Transportation – Week 28 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Jacque

Westward to Kansas, the Amazing Land of Opportunity

I’m 12 years old. I’m old enough to join the cattle drive to Kansas. I can keep up with those older guys who are 23 or 24. I may not have all the skills they have yet, but I can help cook and I can wrangle the spare horses.

Okay, I wasn’t expecting it to be this hard. Even during the day, the coulees were just sometimes in front of you before you could even see where you were going. At night if there was a storm, the cattle would just start running and you’d hear that low rumbling noise along the ground. I’d have to jump on my horse and help the other guys round them up before they scattered all over. It was awful because you’re running your horse as fast as you can without being able to see anything. Even on a calm night, we would have to sing lullabies to settle the cattle down. The worst part of the cattle drive though was just being so tired. We never ever got enough sleep. Why, we would even sometimes rub tobacco in our eyes just to keep awake.

My grand-aunt, Winifred Watkins Walker, told me that her father, my great grandfather, John Calvin Watkins, shared the story with his children of him joining a cattle drive at the age of 12 as he headed west to Kansas. She didn’t tell me if she believed it. (A dry sense of humor seems to be a shared family trait; this was certainly true with my grandfather, my father, and my brother.) In the 1790s there were cattle drives from Tennessee to Virginia, but I could find no evidence of any cattle drives between West Virginia and Kansas. According to Wikipedia, between 1850 and 1910, “27 million cattle were driven from Texas to rail yards in Kansas for shipment to stockyards in Louisiana and points west.”  By 1890, “the long trail drives increasingly became more difficult because the open range was divided up with barbed wire fences.” www.cowboysindians.com

My great grandfather, John Calvin Watkins, was born on May 24, 1869 in Taylor, West Virginia. His parents, Samuel and Susanna Watkins, had 10 children. According to the 1870 census the entire family lived in West Virginia at this time. Samuel died on September 4, 1874.

As mechanization and the industrial revolution took hold in West Virginia, farming was less profitable. The railroads began encouraging people from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, and New York to head west to Kansas where crops were cheaper to raise and where they could be assured of a “temperate climate, excellent health, pure and abundant water.” 1876 advertising flyer for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad

 After Samuel’s death and before 1880, two of John Calvin’s brothers migrated to Kansas. In 1881, it is likely that when John was 12, he, his mother, and several other siblings moved to Kansas to join his older brothers, Richard and William. The family probably arrived by train because the railroads often offered “free or reduced-rate transportation to Kansas.”

“Those who settled Kansas occasionally may have found conditions as agreeable as the railroads had advertised. But they also faced drought, harsh winters and summers, jackrabbit attacks, grasshopper infestations, dust storms, financial downturns, and dwindling populations. In the 1890s, the railroads stopped advertising Kansas.” https://www.kansas.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-story-of-kansas/article1053043.html

The Watkins family (including John Calvin and his mother Susanna) settled in Plum Grove, Kansas, a town which no longer exists.

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Wordless Wednesday – 7/14/21

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Jacque
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Free – Week 27 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Jacque

From Captured Scottish Loyalist to Indentured Servant to Landowner

At 6’7″ with red hair, Ninian Beall was an imposing figure. He started out as a Scottish loyalist who was captured, became an indentured servant, and ended up as a major landowner and merchant.

Ninian Beall was born on September 16, 1625 in Largo, Fifeshire, Scotland to Dr. James Beall and Anne Marie Calvert Beall.

In 1650 Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland and defeated the Royalist Scots (those loyal to King Charles II of England) at Dunbar. More than 3000 Scotsmen were killed in battle and 10,000 were taken prisoner. The Tower of London and the jails in England were insufficient to contain such a horde of prisoners so the wounded were released, 5000 who were captured were sent into slavery in Northumbria in Northern England, and the rest were shipped off to America and the West Indies.

Ninian was one of 149 Scotsmen who were captured and packed into the hold of a prison ship and sent to Barbados in 1650. Around 1652 while still a prisoner, he was transferred to the Province of Maryland where he became an indentured servant of Richard Hall. A victim of the fortunes of war, he was sentenced to five years in bondage and he performed its requirements “honestly and faithfully” as evidenced by the Provincial records of January 16, 1667, reading: “Then came Ninian Beall of Calvert County, Planter, and proved right to 50 acres of land for his time service performed with Richard Hall of same county.”

Once he was released from being an indentured servant, Ninian became a member of the House of Burgesses and Colonel, Commander in Chief of Provincial Forces of Maryland. He was one of the most influential men in the settling of the District of Columbia and the surrounding area.

Ninian was also a landowner. In addition to the 50 acres he received as a military prisoner after completing his service as an indentured servant, he received 795 acres called the Rock of Dumbarton which he got as a grant from Lord Baltimore. “Through his many acts of faithfulness and bravery, and because of the large number of immigrants to his credit, Ninian Beall was given warrants for thousands of acres of land.”

https://www.anamericanfamilyhistory.com/Maryland%20Families/Beall%20Family.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25527218/ninian-beall

“Ninian’s story is an inspiring tale of how a man can lose everything, but then turn around to regain even more, build a life to admire, and contribute greatly to history and society.” https://www.krystalrose.com/kim/BEALL/ninian.html

(The Watkins family connection: Ninian Beall married Ruth Moore. They were the parents of Sarah Beall who married Francis Watts. Sarah and Francis were the parents of Sarah Watts who married Stephen Warman. Sarah and Stephen were the parents of Mary Warman who married John Watkins IV. Their son Stephen Watkins was the father of Joseph Hanslap Watkins who was the father of Samuel Watkins who was the father of John C. Watkins who was the father of Donald Watkins who was the father of Billy Dean Watkins, my father.)

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Wordless Wednesday – 7/7/21

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Jacque
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Conflict – Week 26 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Jacque

Conflict Because of a Conflict

Malcolm McLeod was born July 12, 1900 in Bruce, Ontario, Canada to John and Sarah (Liggett) McLeod. His family immigrated in 1902 and settled in San Bernardino, California. He didn’t have much education; he didn’t continue with school after 7th grade. Malcolm enlisted in the army May 20, 1917. The 1920 census documents that while serving in World War I, Malcolm was in the field artillery and worked as a cannoneer. According to information handed down in the family, as part of his combat experience, Malcolm was gassed. This had become a routine feature of trench warfare.  Malcolm’s regiment, Battery B 18th FA, was transported back to America on the ship, Manchurian, on April 23, 1918. Malcolm was discharged from the army on July 20, 1919.

Anna (Annie) Agnes Anthony was born to John and Gertrude (Schmidt) Anthony on July 25, 1905 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The family moved to San Bernardino, California shortly after Annie was born.

Malcolm and Annie got married in 1923 when Malcolm was 23 and Annie was 18 in San Bernardino, California.  At first as they settled into married life, they were very happy. Their son William was born in 1930 and their daughter Geraldine (my mother) was born in 1938.

Unfortunately, they did not remain a happy family; conflict ensued. By 1938, the family was living in Vallejo, California where my mother was born. My grandfather was a welder at Mare Naval Base. My grandmother once told me that after the war, my grandfather was a different person than the one she married. I knew that my grandfather was in World War I and as a child just assumed that this is the war she was talking about. However, the dates certainly don’t make sense; she must have been referring to World War II.

It’s likely that things changed for Malcolm after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 as American entered the war. This may have triggered lingering PTSD from WWI. Working at the naval base may have brought its own stresses. In 1942, Malcolm filled out a registration card for WWII. On the back of the registration card, it states that he had a limp due to an injury. The injury itself may have traumatic.

Regardless, Malcolm became an alcoholic who occasionally became violent. When it became too much, Annie left him. She was totally unprepared to raise two children on her own and had no skills to support them. She began to work as a waitress in bars and restaurants and moved frequently. They descended into poverty and struggled to survive. Despite this bleak situation, Annie managed to maintain an optimistic world view.

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Wordless Wednesday 6/30/21

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Jacque
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Groups – Week 25 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Posted on June 26, 2021 by Jacque

More than Camaraderie

The stars aligned when a particular group of teachers found themselves in the 300 building at Desert Springs Middle School during the early years of the school. The six of us became much more than colleagues or neighbors; we became friends and a work family. We happened to have similar philosophies and shared a strong work ethic. We were all proponents of encouraging creativity and let our passions shine through.

Our building was a pod of six classrooms with a shared center room. We turned this room into our own mini teachers’ lounge. We moved in a refrigerator (given to us by a teacher’s aide) and a microwave. We not only worked on lesson plans, created projects, and brainstormed during our prep periods, but we also ate lunch together. Additionally (and festively), we celebrated birthdays and holidays together. Jim’s wife, Peggy, would come in on those special days and decorate. We were so fortunate to support each other while also having a lot of fun.

Groups are an important facet of life – some we choose; some we fall into; some are conscious decisions; others are imposed upon us. According to www.nobaproject.com, “Joining groups satisfies our need to belong, gain information and understanding through social comparison, define our sense of self and social identity, and achieve goals that might elude us is we worked alone.”

As we explore our immigrant ancestors, this description of groups helps explain why immigrants often settle in areas where other immigrants from their native country have settled. I wondered why my maternal grandmother’s father and mother both ended up in La Crosse, Wisconsin  where they met, married, and had many children before moving on to San Bernardino, California. Both had been born in Germany and moved to Wisconsin with their families.

“By 1900 more than one million Germans had settled in Wisconsin.” www.wna-trip.www1.50megs.com/heritage.html. Immigration was a challenging prospect. In order to arrive in America, most German immigrants endured six weeks of “poor food, sea sickness, disease, crowded sleeping quarters, boredom, and death of others” in order to have an improved standard of living ( Germany/Prussia was in the middle of an economic depression during this time) and political and religious freedom. There was much anti-Catholic sentiment in Germany by some and the families of both my great grandfather and great grandmother were Catholic.

My great grandmother, Gertrude, was born in Germany in 1867. Her parents, Heinrich and Maria Schmidt, immigrated to New York with their young daughter. They arrived on May 24, 1869 from Hamburg, Germany on the Borussia. They then settled in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

My great grandfather, John Peter Antony, immigrated with his mother Otillia “Tilly” and his brothers in 1880, also settling in La Crosse. John changed his name from Antony to Anthony about 1886. (Two brothers retained the surname Antony while the other two brothers changed it to Anthony.)

John and Gertrude married in 1886.

Groups can help us find others with a common culture. By joining groups, we can learn new skills or gain information and knowledge. We can share interests, focus on goals, fulfill interests, and achieve personal growth. Our families are groups that help us understand our identities.

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Wordless Wednesday 6/23/21

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Jacque
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Father’s Day – Week 24 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Posted on June 19, 2021 by Jacque

Family First

My father, Billy Dean Watkins, was born April 1, 1930 in Henryetta, Oklahoma to Donald and Fanny Watkins. His brother, Donald Claud, was 3 years old. Shortly thereafter, Fanny followed her mother and brothers to California, leaving her infant and toddler in Oklahoma. Donald and Fanny divorced in 1932.

 Donald married Alta May Jones sometime between 1938 and 1940. They went on to have two more sons, Kenneth Gerald (1945-1964) and George Edward.

Living in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, my dad went to Joplin, Missouri on July 14, 1948 to join the Air Force during the Korean conflict. He got his training at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois. He received several medals: Army of Occupation Japan Medal; Korean Service Medal; Good Conduct Medal; United Nations Service Medal for Korea. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force on July 13, 1952 at March Air Force Base in California. (While at March, my dad met my uncle, William McLeod, who introduced him to my mother.) At the time of his discharge, my dad was a staff sergeant with the 33d Bombardment Squadron.

Billy Dean Watkins stayed in California after leaving the Air Force. He and my mother, Geraldine McLeod, were married on June 13, 1954. I was born on May 8, 1955; my sister, Becky Sue was born on February 17, 1959, and my brother, Billy Wayne was born on August 13, 1961. Our family lived in Beaumont, California until June 1966 when we moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. We stayed there for a year then moved to Coffeyville, Kansas.

My dad, Bill Watkins was a quiet, calm man with a sly sense of humor. He valued family and was unconditionally supportive. He was not materialistic, instead appreciating the simple things in life. We almost always had dinner together every night and used that time to catch up and share what was going on in our lives. We often took “Sunday drives” just to enjoy the scenery. An icee, Dairy Queen ice cream cone, or A&W root beer was a special treat. He encouraged our dreams. When I was in elementary school in the 1960’s, I decided I wanted to be an FBI agent or an astronaut. My dad encouraged my aspirations even though they weren’t possibilities at the time (women, other than three women in the 1920’s, were not allowed to be FBI agents until 1972, and it wasn’t until 1983 that Sally Ride became the first American woman to go to space).

My dad was always well-informed. He read the newspaper every day, cover to cover. He also believed in the importance of voting and took this right very seriously (he took me to the polls the first time that I was eligible to vote). He maintained that people should make a difference in their community (he was a deacon and later an elder in the church; at one point he was a police reservist; he and my mom were foster parents for a time).

Reading was something that he engaged in regularly. He particularly enjoyed Perry Mason novels and books by Louis L’Amour. Often on Sundays after church, we would stop at the store and each of us kids was allowed to buy a comic book. Another pleasure was movies; we never missed a John Wayne or Disney movie. (My dad once sat next to John Wayne at the bar at the Rusty Lantern in Beaumont, California and said that John Wayne was just the nicest guy. Apparently, John Wayne was a regular at the Rusty Lantern as he traveled to and from L.A. and Palm Springs. https://www.pe.com/2014/08/31/back-in-the-day-rusty-lantern-was-standout-in-older-era-of-restaurants/. My dad managed a service station in Beaumont, California and met many celebrities in the days before I-10 was built and the road between L.A. and Palm Springs went right through Beaumont.)

Thoughtfulness was one of his defining characteristics. On Valentine’s Day he would buy my mom a large heart-shaped box of chocolates and he would buy small heart-shaped boxes of chocolates for my brother, sister, and me so that we each felt special. My sister Becky said that one of her fondest memories is of Dad giving her a yellow rose each year on her birthday. She still has a special locket that he gave her.

My dad had his struggles too.  As a baby, he was tragically abandoned by his mother. I wrote about this in my blog post titled Namesake on January 22, 2021. Later as an adult, he was once held up at gunpoint when he was at work. When the police asked him to describe his assailant, all he could describe was the gun. Unfortunately, my dad also had some health issues. He was diagnosed at 18 with high blood pressure and had an enlarged heart. He died way too young on November 10, 1982.

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Wordless Wednesday 6/16/21

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Jacque
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