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