Your Roots
#43
December 2002
by B. Blackford

Merry Christmas!

I received a response to Jack Callahan's query of last month regarding the surnames: BOWERS. HENSON. SMITH. CALLAHAN. SMITH. MASSEY. ISOM. FLOOD. LEDBETTER. EASTERLY. HEINE. RIPLINGER.

JoAn Bollman writes that she is related to the HENSON line as follows: Benjamin Franklin
HENSON, Sr. born 1777 married Polly DANIEL born 1799; their son Giles born 1803; his son
Benjamin Franklin HENSON, Jr. born 1819, married Elizabeth Jane COX; their son James Hilton HENSON married LaBella HAMILTON; their son Oren C. HENSON married Susan DAVIS; their daughter, Grace Louise HENSON married Donald A. LIVELY. JoAn Grace Lively Bollman is the daughter of Donald A. and Grace Louise Henson Lively. JoAn is also related to Jessie MARECAL and James ISOM. She'd love to exchange info and you can write to her at 2647 Rock Crusher Road, Ava, IL, 62907.

If you are connected to this line, after you write JoAn, don't forget to contact Jack Callahan,
6218 West Main, Maryville, IL, 62062 or by email at [email protected] if you can shed any light on any of these folks.

Monte Blue and I have been having quite a little email correspondence trying to get together information on the BLUE family. If I'm reading correctly, his direct line is: (1) John BLAW, (2) John BLEW married Cattron VAN METER, (3) Michael BLEW married Martha BLACKFORD and married second Sarah (last name unknown), (4) Barnabus BLUE married Talithacuny "Charity" MARSHALL, (5) Solomon BLUE married Teletha Ann MORRIS, (6) Uriah BLUE married first Melinda BROWNFIELD (maiden name may have been MORRIS), second Elisabeth SMITH MILLER, third Mary Jane HATFIELD, fourth Harriet CARBAUGH, (7) Louis Morris BLUE married Dora WRIGHT, (8) Elta R. BLUE, (9) Monte BLUE.

Mr. Blue writes: when John BLAW reached the America's, he had a family silver chalice and three silver spoons. The eldest son, John, received the chalice which was to be passed down. The oldest son of each family, who would be named John, would receive the chalice. John A. BLUE in California is now the owner, but the chalice is in his mother's safekeeping in West Virginia and is displayed every two years at the BLUE family reunion.

I know my great grand-dad was Uriah BLUE from Miami County, Ohio. He first married Melinda BROWNFIELD from Jackson County, Illinois. He married second Elisabeth SMITH MILLER in Monroe County, Illinois. He married third Mary Jane HATFIELD in Ava, Jackson County, Illinois and fourth Harriet CARBAUGH.

Uriah's daughter, Mary, married Henry BROWNFIELD. Daughter, Elizabeth, married James STOUT. Son, John Morris, married Rebecca MODGLIN. Son, Louis Morris, married Dora WRIGHT. Son, Solomon Morris married Sarah SMITH. Son Samuel Henderson married Isabel (Ida) KIMMER/KINNER, and married second Luella (last name unknown). Son Jacob George married Maud ELMORE. Son Andrew Jackson married Rose STUBBINS/STEBBINS.

Monte knows that Louis M. BLUE's son, Ross had a daughter, Orma Belle who married Wayne CHAMBERS; a daughter, Helen, who married G. WILLIAMS; a daughter, Mildred, who married D. ROLLINS; and a daughter Betty Lou, who married R. POWERS. These daughters had sons and daughters which he would like to have the years of birth, marriage, and death to be added to a new edition of "Descendants of John BLAW (BLUE)". Any information would be helpful. Write to Monte Blue via email at [email protected], or forward info to me by mail and I will share with him.

Any errors in the above information are mine and I beg Mr. Blue's indulgence and request
correction!

By the way, Harriet CARBAUGH, fourth wife of Uriah BLUE is the daughter of George Henry
CARBAUGH and Mary Ann BOWLBY. My family line is descended from Harriet's brother, Phillip! There's that small world connection again!

If you have any further information on any of these families, please contact the individual who submitted the query directly, or contact me at [email protected] or by mail at Lauri
Gray-Stoewsand, 2736 McClay Valley Boulevard, St. Peters, MO 63376.

Get out there and keep diggin' ........and let me hear from you!

Your Roots
#44
November 2002
by B. Blackford

It has been my distinct pleasure recently to make the acquaintance of Mr. Angus Macleod and receive a copy of his very unique CD entitled "The Silent Ones: A Legacy of the Highland Clearances".  "The Silent Ones" was born of Mr. Macleod's search for his own ancestral roots, when in 1996, he made a journey to Scotland's Isle of Lewis with his aging father to find the village of their ancestors.  The motivation to research and record "The Silent Ones" came as a direct result of his family history fact finding mission.

In music, song, and spoken word, the CD tells the tale of Bruce County, Ontario, Canada's
"Lewis Settlers".  These settlers were evicted from their homes on the Isle of Lewis in
Scotland's Outer Hebrides in 1851 by landowner James Matheson and transported overseas.
Victims of a kind of ethnic cleansing known as the Highland Clearances, the 109 families
settled together in Huron Township, Ontario, maintaining their language and culture well into the 20th century.  While there are lots of Lewis descendants still residing in that area (some on land first cleared by their ancestors), Mr. Macleod wrote to me that many of the Lewis Settlers described in his recording, eventually moved on to the American mid-west.  Each year the area is visited by Lewis descendants from all over the U.S. who travel to the area to conduct family history research.

This project was especially close to Macleod's heart as he is a direct descendant of these
Gaelic pioneers.  The CD took more than 3 ½ years to research and record in which time Macleod interviewed old-timers, collected stories, and poured over old manuscripts, family trees, and private papers.

"The Silent Ones" CD includes a 20 page booklet with a complete history of the Lewis Clearances plus photos.  The recording features 14 musicians and vocalists.  Instrumentation includes Highland bagpipes, fiddle, whistle, keyboards, hammer dulcimer, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar.  The two female vocalists who appear with Macleod are also of Highland descent.

For anyone who has traced their ancestry to Scotland, I would recommend "The Silent Ones" both for its historical and genealogical significance, as well as for the haunting beauty of the music and spoken Gaelic word it contains.  "The Silent Ones" by Angus Macleod can be purchased for $14 for cassette or $18 for cd, directly from Torquil Productions, P.O. Box 303,
Kincardine, Ontario, N2Z 2Y8, Canada.  Or by calling toll free at 1-877-489-4693, or on the web at www.torquil.net

Queries for this month:

DERRICKSON.  ARNOLD.  HARRIS.  Searching for information on the DERRICKSON family.  My grandfather was Gene DERRICKSON, born 1917, and was killed in World War II.  He and his family lived in the Ava area.  His parents were John and Lottie ARNOLD DERRICKSON.  There were also many other children: Cardel born 1902, Amos born 1903, Johnnie born 1904, Mae (HARRIS) born 1908, Clara born 1907, Ruth born 1916, Edna, Olive, Bulah, Lula and Roy.  I believe many of these brothers played on a baseball team.  Any info will be greatly appreciated.  Please respond to Kathy Sierzputowski by email at [email protected]

BILDERBACK.  GLENN.  MCCORMICK.  SHEMONIC.  KORANDO.  I have read an article that states that my ancestor, John BILDERBACK, went to Lively Prairie to settle and died there.  Has anyone ever heard of this place?   I was under the assumption that this ancestor and his wife, Sarah MCCORMICK lived in the Ellis Grove, Fort Gage, or even Rockwood areas.  I know there is a Lively Grove in Washington County, Illinois.  Can anyone help?  Please respond to Diana Steele-Cole, 405 West King Street, Coulterville, IL, 62237; [email protected]

LINDSEY.  BURKEY.  I am researching Frank LINDSEY born in Jackson County, Illinois in 1898 and died in 1929.  Looking for information on his marriage to Mabel, last name unknown, and a possible child of that union.  Frank LINDSEY's parents were Jacob and Ada BURKEY LINDSEY.  Any information will be appreciated.  Please respond to Suzie Weaver, 322 Kimberly Lane, St. Peters, MO, 63376; [email protected]

As if we needed it, further evidence of the "small world" syndrome......the grandson of Suzie Weaver who wrote the above query, is in my daughter, Katelyn's 2nd grade class!  Go figure!

If you have any further information on any of these families, please contact the individual who submitted the query directly, or contact me at [email protected] or by mail at Lauri Gray-Stoewsand, 2736 McClay Valley Boulevard, St. Peters, MO 63376.

Get out there and keep diggin' ........and let me hear from you!

Your Roots
#45
October 2002
by B. Blackford
 

Queries for this month:

SMITH.  MASSEY.  ADAIR.  CUMBERLAND.  CALLAHAN.  GLENN.  HENSON.  BLAKE. BUTCHER.  Sterling SMITH, born 1803, married in 1827 in Knox County, Tennessee to Nancy MASSEY, born 1803.  Their children, all born in Tennessee, were : (1) Mary Ann, born 1830, first married John ADAIR in Tennessee; may have come to Illinois and married Robert CUMBERLAND in Jackson County in 1861. (2) Margaret, born 1832, married Jerry CALLAHAN in Jackson County in 1855.  (3) Telitha, born 1834 married Manning GLENN in Jackson County in 1854.  (4) Peter Jackson, born 1835 married Barbara HENSON in Jackson County in 1863.  (5) Lucinda, born 1836, married first to Samuel GLENN in Jackson County, IL.  He died in the Civil War and she later married William BLAKE.  (6) Sterling, born 1841, married first Cynthia Polk in 1859 in Jackson County.  Divorced her and married Mary.  (7) Thomas or James Thomas, born 1845, married Arminta BUTCHER in 1864 in Jackson County.  Sterling and Nancy MASSEY SMITH came to Jackson County in the early 1850's and remained there.  All their children married and had children in Jackson County.  Is anyone a descendant of this group or know anything about them?  Thanks.  Nancy Attey, [email protected]

JONES.  AKIN.  STEWART.  HUDSON.  VAN ZANT.  COOP.  SWALLS.  MACELROY.  I have been searching for years for my great grandmother and her family.  Here is all I have.  If anyone knows anything about this family, please contact me.  Jesse JONES died 1896 in Murphysboro, Illinois.  He married Susan AKIN or AEKIN.  She died 1898.  Jesse was a coal miner in Murphysboro.  He died in a coal mine accident.  After Jesse died, Susan provided for the family.  She worked in the fields and had a sunstroke in 1898.  She remained ill until her death in December when she died.  Jesse and Susan had four children: Jesse Junior, died 1932; Catherine, died 1950; Philadelphia, born about 1888, died 1974; a twin brother to Philadelphia; Elizabeth Abby, died 1932; and Bertha, died 1958..  The "twin brother to Philadelphia" died at about the age of one when his older sister, Catherine, set him on a window sill and the window fell on him.

Jesse Junior married Lulu and had one son, Ralph.  Catherine had a daughter, Bertha.  Elizabeth Abby had children named Agnes; Caleb, died about 1960; Mabel; and Inez.

Philadelphia Ann married first to Walter STEWART.  He died in 1951.  She married second to John YORK, son of Merideth YORK and Martha HUDSON, Philadelphia and John separated in 1926.  John was born July 1885 in Clay, Tennessee.  She married third to Grant VAN ZANT, who was born in 1908.

Philadelphia's children were: Hazel Lorine VAN ZANT, born December 4, 1919 in Herrin, Illinois; Ulysses VAN ZANT, born 1909, died at birth.  Mable Parsette VAN ZANT, born 1910.  Thomas Jesse VAN ZANT, born 1916, died 1952, Ralph VAN ZANT, born 1917, died 1918.

Hazel Lorine VAN ZANT married Earl Otho COOP on September 4, 1938 in San Mateo, California. Earl was the son of Thomas COOP and Daisy HALL, he was born August 16, 1914 in Portland, Oregon, and died October 26, 1991 in Sacramento, California.

Mable Parsette VAN ZANT married James SWALLS in 1932.  Their children were Pearl and Kenneth.  Kenneth was married first to Carol, and second to Margaret.

Thomas Jesse VAN ZANT married Sweetie Louise MACELROY in 1939.  Their children were Marieta and Lenita.  Thomas died a hero in a mining accident trying to save another mans life.

If you have any information about this family, please contact me at Peggy Rowe, 321-B North Main Street, Cloverdale, CA, 95425; or by email at [email protected].

If you have any further information on any of these families, please contact the individual who submitted the query directly, or contact me at [email protected] or by mail at Lauri Gray-Stoewsand, 2736 McClay Valley Boulevard, St. Peters, MO 63376.

Get out there and keep diggin' ........and let me hear from you!

Just a short follow up to one of the queries from last month.  Peggy Rowe writes that she only just discovered that her great grandmother didn't know her mother's maiden name because she was only 8 when her mother died.  It turns out that the mother's maiden name was ELKINS.  In last month's query, Peggy had it listed as AIKEN.  That could certainly make a difference!  The ELKINS, YORKS, and JONES in Peggy's family supposedly came from Tennessee to Illinois.  Follow up with Peggy at [email protected].

Queries for this month:

WELCH.  DEADMOND.  Looking for information on Radford WELCH that married Melisha DEADMOND on June 29 1844 and moved to Texas around 1848.  I have some of the descendants of this family, but not the origins of Radford WELCH.  Any help would be appreciated.  Contact Gary Deadmond at [email protected].

FOSTER.  PENROD.  GLENN.  JACOBS.  John W. JACOBS writes: "The little girl in this public
notice is believed to be my mother.  During her lifetime she was unable to find much about this girl.  I am her son and thought that I would try to see what I could come up with and find something about my mother's roots.  My mother was adopted out of the Children's Home & Aid Society, but I can not get any information from them.  Thank you for any help you might give me."  Please contact John at [email protected].

This notice was in the Republican-Era paper in Jackson County, Illinois.  Publication Notice
State of Illinois.  Count of Jackson.  SS.  In the County Court of Jackson County.  In the
matter of the application to have a female child, the name of whom is unknown, aged about five years, who was left with Mrs. Penrod, at DuQuoin, IL, about 30 months ago, by a woman who is supposed to be her mother, and who bought a ticket at DuQuoin to Pinckneyville the day she deserted the child and has never been heard of since; said child now being in the custody of Mr. Phoebe FOSTER, at Hallidayboro, IL, declared to be a dependent child, etc.  To All Who It May Concern: Take notice that on the 12th day of August, A.D. 1908, a petition was filed by Otis F. Glenn, in the county court of Jackson County, held in the court house in Murphysboro, IL to have a certain child, the name of which is unknown to petitioner and which said child is above referred to and described, declared to be a dependent child.  Now unless you appear within twenty days after the date of this notice and show cause against such application the petition shall be taken for confessed and decree entered.  The hearing of said case is set for the 7th day of September A.D. 1908.  Dated this 13th day of August, A.D. 1908, Dan Bower, Clerk.

UNDERWOOD.  KEATON.  SNIDER.  Seeking a family line for James R. UNDERWOOD.  James is buried at Doolin Cemetery.  He was in the Civil War and left grandma home with all those children.  On different records, I find James birthplace given as Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee.  He was born in 1816.  He married Eliza Jane KEATON, born 1834 in Illinois.  Their oldest son, Reverend William UNDERWOOD married Priscilla SNIDER.  William was a minister at Mount Carbon Christian Church.  I have a partial article from an old newspaper in Jackson County that reads:  "Grandma UNDERWOOD, 94, 'still doing her bit' for Lord and country.  Mother of five before Civil War, Mount Carbon woman now awaits the return of five grandsons and one great grandson from over there."  I have looked n the paper for the rest of this article, but I can't find it. Another partial article reads: "Grandma UNDERWOOD, in her 90th year, beloved Mount Carbon woman died there of heart trouble early Saturday.  Eleven children were born to the union of which seven survived."  I sure would like to hear from any descendants of those seven who might know who James parents are.  Eliza Jane SNIDER's parents were William and Sarah.  Please contact
Ruby Porter, 301 N. Peach, DuQuoin, IL, 63832; [email protected].

SNIDER.  MERKLES.  Dr. James SNIDER was in the Jackson County, IL 1850 census with his wife, Elizabeth MERKLES and their son Obedias.  He appears in Dunklin County, Missouri census in 1860.  Some of his children were listed as Obedias, James, Rice, Oceanina, Ocealla, Alabama.
Four years later, my great-grandmother, Priscilla Jane is born.  Her brother, George Washington is born 5 years later.  I think their mother died after that.  The Dunklin County courthouse burned.  I can't find him in the 1870 census.  He is in the 1880 Jackson County soundex and so is Obediah.  In 1880, he is living in Alexander County, with his wife Martha, 30 years his junior, and sons George W., John B., and Daniel E.  I have a copy from the State Board of Health dated 29 May 1877 authorizing him to practice medicine in Alexander County.  George and James were both business men in Murphysboro in the early 1900's.  Both met with a tragic end to their lives.  Dr. SNIDER was born in Tennessee in 1820.  I knew my great-grandmother was born in Dunklin County, MO, and I knew her father was James SNIDER, but I have never been able to trace this line.  I hope someone might still be in Jackson County who is descended from this line. Please contact Ruby Porter, 301 N. Peach, DuQuoin, IL, 63832; [email protected].

WILLIAMS.  Pension records read that Anderson WILLIAMS was born 1839 in Elk Creek, Jackson County, IL.  Does anyone know exactly where that is?  Because his father, Kibble WILLIAMS, is in Perry County in 1840 census.  Anderson's first son, Philip, is born in Old DuQuoin.  His sons Marion Francis, Edwin Isaac, Walter, Augustine "Gus", were born in Townmouth, IL, in Franklin County.  Does anyone know where that town is.  He also says he lived in Mount Prairie, Franklin County, IL.  Where is that?  In the Jackson County, IL 1839 census is Barsilla "Basil" WILLIAMS.  Is this Anderson's grandfather?  Would appreciate hearing from any WILLIAMS researchers.  Please contact Ruby Porter, 301 N. Peach, DuQuoin, IL 63832; [email protected].

HAGLER.  BEASLEY.  LIDKAY.  LACEY.  Seeking information regarding Elizabeth HAGLER.  Jackson County, IL marriage index indicates the following: her marriage to Joseph BEASLEY on 3 October 1861.  Then her marriage as Lizzie BEASLEY to James Monroe LIDKAY on 15 November 1870.  In the Jackson County court records she was mentioned in a petition for Letters of Administration for Joseph BEASLEY, her late husband, in August 1873.  Her first daughter, Margaret BEASLEY was my great-grandmother who married a Catholic, William S. LACEY, in Cairo, IL, in 1889 and was subsequently ostracized.  Her second daughter, Molly LIDKAY, attended the University of Cincinnati, married and lived in Batavia, Ohio.  Whether this is an indication of Elizabeth leaving Illinois, I am not certain.  At any rate, I lose track of her after 1873.  Her daughters, Margaret and Molly, half-sisters, were not reconciled until 1936.  I have no knowledge of Elizabeth HAGLER BEASLEY LIDKAY's parentage or date of death.  There is mention that a brother of Elizabeth's husband (BEASLEY or LIDKAY is not certain) was a bishop in the Episcopal Church.  Any information would be appreciated.  Please contact Deborah Bankert at [email protected].

This last query was especially interesting to me since it contained so many of the surnames
that I am also working on!

ELLIS.  HAGLER.  BUTTS.  CLUTTS.  COOPER.  DEROSSETT.  OSBORNE.  MOORE.  FORAN.  SMALLEY.  Most of my COOPER and some of my CLUTTS are from Grand Tower.  My mother was once married to a HAGLER.  DEROSSETT is a name that married into the family.  My grandfather was Roy Isaac COOPER, born in Grand Tower August 31, 1910.  His mother was Hannah Belle CLUTTS and his father was Martlo COOPER.  Her parents were Albert CLUTTS and Melvina SMALLEY.  My grandmother was Iva Viola ELLIS, born in East Prairie, MO on September 30, 1918.  She never had a birth certificate as she was born in a shed on a farm.  She worked odd jobs and raised the children.  They had three daughters, Betty Gene, born May 16, 1935; Janet Yvonne, born August 8, 1939; and Cheryl Ann, born February 3, 1957.  Iva's mother was Nevada BUTTS, and her father was Reuben ELLIS. Roy worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad for a while and then got on at Union Electric.  He and his family moved to Cahokia, IL and he died around September 1972 or 1973 or a cerebral
hemorrhage.  He is buried in Valhalla Cemetery in Belleville, IL.  My mother was Betty Jean
COOPER, she and Janet were born in Grand Tower, and Cheryl was born in East St. Louis, IL.
Betty married Gary Morris on November 12, 1952 in Pocahontas, Arkansas.  They had me, Helen Denise Darlene Morris.  I was born in East St. Louis on September 27, 1954.  I had an aunt named Nora DEROSSETT.  She was married to Red DEROSSETT and William "Chick" OSBORNE.  Any information involving any of these surnames would be appreciated.  Please contact De De Stephens, 301 Edgewood Drive, Belleville, IL, 62223-4004, or by email at
[email protected].
If you have any further information on any of these families, please contact the individual who submitted the query directly, or contact me at [email protected] or by mail at Lauri Gray-Stoewsand, 2736 McClay Valley Boulevard, St. Peters, MO 63376.

Get out there and keep diggin' ........and let me hear from you!

Your Roots
#48
July 2002
by B. Blackford

Just a couple of queries for this month. The second one is a little farther north in Illinois
than we are used to dealing with her, but I decided to go ahead and toss it in since I remember folks with this surname from my high school days at Trico.

HARRIS. ALLEN. Seeking information about William H. HARRIS, born March 22, 1837 in
Murphysboro, Illinois. He married Celia ALLEN on September 11, 1856 in Allenville, Cape
Girardeau County, Missouri. They must have left for California soon after, because their
daughter was born October 13, 1857 in Shasta County, California. Celia was born August 14,1838 in Schuyler County, Illinois. I have no copies of official documents for any of this
information, only family notes. I would like to know William's whole name and his parents
names and if he had any siblings. Please respond to me by email at [email protected].

CONWAY. Interested in contacting anyone who knows anything about Mary, Nora, and MargeryCONWAY. They lived in the Chicago area in the 1930's and 1940's. Their mother was a DUNPHY before marriage and came from Rathdrum, County Wicklow, Ireland. I think she may have emigrated to the US around 1900. Contact: Suzanne Byrne, The Beeches, Killarney Road, Bray,County Wicklow, Ireland; or by email at [email protected].

If you have any further information on any of these families, please contact the individual who submitted the query directly, or contact me at [email protected] or by mail at Lauri
Gray-Stoewsand, 2736 McClay Valley Boulevard, St. Peters, MO 63376.

Get out there and keep diggin' ........and let me hear from you!

Thanks for the volumes of e-mail responses I have recieved this year. I hope to add more resources, and links to this site in the coming months.