52 Ancestors 2020 – 2 – Favorite Photo – John England

It is often hard for me to choose a favorite, since I have a number of photos to choose from. This week there were only three aunts or uncles on the birthday calendar who had an available photo and fit my criteria of having a birthday during this week. I already had written about 2 of them in previous years, so it left John England for me to write about. His photo is not the best quality, but it is all that I have for him. It is a picture of John and his wife Eliza.

Eliza J and John B England

John Barnett England was my 2^nd great-granduncle, the brother of my 2^nd great-grandmother, Margaret (England) O'Neal. He was the son of my 3^rd great-grandparents, William L and Mary Jane (Walker) England.

John was the oldest son, born 11 January 1828, in Tennessee. It was most likely in Gibson County because that is where his parents were married the previous year. But John was the only child born in Tennessee as their family moved to Montgomery County, Illinois about 1829. John had five siblings, two brothers and three sisters. It was about 1847 when the whole family moved farther west to Davis County, Iowa.

John was enumerated as a 22 year old farmer on the 1850 census and was listed as a 27 year old laborer on the 1856 Iowa state census. When the 1860 census was taken, John was still living at home and was shown as a farmer owning real estate valued at $1100.00.

1865 saw a number of changes in John's life. On the 20^th of April he married Eliza Jane Goodson. The previous year his brother James and his wife Angeline with their two children had traveled the California Trail with two uncles and their families. So in 1865 it was John's turn. He and Eliza traveled with his parents and his other brother David and David's wife Eliza and their three children; his sister Margaret and her husband, C P O'Neal and their daughter Mary Ann; and John's unmarried sister Mary Ann. I wonder if it got confusing with two Eliza's and two Mary Ann's. John had one more sister, Rachel, who was married to Hezekiah Redenbaugh and she stayed in Iowa with him and their children. Sadly it was also during that year that James was killed from a farm accident in California.

On the 1870 census John and Eliza were living in Lower Lake Precinct of Lake County California. He was shown as J B England, a farmer with $400 worth of personal property. It was not long after this that a number of the England family moved north to Oregon: John's parents, his brother David and two sisters Margaret and Mary Ann.

John's mother died in 1873 and was buried in the Cogswell-Gay cemetery which is northwest of Creswell. On 14 August 1873,William Logsdon England and John Barnett England purchased real estate from John Whiteaker, in Lane County, Oregon, The property was described as 753.5 acres more or less in portions of sections 28, 32 and 33 in Township 20 South, Range 2 West. This was about 5 miles east of Cottage Grove. John's obituary stated that his home was located “at the foot of what is known as Siera Gorda mountain.” Modern maps show that mountain as Cerro Gordo.

When the 1880 census was taken John now age 52 and Eliza age 42 were enumerated in the Cottage Grove precinct of Lane County Oregon. Also in the household were Alvira Champion age 15 and Sarah Champion age 13. Their relationship was shown as servants, but were attending school. John's father William, who was both blind and deaf, was living with John's sister Margaret near Creswell on the 1880 census. According to some family stories, the children took turns having William live with them until his death in 1893. But it was earlier on 3 Nov 1887 that Eliza died and was buried at the Sears Cemetery.

John continued living in his home until 1901 when he went to Portland for medical reasons. It was there he died on 31 May 1901 at the home of his nephew Mac England.

John was buried back in the Cottage Grove area at Sears Cemetery next to his wife.

It is often fun to read older obituaries and see how the writers described the deceased.

John's is no exception. The following is from The Leader on June 7^th, 1901:

     “Uncle Johnie” was one of Cottage Grove's most substancial and highly

     respected pioneer citizens, loved by all who knew him, and was ever

     ready to lend a helping hand to the needy. He was an earnest and consistant

     Christian...and a useful neighbor, no better traits of character can be

     ascribed to any one and white the community grieves the loss of a good

     and true man he will live in the memory of his kindred and friends for

     years to come.

52 Ancestors 2019 – 4 – I'd Like to Meet – George Washington Bond

This week's theme is “I'd like to meet.” I looked at the birthday calendar and chose “Uncle George.” His birthday probably was not during this week, but I am unsure which day in January it was, so decided he would be my subject.

George Washington Bond was my 2^nd gt-grandfather, Solomon Bond's older brother. They were less than 2 years apart in age, so I expect they spent time together.

George was born on the frontier, in northern Kentucky, just 201 years ago in 1818, the son of John and Sarah (Chastain) Bond. While he was still quite young, in about 1822, the family moved to Indiana and then in less than 10 years, about 1829, they moved again to Illinois. It was there on 1 March 1838 that he married his 1^st cousin, Elizabeth Stillwell. I wonder if they were warned that there might be a problem with marriage to such a close relative.

By 1840 George and Elizabeth and many of their relatives were living in Iowa Territory. As there were 2 males aged between 20 and 29 in the household, I expect that George's older brother William was living with them there in Jefferson County. After the Baptist Church of Knoxville in Marion County was organized in 1845, Elder G. W. Bond was one of the first ministers there. Uncle George and his family were living in Iowa when it became a state in 1846. In 1847 his younger brother, James, traveled with his wife and family as a missionary to the Oregon country where he was accidentally killed in 1849.

When they took the census in 1850 in Marion County Iowa, Uncle George listed his occupation as Missionary Baptist preacher. I would have liked to hear one of his sermons. George and Elizabeth had 5 living children at that census. Two of these children, Ben Frank and Sarah, were marked as deaf & dumb. It was probably in the next year that George's grandfather, Solomon Bond, died as his will was recorded in 1851 in neighboring Mahaska County.

But one of my favorite things about Uncle George happened in 1853. He and Elizabeth and their 5 children, as well as George's parents and many, many other relatives, including my 2^nd gt-grandparents, traveled over the Oregon Trail to the Willamette Valley of the Oregon Territory. I am especially thankful that Uncle George kept a journal of that trip, writing one line per day, He used many geographical references, so I was able to follow their journey on a map.

Along with his parents, 2 brothers and 4 sisters, the family took advantage of the Oregon Donation Land Claim act and received land in Oregon. George settled in Lane County in the Eugene-Springfield area, about 20 miles from my present location. The Baptist Annals of Oregon (pg 19) tells about George:

“In 1856, one of the missionaries, Rev. G. W. Bond, was aided to buy a horse, as he had previously been compelled to travel on foot, often, in the winter, wading long distances in water from three or four inches to a foot in depth on the sloppy prairies to his appointments. He would pull off his shoes and socks, wade through, redress his feet, and march on, singing his favorite songs; and this on a salary of from $50 to $100 a year!”

He continued preaching for the Baptist church and was the pastor in Eugene from 1858 to 1868. It was a little over 10 years later, that he died from heart trouble 9 January 1880 and was buried at the Pioneer Cemetery in Eugene. His obituary from the Eugene City Guard 17 January 1880 included this: “Elder Bond was a man of spotless character, and unquestioned integrity. By his virtues he commanded the respect of all.” There was another obituary published in the State Journal in Eugene on the same date and it gave tribute to him also: “As a christian he was honored and beloved by his brethren and respected by the entire community. His religion was something more than a profession of his life; it was a fact in his whole life.”

Uncle George Bond truly was someone that I would have liked to meet.

There is a page about Uncle George on my personal genealogy website:

https://www.joanneskelton.com/p30.htm#i743

It also includes a link to my transcription of the journal entries of the trip to Oregon.

https://www.joanneskelton.com/e158.htm

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 13 – The Old Homestead

The theme for this week is “The Old Homestead.” It was during the Civil War, in May of 1862 when the United States Congress passed the Homestead Act. I believe that 6 of my ancestors chose to use that legislation and gain “free” land: 2 in Oregon, 3 in Kansas and 1 in Nebraska.

So who were my “Homesteaders”? I'll begin with those from Oregon. My 2^nd gt-grandfather, Commodore Perry O'Neal, received a patent dated 30 Jun 1891 for 164.53 acres located adjacent to land he had purchased in 1870. This was about 4 miles west of the town of Creswell in Lane County, Oregon. His son-in-law John Howard Bond, my gt-grandfather, received his patent about a year earlier, 28 May 1890, for 160 acres located about 2 miles northwest of Commodore Perry's land. John sold his land in 1893 and moved across the Cascade Mountains to Gilliam County Oregon where he stayed about 10 years before moving back to the Willamette Valley. Commodore Perry stayed on his land until his death in 1919. He had deeded his land to his 3 sons about 2 months before he died.

In Kansas, my gt-grandfather, Nathan Elias Albertson, received his patent 28 Sep 1893 for 160 acres in McPherson township, Sherman County Kansas. As I noted in a blog post about his homesteading last year, 9 Sep 2017, it was located about 10 miles southwest of the County Seat, Goodland Kansas.¹ Before the 1900 census he had moved to another township in the County, Washington Township, about 2 ½ miles west of the town of Edson Kansas.

Nathan's future daughter-in-law's (Lucie Rachel Smalley) grandfather, my 2^nd gt-grandfather, Joshua Rodney Shipman had a homestead also in Washington Township. His patent was dated 23 Sep 1893 for 159.28 acres, located about 2 ½ miles southwest of the town of Edson.

Lucie's other grandfather, another of my 2^nd gt-grandfathers, John Wilson Smalley received his patent 29 Apr 1893 for 160 acres in Itasca Township, Sherman County, Kansas. This was a mile east of Goodland and so was about 5 miles west of where Nathan lived in Washington Township.

It was one of my 3^rd gt-grandmothers who received the patent to a homestead in Nebraska, Lucy Irene Chase (the mother-in-law to Joshua Rodney Shipman.) Lucy's husband Timothy had originally filed for the homestead, but died in 1877 before it was finalized. She received the patent for 80 acres 30 Jun 1879 as his widow. This land was in Atlanta Township, Saline County Nebraska.

Knowing that some who filed for homesteads did not complete the process, I was glad to discover that at least 6 of my ancestors did the required work and were issued patents. Maybe I should also be thankful to the U.S. Congress for passing such a law so my family had the opportunity to be landowners.

1The blog post about Nathan Elias Albertson's homestead is at:

https://joannesgenealogyresearch.blogspot.com/2017/02/great-grandfatheralbertson-had.html

Ancestor Birthday – December 7 – Mary Ann O'Neal 1858-1918

Today is the third of my ancestors, all female, who were born on December 7. Mary Ann O'Neal was one of my gt-grandmothers. She was born 7 Dec 1858, the daughter of Commodore Perry and Margaret (England) O'Neal. There is quite a complete listing of the “facts” of her life on my website: http://www.joanneskelton.com/p11.htm#i261 

She was born in Davis County Iowa, moved to California in 1865 and then to Lane County Oregon the latter part of 1870. She married John Howard Bond at her home 18 Jun 1876. It was about 1894 when they moved to eastern Oregon in Gilliam County Oregon with their 5 children, Margaret “Maggie”, Ivy, Perry, Roy and my grandmother Florence. About 1905 they moved back to western Oregon to Linn County Oregon. They went farther south to Douglas County in about 1915. It was there she died 14 Jul 1918.

I have previously posted some photos of her, but will repost some of them today.

This is Mary as a child with her parents.

This is Mary with her parents and 3 brothers. This appears to be after she was married, probably the late 1880s or early 1890s.

This photo of her by herself is one of my favorites. The same photo was published in a Douglas County History with an article about her and John.

Early Oregon Cousins – James Nelson Davis

It was almost a week ago (4 Nov 2017) when I wrote about Martha (Davis) Alkire who lived to be 103. James Nelson Davis was her older brother, born 15 May 1849 in Mahaska County Iowa to Isaac S and Rebecca (Bond) Davis. So he also was a 1^st cousin of my gt-grandfather, John Howard Bond. That makes him my 1^st cousin 3 times removed.

James was another of my relatives who traveled the Oregon Trail. He would have celebrated his 4^th birthday in 1853 on the way to the Oregon Territory where his parents settled a 320 acre Donation Land Claim in the Coast Fork Precinct of Lane County Oregon. This was about 6 miles west of the current city of Creswell.

His father was declared insane near the end of 1860. By the 1870 census his mother and brothers and sisters were living in the Springfield Township of Lane County, next to Isaac's brother Nelson, who was married to Rebecca's sister Elizabeth. By this time, James was 21 years old and was still at home. The census showed his occupation as “hires out to work.” As the oldest son, I expect James was a help to his mother.

The Western States Marriage Index showed that James, age 30, married Ellen Lewis, age 16, on 12 Aug 1879 in Nez Perce County Idaho. The 1880 census showed them at Camas Creek Precinct in Nez Perce County with James shown as a farmer. Since most of the 1890 census has been destroyed, the next census is 1900. By then they were living in Pine Creek Precinct in Latah County Idaho and had 8 children: Edith, Adolphus, Oscar, Eugene, Glen, Rosetta, Bennie and Laura. Ellen's name was shown as Ella. She appeared to continue to use that name as she and James were in the 1910 census in Cambridge Precinct in Washington County Idaho with the 4 younger children listed in 1900 plus 2 more: Ford and Joseph. Ella reported that she had had 10 children and all were still living. James was listed as a farmer on his own farm.

They were still listed in Cambridge Precinct on the 1930 census, with James age 80 and Ella 67 and James' occupation continued to be a farmer. From the 1940 census we learn that they were still living in the country in 1935, but had moved into the town of Weiser Idaho by 1940 and were living on 3^rd Street in a house they owned, valued at $1000. It was after the census was taken in April that James, age 90, died on 30 Jul 1940 in Weiser and was buried at Hillcrest Cemetery.

Posted 10 Nov 2017

Trying to Transcribe--From Probate File of William L. England – 1894 - Pt 1

This was a part of the probate file #834 from Lane County Oregon for my 3^rd gt-grandfather, William L. England, who died intestate (without a will). I was able to view it and get a copy from the Oregon State Archives in Apr 2001.

In the County Court of the State of Oregon

for the County of Lane

In the matter of the          {

Estate of                           {

William L England dec'd {

To Hon. A. H. Fisk Judge of Court,

                              The undersigned

petitioner would most respectfully represent

and show to the Court that William

L. England dec'd in Lane County,

Oregon, on the 8” day of Sept. 1893

intestate.

That the said deceased left property

in this County, both personal

and real of the probable value

of Fourteen Hundred Dollars, in

Lane County Oregon.

That the said deceased left the

following named heirs – towit:

John B. England son aged 65 residence Lane Co. Or

Margaret J. O'Neal        "   60        "            "     "     "

Mary A. Dillard             "  54        "            "     "     "

Rachel S. Redenbaugh   "  52    Davis Co Iowa

J. Mc England grandson " 30  residence Lane Co  Or

Mary N. Elkins " daughter 28       "          Polk  "     "

E. Jane Leabow "     "         25       "         Lane  "     " 

Rachel S. Walker "   "         23       "             "    "     " 

David L. England  "  son    21       "              "    "    "

James M. England "     "     19       "              "    "    "

are the children of David C. England deceased

Early Oregon Cousins – Martha (Davis) Alkire

Martha Luella Davis, born 18 Jan 1852 in Mahaska County Iowa, was the daughter of Isaac S and Rebecca (Bond) Davis. Because Rebecca was a sister of Solomon Bond, Martha was a 1^st cousin of Solomon's son, John Howard Bond. So Martha was my 1^st cousin 3 times removed.

Martha was just a few months past her 1^st birthday in 1853 when she left Iowa with her parents and a number of other relatives to cross the plains and go to the Oregon Territory. Her parents settled a 320 acre Donation Land Claim in the Coast Fork Precinct of Lane County. It was about 6 miles west of the current city of Creswell.

She was enumerated in the 1860 census there as an 8 year old. It was near the end of 1860 when her father was declared insane. By the 1870 census her mother and brothers and sisters were living in the Springfield Township of Lane County, next to Isaac's brother Nelson, who was married to Rebecca's sister Elizabeth. Martha, at age 15, had married William Alkire 26 May 1867 in Lane County at the home of her uncle Nelson Davis. She and William with their baby daughter Francis were living next to her mother's family in the 1870 census.

By 1880 Martha and William were in Farmington District, Whitman County, Washington Territory with 4 sons, George Edward, Charles Walter, A.A. and Alpheus. By the 1883 territorial census 2 more daughters were added to the family: Grace and Pearl. When the 1900 census was taken the family was living in Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County Idaho with Charles, Arthur and Pearl still at home. She was listed as Ella. They were shown at 318 S 11^th, Coeur d'Alene in 1910, with their son Edward and widowed daughter Grace and her two children.

Martha “Ella” became a widow herself when William died 3 Jun 1919 there in Coeur d'Alene. In the 1920 census Grace, now listed as divorced, was living with her mother and there were also 2 granddaughters in the household. The 1930 census showed Martha as owning her home at 318 S. 11^th, valued at $1000, but she didn't own a radio. Her 19 year old granddaughter, Elizabeth Winters, was living with her. Martha was still in the same house on the 1940 census and Elizabeth and her husband Kenneth Ejven were there also.

Martha “Ella” lived a long life, dying 2 months after her 103^rd birthday, 30 Mar 1955. One of her descendants has graciously allowed me to use this photo of her at age 100.

Early Oregon Cousins - James Madison Bond

I included this James, the son of George and Elizabeth (Stillwell) Bond, in 2011 when I wrote an article for the Cottage Grove Genealogical Society periodical, Trees From the Grove,  about his uncle James Bond and his cousin James Monroe Bond, as they were the 3 James Bonds who were included in my database. This is a copy of what I wrote then.

Cousin James Madison Bond was born 23 October 1849 in Marion County, Iowa. He was the 6^th child of his parents George Washington and Elizabeth (Stillwell) Bond and was shown with his parents and 4 surviving older siblings on the 1850 census in Marion County. It is probable that James was named for the former president of the United States since his father was named George Washington Bond and some of James' brothers were William Harrison and Benjamin Franklin.

James was about 3 ½ years old when the family left Iowa in April of 1853 and traveled over the Oregon Trail to Oregon Territory. According to his father's journal the family got to the “Willamit valy” on 21 September 1853. In less than a month his parents had settled a Donation Land Claim in Lane County on 16 October 1853, so it was probably there that James could celebrate his 4^th birthday. The land claim was located on the north side of the Willamette River, across from Skinner's Butte. On the 1860 census the George Bond family was enumerated in Spencer Precinct, Lane County, Oregon. By then there were 8 children in the family. By the 1870 census, the precinct was named Springfield, although they were most probably in the same location. James' oldest brother, William Harrison, had moved to Powell's Valley Precinct in the Portland area and was teaching school and his next brother, Benjamin Franklin, had been committed to the insane asylum in East Portland. Two younger children had been born so there were still 8 children in the family.

The year 1880 would have been sad for their family since James' father died in January from heart trouble and his two youngest siblings died from typhoid fever, Charles in March at age 16 and Mary in May at age 19. James' two older sisters had already married, so in the 1880 census, James at age 30 was living with his three younger brothers and his widowed mother.

According to his obituary James moved to Linn County in 1884. He probably lived close to his uncle Solomon Bond in the Halsey area. It was 18 January 1887 when James married Mary Jane Windom, a niece of Mrs. Solomon Bond. Just over six months later, 27 June 1887, Mary died at their home near Halsey. It was the next year, 14 March 1888, when James was married for the second time. His wife was Rhoda Keeney, the daughter of Elias Keeney, an early settler in the Brownsville area of Linn County.

By the 1900 census James is shown as a 50 year old farmer in the Halsey Precinct, Linn County, Oregon, with his wife Rhoda, age 37, their two daughters: Zelma age 11 and Elfa age 9, and two of James' younger brothers: Joseph and George. It is uncertain why their son Ruel was not enumerated with the family, but he was included with his two sisters in the 1905 census. James' brothers were not living with the family then. Early in 1910, James' eldest daughter, Zelma married Claude Davis. So the 1910 census shows James, Rhoda, Elfa, Ruel and brother George still living in Halsey Precinct, on the Halsey and Brownsville Road.

During the next decade Elfa married Jay W. Moore and Ruel went into the service in World War I. Apparently James and Rhoda moved to Corvallis since in May of 1918, the Corvallis Weekly Gazette-Times printed a letter sent from France by Ruel and stated that his parents were “living here on North 12^th street.” Ruel was killed in the battle of Chateau Theirry, France 18 July 1918. He is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. But his parents were not officially notified of his death until they received a telegram on the 20^th of September. Up till then they were hoping he had been taken prisoner. James and Rhoda moved to Albany, Linn County, Oregon and are listed there on the 1920 census. By the 1930 census, James and Rhoda are shown as living in the city of Newport in Lincoln County on the Oregon coast.

James and Rhoda were living back in Albany at 822 Walnut when James died of “chronic valvular heart disease” 9 April 1935. Rhoda died 8 September 1954 in Linn County and both are buried at Riverside Cemetery, Albany, Oregon.

Early Oregon Cousins – Ellen Cardine Bond and Emily Bond

I think of these as “unknown cousins.” They were 1^st cousins of my gt-grandfather, John Howard Bond, but he probably never knew them. They were both born before he was and probably also died before he was born in 1855.

The family information I received when beginning my research in the 1980s never mentioned these names as children of George and Elizabeth (Stillwell) Bond. Their names did not appear on any of the census records which I found for this family. Because the George Bond family had settled in the Eugene area in the fall of 1853, I did some research about the family at the Lane County Historical Museum in Eugene, Oregon in May 2008. They had in their files the following listing for the family birthdates. It was actually in the Harlow file, but as I wrote on 21 Apr 2017, one of George's daughters, Amanda Bond, had married Anderson Harlow. Here was where I discovered these two extra daughters, Ellen Cardine Bond born in 1840 and Emily Bond born in 1853, so they are on my website and now they are on my blog. They were my 1^st cousins 3 times removed.

You might notice that I have posted twice today. I am trying to play “catch up” because I missed yesterday and the day before (last Saturday and Sunday) as I was having a computer problem. I hope to post twice again tomorrow and then I will be back on schedule.

Early Oregon Cousins – Rachel (Monroe) Stoops

This is an article that I wrote which was published in the Cottage Grove Genealogical Society periodical, Trees From the Grove, 10 years ago, in 2007.  It concerned one of my 1st cousins 3 times removed, Rachel (Monroe) Stoops.

TRACING A TRAGIC INCIDENT

In beginning genealogy we are advised to “listen” to family tradition and do research to discover whether it is true. But often we find some of the more interesting stories by just doing research. I have been trying to use the approach that I research the whole family, including all the children and grandchildren of each direct ancestral couple. With the large size of some of the families, this gives numerous opportunities to discover these stories.

One of my discoveries came while researching one of the grandchildren of my third great-grandparents, Thomas and Sarah (Lollar) O’Neal. Their son, Commodore Perry O’Neal, known as Perry, was my second great-grandfather. His youngest sister was Rebecca, who married Alexander Monroe. Both families had come to Oregon in the Creswell area by 1880.

Following the whole family approach, I researched the easily available basics: the published Lane County Marriage Records at Cottage Grove Genealogical Society Library and my subscription on-line for census records and the Oregon death index. Finding possible names to research, I obtained copies of some of the family death certificates from a trip to the Oregon State Archives in Salem.

One of Rebecca’s daughters was Rachel, born in December 1871 in California and married August 29^th, 1889 to J. O. Stoops, a son of an early Pleasant Hill area settler. The 1900 census showed them as Oscar J. and Rachel Stoops with four children, living in Springfield, Lane County, Oregon. When I checked Rachel’s death certificate for her death on October 17^th, 1905, I found that she had died in Marshfield, Coos County, Oregon and the cause of death was “killed by J.A. Armitage.” What did this mean? More research seemed necessary.

A trip to the Knight Library at the University of Oregon at Eugene was the next step, since all of the known surviving newspapers from Oregon have been microfilmed and are available there. Checking first in the published inventory of available newspapers, I found that there was a paper from Marshfield for that time period. However, when I looked at the Library I found that it was not there that particular day. Was my trip wasted? I decided to check the newspapers from Eugene to determine if any mention of the “killing” was in it.

The October 18^th edition of the Morning Register had it on the front page with the headline: “DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT MARSHFIELD: Both Victims Were Residents of Eugene Several Years Ago, J. A. Armitage Kills Mrs. J. O. Stoops, With Whom He was Infatuated, and Then Ends His own Life---Was Under Peace Bonds for Threatening Woman.” The article gave some of the details. It stated that Mr. Armitage had taken a rifle and revolver and broke into the Stoops home through a window. Mrs. Stoops and her children had taken refuge upstairs. Having taken a gun with her, she shot Mr. Armitage when he came up the stairs, wounding him. He continued up the stairs and grabbed her and shot her with his pistol. He had dropped the rifle and Rachel’s thirteen year old daughter picked it up and hit him on the head to try to save her mother. After he had killed Rachel, Mr. Armitage left the house and went back to his home where he shot himself. The article related that he had been bound over a few weeks before in the sum of $800 to keep the peace because he had threatened Rachel’s life. It also gave the details that Rachel left a husband and five children and Mr. Armitage left a wife and grown family at Eugene.

Then I wondered if a coroner’s inquest had been held. The County Records Inventory on the website for the Oregon State Archives stated that Coos County had inquest records that included 1905 at their Courthouse in Coquille. Since I was already planning a trip to Coos Bay the first weekend in November for a genealogical conference I decided to try to include a side trip to Coquille. I telephoned the County Clerk’s Office at the Courthouse and asked if those inquest records would be available for researching. The person who answered the telephone did not know at first, but asked someone and said it was possible. She asked for the names and said she would check and let me know if they had them, so I would not have to make a special trip for nothing. It was a few days later that there was a message on my voice mail that the records were there and they would have them for me when I arrived on Friday, November 5^th.

Reading the inquest record for Rachel Stoops was a sad experience. It was held later in the evening on the same day that she was killed.

Her husband was called as the first witness. He verified her identity as the 32 year old daughter of Rebbeca O’Neil and Alexander Monroe. He stated that she had told him that Mr. Armitage had threatened her life two months before, in August. Then their fifteen year old son, Frank, was called, but he had been at school so could not give any information about what had happened.

I found the testimony of their daughter, thirteen year old Lulu, the most troubling. She and her mother and the two year old baby were the only ones at home that afternoon. Lulu stated the following: We were up stairs and mama was sewing, and first we knew was when we heard him break in the window, and then mama got up and creamed[sic—screamed] and she grabbed for her gun and ran to the stairs and he was headed up the stairs and mama shot at him and then he fell backwards down the stairs and then he got up and came up the stairs again and she had shot at him as he was coming up and then she grabbed a chair and hit him over the head with a chair and then he commenced to shoot at her and then I picked up his gun and I hit him over the head with it three times and he grabbed the gun away from me, and he started down stairs and then mama fell, and I did not know anything more about him, until I heard a man say he heard him over there and that he was dying….I ran to the window and hollowed to Mrs. Margelt to come that mama was shot and she said she would go and get Mrs. Richardson and she went for her and they came down and Mrs. Richardson was the first one to the house and then Mrs. Bargelt came and then Mr. Carter came. She explained that Mr. Armitage had got into the house through the window, breaking it in. When asked what he said after he had broken in, she said: “When he started up the stairs, he said, Now I’ve got you.” She continued her story: he took his pistol out of his pocket after he came upstairs. He grabbed hold of her [Rachel] and had his arm around her neck and then he commenced to shoot her but I am not sure where he shot her. They questioned Lulu about whether he had tried to do anything to her after her mother had been shot. She told them He started to shoot me, but he must have been too weak I think…He pointed the pistol at me, he tried to pull the trigger but he could’nt. Then Mr. Armitage left.

J. O. Stoops was recalled as a witness and explained that he had left the previous day to go up the Coos River and was there when he received the news about his wife. The Stoops family had lived at Marshfield for three years as had Mr. Armitage. They had known each other, being neighbors, before moving there.

Next, some of the neighbors were called to testify. Then Lulu was called again to clarify her testimony. When asked what she said during the incident, Lulu answered: No sir nothing was said, I was screaming all the time.

The inquest concluded with the testimony of the City Marshall and the doctor who examined the body. The verdict of the jury at the inquest was: “Rachel Stoops.came to her death by gunshot wounds inflicted by James A Armitage, in her home in Marshfield Oregon between the hours of 3 and 4 oclock P.M. on the 17^th day of October 1905.”

At a later trip to the Knight Library, a weekly Marshfield newspaper was available, so I found and copied another story of this murder. Their headline on page one of the October 21^st paper (taken from Wednesday’s Daily): “SHOCKING DOUBLE TRAGEDY. J. A. Armitage Kills Mrs. J. O. Stoops and Then Himself.” On page five was a second article (taken from Thursday’s Daily): “ELEVEN SHOTS WERE FIRED. More Particulars of Tuesday’s Ghastly Tragedy.”

From research I discovered a story of a tragic incident. It appears that Rachel was involved in a case of stalking. She had obtained a type of restraining order against her adversary, but as sometimes happens today, a hundred years later; this did not prevent her death. Now, for me anyway, Rachel will not be forgotten.

SOURCES

Myers, Jane and Arlene Smith, compilers, Lane County Oregon Marriage Records 1880-1889, Vol. III Cottage Grove, Oregon: Cottage Grove Genealogical Society, 1980.

Morning Register, Eugene, Oregon. 18 October 1905

Weekly Coast Mail, Marshfield, Oregon. 21 October 1905

Oregon. Coos County. Inquest Record. Rachel Stoops, October 17, 1905. Coos County Courthouse, Coquille, Oregon

Rosa's Cousins - Sadie (Sarah) Jane Chase

Today I am beginning a series of posts about 1st cousins of my gt-grandmother Rosa Ella (Shipman) Smalley. So of course they are also my 1st cousins 3 times removed.  I found it interesting that the last 2 ancestors I wrote about, Isaac Norton and Stephen Scoville, were both 3rd gt-grandfathers of Rosa.

Rosa's mother was Lucy Jane Chase, so the first set of 1st cousins will be children of some of Lucy Jane's siblings. Sadie or Sarah Jane Chase was born 28 Jan 1874 in Saline County, Nebraska, to Luman and Lucy Elizabeth (Pratt) Chase. Sadie's father had been born in Connecticut and her mother in England and they had met and married in Illinois.

It was Christmas Eve, 24 Dec 1891, in Saline County when Sadie married William Otis Cogswell. Sadie was not yet 18 and William was 21.

Their oldest child Clara was born in May of 1893 there in Nebraska. Then they moved to Colorado where their second child Archie was born in Feb 1897. By 1899 they were living in Sherman County Kansas where William obtained a homestead. Sadie's cousins Rosa and her brother, Timothy Crawford Shipman, were living in that County also. The local newspaper, the Goodland Republic reported on 2 Feb 1900 that T. C. Shipman and family had visited at W. O. Cogwells Sunday. Two children, Edna and Charles Otis, were born while they lived in Kansas.

The Goodland Republic reported on 16 Oct 1903 that W. O. Cogswell had returned from a 3 months stay at Deer Park Washington and planned to sell his Kansas farm and move to Deer Park. He apparently followed through with this plan and their youngest child Ethel was born about 1906 in Washington. The family was listed on the 1910 census in Deer Park, which was in Spokane County. However another listing in 1910 showed the same family names and ages in Williams Valley, Stevens County, Washington.

On the 1920 census Sarah and William and the 3 younger children were shown back in Saline County, Nebraska. By 1930 they had moved to Oregon and were listed with the youngest son living in Veneta, Lane County. Around 1934 they moved to nearby Springfield, Oregon, and on Christmas Day in 1935, the day after Sadie and William celebrated 44 years of marriage, Sadie died from a stroke. She was buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery. Her husband William died 11 May 1961 and was buried next to her at Laurel Grove.

Trying to Transcribe - Will of John Howard Bond

While transcribing, I decided to do the will of my gt-grandfather, John Howard Bond. I had already done his father's will (Solomon Bond) on June 26-28, 2017. It was fun to see that my grandmother, Florence E. Falk, was one of the beloved daughters and received an inheritence.

In the name of God Amen.

I, J. H. Bond of Glide, Douglas,

County, State of Oregon, being past

63 years of age and in sound mind

and disposing memory do make and

declare the following to be my last

will and testament, that is to say

First,- I direct my executors to

pay my funeral expense and all

my just debts as soon after my death

as the condition of my estate will

permit.

Second - I give and bequeath to each

of my beloved daughter, towit,

Mrs. Maggie H. Pullen, of Jasper,

Lane County, Oregon, Ivy A. Stewart [??]

of Blythe, Riverside County, California,

and Florence E. Falk of Harrisburg,

Linn County, Oregon, the sum of

Five hundred dollars ($500) to be paid

in three annual installments, or

sooner at the option of the executors

of this my will.

Third - I give, bequeath, grant and

devise unto my beloved sons, Perry

S. Bond and Roy Bond, both of

Glide, Douglas County, Oregon.

Tomorrow I plan to do page 2 of this will and you can find out what the sons were to receive.

Where Were My Ancestors? - 1900 Census

Today I am at the section of where my ancestors were in 1900 in this series about where my ancestors were on the various censuses. I just realized I had an error on yesterday's 1910 chart. The last 4 ancestors were shown as gt-grandparents, rather than correctly as gt-gt-grandparents. I have edited my post so now it is correct.

This map shows where my ancestors were in 1900. It includes the 3 places from yesterday (1910) plus 5 more. When I get back that far, my ancestors certainly were not all in 1 place. 

Here is chart with their names (women's maiden names), locations (County and State) and their relationship to me. Since our number of ancestors doubles for each generation, the chart gets longer.

1900 Census

Name	County	State	Relationship
Oran J. Albertson	Sherman	Kansas	grandfather
Lucie R. Smalley	Sherman	Kansas	grandmother
Julius A. Falk	Stevens	Minnesota	grandfather
Florence E. Bond	Gilliam	Oregon	grandmother
Nathan E. Albertson	Sherman	Kansas	gt-grandfather
Mary M. Hockett	Sherman	Kansas	gt-grandmother
Lafayette P. Smalley	Sherman	Kansas	gt-grandfather
Rosa E. Shipman	Sherman	Kansas	gt-grandmother
Anna L. Boehm	Iowa	Wisconsin	gt-grandmother
John H. Bond	Gilliam	Oregon	gt-grandfather
Mary A O'Neal	Gilliam	Oregon	gt-grandmother
Benjamin Albertson	Cedar	Missouri	gt-gt-grandfather
Rebecca Hartley	Marshall	Iowa	gt-gt-grandmother
John W. Smalley	Sherman	Kansas	gt-gt-grandfather
Rachel A. Hemphill	Sherman	Kansas	gt-gt-grandmother
Joshua R. Shipman	Sherman	Kansas	gt-gt-grandfather
Lucy J. Chase	Sherman	Kansas	gt-gt-grandmother
Huldah Hayes	Linn	Oregon	gt-gt-grandmother
C. Perry O'Neal	Lane	Oregon	gt-gt-grandfather

Where Were My Ancestors? - 1910 Census

Yesterday I started a series about where my ancestors were on the various censuses. In order to answer the question, it is necessary to determine which ancestors were alive when the census was taken. At first I  look at a large pedigree chart and note the years the ancestor lived. Then if anyone was born or died in the census year, I can check the actual date of the census. Today is the list of where my ancestors were on the 1910 census.

This map shows where my ancestors were in 1910.

Here is chart with their names (women's maiden names), locations (County and State) and their relationship to me.

1910 Census

Name	County	State	Relationship
Lester O. Albertson	Sherman	Kansas	father
Oran J. Albertson	Sherman	Kansas	grandfather
Lucie R. Smalley	Sherman	Kansas	grandmother
Julius A. Falk	Linn	Oregon	grandfather
Florence E. Bond	Linn	Oregon	grandmother
Lafayette P. Smalley	Sherman	Kansas	gt-grandfather
Rosa E. Shipman	Sherman	Kansas	gt-grandmother
John H. Bond	Linn	Oregon	gt-grandfather
Mary A O'Neal	Linn	Oregon	gt-grandmother
John W. Smalley	Sherman	Kansas	gt-gt-grandfather
Joshua R. Shipman	Sherman	Kansas	gt-gt-grandfather
Lucy J. Chase	Sherman	Kansas	gt-gt-grandmother
C. Perry O'Neal	Lane	Oregon	gt-gt-grandfather

Researching Elizabeth as an Aunt

Today I am repeating a story I wrote about Elizabeth (Stillwell) Bond back in 2011. It was published in our local Genealogical Society Publication, Trees From the Grove. Also there is a link on my website. Tomorrow I will post the second part of this story. 

Elizabeth Stillwell was found in my database quite early as she was the wife of my 2^nd great- granduncle George Bond. Therefore I thought of her as my Aunt Elizabeth. She was interesting to me since she was one of the family members on the “Davis-Bond Wagon Train” which came to Oregon in 1853. Uncle George kept the daily journal for the trip. She and her husband George received a Donation Land Claim in Lane County Oregon. It was located across the Willamette River from current day Skinner's Butte Park.

Elizabeth was born 19 August 1821 in Kentucky. She was married to George W. Bond 22 Feb 1838 in Edgar County, Illinois. By 1840 they were enumerated on the census in Jefferson County, Iowa. They probably moved from Illinois at the same time as George's parents, John and Sarah Bond, who sold their land in May 1838. Elizabeth and George and their 5 children were listed on the 1850 census in Marion County, Iowa with both Benjamin and Sarah noted as deaf and dumb. George's occupation was preacher and there was no value listed in the real estate column.

Family information reported that she and George had 10 children:

William Harrison 1841

Benjamin Franklin 1843

Sarah A 1845

Amanda J 1847

James Madison 1849

All born in Iowa

John D 1855

Joseph A 1857

George Washington 1859

Mary E 1861

Charles 1863

All born in Lane County, Oregon

Later research at the Lane County Historical Museum revealed a document entitled “Rev. George W. Bond and Family.” It listed those ten children (showing Benjamin's birthdate as 1842) plus two more children:

Ellin Cardine 1840

Emily 1853

Since neither appeared on the U.S. Census Population Schedules it seems reasonable to assume that they died as infants or young children. However the 1854 Lane County Agricultural Census (page 35) listed 4 females in G. W. Bond's household so this would include Emily.

The 1860 census in Spencer Precinct, Lane County, Oregon, listed Elizabeth and George and 8 of their children. The oldest son, William, was a school teacher. Column 14 showed Benjamin as deaf and dumb and idiotic; Sarah as deaf and dumb; and Joseph as deaf and dumb and smart.

The next decade brought changes to their family household. The two youngest children were born. In 1864 Benjamin was committed to the State Insane Asylum which was located in Portland, over 100 miles from where Elizabeth lived. I wonder if she was ever able to visit him. George had been serving as pastor of the Eugene Baptist Church since 1858 and in 1867 a new building was erected, then in 1868 George resigned. By 1870 William, their oldest son, had moved to Powell Valley area in Multnomah County where he was employed as a school teacher. So on the 1870 census, 8 of the children were still at home.

Sometime about 1870 Sarah began attending the School for the Deaf in Salem, Oregon. Then more changes came after 1870, when Amanda was married in 1873 and Sarah was married in 1874 to a fellow student at the deaf school. 1880 was a pivotal year for Elizabeth. In January her husband of almost 44 years, died of heart trouble. Then her two youngest children died of typhoid fever, Charles in March and Mary in May. All three were buried in the IOOF Cemetery which had been established in Eugene in 1872, now known as Eugene Pioneer Cemetery. So when the 1880 census was taken in June, Elizabeth was the head of the household and four of her sons were living with her: James, John, Joseph and George. Her two married daughters with their families were listed on the next page.

In the next fifteen years, Elizabeth gained daughters-in-law. James married in 1887 and again in 1888 after his first wife died. William married for a second time in 1889 after his first wife of 16 years died. George was married in 1891 and John was married in 1892 in New York state.

At the time of her death in January 1895, Elizabeth was residing at the home of her daughter Amanda. She died at the age of 73 of a paralytic stroke. She was described in her obituary as an old lady, the widow of the late Rev. Bond, with several sons and daughters to mourn her. Her funeral was held at the Baptist Church and she also was buried in the IOOF Cemetery.