Showing posts with label Colorado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colorado. Show all posts

Monday, May 14, 2018

John & Rebecca Denton: Repeated Returnees

John & Rebecca Denton Family:
Back - L to R: Ezekiel, Robert, Sam, Alma
From - L to R: John, Rebecca, Dora

John & Rebecca joined the LDS Church on February 22nd, 1882. The were part of the Cedar Creek Branch and had been taught by Elders Robert Spence and Daniel R Bateman. Two years later in March 1884, the family emigrated to Colorado. John's parents had emigrated to Colorado in November 1883, and may have been influential in John and Rebecca's decision. Rebecca's father went along with them in 1884.

Since they were living on the Tennessee river, it made sense for the family to take a steamboat for the first part of their journey. They boarded at New Era Landing and traveled four days downriver to Johnsonville, Tennessee (now flooded under Kentucky Lake) where they changed to a train for the rest of their journaey

Rebecca became ill during the trip. According to her daughter, Rebecca "took some kind of rheumatism and couldn’t walk. ... [She] had to be carried on and off the train. She was not able to do any work for about six weeks."

In Colorado, Rebecca did find work spinning and carding wool. John found work clearing land. The family lived in a tent until they saved enough money to buy some horses which John used to haul logs from the mountains to build a home. While in Colorado there were three more children born to them: Robert, Alma, & Laura.

In about 1892, with an idea to improve their situation, they decided to move to newly opened land in "Indian Country" The family made their way by train to Joplin, Missouri. From there I'm not sure where they went. One family story says John pawned some possessions to get by and was able to find enough work to buy them back. Their stay in that area, however, was short lived. By 1894, when Dora was born, they are again living in Tennessee.

Back in Tennessee, John is rebaptized in 1897. For this reason alone John's name appears in the MTBR*. While I have records showing his original baptism in 1882, in the age before electronic records, not having access to the original baptism record may have been enough of a reason for local authorities to redo the ordinance.  His wife, however, does not appear have been rebaptized. I can think of a couple reasons for this, from her poor health to her having no interest.

I do know her health deteriorated, though I not sure when. She came down with tuberculosis and the humid Tennessee air was considered a problem. So in 1908 (Dora says she was 14 at the time) the family returned to Colorado where the dryer air would possibly help out. They may have had relatives there and could find a way to live. I'm not sure if the whole family went or if it was just Rebecca and Dora. It did not last long, however. By 1910 they all are back in Tennessee. The reason for this last return to Tennessee was described Dora as "she became dissatisfied" meaning her mother.

Dora's choice of the word dissatisfied is interesting. It is a word Mormons often associate with being dissatisfied with the Church. However, I don't know that we can make that unqualified assumption. To decide dissatisfied meant disaffection we need more.

Ultimately Rebecca did not get better. In April 1911 she died in Wayne County, Tennessee, probably from tuberculosis. Although I have found no proof of the cause of death, TB is a reasonable assumption. John remarried in 1917 to Mary Mayberry. He died a few years later in 1928 in Perry County, Tennessee.

The Denton family constantly struggled with poverty. A lack of education or job skills left them searching to improve their situation, often by move. For this reason I believe their moves were not  motivated by a disaffection with the LDS Church, even when considered with Dora's use of the word dissatisfied to describe her mother. While it could describe her relationship with the church it could also describe her hatred of Colorado weather. In addition, many of the children and grandchildren of this couple continued to get baptized, and receive temple ordinances. Had the family decided to leave the church a legacy of multi generational membership would have been unlikely.

* The Middle Tennessee Baptismal Record or MTBR is my source for converts who went west but later returned to Tennessee.The record contain converts mostly between 1894 and 1920 with a few earlier than that. About 1411 baptisms are recorded with a small number of them being returnees.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Tennessean Saints in the Colorado 1885 Census Part II

The second half of the Conejos County, Colorado 1885 Census includes people from the rest of the county. You can see my first post here.

Some quick notes on what I did not find. There were some families I expected to find but did not. None of the DePriest family were listed, although I good evidence that they were there at the time. And the Lancaster family was not listed., or the Campbell family, or the Blanton family. In the absence of so many families, I am beginning to wonder if I need to rethink my assumptions. Yes, these families certainly went to Colorado. I know when they left. But am I sure when they arrived? Did they live there year round?

The family of George Conder left their home on the Perry County portion of Cane Creek in 1883, but they stopped in Obion County, Tennessee along the way, and stayed for a few years. The family of Phillip Miller stopped in Indiana for a season, went back to Tennessee for a year and then finally went all the way to Colorado. Only their oldest son Nicholas made it in time for the 1885 Census. Maybe some families stopped along the way to earn more money. Maybe they found no work in Conejos County, and spend a few months in farm labor in neighboring counties. Maybe the 1885 Colorado Census represents a flawed process that missed whole groups of people.

As an interesting and unrelated side note, I found a wide variety of people form many countries living in Conejos County. Most were born in Colorado or New Mexico, but there were merchants from Russia, carpenters from Germany, farmers from Mexico, even four people from China. Love it!! But for this exercise, I transcribed just the households where someone was from Tennessee.

Last First Sex Age Birth Residence
Wood James F. M 29 Tenn Dist 1
Wood Ella W 24 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Francis M M 40 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Karrist A. F 36 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Jas F. M 16 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Mary E. F 14 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Jas. F. M 13 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Louisa H. F 11 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Annie I. F 9 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Dolitha D. F 7 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Nattie F 4 Tenn Dist 1
Kari Ellen E. F 2 Colo Dist 1
Reed E. R. M 35 Tenn Dist 1
Reed Sarah J. F 29 Tenn Dist 1
Reed Weeley M M 11 Tenn Dist 1
Reed Everett E. M 8 Tenn Dist 1
Roper John M. M 46 Ireland Dist 1
Roper Catherine F 43 Ireland Dist 1
Roper Jas J. M 17 Tenn Dist 1
Roper Cecelia F 16 Tenn Dist 1
Roper Barth M 14 Tenn Dist 1
Roper Mary E. F 12 Colo Dist 1
Roper Francis M 10 Colo Dist 1
Roper Anthony M 8 Colo Dist 1
Pursley J. C. M 35 SC Dist 1
Pursley Sarah F 36 Tenn Dist 1
Pursley Frank M 12 Tenn Dist 1
Pursley Henry M 10 Tenn Dist 1
Pursley Wayne M 7 Tenn Dist 1
Pursley Charles M 5 Tenn Dist 1
Pursley Erastus M 3 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Henry M 37 Ga Dist 1
Rutledge Sascoba F 33 SC Dist 1
Rutledge James M 16 Ala Dist 1
Rutledge Martha F 13 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge John M 10 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Joseph M 8 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Berdie F 6 Ala Dist 1
Rutledge Barby F 3 Tenn Dist 1
Hunt John M 24 Tenn Dist 1
Hunt Mary F 27 Tenn Dist 1
Miller Nicholas M 21 Tenn Dist 1
Miller Angeline F 20 Ala Dist 1
Palmer Ella F 54 Tenn Dist 1
Spencer Thomas M 35 Tenn Dist 1
Spencer Malinda F 18 Illinois Dist 1
Spencer Mattie F 1 Colo Dist 1
Spencer Morgan M 62 Tenn Dist 1
Spencer Sophia F 57 Tenn Dist 1
Spencer Irene F 18 Mont Dist 1
Spencer Orilla F 16 Mont Dist 1
Spencer Maggie F 13 Colo Dist 1
Carman Effie B. F 3 Colo Dist 1
Tipton Martha F 34 Tenn Dist 1
Tipton Sarah F 19 Mont Dist 1
Tipton Wm C. M 17 Mont Dist 1
Tipton Ida F 15 Mont Dist 1
Tipton Eva F 15 Mont Dist 1
Tipton John M 13 Colo Dist 1
Tipton Anna F 10 Colo Dist 1
Tipton May F 6 Colo Dist 1
Wood Ed K M 32 Illinois Dist 1
Wood Kattie F 25 Tenn Dist 1
Wood Gertrude F 6m Kansas Dist 1
Brown Jas. R. M 56 Tenn Dist 1
Brown Hannah F 57 Ohio Dist 1
Jack Robt M 26 Tenn Dist 1
Jack Mary F 20 Tenn Dist 1
Jack Mary F 1 Colo Dist 1
B---- Bill M 20 Tenn Dist 1
Lambert W M 45 Tenn Dist 1
Lambert Hannah F 40 Tenn Dist 1
Lambert Charles M 9 Tenn Dist 1
Lambert Samil M 7 Tenn Dist 1
Lambert Jane F 3 Colo Dist 1
Mayfield John M 40 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield Isabel F 35 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield Samuel M 18 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield Thomas M 17 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield Charles M 15 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield Albert M 12 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield Eliza F 7 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield B. F 4 Tenn Dist 1
Mayfield Letta E. F 1 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Henry M 37 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Bertha F 35 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge James M 17 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Joseph M 11 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Sally F 13 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge John M 9 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Jennsie F 5 Tenn Dist 1
Rutledge Thos M 3 Tenn Dist 1
Schoolfield Wm M 28 Tenn Dist 1
Lee Charles M 23 Tenn Dist 1
Lemion E. A. M 28 Tenn Dist 1
Kanaster W.L. M 23 Ga Dist 1
Kanaster Mary F 22 Tenn Dist 1
Church Arthur M 27 Tenn Dist 1
Church P. A. F 25 Tenn Dist 1
Church J.E.  M 4 Colo Dist 1
Church A. A.  F 2 Colo Dist 1
McDonald  D. F 50 NC Dist 1
McDonald  F F 16 NC Dist 1
Easterday H. E. M 67 Va Dist 1
Easterday E. A.  F 50 Tenn Dist 1
Bailey L F 17 Tenn Dist 1
Hightamer Wm M 24 Tenn Dist 1
Hightamer R. E. F 19 Tenn Dist 1
Koppinger Saur M 38 Tenn Dist 1
Chance John M 47 England Dist 1
Chance Martha F 40 Tenn Dist 1
Chance Annie F 21 Kansas Dist 1
Chance Robt M 16 Kansas Dist 1
Chance Mary F 10 Kansas Dist 1
Lewis J. H. M 42 Tenn Dist 1
Lewis Mary A. F 39 Illinois Dist 1
Lewis Ida M. F 19 Kansas Dist 1
Lewis Geo M. M 18 Kansas Dist 1
Lewis Charles M 16 Kansas Dist 1
Lewis Wilbur M 5 Colo Dist 1
Lewis Mertie F 3 Colo Dist 1
Woods Sarah F 26 Tenn Dist 1

Monday, December 10, 2012

First Person Artificial

Is there a narrative term for First Person Artificial? Maybe not. But there should be.

In the process of researching the life of some saints from Tennessee, I came across the following snippet written in a larger family history.

My sister Elizabeth Lancaster, her husband and three children came with us to Colorado. She and I were very close, and both pregnant in 1916. Jim was born in July 1916, a black-haired baby boy. At the time of his birth I was close to death, and it seamed my sister and I went to the spirit world. We went into a large, beautiful building where hundreds of people were going in.We were given a seat. I was called back to the table and the man said, "You have not come to stay; but, we are going to keep your sister. She has come  to stay. You are going to go back and raise this child." I looked and there stood a boy, a red-haired and freckled-faced one. I said, "This is not my child. My baby has black hair." The man said, "We know all about it. You are going to raise this boy and others." I saw Clint two years before he was born. He was the very child I saw in this dream. A short time later Elizabeth passed on and was buried in the Manassa old cemetery. Soon after her death, Elizabeth's husband returned to Tennessee with his three children.

This paragraph is about Margaret E. Talley DePriest. But it wasn't written by her. It was actually written by two of her descendants, and put in first person as a literary device. It is a lovely piece of literature. With apparently great information for my research. It provides me a personal, if perhaps invented insight into Margaret's life. It also gives me a timeline for when family members moved back and forth between Tennessee and Colorado. But it is really historical fiction. I am left not knowing what is embellishment and what is authentic. I know there was a time when writing biographies as though they were autobiographies was an accepted practice. But this was written in 1996.

There is one other problem with this. The one piece of information that could be considered verifiable, that should be authentic was wrong. It isn't a typo. The author put the date 1916 in there twice. But both of them are wrong.

I was actually researching Elizabeth's husband, John, and was pleased to find an indication of when he returned to Tennessee. I took the date at face value. But then other evidence surfaced saying he returned before 1907. So last week I went back to this source and looked more carefully. While 1916 would have been a reasonable date for John to have returned to Tennessee, everywhere else the date didn't work. Margaret would have been 58 years old, probably too old for having children.  Jim, the baby she just had, was actually born on 14 June 1886, not 1916. He died in 20 July 1916.

What this amounts to is an editing error. Someone added a date to a touching story and carelessly added the wrong one. But at its core, the error exists because the paragraph is not what it claims to be. Had this been a genuine reminiscence of Margaret's, that error would have been less likely.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Tennessean Saints in the Colorado 1885 Census

I was revising a section of my book on Cane Creek earlier this week and I realized I left a small whole in my research. I am sure that has never happened to anyone else. As you may or may not know in November 1884, J. Golden Kimball made one last trip to Cane Creek to finalize the emigration of any saints who wanted to leave for their own safety. Plans had been in the works for a couple of months, and the Church paid much of the cost for transportation. The greatest expense was the losses taken by those saints who sold their homes and farms for a small fraction of their true value.

Contemporary reports indicate that 20+ members emigrated from Cane Creek and settled in Conejos County, Colorado. Working from a list of members I had cobbled together, I have identified seventeen people in three families who made the trip. That list includes Eli & Barby Talley and their four children William & Mary Seeley and their daughter and John & Sarah Lancaster and their six children. 

It has bothered my mild OCD tendencies to miss one other family who appears to have made the trip as well. But based on my research the other families who were members of the branch all went other places; other counties in Tennessee, or other states like Missouri. I was missing something, someone, but I couldn't figure out what.

Part of my problem was the lack of good records on who was baptized at Cane Creek. Missionary journals from 1879 to mid 1881 are pretty good at listing every baptism at the small branch since its formation. And from late 1883 through 1884 there are more good journals. But for about two years in between there is little to no information about who was baptized. I know there were some, at least three who were named as members who were baptized during that time, but I wonder if there were more. Is there another family whose presence in the November 1884 emigration company I can not ascertain simply because I don't know their name.

Oddly enough this was the time when perhaps the most famous missionary to every serve at Cane Creek was there: B. H.Roberts. But even with his journal and his autobiography he just doesn't give enough detail to piece together the rest. There could have been several baptisms about which I know nothing.


So this week I started to systematically attempt to fill the whole. In 1885 Colorado conducted a census. I figured, if there was a family from Cane Creek who went to Colorado in November 1884, they would probably still be there in June 1885. I began with Section 2 of the Census for Conejos County. Section 2 appears to list families who lived in towns, whereas Section 1 lists those outside towns. I'll get back to section 1 later, but Mormon settlement patterns at the time seems to favor being in the towns. I transcribed every family that had at least one member born in Tennessee. Over the next little while I will try to find out which families were LDS and where each family joined the Church.

So below is my list. Those of you who have done family research in Tennessee, is there a name you recognize? I see a few I recognized right off. 

Last First Sex Age Birth Residence
Downey A. J. M 33 Tenn Manassa
Downey M. C. F 25 Ga Manassa
Downey J. H. M 8 Ga Manassa
Downey J. M. M 6 Tenn Manassa
Downey A. J. M 4 Ga Manassa
Downey J. W. M 1 Colo Manassa
Adams John M 47 Va Manassa
Adams G. M. F 38 Tenn Manassa
Adams W. J. M 20 Colo Manassa
Adams A. F 14 Colo Manassa
Adams Jas F 11 Colo Manassa
Adams G. A. F 7 Colo Manassa
Huffaker J. A. M 52 Tenn Manassa
Huffaker M. A. F 49 SC Manassa
Huffaker W. B. M 18 Ga Manassa
Huffaker T. O. M 14 Ala Manassa
Huffaker L. E. F 12 Ala Manassa
Jack J. H.  M 53 Tenn Manassa
Jack G. A. F 44 Ala Manassa
Jack M. F 20 Ala Manassa
Jack Allen M 17 Ala Manassa
Jack Preston M 15 Ala Manassa
Jack Elida F 13 Ala Manassa
Jack John M 11 Ala Manassa
Jack Ala F 9 Ala Manassa
Jack Ada F 7 Ala Manassa
Jack May F 3 Ala Manassa
Rard Land F 54 Tenn Manassa
Irvin W. G. M 26 Ark Manassa
Irvin E. S. F 25 Tenn Manassa
Irvin M. B. F 4 Tenn Manassa
DeForest G. W. M 26 Tenn Manassa
DeForest M. D. F 27 Tenn Manassa
DeForest W. O. M 3 Tenn Manassa
DeForest H. R. M 1 Colo Manassa
Moore T. P. M 37 Tenn Manassa
Moore S. J.  F 30 Tenn Manassa
Moore Annie F 12 Tenn Manassa
Moore Nora F 10 Tenn Manassa
Moore Henry M 7 Tenn Manassa
Moore Florence F 4 Colo Manassa
Moore T. P. M 2 Colo Manassa
Tally E. T. M 50 Tenn Manassa
Tally B. E. F 52 Tenn Manassa
Tally L. E. F 20 Tenn Manassa
Tally H. E. M 17 Tenn Manassa
Tally U. B. M 14 Tenn Manassa
Tally L. C. M 9 Tenn Manassa
Seely Wm M 39 Tenn Manassa
Seely M. C. F 26 Tenn Manassa
Seely S. B. F 11 Tenn Manassa
Marcon W. M 59 Ga Manassa
Marcon M. W. F 34 Tenn Manassa
Marcon R. A. M 12 Ga Manassa
Irvin G. W. M 27 Ark Ephraim
Irvin E. S. F 24 Tenn Ephraim
Irvin M. B. F 4 Colo Ephraim
Reed John M 44 Tenn Ephraim
Reed P. F 34 Ark Ephraim
Reed M. E. F 15 Tenn Ephraim
Reed M. F 14 Tenn Ephraim
Reed Josephine F 12 Tenn Ephraim
Reed J. B. M 9 Tenn Ephraim
Witte K. F 8 Tenn Ephraim
Witte R. H. M 7 Tenn Ephraim
Witte H. B. M 6 Tenn Ephraim
Witte R. E. F 4 Colo Ephraim
Witte W. R M 6m Colo Ephraim
Schneider J. M 43 Switzerland Ephraim
Schneider M. C. F 42 Germany Ephraim
Schneider John M 19 Tenn Ephraim
Schneider Maggie F 15 Tenn Ephraim
Schneider Charles M 11 Tenn Ephraim
Schneider Christian M 8 Tenn Ephraim
Schneider M. J. M 4 Tenn Ephraim
Reed J. W. M 37 Tenn Ephraim
Reed J. H.  F 29 Tenn Ephraim
Reed J. G. M 10 Tenn Ephraim
Reed A. L. F 7 Tenn Ephraim
Reed N. F. F 5 Tenn Ephraim
Reed H. M. F 3 Colo Ephraim
Reed A. J. F 8m Colo Ephraim
Mayfield John M 40 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield Elizabeth F 36 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield Sam M 18 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield Thomas M 16 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield Chas M 14 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield Job M 12 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield Laura F 7 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield B. E. F 3 Tenn Ephraim
Mayfield L. F 1 Tenn Ephraim
Denton E. C. M 61 Tenn Richfield
Denton M. A. F 52 Tenn Richfield
Denton S. M 23 Tenn Richfield
Denton G. M 21 Tenn Richfield
Denton J. M 18 Tenn Richfield
Denton I. M 13 Tenn Richfield
Denton B. F 12 Tenn Richfield
Inman Samuel M 65 Tenn Richfield
Hurst S. W. M 37 Tenn Richfield
Hurst H. J. F 26 Tenn Richfield
Hurst M. J. F 13 Tenn Richfield
Hurst J. M. M 9 Tenn Richfield
Hurst M. J. F 7 Tenn Richfield
Hurst E. M. F 4 Tenn Richfield
Hurst W. M 5 Tenn Richfield
Hurst H. B. M 1 Colo Richfield
Brakefield M. A. F 58 Tenn Richfield
Brakefield A. B. M 33 Mo Richfield
Brakefield S. B. F 25 Tenn Richfield
Kilpatrick J. M. M 18 Tenn Richfield
Dickson L. P. M 14 Tenn Richfield
Dickson M. L. M 8 Tenn Richfield
Rainbolt D. M 47 Tenn Richfield
Rainbolt E. F 39 Tenn Richfield
Rainbolt M. S. F 21 Tenn Richfield
Rainbolt S. E. F 18 Tenn Richfield
Rainbolt L. F. M 7 Tenn Richfield
Thacker W. H. M 27 Tenn Richfield
Thacker B. C. F 26 Tenn Richfield
Thacker W. H. M 2 Tenn Richfield
Denton John M 29 Tenn Richfield
Denton B. F 28 Tenn Richfield
Denton Thomas M 10 Tenn Richfield
Denton Elizabeth F 7 Tenn Richfield
Denton Mary F 6 Tenn Richfield
Denton N. M 5 Tenn Richfield
Denton Sam M 1 Tenn Richfield
Blair A. S. M 58 Tenn Antonito
Blair N. B. F 47 Ala Antonito
Blair A. G. M 23 Utah Antonito
Blair J. H.  M 21 Utah Antonito
Blair N. C. F 18 Utah Antonito
Blair E. L. F 16 Utah Antonito
Blair M. C. F 14 Utah Antonito
Brown B. K. M 36 Tenn Antonito
Mayere F. B. M 58 Tenn Antonito
Mayere C. E. F 49 NC Antonito
Mayere L. J. M 12 Ga Antonito
Mayere C. L. F 9 Ga Antonito
Mayere H. H.  F 6 Colo Antonito
Seward G. W. M 45 Tenn Conejos Canon
Seward Mary F 32 Ohio Conejos Canon
Seward John M 16 Utah Conejos Canon
Seward Annie F 8 Utah Conejos Canon
Huffaker H. L. M 60 Tenn Rincones
Huffaker H. F 55 Ga Rincones
Huffaker M. R. M 19 Ga Rincones
Bronson A. J.  M 65 Tenn Serviletto
Bronson Nancy F 63 Miss Serviletto
Bronson M. H.  M 41 Miss Serviletto
Bronson T. W.  M 39 Miss Serviletto
Bronson J. H.  M 37 Miss Serviletto
Bronson A. J. Jr. M 34 Miss Serviletto
Bronson C. P.  M 31 Miss Serviletto
Bronson R. D.  M 29 Miss Serviletto
Bronson J. A.  M 27 Miss Serviletto
Bronson J. D.  M 23 Miss Serviletto
Berletson Chas M 32 Tenn Serviletto
Berletson John M 26 Tenn Serviletto
Heiselt H. C. M 44 Tenn Serviletto
Heiselt M. J. F 25 Ohio Serviletto
Heiselt Flora F 12 Utah Serviletto
Heiselt J. N. M 10 Utah Serviletto
Heiselt George M 8 Utah Serviletto