New Wedsite for Military and Widow's Pension Records

When I first began conducting genealogical research forty years ago, I had to send a record request form to the National Archives in Washington, DC along with a $10.00 fee to receive copies of military service records.  Often times, the records were incomplete and or unreadable.   Now the process is so much easier.    There is a new website that has printable copies of most military records from the Revolutionary War through World War II on-line.   For confidentiality purposes, records must be at least 50 years old to be accessed.

The website address is:  www.fold3.com

I checked the website this morning and verified much of the 40-year-old information I have for all four of my great grandfathers who served in the Great War of the Rebellion, commonly known as the Civil War.    Three were in the Union Army and one was in the Confederate Army.   Inputting the information as requested, I was easily able to pull up the service records of all four great grandfathers.

This website is a great tool for genealogists because the widow's pensions records are also available.   These records provide a great deal of information about soldiers, their widows and families from birth to death.

Happy trails!

James Corbin Takes a Wife - Fights a War - Loses a Son

If any of you have spent much time working on your family's genealogy, you know that it is not an exact science.   Unless you have original documents or possess a family Bible, it is very easy to get side tracked and dead ended!   On Ancestry.com, one of the best-known genealogy sites, I have found no less than eleven variations for James Corbin's ancestors.    So many amateur genealogists now just copy what they find on-line, which is a recipe for disaster.    I'm rather glad that when I did most of this work thirty or forty years ago, I either had to go to historical and genealogical libraries in person, write them for copies of information, or visit relatives and look at their materials.   Besides, it allowed me to meet a lot of cousins I would have never known otherwise.

That having been said, it is still necessary to present theories or speculation in many cases, because we just do not have the primary documents needed.    That is exactly the case with James Corbin.   So far as I know, none of the Corbin genealogists have ever found a death record for James' father, Nathan Corbin, yet there are other court documents which indicate he died and his children were assigned guardians.   Nathan owned land and his "widow" had to go to court to sell it, even though her new husband was the buyer.    So sometimes we can try and make the pieces of the puzzle fit, and hope for the best.  I did not find a tombstone for Nathan Corbin when I visited the Laurel Cemetery.

It has been verified that John Corbin of Baltimore County, Maryland had at least three sons: Nathan, Shadrack and Abraham.  They are all mentioned in his Last Will and Testament.   According to the writings of Leonard Simmons, who personally knew all three of these men, Nathan and Abraham decided to leave Maryland and make a trip west to Ohio.   They first settled in Butler County, Ohio in about 1805 and then moved to Clermont County, Ohio in 1812.  For students of American History, we know that much of The War of 1812 was fought in southern and eastern Ohio.   The fighting with Native Americans was particularly intense in the very areas where these two men and their families lived.   Cincinnati was the military center for much of the War of 1812.    I have often wondered if Nathan did not join the US Army and was killed in action, but I have never been able to find any record of his service.  Eventually, John Corbin Sr. and his other son, Shadrack Corbin all joined Nathan and Abraham in Clermont County, Ohio.

From my last blog, you will remember that James Corbin's mother, Mary (Anderson) Corbin married second Elijah Lindsey.  Nathan and Mary Corbin had two children, Sarah and James.    Mary, Elijah, two of Elijah's children and Mary's two children all lived in Clermont County on the farm which had belonged to Nathan and Mary Corbin before his death.    On April 22, 1821, Sarah Corbin was married to Miles Harper Mattox at Laurel, Clermont County, Ohio.  Sometime between 1832 and 1835, the family moved from Clermont County, Ohio to LaPorte County, Indiana.

The 1835 US Census, records that Elijah Lindsey, his wife, Mary (Anderson) Corbin Lindsey, Sarah (Corbin) Mattox and her husband Miles Harper Mattox, and James Corbin were all living together in Winfield Township, Lake County, Indiana.   It isn't known why they removed from Clermont County, Ohio but there was a great movement westward after the lands of Native Americans were opened to settlement and there was little fear of uprisings.    There was inexpensive farm land and jobs were plentiful so the "grass was always greener on the other side of the fence."

The Casteel family lived near the Lindsey and Corbin families in Clermont County, Ohio.   This was an extended family that included the grandparents and the parents of Cynthia Ann Casteel, who would become the wife of James Corbin on February 5, 1837 in LaPorte County, Indiana.

The parents of Cynthia  Ann were William Henry and Mary E. (Blevins) Casteel.   William H. was born in 1796 in Virginia and died in 1891 in Jackson, Clay County, Missouri.  He was married to Mary Blevins in 1819 in Clermont County, Ohio.  Mary was born in Virginia in 1799 and died at West Liberty, Putnam County, MO in 1875.   They were the parents of at least six children:
Cynthia Ann born October 8, 1819; George Washington (1823-1890); John R. (1826-1865); Nancy (1828-1896); Margaret (1832-); and Anna (1841-1896.)

It is interesting that some members of the Casteel family seem to move in tandem with the Corbins.  We will find that they moved from Ohio to Indiana, then to northern Missouri, on to Nebraska and finally to Oregon.   It was always easier to make a major move by covered wagon when you had relatives at your destination that could help you become established.

The grandparents of Cynthia Ann were Joseph and Nancy Anna (Cooper) Casteel.  Joseph was born in 1770 in Virginia and died in 1840 at Dodge, Putnam County, Missouri.  Nancy Anna (Cooper) Casteel was born in 1773 in Virginia and died in 1850 at Chariton, Missouri.   They were the parents of at least seven children:  Thomas (1795 - ); William Henry (1796 - 1891); Elijah (1801 - ); Ison (1805 - 1880) Siron Solamon (1808 - ); John (1810-1850); and Lewis (1813-1867.)

Both of these families are to be found near the Corbins and Lindseys in Clermont County, Ohio on the 1820 and 1830 US Census.   Many of them moved to Lake and LaPorte Counties in Indiana at or near the same time as the Corbins, Lindseys and Mattox families.   As you can determine from reading the two preceding paragraphs, these families continued to move to the same locations in succeeding decades.

James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin were the parents of at least nine children:
William T. Corbin born February 10, 1838 at Lake County, Indiana.
Griffin Corbin, born December 7, 1839 and died December 14, 1839 at Lake County, Indiana.
Nathaniel born January 22, 1841 at Lake County, Indiana.
Mary Elizabeth, born February 4, 1844 at or near Michigan City, Lake County, Indiana.
Sarah Catherine, born February 1, 1847 in Winfield Township, Lake County, Indiana
James Peter, born July 13, 1850 in West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri
George Washington, born May 16, 1853 in West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri
Martha Jane, born May 27, 1856 in West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri
Nancy Anna, born February 2, 1860, in West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri.

Okay---I'll apologize in advance---but with little to prevent conception families often had to either turn to abstinence or be faced with having babies about every two years.    My own paternal grandmother, Mabel R. (Jones) Clark was one of those rare Victorian women who would talk about such things with a grandson but....she told me that after the first two or three children, sex was often an annual birthday present for the husband.   It doesn't take much mathematical calculation to determine that James Corbin's birthday was on May 15, and most of his children were born nine months later in late January or early February.  Otherwise, women used baking soda or vinegar douche in order to try and keep from getting pregnant.   Talking about speculation.........I'm glad my Mom and both Grandmothers are deceased!!

Eight of the nine children of James and Nancy Anna (Casteel) Corbin lived to maturity, a rather unusual phenomenon for that period of time.

According to a newspaper interview with Mary Elizabeth Corbin, given on her 95th birthday, James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin briefly moved their family to Texas during 1848 and 1849.  Unfortunately she does not say where in Texas but her exact quote is: "I was born in Michigan City, Indiana, moved to Texas as a small girl of eight, and then settled in Putnam County, Missouri when I was about ten years old."

A map showing the location of Putnam County, Missouri.   Putnam County is on the northern border of Missouri and Iowa.

The James Corbin farm in Putnam County, Missouri was originally 80 acres.  James added 40 acres more and land patents for the 120 acres were obtained in 1851.

Although older than most volunteers, James Corbin enlisted in the US Union Army and fought in the Civil War.   His oldest son, William T. Corbin also fought in what became known as "The War of the Rebellion."   James enlisted on August 11, 1864 at Unionville, Missouri for one year.   He was listed as 44 years of age, a farmer, of fair complexion, with blue eyes and dark hair.   He was 5'8" tall.  If this record was correct, James would have been born in 1819.   However, we know that he was born in 1813, so he was actually 51 years old when he enlisted.   He most likely lied about his age because he needed the enlistment bonus and monthly salary to help pay for his recently obtained farmland.  This was not uncommon at all.  He was paid a bounty of $100 for enlisting.  On September 11, 1864 he was promoted to sergeant from the ranks and marched south with Company "C" of the 42nd Regiment of Missouri Infantry.   He was discharged at Nashville, Tennessee on June 28, 1865 because of ill health.   Several pages of his war records are included in this blog.    I have re-typed the records because they were either in very faint, faded ink, or were very difficult to read.   I have traced all signatures.

My poor drawing of Putnam County, Missouri showing locations where family members lived.   Putnam County is very "hilly" and had little timber when settled by James Corbin and other family members.

On January 20, 1865, James Corbin was stricken with an illness which he claimed began after wading a river in Tennessee.   This may have been the dreaded chronic diarrhea, which was easily contracted from water.  He took pneumonia which left him with a weakened heart.   Without antibiotics, diarrhea was very difficult to cure and often lead to complications of the lungs, heart and other organs.   Diarrhea was the number one cause of death during the Civil War, causing many more deaths than bullets and cannon balls.   A combined 620,000 died one way or another during the Civil War.  Of that number about 175,000 were killed by gun shot or cannon.   The rest died as a result of amputation, infections, poor water, and an estimated 210,000 from diarrhea.

James Corbin was in Cumberland Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee from late January 1865 until May 1, 1865.   James returned to his farm home in West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri but was never able to work hard physically again.  He applied for and received a government pension almost as soon as he returned home.   He also had to dispose of his farm and depend on his children for his livelihood.   On December 26, 1879, he was declared totally disabled and awarded a pension of $2.00 per month.   At the time, he was nearly an invalid but lived for more than ten years.

William T. Corbin was the oldest son of James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin and was born on February 11, 1838 in Lake County, Indiana.   William was married to Emily Hulbert on March 15, 1859 at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri by James F. Rogers, Justice of the Peace.   To this union, one son, James William Corbin, was born on August 11, 1863.  Since William was serving in the Army, he was not present at the birth, which was attended by Margaret Hodson, a midwife.   William Casteel, William's grandfather and father of Cynthia Ann Casteel, was a witness on the birth certificate. 

William T. Corbin volunteered for the Union Army and was assigned to Company M, 7th Regiment of Missouri Calvary for three years.   The enlistment date was March 18, 1862.   William was an ambulance driver and died on September 2, 1864 at Union General Hospital, Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  Official papers list the cause of death as Remittent Fever owing to Chronic Diarrhea.   Emily Corbin moved to Lemmonville, Putnam County, Missouri after his death (this village is also shown as Lemons on some Putnam County maps.)  It was just to the south of West Liberty, and there she occupied an 80-acre farm until her death on April 29, 1904.  Between 1864 and 1904, she received a pension of $8.00 per month as a widow.  From 1864 untl 1882, she received an additional $2.00 for one dependent child.   After James William became 18, the amount was reduced to $8.00 again.

 Old Putnam County Courthouse, Unionville, Missouri

James William Corbin, was married to Miss Annie A. Miller on December 24, 1887 at the county courthouse in Unionville, Missouri.   Annie Miller was the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Phillips Miller and died August 29, 1898 at the age of 27.   Annie was born in Scotland County, Missouri on August 29, 1871.

Marriage license of James W. and Annie (Miller) Corbin, December 26, 1888.

To the union of James W. and Annie (Miller) Corbin, was born one son, Merit William Corbin, on December 26, 1888.   Merit's grandmother, Emily Corbin, and his mother Annie Corbin, lived on the farm until their deaths.

Merit was married to Edith Fightmaster on Ausut 7, 1910 and they were members of the Bethany Church in Putnam County, Missouri.  One son, William Clark Corbin was born to their union on December 15, 1917.   He died at birth and is buried in the Lemon Cemetery.  Merit Corbin died on July 11, 1934.   Edith Corbin was still living in 1980 when I last visited Unionville, Missouri.   I phoned her home but she said she was too old and her memory to poor to visit with me.

In 1977, I visited the site of the Corbin farm with Todd cousin, Mrs. Reva Todd Dixon.   Emily Corbin raised Mrs. Dixon's mother, Phoebe Montgomery and Mrs. Dixon has many fond memories of the Corbins.   She said a sweeter woman never lived than Emily Corbin.

Documents relating to the Civil War Service and Estate of William T. Corbin.

With that, I believe I'll bring this writing to a close.   Happy trails!

The James Corbin Family: Midwest Travelers

I was fortunate in that when I was finishing my senior year of college at Washburn University of Topeka, my ex-wife was teaching at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka.  That usually meant that I had from about 11:00am until 3:00 or 4:00pm "to kill" before picking her up and heading to our home in Maple Hill.    I would usually go to downtown Topeka and spend those hours in the library of the Kansas Historical Society where I would both do my homework and look for genealogical information.

One day, completely by accident, I was looking for Clark materials and ran across a scrapbook in another folder that was marked "Simmons Clippings, Clermont, Ohio."   I knew enough at that time to make the connection between Mary Anderson Corbin, Clermont, Ohio and my Corbin ancestors.   I was sure glad that I did because the scrapbook was a treasure trove of old clippings related to the settlement of Clermont County, Ohio.   It included a great deal of information about the Corbin family.  To this day, I still don't know how the scrapbook came to the Kansas Historical Society nor do they.

Anyway, it happened that Mr. James B. Simmons had donated the scrapbook to the Society's library sometime during the 1880s.   His father, Leonard Simmons and his grandfather, Adam Simmons had moved to Laurel, Clermont County, Ohio in 1812 from Kentucky and were one of the area's first settlers.   Mr. Simmons wrote many of the historical articles for the "Clermont Sun" and in doing so reveals the history of how the Corbins came to Clermont County, Ohio and in particular the part they played in establishing the Laurel Community, which was first called Mt. Carmel.  

Here are some excerpts:
     "When my father, Leonard Simmons, moved upon his new farm in southwest Laurel, Ohio in 1812, there were no roads leading to it except such as he cleared from his own convenience, or blazed the trees so as to find the road or path from place to place...."

      "The only road that was laid out in that section of the country was the Round Bottom Road leading from August, Kentucky to the Round Bottom of the Little Miami River.   This road passed the farm of my grandfather, Adam Simmons, and the farm of Josiah Carnes.   We had one blazed road path from our cabin out to the Round Bottom Road to a point called the "Big Bear Wallow" now the village of Laurel.

The Symmes Purchase referred to in Mr. Simmon's writing is shown in this old Ohio map.   A portion of the purchase also went south across the Ohio River and into Kentucky.    Since John Corbin, Sr. was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and was in the 3rd Virginia Regiment, it is curious that he didn't take free land just to the east in the Virginia Military Reserve.

     Another blazed path led out by Thomas Larkin's afterwards, to Peddicord's, to the mouth of Boat Run where an old man by the name of Weddin, kept the post office, about four and a half miles distant.    There was another blazed road down what we called the dividing ridge, between the forks of Colclaser, then down the stream to Big Indian.   This led to the Big Indian Road.   Mr. Colclaser and Larry Burns, an old Revolutionary soldier, lived on this stream.

     The above will indicate where our nearest neighbors lived and who were the first settlers.   All between those points was a dense forest, with a thick undergrowth of spice wood, hazel, grapevines, etc.   This region was all called Simon's Settlement.

     About the year 1814, the John Woodford Survey, No. 1156 was offered for sale.   My uncle, James Simon was agent.   Emigration now set in rapidly, and the following settlers soon bought in the woods and began to clear their land.   We will name them as near as we can in the order that they came:  Thomas Hitch, Sr., who came from Kentucky: John Corbin, Sr. who I believe came from Maryland and settled on the Round Bottom Road near where the Laurel Cemetery now is about the year 1815.   His brother, Abraham Corbin, settled just north of him where Joseph Turner now lives and Nathan Corbin, son of John Corbin, settled just across the road from his Uncle Abraham.   John Marsh, from Kentucky, came a little later, John Hitch, Hamilton Reed, Nathan Corbin, Sr., and Wesley Simmons bought in the woods and commended cleaning their farms.

     The average price paid was $4.00 per acre.   Carmel Cemetery was laid out in 1817 when the first Carmel Church was built.   The following were the first trustees:  James Simmons, Leonard Simmons, John  Corbin, Sr., Thomas Hitch, Sr. and William P. Larkin.   Carmel later became the village of Laurel.

     When we first settled in the Laurel neighborhood in 1812, we had to endure many privations and inconveniences.   Our nearest store was at Neville, ten miles distant.   Our nearest doctor was Dr. Ayres, who lived in Cincinnati twenty-five miles away.   Our nearest mill was a small one run by George G. Brown on Indian Creek, seven miles distant.   We had preaching every four weeks, on a day during the week at Josiah Carnes

     John Hayman taught the first school in the area in 1814.   Messers Adams, James, Simmons, Fee, Hitch and John Corbin, Sr. obtained a small log cabin on Rev. Elijah Fee's farm, on Big Indian Hill, fitted it up with puncheon floor and long paper windows.   Here the children of the elder Corbin's, Simons, Hitches, Wilsons, Fee, Abrahams and others attended.   Taber Ricker taught the second school and boarded at John Corbin's place."

The author of this blog found this information all interesting---especially the tales of what daily life was like.

A map of Clermont County, Ohio.   The area where the Corbins settled is in what is now called Monroe Townhip to the east and south of the county seat, Batavia.

I will now write about James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin, my great great grandparents.    The title of this blog pretty much describes their life journey though Midwestern States.   James was born to Nathan and Mary Anderson Corbin in Clermont County, Ohio on May 15, 1813.  We don't know what happened to his father Nathan, but by 1819, he had died and his widow, Mary (Anderson) Corbin, married Elijah Lindsey on December 30, 1819.   Nathan Corbin had owned 40-acres of land in Clermont County, and since James died without a will, half his estate went to his children and half to his widow.  Nathan must have known he was dying because he signed a legal guardianship for his two minor children, Sarah and James Corbin, giving guardianship to his brother Nicholas Corbin.   Therefore, Mary (Anderson) Corbin had to go to court when she and Elijah wanted to buy the land from her children, James and Sarah Corbin.  There must not have been "trouble" in the family because Elijah and Mary were the purchasers of the land and they lived on the former Nathan Corbin farm for 15 years or more until moving to Lake County, Ohio sometime after 1835.

Court documents specifically state that Mary is the widow of Nathan Corbin. They also state that Nathan left two minor children, Sarah Corbin and James Corbin. In addition, in the will of Sarah and Jame's grandfather, John Corbin, bequeaths "to the children of my deceased son Nathan, James and Sarah, I leave one dollar." So we have no doubt of the relationships, the documents just do not give the cause or date of Nathan's death.

We are fairly certain of those dates because Sarah Corbin was married to Miles Harper Mattox on April 22, 1832 at Laurel, Clermont County, Ohio.  When the 1835 Ohio Census was taken, James Corbin, the Lindseys and the Mattoxes were all living in the same house.  On a neighboring farm, were the family of William and Mary Casteel and their daughter Cynthia Ann, as well as other family members.   The Casteel family had also been living in the Laurel, Clermont County, Ohio area and moved to Indiana at the same time as Mary and Elijah Lindsey.

At this point, I want to relate a coincidence.   My daughter Amelia M. V. (Clark) Allendorf, her husband Rich and children Will, Wyatt and Weston live about 10 miles from that original Corbin Farm in what is today Loveland, Ohio.  It's interesting that the 3rd great granddaughter of Nathan and Mary (Anderson) Corbin is now living within a few miles of their home some 195 years after they took up residence there. 

Mt. Carmel-Laurel Cemetery, Clermont County, Ohio
When our family was living in Muncie, Indiana we drove to Amelia, Clermont County, Ohio and looked up the old Laural Cemetery where so many of our Corbin ancestors are buried.  My son Nicholas was about 15 and Amy 11 at the time.   We had a Chevy Van and when we drove into the cemetery, Amy pulled the back door open and stepped out----right on a big black snake.   They hadn't wanted to go anyway but that certainly ended any exploration of the Laural Cemetery.    I got out and took pictures and we quickly left.   I don't know if the black snake recovered or not :)

Elijah Lindsey was a widower with two children when he and Mary (Anderson) Corbin married.   Their names were Alice and Samuel Lindsey.   With Sarah and James Corbin, that made a combined family of four when they married in Clermont County, Ohio on December 31, 1819.  It was very common for widows and widowers with children to marry quickly after the death of a spouse    They had four more children:  Catherine, Elizabeth, Nancy and Elijah, Jr. who they called "Lijh."  The new family was enrolled in the 1820 U. S. Census in Clermont County, Ohio.

A charcoal rendering of James and Cynthia (Casteel) Corbin probably done in later life when they lived at Ayr, Adams County, Nebraska.


James Corbin married Cynthia Ann Casteel on February 5, 1837 in Clermont County, Ohio.    The families then moved to Winfield Township, Lake County, Indiana a little further to the west.   Goodspead's "History of Lake County, Indiana' says,  "The James Corbin and Lindsey families were among the earliest in the area."   Lake county is now part of the Chicago area and is on Lake Michigan.   The families would have lived there between 1840 and 1848.

Sarah (Corbin) Mattox and her husband Miles Harper Mattox left the Corbins and Lindseys and moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin where she died in 1849 and is buried in or near Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Mary Anderson-Corbin-Lindsey-Brewer from a tintype.

Elijah Lindsey died before 1840 and Mary Anderson Corbin Lindsey married a third time to John Brewer on February 28, 1844 in LaPorte County, Indiana.   No record of her death has been found.

I have recently been able to trace Cynthia Ann Casteel's ancestors five generations back to France.  Cynthia's fourth great grandfather was Edmond (de Blangerral) du Casteel who was born in 1668.   He was married to a Dutch woman, Christiana Bom.   They immigrated to Philadelphia, Delaware County, Pennsylvania where their son Edmond Casteel, Jr. was born in 1695.   As happened many times, the original spelling of the family's last name was either Americanized or was changed because the census taker did not understand the French spelling.

Edmund Casteel Jr. married Johanna Acres, a native of Prince Georges County, Maryland.   Census details show that Edmund and Johanna took up residence in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  They became the owners of a 160-acre tract of land which was called Edmund's Frolic there.   They were the parents of several children but our ancestor is their son Joseph, born in 1740.
Joseph married Margaret McClelland, who was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1745.   Therein lies another coincidence in that Margaret McClelland is the great grandmother of Frank McClelland who settled his family at Maple Hill, Kansas in the 1870s. 

Joseph and Margaret moved to Russell County, Virginia where their son, John Casteel, was born in 1770.  John Casteel married Nancy Anna Cooper and they moved to Putnam County, Missouri.   Their first son, William Henry Casteel, was born on March 5, 1796 in Russell County, Virginia.   William Henry Casteel married Mary E. Blevins in Putnman County, Missouri and their first child was Cynthia Ann Casteel, who was born October 8, 1819 in Putnam County, Missouri.  Their other children were: George Washington; John R.; Nancy Anna; Margaret and Anna.    John Casteel died at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri on May 5, 1865 and Nancy Anna Casteel died at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri in 1875.   Both are buried in the West Liberty Cemetery.
I have not been able to unravel how Cynthia Ann Casteel came to be in Crown Point, Indiana where she met James Corbin.   Her family were all living at West Liberty, Putnman County, Missouri.  However court records indicate that she and James Corbin were married at Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana on February 5, 1837.  They remained in Indiana for over 10 years, living near his mother and step father, Mary and Elijah Lindsey.

James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin were the parents of nine children, eight of whom lived to become adults.   They were William T. Corbin born February 2, 1838 in Lake County, Indiana; Griffin Corbin born December 4, 1839 in Lake County, Indiana and died December 14, 1839; Elmer Nathanial Corbin born January 22, 1841 in Lake County, Indiana, Mary Elizabeth Corbin born February 4, 1844 in Lake County, Indiana; Sarah Catherine Corbin born February 1, 1847 in Winfield Township, Lake County, Indiana; James Polk Corbin born July 13, 1850 in West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri; George Washington Corbin born May 16, 1853 at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri; Martha Jane Corbin born May 27, 1856 at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri and Nancy Anna Corbin born February 2, 1860 at West Liberty, Putnam County, Missouri.

For some reason unknown to me, I never heard my Grandfather, Robert Corbin talk much about his family.  We had a close relationship with his brothers and sisters, who lived in Wichita, Kansas, but I never heard him talk about the dozens of first cousins that he had in Missouri and Nebraska.   He died in 1958 but his sister, Edna Corbin, lived until 1975.   I had already begun some genealogical research then and when I'd mention finding one of Aunt Edna's aunt's or uncle's families, she would say, "Oh yes, I knew them and we used to take the train to see each other."   However they didn't maintain the relationships into their adulthood, so far as I recall.   Some of that may have been because of the Great Depression and not having money to travel.    Among Aunt Edna Corbin's possessions, my mother did find two albums of post cards and there were many Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Cards from Corbin cousins in Missouri and Nebraska.

Much of the information and most of the photographs I have copies of are from the collections of my Todd cousin, Reva Todd Dixon, who lived west of Unionville, Missouri near what used to be the little village of West Liberty.   When I visited Ms. Dixon during the early 1970s, she was in her late 60s but had grown up in the West Liberty community and had known as many Corbins as she had her own Todd family.  In addition, I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas where I became acquainted with my Corbin cousin, Betty Bell, daughter of Nancy Anna and Edgar Bell.   Nancy Anna was the youngest daughter of James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin and lived most of her life at Ayr, Adams County, Nebraska.   Her daughter Betty was in possession of the family Bible of James and Cynthia Corbin and also had many albums of old photographs which she generously allowed me to have copied.  Nancy Anna Bell and Betty are both deceased now.

I am going to end this writing now.   I will discuss the children of James and Cynthia (Casteel) Corbin in my next writing.   Happy trails!

The Corbins - My Maternal Grandparents

Gosh, I hardly know where to begin in writing about the Corbins.   I literally have hundreds of pages of material and I'm able to trace our Corbin lineage back twenty-six generations---all the way back to the "Doomsday" book completed in 1086 AD.   William the Conqueror (who was a Norman from the country we call France today) conquered England and wanted to make sure that he was able to identify and tax the nobility.   He ordered a great survey/census taken in 1086 AD and one of the people listed in the book is Nicholas Corbyn, my 26th Great Grandfather.

One of five family crests found for the Corbin family.   This crest belonged to the nobility of the Corbin family in England.

According to ancient traditions, the name Corbin is of Viking/Scandinavian origin.   That is entirely possible because 1000 years ago, the Vikings terrorized most of England, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland and northern Europe.  The Vikings even settled in areas of eastern Canada and what is today New England---a millenium before Christopher Columbus.  In the ancient Anglo-Norman dialect, Corbin means crow.   Perhaps that is why four of the five family crests have crows depicted on them.

Most of those 26 generations of the Corbin family are English.  Most of the genealogical material and research would lead us to believe that there were three Corbin brothers who came from England in the 1600s.   One of the brothers settled in New England, the other in Maryland and the third in Virginia.   The first American descendant of our family line came from England and settled in Baltimore County on the eastern shores of Maryland.   Keep in mind that Maryland was settled as a Catholic Colony.  Our Corbin family was not Catholic, but members of the Church of England or what we also call the Episcopal Church.  My intent here is not to provide a generation by generation genealogy, that will wait for a later writing.   What I would like to emphasize is that our Corbin family is extremely fortunate in that it can be traced for over 1000 years.

In this blog, I would like to provide brief information about the first American Corbins and in later blogs, I will discuss the more recent generations, including that of my maternal grandfather, Robert Corbin and his ancestors.

When I began to trace my family, I asked my mother, Lucille Corbin Clark, if Nick or Nicholas was a family name.   She quickly answered, "No.   Your Dad and I liked the nickname "Nickey" and we weren't thinking about family names at all."   You will quickly determine that Nicholas is a Corbin family name that has been used again and again through the twenty-six generations.   And yes, my family did call me "Nickey" for the first 30 years of my life.   The last birthday card I received from my mother in 2010, was addressed to Nickey Clark.

Here's what I have learned about our first American Corbin ancestor:
English Lord Nicholas Corbin immigrated to Baltimore County, Maryland in 1671, bringing with him, his wife Elizabeth and two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. He received Royal Patents for a two hundred acre tract, dated the 26th of July 1680,  which he called "Corbin's Hill"; and a one acre tract, dated the 6th of March 1687, called "Costrell Hill". He was the Constable for "Northside Patapsco Hundred" in 1692 and was a Vestryman for "Patapsco Parish" in 1693 and 1696.

Corbyn Hall, the ancestral seat of the Corbyn/Corbin family in Halls End, Warwickshire, England.

Lord Nicholas Corbin  was born at Halls End, Warwickshire, England between 1645 and 1650.   He was married to Elizabeth Kemp, also born between 1645 and 1650, at Halls End, in 1669.   The Corbins had two daughters, Elizabeth born in 1670 and Mary Corbin born in 1671.   Lord Nicholas and his family migrated to Baltimore, Maryland in November 1671.  They were the parents of three more children born in America:  Nicholas, Jr. born in 1677, Edward born in 1678 and Nathaniel born in 1683.    Elizabeth Kemp Corbin died in 1685 and Lord Corbin was married a second time to Alice Bryen in 1685.  Alice Bryen was born about 1655 and died in 1713.   To this union, one child was born:  Providence in 1693.  Lord Nicholas Corbin died  on May 11, 1697 at Corbin's Hill, Baltimore County, Maryland and he was buried in St. Paul's Parish, Baltimore, Maryland.   Let me state again, that there are dozens of variations for dates of birth, death and marriage for every one of the individuals listed in this family.    I am providing the most commonly provided version but I am not any more sure than any of the other genealogists working on the Corbins.

Edward Corbin, the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Kemp Corbin, is our next ancestor.    He was born in 1678 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland and was married to Mary Jane Wilkinson at Baltimore, Maryland in 1708.  Mary Jane Wilkinson Corbin was born in 1690 to William and Elizabeth Clarke Wilkinson at Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland.   They were the parents of  eight children:  Jane born in 1708; Nicholas born 1710; Edward born 1721; Abraham born 1722, Phyllis Anna born 1725; twins Providence and William Wilkerson born 1727 and Unity born 1730.
Again, there is conflict as to the children and the dates of their birth, but I am providing the most commonly accepted.



Nicholas and Eleanor Corbin's son Nathan is our next ancestor.    Nathan Corbin was born at Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland in 1783.   He was married to Sarah James on October 16, 1758 at Baltimore, Maryland.    Sarah James Corbin was born on October 2, 1833 at Baltimore and died in 1838.    To their union were born:  John in 1760; Nicholas in 1762; Shadrack in 1766; Nancy in 1768; David in 1770; Delia in 1772; and Nathan in 1776.     As you can see, so many of the names were used again and again and it makes detailing the family lineage very, very difficult.   There are at least 12 variations of this family on Ancestry.com.

I have no doubt that John Corbin, son of Nathan and Sarah James Corbin, is our next ancestor.   He was born March 31, 1760 at Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland.   He married Mary Peddicord in 1775 at Baltimore, Maryland.   Mary Corbin was born on May 30, 1763 in Maryland and died on May 30, 1838 in Clermont County, Ohio.  John Corbin died on July 31, 1852 in Clermont County, Ohio.  John and Mary Corbin were parents of the following:  Nicholas, Shadrack, John, Abraham, Sarah (Anderson); Elizabeth (Mitchell), Lydia (Gray), James and Nathan.   Again dear readers, there is great dissension among genealogists as to names of their children but these names are documented in the will of John Corbin.    As you can see, John would have been 15 when they were married, and Mary 13.    This was not unheard of during this time period, but it would have been unusual, especially for families of means in Baltimore, Maryland.

John Corbin was a veteran of the Revolutionary War.  He served in the 3rd Virginia Infantry.   This is how John came to move his family to Ohio.   Revolutionary War veterans were eligible to receive free land by virtue of their service.   John claimed his land in Clermont County, Ohio and moved there about 1815.

John and Mary Corbin's son Nathan Corbin, born in 1785, is my 3rd Great Grandfather.   He was born in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland and moved to Ohio with his father and mother in about 1815.    Not much about Nathan is known, but I would like cite the following three sources of information.

No record of Nathan's death has been found. But on August 5, 1822, there was a deed of sale for 15 acres from a tract which had been owned by Nathan Corbin, and which the Clermont Court of Common Pleas had set aside for the widow of Nathan Corbin, as her right of dower. The sellers were Elijah Lindsey and Mary Lindsey, which proves that Mary Lindsey was the widow of Nathan Corbin. On the deed, it says, "...late Mary Corbin, widow of the deceased. The buyer was John Corbin, her father-in-law. Deed Book #V20, P. 446.

In the will of Nathan's father, John Corbin, Sr., (Will Book G, page 105, dated April 23, 1826) John Corbin makes the following bequests:

At the death of my wife, Mary, all property is to be equally divided among my eight living children: Nicholas, Shadrach, John, Abraham, Sarah Anderson, Elizabeth Mitchell, Lydia Gray, heirs of my deceased son James; and the son and daughter of my deceased son, Nathan, are to receive $1.00 each.

According to Evert's History of Clermont County, Ohio, page 384, "John Corbin Sr., who I believe came from Maryland, settled in Round Bottom Road area, near where the Carmel Cemetery now is, in about the year 1815. His brother, Abram Corbin, settled just north of him, where Joseph Turner now lives, and Nathan Corbin, son of John Corbin, settled just across the road from Abram Corbin."

We have since learned that Nathan was married to Mary Anderson but we do not know the year.   They were the parents of two children:  James Corbin and Sarah Corbin.   After Nathan's death, Mary Anderson married Elijah Lindsey.   Elijah and Mary Anderson then moved to Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana and took James and Sarah Corbin with them.
According to Goodspeed's "History of Lake County, Indiana," James Corbin and John Lindsey were among the earliest settlers of Winfield Township."  page 590.

This is a photo, made from an original tintype, of Mary Anderson-Corbin-Lindsey-Brewer.  I believe that many readers who have known Aunt Edna and Aunt Sylvia Corbin, will see the resemblance right away.

Elijah and Mary Lindsey had several more children after they moved to Crown Point, Lake County, Indiana.   They were Catherine b. 1820; Elizabeth b. 1822; Nancy b. 1825 and Elijah Jr. b. 1826.  Sarah and James Corbin, his step children, remained with the family until they married.

Elijah Lindsey died in about 1840 and Mary Anderson-Corbin-Lindsey married a third time to John Brewer on May 23, 1844 in Lake County, Indiana.   John Brewer was born in 1790 and died in 1860.

James Corbin, my 2nd Great Grandfather, married and lived near his mother and step-father for a number of years.   On February 5, 1837, he married Cynthia Ann Casteel at Clermont County, Ohio.  Their children are:    William T. b. Feb. 2, 1838 in Lake County, IN; Griffin born Decembe 7, 1839 in Lake County, IN; Elmer Nathaniel b. January 22, 1841 in Michigan City, Lake County, IN; Mary Elizabeth b. February 4, 1844 at Michigan City, Lake County, IN; Sarah Catherine b. February 1, 1847 in Winfield Township, Lake County, Indiana; James Polk born July 13, 1850 at West Liberty, Putnam County, MO; George Washington b. May 16, 1853 at West Liberty, Putnam County, MO; Martha Jane b. May 27, 1856 at West Liberty, Putnam County, MO; and Nancy Anna b. February 2, 1860 at West Liberty, Putnam County, MO.

This is the only known image of James and Cynthia Ann (Casteel) Corbin.   I made a copy of it during a 1973 visit to Reva Todd Dixon, a cousin living near West Liberty/Unionville, Missouri.   It is most unusual in that it appears to be a charcoal drawing on canvas.  Since it did indicate they were living in Ayr, Nebraska the photo/drawing much have been made in about 1880.

I'm going to stop there for now.    I have much information about this family that I will share, as well as many photographs, but I have already provided several generations today and readers will need some time to let it "sink in."    Happy trails!

Veteran's Day - An Important Day in Maple Hill and Across America

This coming Friday, November 11, 2011, Veteran's Day, will be an important day in Maple Hill, the little town where I grew up in eastern Kansas.   Moreover, it will be an important although waining day across America.    I say waining because it seems that the veteran's organizations which used to take such pride in their service, seem to be in decline as recent wars have not been as popular with citizens as in years past.   Perhaps it was because wars before Viet Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan were fought because America or its allies had been directly attacked.    But let's return to the original subject since this blog is not intended as a political forum.

Maple Hill was founded in 1887, just prior to the Spanish American War.   Several of its founders were veterans of the American Civil War.  One of Maple Hill's early prominent citizens was Dr. J. M. Kemper, who was a native of Cincinnati and had fought for the Union Army in the American Civil War.  He was at one time commander of the Kansas Grand Army of the Republic with headquarters in Topeka.   He established his practice at the old Maple Hill townsite in 1885, even before the new townsite 1.5 miles to the northeast was chosen.  

Dr. John Wilson Lauck served Maple Hill as a physician briefly in 1898 and again from 1927 through the mid-1950s.   The following is a brief account of Dr. Lauck's extended family and service from "Kansas and Kansans" published by the Kansas State Historical Society in 1915:
"Doctor John Wilson Lauck was a native of Kansas, having been born in the City of Atchison on  October 28, 1875. He  was of Scotch ancestry and his forefathers came from that country to Maryland in early days. His father, the late Isaac S. Lauck, was for many years one of the trusted officials of the Santa Fe Railway Company at Topeka. I. S. Lauck was born at Washington, D. C, in 1845. He was reared and married in his native city and in 1872 came, to Kansas, locating at Atchison, where he was cashier of a bank for a time, but soon removed to Topeka and for over thirty years was auditor of the Santa Fe Railway Company. His residence all that time was in Topeka, but he died in Chicago in 1903, while on a pleasure trip to his native City of Washington. Politically he was a democrat. Isaac S. Lauck married Amanda Lyons, who was born in Virginia on March 15, 1847, and lived at her home, 205 Western Avenue, in Topeka. There were three children. Doctor Lauck being the oldest.  Allen A. is a traveling auditor with the Santa Fe, with home at 201 Western Avenue in Topeka. Isaac S. Lauck, Jr. is in the hardware and lumber business at Willard, Kansas.

Doctor J. Wilson Lauck grew up in Topeka, attended the grammar and high schools of that city, and prepared himself for his profession in the Kansas Medical College at Topeka, from which he graduated in 1898, with the degree M. D. He has had unusual opportunities and experience to fit him for the work of his career. In 1904 he took post-graduate work in Rush Medical College of Chicago and in 1911 pursued a course in the Harvard Medical School of Cambridge, Massachusetts.  
In 1898, Doctor Lauck practiced for six months at Maple Hill, Kansas. During the Spanish-American
War he entered the United States Army as assistant surgeon with the rank of first lieutenant, and. was
stationed at the National Military Home at Leavenworth from November, 1898, until the fall of 1901.
The two following years he spent at El Reno, Oklahoma, and in September, 1903, returning to Kansas,
located at Olsburg, where he had a large private practice as a 'physician and surgeon.  Doctor Lauck also owned and operated the only drug store at Olsburg, and his interest in farming led him to acquire a place of eighty acres two miles east of town and he also rents 284 acres adjoining his own place. His home was on Second Street in Olsburg. 
Doctor Lauck served as clerk of the school board in Olsburg, and in 1913 was health officer for Pottawatomie County. He is affiliated with Fostnria Lodge No. 392, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and with Topeka Consistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite.  He also belongs to Olsburg Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America and was a charter member of Leavenworth Lodge of Elks. Politically he was a Republican. Doctor Lauck married at Topeka January 27, 1904, Miss Helen Goddard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Goddard. Mrs. Lauck 's parents owned a large ranch in the Vera community of Wabaunsee county and lived on a farm near the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Doctor and Mrs. Lauck have three children : Engenia. born November 21. 1905; Helen, born June 28, 1910; and Edith, born February 9, 1912."
Dr. Lauck and his family returned to Maple Hill in 1927 and retired in the 1950s and was the last resident medical doctor in Maple Hill.   He actively supported the American Legion and Auxiliary.
Franklin Adams, moved to Maple Hill in 1879 from Mendota, Illlinois.   He was a farmer, rancher and land speculator and also founded the Stockgrowers State Bank in 1907.  He and his wife Elizabeth (Parsons) had three sons who were veterans of World War I.   They were early supporters of founding an American Legion Post in Maple Hill.  W. J. Tod, prominent rancher and his wife Elizabeth (Saunders) Tod were supportive owing to the service of their son, James in World War I.  The large McClelland and Romig/Romick families had lost one of their own, James Elmer Romick in World War I.
James Elmer Romick Post #4 of the American Legion was the name decided upon.  The organizational meeting was held at the home of Franklin and Elizabeth Adams.    The first official meeting of the American Legion Auxiliary was held on December 16, 1921 again at the Adams home and the following officers were elected:   Mrs. James E. Romick, president; Mrs. W. J. Tod, vice president; Mrs. Elizabeth Adams, secretary-treasurer, Mrs. W. E. Billings, Mrs. Edwin Thompson and Miss Ava L. Sells, Executive Committee. 

A picture postcard of the Stewart/Wiley Store on Maple Hill's Main Street.   The postcard is stamped 1916.  To the south of the store are Jimmy Pfye's bath and confectionery.
The organization felt that a building was needed as a home for the two patriotic groups and fate played a hand in it's realization.   Mr. Sam Wiley had purchased the two-story brick store building on Maple Hill's Main Street from Mr. David Stewart in April 1919.   David Stewart was a veteran merchant in Maple Hill, moving to the new town from Paxico when it was established in 1887.   After a series of fires in frame buildings on Main Street, including Mr. Stewart's original store, he constructed the brick building in 1912.  The new brick two-story store building burned to the ground in December 1919.   No cause was ever determined.
An alliance was struck between four organizations to buy the lot on Main Street and construct a two-story brick building.  The groups were:  The American Legion, The American Legion Auxiliary, the Maple Hill Lodge, Free and Ancient Accepted Masons and the Maple Hill Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star.   The building was to be owned by the Legion groups who would occupy the first floor and rent the second floor to the Masonic and Eastern Star organizations in perpetuity.   The Legion and Masonic groups agreed to raise $10,000 cash and the Stockgrowers State Bank agreed to loan them $10,000 to pay for construction and finishing of the building.   The Adams, Tods, McClellands, Romicks, Sells, Billings and others families contributed liberally towards the cash needed and members held fundraising projects to raise the $10,000 to pay off the loan.   These projects continued for several years.
The lower floor was known as the American Legion and Auxiliary Hall and consisted of a  kitchen and meeting room at the rear of the building and a large hall with stage in the front on Main Street.
The hall was the largest meeting space in the downtown area and was used by many groups for their gatherings and programs.
My earliest memories of the American Legion and Auxiliary Hall, are probably in about 1950 or 1951.  My maternal grandfather, Robert Corbin, was a veteran of World War I.   I grew up hearing him tell about driving a mule-drawn ambulance through the battlefields of France where he sustained serious injuries after breathing mustard gas.   My maternal grandmother, Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin Clark, was involved for an additional reason.  Her brother, Robert M. McCauley, had also been a veteran of World War I and had served in the battlefields of France as a dough boy.

The Maple Hill High School Band, lined up facing south on Main Street for the Veteran's Day program in 1950.  The American Legion and Auxiliary Hall is the two-story building in the left background.

As World War II became a reality, my the Corbin and Clark families had many members who served.  Uncle Lewis and Aunt Janie Clark's sons Clarence and Oney Clark were all in WWII as were Clarence's sons, Floyd and Richard.   Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin's son, George S. Corbin and their son-in-laws Richard Andrews and Leslie Justice were all in WWII.   George Corbin was in a jeep accident while over seas and was seriously wounded, carrying metal plates to strengthen injuries the rest of his life.    Hardly a family in Maple Hill was untouched by World War II.    That made the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary two of the strongest organizations in Maple Hill.

The American Legion Color Guard and the Maple Hill High School Band line up on Main Street facing north.  Miss Inez Tiffany, band director, is on the right in white.  The buildings on the right are the Lee Raine Hardware and Lumber Store, Jack Herron's Barber Shop, and Harry and Hazel Ballinger's Maple Hill Merchantile with the corrugated iron canopy.   On the left are the covered gas pumps of Clark and Munday Garage.

After World War II was over, a large, lighted billboard-type sign was placed in an open lot owned by the city just across the street east of the Old Town Well.   The lot had a red tile building on the far east end which used to house the first fire truck in Maple Hill.  The building still stands but is no longer city-owned.    As a youth, I and many other young people in Maple Hill played baseball and football on the city lot and we were always careful not to run into or damage the sign in any way.   The sign was almost sacred because on it were painted the names of all the community men who had served in World War I and World War II.   There was a very tall wooden pole on the southwest corner of the lot on which was mounted the electrical siren that alerted the community to fire and other dangers.   Power for the sign lights also came from that pole.
My first memories of the Legion and Auxiliary Hall, are from 1950 when I was in the first grade.  My mother, Lucille Clark, my maternal grandmother, Mildred Corbin and "Aunt" Bonnie Mitchell (who was really a cousin by marriage) were all very much involved in the American Legion Auxiliary.   Aunt Bonnie's brother, Pinkney Thomas of Byers, Oklahoma was a veteran of WWI, served in France and was later the state commander of the American Legion in Oklahoma.   They were a part of the group of Auxiliary ladies who annually produced what was known as The Poppy Tea.  I remember many others who were involved but I'll mention only my family members because I'm sure I would leave out important participants.

The Poppy Tea was held in the Legion and Auxiliary Hall and was a sort of local talent and variety show where the children of members sang, danced and played instruments.   I don't know when it first started but it had been in existence for many years when my brother Gary Wayne Clark and I stood on the stage and sang, "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy."   I think my Aunt, Joan Cobin-Andrews-Frazier accompanied us but it may have been Miss Inez Tiffany, who was the band director at Maple Hill High School.  After the program, the ladies would serve tea, coffee and home made pies and cakes.  If memory serves me correctly, I believe the cost was .25 cents.   After we children had eaten all the cake and cookies we could, the Auxiliary ladies would give us bunches of paper poppies which we would take all over Maple Hill and sell.   People could either pay .10 cents for a poppy or give a donation.    The spirit of competition was a live and well amongst we children, and soon those who would contribute the most liberally were well known to us.  The poppies were made by disabled veterans and were worn in button holes or pinned to shirts and blouses to show support of veterans.  The Poppy Tea was always held around the end of the school year, which occurred just before Memorial Day, also known as Decoration Day, at the end of May.
The American Legion and Auxiliary sponsored a much grander and more formal celebration each fall on November 11.  There was a luncheon and a program.  I remember the menu because it was always the same during my participatory years (1950-1962.)  The ladies would make pans and pans and pans of chicken in gravy, which had home made biscuits on top.  I believe they called it chicken pie.   I don't recall any pans that didn't look like perfection with their beautifully browned biscuits.  Also served would be mashed potatoes and gravy, usually green beans, a square of jello salad on a leaf of lettuce and all kinds of delicious home made pies.   The hall was always filled to capacity and sometimes there were more than one setting of people at the luncheon.

Members of the James Elmer Romick American Legion Post prepare to fire the salute before Memorial Day Services at the Old Stone Church on May 29, 2011.

The entire high school would be released to attend the program and luncheon, which was also attended by dozens of men and women from the organizations and community.  The program was very formal with an invocation presented by the pastor of the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church (I remember when I first started attending, it was Rev. Harold Weisgarver who was also a veteran of WWII) and the main speaker was always a high ranking military or government official, usually from Topeka, the capitol of Kansas, or Ft. Riley.   Even though I was in grade school, I played trumpet in the high school band after 1953, so I was released to go.   The band (which really wasn't large enough to march but did) would usually form on the street between the U. S. Post office on the north and the Stockgrowers State Bank on the south.   We would then march to the American Legion and Auxiliary Hall playing some patriotic march such as Sousa's "Washington Post" or "Stars and Stripes Forever."  We would take our seats in the Hall and then play two or three more selections through the program.   Sometimes we marched out after the program and sometimes not.    The activity usually required most of the day and meant that we didn't have to go to school which added to the excitement.

The Avenue of Flags running north and south at the Old Stone Church and Cemetery, 1.5 miles west of Maple Hill, Kansas.  May 29, 2011.

During some of the early years, a football game was played after the program.   My father, John Leander "Tim" Clark, was on the Maple Hill High School football teams of 1936-1939.   He told the story of a Veteran's Day game in 1939 when Washburn University's football team, under Coach Jerald Barker, came to Maple Hill and was beaten by the Maple Hill High School Cowboys.  I'm a graduate of Washburn University and I loved my father---so obviously I confined my celebrations to a few pats on the back for dad.

Graves in the Old Stone Church Cemetery at Maple Hill on Memorial Day, May 29, 2011.  The American Legion places American Flags on the graves of veterans.   Families lovingly place real and artificial flowers on the graves of loved ones.

Over time, as the American Legion and Auxiliary founders became older or passed away, the younger members were not able to continue the activity on such a large scale.   I moved away from Maple Hill in 1978 and have never lived there since, but my mother and grandmother continued to be very active in the American Legion Auxiliary well into the 1990s.   The event became a carry-in supper or a navy bean and ham supper in later years.   I don't really know what is done now, if anything.
Fate dealt the American Legion and Auxiliary Hall a cruel blow when the weight of an ice storm collapsed the building in the 1990s.   It was never rebuilt.

The Old Stone Church with the Avenue of Flags in the foreground.   Photographer Sandy Houck takes pictures of the American Legion preparing to take flags inside the church as people watch from the shade provided by the church built and dedicated on August 17, 1882.

During the 1990s, members of the American Legion and Auxiliary started what became known as The Avenue of Flags in the Old Stone Church Cemetery at Maple Hill.   My mother, Lucille (Corbin) Clark was president of the American Legion Auxiliary for nearly three decades in the last half of the 20th Century and took great pride in the project.   She passed away on January 5, 2011 at nearly 90-years-old and had been a member of the Maple Hill American Legion Auxiliary for 73 years.   My brother, Gary Wayne Clark, who served in the U. S. Army in the 1960s, is a member of the American Legion and participates with the Legion at the Avenue of Flags Ceremony.  A salute is fired by members honoring those who have served and are deceased.   Taps are played after the salute is fired and the American flags are carried into the Stone Church or the service.
Those are some of my memories of Memorial Days and Veteran's Days at Maple Hill.   I hope you'll leave yours in the "Comments" section of this blog for others to enjoy.   Happy Trails!

About the Descendants of Robert and Rosanna (McCrystal) McCauley

In my last post, I wrote about Robert and Rosanna (McCrystal) McCauley of Plum Creek Township, Mitchell County, Kansas.   Now I'd like to write about their children and and grandchildren.

Robert and Rosanna came to the Port of New York in 1870 and then went directly to Illinois, where they stayed for a short time before moving on to Mitchell County, Kansas in 1871.   This is the same route followed by Robert's brother, John McCauley, when he came to America.    It would be plausible to think that there must have been other McCauley relatives in Illinois, but I have not been able to discover that connection at this writing.   John McCauley was married three times.   He and his first wife, Mary, were married in Ireland before they immigrated to American in 1855.    It would also appear that the brothers had some financial means to pay for their families passage and to purchase farms in Kansas.

Robert and Rosanna built what was described by my Grandmother, Mildred McCauley Corbin Clark, as a "substantial" stone house on their 165-acre farm in Lulu Township.   They raised their children there.   The first born was Michael McCauley, born February 28, 1871 on the new farmstead.   It is not known why he died in infancy, but he died that same year.

The second child was my great grandfather, Samuel McCauley, March 5, 1872 on the farm.  I think I have mentioned earlier that the Union Pacific Railroad went through the farm of John McCauley and very near the farm of Robert and Rosanna McCauley.  It was work on this railroad that brought many members of the Lemon Family first to Concordia, Cloud County, Kansas and then Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas.   I have never heard that Samuel McCauley worked on the Union Pacific, but it is definitely how he met his future wife, Lucy Mae Lemon.  Lucy Mae was working as a laundress and seamstress for Union Pacific railroad workers.    They were married on January 2, 1896 at Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas.    They were not married in the Catholic Church but at the courthouse by a judge.  So far as is known, they never had any association with the Catholic Church.

This is a photo of an 1880 Rock Island locomotive.  This could have been similar to those used to build the CRI and P through Wabaunsee County, Kansas

Many of Lucy Mae (Lemon) McCauley's family had moved to Maple Hill, Wabaunsee County, Kansas in 1887, where the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was building a new double track from Topeka, Kansas to Herrington, Kansas through Wabaunsee County.   Maple Hill was a brand new town company, established in 1887, and located 22 miles west of Topeka on the CRI and P route.   Dozens of men were required to grade the land, cut the timber for ties and trestles, and depots.   Many men were also required to lay the ties, lay the rails, put in place the signals, etc.  They railroads also provided three meals each day from large box cars converted into kitchens.   They also used huge tents to make dining rooms.   Some of the dormitory cars were also designated for use only by women who were employed in the kitchens, dining rooms, laundries and sewing areas.   It was a huge undertaking and the railroads used old passenger cars converted into crude living spaces to house the men and women that worked on construction.  Many of the Lemon family men and women were employed in this way and moved with the railroad as construction progressed.


Photo of Samuel and Lucy McCauley, late 1890s.

Samuel and Lucy Mae (Lemon) McCauley moved to Maple Hill, Kansas soon after they were married.  So far as is known, Samuel did not work for the railroad there and neither did Lucy.  Instead he relied on his farm background and experience and obtained a job as ranch foreman on the Frederick L. Raymond Ranch three and one-half miles west of Maple Hill at a little railroad stop called Vera.

This author had the good fortune to talk with Francis M. "Frank" Shipp when he was in his late 80s.   Frank was the son of Thomas and Evaline (Jones) Shipp.   He said that his father, Tom, worked for the CRI and P railroad in constructing the line through Wabaunsee County.  Frank was a boy of 10 (he was born in 1879) at that time and had a birds eye view of the construction.   He said that his father also worked for Frederick L. Raymond and that Raymond allowed him to build a lean to into the side of Buffalo Mound (which was part of the Raymond Ranch.)  He said that Tom, Evaline and he lived in the lean to and he and his mother could watch the actual construction as it occurred just below them.  The CRI and P line was not more than one-half mile just to the south of Buffalo Mound.

Frank said that there were hundreds of men below and it looked like a bee hive.  Frank also said that the engines and the flat cars that were used to haul ties and rails to the front of construction were much smaller than he had expected.   None-the-less, Frank said that it was his first experience in seeing a railroad locomotive and it was something he never forgot.

Samuel and Lucy Mae's first son, Robert M. McCauleyRossville High School in Shawnee County, and had been on one of the very early football teams.   He had also worked on the threshing ring owned by my paternal great grandfather, Leander E. Jones.  He had many stories to tell about their adventures as the crew moved from western Kansas to eastern Kansas with their big steam threshing equipment.

Photo of Mildred and Bob McCauley, taken at the author's home, Moundview Farm, Maple Hill, Kansas in 1973.
Bob McCauley was married to Pearl Iva Behr at Eldorado, Kansas by Rev. Kitch.   Pearl was the daughter of John and Josephine (Slater) Behr and was born at Garden City, Kansas on October 17, 1898.  Pearl grew up in the communities of Cimmaron, Garden City, and Buffalo, Kansas.   She attended schools at Garden City and Buffalo, Kansas.    I remember Aunt Pearl as always being immaculately dressed and using perfect grammar in her speech.  She was a very loving person.  She and Uncle Bob visited his sister, my grandmother, Mildred (McCauley) Corbin Clark once or twice every year, usually at Memorial Day, and we always enjoyed their visits.  Aunt Pearl had crippling arthritis and died on January 23, 1973.    After her death, Uncle Bob visited grandmother much more frequently until he passed away in 1980.

L-R:  Four Generations:  Gwen McCauley Brown, her father Robert M. McCauley, and Gwen's son Sammy Brown, and his daughter Lauven Michelle Brown taken in 1976.

Bob and Pearl McCauley were the parents of two children: Gwendolyn Ruth "Gwen", born February 27, 1925 at El Dorado, Butler, Kansas and James Franklin "Jim" born September 8, 1933, Medicine Lodge, Kansas.

Uncle Bob was a clothing salesman in a men's store in Medicine Lodge and worked for a laundry in El Dorado, Kansas.  He was in World War II from 1917 to 1919 and served in the 139th Infantry of the U. S. Army in France.   He was one of the "dough boys" and was wounded in action.   After spending several weeks in a French hospital, he was returned to the United States and honorably discharged.

Photo of Lloyd Brown, Jr. with sons Robert "Sammy" Brown, Donald Lloyd Brown, and William Alan Brown about 1976.

Uncle Bob McCauley was a member of the Rossville Presbyterian Church, and he and Aunt Pearl were members of the Methodist Church in Eldorado, Kansas.   He was active in the American Legion and the Masonic Lodge in Eldorado.  Aunt Pearl was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Order of the Eastern Star in Eldorado, Kansas.

Gwen McCauley married Lloyd N. Brown on March 23, 1947 at Eldorado, Kansas.   He was born August 14, 1919 in Des Moines, Iowa to Lloyd N. and Edna Ellen (Evans) Brown and grew up at Bethany, Missouri and Manhattan, Kansas.   Gwen started school in Medicine Lodge and finished in Eldorado, Kansas.    Lloyd was in the U. S. Army from 1942 until 1945 and was then employed by the Internal Revenue Service as a Tax Law Specialist.  He and Gwen lived for several years in College Park, Maryland and then moved to Baton Rogue, Louisiana to be near family.

Gwen and Lloyd were the parents of three boys:  Robert Samuel born October 15, 1949; Donald Lloyd born September 10, 1952 and William Alan Brown born December 3, 1957.

Robert Samuel, called "Sammy," was married to Karen Lynn Jones on April 18, 1970.   Karen is the daughter of William and Lucy Jones and was born on October 3, 150 at Washington, D. C.    Sammy and Karen are the parents of a daughter, Lauven Michelle Brown born May 30, 1976.   They live in Baton Rouge, LA where Sammy is the director of a chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association.

Lloyd died in 2008 and Gwen in 2010.   Her obituary follows:
Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010. She was 85. She was raised in Medicine Lodge, Kan., and later moved to College Park, Md., where she was an administrative assistant at the University of Maryland and a host for foreign exchange students. She moved to Louisiana in 1988, and resided in Greenwell Springs. She was a longtime member of Magnolia Methodist Church and a member of First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, painting, and had a special gift for making everyone feel special. She is survived by three sons, Robert S. Brown and wife Ruth, Donald L. Brown and wife Kathy, and William "Casey" Brown; three grand-daughters, Lauren Brown Kennedy and husband A.J., Lisa Brown LaRue, and Jennifer Brown Pettry and husband Edward; four great-grandchildren, Lawson and Reese Kennedy, and Layvin and Adyson LaRue; and longtime friends, Karen Brown, Carol Maclin, Mr. and Mrs. George Clark, and Mr. and Mrs. Bob Moore. She was preceded in death by her husband, and best friend, Lloyd N. Brown; parents, Robert and Pearl McCauley; and brother, James McCauley. Visiting at Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd., on Wednesday, Jan. 5, from 1 p.m. until a memorial service at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Methodist Children's Home.

Uncle Bob and Aunt Pearl McCauley's son, James Franklin "Jimmy" McCauley, lived his entire life in Eldorado, Kansas.   He was married to Patricia A. Hopkins on August 17, 1957 at Eldorado.  Pat is the daughter of John H. and Elizabeth C. (Hunn) Hopkins.  She was born in Topeka, Kansas and the family later moved to Eldorado, Kansas.

Photo of James Robert McCauley, son of Jimmy and Pat McCauley.   Jimmy and his family loved to fish.

Jimmy served four years in the U. S. Air Force and was a membe of the1605th Air Police.   He was employed as a parts manager for Gray Motor Company in Eldorado.   Jimmy had macular degeneration and eventually lost his eyesight.  He and Pat are the parents of Deborah Sue McCauley, born June 19, 1958 in Eldorado, Kansas and James Robert McCauley, born March 21, 1963 at Eldorado, Kansas.      Jimmy and Pat McCauley were divorced before his death, which occurred at Eldorado on May 28, 2009.   His obituary follows:
James F. McCauley, 75 of El Dorado, died Thursday, May 28 at Golden Living Center in El Dorado. Memorial services will be next Saturday, June 6 at 1:00 PM, at Carlson Funeral Home. Cremation will precede the services. 

He was born on Sept. 8, 1933 in Medicine Lodge, KS the son of Robert M. and Pearl McCauley. He graduated from El Dorado High School and attended Pittsburg State College for a time. He was a parts manager for a Dodge Dealership. During the Korean War, he served in the United States Air Force. He loved watching his grand kids participate in all sports, and was an avid Butler Community College supporter and was a Butler Booster. He enjoyed fishing when he could get a chance to go.
He was married to Patricia on August 17, 1957 in El Dorado and she preceded him in death.Those he leaves are a daughter and her husband Debbie and Jack Sowder, El Dorado; a son and wife Jim and Martina McCauley, Rosalia; one sister Gwen Brown, Greenwell, Springs, LA; and grandchildren Cody Sowder and wife Laci; Casey Sowder and Cody Kitzke, and three nephews.
He was also preceded in death by his parents.  In Lieu of flowers the family request memorial for Butler Community College Sports.

Since I am a direct descendant of Mildred McCauley Corbin Clark, I will be writing about her family in future blogs.

Photo of James B. McCauley, taken about 1900.
The third child of Robert and Rosanna (McCrystal) McCauley, was James Barnard McCauley.   James was born May 27, 1875 on the family farm in Plum Creek Township, Mitchell County, Kansas.

James lived on the family farm all of his life.   After his father's death, he took over farm operations and cared for his mother.

He was married to Martena Chastain on November 21, 1906 at Beloit, Kansas.  To this union, one child was born: Margaret Lucile, on October 8, 1907.   Martena had one son, Clarence, by a previous marriage. 

James McCauley committed suicide on the family farm and his wife, Martena "Tena" later married Charles Montgomery Lemon and lived at Maple Hill, Kansas.  

James and Tena McCauley with daughter Margaret McCauley sitting on the front porch of Rosanna McCauley's retirement home in Beloit, Kansas.

The fourth child of Robert and Rosanna (McCrystal) McCauley was Margaret Catherine McCauley, born October 11, 1877 on the family farm.  Margaret married Bert E. Smith on June 24, 1903 at Beloit, Kansas.

Bert Smith was born in Janesville, Wisconsin in a logging camp on December 20, 1870 and died at the age of 103 on January 26, 1973 in LaMesa, California.   Margaret Smith passed away on September 29, 1934 in Denver, Colorado.

A photo of Margaret Catherine Smith taken before her marriage to Bert Smith in 1903.  Bert and Margaret were the parents of two children:   Rosalie Anna born on March 17, 1904 and H. Lucille on November 8, 1905.  Rosalie was married to Harry Wilson Admire on February 13, 1921 at Denver, Colorado.   Mr. Admire was born on May 15, 1893 in Morrison, Colorado and passed away on January 29, 1951 in Point Loma, California.   Their their union, one daughter, Betty Rosalie, was born on September 7, 1923 at Denver, Colorado.  Betty was married to Charles E. Lohman.  They were married on June 2, 1945.   Three children were born to this union:  Perry A. on March 26, 1949; Vonnie Lucille on December 8, 1955 and Wayne E. on March 6, 1957.

The Wedding Portrait of Bert and Margaret Smith.

A Photo of Gil and Lucille Smith.H. Lucille Smith was married to Hugh Gilbert Martin on January 4, 1925 at Denver, Colorado.   Mr. Martin was a well-known television personality in Los Angeles before his death on January 24, 1959 from cancer.

To their union, one child, Hugh Gilbert Smith, II was born on June 2, 1927.   He was married to Shirley Ann Sprawls on May 31, 1952 at Los Angeles, California.  To their union, fou children were born:  Hugh Gilbert Smith III on June 2, 1954; Carrie Ann Smith on September 27, 1955; Russell Wade Smith on February 19, 1959 and Linda Jean Smith on December 7, 1962.   Mr. Gilbert was an executive with United Airlines.

Willaim Robert McCauley was born May 24, 1882 on the McCauley farm in Mitchell County, Kansas.  He was married on September 4, 1907 to Etta Marzilla Gallup at Beloit, Kansas.   Etta was the daughter of George and Martha (Springer) Gallup and was born April 14, 1888 at Beloit, Kansas.

A photo of William Robert McCauley taken about 1900.

To this union, two children were born:  Letta Anetta on May 22, 1908 and William Robert, Jr. on October 2, 1919.   the family lived on the McCauley Farm for many years until moving to Denver Colorado where William was a contractor.

A photo of Rosalie and Harry Admire

Letta married Dorsey LeRoy James on April 9, 1929 in Denver, Colorado.   Dorsey was born February 3, 1908 at Cairo, Illinois and was a lithographer before retiring.   The James now live at Cedar Edge, Colorado and enjoy hunting, fishing and horseback riding on their ranch.

William Robert, Jr. was married to Renee Wethington.  Renee was born December 28, 1922 at Clewiston, Florida.  Two children were born to this marriage:   Matthew David on April 4, 1954 and Mark Daniel on March 12, 1957.   Mrs. McCauley passed away on December 10, 1970 and Mr. Mccauley passed away in 1980.

A photo of Letta (McCauley) and Dorsey James taken at their ranch in 1973.

I would like to express my appreciation to Lucille Smith Martin and Letta McCauley James for assisting me in collecting genealogical information and photographs for their families.  The family bible of Robert and Rosanna McCauley was in the possession of William Robert McCauley and Letta McCauley James during the 1970s when we were in communication.

Rosanna McCauley, matriach of the Kansas McCauley Family, passed ay at the home of her son William, in Denver, Colorado on January 24, 1939.  The following is her obituary from the Beloit Call.

"Following an illness of four years after a stroke, the kindldy eyes of Mrs. Rosanna McCauley closed to these earthly scenes she loved at 4:00am on Tuesday, January 24, at the home of her son in Denver, Colorado.

A photo of Rosanna (McCrystal) McCauley and several of her grandchildren.  L-R:  Clarence, Mildred McCauley (looking down), James B. McCauley, Rosanna McCrystal McCauley (sitting) Tena McCauley and the daughter of James and Tena, Margaret McCauley.

Born Rosanna McCrystal to Michael and Margaret (Carr) McCrystal on June 24, 1851, she was aged 87 years, 7 months at her death.  She was married to Robert McCauley at Beragh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland on June 2, 1870 and they came to the United States in that same year and to Kansas in 1871.   Their home was on a farm in Lulu Township where the husband died on August 2, 1900.   In 1912, Mrs. McCauley retired from their family and moved into the city of Beloit, where she made her home until going to Denver to be with her won, William R. McCauley.   She was the mother of five children:   William Robert being the only survivor.   She leaves seven grandchildren and eleven great granchildren.   She was preceded in death by Michael, Samuel, James, Margaret and Ada Belle.

Mrs. McCauley possessed a lovely character, one which endeared her to all with whom she came in contact and her death brings sorrow to this community where she long made her home and where she had lived an exemplary life as wife, mother, neighbor and friend.   Her life was long and well filled with kindly deeds so that she goes to her final rest with a record of a life well lived and truly mourned by all who knew her.

The remains were brought from Denver to Beloit, arriving last evening and tis morning at 9:00am, final services were conducted at St. John's Catholic Church, of which she was a devout member, by the Rev. J. B. Glynn.   Interment was made in St. John's Cemetery.  Pall Bearers were James Black, William Black, Andrew Black, Dan Johnson, Ed Reiter and George Eresch."

This concludes the information I have for the Robert and Rosanna (McCrystal) McCauley family except for detailed information about the Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin Clark family, which will present in a future blog.    Happy Trails!