Monday, June 2, 2008

Rootbound in the Hills #115:
5 Dec 1989

by Rocky Macy

Rootbound readers were quick to respond with the locations of Pond and Sunset, AR. Perhaps somebody will now be able to pinpoint the community of Wagon Gap. Please read on...

Mrs. Debbie FERGUSON (P.O. Box 850701, Yukon, OK 73085) is searching for anyone who might know the ancestry of her grandmother's parents, Ben WINTERS and Polaska ROSS. Debbie's grandmother, Mary Gertrude WINTERS, was born 28 Sep 1892 in Wagon Gap, AR, and died 4 Jan 1984 in Oklahoma City, OK. She married Cecil Earl ALBERTY on 11 Oct 1913.

Ben and Polaska died when Mary Gertrude was a very young girl, and she and her sister, Lena, were sent to an orphan's home in Anadarko, OK. The rest of the children were split up. Known children of Ben and Polaska WINTERS include Joe WINTERS (died circa 1949), Lena (married George HUDSON, died at Chickasha, OK), Tom (last known residence was Grand Junction, CO), Dove (married Perley HOWELL), Katherine, and Mary Gertrude.

Debbie FERGUSOM (address above) will answer all correspondence regarding her WINTERS ancestry. In addition to gathering family data, she would also like to locate Wagon Gap. It's time to drag out those old road maps and gazetteers!

Sharon GEORGE (209 Old Wire Road, Springdale, AR 72764) is tracing the WILSON family of Cassville, Barry County, MO. Hugh L. WILSON married Marinda C. CLARK in 1827 in Carter County, TN. He married his second wife, Nancy M. STOCKTON, in 1860 in Barry County, MO. Hugh apparently came from Tennessee to Barry County in 1855.

Hugh and Marinda's WILSON's children were James (born 1829, married Nancy GALLANT), Sarah (born 1830, married John GALLANT), Samuel J. (born 1833), Daniel J. (born 1836, married Martha E. _____), Rebecca C. (born 1838, married Samuel J. MOORE), John T. (born 1843, died June 1864 in the Civil War), Ezekeal S. (born 1844, married 1. Caroline BROCK, and 2. Nancy EVENS), Thomas C. (born 1846), and Martha A. (born 1848, married Ausenary BROCK).

James and Sarah and their families remained in McMinn County, TN, while the other siblings migrated with their parents to Barry County, MO. After James' death in 1870, his son, James H., brought Nancy to Washignton County, AR. She resided in Spring Valley and is buried in the Spring Valley Cemetery. John and Sarah GALLANT also came to Arkansas, but Sharon can find no trace of them after 1880. Can some of our readers help Sharon GEORGE with her Ozark ancestry?

Yvonne E. PUTMAN (2591 Paso Robles Street, Oceano, CA 93445) is searching for information on the ancestry of Anna (or Annie) J. TUCK. She was born on 12 April 1861 in Benton County, AR, and died 6 Nov 1947 in Salem, OR. Anna married Isiah SEAMSTER circa 1877. Isiah was born 10 June 1858 in Schuyler County, MO, the son of Willaimson Shaw and Susan (RIGSBY) SEAMSTER. Anna's death certificate states that her father was John TUCK (born AR). It is likely that the family once lived in the Rock Springs area of Barry County, MO. Yvonne will acknowledge all assistance.

Jacqueline FRANK STRICKLAND (305 Meadowdale, Rockwall, TX 75087) is researching her husband's ancestor, W.C. YOUNG (born 12 April 1836, IL) who married Matilda MOULTON (born 19 Mar 1839, OH). One of the daughters, Ida Mae YOUNG, was born in Greenfield or Everton, MO. Ida May married Albert W. CREWS (born IL), and their oldest child, Ethel B. CREWS, was born 27 Mar 1897 in Aurora, MO, before the family moved to Oklahoma City, OK. Are any of our Rootbound readers working a YOUNG or CREWS line? If so, get in touch with Jacqueline.

Jacqueline FRANK STRICKLAND also noted in her letter that she is a descendant of Thomas MACY who was born in 1608 in Chilmark, England. Thomas was one of the original white settlers on Nantucket Island. That makes Jacqueline a cousin of this columnist as well as a cousin of every SREAVES in the Ozarks. For more information on the interesting lineage of Thomas MACY, write to Rootbound in the Hills in care of this newspaper.

Until next week...happy trails!

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