Peter Charles Muller

Once a year I get the chance
To wish you birthday cheer.
It pleases me no end to say,
I wish you another great year.

So happy birthday to you Peter,
From the bottom of my heart.
And may your good times multiply,
Till they’re flying off the chart!
By Karl Fuchs
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On This Day in 1878
131 Years Ago Today
April 13, 1878 – March 8, 1899

Minnie B. “Ninia” Gregory, my 1st cousin, 3x removed, was one of twelve children born to Franklin Clemons and Shelma Statira (Shawver) Gregory.

1. John C. Gregory
2. Louisa Victoria Gregory
3. Mary Claughton Gregory
4. William Benton Gregory
5. James M. Gregory
6. Charles Edward Gregory
7. Statiza Virginia Gregory (twin)
8. Sarah Elizabeth Gregory (twin)
9. George W. Gregory
10. Minnie B. “Ninia” Gregory
11. Baby Gregory
12. Lewis F. Gregory

Below is part of the obituary for Minnie. An old discolored clipping was discovered in the scrapbook kept by Mary Jane (Davidson) Buckland. Such treasured memories are wonderful resources filling in gaps for dates, names, cemeteries, etc. Sometimes the glued and tattered papers are our only recorded proof.

Hopefully, in a few weeks, I will visit the cemetery in Clearfork where Minnie is buried. The Daniel Gregory Cemetery was visited and copied April 21, 1975 by Betty Hollowell, accompanied by Claire Fox, as told in the book Some Old Cemeteries in Tazewell County. According to the book, the cemetery is “located on Rt. 61, Clear Fork, opposite Chestnut Grove Christian Church at Shawvers Mill. There were some unmarked graves”.

What an appropriate day to share this picture of Jesus. It belonged to my precious Grandma Davis, and I am so pleased to have it. Many of our Appalachian ancestors hung similar pictures in their homes displaying a true affection for their Savior; unfortunately, not so much anymore.

187 Years Ago Today
April 12, 1822 – August 29, 1888

My 2nd great grandmother, Nancy Moore Runyan/Runion, was born to Joseph and Nancy (Jacobs) Runyan. She is buried at the Harry Cemetery, Falls Mills, VA along with her husband, James Harrison Tabor whom she married December 2, 1840. I am very thankful to Judy Llamas for identifying this couple from a picture that hung on the wall at the L.W. Buckland, SR house in Falls Mills. Nancy and James had eight children:

1. Emily Emma Tabor (m. Wm Jasper Buckland)
2. Sarah Jane Tabor (m. Jacob Alexander Buckland, my g-grandparents)
3. Samuel G. Tabor
4. George C. Tabor
5. William B. Tabor
6. Joseph Wade Tabor
7. James Robert Tabor
8. Meldora Tabor

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131 Years Ago Today
April 12, 1878

My grand aunt, Cora Belle Buckland, was one of six children born to Jacob Alexander and Sarah Jane (Tabor) Buckland in Falls Mills, VA. See posts in January for siblings. Cora Belle married A.D. Fields and had one child that I know of, Nora Georgie Fields. If you know of more, please email sherrykelly@comcast.net

126 Years Ago Today
April 12, 1883 – October 17, 1973

My 6th cousin, 2x removed, Manoria Sutherland was one of ten children born to Elihu and Sereldia Jane (Kiser) Sutherland.

1. Neurassie Sutherland
2. Martha V. Sutherland
3. Orval Sutherland
4. Cynthia Sutherland
5. Wade H. Sutherland
6. Albert B. Sutherland
7. Manoria Sutherland (m. James C. Cheek)
8. Elijah B. Sutherland
9. Susie Sutherland
10. James N. Sutherland

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139 Years Ago Today
April 12, 1870

My great grandaunt, Lydia “Liddy” Davis, was one of fifteen children born to Thomas Jefferson and Sarah Ann (Combs) Davis. See yesterday’s post for siblings.
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93 Years Ago Today
April 12, 1916 – December 30, 1996

My 4th cousin, 2x removed, Earl Agnus Brooks, was one of nine children born to Emory Luther and Sarah Margaret “Mag” (Jessee)Brooks.

1. Guy Thurman Brooks
2. Earl Agnus Brooks (m. Charles W. Gibson)
3. Kyle “Tutt” Burns Brooks, Sr.
4. Patty Jean Brooks
5. Rose Brooks
6. Lillian Brooks
7. Louise Brooks
8. Clovis “Toad” Brooks
9. Mildred “Mid” Brooks

What an appropriate day to share this picture of Jesus. It belonged to my precious Grandma Davis, and I am so pleased to have it. Many of our Appalachian ancestors hung similar pictures in their homes displaying a true affection for their Savior; unfortunately, not so much anymore.

My great grandaunt Virginia “Jennie” Davis (center in picture above) was one of fifteen children born to Thomas Jefferson and Sarah Ann (Combs) Davis.

1. Jesse Davis
2. John Davis
3. Doctor Caleb Davis (my g-grandfather)
4. Elizabeth Ann Davis
5. Charles Henry “Charley” Davis
6. Hannah J. Davis
7. Sarah Catherine “Sallie” Davis
8. Martha E. Davis
9. Thomas Jefferson Davis, Jr.
10. James A. Davis
11. Lucy B. Davis
12. Hugh C. Davis
13. Lydia “Liddy” Davis
14. Margaret Davis
15. Virginia “Jennie” Davis

Jennie married William Bonaparte Minnick on January 1, 1896 in Russell County, VA and they had four children. Jennie is buried at the Foster Family Plot in Henderson County, Hendersonville, NC.

1. Etta Amelia Minnick
2. Mable Minnick
3. Clarence A. Minnick
4. Ellis Jacob Minnick

I am indeed grateful to William Lindsay Foster, Jr. (Jennie’s great grandson) for this family information. Wm and I are third cousins.
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153 Years Ago Today
April 11, 1856 – 1960

My 1st cousin, 3x removed, Malissa Kiser was one of seventeen children born to Ephriam Mayfield and Mary (Ervin) Kiser. See post in February for her siblings. Malissa married Zachary Taylor Sutherland.

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137 Years Ago Today
April 11, 1872 – August 18, 1877

Leander Sutherland, my 5th cousin 3x removed, was one of fourteen children born to William and Sylvia (Counts) Sutherland. See posts in January and February for siblings.

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98 Years Ago Today
April 11, 1911

My 6th cousin, 2x removed, Elsie Sutherland married Henry Smith. Elsie was the daughter of Elijah Beauregard and Winnie (Kiser) Sutherland.

157 Years Ago Today
April 10, 1852 – September 16, 1934

John “Jack” Counts Sutherland, my 5th cousin, 3x removed, was one of fourteen children born to James and Nancy Ann (Counts) Sutherland.

1. Phoebe Sutherland
2. Noah Baldwin Sutherland
3. Ezekiel Sutherland
4. Margaret Sutherland
5. Daniel Boone Sutherland
6. Elizabeth Sutherland
7. John “Jack” Counts Sutherland (m. Polly Ann Fuller)
8. Orpha Sutherland
9. James H. Sutherland
10. Rebecca Sutherland
11. William Beauregard Sutherland
12. Richard “Dick” Sutherland
13. Nancy Maryland Sutherland
14. James E. “Little Jim” Sutherland

100 Years Ago Today
April 10, 1909

Anna May Nash, my 3rd cousin, 1x removed, was one of four children born in Tazewell County, VA to Thomas Edward and Ora Lee (Neel) Nash.

1. Claude Witten Nash
2. Nancy Ernestine Nash
3. Anna May Nash
4. Thomas Edward Nash, Jr.

Anna was the 4th great granddaughter of James Moore of the Abbs Valley Indian Massacre. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~varussel/indian/61.html

James Moore – Shawnee Indian Massacre – Abbs Valley, VA

222 Years Ago Today
April 9, 1787 – April 14, 1891

My 3rd great grandmother, Mary Childers was one of ten children born to Revolutionary War soldier Abraham Childers and his wife, Elizabeth “Betsy” Roberts. Mary’s grandparents were Henry and Susannah (Goldsby) Childers – Cornelius and Mary (Benton) Roberts.

1. William Childers
2. Mary “Polly” Childers
3. Francis Childers
4. Lodicy “Dicy” Childers
5. Abraham Childers, Jr.
6. Elizabeth Childers
7. Goldsby/Goolsby Childers
8. Salina Childers
9. Paulina Childers
10. Elisha Childers

Mary married Joseph Kiser, Jr. and they had 12 children.

1. Warren Kiser
2. Margaret Elizabeth Kiser
3. James S. “Bell Clapper” Kiser
4. Dicie Kiser
5. Ephriam Mayfield Kiser
6. Mary Polly Kiser
7. Simeon Kiser, Sr.
8. Joseph Kiser
9. Noah S. Kiser
10. Abraham Kiser
11. Mahala Kiser (my 2nd great grandmother)(m. Jessee Sutherland)
12. Matilda Kiser

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127 Years Ago Today
April 9, 1882 – March 2, 1960

My 1st cousin, 2x removed, Georgia Estelle Jessee was one of ten children born in Russell County, VA to Thomas Jefferson “Big Jeff” Jessee and Mary Frances Jessee. See yesterday’s post for siblings.

This is the Jessee home where Georgia Estelle and family lived. Georgia married Stephen Andrew Douglas Fletcher on October 4, 1900 and they had eleven children.

1. Hazel Claire Fletcher
2. Dallas Dean Fletcher
3. Mary Elizabeth Fletcher
4. Clifford Merle Fletcher
5. Lynn Collier Fletcher
6. Noel Kenneth Fletcher
7. Wilmer Stewart Fletcher
8. Bert Foster Fletcher
9. Dudley Thomas Fletcher
10. Danise Gertrude Fletcher
11. Jefferson Douglas Fletcher
    

228 Years Ago Today
April 9, 1781 – July 20, 1863

My 4th great granduncle, William Houston Letcher was one of nine children born to John and Mary Davidson (Houston) Letcher.

1. Hannah Letcher (my 4th great grandmother)
2. James Letcher
3. Stephen Giles Letcher
4. William Houston Letcher (1st cousin to Gen. Sam Houston)
5. Captain John Letcher, Jr.
6. Isaac Anderson Letcher
7. Mary Polly Letcher
8. Sarah Sallie Letcher
9. Ann Letcher

William married Elizabeth Davidson on April 17, 1781 in Rockbridge County, VA. They had four children.

1. Governor John Letcher
2. Mary B. Letcher
3. William M. Letcher
4. Samuel Houston Letcher

According to http://www.raabcollection.com/manuscript/Sam-Houston-Autograph-1234.aspx Sam Houston Autograph Letter Signed, 3 pages, Washington, April 8, 1824, to his cousin William Houston Letcher, assessing the prospects for the election, and accurately predicting that either Jackson or John Quincy Adams would emerge victorious.

…You are excusable for not answering my letter sooner but I certainly did expect an answer before this time. I am very happy to hear of the welfare of cousin Betsy and the little ones, and have a request that you will give my love to her, with all my relations. You wish to learn who will be the next President. On this subject, we can only speak from conjecture. My own opinion is that General Jackson will be the man!?If not him, Mr. Adams. Mr. Crawford is surely down! You say my horse is doing well. I wish you would see Mr. West and if he will give $150 let him have him, as my intention at this time is to go north and return by the Canada Lakes to the west. My wound is worse than it has been for eight years and on that account I wish to travel north. The moment you get this letter, I wish you would see Mr. West, for if he does not want him (my horse), I will send him to Tennessee in the course of a few days by a friend on his way to Nashville. My horse cost me two hundred & thrity dollars, and I will not lose more than $80 on him. He is a most excellent animal.