Remembering Roberta
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Roberta Adell Briles Crawford
Roberta Adell Briles Crawford was born June 20, 1930 in Buffalo, Kansas. She was the daughter of Edward Osmund and Pauline (Mentzer) Briles.
Roberta passed away at Sunrise of Lenexa in Lenexa, Kansas on January 9, 2022.
Roberta graduated from Emporia High School in 1948. She attended Kansas State Teachers College where she was a member and president of the Delta Sigma Epsilon sorority.
Roberta married Eugene David Crawford on June 9, 1951 in Emporia. Starting in 1955, Roberta and Eugene lived in Dodge City. While living in Dodge City, they were active members of the First United Methodist Church. The family moved from Dodge City to Lincoln, Nebraska and then to Emporia, Kansas.
Roberta started her career as a medical transcriptionist at the Dodge City Medical Center. Shortly after moving to Emporia, Kansas, Roberta joined the staff at St. Mary’s Hospital as a medical secretary, later becoming the Director of the Medical Records department. In October 1973, Roberta completed requirements for certification as an Accredited Record Technician. As a medical secretary, Roberta was a member of the Kansas Medical Record Association and served as treasurer in 1974.
After two of her children had completed college, Roberta joined her youngest as a college student and completed her college degree, graduating from Emporia State University in 1978.
Roberta and Eugene were long time members of St. Marks Lutheran Church in Emporia
After retiring, Eugene and Roberta became full time RVers wintering in Honda, Texas. They were active members of the Southwinders Association.
Roberta is survived by her three children: Marcia (Mike) Philbrick of Seneca, David (Kathy) Crawford of Blue Rapids, and Terry (Tina) Crawford of Shawnee; four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Roberta was preceded in death by her husband in 2006, infant son, Duane Crawford in 1953 and her siblings.
Roberta has been cremated. The family will hold a private memorial service at a later date.
Memorial gifts may be made to Emporia State University. Please direct your gift to the Eugene D. Crawford and Leon R. Crawford II Memorial Scholarship in memory of Roberta Crawford. Gifts may be made directly to Emporia State University Foundation, 1500 Highland Street, Emporia, KS 66801.
Influenza
As we have just “celebrated” another COVID new year, I’m fairly certain that we are all suffering from what the doctors at the University of Kansas Medical System have idenfied as CWS (pronounced COWS), or Covid Weariness Syndrome. As we march into January with more negative Covid news, have you wondered how the 1918 Influenza pandemic impacted your ancestors or distant cousins?
Since my grandmother lost her 7 month old son, Kenny, in 1919, I often wondered whether he was a victim of influenza. Since Kenneth Briles was admitted into a Kansas City Hospital prior to his death, his death certificate is available online. And that death certificate eliminates influenza as a possible cause of Kenny’s death. Instead, it indicates that Kenny’s cause of death was pyelo-nephritis with Dyspepsia as an underlying cause. Google helped me figure out that Kenny had an infection in his kidneys which caused his death. The underlying cause of Dyspepsia may have been E coli. How Kenny ingested the bacteria will never be known.
Since Kenny’s death was not from influenza, I forgot about the possibility that I had relatives die from influenza. That was until I encountered the obituary of Theodore Basil Christy. According to his obituary, Theodore died from pneumonia caused by influenza.
Burial of Basil Christy
Took Place Thursday Morning at Hills Church
The funeral of Basil Christy, a well-known farmer in the south west part of the county took place Thursday morning at Hill’s church and was very largely attended.
“Burial of Basil Christy,” The Tipton Daily Tribune (Tipton, IN), 17 October 1918, page 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 27 December 2021).
Mr. Christy’s death followed an attack of pneumonia, the result of Influenza and was a shock to the entire neighborhood, he being a man highly respected in the community and wherever known. He is survived by a wife and children and also by several brothers and sisters.
He was a member of the Baptist church his membership being at the Hill’s church.
This obituary was the first piece of information indicating that any of my cousins had died from influenza. However, I haven’t seriously looked thru my file to see if there are others. Even though I likely won’t deviate from my current research tasks, I wanted to figure out who I had in my file who died during the influenza epidemic that began in 1918. According to Wikipedia, there were four waves during this epidemic with the majority of deaths occurring in 1918 and 1919. To figure out who my potential victims of influenza might be, I created a group in my RootsMagic program.
Thus, I clicked on the icon that looks like a paint palette in the upper right corner of the program to open the Command Palette. Scrolling down the list of commands, I located the one allowing me to add or modify groups..
On the GROUP window, I clicked on the NEW button to begin the creation of the group.
Then I entered a name for my group. In this case, I’m naming the group, Influenza.
When I click on the OK button, the window changes allowing me to hand pick members for the group from everyone in my file or to use the MARK feature to let the program pick them. Since I don’t know who should be in this group, I’m gong to click on MARK and let the computer select based on the death information I have in my file.
When I click on the MARK button, a menu opens offering me several choices. For this group, I want to select them by their death date. Thus, I’m going to use ‘By Data Field’.
Now, I enter the ‘argument’ I want the computer to use to search my genealogy file. If I want to include all 4 waves of the epidemic, I need to include dates for 1918, 1919 and the first half of 1920. Thus, I could use the following argument.
However, if I’m only concerned about the deaths during 1918 and 1919, then I can use an OR statement to pick both years.
When I click on the OK button, the computer will search thru my file and return a list of those people for whom the argument would be true. When I used death date contains 1918 or 1919, I got 114 people. In order to save this group, I have to remember to click the SELECT button.
To view the list of group members, I can use the INDEX on the people screen. If I pull down the upside down carrot by SHOW EVERYONE I can find my Influenza group in my list of groups.
When I click on the group, the list of people changes to just those in my group.
Now I have a list of people who may have died from Influenza. Some day when I’m either extremely ambitious or extremely curious, I can work my way thru this list to see if any of them actually succumbed to influenza.
My Surnames
Generation 3
4. Leon Russel Crawford-9785: born 6 February 1894 in Newton, Harvey, Kansas, United States; married 24 December 1919 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States; died 3 October 1976 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States.
5. Winnie Letha Currey-9786: born 30 June 1903 in Lansing, Leavenworth, Kansas, United States; died 11 February 1992 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States.
6. Edward Osmond Briles-9795: born 21 June 1891 in Burlington, Coffey, Kansas, United States; married 29 October 1915 in Yates Center, Woodson, Kansas, United States; died 28 May 1956 in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas, United States.
7. Pauline Edith Mentzer-9796: born 28 March 1896 in Woodson, Kansas, United States; died 16 July 1984 in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas, United States.
Generation 4
8. Judson Foster Crawford-177: born 15 April 1866 in Warren, Indiana, United States; married 24 December 1890 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States; died 19 February 1949 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States.
9. Josie Winifred Hammond-178: born 9 February 1874 in Knoxville, Knox, Illinois, United States; died 27 September 1954 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States.
10. Hiram Miles Currey-502: born 23 October 1866 in Missouri, United States; married 13 May 1891 in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, United States; died 15 September 1943 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States.
11. Winifred Mae “Winnie” Hutchinson-503: born 6 May 1871 in Osage, Mitchell, Iowa, United States; died 23 September 1913 in Olathe, Johnson, Kansas, United States.
12. Edward Grant Briles-2065: born 18 July 1869 in Coffey, Kansas, United States; married 19 February 1890 in Woodson, Kansas, United States; died 23 July 1951 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Emporia, Lyon, Kansas, United States.
13. Frances Artlissa “Artie” Ricketts-2707: born 7 April 1868 in Clinton, Indiana, United States; died 28 April 1947 in Yates Center, Woodson, Kansas, United States.
14. Charles Oliver Mentzer-1709: born 1 July 1869 in Kewanee, Henry, Illinois, United States; married 18 October 1893 in Yates Center, Woodson, Kansas, United States; died 15 August 1955 in Newman Hospital, Emporia, Lyon, Kansas, United States.
15. Nettie Adell Wells-1710: born 5 February 1873 in Woodson, Kansas, United States; died 9 February 1939 in Neosho Falls, Woodson, Kansas, United States.
Generation 5
16. Washington Marion Crawford-190: born 21 April 1838 in Warren, Indiana, United States; married 4 March 1860 in West Lebanon, Warren, Indiana, United States; died 23 August 1889 in Fort Dodge, Ford, Kansas, United States.
17. Mary Foster-191: born 28 August 1842 in West Lebanon, Warren, Indiana, United States; died 21 January 1929 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States.
18. Richmond Fisk Hammond-221: born 20 November 1840 in Licking, Ohio, United States; married 1 January 1867 in Knoxville, Knox, Illinois, United States; died 8 April 1928 in Soldier’s Home, Sawtelle, Los Angeles, California, United States.
19. Sarah Ellen Ralston-222: born 11 May 1849 in Armstrong, Pennsylvania, United States; died 18 October 1892 in Dodge City, Ford, Kansas, United States.
20. Hiram M. Currey-515: born 13 August 1835 in Peoria, Peoria, Illinois, United States; married 3 August 1856 in Weston, Platte, Missouri, United States; died 2 March 1901 in Lansing, Leavenworth, Kansas, United States.
21. Angelina Jane Burke-516: born 30 October 1836 in Kentucky, United States; died 26 March 1901 in Lansing, Leavenworth, Kansas, United States.
22. Albert Hutchinson-520: born about 1838 in Northhampton, Fulton County, New York; married 14 September 1859 in Black Hawk, Iowa, United States; died 22 July 1896 in Doniphan, Doniphan, Kansas, United States.
23. Julia Harding-521: born 1840 in New Brunswick, Canada; died 4 January 1892 in Doniphan, Doniphan, Kansas, United States.
24. Noah Washington Briles-2055: born 1840 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States; married 9 August 1866 in Ottumwa, Wapello, Iowa, United States; died 14 July 1879 in Coffey, Kansas, United States.
25. Sarah Jane Thompson-2056: born 7 August 1843 in Warrick, Indiana, United States; died 17 August 1930 in Neosho Township, Coffey, Kansas, United States.
26. James Marshall Ricketts-2733: born 28 November 1847 in Clinton, Indiana, United States; married 12 July 1866 in Frankfort, Clinton, Indiana, United States; died 28 November 1920 in Liberty Township, Woodson, Kansas, United States.
27. Rachel Elmeda Christy-2734: born 28 April 1845 in Clinton, Indiana, United States; died 27 January 1927 in Iola, Allen, Kansas, United States.
28. George Mentzer-1694: born 12 June 1838 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; married 1 January 1868 in Kewanee, Henry, Illinois, United States; died 19 January 1912 in Yates Center, Woodson, Kansas, United States.
29. Emeline Minnick-1695: born 26 August 1848 in Pittsburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania; died 13 September 1927 in Woodson, Kansas, United States.
30. Thurston Kennedy Wells-1701: born 26 February 1821 in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States; married 20 March 1861 in Van Buren, Iowa, United States; died 3 June 1893 in Woodson, Kansas, United States.
31. Salome Adell Crandall-1702: born 24 June 1836 in Ohio, Kentucky, United States; died 30 August 1893 in Woodson, Kansas, United States.
Generation 6
32. Nelson G. Crawford-199: born 17 October 1808 in Preble, Ohio, United States; married 3 September 1833 in Warren, Indiana, United States; died 21 March 1864 in Warren, Indiana, United States.
33. Martha Smith-200: born 3 August 1815 in Indiana, United States; died 1 August 1871 in Warren, Indiana, United States.
34. Zebulon Foster-214: born 19 August 1808 in Pike, Ohio, United States; married 14 February 1833 in Pike, Ohio, United States; died 5 September 1889 in Warren, Indiana, United States.
35. Caroline Ostrander-215: born 23 March 1814 in Ross, Ohio, United States; died 3 June 1871 in Warren, Indiana, United States.
36. Horatio Hammond-223: born 24 October 1798 in Connecticut, United States; married 14 April 1825 in Medina, Medina, Ohio, United States; died 7 November 1879 in Knoxville, Knox, Illinois, United States.
37. Louisa Fisk-224: born 5 August 1806 in Watertown, Jefferson, New York, United States; died 17 August 1874 in Ontario, Knox, Illinois, United States.
38. James Barr Ralston-1232: born 20 December 1811 in Pennsylvania, United States; married about 1836 in Armstrong, Pennsylvania, United States; died 4 July 1904 in Grundy, Iowa, United States.
39. Nancy Jane McCormick-1233: born 15 October 1818 in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, United States; died 3 November 1907 in Grundy, Iowa, United States.
40. Hiram M. Currey-517: born about 1787; married 28 September 1824 in Edgar, Edgar, Illinois, United States.
41. Rachel Harris-1278: died before 28 March 1842.
42. Henry F. Burke-518: born 30 April 1811; married 22 October 1835 in Monroe, Kentucky, United States; died 30 October 1845 in Weston, Platte, Missouri, United States.
43. Elizabeth Ann Bland-519: born 25 December 1813; died before 5 May 1876 in Platte City, Platte, Missouri, United States.
44. Aaron Hutchinson-10394: born 1803 in Smyrna, Chenango County New York; died 28 March 1837 in New York, New York, United States.
45. Sarah Merry-10395: born 1813; died 6 March 1845 in New York, New York, United States.
46. William Gillies Harding-560: born about 1803 in New Brunswick, Canada; married 16 September 1830 in Westfield Parish, Kings, New Brunswick; died 15 August 1865 in Mount Vernon Township, Black Hawk, Iowa, United States.
47. Elizabeth Fowler-10029: born 1804 in Westfield Parish, Kings, New Brunswick; died 29 January 1846 in Westfield Parish, Kings, New Brunswick.
48. Alexander Briles-2059: born 14 March 1817 in North Carolina, United States; married 2 August 1836 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States; died 14 January 1900 in Neosho Township, Coffey, Kansas, United States.
49. Sarah Rush-2060: born 1816 in North Carolina, United States; died 2 September 1872 in Coffey, Kansas, United States.
50. William Taylor Thompson-2064: born 29 December 1820 in Ohio, Kentucky, United States; married 30 October 1842 in Warrick, Indiana, United States; died 12 September 1898.
51. Polly Ann Evans-4511: born 25 July 1821 in Indiana, United States; died 14 April 1896 in Wapello, Louisa, Iowa, United States.
52. John Lewis Ricketts-2735: born 22 November 1812 in Fleming, Kentucky, United States; married 3 December 1846 in Clinton, Indiana, United States; died 23 December 1888 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.
53. Orilda Matilda Reed-2736: born 20 January 1828 in Jennings, Indiana, United States; died 28 June 1900 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.
54. Samuel Christy-7734: born 11 September 1819 in Indiana, United States; married 3 March 1842 in Fayette, Ohio, United States; died 24 March 1904 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.
55. Lyda Gallimore-7735: born 25 March 1824 in Ohio, Kentucky, United States; died 1 February 1864 in Clinton, Indiana, United States.
56. Phillip Andrew Mentzer-1697: born about March 1793; married 23 May 1816; died 19 December 1845 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.
57. Orinda Miles-1698: born 14 January 1798 in Gardner, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; died 18 October 1861 in Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.
58. John Minnick-1696: born 22 June 1822 in Pennsylvania, United States; married before 1850; died 21 April 1903 in Kewanee, Henry, Illinois, United States.
59. Elizabeth Mary Jones-1806: born about 1816 in Pennsylvania, United States; died 20 July 1869 in Kewanee, Henry, Illinois, United States.
60. Ozias Wells-1833: born 15 May 1796 in Northampton, Fulton County, New York; married 18 March 1818 in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States; died 5 August 1832 in Princeton, Mercer, New Jersey, United States.
61. Mary Kennedy-1834: born 21 February 1799 in Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York, United States; died 23 March 1885 in Kalamo, Eaton, Michigan, United States.
62. Lewis Crandall-1796: born 19 August 1807 in prob Genesee County, New York; married; died March 1852 in Van Buren, Iowa, United States.
63. Almira Nafus-4939: died before 1846.
Generation 7
64. James Crawford-219: born 17 April 1772 in Virginia, British Colonial America; married 12 September 1799 in Garrard, Kentucky, United States; died 5 July 1854 in Preble, Ohio, United States.
65. Sarah “Sally” Smith-1441: born 25 February 1770 in Virginia, United States; died 2 May 1856 in Preble, Ohio, United States.
66. _____ Smith-5399: married.
67. Hannah _____-5398: born 24 September 1790; died 10 May 1847 in Warren, Indiana, United States.
68. Richard Foster-216: born 1 July 1779 in Maryland, United States; married 26 February 1801 in Frederick, Maryland, United States; died 7 June 1831 in Pike, Ohio, United States.
69. Rachel Browning-217: born 17 June 1780 in Maryland, United States; died 23 March 1858 in Pike, Ohio, United States.
70. Dr. Edward Ostrander-5427: born 22 November 1769 in Troy, Rensselaer, New York, United States; married 1796 in New York, New York, United States; died after 3 May 1835 in Kingston, Ross, Ohio, United States.
71. Margaret Forbes-5428: born 30 May 1772 in Rensselaer, Rensselaer, New York, United States; died 8 August 1824 in Green Township, Ohio.
72. Jason Hammond-226: born 1 February 1762 in Bolton, Tolland, Connecticut, United States; married 24 April 1788 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut, United States; died 21 September 1830 in Bath, Summit, Ohio, United States.
73. Rachel Hale-227: born 11 December 1758 in Glastonbury, Hartford, Connecticut, United States; died 11 November 1842 in Bath, Summit, Ohio, United States.
74. Jonathan Fisk-225: born 3 September 1780; married; died 9 April 1857 in New York, United States.
75. Mary Arnold-7772: born 1778; died 24 October 1862 in Ontario Township, Knox, Illinois, United States.
76. David Franklin Ralston-9086: born 28 October 1785 in Ireland; married 1810 in Worthing, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania; died 28 March 1862 in Armstrong, Pennsylvania, United States.
77. Hannah Barr-9087: born 21 July 1779; died 1 August 1861.
78. James B McCormick-9772: born 1785; married 1812; died 14 October 1839.
79. Sarah Hall-10438: born 1790; died 1844.
80. Hiram Mirick Currey-1363: born in England, United Kingdom; married.
81. Sarah Reagan-1511: died 2 December 1820 in Worthington, Franklin, Ohio, United States.
82. Peter Harris-10846: married 23 April 1801 in Henry, Kentucky, United States.
83. Rachel Simonse VanArsdale-16331.
84. John Burke-10238: born 1783 in James River, Tidewater County, Virginia; married in Virginia, United States; died 1842 in Jackson, Tennessee, United States.
85. Elizabeth Graves-10304: born 1786 in Halifax, Halifax, Virginia, United States; died 1831 in War Trace Creek, Jackson County, Tennessee.
86. Eli Bland-581: married; died 1826 in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
87. Sarah Susan Anderson-582.
88. Aaron Hutchinson-10396: born 1767 in New London, New London, Connecticut, United States; died 22 May 1833 in Caledonia, Livingston, New York, United States.
89. Hannah Nettleton-10397: born 1764; died 21 February 1846 in Caledonia, Livingston, New York, United States.
90. Whiting Merry-16337: born 4 June 1781 in Kinderhook, Columbia, New York; married; died 26 May 1841 in Mumford, Monroe, New York, United States.
91. Elizabeth Peabody-16340: born 5 March 1783 in Maugerville, Sunbury, New Brunswick, Canada; died 12 March 1816.
92. William Harding-10036: born 16 June 1772; married 8 August 1793; died 1847 in Long Beach, New Brunswick.
93. Elizabeth Flewelling-10037: born 1772.
94. Thomas Fowler-16345: born 1785; died 1877.
96. John Briles-2057: born 27 October 1775; married 1795; died before November 1855 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States.
97. Nancy Ann Beckerdite-2058: died before 1840 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States.
98. Noah Rush-2393: born 9 January 1778 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States; married; died 6 May 1870 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States.
99. Sarah Clark-2402: born 1790.
100. John Thompson-4601: born 4 March 1797 in Kentucky, United States; married 1 February 1820 in Ohio, Kentucky, United States; died 14 August 1857 in Adams, Iowa, United States.
101. Sarah Iglehart-4600: born 24 March 1800 in Maryland, United States; died 5 February 1877 in Adams, Iowa, United States.
102. James Evans-8272: born 1793 in Kentucky, United States; married 18 August 1818 in Warrick, Indiana, United States; died.
103. Sarah (Sally) Garret-8273: born 1801; died 2 October 1871.
104. Edward Ricketts-2746: born about 1787 in Pennsylvania, United States; married 1 November 1810 in Fleming, Kentucky, United States; died 8 September 1838 in Rush, Indiana, United States.
105. Sarah Story-2747: born 28 December 1789 in Bryant, Franklin, Kentucky, United States; died 3 August 1854 in Rush, Indiana, United States.
106. John C. Reed-5748: born about 1800 in New York, New York, United States; married 9 December 1822 in Jennings, Indiana, United States; died 18 August 1864 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States.
107. Mary Buckles-5749: born 6 December 1792 in Shepardstown, Berkely County, Virginia (now West Virginia); died 14 February 1867 in Berlin, Clinton County, Indiana.
108. Ebenezer Christy-13075: born 1784 in Virginia, United States; died 1837 in Fayette, Ohio, United States.
109. Rachel Elizabeth Dawson-13076: born 1803; died 1881.
110. Isom Gallimore-8849: born 1799 in North Carolina, United States; married; died 3 March 1859.
111. Judith Bentley-8850.
112. Phillip Andre Mentzer-6243: married 8 July 1792 in Hollis Street Church, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; died 1801 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States.
113. Isabella Motes-6244.
114. Oliver Miles-1699: born 27 September 1772 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; married 27 January 1796 in Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; died 12 December 1855.
115. Sarah Joslin-1700.
116. Adam Minick-6634.
117. Esther Elisabetha Schiedel-16364: born 1801; died 1888.
118. Henry Jones-16365: born 1785; died 1826.
119. Catherine Bovey-16366: born 1786; died 1842.
120. Green Wells-4795: born 24 September 1764 in Rhode Island, United States; married 11 February 1789 in Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States; died 13 December 1845 in Barre, Orleans County, New York.
121. Abigail White-4813: born 24 September 1770 in Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States; died 30 July 1852 in Barre, Orleans County, New York.
122. John Kennedy-4796: born 1 February 1767 in Volentown; married; died 28 August 1831 in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.
123. Anna Barnes-4842: born 28 April 1775 in Williamstown; died 17 February 1820 in Sullivan, Madison, New York, United States.
124. Hampton Lillibridge Crandall-4934: born 1778 in RI or CT; married about 1805 in prob Genesee County, New York; died 1 January 1863 in Bentonsport, Van Buren, Iowa, United States.
125. Freelove Butler-4935: born about 1780 in prob CT; died after 1840 in Bentonsport, Van Buren, Iowa, United States.
126. William S. Nafus-16367: born 1774; died 1850.
127. Salome Carpenter-16368: born 1775; died 1837.
Throwback Thursday
Edward Grant Briles Family
Back Row: Osmund, Ethel, Glen
Front Row: Edward, Lulu, Artie
Migration Maps
#SaturdayNightGenealogyFun
Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:
This SNGF is based on the Migration map that my friend J. Paul Hawthorne made on Facebook on 18 November. He used Birth dates and Places for his paternal line.
1) For this week’s SNGF, make your own migration map for whichever surname or ancestral line you want. Use a World Map or a country map. Choose birth, marriage, death, or migration year to put the spots on the map and label them with the year.
To create my maps, I followed Randy’s suggestion and downloaded a map from wiki commons and then used powerpoint to add the lines and labels.
CRAWFORD MIGRATION
My Crawford research is stuck in the area of Augusta county, Virginia where there are several different CRAWFORD families, each with sons named James. According to records from Ohio, my James Crawford was born in 1772 in Virginia. James married Sally Duggins in 1799 in Garrard county, Kentucky. Records place James in Preble County, Ohio in 1811 where there is another James Crawford who was also born in Virginia about 1770. This James was married in Lincoln County, Kentucky in 1793.
By 1831, James’ son Nelson had migrated to Warren County, Indiana. Nelson either migrated with the other James Crawford and his family or followed them to Indiana.
In 1884, Nelson’s son, Washington Marion Crawford (my ancestor), migrated to Dodge City, Kansas. Washington Marion was following his older brother, James, who had migrated to Dodge City in 1878.
BRILES MIGRATION
Like my Crawford ancestors, my BRILES ancestors were early Kansas settlers, actually arriving prior to statehood. Alexander Briles and his family migrated from Randolph County, North Carolina to southern Coffey County, Kansas prior to 1858.
The BRILES family has deep roots in Randolph County, North Carolina. Conrad Briles (Broils) filed papers to purchase land in Rowan county, North Carolina in 1763. He is listed on the tax records in Randolph county in 1779. In 1784, his will was probated in Randolph County, North Carolina.
Conrad was a member of the second Germanna colony. He arrived in Virginia with his parents in 1717. The family migrated from Oestisheim, Wuerttemberg, Germany.
In North Carolina, the surname took on the BRILES spelling while those who stayed in Virginia took on the BROYLES spelling.
Throwback Thursday
Wyoming Briles
Do you ever encounter a cousin while researching that you wished you knew more about. Well, I recently found one of my Briles cousins a long ways from his birthplace in Coffey county, Kansas.
Instead of becoming a Kansas farmer or even an Oklahoma farmer like one of his first cousins, William McKinley Briles moved to Wyoming a few years after his marriage. Based on his obituary, it sounds like William was a Wyoming rancher or cowboy.
William McKinly Briles
“William McKinly Briles,” The Billings Gazette (Billings, Montana), 2 July 1984, page 6; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 1 November 2021).
Sheridan, Who. — William McKinly Briles homesteaded in Arvada in 1919 and moved to Sheridan in 1963. He enjoyed woodworking, gunsmithing, hunting, trapping, and breaking horses. Mr. Briles, 87, died Friday in Sheridan Memorial Hospital.
He was a member of the Methodist Church. Born in LeRoy, Kan., a son of Benjamin and Martha Marrow Briles, he married Mona Fitch on Jan. 30, 1916, in Crandal, Kan.; she died in 1969. On Aug. 6, 1971, he married Nellie Livingston in Sheridan; she died in February 1984.
Survivors include a son, Ben of Buffalo; a step-grandchild; and three step-great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday in Champion Funeral Home with burial in Sheridan Municipal Cemetery.
Even though I haven’t been able to find any further information about his life as a ‘cowboy’ or his ranch, I was able to locate information about his land on the Bureau of Land Management site.
Whereas, a certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Buffalo, Wyoming has been deposited in the General Land Office, whereby it appears that, pursuant to the Act of Congress of May 20, 1862, “To Secure Homesteads to Actual Settlers on the Public Domain,” and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of
William M. Briles
has been established and duly consummated, in conformity to law, for thesouth half of the south half of Section seventeen, the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section eighteen, the east half of the northwest quarter and the northeast quarter of Section nineteen and the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter and the north half of the north half of Section twenty in Township fifty-three north of Range seventy-six west of the Sixth Principal Meridian, Wyoming, containing six hundred forty acres,
according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Land, returned to the GENERAL LAND OFFICE by the Surveyor-General:
NOW KNOW YE, That there is, therefore, granted by the UNITED STATES unto the said claimant the tract of Land above described;
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of Land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said claimant and to the heirs and assigns of
the said claimant forever; subject to any vested and accrued water rights for mining, agricultural, manufacturing, or other purposes, and
rights to ditches and reservoirs used in connection with such water rights, as may be recognized and acknowledged by the local customs, laws,
and decisions of courts; and there is reserved from the lands hereby granted, a right of way thereon for ditches or canals constructed by the
authority of the United States, Excepting and reserving, however, to the United States all the coal and other minerals in the lands so entered
and patented, together with the right to prospect for, mine, and remove the same pursuant to the provisions and limitations of the Act of
December 29, 1916 (39 Stat,, 862),IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I, Calvin Coolidge
President of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made
Patent, and the seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed,
GIVEN under my hand, at the City of Washington, the SIXTEENTH
day of SEPTEMBER in the year of our Lord one thousand
nine hundred and TWENTY-FIVE
By the President:Record of Patents: Patent Number 966373
United States Bureau of Land Management, “General Land Office Records,” database with images, BLM.Gov (http://glorecords.blm.gov : viewed online 1 November 2021), William Briles.
Obituary Find
Have you ever run across an obituary that identifies a sibling for which you have no record? That was my situation when transcribing the obituary of William A. Mentzer, son of Japhet and Louisa Briles Mentzer.
William Mentzer Is Buried
“William Mentzer Is Buried,” The Gridley LIght (Gridley, Kansas), 1 September 1927, page 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 24 October 2021).
The Big Creek Presbyterian church was filled and many were on the outside at two o’clock, Friday afternoon for the funeral of William Alexander Mentzer, who died, Wednesday, Aug 17, 1927 at his home west of Critty. The services were in charge of Rev. Eugene Kramer, pastor of the Burlington Methodist church. The church choir composed of mrs. Nettie White, Mrs. Tillie McMullen, Mrs. Hanna Caven, Mrs. Jennie Christy, Miss ada Caven, James and Kinney Caven sang “We’re Going Down the Valley” “Take Me As I Am” and “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.” The choir was accompanied by Mrs. Elmira Christy. The pall bearers were James Caven, Wm. Morrow, John Israel, john D[ul]aughor, J. Allen Christy, and G[ene] Morrow. Interment was made in the Big Creek Presbyterian cemetery.
William Alexander Mentzer, eldest son of Mr. And Mrs. Japhet Mentzer was born Nov 25, 1870, and he spent his entire life in Coffey County on his father’s farm and on his own place since his marriage to Miss Rosa Metzger on Nov 29, 1909. He was a kind and affectionate husband and a jovial and good neighbor. He will be greatly missed in the home and in the neighborhood.
His father preceeded him in death in 1917. Also one sister, Eva, who died in 1874. He leaves to mourn his wife, Mrs. Roma Mentzer, two nieces, Misses Anna and Thurnelda Wise, whom Mr. And Mrs. Mentzer had cared for since they were small children, his aged mother, Mrs. Louis Mentzer, one sister, Mrs. Mariet [s] Gray and two brothers, Jay and John Mentzer, besides a host of other relatives and friends.
I already had documented most of the family. However, I wasn’t sure who Mrs. Mariet[s] Gray was. I did have a census record from 1870 showing a Loretta Mentzer in the household of Jacob and Louisa Mentzer. Since Loretta was listed as being 13 and Louisa was listed as being 24, I had entered Loretta as a child from a previous marriage.
So, I started digging in the newspapers to see what I could learn about Mrs. Gray. Even though most of the papers have been digitized and contain a lot of local gossip, I have not found a Mentzer-Gray marriage announcement. I expanded my search for the MENTZER surname and got lucky! I found the obituary for Japhet Mentzer that contains lots of information about the family.
Another Pioneer Is Laid to Rest
Japhet Mentzer, son of Peter and Elizabeth Mentzer, was born August 23, 1824 in Licking County Ohio, and died to Neosho Township, Coffey county, Kansas February 11, 1917, aged 92 years 5 months and 18 days. He grew to manhood in the state of Ohio, and was united in marriage to Mary Rhodes June 5, 1856. He and his young wife immigrated to the state of Iow, where they lived for a short time and from there they came to Coffey county arriving on the 10th day of November 1857. To this union were born three daughters. His wife died April 4, 1866 and the tow younger daughters died the same year. He was again united in marriage to Louisa Briles October 20, 1866 and to this union four children were born, one daughter and three sons, Eva dying at the age of 5 years. He is survived by his faithful wife and four children: Mrs. J. N. Gray, Wm. A., Jay and John Mentzer with their families, eleven grand children and nine great grand children. He was respected by all for his honesty and his word was as good as his bond. He came here in an early day, saw many hardships but by hard work he built a good home. The funeral was held at the Presbyterian church, Rev. Mr. White of Crandall preaching the funeral sermon. He was laid to rest in the Big Creek Cemetery.
Card of Thanks
“Another Pioneer Is Laid to Rest,” The Daily Republican (Burlington, Kansas), 1 February 1917, page 4; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 24 October 2021).
The relatives of Grandpa Mentzer wish to thank the many friends for the kindness and assistance shown during the sickness and death of husband and father.
Mrs. Louise Mentzer
Mr. And Mrs. W. A. Mentzer
Mr. And Mrs. Jay Mentzer
Mr. And Mrs. John Mentzer
Mr. and Mrs. J. N. Gray
This obituary is a gold mine of information about Japhet Mentzer and his family! I’m thankful that I kept digging long enough to locate this jewel.
Draft Registrations
Registration of June 5, 1918
The following young men have became of age since June 5, 1917:
Donald Edgar Paterson, Yates Center
Henry Roy Bell, Yates Center
James Henry Burns, Rose
August Carl Meyer, Gridley
Milton Welch Jamison, Toronto
Clarence Ralph Reno, Yates Center
William Edward Frederick, Humboldt
Leslie Ernest Reed, Humboldt
Elmer Earl Crumrine, Yates Center
Chester R. Stewart, Yates Center
Clifford Warren Meigs, Toronto
Jessie Franklin Kiser, Yates Center
Charlie Walter Huffmiester, Humboldt
Arthur William Beanway, Yates Center
Elmer Paul Stockebrand, Yates Center
Leland Alonzo Huff, Toronto
Jesse James Simpson, Rose
Eugene Houghton Drew, Yates Center
Warren Nolan Swilley, Toronto
Raymond Earle Dawson, Toronto
Karl Jennings Bryan, Neosho Falls
William B Carroll, Yates Center
Marcelous Fountain Stephens, Neosho Falls
Edward R Bayer, Quincy
Jesse Howard Jones, Toronto
William Glen Berry, Toronto
Robert Warren Myers, Neosho Falls
Leo Joseph Riley, Piqua
Taylor Harry Stoddard, Yates Center
Otis L Doty, Yates Center
Louis Alfred Weide, Yates Center
Raymond Clyde Nichols, Buffalo
James I DeCou, Yates Center
Charles A Holmquest, Yates Center
Edward Anton Eisenbart, Yates Center
John Bertram Woodward, Yates Center
Harry Douglass Whittaker, Yates Center
Clifford G Roush, Rose
John Joseph Knotts, Yates Center
Allen Clyde Easum, Yates Center
Leo Patrick Collins, Piqua
John Vernal Dickerson, Toronto
Earl Lewelyn Morrison, Buffalo
Leslie Earl Turner, Yates Center
William McKinley Briles, Yates Center
Earl Dewey Brewer, Vernon
George L Huston, Quincy
Ottis O Brooks, Yates Center
Harry Lee Smith, Rose
Glen H Lynn, Neosho Falls
Ben Hollingsworth, Toronto
Homer M Gann, Vernon
John M Klien, Yates Center
Fred C Stockebrand, Yates Center
William A West, Neosho Falls
Oscar Burnett, Neosho Falls
Clifton Burnell, Neosho Falls
Harry Bliss Varnum, Yates Center
Charles Caley, Toronto
Found on page 1 of The Yates Center News (Yates Center, Kansas) on Newspapers.com
Heartland Genealogy 