My Cousin Booger

Adventures with Booger

My maternal grandparents had over 30 grand kids.  My cousin, Booger was one of those grand kids and one of my many playmates when I was young.  I'm not sure exactly how he got the nickname of Booger, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was our Grandpa Smith that gave it to him.  I will refrain from saying what his given name is here, but those in the family will know who I am talking about.

Booger was an active kid and was blessed with red hair, freckles, and blue eyes.  He is about two and a half years older than me, and I remember that even as a child he had definite ideas of what he did and didn't like.  He is still like that to some extent.

I remember he and I were sitting next to each other one morning at Grandma and Grandpa's house having our breakfast.  Booger was quite active to the left of me, giving a lot of attention to the food on his plate.  I asked, "Whatcha doing, Booger"?  He said, "I'm mixing my egg (fried), gravy, and potatoes (fried) together".  I asked, "Why"?  Booger said, "Cause its good"?    I thought it looked like a big mess to me, but since my big cousin, Booger said it was so good, I thought I would give it a try.  I proceeded to try and create the same kind of mess on my plate as Booger had on his.  I ate some of it, but that was the last time I ever tried out one of Booger's recipes!  I wasn't as impressed with it as Booger was.  Lol

I remember my Grandpa telling about another Booger adventure as I was growing up.  Grandpa liked to tell how Booger was expelled from Kindergarten and then he would laugh and laugh about it.  Back then, if a boy stood up for himself, it was a good thing.  I could be wrong, but I don't think Booger was expelled.  I think he might have been suspended for a couple of days.  I don't know what he did, to be kicked out of school for a couple of days, but most likely he was just being active or maybe had a skirmish with another kid.  Remember, Booger always was a little stubborn, knew what he did and didn't like.  I think it goes with the red hair. 

None of us had very many toys, but I remember one time, I had gotten a doll for Christmas and I believe it was Booger had gotten a gun.  It might have been one of his brothers, but I think it was Booger.  I wanted to play with the toy rifle.  I always thought that boy's toys were so much better.

Booger is a good guy, who is highly intelligent, has a great sense of humor, was a good Husband, is a good Father, and is a good Grandfather.  He always has loved his family.

I always looked forward to visits with Booger and his family.  I am so blessed to have had so many cousins, playmates, and friends in one family. 

Booger definitely left an impression on me!

Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Smith's House

A Smith Family Thanksgiving

One of my happiest memories as a child was spending Thanksgiving day at my Grandma and Grandpa Smith's house in Poplar, CA.  Although, I spent almost every day at their house, Thanksgiving was even more special because there would be so many Aunts, Uncles, and cousins visiting. 

Grandma would stuff and cook the turkey early in her stand alone electric oven so it would be ready to eat by noon.

Grandma's stuffing recipe:
cornbread
white store bought bread or stale biscuits
chopped celery
giblets
chopped onion
minced garlic (optional)
couple of boiled eggs
couple of raw eggs
milk
sage
salt and pepper to taste
Boil giblets until done.  Let cool, and chop liver, heart, and gizard meat.  Remove meat from neck and chop. 
Crumble cornbread, and tear bread into small pieces.  Mix in large bowl with chopped meat, chopped boiled eggs, celery, chopped onion, water from giblets, seasoning, milk, until the right consistency and taste.  Add a couple of raw eggs to help hold stuffing together before stuffing bird and putting remainder of stuffing in pan to be cooked. 

I still make my stuffing like this but sometimes add spinach to it.

We would always have mashed potatoes, gravy, sometimes green beans and corn or some other vegetable.  We would always have pumpkin pie, always have banana pudding and sometimes we would have a cake.

Sometimes the Clay cousins (family of 9 kids), and the McKay cousins (family of 7 kids) might be there at the same time.  Aunt Betty and Uncle Bill Smith had 2 kids.  Aunt Betty and Uncle Don Smith had 4 kids.  Aunt Pat and Uncle Junior Smith had 5 kids, and my Mom and Dad had 2 kids. Grandma and Grandpa had six kids and thirty one grand kids.  The house was only two rooms, but I don't remember it being crowded at all when there was a lot of people.  Of course, I spent a lot of time outside playing with my cousins. 

Grandpa later added two bedrooms and an indoor bathroom.

We didn't have many toys, but we would play Red Rover, Red Rover, Dog Pile, Jump rope, Chinese jump rope, marbles, etc. 

It was so much fun with so many of my cousins there and the food was so good!

I am very Thankful to God for blessing me with my Grandma and Grandpa Smith, my Mom and Dad, my sister, my children, my grandchildren, my aunts and uncles, and all of my cousins that I grew up with.  I'm also Thankful for good health and all of my other cousins that I have.  I have so much to be Thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Transgressions of Charity and John Hollon/Holland

Background

Before I start filling you in on Charity Brewer and John Holland, my 4th Great Grandparents, I would like to remind you about my background and upbringing.

My Grandmother was Stella Holland Smith.  Grandma was very strict with the girls.  She didn't want our hair cut, we weren't allowed to wear shorts, and we weren't supposed to notice if a woman was pregnant and if we did, we weren't supposed to mention it or even know what it meant.  Grandma wouldn't even wear a dress with any red in it, when I was growing up, because only women of the night wore red.  She relaxed a little later in life and started wearing more colorful clothing.

Grandma came from a large family.  Two of her sisters had their own churches.  Aunt Rosie had a church in Stockton, CA, and Aunt Nellie had a church in Poplar, CA, (my home town). 

I attended Baptist and Pentecostal Churches.  My Grandpa Smith's family were mostly Baptist, but Grandpa didn't go to Church.  My Grandma's family were Pentecostal.  I was raised more in the Pentecostal faith.   Although, if you ask me, I can't see a big difference.  But then again, I'm not a religious scholar. 

Anyway, we weren't supposed to do anything that was fun, like going to dances, movies, etc.  Women weren't supposed to wear pants or makeup.  Women weren't supposed to do anything that might make themselves more attractive to the opposite sex either. 

I think you all might be getting the picture.   But, I had a little Mama, that liked to break the rules, so she didn't enforce any of that.  I guess you could say, Rosie Mae Smith Johnson was a little Hell Raisin' Holy Roller.

Even with being brought up in such a rigid religious environment, I still have a very strong faith that has helped me through many bad situations throughout my life.

I also must tell you that I had the best Grandparents ever.  They gave my sister and me so much love, I don't know where I would be today if I had not had them in my life.


Speaking of Hell Raisers.  Since John and Charity were my 4th Great Grandparents, they were my Mom's 3rd Great Grandparents.   Oh and here is the good part!  They were my Grandma Stella Holland Smith's, Aunt (Reverend) Rosille Holland Snow's, and Aunt (Reverend) Nellie Holland Snow Ozner's 2nd Great Grandparents.

Oh, I almost forgot.  Their other sister, Argie Alice Holland Simpson Robinson, used to tell me all the time when I was growing up, that the devil was going to get me.  I don't know why she would tell me that.  I might be playing outside or going around in circles getting dizzy, and all of a sudden, Aunt Argie would be telling me that the devil was going to get me. She may be right about that since I can't help but enjoy the story I'm about to tell you.

Below are two photos.  The first photo is of Aunt Nellie and my Grandma.  I did think that the other person was Aunt Argie but it isn't. I think the other woman is their sister in law. 
                                            

Nellie Holland, Stella Holland, and Sister in law, I think.

The next photo is of my Grandmother, her Father, John Wesley Holland who is sitting in the middle, and her siblings. 


                                                  

Back row, left to right.  Rosie, Argie, Nellie, Stella.  Sitting in the middle is John Wesley Holland, their Father.
In the front are the brothers.  One of them is probably Clift and she had another brother named Claud Orville.  I'm not sure who the extra guy is.  To the left in the background, it looks like it is either Jr. or Don.  One of my Grandma's sons.

The photo above was taken after they came to California from Arkansas and Oklahoma, I think.

S  C A  N  D  A L 

There are many tales, and family legend surrounding Charity Brewer and John Hollon.  If you google their names, you will come up with tons of info.  Not all of it is true, however, some of it is.  Several book articles and newspapers articles have been written about them.

Lets get started.  First let me tell you a little about John Hollon and Charity Brewer each.

John's surname is found on records spelled as Holland, Hollon, and Hollin. John Hollon, my 4th Great Grandpa, was born April 24, 1777 in Montgomery County, VA.  That part of the county is now Grayson. 

There are several different versions, according to family legend, John was betrothed to Charity Brewer, who was born September 26, 1777, in what is now Ashe County, North Carolina.  It is just across the border from Grayson County. 

It is believed that Charity was the daughter of Ambrose Brewer, (she named a son Ambrose, so I believe this to be true) who was the brother of Lewis Brewer of Grayson County.  John Holland's aunt Agatha married Lewis Brewer.  There is a good chance that John and Charity knew one another as children.

John ordered a survey of land in Grayson County in October, 1799, on Middle Fork Creek, but withdrew the survey.  Instead, he went to the Kentucky wilderness to stake a claim.  He planned to return and marry Charity. 

When John did not return at the appointed time, family convinced Charity that he was dead.  She married another man, with the surname of Maynard.  They were married long enough for Charity to give birth to a child.  When John Hollon returned alive and well, she left her child and husband behind to go to Kentucky with him.

Their home site was in present day Wolfe County, Kentucky.  Charity gave birth to the first white child in the region about 1804.  One of the family legends says that Rebecca was born in the cave on Holly Creek, since their cabin was not finished yet.  Please see photo of the Cave below.

                                              

Cave where John and Charity lived while cabin was being built and where their first child was born

John and Charity had 9 children and over 100 grandchildren. Their children were Rebecca, William, Fannie, Ambrose, Lucinda, Phoebe, Andrew Jackson "Jack" (my 3rd great grandpa), Hiram and John Jr.  Many of their descendants hold reunions each year in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Texas.  At one point, over 3,000 descendants had been identified.  I don't know what the count is up to now.  I'm sure Timothy J Barron has a better idea than I do what it is.  He is a distance cousin of mine from the Holland line.  He is also the source for much of the information in this article.  

Here is the Scandalous Part

 

A marriage record from Floyd County, Kentucky, shows that John Hollon and Charity Mains (should have been Maynard) were married May 21, 1820, by Daniel Williams.  This means that their first eight children were born out of wedlock.  Charity may have still been married to her first husband.  Furthermore, she was about seven months pregnant with their ninth child, John Jr., at the time of their marriage.  

John and Charity are honored as the founders of Wolfe County in the County Historical Society in Campton, Wolfe County, Kentucky.
                                                

    John and Charity are buried together in the Hollon Cemetery on top of a hill in Hollonville, Wolfe County, Kentucky.  They are buried in cairns which is an unusual design in Kentucky. 

                                                     

Story about Charity's First Child

Timothy J Barron proved that the legend of Charity having another child that she left behind is true.  His DNA matched with a descendant of Mahalia Maynard Brewer, Charity's first born that she had with her first husband, Shadrack Maynard. My DNA also matched with a descendant of Mahalia's at a later time.

The articles written to date....

1958 Book article about John Hollon & Charity:  "Hollon and Related Families in Wolfe County" written by Clay Hollon, appeared in "Early and Modern History of Wolfe County" pages 115-116

1958 Book article about John Hollon & Charity:  "The First Hollon to Settle in Wolfe County" written by Capt. James I. Hollon, appeared in "Early and Modern History of Wolfe County", page 128

1961 Book article about John Hollon & Charity: written by Clay Hollon, appeared in "Fragments of Knowlege from Around the Globe"

1967 Newspaper Article about John Hollon & Charity: "Cave House on Holly Creek Birthplace of First white Child Born in Wolfe County" written by Steve Swango, appeared in unconfirmed newspaper.

1979 Book article about John Hollon & Charity:  appeared in "The Pence Genealogy: Early Pioneers of Wolfe County, Kentucky including Pences, Hollons, Brewers, Banks, Tomlinsons and many others and who was who," by Sally Singleton page 15

1989 Newspaper article about John Hollon & Charity: "The Saga of Charity Brewer"  written by Athelene (Jackie) Genge of Spooner, Wisconsin appeared on March 3, 1989 in the Wolfe County News from Wolfe County, Kentucky. 

1995 Book article about John Hollon & Charity:  "John Hollon and Charity Brewer" written by Sandra Lake Lassen, appeared in "Bicentennial Heritage Grayson County, Virginia" page 246

So there you have it.  Charity and John created quite a stir, and were a scandalous couple.  I'm not exactly sure when the Hollands got religion.  Maybe John and Charity had religion but I haven't read anything about it, if they did.

This is Part of Mine and my Daddy's History

Daddy And I Both Loved Elvis

Since this is a family history blog, I would like to share a song and a video by Tom Jones about Elvis, The King of Rock and Roll.  Tom and Elvis were very good friends. 

Here is another one, where Elvis is introducing Tom in Las Vegas, then Tom talks and sings a new song for Elvis " I was thinking about Elvis......watch till the end......

I was fortunate enough to be able to see both of them perform in person.

Hope you enjoy.

                                                
            

Hartwell Johnson and Son Jasper

Closing in on Hartwell Johnson Jr.
 
As you know, I did a timeline on my 4th Great Grandpa, Hartwell Johnson Jr.  I have since updated it with a small bit of information that I discovered recently.  However, this small bit of information is huge in the world of genealogy.  Please see latest timeline for Hartwell.  The update I made is in red.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LwjJboStsKTg-OWGAYM_5Q46CAQOOhhrJwGqrRkdAE0/edit#gid=293211040

Jasper Johnson's Civil War Prison Records 

 

When I found my 3rd Great Grand Uncle Jasper Johnson's Civil War prison records, I became very excited.  I knew that I had hit pay dirt.  What I found out....

Transcription of attached records in link below:
 
Gratiot Extract: From roll of prisoners of war sent forward from Little Rock, Ark, Dec 2, 1863. By order Sg? Col J.S. Chandler P-- War Genl.  Jasper Johnson, private teamster, captured near Benton in Ark, Nov 17, 1863.

Examination: Jasper Johnson of Polk County, Missouri. Taken the 6th day of January, 1864. Confined at Gratiot St. Prison, St. Louis, MO.  Taken by George H Richerson.

Statement of Jasper Johnson, a prisoner at the Gratiot St. prison, St. Louis, made the 6th day of January, 1864.
My age is thirty six years.
I live in Polk County, Missouri
I was born in Halifax County, VA
I was captured in Arkadelphia, Arkansas on or about the 28th day of October 1863.
The cause of my capture was I was a Rebel Soldier and was driving a C.S.A team and was taken prisoner by some Iowa troops, I think.
I was in arms against the United States, and was a Private in Captain Mitchell's company "G", Burn's Inftry Reg, C.S.A., I was sworn into the Rebel service about the 15th day of October 1862, by Col Burns, in Arkansas for three years during the war.
When captured. I was first taken to Little Rock, Ark and remained there about three months and was not examined there and was sent to Gratiot St Prison about the nineteenth day of December 1863.

Question, Answer session....
Q. How many times have you been in arms during the rebellion?
A. Once

Q. What commanders have you served under?
A.  Burns
Q. What battle or skirmishes have you been in?
A.  None, was driving team all other times
Q. Have you ever furnish arms, or ammunition, horse, provisions, or any kind of supplies to any rebels? State when, where, and how often.
A.  Never furnished anything
Q.  Have you ever been with any one taking horses, arms or other property?
A.  Never have
Q.  Are you enrolled in the E. H. H.- loyal or disloyal?
A.  I am not
Q.  Are you a Southern sympathizer?
A.  I am
Q.  Do you sincerely desire to have the Southern people put down in this war, and the authority of the H. J. government over them restored?
A.  I do not
Q.  How many slaves have you?
A.  None
Q.  Have you a wife--how many children?
A.  Wife and 1 child
Q.  What is your occupation?
A.  Farmer
Q.  What relatives have you in the rebellion?
A.  Don't know of any
Q.  Have you ever been in any Rebel camp? If so, whose--when--where--and how long? What did you do? Did you leave it or were you captured in it?
A.  Something about Arkansas....handwriting difficult to read, and Done teamster duty in ?

On the examination intake form, it asked....

What impression does the prisoner make--
The answer was, truthful, candid, mild, vigorous, healthy.  Recommend that prisoner be exchanged.


Jasper was forwarded to Rock Island prison, Illinois, on January 18, 1864. 

In the link below, you will find Jasper Johnson's statement swearing that he will defend the Constitution of the United States, etc., that he signed at the Headquarters, Rock Island barracks, Illinois on March 20, 1865.  In the statement a physical description of him is provided.  He is described as having a fair complexion, light hair, and grey eyes and is 6 feet inches high, and is 36 years of age. 
https://app.luminpdf.com/viewer/kJEdHF9yYq6XHGJEp/share?sk=bb15e8c2-851e-4b50-8f60-b99e1e3699df




                                                                         

Jasper Johnson, son of Hartwell Johnson and Lydia Shaw Johnson

I have highlighted the answers that Jasper gave in his prison examination, in turquoise that I either know to be false or suspect.
His answer about only being in arms once during the rebellion, I believe  to be false.  He was only "caught" with arms once during the rebellion.

His answer that he didn't have any slaves was false.  He did have slaves.

His answer that he never furnished any guns, any provisions or any kind of supplies to any rebels is suspect.  That is what teamsters did.  They provided supplies, and food for the troops.

His answer about not having any relatives in the rebellion was false.  His father Hartwell was involved in the rebellion as well as three of his brothers, Leonard, John, and Gideon.  As a matter of fact, Hartwell, Jasper, Leonard, and John are all on the list of "The Rebels of Polk County".  The list was drawn up in 1861. I will write about that another time.

The fact that Jasper Johnson made a good impression on the Yankees, all I have to say, is "Boy did he have them snowed"!  I'm sure he was quite charming, but the fact that many of his answers were false says a lot.  Of course, he was doing what he needed to do to survive.

The items I have shaded in yellow are important.  Hartwell started showing up in tax records in Halifax County, VA for the period of 1805-1820.  Some of his children were born during this time period but I never had documentation showing that they were actually born in Halifax County.  Since Jasper provided documentation that he was born in Halifax County, and the census records put his birth at about 1826-1827, we can assume that the Hartwell Johnson family lived there until they moved to Tennessee in around 1830. 
this is important because I know where to look for records for the family and especially Hartwell in order to trace our Johnson line.

The other item I highlighted in yellow is of the physical description of Jasper.  Luckily we also have a photograph of Jasper but that isn't always the case.  The physical description provides details that the photo doesn't and that is his height and age at the time.

Well, I covered a lot of information today.  On my Geni Bucket list is to find out who Hartwell's Daddy is.  With each little piece of information uncovered, I am getting closer.

Until the next time, the Johnson Saga continues....

Genealogy Vacation to Polk County Missouri and Nearby Areas

Searching for Ancestors and Their Secrets

A few months ago, we made a fact finding trip from California to Missouri to conduct genealogy research.  We also met up with some cousins, and friends that I have made through the years over the phone and online.


I met with my cousin Linda Ivy, face to face for the first time.  She and I both descend from Hartwell Johnson and his oldest son, Williamson Johnson.  We have been communicating for years through Facebook, Ancestry, and email.  We first met on Ancestry through our DNA.  We had a wonderful time together!

I also met with Mike and Mona Duby who are possible cousins from the Griffin side.  We had a ton of fun together too!

We all met at the Polk County Genealogical Society in Bolivar, MO, for the first time.  I also met Susan Sparks, the president of the society, face to face for the first time as well that same day. 


We  spent the day at the Society research center researching our ancestors.  During my visit to Missouri, I came away with some additional bits and pieces of family history to add to the files.  The folks at the Society are very helpful.  They have been assisting me with my research efforts from afar for several years.  Susan, has been especially helpful.


During this trip, I came away with the court records for the trial of my Great Grandfather, Virgil Eagleton Johnson and his cousin Loman Johnson.  I will not say at this time, what the trial what about.  Suffice it to say, that it wasn't for something that was frivolous. 


My Johnson line is one of the main reasons I named my blog, "Hell Raisers and Holy Rollers" although, I can't place all of the blame on them.  The Johnson Family were Baptist.  Back in the day, when they weren't being good Baptist, you can rest assured, they were raising some kind of hell.

I also came away with an obituary for the last one of Hartwell and Lydia's children to pass away.  In it, the person who preached at her funeral and wrote the obituary mentioned how close he was to the Johnson family.  He also mentioned the Johnson sons that he had fought with in the Civil war on the Confederate side.  Apparently, Leonard Johnson saved his life.  I will write about that and include the obituary at another time.

The Old Johnson Cemetery

We all met up in Morrisville, Cousin Linda, her husband Charles, Cousins Mike and Mona Duby, Lisa Ann (lives in area), and Frank and me. We proceeded to drive out to what used to be part of the old Johnson farm but now has a new owner.  It is my understanding that Hartwell's former farmland was split up and two different people own it now.  The owner that has the land with the cemetery on it, allows the Johnson descendants to visit it whenever they want to.  It is in the middle of a pasture.  The pasture was really overgrown, and we were a tad concerned that we might start a fire driving through it with our cars. Please see attached films of the caravan of cars.  Please note, we were the number two car in a caravan of four cars going there.  There are two other cars behind us.

Here are a couple of films showing us leaving the Cemetery with HJJR narrating.  That's me :-) 

Below are photos of gravestones taken in the Johnson Cemetery.  I would have taken more, but there were a lot of critters out there.  Charles and Frank cut down quite a bit of brush.  The cemetery is located in the middle of a pasture. 

 Hartwell's stone is flat on the ground and had been buried under over 100 years of dirt and debris.  That is probably why it is so well preserved.   The above photo was taken before it was cleaned.

 This photo was taken after Hartwell's stone was cleaned with water.

 Lydia's stone had been broken off of the base when a big storm came through.  We found it propped up against a log.

 These were the children of someone, but I wasn't able to make out the parent's names.

We finally found Hartwell Johnson's gravestone with the help of Lisa Ann.  I met Lisa on ancestry a few years ago on a message board and we have been in contact ever since.  She is writing a book about the area and is quite knowledgeable about the family history of various families in the area.

Above are some of the photos we took while at the Old Johnson Cemetery.  Some of the gravestones were difficult to read until they were cleaned.  I took jugs of water, gloves, and rags to clean some of them off with.

Below are several photos of historic and old buildings located in the town of Walnut Grove, MO.  My Great Grandfather, Virgil Eagleton Johnson was born in Walnut Grove.
                                                   

Hay!

Below are photos of the Brighton Post Office.  This is the very same Post Office that Hartwell Johnson used.  He sent and received many letters regarding his fight to obtain his pension from the War of 1812.  He conducted much of his business in Brighton as well, buying dry goods, etc.                                                    

We also visited many antique shops and a few historical sites while we were there.  Of course, we didn't have nearly enough time to do everything we wanted to do.  I, at least will be back.  It reminds me of my hometown of Poplar, CA.  I love the people in Missouri.