29 July 2009

Wordless Wednesday, Harrison Cemetery, Harrison, Idaho


Yesterday I posted a photo of a headstone at the Harrison Cemetery
in Harrison, Idaho. Here is the last photo I took that day looking from the
cemetery out over Coeur d'Alene Lake. It is certainly a beautiful resting
place. One can see why this site was chosen.

28 July 2009

Tombstone Tuesday

Louisa J Yaxtheimer was born Louisa J Bailey on 10 Mar 1862 in Pennsylvania. She married Willoughby A Yaxtheimer on 20 Sept 1909 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She died 1 Nov 1939 in Springton, Idaho and was buried at the Harrison Cemetery in Harrison, Kootenai County, Idaho.

I would assume that Willoughby has passed away at this point, but either he was buried somewhere else or the date of his death was never inscribed.

I am happy to report that do to the great efforts of the local Girl Scouts this cemetery has been cleared of it's underbrush and it is once again accesable and the headstone have been cleaned up so they are readable. Thanks girls for all your hard work. I had about three men stop by who were locals to see if I needed help. There was construction going on that they were doing on the nearby road. They were very proud of the work the Girl Scouts have been doing and bragged to me about all of their hard work. It's great to see that there are still those who teach our children respect for the dead.

23 July 2009

Madness Monday, Michael Oliver Jenkins 1824- 1905


Michael Oliver Jenkins is my 3rd great grandfather. I have been searching for his family for more than four years. As in the case of my gg grandfather William Woolsey, it's as though he life also does not start until he married. I often expect to encounter this hurdle with my female ancestors, but I seem to be encountering this with my male ancestors quit often. So in order to break down this brick wall, I sat down and wrote out his Biographical Outline as I know it.



Biographical Outline of the Life of M.O. Jenkins
  • 4 Apr 1824 Michael Oliver Jenkins was born in Lincoln, NC.
  • 31 Aug 1848 Michael married Mary Ann Freshour in Greene Co., TN.
  • 29 Oct 1850 Michael and Mary are in the 1850 Federal Census of 9th Division, Greene Co., TN. Living next door are Mary's parents Joseph and Catherine.
  • 30 Nov 1851 Catherine Barbara Jenkins was born to Michael and Mary.
  • 25 Nov 1851 Michael is listed as one of two executors on a will dated on this date for John Stephens who was Mary's uncle through her mother Catherine Stephens. (Will probated 7 March 1853).
  • 22 Nov 1853 John Stephens Jenkins (my 4th great grandfather) was born in Greene Co., TN.
  • Abt 1855 Ann Jenkins was born
  • Abt 1857 Mollie T Jenkins was born
  • Abt 1860 Sallie C Jenkins was born
  • 11 Jun 1860 Michael and Mary along with the four children listed above are in the 1860 Federal Census living in Limestone, Greene Co., TN. Living next door is Joseph and Catherine, Mary's parents.
  • Abt 1861 Missouri P Jenkins was born.
  • 27 Sept 1862 M.O. Jenkins (also known as Oliver) enlisted as a Private in Co I, 64th North Carolina Infantry and fought in the Civil War until 1864. He later became a Sargent and later became part of Co E, 16th Battalion Tennessee Cavalry. It appears that his records continue until July of 1863. I'll elaborate more on this set of records later.
  • Abt 1865 William O Jenkins was born
  • Abt 1867 Lavina Elizabeth Jenkins was born
  • Abt 1870 Lucinda J Jenkins was born
  • Abt 1876 Joseph A Jenkins was born.
  • 28 Jun 1880 Michael O and the family are enumerated in Precinct seven in the county of Eratt, Texas. The only child not with them in this census is the oldest Catherine Barbara Jenkins, whom I'm sure was already married by this time.
  • 24 Jan 1905 M. O. Jenkins died. According to the family in Oklahoma, but his body was taken back to Erath Co., TX and buried beside Mary who died 5 May 1892.
Records I have:
  • 1848 Greene Co., TN marriage record, page 277, record 1479 shows M. O. Jenkins married to Mary Freshour on 31 Aug 1848.
  • Civil War records. There are too many to list everything, but to summarize most of these were from the muster rolls. All of them can be found on footnote, under the name Oliver or M.O Jenkins. He enlisted 27 Sept 1862 and the records continue on until 31 July 1863. He was a Private then a Sargent and last his title simply says D. S. which I can only assume is Drill Sargent? Please correct me if I'm wrong. He started out in Co. I, 64th North Carolina Inf. and was last in Confederate Co E, 16 Batt'n (Neals) Tennessee Cavalry. I also noted that in the Cavalry he was enlisted with a W. R. Jenkins (who was a deserter) and and E.T. Jenkins. I need to look into these two men further. They may be related and may lead mo to the family of M.O. Jenkins. It's top on my list.
  • 1850 Federal Census 9th Division, Greene Co., TN, pg 204, family 1200, dwelling 1200 is Michael and wife Mary. Next door in dwelling 1201 is Mary's family the household of Joseph Freshour. Michael is a Carpenter and is listed as born in NC. Also living in Dwelling 1206 is Mary's uncle Jacob Stephens, and living in the home of Jacob is another uncle John Stephens.
  • 1860 Federal Census, Limestone Springs, Greene Co., TN. series M653, Roll 1252, page 374, family 275, dwelling 275 M. O Jenkins age 35, male, Farmer born in North Carolina. Also listed is wife Mary age 28 and their first five children. Again living next door in dwelling 276 is Mary's father, Joseph Freshour.
  • 1880 Federal Census, Precinct Seven, Eratt Co., TX, page 3011?, dwelling 246, family 249, Michael O. Jenkins age 55, Farmer born in NC as well as both parents.
  • Photo of his headstone that he shares with his wife Mary in Hannibal Cemetery, Hannibal, Erath Co., TX. I also just received a photo from a very generous lady showing Mary's original headstone still standing beside the one they share. It's broken and leaning against the base, but it's still there.
Future research:
  1. Find W.R. Jenkins and E.T. Jenkins from NC or TN enlisted in the Civil War around the same time as Michael.
  2. Still missing and need to find census for 1900, 1870, 1840 and 1830. Though the last two I may not discover until I know the name of his father.
  3. Record of his death. I'd like to know where he really died, if in TX or OK. I may need to find if there are records for the Hannibal Cemetery which may reveal this information.

10 July 2009

Is Nothing Sacred Anymore?

We should be shouting out loud over this! Yes I'm mad and it didn't even affect my family, but it could have. Think about this for just a moment. How would you feel if you found out your sacred hill where your ancestors once morned their dead, was destroyed for profit? What about if your loved ones were dug up from their graves and dumped in a field in order to make room for more burials in a full cemetery, so someone again makes money? Is the all mighty dollar going to destroy our ethics, morality and respect? Well it is!

I was watching the news late last night when I heard about the historical African-American Burr Oak cemetery in Alsip, Chicago that has been desecrated. Four people have been charged in the scam to remove bodies in order to make room for "new" plots. In some cases the bodies were removed and dumped in abandoned fields, in other cases the bodies were pounded down to make room for a burial above them. In one report a family member said "it's like killing them again." It is believed that they have desecrated 200 to 300 bodies. It is disgusting and outragouse! Have we become a society where the all might damn dollar is more important to us then showing respect to our dead?

You can read more about this in these post:
Then this morning I recieved an email alerting me to this tragedy. In Oxford, Alabama a sacred 1500 year mound is being destroyed. This mound was used by the Indians to morn their dead and then bury them in the caves below. What is even more infuriating is that the mayor of Oxford, Leon Smith is involved in making it possible for the constrution crew to destroy this mound in order to use it for......get this.....fill dirt for a Sam's Club. I use to work for Wal Mart and one thing they really make a big deal of in your orientation is how important family is. You really even get a bit of a history leason on the Walton family. I doubt they are condoning this. I'm sure this is all in the hands of the construction crew who wants to make that all might damn dollar and is willing to distroy something so sacred to others in order to make that dollar.

Please do take the time to visit this well writen post about the mound in Oxford, Alabama. She has done a great job of pulling together a history and addresses where you can write to make your voice heard. I plan to sit down later today and put together a few letters myself. Oxford, Alabama Destroying A 1500-Year-Old Indian Mound To Build A Sam's Club by Deep Fried Kudzu.

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