Volume 4, Number 10 - Winter 1972-73
The Editor Speaks
by Jewell Ross Mehus
After the Herndon family story of this issue was set up, Cinita Brown found more material. This often happens, as a person keeps "digging", others take notice and they find that they too have information which they share.
Cinita says that only two of the twelve children born to John Davis and Rebecca Herndon Davis yet live. These are George Davis and Enoch Davis. They reside near Ava. Dates of the deaths of the others are: Daniel Webster Davis, about 1940; William Stephen Davis, Oct. 22, 1918; Commodore Davis, Sept. 13, 1962; Melissa Anna, June 2, 1972; Minnie Ethel, about 1934; Florence Edna, Jaw 13, 1390; Elmer L. Davis, Mar. 10, 1967; Loy Abner Davis, March 14, 1899; Fred Davis, Sept. 29, 1926; and Neal Segal Davis, June 25, 1967.
Cinita is a child of the third son, Commodore, She says, "His name was Commodore. His grandfather Herndon (Stephen C.) named him after some officer that he admired in Civil War times. My how my Daddy hated his name!"
Lois Everett Wickliffe, 1135 Edison Drive, San Antonio, Texas, 78201, wants material concerning the Everett family. They lived in the Izard, Marion County, area 1830-1840. Also concerning the Farmer, Boone, Wilson, Goodall, and Wood families of the same area and time. Lois adds that if she knows the date of the next meeting of the Society she will attend. She adds, "I would appreciate hearing from descendants of any of these families.’’
Sometimes a book, not always a new one, comes across my desk, that might interest those seeking family material. For instance, "Who Rush to Glory" by Clifford P. Westermeir. This is a story of the Rough Riders of the Spanish-American War. From it I learned that "Teddy" was only one Colonel to head a Rough Riders regiment. There were Colonels Three. One was Jay L. Torrey, who according to Westermeir, ‘‘was educated at the University of Missouri and at Washington University in St. Louis. In 1958 Torrey’s widow lived in West Plains.
We have had only one story about a Spanish-American soldier of this area... I wonder if someone has another.
"Life of Zebulon Vance" by Clement Dowd, printed in Charlotte, N.C., 1897 brings in names of many other families and individuals including the names of the "Rough and Ready Guards" organized at Ashville, May 4, 1861.
"I’m from Missouri" text by Irving Dilliars, photographs by Allison Painter, 1951, is filled with names and forgotten cities such as Windy City.
After reading "Ozark Country" by Otto Ernest Rayburn for the "teenth" time, I wonder if Elizabeth Robberson might be a relative of our society members, the Robertsons, for Mrs. Derr tells me the name was spelled many ways.
There’s the story of "The Threshers" of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. This big soft-back book with colored illustrations tells of the big Thresher reunion held there each three days before Labor Day. This is an old community and you might find an ancestor buried there or even find a cousin living there today. Many of the early settlers came from Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, or Mt. Pleasant, Virginia. This reunion is not just for threshers, but for all. Hundreds of thousands come to the event each year.
"It can be done" must be the motto of Ruth Hush (Mrs. Claude Hush) of Evansville Indiana. Six years ago she knew just a bit about her family as do most of us. Now it seems to me that Ruth knows all about her family and much about mine and likely many of yours. If you become a bit discouraged, just keep in mind, it may take six years, but it can be done.
Mrs. Otto Haraldson, Kimberling City, seeks information concerning the Kilby family, early settlers of Taney County. Mrs. Haraldson, Chairman of Genealogical Records of the Taneycomo Chapter DAR, assists those wishing to become members of the chapter.
[Inside Back cover]
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