Samuel Humphreys, 1818-1889, his wives, Dorcas Price, abt. 1820-bef. 1841; Mariah Austin, 1817-1879 and Mrs. Sarah A. Martin, 1840-1892

Samuel Humphreys and his second wife, Mariah Austin were my 4^th great-grandparents on my Momma’s side of the family.  Samuel was born in Virginia on 16 December 1818, but as of yet I still do not know where in Virginia or who his parents were.  I do believe he had a brother named William Humphreys who was also born in Virginia in about 1808 and died before 1850 in Crittenden County, Kentucky.  I have a picture of Samuel, but I have never seen a picture of any of his wives.  This is a copy from an old tintype photo, but unfortunately, I failed to write down who I had received it from many years ago.

Samuel worked as a farmer his entire life from what I have gleaned from census, land and court records, etc.  I know he was growing tobacco in the 1840’s from land deed records I have found.

Samuel married his first wife, Dorcas Price in Davidson County, Tennessee on 16 April 1836.  She was probably born around 1820 and had died before 1841.  They became the parents of twins, Mary Ann Elizabeth and William Albert Humphreys who were born in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee on 9 January 1837.  Mary married James Madison Bennett in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 14 January 1857.  They had six known children: William D., J. A., E. H., F. M., W. M. and J. K. Bennett.  Mary died in Posey County, Indiana on 29 May 1902.  William married Drucilla Champion in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 27 November 1858.  They became the parents of five sons, Jesse Henderson, Charles Grant, Granville Davis, Samuel Carty and Albert Humphreys.  William had apparently died sometime before 1870 as his wife and five sons are living with her parents on the 1870 census in Hurricane, Crittenden County, Kentucky.

Samuel next married my grandmother, Mariah Austin in Livingston County, Kentucky on 14 May 1841.  They were married by Joseph Hughes a Justice of the Peace, bondsman was William Humphreys, groom was of age and bride proven of age by William Humphreys.  I believe this William Humphreys was a brother to Samuel.  Since Mariah was almost 24 years old, I don’t know why her age had to be proven by someone, unless she looked younger than she was.  Mariah was born in Tennessee on 1 September 1817 and died on her 62^nd birthday in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 1 September 1879 of heart disease.  The 1880 mortality schedules also state her father was born in England and her mother in Virginia and the doctor attending her was Thomas Dean, when she died.  I have yet to find Mariah’s parents or any known siblings or where in Tennessee she may have been born though. 

Samuel and Mariah became the parents of seven known children, namely: Sarah Jane Frances (my 3^rd great-grandmother), Lewtisha Mary Ann, Charles Edward, Henrietta Carlene Necitie Tennessee Virginia Ann, Nancy Mariah, Samuel Jefferson Humphreys and Samuel Jefferson’s twin, a baby girl who was not named and died at birth.  They sure did like to give the girls a ton of names, didn’t they? JJ

Sarah Jane Frances Humphreys, 1842-1911, was married twice, first to my 3^rd great-grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Yates, 1839-1864/65, in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 8 December 1858.  They had three children, John Henry, 1859-1929, Mary Tom, 1862-1938 (my 2^nd great-grandmother) and Anna Maria Yates, 1864-1935.  Thomas served in the Union Army during the Civil War.  I have two different dates of death for him.  The first death date 9 November 1864, I was told he was killed in battle on that date.  The other death date 10 August 1865, also said he was killed in battle, but the war was over, so if he died on this date then it may have been from wounds or diseases contracted during the war.  Either way he must have died sometime before 25 December 1866, because that is the date that Sarah married her second husband, Henry Bartlett Yates, 1833-1896, who happened to be Thomas’ older brother.  Sarah and Henry had six children together, Martha Ellen, 1867-1911, Sarah Caldonia, 1870-1954, Emma S., 1874-1876, Benjamin Lewis, 1877-1918, Cora M., 1880-1939 and Nora B. Yates, 1882-1961.  Sarah’s obituary from The Crittenden Press, issue dated March 30, 1911 reads as follows: “Mrs. Yates, mother of Rev. B. L. Yates, died at her home near Levias last week, she had been ill several months.  Her son who has charge of the church at Lafayette, Kentucky was here to see her several times this year.”  I only have one known picture of Sarah and she is with her oldest son, John Henry and his wife, Mary Jennings.  Sarah is in the black cape and I don’t know who the taller man on the left is, possibly a son to John Henry.

Lewtisha Mary Humphreys was born in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 31 August 1844, but had died sometime before the 1860 census was taken.

Charles Edward Humphreys, 1848-1916, was married three times, first to Mary Jane Harmon, 1852-1871, in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 22 December 1866.  Second to Sarah Catherine Elsie Bonham, 1853-1890, in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 5 December 1871 and last to Drue Nettie Barnett, 1866-1965, in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Illinois on 25 July 1893.  Charles his first two wives and some other family members are all buried at the Deer Creek Cemetery in Sheridan, Crittenden County, Kentucky.  Charles was the father of 19 known children.  Charles and Mary’s children were: James Henry, Alzara Josephine and a baby boy that died a few days after birth along with Mary and was never named.  Charles and Sarah’s children were: George Samuel, Lucy Ann, Chester Cartwright, Charles G., Jesse McCoy, John Jefferson, Calvin Edward, Harvey Lee, Essie Jane Dean, Clarence Lester, Emory Thomas, Herman Elza and a baby boy that was not named apparently and died a couple of months after his birth along with his mother, Sarah.  Charles and his last wife Drue had the following children: Peter Barnett, Josie Annie and Freeman Austin Humphreys.  Family stories say that Drue was blind, but took care of her children and step-children and their home without any problem.  I don’t have a picture of Charles or his wives, but I have a picture taken in 1924 of eight of his 19 children, but I do not know the names of these children in the picture.  If anyone that reads this happens to know any of their names, I would love to hear about it.

Henrietta Carlene Necitie Tennessee Virginia Ann Humphreys, 1850-1917, was married to John Alexander W. Bebout in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 25 December 1866.  The census records state she was the mother of eight children but I only now the names of four of her children. They were: H. E., Rufus A., Enoch Fatus and Thomas N. Bebout the others must have died young or possibly married young and were just missed in the census records.

Nancy Mariah Humphreys, 1852-1909, married James E. Hall in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 6 September 1871.  They were the parents of five known children, namely: Mary M., John M., Thomas J., Alfred R. and William R. Hall.

Samuel Jefferson Humphreys, 1854-1918, he had a twin sister who did not live but a few days.  Samuel married Nancy Jane Hoover, 1853-1916, in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 12 February 1874.  They became the parents of six children, namely: Rosa Bell, Panola Ester, William D., Luther Lee, Leslie Sherman and Oliver Humphreys.  I have only one picture of Samuel, his wife, Nancy and their son, William D. with his wife and two children.  After Nancy died Samuel remarried to Mrs. Nute Whitesides at Hurricane Church in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 2 September 1917, he only lived a little over a year after this marriage.  I am not sure what exactly Mrs. Nute’s first name was or her maiden name or anything about her at all.

Samuel’s last wife was a widow woman named Mrs. Sarah A. Martin.  They were married in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 3 March 1880 and they never had any children that I am aware of.  Sarah was born in Kentucky on 24 March 1840 and died in Crittenden County, Kentucky on 4 January 1892.  She was almost 22 years younger than Samuel.

Samuel left a will written 24 Aug 1889 in Crittenden County naming his last wife, Sarah, two sons, Charles and Samuel and four daughters which he did not name.  His son, William had died before 1870, and his daughter, Lewtisha had died before 1860.  That means the four girls were Mary, Sarah, Henrietta & Nancy.  The witnesses were: A. J. Bebout, W. R. Lynn and T. J. Hamilton. The will was brought to court and probated on 15 October 1889.

Samuel, his wives, Mariah and Sarah as well as his daughter, Henrietta and son, Samuel and some of their families are all buried at the Love Graveyard in Crittenden County, Kentucky.  I visited this cemetery again in June of 2022.

If anyone knows of any stories or more information about any of these people I would love to hear from you about them. 

Written by Vickie Beard Thompson, the 4^th great-granddaughter of Samuel and Mariah in July 2022

 

John Washington Fryar, Sr. 1847-1928

& his wife,

Mary Ellen Fisher, 1843-1928

 

My 3^rd great-grandparents on my Momma’s side of the family were John Washington Fryar, the only known child of Washington F. Fryar and Sarah Dixon.  Washington and Sarah were married in Posey County, Indiana on 13 August 1845.  John was born in July 1847 in Marrs Township, Posey County, Indiana and his mother, Sarah either died giving birth to him or shortly thereafter.  John’s father, Washington Fryar remarried in Union County, Kentucky on 9 August 1850 to Evaline Cowan.  Washington and Evaline had three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary Jane and William Alice Fryar, this was a pretty small family for this time period.

Mary Ellen was born in Fairmont, Jefferson County, Kentucky on 3 January 1843 and was the daughter of John Fisher and Eliza Ann Graham, John and Eliza were first cousins.  All of Mary Ellen’s siblings were also born in Fairmount, except for the youngest who was born in Union County, Kentucky.  Sometime between 1857 and 1860, Mary Ellen, her parents and siblings left Jefferson County, Kentucky and moved west to Union County, Kentucky.  Mary Ellen’s siblings were, James Washington, Isaac Levi, Emmanuel Bridgewater, Buford Henry, Sarah Jane, Deborah and Elizabeth Ann Fisher.

John and Mary Ellen both attended school, but for how long is not known.  John served in the Union Army, Company B, North Cumberland Battalion of the Kentucky State Guards, during the Civil War.  According to family tradition John was a prisoner of war, but so far, I have not found any record of that fact.  He served in the same company as his future father-in-law, John Fisher and brother-in-law, Isaac Fisher as well as his wife’s first husband, Thomas Hanley, who had enlisted as a sergeant.  Thomas Hanley had enlisted in Caseyville, Kentucky and was mustered out in Henderson, Kentucky so he didn’t die during the war.  However, I am not sure what happen to him or when he did die.

John married Mary Ellen Fisher in about 1868 probably in Kentucky, but I have yet to find a marriage record for them.  Mary Ellen had previously been married to Thomas Hanley in Union County, Kentucky on 1 September 1864. 

My Papaw, Ermon Fraley’s uncle, George Clement Fryar remembered both his grandparents very well.  He told me many times about how his grandmother, Mary Ellen would get mad at him because he was into or up to something.  She would say, “Little Georgie Chicken Shit, pick up this mess or do this or do that.”  Uncle George would just laugh, and he’d say for the longest time he thought his full name was Georgie Chicken Shit Fryar.  By the way my Uncle, George Fryar was two years younger than my Papaw Fraley.  Me and Papaw would go down to Marion, along with my Mamaw and some of my aunts usually and have lunch with Uncle George at the Marion Café.  I loved to listen to Uncle George’s stories, he had a lot, but this story about his grandma always made me laugh.  He said he just loved his grandma and loved being with her anytime he could.  He said his grandpa, was always out working in the fields and was never inside unless it was meal time or bedtime.  John worked as a farmer his entire life.

John and Mary Ellen had seven children: John Washington Jr. 1869-1963, Mary Liddie 1872-1950, William Lonzo ‘Lonnie’ 1874-1960 (my 2^nd great-grandfather), Daisy Jane 1878-1961, Addie B. 1882-bef 1900, James Oda 1883-1905 and Thomas Harrison Fryar 1888-1974.  I have pictures of all, but Addie and Thomas.  The first picture is a family picture of John and Mary Ellen with three of their children: James Oda, Daisy and Mary Liddie.  The next picture is of John Washington Fryar Jr.; then my 2^nd great-grandparents, William Lonzo ‘Lonnie’ and Ida Ann Hart Fryar; then Mary Liddie Fryar; Daisy Fryar and James Oda Fryar which I cropped from the family picture.  

  

Johnny Fryar their oldest son married Susan A. Curry in Webster County on 28 June 1899.  They became the parents of ten children, namely: Claud Marion, Vada Ellen, Charles Omer, Lena, Clara Mable, Thomas, Gladys Irene, Eloise Agnes, Elva Mae and Lillian Dollie Fryar.

Mary Liddie Fryar married Luther James Randolph in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Illinois on 3 May 1888.  They became the parents of six children, namely: Daisy Florence, James E., Guy, Clifton R., Robert V. and William V. Randolph.  Sometime before 1930 Mary and Luther were divorced and then sometime after 1930 Mary was married to J. W. Herron.

William Lonzo ‘Lonnie’ Fryar, 1874-1960, married Ida Ann Hart, 1878-1961, in Webster County, Kentucky on 11 January 1893, they were my 2^nd great-grandparents.  They became the parents of ten children, namely: Mary Belle, 1894-1918, (She was my great-grandmother and died of the flu during the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1917/1918), Leva Elmer, Johnny Virgil, Opal Vernon, Carrie Elizabeth (I knew her and visited her in her home), Lettie Washington, Vera Clama, Rose Ellen, George Clement (I knew him and visited with him many times over the years) and Ivy Larnie Fryar. I remember meeting these 2^nd great-grandparents, even though I was only 2 and 3 years old when they passed, but I remember them.  Grandpa Lonnie had a long white mustache that he would twirl between the ends of his fingers and Grandma Ida always had an apron on and was baking something.

Daisy Jane Vaughan married James S. Vaughn Sr. in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana in February 1894.  They became the parents of seven children, namely: Lillian, Clyde, Verna, Ernest, Inise, Irene, James and Lena Vaughn.

Addie B. Fryar was born in Webster County, Kentucky on 24 March 1882 and died before 1900.  Aunt Carrie had her birth date, but did not have a death date.

James Oda Fryar was married to Anna Bell Curry who was a sister to his brother, Johnny’s wife, Susan.  They were married in about 1901 probably in Kentucky.  They had two children, but only one lived to adulthood, her name was Pearl Mae Fryar, it is not known if the other was a boy or a girl.  In March 1905  in Anniston, Mississippi County, Missouri James was killed in an apparent crooked card game.  The family stories say that his father-in-law did not like him or Uncle Johnny and so they set them up to get shot and killed.  Uncle Johnny was left crippled from the gunshots and Uncle Oda was killed. His wife Anna almost died coming back to Kentucky and I am assuming with the baby that supposedly died along the way.  However, the newspaper article I found states the following: The Crittenden Record-Press, issue dated Friday, 24 Mar 1905 reads as follows: "Ode Fryer killed in Anniston, Missouri.  While he and a friend named Daughtney, were drunk they were charged with disorderly conduct and while resisting arrest, Ode was shot by the marshal and was killed and his companion is seriously wounded and not expected to live. His wife and child were brought back to Kentucky by a family friend."  Was this unnamed friend really Ode's brother, Johnny who was supposed to have been shot and crippled when his brother, Ode was killed?  Pearl’s son John Rainey Ward, who I met a few times, was always told that it was a crooked card game and that Uncle Johnny was shot to, but lived and was crippled.  Granted Pearl was not quite two years old when her father died, but John said his mother told him the story before she died when he was about 7 or 8 years old and over the years, he was told a similar story by other family members.

Thomas Harrison Fryar was married to Kate Harvey in about 1909 probably in Kentucky.  They became the parents of six children, namely: Elmer B., Thelma Harrison, Kernie B., John Harvey, Mary Louise and Wilburn William Fryar.  Uncle Tom didn’t die until 1974, but I don’t know hardly anything about him or his family.  He apparently never remarried after his wife died in 1926 and he died at the home of his niece, Carrie Fryar McKeel.

On the census records for the following years, John and Mary Ellen lived in these counties in Western Kentucky.  In 1870 they lived in Lindle, Union County; in 1880 they lived in Clay, Webster County; In 1900, 1910 and 1920 they lived in Salem, Livingston County and family stories have always said they were living with their daughter, Daisy in Blackford, Webster County when they died in 1928.

John died in January 1928 and Mary Ellen died in December 1928, both supposedly in Webster County, Kentucky.  I know they were supposed to have lived with their daughter, Daisy in Blackford when they were older, so I have always assumed they died there as well, but so far, no luck in locating a death certificate for either of them.  I have looked in every county they ever lived in as well as surrounding counties. If they really died in Kentucky and both in 1928, then they both should have had a death certificate issued.

I know a lot of names and dates about this family, but I don’t have a lot of stories.  If anyone reading this has any stories to share about any of these people, I would love to hear them.

Written by Vickie Beard Thompson, John & Mary Ellen’s 3^rd great-granddaughter in July 2022

 

Huldah Ford Beard Franklin, 1822-1905

Huldah Ford was born in December of 1822 in Livingston County, Kentucky the daughter of John Ford and Lucy Ford.  Huldah’s mother and father were first cousins, John Ford was the son of Jesse Ford, but I have yet to find who John’s mother was.  Lucy Ford was the daughter of William Ford and Mellion Simpson.  Jesse Ford and William Ford were the sons of William Ford and Elizabeth Tate.  Jesse Ford has a tombstone in the Pinckneyville Cemetery in Livingston County, Kentucky.

Huldah was the youngest of the six known children of John and Lucy.  Huldah’s known siblings were: Elias, Cynthia, Jackson, Arthena and Sarah.  All of Huldah’s siblings were born in Harrison County, Virginia before the family left for Kentucky.

Huldah’s parents, John and Lucy, were married in Harrison County, Virginia on 21 April 1810.  Harrison County is now in West Virginia.  In the marriage records it states that John Woodyard made an oath that Lucy is upwards of 21 years of age.  The marriage record also says that John and Lucy are of full age.  Lucy's brother-in-law, Lewis Woodyard was the bondsman with John Ford for their marriage.

John Ford died before 3 February 1823 in Livingston County, Kentucky in Order Book G, SLFHL Microfilm #7646976 - In the settlement of his estate it says the following: "On 3 February 1823, David W. McGee appointed guardian of the infant heirs of John Ford, deceased.  The following infant heirs were named: Elias, over the age of 14 years, Cynthia about age 12, has estate sufficient for support, Jackson, Artheny, Sally and Mahulda (Huldah).  What the cause of his death was is not known, I am just happy there was a court record that mentioned his death and even happier that his children were mentioned by name.

Huldah was married to Alexander Beard in Livingston County, Kentucky on 21 February 1838.  Alexander was 12 years older than she.  The marriage license states the following: “Alexander (made his X) Beard to Huldah Ford, married by William Pippin, Justice of the Peace.  Marriage bond dated 19 February 1838 and the bondsman was Cutchings Council (he was a brother-in-law to Huldah having married her sister, Sarah in 1836).  Alexander Beard of lawful age and Huldah Ford daughter of Lucy Ford whose consent was proven by Cutchings Council, dated 20 February 1838.  "Mr. James A. Dellem pleas to let Alexander Bearid have his lisons." signed Lusy (made her X) Ford, witnessed by John F. Beaird.  I left the spelling as it was.

In the settlement of Lucy Ford’s father's estate in 1839 in Monongalia County, Virginia (now West Virginia) it states that Lucy, her brother, William and sisters, Anna and Cynthia many years ago, perhaps 15 years ago, left for the Western Country and have not been heard from in 10 years or upwards.   All the rest of Lucy's brothers and sisters still lived in Harrison and Monongalia Counties in Virginia in 1839, (now West Virginia).

Huldah’s oldest sister, Cynthia had married one of Alexander’s older brothers, John F. Beard, also in Livingston County on 28 January 1833.  Cynthia Ford and John Beard had the following known children: Dilinic Jilena, Lucy, Richard, Mary, Nellie and James Beard.  Jackson Ford married a lady named Susan sometime in the mid 1830’s and they had at least the following known children: Franklin, Jane, Alexander, Margaret, George and Mary Ford.  Arthena Ford married James Swinney in Livingston County, Kentucky on 12 November 1837.  I have not been able to find them after their marriage, so I am not sure what if any children they may have had.  Sarah Ford married Cutchings Council in Livingston County, Kentucky on 23 March 1836, her mother, Lucy Ford also gave her consent for this marriage.  Cutchings Council was killed by a runaway team of oxen just a few days before his only child, James David Council was born.  After Cutchings died, Sarah went on to marry a widower by the name of John Gullic in Livingston County, Kentucky on 16 May 1842.  They had the following known children: Reece, Samuel, Richard, Dicy, Rody and Sarah Gullic. 

I have a picture of Cynthia Ford Beard’s tombstone and pictures of two of Sarah Ford Council Gullic’s sons, Richard Gullic and also Reece Gullic and his wife, Mary.

   

Cynthia Ford and John Beard and their family moved up to Illinois and died in Massac or Hardin County.  Jackson Ford apparently moved over to Missouri sometime before 1837 and his children were all born in Clark County where he died sometime before 1860.  Sarah Ford and John Gullic and their family also moved to Illinois and died in Hamilton County.  I still don’t know much about Elias Ford or Arthena Ford, but I am still looking.

After Huldah’s marriage she and Alexander were living in the Bizle Mountain area of Livingston County, Kentucky until sometime after May of 1854 when they moved over into Crittenden County and lived in the Crittenden Springs community.  Huldah and Alexander’s children born in Livingston County were: Julia Ann, Charlotte, Nancy Agnes, William J.  and Sarah P. Beard.  Their last two children were born in Crittenden County and were: Mary Ann and George Anderson Beard who was their youngest child and my great-grandfather.  Shortly after coming to Crittenden County in 1856, they lost their little girl, Sarah to dysentery, she was just two years old. 

Huldah and Alexander may have had other children since there is 4 years between their marriage and the birth of their first known child, Julia Ann and there may have been children born between child 4 and 5 since there is a six-year gap there.  If children were born, they more than likely died young. The infant mortality rates back then were pretty high unfortunately.

I am not sure what happen to Alexander, but all the records I have ever seen and the stories I have heard states he died in 1872 in Crittenden County, but no month, day or place of burial has ever been given.

After Alexander’s death, Huldah married a neighbor who was also widowed, named Anthony Franklin, they were neighbors there in Marion in Crittenden County.  Huldah and Anthony were married in Marion on 31 January 1875.  Anthony was about 24 years older than Huldah and they never had any children together that I am aware of.  After all Huldah would have been about 50 years old when they got married, not impossible but unlikely.  Huldah’s husband, Anthony Franklin died on 13 January 1890 and was buried at the Union Baptist Church Cemetery in Union, Crittenden County, Kentucky.

On a side note, my Daddy’s middle name was for his great-grandma, Huldah Ford Beard Franklin and he liked the name of Huldah’s second husband so much that he named my little brother, Anthony Franklin Beard, who we all called Tony.  Daddy also said that his Dad, Aubrey David Beard, called Huldah, Grandma Franklin, not Grandma Beard.  Aubrey would have been ten years old when Huldah passed away.

In 1900 Huldah was living with her daughter, Julie Ann Clark in Marion and family records state that Huldah died in 1905, but again no month or day has ever been given and they also state she was buried at Hurricane Cemetery there in Crittenden County.  However, if there was ever a stone to mark her final resting place it no longer exists.

The following is what I know so far about the children of Huldah and Alexander.

Julia Ann Beard was born 22 February 1842 (her tombstone says 1844) in Livingston County, Kentucky and was married to James Sisco on 6 January 1859 in Crittenden County, Kentucky.  James Sisco was born 30 August 1834 in Jackson County, Tennessee.  Julia and James only had one son, Thomas Hughey Sisco who went by James Hughey Sisco after his father’s death.  James Sisco may have died during the Civil War as Julia married the second time to George B. Clark on 11 May 1865 in Crittenden County.  Julia and George had the following children together: Ida Dean, Minnie, Dorsey Anderson, John Marion, Fannie Elizabeth and Leona Annie Clark.  George B. Clark was born 13 August 1840 in Livingston County and died 6 August 1893 in Crittenden County.

Julia died in Levias, Crittenden County, Kentucky on 4 July 1911 of a cerebral thrombosis.  Her obituary appeared in the Crittenden Record and Press, issue dated 6 July 1911 and reads as follows: “Mrs. Julia Clark, died Tuesday morning, July 4th at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Charles E. Davidson of Levias, besides whom she was the mother of Dorsey Clark of this city, Marion Clark of Sikeston, Missouri, and Hughey Sisco of this city.  The funeral arrangements were not made until the arrival of her son, Marion from Sikeston, Wednesday morning, interment Wednesday afternoon at the new cemetery.”  (She was buried in the Mapleview Cemetery just at the edge of town.)  In another issue of the paper dated – 13 July 1911 we read the following: “Mrs. Mollie Powell of Evansville, Indiana was here to attend the burial of her sister, Mrs. Julie Clark.  Mrs. J. M. Allison of Levias, Mrs. Oscar Turner of Crabbe Orchard, Illinois, Mrs. Claude Champion of Marion were here to attend the burial of their mother, Mrs. Julia Clark Wednesday morning.  - Card of Thanks - To the good people of Levias and Marion who were so kind to us in the sickness and death of our mother Mrs. Julie Clark.  We desire to return our thanks.  Her children.”

I have yet to find a picture of Julia Ann Beard, but I do have one of her youngest daughter, Leona Annie Clark Davidson.  You can definitely tell the Beard/Ford characteristics in this picture of Leona.

Charlotte Beard was born in about 1844 in Livingston County, Kentucky and died in 1879 in Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Illinois.  Charlotte married Lynn Burrell Anderson in Crittenden County on 21 August 1861.  Lynn was born 15 February 1840 in Marshall County, Kentucky and died 18 May 1929 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma at the Old Soldiers Home.  Lynn out lived his wife and all three of their children.  He had served in the Union Army during the Civil War and became a preacher in his later life.  Lynn wrote a memoriam to his brother-in-law, George Anderson Beard, after George died in 1924 which was placed in the Clarksville, Arkansas newspaper.  Charlotte and Lynn became the parents of three known children, Minnie, Dannie and Dickie Anderson.  The first two Minnie and Dannie were females and were married, but died young and the youngest a son named Dickie died at the age of four in Crittenden County.  The following is a picture of Lynn Anderson’s tombstone.

Nancy Agnes Beard was born in about 1846 in Livingston County, Kentucky.  I believe she maybe the Nancy Beard who married Francis M. Knight in Crittenden County on 23 August 1864.  I find who I believe is Nancy and Francis on the 1870 census living in Elkton, Todd County, Kentucky.  However, in 1880 I find who I believe is Francis Knight living in Gordonsville, Logan County, Kentucky but he has a wife named Mary E. instead of Nancy A.  Also, what is weird is that Francis Knight’s mother, Margaret, was living with them in 1870, but in 1880, Nancy is listed as single, living in the home of John and Adaline Grisham in Gordonsville, Logan County, Kentucky.  Francis' mother Margaret Knight, is also living in this home and she is listed as the mother-in-law and Nancy is listed as the sister-in-law of John Grisham.  Now this maybe a totally different family then the Beard/Knight combo from Crittenden County, but they are the only ones I have a found that come close to matching our Nancy Agnes Beard.  Todd and Logan counties are not far from Crittenden County.  I still need to do more research.

William J. Beard was born 1 March 1848 in Livingston County, Kentucky and died 21 November 1897 in Crittenden County, Kentucky.  He is buried at the Hurricane Cemetery where his mother, Huldah is also supposed to be buried.  In 1870 William was working as a farm laborer and living in the home of Anthony Franklin and his wife, Nancy.  William’s mother, Huldah would marry Anthony Franklin five years later and on[V1]  4 January 1871 in Crittenden County, William married Sarah C. Thompson.  From what I have been able to determine they never had any children or at least any that lived any length of time.  Sarah was born on 27 September 1846 in Crittenden County, but I am not sure when she died as there is no death date on her tombstone, but she was still living in 1900.

Sarah P. Beard was born at Bizle Mountain, Livingston County, Kentucky on 14 May 1854 and died of dysentery on 24 December 1856 in Crittenden County, Kentucky.

Mary Ann Beard was born in Crittenden County on 1 November 1856 and died 19 March 1940 of pulmonary tuberculosis of many years standing in Marion, Crittenden County, Kentucky.  Mary married first to Layton Bradford Powell, whose nickname was Lake, on 25 July 1872 in Crittenden County.  Lake was born in June of 1851 in Smith County, Tennessee.  Mary and Lake became the parents of six known children, namely: Charles, Nora Ellen, Emma, William Jesse, Mittie Agnes and Fred Ward Powell.  My grandfather, Aubrey Beard told his son, Frank, my Daddy, that he knew Willie, Fred and Nora quite well.  Lake died sometime before the 1920 census was taken as Mary is listed as a widow, but so far, I have not been able to find a death date or place for him. 

On the 4^th of July in 1920 Mary married William Wallace Harness in Arkansas County, Arkansas.  William Harness was born 20 September 1844 in Overton County, Tennessee and died 2 September 1942 in Marion, Crittenden County, Kentucky.  Mary and William did not have any children together as Mary was 63 and William was 75 when they got married.  Mary and William are both buried at Freedom Cemetery just outside of Marion on the road that goes to down to the ferry on the left-hand side of the road.

Thankfully I have some pictures of Mary Ann, as well as some of her children and her last husband William Harness.  The first picture is of Mary Ann Beard Powell Harness, the next two pictures are of her daughters, Mittie Powell Manning and Nora Powell Land Fritts.  The next pictures are of Mary and her husband, William Harness and the younger woman in the last picture is Mary’s daughter-in-law, Anna Black Powell, wife of her son, Fred Powell.

     

  

George Anderson Beard was born in Marion, Crittenden County, Kentucky on 14 April 1859.  He was my great-grandfather, his son, Aubrey David Beard was my grandfather.  George married first, Nellie F. Elder in Crittenden County on 18 April 1889.  Nellie was born in 1864 and died in September of 1890 shortly after giving birth to a baby girl who also died.  The baby died on a Saturday according to the newspaper.

Next George married Nellie’s cousin, Rose Etta Daniel in Marion, Crittenden County, Kentucky on 17 December 1891, George was 15 years older than Rose.  Rose was born 29 September 1874 in Marion and died 1 June 1939 in Woodlake, Tulare County, California.  George and Rose had eight children, namely: Nina Ruth, Aubrey David, Addie Lou, George Duell, Cleo Wilma, Daniel Nunn ‘Petie man’, and the twins, Mary Gwendolyn and Gladys Rosemond Beard.  I knew all of my grandfathers’ siblings except for Cleo who died in 1935.

After 1900 they moved back and forth between Kentucky, Missouri and then Arkansas.  While living in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas George took sick and died on 24 April 1924.  From The Crittenden Press newspaper, the issue dated 23 May 1924 we read – “Former Marion man dies in Arkansas.  Through a Clarksville, Arkansas paper news reached here last week of the death of George A. Beard, who left Marion some five years ago for Arkansas, where with his family he has since resided.  His death occurred at his home in that city on April 24.  He was the son of the late Alexander and Hulda Beard and was born in this county 64 years ago.  His wife who was Miss Rosa Etta Daniel, survives him.  Interment at Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville.”

The following are some pictures I have for George, Rose and their children.

So, did these strong facial features you can see in some of these pictures come from the Beard side of the family or from the Ford side of the family?  Unfortunately, without having a picture of Huldah or of Alexander, it is hard to say what side of the family they may have taken these features from.  Look at the pictures of Leona, Mary Ann, George, Nina, Addie and Gwen, you can definitely tell that they were related to each other.

Huldah’s life was hard to say the least.  Her father died when she was just a month or so old.  Her mother was still living in 1840, but by 1850 I believe she had passed away.  Both of Huldah’s husbands died before her and four of her seven known children died before she did, plus at least four known grandchildren died before her as well.  The life of these early pioneers was not easy, but you made do with what you were dealt, good or bad, or something in between.

Since Huldah was born a Ford and both her parents were Ford’s we had always thought that we were closely related to the Ford’s Ferry Gang there at Cave-in-Rock.  We are related, but it is a distant relationship and not as close as we had always thought it was.  Huldah’s parents were first cousins and James Ford, leader of the Ford’s Ferry Gang’s parents were also first cousins.  James Ford’s line of the Ford families intermarried a few times and they were known as the black-eyed Ford's and the blue-eyed Ford's.

Huldah Ford and James Ford were 3^rd cousins once removed and so their relationship to each other was probably not known to each other while they were living.  Huldah’s family had come to Kentucky from the area of Virginia that is now part of West Virginia and James and his family had come from South Carolina to Kentucky.  The Virginia Ford’s had split up and Huldah’s lines had gone towards present day West Virginia while James’ lines had gone to South Carolina, before both ended up in Kentucky.

Huldah’s lines go back as follows:

*Huldah Ford, 1822-1905

John Ford & Lucy Ford

Jesse Ford & ???? = William Ford Jr. & Mellion Simpson (Jesse & William were brothers)

William Ford Sr. & Elizabeth Tate

Thomas Ford Jr. & Leah

***Thomas Ford Sr. & Ann Ambrose

James Ford of the Ford’s Ferry Gang & Cave-in-Rock lines go back as follows:

*James Ford, 1775-1833

Phillip Ford & Elizabeth Ford

James Ford & ???? = John Ford & Rachel Spencer (James & John were brothers)

Richard Ford & Eleanor ????

***Thomas Ford Sr. & Ann Ambrose

My line goes from me down to the following in this story:

Vickie Beard (me)

Duell Franklin ‘Frank’ Beard & Erma Jean Fraley (My parents)

Aubrey David Beard & Jessie Holeman Doss (My grandparents)

George Anderson Beard & Rose Etta Daniel (My great-grandparents)

Alexander Beard & Huldah Ford (My 2^nd great-grandparents)

 

 

Written by Huldah’s 2^nd great-granddaughter, Vickie Beard Thompson in 2022.

Meant to Be 

We had always known that one of Roy’s ancestors, his 3^rd great-grandfather from his Mom’s side, Francois ‘Francis’ Kerby I, had been a clockmaker on the Isle of Jersey from around probably the mid 18teens to 1853 in St. Helier’s.   He moved over to England in about 1854 and continued his trade there for a number of years, before he passed away.  Francis was born in 1793 and died in 1884.  We also knew that one of Roy’s cousins had found one of these Kerby clocks at an antique store somewhere in Southern California a few years back.  However, we had never seen one of these clocks in person ourselves.  The following are a couple of pictures we had seen of his clocks that had been posted on FamilySearch Memories for Francis.

That all changed in March of 2022 when I received a couple of emails that said the following: “I have knowledge of where one of your ancestors clock is.  Phoning me is best or an email.” They included their phone and email address, which I could see was from Utah.   They had also sent a message to another one of my email accounts that only said: “Regarding one of your heritages clock.” That is all these emails said though.  We were traveling home from California, and I almost deleted both emails, but then decided not to at the last moment.

After we got home from our trip, I was going through all my emails and making sure I had answered all that needed answering and cleaned out all the junk ones as well.  I saw those emails again and decided to answer him back.  The only clocks I even knew of were made by Francois ‘Francis’ Kerby I.  I figured if the email sender had taken the time to look and find both my email addresses maybe I should take the time to answer them.  So instead of an email I called the number they had left.  They didn’t answer their phone, so I left a message saying I had received two emails a few days before about a clock and left my number for them to call me back, this was on Monday, March 7^th.

About an hour or so later, I received a phone call from Tom Mormon, the man behind the cryptic emails. 😀  He told me he likes to collect antique clocks and he was looking around KSL Classified’s when he ran across an old grandfather clock for sale.  He was really wanting this clock, but he was trying to figure out how he could come up with the money for it.  He had about decided he could sell one of the clocks he already had and then purchase this one.  He looked at the face of the clock and could see a name and a place listed, but he had never heard of this clockmaker before.

The name on the clock was Francis Kerby and underneath the name was Jersey.  He just assumed New Jersey, having never heard of the Isle of Jersey before.  He decided to google the name and place to see when this person would have made the clock and where exactly it would have been made.  He could tell from the pictures the seller had posted online that it was old, but he wasn’t for sure how old.  He told me that the first information that came up in his google search about the clock was my post that I had done for my family history blog on 28 September 2015 about this very same Francois ‘Francis’ Kerby I, clockmaker from Jersey. 

My blog post about Francis Kerby is listed at this link: Francois 'Francis' Kerby I, 2015 post

When he realized that we lived in Utah, he said he had to track us down to see if we would want the clock.  He was going to sell one of his clocks to buy it if we didn’t want it.  He told me how to find the ad on KSL Classified’s and while I was looking at it, Roy came home.  I was so excited when Tom was telling me all about this clock and looking at the pictures posted on KSL, I just knew it had to be one of Francis Kerby’s clocks.   I told Tom that Roy had just gotten home, and I would go talk to him and then call him back in a little bit.

The rest they say is history!  I think Roy just about passed out when I told him about the clock.  While Roy was looking at the pictures on KSL, we called Tom back.  We asked Tom a number of questions about old clocks since we didn’t know anything about them ourselves.  Tom offered to go and look at the clock for us since it was just a few blocks from where he works in downtown Salt Lake City.  Tom was even more impressed with it after he saw it in person, and he said that most of the mechanical parts all looked authentic.  Only a few pieces had been replaced when the people that were selling it had it fixed so it would run again.  Tom had the sellers take a picture of himself by the clock.

The sellers had bought the clock at an estate sale in Park City, Utah three years before and had been told that it had been in the family for a number of generations.  However, no names of the previous owners were given unfortunately.  Before they bought the clock, someone had at some point started stripping the clock to refinish it.  It actually looks really cool in the color that it was stripped down to though.  You can see the mortar joints and the wood grain, and it is just beautiful.

Needless to say, after Tom went and saw the clock and called us back, we wanted the clock.  We negotiated a price and Tom offered the use of his truck to go and pick it up on Saturday, March 12^th.  We meet Tom and his wife, Laura at their home in North Salt Lake.  They showed us some of the clocks they had, as well as some old family pictures that were really cool.  Then Roy and I followed them to the house in the Avenues where the grandfather clock had been residing for the past three years.

The grandfather clock was even more impressive seeing it in person and it was hard to hold back the tears.  To think that Roy’s 3^rd great-grandfather had made this clock and it had somehow made it to Utah at some point intact is almost unbelievable.  We can only image how this clock even made it to America.  It more than likely came by ship, then across the country to Utah, but did it arrive by wagon, on a train, or by truck?  Since we don’t know when or how long the owners previous to the owners, we were buying it from actually had it, there is no way to know for certain.  However, I can tell you that it arrived by a pickup truck driven by Tom and arrived safely to our home here in Morgan.

Tom took care of this clock like it was a newborn babe.  He cleaned and polished and put all the workings back together after we got it unloaded and into our home.  While he was cleaning it his wife was holding her phone with the flash light on and saw a name engraved on the plate on the back of the clock face that said Fennimore.  I googled the name and found that a man named William Fennimore born in May 1766 of Birmingham, England was a clock dial maker who worked for himself from at least 1812 till his death in 1838.  Since it is only Fennimore listed on the plate and not Fennimore & Son, or his two sons names later on after his death, it is assumed by me that William Fennimore would have made this plate himself and thus it was made before his death in 1838 and more than likely before 1830, since two of his sons started working for him about that time.  To read more about clock dial makers and William Fennimore you can click on this link: Clock Dial Makers

Tom figures that our grandfather clock was probably made sometime between 1820 and 1830 and it is considered a longcase clock.   Tom looked through his clock books when he got home and found the styles that were used for the clock now in our possession.  The following pictures from Tom’s book show that the style of our clock is from the years 1820 and 1825.

We have been remodeling our home and our main dining room we have turned into what we call the Elfrida Room.  My husband grew up in the little Southeastern town of Elfrida, Arizona down close to the Mexican border.  The majority of the items we have in this room are from his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.  We have our new old grandfather clock on the wall adjoining my mothers-in-law side of the family since the man that made this was her 2^nd great-grandfather.  Tom also took an old picture we had scanned and cleaned it up for us and printed off an 8X10 and even framed it for us of Francis Kerby, to put beside the clock he made.  Here is that picture as well as some pictures of our clock in its new home.  Also, ones with my husband, Roy and myself and Tom and his wife, Laura.

In the following pictures, Roy and I are in the first picture and Tom and Laura are in the second picture, taken at our house.

Written by: Vickie Beard Thompson, for her blog on 16 March 2022