Donna Cooper's Family Connections

James Harvey 'Simpson' Mooney and Family

Photo is of the James Harvey and Ella (Pease) Mooney family. Taken about 1947 or 1948 at their home in Washburn, Barry Co., MO.

On the top and back row are pictured Carolean Williams, Mary Ellen Cook, Lawrence Mooney, Loyd Mooney and their father James Harvey Mooney.

Second row: ? - part of Minnie's family; Helen (Mooney) Cook; A. J. Cook; Lena (Mooney) Williams - husband was Carroll Williams; Juanita (Morgan) Mooney - wife of Lawrence; Estella E. "Stella" (Pease) Woodruff - husband was Sam Woodruff - she has top knot hair style; Ruth (Berryhill) Mooney - wife of Loyd Mooney; Junior Lawrence aka: Mooney; Ella Mae (Pease) Mooney, wife of Jamie Mooney - barley can see her; Janetta (Fetrow) Pease barely can see her, too; and Minnie Etta (Pease) Lund - husband was Earnest Arthur Lund. [Junior was a son of Fern Mooney and a grandson of James and Ella Mae Mooney. He is the one with the ball glove.] 

Minnie and Ernest are buried in the same cemetery at Mansfield, MO, where the lady is buried who wrote the Little House on the Prairie books. The house the author lived in is across the road from the cemetery.

Juanita Morgan was a descendant of Zachariah Haddock, Barry Co., MO.

First Row: Children on the front row are unknown or are still living, except little girl in white dress and dark sweater is Donna Haddock Cooper, little boy with sailor hat is Billy Joe Williams. He was killed in a car accident and buried at Washburn Prairie. Most of these are buried at Washburn Prairie Cemetery. here.  Rev. Donald Cook is standing behind Donna. Bryon Cook, husband of Helen (Mooney) Cook, took the photo.

Lawrence, Loyd, and James "Jamie" Harvey Mooney.

Pictured here is Janetta (Fetrow) Pease mother of Ella (Pease) Mooney - wife of James "Jamie" Harvey Mooney and her son Loyd Mooney. This was three generations, and was taken about 1946 - 1948 or around that time.

Pictured here is Ruth Berryhill and Loyd Mooney, they were married January 17, 1921 in Bentonville, Benton Co., AR, but lived almost all their lives in Barry Co., MO. They were my grandparents on my mother's side of the family. They are both buried at Washburn, Barry Co., MO. I am not sure but think this may have been their wedding picture.

Pictured is Jamie Mooney, Ella (Pease) Mooney, Janetta (Fetrow) Pease, Estella "Stella" (Pease) Woodruff, Ernest Lund and Minnie (Pease) Lund. Sam Woodruff died in 1949, the husband of Stella.  Jamie Mooney died in 1952 so this photo was taken between 1949 and 1952. [Fields Photo, Cassville, MO]

James "Jamie" Harvey Mooney and family. Pictured is Rex Mooney and wife Doris, and maybe their daughter. In front is "Jamie" Mooney and wife Ella (Pease) Mooney. To the left of Ella, the lady in the flowered dress, is June wife of Raymond Mooney, and next to June is Raymond in the vest. Behind June and Raymond is probably Rex's son.  Photo was taken probably the same day that the photo, given above, of Jamie and Ella and family, was taken. [Fields Photo, Cassville, MO]

James "Jamie" Harvey Mooney and the Simpson Story

Research continues on the Simpson family.

James "Jamie" Harvey Mooney was born Nov 10, 1877 in Washington, Franklin Co., MO. He was left at the Timothy Patrick Mooney household at age 3 by his mother, America Simpson. She never returned. She had also another illegitimate son named John Simpson. We were once told that he was the son of Asahel Burris, a married man, who lived in the Roaring River area near where her parents lived when she was growing up. More research determined the facts. He was a son of George Simpson as was Jamie Mooney.

The story is complicated, but on Jamie's adoptive mother's dying bed, Mrs. Timothy Patrick Mooney, told him, that she was not his mother but had always loved him as her own. She told him then what his mother's name was - America Simpson. Jamie learned later that John Simpson was his brother. 

John Simpson, we later learned, had been left with someone in the Leakey - Mrs. Polly - family, for them to raise.  He is a mystery too, but we do know that he is buried at Washburn Prairie Cemetery, in the same cemetery, and near where Jamie Mooney is buried. John has a homemade stone that has an incorrect date of birth on it. 

It seems so odd that John Simpson isn't located on any census records except perhaps the 1900, and according to his death certificate never married and wasn't in the military service. He didn't have a social security number.

We know also that America Simpson married John Wilkerson after she had one and maybe two children. That marriage was in Cassville, Barry Co., MO, April 18, 1880. She wasn't married long to John Wilkerson. They were Charles Wilkerson and there was probably a daughter that is thought to have been named Nila Wilkerson. These two children lived in LeFlore Co., OK, near where America and her husband Elijah Bailey lived. I found them living together on one of the census years and am only assuming that they were the children of America Simpson. 

America lived in Berryville, Arkansas for a long time. But the census taken never managed to find her. The record of her existence there is from the obituary of Dovey Louise Bailey, her daughter. She married John James Payton and lived in Noel, MO.

We aren't sure when America Melinda P. Simpson Wilkerson Bailey died, but my grandfather thought that it was before he was married and so it was before 1921. And the last account that I have of America is of a listing on the 1910 census in LeFlore Co., OK. It reads that she had given birth to 7 children and had 5 living children.

In that same county her brother, named Green Simpson, and her mother Louisa Bristow Simpson Reed Allred were also living there. There were some Reed half-brothers and a few more relatives also there. It's not known where she is buried nor when she died. It is very possible that she died before 1920. Louisa is thought to have been buried at Hontubby Cemetery, in an unmarked grave, and next to her son Green Simpson.

Elijah P. Bailey is listed in 1920 in Missouri and his marriage record was also listed in McDonald Co., MO. He gave his address Noel, MO, which is where Dovey was living. So from that, it is assumed, that America was dead by then. 

When I went to LeFlore County, OK, a few years ago, I looked up a descendant of America's brother, Green Simpson. She was an older lady, and so I was excited about having found her. But she would not talk to me. While I had her on the phone, her daughter took over. She took the phone from her mother and said that her mother had nothing to say or to tell.  That situation left me with even more questions.

The family story goes that when America died, Charles Wilkerson came to Washburn, MO, to see Jamie Mooney and to tell him that his mother had died. At that same time Jamie learned that Charley was a brother to him and that he had a sister named Dovey Louise who was married to John James Payton. They lived at Noel, MO. My grandfather thought that Charley lived in Arkansas. I have never been able to find him on the census records or any other record that I could be sure that he was the Charles Wilkerson that I was looking for.

Barry County, MO, marriage record: John Wilkerson married America Simpson, 18 April 1880, by G. W. Kennedy, M. G., Page 141, Book D. This G W Kennedy who performed the 18 April 1880 marriage must be the one who was listed as a farmer, age 47, Liberty Twp. in 1880.

This census doesn't really match but almost does and it was in Liberty twp., where G. W. Kennedy was from who performed the marriage of John and America.  There seems to be no other record that explains this census record. Barry County, MO, page 357 B, John Wilkerson, male, age 27, born in MO and mother and father both born in MO. His wife is listed as Lousinda Wilkerson and she is age 18, born in MO. And both her parents are born in MO. Children are John, age 2, born in MO and James, age 1, born in MO. Living in the house is Rebecca Wilkerson, age 45, born in MO and both her parents are born in MO. This was in Liberty, Barry, Missouri. [Family History Library Film 1254673, NA Film Number T9-0673.] Next door was A. N. Reed, age 32, born in MO and his wife, Rachel, Reed, age 30, born in MO and their family. I don't know who A. N. Reed is, but since Louisa, America's mother had married into the Reed family, it might be someone of that Reed family. John and James were older than 2 and 1, actually they probably were 3 and 2, but since they were America's children, John may not have known their ages and he could have given the record to the census taker. So this record is taken here with caution and open for discussion.

The story is that John Wilkerson was abusive to American Simpson's boys.

Before America left Barry Co., MO she married Elijah P. Bailey. On the marriage record she signed her name Melinda Wilkinson. Her name appears to have been America Melinda P. Simpson and her married name was Wilkerson. 

That marriage was February 12, 1886 in Barry Co., MO and her name in this listing was spelled Wilkinson and not Wilkerson. [Barry County, MO Bailey, Elijah P. married Wilkinson, Melinda A. P., Aug. 12, 1886, Ernest Kleen, JP, Marriage Book F, page 1. He was from Beaver, AR, in Carroll County, and she was from Roaring River, Barry Co., MO.]

In LeFlore County, OK, when asked William Green Simpson this is what I learned: It was many years later after Green Simpson had died. But they still remember and here is what they told me that they remembered about their neighbor Green Simpson. One lady, Mrs. Queen, in LeFlore County, OK, whose mother she said knew Green Simpson when she was a young woman said that her mother liked to dance with Green because he had a big belly and that he'd always glided her around the floor. She said that Mrs. Green Simpson was an Indian and she thought and her named Lillie and that she'd been married before she married Green. And she remembered that Lilly used to come to their house and she also remembered that Lillie was a little short woman and was blind. This neighbor to the Simpson family remembered that her mother would lay out all the fixings for dumplings and that Mrs. Lilly Simpson would make them and they were the best dumplings she'd ever tasted, she said. And - oh, they were so good, she remembered.

One lady I interviewed was named Prudie Harrell who was nee Prudence Janaway, and lived up on Walker Mountain she was 93 years old. She said that her husband worked for a while for Green Simpson and that he was always a fair man. That she remembered him as a dumpy, short man and he had a big belly. She thought he was dark skinned and had dark eyes, but she wasn't real sure about that. Mrs. Janaway lived in a house on top of a mountain and still drove to town every week for groceries. She was a very remarkable woman and remembered all the old timers and told me a lot of wonderful stories about the old days. She remember stores about several of the ones who they'd laid to rest at Hontubby Cemetery just down the road between her place and town.

Mrs. Janaway didn't remember Green's mother, Louisa, but another lady in town, who was related to the Metcalf family, thought that Louisa was buried by Green. She said there wasn't a marker there but that she always put flowers on the grave because she thought it was Green's mother who was buried there by him. And maybe a first wife, a daughter, and she didn't know who else. I asked if America and her husband Elijah were buried there, but she didn't know for sure but there were some other family members buried there she thought.   

Another neighbor, a Mr. Paul Jones, said that in the days of cotton that Green Simpson always would hide a pint of shine [moon shine] in the last cotton bale. And that he remembered that they were always eager to get down to that last bale so they could partake.

It was the neighbor, Bill Queen, said that Green was a horseman and that he loved horses. He remembered his parents always talked about Green Simpson because he was a horse raiser like his parents were. Mrs. Queen was the lady who remembered that her mother always liked to dance with Green. 

Elizabeth Freeman remembered Green Simpson, too, but she didn't remember anything specific about him except he was a neighbor and that the Metcalf family was related to him. His daughter married into that family she told me.

In 1930 Le Flore County, OK, Green Simpson was age 70, listed as born in Indiana, and both his parents were born in Indiana he reported. He owned his own home and was age 32 when he first married and was divorced. And also he had a border who was named Joe Norton, age 20, born in Oklahoma. Green was listed in house # 124 and lived between William Aglin and David W. Catham.

In 1900 Sherman Reed is listed in Yell Co., AR, as age 33, born in IN, and he listed both of his parents as born in IN. He was born Aug 1866, and had been married 8 years. His wife was given as Glennie, age 35, born March of 1865. She listed she'd been married 8 years and was born in MS, her father in AL, and mother in TN. Children were given as Lizzie, age 12, born July 1887 in AR; Mary, born Oct 1889, age 11, born in AR; Tollie, son, age 6, born Jan 1894 in AR; Robert, born Oct 1896, age 4, born in AR; Ben, born Dec 1897, age 2, born in AR; and Jennie, born Dec 1899, age 6/12, born in AR. Robert Joiner lived in the house and he was born Mar 1855, age 42, born in MS. He listed his father born in MS, his mother in AL, and his mother in TN, and he was single.

Located in Le Flore Co., OK, House # 181, Family # 186 in 1920 was Sherman W. Reed, age 52, born in Indiana. He doesn't know where his mother and father were born. His wife was Glandora D., age 54, born in Mississippi. Children were listed as Ben, a son, age 22, born in AR, and James S., a son, age 14, and born in AR. Living in the house was a son-in-law, Otha Taylor, age 19, born in AR, wife Winnie, age 17, born in AR, and Robert C. Joiner, a brother-in-law, age 58, born in Mississippi.

Living next door was Robert J. Reed in house # 182, age 24, born in Arkansas. His wife Lorena, age 25, born in Texas. Living in their house was Berun Roberts, a step-child, age 8. Child listed as Irene Reed was age 1 6/12 and born in OK.

In 1930 Le Flore County, OK, Talihina Twp, in house # 51 was Sherman Reed, age 62, born in Indiana and mother and father born in Indiana. His wife Glanda D. was age 66, born in Mississippi, and both her father was born in VA and her mother in TN. He was age 25 when he married and she was age 28 when she married.

Next door is Oltha Taylor who was born in AR, and his wife is Winnie, age 20, born in AR and she married at age 15, her father born in IN and mother born in MS. Also, in the house is Oltha J., a son, age 9, born in OK, and Reed, a son, who is age 4 born in OK. And in the house is a niece, Irene Reed, age 10, born in Arkansas and both her parents were born in Arkansas. Glenda, a niece, age 9, born in Oklahoma; Minnie F., age 8, born in Arkansas; Croft, a niece, age 6, born in Oklahoma; and Bettie, a niece, age 4, born in OK.

Alfred Reed's brother Joseph was married to Sarah Bristow and they lived in Barry Co., MO, also.

Located in Le Flore Co., OK, House # 181, Family # 186 in 1920 was Sherman W. Reed, age 52, born in Indiana. He doesn't know where his mother and father were born. His wife was Glandora D., age 54, born in Mississippi. Children were listed as Ben, a son, age 22, born in AR, and James S., a son, age 14, and born in AR. Living in the house was a son-in-law, Otha Taylor, age 19, born in AR, wife Winnie, age 17, born in AR, and Robert C. Joiner a brother-in-law age 58 born in Mississippi.

Living next door was Robert J. Reed in house # 182, age 24 born in Arkansas. His wife Lorena age 25 born in Texas. Living in their house was Berun Roberts a step-child, age 8. Child listed as Irene Reed was age 1 6/12 and born in OK.

In 1930 Le Flore County, OK, Talihima Twp, in house # 51 was Sherman Reed age 62 born in Indiana and mother and father born in Indiana. His wife Glanda D. was age 66, born in Mississippi, and both her father was born in VA and her mother in TN. He was age 25 when he married and she was age 28 when she married.

Next door is Oltha Taylor who was born in AR, and his wife is Winnie age 20 born in AR and she married at age 15, her father born in IN and mother born in MS. Also, in the house is Oltha J., a son, age 9, born in OK, and Reed, a son, who is age 4 born in OK. And in the house is a niece Irene Reed, age 10, born in Arkansas and both her parents were born in Arkansas. Glenda, a niece, age 9, born in Oklahoma; Minnie F., age 8, born in Arkansas; Croft, a niece, age 6, born in Oklahoma; and Bettie, a niece, age 4, born in OK.

Louisa Bristow's Family Connections

Louisa was said to have been a country doctor, which may mean mid-wife. She was born in Warrick Co., IN, in March of 1831 and listed in 1880 that her parents were born in IL.  She was married three times and is said to be buried in an unmarked grave next to her son William Green Simpson at Hontubby, Leflore Co., OK. That was at one time in Houston Twp., and in the Choctaw Nation. 

She is thought to have been a descendant of this Samuel Bristow who is listed below. If anyone has documentation of her parents I will be very happy to make your contact. 

In 1830, page 270, William Bristoe in Skelton Twp, of Warrick Co., IN, was listed. He had a large household of children and was between the age of 30 - 40 years old. He had 2 sons under 5, 1 son 5 to 10, 1 son 10 to 15, 1 daughter under 5, 2 daughters 5 to 10, 1 daughter 10 to 15. His wife was 30 to 40.  Louisa was living in Skelton Twp., when she married and in 1850. This listing could possibly be the parents of Louisa. She was born in 1831 of March in Warrick Co., IN so her parents would probably have been in Warrick in 1830. William apparently acquired land in 1835 but I located no listing of his land ownership before the listing of this 1830 census.

Land Entries - Warrick Co., IN
John Briscoe, 8/1/1839, 120 acres
William Briscoe, 8/1/1839, 80 acres
Flemmon L. Bristow, 10/1/1852
Larkin Bristow, 8/5/1837 [Larkin is age 47 in 1850, in Campbell Twp]
William Bristow, 8/1/1839
William Bristow, 10/1/1840
William Bristow, 10/1/1840
William Bristow, 10/1/1840
William Bristow, 10/23/1835

It appears that one William died before 1830 from these records. Other records indicate that there are at least two William Bristow/Bristoe families in Warrick in the early days of record keeping.

Briscoe, William, 1814, Sheriff bond, 2204
Briscoe, William, 1819, Anderson, Pinckney - B & B on Briscoe, Wm., 923, FB 3&4
Briscoe, William, 1819, State vs Briscoe, Wm. Indictment, 986
Briscoe, William, 1830, 1829, Estate, 553, 793
Briscoe, William, 1829, Dec'd estate - inventory & approval, 1169
Briscoe, William, 1837 - A & B, 1133
Briscoe, William, 1838/ 1858?, Stray horse, 926
Briscoe, William, 1875, Briscoe, Wm. vs Bates, S. C., 2295

The 1840 census listed that William Bristowe was living in Skelton Township, Warrick County, Indiana. On that census report he had four daughters. A known daughter is Minerva (1838), who was in the under 5 age group. A possible daughter is Mary Polly (1824), who was in the 15 to 20 year old group. There was an unknown daughter between 5 and 10, and a second unknown daughter between 10 and 15. Louisa could be the daughter of William Bristow/Bristoe, Jr. and his wife Sarah, and the unknown daughter between age 5 and 10.

In Morgan County, IL, at Diamond Grove Church, which was organized April 26, 1823, listed that they opened with twelve members. The presbytery was composed of Elders Samuel Bristow, Aaron Smith, and Jonathan Sweet. Meetings had been held as early as September 14, 1822.

In Morgan Co., IL, the Union Church was organized August 6, 1825, at the home of Brother Henry Keltner. The presbytery was composed of Elder Samuel Bristow, moderator; Elder William Crow, clerk; and Brethren Peter Conover, Abraham Burgan, Moses Carlock, Aaron Houton, William Miller, and Claibourn Jones, from Indian Creek and Richland (formerly Sangamo) churches.

At Sandy Creek Church in Morgan Co., IL, which was organized on the fourth Saturday in June, 1825. The presbytery was composed of Elder Samuel Bristow and Gorham Holmes, and Brethren Moses Carlock and Andrew Reed, from Indian Creek; and Elders Jonathan Sweet and Theophilus Sweet and Bro. Robert Smith, from Diamond Grove. In December 1825 the church called Elder Bristow to serve them as pastor, and he agreed to attend as often as he could.

Morgan Co., IL, the Mauvaisterre Church was organized in November 1826. It was a branch of the Indian Creek Church. It was located about five miles north of Jacksonville. The Sangamon Association minutes of 1828 listed that this church had grown to 80 members, having received 14 by baptism and 14 by letter during that year. Elders Samuel Bristow and John Foster, and Bro. Frederick Bolinger were the messengers in 1828.

Indian Creek Church was organized in 1822, or earlier, by Elder Samuel Bristow, who immigrated to Morgan County from southern Indiana, having been a charter member of Little Pigeon Church, in southern Indiana, (where Thomas Lincoln and Sarah Lincoln Grigsby, and Abraham Lincoln's stepmother were also members) in June 1816. He was dismissed by letter in good standing from that church in February 1819.

The exact date, and details of the constitution of Indian Creek Church have been lost. This was probably the first church of any faith organized in Morgan County. Among the earliest members were Elder Samuel Bristow, Moses Carlock, Aaron Houton, Abraham Burgan, Peter Conover, and Gorham Holmes, the latter of whom was soon ordained as a minister, by this church.

If you have facts about this family that might help, I'd like to hear from you. 

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