Volume 7, Number 1 - Fall 1979
Bits and Pieces
To all readers of this column--Please help with any of these reader’s requests if you can. Only if we assist in answering these queries will this part of our magazine be worthwhile. Many need encouragement to continue in their search for family history. This column continues to be written by your secretary, so send your queries (address on front page) and if you have been helped in any way, please let the secretary know. This will determine whether or not to continue this service.
Dr. Hardy A. Kemp, long-time society member and a frequent contributor to the quarterly, has had his book, ‘Nathaniel Lyon, Brigadier General of the United States Army, and Wilson’s Creek’ published this past spring-'79. The entire printing was given to the Missouri State Library for distribution to city, county and college libraries in Missouri. Dr. Kemp also gave a copy to the research room at The School of the Ozarks Ralph Foster Museum. It is interesting historical reading for all who are buffs of Lyon and Wilson’s Creek, and available in the above mentioned libraries. Thanks, Uncle Hardy, for your generous contribution to Missouri.
"James Harvey Gist was born in Tennessee and raised in Kentucky and married Mary A. Meek on September 8, 1864 in Barry County. This is my sister’s husband’s grandfather," writes Loretta Davis, 4406 Moffett Road, Ceres, CA., 95307. "He was a Civil War veteran and died around Atoka, OK. Mary Ann Meek died young and is buried in Little River, AR. James married about five times but his war records only record two marriages. Seems he married once before Mary and was thought to have had two daughters. Would like to learn their names. James married in Bowie County, TX, to Cora Lee Martin and their youngest son Joe, lives in Modesto, CA. He is the father (now about 80) of my brother-in-law, Elzie Ray Gist. Would like to correspond with anyone who knows of this family."
Member Sondra K. Bice, P.O. Box 843, Wrangell, Alaska, 99929, needs help with the following request. "Joseph C. Barnes fought in the Civil War, born July 15, 1827, Pompey, Onodaga County, New York, died November 18, 1887 at Beebe, White County, AR. Married December 25, 1850 in Warsaw, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, Mary Rosamond Warner, born January 7, 1832 and died November 18, 1890, at Houston, Texas. Children (1) William Barnes had sons Walter and Ernest. (2) Sylvester had children John A.; Mary Breshears; Pearl Patman; Lucy Shell; Essie Thirion; and Margaret Koehler;(3) Joseph George Barnes, born November 2, 1851 - died September 15, 1902, Bald Knob, White County, Arkansas. First married …… Knight and had a son Joseph George Barnes, Jr. Second marriage was to Margaret Bradley, daughter of Carroll Bradley. Children: William, Robert, and Laura Isabel Barnes, born January 2, 1892 Judsonia, White County, Arkansas -- died January 5, 1959 in Los Angeles, California, married first Oscar Edward Bice; (4) son Louis or daughter Lois?"
"Searching for any information but would especially appreciate any records or information about Joseph George Barnes, Sr."
Another new member, Mrs. Evelyn Frazier Ullrich, 1934 Hall Street, Marysville, CA., 95901 requests help with the following. "The 1850 Carroll County, Arkansas census lists Samuel G. Frazier, 34M b. NC with more in household." Who can identify this family for me? This family is related to mine, but the relationship is unknown.
"I am interested in all southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, especially Marion County," writes Virginia Greenwood, 1611 N. Drury Street, Springfield, MO., 65802. "I am looking for information of great grandparents. Grandmother was Lucy Barrington, born 1851 in Marion County; father Barrington born Kentucky. Mother ______ Welch born Arkansas or Tennessee. She was Cherokee Indian."
[19]
Loretta Davis, address above, has a second query: Rebecca Short and Family (my husband's line) were living in Newton County, Missouri, in the 1850 census. Her husband may have been Henderson Short, but we have no proof of this. Their daughter, Elizabeth married Douglas Fuller, and that couple had two daughters. The youngest, Mary, was born about two or three months after her father died. Elizabeth then married a Yandell and had a daughter born in 1850. It is thought they ran a pool hall in Granby, MO. I am hoping some of the Short’s and Yandell’s around your part of the country can shed some light on the Newton County Shorts, Fullers and Yandells.
And a third query from Mrs. Davis:
"I don’t know a lot about my Hezekiah Mitchell Martin family of Newton County, MO. I’ve heard that Hezekiah ran a way station in the middle 1800’s. It has been told that a son-in-law, Arch Porter, had Hezekiah’s records. Arch Porter’s second marriage was to Mary Martin, widow of Thomas Martin, a nephew of Hezekiah. I would like to correspond with members of Thomas and Mary Martin’s descendants."
"The parents of Hezekiah Martin were Abraham who died April 29, 1862 and Morning Higgs Martin, who died September 29, 1877. They are said to be buried in a War Cemetary near Springfield. However, some of the family lived in Bolivar in Polk County, and could be buried there. "I would like to find their resting place."
REMEMBER, we have two books for sale. Edith McCall’s "English village in the Ozarks"--$2.50 plus 50 cents postage and Omer Brown’s "Son of Pioneers--paperback $3.00 or hard cover $5.00 plus 50 cents. Add 25 cents for each quarterly ordered and a 15 cent stamp is always appreciated when making inquiries. Order from Secretary-- Box 565, Point Lookout, Missouri 65726.
New member, Virginia Welding, P. O. Box 179, Hooper, NB 68031 is interested in Andersons of Laclede County, Akers of Henry County, and James of Webster County, CA 1850-60-70-80 and later Andersons of Barry County. Also, Carroll and Marion Counties, AR., CA 1850-1940 pertaining to Oliver, Anderson, Newton and Wilson.
Help is needed in research of the Bledsoe family. Long time member Mrs. Nelwyne Berry, 316 S. C St., Yale, OK. 74085 has come to a standstill on the research of her great grandfather. She writes, "Dr. Andrew J. Bledsoe came into Big Creek in Taney County about 1860. In 1870 he sought permission to sell medicine there. He married Nancy Hampton who was born in 1855,
and was the daughter of Cyentha (Grote) Fillbeck and the step-daughter of John Fillbeck. They had Richard Maynard Bledsoe in 1882 who married Walsie Magness, daughter of Robert and Missouri (Eoff) Magness. They had my father, Russell Bledsoe in 1906 in Protem. After my grandparents left Protem for Oklahoma my father lived with his aunt and uncle, Dola and Ola Pride in Protem."
Then she adds, "I have always loved going "home" to Protem and the friendly people there. In fact, my husband says, "You get your strength from those hills." And I believe it. People in Missouri and Arkansas have a wonderful heritage and are blessed to be able to live among the hills and people of the Ozarks. I enjoy your magazine and look forward to every issue."
Can someone help Mrs. Chester Cox, (new member), 4909 Sunshine Lane. Sacramento, CA, 95841 with her query. May: John and Eliza (Birdsong). John Calvin May was born 1860 (no date) in Taney County. David May married Angelina Frazier in 1879 in Stone County. She had a brother John who married Martha Jane Kosloe same day. Who were their parents? They lived near Branson on White River -- moved to New Mexico in 1883 or 1884. Son William (or Billy) and some daughters stayed in Missouri.
Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery for member Carol Clouse, 23344 Alfalfa Road, Bend, OR, 97701, who suffered a stroke in August of this year.
New member Ann Alexander of Kansas City writes that she is a native of Hollister and is a sister of Mrs. Kite. Also, "that county is heaven and I love every inch of it, and I enjoy reading the quarterly."
"I am researching the name Clark, its like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and can use a lot of help," writes Marilyn Clark, 16423 5. Henrici Road, Oregon City, OR, 97045.
(Can anyone help this new member?)
"Perhaps your society can help me," writes Chas. W. Hutchinson, 750 Bodega Ave., Petaluma, CA., 94952. "In 1899 my grandparents: Jeremiah (Jerry) Hutchinson and Elizabeth Mahan Hutchinson, moved from the vicinity of Pontiac, Ozark County, Missouri, taking their family to Independence County, Arkansas. My father was four or five years old at the time, their youngest, and about all he could remember was walking most of the way as there was only room on
[20]
the wagon, laden with household goods for his mother and father.
I have not been able to establish who Jeremiah’s parents were, although my father, before he died, said he thought their names were Noah and Armanda.
I am well—versed on the Mahan family, with the help of numerous of their descendants still living, but my branch of the Hutchinsons are few. I have three sons and several grandchildren to carry on.
My grandmother, Elizabeth Mahan, was the daughter of Isaac Mahan and Louisa Ford. I am hoping some of our readers can tell me more about my grandfather, Jeremiah, and who his parents were as well as brothers and sisters, if any.
Mr. Hutchinson has difficulties in the presence in Ozark County of two Hutchinson families; Noel N. and Templeton J. members of one married into the families of the other in more than one instance.
Mr. Hutchinson is also related to the Noel Norris family of Ozark County in some way of which he would like to know.
Mary N. Racx, 1900 Gettysburg Place, Bedford, Texas, 76021 desires correspondence with descendants of Willis Camp and Billy Bowles, killed by Indians while buffalo hunting in Kansas.
Secretary’s note: A request for ages and dates was made but no more information was received.
Mrs. Archie Kissee of Los Molinos, CA., writes that they look forward to each quarterly and wouldn’t want to miss a single issue.
Elmer Levan, 3816 Woodside Drive, Midwest City, OK., 73110 wants information on the history of Douglas County.
Can some one help with a query from a non-member? Mrs. Mae P. Hinton, 630 Linden Street, Chico, CA., 95926 wants to know where her grandmother was born. She says. "My ancestry is from this area, grandmother being born September 20, 1865, in Missouri just across the line from Boone County, AR. I was told my great grandparents Hubbard Petty and Dollie Jane (Dillon) Petty moved from Bellefonte. AR., into MO. and my grandmother was born. I can’t find what town or county." Since this is in the heart of our country, surely one of you can
shed some light on this matter.
Joyce Stephan, Route 6, Box 102, St. Charles, Missouri, 63301 is trying to find some information about her great grandmother, Mary (Smith) Palmer, who was born in Taney County about 1824. Mary married Jeremiah Palmer but she does not know when or where. They had five children: Charles, Thomas, Frank, Sarah and Rachel, who was her grandmother. If you have any knowledge about these people, records of birth, marriages, deaths, where they lived or their ancestors, she would appreciate your writing to her.
Helen McNeall of The Pedigree Tree, 806 Galveston, Liberty, MO., 64068, notifies our society that she is available for records research in a professional capacity in the Platte, Clay, or Jackson County, Missouri area.
Sally E. Gullickson, 8118 Oaklake Ct., Alexandria, VA. 22309 sends the following query-: "About 1925 my grandfather, Samuel Oscar Esteb, disappeared from his home in Oregon. He was recently divorced from his second wife and was about 37 years old. When he returned 17 years later in 1942 he was very secretive about where he had been and what he was doing. He did mention to my parents that he had been a Baptist minister, and talked about going to a school to become one. He also mentioned to other relatives Arkansas and the Ozarks.
Since the Ozarks extend into both Missouri and Arkansas I have been looking for traces of him in both states. According to the Bureau of the Census he was not in Arkansas in 1930, therefore I have been concentrating my search in Missouri. Also, his father lived in Missouri for a time, in Caldwell County in the western part of the state.
In two years of searching I have found nothing which would give me a lead as to where he was during this period. Perhaps one of your members in the area may have heard of him, or perhaps someone has an old marriage certificate with his name on it. His sister married a man named Keithley. As I understand it there are Keithleys in your area who lived in Oregon for a time.
Of course I realize that this is a slim hope, but perhaps."
[21]
This volume: Next Article | Table of Contents | Other Issues
Other Volumes | Keyword Search | White River Valley Quarterly Home | Local History Home
Copyright © White River Valley Historical Quarterly
