Sunday, March 2, 2008

Rootbound in the Hills #10:
24 Nov 87

by Rocky Macy

The Rootbound mailbag this week had a nice letter from Lynda DAVIS(DUNLAP) MOORE (118 New York, Holton, KS 66436) concerning ancestors of hers who once lived in the Southwest City area.

Lynda's g-g-grandparents were John DUNLAP and Sarah NICHOLS DUNLAP. Their son, William James DUNLAP, was born in Southwest City on 5 November 1851. He married Minerva Jane READ in or around Webb City, MO, on 2 September 1875. John DUNLAP (the g-g-grandfather) may have had a brother or a son named Joseph. Lynda's DUNLAPs left tracks in Southwest City, Webb City, Joplin, and Clinton, MO, Fayetteville, AR, and Holton, KS.

I have found two tidbits that might be of help to Lynda. The 1890 Special Federal Census of Union Veterans had one entry from Webb City's 4th Ward:
DUNLAP, John 3 CO Cav

The second tidbit is that there are two DUNLAPs buried at the Southwest City Cemetery:
DUNLAP, JE 31 January 1833 - 8 September 1907
DUNLAP, Helen A. 4 October 1837- 26 March 1902

Could J.E. be Joseph, a brother to John?

Our good readers in Southwest City need to help Lynda on this one. Perhaps someone from the NICHOLS family can provide information on her ancestry.

Dorene STILES, one of the best people in Noel, brought by a booklet which contained information on the PRITCHARD family. The booklet, actually a magazine, is titled Benton County Pioneer (Vol. 7, No. 5, July 1962) and was published by the Benton County, AR, Historical Society. The particular article that Dorene wanted to share is Old Spanish Treasure Cave, Part II by Pauline BLANKENSHIP PRITCHARD CARNELL. (Mrs. CARNELL, a resident of Jane, MO, is well known throughout McDonald County and the surrounding area for her interest in local history.)

The article by Mrs. CARNELL focuses not only on early Sulphur Springs, AR, (1908-1911), but on several early families in Benton County as well. Prominently mentioned are Jacob and Mary Jane (BEACH) HARRIS and family, William and Eliza Jane PRITCHARD and family, and members of the SHAIN and GRINSTEAD families.

Mrs. CARNELL's PRITCHARDs aren't connected to mine, but they do seem to belong in the line of Anna Lee PARISH EMANUEL who wrote a couple of weeks ago. I'm sending her a copy of the piece in case she doesn't have one in her family file.

Thanks, Dorene, for sharing this information. Thanks also to Pauline CARNELL for doing such a thorough job in preserving this important local history.

More Noise:
Last week I was a bit critical of the Missouri Legislature (class of 1981-82) for raising the fee for copies of death certificates by 400%. No sooner had my harangue gone to press than I received a letter from Margaret W. EMERSON, President of the Joplin Genealogical Society. Margaret informed me that the state of Missouri has placed another obstacle on the path of genealogical research. It now appears that when you order a copy of a death certificate (at $4.00 a whack!) from Jefferson City, a new, short form certificate is supplied unless you specifically request a long form.

The shorter version leaves out much necessary information such as names of the deceased's parents and place of burial. As such, it is nearly worthless for genealogical purposes. That means (please stay with me here) the unsuspecting researcher may spend $8.00 for one certificate - $4.00 for the short form, and another $4.00 for the one they should have received in the first place!

Margaret comments, "It would seem that our policy makers dreamed up this short form just to make extra work and deprive genealogists of the information we need. I think is is something that needs checking into. Before long there will be no proof for individuals desiring to join the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), SAR (Sons of the American Revolution), or other lineage based organizations."

Margaret, something does need to be done. I'm sending a copy of your letter and one of my own to the legislators that I know. Perhaps your members and some of our readers will do the same. (Those too bashful to write should clip this column and send it. They'll get the idea!)

Happy hunting!

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