father was John Dabney Maupin----so the name was still a family name into the 1800's.

But the story begins with Agrippe d'Aubigne who is our ancestor: "d'Aubigne" is how the name "Dabney" originally looked. For more about him click here. If you need to more about the Huguenots, click here. If you google his name, you will find a lot about him, the italicized section below is from the book The Story of Gabriel and Marie Maupin.

On this August 23, 1572, Henry of Navarre (Henry IV) having left his wife's quarters was walking with his Huguenot friend Agrippe d'Aubigne near Notre Dame when the rioting started and they heard the shouts "Death to all Huguenots". Knowing he would be recognized and killed, he reacted instantly. They hurried into the cathedral and Henry stripped off his cape of gold cloth, his rings, and other signs of wealth. Clad only in the doublet, breeches, and boots he looked like a student. He grabbed a prayer book from a young prieds and with his disquise he escaped. . .

I have included this story . . . .for the name of Henry's friend Agrippe d'Aubigne. It is well known that two of Gabriel Maupin's grandsons married women with the name Dabney (d'Aubigne) . . . . .Agrippa d'Aubigne had a son Constant who had a son Theodore. It is from this Theodore that the Cornelius Dabney whose daughters married Maupins is descended. Constant had a second wife. From that marriage were three children, one of them being Francoise d'Aubigne, who was to renounce her Huguenot upbringing and become Madame de Maintenon and later the last wife of King Louis XIV after the death of Queen Theresa. It is said that Madame de Maintenon was influential in urging King Louis to revoke the Edict of Nantes in 1685. We heard much about her on the Hugenot Tour, especially at Versailles, where two large prortraits of her hang.

To continue with our Dabney genealogy: John Dabney Maupin (1814-1899) was the son of Carr Maupin (1776-1845) who was the son of John Maupin (1725-1806) and Frances Dabney (1712-1763). Frances was the daughter Cornelius Dabney (1670-1764) who was the son of Cornelius Dabney (1640-1701). Other famous Dabney descendants include Zachary Taylor (US president), Nancy Astor (first female in the House of Commons), Lyndon B. Johnson (US president), Marlon Brando (movie star) and Pretty Boy Floyd (notorious criminal).

DeSoto High School Photo

2011-08-28T13:36:00.001-05:00

Several years ago while at a Long Reunion in DeSoto (Click here for more about it), David Long pictured at the end of Row 5, brought this photo which I photographed. I posted it on a genealogy page and someone wanted me to identify the people. . . .so here they are!

Row 1: M Aylesworth, Hazel Bailey, T. Baldwin, Bill Bayer, Maria Bays, Don Becker, Hardin Bell, E. Berry
Row 2: Eddie Bittick, Bogg. . . ., Elvin Bowen, H. Burgess, Herb Cole, Ester Cook, Wanda Cox, B Crockett, John Dawes
Row 3: J Doebbert, B. Duffner, Ken Elders, Ron Evans, Clara Freer, Clara Goff, Don Holdin, M. Hardin, E Hastings
Row 4: D Hellwig, Don Hoard, Ken Hulkey, Geo Hughes, Rob Hulsey, E. Huskey, Lois Juenger, M. Keller, Lila Kelley
Row 5: N Klaus, K Koch, M Koch, D Landayt, Jack Lasley, Edith Lasley, Jack Lewis, Clyde Long, David Long
Row 6: E Lebbers, Jos Lufebors, Paul Lyon, Wm Martin, Alf McKee, R. McKinney, Mae Moore, Oscar Mudd, F Nixon
Row 7 ????, M Politte, F Powers, E Reynolds, J.H. Reynolds, M Rohlfing, A Schleff Jr, H. Scott, Betty Sheets
Row 8 ????, M Spiller, Steinm. . . ., R Sullivan, A Vanden, Al Vaughn, Lloyd Wiley, C Wilson, Ros Wilson

And, I am guessing that "F Nixon" in row 6 is related to our esteemed governor Jay Nixon.

Raising Canes

2011-08-17T10:08:00.001-05:00

While at a family gathering, I noticed that my Aunt Mary and Uncle Ron both had old canes.

Mary's cane, which is hand-carved was from her grandfather Thomas Henry Long.

Her husband Bill said she left it in a shopping cart recently, and he had to go back to Walmart to retrieve it---I totally understand.

Her grandfather is seated on the left. He died in 1940's so the cane is at least 70 years old.

Not to be outdone by his sister, Ron said his cane was from their father Roy Long.

I wish had photos of Roy and Thomas with their canes. . .I will keep looking. But, this is grandpa about at the age when he would have used that cane.

I do have a photo of my other grandfather, Wes Wicker, with a cane on the far left of the photo. He was injured as a young man in a horse riding accident and walked with a cane on and off for the rest of his life.

Mother used her father's cane, and we inherited it from her.

That cane meant a lot to her, too, but she put an address label on it so she'd be sure to get it back. . .maybe Aunt Mary should do that, too.

Fry Photos

2011-07-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

While at the Fry Family Reunion, Suzy had some photos in an album. The photo above is "the homeplace Enon, WV".

George Henry Clay Alderson, pictured above was my husband's Great Grandfather. The photos below are some of his children and one grandchild.

This is Lena (Evalina) Alderson Hummel (b. 1875) for whom my mother-in-law, Lena Eloise Fry is named and my daughter Rebecca Leigh Morgan is also named for her. Rebecca has one of Lena's rings which was left to Eloise in Lena's will.

Ida Alderson Masters, pictured above died at 34 years old along with a baby. She is mentioned in this letter.

Alice Alderson Fry was my husband's grandmother, George Henry Clay Alderson's daughter.

Another daughter is Zela Irene Alderson who was married to Arch Wesley Grant. We have some ice skates we inherited from her.

This is Otis Hambra Alderson (b. 1874) whom I just discovered applied to belong to the Sons of the American Revolution.

Finally, this is Alfreda Fry Morris, my husband's aunt. I just thought this was a very sweet photo of her. I wish that I had photographed more of this album. . maybe next time.

Family Bible of Valentine Fry

2011-07-07T19:59:00.000-05:00

NOTES FROM THE FAMILY BIBLE OF VALENTINE FRY certified to be a true copy of the original document 9-27-1994 County of Wythe, State of VA. Mary N. Cassell Notary Public. (Was commissioned Mary N. Brown (or Bison) Commission expired 7-31-95.

"This holy Bible is the property of Valentine Fry of Wythe County, Commonwealth of Virginia. United States of North America. Western Continent, thereof. This Bible got 14 years before this date this Sat. the 22nd Dec. y 1839. ?? A hint, and a dash, to the knave; and a rub to the careless. B. Knaves; I pray, do not, let any be mean enough to steal this holy book, or any other, or any thing else: for fear of Sin, Shame, and disgrace. Therefore, let the knave who know's himself, not truly honest. to take the hint, and the dash. for a caution hereafter. how, careless, do not keep this holy book, or any other loan to you; for fear of Shame, and censure, and no reliance hereafter, to be given to thee. Moreover, If this book, or any other thing else should be stolen, or left gone by a loan, or otherwise, no matter how, if the honest hearted should find the same, or anything else, no matter how, he knows his duty is to make it known's, which show's the honest heart; with love to work divinely. And in returning the same to the owner, let it be he, or she, they let the world be known's that they have found the same that the owner of the same may pay your demands, if it be within the bountys of reason; And is no charge, or demands the more; I should you augment with love, and gratitude for your kind honesty. ____for your negligence. This is the end of the hint, and the dash to the knave, and the rub to the careless. Therefore, let both look up, and see the owner's name in full view, before your eyes. that you may make your escape from the above statements, as a prescription of your well wishes in a good cause. Search the Scriptures for proof of the Same, in this 39th vse. of the 5th chap. St. John. F.B. The time of life is the time to serve the Lord and therein, to commence the same devotion, is the vigour of thy youth, and there to continue untill death for your preservation, beyond the grave. Proof in Ditts.?

BIRTHS From the records of my father Holy Bible Wherein a record of 7 sons and ___Daughter and 3 died of the ____children

As? I? Valentine, was born on Friday, 17th March A.D. 1786. and wife Mary Kath. was born on Sunday the 19th. March, A.D. 1786. Child. Jacob was born on Sunday the 6th. April A.D. 1804

Andrew was born on Friday 13th May A.D. 1808. Hiram was born on Thurs. 8th March A.D. 1810. Absalom was born on Sat. 16th March A.D. 1811. Matilda was born on Sunday the 8th Oct. A.D. 1812. Isaac was born on Sat. 19th Sept, 1814. 7) Nehemiah was born on Thurs 7th Nov. A.D. 1816. 8) Mary was born on Sunday 27th. Sept. A.D.1818. 9) Elizabeth was born on Sat. 22nd, April A.D. 1820. 10)Susana was born on Thurs. 14th of Feb. A.D. 1822. 11) Deliah was born on Sunday 28th Dec. A.D. 1823. 12) Abram was born on Sunday the 21st Jan. A.D. 1827. 13) Jane was born on Sunday 4th of Jan. A.D. 1829. 14)Margaret was born on Thurs. the 28th July A.D. 1831.

MARRIAGES (County of Wythe) 12) Abraham married Leida? Estwood on Sat. the 1st March A.D. 1845. 13) Jane married Joseph Porter a neighbour, on Tues. 6th April A.D. 1847 Both of the County of Wythe, VA. 14) Jane, late Jane Porter married D___ ___ippi, a widower, on Thur. 28th Dec. A.D. 1848. (Both of Wythe County S. Virginia.)

DEATHS On Monday the 2nd Sept A.D. 1833, then my husband Val Fry who was the father of 13 children. departed this life. in his perfect senses in hope of being devout. Sunday the 12th Oct. A.D. 1845, then my Daughter Margaret Fry departed this life. in her 15th year, and in perfect senses, and supposes to be dearest? who was buried on Tues. the 14th Oct A.D. 1845 at 11 o.clock. both days beautiful. Tues. the 20th April 1847 then Joseph Porter son in law, departed this life in his perfect senses. who married Jane. Sunday 27th June 1847. ____the funeral of the above Margaret was preached by the Rev. W.B. Wint--- in his 47 year (Supposes)

BIRTHS John Mitchel Fry a grandchild was born on Thurs. the 2nd March A.D. 1837. Andrew Jackson Rosinbum? was born on Thurs. the 16th May A.D. 1839

Thanks to Suzy Fry who transcribed this information which she got from Rosa Bosch. This was all written by Mary Yonce Fry in 1830's. Double-click on the documents to enlarge them.

Bethlehem Baptist Blog

2011-06-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

I haven't totally neglected this blog, but I did want to finish posting photos and documents for this blog. This lovely country church in Jefferson County, Missouri has been the worship place for many of my ancestors. Although the early records are lost, I feel very deeply that I have ancestors buried here going back to my g-g-g-g grandmother Margaret McCarroll Graham. Someday, I hope to find some evidence of this.

Her husband William Graham died in the St. Louis area---we can't find any evidence of his burial either, but click here for a really good possibility. He died near here, Carondolet, in 1835.

William Edward Reiter

2011-05-01T17:19:00.003-05:00

My great-grandmother's brother William Edward Reiter has been whispered about for years. He was Mary Celecia Reiter Long's youngest brother born in 1883. In the 1900 census he was living at home with his widowed mother Eliza Tyrey Reiter and his sister Annie. His father Louis Reiter had already died.

He joined Bethlehem Baptist Church around 1909 according to the record above. He registered from the draft in 1918 naming my great-grandmother Mary Reiter Long as his nearest relative. It's here that we find that he was tall, slender, blond and blue-eyed---taking after the Tyrey side of the family.

We also know that by 1920 he was living in DeSoto, Mo with his sister Annie and her husband Vincent Phenty. Ed was single and worked as a blacksmith's helper for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. But, the whispers were, "Grandma had a brother that committed suicide." I wasn't sure which Grandma nor which brother, but I was finally able to locate his death certificate. . .

He had been in the mental hospital in Farmington, Mo when he died in May 1925 "By strangulation caused by wrapping a sheet around his neck by his own hands." How he died didn't surprise me but where he died did---I had never heard that he'd been in the mental hospital. Oddly enough, my great-grandmother Martha Silas Watson Tuttleton on the other side of the family had been in that same hospital at the same time. The other surprise on the death certificate was that he had been married although her name is "Unknown".

I wish we had a photo of "Ed", and we may in one of those Baptist group photos, but for now I will just think of him as looking like his handsome brothers and sisters. Click here for the photo that has Ed's brother Fred, and sisters Annie, Amanda and Mary. If he's on this photo, I suspect he is between Annie and Fred, but we may never know.

Amanda Reiter

2011-04-09T19:01:00.002-05:00

June 1904 "Sister Amanda Ingalls called for letter from Bethlehem Church which was granted. Also Ada Robinson called for letter which was granted. The Clerk was ordered to write same. Meeting then elected delegates to attend Jefferson County Baptist Association as follows: Bro. James G. McCulloch, J.P. McKay and George W. Harrison. . ." Bro. E.J. Hemrick, Moderator; George W. Harrison, Church Clerk.

Amanda Reiter Ingalls is one of the women right above the fence post in the group photo. She was also one of my great-grandmother's sisters. I am not sure why they left Bethlehem Baptist Church where my great grandmother, one sister and two brothers and her parents are buried. But, she did leave an infant daughter behind in Bethlehem Cemetery--Rowena. For more information on the Ingalls' Family and photos of their children, click here. Amanda's granddaughter has since contacted me and sent this photo of Amanda and her daughter Gertrude from about the 1920's. For the information Marge sent me, click here.

Annie Reiter

2011-04-07T09:08:00.001-05:00

Annie Reiter Phenty (1876-1935)

Annie Reiter Phenty was one of my great-grandmother's (Mary Celecy Reiter Long) sisters. Annie married rather late in life at 35 (1911) to Vincenty Phenty and had no children. Her sister Elizabeth (Betty) Reiter had held an office at Bethlehem Baptist as had her brother Louis H. Reiter (Clerk and Collector) before he left for Montana (see below)

July 1903 ". . .Historical Committee not ready to report. 4th L. H. Reiter and wife called from letters for our Bethlehem Church which was granted. . . ."

But, I was a little surprised to see that Annie Josephine Reiter had also been elected to an office. By all accounts "she was wierd" "she was odd". Although her nieces and nephew might not have appreciated all of her qualities, I was very pleased to see that she was recognized and appreciated by her church.

Aug. 1903 ". . .1st Church proceeded to elect pastor for ensuing year which resulted in re-electing E. J. Hemrick. 2nd. by motion Sister Annie Reiter [photo at the top of the page] and Bro. W.W. Powers was appointed Solicitors. . ." E.J. Hemrick mod. Geo. W. Harrison CC

Bethlehem Baptist

2011-03-26T18:29:00.004-05:00

I was able to photograph all of these wonderful documents from Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville, Mo. BUT, they were taking over my family blog. Pictured below are cousins Rick and Ada who had located the documents. The pages were all in a box with some pages missing and disintegrated and some written in pencil so very hard to read. But, we feel fortunate to have located documents from about 80 years of the church's history.

Granted, I was related to someone on all of the posts, but I've now created a whole new blog just for the Bethlehem Baptist Church. I will still have some information here, but they will have information on one of my ancestors or their siblings.

Double click on this if you want to enlarge it.

p. 28
Nov. 1900 Sat before second Sunday in Nov. Church was in regular session after sermon by Pastor. Door of church was opened for membership. None rec'd. L. H. Reiter appointed Clerk Protem. Minutes of October read and approved on motion church agree to pay Pastor $75 for ensuing year. L. H. Reiter and Anna McKay appointed to collector. Church adjorned to meet on Sat. before second Sun in Dec.
N. M. Pierce, Mod; L. H. Reiter Clerk Protem.

L. H. Reiter was probably Louis H. Reiter, my great-grandmother's (Mary Reiter Long) brother and not her father who was also Louis (Lewis, Ludwig) Reiter.

Sometime between 1900 and 1920, Louis and his family relocated to Montana. For more information about his family, click here.

Macy's Children: Ruth and Wes

2011-03-02T11:20:00.005-06:00

James Wesley Wicker (1898-1965) was the oldest of Macy's children and my grandfather. Ruth Agnes Hall Ezell (1908-1989) was always his baby sister (Georgia was born after he'd left home) whom he loved very much.
I had a special relationship with Ruth because she had a daughter, Kay, who was my age. So, I often went with my grandparents visiting Ruth and Everette in Memphis.
Ruth and Everette were married in 1926 but had been together since 1918 when their parents married. They were step siblings before marrying and having four lovely daughters: Merlene, Ann, Dorthy and Kay.
They were often referred to as "Ruth's girls".

Several years ago, my brother, husband, parents and I met with the surviving "girls", their daughters, husband and granddaughter at IHOP in Memphis.
Kay Ezell Walters, Dorthy Ezell Dent, Louise Wicker Long, Ann Ezell Crook (with my Dad LeRoy Long peaking over them)
But, as Georgia notes in this letter---Ruth was very special to all of us. Some might say she was the best of them all. She was friendly, loving, kind and a good Baptist. . . .excepting when her big brother Wes visited. Ruth's daughter Kay confided in me, "The only time Mother allowed beer in the house was when Uncle Wes came to visit."
I have done several blogs on Grandpa---he was my Mr. Wonderful.
We lived next door so I had plenty of opportunities to get to know my grandparents often choosing to stay with them for dinner rather than going home.
My mother once told me that the grandfather I adored was not the same man who was her father. Click here for Mother's memories.
It is amazing how a few years of maturity, a comfortable home can turn a stern father into a very loving grandfather.
The reason I started this series of blogs was to show other distant relatives how small the Williams family members were. But, with them always photographed with each other, it was hard to see. This photo is my grandfather James Wesley Wicker with my dad LeRoy Long and his father Roy Long

Macy's Children: Clara and Obie

2011-02-28T07:49:00.012-06:00

Obie Palmer Hall (1906-1971) and Clara Belle Hall Stephens (1902-1982) pictured above were probably the most reserved of Macy Williams' children. Click here to see more photos of them as children.

(Obie and Georgia, his sister)

Obie was a Pentecostal preacher who came to St. Louis for revivals at least once a year. Although he and his brother Ray were both preachers about the best I can say about my grandfather (below) and Georgia (above) is that they attended church. They laughed that they were the "black sheep" in the family, but we all loved them despite their flaws.(Obie Hall with his brother Wes Wicker in St. Louis)

At Christmas, my sister and I recall Obie always giving us "books" of Lifesaver candies. Even today, I see them and think of Obie. He was so calm and warm---I loved when he visited and wanted to go to his revivals, but Mother never took me. My sister Jane remembers,"Uncle Obie was my favorite. He would write me letters all the time. He would send me a dollar or so for my birthday. He was such a small man. I love his smile. He always seemed happy"

(Obie with Mother, Louise Wicker Long)

Many years later Mother told me she wouldn't take me to Obie's revivals because she thought a revival would frighten me who was more accustomed to a serene Methodist worship experience. Obie lived in Rock Island or Moline, Illinois just up the Mississippi from St. Louis (at the border of Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin). Although he and his wife Wanda Morgan Hall had 7 children, only three lived to maturity: Joseph Clenno Hall, Alice Hall Washburn and Titus Obie Hall.(L-R: Louise Wicker Long, James Wesley Wicker, Naomi Ruth Hall, me, Obie Palmer Hall)

Here is a photo of myself as a baby with Naomi who died at about 16 years old of kidney disease if I am not mistaken. Alice and I corresponded with genealogy for many years before her death. Titus, in his later years, was a frequent visitor at Mother and Dad's after his military retirement. But, I never met Joe.

Clara and Obie in late 1940's or early 1950's

The two eldest in the family: Clara and James Wesley Wicker, my grandfather.

Clara lived in Michigan, so we didn't see her often. I can recall only meeting her one time. She never talked much about her family and when I asked her for information, she said, "I never knew much about my family tree and I have forgotten all I ever knew. And I don't know why you. . .want to trace it, but you may find out a lot of things you had rather not know. Hope all are well and enjoying your life. God Bless you."
Clara had 4 sons (Fred P. Stephens, Charles H. Stephens, Jimmie F. Stephens, Billy Ray Stephens) and one daughter---Bertie Lee pictured above with her aunts Georgia and Vennie and below at Clara's 80th birthday party (Bingo)

Macy's Children: Georgia and Ray

2011-02-26T13:00:00.006-06:00

Although Macy Williams Wicker Hall Ezell looks a little stout in this photo, her granddaughter Alice Hall Washburn told me she was probably pregnant with Ray. Her father Obie said his mother was not actually big.
Ray Ezell was Macy's youngest child born in 1919 when she was 39 years old. My mother (Macy's granddaughter) was born in 1920 so she was very close in age to her two youngest aunts and uncles.
Although I met Ray and Nelda at least once, their story was legendary in our family. Ray was one of Grandpa's two brothers who were preachers. My sister says she remembers them visiting and Mom requesting that Dad not have a beer while they were there with Dad responding, "I don't care if the Queen of England comes to visit, I'm having a beer." I believe Ray had another job (insurance?) but his love was preaching at a Baptist church (photo above was in front of their church) in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Nelda had previously been married to Grandpa's first cousin Peck Wicker by whom she had had two sons: Curtis and Woody.
Her third child (Ray's only child) was Michelle Rae Ezell pictured here with her husband Robert Weesner.The letter above is from Georgia about Ray, Nelda, Michelle and her children Joshua and Simon. (Double click to enlarge it) Georgia was a wonderful letter writer who seemed to keep in touch with most of her siblings and their families---at least those who were more Southern.
Ray, Michelle and their families were very precious to Georgia as evidence by the many times she visited with them and talked about them in her letters.
Everyone has an aunt (or great-aunt) who is bigger than life---that was Georgia. She was beautiful, vivacious, but as a child often "in trouble" with her mother. Because Georgia and Mother were very close in age, Georgia was a little resentful of how strict Macy was with her and not with Mother, Macy's granddaughter.
The first time I met Georgia she was visiting from Arizona and had the most gorgeous turquoise jewelry---I think that's why I love turquoise today over almost any precious gem. Later she lived in the Los Angeles area near Long Beach.
I think my love of cruises is from the stories I heard about her cruises. This Alaskan cruise (above) in the 1960's was aboard the Royal Viking Star (Neptune Lounge) where she met up with Jack Lemmon, a popular movie star, at the time. But, she had taken other cruises as a passenger of a freighter where she dined with the captain.
The photo above is Georgia with her first husband John Homer Vencil whom she married in 1941. She was married at least one other time to Emory John Endicott. Georgia always seemed happy to me and yet I know her life had it's downs. She was born the same year her father died. Mother thought Macy was pregnant with Georgia when their house caught on fire and Mr. Hall was killed in the fire. So, from the beginning, her life was difficult.
I love this family portrait of Georgia with her daughter Barbara, grandson (Keith whom she adored) and great grandson Justin Hill. I am not sure about Barbara's early years---I know she was raised by someone else---having been born to Georgia when she was a teenager. But as adults they were close with a typical Mother-Daughter relationship loving with the occasional disagreement.

Unknown Photos--SE Mo or Arkansas

2011-02-24T06:00:00.001-06:00

I found these photos in a box at Mom's I do know 3 of these people: my aunt Billie Wicker Curran is the child on the left, my mother Louise Wicker Long is in the middle and their mother Vennie Watson Wicker is behind them standing sideways. I believe the boy next to Mom is J.H.Cates (John Henry Cates) with his mother Dolly Cates behind him. but I don't know who that little child is or the woman in the middle. Based on my mother's size, I'm guessing this photo was made in 1929.
I am not even sure if this photo is around Hornersville Missouri or if it is in Arkansas where my family lived. I do know the man with the cane is my grandfather James Wesley Wicker or "Wes". He had a lifetime of leg problems stemming from a bad leg break while riding horses. We may even have one of his canes that we got from Mom's house after she died.
Although this one is labeled on the back, I'm still not sure who Sam and Hene are. Could it be Sam Williams and J.H.Cates' father whose name was also John Henry?

The "Williams" Kids

2011-02-22T19:00:00.007-06:00

Macy Alice Williams is pictured above with her second husband George Henry Hall and four of her children: Clara Belle Hall , Ruth Agnes Hall, Obie Palmer Hall and James Wesley Wicker, my grandfather. Macy had a hard life bearing two children after the deaths of her husbands (John B. Wicker and George H. Hall), and yet she is remembered as a good Christian woman. Her granddaughter Kay said, "Dad (Macy's step-son and son-in-law) said he never knew a woman as good as she was." I think her children are evidence to character.
Here are the children here, too. As you can see, Clara and Obie were more serious even as children and Ruth is almost always smiling just as she was an adult. Grandpa. . . .looks like he's not really fond of having his photo made. These photos were probably made in and around Hornersville, Missouri.
I love this photo of them---Grandpa is maybe 10 years old but driving a car. He later became a car mechanic and drove earth-movers during the Depression, so it is fitting that he's driving a car.
This next grouping of photos were made around 1948 in Memphis, based on the little girl Michelle. L-R: Clara Hall Stephens, Wesley Wicker, Ruth Hall Ezell and Ray Ezell with his daughter Michelle. Ray was actually Clara, Wes and Ruth's half brother. Macy's third marriage was to James Ezell who had a son Everette by another marriage. Ruth Hall married Everette Ezell. . . I will try to connect the dots---Ray's half-brother and half-sister were married.
Here are: Dot (Ruth and Everette's daughter), Clara, Ruth; in the front row is Georgia Hall Endicott (another sister) and my grandmother Vennie Watson Wicker, Wes's wife.
This is the only photo I have with all six siblings: Wes Wicker, Ray Ezell, Obie Hall, (they all had different fathers); Ruth Hall Ezell, Georgia Hall Endicott, Clara Hall Stephens
After my grandfather died some of them still managed to get together with my mother who was one year younger than uncle Ray, and 3 years younger than her aunt Georgia. Here are Georgia, Ray and Ruth in the Smoky Mountains near where Ray lived.
This was probably in the late 1970's. L-R Nelda Hayes Wicker Ezell, Georgia Hall Endicott, Ruth Hall Ezell, Louise Wicker Long (my mom) with my dad and Ray in the background.
They also met at my Mother and Dad's house in 1983: Ruth, Ray, Nelda and Georgia
Beginning in the left corner and going clockwise: Rachel Morgan Twenter, Ray Ezell, Georgia Hall Endicott, Ruth Hall Ezell, Nelda Hays Wicker Ezell, me, Louise Wicker Long with Leah Morgan Warren and then Rebecca Morgan Lewis. The little girls are my daughters.

Nelda, Ray's wife, was first married to my grandfather's cousin Peck Wicker, of barbecue fame. Click here for more about Peck and his barbecue stand. So, Nelda was related to my mother and grandfather twice through marriage!

Although it's hard to tell, Georgia, Wes and Ray were the giants in the family---5'4" ,and at 5'1.5" I am a true Williams!

Frumet and Big River

2010-11-21T18:25:00.002-06:00

This is the 1898 Township map (double click to enlarge) showing my great-grandfather's farm on the far right (Thomas Long), but this blog is about the area to the left by the Big River wending it's way up the map.

My Graham ancestors are often said to be from Frumet (seen above on the map--where there land was is outlined in yellow) Almost all of my ancestors on Grandpa Roy Long's side of the family are from Big River Township---the Longs, Reiters, Tyreys, Browns and Grahams. As children, my cousins and I played in the Big River at Uncle Lawrence's club house.

This blog will be about north of Highway H where Frumet and McKean's mine were. Although several have made jokes about Frumet being far "from it", it probably got its name from a mining company:

	A post office established in 1876 and discontinued in 1910. The Frumet Company operated lead mines here; doubtless named for the company.
	Source: Welty, Ruth. "Place Names of St. Louis And Jefferson County." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1939.

There was one old building in Frumet which I thought was possibly an old church. Note the outhouse. . .
Which was a "two holer".
Examining the area between the outhouse and the building I found what appears to be the base of an old school desk. I later found this:

Charlotte M. Maness transcribed old newspapers see below:
Jefferson Democrat Hillsboro, Jefferson County, Missouri

January 1883

FRUMET NEWS - Mr. Editor - It has been  some time since you
have heard from this section.

A. MANDLE is still doing a large business at the
Frumet store.

James S. WILLIAMS has been very sick for some time,
but is on the mend now, and it is hoped he will recover.

A.A. DUNLAVEY preaches at Frumet every fourth Sunday.
There is an evergreen Sunday school at the Frumet school
house.  It is about to enter into its eighth year.  Can
every portion of the county say as much?

So, it is possible that this was a school house and a Sunday School although it's on the map as the Frumet P.O.
One of my goals was to find evidence of mines---I failed miserably, but I thought that was interesting rock out cropping.
Next we went to the river---think it's changed much in 200 years?

When googling Merrell Horse Conservation area I found this link. It's funny because I told my husband our next Jefferson County Exploration was going to be here:
And, that link is about a float trip between Merrell's Horse to Brown's Ford something I would LOVE to do. Anybody up for it next summer? If we can't find a boat, we can always go "old school" in inner tubes! Click here to see my cousins and me in inner tubes.

The Quest to Find William Graham's Land

2010-11-20T15:22:00.002-06:00

Looking west toward Big River near Highway H in Missouri

On genealogy web-sites William Graham and Margaret [Mc] Carroll (my 4 greats) were said to live in Fremont which is supposed to be Frumet Missouri. But, we never really knew where they lived until Dwight carefully read an article on the Jefferson County Historical Society web site. Scroll down to the Dugan Cemetery and begin reading on the second page:

28th June 1825 we find deed from William Graham to Stephen Lamarque of Washington County, 640 acres, for $426.26, being the settlement right of Elijah Benton and by him conveyed to Burnell J. Thompson who sold it to William Clinton who sold it to William Graham, as recorded in Book B Page 214.

Scroll down a bit more to see where the red crosses are on the maps which Dave Halleman has provided. Independently, Dwight and I agreed where the land was on a Google map. With the GPS co-ordinates, my husband and I headed to Frumet, Missouri.

I was concerned that I might not be able to find a place to explore on the west side of Big River, so my first plan was to go down Hidden Valley Ranch Lane to see if I could photograph the hill side across the river.

I met two young men who were "processing" a deer they'd just shot. They told me that Norm Valle owned the land---they warmed up a bit when I told them I was related to Norm and had talked to his aunt a few months ago. So, they looked at my maps and pointed me in the right direction.

I do tend to get distracted and found this house for sale on Breckenridge Road.
Note the stone foundation and the boarded up door on the second floor.
After crossing the Big River (I'm doing another blog on Frumet and Big River), we came to Cedar Hollow. Although I knew this wasn't the precise place, a dirt road is more inviting than barbed wire fence. So, I took the high road to explore(N 38 degrees 09.1781' W 90 degrees 42.300').

I was enjoying the view until I saw this. . .
I may be a city girl, but I know a "deer blind" when I see one. So, I started singing loudly the first song I could think of (that I'd just heard at DeSoto's McDonald's) "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."
We got in the car saw a break in the barbed wire at N 39 degrees 90.027" W 90 dgrees 42.462"

Then, we drove down the road and found another break in the barbed wire.

See the bluffs through the trees?There were a few hazards besides the deer hunters. But, I didn't see any ticks on me, snakes or poison ivy, so what are a few burrs and bramble snags! I hope my cousins who live out of town can appreciate the wilds of Jefferson County Missouri. It doesn't take much imagination to know about where our ancestors lived almost 200 years ago. I might not have found any old cabin ruins or graves, but there's still a rush to walking on land you know they walked and probably snagged their pants on and maybe even hunted a few deer!

Uncle Ron

2010-11-07T08:28:00.001-06:00

Dad only had one brother---20 years younger than he was. (There had been another boy named Milton but he died shortly after birth. ) For more photos of Dad and Ron, click here.
Often Ron is that little blip in the corner of the family photos. Mary was 10 years older, Maxine was 14 years older, Norma was 17 years older.
Although he was an "only child" for much of his childhood, he was soon blessed with many nieces and nephews. Bob, Steve and I were actually closer to Ron in age than any of his siblings.
Ron is in the middle with his father Roy behind him. His nephews Bob and Steve are on either side. Ron was only 8 years older than Bob, Steve and myself. Visiting our Long grandparents was always fun because Ron had toys and games for us to play with.
We often viewed him as an older brother. Here are Ron, Steve Adams and Roy Long. I do recall a few things about his teen years. One memory was of him building and racing in the soap box derby. The other thing I recall was shopping with my mother trying to find clothes that he wanted---a button down collar shirt and pants with a buckle in the back. I think it was the first time I was aware that boys had clothing preferences and style.
I wasn't as close to Ron as Steve or Bob was in those years: in part because I was a girl, but also Ron had health issues. I didn't (and don't) handle hospitals and sick people well, so my mother shielded me from a lot of Ron's health problems. He was often in the hospital having orthopedic surgery on his feet. Ron was born with two club feet so a large portion of his childhood was spent in Shriner's Hospital having surgery to correct this birth defect. He is probably in his teens in the above photo. I do recall that his mother (my grandmother) died shortly after this surgery.

While I don't remember much about this time of Ron's life, I do remember going to the Shriner's Circus every year to support the Shriner's work in helping children with orthopedic problems. I also remember hearing that he was like the poster boy for Shriner's Hospital one year---he appeared in the newspaper (above) and he was one of two children to ride in the back of a convertible in the parade.
I was probably closest to Ron when I was in my late teens and early 20's and he was in his late 20's. He and his wife Rose were wonderful mentors and friends to all of us nieces and nephews often entertaining us. But, more importantly, Ron was the first in our family to go to college inspiring all of the rest of us to continue in our education.

Norma, Maxine and Mary

2010-10-31T08:57:00.009-05:00

My father had three sisters Mary (1927), Maxine (1923-1997) and Norma (1920-2010). The little boy at the bottom of this photo is their youngest brother Ron. Based on Ron's age, I'm guessing this photo was made around 1940.
I've found some new photos of them this past month. The photo above was from a cousin at a family reunion. Roy Long (their father) is pictured with Mary and Maxine.
This photo and all of the rest were in my Aunt Norma's photos. Norma is on the back of the horse; Maxine is the blond girl in the middle. I'm not sure who the boys are---probably cousins.
The photo above is Norma. It looks like it was made in St. Louis and is graduation---8th grade?
For more about Norma in her later years, click here.
I love this photo because Norma is not posed and my own mother, Louise, is in the background. I can just hear their laughter. The boy on the right is probably one of their Maupin/McKay cousins.
Norma is on the far right in the photo above and I'm pretty sure that is Maxine on the left.
Maxine looks like she is still a school girl in this photo.
I don't know if the young man is a cousin or a friend, but that's Maxine on the right.
I think that necklace is back in style, but I don't know when this photo was taken either.
Although the other photos seem to be of Maxine before she was married, this one is on her wedding day--1942.
Aunt Mary is pictured above with their mother Vivian Maupin Long. The little boy is Ron, the youngest in the family.
The photo of Mary above is probably with Maxine's son Michael who was born in 1948, but it could be Steve, who was born in 1945.

My three aunts have always been an important part of my life. We often lived in the same community so we visited frequently. As an older teen, my mother's ultimate warning was always, "Don't do anything that your aunts would disapprove of." I still smile at that, thinking of the times I would have gladly disappointed my mother, but my aunts. . .NEVER.

Fishing Photos

2010-10-16T15:19:00.006-05:00

LeRoy Long, Louise Wicker Long, Jaclyn Long and Linda Jane Long 1950's Big River

My family has lived by water for centuries---the Mississippi, Meramec, Missouri and Big Rivers have been very important to our travel, survival and more recently, recreation. I wrote several posts about meeting my family at Uncle Lawrence's Clubhouse on the Big River. [click here]
This photo is also the number of people who would typically be there on a weekend. Though blurry, I can tell who some are. The tall man on the left is Roy Long with his wife Vivian Maupin Long in front. Next to Vivian is Norma Long and the boy in front is Ron Long. This was taken in the early 1940's.
I have no idea who these men are, but it does look like Big River.
[l-r Ray ????, LeRoy Long, Hank Pelsory]
But, the rest of the photos are Lake of the Ozarks so this could be a cove there, too. Mother told me these were Dad with his cycling buddies.
This was much too nice of a cabin for the Big River Clubhouse, so I'm guessing this is Lake of the Ozarks. Dad [LeRoy Long] is on the right.
The only thing that puzzled me was. . .if this was Dad and his cycling buddies, then they usually road their bikes even hundreds of miles---did they really go in a car?
A few photos later gave me the answer---they road their bikes and the earlier photos were Lake of the Ozarks---see Dad's posture and shirt?
And, here was proof. So, the car was probably a "sag wagon" or carried all of their food and gear.
And, to prove these photos were Lake of the Ozarks, here is Bagnall Dam.
And, this is also Bagnall Dam which is the dam which forms Lake of the Ozarks. These photos were probably late 1930's or early 1940's---just by the amount of hair my dad has! For more on my dad's cycling, click here.

Unknown Individuals

2010-10-14T12:51:00.008-05:00

These photos as well as the two posts that came before this were found in a bin at my aunt Norma Long Adams Rogers. They are unidentified. . . .some could be friends or co-workers.
Some look like they are from the 1960's. . .
Some look much older.

Some are definitely related, but.. . .

I thought this one above was my grandfather Roy Long, but it's not---it just looks like him---possibly one of the Dodsons since we did see a piece of paper that had "Dotson" written on it.

This one looks a little like Uncle Fred (Alfred Stewart Long). It could also be Estes or Eustes Long, Fred's brother.

This clipping identifies the person as Mary Jo Ruppert, who was Mayme (Mary Louise) Reed Baum's granddaughter and the daughter of Bernice Baum Ruppert. Thanks to Catherine for this information.
This looks a bit like a high school Senior picture or Homecoming photo. If you recognize any of these people, leave a comment below or e-mail me.

Unknown Family Photos

2010-10-13T08:00:00.024-05:00

The photo above is the one I'm most interested in. I think the woman seated on the right is my great-grandmother Annie Reed Maupin. Carol, the spouse of a Reed cousin, agrees that looks like Annie Reed and that is probably her mother Frances Glanville Reed beside her. Catherine also agrees that Frances Glanville Reed is on the left. Looking closely at the eyes of the children and standing ladies, I'm going to tentatively identify the children as, Myrtle Reed (b. 1891),Harry (b. 1889) and Mattie(b. 1891) Maupin. Myrtle was Frances's granddaughter, daughter of William Reed. That puts the photo around 1892. The ladies standing are probably Frances's other daughters Mamie Reed Baum(13 years old) and Allie Reed Haverstick (18 years old). See another family photo below. A brief family history summary is on the left under Long Family.
Annie Reed Maupin (center) had six brothers and two sisters: William James Reed, George Frederick Reed, John H. Reed, Alice Cora Reed (Allie), Mary Louise Reed (Mamie), Charles Edward Reed, Walter W. Reed, and James G. Reed. So, these photos could be of them, their families or they could even be Glanvilles. Frances Glanville Reed and Annie Reed Maupin took in Elizabeth Glanville Outman's children. So, some photos could be of James Gustav Outman, Mamie Outman or Lillian Outman.
These photos, found in my aunt's basement, were labeled "Maupin, Reed, McKay". Unfortunately, I don't know who most of these people are. Many, like the one above and below, appear to have been sent in Christmas cards or letters.
Some of them, like the one below are labeled, but even the family genealogist doesn't know who they are:
The girl certainly looks like a relative---this is what's written on the back. "Vivian Long" was my grandmother and I think it just means that's who this photo was going to.
Here's another one labeled with the name Margurite, again:
I've looked and haven't found any Margurette or Anne Burrus's in the family and yet, they look like family.

(L-R: ?,? holding Michelle McKay, Maxine Long Delaney, Vivian Maupin Long, Gladys Wilson McKay, Vennie Wicker, Louise Wicker Long. Kneeling are Ron Long, Maybelle McKay Villmere, Kathy Villmere and Norma Long Adams)

I have this photo and can identify everyone but the two ladies standing on the left. I'm sure they are Maupins, Reeds or like my mother's mother Vennie, in-laws. They appear again:

I know that's my Aunt Norma on the left, but the two women are seen again on the right.
Whoever took the other photo is on the left now in the picture. Maybe someone will even recognize the roof pattern behind them.
Some just look like family---I think this is Ralph Reed who lived in Michigan, but I don't know if he had any children.I know this is Ralph Reed and they look the same.
This woman looks very familiar---Is this the same woman below?
The one above may actually be a photo of Aunt Grace Maupin McKay---I only have photos of her older.
She married Harvey McKay who was in the Navy.
This is one of my favorites---reminds me of Norman Rockwell's Thanksgiving. The woman with food in her mouth is Aunt Norma, the man behind her is Uncle Hal and the woman next to her is Aunt Mattie Maupin McKay, I think.
Here's another photo with McKays---on the right is Mattie Maupin McKay (her arm is on Hal Mc Kay, her husband) but I don't know who the other three are. With 8 children who lived. . .I'm sure some are their children
The woman sitting on the rock is my grandmother, Vivian Maupin Long, I think.
And, Vivian Maupin Long is in the center holding my Aunt Norma Long Adams Rogers, but who are the other four people?
My sister Jane agrees that this looks like Charles Maupin. Jane said she remembers seeing this photo many years ago.

I'm pretty sure the man on the right is my great-grandfather Henry Maupin---could that be his brother John D. Maupin on the left?
My Aunt Maxine with?
I know three of these ladies: Mary Long Wassmund, Maxine Long Delaney, Norma Long Adams, but don't know the other two ladies. They could be five friends after a day of shopping, but if you look carefully there's a little boy beside Mary---my uncle Ron Long---making me think they could be cousins. Would Mary, Maxine and Norma take Ron shopping with them?
Martha McKay Lalumondier is in the center but who are the ones on either side---friends or relatives?
Yeah! Billie in Texas identified the photo above: "Helen Irene Cain Bournais (My huband, Sam Bill's mother) and Mat Murray Cain Jr (My husband's uncle). They were the children of

Mat Murray Cain, Sr & Mae Lillian MAUPIN, grandchildren of: J. D. & Minnie (Campbell) Maupin.

Murray in the uniform went to the Naval Academy."

What follows (above and below) are photos with no clues other than the backgrounds and clothes.

Double click on the photo, then click again to make it larger.

This final photo does NOT look like Maupin or Reeds, but more like Reiters or Tyreys (more like Roy Long than his wife Vivian Maupin):
Please let me know if you can identify any of the people in these photos.

Unknown Babies

2010-10-12T18:40:00.005-05:00

My cousin brought some photos over which his mother had placed in an envelope marked "Maupin, Reed, McKay". My job is to try to figure out who these babies are.

L-R: Hal McKay, Minerva Downen Maupin, Walter Maupin, Maxine Huskey Maupin, Harry Maupin

I think the baby photo below is Uncle Walter Reed Maupin standing in the center above.

And the photo below may be his brother standing on the right (note the ears in both photos)

Or, those two babies above could be Charles Maupin (Harry's son) pictured below with me in the mid 1940's.
Some of the babies look eerily like babies in our family now.
It was pretty obvious that the photo above and the one below were related---note the Christening dress.
I looked at that dress and thought, "I've seen that before"
Groan. . .the same unknown photo I've tried to identify for over a year.
Some had clues like where the photo was made---- like Ste. Genevieve. . .
The photo above was made in St. LouisSome had tantalizing clues:
Made in DeSoto and what's that written on the back?
Genealogy kicked in when I saw that and the only Dortha (Dorothy) C. that I have is Dorothy Couch who may be the one below, too.
Dorothy Couch is the daughter of Lenorah Long and James Leonard Couch. Lenorah was Thomas Henry Long's sister.

This one was also made in DeSoto.
Many of these babies look like they are in Christening gowns which makes me believe they are indeed Maupin, Reed, Glanvilles because Longs, Reiters and Tyreys are Baptists and don't have infant Christenings.
Some of the photos seem to be 1950's or later. My sister Jane thinks this photo was our cousin Cheryl Ann Wassmund.
Some are candid snapshots.
Only ONE photo was clearly marked---isn't she a sassy looking little girl!

She is Gladys Thelma Long, daughter of Uncle Alfred Stewart Long and Zoa Viola Dodson.

Please contact me or leave a comment if you know who any of these babies are OR if you have seen the Christening gowns before. . .I'll take any hint!

Rabbit hunting--Long style

2010-09-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

At the Long Family Reunion last week, Bill Long got out his grandfather Tom's rifle. It was Tom Long's turkey rifle which cousin Steve thought was engraved with his name:
But, "Long Tom" was actually a trade name although my great-grandfather was Tom Long AKA Thomas Henry Long.
Bill (red shirt) and Dave (white shirt) shared a story on why the 42 inch barrel of this 16 gauge rifle is bent. Although Tom Long used this to hunt turkeys, Elmer Dodson (on right) who was Tom's son-in-law's brother borrowed the gun to hunt rabbits. The rabbit went in a log so Elmer put the barrel in the log and fired, bending the barrel.
So I told my cousin Michael about this shotgun. He said, " I just wonder if that's grandpa's old shotgun?? The one he took with us when he took me rabbit hunting when I was just a young boy... He shot the rabbit from about 6 feet away from us with his shotgun - and all I remember was something blowing up and rabbit fuzz flying everywhere - Grandpa [Roy Long] said to me - Guess we were a little too close to that one... A special time with Grandpa I will always remember... And a funny one at that."

I asked Aunt Mary about Roy's shotgun but she said they had left it in DeSoto somewhere. It was double barreled and was pre-World War I. He let anyone use it. His nephew Junior McKay used to borrow it often. But, Roy lost track of it and no one knows what happened to it.

Long Family Photos

2010-09-21T17:49:00.006-05:00

Bill Long on the right brought some photos which he is sharing with his cousin David Long on the left.
Bill's father George was the chief of the Fire Department in De Soto. He is on the far left. Next to him are Bill Coxwell, Jerry Coxwell, Hoard Lucas, ??? Hobson, Paul Brunkhorst and Bob Hopson.
Bill thinks this is his father, George Long's 8th grade graduation. He thinks the other boy may be Johnny Long, George's younger brother.
This photo shows Jane Long Maness seated with Mary Reiter Long. The woman behind is probably Nora Long Couch. The man in the dark suit is Jeptha Long and the man obscured in the back is probably Thomas Long (Nora, Jane and Jeptha's brother, Mary's husband). The man with the white shirt is Fred Reiter, Mary's brother.
George Long with Bill (on a calf?) Roy Long (George's brother and my grandfather) with his daughters Mary and Maxine.
The Thomas Long and Mary Reiter family: L-R Johnny Long, Curtis Long, Cecile Long, Clarence Long, Katie Long*, Fred Long*, Lecy Long, Roy Long, Lawrence Long and George Long. Estes Long* is missing. Those with * are the children of Thomas's first wife Cenith Wiley.

Bethlehem Baptist 1898-1899

2010-09-17T18:00:00.003-05:00

I was very fortunate to be able to photograph some old records from Bethlehem Baptist Church in Jefferson County, Missouri. Although I am related in some way to many of the people in the records, these records were beginning to "take over" this blog. So, I have created a new blog devoted to these records, the history and cemetery of this church. There will be some posts on this blog concerning my immediate ancestors and their siblings, but the 3rd cousins twice removed have been moved to my new blog: http://bethlehemjeffco.blogspot.com/

Bethlehem Baptist Records 1892-1897

2010-09-13T08:50:00.003-05:00

Minerva McCulloch Manion 1836-1904

Double click on any of the documents and photos of Bethlehem Baptist Church to enlarge them, then use your back arrow to return to the page. Again, I'm missing a number of pages due to several factors: they weren't there, they were too faded to read, they had no information on them. Although Bethlehem Baptist is considered to be in Grubville, a new church appears in the community--Grubville Baptist Church, just a few miles down the road.
May 7, 1892 ". . .the case of Bro. L. Willson was taken up and laid over until next meeting on motion. The case of Sister Mary Williams. . .committee consisting of Len Williams, Minerva Manion and Josephine Manion to see the sister. Wm McKay moderator, Lewis Reiter, clerk pro tem" This is Louis Henry Reiter the son of my g-g grandfather Louis/Ludwig Reiter who emigrated from Germany. Josephine Manion could be the daughter of Minerva McCulloch and William G. Manion who was the son of Susan Graham.
Oct. 1892 ". . .Jasper Eoff returned his letter. . . Rev. Price McKay, mod W.R. McKay clerk pro tem".
June 19, 1893 ". . .Bros. Len Williams and L. Wilson elected solicitors. . ."
Aug. 12, 1893 ". . .1. Brother Newton Eoff restored 2. Brother N. Eoff Licensed to preach 3. Letter to the Association read and received 4. On motion church elected a pastor which resulted in the choice of S.G. McKee. J. P. McKay moderator, J.L. Perkins, clerk."

Oct. 1893 ". ..1. Sisters Minerva Manion, Josephine and Mary McColor granted letters of dismission 2. Church agreed to pay Bro. S. G. McKee $5 a trip. . . S. G. McKee, moderator J.L. Perkins, clerk." I suspect that should be Mary McCulloch since Minerva's maiden name was Minerva McCulloch and Josephine is possibly Josephine Manion.
The document below indicates there were some problems with the Grubville Baptist Church being formed just down the road from Bethlehem Baptist Church.
June 1895 ". ..it was then stated by the Bethlehem members that the spirit of said propositions was good but that it was not a matter of feeling between members but a question as to the loyalty of Grubville as a Baptist Church. Bro. Hill then stated that the propositions did not fill the bill that he wrote it and that he did not know what the trouble was but Bros. Frost and Williams talked it quite different. Bro. Williams said and we hear that he had stated the same in their meeting, that people say I do not belong to a legal church and if I do not I want to know it. I want to be a member of a church. Bro. Frost said that what they wanted to know if Grubville was right in what she [the church] has done and that if it is they wanted it to stand and if not they would to fall. There not being many of the Bethlehem Church present it was decided by a note to wait until our next regular meeting to give the committee an answer the church was then adjoined. J.E. Short moderator"

Grubville Baptist Church

Jul 13, 1895 ". . .a committee appointed to meet the Grubville Committee to call it counsel the church agreed to abide by the conclusion of the committee and counsel. The committee: J. E. Short, P.P. McKay, J.S. McKay, J.L. Perkins. . . delegates [Jefferson County Association] are J.G. Lee, J.S. McKay and W.R. McKay."
November 1896 ". . .a motion to move the church house and a committee to have it done consisting of Bros. W.R. Williams, J.G.Lee, J.S. McColloch and J.S. McKay. A letter of dismission was granted to Bro. Phinas Ogle and his wife also to Sister Eliza Hill. Bro. E.Z. Hamrick was elected pastor. . ." [E. J. Hamrick]
This February 1897 entry is really a fragment: ". . .Fortner asking for a letter of . . . mison from Bethlehem Church which was granted. E.J. Hamrick moderator J.S. McKay clerk pro tem"
July 1897 ". . .Bro. George Harrison chosen clerk pro tem and church agreed to correspond with Jefferson County Baptist. . . Delegates Bro. J. S. McKay, George Harrison and W.K. Williams.. ."
Aug. 1897". . .E.J. Hamrick unanimously elected. . ." as pastor for the year.

Bethlehem Baptist Church 1887-1891

2010-09-09T15:10:00.004-05:00

Samuel G. Medley, Baptist Pastor

These are from the Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville, Mo. There are many missing pages, but this time I didn't photograph them all. My camera battery was getting weak, so I didn't photograph pages that basically said, "We had no business and the meeting was adjourned." But there were some pages missing too.

Dec. 1886 ". . .who should constitute the presbytery. Bros. Steel, Cox, McKay and Frazier were named and clerk ordered to write to the brethern. . ."[George Steel and J.R.Cox---not sure which McKay nor Frazier]
Jan. 8, 1887 ". . .Deacon L. H. Lee offered his resignation as deacon of the church as he was getting old, could not hear [he was 74 years old]. The church requested him to remain as deacon which he consented to do. The church appointed a committee to visit Deacon Brown and ascertain the cause of his staying away from church and request him to come to church the next meeting. The committee Bros. S. Medley, Edsell, and Robert McKay. Bro. S.S. Bittick and his wife was granted letters of dismission from the church." [Jacob Edsell or James Edsell]
April 14, 1887 ". . .the committee made a report and brother Joseph Brown excluded from the fellowship of the church by request. . . Bro. Wm. Alwood was chosen deacon. . . Elder Wm. McKay and Bro. Short was chosen to assist in ordination. . ." Joseph Brown later became re-instated because he's mentioned in the minutes for Sept. 1888.
July 15, 1887 ". . .The church proceeded to ballot for delegates which resulted in choice of Bros. John T. Lee, Wm. Elvoid and Price McKay. Bro. David Perkins and Sister Connie [Kansas] Perkins applied for letter. There being a charge against Br. David, the church could not grant him a letter. On motion the church granted Sister Connie letter of dismissal."

Cintha Beeler, wife of Green Herrington

May 12, 1888 ". . .Preaching by Bro. Medley [Samuel G. Medley]. . . in the case of Bro. Lester Henry. . .the committee made their report. . . and he excluded from the fellowship of the church. A charge was preferred against Sister Henry for denying the faith. A committee appointed to visit her. . . the Church authorized the Clerk to mark out the name of Green Herrington. . .J.R. Cox moderator J. L. Perkins, clerk."
Sept. 1888 ". . .Bro. Robert Hunt charged fiddling and dancing at balls. . .a com. appointed to visit him. . .Bros. Silas Pounds and George Evans. Bro. Stephen charged with swearing. . .a com. appointed to visit him. . .Bros. J. P. Lollar and Joseph Brown[son of Mary Polly Graham and Henry G. Brown]. Sister Martha V. Carrow charged with dancing . . .a committee appointed to visit her Sisters Joseph Brown [Mary Ann Hanvey?] and Manerva Manion [Minerva McCulloch]. . .W. G. Manion [William G. Manion] and John S. McKay was appointed to draw of the name of members on the church book. . ."
P. 104 Feb. 9, 1889 ". . .Annie Grayham aplide for a letter of dismis to join at Desoto. . ." I didn't correct the spelling on this. . .I'm not sure who she is but am pretty sure this should be Annie Graham.
Aug. 1889 The Church Book of names committee: J. G. Lee, W. Elwood, J. L. Perkins ". . .Brother S. G. Medley and Sister Melvina Graham [Augustus Graham's wife] granted letters of dismission. Sister Bettie Reiter elected solicitor for the ensuing year. . . " Bettie or Elizabeth Reiter was my great-grandmother's sister. I'm very impressed that she has been elected to this job as a single woman of 22 years old.
November 1889 ". . .the reception for members. Sister Annie Hulsey received on her letter from Providence. The presbytery then proceeded to the ordination of Bro. John S. McKay to the Deaconship of the church. . ."
Oct. 10, 1891 ". . .Sister Bettie Reiter elected solicitor for the ensuing year. . ."

Elizabeth "Bettie" Reiter Manion 1867-1904

Bethlehem Baptist Minutes 1881-1885

2010-09-06T06:51:00.001-05:00

These records are from the Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville, Mo. The tombstone above, for James W. Thompson who died Feb. 21, 1890, is in the cemetery there. The membership records for this period, show the condition of some of these documents and why there are pages missing. Click here.
Feb. 12, 1881 ". . .Owing to a violent storm there was no meeting of the Church on Saturday nor any preaching on the Sabbath. . ." George Steel, Clerk [married to Margaret Julia Graham's granddaughter Mary Mildred Lee]
March 12, 1881 ". . . The Committee in the case of Bro. Wm. A. Jones made a report and was discharged. Bro. Jones having written a letter to the Church in which he acknowledges his faults and asks foregivenes, the church forgave him and the case was dismissed. Bro. Jones also applied for a letter of dismission which was granted. The case of Mary Patton was next taken up but as the sister was sick, the case was continued. The clerk George Steel tendered his resignation. . .Bro. Stephen Pounds [Lucinda Graham's brother-in-law] was unanimously elected. . .Bro. Wayne K. Deffenbach applied for a letter of dismission which was granted. . .Bro. George Steel applied to the church for license to preach which was granted. . . The case of Sister Margaret Leeper [daughter of Arah Graham and Giles Sidney Lee] having obtained a letter from the church and having united. . ."

continued: "with a church of another faith and order church while wishing and praying for Sister Leeper's prosperity is compelled to exclude her from fellowship. . ."

April 9, 1881 ". . .the case of Sister Mary Patton was taken up and a new committee consisting of Bro. Stephen Pounds and Sister Margaret and Ardell Carrow were appointed. . .charges of immoral conduct were preferred against Bro. Fred Weber, and Bros. J. P. Lollar, Theodore McKee and George Steel were appointed a committee to see Bro. Weber. . .Bro. [J.J.] Carrow, Treasurer made his report which showed that the Church has only paid Bro. McKay ten dollars of his salary for the current year."
May 7, 1881 ". . .The case of Sister Patton and Bro. Weber were continued there being no report from the committee of such a nature that the church could act upon them."
Aug. 1881 ". . .The committee on singing. . .recommended the Baptist Tune and Hymn Book and the Church add Lord Book on motion the Church ordered two dollars and fifty cent be raised and sent the delegates to the association. . .church instructed a letter of Recommendations for Br. Elder George Steel to presented to Brotherhood wherever his lot may be cast. . ."
p. 55 Nov. 11, 1882 ". . .the church agreed to pay the pastor fifty dollars to labor as pastor for one year. The church gave Brother Pierce the right hand of fellowship greeting him as pastor. The church re-elected Bro. John T. Lee [son of Margaret Julia Graham and Lewis Harrison Lee] as treasurer for the ensuing year. .." John S. McKay, Clerk Elder N. M. Pierce, moderator.
Jan. 13, 1884 ". . .the abstract of names from the church book as corrected was presented. . .committee discharged. . .Stephen Pounds not present. . .new one appointed to report a February meeting. Bro. Silas Pounds [brother of Stephen Pounds]. . .Judson Pounds and James Thompson. . ." Sadly, there are pages missing.July 1885 ". . .Bro. Price McKay, the clerk was appointed to write the letter of greeting to the association. . .appointment of brothers John Lee [Margaret Julia Graham's grandson?], J. Price McKay and John S. McKay [delegate to Association]. . .the church agree to the ballot for pastor which resulted in the election of Bro. N. M. Pierce. . ."
Aug. 8, 1885 ". . .Bro. George Evans charged with dancing. . .a comitee appointed to cite him to the church com. John T. Lee, John S. McKay. Bro. August Marrah [sometimes written as Merrieu] charged with dancing. ..committee appointed to cite him. . .Joseph Brown [son of Mary Polly Graham] and Julius Valley [Julius Valle was the son of Caroline Tyrey]. Sister Emily Pilant charged with dancing. . .a committee appointed to cite her. . .Silas Pounds and Sister Frances Lee [daughter of John T. Lee?]. Ardell Dickey charged with dancing. . .com. appointed to cite her. . .John Lee Perkins and Sister Martha Bittick [daughter of Margaret Julia Graham]. ..a letter from George Steel requesting the church [assist]. . .J. Price McKay in going to school and also to bring his case before the association. S.S. Bittick appointed to take subscription and collect for that purpose. . .John S. McKay, Clerk Deacon L.H. Lee, moderator."

Bethlehem Baptist Meetings 1873-1874

2010-08-26T10:15:00.000-05:00

George Steele is beginning to play a major role in the history of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Although born in England (according to the census), he married Mary Mildred Lee who was the daughter of Lewis Harrison Lee and Margaret Julia Graham. We believe he is the large, bearded man beside Abner Medley in a gray shirt with white suspenders. This photo was taken in 1913 at the 60th Anniversary of the Jefferson County Baptist Association. For more photos from that meeting, click here. To read the documents in their entirety, double click on the photos to enlarge them.

p. 63 February 1873 ". . .Church made an effort to hire a preacher during the remainder of the Associational year in which they procured the services of Elder W. Stephens for the sum of twenty-five dollars. . ."
p. 64 May 1873 ". . .that the church take up a collection for the purpose of fitting up the church house with comfortable seats which was done and the money or a part thereof put in the hands of Br. Steele as committy to superintend the job. . ."
p. 65 August 1873 ". . .church gives the moderator power to appoint delegates to the Jefferson County Association to be held with the Temperance Mission Church to commence on Fryday before the second Sabbath in Oct. 1873. Said delegates are as follows Br. Elder Wm. McKay, Silas Pounds and the church clerk [John P. Lollar]. . ."
Sept. 1873, the Moderator read a letter which will be read at the Association but there is no indication as to the nature of the petition.
p. 67 December 1873 ". . .Saturday before the fourth Sabbath in Dec. 1873. No one came to church. On Sabbath came two persons. They left without any time set to come back. J.P. Lollar Clerk. . .
January 1874 . . .Brother Steele presented an account with receipt on lumber, bills for seats to be put. . ."
p. 68 January 1874 cont.
. . . money and pay Mr. Graham on lumber bill by motion of Br. Robert Wilson. Brother Wm. McKay put in nomination for pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church during the Association year ending Oct. 1874 with a unanimous vote. It was with some degree of reluctance that Brother would accept the Pastorate. The church agreed to pay Br. McKay the sum of twenty dollars for his services.
May 1874
. . .Br. Robert Wilson was appointed a committee to confer with Brother Couch ans report at our next meeting. . .
p. 69 May 1874 cont.
Also the case of Joseph P. Bridgeman [in 1870 census, Joe Bridgeman worked on Oliver Lee's farm which was near Wm. McKay and George Frost] was taken up for reconsideration as his whereabouts is not known to the church. Bro. O.T. Bittick will try and find his whereabouts and report at our next meeting. . Also, the 8th article was reconsidered and amends as follows that the Practice of Dram drinking in or at public saloons or dram shops has an Evil and Pernicious influence and should be abstained from by all Christians. . .Also the case of Br. L. Couch was taken up. The committy made his report and was discharged. Case continued until next church meeting. . .
p. 70 July 1874
The case of Br. L. Couch (Leonard Couch) was reconsidered. Br. Couch failing to come to time according to promise was dismissed from church. . . Br. Bridgeman wishes to be dismissed from the church as he thinks he is not fit to be a church member. The church by request dismissed Br. Bridgeman from the church. Also Brother George Steel moved that the building committy examine all the papers and ascertain the indebtedness of the church to the committy.
P. 71 cont. . . .George Steel and Robert Wilson would report at next church meeting.
Aug. 1874 . . .Robert Wilson and George Steele are delegates to Jefferson County Association at Sandy Church. Sept. 1874 . . .Pastor is sick and not able to attend.

P. 72 Dec. 5, 1874
Bro. Wm. McMurtay commenced a ___________missionary meeting aided by the help of Br. J.M.Henseley and Wm. McKay the latter during meeting we had many gospel sermons with powerful appeals in behalf of sinners. Our meeting lasted about twelve days. There was 31 professions, 19 added to the church, 17 by experience and baptism, one by letter, one reclaimed. Click here for the church membership records from this meeting.

Bethlehem Baptist Church Minutes 1871-1872

2010-08-15T20:00:00.003-05:00

These minutes discuss the need for a new meeting house for Bethlehem Baptist in Grubville or Dittmer, Missouri, but it must have been on adjoining or the same property since graves from the 185o's and 1860's are there. James Pounds (above) died in 1866. His grandson James M. Pounds is mentioned below.
p. 52 April 1871 ". ..Brother Robert Wilson sends his virtual resignation as one of a building committy appointed by the church at Bethlehem to build a meeting house. Said resignation was received and Brother Wilson released from said committy and Brother Joseph Brown was appointed in his place. There was a charge brought up before the church against Martin Eoff for using Profanest Language and Sabbatical breaking where upon Brother A.D. Bittick (O.D?) and Thomas Eoff was appointed as a committy to go and talk with Br. Martin Eoff. . ." This might be Lewis Martin Eoff. . . .
1871 ". . .in June the church had a communion service on sabbath. The Church give the plan of the house and orders the committee to go on and commence building. The church house size 26 by 45 feet 12 feet between floors house to be a frame.

July 1871 ". . .[Eoff] nor the committy present or the committy not having an opportunity of conferring with the Brother, it was thought expedient by the church to turn Brother out of the Church which was done by the consent of the church. . ."
p.54 Aug. 1871 ". . .the case of J.J.Frost is a charge for swearing and other crime (?) unbecoming a Christian. There was a committy of two appointed to confer with Br. Frost. Brethren Robert Wilson and George H. Frost. . .the charge against Br. Evans [Charles Evans] was for swearing and Br. Joseph Brown and J.J. Carrow was appointed as a committy to confer with Evans."
Aug. 1871 continued ". . .delegates appointed to send up to the Association are Brethren Robert Wilson, George Steele and the clerk of the church J.P. Lollar. .. "

Sept. 1871 ". . .the case of Br. J.J. Frost was taken up and disposed of for non-attendance and the chrarge preferred against him. . .the case of Br. Charles Evans until next meeting. Employs Elder Joel Hensley as the pastor for the year end Oct. 1872. . . agree to pay the pastor $50 to be paid quarterly. . ."
Dec. 1871 ". . .Sister Celia Turner presented herself for church membership from Oakland Church when said sister presents her letter of dismission from Oakland Church. . ."

Jan. 1872 There was no report on Charles Evans' case and Sister Turner is received into Bethlehem Church.
March 1872 ". . .Brother S.B. Wilson [Solomon Bachelor Wilson] charged Margaret Wilson [Margaret Mecarel Brown, daughter of Mary "Polly" Graham and Henry Brown] with conduct unbecoming a member of the church. Charge sustained. Br. Steele moved that the Sister be excluded. . .Br. S.B. Wilson charges Br. Jasper Eoff and Mary Eoff with dancing. Br. Thomas Eoff sustained the charge. Also Br. S.B. Wilson charges James M. Pounds [grandson of the James Pounds who died in 1866] and Sister Charlotte Pounds [Charlotte McCulloch] of shooting Mrs. Mary Wilson's horse. Sister Pounds being present was called on to explain the charge. Sister Pounds acknowledges her fault and expressed her sorry for doing. Sister Clara Eoff [Clarissa Davis] gave evidence in the case. . ."

p. 58 March 1872 cont. ". . .Br. Joseph Brown [son of Mary "Polly" Graham and Henry Brown] moved that Sister Pounds confession be received. Sr. Pounds sustains her position in the church. . ."

April 1872 ". . .the case of Br. Jasper[Eoff] and Sister Eoff. . .having no disposition to stay in the church any longer, but expressed a desire for the church to exclude them from the church which was done. . ."
p. 59 May 1872 ". . .the case of Bro. J. M. Pounds [James Milton Pounds] being calls. Bro. Lee presented a letter from Bro. Pounds in which Br. Pounds expressed his sorrow that his conduct had caused grief in the church. After remarks by Robert Wilson and S.B. Wilson, Bro. [George] Steele [Lewis Harrison Lee and Margaret Julia Graham's son-in-law] moved that the offending Brother be forgiven and restored. . . the church empowered the building committy to dispose of the old church building as they may think proper. . ."

p. 60 May 1872 cont. ". . .[the committee is] done be selling the old house and applying the proceeds to the case of the new house. Bro. George H. Frost Treasurer of building committee presented his account to the church. . ."

July 1872 ". . .Bro. O.D.Bittick [son-in-law of Lewis Harrison Lee and Margaret Julia Graham] asks for a letter of. . . "
p. 61 July 1872 cont. ". . .dismission and recommendation which was granted.

Aug. 1872 ". . .Br. O.D. Bittick [Oliver Delore Bittick]. . .asked a continuence in the church which was granted. . .delegates to represent them in Jefferson County Association to be held at Pilgrim's Rest Church commencing on the 11th day of Oct. 1872 namely elder Wm. McKay, O.D. Bittick and the clerk [John P. Lollar]. . ." So, O.D.Bittick left the church in July, rejoined in August and was a delegate to the Association meeting. . .

p. 62 Sept. 1872 ". . .motion made to pay up our pastor for his year's service before employing any other pastor. . ."

Oct. 1872 ". . .committy appointed to collect funds enough to pay our pastor for the year ending Oct. 1872. The church instructed her delegates to not hire a pastor for the next year which they did not. So, Bethlehem Church is therefore without a pastor. Bro. J. M. Hensley [Joel Hensley]says he will preach for us until Christmas. . ."

Bethlehem Baptist 1869-1870

2010-08-13T17:24:00.001-05:00

Sadly, the young man whose tombstone is above, William McKay, Junior, is involved in a situation in April and May below. I try not to editorialize while presenting these minutes, but Wm. McKay, Junior was only 6 years old when he was brought before the whole congregation to defend his behavior. . .
P. 42 Jan. 1869 ". . .the church proceeded to business the first thing was to serve a pastor for the ensuing year which was done in the Person of Elder Wm. McKay in whom we are well-pleased." According to the 1870 census, William McKay owned a sawmill---being a pastor was not a full-time job.
February and March 1869---there was no business.
April 1869 ". . .Martha Jane Dixon be excluded from the church charge Fornication also a motion was made and seconded that Br. Jos. Brown appointed a committy to cite Br. Wm. McKay, Junior to attend the next church meeting. . ."

May 1869 ". . .Br. Wm. McKay, Junior appeared and answered for himself. . .the church excluded said Br. from the church by request and disorderly conduct. . ." According to the 1870 census, Wm. McKay, Junior was 6 years old at this time.
June and July 1869, there was no business.
August 1869 ". . .there not being a quorum of male members present to do business it became the duty of the pastor to appoint the delegates to be held at Liberty Church: Br. J. P. Lollar and Robert Wilson were appointed. . .[also L. H. Lee was added]."
September had no business.
October 1869 ". . .an intire failure, neither pastor nor members appeared. If they did the clerk could not see them for he was there."
November 1869 ". . .this meeting closes out the present pastoral year with our beloved pastor Elder McKay and leaves the church without a pastor . . ."
Feb. 1870 ". . .it was motioned and seconded that Sister [Mahala] Frost should have letter where upon the church ordered the church clerk to prepare a letter. . .Br. Stephens being our missionary preacher stayed several days and preached quite a number of sermons for us and adjourned. . ."
March 1870 ". . .the church engaged the services of Elder J. Hensley [Joel Hensley]as their pastor for the present year. . ."
June 1870 ". . .Sister Emily Baker asked the church at Bethlehem for a letter of dismission. . ."
July 1870 ". . .the great need of a Church House. There was a subscription paper drawn up to see if a sufficient amount of money could be raised to be a church house and a committy of three appointed Superintend the business: Brother Robert Wilson, G.H. Frost and J.P. Lollar.
Aug. 1870 ". . .appointed Wm. McKay, Joseph Brown and John P. Lollar delegates to the Jefferson County Association to be held at Sandy Church.
Sept. 1870 ". . .it was motioned and seconded that J.J.Carrow [John J. Carrow] and S.B. Wilson [Solomon Bachelor Wilson, Margaret Mecarel Brown's father-in-law] be appointed treasurers to receive all monies that may be appropriated for the use of the Pastor."

Oct. 1870 ". . .the Church orders the Building Committy to proceed in building a church house. . ."
Not much business for November--double click on the photos to enlarge them.

Bethlehem Baptist Church Minutes 1868

2010-08-11T20:15:00.005-05:00

These records are from the Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville and Dittmer, Missouri. Double click on the photographs to enlarge them. Be sure to read to the end. . . The tombstone above in the Bethlehem Cemetery is for the nephew of Adaline McKay and Rev. William McKay. For more about the Wilson-McKay-Lee Family, click here.
Page 37 Dec. 1868 [sic]
After a prayer by Elder Gibson, "The case of Br. Brazeale [Drewey Brazeale] and William Hanvey was taken up" and "J.P.Lollar [Jonathon P. Lollar] was appointed to wait on Br. Brazeale and Br. Joseph Brown [brother of my great-great grandmother Catherine Caroline Brown] to wait on Brother Hanvey." William Hanvey was the brother of Joseph Brown's wife Mary Ann Hanvey. J.P. Lollar was a neighbor of Brazeales in the 1860 Census.
January 1868---Business was postponed.
p. 38 Feb. 1868 The committee met with Br. Brazeale and he asked that "his name taken off church record which was done. . . .Br. Hanvey's case was continued after prayer by Elder McKay."

"Saturday before the fourth Sabbath in April 1868. The meeting was an intire failure."
p. 39 The case of Brother William Hanvey was presented and "committy discharged and Br. Hanvey dismissed from the church by request and also by request Sister Matilda Haganbush asked for a letter of dismission." The clerk was asked to "write a letter of inquiry as regards the whereabouts of Br. Robert Boatright and try to find out what he intends to do as regards his church membership in Bethlehem Church.

June 1868: Nothing has been heard from Robert Boatright.
July 1868 ". . .After prayer by Deacon Wilson, Church proceeded to business. ..the case of Robert Boatright." His membership "was discontinued. . .for absence from church for a number of years. . ."

"Saturday before the fourth Sabbath in August 1868 the day church should have met. It was a failure on the part of church as there was a misunderstanding in regards to the hour in which the pastor was to be at the place of worship."

Sept. 1868 Rev. Wm. McKay and Brothers L.H.Lee [Lewis Harrison Lee husband of Margaret Julia Graham] and J.P. Lollar [John P. Lollar] were appointed delegates to Association meeting Oct. 9, 1868 to be held at Pilgrim's Rest in Jefferson County, Missouri.
Oct. 1868---not much business
Nov. 1868 ". . .that church should have met at Bethlehem. It was an entire failure on the part of both the church and pastor to preach. . ."
Dec. 1868 ". . .still no pastor to expound the sacred scriptures, the church broke up and scattered off like so many lost sheep." J. P. Lollar Clerk

Bethlehem Baptist Minutes 1866-1867

2010-07-30T19:00:00.002-05:00

These are minutes from Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville and Dittmer Missouri. Double click on the photos to read the entire document.

Page 26 February 1866. . .the case of Bro. James Williams was taken up he being charged with having a ball at his house and Bro. Wesley Scaggs was appointed to cite said Bro. to attend church and answer said charge. Also, although Sister Evans was charged with dancing or giving a ball at her house. Sister Unity Evans was appointed to cite her to attend church.
Page 27 March 1866. . .case of James S. Williams was taken up. Committee report received and _____ dismissed. Bro. Williams being present answered to charge and acknowledged to and asked to be forgiven of the church for the same, promising to do so no more. The Brother was restored to fellowship. The case of Sister Malissa Evans was called. Committee report received and committee discharged. Committee repeated that Sister be sorry for the charge and tried to attend but not being present her case was referred to the next meeting. Letters of dismissal was granted to Bro. Michael Brinley and his wife Sister Brinley.

Page 28 April 1866---Malissa Evans was referred to next meeting.
May 1866---Malissa Evans still not at church. . .The church then proceeded to ballot for two deacons which resulted in the choice of Robert Wilson and George H. Frost for the said office of deacon. . .
Page 29 June 1866 . . .Malissa Evans. . .still not being present . . .a motion and second exluded by vote of the church, the charge being for having a ball at her house and dancing. . .Next proceeded to appoint commissioner to superintend the building of a new Meeting House to be called the Bethlehem Meeting House. Brothers William McKay, Robert Wilson and William F. Williams [Susan Graham Manion's son-in-law] being chosen said commissioners. C.E. Frost to be collector and treasurer. . .
I've skipped page 30 because nothing really happened.
Page 31 August 1866. . .electing as moderator Brother S. Frasior. . .appointed Brother Elder William McKay, L. H. Lee [Lewis Harrison Lee was Margaret Julia Graham's husband] and C. E. Frost as delegates to the Jefferson County Association. . . October 1866 . . .Brother Newman Pounds [husband of Lucinda Graham] came before the church and acknowledged _____ ______ he had done and language used and was sorry that he done same. . .
Page 32. . .Then the case of Elizabeth McFry [her husband Peter McFry had been killed at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1862]was called her being charged with adultery [crossed out] fornication----the church concluded it best to _________ her it being a case in strenuous unmistakable evidence of the fact. . .
Nov. 1866 . . .on a motion of Br. Robert Wilson, J.P. Lollar was nominated and elected Clerk of Bethlehem Church to fill the vacancy occurred by the removal of Br. C.E. Frost [Christopher E. Frost].
Dec. 1866 No business.
Jan. 1867. . . .and on account of inclemencies of the weather, there was scarce any attendance.
Feb. March, April---no business.
June 1867 . . .the charge brought up against Br. Levi Partney after hearing the evidence in the case, was restored to full fellowship in the church. P.S. Elder Wm. McKay, Robert Wilson, J.T. Lollar to talk with and try to make a compromise and get up a reconciliation among the hostile members of Bethlehem church and report at July term 1867.
Page 35 July 1867 . . .the church proceeded to business. . . of a private nature.
August 1867. . .Br. Thompson Brown [brother of Catherine Caroline Brown Long, son of Mary Polly Graham Brown] asked for a letter of dismission and recommendation. . .which was granted them.
September 1867. . .Br. Lewis Partney, wife and daughter asked for a letter from the church at Bethlehem which was granted. . .
Page 36 . . .The Church appointed Rev. Wm. McKay and Deacon L.H. Lee and Robert Wilson delegates to the Jefferson County Association to be at or near Sandy Creek Chruch. . .
Oct. 1867. . .Sister Margaret E. Lemon asked for a letter of dismission and recommendation which was granted.
Nov. 1867. . .Prayer by Elder Gibson. . .Wesley Skaggs appeared before the Church Session and asked for a letter of dismission for himself and his wife which were granted.

Bethlehem Baptist Minutes 1864-1865

2010-07-29T08:20:00.002-05:00

Stone of Joseph Columbia Brown in Bethlehem Cemetery

In addition to Bethlehem Baptist (Grubville, MO) membership records, there were several hundred pages of meeting minutes dating from 1864 to 1932. I'm going to try to include everything that would be interesting to family members and genealogists without totally transcribing each document. If you are interested in reading the entire document double click to enlarge it. The passage below has information relating to the membership records on the previous page. This also mentions an earlier record book----the church was reportedly formed in the 1820's but probably needs that book to verify the date.
p. 13 Feb. 1864
Prayer by William McKay; L. H. Lee [Lewis Harrison Lee husband of Margaret Julia Graham] moderator pro temp; C.E.Frost clerk was instructed to get the church book from Newman Pounds [husband to Lucinda Graham]while being relieved from his clerkship by request and N. Pounds. Stephen Pounds being appointed and declined to accept. The new clerk was instructed to write. . . .new book. . .The church proceeded to appoint William McKay as pastor of the church.
p. 14 March 1864
. . . the case of Newman Pounds was taken up by he being accused of having a dance or ball at his house by motion there was a committee of those appointed to cite said Brother to attend at next meeting and give satisfaction to the church; said committee to consist of Bretheren L. H. Lee [his brother-in-law], R. Wilson [Robert Wilson],and Thomas S. Pounds [his brother]---a committee to report at next meeting.
June 1864 Summary: L. H. Lee was the only one of the committee to investigate Newman Pounds present so any decision will be postponed. Elder [Wm] McKay to serve on the committee. The voted on two new deacons: Robert Wilson and L.H. Lee.
Sometimes I'll be skipping pages because, basically the minutes say, "Nothing happened." But, for those of you on the edge of you chairs over Newman Pounds having a dance. . .I don't have that record, but his wife Lucinda Graham Pounds didn't leave the church until 1872 by a letter.
March 1865
William McKay opened with prayer. This rest is very hard to read since it was written in pencil:
Bro. Joseph Belew was chosen moderator pro-temp. The case of Brother Stephen P_____ taken up and was referred to a committee. The cases of Sisters Elizabeth McFry, Nancy Evans, Elizabeth Mothershead (crossed out), Brother Joseph_______ and W. F. Williams----the charge for all was for dancing. All of the named cases. . . . Sisters Catharine Frost, Margaret V. Lee, N. Pounds. . . .Committee to. . . .by order of the church. . .
The page above is easier to read, but I didn't copy it all and the handwriting. . .
. . .which was as full as the committee failed to see Brother Pounds those for the case. . . to next meeting. In the case of Sister McFry committee reported a_________ to come but failed therefore the case is referred to next meeting. In the case of Sister Hulsey. . . .sister to be excluded which was. . . .the case of Joseph Wideman and sister Carlin his wife---committee reports he did not do his duty. It was also referred to next meeting and a new committee to report the same in the case of W.F. Williams [crossed out] Joseph Brown [son of Mary "Polly" Graham] committee nor him being present the case was referred to the next meeting. In the case of Bro. Williams being present his case being called and explaining himself acknowledged to the charge but did not seem to express himself sorrow for what he'd done church therefore before his case to next meeting to give him time to meditate in one serious on the subject by request of Brother T. S. Pounds and acknowledgment of having him at a ball he was excluded by request.

May 1865. .. .The case of Elizabeth McFry charge having a ball at her house. She appearing and making proper acknowledgment was restored to full fellowship. Bro. Jacob Wideman and sister Carline Wideman charged with dancing from report of the committee. They was both excluded. Bro. Joseph Brown's case was referred to next meeting him nor committee neither attending. W. F. Williams was excluded for charge of dancing and failing to give satisfaction to the church. Sister Martha Evans case referred to next meeting. . . Malinda Drinen dismissed by letter. . .
p. 22 June 1865. . . The case of Mr. Joseph Brown charge dancing---he being present acknowledged the charge and expressed sorrow for the act and desire to remain in the the church and he was restored in full fellowship. The case of Sister Martha Evans charge dancing. She being present, she acknowledged the charge and also requested to be excluded from the fellowship of the church which was done. The business of calling the delinquent members would [be taken care of by] a committee: Robert Wilson, Joseph Brown, Lewis Partney, Lucinda Willey, Lucinda [Graham] Pounds and Catherine Frost.
July 1865. . .Brother Deacon L.H.Lee called as moderator. . .Brother R. Wilson reported as having cited Brother L. Cavet to attend church and obtained information with regards to Brother M. McDaniel the case of Bro. Couch continued to next meeting. Case of Bro. M. McDaniel discussed he being though hardly in his right mind. . .Bro. J. Brown reported as having cited Brothers Willy Scaggs, Michael Brinley, Noah Studard Jr, and S. Williams and Sister Sarah Scaggs. . .next meeting case of J.S.Manion [John Samuel Manion husband of Susan Graham] continued to next meeting. The changes to all of the above cases being habitual non-attendance. . .
August 1865. . .The case of Noah Studard taken up. He was excluded from the fellowship of the church for non-attendance and by request the other cases referred to the next meeting. . .Letter to the Association. . .appointed as delegates El. William McKee and Brother [I am not sure which of three James Pounds this could be since they all had connections to this church] and James PoundsRobert Wilson.

September 1865. . .The Church unanimously chose Elder James Cape as pastor for the next year. . .
Oct. 1865. . .James Cape pastor. . .Deacon John P. Lollar was appointed clerk pro tem.

Nothing really happened at the other meetings: James Cape pastor; C.E. Frost clerk.

Grimes Family

2010-07-25T10:00:00.005-05:00

1826 Inventory of John Grimes property

First, a refresher---the name Grimes and Graham are interchangeable. Read my earlier post or read this which is probably more than you ever wanted to know about the name Graham---but read the first paragraph, for sure. Here's another reference to the Graham/Grimes. And, DNA supports the connection---note there are 254 with the name Graham but only 204 applied under name Graham---the other 50 are with the name Grimes. Finally, John Grimes is referred to as John Graham in this court document (#11).The bottom of the document above names the heirs of John Grimes estate: William Grimes, John Grimes, James Grimes, Eleanor Herren [Hearn], Catherine Wright living in Kentucky, and Hannah Crow, Mary Carrico, Elizabeth Like, Armintha Houghland living in St. Louis County.

We have had many questions about William Graham that these documents on John Grimes and Mary Grimes found on a website with Missouri Judicial Records may answer (there are dozens of records which I have not reproduced under "Mary Grimes" and "John Grimes"). First, why did William Graham leave his wife and children in Jefferson County to settle in St. Louis County around 1828-1835? Why did he "sell" the farm and why was that document in his brother's probate file? Why is the Graham family so litigious when it comes to wills? (click on "wills" or "legal documents" to the left) What happened to his father John Graham who appeared to be affluent for early St. Louisians (his probate was not found under that name)? What is the relationship to the Carricos? Vincent was the administrator of John Graham's estate; John Graham was a witness to Jean Baptiste Carrico's burial---those are family roles. The document below is pivotal to answering a lot of these questions (double click to enlarge)

The Grimes family intermarried on several occasions with the Carricos. Daniel Carrico (one of the plantiffs in the law suit) was married to Mary Grimes (William Graham's sister). The other plantiff in the law suit was Abraham Like whose wife was another sister---Elizabeth Grimes. Jonathon Crow who was the administrator of John Grimes and Mary Grimes estates was married to another sister Hannah Grimes. The husband of the fourth St. Louis sister Armintha Grimes was also involved with the lawsuit---William Hougland.

I have to say the document above makes me pretty angry---for 1828, Abraham Like is charging $50 for 3 weeks of care for Mary Grimes? And $8 for a shroud? She was his wife's mother! It appears that the court agreed since some was "disallowed" and some was placed in 2nd class in 1830 (whatever that means)
I may not be a good judge of costs in 1828 St. Louis, though since I think the bill above for medicine is also too much. I'm very confused by this document---what is 82.81 1/2 ? My husband also notes that the earlier math was inaccurate---that should have totalled 28.25.

During the trial, Mary Grimes Carrico and Blanche Jenkins were called for the defense; the plantiffs called Charles Prewett, Cinderella/Lucinda Prewett and Sally Coll (Caugh). I'm not sure why, but the documents call these witnesses on the trial of Abraham Like not Daniel Carrico---maybe Daniel was cleared before the trial.
Despite the unlikelihood that there were two people with virtually the same name, whose wives have the same name, whose children have the same names who associated with the same families in North St. Louis County at the same time in the early 1800's, one of the Grimes descendants has assured me that her ancestor, John Grimes, Sr. was not in Missouri in the 1700's as was John Graham. I will keep these Grimes/Graham blogs up so other family historians can find the information and because these people are probably related.

Grimes Court Interrogation

2010-07-25T09:00:00.005-05:00

I'll try to transcribe the questions (above) and answers (below), but the answers are very hard to read. I'm putting them together rather than as separate documents. [Double click the documents to enlarge and zoom in---if you interpret any of this differently from me, please let me know---I welcome corrections]

Interrogation to Daniel Carrico and A [Abraham] Like.
1. Has any personal property of any description such as goods, chattels, money, debts, or exclusion of debts of the estate of John Grimes deceased come to your hands.
Answer: Yes
2. If so, state what articles and things, their numbers, value, to and what you have done with them, any of them.
Answer: iron frame bed, 2 ???, oxen, 2 or 3 knives, 8 forks, 3-4 teaspoons (copper and plate), 3 cups, dogirons. [for a better idea see the sales receipt below for probate court]
3. Did not you and Abraham Like soon after the death of Mary Grimes deceased the widow of John Grimes deceased take all the monies, goods, chattels, books, papers, or any evidence of debts of which she died ________ into __________.
Answer: He has the above---he took the _______ of Mary Grimes into his profession twas only after her death.
4. If so, name the articles of things taken by you, the quality and value and state what you have done with them or any of them.
Answer: John Brown bough a _______ other articles for $9.25. List of sale at the sale is correct that list dated October 18, 1828.
5. Then did you and Like make sale of the property of which Mary Grimes died _____ at public sale?
Answer: These was at sale
6. By what and whose authority was said sale made by you?
Answer: The sale was may by agreement amongst ourselves (no other authority)
7. For how much was said property sold?
Answer: _________ Ans:Like referred to for amount.
8. Have you collected any money due said sales and how much?
Answer: ________5.75 which I paid to Mr. Crow (ask ______________)
9. What have you done with the proceeds of said sales?
[no answer recorded]
10. Was not Mary Grimes deceased the widow of John Grimes deceased:
Answer: Mary Grimes was the widow of John Grimes
11. Did she not administer on the estate of John GRAHAM and take all of his personal property and effects into her hands as such administration and did she not sell a part of it a public sale on _______?
Answer: Affirmative
12. Did you not become a purchaser at said sale, if so what amount?
Answer: Yes, a cow and calf $4.50 paid to Mary Grimes.
13. Have you ever paid the bids [bills?] at same sale to any body?
[no answer recorded]
14. Did Mary Grimes ever make a final or any settlement of her administration amounts with the court?
Answer: I do not know and I don't think she did.
15. What amount of personal property and effects of the estate of John Grimes came to the _____ of Mary Grimes; how much did she sell of said property and how much remained ____ at the time of her death and what articles and _______?
Answer: Does not know. Kept ____________ cooking utensils
--How much money left in your hands at the time of Mary Grimes' death? answer about $48.
--And borrowed from Mr. Grimes $5.00 which remains unpaid. I collected $3 from Abner Ball from purchase he made at the sale. This sum I received after Mary Grimes' death.
--I have the skillet and bed bought at the sale.
Since most of the questions refer to the possessions and their sale, I include these probate documents because the answers are very hard to read.

These documents above and below show the sale of John and Mary Grimes possessions mostly to family members: Hoglen (Houghland?) Pete Caro/Carrico, Like, Crow, but also to neighbors (1830 St. Ferdinand census and other land documents) William Ellington, Jeremiah Ball, John Brown, Abner Ball, Charles Prewitt and Criswell. Some of the things listed, give me pause due to spelling "bead quilt"="bed quilt"; "wedding hoe"="weeding hoe". Some use old spellings like "looking glafs" That "f" is an old-fashioned "s". One that made me laugh was just me not reading it right "Lot of Logs $8.50" I thought, "wow, that's a lot for logs", and then realized it was "hogs" not "logs".
Read the next blog for Dwight's and my interpretation of the events.

Graham--Grimes

2010-07-24T13:00:00.008-05:00

It's no surprise to genealogists when researching a name to find variations in spelling. Sometimes a name changed spelling at immigration (Ludwig Reiter became Louis Reiter), sometimes ancestors changed it themselves (William Farncombe became William Reed), sometimes the family was illiterate and didn't know how the census taker wrote the name (Sallez became Silas), sometimes the family anglicized the name (Mueller became Miller) and sometimes the family just interchanged the names for whatever reason.

We have recently found documents for the Grimes family in St. Louis 1826-1833 that sure answer a lot of questions we have about our Graham family. Here is what we know: John Graham ("Grayham" in Maryland) married Mary McGowey (McGowley, McGauley, McCauley,so many spellings on that last name including McCoy), moved to Kentucky and ultimately to St. Louis, Missouri where he had a Spanish Land Grant in 1797. John Graham witnessed the burial of Jean Baptiste Carrico. Vincent Carrico was the administrator for John, Jr.'s estate. Carricos and Grahams were neighbors, but we suspected they were related since they had both come out of Maryland. See this blog to see how close the Carricos lived to the Grahams.

The Carricos were, indeed, related to the Grimes family---there were several marriages among the families which was very common among frontier families. Being an administrator and witness of a non-family member would have been uncommon especially among the Spanish Land grant families. Before I do a blog on the Grimes-Carricos, let me cite a few people on the Grimes/Graham name. One person was concerned because they had 67 marker match with someone named Grimes but their family name was Graham. Here are the responses of two people:Over the centuries...both language and speech impediments are at the root of the spelling difference(s). It is here...that phonetics very actively reared up. If you've ever listened to a solidly serious Celtic brogue....'GRAHAM' sounds like 'GRIME'. THEN....if one is referring to the "GRAHAM's"... the pronunciation comes up as....... "GRIME's". Also...I don't remember if [your DNA match] has Irish or Scot data ...but keep in mind that the English held the Courts. The Court Clerks were NOT native to Ireland or Scotland. In fact...most weren't even English. They were usually French or German...and they spelled as their language then dictated...per the phonetic sound they heard. At any rate...the Court Clerks spelled names any way that they felt like and at any given point in time.(I might add that in St. Louis in the early 1800's the clerks were usually French writing in English or Spanish, so the Clerk problem did exist in St. Louis, too.)

Someone else also responded to this "thread":

Grimes and Graham in Ireland have long been interchangeable, especially before about 1850. The Graham clan was originally Scottish. The Clan was one of the Riever (Raider) clans along the English-Scottish border in the 1400s and 1500s. When King James became king of the combined countries he set out to break the power of the Riever clans. The Grahams were defeated and rounded up and transplanted to Ireland around 1603 as part of the 'Plantation of Ireland'.In Ireland they eventually assumed the Grimes name. And when they snuck back into Scotland, they became Graham again. Some years ago the Australian Government compiled a list of Irish people who had been sentenced to the penal colonies in Australia and Tasmania.The compiled list was presented to the Irish Government by the Aussies. I forget the exact numbers but there were a few dozen Grahams,about half of whom had aliases of Grimes, and vice versa.Bill Grimes in Texas . Double click on the document above and you will see the names Carrico and Grimes and in #11 the name John Graham. If John and Mary Grimes (with a son named William) lived in North St. Louis County in the early 1800's and were friends with the Carricos, the chances are pretty good that they are the same people as John and Mary Graham (with a son named William) who lived in North St. Louis County in the early 1800's with friends named Carrico.

Bethlehem Baptist Members 1880's

2010-07-19T12:35:00.011-05:00

I'm working on the Bethlehem Baptist Church (Grubville, Mo) Records and found one more page of membership records---with my own great-great grandmother Catherine Brown Long. For more records spanning from 1860's-1930's, click here.
I'd known that she was buried in the Bethlehem Baptist Cemetery---this stone was placed by my grandfather Roy Long and his brother Clarence Long.
Double click to enlarge this, but I'll try to transcribe it. Some have partial death dates. At least one is repeated on another page: William G. Manion, James S. Williams, Lewis H. Lee, Joseph Brown, Catherine Long, Elizabeth Wideman, Michael McKay, Dennis Wilson, John P. Lollar, Silas M. McKay, Mary H. Manion, Nancy Wilson, Lucinda Wiley, Margaret Carrow, Elizabeth McKee, Sarah Wideman, Mildred Steel (dismissed by letter), Malinda Wilson, Febey C. Brown (Phoebe Evans Brown?), Elizabeth Balding, Martha Pounds, Margaret A. Lee, Malissa J. Brown, Eliza Wilson (colored), Alpha Whitsett, John S. McKay (dismissed by letter), Sophronia Miner, William Brown, Frances Lee, Mary F. Strickland.

Bethlehem Baptist Church members 1930-1934

2010-06-25T17:00:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry these records aren't exactly in order, but I wanted to get them done before July and have to scan 200 images to find the membership records. Both the image above and below are the same page, but I wanted to get in closer and photographed it twice. I'm actually related to at least 11 of these people.

Beginning Oct. 3, 1930: James Brown, Thelma Brown, Newton Eoff, James Wilson, Blanche Wilson, Sadie Wilson, Ida Wiley, Linda Drinen, Nettie Drinen, Martin Drinen, Ray Drinen, Russell Tove. 1932: Coen Reed, Mrs. Belle Eoff, Ruth Manion, Gladys Lee Hunt, Charles O. Lee, F. J. Whitsel, Vernon Lee, Margaret Montgomery, Ross Pillen, Mrs. Myrtle Pillen, Maud Lucas, Margaret Woods, Lola Brown, Mrs. H. L. Wilson. 1934: William Wiley and Julia Wiley apparently changed their minds and decided to go to Pilgrim's Rest Baptist Church in Ware, Mo. But, J.E. Brown did join the church by letter.

Bethlehem Baptist Members 1880-1890

2010-06-25T11:03:00.007-05:00

Elizabeth E. Reiter Manion (1867-1904), sister of my great-grandmother Mary Reiter Long.

For more about these church records got the Bethlehem Baptist blog which has 80 years of the church records that I was able to photograph.

Although there were no dates on this page, Caroline Valle is one of my relatives on the Tyrey-Reiter side of the family. She married Peter Charles Valle in 1860 and died in 1910, so the above page is somewhere in between: Miss Ellen Baldwin, Mrs. Caroline Valle, Miss Mary Jane Mothershead, Mrs. Clara Davis.
As you can see some of these pages are in poor condition, but we can see that the years are 1880 and 1881: Jane Rettger, Stephen Pounds, Reuben Chapman, Mrs. Amanda Turley, Mrs. Martha Bittick, Mrs. Louisa Reider (my great-great grandmother?), Mrs. Mary Johnson, Price McKay, Price Carrow, Robert McKay, James McKay, Martha J. Carrow, Bertha Johns, Milly Whitworth, George Evans, B. H. Hunt,
The page above has many of the same names, but some have death dates, so I'll repeat those: Stephen Pounds (d. 1890) Amanda Turley (d. 1892), Bertha Johns (d. July 20, 1892), Sarah Thomas, J.P. Lollar (d. 1889), David Perkins, Simon Chapman (d. 1885), John P. McKay, William Lewis, Selicia Tyra (my g-g-g-grandmother, but her name was Celicia Kilpatrick Tyrey d. 1889), Ann Bailey, James Huskey, Jane Lewis, Elen Nevels, Margaret Wilson (d. 1893), Elizabeth McKay (d. 1895)
I'm going to correct some of the spellings on this one: Jacob Edsell, Louis Powers, Victoria Wilson, Mary Ann ? Williams, Betty Riter (now Manion 1892) [Elizabeth Reiter], Melvina Graham, Annie Perkins (now Mc Kee), Louis Retcher, John F. Wade (departed 1891), Jane Wade, William Brown, Siner ?? McKee (now Manion), Mary F. Williams (excluded for dancing), Martha Whitworth, Emily Pilant, Annie J. Graham, William Pounds (restored), Silas Whitworth, Thomas R. Eoff, Samuel L. Medley, Elen E. Huskey, Rose Wideman, Susan E. Partney, Mary McCulloch, Willis Beavers, Winny M. Wilson, -inas Ogle, Louis Reiter [this is probably the son who moved to Montana], A-----------
1887: Mary Willson, William Alvord, Mary Alvord, Emily McKay, Margaret Montgomery, Mack Powers, James McKay, Lula McKay (1889), John Brown, Sr., Oley Wilson, Thomas Montgomery, James Bouyer (Boyer?), Willies Reynolds, Martha V. Carrow, Anna Hulsey, Emily Manion, Mary McCulloch, Fannie Williams, Mary Perkins, George Davis, Clara Davis, Ella M. Lee (1890), Amanda Reevers, Mary Pruett.
Again this one is repeating many that can be found here. I'll repeat these names since it's on a different page though: 1890---L.L.Wilson, Alice Wilson, Louis Adams, Thomas Williams, Mollie Pruit, Lucinda Huskey, William Powers, Freemont Pounds, Wisley Pierce, W. Riley Williams, Eveline Williams, Clinton Manion, Susan Bruinn, E.N.Ladd, Y.U. Williams, Virginia Pounds, Eliza Caviness, Ferdinan Gache, ---rea McKane [Area McKean], Laura Wilson 1898, Charles Evans, J.G (?) McCulloch, Vincen Paury (what are the odds that his name is hard to decipher on both documents), Billie Montgomery, Billie Thompson, Rosie Williams, Newton Eoff (reinstated), James L. Wideman.

Bethlehem Baptist Church Membership 1864-186?

2010-06-23T20:00:00.006-05:00

Jackson J. Carrow d. 1889

These are the oldest of the Bethlehem Baptist Church records that Ada had. Bethlehem Baptist is still in a rural part of Jefferson County near Grubville, Mo. For 80 years of these records, go to the Bethlehem Baptist Blog. Double click to enlarge for more information: Mary Ann Manion, Margaret Wilson (now Lee), Nancy Ann McKeen(?), Margaret Pounds died Oct. 1877, Lucinda Pounds, Emily Baker, Margaret Ann Williams died March 24, 1878, Elizabeth Brinley, Nancy Wilson, Missouri Hamilton (now Eoff), Martha Ann Whitesett, Lucindy Herrington, Hariet Graham, Sarah M. Moggers, Henriett W. Maggers, Miley Ann Meledy, Olivia Mayfield died Oc. 5, 1877, Onliene Beeler, Letty Widman A. Blackmann died Aug. 1878, Caroline Widman, Margaret Lee now Frost, Margaret Carrow, Elizabeth McKee, Sarah Widemann, Malinda Wideman.
As hard as it might be to believe this, separate records were kept for men and women. I thought, "did only women go to the church" when I transcribed the first page and then, I found this page---all men: W. Williams, John Herrington, George H. Frost, William Davis, Midleton (?) McDaniel died July 1873, John W. Nappier 1864 dead, Jackson Carrow departed this life Nov. 22, 1881, Michael McKay, Dennis Wilson, Sallomon B. Wilson, William Jasper Frost, Rabin S. Huskey, Noah Studam, E.F. Frost, Robert Balenike, Robert Wilson, Silas M. Herrington, ??? Parkes, Wm. P. Frost, P------ Wideman died April 1, William W. Hocking, Thomas Eoff baptised Oct. 21 1866 dead, Thomas Eoff died Jan. 21, 1879
"Illegally drawing out of the church" does NOT mean stealing from the church which I first thought, but rather they left the church without a letter of transfer. Some of the names are very hard to read---I welcome suggestions and corrections. The page above is also "the ladies": Docia McFry, Catharine Long (Catherine Brown Long, my great-great grandmother), Elizabeth Wideman, Matilda Lee died November 5, 1876, Mary Ranicagan???, Unity Evans died March 1883, Adline Wilson, Catharine Frost, Adline McKay, Elizabeth McKay, Ellen Dallushy??, Margaret Lee, Nancy Graham, Jane Wine (now McKane), Susan Manion departed the life Aug. 28, 1880, Mahalla Frost, Catharine Brinley, Sarah Scaggs, Elizabeth Graham, Elizabeth Brown, Ruth Evans died Sept. 1877, Sarah Evans, Lucinda Frost, Levi (?) Partney.

Finally, the men's membership: James Pounds died Apr. 8, 1866, George McFry, Thomas S. Pounds, James Evans died Oct. 31, 1865, John Evans, James A. Wideman, William McKay, Christopher Frost, Michael Brinley, Wesley Scaggs, Lewis Partney, Leonard Couch, Stephen Pounds, Thompson Brown, Efram Evans, --------Wideman, Jr, William G. Manion, Lewis H. Lee, William Hanney, Joseph Brown, James M. Pounds.

Bethlehem Baptist Membership 1909-1929

2010-06-21T13:50:00.003-05:00

Many of the people in this photo are members of the Bethlehem Baptist Church. Click here to see the entire photo. Click here for all 80 years of the Bethlehem Baptist records. Please contact Jaclyn Morgan if you can identify any of these people.

Double click on these membership rolls to see when and how these people joined or left Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville, Missouri: Ada Brown, Cittie Perkins, Hettie Pruet, Price Carrow, mack Perkins, John Drinnen, Ben Washburn ("gone to Holy Rollers"), Nellie Adams (now Green), Jennie Wilson (now Adams), Cintha Carrow, Daisy Wilson (now Eaton), Otta Frost, Thomas Reed, John McKee, Annie McKee, Blanch Miller (now McDowell), Mary Eoff, Ella Sterling, Roy Perkins, Mrs. Fannie Lee, Mrs. Nettie Prewitt, Coral Lee (now Adir?), Miss Lee Carrow (Clover?), Miss Betha Prewitt, Miss Carry Aders, Charles Henry, Ed Reiter (died May 20, 1925), Mary Lee.

This page is 1911-1920: Otto Carrow, Pery Miller, Frank Wilson, Margie Wideman (now Carrow), Myrtle Wideman, James Adams, John P. McKay, Elizabeth McKay, Gladys Lee (Hart), Gladys Wilson (now Long), John Wilson, William Wilson, E.F. Wilson, Howard Miller, Ruth Hensing, Pearl Miller, Thelma Miller, Floyde Miller, Ada Lee (now Henry), Bertha Eoff, Elsie Harness (now Manion), Gertrude Williams, Myrtle Williams, Robert McKay, Lazetta McKay, Woodrow McKay, Walter Adams

Bethlehem Baptist Membership 1896-1908

2010-06-20T08:10:00.013-05:00

Marion F Manion 1840-1903 [son of Susan Graham and John Samuel Manion] Mary Ann [Simpson], his wife 1847-1888

Mary Ann [Pounds] Manion Born Dec. 2, 1834 Died June 12, 1894

Thomas Jefferson [Manion] Husb. of Mary Manion Born June 18, 1831 Died Feb. 9, 1903

Many of these people never left Bethlehem---they are still in the cemetery. I hope that someone gets some information out of these records---I'm doing my best to spell the names correctly, but if you have any corrections or comments, leave them in the comments section or "contact" Jaclyn Morgan. Double click to see when and how they joined or left the church. For the entire 80 years of records, click here. This membership listing begins with June 1896.

James Wideman by E and B [Experience and Baptism], Martha Bittick died 1926, America Montgomery, Lillie Perkins, J. W. Bittick, J.A. Adamas, Ella B. Williams (now Bittick), Millie Wilson (now Balou?), Berta Perkins (now Ricke), Bettie Perkins (now Tepee), Anna Perkins (now Coleman), Marion Manion, John L. Manion and wife, James Bittick, Thomas Manion, Josephine (Manion) Powers, Lucy Williams, Lucy Reed, Ed Johns, Carrie Wilson (now Manion), John Frost, Katie Adams (now Henry), Myra McKay, Harrison G. Hulsey, Carrie Wilson, Amanda [Reiter] Ingalls, Myrtle McKay, Anna C. Bittick (now Maness), Ray McKay.
These records are mostly for 1908: Geo. Buoy, Harry Bruns [married Cenith Catherine Long], Geo Hensen, L. Preston Williams, Ethel Harrison, Verna Harrison, Verda Wilson, Inez Lee (now Reed), Ben Miller, Mike Whitworth, Henen Wilson, Milton Wilson, John Ogle, Ed Wilson, Silas Lewis, Mrs. Minnie Johns, Lulu Thornhill (now Williams), Maud Williams, Hazel Wilson (now Drinnen), Mertha Williams, Mrs. Mary Whitworth, Jennie Bittick, Maud Perkins, Flora Frost (now Adams), Lora Reed, Flora Frost [sic], Mrs. Maggie Williams, Ed Johns [sic].

Bethlehem Baptist Membership 1890-1895

2010-06-19T21:00:00.006-05:00

Cousin Rick took me to Ada's house near Grubville, MO to see some old records of Bethlehem Baptist Church that had been found in an attic. Longs, Browns, Grahams, Tyreys and Reiters were all members of this church. The cemetery has my great-grandmother Mary Reiter McKee Long and four great-great grandparents: Milton Long, Catherine Brown, Liza Louisa Tyrey, Louis Reiter.
I was pretty excited about seeing some of the membership lists. Double click to enlarge to read when and how they joined or left the church. Here are the names from 1890's: Alice Wilson, Louis Adams, Mary C. Adams, Freemont Pounds, Wm. Powers, Clinton Manion, Susan Bruinn, H. W. Williams, Virginia A. Pounds, Eliza Caviness, Hugh McKeane, Laura Wilson, Charles Evans, Vincent Pauthy (Phenty?) and wife, Newton Eoff, James Wideman, George W. Harrison, Dexter L. P. Williams, Fannie Williams, Lou Harrison, George Davis, ?????, Caroline Brown, Winnie Manion, Eliza Wilson (colored), Lila Whitworth, Martha Whitworth.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the date photographed, but think it's 1895. Here are the names listed: Mary A. Manion, Nancy Wilson, Malinda Wilson, Phebe Brown, Martha Pounds, Malisa Brown, Frances Lee, Clara Eoff, Silas Pounds, Ardell Dickey, Martha Huskey, Robert McKay, Annie McKay, J.P. McKay, John Lee, Bertha Wilson, William Alvoid, Wm. and Anna Hulsey, John Dickie, Ellen Sterling (now Cowen), Mary Wilson (now Huskey), ????, Margaret Carrow, Jennie Brown, Effie Carrow, Mrs. Margaret Carrow, Mary E. Perkins, J.L. Perkins, Frona (?) Perkins.

I have now devoted an entire blog to the 80 years of records which I photographed. Click here for Bethlehem Baptist Church records.

Maupins in Woodlawn Cemetery

2010-06-15T19:32:00.008-05:00

My cousins Kathleen and Stephen along with our uncle Ron (above) accompanied me to DeSoto, Missouri to find the graves of our relatives.Fortunately, Kathy knew exactly where they were since she had accompanied her dad each year.
Henry W. Maupin (1861-1930) and Annie E [Reed] Maupin (1866-1944) were Kathy, Steve and my great-grandparents, Ron's grandparents. All of these stones are for their children and grandchildren. I don't know where Mamie Maupin Wilson (b. 1894) is buried, but it's probably in St. Louis where I remember visiting her and her husband Leo. Grace Maupin McKay (1900-1991) died in California---her husband Harvey was Hal McKay's uncle. I don't think I ever met her, but my parents visited her in California.

Harry E. Maupin (1889-1978) was the oldest child to live to adulthood and his wife Minerva (1895-1987). I visited them often as a child---it wasn't my favorite place to go since they didn't have indoor plumbing.
They had three children: Charles (whom I knew very well), Marie (whom I don't remember at all) and Betty (above) who was one of my favorite relatives---always sunny and smiling. I'd never thought that her name was Elizabeth (1921-1995) which was Annie Maupin's middle name. I don't really remember her husband Paul Pope (1917-1990).
We always visited Mattie and Hal when we went to De Soto. They had 9 children who lived to maturity---I loved all of them I knew---always laughing, relaxed, joking.
Buried with them was their oldest living son Henry Silas McKay (1911-1999) whom I didn't really know. Their other children were Bob, Maybelle, "Junior, Jack, Martha, Norman "Herbie", and Jerry. I have done other blogs on Bob, Junior, Martha and Jerry.

This is the stone of Albert Maupin (1895-1945)who was in the Depot Brigade in World War I. Albert never married and was disabled after falling off a train (he had been a brakeman). He often lived with my grandparents Vivian and Roy Long.

My grandmother, Vivian Idele [Maupin] Long (1899-1951) and grandfather . . .

Roy M.Long (1894-1973).

Steve and Ron had brought flowers for their graves.

I was very close with Walter Maupin (1908-1965) and Maxine Huskey Maupin (1917-1993). I even would stay with them in their big house on Main Street.
At that time, they had just one child "Jimmy" (1939-1980), but later had Frances (below) who died at birth and two children who are still living---Johnny and Suzanne.
Although it was sad visiting with so many people I've loved, it was great being with people I still love.

Bethlehem Cemetery

2010-06-13T19:05:00.011-05:00

My cousins Kathy, Steve and I visited Bethlehem Cemetery. Kathy is pointing out Louis Reiter our g-g grandfather---his stone is barely readable. Thank goodness it was next to his wife's Eliza E. (Tyrey) Reiter.
Newer ones were very nice like Joseph (1903) and Gladys Long (1904). Joseph was Jeptha Long's son and first cousin to our grandfather Roy Long.
Leo Long (1925-1981) and Anna Lee (1926-1986) was Joe and Gladys's son and his wife.
Fred Reiter (1874-1945) and Rose M. Bruns (1886-1954) were Roy Long's uncle and aunt. Fred's sister was our g-grandmother Mary Reiter Long.
Almost everyone in the cemetery is related to us. Dr. Milton Harbison and Amanda Graham Harbison are distant cousins.
These are Browns who are also distant cousins (our great-great grandmother was Catherine Caroline Brown)
Margaret Brown was Thomas and Jeptha Long's cousin. I believe she never married and lived with the Jeptha Longs until her death.
The Reabans are also cousins through the Harbisons and Grahams.
Julius Valle (1859-1947) and Betty E. Jones Valle (1863-1904). Julius is Eliza Tyrey Reiter's nephew---son of Caroline Tyrey Valle.
Vincent P 1869- 1953 and Annie J. Phenty 1876-1935. Annie was Mary Reiter Long's sister.
Amanda Ingalls born 17 March 1872, was also one of Mary Reiter Long's sisters.
Eliza E. Reiter born April 1, 1846 Died Oct. 29, 1906 Aged 60. Eliza Tyrey Reiter was my g-g grandmother married to Louis Reiter.
James Pounds born Feb. 24, 1794. He helped raise my g-g grandfather Milton Long.
Some were very hard to read. I think this is one of William Kane Graham's wives---Elizabeth. (he married two cousins named Elizabeth, and they are both buried in this cemetery---Elizabeth Long and Elizabeth Pounds)
William Graham died April 13, 1880 Aged 51 yrs. 6 m's 1 d'y---this is William Kane Graham brother of my g-g-g grandmother Mary "Polly" Graham Brown.
Milton and Catherine (Brown) Long died Jan. 7, 1894---obviously a new stone for my g-g grandparents
Madison Graham died Apr. 25, 1882. Aged 67 Yrs. He was also the brother of my g-g-g grandmother Mary "Polly" Graham Brown.

Grover's Books

2010-05-23T09:20:00.001-05:00

Grover gave us this book many years ago . . .
Then, he borrowed it back, re-read it all again, but I think he added some post-it notes and highlighting.
Often while working in genealogy, I wonder. . . "but, what did he think . . what were her values. . . why did they do that?" With Grover's post-it notes and highlighting, we pretty well know his values and beliefs.
We know what he read. . .

We know how he would have felt about Democrats . . .
Proverbs he thought were good. . .
He would not have been a fan of "Big Government". . .
He was a child of the Depression. . .
A romantic,
And he loved our dog!

This one really puzzles me since he had no daughters, but he did have four granddaughters that had him wrapped around their little fingers.
These granddaughter wanted a special pose for their grandfather. . .
They called themselves "Granddad's Angels". . .I'm not sure that was the kind of "angelic" he thought they were.
Happy Birthday, Grover---we miss you.

Appendicitis and Harry Smith's Family

2010-05-21T10:00:00.003-05:00

My father-in-law Grover told me several stories about his uncle, Harry Smith, pictured above with his sister Ellice Smith Morgan and his wife "Pawdy" Smith in 1961. Harry's family moved around with the Morgans a lot so Grover knew them pretty well. Harry was not with the coal mines, though, but was a meat cutter.

Harry and Pawdy had four children: Robert, Thelma, Gladys and Ruth. Only two lived to adulthood---Robert and Thelma. Gladys died of appendicitis before she was 21 years old. Grover didn't have too many details about that but he did for Harry and Pawdy's appendicitis.

Around 1922-1923, Harry had appendicitis when they lived in Landville, WV. He was packed in ice and taken to the hospital the next day. Although it's not in my notes, I seem to recall it was in a bathtub. I'm amazed that was done since that is what is done today with spinal injuries and is considered a break through.

His wife Pawdy also had appendicitis in the late 1920's. Apparently, they were living in Kimball, West Virginia (or nearby---I know Morgans lived in Big Four) at the time because she was operated on by a black surgeon in a black hospital which was over a store. I googled it and found this about the Kimball Colored Hospital. I don't think the timing was right that Dr. Roscoe Harrison would have been her surgeon, but it did verify Grover's story that there was "colored" hospital in Kimball.
One of the reasons I'm doing this blog is because all of the stories from our parents are written down on whatever was handy. This was on the back of an envelope which is nice because it's dated 04 August 1999 :-)

Charlie Smith's Family

2010-05-19T13:41:00.008-05:00

L-R Anna Brown Smith, Arnold Smith, Carrie Cornwall Smith, Glenn Smith, Eddie Smith (little), "Grandma" Cornwall, 1922

The family above is Charlie Smith's wife, sons, mother and mother-in-law. Charlie was Ellice Smith Morgan's oldest brother. Charlie, like many in West Virginia/Kentucky was a miner. In 1920, they were in Colorado. By the 1930 census, Charlie and his family were in Riverside, California where he is listed as a "decorator" (painter, wallpaper hanger). My father-in-law's family went West in 1929 to visit with this family and thought they might like to settle west, but they came back to West Virginia. Click here for more about that trip.

L-R: Glenn Smith, Paul Morgan, Grover Morgan, 1983

However, the Morgans maintained close ties with their California cousins, so Grover and his brother Paul often visited with their cousin Glenn Smith.
Glenn and his wife Lucy often traveled with my in-laws Grover and Eloise Morgan to Las Vegas and Arizona where Glenn's brother lived.

Double click on the postcard above to read what Lucy had to say.
This is a photo of Ellice Smith Morgan with her older brother Charles E. Smith. I'm guessing it was made in 1960's but we aren't sure where it was made since she was in Florida and he was in California.
Charlie might have even come east for his son Arnold's funeral---I found this letter to my in-laws.

Lydia Graham Olds

2010-05-06T20:00:00.002-05:00

David brought me a document about Lydia Graham Olds (above), William Graham and Margaret McCarroll's granddaughter written by Warren Snider (her grandson):

Lydia Graham was born on January 10, 1848 in Waddoms Grove, in northern Illinois. Her father, Theodore Graham, had gone to California to the Gold Rush just months before she was born. When he returned home two years later, he had enough money to buy an 80-acre farm and a team of horses.

My grandmother, Lydia Graham (Olds) told the story that she was playing in the yard when her father came home from California. He picked up his little two year old daughter, and when he kissed her she cried.

I remember two other stories my grandmother told. When she was six years of age, one day the teacher dismissed the children at 11:00 A.M. because she was very ill. That night the teacher died of cholera. The other story is of hearing about the beginning of the Civil War. The family had gone on a picnic at Sweet Home, near Warren, Illinois. Two men came riding by on horseback and told them of the Battle of Bull Run. This was in 1861.

Kingsley E. Olds served for four years as a volunteer in the Illinois 45th Infantry in the Union Army during the Civil War. He returned home to his home on a farm south of Warren, Illinois in 1864. Shortly afterward he married Lydia Graham, and they moved to a farm in southern Wisconsin. Many years later they moved into the town of Warren, Illinois, where Kingsley Olds died two years later in 1907.

Carrie Olds, the oldest daughter of Kingsley and Lydia Olds was born in southern Wisconsin on May 18, 1865. During the twelve years three other daughters were born. Emma and Ella married brothers and moved to Primghar, Iowa. Lottie attended Warren Academy and later moved to Van Buren, Missouri in 1909.

Carrie attended Warren Academy and another school in Dixon, Illinois and taught school for ten years. She married Edward M. Snider in 1900. four sons were born to Edward and Carrie Snider. Herbert and Ed were born in 1901 and 1902 on the Sllothawer place in southern Wisconsin. I, Warren, was bron on a farm near Laddonia, Missouri in 1904. After two years in Missouri, the family moved back to Warren, Illinois, where Joe was born in 1906.

We then moved to Winthrop, Iowa and lived on three farms, the Carpenter Place, the Murley Place , and the Scheidler Place. In 1910 we moved to Lawrence, Michigan, where my father bought the only farm he ever owned. My father was killed by lightning on that farm in 1912.

After my father's death, Carrie Snider and her four boys went to Van Buren, Missouri to live with her sister Lottie Olds. Two years later my mother died. The boys stayed in Van Buren with Lottie until they were ready to leave home to go on to other pursuits, college, marriage, jobs.

For several years Graandma Olds kept her home in Warren, Illinois. She received a Civil War pension until her death. She spent the summer months in her home in Warren and the winter months in Van Buren with Lottie and the Snider boys. She died at the age of 97 in Van Buren while Warren was in Okinawas and Joe was in Europe during World War II.

Dancing in Heaven

2010-05-02T14:30:00.002-05:00

This year I've been very fortunate to meet 3 cousins I'd never met before---all of them are pretty distant---even my parents had never met them. We met through genealogy, we got to know each other better through Facebook---I love the internet and the relationships that can be formed.

My sister says I'll have quite a fan club when I get to heaven, but I prefer seeing this image of ancestors high-fiving each other whenever I meet one of these distant cousins.
I met Ricky in Arkansas this Spring. Our relationship is a bit complicated because My great grandfather is the brother of his grandfather AND my great grandmother is a first cousin of his grandmother. So, we're a little closer that 3rd cousins once removed.
But can't you see our mutual ancestors (on the Wicker side) high-fiving. Above is Virginia Sampson (my g-g grandmother and Rick's g-grandmother).
And, this is John Wicker (my g-g grandfather and Rick's g-grandfather).
A few days later, while on vacation in Alabama, I met up with Catherine. Her mother Claudia below. . .
Is first cousins with my grandmother Vivian (below) making us 3rd cousins once removed also.
This weekend, I met up with Steven---we don't know how we're related but his DNA matches my brother's 67 out of 67 markers. We have an 89.97 % chance of being related within 6 generations.
So, ancestors that lived back in Virginia (see below) are high-fiving that we have met. I chose this place for a photo to show the photos of my daughters, parents and grandchildren to reflect the circle of life.

Or, maybe. . .our ancestors are really having a circle dance. Each time I meet another cousin, the circle gets larger. . . Hey, I think I really like that image.