After moving to Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, we discovered we weren’t the first family members who lived here.
In December 2015, I accepted a new job in Shawnee, Oklahoma and in March 2016, my wife and I purchased a home here.
Shawnee is a nice little town in Pottawatomie County with a population of about 32,000. After the Civil War, several Indian tribes were relocated to the area to include the Sac and Fox, followed by the Kickapoo, Shawnee, and Pottawatomie, who continue to reside here. During the Land Run of 1891, white settlers staked claim to surplus lands of the Sac and Fox, Pottawatomie, and Shawnee east of the Land Run of 1889. During the Land Run of 1895, settlers moved further west into Kickapoo territory.
The early settlers of 1892 initially called the new town they started “Brockway” but later changed it to Shawnee after the tribe who lived here. Between 1892 and 1895, the population grew from 250 to 2500 and rivaled Oklahoma City. Primarily an agricultural community, the area was well suited for growing potatoes, peanuts, peaches, and cotton with seven cotton gins and two cotton compresses by 1902. Between March 1901 and March 1902, 375 railroad cars of cotton products were shipped out of Shawnee, along with 150,000 bales of cotton. Cotton production dropped in the 1920’s due to a boll weevil infestation. In 1930, an election moved the county seat in Tecumseh five miles north into Shawnee.
Shawnee, Oklahoma, 01 September 1899.
Today, Shawnee is known for Shawnee Mills’ flour and the birthplace of Sonic, the fast-food drive-in.
The area was also home to connections of several ancestors, which we did not realize until after we moved here.
Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma
The town of Asher is twenty-six miles south of Shawnee. Asher also thrived as a cotton farming community until the boll weevils decimated crops and fires destroyed the cotton gins. In 1927, oil was discovered and resurrected the town.
The town is named after George “Matt” Asher, the son of Dillon Asher of Clay County, Kentucky. Matt purchased land in 1892 to establish a farm but he never lived in Asher. George’s sister, Margaret, married on 17 March 1830 to my fourth great uncle James Farmer, the son of Stephen Farmer of Harlan County. She would later pass away in December 1830 during childbirth. When James remarried to Susannah Skidmore on 15 December 1841, their first son was named Dillon Asher Farmer, after Margaret’s father.
James Farmer and Susannah Skidmore
In researching my paternal grandmother’s ancestors, I found that Rosebell Baker’s aunt, Mary Jane Baker (1847-1922), the sister to Rosebell’s father James Madison Baker (1840-1915). This would make Mary Jane by fourth great aunt. Mary Jane married on 26 July 1875 to Lafayette Bingham (1827-1910) in Knox County, Kentucky, before they moved to neighboring Cleveland County, Oklahoma by 1895. Sometime before 1910, they moved to Tecumseh. Mary Jane is enumerated with her son Ramy Bingham (1880-1961) in the 1920 US Federal Census as living in Rock Creek Township – a small rural area in the country one mile north of our home. I may go do some digging at the local courthouse to see if we’re living on land once owned by them.
Mary Jane and Lafayette are buried in the Tecumseh Cemetery less than five miles west of our house.
Headstone of Lafeyette Bingham, Tecumseh (OK) Cemetery.
I also came across a distant relative who moved with several family members to Bales Township near present McLoud, which is less than twenty miles northwest of Shawnee. I recall they moved there before 1900, presumably with one of the land rushes, but soon returned to Kentucky by 1910. Unfortunately, what I can’t recall is their name so I can include that information in this blog.
It is an amusing curiosity as to whether all of these Kentuckians who resided so closely to each other at the same time knew each other. And then when you add my wife’s family tree, it really gets interesting.
Her great grandfather was Wiley Green Haines (1860-1928), who for almost thirty years was US Deputy Marshal of Indian Territory. Before relocating his family to Hominy, Oklahoma near the Kansas border sometime around 1898, Wiley lived in Clifton – fifteen miles north of Shawnee near present Meeker.
Campaign photo for Wiley Green Haines for the Osage County Sheriff’s race, taken in 1928 shortly before he died of a heart attack at the age of sixty-eight.
Imagine all of these distant relatives on multiple family tree branches rubbing elbows at Shawnee’s general store, or helping to get a cart out of the mud, or gathering for a social function, and then going their separate ways back home, or to another town, or to another state.
For my wife and I, it’s all in reverse – coming from separate states, meeting in Oklahoma, and then settling where our ancestors once lived.
It makes the world a little bit smaller.
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For almost six decades, the descendants of Rosebell Baker were searching for the fathers of her children, with limited success. In Part One, we analyzed vital records and newspaper articles to determine that Samuel Chase Early was the father of Lucinda Baker. In Part Two, we determined the father of Rosebell’s other child, Meldia Baker, was Oliver Broughton. We speculated in Part Three that the identity of Axie Baker’s father is John Sidney Ingram.
When trying to identify the fathers of Cora and McKinley Baker, we are unable to find any records that can correlate them with a surname other than Baker.
While Rosebell’s son appears as “McKinley,” we speculate that his name may have been William McKinley Baker, so named after the former president of the United States. And while a “William” appears in the Kentucky school censuses, his age does not coincide with a son supposedly born in 1903 and further supported by the ages given in the federal censuses.
1900 School Census of White Children, Flat Lick – New Flat Lick – District #44
PARENT: BAKER JAMES M [Recall James M[adison] Baker is Rosebell’s father]
CHILD (AGE)
CALHINE BAKER (17) GROVER C. (16) WM. (11) LUCY (9)
The theory is that the other Baker children listed in the school censuses, Calhine, Grover, Effie, and William, are cousins to Lucinda, Axie, and Meldia. With two William Bakers in the Barbourville area, Rosebell’s son was probably referred as McKinley?
Regarding McKinley, there is a 1930 federal census showing a “McKinley Baker” as an inmate in Ohio. However, when analyzing several newspaper articles from Portsmouth, Ohio, we can conclude with a high degree of certainty that the inmate is the son of James Baker residing at 1225 Linden Avenue, and former husband of Lulu Baker. Several articles have McKinley arrested on charges of domestic abuse, drunk driving, and public intoxication.
Two other records were examined to determine if any other surname may be attributed to Cora and McKinley:
Rosebell Baker’s death certificate. When examining Rosebell’s death certificate in 1955, the informant is given as “Irvin Delong.” We know that the informant is Rosebell’s son-in law, Meldia Baker’s husband, Ervin Arthur Delong (1910-1962).
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Lucinda Baker’s marriage license. When examining Lucinda Baker’s marriage bond, we see her maiden name listed as “Begley” and corrected to Baker. We also see she lied about her age; having been born in 1891, Lucinda would have been about eighteen years old.
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We’re assuming John Linville provided the information to the court clerk for the marriage bond, and that Lucinda later corrected the information when it became a marriage license.
The license is dated in 1909, six years after McKinley was born in 1903, and four years before Rosebell and Oliver Broughton gave birth to Meldia. Cora was born in 1899. The working theory based on dates is that “Begley” may have been who Rosebell was with when Lucinda was married and may have been the surname of McKinley’s father.
It’s also possible that “Begley” is Cora’s father, as John may have known that Mr. Begley had a daughter, and thought it was Lucinda, although we have a high degree of certainty that Lucinda’s father was Sam Early. Plus, as John and Sam Early (later his widowed wife Elon) were both store owners, and surely would have known each other as competitors, this doesn’t seem very plausible that John would think Lucinda’s father was Begley.
In trying to determine McKinley’s father, we come across a William Matt Begley, the son of Thomas Begley and Ama Anne “Amy” Hoskins born on 16 May 1850. William was married to Margaret Mays on 08 January 1874. They had ten children. There isn’t enough evidence that proves William is McKinley’s father, but the parallels are very similar:
Lucinda was probably named after Rosebell’s aunt. Axie was probably named after her father’s sister. McKinley may have been named after a William.
Lucinda’s father Samuel Chase Early held a public office (sheriff). William Begley was a district magistrate.
Lucinda’s father Samuel Chase Early was murdered on 08 August 1909. Meldia’s father Oliver Broughton was murdered on 06 September 1918. William Begley was murdered on 26 December 1903.
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The only photo available of McKinley at this time was provided by a family member. If the photo looks familiar in another non-Baker family tree, please contact us.
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This series started with our side of the family wanting to know about Lucinda’s background. For almost six decades, those who knew the information would emphatically state “you do NOT want to know that…” Whatever the secret was, they all took it with them when they passed away. Could it be the shame of being an illegitimate child? This doesn’t seem believable as social morals and norms changed over the years. Perhaps it was the murder of Lucinda’s father… something most families keep hidden. But how is it that four other families didn’t know their fathers either, including those whose fathers were not murdered?
We may never know.
Philip Farmer is currently assisting three families break down their genealogical brick walls and find information on their ancestors. He is also the author and publisher of “Edward Farmar and the Sons of Whitemarsh,” a 500-page, 155-year biographical history of the Farmer’s immigration from Ireland into Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Harlan County, Kentucky. The continuation of Stephen Farmer’s story from 1800 into the mid-1900’s is currently in work.
For almost six decades, the descendants of Rosebell Baker were searching for the fathers of her children, with limited success. In Part One, we analyzed vital records and newspaper articles to determine that Samuel Chase Early was the father of Lucinda Baker . In Part Two, we determined the father of Rosebell’s other child, Meldia Baker, was Oliver Broughton. We continue the story with the identity of Axie Baker’s father.
By poring over the available records and networking with other family members, we know Rosebell’s children to be Lucinda, Axie, Cora, McKinley, and Meldia… all from different fathers. When we concluded Part Two, we mentioned how associates, such as family or friends, may provide clues in identifying the fathers of Rosebell’s other children. Associates were most helpful in postulating the father of Axie Baker.
In an email dated 07 March 2018 from Ms. Freeda Gay (Jones) Pease, granddaughter of Axie Baker thru her son Paul:
“I am the granddaughter of Axie Jane Baker; my father was Paul F[erman] Jones. I am resuming the ancestry search that my aunt, [Bessie] Jean [(Jones)] Taylor began years ago! Before Jean Taylor died, she mentioned to me that she thought she had discovered the names of Cora’s and Axie’s fathers. When I inherited her research notebooks, that info was not included.
Axie Baker Jones, my grandmother, was married to Mack Jones and had 10 children… After my grandmother died in 1990, my aunt Jean Taylor told me that Grannie Jones (Axie) and her siblings all had different fathers, and they all had the last name Baker.
Axie Baker
b.7 Feb 1895 d. 8 May 1990
m.5 Jan 1916 Mack Jones b. 14 Apr 1894 d. 10 Jan 1947
Both are buried in the Corinth Cemetery, Corbin, KY.
Mack Jones worked for L&N railroad, Corbin, KY. He died young when my dad, Paul F. Jones, was a senior in high school. Dad had to drop out of school to work full time. He and his sister (Jean Taylor) worked to support the family and helped raise their younger siblings.”
In an email dated 11 October 2017, Ms. Suzanne Dungan, the great granddaughter of Rosebell Baker thru Axie’s sister Meldia provides additional information as follows:
“I corresponded with Jean Taylor who was the daughter of Axie Baker and Mack Jones. She passed in 2011 and had done some genealogy on her family… I cannot find my documentation of my email from Jean Taylor which was a number of years ago…”
What we also know is that there is a Rose Belle Baker marrying a William Spivy in 1887 in Lee County; further research shows that this Rose is not Axie’s mother. There is no 1900 Federal Census record with any combination or name variation of Rosebell and/or Axie. Nor could we find Axie in the Kentucky School Censuses.
A 1910 Federal Census has a Vina Baker (widowed), and a Rose, Axie, Cora, and McKinley living next door in West Flat Lick Precinct No. 6:
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Note Ike Patterson b.1855 and Lizzie Patterson b.1855 living next door to Rosebell. The Patterson’s and Ingram’s have a family connection that is important to support the theory on Axie’s father.
In searching available, online newspaper archives, only one article appears for every possible Axie +Baker +Jones +Ingram combination.
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Elon Keele (1873-1931) was the wife of Samuel Chase Early (1867-1909). Five years prior to his marriage to Elon in 1897, Samuel and Rosebell have a daughter Lucinda Baker (1892-1963), who is Axie’s half-sister. Ten months after Samuel’s murder on 08 August 1909, 37-year old Elon and her only child, 18-month-old son Samuel Coone Early (1908-1988), travel to see Elon’s widowed 74-year old father Jesse. She is accompanied by 15-year old Axie Baker.
The theory is that Axie was a nanny or volunteered to help as a plausible explanation for her joining the trip with further information from Ms. Pease:
“My grandmother [Axie] and Cora evidently had a hard life. Rose did laundry for people and the kids helped. I was told that they worked at a young age. Someone mentioned that “Grannie [Axie] was farmed out” when she was young to other families to take care of their kids!”
Elon took over Samuel’s store in Barboursville after his death and expanded it. Lucinda’s husband, John Linville, also ran (and lived above) a store in Barboursville, and as a competitor, Elon may have known Lucinda, may have known Lucinda was her widowed husband’s daughter, and perhaps knew Axie and Lucinda were sisters. As noted in the 1910 federal census, Elon was living four houses down from Rosebell’s first cousin, Christopher “Kit” Baker, and may have known Axie during her visits with relatives.
Having married Mack Jones in 1916, Axie does not appear with Rose, McKinley, and “Alvina” (misspelling of Meldia) in the 1920 Federal Census:
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So how do we prove the identity of Axie’s father?
There is a record for Axie Baker as “Axie Ingram.” The Kentucky Birth Index for Axie and Mack’s son, William Dallas Jones (1918-2005), has mother listed as “Alie Ingram.”[1]
Name: William D Jones Date of Birth: 23 Nov 1918 Birth Place: Whitley, Kentucky, USA Mother’s name: Alie Ingram Volume Number: 111 Certificate Number: 55349 Volume Year: 1918
When searching for “Axie”, several variations based on transcription errors do occur, such as Alie, Anie, etc. The last name Ingram implies…
Ingram is Axie’s last name regardless of father. Considering Axie’s name has been consistent as “Axie Baker” and this is the only instance of the use of Ingram, we can rule this out.
OR
Ingram is the name of Axie’s husband. Considering that William is her second out of nine children, and that the birth index of her children before and after William have “Axie Baker” as mother, we can rule this out.
OR
Ingram is the name of Axie’s father.
Axie is also listed as “Axie Ingram” in The Jones Family Tree on Ancestry.com, managed by MikeRuthAnnEvenson as of 08MAR2018, with Rose Bell Baker as the mother, but no documentation that points to the father.
Also, other family trees have data for Axie Baker with father as Mat Baker and mother as Rose (Baker) Holmes (reference Jones Family Tree managed by dejoneswa). Many records do show that Mat Baker was married to Sarah Gray, but with no child named Axie, nor is there any known relationship between Mat Baker and Rosebell Baker.
There is only one Ingram in Flat Lick. In prior research when tracing the unknown fathers of Rose’s daughters Lucinda and Meldia, we find that their respective fathers were residing in Flat Lick in 1900 and were lifelong residents:
Samuel Chase Early (1869-1909), father of Lucinda Baker (see Part One). Farmer, merchant, sheriff. Marries Elon Keel in 1897. Murdered on 08 August 1909.
Oliver Broughton (1890-1918), father of Meldia Baker (see Part Two). Soldier stationed at Camp Zachary Taylor. Murdered on 06 September 1918.
When browsing the 1900 Federal Census, the most recent and available census close to Axie’s birth, these are the only Ingram’s residing in Flat Lick, Knox County, Kentucky:
Sidney INGRAM, b.JUN 1869, a.31, single, occupation “farmer”
Ollie INGRAM, sister to Sidney, b.SEP 1875, a.24, single
Frank INGRAM, brother to Sidney, b.SEP 1878, a.21, occupation “farm laborer”
Claude INGRAM, nephew to Sidney, b.JUN 1893, a.6
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Going back thru the census, we find Sidney, Ollie, and [Benjamin] Frank[lin]’s parents James and Margaret INGRAM, and conclude that the family members have been residents of Flat Lick for many years.
Realizing that Frank could be the father (he would have been aged fifteen in 1894, nine months before Axie was born in February 1895), we continue in a chronological order focusing on Sidney Ingram, who is Rosebell’s age.
When determining family members, the following resource is very helpful:
Rev. Ebenezer Ingram settled at what is now known as Ingram, Kentucky, post office. This office was named after him. He served as Chaplain in the Civil War in the 49th Kentucky, Voluntary Infantry, composed of ten companies. He had the following family: (1) Thomas J. Ingram, who had a large family of children, one of whom, Judge Eb Ingram, who was County Judge of Bell County, and was one of the leading political figures of the county for a generation; (2) Polly Ingram (the oldest of the family); (3) Rev. James Queener Ingram, who lived and died near Williamsburg, Kentucky; (4) William F. Ingram; 1852-1885; (5) Elsie Ingram, (6) Hannah Ingram; (7) Amanda Ingram, (8) Sallie Ingram, (9) Peggy Ingram, (10) Emily Ingram.
James W. Ingram, father of Sidney Ingram, who now lives in Harlan, Kentucky, was a son of William F. Ingram. James W. Ingram was born and reared in the Ingram Settlement, but went to Flat Lick in Knox County where he died, and was buried in the McRoberts Graveyard in Bell County near the mouth of Greasy Creek, on the old Frank Creech farm. James W. Ingram had the following children:
First wife: Betty Tinsley: [Elizabeth]
(1) Bill, (2) Mary Partin, (3) Josephine Gibson, (4) Hannah Gibson, (5) America Garrett, (6) Jim Ingram, (7) Damia, (8) John, (9) Elbert, (10) Betty Gardner, (11) Sudie Warren, (12) Margaret Hendrickson.
Axie Baker may have been named after Sidney’s sister. That Sidney had a sister by the name of Axie may imply a family name was provided by Sidney when Rosebell gave birth; however, given the popularity of Axie at the turn of the century, this theory is questionable and Rosebell may have simply picked a popular name. Note however that the name Axie is passed throughout both the Ingram and Baker generations, starting with Sidney’s sister. Axie’s sister Lucinda names one of her daughters Axie Belle..
No birth dates are provided for Sidney’s sister to determine if the theory is correct, although her exclusion from the 1880 census implies she was born after 1880. She is NOT the Axie Ingram (19NOV1887 – 30MAR1913, a.25) per Find A Grave Memorial #14277157; that person is Axie (Dean) Ingram (19NOV1871-30MAR1913), wife of Sidney’s brother Elbert P. Ingram.
It’s probably a safe assumption that “Axie B. Ingram”, b.MAY 1896, listed as a daughter to John and America Ingram in the 1900 Federal Census, Kentucky, Whitley, Woodbine, District 0138, Sheet 22, really is John and America’s daughter.
The Social Security Application and Claims Index confirms Sidney’s birth date and parents as:
Name: Sidney Ingram Gender: Male Race: White Birth Date: 2 Jan 1869 Birth Place: Bell, Kentucky Father: James W Ingram Mother: Margaret Tinsley SSN: 400242849 Notes: Aug 1940: Name listed as SIDNEY INGRAM
The note above is important, implying that Sidney was known by a “different” name. More on his full name is provided below.
Looking at the 1870 federal census, we find the following:
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Where is Sidney if he was born in 1869 and not included in the 1870 census above? When trying to find Sidney, we find three possibilities, with the most plausible explanation below, and more information in the footnote.[3] Note that the 1870 census does not specify relationships.
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As difficult as the sheet is to read, whoever indexed the census has John Sidney aged 3, but it could very well be a strong 1, or a weak 6.
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It is my opinion that in 1870,
William L. Tinsley and wife Margaret are residing in his parents’ home.
John Sidney Tinsley, son of William and Margaret Tinsley, is residing with his paternal grandparents.
It’s after Margaret’s marriage in April 1873 when John Sidney lives with James W. Ingram.
Fuson’s account of the Ingram family tree may be in error.
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The 1870 federal census is the only mention of his name being “John Sidney” and is included for future reference and searching criteria; however, as the majority of documents refer to him as Sidney, we’ll maintain the latter.
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In 1896, it is highly likely that our Sidney Ingram was involved with a stabbing altercation with Charles Herndon. Two newspaper articles are included below, although there are numerous other articles on Herndon, one of which describes Ingram of Flat Lick, and again, the 1900 census shows only one Sidney Ingram in Flat Lick.
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In the spring of 1896, 35-year-old Charles Herndon of Flat Lick married 21-year-old Elizabeth Taylor. A few days after their marriage, they separate on account of his alleged brutal treatment of her. Herndon said that Elizabeth had been guilty of liaisons with two men: Herndon stabs 27-year-old “Sydney Ingram” in a quarrel, whom he accused of “being on too intimate terms” with his wife, and he accuses Elizabeth of deserting him for Galloway Carnes. Herndon serves nine months in the Kentucky penitentiary in Frankfort for stabbing Ingram. During his incarceration, Elizabeth went to live with her mother, Mrs. Martha Taylor. Herndon is released from prison sometime in December 1896, where he travels from Flat Lick, Knox County to Jellico Creek, Whitley County, and shoots his wife in the head on December 23. Elizabeth’s 10-year-old brother witnessed the murder. A fugitive for twelve years, Herndon is arrested on 30 January 1909 while hiding in Byers, Colorado with a nephew.
Note that the stabbing occurred about one year after Axie was born. It is unknown if Sidney and Elizabeth really were intimate, or if a jealous Herndon simply perceived there were shenanigans.
Issac/Ike and Elizabeth/Lizzie Patterson lived next door to both Sidney Ingram and Rosebell Baker.More research may be needed to find the correlation between the Ingram’s and Patterson’s:
In 1860, H.Patterson and Martha Patterson are living with Ebenezer Ingram, a relative of Sidney. The census is ambiguous with regards to race… the “color” column for Ebenezer, Rachel, Jonathan, and Williams is blank, yet there is a “1” for Mary Jane and James (presumably both Ingram), and for the Patterson’s?
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In 1900, Isaac Patterson b.JAN1854 (a.45) and Elizabeth Patterson b.JUL1853 (a.47), a black family, are living next door to Sidney Ingram.
In 1910, Ike Patterson a.55 (b. abt. 1855) and Lizzie Patterson a.55 (b. abt. 1855), a black family, are living next door to Rosebell Baker.
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Additional information for Sidney and his family is as follows:
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Sidney dies on 24 January 1941 in Harlan, Kentucky at the age of seventy-two and is buried at Resthaven Cemetery:
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With this information, the family tree looks like this:
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The information above is circumstantial, and we’re asking for any family members, particularly anyone on the Ingram side who may have additional information to share, to please contact us.
[1] Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Kentucky Birth, Marriage, and Death Databases: Births 1911-1999. Frankfort, Kentucky: Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.
[2] Fuson, Henry Harvey. History of Bell County Kentucky, Volume 1 (30 August 1939). Structure edited for clarity and emphasis added. Note that “James W. Ingram, father of Sidney Ingram, who now lives in Harlan, Kentucky, was buried in the McRoberts Graveyard in Bell County near the mouth of Greasy Creek…” which is an area that Oliver Broughton, the father of Meldia, would visit his relatives.
[3] Where is Sidney in the 1870 federal census if he was born in 1869? Absent from his family’s household, we find two other possibilities:
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Philip Farmer is currently assisting three families break down their genealogical brick walls and find information on their ancestors. He is also the author and publisher of “Edward Farmar and the Sons of Whitemarsh,” a 500-page, 155-year biographical history of the Farmer’s immigration from Ireland into Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Harlan County, Kentucky. The continuation of Stephen Farmer’s story from 1800 into the mid-1900’s is currently in work.
For almost six decades, the descendants of Rosebell Baker were searching for the fathers of her children, with limited success. In Part One, we analyzed vital records and newspaper articles to determine that the father of Lucinda Baker was Samuel Chase Early. We continue the story to determine the father of Rosebell’s other child, Meldia Baker.
Soon after posting the information about Lucinda Baker, and about her parents Rosebell Baker and Samuel Chase Early, I was contacted by Ms. Suzanne Dungan on 11 October 2017 with the following information:
“The Rose Baker with Axie, Cora and McKinley is Lucinda’s mother, and my grandmother’s mom. The line is as follows: William Baker and Elizabeth Walker
James Madison Baker and Melvina Smith (from Lee Co. Virginia, daughter of William Smith and Elizabeth Edwards)
Rosabel Baker of Flat Lick, Ky.
Children:
Lucinda Baker (md. John B. Linville)
Axie Baker md. Mack Jones (lived in Whitley Co. Ky.)
Cora Baker
McKinley Baker there are at least 2 in Knox Co. and their birthdays are close which is really confusing!)
Meldia Baker (my grandmother)
My mom lived with “Granny Rose” for approximately 6-8 years as her mother, Meldia, worked in Corbin, KY and visited on weekends. Mom stated that Granny Rose “ruled the roost” and was very strict and god-fearing. She didn’t like census takers and government, etc. and stated that if a man married you in the church that you didn’t need to go to the county seat and buy a piece of paper to make it a marriage. She also told Mom that if a fellow proposed…you had to wait till the traveling preacher came around….and sometimes the man was gone by then. Now Mom and I don’t know if she was speaking from experience or not, but it kind of sounded like it!”
Ms. Dungan also related how her grandmother’s name was always misspelled, which explains most of the census records. She goes on to state:
“I know my grandmother’s father was Oliver Broughton who was tragically killed when my grandmother was a young child.”
Using this information, we’re able to find the following newspaper articles and records:
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The Mountain Advocate (12 March 1915):
“Dewitt News
Blue Eyes
Wm Brewer and Oliver Broughton are visiting relatives in Ogle.
Ed Hubbard and Oliver Broughton were on Fighting Creek last Sunday.”
The Mountain Advocate (02 April 1915):
“Dewitt News
Blue Eyes
Oliver Broughton is visiting homefolks on Greasy Creek this week.”
The Mountain Advocate (24 August 1917):
“List of persons called into the service of the United States not exempted or discharged.
To District Board for Eastern District of Kentucky.
Local board for Knox county, State of Ky., hereby certified to district board for eastern district of Kentucky, the following list of the names and addresses of persons who have been duly and legally called for the military service of the United States, and who have not been exempted or discharged:
[many names to include]
Oliver Broughton, Flat Lick.”
Oliver’s draft card of 05 June [1917] shows that he was born 25 August 1893 in Dewitt and residing in Flat Lick. When compared to the notice in The Mountain Advocate, the draft card indicates age 24 in June, yet he would have been 24 when called into service in August. The draft card also shows he was married, presumably to Rosebell, but it is possible he may have been married to another person. Noting his age, Oliver was twenty-four years younger than Rosebell, who was born in 1869.
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Almost a year later, and within two weeks after his 25th birthday, Oliver was murdered as reported in The Courier Journal (07 September 1918):
“Kentucky Soldier Is Killed By Negro
Oliver Broughton, On Furlough From Camp Zachary Taylor, Is Slain
Bourbourville, KY., Sept. 6 – Corp. Oliver Broughton, home from Camp Zachary Taylor on a furlough, was shot and killed at the Knox County fairgrounds late to-day by Will Castle, a negro. Castle was shot and fatally wounded by Officer Sam Lewis as he tried to escape.
Witnesses say that Broughton accidentally stepped on the negro’s foot at a side show and Castle drew a gun and commenced shooting. Broughton, who was unarmed, was shot through the breast as he was backing away.
As his victim fell Castle wheeled to escape, but was brought down by a shot from the gun of Lewis, who was in an automobile a short distance away and who witnessed the shooting. Castle was shot through the breast and will likely not recover. Feeling is high to-night and further trouble may result.”
Three days later in the Mt. Sterling Advocate (10 September 1918):
“Guarded from Mob
A heavy guard was placed around the Knox county jail to prevent the threatened lynching of William Castle, a negro, who is charged with having shot and killed Oliver Broughton, a soldier stationed at Camp Taylor and home on a five days’ leave. Broughton, it is said, stepped on Castle’s foot and the latter, it is charged, pulled a revolver and shot Broughton through the chest. Castle in trying to escape from the police was shot through the arm.”
His death certificate also notes “homicide at the hands of Bill Castle with pistol” and also indicates he was still married, although his birth date is noted as “don’t know 1891.”
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Oliver and Rosebell’s daughter, Meldia, was about four years old. A year later, Oliver was exonerated from paying his taxes, and it is interesting to note that rather than stating “dead” like the other names, they annotate the reason as “killed at Fair Grounds.”
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The Mountain Advocate (28 November 1919):
Knox Fiscal Court, July Term, July 1, 1919
It is ordered by the Knox Fiscal Court, that R. P. Mann, Sheriff, be and he is hereby exonerated of the following list, amounting to $792.00:
District No. 1, Exonerated List.
[many names to include]
Broughton, Oliver, killed at Fair Grounds, 1.50
Of special interest is the French Memorial Service in which Oliver was honored. He may have served overseas in World War I, although more research is required to support it. It may also be that he was honored along with the many other soldiers who died, regardless of type of service.
The Mountain Advocate (27 February 1920):
French Memorial Service
The French Memorial Service which was held at Union College Chapel Sunday afternoon was a great success and Deaton-Smith Post 69 of the American Legion has once more demonstrated its ability to do the right thing in the right way. The big chapel was filled to its utmost capacity by relatives of the boys, soldiers and sailors, students and citizens.
Following the Marseillaise by Union’s fine orchestra, Dr. Leslie Logan, the Post Commander, spoke on the objects of the American Legion.
Miss Ethel Miller gave a reading, “Viva La France.” “Christ in Flanders” and “My Son,” by Carrie Jacobs Bond, were beautifully rendered by Mrs. Charles F. Rathfon.
A fine address on “One Hundred Per Cent Amercanism” was delivered by Hon. Sawyer A. Smith.
Miss Drucilla Tye ably rendered “The Americans Have Come.”
The reading of the Honor Roll was given to Mr. Bart S. Reid who also presented the certificates to the representatives of the soldier boys who had died. Representatives who were not present will receive their certificates.
The Star Spangled Banner was sung by the audience, led by the orchestra which did good work thru out.
The religious side of the ceremony was in charge of Rev. R. L. Creal and Rev. T. J. Belcher.
The four “salts” as ushers, representing the Navy in which they had served were Josh Faulkner, Ham Golden, Herbert miller and Henry Hubbard. Soldier ushers where Charlie Hendrickson, Ben Shorter, Jas. Burgess and Godfrey Parrott.
Honor roll names are: –
[many names to include]
Oliver Broughton
I often wonder if Oliver’s certificate still exists.
Of Rosebell’s children, only the descendants of Meldia seemed to know the identify of her father. With her family sharing the information, we can now trace back Oliver’s associates to see if there is a connection to the other fathers. These “association” clues became very helpful in identifying the possible father of another daughter.
Philip Farmer is currently assisting three families break down their genealogical brick walls and find information on their ancestors. He is also the author and publisher of “Edward Farmar and the Sons of Whitemarsh,” a 500-page, 155-year biographical history of the Farmer’s immigration from Ireland into Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Harlan County, Kentucky. The continuation of Stephen Farmer’s story from 1800 into the mid-1900’s is currently in work.
I wish I had started genealogy research much earlier when my grandmother was still alive. With information more readily available, and armed with data from vital records, newspapers, and other records, I have so much more to ask her.
Children of Lucinda (Baker) Linville, ca. 1927, l-r: Ted, Minnie, Pearl, and Audrey.
Growing up in Battle Creek, Michigan, we would visit my grandpa and grandma, Harry and Minnie Saxman. They had a large dining table that occupied the entire kitchen of which a constant stream of family, friends, and neighbors would encircle while seven coffee makers churned out Maxwell House slower than we could drink it. Minnie had been a waitress all of her life and she always making sure her guests’ cups were full while dishing up a slice of home-baked pie, a piece of banana bread, or a ham sandwich.
Minnie always had a story to tell.
Minnie’s parents were “Poppy” and “Mama Lucy.” Poppy owned and ran a store in Barboursville while Mama Lucy ruled the roost in the apartment above it. We always heard how Poppy was sheriff of Knox County. And we always heard how she married a “no good man” and had a daughter, “Aunt Pat,” who had lived with Poppy and Mama Lucy. From time to time, Aunt Pat would come in from Virginia to visit. It wasn’t until I was older that I understood she was my father’s sister.
Minnie related how Harlan County was a “mean, violent place” and that she was a waitress in Harlan when they shot a man on the courthouse step. She later remarried to Jules Farmer, who was from Harlan County. Jules worked as a miner, but sometime in the 1940’s, his entire family moved from Harlan County to Battle Creek. Unable to find a job, Jules and Minnie moved back to Kentucky where Jules resumed coal mining. Their first son, Jules Farmer, was born in Chevrolet. Coal mining was dangerous work and Minnie did not approve. She encouraged Jules to return to Michigan where he found a job working for the Battle Creek City Sewer Department. For awhile, they lived in the former barracks of Fort Custer until they bought a new house on Ellis Road. It was this same house where we would visit, and where several of Jules’ family had also resided, to include Jules’ mother, who Minnie described as a “mean, old woman.” Jules and Minnie had three more sons: Terry, David, and Gary.
When Jules died, Minnie remarried again to Harry. Minnie’s siblings would occasionally visit from Ohio, and while I met them, I was young and didn’t really understand who they really were.
Harry died in 1999 and Minnie died in 2004. Fourteen years later, I wish I had started genealogy research much earlier when she was still alive. With information more readily available, and armed with data from vital records, newspapers, and other records, I have so much more to ask her.
Minnie May Linville was born 17 July 1916 in Artemus, Knox County, Kentucky, the fourth child of John Brogan Linville (11 July 1884 – 15 August 1967) and his second wife, Lucinda (02 December 1891 – 12 March 1963).
John had been previously married to Laura Kinder (18 August 1890 – 15 August 1970), the daughter of Jacob and Katherine Kinder. An announcement in the 02 June 1905 newspaper states “John Linvill [sic] and Laura Kinder, were quietly married at the home of the bride. Rev. John Stamper performing the ceremony.” John was twenty; Laura was fourteen. Other newspapers clippings suggest John met Laura through their church where John was Assistant Secretary of the Sunday school, and Katherine Kinder was first teacher.
John Brogan Linville, 1906, age 21.
John and Lucinda married 09 August 1909.
For almost six decades, when repeatedly asked about Lucinda’s background, Minnie, as well as her entire family, would emphatically state “you do NOT want to know that…” Whatever the secret was, Minnie and her siblings took the secret with them when they passed away. We would joke that they must have been part of the Appalachian Witness Protection Program. The only information we knew was one sentence: Lucinda was born to a Rose Baker who had five children from five different fathers.
Working backward in the vital records, Lucinda’s death certificate, with information provided by her husband John, indicates her father was “Sam Early” and her mother was “Rose Baker.” A birth record was also located for Lucinda and John’s daughter Mattie Linville (b. 1911) listing Mattie’s mother as Lucinda Early.
More research into the Barbourville area federal censuses and subsequent records indicate there is only one Sam EARLY and one Rosebell BAKER, both living in the Flat Lick Township area.
Samuel Chase Early
Samuel Chase EARLY (26 JUN 1867 – 07 AUG 1909) was the son of Dr. James H. Early (1808-1885) and Rebecca Cummins (1832-1914).
The 1900 Federal Census has a Sam Early with his wife Elon Keele (m. 1898). At the time, the census indicates Sam was a merchant, while newspapers also claim he was a post office inspector and railway mail clerk.
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In 1901, Sam was involved in a shooting with professor Frank P. Farley in which Farley died.
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Family history is that Lucinda’s husband John Linville was sheriff of Knox County, yet we are unable to locate any evidence. There’s no mention in the censuses, newspapers, or other records. Interestingly, Sam Early ran for sheriff of Knox County in 1904:
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Included in the newspaper accounts above is an article where have Sam is working or socializing with members of the Baker family.
Sam was murdered on 08 AUG 1909, a day before Lucinda Baker’s marriage to John Linville. He left behind a widow, Elon (Keele) Early, and a 9-month old son, Samuel Coone Early.
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John Henson would later be found guilty in 1910, sentenced to life imprisonment, and then pardoned. The case against William Smith would have a similar outcome:
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Note that the last article describes Sam as a “merchant”, with no reference to past or present duties as sheriff.
Other than the article regarding Sam’s association with Kit Baker, Rosbell’s first cousin, no other smoking gun could be found to corroborate the information in Lucinda Baker’s death certificate.
Rosebell Baker
Rosebell BAKER (24 OCT 1869 – 02 FEB 1955) was the daughter of James Madison Baker (1840-1915) and Melvina Smith (1843-1925). While there are numerous records that support the relationship of Rose to her parents and siblings, the following is the evidence gathered that identifies the children of Rose, and her relationship with Sam Early.
There is no 1900 Federal Census record with any combination or name variation of Rosebell and/or Lucinda.
A 1910 Federal Census has a Vina Baker (widowed), and a Rose, Axie, Cora, and McKinley living next door in West Flat Lick Precinct No. 6. Lucinda does not appear in this household, having married John the prior year.
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And a Rose, McKinley, and Alvina appears in the 1920 Federal Census:
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Using this information, research of the Kentucky School Census has the following information:
1900 School Census of White Children, Flat Lick – New Flat Lick – District #44
PARENT
CHILD (AGE)
BAKER JAMES M
CALHINE BAKER (17) GROVER C. (16) WM. (11) LUCY (9)
Shortly after I posted the information above to Ancestry.com, I was contacted through email on 11 October 2017 by Ms. Suzanne Dungan, the great, great granddaughter of Rosebell Baker who confirmed Lucinda’s parents and siblings as follows:
“The Rose Baker with Axie, Cora and McKinley is Lucinda’s mother, and my grandmother’s mom. The line is as follows:
William Baker and Elizabeth Walker
[son of William and Elizabeth] James Madison Baker and Melvina Smith (from Lee Co. Virginia, daughter of William Smith and Elizabeth Edwards)
[daughter of James & Melvina] Rosabel Baker of Flat Lick, Ky.
Children [of Rosabel Baker]:
Lucinda Baker (md. John B. Linville)
Axie Baker md. Mack Jones (lived in Whitley Co. Ky.)
Cora Baker
McKinley Baker (there are at least 2 in Knox Co. and their birthdays are close which is really confusing!) [The other McKinley has a sister Axie which makes it even more confusing!]
I checked with my Mom and asked her if she knew of a Lucinda Baker and/or a John B. Linville. And, of course, she answered, “Yes, Aunt Lucy and Uncle John!”
So, yes! Lucinda Baker Linville was my grandmother’s sister and Rosabell Baker’s daughter. My grandmother was the last child born and Lucinda, Axie, and Cora were all a great deal older than her. So naturally, I wouldn’t have known this information like I would have if my grandmother’s siblings had been closer to her age. Lucinda was at least 20 yrs. older than my grandmother! But, my Mom did know Lucinda and Uncle John and really loved them. Mom stated that Sam Early was Lucinda’s father, but that is all she knows.
I corresponded with Jean Taylor who was the daughter of Axie Baker and Mack Jones. She passed in 2011 and had done some genealogy on her family. She had sent me an email with each child listed and their father’s name. Apparently each one had a different dad.”
After sixty years, our family finally had an answer! Except the answer we received never fully answered why it had remained such a big secret. And that list of all of the fathers? It couldn’t be found. Meanwhile, other descendants of Lucinda’s siblings contacted me as they were also searching for the same answer we had been looking for.
Thus began a search for the fathers of Rosebell’s other children.
Philip Farmer is currently assisting three families break down their genealogical brick walls and find information on their ancestors. He is also the author and publisher of “Edward Farmar and the Sons of Whitemarsh,” a 500-page, 155-year biographical history of the Farmer’s immigration from Ireland into Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Harlan County, Kentucky. The continuation of Stephen Farmer’s story from 1800 into the mid-1900’s is currently in work.
