Evaline Virgina Surface (1844 - 1928)

Evaline Virginia Surface was born 15 June 1844 in Virginia. Her parents were Jacob Surface & Catherine Gowans. (see death certificate)

She appears in the 1850 census in the 41st district of Montgomery county, Virginia with her parents and siblings. She is listed as Virginia Surface, female, age 6, born in Virginia.

She appears in the 1860 census as Evaline V Surface, age 15, female born in in Virginia.

It is recorded that she married George Milton Stalnaker on 30 Jan 1866 in Montgomery County Virginia.

Her first child, and only son, Andrew Jackson Stalnaker is born 4 Feb 1868 in Virginia.

Her second child, a daughter, Susan Catherine Stalnaker is born 11 Feb 1869 in Virginia.

The family is listed in 1870 as the last family in Tyler, Hickory, Missouri. (You can see the affidavit from the marshal pasted on the page, thank goodness its not covering up any vital information!)

Her third child, a daughter, Mary Hampton Stalnaker is born 17 Feb 1871 in Elkton, Hickory, Missouri.

Her fourth child, a daughter, Anna Lee Stalnaker is born 25 Jul 1874 in Elkton, Hickory, Missouri.

Her fifth child, a daughter, Victoria Virginia Stalnaker is born 23 Feb 1877 in Elkton, Hickory, Missouri.

Her sixth child, a daughter, Sarah Ellen Stalnaker is born 25 Mar 1878 in Elkton, Hickory, Missouri.

Her husband, George, dies 30 Mar 1880. He leaves her alone with 6 kids, ages 2-12. She appears in the 1880 census in Elkton, Hickory, Missouri.

On 24 Aug 1882, Evaline marries Robert J Rader in  Hickory county, Missouri. This is listed in Marriage records, 1865-1919  Hickory County (Missouri). It is a short lived marriage, perhaps he dies. Very little is known about it. In fact, the only information I have found so far on Robert J Rader erroneously lists Evaline as dying in 1883.

This is inaccurate as less than 2 years later, Evaline marries Edward H Stalnaker on 8 May 1884 in Hickory county, Missouri. It is also listed in the same marriage database. I have not discovered his parentage yet, was he related to her first husband? He is younger than her by 20 years. 

In 1885, they are living in Elwood, Barber, Kansas with her 4 youngest children. Susan is already married to her first husband, John Greaver. Andrew is perhaps working on a farm somewhere?

In 1895, they are living in Avon, Sumner, Kansas as empty nesters - none of the children are with them. All the daughters are married by this time, Susan to her second husband Samuel Musgrove, Mary to Silas Scranton, Anna to James Hudson Vaughn and Sarah to Marvin Harp.

In 1900, Evaline & Ed are living in Hackberry, Labette, Kansas. The have been married for 16 years, she has 6 children, all of whom are living. (So no new children by either her second or third husbands.)

Her son Andrew Jackson Stalnaker is married to Anna Kendall Norton in 1900. I am not sure where he is between 1880 and 1900. Her daughter Mary remarries in 1901 to William Anderson Karnes. 

In 1905, Evaline is alone in the census with a boarder. She is in Caney, Montgomery, Kansas.

In 1910, Evaline is alone with 4 boarders in Caney, Montgomery, Kansas. However, it lists her as on marriage two and having been married for 26 years. So perhaps Ed has gone off to work somewhere and is not dead? Perhaps the marriage to Robert J Rader was annulled? Questions to find answers to some day. 

In 1915, Evaline has her daughter "Mrs S E Harp" living with her in Caney, Montgomery Kansas. Sarah remarries that year to Fred Kock.

In 1920, Evaline is living with her daughter Susan Musgrove in Harmony, Stevens, Kansas.

I have not located her in the 1925 Kansas census.

Evaline Virginia Surface Stalnaker died 9 Jun 1928 in Neosho, Newton, Missouri, in the home of her daughter Mary H Karnes, whom she had been visiting. An obituary (full of spelling and date errors) reads:

STALNAKER, MRS. E. V.
(14 Jun 1928, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Mrs. E. V. Stalnaker, grandmother to Mrs. W. H. Reynolds, died in Neosho,
Mo., June 9, 1928.  Was born in West Virginia, June 15, 1840, aged 87
years, 11 months and 24 days.  She leaves one son and five daughters
living, Mr. Jack Stalnaker of Ruford, Idaho; Mrs. Musgrave, Moscow,
Kansas; Mrs. Anna Vaun of Dolton, Kansas; Mrs. Mary H. Harnes of Neosho;
Mrs. Victoria Eldridge, Carpenter, Oklahoma, Mrs. Ella Hock, Crow Agency,
Mont., also leaves a host of grand and great grandchildren.  She lived in
the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church.  She was an invalid for many
years until her death.  Her last days spent with her daughter, Mrs. Mary
H. Karnes (sic), of Neosho, Mo., where she died.

It does give a lot of great clues and information, but let's list errors: Rupert, Idaho is misspelt, Musgrove is misspelt, Vaughn is misspelt, Karnes is listed as Harnes, Ellen Kock is listed as Ella Hock. Most importantly, Evaline is listed as being born in West Virginia and as 4 years older than she was at her death. Her age and birth location is consistent throughout the census images and her death certificate with 1844, not 1840 and Montgomery, Virginia was not part or close to West Virginia.

It is fascinating to find this obituary though, which I found by chance - it was published in Oklahoma where her granddaughter Edith Karnes Reynolds lived and I found it while searching for information on William Anderson Karnes. I also find it interesting that her husbands aren't mentioned at all in the obituary and on her death certificate, her first husband is listed. That may be because of the informant - Mrs Ellen Karnes Reynolds. (Whom I could not figure out who she was or how she was related until I found out about Mary Hampton's second marriage to William Karnes.)

I cannot upload a copy of the death certificate, but you can view it at the Missouri state archives. Type in Evaline Stalnaker and it will come up. 

Evaline was buried in the IOOF cemetery in Neosho Missouri. IOOF stands for International Order of Odd Fellows. I went to the cemetery, visited with the caretaker and he found the index card with her name on it, but it did not tell where her tombstone was in the cemetery. It is a huge cemetery! I walked around the older parts for over an hour looking and hoping to find it, but was unsuccessful. You can view an index of the cemetery here - she is listed as Stalnamen, Evaline, d.6/9/1928.

Here is a google map of all the known places Evaline lived.

View Evaline Virginia Surface Stalnaker (1844 - 1928) in a larger map

Sources: 

1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 US Censuses
1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 Kansas state censuses

Death certificate online at Missouri state archives

Obituary online at USGenweb archives for Beckham county, Kansas

Index to IOOF cemetery in Neosho, Missouri at Interment.net

Marriage Records of Hickory, Missouri 1865 - 1919

Sarah Loudusty Myers (1836 - 1920)

I keep putting off publishing this hoping I will have more info to add. I've decided to go ahead and share what I have and remember that I can always add more later and share that it's updated!

Sarah Loudusty Myers is the first ancestor I helped find something about as an adult. I attended a university with excellent census records (before they were all digitized online) and my dad had me look for possible parents for her and work on her name possibilities.Together we worked thru whether or not she was the same person or different wives each year.

Sarah Loudusty Myers is a great example of the fun and joy of finding and using information about your ancestors from census records. She ages 10-15 years between each census, her birth location and that listed for her parents changes. She is unsure of her month and year of birth, and how long she's been married. Her name is spelled many different ways. Some years she is "Sarah L". Other years she is "Loudusty" which was spelled a different way every time. McKeehan has many possible spellings as well. The only thing that makes it easy for us is that she doesn't move around but stays in the same area.

Sarah Loudusty lived in Whitfield County, Georgia for almost all of her life and wasn't far from it as a babe in Walker County.

Sarah Loudusty Myers was born 9 January 1836 in Georgia. Her parents are believed to be William & Eliza Ann Myers.

She appears in the 1850 census in East Chickamauga, Walker county, Georgia as Sarah L Myers, age 12, born in GA

She married John William McKeehan in about 1854 in Georgia.

(Whitfield GA in 1855.)

Her first child, a daughter, Elizabeth Ann "Betty " McKeehan is born 7 Aug 1855.

Her second child, a daughter, Cornelia Ann McKeehan is born in 1857.

Her third child, a son, Benjamin McKeehan is born in Oct 1859.

In the 1860 census in Trickum district, Whitfield county, Georgia, she is listed as Sarah L McKeehan, age 23, born in AL.

Her fourth child, a son, James William "Bill" McKeehan is born 12 Nov 1861.

Her husband, John joined the 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry in the Confederate Army March 10 1862. He was a prisoner of war at Vicksburg from July 4th to July 8th 1863. He swore an Oath of Allegiance to the USA on Mar 2 1864 in Chattanooga, TN.


Her fifth child, a son, Charles P "Charlie" McKeehan is born 27 Aug 1864.

 

(Whitfield, GA in 1865 - Trickum is listed!)

Her sixth child, a son, Andrew Jackson McKeehan is born 8 Mar 1869.

Her seventh child, a son, S K "Cay" McKeehan is born 12 May 1870.

In 1870 in 27th district (Tunnel Hill Post office) Whitfield County, Georgia, she is listed as Lodisca McKehan, age 36, born in GA. She is listed as being able to read, but not write in this census.

Her eighth child, a son, Porter Pledger McKeehan is born 18 Dec 1872.

Her ninth child, a son, Dock L McKeehan, is born 11 Apr 1874.

Her tenth child, a son, George W McKeehan is born 2 Jan 1878.

Her eleventh child, a son, Jerry Jackson McKeehan is born 12 Dec 1879.

1n 1880, in Trickum, Whitfield County, Georgia she is listed as Lodis Key Mc Keehan, age 44, born in GA. She can read and write, though her husband can't.

 

(Whitfield GA in 1885, Trickum is listed!)

In 1885, her daughter Cornela Ann McKeehan Williams dies of T.B. (unverified family story)

 

(1899 map of Whitfield, GA, can see Trickum)

Sometime between 1880 and 1900, her son S K "Cay" McKeehan & her daughter Cornelia Ann McKeehan Sarrett move out west to Arkansas.

In 1900, in Trickum, Whitfield County, Georgia she is listed as Lodisky McKeehan, age 60, born in GA, but unknown year or month of exact birth.  11 children, 10 living.

In 1910, in Trickum, Whitfield County, Georgia she is listed as a widow, Loduca McKeehan, age 75, born in GA, living with her son George W McKeehan. Still 11 children, 10 living.

Her husband died in 1912 according to the tombstone. Her tombstone must be wrong, listing her death in 1919.

Because in 1920, in Trickum, Whitfield County, Georgia she is listed as a widow, Sarah L McKeehan, age 85, born in AL, living with her son George W McKeehan.

She must have died 2 April of 1920, instead of 1919 as listed on her tombstone at Dunagan Cemetery, in Whitfield, Georgia.

Sources:
US Federal Censuses, 1850 - 1920
http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/histcountymaps/whitfieldhistmaps.htm (Georgia Historical Maps)
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~prsjr/families/ar/nevada/sam-aj01.htm (Elizabeth "Betty" Ann McKeehan Sarrett birthdate, marriage, move to Arkansas)
Footnote.com -  Confederate Soldier Service Records
Hester McKeehan Sosebee's family bible

Ida May Randall (1889 - ?)

Ida May Randall was born on the 13th of June 1889 in Upton, Summit, Utah. She was the third of 9 children for Joseph Henry Randall Sr. and Hannah Mary Jackson. In the 1900 census she is listed as attending school and 10 years old, living with her parents and siblings.

1900 census in Upton, Summit, Utah showing Randall family

She married James Humphrey Nelson Jr on the 11th of July, 1908 in Kemmerer, Uinta, Wyoming. It was her first marriage but his second. His first wife, Sarah Emily Nowland had died 7 months previously. She left behind 2 children, James Humphrey Nelson III and Pearl Nelson.

1910 census in Coalville, Summit, Utah showing Nelson family.

In the 1910 census, Ida May is listed with her husband James and her stepson James. But her stepdaughter Pearl is living with her maternal grandparents, the Nowlands.

Ida May and James had three kids together, Opal (1911), Oscar (1913) and Fay (1916). The family story is that James accused her of cheating on him when she said she was pregnant with Fay and said it was not his child. (Of course she grew up to look just like her father!)

In April 1918, Ida May disappeared. The family story was her clothes were found on the river bank,  to give the impression she went swimming and drowned. But it was rumored she ran away with a traveling peddler man. Above is a letter from her mother to her sister after Ida disappeared.

What caused Ida May to run away? Or did she drown herself? She left behind her husband, three children, ages 1, 6, 7, and two step-children. The aftermath of her disappearance was hard on the people left behind.
 
Many people in the family have searched for her for the past almost 100 years, but no one has found out where she went or what happened for sure. It is a family mystery.

Recently my mother in law found several fascinating newspaper clippings from the Deseret Evening News about the disappearance, dated April 11, 12 and 15 of 1918.

 

Transcription of Newspaper articles:

Deseret Evening News
Thursday, April 11, 1918
Mother Disappears Leaving Children; Search Instituted
Juvenile Court Officers Seek Mrs. James Nelson of Coalville

        Officers of the Juvenile court have instituted a state-wide search for Mrs. James Nelson, who mysteriously disappeared from her home in this city last night, leaving two small children. While it appears that the woman has deserted the little ones, there is, of course a possibility of foul play, the officers say.
         The two children were turned over to the juvenile court by a man named Shadduck, of 241 East First South Street, with whom Mrs. Nelson left them last night, explaining that she was going to the post office to get some mail. That was the last seen of her. If she is apprehended and the matter warrants such action, the mother will be prosecuted, it is announced.
        The children, a boy of 6 years and a girl of 12 months, are attractive and juvenile court officers say that several have expressed a willingness to adopt them. A third child the woman is reported to have left with her mother.
       The mother and the two children came to this city from Coalville, where it is reported they had been deserted by the father.
       Shadduck said the woman had attempted to induce her sister to take the children. The father is said to be in California at the present time. The children are affectionate and make themselves quite at home with officers of the court.

Deseret Evening News
Friday, April 12, 1918
Woman Leaves Note Saying She Has Gone to Drown Herself
Police Inclined to Believe She has Run Away - Search is On

         Mrs. J.H. Nelson, who disappeared mysteriously from her home in the city Wednesday night, left two letters containing threats of suicide. Existence of the letters was discovered after the police and juvenile court authorities had begun a search.
         One letter was addressed to C.J. Shadduck, 241 East First South Street, at which place Mrs. Nelson and the two of her chidlren had lived. It was with Mr. Shadduck that the woman left the two children Wednesday night, explaining that she was going to the post office. The other letter was addressed to Mrs. Fred Clark, and read:
         "Dear Nora  - Please take care of the children until mother comes, as I have gone to drown myself in the Jordan. I can't stand this alone. Phone Eva and get her to tell mother. Tell her to phone June and tell her to come settle this business down her. Well, I ask you to be good to the kids until they come. I ask it as a dying favor. IDA"
         The letter to Shadduck, the officers say was rambling in its context, but near the end it said: "I am going to the Jordan River, where no one can follow."
Making Investigation
        The police are making an investigation of the matter. Mrs. Randall, of Coalville, Utah, mother of Mrs. Nelson was mortified. Opal, Mrs. Nelson's third child, has been living with the grandmother. The other two children, Oscar and Violet, who were left with Mr. Shadduck, are temporarily being cared for by officers of the juvenile court.
        The police doubt the theory of suicide in view of the fact that the woman took all of her clothing with her. They also state that she is known to have been intently interested in a soldier who recently left the city, and she is believed by them to have followed with the idea of rejoining him.

Deseret Evening News
Monday, April 15, 1918
Missing Woman Bought Clothes Before Leaving
           Fears of juvenile court and police officers that Mrs. Ida Nelson of Coalville may have taken her own life were partially dispelled Saturday when it developed last Tuesday, the day before the disappearance she offered a check for $20.49 in payment for a new suit of clothes. The check was returned Saturday marked no funds.
         If the woman had contemplated jumping into the Jordan River as she indicated in two letters left by her, she would hardly have obtained the new clothes. The officers say in light of the evidence it is not probable that a search will be made of the river. Nothing concerning the woman's whereabouts has been found.
         Joseph Henry Randall, brother of Mrs. Nelson arrived in the city Saturday from Logan, Tooele county, after seeing newspaper accounts of his sister's disappearance. He was met by Mrs. Hannah Randall, of Coalville, mother of himself and Mrs. Nelson, and by Mrs. Romaine Follick, of Montpelier, Idaho who Mrs. Nelso in one of her letters referred to as "Jennie". Mrs. Follick will take back to Montpelier with her the two children deserted by Mrs. Nelson, Oscar aged 6 years and Fay, aged 12 months.



Sources: 1900 census, 1910 census, Western States Marriage Record Index, letter dated April 11, 1918 from Hannah Mary Jackson Randall to Mary Jane Randall Follick, Deseret Evening Newspaper, personal family photographs of my mother-in-law, personal communication with my mother-in-law and other family relatives.

Last Updated February 18, 2012

Lydia Downer Gates (1810-1896)

 

Photo of Samuel & Lydia Downer Gates

Lydia Downer was born 12 Jul 1810 in Shaftsbury, Bennington, Vermont to Simon Downer & Huldah Briggs. She was the second child of ten. She was also the only (known) girl until her sister was born 13 years later.

She married Samuel Gates 4 Feb 1830 in Michigan and had 11 children, 5 of whom died as children. Only one son lived to be an adult. She emigrated to Utah in 1852 with the Isaac Bullock company and they settled in what is now Ogden, Utah.

She can be found in the following censuses: 1850 census in Pottawattomie, Iowa. 1860 census in Weber, Utah. 1870 census in Slaterville, Weber, Utah. and 1880 census in Ogden, Weber, Utah.

This photo of her appeared at the World Fair in Chicago. Visit links at end of post to read more.

The story about Lydia's dream about the Book of Mormon is one that was told me by my mother in law. Here it is written again:

My Grandmother"s Dreambook by Lucetta Marler Atkinson

     My grandmother, Lydia Downer Gates, lived in Livonia Co. Michigan.  When a
young girl she arose from her bed  one morning and told her family that in her
dreams she had been reading a book all night.  She could not remember the name
of the book nor what she had read from it, but she did remember quite
distinctly, its appearance.
     When she arose the next morning she announced that she was still reading
the book.  She said that when she fell asleep she started reading where she had
left off the night before, and continued reading all night.  Although she could
not remember anything she had read, she was deeply impressed that the book
contained some message of serious importance for the entire family.
     Night after night she continued reading the book in her sleep, each night
beginning where she had left off the night before, until finally she had read
it through.  It took some time to complete it, and before she had finished she
began to feel physically tired, as she would arise from her bed mornings sleepy
and exhausted, quite as if she had missed a night's rest.
     She described the appearance of the book in detail to the family, the
length, width, thickness, binding, everything that might help them to recognize
it if they should see it.  She asked them to look in book stores or wherever
books were sold wherever they they could find one answering the description,
that she had given them.  She never ceased to watch for it, whenever she came
across books in a home or anywhere else.  She could not get away from the
thought that it contained some precious valuable information for all of them.
Although she had read it from cover to cover, try as she would, she could not
recall anything she had read.  There was no way to bring back the dream, and
the book could not be found.
     Some time after Lydia had experienced this dream, one of her aunts told
her that she would like to have her come and take care of her home for a while
as she was going on a journey and would be gone for some time.  Lydia was glad
to accomodate her aunt and went at once to the home prepared to stay.  When her
aunt was getting ready to leave she said, "Lydia, if you would like to read
while I am away, there are some books in that chest."  She pointed to a wooden
chest in the bedroom.  "Just help yourself, read whatever you like."
     Lydia was interested at once.  As soon as she had finished her work she
went to the chest and started to look over the books.  She picked up one and
then another, glanced through the pages and finding nothing of interest to her,
laid them to one side.  She casually reached for another book, when Lo! before
her very eyes lay the book of her dreams!
     Her fingers trembled as she quickly grasped and held it close.  A feeling
of exultant joy swept ofver her.  She said in telling the experience later, "I
felt as light as a feather, I felt as though I would rise to the ceiling.  I
opened the book and began to read, and as I did so I remembered having read it
all before.  I read it through, and it was just like reading a book for the
second time.  It was the Book of Mormon.
     As soon as the elders of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
came to that vicinity preaching the gospel, Lydia applied for and redeived
baptism.  She had been converted to the truthfulness of the gospel when she had
read the Book of Mormon in her sleep.
     On Feb. 4,1830 she was married to Samuel Gates.  They followed the pioneer
path of trial and sacrifice that lead to the western frontier and to Zion.
They settled in Lynn(now Ogden) Weber County, Utah, where they spent the
remainder of their lives.  Lydia bore and reared a large family, and lived to
the age of eighty-four years.  She was always a devoted Latter-Day Saint to the
end of her days.

To read more about Lydia, or to see where I found the photos, visit these links:
http://thestoriesofourlife.blogspot.com/2009/10/lydia-downer-gates-information.html
http://thestoriesofourlife.blogspot.com/2009/10/she-dreamed-she-was.html

Other sources: http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneerdetails/1,15791,4018-1-9305,00.html
1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 US Federal Census
http://www.archive.org/stream/downersofamerica00down#page/n247/mode/2up

David L Duff (1821-1876)

David L Duff was born December 19, 1821 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania the son of John Duff and Winifred Couch. (This is concluded because it is stated that their son David served in the Mexican war and our David Duff is the one from Pennsylvania in that war, proved by the widow pension application.)
David served in the Mexican War with Co. B, Reg 2, Pennsylvania Volunteers from Dec 26 1846 to Jul 21 1848. He entered as a private and was promoted to Sargeant Major before release. The widow's application for pension states he was a lawyer before entering the military. It also describes him as 5'9", 180 lbs, 25 years in age, light complexion, hazel eyes and auburn hair.(I cannot locate him in the 1850 census.)
He was married on 8 jan 1851 in Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania to Mary McBride by a justice of the peace named Goff.
He moved to Cass County Indiana in 1853 and had son named John A Duff on 14 jan 1853.
He had another son named Charles Hueston Duff on 5 sep 1854 in Cass Co., IN.
His son John A Duff died 25 oct 1854.
He moved to Anderson County, Kansas in 1855.

He is in the 1860 census in Reeder, Anderson Co., Kansas Territory, Roll M653_346 page 0 house 413. Real Estate valued at 1000, Personal Estate valued at 300. Farmer. 39 years old, listed as David L Duff. Wife Mary is 29, born in Ireland.
Son Charles is 6, born in Indiana. Neighbors are Means Jackson family and John Moles family. He moved to Portia, Vernon, Missouri in 1868.
(I Cannot find him in the 1870 census)

He died 11 mar 1876 in Vernon Co., Missouri, and is buried in Lefler Cemetery. Lefler Cemetery is in Bacon TWP - SE34-37-29 - Go 5 miles north of Dederick on Hwy. AA then ¾ miles east.

Sources:
Book: 1887 History of Vernon County, Missouri has an entry about his son Charles Hueston Duff.
Widow's pension application for Mexican war by wife Mary McBride Duff
1860 US Federal Census
Book: The Fort Revisited, p52 in Mifflin County Historical Society Library