2022 01  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week #4  Curiosity

Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't know. I don't have any answers to those questions. I don't know what's over there around the corner. But I want to find out.         ---- Gene Cernan

Hardy Hopkins  m. Mary L. Carpenter

Joseph Carpenter Hopkins m. Sarah Mumford

Mary Elizabeth Hopkins m. John Wilburn Leavelle

Hardie Duncan Leavelle m. Nettie Ida Godley

Evalyn Ruth Leavelle  (my grandmother)

Nettie Lynda Lindbeck Mohney Davis

Donna Evalyn Mohney

I have always been curious- about everything... but frequently feel intrusive asking.  With family history though, it's different.  I can ask the questions and then go out and find the answers.   A lover of books from childhood, it's no wonder that research is something I so enjoy.   Over the past 40 years, I've learned volumes about the world, all through family tree research.   But one of the questions that I would love to learn the answer to is still unanswered. 

My paternal family has all been firmly settled in the American North- from Massachusetts down to Pennsylvania since the 1830s. The Rodgers and McCameys were the late comers, settling in Pennsylvania in the early to mid 1830s.  All the others were here well before 1800.  

My maternal family, on the other hand, is fully southern.  Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana.  My maternal grandmother's family has been in America for many generations.  Her parents were Hardie Duncan Leavelle and Nettie Ida Godley.   

Nettie Ida Godley Leavelle

Hardie and Nettie Ida (Godley) LEavelle

Hardie Duncan Leavelle

Hardy Duncan Leavelle

Hardie Duncan Leavelle and Nettie Ida Godley
Marriage License

And Hardie's parents were John Wilburn Leavelle and Mary Elizabeth Hopkins.    My questions are about Mary Elizabeth Hopkins and her ancestors.  

John Wilburn Leavelle

John Wilburn Leavelle and Mary
Elizabeth Hopkins Marriage license

Born 2 April 1857 somewhere in Alabama, Mollie, as Mary Elizabeth was known, died 15 August 1887 in West Greene, Greene County, Alabama and was buried in the Sardis Cemetery there.  The information about Mollie comes mainly from the 1860 and 1870 census records. 

1860 United States Federal Census

Name: M E Hopkins    (Mary Elizabeth) 

Age: 9    Birth Year: abt 1851   Gender: Female   Birth Place: Alabama

Home in 1860: Mount Hebron, Greene, Alabama   Post Office: Mount Hebron    Family #: 385

Household Members: Name Age

M M Hales 24  

S M Hales 35     Mollie's mother, Sarah M. Mumford or Mulford)

H T Hopkins 12  Her brother, Hardy Thomas Hopkins

J W Hopkins 11  Her brother, John W. Hopkins

M E Hopkins 9   Mary Elizabeth (Mollie)

W M Hales 1  

In 1870, she is living with an Eastman/Eatman family.  (At least, this appears to be her.)

1870 Census of Clinton Precinct, Greene County, Alabama

Mary Hopkins 17 at home born Alabama

With Eastman family-    Wm. T. Eatman 52 farmer $3650 1500 NC Citizen

Thomas J. 20 school Ala

John C. 19 school Ala

E. Jeptha 14 Ala  school

George 12 Ala school

Jeff 10 at home can't read/write Ala

On 7 May 1874, Mollie marries John Wilburn Leavelle. 

They have 5 children, William McKenzie, Emma Hales, Margaret F.,  Hardie Duncan, and Joseph Wilburn before Mollie's death.  I know a little more about John Wilburn, as he married Carrie Taylor and lived until 1920.  But Mollie's life remains a mystery. 

Tombstone of John Wilburn Leavelle

Tombstone of Carrie Taylor Leavelle

Death Certificate of Hardie Duncan Leavelle

Her parents are also mysteries.  Joseph Carpenter Hopkins was born in 1826 and died in 1859.  The only evidence of his life is the 1850 Census.  (And a will that is supposed to be located in Greene County, Alabama but I haven't located as yet. Book A, 1840-1864, 070) 

Will of Joseph Carpenter Hopkins, part 1 and 2.

1850 United States Federal Census

Name: Joseph C Hopkins

Age: 24   Birth Year: abt 1826   Birthplace: Alabama

Home in 1850: Greene, Alabama, USA    Gender: Male

Family Number: 503

Household Members: Name Age

Joseph C Hopkins 24

Sarah M Hopkins 27

Hardy T Hopkins 3

John W Hopkins 1

As seen in the 1860 census above, Mollie's mother quickly remarried a Wiley Hales.   

Sarah Mumford Hopkins married Wiley Hales

Sarah M. Mumford (some records list her as a Mulford) By the 1860 census, Sarah and Wiley were married and there is a one year old in the family.  I don't know if that child was Sarah's or not. - That's a major part of my curiousity!  Sarah's story stops there.  No history of her parents, siblings, etc.  

Joseph Carpenter Hopkins' parents are known.  His father was Hardy Hopkins and his mother was Mary L. Carpenter.   They were married on 10 December 1821 in Franklin County, North Carolina. 

 Mary was known as Polly, daughter of Elizabeth Upchurch and John Carpenter.  In 1835, Polly purchased 39 acres of land in Alabama in her name.  Hardy  had served as a private from the Mississippi Territory in the War of 1812 according to the Roll of Mississippi Commands.  He had 76 acres of land in Greene County, Alabama by 1825.   His will is also on file in Greene County, Alabama.  (Book B, 1817- 1841  054) 

Hardy Hopkins' Land 1826

 After Hardy's death, Polly Carpenter Hopkins married James Harvey Rainey.  She died in 1879 in Newton County, Mississippi.   

Mary Carpenter Hopkins and James Harvey
Rainey's Marriage license

John and Elizabeth (Upchurch) Carpenter's first daughter, Elizabeth, married William B. Rainey and lived near her mother and stepfather on the 1850 Census.  

I guess more than one questions remains.  Here are a few!  

Why don't I find land records for Joseph C?      

What is in that mysterious will?   I found this as well and it is above.

Is that child Sarah's?                                

Where did she and Wiley go?   

Who were Sarah's parents?

Where is Joseph Carpenter Hopkins buried? 

What is in Hardy's will?          I did find this! and it is above. He left everything to his "Beloved" wife, Mary as long as she lived and remained a widow.  At her remarriage or death, everything was to go to his 3 children: Alexander, Joseph, and Mary Elizabeth, and the child with whom Mary was currently pregnant. 

Where is Hardy buried?

Where is Mary Elizabeth Hopkins Leavelle buried?

And after writing this, I'm off on a search (Online) to satisfy my curiosity about this line of my family!

Donna Evalyn Mohney

28 January 2022

Favorite Photo (Week 3 - 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks)

 

My mama, Nettie Lynda Lindbeck Mohney Davis, was born March 24, 1937 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Her brother, Lauren, and sisters, Ladeen and Lavonne were 6, 4 and 2. Her sister, Marlene, was born 2 years later. They were not born to wealthy parents. Laurel and Evalyn, worked hard to take care of the children. 

 Mom talked of swimming in the irrigation ditches, and of Christmases with few presents. An orange in their stocking was a treat. Grandmother made their clothes, some from feed bags.  But one day, a traveling entertainer stopped at their home, and they were able to afford a pony ride and picture. This picture of my mom on that pony has always been one of my favorite photos.

 Some other photos show a little of their home and lives. 

Ladeen described a little of their struggles.  

"It amazes me now that she worked like a field hand on the farm, yet had all four of us girls bathed and in rag curls on Friday night, so we could have "Shirley Temple curls' for Sabbath school and church. I wonder if Lauren felt left out. Girls just require more "fixin' up" than guys do!

Mama made all of her clothes and ours- mostly from chicken feed and flour sacks. They came in nice florals, chacks and other prints. She made us pretty ruffled dresses and pinafores. I was never happier than when Mama made herself and me matching skirts. We called them our mother-daughter skirts and had our picture made together in them. I don't know how she managed to keep house, sew, can fruits and vegetables in season, and work on the farm long hours- or where she got the energy"?! Lauren was at Daddy's side working like a man from the time he was 4 or 5! We did learn responsibility though, something lacking in most kids today!

I NEVER WILL FORGET HER CATCHING CHICKENS WITH A LONG STICK (llike a broom handle) with a crooked wire on the end. She laid them over a stump and chopped their heads off with a hatchet. After they wer tied on the close line awhile to let the blood drain off, she'd dip them in a big pot of boiling water, and we had to help pluck out the feathers. She sold the chickens to restaurants in town. Wet chicken feathers smell as bad as a wet dog!"

Lauren wrote: . "Totally unselfish was she and dedicated to her children. She put off her formal education with the birth of her first child, but then the children kept on coming, four beautiful, talented girls born after her son in the farm and ranch country of New Mexico.  There, Life was hard during the depression but Mother was there, champion that she was, working in the fields, driving tractors, working cattle like the men and yet, still able to tend the house and raise her children under often extreme conditions of climate. That was a test of her mettle and a measure of her strength as a woman." 

Lynda and her grandmother, Nettie Ida Godley Leavelle and her sister, Lavonne. 

Lindbeck children with cousins

Lynda with her grandmother Leavelle, and sister, Marlene.

Sanitary Dairy,  L.B. Lindbeck (I believe this is Lauren in front of it.)

Ladeen, Lynda, Lavonne

Lynda and Lavonne with their cousin, Rochelle.

Lavonne, Lynda, Ladeen and Evalyn

Marlene, Linda, Lavonne, Ladeen, Lauren 

Just a cute photo of a moment in my mama's life and some glimpses into it from her sister and brother. 

Donna Evalyn Mohney

January 17, 2022

Lines ("Drop me a line sometime." )( 2021 Week 50)

Perhaps this is a story that my cousins, Ray, Kelly, Pat or Christine should tell but here goes. (I know they can correct the mistakes and fill in the blanks and I hope they do.) My Uncle Rusty was always bigger than life to me and my siblings. He popped in and out infrequently since we were in Ohio and he was in Washington. He and my dad would sit and tell hunting and fishing stories for hours. So here's a little I know about him:

Eugene Morrow Mohney was born on August 20, 1923 in West Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. I found a paper saying that he weighed 7 pounds at birth. Eugene was the 4^th son and 5^th child of Valentine Edward and Margaret Annetta (Book) Mohney. I'm not sure where his first name came from but Margaret's mother was Sierra Nevada Morrow Book so I'm sure that's where his middle name came from. His brother Warren Silas was named after their paternal grandfather, Silas Warren Mohney. The next of the boys was James Book, named after Margaret's father, James Preston Book. A sister, Gladys Maxine, came next and the source of her name – I haven't yet figured out. Next was Wayne Valentine, whose middle name came from both his father and his Mohney great-grandfather. Eugene was followed by Grace Marybelle, the first name for her father's aunt Grace (Mohney) Stauffer, and Marybelle for her mother's sister, MaryBelle (Book) Anderson. Dorothy Aileen was the next sister, followed by Willis Robert – I'm not sure where either of their names came from. Margaret Ethel (named for her mother and her great-grandmother Margaret Jane (McCamey) Mohney) was next, followed by my dad, Donald Edward. I'm assuming the Edward was for his father's middle name but I'm not so sure about the first.

On the 1930 and 1940 censuses, the family lived in Poland, Mahoning County, Ohio, and the children attended Lowellville schools. See Uncle Rusty”s (as Eugene was known to all of us) various school age  pictures below.

Rusty's father loved to hunt and to fish. He would go to Elk County, PA each winter, taking his sons with him as they each grew old enough. They also spent many weekends at Pine Lake, Mahoning County, Ohio, where they fished and picnicked. Rusty, apparently got his love of nature and the outdoors from his father.

Rusty and friend Hubbard in July 1949

Rusty, One of his boys ?, Max in 1953

Valentine worked for the Baltimore and Oriole Railroad as a flagman out of New Castle, Pennsylvania and Youngstown, Ohio. His family could get passes to travel by train anywhere while he worked for the railroad. Rusty had gone to Spokane to work with his uncle Red Anderson (Husband of his mother's sister, Marybelle) and fell in love - both with the area and with a girl. He married and stayed in Washington state. (His brother, Willis and his family also moved there. Val, Margaret, Don and Margaret used passes to visit Willis and Rusty there. Margaret took Don on a last trip before their railroad passes ran out after Valentine's death. My parents packed up the family and Grandma Mohney when I was about 5 (ca 1964-5) and off to Spokane we went. My dad wasn't able to find work so we returned to Ohio.)

He married on 17 April 1943 in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, Maxine Freda Alexander. Below are some pictures of the two of them, and some of them with family members. Both Eugene and Maxine were in the service and I have a plaque that was given to his mother with their names and his brother, James', documenting their military service.

With Sierra Nevada Morrow, his grandmother

Wedding Photo

With Maxine's mother

Recently, my cousin Dennis Chaberd, sent me some family photos, etc. Included among them was a letter written to his mother, Grace (Mohney) Chaberd, from Maxine. A photo of the letter is below, but here is a transcription.

May 4^th, 1943

Spokane, Wash.

Dear Sis,

Boy, it was sure swell to get two letters from you at once (especially two with Miss on one & Mrs. on the other). It's rather hard getting used to the Mrs., bur I love it!

Am really surprised at what a good correspondent Rusty turned out to be. He writes me at least twice a day and sometimes oftener. You certainly hit the nail on the head when you said I was probably walking on air. I still am! You were certainly right about me missing Rusty, too.

Isn't love amazing! Always thought love was something about as repulsive as measles. Boy, has my mind been changed! Guess Rusty and I could be described as blissful! Sure hope nobody else reads this letter. They'd probably think I was a romantic fool! Hope you don't! Golly, I'm sure getting to be an expert in the line of letter writing (especially one kind of letters). Write two and sometimes three a day to Rusty.

Golly, on reading over this letter, I find that my mind sure has been wandering. Hope you can find your way through the preceding paragraph. Guess I haven't fully recovered from the Wedding yet. Rusty was sure nervous and I was, more nervous than he. It's sure amazing! (Guess I said that before.)

Wrote mom and dad a letter Sunday. Hope they don't mind being called that! I don't mind it a bit being called sis, as a matter of fact, I love it. Rusty calls my folks “mom – sis or brother.” I think it's nice that way.

Well, in about a week and half Rusty will have his first furlough (I hope.) It'll sure be wonderful to see him again. If you want me to, I'll kiss him “hello” for you and all of the rest of the family! That'll amount to quite a number of kisses, won't it! Oh, good!

Am having some pictures taken tomorrow and I'll be glad to exchange with you. Probably won't get them for about a month, but I'll send you one as soon as I get them. As soon as Rusty gets time, we're going to have a wedding picture taken. We'll send the folks one of those, too.

My mother sure dotes on Rusty. He's just like another son to her. My brother & sisters think he's swell, too. Me- I think he's just about the most wonderful person in the world! I can hardly wait to see him in his uniform and short haircut. Bet he looks cuter than a bug's ear. He sent me a lock of his hair as a keepsake (or maybe as a memory of when his hair was nice & long.) I think I'll like his hair short, too.

Tell Dorothy and the rest of my new brothers & sisters “hello” for me. How about sending me a snapshot of the family, so I can become better acquainted with everyone. I'll send you one of my folks if you send me of your's. Is it a deal?

Well, I guess I'd better close now. The rest of my class is starting to tease me again! Boy, do I take a beating! Don't forget to toss me a line, soon. Anchors aweigh for now.

Loads of Love,

Sis     

Rusty, Warren, Dorothy and Maxine with Henry the Car in 1946

In December of 1943, Rusty was, according to U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949, assigned to the ship Tulagi. He continues to show on the muster rolls for the Tulagi through 1 Jul 1945. The ships history is below. I don't know for sure which of these times, Rusty was actually aboard.

USS Tulagi at anchor off Norfolk, Virginia on 18 May 1944

USS Tulagi (CVE-72) was an Casablanca-class aircraft carrier active in World War II in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. She was awarded four battle stars for her service. Below are highlights from her missions.

• She participated in Operation “Dragoon,” the invasion of Southern France. The Allies attacked German forces in and around Cannes and Toulon, with Tulagi’s aircraft flying on 68 missions. Her planes attacked gun emplacements, railway stops, a convoy, and three German transport aircraft.

• Next, in the Pacific, Tulagi was part of a fleet that saw a great deal of action in January 1945 near the Philippine Islands. She shot down a kamikaze that was intent on destroying her, and launched numerous missions near Lingayen Gulf.

• Supported the assault on Iwo Jima with air and anti-submarine patrols.

• While anchored at Kerama Retto, Japan, on April 6, 1945, she was again singled out for attack, this time by a plane that changed course at the last minute and crashed instead into a nearby landing ship.  Tulagi prevented two subsequent planes from inflicting further damage on American ships in the harbor.

• Next, she commenced antisubmarine operations off the coast of Okinawa.

Tulagi was decommissioned in 1946.

The letter was the main point of this story but I thought I would add the military service as well. 

Donna Mohney

17 January 2022