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James Green (1787-1869)

This photograph turned up only recently, stored among old and unrelated papers belonging to Helen Emerick Pearce. Fortunately, *someone* had the foresight to write very informative notes on the back.

Thank You to Mary Pearce for passing these scans along to me.

The photo is identified as James Green – the Great-great grandfather of Edward Pearce, Crane, Texas. In other words, this is the father of Elizabeth Green, wife of Major Baker, Jr.

Previous attempts to learn the names of Elizabeth Green’s parents were all unsuccessful, but with this one new clue it should be possible to (eventually) reconstruct this family. A quick check of some basic records made so far match perfectly with names and dates written on the back of the photo.

Back of photograph.

Lucian Murphy at age 18.

Now Millie D. has come forward with some additions to the photo collection: Lucian and Thelma (Pearce) Murphy.  Thelma was the daughter of  Randolph and Jessie Belle (Hanley) Pearce of Clark County, Illinois.

The little pin on Lucian's lapel is a Y inside of a C. Anyone know what that is ?

Mr. Murphy saw his family through the great depression by working in the oilfields of Oklahoma, and is featured in the book: It’s Gonna Be Ok: A Lease-Child’s Legacy. He died on the job in 1952.

Here is a link to all of Millie’s photo contributions. Thank you very much!

Martha J. was the daughter of George King Pearce and Rebecca Ann Carter. I have speculated in the database that Rebecca Ann was the daughter of Dennis Carter and Louisa Unknown, but any additional information to verify this link would be greatly appreciated. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Bell worked in an iron foundry in Baltimore, Maryland. Looks like he stayed in great shape! 

Here is a link to all of Marnette’s photos. Thanks so much! 

William Edward Bell in undated photo.

It was painted by James Peale of Philadelphia, circa 1800, and is inscribed: Gen’l Cromwell Pearce.

This particular Cromwell Pearce was a grandson of Edward Pearce and Frances Brassington who immigrated from Northern Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1837. He was the son of Cromwell Pearce, Sr. and the brother of my ancestor, Richard Pearce.

He is better known as Colonel Cromwell Pearce (1772 – 1852), noted for his service during the War of 1812. I don’t believe he was ever actually a General, except perhaps as an honorary title.

In 1976, the Philadelphia Museum of Art hosted a bicentennial exhibition called Philadelphia: Three Centuries of American Art. At that time, the Pearce miniature was loaned to the museum from a private collection, and I’m guessing it is still privately owned.

I’m sure that this black & white photo from the exhibition catalog does not do justice to the original watercolor painted on ivory that is probably colorful and bright.

These miniature portraits were quite popular in the days before photography. You can’t fit most paintings in your pocket, but a painting that only measures about 1.5 x 1.25 inches and is mounted in a pendant is something you could always keep close.

Lucius Tanner Burton, 1819 - 1909. Father of Dr. John Clement Burton.

Burton family researcher Bill Johnson has generously shared a number of photographs from his collection, featuring the family of Dr. John Clement Burton and his wife, Dora Ellen Miller. Dr. John was a physician and pharmacist in Oklahoma Indian Territory. His family owned a drug store in Stroud, Lincoln County, OK, for a number of years.

“Burton’s drug store had the distinction of being both the oldest establishment in Stroud, and the first to occupy a frame building in the city – the others using tents.” – The Stroud Democrat April 28, 1948.

According to one source, Dr. John’s full name was:  John Clement Elijah Taylor Levi Jeter Wright Burton.

His children were: Glade Clement Burton, Dora Vest Burton, Lucius Wesley Marmaduke Burton, Mabel Burton, Silva Caecile Burton, Nellie Aleann Burton, and Daisy Ethel Burton.

Bill is actively seeking cousins to trade data with, so if you have a Glade, or a Caecile, or a Lucius Wesley Marmaduke in your family you might be one of them. If you want to contact him, use this comment form, and your message will be passed along.

Click here to see all of Bill’s photo contributions to this database. He has many more in his collection, as well as a number of original documents.

An interesting discovery was made: a grandson of this couple, George Russell Kersey (1866-1916), was considered to be a giant. Reports of his actual height vary, but it appears he was at least 7 feet tall – something that was quite rare 140 years ago.

According to one source, both his mother and father were over 6 feet, and all of his brothers and sisters were quite tall as well. But it was George who was celebrated as Pennsylvania’s Giant. He served as the drum major in the Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania marching band, and for a time he was an attraction in Adam Forepaugh’s Circus. Ultimately he settled down into the same profession as his father – he became a dentist.

Sophia (Taylor Vaughn) Morrill (1848 - 1926) and Charles Valentine Morrill (1846-1932).

Newly discovered:

Quite a few back issues of The Blade, Toledo, Ohio Newspaper, have been archived at the Google News Archive, and you can search them (for free!) here: http://news.google.com.

Thanks to this source, a number of updates and new connections have been made regarding the family of Ira Ellsworth Morrill, and Effie Estella Pearce.

Only recently, great-grandson Ward contributed this photo of Charles Valentine and Sophia Morrill – 2 pioneering partiarchs of this Michigan family – along with additional photos, corrections and new data. Thank you very much for sharing, Ward!

the descendants of Ezra McKinstry,

the family of Anderson and Elizabeth (Dipboye) Johnson,

and the family of William and Delia Amanda (Pearce) McCain.

New data regarding the McCain family of Nodaway, Iowa, comes from The Adams County, Iowa Newspaper Archive, which can be searched for free.