Dear Ancestry.Com: Data from Public vs. Private Trees

For the third time in two days a fellow member of Ancestry.Com has taken information from my public tree, then when I went to their tree looking for any information they might have on our shared relative, I discover their tree is private.

Really?  Seriously?  You are glad for me to share with you, but you won't share back??

Here is my suggestion for Ancestry.Com.  You attach a software switch to all data gleaned from the public tree area.  A simple on-off switch attached to all the data.  If it starts out public on the website as long as it remains public it will be visible on the website.  The switch is set on the data to be public. When a user decides to make that public data private on their tree, it disappears to that user, until they make their tree public again.  

Here is an example.  I go through my family treasures and find a picture of my g-grandmother.  I choose to share it publicly with all those related to her!  A distant relative copies the pic to their tree.  Awesome!  I meant it to be shared!  But then that relative decides to make their tree private.  My pic disappears from their tree.  If they ever choose to make their tree public again, it reappears!

Is this a solution?  A cure?  Of course not.  A user can easily download the pic to their computer and then upload it to their private tree as their own addition of data not from me.  But the principle remains in place -- the pic as I contributed it was meant to be shared.  

It is frustrating to have a fellow user copy my pic to their tree, then for me to see they have pics of the same relative on their tree, and they are unwilling to share. Absurd.  See the logic?  There is none.

There is a longstanding debate in the genealogy community about making data public.  Somehow some of us think if we do the labor in locating it, then it belongs to us.  But it really doesn't.  It is public data or you wouldn't have found it.  I am of the mindset that anything I can do to grow the genealogical community helps me!  The more people in the game the better the game!  The more data is mined, the more data is made public!  The more researchers, the more stories are found!  I want as many people related to me doing research as possible!

So you are welcomed to anything I have, AS LONG AS you are willing to share it (with attribution when appropriate).

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

Italian Swiss Colony Wines and g-grandpa Paulo Molfino (1859-1924)

Remember the jingle?



Decades before Americans were enjoying fine wines, they would enjoy wine as a daily beverage, and by far the largest seller was the wine produced by Italian Swiss Colony in its iconic straw-wrapped jug. "Italian Swiss Colony," was founded in 1881 by Andrea Sbarboro, who formed an entire community in California, with other Italian and Swiss immigrants.  When newcomers from Italy first arrived it was hard for them to find work and get set up independently.  Sbarboro's operation greased the skids to assimilation for the immigrants.

In the 1960's, the Italian Swiss Colony was the second largest tourist attraction in California, next to Disneyland.  It was a favorite place of my mother's and I remember her taking me at least twice.  I never understood what she found in it to like so much.  The only thing as a child I had to look forward to was the train ride.

Why is all this relevant to our family history?  Take a look (click to enlarge) --

-- This picture of the Italian Swiss Family Colony family was taken July 23, 1907 (click to enlarge).  Bottom picture, seated, second row, second from the left, is my wife's great-grandfather Paulo Molfino (1859-1924).

Lots more to learn here.  Is the bottom pic the same date as the top?  If not, are there relatives in the top picture?  Are there more relatives in bottom pic?

In the meantime it would be cool to get an antique straw-wrapped Italian Swiss Colony jug for my wife, empty of full it doesn't matter.  Vintage enough, maybe her ancestors touched it.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

Letta Agnes (Walker) Clarke (1857-1947)

Gravemarker for my great-aunt Letta Clarke, older sister to my g-grandfather Henry Martin Walker, Jr.  She lived her last several years in Greenwood, Illinois, relatively near the Wisconsin border.  When she died, she was buried in the Clarke family plot in the Walworth Cemetery, across the border in Walworth, Wisconsin.  Apparently her husband William S. Clarke (1823-1903), a widower thirty-four years her senior, was a part of large family migration of Seventh Day Adventists who came from the east coast and settled in Walworth.  More research on that later.

I messed with the resolution some in the hopes you can see the "Letta A." on the top.  My son and I placed the small stones on the marker to show it had been visited.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

Local Newspaper Notices a Visit to Sis

From page 2 of the Freeport Journal-Standard (Freeport, IL) Tuesday, October 22, 1940 --

In October of 1940, Henry Walker, Jr. was 76 years old and living in Lena, IL.  His older sister Letta Clarke (nee. Walker) was a widow, age 83, and living in Greenwood, IL, just outside of Woodstock.  Lena to Greenwood was approximately 90 miles.  Freeport, IL is the largest of the three towns, and situated inbetween Lena and Greenwood, neighboring Lena.  Interesting that it is Freeport that records the visit.

The paper misspells Letta's married name as "Clark."  Common mistake.

Research possibility: Check Woodstock paper for record of visit.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

Another Citation on Norman Dutton's (1810-1889) Activities in the Underground Railroad

From History of Woodford County by Roy L. Moore (Eureka, IL: Woodford County Republican, 1910) --

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

Jeremiah Smith Hall (21 Apr 1809 - 6 Sept 1882)

Last summer my son Ralph and I decided to go on a cemetery visit day.  Despite the fact I was born and raised 2000 miles from Illinois, my roots are deep here.  My father's paternal line is rooted in Illinois as is my mother's maternal line.  So with a dozen ancestors buried within a couple or three hours drive, it is no sweat to get in a car and go.

One of the first graves we visited was for my ggg-grandparents Jeremiah Smith Hall (1809-1882) and his wife Jane (Combs) Hall (1814-1874).

From pages 472-474 of The Good Old Time in McLean County, Illinois by Dr. E. Duis (Bloomington, IL: Leader Publishing, 1874) --

Jeremiah S, Hall, brother of Israel W. Hall, was born April
21, 1809, in Salem, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. He
lived in his native village until the age of seventeen, when he
went to Boston, to learn the bricklayer's trade. He was in that
city when the great celebration of 1826 occurred, making the
fifteenth anniversary of American independence. The exercises
were held on Boston common, and an immense crowd was in attendance.
On that day John Adams said in the morning : "I
have lived to see another fourth of July." But before the day
was ended the bells of Boston were tolling for his death. On
that day also, another Ex-President, Thomas Jefferson, died ;
but, as the telegraph was then unknown, the news did not reach
Boston until the middle of the week. 

Mr. Hall remained in Boston for three summers, working at
the brick-layer's trade, and also in a shoe-factory. He worked
in various towns in New England. On the 16th of October,
1834, he started for Illinois. He came from Nashua, N. H., to
Troy, N. Y., by stage, and thence to Buffalo by canal. From
the latter place they started on board of a steamboat for Detroit,
Michigan. They were delayed by a severe storm, and Mrs. Hall
had an experience with sea sickness which she yet remembers. 

At Detroit they took stage for Chicago, traveling through mud
and water, and after a fearful ride arrived at their destination
November 7. After a short stay at Chicago he came to McLean
County, arriving in December. lie traveled here in his own
wagon. His family boarded for a while with Mr. Francis Barnard
at Dry Grove. Mr. Hall soon went to farming just west
of where he now lives, in the edge of the village of Danvers.
His was one of the first prairie farms, and he was much ridiculed
for leaving the timber ; but he held to the land, and it is now
worth sixty-five dollars per acre. 

In September, 1844, Mr. Hall met with a strange accident,
which has puzzled the physicians. While riding through timber
and under brush he had a thorn pressed into the joint of
the middle finger of his right hand. The thorn was removed
but a part of the point remained. The finger became so much
inflamed that Mr. Hall was thrown into spasms of pain, and he
narrowly escaped lock-jaw. The finger was amputated, but he
has never entirely recovered. His nervous system received so
severe a shock that at the present time he is liable to become
stiff and rigid when any undue excitement occurs, or when he
falls into -any unusual attitude. His case is a puzzle to the doctors,
who disagree concerning it. 

On the 24th of April, 1832, Mr. Hall married Miss Jane
Combs in Nashua, New Hampshire. They have had five children,
of whom three are living. They are :
Hannah, Wilburn and George. The two latter are married
and George lives in Nebraska. The eldest son, Edward W.
Hall was killed in the army at Jackson, Mississippi. He was
first lieutenant of Company B, 3d Iowa, but at the time of his
death was in command of Company I. He was wounded and
captured, and died a few hours after. The fight was known as
Lauman's unsuccessful charge. 

Jeremiah Hall is about five feet and ten inches in height, is
stoutly built and has a sanguine complexion. He is healthy in
his appearance, but his nerves are shattered by the severe pain
of which an account is given above. He appears to be a man
of correct judgment, and is faithful to his trust. His head is
partially bald, and he seems to have a good development of
brain. His eyes have a clear, pretty expression when he is
amused, and he is usually pleased at any kind of burlesque.
He wishes it understood that he has never been a fisherman, a
hunter, or an office-seeker, but has succeeded well. He is a
substantial American citizen.

Here are the pictures we got. (Always remember you can click on photos to enlarge.)  Very hot day.  Cemetery ground and grass was parched --

And on the other side if the same marker we find his wife.  Sorry for the shadow, I am new at this. Interesting and practical they included her maiden name --

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

"Thank You!" Does Not Express it Enough

From the Thursday, May 10, 2012 issue of The Arnold Sentinel newspaper --

Students/Sponsors Clean Up Neglected Cemetery

On May 3, students in grades 6-12 from Arnold Public School spent a good portion of the day sprucing up the Lower Powell Canyon Cemetery, east of Arnold, to prepare for the Memorial Day weekend.   

The cemetery has been in need of care for some time, and in lieu of a community clean up, Mr. Clay Mohr proposed this project to Mrs. Lewis earlier this spring.  Mr. Mohr said it has been at least 10 years since the cemetery received any attention.  First called Rosebud Cemetery for the wild roses growing there, the last burial there was in the 1960s. 

Mr. Mohr and Mitch and Lisa Geiser went out ahead of the kids and did some of the more hazardous prep work. Students’ families donated the use of equipment to make sure the job was done well. They spent time mowing, trimming, picking up branches, etc., to help beautify the cemetery for the families who will be visiting. 

“Projects such as this help the students develop a sense of responsibility and pride in their community. They enjoy Home-based Business Moves Downtown spending time working outdoors, and even more importantly, they enjoy the feeling that they are making a difference in their community,” principal Dawn Lewis said of the project.

-- This cemetery is very near and dear to me.  I have six relatives and ancestors buried there including my g-grandmother Lucy Chesley, and both her parents my gg-grandfather Charles H. Chesley and gg-grandmother Phoebe (Ward) Chesley.

I immediately sent out an email to both the principal Mrs. Lewis and instructor Mr. Mohr thanking them and offering to return the favor if ever I am able to.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

About that Birthdate: Peter Casattas -- 6 Jan 1851

So far in our research, we have two birth years claimed to be accurate for Peter Casattas.  His gravemarker says "1849."

His passport application and funeral record say "1851."  All the census records, voter records, and death index say "about 1851."  So we begin by discounting out the gravemarker's birth year of 1849.

In absence of a birth certificate or birth record, we have three competing birth dates.  The tombstone says "4 February," The funeral record says "21 February," the passport says "6 January."  The tombstone has one strike against it.  We don't know whom was the informant of the funeral record, but the best guess is his daughter Marya.  We can safely presume the informant for the passport was Peter himself.  Having no reason to discount Peter's own account, and lacking any actual birth record, the birthdate of "6 January 1851" is the one we choose to embrace.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

Peter Casattas (1851-1917) part 2

According to the officials at the National Archives, the immigration and naturalization records of my wife's great-grandfather Peter Casattas were destroyed in the great San Francisco Earthquake and its subsequent fire.  But there are still records out there.  Here we found one of the most important and most informative, his Emergency passport application for return to the U.S. from 1915.

And yes, you see right -- his photo!

We get a treasure chest of info from this document, and the presumption since it is a passport, the veracity will be good.  We learn he was born in Santorini, Greece on 6 January 1851.  He sailed to the U.S. on an unknown ship from Naples Italy in June 1863.  He lived in San Francisco his whole time in the U.S., and was naturalized in the Superior Court of  California at San Francisco on 25 January 1894.  He was a "fireman."  He went to Greece for health reasons.  He was gone from the U.S. for three to four months before returning to the U.S.  We get to see his actual signature.  On the back we get his photo and a physical description.

What we learn: He was only twelve years old when he came to the U.S. confirming that part of the family tradition.  Being naturalized in 1894 would be consistent with the records being destroyed in 1906.  His occupation is listed as "fireman."  We know from census records he was a ship-board fireman.  He was 5'10", height runs in his family, as we saw with his grandson Paul.  What I find most interesting is that he died less than two years later from cancer, and here he is visiting Greece "for health reasons."  Did he know he was afflicted?  Was he going to say good-bye to family?  Was he seeking a cure?

Research possibilities: ship records, possible Greek relatives


Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

Speaking of Brick Walls........

I was reading a history book about Custer County, Nebraska in the 1850s, and there was a story in there about a pair of outlaws who got lynched and the sheriff found their bodies hanging from a tree.  No known identities, to this day.  I would suggest their descendents, if they had any, must have hit a brick wall in their research.  An almost impossible one to reconcile.

As has been chronicled here in this blog my great-great-grandfather Henry Martin Walker, Sr. was killed in a train accident during the Civil War.  Where are his remains?  Was he vaporized?  Did they bury him at the site of the accident or a nearby cemetery (possible, but not likely since he was Union and it was Confederate territory)?  Did they take his remains back to New Orleans where a national veterans cemetery was being formed at the time?  I have searched the records with no luck.  THAT is my brick wall.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

And the (Brick) Walls Keep Tumbling Down?: Peter Casattas (1851-1917)

"Brick walls."  Maybe, maybe not.  I have discovered in my years of doing research that most of the time a "brick wall" isn't a brick wall after all, I just needed to find the right document, and it is a document that any seasoned researcher would have located straight away.  Case in point, my wife's great-grandfather Peter Casattas (1851-1917).

In my wife's family perhaps there is no other individual wrapped up in more speculation and lore.  With various alterations to the story, it is said he snuck onto a ship to the U.S. when he was only thirteen, then when the ship came near the shore, perhaps near Santa Cruz, home to the majority of his descendents, he jumped ship and swam ashore.

The truth as we know it so far, is he was an immigrant from Greece to San Francisco.  And with all the court records lost in the great quake and fire, finding info on him has been like pulling teeth.  Combine that with him having a heavy accent (chronicled in a newspaper article I found) and an oddly spelled surname, and it appeared he would remain an enigma.

But fortunately there are thousands and thousands of researchers in the same boat trying to find information on ancestors in San Francisco before the quake, so any records genealogists can find instead of those lost are quickly indexed and examined.  Here I give you the funeral home record for Peter Casattas --

-- From it we see he is from Greece, and it is his daughter Marya (aka. "Maria") who took care of the details.  He died from a tumor, and the year of birth of 1851 is also correct according to my research, despite it disagreeing with the birth year on his tombstone.  However his birthdate is wrong according to my research. More on these things later.  He was Catholic, the mass was held at the Greek Church, and he was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Colma, CA.

Research possibilities: Cemetery records and church records.

Part 2 tomorrow.
Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

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