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Monday, November 30, 2009

1946 :: Death by jumping from a moving truck?


On this date in our extended family history . . . the 30th day of November . . . in the year 1946 . . . death occurred in Green County, Kentucky . . . by jumping from a moving truck . . . for 65-year-old Jefferson Washington Henry and 56-year-old Owen Walton Henry . . . both were sons of Francis M. Henry (1841-1910) and Ann R. Calhoun (1846-1925) . . .






Jefferson Washington Henry was born 23rd December 1880 in Kentucky . . . and died 30th November 1946 in Green County, Kentucky . . . after jumping from a moving truck . . . at the age of 65 years 11 months 7 days!?!








Owen Walton Henry was born 31st Augusgt 1890 in Green County, Kentucky . . . and died 30th November 1946 in Green County Kentucky . . . after jumping from a moving truck . . . at the age of 56 years 2 months 30 days?!?





2011 Update . . . found a news clipping about these two nephews of my 2nd great-grandpa . . .

Middlesboro Daily News
Middlesboro, Kentucky
Monday, December 2, 1946
 
Two Killed in Leap from Car 
Greensburg, Ky., Dec. 2. -- Green County Sheriff Boyce Hudson today reported two brothers, both Green county farmers, were killed Saturday night when they jumped from a moving pick-up truck driven by J.L. Buchanan, about 33, Greensburg. Hudson said the two were Jeff Henry, 65, and Owen Henry, 56, both of whom were riding along with 11-year-old Dwayne Zarnasdale [sic, i.e., Vanarsdale] in the back of the vehicle. He quoted the youth as saying the younger brother without warning suddenly leaped from the vehicle, followed by the other. A coroner's jury returned a verdict of death from unnatural causes. Both suffered factured skulls. The incident occurred on Highway 61 four miles south of here.



2012 Update . . . heard from the little boy in this news story . . . he shared his memories of that day . . . 



Sunday, November 29, 2009

1957 :: Death of Jake Pounders


On this date in our family history . . . the 29th day of November . . . in the year 1957 (which was the Friday morning after Thanksgiving) . . . Jake Pounders suffers a heart attack while preparing to go to work at McVoy's Grocery store in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas . . . aka Pa Jake, this is my paternal grandpa . . . I was six years old at this time, and I can still picture my Dad standing in the kitchen at our home, crying, and saying that his Father was dead . . .



Heart Seizure Friday is Fatal to Jake Pounders.

Jake Pounders, well known citizen of Rockdale, died Friday morning (29 November 1957) about eight o'clock after having a heart seizure at his home and being rushed by ambulance to St. Edwards hospital at Cameron. He was preparing to go to business for the day when the attack struck.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at two o'clock from the Phillips and Luckey Chapel, with the Rev. Roy Brewton of the First Christian church officiating. Burial was made in the Tanglewood cemetery. Pallbearers were: Adolph McVoy, Clyde Luetge, William Backhaus, Hershell Bonnett, Garland Caffey, Weldon Henry.

Jacob Edman Pounders was born July 8, 1902, at Reedville, Texas, in Caldwell county. His parents were James Madison and Mary Cain Pounders. His life had been lived in the counties of Lee and Milam, since a small child, and he was known to his many friends as Jake Pounders.

On October 20, 1926, Jacob Edman Pounders was married to Ima Muston and to them were born two sons and a daughter. Mr. Pounders was an active member of the First Christian church. He had been associated with a number of business places in past years and at the time of his passing was an employee of McVoy's Grocery, having been with the company for several years.

Mr. Pounders is survived by the wife, Mrs. Ima Pounders, sons, Forrest Lee and Arlin Dee Pounders; the daughter, Mrs. Bill (Dovie) Green, all of Rockdale; eight grandchildren, seven sisters, Mrs. W.F. Beard of Tanglewood, Mrs. J.E. Dodson of Brownsville, Mrs. W.E. Corder of San Antonio, Mrs. Obie Fretwell of Austin, Mrs. Gaden Sanders of Houston, Mrs. Debs Spivey of Mecca, California; three brothers, J.L. Pounders of Rockdale, Oscar and Fred Pounders of Rockdale.

Rockdale Reporter, December 5, 1957



Monday, November 23, 2009

1785 :: Death of Joseph Anthony



On (or about) this date in our family history . . . the 23rd day of November . . . in the year 1785 . . . it is said that Joseph Anthony dies in the area that is now known as Franklin County, Virginia. This Joseph is :-



  • 2nd great-grandpa (via his daughter, Mary) of 16th Texas Governor Richard Hubbard (1832-1901)
  • 2nd great-grandpa (via his son, Joseph as well as via his daughter, Agnes) of Mary Ann Penelope Cunningham nee Anthony (1835-1917) [her parents were 2nd cousins]
  • 2nd great-grandpa (via his son, James) of Texas Lawyer and Congressman Edwin L. Antony (1852-1913), whose parents are 1st cousins once removed, and whose mother, Margaret (1833-1912), is the older sister of the following Josephine
  • 2nd great-grandpa (via his son, James) to Josephine Wingfield Henry nee Davis (1843-1899), who is 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog

One of Joseph's grandsons is Dr. Milton Antony, Sr. (1789-1839), who founded the Medical College of Georgia, and whose son, Dr. Milton Antony, Jr. (1824-1885), marries the older sister of our Josephine and moves to Texas, where he is a Confederate Surgeon in Brazoria County before removing to Milam County, where he is a local physician and the 3rd postmaster in the new community of Rockdale ca. 1876. For more information :-







Sunday, November 22, 2009

1931 :: We're all here for a family reunion


1931 Rockdale Reunion of Henry-Davis Descendants
In a radio address, on the 18th day of October in the year 1931, President Herbert Hoover said that . . . 

"I appeal to the American people to make November 26 next the outstanding Thanksgiving Day in the history of the United States; that we may say on that day that America has again demonstrated her ideals; ... that upon this Thanksgiving Day we have removed the fear of the forthcoming winter from the hearts of all who are suffering and in distress -- that we are our brother's keeper." 

Some members of our family apparently took this message to heart, i.e. . . . the group photo in the above collage is from a November 1931 family reunion held in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas . . . these family members (from left to right) are --
  • Emma Sharp nee Henry (1872-1944) [widowed twin sister of my maternal great-grandpa]
  • Ella Hamilton nee Henry (1875-1967) [widowed younger sister of my maternal great-grandpa]
  • W.P. Henry, Jr. (1868-1941) [oldest brother of my maternal great-grandpa]
  • Annie Henry nee Calvert (1874-1950) [wife of W.P. Henry, Jr.]
  • Jerome Bonapart Henry (1870-1956) [older brother of my maternal great-grandpa]
  • Sudie Henry nee Criswell (1881-1961) [wife of J.B. Henry]
  • Edgar Henry (1872-1950)
  • Berta Mary Henry nee Sharp (1873-1955)
 
The last named -- Edgar and Berta (Sharp) Henry -- are maternal great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . by 1931, they had been farming in west Texas for more than a decade . . . so it was probably quite a big deal for them to travel back to Milam County (their former as well as future home) during the desolate years of the depression . . .


Edgar and Berta's son, Robert E. Henry (1905-1976), is the maternal grandpa of the Keeper of this blog . . . in November of 1931, Robert was living in Massachusetts with his very pregnant 1st wife, Elizabeth, and their son, Robert, Jr. . . . so they are not listed as being amongst the attendees . . . a little over two months later, Elizabeth would die following the birth of their daughter (my Mom) . . .


I am extremely thankful that somebody in the family took the time to sit down and write out the details of this gathering, and to submit the article to the local paper (The Rockdale Reporter) . . . and I am grateful for whoever sat down and clipped this news story from the newspaper and carefully preserved it over the years until it finally passed into the caring hands of a cousin who shared it with me . . .

The following transcription of the yellowed and crumbling newspaper clipping of that article was e-mailed to me in 1999 by cousin Peggy . . . the bold text is the original wording . . . and the remaining text is notes that I have added for the purpose of clarification, etc. . . .




On Sunday, [sic] November 26 [sic], 1931, a happy event took place at the home of Mrs. Ella Hamilton in this city [Rockdale]. It was a get-together of the Henry family for the first time in twenty years. W. P. Henry and Mrs. Ella Hamilton being the only ones left in the old home town.


 
The 26th day of November in 1931 was Thanksgiving Day, and was on a Thursday . . . the photos from that gathering are actually dated Sunday, 22nd November 1931 . . . mayhaps the members of this family -- who had scattered over the years -- had an extended (and long-overdue) multi-day "reunion" at the Hamilton home that was once located at 604 West Cameron in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas . . . 




Dr. and Mrs. T. E. Riddle were guests at this occasion, they being old friends and Dr. Riddle the family physician.

 
Thomas E. Riddle came to Texas from Tennessee as a young man and was engaged in farming and ranching while studying medicine. It was by long hard work that he prepared to take and successfully passed the medical examinations. Thus he proudly "hung out his shingle" and framed his certificate for his office. He was one of those rare individuals whose treatment included medicinal aids and prayer. Many of his medicines he prepared from plants, herbs and roots. These he carried with him in his saddle bag as he became a familiar figure moving mile after mile among the early day residents. Many long vigils were kept by this good man as he faithfully fulfilled the Hippocratic oath he had taken years before. Dr. Riddle served in the Confederate Army with McCord's Texas Cavalry, Company F, was a lifelong member of the Baptist Church, and was a Mason. It is probable that Dr. Riddle served Rockdale and its surrounding territory longer than any other doctor in the history of the town. His death occurred in 1934 and he is buried among many lifelong friends of yesteryears in the family cemetery. . . . from A History of Rockdale, Texas 1874-1974 edited by Mrs. Ida Jo Marshall (1903-1982).




Everyone came early, talked and enjoyed themselves. The dining room was decorated with lovely ferns and chrysanthemums. The table spread in picnic style, then came the time to eat, and everyone seemed ready. Dr. Riddle returned thanks.


In the afternoon some pictures were taken. Then came the parting time but all declared that they had enjoyed themselves.

All the relatives were present except nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.



See separate list [in comments] of all those not listed as attendees within this article. If the previous statement is correct, then there were quite a few at the reunion who didn't get listed in the 1931 newspaper article.




Grandpa Henry was born in Kentucky, came from there to Sherman in Grayson county. There he was married [sic] to Josephine Davis, she being a relative of Jefferson Davis [sic]. Grandmother was born in Georgia. Eight children were born to this union, three dying when infants.


According to an entry in Josephine's family Bible, "Josephine W. Davis married to Wm. P. Henry at the residence of Mr. James W. Lance March 1st 1864." We now know that marriage took place in Brazoria County, Texas, in which county Josephine was enumerated on the 1860 census. :: As of this date, I have still not found any connection to Jefferson Davis. :: Regarding the children born to this couple, according to entries in the family Bible --
  • Born in Brazoria County Texas October 20th 1865 Margaret Ann Henry
  • Margaret Ann Henry died April 19th 1868
  • Wm. P. Henry, Jr. born October 3rd 1868
  • Jerome Bonepart Henry born April 18th 1870
  • Emma & Edgar Henry born January 31st 1872
  • Harry Henry born July 31st 1874
  • Harry Henry died in Sherman January 10th 1875
  • Ella May and Jesse Eugene Henry were born in Grayson County Texas October 26 A.D. 1875
  • Jesse Eugene Henry died September 1876




On Oct. 3, 1876, the Henrys arrived in Rockdale to visit a sister and family of the Mrs. Henry's, it being Dr. and Mrs. M.F. Anthony, who at that time had the post office and drug store combined on the corner where the Wolf Hotel now stands.

 
This would be Margaret, Josephine's only sister. Margaret's husband (and also their 1st cousin once removed) was Dr. Milton Antony, Jr. He was a Confederate Surgeon in Brazoria County during the war between the states, and was the third Postmaster in Rockdale, serving 06th June 1876 to 26th April 1877 (which was one month after the entire wooden portion of Rockdale burned). He was a practicing physician in both Cameron and Rockdale. Margaret and Milton are buried in the Old City Cemetery in Rockdale.

The Wolf sat on the northeast corner of the intersection of Main and Milam. According to a history of Rockdale published in 1936, a two-story stone and brick bank building was erected in 1875, which later became the Wolf Hotel, and then, c. 1935, the American Legion Hall. An 1885 map of Rockdale does show a bank at that location, and on the corner across the street is a post office in the Mundine House (now McVoy's).

A year before Josephine went to Rockdale to visit her sister, Margaret, the following item appeared in the 12th November 1875 issue of the Galveston Weekly News: "There are street fights occurring (in Rockdale) almost every day and the officers of the law seem to enjoy it, taking their fines, never giving offenders the least word of warning or lecture. Nothing better could be expected when they license women of ill fame for ten dollars a month and receive half of the fines and their compensation. The most disgusting of it is, when they choose, these officers step beyond their authority and utterly disregard the law at pleasure. Every day or two some very interesting scenes occur in the pettifoggeries of Rockdale."

And a just a year before that 1875 report, the same paper, in the 09th November 1874 issue, described the brand new city of Rockdale as being "delightfully located in a thriving section of the county. . . . there are two or three banks, fifty or sixty merchants, and plenty of saloons, and has generally all the appearances of a railroad town. . . . While all it new and in some degree crude, there are some fine stone and brick buildings. . . . Where a population of eighteen hundred now thrive, was ten months ago the home of the deer, and the pleasure ground of the black bear."




Grandpa liked the country so he moved to a place just across the road from Dr. Riddle, just south of town, and stayed there awhile. He then bought 100 acres of land three miles north of town, moved there, and raised his family, . . .

 
Milam County Record, Volume 54 Page 526-529 . . . Know all men by these presents that I, Mary Estes of the State and County aforesaid in consideration of the payment of a promissory note . . . for three hundred ($300) Dollars given by W. P. Henry, have granted, bargained sold and released and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell and release unto the said W. P. Henry all that tract or parcel of land known as a part of a two league survey . . . containing an area of one hundred acres of land. . . . Witness my hand this the 14 day of December 1878.




. . . lived there until his death, Feb. 10, 1911.

According to William Paschal Henry's printed obituary (actually a photocopy of an undated newspaper clipping), as well as his tombstone, he died in 1912, not 1911.




Grandmother was killed Oct. 28, 1899.

According to her tombstone, Josephine Wingfield Henry nee Davis died the 28th January 1899. Family lore said that she was drug to death by the hair of her head when it became entangled in the wheels of her buggy, but we were never able to find a newspaper account of her death in the existing newspapers for that time period. After receiving this conflicting information regarding Josephine's date of death, my Mom went to the Rockdale Public Library to once again peruse the microfilm copies of the 1899 Rockdale Reporter, and sure enough -- in the 01st November 1899 issue, she found write-ups supporting the family lore.




Three of the children left here at different times. W. P. Henry and Mrs. Ella Hamilton are the only ones left in the old home . . . (crumbled edge, but I would guess the word missing is town)

Those present on this occasion . . . (part of the word "occasion" is crumbled away) . . .
  • W. P. Henry (Jr. 1868-1941),
  • Miss Grace Henry (1908-1996) 
  • Ernest Henry ("Buck," 1911-1995),
  • Mr. and Mrs. (Birdie Henry 1894-1943)
  • Jack (Kyle) and
  • Lucille,
  • Graham (1917-1984),
  • Welton and 
  • Delbert Kyle,
  • Mr. and Mrs. (William Clinton 1896-1969) Henry and
  • Nathlee Henry,
  • Mr. and Mrs. Will (Pearl Henry 1899-1981) Vogel,
  • Mr. and Mrs. Eddie (Bessie Henry 1901-1964) Backhaus and
  • Ruth Backhaus,
  • Mr. and Mrs. Joe Henry (1903-1955) and
  • Wesley Bert Henry.


  • Mr. and Mrs. Jerome (1870-1956) Henry and granddaughter,
  • Gloria Sue, of San Antonio;
  • Mrs. Emma (nee Henry 1872-1944) Sharp, Crockett;
  • Mr. and Mrs. Edgar (1872-1950) Henry, Norton;
  • Mr. and Mrs. Sylas (Ruby Henry 1895-1978) Christian, Rockdale;
  • Frank (1899-1952) and
  • Nellie (1912-1996) Henry, Norton;
  • Mrs. Ella (nee Henry 1875-1967) Hamilton,
  • Misses Laura (1898-1987) and
  • Ruth (1909-1998) and
  • Harry (1913-1983) Hamilton, Rockdale.

Those who were visitors:
  • Dr. (1838-1934) and Mrs. T. E. Riddle and
  • Miss Docle Williams, Rockdale;
  • Cleve Calvert, and
  • Miss Margaret Calvert, Houston;
  • Milton Phillips, Norton;
  • Mrs. Ida Halyard (1871-1964), Crockett. [sister of Berta Mary]
This blog post was originally prepared for the 79th edition of a Carnival of Genealogy which was hosted by M. Diane Rogers at CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt'. The theme for this CoG was Family Reunions. My article (originally published here on 31st August 2009) is actually a rewrite of a study paper I did ten years ago after receiving the transcript of the 1931 newspaper article from my cousin, Peggy.
 
Click > HERE < to read a reunion poem composed during the same time period that the above information was coming together -- about 10 years ago.
 


P.S. . . . early in 2016, select issues of The Rockdale Reporter were placed online at texashistory.unt.edu . . . here is a link to . . . The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 59, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 3, 1931 Page: 8 of 8 . . . on this page you will find the reunion report referred to above . . . 



Longfellow and Cleeves and Peaks Island



This post about Longfellow and Cleeves and Peaks Island is reposted here today for Bill West's Great American Local Poem Genealogy Challenge. Click > HERE < to find links to each of the blogs that participated in this challenge.



The story behind the 1987 movie, The Whales of August, was based on the memories of the author, David Berry . . . regarding time spent at the family cottage on Peaks Island . . . 

The water-themed postcards on this collage are images of Peaks Island . . . which is the most populated of the multiple islands that dot the surface of the waters of Casco Bay . . . clockwise from the upper left, the captions on these postcards are as follows --


  • S.S. Merryconeac landing at Pier, Peaks Island, Me.
  • General view of water front, Peak's Island, Maine
  • The Steamboat Landing, Peaks Island
  • On the float, Peaks Island, Me.

Based on the few words scribbled on the back of some old family photos, it seems apparent that my New England maternal kinfolk spent time on Peaks Island at least through the 1920s . . . the sepia-toned image in the lower right corner is a photo of my maternal grandma . . . the words on the back simply say, "Elizabeth and Beauty, Peaks Island, June 25, 1925."

Another photo from the same collection, dated the same day, is the black and white image towards the left which is simply inscribed with the date and the words . . . "5th Me." . . . when I first saw those words, I had no idea what they meant, or what the building in the photo was . . . but after a bit of detective work, I found that this is a photo of what is now known as the Fifth Maine Regiment Museum on Peaks Island . . . Elizabeth's maternal grandpa, Peter Brackett (1838-1927), had enlisted in Co. B of the Fifth Maine infantry in 1861 . . . 

Regarding Peaks Island itself, A history of Peaks Island and its people . . . by Nathan Goold (1897) says that --



The history of Peaks Island commences almost with the settlement of Portland, and perhaps before. . . . George Cleeve and Richard Tucker settled Portland in 1633 and built themselves a log house near the spot where the poet Longfellow was born in 1807. . . . In 1637, by a commission from Sir Fernando Gorges, for letting and settling of lands and the islands, Cleeve leased Pond (Peaks) Island to Michael Mitton for sixty years, and stated that the name should be Michael's Island for Mitton, who had married his daughter, Elizabeth Cleeve. . . .

George Cleeve is a 9th great-grandpa of our Elizabeth (1912-1932) . . . and his daughter, Elizabeth, and son-in-law, Michael Mitton, are our Elizabeth's 8th great-grandparents . . .





At a meeting held in Portland on Monday evening, February 27, 1882, the Maine Historical Society celebrated the seventh-fifth birthday of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow . . . it was the desire of the members that Mr. Longfellow himself might honor the Society by his presence on that occasion . . . but he was prevented by illness from attending . . . and he died less than a month later . . . 

The following is excerpted from a tribute read by James Phinney Baxter on that evening . . . I quote it here because it waxes poetic about the sea (water) as well as about our great-grandpa Cleeves --



. . . Dear Master let me take thy hand a space,
And lead thee gently wheresoe'er I may;
With the salt sea's cool breath upon thy face,
And in thine ears the music of the spray,
Which rapt in days agone thy sould away,
Where hung full low the golden fruit of truth,
Within the reach of thy aspiring youth.
Thou knowest well the place: here built George Cleeves
Almost two centuries before thy birth;
Here was his cornfield; here his lowly eaves
Sheltered the swallows, and around his hearth
The red men crouched, -- poor souls of little worth:
Thou with clear vision seest them, I know,
As they were in the flesh long years ago.

Surely the shrewd, persistent pioneer
Built better than he knew: he thought to build
A shelter for himself, his kith and gear;
But felled the trees, and grubbed and ploughed and tilled,
That in the course of time might be fulfilled
A wondrous purpose, being no less than this,
That here a poet might be born to bliss.

Ah! could he but have tracked adown the dim
Long, weary path of years, and stood to-day
with thee and me, how would the eyes of him
Have flashed with pride and joy to hear men say,
Here Cleeves built the first house in Casco Bay;
Here, too, was our Longfellow's place of birth,
And sooth, God sent his singers upon earth. . . .

Here will I bid thee, Master, fond good-by,
Wishing thee soul-health and full many a day
Of blissful living, ere thou mayest try
The scope of other joys. And now I may
This wreath from Deering's Woods, O Master! I lay
Upon thy brow. God speed thee while the sun
Shines on the faithful work which thou hast done!




It has been said that Longfellow used words to paint visions of the New England coast and its waters . . . a talent which is well illustrated in an unpublished passage of blank verse from his journal dated the 18th August 1847 --


O faithful, indefatigable tides,
That evermore upon God's errands go,
Now sea-ward, bearing tidings of the land,
Now land-ward, bearing tidings of the sea,
And filling every frith and estuary.
Each arm of the great sea, each little creek
Each thread and filament of water-courses,
Full with your ministration of delight!
Under the rafters of this wooden bridge
I see you come and go; sometimes in haste
To reach your journey's end, which being done
With feet unrested ye return again,
But recommence the never-ending task,
Patient, with whatever burdens ye may bear,
And fretted only by impending rocks.

Another Longfellow poem -- A Gleam of Sunshine -- simply states that . . .



This is the place. Stand still, my steed,
Let me review the scene,
And summon from the shadowy Past
The forms that once have been.
The Past and Present here unite
Beneath Time's flowing tide,
Like footprints hidden by a brook,
But seen on either side. . . .

P.S. To my ancestors and loved ones . . . see you on the other side . . .


The above postcard collage . . . featuring postcards with a water theme . . . was originally prepared in August of 2009 for the 4th edition of Evelyn Yvonne Theriault's Festival of Postcards . . . 

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Remembering Wendy



Wendy is my 2nd cousin.

Wendy Jo Wager LeGault nee Trecartin
04 June 1963 ~ 19 November 2007
Leave flowers at findagrave

LYNN, MA - Wendy Jo LeGault (Trecartin), age 44, of Lynn died of lung cancer at the Kaplan Family Hospice in Danvers, November 19, 2007. She was the wife of Richard LeGault.


Born and raised in Lynn, MA; she was the daughter of the late John H. Trecartin, Sr. and Marjorie V. Smith of Lynn. Wendy graduated from Lynn English High School and the North Shore Community College where she was on the Dean's List. She was employed as an accountant at Tech Pak in Peabody for several years, and most recently at the North Atlantic Lobster Company in Danvers.


In her youth, Wendy was an active member of the Girl's Club in Lynn. She loved riding her Harley throughout New England and she enjoyed watching scary movies. Her hobbies were gardening, crocheting and collecting figurines of ladybugs and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.


In addition to her husband and mother, Wendy is survived by five children, Amanda Wager of Baltimore, MD, Christopher Wager of Ft. Lewis, WA, Eric Wager and Richard LeGault, Jr. both of Lynn and Tiffany LeGault of Tennessee. She is also survived by three sisters, Kathy Weiskel of Adams, Susan Janice of Lynn and Tammy Culliver of Troy, AL: a brother John Trecartin, Jr. of Canyon Country, CA; her aunt Eileen Trecartin of Lynn and several nieces and nephews.




Tuesday, November 17, 2009

1899 :: Death of Jerusha Marilla



On this date in our family history . . . the 17th day of November . . . in the year 1899 . . . Jerusha Marilla Smith nee Barker dies in Biddeford, York County, Maine . . . and is laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery in Biddeford, York County, Maine . . . this Jerusha is the paternal grandma of Elizabeth Marilla Henry nee Smith (1912-1932) . . . who is the maternal grandma of the Keeper of this family history blog . . . Jerusha is a daughter of Timothy Barker and Jerusha Lakin Hobbs . . . on the 23rd day of December in the year 1857,at the age of 16, she became the bride of Atwood F. Smith in Biddeford, York County, Maine . . . they had at least two children who died before 1865, and then a 3rd child born in 1866, Thomas Warren Alonzo Smith (1866-1920), who is the father of Elizabeth . . .




Monday, November 16, 2009

Saint Margaret / Queen Margaret of Scotland


On this date in our family history . . . the 16th day of November . . . in the year 1093 . . . Queen Margaret of Scotland dies at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland. Later venerated as Saint Margaret, this 11th century granddaughter of King Edmund Ironside is currently believed to be a 25th great-grandma of our Josephine (1842-1899) . . . who is a 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. 

Margaret's death came shortly after she received the news that her husband, King Malcolm III of Scotland, and their 1st-born son, Edward of Scotland, had been killed while trying to capture Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England. 

Sharpe's London Magazine 
A Journal of Entertainment 
& Instruction for general reading 
May 1846 to October 1846
 
 


The following clip is only a small part of the info about Saint Margaret that is available in The Book of Days, edited by Robert Chambers, and viewable at Google Books. 






Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Her Birthday is Forget-Me-Not Day (for real!)


On an undated page in Berta Mary's autograph album are penned the following words :- 




Dear Berta :-
Think of me when you are happy
Keep for me one little spot
In the depths of thine affection
Plant a sweet forget me not. 

Your loving friend,
May.




The 10th day of November is often designated as Forget-Me-Not Day on various online calendars and websites . . . so here's wishing a Happy Forget-Me-Not Day to all of y'all! And . . .





 
Happy Birthday to my maternal great-grandma,
Berta Mary Henry nee Sharp (1873-1955).


On this date in our family history . . . the 10th day of November . . . in the year 1873 . . . on the Hall Plantation in Houston County, Texas . . . a baby girl is born to Sam Houston Sharp (1839-1885) and his wife, Mary Alexandrien "Nellie" Sharp nee Lemaire (1843-1876). Given the name Berta Mary, this baby is the 6th of the seven children known to have been born to this couple.



  • 1876 :: Death. Houston Co. TX. Little Berta's mother, Nellie, dies exactly one month before Berta's 3rd birthday. Age 33. Is Nellie's mother -- Elizabeth A. Lemaire Beale nee Waring (born ca. 1824 in Maryland) -- still living at this time? 


  • 1878 :: Death. Houston Co. TX. Berta's paternal aunt and mother-figure -- Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp -- dies when Berta is 5. Age 38.


  • 1880 :: Census. Houston Co. TX. Berta Sharp is enumerated as a 5-year-old [sic] living in the household of her paternal grandma, Mahaley Hall -- aka Mahala Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts (1816-1885) -- along with her widowed father and all living siblings.


  • 1882 :: Marriage. Houston Co. TX. Berta's paternal half-uncle, Horace Oscar Hall (1854-1934), marries Florine Annie Kirkpatrick (1861-1900). Is he now managing the Hall Plantation, or co-managing it with his half-brother (and Berta's father), Sam Sharp?


  • 1885 :: Death. Houston Co. TX. It is around this time when Berta Mary loses her father, Sam, and her baby sister, Willie (1876-1885), as well as her paternal grandma, Mahala. Berta is only 12 at the time, and is the baby of the family. Is the Hall Plantation still intact and operating? If so, is H.O. Hall running it? Who does Berta Mary live with now?


  • 1889 :: Marriage. Milam Co. TX. Berta's brother, Sam Sharp, Jr. (1867-1921) marries Emma Henry (1872-1944). Emma is the twin sister of Berta's future husband. Berta is 15.


  • 1890 :: Marriage. Houston Co. TX. Berta's sister, Margaret Elizabeth "Maggie" Sharp (1869-1935), marries John Henry McCann (1870-1907).


  • 1893 :: Autograph. Berta's sister, Ida Mae Sharp (1871-1964), signs Berta's autograph book on Christmas Day.


  • 1893 :: Autographs. Daly's TX. Alice Chiles and John Chiles sign Berta's autograph book on the 28th of December.


  • 1894 :: Autograph. Daly's TX. Frank Meriwether signs Berta's autograph book in January.


  • 1894 :: Autographs. Elkhart TX. Berta's autograph book is signed on the 4th day of January by Annie Hughes, Ella Hughes, George W. Hughes, Robert A. Hughes, and Etta Weisinger.


  • 1894 :: Autographs. Daly's TX. Gail Clinton and G.B. Kent write in Berta's autograph book on January 16th. Mention is made of Berta's pending move to Rockdale TX.


  • 1894 :: Autograph. Daly's TX. Ella Kent writes in Berta's autograph book on January 17th.


  • 1894 :: Autograph. Rockdale TX. Berta's brothers-in-law, Edgar Henry (1872-1950) and J.B. Henry (1870-1956) write in her autograph book on the 11th day of March. Edgar is Berta's future husband, and is the twin brother of the wife of Berta's brother, Sam Sharp, Jr.


  • 1894 :: Photograph. Rockdale TX. In a numbered series of photos taken by John Scott of Rockdale, Berta's portrait is #3985. #3986 is Berta Mary and an unknown woman, perhaps her sister, Maggie. #3987 is Berta's future mother-in-law, Josephine. #3988 is Berta's sister-in-law, Ella, who marries in December of this year. The two photos of Berta mentioned here are featured in the collage shown above (click to enlarge).


  • 1894 :: Autograph. Rockdale TX. Berta's sister-in-law, Ella Henry (1875-1967), writes a birthday message in Berta's autograph book on the 10th of November. Berta is 21 years old. This page from the autograph album is also visible in the collage.


  • 1894 :: Autographs. Rockdale TX. Berta's brother, S.H. Sharp, and her cousin. L.O. Stewart, write in her autograph book on November 12th.




  • 1895 :: Wedding. Houston Co. TX. Berta Mary Sharp becomes the bride of Edgar Henry on January 2nd. Why do they marry in Houston County? Did they marry at the Hall Plantation? Wonder if there might be a write-up in a Crockett newspaper?


  • 1895 :: Birth. Milam Co. TX. Berta Mary's first child, Rubie May (1895-1978), is born on the 18th of October.




  • 1897 :: Birth. Milam Co. TX. Berta's 2nd child, George Rettig (1897-1977), is born on the 21st of August.


  • 1899 :: Group Photo. Milam Co. TX. Berta is present in a Henry family photo presumed to have been taken during the winter of 1898-1899.


  • 1899 :: Birth. Milam Co. TX. Berta's 3rd child, Frank (1899-1952), is born on July 10th.


  • 1899 :: Death. Milam Co. TX. Berta's mother-in-law, Josephine Wingfield Henry nee Davis (1842-1899), is dragged to her death by the hair of her head on the 28th day of October.

Berta's marriage will continue until her husband's death in 1950 . . . and her life, which began shortly before the start of the last quarter of the 19th century, will go on to span more than half of the 20th century . . . the next quarter century of this timeline . . . including the birth of my maternal grandpa, Robert E. Henry (1905-1976) . . . will pick up at a later date . . . 






For more information on Forget Me Not Day, go > HERE < and then click on the link to Shades of the Departed to read the article entitled simply forget me not.




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