Marriages Today - May 20

Today is the anniversary of several marriages in our family genealogy. Jay Andrew Bell and Lillian Margaret Williams, who was my great great aunt, were married in 1903. Frank Kermitt Laster and JoAnn Patton, who is Larry's aunt, were married in 1946. Dr. Earl Goudy and Alice V. Edwards, who was my great great aunt, were married in 1947 when Alice was 49. This was her second marriage. She was the author of several children's books, published by Scribner, two of which were runners-up for the Caldecott award. Lastly in 1972 Larry's cousin Glen Sander and his wife Mary Rethman were married.

Matilda Sines

My Great, Great Grandmother Matilda Sines died March 6, 1882. She was 26 years old. She was born March 2, 1856 at Antwerp, Ohio and died at the same location. Matilda died of Tuberculosis.

Matilda died when my Great Grandmother Samantha Ellen Sines Hawkins was two years old. Matilda went by Mattie. After Mattie died her sister, Samantha Jane Sines Bell and her husband Lavirus Addison Bell raised Samantha Ellen who was called "little Mattie".

Matilda and her husband William Hawkins were married in 1873 at Antwerp, Ohio. They also had a son, John, born in 1874. I have no record of what happened to John.

Samantha and Lavirus lived in Ohio then moved to Missouri in 1883. They lived there until Oct. 1, 1886 when they moved to Western Kansas. They moved to White Cloud, Kansas April 7, 1892. Their niece, Samantha Ellen came with them. Samantha married my Great Grandfather Francis Edward "Ed" Park on December 23, 1896 at White Cloud. My father and uncle remember "Grandma Bell".

Ada W, Park

Ada Park was my Great Great Aunt. She died today, February 1 in 1967. She is buried at the Olive Branch Cemetery at White Cloud, Kansas. Ada was the sister of my Great Great Grandfather, Frances Edward "Ed" Park.

Ada was born December 23, 1884 at McDonough County, Illinois to Frances Marion Park and Margaret Elizabeth Crane. Her siblings were Frances Edward, born July 31, 1876, Stella Margaret, born March 15, 1878, Lawrence Asa, born January 30, 1880, Alex Eton, born April 5, 1886, William Thornton, born July 18, 1869, and Canzada Frances, born July 18, 1889.

Ada married Peter Taylor on February 12, 1902. After a honeymoon they returned to their farm south of White Cloud, Kansas. Peter was well known as a breeder of fine stock.

Ada and Peter had six children. Orville Thornton was born February 7, 1903. Frederick Elton was born June 14, 1905. Herman "Mike" Lester was born August 6, 1909. Leo Raymond was born August 26, 1913. Ralph Wesley was born December 28, 1915. Bernice Vivian was born June 20, 1918.

I was fortunate to have met Mike before he died and am acquainted with his children Keith, Gladys and Ron.

Lucinda Deeds

Today is the birth date of my Great Great Great Grandmother Lucinda Deeds. She was born January 15, 1826 at Washington County, Pennsylvania. She died August 20, 1892 at Noble Township, Dickinson County, Kansas. Lucinda was married September 20, 1850 at Orange, Coshocton County, Ohio to John Norman. Lucinda was John's second wife. He was first married to Mary Davidson. After her death in about 1850 her married Lucinda.

John and Mary had four children: John Wesley born about 1843, Jemina Ann born about 1845, Jabez born November 17, 1847, and Jane born about 1848. Lucinda and John had five children: Mary Catherine in 1853, Harriet Elizabeth in January 1855, Elmarinda in 1857, Wellington W. born March 7, 1857, and Orlando Warren born March 5, 1859. Wellington was my Great Great Grandfather.

After Lucinda's death John married a third time, in 1898 to Amanda Reppart.

Lucinda is buried at Good Hope Cemetery in Dickinson County, Kansas.

Carl Theodore Williams

Today is my Grandmother's 95th birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma!

She was born January 9, 1914. Her first cousin, Carl Theodore Williams was born the same day. Carl was the third child of my Great Grandmother's brother George Frank "Frank" Williams and his wife Sophie Christine Frahm Williams.

Carl died at age 5, on January 19, 1919. I don't know the cause of his death but I do wonder if he was a victim of the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918. My grandmother can recall being very sick as a child and I've often wondered if it was that flu. Carl is buried at Bethel Cemetery, Detroit, Kansas.

Mariah Hannah Noland

Mariah Hannah Noland was my Great Great Great Grandmother. She was born March 11, 1833 at Palmyra Township, Portage County, Ohio. She died January 7, 1911 at Kansas City, Missouri of Pneumonia. She is buried at Highland Cemetery, Junction City, Kansas.

Mariah married her husband, Thornton Poland in 1854. They had six children, Augustus in 1854, John Ellis on March 19, 1855, George Eugene on September 27, 1858, Elizabeth Alice in February 1860, Josephine in March 1861, and Ellis Thornton on February 22, 1863. Josephine died as an infant but the other children lived to adulthood.

Elizabeth Alice (Lizze) was my Great Great Grandmother.

Mariah's Husband, Thornton died on February 7, 1864 at Deerfield Township, Portage Country, Ohio. Mariah married her second Husband, Henry Vick on April 19, 1866. They had a daughter Della Mae on May 20, 1967. Henry was a Captain in Co. B, 104 O Infantry, in the Civil War.

After marrying Henry Vick, they moved to Junction City, Kansas in 1878.

Mariah had 16 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

She lived with her daughter, Della, in KC, Mo for the last 15 years of her life.

Mariah later in life apparently went by the name Maria.

Lavirus Addison (Lovirus) Bell

Lavirus Bell was born January 6, 1838 at Jonesville, Michigan. He was married December 25, 1865 at Antwerp, Ohio to Samantha Jane "Grandma Bell" Sines. She was my Great, Great, Great Aunt.

Lavirus and Samantha Jane raised their niece Samantha (my great grandmother) as their own. My uncle Don says they called Samantha "little Mattie" after her mother Matilda, who died when Samantha was two of TB.

Samantha and Lavirus lived in Ohio then moved to Missouri in 1883. They lived there until Oct. 1, 1886 when they moved to Western Kansas. They moved to White Cloud, Kansas April 7, 1892.

Lavirus served in the Civil War as a division teamster. He was Corpl. Co. G, 14 Ohio Infantry

For the Illustrated Doniphan County book:

Lovirus A. Bell, born Hillsdale County, Michigan, 1838, Jan. 6. Enlisted Antwerp, Ohio, Au 26, 1861, in Company G, 14th Ohio. Mustered out July 26, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky. Came to White Cloud in 1883, Sept. 12. Has wife and Edwin A., his only son, resides in his own property west end of White Cloud.

Lavirus died April 2, 1917 and is buried at Olive Branch Cemetery, White Cloud, Kansas.

Audrey Avis Patton

Today marks the birth of Audrey Avis Patton. Audrey Avis was born January 5, 1924. She was the third child of James Elvas Patton and Elizabeth Neola Shannon Patton, who were Larry's Grandparents. Sadly Audrey lived just a month and four days before she died. Her parents also lost a stillborn daughter two years before Audrey's birth. They had an older daughter, Yvonne Maree who was four at the time.

Following Audrey James and Elizabeth had Jerry in 1926, Joann in 1928, Jean in 1930, Keith in 1932, Lucky in 1934 and Rex in 1936. Yvonne, Joann, Jean and Rex are still living. Jerry and Keith both died in 1989, and Lucky died in 1996.