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

Gold Is Not For The Foolish

Today marks what would've been my maternal great grandparents Newell and Zula Stepp's 96th Anniversary  --  April Fools Day. What an odd day to get married. He was 26. She was 19.

A few years ago I stumbled across an article in the Madison County Record about their Golden Anniversary and as they described what Grandma wore, I knew I had the picture to go with it.



My cousin, Carmel, the Mrs. Vernon Sitton from the article, recalls that the story goes that at this Anniversary celebration is the first time their children saw them kiss.

Marriage often isn't about the mushy displays of affection. It's about having a partner you can depend on in sickness and in health. Who will do the hard part of life with you as well as the easy.

Three years ago my grandmother gave me a letter that Grandma Zula had written to Newell while he was in the VA hospital sick with gall-stones.

I will spell things exactly as she did. As you read it remember her accent. And it will make perfect sense. I love that it is written phonetically or using "dialect writing". It makes it come alive and is much more special.

June 3, 1955

Dear Newell, I will ancher your card we got yesterday. Was Glad to her from you and you war better this leves us all just fine and hope you the same. Wish you could see the chickins som of tham ways over 4 lb Miller said we wood sell tham som tims next week. Well John ploud this corn tuesday and wensday mornin then we went up hom me tooter boby doug and Elzada plowed the corn by the orchid but we hant going to plant the others for we hant got time. John plowed the Big corn up thar with his team while Boby (can't read because of folds and fading) corn grown. John is workin in his hay now me and the kids have been bizy most all the time dug and reba went home to tend the thangs. Me tooter wasked then we hoed peanuts and millans Bobby ploud both the gardens tusday Art said for me to try to get the Acord boys to bale the hay I gess will if I can for John said he sure wood had his hands full with both crops to plow do you have eny idy how long you will haft to stay Joe Wilama and Don come up and stad a while last nite and Jean opal and ther kids come up too we need another rane jjohn throd up 4 sweet potato riges and we put out som but thout we wate for it to ? to set the rest. Did Virgle and Loice come to see you and Sherlie thay sad thay was the kids wants to come down thar to see you but we can't come now till we sell the chickins maby Bill and Argie can brang us when thay come home thay will come after them Will thay let kids come up thar Gye said thay wooden. Reba said 1 of the heffers come in up home with a little calf. I'll try t get john to plow the corn across the creek some time next week. I got (... can't read much of this line because its on a fold....) thay said thay was ame to write you so I gess you herd from them well today hant nothin excite to write about so I hush and got feed the chickens so tack care of your self and we doo the best we can about the crops and rasin chickins. Don't no yet whether I put back or not the kids said Hi Dad and they wood luft to see you that goes for mom to so ancher soon love to you from mama and kids."

The Stepp's observed a total of 64 years of marriage before Grandpa passed in 1987.




They lived a remarkable life and raised six remarkable children to carry on their legacy. May we remember them and in doing so, love each other well in sickeness and in health. In the good times and the bad. When it's easy and most especially when it's not.

Until next time,
Becky Drake

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

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 

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

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Birthdays and Admiration

 

 

This week the writing prompt was to write about the person in your tree that comes the closest to your own birthday (not the year - but month/day). I have two people in my tree whose birthdays are the exact same day as mine. One was my 4th great grand aunt, born in 1857, the other is my grandmother's older sister who was born 56 years before me. I'm going to choose her. I loved this prompt because it gave me an excuse to reach out to some distant relatives that I'm 'friends' with on Facebook, but I don't interact with them any where else. I started out by sending them messages asking about their favorite stories about our ancestor. To some she is a sister, others a mother, some grandmother and others still an aunt. I found myself asking questions about so much more. I am honored to share a birthday with such a remarkable person from such a hard working generation.

Merle Iris Stepp was born on April 30th and was the eldest of 7 children born to Newell McKinnley
and Zula Jane (Acord) Stepp. She was named after Newell's mother Rebecca Matilda Merrel, and was delivered at home by Zula's mother, Inda Acord. The house she was born in was built by her father in the middle of the Arkansas Ozark Mountains in a little community known as Spokeplant, in Madison County. He had bought an old house about a 1/4 of a mile above the post office in Spokeplant. He tore it down and moved it and rebuild it at what is now known as the Bob Eaton place. Newell and Zula lived there for 16 years and 5 of their 7 children were born there. Then they moved about a mile down the road to what is known as the Karr* place where the two younger boys, Dwight and Tooter, were born.  The two homes Merle grew up in didn't have electricity. So she grew up watching her mother cook on the old wood cook stove and eventually learned how to herself. And laundry was another thing all together! When laundry was done in those days, it went a little something like this:

Build a fire in the backyard to heat the kettle of rain water.  Set tubs so smoke won't blow in eyes if wind is pert.  Shave one whole cake of lye soap in boiling water.Sort things, making three piles: 1 pile white, 1 pile colors, 1 pile work britches and rags. To make starch, stir flour in cool water till smooth, then thin down with boiling water, take white things, rub dirty spots on wash board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colors... don't boil, just rinse and starch.  Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then rinse and starch. Hang old rags on fece. Spread tea towels on grass. Pour rinse water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. Turn tubs upside down. Go put on a clean dress, and smooth hair with hair combs. (Taken from an article written by Lisa Kelly and published in the Benton County Daily Record).

One story that my grandmother recalls that includes Merle and laundry was the time their mother, Zula Jane, and the two oldest girls, Merle and Argie  were doing the wash and a coal popped out of the fire and into the Sunday clothes. It ended up burning holes in some of them. Grandma remarked that they didn't have very many Sunday clothes.

There was a lot of hard work that had to be done back then just to survive, and children were expected to do their part. There were only a couple years difference between Merle and two of her younger siblings that were twins, Art and Argie. So the three of them worked together to take care of the farm. They would mend fences, repair the barn,  feed and water the livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, horses and goats). They would also pick beans to sell to the canning factory. Times were lean back then and they only had shoes in the winter. This meant they did all this farm work with bare feet during the warmer months.

My grandmother, Reba, said that because her sister was so much older than her, nearly 15 years to be exact, she didn't have too many memories of her at home. My grandmother would've been six when Merle got married. She did however, remember a time they were in the back of the hay wagon and Merle was standing up when the horses decided to bolt! Merle fell backwards and out of the wagon, but thank goodness she wasn't hurt. She also remembered another time when she and her older sisters, Merle and Argie Jayne, were in the barn milking. This was during WWII and they heard an approaching airplane. When they ran out to see it, it was a P38 flying so low that they could see the top and could hear their mother crying out that she was afraid those poor soldier boys were going to die. She was certain the plane was about to crash. Then suddenly the plane gained height and flew off. Remember the family homestead was located in the hills of the Arkansas Ozark Mountains and as the crow flies they were only a short distance from Fort Chaffee, where Elvis's sideburns were shaved off and he was given his famous GI haircut. Imagine if Elvis was in that P38!!

Speaking of WWII, Merle's soon to be beau, Willard Roy Denzer, who had lived just a mile or so away "over on the creek", was serving in the US Navy. When he came home on leave he and Merle began courting. They had met each other a few times before when the Denzer's would host a barn dance and the Stepp's would attend. They soon became engaged and after two years when Willard was out of the navy, on October 18th 1945, they were married at the Clarksville courthouse with Merle's mother, and her sister, Argie Jayne as witnesses. The happy couple lived with their parents for a month after they were married.

Before joining the navy, Willard had lived in California with an older brother, for a short time. While there he had a job working at The BOX Company. When he joined the navy he was told they would hold his job for him and he could have it back when he returned from war. This meant the newly married couple would move west to begin their new life together in sunny California. They did not own a car of their own so they hitched a ride with Willard's older brother Sherman and his wife Elsie. They lived in California for seven years with three of their five children born there, Richard, Ronald, and Rhonda.

In 1949, a mother's worst nightmare would happen - young Richard, only two years old, would suddenly experience bleeding of the brain and passed away. And three years later, Willard and Merle finding themselves homesick made the difficult decision to leave California where their baby was buried and move back home to Arkansas. They missed both of their families and the summers in Brawley were far too hot, so they headed back to Arkansas where their two younger children, Janice and Timothy would be born. The family lived and worked on a Tyson owned farm in Springdale. Willard worked hard for Tyson and became a research farm manager, and Merle cleaned eggs. Later when the Holiday Inn in Springdale was first built she went to work there helping get it in order. After they opened for business she was made head house keeper. She worked there for eleven years.

Merle grew up during The Great Depression, you learned the hard way that you do not waste anything and Merle took this with her into adult hood. One niece recalled that while Merle was working at the Holiday Inn, she would take the used bars of little soaps from work back home to her mother, Zula Jane, and they would grind it up in the sausage grinder and use the granules for washing their laundry.

Merle and Willard were from a hard working generation. They always had a garden and Merle would put up fruit and vegetables to last throughout the year. They raised their family and became grandparents and great-grandparents and eventually moved from their home in Springdale and purchased a lovely home on the lake in Gentry, Arkansas, where they retired.

This is where a defining memory of Merle and her generation would take place, at that lake house in Gentry, Arkansas, one frigid, icy, winter.

Her grandson writes: 

Merle's generation is the Greatest Generation for good reason. The resolve to do what needs to be done has carried through even into her golden years. A few years back, a winter storm struck the area, taking out power and icing everyone in for days. While the news ran stories about the elderly not having enough blankets, Merle and Willard (in their 80's) were chopping holes in the frozen lake, hauling buckets of water up the hill to the house, boiling it on their woodstove and using it for cooking, drinking, and bathing. 

Another time on a random visit we found the house empty. We heard a tractor running in the woods. We went to go check it out. We found Merle working a manual winch, chain, and come-along to right the overturned tractor in the ravine while Willard pushed. And they did it. In their EIGHTIES.

 

Last year Merle's family honored her with a 90th birthday celebration. I regret that I did not attend and that I don't have more first hand knowledge of this diligent and resourceful woman. I know she is a treasure to her family and everyone who knows her. I wish her many more birthdays to come.

Until next week,
Becky

*The Karr place was originally owned by  George Karr, the uncle of Zula Jane's brother-in-law, Hoyt Karr.  Hoyt Karr was married to Effie Equilla Acord, Zula Jane's sister.

**Caption for the family photo: Newell holding baby Reba, and Zula holding on to little Connie Betnar. Then the older three children left to right are Merle, Art, and Argie Jayne.

Please also take the time to read up on my SIL's Almost Birthday - Twin.

{ I later asked of any birthday memories she had from her childhood. This was her reply via her daughter Janice - "Mom said that she doesn't remember getting any gifts. They didn't celebrate birthdays, it was just like any other day. The meals were just like any other day also. Mom said that once in a while that her mom would make a molasses cake. That would be a special treat. They didn't have very much sugar then. It was hard to get. The molasses cake wasn't made for birthdays, just when she could make them. I ask her did anyone wish her a Happy birthday in school. She said no, they never had school in April. She said they only had three or four and never over six months of school. They would only go ever how long the money would last for their district. So never in school in April. They walked a mile to school and a mile back everyday day. Always barefoot unless it was winter. She said her and her sister Argie Jane, would have to wear a clean dress to school on Monday and wear it again on Tuesday and Wednesday, then they got to wear another clean one on Thursday and wear it again on Friday and the next Monday. They would have to change out of them as soon as they got home."}