Obituaries from G.E. Graham Bible

The obituary above is for Ephraim Graham (1882-1935) who was married to Myrta Kizzire who boren him one son Loren Graham. After his wife died, he married Ethel DeRock.(double-click to enlarge the obituaries) This does name his grandchildren: Thomas Edward Graham, Patricia Louzanne Graham and Ronald Eldon Graham.

G. E. Graham Family Bible

David (whose wife is a Graham descendant) went to a genealogical bulletin board and started corresponding with a gentleman who had recently purchased a Bible at a garage sale in Arizona.
We aren't sure how the Bible made it to Arizona or why it would be sold in a garage sale but it had belonged to someone in the George Erastus Graham family.

Graham Family, Early Settlers, Part III

Theodore Graham, uncle of Charles W. Graham and half-brother of Thomas Jefferson Graham was born in Jefferson County, Missouri. His mother died at his birth. As a lad, he joined his brother Thomas J. to Waddam Grove. As already stated, he went to California in 1849 searching gold. He returned to Warren in 1851 and exchanged some of his gold for 80 acres of land two miles southwest of Warren where he built his home. The place now in 1922 is occupied by the Papoon brothers. Theodore Graham married Alethea Tucker, daughter of Benjamin Tucker. He was born in Virginia in 1796. Benjamin's wife was his cousin, Elizabeth Tucker. The Tuckers lived in Adams Co. Ohio and in 1836 moved in near Waddams Groves, their farm being, however in Stephenson Co, Ill. The four children of Tuckers were: Alethea who married Theodore Graham and she was born Aug. 16, 1819 and died May 18, 1876. Jesse, born in 1822, died in 1876, Delia (Ibbie?) who married Josephus Cooper and lived at Mason City, Iowa; and John Tucker who lived in Kansas.

Ten children blessed the union of Theodore Graham and Alethia Tucker. William Harrison Graham, the 1st child was born at Waddams Grove on Jan 2, 1842 and died Lamoni, Iowa. He married Melvina Baird. Their daughter Allie married Wm. Smith.

Graham Family, Early Settlers, Part II

Charles William Graham

Charles William Graham, the first child of Thomas J. by his first marriage to Mary Ann Gilmore was born at Morris [Morse] Mill, MO on May 21, 1834 and died in Warren on Dec. 17, 1917. He came to Jo Daviess Co. in 1837. Warren was the trading center and his post office from 1847 when Fredman A Tisdale opened up the office until his death in 1927 except for a short time when he lived near Lena.

When Charles W. Graham was a lad of station, he left Millville on April 14 1850 with his uncle Theodore Graham, John Baker and Isom Atkinson in a 4 horse covered wagon for the California gold fields. They crossed the Mississippi at Savanna, Illinois and joined a west bound caravan. On October 27 1850, they reached Georgetown, California. The route was around Council Bluffs, up the Platte to Ft. Laramie thence up the North Fork of the Platte and along the Sweet Water River through Devil's Gate thence coming the Bear River and on in to Salt Lake. They crossed the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming on June 17th and followed the Humboldt River until it spread out over the sands and disappeared. The trip of 41 miles over the Humboldt Desert [for photos, click here If this looks like something you might want to try, click here.] was negotiated. . .

Graham Family, Early Settlers Part I

Leota, a descendant of Theodore Graham sent me the following newspaper article about Thomas Jefferson Graham and Theodore. It's very hard to read so I'm transcribing it---parts may be too unreadable, so bear with me. The dates are exceptionally hard to read because I can't guess. There's no date on the article, but I'm guessing sometime in the 1920's because of the ads with stockings and Velveeta cheese. HA! I found in the text that it's 1932!

As with many of these biographies, there may be some inaccurate statements. Grandchildren of the parties were probably interviewed and the stories might not have been remembered correctly, but. . .there is undoubtedly a great deal of truth here.

The Warren Sentinel Leader Warren, Illinois
"Graham Family, Early Settlers"

Thomas Jefferson Graham

William Graham was born in Virginia and went to Kentucky at an early age. He first married Margaret McCarroll. He was the father of six daughters and five sons. Of his sons, Thomas Jefferson Graham, the 4th child and his half-brother Theodore Graham, the eleventh child became early settlers near and in Warren. The father moved from Kentucky into Missouri where he died.

Thomas Jefferson Graham was born in Kentucky in 1808 and came from Missouri in Millville, Jo Daviess Co. Ill in 1827 were he secured two sections of land in exchage for a drove of cattle which he had brought from Missouri. He took Thomas and George W. Wiley into partnership for a short time in this land deal as noted in the Wiley "warm up" in the Sentinel Leader of March 9, 1????. Graham remained on his property for six years and then returned to Missouri and married Mary Ann Gilmore, the "beauty of Richwoods." He remained in Missouri until 1837 his children being born. The eldest child Charles William Graham was born at Morris Mill [Morse Mill], Mo. on Mar 31 1834 and the youngest was Mary Ann Graham whose birth in June 1835, the mother did not survive. This daughter married Benjamin Miles and lived in Gratiot Township[Wisconsin] over the line from Warren, Ill.

In 1836, Thomas Jefferson Graham married Margaret AuHavre Juneau as a second wife and brought his family to Jo Daviess Co. in 1837 and bought two farms at Waddam's Grove. In 1844 he moved into his Millville holdings. In about 1850 he moved into Warren and engaged in teaming from there to Galena, etc. before the construction of the railroad. He, also, was a partner with Arnold in the meat business in Warren before John W. Bedford became Arnold's sole partner in 1858.

Thomas Jefferson Graham continued to live in Warren until 1865 when he moved to Salem, Nebr. and later into 1864 and was with Daniel Clark Allen and Manley Rogers on the first board of elders.

Thomas Jefferson Graham had twelve children by his second wife, they being----

Sarah Graham, the first child born in Jefferson Co. Mo married Charles Smith, a widower. Smith's first wife had died of cholera in Warren in 1854. The Smiths moved to Salem Nebr. where both died. their daughter Belle, first married a Mr. Wesley and later Charles Stewart. She is a widow living in Lincoln Nebr. Another daughter Ann Smith married Wm Wertz and resides in Omaha now in 1932.

The next children of Thos. J. Graham by his second marriage were Ary who died in 1840, aged 3 1/2 years and an infant who died in 1846 and Laura who was born in Millville in Nov. 1849 and died in Warren in Jan. 13, 1853.

Ambrose Graham, Thomas J's 4th child by his second marriage, lived in Salem, Nebr. His widow who was Kate Malone who resides in Dawson, Nebraska. His daughter Stella is a Mrs. Vandivort of Salem and another is Bessie Rash, living in Salem, Nebr.

Edward and George Graham, twins, were born while Thomas J. Graham was in Waddam's Grove Farm, George died on Sept 17, 1845 at Millville and Edward lived in Salem, Nebr. where he married Annie Malone. Both are dead.

Orphelia Graham, Thomas J's 8th child 2nd marriage, married Frank Wickham of Salem and moved into Kansas where he died. The widow remarried and lives in Okla. Jessie [Jane], the 9th child was born in Millville and married Henry Hare in Salem, Nebr. She now resides in ????,??, the mother of ???? Hare. Delos, the 10th child died young. Frederick, the 11th child of Thomas J. Graham by the second wife was born in Warren in 18?? and died in 18??.

For Part II of the article, click here and for Part III, click here. A variation of this article given to me by David M. says:

Andrew, the 10th child, lived in Salem, Neb. Delos, the 11 child died young. Frederick, the 12th child was born in Warren in 1858 and died in 1882.

News from Harrisburg, Arkansas 1933

Harrisburg, Arkansas, Dec. 29, 1933---I love that my grandfather's name is printed at the top of the newspaper "Wes Wicker." There were several articles that my mother had under-lined or drawn around with a pencil.
Louise Wicker (#5) was 13 years old when this newspaper was printed. The photo above shows her in 1932 with a group that won 4th place in ???
I can remember Mom talking about "Shorty" whom I think was "Big-Daddy", a man who was like a grandfather to her (all 5' of him).
Pictured above is "Big Daddy" with Jane, his granddaugher Barbara, and me.
This is another photo of Louise in 1932 (second row, third from the left).
I'm pretty sure Mom was in this 7th grade class.

Harrisburg High School in 1930's

This photo is from 8th grade---Mom has the X above her, although I don't think this looks much like her (other than the hair)
This is about a 7th grade prank which Mom probably participated in.
This was their neighbor---the Matthews-- whom Mom thought was "well-to-do" with her friend Jessie as a servant. Not marked in the newspaper is a small blurb "Bruno Redman was over from Waldenburg Saturday." I'm guessing that this was Jessie's future father-in-law because Mom always said that the Redmans were German.
I'm not sure of the date on this photo. But Mom couldn't be much more than 15 in this photo with Billie at 12 or 13.
I love the ads in the old newspapers and magazines. At the top was a listing of the movies showing at the Jonesboro theater, then ads from a few local stores and for the "new Ford V-8"

LeRoy Joins the Navy

The story was that Dad went into the military relatively late because he worked for the railroad which was important to the war effort. But, I think this classification is for "family hardship" which in 1942 could only mean that he was married.

John D. Maupin and Mary Louise Campbell

Double click on any of these documents to see them larger. The great-grandchild of John D. Maupin and Mary Louise Campbell shared these documents with me. His wife asked me if I could help her identify any of the photos which I've added to her identifications below. John D. Maupin and Mary Louise Campbell had a 50th Anniversary Party in Teague Texas.

The Teague Chronicle dated Dec 21, 1939 (above) And the names of those in attendance were:

Mr. & Mrs. Roy Long and children Maxine, Mary and Ronald of St. Louis, MO. (Vivian Maupin Long was John D. Maupin's niece)

Annie Maupin and Miss Betty Maupin, De Soto, MO.(Annie Reed Maupin is the widow of John D. Maupin's brother Henry Maupin---Betty is one of her granddaughters)

Mr. & Mrs. F. R. Maupin (and I think this is a typo by the newspaper and should be I. R. Maupin) of Kansas City, MO (Ira Maupin was one of John D. Maupin's brothers)

Grace Gideon of Tulsa, Okla (Minnie & Fred's sister Pearl G. Campbell?)

Mr. & Mrs. J. W. King of Dallas(this would be Neva Bee Campbell sister of Minnie & Fred)

Mr. & Mrs. J. E. Bourland of Dallas

Miss Johnnye Maupin of Dallas (grandaughter of J. D. & Minnie; Johnnye's dad was Campbell Rexford Maupin)

Mr. & Mrs Loyd Allen of Esterville, Iowa (this is Irene "Dee Dee" Maupin, dau. of J. D. & Minnie)

Mr. & Mrs. O. T. Maupin of Waco, TX (Oliver was John D. Maupin's brother)

Grace Campbell of Waco(Fred & Minnie's sister)

Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Maupin of Waco( Jack was son of O.T. and was the nephew of J. D. & Minnie)

Mrs. Sam Bill Bournias

Mr. & Mrs. M. M. Cain of Teague

Mr. & Mrs. R. C. Castleberry, of Teague

Mr. & Mrs. L. R. Boyd Jr. of Teague

Mr. & Mrs. J. Bob Ham, Bobbie Dee and Robert Clinton of Teague

Mr. & Mrs. F. S. Campbell and Fred Jr. of Teague (Fred Sr. was Minnie's brother)

First row left Grace Campbell, next to her I think is Grace Gideon, Minnie's sister, because they look so much alike, next on her right (looking dapper with vest and bowtie) is J. D. Maupin, Minnie (with flower corsage) and Annie Reed Maupin (widow of J.D's brother Henry). Behind Annie a girl in light grey (?) dress with dark collar is Johnnye Pauline Maupin. Behind her is Vivian Maupin Long (daughter of Henry and Annie Reed Maupin) and the man behind her is her husband Roy Long. I think this was just a group photo of selected people as there are no children.

I just talked to my aunt Mary after she got a copy of the photo. She says Uncle Ira is the stout man behind the three women in the front. She remembers Uncle Ira as being really heavy---maybe even 300 lbs. The woman next to him may be his first wife. Then, the man next to her may be Uncle Oliver Maupin. She also recalled that she, her parents and grandmother took the train to Waco and then went in a car to Teague.

My Aunt Mary who attended the event as a child remembers that Minnie and John D. Maupin were very gracious hosts with servants and delicious, but rich food. The goat's milk and butter were too rich for her Depression-era eating habits.

Mary remembers Teague was not very big with just one paved street. She and her father Roy Long rode horses down the street and although she was proud of how well her father rode, she'd not been on a horse and flopped up and down. She recalls that John D. Maupin was probably the wealthiest of the brothers although all of the brothers worked for the railroad. John D. had a town house and a ranch.

Despite the newspaper article, Mary said she was the only child who attended from Missouri---her brother, sister and cousin Betty did not attend. She remembers two elegant young ladies who went to college in California who invited her to wear their riding gear but they were more petite than she was. Someone gave her a set of antlers which she had to take back on the train to St. Louis. She has warm memories of the event and had talked to me about it on previous occasions.

This photo is either of Maupins, Campbells or possibly the Buck Castleberry family, but we don't know who they are. Please contact Jaclyn Morgan if you can identify anyone in either of the photos.

Fry Reunion 1967: A Ranch Reunion

The Fry Family tried a ranch in Texas in 1967. The Morgan Family didn't attend so I don't have many details or photos. The newspaper article above lists the participants, describes some of the entertaiment and lists previous reunion locations. A copy of a brochure below describes the "points of interests".
Double click on the photos to make them easier to read. Below is a map showing where the ranch was.
Here are the letters from Hale to Alfreda giving the details of the reunion.

Fry Reunion 1961: Islamorada, Florida

In contrast to Phil's brief, business-like note, Eloise wrote three pages to introduce and inform the family about the Fry Reunion of 1961 at Islamorada, Florida "100 miles south from the southern exit of the Florida Sunshine Parkway. . . .80 miles north from Key West on U.S. I". She, first, discusses Hurricane Donna which hit there Sept. 1, 1960. Then, she describes the vicinity and the 9 efficiency apartments which she had requested.

She then describes each apartment and the amenities: shuffleboard, sunning beach ("remember you will be living on a reef of coral"), boat dock ("with a long enough rod you can fish from the bedroom window"). She, also, tells them that there are boats available for renting.

"We inquired about man's natural enemy, the mosquito, and Mr. Cucklew stated that a community spraying co-op plan practically makes the area clear of the winged pests. Let's hope so, anyway."
This section of the letter mentions the businesses down the road and tells a little about the Bucklews who own the resort. The price would be $3 per person per day. The big question, though, was whether to have the reunion in July or August.
Eloise would have preferred the reunion in August because so many of the "children" were college age and needed to work. She comments,"We have found that leaving a young person at home to 'batch' for himself is just as expensive as taking them along besides suffering the anxiety about their welfare while they are home alone."

Then, she invites everyone who wants to see some of Miami to stay with Grover's brothers Paul and Lowell who both have pools . She also discusses how sad she is at Hurricane Donna's destruction.
Finally, she re-assures everyone there are no bargains in South Florida during August despite "the fantastic tales". She discusses Aunt Zela's move and requests that the form at the bottom of the page be returned before Christmas.
The newspaper article below indicates the reunion was held July 2-9. Also, it does not mention Dave's name---he insists he was there, but Harry had to stay home because he had a job at Emerson.

Fry Family Reunions---1950's

After my husband's grandmother Alice Alderson Fry died in 1949, her nine children decided to meet every other year for a family reunion for a week. The first reunion (1951) was held at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina where the siblings, spouses and children stayed in two big houses. Although we have movies, this is our only photo.

L-R: Tom, Bobby, Davis, Harry, Cecil

Other reunions were Point Peleee in Windsor, Ontario Canada (1953), Daytona Beach, Florida (1955), Nagshead, North Carolina (1957).

The 1959 reunion organized by Phil Fry brought the family back to their roots in West Virginia. They stayed in cabins at Bluestone State Park in Hinton, W. Va.
The above is a letter from Phil---$86.70 including tax for a 6 person cabin for a week. Phil reminds everyone to bring shorts for the day but jeans and sweaters for the nights.
This article in the newspaper gives some family history about them having many relatives around Alderson, W. Va and Nicholas County, W. Va. While 31 were in attendance (all of the siblings), four could not make it including Nell Fry who was expecting. Then, the article listed the names, home towns and occupations for each of the siblings. Somehow, they merged Eloise and Irene, though, stating, "Mrs. Eloise Morgan, St. Louis, librarian at Dearborn College, Dearborn, Mich." That would be some commute. Eloise was a librarian at Riverview Gardens High School (where I attended) and Irene Fry Vogt was at Dearborn College.

L-R: Davis, Linda, Bobby, Cecil, Tom, Arlene, Alice, Sandra, Carolyn, Marilyn; Front row: Michael, Buddy (Phil, Jr), Marsha

William Reed's Death

We've known for some time that William Reed (AKA William Farncombe) died by accident Feb. 24, 1891 (it is on his tombstone). I suspected fire because he was a blacksmith and that was confirmed by the funeral home records that just went on-line in 2009. They stated "accidental burning" as the cause of death. I felt pretty smug having guessed the cause of death until a cousin Catharine McComb contacted me. Here are Catharine's mother, grandfather and great-grandfather:

William J. Reed (Farncombe)

Isaac Henry Fry and the Virginian Railway

Isaac Henry Fry (Dave's maternal grandfather) worked for the Virginian Railway in West Virginia and was in the Virginian Railway Feature Magazine in June, 1933. It's been transcribed below:
I. H. Fry, Yardmaster, Virginian Ry., Elmore, W. Va. Born: Monroe County, W. Va. Married: Alice Alderson, Nicholas County, W. Va.; nine children. Entered railway service with the C. & O. in 1901 as telegraph operator. In 1904, went with the B. & O. as agent and operator, and in June 1906, he came to the Virginian (then known as the Deepwater) as agent and operator at Page; July 1, 1907, he was made timekeeper and clerk to the division superintendent; next served as second-trick dispatcher and traveling auditor west of Princeton. In April, 1909, he entered train service and in August of the same year was promoted to conductor.

September 1928

In 1921 he was made assistant trainmaster, and in 1928 was promoted to trainmaster; in August, 1932, he was made yardmaster in Elmore. After years of experimenting, Mr. Fry devised the system of handling trains down heavy grades without the use of the retaining valves, and without changing the equipment on either cars or locomotives, a system which is now used and known as an overcharge trainline. this method of braking eliminates the necessity of stopping the train at the top or bottom of the hill to turn up or down the retainer valves in order to apply or release the brakes. This system of braking facilitates the uninterrupted movement of traffic.

Below is an engine which turned over on the Virginian between Page and Deepwater. Alice Fry was in the caboose of the freight train.