THE MAKING OF PRAIRIETREE
(Refresh if Scroll not rolling after page loads)
|
I have described to others a number of times the kernel of my becoming involved in this endeavor. However it and the consequent flourishing of the project is worth repeating and gives opportunity to here extend further grateful acknowledgment of those who have joined and contributed so much. A question by my cousin Pat and the birth of the first member in our line of the twelfth generation from Edward of Boston (learned after the fact) stirred me. I began to peruse and organize a group of my old photographs with the notion of preserving for the then youngest "heir" some history of his father and grandparents.
Though it is clear from writings and also my memories that Great Grandfather Rolla was distanced from our line. In his later years he took that time to establish and reestablish correspondence with many of the Watkins also distanced "cousins" and as well carry on voluminous correspondence, which we have in the collection, with Watkins genealogist of record for that time, the aforementioned W. K. Watkins "Rolla" with the help of his sister Dora made successful efforts to disseminate not only the content of earlier correspondence and document family records but to preserve the original letters and photographs which we now hold. I think of them working as shown in this photograph in the offices of Bushnell and Watkins.
My father's brother Ralph Clark* donated the family Bible which my grandfather and grandmother's photographs now survey. Uncle Ralph also has provided copious information regarding the lottery land in Oklahoma and as well put down in letters to me just what life was like for him and my father and their parents in their early years. . Soon after the arrival of the Bible and first of Uncle Ralph's letters our cousins James Patterson (Pat) and his sister Anne* appeared with a large paper grocery sack of loose photographs preserved by their father, James Robert.* Some months later a second box of documents, memorabilia and photographs found by David arrived with another of the biennial visits with which he and wife Pat pleasure me. All photographs, letters and documents have been scanned, saved to disks and many printed to be studied and identified.
Uncle Ralph, and my father's cousins. Ellen Victoria (Vicky)* and Anita Louise* daughters of our grandfather's sister Margaret* added encouragement, enthusiasm, more memories and such help with the identification of the photographs that the "Oklahoma days" began to become populated with the substance of real people.
Early in my Internet experience I made connection with Hirst cousin M. Jay Kimmel,** or rather he made contact with me as a result of a query I had placed online on the Gen-Web Wisconsin page. . He and his delightful wife Sue have visited here at the lake and Jay has generously contributed an immense amount of meticulously researched data on the Hirsts. Equal in cordiality and quality and volume of information about the family in Wisconsin has been provided by Bernita Craven Jenkins.*** I came to know Bernita by way of serendipity, the appearance of a letter in the first Grant County Heritage news letter I received after joining the Genealogical Society. I immediately recognized the author as the husband of a sister of my great great grandmother. Bernita though not directly related has generously done a great deal of research that provides so much of the history of the family in Wisconsin. That not sufficient she has also shared with me the invaluable Hirst information compiled by her mother's good friend, Hazel Hinkens Johnson. This is (the Hazel who adopted the orphaned children mentioned in Emma's letter). Bernita is vice-president of the Grant County Wisconsin Genealogical Society. Her address is listed below. Ann Drown * is a former spouse of a descendent of (and therefore her children descend from) a sister of my great grandfather. She was discovered as was Jay by way of online queries and has shared old photographs and much information on Emma. She even made the very special effort to visit the Reynolds graves in Los Angeles and photograph them. And then there is Judi Sharp,**** a moving spirit and historian for the city of Mountain Home, Arkansas. She is a direct descendent of my great great grandfather's half brother John Howard,* and has so freely shared infomation and photographs of this man who was so close to my great great grandfather. I must also not fail to mention most recently Rita (Arietta) Livingston* who has shared more on the Hirsts and, most treasured, photographs of the brother of my great great grandmother, cleft in the chin and all. And also special thanks to the Grant County Wisconsin Genealogical Society, not only for the specific members who have been so cordial but the entire organization for the data and records that have been collected and preserved for example the marriages listed by names of parents and the cemetery surveys and many many records too diverse to list that I hope to view at the Lancaster Library view in person someday.+++ There is simply no way of expressing the appreciation for all contributions and as well the joy at knowing these "cousins" and associates who have aided so much in this undertaking. * Anyone wishing for more information may contact Prairie Flower ** Contact at: plainj@ieee.org *** Contact at: 1505 Jack Oak Road; Cassville, Wisconsin; 53806-9607 **** Contact at: judi@thehistorybook.com + Watkins, A Beginning Genealogy: Bath Printers, Inc.; 44 Front Street; Bath, Maine; 043501982; BathMaine, 1982 ++ Handwritten Genealogy on file in the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Boston (major source for Bickford on our line) +++ Grant County Genealogical Society, PO Box 281, Dickeyville WI. 53808-0281; reese@mwci.net
|
I eventually
recalled having heard of Bickford's genealogy of the Watkins and also
the existence of a group of old letters among our family possessions.
It was discovered that my brother David* had continued a tradition
of the preservation of a certain box and its contents, the letters and
documents from six generations which had endured the passing from one
to next eldest son in our line. David their current guardian generously
packed the "box" in his car along with Jayne Bickford's Watkins,
A Beginning Genealogy+ and brought them to Georgia for me to examine.
I set out fortunate, if a bit overwhelmed, with the wealth of information
at my call. It included , this almost two centuries of letters and much
of the genealogy of W K Watkins++ with whom my great grandfather
had collaborated and a few enigmatic photographs. At the outset I little
suspected how far it would lead and how wondrous the discoveries that
lay ahead
The midi is Flash composed by Carlo Mora, 1869.
It is sequenced by Perfessor Bill Edwards
07 April 2005