Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Winters ~ Taylor's Chapel Cemetery, Buck Mountain, Avery County, NC
If you find that your heart needs a good dose of 'Christmas Spirit', just drive on up to the mountains and stand on a high knoll and breathe in very deeply, these days. They are cutting our North Carolina fir trees down and they are heading to the Christmas tree lots scattered about everywhere. The smell will fill your heart with 'mistletoe and holly' and you will be good to go. I sure was. Grin.
We made our way up to Avery County, and every mile was building up more excitement in my heart.
Captivated by what I may find, I could hardly wait!
We located a tiny white chapel, located on what is called Buck Mountain. It is sitting in a beautiful spot, banked by a stand of trees, alongside the ridge. There is an area surrounding Buck Mountain that is filled with fields of Christmas trees, as far as you can see.
The only sounds were the chirping of an occasional bird, and the sound of a far off chain saw as the tree cutters began their chore. The smell wafting up into that tiny church yard was unmistakable Christmas!
I wish I could place a scratch and sniff patch, right here for you to smell. Grin.
What were we doing up in Avery County, NC at a tiny church called Taylor's Chapel?
Why we had come to visit our relatives, of course.
Almost all of those buried here, tie into our family tree somehow.
Buried here is Mary Jane Winters. She is the sister of our Sarah Ellen "Ellender" Winters, (older sister, by about two years). She married Andrew Jackson Franklin. Andrew was born in Watauga County, NC.
I located Mary Jane's death record and she is buried here, but apparently, she has no marker standing. There are rows of field stones and square plain rock markers here in this tiny cemetery, centrally located, and I feel sure one of those stones is hers. She is here, but her stone is lost in time.
Mary Jane and Andrew Franklin had eleven children, that I have found so far.
One son, Andrew Jackson Franklin, Jr., born fifth child of the eleven, on October 11, 1869, married a Mary Jane Potter in 1888 in Carter County, TN. That is where Roan Mountain is located, just over the line from Avery County, NC.
Andrew and Mary Jane went out west and settled in Utah. Andrew began working in the coal mines and this is where his story sadly ends.
Andrew Jackson Franklin was killed in an explosion of Winter Quarter #4, a coal mine, at Scofield, Utah on May 5, 1900.
This was a terrible blow, a calamity beyond all compare out on the frontier.
The survivors had no support , no insurance, no governmental assistance to help them, at that time.
Widows were left to raise large families and to somehow fend for themselves. Each deceased miner received a new suit of clothes (if he was intact) and a coffin.
Also each poor miner received a roughed out "R. I. P." style, wooden headstone with his name written in pencil.
Apparently over half the names on these makeshift markers were misspelled.
Each widow received $500.00 from the mine. Imagine the grief that was endured during that bleak moment in time.
Only four weeks later, the mine reopened, with a fresh crew of miners.
Almost like nothing had happened at all.
Left behind was Andrew's widow, age 31, with six children all under the age of ten, with another son on the way. She must have been about five months pregnant with the last child.
Imagine how difficult a time she must have had.
One baby child died at birth, baby Alphonso. He is buried alongside his parents in Utah.
Here at Taylor's Chapel are Andrew's brothers and sisters:
Children of Mary Jane Winters and Andrew Franklin:
Elizabeth Franklin Turbyfill
Columburn F. "Lum" Franklin
Ella C. Franklin Turbyfill
Their other children, burial locations not yet located:
Louisa Franklin , Sarah Franklin
James T. Franklin, Carolina Franklin
John Edward Franklin and Malinda Franklin.
Also buried here are at least 27 Winters descendants. They are mostly the descendants of LuSynthia Winters, sister to our William "Billy Winters. She was the Aunt of Sarah Ellen Winters. Her eldest took the last name of Winters for some reason, so his descendants all have that last name. She remarried after being widowed and the rest of her children were Hicks.
It is truly a beautiful final resting place for our relatives, here on Buck Mountain in Avery County, North Carolina.
*********
Monday, December 5, 2011
Winters Family ~ Elk Park, Avery County, North Carolina
I have been searching again for family, digging ever deeper for info on our Winters family.
I never stop, really. It would be like casting aside a good book that you just must know the ending of.
Sarah Ellender Winters Arrowood Miller's brothers and sisters lived in the area around Elk Park and the small community of Cranberry, in Avery County. Avery County is just several miles or so from Roan Mountain Tennessee.
We made our way up the highway, heading back to the mountains and heading 'toward home' for me. I was excited beyond words, once again. I guess you already had guessed that, my faithful reader. This stuff gets me going. The excitement and the possibility of finding what I seek are overwhelming.
I had info that there was a Winters family cemetery in the area of Elk Park and I was determined to find it.
And find it , we did!
In the town area of Elk Park , now, it's really small folks, we found an old fashioned type hardware store. We ventured in, and asked people we met about the location of a cemetery called 'Banner Cemetery'.
We have relatives buried in Banner, as well.
One man stopped and chatted when I asked him about the cemetery. He told me that it was just up the road on the right, surrounded by a white fence. I looked up, and sure enough there it was. In plain sight. He asked who I was looking for and I said the Winters family. He smiled and said, you know what? I bet we are cousins. And we are. His mother was a Winters and he said..Yep, The "Seven Devils" Winter family! Shaking his head with agreement, we both had heard all the stories about the Seven Devils.
It was one of those moments when you have to try and talk around a good sized lump in your throat and your eyes tear up to overfilled, even if you try hard not to. Dad would have been overjoyed with shaking this man's hand, but I was the one there to do it instead. He smiled and said, "Hello there, cousin"! He knew that his line traced back to William 'Billy' Winters, our ancestor , as well, buried right up the road alongside of Shell creek on Roan Mountain. I knew then, that we were for sure, cousins.
He told me a tale about a William Zebedee "Zeb" Winters, who was the constable (Sheriff) there in Elk Park. He said he was ambushed and killed in the line of duty and after a quick search, sure enough I found him! Zeb was the son of John Winters and Lana (Mary) Cook Winters.
William "Zeb" Winters. Died in 1922 from what I can tell. He left behind three children and a young wife, Charlotte Abigail Hollis Winters (his third wife). He is buried in the small cemetery up on the knoll overlooking the town of Elk Park.
Zeb, as the story goes, was on his way to investigate a murder and was killed while going to the scene.
Zeb Winters has a memorial page on a 'Fallen Police Officer' site, but there is no mention of the guilty ever serving prison time. I spoke with someone that knew the circumstances and he assures that Charlie went to prison for the crime. He even saw him when he returned home.
May poor Zebedee rest in peace ~ This story only gets more interesting, and it reads like a movie plot for sure. More info soon!
This Buchanan cousin, that we happened upon in town and spoke with, initially, came down the line from John H. Winters, (one of the Devils) and brother to our Sarah Ellen.
There along a knoll overlooking Christmas tree farms on the mountainside nearby, rests our Winters clan.
As I often do when I find myself in these old burying grounds, my mind wandered back in time to a scene that had to have happened, when someone was buried up this steep slope. A horse and carriage no doubt brought the person up, and what kept the poor mourners from tumbling down the mountain I will never know.
I had to watch my step carefully, as I took pictures, the hillside was such a steep grade. Amazing.
The descendant that we met, told us that his mother, Virginia, still lives in the old home place in Elk Park. We found the road and took a picture of the sign, of course.
Virginia is 99 years young. I know with her passing , sadly we will lose more family info. It is just the way of things. I would love to have her stories, to document and preserve.
Our family's history is steeped into this area along the NC / TN line. Just up the road is Carter County, TN and about 8 miles from Elk Park is Roan Mountain, where the mother and father of the Seven Devils are both buried. William "Billy" Winters and Eliza Shell Winters. What a brood they had!
This family of ours had it tough. The many graves of their children attest to that. I see them intermingled in the cemeteries, young lives cut short because of the hard way of life. I feel proud when I think of how they must have struggled to survive in those harsh winters, but they did survive. They were sturdy people, strong willed, too, no doubt . That makes me very proud to be a descendant. I know some of that determination and drive was passed down to me. Just ask my sweetie about my stubborn streak...Grin.
Finding the final resting place of our kin has become so important to me and I have wondered about it, myself at times.
What makes this quest so consuming? Why is it so important to me?
What is this about, really, and where does it come from exactly?
Is it the search and the just knowing, along with placing them among the rest of the family in their rightful place? Yes, partly.
It is documenting the information for those that are yet to come, too.
Many markers are endangered and won't be there forever.
There is a ton of reasons, I guess, but the main one is just because I love this so, and feel like it is what I am supposed to be doing.
I am over the moon when I find more info and another search in the making. I am carrying out my Dad's wish. I am going back to the beginnings of me, the beginnings of all of us in our family. I feel so connected to those that have gone before me and I feel closer to the mountains than I ever have.
Documenting it here for others to find is another way of preserving our heritage.
What I can't accurately describe here is the way I really felt while I standing on the knoll, overlooking the mountains and knowing that my family lies here, in hallowed ground.
No wonder we, as a family, all love being in the mountains.
It is in our blood.
It is who we are.
It has been a part of our family, for generations.
It is our home , plain and simple.
I never stop, really. It would be like casting aside a good book that you just must know the ending of.
Sarah Ellender Winters Arrowood Miller's brothers and sisters lived in the area around Elk Park and the small community of Cranberry, in Avery County. Avery County is just several miles or so from Roan Mountain Tennessee.
We made our way up the highway, heading back to the mountains and heading 'toward home' for me. I was excited beyond words, once again. I guess you already had guessed that, my faithful reader. This stuff gets me going. The excitement and the possibility of finding what I seek are overwhelming.
I had info that there was a Winters family cemetery in the area of Elk Park and I was determined to find it.
And find it , we did!
In the town area of Elk Park , now, it's really small folks, we found an old fashioned type hardware store. We ventured in, and asked people we met about the location of a cemetery called 'Banner Cemetery'.
We have relatives buried in Banner, as well.
One man stopped and chatted when I asked him about the cemetery. He told me that it was just up the road on the right, surrounded by a white fence. I looked up, and sure enough there it was. In plain sight. He asked who I was looking for and I said the Winters family. He smiled and said, you know what? I bet we are cousins. And we are. His mother was a Winters and he said..Yep, The "Seven Devils" Winter family! Shaking his head with agreement, we both had heard all the stories about the Seven Devils.
It was one of those moments when you have to try and talk around a good sized lump in your throat and your eyes tear up to overfilled, even if you try hard not to. Dad would have been overjoyed with shaking this man's hand, but I was the one there to do it instead. He smiled and said, "Hello there, cousin"! He knew that his line traced back to William 'Billy' Winters, our ancestor , as well, buried right up the road alongside of Shell creek on Roan Mountain. I knew then, that we were for sure, cousins.
He told me a tale about a William Zebedee "Zeb" Winters, who was the constable (Sheriff) there in Elk Park. He said he was ambushed and killed in the line of duty and after a quick search, sure enough I found him! Zeb was the son of John Winters and Lana (Mary) Cook Winters.
William "Zeb" Winters. Died in 1922 from what I can tell. He left behind three children and a young wife, Charlotte Abigail Hollis Winters (his third wife). He is buried in the small cemetery up on the knoll overlooking the town of Elk Park.
Zeb, as the story goes, was on his way to investigate a murder and was killed while going to the scene.
***UPDATE*** 4/26/2012***
The guilty parties were prosecuted, at least someone paid for the crime. Apparently two Oaks brothers were involved in the plot. Charlie and George Oaks. George was apparently the trigger man, but his single brother Charlie took the blame. Charlie apparently spent fourteen years behind bars for the killing. Zeb Winters has a memorial page on a 'Fallen Police Officer' site, but there is no mention of the guilty ever serving prison time. I spoke with someone that knew the circumstances and he assures that Charlie went to prison for the crime. He even saw him when he returned home.
May poor Zebedee rest in peace ~ This story only gets more interesting, and it reads like a movie plot for sure. More info soon!
This Buchanan cousin, that we happened upon in town and spoke with, initially, came down the line from John H. Winters, (one of the Devils) and brother to our Sarah Ellen.
There along a knoll overlooking Christmas tree farms on the mountainside nearby, rests our Winters clan.
As I often do when I find myself in these old burying grounds, my mind wandered back in time to a scene that had to have happened, when someone was buried up this steep slope. A horse and carriage no doubt brought the person up, and what kept the poor mourners from tumbling down the mountain I will never know.
I had to watch my step carefully, as I took pictures, the hillside was such a steep grade. Amazing.
The descendant that we met, told us that his mother, Virginia, still lives in the old home place in Elk Park. We found the road and took a picture of the sign, of course.
Virginia is 99 years young. I know with her passing , sadly we will lose more family info. It is just the way of things. I would love to have her stories, to document and preserve.
Our family's history is steeped into this area along the NC / TN line. Just up the road is Carter County, TN and about 8 miles from Elk Park is Roan Mountain, where the mother and father of the Seven Devils are both buried. William "Billy" Winters and Eliza Shell Winters. What a brood they had!
This family of ours had it tough. The many graves of their children attest to that. I see them intermingled in the cemeteries, young lives cut short because of the hard way of life. I feel proud when I think of how they must have struggled to survive in those harsh winters, but they did survive. They were sturdy people, strong willed, too, no doubt . That makes me very proud to be a descendant. I know some of that determination and drive was passed down to me. Just ask my sweetie about my stubborn streak...Grin.
Finding the final resting place of our kin has become so important to me and I have wondered about it, myself at times.
What makes this quest so consuming? Why is it so important to me?
What is this about, really, and where does it come from exactly?
Is it the search and the just knowing, along with placing them among the rest of the family in their rightful place? Yes, partly.
It is documenting the information for those that are yet to come, too.
Many markers are endangered and won't be there forever.
There is a ton of reasons, I guess, but the main one is just because I love this so, and feel like it is what I am supposed to be doing.
I am over the moon when I find more info and another search in the making. I am carrying out my Dad's wish. I am going back to the beginnings of me, the beginnings of all of us in our family. I feel so connected to those that have gone before me and I feel closer to the mountains than I ever have.
Documenting it here for others to find is another way of preserving our heritage.
What I can't accurately describe here is the way I really felt while I standing on the knoll, overlooking the mountains and knowing that my family lies here, in hallowed ground.
No wonder we, as a family, all love being in the mountains.
It is in our blood.
It is who we are.
It has been a part of our family, for generations.
It is our home , plain and simple.
*****
Monday, November 28, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours~ Count your Blessings
May your stuffing be moist and your turkey be plump,
And may your taters and gravy have nary a lump.
***
Remember those that are hungry as we eat our grand meals.
Remember those that are homeless as we gather around our tables this Thanksgiving.
Count your blessings and remember how blessed we really are.
***
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)