Monday, March 31, 2008

Rootbound in the Hills #26:
22 Mar 1988

by Rocky Macy

This week the postman brought a letter from Mrs. Anna COOPER (P.O. Box 272, Wheaton, MO 64874). She is researching the family of George Washington NICHOLS and Martha OAKS (OCHE). George Nichols was born in 1827 and died in 1897. He is buried in the Rocky Comfort Cemetery in Hiwasse, AR. George's wife, Martha, was born in 1829 in Kentucky and died in 1908. She is buried in Cherryvale, KS. The couple's children were Milar, Jane, William, and Tom. Mrs. COOPER's husband is a descendant of the NICHOLS family. She would appreciate any assistance which Rootbound readers may be able to offer.

Here is another query from Raymond E. JEFFERIES (c/o Jeff-Gen Research, P.O. 369, Pea Ridge, AR 72751). He is seeking information about Dr. Israel STANIFORD and Amanda HUFFACRE who were reportedly married at or around Neosho, MO, year unknown. Dr. STANIFORD may be buried in the vicinity of Bella Vista, AR, and Amanda is reported to be buried around Southwest City, MO. Perhaps some of our Neosho readers will be able to help with this one.

Mention was made in last week's Rootbound of the Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society and its excellent quarterly publication, The Backpacker. Persons desiring more information about this group may write to the Society at P.O. Box K, Rogers, AR 72757. Membership dues are $9 per calendar year, and copies of The Backtracker may be purchased individually for $2.50 each. Not only do members get The Backtracker free, but they are also entitled to three fifty-word queries in each issue at no charge.

Rootbound's good friend, Naomi F. MILLER ORTIZ of Bartlesville, OK, forwarded a copy of a genealogy column which appears in The Daily Oklahoman each Saturday. The column welcomes brief, free ancestral queries from or about Oklahomans, with priority to those citing specific people, places, and times. Queries should be sent to Mary GODDARD, The Daily Oklahoman, Box 25125, Oklahoma City, OK 73125. And when you write, tell Mary that you read about her column in Rootbound!

Vera H. MURPHREE (778 Dorothy St., Chula Vista, CA 92011) appears to be tracking the same POE line that spawned Comfort POE ROARK, matriarch of most of the ROARKs in this area. She believes, as do I, that Comfort was the daughter of William POE. William had a twin brother named Johnson POE. Unsubstantiated information that I have collected from other researchers indicates that William was born 15 April 1778 in NC and died on 16 April 1855 in Allen County, KY. William was married twice. His first wife was Sarah ROARK, and wife number two was Delaney AUSTIN. It is unclear as to which wife would have been the mother of Comfort. William and Johnson were probably sons of Benjamin POE who was born on 14 Aug 1749 in Culpepper County, VA and died in late 1839 in Allen County, KY. Do any of our readers have a family Bible or other documents which might shed some light on all of this speculation? If you do, please share it with Rootbound.

Rootbound Shortcut: Prepare a list of surnames that you are researching, and stuff a copy in each genealogical letter that you send out. I sent my surnames list to Annabelle E. CHANDLER of Meadow Vista, CA, after running her BRUNNER query in Rootbound a few weeks ago. She noticed a couple of names of interest and wrote back. It turns out that we share a good bit of common lineage. She has provided me with information about our BRACKIN and STALCUP lines that I didn't have, and it looks as though I also have data which she needs. And it all began with a surname list! (When you get your surname list put together, send it to Rootbound and we'll publish it!)

Happy trails!

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