Facebook Post on Family Reunion

I am all warm and fuzzy inside! This weekend we are getting together for a family reunion on the farm. When I say "we" I mean all my children, my sister and her children, and also my first, second, third, and even all the far "removed" cousins on my dad's side of the family. It will be a day of outdoor fun under big white tents, with a country music band, and lots and lots of stories, hugs, and laughter. There will be a "memory table" for those who have gone before us. I feel so blessed that my extended family kin have always been as close to me as brothers and sisters. I do not take for granted that I grew up knowing all of these people who share random bits of my DNA. And that red hair gene pops up in every family group, even the beards of my sons! The patriarchs and matriarchs of the family have always kept all the relatives close. Reminds me of the definition of "Home" - when you go there, they have to feed you. When I go there, I am home.

This picture shows two of the oldest living relatives in the Abbott/Bryant family: Teeny Vaughan (far right), granddaughter of Ida Rene Bryant Abbott; and Charlie Fletcher (3rd from left), grandson of Ida's twin sister, Addie Bryant Fletcher.  Also shown are Charlie's daughter Terry (another redhead) and her husband Jim.

Postscript:  The reunion was everything I could have hoped for. All of my boys were there and it was a perfect October day. Finally got the Fletchers up there to visit, though traffic held me up and I missed most of their time there. (We plan to do lunch soon). The music was unexpectedly good - the band played all of our favorites from "O, Brother Where Art Thou." The little one - Charlotte - had a great time dancing with her Papa. Rode with the girls, Charlotte and Mila, on a tractor ride around the farm. I got to connect with Johnny Lukhard's family and make plans to keep in touch online with Misti. I took a bag of carrots and apple for the horse, so he and the goat got a lot of attention. I was able to get a photo and a good visit with all of Robin's girls. Made lunch plans (and paint party plans!) with cousin Laura. Got good news about Anna's cancer situation. Was able to smooch on cousin Peggy and marvel at her resemblance to my Mamaw. The picnic was fun - great food and conversation. an all-around wonderful day full of memories and love.

Detective work: recent discoveries

My family tree is pretty solidly developed through my 2 X great grandparents on every branch, which is amazing! But on a couple of lines, I have hit a wall. I  started taking genealogy classes at the public library hoping to break through some of those walls. My new-found skills have actually turned up some enlightening nuggets of information.

While in class last week, I was browsing and half-listening while the instructor modeled a research example using census documents. The instructor explained an unusual feature of the 1930 census where the "age at first marriage" was given. I was in the back of the class, browsing my own family in the census when I came across an item for my great grandmother Ida Rene Bryant... in the 1930 Census, her "age at first marriage" was 16! I had only just recently discovered the shocking fact that she had been married at 19 to Lewellen Eley. Now I find that she had another marriage before that! That makes a possible fifth marriage for her. Her descendants only knew about two marriages.

Ida Rene Bryant's marriages
age 16 - ?? ??
age 19 - Lewellen Eley (divorced or annulled)
age ?? - ?? Williams (widowed)
age 26 - William Butler (widowed)
age 37 - George Abbott (my great grandfather)

Other dead ends that are driving me crazy:

Robert Scott Allen
Another brick wall is in the Allen line, my mother's maternal side. I have not been able to get past my 2 X great grandfather Robert Scott Allen. I believe his parents are John Allen and Rebecca Scott, but can't prove it with unimpeachable sources. I did find new information about Rebecca Scott, though, in her father's will.  Her parents are not who I thought they were. It was a case where two pairs of siblings married the same family. Her father and mother died when she was young and there is not much documentation about them.

John Dillingham and Calvin V. Crofford
The problem of John Dillingham's parentage is the subject of debate and speculation among his descendants on both sides of the ocean. My family lore says he was born in Wales and came to Indiana from Connecticut. Some say he was born in Providence, RI. His daughter Anna married Calvin Crofford (Crawford), but the Crawfords are a dead end as well.

George James Powell
My Nannie's grandfather. I believe he died after the war in 1865. I cannot find any documentation of his parents, though there are many connections with other Powells having the same unusual names, such as "Littleton" and "Bell". The Powells have a long history in Henrico and Accomack Counties.

These aren't the only brick walls in my research, but are the ones I am most anxious to resolve.

Littleton, Schuyler County, Illinois 1872

The study of maps has definitely been helpful with genealogy research. Sometimes physical distance or proximity can make sense of a puzzling story. It can also offer new names and information to pursue.

Today I found an early map of Littleton, Illinois that brought together two different branches of my family tree.

Among the first settlers of Littleton were Orlando Marcus Bosworth, my 2X great grandfather, and Richard Pierce Applegate, my 3X great grandfather. Richard's daughter Eliza married Orlando. I also noticed that there are two Crawfords on this map. I don't know how they are connected to us, but I will certainly investigate! 

me < Virginia < Teresa Allen < Eva Bosworth < Eliza Applegate and Orlando Bosworth