Amanuensis Monday - Will of William Hamontree 1815

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.

Today I am posting my transcription of the 1815 will of William Hamontree, one of my paternal 5th great grandfathers. William listed all his children in his will by first name only. One child's name was misread when the will was copied into the court records—Harriet should have been Harris! I thought it interesting that William was specific in his bequests of livestock to his sons Jacob and Jesse. Another peculiar bequest was the money due from the county for the care of John Hays; who WAS John Hays?

I William Hamontree of Blount County and State of Tenn-

essee being weak of body but of sound mind and disposing
memory do make and ordain this  my last will and testament
in manner following as to what worldly estate it hath pleased
God to bless me with me with after the discharge of all my just debts
I give and bequeath as follows. first my will is that my wife Patsey
Hamontree be and remain in full possession of the farm and
improvements where I now live and also the household furniture
and that she have her maintainance in the Same during her
natural life and at her decease that my two Sons Jacob and
Jesse Hamontree be the heirs and possessors of said farm
to them and their heirs [page torn] to my wife and above named
Sons after her I give and bequeath a horse called old crop the young
roane mare a colt two years old named to Jacob a last springs
colt named to Jesse, and the milch cows my wagon and gears and a
note on Daniel Best for $77. and as many hogs as my executors may
think proper to leave with them for their Support. 3^d I give and
bequeath to my wife the money due or to become due from the coun-
ty for the Support of John Hays 4^th I give and bequeath to my son
David the young mares colt. 5^th the remainder of my property to be
immediately sold by my executors the proceeds there of together with
the debts due to me to be equally divided amongst the rest of my chil-
dren Viz: James John. Betsy. Nancy. Fanny. Harriet. William and
David Hamontree I hereby nominate and appoint John and Willi-
am Hamontree executors of this my last will and testament.witness
my hand and seal this twenty sixt day of July one thousand
eight hundred and fifteen                               his
            W^m McClung [?]                     William  X  Hamontree (seal)
            James H. Doyle                                 mark

[Source: Blount County, Tennessee, William Hamontree, will dated 26 July 1815, citing Probate Record Books, Blount, Wills 1795-1869, Vol. 01, page 65; digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 11 Jul 2011).]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: July 18

1848: David A. Snider, one of my maternal great-grandfathers, was born in that area of Virginia which is now West Virginia, the son of David Snider and Nancy Colwell (perhaps Caldwell). He died on 30 June 1929, in Saint Paul, Neosho County, Kansas, and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery, in Parsons, Labette County, Kansas. [Source: Neosho County, Kansas, death certificate no. 67 2969 (1929), David A. Snider; Office of Vital Statistics, Topeka.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: July 17

1687: Hannah (Waldo) Cary, one of my maternal 6th great-grandmothers, was born. She was the daughters of Daniel Waldo and Susanna Adams. She died 18 October 1777 and is buried at the Old Cemetery, East Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. This photograph of her grave marker was posted by Paul.Connell to findagrave.com on 24 September 2008:

 
[Source 1: Seth C. Cary, John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim (Boston, Massachusetts: Seth C. Cary, 1911), 73.

Source 2: findagrave.com, digital images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 Jul 2011), Hannah Waldo Cary, Memorial #13532113, created by Treena Jackson, 5 Mar 2006.] 

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Heritage Pie

 Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings has presented the following challenge for this evening:

  

Your mission tonight, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1) List your 16 great-great-grandparents with their birth, death and marriage data (dates and places).

2) Determine the countries (or states) that these ancestors lived in at their birth and at their death.

3) For extra credit, go make a "Heritage Pie" chart for the country of origin (birth place) for these 16 ancestors. [Hint: you could use the

chart generator from Kid Zone for this.] [Note: Thank you to Sheri Fenley for the "Heritage Pie" chart idea.] 

 

My 16 great-great grandparents are:   

1. Ransom Spurlock, born 25 October 1807, in Washington County, Georgia, married Ellender Vickers 20 April 1836, in Eufaula, Barbour County, Alabama, died 2 October 1896, in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana;
2. Ellender Vickers, born 30 December 1820 in Georgia, died 11 November 1906 in Bienville Parish, Louisiana;
3. Houston T. Owens, born 24 March 1816 in Tennessee, married Sherreldia Jane Hammontree 29 December 1841 probably in Alabama, died 15 September 1895, Hurricane, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana;
4. Sherreldia Jane Hammontree, born 10 November 1895 in Tennessee, died 31 December, 1896, Hurricane, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana;
5. Howell Brewer Martindale, born about 1814 in Moore County, North Carolina, married Mary Elizabeth Eaton 9 August 1838, Bismarck, St. Francois County, Missouri, died about 1866 near Waldron, Scott County, Arkansas;
6. Mary Elizabeth Eaton, born about 1817 in Missouri, died 11 Jan 1873, Bismarck, St. Francois County, Missouri;
7. James B. Forshee, born 10 December 1810 in Tennessee, married Sarah Ann Parker 15 September 1830 in probably in Monroe County, Tennessee, died 28 June 1878, Hopewell, Washington County, Missouri;
8. Sarah Ann Parker, born 27 January 1816 in Tennessee, died 26 March 1896, Hopewell, Washington County, Missouri;
9. Andrew Yawman, born 29 March 1810 in Schmittviller, Moselle, France; married Catherine Sitterly 24 June 1834 in Schenectady, Albany County, New York, died 24 December 1891, Denison, Grayson County, Texas;
10. Catherine Sitterly, born 13 May 1813 in Guilderland, Albany County, New York, died 3 August 1889, Denison, Grayson County, Texas;
11. James H. Burton, born 1 April 1822, in Virginia, married Margaret Parsons about 1845 probably in Kentucky, died 19 August 1901, Stowe Prairie Township, Todd County, Minnesota;
12. Margaret Parsons, born October 1826 in Kentucky, died after 1901 probably in Minnesota;
13. David Snider, born 12 June 1810, probably in Virginia, married Nancy Colwell/Caldwell date unknown, died 4 April 1892, Taylor Township, Union County, Ohio;
14. Nancy Colwell/Caldwell, born 11 June 1814, in Virginia, died 5 February 1877, in Taylor Township, Union County, Ohio;
15. Joseph Franklin, born 1826 in Ohio, married Rhoda Cary 12 July 1849 in Union County, Ohio, died 12 October 1892, in Jackson, Paulding County, Ohio;
16. Rhoda Cary, born 9 January 1833 in Pharisburg, Union County, Ohio, died after 21 August 1872 probably in Ohio.

Their places of birth are as follows:

  

France – 1

Georgia – 2

Kentucky – 1  

Missouri – 1  

New York – 1  

North Carolina – 1  

Ohio – 2  

Tennessee – 4  

Virginia – 3  

 

I’m not sure whether Alsace-Lorraine was under French or German rule during my Yawman ancestors’ time there. My mother’s family always considered themselves German, but I have heard that Andrew had to renounce his allegiance to the King of France when he naturalized. To date I have not found his naturalization documents.  

 

And, for extra credit, here is my Heritage Pie:

 

Denise's 16 Great-Great Grandparents' Birthplaces

 

  

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Thriller Thursday - Death Threats in Southeast Missouri

During the Civil War, Missouri was a hotbed of Confederate guerilla activity. Bands of guerillas often retaliated against pro-Union citizens when one of their number was killed as a result of the fighting.

The following news article, published in the September 23, 1864, edition of the St. Louis Union[1], reports an incident of such activity and the death threat that was discovered afterward.

BUSHWHACKERS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY—UNION MEN SPOTTED

Washington, County, September 20, 1864
To the Editor of the St. Louis Daily Union:

The guerrillas are still at work in Washington county. On last Thursday morning two of these armed villains attacked the house of Mr. Fred Will, whilst he was at breakfast with his family. One of them entered the house by the front door, and stepping, unperceived by the family, to the door of the dining room, asked Mr. Will to step into the hall. This done, he demanded Will's arms, stating that he was a United States detective, and that his captain was at the door waiting for him. Mrs. Will immediately ran into the hall and boldly told Mr. Detective that that game was played out; they succeeded in getting the villain out of the house, when his captain rose from behind a chicken coop with revolver in hand, evidently with the intention of shooting Mr. Will, so soon as they got him to the door, but they were foiled in their attempt at murder, and forthwith made a hasty retreat to their horses, which were tied in the brush, not more than one hundred and fifty yards from the house. They next visited the house of Thos. Blakewell, stole his rifle and put out. The neighborhood was soon aroused and gave chase to them, but owing to the dust in the roads and the woods being so very dry, they were unable to track them successfully. They next went to the house of Mr. Patterson and stole a rifle and revolver, and also some money and jewelry. When they decamped from Patterson's, they went to the house of Mr. M.A. Todd, late Sheriff of Washington county; they robbed him of a shot-gun, a revolver, money and jewelry. From Mr. Todd's they went to the farm of Mr. Nicholson and stole a fine horse belonging to George Towl, of Potosi. The troops in Potosi were soon out in pursuit of the thieves, and pressed them so hard that Mr. Towl's horse and one other were recovered from them; but the rascals made good their escape.

The country is full of bands of guerrillas. No Union man's life or property is safe, while rebels and rebel sympathizers feel perfectly safe and secure from any guerrilla depredation. They are fed and harbored by their friends, and get all the information they want from sneaking sympathisers who are permitted to live in our midst unmolested. Had Order No. 107 been faithfully carried out, and two full companies put into active service, I venture to say that guerrillas would be scarce.

On last Sunday morning a son of Rev. S. Brown found a dropped letter on the road, between Potosi and Hopewell, signed, O.A.K. It was evidently written by these desperadoes with a view to alarm Union men. The contents of the letter was a direct threat to have the lives of thirteen Union men in retaliation for their late chieftain, old John Hiley.

They commenced the work by the killing of Lieutenant H.C. Beckett; Captain Fred Will was to be the next victim, and there is no doubt but they intend to carry out their threat, unless they are speedily arrested in their career. The men whom they have selected as their victims are all unconditional Union men, now and forever. I give you a list of doomed: old John Evans, young John Evans, James Thompson, Elbert Thompson, F.R. Boyd, Captain W.H. Evans, Captain Fred Will, Lieut. John Hewey, old John Forshee, Marshall Ronjey, Captain A.R. Eaton, Captain John Jamison, Lieut. Wesley Yeargan. Lieut. H.C. Beckett, killed.

Signed,

INDEX.

Two of the men on that list—old John Forshee and A. R. Eaton—were members of my paternal ancestral families. Old John was brother to James Forshee, my 2nd great grandfather; A. R. Eaton was the younger brother of Mary Elizabeth (Eaton) Martindale, my 2nd great-grandmother. It must have been a terrifying experience to have received such threats.

[1] Ross, Kirby, "Retaliatory death list for killing of John Highley," posted at The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board, 12 February 2011 (http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/mocwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=16501#Responses : accessed 12 July 2011).

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo

Say WHAT? You mean you’ve never heard of this august organization? Frankly, neither had I until this morning.

I followed a link to a description of the Great Missouri Treasure Hunt and while browsing the Missouri Digital Heritage collections, found Celebrating the Louisiana Purchase: The 1904 World’s Fair. My great-grandfather Ambrose B. Martindale, a lumberman and sawmill owner from Cushing, Texas, attended that 1904 fair, so I was curious to learn what exhibits he might have visited while there.

When I entered “lumber” as a search term, I only got one hit: “House of Hoo-Hoo Built Twice”! Apparently the clubhouse of the Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo had burned down in June 1904 and was rebuilt in under 30 days. Click here to see a copy of the program given to visitors and then on the Next arrow to see an official House of Hoo-Hoo pass and a photograph of the house.

Further research led me to the official Hoo-Hoo International website. Founded in 1892, membership in the fraternal organization is open to individuals in the forest services industry. Their membership brochure states:

The spirit of Hoo-Hoo is expressed in the nine fundamental values that encourage members to be fraternal, helpful, grateful, friendly, tolerant, progressive, industrious, loyal, and ethical. Hoo-Hoo believes that these nine points are the building blocks of the "Golden Rule". Hoo-Hoo members are expected to practice these principles in both their business and personal lives.

This is their logo:

While I never had the opportunity to know my great-grandfather, I have the impression that he was a rather reserved man. I can’t quite imagine him being a card-carrying Hoo-Hoo, but who's to say?

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: July 12

1849: My maternal 2nd great-grandparents, Joseph Franklin and Rhoda Cary, were married in Union County, Ohio. A copy of the entry in the marriage register follows:

[Source: Union County, Ohio, Marriage Records, 2: 207, Franklin-Cary; FHL microfilm 573,776.]

The officiant at the marriage Abijah Gandy, Justice of the Peace, was Rhoda’s uncle, her mother’s brother.

Joseph and Rhoda had five children who lived to adulthood: Ruth (from whom I descend), Nancy, Richard, Fannie, and David.


© 2011 Denise Spurlock