Gene Notes

Some random and some not-so-random thoughts on family history.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Combining Hobbies

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the 3rd Annual Scrapbooking Luau held by the MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group here in Cookeville. It was so much fun. I'd never been to an event like this before. Oh sure, I've attended genealogical meetings, and House Parties (that's what miniaturists call their conventions), but this was my first scrapbook event.

First, I have to say it was an extremely long day. It started at 9 am and closed at 8 pm. There were several vendors there and lots of door prizes. I was lucky enough to win not one, not two, but three prizes. The first was a gift bag with a travel mug, a stainless steel water bottle, a music CD and a box of that nice square size note paper you keep on your desk. The next one was for a lube job and oil change at a business in town. And the third prize I won was one of the Grand Prizes. A free night at a Bed and Breakfast in Watertown, Tennessee. That prize alone was more than the cost of my admission to the luau.

The cover of my Percival book.
Also included was breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks, milk chocolate and  white chocolate fountains. And unadulterated Sweet Tea. Usually it is way too sweet for me, but I drank two glasses of it. It was wonderful. It also might help explain this sugar high and headache I have (as will the m&ms and the chocolate.) I haven't finished going through my goody bag, there was just too much stuff to take in.

My table mates were lots of fun. I was the unknown quantity at the table, but they made me feel real comfortable. One of my table mates brought her stuff in two huge suitcases on wheels. It still took her two trips. Another of my table mates brought her desktop computer and widescreen monitor. We all accomplished a lot although I feel I got the least done. I was also probably the most inexperienced scrapper there. I did take the time to label photos and do a little 'journaling.'

I have a feeling that this could become an annual event for me!




Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 30, 2010

Relatively Speaking - Using the Resources Available - Again and Again

I hope y'all (yes, the product of almost 3 years in Tennessee) read cousin Carol's Reflections From the Fence last Friday, because she did what we frequently refer to as "Review, Review, Review."

I'm sure we've all come up against that odd record we haven't been able to find and not for want of searching, either. In Carol's blog, she tells us of the result of her constant search for Lorena Eley's marriage to her first husband. Now, having known Carol for many, many years, I know how hard she has searched. However, due to the availability of indices online through the Family Search Record Search site she was finally able to locate that elusive record.

I know there are a lot of new sites and records coming online every day, but if you have been looking for that elusive record for many years, keep checking for them. No one site will have everything you need, which is sort of unfortunate, because we have so many places to look, but it can be so worth it when you do locate that missing marriage, birth or death record.

Now if they could just reconstruct the church records from AuSable and Oscoda, Michigan that were destroyed in the 1911 fire.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Sympathy Saturday - Robert C French

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

 The funeral card on the right, while not personally known to me, was indeed a family member. He was married to Mary Percival, my grandfather's only sibling.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Anticipation - Is Keeping Me Waiting

Okay, now I am anxious to get started on the next project, transcribing letters written to my uncle John S. Percival during World War II. As I've said before, I've taken a sneak peek at them and now that I have other things cleared up I'll be starting the tedious process of scanning, naming, and transcribing them. There aren't as many as my grandfather wrote to my future grandmother, but enough to keep me busy for a while. No doubt some of them will have to be laid flat for a while before scanning begins. Fortunately, they aren't as dusty/musty smelling as the older letters and hopefully won't trigger allergy attacks.

I'll start them as soon as I recover from the Scrapbooking Luau!

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Thriller Thursday - The Murder of Joseph Bowman

The Conclusion. From the Cincinnati (OH) Commercial Tribune, May 15, 1884.

TWO MORE MURDERS
Fatal Termination of the Bloody Assault and Robbery of a Fortnight Ago.

Joseph Bowman, the victim of the bloody assault and robbery committed Monday night, April 28, near Front and Broadway, died at a late hour Tuesday night at the hospital. The attack was made by two men named Mike McDermott and Pat Muldoon, who knew that he had received his month's pay as an engineer of the C. H. & D. R.R. on the Saturday before, and followed him for purposes of robbery. He was drinking heavily, and his prudent wife had taken charge of the bulk of his earnings, so that at the time of the assault he had only about $16 with him. When he emerged from the saloon at Front and Broadway, McDermott and Muldoon followed him and when only a few paces away McDermott sized him and Muldoon stabbed him, inflicting a horrible wound in the back of the neck, and laying bare the spinal cord.

Even this did not satisfy the thirst of McDermott for blood, and he shouted "That won't kill him, cut his throat."  Bowman was then thrown to the sidewalk and robbed of what money he had and left to die. He managed to crawl some distance along the pavement when he was discovered and removed by the patrol to Hammond Street Police Station.

After robbing Bowman, McDermott and Muldoon fled toward the river. On the way, they assaulted another man, who escaped them, and notified the police that they could be found at the Newport ferry wharf. The men were arrested and taken to Hammond street, the officers not knowing that they were the men who assaulted, cut and robbed Bowman. At the station house however they were identified by Bowman and have been held in jail to await the result of Bowman's injuries. These were not considered fatal, and his death was a surprise. He leaves a widow and two children who live in the Manchester Building Third and Sycamore.

McDermott and Muldoon were arraigned in the police court yesterday on the charge of murder, but remanded to jail without bail, to await a hearing on the 17th.

McDermott is a new arrival in this country, and has been making his home on Third street. He has been known as a violent and troublesome character, but this is his first court experience for an offense more aggravated than disorderly conduct.

Muldoon is a Newporter and has been repeatedly under arrest for larceny and disorderly conduct, and has paid the penalty. A couple of years ago he became notorious through a quarrel and fight over a game of baseball, at Fifth and Culvert streets at which time he was shot and wounded in an arm by a man named Deware.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Wedding Wednesday - Bowman & Rankin

Circular


Tuesday, Sept 6 1904 [written in at top of article].

A PRETTY HOME WEDDING.

One of the prettiest and most charming home weddings ever solemnized in this city was the one which occurred yesterday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bowman, when their daughter, Miss Bessie, was united in marriage to Mr. James A. Rankin, son of Captain and Mrs. W. D. Rankin, in the presence of relatives and about twenty-five or thirty friends of the contracting parties. The ceremony, which was performed by Rev. J. W. Howell, was beautiful and impressive, the ring ceremony being used.

It is no extravagance of speech in this instance to state that the bride, who is conceded to be one of Lexington's prettiest and most charming young ladies, never looked more beautiful and attractive than on this the most eventful period in her young life. She was handsomely, but becomingly, attired and presented a charming picture of young womanhood as she joined hands with the husband of her choice.

The groom bore himself most gallantly, as became one who was the proud winner of such a noble young woman for his bride.

The bride and groom are numbered among Lexington's most popular young people, each having hosts of warm and admiring friends.

After receiving the heartiest congratulations of all present, the bride and groom left on the 5:25 train for St. Louis, where they will spend about ten days visiting the exposition, after which they will make an extended tour of the east. They will return in about three weeks and make their home in Lexington until the completion of the handsome new residence which the groom is having built in Ray county.

The Daily Advertiser extends to the young couple its heartiest congratulations wishing for them a long life as clear of clouds as the bright, beautiful September afternoon on which they plighted their troth.

The attempt of the bride and groom to elude some of their friends who had planned to bombard them with rice and old shoes was cleverly frustrated and they were given a strenuous time of it, the merry-makers accompanying them all the way to Myrick, heralding the glad tidings to the public by means of a megaphone and printed circulars, all of which was greatly enjoyed by the bride and groom of course.

I have never seen anything like the circular that was passed out. It is the image above right. Click on it to see a bigger image. The transcription is as below.

The circular:

WAS SHE TO BLAME?

Can you look upon the handsome face of the groom and ask that question?

Mr. James Alexander Rankin, a Ray County farmer, and Miss Bessie Bowman, were married Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Lexington, Mo.

They are an affection couple but shy - Oh so very shy! If you stare at them they will be embarrassed but

STARE A LITTLE?


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

And the Search Goes On ... and On ... and On ...

Here it is the second full day of searching for the missing file. I still haven't found it, but the file cabinets in my office have been moved and cleaned behind, some more filing has been done and some more organization has been accomplished. 

image courtesy bing.com


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 23, 2010

Is It Monday Already?

 After an incredibly relaxing, yet somehow frustrating weekend, I suddenly realized that Monday was just a few short hours away, and there was no blog on tap. I'm sure we've all had days like the two I just had.

First, on Saturday, as an excuse to listen to the audiobook I had on my MP3 player, um reason to drive to the outlet mall for some unmentionables, the DH and I took a nice drive 40 miles east to the closest outlet mall. Upon arriving home and unpacking said unmentionables, I realized one of them was the wrong size. Arghh! So Sunday we drove the 80 mile round trip again, and just happened to listen to more of the said audiobook. Unmentionable exchanged for the correct size and we returned home.

Then, I decided to get to work on organizing my scrapbook project for next weekend. You see, I am attending an 11 hour scrapbooking luau here in town. I am really excited about it and had decided to incorporate some of the family history into my scrapbook project. This involves printing pictures of various ancestors and it was at that point that I realized I had misplaced a folder of photos I wanted to scan. Well, My office is nearly clean and I still haven't located that darn folder. I may have to incorporate that branch of the tree a little later.

Next, I started digging for documents I want for the project. I'm not exactly sure how or what I am going to print, but I do have some ideas. At this point, I really wish I had pictures of my great-great granduncle, Herbert Percival (the disappearing doctor.)

So I am sitting here much later in the evening (Sunday) still trying to figure out where I tucked that folder. My office is half cleaned and I am out of ideas.


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Friday, August 20, 2010

Whew-That's Done! The Calendar Project Revisited and Other Random Things.

Well I am almost done with it. I'm now in the process of finishing up the vital records I found during the search. I'm amazed at how many "closed" people there are now. I'm hoping that over the next few years I can figure out how to fill in the information for those centenarians still on my list. Most of my problems are twentieth century vitals, so I've been adding where possible to my Allen County Public Library Genealogical Collection to-do list. If you are within a day's ride of Fort Wayne, Indiana and have not visited this treasure, make plans to do it soon. It is a wonderful repository of genealogical information.

For a few minutes the other day, I actually had my desk fairly clear, and then I emptied a box that had been sitting on my floor during the great John S Percival letter transcription project. I just had this terrible need to clean it out. Now it's left me with a pile of recyclables and a pile of shredding and a pile of filing. Actually, the box reminded me of cleaning out Older daughter's room after she moved out of state and Younger daughter moved into that room. Once Younger Daughter also moved out, I cleared out the room, we pulled up the carpet, painted, recarpeted and moved me into a new office. That room was 11 x 13 compared to my 6 x 9 foot current office. It's funny, but I like my current office better with my desk positioned under the window facing out. While the lack of space is sometimes inconvenient, I like having everything within a chair scoot. It's in desperate need of  tidying at the moment.


I still haven't embarked on the newest project of scanning and transcribing letters one of my Percival cousins sent home for me. These were letters written to her dad by other family members during World War II. I found myself cheating and taking a sneak peak. I suppose once I finish up the current work-in-progress and tidy up a bit, I'll start the tedious business of sorting, scanning and naming the files and transcribing as I go. There were a couple of surprises as I did my random sampling.

I am trying to organize myself into readiness for a Scrapbooking Luau I've signed up for at the end of next week. I've mostly decided what I want to do and I need to gather all my materials in preparation for that. Hmm. I can't wait!

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Thriller Thursday - The Attack on Joseph Bowman - 1884

[This particular Joseph Bowman was the son of Robert Todd Bowman and Elizabeth Dickerson. Robert Bowman was a brother of John Parker Bowman, my great-great grandfather.]

From the Cincinnati (Ohio) Commercial Tribune, April 29, 1884. 

HIGHWAY ROBBERY

And Attempted Murder of a Railroad Engineer,

BY TWO DESPERATE CHARACTERS.

Pat Muldoon and Mike McDermott Cut and Rob Joseph Bowman, and Leave Him to Die--After Assaulting Another Citizen, They Are Captured on a Ferryboat, with the Open and Bloody Knife Still in Hand -- Muldoon Says He Has Done as Bad Before and Escaped Justice.

----------
About 8 o'clock last night Patrick Muldoon and Michael McDermott, two well known desperate characters, whose bloody exploits have often been recorded by the Commercial Gazette, and whose villainy has made their presence a terror to the locality of Front and Broadway, were taken into custody, after an attempted murder, and a desperate fight with the police, and landed safe behind the bars of the Hammond Street Police Station.

These two men have for some time carried on their nefarious work of shooting, cutting, and robbing men, with impunity, for so long a time that they now defy the law. Last night they spotted a man named Joseph Bowman, an engineer on the C., H. & D (Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton) Railroad, whom they saw with $280 last Saturday, and evidently determined to murder him and rob him of his money. About half past 7 o'clock they followed him into a saloon at the corner of Broadway and Front street, when several drinks were indulged in. Their talk to Bowman was such as to stir his temper, and they used every manner to draw him into a fight.

Muldoon said to him "See here, old boy, I want a drink."

"Well," said Bowman, "you can have it, but I am not going to pay for it."

Muldoon called for a drink, and wile drinking it Bowman left the saloon. He was followed by Muldoon and McDermott, who caught up with him just as he reached the corner. Muldoon slipped up to him and said:

"D--- your heart, we want that money," at the same time dealing him with a terrific blow over the head with a bung starter, which he had in his pocket. He then called to McDermott to take the money from Bowman, who, recovering somewhat from the effects of his blow, offered some resistance. Muldoon then took a knife from his pocket and slashed Bowman across the back of the neck, cutting a gash from ear to ear, reaching to the spinal column, and from which blood gushed violently. McDermott and Muldoon then robbed Bowman of what money he had and his watch, and left him, as they thought to die.

After contemplating their bloody work they walked down toward the river and took refuge on the Newport ferry float. Bowman, soon after the villains had left, managed to walk to the corner of Third and Sycamore, where he fell from exhaustion, caused by the great loss of blood. Here he was found by two men who took him to the office of Dr. Knox. The character of the wound was so serious that Dr. Knox refused to attend the man, and consequently Patrol No. 3 was called and removed him to the hospital.

In the meantime, a man named Hoffner, who lives in Newport, reported to Officers Smith and Whalen that two men assaulted and attempted to rob him on the Newport ferry float, but that he succeeded in breaking away from them before they accomplished their purpose. The officers proceeded to the ferry float, and there found Muldoon and McDermott. Muldoon still had his knife, which was covered with blood, open in his hand, and when their arrest was attempted a fierce and desperate fight between the villains and the officers ensued, but the scoundrels were soon put under subjection. On their way to the Police Station they were met by Hoffner, the man they attempted to rob, who stated that he was not hurt and did not wish to prosecute them. The officers were about to release the two men, when a boy ran up to them and informed them that the men in their custody had just nearly murdered a man . At the Police Station they were taken to the patrol wagon in which Bowman lay and recognized by the victim as the men who had assaulted him. They registered as Pat Muldoon, aged twenty-three a porter in the whiskey house of D. Rohrer & Co., No. 9 Sycamore street, residing at No. 170 Locust street, Newport, Ky., and Michael McDermott, a laborer employed at Third and Butler streets, living at No. 409 West Third street. The charge of cutting with intent to kill was placed against Muldoon, and both were charged with highway robbery. The money and watch which were taken from Bowman were found on them.

A reporter saw the prisoners in their cells. They refused to make any statements in regard to the affair.

Muldoon said "That is all right. I have been arrested four times before this for things just as bad, and they did not do anything with me. I will get off all right, and you can bet on it."

Muldoon, it will be remembered, was shot in a saloon, at Fifth and Culvert streets, about a year ago, while in a fight which resulted from a Sunday game of baseball. The reporter called at the City Hospital and saw Bowman, who was in a very critical condition. The attending physician stated that had the cut extended a half an inch farther, it would have resulted in instant death. They have strong hopes, however, of saving his life. His account of the assault was about as given above. He said that the men kept telling each other to kill him; and when Muldoon by cutting the back of his neck McDermott said. "You d---- fool, that won't kill him, cut his throat." He was very weak and was not able to talk further. A call at the Manchester building, at the corner of Third and Sycamore streets, where Bowman lives, found his wife much excited over the affair. She said that her husband was paid $280 on Saturday last, and that he had been drinking hard and when under the influence of liquor would show his roll. Before he left her last night she made him give her all the money except $20, which proved to be a fortunate thing.

Word from the hospital late last night said that Bowman was still in a critical condition, but was resting as easy as could be expected.


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wedding Wednesday - Maitland and Oliphant

On the 4th day of March, 1865, Mr. Maitland was married to Miss Mary G. Oliphant, daughter of Alexander Oliphant, deceased, formerly of Ray County. This was the day of Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration. Ironic since Alexander was a Confederate sympathizer, living north of the Missouri river. His father-in-law, Alexander Oliphant, was pro-union.

Alexander Maitland & Mary G Oliphant


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Newspaper Miscellanea - continued

Last month I blogged about newspaper articles here. I told about a newspaper article handed off by my sister Unmitigated, that had been saved, we thought, by our grandfather.

Some investigation later, I discovered that indeed one of our grandparents had saved this article about a blast under the Detroit river. My regular readers might remember that my grandfather, John Percival, was an engineer for the city of Detroit and his particular specialty was tunnel construction. While he was not one of the people injured or killed in the blast, he was still probably in charge of that project.

I found it interesting that the person who may have caused the blast was a White county, Tennessee man, Pleas Tollison, and who worked for one of the subcontractors. Since that is the county immediately south of our adopted home, I was intrigued.

Ancestry searches yielded censuses for 1910-1930, a Tennessee marriage record and two articles in their newspaper collection relating to the blast. A further search on Find-a-Grave yielded more information on the White county man and a contact with the submitter of the information. He put me in contact with Mr. Tollison's great granddaughter, and last Friday I was able to hand off the original article that my grandfather had saved and my further research to her. Our contact inspired her to search out what information she could find, and in doing so located photographs of Pleas Tollison and other family members. I think the genealogy bug may have bitten her too.

Mission accomplished.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 16, 2010

Happy Birthday to ...

My latest project, (see last Friday's blog) printing out a birthday calendar for the month of August gave me the great idea of only printing a calendar with people on it who were still "living" and were born before 1930. For each month. This netted me a great list to work from to search out Social Security Death Index, obituaries, Find-A-Grave, family trees and anything else I could think of to prove deaths.
The Results

Along the way I discovered husbands, children, siblings, parents, marriages, divorces, births and some photos. I counted the sheets of paper that I printed. In many cases  for SSDI results, I didn't even print, just copied and pasted the info into the person's record. The result? Hundreds of sheets of paper, some on both sides. It will keep me busy for a few days evaluating, entering, proving and sourcing.

I LOVE family history.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, August 13, 2010

Yet Another Project

One of my favorite blogs is one that ties into my Kirtley line - Benotforgot and its sister site On This Date. Both are by Vickie Everhart and very interesting blogs. Vickie's On this Date site is very cool and it inspired me to print out a calendar for August from my RootsMagic program. After deciding to eliminate all those that are not living, and anniversaries, I came up with a reasonable calendar. Imagine my surprise when I discovered some really off ages. There were quite a few whose death I felt could be recorded somewhere. So I started to take a look. The calendar on the right has only the names of those who may have died on it. The women are listed by their maiden names only. Some of them I was able to find a death record on and I found a few obituaries. I can see this will be a new monthly ritual.

Click on the image on the right to see who I am searching for. Don't forget to use your browser's back button to return to this blog.





Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Thriller Thursday - The Murder of Edna Chinn Sykes

Newspaper account
From the Lexington Herald, July 22, 1914, p 5 c 7.

MRS. EDNA CHINN SYKES KILLED IN LOS ANGELES.

Daughter of Late Claude Chinn is murdered by Jealous Suitor.

Los Angeles, Cal., July 21 (1914). -- Mrs. Edna Chinn Sykes, a native of Lexington, KY and later Norcross, Ga., was killed here yesterday by Charles H. Haag, a contractor, who broke in the room where she was asleep. Haag then killed himself.

Haag has been paying attention to Mrs. Sykes, her friends say, who had brought suit for divorce from William Sykes.  Mrs. Sykes' friends say that Haag had learned that she was receiving $150 alimony and in a fit of jealousy fearing that she might return to her husband, killed her and then himself.

Disposition of her five-year-old son will not be determined until advice is received from his father, who it is believed is in Atlanta, Georgia.

-----

Mrs. Edna Chinn Sykes, who was shot and killed yesterday at Los Angeles by Charles Haag, was a daughter of the late Claude Chinn, formerly County Clerk of Fayette County, and was born and reared in Lexington.  She was married several years ago to William Sykes, whose home is now in Atlanta.

About two years ago, Mrs. Sykes went to California to be with her mother, Mrs. Chinn, whose health was not good.  Mrs. Sykes has one brother, Joseph Chinn who is in business in Indianapolis, and a sister who is the wife of W. B. Anderson, of this city, a gauger in the Internal Revenue service here. Mrs. Anderson is now in Indianapolis with her brother.

[Blogger's note: Edna was actually married to Leon Odus Sykes, NOT William Sykes.]

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Wedding Wednesday - Percival & Bowman

My paternal grandparents' wedding notice that appeared in the Lexington (Missouri) Intelligencer. They were married March 3, 1920.

Wedding placecard
Percival-Bowman. The wedding of Mr. John Stearns Percival of Des Moines, Iowa, and  Miss Mary Anne Bowman, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bowman of this City, was solemnized at 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, at the home of the bride's parents, 1607 South Street. Rev. R. B. Briney of Kansas City performed the ceremony. The bride was born and reared in Lexington, and educated in the public schools and Lexington College. She has a host of friends and acquaintances who will wish her joy and happiness. The groom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Percival, former residents of Richmond, but now living in Kansas City.  He is a graduate of the engineering department of the University of Missouri, and is at present employed as a civil engineer with the Burlington Railroad. After a wedding tour they will be at home in Des Moines.
Wedding Placecard  back





Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

An Unmitigated Happy Birthday & Happy Anniversary

What do you call the next-to-youngest-child? We have many names for ours and most of them are even nice. Some of you may know her as Middle-Aged-Woman (MAW) or Unmitigated. I know her as younger sister. She was born many, many moons ago, when I was 11 years old. You guessed it, today is her !!th birthday.

Buddy & Unmitigated
Not only is today her birthday, but it is her wedding anniversary. She and "Buddy" have been married 25 years. I've never been sure whose idea it was to get married on her birthday, but in all those years, I don't think he's once forgotten either her birthday or their anniversary.



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 9, 2010

Taking a Sneak Peak - More Family Letters

One of my Percival cousins in Holland (Michigan) was kind enough to send me home with a couple of bundles of letters written to her dad, my uncle, during World War II. Among the writers are Helen Maitland Percival and Elizabeth Webb Bowman "Maw Maw", my great grandmothers, my dad's cousin James Rankin, Jr, Mary Percival French, my grandfather Percival's sister, Bess Bowman Rankin, my grandmother Percival's sister and a couple people I don't know. Finally, some other family members are mentioned, and so far I know them all. I wish I was all caught up from vacation so I could sort them all into date order and start copying and transcribing! Looks like I'll need some more binders!

 Born on this date in 1875: Leslie Chinn, son of Christopher Columbus Chinn and Margaret Cordelia Warren.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Sympathy Saturday - Eliza Parker Todd

Unfortunately, I think these funeral cards were scanned at a low resolution. Still, they are still somewhat readable.

The cards from Duffs Funeral Notice collection all relate to people in my database. Eliza (Parker) Todd was my 1st cousin, 5 times removed. Her husband Robert Todd was my second cousin, 5 times removed and their children - including daughter Mary Ann Todd Lincoln were my second cousins, 4 times removed (through the Parker line.) This line is from Lexington, Kentucky and is one of the most confusing I have ever worked on. Actually working on any of my Parkers, Todds, and Bowman's is confusing but very rewarding.

July 6th 1825 funeral notice for Mary Todd Lincoln's mother.


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Friday, August 6, 2010

Fort Bowman/Harmony Hall

20th century photo of Harmony Hall

20th century view of Harmony Hall
I love getting distracted by history when I am working on genealogy. The other day, while working on these Bowman wills in Frederick County, Virginia, I googled George Bowman and found a six part video on You Tube on Harmony Hall/Fort Bowman.  I learned a couple things about the home of George Bowman, my great-great-great-great-great grandfather. First of all it was not known as Harmony Hall until the 1930's. It was not a fort. That one I did know. It was built circa 1753. That I did not know. The video of this was poor, no tripod was used, it was out of focus and some woman sitting in the front row blocked most of the pictures. The presenters, however, directed me to the Library of Congress photo collection so that I could see/download any of the images that I wanted.  I knew that it was referred to as Fort Bowman mostly during the Indian wars, when neighbors would huddle in the cellar hoping to avoid massacre.

My ancestor, Abraham Bowman, was not born in this house but would have been about 4 years of age when it was built. So mostly he was raised in this house.

A few years ago, I was stunned to hear that the house was in danger of being razed, to make room for a highway overpass, if I remember correctly.

I only found out about Fort Bowman/Harmony Hall due to the Hite Family Association of which I was once a member. My sixth great grandfather was Joist/Joost/Jost/Justus Hite whose holdings in Virginia were exceeded only by Lord Fairfax, whose holdings were part of a consortium.

In the photo on the left, the portico is not original. It is thought the addition in the photo on the right might have been added by one of the Bowmans. The home stayed in the family for over 100 years. Now this 257 year old home is in the process of being preserved.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Thriller Thursday - Murder/Suicide-The Lurid Details

This is a tragic story of an old fool and what appears to be a gold-digger. But you be the judge. 

DOUBLE TRAGEDY IS ENACTED AS 70-YEAR-OLD MAN SLAYS GIRL COMPANION AND SELF

KELLY C. KIRTLY IS PRINCIPAL IN HOTEL SHOOTING

Kills Mildred McDaniel, Former Lexington Woman, After Quarrel, Then Ends Own Life.

CORONER'S JURY PLACES BLAME FOR SHOOTINGS.

Brother of Girl Says She Will Not be Buried Beside Her Slayer

Kelly C. Kirtly, 70-year old restaurant and hotel owner of Charleston, W. Va., ended his own life in the bathroom adjoining his room in the Lafayette hotel yesterday morning shortly before 7 o'clock, a few moments after he had killed Miss Mildred McDaniel, 26-year-old telephone operator of Brooklyn, N.Y.

A .38 caliber revolver was the weapon used by Kirtly in carrying out the double tragedy. Only one shot, through the right side of the head, was needed to end the life of Miss McDaniel, who was sleeping in a room adjoining Kirtly's on the tenth floor of the tenth floor of the hotel, but the aged hotel owner was forced to fire two bullets to kill himself. The first, through the head failed to bring instant death, and he fired another into his heart with his last dying effort.

In the same bed with Miss McDaniel when Kirtly fired the first shot was Miss Alma Gregory, also of Brooklyn. Both of the girls were asleep and Miss Gregory was awakened by the crack of the revolver as her friend was killed. She heard the second shot, fired by Kirtly into his own head, as she leaped from bed and, through the open door, saw the aged man fumble for the revolver again. A moment later the shot that ended the tragedy rang out.

Girls Posed as Nieces

According to Miss Gregory, Miss McDaniel had been living with Kirtly for months. She said the trio arrived in Lexington Wednesday afternoon ad registered as Alma and Mildred Gregory, both of New York city, posing as the nieces of Kirtly, who was a former Lexington man. They had come from Charleston where the girls had been called from New York by Kirtly, and where he  bought an Essex car which he said he was going to give to Miss McDaniel.

After returning from a trip to visit Miss McDaniel's sister, Mrs. Callie Adams, who lives at Logana, about six miles from Nicholasville, in Jessamine county, they returned to the Lafayette hotel Thursday night and retired to their rooms, Miss Gregory occupying one room and Miss McDaniel and the man an adjoining apartment.

During the day Kirtly gave Miss McDaniel a diamond ring which he had promised her some time ago and Miss Gregory state that her companion was dissatisfied with the gift, as Kirtly had promised her a much larger one. It developed after the murder that instead of paying $300 for the ring, as that man is reported to have told the girl, he really gave only $125 for the ring and instead of it being a three carat diamond, as he told Miss McDaniel he would buy for her, it was of less than a carat.

"Couldn't Stand Old Fool"

The pair quarreled over the gift before they retired and Miss McDaniel joined Miss Gregory in her room saying that she couldn't stand the old fool and that she was going to sleep with her (Miss Gregory) that night.

Alma declared that shortly after 7 o'clock yesterday morning she was awakened by a report of a pistol and found Mildred with the fatal wound in the side of her head, lying beside her.

"Mr. Kirtly went back into the bathroom and I saw him through the door as he raised the pistol to his head. I started for the hall door and as I did I heard the pistol report," said Miss Gregory.

"I called for help and several people came out of their rooms. Mr. Kirtly fumbled for his gun and grasped it. I turned and started back out. Then I heard another shot."

John W. Baxter, Lafayette hotel clerk, then arrived and, going to the telephone in the room, told the telephone operator to call Dr. Fred Moberly.

Two Messages Found

He arrived a few minutes afterward with Coroner Kerr, who found that Kirtly had inflicted two wounds on himself one in the right side of his head and one over the heart.

An examination of Kirtly's clothes and room revealed two written messages. One was termed a will and was addressed to Thomas B. Adams of Brighton, whom he named an executor of his estate. The other addressed to W. R. Milward, undertaker, contained directions for the disposal of his body.

The will dated "August 2, 1896 ," although apparently written recently, read as follows:

"Last will of Kelly Kirtly:

1st, I want my funeral expenses paid, I have insurance in the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, also insurance in the Production Life Insurance Company.

"2nd, I give everything to my sister, Mrs. Price Parker, also my Essex car. I sold my restaurant in Charleston, W.Va. and don't owe anything in Charleston. Would like for Thomas B. Adams to be administrator of my estate and give him my watch and chain for his trouble. I want W. R. Milward of North to put us away.  K. C. Kirtly."

"Codicil:

"If anything happens to the girl friend that is with me, would like for her burial expenses to be paid out of the money that is in Second National bank - that is if she is buried in my lot at Lexington cemetery. There are five graves in my lot. That will leave three for my sister.  K. C. Kirtley"

"Second Codicil:

In the event the girl is not buried in my lot then I don't want to pay anything of her expenses at all.  K. C. Kirtly."

The note to Mr. Milward follows:

"W. R. Milward:

I want you to put me away just in a plain coffin. I prefer to not have any preaching as I have not lived within my church.  K. C. Kirtly."

"I hope all will forgive me."

"There is a note to Thomas B. Adams, of Brighton in my pocket.  K. C. Kirtly."

Left Directions to Find Car

"You will find the car in the garage next to the Kentucky theater," was written on the back of the will addressed to Mr. Adams. Mr. Kirtly put the check for the automobile and the bill of sale with his will.

Kirtly obtained those from Miss Gregory Thursday night, she declared. She said she gave them to him after he had come into the room occupied by the two girls and requested them. He thanked her and walked out. This was after Miss McDaniel and Kirtly had quarreled.

Coroner Kerr, arriving on the scene shortly after the tragedy, ordered the bodies removed to the Kerr Brothers' undertaking establishment on North Broadway. They were taken to W. R. Milward's establishment after the will and note had been found.

Gilbert McDaniel, brother of Miss McDaniel, who is employed by a telephone company in Cincinnati, but who has been visiting his sister, Mrs. Callie Adams, near Nicholasville, arrived in the city shortly after noon and took charge of Miss McDaniel's body, having it removed to the Kerr establishment again.

Spurns Offer of Burial Ground

Relative to the "second codicil" which Mr. Kirtly wrote, Gilbert said that he would not tolerate his sister's body being buried beside that of Kirtly, although no funeral arrangements have yet been made in regard to Miss McDaniel.

Miss Gregory, in interview last night, said that although her dead pal had some bad qualities, she also possessed some sterling ones. She stated she had known her about a year and that she had always been a real pal to her.

Miss McDaniel formerly worked for the Ben Ali theater as the keeper of the cloakroom, this being about two years ago, according to reports. She was married for a short time to a Mr. Covey, it is reported, although she is believed to have parted from him more than a year ago.

Miss Gregory says she was born in South Africa and has attended school in Switzerland. She has traveled extensively over Europe and America and came to this country when only 3 years of age.

It is her first trip to Kentucky, although Miss McDaniel and Mr. Kirtly called Lexington their home. She said they lived together in Brooklyn, boarding with a very nice family which thought Mr. Kirtly was Mildred's uncle. Mr. Kirtly bought and sold hotels and restaurants all over the country and was in Charleston, W. Va., when he telegraphed the two girls to come there.

Mr. Kirtly has made intermittent trips to Lexington during the past few years. He formerly owned a colored theater on East Second street, which was then Constitution street and ran a grocery on Wilson street a year ago. He sold these out however when he left Lexington.

Coroner Jury's Verdict

A jury, called by Coroner J. Hervey Kerr, in the offices of County Agent L. C. Brewer at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, returned a verdict of suicide in the case of Mr. Kirtly, and a verdict of "death by gunshot wound inflicted by a gun fired by K. C. Kirtly" in the case of Miss McDaniel.

The verdict regarding Mr. Kirtly's death read:

"We, the jury, find the body to be that of K. C. Kirtly, of Charleston, W. Va., age about 60, white American, and from the testimony we find he came to his death on September 3, 1926, by a gunshot wound from a gun fired by himself.  "J. C. Guy, Foreman."

The verdict regarding Miss McDaniel's death read:

"We, the jury, find the body to be that of Miss Mildred McDaniel, of New York City, age about 28, white American, and from the testimony we find she came to her death on September 3, 1926, by a gunshot wound inflected by a gun fired by K. C. Kirtly.  "J.C. Guy, Foreman."

The jury was composed of J. C. Guy, foreman; James F. Liston, B. C. Jones, R. D. Warren, W. A. Michler and Frank Gorham.

Party Arrived Wednesday

Miss Alma Gregory was the first called to the stand by County Attorney James Park.

She stated that she, Mr. Kelly C. Kirtly, and Miss Mildred McDaniel had arrived Wednesday afternoon. "We came from Charleston, W. VA, and we registered at the Lafayette hotel at that time," she replied to a question concerning her arrival in Lexington.

"Have you stayed there ever since you came?" Attorney Park asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"I was asleep when I heard a shot," Miss Gregory began in relating the sequence of incidents of the tragedy. "I jumped up immediately and called Mildred. I thought he had killed himself. I looked over at Mildred and the blood was oozing out of her head. Just as I looked at her he shot himself. Just as I looked up the gun fell on the bathroom floor and he fell to one side. He was lying one-half in the bathroom and one-half in the bedroom."

She then testified that there were three shots fired and that he fired the third one into his heart while he was on the floor.

Two Acquainted Two Years

"I ran to the door and called the police or for someone to help. I went in there in time to see his hand move. He was bubbling about the mouth and gurgling some inarticulate sound."

Upon being asked if Miss McDaniel and Mr. Kirtly had every had any words, she replied, "Yes, they had had a few words."

"He has known her for two years and seen her at different intervals. It was the second occasion on which I had ever seen him. Mr. Kirtly wired her to meet him in Charleston, W. Va., and when she left Brooklyn a week ago today, she begged me to come along with her. I didn't want to come but did just the same.

"Thursday we went to Jessamine county to see Mildred's sister Mrs. Callie Adams who lives at Logana near Nicholasville. Mr Kirtly was not with us. We came to Lexington, had dinner at the Woman's Exchange and I drove all the folks back.

"When I got back to the hotel I was exhausted and went to my room. Kirtly passed the door, opened it and said, 'Why don't you come in here?' Mildred said, 'I don't want to.' She said she couldn't stand him and was going to sleep with me.

Was Dissatisfied With Ring

"A few minutes later Mr. Kirtly came in and asked for the car check and bill of sale. I gave them to him. He was very nice about his manners. I didn't know anything more until this morning when I heard the shot."

In reply to a question concerning the ring which Mr. Kirtly gave Miss McDaniel which was found on her person when she was found dead, Miss Gregory replied:

"He gave her the ring in my presence yesterday morning. She was very much dissatisfied with it and they had a few words."

Miss Gregory was then asked to state the time at which she was awakened by the shot and replied: "It was around 7 o'clock."

She then related the incidents leading to their arrival in Lexington Wednesday, stating that "We left New York last Friday and came by Pullman to West Virginia. He had wired a ticket and Pullman. He met us in Charleston and bought a car while we were there and said he would give it to her.

Attorney Park's questions whether she (Miss Gregory) knew Mr. Kirtly had a gun, brought the answer: "I didn't ever know he possessed a gun. He carried a valise, however, along with him and it was invariably locked. He might have carried the gun in that all of the time.

Kirtly Called Lexington His Home.

Miss Gregory state that Kirtly called Lexington his home.

"Where was the bed with reference to the door?" she was asked.

"Directly to the right as you entered from the bath. The end of the bed faced the window and I was on the farther side, Mildred on the right side. The connecting door between the two rooms was not locked."

She stated that Mildred's head was about seven inches from hers when the shot was sent into Miss McDaniel's brain. 

"I think he had everything planned precisely. He planned it deliberately  and knew just where he was going to fall," she further testified.

Dr. Elmer S. Maxwell of 5 Richmond Road, who examined the victims after the shooting, read a statement fixing the cause of the death of each.

In the case of Mr. Kirtly, "death was due to gunshot passing through the heart," he read. There was a little "cooking" beneath the skin, showing that powder and gas had been forced beneath the skin.

A long incision on his temple was caused by the bursting out of this powder and gas, Dr. Maxwell stated. There were no powder burns on the outside skin he said.

Sign of Struggle Seen


In the case of Miss McDaniel, "Death was due to a gunshot wound of the head," Dr. Maxwell read. He further state that there was a powder burn around the wound.

Dr. Fred B. Moberly, physician and surgeon, of 370 South Broadway, who was called to the scene of the murder by hotel officials state that he was called at 7:02 o'clock, that he got there about 7:10 and that he found the victims had been dead 15 or 20 minutes. There was a sign of a struggled and the hair of Miss McDaniel was matted with blood, Dr. Moberly testified. "The pistol was about eight inches to the right of Mr. Kirtly. Mr. Kirtly was fully dressed while Miss McDaniel was in her pajama night clothes. Miss Gregory was not dressed. Miss McDaniel came to her death lying on her right side."

Mrs. Ollie Quisenberry, maid at the Lafayette Hotel, was the next to testify. She said she heard the first shot and she thought it was only the slamming of a door and paid no attention to it. She heard another and still paid no attention to it. "I went out into the hall and this girl (Miss Gregory) was in the hall. I asked her what was the matter. She told me her girl friend had been shot and Mr. Kirtly had shot himself." The last two shots were closer together than the first and second, Mrs. Quisenberry said.

Mrs. Edith Craycraft, who is also employed as a maid on the tenth floor of the Lafayette, said she got to work about fifteen minutes to seven and that the shooting took place about that time, before she had gone on duty.

Had Paid Taxes Thursday

John W. Baxter, room clerk at the Lafayette Hotel, stated to the jury that the murder was reported to him about five or six minutes to 7 o'clock. He said he went up to the scene and stepped inside the door where Miss McDaniel lay and went out again to call the operator downstairs to call Dr. Moberly.

Mr. Kerr state that Mr. Kirtly had gone to Sheriff E. H. Fuller's office Thursday and paid taxes on $600 worth of personal property. He had not paid a real estate tax assessed against him, explaining to Sheriff E. H. Fuller that the property, a house and lot in the east end of town, had been sold and that the purchaser had agreed to pay the taxes.

The signature on the check given Mr. Fuller and the letter which Coroner Kerr found on Mr. Kirtly's person were similar in every respect, leaving no doubt in the minds of officials as to who wrote the note, Coroner Kerr asserted.

J. T. Eads, Lafayette hotel detective, was called to the stand and made the statement that he had found a blank check signed by Mr. Kirtly in the dead man's grip.

[Blogger's note:  Kelly C. Kirtley was related to me four different ways through various ancestors. His father, Isaac Shelby Kirtley, was my first cousin 4 times removed; Kelly's mother, Susannah  or Susan Anna Chinn was my second great grandaunt. After their mother's death (no further record of Isaac) Kelly and his surviving sister Sterling "Price" Kirtley were "adopted" by Susannah's younger sister, Hester Chinn and her husband Joseph Trapp and removed to Lexington, Kentucky from Lexington, Missouri after 1872.]



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wedding Wednesday - Bowman & DeLong

From the June 21st, 1901 issue of the Lexington Herald:

DELONG-BOWMAN

The marriage of Miss Katherine L. DeLong and Mr. A. Smith Bowman was celebrated Thursday evening at the residence of the bride's mother, Mrs. Edmund S. DeLong, on North Limestone street, with Rev. Edwin Muller, of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. The hall was arranged with palms and ferns. The two parlors were a mass of tropical plants and roses, and burning among them were weight veiled candles. In the chandeliers white candles also burned, and swinging between the doors were large baskets of sword ferns. The back parlor was in a bridal attire of white. Here white lilies were banked against the mantels and from the corners at the end of the room palms and ferns rose to the ceiling in a pyramidal effect.

For some time before the ceremony strains from Saxton's orchestra, placed on the back piazza, were heard and as Lohengrin's bridal chorus was played the bridal party entered. From the hall came Dr. Carrick and Mr. Thomas Lewis, who passed into the front parlor with white satin streamers. At the center of the room they stopped, and from there Mr. George Weeks and Mr. Clifford Patterson passed through the parlors with the ribbons to the ends of the pyramid, forming an aisle. Then came Miss Belle DeLong, the sister of the bride, as maid of honor. She wore a gown of white satin covered with white tulle. From her left shoulder to the hem of her gown was a garland of pink roses. Her hair was adorned with a single rosebud, and she carried a large bouquet of the same flower.

She was followed by the bride on the arm of her brother, Mr. James Lucas DeLong. Her wedding gown of white satin and tulle was covered with a white Renaissance lace overdress. The bertha of lace was caught with a bunch of orange blossoms, with smaller bunches and sprays falling in grace lines to the end of the gown and about the long court train. Her tulle veil was caught to her hair with a diamond sunburst, a gift of the groom, and she carried a shower bouquet of white roses and lilies of the valley tied with long satin streamers. The groom and his best man, Mr. Horace Bowman, of Danville, entered from the back piazza and met them at the altar of greens. During the ceremony, "Call me thine own" was played. The tableau was one not soon to be forgotten.

After congratulations supper was served. The bride's table was entirely in white and green, and was placed in the summer parlor. In the center was a large mound of white roses and smilax, surrounded by a circle of silver candlesticks holding white tapers and shaded with silver shades. Massive candelabra with white candles were placed at the four ends of the table. At each place was the name card, hand painted in orange blossoms, with the name and monogram DELB written in gold. Seated with the bride and groom were Miss Belle DeLong and Mr. Horace Bowman, Miss Daisy DeLong and Mr. Thomas Lewis, Miss Susie Satterwhite of Louisville and Dr. Carrick, Miss Virginia Lee of Danville and Mr. George Weeks, Miss Margaret Duncan and Mr. Clifford Patterson, Miss Sarah Bullock and Mr. Joseph LeCompte.

In the dining room was a large center table surrounded by smaller ones, where other guests were served. Each was decorated in pink roses and smilax A supper of numerous courses was served, the ices being designed as white roses with sprays of green leaves. Many happy toasts were offered to the young couple.

Mr. and Mrs. Bowman left on the late train for a wedding trip, of several weeks and on their return will be with Mrs. Edmund DeLong until further plans are materialized.

Others present besides those named at the bridal table were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jacobs, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Creel of Danville; Mr. and Mrs. William DeLong, of Danville; Mr. and Mrs. George Wilson, Mrs. Mary Bowman, of Danville; Mrs. Cassell, sister of the groom, and the Misses Cassell of Dallas, Texas; Major Robert Bullock, Miss Anna Didlake, Dr. and Mrs. John William Scott, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. DeLong, Mr. G. A. DeLong, Jr., Mrs. Mary Lucas, Mrs. J. Curry Tebbitts, of Pittsburg, Pa.; Miss Fanny Lucas, Mrs. Facker, of Danville; Mrs. Moore, of Harrodsburg, sister of the groom, and Mr. and Mrs. James Lucas DeLong.

On a side table in the room where the bridal party were seated was the wedding cake. Its base was beautified with marguerites and from its center arose a crystal vase of white roses. Silver cords attached to the sides connected with the emblems of fate - the dime, the ring, the needle and the thimble.

Mr. and Mrs. Bowman left on the late train for a wedding trip of several weeks and on their return will be with Mrs. Edmund DeLong until further plans are materialized.

[Blogger's note:  I found out upon further research that Abram & Katherine Bowman moved to Virginia, where he produced a bourbon under the name of Virginia Gentlemen. Since bourbon can only be called such if its distilled in Kentucky, I'm not sure how he managed that. The brand is now defunct.]


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Records Crisis

I am linking an article from The Mormon Times on The coming genealogical dark ages. This was sent by cousin Karen. If you think it isn't happening, think again. Records are disappearing from those nice, friendly courthouses where you were allowed free access to vital records. Counties all over the United States are in financial crisis and record preservation is usually at the bottom of the list, if it is on the list at all. I know that records in Tennessee are disappearing and disintegrating and will not be filmed until all counties are organized and ready for filming. Who knows when that will happen.

One of the things I found most interesting about this article was the mention of email as a replacement for writing letters, and how we organize it. I think that is a new project for me. I usually save all my family email, but perhaps actually printing it out might be in order. I know I have birth and death announcements in those emails along with news of other family members. How do you handle that? Let me know.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Monday, August 2, 2010

Relatively Speaking - Wild Indians in the Family?

Due to a death in her family, I've switched turns with cousin Carol . It's what we Wild Ones do anyway, help each other out.

In transcribing the wills, inventories, sales & distributions of my Bowman ancestors (Carol has Bowman connections too), from time to time I've come across some Riddle/Ruddell/Ruddle information. Since this is one of the lines Carol also researches I have been loading up her email box with tidbits I've found recently.

Abraham Ruddell's Account
First, let me explain that my g-g-g-g-g grandfather was Hans Georg "George" Bowman. He married Mary Hite and they had quite a few children. One of the daughters, Elizabeth, married Isaac Ruddell/Ruddle. Even in the same record you will see the name spelled differently. Isaac and Elizabeth established Ruddle's Mills and Ruddell's/Ruddle's Fort in Bourbon County, Kentucky. It was at said fort in 1780, that the fort was attacked by the British and Shawnee Indians. Many of the people sheltering in the fort were killed or captured. The prisoners, although assured by the British that they would remain captives, for the most part they were sold to the Shawnee to do with them as they pleased. Two of the Ruddell's children, 6 year-old Abraham and 12 year-old Stephen were among those sold to the Indians. Stephen became Big Fish and was raised as a warrior, becoming close friends with Panther-in-the-Sky, or as we know him Tecumseh. Poor little Abraham, was not so lucky, but was sold to a woman who enslaved him, and between the ages of 6 and 9, Abraham endured many privations. He was not taught how to hunt and was sorely beaten by his owner, until his brother Stephen threatened to kill the woman if she beat Abraham again.

The years passed and Tecumseh with his brother - The Prophet - tried to unite all the native American tribes to force the whites out of the country. In 1795, at the battle of Fallen Timbers, the Prophet was defeated by General Mad Anthony Wayne.

Afterward, Big Fish (Stephen) was approached by an aide of Wayne's because he was told that Stephen spoke English and was used as an interpreter. He asked Stephen if he knew what had happened to Abraham and Stephen Ruddell. He pointed to himself and said, "Stephen, me Stephen Ruddell." It was at this time, fifteen years after the boys had been captured that they found out that their parents still lived. Old Isaac Ruddell (now 65) went to meet his sons and bring them home. Abraham age 6 at the time of capture was a man of 21 and Stephen was 27.

I find it rather amazing to find out that the Ruddell brothers eventually did leave what we consider a normal life. Stephen's native wife returned to her people after a time, not caring to live in the white man's fashion. Abraham moved to Independence county, Arkansas and Stephen became a Baptist minister and eventually moved to Ursa in Adams county, Illinois.

Stephen Ruddell's account
During the time of the war of 1812, Abraham and Stephen, both living in Bourbon county, Kentucky were accused of aiding and abetting Indians. Both men took the trouble at that time to publish their experiences with their captors in the newspapers of the day. Certainly, Abraham was far less likely to want to aid the Indians, his treatment being not so happy.

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Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes