Nathaniel Osborne Gandy - Stabbed in the Heart

A BOY SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT
That was the headline in the 29 March 1889 Galveston Daily News. 

This story made the papers not only in Texas but, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and many others.  Harry was 11 at the time of the stabbing and Nathaniel was 16. 

The story of Nathaniel's death was told in detail by three different witnesses in The Philadelphia Inquirer including details like,"stabbed through the heart", "plunged it into Gandy's left breast", and "I saw blood spurting out." 

The stories vary and according to some there was a confrontation and a fight broke out, another says that Harry just pulled out a knife and stabbed Nathaniel. The only thing that was common was that Nathaniel was stabbed with a knife by Harry and was dead.  

Nathaniel Osborne Gandy II was born 18 July 1872 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Nathaniel Osborne Gandy and his wife Sarah Ann (Mick) Gandy.  He had 6 siblings and 4 step sisters. He was my Very Great Uncle. 

Hallie Pearis - Snowbound February 1934

On Tuesday 27 February 1934 the Bluefield Daily Telegraph printed this story:

"AUTOMOBILE PARTY SNOWBOUND OVERNIGHT
 Snowbound at Clark's Gap from 4 o'clock Sunday morning until Monday noon,
Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Craft and son, James, of Springton; D S. Hunt Jr., of Matoaka and a young woman from Springton had a dismal week-end.
They left Charleston, Saturday evening, and were halted by the-snow at Clark's Gap about 4 o'clock Sunday morning.
They arrived at Springton at 1 o'clock Monday afternoon.
During their stay on the mountain they obtained shelter in a
small filling station at the Mercer-Wyoming county line.
A son, who was at home, called his uncle, Sam P Pearis, at Mullens,
and found that his parents had passed through Mullens.
Mr. Pearis rode a horse out to the spot where the car was marooned,
and found that the party was sheltered
in the filling station, but that there were no sleeping accommodations.
Mr. Pearis telephoned H. B. Pearis, of Princeton, who got in touch with state road officials.
Monday morning road forces started working on the road from both the Wyoming county end at Mullens and from
Matoaka and about noon the party was able to resume their journey home.
Mrs.Craft is a sister of H. B. Pearis and G. W. Pearis, of this city."

Let me make this adventure a little clearer. 
Mullens, West Virginia is about 20 Miles from Clark's Gap. Walking there on today's roads would take approximately 7 hours and on horse might take 5 hours.  

Mrs. J.H. Craft is my Great Aunt and the  Sam P. Pearis who rode a horse for hours through cold and snow to get to her is my Grand father. 

Her name is Hallie Pearis and she was born 26 March 1885 in Mercer County, West Virginia to Samuel Pepper Pearis III and his wife Mary Hannah (Barbor) Pearis.  She has 3 younger brothers.  

                                                      Hallie Pearis

In 1900 Hallie is living with her parents and brothers in an area called East River which is more of a populated place than an actual village or town. It is within 5 miles of Princeton and Hallie went to school in Princeton. By 1910 East River is a Township within Princeton, an unincorporated area and Hallie, her mother, and her brothers all live in a house on East Main Street. Boarding at her house is a Doctor James Harvey Craft. The Doctor and Hallie fall in love and on 30 November 1910 they are married. 

In 1914 James Harvey Craft II was born and in 1917 Herbert Barbor Craft is born. A newspaper article from January 1912  says that Hallie's Mother, Mary Pearis stayed with her while she was ill and that they were living in McComas, West Virginia. In 1920 Hallie, her husband and sons are living in the Springton Precinct of the Rock District in Mercer County, West Virginia. This is a coal mining area and Hallie's husband James was a doctor for a coal mine operation.  Bluefield is the closest large city to McComas, Springton, Rock and  Wenonah where she lived in 1930. Hallie was very involved in the P.T.A. where her sons attended school, she held offices on the Board of her Missionary Group and did most of her shopping in Bluefield. Her involvement in everything and her shopping trips are well recorded in Bluefield papers, She must have been the Kim Kardashian of Mercer County. 

On 7 December 1934 Hallie was involved in an automobile wreck and received very serious injury to her ribs, lungs, and head. She was taken to Memorial Hospital in Princeton and at 2:00 P.M. on 9 December 1934 she died.  She is buried at Monte Vista Park Cemetery in Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia. 

                                                    Hallie Pearis

William Henry Probert - My English Roots

 11 Scotch  Hill in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland is where the home that was owned by William Henry Probert lived with his family.  He was a miner in a coal mine the year was 1910. 

Published by Fowler and Kelly, 1905

William Henry Probert was born in Newland, Gloucestershire, England on 13 March 1852 Thomas Probert and Mary (Price) Probert his wife. He was baptized on 11 April 1852 in a church in Newland, Gloucestershire, England and is had 5 siblings. 

William Henry Probert

On 11 March 1877 William married Sarah Curtis at Cinderford, St. John, Gloucestershire, England, and a few months later Florence Emaline Probert was born and in October of 1878 Sarah dies in Westbury on Severn, Gloucestershire, England.

In 1880 William, his parents, most of his sisters and his young daughter all immigrated to America and in 1897 William Henry Probert married the beautiful Anna Irene Dutton.

Anna Irene Dutton

 1900 William his wife Anna and their daughter Charlotte Irene Probert were living at #47 East Main Street in a Duplex that was owned by his sister Mary Ann (Probert) Hadley. This duplex became known as the Mary Hadley Tenant House and was located in the Historic District of Lonaconing. It has/had tremendous Maryland historic value. The house has been demolished. 

By the time William is 65 it is 1920 and  he is living in Baltimore at 507 North Stricker Street with his wife and 6 children. He is working at a Munitions Plant as a Laborer. 1926 they have moved from the inner city row housing to a Duplex on Wrenwood and William works as a Watchman. By 1930 the family has moved houses to a single family dwelling on Cedarcroft. 

On November 26 1936 William who is 84 dies from heart complications. He is buried in Frostburg Memorial Park in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. 

Orissa Naomi Southwick - Who Was She?

Orissa Naomi Southwick was only 2 when her Mother Sarah (Branch) Southwick died.  She had 5 older siblings and a younger sister who was born just 2 days before their Mother passed away. She is my Very Great Aunt and was born 17 December 1811 in New York. Her father was Johnathan Southwick.

At some time Orissa marries a man whose last name is Parker. They have a daughter who is named Naomi.  In about 1833 Orissa has moved to Troy City, Rensselaer County, New York. The last time I can find her is living in Brunswick, Rensselaer County, New York in 1880 and a reference regarding her living in Brunswick in a book published in 1881. 

Lisethe Eichner - Hiding

Lisethe Eichner is a distant cousin who was born in Baltimore, Maryland on 8 August 1889. She is the daughter of Mary (Uhl) Eichner and George C. Eichner and has one younger sister Frieda. She is called Lillie and at the age of 10 she lives at 70 Garrison Lane and attends school. At the age of 20 she is out of school and still living at home with her sister and parents. In 1920 Lillie, her sister and her mother are living at 2550 West Lombard Street in Baltimore. She is still single and works as a Seamstress from her home.  Lillie and her sister still live on West Lombard Street in 1930 she is still a Seamstress. 

Here is where this story ends. 
There is rumor she married a George Mohr but no proof. There is a death certificate in Maryland for a Lisethe E. (could be her last name initial) Mohr. 

This ghost is hiding.

John Virgil Gibson - Navy Recruit

In Clay County, West Virginia at Clay County High School, John Virgil Gibson was one of 6 boys on the School's first basketball team.

Virgil was one of 4 children and the youngest born to Luther Haymond Gibson and his wife Mary Chestina (Carden) Gibson. He was born 25 May 1899 in Braxton County, West Virginia, he was a cousin of writer and photographer Eudora Alice Welty and my Great Uncle. Virgil had brown hair and blue eyes, was short (his sister, my Grand-Mother was under 5' tall) and according to the draft registration in 1918 "stout".

In 1918 Virgil is accepted into the United States Navy and he is sent to Boot Camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Illinois.  Theodore Roosevelt approved funds in 1905 for Naval Station Great Lakes the first Naval Training Boot Camp to be built away from an ocean. The Naval Station officially opened in 1911.  While in training Virgil in late December Virgil develops Pneumonia and on 1 January 1919 he dies. His body is sent back to Clay County, West Virginia and he is buried in Reed-Stephenson Cemetery in Clay he was 19.               

Edgar Clayton Willoughby - Shot His Heart-Suicide

On 20 March 1859 Francis Edgar Willoughby and his wife Janett Elizabeth (Root) Willoughby welcomed their second child and first son, Edgar Clayton Willoughby  into the world.  They were living near Lynnville, Ogle County, Illinois on a farm. By the time Edgar is 10 the family is living in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. They are farming and Edgar has 2 younger brothers.  At the age of 21 Edgar is farming with his father, he is still living in Rockford, his older sister Augusta Elizabeth Willoughby has married and he has 3 younger brothers. 

Edgar has a cheerful disposition, is well liked, he has many friends and likes to socialize. 

                               Edgar Clayton Willoughby - Photo was shot about 1873

In July 1883 Edgar heads for Colorado. 29 August 1883 he applies for a land patent in  the South East Quarter of Section 23 in Mesa County, Colorado.  In June of 1885 in a Mesa County, Colorado survey Edgar is listed as a farm hand. He is granted a 160 acre land patent in June of 1890 in Mesa County, Colorado. 

Edgar spent 9 years in Colorado and  has returned to Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois by 1892. On the morning of Thursday, 12 September 1895 Edgar's father comes to his room to wake him for breakfast so they can get started on chores.  What he finds is Edgar's lifeless body lying on the bed. He is clothed in his undergarments which are stained in blood as are his bed sheets. Lying near Edgar's body is a revolver. There is a bullet hole in his right temple and another bullet hole over his heart. 

 The County Coroner, Mr. Angessen  is called in and a jury impaneled.  His father is questioned and reports that his son was despondent  on Wednesday morning not coming down from his room until almost noon. He went out to the barn where they worked together until about 12:25 when they went up to the house for dinner. After eating they went back to the barn and continued working.  Sometime after 2 and before supper, Edgar returned to the house.  His father called him down for supper several times and received no response. He went up to Edgar's room where in the dim evening light he saw Edgar lying in bed and assumed he was asleep.  He left him alone and did not return to his room until Thursday morning when he discovered his son's body. Edgar's mother also said her son had been despondent and his health was frail since his return from Colorado. He came down late on Wednesday and went straight to work in the barn but was back in the house for supper with his father. They both went back to the barn. She had left the house at 2:00 to visit Mrs. Woodward, a neighbor.  She did not see Edgar the rest of the day and he did not respond or come down to supper when she called him down. 

After a jury hears all the evidence the death of Edgar Clayton Willoughby is ruled a suicide. The funeral was held on Friday 13 September 1895 at Edgar's home with Dr. W.O. Shepard presiding over the service. 

Amos Aaron Maddox - Disease of War

Amos Aaron Maddox was born in 1839 in Jackson County, West Virginia. Earlier in 1838 Amos's parents packed everything they could onto wagons and herded their livestock and themselves to Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia. There they built rafts and after loading the rafts with everything but the livestock they floated down the Ohio River the older boys of the families moving with them herded the livestock along through the wilderness. They landed near Ravenswood and after unloading everything and joining up with the herd of livestock they set out across land following Sandy Creek. They found the perfect location for a new farmstead and soon after Amos was born. 

Amos's father, William Oscar Maddox dies in 1841 of Typhoid Fever leaving his mother, Anna Maria Elizabeth (Cheuvront) Maddox with a new farmstead and 5 children all under the age of 8. By 1850 Amos, his mother and siblings are living in a home with his grandfather Aaron Charles Cheuvront in Jackson County, West Virginia. When Amos is 21 in 1860 he still living on the farm with his mother, Grandfather and a sister and they are farming. 

 dies in 1863 of Typhoid Fever his grave marker tells us he was also a Civil War Soldier. 

Annie Horst - Coroner Writes Suicide

Annie rented a room on Bernard Street in Baltimore from Mrs. Mary Jamison.  She had been living there since she had left her husband,  Emerson Andrew Loomis more than a year earlier. They had become friends.  They were so close in fact that Mary had asked Annie to be her Matron of Honor at her wedding on 14 May 1920 and Annie said yes. 

On the evening of 13 May 1920, the evening before the wedding, Emerson Loomis went to see his estranged wife Annie and threatened her. He said he would kill her and then himself if she did not come back to him. Annie refused and Emerson left. 

On 14 May 1920 Annie performed her duties as Matron of Honor and the wedding went off Beautifully. The reception was another matter entirely. It was canceled. Just after  Mary Jamison and William Clark had made their vows Annie laid down her bouquet to hug and congratulate her friend. A Police officer knocked on the door at that moment  and informed Annie that her husband had shot himself through the temple   just a short time before. Emerson was dead but he had been busy. He wrote a note to his Landlady telling her that no one was at fault or to blame except his wife Annie D. Loomis and to please notify his brother James Loomis of what had happened.  The coroner ruled the death a suicide and the body was sent to the morgue. 

This was not the dream wedding Mary and William wanted. This was not the dream wedding Annie wanted for her friend.  This was not Annie's fault. Troubles seemed to be a companion of Emerson. 24 January 1907 he is committed to court for embezzling $75.00 dollars from his employer the Gardiner Dairy Company where he was employed as a driver.  Emerson insisted the amount was actually closer to $100.00.  14 July 1909 Emerson is robbed of $2.50 as he slept in a doorway where he was waiting for a ride.  On 19 December 1918 he is robbed by the O'Brien brothers. 

I find no trace of Annie after the suicide in May of 1920. 
Annie D. Horst, a distant cousin was born in March of 1890 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was one of five children born to John Frederick Horst and his wife Catherine Marie Uhl Horst. 

Gideon Hatcher - Goochland Revolutionary

Born to Josiah and Ann Elizabeth (Cheatham) Hatcher in 1751 in Chesterfield County, Virginia; Gideon Hatcher grew up, was married, lived and raised a family in Goochland County, Virginia. Also living in Goochland was the beautiful Martha LaPrade and on 4 September 1777 Gideon married her. It was not long before they had children America was fighting for Independence. 

Gideon was a young officer,a leader and early on he was tasked with a company of men to guard Hessian Prisoners.  He later led another Company of men in the Virginia Militia his main role was to run surveillance and guard various outposts along the James River near the Petersburg Crossing and alert the people of Richmond of an impending attack. In March of 1779 he was appointed to Captain.

He was a trusted friend, a witness for many wills, entrusted with legal services and was also High Sheriff in Goochland. 

He passes away in 1807 at the age of 56. 

Tabitha Katherine Fletcher - Rockford Wife

Tabitha Katherine Fletcher is my Very Great Grandmother. She was born in England in or near Somerset. Her Baptism date is 1 July 1835 and it was performed in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Yeovil,  Somerset.  The tower of St. Johns was built in 1480 and stands 90 feet tall. There are two stained glass panes in St. John that depict Judas of Iscariot crowned by a black halo. 

         Judas of Iscariot glass pane in St. John the Baptist Church Yeovil

She is the 7th and youngest child of Henry Fletcher and Tabitha (Abbott) Fletcher. When Tabitha was 14 years old in the fall of 1849 her parents and siblings left England for Newport, Wales. They took with them a barrel, bedding and 19 boxes and trunks and boarded the Arlington which set sail under the command of Master Washington Ryan. They arrived in New Orleans on 6 November 1849. 

The family spent little time making their way to Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio and it is where Tabitha met William H. Ernst and married him on 8 April 1852. 

In 1870 Tabitha and William Ernst are living in Dubuque, Iowa. They have 4 children who were born in Ohio and three others who were born in Iowa. Kate was born in Iowa in 1865 so they were in Iowa by then. 
Henry M. who was born in 1853 - Ohio
Charles F. born 1854 - Ohio
Ella L. born 1857 - Ohio
Josephine O. 1863 - Ohio
Kate G. 1865 - Iowa
Sarah H. 1867 - Iowa
Lyman P. 1869 - Iowa

In 1880 they are in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois on 9th Street. Her 4 younger children are living with her as is her daughter Ella and her husband Charles Brown. In 1900 Tabitha and her husband still live on 9th street in Rockford. In 1907 the couple has moved to 609 Park Avenue in Rockford. Tabitha and William's son Lyman moves back in and they are all still at 609 Park Avenue in Rockford in 1912. On the 6th of July 1914 William dies and Tabitha remains in the home. One year and 20 days later Tabitha passes away.  She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. 

Jesse Richard Battin - Where did you go?

I have a real mystery with this very removed cousin. Let me start at the beginning of what I have unraveled. 

Jesse Richard Battin was born in Indiana on 20 August 1856 to Jesse Battin and his wife Clarissa (Compton) Battin. This family is living in Washington Township, Boone County, Indiana in 1860. Washington Township is one of 12 townships in Boone County. About one third of the township was part of an original Indian Reserve that was purchased from them by the Government in 1828.  The first settlers arrived in 1835. 

Jesse is working the farm along side his father and little brother in 1870 he is 14 and attends school they live in Marshall, Marshall County, Iowa. Marshall Township was established in 1855 since there was another Marshall the town was renamed Marshalltown. 

Amaqua Township, Boone County, Iowa was established in 1871 and in 1880 Jesse is 22 and farming. His parents have both passed and he is taking care of his little sister Amelia and his older sister Louisa. Amelia attends school.

Lured by tales of adventure, silver or gold Jesse found his way to Council Valley, in what was still Washington County, Idaho. It was here that Jesse who was now 31 met the lovely Emma Frances (Krigbaum) Severino.  

                   Emma Frances (Krigbaum) Severino

She was 22 years old, divorced and had a young son, Walter Emil Severino. They married on 9 June 1888. 

On 7 September 1894 Jesse obtained a land patent for 160 acres in Adams County. 

In 1900 I lose Jesse but Emma the woman he married is living in a home she owns in Weiser City, Washington County, Idaho with Walter her son from a previous marriage, Ina Margaret and Nyle her children from her marriage to Jesse. Her marriage status is Divorced. 

Jesse, where are you?

Louis Scheller - Butcher of Garrison Lane

In house 85 on Garrison Lane in Millington, Baltimore County, Maryland lived Louis Scheller. He was 11 and attended school, the year is 1880. 

An area known as Millington became Camp Millington and was located east of Gwynn's Falls in the Mill Hill area of Baltimore between Brunswick Street and Millington Avenue. Frederick Avenue led straight to the Camp Millington. It was established in 1862 and the 128th Regiment of New York Volunteers were stationed there.  

Camp Millington, Baltimore, Md. 128th Regt. N.Y.V., from Columbia & Dutchess Counties / / Lith. & print by E. Sachse & Co., 104 S. Charles St., Baltimore, Md.

In the 1860's Baltimore was home to 4,600 soldiers that were garrisoned in several military camps. Their purpose was to keep Maryland from joining the Confederacy. Southern sympathizers were locked up at the "American Bastille" also known as Fort McHenry. After the Civil War all traces of the camps disappeared.

Louis Scheller is a Butcher by trade and on 3 May 1897 red Line Cable Car Number 8 struck and hit Louis's wagon on Baltimore Street between Pine Street and Franklin Avenue. The blow knocked the horse down and threw Herman Kratz his driver from his driving seat. Neither the horse nor Herman were seriously injured. 

In 1890 Louis met the lovely Daisy and they married. George and Caroline, their children, are born and in 1900 Louis is working as a Butcher and renting a house at 1916 Walbrook Avenue in Baltimore. His hard work has led him to a position as a Grocery Store Keeper and he is renting a home on Garrison Lane in Baltimore. He becomes a Salesman in the Meat Packing Industry and they are renting a home at 2501 North Avenue in 1920.  

On August 21 1927 Louis passes away and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Baltimore. His obituary is in the Baltimore sun and reads: 

Obituary: The Baltimore Sun August 22, 1927

On August 21, 1927, Louis, aged 58 years, husband of the late Daisy Scheller.

Funeral services will be held at William J. Tickner & Sons, North and Pennsylvania avenues, on Tuesday at 4 P.M. Interment in Woodlawn Cemetery.