Sentimental Sunday: In Memory of Susannah Allen Harrison, My Paternal Grandmother

Copyright 2015, The Hopelessly Hooked Genealogist (B. Harrison)

Susannah "Susan" Allen Harrison

1875 - 1933

Wife of John P. Harrison

Mother of Marvin M. Harrison

My Paternal Grandmother

A Video Memorial, Scenes From Her Lifetime

Tombstone Tuesday: A Daughter's Sacrifice For Her Mother - Georgia Ann Harrison Finn (1861 - 1923)

Georgia Ann Harrison Finn

Daughter of John Milton Harrison and Mary Jane Coppedge Harrison

Wife of John R. Finn

Copyright 2015, The Hopelessly Hooked Genealogist (B. Harrison, A Genie In Arizona)

Georgia was my grand-aunt.  According to oral family history passed down to me by my aunt, Lona Harrison Curtis; Georgia passed away from an apparent heat stroke while walking to go visit her mother at the St. James Soldiers' Home for invalids. Her mother, Mary Janes Coppedge Harrison (who was known simply as "Jane Harrison"), had suffered from some form of senility (possibly what we now know as Dementia/ Alzheimers today) and had been placed in the care facility then known as the Soldiers Home for Veterans and Dependents in St. James, Missouri. Previous to that, Georgia was her mother's primary caregiver. Once Jane Harrison had reached the point of needing a nursing home, Georgia walked several miles a few times per week to visit her mother there. The last time she made that walk was on a hot humid summer day in July. She never made it to her destination. 

Find A Grave Memorial # 62303110

Remembering Augusta Nadine Crider Harrison 

17 June 1920 - 8 September 1970

We Contine To Live Beyond The Dawn

And In The Hearts Of Those Who Love Us

The following paragraph is from the Find A Grave Memorial that I previously created for her on that website.   ( Find  Grave memorial # 49840165 at www.findagrave.com)

Augusta Nadine Crider Harrison Taylor was the daughter of Steven Linn Crider and Ida Mae Allen Crider. She married Marvin Milton Harrison on Sept 7, 1939 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. They met when Marvin was working on construction of the Dam at Lake Wappapello. They had three children: Michael, John David, and Beverly Harrison. Augusta and Marvin lived in Pineville, Louisiana for several years while raising their young children, while Marvin worked for the railroad there. They bought a little house on a creek in what was then a rural area. Augusta and Marvin later relocated to Long Beach, California where Marvin worked in the aircraft industry with Hughes Aircraft and later Johns Manville Corp. Augusta's occupation during those years was as housewife and mother. Those were years of economic turmoil and much personal strife, which took it's toll on the marriage of Augusta and Marvin. They were divorced circa 1956, in Long Beach, California. Augusta returned to her hometown of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; where she re-remarried to Leonard Taylor in 1961. Mr Taylor was a veteran who died in 1968; and is also buried at City Cemetery in Poplar Bluff. Augusta spent her final years as a widow in Poplar Bluff, MO. She passed at the relatively young age of only 50. Augusta, may you rest in eternal peace forever in the Lord's loving embrace.

A Memorial Grove of Trees has been planted in Shasta-Trinity National Forest in California by their daughter, as a living tribute in memory of Augusta and Marvin Harrison. 

Burial: 
Poplar Bluff City Cemetery 
Poplar Bluff
Butler County
Missouri, USA
Plot: Sunnyslope Section, Space 1, Lot 15, Block E 

Sentimental Sunday: An Early Mother's Day Video Memorial- Augusta Crider Harrison (1920 - 1970)

Matrilineal Monday; Our Female Ancestors' Stories: SABRA "SABY" STOGSDILL FORE

              Copyright 2014, The Hopelessly Hooked Genealogist (B. Harrison)

Sabra Catherine Stogsdill was my 2x-great-grandmother, through my paternal grandmother Susannah Allen Harrison's Allen-Fore-Stogsdill line. Sabra's nickname was "Saby".  She was born 29 September 1822 in Pulaski County, Kentucky. She married Benjamin Fore Sr. on 1 August 1842 in Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky. Her parents were Daniel Stogsdill and Sarah Hargis. She died 16 March 1912 In Phelps County, Missouri.  She is buried at the Jackson Cemetery in Phelps County.  Her Find A Grave Memorial page number is 30392163.

The above photo depicts Sabra Stogsdill Fore, center, with her daughters Mary Ann "Polly" Fore on the left and Lucretia "Creasey" Fore Kelly on the right. This image was published in a Phelps County Genealogical Society Quarterly magazine. It was provided to the Society by a descendant, possibly Garrett Gabel. 

There is a discrepancy I have noted concerning Sabra Stogsdill Fore's actual date of birth, date of death, and age at death. The headstone inscription, the Find A Grave memorial page, and the official state death records do not match (as they currently read at the time of this article). Her State of Missouri Death Certificate indicates her birth date as 29 Sept 1822; and her death date as 16 March 1912.  The Find A Grave Memorial page that someone created for her, currently gives the birth year as 1828, and the photo of the headstone posted there appears to indicate 1829 as the year of birth. The official Death Certificate indicates her age at death as 89 years, 6 months, 17 days. I am inclined to believe the Death Certificate is the more reliable source of information, as the section of the headstone monument that bears the inscription appears to be far newer than 1912 and placed some years after Sabra's death. Cause of death listed on the Death Certificate is "senility".

Sabra married at about age 19 and become a first-time mother the following year. Her first 2 children were born in Pulaski County, Kentucky in 1843 and 1844. Then, she and her husband Ben Fore Sr and family moved to Phelps County, Missouri around 1845, with assorted kin and neighbors among the group migrating into Missouri.  Sabra "Saby" Stogsdill and Benjamin Fore Sr. were the parents of at least 9 children, including my great-grandmother Catherine Ellen Fore (1843- 1900) who married Valentine Allen.  Their other children included Harriet Jane Fore (1844- 1930), Benjamin "Ben" Fore Jr (about 1845 -   ), Polly Ann Fore (1847- 1915), William Harrison Fore (1848- 1916), Milford E Fore (1852- 1871), Lucretia "Creasey" Fore (1853- 1918), James Franklin Fore (1859- 1933), and Amanda "Mandy" Tebie Fore (1862- 1947).  

It is noted that Sabra and Benjamin's daughter, Lucretia, was named after Benjamin's mother Lucretia "Creasey" Umfleet, who married John Fore. 

An interesting fact about this line is that Benjamin Fore Sr's sister, Sarah Fore, married Singleton Earp, from a branch of the famed Wild West Lawman- Wyatt Earp's family. I have previously written a separate article and blog post about that family connection. So, that makes Sabra Stogsdill Fore an in-law of the Earp family, and Sabra and Benjamin's descendants are distant kin to Wyatt Earp. 

Not a lot else is known about Sabra's life, other than that she was a sturdy pioneer woman who bore a lot of children and lived to a relatively ripe old age. 

Surname Saturday: THORNTON- Margaret "Peggy" Kitchen Thornton Coppedge

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

Margaret Kitchen Thornton Coppedge, 1805- 1886

Burial  1886 Dillon Cemetery, Maries Co, Missouri Headstone Inscription: "Margaret, wife of Geo. H. Coppedge - died Oct 8, 1886, aged 81 yrs. Adieu my companion, adieu, How sadly I bid thee farewell". - Info provided by Jean Beckham in 1993. Find A Grave Memorial# 54005698

Margaret "Peggy" Kitchen Thornton was the daughter of Thomas Thornton III and Nancy Kitchen. She was my 2x-great-grandmother on the paternal side of my tree, though my father's grandmother's line. She was born about 1805 in Louden County,Virginia, and died 8 October 1886 in Maries County, Missouri.  The Thornton lineage has been traced back to Richmond, Virginia in the late 1600's and to Yorkshire, England in the early 1600's. There is still documentation work to be done to complete and verify the lineage of this direct line of Thorntons. 

Margaret was married to George Helm Coppedge. Their daughter, Mary Jane Coppedge married John Milton Harrison- these were my paternal great-grandparents. 

Margaret's direct-line paternal ancestry includes the surnames of Thornton, Peyton, Randolph, and Ryland; her maternal ancestry includes Kitchen, Harrison, Butler, Grayson, Wiggington, and Crume. Margaret's parents were Thomas Thornton III (1781- 1848) and Nancy Kitchen (1780- 1815). 

The reference book entitled "Coppage-Coppedge Family 1542-1955", on pg 81- indicates that Margaret was the "daughter of Thomas Thornton III by his 1st wife, a Miss Kitchen, sister to the 2nd wife of Thomas Thornton II".   If accurate, this means that her mother was the sister of  Elizabeth Kitchen, 2nd (or 3rd) wife of her grandfather, and that her father had married the sister of his own father's 2nd wife. 

Margaret's maternal grandparents are believed to be William H Kitchen and Nancy Anne Harrison. Nancy Anne Harrison was a descendant of Burr Harrison III, immigrant ancestor from London, England who went to Virginia about 1664 as an early settler and member of House of Burgess. He  died in Stafford, Virginia in 1706. 

Tombstone Tuesday: Lucy "Fannie" Clark Allen 1860-1939

My maternal great-grandmother was Lucy Frances "Fannie" Clark Allen, who was born 24 June 1860 in Fulton County, Kentucky and died 24 Feb 1939. She is buried in Fairview Cemetery, Fulton County, KY; and has a memorial page that I posted for her on the Find A Grave website at memorial # 58405248. Rest in Peace, Fannie.

Fannie passed away several years before I was born. Her Kentucky Death Certificate is # 03730. She was married in 1877 to Thomas Calvin Allen, a Confederate Veteran of the Civil War. Their marriage took place in Troy, Obion County, Tennessee (which was the groom's home state) according to Lucy's deposition in her Widow's Pension application in 1912; but it was recorded in Fulton County, Kentucky (which was the bride's home state). It was the groom's 2nd marriage, but the bride's 1st marriage. Fannie was the daughter of William Calvin Clark (also a Confederate Civil War Veteran) and Harriet Angeline Gray.

Obituary Sunday: Frances "Fanny" Hudgens 1811- 1879

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

Following is the obituary and headstone photo of my paternal 2nd-great-grandmother, Frances Hudgens (Wilson Allen Malone), who was born 6 Dec 1811 in Washington County, Kentucky and died 11 May 1879 in Phelps County, Missouri.  She is buried at Allen Cemetery in Phelps County, Missouri.  Her nicknames were "Fanny" and "Aunt Frankey". She had at least 3 husbands as she kept outliving the men she married.

Transcript of the Obituary of Mrs. Frances Malone-Source: Courtesy of Phelps County Genealogical Society, Rolla, Missouri- July 1995 Quarterly "The Rolla Herald, 15 May 1879""Frances Hudges Wilson Allen Malone, died at her residence on Little Piney, May 11th 1879. Frances, widow of the late George Malone, aged about 68 years. Mrs. Malone was married three times. The late Napoleon Wilson was her oldest son by her first marriage. Her second husband was father of V. Allen Esq., who was her only child by her second marriage. Mrs. Malone was mother on nine children, the most of whom survive her. She was the daughter of William and Susannah Hudgens, the eldest of twelve children, four of whome survived her, namely: Mrs. Nancy Bond, Mrs. Matilda Woolsey, Mrs. Martha Huskey, and Mrs. Mary A. Paulsell. It is a meloncholy pleasure to surviving friends in some way to give expression to their deep sorrow, and to pay some tribute of respect when one, who by familiar intercourse and intimate acquaintance for years, they had learned to love for her many virtues, kindly deeds and uncomplaining faithful discharge of life's duties, has passed away from earth away. Such a one in the feelings and estimation of the writer and many friends in Phelps County, was Aunt Frankie Malone. A number of years ago she embraced the Christian religion and at her death was a member of the Free Will Baptist Church. Her end was peace, and it is confidently beleived her future will be glorious. She was buried on Monday the 12th inst., near the residence of her son Esq. Allen. The regious services were conducted by the writer, J. J. Watts. " She is buried at Allen Cemetery, Phelps County, Missouri.  Source:genie-in-az (#46847723).

Mrs. Frances Malone, born in Washington Co, Ky, Dec 6th 1811, died on Little Piney, Phelps Co., May 11, 1879 aged 67 years 6 ms. and 5 ds."- Rev JJ Watts Journals. Frances Hudgens was the daughter of William Hudgens and Susannah Tucker. She was born in Kentucky but resided most of her adult life in Phelps County, Missouri. Frances was married 3 times: 1st husband Valentine Wilson, 2nd husband Samuel T Allen, 3rd husband George W Malone. Frances Hudgens Wilson Allen Malone had several children born of her three marriages. Among her children were "Bushwacker" Bill Wilson, infamous Missouri desperado during the Civil War years. Clint Eastwood portrayed the title character in a film entitled "Outlaw Josey Wales" based loosely on the life and times of Bill Wilson. Another of Frances' son's was Valentine Allen, half- brother to Bill Wilson. Frances' father, William Hudgens, was born in McMinn, Tennessee. Her mother, Susannah Tucker, was born in Ambrose, Virginia in 1792; the daughter of William Wofford Tucker and Nancy Lee. The Tucker ancestors arrived in Virginia, America in the late 1600's from Kent, England. The Lee family arrived in Virginia in the early 1600's from Worcestshire, England. Frances was also a descendant of the Penn family of Virginia; Frances' maternal great-grandmother was Frances Penn married to Ambrose Lee. Frances' ancestor George Penn was born in Sussex, England in 1571 and came to the Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, America in the early 1600's. The Penn ancestry was originally in Gloucester, England in the 1500's.

"Only The Men Had Babies"

 Copyright 2010, The Hopelessly Hooked Genealogist (B. Harrison)

One of our challenges when searching for our female ancestors, especially in the American frontier days and prior, is that we often find the records appear only under her married name as an adult, and under her father's household name in census records as a child. She was often considered a mere extension of her father and then her husband, with no identity of her own...treated in the records more like property to be enumerated along with household/ farm belongings, than as a unique individual who was a mother and matriarch of a family line. Unless she kept a journal which still survives today and we are lucky enough to find it, we are apt to learn little about her daily life and the events that affected her. One of my focuses in working on updating my own family tree, is to strive to include more biographical information on the women in my tree, especially my direct female ancestors. It is through researching my female ancestors and their family histories, that I have discovered my eligibility to join various descendants' patriotic organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War; as well as a society for descendants of outlaws, pirates, and privateers. These women, and their ancestry, are what makes my family tree as colorful as it is.

I came across this poem recently. It was published in the Phelps County (MO) Genealogical Society's Quarterly magazine dated April 1993.

"ONLY THE MEN HAD BABIES"
"by Dr. Dorothy Branson"

"My ancestor William had children.
All named, with birth and places,
But his wife is not even mentioned;
Of her, there are not even traces.

Surely she must have existed,
Was born, was a child, and had dreams,
Grew up and learned how to keep house,
Was a PERSON- but nameless, it seems.

She had parents, and someplace, a home,
Her brothers are listed, no doubt.
But she was only a girl,
So not really worth telling about.

She was half of my ancestor's heritage;
Without her he wouldn't have life.
His genes are half of hers, but I find
She was only his father's wife.

Once a girl was first 'dau', then was 'wife'.
She belonged to her father till married,
And then She belonged to her husband,
And beside him, unnamed, she was buried.

How awful to think MY descendants
Might search for a name for me,
Be unable to find my identity,
And wonder just who I might be."


"Note: Recorded in PCGS Quarterly April 2003 by Barbara Smith Pugh, previously appeared in publications of the Champaign County Genealogical Society (Fall 1991), and the Henry County Genealogical Society, as well as the Dawson County (Mont.) Historical and Genealogical Society. "