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.

Bethlehem Baptist Church Minutes 1871-1872

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

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.

Bethlehem Baptist Church Minutes 1868

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.

Bethlehem Baptist Minutes 1866-1867

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.

Bethlehem Baptist Minutes 1864-1865

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.

Bethlehem Baptist Members 1880's

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

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 Church Membership 1864-186?

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 1890-1895

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.

Bethlehem Cemetery

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.

Defendants to Graham Lawsuit

Several Graham descendants and spouses are in this photo. The woman in a dark dress with no hat and white hair is Mary Wilson Trimble (granddaughter of Mary "Polly" Graham). The woman in the white dress with big white hat is Bertha Graham Wilson (granddaughter of William Kane Graham).

There are over 200 defendants for the lawsuit fighting Adeline Graham Wilson's will---I'm going to try to identify as many of them as possible by which of Adeline's siblings they descend from. Since many of them weren't named in the will, I don't really understand why they were defendants, but I'm listing these purely for genealogical reasons. For those named in the will, click here. For information on the lawsuit and the plaintiffs, click here. PLEASE, contact me if you have any corrections.

William Graham's Will

William and Margaret Graham are perhaps my most interesting ancestors (4 greats). They are Catherine Caroline Brown Long's (Milton's wife) grandparents. Their daughter (Catherine's mother)was Mary (Polly) Graham Brown who was born in Missouri around 1811.

Originally they were just names, but I gradually began to realize that almost everyone with Jefferson County pioneer blood is related to them (some, like cousin Rick, is related to them three or four ways). Although we aren't sure where they came from, they were definitely early settlers since Missouri wasn't a state until 1821.

At first, we thought William had died before 1830 because Margaret is the head of the household in the census (above). But, then we found William's will dated 1835:

Milton Long and Catherine Brown's children

Jeptha Long and Frances Johnson

I recently had lunch with my 2nd cousin once removed (her grandfather and my great-grandfather were brothers) who brought a wedding photo of her grandparents which I'd never seen. Thank you Kay for sharing the above photo of Jeptha Long and Frances Johnson.

Milton Long and Catherine Brown

Click here for more information on Milton and here for more information on Catherine. They had 8 children most of whom I have photos for. Besides Jeptha Long (pictured above) they had Milton Martin Long, Nora Long Couch, Sarah Jane Long Maness, Susan Long Wallace, Mary Evaline Long Hughes, James C. Long and my great-grandfather Thomas Henry Long.
Pictured above are Susan Long and Thomas Wallace.
This is Milton Martin Long and Hettie Williams.
Above is my great-grandfather Thomas Henry Long with his oldest children: standing are Este Long, Alfred Long and Katie Long Bruns. Seated on T.H.'s lap is Lecy Long Guinther and to his right is Clarence Long. On Mary Reiter Long's lap is Lawrence Long and on the ground with a skeptical face is my grandfather Roy Long.
The only other photo I have of Milton's children is the one above and below from the 1931 family reunion photo. Thomas H. Long, Jeptha Long, Sarah Jane Long Maness (1859-1945), Lenorah (Nora) Long Couch (1861-1942) and Susan Long Wallace (1858-1941)
The only ones whom I don't have photos of are Mary Evaline Long Hughes and James C. Long.

Catherine Brown Long

Milton Long and Catherine Brown Long

Catherine Brown Long was my great-great grandmother---Thomas Henry Long's mother (her other children were Jeptha Long , Milton Martin Long, Nora Long Couch, Sarah Jane Long Maness, Susan Long Wallace, Mary Evaline Long Hughes, and James C. Long). This page of the 1898 Atlas has Maness, Couch, Long, Brown, Graham farms---they sure didn't go far to find spouses back then, did they?
Catherine Caroline Brown Long was the daughter of Henry G. Brown and Mary Polly Graham---both names are "old" Jefferson County names. Henry G. Brown was apparently the constable of the Big River Township (click here to see---on the document with guardianship of Thomas's children)