Oops

 The families I spring from have some strange proclivities. What can I say? There are women on both my mother's side, and my father's side of my tree who tended to marry a man named Rogers.

My mother obviously did so in 1936  to George E. Rogers Jr. But another possible reason for posting under the topic of "Oops" is the date my parents got their marriage license. Yep, Friday the 13th!

Clipping says: "When Mataley Munhall and George E. Rogers walked into county clerk's office for marriage license Friday they didn't know it was the dire Friday 13. Told of the date, they hesitated not one whit, flaunting the age old superstitions. Wedding is set for November 21."

But my mother's aunt Rowena, sister of her mother, had already married Robert S. Rogers in 1927.

No relation between these 2 Rogers men, though they both lived in San Antonio Texas at the latter date. 

My father's father (George Rogers, Sr.) had one younger sister, Annie Lou Rogers who married Patrick Henry Wilson. They had 3 kids, the youngest being a daughter named Elizabeth Marie Wilson. She would be a first cousin once removed, I think of mine, my great aunt's daughter. 

Elizabeth Marie Wilson married Frederick Funston Rogers sometime between 1937 and 1942. He was a doctor, and their first child was Frederick Jr. born in 1943. They lived in Galveston TX.

Elizabeth Marie Wilson Rogers and Dr. Frederick Funston Rogers

So there were 3 women who married unrelated Rogers men. But the women were related through me...my mother's aunt, and my fathers' cousin who's mother had a maiden name of Rogers. And my mother who married my father.

Not exactly an "Oops" but still I thought it was interesting.

My Great Aunt Margaret, a teacher

 For this week's topic - Education - I've chosen to share about one of my favorite people in my family. 

Great Aunt Margaret was my grandmother's sister, who never married and taught Junion High School Mathematics and Home Ec. almost all her life.

She was the youngest of the 4 daughters, Mozelle (my grandmother,) Rowena, and Dorothy came before her. They had been born in San Antonio, Texas, where their father called home as a railroad conductor...and their mother made a house into a home. 

Margaret was born on January 10, 1909 in Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas, a small town on the Colorado River (the one in Texas). I can only guess the family moved there because the railroad told the father that's where the work was. On the 1910 Census for Smithville, the family next door had the father also being a railroad worker.

By the time she was 11 the family had moved back to San Antonio in the 1920 Census, but my grandmother had married and left the family home. In the next census (1930) the three remaining daughters lived with their parents still but in the home that would be the parents' for the rest of their lives, 111 Davis Court. 

As my grandmother's first husband died in 1919 she was living with her husband's brother for the 1920 census. Then my grandmother remarried and then he died also, so my mother was back in "Grandma's House."

This photo is dated 1925, but I think my mother is a bit younger than 8 at that time. She's standing next to her grandmother.

Here my grandmother is, dressed up, and my mother dated 1924, when she would have been 7.

OK, back to Aunt Margaret!

In 1927 she was dressed fashionably for the times.  I would imagine by then she was teaching at the Jr. High School.

After my great grandmother (her mother) died Jan. 1, 1936, my great grandfather Charles Herman Miller, took Aunts Margaret and Dorothy in August for a trip by ship to Cuba and back. I tried to get a screenshot of the manifest, but my computer saved them in la la land!

Anyway, for the 1940 census Great Grandpa Charles was living with my grandmother (after my mother had married in 36) and Dorothy and Margaret...still on Davis Court. 

Great grandpa Charles died in 1946, after I'd been born in 42. But I never heard that he saw me, nor were there any photos in my family albums of him.

Aunt Margaret retired at some point. I last visited her on one of my cross-country treks in the 70s. It's a good thing I had a camper van, because her tiny one bedroom apartment couldn't have squeezed myself and my two sons on one trip, nor myself and my teacher boyfriend on another.

I had stayed in touch with Aunt Margaret through the years, sometimes sending photos of my family with Christmas cards.  She died June. 22, 1980.

I loved her open and positive disposition, always listening to others, answering questions truthfully! 

She had kept a few documents about the family, which she showed me. At the time I didn't take photos of the clippings, and so I only remembered one. But I've since been able to locate the information it contained. It was about my great grandmother's father who was killed in a shoot-out, and apparently the killer never was tried for that murder, but he was tried for another one.

But that will have to wait till there's a topic that talks about gunfights in Texas. Right!

Out of Place

 I thought the only thing that would be "out of place" would be a record that somehow was about someone or someplace wrong, under someone's Ancestry listing. I scanned through a few of the generations a couple back, the great granfathers etc. Nothing came to mind. There are frequently hints posted by others on Ancestry, having the same line, and maybe something different in their information.

This is rather lame, but one important ancestor, the son of a Revolutionary War Soldier, moved to South Carolina to Union District. And some of the records are listed under Union, Union County, South Carolina, and some under Union District.

Yep that seems pretty petty to me, as enough of the families occur with one or the other home places. Obviously (to me) it was originally just a district, before a town was formed, and the county named. And Union District was formed from "Old 96 District!"

James Gibbs and his youngest son, Hiram Gibbs, apparently received grants of land, 500 acres for his father in 1769 in "Old 96 District," and a land grant of 640 acres for James in 1772 in Fairforest near the Lower Fairforest Baptist Church. 

But here's the Lower Fairforest Baptist Church on a modern map, in Union County SC.

Just the passage of time.

This map shows a survey of a 374 acre platt of land for Hiram Gibbs in 1822, in Union District.

Sharing with 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks which is over on Facebook the Generations Cafe'.

Thanks for hosting this fun meme, Amy Johnson Crowe!

Favorite Photo

  I have 2 women's photos that are just about equally my favorites.

A studio photo of my mother, Mataley Mozelle Webb Munhall Rogers (1917-2003)

My namesake...but Eugenia had already been taken when I was born, so I was Barbara Booth. I guess I'm glad I didn't get Almeda (also spelled Almetta) as my middle name! Eugenia Almeda Booth Miller (1873-1936)  had been raised by her grandparents after being orphaned at a young age. She then helped greatly in raising my mother as well as her own 4 daughters.

Incidentally, her mother had the same name, Eugenia Almetta Whitty Booth.

For 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks

I’d Like to Meet

 Week 1 of 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks.

I’d Like to Meet

...my mother's grandmother, Annie Elizabeth Williams Webb. Her birth was recorded in Columbus MO, but she was probably born on a farm on June 20, 1862.

By the time she was 15 she had migrated with some family and friends to Texas, where she married 20 year old Leroy, (Larry, L.F.) Francis Webb, who had been born in Texas to a family from Maryland.

Their marriage on August 7, 1877 was recorded in the Goliad County records (microfilms now.) 

The Census for Goliad County in 1880 has L. F. Webb as a Retail Grocerer, and A. E. (Annie) at 18 is running the house for their first 2 sons, and L. F.'s 2 brothers and 2 sisters. 

The Grocery business had been handed down from L. F.'s father, Samuel James Webb, who had raised his little family in Goliad TX. L. F.'s mother had immigrated from New York, and his father had come from Maryland, and they also married in Goliad County, TX (1856).

Annie E. was born to William T. Williams who had come to Middleton, Missouri from Kentucky, and Dorcas White Williams also came from Kentucky. They had all their 8 children in Missouri. The 1870 census finds Dorcas working as a domestic and living in a boarding house under her maiden name, Dorcas White. Her husband may have already left for Texas where he bought land at least by 1877, then the family reunited by the 1880 census where William T. Williams was a farmer with the 3 youngest of their children still living with them. The Census has 3 other Williams' families listed next to them.  

Annie E. Williams Webb was living with L. F. Webb in 1880 in Goliad County. There's a photograph of the  Grocery/Feed Store, dated 1894, as if they are leaving Weesatchee, Goliad County TX. (That's the Anglicized version of the Spanish word, Huisache which is one of the trees in that area.)

By 1894 Annie had had 7 of her 8 children. The youngest to be born in Weesatchee was Albert James (Bud) Webb, in 1891, to become my mother's father.

They moved to Bexar County, which is where San Antonio is located! Her last son was born there in 1905.

I've already blogged about their life in San Antonio. See Here.

But I'll just mention in summary that my grandfather, Bud Webb, (at 24 years old) met and married 17 year old Mozelle Miller. Their daughter, Mataley Mozelle Webb was born in 1917, who grew up to be my mother.

But Bud didn't live to see his grandchildren. He was accidentally electrocuted in 1919 at 28 years of age. 

My mother apparently was raised by her other grandmother, and her mother's 3 sisters. She never mentioned seeing her grandmother Annie Elizabeth Williams Webb. Annie lived until July 8, 1942.

I've enjoyed finding out some details of this great grandmother's life, but am sorry that she had no contact with my mother. I don't know why that happened. Family histories often have these dangling situations. They knew why, but we'll never know.

Begining 2023 with new purpose

Over the holidays I longingly looked at my oft ignored Ancestry pages. Then dear friendly Ancestor advisor, Amy Johnson Crowe again listed her themes for the year in 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks.

So here are the themes which I may follow. They only require one posting a week. That shouldn't be too hard!

If 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks feels a bit overwhelming, give 12 Ancestors in 12 Months a try! Just pick one of the themes for that month and run with it!

January
Week 1 (Jan. 1-7): I’d Like to Meet
Week 2 (Jan. 8-14): Favorite Photo
Week 3 (Jan. 15-21): Out of Place
Week 4 (Jan. 22-28): Education

February
Week 5 (Jan. 29-Feb. 4): Oops
Week 6 (Feb. 5-11): Social Media
Week 7 (Feb. 12-18): Outcast
Week 8 (Feb. 19-25): I Can Identify

March
Week 9 (Feb. 26-Mar. 4): Gone Too Soon
Week 10 (Mar. 5-11): Translation
Week 11 (Mar. 12-18): Lucky
Week 12 (Mar. 19-25): Membership
Week 13 (Mar. 26-Apr. 1): Light a Candle

April
Week 14 (Apr. 2-8): Begins With a Vowel
Week 15 (Apr. 9-15): Solitude
Week 16 (Apr. 16-22): Should Be a Movie
Week 17 (Apr. 23-29): DNA

May
Week 18 (Apr. 30-May 6): Pets
Week 19 (May 7-13): Bald
Week 20 (May 14-20): Bearded
Week 21 (May 21-27): Brick Wall
Week 22 (May 28-June 3): At the Cemetery

June
Week 23 (June 4-10): So Many Descendants
Week 24 (June 11-17): Last One Standing
Week 25 (June 18-24): Fast
Week 26 (June 25-July 1): Slow

July
Week 27 (July 2-8): The Great Outdoors
Week 28 (July 9-15): Random
Week 29 (July 16-22): Birthdays
Week 30 (July 23-29): In the News

August
Week 31 (July 30-Aug. 5): Flew the Coop
Week 32 (Aug. 6-12): Reunion
Week 33 (Aug. 13-19): Strength
Week 34 (Aug. 20-26): Newest Discovery
Week 35 (Aug. 27-Sept. 2): Disaster

September
Week 36 (Sept. 3-9): Tradesman
Week 37 (Sept. 10-16): Prosperity
Week 38 (Sept. 17-23): Adversity
Week 39 (Sept. 24-30): Surprise

October
Week 40 (Oct. 1-7): Longevity
Week 41 (Oct. 8-14): Travel
Week 42 (Oct. 15-21): Friends
Week 43 (Oct. 22-28): Dig a Little Deeper
Week 44 (Oct 29-Nov. 4): Spirits

November
Week 45 (Nov. 5-11): War and Peace
Week 46 (Nov. 12-18): “This Ancestor Went to Market…”
Week 47 (Nov. 19-25): “This Ancestor Stayed Home…”
Week 48 (Nov. 26-Dec. 2): Troublemaker

December
Week 49 (Dec. 3-9): Family Recipe
Week 50 (Dec. 10-16): “You Wouldn’t Believe It”
Week 51 (Dec. 17-23): Cousins
Week 52 (Dec. 24-31): Me, Myself, and I

William Henry Cannon and son William Henderson Cannon

  William Henry Cannon 1771–1868, my four times great grandfather

 His wife was Catharine Henderson Cannon (1777-1827) (see her post yesterday HERE)

 Burial Trundle Family Cemetery Sevierville,Sevier County, Tenn 

Birth: Nov. 28, 1771 Virginia, 

 Death: Jun. 11, 1868 Sevier County TN 

 Parents: John Cannon, Rev. War patriot, (1744-1806) 

 Nancy Ann Whitlow Cannon (1747 - 1830) 

 Children: Cyntha O. Cannon Rogers (1800 - 1855) 

 John Overton Cannon (1803 - 1846) 

 Guilford Cannon, Dr. (1806 - 1873)

 Nancy Cannon Bogle (1808 - 1844) 

 Rebecca Henderson Cannon Sharp (1812 - 1901) 

Mariah Louisa Bonaparte Cannon Earnest (1814-1851)

William Henderson Cannon (Jr) (1817 - 1901) 

Martha Caroline Cannon Earnest (1820 - 1847) 

 Siblings: 

Jane (Janey) Cannon (1770-1850

Elizabeth (Betsy) M. Cannon Gamble (1778-1849)

John (Jack) Cannon (1779-1864)

Henry Cannon (1780-1850)

Robert C. Cannon (1781-1854)

Martha Elizabeth (Patsey) Cannon Nelson (1784 - 1862) 

Charles Cannon (n.d.)

My Ancestry tree gives a few documents which follow Grandpa Cannon's life.

He married Catharine in 1799, on Aug. 22, in Sevier County TN.

Their first child, Cyntha O. was born Aug. 24, 1800 in Sevier County, TN.

She would grow up and marry Micajah Rogers and moved with him and their family to Huntsville TX...and became my great times three grandparents.

William Henry is listed as the son of John Cannon and Anne Whitlow Cannon on a document in the Allen Papers of the McClung Collection, under John Cannon in the Lawson McGhee Library, Knoxville, TN. This document says John was the son of a William Cannon who moved from Cumberland County VA to Caswell County, NC, where John was born.  He suspposedly moved to Sevier County TN, then to Knox County, TN before 1795.

This information is in a typed format, not saying where it originated. The Allen Papers. The next information is refuted in several census documents, so it brings to question any validity of this document. It says this John Cannon (b. March 18, 1744) had 3 sons, John, William, and Robert and one daughter Cyntha (spelled Cynithia) who married M. C. Rogers before moving to Texas.

So some of the information seems correct. I'm not going to worry about the sons Robert and John, but will look closer at William.

A sentence by itself is typed, saying "John W. Sharp, a grandson of Wm. Cannon says Wm. John and Robt had a sister who married an Olford."

Then there are a couple of hand written sentences. Whether these were just added to my copy of this paper, or exist on the original is unknown...but they look like the same handwriting.

First is a statement:

"John Cannon tax payer in Greene County, TN in 1783."

Then with an asterisk which leads from the name Cynithia above...

"* Cynthia Cannon who. m. M. C. Rogers, was b. Aug. 24, 1804, Sevier Co. TN, daughter of Wm. and Catherine (Henderson) Cannon.

Wm. Cannon, her father, was b. Nov. 28 1771. son of John & Nancy Cannon."

Then the whole page mentioned above from the Allen Papers has a note by an Ancestry member, 

"This John Cannon is not from the Kennon family, contact me for proof of this." Entered by "newseeker" of Eurika, CA. I have no more information on that person.

I'm guessing that the hand written notes are not on the original in the library in Knoxville, TN but on the photocopy.

There's yet another page from the Allen Papers about William Henry Cannon - but it's very confusing also.

I'll go to some other sources first. 

One son of William Henry and Catherine Henderson Cannon as mentioned above, was William Henderson Cannon. His middle name is his mother's maiden name, a tradition carried on by many families. He was b. March 12, 1817 and d. 16 July 1901. He is buried in the Trundle Cemetery in Sevier County, TN, where his second wife, Julia Huffaker Cannon is also buried.

Now the way trivial information has been added wherever I've found it, I've put 2 and 2 together and came up with his first wife completely.

To follow my path, when William Henderson Jr.'s daughter, Elizabeth "Bettie" died in 1912 (which of course doesn't show on his own life history) her younger brother John (J. G.) Cannon provided her parents' names on her death certificate. He said William H. Cannon, for father, and just Heiskell for her mother's name. Obviously she had had a different mother than John's, whose mother was Julia Huffaker Cannon.

So I also saw on William Henderson Cannon's obituary that he'd been married twice, both wives dying young. Then on the Find a Grave site, his first wife is listed as Mary Cannon. I tried a trick I learned long ago, and tried putting Mary and Heiskell together, and got 10 hints for this woman. Her parents, her birth and death dates, and that she had 3 children, only the daughter, Bettie having lived to adulthood. The two sons she gave birth to both died immediately.

William Jr.'s obituary speaks of his daughter Bettie having looked after him in his later life, after the wives had died...and I imagine she raised the son of his second  wife who lived past his mother's death, John (J. G.) Incidentally, Bettie never married. 

All of this is substantiated by several census reports.

The one that I first found brings another generation into the family, is The 1850 Census for Eastern Subdivision 12 of Sevier County TN, in which his father William Cannon, (age 75) is living with him.  William Henderson Cannon is the head of the household at 33 years. His wife Mary is 21, and daughter Betty (sp.) is 4 mos. When looking at the occupations of the two William Cannons, the elder is a farmer, while his son is a merchant.

The obituary I mentioned earlier also says William Henderson Cannon had owned a store, which was destroyed during the Civil War. His slaves of course were freed by the war. So he had to start over as a farmer. He had also been the postmaster for the area before the war, and became the same for the Confederacy. So when he wanted to become a US citizen again following the war, he had to petition to President Andrew Johnson requesting a pardon for having served in an official capacity for the Confederacy.

I have gone in depth to what William Henderson Cannon's life was like, because I just found a cousin who is a descendent of William H. Jr. He recently contacted me, being descended through his sister, Cyntha Cannon Rogers. So I became interested in his early ancestor. As he says, we can help each other work out the mystery. 

Here's the original document describing William H. Cannon's being postmaster at Cannon's Store. (Second line)

As of Aug 4, 1857 William H. Cannon was postmaster for the post office at Cannon's Store. The letter to reinstate his citizenship indicates that it was the son, William Henderson Cannon who had been the postmaster during the war, and it shows that as of 20 Sept 1867 he was no longer postmaster,