Lincecum Lineage

3 Birth Dates for Joseph Noah Abernathy

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:25:00 +0000

The first one is fairly easy to dismiss; it's from an index, and I can see how the mistake was made. An entry for Joseph Noah Abernathy in Ancestry's WWI Civilian Draft Registrations states he was born 20 Apr 1875, but an image of the draft card shows 20 March 1875. So right off the bat two is down to one.

But then there's his death certificate. It gives Noah's birth date as 3-21-1876, and one of his daughters is the informant. Furthermore, his tombstone in Bollinger County, Missouri's Plainview Cemetery offers the same birth year. And we are quickly back up to two.

I do have some extra evidence to consider. The marriage license for Noah and his wife Marry Elizabeth Kirn states Noah was under the age of twenty-one at the time the license was purchased, in January 1896. Unfortunately for my research, both birth dates would bring about that result.

I lean toward the birth date on Noah's World War I draft registration card simply because he should have been the one to provide that information. I guess other arguments could be made, though. What do you think?

By the way, Joseph Noah Abernathy (1875/6 - 1957) was the son of Sion and Margaret Abernathy. He was also the father-in-law to my great grand aunt, Gladys Marie Campbell via her marriage to Noah's son Harry Joseph Abernathy.

Gideon, Killicrankie, & a Merry Christmas to You!

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:12:00 +0000

[Originally posted last year. I hope you and yours are having a wonderful holiday season. Every visit you make to this blog I take as a gift and hold it dear.]

"When Gideon [Lincecum] was seventeen years old and clerking in an Indian trading post in Eatonton, Georgia, his employer, Ichabod Thompson, brought him from Savannah a black English violin as a Christmas present. It was the treasure of his life. Not being acquisitive of worldly goods, it was the only possession he cherished throughout his life.

It was at dawn on Christmas of 1810 when young Gideon answered a knock at his door and found the kindly Ichabod Thompson standing outside with the violin in his hands. Gideon, barefooted and in his night gown, stepped outside the door to accept the wonderful instrument, the dearest Christmas present of his life. He placed the violin against his shoulder and, disregarding the cold wind, played a Mississippi popular tune, Killiecrankie.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, every Christmas dawn thereafter, for sixty-three years, Gideon arose from bed wherever the day found him, and, as he was, in nightclothes and barefooted, played his Christmas tune three times." [Lois Wood Burkhalter, Gideon Lincecum, 1793-1874 (University of Texas Press, © 1965), 290 & 291.]

Merry Christmas from Lincecum Lineage!

The Jingle Bell Rock (Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories #21)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:05:00 +0000

This was originally posted last year as part of Blog Caroling, but I think it fits nicely with the Holiday Music Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories prompt. Don't you? Good! Here it is again. :-)

When my brother was quite young, he and Grandpa Logue would team up to sing "Jingle Bell Rock." Grandpa would start with "Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell." Then he would point at my brother who would yell, "ROCK!" And, yes, that would continue over and over for some time during our visits. Though not a traditional carol, this is a Christmas song I often think of every year and invariably find myself singing.

Death and Burial of Sallie Caroline Matson Lewis

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Sallie Caroline Matson, my 3rd cousin, was a daughter of James Vardeman Matson and Mary Lincecum. I have two birth years for Sallie. According to her death certificate, Sallie was born 24 February 1855 in Texas. According to her tombstone, however, her year of birth was 1856. Either way, she was just a young teenager when she married Mr. H. M. Lewis in December 1870. Widowed a couple decades later, Sallie spent about half of her life in Hubbard, Hill County, Texas. That is where she died 14 December 1924, less than a week before what would have been the 54th anniversary of her marriage.

The cause of Sallie's death was listed as Euremia. According to Wikipedia.org, uremia loosely describes the illness accompanying kidney failure, "in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ...Early symptoms include anorexia and lethargy, and late symptoms can include decreased mental acuity and coma. Other symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, cold, bone pain, itch, shortness of breath, and seizures."

Sallie was laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery at Hubbard.

Sarah Matson Lewis
1856 - 1924

(FindAGrave Memorial #11231900)

That Special Card (Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories #4)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 12:48:00 +0000

[Originally posted last year.]

As much as I grumble about putting up Christmas decorations, there is one thing I do like to display -- my Christmas cards! While I might procrastinate on getting mine in the mail, I sure do love getting them.

My display is nothing fancy, I just tape them to the front door. I'd show you a picture, but I haven't received any new ones yet. (C'Mon, people! It's the 4th already!) And, yes, you will find some are put up year after year. Maybe I really like the cover, or maybe the sentiment is significant, or maybe the sender wrote a special note. I also have some that have been placed in a scrapbook. The ultimate destination for all that I want to keep and remember. I try to write out beside them who was the sender so there's no guessing or unnecessary fondling. :-)

There is one card, however, that has its own page in the scrapbook. It is the most special card I have received to date -- the last Christmas card from my Aunt Cindy before she passed away. I separated the two sides so the front and inside could both be seen at a glance. Looking at it is always bittersweet, as it brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.

Our German Angel Ornaments (Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories #3)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:32:00 +0000

[This was originally posted in 2009 for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. As you will read, I was running behind on my posting then. Thankfully, I am on time this year (for however long it lasts).]

I'm running a little behind in posting for the Geneabloggers Advent Calendar, but still wanted to share some special family ornaments with you. To be honest, I don't know a lot of details about the angel ornaments pictured above. I can tell you they are from Germany.

From the time I was in kindergarten through second grade, my father was stationed at Hahn Air Force Base. I imagine things were difficult, at least at first, for my parents. Especially since we initially did not live in base housing. We first lived above the store pictured here. It was across the street from a big church. There was one other American family that lived there, as well. As for me, all the memories are good ones. The three main things I tie to Christmas in Germany are the ornaments, German chocolates Mom always had for us, and snow.

Germany is really the only placed we lived that had a lot of snow. While we did live in Colorado for a bit, I don't remember much of it. The absolute best thing to do in the snow was go sledding. It was so much fun! I didn't mind climbing to the top of the hill when I knew I would be flying back down it! That is, if I kept me and my red sled out of the ditch. :-) The only unfortunate thing was the dreaded snowsuit my mother made us wear!

One time, I was sledding down a hill that had a fence at the bottom. Somehow, I managed to find the hole in the fence and went right through it. I remember grabbing onto a small tree and hanging on. When I looked down, I saw a road with cars going by! Funny thing is, I don't remember being scared. I don't remember hanging there too long, either, as my Dad was soon there pulling me up and out. That was something else that made the sledding special. It was something me and my Dad always did. Mom was not fond of the snow, and my little brother was still a bit too young to be able to go by himself.

It's neat how a few little angel Christmas ornaments can bring back so many memories!

Death and Burial Notices for Richard T. Matson

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:43:00 +0000

Richard T. Matson, born 21 September 1855, was my 3rd cousin, 5x removed. He was a son of James V. Matson and Mary Lincecum. I found it interesting that James and his son each honored their father in the naming of sons. James named a son after his father, and Richard named a son after his father. Of course it's possible the names might actually date back further.

I recently found death and burial notices for Richard at GenealogyBank. He died at the young age of 41, but I don't know the cause. Richard was laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery at Hubbard, Hill County, Texas. The photo included is from his memorial on FindAGrave.

Dallas Morning News (Texas)
10 June 1897
"MORTUARY
MATSON -- Hillsboro, Hill Co., Tex., June 9. R. T. Matson, a prominent farmer and stockman of this county, died at his residence three miles west of here, to-day. He was 45 years old."

Dallas Morning News (Texas)
13 June 1897
"MORTUARY
MATSON -- Hubbard City, Tex., June 11 -- Mr. R. T. Matson, who died at his home three miles east of Hillsboro Wednesday, the 9th instant, was buried here to-day. Rev. C. Smith conducted the funeral services."

Now, was his home three miles east or three miles west of Hillsboro? Gotta love it.

Richard Matson & the Battle of River Raisin

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:17:00 +0000

In a biographical sketch written about James Vardeman Matson, a distant cousin of mine, it's stated that his father was Richard Matson. He "fought under General Harrison in the war of 1812, was captain of a company of Kentucky riflemen, and was wounded and left on the battle-field for dead, but succeeded in escaping. He was afterward Captain of a company in the Seminole war, and was interested in the early settlement of Texas. He...joined the Austin colony in Washington county, Texas."

Even though Richard is not technically related to me (his son James is an "in-law"), I was nonetheless interested in learning more about him. You know -- learn about the father, learn about the son. I started searching on Ancestry.com, and was pleasantly surprised by what I was able to find. With no birth or death information for Richard, I excitedly read an obituary included in Austin Colony Pioneers by Worth Ray (Genealogical Publishing Co, 1970). I now know that my cousin James lost his father when he was a young boy of just fifteen years.

COL. RICHARD MATSON. On Sunday morning, August 25, 1839, about 20 miles from Washington, Texas, an encounter took place between Mr. Asa Mitchell and Col. Richard Matson, which resulted in the death of Col. Matson from wounds, as is supposed, inflicted by Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell was one of the first emigrants to this county. Himself, and the deceased, were regarded as good citizens. -- Texas Emigrant (Washington), 31 August 1839

On the same page in Mr. Worth's book, it is detailed that the Matson family "afterwards resided in the country between the present town of Burton and Gay Hill, or Independence, as they are buried in the old cemetery in that part of Washington county." That notation is followed up with a transcription: "R. T. Matson, born Sept. 21, 1826; died (killed in battle at Pine Bluff, Ark.) October 25, 1863." Hmmm... seems like James had a younger brother that was killed in the Civil War. His biographical sketch did state James was "the second of four children..."

Remember the Raisin

After those nice finds, I turned my attention to finding out Richard's role in the War of 1812. Since biographical sketches sometimes contain erroneous information, I would have been happy just to verify Richard's service. My first hit came from Kentucky in the War of 1812 by Anderson Quisenberry (Clearfield Publishing, 1996). This details the battle of the River Raisin at Frenchtown, Michigan Territory in 1813. A Captain Matson is mentioned. Could it be my Richard Matson? Not sure just yet, I kept plowing through more digitized books.

The same source mentioned just above also contained some listings of companies and soldiers. One was Johnson's Regiment, Kentucky Mounted Volunteer Infantry. Mustered in 20 May 1813, the 7th Company contained a Capt. Richard Matson. Another was the First Rifle Regiment, Kentucky Militia. Organized 15 August 1812, the 1st Company contained a Lieut. Richard Matson.

This information was again found in Minnie Wilder's Kentucky Soldiers in the War of 1812 (Clearfield Publishing Co, 1995). The Roll of Captain William Ellis' Company, First Rifle Regiment Kentucky Militia, Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Allen lists a Lieutenant Richard Matson (15 Aug 1812 - 14 Oct 1812). And the roll of Captain Richard Matson's Company, Kentucky Mounted Infantry, Commanded by Colonel Richard M. Johnson lists a Captain Richard Matson (20 May 1813 - 19 Nov 1813).

The above information seemed to corroborate what the biographical sketch said about Richard's War of 1812 service, but did he really captain a company during the Battle of the River Raisin? I was still a little unsure since the battle took place January 1813, and the above information does not give Richard the leadership position of Captain until May of that year. Further reading told of how Captain William Ellis died not long before the battle, and Richard Matson took over as Captain of his company in the First Rifle Regiment commanded by John Allen. Ah, it all now makes sense.

I then went back to my first hit and read about the battle again, since I was a bit more confident it really did contain information about my Richard Matson:

On the morning of January 17, 1813, General Winchester detailed Colonel William Lewis's regiment of 550 Kentucky militiamen, and Colonel John Allen, with 110 men from his regiment of Kentucky Riflemen, to march to the relief of Frenchtown. Lewis's instructions were "to attack the enemy, beat them, and take possession of Frenchtown, and hold it."

Frenchtown was so named because of the fact that its inhabitants...were of French nationality. They were very loyal to the American Government, under which they had been living for years. On account of the great abundance of grapes which grew along the banks of the stream upon which the town was situated, they called that stream "La Riviere aux Raisins." Two days after the surrender of Detroit by General Hull, Frenchtown was taken possession of by Colonel Elliott, of the British army, and had had more or less of a British garrison ever since...

Early in the morning of January 18 the Kentuckians crossed Maumee Bay at the Western extremity of Lake Erie, upon the solidly frozen ice, and advanced rapidly upon Frenchtown in three lines; the right composed of the companies of Captains McCracken, Bledsoe and Matson, commanded by Colonel Allen... Arriving at Frenchtown, these troops formed in line of battle on the south side of the river, which they crossed on the solidly frozen ice, in the face of a murderous fire of musketry, charged gallantly up the river bank, leaped the pickets, dislodged the enemy, and drove them back in disastrous defeat to the surrounding forests. The Kentuckians pursued the enemy into the forest, where the fighting was very hot from 3 o'clock until dark.

The result of this day's battle was a complete victory for the Kentuckians -- who, as General Harrison stated in his official report, "amply supported the double character of Kentuckians and Americans." Their loss in the engagement was twelve killed and fifty-five wounded, among the latter being Captains Bland W. Ballard, Paschal Hickman and Richard Matson.

I'm not going to continue on, but the battle of River Raisin did not end there. More fighting was to come. As to Richard Matson's continued role, I can only say he was released from the hospital and continued fighting. He made it through, married Diadamia Vardeman, and had my cousin James Vardeman Matson eleven years later.

Now! What about the Seminole War? Looks like I have more research to do.

Worst Census Entry Ever?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:48:00 +0000

As far as my personal research goes, it might very well be. It's got to be the most confusing.

You can enlarge those by clicking on them, if you so choose (sorry about the watermark, I forgot to remove it before uploading; I certainly claim no copyright). Or, if you find yourself interested enough to view the entire page, the cropped images are from the Hubbard, Hill County, Texas 1920 U.S. Federal Census -- ED #54, Sheet 11B.

I'm not sure I can even explain how messed up this appears to me. First, ignore the top name. I'm confident she belongs with family 156. The census taker's notation regarding Cullen M^cLain takes you to the household of J. B. M^cLain, so I'm guessing that is to whom Cullen is a son. Ignore him, too.

You are still left with Drucilla Freeland, listed as a female head of household for family 157. Her "wife" is Austin Freeland. Supposedly, Mary Shepard is Drucilla's sister and Bobbie Whitaker is her grandson. Following them are two nephews and a niece, again supposedly of Drucilla.

The only person listed with a job is Cullen (farm laborer), and I'm thinking he's getting paid by this family instead of bringing money into it. I hope there's a lot of "own income" floating around somewhere!

My interest is with Mary Shepard. She is my third cousin, daughter of James Matson and Mary Lincecum. I can find absolutely no connection between Mary Shepard and Drucilla Freeland (or Austin Freeland, or any of the Kinchloe family). I would likely toss this entry out altogether if it weren't for Bobbie Whitaker. I believe a grandson of (my) Mary Shepard to be Robert Shepard Whiteaker, son of Hester Shepard Whiteaker. So the connection between Mary and Bobbie rings true to me. Other factors of location and marital status give more credence to this being my Mary Shepard. Should I just chalk all those seemingly incorrect relationships up to bad information provided to the census taker? I transcribed the information and saved a copy of the image. It's definitely going on hold for now. Trying to make sense of it hurts my head. :-)

Whaddya Mean You "Don't Know"?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:02:00 +0000

Yesterday I shared with you an obituary for James Vardeman Matson, Jr. He was a distant cousin of mine; a son of Mary Elizabeth Catherine Lincecum Matson. Today I'd like you to take a look at his death certificate.

Did you notice the cause of death section? I was a bit surprised to see the entry read, "Don't know; probably due to heart failure."

Forgive me, but, well, um, DUH! Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a doctor, and I know sometimes a good bit of digging needs to be done before a cause of death can be definitively determined, and if an autopsy was not deemed necessary, yadda, yadda, yadda. (No need for nasty comments from medical professionals.) I just guess the "Don't know" caught me a bit off guard. In defense of Dr. Aynesworth, the attending physician, he had only been with cousin James for about four days in a sanitarium. It was also indicated that a contributory factor was mild pleurisy.

The certificate also states James was buried in "Hubbard Cemetery." I can help clarify this thanks to FindAGrave. James Vardeman Matson, Jr. was laid to rest at Fairview Cemetery in Hubbard, Hill County, Texas. Sherry Garrett Franklin provided the photo.

On an off topic note, my vital records course at the National Institute of Genealogical Studies encourages me to practice properly citing my vital documents. So here's the citation for the death certificate above:

"Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 September 2011), death certificate image, James Vardeman Matson, 15 June 1931, no. 29975, Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics.

2nd Cousin, 6x Removed, In Law - J. V. Matson (Wordless Wednesday)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:17:00 +0000

Diadamia Vardeman Matson: A Pioneer Woman of Texas, and a Heroine in Her Way

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:58:00 +0000

I was browsing around the Family History Archives of FamilySearch today with the LINCECUM surname. Since it's pretty rare, I felt safe doing a very generic search, including full text. I was right -- only 25 hits. Anyway, one hit was from the book A Memorial and Biographical History of Johnson and Hill Counties, Texas (with a mile-long subtitle). Included therein is a sketch for Colonel James Vardeman Matson, who married "a daughter of Dr. Gid Lincecum."

Mr. Matson's mother was Diadamia Vardeman Matson. She's technically not related to me, since her son is an "in law" of mine, but I thought this little tidbit about her was interesting. The author must have thought so too, to include it in the sketch of her son:

"The mother of Colonel Matson, Diadamia Matson, nee Vardeman, was one of the pioneer women of Texas and a heroine in her way. In 1837, her husband, Colonel Matson, decided to come to Texas, to look at the then new country, with a view to locating; Mrs. Matson insisted on accompanying her husband, and they came over in a schooner, and were shipwrecked off the mouth of the Brazos. As there was no transportation there then, they purchased saddle-horses, and the brave wife made the tour of the Indian-infested wilderness of Texas, with her husband, and also back to Missouri on horse-back."

You go, Diadamia!

Graphic from FreeClipartNow.com .

Sometimes You Forget

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:23:00 +0000

That's an exaggeration of course, we don't really forget.

I don't know if I've mentioned it on this blog before, so I'll let it out here: I'm taking courses at the National Institute of Genealogical Studies. I just started a few weeks ago, so I'm pretty much in methodology 101. It is a tad boring, but it's required and refreshers never hurt.

Something great that has come out of going back to the very basics, is revisiting my early research. Stuff I likely have not looked at in years. Going back to that time brings up memories of ancestors I actually, physically knew. I touched them, I hugged them, I laughed with them. My great-grandfather Chester Wesley Campbell, who died seventeen years ago last month, is a fine example.

Great-Grandparents Norma & Chester
Campbell

Grandpa Lincecum sent me this photo almost seven years ago. I found it today while digging through Great-Grandpa Campbell's genealogy file (a physical one, no computer involved). I cannot tell you the last time I looked at this picture. I'll bet I smiled as big as I did the first time I saw it. The pictures of Chester in my mind are of a much older man, and this photo reminded me of how cute he was!

This brought back memories of backyard chicken coops (stories for another day), which then prompted me to go look at another photo, one that hangs in a collage on my wall. It's my favorite of Great-Grandpa Campbell. In it is Chester showing a young boy who happened to grow up to be my father the ins and outs of milking a cow. To me, it's a priceless treasure. Below is a photo of the photo - not perfectly clear - but you can get the idea.

So today's genealogy "homework" turned out to be a nice stroll down memory lane. Getting back to the basics is a good thing!

The Tobacconist

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:46:00 +0000

John Wetherall, father of Mrs. Lillian Wetherall Bowie written about yesterday, was born in Georgetown, District of Columbia in 1839. His mother might have been named Rebecca, but I am not sure.

Every mention of occupation I could find in connection to Mr. Wetherall was the same, but the first time I saw it stated this way was in the 1880 Washington, DC federal census. There, John W. Wetherall was a Tobacconist.

A tobacconist is an expert dealer in tobacco in various forms and the related accessories such as pipes, lighters, matches, ashtrays, humidors, cigar cutters, and more. It seems this is the vocation John chose at an early age according to a notice placed in the January 1864 Daily National Intelligencer:

FROM THIS DATE MR. JOHN W. WETHERALL, for the past seven years in my employ, will have an interest in my business, which will be conducted under the name of GEO. W. COCHRAN & CO.

Returning thanks to my friends and the public generally for the patronage heretofore extended, I respectfully inform them that we will have, as heretofore, all the facilities necessary to conduct the

CIGAR & TOBACCO BUSINESS,
in the most satisfactory manner to our customers.

Given the length of John's employment with Mr. Cochran, he would have likely started in the business about the age of eighteen. A city directory for Washington, DC shows John continued in this business until his death around 1900.

An interesting note is that after his death, John's wife Ella was listed as a "Capitalist" in a subsequent census. That might mean she maintained a piece of Mr. Cochran's company.

Lillian Wetherall Bowie - the Career Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:31:00 +0000

I come from a long, long line of farmers. And while I'm very proud of that fact, I'll admit I tend to get excited when I find "city folk" in my family tree.

Lillian Wetherall Bowie was born 25 April 1873 in the District of Columbia to John W. Wetherall and Ella J. Stanford. Lillian did marry, but it was not until 22 October 1907 at the age of 34 that she wed Arthur L. Bowie. For most of my relatives, that would be considered a little "late" to be getting married, especially for a woman.

Nonetheless, what impresses me the most about Lillian is that she did not sit at home waiting for her suitor. She instead went about the business of making a living for herself.

I was fortunate to find Lillian Wetherall Bowie in every census recorded that is applicable to her life. In 1880 she was with her parents in Washington, DC. In 1900 she was with her widowed mother in the same city. In 1910 and 1920 she was with her husband in Maryland. And in 1930 she was a widow herself, heading a household, still in Maryland.

Since I was working backwards, I first noticed Lillian's occupation in the 1930 Prince George County, Maryland federal census. She was listed as an Examiner at the U. S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This particular government agency is the part of the U. S. Department of the Treasury that designs several security products for the government, including paper currency. How cool is that?

1918 aerial view of the Bureau.

Continuing backwards, Lillian does not have an occupation listed for the 1920 and 1910 census years when she was married and raising a family. Back to 1900, however, she is a young working girl with an occupation of "Government."

I then was smiled upon again with a gift from "Boyd's Directory of The District of Columbia" (via Ancestry.com). In 1896 and 1898, Lillian is entered in this manner: Wetherall, Lillian, bur ptg, 1244 NJ av nw (italics mine). I'd say she must have been pretty good at her job and left a positive, lasting impression if she could take roughly a twenty year break in employment and return to the same department. You go, girl!

Lillian died 7 November 1930 in the District of Columbia at the young age of 57. She was buried with the Bowies in Rockville, Maryland. Lillian was my 4th cousin, 5 times removed.

Memories of Winter in Germany (52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy #2)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:27:00 +0000

I have winter family stories and personal memories from every place I've lived, from Georgia to Colorado to Germany to Texas. One such family story involves a blizzard in my hometown of Warner Robins in 1973, the year I was born. Supposedly, I was pretty young (days old) and riding in the car with my parents when Dad accidentally went off the road. No one was hurt, but that is a story often told regarding my birth.

Winters in Texas were pretty mild, but we would occasionally get a little bit of snowfall. Schools were always closed when that happened, and playing outside was a must.

My most vivid memories of a winter wonderland is Germany. We could pretty much count on snow every year, and as I've mentioned before, sledding was a glorious pastime for me. I also remember Mom and Dad trying to keep the parking spot shoveled when they knew the other would be arriving home. And chains for the tires. I remember those.

I also remember the Black Forest. Though I had no idea of its geography or history at the time, here's the back story from Wikipedia: "The Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald) is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 meters (4,898 ft). The region is almost rectangular with a length of 200 km (120 mi) and breadth of 60 km (37 mi). Hence it has an area of approximately 12,000 km² (4,600 sq mi). The name Schwarzwald, i.e. Black Forest, goes back to the Romans who referred to the thickly forested mountains there as Silva Nigra, i.e. "Black Forest," because the dense growth of conifers blocked out most of the light inside the forest."

I do remember riding through heavily wooded areas where it was almost dark in the daylight and what seemed like nothing but snow in front of you. Here are a couple of photos. The first is from Wikimedia Commons, and the second is from my personal archive. Though there is little to no snow on the ground in the second photo, I do believe we are in part of the Black Forest. (If Dad reads this, he'll correct me if necessary...and he did! See below.)

That little splash of red and blue is my brother and me. It's hard to see
because she's wearing brown, but Mom is behind us.

From Dad via Facebook -

"Well I did read and do have to correct the last part. The last picture is actually a couple trees iced over near where we lived in the Hunsruck. Remember the small town of Buchenbeurin (sp) and the larger town of Sorhen. Wikepedia says: "The Hunsrück is a low mountain range in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the river valleys of the Moselle (north), the Nahe (south), and the Rhine (east). The Hunsrück is continued by the Taunus mountains on the eastern side of the Rhine. In the north behind the Moselle it is continued by the Eifel. To the south of the Nahe, the Palatinate is to be found.

Many of the hills are not higher than 400 m. There are several chains of higher peaks within the Hunsrück, all bearing names on their own: the (Schwarzwälder) Hochwald, the Idarwald, the Soonwald, and the Binger Wald. The highest peak is the Erbeskopf (816 m).

Notable towns located within the Hunsrück include Simmern, Kirchberg, and Idar-Oberstein, Kastellaun, and Morbach. Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, a growing low-fare carrier and cargo airport is also located within the region.

The climate in the Hunsrück is characterised by rainy weather. Slate is mined in the mountains."

It did rain lots there and occasionally we'd get snow or ice. Great article and wow do the pics bring back the memories." (Thanks, Dad!)

Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog has yet another successful series on her hands: 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History. Here are 52 topics (one for each week of 2011) that invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants.

A Pioneer and Free-Thinker (There's One in Every Family)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:43:00 +0000

Every family has at least one -- the radical, the revolutionary, the trailblazer, the pioneer, the free-thinker. In my family, the most documented individual these words describe is Gideon Lincecum. Gideon (1793-1874) was my first cousin, seven times removed, and he's the closest thing I have to a directly connected celebrity. [That is, if you don't count Tim Lincecum, famed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. While I'm sure we are at least cousins, I can't yet prove it.]

Much has been written about the life of Gideon Lincecum. Google him and see for yourself. A Wikipedia article begins this way: "Gideon Lincecum was an American pioneer, historian, physician, philosopher, and naturalist. Lincecum is known for his exploration and settlement of what are now the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, which was then beyond the western borders of the Thirteen Colonies. Lincecum had good relations with American Indians as he explored the wilderness in the American Deep South...Lincecum was self-educated. He spent his boyhood principally in the company of Muskogees. After successive moves, he and his wife, the former Sarah Bryan, moved in 1818 with his parents and siblings to the Tombigbee River above the site of present Columbus, Mississippi."

The Handbook of Texas Online continues with, "From there in January 1835 Lincecum joined an exploring expedition to Texas. In 1848, after years of practicing medicine with herbal remedies learned from Indians and trading with the Indians on the Tombigbee, he moved to Texas. He purchased 1,828 acres of the fertile prairie land he had seen on his Texas visit thirteen years before. Lincecum, Sarah, and their surviving ten children, a number of grandchildren, and ten slaves arrived in Long Point on his fifty-fifth birthday."

Aside from his much documented and highly respected work as a naturalist, Gideon was a friend to the Native American Indians when few were. He befriended them, learned from them, and chronicled their culture and traditions.

Something else Gideon was that is not always focused on is this: he was a free-thinker. "Freethought" is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or any religious dogma. Gideon was not fond of organized religion, and I am quite sure his opinions were controversial in his day. In fact, many would find them just as much so today. If Gideon were still with us, I believe he would definitely be a blogger -- with some dedicated followers and just as many or more haters.

Here is a sampling of Gideon's "free thoughts:"

Free thought? Oh, yes, holy free thought, I have cherished ye a long lifetime and I promise myself and the world that all my efforts either in word or deed shall be on "that side of the blanket" so long as this old heart throbs. GID

Now if there could be born an honest, liberty-loving leader who would take things in hand, concentrate the Indian forces, capture all the praying white races and their allies, the mixed-blood cut throats, and chop off their damn heads, there would remain the most innocent, law-abiding people on earth -- the pure Indian. GID

I owe no man anything beyond common civility. GID

It is a painful thing to know that the grand hope which I so fondly cherished during the minor ages of my children has ultimated in utter failure. Not one of them will leave a mark that will not be obliterated by the first rude blast that passes after they have left the mundane stage. GID

[The following by Gideon at age 75]

When I was a very young man I read Dr. Franklin's works. He advised early marriage and that advice, agreeing with unchecked and misdirected amativeness, it was an easy matter for me to fall in with the old sage's directions. Accordingly, I sought out a companion and was engineering the matrimonial machinery before I was 21 years of age. The result is ten families of grown-up men and women, with their children, numbering together 61. I do not repine or regret anything about it, but I cannot avoid the recollection of the fact that in rearing this numerous brood, who average only from ordinary to middling, I lost 38 years of a life that could have been better employed. For the world is as full as it can hold of precisely the same sort of folks and there was no use in adding my brood to the already overdone business.

To beget and born children in the name of the Lord has not and cannot improve the intellectual developments of our species -- it must be done scientifically and philosophically before there can be any intellectual and moral advancement.

[The following is on the marriage of 1 of his grandchildren]

G. W. Lincecum is married. Society, if she knew her rights and had the courage to maintain them, would never permit such conjugal unions as that. What part of your society compact will he and that Seed gal ornament? Who will feed them?

Ignorance is such a terrible, stubborn, throat-cutting thing. GID

[Following on how to be an infidel and a respectful neighbor]

Stick to the truth in all things, keep sober and freely perform your share in all necessary public works and there is no danger. I know, for I have tried it through a long life and declare positively to you that I never had a man to make use of a rough angry word to me in my life...I have always expressed myself freely and openly on all and any subject, particularly on the subject of religion, its gods, devils, holy ghosts and the whole of the ghost family...We may speak freely of doctrine and principles, avoiding personalities...and we shall seldom offend a man whose friendship is worth cultivating.

[Following on the clergy]

The poor fellows have no sense -- just propound him a few questions in natural history -- in zoology, geology, botany, astronomy or any branch of science and you will find him a perfect goose -- ninny. Yet he can tell all about the unseen country and you must believe or go to hell!...they know but little about the world they inhabit, they have not positively made themselves acquainted with the rules of common decency and reciprocal politeness which is manifested in their manner of slandering you if you chance to differ with them in any of their views or religious dogmas...they are incapable of hearing the words of righteousness and truth...

It would be no difficult matter to establish the doctrine of the superiority of the white race were it not for the occasional occurrence of distorted deviations of white manhood. GID

How little people see of the things they are daily trampling over. GID

The embecility of old age is a dreadful thing and I have no desire to live that long, though it may be that I have already reached that point and am not aware of it. GID

Gideon Lincecum died at the age of 81. News of his death was published in the New York Times under DEATH OF AN ABLE AND ECCENTRIC MAN. He "was buried by the side of his good companion in the old Mount Zion Cemetery near the Lincecum home in Washington County, Texas. Sharing his grave, at his request, was his precious old black violin.

Here, in a neglected graveyard covered with shinnery, Gideon rested for sixty-two years, forgotten but in peace. In 1936, the year of the Centennial of Texas' Independence from Mexico, there was a wholesale disinterment in commemoration of the event.

Gideon Lincecum was one of the victims.

The remains of his body and his old violin were removed to the lovely little State Cemetery in Austin, Texas, and placed in a grave in Row One of the Austin plot, so called because it is dominated by the grave of the Father of Texas.

Lincecum's grave overlooks those of some of Texas' greatest men. The Texas granite tombstone bears the official Texas Centennial emblem, and an erroneous death date -- November 28, 1873. Lincecum died one year later." [Lois Burkhalter, author of Gideon Lincecum, 1793-1874]

In spite of his controversial beliefs, Gideon Lincecum was regarded as a man of honor dedicated to the betterment of society. Though there are many "questionable" quotes above, I could also show you examples of Gideon's love for his family and community. His lasting legacy lives on to this day.

Written for the 100th edition of the Carnival
of Genealogy. Furthermore, this post is
dedicated to the memory of Terry Thornton.

Fun & Education at the 2010 Atlanta Family History Expo

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 22:00:00 +0000

I finally made it to my first Family History Expo! With a chill in the air, my Friday and Saturday was spent in Duluth, Georgia at the Gwinnett Center. It was a very nice location for the expo: the grounds were very pretty with the colorful fall tree leaves, and the conference building itself was nice and spacious. I received my goodie bag bright and early at registration Friday morning.

View from Gwinnett Center

Then it was on to the opening keynote address by Josh Hanna, Let Your Light Shine on Digital Expectations: Preserving Yesterday's Records for Tomorrow's Researchers. First of all, I like the fact that he was a "youngin." I must admit I felt a little out of place that morning. I was the youngest of all around me (and I'm not that young!). Josh was born in 1971, just two years before me. The gist of his lecture was about how Ancestry.com goes about scanning and digitizing documents for our research pleasure. It was very impressive. One of the quotes he offered that struck me the most was actually a quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt at the opening of his Presidential Library: "...a Nation must believe in three things. It must believe in the past. It must believe in the future. It must, above all, believe in the capacity of its own people so to learn from the past that they can gain in judgment in creating their own future."

The exhibit hall opened next, and I went through probably a little too quickly. It was terribly crowded, but I managed to get a few brochures and see things I'd like to further explore. The first class I attended was given by David Dilts of the FamilySearch Family History Library, U.S. Vital Records Overview. Then I went to author M. Bridget Cook's Juicy Family History: 25 Ways to Write Compelling True Stories. One of the important things I took from that class was how to incorporate the five senses into your writing.

Since I drove up from home that morning, I took the lunch break to run and check into my hotel. I found more buena vistas from my fourth floor window:

You can even see the expo sign in the upper right corner of this one:

After lunch I attended Tom Underhill's Digital Photography for the Family Historian. He gave great tips on getting good pictures, but what I got was my camera is old and outdated. :-(

Two more classes for the day and then I hurriedly headed to downtown Duluth to visit a couple of cemeteries. They were not for personal family history, so stay tuned to the Southern Graves blog for photos and researched stories.

I was up and raring to go Saturday morning for Bernie Gracy's Breaking Down Brick Walls with Location Based Genealogy. As you might have seen other bloggers mention, this class was so well attended they had to bring in extra chairs to accommodate the eager students. I will admit, this was my favorite class. I actually had EUREKA moments, it made so much sense. I will be implementing this research methodology immediately by getting out from behind my desktop. The Truth Is Out There! I also will be checking out Bernie's new site (it's in beta) AncestralHunt.

I almost forgot! Another thing Bernie mentioned really made me smile -- he suggested that transcribing and researching entire cemeteries to see how people are related is a good example of location based research methodology. Cemeteries are my passion and favorite area of research. My desire to preserve the tombstones as well as the information found on them and within a cemetery as a whole is what inspires Southern Graves. I'm validated! :-)

My next session was the Social Media Q & A. Valerie Craft, Linda McCauley, Drusilla Pair, DearMYRTLE, Tonia Kendrick, Amy Coffin, and FHExpos President Holly Hansen did a fabulous job conducting the session. I honestly didn't have any questions to ask, but was very interested to hear what others desired in the areas of social media. I was not disappointed. Many are eager to join the ride, and I am glad to know that.

Drusilla, Myrt, Tonia, & Amy

Speaking of social media, if you have the inclination, feel free to friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

Here I will tell you about my one shortcoming while attending the expo. I was way too quiet. This being my first time, and me being quite shy, it was easy to tell myself my specific goal was to "take it all in" and "learn the ropes." Still, I should have opened my mouth and introduced myself to more people. I intend to do a better job of that in the future. I saw people from Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee (in addition to Georgia). I'll never know what connections I might have missed.

Well, that was about the end of my 2010 Atlanta Family History Expo story. I attended one more class, but played a little hooky from the afternoon session. I had four cemeteries in Lawrenceville that I had to explore! :-)

If you ever get a chance to go to a Family History Expo, jump at it. I hope to see you next year!

The Cockspur Island, Georgia Lighthouse at "Your Peachy Past"

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:45:00 +0000

On a recent trip to Savannah, Georgia, I had the chance to visit Fort Pulaski and take a trail through a marsh to an overlook for the Cockspur Island Lighthouse. Cockspur Island is located just inside the mouth of the Savannah River.

Since this site maintained by the National Park Service does not directly connect to my family story, my post about the light is located on another blog I author, Your Peachy Past. I know readers of this blog are interested in sites of historical significance such as this, so I thought I'd plug the article here. ;-)

A Nice Census Find, a "Wonder Why" Moment & the Occupation of Housewifery

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:13:00 +0000

I had a nice census find yesterday. One page, four related families. Here's a cropped view of page 41 of the Southern Division, Pickens County, Alabama 1860 US Federal Census:

In order, the families are of Green B. Barrett (286), Milton Moss (287), Sarah Berry (288), and Zackaria Daniel (289). Barrett, Moss, and Daniel are all nephews-in-law to Sarah Berry, and they are my second cousins, six times removed. Sarah was the wife of Gideon Berry, who had died about five years earlier. Since Sarah is the only one with a real estate value of any kind, as well as a large personal estate value, I think they might have all lived on the same property originally owned by Gideon Berry. That's something I would have to prove, of course.

While I was comparing the data I mined from this document with what was in my family tree program, I discovered one of the family's information was already inputted. Did I find this page earlier, but only notice the family of focus? If so, that's pretty bad genealogy form. We should always check the surrounding families on a census page for this very reason. Hmm... I wonder what I was thinking. I sourced the census page, but not how I accessed it. So there's a good reason why that should always be noted!

Another thing about this page that stood out to me was Sarah's occupation -- "Housewifery." All the other wives were simply noted as "Housewife." I guess Sarah was different because she was widowed. The census taker probably figured she was performing the duties of a housewife, but technically not one.

I found this definition of housewifery online - "The business of the mistress of a family; female management of domestic concerns." For a kick, I also looked up husbandry - "The act or practice of cultivating crops and breeding and raising livestock; agriculture."

I wonder how often those words are used anymore. How times have changed!

Somber Sunday: Marvin A. Wheeler's Death Certificate

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 23:07:00 +0000

From FamilySearch.org.

Marvin was my 4th cousin, 4 times removed in law. He was married to Christine Lincecum.

Jan Colleen Whetstone Baggs Pitts (Mostly Wordless Wednesday)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 22:01:00 +0000

Colleen was my 6th cousin, twice removed. Our shared ancestor was Fernandella Brassoria Lincecum, daughter of Garland Lincecum.

I'm Registered for the Atlanta Family History Expo! Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:17:00 +0000

I certainly hope to see you there!

Just a few days are left to get the Early Bird Special of $55.00 for the two day Family History Expo in Atlanta, GA on November 12th and 13th.

This will be my first family history expo, and I must say I'm very excited. I have not made any definite decisions on which classes I will be learning in as of yet, but the options are fantastic. You can view the agenda here.

I'm especially excited to meet as many fellow geneabloggers as possible. I also plan to incorporate some local cemetery visits while there. Any "must-sees" that you know of? Fill me in! (The expo is technically in Duluth, GA.) And if you have any suggestions on how I can get the most out of this expo, please comment and give me your tips!

Jack & Rhoda Kelley (Tombstones Tuesday)

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:18:00 +0000

My first cousins, six times removed. They were laid to rest at Oak Grove Cemetery in Troy, Pike County, Alabama.

My Very Own Wichita Lineman

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Lincecum) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:09:00 +0000

Well, he's actually from Georgia.

Luther C. Ross (my second cousin, twice removed in law) was the husband of Flossie Womble. In 1910, about the age of 25, Luther was an electric lineman in Washington County, Georgia. This was a couple of decades after electrification, yet before labor organizations and strict safety standards. Consequently, line work was considered one of the most hazardous jobs in existence. According to Wikipedia, approximately 1 in 3 linemen were killed on the job between the 1890s and 1930s, mostly from electrocution. Luther survived in the trade for about twenty years. In 1930 he was still a county worker, but this time as a superintendent with the water department.

...You know I can't resist -