Order received from sampubco!

On 7 June I ordered digital copies of wills from SamPubCo for three of my ancestors, James Russell, Jacob Dayton and Luther Kallam. I sent another email last Sunday asking for the status of my order and today I received it!

I tried to follow his instructions for opening the .zip files but in the end simply saved them to my desktop and opened and extracted them. Then I saved them to the proper place in my genealogy file.

Over the next week I will transcribe them, but for now, a few highlights:

The will for James Russell is 6 pages long and it mentions his son Benjamin, whom I believe to be my ancestor. This is one of those lines that I have taken mostly on faith, so I hesitate to declare emphatically that this is indeed my ancestor, but I think it is and I will continue to do research to either prove or disprove it.

It mentions his wife Anna, whose name I did not have before. He gave her two beds and the curtains for them along with other items including two cows and one horse and "the best room in my house for her use".

The will for Jacob Dayton is 36 pages long. I haven't read all of it yet, but it does mention his daughter Martha, wife of Benjamin Russell. Just from scanning a few pages, I take it there was some discussion about his competency to make a will.

The will for Luther Kallam is one page long and mentions his beloved daughters including my ancestor Betsey. All of his daughters receive his household furniture and a horse, to be divided equally among them. In addition to her share of the furniture, Betsey was bequeathed one cow. He left his daughter-in-law Diane his "looms with all the apparatus belonging thereto."

So very interesting. Don't you wish we could go back and look at the house and the beds and curtains and the loom? And more importantly, meet the people!

So many genealogical riches in one day!

KirtasBook.com

I recently did some research on the Internet, including Google books, for books that contain information about my ancestor, Luther Kallam (also spelled Killam and about a dozen other ways). I made a list and downloaded those I could from Google books.

I read about Kirtas Books on Dick Eastman's blog here. He explains it much better that I can, but basically they scan old books on a very high speed scanner. Once it has been scanned, it can be either downloaded or a copy of the book can be purchased.

Tonight I ordered two soft cover books, History of Susquehanna County and The Centennial of Susquehanna County. Download fee was $1.95 each and a soft-bound copy was $8.05 each. With postage the order for the two books was a little less than $30.00. So for $15 a book, the price of a paperback at Barnes and Noble, I will have my own copies of out-of-print books to refer to whenever I want. Can't wait to get them!

Tombstone Tuesday

Photo of the tombstone of George Clinton and Catherine (Willman) Ferguson, Odell Cemetery, Odell, Nebraska.
Photo taken by Mary Russell Hollowell.

Obituary

Catherine Willman Ferguson, 1834-1905

Catherine Willman was born in Franklin county, Pa., August 10, 1834, and died at her home in Odell, Thursday, December 28, 1905, after an illness of about six weeks duration, at the age of 71 years, 4 months and 13 days.

During her sickness she bore her suffering without scarcely a murmur, meekly submitting to the will of her Heavenly Father.

At the age of four years, deceased removed with her parents to Wayne county, Ind., where they resided for about four years, when they went to Hartford City, Blackford county, Ind., where, on October 28, 1851, she was united in marriage with George Ferguson who enjoyed her companionship for more than half a century.

Shortly after their marriage they moved to Johnstown, Hardin county, Ohio, residing there till the summer of 1855, when they came to Brownville, Nebraska, being among the very first settlers in the state. A few years later they made their way to Cincinnati, now DuBois, in Pawnee county, where they resided until 1878, when they came to Charleston, south of the present town of Odell, and from that time to the day of there departure to the better land "Grandma Ferguson" as she was familiarly called, was an honored citizen of our community.

Thirty years ago she and her daughter Molly joined the United Brethren church at Eagle school house near the Blue river and she remained a faithful and consistent member of that faith until the Captain of her salvation said "Come up higher."

Mrs. Ferguson was an affectionate wife and mother and was fairly idolized by her husband and children and dearly beloved by all who knew her on account of her noble deeds. Her departure left a vacancy in this community that can never be filled.

Deceased left a husband, three sisters, two brothers, five sons, three daughters, thirty-seven grand children, thirty of whom were at the funeral, and eleven great grand children to mourn their loss.

Funeral services were held at the M.E. church, Sunday afternoon at 2:30, conducted by Rev J. H. Rounds assisted by Rev. Scott of Wymore, whose wife is a niece of deceased, and the people came in such large numbers to pay their last tribute to the dead that the church would not hold them. Interment was made in the home cemetery north of town.

We extend to the bereaved husband and relatives our most heartfelt sympathy in their hour of sadness, but they have consolation in knowing that their loss is her gain.

~Source: Odell Weekly Wave, 5 Jan 1906

What I'm Working On

1. Luther Kallam. Ordered his Compiled Military Service Record from the National Archives last week. I have his pension papers which say that he was with Washington's army at White Plains and again at Trenton. I hope first of all that there is a CMSR for him and that it gives lots of good information. There is one source that says he was at the Boston Tea Party. But since he was 13 years old and lived in Connecticut in 1773 when the party happened...very unlikely! (Russell Family Tree)

2. Frank Wahl. Around the first week of August, I should be receiving a copy of the coroner's inquest for Frank Wahl, who was murdered in 1883. Apparently it is 36 pages long so that should make for some interesting reading. (Mayfield Family Tree)

3. Enos Newcomb. Thanks to a great volunteer in Delaware County, Iowa, I now know when Enos Newcomb died. That blank on the pedigree chart has been mocking me for years so it was good to get it filled in. Now I need to find his grave. I've checked the usual Internet sources and so I think I'll have to go a different route. (Russell Family Tree)

4. Luther Kallam, James Russell, and Jacob Dayton. Ordered a digital copy of their wills from sampubco.com on June 7. Haven't heard anything from this company and I hesitate to ask. It's been 6 weeks so maybe I'll give this one a two-month deadline before I try to get in touch with him. (Russell Family Tree)

Tombstone Tuesday

Photo of the tombstone of Frank and Elizabeth Jones, Almeria Cemetery, Almeria, Nebraska.
Photo taken by Mary Russell Hollowell.

Obituary

Frank F. Jones 1877-1951

Frank F. Jones was born in Sheridan County*, Missouri, December 11, 1877. He came to Nebraska in 1909 and lived on a farm near Comstock. In the spring of 1919 he came to Loup County and bought the place where he has since made his home.

He was married September 6, 1922, to Elizabeth Worth of Almeria. To this union were born two children, Mrs. Grace Ferguson of Brewster, and Gerald who lives at the home place.

During his youth he worked in the coal mines of Missouri. He always enjoyed a game of baseball. Skating, playing horseshoes, and many other games were of interest to him.

He was converted to the Christian faith in 1929 and had lived faithful to his belief. He often expressed his desire to see children being taught the Christian way in the Sunday Schools and Vacation Bible schools.

He passed away June 22, 1951, at the age of 73 years, 6 months, and 11 days. He was staying in Sargent where he was under the doctor's care at the time of this death.

He leaves to mourn his passing, his wife, Lizzie, his daughter, Grace Ferguson, his son, Gerald, three grandsons, and two grand-daughters, and many relatives and friends.

In the years he has lived in this community, his many neighbors have known him to be kind and helpful.

His patience during his illness endeared him to all who cared for him.

Among the relatives in attendance at the service were Mr. and Mrs. Jim Jackson and Vesper of Alliance; Mrs. Rhoda Hulbert and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Garnis of Ansley; Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Hulbert of Arcadia; Mr. and Mrs. Earl Pernie and John of Weissert; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lambert of Sargent and George Lambert of Broken Bow; Mrs. Nellie Simon and Carol of Sargent; and Mr. and Mrs. Guy Cone and Carole of Burwell.

###

~Source: Sargent Leader, undated clipping

*Probably Chariton County instead of Sheridan County.

Note: Alternate spellings for relatives' names: Rhoda Hurlburt, Henry Garniss, Leroy Hurlburt, Earl Pirnie;

Tombstone Tuesday

Photo of the tombstone of George Clinton and Catherine (Willman) Ferguson, Odell Cemetery, Odell, Nebraska.
Photo taken by Mary Russell Hollowell.

Obituary

George Clinton Ferguson, 1830-1907

Geo Clinton Ferguson was born May 23rd 1830 at Ross' Corners near Gregsville, Livingston Co. N.Y. and died at Odell Nebr., Feb. 3nd 1907 Aged 76 years, 9 months and 29 days. His mother was a descendant of the McPherson clan of Scotland.

True to American instincts, he followed the star of Empire Westward and Oct. 22nd 1851, found him at Hartford City, Indiana, where he married Catherine Willman, who here to this union 10 children, eight of whom are living, the mother herself departing from this life but a little over a year ago. After helping complete the Pittsburg and Fort Wayne R. R. Mr. Ferguson while living at Johnstown Ohio, was engaged by Paul Rogers one of the original 13 settles (sic) of Omaha and a member of the Brownville Townsite Co., to come to Nebr. to set up and run a sawmill which had been purchased at Cincinnati*. For this work he was to receive the expenses of himself and family and $5.00 per day. The company arrived at Brownville by boat May 16th 1855.

He sawed the first lumber in Nebraska, an event which was celebrated by a dance and a barbecue to which 1200 Otoe Indians were invited.

He witnessed the first marriage in Nebraska, the contracting parties being one Sam Stairs and a woman named Nancy Swift of Nemaha Co.

In 1856 he put up a sawmill in Nehawka, Cass Co. for Pollard and Sheldon, the latter, the father of Governor Sheldon. He then sawed the lumber for the house in which the Gov. was born and has been living, it is said.

Father Gage an old pioneer Methodist preacher for whom this count is named, was well known by the deceased.

When an expedition was planned against the Indians who were on the warpath, only 50 c. was found in the crowd and aid for provisions came only when Mr. Ferguson turned in an order for which two wagon loads of bread stuffs and bacon were furnished the company.

Deceased moved to Old Charleston in 1878 and has lived in the vicinity of Odell ever since.

Following are the children of the deceased:
William Ferguson of Odell, Mrs. Mollie Dalrymple, Hanover, Kans., John Ferguson, Odell, Nebr., Clinton Ferguson, Hollenburg, Kans., Melvin Ferguson, Washington, Kans., Mrs. Anna McMullen, Greenleaf, Kans., Henry Ferguson, Barns (sic), Kans., and Mrs. Maggie Smith, Narka, Kans.

The grandchildren number 39 and great grandchildren 17.

The funeral was conducted from the M.E. church Monday at 1:30 under directions of Diller Lodge A.F. and A.M., Rev. O. W. Rammell (sp?) preaching the sermon. Interment was made in the home cemetery.

###

*Cincinnati, Nebraska, was located about 1 mile south of Dubois, Nebraska, in Pawnee County. Source: http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/counties/pawnee/dubois/

~Source of obituary: Odell Weekly Wave, February _, 1907, page 1.

George Clinton Ferguson (1830-1907) - James Clinton Ferguson (1863-1942) - George Melvin Ferguson (1895-1972) - George Clinton Ferguson (1921-1953).

Finding John Jones' Grave

Number 6 on my list of genealogy goals for the year was to find and photograph the grave of John Jones, my great-grandfather. (John, Frank, Grace)

Mission accomplished.

I drove down to Leavenworth, Kansas, last Thursday. I had done my homework on the Internet and called to confirm that he was buried in Leavenworth National Cemetery, Section 18, Row 2, Site 1. Thanks to Google maps and their Street View, the cemetery was very easy to find.

I have to say I was so focused on finding the section he was in and finding the cemetery, I hadn't really given much thought to the rest of the cemetery. Driving into the cemetery and turning the first curve took my breath away. Row on row of identical white markers, each marking the final resting place of a man who had, whether volunteered or drafted, gone into danger willingly, to protect our Constitution and our freedoms.

The cemetery is located on 128 acres of rolling hills and holds about 33,395 graves. Graves in each section are lined up perfectly with all the others in the section. Some sections curved around with the road, grave markers not all facing east as is traditional. Some are on steep hillsides. I saw gravestones for veterans from most of our wars since 1865 when it was first opened, including World War 1, World War 2, Vietnam and the Gulf War.

Workers have been busy for some years, I would imagine, caring for the markers. Some have been there almost 150 years and dirt has filled in around them. Judging by the soil stain on some markers, they had at one time been buried to within 12 to 14 inches from the top. A section was marked off, and workers had toppled each marker over to a 45 degree angle and were creating a new resting place for the marker. It appeared that John's section had been done some time ago. A marker-shaped depression in the ground was still visible but the grass had completely filled in around it and the other markers.

John's grave is about 50 yards from the south fence of the cemetery. To the south is a hay field that had just been harvested. Round bails waited to be picked up. Robins, cardinals and mourning doves along with squirrels live in the trees of the cemetery and the trees to the south. The smell of fresh hay in the heat of a very hot day, the birds singing, the trees providing shade, the squirrel running across the grass made it a very peaceful setting.

A video:



Here are a few photos I took:











In another post I will write what I know about John Jones so far. I also did some Ferguson research and I'll post that soon, also.

As I was gazing in awe at all the graves a poem came to mind. It was written by a soldier in World War I. More information is here.

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

The Basic Cemetery Tour

We took a belated Memorial Day cemetery tour today...well, actually, today IS the traditional Memorial Day until it was changed into the "FIRST WEEKEND OF SUMMER" holiday in the early 1970s. Mom has always taken flowers to the graves of her loved ones on Memorial Day, the traditional day or Monday, whichever. Since she moved to Grand Island 7 or so years ago, she and I have continued the tradition. Some years we spent the night at the Red Roof but that got to be too much for her about three years ago. This year my daughter Liz and her two kids joined us and we rode in her van. With the heat and mom's strength not being what it used to be, I wondered if she really wanted to go. But one thing about mom, she will never say no to a question that begins "Do you want to go...?"! Mom was able to get in and out of the van with the help of a handy old fruit crate that was just the right height. She was excited to see the country and mostly remembered who lived where along the way. We hit the road about 9 o'clock for the Basic Cemetery Tour.

The Basic Cemetery Tour includes stops at four cemeteries. First we drive by the house they lived in in Sargent for about 23 years to see that all is well with it. Then we head west to West Union cemetery. There are several great tombstones in the cemetery, including two that we saw today that are in the form of tree trunks. Liz and I learned last year on the Grand Island Cemetery tour that you can count the branches that come out from the trunk to see how many of the person's children lived to adulthood. Branches cut off flush with the trunk indicate children who died in infancy. If you have the chance to go on the cemetery tour around Memorial Day, do it. You will be amazed at all there is to learn about cemeteries and tombstones.





Dad is buried next to his first wife, Florance Predmore Baker Russell. She died during an operation for a bleeding ulcer. They had been married for about nine months. I'm sure at the time dad never thought he would ever remarry - he was 38 when he married her, his first marriage. So he bought the plots and had his name put on the tombstone and went back to living the life of a bachelor farmer.



Also buried in the West Union cemetery is dad's mother, Della West Patch Russell. She is buried beside her first husband, Louis Patch. (Dad's parents divorced after the children were grown.) Her grave is towards the north end of the cemetery and dad's is near the south end, close to the flag pole. Dad told me that his mother didn't really like the idea that he had gotten married and she didn't really like Florance. I wonder if that is why he picked a burial plot quite a ways away from hers. Maybe not. Maybe all the plots around grandma were for her other children. Eunice, Ralph, and Earl are buried near their mother (Della). (Lola is buried in Montana and Glen in Wyoming.)

Back on the road and we go to the cemetery in Taylor to pay our respects to Uncle Gerald Jones. This trip, mom didn't get out of the van at the cemeteries, but we stopped and talked and Liz and I took photos. (I must have taken a picture on moms camera instead of mine! Next trip!)

Usually, we stop at the Almeria cemetery next but this year the kids were getting hungry (and so were the adults!) so we headed for the Red Roof. Thanks, brothers, for your hospitality, even when you're not there! We ate our lunch in the shade of the ancient cottonwoods and when we were done we headed for the Brewster cemetery.





Mom usually brings peonies for George's grave but mine were done blooming already this year. Also in this cemetery are Aunt Nellie and Uncle Dewey. Pictures of those tombstones another time.

Back on the road with a final stop of the day at the Almeria cemetery. I told Liz we should bring divining rods sometime like the cemetery tour guide talked about and demonstrated at the Grand Island cemetery tour. I understand there are quite a few unmarked graves in the southeast corner of the Almeria cemetery.



Relatives buried at the Almeria cemetery include mom's parents, Frank and Elizabeth Jones, William Jones, George and Flora (Swift) Worth, John and Ann (Dugdale) Worth, Samuel E. Worth (known to us as Uncle Ed), Walter and Stella Worth, John, Freddie, Robert, Lester and Harriet Worth, infant children of George and Flora Swift Worth and our cousin Debra Buckbee Dunbar.

Some weekend this summer I hope to take the Extended Cemetery Tour, which includes Somerford, Moulton, Westerville and Ansley cemeteries. I'll post about that when (if) it happens.

The Three Sides of My Family Tree (part 1)

Step families and half-siblings are fairly common now. But when I was growing up, I knew of only one or two other families like ours. I was the youngest sibling in the family that was made up of Russells and Fergusons and I thought that was pretty special. (I didn’t think I was pretty special…just lucky to be in the family I was in. You’ll have to ask my siblings if they thought I was spoiled!) I was an only child with six brothers and sisters. I was the oldest and only Russell, and also the youngest child, with six older brothers and sisters to read to me and play with me and to look up to. What could be better than that?

I got interested in family history when dad received a box in the mail from Oklahoma. His dad’s sisters, Agnes and Lida Russell, had never married. Agnes was the second to the oldest but she was the last sibling to pass away. After Agnes died, her friend, Dorothy Peek, boxed up the letters, photos and scrapbooks and mailed them to dad. I was 13 and I was hooked on family history from that moment on.

Russell

I haven’t worked on the Russell ancestry for quite a few years. I have followed it back to the 1600s in some cases, but at the time I didn’t put sources to every fact I found. I need to go back and do that. And now that the Internet is such a part of life and there are so many databases available, it will be fun to go through what I have and add information as I add sources.

Some of the names on the Russell side of the family tree are Dayton, Hunter, Silsbee, Newcomb, Bradford, Kallam, West, Robison, Humes, Whittecar, Shepherd, Donaldson, Westervelt, Huestis, Totten, Humes, Pineo, Hamilton, and Miller. There is a drop of Dutch and another drop of French (very small drops), but the rest of the ancestors were from England. Most arrived in America in the 1700s and quite a few in the 1600s.

Jones

Last summer I was running out of branches to climb. Oh, I could go back and put sources to every fact I’ve found so far, but that seemed boring. (I will do it someday before it gets published in any form. I’m a firm believer in the saying “genealogy without sources is mythology”. I’ll do it someday!) I was visiting mom and she repeated something she’s said before, now and then, over the years. I finally listened. What the heck, I thought; I might as well see what I can find. I’ve got nothing better to do. This is the side of the tree that has been hard to leaf out. The Worth side hasn’t been too hard but when you have a Jones who marries a Davis…That’s about the same as a Smith marrying a Smith!

As a result of finally listening to mom, I discovered we are indeed related to the Pirnies of Weissert, as she has said all these years. I discovered another set of immigrant ancestors and have some good clues to follow to discover another set. That side of the tree is still very sparse, but there’s something special about the ancestors I did discover, probably because it took so long to find them.

Some of the names on the Jones side of the family tree are: Jones, Davis, Williams, Worth, Dugdale, Angel, Lewis, Swift, Robinson, Walker, Cochran, and Brice. The Worth’s arrived from England in 1846 and the Jones and Davis families also in the 1840s. Most of the remaining ancestors came to America in the 1700s.

Ferguson

George Clinton Ferguson (1830-1907) was an early Nebraska pioneer, coming well before statehood in 1855. He was a railroad man back east and came to Nebraska to set up and run a saw mill in Brownville and Cass counties. His mother was from the MacPherson clan in Scotland. Other branches of the family tree trace back to New England. (I’m babysitting at Liz and Tim’s and don’t have the Ferguson database with me so I can’t be more specific. I should be fined by the genealogy police for not having that database here on my laptop!) Some of the names are: Ferguson, Dalrymple, Odgers, Hughes, Silkett and Hazen.

on the 97th anniversary of dad's birth

Hugh Benjamin Russell, about 1 year old.



Brothers Hugh and Wayne Russell, about 1918.



Probably taken in the 1920s at Antelope school playground. Dad in a tree with his friends.



1937, Hugh Russell with his light green 1931 Chevy Sports Roadster.

***

Hugh Benjamin Russell was born in the Antelope Community southwest of Sargent, Custer County, Nebraska, on 23 April 1912. His mother, Della (West) Patch was the widow of Louis Patch. They had five children: Earl, Lola, Glen, Ralph and Eunice. Louis died on November 20, 19071.

Ben had a small stock farm and also did work for neighbors. He worked as a hired hand for Della. Della and Ben were married on 4 Aug 19112 in Broken Bow. Dad was the oldest Russell, followed by Wayne, Irene and Violet.

As many farm kids did, dad helped with chores from a very early age. One of his chores when he was about five was to bring in the cows at night. He hated the job because it involved going into a canyon and getting the cows out of the plum thickets. On a moonless evening as the sun set, it was very dark and he would be scared. His older half-brothers were happy to tell him ghost stories which added to his fear.

Dad graduated from the eighth grade at the Antelope community school. He planned to attend high school at Round Valley, and in fact started two separate years. However, because his mother depended on his work on their farm and his income from working out for the neighbors, he had to quit both times and he never went back.

Dad's relationship with his father was not an easy one. Their father, as dad used to say, was a poor provider. At some point in dad’s childhood, Ben moved into his own house, or perhaps back into the house he lived in before he and Della were married. Dad remembered that he would come for Sunday dinner, when his mother would kill a chicken and bake a rhubarb or mulberry pie. That would be the only meat they had all week. They mostly ate potatoes...boiled potatoes, dad said. Dad and his sister Violet recalled the time Della ask Ben for money as he was leaving after eating Sunday dinner. “I need money to feed and clothe these kids,” she said. Ben got on his horse and laughed and rode off. His response to Violet and Irene’s desire to go to high school was, “they’ll do it without any help from me!” And they did. With help from their brother. I’m not sure if Round Valley High School closed about this time or not, but Irene and Violet went to high school in Sargent. They were two years apart in age, but Irene waited two years so they could go together. Dad drove them to their boarding rooms on Sunday evenings and picked them up on Friday evenings.

Whenever Della had work that need done, she expected dad to do it. When he asked why the older boys didn’t do the work, she said they didn’t have to, someday they would “inherit land”.

Dad stayed on the home place and helped his mother until he was in his late 20s or early 30s. Then he moved to the place we knew as the Lakeman place, about five miles west of Sargent, along the "River Road" south of the Middle Loup River. He planted corn and put up alfalfa and prairie hay to feed a growing herd of cattle.



1.Obituary of Della West Patch Russell, Sargent Leader, Sargent, Nebraska .
2. Marriage License, Custer County Courthouse, Broken Bow, Nebraska

If you have any questions or something to say about this post, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you!