The Big Move.

Here we area on Week 10 of the 52 Ancestors blogging challenge and the theme is 'Stormy Weather'.
So this will prompt me to write about a story I've heard most of my life. Its about the winter storm that happened about the time my Dad's family first moved to Arkansas.

But first let's start at the beginning.

My grandfather, Charles Bryant Nall was the oldest child born to Benjamin Rufus and Willie Belle (Foster) Nall. He was born May 13, 1935 in Crowell, Texas. Then there was "Dena", "Bo", George, and Larry. (My Uncle George always called me 'Sugar Baby')






Myrtle Lou, Sue, Charles, Frances, Edwin

My grandmother, Winnie Sue Jones, was the next to youngest child born to John Arthur and Lurie Myrtle (Rutherford) Jones. She was born July 14, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas. Her older siblings were Francis, Edwin and Charles and the baby of the family was Myrtle Lou. Their father, Johnnie, was a mechanics helper for the Humble Oil Company and on his way home from work on April 25, 1940 his vehicle was struck by a passenger train carrying soldiers from Fort Bliss. He died almost instantly. This would prompt Winnie's family to move back to their home of previous years in Knox County. Winnie Sue would attend school at Truscott until it burned down around 1945. She then continued her education at Benjamin, where she would meet, fall in love with, and marry "Charlie B."
Sue had a lilac prom dress and her sister-in-law Faye cut it off and hemmed it up for her wedding dress. She and Charles were married in the front room of  the little farmhouse belonging to Charles's parents, eight miles West of Benjamin, on  September 18, 1952. Charles and Sue shared an anniversary with her parents and older sister, Frances.

Charles started working on a ranch and made very little money. Eventually they moved to Seymour, Texas where he began working for the grocery store chain 'M System'. He quickly worked his way up to where he had an interest in the company and would have to travel from store to store. In 1958 'M' System had stores in Abilene, San Angelo, Brownwood, and Coleman Counties. The drive and time became so much that he ended up purchasing a small plane, a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, to make travel easier. My Uncle Mike can remember when his dad first got his pilots license. They would get up early of the morning when it was still dark out and make the drive to Wichita Falls, where Charles would take lessons.

Charles Nall with his plane and his nephews Mike* and Ronnie Chilcoat

That small plane would eventually fly the family to Arkansas a few times where they were in the process of buying land.  Why Arkansas you may ask.  Charles had a friend and former brother-in-law, by the name of Odell Brown.  He was a "ramblin' man" and had found 3 rather large parcels of land that were 'dirt cheap' in Northwest Arkansas. He convinced Charles, and Charles's dad Rufus, to go in with him and purchase 2 of the parcels, while he purchased the third. In the Washington County archives in 1963 I can find a Quitclaim Deed for 527 acres between Mr. Brown  and my grandfather's sister, Dena. And in May of 1961 I can find where Charles and Winnie Sue Nall  purchased 310 acres.

It would be a long process of nearly 10 years before the entire family (extended family included - Charles's father and brothers, Larry, George and Bo) would be completely moved in and settled - making several trips between Texas and Arkansas on that small plane and by truck. My Uncle Mike recalls that it was the last day of May 1968 when they loaded up the last of their belongings into a 14' U-Haul trailer pulled by their '63 Ford pick-up and made the final trip to their new home on Blue Mountain, just South of Prairie Grove. Before that final trip there were several summers spent trying to get everything in order. In fact there are shared memories of Odell having a barn that Rufus, Willie Belle, Larry, my dad and his brother (probably several others) stayed in while they built houses for everyone. The old barn was said to have been full of copper head snakes, and that my dad's uncles would take turns at night keeping an eye out to make sure no one was bitten while they slept. Mike recalled that even though it was summer time, the mornings would be cold, foggy, and damp. They kept a wood stove burning in the middle of the old barn, but it would only heat an eight foot circle. He said once you got out of range the only way you knew a fire was burning was because you could see the flames.  My dad recalled a trip made in '64 that he, his brother and Uncle Larry took a rented  bob truck  loaded up with about 15 head of cattle, while Odell drove another, for a total of about 30 head of black baldy cattle and headed to Arkansas with what would be the beginning of the families cattle herd. He remembers stopping at a store and buying weenies, bread, and milk for the trip. My uncle recalled that it took two bob trucks with two trailers to haul the 30 head.

It was the winter of  '66-'67 (possibly '68) and that herd of cattle that the writing prompt reminded me of. That winter was brutal.  When going through old newspapers and online data I can see that Nationally that winter was bad. There were blizzard conditions in much of the north in Colorado, the Dakotas, New York and D.C. and I found this statement from the National Weather Service out of Little Rock referencing this time period:

"THE SNOWSTORM OF JANUARY 28TH 1966 WHEN THE STATE SAW NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. IN THAT STORM...NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD AT LEAST OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. EIGHT TO TWELVE INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN A BAND FROM NEAR BISMARCK TO EAST OF PINE BLUFF...WITH ALL AREAS OF THE STATE SEEING MEASURABLE SNOWFALL"The Fayetteville  History Facebook page responded to my inquiry with the following:

"Fayetteville had a significant snow on March 12, 1968. Drake Field recorded 12 inches overnight, the largest recorded up to that time, and the university closed for the first time in its history as a result of weather."

Regardless, it is this winter that my uncle recalled being so bad that the cattle had to be fed hay by horseback. Rufus and George took two horses that carried 3 bales each. It took them all day and when they woke up the next day, they had to do it all over again. My dad recalls that during one of these snowstorms the cattle, trying to get out of the driving cold wind and snow, made their way to the little porch on the front of their newly purchased home, that they were not yet living it at the time. As many cattle as could fit climbed up underneath the overhang to get out of the weather and needless to say, between the weight of the snow and the weight of the cattle the porch couldn't hold that much weight and it collapsed. Several of those cattle died from either the impact of the collapsed roof or from being trapped underneath and smothered to death. It was a hard hit for the family trying to make a new life in a new place while living so far away, but they had no shortage of perseverance. Once this family made their final trip to their new home and settled into this new state, this Texas family would get another dose of an Arkansas winter. My dad recalls that they had a small single story farm house and my grandfather built a small room in that attic for him and his brother. There was so much space between the boards and lack of insulation that they woke up during winter mornings covered in snow. At that time Charles worked at EPC and one winter day the snow had fallen so hard and so fast that when he tried to make his way back home he could only get as far as his dad's place (about a mile or so down the road). He borrowed one of Rufus's horses and rode it the rest of the way home. Dad remembers the horse being in really bad shape by the time it trudged through all that snow and delivered my grandpa safely home. Dad remembers that it was also that time that the propane trucks couldn't make it up the mountain to deliver propane so his mom, Sue, was trying to heat up the house and cook on their wood stove. They didn't have any wood cut so they were out there in the snow digging for scrap wood that had fallen from the trees and Winnie was boiling potatoes in an old coffee can on the stove. He also remembers a neighbor Mr. Kelly that had milk cows and the milk truck getting stuck from the snow and ice, was stuck in the road for weeks, leaving the road barricaded and they had to pass through my grandfather's field to get back and forth. There were many obstacles to overcome living this new life but my grandfather went on to purchase several more acres, operate chicken houses, buy a Processing Plant, raise a few hogs and with the help of his sons, grow his cattle herd to several hundred.

When I found the above newspaper snippet, I couldn't help but laugh at the notion that my grandfather would "retire to his farm", for he rarely stopped. There was always something to check on or work on, or animals to tend to, or supplies to buy. Not what I envision retirement to be like.

Charles and Sue are no longer with us, but the many memories that we all share of their lives will live on, especially if we take the time to share them.

As always, I invite you to comment any additional memories below. And be sure to check out my SIL's post about the Second Dust Bowl and Abilene, Texas, over at Days of Our Lives.

Until next week,
Becky

*Mike was a boy that Aunt Frances and Uncle John Chilcoat raised.

Too Close To Home

This week's writing prompt is 'Close To Home' and will prompt me to write, with the help of my daughter Laney, and several of her family members, about her father. He was taken from this life at the young age of 34 and the tragedy of his death hit too close to home. His death shook me to my core. I don't know if it was because of the unexpected nature, because he had been my husband or because as a mother the hardest thing I think I've ever witnessed was the horrendous heartbreak of my children at the loss of their father. But I don't want this post to be a solemn one. It's my wish that it would be up beat and full of laughter, as Gaylan was always happy and made everyone he knew laugh.

Gaylan Lynn Dowdy was born August 25, 1976 in Mena, Arkansas to Banks Junior and Brenda Gaye (Counts) Dowdy. He was the youngest of six children and a fighter from the moment he drew his first breath. Gaylan's mother went into labor with him when she was only six months along. He only weighed 2lbs and was tiny enough to fit in the palm of his daddy's hand. He would have to spend the next 3 months at the hospital until he could reach 4lbs and was able to go home.

I don't know if it was because he started life off so small or just what, but Gaylan loved to eat (and laugh) and he was fearless when it came to consequences. As long as he was having fun or making people laugh it was well worth it in his book. One story his cousin Troy recalls was when Gaylan was about 3 years old.

"I remember when he was just a baby, Gaylan and his family lived here in Athens and he got up early one morning and found some money ( I think it was a hundred dollar bill ) in Aunt Brenda's wallet. He walked to the store butt naked to buy himself a sucker. When he made it back home (with exact change) Aunt Brenda whopped his naked butt then promptly went to the store to give the lady behind the counter a piece of her mind." {paraphrased}

His cousin Tina remembers her uncle always telling this cute/funny story about Gaylan that took place when he was about 5 years old:

"Uncle James was at their house when he was about five and Gaylan was in the bathroom taking a poop and grunting really loud. Uncle James said he asked him how long it had been since he had gone to the bathroom, Gaylon said, in a grunt voice, "bout 21 days". This is from  her  husband Floyd's memories of Gaylan. She says "He still laughs every time he mentions it."

His cousin Nerissa can remember Gaylan's fondness for food and his kind heart from when she was in the hospital having her son and he stayed there with her:

"I remember when I was having Bryson at Siloam Hospital, Mom and Cookie and Gaylan were there.  Gaylan sat in my room by my bed almost the whole time and before I had Bryson they asked if "Mom and Dad both wanted a steak dinner?" We just died laughing and I said "No he's just my cousin visiting!" But after I had my c-section and got back to my room there was Gaylan eating his steak dinner plus I gave him mine."

Being the youngest and quite small, it was easy to pick on poor Gaylan (he always took it well and never stayed angry long). One story his family shares, this time is being told by his sister, Cookie:

"We lived in Oklahoma and Jody put a penny up high and told Gaylan and the twins (Ronald and Donald) to jump up and see who could get it first. Gaylan couldn't even think about getting close but the twins ripped off a piece of wood trying to reach it. When daddy got home he ask who did it and everyone of us said Gaylan did. We always blamed everything on Gaylan."

Gaylan was full of spunk - in fact his whole family was - they even had the nickname around town as the Rowdy Dowdy's. As good natured and funny as he was, Gaylan still got into a fight or two. His sister remembers a time when the two of them got into a fight with each other:

"I remember the first time I whooped his butt. I usually never would fight him back. We lived in Big Fork and Mom told us to go to the neighbor to barrow their vacuum. Gaylan  made me carry it back all by myself and I was so mad. When I got back we started fighting and it shocked him that I was whooping him. We hardly ever fought again after that."

Her story reminded me about him always telling about the time he was fixing to get into a fight with some boys at school. Before he could even throw the first punch big sis came flying over his shoulder and beat those boys before he got the chance. It sure made him mad too!

Another thing about Gaylan was his tendency to dream and sleepwalk, while acting out those dreams. I remember when I was pregnant with our son, Patrick, we lived out in Watts, OK, in a trailer house next to his brother, Donald, and his wife Trena. It must've been tornado season and when the air conditioner kicked on one night it had to have triggered one crazy dream for Gaylan. I remember being woken up by him jerking me from bed by the arm and dragging me to the back door. He flung it open and yelled "JUMP!" After lots of yelling and screaming to get him to wake up, he finally explained that he was dreaming that a tornado had made our house begin to roll side over side and he was wanting me jump out when the doorway hit the ground! A few other "close call" dreams that I wasn't there for but have heard told, was the time he was fighting someone is his dream and when he woke up he was punching and pulling wires out of the fuse box in his mother's house. And another time he dreamt he was having a peeing contest with someone. He ended up standing on the arm of his momma's couch and peeing all over her furniture!

Gaylan was always there for his nieces and nephews too. He loved them as much as he loved his own kids, I think. Here are a few memories his niece Katlin has of her Uncle Gaylan:

"One memory I have of me and Laney; it was summer and he wouldn't take us swimming and all the boys was swimming in the pond. He told us not to get in the pond but me and Laney did so he took us in the bathroom and got his belt and scared us by acting like he was going to whoop us but he just told us not to do it again.  He's the one who taught me how to swim. It was me, him, and I'm pretty sure Laney and Patrick,  and he said I'm never going to learn if I didn't jump in so he pushed me and jumped in with me and it scared me but I started swimming."

Gaylan also had an Aunt Debbie. She was no longer married to mother's brother, but everyone always still felt she was Aunt Debbie. They loved her and she loved them. Here is a memory she has of Gaylan:

"One of my memories of him, my son, Shawn, will remember this: He came to Dierks from Siloam Springs to see Shawn and to come to my wedding. He stayed at the house with us a few days and I had cooked something he really liked, may have been beans and cornbread, but he wanted some hot peppers to eat with it and all I had was some growing in a flower pot. I told him he couldn't eat them because they was so hot that no one had been able to do more than touch their toung to one. He bragged he could eat them that there was none to hot for him so I went out and picked a couple that was big enough to eat, these peppers were tiny when grown but was like putting liquid fire in your mouth, they were no bigger than a small grape and each one a different color. That's why I got one from someone and saved the seeds to plant in that flower pot. I mean they were about 5 different colors, purple, yellow, blue, red and orange all on one plant. Because they were so bright color and pretty and I had never seen any like them. Anyway I warned him again when I handed them to him but he just grined at me and bit the tip off and went to chewing. lol we all was waiting and he held on as long as he could but he jumped up, his face lit up and he headed for the kitchen sink and went to drinking straight from the faucet. lol.. but he wanted some seeds cause he wanted Banks to eat one. When he left I picked all that was ready and sent with him and told him I'd send him some seeds. I did too. When they dried and was ready I mailed him all the seeds I could. That was the first pepper he couldn't eat and he just had to grow some and see if his Daddy could eat it."

In all these stories and memories I hope we can see some character traits. I see them in each of the children we had together. Patrick loves food and cooking, as well as cutting up and making others laugh, while Laney thrives on happiness and is quick to forgive. They both have big hearts and are happy to help other people out and I want them to see that these things are a way their dad will always be with them.

I will close with Laney's memories of her Daddy:

"My dad was a wonderful man. His name is Gaylan Lynn Dowdy. My dad past away due to a hunting accident. I remember when my mom got the call from my uncle about the news I saw her face and I just knew that someone had died. I thought it was either my grandma (his mom) or my dad. When I found out that my dad had gone my life changed. My dad was a really funny man he could make anyone laugh and I  mean anyone. I remember my dad and I and the family were at the big hole and I was too afraid to jump off the rock but my dad told me he would be in the water waiting for me. When I finally decided to jump I jumped right on my dad and I remember him not blowing up and getting mad at me but laughing about it. That is one thing I love about my dad is that he never got mad about anything really. My dad told me that his sister and him were like two peas in a pod. He once played Barbies with his sister because she asked him to. Anybody else I know would have said no because that was a girl toy. When my dad was older he got in a fight at school and his sister jumped over everybody and punched the kid right in the face because she didn't want my dad to get hurt. When my mom and dad got divorced I'm really glad that the judge said that I could see my dad because if I didn't I would have never gotten to know him. Now that my brother is older he looks just like my dad. I remember my dad worked for a big truck company and he would take me along sometimes and we stopped at a restaurant and ate, now every time I see that restaurant I think of that time. I really miss my dad and if I could have one wish in the world it wouldn't be for money or a big house it would be for my daddy to come back."

 

P.S. Please consider stopping by my SIL's page to read her 'Close To Home' post.

Until Next Week,
Becky

Zula Jane - Mother Figure

I can't believe I'm already on post #8 of the 52 Ancestors challenge. This week our writing prompt was Good Deeds. This will lead me to share with you a recent discovery I made about my great grandmother Zula Jane (Acord) Stepp. But first, an introduction:

Zula was the oldest child of Clara Inda Evans and James William Acord. She was born September 6, 1903. She was named after her paternal grandmother Sarah Zulema (Kosier) and her maternal grandmother Jane (Conner).

When she was 19 years old, on April Fool's Day of the year 1923, she was married to my great grandfather, Newell McKinnley Stepp, son of James Johnathan Stepp, and Rebecca Matilda (Merrill).

This couple would go on to have seven children, only losing one at birth, a baby girl by the  name of Minnie Pearl who passed away a few days after she was born in 1941. This baby girl was named after Zula Jane's sister Minnie Myrtle who had passed away a few short years earlier because of kidney disease, leaving behind a husband, Roy Betnar, and their two young boys, Clyde and Connie.

 

Connie was just a baby, not even two, and Roy needed help in finding someone to take care of his boys. My great-grandma took in young Connie while her mother, Inda, helped with older brother Clyde. After about a year, Roy came to take Clyde from Inda, but Connie would stay with my great-grandma for nearly 6 years before his dad returned to take him home for good. Before that time, he would come and get him off and on, always returning him back to Grandma. Connie's daughter recounted that he would get sent back by way of the mailman, riding with him by horseback to Grandma Zula's who didn't live too far off.  It is said that when Roy came to get him the last time, Grandma had a difficult time letting Connie go.  She told his father he could take him, but if he ever brought him back he wouldn't take him again. It's also said that grandma's brother Joe Acord was ready to do whatever necessary to help make sure grandma could keep him if the need arose.  (I've heard a few stories about Uncle Joe, and I'm not sure I would want to cross him.) I just know Zula loved Connie like he was one of her own and I can't imagine how heart breaking it was for her to give him back to his daddy.

Connie is the little boy on the far left (looking at the ground) in front of Zula's mother, Inda. Zula is stnding next to Inda.

In 1949, when Connie was only 12, his father died and Connie was sent to live with his Uncle Glen Betnar, who received an orphan's check for $12. Times were different back then and as a young man you were often valued for your ability to work and earn your own keep. By the age of 12, I'm sure Connie would've been an asset for the family that took him in. His wife says that by that time Connie was big enough to work and travel to pick cotton and other crops. The Betnar's traveled to different states to work. Connie eventually joined the army as soon as he was old enough. He saw the military as a stepping stone to having a better life.

Connie passed away last  year and I've only recently connected with his family (his wife and daughter), and they both convey Connie's love, appreciation and fond memories of his time spent living with the Stepp family and my Grandma Zula in particular. They've told me how often he would say the best part of his life were the years he lived on the mountain and if he had gotten to stay his life would have been very different. He felt that place was Heaven on earth. His daughter wrote to me telling me about how her Dad would take them to Zula's house as often as he could and how she got to stay with Zula for a week when she was 7. She thoroughly enjoyed it. She remembered camping on the mountain and how much her dad loved going to decoration at Evans cemetery. The Acords (Grandma Zula's maiden name and Connie's mother's too) held a very special place in his heart all his life.

 

Just to help you see how compassionate and fun-loving my great-grandma was, here's a quote from a friend of Connie's daughter that was able to accompany her that same week she spent with the Stepp's:

 

"I was only with Zula and her family for a week, but fell in love with Zula from the start. The kitchen had running water. But no bathroom. Outhouse, and a shower stall just outside the kitchen window. And a refrigerator near the shower stall. You open the refrigerator door and got behind it to undress and step right into the shower There were feather beds and no screens on the windows. 3 square meals a day. Swimming twice a day in 2 different locations. Corn fields surrounded the yard. Zula showed me May apples and the work of the beavers near the swimming hole. One of the swimming holes was named after a bull that had walked out onto a rock slab and fell in (Noble hole). I can also remember that she made "grape" gravy one morning." ~CBM

 

Grandma Zula's oldest daughter Merle recently shared a few stories about young Connie with me:

"When we lived at Spokeplant we had peach trees in the yard. One was planted by the porch and the limbs stuck out over the porch. We had taught Connie how to sing the chewing gum song and when he would want something he would sing the chewing gum song. One day we heard him out on the porch singing the chewing gum song and when we went out to see what he was doing he was looking up at a great big ripe peach hanging on the tree. He wanted that peach."

"When we lived at Spokeplant we had a lot of Chickens and mommy (Zula) would catch one and take it to the chopping block and chopped their heads off with the axe that we chopped wood with, and would cook them for supper. Some of the hens had baby chicks running around. One day while me, Argie and Art were at school ,Connie had went outside to play and mommy heard him laughing at something. She went to see about him and he had caught those baby chickens and had chopped their heads off. I guess he was laughing at them kicking around."  <-- Can you even imagine?? Boys will be boys, I guess.

I myself never really knew Grandma Zula. We lived about 2 hours away and therefore didn't visit very often (or I was too young to remember it) and she passed away when I was 13. My one solid memory of her was the year we spent Easter with her and Grandpa Newell. I was about five or six. I remember a vague image of their house and I can remember her smile and I remember feeling her kindness - but unfortunately that's all I recollect.

I recently asked several of my mother's cousins and Zula's children if they would share some stories about her and it makes me wish so much that I had the opportunity to have grown up closer to her so I could've known her better. I will close you with a few of these stories, because they can speak of how much she loved and lived and laughed so much more than I could...

From her grandson James:

 I always thought she had an endless supply of bacon because there was always some left under the sheet covering leftovers on the table. She made the best rice for breakfast or you could say a bowl of sugar and butter with some rice tossed in it. I loved her and she loved me the most! She made us all think she loved us the most"

From her granddaughter Diane:

 She would have us at her house for a week at a time and told us lots of stories . They all started with "younse listen here" Like some of an Uncle being found dead with an axe in him. But most of all she would sing "Black jack David" with us. The three of us ( Diane and her two sisters, Michelle and Reine) sang that song all the time while walking to the mailbox at Spokeplant or going swimming in the Noble hole. Grandma Zulee told about her mom never remarried because the kids would run every man off. Some guy was talking to Inda at church and they threw rocks at the horse till he rode off.

From her granddaughter Robyn:

"One of my favorite memories of her is when I was about 12 years old. I absolutely loved her biscuits that she made. I asked her if she would give me the recipe and she said that she never wrote it down, she "just put a little bit of this and a little bit of that in". So, I watched her make them one day and wrote down every single thing she did. She literally would just pick up flour, or salt, or other ingredients with her fingers and throw some in. She never measured. I took my notes home and my mom and I tried to make her biscuits using what I thought was what she had done. Of course, they never turned out like hers. I remember Karen and James and Matt and I would go on adventures to the pine trees. I remember that it seemed like it was so far away from the house and that we had really ventured out. As an adult going back down there and seeing just how close the pine trees were to the house it made me laugh. Grandma would pack a lunch for the four of us to take so that we didn't have to come all the way back to the house for lunch. She also would fill her dish washing soap bottles with water so that we could make bubbles to play with. Also, I drank more water down there at her house than I ever did anywhere else. Only because I liked using the dipping ladle that she hung over the kitchen sink"

From her granddaughter Debra:

"One of the many memories I have of Grandma is when my foot got smashed on the pull bars of Dad's tractor. She took a brown paper sack and soaked it in vinegar and wrapped my foot with it. My foot healed and I've never had a problem with it!"

From her granddaughter Carmel:

"Grandma Stepp was the best grandma ever. She made the best oatmeal ever. She made coffee in a coffee pot without the perking parts. Just coffee and water and boiled it until you could stand a spoon up in it. Everyone in our family still calls strong coffee, Zula Stepp coffee. I loved when we got to make ice cream at her house. Frozen milk with sugar and any flavor that Watkins made. Black walnut was my favorite and still is today. I loved helping her do laundry. She would use pants stretchers in Tooter and Dwight's jeans. Once the clothes were hung on the line, she would take a long pole and raise the line up high so nothing touched the ground. She named her milk cow after me and I loved going to the barn with her when it was time to milk. I would squat down beside her and watch every move she made. She always wore dresses and when she walked to the barn or garden or wherever, she would swing her arm back and forth and swish the side of her dress with her hand. I can see her doing that still today. Mom had bought her a set of large tea glasses one year for Christmas and I loved those glasses. She kept them on the top shelf and would never use them because she didn't want them to get broken. I asked her if I could have those glasses some day, you know when she was gone, she said well honey you take them now. I said no later, before I knew it she had them wrapped in newspaper and in a box. That was 45 years ago and those glasses sit on my top shelf, they have never been used because I am afraid they might get broken. I could go on and on but basically she was the best! She always had a Mason jar for our lightning bugs. String for our June bug legs and she taught me what a tumble bug was. Grandma helped her mother (Inda) deliver Tony (Jayne's oldest) in the back bedroom of the house. I asked her how she knew what to do. She said by watching mommy. I was curious and wanted more details. She told me how she would hold the embilical cord and feel the heart beating in it. She would wait until it stopped and tie a string around it about an inch apart and cut the cord. I was very impressed that she knew all of this."

From her granddaughter Janice:

"I can remember one summer Mom (Merle) taking me and my sister and brothers to stay a week with Grandma. She also kept my cousins at the same time, I remember Diana, Reine, and Michelle being there. I think others were there also, but can't remember who. She had quite a house full of grandkids to take care of. The first morning after Mom left I remember grandma taking us all to the swimming hole. We couldn't swim, so she said she would help us. I remember her getting into the water in a dress and the dress went up and out into the water. We all laughed so hard. I also remember while we were staying with grandma she needed to go to the store. She had all of us children get in the back of the truck and off we went to town. She took all of us inside the store with her. On the way home Uncle Tooter got into the food and made a baloney sandwich. As he was eating it a guy riding a motorcycle was behind us and he held out his sandwich to the guy and ask him if he wanted a bite. All of us laughed at that." 

From her granddaughter Karen:

 "I love the story where all the men went deer hunting leaving grandma at the house while they we're gone a deer got caught in the barb wire fence and she tied it up! She had a deer captured when they all came home! I loved sitting on the front porch with her singing and rolling her apron and folding it over and over!! When she lived with us every night at supper we would say pass the butter just so grandma would tell the butter head Davis story of the soldier putting butter under his helmet and it melted! Mom would just smile at us as we acted like we never heard it before! She loved to help mom stir the potatoes fryin too. Nobody made fried taters like granny Grandma couldn't drive and she had a saying, "If you can drive it I can ride it!" She did too! Even 4 wheelers! I also remember the story of the Jehovah witness running over Doyle Karrs dog and called grandma to get their license. She got the screw driver ready to take their license plate off when they got there. I remember those same soap bottles (from Robyn's story) being filled with hot water and put in bed to keep us warm under all those blankets. We sunk down in the feathers and couldn't move"

From her granddaughter Tarona:

"My fondest memory of Grandma and Grandpa Stepp was drinking Nestle Chocolate Quick, Grandma's Oatmeal, and Roastneers canned in gallon jars - best corn on the cob EVER!!!! You couldn't beat Grandma's cooking! The garden full of fresh veggies too!"

From her granddaughter Michelle:

"I remember canning beets. Grandpa would build a fire under that big wash tub outside then grandma would put the beets in. After awhile she said, "They're ready!" and all us kids would stand around the tub and peel beets with our hands. Just squeeze a little and the peeling came off. Then we would go to Noble hole and try to get stains off. I also remember brushing grandmas hair.  She would sing  'Froggy went a Courtin' "

From her granddaughter-in-law Kathy:

"I remember when Carmel and Vernon came back here and brought their boat. We went out to the lake and Grandma skied in her dress I think someone challenged her to ski and she did it!"

From her son Dwight:

"I didn't see this but it would've been funny to see - Mom couldn't drive and dad was working on the tractor. He couldn't get it started so he got mom to pull him with the truck. When it started he went to waving his arms. She thought the more he waved the faster he wanted her to go. They were going pretty fast until she ran out of field. When they got stopped she was laughing but he didn't think it was at all funny."

 

From her "adopted from the heart" granddaughter Ann (Connie's daughter):

"Jerry and I got too go spend a week with Aunt Zula. Their were a lot of her grandchild staying too. If my memory is right their were about 10 of us. My brother Jerry or my cousin Gail Betnar was the oldest and I was the youngest. Like other's I have wonderful memories of her great cooking, and taking us swimming. She would tell me things about my dad when he was little. She took him in and loved him like he was hers after his mom, her sister, died. She was the closest thing I to a grandmother on my dad's side. The summer we stayed Jerry spent most of his time carving a guitar in a big tree behind her house. She made me feel like I was one of her own grandkids. My dad always said little mulberry was a little bit of heaven on earth. I wish my daddy was still here. He had so many wonderful story about his love of her"

And last but not least, from Connie's wife Ivia:

"I sure loved her . When she had breast cancer, Connie and I went to hospital in Fayetteville to see her. We stoped at the nurses desk to ask her room number. The nurses began laughing saying they just loved her. The doctor was there and he brought her a ball to squeeze so she could build up her muscles. She told him she didn't need that old ball because she would be squeezing her milk cow's teats when she got back home and she would have her muscles back real fast! The nurses told us that half the doctors would come from all over the hospital to see her because she was such a delight. She was a very funny  lady and would've made one famous stand up comic. You are all so blessed to have had her as a mom and grandma. She couldn't have been any sweeter or loving to me had I been blood kin." 

Until next week,
Becky

And as always, be sure to check out my SIL's blog, Days of Our Lives, as she is blogging alongside me in this 52 Ancestors challenge. Her post is about her ancestor Ervin Alonzo Drake, who volunteered to fight in the Mexican American War. For a more analytical post about this same family be sure to check out her post from 2012 - here.

 

 

 

 

 

Effie BULL Follow Up: And Some Historical Geography

 

I felt my earlier post had a lot of information on several different families so I wanted to post this one to narrow the focus down to Effie and Joseph.


Passed down via word of mouth through all the descendants of Joseph H. Conner and his wife Effie is that her maiden name was Bull... this is my attempt to establish enough evidence to give this theory a leg to stand on.

In the 1850 and 1860 MO State census, Effie, wife of Joseph H. Conner, gives her birthdate as 1795 and birth location as NC. Joseph H. Conner gives his birthdate as 1803, being born in Virginia (1850) and TN (1806). Their son Thomas Conner's military records narrows his birth location to that of Knox Co., KY.

Looking at that area we see it is right near the border of TN, VA and NC. All four of these States and their counties' border lines were constantly changing during the late 1700's and early 1800's.  If you were to look at formation maps between then and the turn of the century you can see how quickly this area changed. In fact in 1784 several of these counties formed the now extinct provisional State of Franklin.... I say this to remind you not to get too hung up on Counties and States when gathering your records for this line during this time period.


Keeping in mind that this is modern day boundary lines... here is a picture of the region these families are found in, excluding their brief stint in IN. The area outlined in blue is a rough estimate of the now extinct State of Franklin.

Okay.

If you search records for this area you will see that a John Bull (sometimes listed as John Bull Sr.) appears on the 1783 Greene Co. tax list (*Note that during that time it was actually NC but by 1796 it had become TN.)

This John Bull eventually migrates to Knox County, KY where he can be found in the 1810 census where it would appear it is just he and his wife, both over the age of 45. Next door to him is a James Bull, then three more houses down, is John Bull Jr. I find no record for John Bull Sr in the 1820 census but 17 Jan 1818 shows John Bull (no suffix) with a land grant in Knox Co. KY, for 50 acres on water course Fk Yellow Cr.

Knox Co., KY, was formed in 1799/1800 and maps show it included "Indian Lands" in the southwest portion. These Indian Lands, which are not shown on maps after 1800, appear to have included the area that later became the western part of Josh Bell Co. when it was formed in 1867 and encompassed the Clear Creek land of the Bull family at the time.

Fellow researcher Darlene Ply found a warrant transfer of 50 acres from John T. Bull to Joseph Conner on Clear Creek in Knox Co.Ky. The land was bounded by William Evans, Richard Bull and John T. Bull. It was signed 10 Sept.1827 by John T.Bull

In 1825 Joseph Conner (Effie's husband) purchased 50 acres on Little Clear Creek. That same year a John Bull is listed as having 150 acres also on Little Clear Creek.

Now Joseph and Effie's son William lists in his military papers that his birth location was Hendricks Co., IN. A John T. Bull Jr. ( whom I believe to be Effie's brother) purchased about 30 acres in Morgan Co., IN which sits right below Hendricks Co. And in the 1830 census there is a John T. Bull Sr. and a John T. Bull both listed in Morgan Co. I believe the John T. Sr. to be the same mentioned above (Effie's brother) and the other John to be John T.'s son, Effie's nephew.

I can find no definitive trace of John Sr (Effie's father) in the years 1820-1830. But the 1820 census of Knox Co, KY lists an aged female (45+) living with the suspected son of John Sr., Richard Bull, and in 1830 Knox Co. there is an aged male (70-79) also living with Richard Bull. I believe the 1820 census refers to Richard's mother and the 1830 to be John Sr. living back at home with his son.

John Bull Sr. and Richard Bull are petitioners on 19 Jan 1799 in Grainger Co., TN, seeking to prevent any part of Grainger Co. from being split off to Jefferson Co., TN

Grainger Co. was formed from Hawkins & Knox Cos. in 1796 when TN was admitted as a state. The 1800 & 1810 census records for Grainger Co., TN were burned during the War of 1812. Richard is said to have moved his family (probably from Grainger Co., TN) to Knox Co., KY, in 1811-1813.  Richard Bull first appears on the Knox Co. tax list in 1815. He owned a mill on Clear Creek in an area of Knox Co. that partly went into Harlan Co. in 1819 and completely into Josh Bell Co. in 1867.  Richard is on the Knox Co., KY, tax lists annually between 1815 and 1829, with the exception of 1818.  *These tax records aren't on Ancestry*

John Bull Jr married Eleanor "Nelly" Collins in Grainger, TN in the year 1800 and Richard Bull married Fanny Bray there in 1805.

Richard Bull witnessed the 1822 Knox Co. will of neighbor, Joseph Haynes. Joseph Haynes' son Richard Haynes married Nelly *BULL* it is suspected that she is the daughter of Richard Bull's brother John who married an Eleanor "Nelly" Collins but it is plausible that she could be the daughter of Richard and Fanny Bray and was named after her aunt.

So from this I gather that sometime after 1825 and before 1834 that John Sr., John Jr and Joseph Conner migrated north to IN.... But by 1834 (the birthdate of Joseph's son Thomas) at least John Sr and Joseph had moved back down to KY. 

I can find NO census record for Joseph Conner prior to 1850. And Joseph gives his birth state as both TN and VA

I suspect he and Effie were married in Grainger County, as were here brother's. Grainger County was formed from neighboring Hawkins and Knox Counties in 1796, the same year Tennessee became a state.

I have found a likely prospect for Joseph's father in a man named Julius Conner. He can be found in the early land records of Hawkins County, TN on the dates of 15 Aug 1814, 9 Aug 1816, 22 Apr 1817 and 28 Oct 1817. Hawkins Co is right on the TN-VA line bordering Lee Co, VA making him my favorite candidate for Joseph's father. Julius is also found in Carter Co, TN during the years 1796-1799. The 1830 census find him in Cocke Co., TN with his wife and a young slave girl. He is aged (60-69), his wife (50-59). I suspect his wife's name to have been Katherine as there is a Katherine Conner (age 76) living with a Brooks family in Hawkins Co in the 1850 census. Julius and wife may have been living with a son Thomas in 1840.

The 1840 census of Hawkins Co lists several Conners - Two by the name of James, a Thomas, Edmund, Luke and a female household of a Fanny Conner in her 50's


So as you an see in researching the origins of Joseph and Effie you may find yourself getting an intense lesson in our nations early geography. We may never find out for sure who their parents were, but I'm sure I'll keep coming back and adding little pieces and nuggets here and there. HOPEFULLY if I'm lucky I'll stumble across a will.... now that I know where to look.

Becky
† Follow up: After further research I have learned that Julius' wife was indeed named Katherine/Catherine maiden name Cobb, daughter of Pharaoh Cobb and Barshaba Whitehead. I've seen in a few trees that they had a son named Joseph but a name is all they have for him.

† Follow up: Something to note - John Bull Jr.'s FIL, David Collins, died in Morgan County, IN.

BULL Maiden Name Connection Theory... and so much more!

With Valentines Day approaching, this week's 52 Ancestors writing prompt is LOVE. This post won't necessarily be about love relationships, but rather about something I love.

As an amateur genealogist I love it when I find records and leads that produce a theory and in turn when researching those theories I find myself on the same trail as others who have gone before me. It gives me confidence in my efforts and in my theories and sometimes that provides such an exhilarating feeling and that keeps me in the genealogy game. If only for a little while longer.... which will prove beneficial if I'm to finish this year with 52 ancestors being researched and written about.

Now on to the post....

For years, and generations, and throughout all the different branches (or roots?) that stem from Joseph H. Conner and his wife Effie ( my 4th great-grandparents) has been this one repeated story - that Effie's maiden name was BULL and that she was of Native American heritage. The pictures that survive of several of her descendants within the first 2 generations seem to give plenty of evidence that there was Indian blood in their line, and at this time I can't prove anything more than that, but I'm getting pretty darn close to proving her name was in fact, BULL.

Effie and Joseph both seem to be brick walls as I haven't discovered who his parents are either. I am constantly finding myself coming back to this line and digging through any and all records I can find on their children and their lives in hopes that it will provide some sort of clue that will reflect back on their parents. For years the only records I have had of Joseph and Effie was the 1850 and 1860 census records from Taylor, Greene and Union, Webster, MO, respectively. Joseph can also be found in 1870 but it would appear that Effie had died by then.

This week I began laying out all the information I had on their son Thomas Conner because I was actually going to blog about him using the idea that I LOVE ancestors who leave so many records and information behind, because there is a lot on him via military records and a few newspaper obituaries that one of his descendants has been so kind in sharing. In going back to Fold3 and sorting through all the records I could find on him I decided to give another look at his brothers William and Joseph S, who alongside my 3rd great-grandfather and their brother-in-law Josiah Evans, were enlisted in the same unit: Co 'C' of the 8th MO Cavalry. When I got to Joseph's records it mentions that he deserted at Fayetteville, AR, January 4, 1863 and was placed in confinement at Springfield, Missouri, on February 12th of the same year. From there I began searching for military prisons in Springfield Missouri and found myself at the Missouri Digital Heritage site browsing through their Provost Marshal records. I never did find any records on Joseph S. Conner but what I did find would begin the best lead I've ever had!

On reel# F1621, frame# 0708, file# 11688 you will find that in February of 1865, Thomas, his brother-in-law Josiah Evans and a man named Richard Haynes, all of Hickory County, Missouri were charged with robbing Miss Sarah A. Ellis, citizen of Webster Co, MO, and of stealing various household goods from Mrs. A. E. Lee, citizen of Greene Co, MO.  (Click here for images).

This made me curious as to the relation of this Richard Haynes so back to Fold3 I went to search for his military records. There I found that he was born around 1806 or 1809 in Knox County, KY, the same place Thomas was born and I thought that couldn't be coincidence. Now this is where it will get all sorts of unorganized and blurry as it became an intense episode of genealogical ADD as the leads and theories started to mount. I found myself on the Ancestry message boards where a distant cousin of mine was requesting marriage record information for the surname BULL in Knox Co during a certain time frame. One of the records revealed a Richard Haynes married to a Nancy BULL and ...


WAIT! In trying to find that record.... it just led to the MOST awesome discovery... this family is somehow also tied to my Josiah EVANS.... give me a minute to regroup... I'll be back in bit....

Forgive me:I'm going to place this here because this week has been a flood of information for the following surnames: Conner, Bull, Evans, and Haynes. I'm having trouble keeping it all straight.

In the 1860 Washington, Taney, Missouri, census, household 635, we have Richard and Nelley Hains with their son Stephen (8) and Thomas Ivans (19) Flemming Ivans (17) Peggy Hammons (5) and Nancey Hammons (3)

Thomas and Flemming have long been suspected by me to be brothers of Josiah Evans. Also of note is how the census taker spelled their names *Ivans* instead of Evans as he did with Josiah and Jane (Conner) who were living two houses down as household 637. ---Living with Josiah and Jane is the suspected baby sister of Josiah, Margaret J. Ivans.In the 1850 Knox County, KY census, household 315, we have Richard and Nelly living with Richard's mother Dorcus and a William Evans (20) b. in KY. 

Before now, I've not had William in my tree... but I suspect he too would be a brother of Josiah.
__________________________________________________________________________Okay back to my story.... turns out in my ADD state I can't find my record for Nelly's last name being Bull. I did find in Knox Co. KY, a John Bull Jr. married to an Eleanor "Nelly" (Collins).  Which leads me to assume that they would name a daughter "Nelly" ... another theory I came across this morning, from a woman named Connie, is that John's brother Richard Bull married to a Fanny Bray could've had a daughter named Nelly Bull after a "favored aunt" Nellie (Collins) Bull.

Though I haven't found a record (or I can't remember where I found it) a google search has the marriage info for Richard Haynes and Nelly (Bull) as 27 June 1847, Knox County, KY. And a newly found email friend and Bull Family researcher, Kent McMahan, sent me a link to a transcribed page for Knox County, KY marriage records. It lists the afore mentioned date with Richard Haynes as the groom but the bride is blank.

Both Mr. McMahan and I favor the following theory as to our Effie's BULL line. We believe it to be very likely that John Bull who married Nelly Collins and Richard Bull who married Fanny Bray to be Effie's brothers. Leaving the likely hood of Effie's father to be John Bull Sr. and Nelly the wife of Richard Haynes to be Effie's niece.

More evidence to support this theory is the fact that Effie's son William Conner gives his birth location as Hendricks County, IN, in his Civil War records. Keeping in mind that William was born around 1830, when searching the 1830 census records we can find John T. Bull age 50-59 (Effie's brother?) heading a household in Morgan County IN and John T. Bull age 20-29 (Effie's nephew?) heading his own household there as well. Hendricks County is directly above Morgan County.

Now to connect Richard Haynes to the Evanses: Richard is the son of Joseph Haynes and Dorcus Overton. From Mr. McMahan's database notes I learned that Joseph had a sister named Sarah who married John Evans. Further research led me to discover that Sarah and John were the parents of James Evans who married Nancy (?) the parents of Josiah Evans.

One more piece of  information to note (that I can't find a record for) is from a cousin from my Joseph H. and Effie line, Darlene Ply. She says, "I found a warrant transfer of 50 acres from John T. Bull to Joseph Conner on Clear Creek in Knox Co. KY. The land was bounded by William Evans, Richard Bull and John T. Bull. It was signed 10 Sept.1827 by John T.Bull."  I'm not entirely sure what 'bounded' means but Wikipedia leads me to believe it means something along the lines that the boundary of said 50 acres was shared with William Evans, Richard Bull and John T. Bull.

There are several records for these four gentlemen indexed on Ancestry... but I'm not certain if the 'bounded' property would also share the same watercourse?

I have found indexed land grant records for Joseph Conner surveyed 29 Aug 1825 for 50 acres on Little Clear Creek, Knox County, KY in Book 'X', John Bull surveyed 7 Jan 1825 for 150 acres on Little Clear Creek in Book 'B', William Evans surveyed 25 Sep 1829 Br Little Clear Creek in Book 'X'.

I know this posts has a lot of information to take in and I do hope its of some use to those out there researching Effie's origins. Though there are parts that are just theory there are enough records mixed in that I feel pretty good about those theories.

And to think it all started with records from the Provost Marshal.... just a reminder to search in every nook and cranny and ask as many questions as you can... and to make sure to reach out and help out fellow researches. This is a group effort. That's what family is for... even if you're so distantly related it would take a chart to figure out you're exact relation :)

So in answer to my question as to how Richard Haynes fits in with Thomas Conner and Josiah Evans. He was Thomas' cousin-in-law and Josiah's first cousin once removed.

*** Josiah's full name was Joseph Josiah Evans.... he is listed as Joseph with his family in the 1850 Knox County census.

*** Since first publishing this post, I've been documenting the Haynes family a bit more and I wanted to make note that while Richard Haynes did have Military Records from MO and was from Knox County, KY - it would appear that his brother's James M. and Ephraim also made the move west to MO and each named a son Richard.... I can't be certain of these (3) Richard Haynes - which was brought up on charges with my Thomas and Josiah. This I do know, Thomas was b. 1834ish; Josiah was b. 1839ish. Richard Sr. was b. 1808ish his nephews Richard (belonging to his brother James) was b. 1856 - ruling him out, I would think... but Richard (belonging to his brother Ephraim) was b. 1841 making him, IMO, the more likely companion of Thomas and Josiah.

And please be sure to check out what my sister-in-law has to say on the topic of love over at Days of Our Lives.

Until next week,
Becky

So Far Away

This week's writing prompt is 'So Far Away'. This will prompt me to write about ancestors that are the furthest from me in time and generations.

There comes a point when in tracing your family history, you find yourself in a time period where records run out or are very few and you're left with stories that can vaguely line up with historical events. If you're lucky you may find yourself with an ancestor that's life is something of local legend and lore. Such is the case of my 9th great grandparents Penelope Van Princis and her husband Richard Stout.

Please bear with me, as I have only recently discovered this family, and if you've been in the genealogy game for any length of time, you will at some point find yourself in the midst of several generations that recycle the same few names over and over again or marry first cousins. That coupled with scarce records can make things very hard to keep up with without pencil and paper and plenty of other distant relatives to help keep you on track or debate that you're even in the right generation. There have been more than one occasion, that I have lost my bearings on this line.

So please read on with caution, and do your own research before taking any of this story as absolute fact. Please give grace and some wiggle room.


Our main characters will be Richard Stout born in 1610 to John Stout and Elizabeth Bee/Kee/Gee and Penelope Van Princis born 1622 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands to  Baron Von Printzin and UKNOWN. These two are my 9th great grandparents on my mother's side.

I will share with you a brief bit about our main characters parentage:
Richard's father, John Stout, was born circa 1584 at Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, England. He married Elisabeth Bee/Kee/Gee in 1609 at St. Helen's Church Burton Joyce, England. Below is supposed to be a record of their marriage. (I can make out the 'ee' of her maiden name in the bottom left corner).




Elisabeth was born circa 1591 in Nottingham England, and baptized at St Katharine's by the Tower the 2nd of January 1591.

John and Elisabeth lived during the time that James I was king of England. This is the King James that is known for the King James Version of the Bible, which was published a year after the birth of their son, Richard (from whom I descend).

Penelope Van Princis, thought to be the daughter of Baron Von Printzin, was born in 1622. I have read that she was married three times as well as twice. I am not sure, at this point, which is true. One thing they all agree on is that before she married my ancestor, Richard, she was first married to a John Kent.

In the mid/early 1600's, the date is unknown, Penelope and John would set sail from Holland to America. After weeks at sea their vessel ran aground and became stranded at Sandy Hook or as the Dutch called it, Sant Hoek. All the passengers made it from the ship to land but John who had been terribly ill for most of the voyage and to make matters worse was somehow injured when the ship ran aground, was in too poor a condition to make it any further than shore. As luck would have it this group of voyagers would come to America during a time of conflict between the Pequot people (as some believe) and the local colonists of that area. After making it to shore the rest of voyagers, fearful of the Indians, refused to wait until Mr. Kent became well and quickly made plans to head directly to New Amsterdam, their original destination. Kent and his bride, Penelope, were left behind with the promise that they would send back help. Not long after the voyagers left the shore, were they attacked by the Pequot who then made their way back to the shore to finish off Kent and Penelope. They assumed they had rid themselves of these foreign intruders, but little did they know, Penelope was still alive.

Penelope being terribly mutilated, with a fractured skull, butchered shoulder, abdomen gashed open and insides protruding, had lost consciousness - but had not died. Once she came to, with her good arm, she gathered up her insides and held them inside her body. She then mustered up all the strength she had remaining and crawled to a nearby hollowed out log where she would stay for days until it is said she saw a deer pass by. This deer was shot full of arrows and in the distance she could hear two natives. You would think she would be filled with terror, but instead she was grateful for she had hoped they would come and relieve her from her misery. The two men were said to have argued. One wanted to finish her off, the older, wanted to take her back and heal her. The elder was granted his wish, and in part because of him, I am here today. After she had regained her health and strength, her Indian friend, gave her the choice of remaining with his people, or returning to the white settlement at New Amsterdam. Penelope chose to return to her people, but she and her healer would remain friends for as long as she was living near his people.

Now for Richard's side of the story. He himself would convey to his ancestors the tale that brought him to America. He came from a family of good standing in England and he had been in love with a young woman whom is father deemed beneath them. They had a falling out because of his parents interference and he enlisted in the British Royal Navy on a 'man-of-war'. Richard served for seven years and at the end of such time, he received his discharge at New Amsterdam where his majesty's vessel was ported at the time.

So it is there, in New Amsterdam, that we find these two soon to be companions. In the indexes of U.S. and International Marriage Records, it lists Richard Stout and Penelope Kent as being married in 1644. They would go on to be one of the more prominent settlers of the area and considered one of the founding families of the Monmouth Colony.

In the abstract of Richard's Will, dated 9 June 1703, he lists their 10 children. Sons - John, Richard, James, Jonathan, David, Benjamin; daughters - Mary, Alse (Alice), Sarah; daughter-in-law, Marey Stoute ( wife of Peter).

It is from two of his sons that I descend; Richard Jr. and James. I will conclude this post with my convoluted lineage, but for now, I want to bring your attention to a very neat find. It would seem that Penelope was not only famous for surviving the attack of the local natives but also for another fact or legend that would land her in an issue of Ripley's Believe It or Not! In the below imagine you will find she was also famous for having a grand total of 502 descendants at the time of her death at the age of 110!

There have been numerous books written, records researched and history revisited in order to make her story more credible but I will leave that hunt up to you. I hope you have found this story as fascinating as I have and share it with your ancestors for generations to come!

Now I will conclude with my lineage. It gets messy. Try to keep up.

For privacy reasons, I will start off with my great grandfather Newell M. Stepp, as generation (1).


Newell M. Stepp, Rebecca M. Merrell, Abner Merrell, *** Merrel, John Merrell, William Merrell Jr., Penelope Stout, James Stout and finally Richard Stout Sr.

or because we are a double line once reaching William Merrell Jr. if you start with him once again, it can also go as follows:

William Merrell Jr., William Merrell Sr., Grace Stout, Richard Stout Jr and once again Richard Stout Sr.

The *** Merrell accounts for the fact that it's not 100% verifiable who Abner Merrell's father is. I have seen his father listed as Jacob Merrell (son of John Merrell) but can't find any sources. But in John Merrell's Will he mentions his grandson Abner Merrell the only heir of his son William, deceased. So Abner's father is either Jacob or William - both of which are sons of John Merrell.

I wonder if it's possible that Jacob adopted his nephew, Abner.... I have found no record at this point in time for Abner's mother.

Please also, be sure to stop by my SIL's blog for her post this week about her 2nd-great grandfather, a German stowaway!