Clarkson/Woodrum Family

I was just contacted by a relative who is a descendant of Martha Clarkson, the sister of my 3rd great grandmother, Frances America Clarkson Graham Dowling.  I am excited to make this connection and hopefully learn more about Martha, Frances, and their other sister, Barbara Henrietta Clarkson (especially since I know very little about Martha).  I typed up what information I do know about this family to share with her, so I thought I might as well share it here too:

So here's what I have about them:

Thomas Clarkson 

• He was born in 1810 in either Virginia or Kentucky (source: the 1850 census says he was born in Virginia.  And Frances America Clarkson Graham's family happened to be enumerated two different times in the 1880 census, and both of those records show that her father was born in Kentucky.  Later in the 1920 & 1930 censuses Frances' father is also listed as being born in Kentucky.  The year 1810 for his birth is from an email from one of my grandpa's cousins, Karen Graham Meng, who did some research on the Graham family years ago, but did not provide a source for this date).
• Thomas Clarkson & Jane Woodrum were listed on the 1850 census as having 3 year old Martha and 2 year old Frances, so we assume they were married sometime before then.
• We know that Thomas died by 1859, because his probate file has been digitized and made available online at s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/JudicialRecords/Detail.aspx?id=142358, and his youngest daughter, Barbara, was born in 1854, so that narrows down his death date.  This probate record is rather interesting -- listed on the inventory is a "negro" woman named Laura about 50 years old, and one of the papers shows that Thomas' widow, Jane, sold Laura at auction and lists the reason that Jane only had young children and couldn't control Laura, and "stands in daily fear and dread" of her.   
• I don't know anything about parents or siblings for Thomas.

Jane Woodrum Clarkson

• Born 30 March 1811 in Pendleton District, South Carolina. (this date is calculated from the death date and age on her headstone).
• Karen Meng, my grandpa's cousin, told me that Jane was buried in Tipton, Moniteau, Missouri, and her headstone says: “In memory of beloved mother Jane Clarkson Died July 18, 1884 Aged 73 ys. 3 ms. 18 ds."  Karen said that another Woodrum family member, Buford Woodrum, is also buried in that same cemetery and she thought that he was Jane's brother (the Tipton Missouri Masonic Cemetery).  This website shows images of headstones in this cemetery: http://www.moniteau.net/cemetery/tiptonmasonic/tiptonmasonic.htm
• I show Jane's parents as John Woodrum (1756-1836) and Margaret Finley (about 1773-1836).  I know nothing about parents or siblings of Margaret Finley.  John & Margaret's children were Jane, Bluford, Daniel, & John).  [The info I have about John & Margaret's family is from other researchers, and is not form my own personal research].

Our Thomas Clarkson & Jane Woodrum had 3 daughters:

1. Martha W Clarkson

• Martha is listed on the 1850 census, as a 3 year old living with her parents and her 2 yr old sister Frances.  Martha is listed on the 1860 census as a 12 year old with her mother, her 9 year old sister Frances, and her 5 year old sister Barbara.  And she is listed in her father's probate case (in the probate papers she is listed as "Martha W.," but I don't know what her middle name was).  
• I have that she was born in Saint Louis, Missouri (but the only real sources I have for her are the census records, which just show that she was born in Missouri).
• I don't know who she married and when/where she was married, who he children were, or when/where she died.

2. Frances America Clarkson

• Born 21 Jun 1848 in St. Louis, Missouri.
• On 14 Dec 1869 she married John Nicholas Graham in St. Louis.  John was born 30 April 1846 either in New York or Germany, the son of John J Graham & Mary.  John was a butcher & meat market owner.  Frances & John had the following children: (all born in St. Louis)
• Amelia Jane Graham, born 13 Nov 1870, married Clarence Edgecomb Bennett, had 11 children, and died on 22 Feb 1953 in St. Louis.
• William T. Graham, born in Dec 1872, married Mathilda C. Heberer, had 1 son, died 3 May 1927 in St. Louis.
• Eugene H. Graham, born in Jan 1875, married Estella Agnes Gilmore, had 1 daughter, and died in Torrance, Los Angeles, California.
• John George Graham (my 2nd great grandfather), born 13 Mar 1877, married Susie Florence Dobbins, had 9 children, died 5 May 1969 in Edwardsville, Madison, Illinois.
• Harry August "Gus" Graham, born Nov 1879, married Anna Agnes Young & had 4 children, died 12 Feb 1950 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee.
• Henrietta "Nettye" O. Graham, born 8 Aug 1882, married John William Dunn, had 1 daughter, and died in Chestnut, Logan, Illinois.
• John Nicholas Graham died on 27 Feb 1884 in St. Louis.  Frances was 35 years old and had 6 children.
• Frances married William Dowling on 1 Dec 1885 in St. Louis.  William was born in 1845 in Louisiana.  They had the following children (both born in Missouri):
• Pearl Dowling, born 13 Aug 1886, married Nicholas E. Fleming & had 5 children.
• Violet Ruth Dowling, born 10 May 1890, married Charles Gilmore & had 8 children, died in St. Louis.
• William Dowling sometime between 1890 when his youngest daughter was born, and 1910.  (On the 1900 census Frances is listed as the head of the household and William is not in the household, and has not been found elsewhere on the census, but it shows her as being married not widowed.  By the 1910 census she is listed as a widow).
• Frances died on 6 Nov 1931 in Granite City, Madison, Illinois.

3. Barbara Henrietta Clarkson

• Was born on 18 Aug 1854 in St. Louis.  
• On 14 Ot 1874 she married Eugene A. Heislen in St. Louis.  Eugene was born 17 Sep 1852 in St. Louis, the son of Aloyisious Louis Heislen & Maria.  He was a painter.  Eugene & Barbara had 4 children:
• Victor Heislen, born about Feb 1876 in St. Louis, died 19 Dec 1877 of acute bronchitis.  
• adopted Josephine Rittenhouse, born about 1876 in Missouri (according to the 1880 census), her parents were both born in Prussia.  She died before 1910.  
• Jennie Heislen, born about 1878 in St. Louis, married Hosea Roy Foskett and had 4 children, died 13 June 1952.
• William Busing Heislen, born 6 Feb 1885 in Missouri, married Blanche A. ___ & had 1 daughter. 
• Eugene died on 11 Nov 1904 in St. Louis, when Barbara was 50.
• On the 1920 census Barbara is listed as working as a Fuse Maker for a Fuse Factory in St. Louis when she was 66 years old.
• She died 10 May 1930 in St. Louis, Missouri.

This is the only photograph I have of my 3rd great grandmother, Frances America Clarkson Graham Dowling.
back row: Henrietta O. Graham Dunn, Eugene H. or William T. Graham, John George Graham, Pearl Dowling Fleming, Henry August Gus Graham, and Ruth Dowling Gilmore
center: Barbara Henrietta Clarkson Heislen, unknown man, & Frances America Clarkson Graham Dowling
front: Elva and Edwin Fleming (children of Pearl)

Page from Thomas Clarkson's probate documents.  

Image from s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/JudicialRecords/Detail.aspx?id=142358

Headstone of Jane Clarkson in Tipton Missouri Masonic Cemetery.  

Photo courtesy of www.moniteau.net/cemetery/tiptonmasonic/clarkson-jane-close.JPG

1920 Census showing Barbara Henrietta Clarkson Heilsen, 66 year old Fuse Maker.  

Image from ancestry.com

"Some Colonial Families" -- Stewart Family

So, I came across this book that has a short section on my Stewart ancestors that I got copies of.  I typed up the record yesterday, and thought I'd share it here.  I have found some errors in name spellings, but it does provide some helpful family information, I think.  The author believed that Luther Stewart's father was James Stewart, but also notes the other possibility that Luther's parents were instead Paul Stewart and Jerusha Spencer (which is the family line that I have recorded in my genealogy file).  Lucinda Stewart Giffin, the youngest child of Luther Stewart and Esther Smith, is my fourth great grandmother.

“Some Colonial Families: Avery, Brewster, Mills, Morgan, Smith, Starr, Stewart, Tracy” (book) compiled by Eloise M. Roberts, Avard, Oklahoma, 1926. Book in the ‘American Genealogical-Bipgraphical Index’ collection, at the Godfrey Memorial Library, 134 Newfield Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06457. Photocopies of the ‘Stewart’ section of the book ordered from the Godfrey Library by Stephanie Chidester Bradshaw in April 2011. Includes photocopies of cover page, page with Stewart family crest [not numbered], and pages 53-57. [Typed by Stephanie Bradshaw, April 2011].

Page 53:
“From Hampshire County Deeds, on record at Springfield, Mass. ‘No. 20, p 370 Warranty Deed from Thomas Kanada of Blandford, Mass., to Thomas Smith of Norwich, Conn., yoeman, conveying a certain tract of land in Blandford, bounded, beginning at a maple swamp at the N. E. corner of said lot, thence running north 71 degrees, 30 m west, one hundred sixty rods to a hemlock stake and stones, then running southerly and bounded westerly partly on John Savage’s land, and partly on Lt. Wm. Knox’s land, bounded south upon Philemon Doolittles’ farm, to a hemlock stake and stones, thence northerly on the town line to the first mentioned bounds, containing 50 acres with a mansion house.’ Dated March 18, 1783.
Ibid. No. 25, p 554. Deed of above property ‘being the farm I now live upon,’ from Thomas Smith of Blandford, Mass., yeomen, consideration 140 pounds, to Thomas Kanada of said Blandford. Dated Dec. 2, 1783.
Ibid. No. 24, p 558. Deed from Samuel Smith, Jr., of Norwich, Conn., consideration 45 pounds to Thomas Smith of Montgomery, Mass., conveying a tract in Norwich, Hampshire County, Mass., of one hundred acres ‘being the easterly part of lot No. 63 in the second division.’ Dated May 28, 1785.
(Norwich bounds Montgomery on the North.)
Ibid. No. 25, p 707. Thomas Smith of Montgomery, Mass., yeoman, for 45 pounds sells the above tract of land to John Sanford of Saybrooke, Conn., June 1, 1785.’
Ester Smith, born Apr. 18, 1768, daughter of Thomas Smith and Tamar (Williams) Smith married 1784 Luther Stewart.
According to tradition in the Stewart family Luther Stewart was the son of James Stewart, a native of Scotland who left his home at the beginning of the eighteenth century and settled in Mass. Tradition believed by different branches of the family tells that he lost his wife and 8 children through illness on the voyage to America. Only a . . .”

Page 54:
“. . . foster daughter was left, and he afterwards married this foster daughter. It is claimed that the father, James Stewart, and five sons fought in the Revolutionary War. These sons were Luther, William, and Calvin. The other names are unknown.*
Genealogists tracing the line have thought that there was a second James between James and the emigrant, this James being James, Senior, of Concord, Mass.,** who married Jane and had five children, Phoebe, born Jan. 28, 1731/2: Anna, married Nov. 26, 1741, Thomas McGee and James who married Agnes and lived in Colrain, Mass.*** In proof of this line the genealogist gives much the same records that Mr. Edson gives in support of the theory that Paul Stewart, and not James, was the father of Luther. These lines being conflicting and confusing I am omitting them.
The Revolutionary services of James Stewart as given by the War Department and accepted by the Society of Daughters of the American Revolution is: . . .

[Footnotes]
*This tradition is doubted by George Thomas Edson, of Filley, Neb., who gives another ancestry entirely. But as his supposition as to the ancestry is supported by no proof, I prefer the family records given to me by Andrew Stewart, grandson of Luther Stewart, who claimed his great grandfather’s name was James. Mr. Edson says the town records do not give the parentage of Luther Stewart, but merely lists his birth as on such a date. The records as given in the “Stewart Clan Magazine,” by Mr. Edson, Editor, are:

‘Paul Stewart (Walter 2) born March 23, 1723, in Boxford, Mass., married Jerusha (Spencer?). In 1749 Paul Stewart of Suffield bought land in Blandford, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was in a list of pewholders May 28, 1760, and in 1778 was a creditor with Spencer Stewart to the estate of William Henry; and he, his son Calvin and William Gilmore made a deed of land to the minister, with love as the consideration. In 1782 he deeded land to his son Calvin. In 1790 he appears in the first census with himself and his wife the only members of the family, after which we have no record of them. Children, as taken from town records by Mrs. Jessie A. Porter of Springfield, Mass:
9- Jehiel, Oct. 22, 1750. Marriage intentions Dec. 20, 1778, Rachel Williams.
10- Lusannah, Nov. 22, 1752.
11- Daniel Spencer, Feb. 17, 1775.
12- William, Nov. 3, 1759. Marriage intentions April 22, 1780, Beaulah Meachem.
13- Luther, April 2, 1762, married Mar. 18, 1784, Ester Smith.
14- Jerusha, Sept. 11, 1764, marriage intentions Apr. 22, 1780 William Gilmore.
15- Calvin, May 22, 1767: Married Nov. 8, 1787, Eleanor Taylor, West Springfield.
16- Elizabeth, Sept. 19, 1769: marriage intentions June 4, 1789, Edmund Gilmore.’
** ‘Concord, Mass., Births, Marriages and Deaths,’ printed by the Town. P 129.
*** ‘Early Settlers of Colrain, Mass.’ By Chas. McClellen, pp 72-73.”

Page 55:
“. . . ‘Private in Capt. Hugh McClallen’s Company, Col. David Fields’ Regt., which marched from Colrain to Bennington on the alarm of August 17, 1777, six days.’ Also, ‘Private in Capt. McClellen’s Co., Col. Wells’ Regt. From Sept. 22, to Oct. 18, 1777, with the Northern Army.’
The wife of James is unknown. Of the five sons but one is known” Luther, born Apr. 2, 1762 in Blandford, Mass.* Married Mar. 18, 1784 Ester Smith. Luther Stewart’s war record, as given by the War Department and accepted by the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, were: ‘Private in Capt. John Carpenter’s Co. of Guards stationed at Springfield from Oct. 6, 1779 to Jan. 6, 1780.’
Children of Luther Stewart and Ester (Smith) Stewart:
12. Lucina – born April 1, 1785. Died Oct. 29, 1875. Married# ‘In New York State in the Delaware’ to Edward Mills. Their descendants are given in the ‘Avery’ chapter of this book.
13. Lydia – born Jan. 11, 1787.
14. Rolan – born Jan. 27, 1789.
15. Tamar – born March 8, 1791.
16. Nancy – born Jan. 20, 1793.
17. Luther – born Oct. 20, 1794.
18. Ada – born July 19, 1798.
19. Asa – born May 12, 1801.
20. Marvin – born Feb. 17, 1803. Married** 1842 Sally Ann Flower, said to be one fourth Indian blood. They had at least three children, William D., Thomas, and Mary Lucina, who married Eber Hodge in Ohio.
21. James – born Mar. 4, 1806, married* Nancy Whitley, Dec. 27, 1834. Moved to Logan County, Ohio, where the following 13 children were born: . . .

[Footnotes]
*From original town records of Blandford, Mass., copied by Mrs. Jessie A. Porter, Springfield, Mass., for the ‘Stewart Clan Magazine.’
#‘Pioneer and Patriot Families of Brandford Co. Penna.’
*This Stewart family history given to me by my mother, Laura Caroline Taylor, and by Andrew Stewart.”

Page 56:
“. . . I. Andrew – (The family historian who supplied the Stewart line for this book). Born July 5, 1836. Married Kenracie Stratton, his cousin, a daughter of Olive (Stewart) Stratton and Hiram Stratton. Two children were born to Andrew and Kenracie, Olive and Nan. Andrew Stewart died in Lincoln, Nebraska, after 1918.
II. Kitty Ann – born Nov. 19, 1837.
III. John – born May 10, 1839. Died young.
IV. Ester – born Jan. 26, 1841. Married.
V. Milton – born July 10, 1842. Died young.
VI. Joseph – born Aug. 17, 1845.
VII. Whitely – born May 28, 1847. Unmarried. Soldier in Union Army in Civil War.
VIII. Wilson – born May 31, 1849.
IX. Luther – born April 11, 1851.
X. Ed – born June 11, 1853.
XI. Laura – born Aug. 3, 1855.
XII. Nancy – born July 21, 1857.
XIII. Eddy – born Feb. 1, 1861.
22. Olive Stewart, eleventh child of Luther and Ester (Smith) Stewart was born April 1, 1808, in Little Valley, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. Married in Towanda, Penna., to Hiram Stratton, Feb. 4, 1831. Lived in Missouri. Children of Olive (Stewart) Stratton and Hiram Stratton:
I. Louisa – born April 8, 1832. Unmarried.
II. Myron L. – born May 28, 1833, married Mary Rauk and had children, Luther, Frank, Julia, Mary, Sarah. Myron L. served in the Union Army in the Missouri Militia during the Civil War.
III. Stewart C. – born Jan. 31, 1836. Married Crissie Orr. Children, George, Nannie, Charles C., Oliver, Edward, May, Myrtle E., Stewart C. Stratton was a Methodist Preacher.
IV. George B. – born Sept. 12, 1837. Married Ruth Ellen League. Children, Myron L., William J., and Almeda. George B. Stratton was in the 33 Iowa Regt. Union Army in the Civil War for three years. Was a war prisoner for ten months. . . . ”

Page 57:
“. . . V. Emmaline – born Mar. 20, 1842. Unmarried.
IX. Wilson – born July 21, 1844. Unmarried.
X. Kenracie – born June 13, 1846. Married her cousin Andrew Stewart.
XI. Olive – born Nov. 16, 1849. Married Thomas J. League.


13. Thomas Stewart, thirteenth child of Luther and Ester (Smith) Stewart, born Sept. 9, 1812. Married 1st 1838 in Ohio to Eliza Timmons. Lived in Logan County, Ohio. Had at least three children, Luther, Lucy, and Edmond who died young. Married second, to Ellen La Fre. Children John Mufford and Millard Fillmore.


15. Lucinda, fifteenth child of Luther and Ester (Smith) Stewart, born Dec. 11, 1815. Married Matthew Griffin, and had at least two children, Olive and Ann. Lucinda is said to have been born in Blandford, Mass., but I am inclined to think Lucina is meant, as in 1815 the Stewart family was living in Ohio.


After the Revolutionary War Luther Stewart and family moved from Conn. (?) to N. Y. State, probably Delaware County, then to Seneca Co., and perhaps to Genesee. Then in 1811 to Hamilton Co. Ohio. In 1814 they moved to Clarke Co., and there in 1815 Luther Stewart died. Ester, his wife, moved to Logan County Ohio, and there died in 1845. If Lucinda was born in Blandford Mass., it means that Ester went back to Mass., in 1815, and then back to Ohio.”


My notes:

• Numbering of the children of Luther and Ester Smith Stewart is typed as found in the original document: 1 through 11, 13, and 15. No 12th or 14th children were listed. I suppose that this was probably just a numbering error in the original text. Although it does specifically say that Thomas was the thirteenth child, and Lucinda was the 15th, so I suppose it could also mean that there are two children not listed that the author did not know the names of???
• Also, “Ellen La Fre” who is referred to as the second wife of Thomas Stewart, should be Elenor Morgan Lefevre Stewart. I have copies of an original letter written by Elenor, which you can view here: http://stephsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2008/07/old-letter.html
• And the husband of Lucinda Stewart was Matthew Giffin (not Griffin).

Handwritten Drafts for Obituary of Frances America Clarkson Graham Dowling

My 3rd great grandmother, Frances America Clarkson, was the second of three daughters of Thomas Clarkson and Jane Woodrum. Frances, who also went by “Fannie,” was born on 21 June 1848 in St. Louis, Missouri. On 14 November 1869, at the 4th Baptist Church in St. Louis, she was married to John Nicholas Graham. Over the next twelve years, while the couple cpntinued to live in St. Louis and John worked as a butcher in a “pork house,” Frances gave birth to six children: Amelia Jane, William, Eugene (“Gene”), John George (my 2nd great grandfather), Harry August (“Gus”), and Henrietta (“Nettye”) Graham. When their youngest daughter was a year and a half old, Frances’ husband, John Nicholas Graham, passed away on 27 February 1884. Frances was remarried to William Dowling, who was born in Louisiana, on 1 December 1885. Frances and William had two daughters: Pearl and Violet Ruth Dowling. By 1900 Frances was listed as the the 'head of household’ on the census, and William Dowling was not listed as living with the family. Although family stories recall William Dowling as an unfaithful gambler who deserted his wife and children, it has not yet been proved if William actually did leave the family, or if he possibly passed away. We do know, however, that Frances’ children started working at young ages, probably in an effort to help support the family. Frances’ son, John George Graham, started working as a messenger boy at the nearby Granite City Steel Mill at the age of 7. Frances America Clarkson Graham Dowling lived a long life. She passed away at the age of 83 years on 6 November 1931 in Granite City, Illinois.

About 5 years ago I found this paper at the home of my grandmother in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Because there are at least four distinct handwritings on the page, I assume that this may have been a draft that family members used to prepare the obituary for Frances when she passed away. I am not sure of who the authors were, although I assume that it was written by some of her children. 

“Frances Clarkson was born in St. Louis June 21 - 1850. Went to sleep. Friday, Nov. 6 - 1931. She was united in marriage to John N. Graham Nov 14 - 1869, who died Feb. 27 - 1884, to this union were born, Amelia Bennett St. Louis, Wm deceased, Eugene of Cal, John Granite City, Gus Nashville Tenn, Nettye Dunn, Chestnut
She was married to Wm Dowling Dec. 1st 1885, to this Union 2 Children were born Pearl Flemming and Ruth Gilmore of St. Louis Surviving are 7 Children 36 Grandchildren 25 Great Grand children.
Francis Clarkson was born in St. Louis, Mo., June 21, 1850 and went to sleep in Jesus on Friday, Nov. 6, 1931. She was united in marriage to John N. Graham, Nov. 14, 1869, who died Feb. 27, 1884. For this union -
Francis Clarkson Was Born In St. Louis, Mo., J
Frances Clarkson was born June 21 - 1850
Frances Clarkson was born in St. Louis, June 21, 1850. She was united in marriage John Nicholas Graham, Nov. 14, 1869. To their union were born six children, Amelia Bennett, William (deceased), Eugene, John, and Gus Graham, and Nettye Dunn.
36 Grandchildren.”

This is the only photograph I have of Frances Clarkson (she is the one sitting in the chair on the right).

 

back row: Henrietta O. Graham Dunn, Eugene H. or William T. Graham, John George Graham, Pearl Dowling Fleming, Henry August Gus Graham, and Ruth Dowling Gilmore

center: Barbara Henrietta Clarkson Heislein (Frances’ younger sister), an unknown man, and Frances America Clarkson Graham Dowling

front: Elva and Edwin Fleming (children of Pearl)

Online Archive of Digitized Genealogical Books

So, I am still on the e-mail list for the family history department at BYU and I get e-mails from them every once in a while, usually job offers for genealogy majors. But today I got an e-mail telling about the progress that has been made in digitizing the genealogy books in the collection from the Family History Library in Salt Lake, along with several other genealogical collections. The link to the database is, www.lib.byu.edu/fhc, if you’re interested in taking a look. I haven’t had a chance yet to see if I could find any new info about my ancestors in this archive, but I did type my name into the “author” field real quick, just to see if anything would turn up. It was fun to see the paper that I wrote about my great grandmother, Nettie Dorothy Graham Spohr, and her ancestors while I was studying genealogy at BYU – I had given a copy of my final paper to the FHL in Salt Lake when I finished it, so I knew they had it in their library, but it was fun to see that it has been totally digitized – photos, genealogical charts, maps, and all, so that it can be easily shared with any interested relatives. Kind of fun. (If you are one of my relatives and are interested in looking at that paper on Nettie, here is the link).