Let's Go to the Picture Show

A few years ago my family visited a thrift shop called Potters House. While there my oldest daughter found a book and eagerly brought it to me because she knows how much I love genealogy. The book was titled To Our Children's Children; Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come  It's basically a book of well thought out questions to ask your parents/grandparents to gain more insight into their lives. I loved it. And it was a steal for only $.25

Later that day we ate at Pizza Hut and while we waited on our food the hubs and I went through and answered a few of the questions for our girls. As we answered these questions I knew the girls wouldn't remember them years down the road when things like that seem a bit more important. I've also pulled this book out once as we sat around the dinner table at my in-laws and we asked my Father-in-law several questions from the Military section. That was only a year or so ago and I can't remember three quarters of his answers.

Fast forward to last month, and the fact that it was National Letter Writing month. I've been having the kids sit down with my book and pick out questions to write their grandparents. This has been the perfect opportunity to have some questions answered and preserved in their own handwriting so we can come back to it, time and time again, when our memory fades.

My youngest daughter wrote to her paternal grandfather and asked the following questions:

What's your favorite movie? How old were you when you saw it? At what theater? Who did you go with?

Ozark Theater at Noel, Missouri

Her Papa's arthritis was acting up so he wasn't able to answer her right away. Her Nanny knew she would be eager to get a letter back in the mail, so we were lucky enough to end up with two letters-- one from each of them.

Her Nanny wrote and told her of the theaters she and Roy went to when they were dating. Most often the theater in Noel Missouri and occasionally the one in Neosho.

Her Papa wrote about the first movie he ever saw and how he typically wasn't even allowed to go to the movie theater because of his family's strict religious beliefs. He also listed his favorite movies and why he enjoyed them so much.

Here is page one of his letter....




To read the letters in their entirety click here.

As we read these letters my girls couldn't believe that their grandpa would be able to remember the first movie he saw and they tried their best to remember their first movie. I explained to them that they grew up with television and movies but their grandparents did not. It may be similar to them trying to remember their first cell phone.

I hope I will be able to publish a few more posts like this one. The kids are still sending letters in the mail and I have written a few myself. I really do hope they will cherish these treasures when they are older.

Until next time,
Becky

Georgia's Land Lottery

Today's prompt hosted by Genealogy Girl is #land and has lead me to research more about Georgia's Land Lottery. I'm having great difficulty finding actual records. But I still wanted to write about at least two of my ancestors who were winners of the 1827 Land Lottery; William P Newell and Thomas J Nall - both on my paternal side. Their names are listed in the Reprint of official register of land lottery of Georgia, 1827  comp. by Martha Lou Houston; index prepared by Silas Emmett Lucas Jr.. (Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1986). In fact, in my search for actual records for Thomas J. Nall in this lottery, lead me to an exchange between William P Newell and his brother-in-law, Clemmon Jones in some miscellaneous files from Troup County, GA,  and that in turn lead me to discover William had also won land in this lottery. I have written briefly about William P Newell here.

Georgia actually held eight land lotteries between the years 1805 - 1833. They each followed this pattern:

1. The General Assembly passed an act that authorized the lottery and spelled out who would be eligible to participate and the grant fees that would apply.
2. The land to be distributed was surveyed and laid out in districts and lots. The surveyors sent the district and lot numbers to the governor’s office.
3. Eligible citizens registered their names in their county of residence. The names were sent to the governor’s office at the state capital. Beginning with the second lottery the names were copied onto slips of paper called “tickets” and placed in a large drum called a “wheel.”
4. District and lot numbers were placed in a separate wheel. (At first, blank tickets were added to this wheel, so that the number of tickets would equal the number of persons drawing.)
5. Commissioners appointed by the governor drew a name ticket from one wheel and a district/lot ticket from the other wheel. If the district/lot ticket was blank, the person received nothing. If the ticket contained a district/lot number, the person received a prize of that parcel of land. A ticket that contained a number was called a “Fortunate Draw.” With later lotteries (after 1820), when blank tickets were not added to the prize wheel, individuals whose names remained in the second wheel were considered to have drawn blanks.
6. Anyone who received a Fortunate Draw could take out a grant for the lot he drew, after paying the grant fee. If he did not take out a grant, the lot reverted back to the state to be sold to the highest bidder.

The eight land lotteries were held on the following years:
1805 (first)
1807 (second)
1820 (third)
1821 (fourth)
1827 (fifth)
1832 (sixth)
1832 (seventh or gold lottery)
1833 (eighth)

My ancestors took part in the 1827 Land Lottery

Five Counties were created and 202.5 acre lots were surveyed off.

Counties
Carroll: 16 districts (1-16)
Coweta: 9 districts (1-9)
Lee: 13 districts (1-13)
Muscogee: 24 districts (1-24)
Troup: 12 districts (1-12)

William Paul Newell won twice, one in district 9 and the other in district 3 of Carroll County. And Thomas J. Nall won his lot in district 10 of Troup County. During the time of the drawing, according to the above reprint, William was living in Henry County and Thomas was living in Clark County.

Here is an 1830 map of Georgia so that you can see where they were during the drawing in comparison to where their winning draw was located.



Yet, in 1830 William was enumerated in Capt Britain C Tyars District, Troup, Georgia. Thomas was enumerated in Henry County, Georgia. By 1840 Thomas has migrated to Merriwether and William was living across the state line in Chambers County, AL. My Thomas eventually migrates all the way to Texas where later died, presumably in Rusk County. It sure makes me wonder why they didn't stay on the land they won. Did they ever make a homestead there? Did they sell it? Or abandon it?

Here is a bit of information about how a person was eligible to participate in the Georgia Land Lottery.

There was an $18.00 grant fee to participate in the drawing. As well as other regulations that had to be met. Each condition or regulation could entitle you to 1 or 2 draws.

In order to be entitled to draw a person had to be:

• Bachelor, 18 years or over, 3-year residence in Georgia, citizen of United States - 1 draw
• Married man with wife or son under 18 years or unmarried daughter, 3-year residence in Georgia, citizen of United States – 2 draws
• Widow, 3-year residence in Georgia – 1 draw
• Wife and/or child, 3-year residence in Georgia, husband and/or father absent from state for 3 years – 1 draw
• Family (one or two ) of orphans under 18 years whose father is dead, 3-year residence in state or since birth – 1 draw
• Family (three or more) of orphans under 18 years, 3-year residence in state or since birth – 2 draws
• Widow, husband killed in Revolutionary War, War of 1812, or Indian War, 3-year residence in Georgia – 2 draws
• Orphan, father killed in Revolutionary War, War of 1812 or Indian War - 2 draws
• Wounded or disabled veteran of War of 1812 or Indian War, unable to work - 2 draws
• Veteran of Revolutionary War – 2 draws
• Veteran of Revolutionary War who had been a fortunate drawer in any previous Lottery – 1 draw
• Child or children of convict, 3-year residence in Georgia – 1 draw
• Male idiots, lunatics or insane, deaf and dumb, or blind, over 10 years and under 18 years, 3-year residence in Georgia – 1 draw
• Female idiots, insane or lunatics, deaf and dumb, or blind, over 10 years, 3-year residence in Georgia – 1 draw
• Family (one or two) of illegitimates under 18 years, residence since birth in Georgia – 1 draw
• Family (three or more) of illegitimates under 18 years, residence since birth in Georgia – 2 draws
• Child or children of a convict whose father had not drawn in any of the former land lotteries – entitled to a draw or draws in the same manner they would be entitled if they were orphans

Reasons you were not eligible to draw:

• Any fortunate drawer in any previous Land Lottery.
• Citizens who volunteered or were legally drafted in the War of 1812 or the Indian War and who refused to serve a tour of duty in person or by substitute.
• Anyone who may have deserted from military service.
• Any tax defaulter or absconded for debt.
• Any convict in the penitentiary.

In my search for actual records, I ended up on the Georgia State Archives website. Due to funding, and resources they will not look up or mail you records, even for a fee. They do however provide of list of professional genealogist in their area who will do this for you. I contacted a Mr. Evans who did a fantastic job of provided me with copies of the surveys and grants for each of my ancestors. I will attach two of the six records in this post so you can see for yourself what they looked like, and the information they contained.

Sometimes, in doing research I end up with more questions than I do answers. Census records don't indicate that these two ancestors ever lived on the land they won. But that doesn't mean they didn't. I have read a book about a family I am connected to, not related to, that lived in Spadra Township, Johnson County, AR. They traveled to California and back between census years. If that book had not been published, I doubt anyone would have guessed at the amount of land they covered in a short 10 years.I hope this post encourages you to take a little time to research this part of American History.

Until next time,
Becky

To see all six records in PDF format click here.

Georgia, Surveyor General, Plats, Land Lottery, 1827, Book JJJJ, Troup County,  Districts 6‐11, GRG 2‐2252, Microfilm Drawer 51, Box 52, Georgia State Archives

Georgia, Surveyor General, Plats, Land Lottery, 1827, Book OOOO, Districts 2‐9,  GRG 2‐2254, Microfilm Drawer 51, Box 54, Georgia State Archives

Her Face

I don't always get around to posting a photo on Instagram for the #genealogyphotoaday challenges. I do post more than I blog, though. On the 22nd of this month the prompt was #face And I couldn't think of anything unique or new to share.

This month is National Letter Writing Month, my fellow blogging, genealogist, sister-in-law, recently started working for the post office, and has been encouraging us to write more letters. She is right. While packing and then unpacking I have loved coming across my stack of old letters from various people, mainly my paternal grandmother, Mammy. I have a few letters she wrote to me and at least one letter to each of my three children. One of the people I chose to write to this month was her eldest sister, Frances. Today, much to my surprise, and enjoyment, was her return letter. Tucked inside the folded pages she included this picture of her paternal grandmother, my 2nd great grandmother, Leona Bass Jones.




The only pictures I have ever seen of Leona before this one, were very tiny, grainy, black and white newsprint-like pictures that were printed in one of my favorite books, Between the Wichitas. You couldn't see the details of her face, only her small stature and her hair pulled back into a bun. On the back of this picture, Aunt Frances writes that Leona was only 4' 5" tall and that she was 1/4 Cherokee Indian. And that her Uncle Frank said that Leona had long black hair and black eyes.

In my research I have found her application into the Cherokee Indians, as well as those of her siblings and her father. They were all denied entry, stating, "It does not appear that ancestors were ever enrolled, or were parties to the treaties of 1835-6 and 1846. Applicant shows no connection with Eastern Cherokee "

Her paternal grandfather was Samuel Bass. His descendants with his first wife were granted citizenship.

Leona was the daughter of James Martin Bass and Margret Ann Miller. On 20 Oct 1881, she married John Calvin Jones in Cooke County, Texas.

Aunt Frances also tells me she herself was named after both her grandmothers, Ora Frances McClung and Leona Bass.

I plan on writing her to tell how far back I have found the name 'Frances' on her mother's side.

I hope this post encourages you to write to a few of your family members. Who doesn't love getting a letter?

Until next time,
Becky

The Aquitania

For years I have been pretty disappointed about what little information I found available online through Ancestry and Fold3 about my WW1 ancestors outside of their draft registration cards. This afternoon, as I was desperately trying to think of something to blog about, I found myself, on the Family Tree Magazine blog where they mentioned something new/updated available on Fold3. They now have WWI Transport Service Records. 

I have found several ancestors and relatives' draft cards, but off the top of my head I only know for sure of one ancestor who actually fought in that war, My paternal great grandfather, Newell McKinley Stepp. I quickly entered his name into the database and voila, a hit!

My mother's first cousin Tarona interviewed my great grandfather in the 1980's, and asked him a few questions about his war service but he was older and difficult to understand. I definitely want to include her video of him though.



When Newell was 21 years of age, on the 5th of June 1917 he registered for the war.



I don't know when or where he did his basic training. I assume Fort Chaffee because of its proximity to his hometown, maybe my grandma or her sisters will know.

On 2 Nov 1918, my great grandpa, boarded the RMS Aquitania and headed to France. 

I also have a few pictures of grandpa in his uniform:

According to the paperwork, not quite two months after leaving the US for France, on the day after Christmas, Grandpa boarded the USS Georgia at Brest, France, and headed for home. (In his interview he stated he was "over there" about 6 to 6.5 months).




A homecoming was even printed in the local paper:

Fayetteville Daily Democrat 30 Jan 1919

In his interview he said he didn't shoot his gun at all overseas. I wonder what it was he did while over there.  He was one of the lucky ones. My son and I recently watched Saving Private Ryan. It at times is very difficult for me to watch. It portrays so well how war is tragic. Scary. And sometimes necessary. I'm grateful for those who willingly enlist today and for the families of those who have sacrificed their lives. I hope we all take the time to realize the cost of freedom and ask the same last words of Captain John H. Miller, that we "Earn it".

Until next time,
Becky

Furniture Man

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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





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

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


Until next time,
Becky Drake

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

Just Getting Started

Today's photo prompt hosted by Genealogy Girl Talks is #farm. The first thought that popped into my head was a picture that used to hang above my grandparents fireplace of an areal view of their farm; the farm I grew up working on most of my childhood. I would help haul hay before I was able to lift a bale. This was when square bales were still often used. Today it seems like almost everyone bales their hay in round bales or those massive square bales only machinery could lift.

My job, with other younger cousins, was to go out into the field and roll bales from the outside row into the one the grown ups and my oldest cousin Mitch were working so that they could get two rows at once. When we were able to reach the break pedal (just barely) the younger cousins and I would take turns getting to "drive" the hay trucks between the rows. The trucks were put into low gear where they creeped at a slow pace all on their own. We just had to steer and stop when we were told. Then once the trucks and trailers were loaded down and secured we would head to the barn.  My job then would be to haul the water bucket back to my grandparents house and re-fill it with ice cold water and quick! Then as I got older I would buck hay with the rest of them.

I also helped build fences, barns, and work cattle. Rarely was I "too little" to do something. They always could find something for me to do because when you own a farm, something always needs to be done.

I don't have access to that picture, so the next thing that popped into my mind was the Agricultural census.

In 1860, Burnet County, TX  I love what can be seen on page 5 of that Agriculture schedule.

In 1859 of that same county, my 3rd great grandfather, Killion Rich, married my 3rd great grandmother Minerva Jane Wooliver. (I wrote about them briefly here and here)

Back to the schedule: On page 5, person 34, is Killion Rich and persons 38 and 39 are his father, John Wesley and her father, Alford Wooliver. The whole family right there bunched together.



Its interesting to look at each of their agricultural holdings and compare the seniors with Killion who is just starting out.

I cropped the picture for my Instagram post so that you could read the names and if I were to just attach a copy of the original its so smeared I doubt you could read it very well. I myself had to go online to find a blank form so that I could make out what each column said. I used that blank form (found here) to make a more legible one for you to read. *This is NOT the actual census



It doesn't tell us how many acres Killion has, maybe he was living on his father's land? It seems that John Wesley had plenty.

I have searched for land records belonging to these three men, in vain, on the Texas General Land Office website. Maybe you will have better luck.

I have also squinted and scoured this old 1862 Burnet County map hoping to find at least Wesley and Alford. Nope.

Maybe they didn't own this land. The title of the column where their names are written does say "Owner, Agent, or Manager"

In the 1867 voter registration, Wesley is found in Milam County (though his name is marked through on the actual image) and Killion is found in Falls County. I'm not certain when Alford died but in 1869 voter registration there is an A W Wooliver born in NC registered in Colorado County where his family is found in 1880 without him. His son Alford M Wooliver wasn't born in NC but Alford Sr was.  I couldn't find Alford Sr, his wife or younger unmarried children at all for the 1870 census. Neither could I find Killion or Wesley.

Here is a close up of Burnet and surrounding counties to help you see where Milam, Falls, and Colorado counties are located in proximity. The 1860s census and voter registrations are circled in blue. And where each of the families were by 1880 in red. Wesley was in Lamar, Killion was in Collin and as stated before Alford's family remains in Colorado County.




When researching ancestors from this era, I am always amazed at the distance they traveled and how often. You know it had to be so hard to pick up and start over, over and over again.

Until next time,
Becky.

He Made My House His House

My 4th great grandfather on my mother's side was William Bynum. Today I wanted to share with you the answers he supplied to a few questions, when interrogated on behalf of one Noah Ledford, when Noah was applying for reparations from the Southern Claims Commission.

To start, I wanted to inform you of William's service during the Civil War. He fought in Co D of the 2nd Arkansas Infantry (Union). He enlisted  15 March 1864 in Clarksville, AR. He was 46 years old and gave his birth place as McCreary and McNairy TN - there is no McCreary TN - take that for what you will. William's father Eli was enumerated in McNairy TN in 1830 and Lawrence County TN in 1820. So it's safe to say McNairy County is where William was indeed born.

William was described as being 5'11", grey eyes, light hair, fair complexion.



Noah Ledford was a loyalist. In his application file we're told he voted for Lincoln and was threatened to be hung. He was arrested on three occasions and after the last one, in fear for his life, was sworn into the Confederacy. He was able to seek protection and switch sides whenever the Union took over Fort Smith. In the later part of 1863 his house in Franklin County, Arkansas, was burned to the ground by rebels because of his loyalty. During Noah's own deposition when asked who the leading Unionists in his vicinity during the war were and if they were called to testify and why or why not, his answer was:

William Bynum, William Parker, Hinson Harris. William Bynum is called to testify, William Parker is dead; Hinson Harris* cannot be obtained on account of distance to his present residence. 

Below is my transcription of William Bynum's testimony which took place 5 March 1878:

William Bynum being duly sworn answers as follows 

1. What is your name, your age, your residence, and how long has it been such, and your occupation? My name is William Bynum. I am forty nine years old. My residence is Pope County, Arkansas.  Have been residing in Pope County about two years. I am a farmer by occupation.
2. If you are not the claimant, in what manner, if any, are you related to the claimant or interested in the success of the claim? I am neither related to the claimant nor interested in the success of his claim.
3.  Skips ahead to questions 52 - 65

• 52. In whose favor are you here to testify? Mr. Noah Ledford
• 53. How long have you known that person altogether, and what part of that time have you intimately known him? I have known him about 27 years and intimately known him all that time.
• 54. Did you live near him during the war, and how far away? At the beginning of the war I lived in Fort Smith about 40 miles from Mr. Ledfords. But when he could no longer stay at his house he made my house his house. [I love this part]
• 55. Did you meet him often, and how often, during the war? I met him on average once a week during the war. 
• 56. Did you converse with the claimant about the war, its causes, its progress and its results? If so, try to remember the more important occasions on which you so conversed, beginning with the first occasion, and state, with respect to each, when it was, where it was, who were present, what caused the conversation and what the claimant said in substance, if you cannot remember his words. I conversed with the claimant frequently, about the war, its progress, its causes, but don't exactly remember the occasions nor the persons present. Before our country was taken by the Union Army our talk had to be private. The substance of all his conversations was that he desired to see the Union cause prevail. 
• 57. Do you know of anything done by the claimant that showed him to be loyal to the Union cause during the war? If you do, state what he did, when, where, and what was the particular cause or occasion of his doing it? Give the same information about each thing he did that showed him to be loyal. He never took up arms against the Union cause nor served in the Confederate cause in any way except one time he was forced to drive a team about a month. I know he went to the Union Army as soon as he could safely get to them.
• 58. Do you know of anything said or done by the claimant that was against the Union cause? If so, please state, with respect to each thing said or done, what it was, when it was, where it was, and what particular compulsion or influence caused him to say or do it. I do not except the driving of the team above mentioned. And he was compelled to do that to save his life.
• 59. If you have heard of anything said or done by the claimant, either for the Union cause or against it, state from whom you heard it, when you heard it, and what you heard. I never heard of him saying or doing anything against the Union. I never heard of him doing anything for the Union. What he did I know of my own knowledge.
• 60. What was the public reputation of the claimant for loyalty or disloyalty to the United States during the war? If you profess to know his public reputation, explain fully how you know it, whom you heard speak of it, and give the names of other persons who were neighbors during the war that could testify to his public reputation. His public reputation as far as I know was for loyalty to the Union. I know this from William Sewell, George Pillows, Cager Stone and Hinson Harris who were his neighbors who can testify to his reputation if they are living.
• 61.Who were the known and prominent Union people of the neighborhood during the war, and do you know that such persons could testify to the claimant's loyalty? Hinson Harris*, Cager Stone and George Pillows and I know they can if living.
• 62. Were you yourself, an adherent of the Union during the war? If so, did the claimant know you to be such, and how did he know it? I was most assuredly. He knew it by my course and conversation with him. 
• 63. Do you know of any threats, molestation, or injury inflicted upon the claimant, or his family, or his property, on account of his adherence to the Union cause? If so, give all the particulars. I know that one Jacob Bean, a Confederate Captain, threatened to and tried to kill Mr. Ledford, the claimant on account of his adherence to the Union Cause. Also, that his house was burned for the same reason by Confederate troops but don't know who commanded them.
• 64. Did you know of any act done or language used by the claimant that would have prevented him from establishing his loyalty to the Confederacy? If so, what act or what language? I know that he refused to assist the Confederate cause and that when forced to go with them he made his escape to the Union Army. Also that he hid out a good deal of time to keep out of the way of the Confederate Army. 
• 65. Can you state any other facts within your own knowledge in proof of the claimant's loyalty during the war? If so, state all the facts and give all the particulars. I know that he was in favor of the Union cause from the beginning to the end of the war. He voted against successive abuse.

William Bynum
J H Battenfield (Special Commissioner) 

Until next time,
Becky

*I suspect Hinson Harris could have been Henderson Harris.