Do you ever think about organizing your blog? I’m thankful for the ‘search’ feature on my blog. Otherwise it would be very difficult to locate information buried in my older blog posts! That’s why Marian Wood’s recent post, Cousin Bait: Ancestor Landing Pages caught my attention.
While I already had a few ‘landing pages’, I wasn’t taking advantage of the ability to use pages as a way to organize my posts. Heck, I even struggle keeping my existing RootsMagic page updated with newer posts. While I would love to emulate Marian Wood and create a landing page for each of my ancestral lines that includes link to the posts for that line, I’m going to take some time to think about how I need to organize additional pages.
After putting Marian Wood’s type of landing pages off for now, I looked at Randy Seaver’s pages and decided that I could make some changes to an existing page and add some additional pages.
Changed the name of my ‘online trees’ page to ‘My Genealogy‘
Added pedigree charts for each of my grandparents to the ‘My Genealogy‘ page
Created an Ancestors page listing out my ancestors with links to the narrative reports for each ancestor
Created a Cousins page with links to the various descendancy reports I’ve published
I also made some changes to the sidebar of my blog. I added a ‘contact’ form and moved the word cloud above the archive listing.
Thanks Marian Wood for the challenge to evaluate my blog and see how I could improve it!
When you were in high school did you think of yourself as a writer? I know that I definitely did NOT visualize myself as a writer. I remember a time during my career when I was composing a letter thinking I never would have imagined having to do so much writing in my career. And I have to admit that during that career, I became pretty good at technical writing – or writing those directions.
And then came 2021 when I published a blog post almost every day. When the year started, I didn’t have any specific blogging goals. My goal was to blog more consistently. To help me achieve that goal, I decided to
share family pictures in ‘Throwback Thursday’ posts
use Randy Seaver’s Saturday Night Genealogy Fun as a blogging prompt for Sundays – prompts posted on Saturday evening on Randy’s Genea-Musings site)
Since I’m not a ‘creative’ writer, I found the 52 ancestors writing prompt difficult at times. Thus, I quit worrying about using that prompt and just blogged from my research activities.
What helped me accomplish these blogging goals was learning to SCHEDULE my blog posts. Instead of writing every day, I simply wrote when I had something to share. Unsure of the ‘best’ time to post, I decided to make my posts available at 6:45 am central time. I kept a simple calendar in my bullet journal where I would write down (in pencil) the title of a post for when I planned to have it published. Sometimes I found writing a post that would be of little value several days out. When this happened, I scheduled that time sensitive post for the next day and moved all the scheduled posts to make room for this timely post. Thus, the need for using pencil to fill in my calendar.
As I determine my 2022 genealogy goals, I’m also setting some blogging goals. For 2022, I’m going to have specific ‘topics’ for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Friday Finds — pulling information to share from my digital and paper files from the early days of my research
Saturday Tidbits — sharing historic articles from local (Nemaha county) newspapers (where I currently live) and possibly from Yates Center, Dodge City and other papers where my ancestors lived
Sundays — Saturday Night Genealogy Fun prompts
Monday thru Thursday — sharing my current genealogy activities
What are your Christmas traditions? Does one of them involve making something?
Growing up, my mom’s tradition was to make candy. Since she worked full time, this was usually an evening project – one batch at a time.
Fudge
Divinity
Nougat
Peanut Brittle
Fondant
Pecan Caramel Roll
From her, I learned how to tell the different stages of candy and the importance of a good candy thermometer. During the early years of my marriage, I tried to carry on this tradition. I remember being in tears and calling mom because I didn’t think my fondant was going to be much more than a plate of ‘slimy’ mess. Thanks to her talking me down over the phone, I kept stirring and it turned out fantastic.
Below is her recipe for my favorite: Pecan Caramel Roll. This is also the one that requires Fondant.
When finished making the candy, trays would be prepared for work places, plates for neighbors and coffee cans would be packed to ship to her siblings.
We are all likely familiar with school yearbooks, but have you seen the small souvenir books that schools produced in the early 1900s?
My grandfather had kept several of his. And, fortunately, his wife, my grandmother, saved them and passed them down to me.
Rock Creek School District No. 69 Burlington, Kansas September 18, 1899 – April 13, 1900
Board of Education C. W. Belles, Clerk John L. Carroll, Dir. John L. Clark, Treas.
Presented by Ella E. Gibson, Teacher
Pupils Mabel Belles Earl Belles Byron Belles Osmund Briles Ethel Briles Glenn Briles Charlie Carroll Agnes Carroll Iva Carson Eva Carson Joseph Carson Ethel Beach Nettie Beach Dee Beach Walter Carson Willie Carson Johnny Johnston Harry McCartney Libbie McCartney Lora McCartney Alice McCartney Fred Merkle Vicie Merkle Willie Merkle Dale Belles Joe Belles Tommy Merkle Grant Morris Claude Morris Alvin Morris Lizzie Moews Frank Moews Ethel Simmons May Simmons Blanche Sinclair Harry Sinclair Lewis Sinclair George Weigand Nella Weigand Lyda Weigand George Wagner Laura Wagner Earle Jones Allie Weigand Omer Weigand Josie Weigand Maud Wilson Grace Rockhill Pearl Rockhill Virgie Potts Herman Stewart Mamie Stewart Clara Stewart Nettie Garton Wilce Garton Harry Kaufman Willard Garton Elsie Kaufman
H. G. Phillips Publisher, Williamsport, PA
Souvenir
Rock Creek School District No. 69 Burlington, Kansas
September 4, 1905 – March 30, 1906
Presented By Nora C Grennan, Teacher
Board of Education, John Harris, Clerk; T. N. Bell, Director; J. W. Weigand, Treas.
Names of Pupils Clara Stewart Jennie Neff Elizabeth Neff Melvena Harris Ellen Harris Dollie Harris Ethel Briles Osmund Briles Lulu Briles Glen Briles Anna Nikodim Rudolph Nikodim William Nikodim Frank Nikodim Harry Pollock Delbert Pollock Mildred Pollock Walter Swenson Hilda Swenson Guy McCartney Eugene McCarthey George Weigand Omer Weigand Josie Weigand Stella Fryer Mabel Benzer Elsie Coffman Paul Wiegand Florence Weigand Harvey Weigand Harrold Weigand Stella Weigand Frank Grose Ethel Grose Harry Grose Edna Davidson Gertrude Crockett Harry Crockett Ervin Clark Porley Clark Dale Houck Margueriette Houck George Cory Robbie Harris Elmer Fields Benjamin Letak Mary Quigley Marian Quigley Alpha Quigley Ernest Quigley Hazel Quigley Ernest Kiefer Willie Kiefer Otto Kiefer Loyd Williams Nellie Sharr
Souvenir
1908
Phelps Public School District No.. 50
Liberty Twp., Woodson Co. Kansas
Josie Guy, Teacher
Pupils Willard Brown Edith Smith Ines Smith Grace Smith Henry Smith Lulu Briles Osmund Briles Roy Smith Elsie Smith Lee Smith Grant Smith Ethel Briles Glen Briles Herman Park Ellen Delong
School Board Robert Cragg John Brown Charles Watkins
’10
Phelps School Grace Etter Teacher
District No. 50
Membership of Board
Robert Cragg, Treasurer W. L. Smith, Clerk Charles Watkins, Director
Pupils Ethel Briles Hermon Park Henry Smith Marie Charlier Cecil Withers Grace Smith Jesse Helmick Lulu Briles Willard Brown Myrtle Smith Glen Briles Grant Smith
What do you think of when you hear the word, character? Do you have a ‘character’ in your family tree?
‘Character’ is the #52Ancestors blogging prompt for this week. Not knowing how to approach this topic, I tried a newspapers search for the term ‘character’ in the Dodge City, Kansas newspapers between 1875 and 1885. I limited the search to Dodge City because that is my dad’s hometown. I used the 1875-1885 date range because it represents the time period in which the Crawford family migrated to Dodge City.
Instead of finding articles about a person, I found several articles about changing the character of the town. One of those articles discussed how the character of the town was appearing in newspapers around the world. So, I changed my search to look for ‘Dodge City character’ in 1883.
That search found a letter from several of the prominent citizens of Dodge City that was published in the Topeka Daily Capital (Topeka, Kansas) on 18 May 1883.
A Plain Statement
Of the Recent Troubles at Dodge City, KS
As Made by the Officials of that City – Simply a Desire to Rid their Community of Blacklegs and Gamblers.
Dodge City, Ks, May 15, 1883 — There has been quite a commotion among the papers of Kansas City and Topeka, and while they would have the readers of their respective papers believe that Dodge is in the hands of a mob, and that the persons and property of peaceable citizens are in constant jeopardy from destruction, the city itself and its inhabitants have been pursuing the even tenor of their way, the city assuming an aspect peaceable — if anything more so than it has for years. The doings of violence to persons and property by the mob in Dodge City is all being done in Kansas City and Topeka through the press, while in fact Dodge City itself, the scene of all the lawlessness as stated, is quiet, orderly and peaceable.
The occasion for what the press have called trouble is only a repetition of what is found to be necessary about every two years in Dodge City; that is, a clearing out of an element composed of bold, daring men of illegal profession who, from toleration by the respectable portion of the community, are allowed to gain a prestige found difficult to unseat. This element has to be banished, or else the respectable people have to be bulldosed and browbeat by a class of men without any vested interest or visible means of support, who should be allowed to remain in a decent community only by toleration, but who, instead, after gaining prestige, they undertake to dictate the government of the better class. This is the element which Dodge City has recently ordered out of town, an act which is done in every town of good government. The facts have been misunderstood, both to and by the press and to the Governor. The true state of facts is about as follows:
At the last April election, Deger and Harris ran for mayor of the city. Harris is a gambler by profession and living in open adultry with a public prostitute, and the interest which he has in the town is merely of a local character. He could close up and settle his affairs one day. The only real estate that he owns, and on which he pays taxes, is a small house in which he lives, and he would not own that only it is cheaper than for him to rent. It is worth about $400. He is a man whose character no respectable man in the community in which he lives would vouch for. He is a man that is recognized by the decent people as a sympathizer friend and shielder of the gambler, thug, confidence man and murderer, who may be arrested by the authorities for offenses against the law. He is always to be found on their bond for recognizance, no matter how glaring the deed or heinous the offense for which they stand charted.
This man was the candidate for mayor representing the gambling element. Dager, who is a man of irreproachable character and honesty, is an old resident o f the town and represented the better class of people and as a matter of course, as was conceded, he was elected by a large majority, but it was very apparent that Harris felt very sore over his defeat. It was also very apparent that he and some of his followers who were mostly composed of gamblers were going to buck against everything the new administration done.
At the first meeting of the new administration it was found necessary to pass and revise certain ordinances and among them was one to prohibit women of lewd character from loitering around saloons and upon the streets. This ordinance was passed upon the application of a majority of the business men including the saloon men of the town. They also passed another ordinance in regard to gamblers, which they considered stringent and loudly denounced it, and upon the application of a committee representing the gamblers, the councilman made conceptions, and in fact, made all the concessions asked, in order to preserve peace and harmony. The ordinance in regard to women, went into effect two days before the concessions was made by the councilmen. The first day and night the women obeyed the ordinance without a single exception, but the second night which was the night of the concession made b the mayor and councilman, Short, Harris and another gambler, who were loud in their abuse of the ordinance, there being no women down town, went to a house of ill fame, and according to their spoken works, forced two of the inmates down to their saloon to violate the ordinance, saying that they would pay the fines and costs assessed against the women. the women, after being tried and fined for the offense had to pay their fines and costs themselves, and when ordered to leave town, and after Short and Harris refused t pay their fines, as above stated, they made a statement as above set forth, before the police judge, and since.
The officers, as was their duty, arrested the women and locked them up in the calaboose, for a violation of the city ordinance. After their arrest, Short, the partner of Harris, who is a gambler and an acknowledged hard character, attempted to assassinate L. C. Hartman, a special policeman who assisted in the arrest, by shooting at him from an obscure spot after night, which happened about as follows:
After making the arrest, Hartman walked down the principal street, and when in front of a general store, which was closed the front being dark, Hartman met Short and another gambler coming up the street. While passing by, Short and his companion, Short turned and drew a pistol and said, “There is one of the son’s of _____; lets throw it into him,” immediately firing two shots at Hartman from his six-shooter. Hartman, in his endeavor to turn upon Short, in some way fell to the ground. Short, supposing he had killed him, started to the saloon of one Tom Land, near by, but Hartman, immediately recovering himself, fired one shot at Short. Strange to say, neither of the shots fired took effect.
Short gave bonds in the sum of 42,000 and afterwards filed a complaining against Hartman, stating that Hartman had fired the first shot, half a dozen of Short’s confederates being ready to testify that he (Hartman) had done so, although there are several reliable business men who witnessed the affair, who will testify that Short fired the two first shots as above stated.
The women were locked up. Short and Harris were bound they should not remain locked up all night, as is customary with prisoners when locked up by city authorities. By intimidating some of the city officers by threats, etc., they affected their purpose. In all these proceedings, Short was the leader and spokesman. He is the man who but a few weeks ago pulled out his pistol and best one of our most respectful citizens over the head until he was carried home on a stretcher, and his life was despaired of for several days. He is a man who, on several occasions, has picked up chairs and broke them over the heads of men who, as it happened, had done something in his place of business that displeased him. He is a man that killed his man, an old gray-headed man 57 years old, in Tombstone, Arizona, and has been run out of that and other places by respectable people. He is a man who was an intimate friend of such men as Jack McCarty, the notorious and well known three card monte and confidence man, known all through the west as being a hard character, and who recently died near this place after being convicted of highway robbery and about to receive his sentence of ten years.
Harris and Short keep a saloon that is a refuge and resort for all confidence men, thieves and gamblers that visit the town, and the statements that have been made in regard to the place kept by Webster are false. He is regarded as a man of personal honor and integrity, and as mayor of the city, an office he held for two terms, he so conducted the affairs of the city, and made such vigorous war on bunko, steerers, thugs and confidence men as to gain the gratitude and respect of every law abiding citizen of the place.
It was very apparent to the mayor and councilmen of the city that this element, with Harris and short at their head, were gong to violate, encourage, shield and protect all violators of the laws of the city, and that the probability was that there would be trouble n the city during the whole of their administration if they and their followers remained. Short had attempted to assassinate an officer in the discharge of his duty, had bulldozed the city officers, had violated, aided an abetted in the violation of the laws, and at a meeting of the mayor and a large number of citizens, including the council, it was after due deliberation and consideration, determined to arrest Luke Short and his followers and let them leave town, and accordingly, he, with six other associates, were arrested on complaint and warrant and locked in the calaboose and precautions taken that they did not escape, and were allowed to leave town the next day. There was no mob violence used whatever. None but regular officers of the city made the arrest, but in the case they were resisted there was sufficient force composed of armed citizens held in reserve to aid in the arrest.
It was afterwards ascertained by one of the parties arrested, who peached on the balance, that it was known by Short and party they were to be arrested, and as soon as the officers came to arrest them it was understood they were organized and that Short was to start the shooting and the balance of the party were to follow it up, but as stated by him “somebody weakened.” The citizens understood the characters of the men they were dealing with and were prepared for them, and this was the occasion for the circulation that it was a mob. It was bona fide citizens armed to aid the officers if necessary in the enforcement of the laws.
Much of the confusion and misunderstanding regarding the situation in our city is due to the misrepresentations made to the Governor by one W. F. Petillon. Petillon is clerk of the district court and lives about six miles north of Dodge City on a claim of 160 acres. He had been recognized and identified as a Harris man some time before the lection, which cam about as follows: Jack McCarty had been arrested at this point for highway robbery, and had given bond for $2,000. Harris, as one of the bondsmen, and Short, having no property against which execution could issue, got a citizen worth some real estate to sign the bond and he (Short) deposited the amount to secure the party so signing. The bond was given for McCarty’s appearance to be tried. McCarty appeared and in the course of the trial it was evident from the evidence McCarty would be convicted. After conviction and before sentence, McCarty escaped. When his escape became known, the clerk, Petillon, was applied to for the bond, he being the proper custodian of the papers in the case. Upon application, he could not give it, as he did not know where it was. He had it at the last day of court and was the one seen to have it last. The bond was never found, although he acknowledged it was properly filed, and it is impossible to obliterate from the minds of a great many respectable people here that Petillon knew why and where that bond disappeared. it has been a noticeable feature that since that time Petillon has been a firm believer and supporter of the Harris and Short combination. This is the kind of man Governor Glick sends for, instead of sending for a proper representative as any reasonable, intelligent, discreet man should to investigate.
The condition of Dodge City at present is orderly and law-abiding, and the prospects are it will so continue if these men remain away. If they are allowed to remain it will be against the will and without the consent of a majority of the law-abiding citizens of this community, and if the Governor, through his interference and encouragement, forces these men back on us he does so at his peril, and if there is bloodshed as a result the responsibility will not rest entirely with the Governor, who had he not given the matter encouragement,, it would have passed by unnoticed, as an occurrence frequent in all cities desirous of being law-abiding, and of good government.
Dated at Dodge City, Kansas the 15th day of May, 1883.
L. E. Deger, Mayor H. B. Bell H. T. Drake George S. Emerson H. M. Beverly, Councilmen of Dodge City R. E. Burns, Police Judge N. B. Klaine, City Treasurer L. C. Hartman, City Clerk C. E. Chipman, Assistant Marshal Fred T. M. Wente, City Attorney J. L. Bridges, City Marshal T. L. McCarty, City Physician
About a year after this letter was written, my 2nd great grandfather, Washington Marion Crawford, would move his family from Warren County, Indiana to Dodge City where he would join his older brother who was already living in Dodge City. Obviously the conflict in Dodge City did not prevent my ancestor from moving there. Perhaps that is due to the fact the citizens of Dodge City fought to change the character of the town.
When looking for an obituary, do you quit looking after finding one? I have to admit that I would quit looking after locating one, particularly prior to the digitization of the newspapers.
I’ve had found the obituary for Marion Crawford, my grandfather’s brother, in microfilm copies of the local newspaper some time ago. Today, I located a digital copy. His death at age 24 was indeed a tragedy.
Injury Fatal to M. R. Crawford Death This Morning Follows Accident
Young Man Missed Footing when Attempting to Mount Switch Engine and Fell Beneath Wheels – One Leg Severed and the Other Amputated by Physicians
Marion R. Crawford, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Crawford, 504 Avenue D, was fatally injured early Thursday morning about 2:30 when attempting to step upon the back of an oncoming switch engine. He accidentally missed his footing and fell under the wheels. One of his legs was cut off next to the hip and the other was so badly mangled as to make amputation necessary. It was necessary to jack the rear of the engine in order to keep from running over the boy a second time. As soon as this was accomplished he was taken to the McCarty hospital with all possible speed, where everything that could possibly be done was performed to save the young man’s life. He remained unconscious almost to the time of his death, which occurred at 8:30 this morning. Marion R. Crawford was born in Dodge City October 24, 1895. He was well known here, having lived practically his entire life in the community. During the war he enlisted in the army, serving with Battery D, of the 13th Field Artillery, stationed at Camp Green, Charlotte, North Carolina. He was overseas and fought for his country in the Argonne, afterwards serving with the army of occupation. Marion Crawford was quiet, reserved and had a host of friends in Dodge City. After returning from the army he obtained a position with the Santa Fe railroad as switchman, and it was at this job that he was working when the accident happened. He was a member of the A.O.U.W. in good standing and also a member of the Brotherhood of Switchmen. He is survived by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Crawford, four married sisters, Mrs. Bernice Allen, of Cimarron, Mrs. Russell Horton of Dodge City, Esther and Lois Crawford and two brothers, Leon and High. His grandmother, Mrs. Mary Crawford, also lives in Dodge City, and Nelson Crawford, an uncle is an employee in the post office. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made.
“Injury Fatal to M. R. Crawford,” The Dodge City Kanss Journal (Dodge City, Kansas), 29 July 1920, page 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 8 August 2021).
Since the obituary didn’t contain information about the funeral or burial, I decided to look further. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find such an article in the one 1920 Dodge City newspaper on Newspapers.com. Since his sister was living in Cimarron, Kansas at the time, I decided to broaden my search to the state of Kansas. That’s when I found two additional articles about his death.
Under Engine an Hour Santa Fe Switchman Died from Loss of Blood Marion Crawford, a Santa Fe switchman in the Dodge City yards, who was run over by a switch engine severing his left let, died later from the injuries and loss of blood. He was a son of J. F. Crawford night yardmaster at Dodge City. He served overseas in an artillery outfit. Santa Fe railway men say Crawford lay for nearly an hour under the engine before he could be moved. The locomotive had to be raised with jacks to get him out, and he sustained an enormous loss of blood. His leg was severed close to his body.
“Under Engine an Hour,” The Hutchinson News (Hutchinson, Kansas), 2 August 1920, page 15; Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 8 August 2021).
Even more details of Marion’s death were included in the obituary published in The Hutchinson Gazette.
Dodge City Switchman Killed under Engine Dodge City, July 30. — Marion Crawford, Santa Fe switchman and a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Crawford, 504 Ave. G, died yesterday morning as a result of an accident when a switch engine passed partially over him, severing his left leg close to the body. He sustained considerable loss of blood before he could be removed from beneath the locomotive. Crawford had fallen from the switch engine as it was backing and fell beneath the wheels, about half the locomotive passing over him before his screams warned Engineer L. O. Pierson of the accident. Foreman George Anderson, Switchman R. C. Nickerson, and the engine crew rushed to Crawford’s aid, but investigation proved that he could not be removed until the locomotive was raised with jacks, his position being such that to move the engine would have inflicted further injuries. Dr. C. E. McCarty, Santa Fe physician and surgeon was immediately summoned, but it is said it was forty-five minutes before the locomotive could be jacked up and the injured man removed to the hospital, causing an enormous loss of blood. The knee cap and thigh bone in the left leg also were broken. Marion Crawford was one of the most popular of the employes in the Santa Fe yards here. He was m[b]orn in Dodge City, oct. 24, 1895, being over 24 years of age when he died, and had spent practically all his life in the community. As soon as the United States entered the world war, Marion, with his brother, Leon, enlisted for army service. He was stationed as a member of the coast artillery in California, in Texas and in South Carolina, before he was sent overseas, where he saw many months of service in the expeditionary forces, and later in the army of occupation. His contingent participated in several important engagements, among them the Argonne.
“Dodge City Switchman Killed Under Engine,” The Hutchinson Gazette (Hutchinson, Kansas), 31 July 1920, page 7; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 8 August 2021).
Each one of these death notices provide different details regarding the tragic death of Marion Crawford.
Well, it’s not Saturday night, nor is it Sunday. but I haven’t forgotten about doing a Saturday Night Genealogy Fun post. So, let’s pretend, it is Saturday night and some time for some genealogy fun.
Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music): 1) What memories do you have of family sickness or death? Tell us about one or more of them and how the family dealt with it. 2) Tell us in your own blog post, in a comment to this blog post, or on Facebook. Be sure to leave a comment with a link to your blog post on this post.
Do you remember being sick or in the hospital as a child? I was in the hospital to have my tonsils removed around age 5 and had a bad case of influenza while a kindergartner. However, my best memories are of when I got the childhood illnesses of mumps, measles and chicken pox.
Towards the end of first grade, I evidently wasn’t very careful when I used the drinking fountain because I got the mumps. The theory was that another student who had recently had the mumps passed them to me via the drinking fountain.
I remember being placed in my parents’ room and the room being kept dark. I also remember being told that the dishes and silverware I used had to be kept separate from the other dishes and silverware. I even have a vague memory of the doctor visiting me in that room. My mom’s efforts to keep me isolated from the rest of the family remind me a lot of what families are going thru today when someone gets COVID. Thanks to my mom’s efforts no one else in the family got the mumps.
I couldn’t have been released from my ‘quarantine’ very long before I got the measles. This time, I wasn’t alone. Both of my brothers also got the measles.
After recovering from the measles and being released from our confinement, the three of us came down with chicken pox. Thus, we were confined again. I remember the oatmeal baths and the constant reminders not to scratch.
So basically, I spent the entire summer between first and second grade confined to the house. And my mother spent the entire summer caring for a 7 year old, a 5 1/2 year old and a 2 year old.
When I interviewed my parents, I asked my mom about what I referred to as the ‘summer from hell’. Below is a transcription of that portion of the interview:
Me – Do you remember what must have been the summer from ‘hell’ when you had three kids with measles and chicken pox
M – well I remember it wasn’t too bad thanks to grandma and grandpa Crawford and uncle LR. Cause LR was I’ll never forget him sitting there oohing and aahing at the fireworks when you guys still had the chicken pox. Cause you couldn’t go outdoors. And you couldn’t go out and see the fireworks but we could see them from the picture window there in Dodge and he was sitting down there by that window and course Gene was gone he had gone away to school that summer
D – you remember that
Me – I don’t remember that
M – he had left a week early because you got the mumps and he had never had the mumps and how the boys escaped the mumps I’ll never know
Me – you kept me in isolation
M – ya but you know even so, they probably, they’re lucky, they got vaccine as soon as the mumps vaccine came out
Thankfully, we have now have vaccines for the mumps, measles and chicken pox. These vaccines keep children (and their parent caregivers) from going thru a summer like mine.
As adults, we have another vaccine that we can take. This one is to prevent COVID-19. Currently, young children cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19. To protect them, we need to create a circle of vaccinated people around them. So please, protect the children in your life by getting a COVID vaccine.
Even though they are evidently back in style, I can confess that I have never worn a corset. However, my grandmother wore a corset – every day. As a child, I once asked her why and she said it helped her back.
While grandma may have been wearing a corset in her later years to help her back, I doubt that is why she started wearing a corset. Like Sphinx Shapewear and corsets of today, corsets were worn to ‘shape’ the figure. A search of the Emporia, Kansas newspapers for the word corset between the years 1930 and 1950 supports the notion that a corset was a fashion ‘necessity’.
In 1939, the article “New Styles Call for Old Fashioned Corsets” promotes the need to wear a corset.
Chicago, Aug. 1 (AP) – The business of putting women back into corsets, the kind with laces and stays, came to light at the Merchandise Mart style clinic today.
There was an emphasis on bustle effects and smaller waists, posing the immediate question of how to get the smaller waist line.
“By corsets, and in some instances, of course, corsets that lace,” said Mrs. Katherine Ratto, stylist in charge of the clinic, a feature of the fall-winter wholesale apparel market.
“Hip interest,” she said is achieved by the bustle effects — bows in back, loops of material, peplum jackets or nipped-in waists.
Polk’s Emporia City Directory 1940-1941 available on Ancestry in their U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 database
However, Newman’s wasn’t the only clothing store selling corsets at the time. There are several ads in the newspapers indicating that Poole’s sold corsets. One of the most interesting ones is from the February 1942 paper discussing the rationing of rubber and the impact that had on the making of corsets.
Polk’s Emporia City Directory 1940-1941 available on Ancestry in their U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 database
In the December 1949 issue of The Emporia Weekly Gazette (Emporia, Kansas) was a short news item about the corset department at Poole’s.
Mrs. Ann Van Cleave, of Poole’s corset and lingerie department, has recieved a certificate indicating that she has recently attended and completed a prescribed training course in the fundamentals of corsetry. The course is conducted by Warner’s of Chicago.
My ‘corset’ search of the Emporia papers also turned up some interesting medical information regarding the wearing of corsets. The first article involved having monkeys wear corsets.
Wants Monkeys to Wear Corsets Two Full Years
Chicago (Oct. 11 (AP) – Dr. Andrew C. Ivy, physiologist and vice president of the University of Illinois wants 40 monkeys to wear corsets for two years in an experiment which may determne how grandma got her ulcers.
Dr. Ivy said he believes tight corsets, proposed for American women by Paris designers, help peptic ulcers. Research disclosed, he said, that women had more ulcers when they laced themselves tightly.
The experiment with the monkeys, estimated to cost $5,000 would establish, or disprove his belief, Dr. Ivy said, and he plans to go through with it as soon as he can find 40 monkeys, the tightest corsets and $5,000.
To prevent stripping, he’ll put the monkeys into plaster caste molded from the corsets. After two years Dr. Ivy will tell women what, if anything has happened to the monkeys’ insides.
Even though Dr. Ivy’s proposal sounds inhumane to us today, there may have been some truth to his hypothesis that corsets caused ulcers since he was quoted about the corset-ulcer issue in an article about the issue in the Oct. 1950 issue of The Emporia Gazette.
Ulcers Less Numerous When Women Discarded Tight Fitting Corsets
Palm Springs (AP) – Old-fashioned corsets went out of style and peptic ulcers among women declined says a medical expert.
Using the year 1900 as a turning point, Dr. Andrew C. Ivy said that before the turn of the century there were about three times as many peptic ulcer cases among women as among men.
Today, since the stiff stays and tight lacings have been tossed out the style window, the ratio is reversed.
Dr. Ivy, vice president of the University of Illinois, added in his lecture to a dental medicine seminar Monday that the beneficial effect of more comfortable foundations for the ladies was accompanied by a general change in the American way of life and increased tensions among men.
While I disagree with Dr. Ivy’s conclusion that the disappearance of the corset “increased tensions among men,” I do believe that wearing a corset every day would have been uncomfortable and may have impacted the body. One will never know whether my grandmother’s wearing of a corset helped her back or caused other medical issues. She was accustomed to it and continued to wear one even after styles changed.
However, I’m thankful that I live in a time period where I don’t have to don a corset.
Do you have copies of records that have never been transcribed? I know that I have quite a few in my files. That is one of the reasons I’m going back thru my direct line ancestors and creating narrative reports. In the process of creating those reports, I’m making sure I work on transcribing their records.
I recently started working to update the descendants of Hiram M. Currey of Peoria County, Illinois. In the process, I noticed a fact for a land dispute with an incomplete source. That source turned out to be Box 29 from the Peoria County, Illinois court records for the H. M. Curry vs Isaac Underhill case.
Unfortunately, the documents in the box do not indicate who won the court case.
Below is a transcription of those documents:
Peoria County, Illinois Court Records Box 29
H.M. Curry vs Isaac Underhill
Copy obtained by Fred Vatko (Peoria County Genealogical Society)
Quincy No 8250 Hiram M Curry Recd in letter from this [Honl] John T Stuart, dated 30 Dec 1839
Sec Comm & reply of The 2 Jany 1840
——————————————————— State Bank of [Illinois] 45 {?] 4.20 Receiver’s Office, Quincy, Illinois No. 8250 May 30 1836 Received from Hiram M Currey Of Peoria County, Illinois the sum of Forty four Dollars and twenty cents, being in full payment for the Southwest fractional Quarter of section five Township No. Ten north of the base line of Range Nine East of the 4th principal meridian, containing thirty five Acres and 36/100 of an acre at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre $44.20 Tho Carlin receiver
Pre act 1834 Conflicting with county 7392
No. 8250 30 May 1836 I Hiram M Curry Of Peoria County, and State of Illinois do hereby apply for the purchase of the South West fractional qr of section numbered five in township numbered ten north of range numbered Nine East of the fourth principal meridian containing thirty five 36/100 acres 35.36 8.84 44.20 According to the returns of the Surveyor General, for which I have agreed with the Register to give at the rate of one dollar and twenty five cents per acre.
I, Samuel Alexander, Register of the Land Office at Quincy, Illinois, do hereby certify that the quarter section above described, contains 35 36 acres, as mentioned; and that the price agreed upon is $1.25 per acre Re Act 1834 [?]icting 7392 Saml Alexander, Register
[CUMBERLAND COUNTY}
State of illinois Peoria County
I Thomas Phillips County Surveyor within & for the aforesaid county; do hereby state on oath, that I surveyed in the year 1837 fractional section #5 10 North Range 9 East of the 4th principal meridian; and that no part of the south west fractional quarter of the fractional section aforesaid bore any appearance of ever having been enclosed or cultivated. The cultivation by which it appears Hiram M Currey proved a right of presumption to the said fractional quarter; was on the adjoining patented quarter. The nearest part of the said cultivation does not come within fourteen chains, of the fractional quarter claimed by Curry. deponent further states that certificate signed by himself and forwarded to the commissioner of the general land office certifying that “Curry’s improvements were on said fraction aforesaid; was an imposition practised on said deponent by one Charles Balla[ne] of Peoria, Ills; and that said deponent signed the same without fully understanding the contents of said certificate; said deponent further states from the best of his knowledge & belief the above plat of said fractional qtr claimed by Curry is a correct on; given under my hand this twenty fourth day of May in the year
One thousand eight hundred & thirty Eight [?] Phillips CSPC
Subscribed and sworn to before me William Mitchell Clerk of the County Commissioners Court within and For the County of Peoria and State of Illinois this 26 day of May AD 1838. Given under my hand and seal of said Court of Peoria this 26 day of May AD 1838 William Mitchell Clerk
Survey & Affidavit of Thos Philipps County Surveyor Peoria Cy Ill. Relative to Twp 5 10N 9E
In relation to Hiram M Curry’s claim to sd qr section G.S.O. Fifled by King & Wilson 9th Jun 1838 C.S.P.
Rec’d June 1838
Surveyor’s Office Peoria County State of Illinois
I Thomas Phillips sur- veyor of said county do hereby certify that I have surveyed section no five in township ten North of the base line and range nine east of the fourth principal meridian according to the original field notes a copy of which I have procured from the surveyor general’ office at St. Louis and find by accurate measurement that the East and West line run- ning through the middle of said sec- tion runs through the field said to have been cultivated by Hiram M. Curry in the year 1833 dividing it in such a manner as to throw a part of said cultivation on the South West fractional quarter and the reside which is much the larger portion on the north West fraction quarter of said section given from under my hand at my office this 26 Day of November 1836 Thomas Phillips SPC
State of Illinois Peoria County
I William Mitchell Clerk of the County Commissioners Court within & for said County,do hereby certify that Thomas Phillips Esqr is the County Surveyor within and for the County of Peoria aforesaid (duly commissioned & qualified) that his commission was dated on the 12th day of August A.D. 1835 and will expire in August 1839 — as it appears to me of record in my office and that his signature following certificate is genuine in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said Court at Peoria this 15th day of May AD 1838 William Mitchell Clerk
I Charles Ballan[ce] upon oath do state that the above certificte of Thomas Phillips was signed by him in my presence C Ballance
Subscribed & sworn to before me This 15 day of May AD 1838 William Mitchell Clk County Commissioners Court Peoria County Ills
State of Illinois Peoria County I Linus Scovil of lawful age being girst duly sworn depose and say that I am the justice of the peace of said county before whom the witnesses were sworn who established Hiram M. Curry’s right of re-emption to the South West fractional quarter of Section No 5 in Township 10 North of the base line and Range No 9 East of the 4th principal meridian when James Cannon and Har- ris Whittaker were afterwords brought before me by Isaac Underhill to recount upon oath the statements they had formerly made I at first refused to swear them to said last mentioned affidavits on ac count of its apparently involving them in perjury and I inquired of them their motive for so great in- consistency. They informed me that Isaac Underhill and Jefferson Taliaferro (who had [floated] on said Curry’s claim) informed them that they (said Under- hill & Taliaferro) had had said land surveyed and had ascertained that no part of the field which said Curry had cultivated in 1833 was on said tract of land and therefore as said Curry had [during] said was cultivated nowhere else they were guilty of perjury in swearing he had cultivated a part of said tract during said year and that said Underhill and Taliaferro had threated to persecute them for perjury unless they wold recant upon oath the statements aforesaid respecting said Curry’s pre-emption. I further state that I am well acquainted with all the parties and the premises in dispute that said Curry is a poor man who to my certain knowledge has lived upon the land in dispute ever since some time in the year 1832 until a few months past his family has
Been absent (as is said) upon a visit to distant relatives That I called to see said Curry some time the fall of 1833 and found him sowing a crop of wheat and had at the time a crop of corn and pumkins grown The field he was cultivating was always understood to be the fraction of section 5 township 10 North of range 9 East partly on the NW qr and partly on the SW qr but having [nev] er surveyed it can not say possibly where an East & west line would run but have no dougt that the house and part of the field are on the SW frac- tional quarter Said Witnesses are vry young and could I presume be easily frightened or per- suaded to make such recantation without any criminal intention I was at the time said Curry settled on said land living in said neighborhood and have ever since lived there Given from under my hand this 28th day of January 1837. Linus Scovill (seal)
State of Illinois Peoria County
This day personally appeared Before me William Mitchell A notary Public of said County Linus Scovill personally known to me to be the identical person who subscribed and swore to the foregoing instrument of [[writing] and deposed that the statements therein made are just and true according to the best of his knowledge & beliefs I also certify that the said Linus Scovill is a man of integrity & credibility and that his statements on oath may be relied on Given under my hand and seal notarized at Peoria this 28th January AD 1837 William Mitchell
I Alexander [Forsh] being of lawful age and first duly sworn testify that sometime in the summer of the year 1836 in the town of Peoria I heard a conver- sation between Isaac Underhill and another indi- vidual respecting his speculations at Rome on the Illinois River in which said Underhill boasted of having defeated the pre-emption of a settler in that neighborhood by procurring his witnesses to swear that their affidavits by which they established the pre-emp- tion were not true In that part of the conversation which was in my hearing he stated distinctly that he had paid one of said witnesses to with William M. E. Bogar- dus the sum of two hundred dollars or four hundred dollars (I am not certain which) to procure him to go before a justice of the peace and recant upon oath his former affidavit My impression is that he did not give the name of the person whose pre-emp- tion he had endeavored to destroy but he described it as being a fraction and otherwise so spoke of it as to have no doubt that it was the pre-emption of Hiram M. Curry to which he alluded and further this affiant [soweth] not Alex H Fash
State of Illinois Peoria County I William Martin a justice of the peace in and for said county do hereby certify that on the ninth day of November A D 1837 person all appeared before me Alexander H [Forsh] and was by me sworn to the truth of the foregoing affidavit given under my hand the date aforesaid W Martin J P
State of Illinois Peoria County
I, William Mitchell, Clerk of the County Commissioners’ Court for said county, do hereby certify that William Martin, Esquire, whose name appears to the foregoing certificate, was, on the day of the date thereof, an acting Justice of the Peace, in and for the county aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified, as it appears to me of record in my office; and that, as such, full faith and credit are due to all his official acts. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of said court, at Peoria this Seventh day of December 1839 William Mitchell Clerk
I Charles Ballomce do solemnly swear that shortly after Isaac Underhill had filed the affidavits of William M C [Bojordne] and others in the land office to defeat H. M. Curry’s right of pre-emption to a tract of land adjoining Rome in the county of Peoria Ill that said Curry state to me that said Bogardus had ackn- owledged to him that said Underhill had bribed him for the sum of four hundred dollars to swear to an affi davit contradicting his former affidavit which he [had] given to establish said Curry’s pre-emption that supposing if said statement was true it was not susceptible of proof I paid little attention to it until about two months ago said Curry in- formed me he could prove said charge by Alexander H. [Forsh] part not having an opportunity to take his affidavit then and his residence being several miles from here I had not a convenient opportunity to take it until November 9th last past and it was not then forwarded to the general land office because I wished to procure furthere testimony especially the testimony of Luther sears who was an associate of said Underhill and who I understood from Forst knew all about it On this day I called on said Sears who stated that he heard said [Bocardus] and Underhill bargain- ing about said affidavit Underhill offered a price to Bocardus if he would upon oath recant his former affidavit Bocardus refused to do it for the price offered but agreed to do it for a large price after a number offers were made and refused a sum was agreed upon and
the affidavit was made out and sworn to by said Bocardus, and the price paid by said Underhill, as he understood from them both, but what was the amount paid said Sears, could not recollect. After said matter was arranged said Sears stated that said Underhill explained the transaction to him and told him that it was Hiram M. Curry’s pre- emption claim near Rome that said affidavit was taken to defeat. Said Underhill explained his having to give so high a price for this affidavit to be that in addition to the reluctance of the witness to contradict himself he was interested in Curry’s claim, and it was necessary to give him more then his interest amounted to to get him to swear against Curry said Seas who seemed to know all about the said transaction stated that he had ‘no doubt there was perjury in the business.” I then asked him if he would give an affidavit stating these fact, to which he answere- ed that being a friend of Mr.Underhills he would not give any statement on oath on the subject, unless required in a court of justice and in this case he would swear to the facts as declared to me and related above and further this affi ant [south] not Charles Balland Subsribe and sworn to before me this 7th day of December AD 1839. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County Commissioners Court of Peoria County, Sate of Illinois this day & year last aforesaid william Mitchell Clk
State of Illinois Peoria County
Clerks Office County Commissioners [County] William Mitchell clerk of said Court do hereby certify that Linus Scovill Esqr whose name appears written to the within certificate was at this time the same was made an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly Commissioned and qualified as affiant of record in my office and that as such full faith and credit an [act of rights] ought to be given to [?] his official acts given under my hand and seal said Court at Peoria this 25th day of May AD 1836 William Mithcell Clk Co Commr PC
8250 Cancelled Quincy
Money ordered to be re- funded by the Secretary of the Treasurey — See letter to the Regt & Recv dated 11th April 1845
Cancelled
Money ordered to be refunded see letter to R & R 3d Oct 1838
See letter from Honr John t Stuart enclosing live affidavits herewith filed — & letter dated 30th Dec 1839 – & Commr reply of 2 Jany 1840 – also letter to R&R of same date
We James Cannon and Harris Wittaker do solemnly swear that Hiram M curry is not entitled to a preemption to the South West fractional qtr of Sec No 5 10 N 9 East for which he has our evidence to his preemption papers being date 19th March AD 1836, we were at together unacquainted with the boundarys of said fractional qr until a recent survey of the same and hereby swear that said Curry never cultivated any part thereof to our knowlege as set forth in said preemption papers James Cannon his Harris Wittaker Sworn to and subscribed before me this 24th day of May 1836 Linus Scoville Justice of the Peace
I William M C Bogardus hereby make oath that Hiram M Curry is not entitled to a presentation to the SW fractional qr of Sec no 5 10 North 9 East for which he has my affadavit concerning I do not want the Register to receive said affadavit as there is a mistake inthe same and further that I swear that the section lines do not come within three or four rods of teh fence where he states that he cultivated the same, and further one of the [whitnesses] is Curry’s own son, and the other is under age [W M ? Bogandus]
State of Illinois Peoria County I Lewis Bigelow, an acting Justice of the Peace within and for the county of Peoria, hereby certify that on the 23d day of May AD 1836 the above named William M. C. Bogar dens personally appeared before me and made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed
Lewis Bigelow, J. Peace
State of Illinois Peoria County Clerks Office County Commissioners Court William Mitchell Clerk of said Court I hereby certify that Lewis Bigelow Esqr whose name appears to the foregoing certificate was at the time the same was mad an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said county regularly commissioned and qualified as appoint of record in my office and as such full faith and credit are[and ? rights] [?] given to are his official acts. In Tes- timony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said County at Peoria this twenty fifth day of May A.D. 1836 William Mitchell Clk
Cancelled Certificate 8250 and proof belonging thereto
Certificate Cancelled See letter to R & R 3d Oct 1838 also letter from the Hon John T stuart dated 30 Oct 183[7] & Commr reply of 2d Jany 1840 & letter of same date to R & R
Charles Ballance of Peoria of lawful age deposes and says in addition to his foregoing that he has been acquainted with Hiram M Curry since early in 1832 That in the latter part said year this deponent and said Curry were two of the Commissioners appointed by the County of Peoria to locate a road towards Knoxville to pass on the North line of the above described tract that this deponent was then in the house of said Curry and has frequently been on the premises same and states of his own knowl- edge that said Curry has ever since resided on said land with his family neither has he ever heard of his having had any othe rhome during said time nor has he heard of any other person having a claim to said land unti the last week C Ballance Subscribed & Sworn to before me on this 30th day of May 1836. J H [Racton] J. P.
Sworn to and subscribed before me on this 19th day of March 1836 Linus Scovill J P
We do swear that the subscribing witnesses to the within preemption proof are persons of respectability and their oath entitled to credit William, Fletcher, Thompson Linus Scoville junr Swortn to and subscribed before me on this 26th day of March 1836 Linus scovill JP
I do hereby certify that the above named wienesses are persons of respectability and their oath entitled to credit Linus Scovill J P
State of Illinois Peoria County To wit: William Mitchell clerk of the county Commissioners Court for said county do certify that Linus Scovill Esqr whose name appears to the foregoing certificates was on the day of the date therof an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said county, dully commissioned and qualified [seal covering ] to me of record in my office and that as such [seal covering] and credit are due & are his official acts In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Peoria this 21st day of may 1836 William Mitchell, Clk
I do solemnly swear that I was in actual occupancy of and raised a crop on the South west fractional qr of sec 5 town 10 north of range 9 East of the 4th principal meridian in the year 1833 and that I was in actual possession and occupancy of the same at the passage of the law on the 19th of June 1834 and am still in possession and I hereby apply to enter the same by preemption agreably to the Act of Congress in that care made and provided Hiram M Currey Sworn to and subscribed before me on this 19th day of March 1836 Linus Scovill JP
We do solemnly swear that Hiram m Currey was in actual occupancy of and raised a crop on the South west fractional qr of Sec 5 in Town 10 North of Range 9 East of the 4th principal Meridian in the year 1833 and that he was in actual occupancy of the same on the 19th of June 1834 and still is in possession and that we are not interested directly or indirectly in his obtaining a preemption Silas Allen Hames Camon Harris (his mark) Whitaker
To the Honorable Thomas Ford Judge of the Peoria Circuit Court in Chancery sitting humbly complaining showeth unto your Honor your [or tor] Hiram M. Curry that heretofore to wit in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty [twp] your orator found the south West fractional quarter of section no. five Township ten North of the base line and Range nine East of the fourth principal meridian vacant and unoccupied land belonging to the government of the United States of America and your orator being desirous of obtaining a home in this part of the country and aid land having not then been proclaimed for sale took possession thereof with the intention of making thereon a preman- nent home and paying for the same when it should be offered for sale by the government Your orator fur- there showeth unto our Honor that he cultivated a portion of said fractional section of land in and during the year AD one thousand eight hundred thirty-three and had a dwelling house thereon which he was living with his family on the nineteenth of June A D 1834 and was consequently entitled to enter a right of pre-emp tion thereto under the laws of Congress of said last and was thereby entitled to buy said tract at one dollar and twen- ty five cents per acre at any time before the nineteenth day of June A D 1836 And your orator well hoped that he would be permitted the peaceable enjoyment of his [family] home made in those early times amidst privations and dangers But now so it is may it Please your Honor one Isaac Underhill who is hereby made a defendant to this bill sometime the second day of April in the year A D 1836 went to the land office at Quincey Illinois and fraudently represented said tract of land to the Register of said land office as government land on which no right of pre-emption
existed and entered said land by means of a floating right obtained under said pre-emption law in the name of one Charles Hayes who is hereby prayed to be made a defendant to this bill And afterwards to wit in or about the second day of My Ad 1836 the said Underhill presured said Hayes to make an assignment of said tract of land to one Jefferson Taliaferro who is also prayed to be made a defendant to this bill Your orator further shares that in the month of April AD 1836 said Underhill surveyed said tract into town lots and had a plat thereof made and recorded in the recorders office of said county under the name of ‘Taliaferro’s Additon Rome’ and on the fifteenth of said month obtained from said Taliferro a deed to a portion thereof but whether the whole legal title that said Taliaferro obtained or may [cu] supposed to have obtained from said Hayes has been conveyed to said Underhill your orator does not know And your orator showeth unto your honor that said Underhill further to embarrass and defraud your orator sold divers portions of said tract of land to divers persons whose names are at present unknown to your orator but whose names when ascertained your orator prays may [?] have and they made defendants hereunto Your orator further showeth unto your honor that your orator during the existence of said pre-emption land to wit on the day of June AD 1836 procured all the neces- sary proofs to be filed in said land office to establish a right of pre-emption in your orator to said tract of land whereupon said register and Receiver decided that your orator was entitled to said land notwithstanding the
orator was entitled ——————— said entry made by said Underhill as aforesaid and your orator thereupon bought said land of said Register and Receiver pursuant to the provisions of said pre- emption law and received the usual duplicate receipt showing that fact which duplicate is herewith shown to the court and prayed to be taken as a part of this bill Your orator further showeth unto your Honor that after said last mentioned entry or purchase was made said Underhill procured and sent tot he commissioners of the general land office, certain affidavits tending to prove that if the line between the North and South halves of said section was properly surveyed the cultivation would fall on the north half whereas his house was on the South half to rebut which your orator procured and sent to the commissioner of the General land office an official certificate of the county surveyor of Peoria county certifying that he had run said line bounding to the original field notes and a portion of said cultivation was on the tract in controversy on the reception of which said commissioner adjudged your orators evidence conclusive but for form’s sake sent back the surveyors certificate with a request that the county seal might be attached to[document] the official [hamiter] of said surveyor whereupon your orator [pro-] [red]said sent to be attached this to with the certificate of said clerk that of the official character of said surveyor and all that said commissioners required being complied with your orator rested cont[ent] and well hopes the question was settled forever but to your orators utter as- tonishment and dismay some months afterwards he received a letter from Samuel [Leech] Commissioner of the said land office at Quincy enclosing a copy of a letter which it was stated that the claim of your orator was adjudged bad and the claim of said Underhill who held under said Haye’s as aforesaid adjudged good and that it was filed away for a patent to issue in due course
And afterwards to with on the twenty first day of January AD one thousand eight hundred and forty a patent was made out in due form granting said land absolutely from the United States to said Charles’ Hayes
But if your orator charges the legal title to said land is in said Hayes and has not passed so said Taliaferro Underhill& many of their [minders] for your orator charges that said assignment is not such an instrument as can pass the legal title in said premises All of which outings and doings of the said under Hayes, Taliaferro and their confederate are contrary to equity and good [measure] and tend to the many injury and impoverishment of your orator whereupon you as much as your orator is without relief under the [strict] ness of the common laws but is re[trevable] in a court of equity only where matters of this
sort are properly cognizable and relievable therefore May it please your honor to grant unto your orator the People’s most gracious writ of summons to be directed to the said Isaac Underhill, Charles Hayes and Jefferson Taliaferro thereby commanding them and each of them at a certain day and under a certain point therein to be lim[it] personally to be and appear before your Honor in this Honora ble court and then and there the said Hayes’ or his corporate oath and the said Underhill and Taliaferro without full true [?] perfect answers make to all and singular the premises And may the said Hayes be required to answer on oath afore- said particularly whether he was entitled to a floating right to any land under the pre-emption law aforesaid and if he was what facts [earsted] to entitle him thereto and more particularly whether he lived on government land or on land that had long before been granted to or private indi- vidiual on the nineteenth day of June A D 1834 And whether the South West fractional quarter of section five in Township ten North of the base line and Range nine East of the fourth principal meridian was entered by him or by another in his name without his consent and whether he has since conveyed the same away to any other person or persons. If he h[ears] to whom he has conveyed And may the said Underhill and Taliafero parties only state without oath as aforesaid what title they jointly or severally have in said premises what parts they have sold to each other or to others at what time and to whom sold and for what price And may said Hays, Underhill and Taliferro be compelled to execute and deliver to your orator a good and sufficient deed of conveyance conveying to your orator all the right title and interest which they or either of them has in said premises with [increments] of warranty warranting said premises to your orator against the acts of the said Hays Underhill and Talia- fero by them sincerely done and [committed] and against all persons claiming by through or under the person thus warranting and further may they stand to abid and perform such further orders direction and [direct] therein as to your honor shall sum [mut] And may it please your Honor to grant unto your orator such other and further relief as equity any justice shall require and to your Honor shall seem mut and your orator as in duty bound will ever pray Hiram M. Curry Pr C. Bullance [solicitor]
Hiram M Curry vs Isaac Underhill et al Bill in Equity
Filed July 7th AD 1840 William Mitchell
In this case the clerk will issue summons to the county of Peoria against Isaac Underhill to the county of Tazewell against Jefferson Taliferro and to the county of McDonough against Charles Hayes C. Ballance sol. for compt
The summon of Isaac Underhill to the bill in chancery filed by one Hiram M Curry in the Circuit Court for Peoria County against himself Charles Hays and Jeferson Taliaferro. This respondent admits that the South West fractional quarter of section five T 10 N (E belonged to the government of the United States in AD 1832, but he says it is [not true] complainant cultivated any portion of this tract of land in the year AD 1833 nor at any time since as the respondent is informed and verily believes. This respondent further says that he never did represent tot he Register of the land office at Quincy that no preemption rights existed to said tract of land though had such representation been [noodes] to want have been justified by the facts He admits that said Taliaferro purchased a floating claim of said Hays and entered the said tract of land in April 1836. Hays then assigned the certificate of entry to said Taliaferro who conveyed all his right and interests in the land to this person and by deed. He also admists that he laid off the town of Rome on a portion of the said tract of land and has since sold some of the lots to different individuals. This respondens also admits that the com- plainant by misrepresenting the situation of the land impose and some individuals so far as to indue them to attempt to prove a right of presumption in said Curry and this respondent thinks it not impossible that Register and Receiver of the land office unsuspecting of a fraud and no [caus?]
evidence being before them might have per- mitted to complainant to enter the land. This respondent also admits to the time that soon after the land it [sacmoured] that Curry had been permitted to enter the land, to purchase the affidavits of several persons acquainted with the facts (among them were the witnesses who proved Curry preemption) in which affidavits it was stated that Curry never had cultivated the aforesaid tract of land This respondent also admits that one Charles Ballance who was then acting as the attorney for the complainant by misrepre- senting to the county surveyor the course of the lines indused him to give the certificate mentioned in the bill, then the said Ballance was enabled the to induce the county surveyor more easily to believe these false statements, as he had been [coerced] by surveyor himself was at time [prevailing] This respondent also says that the said county surveyor soon after he had given the certificate to the said Ballance, discovered the [imposetion] that had been practiced and him, and having surveyed the land accurately according [to the] field notes, gave this respondent a certificate stating the above parts and was no appearance of them said having been any cultivation on the said tract of land. This respondent sent the aforesaid testimony to the commissioner of the General Land office and he thinks [?] the complainent ought not to have been surprised, should have issued to Hays after this fraud had been thus fully brought tot he know- ledge of the land officers. This respondent admits that he sold several of the towns lots laid off on said land but when & to whom he cannot now answer with precision having no mem
orandum of the sales. He thinks he sold the most of them in AD 1836 and supposes that the owners names may be found in the reco ders office, as acceptable to the complainant as to this respondent he has forgotten to whom the lots were sold, and could only ascertain them by searching the said records. This respondent further answers and says that he denies that the said complainant ever had a right or preemption to the said South west fraction quarter And the respondent having this fully answered [froze] that he may be dismissed with his costs. Isaac Underhill
[?] known to befor [?] 8 day of August 1840 William Mitchell
Deposition of George C McFaddon of the County of Peoria and State of Illinois taken on the fifth and sixth days of October AD 1840 between the hours of 10 in the morning and five in evening of the said Hays in the office of William Mitchell Clerk of the Circuit Court within the said county to be used in evidence in a cause pending in the Circuit Court of said County with Chancery [bids] thereof wherein Hiram M Curry is complainant and Isaac Underhill, Jeferson Taliaferro and Charles Hays are defendants on behalf of the said defendants the said George C McFadden doth depose Hays, in answer to the following interrogations
1st Have you surveyed the South West qr Section five Township 10 North Range 9 East of the [4] Meridian
Ans: He Has
2ns: State whether there is any appearance of cultivation on said quarter
Ans: Witness was requested to examine as to whether the said quarter had been cultivated and was not able to discover that there had been anything like cultivation upon it
3rd Had there been any cultivation upon it in the year 1833 would have perceived the evidence of it
Ans: should think there might
4th Is there any appearance of cultivation in the vicinity of this quarter?
Ans: witness refers to a map which is marked A and made a part of this deposition, the place on said map marked “orchard cultivated ground” and the place marked “old cultivated ground called the Taliferro place” appeared to have been cultivated and they are the only places in the vicinity of said quarter which have been cultivated
5th Are you the County surveyor of Peoria county and is the said map is a correct survey of said ground
Ans: witness is the county surveyor of Peoria County and the map and survey is correct
Cross Examination by the complainant 1st What is the description of the said quarter section and the adjacent ground?
Ans: Prairie
2nd: Are any of ancient corners of said section remaining
Ans: None that he could find
3rd: How did you ascertain the true position of the line through the middle of said frac section?
Ans: witness commenced about a mile and a half in the township line between ten North Eight & Nine [fall] and run North to the center of section six north west side then run East one mile to the quarter section corner between five & six, then to [prove ther] that was right run South to the river, thirty one chains then run from same corner North to the corner of section five & six on township line
the corner of Section five & six on township line
then run East 33 chains & 6 links to the Illinois river, which comes out within a few [links] of the field with distance and that witness judges was about right
4th Is the bank of the River where the three lines as laid down on the map strike it, a sudden cliff or a gradual slope?
Ans: A gradual slope, a little rough on the start but gradual afterwards
5th Do the lines as you have surveyed them terminate at high or low water mark?
Ans: The North line would terminate at high water [nexth] with the field [in the] distances, the other two lines are about average distance between high & low water marks
6th By what field notes did you survey this tract
Ans: by the field notes which witness purchased from Captain Phillips the former County surveyor, and witness has no doubts they are true copies of the original notes as they have always agreed with his surveys
7th Have you any personal knowledge that they were copied from the original field notes?
Ans: Has not
8th In running the lines of said quarter how much did you allow for the variation of the compass?
Ans: Seven degrees & twenty minutes
9th If a mistake was made in the degree of variation how much wold it make in missing a [field]
Ans: One chain and forty links
10th Is any part of the fence remaining on the South side of the piece marked on the map “old cultivated ground”?
Ans: thinks not
11th How far does the North line of said fractional quarter run south of where cultivation appears to have been as marked on the plat?
Ans: From fifty to seventy five links
By the defendants
Was the corner you started from, the one established by the United States?
Ans: Witness supposed it was, on the township line containing that quarter
What is the true varratin of the compass
Ans: seven degrees & twenty minutes
By the complainant
How did you ascertain the true variation of eh compass?
Ans: By running on different lines and making the variation to follow said lines witness has been surveying in Peoria County more or less for four years, and has been county surveyor about a year G. C. McFadden
State of Illinois Peoria County I William Mitchell Clerk of the Circuit Court within and for said county do hereby certify that George C McFadden was by me sworn to testify the truths, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, as a witness in the above entitled cause, and that foregoing deposition by him submitted was taken as the time and place aforesaid and reduced to writing by me Given under my hand and seal of said Court at Peoria this 6th day of [December] AD 1840 William Mitchell Clerk
Fees for taking Dep 1.87
Hiram M. Curry vs Underhill
Deposition of E McFaden Hays et al
A survey of teh S.W. quarter of Section5 Township 10 N R 9 E of teh 4th Prl Meredian (For Isaac Underhill) Beginning at a part of sstone set for 1/4 secton corner between sections 5 7 6 thence East 20 chains to the bank of the Illinois river, thence S 30 [W] two chains thence S 30 degrees E three chaines, thens S 56 degrees W four chains and fifty links, thence S 30 degrees W eight chains, thens S 34 degrees W twelve chains, thens S 41 degrees W nine chanes (the corner described in the field notes is destroyed) thence North thirty one chains to the place of beginnings, containg 31 83/100 acres of land, surveyed according tot he original field notes, July 22nd 1840 Variation 7 degrees 20 minutes G. C. McFadden CSPC
A Survey of the S.W. Qr of Sect. 5 T10 N R 9 E pr Isaac Underhill
Heartland Genealogy 