Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Daniel, Woody Asberry


Woody Asberry Daniel

Woody Asberry was born April 16, 1883 in Denton, Texas to Eron Asberry and Sarah (Truitt) Daniel.

The first census we have for this family is in 1900 in Chickasaw Nation Indian Territory. Woody is a farm laborer and 17 years old.

Woody's mother died when he was 13.

Woody's first wife was Leola Mae Brannon (the only lady he had children with) on October 29, 1905 in Franklin, Oklahoma. They were married 6 years producing George, Pearl and Maggie Mae. Leola died when Maggie Mae was only a few months old so Leola's sister raised Maggie Mae. (Have marriage license).

Woody was a widower for 3 years and then married Mary Magdaline Hastings September 8, 1914 and they had a baby girl, Sallie, who only lived a couple of months. Mary died shortly after her. They were married one year. (Have marriage license).

In 1918 Woody had a US World War 1 Draft Registration Card which showed him to be 35 years old, a farmer and from Tecumseh. It notes he is medium height, slender build, brown eyes and black hair.

The 1920 Census the family is in Forest, Pottawatomie, Oklahoma. Woody is listed as a farmer. Woody and his father and two children are listed.

The 1930 Census they are in River, Mayes County, Oklahoma. This year Woody, his father Asberry and daughter Pearl with her husband Delbert Stringer and their baby girl, Mary, is listed. It also lists Woody, Pearl and Mary as Mixed Cherokee. It shows Pearl can read and write.

1935 they live in Stonewall.

Woody was a widower for 23 years and then he married Ellen Stringer July 2, 1938 in Fittstown. Woody by now is 55 and Ellen is 16. Ellen is a half sister to Delbert Stringer who Woody's daughter Pearl married. Let that sink in. They were married 32 years.

The 1940 Census the family is in Stonewall, Oklahoma. It lists Woody and his father and wife. His profession is listed as laborer. He is 59.

Woody's obituary lists him as dying in a Stonewall nursing home January 27, 1970. He had been in failing health for fourteen months. He moved to Stonewall vicinity from Tecumseh in 1928. He and Ellen Stringer were married July 2, 1938 in Fittstown. He was a farmer. He left three children, 10 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.

Ellen passed away in 2007. She was the only grandmother my mom knew.


Mary Pruitt told me that she remembers for many years Grandpa Woody and Grandpa Asberry living in a tent structure in the backyard of their daughter and granddaughter Pearl. She said they built up soil and packed it down with water then put boards up around with a tent structure on top of it. There was a little stove and twin beds in it. In the summer they could roll the tent top down to get a breeze. Amazing times.

Helen Mason said he was so good to his grandkids. He would tell them stories out under the trees at night and sometime sleep outside with them. 


Next we will gather info on Eron Asberry Daniel, Woody's father.









Monday, March 30, 2020

Daniel, Pearl Anna Stringer

It looks like it has been several weeks since I posted. March 14, 2020 our President Donald Trump announced a National Emergency due to the Corono Virus that is infecting so many worldwide. Therefore, every since then we have stayed home except for the occasional trip to get curbside groceries. These are surreal times but I do have plenty of time to dig into family genealogy!!


So I've worked hard on investigating my father's family line....we explored
Mason (Lemmie, Marion, Sylvanis, Sylvanus, Thomas, James)
Wolford (Linnie, Wylie, John Milton, Dr. John, Major John, Johan)
McKay (Clara, Benjamin, William Franklin, William Andrew)
McCullers (Camella, Peyton, James, Malcolm)

there are still lines that branch off from these folks (Curl, Dupree, Covington, Patterson, Shuck, Coulson, Shephard) but I'll try to investigate them at another time as now I'll go to my mother's family line.

I'll start with my mother's family....the Daniels.



Pearl Anna (Daniel) Stringer

Pearl Anna was born September 19, 1908 to Woody Asberry and Leola Mae (Brannon) Daniel in Franklin, Oklahoma. Pearl was only three when her mother died. Her mother died after her baby sister was born and so the baby went to live with Leola's sister. Her father, Woody, remarried when Pearl was six. He married Mary Magdaline Hastings in 1914 but Mary died the next year along with her baby Sallie.

The 1920 Census from Wolf, Seminole, Oklahoma Pearl is 11 and lives with her father who is a farmer, her grandfather Asberry who is 61 and her brother George who is 13.

November 27, 1928 Pearl marries Delbert Elloid Stringer in Pottawatomie, Oklahoma.

The family is in River, Mayes County, Oklahoma in the 1930 Census. Pearl, Delbert and baby Mary (7 months) live with Pearl's father, Woody (46), and Grandfather, Asberry (71). It noted Woody, Pearl and Mary are Mixed Cherokee. This is the only place I see them listed that way.

Pearl and Delbert had six children: Mary Magdalene (1929-), Joe Woody (1931-2018), Helen Marie (1935-2018), Jessie Mae (1938-), Baby girl (1941-1941), and George Elloid (1945-).

Pearl was baptized in the First Baptist Church in Stonewall, Oklahoma May 1941. They moved from Stonewall, Oklahoma to Eunice, New Mexico December 4, 1947 to the Carbon Black Plant. In November 1948 she started going to the Assembly of God Church. They moved into Eunice in July 1963.

Pearl and Delbert went into the Good Sam Nursing Home in Lovington, New Mexico in 1996. In 1997 received the Character Counts Certificate for Loyalty, also they were elected Valentine King and Queen in February.

TRIBUTE WRITTEN TO MOM AND DAD
by YOUR CHILDREN
(Mary, Jay, Dutch, Jessie and George)
1998

We have always been proud to call you mom and dad. We don't know how to say in words how much we appreciate all of the things you did for us while we were growing up. Your first and foremost thought was always to provide for the family. We always had clothes, food and most of all lots of love from our parents. You have always given us unconditional love. We were taught to be honest (do what we said we would do), work hard, take care of our business and let others take care of theirs and we would do ok in life. You supported us through good times and bad. We know how hard you have worked all your life and the sacrifices you made for family and friends. Anyone who came to your door was welcomed. You made many lifelong friendships and were respected by neighbors and the community. You helped the extended family, also friends and neighbors when you could. We have no bad memories, we forgot the few times we got a whipping or the few times we didn't get to do what we wanted. We suppose that in every family there are good times and bad -but when we look back the good times stand out and the bad times tend to fade out. We choose to dwell on the good times and the positive aspects. You have always set a good example. When you decided it was best to go into a nursing home, the two of you went and have never griped or complained. You treat all of the people at the nursing home with respect and in turn they treat you with respect and dignity.

Mom, what a patient, long suffering mother, God blessed us with. You are a kind, caring, and concerned woman that just loves life, and loves doing things for anybody that needs help. When we were growing up, you were there when we hurt, and you were there when we were happy. Mom you influenced our life more than anyone did. If we wanted anything, you did everything in your power to see that we got it. You had worked so hard as a child that you bent over backwards to let us have a good time. You knew what was the special thing that each of our spouses/kids and us liked and you always fixed that when we came home. You loved for anyone to come visit, and you always outdid yourself when you cooked meals. When the meals were over, there was still a lot of food left. You made each of us feel very important. You enjoyed seeing that everyone around got the most out of life. You too, taught us that family was so important. You taught us by example that we all should bend over backward to get along with and always associate with our siblings, and never, never, never be rude to them or their families. We were to be patient, kind and helpful to each other. This has carried over into our married lives. Mom, you are the strongest Christian we know. You always loved the Lord so much and felt the most important thing was for us to go to church and serve the Lord. You couldn't drive so each of us drove us to church and when the last one was gone (and George was too young) you learned to drive so you could stay in church. You planted this in all our hearts and your one wish was that we would know and serve the Lord. Mom, your devotion to your religious beliefs is unequaled. You are always a very strong Christian, and witness to everyone you get a chance to, for GOD. You met a lot of obstacles in your road to living for GOD, but your strong FAITH in GOD, has kept you stronger every day. You always wrote letters of encouragement and scriptures. The letter would contain maybe one or two pages of encouragement and things that were happening at home, and four or five pages of scriptures and preaching of GOD's word. And Mom, how much we appreciate your persistence. When we weren't in church you would write letters and enclose a mini sermon in every one. Sometimes I would think will she never give up. Thank God you didn't. Thanks for passing your sense of family ties, hard work and honesty to me. Thanks for that legacy. We always felt a sense of security knowing that in bad times we could go back home, which we did on occasion. You supported and encouraged us, when we wanted to do something. Thanks for encouraging us. Thanks, Mom, we love you.
For all of this and much more we feel blessed and we love you. God truly blessed us with parents who loved and took care of us. We really appreciate both of you and thank you for everything, and for always being there when we needed you. We just want to say that thanks to your influence, that we will always strive to be there for our spouses and children, and try not to be a hindrance in their lives. Thanks to both of you for being there when we needed you.

WRITTEN THE SUMMER OF 1945
FROM MOTHER PEARL TO ALL
FOUND 1995
To all my blessed children: Read the Bible and believe it from cover to cover. Most anything you want to know you will find in the Bible. Keep the Ten Commandments. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved. Mother to children and husband, to all.

Delbert and children, their companions and children:
Oh, do repent of all your sins. Tell God you know that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that He died on the cross, was buried and rose again three days later that we might have life and have it more abundant. Ask Jesus to come in your heart, and rule your life, lead, guide and direct you. Ask Him to come into your hearts and save your souls. I will live the rest of my days for you Jesus. He will save you. Jesus said if any come unto him He would in no wise cast him out. We must tell the devil to get behind us, we must live for Jesus. Tell Him we will life for Jesus. Pearl (Don't ever take the mark of the beast 666!)


All throughout Pearl's Bible are notes.
Read the Bible through from cover to cover in 1965. Finished reading November 4, 1965
I read the Bible from Genesis through Revelations in 1959. Pearl (the 4th time through)
Read the Bible through from cover to cover twice finished it February 19, 1954-ten minutes after 12 o'clock noon.
Finished reading through the 3rd time Feburary 28, 1957 - 6 oclock a.m.
Read the Bible through cover to cover in 1972, 1960
Read the Bible through from cover to cover in 1959 the 4th time through, should been lots more. Praise God.
Delbert passed away December 18, 1998 (he was 89 years old) and Pearl May 27, 2004 (she was 95). Pearl's obituary notes they had 17 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren at Pearl's death. 


I found it amazing as I looked into the information on our Granny (Pearl). She went through the death of her mother at such a young age (three) and then the death of her stepmother and half sister when she was only six. It looks like basically her father and grandfather raised her. Those are really hard times yet you would of never guessed she had those hard times because she was not an angry or bitter person. It was more than obvious she loved the Lord and her family. 

I have Pearl's family Bible which is a treasure. She tracked family history in it. What a woman. What a legacy she leaves for all!! Sure look forward to seeing her in heaven!!




Next we will see all we an uncover through census information on her father Woody Daniel.











Friday, March 20, 2020

Malcolm McCullers


MALCOLM McCULLERS

Clara Zadie McKay married Lemmie Sylvanis Mason. Her parents were Benjamin Franklin McKay and Camella Eleanor McCullers. Camella was born to Emmitt “Peyton” McCullers. Peyton's parents were James Dewitt McCullers and Elizabeth Lee “Mollie” Dupree. James parents were Malcolm McCullers and Mary Covington. I have 42 DNA matches with Malcolm.

Malcolm was born in 1784 in Wilkes County, Georgia to Britain and Patty. In 1810 Malcolm married Mary Covington in Georgia.

We see seven children with Malcolm and Mary.....William H (1812-1850), James D (1819-1880), John G (1821-1899), Marsha A (1824-1860), Calvin (1827-1879), Jordan B (1831-1880), Wiley E (1834-1864). Mary died in 1860 and we know Malcolm passed away before 1850 as he is not listed in the 1850 census.

In 1805 Malcolm shows up as single and participating in a Georgia Land Lottery. Then in 1820 we assume Malcolm is a part of the count for that census Britain is listed in (remember these census only list free white people). They are in Laurens, Georgia. The 1830 Census Malcolm is listed in Doolie, Georgia with 9 in the home. They are still in Doolie in the 1840 Census with 7 in the home. The 1850 Census shows Mary only in the home in Doolie. The last census I found was 1860 when ;Mary lived with her son Jordan. It shows Jordan is a blackmith.

Decendents of Malcom McCullers have posted this information....

Posted 04 Aug 2012 by debpoole1

I am quite confident in the information that I have on Malcom McCullers my ancestor and his descendants that includes myself, but after Malcom the light grows dim and you can only assume who his ancestors are due to the evidence found because the needed records for absolute verification don't appear to be there. We leave room for further generations to investigate our assumptions and hope that they can find new information to prove us right or to prove us wrong. After much digging and researching we must admit that we know much more about these McCullers than when we first began. We must leave what we have found for those generations to come. In the future they may only be able to depend on what we have found.




Britain McCullers and his wife Patty are  believed to be the parents of Malcom McCullers because the 1805 landlottery shows that Malcom was in Warren county. Land records show that Britain was in Warren county on Little Brier Creek. Records show Malcom to be in Laurens county before coming to Dooly county. Records show that Britain McCullers died in Laurens county in 1821 when Malcohm was also in Laurens county. Malcom left Laurens county shortly after the death of Britain. There was no record of any other McCullers in Laurens county of the age to be Malcom's father other than Britain.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

McCullers, James Dewitt


McCULLERS, JAMES DEWITT

Clara Zadie McKay married Lemmie Sylvanis Mason. Her parents were Benjamin Franklin McKay and Camella Eleanor McCullers. Camella was born to Emmitt “Peyton” McCullers. Peyton's parents now take us to James Dewitt McCullers and Elizabeth Lee “Mollie” Dupree. I share DNA with 21 others linking us to James.

James Dewitt McCullers was born 1819 In Laurens County, Georgia. He married Elizabeth Lee “Mollie” Dupree November 22, 1841 in Pulaski County, Georgia. Mollie was born August 15, 1810 in Georgia. Do the math...Mollie was 9 years older than James. He was 22 when they married and she was 31. They had: Mary Elizabeth, Sarah J., James M, Martha Eleanor, Peyton and Emily J. Mollie passed away October 25, 1845 in Dale County, Alabama.

James remarried in 1855. He married Nancy M Spencer July 12, 1855. She was born in 1833. They had 4 children: Benjamin Franklin, Theophelus, Amanda Virginia and Martha Rebecca. Nancy passed away in 1864 the same year Martha Rebecca was born.

James remarried in 1865. He married Delila Brown (1835-1910). Delila is 30 and James is 46. Let's get a good perspective on this. James has a total of 11 children....eight are 16 and younger. That leaves a 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14 an 16 year old in the home (the other three are 18, 20 and 22). They were married 25 years before James passed away in 1880. He was 61. She lived another 30 years after he went on.

We see James was a Confederate soldier in Alabama in 1862. He is listed in the Civil War Muster Rolls

He also shows up in a couple of Census. He is in the 1850 Census in Georgia. It lists his Real Estate Value at 320.00
The 1860 Census shows James as a farmer. His Real Estate Value is 435.00 and Person Value 420.00.


When all is said and done what does our story tell a hundred years from now. Is our history through the dates of our birth, death, marriage and children? You can throw in a few census and that is our life. These do tell the story and I'm very thankful we have that but the true story is reading between the lines and see the determination and hard work in our ancestors. Farming is an honorable profession but oh my lots of work. They had so many children which can be a lot of help on a farm but oh what a busy life! Life was hard then without all the many conveniences we rely on. It's not unusual for them to have more than one wife or husband due to these hard times.

Wouldn't you love to know what church they went to....what their disposition was? We can tell from the families that have gone on that they are good people and passed on to their children what we pass on to ours. Work hard, be honest, love God!!



We inherit from our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within this inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise. – Edward Sellner



Friday, March 6, 2020

McCullers Family Line


McCULLERS

Wow, I find this amazing. Remember we talked about Clara Zadie McKay (Nanny) who married Lemmie Sylvanis Mason? Her parents were Benjamin Franklin McKay and Camella Eleanor McCullers. Clara's father was 56 when she was born and died when she was 13. Her mother remained a widow until her death in 1970. Camella became a step mother when she married Benjamin as his first two wives had died. When they married he had a three year old, five year old and 14 year old. Camella outlived Benjamin by 43 years. She remained a widow all those years. Now let's explore Camella's family line....the McCullers.

Camella was born to Emmitt Peyton McCullers (many places just refer to him as Peyton—his will does).. Peyton was born November 9, 1854 in Georgia. He married Louisa Elizabeth Curl April 30, 1889 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. We know that this was not his first marriage because his children Camella 16, Emmitt *Clifton 14 and George 11. They went on to have Elbert in 1890, *Clara in 1893, Willie in 1895, Ida in 1889 and actually we know due to Peyton's will Harvey was born the year Peyton died in 1889. Yes! That will leave her with seven minor children to raise on her own. (Keep in mind she is 36 years old.) Peyton died when he was only 45. (Louisa lived to 70). Louisa outlived Peyton by 34 years. Let's look at Peyton's will.

State of Arkansas In ReEstate of Peyton McCullers Application for
County of Clark order vesting personal property to widow

In the Clarke Probate Court comes Louisa E. McCullers, and shows to the court: That she is a resident of Clarke County, Arkansas; that she is the widow of Peyton McCullers deceased; that said decedent departed this life, intestate, in Clarke County, Arkansas on the 16th day of April 1899; that he left him surviving the petitioner and five minor children: Elbert P aged 7, Clara W aged 6, Horace aged three, Ida aged 1 ½ one hild Harvey born after death of said Peyton also 2 minor children by a former wife: Emmitt 14 years old and George11 years old
Petitioner says that at the time of death of said Peyton McCullers he was the owner of certain personal property to wit:
2 mules 80.00
1 wagon and harness 20.00
3 cross and colors 54.00
6 head of bogs 18.00
200 bu corn 60.00
40 bu cotton seed 4.00
1 household & kitchen furniture 35.00
Plow tools 4.00
150 pounds (can't read) 10.50
275.50
The Petitioner says: That the care, raising and education of the aforesaid minor children devolves on her: Petitioner asks that an order of this court be entered vesting in her the entire personal property of said estate.

This family shows up in a lot of census....
1860 Census Peyton is only 6. The 1870 focuses on Louisa family and 1880 again and reveals her father's name is Larkin and mother Martha. By the 1910 census Louisa is a widow but listed as a farmer. EP, Clara, Willie, Ida and Harvey are still with her. The last census I found was 1920 and they are in Walters, Cotton, Oklahoma. She is 57, her children are in their 20s and still listed with her.


Lousia is buried in Rush Springs and so are a couple of her children. We have a picture of her headstone.

Dorothy Woolley noted that she found that a large group appeared on the census in the same states so apparently they all moved together. The story is that they moved by wagon train from the Carollinas to Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas and then later to Oklahoma. Louisa must have had strong family connections to move to Oklahoma with her children without a man during those days.


**Did Ma Kay (Camella) go on to name her daughter after her sister, Clara? And then watch that family name of Cliffton go on down to Clara's son.


I have three handwritten pages from Lillie Mae, Clara's neice, listing the names and dates of family. She noted there that Louisa was a step mother...also writing her Dad (Rush) said they left Love County at Marieta and came to Stephens County for a short time...then on to Grady County at Rush Springs in 1919. They rode a train from Gainsville, Texas. He said it was two days one night getting to Marlow.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

WILLIAM ANDREW McKAY

WILLIAM ANDREW McKAY

So we started following the line of Clara Zadie McKay....her father was Benjamin Harvey McKay then his father William Franklin McKay and the DNA (103) has led us to William Andrew McKay.


William McKay came to America from Ireland and married Jane, she was from South Carolina. He was born in 1788. There is a William Mason that shows up in 1820 in Petersburg, Virginia on the ship “Tobacco Plant”. I would love to know the story on how he landed in Virginia, met and married a Jane in South Carolina and by the 1841 shows up in Itawamba, Mississipi. He wasn't even in the oil field like so many of our family but sure got around....esp. back in that day and age!!1850 Census was in Itawamba County, Mississippi ---1853 still in Mississippi --the 1860 census gives us the most information showing he is 71 and Jane is 66. He is a farmer with a Real Estate value of $160.

Children listed are: Hugh Jackson 1820, William Franklin 1821, Michael 1823, Samuel 1823, Nancy 1827, John 1835 and Mary 1835. Hmm, is that two sets of twins?

You find as you go far enough back in genealogy the information is harder to come by and yet there are more folks studying this line who are willing to share information. Such is the case with the following information....Michael married Mahala Ables, Samuel A married Permelia Caroline Ables, Hugh Jackson married Matilda Reese Hugh rode a mule home from the civil war. The mule had a silver bell around it's neck that is supposedly still in the family
John A married Margaret Montgomery, Nancy married John Haney (Speculation-Leightoninoregon states she was not on the census-Pat Nickols gave her the name.
Mary Lucinda married Joseph E. Farrar Do not know what happened to Mary Lucinda after Civil war. Family history says tha Mary Lucinda McKay and her two children (all except her daughter Mary) died of yellow fever sometime after the war in Memphis leaving young Mary an orphan) That daughter also named Mary Lucinda, married Robert David Tolar (son of Matthiah Houston Tolar and Rebecca Louisa Cochran) on 11/4/1869 in Alcorn County Ms.


William's date of death is unknown, as is his place of burial. It is presumed he died after 1860 in Itawamba County, Mississippi.

I have conflicting information on the parents of William.....some say his father is William and some say Thomas. Hopefully as the years continue more light will be shed on correct information.