Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: My 16 Great Great Grandparents

Randy Seaver at Genea-Musings offers this mission for some Saturday Night Genealogy Fun:

1)  List your 16 great-great-grandparents with their birth, death and marriage data (dates and places).  [Hint - you might use an Ancestral Name List from your software for this.]

2)  Determine the countries (or states) that these ancestors lived in at their birth and at their death.

3)  For extra credit, go make a "Heritage Pie" chart for the country of origin (birth place) for these 16 ancestors. [Hint: you could use the  chart generator from Kid Zone for this.] [Note: Thank you to Sheri Fenley for the "Heritage Pie" chart idea.]

Since my sweetie is away for the weekend, and I'm on my own this Saturday night, I thought it would be fun to play along! I went one step further and, where available, added photos for each set of great-greats.

My 16 great-great grandparents are:

1. Frederick Harmon Brittain, son of Milton Price Brittain and Nancy Garriott, was born on 20 January 1859 in Keokuk County, Iowa, USA. He died on 6 February 1921 in Van Buren County, Arkansas, USA. He married Mary Jane Rooks on 14 September 1879 in Lowery City, St. Clair County, Missouri, USA.

2. Mary Jane Rooks, daughter of Thomas J. Rooks and Serena Jane Ishmael, was born on 3 March 1862, in Grundy County Missouri, USA. She died on 28 March 1904 in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, USA.

Frederick and Mary Jane Brittain

3. William Leroy Halstead, Jr., son of William Leroy Halstead and Ann Dobson, was born on 6 March 1859 in Pocahontas, Pocahontas County, Iowa, USA. He died on 27 November 1944 in Avery, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, USA. He married Nancy Catherine Campbell in 1880 in Missouri, USA.

4. Nancy Catherine Campbell, daughter of George Thomas Campbell and Mary Jane Carter, was born on 13 November 1856 in Palo Alto County, Iowa, USA. She died on 14 March 1940 in Avery, Lincoln County, Oklahoma, USA.

William and Nancy Halstead

5. William Calhoun Hunt, son of James Sanders Hunt and, possibly, Arnetta Sellers, was born on 9 September 1870 in Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA. He died on 26 March 1915 in Jackson, Coal County, Oklahoma, USA. He married Georgia Frances Ann Purser on 4 March 1891 in Lee County, Texas, USA.

6. Georgia Frances Ann Purser, daughter of James Monroe Purser and Nancy Susan Hodge, was born on 7 October 1871 in Searcy, White County, Arkansas, USA. She died on 14 July 1956 in Henderson, Rusk County, Texas, USA. 

William and Georgia Hunt and their family

7. Riley Harrison Martindale, believed to be son of James Jancey Martindale and Sarah ____, was born in 1876 in Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA. He died on 17 April 1899 in Canadian, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, USA. He married Nancy Dezina Jaggers on 19 February 1896 in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, USA.

8. Nancy Dezina Jaggers, daughter of Jessie James Jaggers and Louiza Jane Turman, was born on 1 September 1877 in Sulligent, Lamar County, Alabama, USA. She died on 14 September 1944 in Vinita, Craig County, Oklahoma, USA.  

Nancy Dezina Jaggers Martindale with her daughter, Ethel

9. John Bartrem, son of Samuel Bartram and Harriet Boste, was born in 1815 in Kelsale, Suffolk County, England. He died about 1882 at sea (en route from England to USA). He married Esther Meredith on 12 July 1846 in Welsh Newton, Herefordshire, England.  

10. Esther Meredith, daughter of Joseph Meredith and Sarah ___, was born in 1814 in Welsh Newton, Herefordshire County, England. She died in March 1888 in Monmouthshire County, Wales.

James and Esther Meridith and their family

11. George Elmer Veale, son of Andrew Jackson Veale and Elizabeth Miller, was born on 5 August 1850 in Pike County, Indiana, USA. He died on 20 September 1928 in Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas, USA. He married Margaret Harriman on 7 February 1872 in Daviess County, Indiana, USA.

12. Margaret Harriman, daughter of Jacob Harryman and Catherine LeFevre, was born on 12 November 1850 in Indiana, USA. She died on 23 January 1932 in Richmond, Contra Costa County, California, USA (while visiting family). 

Margaret Harriman Veale in 1931

13. Laurits Hansen Madsen, sone of Hans Madsen and Sidsel Marie Christensen, was born on 21 May 1839 in Risemark, Ærø, Denmark. He died on 1 October 1934 in Risemark, Ærø, Denmark. He married Kristen Kristen Terkelsen on 1 April 1869 in Risemark, Ærø, Denmark. 

14. Kristen Terkelsen, daughter of Hans Terkelsen and Kirsten Christensen, was born in 1850 in Graasten, Denmark. She died in 1925 in Risemark, Ærø, Denmark.

Laurits and Kristen Madsen and their family in Denmark

15. Johann Bruhns, son of Frederich Bruhns and Marguerite ____, was born on 20 July 1848 in Holstein, Germany. He died on 24 July 1934 in Tracy, San Joaquin County, California, USA. He married Christina Marguerita Schlichtmann, on 3 November 1881 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA.

16. Christina Marguerita Schlichtmann, daughter of Claus Schlichtmann and Anna Sophie Vanderleith, was born on 20 March 1862 in Hannover, Stadt Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany.  1 December 1952 in Tracy, San Joaquin County, California, USA.

Wedding photo of John and Christina Bruhns

 
The birthplaces of my 16 great-great-grandparents are:

*  USA - 10 (3 in IA, 2 in AR, 2 in IN, 1 in AL, 1 in MO, 1 in MS)

*  England - 2

*  Denmark - 2

*  Germany - 2

Here is my "Heritage Pie" chart:

 Well, that WAS fun! Thanks, Randy, for the inspiration!!

Military Monday: Remembering our Patriots on Memorial Day

While i know that Memorial Day is traditionally a time to honor our war dead, this Memorial Day, I'd like to take a moment to remember all of the brave patriots in my family. Some actually saw battle, and all served well. Some died while in service, and some were fortunate to live long, happy lives once their service was completed. I thank them all for their service and sacrifices.

Here are just a few of the men in my family who have served in the military:

Top (L-R): My dad, William Lee Brittain (1942-2003); my grandfather, Woodie Leroy Brittain (living), with Grandma Edith and Dad; the grave of my 4th great grandfather and Confederate soldier, James Monroe Purser (1843-1914).

Middle (L-R): My great uncle Edgar "Bud" Hunt (1922-2004); my great grandfather, Andrew Lee Brittain (1888-1954), in WWI France; the Revolutionary War record of my 5th great grandfather, Nathaniel Brittain (1734-1776).

Bottom (L-R): The grave of my 4th great grandfather and Confederate soldier, Benjamin Franklin Jaggers (1832-1862); the Revolutionary War grave of my 5th great grandfather, Ambrose Garriott (1760-1834); my cousin, Stanley Christensen (living).

And, a big THANK YOU to all of the men and women who have served in all branches of the US military, both past and present!

Wedding Wednesday: Jesse James & Louiza Jane Jaggers

I love finding really old documents and photos of my family. The old marriage certificates and licenses were not only beautiful, but they also often contain information that may help me to fill out the branches of my family tree. For example, some marriage records show that their parents may have given them permission to marry (especially if they were quite young). Marriage records also list witnesses to the ceremony, and those witnesses are often family members. I don't know why, but I also get a kick out of seeing their own handwriting.

Here's the marriage record for my paternal 3rd great grandparents, Jesse James Jaggers and Louiza Jane Turman. They were married on October 3, 1875, in Sanford County, Alabama, by the Reverend J.R. Baker, Minister of the Gospel. Alexander Cobb was the probate judge who granted them the marriage license. It appears that a mistake was made in the part where the time of marriage was supposed to be written: Louiza's father's name, Robert, appears on that line. Strangely, it also appears Jesse, along with Robert, was witness to his own wedding (unless there's another Jesse J. Jaggers in my line that I'm not aware of...).

Jesse was born sometime in 1854 in Morgan County, Alabama, to Benjamin Franklin Jaggers and Nancy Catherine Sandlin. I can't find any record of his death but, based on census documents and the birthdates of his children, I believe that it happened sometime after 1889 and likely somewhere in Oklahoma. 

Louiza was born on December 15, 1854, in Alabama to Robert Wilson Turman and Dezina Noe. I don't have documentation, but it is believed that she died on October 14, 1905, in LeFlore, Oklahoma. 

Like most of my ancestors, Jesse was a farmer. He and Louiza had five children: Robert Franklin, Nancy Dezina, James Thomas, Catherine Elzoria and William Donald. All lived into adulthood and had families of their own. Their daughter, Nancy Dezina Jaggers, was my great great grandmother. 

I don't really know much else about Jesse and Louiza, but I love the one picture of them that I found in my Grandma Edith's files.

Here's how I'm descended from Jesse and Louiza:

Jesse James Jaggers (1854-?) & Louiza Jane Turman (1854-1905) >

Nancy Dezina Jaggers Martindale (1877-1944) and Riley Harrison Martindale (1876-1899) >

Ethel Modena Martindale Hunt (1896-1977) and James William "Earl" Hunt (1891-1961) >

Edith Vivian Hunt Brittain (1921-1993) and Woodie Leroy Brittain (living) >

William Lee Brittain (1942-2003) and Rebecca Elizabeth Bartram Brittain (living) >

ME!

Military Monday: Honoring My Civil War Ancestors

Battle of Missionary Ridge, where my 3rd Great Grandfather,
James Monroe Purser, was captured by the Union Army

Tomorrow, April 12, marks the 150th anniversary of the start of America's Civil War. Hostilities officially began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked a U.S. military installation at Fort Sumpter, South Carolina. The war lasted for four years, and claimed the lives of an estimated 620,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilian casualties.

Studying the Civil War in school, I'd always identified as a Northerner, and cheered that President Lincoln's Union Army defeated the secessionist, slavery-supporting Confederate Army. I still feel that way, of course, but as I've learned more about my own family involvement in the Civil War, I've learned about good men on both sides who fought for their beliefs. 

Here are three of my known Civil War ancestors, both Union and Confederate:

James M. Purser
1843-1914

• James Monroe Purser (1843-1914), Confederate, 3rd Great Grandfather. On February 4, 1862, at at Murphee's Crossroads in Blount County, Alabama, Jim enlisted in the Confederate army. His brothers, Richard and Moses, also enlisted and fought in the war. Jim was promoted from Private to 2nd Corporal in the 28th Alabama Infantry, Company B, but his service in the Confederate army wasn't without its trials and tribulations. Jim became ill within just a couple of months of enlisting, and ended up in the hospital at Shelby Springs, Alabama, for a time. Shortly after that, he somehow managed to lose his "gun and accoutrements" somewhere near Tupelo, Mississippi. However, the worst was yet to come.
  
  On November 25, Union soldiers assaulted and captured the Confederate position on Missionary Ridge. Jim and his brother, Richard, were both captured during the Battle of Chattanooga at Missionary Ridge in November 1863. They were confined at Rock Island Prison, Illinois, on December 5, 1863. During the Civil War, more than 12,000 men were imprisoned at Rock Island, and nearly 2,000 prisoners died there. Both Jim and Richard Purser lived through their imprisonment, and were released in March 1865 as part of a P.O.W. exchange program with the Union army.
  

Benjamin F. Jaggers
1832-1862

• Benjamin Franklin Jaggers (1832-1862), Confederate, 4th Great Grandfather. Benjamin joined the Confederate Army, enlisting on July 21, 1862, and mustering in at Huntsville, Alabama, on August 18, 1962. He was 30 years old and a Private in the 1st Alabama Cavalry. Benjamin would not get to see much, if any, action during the Civil War. Less than two months after he joined up, he died on October 16, 1862, of measles in Hospital #14 at Nashville, Tennessee. He is buried at the Nashville National Cemetery in Section A, plot 4518.

• Solomon Ishmael (1817-1894), Union, 4th Great Grandfather. Solomon was a Private in the Missouri 23rd Regiment Infantry Volunteers, Company B, under Captain Nash. He enlisted on July 25, 1862, in Trenton, Missouri, and mustered in at Hudson, Missouri, on August 31, 1862. He was 44 1/2 years old (no spring chicken). Solomon contracted small pox in around February 1864, and was in the hospital in McMinnville, Tennessee, until at least after the muster roll dated January 14, 1865. He was mustered out on May 18, 1865, near Washington, D.C.

Solomon Ishmael's examination report

I'm still researching a couple more great grandfathers who I believe fought in the Civil War. I also have several uncles and distant cousins who fought for both sides. 

While I'm proud of my Union soldiers for helping to protect and preserve our country, I've also grown surprisingly fond of my Confederate soldier ancestors. I might not believe in the same causes that they fought for, but I'm proud of their bravery. They also fought for their own beliefs and to preserve what they felt was important to their way of living. I'm glad the Union army prevailed, and my heart goes out to all of the soldiers on both sides -- as well as their parents, wives and children -- who endured, in many cases, four years of hell. Some gave their lives, and all gave their hearts and souls, for what they believed. These soldiers, both Union and Confederate, helped to shape our United States of America.

Military Monday: Benjamin Franklin Jaggers in the Civil War

B F Jaggers grave at Nashville National Cemetery

Genealogists can be so nice and helpful! About a week ago, I was searching Find-A-Grave for information on where my 4th great grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Jaggers, was buried. I knew that he had died in Tennessee in Civil War and found that he was buried in the National Cemetery at Nashville. However, I was sad to see that nobody had posted a picture of his grave. I figured it wouldn't hurt to post a request for a Find-A-Grave volunteer to take a photo, but wasn't really expecting anything. Lo and behold, a very helpful volunteer named Florence Keels  trekked out into the snow and snapped a photo of the gravestone for me! It's now up on his Find-A-Grave memorial page, and I've included it here, too. Thanks, Florence!

Benjamin Franklin Jaggers was born on June 30, 1832, in Morgan County, Alabama, to Thomas Garrison Jaggers and Martha Vest. He was one of nine children, and grew up a farmer in Alabama. He married Nancy Catherine Sandlin on February 15, 1852, and they had three children, including my GGG grandfather, Jesse James Jaggers.

As many young Alabama men did, Benjamin joined the Confederate Army, enlisting on July 21, 1862, and mustering in at Huntsville, Alabama, on August 18, 1962. He was 30 years old and a Private in the 1st Alabama Cavalry. Benjamin would not get to see much, if any, action during the Civil War. Less than two months after he joined up, he died on October 16, 1862, of measles (also known as "Rubeola") in Hospital #14 at Nashville, Tennessee. He is buried at the Nashville National Cemetery in Section A, plot 4518.

Here are some of Benjamin Franklin Jaggers' Civil War records. My favorite is the one that tells us a little bit about him, including:

• He was 5'10 1/2" 
• He had a dark complexion (there's legend of Cherokee genes on that side of the family, but I've yet to prove it)
• He had light hair and blue eyes
• He was 30 years old at enlistment
• He had enlisted for a term of  three years

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History: Cars!

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History by Amy Coffin is a series of weekly blogging prompts (one for each week of 2011) that invite genealogists and others to record memories and insights about their own lives for future descendants. You do not have to be a blogger to participate. If you do not have a genealogy blog, write down your memories on your computer, or simply record them on paper and keep them with your files.
  

Week 3: Cars.  What was your first car? Describe the make, model and color, but also any memories you have of the vehicle. You can also expand on this topic and describe the car(s) your parents drove and any childhood memories attached to it.

I *wish* I had a picture of my first car. She was something to behold. A 1969 Ford Torino purchased from some good family friends. Puke green with black racing stripes along the side, and one of those air cam-thingies on the hood. Oh, and a V8 engine, which was probably too fast and powerful for this teenaged country girl. Her name was Myrtle. Myrtle, The Turtle, The Mean Green Driving Machine. And she was all mine. She was huge -- I swear, I could fit my sister and another five or so friends in there and we'd turn up the 8-track stereo and go cruisin', usually up and down Pacific Ave. in Stockton, California (do kids still cruise?). She was also easy to spot in a crowded high school parking lot full of big, new, shiny pickup trucks, Camaros, Firebirds and the like. Sadly, Myrtle left us in around 1983, after I went off to college, when my little sister was driving her and was run off the road by some crazy madman (so we're told, anyway...). Cindy was fine, Myrtle was not. R.I.P., Myrtle. You are still missed.

In lieu of pics of my own beloved first wheels, here are some photos of our family's cars through time. To be honest, it was easier to find pictures of my people on horses and bulls than with their cars!

I think that was our family's 1967 Ford Galaxy (c. 1971 or 1972)

Not sure, but I think these are Bartrams

Grandma Edith, Great Grandma Brittain and Dad: Road trip! (c. 1955 or so)

Grandma Edith -- Glamming it up on their road trip

Uncle Johnnie Bruhns with his puppies and car

Great Grandma Ethel Modena Martindale Hunt (Grandma Dobbs
to us!) and her mom, Nancy Dezina Jaggers Martindale

My dad, William Lee Brittain

Grandpa Woodie Brittain, holding my dad in front of their car (c. 1942)