Dear Glenn,
I have a picture of my family taken in 1923 at the England place. I imagine your mother had some pictures of the time we went to Antrim, Ohio. I have one with Father standing in the yard with two cousins that he had not known he had. One with Caryl and Dad at the same time. I have the large picture of the group taken at Antrim. I am not in it because I was taking moving pictures on our movie camera and some still pictures.
I have a picture of the grave stones we had put up in cemetery at Judsonia, AR. The stone that was there was Civil War stone and was faded out until you could not read it. The three childrens names on concrete edging that was around the lot was faded so. I knew the names that should be there or I would not know who they were. A year later we went back and they had not kept it. There is a magnolia tree in the center of the plot that is very old.
When my Grandmother lost her husband and two girls and the stepson she had nothing left, but her brother that lived in Kansas City, I don't know which one, sent her a ticket to Kansas City and then to Noble to her parents with Father and Aunt Lilly, Father was 4 and Aunt Lilly was 10 years old. Grandma lived there, her father had a mill ((feed mill, I suppose), when Great-Grand-mother Gray died she bought 3 acres from her father and built a 3 room house. Her parents lived in a log house.
Aunt Lilly took some kind of course from Normal University to prepare her to teach. She was 20 when her mother died. Father went to Uncle Eph and made his headquarters there. He went to Decatur, IL and worked, I don't know what at, but that was when Father started chewing tobacco. The Grays just lived about 2 miles north of where Mother lived, they both went to the same grade school, Gray School House. Father went until 3rd or 4th grade and Mother went until about 6th grade.
I have a list of the Gray brothers and sisters, Uncle Eph, Frank, Orley, Leonard, Rob, and a sister that was mother of Fern Gray that married a Hickle or Hickel. I will try and find the Gray papers and have them together wit the Meredith papers.
I received a letter or Christmas card from Kathryn Meredith Rolinski Peterson. Her first husband died, she married Peterson. I invited her to the 1983 reunion. Her Dad was first cousin to my Dad.
The Daniel Grays lived about 3 miles from Adam Guyot. Daniel Gray was Sarah Louisa Gray's father, my grandmother, mother of Robert Leroy Meredith. She married Robert Campbell Meredith, son of George Meredith. his youngest son of 13 children was George Washington Meredith and his son was Frank Meredith, father of Kathryn Meredith Rolinski Peterson. She had one brother, William Meredith who died about 1980. His wife, Hazel, is still living. She lives near LaRose, IL where Kathryn lives.
Daniel Gray married Maria Vermilye - 1st wife. Ten children were born to this union, third in line was Sarah Louisa Gray - 2nd wife of Daniel. His first wife and 6 children died in Ohio. Within a year he married Sarah Louisa Gray. They moved to Judsonia, AR. Aunt Lilly and my father, Robert Leroy Meredith, were born there. Two older children were born there but died at birth. Nora May died at age of 8 years. Carrie Jane died at the age of 13 years. They are buried at Judsonia, AR, where Robert Campbell and his son by his first wife, Elsworth are buried, I believe that he was 21 years of age.
When Wilbur and I were in Judsonia, AR at the cemetery, we found that the stone markers had deteriorated to the point that they were hardly readable. We purchased a new stone and had it put in place of the old one. The names of the children are in the concrete edging around the plot, it was still there when we were there the last time. Also, there is a large Magnolia tree in the middle of the plot.
About the spelling of my name, I spell it without the second "O". Wilbur's sister, Miss Dorothy uses both "O"s to make it easier to keep our two names legally apart.
In your first sheet, the farm where you were born is a mile west and a mile and a half north of Galesville. Six miles south of Mansfield. Blue Ridge is on the Wabash Railroad but Galesville is 3 to 4 miles north of Mansfield. That house is straight across the field from us and one quarter mile south. Verne Zieders lived one quarter mile north.
Friday 11 July 2014
Letter to Glenn Meredith from Aunt Dorthy
August 1, 1991
Dear Glenn,
Everyone seemed to enjoy the day Saturday. It was wonderful so many came and the wonderful part of the day was a beautiful cool July day. We were indeed blessed.
Glenn it takes someone to take hold of an idea and go with it. I want to thank you for doing just that. It would have never happened if you and Shirley hadn't had the enthusiasm and desire to make it happen. I thank you for it.
I hope you had a good trip home. You are use to driving long trips alone but you had many thoughts to accompany you.
My thoughts of your Dad and Mother, they had goals and ideas and they didn't let go until they made them happen.
The world has to have those kinds of people, then there are the followers. There has to be both kinds. Then there are those that find fault with any thing that other people think of. We don't need those kind but we have them. One time Wilbur said, "pick up your feet and quit dragging." He had ideas and goals and many times I wasn't one to push; instead I dragged along. If we had more pushers, more positive persons instead of negative people.
I have been more negative, why? I wonder. Mother was a negative person to a certain extent. Father wanted to do things, go places, she would rather stay home. I think of the hard work she had in feeding and clothing her family with no convenience, she was glad to have him take some of us and go.
She always made it possible for him to go. His shoes were polished, he had clean clothes to look clean and dressed in the best they had. I remember her saying, "he is before the public and how he looked was a reflection on her. " It didn't matter about her. He came first. She helped him in the only way she knew how. She was such a clean person. She said many times, "it is no sin to be poor, but it is a sin to be dirty."
I hope you find happiness and contentment with another mate. There is nothing worse than being alone.
Thanks for being you.
Our love to you
Aunt Dorthy and Uncle Wilbur
Thanks for all you do.
Dear Glenn,
Everyone seemed to enjoy the day Saturday. It was wonderful so many came and the wonderful part of the day was a beautiful cool July day. We were indeed blessed.
Glenn it takes someone to take hold of an idea and go with it. I want to thank you for doing just that. It would have never happened if you and Shirley hadn't had the enthusiasm and desire to make it happen. I thank you for it.
I hope you had a good trip home. You are use to driving long trips alone but you had many thoughts to accompany you.
My thoughts of your Dad and Mother, they had goals and ideas and they didn't let go until they made them happen.
The world has to have those kinds of people, then there are the followers. There has to be both kinds. Then there are those that find fault with any thing that other people think of. We don't need those kind but we have them. One time Wilbur said, "pick up your feet and quit dragging." He had ideas and goals and many times I wasn't one to push; instead I dragged along. If we had more pushers, more positive persons instead of negative people.
I have been more negative, why? I wonder. Mother was a negative person to a certain extent. Father wanted to do things, go places, she would rather stay home. I think of the hard work she had in feeding and clothing her family with no convenience, she was glad to have him take some of us and go.
She always made it possible for him to go. His shoes were polished, he had clean clothes to look clean and dressed in the best they had. I remember her saying, "he is before the public and how he looked was a reflection on her. " It didn't matter about her. He came first. She helped him in the only way she knew how. She was such a clean person. She said many times, "it is no sin to be poor, but it is a sin to be dirty."
I hope you find happiness and contentment with another mate. There is nothing worse than being alone.
Thanks for being you.
Our love to you
Aunt Dorthy and Uncle Wilbur
Thanks for all you do.
Lord Beazly, Ireland
In 1654, 1656 and 1659, an act of settlement was enacted to parcel out land among the soldiers and creditors of the Commonwealth, and only those Irish landowners able to prove their constant support of the Parliamentary cause escaped having their estates confiscated.
Charles I (1625-49) and the commonwealth (1649-60) were responsible for the raising of armies and thus uprisings occurred.
The Commonwealth was a union of England, Scotland, and Ireland effected in 1653.
Of these, those who catholic were still obliged to exchange land owned to the northeast or south of the river Shannon for land in Connaught, Galway is in Connaught.
Under William III, protestants were the only members of Parliament. He defeated James II in 1690. The Catholics supported James II. They lost all their property. If they accepted Williams regime they were exempt from discriminatory laws.
Lord Beazly gave money and soldiers to Charles I who was catholic. He then received land under the commonwealth as a Catholic in Galway. I didn't find a direct reference to Lord Beazly; however, it is the only reference to the prayer book of Geffory Beasley. Charles I and then later the Commonwealth gave land to supporters of both. Soldiers also received land. This is the only traceable historical event to this era. Aunt Minnie Howe told me about Lord Beazly.
In 1828-29 repeal of the Test Act and Catholic emancipation provided for political equality. The great potatoe famine of the 1840's caused further emigrations. Charles I and the commonwealth gave land to Lord Beasley in return for money and soldiers. They were catholics, thus received land near Galway.
The exiles who came to America gave money to support Venianism. They failed in 1865, they were imprisoned. The funding continued for a nation wide uprising.
Grandfather took advantage of it to sell his property in 1881 under the land act of 1881. A famine was projected. You can assume with support from Irish exiles, a famine is a nationwide uprising. He would not want a constant changing of land reforms. It was not a lasting reform.
The potatoe blight of the 1840's cause no proceeds from the crops, a famine resulted.
A 'vision' was given probably during the 1840's to Grandfather Beasley to give him freedom from the constant land reforms and uprisings. When he came to America, he would not do what anyone said. He had done it all. I certainly can understand why after 1840 that anyone would want to leave for the freedom from violence in America.
I assume my assumptions are correct. This is the only reference that is in the Encyclopedia Brittanica 1985. The rest is my logical assumptions.
This land from Lord Beazly was south of the Shannon River. This was town was Innashannon.
Charles I (1625-49) and the commonwealth (1649-60) were responsible for the raising of armies and thus uprisings occurred.
The Commonwealth was a union of England, Scotland, and Ireland effected in 1653.
Of these, those who catholic were still obliged to exchange land owned to the northeast or south of the river Shannon for land in Connaught, Galway is in Connaught.
Under William III, protestants were the only members of Parliament. He defeated James II in 1690. The Catholics supported James II. They lost all their property. If they accepted Williams regime they were exempt from discriminatory laws.
Lord Beazly gave money and soldiers to Charles I who was catholic. He then received land under the commonwealth as a Catholic in Galway. I didn't find a direct reference to Lord Beazly; however, it is the only reference to the prayer book of Geffory Beasley. Charles I and then later the Commonwealth gave land to supporters of both. Soldiers also received land. This is the only traceable historical event to this era. Aunt Minnie Howe told me about Lord Beazly.
In 1828-29 repeal of the Test Act and Catholic emancipation provided for political equality. The great potatoe famine of the 1840's caused further emigrations. Charles I and the commonwealth gave land to Lord Beasley in return for money and soldiers. They were catholics, thus received land near Galway.
The exiles who came to America gave money to support Venianism. They failed in 1865, they were imprisoned. The funding continued for a nation wide uprising.
Grandfather took advantage of it to sell his property in 1881 under the land act of 1881. A famine was projected. You can assume with support from Irish exiles, a famine is a nationwide uprising. He would not want a constant changing of land reforms. It was not a lasting reform.
The potatoe blight of the 1840's cause no proceeds from the crops, a famine resulted.
A 'vision' was given probably during the 1840's to Grandfather Beasley to give him freedom from the constant land reforms and uprisings. When he came to America, he would not do what anyone said. He had done it all. I certainly can understand why after 1840 that anyone would want to leave for the freedom from violence in America.
I assume my assumptions are correct. This is the only reference that is in the Encyclopedia Brittanica 1985. The rest is my logical assumptions.
This land from Lord Beazly was south of the Shannon River. This was town was Innashannon.
Wednesday 9 July 2014
Letter to Aunt Ethel from Faye
Dear Aunt Ethel,
We were just in Illinois last week end to meet April,
who came from her job in Charlottesville, Virginia to celebrate Mom's 85th birthday and uncle Amiel and Lorraine's 40th anniversary.
Reading the Gieske family history reminded me to read the Beazly's again. When I did I thought of several questions that only you may be able to answer.
1. Was the family farm in County Cork the same land that was given to "Lord Beazly"?
2. Was it a reward for civic service or military service?
3. Since William the Conqueror brought soldiers over from Normandy and elsewhere in Europe, does anyone know if the Beazly's came from the continent then, like maybe France?
4. Did the Webbs have to leave Ireland after your parents did? Since they are living at Bristol it made me wonder. Someone said there is a caravan dealer named Webb still in Ireland. Do I have that straight? Sis told us how she left Ireland. It is hard to imagine anyone hating her enough to shoot at her.
5. What was Uncle Willie Moore's story you referred to? Something about the Revolution.... My Grandma was a Moore, but we have only traced back to Charleston where a Moore married a Furr from N.C.
Beverly went looking for the church in Ireland where your ancestors are buried, and she did find the place. Someone pointed out an abandoned house where the family used to live. I think she took a picture of a tombstone about a year ago.
One more question: that beautiful flow blue willow ware you had in your living room, was it your mother's or grandmother's china?
Our business is booming right now, but it isn't like this all year round. George is selling the same house and 5 acres he sold his first year.
Beverly is spending a few days in London trying to make up her mind about her next contract. She may go back to Sydney, Australia. The Chase Bank offered another contract where she used to work. Eventually she says she will go back to Florida.
My brother Edwin has a branch in England now. He goes over for a month at the time. His only son got married quietly last month to a nice level headed girl. They live in Nashville, which is Edwin's home base.
Love Faye
RESPONSE
Dear Faye and George,
My writing has gotten terrible since January when I had a pacemaker put in, so Glenn said he would type this up for me.
1. Yes, Cork is the largest city in the county of Cork.
2. I'm not sure what the grant of Lord Beazly was but you could find it in a city library all I can remember of William of Orange was what Dad's sister, Aunt Minnie Howe told me -- now if the paper I had written up had William the Conqueror then that is right. My memory was better then than now. It must have been about 1600, I know it was a long time before Queen Victoria. The grant of land across the south of Ireland, Dad had only about 40 acres of land left when they came to the US in 1892.
3. No, perhaps that's the reason it's spelled Beazly, not Beasley.
4. I think I remember Uncle Eddie Webb moved to England at the time and helped his son in Bristol. When the folks and I were in Ireland Mother's brother married a girl by the name of Sarah, I have no idea when she died, then Uncle Eddie married her sister, Eva.
5. All I know about Uncle Willie Moore, he was married to my mother's sister. Mother said she talked too much and made the IRA mad and had to leave Ireland. There were several families that had to leave Ireland, and came to our house in the 1920's and scattered throughout the country.
I would like to have a picture of the grave stone. I'll send it back. Was the Webb house a 2-story house that you drove up to, with the barn attached to it at the back, windows on each side of the front door both up and down? If it was a one story house, it was the ruins of my father's old home.
I would like a picture of the grave stone, I'll send it back.
One of Uncle Eddie's sons lived in the Webb house about 1940, when Jim and Evelyn went for a visit. The Blue Willow ware turkey platter was mother's and brought it from Ireland. If your mother has rough white platter, that one is over 200 years old. I gave that to her so it would stay in the Beazly father. There is a platter just like it on the mantle in the soap "As the World Turns" in Bob's and Kim's house.
t
We were just in Illinois last week end to meet April,
who came from her job in Charlottesville, Virginia to celebrate Mom's 85th birthday and uncle Amiel and Lorraine's 40th anniversary.
Reading the Gieske family history reminded me to read the Beazly's again. When I did I thought of several questions that only you may be able to answer.
1. Was the family farm in County Cork the same land that was given to "Lord Beazly"?
2. Was it a reward for civic service or military service?
3. Since William the Conqueror brought soldiers over from Normandy and elsewhere in Europe, does anyone know if the Beazly's came from the continent then, like maybe France?
4. Did the Webbs have to leave Ireland after your parents did? Since they are living at Bristol it made me wonder. Someone said there is a caravan dealer named Webb still in Ireland. Do I have that straight? Sis told us how she left Ireland. It is hard to imagine anyone hating her enough to shoot at her.
5. What was Uncle Willie Moore's story you referred to? Something about the Revolution.... My Grandma was a Moore, but we have only traced back to Charleston where a Moore married a Furr from N.C.
Beverly went looking for the church in Ireland where your ancestors are buried, and she did find the place. Someone pointed out an abandoned house where the family used to live. I think she took a picture of a tombstone about a year ago.
One more question: that beautiful flow blue willow ware you had in your living room, was it your mother's or grandmother's china?
Our business is booming right now, but it isn't like this all year round. George is selling the same house and 5 acres he sold his first year.
Beverly is spending a few days in London trying to make up her mind about her next contract. She may go back to Sydney, Australia. The Chase Bank offered another contract where she used to work. Eventually she says she will go back to Florida.
My brother Edwin has a branch in England now. He goes over for a month at the time. His only son got married quietly last month to a nice level headed girl. They live in Nashville, which is Edwin's home base.
Love Faye
RESPONSE
Dear Faye and George,
My writing has gotten terrible since January when I had a pacemaker put in, so Glenn said he would type this up for me.
1. Yes, Cork is the largest city in the county of Cork.
2. I'm not sure what the grant of Lord Beazly was but you could find it in a city library all I can remember of William of Orange was what Dad's sister, Aunt Minnie Howe told me -- now if the paper I had written up had William the Conqueror then that is right. My memory was better then than now. It must have been about 1600, I know it was a long time before Queen Victoria. The grant of land across the south of Ireland, Dad had only about 40 acres of land left when they came to the US in 1892.
3. No, perhaps that's the reason it's spelled Beazly, not Beasley.
4. I think I remember Uncle Eddie Webb moved to England at the time and helped his son in Bristol. When the folks and I were in Ireland Mother's brother married a girl by the name of Sarah, I have no idea when she died, then Uncle Eddie married her sister, Eva.
5. All I know about Uncle Willie Moore, he was married to my mother's sister. Mother said she talked too much and made the IRA mad and had to leave Ireland. There were several families that had to leave Ireland, and came to our house in the 1920's and scattered throughout the country.
I would like to have a picture of the grave stone. I'll send it back. Was the Webb house a 2-story house that you drove up to, with the barn attached to it at the back, windows on each side of the front door both up and down? If it was a one story house, it was the ruins of my father's old home.
I would like a picture of the grave stone, I'll send it back.
One of Uncle Eddie's sons lived in the Webb house about 1940, when Jim and Evelyn went for a visit. The Blue Willow ware turkey platter was mother's and brought it from Ireland. If your mother has rough white platter, that one is over 200 years old. I gave that to her so it would stay in the Beazly father. There is a platter just like it on the mantle in the soap "As the World Turns" in Bob's and Kim's house.
t
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