Who We Were, Are & Will Be Our Family: Gurwell

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11 July 2021

Another Shooting in the Family Tree: John McGill Shoots Mr. & Mrs. Irvin Gurwell (1909) Part 1

The Humboldt Daily Herald (Humboldt, Kansas), April 22, 1909, Thursday, Page 1 --

INTENDED MURDER
FAMILY QUARREL IS ENDED WITH FIRE ARM
SHOOTS SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW, AT ROSE,

THEN GIVES HIMSELF UP TO SHERIFF

A serious shooting affray occured about nine miles west of Humboldt yesterday afternoon. From what we could learn, Irvin Gerwell and wife had gone over to visit John McGill, who is a brother of Mrs. Gerwell. It is supposed that the three got into some dispute, which became so serious that McGill shot his sister and brother-in-law with a revolver.
It seems that Frank McGill, who lives near where the shooting took place, was the first to hear of it and he phoned the news to the home of Jake Gerwell. A brother of Irvin Gerwell immediately jumped on a horse and rode to the home of the injured man. Finding no one there he rode with all haste into Humboldt, supposing that the injured people had been brought here.
Instead, however, Irvin Gerwell, who is not seriously hurt, took his wife to the home of her parents, who live one mile north and four miles east of Rose. Dr. Dingus, of Yates Center, was immediately called and made an examination of Mrs. Gerwell's wound.
The bullet penetrated her right side, but the doctor does not think it touched any vital part. He says her injury is not dangerous. The bullet which was fired at Mr. Gerwell hit a button on his clothing and glanced off without doing any harm.
John McGill, the man who did the shooting, went directly to Yates Center, where he surrendered himself to the sheriff. He is now in jail at Yates Center. The authorities will make a full investigation of the affair today.

Irvin Gurwell was my 1st Cousin, twice removed, on my mother's paternal side. There is a lot more to be fleshed out about this story, like why and what were the consequences? Stay tuned.

14 June 2021

Gurwells Implicated in Attempted Lynching

From The Kansas Chief (Troy, Kansas), August 23, 1894, Thursday, Page 3 --

The Highland Station Scrape-- A number of citizens of Highland Station and vicinity were arrested and brought to Troy, lost week, and had their trial before Justice Hawley, on Thursday, on complaint of Lute R. Mead, the man who was recently almost lynched at Highland Station. The persons arrested were N. N. Gallagher, Charles Sage, George Miller, Robert Sampson, James Gurwell, and Ralph Gurwell. There was no evidence showing that Gallagher, Miller, or Ralph Gurwell had any hand in the affair, and they were discharged. Sage, Sampson, and James Gurwell were permitted to plead guilty to assault and battery, and were fined $10 each, and costs. The report that the express money package that was stolen had been found, is a mistake. It is the prevalent belief that the partner of the complaining witness in this case got the money. He did not come over to participate in the trial. It seems, from their own story, that he raised the window of the depot, and got a drink of water.

James G. Gurwell (1834-1926) was my 2xg-grandfather. Ralph Wesley Gurwell (1873-1959) was his son, and my great-granduncle.

29 May 2021

Jacob Gurwell (1855-1944) Abandons Wife and Family and Elopes. . . .Oops

From The Kansas Chief (Troy, Kansas), August 4, 1887, Page 3 --

News comes from Highland Station, that Jacob Gurwell and the wife of Milton Rawls eloped together, Sunday night, after being at the Eagle Springs picnic. They had been the subjects of neighborhood talk, for some time. Gurwell leaves a wife and children, and Mrs. Rawls a husband and children. Mr. Rawls was in town, Tuesday, getting out a warrant for the arrest of the runaways, he claiming to know their whereabouts.

Further research shows that the couple returned to their respective spouses and families, and remained there the rest of their lives. Personally, I don't know how you do that, just return back to normal like nothing happened? But that is just me. And times were different back then.

Jacob Gurwell was my g-granduncle, on my mom's paternal side.

21 May 2021

Leslie Gibson has "La Grippe"

From the Allen County Herald (Humboldt, Kansas), November 13, 1905, Monday, Page 2 --

. . . .Leslie Gibson has been sick with lagrippe. . . . .

I previously documented Leslie's young death from typhoid in 1908 here. This illness predates his death by three years. "La Grippe" is a way our ancestors referred to influenza, and possibly other viral illnesses. The Spanish Flu that caused the pandemic of 1918 was famously called "The Grippe."

Leslie Gibson (1894-1908) was my maternal grandfather's older brother.

01 May 2021

Spanish Influenza Takes Life of Sara E. (Gurwell) Gibson (1865-1918)

From The Augusta Gazette (Augusta, Kansas) 31 Dec 1918, Page 1 --

INFLUENZA PROVES A SCOURGE IN THIS CITY

Influenza has made fatal inroads against the people of this community since the last issue of The Gazette. Not that it is considered that the malady is growing worse in severity, but rather because this city and its environs are not unlike others, where the disease seems to take its toll in bunches.
. . . .
After an illness of seven days duration, Mrs. Gibson, wife of Charles Gibson of this city, died at her home on Dearborn street last Friday afternoon. In addition to the husband, she is survived by four sons and one daughter. The funeral services and burial occurred Tuesday at Humboldt, Kans., to which city the body had been sent. The Gibson family has lived in Augusta a number of years.

Sara Ella Gibson (nee. Gurwell) 1865-1918, was my mom's paternal grandmother, therefore my g-grandmother. According to my research so far, she was my only direct ancestor claimed by the Great Spanish Flu Pandemic. Although I have found one ancestral relative it also claimed, my 1st cousin 2x removed, Guy Truman Walker (1886-1919).

03 August 2020

Civil War Relatives

For the last month I have been obsessed with the Civil War, from a family history perspective. I have been working on getting the National Park Service to give the grave of my gg-grandfather a marker; I have been researching the current location of the regimental flags for the 33rd Illinois, and I have been researching the oral history that one of my gg-grandfathers was a Union spy.

In the meantime, I did put together a list of all my grandfathers and granduncles who served. I have not done cousins yet. This list is complete as best as I can determine (the seven names of gg-grandfathers have been bolded; the five names of those who died in service have been italicized) --

RANK NAME REGIMENT STATE COMPANY

Henry M. Walker, Sr. 33rd Illinois A

Capt Harvey J. Dutton 33rd Illinois A

Horace S. Dutton 108th Illinois E

Charles H. Chesley 8th Cavalry Illinois K

John P. Chesley 13th Illinois G

Leonard Chesley 13th Illinois G

Sgt Luman F. Ward 98th New York D

David Ward 2nd Artillery Ohio C

Corp Arthur H. Needham 2nd Cavalry Iowa E

John H. Needham 155th Ohio A

Horatio E. Needham 29th Iowa E

Sgt George E. Needham 177th Ohio A

Benjamin E. Needham 41st Ohio D

Samuel R. Porter 17th Illinois I

Lt Col Dr. Frank G. Porter -- Surgeon --

Alexander W. Porter 39th Pennsylvania B

Sgt John W. Porter 39th Pennsylvania B

Corp Alfred Gibson 33rd Kentucky D

Sgt David Gibson 27th Kentucky E

Thomas R. Gibson 35th Kentucky B

William Gurwell 14th Ohio E

Jesse Jones 13th Kansas B

Lt Edward W. Hall 3rd Iowa B

George Hall 26th Illinois K

Corp Levi Hall 33rd Illinois C

Wilbur Hall 2nd Artillery Massachusetts M

Josiah McKee 33rd Illinois C

-- Twenty-seven names in total. All blue, no grey. My gg-grandfather James G. Gurwell is said to have served, but I can find no record, so he is not included. Six of these Illinoisans were at Vicksburg, and their names are cast in bronze inside the Illinois memorial there.

Expanding the list to include cousins will be quite a chore but is within my plans. I know that will expand my connection to the 33rd Illinois even further, at last count I had seven ancestral relatives in that regiment. And I am not sure, but I think I have one Gibson cousin who went to Texas and fought on the side the Confederacy, ruining my perfect record of all Union ancestral relatives.

28 June 2015

Sunday Obituary: Ralph W. Gurwell (1873-1959)

From the Wichita (KS) Evening Eagle, Thursday, February 19, 1959 --

Former Farmer Taken by Death

Ralph W. Gurwell, 85, of 729 S. Water, died Thursday at a local hospital.

Born Aug. 7, 1873, in Sparks, Kan., he had been a farmer before moving to Wichita 15 years ago from Humboldt, Kan.

Mr. Gurwell was a member of the West Side E.U.B. Church. He was married to Jesse Furtch[sic] on Sept. 1, 1898, at Yates Center, Kan. She preceded him in death.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Mabel Harris, 138 N. Grove; Mrs. Helen Ashworth, Kansas City, Mo.; one son, Homer, Indio, Calif.; two sisters, Mrs. Rosette French, Wichita; and Mrs. Alice Bradford, Wichita; two brothers, Don of Wichita, and Ernest of Humboldt, Kan.; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted in the chapel of the Byrd-Snodgrass Funeral Home at 3:30 p.m. Saturday with the Rev. Clayton Lehman of the West Side E.U.B. Church officiating.

Burial will be in the Wichita Park Cemetery.

Ralph Wesley Gurwell was my great-uncle on my mother's paternal side. His wife's actual maiden name was "Burtch."

Copyright © 2015 by Kevin W. Walker

31 May 2015

His Fifteen Minutes of Fame? James Gurwell (1834-1926)

From the February 23, 1908 issue of The Topeka (KS) Daily Capital --

There is a tradition that a great battle between the Sac and Foxes and Pawnees was fought on Wolf river, near where Severance now stands, in 1844. James Gurwell, of Highland Station, settled in Missouri, opposite the mouth of Wolf river, in 1838 and frequently hunted deer in what is now Doniphan county, during the '40s. He says, he was within hearing distance of the Indian battle when it was fought.

This long history article on the Wolf River in Doniphan County, KS was written by the noted historian George Remsburg whose papers are on file with the Kansas Historical Society. They say George Remsburg "was a nationally known authority on the history and archaeological study of Indians in northeastern Kansas and northwest Missouri, as well as a noted author and journalist."

Quite a feat being quoted by such an authority! And I have seen the story of James Gurwell's recollection in other published works too.

The article itself is interesting reading, you only need to click on the pics to enlarge.

James G. Gurwell was my 2xg-grandfather on my mother's paternal side.

Copyright © 2015 by Kevin W. Walker

28 February 2015

Obituary for Sara Ella (Gurwell) Gibson 1865-1918

From the Augusta (KS) Gazette, Dec. 31, 1918 --

INFLUENZA PROVES A SCOURGE IN CITY

....After an illness of seven days' duration, Mrs. Gibson, wife of Charles Gibson of this city, died at her home on Dearborn Street last Friday afternoon. In addition to the husband, she is survived by four sons and one daughter. the funeral services and burial occurred Tuesday at Humboldt, Kans., to which city the body had been sent. The Gibson family has lived in Augusta a number of years.

Sara Gibson was my great-grandmother on my mother's paternal side. Thank you to my cousin Rick for thinking of me when he found it in research.

The timing of receiving this was serendipitous, I had just finished doing some lengthy research into the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 in relation to a relative on the other side of my tree who died because of it.

Copyright © 2015 by Kevin W. Walker

22 June 2014

Obituary Sunday: James G. Gurwell (1834-1926)

From the Humboldt Union newspaper, February 18, 1926 --

OBITUARY--JAMES GURWELL

James Gurwell passed away at his home near Williamstown, Kans., Sunday, February 14, 1926, at the age of 91 years, 11 months, and 19 days. Funeral services were held at the home at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Elder White of Kansas City, Mo. Internment was in the Williamstown cemetery.
James Gurwell was born near Toledo, Ohio, March 26, 1834. He was united in marriage to Miss Emily Jones in 1863 and was the father of thirteen children, nine of whom are living. He was one of the oldest settlers of Doniphan county and was a successful farmer. He was a kind and loving husband, father and grandfather.
Mr. Gurwell was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
He leaves to mourn his loss his wife Mrs. Emily Gurwell; five sons: Jacob, who lives four miles west of Humboldt; Jim, of Orange, Cal.; Ralph, who resides three miles north of Humboldt; Dan and Ernest of near Williamstown; four daughters, Mrs. Ida Sollars, of Joplin, Mo.; Mrs. Elizabeth Martin, Humboldt; Mrs. Lou Carl and Mrs. Walter Bradofrd, of Lawrence. All were present at the funeral except Jacob and Jim. Mr. Gurwell also leaves thirty-six grandchildren, forty great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Mr. Gurwell was well known in Humboldt and his many friends extend their deepest sympathy to the family.

James Gurwell was my 2xg-grandfather.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

08 June 2014

Sunday Obituary: Sara Ella Gibson (nee, Gurwell, 1865-1918)

This is more of an announcement than an obit, but it is as much as she got. From the Humboldt Union, January 2, 1919 --

Death of Mrs. Charles Gibson.
The body of Mrs. Charles Gibson was brought here Tuesday afternoon from Augusta, Kan., and burial was in the old Ellison cemetery. Her death is reported to have been caused by cancer. The Gibson family formerly lived in this community. Mrs. Gibson was a sister of Mrs. Lou Carl and R.W. Gurwell. Other relatives live in this locality.

Sara Ella Gurwell Gibson was my great-grandmother on my mother's paternal side.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

05 June 2014

Treasure Chest Thursday: Another Photo Restoration

By Miles at 399Retouch.com. Click on the pictures to enlarge --

Before --

After --

This is my 2xg-grandparents James and Emily (Jones) Gurwell of Humboldt, Kansas. This picture is circa 1910. I am not entirely sure it was worth the cost of the restoration, but it is my only pic of them.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker

02 June 2014

Amanuensis Monday: William Gurwell and his Apples

From The Apple - What It Is (Topeka, KS: Kansas State Horticultural Society, 1898) --

Wm. Gurwell, Fanning, Doniphan county : I have lived in Kansas thirty-five years : have 5000 apple trees, planted from two to thirty years. For commercial orchard I prefer Ben Davis, Winesap, Jonathan, White Winter Pearmain, and Rawle's Janet: and would add for family use Early Harvest and Domine. Have tried and discarded Yellow Bellflower; not prolific in this climate. I prefer hill with black loam and clay subsoil : any slope but southwest is good. I prefer two-year-old trees, and set them in holes dug two and-half to three feet square with a spade, and set the trees two or three inches deeper than they stood in the nursery. Have tried home-grown root grafts, and was successful. I cultivate to corn, potatoes, pumpkins, and melons, using plow and harrow. I crop a bearing orchard lightly, and cease when in full bearing. I kill the rabbits. I prune with saw, knife, and clippers, and think it beneficial. I seldom thin fruit on the trees. My trees are planted in blocks. I fertilize the land near the trees with stable litter; I would advise its use on thin soil. I pasture my orchard with calves and hogs, and think it advisable; it pays in some orchards. Trees are troubled with borers ; I hunt the borers with a wire. We pick carefully in large baskets and sacks from a step-ladder ; I pack in barrels. My best market is northwest of here ; I sometimes sell in the orchard at wholesale, retail, and peddle; dry and make cider of the culls; never dry for market. I sometimes store a few apples, and find the Winesap, White Winter Pearmain and Rawle's Janet keep the best. We have to repack stored apples before marketing them. Do not irrigate. Prices have been from 60 cents to $1.25 per barrel. I employ all kinds of help, and pay one dollar per day.

26 May 2014

Amanuensis Monday: Belgian Hare Meat

From the Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital, Topeka, KS, December 28, 1900 (click to enlarge) --

E.W. Howe's report on Belgian Hare meat as a substitute for beef: "The editor of the Globe yesterday dined on the Duke of Burgundy, son of Harold the Mighty, a Belgian hare sent by William Gurwell, postmaster at Fanning. A good many Belgian hares have been sold in this section at high prices, but so far as we know this is the first one eaten. Belgian hare meat is very much like plain rabbit, and no one eats rabbit except the boys that kill them. The Duke of Burgundy was young and fat, but not very much superior to ordinary cotton tail, except that he was not shot up."

17 May 2014

Surname Saturday: Gurwell

Today we return to Shirley Boyd's excellent family newsletter Gurwell Group (Vol.1, No. 1: May, 1996) --

ORIGIN OF GURWELL?

The Historical Research Center of Deerfield Beach, Florida, says that the surname Gurwell, is local in origin and comes from the name of a place called Gorrel Farm in the county of Buckinghamshire, England which was earlier called Gorhale. The Center furthers says that is could be a nickname from the Middle English word "Gorrell" which referred to a "fat-paunched person". There are also places in the counties of Devon and Essex, when translated from the Old French, mean :a dweller by the muddy spring". The practice of using surnames did not begin in Britain until the thirteenth century.

Early written references to the name or a variation thereof are: William Henry Gorel in Kent in 1176 and the same name in Devon in 1221, Cecily de Gorhull in the county Lancashire in 1246, Walter de Gorewell in Essex in 1274, Margeria Gorulf in Sussex and Worchestershire in 1296 and John Goroulfe in the same counties in 1327. The Center also says that "the record shows that variant forms of the name were introduced into North America during the nineteenth century."

20 April 2014

Sunday's Obituary: Emily (Jones) Gurwell 1847-1935

From THE IOLA DAILY REGISTER, WEDNESDAY EVENING. OCTOBER 28, 1935, Iola, Kansas (click to enlarge) --

Mrs. Emily Jones Gurwell, 88 years old, died at the home of her son Ernest Gurwell Sunday evening. Her death was caused by paralysis. She had been bedfast for several months. Mrs. Gurwell was born in 1847 and has lived in Humboldt seven years. Her husband died nine years ago. Survivors are four daughters, Mrs. Lee Martin, Humboldt, Mrs.. Ida Soiers, Kansas City, Mrs. Rosetta French, Chanute, and Mrs. Alice Bradford, Lawrence; four sons, Ernest Gurwell, Dan Gurwell, and Ralph Gurwell of Humboldt, and James Gurwell of Los Angeles; and one step-son, Jacob Gurwell of Chanute. Funeral services were held this afternoon in the Presbyterian church with the Rev. D. L. Sanborne in charge. Burial in the Ellison cemetery west of Humboldt.

19 April 2014

The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and my Gurwells

Researching my family tree has brought two things to light regarding religion, the first I did know, the second I did not.

Neither of my parents were particularly religious, so we did not attend regularly, but when we did we went to the local branch of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. These are the followers of Joseph Smith whom after his death, followed his son and other members of the immediate family into northern Illinois then Missouri, instead of following Brigham Young to Utah. The R.L.D.S. church is now officially known as The Community of Christ. The R.L.D.S. church is the predominant religion of my mom's ancestors, it is behind both her parents. This is why what my maternal grandmother had always told us growing up was that "the R.L.D.S. is our family religion."

What I didn't know was the predominant church traditions behind my Dad. Scatterings of Presbyterians, Catholics, Methodists. But after you get behind my paternal grandparents, there is a huge population of Quakers! About seventy percent. This explains why the strong tradition of abolitionism, among other things.

Being a devout Christian myself, I am going to enjoy researching the religious side of my ancestors. Here are the R.L.D.S. church membership records for my gg-grandparents James G. Gurwell (1834-1926) and his wife Emily Gurwell (nee. Jones, 1847-1935). You will note James was married first to Mary Hobaugh. They were living in Doniphan County, Kansas, and attending the Fanning branch of the R.L.D.S. church --

-- The Community of Christ archivist at their headquarters was very amiable and helpful. She even included records that she thought were relevant although I had not requested them. The cost was $15 an hour and 20-cents a copy, but almost never does a charge ever go over $20. Rules are research is only done for records of members who have been deceased for eighteen years. Requests can be by email, and remittance of payment is on the honor system.

17 April 2014

Jacob L. Gurwell (1786 - abt. 1860)

The following is reproduced with permission from the "Gurwell Group" newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 4, (December, 1996) writer and editor Shirley Boyd --

Of the three young Gurwells, William, James and Jacob L., the least is known about Jacob L.

Jacob L. Gurwell did not remain long in one spot. First mention is in Mercer County, PA from where he served in the War of 1812.

Jacob L. enlisted for the period of October 1, 1812 to April 2, 1813 in the Pennsylvania Militia and served as a private in Captain Matthew Dawson's Company of (PA) Militia, 5th Battalion (Nelson's) Infantry.¹They joined General Crook's brigade and marched through Ohio to operate with General William Henry Harrison against the British at Ft. Meigs. He served two months and receive $13.32 for his service. Jacob L. was discharged December 10, at Mansfield, Ohio (Richland County) which was "210 miles from home." One Company Muster Roll shows 285 miles from home (19 days). His allowance for clothing was $3.98.²

In October 1817, he married Mrs. Elenor Da(o)rland in Perry Township, Wayne County, Ohio, by Daniel Hutchison, J.P.³

The 1820 census of Berlin Township, Coshocton County, Ohio (became Holmes County in 1826) shows that there was one male 26-45, two females under 10 and one female 16-26 in Jacob's household.

On May 1, 1821 he purchased "Lot No. five of the fourth quarter of the tenth Township & the Sixth range of the tract...lying in the State of Ohio."⁴ However, in November of the same year he sold the land to Jacob Frye. Jacob L.'s wife was listed as Aley.⁵

On April 25, 1822 he purchased land in Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio. (Sale was the from Delaware County, Ohio land office. The deed was signed by President James Monroe.)⁶

By 1823 he had moved to Crawford County, Ohio. A history of Crawford County records that "in 1823 in Liberty Township, Crawford County, the Northwest corner of Jacob L. Gurwell's farm was the first burying ground in that area so it is believed that one of the first to die belonged to Jacob L. The graveyard no longer exists."⁷ Jacob L. is on the 1826 personal property tax list in Liberty Township. "Prior to 1830 Jacob L. and David Hawk started a tannery northeast of Annapolis in Liberty Township."⁸In 1832 and '33 Jacob L. was on the tax list in Liberty Township for lands and house. In 1834 he bought land in Chatfield Township, Crawford County.

The 1830 census of Crawford County, Liberty Township lists the following in Jacob L.'s household: one male under 5, one male 40-50 (Jacob), one female under 5, one female 5-10, two females 10-15 and one female (20-30) (Aley).

While living in Crawford County, Jacob bought and sold many tracts of land. The last land transaction in Crawford County was in 1836 when he sold land to Isaac Starns. He signed the land record and Aley made her mark.

Jacob L. next appears in the 1850 Holt County, Missouri census. He is 64 and lists his birthplace as Pennsylvania. In his household are Emma, 26, born in Ohio, James, 16, born in Ohio, Amanda, 11, born in Illinois and William, 3, born in Missouri. From this we can infer that he lived in Illinois after he left Ohio, that Aley died sometime after the birth of William (assuming that she was William's mother).

-----------------------------------------------------

_FOOTNOTES:1-Military Records from the National Archives; 2-Ibid.; 3-Wayne County, Ohio Marriage Records. 1812-1829.; 4-Holmes County, Ohio Deed Book Vol. 15, p. 19, Holmes County Court House, Millersburg, Ohio. (Poor copy.); 5-Holmes County, Ohio Transcript Deed Record 11, p. 173, Court House, Millersburg, Ohio.; 6-Crawford County, Ohio, Recorder's Office, Bucyrus, Ohio Deed Book 4, p. 108-109.; 7-1881 History of Crawford County, Ohio; 8-Ibid. p. 576

Jacob Laban Gurwell is my 3x-great-grandfather on my mother's paternal (Gibson) side.

If you have anything to add on the Gurwell family history both Shirley and I would like to hear from you. She can be emailed at shirboy[at]aol.com.

Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker