The Life of Visia Geneva PITTS BYNUM

 If today's post doesn't flow well, please forgive me. I have a terrible migraine and am really struggling.

Today's prompt from Genealogy Girl is #sitting. I immediately thought of the pictures I have of my 4th great grandmother Visia Geneva PITTS BYNUM.  

Just look at the craftsmanship of those beautiful chairs. I'd love to have one like this someday.

I connect to Visia on my maternal side, through her father's mother. 

Visia was the eldest daughter of Levi and Elizabeth MATTHEWS PITTS. She was born 5 August 1838 in Overton County, Tennessee. Her family migrated to Arkansas shortly after the 1840 census. They were enumerated in Overton County that year, but her brother Amos A. PITTS gives his birth state as Arkansas and his birth year as 1841/1842 in the Johnson County, Arkansas census for the years 1850 & 1860. 

In the spring of 1853, she married a man 12 years her senior, William BYNUM (I wrote about him here.) They were specifically wed, 30 March 1853 in Johnson County, AR. And not long after gave birth to her first child, Rachel Elizabeth BYNUM. This family lived in the Spadra community of Johnson County. This was a tumultuous time for our nation. Fifteen days before their 11th wedding anniversary, William enlisted in the Union with the 2nd Arkansas Infantry. They had four young children at home. This was not his first war. Before their marriage, William had fought in the Mexican War in a unit commanded by Lee Graves in the Colonel Coffee Regiment of MB Volunteers, Mexican War, of 1847 and 1848.

While her husband, survived both wars, this current war, however, would leave Visia with many personal losses. She lost two brothers, Amos (died 1863) and Elijah (1864), as well as her father, Levi (1864).

After the war, Visia would go on to deliver at least six more children, John Thomas BYNUM, being my ancestor. When the youngest, James Isaac BYNUM, was only six years old, Visia became a widow on 7 May 1886. My ancestor would've only been 14. Visia was 47.

While these tidbits can give you a little insight into the life of Visia, there are a few stories I've found shared on Ancestry, that really bring her to life.  I wanted to share them here with you. I'll start with one of my favorites. This story is relayed by Annie Marie England, the granddaughter of Visia Geneva Bynum:

Visia rode to the mill one day to grind corn into meal. She had a baby with her on this day. We don't know who the baby belonged to, and we don't know whether or not it was one Visia's grandchildren. On the way back from the mill, a black panther began to chase Visia and the baby. The panther managed to jump up and lacerate the hind quarters of the horse. Visia threw down her bonnet and her apron. The panther stopped momentarily and tore up the bonnet and apron before picking up the chase again. Visia then threw down her sack of meal, and the panther stopped again to tear that up. Visia managed to make it to her house with the baby. She got off the horse and ran inside while yelling for her son, James Isaac. The panther had climbed up in a tree outside of the house, and James Isaac ran outside and shot the panther out of the tree. The horse Visia had been riding had been hurt so badly by the panther that it had to be put down.

Another story:

James Isaac came home late one night and he decided he was going to play a trick on his mother, Visia. The old house was a log structure with a breeze way. James Isaac knocked a few times on one side of the house. His mother came and opened the door and said, "Is that you, Isaac?" Well, Isaac didn't say anything, and Visia went back inside. Then Isaac went around to the other side of the house and started knocking on that side of the house. Visia came to the door again and said, "Is that you, Isaac?" Once again, Isaac said nothing, but ran back to the other side of the house after his mother closed the door. Isaac knocked on the side of the house again, but this time when his mother opened the door, he saw the moonlight reflecting from the nickel plated pistol she kept for protection. Visia asked a third time, "Is that you, Isaac?" This time, Isaac very quickly responded, "It's me Ma!"

And another:

During the Civil War, William was away fighting in the war and Visia was by herself with the children. During those days, there were groups of bad men that roamed the countryside. These men had hung one of William and Visia's neighbor's sons just for the fun of it. Some of these men found out that Visia kept corn stored for her family in the loft of her house. They showed up at William and Visia's farm one day and demanded that Visia hand over the corn to them. Visia refused to hand over the corn, and she locked herself and the children inside the house. The men then tried to smoke them out of the house. Visia kept the children from being overcome by the smoke by running back and forth between the children and keeping wet rags over their faces. The men eventually gave up and left.

These stories make me believe Visia must have been such a courageous woman. She lived to be 78, leaving this world on 5 March 1917. She is buried in Lone Pine Cemetery Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas. 

Until next time, 
Becky

P.S. I searched all over for an obituary of some kind, but I came up empty. If anyone ever happens across it, please reach out to me. 

 

Sisters; Gone But Not Forgotten

Today's prompt for September 4th is SISTER, and I wanted to do a short little write up on two different sisters a generation apart that disappear without a trace. I always wonder about the people I come across in my research that just fall out of the story line, often without any children, and therefore no descendants to come searching for them.

The first sister is Caroline CONNER. She was the sister of my 3x great grandmother, Jane CONNER.

I first came across Caroline CONNER living with her parents Joseph and Jane CONNER and four siblings: William, Thomas, Jane and Joseph in Taylor, Greene, Missouri during the 1850 census. She was 10 and her birth state is given as Missouri.

Ten years later she is unmarried and living at home with her parents in 1860 but has only aged eight years ,sigh. By 1860 the family had moved to Finley, Webster, Missouri. They actually may not have moved all that much because the county lines were moved in 1855 when Webster County was created out of Greene County. Besides Caroline, her younger brother Joseph, is also still living at home.

After 1860 I find no other records that I'm certain are her. There's a marriage record out of Morgan County, Missouri, but I don't think that is her.

I was tickled pink to be able listen to my great grandmother tell a story about Caroline. *Thank you Tarona!*

In Grandma Zulie's story Caroline goes by "Line, Line CONNER". You can listen to it here.  Or try watching it below....

The second sister to go missing is Caroline's niece, Rebecca EVANS, who was the sister of my 2x great grandmother, Clara India Evans. Rebecca would've been Grandma Zula's aunt. Looking at when she disappeared, it's possible Grandma never even knew her.

Rebecca E EVANS was the sibling closest in age to my ancestor Clara India EVANS. I did a post on the name Rebecca  where I mentioned that my maternal grandmother was named after her paternal grandmother but I wonder if she could have also been named after this sister.

Rebecca EVANS first shows up in the 1880 Boston, Madison County, census as the youngest child of Josiah and Jane EVANS. She is one year old and her birth state is Texas. Her birth is the only record I have that the EVANS family was ever in Texas.

She shows up again as Beckie E EVANS in the 1900 Hill, Johnson County, census living with her mother, Jane, her sister and my ancestor, Clarenda and a very young niece, Etha M Evans (I believe this is Jody's daughter).


There was a marriage between a Rebecca EVANS and an Adison J. ROBINSON from Coal Hill, Johnson County, two years earlier in 1898 but that is not her. California Death records indicate that Rebecca to be Sarah Rebecca EVANS, and her mother's maiden name was HESS not CONNER.

AND there was a marriage record for a Becky EVANS and Marion GILBERT. They were married July 1913 in Friley, Johnson, Arkansas. THIS MUST BE HER, right? Or is it?  This Becky Evans is about 10 years too young. But the Friley community is spot on.





Beckie GILBERT born 1898 in Arkansas and her husband FM (Francis Marion) with young daughter Kate are found living in Batson, Johnson County in 1920 so I guess this really isn't her either.



If anyone out there knows anything else about Caroline CONNER or Rebecca EVANS I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time,
Becky

Gone Without A Trace

I'm going to try to do a little blogging again using FREE sources since I let my Ancestry subscription lapse. It wasn't worth the money for what little "new" I was discovering anymore. I still have access to my tree and any pictures I've uploaded and that helps as I learn to build my tree and use Family Search for more than just random searches. I'm using a few prompts from Genealogy Photo A Day for the month of September. Today's prompt will be a combination of the first three days of September:  SURNAME, MAIDEN NAME, and PARENTS

The focus of this post will be my 4th great grandparents James H KOSIER and his wife Adaline.

The reason for SURNAME is because in the 7 sources I have for James his surname is spelled:

1. C-O-Z-I-E-R 1850 Ancestry transcribes it as C-A-Y-I-E-R and Family Search C-A-Z-I-E-R
2. K-E-I-S-E-R  1860 Ancestry and Family search both transcribe it the same
3. C-O-S-I-E-R  1870 Ancestry and Family search both transcribe it the same
4. K-O-S(Z)-I-E-R  1880 Ancestry and Family search both transcribe it the same 
5. K-O-S-S-I-E-R Texas Muster Roll 
6. K-O-S-I-E-R  Texas Voter Registration 2x

The reason I chose this couple for MAIDEN NAME is the fact that I have Adeline's maiden name as HOWARD but I don't have any sources to verify this. I have yet to find any marriage records for them.

And lastly, PARENTS, because I don't know who either of their parents are.

The first time I find James and Adaline, is the 1850 census for Knox County, TN. They are living in dwelling # 1115 and they are family #1124. Their last name is looks to be spelled C-O-Z-I-E-R. Family Search has this name transcribed as C-A-Z-I-E-R. Enumerated in their household is a daughter Elizabeth (7), son John H (5), son William E (3), daughter Mary A (7/12).

James is a laborer on the 1850 census, surrounded by farmers. The value of his property is considerable less than the others on the page at 350. Neighbors are: CHILDRESS, GIDEONS, WHITE, and MAY to name a few.

By 1860 this family has moved to Red River, Texas. He now lists his occupation as farmer but again the value of his estate is considerable less than the others. He now has seven children: Elizabeth (17) John (15), William (13), Mary (10) and new to the family are Loretta (8), Evaline (6), and James (2). All children were born in Tennessee indicating they hadn't lived in Texas for more than two years, tops.

Knowing that this family is in Red River Texas in 1860 leads me to feel confident that the following Muster Index Card for James KOSSIER  is my ancestor.




Voter Registration for Red River County, Texas, dated 9 July 1867,  entry 545 shows a J H KOSIER followed by a (546) James KOSIER both state they had only lived in the state and county for seven years. Both men were born in Tennessee. I believe J H is John Howard, the eldest son of James and Adeline.

By 1870 James and Adeline have moved to Johnson County, Arkansas. James and his wife are family #8 The three oldest children have since married and are living on their own nearby, enumerated as family #'s six, nine, and ten. The children remaining at home are Mary (20), Loretta (17), Eveline (14), James now going by Robert (12) and finally my ancestor Zulema (9). Texas is her birth state. James property value is about the same as his neighbors. His occupation is farm laborer. One thing of note about this census is that under the heading Constitutional Relations, both items are marked. He is a US citizen older than 21 and his right to vote has been denied or abridged on other grounds than rebellion or other crime.





In 1880 James and Adeline are living in the neighboring county of Madison, Boston Township. They still have Evaline and Robert living at home. William is living next door with his family.

After 1880 I can no longer find James and Adeline nor several of their children.

1900 census

Elizabeth and Franklin Lafayette Stewart --  Lee, Johnson County
John Howard Kosier unknown but his son Hugh was born in Winthrop, Little River, AR in 1888
William E Kosier died 1895 It is rumored he and his wife died of typhoid fever weeks apart.
Mary and Joseph McCallister unknown
Martha Loretta Acord unkown, husband Thomas died in 1886 in Franklin County, AR
Evaline Kosier unkown
Robert James Kosier unknown but living in Hill, Johnson County, AR in 1910
Sarah Zulema and John Turner Acord -- Hill, Johnson County, AR

This little family unit often has left me with more questions than answers. Where did everyone go after 1880? I've even tried finding the Kosier siblings via their young children who were born in the late 1870's-80's and sometimes even they are missing without a trace. If you have any answers or theories to provide on these families I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,
Becky

COD: War, Bushwhackers and Disease

I haven't blogged along with Amy Crooks and the 52 Ancestor prompts very consistently this year. This week though, a prompt caught my attention and prompted me to write about my HORNER family. The prompt was cause of death.

For as long as I can remember I've always been intrigued by the Civil War. I think it may have stemmed from growing up in Prairie Grove where there was a Battlefield Park. My maternal grandfather worked there for 15 years and it was where I square danced every August from 1984-1988.

Researching genealogy, I have come across many ancestors who fought in the Civil War. There are many stories, but none have given me such strong sympathetic feelings of anger, sorrow and desperation as those stories coming from my Johnson County, AR, families.

My Johnson County lines easily cross and double back. It was a tight knit community where neighbors married  neighbors, siblings married siblings, and people remained for generations --communities were literally family! You really have to stay on your toes when entering names and families into your family tree or you'll have double entries.

Getting back to my prompt.

My 3rd great grandmother, Oma BOEN, was the daughter of James BOEN and Zilpha HORNER. In the cemetery book my grandmother loaned me this past summer is a little snippet about James Boen's death:

"James M. Boen was in the Confederate army and was killed. One story was that he was working in a field near Fallsville, Arkansas, and the bushwhackers came through. Supposedly, they beat him to death and Zilpha was said to have held his head in her lap as his brains oozed out into her lap."

This is just one horrific story to come from the BOEN/HORNER line. I do want to say though, that James M. Boen's military records state he died in a Hospital at Crystal Hill 12 Aug '62.

CSA Camp Crystal Hill was located on Crystal Hill, northwest of present-day Burns Park (near I-40 and I-430 interchange).

Zilpha's parents were Spencer HORNER and Permelia TURNER.
James's parents were William BOEN and Narissa FARMER

The TURNER and BOEN families had 3 siblings that married.

James BOEN and Zilpha HORNER
Mary Ann "Polly" BOEN and William Riley HORNER
Jesse BOEN and Mary Ann "Polly" HORNER

Two HORNER sisters also married the same man, a John BOWEN name later becomes BOWMAN. Oma HORNER married him first, after her death, her sister Kissiah married him.

Spencer and Permelia had the following children:

1. John Turner married Susanna BOEN (daughter of Lewis BOEN and Mary HODGE)
2. Zilpha married James M. BOEN 
3. William Riley married Mary Ann "Polly" BOEN
4. Elizabeth married Francis Marion Acord (his brother William is another ancestor of mine)
5. Oma married John BOWEN
6. Mary Ann "Polly" married Jesse BOEN
7. Andrew 
8. Pleasant
9. Kissiah married John BOWEN/BOWMAN and later a William H. BOEN
10. James married Lucy RAY
11. Sarah married George VAUGHT

John Turner survived the Civil War and became a well known doctor in Missouri. Zilpha's husband, as previously mentioned, did not. He died either from a beating, wounds from war or illness Aug 1862. William Riley died a horrific death at the hands of bushwhackers in Aug 1864, Elizabeth died from pneumonia in March of 1864 and her husband Francis a month later in April. Oma died from causes unknown sometime before 1873 when her sister Kissiah married her widow. Mary "Polly" died in 1868, her husband died in 62 just weeks after his brother James M. BOEN.

Andrew and Pleasant both died in the war in July and Aug of '64, respectively.

Below is a story I found on Ancestry. I'm not certain who the original author is as the website it was attributed to is no longer in operation:

The Civil War was devastating to the Horner family. Spencer Horner was very much opposed to secession which made him and his sons very unpopular with their neighbors. All of Spencer's sons except young James and possibly his eldest, John, served in the Union Army. Several sons-in-law served the Confederacy. Their losses during the war were not limited to the death of their daughter Elizabeth.  In 1862 son-in-law Jesse Boen, husband of Mary Ann Horner, died only four days after enlisting in the Confederate Army. On 31 July 1864 son Andrew Jackson Horner died of measles in camp at Lewisburg Ridge with the 2nd Arkansas Infantry. Before 1864 daughter Oma passed away.
In August 1864, Spencer's son William R. Horner, went AWOL from the Union 2nd Arkansas Infantry and returned home. He was at his father's house along with most of the Horner family, including Spencer's recently orphaned grandsons John Samuel Acord and Christopher Columbus Acord, on 2 August 1864. The family was enjoying a fried chicken dinner but were concerned about bushwhackers so they sent some of the children out to watch the road. Several men appeared coming off the mountain and the children ran into the house yelling "Here they come Grandpap!" William bolted out the back door hoping to cross the potato field and disappear into the woods. Spencer recognized the men as neighbors and went into the yard to talk to them as the family watched from the house. They were in no mood to talk, they shot and killed Spencer where he stood then chased down William. They caught him in the potato field, pistol whipped him and, according to Spencer's daughter Sarah, "crushed his privates," then left him for dead. The women were afraid that if they took him back to the house, the bushwhackers would come back to finish the job so they took him into the woods and hid him in a cave or overhang. Each day they would take him food and care for home as best they could. They were afraid that if the bushwhackers saw them going into the woods with supplies, that they would realize William was alive so they wrapped their supplies into bundles to resemble a baby. Unfortunately, William died eight days later on 10 August 1864. The epitaph on William's tombstone reads, "Wm. R. Homer Born Aug. 1, 1834 Killed Aug. 10, 1864 by parties known to his family." It is generally believed that one of the Stewarts from Yale participated in these killings, probably Henry Stewart who is buried in Yale Cemetery.
Just two days after this incident Spencer's son Pleasant Horner died in camp at Lewisburg Ridge with the 2nd Arkansas Infantry. Family lore states that after Spencer and William's death, all the buildings and fences were torn down and Permelia was unable to make repairs so she sold the property for a chunk of a mare and a old wagon. She loaded up the wagon and was seen leaving town, perhaps joining some of her family in Webster County, Missouri. Another account states that son John Turner Horner organized a wagon train of Union sympathizers and moved the remainder of the Horners to Webster County, Missouri. Permelia and some of the other Horners returned after the war. Spencer's estate was settled in 1865. 

Anther story found online:

A family history was told in 1942 by Professor John Turner Horner, to Eva Horner, his daughter, about Dr. John Turner Horner of Cassville, Missouri.
"His dad (Spencer Horner) was a slave owner, but he was a Union man. When war came up all his boys joined the Union Army except Dad (Dr. John Turner Horner). The Confederates conscripted him, so he was on one side, and his three brothers were on the other side. His (Dr. John Turner Horner) younger brother was Will. He (John Turner Horner) managed to get away, slipped out on them and joined the Union Army. His oldest boy, Louis, was 15; he was afraid Louis would be conscripted too, so he took Louis with him. He recruited one whole company in the federal army, Company K. Bill Mullen, Cassville, was one of the men he recruited. His son Louis got a pension. Now then the lines were drawn. Most of Arkansas was rebel. Dad (Dr. John Turner Horner) and his brother got a furlough to go home to visit their folks. He would dodge around through the mountains to go to the house at night, etc. Dad (Dr. John Turner Horner) said his horse needed shoeing and he had to go out on the mountain 5 miles to get it shod. He told his brother, Will, and his father Spencer Horner that whatever they did, never go to the house in the daytime. But the mother (Permelia Turner Horner) was killing a chicken so the father Spencer Horner and Will went to the house. Wasn't long till about 20 rebels came riding up. Grandfather (Spencer Horner) went out into the potato patch and said, 'I surrender!' and they shot him down. Will ran through the lot and up on the mountain side and was shot in the head. He lived several days in a cave.

Dad (Dr. John Turner Horner) had a squad of men, including Wash Middleton and Fate Arnold, desperate men, to go back into the hills and clean out that bunch. They killed 17 out of the 20 bushwhackers.

Dr. John Turner Horner knew that after he was conscripted and deserted the Rebel Army, if he ever became a prisoner, they'd shoot him. That's why he never got on the Union Army record. He was either afraid, or too careless to get an honorable discharge. Dad's (Dr. John Turner Horner) squad was equal in number to the other squads. One day they met in a corn field and each man picked out his man. Dad picked out the leader; couldn't shoot him, threw his pistol at him. They caught one man walking between his wife and his mother. Wash Middleton shot him down. One night they surrounded a house where the bushwhackers were having a dance. Wash Middleton took the man who killed grandfather (Spencer Horner) by the hair and dragged him out, 'Now you'll kill a helpless old man' and killed him. Fate Arnold didn't know what fear was. 'I (Prof. John Turner Horner) heard so much about him that I expected to see a wonderful man. When I got a certificate in Stone County, his son-in-law was a County School Commissioner, and I told him I wanted to see Fate Arnold.' He was a little wizened old man.

Father (Dr. John Turner Horner) helped to take a refugee train of Union people out of Clarksville, Arkansas, to Marshfield, Webster County, Missouri. That was where dad met mother (Mary Gillian Dunlap) and her two girls, in that refugee train. Fate Arnold would volunteer to go through 20 miles of Rebel lines to get ammunition, and he'd always come back. Once he jerked his horse's head up, and the horse got shot in the head. Arnold got wounded. He stayed with my father (Dr. John Turner Horner) in Marshfield, Missouri until he got well. Mother (Mary Gillian Dunlap) said there'd be a pool of blood under his chair. In Marshfield the folks were suspicious of the Union soldiers who came up from Arkansas. Fate Arnold and dad (Dr. John Turner Horner) passed a saloon one day and heard some man say, he didn't believe there ever was a Union soldier who came up from Arkansas. Fate Arnold says, 'Did you hear that?' 'Yes, but there's just two of us. We'd better let it pass.' 'No, I'll not.' They went back, ordered drinks, dared the man to repeat it, and they let it pass. Dad's name was always on the list of GAR at the Cassville Reunion.

Grandfather, Spencer Horner, had a pot of gold and silver and paper money, but they never did find it after he was killed. Louis had a dream about 'a black gum tree in the middle of a field - put my back to the tree, took ten steps toward the house, dug down, and found the pot of gold.' Dad's, (Dr. John Turner Horner) brothers and sisters were Will, and two who died in the Union Army, Sarah and Jim Vaught Eva Horner saw Sarah near Oark. Arkansas one time, Zilphie and Bob Mooney. Bob Mooney, after his wife died, went to live with one of his girls, and said she objected to his spitting in the fire. He say's 'I went and found me a woman and now I've got a place to spit.' Dad (Dr. John Turner Horner) said Jess Wilson was a brave man too. One time they left Jess Wilson to hold their horses when they went to fight. Jess was another little measley, looked like he wouldn't fight a chicken.

Heritage Part 3

This week I wanted to add the next entries in the cemetery book that are my direct line ancestors, my 2nd great grandparents, James William and Clara Inda EVANS ACORD.

On page 22 under Evans Cemetery

ACORD, Clara I.                                                                           18 Aug 1882      02 April 1949

Peggy Harmon Stepp furnished the following: "Clara India "Indie" Evans was born Aug 18, 1882 about 2 miles south of Spoke Plant, AR near the Little Mulberry River. Indie's parents were Josiah and Jane Conner Evans.

Indie first married [John] Ginger Holland who operated a ferry crossing the Arkansas River. They were married only a few months. There were no children born in this marriage. Later Indie married James William "Jim" Acord. They were the parents of 6 children. Jim died when the oldest child was 12 years old. Indie managed to raise the children on her own. Indie and her oldest child, Zula worked for neighbors to earn a little money. They raised most of their food and gathered many wild greens and herbs. They grew cane to make molasses. They put up kraut and molasses in 60 gallon barrels. Indie's nephew, Ode Eldridge would come in the fall with his family to help cut the wood for winter.

Indie was a midwife, taught by her mother who was half Indian. She would travel many miles thru all kinds of weather to deliver a baby.

Later in her life she moved in with her son John and his family. their house was on the same home place property. When Indie got sick she went to her daughters at Fayetteville where she died April 2, 1949"

THE MADISON COUNTY RECORD, Huntsville, Arkansas, Thursday, 7 April 1949

"Mrs. Clara India Acord, 66, of Little Mulberry, died April 2 at 4 p.m. at the home of a nephew in Fayetteville. The widow of the late Jim Acord, she had been ill for about eight years.

Survivors are two sons, John of Spoke Plant and Joe of Pettigrew; two daughteres, Mrs. Zula Stepp of Spoke Plant and Mrs. Equilla Carr of Fatetteville; 19 grandchildren and a brother, Jody Evans of Fayetteville.

Funeral Services were held Monday, April 4 at 2 p.m. at the Evans cemetery conducted by the Rev. Albert Hoskins. Arrangements were under the direction of the Nelson-Savage Funeral Home.

Directly following this entry, on page 23

ACORD, James W.                                                                       18 July 1881     28 Jul 1915

Peggy Harmon Stepp wrote the following: "James William Acord was born July 18, 1881 to John Turner and Sarah Zulema Kosier Acord.

James "Jim" married Clara India "Indie" Evans.

Jim and Indie lived in the Acord Hollow the first few years of their marriage.  Later they moved, about 1906 to the Evans place on Little Mulberry. 

Jim and Indie were the parents of  Zula Jane, Lou Annie, Minie, John Thomas, Joshua "Joe" Charles and Effie Equilla Acord.

Jim was a farmer and timber worker.

Jim was a strong man. One Sunday afternoon there were several young men over visiting. They were lifting. Jim felt something pull in his stomach. A few days later Jim died at the age of 34."

Jim Acord and Clara India Evans were the parents of:

1. Zula Jane married Newell McKinley Stepp, Sr.; both buried in Evans Cemetery.
2. Louanna buried in Evans Cemetery.
3. Minnie Myrtle married Roy Betnar; both buried in the Evans Cemetery. 
4. John Thomas married Elzada Griffith; both buried in the Oark Cemetery. 
5. Joe S. married Wilma Vae Combs; both buried in the Yale Cemetery.
6. Effie Equilla married #1 Hoyt Karr and #2 Omer Clark 

 

 

 Jim & Indie Acord with their girls: Zula (standing), Minnie (in Jim's lap) and baby Lou Annie (in Indie's lap). Lou Annie died not long after this was taken. This picture has been mistakenly labeled and shared many other places as John Turner and Sarah Zulema Acord with children. This picture was hanging in Effie's (Aunt Dood) and was given to Connie Betnar (Minnie Myrtle's son) and now belongs to his daughter Ann.

 

 

 

 

Heritage Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about a cemetery book my grandmother gave me. In that post I also transcribed the entry for my great grandmother, Zula Jane ACORD STEPP. Today I will transcribe the next entry in the book, her husband, my great grandfather, Newell McKinley STEPP:

        STEPP, Newell M., Sr.                24 April 1896   03 Oct 1987

Roma Lynn Jackson Stepp, Newell's daughter-in-law, wrote the following:

"Newell was born April 24, 1896 to James Jonathan & Rebecca (Merle) Stepp near Fallsville, AR.

He was the neighborhood blacksmith until he was elderly. He also was a farmer. He never bought any tools or machinery parts if e could make what he needed & most of the time he could. He knew how to graft trees, slip ginseng. He lived in the most inventive of all times. He lived through the horse & buggy days, men walking on the moon to the computer age. He was in WWI. The war ended while he was on a ship going to France. 

Newell's brother Bill, married him to Zula Acord on April 1, 1923 at Spoke Plant, AR. They had 7 kids. 6 lived to be grown & 1 died at 2 weeks old.

Newell was usually a quiet, nice man. He liked to farm, putter around with his blacksmithing & to read. He was a good neighbor.

He died in Oct 1987 from a blood-clot resulting from falling backward off his porch."

Peggy Harmon Stepp, Newell's daughter-in-law submitted the following information:

"Newell McKinley Stepp was born April 24, 1896 in the Clifty Hollow area in Madison County, AR. He was second born of 15 children to James Johnathan and Rebecca Matilda Merrill Stepp.

Newell grew up helping his dad and brothers working in the timber. They hauled cross ties and stave bolts to the railroad yards at Pettigrew. 

Newell started school at Mullins Chapel, later finishing his education at Spoke Plant school. 

Newell was in the Army during WWI in France.

After returning from the Army, Newell married Zula Jane Acord. He bought a farm at Spoke Plant. Newell and Zula raised all their children at Spoke Plant.

Newell was a farmer, still continuing over the years to work in the timber and was known as a good blacksmith. People came from miles around to have him work on their wagon wheels or whatever could be fixed in a blacksmith shop. Newell was an honest hard working man. He always told his children "Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves." They had a happy family life, working hard on the farm. They enjoyed social gatherings, visiting with neighbors. Good neighbors were very important to this generation and the Newell Stepp family were good neighbors. As Newell got older he took great pride in his gardening. He enjoyed growing a big field of corn and garden to share with family and friends. He continued to grow a garden until he was in his late 80's.

Newell and Zula were married 64 years. They continued to live at Spoke Plant until Newell died at age 91."

THE GRAPHIC, Clarksville, Arkansas, Wednesday 7 October 1987

"Newell Mckinley Stepp, aged 91, of Pettigrew died Oct. 3, 1987 at the Johnson County Regional Hospital.

He was a retired farmer, World War I Army Veteran and a member of the Pentecostal Church.

Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Zula Jane Stepp; three sons, Artist Stepp and Newell Stepp, Jr., both of Pettigrew and Dwight Stepp of Oark; three daughters Merle Denzer of Gentry, Argie Jayne Benson of Prairie Grove; one brother, Jubal Stepp of Pettigrew; four sisters, Cora Clark of Wheeler, Stella Barber of Charter Oak, Mo., Alda Mullins of Pettigrew and Odessa Stepp of Fort Worth, Texas; 19 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

Graveside funeral services and burial were at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Evans Cemetery near Yale with Rev. Bill Gregory officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.

Active pallbearers were Tony Benson; Tim Denzer, Greg Stepp, James Stepp, Danny Stepp and Steve Moore.

Honorary pallbearers were Connie Betnar, Clyde Betnar, Dr. Don Pennington, Steve Trosper, Michael Konnard, Clifton Hill, Keith Stepp, David Stepp, Ron Denzer, Clyde Benson and Kenneth Stepp." 

 *This left out my grandmother Reba Melson of Prairie Grove.

I wanted to share a picture (again) of a hammer, Newell made and the story that goes with it.

My Great Aunt Peggy shared an heirloom she and my Uncle Dwight have. Dwight's dad, my great grandfather, Newell Stepp Sr. was a machinist in the Army in WW1. He made 5 ball-peen hammers while he was in the Army. He gave one to his commanding officer and brought the others home. A few years ago Dwight was visiting his cousin, Edna McDonald and she had one of the hammers that Newell made and gave to her Mother. She said she wanted Dwight to have the hammer, which he is very proud of. We don't know where the other 3 hammers are. They have Newell's serial number stamped on them, unfortunately its too faded to make out.

Grandpa Newell, hunting ginseng.

Newell and Zula in their garden.

Until next time,
Becky

Heritage

This past weekend I went to visit my maternal grandmother. While I was there we talked gardens, chickens, snakes, wild hogs, and tall tales. She sent me home with loads of veggies from her garden and she also sent me home with her copy of the Evans Cemetery Book (On loan, of course!). She said it was a gift to her from her youngest brother, Dwight and his wife, Peggy. He told her he remembered my Grandma and Grandpa buying him and their brother Tooter a rod and reel one year when they were young boys and he just wanted to give her something too.

This book was compiled by Doris Evans and Jimmie Dewberry in March of 2002. To them, I am grateful they chose to share their research, and to Grandma I am thankful she trusted me enough to loan me this genealogical treasure. Just in skimming it, I have found new tidbits of information that I didn't know before. I hope to share a few of the entries pertaining to my direct line ancestors a little at a time.

The first entry I came to was my great grandmother Zula STEPP.

Roma Lynn Jakson Stepp, Zua's daughter-in-law, wrote the following: "Born Sept 6, 1903 to James & India Evans Acord at the headwaters of Acord Hollow near the [Little] Mulberry River. She married Newell McKinley Stepp,Sr. April 1, 1923. They had 7 children. 6 lived to be grown, 1 died about 2 weeks old. 

Zula was a midwife in her earlier years. She delivered 2 of her daughter-in-laws when they were born. She was the jolliest person around & a great story teller. She was the best, most wonderful wife, mother, grandmother & mother-in-law ever lived. She was an outdoors person. She liked gardening, canning her veggies & could make the best biscuits of anyone around.

One of her favorite sayings was, "The Bible don't say, woe beyond for the sinners, it says "Woe beyond for the hypocrites."   

She died at 91 years old." 

Another daughter-in-law of Zula, Peggy Harmon Stepp wrote the following: "Zula Jane Acord, the oldest of six children was born to James William Acord and Clara India Evans on 9-6-1903. At the time the family resided in the Acord Hollow area in Northern Johnson County, AR. When Zula was three or four years old the family moved in with her grandmother "Grannie Jane", on the Evans place just below the Evans Cemetery.

Zula and her brothers and sisters walked about two miles to the Spoke Plant school. 

Her father died when Zula was 12 years old leaving her to help her mother care for her brothers and sisters. Together they worked for neighbors in the fields to earn a living. 

On 4-1-1923 Zula married Newell McKinley STEPP. The ceremony was performed by Newell's brother, William "Bill" Stepp. 

Zula and Newell were the parents of 7 children, Merle Iris, twins Artist James and ARgie Jane, Rebecca India, Minnie Pearl, Newell McKinley Jr. and Dwight Douglas. Minnie Pearl died just a few days after birth. She is buried in the Evans Cemetery. In 1937 Zula's sister Minnie "Pud" Betnar died leaving two small sons, Clyde and Connie. Zula took the boys in keeping them several years. Newell and Zula raised all their children at Spoke Plant.

Zula was the perfect picture of a "fun grandma". She was "Grandma Stepp" to many, many children, many of them being no relation. If you ever needed a baby sitter you could always go to Grandma Stepp. She would meet you on the porch with a smile on her face, her apron on and lots of good food on the table. 

Zula was a hard worker, but always had time for fun. She would always laugh and say, "If you can drive, I can ride it." When she was in her 80's she would still jump behind the kids on their three wheelers and ride off with her dress tail blowing in the wind.

After Newell died Zula moved in with her youngest son, Dwight and his family. Later Zula resided at Countryside Manor Nursing Home. She won the hearts of many employees and new friends. There she became "Grandma Stepp" to even more people. She died July 6, 1993 at Countryside Manor in Lamar, AR."

Her obituary follows:

 THE GRAPHIC, Clarksville, Arkansas, Wednesday, 14 July 1993

Zula Jane Stepp, 89, of  Pettigrew, died Tuesday, July 6, 1993 at Countryside Manor in Clarksville.

Daughter of the late Jim and Inda Evans Acord, she was born Sept. 6, 1903, in Johnson County. Mrs. Stepp was a homemaker and a Pentecostal.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Newell McKinley Stepp Sr., and by a daughter, Minnie Pearl Stepp. 

Survivors include three daughters, Merle Denzer of Gentry, Argie Benson of Bakersfield, Calif., ad Reba Melson of Prairie Grove; three sons, Art and Tooter Stepp, both of Pettigrew, and Dwight Stepp of Batson; one niece Connie Betnar; one nephew, Clyde Betnar; 18 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. 

Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Evans Cemetery near Pettigrew, with Rev. Bill Gregory officiating. Burial was under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home. 

Pallbearers were Greg, Danny and James Stepp, Tony Benson, Tim Denzer, and Paul Vickers. 

 Honorary pallbearers were Ronald Denzer, David and Keith Stepp, Clyde Benson, Corky Pool, Rickey Wages, Keith Stepp, Dr. Don Pennington and Clifton Hill."

Newell and Zula Stepp after duck hunting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marriage(s)

Today's blogging prompt is once again coming to you from the Instagram photo-a-day prompt put out by Genealogy Girl Talks #brickwall

If you're a regular here you know I am not a consistent blogger and not even a consistent Instagram-er these days. Sometimes it feels like I've gathered up all the information I can find that can be proven that is within my financial reach. I've just recently had to cancel many online subscriptions, limiting my research even more. But let's not focus on the have nots but expand and dissect the haves, shall we?

I can remember years ago when I stared researching this branch of my tree. It started with my 2nd great grandmother Julia Emaline Bohannon. She was the second wife of my 2nd great grandfather, Benjamin Harrison Melson. Those who can recall him, called him 'Grandpa Harrison'.

I found their marriage license showing they were married 2 June 1912 in Johnson County, AR by his father Francis Marion Melson who was a JP.  Both resided in Oark. He was 22. She was 20.

Here's the part of the story you may not pick up on if you don't know to look for it. Or haven't been privy to some old time gossip. It was only a few weeks earlier on the 15 May 1912 that an unwed Julia had given birth to her eldest child, Odis Earl Melson.

You may have noticed earlier when I said she was the second wife of Benjamin Harrison. He was first married to a Miss Ethel M. Roberts. She was from Catalpa. They were wed on 7 June 1908. Rumor has it she gave birth to a child and the babe did not survive. The marriage didn't last and Grandpa Harrison moved on to another love interest. But he refused to marry Julia until he knew her child would survive. And luckily for those of us who descend from this union, the baby survived and at least 3 more children were born. My great grandfather Obie Zearl, another son, James Francis, and a daughter Della Marie.

But this isn't the marriage that first popped into my mind when I decided to write today. I want to go back one or two generations further. Try to keep up as I myself can get lost quickly with all the information I'm about to lay out.

Julia was the daughter of James Pleasant Bohanon and Oma Boen. This marriage was the first time I remember using my investigative skills as a genealogist.

In the 1900 Boston and Goodwill Townships of Madison County, AR Julia is listed with her parents James P and Oma. James was 45 born Sept 1854. Oma was 43 born Dec 1856. They had been married 20 years and she was the mother of 9 children. Only 8 surviving. Children living in the home were: Nathanial (Sept 1882), Mary L (Aug 1885), Sarah E (Feb 1888) Julie E (Oct 1889) Madamie (June 1893) and William J (July 1896). That's six children.

When I go to find the marriage record of "Pleas" and Oma I find a record in Newton County dated 30 July 1881 for a J P Bohannon (age 26)  to a Miss Oma Horton. (age 23)

When I began to search for Oma Horton born about 1856 I found the 1880 Newton County Census had an Oma Korton living with the Robert Mooney family-- household 64 family 67. Oma is grouped as household 64 family 68 with two young boys William T  (age 7) and John R (age 3). It says she is married (not widowed) but no other people are listed in this family group. These two boys adds her total to 8 children living. I'm not certain if the baby that died was a Boen or a Horton.

So what was Oma's maiden name and how is she connected to the Mooney's? Are these her parents?

There is a marriage record transcribed as Nely A Mooney to David Horten found on Family Search.  I believe it to be my Oma and her fist marriage.



When I added Oma's parents to my tree, Robert and Zilpha from the 1880 census, I discover something doesn't fit.

A marriage record shows up transcribed as W N Mooney and Zilpha Bowen

I believe the 'N' is actually an 'R' for William Robert Mooney. They married in Webster County,  Missouri, in 1865 when my Oma was 9 years old.

A little more research reveals that Zilpha was first married to James Boen and they had the following children. William Spencer, Sarah, Oma N, Christopher Columbus, and Nancy Emaline.

James died in 1862 and ten years later in Oct 1872 his eldest son William Spencer became the guardian of Oma, and Christopher Columbus and  three years later in September 1875 was appointed guardian of the youngest sibling Emaline. (records found on Family Search : Arkansas Probate Records, 1817-1979; Johnson; Guardian bonds and letters 1856-1913 vol A-C; images 154/496 & 171/496)

And yet all of this is still not what I had planned to write about in the beginning.

James 'Ples' Bohanon.

With a common name like James we can go back to that 1900 Boston and Goodwill Townships of Madison County, AR census. We know he is born about 1854 in Arkansas. And in 1910 you can find the family again living in the Mulberry Township of Johnson County household #14. Did you know that starting in 1910 you can often find a little number beside the 'M' for married indicating the number of marriages a person has had. And interesting enough this census shows that both James and Oma are on their second marriage.




I know that he and Oma married in 1881 so now to find him in 1880.

Strangely enough I find him (age 24) all the way up in Ozark, Lawrence County, Missouri married to a Perline Bohannon (age 44) and her father Elijah H Bohannon.(age 61)

Can that be right? His wife's maiden name was the same as her married name? And she is 20 years older than him?

A little more digging and I can find a marriage record out of Newton County, Arkansas for Perlinia W. Bohannon and James P. Bohannon (twenty years age difference) married in February 1875

Were James and Perlinia related? And how strange for a young man to marry a much older woman.

I can place young James with John J (1821)  and Julia E Bohannon (1833) living in Richland Township, Newton County, AR in 1860 with siblings Mary, Holly, Mira, William, Sarah, and Nathaniel.

And in 1870 living in Jefferson Township with his parents and siblings.


Perlina is found in 1850 living with her father Elijah and mother Lucinda and several siblings in War Eagle, Madison County and in Kings River in 1860 no record of the family at all in 1870.

Now finally here we are at the #brickwall.

James Pleasant Bohannon's father was John J "Ibe" Bohannon. His mother was Julia Elizabeth LNU. Records indicate that John was from White County TN the son of John Bohannon Sr. and Holly 'Holla' Bohannon. In fact John's middle name comes from his Uncle Pleasant Robinson who married his father's sister Lucinda Jane. The only  marriage record I can find for a John Bohannon and Julia Elizabeth are out of Roane County TN in 1842 to specifically an Elizabeth Easter who in later census records also goes by Julia E Bohannon I believe that to be a completely different John and Julia who end up settling in Missouri.


Julia Elizabeth was the daughter of ??? I believe she is the namesake of my 2nd great grandmother Julia Emaline Bohannon Melson and I would love to fill in the missing branches of her tree.

Julia Elizabeth married John J "Ibe" Bohannon:

Their children were:

Mary, Holly Louisa, Myra, William, Sarah Cazada, James Pleasant and Nathaniel Jobe.

Until Next time,
Becky Drake

W is for Written Words

This past week I was fortunate enough to have been given several family documents and letters to go through and scan. My maternal grandfather's first cousin, on his mother's side, brought over an old Family Bible with the copyright date of 1903, an original marriage license from 1893 and several letters and pictures. All belonging to the John Thomas and Lou Elmer (Reynolds) Bynum family. Today I want to share with you one of the letters and add a little bit of perspective into the time frame.

Sidney, Kinchen, John Thomoas, Lou Elmer, baby Grace. about 1903

According to the family Bible, J T and Lou had seven children. The children who are the main topic of this post will be Sidney and his younger sister, Grace, aka Mrs. Herbert A Williams.

Sidney was born on Christmas Eve in 1895 and registered for the draft 5 June 1917.

While carefully looking through the pile of old papers that were lying on my grandparents' kitchen table, I came across this tiny, yellowed, wrinkled envelope postmarked Nov 6 1918 with the address: Base Hospital Ward 12, Camp Pike, AR and it peeked my interest.

Folded and laid inside the worn envelope is a 4 page letter Sidney had written to his sister Grace. It's dated 11-5-18 and begins Mr and Mrs Hurbert Williams....

At the date of his letter Sidney was still single. Grace and Herbert had been married for a little over two years. She married at the very young age of 15. They had a young one year old son named Norman Onis Williams. He had celebrated his first birthday in Aug.

Nearly one month to the day after this letter was written, Herbert would die of pneumonia on December 5, 1918. Then tragically, three months later, Grace would die from wounds sustained when her dress caught fire from the open fire place in the home. She died several days later due to the burns March 3, 1919

At the start of this post, I had only intended to include Sidney's letter, but I think I'll close with an undated letter from Grace to her mother. I can infer the date is between Aug of 1917 and before the winter of 1918 because she mentions her son and the fact that the weather is hot.

Here is Grace's letter.

 

I am so grateful that Stanley and Frances were kind enough to share these treasures with me. It's my hope that they will now live on and be discovered by some direct line descendants of Sidney and Grace.

Until Next Time,

Becky

I was recently given a couple photo post cards that I wanted to include here in this post. No dates but the back of the card on the left says "From Sidney to Mama" "Sidney and K L Bynum". I believe Kinchen is sitting and Sidney is standing. Also - I believe the card on the right to be Sidney on the right with his leg flung over possibly his brother-in-law Herbert Williams. But there is no writing at all on this card. This is just a 'best guess' Herbert married Sidney and Kinchen's little sister Grace in 1916. He was 19. She was 15.

Ancestor - What I Remember, What I've Been Told, And What I Have Found

I recently came across an Instagram photo challenge offered up by @genealogyphoto and since my sister-in-law over at Days of Our Lives has been trying to get me to start blogging again, I figured I would combine the two. So with each photo I post on Instagram I intend to come over here and type out a little something. While writing yesterday's post and linking stories to various ancestors mentioned, I realized I didn't have a post about my great grandmother, Bondell Bynum. She married my great grandfather Obie Zearl Melson on 04 Dec 1933. They are the parents of my maternal grandfather, Leroy.

The picture below is how I best remember her. This would've been taken in 1983 for their 50th wedding anniversary. I was only three at the time. Grandma only lived another 6 years after this picture was taken and not much changed about her in that time frame. The little crocheted dolls hanging behind her really stand out to me. There's not a lot I remember but two things that I remember most are her sitting in her chair crocheting and stacked beside that chair were always piles of TV guides. She would always do the crossword in the back and I would always take two consecutive issues and double check her answers. I remember her kitchen and the way it smelled. I remember the deep freeze pictured behind her and how it held Little Debbie snack cakes. I remember she always grew a garden. I remember her home seemed simple. I remember she was always doing something. Even if it was just crocheting while watching a TV program. I remember she had a finger that always stayed bent. I never knew why and just assumed it was arthritis but turns out it had been cut so badly it "drew up" and healed that way.

I remember her death was my first experience of losing someone close to me.



Since I don't have many detailed memories I put out a request to family to see what they remembered. My mom was the first to respond saying that my Dad, Steve, loved grandma's home cooked food. She said if you were to ever show up around meal time, grandma would be happy to feed you a home cooked meal. I can remember dad telling of how he was amazed by her watermelon rind jelly. He didn't know you could make jelly out of such a thing.

Mom also shared,

"We ran around with them a lot and spent lots of nights. She would take us to the grocery store and ask what we wanted. We always said SpaghettiOs® and a jar of pimento cheese. When we ran around she took a water jug and kept a plastic fold up cup for our drink. I have her sewing bench. She taught us how to knit, crochet and embroider."

When I told the story last year of my mom falling on broken glass when she was about 3, I believe it was Grandma Bondell's house that my Aunt Diane ran to.  They lived in Oark, Johnson County, Arkansas. Going back and reading that story reminded me of a conversation I had with my Great Uncle Tooter one time. He spoke fondly of Grandma Bondell and said she worked hard - physically - in the fields and garden. He really admired her. I always remembered thinking grandma towered over my great grandpa OZ. It may have just been that he was hunched over in his old age because looking at the above picture she is taller but not as tall as I imagined. It's funny the way a young mind remembers things.

My Aunt Diane said "Granny made the sweetest tea on earth in a white ceramic pitcher." and her daughter, my cousin, Christy, remembers playing with the fake horses her family would bring back to give Grandma from their vacations and sitting in the sun-room listening to wind-chimes, she also remembered the crocheted dolls saying "She had a doll toilet paper holder that was crocheted. I always played with it."

Now for the facts. Grandma Bondell was born 14 Dec 1918 in the community of Spadra, Johnson County, AR. She was the second child born to Kinchen Leroy Bynum and Ludia Belle Moore. Her older sister, Beatrice was just a year older than her. When Bondell was not yet two years old her mother died during complications giving birth to a baby girl that also didn't make it. They both died 02 Sept 1920 Sebastian County, Arkansas. Kinchen eventually remarried when Grandma was five. My grandma Reba thinks that before that, Beatrice and Bondell were raised by their grandmother Minnie Ora Moore. Kinchen's second wife was named Margaret. I'm not certain of her maiden name because her mother was always called Grandma Young, but Kinchen and Margaret's marriage license gives Margaret's last name as Welch, and in the 1930 census when they were living in Tulsa, Margaret said her age at her first marriage was 19 meaning she would've had to have gotten married sometime around 1917. I suspect Kinchen was her second marriage in 1923.

Here are a few pictures of Beatrice and Bondell when they were young.



And below is a picture of Grandma with her childhood friend Blanche Blaylock in Fort Smith 1928 and a portrait of just her when she was younger.

According to the 1920 and 1930 census records, Grandma grew up the daughter of a furniture man, and a beautician. In 1917, on his WWI draft registration, Kinchen gave his place of employment at the Ballman Cummings Furniture Company. On the 1920 census, Kinchen's employment is given as a laborer for a furniture factory and in 1930 living in Tulsa he's a shipping clerk at a furniture factory.

As stated earlier, Bondell married O.Z. Melson 04 Dec 1933 and her sister Beatrice married Dennis Vaught a few weeks later on Christmas Day.

I'm not sure what led to the next moment in Bondell's life but weeks after she and her sister married and left home, Kinchen filed for a divorce on 13 Jan 1934 it was granted a month later 12 February.

An interesting fact is that Grandma Bondell's marriage license said she 18. She was really only 14.



After a year and a half of marriage Bondell gave birth to a daughter, Betty June, born Tuesday, 6 Aug 1935. News made way to her dad Kinchen and on Saturday he was on his way to go see his first grandchild. Little did anyone know that tragedy would strike. Below is a transcription of the news article.

"Roy. K. Bynum of Hagerville, a farmer, 42 years old, was killed instantly last Saturday morning about eight o’clock, when a lumber truck ran over him on the Hagarville road about eight miles northeast of here.
Injuries suffered by Bynum included a fractured skull, broken neck, crushed chest and internal injuries, any of which would have caused death, Dr. James M. Kolb of this city, Johnson County Coroner, said the accident was unavoidable.
Dr. Kolb said he learned that Bynum had attempted to climb aboard the moving truck, when he fell and was crushed by the wheels. Two other men also boarded the truck, but escaped injury.
The driver, Carlton Hixon of Russelville, employed by the Birkhead Company, said he saw Bynum and the two other men as he passed, but did not know they attempted to get on the truck. He said he heard and felt a bump and stopped as he believed a tire might have gone flat or some part was broken. It was then that he discovered Bynum.
The body of Bynum was brought here by the Griffin Funeral Home.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock at the Lone Pine Cemetery. Rev. L.C. Tedford, pastor of the First Baptist Church of this city, officiated. Burial was made in Lone Pine Cemetery, with Griffin Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bynum is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Beatrice Vaught and Mrs. Bondell Melson, both of Oark; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Bynum of Hagarville; one sister Mrs. Tom King, of Huntsville; and two brothers, Sidney Bynum of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and John Bynum of Oklahoma.
Pallbearers were Hebert Bean, Allie King, Benson Frost, Everett Pttts, H.P. Johnson, and H.F. Blackburn.”

The newspapers sure didn't leave much to the imagination back then. I was really surprised at the details given.

A year and a half later Bondell gave birth to my grandpa Leroy. He and Betty June are the only children I am aware of Bondell and OZ having.

Here is a set of school pictures of the two taken in 1947:



The 1940 census shows that Grandma Bondell completed one year of High School while Grandpa OZ only made it to 6th grade. Grandpa grew up in a very rural area, whereas Grandma lived closer to big cities like Fort Smith and Tulsa. I wonder if she was very "country" at all before she became married.

Even though her father and step-mother divorced, Bondell remained close to Margaret. I even have copies of a few "generational photos" that have Margaret and her mother in them.

Below is one of those pictures. On the far left is Margaret's mother, Nettie Young, then Margaret, Grandma Bondell, Grandpa Leroy, and my Aunt Diane circa 1957.
 

Sometime after the death of Kinchen, Margaret married a man named Earl Thompson. Whenever my family refers to "Grandma Thompson" they're speaking of Margaret.

When her children were young Bondell would work in the fields, milk cows, and cut pulpwood. Grandma Reba also shared a story of when my Aunt Michelle was a baby,

"We lived on the mountain (near Oark) and it came a deep snow. They couldn't get to work and couldn't get Shell's formula so Papa milked the cow every morning and brought it to us and we didn't buy formula again."

Grandma Bondell and Grandpa OZ also raised chickens for Tyson. Mom recalls they had about 3 or 4 houses when they lived in the Baptist Ford community near Greenland. Grandma Reba (Bondell's daughter-in-law) shared that Bondell also worked at Priebe and Sons, a chicken processing plant, in Clarksville up until they closed in January 1962. She and my Grandpa Leroy would ride to work together.

Northwest Arkansas Times - Newspapers.com

After they lost their job, a friend of my Grandpa Leroy's helped him get a job at the University farm and they all moved to Prairie Grove. Grandpa Leroy and his parents lived right next door to each other all my childhood, up until Grandma Bondell passed away. Later on Grandpa OZ remarried and moved about 10 miiles away to Strickler, AR with his second wife, Virginia. The old house place is still there. I should go and take pictures when the weather cools down so I don't have to worry about snakes or wasps. It's not in the best shape and will be gone before we know it.

I'll close with Grandma's obituary and include a picture of a few of us from the day of the funeral.

The Graphic, Clarksville, Arkansas, Wednesday, 5 April 1989
Mrs. Bondell Melson, age 70, of Prairie Grove died March 29, 1989 at her home.
She was a former resident of Johnson County and a Protestant.
Surviving are her husband, O.Z. Melson; one son, Leroy Melson of Prairie Grove; one daughter Betty June Young of Fayetteville; one sister, Beatrice Vaught of Clarksville; three grandchildren, Diane Walls of Hot Springs, Reine Moore of Siloam Springs and Michelle Smith of Prairie Grove; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Amos Pledger officiating. Burial was in Oark Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Vince Walls, Steve Moore, Willie Smith, Stanley Vaught, Harold Hyler and Alfred Bently.”

Left to Right: My mom, Reine, her sisters Michelle and Diane. My cousin Brad, me, Christy and Preston.

Did I forget to mention that my sister-in-law is joining me in this challenge. I am so excited about that. While she's not on Instagram, yet, she is adding a little bit of her own style to this challenge by having clever little themes. She's done Salvation Sunday, Medical Monday, and yesterday Tracts of Land Tuesday. She is a great writer and so clever. Be sure to click over there and check it out!