An American Genealogy

Minnie Lou Ella Allen Rogers

2013-03-16T10:42:00.001-07:00

Minnie Lou Ella Allen was the daughter of Mary Catherine Finney and William Allen. In my Finney book, I had no information other than what Rosamary High Finney's book supplied - her parents and her husband on page 98.

Recently, her grandsonsDave and Gene Rogers, and their sister Jan Rogers Caputo gave me the missing information.

Minnie Lou Ella (or Louella) Allen

Birth: 8 Aug 1889inTyro, Montgomery, KS

Death: 11 Feb 1922inMontpelier, Blackford, Indiana

Minnie was married to Grant J Rogers (in the book) and Joseph Grant Rogers in his records

Birth: Feb 16, 1888inMontpelier, Blackford, Indiana

Death: July 30, 1957inCanon City, Fremont, Colorado, USA

Minnie Lou Allen (sure looks a bit like Clarissa Copeland - Samantha Jane Finney Copeland's daughter!)

Joseph Grant Rogers

The grandchildren are trying to solve the mystery of where Minnie was buried. She and her family lived in Colorado, but she must have been traveling when she passed in 1922. After sending for a death certificate, they discovered her place of death. They have written to the cemetery in Blackford, IN but have received no response.

Grant's memorial on http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=rogers&GSfn=joseph&GSmn=g&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=1957&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=53770610&df=all&

provides a detailed and fascinating history of his life and times.

Minnie and Grant had one son.
Paul Loren Rogers
Birth: Oct 21, 1917inHavana, Montgomery, Kansas, United States

Death: Dec 16, 1988inDenver, Denver, Colorado

Paul Loren Rogers

Mary Alta Cunningham as an airline hostess

Loren's memorial on http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=53760674

also provides a fascinating memorial of his life and times.

Loren was married to Mary Alta Cunningham

Birth:	Aug. 11, 1912 Moline Elk County Kansas, USA
Death:	Dec. 29, 2011 Centennial Arapahoe County Colorado, USA http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=82752358 The Rogers grandchildren have supplied a host of photos on the Findagrave web site, as well as ancestry.com. When the Finney book is updated, I will include several. I have included some on this page.

Errata 2 - Copeland AND Finney books

2013-03-12T12:45:00.002-07:00

CORRECTION TO ABNER COPELAND'S BIRTHPLACE

In both books - how could this happen?? - in the long list of husband/wife and children, I have the wrong birthplace for Abner Copeland. He was born in Alamance, NC - and NOT Alamance, KS.

Copeland book - page 331
Finney book - page 138

Good grief. No matter how often you look, and your editors look, these things can happen.
---------------
CORRECTION TO INFORMATION ABOUT MARY POLLY LONG FINNEY AND THE TRAIL OF TEARS

I incorrectly cited that Mary Polly Long's Cherokee parents died on the Trail of Tears. This occurred after the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

Lynn Stuter reminded me that Polly was born in 1776 and would have been an adult by 1830 (she died in 1872).

Born:	Apr. 2, 1786 Grayson County Virginia, USA
Death:	Sep. 27, 1872 Annapolis Parke County Indiana, USA

However, unlike some people who believe that Polly was William Long's daughter by a Cherokee woman, I believe that Polly was full-blooded Cherokee? Why? As a Quaker child, she would have been taught how to read and write. I believe she was adopted as an older child and never could learn to read and write - because she signed her documents with an X, as witnessed in the copies of her application for a War of 1812 pension based on Joseph Finney's military service.

Errata 1 - Finney book

2013-03-12T10:07:00.002-07:00

Barbara Williams contributed these Errata. You may wish to mark your Finney books at this time. At a later date, I will be publishing an update with erratta fixed and new information.
Cousette Copeland
--------------

Page 97-C, top George Marion Williams child B. is Forrest Edward Williams. He was named after both grand-fathers but they opted for a different spelling for Forrest.

Page 97-C, lower right photo , Inez and son, George Marion , last name should be Williams, not Hendrickson.

Page 97-d, photo, left to right, rear - George Marion, Forest Dale, Mary Inez, Forest Everett Williams, Wanda May Williams Morgan, Donald Henry Morgan. Boys in front are John Everett Morgan and Donald Gene Morgan.

Page 97-d, bottom of page, Shelley Kaye Kessler, not Shelley Kay.

Page 97-d, bottom of page, Connie Marie Leggitt, not Leggit.

Page 97-e, top of page, (2) Gillian Kaye Williams, not Gillian Kay.

Page 97-f, 2. A. Paulette Maxine Furnas married Paul Dean Sunley, not Supley.

Page 215, upper photo, little boy is Alonzo Keith Hendrickson sitting between his parents, George Hamilton and Myrtle May Hendrickson. Reunion was 1929, Forest Dale Williams was not born until August 14, 1934.

Page 294,first line, should be Forest Dale Williams (only one r).

2013-03-10T10:01:00.001-07:00

Donald Vernon McKay - born Oct. 8, 1912 died - October 3, 1988

Also known as Vernon McKay

A remarkable career for a white kid from Independence Kansas to the State Department to John Hopkins University!

http://www.historians.org/perspectives/issues/1988/8811/8811MEM8.cfm

Credit: From the November 1988 issue of Perspectives on History, © The American Historical Association. Republished with permission.

--------------

from: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Vernon_McKay

Vernon McKay "was born in Independence, Kansas, on October 8, 1912, the son of Peter Miller and Myrtle Ethyl Pierson McKay. He received his A.B. degree from Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas, in 1933. After receiving his M.A. from Syracuse University in 1934, he was appointed to the position of Taft Teaching Fellow at the University of Cincinnati for the years 1934 through 1936. In the summer of 1935 he traveled to Europe to study at the School of International Studies in Geneva and conduct research for his dissertation at the Bibliotheque Nationale, returning to marry Lila Buck on September 22, 1935. Upon completion of his dissertation on the French acquisition of Tunisia, Cornell University awarded McKay the Ph.D. in history in 1939.

"McKay was appointed lecturer in history at Syracuse University in 1936 and promoted to assistant professor in 1940. He left Syracuse in 1945 to become a research associate with the Foreign Policy Association. His first major publication, The Future of Italian Colonies, followed in 1946.

"In 1948, McKay joined the United States Department of Stateas chief of the Political Section of the African Research Bureau. He subsequently became deputy director of the Office of Dependent Area Affairs and served on United States delegations to the United Nations' General Assembly, Trusteeship Council, and Committee on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories. During his years with the State Department, McKay remained an active researcher and scholar of African affairs, producing many important publications, including “Nationalism in British West Africa,”Foreign Policy Reports (March 15, 1948); “British Rule in West Africa,” Foreign Policy Reports (May 15, 1948): “The Impact of the United Nations on Africa,” in Africa Today (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1955): and “Too Slow or Too Fast?”, Foreign Affairs (January 1957).

"McKay resigned from the State Department in September 1956 to become Professor of African Studies and Director of the Program of African Studies at the School of Advanced International Relations, John Hopkins University, a position he held for more than twenty years. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, McKay participated in numerous professional activities and served as a consultant to the United States government and several private agencies during his tenure at Johns Hopkins. He also published several books and numerous articles about Africa, including: “External Political Pressures on Africa Today,” in The United States and Africa (New York: American Assembly, 1958); “Apartheid in a Hostile World,”Africa Report (December 1960); Africa in World Politics (New York: Harper and Row, 1963); “The Impact of Islam on Relations Among the New African States,” in Islam and International Relations (New York: Praeger, 1965); “South African Propaganda: Methods and Media,” Africa Report (February 1966); African Diplomacy, edited by Vernon McKay (New York: Praeger, 1966); Africa in the United States, edited by Vernon McKay (New York: MacFadden-Bartell, 1967); “The Research Climate in Eastern Africa,” African Studies Bulletin (April 1968); and“Southern Africa and its Implications for American Policy,” in Southern Africa and the United States (New York: Columbia University Press, 1968).

"McKay's professional affiliations include the African Studies Association, the American Historical Association, the American Political Science Association, the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Africa Institute, the International Institute of Differing Civilizations, the Royal African Society, the South African Institute of Race Relations, and the Cosmos Club. He has served as a member of the United States Commission for UNESCO, 1960-1966; as chairman of the American Selection Committee, United States-South African Faculty Exchange Program, 1961; as president of the African Studies Association, 1961-1962; as chairman of the Advisory Council on African Affairs, United States Department of State, 1962-1968; as a member of the Advisory Committee of International Organization Affairs, United States Department of State, 1965-1969; as a member of the Board of Directors of the African-American Institute, 1965-1969; and as a consultant on African Affairs to the Carnegie Corporation, the Ford Foundation, the International Cooperation Administration, the Grolier Society, and Project Africa of Carnegie Mellon University. Baker University awarded him an honorary L.L.D. in 1961.

"Poor health forced McKay to retire from Johns Hopkins in the late 1970s. He died on October 4, 1988." ^[1]

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch

Edwin S. Munger

References

↑Papers, Vernon McKay Papers, accessed June 15, 2010.

2013-03-09T23:02:00.001-08:00

DUANE MILLER MCKAY - BORN JUNE 19, 1922 - DIED DECEMBER 18, 1944 - BATTLE OF THE BULGE

In 1923 and 1924, Duane was a high school student and basketball star at Independence High School in Independence, Kansas. He played the bassoon and he showed off a wonderful smile. Twenty years later, he would be in one of the most difficult battles of WWII - the Battle of the Bulge. He was a member of the 424 INFANTRY REGIMENT.

I am told that Duane was one of 150 captured prisoners, most of whom were shot dead by SS Soldiers. After that, the American military ordered that all SS Officers were to be shot on site.

Duane was buried at Henri Chapelle cemetery in Belgium. There is a memorial plaque in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Independence, Kansas where his grandparents Benjamin Franklin Sr and Margaret (McKinlay) McKay were buried.

Sixty-nine years later, a man in Germany attempts to return Duane McKay's knapsack with mess kit to the McKay family in the U.S.

RETURNING DUANE MCKAY'S KNAPSACK AND MESS KIT TO THE MCKAY FAMILY

Explains history of how the Shearer family's 1821 letter from PA to Germany was presented to American military, which saved their village of Wormrath.

This is the e-mail thread (I removed the German language emails and left in the Google translations) and photos:

Cousette,

Thank you for replying to my inquiry. It appears that you are related to the McKay family that I am searching for. My relative in Germany emailed me last week and said that while cleaning out the attic of his recently deceased mother (she was 95), he found a WWII Army backpack and messkit. The backpack is clearly labeled as the property of Duane McKay. Heinrich does not know how it got there because this mother never spoke of it. We are from the Rhineland region (he actually living there, but that is my ancestoral home). I believe Duane was mortally wounded early in the Ardennes offensive, which is located about 30 miles west of Kirchberg/Womrath. Heinrich said that his uncles were fighting at the eastern Russian front and not at the Western front. He and I did some research and were able to determine Duane came from Independence KS. As a subscriber to Ancestory.com, I was able to find Duane in the 1930 and 1940 census as well as his yearbook information and photo.

Attached are two pictures of the backpack and messkit. I believe Heinrich feels an obligation to repatriate the items with the family. Even though there was unimagineable horror and tremendous hate generated by the war, there were moments of humanity. Apparently, as the story goes, at the end of WWII as the Allies were advancing to Berlin, a group of released Lithuanian prisoners' of war wanted to torch the village of Womrath. (The village was largely spared damage through the war.) The villagers produced a letter written in 1821 by my ancestor from his home (and my current home) in Reading, PA to his family in Womrath and presented it to an American officer. It appears the American officer was convinced by or took pity on the villagers and prevented the Lithuanians from burning the village. He apparently stationed guards around the village to protect it. So you see why my relative has kind feelings for the American service men and would like to give the backpack and messkit to the McKay family.

I was not correct in the info on this brother Donald Vernon. I mistook a Vernon McKay in Leavenworth KS, who had a son Gary, for Donald Vernon. I am glad you are the correct lineage. I had hoped to get in contact with Donald Vernon's relatives, since they are more closely related to Duane. If you have any way of locating Kathleen's or Margaret's family that would be great, but I will pass this info on to Heinrich.

I'm sure that knowing the items are being returned to any proper relative will please him.

Thank you for all your time. Best Regards,

Jeff Shearer

Hello Cousette,

I got your address from Jeffand I will write you the same. I write with a simple German, so the machine can translate it well. My wife and mysons are not in the moment as much time to write inEnglish. Jeff told you the other story with the American soldiers in Womrath? The ancestors are from Jeff early as 1764 and 1769 emigrated from Womrath out to Reading. From 1820 there is a wonderful letter, which the emigrant John Christopher Scherer (Shearer) wrote.Years ago I set up this great genealogy. After my time as a teacher I have now dedicated to the genealogy and migration. In addition to the Scherer many other families have emigrated, you might say, in all parts of the world. A Johann Michael Imboden emigrated after 1882 Enon Valley. Last year, his descendants were with me in Womrath. It was verysentimental. I would love toget in touch with the family of the poor soldiers McKay. I still have not clarified exactly how the backpack of the dead Duane came 4 months later in our house. I suspect that American occupation soldiers have leftthe backpack in mid-March 1945 Womrath.

I look forward to a response and to further correspondence.

Heinrich Augustin

---------

A second email with photos from Heinrich.

Cousette love and dear Jeff,
after I wrote to Cousette is, I remembered that
I still can not send you anything.
In autumn 2008, our youngest son for 3 months as a teacher at the
German School of New York. Unfortunately, it was not from the time
possible to travel to Pennsylvannia to our numerous
Shearer to visit relatives.
I send you now pictures of my birthplace, where the
Backpack on the memory was. That house is my 1858
Great-great uncle Jacob Schmidt emigrated to St. Peter Castle, where he died on
Zarenhof German and worked as a music teacher. Three images show
the house around 1920, 1960 and 1998. My wife and I have in
Kirchberg, 5 km from Womrath neuese 1981 built a house.
The next house is the house of my father, from the 1882
Emigrated Johann Michael Imboden after Enon Valley.
Then there's the house that Jeff might know, it is the house
the emigrant brothers Johann and Johann Christopher Nicolaius Scherer.

Hello Cousette

I saw in your blog and discovered that I sent you a week ago, the false images of my parents' house. Now when the correct images where the backpack was in the attic.

The other images: Manfred Augustin is the house of the two Shearer, relatives of Jeff and me, and then you see me with Sheri Button and her husband before the home of my father, from the Johann Michael Imboden has emigrated to Enon Valley. The air intake is our present house in Kirchberg.

1940 Census Information!

2012-07-15T12:03:00.001-07:00

Ancestry.com has the 1940 census available. Some of the states are now indexed by name and place. That's helpful! I couldn't find anyone before because you had to have addresses or census districts - and that's difficult when most of my relations were on farms.

I was able to view my grandfather William Quincy Copeland's census information, as well as my uncle Donald William Copeland and my Dad James Delos Copeland. My grandfather's profession is listed as Prospector. This would be the last census where they all lived together. A few years later, my Uncle Don would join the Army and would be fighting in the South Pacific. My dad would be on the road, hopping trains (with Johnny Cash's brother!) and doing many jobs, including cook and tree blaster. Dad would join the Army after the war and head to Japan and Korea.

I also looked up my grandfather's siblings and found out some interesting things. His sister Clarissa was living with her brother Charles Orien Copeland's family. His brother Emery Loyd Copeland and family were listed on the family farm in Kansas, but his brother Austin Hawkins Copeland and family were on no Kansas listing! Nor was brother Daniel Ezra Copeland - though he may have been following the Harvest at that time. His brothers Samuel Gilbert Copeland and Elbert Epps Copeland were both in Washington state with their families, and so was their bachelor brother Archibald Jackson Copeland. I'm waiting for the Oklahoma census to be indexed and then I'll find the information for Pearl Copeland Koons and her husband Frank Wilburn Koons, and their children.

It's all fascinating details that give us proof that we were there.....

Melvin Leigh Koons - May 1, 1928 to Feb. 29, 2012

2012-03-03T10:10:00.005-08:00

Melvin Leigh Koons - b. May 2, 1928 in Bolton, KS and d. Feb. 29, 2012 in Phoenix, AZ.

Melvin Leigh Koons, 83, of Peoria, AZ died Wednesday Feb. 29, 2012. Melvin was born May 1st, 1928 to Frank and Pearl Koons in Wayside, KS. He went to high school in Wynona, OK and then joined the Army in 1946. Melvin married Earlene Fay Wright in Pawhuska, OK on April 9th, 1952.

Melvin served 6 years in the United States Army and was a veteran of WWII and the Korean War; he was with the 25th signal corp. While Melvin spoke very little of his war time experiences he was proud of his service and enjoyed his "Army days". After serving in the Army, Melvin earned an Associates degree in Electronics at Oklahoma A&M. Melvin then worked at Boeing in Wichita, KS and his inspection stamp can be found in every B-52 ever made. Melvin accepted a position with the FAA in Goodland, KS in 1959, transferred to Farmington, MN in 1963 and lived in Apple Valley, MN. Melvin retired from the FAA in 1983. He had many hobbies including music, photography, classic cars, computers and many other interests. Melvin and Earlene moved to Oro Valley, AZ in 1999 where they lived until December of 2011 and then moved to Peoria, AZ.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Earlene Fay Koons, his three sons, Melvin Karl Koons, Kevin Leigh Koons and Kerry Wayne Koons his two grand children, Benjamin Wayne Koons and Jessica Pearl Koons and numerous cousins. Melvin was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Pearl, his brothers Claude, Wayne and Robert and daughter in-law Brenda Ann Koons.

Funeral arrangements will be at Heritage Funeral Chapel located at 6830 W. Thunderbird Road, Peoria, AZ 85381. A viewing will be held at 2:00PM Tuesday, March 6th with the service to follow at 3:00PM. In lieu of flowers, a Donation to the Heart Foundation in Melvin's name would be appreciated.

Visitation Schedule
Date: Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Heritage Funeral Chapel
Service Schedule
Date: Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Heritage Funeral Chapel
6830 W. Thunderbird Rd
Peoria, AZ 85381
(623) 974-3671
--------------------------------
Farewell, Melvin Koons. It breaks my heart that you are gone from this earth. But I know that you are in heaven with your beloved parents, brothers, and all the other Koons, Copeland, Finney, and more relations.

You valued family ties and family history so much. You were principal in your contributions towards my books, with your stories of the family, the the hundreds of photo scans from your Mother Pearl Copeland Koons' photo albums.

Family history meant a great deal to him, and this is how we connected late in his life in 2009 when I "found" my grandfather's relations. Melvin was my late Father's cousin. Melvin had his Mother Pearl Copeland Koons' trunk. He shared its contents - in the form of a video he made for me, as well as scans of the hundreds of photos she had kept.

Melvin's stories brought alive the Copeland and Koons family. He dearly loved to share his memories of growing up, visiting his Grandmother Copeland's farm in Kansas, of growing up in Oklahoma, of the olden days that had disappeared. Melvin was an extraordinary writer, and his stories made you feel as if you were right there and sharing his emotions.

Times were different in the olden days. Melvin Leigh Koons was a man of the olden, golden days. I will miss him. The family will miss him. The world will miss him.

Farewell, Melvin.

Rest in Peace, Melvin. I will miss you.

Claude, Frank, Pearl, Wayne, Melvin, and Robert Koons

Melvin Koons

Family Resemblances article in the Family History Magazine Mar/April 2012

2012-02-25T13:58:00.000-08:00

Family History magazine invited it's readers to submit photos where family members had an uncanny resemblance to their ancestors. I submitted a photo of my Dad - James Delos Copeland - along with the family photo of Benjamin Franklin McKay and his wife Margaret McKinlay. Dad's mother (my grandmother) Agnes Elizabeth McKay is in the middle of the photo (she would later marry my grandfather William Quincy Copeland). She is surrounded by her brothers - Donald Robert, Peter Miller, Walter Scott, and Benjamin Franklin JR. It's uncanny how my Dad had a bit of his mother and each of his uncles in his face. Those looks are in my sister Fran's (Francis Ann Copeland Gardner) face, and in her son Delos Thomas Gardner's face. As Delos says, "I have each of their EXPRESSIONS."

Dorothy E. McKay Schwartz - Rest In Peace

2012-02-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Dorothy E. Schwartz, 95, of Pleasant View Home in Inman, died Monday, Feb. 6, 2012.

She was born Oct. 12, 1916, in Claflin to Walter and Flossie (Hummel) McKay. She was a graduate of Russell High School.

She married Ralph W. Schwartz on Dec. 14, 1936, in Russell. He preceded her in death April 28, 1998.

Survivors include four children, Dwayne Schwartz, Houston, Dennis Schwartz, Wichita, Donna St. Aubyn, Hutchinson, and Don Schwartz, St. Marys; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Clarence and Kenneth McKay.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Brock's North Hill Chapel, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601; private family inurnment will be at a later date.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until time of service Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to Pleasant View Home, 108 N. Walnut, Inman, KS 67546, in care of the funeral home.

Condolences can be sent to the family by guestbook at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to keithley@ruraltel.net.
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My sister Fran and I met and visited with Dorothy in 2009. She was our late Father's cousin. She actually visited my Uncle's home in Medford OR on the day of Uncle Don's funeral.

When we met, she gazed into our faces and cried because she could see our Father's faces. When we looked in her face, we could see our Father's eyes and the similarity between her face and Father's face.

Walter and Flossie McKay, with their children - Clarence, Kenneth, and Dorothy

What a dear, sweet, strong, and lovely woman Dorothy was. May you rest with the angels and in the arms of our loved ones who have passed on.

Virginia Noble - Rest In Peace

2012-02-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

Obituary for Virginia Noble

1923 - 2012

Visitation:
Friday, February 03, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Penwell-Gabel - Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel

2405 Woodland

Coffeyville, KS 67337 620-251-3100

Service:

Saturday, February 04, 2012 at 10:00 AM

Penwell-Gabel - Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel

2405 Woodland

Coffeyville, KS 67337 620-251-3100

Interment:

Mt Hope Cemetery

Independence, Kansas

Virginia Copeland Noble, 88, of Coffeyville, Kansas suffered a tragic fall on January 13, 2012 and died of massive head injuries January 31, 2012 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.

She was the daughter of Emery and Mary Clark Copeland, and was born in rural Independence, Kansas, May 6, 1923. She married Frank Noble, June 1965. Virginia graduated from Pittsburgh State College and the University of Wyoming. She taught at Garfield Elementary School from 1945 to 1988 when she retired. She was preceded in death by her parents, and husband Frank Noble of Bartlett, Ks.

She is survived by her brother, George Copeland and wife, Maxine of Springfield, Missouri. Virginia and Frank were a very special Aunt and Uncle to her nieces, Jeanne James and husband Keith of Springfield, Missouri, Cynthia DeVan and husband, Ken of Leavenworth, Kansas; nephew, Greg Copeland of Plano, Texas; two great nephews; five great nieces and one great-grand nephew.

While in Coffeyville she was active in several community organizations including: Garfield Retired School Personnel, Delta Kappa Gamma, Research Club, Coffeyville Quarterback Club. Friends of Brown Mansion, Methodist United Women and as a Salvation Army Volunteer. She was an avid supporter of the Community College athletics. The family wishes to thank all the friends that sent calls and cards while she was in the hospital.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at Penwell-Gabel Ford –Wulf-Bruns Chapel in Coffeyville, Kansas. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Independence, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Virginia Noble Teacher Scholarship at Coffeyville Community College 400 West 11th St. or to a charity of the donor’s choice would be appreciated.

When I met Virginia in 2009, I interviewed her with my video camera. Tonight I watched that video and had to smile as I listened to her. I asked her to introduce herself and tell me about herself.

Virginia said she was George's little sister.

I asked what she did for a living. She laughed and said, "That's debateable; some people think not much! I showed up every day for work for 45 years. In a classroom of kids. 7 year olds. Never had to watch the clock a day in my life. Time never dragged. I spent one summer working in an office in Denver and I was so bored. I was glad to get back in the classroom."

John Earl Copeland - timeline from ancestry to identification of remains

2012-01-15T13:02:00.000-08:00

Some people think genealogy and ancestry research is a hobby for those who have nothing better to do. Others think we are wasting time looking at the past. They forget that ancestral facts and photos may bring alive our ancestors and relations - and in this case, may bring the War dead home....

Let's start with John Earl Copeland's ancestry. You can find out about the Copeland family in this blog, as well as in my book "An American Genealogy: The Copeland Family of Montgomery County Kansas."

In Aug. 2011, John Earl Copeland's cousin Ralph Copeland died in Coffeyville KS. His estate left several wonderful photos, including young photos of John Earl's parents - Austin Hawkins Copeland and Rhoda Hancock.

Austin and Rhoda had one son - John Earl Copeland. Rhoda had been married previously and had 2 daughters - Ivella and Mildred - and 1 son - Robert. Robert died at age 18 of diabetes. Ivella and Mildred married. Ivella had 1 son who died childless. Ivella married Ralph Barnes SR and they adopted a son, Ralph Barnes Jr. Ralph Barnes Jr had a daughter that I met through ancestry researsh - Cheryl Salvi. She sent me many, many photos of Austin, Rhoda, and their family - including John Earl Copeland.

Ivella Stewart Barnes

None of the Copelands had many photos because once John Earl died, their family photos went with Ivella.

John Earl Copeland's service photos

Austin Copeland w son John Earl, Ralph Barnes Jr, wife Rhoda and Ivella's children.

This was the crew photo for Poulsen's crew of the Hot Garters plane. All members were killed in action or after they parachuted to the ground. John Earl Copeland is center, bottom row - identification from Cousette Copeland based on his family and enlistment photos.

Just before the Copeland book was published, mission details were released from previously restricted files. They are in the Copeland book - appendix B.

Hot Garters plane and wreckage found in 2003

John Earl Copeland Sr's obit - mentions his next of kin as his aunt Dr. Ivy Hancock - that's because he lived with her while going to school in town. His parents were still alive on their farm.

Dr. Ivy Hancock, John Earl Copeland SR, and pregnant wife Betty Hopkins Copeland. John Earl never saw his son.

John Earl Copeland, JR who died in 1963 in a car wreck - at age 22, the same age as his father John Earl Copeland SR.

John Earl Copeland Jr married Linda Maher, and they had one child Taina Copeland. After John Earl Jr's death, Linda married Mr. Hammer and had many other children.

Taina Copeland as a baby

Linda Maher Copeland Hammer familyReunion2009

Belinda, Arlene and Ralph, and Taina Copeland meet for the first time in 2010 in Coffeyville Kansas.

Cheryl Salvi said that a woman in Oregon found some photos and contacted her, returning this photo. It is of Rhoda's parents - John and Ella Gilbert Hancock.

John and Ella Hancock, Ivy, Hawkey, Webb, Claude 1884

When the forensic genealogist contacted me, I checked my family tree for Rhoda. I found her mother. Then I found Ella Gilbert's sister, Louise. In Mr. Locke's family tree, I found this photo that identifies Ella as "Aunt Ella."

Gilbert family - Jake Steven Edward, Lois Louisa, Ella - Rhodas mother

When I contacted Mr. Locke, he said his mother was Lois Louisa's daughter, that she was alive, and willing to contribute DNA to help identify John Earl Copeland Sr's remains.

Taina Copeland hopes that identification will be possible so that the remains of her grandfather John Earl Copeland can be brought home to Kansas!

The Recovery Department has also contacted John Earl Copeland Sr's cousins - 93 year old George Copeland (who was a P.O.W. in Germany during WWII - see my Copeland book Appendix A for his amazing story!) and 83 year old Melvin Koons - both cousins have agreed to participate in the DNA project!

George Copeland - after his release from a P.O.W. camp in 1945. He had been shot down in June 1944. He is wearing a Canadian uniform - that's all that was available after his release. George Copeland in 2009.

Melvin Koons in U.S. Army uniform - Korean War. Melvin with granddaughter Jessie.

Without all the people who are interested in genealogy, without the Copeland and Koons relatives, without the Barnes and Gilbert relatives, without the work of forensic genealogist Linda Abrams - John Earl Copeland's remains might forever remain unidentified and unclaimed.

When DNA results come back, I will update this blog. Pray for a good resolution to this investigation!

Thank you!

John Earl Copeland's remains in New Guinea

2012-01-02T00:18:00.000-08:00

I received an exciting email from Linda Hammer, mother of Taina Copeland - who is the granddaughter of John Earl Copeland who was shot down in New Guinea during WWII. It is possible that his remains have been located. DNA testing is required. I will let you know when I hear more!

Austin, John Earl, and Rhoda Copeland

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

2011 was an eventful year. Since 2007, I have been researching my genealogy. In 2009, I was able to visit Kansas and meet my Copeland, Finney, and McKay relations. From that point, I also corresponded with them via email and snail mail, as well as through phone calls. I also gathered more information from them, as well as from internet sources.

In 2010, I published "An American Genealogy: The Copeland Family of Montgomery County Kansas.

In 2011, I published "An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy."

In 2012, I will continue working on "An American Genealogy: The McKinlay and McKay Family Legacy" (tentative title) that will explore my grandmother Agnes Elizabeth McKay Copeland's family, including her father Benjamin Franklin McKay and her mother Margaret McKinlay McKay, as well as Margaret's parents Peter and Agnes Frew Miller McKinlay who brought their family from Glasgow, Scotland to Montgomery County Kansas in 1872!

Discovering my ancestry, finding genealogical facts and photos, and connecting with living descendants who are my distant relations has been and is a most rewarding part of my day-to-day life!

Happy New Year to one and all - love, Cousette Copeland

Finney Family History and Genealogy book - comments from author and response to critical critic

2012-01-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

My genealogy books appear on Amazon.com.

For 2011's "An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy", I provided the following author statement. There was a response from a reader/buyer that criticized my book as having missing dates of birth, dates of death, and mis-identified photos. My response to "wronginfo" post follows my author statement below.
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As the author of "An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy" I'd like to provide more than the publisher's book blurb.

Rosamary High Finney wrote and published the first version of this book and distributed it only to family members in 1992. She used information from previously published genealogies, as well as letters exchanged with authors of those genealogys, and supplemented it with her own extensive research - resulting in a 190 page manuscript. She passed in 1996. Her husband gave me permission to update and publish this book.

With my updates, the book is now 500 pages - many of which contain new data on descendants, as well as photographs. These living descendants, mostly from the branch who descended from Joseph and Rachel Barkley Finney, also provided me with vintage photos.

In Aug 2011, Ralph Copeland (his grandmother was Samantha Jane Finney Copeland) passed. His estate left us with hundreds of vintage photos, many over 100 years old - which had not been seen by anyone outside of the immediate family. These photos included Finneys, Copelands, as well as their relations - Rayl, Ephlin, Weaver, Allen, Hinshaw, and so on.

From colonial days, Finneys were either Quakers or United Brethren, often marrying within their church, or intermarrying with the others in the other church.

On the internet, there had been a lively debate from Lynn Finney Stuter whose excellant scholarship insisted that all previously published Finney genealogies were WRONG. She stated her evidence and said that Joseph and Rachel Barkely Finney's descendants were NOT descended from Robert Finney, the presumed patriarch of colonial Finneys. Gerald Finney, who administers the Finney DNA Database program, helped gather DNA from various descendants, including that of Harold Finney. The results were astonishing - and my book is the first ever to publish those stunning results! This branch of the family is NOT descended from Robert Finney, as stated by Lynn Finney Stuter.

In addition to the photos in this book, I have been posting photos to my tree on ancestry web site as well as to findagrave web site - so that descendants might put a face to the names and dates in their family tree.

The intention of this book is to provide as much help to Finney genealogists as possible. I hope you enjoy this book! Long live the Finneys!

PLEASE SEE MY COMMENT TO "WRONGINFO"'S 1-STAR REVIEW. I RESPONDED TO CRITICISMS OF MY BOOK. THANK YOU!

I wish "wronginfo" would email me with which names are missing information and which photos were mis-identified.

These photos were contributed by the living Finney descendants, who have had them in their family for generations. One last batch of very, very old photos (over 100 years old) came from the estate of a gentleman who passed in August 2011. They were ALL labeled, so I attributed them as marked.

Date of Birth (DOB) and Date of Death (DOD) may have been missing for 2 reasons - the living Finney descendants did NOT want that info published; those who passed may not have had anyone to give me that info. Remember that anything in "modern times" is not available to the general genealogist, only relations. I worked with census records, oral history, and other internet sources when possible.

190 pages of this book were complied by Rosamary High Finney who passed in 1997. I updated the book (500 pages in the end) and added a lot of information and photos gathered from living Finney descendants, as well as information I gathered in my research.

NO genealogy is ever 100 percent correct - as we found after a DNA project's result disputed ALL previously published Finney genealogies.

To "wronginfo" - if I offended you by not including your family line, or not having your family line info complete - I apologize. I worked on this book for almost 2 years - that is a short time compared to some genealogists who work on books for 20 years. I also posted on genealogy message boards asking for contributions so that I could gather and correct as much information as possible. BUT as you know, there hasn't been a Finney genealogy available to the public for DECADES.

As you could see from the book, the Finneys were prolific. I have had contact from many who were not involved in my research, and they were pleased to find "new" info and relations that they never knew existed. Best regards - Cousette Copeland

The Finney book is now available on Amazon.com

2011-11-08T09:44:00.000-08:00

You can now order "An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy" on Amazon.com!

"An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy" is the first new Finney genealogy published in a long time. It is available on amazon.com at this link
http://www.amazon.com/American-Genealogy-Finney-Family-History/dp/1466235772/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320770920&sr=8-2
Finney genealogists must correct their ancestry charts and copies of previously published Finney genealogies! Cousette Copeland’s book An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy contains Controversy, Science, and a Revelation that provides DNA evidence and a corrected Finney genealogy that cannot be disputed! In the tradition of her previous An American Genealogy book, Copeland brings the Finney family history alive, using a unique pictorial genealogy. Photographs document ancestors and their descendants. Readers will enjoy discovering their ancient and close Finney relations, as well as learning about Finney lives and their history. The materials will delight amateur and professional genealogists, alike.

The book begins with Robert Finney - the traditionally thought of "Father of the Finneys" and goes through his descendants until it reaches Joseph and Rachel (Barkley) Finney, and then his descendants, with a focus on Joseph and Mary Polly (Long) Finney, and their descendants. James Finney contributed wonderful photos of the headstones of Robert Finney and his wife. The book includes copies of legal documents written in the old handwriting as well as anything available to the original author Rosamary High Finney, who passed in 1997. Rosamary's husband gave me permission to use her book as the core of my book. I took her 190 page mss and turned it into a 500 page book.

The biggest Revelation has to do with 2 Finney genealogists who post to the message board - Lynn M Stuter (nee Finney) and Gerald Finney. Lynn contended that Joseph (with Rachel Barkley) was NOT descended from Lazarus Finney. Gerald Finney created and administers the Finney DNA project. With the DNA of Harold Finney and other Finney males, Lynn's assertion was proven true! There is an entire chapter on the DNA test and an explanation of its results!

In addition to over 400+ photos of Finneys and their descendants, there are "new" photographs that may have never been seen by anyone. In August 2011, Ralph Copeland (his grandmother was a Finney) passed. His estate contained 100s of Copeland photos, as well as Finney and related photos - many of which are over 100 years old.

Some of the photos are in this latest Finney book. Others, I have been posting to findagrave.com, ancestry.com, and to my blog - www.anamericangenealogy.blogspot.com

My style of books is called a pictorial genealogy because I believe photographs bring alive our ancestors and relations.

The Finneys were also related to the Copelands, Rayls, Elphins, and more. It's fascinating to look at a printed genealogy and see tall the relationships.

About the Author - Cousette Copeland (that's me)

Cousette Copeland is the author of three other books available on Amazon.com. “Silicon Valley: Fact and Fiction” is a memoir with observations about the changes in Silicon Valley from 1961 to Present. “Wild Rider and Other Paintings” presents her paintings and drawings. The third book is “An American Genealogy: The Copelands of Montgomery County Kansas,” which was the first in a series of her family history and genealogy books. Cousette is a professional writer, living and working in Silicon Valley. She has worked for over two dozen high-tech companies since 1986. In addition, she has had articles published in journals, including SPUR Equestrian News, Lapidary Journal, Diabetes Forecast, and numerous newspaper editorials.

More very OLD Copeland photos!

2011-11-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Oliver Jackson (son of Andrew Jackson and Nancy Lamb Copeland) (also known as Ollie) and wife Anna De Baun Copeland

Abner Copeland's brother - John Copeland in his Union uniform

Julian Copeland Ratcliff and Ora Ratcliff Alley with daughter and granddaughter - four generations

Samantha Jane (Finney), Clarissa, and Pearl Copeland

Pearl Dewey and James Delos Copeland; their father William Quincy Copeland - son of Abner and Samantha Copeland

Copeland, Finney, and Rayl Tintypes

2011-10-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

When Ralph Copeland passed away, the Copeland family album revealed some tiny treasures - tintypes. Images of our Copeland/Finney ancestors in miniature. They are a mere 2+ inches of dark images on metal. With the magic of PhotoShop, I was able to scan, lighten, and 'fix' these tintype images. Here they are!

Young Samantha Jane Finney - later married to Abner Copeland

Early Samantha Finney - daughter of Wesley and Mary Matilda (Hinshaw) Finney

This was with Elbert Epps Copeland's photos, but he looks like Daniel Webster Finney. In the old Copeland family photo album, the tintype for DW Finney was missing. So I'm guessing...

Samuel Gilbert (SG) Copeland and Dan (this must be Samantha's younger brother Daniel Webster Finney)

You can clearly see Dan marked in the fixed tintype scan.

Arch Copeland - baby - tintype

Arch Copeland - baby - fixed

Jabez Rayl - married Wesley Finey's sister Catherine Finney

Jabez Rayl tintype - fixed

Jabez and Catherine (Finney) Rayl

Hiram Rayl - son of Jabez and Catherine Rayl

Copeland photos - from Black-and-White to Color!

2011-10-19T18:29:00.000-07:00

As you know, I often have black and white photographs turned into color images on canvas by Canvas on Demand.
They did a remarkable job on this 1892 photo of the Copelands on the family farm. It looks as if the photo were taken yesterday!

Then they took an old black and white 1968 work photo of my Dad - and made him as handsome as I remembered him. Look at his beautiful blue eyes! James Delos Copeland.

Ralph Copeland's Legacy - keeps on giving!

2011-10-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Today I received a package from George Copeland. After Ralph's passing, George went to the Bolton Friends Church to pick up some photos that Pastor Grady Miller found. It was a large can filled with photos and memorabilia! This will keep me busy for the next month or so! I will be scanning photos. I may be emailing some to the descendants that I am in contact with.
For anyone else reading this blog who wants the photos that are on it, all you have to do is put your cursor on the photo, click your right mouse button, select "Save As" and save the image to a folder on your computer!
Based on the labels on the back of some of the photos, I may have to make corrections to images that already appeared in print in my books! So if you want to keep up with it - you may want to check this blog periodically and print corrections, and then place them in your copy of the book.
My sister Fran said, "if we hadn't gone to Kansas in 2009 and if you hadn't wanted to write books about our family, most people would never have seen all these wonderful photos!" It's been a blessing for me too.

Finding a LOST Copeland son!

2011-10-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

When Ralph Copeland passed in Aug. 2011, he left his home and contents to the Bolton Friends (Quaker) Church. Pastor Grady Miller responded to my request to save the family photos and memorabilia.

George Copeland, his wife Maxine, and sister Virginia Copeland Noble went to the church to examine the 30 albums and 23 diaries that Pastor Miller found on the first day. Only one album pertained to the Copelands. George took it home. Maxine began scanning the album contents and sending them to me. One photo was immediately intriguing. It is labeled Andy and Nancy Copeland.

When I saw this photo, I wondered "who is Andy Copeland?" At first, I noticed Nancy's hands - they look as large and long as Abner Copeland's hands. Then my sister Fran said, "Doesn't George Copeland look a little like Andy Copeland?' But we had no Andy or Andrew Copeland in family records or on the known Copeland genealogy records.

I went through my book "An American Genealogy: The Copeland Family of Montgomery County Kansas." On page 470, there is the "Descendants of Ashford Copeland" compiled by Lawrence (Larry) Seits of Benton, IL. In it, he lists Andrew Jackson Copeland as the son of Ashford and Elizabth (Dodson) Copeland. Andrew married Nancy Lamb. Andrew died in 1895 in Parke County, IN where the Copeland family had settled. So I assumed that this was the Andy and Nancy in the photograph.

It wasn't until a week later, when I was going through 3 boxes of photos and memorabilia sent to me by Pastor Miller that I came across another revelation!

In Samantha Finney Copeland's memorial book (1937) on the last page, there is a "Personal Record of Abner Copeland." I assume it was written by Clarissa Copeland, the eldest daughter. In it, she says Abner had 9 siblings - "five brothers and four sisters."

Note that Nancy Copeland (Abner's sister died in 1908) and her obituary states that she had 3 sisters and 4 brothers who preceded her in death and 2 brothers still living - Abner and John."[ Also, we know that one of the Abner's brother's name was Simon, who settled in Orange (not Parke) County (he is the father of Abner's cousin another Andrew Jackson Copeland (another Andrew) who settled in TX).]

Back to Samantha's memorial book. Clarissa lists Abner's known siblings - Oliver, Nancy, and John. The big SURPRISE is the name of one of the "missing" siblings - ANDREW COPELAND!

One thing - Nancy's obit states that she had 3 sisters and 6 brothers, so this

means there were 10 children in all. That means there are 4 more MISSING Copelands! In most families, some children died at birth or during childhood due to illnesses, so we may never know those names. Then again, some may have remained in NC when the family moved to IN in 1851. Will we ever find out?

So, Ralph Copeland's legacy continues to provide clues, details, and photos about the Copeland family!

If you have my Copeland book, print out this material and put it in the section

Ralph Copeland's legacy - a gift to the Bolton Quaker Church

2011-10-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

When Ralph Copeland passed, four churches in his town benefited from his and his wife Arlene's generosity. The Bolton Friends (Quaker) Church received his home and its contents. Ralph always recalled with fondness, "The little church in the Country." It is the Quaker church that his grandparents Abner and Samantha Copeland helped found with the Lindley and Woody families, who lived near them in Indiana and in North Carolina.
Pastor Grady Miller responded to my request for Copeland photos and memorabilia. On his first visit, he found a shelf with 30 photo albums and 23 diaries. Unfortunately, they were for a couple named Pat and Lorna Patchen.
I did some ancestry research and found out that Lorna (Price) Patchen was Arlene's aunt. I then contacted several people of that family line to find out who might want the materials. Several people responded. It was finally narrowed down to one woman, who will share info with the others. Family history preserved!
Grady also said that he has since found many many more photos and albums of the Copeland/Finney history. He will send them to me and I will review, sort, and forward the photos to the respective descendants.
Thank you Pastor Grady Miller for your kindness!
On Oct. 22, 2011, the contents of Ralph's home will go up for sale in Coffeyville KS. The proceeds will benefit the Bolton Friends Church, hopefully enough to replace the church roof and to fund the various programs that they provide.
I am sure that Ralph and Arlene are in Heaven enjoying that others will benefit from their preservation of family items and other possessions.

Finney book delay

2011-10-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

A week ago, I checked with my publisher to ask about the book status of An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy. They told me they never received the CD with the book files! I sent it right after the hurricane in South Carolina, where the plant is located.
So I sent them another file - this time I used FedEx instead of the US Post Office.
They have received it, reviewed it, set up the book, and I received notice today that they are ordering the Proof for me to review.
I will review and approve upon receipt, and I will let everyone know when the book is available on amazon. I will then order my copies so that I can fill the pre-paid orders for autographed copies.
Thank you for your patience.

Finney book is finished!

2011-08-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

"An American Genealogy: The Finney Family History and Genealogy" is finished!

At the start of summer, I said I would complete the book by end of August - and I did. I had been working on it for most of this year, but put in a concentrated effort to finish it this summer.

The book has a startling section called "Controversy, Science, and Revelation." This section will overturn all previously published Finney genealogies, and this book will be the first to announce important Finney genealogy information.

This book will also be the first Finney genealogy that has been published in many years. There are hundreds of photos in this book too! Putting a fact to names, dates, and places is a tradition in my unique style of pictorial genealogies.

The proof copy will arrive in 2 or so weeks. Once approved, the book will be available on amazon.com or you can request an autographed copy from me.

Ralph Copeland's estate leads to Genealogy find for another

2011-08-31T15:10:00.000-07:00

When Ralph Copeland passed, he left his home to a church that his father's family attended - "a little church in the country." I asked the minister if he would be kind enough to send me any photos and memorabilia, as Ralph did not have children. I wanted to make sure those things were not just thrown away.

On his first visit to Ralph's home, the minister brought home 30 photo albums and 23 diaries! However they had the name of another couple that I did not know about. One of the other Copeland cousins recalled that they were Ralph's wife Arlene's aunt and uncle.

I began researching their names and found that they had no children. On ancestry.com, I researched family trees that had the couple's names in them. Then I contacted the owners of those family trees.

Luckily several replied with interest - but there was one whose families were closely related, who had family letters, and who recalled visiting them and meeting Arlene. This relative will inherit the treasure trove of photos - which has photos through the early 70s - as well as historical photos of old time Coffeyville KS. Hopefully she may find some photos that she can share with us later!

Ralph Copeland, 1923 - 2011

2011-08-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

It's been one day since you've passed, Ralph, and the world feels empty without you. I have Faith that you are with your Beloved Arlene, your Loving Relatives, including my late Father. Go with God, dear Ralph.