Amanuensis Monday: Obituary for Louisa L. (Dutton) Walker Easterling (1833-1913)

This is my latest big score.  It is impossible for me to express how badly I wanted this obituary!  Louisa was my g-g-grandmother along my pure paternal line (me <-- living Walker <-- Keith G. Walker <-- Henry M. Walker, Jr. <-- Louisa (Dutton) Walker).  The obituary did not answer all my questions about my g-g-grandmother Louisa, but it answered some of them.  Most of all it confirmed where she died -- Farina, Illinois.  Without further adieu, first the death announcement published Thursday, 13 March 1913, in the Farina (IL) News -- 

Grandma Easterling was found dead in bed at her house in the west part of town Thursday morning.  Justice of the Peace Rauckman held an inquest over the body.  the verdict was heart failure.  Funeral was held Saturday afternoon at the residence conducted by Rev. J. W. Hornbeck, her former pastor.

 Now the obituary, published one week later, Thursday, 20 March 1913, in the Farina (IL) News --

Louisa Lorana Dutton was born April 20th, 1883 and was united in marriage with Henry M. Walker Nov. 6th 1855.  He enlisted as private in Company A 33 regiment of Ill., Infantry, and was killed March 2, 1865.  To this union were born three children -- Letta A. Clarke of Farina, L.C. Walker of Cooksville, and Henry M. Walker of Lauder, Wyoming; all of who still survive her.  Besides these are eleven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren also two brothers and one sister, Samuel Dutton, living in Idaho; Capt. H.J. Dutton in Florida, and Mrs. Julia Owens of Colorado Springs, Colorado.  During her residence in Kansas she was married to Jas. Easterling a veteran in the Civil war, he preceding her in death January 25th 1897.  to this union no children were born.  In 1897 she moved to Farina where she has lived until her death at her home, March 6th 1913.  Her age being 79 years, 10 months, 19 days.

In early life she gave herself to God ever since living a conscientious Christian life.  She first united with the Congregational church from which she joined with the Christian Faith, and after moving to Farina in the absence of this Christian church she joined with the Presbyterian Oct. 31, 1897 in which church she has ever since worked with earnest Christian zeal.  She was also a member of the W.C.T.U.

Our dear mother and sister; now we will miss her but the angel of death has come and carried her home to the realms of bliss where no sorrow, no pain can come.  Just inside the Eastern Gate waiting to welcome the heart-broken children and relatives home.  She has set the beautiful gates ajar and she can not come again to us but we can go to her, who will be watching and waiting for us.

We extend our sympathy to the relatives and friends.

Rev. J. W Hornbeck

Factual errors: Birthdate does not match what I have, off by four days; Son listed as "L.C. Walker" in fact should read "S.C. Walker."

Observations: Referred to in the local paper as "grandma" could express popular familiarity.  I did not have as residences S.C. Walker in Cooksville, Samuel Dutton in Idaho, or especially Harvey Dutton in Florida.  We suspected the Henry Walker in Wyoming in the 1910 census was our Henry, now we know it was him.  We did not know her sister Julia was still alive in 1913!  The obit makes no mention of her very first husband Smith or her brief marriage to her third husband Mantle.  Of course she was a member of the W.C.T.U., Mantle was a drunk who beat her up!  My biggest disappointment is no mention of where she is buried.

Follow the trail:  Confirm above previously unknown residences for said relatives; Seek inquest documentation; Seek help from Fayette county research experts on possible cemeteries; Research Henry in Wyoming; Research Julia (Dutton) Owens.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

Capt. Harvey J. Dutton (1836-1928) -- University Graduate

This man's life keeps impressing me!  From THE ILLINOIS STATE NORMAL UNIVERSITY ALUMNI REGISTRY 1860-1882, as reported in  A History of the Illinois State Normal University by John W. Cook and James V. McHugh (Illinois: Normal, 1882) --

18. Harvey J. Dutton entered the Thirty-Third Regiment immediately after graduation, and remained four years, becoming captain before the close of the war. On his return to Illinois he commenced farming, and removed to Missouri in 1860, where he had purchased a farm. He has taught from four to six mouths each winter for nine successive winters. In August, 1866, he was married to Louise V. Brinsden. They have four children—three girls and one boy. His address is Virgil City, Missouri.

Harvey was my g-g-grandmother Louisa (Dutton) Walker's brother. [Me <-- Living Walker <-- Keith G. Walker <-- Henry Martin Walker, Jr. <-- Louisa (Dutton) Walker]

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

Amanuensis Monday: Muster Card from Civil War CSR of Charles H. Chesley (1828-1905)

C   --   8 CAV.   --   Ill.
Charles H. Chesley
Appears with rank of Pvt on
Muster and Descriptive Roll of a Detach-
ment of U.S. Vols. forwarded
for the 8 Reg't Illinois Cavalry Roll dated
Dixon, Ill., Oct 10, 1864
Where born Oneida New York
Age 35 y'rs; occupation farmer
When enlisted Oct 5, 1864
Where enlisted Dixon, Ill.
For what period enlisted 1 years.
Eyes blue; hair Auburn
Complexion fair; height 5 ft. 11 in.
When mustered in to date from enlistment Oct 10, 1864.
Where mustered in Dixon, Ill
Bounty paid $33 33/100; due $ (blank)  /100
Where credited Union Grove
Whiteside Co.
Company to which assigned C
Remarks: Res. Union
Grove Whiteside Co.
3 Dist Ill
Book mark: (blank)

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

Civil War Draft Registration of Charles Chesley (1828-1905)

Third Congressional District, village of Union Grove, Whiteside County, Illinois, enumerated June 1863, one Chesley, Charles, age 35, white, farmer, born in New York (Remember you can click on the image to enlarge it) --



Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

Notable Descendants of Capt. Samuel Walker (1615-1684)

My DNA testing has confirmed that I am a member of the Walker surname group that are descendants of Captain Samuel Walker (1615-1684), resident of Exeter, N. H. (1637); Reading, Mass. (1645); Woburn, Mass. (1654).  The group's website is HERE.  I thought it was worth pointing out something interesting and neat from the first page --

This Walker family tree includes the following notable descendants:
Rev. James⁷ Walker, (1794-1874); Minister and Rel. Philosopher; President of Harvard 
Sears Cook⁷ Walker, (1805-1853); Mathematician and Astronomer
George⁸ Walker, (1824-1888); U. S. Consul-General in Paris, France, from 1880 to 1887
Gen. Francis Amasa⁸ Walker, (1840-1897); Civil War General; President of MIT
Col. Everett Worthington⁸ Foster, (1835-1933); Third Minnesota Regiment; Walker Family Researcher
(John) Calvin⁹ Coolidge, Jr., (1872-1933); 30th President of the United States
Nicholas⁹ Longworth, Jr., (1870-1931); Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives
George W.¹² Bush, (1946- ); 43rd President of the United States; (related through his mother)

This Walker family tree includes the following notable people who married descendants:
Sir Benjamin Thompson, also known as Count Rumford, (1753-1814); Physicist and Inventor; m. (1) Sarah⁵ (Walker) Rolfe
Samuel F. B. Morse, (1791-1872); Inventor of the Telegraph and Morse Code; m. (1) Lucretia Pickering⁷ Walker
Alice Roosevelt, (1884-1980); Daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States; m. Nicholas⁹ Longworth, Jr.
George H. W. Bush, (1924- ); 41st President of the United States; m. Barbara¹¹ Pierce

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

Biography of Capt. Harvey J. Dutton (1836-1928)

From The History Of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade And Barton Counties, Missouri published by Goodspeed, 1889; Pgs. 732, 733 Cedar County Section --

Capt. Harvey J. Dutton, general merchant of El Dorado Spring, with  a stock of goods valued at about $3,000 is a native of Woodford  County, Ill., born in 1836, and is the eldest of six sons and two daughters, born to Norman and Nancy E. (Smith) Dutton.  Mr. Dutton was born in Rutland County, VT., in 1810, and Mrs. Dutton in Canada, in 1808.  they moved to Illinois, were married there, and there Mrs. Dutton died in 1866.  One year later, Mr. Dutton married Miss Maria Sleeper, from New Hampshire.  He died March 18, 1889, was a member of the Congregational Church for forty years, was a deacon in the same, and was a successful tiller of the soil.  Capt. Harvey J. Dutton was reared to farm life, received a fair education in the common schools, and later attended the State normal at Bloomington, Ill, from which institution he graduated July 3, 1861.  He then joined Company A, Thirty-third Illinois Infantry, known as the Normal Regiment, and was made sergeant at once.  Afterward, he was made lieutenant, etc., until August, 1863, when he was commissioned captain, and commanded his company with credit until December, 1865, when he was mustered out at Springfield, Ill.  He operated in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama, and was slightly wounded three times.  August 21, 1867, he married Miss Louisa V., daughter of John and Louisa Brinsden, who were natives of London, England, where they were married.  Mr. and Mrs. Brinsden emigrated to Canada before Mrs. Dutton was born, and there they both died, Mr. Brinsden in 1861, and Mrs. Brinsden in 1850.  Mrs. Dutton came to Illinois with an uncle, and was there married to Mr. Dutton, by whom she had six children, one son and four daughters now living:  Florence E., Clarence A., Norma E., Bertha I., and Gertrude L.  The fourth child, Colena A., is deceased.  In 1869 Mr. Dutton moved to Cedar County, Mo., settling five miles south of El Dorado Springs, where he followed farming until 1889, when he moved to town, and engaged in his present business.  He is a Republican in politics, voting for Lincoln in 1860; is a member of Colonel Leonard Post at El Dorado Springs, and has held nearly all the offices in the same.  He and Mrs. Dutton are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

-- As the article states, Capt. Harvey J. Dutton was the offspring of Norman Dutton and Nancy (Smith) Dutton.  Nancy was the widow of Norman's older brother Samuel.  Nancy and Samuel's eldest daughter was my g-grandmother Louisa (Dutton) Walker.  So Harvey was my half 2xgreat-grand uncle, and a blood relative.  What makes this article so nice is that it has so much to say about Harvey's parents who are my ancestors!

What makes Harvey so important to my family history is it is probably a safe assumption that he talked Louisa's husband Henry to enter the Civil War.  It was January 1865, the war was winding down, the South was fighting without regular supplies and victory appeared inevitable.  Henry mustered into Company A, of the 33rd Regiment Illinois, the very same company that Harvey was in command of as Second Lieutenant.  Two months later Henry was killed while in service in a railroad accident.

According to the government's military pension records, Capt. H.J. Dutton died January 18, 1928, age 92.  Quite a full life and an ancestor to be proud of.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

Amanuensis Monday: NEW FOUND Penitentiary Letter from Henry M. Walker 1/17/1897

Written on letter-sized lined paper with no letterhead, addressed to "Mr. H.H. Andrews, Callaway, Custer Co., Neb." and dated "Jan, 17th, 1897," herein transcribed with all mistakes of spelling, grammar, etc., included --

Dear Sir:

I would like to see you cl much if my enimyes are not trying to rong you too but I will say if you make settle acpet a settlement of my busness with you from my enimyes and let them keep me locked you must not expect any more from me for I did think they might have given me a chance to cure my self and most my debts or at least not sent their influence quite so far from home but they say I might have been cured there in the bow if I had taken the Drs. Medicine but perhaps they don't know that Mr. Seasure gained my confidence and I took the medicine as he advised me to but I did not expect him to tell what was not so if they he did say at one time I should not go home if he could help it then, he may be a good Sherrif for all I know but I do not think he done right by me but if they try to make out I am lazy I can say I have never put my propity out of my name to keep my credeters from geting it or expected more of a sick person than a well person I don't supose I look as though I was sick but I dont beleave any of my folks that has not seen me for a year would recognize me but I may be as well as I can be as long as I am confined for the Dr here has only given me promices untill the last time I went to him and if they the Dr is my mind is to be docktered I and I the Dr why dont they let me but if I have no friends still there please send this to G.S. Miller Garden City Kan. I know I can he is still my friend and I believe my Wife and her father is to as well as Mother.

I can be found when not at Chapple on sunday in cell 39.  or I suppose me a letter would find me directed
H. Walker. 3033
Lancaster or
H. Walker
Lancaster,
Lancaster Co.
No. 3033 |
I dont know why M M. was omited I will close for this time direct I have not received any mail yet

-- I monkeyed with the contrast and brightness of the scans to make the letter more legible.  I have a lot of thoughts about this letter, some of it, sadly is nothing more than speculation.  This is the second letter my new found friends in Kansas have found from Henry to their ancestor, the first being posted and transcribed here. Henry wrote this letter just thirty-three days after being put in prison, and the former letter just three months before release, and I see a world of difference. 1) I find this letter much more disjointed, defensive, and the number of words struck-out seems to indicate his thoughts were unsorted.  However the former letter was more lucid, accepting of his situation, and with absolutely no words struck-out.  2) He is clearly mentally ill.  The newspaper accounts pointed to paranoia, and I sense great angst in this letter.  He seems to point to mental illness himself, talking of meds and his head being "docktered(sic)" by the doctor at the penitentiary. 3) Can he really believe his wife and his in-laws are still friendly toward him?  It seems absurd, but then again, if he had a mental illness maybe they were sympathetic....at least until the shooting happened. 4) Was "Mr. Seasure" a real person or code for "seizures" associate with his mental illness?  5)  Mr. Andrews appears to be a creditor at this point, and Henry seems to say he treated "the well" and "the ill" the same, hinting Andrews should do the same for him.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

Who Are You?

Here are two of my saddest family treasures -- at least for the time being they are sad.  Two tintypes of two of my ancestors circa the Civil War.  Why so sad?  I don't know who they are.  After my years of family history research I have a good idea who they could be, and a very great hope one of them is my g-g-grandfather Henry Martin Walker, Sr., who died while serving in the Union Army.

So in the next week or so, I will be packaging them up and sending them to an expert to get cleaned and restored.  Then I will take a super-high resolution scan to a photo identification expert to see what clues he or she might be able to pick out to aid my investigation.

 
Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker

My Duttons in D.A.R. Lineage Book

From the Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Book (1900) --

MRS. NATALIE THOMPSON TUTTLE. 31055
Born in Perry, Ohio.
Wife of Henry A. Tuttle.
Descendant of Thomas Thompson, Major Richard Sinclair, Samuel Dutton and Joseph Call.
Daughter of Thomas Thompson and Carlista Adelle Call, his wife.Granddaughter of Moses Thompson and Rachel T. Dutton, his wife; Amherst Call (1804-69) and Olive Sinclair, his wife.
Gr.-granddaughter of Thomas Thompson and Ruhama Barrows, his wife; Daniel B. Dutton (1767-1813) and Lorana Smith, his wife;
Rufus Call (1769-1869) and Lydia Ellis Dutton, his wife; Joseph Sinclair (b. 1766) and Olive Coolbath, his wife.
Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of Samuel Dutton and Joanna Root, his first wife; Joseph Call and Mary Sanderson, his wife; Richard Sinclair and Mary Cilley, his wife.
Thomas Thompson, (1762-1828), was placed on the pension roll of Vermont, 1818, for service as private in the Massachusetts Continental line. He was born in Halifax, Mass. ; died in Stowe, Vt.
Samuel Dutton, (1737-1813), served as a private in Capt. Jesse Safford's Co., of Vermont militia. He died in Hartford.
Joseph Call, (1741-1821), served in the Vermont militia on guard duty 1777. He died in Perry, Ohio.
Richard Sinclair, (1731-1813), commanded a company in Col. Thomas Bartlett's regiment and was promoted major.  He died in Barnstead, N. H.
Also Nos. 509, 2134, 5669, 5551, 10757, 15335. 18497.

Copyright © 2011 by Kevin W. Walker