Tombstone Tuesday

ELIZABETH B. HEDRICK

JUNE 25, 1862

SEPT. 20, 1952

Viranda Elizabeth "Betty" Bean was born 25 Jun 1862 in Waiteville, Monroe County, West Virginia to William McHarvey Bean and Margaret Smith Perkins. She was one of eight children born to the couple.

Betty married James Joseph Hedrick [1859-1934] on 01 Jun 1879 in Monroe County. The couple had eleven children.

Betty died 20 Sep 1952 in Greenbrier County. She is buried at Salem Cemetery, Organ Cave, West Virginia next to her husband.

Maintenance Monday

Doing away with the negative connotations of "Madness Monday", I am now choosing to not blog a regular post on Monday's, instead using that day to gather up all the loose ends and provide maintenance to either my own research, or that of my clients.

I hope you will join with me in providing a "Maintenance Monday" for your own home or business office!

We will of course, return to our regularly scheduled postings tomorrow!

Sentimental Sunday

Betty Louise Rotge

age 16

ca: 1946

B: 30 Aug 1930

D: 05 Jul 2003

SNGF - On Saturday Afternoon!

Many thanks to Randy Seaver over at GeneaMusings  for this great, and fun!, challenge!

"It's Saturday Night - is everyone ready for some Genealogy Fun?


Your mission, should you decide to accept it (and I hope that you do... because this one is really cool!), is to:

1) Go to the www.ImageChef.com website and explore their FREE offerings. Click on the "Create" button, or choose to make a slideshow or posters from their main page (there are more than one screen of poster backgrounds).

2) Make one or more posters or other creation - perhaps they relate to genealogy or your own family history. Save them to your computer (right click, Save as Picture for Windows users).

3) Show your creations to us... in your own blog post, on a Facebook post, etc. If you make a really neat one and want to show it to the world but don't have a way to do it, send it to me (rjseaver@cox.net) and I'll show it off for you in a blog post."

Well, I'm in a bit of a hurry, so here's what I made over at ImageChef.com:

Surname Saturday

Today we will take a look at my husband's Pettie line.

1. Johnnie Lee HENRY son of Joseph Wright HENRY and Betty Louise Rotge was born in San Antonio, Bexar Co, TX.



2. Joseph Wright HENRY son of William Lee HENRY and Emma Louise PETTIE was born on 20 Sep

1927 in Fulton County, KY. He died on 16 Nov 1993 in Batesville, Panola, Mississippi.

3. Betty Louise Rotge daughter of John Cornelius ROTGE and Ora Lee Sparks was born on 30 Aug
1930 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. She died on 05 Jul 2003 in Jourdanton, Atascosa, Texas.



4. William Lee HENRY son of Sterling Price HENRY and Fannie UNKNOWN was born on 17 Jul 1892

in Cayce, Fulton, Kentucky. He died on 24 Jan 1965 in Fulton, Fulton, Kentucky.

5. Emma Louise PETTIE daughter of Timothy Martin PETTIE and Elizabeth Ann WILLIAMS was born
on 16 Jun 1895 in Columbus, Hickman, Kentucky. She died in Aug 1985 in Fulton, Fulton, Kentucky.



10. Timothy Martin PETTIE was born in Jul 1854 in Tennessee. He died between 1910-1920.


11. Elizabeth Ann WILLIAMS daughter of Jessie H. WILLIAMS and Rebecca wifeofJessieWilliams was
born in Feb 1854 in Kentucky. She died after 1930.


Unfortunately, here is where our Pettie information has ran cold and we have hit a brick wall. I am determined, however, to break through this wall, and find Timothy Pettie's parentage!

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to Leaf, Stem, Branch, and Root.

I have been receiving this blog's posts through a feeder for a while now, and am thoroughly enjoying it!

The author, Kevin, has this to say on his profile: "For almost as long as I can remember, I have been interested in "old things." As I grew up, this interest was directed in various directions - old coins, old stamps, and so forth until it finally settled in genealogy and family history. Aside from the Lord and my family, genealogy and mathematics are my greatest interests. I also enjoy early Texas history and early American history."

I especially enjoy Kevin's old photograph's of his family! What wonderful portraits he includes in his varied posts!

He has also included some lovely old letters, which are transcribed, as well as shown in their original writing!

This is an enjoyable look into another family's search for it's origins and past, and I am sure you are going to enjoy Leaf, Stem, Branch, and Roots as much as I do!

Treasure Chest Thursday

That old country road that leads home.

Who Do You Think You Are? returning

The following announcement was written by Ancestry.com:

World's Largest Family History Web Site Continues Sponsorship of Critically Acclaimed TV Series That Takes a Personal Look at Celebrity Family Histories

PROVO, Utah, August 25, 2010 – Ancestry.com is pleased to announce it has extended its relationship with NBC for the second season of the “Who Do You Think You Are?” television series.

Ancestry.com worked with NBC on the first season of “Who Do You Think You Are?” that debuted in March 2010. The company provided important family history research for the show, including tracing the roots of the seven celebrities featured, and collaborated with NBC to promote the series. Each episode took one celebrity on an emotional, and often times soul-searching journey to discover the lives of family members who came before them.

“It is remarkable to work on this series with the leader in the online family history category, Ancestry.com,” said Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President of Alternative Programming & Production at NBC Universal. “A show of this caliber takes a lot of research and ground work to make the celebrities stories come to life. With the valued collaboration of Ancestry.com, we’ve been able to tell seven amazing stories in the first season, and look forward to even greater family history discoveries to be uncovered in season two.”

“We are excited to continue working with NBC on this series,” said Josh Hanna, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Marketing for Ancestry.com. “The first season of the show has truly elevated awareness around the family history category and we couldn’t be more pleased to be an integral part of a television series that brings excitement to the discoveries people can make when researching their ancestral roots.”

“Who Do You Think You Are?” is produced by Wall to Wall Entertainment in collaboration with Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky for their production company, Is or Isn’t Entertainment. NBC has announced the show will air in the 2010-11 season.

About Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with more than one million paying subscribers. More than 5 billion records have been added to the site in the past 13 years. Ancestry users have created more than 18 million family trees containing over 1.8 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine countries, including its flagship Web site at http://www.ancestry.com./

Theabove article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com/.

Wordless Wednesday

Tombstone Tuesday

Marker found on the grave of Joseph Wiseman

B: 1759, PA

D: 1832, WV

Served in the militia during the American Revolution.

The Old Rehoboth Church Cemetery

Keenan, Monroe, West Virginia

Is anyone familiar with this kind of marker???

Maintenance Monday

Doing away with the negative connotations of "Madness Monday", I am now choosing to not blog a regular post on Monday's, instead using that day to gather up all the loose ends and provide maintenance to either my own research, or that of my clients.

I hope you will join with me in providing a "Maintenance Monday" for your own home or business office!

We will of course, return to our regularly scheduled postings tomorrow!

Sentimental Sunday

Walter Beane

U.S. Navy Training Center

Great Lakes

1955

18 years of age.

Yes, that's my Dad!
Dad spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy. He's my hero!!!

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Wild and Crazy Genealogist?

Randy's posted another SNGF challenge! From GeneaMusings:

"It's Saturday Night -- time for lots more Genealogy Fun!!! Hey there, geneabloggers and musings-readers, come on down!


Your mission, should you decide to accept it, comes from a post by Lynn Palermo on The Armchair Genealogist blog titled Monday Madness - The Craziest Thing You've Done in the Name of Genealogy?

* What is the most wild, crazy, off-the-wall, or really stupid thing you have done in pursuit of your ancestral families and their family history?

* Tell us about it in your own blog post, a comment to this post, or a comment or status on Facebook. "

Well, I had to sit and think about this one a bit. My first thought?

Have I actually ever done anything wild and crazy in regards to my genealogy research???

Well... not really.

Or.... have I?

Hmmmm.... it would seem that a memory came back to me of a time when I was about 16 years old or so, when I attended a pajama party.

I know you ladies will relate to this. Remember the Bloody Mary challenge? [You stand in front of a mirror in a darkened room and call for Bloody Mary to appear, and supposedly she will appear in the mirror.]

I'm sure you will also recall those teenaged seances? You light a candle in a darkened room, all the girls sit in a circle holding hands, [seated on the floor???], and you call on the spirit of a dead person to come to the circle and answer questions.

It was at about this age when I discovered that not only my great-grandfather, but my great-great-grandfather [who shared the same name] died from a gunshot wound to the head, 26 years apart.

And so, in the throes of teenaged dare, I called on the spirit of both men to come to the circle so that I could ask them about their parentage!

Ahhhh.... but sad to say, neither man's spirit attended the meeting, and I was left without any answers.

Seems, those questions have never been answered!!!

The problem is, I don't know if I am relieved they did not come when we called upon them, or if secretly, to this very day, I wish they had!!!

Surname Saturday

Today I'd like to introduce you to my Wickline ancestry, which is rather two-fold!


1. Cynthia Ann BEANE is the daughter of 2. Walter Maxwell BEANE and 3. Lois Velleda DREHER.

2. Walter Maxwell BEANE was born on 31 Aug 1937 in Waiteville, Monroe County, WV. He was the
son of 4. John Monroe BEAN and 5. Mary Elizabeth FAUDREE. He married Lois Velleda DREHER on 12 Dec 1958 in Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.

4. John Monroe BEAN was born on 15 Dec 1866 in Cincinatti, Ohio. He died on 10 Apr 1954 in
Waiteville, Monroe Co., WV. He was the son of 8. William McHarvey BEAN and 9. Margaret Smith
PERKINS. He married Mary Elizabeth Faudree.
5. Mary Elizabeth Faudree was born 03 Jun 1897 in Sweet Springs, Monroe, West Virginia. She was the daughter of Stephen Ledford Faudree and Eliza Carnefix.

10. Stephen Ledford FAUDREE was born on 08 Jul 1857 in Sweet Springs, Monroe County, Virginia.
He died on 16 Jan 1929 in Sweet Springs, Monroe County, WV. He was the son of 20. Richard C.
FAUDREE and 21. Mary Margaret WICKLINE. He married Elizabeth CARNEFIX on 17 Dec 1878 in
Monroe County, West Virginia. 11. Elizabeth CARNEFIX was born 08 Jul 1851 in Sweet Springs, Monroe County, WV. She died 22 Jul 1929 in Sweet Springs, Monroe County, WV. She was the daughter of 22. George W. CARNEFIX and 23. Mary Susan DAUGHERTY. [NOTE: Mary Susan Daugherty married Jacob WICKLINE after the death of her first husband, George Carnefix. Jacob Wickline was the brother of Mary Margaret WICKLINE. This made Stephen and Elizabeth "Step-first cousins".]

20. Richard C. FAUDREE was born in 1834 in Halifax, VA. He died on 01 Jan 1902 in Sweet Springs,
Monroe County, WV. He was the son of 40. Lewis FAUDREE and 41. Mabelia HALL. He married
Mary Margaret WICKLINE on 28 Oct 1856 in Monroe County, Virginia.
21. Mary Margaret WICKLINE was born 1831 in Monroe County, Virginia. She was the daughter of 42.
Elijah WICKLINE and 43. Elizabeth Lewis.

42. Elijah WICKLINE was born in 1799 in Monroe County, Virginia. He died on 27 Jun 1879 in Sweet
Springs, Monroe, West Virginia. He was the son of 84. Jacob W. WICKLINE and 85. Catherine
SPARR. He married Elizabeth Lewis on 08 Jan 1821 in Monroe County, Virginia.
43. Elizabeth Lewis was born 1795 in Virginia.

84. Jacob W. WICKLINE was born on 25 May 1750 in Robeson Twp, Berks Co., PA. He died on 26 Dec 1821 in Sweet Springs, Monroe County, VA. He was the son of 168. Johan Georg WICKLINE and
169. Anna Christiana ROTH. He married Catherine SPARR.
85. Catherine SPARR. She was the daughter of 170. Johan Frederich SPARR and 171. Anna
Margaretha SCHNAEDER.


168. Johan Georg WICKLINE was born in 1717 in Pfaltz, Germany. He died on 31 Oct 1754 in Robeson
Twp, Berks Co., PA. He married Anna Christiana ROTH.

169. Anna Christiana ROTH was born 1721 in Berks, PA.

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to My Father's Posts.

This delightful blog is chock-full of the wonderful newspaper posts of Ebenezer Ray.

According to the site, Ray's bio reads: "I am now at the beginning of this new journey. Right now, I don’t know how long my father wrote his column or if he wrote for other publications. I do know the first column appeared February 18, 1933 under the title “Xcuse Me.“ Later columns were dubbed “As We See It,” “You and I” (only one) and later as “Dottings of a Paragrapher.” And I now know the name of his mother, Malvina Alkins, whom he mourned in print when she died in 1936.

How ironic that as my ink-stained colleagues and I lament the demise of print, the most exciting development in my life as a journalist involves learning how to use a microfilm machine to decipher very old hot type.

I have created this blog to preserve my father’s legacy as a newspaper man and most of all to explore the history that is so much a part of me.

Elaine C. Ray"

Ray's daughter, Elaine posts this blog with actual microfilmed copies of Ebenezer' Ray's posts from the paper.
 
And what a treasure this is!
 
Ray was a treasure indeed!
 
One of the most recent posts that Elaine did had these two lines by Ebenezer, which resonate oh so much, even today, near 76 years after he wrote them: "The public is used to taking things for granted. It assumes certain things should be simply because they are."
 
Hmmm, profound,  and perhaps a bit prophetic! Just plain right on!
 
What a treasure Ray was! And I think you'll agree with me, Elaine Ray deserves praise for bringing this writer, her father, to light!
 
Be sure to visit My Father's Posts, you'll walk away with an elightened spirit!

Treasure Chest Thursday

Two little boys and their dogs, circa 1947.

Edsel on the left and Walter on the right.

The Beane Brothers.

Wordless Wednesday

Brothers - 1938

Jack Bean-Ashley and Walter Beane

Tombstone Tuesday

CLYDE C. HEDRICK

WEST VIRGINIA

CEM USNR

WORLD WAR II

NOV 1  1898          JAN 24  1964

Clyde Clifford Hedrick was born 01 Nov 1898 to James Joseph Hedrick and Viranda Elizabeth "Betty" Bean, in Second Creek, Monroe County, West Virginia. He was one of eleven children born to the couple.

Clyde married Rhoie M. Barker [1906-2002] on 23 Nov 1923 at Fayetteville, Fayette County, West Virginia. They were wed by J. W. Legg.

To the best of my knowledge, the couple had one child, Clyde Hedrick Jr. [1924-2007].

Clyde Sr. served in the US Naval Reserve during WWII. He died 24 Jan 1964 and is buried at Salem Cemetery, Organ Cave, Greenbrier County, West Virginia.

Maintenance Monday

Doing away with the negative connotations of "Madness Monday", I am now choosing to not blog a regular post on Monday's, instead using that day to gather up all the loose ends and provide maintenance to either my own research, or that of my clients.

I hope you will join with me in providing a "Maintenance Monday" for your own home or business office!

We will of course, return to our regularly scheduled postings tomorrow!

Sentimental Sunday

Lorene Banet Lee and Irene Banet Dreher

About 1966

The youngest two children of Frank and Adeline [Eve] Banet.

This was one of the very first snapshots I ever took with my "new" Brownie camera. A hand-me-down gift from my Mom.

Lorene was my great-aunt. Irene was my grandmother.

Surname Saturday

Family Lambrecht

1. Cynthia Ann BEANE was born on 04 Nov 1959 in New Albany, Floyd Co., IN. She was the daughter of

2. Walter Maxwell BEANE and 3. Lois Velleda DREHER. She married Johnnie Lee HENRY.

3. Lois Velleda DREHER was born 02 Aug 1938 in Georgetown, FLoyd Co., IN. She was the daughter of

6. Henry Condar DREHER Jr. and 7. Irene Caroline BANET.

6. Henry Condar DREHER Jr. was born on 31 Dec 1902 in Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky. He died on 17 May 1977 in Indiana. He was the son of 12. Henry Condar DREHER and 13. Josephine Sophie Benzel. He married Irene Caroline BANET on 12 Dec 1923 in Indiana.

7. Irene Caroline BANET was born 24 May 1906 in Indiana. She died 08 Aug 1989 in Gap Mills,
Monroe Co., WV. She was the daughter of 14. Francis Isidore Banet and 15. Adeline Josephine EVE.

12. Henry Condar DREHER was born on 15 Jan 1863 in Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky. He died on 29 Jan 1925 in Louisville, Jefferson Kentucky. He was the son of 24. Gottlieb DREHER and 25. Sarah HUNSINGER. He married Josephine Sophie Benzel on 11 Aug 1884.

13. Josephine Sophie Benzel was born 21 Jul 1865 in Indiana. She died 12 Dec 1932 in Louisville,

Jefferson, KY. She was the daughter of 26. John Benzel and 27. Wilhelmina Lambrecht.

26. John Benzel was born on 11 Jan 1835 in Prussia. He died on 18 Jan 1899 in Bedford, Lawrence, Indiana. He married Wilhelmina Lambrecht.


27. Wilhelmina Lambrecht was born 25 May 1835. She died 07 Mar 1924 in Bedford, Lawrence,
Indiana.

Wilhelmina Lambrecht Benzel

Follow Friday

Today I'd like to introduce you to Free Genealogy which was a site put together by Jerry E. Reed back in 2009. I'm not sure if the site has been updated since then or not, but I do that most, if not all, of the links listed here are in good order.

Free Genealogy

I have found several good leads by clicking on several of these sites.

I haven't been able to find out anything about the author of this site, listed only in the header of the page, but many thanks Jerry E. Reed for a job well done!

Are You Following GeneaBloggers?

As you all already know, I am a huge fan of Thomas MacEntee's GeneaBloggers. Thomas is currently working on an attempt to boost his followers on Twitter so that he will be allowed by the site to follow more of those who are following him! He has already hit the limit of followers he can follow, until the amount of followers he has is risen! [Whew! I hope I got that straight!]

So, if you aren't already following GeneaBloggers over on Twitter then just click here and be sure to click FOLLOW  to follow Geneabloggers!!!

Treasure Chest Thursday

Memorial Book for Henry C. Dreher, Sr.

Front page

Next page

Henry Condar Dreher, Sr. was born 15 Jan 1863 in Kentucky.

He married Josephine Sophie Benzel [1865 - 1932] on

11 Aug 1884, in Louisville, KY.

The couple went on to have ten children:

Florence Sarah [1885-1946]

Frank Henry [1887-1955]

Henry Edward [1889-1918]

Anna Matilda [1891-1961]

Minnie Catherine [1894-1963]

George Haas [1897-1966]

Walter Louis [1900-1970]

Henry Condar, Jr. [1902-1977]

Joseph Benzel [1907-1979]

Mary Louise [1910 - 1984]

Henry was a machinist and a master carpenter.

He died on 29 Jan. 1925.

He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky

Henry was my Great-Grandfather.

Wordless Wednesday

Faye Banet [left] Laura Marion Dreher [right]

1931 - Indiana

Tombstone Tuesday

CLARA DARLINGTON

SEP 13, 1881

JAN 5, 1969

Clara Belle Hedrick was born 13 Sep 1881. in Waiteville, Monroe Co., WV to James Joseph Hedrick and Viranda Elizabeth Bean ["Betty"]. Clara was one of 11 children born to the couple.

Clara married George Darlington Sr. on 11 Sep 1911 at Waiteville, Monroe Co., WV. The couple were wed by Rev. J. E. Browne.

To the best of my knowledge, George and Clara had one child: George Darlington Jr. who was born in Dec. 1912 and died 11 Oct 1918 in Wyoming County, WV from pellegra which is a vitamin deficiency disease most commonly caused by a chronic lack of niacin (vitamin B3) in the diet. He is buried at Salem Cemetery, Organ Cave, Greenbrier Co., WV.

George Sr. was born 27 Aug 1886 and died 12 Mar 1965. He is buried beside Clara.

Clara died on 05 Jan 1969. She is buried in Salem Cemetery, Organ Cave, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. She lies next to her husband and son.

Maintenance Monday

Doing away with the negative connotations of "Madness Monday", I am now choosing to not blog a regular post on Monday's, instead using that day to gather up all the loose ends and provide maintenance to either my own research, or that of my clients.

I hope you will join with me in providing a "Maintenance Monday" for your own home or business office!

We will of course, return to our regularly scheduled postings tomorrow!

SNGF - Come Sunday Afternoon!

I know... I know... I'm always "a day late and a dollar short"!

Last night Randy Seaver, over at Genea-Musings  offered us the following challenge:

"Calling all Genea-Musings readers -- it's Saturday Night, time for more Genealogy Fun!


Your mission, should you decide to accept it, and I hope that you do, is to:

1) Think about how you want your gravestone to look. What do you want on it as a genealogist? As a child, sibling, parent, spouse, friend? Maybe some sort of witty saying?

2) Tell us about it in text, or create your own gravestone using the online services of companies like Headstones and Memorials. Remember that you have only a limited space to work with and that the bigger they are, the more costly they are.

3) Show us your stone, or what you would put on the stone, in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a Facebook status or comment."

And so, accepting the challenge, I went to the site Randy recommended for this challenge. And yes, I had to follow Randy's lead, step by step, to preserve my inspired artistry! But nonetheless, here is mine below:

I'd like for both of us to be remembered as beloved parents of our six children, Twyla, Chris, David, Debbie, Micheal and Crystal. While all of the children are parented with another spouse [his one and my five] we dearly love our family, and hope they realize the depth of that love!

You'll also note that together

"They Have Fought The Good Fight".

This sentiment is in keeping with the quote from St. Paul

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith"

II Timothy 4:7

You will also notice that I have our death dates as June 11, 2049. That is because I am forever telling the hubby he can't die before he is 100, and he cannot die before me as I would be lost without him!

Therefore, we'll both live until then!!!

What fun, Randy!

And what inspiration for those we leave behind!!!

Sentimental Sunday

The family of Thomas Henry Smithson and Nannie Carnefix.

Nannie is seen here seated in the middle row. Nannie was my great-grandmother's sister.

Saturday Searches

Unfortunately, I have about exhausted all of the surnames I could possibly locate in my ancestors for a Saturday. And I have just about taken all the siesta's I can handle! So I have decided to make my Saturday's a bit more spicy [well... at least for me!] and am making my Saturday's into "Searching on Saturday". Here I will examine one of the many individuals I am searching for more informatio on.

And if you see someone you know in these searches, how about letting me know what ya know about them!

Today I'm going to introduce you to my great-great-grandfather, George W. Carnefix.

George was born about 1831, and we believe he was probably born in Fayette County, [West] Virginia. His parents were William Carnefix and Nancy Holsapple.

George married Sarah Elizabeth Patteson, we believe between 1851-1853. Little is really known about Sarah. The couple had at least three children: Nannie [1854-1911], James [b. 1856] and Charles [b. 1858]. Sarah died shortly after the birth of Charles.

In 1860 George married Mary Susan Daugherty [b. 1834-1871]. The couple had daughter, Elizabeth on 08 Jul 1861.

On 03 Aug 1861, George enlisted in the Confederacy, along with his brother Ben.

On 19 Oct 1864, the battle of Cedar Creek in Bath County, Virginia was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War. Nearly 6,000 Union soldiers were lost, and nearly 3,000 Confederate. Despite their massive losses, the Union won this battle.

Unfortunately, three Carnefix soldiers did not return to Monroe County from this encounter. It is assumed they are buried at the site of the Battle.

In 1873, Mary Susan married a widower, Jacob Elijah Wickline.  Jacob lived until 1905. At present it is unknown when Mary Susan died, although according to Jacob's death record, he was still married and not listed as a widower, so it presumed she died sometime after his death. Jacob died in Greenbrier County, but his body was returned to Monroe County and buried in Sweet Springs, probably in the Wickline Cemetery there.

Follow Friday

Simply put... this has been about the best site I've seen this week! And certainly the most fun!

You have got to visit ALIEN SPACESHIP THEORY OF GENEALOGY  to read one family's take on where their family came from, and why there are no documents available to prove or disprove their existence where they were known to have cohabited!

I have absolutely fallen in love with this theory, and believe I may actually have one or two ancestors who arrived, and thus disappeared, in like manner!

Be sure to check it out!

Treasure Chest Thursday

This is a photograph that I recently obtained of my great-grandmother's sister, Nannie Carnefix Smithson.

Nannie was the daughter of George W. Carnefix [1831-1864] and his first wife,  who is believed to be Sarah Elizabeth Patteson [b. 1835  - d. abt 1859]. With Sarah George had 2 other known children: James [b. 1856] and Charles [b. 1858]. Nannie was born 01 July 1854 in Greenbrier County, [W] Va.

Nannie married Thomas Henry W. Smithson [1852-1914] on 08 Mar 1876 in Greenbrier County. The couple went on to have at least 11 children:

Lucy [1877-1936]

Emory [1878-1913]

Henry [1881-1943]

Elizabeth [1884-1905]

Verner [b. 1887]

May [b. 1887]

Margaret [b. 1888]

Mary [may be the same child as Margaret]

Lewis [b. 1890]

Charles [1892-1911]

Taney [1895-1911]

As you can see, most of Nannie's children died very young. Only Lucy and Henry reaching beyond the age of 60.

The above photo was taken in 1907 of Nannie. She was 53 years of age at the time.

Nannie died 20 Jun 1911 at Richwood, Greenbrier County, WV.  She was 57 years of age. She is buried at the Baber Cemetery in Greenbrier County.

After the death of his first wife, George Carnefix married Mary Susan Daugherty on 02 May 1860. It is believed they had only one child together.  Elizabeth [called "Eliza"], on 08 Jul 1861 in Sweet Springs, Monroe County, WV.

In 1861 George enlisted with his brother Ben in the Confederacy. Both were killed at the Battle of Cedar Creek, in Bath Co., VA on 19 Oct 1864. One of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Here nearly 6,000 Union soldiers were lost, and nearly 3,000 Confederate. Much to the dismay of the Confederacy, the Union Army won this campaign. And three young Carnefix soldiers were lost that day.

George was my great-great-grandfather. Eliza, his and Mary Susan's daughter, was my great-grandmother.

Mary Susan later married Jacob Elijah Wickline, in Monroe County.

Eliza grew up and married Stephen Ledford Faudree in 1878, when she was but 17 years of age. The couple went on to have ten children.

The eigth born child, Mary Elizabeth, was born on 03 Jun 1898. She was my grandmother.

It wasn't until just very recently that we finally got a glimpse of my great-grandmother's siblings, and discovered when and how their father died.

I am blessed to have a copy of this photograph of Nannie.

Wordless Wednesday

Henry Condar Dreher, Sr.

about 1900

Tombstone Tuesday

Bertha May

Dau of

S.W. & M. J. Bean

Died

Aug 11 1883

Aged 11DS

Bertha May Bean was born 01 Aug 1883 in Waiteville, Monroe Co., WV to Samuel Waite Bean and his wife Martha [Mattie] Jane Crosier. Bertha May was one of 8 children born to this couple, and the only one not to reach adulthood.

Maintenance Monday

Doing away with the negative connotations of "Madness Monday", I am now choosing to not blog a regular post on Monday's, instead using that day to gather up all the loose ends and provide maintenance to either my own research, or that of my clients.

I hope you will join with me in providing a "Maintenance Monday" for your own home or business office!

We will of course, return to our regularly scheduled postings tomorrow!

SNGF ... Come Sunday Morning

I am always late with these prompts! [Once in a while I manage to actually get to a Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge that Randy Seaver readies for us on GeneaMusings]

Last night's challenge?

"Awake and arise, you wonderful Genea-Musings blog-readers, and know that it is Saturday Night - time again for more Genealogy Fun!




We all have "brick wall ancestors" - those for whom we cannot find a complete name, or identify a set of parents. By posting information about a "brick wall ancestor," someone mght find your post and be able to contribute to your knowledge about that ancestor.



Your mission, should you decide to accept it (and I sincerely hope that you do) - is to check your files and sources, advance to your keyboard, and:



1) Identify one of your "brick wall ancestors," and tell us about him or her. What do you know? What would you like to know?



2) Tell us about this person in a blog post of your own, a comment on this blog post, or a Facebook comment or note. Be sure to leave a way for readers to contact you."

I have one main person in my brickwall "list", that I revisit over and over. That is my paternal great-great-great grandfather. William McBean.

We do not know where William came from [although we suspect he was Irish, DNA leads us to those craggy shores]. William is first found in this country in 1780 in Augusta County, Virginia, where he married the lovely Sarah Bane. [A descendant of one of the Bean brothers who first graced the shores of this country in the late 1600's, and from whose ancestry William may have also descended.

William is purported to have been a Loyalist during the Revolution, as told in family lore. However, there are several William McBean/ MacBean/ McBane/ MacBane's who are found on Loyalist and Tory lists. We are told in family legend that he served "under Cornwallis". Unfortunately, that is tantamount to someone saying their great-grandfgather served under Lee or Grant during the Civil War! Or grandpa under Patton during WWII!!!

After his marriage to Sarah, William moved into western Virginia, into what is now bordering West Virginia, along an area called Stoney Creek. Today, Stoney Creek is a deep ravine that runs straight up and down. At that time, it was useless except for trappers, and was little more than a passage through the break in the mountains between the tiny hamlet of Waiteville, WV and Pembroke, VA.

In 1790 the couple had a son named John, and in 1792 a son named William.

In February 1804, John is placed for indenture in Monroe County. His parents are not named, he is listed as an orphan. He is thirteen years of age. In September of 1804 his brother William is being placed for indenture as well. He was 12.  John was to be taught to be a weaver, and William a blacksmith.

We know that the boy's father must be dead at this point, for them to be named as orphans. However, their mother is found in 1805 on the Monroe County Tax Rolls as "Sarah Bean - Widow" her taxes listed as "Owing nothing atall - owning only her clothes and spinning wheel".

The property on Stoney Creek was sold in 1805 for back taxes.

John is not heard from again until his death certificate in 1872, when he is reported as single, being born in Greenbrier County, and nothing regarding his family. He died of reasons "Unknown". [His death is indexed as "Beard" but on examination of the handwritten text it is clearly Bean.

Of William, we know quite a lot. And William Bean is in fact, my great-great-grandfather. [His history is quite full, and a rich and colorful story!]

After 1805, Sarah Bean disappears from history, and we do not find her again.

It is Sarah's husband, WIlliam, that we would like to learn more about. Where he came from. When and how he died. His military service for the Crown [if that is true]. And his parentage.

And now you know... my brick wall!

Sentimental Sunday

Henry Condar Dreher

About 1965

I am guessing at the time of this photograph, simply by looking at the little girl on the left of this photo. That's my baby sister, Eydie. And she looks to be about 3 or 4 here. And I believe it was 1965 when Grandma and Grandpa Dreher came and spent a few weeks during the summer with us.

Grandpa would have been 64 at this time. Quite a fit man for 64, don't ya think?

Grandpa stood about 6'6" tall. He was a big man, structural-wise. Large bone frame, etc. Not a bit fat however.

I can remember he like to play with us in the water, and would dig out huge areas of the sand and make shallow wading areas for us to play along the beach so that our mother wouldn't have to worry about us.

Each morning while he visited, he would rise early and see what treasures the ocean washed ashore. [We lived within sight of the beach front on East Ocean View, in Norfolk, Virginia]. On one particular morning, he came back carrying under his strong arm, a huge round, gate-legged table. This table had been washed up on the beach, and was in sad shape. Grandpa lovingly restored it for mother's use. It was an eight-legged table. And today sits in my sister's house.

Grandpa said it looked to have been built in the 1700's. While I don't believe it was ever verified, I do know that my sister has looked it up in antiques books, and yes, it certainly seems to match up with what Grandpa told mother! [I'll have to get pictures of it one day to post here.]

Grandpa was a master carpenter, trained by his own father, who was the same. And his the same. They came from Germany as skilled carpenters 200 years ago.