Letter from Garner

While cleaning out my husband's desk, I found a letter which his uncle wrote shortly after my father-in-law's death (Grover) in 2003.

Dear Harry, Dave, Tom:

It was probably in 1943 that Grover became a distinct figure for me, as opposed to "generic older brother" (of which I had four at the time).  I remember looking at a photograph (probably from a letter to Mother) of a strikingly handsome young man in khaki U.S. Army uniform with the three chevrons up, three rockers down and the diamond of a master sergeant.  To a fifteen-year-old West Virginia kid, this was truly impressive.

After the war (1946?), Mother wanted to visit Riverside, California relatives (Charlie and Carrie Smith), so Mother, Grover, Lowell and I headed west in the 1942 Chevy. (I wanted to take Father's new Olds--Hydramatic shift!- but was overruled.)  At age 18, I had a license but little experience, so after a close call or so Grover took permanent possession of the steering wheel.

James McCarrell

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.

Louise's Red Letter Poems

 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.

Ingalls Update

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

 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  or Francois d'Aubigne 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 believed to be 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).

Edited:  Cornelius Dabney was likely from England and settled in America before the Huguenots so the relationship to Madame de Maintenon is in doubt.