Wednesday's Child: Beulah A. Giesler 1884 - 1885

Copyright 2013, The Hopelessly Hooked Genealogist (B. Harrison)

For the Geneabloggers weekly writing prompt topic "Wednesday's Child", I am posting this photo  of the gravestone of Beulah A. Giesler, born 15 Feb 1884 and died 12 Dec 1885. She was the daughter of Hugh E Giesler (1851- 1920) and Sarah Thomas Giesler (1853- 1894).  She is buried near several other members of the extended Giesler family, at Morning View Cemetery in Bluff City, Sullivan County, Tennessee.  Her siblings included Charlie M. Giesler (1874- 1898), Walter C. Gielser (1878- 1904), and Noah Hayes Giesler (1886- 1957).  I don't know the story of baby Beulah's short life, or what caused her untimely passing at only 10 months of age.  Rest in peace, little angel Beulah, you will not be forgotten.

This precious baby Beulah, and these Gieslers, are distant cousins who connect to my family tree through Sarah Eliza Harrison born about 1819, sister of my great-great-grandfather William Harrison born 1807.  Sarah Eliza Harrison married Noah Giesler who was born in 1818 in Piney Flats, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Both the Harrison family and a branch of the Giesler family moved to Missouri circa 1825-1830. Noah is a name that repeats often in this Giesler line through several generations. The marriage of Sarah Eliza Harrison and Noah Giesler is recorded in Crawford County, Missouri in 1839.  It appears that Noah and Sarah Eliza met after their families moved to Missouri, however there is a possibility that my Harrisons and these Gieslers were neighbors in Tennessee prior to Missouri.  The Harrison surname is prominent in Sullivan County, Tennessee in the early and mid 1800's. Two of the brothers of my ancestor William Harrison (Lewis and Tyree) stated on census records that they were born in Tennessee.  My ancestor is recorded as being born in North Carolina.

Wednesday's Child- Remembering Elizabeth Octavia Harrison, 1858- 1876

               Copyright 2011, The Hopelessly Hooked Genealogist (B. Harrison)


"Plucked By God To Bloom In Heaven"
E. Octavia- Daughter of John M and Mary J Harrison
Born Dec'r 10, 1858 - Died August 15, 1876
"No Sin Could Blight Or Sorrow Fade. Death Came With Friendly Care."
"The Opening Bud To Heaven Conveyed, And Bade It Blossom There."


So reads the original inscription on the headstone of my grand-aunt Elizabeth Octavia Harrison, who passed away barely past her 18th birthday in 1876. She was the daughter of my great-grandparents, John Milton Harrison and Mary Jane (Coppedge) Harrison, and sister of my grandfather John P Harrison.

Though worn by time and barely legible now, the headstone inscription was thankfully earlier recorded by local historians and transcribed in a booklet entitled: "The Cemeteries and Headstones of Maries County, Missouri- A Personal History", compiled by Gail Howard and Mozelle Hutchinson.


Hers was one of the first headstone inscriptions I came across when beginning to research my ancestry several years ago.  I have always wondered what took the life of the young lass called Octavia, whose headstone bore such a touching inscription of tenderness. She was apparently the eldest sibling in a family of 11 children, the first-born child of my great-grandparents.  "Plucked by God as an opening bud...to bloom in heaven".  Next to her lies her father, the Civil War Veteran who outlived her by 23 years.  This week, with the help of a cousin who lives near this country cemetery that is now on private property, a new headstone is being placed for her father John Milton Harrison, to replace his worn and badly deteriorated stone. I hope in the coming year that we can manage to get Octavia's stone cleaned and restored as well.