Pictures

      Since I've been back from the reunion, I've done very little research and almost no posting.  It's time to get back into family research. 
      My cousin sent me some family photos to share with you.  Thank-you, Cousin.


My grandfather, Earl McIntyre and his first wife,
Ada Mann McIntyre, 1916
 

     

Amon, Calvin, and Phyllis.
Calvin was the firstborn child of Earl and Nancy Belle.
He was born in April of 1923 and died when he was
just a year


 



Grandma Nancy Belle, Aunt Hazel, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa
Watters (Adeline and James)

Baby's Little Shoe

      We've all done "This Little Piggy" on our children's toes, but Grandma Belle had another rhyme for little feet.  My mother learned it from her and taught it to me.  I  quoted it to my children and grandchildren. I've never seen it in a book or found anyone else who knew it.  The original source is unknown; a web search turned up no matches, so I'm going to publish it here as another unique part of our history.



I put the rhyme on this graphic taken from an old baby book.

Uniquely Mac

      It was a joy to spend some time with all of you at reunion.  I wonder exactly how many there have been? The picture used as the header for this page was taken at an early reunion, the one that celebrated Earl and Belle's 25th anniversary in 1947.  So, the history of our reunions go back at least 65 years.  And here you thought, you were just enjoying good conversation and hiking, when in truth, those of you who attended were continuing a longstanding tradition.
      During my childhood in the 50's and 60's, reunions were held yearly on family farms near Moorhead, IA.  Every Memorial Day started as we gathered five gallon buckets full of peonies and irises and headed down dusty back roads to Spring Valley Cemetery. Mom showed us the family plot with the fence around it along with the little grave belonging to her brother, Calvin. After our personal history lesson, we joined sundry aunts, uncles, and 2nd cousins once removed for the potluck dinner at Rowena Lamb's or at Westin and Theressa Taylor's. Mom made a big pot of baked beans every year and crowded on the table would also be deviled eggs, potato salad, and that lime jello concoction with marshmallows, pineapple, and whipped cream. The conversation was good; the sense of belonging somewhere even better.
      When I go to the MacIntyre reunions, I observe things that we have in common.  Along with the genetic components that seem to give us white hair and waistlines that expand easily, cutthroat cribbage games must also be part of our DNA. Okay, perhaps that trait is environmental, but everytime we get together someone pulls out that deck of cards.  At the age of six or so , Grandpa Earl sat me down with a deck of cards and his folding cribbage board (I think one of my uncles made it in a high school woodworking class). During the course of the next few days, we drilled every possible combination of fifteen. So, while some of you younger family members may not realize it, the McIntyres have passed the love of the game through the generations.

1956 Reunion in Moorhead.
I'm the little girl second from left in the front.  My feet are in the air.

As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.

Socrates

    Researching family history has taught me that I can prove almost nothing.  I'm thankful that the McIntyres have been proud of their heritage and kept written records.  Without these, it would have been hopeless.  Today,  I'm pondering another puzzle, one that I may have unraveled, but short of exhuming bodies and checking dna, I can't verify the solution.

     Through genweb (it may be a proper noun, but it usually starts with a small "g") for Scott County, TN, I found a death record for Great Grandma Sallie Sexton Watters stating that she died December 8, 1903. Since the website also had lists from most of the cemeteries in the county, I figured I would find her grave.  Despite hours of searching, I found nothing.  However, on findagrave.com, there was a comment about the fact that there were two graves at Marcum Cemetery for Sallie's mother, Nancy Phillips Sexton. So, at this point,  Nancy had two graves and Sallie had none. While going through family papers, I came upon this little snippet:

     Now, it makes sense. Findagrave.com has headstones for Nancy on plot #2 and #6. Someone assumed Nancy was buried next to her husband, Christopher Columbus, and put a stone there.  I think that when C.C. died, the family bought a plot for Nancy, too.  However, when Sallie died unexpectedly in 1903, she was buried there and another plot three spaces down was later bought for Nancy.   It makes sense, thanks to some unknown McIntyre's record-keeping.

      The writing that says "children of Joe & Lourani Buttram," looks somewhat like my mother's writing, but the "Sally Watters, 1875" is unfamiliar.  Does anyone recognize the writing or know the source of this information? With the help of a couple online friends, we may be able to come one step closer to actually "proving" what happened.

-Cheri

Mary Lynn Newport Waters

      Nancy Belle's father was James H. Watters.  Her paternal grandparents were Marion Waters and Mary Lynn Newport. Though her father was a York, Mary Lynn used Newport on her marriage license to Marion.   
      This research is not mine, but it has more information than I have found elsewhere.   . Thelma May Weber who compiled this information was married to Olive Phillips' son. Mom remembers meeting Olive. Most of this is about daughters from Mary Lynn's second marriage to Elijah Phillips.  Our ancestor is her first husband, Marion Waters, but there are several pieces of information that pertain to us.  Mary Lynn was a redhead.  There seem to be quite a few in the  family.  Also,  Mary Lynn was a cousin of Alvin York.  Am I the only one who remembers that old movie about SGT York? Once again, brackets [ ] are mine, parantheses ( ) are Thelma May Weber's.

     I added a copy of the 1880 census and a marriage record.
    
      Mary Lynn York (daughter of York and Nancy Jane Newport) was born in Near Oneida, Scott County, Tennessee, and died date unknown. She married [2] Elijah Freeman Phillips. She married [1] Marion Waters on Abt. 1876.


Notes for Mary Lynn York:


Mary Lynn York had red hair (Irish)


      She was the youngest daughter of ________ [Andrew?] York and Nancy Jane Newport York. One of Mr. York's brothers, William York, was the father of Sergeant. Alvin York, the World War I hero. Nancy Jane's father-in-law was Uriah York.


      In 1907, Elijah Phillips' sister, Vinnie (Phillips) Steven moved to Coweta, Indian Territory, (later to become the State of Oklahoma). She wrote her brother that living in Coweta was so much better than it was in Tennessee. Times had become very hard for people in the latter state. After the Civil War, work was scarce. Therefore, in 1909, Elijah and Mary Lynn (York) Phillips boarded a train and brought their family to Indian Territory. Elijah farmed and worked in the cotton fields. Mary Lynn, besides her regular duties as a housewife and mother, spent many hours clipping newspaper articles about her famous cousin, Alvin York.
     The three girls Flora, Edith (Georgia) and Olive, remember many trips to town, riding with their mother on one horse while their father walked beside them. They remember talking and laughing and having a good time. The girls were very close and olive relates the times that Flora saved her life. The first was in Tennessee. They were walking on stones to cross a creek when Olive fell in. Being quite small at the time and the water being so deep she was unable to gain her footing. One of the other children was their but could not help. They called to Flora, who came running and pulled her out.
      The second rescue took place near Coweta, Oklahoma. The family had rented a house, but the family living there had not vacated and so Elijah's family was living with his sister's/ The girls were gathering hickory nuts and were fascinated with them because they did not have any where they lived in Tennessee. The pasture near the wooded area had been burned to prepare for the new growth. This use to be a common practice of farmers in former years. Olive was told to stay in a certain place, which she did. She commented to one of the girls with her that her back was getting very warm. The girl saw the fire and called Flora. Flora smothered the flames with her hands. Flora remembers her hands were badly burned and the only relief she could get was holding them up to the cold February wind.


More About Mary Lynn York and Marion Waters:


Death of one spouse: Abt. 1883


Marriage: Abt. 1876






Children of Mary Lynn York and Elijah Freeman Phillips are:
+George Washington Phillips, b. August 15, 1885, d. date unknown.
+Thomas Alvie Phillips, b. September 20, 1887, d. date unknown.
+William Franklin Phillips, b. July 19, 1890, d. Abt. 1893.
+Phelan Louis Phillips, b. July 19, 1892, d. date unknown.
+Hubert Delmar Phillips, b. June 26, 1895, d. 1962.
+Flora Jane Phillips, b. October 24, 1897, Tennessee10, d. date unknown. Bitsy Ester Phillips, b. October 20, 1899, d. June 1901.
+Georgia Edith Phillips, b. November 23, 1901, d. May 1982.
+Olive Belle Phillips, b. May 12, 1904, Tennessee, d. February 28, 1997, San Antonio, Texas.


Children of Mary Lynn York and Marion Waters are:
+Eldora Waters, b. April 18, 1876, d. date unknown. [1876-1947]
+James H. Waters, b. February 27, 1878, Tennessee, d. date unknown, Oklahoma. [1878-1960.  Died in  Grants Pass, Oregon]
+John Waters, b. June 19, 1880, d. date unknown. [1880-?]
+Barney Waters, b. November 8, 1882, d. date unknown. [1882-1952. Died in Siskyou County, CA]


http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/e/b/Thelma-Weber-CA/WEBSI TE-0001/UHP-1188.html


Source:Thelma May Nelson (daughter of Ralph Arthur Nelson and Ruby* Irene Wonser). She married (1) O.B. Ray II, son of Oliver Bealer Ray and Olive Belle Phillips. She married (2) Robert Cornelius Weber.

Emaline Purcell

      I noticed that it's been a month since I last posted.  I have been collecting information, trying to sort the Fry family and the Stewart family histories.   I've gathered plenty to read, but still haven't been able to add much to the letter from the last post. There are bits and pieces that I need to unravel and hopefully, will be able to make a coherent post, but not tonight.  It's been too long since I've written anything, so tonight, I will pass along some good photos and a little information about the Purcells. (The name Purcell comes from the same root as the English word pork and means, you guessed it, "little pig." Those historians who are kind say that the name probably denotes an occupation of swine-herder or that it may have been used at times as an affectionate name.   Personally, "pig" isn't something I want to hear from my loved ones.)
    

    The Purcell history is easy to trace to Ireland.  An internet search will even produce a picture of the family castle. Here's the link if you want to do a little study:  funks.net/genealogy/Purcell/Purcell_FamilyHistory.htm

The John Parcell who was married to Judith Ytie Jans on this page was ggggg grandfather to Emaline Purcell (Earl's maternal grandmother).

     Earl's mother was Ella Ann Adams.  Various sources say her name was Ellan or Ellen Ann, but family records all say Ella Ann.  Ella Ann's parents were Joseph A. Adams and Emeline (Emaline) Purcell Adams. A family document tells a little of Emeline's history.  It is a surprise to find a information about a female ancestor for a change.



Emeline is in front, 2nd from left in plaid.

        I know some of you have seen the above family history, so it's about time that I present something new. These are not the best photos, but they are the first I've come across for Emeline and her family.

Emeline is far right in front row.

Below is my transcription of the letter in the previous post.  For the most part, I copied it without change, though I must admit I changed the abbreviations for the states.  There was a transcription in Mom's paperwork, that I scanned.  Since a copy of a copy can be difficult to read, I re-typed. --Cheri

James Stuart was a descendant of royal Stuart family of Scotland.

Vincenth Fry’s wife’s maiden name was Moss. He was born near Salisbury, North Carolina in Rowan Co. of German descent. Rowan Co. has since been divided into 30 counties, some are in VA and TN as well as NC. Their children were David, Peter, Daniel, Wm., James, Hannah, Emira, Elizabeth, Jane.

In 1953, Ed Fry was at Salisbury, NC for 2 days looking up records of the Fry family at the Court House. He found 2 real estate deals by Vincenth Fry and a will of Peter Fry. The deed would give certain trees or springs as the boundary lines. The David Fry Family moved from NC and KY to IN about 1822. In 1837, they moved to MO where they lived 2 years, then went to IL till 1840 when they moved to Lee County, IA. They lived in Lee Co. till 1848, then went to Appanoose Co., IA. Then, in 1850, they moved to Mills Co., IA. Lived there 3 years and came to Harrison Co. [IA] Feb. 1853. The John McIntyre family came at same time but later moved to Monona Co. [IA]. David Frys moved to KN 1867-1872. Returned to Harrison Co. 1872 and lived there till their deaths. Both are buried in Biglers Grove Cemetery.

Their children:

1. Myra (Elmyra) born in Greene Co., IN, May 12, 1824, died June 12, 1905 in California. She married John McIntyre who was born July 4, 1823, died February 5, 1902. John was an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He and Myra moved with the group who settled at Preparation, IA. Later, they moved near the David Fry homestead near or in Bigler’s Grove, 4 miles west of Woodbine [IA].

John was an efficient worker in wood and iron and a builder of many log houses. Both were honest, honorable, and hard working. Both are buried in Bigler’s Grove Cemetery.

2. Sarah, born in 1826, died before 1860, married John Holeton. He died before 1860. Buried at Bigler’s Grove [IA]. 4 children.

3. Mary Ann-born 1828, died 1902, married 3 times, James Bowes, Wm. Palmer-one of three daughters, Rose, married Geo. Bunnell. Their daughter, Rosamond [was] wife of Wallace Smith, [former] president of R.L.D.S. Church. Geo. Headlee or Headley was her (Mary Ann’s) first husband. She had 15 children in all. I [who?] have their names and some of their mates and children’s names.

4. Elizabeth, born Mar. 29, 1830, married Lewis Coon, born May 29, 1820. Were parents of 11 children, only 4 of whom lived to age of 30. Both are buried at Silver Hill Cemetery, 4 miles north of Logan [IA].

5. Jane or Amanda Jane, born 1832, died Mar. 16, 1902. She was married twice, first to Ansylum Coon who died in 1859, leaving 2 daughters. She later married James Headlee. She is buried at Bigler’s Grove [IA].

6. Amon, born Aug. 13, 1834, married Mary Ann McKenzie, Jan. 21. 1864. Had 11 children, 5 of whom grew to maturity. He died in 1906, she in 1915. Buried in Bigler’s Grove Cem.
7. Joseph V., Mar. 9, 1837, died 1901. He was the only one of the children who wasn’t a member of the church. He was blessed as a baby by Joseph Smith, Jr., and given his name. Burial Bigler’s Grove [IA].

8. Nathan 1839-died in infancy.
9. Hyrum, born Jan. 22, 1841, died in 1922, married Jane Craig in KN. They had 2 children, both died in infancy in Bigler’s Grove [IA]. She later returned to KN. He went to CA and died and was buried there.
10. Vesta, b. May 10, 1844. Married twice, Wm. Craig and Wm. Waiters. Lived much of adult life in CA. Buried there.

Children of John and Myra McIntyre:

Joseph Menassah, b. , died Sept. 15, 1943 in Coalinga, CA

Amon

Geo. Edward

Janey Bowerman

Edna Trimble

Alvin

Wm. Henry

David

James Nelson

Thomas Jefferson

John Richard

John R. McIntyre’s maternal grandfather, Jacob Hittle was born in PA of German descent. During the Revolutionary War, he fought under Gen. Washington in several battles. He died in 1835 at age of 95. Uncle John came to Iowa to Appanoose Co., 1848. He married Elmyra Fry, Aug. 29, 1843. In 1850, they came to Mills Co., IN. 1853 to Harrison Co., and Monona in 1878. He died Feb. 5, 1902.

Earl--

I hope this agrees with what you have, if not maybe someone can correct it. The material is mostly from my mother’s and Uncle Ed’s writings.

Mary Foutch

P.S. I forgot to include Hyrum Fry was blessed by Hyrum Smith who gave him the name of Hyrum.



Earl McIntyre's paternal grandmother was Elmyra Fry, wife of John R. McIntyre.  She was the daughter of David Fry and Dorothy Stewart. Dorothy was a direct descendent of royalty, but that's not tonight's post.  Later.  My first post consists of the scan of a 1970 letter sent to Grandpa Earl by Mary Foutch.  From the context, Mary seems to be a cousin.

Christopher Sexton

      Christopher Columbus Sexton was Nancy Belle's grandfather.  Her cousin, Letcher Sexton, told his family's story to his sister, Edrie Huff in 1979, who recorded the account.  It was transcribed and published in the Spring, 1986 issue of the Scott County (Tennessee) Historical Society Newsletter. The entire account is posted as "Early Days on Paint Rock: An Oral History."     You can read the entire article at www.tngenweb.org/scott/fnb_v3n1_oral_history.htm


    Recently, I was ignoring a show on the television.  I can't tell you the name, or even what channel it was on.  One statement caught my attention:  mini-balls caused many deaths in the Civil War. It was at that point that I realized the Christopher had been severely injured during the war.  He carried a mini-ball in his leg until the end of his life.  I had thought "mini," no big deal, but apparently, it was.  Then, I started wondering how the war had affected Sexton.  A portion of the "Oral History" may give us a clue.  On the bottom of the seventh page of part two, Letcher tells of a rather strange encounter with his grandfather:


     I think I’ll tell about a visit that Grandpa CHRIS SEXTON made to our homeplace on Paint Rock. At the time, I was around five or six years old. My grandpa came walking up through the field with his walking stick — I was playing outside — and I ran down to meet him. Well, he was giving me a look-over, didn’t say anything, just kept right on walking. Come on up to the house, went up on the porch, saw a chair and went on over and sat down in it. Mother came out and they greeted one another with a few words. Mother asked him if he wanted anything to drink, and if he wanted anything to eat.


      "No, no."

     And she looked kind of funny.

      And he said, "I just needed a little walk and I thought I'd walk down here and see how the family was along I’ll be going in a few minutes."

     And directly he kind of perked up and said, "How ‘bout taking him with me?"

     Mother said, "Alright," as far as she knew.

    He said, "Alright, get him ready."

     So, she got me ready and he stuck his finger down in a few minutes and come off the porch with him. We walked on until we come to a fence about 100 yards from the house that we had to go through to follow the old wagon road that went up through Paint Rock, where we could get on the railroad and continue walking toward Tunnel Hill.
       "No, I just want to rest a few minutes."     "Won’t you come into the house?"


      "Won’t you come into the house?"


       "No, I just want to rest a few minutes."


       And she looked kind of funny.


      And he said, "I just needed a little walk and I thought I'd walk down here and see how the family was along I’ll be going in a few minutes."


     And directly he kind of perked up and said, "How ‘bout taking him with me?"


     Mother said, "Alright," as far as she knew.


     He said, "Alright, get him ready."


I'm not sure where this was taken, it was in with
some old family photos. I don't know who took
 it.  The caption at the bottom reads,  "Wrecking
 Crew" and a date.

        Now, he hardly said a word and I turned the finger loose and continued to jog along beside him. We got on up through Paint Rock a little ways and we-came to what was called a rock cut, and there the water was gushing out and there was a tin cup sitting by it and he picked up the cup, took a drink of water himself, caught another cut and give me a drink of water and I wondered why he didn’t give me a drink of water first. And the only answer I could figure out was, if it’s good enough for me it ought to be good enough for you. I’ve tested it and it ought to be safe enough for you. So, we drank the water and he emptied the cup and sat it back and started just a little farther and the section foreman of the railroad maintenance crew was tamping the ties at the upper end of the cut. And, as soon as we got up with them, GEORGE SHARP seemed mighty happy to see grandpa and they talked a minute or so — George did most of the talking —and then he looked over at his crew and he said, "Put your tools on and set it on." Then he picked me up and set me on (the section car) with the tools. Then he told the men we’d go up to Tunnel Hill, he had a little job that needed to be done up there. And that was about three quarters of a mile, partially upgrade all the way to Tunnel Hill. So, grandpa and GEORGE SHARP, the foreman, walked back behind and I couldn’t hear what they said. But I was rather amused to get to ride on this section tool car. There was four men and they just pushed you.., and, finally, we arrived at the entrance to the tunnel.


      GEORGE came over and put me off, then he said to the men, "Set her off." They picked it up, one at each corner, set if off at the side of the track. Then he said, "Bring your tools and fix this track along here." And while they were doing that, grandpa stuck his finger down to give me the sign that I should go with him. He took a little path along the right side of the road that went on up the side of the tunnel and up to a ridge road at the top of the tunnel that led westward. So, we followed on up to this ridge road to kind of a haul road, a wagon haul road, and we followed on across the hill, climbing a little higher and higher.

     We got all the way to the top just before we turned down a little bit, to come down to the brow from which we could look down on the CHRIS SEXTON farm. He had 109 acres there and partially cleared with some fields in the valley and some fields on some ridges. And he had a pasture and a meadow and fields for corn and fields for hay, and all that I could see down there. But what interested me more was looking down on the barn and seeing all those guinnies and turkeys and geese and pigs and the cows and the calves all running around. Then I looked down a little farther to the right in a hollow to the right of the house and there was a colt and a mare and a mule and another kind of bayish colored animal, horse. And looked toward the house and there was apple trees all along, and a paling fence along the side. And I know today that there was about two acres reserved along that paling fence for his garden area. And then right between the house and the garden was a great big top of a barn. And over to the left was a big feed shed and another shed. On down was the house, a great big double loghouse, quite long and it had a big long porch along the right hand side. And on the left hand side of the logs an enclosed area that might have been a porch that was now used for a kitchen.

      Anyway, grandpa and I went on down this hill and down past the barn and through the gate and on past the well and around into the house. Of course, at that time, there was my grandma, Aunt MARTHA, and WINNIE, and MANDY and Aunt SALLY still at home. I was kindly restless and wanted to look around. And Aunt WINNIE took me to walk around the house. And they had flowers in little beds all along the front of the house. We walked on around past the smokehouse, looked over at the big cedar tree at the back of the bow of the hill. Under there was a bird with a long tail, the longest tail that I’d ever remembered seeing. And that was, Aunt WINNIE said, the old peacock.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 3, No. 2 – Winter 1992

First National Bank

P.O. Box 4699

Oneida, TN 37841

(p5-7)

   

Unknown (Or At Least Unsure) Photos

       There are several photos that I can't identify.  A distant cousin, a sweet lady, sent me some photos in hopes that we (the McIntyres) might be able to put some names with the faces.  Her relatives also include the Cecils, who are not related to us. Some of these may be Cecils. I'll post a few now.  I think I have the one family identified; see if you agree.

   

Martha Sexton Crain
b. 1848, d. 1923

      This is Martha Sexton Crain, born in 1848, died 1923, sister to my gg grandfather, Christopher Columbus Sexton. As I've been looking at these for the last few months, I've noticed that:

1.  She has a lot of hair

2. That her hair sweeps from her left to her right

3. She has high cheekbones

4. Slightly probtruding earlobes

5. Her face is triangular, wider at the top, more narrow chin

6. Her mouth is large

7. She is wearing a collar that covers her neck

8. Her hair is light. Most likely gray or blonde.

9. A little research shows that she had three daughter, Savannah, Laura, and Salina

I have one more photo identified as Martha Crain in which she looks almost identical.



        I think this is the same person. She has the triangular face, hair that sweeps from her left to right. The ears and mouth also look right to me.   If it is Martha, then, my guess is that this is husband, William Crain, and the three daughters

   Sallie Sexton's brother and sisters are featured in several portraits along with their mother, Nancy V. Phillips Sexton.  I have seen only one poor quality photo of Christopher Columbus. Starting with the known, there is this photo.

And then, there is this one:

Bottom Left to Right: James William Truesdale "Bill" Sexton
and Caswell Sexton
Two Sisters in Back Row

     Personally, I wonder if these could be spouses instead of sisters, the pose makes me wonder. Does anyone know who they are?

   I'll post more unknown photos another day.

--Cheri

A Little More in the Same Vein





  

     This was in the same pile as the RLDS Church Directory that was in the last post.  If you look directly above the "IA" in the caption, there is a large box.  I happened to zoom on that part of the photo and this is what I found: 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               


      The sign on the side says "gasolene," so it must be an early gas pump.  I have never seen anything similar.  I wonder how many cars were in Moorhead, IA during the second decade of the twentieth century. Were the farmers using tractors and others gas-powered equipment? 

      Along with the ad for the McIntyre Drugstore, I'm reposting the fan.  Here's a little piece of ephemera, designed to be thrown away, but instead stuck in a drawer.  It amazes me that a piece of cheap paper has survived so long. 



      

1910 RLDS Directory











       I found this directory among some family photos.  Moorhead is a tiny town in Monona County, IA  northeast of Omaha, NE.  The early histories of Monona and Harrison Counties list the McIntyres, the Frys, the Adams, and the Manns.  All are related to us. 





A. (Ammon) McIntyre was Grandpa Earl Mc's father who is listed on this page as the Presiding Teacher of the church.  The clerk was Mrs. Perry Mann.  Louella Wilson Mann married Ammon after the deaths of their respective spouses.  My mother and her siblings referred to her as "Grandma Lou."

  




      In an earlier post, I stated that the McIntyres were back in Iowa by 1910.  Here is the ad for the drugstore and in the following pages, the family members are named as members of the church.





      Even if my surname was Outhouse, I don't think I would use it as the name for my real estate business, and  I also don't think the slogan would be "Make this Real Estate office your Headquarters." 

 



 

 

Helenwood, Tennessee

     An eccentric, enterprising relative is believe to be responsible for the “Helenwood” name given to a small town in Scott County, Tennessee. The name, so the story goes, was shortened from “Hell in the Woods,” referring to the time when a demon was discovered buried in a shallow grave. Well, maybe...

     Reuben Crusoe Sexton was the son of Christopher Columbus Sexton and Sarah West. Sallie Sexton’s father was also Christopher, but her mother was Nancy Phillips.

     While in the army, “Cruise” saw huge, monstrous statues and upon his return to Tennessee, he decided to create his own sculpture. Using bed clay located near an abandoned coal mine, he painstakingly made a detailed figure, spending years on detail work. With horns, a large head, and long arms, the figure appeared so vicious that Sexton fashioned a chain around the creature’s neck. Wings reached almost to its feet. Twenty-four teeth were visible in large mouth. The statue even sported clay genitals.

     Fearing her son had a still hidden in the woods, Cruise’s mother followed him to the mine. (From what I’ve heard, moonshine was a popular way for some of the Tennessee Sextons to get a little extra cash.) Instead of liquor, Mom found a “demon” who frightened her so much that she started spreading the story of the horrible monster she’d seen. And our good, old boy figured the tales circulating could be profitable. He made up a story claiming that the creature had been found in July of 1921, under five feet of dirt in his backyard. He said that his belief was that he had unearthed an ancient idol.

     As the story of the devil spread, Sexton and his brother,Jerry Smith, put the devil in an oversized coffin and carried it to Jerry’s yard in town. Some said the creature weighed a ton, others claimed only five hundred pounds, but which ever it was, transporting it must have been a difficult task. Not so surprisingly, with a little help from Sexton, I’m sure, the tale of the demon became more exaggerated, and it was taken to Helenwood Railway Station where it was displayed. Twenty-five cents bought twenty-five minutes of viewing. By August of 1921, there was so much notoriety that the New York Times wrote two articles. People nationwide were travelling the rails to see Sexton's creation.


      In September of 1921, J.C. Pemberton of nearby Oneida, Tennessee paid two thousand dollars for the monster and immediately showed it in the Somerset Fair in Somerset, Kentucky. The demon was the top draw at the fair. A professor from an “Eastern School” espoused that the statue was an idol from an early race.  Cruise signed an affidavit stating that the statue was authentic while a guard watched over the casket now reinforced with four iron bands. Some supposedly fainted at the viewings, others claimed the demon was a fake. However, despite cries of fraud, Pemberton was able to bargain for a reported twenty-five thousand dollars sale to parties who showed it at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1923.

     After the Fair, the devil didn’t return to Scott County. Some said that it was put on display on in a small museum in the Northern United States. Others said  it disintegrated.
    
     For some odd reason (were people that naïve?), Cruise Sexton was never pegged as the source of the monster. Residents of Cruise’s hometown decided that the devil had visited their hometown because of the sins of the people who lived there. They pointed to the drinking, saloons, and violence as evidence and soon the little town was called “Hell in the Woods.” The name stuck.




Chart showing the relationship between my grandmother, Nancy Belle Waters, and Robinson Crusoe Sexton

   

     It would be wonderful if the stories I find had enough details to exactly pinpoint the people involved, especially the eccentric ones. However, many times, it comes down to a presumption and a hope that someone will help correct mistakes.

     I glanced down a record of military actions in China to see if I could determine which “Cruise” started his own lucrative business in an abandoned coal mine. In this case, an uncle, named Reuben Crusoe Sexton (b. 1872), and his nephew, Crusoe Reuben (b.1896) are the two most likely entrepreneurs. American soldiers were in China from the 1890’s to 1918. So either one could have visited there. As this tale dates from 1921, I thought that the younger came back from World War I, worked on the statue for three years, and then started selling tickets. On the other hand, I remember seeing somewhere that Sexton worked on it for seven years. If that is the case, the younger is ruled out. Also, Jerry Smith helped Cruise take his monster to town (and here I envision them dressing the creature in tails and a tophat). Jerry Smith was a brother to the elder, the two shared a mother. If I were to hang out and do something a little shady, my more likely companion would be my sibling, not my uncle.  So,  this account is written assuming the uncle was the sculptor.
                                                                                                                                            -Cheri



  　




Large Graphics

I posted all the sources for James H. Waters in a huge size, hoping that you all can read them.
-Cheri

More Sources for James H. Waters

In 1920, Arlie lived in South Dakota and listed herself as "widowed."  James H., Great Grandpa's son, was eleven. 

In 1930, James H. was married to Adeline and living in Idaho.  He was a "laborer." 



 His World War I draft registration listing Basil (Nancy Belle's brother, born 1901) as his nearest relative. He's still in Idaho, but in a different county.

Here's the World War II registration in Josephine County, Oregon, where he stayed until his death.  It is interesting to notice the difference in signatures between this and the marriage license with Sallie.

Oregon State record listing James' death as April 20, 1960. Finally, one last record, showing his military service in the Spanish American War and the location of his grave.

Record of graves of Spanish American War members of the military: WATERS, JAMES, Pvt.,
2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, Co. M (February 17, 1877 – April 20, 1960)(Granite Hill Cemetery, Grants Pass, Josephine Co., OR)

Source Materials

     It's time to get back on track. Grandma Nancy Belle's father was James H. Waters, making him my great grandfather.  Here are the source materials.   

         A fire destroyed the majority of the 1890 U.S. Census.  For some reason, about 90% of it was outside it's fireproof vault, while every other census was protected from the flames. In the 1900 census, James was a "school teacher."

       And here is the license for James' marriage to my great grandmother, Sallie Sexton.  Notice that they married on February 14, 1900.

      

      And the license for his second marriage to Arlie Cross.  Notice the date.  It must have been easy to remember his anniversary!

So, in 1910, James was a civil engineer in Yakima, Washington, who listed himself as "widowed."

Jan Parcell and Judith Ytie Jans

If I counted correctly, this couple is back seven generations from Grandpa Mc. The dates, places, and names seem to line up with our ancestors, John (Jan) Purcell and Ytie Jan.  For those of us who have suffered through a divorce, this story makes our problems miniscule.

"November 25, 1658, John Parcell, alias Borcher, of Huntingdonshire, England for living in adultery with Ytie Jans, to be placed at the whipping post with two rods in his arms, to be banished for 20 years, and pay a fine of 100 guilders ($40), with costs. A petition submitted to the Council on December 12, 1658 by John Parcell and Ytie Jans, two sorrowful sinners, ask for pardon and leave to marry. The Council allowed them to remain three months to settle their affairs, but must separate from each other at once. Official records become strangely silent at this point, but Jan must have found a way to marry Ytie, since a wife by that name survived him and was his widow in 1684. They provided a home for their children from previous marriages and at least two of their own. (2) On June 13, 1674, Ytie was named as a sponsor at the baptism of Catharine, daughter of son Hans. Jan Parcell died in 1677, his will proved on September 28 of that year. Ytie, along with step-sons John and Thomas Parcell, appear on the rate list of Newtown in 1683. In March 1684 she petitioned the Council concerning a dispute over lands near Gravesend - the last time her name appears in the public records.

Source: http://www.jonathanpaul.org/genweb/d0001/g0000086.html

November 25, 1658 Judith Ytie Jans was sentenced to a whipping and banishment for living in adultery with Jan Parcell in New Amsterdam, New York. 

November 25, 1658 Laurens Duyts of Holstein received sentencing from Stuyvesant for selling his wife, Ytie Jansen and forcing her to live in adultery with another man, and for living himself in adultery, he was to have a rope tied around his neck, and then to be severely flogged, to have his right ear cut off, and to be banished for fifty years."

-Cheri

Lewis McIntyre

     I'm jumping around a bit, I admit it.  There seem to be all these little tidbits that I find interesting, so I want to share them with you.

     Grandpa Earl had a brother, Lewis McIntyre (b. August 1889), who died in 1913 while riding his motorcycle, reportedly in the tornado that hit on Easter Sunday.  That would make the date of his death April 23rd, but some of the records say July 3rd.  I can't explain the descrepancy, but I did find an interesting photo.  Lewis died at 30th and California in Omaha, NE.  There are several photos online showing the aftermath of the storm, and among them was this photo taken at 38th and California.  The destruction is amazing.

And being me, I went off on a tangent wondering what a motorcyle would look like in 1913.  So, here's an ad for the 1909 Indian.  A blurb says that 1907 was the first year that Indian put out a street bike.

1909 ad for Indian motorcycle



-Cheri

Christopher Columbus Sexton

 

Nancy and Christopher Sexton's children

      Christopher Columbus Sexton, Nancy Belle Waters' maternal grandfather, and his friend, Leonadus Smith, fought together during the Civil War. “On” made Chris promise to take care of his wife if he didn‘t return. Smith, died in 1862, during the war, and Chris took his responsibility seriously. Though they never married, between 1866 and 1876, Christopher and Sarah West Smith had three sons and one daughter. During the same years (1867-1881), he and Sarah’s cousin, Nancy V. Phillips, had nine children. Nancy V. and Christopher married in 1868. Nancy V. was Nancy Belle’s grandmother. There was a third companion, but apparently, that relationship was not as open, or perhaps not as “fruitful,” as the other two. The woman’s name may have been Honicutt or Honeycut, I've found no historical records. When the children of the first two relationships were in their teens, they became aware of their common father, and the West kids took the Sexton name.


 

The Great Smoky Mountains
of Tennessee

     At first, I made the assumption that Christopher Columbus had served the Confederacy. When I found copies of his pension, I realized that Sexton had been in Tennessee Cavalry and fought for the Union!  I double-checked, the record was correct. A little research led to an interesting set of facts. When the Civil War started, Scott County, Tennessee was rural with small family-owned farms. The entire county had sixty one slaves, a number smaller than any other county in the entire state. When the vote for Tennessee secession was taken on June 8, 1861, over seventy percent of those in Eastern Tennessee voted to not leave the Union. In Scott County, the vote was 385 against secession and only 29 for. However, the more populous western part of Tennessee dominated; the state seceded and joined the Confederacy. Scott County then decided to leave the state, and in December of 1861, they became the “Free and Independent State of Scott.”  The county didn't officially rejoin Tennessee until 1986.