Aunt Mildred’s Memories
The following collection of anecdotes, stories and history was written by
my Aunt Mildred (Mildred Rhea Blackard Donham) for her son in December 1996.
Aunt Mildred has been kind enough to grant permission for her writings to
be placed on the Blackard Family web for others to share.
Our branch of the Blackard Family is descended from the 5 brothers (sons
of William Blackard-Sumner County, Tennessee) who came to Illinois in the
1830’s. Three generations of Blackards remained in Southern Illinois
(the brothers from Tennessee, Felix Grundy Blackard and John Crawford Blackard)
and in the 1940’s and 1950’s Aunt Mildred’s generation began a move to Southwest
Illinois (east of St. Louis, Missouri).
Three living children of John Crawford Blackard still live in this area (Mildred
Rhea Blackard Donham, Mamie Blackard Kinsall and Kathleen
Blackard Naef).
We should thank my sister Mary Lu (Mary Luella Blackard Wardle) for transcribing
Aunt Mildred’s stories…it did keep her busy over the last Thanksgiving get
together.
Hope you all enjoy this visit to the past.
John Ferrell Blackard
February, 2001
Glen Carbon, Illinois
To start, I came from a large family. My oldest sister was born in
1893, and the only one younger than myself was born in 1920; a span of 27
years. The older ones were grown and away from home before the younger
ones came. In those days large families were not unusual.
Our “Mamma” and “Papa” cared well for their family. He was strict –
she, not so strict. Our home was comfortable for those days and by
those standards.
Papa owned the grocery store and earned a good living. In one of his
best years, he made $15,000—lots of money for that time.
Papa was born in 1872; Mamma, in 1873.
Since Grandpa Blackard was born so many years ago (in 1830), I was wondering
if he ever learned to read. So I asked my oldest sister, Veva, about
it. She said, “Oh my yes! Of course he could read. How
well I remember him reading the Bible aloud.” She said he would sit
on the side porch of their house, in a straight-backed chair, and read.
He was getting hard of hearing in his old age and he read so loud they could
hear him over at our house, which was next door.
To find out more about him I talked to my brother Otto. He told me
that he used to go over to Grandpa’s and Grandma’s house (when he was about
10 years old) and Grandpa would sit with him by the fireplace and sing those
special old Welsh songs for him. Otto always loved the sound of the
old Welsh music. The songs have a different air about them, if you
have ever heard them.
By that, I began to think that Grandpa had come from Wales. But Otto
said “No.” He was born in Kentucky.
When he was 19, in 1849, he came to Illinois. There he built a three-faced
cottage, for his first winter – put brush walls up on the open side.
He was located by the Wabash River (Probably not far from what is now Carmi,
Illinois – White County). There was the threat of floods on the Wabash
River, so he moved ahead to a location near Old Village campground in Gallatin
County, Illinois. There he built a log home on a wooded hill named
Mt. Olive. My father and his brothers and sisters were born and raised
there. I remember when “Pop” would take us children for a Sunday afternoon
walk. Once in awhile we went to Mt. Olive and walked around up there
and saw the old home place. Papa died when I was 11 years old.
In Papa’s family, they all liked singing and they had all kinds of instruments:
an old-fashioned organ, horns, strings (Mandolin was one of Papa’s favorites).
Mamma said she could remember how pretty it would sound through the woods
and hills when Papa played the trumpet out there.
He could play nearly all instruments (the ones he had a chance to try).
Best of all was his tenor voice. He was known and remembered
for that – for many years after his death.
Mamma said that once, when they were newly-weds, they started out on a family
picnic. She was so happy, swinging along with her dinner pail.
She remarked that she felt like a school girl, going to school. Well,
Grandpa laughed and told her, “Child, you surely are going to school; the
biggest one – the school of Life.” Little did she know – eleven children
in her future.
More information from Otto’s memory of family history:
The Blackards lived in England at the time of religious
persecution that forced the Pilgrims out of the country. They were
among the families who fled to Holland. There, in time, they all became
dis-satisfied. But they were not welcome to return to England.
So they went from Holland to Wales where they lived for awhile. (The
Ferrells also came from that vicinity; Mom Blackard was a Ferrell.)
In 1638 they came from Wales to America. At first they settled in Massachusetts.
Eighteen years later, they moved on to Virginia and North Carolina, settling
along the Yadkin River there.
There were quite a few of them who lived in that area.
When Grandpa and Grandma Blackard moved from Mt. Olive into town at Omaha,
Illinois, they bought the house next door to our house. Otto said Grandpa
gave him some black powder, some musket caps, a little wooden charger he
had carved to measure powder, and a bullet mold. He kept them for a
long time. A few years ago he decided the powder was dangerous and
disposed of it.
Another thing that Grandpa promised to him was a turkey-wing fan he had hanging
on the wall. It was from the first turkey he killed after he came to
Illinois. It was so skinny it wasn’t fit to eat. So he cut off
the wings for a fan. He was a little discouraged because a turkey couldn’t
get fat in Illinois. He didn’t get the fan though, because it burned
when that house burned to the ground in 1913.
GRANDPA BLACKARD’s OBITUARY:
Death of Felix Grundy Blackard. Peacefully entered into that haven
of rest prepared for God’s trusting and believing children. Felix
G. Blackard, one of our oldest and best known citizens departed this life
Saturday, July 22, at 12:15 p.m., 1911. He was born near Old Village campground
in White County, Illinois, September 16, 1830, being at the time of his decease
80 years, 10 months and 6 days old. (Otto says this place of birth
is wrong.)He grew to manhood in this community and all the years of his long
and useful life were spent in the vicinity of his youth. He was twice married,
his first wife being Sarah E. Gott, to whom he was married April 5, 1854.
To this union three children were born; two girls and one boy. Sarah
Catherine and Martha Emeline, the two girls, died when quite young of diphtheria,
just within 14 days of each other. The son, Solon, lived to be 24 years
old, dying in 1883.
His first wife died March 24, 1895. February 26, 1866, he was married
to Harriet A. Pearce Oliver. To this union ten children were born,
of whom five are still living and five have preceded him to the glory land.
The dead children are Nellie P., Edwin M., Ethel, Mrs. Mamie A. Moore and
Mrs. Alma Green. The sons and daughters surviving him are Dr. Will
J. Blackard of Harrisburg, Herman M. and John C. of Omaha, Mrs. May Lowe
(Aunt May) of Cimaron, Kansas and Mrs. Lou Collins of near Ridgway. He had
twenty grandchildren, all of whom are living except one. Of the grandchildren
living, all were present at their grandfather’s funeral but one. He
leaves a wife, one brother – A.M. Blackard of Danville, and one sister, Mrs.
Margaret Armstrong of this place, to mourn his going on before until that
time in the near future when there will be a happy reunion of all in that
bright land. The time and environments surrounding his early youth and manhood
were not favorable to his obtaining an education, but he improved the meager
advantages as best he could. He is well known to hundreds who will
read this poor tribute to his worth as one of the great singers and singing
teachers of his day and time. He loved music with all his heart and
mind, and it is wonderful to think of the knowledge and attainments he acquired
of it when we consider that his opportunities were so limited. Truthfully
may it be said of him that he taught hundreds how to sing, but not one to
sin. He was a man of earnest, serious convictions.
Politically he was a type of the old school of Democrats and believed in
the doctrines as given by Jefferson and Jackson. Religiously he believed
in the doctrines of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and down to his dying
hour he gloried in the triumphs of the who-so-ever-will doctrine, as so clearly
enumerated by his favorite church. Morally and socially he was invariably
found on the side of a higher, purer and nobler life. His example,
in his life, is truly one for emulation by all who desire the good, the pure
and noble to prevail in this life. Truly a noble life well rounded
out with years and honors is ended. Mr. Blackard had been in failing
health for some time, but was able to be up and about until ten days previous
to his death. He often spoke of wishing the end was here and expressed
himself as being ready to meet death. Funeral services were held at the Presbyterian
church, conducted by Rev. S.P.Pryor of the Presbyterian church and Rev. W.M.
Brown of the Methodist church. Interment was in the new cemetery north
of town. After the congregation had gathered a deep silence was broken
by the soft tones of the organ as Mrs. Maud Bryant began to play “Jesus,
Savior, Pilot Me,” which was sung by the choir.
Rev. Brown read a scripture lesson from Psalms, followed by prayer by Rev.
Pryor, after which Bob Rudolph, always a favorite of “Uncle Felix” sang “Beautiful
Isle of Somewhere.” Rev. Brown made an appropriate talk which was followed
by a male quartette, composed of Henry Lamb, Otto Davis, Bob Rudolph and
Albert Wallace (Veva’s husband, whom we all called “Cobb” for the baseball
player, Ty Cobb), who sang “Silently the Shades of Evening,” which has an
untold solemnity. Rev. Pryor read the obituary and talked on the life and
character of the deceased, after which the choir sang “Nearer, My God, to
Thee,” and “It is Well With My Soul.” Services were conducted at the
grave with a short prayer by Rev. Brown.
(Bob Rudolph and Papa sang together and made records together. The
old cylinder type records. They all burned when Grandma Blackard’s
house burned in 1913.)
One of the good memories that Louise, Mamie, Don and Kathleen kept of Grandma
Blackard was of her scraping apples for them. She’d sit down with her
apron lap full of apples and a table knife. They’d get around her,
on their knees – waiting for their next mouthful of scraped apple.
Aunt Emma was the wife of one of Papa’s brothers, Uncle Herman. They
were childless. When Uncle Herman died, at an early age, Aunt Emma
came and lived with our family for several years.
Grandma Blackard came from an interesting family. But I realize I am
writing more than you asked for.
Otto, Louise and Mamie can remember lots of good things to tell about her.
After her house burned, (in Jan.-Feb. of 1913) she lived at our house until
her death in February, 1919. (She was visiting Uncle Will Blackard
at the time of her death.)
Of their children I can remember My Dad, John Crawford Blackard;
Uncle Will Blackard, a Dr. in Harrisburg, Illinois; Aunt May Lowe,
Springfield; and Aunt Lou Collins, Ridgway, Illinois.
I can’t remember Uncle Herman (He died before I was born), but his widow,
Aunt Emma was a favorite aunt. She lived with our family for several
years after Uncle Herman died. She never forgot that my dad told her,
“Emma, as long as we have a crust of bread, you are welcome to share it.”
Then she married again, a retired, widowed Judge at Eldorado. We children
called him “Uncle Billy” Summers. He always spent his Christmases
and Thanksgivings, etc. with his married children, and Aunt Emma came to
Omaha to spend all the holidays with us. She had no children of her
own, but looked on us as her own. She was fun and we loved her.
Aunt May Lowe married a Mr. Richard Lowe and lived for a while in Kansas.
He died long before I was born. They had two daughters; Sybil, who
lived in Springfield, Mo. and Faye Drennan, who lived in Springfield, Mo.
and later in St. Louis, Mo. (Mr. Lowe died when Sybil and Faye were
young. Aunt May worked in a dry goods store for many years.)
Faye was married to Joe Drennan. They had two sons, Joe Mike and Richard.
You probably remember Richard. He came over and spent the night with
you once when you were about 10, John.
Aunt Lou married Henry Collins. They had two sons, Burl and Ralph.
They lived on their farm northwest of Ridgway. Aunt Lou was a school
teacher before she married.
Ralph, the younger son married his high school sweetheart, Julia Smith, and
they had two boys (lived in Indiana – had a beautiful home). Ralph
and Julia are both dead now.
Burl married Germaine in France after World War II. They lived in Alton;
have one daughter, Ann Louise, and two grandsons.
Uncle Will was County Superintendent of schools when he was a young man.
Married Ella Mills. He became a Doctor in Harrisburg, Illinois.
He was well known (He and two associates are the founders of the Harrisburg
Hospital). He was honored once at the University of Illinois for having
the most children graduate from there – Eight.
Their children are:
Mary – Married Louis Stevens, Coach at Urbana.
Bill – Doctor at Harrisburg, Illinois
Clara – French teacher at Alton High. Married now in her retirement
to John Small. They live in Harrisburg.
Byron – Music teacher at Naperville, Illinois. Retired in Florida. Died.
Ĕva - Business professional; lived in Washington, D.C. Retired
in Harrisburg. Died.
Maurice – Pipe organist and Pilot. Died or lost on a solo mission doing aerial
photography in WWII.
Nellie – Died of diptheria while a baby.
Dorothy - (my age) was a business person in Chicago. Married Ed Sora – died
several years ago.
Virginia – a foods expert for one of the big companies – I forget which one
– good job.
ONE- ROOM SCHOOLS – SOUTH END
South End School was located less than two miles south of Omaha to accommodate
those living on farms with almost impassable roads in the winter. Kingdom
School was about that distance north of Omaha. It is thought that the
school was built on Rev. Robert Macklin Davis’ farm, since history records
that Omaha was laid out on the northern part of the large acreage of the
Davis farm. Rev. Davis married Polly Sharp and had a son, Wm. J., who
taught school in 1870, possibly at South End. They also had Millage
M.Sam and Jennie (Mrs. Harvey Blackard).
Rev. Davis was a popular minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for
more than fifty years. He was in constant demand to preach funerals
and officiate at weddings. An account from the Illinois
Historical Library states that he performed the marriages of 3,000 couples
and preached at 2,000 funerals. He had high interests in genealogy
and would preface his sermon with a detailed list of ancestors. He
organized many churches including Equality, New Haven, Eagle Creek, Galatia,
and McLeansboro as well as Omaha.
Other teachers at South End were Lou Blackard, Finley Price, William Hopkins,
E. Ferrell, Alvin Kinsall, Robert Blair, James Watters, and others.
Families in the district were: Utley, Price, Davis, Edwards, Burch,
Boling, Ridenour, Blackard, Proctor, Hall and others.
It is noted that one teacher in a one-room school with grades 1 through 8
did not teach every grade every year. Fifth and sixth were combined
as well as seventh and eighth. The first grade, second, third and fourth
were taught separately Sessions would last only 15 to 20 minutes for some
classes for there were only eight hours in the school day with time out for
noon and two recesses. By the time a student had finished the normal
elementary time frame, he or she would have covered all the required subject
matter for the eighth grade examination. In fact, the student’s exposure
wasn’t just one time around but he had listened to higher grades over and
over again.
South End School was discontinued in the 1930’s and absorbed into the Omaha
system. Kingdom School was moved into Omaha and was used to house the
lower grades, where it was called the “Little School.”
On my Mom’s side of the family we have Ferrells and Porters. Her father
was William Ezra Ferrell (1849 – 1930). Her mother was Lora Josephine
Porter Ferrell (1850 – 1888).
As I remember Grandpa Ferrell, he was a good looking man – white hair, white
mustache, and always well dressed. He played with us children and read
to us. We always enjoyed his visits. Once he even joined in jumping
rope with us when he was almost 80. But mostly, I remember him sitting
in the big old black leather chair, playing games we made up. I could
tell you a lot of kind things about his life.
When he was young, in the horse and buggy days, he was a school teacher and
also sold school supplies. Later on he owned a general store; a combination
of groceries and dry-goods. He gave my dad, John C. Blackard
and Bill Wallace their first jobs as clerks in that store when they were
young men. They both, later on, operated stores of their own.
Grandpa had one brother, Uncle John Ferrell. If you will read the account
of her 100th birthday, you will see that she lived a long life. She
died at 104, several months after falling from her cousin’s porch and breaking
a hip.
Their father, Wyatt Ferrell (my great grandfather Ferrell) was a musician
and evangelist. Grandma married him, and they had the two little boys
and a little girl. But he was not content to play music for churches
– he also “fiddled” (they called it then) for dances, and ran around and
led what seemed to be a scandalous life. Anyway, once, after being
gone for quite awhile, he came home and Great-grandma had “broken his plate,”
as Grandpa put it. She went back to her folks and raised Grandpa and
Uncle John and Aunt Missy; and he (Wyatt) went on and married again a couple
of times.
Some of his descendants were the doctors who owned the Ferrell Hospital at
Eldorado, Illniois.
Grandpa’s brother, Uncle John married Aunt Molly. Great Grandma Ferrell
lived with them in her old age. They had four sons: Horace was a composer
of music. We used to have some of his music. He was killed in
World War I. (We have a copy of the book, HIS HERITAGE – A Memorial to Horace
M. Ferrell.)
Herbert was a chiropractor, lived in Missouri.
John E. met and married his wife in France during W.W.I. He was a musician
and played in the St. Louis Symphony for 33 years. He was a
very polite and likeable gentleman.
George, the youngest, married Nora and was a rural mail carrier there at
Equality. Lived next door to Uncle John and Aunt Molly. They
had 3 daughters – Alice Ruth, Mary Agnes and Katherine. All that Ferrell
family were Baptist people.
Around 1935-36, Margaret Wallace (Daughter of Veva Blackard Wallace), grand-daughter
of Effie Jane Ferrell Blackard married Rulouf Resetar at Carbondale, Illinois.
They had a son, Donald Eugene and at that time our family had six living
generations. (1) Great Grandma Ferrell (2) Grandpa Ferrell – her son
(3) Effie Jane Ferrell Blackard (4) Veva Blackard Wallace (5) Margaret Wallace
Resetar (6) Donald Eugene Resetar. Very rare to have six living generations.
Grandpa Ferrell was living in Florida by then and they never did get them
all together for a picture.
SARAH JANE FERRELL MITCHELL PASSES HUNDREDTH MILESTONE
Wednesday, April 8, 1931 was made memorable when
in the city of Equality was celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of one
of its esteemed and loved women, Mrs. Sarah Jane Ferrell Mitchell’s birth.
The occasion was marked by and all-day reception with birthday dinner at
the home of Mr. And Mrs. J.G. Ferrell, with more than 150 relatives and friends
in attendance.
The day was ideal, a beautiful Spring day; the sun
shining good wishes on the venerable soul as she marched placidly by the
century milestone. Grandma Ferrell, as she is so well known, had looked
forward for several weeks to this occasion with delight, and enjoyed the
entire day to the fullest. She was well and happy. Her pleasure as
she received the numerous congratulations and conversed with her friends
was a joy to behold. Many came from surrounding towns and countrysides
to pay her homage.
Tables were placed on the lawn at the Ferrell home and at noon contained
every good thing to eat iin abundance. A smaller table was placed on
the front porch overlooking the lawn where the honor guest was served and
where the large, beautifully decorated birthday cake supporting the one hundred
pink candles was the attractive centerpiece.
The invocation preceding the meal was offered by
Elder W.C. Ferrell of Marion, Ill. W.H. Blackman of Stonefort, a cousin
of Mrs. Ferrell, 82 years of age, served as master of ceremonies. A
scripture reading and prayer by Rev. Clem Ferrell of Harrisburg were impressive
features of the before noon program.
During the day the crowd was entertained with a number of hymns sung by a
male quartet, the personnel of which were A.A.Moore and F.H.Smith of Harrisburg,
A.H.Wallace (Cobb, Veva’s husband) of Omaha and H.O.Walters of Eldorado.
This feature was much enjoyed.
A beautiful tribute was paid to “Grandma” Ferrell
by her son, J.G.Ferrell, who had written a most interesting account of her
life’s history, dating back to the time her parents came to Saline
County. This was followed by an original poem written and dedicated
to her by her son. Mrs. Karl S.DeMoss (Aunt Alice), a granddaughter,
of Indianapolis, presented the family tree, taking up the latter generations
and continuing the thread of family history. This was a most interesting
and unique work of art and was highly appreciated by both family and friends.
A dollar for every year of her life was given to
Mrs. Ferrell when $100 in gold was presented as a birthday gift from relatives
and friends. The presentation speech was made by W.H.Blackman of Carrier
Mills, while H.V.Blackman of Mitchellsville placed the five $20 gold pieces
in her hands.
One of the interesting facts of Grandma Ferrell’s
life is that she was born only a few miles from the place where her hundredth
birthday was celebrated. While the war for freedom from Great Britain
was being fought on the Atlantic coast, a number of hardy, bold and adventurous
spirits whose homes had been ruined by the ravages of war, pushed their way
through the passes of the Alleghanies into the region beyond---into the present
states of Kentucky and Tennessee. Among the numerous families that
came from Virginia and the Carolinas were the ancestors of Sarah Jane Ferrell-Mitchell.
William Stephen Blackman and his wife, Elizabeth settled in that part of
Illinois which later became Saline County, in pioneer days, and on November
25, 1803, David James Blackman was born. He grew to manhood and was
married to Ophelia Miller, and of this union Sarah Jane Blackman, who on
Wednesday, April 8, celebrated the reaching of the century mark, was the
third child to reach maturity. She was born in a small house on the
crest of a hill located near the present site of the Blackman cemetery, and
Route 34 now runs within a few yards of where the house stands. On
the farm she spent her girlhood days. Later this house was abandoned
for one more pretentious—a quarter of a mile west. Part of the latter
house is still standing, a monument to the scenes and activities of almost
a century ago. As the years passed, schools and churches were established
and the little town of Independence, which is now Mitchellsville on Route
34, became a great factor in the life of this surrounding country.
When 18 years of age, Sarah Jane Blackman became
the bride of Wyatt Canady Ferrell, of a prominent Williamson County family.
To this union three children were born—William Ezra, who died in 1930; Artemissa,
who became Mrs. B.H.Greer and passed away a number of years ago; and John
Gilbert, who now lives in Equality and is caring for his mother in her sunset
days. After a few years, Mrs. Ferrell and her husband became estranged,
and she took her three children and went to her parents’ home to live.
In 1879 she was married to William J. Mitchell,
who died about 40 years ago; and since that time she has made her home with
her youngest son, J.G.Ferrell of Equality.
Wonderful changes have marked the life of Aunt Jane.
The year of her birth, 1831, is now celebrated as the year of the first reaper,
the first Pullman, and many of the inventions which are no more considered
modern. Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States and
the Black Hawk War followed the next year. In the meantime the Mexican
War had been fought. The telegraph had been invented, old political
parties had been sifted and new ones formed. Her Father was interested
in politics and served in the state legislature with Lincoln and Douglas.
Of the vast and varied changes during the past 100 years, none, perhaps,
have been of greater impress than modes of travel.
The life of Grandma Ferrell has been one of comparative
seclusion. She loves to sit at home and do needlework as the years
roll by—and the years have rested lightly on her. She has good hearing,
wears glasses only when reading or sewing, is in good health and keeps well
informed on the current events and consequently can talk very interestingly
on most any subject. Recently she remarked that she had lived from
the days of the oxcart to the airplane, and when questioned whether she would
like to ride in a plane said, “I wouldn’t mind it.”
Until quite recent years Mrs. Ferrell, or legally
Mitchell, has been active in various phases of household work. She
has been awarded first prizes a number of times for the best quilt pieced
by oldest lady and within the past two years has pieced a number of quilts.
Converted early in life, “Grandma” became a member
of the Missionary Baptist Church of Macedonia at Mitchellsville and for four
score years has held her membership there. Living a consistent Christian
life, she has been greatly blessed and as she mingled with old friends and
new, on the occasion of her l00th anniversary of life, it was quite apparent
that she had grown old graciously, and the years have only mellowed her pleasing
personality.
Grandpa Ferrell (William Ezra Ferrell) married Lora Josephine Porter.
Their first child was Effie Jane Ferrell (Mom). She was the first little
niece of her Mother’s sisters and she got a lot of loving. Their second
child, William Addison Ferrell, was born 13 years later. Less than
2 years later, the mother died of pneumonia.
She, Lora Josephine, was my Grandmother Ferrell. Her father, Mom’s
Grandpa Porter, was the Doctor in Omaha, Illinois. He tried hard to
save her life, but pneumonia was hard to fight in those days. She had
done the family washing and hung it on the clothesline to dry, in freezing
weather. Some of it had to be brought in by evening, frozen stiff,
and arranged to dry around the fire. She had a sore throat and cold—and
it went from bad to worse. She became very sick, high fever, and had
to send for Grandpa Porter in the middle of the night. Soon she was
“out of her head” and didn’t live very long.
Later on Grandpa Ferrell married for the second time. His second wife’s
name was Grace. She was the Mother of Mom’s half-sister, Aunt Alice
Ferrell DeMoss (lived in Indianapolis; later, in Racine, Wis.) and Mom’s
half-brother, Uncle Walter Ferrell (lived in Los Angeles).
SIDE-NOTE: Uncle “Willie” married Florence Green; and Uncle Walter married
her sister, Ethel Green. Their children were double-cousins.
Aunt Florence and Aunt Ethel lived in Kansas City when they were young girls.
Their Mother, Mrs. Zarilda Green, was still living when you were small.
She gave you a little book of Bible stories. She used to visit at our
house (Mom’s and Pop’s) when I was a little girl. She would always sew for
us when she was there.
Aunt Florence and Uncle Will had one son, Billie Ferrell. They visited
us often – even lived with us there at one time.
Aunt Alice and Uncle Karl DeMoss had no children. They visited us annually.
Aunt Ethel and Uncle Walter had one son, Walter (“Bud”), and two daughters,
Alice and Jane. They all lived in California. I can remember
only one visit from them after they moved to L.A. “Uncle Willie”, Mom’s brother
was about 1 ½ years old when their mother died. Mom was about
14 ½ at her mother’s death. Mom raised her little brother and
always called him “Willie.” Margaret Porter (Mom’s Aunt Mag), sister
of Mom’s mother, Lora Josephine, helped Mom raise Uncle Willie. Aunt
Mag had auburn hair and brown eyes. She used to visit us. Aunt
Mag and John Geers were the parents of Minnie, who married Harry Hogan.
Minnie and Harry had 4 children. Their children were: Glen, William
Harry, Jimmy and Margaret. Margaret is my age—we used to visit (They
lived at Flora, Illinois). Later the family moved to Springfield, Illinois.
Margaret still lives there---the only one of the family now living (Margaret
Neff). Glen was a pilot; Jimmy had a government job; Margaret was an
Illinois Bell supervisor; W.H.(called “Bach”) was a railroad engineer.
Aunt Mag was always good to me. I loved for her to come for a few days
visit – which she would do about once a year. She used to tell me about
The Grace of Jesus Christ. I never will forget her.
Our family home had wide open doors. Grandma Blackard made her home
there during her last years. This was before I was born. She
died when I was about 17 months old. The children loved for her to
“scrape apples” for them. They’d sit on the floor around her chair;
she’d have a lap full of apples, and they’d each wait their turn for the
scoop of scraped apple – Louise, Mamie, Don, and Kathleen.
Grandpa Ferrell would spend months at a time with us. Once he lived
a year with us, at Harrisburg, Illinois and taught school there. I
was 5 years old and watched for him to come home from school each evening.
He always saved a surprise in his dinner bucket for me. He was really
fun—played games with us.
Aunt Florence and Uncle Will Ferrell would come through on their way from
Florida to California, or visa versa. They would stay several weeks.
It was just like Christmas when they were there. The record player
(Victrola) would get wound up and we’d get to watch them waltz. Uncle
Willie would take us all on picnics, or fishing trips. Aunt Florence
always had some jewelry tucked away in her suitcase. She knew I waited
for that.
We loved to hear Uncle Willie play soft music on his guitar. Their
boy, Billy and Don were good pals. Once, when they left, they left
their big camping tent with their cots in it, set up under our rows of plum
trees. So we children had a playhouse all year. That was a good
place to go and practice on my ukelele. And it was a good place
to hide and cry,
when I found out for sure we didn’t have the money to go to Zarlington’s
big tent show that was in town
VEVA married Albert Harris Wallace. Their children are listed on a
previous page.
FRED married Emma Faye Adams. No children.
FRANK married Edith Forrester. She died in a train-car crash less than
a year later. He married Hazel Artha Smith. Their children are Billy,
Mary Lu and John Blackard.
OTTO married Pearl Henson. Their children are Bob,
Dick and Bonnie.
WARREN married Marie Miner. No children.
LOUISE married Gus Siller. No children.
MAMIE married Robert (Boodler) Kinsall. No Children.
DON married Margaret Starkey. No children.
KATHLEEN married Hobart Holland. One child, Margaret Joyce. She later
married “Bud” Naef (after Hobart’s death)
MILDRED married Doyle Donham. One child, John Clyde.
MARJORIE married Robert Arterberry. Two children, Jane Kay and Mike.
Later married Harold Hill.
Veva 7/12/1893---3/12/1978
Fred 8/15/1895---1/21/1937
Frank 11/3/1897---4/1/1962
Otto 4/11/1901---1/2/1992
Warren 8/2/1903---2/7/1971
Louise 12/29/1905---1\5\1997
Mamie 3/6/1908
Don 5/12/1910---11/1/1976
Kathleen 8/6/1912
Mildred 9/14/1917
Marjorie 10/24/1920---10/10/1981
NEXT GENERATION:
Veva and Cobb’s:
Ruby (Wallace) (1913) married Raymond Johnson; one child, Betty. Raymond
died in February 1948 of cancer, and Betty died six months later of leukemia
(10 years old). Later Ruby married Amos Lamb; two sons, Larry-1951
and Keith-1956.
Margaret (1915) married Rulouf Resetar; two sons, Don and Dick.
Emma Lou (1917) married Ed Kerouac; three children, Marilyn (1943), Joe and
Jim.
Billy (1919) married Lois Stewart; two children, Lois Ann and Billy.
Richard (1921-1980) married Imogene Hibbard; two children, Shirley Jo (1946-1970,
died in auto crash on return home from college) and Erin (1957).
Norma Lea (1924) married Alan Christensen; no children.
Mary Ann (1927) married Glen Bosaw; no children.
Jimmy (1929) married Joan Hibbard (Imogene’s sister); adopted children, Steve,
Mark, Sarah, and Betty.
Chuck (1931) married Barbara Beam; two girls, Debbie and Marie.
Sammy Joe (1932) married Nina; four children, Karen, Kelly, Tracy and Brett.
Mamie, the seventh child of the family, had the opportunity, or made the
opportunity, of opening up her home to others. She and her husband
moved up here to the Wood River area where he, Robert (Boodler) Kinsall worked
as an electrician for Olin Matheson. When our mother became too feeble
to live alone, she went to live with Mamie and Boodler, where they gave her
constant care, with the help that all the rest of the family could supply.
Mamma was always a pleasant patient to keep.
A few years later, Uncle Willie and Aunt Florence settled here more permanently
and they stayed at Mamie’s until Uncle Will passed away. After that,
Aunt Florence lived there. She and Mamie worked together with the cooking
and cleaning, etc. Aunt Florence fit right into our whole family.
In the meantime, our brother Don fell upon hard times. Boodler built
a special room for Don on the back side of their house, increasing their
household once more.
Aunt Florence later broke her hip, and after that, died in the Bethalto Nursing
Home. In the meantime Don died at Wood River Hospital with heart failure.
FOOTNOTES:
“Grandpa” (Felix Grundy Blackard) was actually born in Illinois according
to census records.
In Felix Grundy Blackard’s obituary, the death date of his first wife, Sarah
Gott, should be March 24, 1865.
Minnie and Harry Hogan had 5 children. John Neil Hogan died in 1909 so Aunt
Mildred had no memory of him.