With the upgrade of the board and some crafty coding I have reset the main page of the site to now be a "portal" and in this portal I have made a section to have an "Ancestor of the Month" where once a month I will post a picture. This month I have chosen my greatgrandparents, I would love to feature some of y'alls pictures, all you have to do is post a picture here (if you need help doing that let me know) and In the order I get them I will change them each month.

Now....if y'all dont participate you will be forced to see only pictures of MY family ahahahahaha

Does the board have an option for a photo gallery? Then we could post our pictures there.

not unless someone wants to pay for it lol its not free

I see no point it purchasing the gallery when the picture can be uploaded to the thread.....for free

Good point!

wow nobody wants their person to be the AOTM huh

There are a couple of days left to get me a picture!!! otherwise I will subject you to another one of mine ahahahahaha

This is my ggg grandfather Josiah S Morrison
He was born 1838
Whitwell, Marion Co., Tennessee
died 19 Apr 1865
Tuscumbia, Miller Co., Missouri

Notes

The following article was taken from a Missouri Newspaper called The Sedalila Advertiser, dated February 18, 1865. Even through the article does not mention his first name, there is no doubt that this is Joseph Morrison. The time, the place and the name fits and the story is almost identical to the told by May Holloway.
BRUTAL MURDER IN TUSCUMBIA
We learned that on Saturday last, while Mr. Peter Taylor was standing on the street in Tuscumbia, Miller County, conversing with a friend, a man by the name of Morrison came up to him and commenced abusing him and beating him with a pistol. Mr. Taylor, being unarmed, and wishing to avoid any difficulty, walked off, when Morrison deliberately shot him through the small of the back, the ball pass clear through the body of Taylor, from the effect of which he would died in two or three days afterwards. The civil officers of the county is said were in Tuscumbia at the time of the brutal and cowardly act, but made no attempt to arrest the ruffian. If such fiendist outrages are to go unpunished, no man's life is safe, and we might as well have no civil law. Morrison has since made his escape....

California Weekly News, Dated April 29, 1865 (Missouri Newspaper)
We learned that the desperado, Morrison, who brutally shot and killed Mr.Peter Taylor, in Tuscumbia, Miller County, a few weeks since, was killed in Miller County, a few days since, by the Militia of that county. It seems that the daring desperado retured to Miller county, and the Militia attempting his arrest, he gave battle and in the fight received some fifteen balls in his body, not, however, until he had seriously wounded two or three of those engaged in his arrest. Thus, a cruel murderer has met a just retribution for his crimes. It is said that this man Morrison killed two men in Kansas some time since.

His wife burried him in the back yard and walked back to Tennessee with her four boys where she died 2 months later.

Come on Gerrie, you must know more than this. What a fascinating story. Why did he shoot Taylor? Is there a cemetery in the back yard? or did she just throw him in the vegetable garden? What did she die of? More details woman. I'm intrigued.!!!!!

Steph

From all account he was a mean SOB. He was a rider with the Quantrell raiders, and yep they just buried him in a unmarkered grave in Missouri. She later told her brother that they did not mark the grave because they did not want him dugged up for display. I have not been able to figure out what she meant.

Here is some on their sons. It will give ya an idea the family is just well for lack of a better word asses lol

son 1 was George Washington Morrison
After the death of his father in Missouri, he and his family returned to the Whitwell area where he lived with his uncle, George Jackson. He was a farmer most of his life, although, he did do some mining for a while when he was younger. He lived on the old original Jimmy Jackson farm.
He met and married Nancy Ellen Floyd of Whitwell. They moved to the top of Whitwell Mountain to a place called the "Pocket" near Mt. Olive. His in-laws were not to pleased to start with at having George as a son-in-law, but with time he became a respected and well-liked member of the family. He and Ellen's father actually came to blows over his daughter, he held a gun to Ellen's fathers head when he refused the marriage and said I will marry her and take down anyone who stands in my way.

Son 2 Doctor Franklin
Dock married his first cousin, Elizabeth Jackson. She was one of the apparent heirs to the Jackson estate, and Dock's daughter, May, says that was the main reason he married Elizabeth. Althought, after they were married, they fell in love and had a wonderful family life together.

George Jackson bought up a large tract of land near what is now Victoria, in Marion Co., TN. He was a very prosperous farmer and left a very large estate to his heirs. George gave land to his heirs by putting all of the names in a hat and drawing each child's name to match the lot they were to receive. Each lot consisted of 52 acres and was numbered from 1 (the best land) to 7 (the worst land). Doc Morrison had been reared by George and had married his daughter Elizabeth. Doc and Elizabeth got lot number 1. Patrick Henry, the eldest son, throught that he should have gotten all of the land because he was the eldest. He finally, one way or another, got all the land that he wanted, except Doc Morrison's. They had many feuds and fusses, even shooting incidents. Pat was accused of cutting Doc's fences and letting the hogs into his wheat field, and they got into an argument in Whitwell. Doc called Pat a thief and Pat called Doc a liar. When he did, Doc hit him right in the mouth. They were both fined $5.00 for disturbing the peace.
Doc felt that he should be given a piece of the land anyway because he had been reared by George Jackson, along with his three brothers, George, John, and Jim Morrison when their father, Joseph, was killed in Missouri. Their mother, Mary Ann Jackson Morrison, sister of George, had brought the boys back to Victoria, TN. Not long after their return, she died and the boys lived with George. When Doc found out that he was to left out of the land, he married Elizabeth, his first cousin, to insure that he would get his land. Many years later, when Doc was very sick , andhe had five children, Pat again tried to buy his land but Doc told him that the land would "rot and burn in Hell" before it would be sold to him. As few months later, a Holloway woman came and offered him a good price for the land and he sold it. The next day he found out that Pat had sent her to buy it for him, but it was legal and there was nothing he could do, probably because he was so sick. But, finally Pat Jackson had gotten all of the land he wanted.

Dock was a miner and part-time farmer. In fact, he was one of the leaders of the Whitwell mines. They were having trouble with the mines and the law at one time. His brother, Jim Morrison, was sheriff of Marion County and he was going to come up the next day to straighten the trouble out. That night they had a meeting in Whitwell, which Dock attended, and appointed two men to kill Jim ( James) Morrison. Dock just sat there and didn't say a word. When the meeting was over everyone left, including Dock and the old Indian side kick he always ran around with. Next morning the two men who were apointed to assasinate sheriff Morrison were found dead between the meeting hall and Belles Row at the foot of the mountain where Dock lived. Nobody actually knew who killed the two men, but everybody had a pretty good idea that Dock and the Indian put the stopper on them .

Son 3 John Thomas ( my direct line)
John Thomas (J.T.) Morrison was born in Miller Co., Missouri and was removed to Tennesesee with his mother, Mary Ann Jackson Morrison, and three brothers when his father, Joseph Morrison, ws killed on or around April, 1865. They resided with her father, James Jackson, near Victoria, TN.
In 1879, John Thomas married Catherine Jane (Katy) Griffitih, the daughter of George and Almira Griffith of Griffith Creek, TN. Their 5 eldest children were born in TN and the remaining 4 children were born in Arkansas.
John Thomas worked in the coal mines in TN and Ark. In 1889 he moved his family to Arkansas to flee from a fight and killing of a black man in the coal mines. He took his son, George, into the mines at Huntington, Arkansas when he was only thirteen years old. George often said that he was so young that his "lunch bucket hung to the ground." In Hartford, Ark., he worked in Cal Harp's meat market, going out early in the morning to sell fresh meat, milk, and butter before breakfast. The family later moved to eastern Oklahoma where he farmed and raised cattle. When it came time for making sorghum, he was a perfectionish. Neighbors and people from miles around would have him work up their cane. In 1918, he returned to Hartford, Ark., where he continued to farm and sell produce. At one time he lived at the foot of what was called K.T. Hill.
John T. was a tall, handsome man; big, but not fat, all muscle. Some said he was as strong as an ox. Once while plowing is cotton field, he was bitten by a copperhead snake. He continued to plow until he reached the other side of the field before going to the doctor. He was ill all summer from the poison. As so many of the people did in those days, he raised the majority of the supplies his family needed. There were the bee hives among the hollyhocks and there was always plenty of fried chicken on the table.
A man of simple means, he care nothing about the radios, automobiles, airplanes, or movies. He was a happy, jolly, totally devoted family man; highly respected in the community. He was well read on politics and felt that everyone was entitled to have his own opinion. There was no denying the fact that he was a very strick man, with a firm belief in the Bible. Grace was said at meal time and the children did no talking during the meal, and very little talking was done after they went to bed. Whenever an important decision was to be made, he would say, "Get the Book," referring to the Bible. Not only was he a methodical man, never forgetting to wind his eight day clock every Saturday, but he was also very meticulous, keeping his yard swept daily with a buck bush broom. One phrase heard over the years during the conversations referring to John Thomas Morrison was, "Now there was a man," This was always said with the greatest respect and admiration.

Son 4 James William
Lawyer Jim, as he was called, was born in Miller county Missouri. His father was killed when he was less than 1 years old, and his mother and three older brothers buried him behind their house and walked back to Whitwell, TN. According to Lawyer Jim, they started out with one horse, but the horse either died or was stolen and therefore they had to walk all the way back from Missouri. It took three months.
Not long after their return, Mary Ann died, probably from over exposure on the trip. (It is said that she lived in Beersheba Springs up on the Cumberland mountain and may be buried in that area). One of the boys, Doctor Franklin, lived for a while with his uncle George Jackson of Victoria, Tennessee. Two of the boys, John and George, lived with their mother and grandfather on Whitwell Mt. but left in a couple of years leaving Dock and Jim with their uncle. Jim, who was about 7 years old by this time, was farmed out to work in the fields and coal mines of that area. Dock stayed on and helped on the Jackson farm. When Jim was 13 years old, he was working in the mines in Georgia and got into an argument with a much older Negro man and the Negro worked him over pretty good, but after the Negro turned his back to walk off, Jim picked up a pick and stuck it in the Negro's back, killing him. He then ran away from the mines all the way back to Whitwell and from that time on he wasn't farmed out anymore. We believe this is the incendent that cause John Thomas and his family to move to Arkansas.
When he was 19, he met Nancy Jane Richardson. She was from a very wealthy family and she had been through college and was now a teacher. Jim, by this time, could only read and write his name, so needless to say, Daniel Richardson was not too happy to see Jim and Nancy becoming serious, so he forbid her to see him. Jim as never a man to be easily discouraged so he got his gun and went to the Richardson home and at gun point stole Daniel's daughter and carried her off and they were married, he later said he had learned this trick from his brother George
She taught him to read and write after they were married and later he ran for sheriff of Marion County, TN and was elected. While serving as sheriff, he never had a prisoner escape and he hung 3 men in his four year administration. One of these was Joe Wallace, the first man ever to be hung in Marion County. He killed and robbed a man of a nickle and a suit of clothes. In those days hangings were a big event and people lined the streets to see as much as they could. Joe Wallace rode on top of his casket in the back of the wagon and sang and hollered at the girls along the way. When Jim got ready to hang him, he asked if he'd like to say anything before they hanged him and he said, "I sure wish he had had more than a nickle."
While he was sheriff, he studied law under a lawyer from the area and after his term as sheriff ended he took the bar exam, passed it, and became an attorney. He was one of the best, if not the best, criminal lawyer in his part of Tennessee and he defended and won many hard fought court cases that he probably should have lost. He had a voice like a fog horn and a personality to match.
He had at least two weed colts (illegitimate children) that we know of for sure. One was a Martin and one a Holtcamp.

Jim was a member of the M.E. Church, the Masons, Odd Fellows, K and P Secret Orders, Secretary of Lodge 197, R. and A.M. He was politically a Republican and at one time the head of the local Klu Klux Klan. He preached at Hicks Chapel in Whitwell for a while

Whitwell Tennessee Tidbits, Vol 1, by Eulene Harris
July 8, 1897
.....Dept. Sheriff Jim Morrison and Special deputy Rans Smith secured blood hounds and gave Bill Jones a lively chase as far as Bryant Cove...Wm Jones, the noted mountain desperado, escaped once before and evaded the officers until by a little stratey Mr. Rans Smith located him and he and dept Sheriff Morrison arrested him after having shot him twice Jones is still at large.

Many years later, after the death of Joseph S. Morrison, James W. Morrison and his son Joseph Daniel, went to Missouri to check on property that Joseph had owned. It was found that Jefferson City had been build on part of the property, needless to say, there was no way for them to reclaim this property. This story was supposed written up in Argosy Magazine, although it has not been located at this time.
Sequatchie Valley News - June 18, 1903
Great rejoicing was in the city last Monday when it was learned that a certain man who calls himself a Dr. had left after sundown Saturday and before sun-up Sunday never to return to Whitwell again. Thanks are due J. W. Morrison for the part he took in riding this place of such a man as the one that posed himself as a doctor on the good people of Whitwell.

Dec 21, 1905
Entered Suit
Miners charge false imprisonment during trouble
Twelve damage suits, charging false imprisonment have been brought in this county against J. W. Morrison of Whitwell and w. J. Bass of Chattanooga, says a special from Jasper to the Chattanooga Times, on December 16. These suits were brought by union minors because they were arrested and searched, as they claim, without any process of law, during the recent troubles at Whitwell following the killing of Clark Roberson. Col. Bass was in charge of troops at Whitwell and it is alleged that he commanded the arrest of these twelve men. It is believed that there will be at least eight more suits, instituted on the same grounds. Each claims $500 damages.

Murder, Mayhem and More: Vol 1, Jan 14, 1914, pg. 105
J. W. Morrison has gone to Birminham to look after his nephew, who is in the Big Rock Jail, having got roped up somehow with a gang of hobos, who meeded to have got the young relative of White and Morrison in a serious box, but a dispatch from Morrison to White from Birmingham stated release and full restoration of the young man was expected soon. YoungBurnett, who is a brother to Rev. Billie Burnett, of Chattanooga, is a nephew of W. H. White, and also a nephew of J. W. Morrison. A full vindication is looked for by all the boy's relatives up here. The boy is a motherless lad and hasn't had the care of a mother since young boyhood, she having died when he was only eight years old. She was a daughter of the Robert N. White.

Jasper, Tenn. June 11, 1914
DEFENDS HIMSELF
Editor News:
I write you a word. It is not necessary to tell you I have been in bed for five weeks, but there seems to be some who don't konw this, so I write you a word to say when I get up, I will answer this fellos, Hugh Rankin, to a queen's taste. I never did Rankin any harm in my life and why he still keeps harking at me is more than I can understand, but I will give the boy his fill if I must, but will wait until I get out of bed to do it.
Rankin, I am not the republican party. When the republicans of Marion county met in mass convention they elected the executive committee, and one of the number was made chairman and one was made secretary. The candidates themselves decided to have a primary at a certain date. Then the mass convention proceeded to select the primary commiettee, to wit J. W. Morrison, F. M. McCullough and J. G. Lankester. We did all the work of holding the primary, which was to be reported to the chairman and secretary, which was done. Then this primary committee was thru with its work, and was no part of the party any further, but is this any of Hugh Rankin's busness what was done with the campaign fund; Hugh, you look after your little speck of business and you will have no time to bother about other people's.
When the republicans get in a striaght for an auditor they will call up someone who can make the tally sheet ring and there will be no mud slinging about it. What if I had written about the d emocrats or your people's campaign fund, who's poodle would you have thought I was? I am this way, if the Republicans don't get men who are deserving of my support, I vote for whoever I please.
Now, in closing this little piece, I will say this committee spent all it collected and I myself paid $14.00 over the collection, but what is that to you? I will attend to you at the proper time. I will make plain your matter as to W. H. White. White's on honest ground.--
J. W. Morrison

asper Journel - April 15, 1920
JASPER LAWYER SLAYS RAT WITH POTATO
The following story is told of J. W. Morrison of Jasper, prominent member of the Marion county bar. While in Chattanooga recently, he visited the market house. Spying a rat sedately nibbling in a corner, Mr. Morrison picked up a potato and taking careful aim, let if fly at his ratship, killing him instantly. The keeper of the stall where Mr. Morrison killed the rodent sent him to the market housekeeper, saing that he would pay him $5.00 for it. Mr. Morrison picked up the rodent by the tail and proceeded to hunt up the market housekeeper, and told him how he killed it. The market housekeeper was very much pleased with Mr. Morrison's good marksmanship and started to write him a check for $5.00, but Mr. Morrison refused it, saying that he didn't want the money, but only wished to show him what he had done.
It seems that they have a rule at the market house, on account of the great amount of damage done by rats that any person killing one is due a $5 reward, and Mr. Morrison's act caused much comment, being pointed out as the man who killed the rat with a potato.


Jasper Journel - May 28, 1931
REGARDING THE ILLNESS OF J. W. MORRISON
The following is a letter from J. D. Morrison, of Syracuse, N.Y. whom we note is president of Franklin Adjusting association, concerning the condition of his father, James Morrison, prominent Jasper Attorney, who is in the hospital in Syracuse.
"I noticed an article in your paper relative to my father. I would like to explain to you just what happened. Upon my arrival home I found my father on the verge of a nervous breakdown, as I believed from overwork. I decided to bring him back north with me, hoping to arouse his interest in something besides work.
Upon our arrival here in Syracuse he had a cerebral hemorrhage which paralyzed his left side and then had pneumonia fever along with it. We sent him to the University Hospital, a hospital owned and operated by the Methodist Church (not a charitable institution). We obtained the best medical attendants possible and to date he has recovered very rapidly. In fact, we have been able to let him sit in the sun parlor for two and a half hours a day. He has recovered the use of his limbs and likewise has thrown off the pneumonia fever with the exception of a slight spot on the left lung which is still causing some temperature.
We are in hope of sending him back to Jasper in the next month or such a matter, completely recovered and in better health than he has enjoyed in years."
The News is very glad to hear of Mr. Morrison's progress toward recovery.

Jasper Journal - Nov 16, 1931
WELL-KNOWN LAWYER DEAD
Jasper, Nov - James W. Morrison, 66, attorney, died at his home here Friday evening. He was admitted to the bar in 1895 after serving two terms as sheriff of Marion count in 1889. He had been confined to his bed sevreal months.
His widow, children, and two brothers, George W. Morrison of Whitwell, and John Thomas Morrison, of Hartford, Ark., survive him.
The funeral was held from the Baptist Church, Jasper, Monday at 10:00, with Rev. J. H. Graham, the pastor, conducting the services. Interment was made in Saardis cemetery near Victoria.
Mr. Morrison was a familiar figure in the courts, having a considerable practice and was one of the old type of advocates, fighting his cases with vigorous oratory. He was essentially a self-made man, studying law on his own initiative, and when on a case still being a student. He was a friends to all, and many a case he fought in court was done so in charity.

Jasper Journal - Nov 19, 1931
We certainly appreciate the many kind acts of our friends and neighbors during the illness and death of our beloved husband, brother, and parent James W. Morrison. Their acts of kindness, which were many, will never be forgotten. Their kindly acts and help were appreciated during our sad hours of trial.
Mrs. J. W. Morrison
George Morrison
John T. Morrison
Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Morrison
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Morrison
Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Morrison
L. A. Morrison
Miss Mollie Morrison
Miss Clara Morrison
Miss Nina Morrison
Master Frank Morrison
Jasper, Tenn - Nov. 17, 1931

Obituary
Written by Request

Again death has invaded our rank and claimed as its victim a dear friend, Bro. J. W. Morrison, of Jasper. He was a patient sufferer for several months. On Nov. 13, 1931, the end of life came. He was sixty-six years of age, being the father of eighteen children, and is survived by his widow and nine children, as follows: L.A., J. D. of New York, C. A. of Vermont; L., J. A. B. and Frank, Misses Mollie, Clara and Nina. Also two brothers George W. and John T. Morrison of Whitwell (John T. lived in Hartford, Ark)
I have been personally acquainted with Bro Morrison about thirty years and always found him to be a good man and ready to befriend anyone in distress. Bro. Morrison was converted during the fall that Bro Pounders held a revival meeting near Whitwell something like twenty years ago, and for a time took up the study of the Bible and was able to deliver helpful sermons and give noble instructions to the young people same as the old. At one time he was high sheriff of Marion County, and was a good peace officer.
I made several short visits to Bro. Morrison's home during his illness and talked to him about his religioius condition. I took his bony white hand in mine and asked him, "How do you feel religiously?" His reply was "I have made complete peace with my Lord, and if I can't get well I feel perfectly satisfied about my future." Great tears ran from his eyes and he said he was very happy.
He was a good husband, a loving and affectionate father, prominent lawyer, and provided well for his household. Bro. Morrison will be greatly missed by his dear fmily and his many friends, for he proved to be a poor man's friend in many instances, for he nobley stood up to plead mercy for them in different ways during sessions of court for a number of years.
But, alas! his labor is finished and he sleeps well, waiting for the coming of the Lord and the resurrection to a new life eternal.
Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Graham and he was laid to rest in Sardis cemetery beneath a beautiful mound of lovely flowers, which expressed a token of sympathy for the bereaved family. May God bless each of them in their sadness, and help them to be ready to meet him face to face when Jesus comes.
Newton A. Thomas


Steph did that help the intrigue, it did not mine 5 years ago lol. We became " normal" after this branch lol

Absolutely fascinating. Who on earth would want to be "normal" with a wonderful bunch of stories like this in your background. I read every word and was mesmerized. How lucky you are to know so much. I would give anything to know that much about my family in any branch in that time period.

As to your "grandmother" saying she did not want him dug up for display.....if you check some of the really old stories about outlaws..they were known to be killed, and I hope embalmed and dragged around the country side...sometimes sold to carnivals so folks could see the evil so 'n so. I can't give you names right of the top of my head...but somewhere around this computer I have a book on the old west that has photos of some of them. And if I am not mistaken I think Bonnie and Clyde were put on display for several days while people filed past to look at them.
I'm sure there is someone out there on this list who knows about this as well.
But it would be my guess that was what she meant and wanted to avoid.

Steph

Thanks Steph that makes since now. I did not know that they did that.

December is ending...who's up next?

Click to view attachment

Here ya go, this is Florence Ruth Dews Bowen, my grandmother. She was born in 1904 and died in 1996. Her father died when she was barely 3 years old. Her mother lived an interesting and long life, had 5 husbands, and she died in 1949.

Here is a bit from Florence's bio, which I wrote:

"Florence lived her life as an independent woman in a time that the norm was the housewife who was more interested in clean floors and wax build-up. She loved fashion and worked in retail sales most of her life. She had a "career" before it was fashionable or necessary for a woman to do so. When she was first married she had to keep that fact a secrete from her employer so that she could continue to work. She only revealed her marriage when she found herself pregnant and was forced to tell both her family and her employer.

Florence owned several lady's sporting goods clothing stores. One was in Great Bridge, Virginia (near Norfolk and now incorporated into the independent city of Chesapeake). The other was in Nags Head, North Carolina, on the Outer Banks. Florence came to love the Outer Banks with a passion even through many trials and tribulations, including, but not limited to hurricanes. One of those hurricanes destroyed her clothing store, burning it to the ground, while she watched from her safe haven down the road. The store was a total loss and she never reopened another."

Great story! Sad that she lost her store.

How old was she when the store burned? Did she stay in Nags Head after that.
Beautiful woman.

Steph

Florence was about 58 when the store burned down. She never really left the Outer Banks, she went to work for the Galleon, a grand store, sadly, no longer there. She had such loyal customers from her years at Rice's in Norfolk, that they would drive down to the beach (err, Nags Head) to get her to "dress" them.

She died in Nags Head, Dare County, North Carolina in 1996. She had lived in a nursing home there for a number of years.

Her story of the burning of the story is recounted in a book on the Ash Wednesday Storm, a book by that name was written by David Stick, with photos of the storm damage by Aycock Brown, these few words, kinda tell it all:
"The water level rose rapidly in the first floor of the Oneto house, and Julian herded everyone upstairs, taking with them whatever of value they were able to carry. They hung a sheet out a west window, following Coast Guard instructions picked up on Julian's battery-operated radio. Florence Bowen sat by a window, looking out at her Sportswear Shop, engulfed by a flood. Then, suddenly, she saw smoke coming out of the shop, and for something like three hours all they could do was sit there and watch as the Nags Head Sportswear Shop, looking like an oasis in a salt-water sea, slowly burned down to the water's edge."

This is my Grandmother's father.

This is my great grandfather John (Jorgen) Duus Lorentzen and great grandmother Eleanor. They came to America from Germany/Denmark to Iowa in 1867. This picture is them on their 50th wedding anniversary.

My picture did not show up and I am not sure why can anyone help me with it.

when you browse to the attachment you have to hit the upload button and make sure box above it reads manage attachments (1) then hit the add reply button and the file has to be less than 2mb

Thanks it says it is 687kb.

if its still not working for you...email me the pic and I'll add it to you post

shanifaye@gmail.com

here ya go, I enlarged the pic I hope that is ok.

Thanks I will do that

I believe that I posted this story before and maybe this photo too cant remember right now. But here it all is together. Mother Mollie (Hancock) Calvin standing died 3 days after the train accident, Elsie Amanda Calvin (standing in front of Mollie) was trapped in the train car as it flooded and drowned. Father Perry David Calvin , Oma Missouri Calvin (standing in front of Perry) and Margaret Evelyn Calvin sitting on Perry's lap all survived. Baby Vernon David Calvin was not born yet in the photo, but was age 3 yrs when he died. He also was trapped in the train car and drowned. My Mom said he was still holding his teddy bear when they found him. My grandma teold the story only a few times, it was a hard thing to remember and talk about. Grandma said Elsie the oldest (Age 13) and herself (age 8 or 9) were the best swimmers so their dad told Elsie to get the Baby Vernon out, Grandma was to help the middle sister Margaret and he was to help their Mom (who was a bit sickly). Grandma and Margaret made it out and it took some time but Perry and wife Mollie broke a window and made it out but the oldest and youngest did not. Perry suffered cuts over his face and upper body. The two girls were unhurt. Mollie went to the hospital and Perry borded another train and brought both his deceased and living children home. He was informed when he arrived home that his wife Mollie had passed also. Perry David never remarried and raised his two remaining daughters alone. Both girls remained with their father well into their mid 20's when they married.

Tragedy & Heroism: 1914 Frisco Wreck Kills 28, Injures 93

By Kirk Pearce

The Frisco train wreck of Sept. 15, 1914, was noted as one of the most tragic accidents ever in Laclede County. Twenty-seven passengers were drowned, 93 were injured, and a number narrowly escaped injury or death.

This "natural disaster'' occurred west of Brush Creek on the old Humbert farm.

It was reported that the day the westbound train left the Lebanon station was dark, gloomy, rainy and foreboding.

The No. 5 train due at the Lebanon depot at 1:37 a.m. was nearly an hour late, and the wreck occurred about 2:30 a.m.

A cloudburst brought a 7-inch rain within a few minutes. Heavy rain had fallen the day before. The unusual amount of rainfall made a raging 100-yard-wide stream of a dry creek. The small creek became a rushing river, and the torrent washed out 250 feet of the Frisco roadbed.

A Frisco train engine, two mail cars, smoker and part of another car plunged into the swirling water. Two Pullman cars remained on the track. The engineer was one of the victims. When the water receded, his body was recovered from a wire fence where it was lodged.

The chair car was full of people, most of them asleep, and they were caged and drowned, many never awakening.

The late Walter Hiland, who lived in the Oakland area of Laclede County, was one of the survivors. A school teacher at New Braunfels, Texas, he had been visiting his mother and stepfather. He said the tragedy was an "act of God'' and, as such, was not considered a blot on the remarkable safety record of the Frisco.

"I can still hear the agonizing death screams of those unfortunate trapped men, women and children, as the front end of the coach careened over its side into a raging torrent," he recalled in 1954.

"At our end of the coach it was a wild bedlam-like scramble for self-preservation. Then like the snap of an electric switch we were plunged into pitch-black darkness and the tomb-like silence as the flood-like waters rushed in and claimed their own. We the fortunate, still fearful and more or less dazed, prayerfully clung to the small exposed space on the end of the coach.''

Hiland's account was that there was no letup in the fury of the storm and that the rain fell in sheets.

"The lapping waters still seemed to be on the rise and no one could tell what the next moment might bring," he reported. "Then came the restlessness and the heart-rendering weeping of those who missed their loved ones. There only a few feet away on the railroad track leading back to Lebanon stood the front Pullman intact. Here was hope. The occupants would soon know of our plight and give the alarm.''

He said that immediate release was impossible since the rushing waters were at their worst. The first attempt to rescue was by means of a rope.

An alarm was sent to the Frisco Depot in Lebanon by Mr. Humbert, whose house was located 200 yards away from the wreck. The Frisco quickly sent a relief crew.

By daylight, water was low enough to be bridged from the bank by a ladder, and the survivors were carried hurriedly back to Lebanon and taken to Clark Brothers' big store where they were fitted into new clothing.

The injured were brought to Lebanon and taken care of, and the drowned bodies were taken from the car by volunteer workers. Bodies also were found downstream. The body of a baby washed downstream several miles was later recovered near the Williams pond.

A trained nurse on staff, Mona Campbell, escaped from the chair car and helped people escape. She helped look after the injured and assisted the undertakers to prepare the drowned bodies for burial.

James A. Laughlin, a conductor on the wrecked train who crawled out of the chair car, stated that he saw men sacrifice their lives in helping women and children out.

It was reported that Engineer O'Brien saw nothing wrong with the track and that he did not know anything was wrong until he struck the weak place on the track. When he applied the emergency brake and stopped the train, the track skewed off into the rushing water.

Four sleeping cars remained on the track, their passengers uninjured.

The Brush Creek Store and Post Office was a busy place the day of the tragedy and during cleanup. Ed Speakman, store owner and postmaster, woke his family very early, saying he needed help at the store because there had been a terrible train wreck, and some of the survivors and the rescuers were hungry.

His daughter, the late Edith Moye, who was the Brush Creek and Dry and Dusty correspondent for the Lebanon Rustic-Republican for 76 years, said her mother went back to the house and starting making pans of biscuits and Edith went to the cookstove and started frying ham, bacon, sausage and eggs. She had the help of the brakeman and porter from the train. Edith's sister Blanche and her husband helped set the table and serve some of the food as did their sister Jolly. It wasn't long before the food was gone and the neighbors began bringing in food. Ed Speakman bought more bacon and eggs from them. The feeding went on most of the day, and the people were so happy to get something to eat, in some cases they paid more than they should have.

Within a week all the bodies from the wreck had been accounted for.

The cars that were in the wreck were raised out of the ditch and brought to Lebanon, where they stood in the yards for several days.

After the wreck, a member of the Missouri State Public Service Commission came to look over the situation, and an investigation of the catastrophe was held. All evidence showed that no blame could be attached to anyone for the accident.

G.W. Turner, who had worked for Frisco more than 40 years in 1914, stated that the only previous time the track was flooded at the place of the wreck was in 1876. F.G. Jonah, chief engineer of the Frisco, stated that it would be impossible to construct a track that could withstand such a body of water as caused the washout.



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28 perish in 1914 train wreck

Those who perished in the 1914 Frisco train wreck in Laclede County included:

Daisy Perry and her 6-year-old son, Paul, of Muscatine, Iowa

W.W. Naylor of Springfield

Elsie Calvin, 13, and her brother, Vernon, 3, of Rumley, Ark. Their mother was pulled from the train but became ill and died of pneumonia in Springfield three days later.

Elizabeth Rosetter of Alliance, Ohio

Henry Wagoner of St. Louis

Mrs. John Myers and her daughter, Leona, of Thayer

August Wettner of St. Louis

Mrs. G.M. Ransdell, her daughter, Geraldine, and son, George Jr., of Springfield

Mrs. Edward Volk and her 18-month-old infant

E.L. Walrath of Birmingham, Mich

Nellie Hatfield of Springfield

James H. Stogsdill of Springfield

Ed E. Young of Alton

Polly Hammond of Forsyth

Leah Thom of Noblesville, Ind.

Mary Brown of Busch, Ark.

C. Neale of Ketchem, Okla.

George Coxey of Green Forest, Ark.

W.A. Childers of Clever

Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Newkirk of Hannibal

Thank you so much for posting the story and the picture of that beautiful, tragic family. This is the kind of thing Shannon has been trying to encourage. Everyone out there knows something about something that the rest of us either know nothing about or have only heard in passing. Most genealogy buffs are history nuts as well.....I absorb stuff like this like a sponge. What a great read.
Thanks again for this,

Steph

Here is the only ,that we know of, photo of little Vernon David Calvin. Unsure of the photo date, but safe to say since he was just 3 when he died that hes in the 2-3 yr range. His mother Mollie (Hancock) Calvin was just 32 years old when she died. All lost were much too young! Also I have added a photo of the original news paper with photo of wreck that I found along with the story above. I believe the story was in a special edition paper from awhile back. I just happened to find it online...WHAT A LUCKY FIND!

That story was a lucky find and you are lucky for having pictures. There is nothing in my family that old. Mama's home burned when she was 3--back in the 30's and everything went with it.
For some unknown reason when my father's parents moved to NC they left all their "stuff" in the care of a friend with the intent of getting it at a later date....I'm guessing there were no moving companies then...or something....anyway....the friend sold their place and left all my family stuff behind. Somewhere out there floats my family history. Sniff sniff sob sob

STeph

Just thought I'd share a new picture that I recieved. It is of my gggrandparents and the whole gang. My gggrandparents are Clarence Jerome Kempton and Alice Elizabeth Bottomley. The tallest son is my ggrandfather Donald Ivan Kempton. Clarence was born in Cowley county, Kansas on 25 Aug 1878. He died on 14 Dec 1959. Alice was born 04 Feb 1879 in Marshall Town, IA and died 16 Aug 1959. I don't have much to tell about my family (as I've said before, it's a secret even from me) but I do know that Alice's parents were both born in England. William, Alice's dad, immigrated to the U.S. on 23 Apr 1860 then joined the Civil War in Company F, 1st Minn. Heavy Artillary on 13 Feb 1865. It just amazed me that he was "new" to America when he joined in our fight. Admirable, but why?

Click to view attachment

I don't recall ever knowing my ggrandfather, Donald Ivan Kempton, but did have the honor of knowing his brother Philip (second to the youngest). My dad had us moving all the time and one time we moved to the big town of Nowata, OK. (don't blink you might miss a turn and town.) My step-brother had a girl in his class with the last name of Kempton. So we got to researching and asking questions back and forth and found out that we were related and how. (See told you we don't talk about our family) Uncle Phil and his wife Ruth were great people. They were our adopted grandparents for a while.

Oh, I guess I ought to tell who else is in the picture. Okay here you go.
Back row is Clarence Jerome (with hat in hand) Daniel, Donald Ivan.
Middle row is Madge, Helen, Cleo, Hilard and Alice Elizabeth
Front row is Calvin, Philip, Joyce.

I hope this works now this is my grandmother's father and family

Donna,
And how excited were you to get a picture of the whole group??? And it is so nice and clear.
It sure would be interesting to know why William joined up...that was pretty late in the war...I too, wonder what motivated him.

Somehow you will find your family....person by person. And knowing the siblings is sometimes the biggest help. you'd be surprised which of their children might have a clipping stuck in a family Bible that will answer all your questions. We had one come up recently that traced on line back to 1794..what an unexpected treat that was!!!!!

Here is a picture of my great great grandfather Edward Robertson

And your grandfather 's name would be????? IS this Clarence Kempton? You are so lucky. I'd give anything to have pictures of my family like this. So much of our stuff burned when Mama was 3...I only have a few that kind family members took pity on us and gave us.

Steph

Wow, Gerri, this is indeed an interesting background!

I am a tad curious though, as you stated that your ggg grandfather was Josiah S.... but the jpg image is named... Joseph S. ?

My Dad was once arrested and detained because supposedly he had the exact same head dimensions (apparently a 'new csi technique of the day... heeheee)... of some gangster... (I think Pretty Boy Floyd, but not positive)... that was on the run... I will have to get more details on that one if I can... and my Dad was a rebel of sorts... a yankee variety... which just goes to show that all of our roots have "curiousities or worse" ... though historically "prudence" seems to "prune" or "purge completely" those "petals" of "peculiarity"... not only from publicity, but often even from family lore... So I totally agree with Shanifaye.... you are sooooo lucky to have these details!

Is there any news as to what sparked your Morrison's anger with the Taylor?