From the "History of Daviess County" Missouri.
" James Stone, a brother of Hardin Stone, Thomas Auberry, who settled in the grove north of Jamesport, and from whom it received it's name, and his brother, John Auberry, were returning from Ray county to their homes in this county. They had crossed Shoal Creek, in Caldwell county, and were coming up a ridge in the direction of where the town of Hamilton now stands, when they discovered a black bear making from one point of timber to another. They were all mounted on good horses, but unfortunately, had no fire-arms with them, their only weapons being pocket knives. Now this might be considered rather a bad fix for men to be in who had never allowed game that they had once sighted to escape them. But then a pioneer's resources were never known to fail. It was customary in those days to ride with heavy iron stirrups. The hunters unbuckled and each took off a stirrup and taking the leather in the hand, this made quite a formidable weapon. They headed the bear off from the point of timber to which he was making, and turned him in the direction in which they were traveling. They would then ride up by his side and belabor him over the head and body with their stirrups and then get out of his way when he showed fight. But his head was too hard, and his shaggy coat too soft, for the stirrups to make much impression; they, however, by continued harassing and pounding him with their stirrups, succeeded in so worrying him that when just eat of where Hamilton now stands, he attempted to climb a tree which stood in the hollow near where the railroad tank stands, but he was so tired he could not climb. It was nearly night and some distance to the next point of timber and our hunters were anxious to get through with Bruin before dark' they accordingly permitted him to lie down and rest whilst one of their number climbed a tree, and with his pocket-knife, cut some clubs with which they put an end to Bruin. It was now dark and our hunters had ten miles to travel to get to the house of James, Stone, he living the nearest of the three. They opened the bear, took out his entrails and placed the carcass on one of their horses and went ahead. Their course lay by the cabin of Hardin Stone, who then lived in what is now Marion township. When they reached his cabin Uncle Hardin and his family had all retired, so they took off the carcass and very quietly took it into Uncle Hardin's smoke-house, where they left it, and then mounted their horses and went on home. The surprise of Mrs. Stone on going to the smoke-house in the morning for meat for breakfast, can better be imagined than described, but it is sufficient to say that Uncle Hardin didn't get mad and throw the carcass out of the door. The family had bear steak for breakfast."
Mexican War Pension application
1850,1860,1870 Oregon Census
Awbrey,Aubrey of Virginia & Kentucky by Walton L. Aubrey
Thomas Awbrey's Mexican War Pension Application
Marriage Records/Ray Co. Missouri
copy of letter written by Amelia's uncle, B J Grubbe
34. Bluford DEADMOND
Obit from Eugene City Guard
Dedman - Deadmon Family History by Anna Laura Griffith - 1983
35. Emeline ADAMS
Obit from Eugene City Guard
Dedman - Deadmon Family History by Anna Laura Griffith
copy of letter written from James uncle
Cemetery stone inscription
JAMES A. WALLACEJames A. Wallace was born in Kentucky, married Irene C. (E) Daniels in Illinois, This young couple lived in Illinois for a short time. Then they moved to Iowa Their 1st child, William D. (W.D.) Wallace was born while they were living in Iowa. After a short time they moved back to Illinois and remained there until 1852. MARION W. and MARY E. WALLACE were both born in Illinois. He was a carpenter by trade and also a farmer when he came to Oregon. The family came across the plains in a wagon and ox team in 1852. There were three children mentioned when the family crossed the plains. coming by way of the Barlow Gap (trail?) They left Illinois with ox teams. Most of the animals died on the trail. When they reached the Barlow Gap, James Wallace was able to trade their wagon for a pony. His wife, Irene and their two younger children rode the pony, while he and the other child rode on one of the remaining oxen. They packed their provisions on the other oxen and their cow. They set off over the mountains and when they made it to Foster, James again was able to trade the pony for another wagon. It must have been a very difficult journey for them. They proceeded on to the Willamette Valley with the team of oxen and 2 cows. They settled at Jasper, Which is near Springfield, Or. James Wallace filed a donation claim on 320 acres and this was this family' s home until his death.
His wife, Irene (Arena Caroline ) died Feb. 4, 1899 and is buried by her husband in the Wallace Cemetary at Jasper, Or. This family is found on the 1860 Federal Cencus for Lane Co., Or.* Portrait and Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon-Chapman Publishing Co. Chicago 1903
James A Wallace Oregon Land Grant application
Cemetery stone inscriptions
38. William B DRURY
1850 Macon Co. MO census
History of Lane Co. Eugene Public Library 14 Feb 1980
Oregon Land Grant application
Cemetery stone inscription
1860 Lane Co. Census
Oregon Land Grant application
40. Woodford HACK
1850 & 1860 Pike Co. IL census
Marriage certificate1850 & 1860 Pike Co. IL census
Marriage certificate
41. Lydia FARTHING
Gideon Farthing will/Pike Co. IL
Gideon Farthing will/Pike Co. IL
42. Peter WINDMILLER
Peter was a successful farmer and merchant. In 1842 he purchased the farm in Spring Creek Township, Pike County, Illinois, on which he spent the rest of his life and which was to become a part of the town of Nebo. On July 28, 1842 he married Sevilia Applegate. When the Windmillers first came to Spring Creek Township, there was only one wheeled vehicle in the entire neighborhood, and they often used a one-horse sleigh to pick corn. When Peter's estate was probated in 1879 it was worth $8,000.
The Windmiller Family of Wurtemburg Germany by Wayne T. Guthrie / 1984
Guthrie states buried in Bluff Cemetery, but Windmiller Reunion newsletter
states Hunter Cemetery (dated 5 Sep 1987)
Pike Co Census
The Windmiller Family of Wurtemburg Germany by Wayne T Guthrie
Guthrie states buried in Bluff Cemetery but Windmiller Reunion newsletter
states Hunter Cemetery (dated 5 Sep 1987)
Pike Co IL census records
Samuel Applegate estate papers, Pike Co. IL 1875
name spelled Suphelia on Marriage Certificate
330 Years of Hills in America by Zola Covell-Salven 1963
Cornelius Joel Hills was born near Syracuse, New York, in Onodaga County. As a young man he learned the Cooper's trade (the making of shipping or storage barrels for the Syracuse Salt Works). His family moved from New York to Wisconsin, but having a good job that paid 50c per day for skilled labor he remained on with his work, even though the call of the west was ringing in his ears. Sometime later, he suffered a badly cut right foot. Unable to work he set out to walk to the primitive home of his parents which was near Sylvester, Wisconsin, several hundred miles distant. Doagries or (Dogerys) Saloons, were numberous along the rough and unimproved roads leading West and by keeping his foot wet with whiskey, he was able to walk with a fair degree of comfort. It appears that his heroic treatment was effective. At least he did not develop infection. This was between the years 1833 and 1855. He arrived sufficiently recovered to help his father, Joel Hills, build a house of hand-hewn timbers.
Joel's wife was Polly Fox, and there were 13 children in the family.The family table was kept supplied by hunting and fishing. It was during this time that Cornelius developed the skills and woodmanship that would prove so important in his later life. From Wisconsin, following the building of the house, he went to Michigan, and there worked with his uncle on the first railroad attempted in that part of the country. Levelling of the track bed was hand work and the rails were made of hard wood.
It was while Cornelius was working in Michigan that a man stopped over who was just returning from Oregon. His story was so fabulous that it resembled the Biblical version of the "Land of Milk and Honey!" Sections of land were unbelievably rich and could be had for the driving of the stakes that made their boundary. Cornelius' imagination was fired and he longed for the passing of winter. During that time he collected some good horses and the available rough camping gear. He haunted every place where the magic word"Oregon"could be heard and learned everything possible about the perils of crossing to this "promised land. He was told that without a chain halter he would not be able to keep a saddle horse out of Indians hands, so he had a stout one constructed. By spring, the Oregon fever had spread and several other adventurous men were ready to join a wagon train. They started looking for an outfit to join. It needed to be someone who had some knowledge of the country, and this was solved when they found a train to be captained by Lester Hulin. He had spent considerable time in the West with John Charles Fremont, both as a scout and general helper as they mapped the far West.
It was a brisk day in Iowa with "considerable" sunshine on April 23, 1847, when the medium-sized wagon train, captained by Mr. Hulin, yoked up and headed for "St. Jo," Missouri, a distance of 250 miles. More than 20 days were consumed on that first leg of the journey.
When the wagon train reached the Willamette River and at sunset on November 3, 1847 pulled up to Eugene Skinner's log house. It was with great joy that they shouted greetings and exchanged news. After six months of hardship and many dangers they had reached the magic Willamette Valley and the land was theirs for the taking! Two days of heavy rainfallfollowed, but even so, the men started at once to look for possible locations for donation land claims. It was an exciting time.
Cornelius Hills was in a fever to drive his first stakes. He went first to the Isaac Bristow cabin at Pleasant Hill and enjoyed having a meal while they talked over the many possibilities. He even had a homemade chair to sit on at the table and that was a real luxury! After long and careful discussion he was persuaded to stake a claim near Bristow's cabin. He later gave that one up and it was taken by Abel Layfette Bristow.
Thinking to find something more to his liking and where neighbors would not be so close (after all,he had not come west to rub elbows with other men), he and John Winters built a shaky raft and crossed the Willamette River near where the little village of Jasper now is located. When he saw the green, fertile valley with its own small but lively creek along one side, he knew his quest was ended and in a scarcely audible voice said, "1 have found it! This will be my home forever." It was, all thedays of his life.
In his old age, when asked if he had any complaint about his adopted land, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and answered, "it's the greatest place in the world, and I wouldn't trade it. But," he added, stroking his beard, "what Oregon needs most of all is a hell of a big roof!"
Staking out a claim seemed an unnecessary precaution, as the Indians roamed over the valley and did not claim squatters's rights. He paced the lines out and drove stakes, which mystified the Indians. This done, he decided upon a home camp, went back to Bristow's cabin and collected his horses and other gear and felt at home for the first time in his life! Tools were scarce, but he did have a small axe.With that he roughed out a table and with hittled-out pegs managed to put a bench together, so he did not have to sit on the ground, which by that time was constantly wet from rain. With the help of Winters and some tools borrowed from Bristow, he was able to build a lean-to with a semblance of a roof.
About that time the gold strike at Sutter's Fort unsettled his whole life! It sounded so impossibly rich that he, like most of the able~bodied men in the valley, caught "gold fever." There was only one cure and that was to go! Such riches were reported that he could hardly wait to make the simple arrangements necessary. Fortunately he had little to leave, as he took his saddle mare, Dolly, over to leave with the Bristow family. Then, with saddle and pack horse, he headed down the Indian Trail that led to California. As far as Ashland, wagons had gone over the Indian Trail, but over the Siskiyous and into the California Valley, the route was completely unimproved. Camping along the way, he made good time, for he was not alone in the race to claim everlasting riches. When he arrived on the American River, all his hopes and dreams were realized. There it was quite possible, with the aid of a kitchen spoon, to go along the gravel banks and pick up gold nuggets worth from $200 to $300 per day without even bending his back! In fact, gold was so plentiful that the men agreed that it would be necessary to find a new medium of exchange. Gold at that time was worth $14 per ounce and the price was falling due to seemingly endless amounts to be had for the picking! Prices sky-rocketed with eggs at $1 each, if and when they were available, and all foodstuffs were outrageously priced.
The winter was spent working on the American and Feather Rivers, with his "poke" getting constantly heavier. There was little opportunity to spend the nuggets or "dust," except for food. Meals,when eaten at boarding houses, were for that date incredibly expensive, so the men batched most of the time. It was a profitable winter, but since gold was so abundant, they lost interest and by spring they were concerned about getting back to Oregon. With the rapid filling up of the valley, they were aware that their claims might be "jumped" This possibility seemed more important than the amount of gold they were finding so easy to accumulate.
By going into San Francisco, they felt it would be possible to get passage on a ship headed for Portland. In that way they would be able to take home some of the desperately needed tools and other farm equipment not yet available at Oregon City. Cornelius bought a chest of simple tools for which the merchant weighed out $300 in nuggets.Warm clothing and other purchases reduced his gold supply to roughly $7,000, which at that time was a sizable stake. He felt he had learned a lot as well as assuring money necessary to complete his homestead and make it ready for his bride.
It was exceedingly difficult to find a seaworthy ship or one which would take the passengers Finally,he was able to find a sturdy vessel called the HACKSTAFF.. The "upcoast" winds were not kind and for several days they lay becalmed, and to add to their waes the Captain "lost his reckoningsl" In total there were 27 men, the crew was made up of 7 hardy souls and there were 20 paying passengers. Soon they were beginning to worry about their food and water supplies for a voyage not to exceed 14 days had been prepared for and under normal conditions they would have had a safe margin. Finally, they approached the mouth of a river which proved to be the Rogue. Here the captain declared that they must go in to where it would be possible to resupply their water barrels and tanks. It was touchy business to penetrate the tnouth of a river to a point where they would be able to dip up reasonable fresh water, for at that time shoals or rocks were not charted and they edged carefully into the mouth of the river over the breakers of the bar. One man stood at the bow with a loaded line, which he dropped to test the depth of the water; another swayed in the Crow's Nest to try to penetrate the silty water and find the channel. Slowly they crept along and seemed to be doing very well until the tide turned when they found to their dismay that they were stranded on a sand bar. For two anxious days they waited hoping that a higher tide might float them free, but quite the reverse was true, for with each changing tide they seemed to become more firmly embedded in the soft and yielding embrace of a clinging mother nature. Indians, who were unfriendly, began paddling toward the stranded boat in long canoes and the men were forced to keep a stern watch to keep them from attempting to board.
With food nearly gone and no water remaining this was a desperate situation. Their life boats were inadequate, but it was finally agreed that they had no choice but to abandon ship. Under cover of darkness they managed to get every man off the ship and onto the river bank, which was on the opposite shore from the hostile Indian camp. The pitifully small supply of food was divided as evenly as possible and the ship-wrecked group headed north and east in an effort to reach the Oregon-California trail that paralled the coast several score of miles inland.
Some of the men, being hungry, ate all of their food at once, so they would not have carry it on their backs. A few carried as many personal belongings as they could stagger under at the start. Their trail of wandering could be traced by the articles that they discarded, one by one. Day followed weary day as they wandered in a state of slow starvation. One small deer was killed but it lasted only a day, as the men broiled it with sticks over their camp fire. As in all such groups the less reliant thwarted the efforts of those who might have been able to hunt and get some ·sort of game. Cornelius said later that it was pretty difficult to kill a deer with starving men all trailing
along, shouting "Wait for me."
Each day they grew less able to travel until by chance they crossed a small fresh water stream that was filled with crawfish. All cooking utensils had long since been dicarded, so the men, frenzied with hunger, turned over the rocks, caught the back-peddling crawfish and made a meal of them then and there. It was later agreed that raw crawfish were not strictly recommended, but under the circumstances they were just about the finest food any of the group had ever eaten. They stayed on at the stream until the supply was gone.
During this time Cornelius decided the gold he was carrying was too heavy. He carefully dug a hole under the roots of a large oak tree and buried his nuggets and free gold in a buckskin pouch. In later years he often mentioned the gold cash but felt it would be a waste of time to try to find it. He laughingly said that same day a most amazing gold strike would be made down in that country which wauld probably start a stampede, for some squirrel in burrowing down might dig under that very oak and scatter the shining gold out where it would be seen. After 24 days they reached the trail they had been seeking, saw their first people, and had the most real food they had eaten for more than 20 days.
Cornelius' trip to the gold mines was a year of hard work, starvation plus the loss of his farm machinery, and his $7,000.00 in gold, which, when he weighed it in the balance, did not seem nearly as important as the saving of his own life.
The following year was spent in fencing the 640 acres, half of which would be his bride's upon her arrival. After crossing back across the mountains and prairie for the second time. Cornelius was ready to marry and go back to Oregon.
In April with his bride's family, two of his brothers, Elijah and Putnam, and several other families, Cornelius was ready to start back. There are many stories about the trip west, but they had many of the same experiences as other wagon trains. They separated off the Oregon Trail and took the southerly route called the Applegate Trail. There were several dangerous places, but the most dangerous was known as "Bloody Point" at an area by Tule Lake, California. The Modocs were not exactely happy to let them go through, but as the train was heavely armed, they were allowed to continue. Crossing the Greensprings mountain range was very difficult as wagons had to be let down with ropes at times, but they finally made it. They reached a fine fertile valley, later to be known as Orchard Valley. Here the Briggs family decided they had reached the end of their long search. For the last time they outspanned their oxen and prepared to settle down and make their permanent home. The home site which they chose was near to where the small town of Canyonville is now located. Some of the other families were happy to stay but others' hurried on before all of the land in the:fabulous WillametteValley might be taken up by home seekers, like themselves.
After a life filled with the adventures of pioneer living, Cornelius went to ride his horse out to look at some fencing. A heart attack felled him and he died as he wished "with his boots on," in the year of 1898, at the age of 80 years. Sephronia survived him by ten years and she too died at the age of 80 years. Both are buried in Mt. Vernon cemetery near Naton.Thanks to Hallie Hills Huntington, (her father was Jasper, their eldest son) who took the time to listen to the stories that her father told, and to locate diaries kept by some members of the wagon trains, and write all of this down.
330 Year of Hills in America by Zola Covell-Salven
Oregon Land Grant application
1850 Lane Co. OR census
letter from Louise Barrett, Sandy Oregon
Marriage certificate
47. Sarah Jane DRURY
Census records, Cemetery records, William B Drury obit
Marriage record
Swepson Jeffries will/Mecklenburg Co,VA Will Book 5,page 126Died intestate
49. Sarah HAMNER
Marriage record
George B Hamner will/Mecklenburg,VA, Will Book 13,page 447
Republic of Texas Land Records
Marriage licence/Fannin Co. TX
Hardin Chenoweth probate records/Collin Co. TX
Chenoweth Family History:by Cora Chenoweth Hiatt
Married 1st to Nancy Hart 9 Jan 1823/Hardin Co,KY/divorced,date unknown
according to affidavit given by Martin D Hart 14 Feb 1860. Hardin and Nancy had one daughter,Lavina, and she had one daughter, who sued Elizabeth Chenoweth for land that she inheirited from Hardin, her father. Most of the land was divided between the grandaughter of the first marriage and ELizabeth(daughter from the second marriage) Hardin had received over 5000 acres for fighting for the Republic of Texas.
Fought in war of 1812 and Independence for Texas.
51. Eliza EDMONDSON
Marrage Record /Fannin Co TX
Census Records/Collin Co Tx 1850,1860
married 3 times/1,Unknown Edmondson:2,Hardin Chenowith;3,John BatesHer first marriage may have been in Arkansas, due to the cencus record that stated her two children were born there. They were Thomas Edmondson, and Jane Edmondson. She was in Texas by 1844 when she married Harrin Chenowith. He died within 6 months, and she had one child Elizabeth. She then married John C. Bates, a widower. They had two children, Amos, and Georgiana.
Civil War affidavit* & Pension application
Marriage record Washington Co TN
Census records
CIVIL WAR QUESTIONNAIRE
1. State your full name and present postoffice address. Robert R. Bayless2. State your ages now. 71 years, 7 months
3. In what State and county were you born? State of Tennessee, Carter County
4. In what State and county were you living when you enlisted in the service of the Confederacy? Tennessee, Washington County
5. What was your occupation before the war? Farmer
6. What was the occupation of your father? Laborer on farm
7. If you owned land or other property at the opening of the war, state what kind of property you owned, and state the value of your property as near as you can. I did not own property at the beginning of war. I was only 17 years of age.
8. Did you or your parents own slaves? If so, how many? None
9. If your parents owned land, state about how many acres. My father came in possession of 227 acre farm during the war.
10. State as near as you can the value of all the property owned by your parents, including land, when the war opened. He did not own land previous to that time.
11. What kind of a house did your parents occupy? State whether it was a log house or frame house or built of other material, and state the number of rooms it had. Log house - 3 rooms
12. As a boy and young man, state what kind of work you did. If you worked on a farm, state to what extent you plowed, worked with a hoe and did other kinds of similar work. (Certain historians claim that white men wouldn?t do work of this sort before the war.) As a boy I worked at home on farm in a general way and worked away from home a great deal doing farm labor.
13. State clearly what kind of work your father did, and what the duties of your mother were. State all the kinds of work done in the house as well as you can remember- that is, cooking, spinning, weaving, etc. My father farmed some at home on rented land. He also worked away from home for the land lord upon whose property we lived and for others also. My mother had no servants but done her own house work, and her spinning and weaving. Supplied the clothing for the family. The same was true in wealthy homes.
14. Did your parents keep any servants? If so, how many? Kept no servants.
15. How was honest toil-as plowing, hauling and other sorts of honest work of this class--regarded in your community? Was such work considered respectable and honorable? Most people made a living by farm labor and of course was considered honorable.
16. Did the white men in your community generally engage in such work? Yes, there were not many Negroes in this part of state.
17. To what extent were there white men in your community leading lives of idleness and having others to work for them? Very few if any. A good many families owned from one to six Negroes. I only knew two families owning 25 or more Negroes.18. Did the men who owned slaves mingle freely with those who did not own slaves, or did slaveholders in any way show by their actions that they felt themselves better than respectable, honorable men who did not own slaves? No perceptible difference. Slaveholders would hire white men and work them with their slaves with their own sons, and themselves.
19. At the churches, at the schools, at public gatherings in general, did slaveholders and non-slaveholders mingle on a footing of equality? At church, at school and public gatherings, slaves and non-slaveholders mingled without a difference further than good behavior and bad behavior would make people differ today then the Negroes worshiped with the whites.
20. Was there a friendly feeling between slaveholders and non-slaveholders in your community, or were they antagonistic to each other? No perceptible difference on that account.
21. In a political contest in which one candidate owned slaves and the other did not, did the fact that one candidate owned slaves help him any in winning the contest? Slaves did not help anyone in a political contest.
22. Were the opportunities good in your community for a poor young man, honest and industrious, to save up enough to buy a small farm or go in business for himself? Fairly good - not so good as at present when money is plentiful and every one any good can have his share.
23. Were poor, honest, industrious young men, who were ambitious to make something of themselves, encouraged or discouraged by slaveholders? There was no disparagement against any young man because of poverty, but his opportunities were what he himself made of his environments.
24. What kind of school or schools did you attend? Public schools - about 3 to 4 months a year during the winter months.
25. About how long did you go to school altogether? Something like three years.
26. How far was it to the nearest school? From two to three miles - I did not always attend school at the same place as we were renters and moved from one place to another.
27. What school or schools were in operation in your neighborhood? Public schools were all the schools that we had in the country. The towns were small, and so was the schools in them. The rich and the poor were educated together in the country in the public schools.
28. Was the school in your community private or public? Public- sometimes supplemented by subscriptions and continued in that way for two months.
29. About how many months in the year did it run? From three to four months.
30. Did the boys and girls in your community attend school pretty regularly? Yes with anxiety they attended school. Many of them good students with poor chances.
31. Was the teacher of the school you attended a man or a woman? I went to school to both women and men.
32. In what year and month and at what place did you enlist in the service of the confederacy? Enlisted 1862, perhaps in July or August.
33. State the name of your regiment, and state the names of as many members of your company as you remember. 60th Tenn. Com. Officers J.H. Crouch, Capt.; J.S. Rodgers, 1 Lt.; John Taylor, 2 Lt.; T.A.Stonecipher, 3 Lt.; Sergeants - 1st, Uriah Hunt, J.C.Peoples, and John Hughes?; Wm. Speares?, Geo. Ervin, Mat ; James Baxter; Geo. Brown, Rufus Vaughn, S.B. Winslow; James Taylor, and others; (Corporals forgotten), Privates - Jos. Archer, R.R.Bayless, J.W.Bayless, John Need, Jas. Sealf(Sc?) John Lizenbury, Mathew Yopp?, Joe Campbell, Geo. Hamilton, Geo. Hysenger, John Hysinger, Jax. Love, John Harrison, Jas. Porter, Thos. Porter, Zimmerman, Jno. Wilson, Harrison, Sam Galloway, Thos. Howard, David Howard, Geo. Howard, Sam Hare, Hyrum Mulkey, John Whitlock, Henry Husk, Birch Dethridge, Tim Munsey, C.D. Muncy, Geo. Ballon?, John Bush.
34. After enlistment, where was your company sent first? Johnson City, Knoxville, Tenn. Montgomery, Ala. Jackson and Vicksburg, Miss.
35. How long after your enlistment before your company engaged in battle? Perhaps 5 months.
36. What was the first battle you engaged in? Chickasaw Bayou and Bluff.
37. State in your own way your experience in the war from this time on to the close. State where you went after the first battle--what you did, what other battles you engaged in, how long they lasted, what the results were; state how you lived in camp, how you were clothed, how you slept, what you had to eat, how you were exposed to cold, hunger and disease. If you were in hospital or in prison, state your experience here. After Chickasaw Bluff Battle we remained in camp around Vicksburg. Drilled and done the duty of soldier lifes in a general way until the battle of Big Black river when I was captured on May 17, 1863, was taken to prison at Ft. Delaware where I remained until the following October and was taken from there to Pt. Lookout or Pt Maryland and remained there until Feb 14, 1865, near two years prison life.
38. When and where were you discharged? I was paroled and my ? Had not expired when the surrender come, in other words I had not been exchanged.
39. Tell something of your trip home. I left Pt. Lookout as I now remember Feb. 14, 1865 on parole, came to Richmond about the 17th, furloughed and came home near Jonesboro Tenn .arriving home on the 23 Feb 1865. I remained at home between the lines until after the surrender April 13 and took the oath at Jonesboro, Tenn.
40. What kind of work did you take up when you came back home? Farming has been my single occupation since the war.
41. Give a sketch of your life since the close of the Civil War, stating what kind of business you have engaged in, where you have lived, your church relations, etc. If you have held any office or offices, state what it was. You may state here any other facts connected with your life and experience which have not been brought out by the questions. Since the close of the war I have lived three different places in this Washington Co. 1st three miles south of Jonesboro for 20 yrs. Where my people have lived for seven generations. 2nd, 6 miles north and 5 miles west of Johnson City where I now live. This is a good town with 10,000 populatio;n and still growing. Senator Gardner and Representative Barnes are both from our town Johnson City. I am personally acquainted with them both, they are good men though they are Repulicans.
Co. C 60th Tenn. Infty. R.R. Bayless
(N.B.: Bayless, Robert R. Pension No. 11911(D) )
Census records
Sarah was living with Reece Bayless and his wife in the 1850 census records. There was also a Elizabeth Peters living with them and she was the right age to be Sarah's mother. Don't know why they are living with the Bayless Family. Sarah later on married Reece's grandson, Robert Reece Bayless. She had one daughter and then I cannot find any more records of her.
Elisha Franklin Ketchum and Susanna WeaverElisha Franklin Ketchum was born about 17 Aug 1826 in Clermont Co., OH. He was the son of James and Sarah Ketchum. He had one brother, James and five sisters, Julia Ann, Mary Caroline, Elizabeth, Cynthianna and Sarah Angeline.
He married Susanna Weaver on 8 Aug 1844 in Clermont Co., OH. He was 18 and she was 16. Susanna was probably a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Weaver who lived in the next dwelling, (1850 census). The census showed Elisha and Susanna with three little boys.
Sometime between 1854 and 1857, the family moved from Clermont Co., OH to near Warsaw, Hancock Co., IL. They stayed there until sometime mid 1860 when they moved across the Mississippi river to the southeast corner of Clark Co., MO.
Elisha and Susanna had thirteen known children, six born in OH, five in IL and two born in MO.
William Henry: born 22 Oct 1845, Clermont Co., OH. About 1866 he married Nancy Farmer, probably in IL. They had a son, Samuel A. who died in Clark Co., MO, age five months. By 1880 he had moved to Neosho Co., KS. They had more children but only two lived to be adults. They were Wilbert, born 1867 and Olive, born 1874. William H. was a farmer and Justice of the Peace. He died 15 July 1909. Nancy died 7 July 1928. Both are buried Odense Cemetery in Neosho Co., KS. Other markers list their children who died young. Rodney died 1884, age 11 y. 6 m., Etta Pearl 1883, age 6 m., Ruby Bell died 1884, age 6 and Truly died 1880, age 6 y. 4 m.
James Wayne: born Mar 1847, Clermont Co., OH. About 1876 he married Kate Hamilton. They moved to Allen Co., KS, just north of Neosho Co. He was a farmer. There were three daughters. Ella, born 1877 in MO, Cora, born 1879 in MO and Annabel, born 1881 in KS. There is no record of any sons. Sometime after 1900 they moved to Ferndale, WA. James died there 21 Dec 1917. Does anyone know why they moved so far away from the rest of their kin?????
John Walter: born 8 Feb 1849 in Clermont Co., OH. He married Anna C. Runyon 18 May 1869 in Clark Co., MO. He was a farmer. Their children were Mary Susanna (Molly), born 1870, Rodney, born 1873 died age 11, Nathan Orastus, born 1875, all born in MO. Infant born 1881 in KS, James Walter, born 1883, KS, Anna Pearl born 1891, KS. James Walter died 1906 when a horse fell on him. The family was listed in the 1880 census in Clark Co., MO. They moved to Allen Co., KS by 1881. John Walter died 20 June 1925 and his wife Anna died 18 Sept 1923. Both are buried in Bronson cemetery near La Harpe, KS.
Elisha Franklin Jr.: born Nov 1850 in Clermont Co., OH. He married 8 May 1876, Lucy Dice in Clark Co., MO. He was a farmer. Their known children were Walter J. and Robert L., twins born 1879 in MO, Joshua P. born 1881, Claud born 1890 in MO and Truly born 1899 in Indian Territory, OK. 1900 census showed them living in Afton, OK next door to his younger brother Charley and then next to that his sister Caroline Abbey. Census showed there were seven children with five living. Lucy died before 1910 and further information is very scarce. An old letter mentions Pauls Valley, OK.
Sanpherd P.: born 14 Oct 1852 in Clermont Co., OH, died 17 Apr 1854 and buried New Harmony cemetery, Brown Co., OH just east of Clermont Co.
Joshua Perry: born 14 Mar 1854 in Clermont Co., OH. He married 20 Aug 1875, Martha "Dink" Ballard in Clark Co., MO. They had one son, James W., born 1879. Joshua died 24 Jan 1881, age 26 y. 10 m. Martha married again to Francis Brown. All are buried at Liberty Baptist Church cemetery in Clark Co., MO.
Sarah Elizabeth: probably named for both her grandmothers, born 2 Sept 1857 near Warsaw, Hancock Co., IL. She married 22 Nov 1881 to Hugh Scott Walker at E. Ketchum's house in Clark Co., MO. Their children were Selna Maude, born 1882, Mary L. and Robert, twins born 1885, Elizabeth and William (Billy), twins born 1887. Sarah Elizabeth died 16 Mar 1887. Her two youngest children were raised by her older brother William Henry. Hugh Scott Walker never remarried and both are buried at Liberty Baptist Church cemetery in Clark Co., MO.
Eliza Ella: born 2 Feb 1860, near Warsaw, Hancock Co., IL. She married 22 Nov 1881, George Armstrong in Clark Co., MO. They lived in MO, NE and Neosho Co., KS. They had an adopted daughter, Pearl Uttman.
Caroline: twin, born 14 April 1861 near Warsaw, Hancock Co., IL. She married about 1884, William B. Abbey. They lived in KS and OK. There were no children born to them. She had a bad burn scar on her face. She died 12 Aug 1936. Uncle "Will" died in the 1940's. Both are buried at Ghormley cemetery near Pensacola, Mayes Co., OK.
Adeline: twin, born 14 Apr 1861. She married Allen Dice, who may have been a brother of Lucy Dice. No information as to their children or their death dates. It has been said these girls attended the same school as President Garfield?? They both taught some school in their younger years.
Anna Mae: born 22 Mar 1863 near Warsaw, Hancock Co., IL. She married 18 Nov 1882, Benjamin F. Boestler, in Chanute, Neosho Co., KS. He was a widower and had older children. Their children were Elmer Lee, Clarence Ross, Bessie May, Harry Earl, and Alva Christopher. Harry was killed in WWI. The other boys moved to Henryetta, OK. Anna also moved there after Benjamin's death, dying there 12 July 1929.
George A.: date of birth or death is unknown. A tombstone in Liberty Baptist cemetery names him as son of Elisha F. Ketchum, Sr. Dates are illegible.
Charles Monroe: born 16 Feb 1867 or 68 (conflicting records), Clark Co., MO. He married 15 Sept 1891, Mary Agnes View. I have not found the record of their marriage. He probably lived in KS near his older brothers and sisters and she lived with her aunt, Nancy Wilson in Daviess Co., MO near Kidder. It is said he was in the area visiting relatives. (Who??) They lived in MO, KS, OK and CO during their married life. They had thirteen children, ten of whom lived to have families of their own. they were: Caroline Rebecca, George Henry, Ira Franklin, Charles Monroe, Jr., (died young), James Wayne, Amel Lawrence, Elva Benjamin, Agnes Unity, Clara Susanna, Perry Joshua (died young), Orville Logan, Walter (died young) and Mary Ellen. Charles died in Pueblo, CO 25 July 1935 and Mary Agnes died 18 Sept 1938. They are both buried at La Junta, CO.
Susanna died suddenly, 1 Apr 1868. Charles was just a baby or slightly over one year old. She is buried at Liberty Baptist Church cemetery which is located four miles south of Fairmont in Clark Co., MO.
Elisha Franklin married again, 3 Oct 1868 to Louisa Bebee in Clark Co. The 1870 census listed the following children: Joshua, Elizabeth, Eliza E., Caroline, Adeline and Anna, plus a new baby girl, Cordelia. The young Charles must have been with a married brother's family and I have not found him. The children by the new marriage were Cordelia 1869, Alvil (?) 1871, Albert 1873, Garnet 1875 and Emma 1877 (per 1880 census). Some family remembered them as Sam, Albert, Wilda and Bena. I have no information for any of them except Albert.
Albert was with Charles' family in the 1900 census in Afton, OK. He married Nettie Davis of Afton and they then lived in KS. After several of us moved to OR, Uncle Wayne met him by accident living around McMinnville, OR. Nettie had died in 1944. He visited the Ketchum families. He died 19 May 1955.
Elisha Franklin Ketchum died 20 Feb 1882 in Neosho Co., KS. It is not known for sure if he had settled in the area or was visiting. He is buried at Big Creek Cemetery which is east of Chanute, Hiway K-39, then one mile north on the road to Leanna, then about one block east. This is quite close to the farm then owned by his oldest son, William Henry. There is a headstone.
57. Susanna WEAVER
Census records
Cemetery lists
58. William VIEW
Census records
Marriage record1983 limited info/ family information William died ca seven months prior
to birth of #2(Mary Agnes)
59. Margery Rebecca Mary BELLOMY
William married 26 Mar 1871 to Mary Rebecca Bellomy at the home of the bride's father, in Clay County by G. W. Ogilvie, J. P. Two children were born, first Billy about 1872 and Mary Agnes,in Oct 1873. William died before Mary Agnes was born. I wonder why he died so young.Mary Rebecca Bellomy, called Margery most of her life, was born 1 April 1851, in Scott County VA. She was the daughter of Joseph Bellomy and Rebecca Taylor. The Bellomy's was also spelled Bellamy in the known records. Her brothers and sister were: James D, William C, John T, Joseph C, Harvey H. and Nancy Unity.
Margery's mother died about 1864. Her father married again to Sarah Sage, a Civil War widow. I have found records where View's and Sages intermarried in MO.
By 1870 census time, Joseph's younger family and his son John T. lived in West Virginia. Shortly thereafter, they lived in Harlem, Clay Co, MO (Now North Kansas City) Harlem village was about a mile from the View farm. Later, the Bellomy's settled in the southern part of Daviess Co, MO not far from Kidder.After William View's death, Margery went to her family as Mary Agnes was born there. Her father, brother John T and sister Nancy Unity, married in KY, lived close to each other there. After Mary Agnes was born, she went back to the View family in Clay co. There, on 22 Feb 1874, she married Samuel Kilgore, a widower with
older children. Her children by this marriage were Clara, Laura and Samuel, Jr. (1880 census)When Samuel Kilgore died she went back to her people in Daviess Co. There, on 22 May 1884, she married H. H. Frits. Her children by this marriage were a set of triplets, Elmer, Emerson and Emma, and twins Charles and Harvey.
After the death of H. Frits, she married Logan Summers. There were no children by this marriage.
She died 14 June 1930 and is buried at the Ghormley Cemetery near Pensacola, Mayes Co OK
Quite a lady, our Great Grandmother. She had four husbands and out lived them all.
60. William SPARKS
Family history
Census records
Marriage records
William Sparks was born about 1806 in Greenup Co.,Kentucky. He was a son of William (John?) Sparks. His mother was thought to be Mary Jane Green but recent information shows that she may have been Mary "Polly" Bradshaw.
William first married Emmaline Hyde in Greenup Co., in 1828. They had six children. In August of 1840 they sold land and moved to Buchanon Co.,Missouri. Emmaline died about 1844. Their children were; James Lewis, Mary, Sally, Priscilla, Jesse Isaac and William, Jr.
William married Sarah (Emmerick) Rector 15 Dec. 1845. Sarah had previously married Nelson Rector in 1841. He was arrested along with some other men for inciting a riot. When the charged was dropped, he disappeared and Sarah filed for a divorce. She had at least one child by Rector.
They lived in Buchanon Co. until the early 1850's when they moved to Denton Co., Texas. In 1853, William applied for Pre-emption land near the area where his oldest son James Lewis lived. They were to live on this land for at least three years. It is probable our Grandpa Christopher C. was born while they lived there.
According to the 1860 census, they lived in Bosque Co., TX. William was listed as an inn-keeper. (Mom remembered Pap talking about living close to the Brazos River when he was little).
Their children were:
Benjamin Franklin b. 1847 in MO. (called Hugh)
Catherine Frances 1849 " M. Wm. Smith
Mariah ? Marinda? 1854 Tx. W.T. Hunnicutt
Christopher Columbus 1856 " Mary Ann Bower
Sarah 1860 " John Glenn
Lulla 1862 " Samuel ShannonWilliam and Sarah sold their land in Denton Co. in 1862. No further records have been found for them until the 1870 census.
According to family stories, the family may have started on the long trip to Oregon. Mom and Aunt Ida remembered Pap talking about wanting to go to Oregon. (I often wondered why until I found out more about Sarah's family) Somewhere after they left Texas, traveling by wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen, they got stuck in mud and one of the oxen had to be destroyed. Uncle Bill Sparks had a bell and one of the ox horns for many years. Later, Uncle Ben claimed the horn and took it to Oregon.
The next record found for Will and Sarah is found in the 1870 census records. In June of 1870, the family was in Upper Township, Ft. Smith, Arkansas. The census showed Will as head of the household and included all the family except Hugh. Also included was Will's older son, James Lewis and Sarah's son, Jesse Rector. It is presumed that Will may have been very ill and probably died. There is a second census in September of the same year in Sugar Loaf Township and this time Sarah was listed as head of the household.
The next record of the Sparks family was found in Washington County, AR. Our Grandpa Christopher married our Grandma Mary Ann Bower there in September of 1875 and there are records of two of his sister's marriages, in 1878 and 1879. The 1880 census showed Sarah Ann had remarried to J. E. Stonestreet and the only child left at home was the youngest daughter, Lulla. They lived at or near Canehill in Washington County. The Bower family also lived in that vicinity.
The 1890 census was destroyed by fire. The 1900 census listed J. E. and Sarah Stonestreet still living in the same area as 1880. Nearby was Sarah's son Jesse Rector and family. Later, both the Stonestreets lived with Sarah,s youngest daughter Lulla who had married Samuel Shannon. By 910, both had died.
In 1985, cousin Willie (Sparks) Damet and I, took a trip over into Washington County AR to do some research at the Library and Courthouse. We also visited a grandaughter of the Shannon's near the village of Clyde. She took us up on a hill back of the old Shannon homestead location where both Sarah and J. E. Stonestreet were buried. There were two small native stones, a few iris and a small rosebush that marked their graves. It is probably all overgrown by now.
Note: Almost nothing is known about the first son, Benjamin Franklin, called Hugh. A few years ago, in the Sparks Quarterly magazine, there was a mention of a Hugh Sparks who enlisted in Texas to fight in the Civil War for the South. This company became "Company C, 10 th Regiment, Texas infantry" (also known as Nelson's regiment, Texas Volunteers). All taken prisoners and taken to Camp Douglas in Chicago, IL where this Hugh died of small pox. (Sparks Family Quarterly editors believe this Hugh belonged to a different Sparks family, but I wonder???)
61. Sarah Ann EMRICH
married 1st 1841 to Nelson Rector, 2nd to William Sparks, 3rd to J.E.
StonestreetGrave location southwest of Clyde,Washington,AR on old Shannon home place
Pink rose bush and iris in vicinity.2 trees. Small fieldstones mark graves
of Sarah and J.E. Stonestreet
!father's will, Washington Co Oregon
Washington Co Arkansas 1880 census
62. William BOWER
Census records
Marriage record
photo of tombstoneWILLIAM BOWER AND LYDIA MARTHA NEWMAN (Elms
William Bower was born about 1807 in Union Co. PA. His parents are unknown. According to National Archive Records, he enlisted in the Army in 1836 at Harrisburg, PA and served three years with the Pennsylvania Dragoons and was discharged in 1839.at Leavenworth, KS. Nothing is known of the years between 1839 and 1856 when he married our Great Grandmother Lydia Newman (Elms). He is said to have spoken broken English and he came from an area settled by Dutch/ German people in PA. This area was originally the county of Northumpton. The are several families named Bower/bauer in this area but so far no bibles or other information has been found to know just which family William came from. Cousin Willie (Sparks)Damet has also been trying to find which family he belonged to.They were married at the home of Lydia's sister, Rebecca and Larkin Nall. Near Summers, in Washington Co. AR in Feb of 1856. Lydia had been married to an Edward Elms in 1853 and had a daughter named Catherine Elms, (she was called Aunt Kate) There is no official date of Edward's death.
According to family stories, William Bower was a crippled man and that he worked during the Civil War as a cook at Ft. Gibson in the Oklahoma Territory. I found them in the 1860 census in Washington Co. AR but so far no one has found them in the 1870 census. They were either missed or they were still in the Oklahoma Territory where there was no census taken for that year. 1880 census listed them back in Washington Co. AR.
William and Martha had a large family
Mary Ann b1857 m. Christopher C. Sparks
Rachel 1859
Rebecca 1861
John 1863
William (Wes) 1867 m Lulu Grisham
Virginia (Jenny) 1867 m. Robert Day
Samuel Ross 1873 m. Lulu Bowers
Sarah (Sally) 1877 m. Charles JonesWilliam died in 1882 and is buried at the Cane Hill Cemetery at Cane Hill, AR. Lydia married again to Rubin Day. She died 1912 at Anderson, MO and is buried there. Information on her death certificate was given by Mrs Charles Jones (Sally)
Several of their children lived, Married and died near Hulbert, OK just north of Ft. Gibson,Oklahoma.
63. Lydia NEWMAN
Family history
Census records
Death certificate