Denise's Life in the Past Lane

Military Monday – Henry Sloas, a Disloyal Citizen

2013-06-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

While conducting research on the siblings of my 2^nd great-grandfather James H. Burton (1822-1905), I found FindAGrave Memorial #5714647 for Henry Sloas, the husband of Mary Burton, my 2^nd great-grandaunt. According to the memorial, Henry died of typhoid fever on 28 October 1863 while imprisoned at Camp Chase in Ohio and is buried in an unmarked grave at Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.

The memorial gave some information about an incident during the Civil War in which Henry was believed to have been involved. Click here to read the account.

Based on what I could find about the Henry Sloas who served in the 48^th Virginia Infantry, I believe that was a different man. However, after some digging around in the Confederate records on Fold3, I found the following document on a hearing before a military commission in Louisa, Kentucky, which resulted in Henry Sloas being sent to Camp Chase just a few short months before his death.

"Louisa Ky

Proceedings of Military

Commission held at

Louisa Easter[n] Ky.

in the case of

Henry Sloas a

Disloyal citizen

Recd. C. C. May 16^th 1843."

"Case of Henry Sloas.

John C. Porter, on oath states that he arrested Sloas, because I considered him a disloyal citizen and because I believe he had his large gun out and buskwhacked [sic] Gen. G W. Morgan cvl.[?] last fall. I know him to be a very strong rebel. He frequently harbored the rebels, and was reported to be in the habit of carrying information to them. I heard him say at a log rolling, that the first Union men that came about his house, he be damned if he wouldn't make one less of them. When I asked him, the other day, for his gun, he said he had not had it for a month, but when I raised my gun and cocked it he showed me wher [sic] it was. It was further reported that he was one of the men who dug the hole to put Huff and others who ~~had~~ were murdered last winter.

(In answer to prisoner) I have heard you this this [sic] was a war for negro equality, and that if any party was right it was the Jeff. Davis party.

The commission Recommend him to be sent to Camp Chase.

Capt. John Dalzell A Brown Jr Let. Col. and

Judge Advc Mil Com Protem Pres.

The prisoner denies every assertion of the witness and affirms that he prove by the miners' own mother[?] that he has lied_"

Case of Henry Sloas; Unfiled Papers and Slips Belonging in Confederate Compiled Service Records;
National Archives Records Administration, Publication M347;
digital images, Fold3.com (www.fold3.com : accessed 16 Jun 2013).

Wordless Wednesday - Gloria Jane Spurlock c1954

2013-06-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - Gloria Jane Spurlock c1942

2013-06-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - Three Pretty Little Girls

2013-05-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Lomita, California, 2013.

My grand-nieces,

Ravin, Hailey and Caela,

circa 2004, Bakersfield, California

Memorial Day 2013

2013-05-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

The holiday we celebrate this weekend had its origins in the aftermath of the Civil War. Although none of my direct ancestors died during that war, many of my ancestral families suffered the loss of a loved one. Today I honor those men.

John H. Forshee

(1836-1864)

Private, Co. C, 31^st Missouri Infantry USA

Great-granduncle

Benjamin T. Forshee

(1838-1865)

8^th Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia

Great-granduncle

Joseph F. Forshee

(1842-1863)

Co. D., 31^st Missouri Infantry USA

Great-granduncle

John A. Hammontree

(1838-aft 1862)

Private, Co. H, 28^th (Gray’s) Louisiana Infantry CSA

2^nd Great-granduncle

William C. Martindale

(1839-1863)

Private, Co. G, 2^nd Mounted Rifles Arkansas CSA

Great-granduncle

John R. Miller

(1839-1862)

Private, Co. H, 28^th (Gray’s) Louisiana Infantry CSA

Husband of Frances Elizabeth Spurlock, Great-grandaunt

Andrew J. Owens

(1841-?)

Private, Co. B., 12^th Louisiana Infantry CSA

Great-granduncle

William Green Spurlock

(1838-1862)

Private, Co. B, 12^th Louisiana Infantry CSA

Great-granduncle

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Ancestral Homes 150 Years Ago

2013-05-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Randy Seaver of GeneaMusings issued the following challenge for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun:

1) Determine where your ancestral families were on 1 June 1863 - 150 years ago.2) List them, their family members, their birth years, and their residence location (as close as possible). Do you have a photograph of their residence from about that time, and does the residence still exist?3) Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a Facebook Status or Google+ Stream post.

So here goes!

On my father’s side:

My 3rd great-grandparents Hugh Hammontree (1807-1866) and Rachel (Caskey) Hammontree (about 1802-before 1864) were likely living in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, where he owned land. I do not know the exact date of death for Rachel; Hugh married a second time on November 29, 1864. I do not believe the residence still exists.
My 2nd great-grandparents Ransom Spurlock (1807-1896) and Ellender (Vickers) Spurlock (1817-1906) were likely living in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. The 1860 census for the parish is lost and they do not appear in the 1860 census for Claiborne Parish where Ransom purchased land from William Modgling in September 1863. The household would have included my great-grandfather John Fedrick Spurlock (1850-1945). I don’t believe the residence still exists. The street sign in the photo at the left is at the intersection of Highway 580 and Spurlock Road in Claiborne Parish; I believe Spurlock Road marks one of the boundaries of the land Ransom acquired through the Homestead Act.
My 2nd great-grandparents Houston T. Owens (1816-1895) and Sherreldia Jane (Hammontree) Owens (1825-1896) were living in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. I do not believe the residence still exists. Their household would have included my great-grandmother Dialtha Jane Owens (1847-1893).
My 2nd great-grandparents Howell B. Martindale (1814-1866) and Mary Elizabeth (Eaton) Martindale (1817-1873) were likely living in Sevier County, Arkansas, where they were enumerated in the 1860 census. I do not know if the residence still exists. Their household would have included my great-grandfather Ambrose B. Martindale.
My 2nd great-grandparents James B. Forshee (1810-1878) and Sarah A. (Parker) Forshee (1816-1896) were likely living in Washington County, Missouri, where they were enumerated in 1860. I do not know whether the residence still exists. Their household would have included my great-grandmother Sarah Belle Martindale.

On my mother’s side:

My 2nd great-grandparents Andrew Yawman (1810-1891) and Catherine (Sitterly) Yawman (1813-1889) were living at 101 N. Clark, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; this information is from a city directory listing. I believe the residence was likely destroyed in the Great Fire. Their household would have included my great-grandfather Michael Yawman (1842-1913).
My 2nd great-grandparents James H. Burton (1822-1901) and Margaret (Parsons) Burton (1825-bef 1910) were likely living in Floyd County, Kentucky. I don’t know if the residence is still standing. Their household would have included my great-grandmother Nancy E. Burton (1845-1919).
My 2nd great-grandparents David Snider (1810-1892) and Nancy (Caldwell) Snider (1814-1887) were living on the family farm in Taylor Township, Union County, Ohio. I do not know whether the residence still exists. Their household would have included my great-grandfather David A. Snider (1848-1929).
My 3rd great-grandparents Arad Franklin (1802-1897) and Nancy (White) Franklin (1802-1882) were living in Union County, Ohio. I do not know if the residence still exists.
My 3rd great-grandfather Ephraim Cary (1790-1878) was living with his son George W. Cary in Leesburg, Union County, Ohio. I do not know if the residence still exists.
My 2nd great-grandparents Joseph Franklin (1826-1895) and Rhoda (Cary) Franklin (1833-bef 1877) were living in Leesburg, Union County, Ohio. I do not know whether the residence still exists. Their household would have included my great-grandmother Ruth Franklin (1851-1914).

In summary, I had the following ancestors living on 1 June 1863:

5 3rd great-grandparents
16 2nd great-grandparents
8 great-grandparents

They lived in Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio.

I would like to take the information I have on the properties owned by my ancestors and locate it on maps, but just have not had the time to learn how to do that yet!

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Wordless Wednesday - Daddy

2013-05-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Karen Danielsen, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Lone Grove, Oklahoma, 2011.

Daddy

(Jasper Jackson Spurlock, Jr.)

Circa 1935, probably Houston, Texas.

Wordless Wednesday - Aunt Eva and Robert Waddell

2013-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

My aunt and uncle,

Eunice Evangeline "Eva" (Yawman) and

Robert Lee Waddell,

circa 1945, probably El Monte, California.

Mother's Day 2013

2013-05-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Denise Spurlock,
[ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY],
Lomita, California, 2013.

Mama, me, and Pierre

1954, El Monte, California

This photo was taken when I was about one week old, just a few days after Mother's Day 1954.

Mama passed away in 1999, and every day I miss her.

Wordless Wednesday - A Baby in the Flower Bed

2013-05-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

I believe this is my brother,

Archie Anthony Neil "Tony" Sherrell,

circa 1943, probably El Monte, California.

Wordless Wednesday - The Men in My Life

2013-05-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon 2012.

From left to right:

My brother Arny Sherrell holding me, brother Tony Sherrell,

brother-in-law Gary Hutchcraft, father Jack Spurlock, and

family friend Verne Phelps.

Circa 1956, probably El Monte, California.

Wordless Wednesday - Let's Go For a Ride #4

2013-04-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Lomita, California, 2013.

My nephew, Mark Sherrell

c1972, Alaska

Wordless Wednesday - Let's Go For a Ride #3

2013-04-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original held by Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Lomita, California, 2013.

Denise Jacqueline Spurlock

c1963, Fairbanks, Alaska

Wordless Wednesday - Let's Go For a Ride #2

2013-04-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original photo held by Deanne GOLDEN, [ADDRESS
WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Unidentified child being held by my mother,

Beaulah Belle Yawman Sherrell Spurlock,

(hidden behind the animal), circa 1940.

Wordless Wednesday - Let's Go For a Ride #1

2013-04-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image; original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

My mother, Beaulah Belle Yawman Sherrell Spurlock,

with several unidentified children,

circa 1940.

My "Easter" Ancestors

2013-03-31T15:23:00.001-07:00

By Cliff from Arlington, VA (Outside Washington DC), USA
[CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons

Four women in my family tree were named Easter:

Easter A. Owens, my 1st cousin 3 times removed, born about 1852 in Alabama, died unknown
Easter Lillie Eaton, my 2nd cousin twice removed, born 15 April 1900, died 6 October 1917, buried in Washington County, Missouri
Katie Easter Spurlock, my half-grandaunt, born 27 March 1910, died 5 November 1888, buried in Jackson Parish, Louisiana
Easter Terralyn Donaldon, my half-first cousin, once removed, born 1942, died 1946, buried in Jackson Parish, Louisiana

Both Easter Lillie Eaton and Katie Easter Spurlock were born on Easter Day. I suspect the other two might have been as well, although Easter Terralyn Donaldson might have been named in honor of her aunt Katie Easter Spurlock.

I thought it interesting that all of these women are related to me on my paternal line.

Do you have anyone in your family tree named Easter? Were they born on Easter Day?

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun (Sunday edition!) - 2,331 Surnames

2013-03-24T17:21:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, Randy Seaver of GeneaMusings offered up his weekly Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge:

1) Go into your Genealogy Management Program (GMP; either software on your computer, or an online family tree) and figure out how to Count how many surnames you have in your family tree database.
2) Tell us which GMP you're using and how you did this task.
3) Tell us how many surnames are in your database and, if possible, which Surname has the most entries. If this excites you, tell us which surnames are in the top 5! Or 10!
4) Write about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this blog post, in a status or comment on Facebook, or in Google Plus Stream post.

I'm a day late (and probably a dollar short as well!), but here goes:

I use Legacy Family Tree software, and it has a simple report called "Surname Summary." Using that feature, I found that I have 2,331 surnames in my database.

I exported the list so that I could open it in Excel and sort to find the top 10 names. They are:

Yawman - 257 instances - date range of 1750-1994
Spurlock - 230 - 1807-1997
Burton - 144 - 1784 - 1998
Horton - 144 - 1722-1899
Eaton - 127 - 1659-1914
Gandy - 125 - 1670-1879
Wallen - 124 - 1759-1915
Justice - 117 - 1695-1847
Parsons - 117 -1783-1999
Smith - 100 - 1589-1966

At spot #11 were 89 individuals with no surname listed; however, that number is not reflective of the true number of individuals without surnames. For those women for whom I have no maiden name, I enter their married name in parentheses; this helps me keep all those named Mary and Elizabeth sorted out!

© 2013 Denise Spurlock

Wordless Wednesday - A Yellow Easter Suit

2013-03-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original photograph held by Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS
WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY], Lomita, California, 2013.

Christopher Morris

Easter 1977

Wordless Wednesday - With Our Easter Baskets

2013-03-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Digital image. Original photograph held by Deanne Golden, [ADDRESS
WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Glen Hutchcraft, Denise Spurlock

Jennifer Spurlock and Roger Hutchcraft

April 1960

Wordless Wednesday - The Easter Bunny Brought It?

2013-03-06T10:52:00.000-08:00

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Denise Jacqueline Spurlock

Easter 1956

Wordless Wednesday - Love is in the Air #4

2013-02-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD
FOR PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Arnold Lee Sherrell and

Sandra L. Svoboda

and their wedding party

(my brother and sister-in-law)

14 February 1959

Los Angeles County, California

Wordless Wednesday - Love is in the Air #3

2013-02-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Gloria Jane Spurlock and

Donald Dale Chaney

(my sister and brother-in-law)

20 October 1956

Huntington Park, Los Angeles County, California

Wordless Wednesday - Love is in the Air #2

2013-02-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

Digital image. Original held by Deanna Golden, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR
PRIVACY], Portland, Oregon, 2012.

Gary Arnold Hutchcraft and

Deanna Dale Sherrell

(my brother-in-law and sister)

29 August 1953

Temple City, Los Angeles County, California

Amanuensis Monday - 1812 Will of William Cook

2013-02-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.

William Cook, of Surry County, North Carolina, was the brother of Thomas Cook, my 4th great-grandfather. I thought it interesting that William felt that it would be best if his executors rented out his property and the profits therefrom given to his widow; I have not previously seen that provision made in a will.

“In the name of God Amen. I William Cook, of the County of Surry, and State of North Carolina being weak in body but of sound mind and memory, blessed be God for the same, do this seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord 1812, make and publish this my last will and testament, in manner following, Viz.

First of all, I recommend my soul to God who gave it, and my body to its native dust, to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner, at the discretion of my Executors; and as to my worldly goods that it hath been pleased God to bless me with, my will and desire is that they be disposed with as follows,

Item I give unto my beloved wife Elizabeth Cook my molatto boy Lewis to be her own property forever. I also lend to her my said wife my negro woman Milley together with the whole of my moveable or perishable property of every discription (negro Bob excepted) also the profits of my land and plantation, dwelling house, out houses, and so forth, where I now live during her natural life or widowhood; and in order that the same may be managed to the best advantage I direct that my Executors rent out continuealy my said land and plantation and return to my said wife the profits of such rent during the above said term. Also I desire that if is should appear to my Executors to be necessary that they should sell such part of my stock and working tools as they may think usless to my said wife and the product of such sale to be equally divided among my children.

After the death or widowhood of my wife Elizabeth Cook, I give and bequest the aforesaid negro woman Milley to my daughter Mary Holeman and my land and plantation where I now live containing three hundred and twenty acres I give unto my sons Wiles [Miles?] and John Cook to be equally divided between them.

Item. I give unto my daughter Lucy Holeman my negro man Bob. I also direct that my two Lotts in the Town of Huntsville be sold and the product of such sale to be equally divided among my children as above said~~tioned~~

I also do nominate and appoint my said wife Elizabeth Cook Executrix and my son John Cook and Thomas Wright Executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby revoke and disannul all others wills by me made and do acknowledge this only to be my last will and testament.

In testimony whereof I the said William Cook hath set my hand and seal the day and date above written in presents of

Test Henry Hampton William Cook {seal}

John Angel

State of North Caroline Surry County May Session AD 1812.

John Angel (one of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will and testament of William Cook) made oath that he saw the said Cook sign publish and declare the same to be his last will and testament, that he was of sound and disposing mind and memory and at the same time he saw Henry Hampton sign the same as a witness thereto which was ordered to be recorded; done accordingly

by Jo Williams CC”

[Source: North Carolina, Surry County, Wills, 1792-1827, William Cook, Vol. 03, pg. 100, image 126; digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 24 Jan 2013).]

Treasure Chest Thursday - Gram's Wedding Announcement

2013-02-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

In her scrapbook, my grandmother Mamie Olive (Martindale) Spurlock pasted the following newspaper announcement regarding her marriage to Jasper Jackson Spurlock in November 1905:

I am grateful that Gram saved it because, other than the 1910 federal census on which my grandparents are enumerated as a married couple and an entry in a marriage index for Nacogdoches County, Texas, there is no other record of their marriage.

But why did she save it? My grandfather abandoned her shortly after the birth of their fourth child (my dad) in 1912, and never returned. I have not found a record of a divorce nor a second marriage, but my grandfather was enumerated in 1930 and 1940 with another woman as his wife. He died in 1940.

My oldest sister Jane told me that Gram believed he would return to her one day. Gram never remarried and saved this newspaper clipping for 60+ years. A sad ending to what started as "one of the prettiest weddings of the season."

© 2013 Denise Spurlock