James McCarrell and family

James McCarrell (b. 1728, d. 1813) came to Knox County TN in about 1798, where he purchased

150acres of land along the Tennessee River (near where today the University of Tennessee lies) and built a log cabin. He had traveled a long ways from his native Northern Ireland and settling in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania as a young man. After the loss of his first wife in mid-life, he remarried to Margaret McKibbens (b. 1758, d. 1819) whom was a daughter of one of his friends and neighbors in Lurgan township. Together, they moved first to Fincastle-Virginia where 11 childern were born to this couple. The family finally moved to Knoxville-Tennessee, where descendants of James McCarrell have preserved his cabin and bible, and whom have taken care of the family cemetery where James and Margaret are laid to rest near the banks of the Tennessee River.

McCarrell Cabin at bottom

In Knoxville, the family would finally make a permanent home. This information is but a short compilation of the history of this family, and how it branched out across the entire Nation in subsequent generations. The information is compiled from many sources from original to internet ones. Please be aware to double check any information that you are interested in, as this small effort is meant to serve as a guide only.

What I know about the legacy of the McCarrell family comes through a sequence of Margarets that have blessed the family with richness and kindness. From my great grandmother Margaret Viola Graham-Blake (granddaughter of Margaret Ann McCarrell-Graham) whom was diagnosed with incurable cancer in 1909 and given but a few months to live, she had many young children and asked that everyone pray that she could live only but to see her young 2 year old son graduate from high school. Her cancer went dormant and she left this life 2 weeks after her youngest son graduated from College in 1932. Her son, my uncle Edgar Blake, went on to establish Missouri Baptist Children’s home, in honor of his mother. He stayed there the rest of his life as its director, until his passing in 1995. I know from learning about this McCarrell family that there have been many other Margarets whom have passed great things on to the family members, one only has to see how many of the grandchildren and great grandchildren of James McCarrell are named Margaret McCarrell to appreciate this.

I am grateful to Margaret Ann McCarrell whom still lives at McCarrell Drive in Knoxville and her brother the late Ray “Jack” McCarrell, whom have so carefully preserved the family bible and information. The bible turned out to be the only information linking our Margaret McCarrell and William Graham back to the family – all other sources were lost. I am equally grateful to my cousin Jaclyn Morgan whom has worked with me through the many years to reconstruct our McCarrell-Graham family history. Let us all remember a simpler time in American History, when our Nation was forming and the family clans were the back bone of our Country. To James McCarrell and Margaret McKibbens, and the legacy they created, we must be grateful. Let us all know that we can always go home again to the Banks of the Tennessee River to remember those simpler times.

Cousin Dwight

Newport, Rhode Island

March 25, 2014

William Graham's signatures

Cousin Dwight has been communicating with one of our McCarrell relatives who had a document with William Graham's signature as well as our ancestor James McCarrell (William's father-in-law).  "The document settles a lawsuit. On "our side" was James McCarrell, William Graham and B(arclay) McGee. On the other side was William McClellan. Our side won, and McClellan paid 250$ in settlement to end the dispute. If I remember correctly from Margaret McCarrell talking with me that this was a dispute over land.... Barclay McGee from what I had seen always signed his name B. McGee..."

Although it is very hard to read what this is about, it was Jan. 7, 1805 in Blount Co TN which pre-dates William Graham and Margaret McCarrell marriage but establishes a relationship of the Graham and McCarrell families. Those witnessing this document are James McCarrell, William Graham, B. McGhee and Enoch Parsons.

We know this is the same William Graham because we have his signature on a Jefferson County Missouri document (along with other relatives).  His is on the upper right side with Mothershead, Bakers and Browns.  Notice how similar the signature below is to the one above.  Samuel Graham (not sure how he is related) is shown as a comparison.


http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mojchs/Courts/PetitionList_1826.htm

William McClellan also sold property in Pennsylvania to a John Graham (whom we believe to be a relative).  It is also possible that a McClellan in St. Charles Co. married a Graham.  Not sure if all of these are of the same McClellan family.

Another name was B. McGhee which we believe to be Barclay McGhee who was an Indian agent.  Which is interesting since we believe the John Graham family was associated with Ft. Bellefontaine near the confluence of Missouri and Mississippi Rivers
http://wardepartmentpapers.org/searchresults.php?searchClass=fulltextSearch&fulltextQuery=Barclay+McGhee

Finally Enoch Parsons was one of the first lawyers in Tennessee and ran for governor in 1819.  So, although I can't read all of the details of the document, there is a lot of history in just the names.

John D. Maupin's Retirement Papers

 Thanks to Billie (John D.'s great granddaughter in-law), these retirement papers answered several questions I had.  First it confirmed his middle name as being Dabney which we had never had a written record of.  His mother's name was Jane Dickerson (some have her as "Dickenson"

These papers confirm he was with Missouri Pacific from 1892-1909 as the Roundhouse Foreman (which my great grandfather, his brother, eventually had)  I also confirms that the Trinity and Brazos Valley railroad became Burlington Rock Island which is what cousin K. Rockne recalled.  Click on any of these documents to make them larger.

.The photo below was found in a book,Teague Texas Centennial Celebration Commemorative book (April 21, 22, 23, 2008).  The second person on the left is identified as Mrs. Maupin (Minnie Campbell?) and the third is "Mr. Maupin" which we assume is John D. Maupin since the book was about Teague Texas and the railroad. Billie has this correction upon careful examination of the photo:

Mrs. Maupin “Minnie” is from left to right....the SECOND WOMAN.I looked at some of his photos at that is HIM for sure. Mr Maupin "J. D." is on the left, the SECOND Man.

Maupins and Railroads

Mattie, Henry
John D, Oliver, Ira

Each of these Maupin siblings worked or had a spouse that worked for railroads.

Although Henry Wesley Maupin was originally from Wellsville, MO, he and his brother John Dabney Maupin settled in the DeSoto, MO in 1899 because Mo-Pac had a large round house and shop there.  Henry Wesley Maupin became the foreman of the roundhouse---in charge of all of the mechanics and workers. In 1885, he was listed as a Railroad Fireman.  The 1900 census lists him as a machinist; 1910 and 1920 “Foreman with Railroad”.  He died before the 1930 census.

John Dabney Maupin, his brother, moved his family to Teague, Texas where they prospered.  His obituary reads:

Mr. Maupin will be remembered by the people of Teague as one of the old-timers, having moved here when the city was still in its infancy, and has seen Teague in it's good days and its less prosperous. Being of a congenial spirit, he numbered among his friends all who came to know him. He was always ready to contribute his time and efforts to the advancement of the city. Since early in life, he was an active member of the Presbyterian Church.

He came to Teague in January of 1909 and was Superintendent of Motive Powers with the T. &; B V Railroad, and served in this capacity until his retirement in June 1939, after 30 years of service.

As near as I can tell the T. & B.V. railroad was Trinity and  Brazos Valley, which became a part of the Burlington-Rock Island Railroad.

Another brother, Ira Maupin, lived in Kansas City where he was also the Foreman of a Roundhouse for the Railroad (KATY).

Brother Oliver, who lived in Waco Texas, was also the Foreman of a Roundhouse in Kansas and Texas with the Cotton Belt Railroad.

Sister Martha (Mattie) Maupin married a cousin David Rice Maupin who was a “blacksmith for the railroad” in Kansas City in the 1900 census.  They eventually moved to Texas with Oliver and John D. Maupin.  It’s not clear what railroad line he worked for but it was probably the same as family members.

Railroad Jobs

The shop foreman would be the person in charge of the shop. The shop was the area where railroad cars were repaired or rebuilt Most common repairs were replacing wheels. doors and different parts of the braking equipment which required maintenance very often.

The roundhouse was the area that repaired and did periodic maintenance on the railroad engines such as refueling lubricating changing oil and such. The size of the facility determined the number of people that a foreman was in charge of.  Large facilities would have three shifts a day with maybe 10 men on a shift. 

The superintendent would be the man over all the workers and foremen at a facility.  Often the superintendents would be over a large area with several facilities under his supervision. 

The fireman:  Steam locomotive crew who feeds the firebox with fuel. On diesel locomotives, the firemen would monitor controls and assist the engineer.

Railroads and Trains

My father had a collection of railroad spikes that I decided to give to my grandsons this year.  But, I thought they (and their parents) needed to know why trains are so important.  My father, LeRoy Long and Grandfather, Roy Long worked for Missouri-Pacific railroad when I was a child. At one time they were both boilermakers although Dad later became an Electrician.   I went with them to the shops (where the trains were being repaired) and I took advantage of passes by getting on a train (unaccompanied by an adult), riding to DeSoto, Mo (about an hour away from St. Louis) where my parents and/or relatives would meet me. 

Once we even took an over-night trip to Oklahoma City to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins.  I can remember waking up on the train, looking out the window and being amazed by red soil of Oklahoma. I also made trips to Boston with my mother, but I was too young to remember that.

My grandparents and my grandmother's family all rode on passes since most of them worked for Missouri-Pacific.  Uncle Walter Maupin brought me two gifts from one of their frequent trips to Texas to visit family.

 The soft suede cow-girl outfit pictured above has been worn by me, my daughters and my granddaughters.   The tag says it is from Muskogee, OK.  I suspect my great-uncle bought it and the doll below at a vendor while the train was stopped in Muskogee.