Honoring the Veterans in My Family

Anyone who has lived in Emporia, Kansas realizes that Veteran's Day is a MAJOR holiday. Today, we take time to honor those who have served and who are serving. Thus, I would like to take a walk thru my family tree to honor my veteran ancestors.

World War II

Eugene Crawford

Between 15 Feb 1945 and 1 Aug 1946, Eugene served at the Naval Training Center in Gulfport, Mississippi and at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. He shipped out on the USS Oneida (APA-221) towards the end of the War in the Pacific as seaman 1st class in the U.S. Naval Reserves. He received the Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal.

100 Years Ago

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:

1)  Determine where your ancestral families were on 18 May 1919 - 100 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?

My Grandparents

• Leon Crawford was living with his parents at 504 Ave G in Dodge City
• Winnie Letha Currey was likely living with her sister, Myrtle. Winnie traveled from Kansas City to Dodge City in 1918 to help Myrtle with the birth of her first child, Dorothy. Winnie and Leon were married on Christmas Eve in 1919 at Myrtle's house.
• Edward O. Briles and his wife Pauline (Mentzer) Briles were likely living in Woodson County in 1919. Edward's World War I draft card indicated they were living in Everett Township, Woodson County in June of 1917. By 1920, they had moved to Allen County.

ThruLines Validating Research

I've seen several negative posts and comments about Ancestry's new DNA tool, ThruLines. I haven't come close to looking at all of my lines, let alone verifying them. However, I am thrilled Ancestry developed this new tool.

12 Generations

Last week's '52 Ancestors' prompt was '12' Based on that prompt, I decided to try and figure out what 12th generation ancestors I had identified. I have 7 generations identified on all lines. However, do I have any 12 generation ancestors.

Celebrating 50 Years

Do you enjoy some of the online genealogy prompts to look at your data from a different viewpoint?

I know I do. Two of my currents sources for blogging prompts are Amy Johnson Crowe's #52ancestors and Randy Seaver's #SaturdayNightGenealogyFun.

As I was working on a blog post about love, I found I have several of my ancestors who celebrated 50 years of marriage. Thus, I thought it would be fun to suggest a 'Saturday Night Genealogy Fun' challenge:

1) How many of your ancestors were married for FIFTY years?
2) What is the longest marriage in your tree?

I'm approaching my 45th wedding anniversary and my parents were married for over fifty years.

Grandparents:

• Leon Crawford and Winnie Currey -- married Dec 1919; They were married 56 years before Leon passed away in Oct. 1976.
• Edward Osmond Briles and Pauline Mentzer were married Oct 1915. They were married 40 years when Edward passed away. Pauline never remarried.

Two Degrees

 

Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music):

1)  Using your ancestral lines, how far back in time can you go with two degrees of separation?  That means "you knew an ancestor, who knew another ancestor."  When was that second ancestor born?

My first thought was that I knew my great-grandmother, Josie Crawford.

Christmas 1953: Marcia, Winnie, Josie

Pauline E. Briles

Emporia Gazette
Wednesday, July 18, 1984
page 2 column 4-5

Film E1506

KS State Historical Society

150 Years Ago

This weeks 'Saturday Night Genealogy Fun' challenge is to determine which ancestors were living 150 years ago (Jan 1869).

In order to figure this out, I had to look at the data I had for each likely ancestor. Working from the pedigree view in Roots Magic, I clicked on each potential ancestor to open their data.

Artie Ricketts

     Frances Artlissa 'Artie' Ricketts was born on 7 Apr 1868 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.^1–13

She lived in Sugar Creek Township, Clinton, Indiana, United States on 1 Jul 1870.¹⁴ Artlissa Rickets was listed on the 1870 census in the household of James Rickets. According to the census, she was two years old. She lived in Everett Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States on 1 Jul 1880.¹⁵ Frances A Ricketts was listed on the 1880 census as the daughter of James M Ricketts. According to the census, she was twelve years old. Frances lived in Everett Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States on 1 Mar 1885.¹⁶ Artlissa Ricketts was listed in the household of James M Ricketts on the 1885 Kansas census. According to the census, Artlissa was 16 years old.

    Edward Grant Briles and Frances Artlissa 'Artie' Ricketts were married on 19 Feb 1890 in Woodson, Kansas, United States.^2,17–23 She was also known as Frances Artlissa 'Artie' Briles.

Identifying Parents

Have you had a set of parents for an ancestor in your tree for years when you discover another researcher has a different set of parents? I recently made that discovery for my ancestor Sarah Rush Briles (KP93-T9C) on Family Search.

Seeing this other set of parents made me question whether I had made a mistake. I knew that my old research included a transcription  of a petition for dower that was printed in The Genealogical Journal of Randolph County, NC (Vol 3, #4, pages 5-6)

This transcript shows Sallie Rush as the plaintiff. Listed among the defendants is Alexander Briles and wife Sallie. The body of the petition identifies Sally Rush as the widow of Noah Rush deceased.

Bearded - Not!

A recent #52Ancestors prompt was bearded. In thinking about that prompt, my first thought was I don't have anyone to right about since the majority of pictures I have are of men without beards. So instead of writing about someone who was bearded, I'm going to show my unbearded family tree.

My Family Tree

Parents

Eugene David Crawford and Roberta Adell Briles

1869 Briles Deed

Coffey County Kansas
Deed Book O
Page 603

Warranty Deed
This indenture made this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand sixty nine between Alexander Briles and Sarah his wife of Neosho Township in the County of Coffey and State of Kansas of the first part and Noah W Briles of Neosho Township in the county of Coffey and State of Kansas of the second part witnesseth that the said party of the first part in consideration of the sum of four hundred dollars to them duly paid have sold and by these presents do grant and convey to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns all that tract or parcel of land situated in Coffey County and State of Kansas and described as follows to wit: The West Half of the North East Quarter of Section Twelve in Township Twenty Three of Range Fifteen (15) East containing eighty acres more or less with its appurtenances and all the estate titles and interest of the said parties of the first part therein and the said Alexander Briles and Sarah his wife do hereby covenant and agree that at the delivery hereof they are the lawful owners of the premises above granted and seized of a good and indefeasible estate of inheritance therein free and clear of all encumbrances and that they will warrant and defend the said in the quiet and peaceable possession of said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever. In Witness whereof the said parties of the first part have hereunto set their hands and seals this day and year above written.
Alexander Briles (seal)
Sarah Briles (seal)
State of Kansas
County of Coffey
On this twentieth day of September AD 1869 before me a justice of the peace in and for said county came Alexander Briles and Sarah Briles his wife to me personally known to be the identical persons describe in and whose names are affixed to the above conveyance as grantor and acknowledged the same to be their own voluntary act and deed. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my official seal on the day and year last above written.
W F Thornberry
JP
Filed for record Nov 19 1872
At 11 am Stumped 50C
Wm H Bear
Register of Deeds