Carnival of Genealogy #100: My Family and a Murderess

This is written for the 100th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy entitled "There's One in Every Family".   My take on this theme is that every family has a sensational story, one that has morphed over time into something juicier than it probably was. It is my heartfelt sentiment that the story I present here absolutely does not happen to every family!

My Family and a Murderess.  That sounds just like a title for a fictional murder mystery.  Alas, this story is very true.  For anyone that lives outside of the state of North Carolina and perhaps more so out of the western North Carolina mountains, you've probably never heard of Frankie Silver, known as one of the few women in the state to be hung for murder.  I know I hadn't.

As I began my Mitchell County, North Carolina research, I tried to gain a general overview of the area, the people, the work they did, and what brought them there.  I don't even recall when I first heard about the story of Charlie and Frankie (Stewart) Silver, but I remember seeing snippets of information here and there alluding to the notorious crime.  Out of morbid curiosity, I searched the internet for information and read some books only to discover a sad story from the 1830s, and much to my surprise, with connections to my own ancestors.

THE MURDER

On a cold December day in 1831, a nineteen year old Charlie Silver was murdered by his wife, eighteen year old Frances "Frankie" Stewart Silver. Charlie was hacked to death with an ax and dismembered in their cabin in the mountains of what was then Burke County, North Carolina (now Mitchell County).  The story goes that Charlie had gone out hunting though Frankie may have suspected drinking and carousing.  He came home, perhaps drunk, an altercation ensued, and the result was the death of Charlie.  The facts are not all clear, but Frankie may have been protecting herself and their toddler from Charlie's violent behavior.  Or perhaps Frankie had just had enough and in a fit of rage attacked her husband.  Apparently aware of the violence she had committed and for the need to dispose of his remains, she cut up his body and burned it in their fireplace.

In any case, it was not disputed that Frankie bundled up her daughter and went to her in-laws home the next day asking for the whereabouts of her husband.  They hadn't seen him for a few days, since he had left on his hunting trip.  Apparently she then went to her parent's home.  The Silvers and other neighbors became worried when Charlie didn't return and a manhunt began.  Perhaps Frankie's story began to unravel then but suspicions were definitely aroused.  His remains were not immediately found, but an oily residue in her fireplace and the fact that a weeks worth of firewood was gone were strong suspicions for something amiss.  The very clean floorboards were lifted up in their small cabin and blood stains were found on the ground beneath. 

THE ARREST

There are a variety of things that cause great speculation even all these 179 years later. It was said that Charlie had a tendency towards alcohol, towards abusing his wife, and towards messing around with other women. There was speculation that Frankie may have acted in self-defense, or to protect their baby, while Charlie was on a drunk. Alas, no one knows what ever happened that night to cause her to ax him to death.

About a week after the murder, Frankie, her mother and her brother were arrested and taken to the jail in Morganton, Burke Co, North Carolina.  An inquest followed and her mother and brother were later released for lack of evidence, but Frankie was held over for trial.  She had a young lawyer who may not have fully explained her rights or what was likely to happen to her.  Since court met infrequently (usually quarterly), she was in jail for some time and quite a distance from her family.

THE TRIAL

A jury of Frankie's peers, all men, was gathered and the evidence presented.  Because of the laws at the time, a defendant was not allowed to testify on his or her behalf.  The conviction came swiftly with the jury never hearing from Frankie. Death by hanging was to be Frankie's fate.  At some point while awaiting execution, Frankie stated that she acted in self-defense.  Seven of the twelve jurors then came forward to petition to overturn the conviction.  An appeal was made to the state's Supreme Court.  Friends and neighbors of the Stewart family came forward on her behalf.  During the time leading up to her hanging, her family helped her to break out of jail.  She was found wearing a man's hat and coat walking behind an uncle's wagon when officials caught up with them.  But all these efforts were to no avail.

THE HANGING

It was a warm July day in 1833 when the hanging occurred.  Legend has it that her father stood in the assembled crowd and yelled up to Frankie as she stood on the gallows.  His supposed words:  "Die with it in you, Frankie."  A lot could be read into that statement and it has probably morphed into more than what ever really occurred that day.  What appears to be fact is her father was there to take her remains home to a final resting place.  Due to the rugged mountain conditions and the summer temperatures, it was a slow trip home.  As a result, she is supposedly buried in an unmarked location on the road outside Morganton.  A memorial has been erected in her memory near where she is believed to have been buried.

MY FAMILY'S CONNECTIONS

So what does this all mean to me?  First, I should begin by saying that at the present time I have not found any direct genealogical connection to either Charlie or Frankie.  However, my ancestors were neighbors of both the Silver and Stewart families.  As I was reading Perry Deane Young's book, The Untold Story of Frankie Silver, I discovered that some of the members of the inquest, a prosecution witness, and petitioners to the governor were my ancestors. 

My fourth great-grandfather, Isaac Grindstaff, appears as a witness for the defense.  According to Young, Isaac later identifies himself as a member of the inquest jury.  It should be noted that there was more than one Isaac Grindstaff in this area, but for this time frame, my ancestor seems to be the likely Isaac.

My fourth great-grandfather, Thomas Howell, served as a witness to the grand jury and later as a witness for the prosecution.  Thomas was a blacksmith and apparently made Charlie Silver's shoe buckles which were identified amongst the burned remains.

My fourth great-grandfather, Hector McNeill, as well as a John McNeill, a Dim McNeill and a Malcolm McNeill all signed an undated petition to Governor Montfort Stokes requesting he pardon the prisoner.  The document states that many of those signers were neighbors of the defendant and knew her to be of good character.

My third great-grandfather, Archibald McNeill, was the son of Hector and son-in-law of Thomas Howell.  Archibald's second marriage was to Sarah Ann Sparks Silver.  Sarah was the widow of Reuben Silver, brother to the murdered Charlie.  According to Cabins in the Laurel by Muriel Earley Sheppard, Arch built a cabin backed up to the same chimney where Frankie committed her crime.  Sheppard writes the original cabin was gone but the chimney and fireplace were in strong condition.  She goes on to state that Arch's wife (Sarah) found one of Charlie's "shoeheel irons jammed into the stones of the fireplace."  The said victim was Sarah's former brother-in-law and were made by Arch's former father-in-law. 

Oh what a tangled web.  And such a sad, sad story.  This month marks the 179th year since this crime occurred.  The truth behind the murder may never be known and speculation still runs rampant.  I hope the victims, for I believe Charlie and Frankie were both victims, rest in peace.

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:

I know that I have not done justice to the story of Frankie Stewart Silver.  Any errors in the above information are mine.  For further information, please consider reading the following books or visiting these websites.

The Untold Story of Frankie Silver by Perry Deane Young.
Wikipedia's page on Frankie Stewart Silver
Charlie's memorial at Find A Grave
Frankie's memorial at Find A Grave
A summary from the North Carolina Museum of History.
For a fictional account, I recommend The Ballad of Frankie Silver by Sharyn McCrumb
The Burke County Visitor's center has an article
The Frankie Foundation which produced a play describing these tragic events
Cabins in the Laurel by Muriel Earley Sheppard

Henry Grindstaff and Bedie Buchanan

Henry Grindstaff and Bedie Buchanan are my third great-grandparents. I have written previously about their son and my ancestor, Rev. Isaac Grindstaff.

Henry Grindstaff was born 12 May 1820 in Burke Co, North Carolina, likely in the area that later became Yancey and then Mitchell county, to Isaac Grindstaff and Sarah Hart. This Isaac married twice, first to Sarah Hart and second to Prudence (Prudy) Ledford, and had children from both wives. Henry is believed to be from Sarah Hart, the first wife.

Bedie Buchanan was born 25 Apr 1829 in Burke Co, North Carolina, likely in the area that later became Yancey and then Mitchell county, to Sarah (or Sally) Buchanan. Alternate spellings for her name include Beady, Biddie, or Beadie. I was told early on in my research that Bedie was illegitimate. The original pedigree chart that my great-grandfather, Charles McNeill, prepared lists Bedie with the surname of Buchanan, her mother as Sarah Buchanan and no father is listed. This also agrees to her death certificate. Additional evidence is the 1860 census where Sarah Buchanan is living in the household of Henry and Bedie. Sarah Buchanan can be found in 1850 living presumably with her parents, William and Elizabeth (Jones) Buchanan. William was born about 1765 in Maryland and Elizabeth in about 1775 in Virginia.

I have seen other online message board postings and family trees indicating that Bedie's father was either a John Davis or an Ebe Hoppes. I have contacted many of those that posted trees with little to no success. One researcher did respond to me indicating that for many years John Davis was believed to be the father but that has since been disproven. I think it was determined there were two Sarah/Sally Buchanans in the same approximate age range, one of which did marry John Davis. The other one I believe to be the mother of my Bedie Buchanan Grindstaff. However, the damage is done and the wrong data is spread far and wide across the web.

Henry and Bedie married sometime around 1848-49. They had the following 12 children:

• Sarah born Feb 1850 and died 10 Feb 1919. She married Sam Pitman.


• William born Nov 1851 and died 1 Sept 1918 in Grassy Creek, Mitchell Co, NC. He married 1) Matilda Thomas and 2) Nancy. He had children with both wives.


• Isaac born 1852. This is my second great-grandfather.


• Clarissa born abt 1856 and married J.G. Woody.


• Eveline born abt 1857


• Matilda born abt 1860


• John B born Mar 1862 and married Martha. They had several children.


• Mack born 13 Sept 1863 and died 9 Apr 1939 in Bakersville. He married Cordelia Thomas and had several children.


• Jane born 28 Jul 1866 and died 28 Dec 1939 in Madison Co, NC. She married Ruben A. McKinney.


• Henry Gilbert born 28 Jul 1868 and died 1 Mar 1952. He married Betty Ann Duncan. Henry is buried at Mine Creek Cemetery.


• Ruben Malone born 19 Oct 1870, died 6 Apr 1957 and is buried at Mine Creek Cemetery. He married Esther Burleson.


• Mary born abt 1873

The Grindstaff family, like many others in that area, used the same first names repeatedly. This has caused great confusion for me and it's evident for others based upon online tree postings. There were two Henry Grindstaffs born within a few years of each other. Apparently one of the Henrys was commonly referred to as Fighting Henry due to service in the military (the Mexican-American War, I think), but I do not know which Henry this should be attributed to. Many online trees have confused their birth dates, wives, children and death dates. I believe my Henry was the first of the two Henrys to pass away on 1 Jan 1892. The other Henry died in 1906. The Henry who died in 1892 was buried at Mine Creek Cemetery, which is where Bedie was buried after her death on 25 Jun 1919. Additionally, Mine Creek is the Baptist church where their son, Isaac (my ancestor), was a preacher. Several of Henry and Bedie's children are buried there. It seems reasonable to believe that my Henry is the one that died in 1892. Two problems make this harder to determine. Death certificates were not issued until 1910 after both Henrys were deceased. Secondly, a 1900 census entry for Bedie has not been located to see if she's widowed, but she can be found in 1910.

I would appreciate corresponding with any descendants or other researchers who could shed some light on the questions surrounding Henry and Bedie. Anything to prove, disprove or add to my data would be wonderful. Please contact me using the yellow Contact button on the left side of the page.

Rev. Isaac Grindstaff and Mary Jane Woody

Reverend Isaac Grindstaff and Mary Jane Woody are my second great-grandparents. I have written previously about their daughter, and my great-grandmother, Della Winnie Grindstaff McNeill.

Isaac Grindstaff was born about May 1852 in formerly Yancey Co, now Mitchell Co, North Carolina. He was the second of twelve children to Henry Grindstaff and Bedie Buchanan. Mary Jane Woody was born 11 Jan 1853 in formerly Yancey Co, now Mitchell Co, North Carolina. She was the second of five children to William Woody and Marginia (or Margie) M. Thomas. When Mary was only about 9, her father died from measles while serving in the Confederate Army near Ashland, Virginia.

Isaac and Mary were married 9 Dec 1872 in Mitchell Co, North Carolina. The couple had 12 children, two of which are unknown at this time. I suspect they likely were lost in infancy or between the periods of the 1880 and 1900 census. The known children are as follows:

• Docia born abt 1874
• Emeline born abt 1876
• Willoughby James born 30 Jul 1879 and died Jan 1960 in Avery Co, North Carolina. He married Mattie Buchanan and had three daughters. I have alternately seen his name as William James, but do not know which may be correct.
• Nathan A. born 14 Mar 1883 and may have died in Norfolk, Virginia. He married 1) Martha Sherrill and 2) Edna. Nathan registered for WWI in Colorado and later lived in Chicago.
• Hoy Gilbert born 15 Jun 1884 and died 8 Apr 1956 in Buncombe Co, North Carolina. He married Mary Jane Thomas and had at least six children.
• George A. born 18 Mar 1889. He registered for WWI in Boulder, Colorado in 1917.
• Alfonze (spelling uncertain) born Jan 1890.
• Della Winnie born 1893 and died 1979. She is my great-grandmother.
• Walter C. born 5 Jan 1897 and died 28 Apr 1970 in Toledo, Ohio. He married Myrtle and had two children.
• Etta (or perhaps Etter) born 2 Feb 1901 and died tragically 10 Aug 1940 as a result of a homicide. She married Pat Thomas and had three children.

Isaac and Mary lived in or near the town of Bakersville, Mitchell Co, North Carolina. In 1900, Isaac was listed as a farmer, but by 1910 he was listed as a pastor of a church. A relative has told me that Isaac was the pastor at the Mine Creek Baptist Church in Mitchell Co, where both he and Mary are buried. Another relative described Isaac as a "hellfire and brimstone preacher." From everything I have heard, Isaac and Mary were good, kind people. Apparently after Isaac's death, Mary would come stay at another relative's house because she didn't like to sleep at home alone. She was remembered for devoutly praying each night before bed.

Isaac died 4 Apr 1936 in Mitchell Co. Mary died 26 Jan 1946. Both Isaac and Mary are buried at Mine Creek Baptist Church, Mitchell Co, North Carolina. A photo of their headstone can be found here.

Please contact me if you are related to Isaac and Mary or have further information. I would be thrilled to find other descendants of this couple. I would be very grateful if anyone had photos they would be willing to share.

The D.A.R. Jackpot

The Daughters of the American Revolution announced this week that after a decade-long effort to digitize their records they are now available online. I have known for quite some time of the possibility of a couple of Patriot ancestors but haven't quite gotten around to proving without a doubt that I am a descendant.

So out of curiosity, I went to their research site and entered searches on a few names. I first searched for Isaac Grindstaff born in 1754 and served from North Carolina. He is a proven Patriot and my good online friend Anita recently entered DAR through him. I need to make one final connection before I would have adequate proof. My line is as follows: me, my father, Lee McNeill, Della Grindstaff, Rev. Isaac Grindstaff, Henry Grindstaff OR alternatively me, my father, Lee McNeill, Charles McNeill, Margaret Ledford, Clarissa Grindstaff. What I still need to prove is that Henry and Clarissa's father is Isaac Grindstaff b. 1774/6, who is a known son of Isaac b. 1754.

I went to the Ancestor Search option and what I found was a list of six members that have proven ancestor from Isaac Grindstaff b. 1754. It lists the child they descend from and three of those six descend from Isaac Grindstaff b. 1774/6 and his second wife, Prudence Ledford. I believe I descend from his first wife, Sally or Sarah Hart.

My other known Patriot ancestor is Henry Woody of Virginia. There were 10 members descended from him. The line is me, my father, Lee McNeill, Della Grindstaff, Mary Jane Woody, William Woody, Josiah Woody, and Wyatt Woody who is the son of Henry. I didn't see any members listing Wyatt as their descendant, but rather his siblings John, Randolph, and Susannah B.

However, the real "jackpot" came when I searched for an Isaac Harmon of Massachusetts using the Descendant Search. This search looks for all matches of any descendants listed on the application rather than just the Patriot themselves. I am reasonably certain my ancestor Walter Harmon b 1798 in Tyringham, Berkshire, Massachusetts is the eldest child of Isaac Harmon (1774-1849) and Mary "Polly" Rawson. The line is me, my mother, Fred Harmon, Edward Harmon, Walter Harmon, Porter Harmon, and Walter Harmon b. 1798.

The Descendant Search enabled me to view the descendants of the Patriots and I was very surprised to see Isaac b. 1774 listed as a child of the Patriot Soldier Isaac Harmon b. 1751. I had no idea Isaac Harmon b. 1751 was a soldier, but 12 women have been able to attain membership with him as their Patriot. So that means I need to continue to pursue proving Walter Harmon b. 1798 is the son of Isaac Harmon b. 1774. I have found a birth record for Walter but want to verify there are no other possible Walters that could be confused with mine. As you can see this family liked to use the same names over and over.

So I'm off to search the Family History Catalog to see what films I need to order.....and to start getting my application in order.

And I hadn't realized how many Isaacs I actually descend from.

Tombstone Tuesday - Isaac and Mary Woody Grindstaff

Headstone of my second great-grandparents, Isaac Grindstaff (1852-1936) and Mary Woody (1853-1946). They are buried at Mine Creek Cemetery in Mitchell Co, North Carolina. Isaac was a preacher at Mine Creek Church. This photo was taken by my dear online friend and distant Grindstaff cousin, Anita Wages.

Noah Ledford and Clarissa Grindstaff

Noah Ledford and Clarissa Grindstaff are my 3rd great-grandparents. I have previously written about their daughter and my ancestor, Margaret Ledford, and her husband Robert Nelson McNeill.

Noah Ledford was born about 1813 in North Carolina, the son of Frederick Ledford and Prudence Curtis. The Ledford line may have come from Virginia and before that in England. This is unconfirmed information at the time of this writing. Clarissa Grindstaff was born about 1822 to Isaac Grindstaff and his first wife Sarah Hart. The Grindstaff line was of German ancestry and the original spelling was something along the lines of Crantzdorf, though I also have seen it with a K rather than the C spelling.

Noah and Clarissa were married about 1837 or 1838, likely in Yancey Co, North Carolina. They had the following children (dates are approximate):

• Prudence C (1839-1919) married John Kenneth Deane


• Isaac Leander (1840-?) married a Selena E and remained in the Mitchell and Yancey areas


• Sarah C( 1841-1893) married to David Ralph Silvers


• John (1843-?) married Mary Lowery and remained in the Mitchell Co area through at least 1900


• William Taylor (8 Aug 1848-13 Jul 1920) married Matilda Pannell Young. He died at Ledger, Mitchell Co. and is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery which is presumably in Mitchell Co.


• Margaret, my ancestor (1848-1927) Information on her family may be found here.


• Elizabeth (1850-2 Jun 1917) married Joe Pitman and died in Avery Co, North Carolina. She is buried in a "home grave yard" according to her death certificate.


• Henry (1853-1900) supposedly married twice to Jennie Johnson and Darcus Jones


• Phebey (1853-?) and may have married Anderson Pitman


• Curtis Allen (May 1858-9 Feb 1945)


• Clarissa Lucinda (19 Feb 1859-22 Mar 1949) married John Lenarde Young and is buried at Lily Branch cemetery in Mitchell Co, North Carolina


• Hazy C (1864-?)


• Harriet C (1866-1926) may have married a Clate Deane

Noah, Clarissa and children can be found in the 1850 Yancey Co, North Carolina census. In 1860, they are at Ledger again in Yancey Co. In 1870 they are no where to be found. I have done a page by page search of the Snow Creek township in Mitchell Co. where he is located in 1880 and never located him. Endless searches on Ancestry.com have also been fruitless.

Online trees indicate Noah died 23 Jan 1895. However, there is no source nor a cemetery listed. I had communicated with an individual who had much of the same information I had as listed above, but she had no indication of a source for the death date. It is unknown when Clarissa died but it was some time after 1900 when she is found in the Snow Creek, Mitchell Co, North Carolina census living with her son Curtis.

Ledford is still a very common name in Mitchell and Yancey counties as these early lines were very prolific. If you can share additional information with me, I'd be most appreciative. I can be reached by clicking on the contact button on the left side of the blog.

Sources are available upon request.

SNGF - A Family's Increase

I have spent several days pondering Randy Seaver's latest edition of Saturday Night Genealogy Fun. This time the task is to calculate the descendants from a set of our great-grandparents, preferably with the most and determine the number in each generation. Here are his instructions.

As I was thinking about this I realized both of my grandmothers each had one sibling who had no children. I always have known this fact, but I never really considered that this was something in common between them. So then I began to think about my each of my grandfathers and it's quite a different story.

My Grandpa Fred's parents, Edward Joseph Harmon and Kate Nellie Arthur, had four boys of which three lived to adulthood. The descendants of Edward and Kate are as follows:

1. Children = 4 (all deceased)
2. Grandchildren = 7 (one deceased)
3. Great-grandchildren = 16 I think. This number includes my sister and me. Besides us, I've met perhaps only two others in this generation.
4. Great-great-grandchildren = I don't even know how many there could be. I know I have two children of my own that fit into this generation. I am aware of at least 5 others, but know there are more.
5. 3rd great-granchildren = I am aware of one baby born in 2008.

So on my Grandpa Lee McNeill's side, his parents Charles Lafayette McNeill and Della Winnie Grindstaff had five children of which four lived to adulthood. The descendants of Charles and Della are as follows:

1. Children = 5 (all deceased)
2. Grandchildren = 11 (3 deceased) I have communicated with two in this generation as well as the husband of another grandchild
3. Great-grandchildren = at least 8 known (me, my sister and my two first cousins plus 4 cousins of which I have emailed with one) I would expect there could be another 5-10 in this generation that I know nothing of. This also excludes any step-great-grandchildren in this generation of which I know of one.
4. Great-great-grandchildren = well again my two girls count here and a first cousin to me has three children. I know there is at least one other. This again excludes any step-relatives in this generation.

So what this tells me is that I have spent a lot of time focusing on the prior generations i.e. the deceased, but haven't focused so much on the living descendants. I have two reasons (read: excuses) for this. First, if you have read any of my prior posts on my McNeill ancestors, you will know that up until a few years ago we didn't know much about Lee's past. So there have been a lot of letters and emails (think of cold calling) done to try to make contact with some of the right descendants. That explains my paternal side, but on my mother's side (Harmons), I think the seven cousins all lived in such different locations around the United States and with limited funds it was difficult to get all of them together. However, it is my hope in the next year or two to have a mini-reunion with those six remaining cousins. Three of the six remaining cousins all live in a close geographic area that makes it easy to get together and we are only a few hours from them by car. So that leaves the two remaining cousins and the widow of the deceased cousin to come from Utah, South Dakota and Arizona. Think it could happen? We'll just have to see how persuasive I can be!

My ancestors in the SSDI

I noticed a post on Rootdig.com that Michael John Neill had noted his ancestors that were listed in the SSDI. I thought this was an interesting exercise and certainly not one I had considered before, so here goes nothing.....

1. Fred Joseph Harmon (1 Jun 1921-25 Apr 1993) - my grandfather
2. Kate Harmon (5 Nov 1889-21 Sept 1974) - my great-grandmother and mother of #1, maiden name was Arthur
3. Helmer Hiby (21 Jan 1895- Jun 1982) - my great-grandfather
4. Bernice Hiby (27 Mar 1903 - 28 Mar 1982) - my great-grandmother, maiden name was Hanson
5. Charles McNeill (18 Feb 1886-12 May 1970) - my great-grandfather
6. Della McNeill (15 Mar 1893-1 Mar 1979) - my great-grandmother, maiden name was Grindstaff
7. Frona Scott (13 Jun 1890-29 Jun 1971) - my great-grandmother, maiden name was Greathouse

It should be noted that both my grandmothers are still living as well as my parents.

The other unusual thing is that my grandfather, Lee McNeill, should be listed in the SSDI. However, the reason he may not be listed is that he died at age 59 before he started receiving benefits so my grandmother may not have needed to report his death to the Social Security Administration. And she was admittedly rather shell-shocked. Her mother Frona died at the end of June and just over two weeks later Lee died suddenly from a heart attack. Frona had lived with my grandparents since her own husband, Bert Scott, had died in 1950 on the day my uncle was born.

This also pointed out a couple of flaws in my recordkeeping. I need to note the dates of my Hiby grandparents' passing. I remember both their funerals fairly well, particularly for my great-grandma Bernice. She either died on the 27th or 28th of March and the funeral was on the 31st, which was their wedding anniversary as well as my birthday. And my great-grandpa Helmer died just three short months later in June. However, that date escapes me completely. I will need to follow up on that.

Charles Lafayette and Della Winnie (Grindstaff) McNeill

I've spent several previous posts talking about my great-grandparents, Charles and Della McNeill. They can be found here:
Just the facts, ma'am,
My Serious Research Begins - Part 1,
My Serious Research Begins - Part 2,
The Mystery of an SSA Form, and
Lee and the 1930 census.

Those articles include a lot of dates and facts, but not about the type of people they were. I never had the opportunity to meet my great-grandparents, or to hear stories about them from my grandfather, so I have spent a lot of time trying to find those who did know them. Here are some snippets of those stories as well as some pertinent facts.

Charles Lafayette McNeill was born 18 Feb 1886, the youngest child and only son of Robert McNeill and Margaret Ledford. He spent his childhood in the Snow Creek area (likely Bandana) of Mitchell Co, North Carolina, where he married Della Winnie Grindstaff on 20 Feb 1911. Della was born 15 Mar 1893 to Rev. Isaac Grindstaff and Mary Woody. Charles and Della made their home in Bandana, Snow Creek Township, until sometime late in the 1920s. One of Lee's cousins wrote in a letter to me that they were doing well in the area and Charles owned the first automobile in the community and ran the Bandana post office from their home. They were considered good upstanding citizens.

This photo was given to me by a cousin. This is Charlie holding Anna, Lee is standing, and Della is seated. He thought the back had a date of 1911. However, I suspect it's closer to 1914 as Anna was born in October 1913 and she appears to be a year or a little younger in this photo. We assume this is their home in Bandana.

Charlie and Della had three children between 1912 and 1915: Lee, Anna and Belle. By 1920, another baby was born named Ben Arvel. This young little baby only lived about four months before he passed away. I can't imagine the pain of losing a child but was so common at the time. Ben is buried at Silver Chapel Baptist Church in Bandana, Mitchell Co, North Carolina, which is in sight of the McNeill home place. A fifth child, a son, was born about three years later.

A grandchild of Charles and Della recently told me that times were hard for the McNeills and eeking out a living in the mountains with four children proved to be difficult. By 1930 they were living in Asheville. My grandpa Lee was 18 and working as a stock room clerk, soon to join the Navy. Charles worked in a rayon mill. I believe his occupation is listed as Payroll Clerk. Certainly a lot different than farming in Mitchell Co. Also at that time, Charles' father was living with the family and would for another couple of years until his death in 1932. Another reason for a move to Asheville might have been that Della had a sister, Mrs. Etta Thomas, living there.

What happens over the next few years is unclear, but obviously the Depression is in full swing and times grew progressively harder. By 1940 Charles was in Fletcher, North Carolina. Within a few years, all his children would have left home to start their own families and he and Della moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina by the early 1950s. There they either owned or managed some housing that was used by the military personnel from a nearby base. By the 1960s, they had moved to the Kannapolis area outside Charlotte to be closer to their daughter Belle. I think she likely helped care for them in their older years.

A resident of Bandana shared this story with me. Charlie was known to have a good collie dog and one day he took the preacher home for dinner. To demonstrate the dog's abilities, he said, "Out Shep". Apparently much like my own dog, Shep had a mind of his own and didn't move. Charlie repeated the command and stomped his foot. Then Shep ran under the bed to which Charlie purportedly replied, "Or under the damn bed, whichever you please."

This same lady also shared that in their later years, Charlie and Della would go camping on Grandfather Mountain in the summer at times for nearly as long as a month. Obviously this love of camping and the great outdoors was not passed along to this great-grandchild. Marie at Blue Ridge blog has some beautiful photos of the area though hers are primarily farther to the northeast than Mitchell Co. Nonetheless, they are spectacular. I can see why camping in these mountains would have been appealing.

Though he was known as a stern man and very established in his ways (he insisted on McNeil with one L only though ironically I've seen a form he completed with two L's on it), numerous people have told me about his musical talent and his ability to make his own violins. I think that must be a very special gift (again one that did not pass on to this great-grandchild). A cousin recently shared this photo of Charlie and Della proudly displaying two violins. The date the photo was taken is not known.

So as stern as Charlie was known to be, Della was known to be "sweet and kind". I have never heard an ill word spoken about her and everyone repeatedly has stressed what a wonderful person she was. Her sweet dispostion may have tempered Charlie's stern one. No matter the circumstances, they were married for 49 years until his death in 1970 in Kannapolis. Della passed away in 1979. A kind soul sent me photos of Charles and Della's gravestones from the Carolina Memorial Park in Concord, Cabarrus Co, North Carolina.

What I wouldn't give to go back in time and have the opportunity to visit with them, even for an hour. So many questions, and never the opportunity.

My Veteran Ancestors

This morning on this long Memorial Day weekend, I got to thinking about all the people in my family tree that have served in the military. I was surprised when I realized how long the list really was.

On my father's side:

• Both my father and his brother served in the Navy during Vietnam. Their father, Lee McNeill (as mentioned in previous posts), also served in the Navy as a pharmacist's mate during the 1930s. My goal for this weekend is to finally draft the letter to the NARA to see if we can finally obtain his military records.
• Lee's great-grandfather, Archibald H. McNeill, served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War serving in Co E, 6th North Carolina Infantry. He escaped from that unit, returned home to Mitchell Co, North Carolina, and enlisted in the Union Army, serving in Co A, 3rd Regiment of NC Mounted Infantry. If I also recall, two of Archibald's brothers, John and Daniel, also served during the Civil War.
• William Woody, another great-grandfather of Lee, also joined Co E, 6th North Carolina Infantry and died of the measles at Ashland, Virginia in May 1862.
• William Woody's great-grandfather, Henry Woody, served in the Revolutionary War from Virginia.
• Henry Grindstaff, Lee's great-grandfather, served in the Mexican War.
• Isaac Grindstaff, an ancestor of Henry, served in the Revolutionary War from North Carolina.
• On my grandma's (Lee's widow) side, her grandfather Conrad Coons Scott served in Co H 35th Missouri Infantry and Co F 12th Missouri Cavalry for the Union during the Civil War. Two of Conrad's brothers also served during this conflict.

On my mother's side:

• Her father, Fred J. Harmon, served in the Army Air Corp station at Wharton Air Base in Wharton, England during World War II. I remember listening to many of his war stories, including the fact that he REFUSED to eat brussel sprouts after being in England, that they had to march through mud in the rain, and that after he was diagnosed with pluresy and put in a military hospital, Dinah Shore came to sing for the patients. He would always sing "Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah" when I was a child and I didn't realize until I was an adult he always fondly was thinking of her! Both of Fred's brothers served during WWII: one stateside and the other in the Pacific at Guam.
• Fred's great-grandfather, Thomas Arthur, served in Co D, 1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery during the Civil War.
• My great-grandfather, Helmer N. Hiby, served during World War I at Ft. Riley, Kansas. One story that sticks in my memory is that he worked in the medical unit during the flu epidemic and carried all the deceased victims out of the hospital presumably to the morgue. Apparently he refused to go to funerals for the rest of his life.
• I think there were some Harmons that served in the Revolutionary War, but am not sure if they are my direct ancestors. It's a research point I'm currently working on.
• I think there is a Struble or perhaps a Studervant ancestor that served during the American Revolution as well. Again, something I'm still researching.

In my husband's family, his brother is currently serving a second tour of duty in Iraq. His wife has also served there as well. My father-in-law served in the U.S. Navy in the early 1960s and was stationed in Germany for a while where he got to connect with some of his German aunts, uncles, and cousins.

May you take the time this weekend and every day throughout the year to remember the sacrifices our military personnel makes through their time and even the sacrifice of their lives to serve our country and protect our freedoms. I know I will.

The mystery of an SSA form

While I waited for the 1930 census to be posted on Ancestry.com, I followed several other leads in an effort to prove Lee McNeill was my grandfather. One of the first avenues I pursued was obtaining the Social Security Application for Lee as well as his parents. I don't recall specifically the date when I ordered these copies, but I recall the price was $7 each. Within a few months of my order, the price had increased to $28 each. I think I got a bargain and then some.

When I received the application I felt certain I had the right person. Lee had indicated his new last name and never listed McNeill anywhere on the form. He listed a Main St. address in Stockton, California and that he was currently unemployed as of the application date of 10 Mar 1937. He also listed his birth date as 2 Jan 1912 and a birth location of Asheville, Buncombe Co, North Carolina. He had always told my grandma that he was born in 1915 and she'd always assumed he was three years younger than the actual date indicated on this application. What I thought was probably the most telling piece of information on the entire form was how he listed his parents: father was Chas. (new last name) and mother was Anna Kate Grindstaff.

So somewhere in between lies the fact and the fiction. The facts: Lee listed his first name correctly as well as his birth date. He listed his father's first name correctly as well as the mother's maiden name. The fiction: the new surname he took on as well as the same name listed for his father, a birthplace of Asheville (that was actually his final residence in NC as far as I've been able to determine), his mother's name was Della, but his sister's name was Anna Kate. The one truth I can say with 100% certainty is that the number he was issued per this form is the one that matched the card my grandma had.

Two things are still uncertain to me. I've often wondered how he ever proved his birth as my understanding was that you had to have a birth certificate to apply. Because North Carolina didn't require this until 1913, many people applied for a delayed certificate. I wonder how he satisfied that requirement. The other reason for falsifying his name is still a mystery. My theories are far and wide but include some of the following: 1. He was evading his parents; 2. He went AWOL from the Navy (my grandma tried to obtain his military records in the 1980s to no avail); and 3. He was evading a previous spouse and/or children (this may be a little far fetched and no indication has ever been found that another spouse existed).

At the time I received Lee's application, I also received forms for his parents, Charles and Della. Their forms contained no real surprises. Charles' full name was Charles Lafayette McNeill born 18 Feb 1886 in Mitchell Co, North Carolina to Robert Nelson McNeill and Margaret Ledford. At the time he completed the application on the 29 Oct 1940, he was unemployed and living at Mountain Sanatorium in Fletcher, North Carolina. A quick Internet search didn't tell me much other than this was a place where tuberculosis patients went in the North Carolina mountains south of Asheville and that today it's a hospital under a different name. I have no idea if he was a patient or seeking work there.

Della's form stated her name was Della W. McNeill, maiden name of Grindstaff. She was born 15 Mar 1893 in Mitchell Co, North Carolina to Isaac Grinestaff [sic] and Mary Woody. Della completed this application on the 16 Jan 1952 while living in Jacksonville, North Carolina. I've been told from a cousin that Charles either owned or managed some housing for the military personnel stationed nearby.

For several years Lee's SSA form has been my primary connection, as well as the 1920 census and later the 1930 census, to a McNeill past in western North Carolina. Next stop: the 1930 Federal Census.

My serious research begins - Part 2

After my success of finding my grandfather in 1920 in Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co, North Carolina, I worked backwards to see if I could find his parents in 1910. Because of what I had found in 1920, I knew indeed that Charles' parents were Robert McNeill/McNeal and wife Margaret. So a search of the 1910 index revealed a Robert McNeill living in Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co, North Carolina (1). Robert, age 52, and wife Peggie, age 58, were living with their son Charles, age 23. Robert is listed as a blacksmith of an iron shop and Peggie as a farmer. I suspect that Robert had dual occupations of farmer and blacksmith...sort of like a jack-of-all-trades. And after some digging I determined that Peggie is an appropriate nickname for Margaret. So Peggie it is.

So with the success of finding Charles and his parents in 1910, I switched gears to try to find Della, Charles' future bride. Based upon the old family tree, Della was the daughter of Isaac Grindstaff and Mary Woody. I searched the 1910 index for a Della Grindstaff and found her in Bakersville Township, Mitchell Co, North Carolina (2). Her household included her parents Isaac, age 58 is listed as a clergyman, Mary 54, and the children at home: George 22, Alfonso 20, Della 17, Walter 13, Etta 9. Lastly, Bedie Grindstaff age 77, listed as widowed and mother of Isaac. A link to another generation..........

What a thrill this was to find both Charles and Della living with their parents shortly before they married and began their own family. Part of what made this so wonderful was that it helped prove the old family tree I had been given. While there was still much work to be done, at least I had a couple of generations of family. The names and the dates were about right. There was hope. My next thought was is there anyone still alive who remembers these folks? And what about 1930?


(1) 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, Dwelling 219, Household 223, Robert McNeill household, jpeg image, (Online: The Generations Network, Inc. 2006) [Digital scan of original records in the National Archives, Washington, DC], subscription database, http://www.ancestry.com, accessed 2002.

(2) 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Bakersville Township, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, Dwelling 104, Household 108, Isaac Grindstaff household, jpeg image, (Online: The Generations Network, Inc. 2006) [Digital scan of original records in the National Archives, Washington, DC], subscription database, http://www.ancestry.com, accessed 2002.

My serious research begins - Part 1

About 1998, I began to get serious about trying to pursue my family history. I wanted some cold, hard facts and at the time I think I mentally prepared myself for the worst and secretly hoped for the best, or at least something better than the worst. I had no idea what I'd find out about Lee or if I could even find someone still living who would remember him or his family.

The cousin my grandma had communicated with in the 1980s had sent a typewritten chart prepared by Charles L. McNeill, Lee's father, that covered at least four generations of Charles' ancestry as well as his wife's, Della Grindstaff. It listed five children of Charles and Della with no birthdates: Lee Wesley, Anna Kate, Ora Belle, Ben Arvel, and Riley Barton. The tree also indicated Charles (1886-1970) was the son of Robert McNeill (1858-1932) and Margaret Ledford (1848-1927) while Della (1893-1979) was the daughter of Isaac Grindstaff (1852-1936) and Mary Jane Woody (1853-1946). Part of Lee's story was that he was born in Asheville, Buncombe Co, North Carolina. However, the cousin told us that the McNeills and Grindstaffs were actually from Mitchell Co, North Carolina, but had later moved to Asheville to find work. So I had a starting point...........

Thank goodness for the internet. I began by reviewing message boards and mailing lists on various websites including Rootsweb, Ancestry.com, and Genealogy.com. I could find quite a bit about the earlier generations of Grindstaffs, Ledfords, McNeills and Woodys, but little from the early part of the 20th century. I naively made some attempts at posting some messages after lurking for a long time and got a few replies, but nothing that was a pot of gold.

Next I turned to online census records. At the point I got this far it was probably 2001 or 2002. I remember all the excitement over the release of the 1930 census and I could hardly wait to see if I could find Lee and his family. While I waited for the 1930 North Carolina census records to be on the website, I diligently searched the 1920 and 1910 censuses for Charles McNeill and Della Grindstaff. This was also about the time I realized that spelling is optional....at least as far as the name McNeill is concerned.

The first discovery was the 1920 census. Charles L. McNeal and wife Della were listed as the first household in Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co, North Carolina (1). Charles was age 33, married, and a farmer born in North Carolina. Wife Della is age 26, also born in North Carolina. Seeing the following children is what gave me chills up my spine: Lee Wesley, son, age 8; Anna Kate, daughter, age 6; Ora Belle, daughter, age 4. Also living in the household were Charles' parents listed as Robt N., father, age 61, occupation is blacksmith, and Margrett, mother, age 72. Both were born in North Carolina as well as their parents. As I looked to the top of the page to find the date the census was taken (2nd & 3rd of January, 1920), I noticed that the census taker was actually Robt. N. McNeal. What better household to begin with than your own!


(1) 1920 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Snow Creek Township, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, Dwelling 1, Household 1, Charles McNeal household, jpeg image, (Online: The Generations Network, Inc. 2005) [Digital scan of original records in the National Archives, Washington, DC], subscription database, http://www.ancestry.com, accessed 2002.