Oren and Anna (Block) Johns

This photo is of Oren and Anna Johns. Anna, born in 1886, was an older half-sister to my great-grandfather George Block. She married Oren Johns, but died in 1910 at the age of 24. She is buried in the Cisne Cemetery. Oren remarried, but I am not sure where he is buried. Maybe Ruthie can help here.

A little update - I saw Ruthie today and John Oren Johns remarried to Anna "Tobie" Johns ( forget her maiden name. He wound up in California but is buried in Indiana

Our Holmes Grandfather at the Battle of Long Island

I don't know a lot about Alexander Holmes. He was the grandfather of William Holmes - my g-g-g-grandfather. William as you Holmes descendants probably know, was the father of 26 children. William's grandfather Alexander Holmes, born July 12, 1757, the son of William Holmes and Honor (Wells) Holmes. I am not even sure of his wife's name, although some researchers give it as Sarah. Anyhow, Alexander's wife gave birth to Alexander's son, John Holmes six months after Alexander was killed inthe Battle of Long Island. Alexander's son, John Holmes was born Feb 26, 1777. He married Sarah Norris (1773 - 1852) on Dec 31, 1795. His son William Holmes was born Aug 1, (or some sources including his tombstone in Mt. Erie say Aug 26, 1801) in Washington County, PA. John Holmes died in Seneca, Ohio on Jun 26, 1858 at the age of 81. This post is the story of how Alexander Holmes, John's father and William's grandfather, died in the Battle of Long Island.

The Battle of Long Island may well be the singular most important battle in American history. The events that took place on and around Long Island in late August, 1776, represented a number of firsts to our newly declared country: This was the first real battle of the American Revolution (Lexington/Concord and Breed's Hill were fought before independence was declared on July 4, 1776). This was also the first battle of the American Revolution in which George Washington was in command, having been appointed commander-in-chief by Congress on June 17, 1775. Long Island was also the first battle in which the newly formed Continental Army played a significant role, and was the first time since the outbreak of hostilities in 1774 where the British and Continental armies met on relatively open ground in formal lines of battle.

The Battle of Long Island--August 27,1776

The Battle of Long Island took place on August 27, 1776. The American outpost of Colonel Edward Hand's sent word that the British were preparing to cross Long Island from Staten Island on August 22, at dawn. There were three frigates, the Phoenix, Rose, and Greyhound, and two bomb ketches named Carcass and Thunder, in Gravesend Bay. The frigates were anchored in the Namews. British generals Cornwallis and Clinton had a force of 4,000 men that included Von Donop's corps of jaegers and grenadiers. The force started crossing to Denyse Point and they were covered by the guns of the H.M.S. Rainbow. Two hundred men of Edward Hand's withdrew to Prospect Hill, destroying the property and supplies that the British might use. The British boats returned to Staten Island and landed in Gravesend Bay with more then 5000 men. By noon, they had landed almost 5,000 men and about 40 cannons safely on shore. The Americans couldn't defend themselves and were pushed back. The American forces were distributed on the evening before the battle. Their forces had a total strength of 550 in the area of Gowanus Road. To the left in the Flatbush Pass there were 1,000 troops, and to the right at Bedford Pass there was a force of 800 men with only 3 guns. In the early morning hours on August 27, the Americans fired on a few British soldiers who were near the Red Lion Inn. A few hours later, the Americans were attacked by 200-300 British troops. These attacks started the battle. General Howe was trying to distract the Americans so that General James Grant of Great Brittain could attack; the plan worked.

Brittish

General James Grant

This lead to a battle between General James Grant and American General William Alexander. Though Alexander only had 1,600 men, in cluding our Alexander Holmes, he was smart to organize his men into the open, European style, rather than just hiding them behind cover. Grant, on the other hand, had 7,000 men, which meant that they were superior to the Americans. At the end of this battle, there were only 12 dead, and 5 wounded. The Americans were waiting to be attacked again. The British had marched to Bedford, and were now behind the Americans. They had marched over 9 miles, with 10,000 men, and the Americans never detected them. Somehow the Germans (Hessians) on the British side began attacking the Americans. The Americans traveled along Port Road to Brooklyn because it was one of the few roads still open. The heaviest fighting happened near Baker's Tavern. The Americans did really well against the odds presented to them. During the battles Washington was able to get 9,500 soldiers out into the field. No one can give an exact number of Americans involved in the Battle of Long Island, but it is estimated that there were at least 10,000. It is also estimated that 1,407 Americans were wounded, captured, or missing, and 312 were killed. A British report says that there were 89 Americans officers imprisoned, and 1,097 other Americans were kept as prisoners. There were 22,000 British and Germans on Long Island, and they had a total loss of 377. Five British officers, and 56 men were killed, while 13 officers, and 275 men were wounded or missing. Two Germans were killed, and three officers and 23 men were wounded. According to both posession of the disputed territory and casualties, the British won this battle

Noah L. Bunnell - Brother to Seneca

This is a transcription from History of Clinton County, Indiana. With Historical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families by Hon. Joseph Claybaugh. Published 1913 by A. W. Bowen & Company – Indianapolis, Indiana

"BUNNELL, Noah L. The life record of this venerable citizen of Moran, Owen township, is one of interest and instruction, for it has been active, always so modulated as to be of the greatest service to those whom it touched. Mr. Bunnell has lived to see the transformation of a great country from the primeval forests and the wild prairies and he has performed well his part in this work. He is one of our oldest native born citizens, and most all of his nearly four score years have been spent here, devoted to farming and merchandising. He grew up amid pioneer conditions and it is indeed interesting to hear him relate incidents of those early days, of the different customs and manners prevailing then, of the hardships and privations, of the wilderness filled with wild animals, and many things unknown to us of the present generation. Noah L. Bunnell was born January 20, 1834, near the village of Jefferson, Clinton county. He is a son of Noah and Catherine (CONLEY) BUNNELL. The father was born in 1796 in New Jersey where he spent his early years, finally removing to Ohio then to Clinton county, Indiana, where he began as a typical frontiersman, erecting a log cabin and clearing and developing a farm, and there he spent the rest of his life, dying in 1871. He was a wheelwright by trade at which he worked in his earlier years, finally devoting his attention to farming. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife was born in Maryland in 1800, and her death occurred in 1875. To these parents five children were born, Noah L., of this review, the youngest, Harriet, James, Seneca and Mary, all four deceased. Noah L. Bunnell grew to manhood on the homestead near Jefferson and there he found plenty of hard work to do when a boy, and he received a meager education in the old-time rural schools. He married Julia A. BELL, who was born in Ohio in 1839. She was a daughter of William and Mary (HAMILTON) BELL, and to this union five children were born: Mary C., James, Elver, Clyde and Thomas (deceased). Mr. Bunnell began life for himself on a farm where he remained until 1864 then entered the mercantile field at Kilmore, Clinton county, where he remained three years, then went to Lafayette, where he remained in the same business until the Vandalia railroad was built through Clinton county, whereupon he returned here and laid out the town of Moran. Owen township, which was first called Bunnellsville, after our subject, but later was named Moran. Mr. Bunnell has remained at this place ever since and has built up a large and lucrative trade with the surrounding country, his store being a favorite gathering place for the people of this vicinity in their spare time, for they have always received honest, fair and courteous treatment at the hands of our subject. He carries an up-to-date stock of general merchandise at all seasons and his prices are laways (sic) reasonable. He is also owner of a valuable and productive eighty acre farm adjoining Moran, on which land Mr. Bunnell has a pleasant and well furnished home. At present he is assisted in his store by his son, Elver. Politically, Mr. Bunnell is a Republican and has always been faithful in his support of the party. Religiously, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church."


I don't have a picture of Noah L. Bunnell, but this is his brother and my g-g-g-grandfather, Seneca Bunnell.







The following is another brother, Daniel James Bunnell (Uncle Jim).

The Sheltons of Hamilton County, IL

William Shelton - Hannah Yates
sons: William Shelton (m. rebecca Hogg) ----- Josiah (m. Nancy Ross) -----
cousins: Joseph Shelton(son of William/Rebecca) William J. Shelton (son of Josiah and Nancy and g-grandfather of Wayne Shelton )


Joseph Shelton, first cousin to our William J. Shelton, was an early settler near Dahlgren He was born Mar 1, 1793, some say in Pittsylvania Co, VA . As a small child his family moved to Kentucky.






The American flag in 1812

Joseph Shelton was a private in the War of 1812. He fought in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, and the Shelton heirs have an old watch he found on the battlefield at New Orleans. He served, probably as a captain, in the Indian Wars in Illinois in 1816 or 1817. The Shelton heirs have his old rifle and powder horn that he carried in the Indian War. When this period of service was ended, he was discharged near where Chicago now stands. His horse was lame, so he turned it loose and walked to Southern Illinois. The captains in the Indian War furnished their own horses, and the pay was $8.00 per month.
Joseph Shelton was married to Nancy Chaffin in Christian County, KY in 1815, and about 1820 he and his wife settled a mile north and a mile west of what is now Dahlgren.
Their first baby was born and died at the home northeast of Dahlgren. When Mr. Shelton was gone into the woods to make a coffin in which to bury the baby, a panther came to the door of their cabin. Mrs. Shelton drove the hungry animal away with a stick with fire on one end of it that she had grabbed from the fireplace.
One summer a long, hard rain had put out the fire which they always tried to keep near their cabin in order to have fire with which to cook. Mrs. Shelton rode a horse twelve or fifteen miles east to the nearest neighbor to get some fire in an iron pot. She covered the glowing coals with ashes so it would not out during the long journey back home.
The children of Joseph and Nancy Shelton were Lucy, Sylvester, Sophia, Julia Ann, Linnie, Leonard, Nancy and Rebecca.
David M. Garrison, one of the grandsons of Joseph Shelton, has an old kettle about four and a half feet in diameter which has been in the family a long time. This kettle was originally used near Shawneetown, Illinois, to “boil down” salt water for salt in the early 1800s.
Joseph Shelton is buried on the old Shelton homestead northeast of Dahlgren. His heirs held a Shelton Reunion every year from 1915 to 1925.

New Book on Shelton Family of Pittsylvania Co, VA

April Miller's Shelton County Offers Research on Well-Known Pittsylvania Family
By Susan Worley, Staff Writer, The Star-Tribune, Chatham, Virginia. Used with permission.

Shelton County author April Miller received help from her husband, Harry, and her mother, Pauline Wood, who typed Miller's hand-written manuscript.
It began as an inquisitive search into family history and evolved into thousands of hours of research about one of Pittsylvania County's largest families — the Sheltons.
April Miller grew up in Norfolk, but tracing her roots led to Pittsylvania County, her mother, Pauline Wood's, part of Virginia.
"I intended to roll across the county line for two or three days' worth of research," said Miller, who began writing a book on county genealogy several years ago.
The Shelton family was to be only one chapter in the book, but Miller soon realized that the name was far too prolific to contain in a single chapter.
Shelton research eventually rooted out other family names and Miller's latest book Shelton County was born.
Her husband, Harry, came up with the title after accompanying his wife down one of the many back roads they travelled in search of family cemeteries and passing yet another row of Shelton mail boxes.
"He said if you could get a referendum on the ballot to change the name of this county to Shelton County, I think you could pass it," said Miller.
The couple has a home in Virginia Beach and Miller came to Chatham two or three days a month to do research.
They soon decided that the area would be a nice place for a country home, and a little over two years ago bought what is locally known as "the old Marilla house."
The home, off Chalk Level Road, was built in 1892.
Harry is retired and they now spend most of their time in Chatham
Why write genealogy?
"It's very addictive," said Miller. "The stories of the people in this county would be unbelievable as fiction. Especially a lot of the stories that I regretfully omitted from the book.
"There are lots of times when what is a matter of public record is also a matter of private pain and I did omit some things. I omitted a host of illegitimate children, some of whom are still in this county and very sensitive and yet they are just as much Sheltons as anyone else.
"I just took a case at a time and we really went through some thorny discussions of what to omit.
"I know Shelton County contains errors," she added. "There is no way that anyone can do a genealogy without there being some errors and omissions. A lot of times it's an error in an official record."
As examples, she said ages may be different if someone lied about their age when getting a marriage license.
Also, there are many variations in spelling.
Pittsylvania County is an excellent place to do research, according to Miller, because there is almost unlimited access to records in the clerk's office.
"At the end of each chapter I list the sources to show proof of where it is found," said Miller.
Especially helpful were interviews with and old photographs loaned by new-found cousins, said Miller.
"I have been welcomed from one end of the county to the other,"she said. "No one has treated me like a come here. Everyone has treated me like a come back."
Miller said researching the Shelton family was interesting, but she would not like to research other families where there is no personal connection.
"Nothing is as fascinating as your own, but as boring as someone else's," she added.
In addition to the overwhelming number of Sheltons who have lived or who are living in the county, there are interesting family connections.
Although Miller has Shelton connections six ways, she said one family has direct Shelton connections 11 ways.
Marketing a book
Now that the writing is over, the Millers are concentrating on marketing and distributing.
Books have been mailed from Alaska to Maine, Florida to California, and Texas to Michigan.
Miller has written magazine articles and The Green Sea, a book of Norfolk County genealogy.
The couple has two children, Alex 23, who is in the landscaping business, and Snowe, 19, a sophomore at Radford University.
Shelton County costs $25 plus $2.50 shipping and handling, and can be purchased by mail from Mrs. April Miller, 501 Marilla Lane, Chatham, VA 24531, telephone 434-432-4223.

The Battle of Manassas

The First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)
On a warm July day in 1861, two armies of a divided nation clashed for the first time on the fields overlooking Bull Run. Their ranks were filled with enthusiastic young volunteers in colorful new uniforms, gathered together from every part of the country. Confident that their foes would run at the first shot, the raw recruits were thankful that they would not miss the only battle of what surely would be a short war. But any thought of colorful pageantry was suddenly lost in the smoke, din, dirt, and death of battle. Soldiers on both sides were stunned by the violence and destruction they encountered. At day's end nearly 900 young men lay lifeless on the fields of Matthews Hill, Henry Hill, and Chinn Ridge. Ten hours of heavy fighting swept away any notion the war's outcome would be decided quickly.
The first day's march covered only five miles, as many straggled to pick blackberries or fill canteens. McDowell's lumbering columns were headed for the vital railroad junction at Manassas. Here the Orange and Alexandria Railroad met the Manassas Gap Railroad, which led west to the Shenandoah Valley. If McDowell could seize this junction, he would stand astride the best overland approach to the Confederate capital.

















On July 18, McDowell's army reached Centreville. Five miles ahead a small meadering stream named Bull Run crossed the route of the Union advance, and there guarding the fords from Union Mills to the Stone Bridge waited 22,000 Southern troops under the commande of Gen. Pierre G.T. Beauregard. McDowell first attempted to move toward the Confederate right flank, but his troops were checked at Blackburn's Ford. He then spent the next two days scouting the Southern left flank. In the meantime, Beauregard asked the Confederate government at Richmond for help. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, stationed in the Shenandoah Valley with 10,000 troops, was ordered to support Beauregard if possible. Johnston gave an opposing Union force the slip and, employing the Manassas Gap Railroad, started his brigades toward Manassas Junction. Most of Johnston's troops arrived at the junction on July 20 and 21, some marching from the trains directly into battle.

















On the morning of July 21, McDowell sent his attack columns in a long march north toward Sudley Springs Ford. This route took the Federals around the Confederate left. To distract the Southerners, McDowell ordered a diversionary attack where the Warrenton Turnpike crossed Bull Run at the Stone Bridge. At 5:30 a.m. the deep-throated roar of a 30-pounder Parrott rifle shattered the morning calm, and signaled the start of battle. McDowell's new plan depended on speed and surprise, both difficult with inexperienced troops. Valuable time was lost as the men stumbled through the darkness along narrow roads. Confederate Col. Nathan Evans, commanding at the Stone Bridge, soon realized that the attack on his front was only a diversion. Leaving a small force to hold the bridge, Evans rushed the remainder of his command to Matthews Hill in time to check McDowell's lead unit. But Evans' force was too small to hold back the Federals for long.
Soon brigades under Barnard Bee and Francis Bartow marched to Evans' assistance. But even with these reinforcements, the thin gray line collapsed and Southerners fled in disorder toward Henry Hill. Attempting to rally his men, Bee used Gen. Thomas J. Jackson's newly arrived brigade as an anchor. Pointing to Jackson, Bee shouted, "There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!" Generals Johston and Beauregard then arrived on Henry Hill, where they assisted in rallying shattered brigades and redeploying fresh units that were marching to the point of danger.
About noon, the Federals stopped their advance to reorganize for a new attack. The lull lasted for about an hour, giving the Confederates enough time to reform their lines. Then the fighting resumed, each side trying to force the other off Henry Hill. The battle continued until just after 4 p.m., when fresh Southern units crashed into the Union right flank on Chinn Ridge, causing McDowell's tired and discouraged soldiers to withdraw.

At first the withdrawal was orderly. Screened by the regulars, the three-month volunteers retired across Bull Run, where they found the road to Washington jammed with the carriages of congressmen and others who had driven out to Centreville to watch the fight. Panic now seized many of the soldiers and the retreat became a rout. The Confederates, though bolstered by the arrival of President Jefferson Davis on the field just at the battle was ending, were too disorganized to follow up their success. Daybreak on July 22 found the defeated Union army back behind the bristling defenses of Washington.

In the Fall of 1966 Dad, Mom and Grandpa & Grandma Shelton accompanied Bill and Janis and family to the coast on the first leg of their relocation to Europe. They saw many sights along the way including the Manassas Battlefield. The b/w photos of Grandpa and Dad were taken on that trip in '66. The last two photos in this post were taken in March 1862, and are of the ruins of the stone bridge. The color pictures are much more recent. As you can see, the cannon that Grandpa is standing next to is no longer on the bridge.

Farming Time

This picture of Uncle Bryon Shelton taken in the late thirties or early forties, reminds me that soon the farmers will be turning the soil again. Bryon told me that the log on top of the old disc was for weight.

John Block's sisters

This old photo is an image of Anne Marie (Bloch) Barche. Anne was born Feb.15,1843 in Saurenhorn or Ziegelried, Schüpfen, Bern, Switzerland. She was the 2nd of 4 known children of Jakob Bloch & Anna Elizabeth Burri. She came over to America years before the rest of her family. She was living in 1963 in Scott Co. Iowa where other family members lived. Anne Marie married Earnest Christian Barche Sept. 26,1868 in Walcott, Scott Co. Iowa. He ahd been born in Saxon, Germany coming to America in 1854, living in New York until the outbreak of the Civil War. He enlisted in Walcott, Scott Co. Iowa Co. G 1st Infantry then enlisted in Co. K 6th Iowa Inf. Later he enlisted again in Co. I 3rd Cavalry, Iowa. He served at least three times. Earnest and Anne had seven children: Mary E., Louie, Louise, Lena , Jacob and two infants who died shortly after birth. Anne Marie Barche died Sept. 30,1926 in Olney, Richland Co. Illinois. She is shown in the second photo with her sister Elizabeth (Bloch) Slunaker. This information is from my cousin and fellow genealogist, Ruth Kunce.

The last picture is of John Block and his sife Margaret (Schuneggar) Block in the early 1920s. After the death of Margaret in 1924, John moved in with his son George until his own death in 1926. My grandmother, who was just a girl of 7 or 8 years old, remembers John and his two sisters sitting out in the front yard speaking in German.

Aunt Ara

This picture was taken of Aunt Ara Morlan on her 84th birthday in 1963. She was born in 1879 to Augustus and Eliza (Holmes) Best, younger sister of my great -grandmother Mattie Rogers. She married Jerome Morlan (1871 - 1949). Ara died in 1971 and is buried at the Brown Cemetery.

Brown Homecoming

This picture is a late 1940s or early 1950s photo of the Brown Church homecoming. The back of the picture only had first names and last initials. If anyone knows the last names, please feel free to add them.
Back Row:
Maude J.
Ina W.
Amma H.
Della Schindler
Jim W.
Mildred B.
Carrol H.
Effie Shelton
unknown
Ethel B.
Larayne M.
Nell R.
Maude VanFossan
Clifford W.

Front Row:
Mary Ellen E.
Frieda H.
Dartha P (or D.)
Ernestine S.
Bonnie Williams
Edna Walker
Clara Mathes

Fred Smith Family

These pictures were taken in April, 1939 of the Fred Smith family. L-R is Rollie, Harold, Gracie, Owen, Fred, Ralph, Robert and Isaac Smith. the occasion was the runeral of Gracie's mother, May Bunnell.The photo was taken in front of the Smith home. the Bunell home, where Gracie grew up, can be seen in the background to the left. After May's death, Isaac and his new wife edith moved into the house with Harve Bunnell for about a year or so. After Harve died, Fred and Gracie moved into the Bunnell house. My family lived there in 1974. Since 1976 it has been the home of Robert and Hazel Smith.

Grandma Smith

This picture of my Grandma smith was taken

about 1932 or 33. She attended three years of high school in Cisne, then graduated at the age of 16 from Flora High School.

JR and kids

Here is a picture taken 32 years ago in the Spring of 1974. This was a visit to Uncle Raymond's house in Ottawa, IL. The three little kids are my cousin Jennifer, myself and my sister Shari. Cousin JR is doing his best to keep us from dragging him down - not sure who won. I can remember one visit about this time when my cousin Jennifer and I were going up the stairs and JR jumped out with fangs and a cape. He jsut about scared the crap out of both of us! We almost killed ourselves getting back to the safety of the downstairs.

Airtex 1970

Here is a photo of my grandparents, Harry and Leone Shelton, taken at the Airtex plant in 1970. Both of them worked for many years at Airtex.

Japan - 45 years ago

Here is a photo of my dad, David Shelton, taken in Japan in 1962 when he was stationed at Tachikawa Air Force Base. I beleive this picture was taken on Mt. Fuji.

Mattie and girls

Here are three pictures of Mattie (Best) Rogers and her five daughters. The first was taken in the mid 1920s at the home of Edna Walker. L-R are mother Mattie Rogers (1870-1954), Clara (1900 - 1980), Edna 1901 - 2001), Della (1906 - 1995), Emma Jane (1912 - 2001) and Leone (b.1914).

The next picture was taken March 1944. L-R are Clara, Emma, Leone, Mattie, Della and Edna.
This final photo was taken in the late 1940s - Leone, Della, Mattie, Clara, Emma Jane and Edna.

Schindler Family

I recieved an Email this evening from Greg Schindler,who will be looking in on this site. thought he might like to see this picture of his grandparents, George and Della, Schindler, with their kids Willard, June and Jean. The pictures were taken in 1970 on the occasion of George and Della's 40th wedding anniversary.

Iowa - Sept 1979

Here are some pictures taken in Iowa, September, 1979. Grandma Shelton was taking a trip West to South Dakota, and stopped by to see family. The first picture is Aunt Emma Jane, Grandma Leone Shelton, Uncle Hubert and Della Schindler.

Next is Aunt Emma Jane and Uncle Irvin.

Here are some Iowa cousins.

Mar 19 - Happy Birthday Larry Shelton

Happy birthday to Larry Shelton. Looking forward to another great Shelton Reunion - Dave

40 years ago today

Here is a snapshot of me taken forty years ago today on March 18, 1967. The picture was taken at our home on Fackney St. in Carmi.

Mar 13 - Ethel Bock

Mar 13, 1893 was the birthday of Ethel Block, daughter of Charles and Ollie Conard. She married Willie Block and the couple had eight children. She is shown here with willie and their oldest child, Ferne in about 1917. Ethel died in 1978.

Mar 13 - Jill Quinn

Happy birthday to cousin Jill! this picture was taken about 1968.

Mar 13 - Faye Block

Mar 13, 1897 was the birthday of my great-grandma Block. She was born to Charles and Ollie Conard and married George Block in Oct. 1915. They had six children. Faye died in Sept, 1975. She is shown here in Feb., 1971 with daughter Edith, grandson Wayne and great-grandson Jason.

Mar 12 - Iva Faverty

Mar 12, 1891 is the birthdayof Iva (Bunnell) Faverty - daughter of Harve and May Bunnell. She and her husband Albert are shown here ina photo taken in 1968. Iva died Sep 29,1988.

Mar 11 - Janie

Happy Birthday to cousin Janie!

1969

This is a slide taken in 1969. I have been sick for the past week and have been doing just what I am doing in this picture - sitting around with my feet up. Old man flu has really knocked me out. Feeling a little better now and am going go to a piano recital this evening and then to the reception at the St. Louis Gast Haus afterwards.

Harry Shelton Family, 1950s

Here is a picture of Grandma and Grandpa Shelton with Bill, Dad and Raymond. It was taken over 50 years ago. Curious if Dad or my uncles recall the occasion?

Cousins

If someone walked up to you and said "Howdy, I'm your third cousin, twice removed," would you have any idea what they meant? Most people have a good understanding of basic relationship words such as "mother," "father," "aunt," "uncle," "brother," and "sister." But what about the relationship terms that we don't use in everyday speech? Terms like "second cousin" and "first cousin, once removed"? We don't tend to speak about our relationships in such exact terms ("cousin" seems good enough when you are introducing one person to another), so most of us aren't familiar with what these words mean.
Relationship Terms
Sometimes, especially when working on your family history, it's handy to know how to describe your family relationships more exactly. The definitions below should help you out.
Cousin (a.k.a "first cousin")
Your first cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you. In other words, they are the children of your aunts and uncles.
Your second cousins are the people in your family who have the same great-grandparents as you., but not the same grandparents.
Your third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents, fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents, and so on.
Removed
When the word "removed" is used to describe a relationship, it indicates that the two people are from different generations. You and your first cousins are in the same generation (two generations younger than your grandparents), so the word "removed" is not used to describe your relationship.
The words "once removed" mean that there is a difference of one generation. For example, your mother's first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your mother's first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals "once removed."
Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. You are two generations younger than a first cousin of your grandmother, so you and your grandmother's first cousin are first cousins, twice removed.
Got it now?

Chaney Family

I stopped by a little cemetery the other day up near Clay city, IL. Grandma Shelton had told me once that she had an aunt buried there. I thought I would see if I could find the stone. I never did find the stone for Grandma's aunt, but I did run across the stone of my great-great-great-great grandfather, James Chaney. I had no idea he was buried there. The three pictrues to the left are the gravestones of four brothers: Lewis (1802 - 1884) James (1808 - 1856) and Thomas (1812 - 1870) and Henry Chaney (1818-1894). They are four of nine children born to William and Phoebe (Wilkinson) Chaney. William and Phoebe's first seven children were all born in Calvert County, MD. Around 1817, William relocated the family to Butler County, Ohio, where the last two, Henry and Phoebe were born. It was in Butler County Ohio that the chaney family became aquainted with the Bunnell family. Henry Chaney married Harriet Bunnell, sister to my g-g-g-grandfather Seneca Bunnell. Seneca married James Chaney's oldest daughter Amanda in Clinton County, IN in 1854. Some of the Bunnells and Chaney's relocated to Clinton County, while others went on to Clay County, IL. While Henry and Harriet Chaney had moved and were married in Clay County in 1840, Seneca and Amanda bunnell did not relocate unil about 1870. There is a cemetery up in Clinton County, IN (which is NW of Indianapolis about 50 mi.) called Bunnell Cemetery. I will be making a trip up there in the next few weeks to see what I can learn and will report back later,.

March 27 - Kathy Young

Happy birthday to Kathy (Shelton) Young!

Gone to the Dawgs

Shari is here with our two dobermans, Brandy and Raisen. Thios picture was taken on March 13, 1980, just after we moved to Thornton, Colorado. There had been a dog living in the backyard befiore we arrived and there were lots of bog bones that our dogs really enjoyed chewing.

Unknown Couple

Here is a couple of people that are unidentified. They come from the Van Fossens or Rogers probably and I beleive Deb told me the picture was taken in Fairfield. Any clues?