Grandmas trunks and suitcases

Sunday, October 3, 2010

The David Sampson Seals Family

I was going through a envolope full of pictures  and found copies of pictures my grandmother Merle Sophia Hepler Windham had made of her grandfather's brothers  that look like there were taken around the time of the American Civil War. They are nice looking men. Her grandfather  David Sampson Seals had four brothers  Noel, John W, Oliver, William J.  and two sisters Mary and Elizabeth. On the back of the copies my grandmother wrote Sampson Seals brothers, uncles to Birdie M. Seals. I wish she had left more information like where she got the copies? Who had the orginals?   My grandmother Merle Hepler Windham started some family history books for each of her children, grandchildren and great -grand children thats where some of this information was going to but didn't make it. In one envolope she has of copies of a picture of  Nancy Ann Graham Seals ( born abt 1806 in White County, Tennessee  died abt 1899 in Van Buren County, Tennessee) the mother of David Sampson Seals. Not a great picture but still better than nothing and I would have to say I'm glad to have it. Looks like it was taken 1880's -1890's.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Civil War Pension File for Sampson Seals

I just received my great-great grandfather David Sampson Seals  civil war pension file from the National Archives.  Lots of information - its got his physical description, marriage record to Mary Elizabeth Letcher in Metcalf County, Kentucky, his claim form as  Ex-Soldier's Pension Claim,  his Declaration For Invalid Pension, paper work from different attorney's he used, affidavit's from  people who knew him. Information about the guardian of his daughter Birdie May Seals.  A copy of Declaration for Widow's Pension form  his wife filed and that she had died. His daughter's pension form as a minor child.  Lots of information about where they lived. I see that David Sampson Seals daughter Birdie May Seals married a Thomas C Welch that interesting because I thought his name was Tellus Welch. I think his fathers name was Thomas C Welch. A mystery.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Great great grandma Deaville

This is a picture of Harriet Elsie Nickols Deaville born December 25 1863 in Ohio died May 8 1935 in McClain County, Oklahoma. She was wife of John Deaville who was born in England September 29 1848 and died September 5 1904 in Coalson, Indian Territory, Oklahoma he was a farmer. They had five children four lived to be adults Newman E. Deaville, John H. Deaville,  Honora N. Deaville, and my  great grandmother Mary Olive Deaville. 

Welcome

This blog is about my family research in the families Matthews, Deaville, Dennis, Carney, Cooper, Windham, Hepler, Seals, Barlich, Barulich, Belknap, Bradford. 


In this picture are my great, great-grandmother on the front left her name was Harriet Elsie Nickols Deaville she was born in Ohio about 1863, my great grandmother on the front right her name was  Mary Olive Deaville Dennis she was born in Missouri  about 1886, my dad James Ernest Matthews Jr. front middle he was born in Oklahoma near Lyman in 1928,  and my grandmother Frances Elsie Dennis Matthews she was born in Purcell, Indian Territory later Oklahoma. The picture was taken in Oklahoma maybe McClain county not sure. Maybe 1932 or 1933 my dads looks about five years old.  But before May 8, 1935 thats when my great, great grandmother Harriet Deaville died. My Aunt Thelma told me that  her mother Mary Olive Deaville Dennis and her grandmother Harriet Elsie Deaville, grandfather John Deaville and uncles came to Oklahoma from Missouri in a covered wagon.
I found this picture in ones of France's suitcases. They look happy.