Lafayette "Fayette" McMullen (1805-1880): Obituary

Lafayette "Fayette" McMullen was my first cousin four times removed, the nephew of my three times great grandmother, Mary (McMullin) Beard. He was born on 18 May 1805 in Bedford County, Virginia, and died from injuries sustained after being hit by a train on 8 November 1880 in Wytheville, Virginia. He served in the Virginia Senate from 1839-1849, U.S. House of Representatives from 1849 to 1857, as the second territorial governor of Washington Territory from 1857-1859, and in the Confederate House of Representatives from 1864 to 1865.

On 9 November 1880, the following article was published on page 3 of the Daily Dispatch, a Richmond, Virginia, newspaper:

As published in the Daily Dispatch on 8 November 1880; courtesy of the
Library of Congress' Chronicling America website

Accident to Governor McMullin
[Special telegram to the Dispatch]

WYTHEVILLE, VA -- November 8. -- Ex-Governor Fayette McMullin was struck by a train here tonight and seriously hurt. He attempted to cross the track in front of the engine, and was struck by the pilot and knocked down. His hip, it is thought, is broken. He also received some severe cuts and bruises about the face.

A day later, on 10 November 1880, his obituary was published in the same paper on page 2:

Death of Hon. Fayette McMullin

The accident to Hon. Fayette McMullin which was chronicled in our issue of yesterday resulted in his death the same day.

Mr. McMullin had been a public man in Virginia for perhaps fifty years. He served for many years as a member of one or the other branch of the State Legislature. He was rendered famous during that period by a newspaper controversy between him and the notorious William G. Brownlow, of Tennessee. But all of Brownlow's libels went for nothing with the unflinching friends of Mr. McMullin in "Little Tennessee," and he was not only continued in the General Assembly of Virginia as long as he desired to remain in that body, but when in 1849 (our elections were then held in May) he ran for the National House of Representatives he was easily elected. He served in that body until March, 1855, In May, 1857, he was appointed by President Buchanan Governor of the new Territory of Washington. Whilst there he committed what we suppose we may pronounce the greatest blunder of his life, as well as his most censurable act, in procuring a divorce from the wife of his youth.

After his return to Virginia, Governor McMullin became a candidate for the Confederate House of Representatives, and was elected to that body, serving until the close of the war. In 1868 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and aided in the nomination of Seymour and Blair. Since then he has been standing Independent candidate for Congress, but has always been beaten. His lat defeat he suffered on the 2nd instant, when he was distanced.

Governor McMullin was between seventy-five and eighty years of age at the time of his decease. He was a man of no cultivation, and was, we might add, but poorly qualified for the important legislative places to which he aspired and was elected. But he had a hold upon the honest yeomanry of Southwest Virginia which lasted until after the close of the late war between the States. There are still a good many devoted friends of the "Old Waggoner's" in his original congressional district who will say with Prince Hal, "We could have better spared a better man."

Governor McMullin was universally known throughout Virginia, and may friends will be pained to bear of his death. Peace to his ashes.

Albert Einstein and the Charlie Fischer Orchestra

On 15 December 1930 the Red Star Line's SS Belganland left the port of New York bound for Havana, Cuba, the first stop in a four-and-a-half month world cruise. On board was Albert Einstein. Carl Kay, a member of the ship's orchestra, wrote a diary during the cruise. Reading it, I learned Einstein played with the orchestra during their Christmas Eve concert.

Carl described his interactions with Dr. Einstein:

"Thur., Dec 18th -- At sea...This afternoon Professor Einstein on the aft of our deck. So I hurried down to my cabin and got two cameras and then asked if he would pose for a picture. He consented, and I was quite thrilled with taking a snap and a few feet on the cine!"[1]

Photograph of Professor Albert Einstein taken by Carl Kay, fellow
passenger; courtesy of Internet Archive

Wednesday, Dec. 24th -- At sea...We rehearsed with Prof. Einstein this afternoon. At first the hour was set for four o'clock but his secretary came and told us that he was tired -- but would be there at 4:30. Then in about a half hour she came back again and asked to postpone the rehearsal until five. And so, promptly at five -- we were all set up in the Tea Garden -- in came Einstein, dressed as he always is in these warm climates -- tan coat, white trousers and funny old shoes. Never a hat on, no shirt or underwear and no sox!

Mr. Fischer[2] procured a violin for him and after a few minutes we listened to one of the world's greatest scientists doing a good job of playing the violin. The first number was "Berceuse" from Jocelyn and it sounded fine.

About then Mrs. Einstein and the secretary came in. They seemed quite pleased with it all.

Then Einstein wanted to play one of Beethoven's sonatas with the orchestra -- but he didn't know where his music was. Our American edition wouldn't do at all, so he sent his secretary out to find it. But she returned empty handed. Then Fritz went out to look for the pianist from the Belgian Orchestra to see if he knew where it was. And he too returned without it. Einstein, by this time was becoming irritated so he said (in German) that he'd go after it.

While he was gone, Mr. Fischer and Mrs. Einstein had quite a talk. She speaks English moderately well while the Prof. is practically helpless. She says he doesn't care to learn English because he can express himself so much better in German.

And in talking about the Christmas Eve program that we were working on -- she quite seriously told Mr. Fischer -- "But he will wear stockings on his feet tonight -- and a collar and a tie!"

Well Einstein himself returned without the missing sonata so we then played Handel's "Largo." Mrs. E. was very well pleased with this number and begged that it be included in the program. So this made three numbers that [were] sic used in the program -- "Adagio" from Beethoven's 5th sonata, with piano acc. Clem Moreau of the Belgian Orchestra; "Berceuse" by Godard acc. by our orchestra, and "Largo" with the orchestra.

We were all glad that Einstein asked to play with our orchestra, and I think he enjoyed it, too.

The Christmas Eve program commenced in the Reception Room at 9:00 with the orchestra playing "A Christmas Fantasie." Then a Christmas carol by the audience, more musical numbers, songs, etc.; a piano solo by Moreau -- the "2nd Hungarian Rhapsody" that was excellent...

Einstein played his numbers well and everyone applauded heartily. And sure enough he wore sox, shirt and tie and collar -- all dolled up for the occasion. But he had to sit down to play -- and all spradle legged!..."

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[1] Cine = short for cinema, or moving picture film.
[2] The orchestra leader was Charles Leonard Fischer (1879-1948).

52 Ancestors #46: Lost an Election to Abraham Lincoln

Ancestor Name: Harry Riggin (1793-1875)

I've written about my four times great grand uncle, Harry Riggin, before. Researching his life helped me break through a long-time brick wall: who was his father.  Today, I'd like to concentrate on one small incident in his life.

Harry Riggin in 1874; image purchased by me from Historic MapWorks. Unfortunately,
this image may not be used by others unless purchased.

In 1838 Harry Riggin lost an election to Abraham Lincoln for a seat in the Illinois General Assembly.  I discovered this fact when I read James T. Hickey's article, Three R's in Lincoln's Education: Rogers, Riggin, and Rankin, which appeared on pages 195-207 of the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Volume 52, Number 1, Lincoln Sesquicentennial (Spring 1959).

"The precinct poll books for the elections in August, 1834, 1836 and 1838, when Lincoln was a candidate for the legislature, give some idea how the family voted. In the election of August, 1834, Lincoln received 174 votes in the precinct. Harry Riggin voted for Lincoln...In the election of August 1, 1836, Lincoln received 150 votes in the precinct. In that year, Harry Riggin did not [vote for Lincoln]. In the August 6, 1838, election, Harry Riggin was also a candidate for the legislature. Strangely enough, he did not vote either for himself or for Lincoln, but cast all his seven votes for other candidates in the legislative contest."

What? Harry Riggin had seven votes? What did that mean?

I started researching the Illinois state constitution to better understand the election process. I learned the first constitution in 1818 was compiled mostly from provisions taken from the constitutions of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, and put virtually unlimited power in the hands of the General Assembly. It was not modified until 1848.

So what did the 1818 Illinois constitution say about the election process?

ARTICLE II.

Sec. 1. The legislative authority of this State, shall be vested in a General Assembly which shall consist in a Senate and House of Representatives, both to be elected by the people. 

Sec. 2. The first election for Senators and Representatives, shall commence on the third Thursday of September next, and continue for that and the two succeeding days; and the next election shall be held on the first Monday in August, one thousand eight hundred and twenty; and forever after, elections shall be held once in two years, on the first Monday of August, in each and every county, at such places as may be provided by law.

Article II. Section II. Image of original handwritten Constitution course
of the Illinois Digital Archives

So that explains why the elections referenced in Hickey's article were held in early August. But what about those seven votes?

Sec. 27. In all elections, all white male inhabitants above the age of twenty-one years, having resided in the State for six months next preceding the election, shall enjoy the right of an elector; but no person shall be entitled to vote except in the county or district in which he shall actually reside at the time of the election.

Article II. Section 27. (see above for source information)

I admit I still don't understand the process, but it's clear, Illinois legislative members were not elected by popular vote but rather some sort of an electoral system.

In 1838 when Harry Riggin lost the election to Abraham Lincoln, there were 17 candidates for the Sangamon County seat in the House of Representatives. The top seven were elected. Lincoln received the most votes of any candidate.

This document serves as certification of Lincoln's election in 1838 (see
above for source information)

Harry Riggin was later appointed to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1842 as the representative from Menard County, which was formed from the northwest corner of Sangamon County.

From the 6 May 1842 Sangamo Journal; courtesy of the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge.

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Harry Riggin was born on 2 September 1793 in Tennessee, likely Sevier County, to James and Mary (Howard) Riggin. His father was a minister with the Methodist church and rode the preaching circuit for many years before settling down to farming to raise money with which to raise his family. Harry and his brother, James, migrated to Illinois in 1818 and together with another brother, John, founded the town of Troy. Harry married Miriam Lee Rogers on 2 March 1820 in Madison County. He left Madison County with his in-laws and settled in Sangamon County, and lived in a town that became known as Athens. This area of Sangamon later became Menard County. Harry Riggin was a prominent citizen of the county and served as its first representative in the Illinois General Assembly. He and his wife had four children. Harry died 23 March 1875 and was buried at Indian Point Cemetery.

Confusion and the Proof Standard
Wordless Wednesday: The Founding of Troy

The Bermuda Gunpowder Plot

Today is the 239th anniversary of a little known American Revolutionary War event -- the Bermuda Gunpowder Plot. The Continental Congress had voted early in the war to ban all trade with British colonies loyal to Great Britain. Yet Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris colluded with Colonel Henry Tucker of Bermuda to deliver much needed gunpowder to the Americans. Colonel Tucker was one of the most prominent merchants on the island and his son president of the royal Governor's Council and son-in-law of the governor.  Two of his other sons, St. George Tucker and Thomas Tudor Tucker later became famous in the newly formed United States. Philip Hamilton, author of The Making and Unmaking of a Revolutionary Family: The Tuckers of Virginia, wrote that the Colonel's "ambition was to advance the political status of his growing clan."

Colonel Henry Tucker (1713-1787); image
courtesy of Ancestry.com member RCVinson

The CIA website describes the plot as follows:

"In July 1775, Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris worked out a plan in collaboration with Colonel Henry Tucker, the head of a distinguished Bermuda family, to obtain the store of gunpowder in the Royal Arsenal at Bermuda. To give Bermuda much-needed foodstuffs in exchange for the powder, the Continental Congress resoled on 15 July 1775 to permit the exchange of food for guns and gunpowder brought by any vessel to an American port.

On the night of 14 August 1775, two Patriot ships kept a rendezvous with Colonel Tucker's men off the coast of Bermuda, and sent a raiding party ashore. An American sailor was lowered into the arsenal through an opening in the roof, and the doors opened from the inside. The barrels of gunpowder were rolled to waiting Bermudian whaleboats and transported to the American ships. Twelve days later half of the powder was delivered to Philadelphia and half to American forces at Charleston."

Bermuda eventually sided with Great Britain during the Revolutionary War and the Continental Congress cut of all trade, leaving the island severely short of food. Many ship owners turned to privateering and wreaked havoc on American shipping during the remainder of the war.

Tucker House in Bermuda, built in the 1750s. The house is now a museum;
photo courtesy of the museum's website

My sister-in-law is very distantly related to this Tucker dynasty.

Obama and My 6th Cousin

Kermit John Jackson lived in Hawaii before and after it became a state. He was born on December 19, 1902 in Custer County, Nebraska, and died May 12, 1992 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He attended the State Teachers College at Kearney, Nebraska, graduating with a degree in business. In 1926, he accepted a teaching and coaching position in LaRue, Ohio. The next year he relocated to Long Beach, California, and worked in the oil fields. In 1928, he began teaching in the Territory of Hawaii.

He married Corene Schroeder. She grew up in Bertha, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1929. She, too, accepted a teaching position in Hawaii, met and married Kermit Jackson in 1933. Kermit and Corene had two sons: Kermit Ian born July 7, 1936, and James Keith born August 7, 1944. Kermit and James are my sixth cousins.

Kermit is the tallest son in the back row, photo courtesy of an Ancestry.com member

In 1952, a young woman named, Irene Beard, wrote a book entitled History of Adam Beard and His Descendants. At that time Kermit was still teaching school in Hawaii and his oldest son, also named Kermit, was attending the Punahou Academy in Honolulu.  President Barack Obama graduated from Punahou School in 1979!

President Obama and Punahou classmates, photo courtesy of NPR

The school was founded in 1841 and built on the lands of the Ka Punahou, named for the fabled natural spring. The spring still flows today through the heart of the campus under the Thurston Memorial Chapel. The school was developed to provide a quality education for the children of Congregational missionaries, allowing them to stay in the Hawaii with their families rather than having to be sent away for schooling.

Photo by Michael Morgan courtesy of the Punahou School

Followers of Emanual Swedenborg

I recently read The Making and Unmaking of a Revolutionary Family: The Tuckers of Virginia 1752-1830, by Phillip Hamilton on Google Play. The book was about a possible branch of my sister-in-law's Tucker family that came from Bermuda and settled in Virginia just prior to the Revolutionary War. It detailed how the lives of the Virginia planter gentry declined and changed after the war and how the family dealt with those changes. Most of the book focused on St. George Tucker (1752-1827), who married Frances Bland Randolph, his brothers, children, and step-children.

One of his brothers was Nathaniel Tucker (1750-1807). He was born in Bermuda and when he was 20 years old accompanied a brother to Charleston, South Carolina. He left the Colony of South Carolina about 1773 to study medicine in Edinburgh. He later transferred to the University of Leiden in Holland from which he graduated.

Leiden University Library

In 1786 Nathaniel decided to settle in the old mother country in the seaside town of Hull. There he established a modest medical practice, worked in a local charity hospital, and married a serious-minded woman from a modest family named Jane Wood. Together the couple had six children and became devout followers of the Swedish theologian, Emanuel Swedenborg. Nathaniel translated Swedenborg's works for English followers but the effort was not commercially successful. According to Lewis Leary[1], he would not allow his name to be associated with his pioneer translations, though perhaps his greatest claim to memory is that these translations introduced Swedenborg to such talented and thoughtful men Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Henry James,  and Thomas Carlyle.

Emanuel Swedenborg

Other famous followers of Swedenborg were Helen Keller and Elizabeth Barret Browning.

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Lewis Leary wrote a book entitled, Poems of Nathaniel Tucker. He was the former William Rand Kenon Jr Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Beatrice Colony and the Keene Summer Theater

Izola Forrester's sister, Beatrice (Henderson) Clutts, married Alfred Taylor Colony sometime before 1920. At the time the 1920 census was enumerated, Alfred was a college student and five years younger than his wife. Beatrice had been married previously and had two children. By 1930, the Colony family was living in Keene, New Hampshire, where Alfred was an inn keeper at the Bradford Inn. While in Keene, Beatrice founded the Keene Summer Theater.

Keene Summer Theater, photo courtesy of the Billy Rose Theater Collection, New York Public Library Digital Gallery

The Keene Public Library briefly documented the history of the theater.

"Summer theater in Keene was launched in 1935 when the Repertory Playhouse Associates of New York changed the location of its summer activities from Putnam, Vermont, to Keene. Professionals began annual summer productions under the direction of Herbert V Gellendre in the large barn adjoining the Bradford Inn, Beatrice and Alfred Colony's home. The elegant residence, dating from the early 19th century was originally the home of Captain Daniel Bradford.

Drawing of the Bradford Inn courtesy of Keene and Cheshire County Historical Photos

Royal Beal, a Keene resident, who became well known to theatrical and television audiences, brought his professional skill to the first year's ventures. Beatrice and Alfred Colony, who were associated with the enterprise, became "regulars" over the years as performers, directors, teachers, guides, and champions of Keene dramatic performances. Mrs Colony, a descendant of John Wilkes Booth and one of the nation's most celebrated theatrical families, came naturally by her interest and talent. 

John Wilkes Booth circa 1865, photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

World War II brought a cessation of activities after the 1941 season until 1946, when for more than a decade longer the summer theater brought Broadway productions to Keene."

Beatrice and her sister, Izola, long held their mother's belief that she was the daughter of John Wilkes Booth. In fact, Izola wrote a book about the subject in 1937 entitled, This One Mad Act: The Unknown Story of John Wilkes Booth and His Family by His Granddaughter.

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I have written about Beatrice (Henderson) Clutts Colony's grandmother and sister several times:

• Did John Wilkes Booth Escape?
• The Secret Wife of John Wilkes Booth?
• She Seemed Rather Fantastic and Extravagant
• Izola Forrester: American Author

My Cousin and the Gubernatorial Inauguration

No, William Casey Marland, the governor of West Virginia, who was inaugurated on January 19, 1953, is not a relative…at least I don't think so. But one of my ancestors by marriage did participate in the inauguration program.

1953 West Virginia Inaugural Program. Photograph courtesy of www.wvculture.org

From the West Virgina Archives and History website:

"Ceremonies began at noon with the playing of the national anthem, the invocation and the singing of the "Lord's Prayer" by young Juilliard-trained tenor, James L Bailey, of Charleston.

James Louis Bailey

James Louis Bailey[1] married Joan Marie Beard, my 5th cousin once removed, on August 24, 1951. He was born in 1921 in Charleston, West Virginia, and studied at the Eastman School of Music; Juilliard School of Music; the Akademie fur Music und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria; and the Royal Academy in London. He subsequently earned multiple degrees in music from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champain, where he served on the voice faculty and later became chairman of the voice department.

From his obituary:

"Mr. Bailey's career was given early impetus when he won top honors in the Chicago Tribune's famed Chicago Musicland Festival. Other professional achievements included his recordings as a soloist for the renowned Little Church Around the Corner in New York City and Follett's educational series on Columbia Records. He appeared as a soloist at the official Memorial Day celebration at Arlington National Cemetery with then President Harry Truman attending. He sang the title role in Benjamin Britten's "St Nicholas" with the Vienna Boys Choir, the Vienna Opera Chorus, and the State Opera Orchestra. He also received critical acclaim for his performances as the narrator in Bach's "St Matthew's Passion."

Surrounded by his family, Dr. Bailey died peacefully at his home in Chicago on May 16, 2013."

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[1] James Louis Bailey was born on 8 Aug 1921 at Charleston, Kanawha, West Virginia. He married Joan Marie Beard on 24 August 1951. He died on 16 May 2013 at Chicago, Cook, Illinois. I have not yet researched possible parents or siblings.

Did John Wilkes Booth Escape?

Today is the 149th anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Izola Forrester, a famous American author and film screenwriter, grew up thinking John Wilkes Booth, the assassin, was her grandfather. She never believed Booth was shot by a Union soldier in a barn in rural Virginia when he refused to give himself up.  She documented what she thought happened to him in her book This One Mad Act, which was published in 1937. Contrary to the official assassination story, Forrester attempted to prove:

• John Wilkes Booth was secretly married to her grandmother
• Booth and Forrester's grandmother had a daughter, Ogarita Rosalie, in 1859; her middle name was for Booth's favorite sister.
• Lincoln's assassination was instigated by men high in the order of the Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC), said to have been a branch of Freemasonry
• James William Boyd, a confederate solider was killed in the Garrett barn, not Booth
• Booth escaped from the barn and lived in exile in California, England and India until his death in 1879
• Booth and Forrester's grandmother had a son in 1870, who grew up as Harry Stevenson, nearly five years after the assassination

There is a fascinating article on the Barnes Review website entitled Wanted: The Hidden History of Lincoln's Assassin John Wilkes Booth, His Great Escape and the Truth about the Plot. I hope you'll read it and let me know what you think of this alternative history of the assassination of one of our most famous presidents.

Capture of John Wilkes Booth. Courtesy of The Smithsonian Instituate, The Harry T Peters Collectionn

Izola (Hills/Henderson/Forrester) Merrifield/Page (1878-1944) was the wife of my sister-in-law's 8th cousin once removed.

Are their any conspiracy theories in your family history?

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 I've written about Izola Forrester before: Izola Forrester: American Author, and her grandmother, Martha Lizola (Mills) Bellows Stevenson: She Seemed Rather Fantastic and Extravagant and  Secret Wife of John Wilkes Booth?

52 Ancestors #15: Secret Wife of John Wilkes Booth?

Ancestor Name: Martha Lizola (Mills) Bellows Stevenson

April 15th is the 149th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. So it seems appropriate to write about Martha Lizola Mills again. I believe I could write about her for years to come. She, her daughter Ogarita Elizabeth Bellows, and her granddaughter, Izola Louise Hills, all believed Martha Lizola was the secret wife of John Wilkes Booth. They also believed Booth escaped and lived several more years and that he fathered a son with Martha Lizola after Lincoln's assassination.

Documentation and the recollections of Martha Lizola's granddaughter, which she included in a book, This One Mad Act, agree. Her parents were Abraham Standish and Izola Maria (Mendosa) Mills. Abraham was the owner and captain of a trading schooner in the China Trade. He met his wife in Spain. According to Martha's granddaughter, Izola Maria died giving birth to her only daughter on board ship off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, during a storm. Martha Lizola was primarily raised by her aunt, Abraham's sister, Fanny (Mills) D'Arcy.

Martha Lizola (Mills) Bellows Stevenson
Photograph from This One Mad Act

Charles Bellows is never mentioned in This One Mad Act but Massachusetts marriage records indicated he and Martha Lizola were married 30 Jul 1855 in Boston. Rhode Island birth records listed Charles and Martha as the parents of Ogarita Elizabeth, who believed she was actually John Wilkes Booth's daughter. Navy muster rolls seem to prove that Charles could not have been the father as he was stationed on a ship off Montevideo, Uruguay, during the critical period.

The 1860 census indicated Martha Lizola was living in Boston with Ogarita and a son, Harry, aged  five. Little Harry disappeared from the records after that; so I assume he died as a child. Martha's story was that she was a young actress and met John Wilkes Booth in Richmond in 1858 or 1859. It was love at first sight. She said she and Booth lived on a small farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley and that Booth would return to their home between acting engagements.

After the Civil War, Martha Lizola married John Stevenson on 23 Mar 1871 in Boston. This is supported by Massachusetts marriage records. She claimed it was a marriage of convenience and that the son born to them a month earlier, Harry Jerome Dresback Stevenson, was actually the son of John Wilkes Booth. She claimed she married Stevenson, a friend of Booth's so she could travel to California and meet Booth while he was in hiding before leaving the country. It was during that meeting that Harry Jerome was conceived.

Harry Stevenson; photograph from This One Mad Act

Martha Lizola died in 1887 and is buried in Plains Cemetery at Canterbury, Connecticut.

Her daughter, Ogarita, was also a stage actress, and began using Booth as her stage name in 1884, six years before her death at the age of 32. Ogarita's daughter, Lizola Louise (Hills) was adopted by George Forrester, a Chicago newspaper man, after her mother's death. Her second husband, Mann Page, was my sister-in-law's 8th cousin once removed.

Ogarita Elizabeth (Bellows) Wilson Henderson
Photograph from This One Mad Act

So do you believe Martha Lizola (Mills) Bellows Stevenson married John Wilkes Booth and that he fathered two of her children?

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge.

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Related posts: Izola Forrester: American Author and She Seemed Rather Fantastic and Extravagant.

Martha Lizola Mills was born at Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1837 to Abraham Standish and Izola Maria (Mendosa) Mills. Her father was a sea captain. She married first Charles Still Bellows on 30 Jul 1855 at Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; second John H Stevenon on 23 Mar 1871; and third, according to her granddaughter, but no documentation has yet been found, Edwin S Bates two or three years before her death. She died in Nov 1887 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut and is buried in Plains Cemetery at Windham. She went to her death believing she had been married to John Wilkes Booth, that both her children were his, and he escaped capture at the Garrett farm and died in 1879.

According to Wikipedia, muster rolls indicate Charles Still Bellows was aboard a ship near Montevideo, Uruguay, for the critical time period, making it impossible for him to be the father of Ogarita (Bellows) Henderson, Izola Forrester's mother.

52 Ancestors #10: She Seemed Rather Fantastic and Extravagant

Ancestor: Martha Lizola (Mills) Bellows Stevenson Bates

In honor of Women's History month, I am writing about one of the most colorful women in my family tree this week.

If an ancestor catches my fancy, I like to try and learn as much about their personality as I am able. This has led to a rather large and eclectic collection of books, including This One Mad Act: The Unknown Story of John Wilkes Booth and His Family, by Izola Forrester, an author and screenwriter, who believed her grandfather was John Wilkes Booth. Wouldn't that catch your fancy?

Izola was the wife of my sister-in-law's 8th cousin once removed. Her grandmother was Martha Lizola (Mills) Bellows/Stevenson/Bates (1837-1887). I was sure the book would be loaded with family history gold and colorful characters. My copy of This Mad Act arrived several weeks ago. It's a battered volume, literally falling apart. I had only read up to page 5 when I found this delightful description of Martha Lizola Mills:

"Today she seems rather fantastic and extravagant, but she started off my days with a dramatic curtain rise that has never failed to thrill me when I look back upon it. I loved her for her vital, magnetic personality, and for the way she always dramatized life. She was amazingly queenly and handsome --  not lovely like mother, with reserve and serenity -- but majestic, conveying to a child a sense of power and security. I know that, while she lived, I had a sense of complete safety, a belief that nothing could happen to us under the shadow of her wings.

Martha Izola Mills photograph, which was included in This One Mad Act

She was only thirty-nine when I was born, and even in her forties she retained a dark, radiant sort of beauty inherited from her Spanish mother, for whom both she and I were named -- Izola Maria Mendosa, of Cordova, Spain. I remember particularly the picture she made standing on the veranda, watching the carriage turn in from the main road and come up the long curving driveway. Dressed in flowing, beruffled white muslin with wide, lacy sleeves, a red rose beside the Spanish comb she always wore in her heavy, dark hair, she appeared a most romantic person. Her complexion was rich and warmly colored; her eyes were startling because of their flashing, sparkling interest in everything. They were such a surprise, too, from the contrast with her striking brunette hair and skin, changeable in color like the sea -- sometimes grayish blue, sometimes when she was angry a stormy purple black. Today, my sister, Beatrice, really my half-sister, but as dear to me in every way as if we had the same father, has eyes exactly like them."

And on page 8:

"She took the place of the aged minister when he was ill, and delivered an extemporaneous Sunday sermon. I remember that day. I had been half asleep beside her in the old wooden pew, waiting for the minister. Suddenly, she rose, swept up the short aisle to the pulpit, and stood there, smiling serenely down at the congregation. I am sure that she enjoyed their surprise, as she told them her intention, dramatizing the occasion with her manner and rich delivery. Perhaps she caught the same thrill of enjoyment, when she held prayer meetings at her home, which she always concluded with refreshments and readings from Shakespeare."

I certainly found my "color" -- descriptions of her appearance and personality! I'm sure there will be future blog posts from this book, including the family's Booth conspiracy theory.

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestors in 52 weeks challenge.

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Martha Lizola Mills was born at Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1837 to Abraham Standish and Izola Maria (Mendosa) Mills. Her father was a sea captain. She married first Charles Still Bellows on 30 Jul 1855 at Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; second John H Stevenon on 23 Mar 1871; and third, according to her granddaughter, but no documentation has yet been found, Edwin S Bates two or three years before her death. She died in Nov 1887 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut and is buried in Plains Cemetery at Windham. She went to her death believing she had been married to John Wilkes Booth, that both her children were his, and he escaped capture at the Garrett farm and died in 1879.

According to Wikipedia, muster rolls indicate Charles Still Bellows was aboard a ship near Montevideo, Uruguay, for the critical time period, making it impossible for him to be the father of Ogarita (Bellows) Henderson, Izola Forrester's mother.

Izola Forrester: American Author

I first found Izola in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. She was living with her husband, Mann Page, in Santa Monica, California. In 1925, they were living in New York and in 1942, New Hampshire. I opened the scanned image of the Census form and discovered that Mann Page was a dramatic actor and Izola Page was a novelist. And that's why you should always open the document and look at it. You will occasionally discover very interesting things about your ancestors, or in this case, my sister-in-law's ancestor.

Once I learned she was a novelist, I Googled. A Wikipedia article about Izola Forrester was returned as a search result. Why did I get that person? That sure didn't seem like the right Izola, but after reading the Wikipedia article, I discovered she was my Izola Page. Her name was Izola (Hills Forrester) Merrifield Page.

She was born in 1878 to George Wallingford Hills, a Harvard-educated travel writer, and Ogarita Elizabeth Bellows, who was a stage actress and went by the name of Ogarita Booth Henderson. George and Ogarita never married. Ogarita was convinced her father was John Wilkes Booth. That is possible as the man listed as her father on her birth certificate was on a ship off the coast of Uruguay, during the critical period and could not have been her father. Ogarita married Alexander Henderson, a director of light operas. After Ogarita died, Izola was adopted by newspaper man George Forrester and his wife, Harriet, and lived for a time in Chicago.

Ogarita Booth Henderson as Mary Queen of Scots

So what makes her so interesting?

She was a prolific author of magazine articles, novels, and silent movie scripts, including The Quitter (1915), starring Lionel Barrymore, and collaborated with Douglas Fairbanks and Sinclair Lewis on Rent Free (1922).

Film still from The Quitter

She met Ruben Robert Merrifield in Chicago at the age of 15 and he was a banner artist for Ringling Brothers. There were married on 29 October 1899. In 1910 she is a boarder a the home of Columbus and Julia Smith in Canterbury, Connecticut. She indicated she was married and is living with her four children, but her first husband is not living with her. On 10 November 1913, she married Mann Page, the eighth cousin, once removed of my sister-in-law.

Izola was hired by the New York World as a feature writer and was a regular contributor to many periodicals, including The Saturday Evening Post and McClure's, then edited by Willa Cather. Izola also authored over 20 books, including the popular Greenacre Girls and the Polly Page fiction series.  Izola's last book was This One Mad Act: The Unknown Story of John Wilkes Booth and His Family by His Granddaughter (1937). I found that book on eBay and it is quite a read.

Izola (Hills-Forrester) Merrifield/Mann in 1898

She was the embodiment of the post Victorian-era independent woman.

1793 Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic

My sister-in-law's 3rd cousin six times removed was St. George Tucker (1752-1827). He married Frances (Bland) Randolph, the widow of John Randolph. One of Tucker's step-sons, John Randolph of Roanoke, and his friend and distant relative, Joseph Bryan, were living together in Philadelphia in 1793 where they studied law under Edmund Randolph. St. George Tucker felt it was important for his children and step-children to have careers in either law or medicine as he did not believe the great plantations of Virginia would be economically viable much longer.

John Randolph of Roanoke (1773-1833)

While John Randolph of Roanoke was in Philadelphia the first major yellow fever epidemic hit the city in July 1793, a hot and humid summer with more than the usual number of mosquitos. The disease tore through the city like wildfire, claiming the lives of one-sixth of the population. An estimated 20,000 people fled the city, including President George Washington, who left on September 10 on his previously scheduled vacation. Children often suffered a milder case of the fever while their parents died, leaving many orphans which the city was unprepared to handle.

Arch Street Wharf and Ferry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The first cluster of cases appeared at the Arch Street wharf, leading many, including Dr. Benjamin Rush[1], to conclude yellow fever was caused by unsanitary conditions around the docks, open sewers, and rotting vegetables. He also recognized weather played a part in the epidemic. The stagnant water, where mosquitos bred, froze over in mid- to late October, and greatly decreased incidence of the disease. Dr. Rush treated his yellow fever patients by blood leeching and purging, using a mercury compound. Later, he wrote an account of the 1793 epidemic, and described the symptoms and course of the disease. He also posited his thoughts on cures and causes.

An Account of Bilious remitting Yellow Fever as It Appeared in the City of Philadelphia in the Year 1793 by Dr. Benjamin Rush.

Philadelphia mayor, Matthew Clarkson, organized the city's response and established a committee to deal with the chaotic situation. They reorganized the fever hospitals, arranged to visit the sick, fed those unable to care for themselves, arranged wagons to carry the sick to hospitals and the dead to Potter's field, and they identified shelters for orphans. Aggressive attempts were made to improve the city's sanitary condition. In 1799, Benjamin Latrobe was hired to design and construct the first water system in the United States. Ironically, Latrobe died of yellow fever in 1820 while constructing a waterworks for New Orleans.

Carlos Finlay, a Cuban doctor, first proposed yellow fever might be transmitted by mosquitos in 1881. Since the losses from yellow fever were extremely high during the Spanish-American War in the 1890s, Army doctors began to experiment with a team led by Walter Reed. They were able to successfully prove Dr. Finlay's "mosquito hypothesis." Using methods first suggested by Dr. Finlay, the U.S. government was able to eradicate yellow fever from Cuba and later Panama, which allowed the completion of the Panama Canal after the French had abandoned the project in large part due to the decimation of their workers by yellow fever.

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[1] Benjamin Rush was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence, the surgeon general of the Continental Army, founder of Dickinson College, doctor, writer, educator, and humanitarian.

For more information about the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793, Penn State University has made this article available online. This post was a joy to write as I was able to pull out some of my old micro-history books on Yellow Fever and the building of the Panama Canal. Yes, my tastes in reading material are a bit quirky!

"Pocahontas Alias Metoaka and Her Descendants" and Its Author

I've written about Google Play before and what a terrific tool it can be for genealogy research. When researching my sister-in-law's Bermuda Tucker line, I discovered that St George Tucker (1752-1827) married Francis (Bland) Randolph, the widow of John Randolph, of the famous Virginia Randolphs, one of the "first families of Virginia." The Randolphs are related to Thomas Jefferson, Robert E Lee, and Benjamin Harrison to name but a few famous personages. I also had a vague recollection that the Randolphs were related to Jane Rolfe, the granddaughter of Matoaka, the Native American princess, better known as Pocahontas(1).

Matoaka "Pocahontas" also known as Rebecca Rolfe, engraving by Simon van de Passe, courtesy of Wikipedia

I started searching the Internet for confirmation of the Randolph-Pocahontas connection and found it in this wonderful book by Wyndham Robertson written in 1887:

Wyndam Robertson's 1887 book includes seven generations of Pocahontas Descendants

The book included seven generations of Pocahontas descendants, including Wyndham Robertson (1803-1888) himself. Robertson included a delightful declaration of love by John Rolfe:

"Pocahontas…to whom my hartie and best thoughts are, and have long bin so entangled and inthralled in so intricate a laborinth, that I was even awearied to unwinde myselfe thereout." 

Robertson was the acting governor of Virginia from 1836 to 1837. As senior member of the Council of State, he was also Lt Governor when Governor Littleton Waller Tazewell resigned the office.  At the time the legislature elected the governor and it was controlled by the Whigs so Robertson was not returned to office in 1837. After his term was over he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates several times and was in that office during Virginia's struggles over secession from the Union. Robertson was a staunch Unionist and tried to prevent secession. 

Wyndham Robertson, painting by Louis Mathieu Didier Guillaume and  courtesy of Wikipedia

When Abraham Lincoln made his call for troops on April 15, 1861, Wyndham Robertson became "zealously active in all measures in defense of his state." After the Civil War he served on the Committee of Nine, which sought Virginia's readmission into the Union. After long and faithful service to Virginia, he retired and wrote his genealogy book. He died on February 11, 1888, and is buried at Cobbs, Virginia.

He later said about his service to his state during the Civil War:

"And now, after twenty years of experience of yet unripened results, I have no regrets, nor repent a single act of my State, or myself, in these unhappy affairs -- welcoming the end of slavery, but still believing it would have been reached without the horrors of war."

And this is yet another reason I love old books so much -- not only are the subjects of the books fascinating so are their authors.

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(1) Metoaka "Pocahontas" Rebecca Rolfe is the third great grandmother of Frances (Bland) Randolph Tucker, the wife of St George Tucker, my sister-in-law's third cousin six times removed.

Remembering JFK's Assassination: 50 Years Later

I was five years old when our president, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated. I had started morning half-day kindergarten a few months before. Mom had just cleaned up the kitchen after lunch and set up her ironing board in the living room so she could watch her soap operas while she ironed.

That's when Walter Cronkite broke into the regular programming and we learned our president had been shot and later that he had died. It is a memory that will always be seared in my mind. Unfortunately, not the last as there are a few other shocking tragedies -- some personal, some national -- for which I will always remember where I was and who I was with when I first heard the news.

My mother was absolutely stunned. I know she voted for Nixon and Dad voted for Kennedy; it's what they did until much, much later in life. But my brother was born on the same day as John F. Kennedy, Jr., in the same city, at hospitals that were not too far from each other -- Columbia Hospital for Women and Georgetown University Hospital. So for Mom there was a connection.

President Kennedy moments before he was shot. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Veterans Day: Medal of Honor Ancestor

I do not have the data in my family tree organized yet in such a way that I feel confident listing my ancestors who served their country in a manner that would do their memories justice. So today, on Veterans Day, I would like to profile one very illustrious ancestor, Alexander Archer Vandegrift, Medal of Honor recipient and 18th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

General Alexander Archer Vandegrift

General Vandegrift's second wife's great grandfather, John William Jennings, Jr. (1805-1886) and my great great grandfather, Powhatan Perrow Jennings (1812-1858) were brothers...yes, I wandered down another rat hole to find him!

My relationship to General Vandegrift

This historical marker, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, provides a summary of General Vandegrift's military career.

Historical marker in Charlottesville, Virginia

Medal of Honor Citation

For outstanding and heroic accomplishment above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 1st Marine Division in operations against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands during the period August 7, to December 9, 1942. With the adverse factors of weather, terrain, and disease making his task a difficult and hazardous undertaking, and with his command eventually including sea, land, and air forces of Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Major General Vandegrift achieved marked success in commanding the initial landings of the United States forces in the Solomon Islands and in their subsequent occupation. His tenacity, courage, and resourcefulness prevailed against a strong, determined, and experienced enemy, and the gallant fighting spirit of the men under his inspiring leadership enabled them to withstand aerial, land, and sea bombardment, to surmount all obstacles, and leave a disorganized and ravaged enemy. This dangerous but vital mission, accomplished at the constant risk of his life, resulted in securing a valuable base for further operations of our forces against the enemy, and its successful completion reflects great credit upon Major General Vandegrift, his command, and the United States Naval Service. 

/S/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

General Vandergift receiving the Medal of Honor from President Franklin Roosevelt. His first wife is on the far right.

General Vandegrift and his two wives are buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

General Vandegrift's grave

Wordless Wednesday: Vance Monument

Zebulon Baird Vance was a governor of North Carolina and United States Senator.  He is an ancestor of my cousin's second husband.

1907 post card of the Vance Monument in Asheville, North Carolina

Vance Monument, Asheville, North Carolina

The idea for this post came from Geneablogger.com.

All Blacks: Haka!

Thanks to a work colleague, who is from South Africa, I know how big a deal rugby is in some parts of the world. I discovered a few weeks ago when researching my Semple ancestors, who emigrated from Scotland to New Zealand in 1862, that I have a famous All Blacks captain in my extended family tree.

William Archibald Strang

My South African friend had this to say:

As a kid growing up in South Africa the Springboks vs. All Blacks was, as far as we were concerned, the greatest rivalry in world sport. Those heros from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were spoken of with awe.

The following profile was written by Lindsay Knight for the New Zealand Rugby Museum:

Archie Strang was a clever inside back, equally skilled at halfback or either five eighths position, who may have achieved even greater deeds in New Zealand rugby had he born in another era.

Strang was at his peak in the depression years of the early 30s. But as a stock agent in South Canterbury he often had trouble leaving his job and at the end of the 1931 season when he was still only 25 he retired to concentrate on his work having in those grim depression years being given an ultimatum by an employer for whom rugby had little interest.

A Southlander by birth, Strang moved with his family to Timaru while in his early teens and was an exceptional first XV player 1922-24 while at Timaru Boys High School. He had also played 1st XV rugby for Southland Boys High School in 1921.

He went straight into the South Canterbury representative side from school in 1925 and even as a youngster showed maturity and leadership quality. As a teenager he captained South Canterbury in his first season in a match against West Coast.

Strang in those seasons alternated between halfback and the five eighths, But it was as a five eigthhs that he gained a place in the South Island side for the 1927 interisland match which also doubled as a trial for the following year's tour to South Africa.

A top performance in that and the final trial won him a place in the touring party where his versatility proved to be an asset. He played in 14 of the 22 matches and with Frank Kilby injured for much of the tour filled in as a halfback on five occasions.

He played in the first two tests as a second five eighths and in the second match in the series drop kicked a goal with 10 minutes remaining to give the All Blacks a 7-6 win, their first test win on South African soil.

Despite this heroic contribution Strang was dropped for the final two tests. Because of work he was unavailable for the 1929 tour of Australia but proved he was still a national contender with a starring role for the South in that year's interisland match scoring a try, converting one and kicking four penalties for a personal tally of 17.

After captained a combined South Canterbury, Mid Canterbury and North Otago selection against the 1930 British tourist and scoring a try and a penalty in the 16-9 defeat he returned to the All Blacks for the final two tests.

Playing at first five, he kicked a conversion in the All Blacks' 15-10 third test win at Eden Park and in the 22-8 fourth test win at Athletic Park he scored a try and kicked two conversion. Strang's last test for the All Blacks was again at first five and as captain in the 1931 20-13 win over Australia at Eden Park.

Strang made the All Blacks from two South Canterbury clubs, High School Old Boys in 1928 and then Temuka in 1930. In the Temuka club's centenary book he is described glowingly as "a sound and heady first five eighths" and "a complete footballer."

His younger brother Jack represented South Canterbury as a forward in 1934-37 and played for the South Island in 1935. Archie Strang later became a prominent administrator on the South Canterbury union and for many years served international touring teams in any stay at Timaru as a liaison officer. He was also selector-coach for the Tauranga sub-union.

Haka!

Out of Africa: Doctor Livingstone, I Presume

My Aunt Joan was born in Kijabe, Kenya, in 1921. Her parents were missionaries for the Church of God. Not long after Joan's birth, her mother developed altitude sickness as Kijabe was located about 7,000 feet above sea level. Her doctor advised her to move to the coast to regain her health.  Lilly Manson (Bradley) Bailey moved to Mombasa for several months. Her daughters, Elizabeth, Sylvia, and Joan went with her.  Their brother, Homer, describes in his journal an interesting meeting they had with Matthew Wellington, and included an old photo.

From Homer Bailey's journal:

Mombasa is lovely town. One could easily watch the Arab dhows slowly sail into the old harbor, blown by a soft monsoon breeze. Or one might thoughtfully stroll about the ancient bastions of famous Fort Jesus, trying to visualize the lives lost in that place over the centuries. The bazaar where slaves were sold, where masses of men and women still go to buy or sell, is a fascinating spot.

Yet alive in the early 1920s was a man few of us have heard of. All civilized men readily recall Dr. David Livingstone. We know of his life, to a degree, as well as of his death. Seated between my sisters, Elizabeth on the left, and Sylvia on the right, is Matthew Wellington, which is his Baptismal name.

Elizabeth Bailey, Matthew Wellington, and Sylvia Bailey

It was never my privilege to meet Mr. Wellington, but thrilling it would have been to have heard him relate how they prepared Dr. Livingstone's body for the long journey to the coast. Learning why they buried his heart near the spot where he died under a Mvula tree in Chief Chitambo's village near Lake Bangweulu in what later became Zambia.

What a rare memory it would have been to sit on a low stool, all decorated with beaded art, and hear the old one telling of the privations, the dangers from wild beasts, of the unfriendly tribes through which they had to pass, and to hear it all from this one man's lips. Amazing to think Doctor Livingstone's loyal followers believed this white man's body must be returned to his homeland beyond the seas.

That took courage, faithfulness, and a deep abiding devotion to one who had befriended them in Africa. They allowed nothing to deter them until they let their burden rest beside the ocean liner which carried his body away. For all time, David Livingstone rests from his labors in Westminster Abbey.  One of those who endured in order to make the Abbey burial possible now rests beneath the tropical sky in a simple grave with a simple marker not far from the city of Mombasa.

David Livingstone died in Chief Chitambo's village at Ilala southeast of Lake Bangweula in present-day Zambia on 4 May 1873 from malaria and internal bleeding caused by dysentery. He took his final breath while kneeling in prayer at his bedside. His followers, Chuma and Susi, carried his body and journals over one thousand miles to the coast for shipment to England. Chuma was only a boy when Livingstone and Bishop Charles McKenzie freed him from slavers in 1861. He was from the Yao tribe. Susi joined Doctor Livingstone in Chupanga when he was employed to cut wood for Livingstone's second journey.  It is not known if Matthew Wellington was the Baptismal name for Chuma or Susi.

David Livingstone. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

David Livingstone was one of the most popular national heros of late Victorian Era Britain. He had almost mythical status. What we most likely remember today is Stanley's meeting with Livingstone on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in 1871 when he uttered the famous words, "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?"  Stanley later tore out the pages of this encounter from his diary so we will never know if those words were actually uttered or not.

Stanley meeting Livingstone. Drawing courtesy of Wikipedia.org

When reading Homer Bailey's journal which as written in 1991 shortly before his death, I find this one of the most interesting stories of his first stay in Africa, but there are many others....stay tuned!