Fleming School

Fleming Neon High School

Karen Quillen Hall runs a web site deovoted to Fleming High School. I looked at when Eddie (Uncle D. V.'s Eddie) sent me a note about it connecting to a picture of Yvonne. She died in 1965 and they dedicated the yearbook to her.

Please take a look at the site by going to http://www.flemingneonalumni.com/class_index.cfm

I clicked on the yearbook to see Yvonne's picture. If you click on a yearbook, give it plenty of time to load because it is a pdf file and takes a while. I know when I was going to Morehead I stored some things over break with friends in Morehead. They put it in their basement which flooded so my senior yearbook was ruined, so I would love to find that someone had my yearbook online.

Here are the pictures of Fleming that she had posted.

Fleming Neon High School before 1937

Fleming Neon High School after 1937

Fleming Neon High School Gym

Fleming Neon High School Band Building

If you have pictures of the school, class photos, scans of class programs etc, please send them to Karen at hall5485@bellsouth.net or to me at karenchat@aol.com and I will see that she gets them.

The Parker Family

William Parker was born in 1560 in Yorkshire, England. He married Joan Panchard. William died in 1631 and Joan in 1652. In 1590 they had a son, James.

James married Katherine Buller from Cornwall, England. They settled in Cornwall and had a son, Richard, in 1630. James died in 1672 and Katherine in 1686.

Richard married Elizabeth Bailey from London in 1651. This couple went to America and had three children who were born in Virginia: Robert, Richard and Helena. Elizabeth died in 1665 in Parker Creek, New Kent, Virginia. Richard relocated to Nansemond, Suffolk, Virginia where he died April 16, 1683.

The second Richard first married a lady Elizabeth Ballard. They had one daughter, Elizabeth. He married next to a lady named Pender. They had Ann, Mary and Richard III.

Richard, the third one, married on November 18, 1735 to Judith Watson. They had fifteen known children: Alice, Ann, Elizabeth, Francis, Jacob, Patience, Peter, Robert, Stephen, Daniel, Richard, Johnathan, William, Jonas and Sally.

Daniel Parker married Mary Farlee about 1740. They had eight children: Isaac, Luke, Robert, Sarah, Dempsey, Judah, Mary Ruth and Daniel. Dempsey settled in Tennessee. Daniel went to Georgia. Daniel Sr. moved to North Carolina where he died.

Isaac stayed in North Carolina. He married a woman named Susannah. They had at least two children: Daniel and Jonas. Isaac died in 1779.

Daniel married a woman named Susan. They had at least 10 children: Susan Elizabeth, Pleasant Lewis, Richard, James, William, Betsy, Nancy, Alfred, John, and Edward. Several of the children moved to Clay County, Kentucky. Susan, Pleasant, Alfred, and Edward moved on to Laurel County, Kentucky. Richard moved to Knox County, Kentucky. William settled in Wayne County, Kentucky. John stayed in Clay County. Daniel, the father, resettled in South Carolina where he died in 1848.

Pleasant Lewis Parker married Sarah Ann "Sally" Dillard, the daughter of William and Mary Norman Dillard.

Pleasant and Sally's first child was Alexander Parker. Alexander was born in Clay County. He married Margaret "Peggy" Forbes. They had 13 children: Adeline, Sarah Ann "Sally", Pleasant, Martha, Matilda, Daniel, Green, John "Captain J.", Jaley, Margaret, Alexander "Alex", Lucy and James. By 1850 they were in Laurel county where both Alexander and Peggy died.

In the 1850 Laurel County Census Pleasant and Sally were 73 and 69. Living with them was their son Green who was 30 with Green's children White and Matilda. Their daughter, Mary who had married a Summers was also in the household with her daughter, Jaily.

Pleasant and Sally's other children were: John H, Joseph, Cynthia, White, Martha Ann, Elizabeth, Matilda, and Mariah. John married a Lucinda. Pleasant died March 14, 1857 and Sally died in 1860.

Alexander, the son of Pleasant and Sally,

Fact or Fiction

I see on some websites where the folks who do their genealogy say "if you don't have the facts, it's fiction" or words that have that meaning. Then I read and I usually find something I think is suspect. But, I probably have a lot of fiction in my work because it starts with what people tell you and what has been handed down. That's where you go after the facts though. But you can make a pretty good story using "facts".

I was working on Virgina Gibson's great grandfather, Charles Shueman. Mrs. Gibson was my brother-in-law, Dave Schenck's mother. I was really looking for his wife, Louisa's last name. I struck out there, but I found that I didn't have that much on Charles himself.

I had Charles and Louisa in the 1880 census in Cincinnati. He was 42, she was 44 and their son, John was 13. Charles was listed as a baker. Charles and Louisa were born in Prussia (Germany) and John was born in Ohio.

I didn't find them in the 1870 census.

There is no 1890 census.

In the 1900 census I found a Charley Shuman who was 62 and born in Germany. He was widowed and living in Mud Springs, El Dorado, California working as a gold ore miner.

Huh. How interesting. Digging on I found a military enlistment record for a Charles Schuman from June 23, 1868 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in Germany, was a shoemaker by trade and had hazel eyes, brown hair, fair complexion and stood 5 feet 5 inches.

Now that could be Dave's Charles Shuman, or it could be a Charles Shuman who was married to a Caroline and worked in a carpet shop in 1900.

And I found other Charles Schumans in California who were not quite the right age in previous census files, but the ages vary so much from one census to another that you can't take it as gospel.

So, that's where it gets hard for me to pin things down on a family unless the family knows some history. Otherwise you could make up a good story that says

"My great great grandfather was named Charles Schuman. He was born in Germany and married a woman named Louisa. They came to America in 1866. Louisa was pregnant and delivered her first child, John Carl in 1867. Having come into the country at the end of the civil war, Charles felt a duty to enlist in the army and did so on June 23, 1868. In 1880 he and his family were in Cincinnati, Ohio where Charles worked as a baker. John married Cora Estell Geeting on May 22, 1889 in Dark County,Ohio. He and Cora had four children, but only one of them was living by the 1900 census. John's mother had died before 1900, too. Charles, a widower, had taken off for California and was mining for gold. The family never heard from him again."

Nice little story, but without family input, I can't say any of it is true. Some families are harder to follow than others.

In my family I have a grandpa that online many people have that he died in Wisconsin. He is my Hays line. He was the father of Rebecca Hays who married James Mullins when she was 19 and he was 72. I can follow John from Kentucky to Virginia and back to Kentucky and then I lose him. His first wife, Athaliea Mullins, dies and he marries a "Nancy" whose last name I have not discovered, but is the same age as his daughter, Rebecca. It happens in that 20 year timeframe between 1880 and 1900 when there is no census to follow. I just can't see John moving to Wisconsin. Why? I have never heard it family legend wise. There was some who moved to Wisconsis and back to Kentucky, but I can't even think of the name of that group and I believe they were a spouse who divorced one in our family and I just followed them to see where they went and what happened to them, but other than them, I don't know of family who went to Wisconsin. I keep meaning to find the entry on John Hays and look in the census records to see if there weren't already a John Hays living in that area in early census records just like the carpet shopt Schuman who probably is the one who enlisted in the army.

Sure would be nice to know the truth.

Brick Walls and Inlaws

I worked on a question for my sister in law a couple of weeks ago. I have worked on various related families from time to time. My software lets me look at the families I have worked on in a pedigree form so I can see at a glance about four generations for whatever person I select.

After I looked at the Wrights for Deb, I got into her Francis, Monnin and Millet families. Her family lines were so interesting.

I looked at my other in-laws and decided I would get at least four generations on them. Sometimes you hit brick walls.

I kind of struck gold on my brother-in-law, Jack's family. At least his mother. Her maiden name was Syx. They were German and I traced them back to 1625 in Marienfels, Germany. The Shannons I took back to the 1700's. The Bauersachs were also German. I took them back to 1665. I went back about three generations on the Spears, but that was only to about the late 1700's. That was his mother's father's families.

On his mother's maternal side, I took the Cass family back to 1750 in Rhode Island. They were married to another Wright family who were from Maryland. I am still working on that side of his family.

But his father. I can only go so far from what I remember. I know his mother was married three times. Some things I picked up I don't remember Jack telling me and yet something sticks in my mind that he did say something. His father died young. It looks as if he were in an orphan's home in Xenia, Ohio when he was 7. No other census record fits so far. That is what niggles at me. It seems like he told me something about his father's history, but I can't remember the story.

I also found that his mother's third husband was first married to her sister. The sister died, Jack's father died and those two got together. That I don't think I ever remember him saying.

The Schenck's, my brother-in-law's family, I have done a little on. The Schencks I have back to Roelof Martense Schenck. He was born in Holland and came to America settling in Flatlands, Kings County, New York. The next line Jan Roelofse Schenck was in New Jersey. The next was John Schenck. Next was William Janse Schenck who was born in New Jersey and moved to Ohio where he died in Warren County. Next was David Schenck who moved to Ohio with his parents. Next was John David Schenck who was born in Ohio. He was the father of Obediah Schenck. Next was John David Schenck, then Paul David and then Lowell, David's father.

I was able to follow the Scharffs, Wombolds, Piles, Loy, Gebhart, and Sears who are other lines of Mr. Schenck. Benjamin Sears wife, Hannah, is a brick wall for me. So far I haven't found her maiden name.

David's mother, Virginia Gibson, has a bunch of holes in it. I only have the Gibsons back to James Gibson in Virginia. Issac Gibson's wife, Mollie Etha, is a brick wall. Following Mrs. Schenck's maternal lines I have traced the Shuemans, Geetings and Coblentz.

The Geeting name originates from Eberhard Guding born in 1629. Next is Herman, then Johan Ebert Guding and the next son, Johannes Heinrich takes on the new spelling of Geeting. He is the one who immigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania. They have a lot of interesting lines.

My other sister-in-law is also a Deb. She has a Purvis line that I have taken back to 1677 when David Purvis was born. He immigrated to Virginia in 1693. His son, Thomas, was born in North Carolina. Next was his son, James, then his son, Jesse. The next in line, James, moved from North Carolina to Pulaski County, Kentucky. On the way to Kentucky they lived in Tennesse for a bit which is where the next in line, Alfred, was born. He moved from Pulaski County to Jackson County, Kentucky. The next in line was Henry Jame Purvis. Next was John Irvin Purvis. That was Debbie's grandfather.

I was able to follow the Abrahms line back to Pennsylvania. I followed the Asbill and Bicknell families.

Deb's mother was a Parker. The Parkers came from England. The oldest known to me was William who was born in Yorkshire, England and died in Cornwall. His son James was also in England. Richard was born in Cornwall and immigrated to Virginia. The next son was Richard as was the next. This third Richard was the one who moved from Virginia to North Carolina. Next in line was Daniel Parker followed by Isaac. Isaac named his next in line Daniel. Daniel's son Pleasant Lewis Parker moved from North Carolina to Clay County, Kentucky. The next in line was Alexander who moved the family to Laurel County, Kentucky. Next was Pleasant Parker. The next generation was Anderson Parker. His son was Kelly Parker, Mrs. Purvis' father.

I was able to follow their Truett, Browning, Faubush, Cathers, Moore and Robinson lines.

Deb, the other Deb, David's wife, was the Schwieterman line. I also found her Manetsch, Grieshop, Francis, Cordonnier, Monnier and Millet lines. Most of her lines were Swedish and French. Only her great grandmother Anna Hinders has been a stopper for me.

Gary's family the Dursch family is from Germany. I can go back to Joseph Dursch. Gary has given me some beautiful pictures of this line, but they aren't identified so, I can't even match them up the people yet.

The Apgars are also from Germany. I can take them back to 1669 to Johan Adam Ebgart. His great grandmother, Bertha Hoffke is a block, but I could find the Sharritts.

For his mother's side, the Boyers I can only take back to Pennsylvania in 1819 so far. I have taken the Emrick line back to 1652 in Germany. The Weavers I can take back to George Weber, then Hans Weber, then Johan Andreas Weber, and Johan Enoch took the name Weaver. He is the one who immigrated to America from Germany and lived in Pennsylvania. His son John Jacob Weaver moved his family from Pennsylvania to Jefferson Township, Ohio. The next child was Peter Samuel Weaver then Henry P. Weaver. Next was William Henry Weaver, then Winfield P. Weaver. Winfield was the father of Eva Agnes Weaver, Gary's grandmother.

I have followed their Keedy, Silvers and Brinkley lines.

One interesting thing for Gary was his grandmother, Sarah Victoria Linebach who was married to Horation Allison Boyer. I can find her living with a Reed family in Germantown. She was 7 years old and there with a brother, Benjamin. I followed the Reed family and figured out that his wife was a Leinbach. I found the Leinbachs were in Pennsylvania and three children moved to Ohio. Later, when Mr. Reed is elderly and a widower, he lives with the Boyers. I know there is a connection and I am leaning toward Sarah being a neice of Sarah Leinbach who married Samuel Reed and also leaning toward that being her brother, Daniel's child, but I can't prove it yet. Once I get the connection there, I have the Leinbachs back to Germany also. I have pictures of the city they lived in and a lot of details about their occupations, etc.

Once I connect the Leinbach, who also got changed to Linebaugh, I will post their story because there are pictures and stories to go with it.

I don't know if any of my nieces or nephews look at this. If they do, I can send them a pdf file of their family trees on the other sides of their families. They just have to email me.

I am still looking for some of the brick walls, but I like doing the searching and fitting the pieces together.

Leontine Victoria Monnin

I like that name Leontine. She is my sister-in-law's maternal grandmother. She was born in 1887 in Ohio to Francois Justin Monnin and Emily V. Millet.

Leontine was one of ten children. Justine Monnin was born in Switzerland and Emily was born in France.

Another Wright Family

Hugh Emerson Wright born November 24, 1894 Ohio & died September 2, 1982, Greenville, Ohio.

Hugh and his wife, Leontine Victoria Monnin Francis, the grandparents of my sister-in-law, Deb Rose.

I really have been working on the family tree, but it just hasn't led to any stories yet. I did happen to get a question about another Wright family. My brother Dave is married to Deb whose grandfather was a Wright. She wondered if possibly there was a connection.

There is a Wright family who people are always trying to attach to Joel and Susannah but they are not the same family. Some of that second Wright family moved to Ohio, so my first thought was there could be a connection.

A few searches and I found they were not related at all. But this was a very interesting because I found the family came from Germany and went throught several name changes. Her ancestor starts with Johannes O. Reitz who was born about 1640 in Germany.

His son Johanes married Anna Barbara Friedrich, the daughter of Stoeffel Friedrich. Thier son was Johannes Peter Hans Reitz who married Madgalena Weygand, daughter of Nicholas Weygand. They lived in Lohnhaupten, Gelnhausen, Hessen-Nassua, Germany. They had five sons.

Their son Johan George Reitz married a woman named Anna Martha. They immigrated from Germany and settled in Washington Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Their son Andreas marrie Maria Margareth Brosius. Andreas served in the Revolutionary War.

Their son Johan Nicholas Reitz married Margaretha Bresher. They moved from Pennsylvania to Bethel Township in Miami County, Ohio. Their son Samuel is the first generation where a spelling occurred. Instead of Reitz he spelled it Wrights. Samuel married Esther Leighty.

Their son, Charles H. dropped the s and became just Wright. He moved from Miami County, Ohio with his parents. They settled in Shelby county, Ohio. He marrie Mary E. Jacobs.

Their son, Hugh Emerson Wright married Deb's grandmother, Leontine Victoria Monnin who was the widow of George Nicholas Francis.

I followed as many lines as I could for Deb. She has several from France and Switzerland. She also has a Quebec, Canada line who also came from France. I found it so interesting to have so many immigrant lines to follow.

I love my family, but they have been here for so many generations that we are lucky to find they came from England, Ireland, Germany or whatever, but it's really hard to find the actual cities they were from. Deb can go right to so many cities and regions her family comes from.

Christmas with the Blairs then and now

Glenda is my cousin through the Bentleys. Her mother was my mother's sister. My mother was Cora and hers was Sabrina. Sabrina married Curwood Blair. Today I received a beautiful picture of her family at Christmas. I don't actually know everyone in the family so Glenda will have to do the identification and I will update this. I just wanted to share this lovely picture.

Also, when I was writing that piece on Granny and Poppy and trying to find a picture of each of the children with at least one of them, Glenda had sent me this picture of Granny at Christmas. I don't think I put it in with a story so far. This is Granny with Kathy, Glenda's baby sister.

I am working on several stories and they are leading so many places it is taking a lot to researh them. I also have som GREAT pictures coming up that I am trying to get totally identified before I post them. I will have some postings as soon as I can get some of these storied pinned down.

Enoch Arden "Chunk" Craft & Polly Ann Caudill

Enoch Arden Craft was the son of Archelous Columbus Craft and Lettie Webb. He was known as Chunk Craft. He was born -- so it is said -- on February 28, 1843. I say it haltingly because he celebrated his birthday every four years which makes me think he might have actually been born in a leap year on February 29th.

He married Mary Ann Caudill who was known as Polly Ann. She was the daughter of John Adams Caudill and Rachel Cornett.

Chunk was a private in the 13th Regiment, Kentucky Calvary which was also called the 10th and 11th Mounted Infantry. They were assembled at Abington, Virginia. They were also assigned to the Department of East Tennessee and later the Department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee. The unit confronted the Federals in Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia.

Chunk was a cook for his group. He was also with John Morgan Hunt when he was killed. Hunt was On April 27, 1865 they surrendered at Louisa, Kentucky. The field officers were Colonel Benjamin E. Caudill, Lieutenant Colonel D. J. Caudill and Major John T. Chenoweth.

Alvin & Mary Franklin Hall

Alvin Hall was the son of Joseph Leonard Hall and Sarah Caudill. He was born on August 8, 1887. His mother died on August 8, 1889. Joe married Lettie Craft on August 30, 1889 . In the 1900 Census they were listed as:

Joseph, 36, head, married 10 years, farmer

Lettie E., wife, 28, had 5 children, 5 living

Minnie E. 18

Anzie, 16

Isabella, 14

Alvin, 12

Polly A., 9

Leonard B. 8

Rachel V. 5

Enoch M. 3

Nancy A, 1

His oldest sister, Mary Ellen Hall had married Isaac Profitt in 1897 and was in her own household.

In 1905 Alvin married Mary "Polly" Franklin, the daughter of Harvey G. Franklin and Eveline Combs.

During his life Alvin was a coal miner, a farmer, a store owner and other jobs.

He worked as a coal loader for Elkhorn Coal until a slate fall on November 2, 1939. The accident broke his foot, ankle and spine. He worked a farm at the head of Thornton Creek and later at Craft's Colly. He and Mary ran a store.