Life on Little Mulberry

My maternal great grandmother Zula ACORD STEPP had two brothers that lived to adulthood. John and Joe ACORD. Below are more stories from 'Remembering the Ozarks' told by Vernon EATON that mention the boys and life on the Little Mulberry, where my mom and aunts have cabins sitting on about 5 acres and where my grandmother grew up. She wasn't born yet in 1937 but down there things have a way of changing very little. I hope it remains unchanged for generations to come.

Remembering The Ozarks: John Acord

Remembering The Ozarks: The Summer of 1937

Remembering The Ozarks: Gee Haw

My mom and daughters can tell you a story of snakes and the Little Mulberry, themselves.....

Looking across the Little Mulberry to the Road leading to Whiskey Creek

Mom's Cabin at Whiskey Creek

Brad riding Judy while Grandma Bondell holds her. 

My cousin Brad getting to ride Judy. I can remember Grandpa Trig and Grandpa Leroy plowing their gardens. 

Remembering The Ozarks -- The Spanish Fandango

I am so excited to have found these stories. In this next article it will mention a few people I am related to but not descended from: Art Stepp (my maternal grandmother's brother), John Acord (my maternal great grandmother's brother -- Art's uncle) and Opal Stepp (Art's first cousin).

John Acord made an appearance in this blog post.

I wanted to share this story for my husband, who loves to play guitar and is a lot better than he thinks he is.

The Spanish Fandango

Remembering The Ozarks -- Uncle Bill Evans

There is this story that is told in my maternal line that our ancestor (my 4th great grandmother) Effie Conner was Native American. It's said that her maiden name was BULL. My DNA shows traces of Native American DNA but it's very minimal. I have blogged about Effie before but one thing I always come back to is the pictures of her grandson, the brother of my 2nd great grandmother, Clara India (named after an old community in Madison County-- India) . He just looks Native American to me. I only have a few pictures of my 2nd great grandmother but they aren't as clear as this one of William or Uncle Bill as he was called.

William Walker Evans

William Walker Evans was a preacher, the son of Josiah Evans and Jane Conner. I don't want to write too much here, but rather use this as a platform to share another article written by Vernon Eaton in 1998.

This is the second article Vernon has written saying he didn't know where the Evans came from, but thought maybe Texas. They came from Webster County, Missouri. Josiah and Jane went down into Texas for a very short time before settling in Madison/Johnson County. Before Missouri, their families were from Knox County, Kentucky.

Remembering The Ozarks -- Uncle Bill Evans

Until next time,
Becky

Remembering The Ozarks -- The Spoke Plant Rock Throwers

Sometimes when I come across really great finds, I completely get caught up in the excitement and just share it on Facebook with family and friends and it never occurs to me to share it here on my blog. I really need to start sharing it here, and then share my post on Facebook.

A few years ago the following picture was shared with me on Facebook. It has so many of my ancestors and connected family in it. I didn't know the story behind the gathering of family and friends, but yesterday, I stumbled across this very photo, attached to a wonderful story written by Vernon Eaton, in his series 'Remembering The Ozarks'

Zula Stepp (in the headscarf) is my maternal great grandmother. Argie, Art, and Merle are my maternal grandmother's older siblings.

Now for the story!

The Spoke Plant Rock Throwers

*Article taken from Newspapers.com

Until next time,
Becky

The Man Behind The Stories

Yesterday I shared a few stories from The Madison County Record series 'Remembering The Ozarks' that were full of wonderful stories about my Spoke Plant ancestors. They were written by Mr. Vernon Eaton. I wanted to make sure and share a tribute to him because I am so grateful for his stories. Here is a write up from that same paper, written in 2004. I am not only grateful for Vernon's stories but of all the wonderful pictures his father, Mr. Robert 'Bob' Burton Eaton took of my family. He was a really great photographer.

To read the write up click here

He really did a great job of writing. There may have been a few minor errors here and there, but it in no way takes away from the stories behind all the bare facts. I'll leave this here, as I'm off to see if he ever wrote that book!

Until next time,
Becky

Remembering The Ozarks -- Shopping At Spokeplant

I am not a descendant of the subject of the following story but this tribute to her deserves to be shared. She was the wife of my great grandfather's brother, Jubal Early Stepp. She is also related to me because she was the niece of my great great grandmother Julia Bohannon Melson. Rachel's father was Julia's brother. Confused yet? It's easy when it comes to my Ozark family roots.

This story also shows how my great great grandmother Rebecca Merrill Stepp went by Becky, just like me!

From The Madison County Record at Newspapers.com

Remembering The Ozarks -- A Saturday Night On The Little Mulberry

I cannot thank a man I never met enough for the series he wrote in The Madison County Record during the 1990's called 'Remembering the Ozarks' in which so much of my family history is shared. This story is by far my favorite. Thank you Mr. Vernon Eaton. Newell Stepp was my maternal great grandfather. 

*taken from Newspapers.com 

What To Wear Wednesday

Miss Orpha Schoonover -- Dress Maker

Orpha Schoonver was my Step-dad's maternal great grandmother. In 1909 she was still single and in her mid to late 20's. She along with a friend opened a dress shop in downtown Prairieburg, Iowa.

To give you and idea of what the fashion was during that time, below are images taken from various Iowa newspapers in 1909-1910


 

Until next time,
Becky

Tribute Tuesday - Peter Sauser

This week I'm going to try using daily prompts and keep my posts short and sweet. Today is 'Tribute Tuesday' and I'm going to transcribe the Obituary of my Step-dad's 2nd great grandfather, Peter Sauser. This would have been Grandma Edith's paternal grandfather.

Death Came Suddenly. 

Peter Sauser, Well Known and Prominent Citizen Died at Prairieburg Sunday. 

The sudden death of Peter Sauser last Sunday at Prairieburg, the second event of that nature that day to startle the people at this community, was received with equal surprise as that of the death of the mayor in the earlier hours of the day. Mr Sauser's death occurred about 2 p.m. and was communicated to the city during the afternoon. During the past several years, since his son John M Sauser, in whose home he died has been engaged in business in Prairieburg, Mr. Sauser has spent quite a bit of his time there. The latter part of this last week he was feeling poorly and a physician was called Sunday morning, he felt better and was apparently recovering from the immediate effects of the trouble. However, about 2 o'clock he felt suddenly worse and called his son John, who instantly hurried away for the doctor who resides across the street. By the time he returned with the physician Mr. Sauser was beyond recovery. The cause of death was acute dilation of the stomach. Mr. Sauser seldom complained, and his general appearance suggested robust health. His last visit home was for several days two or three weeks ago on his return from a western trip.

Peter Sauser was born on the old Bright farm in Spring Valley, Cascade Township, March 30, 1852. Later when his father, the late M. L. Sauser, removed to Whitewater Township on to the place now known as the McAllister farm, he worked on the farm until 1874, in which year he came to Cascade and engaged in the liquor business, which line he followed at intervals for a number of years.

He was married to Miss Mary Turnis, daughter of the late Michael Turnis, of Cascade Township, February 22, 1881, and they resided for one year on a farm on Bowen Prairie. From 1882 until 1884 her engaged in the liquor business. From the fall of 1885 to 1888 he was in the lumber business, having succeeded Dorchester and Co. He sold out to A. B. Brown and since then had not been actively engaged in business.

Mr. Sauser was unostentatious in his demeanor and never courted notoriety in any form. He was a good citizen and his death is a loss to the community.

He is survived by his widow and four children:  John M Sauser of Prairieburg; Paul Sauser, of Moline Illinois; Mrs Charles Reddin and Miss Carrie, of Cascade; and by his brothers, Frank Sauser, of Cascade; and Michael Sauser, of Fillmore; and sister, Mrs Paul Becker, of Cascade.

The remains were brought to Cascade Monday evening, and the funeral services were held at St. Martin's church Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, Reverend L. Roche officiating. The pallbearers were John C Delvin, T.H. McQuillen, H.L. Dehner, John Gilmore, John Seery, and Matt Bisenius.

The family desires to thank the many friends who so kindly assisted them in their bereavement.
The above was taken from Page 5 of  the Cascade Pioneer, published in Cascade, Iowa on Thursday, October 7th, 1909. It can be found online in the digital archives of the Jones County Genealogical Society.

Until next time,
Becky

Medical Monday - Six Year Old Has Surgery

Today I'm taking a page from my Sister-in-law's play book, who blogs over at Days of Our Lives. She frequently will do a Medical Monday post. So today I'm going to play along. This will be a short and simple post; rather than share little tidbits only on Facebook, I have decided to share them here.

In this day and age what types of surgeries do you consider risky? Is there a time in history that you would consider any surgery risky?  I had never really thought about it until I came across the following little snippet about my step-great grandmother, Edith Sauser, who at the age of six, had her adenoids and tonsils removed... in 1918!





To read about the history of T & A procedures click here. While apparently this surgery wasn't new. I still find myself thinking this procedure would have been risky in 1918.

Until next time,
Becky