Rootbound in the Hills #76 7 Mar 1989

by Rocky Macy

Who says that a person has to be retired to hunt ancestors? Some of our readers might be surprised to learn that the Boy Scouts now offer a merit badge in genealogy. Rootbound salutes those fine young men for tackling a different kind of adventure! (And isn't it a comfort to know that the next time a scout steps forward to help me across the street, we'll have something to talk about!)

M.L. WALTERS (119 Faircrest Dr., DeSoto, TX 75115) is tracking his KRAKAU/CRACAW lineage through southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri, and on back into Iowa and Ohio. Charles F. KRAKAU (born 1863) moved with his family ca. 1909 from Oswego, KS, to the area around Nevada, MO. His mother's maiden name was ROMIG, and M.L. WALTERS reports that he has extensive history on the ROMIG family back through 1669. M.L. would like to hear from any cousins who might have remained in the Ozarks.

Cherokee Blood: Lillian REID GRAY (1702 Cedar Crest Dr., Abliene, TX 79601) wishes to correspond with descendants of Benjamin COOPER and his Cherokee wife, Pretty-Girl. One of their granddaughters, Susanna ENGLAND EDMONDS, was living in Southwest City, MO, in 1907. Susanna was a daughter of Joseph ENGLAND and Sabra COOPER.

Benjamin and Pretty-Girl had another daughter, Mary A., who married Thompson SINYARD in Gilmer County, GA. The SINYARDS, along with children Jane and Andrew, arrived in Indian Territory on 30 May 1834. Mary died in Indian Territory, and Thompson and the children returned to Gilmer County, GA, in time to be included in the 1850 census with his second wife, Catherine BEARDEN. Daughter Jane SINYARD married a Mr. SIMS. She died in 1861 in Gilmer County, GA. Two of Janes sons, Thomas A. SIMS and James M. SIMS, were living with their families in Arkansas in 1907.

Lillian REID GRAY (address above) is also on the trail of John K. BURTON who was born ca. 1789 in North Carolina. John was the son of David BURTON and Susanna SIMPSON. John married Jane FOSTER in Franklin County, IN, and he moved to Barry County, MO, as a widower ca. 1840 John K. BURTON married Elizabeth BRADLEY on 7 July 1850. John was supposedly killed in his own home in 1862 by the Union troops of Maj. MOORE.

Lillian has been unable to locate a copy of Goodspeed's 1888 History of Barry County, Missouri, but a family source has told her that the book relates the following on page 75:

"Mr. DRAKE of the Fountain and Journal of Mount Vernon states that he heard Maj. MOORE make a charge that BURTON succored bushwhackers."

Lillian would like to learn if Maj. MOORE or his men were ever brought to trial for the murder of her ancestor. If not, why not? Who among our local historians can assist Lillian?

Earline RUMSEY (2411 South 61st #1-1, Temple, TX 76502) would like to correspond with any of our readers who have a TENNYSON (TENNISON) line in Carroll County, AR, during the 1850's. Any takers?

Regular correspondent Janet K. PEASE (10310 West 62nd Place, Apt. 202, Arvada, CO 80004) is seeking information on Rosan POINTS who was listed in the 1880 census as being a six-year-old orphan living with the G.H. JACKSON family in Kings' Prairie Township, Barry County, MO. Rosan's first husband was John W. FAULKNER, whom she married in Stone County, MO, in 1893. Her second husband was George TILLEY. She was residing at Jones, Oklahoma County, OK, ca. 1936. Do any of our readers have information to share with Janet regarding Rosan POINTS or her husbands?

Last week I mentioned the Genealogy Friends of the Library of Neosho. Those interested in joining this fine group should contact Phyllis CHANCELLOR HOLLEY (507 West Hickory, Neosho, MO 64850). Dues are seven dollars annually, and the meetings are held the second Monday evening of each month in the City-County Library. Their excellent newsletter is my favorite reading material - next to Rootbound, that is!

Happy trails!