THE ANCESTORS & DESCENDANTS OF
WALTER LEE LIGHTFOOT
{FAMILY NAME PREVIOUSLY BRANDIS}
Compiled by P. Davidson-Peters © 2003

JACOB LIGHTFOOT - was born in March 1834 in Ohio. He was counted in a census in 1880 in Grant Co., New Mexico Territory which indicates his father was born in Ohio, his mother in Pennsylvania. He was counted in a census in 1900 in Lower Gila, Grant, New Mexico Territory; counted in the 1910 census for Duncan, Graham county, Arizona; and in 1920 living in Paradise, Cochise, Arizona which stated he was born in Indiana and was at that time residing with his daughter Sarah.

Jacob married Sarah Isabell Cabe, the daughter of John D. Cabe and Elizabeth Horner. Sarah was born on 30 Apr 1834 in Shelby Co., TN. She died in Dec 1917 in Herrell Ranch, San Simeon Valley, Cochise, Arizona. She was counted in a census in 1850 in Washington Co., Arkansas; the 1870 census for Lampasas Co., Texas; the 1880 Grant Co., New Mexico Territorial census; the 1900 census for Lower Gila, Grant, New Mexico Territory; and was counted in a census in 1910 living in Duncan, Graham county, Arizona.

NOTES: 1850 census lists her as age 15 born in TN; 1880 census indicates both her parents were born in Georgia.1900 census indicates she was born in Tennessee, father born in Scotland and mother's birth place not known; 1910 census indicates Sarah was the mother of 8 children, three living.

1. Sarah Frances Lightfoot - born on 04 Feb 1872 in Mernardsvilla, Texas. She was counted in a census in 1880 in Grant Co., New Mexico Territory; 1900 census for Lower Gila, Grant, New Mexico Territory; and the 1920 census for Paradise, Cochise, Arizona. NOTES: 1880 census lists her as born in Arkansas; 1900 names her as Frances, born in Texas; and 1920 census indicates she was born in Texas - her father in US and her mother in TN. Her father
   resides with her in the household. Sarah married Robert Lee Herrell . Robert was born on 27 Jul 1870 in Butler Co., MO. Robert was counted in a census in 1900 in Lower Gila, Grant, New Mexico Territory. He was counted in a census in 1920 in Paradise, Cochise, AZ which indicated he was born in MO as was both his parents.

2. Margaret Jennie Lightfoot - born on 16 Jun 1875 in Tennessee. She died on 27 Sep 1967 in Globe, Gila, Arizona. Margaret was counted in a census in 1880 in Grant Co., Margaret married John Hancock Lacy son of J.W. Lacy on 16 Dec 1889 in Cherokee, San Saba, Texas. John was born on 01 May 1865 in Burnet Co., Texas. He died on 03 Apr 1940 in Lordsburg, Hildalgo, NM.
   John was counted in a census in 1880 in Grant Co., New Mexico Territory.

3. John Wood [Brandis] Lightfoot - born on 02 Nov 1880 in Silver City, Grant, New Mexico. He died on 09 Jun 1955 in Safford, Arizona. He was adopted by the Lightfoot family, and was the son of Frederick Brandis, the line of which is listed below.

FREDERICK BRANDIS - born in 1842 in New York City, NY. He resided in Sherman, Grayson, Texas where he was listed in the city directory for 1867/1868.

He enlisted in Company C 13th Regiment of Wisconsin and was discharged at Madison in October 1865. In 1869 he went to Sherman, Grayson Co., Texas where he was a carpenter. There he married (1) Clara Strob Carter about 1870 in Sherman, Grayson, TX.

He is listed in the Sherman City Directory residing on the east side of Maxey between Cherry & King during 1876/77. He thereafter went to Silver City, Grant Co, NM arriving there in 1879 bringing his wife and four sons. There he filed for land one mile north of Silver City but his wife died giving birth to their fifth son, John.

Frederick married (2) Annie Strob Carter about 1881.

1. Albert Brandis was born about 1871 in Sherman, Grayson, TX. He was buried in Mexico.

2. Walter Brandis was born about 1873 in Sherman, Grayson, TX. He was buried in Flagstaff,Coconino,AZ.

3. Henry Brandis was born about 1875 in Sherman, Grayson, TX. He was buried in Reno, NV.

4. Arthur Brandis was born about 1877 in Sherman, Grayson, TX. He died in 1955 in Silver City, NM. He was buried in Fort Bayard National Cemetery. He was adopted by John and Petra Bail and went to Silver City in 1880. He joined the army leaving with the Silver City Company 1st NM Infantry in 1917 and rose to the rank of Major during the war. Was in command of the 40th Division Machine Gun Battalion; stationed in San Diego, CA. Was also a veteran of the Spanish American War - having been a member of the 4th TX Volunteers; Member of the Silver City Lodge #413 BOPE or Elks. Never married.

5. John Wood Brandis Lightfoot - born on 02 Nov 1880; died on 09 Jun 1955.

1. Frederick Brandis - born about 1882 in New Mexico. Was said to have gone hunting in the Black Range Mountains and was never found. In the 1930's or 1940's Voss Yates, a rancher near Silver City told Myrtle Dannelly that he was shipping cattle in Texas and a railroader asked him if he was Voss Yates from Silver City. This railroader told Voss that he was Frederick Brandis, Jr and he was born in Silver City, NM. That was the last anyone had heard of him.

2. Annie Brandis - born about 1884 in New Mexico.

3. James Brandis - born about 1886 in New Mexico. May have moved to Denver. Had a wife who was bland and a son, Jim Jr. He left his wife Caroline in Silver City on the land that belonged to Frederick Brandis, Sr. and a family named St. John too care of her, naming their own daughter Caroline after her. It is believe she deeded that land to the family and in about the 1940's Jim Jr. came and took his mother back to Denver where she died. From Dora's notes: "This was told to me by Caroline St. John who still lives in Silvery City on the land filed on 1879 by Fred Brandis - Richard C. Dannelly."

JOHN WOOD BRANDIS LIGHTFOOT (Frederick) was born on 02 Nov 1880 in Silver City, Grant, NM. He died on 09 Jun 1955 in Safford, AZ. He was counted in a census in 1900 in Lower Gila, Grant, NM Territory. Born after June 22nd as is not listed in the 1880 census taken that date.

He was born John Wood Brandis and his mother died at child birth, so the doctor took the child to Sarah who adopted him at the age of 11 days. In the winter of 1912, John took his family to Vas Wick, Idaho to feed cattle that winter for some of his wife's family. During that time, his wife Dora died in childbirth and was buried in Vas Wick. After Dora's death, he took the family back to Silver City, but could not care for all of them. He kept Walter, Myrtle and Ethel. Carl went to live with his uncle Jim Brandis in Denver and kept the Brandis name; and in about 1915 John gave Joe to Mrs. Saunders who lived on Big Dry Creek west of Silver City. After her divorce, she kept Joe who went by the name of Saunders and she later married Mr. Hines. From 1913 to 1930 he worked as a miner and freight train driver. Was a contractor with Phelps Dodge Company at the time he married Sarah. He farmed with Joe Tarier a very good friend of his. He farmed and managed CCC camps until about 1940. In 1951 they moved to Safford and bought a house where they lived until he died in 1955.

John married (1) Dora Carter daughter of Simon B. Carter and Margaret Ramsey about 1898. Dora was born on 07 Jan 1880 in Roswell, NM. She died on 09 Jun 1913 in Vas Wick, ID.

Dora was counted in a census in 1880 in Campbell, Lawrence, AR. She was counted in a census in 1900 in Lower Gila, Grant, NM Territory. Listed as 6 months old in 1880 census. She died during childbirth.

John married (2) Sarah Hayes daughter of Dr. James M. Hayes and Sarah Bell in 1930. Sarah was born in 1867 in Sulphur Springs, Hood, TX. She died on 06 Nov 1969 in Safford, AZ. When she was about twelve, the family moved to San Antonio where her father practiced medicine until his death.

1. Walter Lee Lightfoot - born on 16 Aug 1900; passed away on 11 Oct 1990.

2. Myrtle Virginia Lightfoot

3. Ethel May Lightfoot - born on 07 Nov 1905;died on 23 Jan 1944.

4. Carl Merle Brandis

5. Joe Saunders Lightfoot - born on 16 Jan 1911 in Glenwood, NM; died on 29 Jun 1989. He was counted in a census in 1920 in Pine Cienega, Grant, NM. He went by the name of Saunders after his father had this family take him in around the year 1915. He later lived in Glenwood and married (1) Marion Roberts about 1942, she died in 1947 or 1948 and he married (2) Leona Greenwood. He had no children.

WALTER LEE LIGHTFOOT (John Wood, Frederick) was born on 16 Aug 1900 in Richmond, NM. He passed away on 11 Oct 1990 in Glendale, Maricopa, AZ. He married (1) Mina Lewis on 24 Sep 1923 in Globe, AZ. Mina was born in 1905 and passed away on 27 Nov 1959. Walter and Mina had one daughter, Dora Mary Lightfoot who was born 21 Aug 1924 in Miami, Cochise Co., AZ and passed away 14 Nov 2006 in Long Beach, CA.

Walter married (2) Clara Constance Neagle daughter of William F. Neagle and Clara A. Danforth in Cortez, Colorado. Clara was counted in a census in 1920 and 1930 in Baldwin Twp., Barnes Co, ND. She had married (1) Vernon W. Davidson also of Barnes County, North Dakota.

1. Richard Dannelly

2. Edith Dannelly - born on 23 Mar 1930; she passed away on 06 Oct 1992.

3. Robert Dannelly

ETHEL MAY LIGHTFOOT (John Wood, Frederick) was born on 07 Nov 1905 in Paradise, Arizona and passed away on 23 Jan 1944. When her father was unable to keep her and her sister Myrtle, they lived with a Dr. Milliken at Pinos Altos, New Mexico and at San Simon, Arizona with Frances Harrell. Not being treated well, they left and went to live with their Aunt Jennie Lacy who already had nine children but treated the girls as their own.
Ethel moved to Hurley in about 1920 and lived with her sister and attended school. One of her friends was Margie Freberg who went to school with her and still lives in Hurley.

She married (1) Lee Greenwood and had daughter Leora Greenwood who was born on 16 Jun 1924 in Bixby, AZ and passed away on 29 Apr 2000. She was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. After her divorce, Ethel married (2) E.J. Fredricks, and Army officer and had by him two sons: Greg Fredricks; and Scott Fredricks.

CARL MERLE BRANDIS (John Wood, Frederick) was born in Duncan, AZ. He was put in foster care and lived in Denver with his Uncle Jim until 1920, therefore keeping the Brandis name. He left on his bike and headed west. Once he got to the mountains, he sold his bike and hitched a ride on the rails to Seattle where he desired to be a lawyer, but eventually migrated to southern California and lived with his Aunt Ethel and her daughter Leora.

In 1926 he was in Los Angeles where he sold dried and packaged foods such as soups, fruit and vegetables, and later owned his own grocery and hardware store. Carl married Veronica "Bunny" Stadtherr ad had three children: Diane, Linda and Robert Brandis. Veronica passed away on 04 Oct 1998.

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Updated 07 Jun 2008
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