The Specter of a Killer: Typhoid Strikes the Williams Family

UNK SMULL > PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > SAIDEE SMULL m Curtis Williams

Minnesota State Fair, 1910

The general story of Saidee is told here.  Tragically, Curtis died at age 36 of typhoid after an illness of several weeks. Curtis and Saidie had gotten married in 1903 with all good in front of them. His parents were Mary Ann Smith and John W. Williams.

Married - At the house of the bride's mother, Sept 9th, at 8 o'clock, Miss Sadie Smull to Mr Curtis Williams both of this place. The bride is one our best young ladies and the groom is a prosperous young farmer living a few miles north of town. They leave Thursday for Freeport, Chicago, and other points to be gone for about a week. They have the best wishes of a host of friends.
Waverly Republican Waverly Iowa
Thursday, September 10, 1903

Curtis

Their first child, Rosalie, was born in 1904. Their second, "Maudie," arrived in 1906. His mother died in September 1907 and the Williams' moved to his parents farm and his sister, Mrs.Rosa (Julian) Moine, moved to Curtis & Saidee's farm. In 1908, they swapped back. They got all settled in when poor Curtis, who had been dealing with a carbuncle on his hand, lost his wallet with nearly $20 while working in his fields which was a big deal, and it was never recovered.

In September 1909, the popular young couple were surprised with a party hosted by their many friends. Things were going very well. A year later, in September 1910, the young couple decided to go to the Minnesota State Fair. They returned in mid-September and by mid-October, Curtis, and then Saidee, were suffering from typhoid fever.

Whether it was contracted during their travel to/from the fair isn't known, but only four people in Iowa had come down with the disease that month, the Williams' being two. 

After a several week struggle with the disease, the physician, Dr. Jay, and private nurse had no hope and Curtis died in the mid-morning on Tuesday, November 14, 1910. Saidee was so ill, the doctor and family did not want to further endanger her by telling her of his death. Saidee pulled through, but was unable to attend her husband's funeral. 

Several months later, the farm was sold. Saidee would move to Denver, Iowa, in 1928.

Clan William: Miles Munson & the Humason Family of Trumbull County

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Miles Munson m Celarcia Humason 

Trumbull County

Like many of the settlers of Trumbull County, Ohio, the Humason and Munson families hailed from Connecticut. James Julius Humason was born 27 Sep 1801 in Hartford. His parents, James and Honor Humason, removed with their large family to Brookfield in Trumbull County. Humason died
shortly thereafter and Mrs. Humason moved the family to Vienna. Honor died in 1843, James Julius married Eliza Woodford on 12 Apr 1829. She was the oldest daughter of Darius and Bathiah Woodford, a very well-respected and fairly affluent farming family.

Hartford Female Seminary

Before his marriage, James Julius taught district school. Eliza was educated in Warren, then attended school in Hartford Female Seminary where Catherine Beecher was principal and Harriet Beecher Stowe was assistant principal. Opened in 1823, its purpose was to teach girls the subjects of higher learning.

She then learned the trade of dressmaking and millinery while in Hartford. She married the following year and she and her husband resided on the farm that was given to her by her father. James continued to teach and spent some time farming, but that wasn't his primary focus. When Humason died on 13 Apr 1853, the work of the farm fell completely on the shoulders of Eliza. The History of Trumbull and Mahoning County, Vol II, also recalls that Mrs. Humason was quite involved in temperance efforts, as was 

Ohio Ladies Temperance

much of her family. In this volume, it says, "Mrs. Humason joined her uncle's society and her chief source of pride in the family is founded on the fact that none of them were drunkards. She hopes to have the privilege of casting a vote in favor of total abolition of the traffic."

The couple had four children. J. Eliza, James, Martha, and Celarcia. Celarcia married Miles Munson, son of Freeman Munson and Margaret Gregory. They in turn, had one child, Mary Munson, born in December 1861 in Trumbull County. In 1878, Mary married Emerson Ellsworth Clawson, from another well-known Trumbull County family. Emerson and Mary had at least five children. Mary died in Sep 1906 in Warren and her widower remarried in 1909 to Helena M Carton. He was a machinist and had no children in his second marriage.

Clan William: The Music Man Charles Edward Gaither

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > 

Charles Edward Gaither

William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Marietta Munson > Clara Gentholtz > Charles Edward Gaither 

Charles Edward Gaither was born 14 Jan 1892 in Warren, Ohio to James E Gaither and Clara Gentholtz. You can read about her and one of her other children here.

When Charles was a young boy, his father gave him a copy of the book, "Life in the Ozarks," which stuck with him and would help guide his future and lead him to the place he always wanted to see.

At age 21, he had a brief marriage to Grace Miller. Then, he spent a lot of time in orchestras throughout the country. His instrument of choice was the violin. He led orchestras from the age of 15 and was also a member of the Penn Albert Trio in Greenburg, Pennsylvania.

While living in Uniontown, Pennsylvania in 1924, he read in the Billboard that the Miller Theater in Jefferson City wanted an orchestra leader. Charles telegraphed and was accepted, leaving immediately by train. Once in St Louis, he hopped the Missouri Pacific and arrived in Jefferson City. He fell in love with the area immediately and made it his permanent home. His hobbies were fishing and motorboating - and he'd ended up in the perfect place, near the "Big Muddy" to enjoy both to their fullest.

Jefferson City, 1920s

While working later at a theatre in Springfield, he married Martha Roedder. Martha, of Jefferson City, was his fiance when Charles was taken ill and spent several days in the Springfield hospital. Martha went to visit him and they decided to marry immediately, the ceremony held at hospital bedside. Martha was born 16 Apr 1902 to Charles Roedder and Emma Wolff.

When the need for music at the silent movies became unneeded, he made his living from providing music instruction in town and also became the director of the "Little Symphony" - the Jefferson City Symphony, where he stayed until his death. They lived in a new apartment in Jefferson City.

Gaither was interested in both classical and modern music. According to news reports, his orchestra was fairly drama-free and the symphony appearances under his direction were widely praised. He was active in musician's union affairs and was at one time vice president of the union.

After playing a gig at a Boy Scout event, Gaither became ill and it quickly turned into pneumonia. He was put in the hospital and under an oxygen tent, but failed quickly and died on 01 Feb 1938 at the age of 58.

His wife, many years younger than Charles, married Charles Arthur Maxeiner in 1941. He died in 1963. She then married a gent name Welsch. Martha died 21 Jan 1989 in Lee County, Florida.

Clan William: Sarah Jane Vaughn Simmons Family

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson >  Henrietta Munson > Sara Jane Vaughn m Joel Simmons

My 3rd great grandfather Amos Munson's sister Henrietta Munson Vaughn, can be read about here.

The Vaughn's had a total of 13 children, not all surviving until adulthood. Daughter Sarah Jane was born 28 Dec 1840 in Trumbull County, Ohio She married Joel Simmons in 1856 after the Vaughn family had removed to Grant County, Wisconsin.

Joel Simmons was born in Pennsylvania, but was raised in his formative years in Ashtabula, Ohio. His family later removed to Grant County and then, Joel and family moved to Dresden Township in Chickasaw County, where they farmed. In the early morning hours of Feb 12, 1877, Joel died unexpectedly at home, leaving his wife and five children to mourn him. He was only 37 years old.

Mrs Simmons forged on for many years. Jane's last several years were lived at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Alice Sinderson (second wife of William Custer Smith), where she died Jan 19, 1915.

Their children were:

George Craft Simmons, born 20 Sep 1857 in Wisconsin, he moved with his parents to Iowa in 1860. He married Martha R Hinkley in Frederika on 25 Dec 1882. They had five daughters and one son, who died at age 13 of typhoid. George lived intermittently in Waterloo. His wife died in 1932. He died in 1940 in Waterloo.

Clara Jane Simmons was born 06 Sep 1859 in Wisconsin. She married David Nathan Hinkley, 04 Jul 1877, in Chickasaw County. The couple had four children before David's death on 16 Mar 1888. Clara married Nelson B Ross on 08 Nov 1903 in Fredericka. He died 13 May 1917. Clara died in 1946. Two of Clara's sons, William Moon and Roy Robert, both died within six months of one another in 1925, at young ages. Roy was a sales manager for the Iten Biscuit Co. in Oklahoma City when he had a ruptured appendix and died of complications at the age of 41. William died at 38 of complications of the flu, on 10 Mar 1925 in Eagle Grove.

Alice Simmons was born Aug 1862 in Fayette County, Iowa. She married her cousin Mary Ann Munson's widower, William Custer Smith, on 20 Mar 1893. Smith died two years later, the homestead was sold to Smith's children by Alice, and she received $2,040.She returned to Frederika and then married Englishman Arthur J Sinderson on 16 Aug 1898 in Chickasaw County. Arthur was born 01 Nov 1855 in England and died 29 Jan 1935. He was a laborer and lastly worked as a janitor before his retirement. The couple lived in New Hampton during their marriage. Arthur died 29 Jan 1935 and Alice died 05 Dec 1937. She celebrated her 75th birthday with the family in 1936, just months prior to her death. The Sindersons had no children.

On Sunday August 16, the Simmons relatives gathered at the Frederika park to celebrate the 75th birthday of Mrs Alice Sinderson of New Hampton. The weather was ideal and to add to the pleasure of the occasoin the Littel German Band of Hawkeye played all the afternoon. Everyone enjoyed it very much.

Those in attendance were: Mr & Mrs Fred Simmons, Alice Sinderson, Mr & Mrs Guy Hinkley, Eagle Grove; Mr & Mrs Cal Thompson and daughters, Millicent and Mary, Mr & Mrs John Carney and sons, Robert and Max, Mr & Mrs Everett Hartson and daughter Betty, Mr & Mrs Lester Simmons and children, Edith, Eldo, and Ruth; Mr & Mrs Carl Smith, and sons, Max, Bruce, and Roger; Lowell Carney, Waterloo, Mr & Mrs Frank Sherman, daughter Imogene, Mrs Clara Ross, Mr George Simmons, Mr & Mrs Neil Simmons.

Fredericksburg News, Fredericksburg, Iowa
Thursday, August 20, 1936

William Wallace Simmons was born 28 Jan 1863 in Fayette County, Iowa. He married Alice Carpenter on 23 Oct 1889 in Buena Vista. They had one son, Merle Phillip Simmons, Sr., on 03 Jan 1892. A successful businessman, William died suddenly on the streets of Yale, Oklahoma on 19 Jan 1915  where he'd gone on business. He was a resident of Oklahoma City. His wife died 13 Mar 1939 in Oklahoma City.

Fred Simmons was born 13 Dec 1872 in Chickasaw County. He married May Clara Gardner in 1896. They had three children: Lester Ralph, Neil Arthur, and Veva Pearl. The Simmons had farmed for many years and in retirement in May 1936, they moved to Fredericksburg, but then moved back to the farm in Mar 1937. His son Neil had intended to take over the farm, but that didn't work out. Neil and his second wife, Mary, owned a variety of restaurants and bars in the Frederika area. They were both killed in a 1961 auto accident. Fred died in June 1948. May died in 1968.

Downtown Yale in the boom days

Another Cousin Meetup

SMULL, PETER > SMULL, Johnathon m Mary Jane Cooper:

Click to increase size.

Franklin Sylvester Smull / Viola Smull / Katie Smull

Some months ago, I met with my cousins, great granddaughter and great great granddaughter of Viola Smull. Viola was the sister of my own great grandmother, Katie Smull Smith.

I was graciously invited to join my cousins again when yet another Smull cousin flew out from California to visit this past week. She is the great granddaughter of Frank Smull, brother to Viola and Katie and of whom I knew very little.

We exchanged photos and stories and then trekked over to Nashua's Greenwood Cemetery where I was able to show them the graves for Johnathon, Mary Jane, and their eldest son Ulyssus, who died at age 20 in 1881.

Leonna and Dee - Together Again!

One of the little tidbits I picked up include the fact that in summers, Leonna (Frank's GG), would come from California and stay with her grandparents, Orle Smull and Ruth Cagley Smull. There she would meet Dee (Viola's GG) and they would spend time playing through the summer. They've kept in touch all of their lives but hadn't seen each other in over 15 years. It was like watching two little kids, meeting back up on the playground with giggling and hugging everywhere.

It was again, such a pleasure to spend time with such kind, interesting people who I never would have known existed had it not been for this genealogy project. I'm very excited to have more stories to tell here over the coming months and really thank Leonna for bringing two fabulous albums full of Smull/Cagley/Orcutt/Pikesley family history.

Clan William: Smith/Munson Family: Minor Discoveries

I've spent the last bit pouring over the newspapers now available through various small libraries here in Iowa. It's been exciting and illuminating. Solved mysteries. Added to the knowledge base I've accumulated in my new genealogy brain, and basically, allowed me to continue working without leaving my house!

So little is known about my 2nd great grandmother, Mary Ann Munson. She died quite young, at 51, but nowhere had I found any information about what happened. I had suspected cancer, but it could have been anything. I finally found this short item about her death in the Waverly newspaper:

One of the biggest mysteries thus far was the identity and relationship of William Custer Smith's second wife. After a fruitless search at courthouses in several counties, I discovered a small news item that said they had taken the train to yet another county to marry.Subsequent news items confirmed that she was the Alice Simmons I had suspected and is Mary Ann Munson's cousin through aunt Henrietta Munson Vaughn's side of the family.

W. C. seemed to be a popular guy, based on my notes from various items placed in the paper. In 1890, he had quite the birthday party.

The people of Plainfield and vicinity gathered at the home of Wm Smith last week Wednesday evening and gave him a surprise, it being his birthday. A fine hanging lamp and center table was presented to him, besides other presents.
Waverly Democrat, Waverly Iowa
Thursday, October 23, 1890

I had no idea that two of the Smith children had a double wedding! Eva and Harland married their respective spouses, Arthur Bryce and Fannie Magoon on August 21, 1881. The information was available, I just hadn't noticed until I saw the article! Eva only had Arthur five years before he died, but Harland and Fannie had 52 years together.

I watch "Who Do You Think You Are" pretty religiously and I think the celebrities that discover their family are always so stunned by how attached they become to these people they never met. I have the same feeling every day that I do this. Maybe that's why it's important.

Clan William: Wayne Clyde Munson

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Amos Munson > Charles Fremont Munson > Clyde Amos Munson > Wayne Clyde Munson >

Several of the Munsons and Vaughns (who married into the Munson family) ended up in Hawkeye, Iowa in Fayette County. We've discussed the 3rd great grandfather, Amos, his son Charles Fremont Munson, his son Clyde Amos Munson and now on to the final in the line, Wayne Clyde Munson.

Wayne Clyde Munson was a high-achieving student who attended school in Belvidere, Illinois in 1931 - I'm still trying to discover why.  He did not return to Belvidere in 1932, and in July 1931 had a tonsilectomy. When he attended Hawkeye high school and was involved in many organizations at the school including music and journalism. He was selected for Boy's All State as a junior. As a senior, he was captain of the football squad and he won two scholarships for college - one to Upper Iowa University and one to Luther College. He was also third alternate to appointment to the US Naval Academy. 

One of the jobs he held in school was as carpenter's assistant to Walter Peterson. After graduation, he was appointed as a clerk at the DMV in Oelwein, a position which I'm sure he had dad's influence to get. He began attending Upper Iowa in 1941.

The war was looming and by 1942, he had joined the US Marine Corps Reserves and went on active duty as a PFC in May 1943. After training in Oceanside, California, he was sent to the Pacific Theatre and spent time in the Marshall Islands, Tarawa, and Saipan. He received two battle stars while there. He was returned on active duty to the US and served in the quartermaster division at Camp Lejuene before being discharged in early February of 1946 as a sergeant.

Wayne held a variety of jobs after his return and lived in Hawkeye, Charles City, and Waterloo. He worked at Oliver Tractor Corp. while in Charles City. While there and working as a cop in Charles City, he met his wife, Rena Gail Binger, daughter of the Kermit Bingers. Kermit was the Charles City police chief for many years.  They married on January 2, 1947 at Austin, Mower County, Minnesota. He was by now a junior at Upper Iowa University. He made the paper in a good news kind of way in 1947:

PAY OVERPARKING FEES AS CHRISTMAS GESTURE
Charles City parking violators enjoyed a merry Christmas eve - thanks to the generosity of EL Wilson and Jay Frank, both of Charles City, who paid the fees for other drivers.
Attuned to the holiday spirit, the 2 men gave Patrolmen Harold White, Rc Vickerman and Wayne Munson 100 pennies for such an emergency. The patrolmen deposited the pennies in parking meters whenever they were due and Charles City drivers continued with their Christmas shopping undisturbed. No tickets were turned in to the police department and the 3 patrolmen used up all their pennies so the friendly gesture was not in vain.
Mason City Globe Gazette December 29, 1947

In 1949, the couple had a daughter at a Decorah hospital where Wayne was attending Luther College. When I last found him, he is a sales manager at Tate Cadillac-Olds in Waterloo in 1971. Gail died on 07 Oct 1991 and Wayne died in Waterloo, Iowa, on 31 Jan 1993. The only listed survivor was a daughter of New York City. 

Clan William: Clyde Amos Munson

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Amos Munson > Charles Franklin Munson > Clyde Amos Munson m Mabel Moore

Clyde Munson #10 and Mabel Moore #5 at the McLaire Cave in Hawkeye in 1908

As mentioned in the previous post, Clyde was the only surviving child of Charles Franklin Munson and Estella "Stella" Root.

Clyde Munson, 1938

Born 23 Sep 1881 in Hawkeye, Fayette County, Iowa, he did quite well for himself. He married Mabel Moore, born in Cook County, Illinois on 11 Oct 1884, adopted two children later in life. They adopted Wayne Clyde Munson, born 22 Nov 1922 and Lettie Munson, born 01 Jul 1924.

Clyde had operated a barber shop in early life with his father, C. F. in Hawkeye. He attended business college in New Hampton and became a cashier of the First National Bank in Hawkeye.

In 1928, he provided testimony against the President of First State Bank, who had driven the bank into receivership went on trial in early 1928 for fraudulent banking.

BANK TRUSTEE TESTIFIES IN SH BEVINS TRIAL
WEST UNION, Feb 11 - The trial of SH Bevins, former Hawkeye banker, on a charge of fraudulent banking, continues to drag on here with no end of the witness list in sight.
Clyde A Munson, trustee of the First State Bank of Hawkeye, with which Bevins was connected occupied the stand for some time yesterday explaining to the jury the assets of the institution, before its failure. It is expected that several days will be required before the arguments the jury can begin.
Mason City Globe Gazette February 11, 1928

Bevins was finally sentenced at the end of March to an indeterminate sentence, not to exceed 10 years.Reports said the judge seemed reluctant to sentence Bevins, who was 72-years-old. The judge felt that his only other option, a $10,000 fine, would not be possible as Bevins was most likely "financially embarrassed." He served his time at Ft Madison, but did not serve even half of the sentence imposed. He lived to age 92 and removed himself to Guttenberg after his release from prison. His various appeals all failed.

Clyde later became an insurance agent for Guaranty Life. Eventually, he became the county treasurer of Fayette County and served as town clerk in Hawkeye for several years. In his final years, he was county recorder in Fayette and died in the midst of his term. He had an ongoing heart issue and died at age 69 on 15 Jul 1950. Mabel died on 06 Dec 1953 in Hawkeye.

Clan William: Charles Fremont Munson

Capt Thomas Munson > Samuel Munson > Samuel James Munson > William Munson > Samuel II Munson > Freeman Munson > Amos Munson > Charles Fremont Munson

We've covered all of the daughters of Amos Munson and Mary Ann Kerney, but I've finally had some time to look into the two boys in the family. I'll start with the baby, Charles Fremont Munson.

Charles was born on 02 Dec 1849 in Trumbull County, Ohio and came to Plattville, Wisconsin with his family about 1849/1850. The family moved to Tama County, Iowa in 1870 and to the town of Traer. This is the point at which his sisters, Caroline and Julia married into the Newcomb family. Charles went into the harness making trade with uncle U. C. Newcomb.

On 31 Dec 1874, he married Estella Root at Tama. They had four children; two infants died, son Charles Franklin "Frank" died in 1890 at age 11, and the surviving child was Clyde Amos Munson who was born 23 Sep 1881 in Hawkeye. In 1881, the family came to Hawkeye. Charles engaged in the harness trade with a barber shop in connection. That to me sounds really funny!

Stella died in 1907 and in 1908, Charles moved to Woonsocket, South Dakota and later to Wessington Springs, in Jerauld County, South Dakota, where he was manager of the Wessington Springs Hardware and Implement Co. He married Mrs Mary Shabell Hathaway in 1911.

While visiting his son in Hawkeye, he became ill and consulted with Dr Walsh, who recommended surgery in Rochester at the Mayo Clinic. Son Clyde and CF went to Rochester and on September 23, 1919, Munson had surgery. He had been making good progress after surgery and expected to recover, when he began to fail and died on 25 Sep 1919. Clyde had spent three weeks with his father while there.

He was a charter member of the IOOF lodge in Hawkeye and a member of AF&AM and Yeoman.

Mystery Muddle: Who is Rebecca Cronoble?

PETER SMULL m Mary Waggoner > PETER L SMULL m Rebecca Cronoble

Our brothers Smull, of Centre County, can be learned about here.

Peter Smull, one of the four brothers, had 12 children, including Peter L Smull was born in about 1833 in Centre County, Pennsylvania. He moved to Stephenson County, Illinois in the early 1850s. In 1861, he married Rebecca Cronoble.

Rebecca also hailed from Centre County. The mystery is in which Grenoble/Cronoble branch did she come? Here's a little summary of my findings, but this mystery has yet to be solved.

It's my belief that the originating immigrant is Johann Jacob Grenoble, born in 1702 in Germany and who came to Philadelphia in 1743 with his infant son, Lorentz and wife Agnetha. Daughter Anna Barbara did not survive to make the trip and died before age 2. Some reports say Agnetha died before the trip, but I cannot yet confirm that fact. Johann remarried (this is in itself another mystery for another day) to the widow of  Johannes Beverts.

Lorentz married Sabina Fruh. They had four children. The surviving male was Jacob, born in 1775 in Lehigh, Pennsylvania, who in turn married Katarina Willeman about 1794. They had 10 children.In that bunch, we start to see the reversion of the last name from Grenoble to Cronoble (the original German name) and Crownoble. While several of the children remained in Pennsylvania, one moved to Stephenson County, Illinois - George W Grenoble/Cronoble who married Sarah Runkle.

1850 Census - George Cronoble Family, Centre County

I've located eight children of this union, but no Rebecca in the bunch The Rebecca's among the other descendants are not possibly Rebecca Cronoble Smull.

Records I am currently able to locate leave me with this hypothesis: Rebecca is either Elizabeth or Margaret, born in 1833 and 1835 respectively. There is evidence that Jacob, and possibly John also made the trek West later, but based on timing, marriage year, etc., I believe Rebecca to be a child of George.

I would love, love, love if someone has some thoughts or their own theory or information to support this hypothesis.

Peter L Smull died 13 Sep 1900 in Stephenson County at the home of his sister, Mrs Matilda (Daniel) Meyer. We don't know when Rebecca died, or anything really, about how she lived either. I'd like to give her some identity beyond a name that may or may not be correct.

Yin/Yang: The Bandy's in a Minute

The Bandy family is a long and storied family in North Carolina, reportedly of Irish-Scottish descent. Our brush with them is really distant. One of Johannes "John" Holler's children from his first marriage married John Bandy, linking the families. I don't plan to spend a lot of time on this family, but I did run  across a couple of things of interest all within the same family.

Lincoln and Iredell Counties were the home of most of the Holler Clan
Lincoln was split up to create Catawba County in 1842

Christeaner Holler was born about 1784 in Lincoln County, North Carolina. She married John Bandy on 04 Nov 1817 in Lincoln County. They had at least six children, among them, twins James Marcus Bandy and John Wesley Bandy, born in 1824.

James Marcus' story ends relatively soon and sadly. He was a private in Company I, 12th US Infantry Regiment and was on his way by sea to Mexico to fight in the war, when he contracted the measles and died aboard ship on 15 Jul 1847.

His twin, John Wesley married Harriet Ramsey, born 08 Feb 1823 in North Carolina. They had three children: James Marcus "Mark" and Jane Elizabeth, also twins, and Luther Henderson Bandy. Harriet died in 1871 and John Wesley remarried to Mary Weaver in 1873.

Daughter Jane married Samuel Gregory 21 Apr 1866. Her husband died before 1880. She died 29 Oct 1920 of  breast cancer complicated by Bright's Disease.

The two sons of the Bandy/Ramsey union could not have been more different from one another.

Son, Luther, the baby, was born in November 1850 and according to one family chronicler, was living with the family of Elizabeth Matilda "Til" Probst in Catawba County in 1870. He and "Til," had two children who retained the Probst name, Cora and Ched. Ched probably died as an infant.

Whether he was in common law marriage with Til is not known, but he moved on some time later and found himself charged with "bastardy" after it became apparent Elmina Canipe was having an out of wedlock child. A bastardy bond was taken out by others who then went after Luther. Jane, the daughter, was born in 1876. Luther was sent to jail and reportedly used his inherited land to get himself out of jail. There are reports that they married and that they didn't marry, but I have yet to find a marriage record. Doesn't mean there isn't one.

Finally, Luther reportedly married Nancy Aiken on 07 Feb 1887 - there is a marriage record, it's just not 100% that it was this Luther. However, by the 1920 census, he is living in Gaston County and is without wife and is listed on his death certificate as widowed when he died 07 Nov 1930 in Lincoln County. He spent his life as a common laborer and didn't manage to do a lot other than making babies outside the bonds of legal matrimony.

Confederate Drummer Boy

In contrast, his older brother, James Marcus "Mark" Bandy, from an early age was driven. He reportedly fervently believed in the Rebel cause and became a drummer boy for his North Carolina infantry unit at age 13. He enlisted 21 May 1864 in the 72nd North Carolina Regiment, Company E. The battalion was made up primarily of boys in the 16-17 year old range in the "junior reserves." He worked his way up by war's end to Lieutenant of Co B, 8th Battalion Junior Reserves, Co E 72nd NC Regt. During the battle of Bentonville, one of the war's last battles, he was made a Captain at the age of 18 (young men were being recruited to lead as replacement healthy adult males were in short supply after years of attrition). He was with his unit when it surrendered to the North.

In 1865, he married Martha Jane Leonard of Lincoln County. They had 13 children, nine of whom survived at his death. Mark was cited in his obituary as "one of the most brilliant minds our State has ever known." He graduated from Rutherford College with a teaching certificate and taught at local high school academies and later at Shelby, NC and King's Mountain Military School. He took a bachelor of arts at Trinity College, part of Duke University located in Randolph County, and was offered the position as chair of the mathematics and engineering department at Trinity, where he remained for many years and further earned his master's degree. Bandy also organized the Scientific Society at Trinity in 1889 and became its president. He was co-author of a book on mathematics as well. Professor Bandy would move to Durham when Trinity College finally joined Duke at Durham for the 1892 school year.

The Dukes would employ Prof Bandy to build a road from Durham to Duke and he was also hired by the Page Brothers to build a railroad from Ashboro to Aberdeen. His civil engineering work led to him becoming the city engineer for Greensboro. He designed the city's water system that would remain in place until 1960. His wife would die in 1905. According to this family chronicler, he met his next wife in a most charming manner:

"Mark went to a girls school in Rock Hill, SC to make a speech. While at the Faculty dinner table, he asked for the bowl of sugar in Latin. Sallie M Joyner, a widow with two children was the only one who responded. Mark married Sallie whose maiden name was Murphy. She lived to be 96 and is buried adjacent to Mark in the Bandy Plot in Green Hill Cemetery, Greensboro, NC."

Mark died of complications of a stroke at his home on State Street in Greensboro at the age of 64. He had a very large turnout at his funeral held at Market Street Methodist Church. 

The Confederate Hollers: Sidney & F Cicero Sipe

ZACHARIAH HOLLER > JOHANNES HOLLER m (1) Sally Shue > JOHN JR > LAVINIA m Joseph SIPE

North Anna River Crossing 1864

You can read about John Holler here. He was married twice. The children of his first marriage remained in his adopted North Carolina while his second wife and children of that marriage went on to pioneer in Washington County in Indiana. John's descendants fought on both sides of the war - those who remained in North Carolina, for the South.

John's son, John Jr. was born in 1783 in Catawba County, North Carolina. He was the eldest of the four known children of Johnannes (John Sr) and first wife Sally Shue. John Jr. married Sarah "Sally" Sigsmon about 1805 in North Carolina. They had at least 12 children. Among those was Lavinia.

Lavinia was born 27 May 1814 in Lincoln County. She married Joseph Sipe, Jr. on 29 Jan 1833 in North Carolina. They also had a large family, of which eight have thus far been identified. Among those were two boys, Franklin Cicero "Cicero" Sipe, born 15 Oct 1835 and Sidney Sipe, born about 1844. By the time of the War of the Rebellion, Cicero was already married to Ann Carpenter and had their first child.

The Sipe boys joined the Confederate Army 04 Jul 1862. They were assigned to Company E, 57th North Carolina Infantry.The unit saw quite a bit of action and the one most impactful to this family came during May of 1864, when Gen Grant's Army met Gen Lee's in Virginia. Rather than meet the Army head-on, Grant engaged in a series of skirmishes, willing to fight a war of attrition. The overland campaign culminated in a battle at North Anna in Central Virginia from May 23-26, 1864.

During this time, Sidney Sipe was taken prisoner, he would be sent to Camp Lookout, the largest

Point Lookout POW Camp, Maryland

northern POW camp. There were no buildings at the camp, so the prisoners slept in tents and had no clean water or steady rations. Communicable disease was the biggest killer. Here, he would die on 30 May 1865.

"Point Lookout, Maryland, located in Saint Mary's County, Maryland on the southern tip of the peninsula was deemed the largest and worst Northern POW camp. Point Lookout was constructed of fourteen foot high wooden walls. These walls surrounded an area of about 40 acres. A walkway surrounded the top of the walls where negro guards walked day and night. It is reported the guards were brutal in their treatment of prisoners. Prisoner, John R. King said; "Two days out of every three we were guarded by a gang of ignorant and cruelsome negroes. Please do not think that I dislike the negroes as a race. Many of them are my friends, but the negroes authority over the white people and the defenceless prisoners suffered at their hands. Numbers of scars were left on the frame work of the closets made by negroes firing at the prisoners. The negro guard was very insolent and delighted in tantalizing the prisoners, for some trifle affair, we were often accused of disobedience and they would say, "Look out, white man, the bottom rail is on top now, so you had better be careful for my gun has been wanting to smoke at you all day!" 

F. Cicero & Ann Carpenter Sipe

"Estimates report that over 14,000 prisoners died while imprisoned at Point Lookout but the cemetery is known to hold 3,384 soldiers in a mass grave with no evidence to back up this massive figure. According to history data received from Point Lookout State Park, " Of the 50,000 men held at the Point between 1863 and 1865, nearly 4,000 died. Ironically, however, this death rate of 8 percent was less than half the death rate among soldiers who were in the field with their own armies." As you can see, there seems to be some controversy over the number of deaths at this prison. The Confederate soldiers' bodies have been moved twice and have found their final resting place in Point Lookout Cemetery."

http://www.censusdiggins.com/prison_ptlookout.html 

Sidney's brother, Private Cicero Sipe, survived the war and returned to North Carolina, where he became a stellar citizen, active in community affairs and being well-like by his peers. He lived to the ripe age of 81, in 1917, leaving behind a large family and wife of nearly 60 years. He was also a founding member of the Cherryville Lutheran Church.