England Born Pioneer and Linn County Iowa Miller.

The prompt for today comes again from Genealogy Girl on Instagram and the prompt is beard. This time I'm going to the other side of the tree to blog about an ancestor of my maternal sibling.

William Leach HILL is the third great grandfather of my half brother. I recently stumbled across a few new photographs of him that were uploaded by a fellow subscriber to Ancestry. And you guessed it, he has a beard!

I find it so neat that both my step parents had ancestors that immigrated to the United States from England much later in time than any of my own personal ancestors, or even those of my husband. 

According to his death certificate, William Leach HILL, was born 25 April 1835, in England. His parents were Abraham HILL and Mary LEACH. He was a miller by occupation and he died at the age of 90 on 20 March 1926 in Central City, Boulder Township, Linn County, Iowa. The informant was his son-in-law, Verner Conklin, who is the 2nd great grandfather of my half brother.

There's a record index on Family Search for his baptism, that took place 5 Oct 1836 at Bradford Yorkshire England, UK. 

The 1851 England and Wales census finds 14 year old William living at home with his parents, four siblings and a servant on Wakefield Road, in Yorkshire, Yorkshire (West Riding), England

A picture even exists of William and two of his brothers when they were younger! Left to right is Thomas, Rowland, and then William according the FamilySearch user Stewart M. Marshall who shared it there. 




I'm not entirely certain when he immigrated. According to his obituary it was after the death of his father. 

Moday, March 22, 1926, Page 10, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA

I do however have his marriage record to Miss Catharine WILKINSON. There is a lot of information on this record so I'm going to include it and hope that it is large enough for you to see. Their information is in the middle column. They were married 10 Sept 1873 in Brantford, Brant, Ontario, Canada. His age was 38. He is a miller and a bachelor. Again, his parents are Abraham and Mary HILL. His current residence is Coralville, Johnson County, IA. Again, his birthplace is given as Yorkshire, England. The bride is Ms. Catharine WILKINSON, age 37, single, the daughter of Thomas and Nancy WILKINSON. She was born in Skipton, Yorkshire, England. William gives his religion as Baptist, and Catharine is Wesleyan. They were married by a minister named John ALEXANDER. 

The first US census he shows up in is the 1880, Boulder, Linn, IA census. In the course of 7 years he and Catharine have become to parents of three children, Alice age 5, William age 3, and Mary R. age 1. Alice is my half brother's ancestor. 

The same Family Search user also shared pictures of these children. 

William Wilkinson HILL, Mary Rhodes HILL, Alice Hannah, HILL

His occupation is always listed as miller in every record I've found. A little online searching and I came across this :

Linn County Civic Plus

Kansas-Nebraska Act in Iowa; page 23

When William died he left his son and eldest daughter, Alice as administrators of his estate. 




Only two months after the death of William, his bride, Catherine passed away 17 May 1926. 




The two of them, as well as two of their children, William and Alice, are buried in Prairieburg-Boulder Cemetery, in Prairieburg, IA. Their daughter Mary is buried in Jordans Grove. 

I wanted to leave you with one more bearded picture. This one is of William with his two daughters, Mary (L)  and Alice (R). 

And a link to a much more in depth biological sketch of William and his family that can be found on Google Books. 

Until next time,
Becky

Cherokee Indian Records And My Siblings' Lineage

 Amy Johnson Crow's prompt for the week of Feb 15-21 is Unusual Source. I'm not sure the sources I'm going to reference are necissarily unusual, but they're definitely unique to a certain subset of the population. I'm going to make sure to show my sources for all the information I provide while I blog about my my half siblings Native American Ancestry. 

Their maternal grandfather was Finis James SMITH, though his name has been shown to be Fine, Fines, Foundation and Finis in various records. 

According to his obiturary which can be found in the Northwest Arkansas Times FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS Monday, December 30, 1974, page two, Finis was born 1 Dec 1925 at Gore, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. He was the son of George Redbird SMITH and Sarah HOLT.  

Acording to census records for the years 1920, 1930  & 1940 this family resided in the Blackgum community.

Below is an image of the first census he shows up in, 1930, notice his name is Foundation. 



The next record is the 1940 census where his name is now Fine. 



His next record is his WW2 draft registration from 1943. Again his name is given as Fine with no middle name or initial.

Finis served in both World War II and the Korean Conflict.  My step-mom even said he had a bullet wound in his leg from the later. Finding a military record that I know for certain is him, has proven a bit difficult. You'd be surprised how many men had his same name. And most of the records I've found only give a name and rank but not much other identifiable information is included. 

Finis served as a city Marshal for the town of Prairie Grove, Washington County, Arkansas. 



And ran for Washington County Sherriff

Now moving up the tree focusing on his parents.... 

George Redbird SMITH and Sarah HOLT

From George's obituary we learn that he was born Feb 1885 in Muskogee County and that Sarah's maiden name was HOLT. We learn the name of several children and siblings.

 Muskogee Daily Phoenix MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA Monday, March 10, 1958, page 2.

From his WWI draft registration we learn a more specific birth date of 26 Feb 1885, that he is an Indian Citizen and his closest living relative is Redbird SMITH.

From the Oklahoma and Indian Territory, U.S., Indian Censuses and Rolls, 1851-1959, George can be found living with the Redbird family in the year 1886, a year after his birth.

Then again in the Oklahoma and Indian Territory, U.S., Dawes Census Cards for Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914 it's stated that Redbird is indeed his father. His mother is Lucy and that Redbird's parents were Pig SMITH and Lizzie was his mother's name. AND there's even parentage information for George's mother Lucy giving us her maiden name of FIELDS.

There is no shortage of infromation that can be found on Redbird SMITH online. I'll provide a few links below:

http://www.keetoowahsociety.org/redbird.htm 
https://accessgenealogy.com/native/red-bird-smith.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redbird_Smith

Now going back to Finis: it's time to trace his mother's lineage. His obituary gave us her maiden name of HOLT. The above census records give us her estimated birth year as 1889/90.

Using Fold3 I searched the Eastern Cherokee Applications for her using her married name, as these records weren't submitted until after June 1906. There are several applicants with that name. The correct one is application #13544 Notice her residence is Blackgum.




Looking through the pages of her applications reveals more information comfirming this is indeed the correct Sarah HOLT SMITH. Though I will say it's both aggravagting and neat to find scans of her ancestors Indian names laying on top of her application pages blocking a lot of the information, but keep clicking through and eventually you'll find uncovered pages. 

For example: Page 5



 Followed by page 7 which gives us so much information:



Sarah was born 28 Feb 1889 in Sequoyah District. She's married. Her husband's name is George (application #26335). He is 22.  Her father was Mose HOLT and her mother's name was Polly. Her father was also born in Sequoyah District while her mother was born in the Salina District. It even tells us the death dates of her parents, though further investigation reveals the father's death date is off by a year. 

Page 12 gives us the names of Sarah's siblings as well as the Indian names of her grandparents:



You can also look at her siblings applications: Eliza BIRD (#13673), Jennie VANN (#17012) and Nancy HOLT (#13681) George SMITH signs as a witness in Nancy's applciation (below) as well as Eliza's  



Again using the Oklahoma and Indian Territory, U.S., Dawes Census Cards for Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914 we can find a card for Pollie HOLT



Unfortunately, this card doesn't give us the name of Pollie's parents or the parents of her deceased husband, Mose HOLT, though their Indian names were given in the applications of Sarah and her sisters. 

I did find a couple Indian Census/Rolls of this family unit for the years 1883 & 1886

The 1886 census gives us ages, so after this I decided to look into the death of Mose HOLT, as he would've only been about 36. It appears as though he was accidentally shot during a dispute over the next cheif.

Friday, 26 July 1895, The Monticellonian, page 1

Saturday, 27 July, 1895, The Coffeyville Daily Journal

I've also found information for Pollie HOLT(#9285) in the Dawes Packets of 1898. It's composed of the affidavits of Runabout MINK, Johnson MANNING, John BIRD (her son-in-law) and Jesse VANN (her son-in-law) using the translator S.R. WALKINGSTICK. Not too much new information was gleaned about Sarah or Pollie -- it mainly had questions about Eliza BIRD and her son William BARK.

I've also found records for the lands allotted to Sarah and her family.



Sarah lived long enough to bury her husband and all of her children but two; her daughter Tissie and her son Gawexskey. She died at the age of 87 in Vian, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, Saturday, 19 Nov 1977. She's buried with her husband in Redbird Cemetery

*I do want to  make note that George's headstone seems to have the wrong death year. His obituary was ran in 1958 and the Oklahoma State Vitals Record Index shows a death certificate for him on file with his death date as 7 March 1958. I'm not sure why, but using that index, I cannot find a record for Sarah. I also can't find an obituary for her. 

I hope you've been able to keep up as I piece together the lineage of my half siblings.

Until next time, 
Becky

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. 

 

The Obituary of John Turner Acord

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until next time, 
Becky

Life Skills Through The Generations

Today's post is going to be a mash up of Genealogy Girl's #GenealogyPhotoADay prompt on Instagram for February 07 - #FOOD. As well as Amy Johnson Crow's #52Ancestors prompt #InTheKitchen.

I've blogged a few times about my time spent with my grandmother, Mammy. Every other weekend until age twelve was spent with her from Friday night until late Saturday evening. If I wasn't having to help haul hay or work cattle, I was being groomed for adulthood and many life skills were intentionally taught to me. One of the most important was knowing my way around a kitchen and being taught to never show up to a meal empty handed.

A few things I can remember her teaching me to make was a zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting. The zucchni had come from her garden and on this instance my cousin Jennifer was there too. We each made a cake. I can still remember her telling us the importance of folding and stiring deep into the bowl to make sure there wasn't any dry ingredients hiding down there.

Another thing I remember her teaching me to make was biscuits. I can remember her teaching me to make a well in the center and not to over stir. And then there were homemade rolls. And the time I was taught a rustic dessert; apple dumplings. Everything else is a bit of a blur. For the most part I was her helper and spent so much time with my hands in the sink either washing dishes or rinsing them. For all the time spent in her kitchen though, I don't have a single picture of her in hers. I do have a picture of my aunts in her kitchen though, so I'm going to share it.

Notice all those plates hanging? There were stories behind each one. Unfortunately, I only remember the story behind that black tarnished one on the end. If anyone out there rembembers the significance of the others, I'd really love it if you'd share it with me. Also, see the oil lamp in the right corner? I am so grateful that I now have that!

I'm not sure I was as intentional while raising my kids about the significance of knowing their way around the kitchen, and I know I wasn't as patient but the lessons were taught anyway. Here are a few pictures I have of my babies (who are no longer babies) in my kitchen:

The girls making their Dad his 45th birthday cake

Here's Ashley with a cake she made her Nanny Kay with the miniature cake pan set she bought herself at Hobby Lobby.

Patrick frying deer meat for our supper. Not only did he kill, clean and process his deer, he has always been comfortable cooking in the kitchen!

Laney making green bean casserole for our Thanksgiving.

Ashley making hashbrown casserole for Thanksgiving.

Patrick making Christmas Wreath's from cornflakes, marshmallows a little butter and green food coloring and red hots for the berries. -- This was something Mammy always made.

Laney making Reindeer Tracks for Christmas - we learned how to make these from Nanny K

Ashley's special burger recipe. We still use this!

When I first moved out here to Chigger Haven, I wanted to decorate my kitchen with old black and white photos of our ancestors in their kitchens. I still haven't done that. Maybe this will prompt me to getting some printed off and hung. I would also like to get a glass top cut for my dinning room table and display old family photographs under the glass. Here are a few kitchen pics in my collection:

My Grandma Reba with her birthday cake! One of my all time favorite pictures.

Great Grandma Zula probably making cornbread.

Grandma Nall --  my great grandma Willie Belle serving Thanksgiving 1966

This is my step dad in his Grandma Conklin's house. He believes its the house they had in Creston, CA. Like Patrick, he is also very capable in the kitchen.

I'm still lacking any kitchen pictures from Jared's side of the family. 

*Edit* I found this picture of Mammy and me and Patrick from 1999-2000 standing in her kitchen 

Until next time, 
Becky