Sunday, March 17, 2024

Andrew Jackson Powell 1837 - 1928 Bates County, Missouri

Andrew Jackson Powell, on of Bates County's boldest citizens, died at his home in the east part of this city Saturday morning, March 31st, (1928), after an extended illness due to the infirmities of age.

     He was a native Missourian, having been born in Shelby County, 91 years ago.  In 1867 he came to Bates County and located on a farm in Lone Oak township, where he resided until a few years ago when he moved to this city, where he has since resided.  "Uncle Jack," as he was familiarly known to his friends, was a quiet unassuming gentleman and one of the last of those rugged pioneers who helped in the rebuilding of this community after it had been ravaged by years of border warfare.  He was a devoted, self-sacrificing husband and father and a good citizen whose passing will be mourned by a large circle of friends.  During the Civil War he served with the 7th Missouri Cavalry.

     He is survived by one son, Lee Edgar Powell, three daughters, Mrs. Lucetta P. Cobb, Mrs. Clara Stokes and Mrs. Alta Warren, all of this city.  His wife preceded him in death about six weeks.

     Funeral services were conducted from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Alta Warren, on Harrison Street, Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock by Rev. G. L. Chapman, of Altoona, Kansas, an old neighbor of his in Lone Oak township.

 Source: FHL Film 1254673  National Archives Film T9-0673     Page 213D     
   Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
A. J. POWELL Self M M W 42 MO
   Occ: Farmer Fa: KY Mo: KY
Nancy POWELL Wife F M W 34 MO
   Occ: Keeping House Fa: VA Mo: NC
Gipson T. POWELL Son M S W 12 NE
    Fa: MO Mo: MO
Lee Edgar POWELL Son M S W 5 MO
    Fa: MO Mo: MO
Lusetta POWELL Dau F S W 3 MO
    Fa: MO Mo: MO
Carry May POWELL Dau F S W 2 MO
    Fa: MO Mo: MO


INFORMATION BEULAH COPIED FROM ANDREW JACKSON POWELL BIBLE RECORD

Children of Andrew and Nancy Powell Jacob born 1 Aug 1861 Sarah Catheryn 29 May 1863 Margaret Jane 24 Sept 1866 Gibson Tutt 22 Sept 1869 Eva Leah 24 Aug 1871 Lee Edgar 1 May 1875 Lucetia Temple 25 Dec 1876 Clara May 16 May 1878 Alta Melvin  29 May 1882

Alta Melvin Powell married Jesse Warren MARRIAGE RECORDS FROM BATES COUNTY MO.

Sallie Powell of Butler & S. P. Ray  Dec. 31, 1885  Mar. by A. H. Lewis at W. G. Powell home

Clark A. Deems & Nancy Powell  Oct. 29, 1876 by John Anderson J. P.

Nannie  Powell & J. A. Cobb  (book 6 pg 107)  March 29, 1887   both under age

Mary E. Powell  & P. C. Fenton  Nov. 8, 1887  brother of bride gave consent  J. B. Powell

J. J. Wright not 21 & Heellen M. Powell not 18  parents gave consent June 18, 1887   book 6 pg 191

L. E. Powell of Butler over 21 & Della Bell of Rich Hill Dec, 9, 1902  by written consent of guardians Mrs. Rebecca & Arrasiwith?

J. A. Cobb of Butler over 21 & Lou Powell of Butler  Oct. 14, 1901  by G. L. Chapman minister

Henry Powell of Lone Oak over 21 yrs and Mary E. Long of Lone Oak not age 18, Nov. 27 1885 Henry Powell makes written affidavid that her father Geo. T. Long has given consent and her mogher is dead.  Married by John Long of Lone Oak preacher of Gospel

J. R. Miller of Butler over 21 & Jennie Powell of Butler not 18 29 June 1884  at brides residence in Lone Oak  Parents give consent Thomas L. Harper J. P.

Harry Powell Rich Hill and Cora Lasiter Parent of both give consent no names  17 June 1887

J. B.  Powell of Rosier of Bates & Burnice Fisher  Oct. 24, 1887

James Powell of Rockville & Mary Field  Jan 1, 1888

Menta G. Powell of Butler & Martha F. Benefield of Butler  Nov. 6, 1888

P. J. Powell of Rsier & Mattie Wysong of Burdett  Jan 1 1889

John W. Spry & Matilda Powell  1 Aug. 1878  by R. W. Searfus J. P.

Edward J. Stokes of Butler & Clara M. Powell   Feb 28, 1812

Harvey Powell & Eda Stokes Bk 14 Pg 283 not read (Clara Powell & Edward J. Stokes is book 14 pg 112 and date is  Feb 12 1912) Also not read John  W. Powell and L. Poindexter Bk 5 pg 67 J W Powell and Rachel Swan bk 9 pg 81 Andrew Powell and Almelda Chaney Bk 10 pg 211 Nellie Powell and Bert Bunch bk 12 pag 179


Cyrus Powell 1829-1899 Indian Territory

 Buried Fleetwood Cemt, Central High OK Lived in Ganns Twp, Sequoya County, OK

Aunt Nannie (Nancy Mary Katherine daughter of Cyrus Powell) said Cyrus lived in Fannin Co. TX after his first wife died She said he was a Veterinarian. Settled in Indian Territory that is now Tishomingo OK Later moved to Gans OK and was a farmer Cyrus fought for the Texas Rangers during the Civil War, fought with Pap Price, rode race horses for his father, was only 5 foot 2 at the time

The dates come from Cyrus Powell's Bible.

Research material from Avis Powell, son of Lige Powell Jr. and grandson of Cyrus Powell:

    Photo copies of 6 pages from a Bible that is purported to be the Bible of Cyrus Powell.  Avis thinks the pages could be from two different Bibles. Some of this is hard to read but I also have a transcript of the writting from Avis Powell.

 Cyrus Powel was born Oct 29 1829

Caroline Powell wife of Cyrus Powel was born June 7 1834

William H. Powel was born Feb 3 1851

Andrew Jackson Powel was born Oct 1st 1855

James Madison Powel was born May 30th 1857

all the above is in the same hand writting

There is some more below this that I can not read but I think there is something about an Elizabeth J. Powell

this is in a different hand writting

 Next Page

Cyrus Powell was born Oct 29 1829

Elizabeth Ann Powell was born November 10 1845

David J. Powell was born October 17the AD 1867

Sarah Elizabeth Powell was born May the 24th 1869

Charles E. Powell was born November the 15th 1871?

Nancy Mary Catherine Powell was born Feb the 19th 1874?

John Wesley Powell was born Jan 3 1877

 some of the above dates I can not actually make out, but this is a translation I have.  The names are clear, some dates are blurred

 next page

Deaths

William Henry Powel departed this life Nov 9th 1854

Caroline Powel departed this life June July 18 1859

[NOTE: June July 18 is the way it is written]

David J. Powell died Oct the 28th 1867

James Madisoon Powell died February the 24th AD 1870

Cyrus Powell departed this life March 28th 1889 [may be 1884]

Elizabeth Powell died Oct 27 1904

 

next page 

Marriages

Cyrus Powel and Caroline Pell were married Dec 26 1851

Cyrus Powell and Elizabeth Ann were married April the 10th 1866

Samuel Gan and Sallie Powell were married in December 1887

Elijah Powell and GarBell?? Sandlin were married October the 9th

 next page

 

Elijah Powell was born July the 29 1882

Garbell Sandlin was born November 15 1884

 This Bible contains the marriages and ages of our family and deaths of our family.  This is to love of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

I ______  _______ Feb. the 19th 1870

B. J. Good

 

End of Bible Transcript

 

From Avis Powell I have a two page transcript of a statement made by Aunt Nannie on October 15 1862.

Seven Powell brothers came from England and settled in seven different states.  One, Dr. Dave Powell settled in Texas.  Others settled in other states.  (NOTE:  Cyrus Powell did have a Uncle David Powell who was a Doctor in Texas, but he was from Kentucky, not England and there were eight brothers in the family.) 

William Henry Powell, father of Cyrus H. Powell, owned and raised race horses and ran a dry goods business.   He owned two known race horses, 'Screwball and Dolly Varden.'  Screwball was one of the fastest in the U. S. of America. They lived in Missouri, and also lived in Louisville, KY.

 Cyrus H. Powell was born in North Missouri.  He was married to Elizabeth (Betsy) Dollison,  who was born in Ohio.  Cyrus was a cattleman and had a large ranch (or lived on one and worked for the owner, not sure of this), in Wilbarger County, Texas.  He was a veterinary.  Due to the health of one of his children, (John W.), he sold his ranch and settled in Indian Territory that is now Tishomingo, Oklahoma.  Then alter they moved to Gans, Oklahoma, and became farmers.  Cyrus was married before he was married to Elizabeth (Betsy).  They had three children, all boys.  While married to this first wife, they lived in Fannon, Texas.  She died at the beginning of the Civil War, and one of the boys died too.  He took the two remaining sons to live with his parents, Wm. H. and Sarah Powell in Missouri.  Cyrus went back to Texas, and joined up with the Texas Rangers, and fought in the Civil War. When Lee surrendered, he and seven others ran the 'Gauntlet', or what they called wouldn't surrender, but they were recaptured a little later, and were bent over bayonets until they said they surrendered.  He served under 'Pap Price', in the Rangers.  He talked about them being made to drink gun powder mixed in whiskey to make them surrender.

Cyrus rode his father's horses in the races because he was also small when he was young.  He was only 5 ft. 2 in. tall and until he was older, didn't weigh much.

They had a past time in Texas with fighting cocks.  They fed them gun powder in the feed to make them fight better.  He also told about when his father lived in Kentucky, and owned race horses.  How a man with two horses, their hair all matted and turned the wrong way, finally matched up a race, then he went off and cleaned and brushed his horses, and they were the best looking race horses on the ground that day and won the race. [NOTE: Willis Powell, my father, told this same story.  According to my father,  John Powell was the name of the man who owned the horses in the story.]

After the war, he married Elizabeth (Betsy) Dollison. They had six children.  They raised five, three boys and two girls lived.  His two sons by his first wife came to live with them when they were in their teens.  One of the boys took pneumonia and died.  The other boy, Andrew Jackson Powell, married.  Never knew what happened to him for sure, but thinks he might be buried at Sulpher Springs, Oklahoma.  They did live at Davis, Oklahoma.

Nancy Mary Kathryn Powell Southerland Devault (Nanny) is the only child of Cyrus and Betsy Powell, still living at this writing.  At the age of 89 years.  She will be 90 on the 19th of February 1963.  This is being written October 15, 1962, by Elsie Bethel, her grand-daughter.  Cyrus, Betsy and their children are buried at Fleetwood and Mitchell cemeteries.

End of story from Aunt Nannie

From Avis Powell research material:  The census for Gans Township, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma for 1910, shows Uncle Charlie and Uncle John (Powell) living with E. M. and Ida B. Powell, state of birth Missouri.   Cyrus Powell died on the 28th of March 1889 and is buried at Fleetwood Cemetery, Central High, Oklahoma.  Dates of birth and death for the children of Cyrus Powell are listed except for death of Elijah Emmit and Sarah Elizabeth.

Willis Burton Powell, 1858 - 1944 Big Horn County, Montana

POWELL FAMILY HISTORY IN MONTANA By Irene (Decker) Powell Rudolph, wife of Harry Leslie Powell, son of Willis Burton Powell


     Willis Burton Powell, son of Jacob and Emily Powell, was born 31 March 1858 near Boliver, Missouri, and married 13 June 1892 to Eva Ludora Vance, born 4 March 1868 in Ray County Missouri.

     They had two sons, Harry Leslie Powell, born in Butler, Missouri, 5 March 1893, and Mac Stewart Powell, born in Buffalo Wyoming, 5 April 1895.

     Willis, Eva and Harry came to Buffalo, Wyoming in 1894, to Willis' brother, Lee Powell, and family.  They both worked for a large cattle and sheep ranch.  Willis was foreman of the cattle end of it and Eva was a cook for the ranch "hands", as the men were called that worked there.

     If I remember right, they stayed in Buffalo, Wyoming until the boys were seven and five years old.  They then went back to Missouri and Willis went to Alaska to the gold rush.  He came home broke.  When he got back Willis took his family and went to Flagstaff, Arizona.  Here he worked in the copper mines.  Eva and the boys had chickens and milk cows.  The boys had a milk, butter, and egg route.

     I don't know how long they stayed in Arizona.  I took by their stories that the boys were in their middle teens.  They then went back to Butler, Missouri and stayed until both sets of parents had died.

     In 1918, the Powell family loaded all their belongings and two saddle horses on an emigrant car and came to Sheridan, Wyoming.  I am sure the boys and, I suppose, Willis all found work.

     In 1919 Harry went to Montana horseback to find a place to live.  He went to Miles City, Montana to file on a homestead of 640 acres.  I am sure he rode to Miles City horseback too.  Mac filed about the same time as their places joined.  Willis did not homestead.

     In 1922 Willis and Eva went out to Montana to live.  Along with their wagon, team and stuff they also brought a few milk cows they got around Sheridan, Wyoming that were driven behind the wagon out to Montana.

     The place in Montana was about 50 miles from Sheridan, Wyoming and the closest post office was seven miles away.  Another homesteader said to a neighbor "If we just had a post office now it would quiet us."  When they got the post office they called it "Quietus."

     In the spring and fall Harry would take a four horse team, a double box wagon, camping outfit and go to Sheridan, Wyoming to get the summer supplies they needed of staple goods such as flour, sugar, salt, etc...and block salt for the livestock and whatever else was needed to do the farming, haying and ranch work.  In the fall he would do likewise.

     They lived off the land, with their milk cows and chickens, the large gardens they grew, and a lot of wild game such as deer, antelope, wild chickens, sage chickens, grouse and cottontail rabbits.  There were also wild berries such as chokecherries and plums.  The family all lived together in a two room log cabin until they could get lumber to build an addition for three small bedrooms.

    The family went out there as a corporation, W. B. Powell and Sons. The country was full of wild horses and as soon as they had cut timber enough to build a corral the boys got their horses, went out and drove in a bunch of wild horses.   They picked the ones that they wanted to break to work and the small lighter weight ones they broke to ride.  I'm sure they had fun doing this.  This is how they got into the horse business.

     Eva always had chickens for eggs and also to eat.  After they were in Montana a while they leased land from two men that had homesteaded next to them but did not live there.  They both worked around Sheridan, Wyoming.  Also leased was a "school section" of 640 acres and around 1200 acres from a lady that lived in Clearmont, Wyoming.  They had quite a few range cows at the time Harry and I were married as well as some "share cows" that a friend that lived in the country around Sheridan, Wyoming had put out with the Powells.  The Powells got 60% of the calf crop and the friend got 40%.  That is how we got started in the cow business.

     On October 9, 1930 Harry married Irene Matilda Decker, born 24 September 1912 at Greenwood, Wisconsin.  We all lived together.  I worked outside with Harry, farming, riding, etc...  I had my own four horse team.  In the morning I got the halters, went out to the corral and caught my horses (they were gentle), took them to where the harness hung, put it on them, bridled them, and went to the field to work them.  Once in the field I hooked up the harrow, that had a board fastened to it and stood on the board and harrowed all day.  We took our lunch to the field and would stop just long enough to eat it.  Harry worked eight horses on a three bottom plow.  His horses were not all gentle.  He had one horse he called his "Bronco Horse" that helped handle the rest.  He had horses tied to horses, so that is why we never unhooked them until time to quit.  Except for me.  I would come in early, unharness my horses, turn them loose, get my saddle horse and go to the pasture of 640 acres to bring in the milk cows (Mac, at that time, was living on a place that they had leased).  Harry and I milked 14 to 18 cows, separated the milk and cream and sold the cream in five and eight gallon cans.  Harry had a Graham truck at the time that he hauled the cream to Sheridan, Wyoming in.  We didn't get much for it and when the depression hit in 1934 to 1935 we got much less; $1.50 for five gallons of cream and ten cents a dozen for eggs.  We put in long, hard hours.  We always raised a large garden and had many chickens.  Eva and I did a lot of canning of vegetables and frying chickens, as well as stewing hens.  When Willis was still able to ride horseback, he and I would get on our horses with a bucket each and a 100 pound grain sack and go pick the wild chokecherries in their season.  The wild plums came later when they were ripe.  Eva and I made a lot of jelly and jam.

     In 1931, while our first child was on the way, I continued to help with the work outside until the last week in December when Harry brought me to the home of a friend in Sheridan, Wyoming to wait for my baby. January 15, 1932, Alice Mae was born.  I did not go to the hospital.  I was at the Eureka Home that was run by a nurse.  It was also a place where the people from the country went from the hospital after surgery to recover before the long trip home.  It didn't cost so much there.  One morning as the nurse was giving me my bath, she told me she would not dismiss me until my bill was paid, which was $35 to $40.  As a new mother, I really got excited.  Instead of telling the friends I was staying with, which would have paid the bill then Harry could pay them back, I wrote a letter to Harry.  He then caught two saddle horses, rode the 50 miles to Sheridan in the cold with the snow up to the horses knees most all the way.  It took him two days to come in.  He stopped for the night with the same folks about 20 miles out of Sheridan.  I must say, he was a little angry with the nurse.  He paid the bill, had another friend outside in his car waiting and we went as far as we could on the main traveled road in the car.  The other folks met us at the road with team and sled and took us one and one half to two miles to their house.  How exciting and what wonderful people, did all this without charging us a penny.  I was there until the first of February when the weather broke so Harry could come get us in the Graham truck.  With no heater in them in those days we had to keep warm with a large heavy quilt.  I was already, by that time, to continue with outside work, while Grandma and Grandpa took care of the baby.

     When spring came and Willis would go out to ride his horse, he took Alice for a horseback ride.  She was six months old, still had on a white dress, and that is what started her "cowgirl career."  It was 1936 that Alice got her own first saddle horse.  My folks had left the country and went to Idaho.  So mother gave her white pet saddle mare, named Peaches, to Alice.  All the children learned to ride on her.

     In 1936, when the depression got really bad, it was hard to make a living; not enough rain to raise a corp nor hay, nor gardens.  That is when W. B. Powell and Sons dissolved the partnership.  As Willis and Eva were going to live with us, Harry got two thirds of the cattle and machinery, Mac got the other third.  Mac went to Sheridan, Wyoming, got a job on a ranch haying for the summer.  Willis and Eva got $20 a month, old age pension, each.  Harry and I kept on milking cows.  All helped to live.  That was the summer our U. S. President Roosevelt made programs called WPA and PWA, what the difference was I don't remember.  A lot of the folks out our way worked on the programs.  That is when we got our dirt roads from Sheridan, Wyoming graveled.  Harry worked on it during October, November and one paycheck in December.  When it ended, Harry had our year's supply of flour and sugar stacked in a corner of the front room along with a lot of canned vegetables and some fruit in the cellar. It was a gift from God; we sure did appreciate it.

     On 19 March 1937 our son was born named Willis Alfred (Bill).  By this time Grandma (Eva) was not able to care for the baby, so I got to be a housewife and mother for a while, something I did enjoy.  On 30 November 1939 our second daughter, Addie Marie, was born and on 23 December 1940, our second son, Lee Stewart, was born.

     In October 1940 Eva passed away.  We had moved them to town for the winter as she was ill and they were boarding with a couple.  She only lived a couple of weeks after moving to town so she didn't get to see her last grandson.  Willis passed away at the ranch of old age on the 29th of January 1944.  They were both buried in Sheridan, Wyoming.

     As the years began to get better, Harry bought the two homesteads he had leased and more that we had not leased so that we had 5000 acres of deeded land, 640 school lease and 200 acres of federal lease.  We were running around three hundred head of cattle.  Mac also bought more land and he joined us.  We ran our cows together and we all worked together. We began to have some great times doing other things besides work.  We went to Tongue River Dam to picnic and fish and went to country dances.

     When Alice was ready for school, she had to board away from home through the week.  We lived thirteen miles from the nearest country school.  Bill also had to board away from home for school.  When Addie was ready for school Harry bought a one room cabin that was in the school yard (a teacher had lived in it)  and Alice, Bill and Addie stayed in it through the week.  When Lee was ready to go to school Harry bought a Willys Jeep and Alice drove it to school.  It was handed down to Bill when Alice was out of school and when he was done with school it was my job to drive the school route.  All the children went to Sheridan, Wyoming to go to high school.

     In 1947 Harry had a deep well drilled on a hill from the house, 255 feet deep.  It was "soda water" but a lot of it.   Then we built on to the old house; a nice big kitchen and bathroom on the first floor and two bedrooms and two nice bedrooms and clothes closets upstairs.  A nine hundred gallon cement water storage tank was made, a ditch and water pipe was laid to the house.  The water came gravity flow and by fall we had all the conveniences of running water in the house.  We also had propane hot water heater, a propane refrigerator with freezer compartment and a double sink.  Hot and cold water, what a luxury and how happy we all were!  Our hard work had paid off.  We had gotten a new Dodge car, two tractors, machinery to go with them, and we had to milk only one or two milk cows for our own use, and had our chickens for eggs and to eat.

     The time came when the two oldest children had left the nest and were feathering nests of their own.  At Christmas vacation  time in 1957 Range Telephone Company installed our first phone.  And the following spring on the evening of April 20th, after Harry got to see five of the grandchildren, he was talking on the phone to Alice when he fell over backwards; dead.  What a shock!  He is buried in Sheridan, Wyoming also.

     About four years after Harry died, Mac sold his place to a neighbor, and moved to Sheridan to live.  In the spring 1978 Mac got quite ill and the doctor put him in the nursing home in Gillette, Wyoming as the one in Sheridan was full.  I was put in as his guardian to take care of his business.  I went often to see him and he  was always clean and kept nice, he got good care.  He died on the 12th of September, 1978 from pneumonia.  He was an Elk so is buried in the Elk's cemetery plot in Sheridan, Wyoming.  This comes to close the Powell family life in Montana.

     Daughter Addie and family have the ranch now and I hope when she retires form teaching school she and Ace will go to live there the rest of their lives.

Jacob "Ben" Powell 1833-1915 Butler, Bates County, Missouri Obituary

 1833 - Jacob Powell - 1915 

     Jacob Powell, commonly known as "Ben" Powell, was born in Monroe County, Mo., June 8, 1838.  Departed this life February 20, 1915, at his home in Butler.  He was brought up in Schuyler County, Mo., and moved to Bates County about 48 years ago.  The last five years the Powell family has resided in Butler.

     Deceased was married in Schuyler County, 60 years ago.  Along the way of life these good people have walked together.  Through the changing scenes along the way, and the labors of all the years they have lightened each other's burdens and deepened their joys.  On the third day of this month, just sixteen days ago, his wife passed over the river, and so shortly he to, answered the eternal call.

     To this family eleven children were born, seven of whom survive. Sarah A. Powell, Mrs. Jennie Miller of St. Joseph; Mrs. Helen Venner of Canada; W. B., Lee, David and Andrew Powell of Butler.  John T. Lane and G. W. Lane, sons by a former marriage, and both of Oklahoma, also survive.

     Deceased was well and favorably known  by his friends and neighbors.  Mr. Powell was a kind father and a devoted husband.  He shall be missed through all the days that are to come.  These children are doubly bereft by the going of both father and mother so closely together.  The blessings of a rich Heavenly Father, and the warm sympathy of many friends and neighbors are sufficient for the hour of bereavement and a source of comfort.

     Funeral conducted from the house Sunday at 2:30 p. m. by Rev. R. M. Webdell,  Interment in Eilliott Cemetery south of Butler.


Thursday, January 18, 2024

Otto’s Plate


 Otto Hardesty married Lillie Arvilla Gaddy.  They had a store at Coin, AR. In the the teens of the 1900’s.  In 1916, Arvilla was appointed postmistress of Coin.  In 1914, they gifted these plates to customers of their store.  One has surfaced and the owner, Dexter Combs wants me to have it.  I told him to take it to Sister Fleta.  He said he would.  Arvilla’s death certificate has she died of nervous disease. She passed in 1942.  Otto passed in 1955.  I think they rest at Denver Cemetery.

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

The Spinning Wheel Still Spins Its Tale

 The Journey of the Spinning Wheel

It all started with a question. “What do you know about the spinning wheel?” My son Chris asked me this just before Christmas. Actually, it started well before this – When Chris was in the 2nd grade, he was fascinated by the spinning wheel and all things old/antique. He borrowed the spinning wheel from my mother who had inherited it from a long line of her ancestors.  He wanted to take it to show and tell.  It was then she determined that Chris would be in line to receive the spinning wheel, but I told her it had to go through me first.

This past Fall, it was time to pass it on to Chris. He and his wife, Colynn, had a friend over. The friend asked Chris the question – “What do you know about the spinning wheel?” Chris answered, “Not much. All I know is that it came across in a wagon and it survived a fire.” The wagon is folklore and the fire was at my mother’s house.  Chris then posed this question to me. Like him, I did not know anything. I told him I would start researching after Christmas.

I called Uncle Aaron. He told me the spinning wheel, best he could remember, belonged to Grandma Josie’s mother Mary Ann (Cash) Jameson. We discussed the folklore of it coming across on a wagon and if that were the case it had to belong to Mary Ann’s mother, Elizabeth “Betsy” (Holmes) Cash. This is based on the fact that Mary Ann was born in Arkansas. However, after further consideration, Betsy, born in Tennessee, was just a young girl when the Holmes family relocated from Tennessee to Arkansas. My thoughts now are that it must have belonged to Betsy’s mother, Mary Polly (Denton) Holmes because I don’t think a young girl had any need for owning a spinning wheel. If anyone has information to the contrary, please let me know. We really want to know its history.

If the facts plus folklore is correct, the spinning wheel would be circa 1820ish.

Uncle Aaron told me another story about a beautiful wool indigo blue and white hand-spun, hand-woven throw. He said, as told to him by Grandma Josie, Betsy owned the sheep, sheared them, spun the wool into yarn/thread, then hand-wove the throw on a loom. Uncle Aaron said that he thought maybe Uncle John might have received the throw, or maybe Aunt Myrtle’s daughter Dorothy Vescovo had it. I’ve tried to contact Dorothy but have not been successful. If anyone has an address for her or her children, please let me know.   Is it still in the family?  If the throw is still out there, I would like to see it even if it is by way of a photograph.

Josie and Arthur

My investigations led me to do an internet search. This is how I came up with my facts – people, places, and dates. Clicking and reading, clicking and reading, clicking and reading… I did a search for Levi and Elizabeth Betsy Holmes Cash and came across a Facebook group called, Snowball, AR, Pictures. A woman, Betty Renfroe, who is somewhat of an expert on genealogy had a very interesting and informative post dated 2-11-20 in which she “would talk about the family of Levi C. and Elizabeth Betsy Holmes Cash family…” 

Another search led me to Find-A-Grave site for Elizabeth Holmes Cash. Someone had posted a comment on this page, and I had a question about it. I emailed this person via Find-A-Grave which became quite the ordeal so she suggested that we communicate via text and so we did. She was able to answer my question regarding the name of Scott vs Denton. Low and behold, turns out my Find-A-Grave woman was the one and only Betty Renfroe, my genealogy expert from the Snowball group.

Back to the Snowball group – this is where it gets interesting. Betty’s post was full of names, dates, and places. She even had several photos. At the time two photos caught my attention.

See the spinning wheel in the top, right background… This James & Martha (Grandma & Pa Rea) are sister and brother-in-law to Mary Ann Cash Jameson, my mother’s paternal Great-Grandmother. I felt as though I hit the jackpot – a picture of the spinning wheel… Is this one ours? Maybe, maybe not – if it’s not then it is very similar and belongs to the same family.

Martha Cash And James Rea—spinning wheel in background!

The other photo that caught my attention was one of Betsy, Mary Ann’s mother.  There should be a correction to the above photo regarding Levi Cash died “dueling”. The lady (Mary Watts, I think) who posted it says that the picture cut off and it should actually state – “Levi Cash died during the Civil War.”  A private in the Union Army, he was out on patrol and was shot. He died three days later. This photo is also posted on her Find-A-Grave site. Additionally, note the throw on the back of her chair.  Could this be the one Uncle Aaron told me about? I sent it to him, and he replied, “Yes the pattern is what I remember; my young and small eyes thought it to be a little larger.” And then, “I think if this throw isn’t the one Grandma Josie had, I’ll bet it was made on the same wheel and loom!”

If anyone has any information regarding the spinning wheel or throw, please let me know. Or, if any of my information is incorrect, please let me know. We just want to put a history on the spinning wheel before it’s too late.

Story Written by LanellšŸ¤