Frumet and Big River

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 their 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.

The Quest to Find William Graham's Land

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.

Uncle Ron

Dad only had one brother---20 years younger than he was. (There had been another boy named Milton but he died shortly as a baby. ) 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

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

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

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.