Rootbound in the Hills #8: 10 Nov 87

by Rocky Macy

Let's begin this week with a letter. Here's what Waunita BEASLEY (P.O. Box 523, Noel, MO 64854) has to say:

"I think your newspaper is great and I enjoy ROOTBOUND IN THE HILLS very much. Keep up the good work!

"I am working of the families of THOMAS, HOWELL, NOX (KNOX), FULLER, HAWKINS, and COLLINS. I would like to hear from anyone working on these names, or from anyone who has any information on any of the above - no matter how distant.

"Any information will be most welcome, and I will answer all letters as soon as possible. Please help."

It was good to hear from you, Mrs. BEASLEY. How about it, readers? Can you help Mrs. BEASLEY with her surnames?

Last week I promised to run the PRITCHARD lines of Anna Lee PARISH EMANUEL and myself. Her line is as follows:

1. William Richard PRITCHARD (1811-1885)
2. William PRITCHARD (1845-1921)
3. John William PRITCHARD (1876-1954)
4. Winnie PRITCHARD PARISH (1906-1983)
5. Annie Lee PARISH EMANUEL

Anna Lee reports that many of these are buried at the Wann, Lee, and Butler Creek Cemeteries.

Here is my PRITCHARD line:

1. Marshall PRITCHARD (born circa 1791, NY, died after 1870)

2. Eugene Marshall Stanley PRITCHARD (Born 1851, Jacksonville County, AR; married Julia Ann MARTIN 20 Feb 1870, Newton County, MO; died 11 July 1921, Newton County, MO)

3. Lou Ella PRITCHARD (born 5 Dec 1871, Newton County, MO; married William Steven MACY 3 April 1887; died 6 June 1954 in Neosho, MO)

PRITCHARD, (PRICHARD, PRITCHETT) appears to be fairly common in this area. Does anyone have information on these names that might help Anna Lee or me? Let's hear.

Leonard L. DAMRON of Sulphur Springs, AR, had this to say about the McDonald County Library in Pineville:

"The library at Pineville should not be overlooked by the way, this especially if one is only starting to research a line. I was surprised to find the amount of data that they have, and there are many printed census reports on Missouri especially. It's really an impressive facility for such a small community."

I must agree!

Leonard also mentioned a large set of books entitled The War of the Rebellion which may offer some help with regard to Civil War ancestors. Check the last volume first, because it contains the master index. This set is available at the McDonald County Library.

Rootbound Shortcut: Much good genealogical information can be found on death certificates, often including dates of birth and death, name of spouse, and the names of parents. Missouri has death certificates on file beginning January 1st, 1910. A copy of a death certificate may be obtained for $4.00 by writing to the following address and sending as much information as you have (i.e. an approximate date of death and county). State in your request that you are doing genealogical research.

Missouri Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Records
P.O. Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570

I have a list of addresses for all fifty states. Drop me a card if you need one or a few!

Rootbound in the Hills #7: 3 Nov 1987

by Rocky Macy

Well folks, it's over, and a lot of you missed it! The EVERTON's Family Tree Climbing Can be Fun workshop was held at Missouri Southern State College this past week.

Was it worth $23 and the long drive up? Let me put it this way: in addition to what I learned about research methodology in the superior seven-hour presentation by Floren Stocks PREECE and his wife, Phyllis PASTORE PREECE, I also received an extra year's subscription to the Genealogical Helper (a $17 value), a nice lunch, and a door prize valued at $9. Not a bad day!


The book that I won is Shelby County, Tennessee, Marriage Records 1819-1850. That covers the Memphis area. I'll be glad to check it for any of your ancestors who may have migrated through that part of Tennessee. Just drop me a line or two in the mail.

I had lunch with two interesting people. One was Bill CLEVELAND, a Rootbound reader from Lanagan, McDonald County, MO. The other, Shirley KENNEDY (2824 Jefferson, Joplin, MO 64804), supplied a query for our readers. Shirley is researching the CROSSLEY family which resided in McDonald County at one time. In particular, she desires information on William Monroe CROSSLEY who was born in 1849. He married Nancy Elizabeth WHITEHEAD. Shirley is also interested in Isaac CROSSLEY (1842-1887) who married Amanda Jane LANDERS (1842-1924). She reports that the men may have been half-brothers, sons of Marion CROSSLEY. If so, Isaac's mother may have been Cynthia A. DARNEAL, and William's mother's name is unknown. If you think that you can help Shirley with her puzzle, please contact her at the above address - and be sure to mention Rootbound.

Anna Lee PARISH EMANUEL (Rt. 1, Box 39-D, Sulphur Springs, AR 72768) has written to ask about the surname BLEVINS which appeared in the 1860 census of Honeycreek Township. Anna Lee is working on the line of her great-grandmother, Clarissa BLEVINS PRITCHARD (1849-1907) of the Southwest City, McDonald County, MO, area. There are three BLEVINS entries in that particular census. (The number and abbreviation by each name represent the age and state of birth.)

1. BLEVINS, Sarah (52, OH); Malissa (16, MO); Amanda (14, MO); Zemmaree (10, MO); Josephene (5, MO); Washington (5, MO); Burrel (21, MO); Nancy (18, AR), and Malissa (1, MO).

2. BLEVINS, Wm. (40, TN); Lucinda (35, TN); Artamissa (17, MO); Dellion (16, MO); Mary (15, MO); Jackson (14, MO); Wm. (12, MO); Sarah (9, MO); Nancy (7, MO); and Ogesse (2, MO).

3. BLEVINS, Wm. (24, AR); Kissey A.E. (18, AR); Nancy J. (14, AR); and Emely (7, AR).

If any of our readers have information regarding Clarissa, her father, John BLEVINS (1830-1893) or his father, Dodson BLEVINS, Please contact Anna Lee.

Thanks for writing, Anna Lee. We really appreciate your nice comments about Rootbound and this newspaper. I don't see any connection between our PRITCHARDs, but I will try to run both of our lines in the next issue.

Consumer Alert:
At the Joplin workshop, Mrs PREECE discussed some examples of mail fraud which are geared toward genealogists. I won't mention any names here (their lawyers may be sharper than mine), but basically it amounts to computer-generated mail which promises, for a fee, to provide you with a book or valuable information about your family tree, a family crest or coat of arms, or a way to get rich quick by helping others with genealogy. The specific companies that she cited all claimed to be ordinary housewives who had uncovered something of value about your ancestry and would share it for a price. Mrs. PREECE reported that the two most notorious of these con artists were not housewives at all, but actually men. Buyer beware!

Send your inquiries to Rootbound in the Hills at this newspaper.

Rootbound in the Hills #6: 27 Oct 1987

by Rocky Macy

ROOTBOUND's friend, Leonard L. DAMRON (Rt. 1, Box 118, Sulphur Springs, AR 72768) has supplied two more interesting letters. I'll print the shorter one verbatim this week, and excerpt from the other over the next few issues.

Dear Rocky,

The Cherokee that are of interest to me are those who voluntarily removed into what is now southwest Missouri. This was in 1795 and with the permission of the Spanish who held this land at the time. These Cherokee later removed within the confines of the White and Arkansas rivers. I have been able to establish that there was a group of these who took up residence in the vicinity of what is now Goshen, Arkansas. There were several marriages among these Cherokee and some Whites.

Some of the Cherokee in this general grouping removed to Texas, this under the good auspices of Sam HOUSTON, whose wife was incidentally a Cherokee. It was while Sam HOUSTON was in Washington, this on business of Texas, that AUSTIN, who hated Indians, took advantage of the situation and put LAMAR onto these Cherokee. LAMAR chased them into the western part of what is now Oklahoma, where he killed many, including "THE BOWL" who was their War Chief. This War Chief is not to be confused with the Scot who was names BOWLES. As these Cherokee resided outside of Oklahoma, they do not appear on the DAWES rolls. If fact, there appears to be little known about them outside of the fact that they existed and did make the movements that I have shown here. I have at least been unable to find more than this regarding them.

I would appreciate any information, other than appears here, regarding these particular Cherokee.

Sincerely,
Lenonard L. DAMRON

Do we have readers who are actively researching Cherokee lines? Leonard and I would both like to hear from you.

Here are some more surnames from the 1860 McDonald County Census. There were listed in the Elk River (Noel) Township. Let me know if you would like the complete census entry on any of the names.

BROWN, BOOTH, PRICE, SMITH, WITT, GREEN, WILKERSON, RADY, THURMAN, BELL, ADAMS, DUENSBERRY, McBRIDE, McMILLEN, DEGRAFENREED, SHERMAN, SEABOURN, CAMPBELL, LANE, MITCHEL, PALMER, ANDERSON, BOLIN, BLYTHE, RODGERS, POUNDS, BARNES, SUTHERLAND, SKINNER, GRACE, CORK, WHEELER, HOPKINS, CUMMING, PERSON, WALKER, CRAWFORD, HOWENTEN, LOVE, KINCANNON, JINKINS, CULP, BEAVER, SISCO, HICKSFIELDS, DOBBS, MORRIS, OWEN, and CRABTREE.

Common surnames can be very hard to trace. These are some of those "tough guys" that reside in my file: ELLIS and COOK (northwest Arkansas); and MARTIN and GRIFFITH (southwest Missouri). Is anyone out there shaking one of those trees?

ROOTBOUND SHORTCUT: (Courtesy of Leonard DAMRON)
Social security numbers are an excellent way to get started in genealogy. As this program started in 1935, you will find that in many cases social security file information can take you back into the mid-1800's. Those who applied for a social security card listed, among other things, their parents and where they were born. Address inquires to: Social Security Administration, Box 57, Baltimore, MD 21203.

Rootbound in the Hills #5: 20 Oct 1987

by Rocky Macy

Almost every library has materials on genealogy and local history. Some are, of course, better stocked than others. A case in point is the surprisingly good genealogy section in the McDonald County Library at Pineville.

Mrs. Zella Mae COLLIE has assembled a substantial collection of reference works that are of benefit to genealogists and family historians. The books she has collected are arranged alphabetically by county and state so as to allow for easy use. (Most can be found easily without making tedious trips to the card catalogue.) Copies of several good periodicals are also available.

One outstanding feature of the McDonald County Library is the extensive obituary collection. Mrs. COLLIE has been clipping obituaries from the local papers for the past ten years. She puts them on index cards and sorts the cards into an easy-to-use file. The obituary file also contains numerous death notices from earlier papers. It is an invaluable genealogical aid.

Another fine aspect of the library at Pineville is the section on the history of the Cherokee Indians. Several good books are shelved in the collection, including the twelve-volume Our People and Where They Rest by James TYNER and Alice TYNER TIMMONS. Record compilation on the Cherokee Nation Census of 1890, aw well as birth, death, and marriage notices for 1884-1901 are also a part of this collection. It's a great place to start digging for your Indian roots!

Did any of your ancestors arrive in McDonald County before the Civil War? Browse through the following surnames found in the 1860 census of McDonald County (Honey Creek Township - the Southwest City area) and see what you find:

HALL, SLOAN, WARE, DODSON, BLEVINS, TINER, SMITH, VANPOOL, JACKSON, BLURTON, PARIS, SHELL, SCOTT, THOMPSON, CAMPBELL, GHOLSTON, CHILDERS, BOYD, DEPRIEST, CAUNCE, STOKES, NEELEY, SHIELDS, WILLIAMS, MOORE, ROBERTSON, MERRILL, ALLEN, HAMBLIN, FIELDS, PACK, CALDWELL, CROUCH, McGEE, LIVASEY, PLAINTER, and VAUGHN.

The 1860 census provides names of all persons residing in each household as well as their ages and states or countries of birth. Drop me a card at this newspaper if you would like a copy of the complete entry (or entries) of any of the last names mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Who out there is working on the ROARK surname? We need to get together and compare information. The same goes for you PRITCHARD researchers.


ROOTBOUND SHORTCUT:Remember that box of old photos gathering dust on the top shelf of the closet. Get them down and see what you've got. You may be surprised to find genealogical tidbits written on the backs of some of the pictures. The photos themselves are valuable family records that need to be labeled, cared for, and preserved.

Rootbound in the Hills #4: 13 Oct 1987

by Rocky Macy

There were a couple of letters for "Rootbound" in the old mailbag this week. This may turn into one of those columns that just writes itself. (Eat your heart out, Dan SHORT!)

Leonard L. DAMRON (Rt. 1, Box 118, Sulphur Springs, AR 72768) wrote to inform "Rootbound" readers about his extensive research on the DAMRON / DAMERON / DAMERELL etc. surname. His work primarily deals with descendants of immigrant Lawrence DAMERON who had a land grant in Northumberland County, VA, in 1652. Mr. DAMRON states that he can trace and prove nearly all persons having these surnames back to Lawrence DAMERON.

There were DAMRONs/DAMERONs/DAMERELLs, etc. in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas as early as 1820 according to Mr. DAMRON. Obviously, descendants of these early settlers may still live in this area. Mr. DAMRON will provide information to possible descendants for an SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope). (Please include as much information as possible whenever writing to anyone for research assistance - and always include that SASE!)

Mr. DAMRON has compiled two books on DAMRON etc., and he is currently working on a third. He is also doing extensive research on the surnames CARVER and FERGUSON.

Mary AMOS (Rt. 1, Box 73, Colcord, OK 74338) submitted the following:

Sirs:
I'm very interested in knowing more about any of the AMOS family mentioned in your column of Sept. 29.

Do you have any information on the Southern Army?

Would you have time to talk to a couple of history/genealogy nuts if we came to Southwest City - Noel, or wherever you are located?

We enjoyed your paper. It's a more professional looking paper than a couple we now subscribe for. The lady working at the S&P Grocery Store at Sandusky sent this issue to me. (Sandusky, OK, or Tonneice as it is also called, is east of Colcord and west of Gentry, AR)

Yours truly,
Mary AMOS

Many thanks for writing. Let me begin by saying "thanks" for the nice comments about this newspaper. A small band of dedicated individuals literally work day and night to bring this publication to the tri-state readership. Enjoy it - and tell your friends.

The listing in the 1890 Special Veteran's Census that you asked about was: AMOS, William H., MSM Cav.

Military and pension records may be obtained by writing to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and asking for the appropriate request form. They will advise you as to the current fee.

I don't have information on the Confederate Army, but some information is available in the local libraries. The Consolidated Index to Confederate Veterans' Compiled Military Service Records is available at the LDS Library in Salt Lake City, and it may be ordered through LDS branch libraries. There is an LDS Branch Library on Indiana Avenue across from the high school in Joplin, MO. As of last month it was open all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. That's a long drive from Colcord, so I'd call first.

Here is some information on the AMOS surname in McDonald County. There is a W. AMOS buried in the Southwest City Cemetery. The tombstone dates are Dec. 8, 1865-Feb. 1, 1926. Lee W. AMOS is buried at Fairview Cemetery. His dates are Sept. 7, 1874-Nov. 8, 1904. Also, three children of W.H. (possibly the Civil War vet mentioned earlier) and G.L. AMOS are buried at Fairview. They are: David (Apr. 2, 1877-June 6,1878), William G. (May 29, 1871-March 1873), and Sarah A. )May 16, 1872-Oct. 22, 1875)/ Fairview Cemetery is located near the Oklahoma line in northern Prairie Township. Anderson Cemetery has Irene O. AMOS (1882-1930), and, on the same stone, Charles R. AMOS (1882-1962).

If any of our readers are working with the AMOS surname, drop Mary a note at Colcord. Cousins helping cousins - that's what it's all about!

(Closing note: My apologies to those of you who have dropped by our newspaper office to talk genealogy and not found me there. Weekends are about the only opportunity I have to be at the office, and then the management usually has me chained to a table in the darkroom. So, for the time being at least, I'm hard to catch. Put your questions and comments in the mail, and I'll try my darnedest to answer each and every one. Happy Hunting!

Keep those letters coming to Rootbound in the Hills at this newspaper.

Rootbound in the Hills #3: 6 Oct 1987

by Rocky Macy

What a kick! Somebody out there is listening!

Mr. and Mrs. Russell CLAY of Kansas City, Missouri, stopped by the office of this newspaper last Friday to make an inquiry about the surname CLAY which was listed in the 1890 Veterans Census that I mentioned in last week's column. Russell's grandfather was Nicholas CLAY. They knew that he was a Union soldier who had served in Ohio. Russell and his wife related that Nicholas had moved to Kansas after the Civil War, and that while in Kansas he had lost his wife and two young children to smallpox. Nicholas had then apparently remarried and lived in southwest Missouri for a time. He died in 1898 and is thought to be buried in Cherryvale, Kansas. Their question was, of course, could the CLAY mentioned in the 1890 Veterans Census be their CLAY.

Well, Gang, score one for Rootbound. The CLAY listed as a veteran in Prairie Township (Southwest City area) is indeed a Nicholas Clay. Unfortunately, the information given is scant. The entry states only "36 OH". That is a reference to his military unit. Russell CLAY can now send for military records, and they can begin searching land records in McDonald County with some certainty that their ancestor was in the Southwest City vicinity circa 1890. If anyone has more information on Nicholas CLAY, please send it to me at this newspaper and I will relay it on to Russell and his wife.

ROOTBOUND SHORTCUT:Many clues to family history can be found in cemeteries. Tombstones often contain dates of birth and death, the name of the spouse, and occasionally even the military unit with which the deceased served. Tombstone information provides the clues necessary for locating vital records. More on that later.

DON'T MISS THIS:
A "Family Tree Climbing Can Be Fun" genealogy workshop conducted by EVERTON Publishers will be held at the Billingsly Student Center at Missouri Southern State College on Tuesday, October 27, 1987. The workshop, one of a series done nationally by Evertons each year, will last from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. the cost prior to October 15 is $22, or $23 at the door. The admission includes lunch, a discount on materials, access to the Everton computer files, and a one-year subscription to "The Genealogical Helper" - the finest (I think) publication of its kind in existence. Reservations may be made by sending a check to the Joplin Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 152, Joplin, MO 64802. (Tell them that you read about it in Rootbound!) See you there.

Rootbound in the Hills #2: 29 Sep 1987

by Rocky Macy

Every ten years the United States government canvasses the population and and records much information that is invaluable to family researchers. These canvasses, or censuses as they are commonly known, are released for public scrutiny seventy-five years after they have been completed. To date, the census records for 1790-1910 have been opened to the public. Copies of the censuses for the various counties are available at or through your local library.

One regular census is not available. Most of the 1890 census was destroyed by a fire. In lieu of that important record, many genealogists us the 1890 Special Federal Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Veterans of the Civil War. That document also mentions some Confederate soldiers. In reviewing my copy, I thought that it might be of interest to readers of this newspaper to list some of the surnames (family names) that are recorded. The following are the last names of individuals who are listed as living in Prairie Township (Southwest City, MO, and vicinity) in 1890:

McLOVE, McCURRY, SMITH, GRAFTON, ROSEBERG, SEBASTIAN, JOHNEY, BOAN, HEMBREE, CLAY, NICHOLS, BLEDSOE, SEABORN, DRY, THOMAS, EDWARDS, RICHARDSON, TABLER, OLDER, MORTON, BREECH, CASTLE, HOWE, HUNT, HOLLIWAY, NELSON, DODD, FARRIN, TURNER, MOUNT, JENKS, LAMAR, BRYAND, SHELL, STROUD, GRATTIS, TURNER, OBRYANT, DAY, AMOS, FRANCIS, RHODES, MOROW, FOLEY, McGEHEE, PRYOR, CLARK, STEPHENS, and SIKES.

The following surnames were recorded for Saratoga Township, with several having addresses in Southwest City and Noel, MO:

MOSS, COOKERLY, THOMAS, NEWMAN, LORE, STEEL, GIST, CATES, LEGG, WILLHELMS, MEDLIN, YOUNG, PALMER, BOLIN, EDISON, SUTTER, SUTER, BRYSON, RAY, KENNEY, CARPENTER, SMITH, COOK, MOORE, TATMAN, BROWN, WORDEN, WAYT, PEACOCK, WALDREN, ROOKSTOOL, WILLSON, WILLSHELMS, DENNIS, SHOCKLEY, KIRK, NEWKIRK, WEBSTER, and HAZELBAKE.

If you would like to know the complete information on any of these names, please drop me a card at this newspaper.

ROOTBOUND SHORTCUT: A smart way to begin family tree research is to interview older family members. These people are often a wealth of information. Prepare a list of good questions before the interview, and, if possible, use a tape recorder so small details won't become lost. You'll be glad later that you took the time to ask questions and listen - and so will your descendants.

Rootbound in the Hills #1: 22 Sep 1987

by Rocky Macy

A friend of mine has a bumper sticker proudly proclaiming "I'm a Genealogy Bug". She's not alone. Commanding the interest of only the most academic sorts a decade ago, genealogy has rocketed through the ranks to become the third most popular hobby in the country today, trailing only coin and stamp collecting.

What is this "Bug" that is having such a massive impact on the spare time of Americans? Basically, genealogy is the study of family history. Genealogists research family lines, record stories and history, and plot family lineages onto ever-expanding family trees. It is easy to spot these enthusiasts because they generally stoop and squint (from spending long hours bent over the microfiche machines in the library), and they like to pepper their conversations with sporadic references to spicy documents like immigration records and death certificates.

The powers that be of this newspaper have granted me some space to explore genealogy on a local basis. Though admittedly not an expert, I have a decent library of genealogical materials, an adequate knowledge of local sources, and an extensive background of personal root digging. I'll share what I know, and try my best to answer your questions. Anyone who is interested in local or family history is invited to become a regular reader and participate in this column. Please send your queries or comments to me at this newspaper.

Allow me to close with a word of caution: Genealogy, even in small doses, can be highly contagious. BEWARE OF THE BUG!