The Obituary of John Turner Acord

 Today's prompt from Genealogly Girl on Instagram is #favorite. One of my favorite rescources is Newspaper articles. Yes, sometimes there are typos. Sometimes, the information isn't 100% correct. And sometimes it can show you where other rescources may not be accurate. But they also help fill in gaps and build your tree and answer questions you've always had. 

One of those questions for me has been about the deaths of my 3rd great grandparents, John Turner and Sarah Zulema KOSIER ACORD. According to their headstones they died one month apart. John died, according to his headstone, 7 January 1934, and Sarah died on her 72nd birthday, 6 February 1934. It's always felt like there was a story there. There may not be, but it feels like it. I've searched for years for obituaries and I finally found his in the Southwest American that was published Thursday, 11 January, 1934 out of Fort Smith, Arkansas. 

Southwest American, Fort Smith, Arkansas, Thursday, Jan 11, 1934, page 2

If you go off the obituary and look at a 1934 calendar, it would appear he actually died on the 8th of January. We may never know which resource has it right, but it is worth noting, regardless. But I still can't seem to find one for her. 

This past summer I was given boxes of resources that had belonged to my great uncle's first wife, Tommie HOSKINS MOONEY. One of those rescources was the complete set of Northwest Arkansas Connections: Selected Obituaries by Jimmie and Doris EVANS DEWBERRY. In Book 3 there is one snippet on page 93 that came from The Herald-Democrat, Clarksville, Arkansas, Thursday, 15 February, 1934, Oark items:

"We are very sorry to hear of the death of Mrs. James A. Acord. The bereaved ones have our sympathy."

The DEWBERRY's make note of the typo giving James the middle initial 'A' rather than 'T' but state that the death date matches the death certificate and tombstone as well as the date given by family members of Sarah Zulema KOSIER ACORD. 

I may never know the story. There may not even be one. It may be as simple as a coincidence or as tragically sweet as a broken heart. 

Newspapers remain one of my favorite resources though. And despite their inaccuracies, they still have a way of helping us to see beyond dates and dashes to see relationships, skill sets, employment and communities. 

Until next time, 
Becky

Furniture Man

Today's genealogy prompt, hosted by Genealogy Girl Talks, is #occupation. It took me half of the day before I thought of an ancestor that wasn't listed as a 'farmer'. My 2nd great grandfather, on my mother's side was Kinchen Leroy Bynum. I have written about him briefly, here.

Kinchen was the oldest child born to John Thomas Bynum and Laura "Lou" Elmer Reynolds. He was born 9 November 1893.

Here is the Bible page listing the birth (and death) of the children born to John and Lou. My Aunt Diane is in possession of this treasure.



Here is a family portrait taken when Kinchen was about 10. He is the young man standing on the right. His brother Sidney is standing on the left, and little Grace is sitting on Papa's lap.

Because I love old family pictures and am blessed to have family that shares them on this side of my family, here are a few more of him.

I would guess him to be about 15-17 here:

And here he is with his beautiful bride, Ludia Belle Moore.

Now for the picture that prompted this post, Kinchen's WW1 Registration Card. It even gives his street address. 2004 North 10th Street, Fort Smith, AR. This could quite possibly be where my great grandmother Bondell was born the following year. I also love that it has his signature.

Kinchen says he is employed by the Ballman-Cumming Furniture Co. as a laborer. In the 1920 census, he is still living in Fort Smith, earning a wage, as a laborer for a furniture company.

City Directories from Fort Smith tell me that in 1925, widowed and remarried, Kinchen now works for Ward Furniture Manufacturing Company as a finisher and by 1928 he had worked his way up to inspector.





In 1930 he is found living in Tulsa, OK where he rents his home and is now earning a wage as a shipping clerk for a furniture company. The Tulsa City Directory from 1931 shows that he worked for the E M Brown Furniture Company.

The thing I want to point out, and hopefully someone can tell me, is that here in my home town, when I was growing up, was a furniture store called Bynum Home Furnishings. My mom used to tell me we were related somehow on my grandma Bondell's side. If you're reading this and know the answer, please let me know the connection.


Until next time,
Becky Drake

Since publishing this, I was informed that my Aunt Michelle has a wardrobe that was built by Kinchen. Below is a picture: