KINFOLKS
by Evelyn Flood

REBECCA JANE TENNISON O'NEAL

Rebecca Jane Tennison was born 9 September 1866 in Newton County,
Arkansas, daughter of William G. Tennison and first wife, Sarah Smith
She married Jesse Blackburn O'Neal on 22 December 1882 in Newton County
Arkansas.

Rebecca was related to our Flood\Flud Family three different ways,
and also several more ways than mentioned here.
Jesse's sister Sarah O'Neal married George W Flud in 1879. George W
Flud was son of John Kink Flud and Emeline Cooper
Jesse's sister Polly Ann O'Neal married Stephen Smith who was related
to the Floods on the Smith side
Rebecca Jane Tennison (Jesse's wife) was daughter of William G
Tennison who married as his second wife, Manda Ricketts, sister to our
great-great grandfather William Smithson Ricketts.
This is why I have researched this family.

Jesse Blackburn O'Neal was born 7 November 1863 in Newton County,
Arkansas, the son of Blackburn O'Neal and Rebecca Smith
His father Blackburn O'Neal died during the Civil War.

Jesse and Rebecca's children were:
(1)William C. O'Neal, born 11 October 1882. He married:
(1) Nancy J. Flood in 1901, and (2) Laura Barber.
Laura Barber was stepdaughter of Simon Flud, her mother being
Sarah Jane Owen Barber Flud
Believe Will O'Neal died in Oklahoma.

(2)Richard George O'Neal, born 22 November 1884.
He married Josie Miller in 1913

(3) Blackburn O'Neal, born 7 April 1886
It is stated he died 5 August 1887, but he is on the 1900 Newton County,
Arkansas Census.

(4) Dora Rosetta O'Neal, born 13 March 1890.
She married Frank Moss on 20 August 1908 in Newton County

(5) Custer O'Neal, born 7 April 1892.
He married Cora Cowan in 1918

(6) Nancy Jane O'Neal, born 28 March 1894
She married James Garrett Brasel 15 June 1911 (K-375)in Boone
County, Arkansas.

(7)Myrtle May O'Neal, born 10 March 1896
She died 19 February 1900

(8)Mary Belle O'Neal, born 17 August 1898.
She married (1)Tommy King in 1913
(2) John Mefford (3) Solomon Swigard and (4) Robert Williams
Jesse and Rebecca raised a grandson Elmo Mefford
His father John Mefford died in the flu epidemic in the 1920s.

(9) Jesse McKinley O'Neal, born 1 June 1900.
He married Irma Burkett

(10) Vesta Gay O'Neal, born 5 February 1902
She married (1) Arvil O'Neal and (2) Torrence Ogg

(11) Algy Perl O'Neal, born 2 October 1905.
He married Nellie Spurier in 1931

(12) Elue Binum O'Neal, born 13 October 1909
He married (1) Lorina Wood in 1937 and (2) Helen Anderson

(13)Wright Devoe O'Neal, born 11 November 1911.
He married Pricilla Thornbrough.

The family was on the 1900 Newton County, Arkansas Census in Jackson
Township, visit 91. They had 9 children with 7 living.
They were also living in Newton County on the 1910 census in Jackson
Township. They had 12 children with 10 living.

Jesse Blackburn O'Neal died on 22 June 1926 and is buried at
Bald Mountain, Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
Rebecca Jane Tennison O'Neal died on 28 December 1946 at Albany,
Alameda County, California.

A very nice article written by Doug Brasel of Maumelle, Arkansas
was sent to the Newton County, Arkansas Times Newspaper some time back.
Would like to quote some information from his article.

Doug states that :
" Jesse Blackburn O'Neal delivered the U.S. Mail to the
outlying post offices. He gave up the mail route to answer the call
of the ministry. Rebecca supported him in his ministry and had most
of the responsibility of caring for the farm and organizing her
family, giving each one of her children, from the youngest to the
oldest, their own chores to make the farm run smoothly, yet making
sure the children still had time for school.

Rebecca and Jesse's family always enjoyed the church socials. The
women would bring their quilting and needlepoint to show off their
best sewing. On one occasion, Rebecca and her daughters, along with
Grandma Tennison, made a quilt incorporating hearts in the pattern for
Valentine's Day.

The young men were good with slingshots and would set cans on a rail
fence to see who could knock down the most. The bigger boys had tops
with a metal spike at one end. A circle was drawn on the ground and
lots drawn to see who would go first. The winner would spin his top
in the circle and the next guy would try to spike the other top and
split it. They would take turns until the tops had been split. The
last one with a top that would still spin was the winner.

For younger boys at the socials, they would strip the limbs and bark
off a small tree and nail a cross on top. The one who could shimmy
up, kiss the cross, and slide down the fastest won a french harp, top,
whistle or candy as a prize. Sack races and a greased pig chase were
popular, too.

Rebecca Jane Tennison was a slender, small woman about five feet tall
and slender, with blue eyes and light brown hair. Her English and
Indian heritage blended to give her a strinking appearance and she was
always neatly dressed in long skirts and high-top shoes. Her long hair
was arranged in a bun and held with beautiful combs.

She helped settle thre frontier, knew the rigors of farm living and
raised a large family. She enjoyed reading, listening to music, and
loved to dance. She attended church and had an extensive knowledge of
the Bible. She was loving and gentle but could be firm when she had
to be and was interested in her children's spiritual as well as physical
well-being.

Rebecca had 14 grandsons and one granddaughter serving their country
during the war. Two were wounded, but all returned home safely. She
kept up with current events and could always tell you which country
or island each was serving in".
End of article by Doug Brasel

Evelyn Flood
Rkinfolks@aol.com