Peter & Barbara Seitz of Germany: Peter made a will in 1793 (according to history). He mentioned a son by the name of Jacob Sights.

Copy of County Court Records, Volume A, Page 133, dated April 17, 1832 of the Montgomery County Illinois Records furnished by historian, Walter R. Sanders, Litchfield, IL on September 7, 1978:

SEPTEMBER SPECIAL TERM 1832, COUNTY COURT

Held in Montgomery County, Illinois - On September 17, 1832

Hiram Rountree, Clerk

On this 17th day of September A.D. 1832, personally appeared before the County Commissioner's Court of the County of Montgomery in the State of Illinois, JACOB SIGHTS, aged 77 years and 2 months, a resident of Bostick, a settlement in the County of Montgomery and State of Illinois, who being duly sworn (according to law) doth in his oath make the following declaration - in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress, passed on June 7th A.D. 1832.

That, he entered the Army of the United States in the year A.D. 1776, under Capt. John Reese as a Recruiting Sergeant, but later, transferred to Captain Plunket's Company of 4(a) Regiment of Light Dragoons of Pennsylvania and continued in this Company & Regiment until he was taken prisoner in the later part of July A.D. 1778.

He states that he was in the Battles of White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth (before being taken prisoner).

After the Battle of Monmouth, General Washington detached the Regiment of Dragoons to guard the lines between White Plains and New York. After this Regiment had arrived at their destination, Sergeant Engard was detailed with a Corporal and 24 men, near Kings Bridge, being halted at a house near said place. While the said Jacob Sights and the 24 man regiment was taking some refreshments, the whole regiment of men was surrounded by the British, made prisoners, taken to New York and imprisoned for nine months, there. They were then placed on a prison-ship for Charleston, South Carolina. On arrival there, they were anchored in the mouth of Cooper River. While at anchor, Jacob Sights was sent out to get some firewood. While on this mission, he made an escape through the swamp land, traveling for three days, eating swamp-berries for food; but, after much toil and suffering (trying to escape), he was taken prisoner, again by the British Forces and taken to Ferguson Camp on Kings Mountain and put in the bull-pen with other prisoners,.

This prison camp was over-run (later) by the Colonial Militia (led by Major Smith), who liberated Jacob Sights and all the other prisoners. He states that he never received any discharge, in consequence of being unable to rejoin the regiment to which he belonged. Said, he was born in Germany on the 4th July A.D. 1755 and migrated (early in life) to the American Colonies and becoming a resident of the City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania.

I (Jacob Sights) do hereby, relinquish every claim-what-ever to an annuity or pension, except the present and declare that my name is not on any annuity or pension roll of any State Agency.

Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid,

Signed, Jacob Sights

Said Court does hereby declare that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, as he so states.

Burial: Hopewell/Grantham Cemetery Montgomery Co Illinois

Burial: Hopewell/Grantham Cemetery Montgomery Co Illinois

David Sights was deeded land by Isham I Sellars in 1817 and willed land in 1837. They lived on Beaver Dame and attended Grave Creek Church. Precinct was named Ishamm Sellers then changed later to David Sights Precinct. Notes per Patrick Anderson.

Burial: Sights Cemetary, #1 Robards, Henderson Co KY, Pruitt-Agnew Rd

Burial: Sights Cemetary, #1 Robards, Henderson Co KY, Pruitt-Agnew Rd

Isaac Sights and family left Kentucky soon after their child, Catherine White Sights, was born on the 22nd April 1830. They moved to Keytsville area in Chariton County, Missouri, where their last 3 sons were born. After the adjoining County of Linn was surveyed in 1837, all of the Isaac Sights' family and descendants moved there; settling around the towns of Bucklin, Marceline, St. Catherine, Brookfield, Laclede and the county seat of Linneous.

Birth order of children is: Robert, Catherine White, Jordan, Isaac Ewing, Mary Jane, Benjamin Franklin, Lucy Anne, Elizabeth Ann, James, John J., Luanna, Rebecca B., and Joseph.

Burial: Thayer Cemetery, Linn Co., Missouri

Burial: Thayer Cemetery, Linn Co., Missouri

Burial: Hopewell Cemetery Montgomery Co Illinois

Birth order of children is as follows: John David, James Jefferies, Leonard B., Achilles Bevel, Lucy Caroline, George Morrison, Jenny (J.M.), Uriah Epps, Mary L., Pheba, Henry Alexander (H.A.), and Emmer.

Burial: Agnew Cemetery, Hickory Grove Road, Henderson Co KY

Burial: Agnew Cemetery #1 Hickory Grove Rd Henderson Co. KY

Marriage date could be February 21, 1837

Notes of Patrick Anderson. "George Sights had 28 children by 2 wives. Mrs. Posey Floyd says she is a cousin of Aloa Sights (Robert), therefore, her mother and his grandfather Jim must have been brother and sister. Also, grandfather of T.D. Sights (father of Thomas Leonard Sights). Nannie, John, Bulger, Mary Josephine, Dennis, Irene, Nora, Cora, Jenella, Cordie, Lena, Floyd, Monroe, Rastus, Silas, Preston, Charlie and some dead.

George and Nancy are listed in the 1870 Henderson Co census with 8 children. He married again in 1871. Nancy must have died within the year."

From History of Linn County, page 665: "Jordan Sights, a farmer of Bucklin township, four miles northwest of Bucklin, was born in Chariton County, Missouri, in 1832, where he resided with his parents until March, 1838, when he came to this county, where he has since resided, with the exception of eighteen months spent in the West engaged in mining. Mr. Sights is the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Sights, natives of Kentucky, who came to Missouri in an early day. Mr. Sights was married in July, 1862, to Miss E.J. Lawson, a native of Breckenridge County, Kentucky, by whom he has had seven children, six of whom are living: Mary C., Milton J., Albert P., Olin Ewin, Filena E., Flossie Lee. Allen B. is deceased. Mr. Sights and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Mr. Sights is an industrious and energetic farmer".

Burial: Wyandotte Cemetery, Linn Co. Missouri

Burial: Wyandotte Cemetery, Linn Co. Missouri

Isaac E. Sights was born 5/16/1834 at Keytesville in Chariton County, Missouri, moved with his parents abt 1837 to Bucklin in Linn County, Missouri. He married on 9/13/1860 in Linn County to Margaret Bethina Woods. She was born 10/2/1843 and died 4/6/1898. Isaac E. Sights died 11/17/1915. Both are buried in the Wyandotte Cemetary in Linn County, Missouri. They spent their lives farming west of Bucklin and Marceline, Missouri.

Burial: Agnew Cemetery #1 Hickory Grove Rd Henderson Co. KY

Burial: Sights Cemetary, #1, Pruitt-Agnew Rd

Burial: Denton Cemetery Hickory Grove Road

Burial: Ten Mile Cemetery west of McLeansboro, Illinois

Burial: Oddfellows Cemetery, McLeansboro, Illinois east of town on Route 14

Died at age 61 after a prolonged illness with several operations from Cancer.

Obituary Bucklin, Missouri Newspaper: JASPER N. HAYES DIES AT HOME NEAR BUCKLIN - Pioneer resident had lived in this section his entire 82 years. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at Wyandotte Methodist church for Jasper Newton Hayes, age 82 years, five months and 16 days, who passed away at his farm home near Bucklin Saturday after a short illness. E.M. Hines, pastor, conducted the funeral services. Musical numbers included songs by Misses Grace and Mary Isaacson, and J.B. Isaacson. Burial was made in Wyandotte cemetery. Mr. Hayes was born near Roanoke in Howard County, Mo., on Aug. 11, 1857, and had lived in this section of the state all of his life. On Feb. 18, 1880, he was united in marriage to Mary Catherine Sights, who died June 13, 1924. Seven children were born, two of whom, Elmira and Jordon have passed on. Those surviving are: Mrs. Wesley Harper of St. Catherine, Fred and Sank Hayes and Mrs. J.P. McWilliams of Bucklin, and Mrs. Jesse Dewees of Clinton, Okla. Other survivors include two sisters, Mrs. William Lacer and Mrs. Douglas Eggers; five brothers, William, Soloman, Robert, Edward and James; ten grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Early in life, Mr. Hayes united with the Wyandotte Methodist church, and he had been an active member since. He was known as a good friend and neighbor, interested in and generous to any good cause. His loss will be keenly felt by a great many friends and relatives.

Died at age 67 with paralysis.

Obituary from Oklahoma Newspaper: Funeral For Mrs. Sights is Wednesday - Funeral services for Mrs. A.P. Sights, 82 year-old Clinton area pioneer, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the First Methodist Church. Mrs. Sights, who lived at Neptune Park, died of a heart ailment Monday morning at Oklahoma General Hospital. Born in Willow Hill, Ill. she came with her parents the late Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Corbin to this area for the run into the Cheyenne and Arapaho Country on April 19, 1892.

HEARD SIGNAL FOR RUN -She wrote later, for a Pioneer Edition of The Clinton Daily News, about hearing the signal gun starting the run and seeing her father ride away with other homesteaders. The family settled on the claim staked by the father eight miles east of Arapaho on April 23, 1892. She taught school several terms and was married to A. P. Sights on June 29, 1899, at the Summit Church northeast of Clinton. They moved to Clinton in 1907 and had lived here and at Neptune Park since that time. Mrs. Sights was a charter and 50 year member of the Clinton Order of Eastern Star, and was a past matron of that organization.

MEMBER OF METHODIST CHURCH - She also was a member of the Clinton Literary Club, the First Methodist Church,Women's Society of the church, Allied Arts Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and Susannah Wesley Sunday School class which she formerly taught. The pioneer resident was active in the formation and operation of the Clinton Public Library. Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Mrs. Thomas J. Lee, Santa Fe, NM, and Miss Wenona Sights, Clinton; one son, Col. A. P. Sights, Jr., Norfolk, Va.; two grandaughters, Mrs. Mary Virginia Marelli, Milan, Italy, and Miss Judy Sights, Norfolk, and one grandson, Pete Sights III, Norfolk.

Olin E. Sights left his parents home, about 1898 to go to the Oklahoma Territory, which was being opened for white settlers. There he met his wife who had come up from Texas with her Mother and family. After their marriage, they settled down to farming and raising a family in Custer Co., Oklahoma. Three boys, Otha E., Estel F. and Robert J., were born here before the Oklahoma Territory joined the Union in 1907 as a state. In the Spring of 1910, Olin and family quit farming and moved to Houston, Texas, where Olin started working on a railroad. It was here that their 4th and last child, Allen C., was born. In the Fall of 1911, Olin became unemployed; so he again moved his family to Dallas, Texas, where he got work with the M.K. & T. Railroad. In the Spring of 1915, Olin's father, Jordan, living on his farm in Linn Co., Missouri, along with other members of his family, coaxed Olin to quit his R.R. job in Texas and move to the Jordan Sights farm, so Jordan would have some one to care for him. So Olin tried farming once more, Jordan died 7th May 1916, leaving part of this farm to Olin. Olin continued farming, until 1922. Not good at farming, he quit, when he got another chance to work for another railroad (C.B. & Q. RR) in Hannibal, Missouri.

Burial: Grandview Park, Rawls Co., Missouri - buried with Minnie Edna (Cole) Sights

Burial: Grandview Park, Rawls Co., Missouri - buried with Olin Euan Sights

Obituary Oshkosh, NE Newspaper: MRS. R.F. HARPER DIES HERE MONDAY - Death came to Mrs. R.F. Harper at her home in this city Monday, April 11, 1955, after an illness of many months. Mrs. Harper had been active up to the time of the beginning of her last illness and it had been a surprise to many of her friends that she had been seriously afflicted.

Mr. and Mrs, Harper moved to Arthur County, Nebraska, and homesteaded in 1914, and moved to the Lewellen community in 1919 and to Oshkosh in 1941, making their home here since.

Filena Elizabeth Sights was born April 24, 1875, at Bucklin, Missouri, the daughter of Jordan Sights and Eudora Jane Lawson. She was one of a family of eight children. She was married August 25, 1895 to Robert F. Harper at Bucklin, Missouri, and to this union were born three children: Alphonzo O. Harper of Bucklin, Missouri, Mrs. Willalee Spelts, Lincoln and Mrs. Rowena Branson of North Hollywood, California.

Her husband and three children survive her as well as six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Besides these her sister, Mrs. Flossie L. Carter of San Leandro, California, and two brothers, A.P. Sights of Clinton, Oklahoma and R.J. Sights of Miami, Florida, survive.

Mrs. Harper joined the Methodist church at a very early age and retained her membership at the Wyandotte church near Bucklin, Missouri.

Funeral services were held in the Methodist church in this city Wednesday afternoon with Rev. T.E. Aslin officiating. Mrs. Neva Ekdahl was organist.

John Odell, N.A. Billings, Lee Mumford, Lloyd Keenan, Steve Nicholls and Joy Miller were pall bearers.

Final services will be held at Wyandotte church at Bucklin, where her membership in the church was held and burial will be held in the cemetery near that place.

Besides her relatives mentioned there are others as well as numerous friends in the Oshkosh community and other places where they had made their home who will be caused great sorrow because of her passing.

Obituary Oshkosh, Nebraska Newspaper: FORMER RESIDENT DIES IN MISSOURI - A former resident of Oshkosh, Lewellen and Belmar, died in Missouri last week according to news reaching here several days ago. R.F. Harper, who together with his wife operated a store at Belmar for several years and later lived in Oshkosh where they maintained some rental property, passed away at Marceline, Missouri, June 26, 1957 at the advanced age of 85 years.

Robert Fulton Harper, the son of Wesley and Elizabeth (Stanfill) Harper, was born at Maroa, Illinois, September 9, 1872. He was married to Filena Elizabeth Sights, August 1895 at Bucklin, Missouri. To them was born three children. He passed away at Marceline, Missouri and was laid to rest in the Wyandotte cemetery beside his wife who departed this life April 11, 1955, while they were still residents of Oshkosh.

The survivors are Alfonso Oren Harper of Marceline, Mrs. Willalee Spelts of Lincoln, Nebraska and Mrs. Rowena Branson of North Hollywood, California. All were present at the funeral.

Mr. and Mrs. Harper and family came to Nebraska in September of 1914 and homesteaded eleven miles north of Arthur where they resided for many years before moving to the North Platte Valley. They lived in Lewellen at one time, but came to Oshkosh and moved in some houses from the Kingsley area. Since the death of his wife, Mr. Harper has made his home in Lincoln with his daughter, Mrs. Spelts, and with his son, A. O. Harper at Marceline, Missouri.

Mr. Harper had many friends in this county and in other places where he was well known.

See Flossie Lee Sights Carter Personal Autobiography handwritten 1952 and transcribed by Samantha Clapp Pressman 1994.

Notes from family history recorded by Flossie Lee Carter in 1964 at the age of 86: "Born May 21, 1878 four miles west of Bucklin. (Died in Salinas, CA. Buried at Mountain View Cemetary, Oakland, CA - added by Byrdie Carter Schwarztrauber). Father was Jordan Sights, born May 16, 1832, died May 8, 1916. Mother was Eudora Jane Lawson, born April 8, 1846, died April 30, 1911. Both parents were buried at Wyndotte Cemetary near Bucklin".

From handwritten copy of genealogy by Flossie Lee (Sights) Carter: "Ira Inez Carter. Born in Linn Co. Mar. 12, 1878. He was a successful farmer and cattleman. Sold out and moved to Bucklin Oct. 31, 1917 where he owned a grocery store and meat market. On Oct. 1939 moved to Calif. and was a carpenter at Oak Knoll Hospital until he was retired because of a bad heart. He died Dec. 4, 1949. He was married to Flossie Sights Nov. 4, 1896. Three children were born - Golda Florence b. Aug. 23, 1897 d. Sept. 12, 1946, Byrdie Sea - born Jan. 1, 1903, Carl Elmo - b. July 26, 1907. Ira Carter died in San Leandro, Calif. Dec. 4, 1949 and funeral service was held at Sorensons Chapel in Hayward, and he was buried in Mt. View Cemetary in Oakland".

From genealogy prepared by Flossie Lee Carter in 1964 at the age of 86: " Born March 12, 1878 near Bucklin in Linn county, Missouri. Married Flossie Lee Sights Nov. 4th, 1896 at Marceline, MO by Rev. James B. Rice. Lived on a farm near Bucklin until 1919. Moved to San Leandro, CA 1935. Occupations,...farmer, owned a grocery store and a filling station. He was a bank secretary until the crash of '29. In CA he worked for the Navy as a carpenter. He had no military service. At the time of World War I he was a farmer and his occupation was declared necessary for the nation's welfare. He was a member of the Wyndotte Methodist Church, The Bucklin Methodist Church, and in Hayward Methodist Church, Died Dec. 4, 1949 at his home 14850 Boulevard Court of a heart attack. Buried at Mountain View Cemetary, Oakland, CA. Father was Alexander Carter, born Mar. 2, 1849. Died Jan. 9, 1936. Mother was Sarah Elizabeth Riley, born Nov. 8, 1855. Died Nov. 25, 1881".

Moved to Bucklin, Missouri on 10/31/1917. Moved to San Leandro, California on 7/5/1935.

"Uncle Bob" is buried at Clinton Cemetary, Clinton, Oklahoma.

Date born 2: August 28, 1902¹⁷⁵

Golda (Goldie) Florence Carter attended Bucklin High School and Kirksville State Teachers College. She taught in the country school in the Bucklin, Missouri area, worked during World War II at the Oak Knoll Navy Hospital in Oakland, California, worked H.C. Capwells in Oakland, CA and at the U.S. Post Office in Oakland, California. Moved to California 7/5/1935.

Burial: Mt. View Cemetery, Oakland, CA

Henry Calvin Miller attended Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Missouri continuing on to Kansas City Technical School. Throughout his career, he was the Shop Foreman for Ford Agency, Engineer with the Bucklin Coal Mine, Assistant Manager for the Missouri Public Service Plant, and Shop Foreman for Burns Chevrolet.

Burial: December 07, 1975, Oakland, California

Thoughts on the life of my mother, Byrdie Schwarztrauber;

on the occasion of her death, December 27, 1996...by Patricia Clapp

"Byrdie Seamon Carter was born January 1, 1903, to Ira and Flossie Carter, in Linn County, Missouri, near the small town of Bucklin. She was the second of three children with an older sister, Golda, and a brother, Carl.

Byrdie grew up a lively child, whose aim in life was to be her daddy's "boy". He indulged her in this and took her with him during his daily work as a farmer. Her mother's efforts to make a proper young lady of her weren't always succesful. Later on, the family moved to town, and Byrdie graduated from high school. She then went on to attend William Wood's College. She was a pretty, petite young woman with a mind of her own and shortly, she married her high school sweetheart, Arthur Brownlee.

Byrdie and Arthur moved to St. Louis where their daughter, Patricia, was born in 1925. Things went well until the start of the Great Depression, which cost Arthur his job with Chevrolet. The family returned to Bucklin where in 1930 their second child, Richard, was born in the Carter home. These were very difficult times, but Mother, determined to hold her family together, turned to her talent for sewing to augment the family income. As the Depression deepened, Arthur left for California to find work. The rest of the family followed in 1937, settling in the San Francisco Bay Area. We lived in and around Oakland until after I graduated from high school in 1942. By then the war was on, and my parents went to work for Kaiser Shipyards.

The stress of the times took their toll and the marriage ended in divorce. Mother thought it best to move to Southern California so the three of us settled in Hermosa Beach. At that time there was a demand for school teachers because of the war, so Byrdie applied for a position as an elementary teacher. She was accepted, although was required to take additional courses in order to qualify. This was the beginning of her career as a teacher, and she was very beloved of her pupils. She continued in this work for many years until retirement.

Eventually we returned to the Bay Area where Mother married Ralph Schwarztrauber. Their marriage lasted forty years until his death in 1989. Together they worked hard and invested in real estate. Byrdie loved to fix up houses and had a flair for decorating both beautifully and economically so they did well. They lived in Salinas, Ca until Ralph retired from the Civil Service at Ford Ord. They they sold their properties and moved to Sun City, Arizona, where they lived for about fifteen years. Mother kept very busy making heirloom quilts for her family so that many of us own a precious piece of her handiwork. She also undertook to organize a chapter of the Colonial Dames of America in Sun City. This involved much genealogical research confirming the Carter family line back to 17th century colonial America. She received many commendations for her work and became organizing president of the Sonora Chapter.

All this activity was typical of my mother for she was ever busy with one project or another; a woman of great energy and resolve. This was amazing since she suffered from chronic back pain and many other illnesses. Eventually, by the age of eighty-five, it had become apparent that she was a victim of Alzheimer's disease. This came as a terrible tragedy to all of us who loved her; especially for her husband who died of pneumonia in 1989. My brother and I attempted to care for her until it became necessary to give her to the care of Hilltop Manor Convalescent Home, where she resided from 1991 until her recent death...."

Burial: Sunland Memorial Park, Sun City, Arizona

Burial: Sunland Memorial Park, Sun City, Arizona

Notes from handwritten copy of genealogy by Flossie Lee (Sights) Carter: " Carl Elmo Carter born July 26, 1907 at the Finney Place near Bucklin, MO. First S. teacher Nola Anderson. Moved to Bucklin Oct. 31, 1917 where he graduated from H.S. in June 1923. Rec'd a new Ford car for a graduation present. He drove to Lincoln where he worked in the express office. He moved to St. Louis Jan. 1924 and worked at the Chevrolet plant. He moved to Calif...back to Bucklin...back to Calif. Reconnect now for Internal Rev. at San Francisco Service. Home in Oakland. Served in the Navy, W.W. 2. Married in Pittsburgh, PA to Norene Luscher on Jan. 1, 1927. To this union was born 2 sons - Donald Lee, May 22, 1930, Jerry Eugene, Nov. 12, 1932".

Date born 2: July 26, 1907¹⁸⁶

Burial: Fernwood Cemetery Robards, Henderson Co KY