Delayed Birth Certificate
Death CertificateDad grew up on a farm in Eastern Oklahoma. His father raised cotton, plus food for the family. His father also worked at jobs as a brick layer when he could get work. His father didn't think an education was important so all the kids would work in the field in the spring, summer, and fall. Cotton wasn't picked until about November, and all the kids would really work hard so they could go to school before the Christmas Party. At the party all the children got a small sack of nuts and candy, so this was a really important occation. The kids were paid 1 cent a pound for picking cotton. Dad used the phrase of working "from see to can't see" otherwise known as sunup to sundown. At times during the depression, he stomped silage in a silo for one dollar a day. That was done usually in July or August, and it was a 10 hour day. Dad only got to go to school for 9 years, at about 3 months out of the year. He loved to learn anything new, and it was always a joy to him when someone would teach him things, or when he could figure out how to do something. With the help of his father-in-law he was able to build a nice home in the late forties. He loved to go camping, and loved to watch football and baseball. And most of all, he loved his family. He enjoyed his grandchildren, and when he would come to visit he would take them to the store and buy them goodies. He would usually take along a few other children and buy them goodies too. He died too young from a brain tumor, but what time he had he lived with zest.
Kathy Awbrey
My mother was raised on a farm in Eastern Oklahoma. There wasn't much in the way of material things, but there was plenty of good plain food and love. Her mother was an excellent cook, and with the chickens and pigs, and milk cows, they had enough to keep them growing strong and healthy. Mom remembers walking to school one day with her brother Ralph when a Copperhead snake bit her in the ankle. Ralph got her home, and they started to town to the doctor. The car broke down, and the rest of the trip was taken in the back of a hay wagon. Mom said her ankle was swollen to the size of a basketball the next day. When mom and dad married, they had no money but lots of hope. And with that dad went to work up in Iowa at a farm. That didn't work out and they went to Colorado where dad worked for the Santa Fe railroad as a gandydancer. He did odd jobs with there was no work. Finally he got a job with Everett Marshall at his dairy farm in La Junta. When they had heard that there were good dairy farms in Oregon. Dad was 4f so the military was out of the question. When I went to school, mom worked as a school cook. She was very talented. She not only was an excellent cook, but had a beautiful singing voice. She could also play the piano. We had very little money, but she could take an old coat apart, turn it inside out and make a new coat for me. She also would draw me paper dolls when I would run out of the boughten ones. She was always there when my sister or I needed her. When my sister was killed, she gathered strength from within and kept going. She stood firm through Dad's cancer surgeries, treatments, and death. When her father died, she took her mother in to live with her for eight years, until she too died. When she was in her 60's she took up oil painting, and produced some absolutely gorgeous pictures of mountains. She also learned how to use a computer, and has spent the last 20 years doing family research, and now searches on the internet. In the last 20 years, she has travelled to Australia, Africa, Europe, New Zealand, Thailand, and China. She has also taken cruises to Alaska, the Caribbean, down the St. Laurence River to New York, and white water rafting on the Rogue River. She has a wonderful sense of adventure still. I am very lucky to have such a mother.
Kathy Awbrey/ May 2000
1870 Census page 4 McKinney, Collin, Texas taken September 12 1870
42 Bates John 66 M W Farm Laborer England
Eliza 59 F W Keeping House Georgia
Ann 17 F W At Home Texas
Jeffries Howell 48 M W Wheel wright VA
Elizabeth 25 F W Keeping House Texas
Senora 8 F W Ark
Jane 5 F W Ark
Harden 2 M W Tex
William 1 M W Tex
Hardin was married 3 times. First to Hulda Butler in 1876. They had 4 children whom only one lived to age 21. All died fairly young. When Hulda died he then married Bettie Wilmouth in 1900. They had no children. When she died he then married my grandmother Minnie Bell in 1903. They had 8 children. All lived to adulthood.I never met my grandfather as he died before I was born. Grandma was his 3rd wife and was quite a lot younger than grandpa. Grandpa didn't know how to read or write, but Grandma taught him how to sign his name, and she read to him out of the Bible so often that he had most verses memorized. According to dad, he never backed down, and could whopp anyone twice his size, and did several times.
Kathy Awbrey
personal knowledge - information from 2 sons
census recordsGrandma was the oldest of 14 children. Around 1903 they moved first to Collin County then to Denton County Texas. She married Hardin in 1903 and gave him 8 children that grew up to adulthood. The only time I saw her was when I was a baby, so I don’t remember it. I was told that during the depression her dad was president of a bank and gave away all his money to make good the depositors savings. I wrote to her several times in the early 50's, but I no longer have her letters. She died in September 16, 1953 in Tyler, Texas. At the time, she was living with her daughter Opal.
personal knowledge/Kathy Awbrey/from George Ketchum
World War1 veteran--358th Infantry, 90th Division Company F. Drafted 19 Sept. 1917 at Grove, OK
went to Camp Travis, San Antonio, TX. Private, became Corporal, left for Overseas duty 26 June 1918,became Sargeant in 1919. arrived back in US 7 June 1919 to Camp Deven, MA 8 June 1919 for honorable discharge.
This company suffered the poison gas in Oct 1918 and spent about 3 months in a hospital. He had no mail until he returned to his unit. Pay as private--33.00, pay as corporal--40.20, pay as sargeant--44.00I was lucky enough to have my maternal grandparents living close to me from the time I was four years old. Grandpa and Grandma decided to come to Oregon in the mid 1940's. They bought a little house less than a mile away from where we lived. Grandpa was a carpenter by trade, and remodeled that little house several times. He was also quite inventive in figuring out ways to do things a little better. Grandpa fought in World War I in France, and was hospitalized over there from a mustard gas attack. He once told me that a bullet from a enemy machine gun went into the end of his sleeve and came out the elbow, and somehow did not touch him. He also took a German soldier captive when he had the soldier in his sights to shoot and then saw his face, and could no longer shoot him so took him prisoner. When he came home, he and grandma raised a family on a farm in Eastern Oklahoma. He farmed and did other jobs as he could for cash money. He raised several things including sorgum cane. My memories of him were that he was a stern, upright man, but with a good sense of humor. We would have a good Sunday dinner at their house, and grandpa always drank iced tea with a little saccharine. The saccaharine was in powder form in the small round blue can. Grandpa would stick the end of his knife in the iced tea, then into the saccaharine, and get just the right amount for his glass. Well, naturally I had to do the same thing. Grandpa also ate biscuits and gravy most mornings for breakfast. Sometime he ate his biscuits with butter and sorgum. He would mix the two of them together on his plate and then spread it on the biscuits. It was better that way. Grandpa taught the adult sunday school class for years, and I can remember hearing his voice good and clear through the walls of the sunday school classes. It was a good voice to hear.
Kathy Awbrey
personal knowledge/Kathy Awbrey/from Sarah Sparks Ketchum
My memories of grandma were of the times when she would take care of me when I had to stay home sick from school. Grandma would take the time out to play games with me, like "Button, button, who'es got the button" and "I spy". She was just about the best cook there ever was. She could raise, kill, dress, and cook the best chicken ever. They always joked about eating "Hoover Chickens" when they lived in Oklahoma, which were actually squirrels. Her dressing and homemade egg noodles were better than anything one could buy at a five star restuarant. Every May, grandma and I would walk up to Corum Hill and pick the wild irises. Then we would go home and wash up good with lifebouy soap to keep from getting poison oak. Grandma was a excellent seamtress, and of course made quilts for her family. Grandma always had a garden and grew beautiful flowers in her yard. She always said that maybe you couldn't have a real nice house, but you could always have a beautiful yard. She also had a knack with arranging flowers so that they looked their best. There was always a nice bunch of "babies breath" growing in her yard. She lived until she was almost 94 even though she ate fried food, never had a piece of toast, (just biscuits) and put salt on everything she ate, except her hot cereal, and she put half and half on that.
stillborn
only lived a few hours
Was killed by a drunk driver.
1870 Census page 4 McKinney, Collin, Texas taken September 12 1870
42 Bates John 66 M W Farm Laborer England
Eliza 59 F W Keeping House Georgia
Ann 17 F W At Home Texas
Jeffries Howell 48 M W Wheel wright VA
Elizabeth 25 F W Keeping House Texas
Senora 8 F W Ark
Jane 5 F W Ark
Harden 2 M W Tex
William 1 M W Tex
Hardin was married 3 times. First to Hulda Butler in 1876. They had 4 children whom only one lived to age 21. All died fairly young. When Hulda died he then married Bettie Wilmouth in 1900. They had no children. When she died he then married my grandmother Minnie Bell in 1903. They had 8 children. All lived to adulthood.I never met my grandfather as he died before I was born. Grandma was his 3rd wife and was quite a lot younger than grandpa. Grandpa didn't know how to read or write, but Grandma taught him how to sign his name, and she read to him out of the Bible so often that he had most verses memorized. According to dad, he never backed down, and could whopp anyone twice his size, and did several times.
Kathy Awbrey
family history state that she and all her children died from TB
1870 Census page 4 McKinney, Collin, Texas taken September 12 1870
42 Bates John 66 M W Farm Laborer England
Eliza 59 F W Keeping House Georgia
Ann 17 F W At Home Texas
Jeffries Howell 48 M W Wheel wright VA
Elizabeth 25 F W Keeping House Texas
Senora 8 F W Ark
Jane 5 F W Ark
Harden 2 M W Tex
William 1 M W Tex
Hardin was married 3 times. First to Hulda Butler in 1876. They had 4 children whom only one lived to age 21. All died fairly young. When Hulda died he then married Bettie Wilmouth in 1900. They had no children. When she died he then married my grandmother Minnie Bell in 1903. They had 8 children. All lived to adulthood.I never met my grandfather as he died before I was born. Grandma was his 3rd wife and was quite a lot younger than grandpa. Grandpa didn't know how to read or write, but Grandma taught him how to sign his name, and she read to him out of the Bible so often that he had most verses memorized. According to dad, he never backed down, and could whopp anyone twice his size, and did several times.
Kathy Awbrey
Howell Jeffries found in:
US - Census Index (1860) Age: 28 Gender: M State: Arkansas County: Columbia
Town: Magnolia Birth Location: VA Roll: 39
Page 35/249
Howell Jeffries 28 M Grocer 500 1000 VA
Elizabeth 17 F TexasHowell Jeffries found in:
US - Census Index (1870)
Township: Precinct 1 County: Collin State: Texas Roll: 1579 Page: 319 Image: 30It seems that Howell Lewis Jeffries told his family that he stole away on a boat from Ireland to Texas to be a "cowboy". Well, now the real story is: My mother found a Howell Lewis Jeffries in the book "Lewis of Warner Hall" That man turned out to be our Howell's uncle. His father was actually Richard Jeffries, not Rachel as stated in book, the youngest son of Swepson Jeffries and his second wife Isabella Lewis. As far as I can tell, Our Howell L. Jeffries went with his uncle Charles Jeffries to Arkansas in about the 1840's. I found Charles and his wife in the 1850 Littlerock Ark census as running a boardinghouse. Now, our Howell was in Prison for larceny. Sometime between 1850 and 1860 he got out and headed for Texas, met and married Elisabeth Chenoweth, who had inheirited over 1500 acres of land in Collin County TX. Originally 5000, but had to share with Hardin's grandaughter by his first marriage.They had 8 children; Senora, Jane, Hardin, William, George, Dick, John, and Lorila. I have never been able to find his death record. I was told that Howell gambled most of the land away. Was told one time he traded 80 acres for a barrel of whiskey.
Little Rock Arkansas 1850 census
Collin Co. Texas 1870,1880 census
George B. Hamner will(Grandfather)1835,Mecklenburg, VA
Death Certificate
Probate records/Collin Co. Texas
Land records/Collin Co. Texas
Census records/Texas 1850,1860,1870,1880,1900
Death Certificate
Census records
family history passed down
information from William Jeffries(my uncle White)
death certificate
census records
moved t0 Texas - 1901
GRANDPA CHARLES M. AND GRANDMA MARY A. KETCHUM
Grandpa Charles, called Charley, was born near Fairmont, Clark Co., MO, 16 Feb 1867 or 68. His parents were Elisha Franklin Ketchum and Susanna Weaver. He was their thirteenth child. His mother died when he was very young.
Grandma Mary Agnes was born 6 Oct 1873 near Kidder, but in Daviess Co., MO. She was the daughter of William View and Mary Rebecca "Margery" Bellomy. Her mother had evidently gone from Clay Co., MO to be with her relatives as William had died about seven months before. She had one brother William "Billy" who was about one year older.
They met while Mary Agnes was living near Kidder with her Aunt Nancy (Bellomy) and Uncle Henry Wilson. They knew each other a very short time when they eloped. I have not found their marriage records although I have researched the surrounding counties. It is said that Charley met her while visiting relatives in the area. I wonder who???? It is assumed Charley was living in KS then as did most of his older brothers and sisters. They married 15 Sept 1891.
Grandpa Charley was a tall man, 6'3" with reddish brown hair and blue-grey eyes. He was a good looking man and he wore a mustache. His children called him Papa. Grandma Mary Agnes was under five feet tall, a very petite woman with dark hair and eyes. She never gained much weight. We called her Grandma but never, never called her Granny.
They had thirteen children.
Caroline Rebecca: born 25 Aug 1892 in Caldwell Co., MO. She married 1 Dec 1909, Benjamin Franklin Sparks in OK mid 1930's, and settled near Salem. Their children: Ray, Mary, Glen, Christopher, Clara, Wayne, Billy and Grace Ann. Benjamin died 6 Nov 1958 and she died 1 Feb 1966. Both are buried near Salem.
George Henry: born 29 Sept 1894 near Moran, Allen Co., KS. He married 8 Nov 1914, Sarah Emma Sparks, a sister of Benjamin Sparks. He was in the army during WW I and was in France and Germany. They lived in OK until 1946 when they moved to Eugene, OR. Their children: Georgia, Ralph, William, Rebecca, Walter and Lawrence. George died 19 May 1980 and Emma died 24 July 1988. Both are buried at Rest Haven cemetery in Eugene, OR.
Ira Franklin: born 14 Feb 1897 in Indian Territory, OK. He married 26 Sept 1920, Fanny Johnson. They lived in Vinita, OK most of their married life. Their children: Allie A., Amel R., Leona, Letha, Dora and Flora, George, Imogene and Aline. Ira died 4 July 1963 and Fanny died 1990. I believe both are buried at Vinita.
Charles Monroe, Jr.: born 22 Feb 1899 in Indian Territory, OK. He died 7 July 1902 and is buried at Afton, OK.
James Wayne: born 18 Nov 1901 at Afton Indian Territory, OK. He married 17 April 1925, Asceneth Parrish. They lived in OK, then in La Junta, CO, moving on to OR in mid 1940's. Their children: Lois, Lottie, Eulalia, James, Minerva, Sherman, Darrel and Kathy. Wayne died 15 Nov 1973 near Molalla, OR. Ascenith lives at a nursing home in Newburg, OR.
Amel Lawrence: born 29 Feb 1904 at Afton, Indian Territory, OK. He served in the army and was in the Philippine Islands. He married 30 Mar 1928, Gladys Fellows. They spent most of their married life in CO, mostly in La Junta. Their children: Cherie, Patsey, Jim, David and Rick. Amel died 20 Nov 1977. Gladys died a year or so afterwards. Both are buried at La Junta.
Elva Benjamin: born 17 Jan 1906, Indian Territory, OK. He became a large, tall man while his brothers were of medium height and build. He married 3 Nov. 1928, Cleta Florine Goss. They lived in CO mostly in and around Canon City. Their children: Wanda, Merle J., Richard, Robert, Samuel, Jacquelyn and Louis. E. B. died 15 Oct 1982. Florine lives in Florence, CO.
Agnes Unity: born 20 Feb 1910 in OK. She married 13 Nov 1926 William "Bill" Baker in Craig Co., OK. They lived mostly in CO, much of the time in La Junta. Their children: Nina, Delmar, Elsie and Marida. After Bill's death, Agnes married again to John Appino. They live in La Junta, CO.
Clara Susanna: born 2 Apr 1910 in Mayes Co., OK. She married 31 Dec 1927, Otis Goss, brother of Florine (above). They had one child who died. They lived in CO and were later divorced. She married again (I do not have those details). She lives in La Junta, CO.
Perry Joshua: born 22 Mar 1912, Mays Co., OK and died 2 Mar 1913.
Orville Logan: born 8 Feb 1914 in OK. He married 26 May 1937 Grace Bickle. They spent all their married life in La Junta, CO. Their children: Charles, Elinor, Larry, Dennis and Sharon. Orville died 1 May 1970 and is buried at La Junta. Graces lives at Selma, CA.
Walter: born and died 22 Feb 1917 at Dewey, OK.
Mary Ellen: born 23 Aug 1919 in OK. She married 8 Aug 1945, John "Jack" Schindler in Columbus, GA. They spent much of their married life in St. Louis, MO. Their children: John, Eric, Steve, Karen, Mary and Gracia. Mary E. and Jack live in Troy, IL.
I have found Charles and Mary Ketchum in the following census records: 1895 KS state census Moran, Allen Co., KS. 1900 Federal census, Indian Territory, Afton, OK (on one side was Uncle Frank and family, on the other side was Aunt Cal and Uncle Will Abbey). 1910 Federal census, Mayes Co., OK, Post office was Adair. The Sparks family lived nearby. The 1920 census will not be available until 1992. I expect to find them probably in Delaware Co., OK as they lived for a time near my folks, George and Emma Ketchum.
In 1925 they lived about a mile west and a little north of Military school in southern Craig Co., OK. After that they lived near Blue Jacket in the northern part of Craig County. They also lived very near our house in Mayes Co. near the area where Langley is located. They were in Co. at least once before they lived in Pueblo when Grandpa died 25 July 1935. He is buried at La Junta.
Grandma, with Orville and Mary Ellen moved to La Junta. She died there 18 Sept 1938 at Uncle Amel's house. She is buried at La Junta next to Grandpa.I had to rely on my memory, especially in the area of the grand-children. I am certain there are mistakes and I shall be most happy to make corrections. In some cases I just plain didn't know.
Georgia Margaret Ketchum Jeffries
December 1990
GRANDMA MARY AGNES VIEW'S FAMILYMary Agnes was born 6 Oct 1873 near Kidder, MO. Her parents were William View and Rebecca Mary "Margery" Bellomy. Her father William died about seven months before she was born. She had one brother, Billy, who was about a year older.
William View was the third child of Peter View and Nancy Terrier. Very little is known about the Views. I first located the family in Kansas City, MO, 1850 census. Per those records, Peter was born about 1815 with birthplace listed as Scotland. Nancy was born 1823. She and all the children were listed as born in MO. This is doubtful information. (It changes per 1860 census).
William married 26 Mar 1871 to Mary Rebecca Bellomy at the home of the bride's father, in Clay Co., by G. W. Ogilvie, J. P. Two children were born, first Billy about 1872 and Mary Agnes in Oct 1873. William died before Mary Agnes was born. I wonder why he died so young?
Mary Rebecca Bellomy, called Margery most of her life, was born 1 Apr 1851, in Scott Co., VA. She was the daughter of Joseph Bellomy and Rebecca Taylor. The Bellomy's were also spelled Bellamy in the known records. Her brothers and sister were:James D., William C., John T., Joseph C., Harvey H., and Nancy Unity.
Margery's mother died about 1864. Her father married again to Sarah Sage, a Civil War widow. I have found records where View's and Sages intermarried in MO.
By 1870 census time Joseph's younger family and his son John T. lived in West Virginia. Shortly thereafter, they lived in Harlem, Clay Co., MO (Now north Kansas City). Harlem Village was about a mile from the View farm. Later, the Bellomy's settled in the southern part of Daviess Co., MO, not far from Kidder.
After William View's death, Margery went to her family as Mary Agnes was born there. Her father, brother John T. and sister Nancy Unity, married in KY, lived close to each other there. After Mary Agnes was born, she went back to the View family in Clay Co. There on 22 Feb 1874 she married Samuel Kilgore, a widower with older children. Her children by this marriage were Clara, Laura and Samuel, Jr. (1880 census).
CHRISTOPHER C. AND MARY ANN SPARKSChristopher Columbus "Lum" Sparks was born 18 Sept 1856, Denton or Bosque Co. Texas. His parents were William Sparks and Sarah Ann (Emmerick) Rector. Both had previous marriages. They were married in Buchanon Co, Missouri, in 1845.
The family moved to Texas in the early 1850's and in 1853, settled on pre-emption land in Denton Co. near an area where William's oldest son had settled. It is probable that Christopher was born there as requirements for the land was three years of residence. However, the family was found in Bosque Co. in the 1860 census.
The family left Texas about 1862 (see William Sparks story). It is not yet known where they went. They were found in the 1870 census in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, where William died. Some time prior to 1875, the rest of the family moved to Washington Co., Arkansas where Christopher met and married Mary Ann Bower, on 12 Sept, 1875. Mary Ann was born 2 June, 1867 in Washington Co. to William Bower and Lydia Martha (Newman) Elms. (We have not found this new Sparks family in the 1880 census) It is possible they were missed when the census was taken. But all their children (except the last one) were born near the village of Cane Hill in Washington Co., Arkansas. Their children were:
John Edward: born 1881. Married Nannie Cole, 1917. There were no children. They lived most of their married life in Pensacola, Okla Uncle Ed died in 1962. Both are buried at Ghormley Cemetery near Pensacola.
Pearl Josephine: born 1886. Married George Trice. They lived near Pensacola, then just north of Spavinaw. Their children were Dee and Ed. There were others who did not live. After Uncle George died, Aunt Pearl lived with Aunt Ida and Uncle Jay until she died in 1964. Both are buried at Spavinaw Cemetery.
Benjamin Franklin: born 1887. Married Caroline Rebecca Ketchum, 1909. They lived near Pensacola later near Bluejacket in Okla. They also lived in La Junta, Colo. before moving to Salem, Ore. Their children were; Ray, Mary, Glen, Clara May, Christopher, Wayne Billy and Grace. Uncle Ben died 1958 and Aunt Carrie died 1966. Both are buried near Salem.
May Virginia: born 1891. Married Thomas Porter Jones about 1907. First lived near Pensacola then moved close to (now) Langley for a few years, then moved to Vinita where they lived until Uncle Tom died. Aunt lived with our Aunt Ida the rest of her life. She died in 1978. Both are buried at Ghormley cemetery near Pensacola. Their children were Clyde, Charley, Shannon, Mary Lillie and Doyle (Pete)
Sarah Emma: born 1894. She married 1914, George Henry Ketchum, brother of Caroline Ketchum who had married Emma's brother Benjamin. they lived for a while near Jay, then bought some land near Langley. They lived there until 1946, then settled in Eugene, Oregon, living there the rest of their lives. George died in 1980 and Emma lived with her daughter Georgia, until she died in 1988. Both are buried at Rest Haven Cemetery in Eugene. The children were: Georgia Margaret, Ralph Dale, William Lewis, Rebecca Ruth, Walter Harold and Lawrence Clinton.
Willy Bush: born 1897. Married Eunice Cunningham in 1918. They lived most of their married life at Pensacola. Uncle Bill died in 1971. Both of them are buried at Ghormley Cemetery near Pensacola. Their children were: Willie, Millie, Denver, Ben, Lucille and Marie.
Ida Ozina: born 1901 in Indian Territory near Old Ketchum now Oklahoma. She married in 1922 to Jay Weston. They lived in several areas of northeast Oklahoma as Jay had a portable sawmill. During World War II, they both worked in the shipyards at Vancouver, Washington. They went back to Oklahoma and lived in Afton. After Jay died Aunt Ida continued to live in Afton. They had one child who died at birth. During those Afton years, Aunt Ida had looked after her mother-in-law, Aunt Pearl, Uncle Jay and then Aunt May until they died. She is 94 years old and now lives in a nursing home in Tulsa where three of Aunt May's children live.
There were three others who had died in their childhood.
Christopher C. and Mary Ann Sparks moved from Cane hill, Arkansas to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma about 1897 and lived near Old Ketchum. They later moved just west and north of Pensacola and lived in the "Old Hooley Bell" house. They helped build a chapel near the location of the Ghormley Cemetery. (Emma remembered Happy times while living there and playing with cousins who descended from her Aunt Rebecca Newman) The Ketchum family lived nearby. All are listed in the same area in the 1910 census, of Mayes Co. Okla.
About 1912, the Sparks family moved to a farm just west of Jay, Oklahoma in Delaware Co. where there was open-range for the livestock. When he was no longer able to farm (late 1920's) they lived with their married children. They were called Pap and Ma by their children and Pap and Granny by their grand-children.
Pap died in 1932 following complications of a stroke at Emma and George's home. There was no funeral home involved and he was buried in a home made coffin. This was his wish.
Granny continued living with her children, a time with each until she died on her birthday while at Aunt Ida's. Both are buried at Ghormley Cemetery .
I REMEMBER GRANNY AND PAPPap was a slender man of medium height. He had blue eyes, white hair and a white beard in the wintertime. He usually shaved the beard off in the summer. He could not read or write. He knew the bible well as Granny would read it to him. One of his favorite times was when Dad would read at night from a Zane Grey book. It was also a favorite for us kids and we'd always beg for more. I'm not sure now but I believe they were Methodist. He had strict morals. Granny had a sharp tongue and usually told us kids how ornery we were and how good Uncle Billy's kids were. No doubt, she turned that around when she was staying at their house. She believed in spirits and often told of seeing them. She wore mother hubbard long dresses and shoes with felt high tops. Both smoked after each meal, a little clay pipe. Later, Granny used Garrett's Snuff until her last illness.
I remember going out into the fields to look for wild greens to cook . Granny knew all the things that were good to eat and what was poison. She also knew all about mushrooms. She always made Sassafras tea in the spring to help "thin the blood".
Granny used to tell us stories about her younger days while living in Arkansas, She remembered riding on a horse behind her father sitting on a pillow one night when they had to go somewhere else because a Civil War battle was being fought near their house. She told of how the soldiers always looked for food and wanted salt, which her mother hid under the bed in a clean chamber pot. She told of walking through the woods to school one snowy morning and when they went around a bend in the road, there was a big panther lying on his belly and swishing his tail in the snow. They walked backward around the bend and then ran back home. (the roads of that era were wagon roads not much more than paths through woods and brush)
Another story she told was about a group of young girls who decided to go skinny dipping one hot afternoon. A bunch of boys found them, sat around by their clothes so they stayed in the water until they finally had to get out. One girl covered her breasts with her hands and said they could see what God had given her but not what grew on afterward.
July, 1995 Georgia Ketchum JeffriesFamily information
Marriage licenses
Census records
Family Information
Marriage licenses
Census records