Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Sources for William P Ewing

 1830 United States Federal Census. Edwards, Illinois; Series: M19; Roll: 25; Page: 38; Family History Library Film: 0007650.
 
1840 United States Federal Census. Ripley, Missouri; Roll: 229; Page: 336; Image: 680; Family History Library Film: 0014857.
 
1850 United States Federal Census. Tucker, Clark, Arkansas; Roll: M432_25; Page: 192B; Image: .
 
1860 United States Federal Census. Anderson, Clark, Arkansas; Roll: ; Page: 26; Image: 26.
 
Arkansas Land Records. Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997.Original data - United States, Bureau of Land Management. Arkansas Pre-1908 Homestead and Cash Entry Patents. General Land Office Automated Records Project, 1993.
 
Arkansas, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1818-1998. Probate Court (Clark County); Probate Place: Clark, Arkansas. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2015.
 
Illinois, Public Land Purchase Records, 1813-1909. Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 1999.
 
Kentucky, County Marriage Records, 1783-1965. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2016.
 
Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008. Probate Records (Smith County, Tennessee), 1803-1896; Author: Tennessee. Probate Court (Smith County). Ancestry.com 2015.
 
U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907. “William P Ewing”. Issue Date 1 Mar 1855, Place: Clark, Arkansas, Land Office: Washington; Document Number 6076. Ancestry.com
 
U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907. “William P Ewing” 10 Aug 1838, Moultrie, Illinois, USA, Land Office Vandalia. Ancestry.com
 
http://o.pcahs.org/pcaolr/database/acdpcd-p/p981.htm#i75590
 
https://www.ewingfamilyassociation.org/documents/Sproul/Sproul_Part_2.html
 
 

Monday, January 29, 2024

Land Records William P Ewing

 Unfortunately, I'm having difficulties downloading the land records. You can go online to sources and find them. These records reflect where William lived. I found them on Ancestry.com



Sunday, January 28, 2024

William & Sarah Ewing's Marriage Record

 Kentucky, County Marriage Records, 1783-1965
 
Name                          William D. Ewing
(I corrected this on Ancestry to William “P”)
Gender                        Male
Marriage Date             12 Apr 1820
Marriage Place            Logan, Kentucky, USA
Spouse                         Sarah Punteny
Film Number               002134965





Saturday, January 27, 2024

John Ewing - Brother to William P Ewing

 Montgomery County (AR): Our Heritage: Quartz Crystal Capital of the World

Montomery County Historical Society; 1 Jan 1986, 670 pages. Vol 1, compiled and edited by the Sesquicentennial Committee, contains the county, school and church histories and numerous family histories. This book contains the information about John and Martha (Hines) Ewing. John was a younger brother to our James H Ewing. It substantiates their lineage. Pages 67-68 were devoted to their family.

                                 JOHN EWING written by Linda Warner
"My great-great-great-grandfather John Ewing and his wife Martha Hines Ewing moved to Arkansas before the Civil War and eventually settled in the southeastern part of Montgomery County. They purchased eighty acres of land and established their farm home.
            John Ewing, born February 22, 1840, was the son of William P. and Sarah Ewing. William P. Ewing, born in 1802, in Kentucky, and other relatives had settled in Arkansas, especially in Clark County. The known brothers and sisters of John Ewing were James H., Adeline, who later married Alexander Maynard, Henderson, Alfred, Reuben, William N., Joseph R., Emelizer S., who married Jeff Stafford, and Malinda, who married William F. Keith. John Ewing and his brother William N. Ewing fought in the civil War, serving in the Confederate Army. John brought home a cannon mini ball from one of the battles in which he participated. For many years, this Civil War souvenir was used as a door stop and then passed down to the next generation of relatives.
            Children of John Ewing and his wife Martha (1844) were Laura, who married Richard Monroe Coker on 2 March 1877 in Montgomery County; Mary, married her cousin James Ewing, Albert, who died young, John Henry, my great-grandfather, Joseph A., Edward C., and Sarah.
            A few weeks after the birth of her last child, Martha Hines Ewing died in 1880. She is buried in Mount Tabor Cemetery near her husband. On September 13, 1884, John Ewing wrote his last will and testament and by November, he, also, had died, leaving several small children. John Ewing was buried on his farm that he willed to his children for their support.
            The Montgomery County courts appointed Laura Ewing’s husband, Richard Monroe Coker, guardian of the miner heirs of John Ewing. Laura was the eldest child of John and Martha Ewing. Mr. and Mrs. Coker were residents of Montgomery County and the parents of two children: James Allen, born 29 Jun 1880, and Susan Etta born 16 September 1882. They continued living on the John Ewing property and the births of all their children were recorded in Miles Langley’s book.
Besides the first two children, they had the following: Martha Ann, Florence, Viola, Uretha Bell, John Henry, Pittman Monroe, Rod Arthur, and Claude Nathaniel.
            All of the heirs of John Ewing eventually left Montgomery County and settled in Texas, where they became farmers, ranchers, schoolteachers, and Baptist preachers. The R.M. Coker family later moved to Texas, also. These families left numerous descendants that became prominent citizens of Texas. In later years, some have moved back to Arkansas to make their homes."

 

 

 

Friday, January 26, 2024

William P Ewing

 The father of James H Ewing was 
WILLIAM P EWING

Someone dubbed him as “A Man on the Move.” They created a map and wrote a wonderful description. They claim that he was born in Virginia…. but William always gave his birthplace as Kentucky on the census.
 
My research has shown that our Ewings landed in Virginia, settled in Pennsylvania, and eventually moved to Tennessee. Our William P gave his birthplace as Kentucky where he married his wife. They followed his brothers to Illinois, moved to Missouri and settled in Arkansas. Most of our Ewings from then on hailed from Arkansas.



 William P. Ewing - A Man on the Move
Added by dlm1944 on 14 Jul 2007     I found on ancestry Jan 2015

The surname Ewing is Scottish. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Eo'gann" which means "well born" or "kind natured". The Ewing family was well established in Scotland before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 AD. Records indicate that a John, Robert, and Elizabeth "Ewens" settled in Virginia as early as 1623.

The ancestors of the Ewing Family descendants who arrived in Clark County Arkansas in the early to mid 1800's immigrated to America in the early 1700's. Their ancestors were originally from Scotland and then moved to Ireland in the mid 1600 's. After their arrival in America, records indicate our Ewing family ancestors migrated from northern Virginia, through southwest Virginia into eastern Tennessee, to northern Kentucky, to central Illinois, to southern Missouri, and finally to western Arkansas.

William P. Ewing was the son of James Ewing who was born in Virginia and later lived in Kentucky where William P. was born about 1802. William P Ewing married Sarah (Pentenny?) about 1828 near her home in eastern Tennessee. After their first child was born, William P. and Sarah moved to the central part of Illinois near the Springfield area. W. P. and two of his older brothers lived in the area of Sangamon, Tazewell, Logan and Moultrie Counties. According to Illinois land records, William P. purchased 160 acres in Moultrie County, IL in 1836 at a price of $1.25 per acre. There were a number of land purchases by his brothers, as well. His two brothers, John and Reuben B. Ewing continued to live in central Illinois until their death.

Why William P. Ewing moved his family westward in the late 1830's is not known. The 1840 Federal Census records him and his family living in Ripley County Missouri which was a known hangout for thieves and outlaws and a no man’s land during the Civil War. The county was located on the historic Natchitoches Trail which was a route from Illinois to the southwest and into Arkansas.....in Arkansas, it was known as the "Old Military Road". Ironically, it is this road that traverses Arkansas from the northeast to the southwest part of the state near where he and his family settled in Clark County around 1843-44. His son, William N. Ewing was the first child born in Arkansas (1844) after their arrival.

William P. and his wife, Sarah had eleven children.....four girls and seven boys. One was born in eastern TN, three were born in central IL, three in southern MO, and four in Arkansas.

William P. Ewing died about 1864 in Clark County Arkansas. His burial place is not known at this time.






Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Sources for James Henry Ewing

 Sources: James Henry Ewing
 
1830 United States Federal Census. “William Ewing,” Edwards, Illinois; Series: M19; Roll: 25; Page: 38; Family History Library Film: 0007650. [Online: Ancestry.com 2010]
 
1840 United States Federal Census. “William P Ewing,” Ripley, Missouri; Roll: 229; Page: 336; Family History Library Film: 0014857 [Online: Ancestry.com 2010]
 
1850 United States Federal Census, “James H Ewing,” Cedar, Clark, Arkansas; Roll: M432_25; Page: 196B; Image: . [Online: Ancestry.com 2009]
 
1870 United States Federal Census. “James Ewing,” Cedar, Clark, Arkansas; Roll: M593_; Page: ; Image: .[Online: Ancestry.com 2009]
 
1880 United States Federal Census. “James H. Ewing,” Mazarne, Montgomery, Arkansas; Roll: 52; Family History Film: 1254052; Page: 391B; Enumeration District: 111; Image: 0084. [Online: Ancestry.com 2010]
 
Arkansas Marriages to 1850. “Malinda Dillard & James H Ewin,” Dodd, Jordan R, et. al.. Early American Marriages: Arkansas to 1850. Bountiful, UT, USA: Precision Indexing Publishers [Online: Ancestry.com 1997]

James H Ewing

 The father of Frederick Short Ewing was James H Ewiing.
History Sheet – James H Ewing
 
Researching this era becomes dicey. The census sheets do not list the names of members in the household. It only gives the number of members in age categories. I believe that James’s father, William P Ewing, moved around a lot which also compounds the research as they are found in different states. With that said, I believe that I have found them in conjunction with another Ancestry member who wrote a short summary of William P Ewing’s whereabouts.
 
James H Ewing was born in 1829. He states in the 1850 census that he was born in Tennessee. When he was 1 year old, his parents, William P Ewing and Sarah, moved to Illinois along with two of William’s brothers. This was their home only for a short while, as they are found in Ripley County, Missouri in 1840. James would have been 11 years old.
 
James married Malinda Dillard on 18 Dec 1849 in Cold Bath, Clark County, Arkansas, where they took up residence in Cedar, Clark County AR near her family.  Malinda was 15 years old when they married, and it appears that she died around the age of 46. James and Malinda are found in the 1850 census. I cannot find them in the 1860 census, but they are found still in Cedar, Clark County in 1870 with my great grandfather, Frederick Short Ewing. The problem with this census is her name is listed as “Mary”.  They had their last child, Louisa, in 1872. Malinda died before the 1880 census. I wonder if it was in childbirth…just speculation.
 
James is found as a widower in Mazarne, Montgomery, Arkansas. Living with him are John F. Ewing 15, Fredrick S. Ewing 11, Louisa L. Ewing 8.
I have no record of his death.
 
ADDENDUM
I do not have much information on this James, but I am confident in my research of him. As I peruse my old notes, I see that the information leads me back to the older Ewing brothers that immigrated from Ireland. There is much to sort out about these brothers. They are documented but I find conflicting information about who’s who and their fathers. With that said, they are all connected in some way, and they all immigrated together.
 
I’m hoping that when I continue my research on the Dillard family that I may be able to find more about James H Ewing. I found evidence of him in the Ewing Clan research connected to the Dillard family which suggests that I am on the right path. I have seen him referenced as James Henry and James Hayward. If it is either, my belief is that it would be James Henry. My research of him may later reveal that this couple lived more closely with the Dillard family than the Ewing family. If that is the case, then I may learn more about our James H Ewing.
 
There has been much research done on his younger brothers, John William Ewing 1840 and William N Ewing 1844. James was 11-12 years old than them so this places him in a completely different decade/generation. As if I flesh out their information, more will be revealed about their family history, which hopefully will give more answers about our James.
 
Once again, I am confident this morning, as I came across an invitation sent to me in April 2002 from Wallace Ewing to join the Ewing Family Website complete with a user name and password. Unfortunately, I never followed up with that. It is no longer an active link. Probably what happened is that it was swallowed up by the giant ANCESTRY.COM.  They have done that with many of my valued prior links.


Tuesday, January 23, 2024

My Ewing Sources

 EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF MY FAMILY TREE   

As I add a family member to the tree, I try to find a source. My tree on Ancestry is large because I have added children and their spouses. Most of the time, I have listed each of the children’s family. For each person added, I feel fairly certain that it came from a ‘found’ source.

http://www.ewingfamilyassociation.org/documents/Ewing_James/james_ewing_pioneer_toohey.pdf

By Anne Toohey, Library of Congress, 11 April 1996

VERY important documentation of the early 1800 letters - her research caused Wallace Ewing to take off the last name of Sarah Edwards as the wife of Jame (Pocahontas) Ewing 1721-1801.

The Ewings of Frederick Co. VA By Evelyn Jones Ewing and James Earl Ewing, Jr. Copyright 1986

Follows the line of John of Carnshanaugh (1648-1745) and his second wife Jennet McElvaney through his son William (1711-1781) through his son Robert (1761-1826). Robert was part of the correspondence of letters in the early 1800s. This William would have been a brother to my James (Pocahontas) Ewing Sr. (1721-1801).

They site sources including The History of Epler Oldwiller, Huckleberry, Carr, and Ewing Families. These were all tied to S.S.Jameson of Burnet Texas 1895. This family history ties directly to my line. They record information from the Burt Book, found in the Magee Library, Londonderry. The Burt Book has records kept by Rev. A Ferguson, minister of the Presbyterian Congregation at Burt, County Donegal from 1685-1718.  This book shows our lineage all the way to Elizabeth Ewing b. 1755 who married Samuel James Jameson, who is their grandson of Burnet, Texas. He supplied all the information.  

 Ewing Family Journal, Vol 18 No.2 (May 2012) Douglas Rohde found a Confession of Faith Book printed in 1700. This was passed down through Margaret Ewing (1750-1815) who married her cousin Robert. Robert was part of the correspondence mentioned above. This Confession of Faith Book listed many birth, death, marriage dates. This book was brought to America in c.1729 by John of Carnshanaugh. Douglas Rohde would be Margaret’s great-grandson.

 John Ewing (1648-1745) of Carnashannagh Developed by James R. McMichael

http://www.ewingfamilyassociation.org/genealogy-and-history/ewing-genealogy-documentation/john-ewing-1648-1745-of-carnashannagh

 http://www.ewingfamilyassociation.org/books/EwingInEarlyAmerica/Fife_Ch11.pdf 

 This gives all of the documentation of this family as pulled together by the professionals, as best as they could.

Chapter XI in John Ewing (1648-1745) Of Carnshanaugh p 54-86

https://www.genealogycenter.info/viewpage_ewingoneamerican.php?realpage=5&display=eoa

One American Family – Pocahontas James by Wallace K. Ewing Ph.D.

I have followed “Wally” since I began the research. There would be nothing more that I could add about the Ewing Family, except to document my line from F.S. Ewing (1869-1962) to James H (Henry?) Ewing b. 1829 to William P Ewing (1804-1864). All sources after that have my line connected to William P Ewing,

http://www.ewingfamilyassociation.org/documents/Sproul/Sproul_Part_2.html

The Early Ewing Families of Augusta County, Virginia: Parts II to IV

By William W. Sproul, III 
 http://o.pcahs.org/pcaolr/database/acdpcd-p/p981.htm#i75590 

Website through Pike County Arkansas Archives and History Society gives connections all the way to F.S. Ewing.  I’m not sure how to access their sources. Has my William P Ewing (1804-1864) as the son of James (1758-1810) and unknown mother. Wallace K Ewing placed William P as the son of James and Ladovsey Dilliard. Because Wallace “Wally” and the Ewing Family Assoc have documented and written out so much history, I have used his information as my “Bible” for this family.

http://www.sproulfamily.net/jemc.pdf

By William Sproul Found in the Ewing Family Journal Vol. 15 No.2 May 2009, 14 pages. This includes a lot of Ewing history. Interesting that my great-grandfather married a Sproul but I have never been able to find documentation on her or her Sproul family.

 


 

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Researching My Quillin/Ewing Line

 My daddy was Truman Bryan Quillin, Sr.

 Surnames involved: Quillin, Ewing, Sprowls, Wright, Woodall, Elliot, Adams

 Researching Daddy’s lineage has been fraught with complications. I have not had the same support system to develop these lines. There were no older relatives that were able to give me the much needed past history, and it seems that the gaps are created by not knowing the small tidbits that could open a door for me. Daddy helped me immensely by taking me around the countryside to see all the old places. He carried me to cemeteries and took me to courthouses, but there were no older relatives to visit….except for one. B.M. “Buster” Quillin. See my information about him.

The Quillin Line

Daddy did contact “J.B” James Beverly Quillin (1917-2004) because he recalled that J.B. had a family history book. J.B. was the son of Horace Cleveland Quillin, brother to our Paul Bryan Quillin.  J.B. informed Daddy that indeed he did indeed have a book that could help me with the Quillin history, and he generously offered to send the book by mail. However, J.B. did want the book back. I hit the jackpot with that book and it became my “bible” for the Quillin history. I refuse to stray from the information given in the book. Daddy, of course, could always track down anything. He found a place where he could order the book, so he promptly made an order, and I still have it in my possession. We lucked out as that was truly the last time it was produced in bulk by the Quillin family. It is now online, I believe, but that is nothing like having the book in hand. CAUTION: be careful of family heritage books that are no more than something like a telephone book, just names listed. That was common back then. It was incredible to receive this information in the winter prior to our summer visit to Ireland. I had no idea that we had such roots to that part of the world through the MacQuillin clan. There is much more about that in my Quillin history.

The Sprowls Line

Besides seeing the gravestone of Polly Ann Sprouls who was buried with Beverly Johnson Quillin, I had no clue about her until Buster filled in a few tips. These tips have not produced much in the way of tracking down this family. Sprowls had many spellings, just as Quillin does. That doesn’t mean it isn’t accepted; however there just hasn’t been enough for me to fill in this line. I feel that the Sproul/Sprowls (or however it is spelled for us) line was interconnected a LONG time ago with the Ewing line, but I can not make my immediate connection, therefore always falling short.

The Wright Line

Buster always said that Polly’s mother came to live with them for a while. He identified Polly’s mother as Milly Wright. Milly would have married a Sprowls. I have only found one single source that could confirm that, but it was not enough to carry me onto the next level. Milly could be a nickname. There were some Sprowls that lived in Seymour, probably Polly’s brother James. There obviously has been no one in that family that was interested in family history. My theory is that somewhere along the way, a male Sprowls family member fell out of favor and was disconnected from family. This could make researching this man difficult.

 The Ewing/Dillard Lines

The Ewing line has fallen into place because there have been some “big guns” doing research for the Ewing Family Association. These men and women have access to family notes from the early 1800s, journals, Bibles and support from Historical Societies, etc. They have done a tremendous job piecing it all together. There is not much more that I could add to the “way back” history. In the more current lines, I have spent hours substantiating the tidbits I have found. I never know if it is the correct direction. (Before 1850, censuses only list the numbers of people in the households. They are not listed by names. It becomes a guessing game.)  But I will say…looking back. I have done some good research, enough so that Wallace K Ewing has added my branch to his Ancestry tree all the way down to Daddy. That means something!

The Dillards…well, I found some credible information on the web by a man name Chris Kraft and others. They had built tremendous trees, not so much with sources, but these “world connect” trees have been taken down, I think by Ancestry. Ancestry has promised that these websites will return. It seems we live in a world where something that is good is always gobbled up by the greedy people who want to own it all. But in the meanwhile, it has disrupted my research. The Dillard line involved a marriage by a Ewing lady to the Dillard twins. When one twin died, she married the other. And I believe that there may be some double cousins. Interesting note: as I was putting this information together, I found amid the Ewing pages, some small print about Orrin Dillard. I’m anxious to go back to and review more closely. I also wondered why our William P Ewing was born in Kentucky. The notes mentioned above may show me why/how the Dillards or Ewings had land in Kentucky. I am hopeful with a new DNA connection to Patricia about the Ewing/Dillard connection.

 The Woodall/Adams/Elliot Lines

I have made an honest attempt several times in the past at these lines. It seems that there has been no real commitment by anyone to record their history, and unless I could go to the area and visit the archives, courthouse, etc., I may never be able to solve these lines. The trees I see are all jumbled with no sources or research. I have given up putting too much time or energy into these lines. I am hopeful about having Patricia’s DNA, as that may help unveil the mysteries. My initial attempts with this DNA, though, has be futile. It is disappointing to see trees all jumbled with no research done, nor sources given. Maybe in time, more will be revealed.

 

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Back to the Ewing Research - A Cousin is Coming!

 On the regular feed of my blog, I had shifted to the Bridges family. Now after learning that a very special cousin is coming for a visit, I plan to suspend the Bridges and go back to the Ewing line.

My cousin has a birthday coming up in February, and her daughters are planning a surprise trip to see me. She is turning 77 and we haven't seen one another in years. I keep up with her on FB and on the phone, but it will be glorious to hug her and see her in person. I was very close to her family as I grew up. I'm ten years younger and she treated me more like a sister, and I often called her mother (my aunt Francelle) my 2nd mother. More about that later. 

But why the shift back to the Ewing line? I am building her a family history book with our common Ewing connection as a gift. She has done a DNA profile and has kindly offered me to be the manager of that profile. I'm hopeful for more discoveries in the future. Since I am deeply into those files, I might as well share it on the blog. It is a line that I have not done a book for, and this line goes WAY back. 

The Ewing Family Association has done excellent research and sourcing on all of the Ewing lines, but I have had to document my lineage up to the 1700s, which has taken much time and effort over the years. It has paid off as one of the best researchers picked up on my line, and I received great validation in that. I began to follow Wallace K Ewing P.H.D. (much more about him in the days to come) as he is from the same James Ewing, Jr. 1758 as my lineage. More about this wonderful man later in the blog.

Since I am building the book, I will add that information to my blog. So....let's get start....stay tuned.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Short Trip Back to My Alma Mater - BAYLOR UNIVERSITY


 It is always fun to go back to my college stomping grounds. I must return soon to see all the new and improved buildings. Baylor University in Waco, Texas, is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution. It was chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers. Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. The inner "old" campus (where most of my classes were) has the feel of an ivy league campus. It is absolutely a gorgeous environment. On this trip we attended a men's basketball game with a win against BYU. 

My precious niece and her husband are sponsors of the cheer teams. They purchased seats in the new Foster Pavillion and wanted us to come see her cheer team take the court in the new venue. It is one of the many new buildings on campus. 



Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Sources for Hattie and William Bridges

 In the beginning of my research, I had to find books, census records, websites, libraries, archives, courthouses, cemeteries, interviews, etc.  Research has come a long way, and now I benefit from having a DNA bank. 

I'm very proud that I learned how to do research and documentation the correct way. 

Sources Report:  Harriet Ann Springfield
 
1850 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Springfield.”  (Murray, Georgia, 1850).              Roll: M432_78; Page: 265A; Image: 538.  <Ancestry.com>  accessed April 2013.
 
1860 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Johnson.” (Murray, Georgia, 1860).  
Georgia Militia District 972, Roll: M653_132; Page: 41; Image: 41; Family History Library Film: 803132.  <Ancestry. Com>  accessed April 2013.
 
1870 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Bridges.”  (Militia District 872, Whitfield,
Georgia, 1870).  Roll: M593_183; Page: 160A; Image: 324; Family History Library Film: 545682.  <Ancestry.com>   accessed April 2013.
 
1880 United States Federal Census.  “Harriet Bridges.”  (Dalton, Whitfield,
Georgi,1880). Roll: 171; Family History Film: 1254171; Page: 82B; Enumeration District: 195; Image: 0674.  <Ancestry.com>  accessed April 2013.
 
1900 United States Federal Census.  “Hattie M Bridges.”  (Justice Precinct 8, Collin,
Texas, 1900).   Roll: 1621; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 0023; FHL microfilm: 1241621.  <Ancestry.com>   accessed April 2013.
 
1910 United States Federal Census.   “Hattie A Bridges.”  (Justice Precinct 4, Jones,
Texas, 1910).  Roll: T624_1569; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0140; FHL microfilm: 1375582. <Ancestry.com>  accessed April 2013.
 
Chaney, Charles Claude.  “Aaron Springfield and Descendants.”  15 Jan 2012.
http://www.thegagenweb.com/gawhitfield/bios/springfield/springfield.htm  accessed April 2013.
 
Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
 
Harris, Linda L.  “Card-Kenfield-Ludlow-Harris Connection.”  Rootsweb. 2 March 2007. 
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=llh&id=I17471  accessed April 2013. 
 
Joyce Howard Ellis and Ann Pollard, SPRINGFIELD FAMILY 1739-2001, volume two,
Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, Inc., 2001, page 1237.  Whitfield County GA GenWeb Project. 2010-Present.  Feb 2011.  http://www.thegagenweb.com/gawhitfield/bios/springfield/springfield.htm  accessed April 2013.
 

 

 


Monday, January 15, 2024

My History Sheet of William and Harriet Bridges

 I recorded this information in 2016 with the information that I had then. It has grown substantially since then with the use of DNA. 

 History Sheet for Harriet Ann Springfield
(Those who knew her well called her Hattie.)
 
Compiled by Nancy Quillin Long
Date: March 24, 2013 (updated March 2016)
 
Sources: 
http://www.thegagenweb.com/gawhitfield/bios/springfield/springfield.htm
Charles C Chaney cites the following sources
1. Census. 1860. Murray. GA, Page 41. Dwelling: 275. Family: 271.
2. Allen, Johnnie F. Informant.
3. Census. 1850. Murray. GA, Page 265. Dwelling: 1626. Family: 1626.
4. Vital Records Index-North America, Marriage record of W. L. Bridges & H. A. Springfield.     Family History Library Number 339861. The date is recorded as 2 January 1870.
5. Census. 1860. Murray. GA, Page 41. Dwelling: 275. Family: 271.
6. Census. 1870. Whitfield County, Georgia, Page 160. Dwelling: 375. Family: 371.
7. Whitfield-Murray Counties, GA, Marriage Books, Whitfield County Marriages, Book B (1), shows her name as W. A. Springfield. Z. D. Clark, minister. The date is recorded as 30 Dec 1869.
8. Jr Edward E. Van Schick, SOME GEORGIA COUNTY RECORDS; Greenville, SC: Southern
      Historical Press, Inc, 1997, Volume 6.
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=llh&id=I17471
Website by Linda L Harris
 
I had already found Harriet Springfield and William Lewis Bridges in the Censuses.  These two websites confirmed my research.
 
It is interesting that there is a book about the Springfields. 
Joyce Howard Ellis and Ann Pollard, SPRINGFIELD FAMILY 1739-2001. Captain Thomas Springfield, his wife, Laodicea "Dicey" Langston including His Parents and Siblings And Their Descendants (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, Inc., 2001), volume two.
 
Harriet Ann Springfield was born on 9 Oct 1845 in Murray County, Georgia, to Aaron Springfield and Emaline Rollins Springfield.  Her father, Aaron, died when she was 2 years old so her mother moved back to her parent’s home, also in Murray Co, where they are found in the 1850 census.  There were 3 daughters and Harriet was the middle daughter.  So, in 1850 Harriet, her mother, and her sisters, were living with grandparents, George and Elizabeth Rollins. 
 
Her mother, Emaline, remarried a man named Ransom Johnson who had served as a private in the 34th Regiment of the Georgia infantry Company A in the Civil War.  Harriet was found in 1860 at the age of 15 living with her mother, Emaline, and Ransom Johnson in the Militia District 972 in Murray Co, Georgia, in the Rock Creek area.  Harriet’s oldest sister had moved away so Harriet is the oldest child, followed by her blood sister, Dorcas Elizabeth, and now there were 4 step-siblings as well.  This was a blended family. Harriet was listed as Harriet Johnson.
 
Harriet married William Lewis Bridges when she was 24 years old on 30 Dec 1869 in Whitfield Co., GA.  Prior to their marriage, William had served in the Georgia infantry so in the 1870 census they were living in the Militia District 872 in Whitfield Co. GA.  The first of 12 children was born in 1871, the last in 1890.  Unfortunately, there was a daughter born in 1872 who lived only a year and a son born in 1873 who died when he was 2 months old.  My descendent, Mattie Bell, was the 6th child born, but due to the deaths of 2 children, she was the 4th child listed in the 1870 census.   Mattie’s older brother Hugh had already married Nancy Jane “Janey” Jones and they were living nearby. 
 
In 1880, Harriet and William were living on a farm in Dalton, Whitfield Co., Ga, with 5 young children. Also living with them was a 13-year-old black male name Caasar Rodgers.  The census has him listed as a servant/laborer who can not read or write.
 
By 1900, Harriet and William had moved to Colin Co Texas and still had 6 children living with them, ranging in ages from 24 to 10.   They were living on a farm that was rented and all of the children were listed as farm laborers and indicated that their 24 year old daughter Mary had not been employed in 10 months.  My Mattie Bell had married Martin Harmon Jones and they were renting the farm next to Harriet and William. 
 
Harriet and William had moved to Jones Co Texas by 1910.  They only had their youngest daughter, Lucy age 19, living with them.  Their son George Ezra and his wife Minnie Ola were living on a nearby rented farm.  It appears that William was paying a mortgage to own his farm.  Other children living in Jones Co were Mary Daisy Dwiggins, James Henry Bridges, Bessie May Sims and Carrie Fay Lyles.  It appears that many of them settled in and around Jones and Collin counties, with a few moving eventually to Foard and Taylor counties.
 
The very next year, Harriet died on 25 Jan 1911 at age 65 and William died the following month on 14 Feb 1911 at age 68.  They are both buried in the Stith Cemetery in Jones Co Texas. Their gravestone is quite large.  Below their names is engraved: "They died as they lived trusting God."
                                                                                                                                                                                    


Sunday, January 14, 2024

History Sheet of William L and Hattie A Bridges

 
Taken from the Find-a-Grave website
Created by Sherry Hoffman
Maintained by David M ? (I wonder if he wrote this information?)
The obits were placed by Bambi Lynn Waltrip Bush

History Sheet for William Lewis and Hattie Bridges
 
William Lewis Bridges was born August 29, 1842, in South Carolina. His parents appear to be Jonathan Bridges and Mary Hulda McDonald. The family migrated from South Carolina to western Murray County, Georgia (which later became Whitfield County) around 1845.
 
William enlisted in Company D, 60th Georgia Infantry Regiment (the Whitfield Volunteers) on September 19, 1861. Based on available records, it appears he served for the duration of the war.

William married Mary E Lanham on February 3, 1867, in Whitfield County, Georgia. Their son Charles William Bridges was born December 6, 1867. Mary died of breast cancer on June 6, 1869.

William married Harriet Ann "Hattie" Springfield on January 2, 1870. Harriet was the daughter of Aaron Springfield and Emaline Rollins Springfield. She married William Lewis Bridges on January 2, 1870 in Whitefield County, Georgia. 

In 1871, the family decided to move to Texas, traveling by covered wagon. They had only made it to Alabama, when one of the horses in their team died. They decided to stay in Alabama until they could secure another one. While in Alabama, Hattie gave birth to Hugh Springfield Bridges on June 2, 1871. William went to work for a railroad to raise money for a new horse, but the railroad went bankrupt before he was ever paid so they returned to Georgia near their relatives.
 
While in Georgia, the following eleven children were born:
Little Sister Bridges 26 Aug 1872
John Franklin Bridges 11 Sep 1873
Emma Levanna Bridges 8 Sep 1874
Mary Daisy Bridges 2 May 1876
Mattie Bell Bridges 5 May 1878
Ida Jane Bridges 26 Nov 1879
James Henry "Jim" Bridges 12 Jan 1882
George Ezra Bridges 29 Oct 1883
Bessie May Bridges 18 Jan 1886
Carrie Faye Bridges 25 Oct 1887
Lucy Wright Bridges 3 May 1890
 
Little Sister and John Franklin died as infants. In about 1894, William, Hattie, and seven of their remaining ten children moved to Texas, settling initially on a farm in Grayson County. In 1902 William and Hattie moved to Jones County, northwest of Abilene , where they purchased land and farmed near the town of Stith.
 
Hattie died on January 25, 1911 near Stith. William died just three weeks later also near Stith.

Saturday, January 13, 2024

William L and Hattie BRIDGES Family portrait

 This portrait was sent to me in 2011 by a cousin, Stacy White, who descends from Osa Bridges, son of Hugh Bridges (1871-1956) and Nancy Jane Jones (1879-1966). 
Hugh Springfield Bridges is Mattie Bell Bridges brother.
Nancy Jane Jones is Martin Harmon Jones' sister.
These are the double cousins that I have already posted about on my blog.


LABELED 


Friday, January 12, 2024

Holy City of the Wichitas 1956

Family photos below.

                                                https://www.flickr.com/photos/sillysocks/7775529162

Mother and Daddy loved taking family vacations. These photos are labeled in the 1956 folder of the photo album. I was born in late August, so this trip must have been taken in the fall of 1956. It appears in one photo that Mother is holding me, wrapped in a blanket. Bryan would have been about 10 years old, and Paula would have been 6 years old.
 
I was curious as I did not know any information on the location of these photos. And upon researching the internet, I learned much about this place. It is located in Cache, Oklahoma.  I can definitely see this as a place where Mother and Daddy would have wanted to take their children. We also visited Craterville theme park, located not far from the Holy City. The lake pictures were labeled as Lake Kickapoo, but they do not look like the terrain around that lake. My guess would be that this lake is somewhere in the Wichita Mountains. 

Here is a link to the Holy City of the Wichitas. 
Holy City of the Wichitas

It appears to be the ruins of an ancient city, but it was constructed in 1926 as a place to perform the Passion Play. It was very popular in the 1930s. 






CRATERVILLE AMUSEMENT PARK



CLIMBING THE ROCKS



Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Bridges Family History - Where I Started

As I build this blog, I realize how much family history I have learned in the last 8 years. I thought that with the incorrect "E" on the death certificate that this may be a dead end. But with the use of DNA and another cousin, Stacy White of Dallas, we have been able to substantiate more of our tree. Below is what I wrote in 2016. There will be much more to come. We have "CRACKED" the code 😊

Bridges Family History

 

Unfortunately, I have never been able to "crack the code" on William L. Bridges.  Mattie Bell Bridges, his daughter,  is my link to this family and I knew her as a small child which gave me confidence as I began my research. Records and letters were sent to Lucy Jones Day by Dorothy Autry, Burwell Jones' daughter, and so much was known about all the Bridges' 12 children.  I felt confident that Mattie's father's name was William " L" as I found a hand written marriage document from 1870 and a newspaper article in the Abilene Reporter about a family reunion given by his daughter Lucy Ford dated October 1945, all of which reflects his name as William "L" Bridges.  However, Lucy Day states on Mattie Bell Bridges' death certificate that her father was William "E" Bridges, but I believe that is in error.  And still...others have followed him as William "M" Bridges.   By taking away a middle name, there are MANY William Bridges in documents in the same location during the same time period, including censuses and military listings.  During that period of time, documents do not state other family members which makes it difficult to establish a link.  William's history is given on the History Sheet of Harriet Ann Springfield.  It appears that they were well-to-do upstanding people.

 

Nancy Claire Quillin Long

5 March 2016


Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Martin Frank Jones Remembers Mama and Papa McNair

 My grandparents on my mother’s side were Joe Carroll Jones and Ava Ella McNair. They had 5 children, including my mother, Carolita Jones Quillin. Mother was most interested in helping me gather family information. Her brother, Martin Franklin Jones, was also interested in helping me throughout the years. There will be several Jones Family posts of the information gathered from them.

Recollections from Martin Frank Jones 2013


Papa = Charles Franklin McNair

Mama = Ella Vermell King

Martin Frank said that Papa McNair was called to minister.  He was asked to preach at a revival, and he told himself that if one person came down, he would use that as a sign that he was called to preach.  That night, a person came down to dedicate his life. So, Papa decided to preach a second night and told himself if two people came down, he would know for sure that he had been called to preach. About 10 people dedicated their lives to Christ, and Papa became a minister."

"Papa got involved in the school board elections, and if you were a preacher back in that day, you didn’t do politics or choose sides. I believe this was in Electra. It caused problems, so he moved just across the river to Delhi, Oklahoma."

 Mama McNair -- She had a stroke and was moved to a convalescence home in Vernon. She got bed sores that were very bad, and the family was told that they were going to have to take her legs. Martin remembers going with Hadley and Joe Carroll to Lockett to tell Papa the news and these were Papa’s words: “Ella and I have talked about this, and I know that Ella would want to go to heaven with both legs.”


Monday, January 8, 2024

Martin Frank Jones Tries to Piece Together Jones Family History

 My grandparents on my mother’s side were Joe Carroll Jones and Ava Ella McNair. They had 5 children, including my mother, Carolita Jones Quillin. Mother was most interested in helping me gather family information. Her brother, Martin Franklin Jones, was also interested in helping me throughout the years. There will be several Jones Family posts of the information gathered from them.

Recollections from Martin Frank Jones 2013

Martin Frank had vague memories of Martin Ervin Brooks Jones, and he so wanted to solve the lineage of all the Martin's in the Jones line. I have since been able to solve some of the things...and I also inherited those precious items/slips of paper from MEB's old truck. More to come later.....

"Pappy put up Minerva and MEB’s tombstone. MEB lived on a farm and a rooster flogged Martin (Frank). MEB knocked the rooster off…and that is the only memory that Martin Frank has of MEB.   MEB and Minerva were missionaries to the Indians in Oklahoma (possibly to Indians in Alabama as well.)

Martin Frank remembers is always being said that there was another Martin Jones after the Martin Jones who married Keziah Busby. That older Martin was born in the 1700’s. (I have not proven this.)  Neither of those Martin’s could read and write. Martin Frank said that he has an old trunk somewhere with a slip of paper with a payment for Keziah.  On that slip of paper there is mention of Martin Jones (her husband) and his father, another Martin Jones. (NOT PROVEN) There is some sort of signature on that paper relating those two Martin’s.

Some of that has not proven to be true. I now have these in my possession. To be posted later.

 Martin Jones left Keziah with two young sons.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Mattie Bell Bridges Pedigree Chart

This morning, I found some additions to a Bridges family tree made by Stacy White. We have been in contact before, and she is the one who sent me the picture of the complete family of William Lewis Bridges, Mattie Bell's father. I am still working to connect and research Jonathan Bridges, but it looks promising at this time. Stacy is a cousin from the double cousins in the Bridges/Jones line. Hugh Springfield Bridges was her great grandfather. Hugh was a brother to my grandfather, J.C. Jones, which make us connected as well through the Jones family. (see post about double cousins)

Martin Frank Jones's DNA has now connected me even more in line with Jonathan Bridges and ?Mary? Mariah? Sarah? McDonald. I'm not willing on this date to commit to anything further back. Find a Grave has the same information, and I don't feel that there is any substantial information on the burial of Jonathan. Stacy has some great new information that I will be investigating, along with new DNA connections.

It's interesting that in the last few days, I have found several members of the Bridges family who have been located in institutions for the insane. I surely hate to say this, but at times, as a child I felt that Mattie was a little off. I know that she was demanding of my grandmother, and she was certainly a hypochondriac. She was often thinking that she was going to die, and I remember having to line up and got in to see her to say goodbye. Of course, I just thought that I was saying goodbye for that particular visit to Crowell.  But somehow it just never felt right. hummm...



Pappy's Illness and Last Days

 My grandparents on my mother’s side were Joe Carroll Jones and Ava Ella McNair. They had 5 children, including my mother, Carolita Jones Quillin. Mother was most interested in helping me gather family information. Her brother, Martin Franklin Jones, was also interested in helping me throughout the years. There will be several Jones Family posts of the information gathered from them.

Recollections from Martin Frank Jones 2013

Most of Pappy’s life, he couldn’t bend over because of ear problems.  He had a severe infection as an infant and forever had problems with his ear.  Dr. Clark had told him that infection would get into his brain and spinal cord….and eventually that is exactly what happened.  He died of spiral meningitis.  

 When he was close to the end, Pap began to hallucinate and was violent at times.  Martin was called one day and told, “Come quickly.  Skinny is having a fit to see you.”  When Martin arrived, Pap told him, “I bought a great big machine today.”  Martin just encouraged him and told him that was really good.   In one of Pap’s lucid moments, he explained losing his mind.  He told Martin, “Son, it’s like being in a river and the water is rushing towards you.  It’s coming over you.  I know if it comes over me, I’m ruint.”


Saturday, January 6, 2024

Remembering Martin Harmon Jones and Mattie Bell


 My grandparents on my mother’s side were Joe Carroll Jones and Ava Ella McNair. They had 5 children, including my mother, Carolita Jones Quillin. Mother was most interested in helping me gather family information. Her brother, Martin Franklin Jones, was also interested in helping me throughout the years. There will be several Jones Family posts of the information gathered from them.

Recollections from Martin Frank Jones 2013

Martin remembered that Mattie Bell made the best tea cakes.

 Martin Harman had a cellar…at first it was a dirt cellar with shiplap top (boards overlapping one another).  Then he had a cellar with brick sides and a cement top and floor.  Martin Harmon had a brick he loosened and stored his money there. When he died, it caused a split in the family because all of them except for Pappy wanted to split the money.  Martin Harmon had a grocery bill that he had run up and Pappy wanted to pay off that debt.  This made everyone mad; so eventually, they split the money, but Pappy wouldn’t have any part of the money because of the problems it had created.  Then Pap went and paid the bill out of his pocket.

Martin Frank remembers not being treated very well by Pappy's sister, Lucy, later in life.

 “They were strange people. When I took Mimi to Hale Center for Greta’s funeral, they all (Lucy, Dono, Lora Lee, etc.) ignored Ava (Mimi).  I felt so uncomfortable and wanted to leave, but Mimi insisted on staying. Another time, Mimi wanted to go see Lucy Day and Doris (Mimi's daughter) advised against it.  Mimi went anyway, and no one answered the door, yet Mimi could see someone looking out the window."

My thoughts: Strange what/how people react when estates are settled. 

Martin Harmon Jones and Mattie Bell Bridges Jones 
1946

Friday, January 5, 2024

Recollections of Martin Harmon Jones' Children

My grandparents on my mother’s side were Joe Carroll Jones and Ava Ella McNair. They had 5 children, including my mother, Carolita Jones Quillin. Mother was most interested in helping me gather family information. Her brother, Martin Franklin Jones, was also interested in helping me throughout the years. There will be several Jones Family posts of the information gathered from them.

 Recollections by Martin Frank Jones 2013
These are memories of Martin Harmon and Mattie Bell's children

 William Albert Jones (1898-1956)
Joe Carroll Jones (1902-1972)
George Truett Jone (1908 -  )
Lucy Katherine Jones (1918 - 2003)

Martin Frank remembers sitting with Uncle Ab when he was real sick.  Albert was under an oxygen tent and the kids had to take turns sitting with him at night.  During one of the night stays, Albert asked Martin for a cigarette.  Martin gave him one and when Albert lit it, the whole cigarette went up in flames.

 Albert would always ask him what time it was.  Martin would tell him… “It’s 12:15.”  And Albert would say, “Damn Martin, that’s only 15 minutes later from what you said the last time.”  Evidently, that would go on all night.
 
George, Albert, and Hugh were all supported by Daddy (Joe Carroll).  All 3 drove trucks for Daddy.  Daddy owned the trucks and he then leased them to the State of Tx and did work for the State.  They worked on the highways, specifically Hwy 70 between Vernon and Lubbock.  George and Ab would tear up trucks.  Their trucks were always dinged up, overused and dirty.  They generally broke them down and those trucks always required a lot of repairs because they didn’t take care of them.   These trucks were capable of carrying a ton and a half (or about 3,000 pounds) of freight in their dump beds.  They would always overload them with over 4,000 pounds.  Hugh always took care of his truck.  His truck was always clean and well cared for.
George lived all over and ended up in Houston with an Auto Upholstery Shop
 
Albert had an icehouse in Crowell.  He lived under oxygen at home. When Albert died, Dr. Clark told Martin to go talk with the undertaker.  The undertaker told him that Ab’s lungs looks like the sole of a shoe.  Martin quit smoking after talking with the undertaker.  He had just bought a $1.00 carton of cigarettes and he worked at the Ford dealership there in Crowell.  When he went in to work, he asked his buddy if he wanted the cigarettes.  They guy said, “Sure”.  Martin handed them over and never smoked again.  It took him about 5 years to stop the urge, especially when someone else lit up.

George’s Kids:  Georgie Bell (oldest), Lonnie, Michael “Mike”
 
Hugh’s kids:  AC, Betty Joe, Eddie Hugh, Greta
 
Albert’s kids:  Jaunita (oldest & adopted), Sammye (still alive Fort Sill), Sue (died a long time ago), Billy Don (A farmer was putting in pastureland, getting rid of the mesquites.  There were stumps laying all around and he hired some kids to pick up the stumps.  Billy Don was riding in the back of the truck, fell out, and was killed.)
 
Lucy’s kids:  Donna oldest lived somewhere near Amarillo?; Cheryl and her husband took over the Dono’s butane business.


Left to right: Mattie Bell Bridges Jones, William Albert Jones, Lucy Katherine Jones Day, Joe Carroll Jones, Hugh Springfield Jones, George Truett Jones.

Autumn Season of Life

                                                              1000+ images about Clip art - ClipArt Best - ClipArt Best Autumn is a season o...