Memorial Day 2010

Thank you to all who are serving and have served this Country.
You are in our thoughts and prayers always.
Thank you!
Kelly

Sentimental Sunday

In memory of my hero, my Grandpa, John Sheridan Hopkins, 1924-1994. Grandpa served in World War II 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 517th Airborne Division ~ "Thunder from Heaven". Grandpa was involved in the Battle of the Bulge where he was shot in the neck, where the bullet remained until his death as it was too close to the spine to remove at that time. He was captured by the Germans in January, installed in a prison camp and was liberated by the General Patton in April.

Grandpa never talked about his time in the War, which is understandable. Many years after his death I found out that he did pull his older son aside at one time and told him some information about his time in the War, but that is all. Since then, I have pieced together his time in the military, reunited the family with the 517th clan and with thier help, tracked down my Grandpa's buddy Private Weber, whom we were able to talk with and learn more about their time together in training and Europe.

To Grandpa, thank you!

Kelly

Surname Saturday ~ Hopkins

Moving to my other side of the family for this week's Surname Saturday. Hopkins this week and Rogers next week, talk about a popular surname! At least neither name is in the top 100 most popular names according to the US Census Bureau.

My Hopkins line is traced back to William Hopkins born about 1755 in New England. Darn not connected to the Mayflower, at least not yet that I or the family knows of!

William married Frances Wilkinson and had at least two children, of whom, William Rodman Hopkins born 1779 in Maryland is my ancestor. William Rodman married Nancy Anne Oakley in 1800 in Virginia. Hmmm, could I be related to Annie Oakley!?

Their son John Rodman Hopkins was born in 1804. John married Edith Bartlett about 1825 in Virginia. Thomas Bartlett Hopkins was born to them in 1830 Virginia. Thomas married Emma Amelia Connolly in 1856. Thomas served in the Civil War as a Corporal, Company F, 11th West Virginia Infantry. He wounded his left leg. Their son Samuel Sheridan Hopkins was born 1868 West Virginia. Samuel is my Great Great Grandfather.

Samuel married Sarah Louise Bolen in 1897 Wood County, West Virginia.

Kelly

My Great Great Great Grandmother

Rebecca Murray Rogers lived a long life. I bet she saw an awful lot. She has always fascinated me. Rebecca was born 16 January 1842 in Virginia to Thomas and Mary (Frick) Murray. The story that was told by a descendant of Rebecca's brother is that Thomas was born to a Negro woman and William Murray, a white man in Maryland. Thomas and his brother Robert moved from Maryland to Virginia with other mulatto families sometime before 1830. On the 1850 and 1860 US Census, Thomas and the children are all listed as Mulatto.
Rebecca married John Rogers before 1867 in West Virginia, probably Monongalia County. Rebecca and John went on to have seven children, of whom, Thomas Milton is my Great Great Grandfather. John died in 1893 and Rebecca lived to be 78 years old, dying 28 February 1920 in West Virginia.
One day with further research I'll get to the bottom of this story in Maryland!
Rebecca is the woman in the photo at the top of this page.
Kelly

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mary Polly Watson Gandy

Mary Polly Watson was born 24 Dec 1787 in Maryland. She married Levi Preston Gandy 20 Jul 1805 in Monongalia County, Virginia. Mary died 23 Dec 1847 in Scotch Hill, Newburg, Preston County, Virginia. She is buried in Hunt Cemetery which is on Scotch Hill in Newburg, Preston County, West Virginia.

I really don't know much more about Mary. I know that she and Levi had atleast one child, Matilda, who was born in 1812. She is on the to research more list!

The funny thing is, I have been to this cemetery a few times, as my Great Grandmother is buried here and Andrew Nose, one of my family's Civil War veterans. It wasn't until last year I knew, Mrs. Mary Gandy was my relative too!

Kelly

Surname Saturday ~ Stone

Happy Surname Saturday! Today I am going to share my Stone Family. The Stones married my Coghan family. My Stone Family doesn't go to far back:
Helen Jean Stone Coghan b. 1932 Ohio
Charles Henry Stone b. 1907 Hickman County, Kentucky
James Henry Stone b. 1863 Missouri
Amon Stone b. 1819 North Carolina

Amon keeps me hopping. I had lost him for a little while, but then a marriage record in Missouri popped up on a search and found him in the census with a new wife, same kids. I then went to look at a map and figured out that Hickman County, Kentucky and Mississippi County, Missouri were across the river from each other. Note to self ~ Look at maps sooner!

Amon also has fun in the census. In 8 May 1850 he and Sarah Parsons were married in Mississippi County, Missouri. 21 July 1850 Amon and Sarah are back in Hickman County, Kentucky making a living as a blacksmith. But on 7 September 2010 the Stones were back in Mississippi County, Missouri for a visit with the in laws and were enumerated again!

One day, I will find where Amon's parents are!

Kelly

Treasure Chest Thursday ~ Preachers

I had heard there were Preachers and Horse Thieves on my Mom's side of the family. I always thought it was entertaining. I have yet to find those horse thieves but I have tracked down a few different Preachers. Oliver O. Hopkins was a Church of Christ Evangelist. According to his Evangelist card, he was preaching at Laings, Ohio. According to interviews with some of his children, Oliver also was preaching at Sebring and Alliance, Ohio. Too bad they didn't have digital recorders then, it would be interesting to have heard my Great Grandpa preach a sermon!

Kelly

Wordless Wednesday or not so Wordless Wednesday ~ Telephone Bills

Did your ancestor have a telephone? Mine did in 1918. Frank Littrick was paying his accounts, at least part of the time. Here is a receipt from the Putnam Telephone Company to my ancestor who lived in Putnam County, Ohio.

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Frank & William Laymire

"Newburg Shaft Explosion Killed 39 in 1996
MINE HORROR!
Explosion of Fire Damp
In the Deep Shaft
AT NEWBURG
On Last Thursday Afternoon,
January 21st
Not a Man Escaped to
Tell the Sad, Sad Story
AN AWFUL CALAMITY" and The Preston County Journal, Thursday, January 19, 1962 in West Virginia, goes on to recount the horrible news of the mine explosion. In January of 1886 three other articles were located on the mine explosion, one in Augusta, Maine; Wellsboro, Pennsylvania and Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday January 26th at 4:50 pm, the decomposed bodies of William and Frank Laymire were brought up out of the mine. "William and Frank Laymire, near Independence, twin brothers, went to work in the mine on Monday before the day of the explosion. Their brother lately cut his throat in the asylum at Weston, the particulars of which were published in this paper." The Preston County Journal, Thursday, January 19, 1962. (This would be their brother, Samuel Henry Laymire, I have yet to get all of the details on his death)

William and Frank were born to William and Maria Louisa (Shafferman) 20 May 1862 in Preston County, Virginia. The twins were buried together with their mother and siblings in Bethel Cemetery, Scotch Hill, Preston County, West Virginia.

Kelly

Sentimental Sunday

This is Danny Richard Hopkins, b. 15 Nov 1948 Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio to John S. and Ruby E. (Rogers) Hopkins. Danny was John and Ruby's second son. He was born with Spinal Bifida. At that time there wasn't much they could do for Danny. I know of five photos of little Danny, his birth certificate and a death certificate. I know from talking with my grandmother Ruby, that his birth was difficult. Losing a child is difficult for families; it was hard to talk about back then and still is now. Danny died 27 Jun 1952 in Summit County, Ohio and is buried in Atwater, Portage County, Ohio.

Kelly

Surname Saturday ~ Coghan/Cogan

Today lets discuss the Cog(h)an family. The story goes that my when my Grandpa Thomas Coghan was born, a nurse added the H into our last name. It didn't used to be that way but the family just kept it there.

I blew that theory right out the window when I found Thomas' Parents (Floyd and Margaret) and Grandparents (John and Catherine) using that H in the name many years before! Alas they were not consistent, in fact, the closer to death Floyd and John became the more they dropped the H out of the name when spelling it. Floyd's death certificate does have an H, but John's does not. Both of their tombstones have no H in the engravings, but Grandpa's does.

It has been a tricky search to sort these guys out and keeping up with their name spellings.

Too make matters worse, just a couple of weeks ago, I found out that my parents sometimes drop the H because it is easier to say and spell for some people! So in the future if someone is researching our family, just be aware, that the H is optional....

Kelly