Burial of Susan Marie Best Purdy

 Below is one of the gems from the estate I'm curating. 

This is an old photo of Susan Marie Best Purdy's burial in 1910. The grave is located in the Staunton City Cemetery, Staunton, IL.

I've enhanced the photo as much as possible with the equipment available. In the lower right hand corner the footstone shows (barely) the initials "S.M.P." The footstone in the lower left shows (barely) "W.C.P." for William Collins Purdy. 

I have a dearly cherished pillow case that she embroidered with the initials "S.M.P" on them, which lends credence that this is her burial. 

In addition, the earth near her footstone has been disturbed, whereas the earth near her husband's footstone has not. WCP2 died in 1912. Susan, a.k.a. "Susie," died before him in March 18, 1910. So I'm dating the photo to March 1910. 

Can't wait to get back and see it in person. 

Here's the photo:

New photo of William Collins Purdy II

There are lots and lots of photos of unidentified people in the boxes from my uncle's estate. Luckily this one is labeled and will help me to identify so many others. 

Here is the photo:

 

Notice that it's labeled "Wm C Purdy" in the lower left corner. So this is William Collins Purdy II. 

The date of the photo is unknown but likely to be around 1890 when he was about 63. This date is just an estimate and bears more research and comparison with other photos I have of him. 

You may notice a slight difference between the right eye and the left eye. I have seen this feature in other pictures that I now know are of William Collins Purdy. I wonder what caused the difference?

More soon.

The first Ota

Names run through our family like branches off a river. Lots of Williams, lots of James, lots of Michaels, lots of Mays and Sarahs. There were at least three Otas that I was aware of. You could have knocked me over with a feather this week when I discovered that there was a fourth Ota! Her birth predates the first one I knew about by 16 years. 

This new information is why I love genealogy.  Always new facts, new clues, new paths to follow. So much fun. Such a voyage of discovery!

Here's what appears at Ancestry. I have not proven every detail but as often as possible the primary source is included.

Otillio Ida Best (Ota) was born about 1859 in IL, the first daughter of Henry Abram Best and Margaret E, Powers. The 1860 Census for Madison, IL, shows her as "Ottilia Ida," one year, living with her parents Henry and Margaret. It's fair to assume that she was born near there, as most of the Bests lived in that area—previous and following Census pages show an abundance of Bests.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7667/images/4213713_00327?pId=36599813

The 1870 Census shows that the Henry and Maggie have moved to Macoupin County with their family: Otta, 11 (note the spelling), David, 9; Richard, 7; Owens, 5; Annie, 3, Tay, (Fay, male), 8/12. Henry's father Joseph, 76, is also in the household as well as Newton Powers, 26, a school teacher; and Lizzie Maxe, 17, a domestic servant.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4263684_00026?pId=17323856

On December 9, 1879, Otilis married George T. Rhoads (B. 1857) in Montgomery County, IL. 

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=ArchILMarriageRecs&h=1518378&indiv=try&o_cvc=Image:OtherRecord

Haven't found them in the 1880 Census yet—looks like no one else has, either. 

The 1900 Census finds George and Otillio in Lincoln, Keokuk, Oklahoma. No kids.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4119024_00192?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.213206359.212497269.1602194759-2104802773.1602194759&pId=57930580

1910 in Stroud Ward 1, Lincoln, OK:

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4119024_00192?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.213206359.212497269.1602194759-2104802773.1602194759&pId=57930580

1920 in North Keokuk, Lincoln County, OK. No kids.

https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/170287646/person/162212754062/media/4384977_00068?_phsrc=YnU3&usePUBJs=true

George Rhodes died in 1924 and was buried in the Stroud Cemetery, Lincoln County, OK:

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=FindAGraveUS&h=93860969&indiv=try&o_cvc=Image:OtherRecord

The first Ota died in 1925 and was buried beside her husband in the same cemetery:

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=FindAGraveUS&h=93860974&indiv=try&o_cvc=Image:OtherRecord

OMIGOSH!!! OMIGOSH! OMIGOSH!!!

I began to research George T. Rhoads history before he married Otillis Best. Here he is in 1870, and look what his mother's name is!!

It's Otillis, too!

George Rhoads married his mother—no wonder they couldn't have kids!

Rather, he married a woman surnamed "Best" and turned her into a woman with the same name as his mother. 

Don't you think that's kinda creepy?

To be continued...

Grandmother's visit to Watonga, OK

In the last post I shared a picture of Miss Cleo Powers of Watonga, OK. That's the only information I had about her until I searched and found this clip at Newspapers.com:

The date of the marriage was May 14, 1917, so obviously the photo from the previous post was taken before May 14, 1917.

It turns out that my great-grandmother was in Watonga, OK, for a family reunion in 1911. While I cannot prove without a doubt that Miss Cleo's photo was taken in 1911, it seems likely for many reasons. 

First, let's look at the postcard written by my grandmother:

From what I can read of her handwriting, it says (I have added punctuation for clarity):

"10-2-11 AM. Well have not been sick since I left home. We had a reunion at Flora's Saturday and at Otis Sunday. There were twenty-three at Ot's for dinner. My we are having a good time but ah the parting will be soon. We expect to leave Watonga Thursday & go to Woke {??} Okla to see Aunt Ell Whithing {Whittington??} & will write you from there. I hope you & Edd are well. Probably {?} Aunt Mary and Myrt hate to see us go. {have to see us in Ga??} We will go to Floe'sWed, Thursday & start with her a day & night. I will write again soon. Mother." 

All of these names fit what I know about the James Best family tree. Short version: James Best married Anna Tatum in IL in 1826. First surviving child Susan Maria Best married W. C. Purdy in IL, 1849.  Sixth child Mary Ann Best married Paul Hampton Powers in IL, 1860, then moved to OK by the 1900 Census. 

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=7602&h=57761232&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6742

WCP & SMB first surviving daughter was Sarah Ann Purdy, who wrote the postcard. PHP & MAB children Flora Lee Powers ("Floe"), Otis Milton ("Otis," "Ot"), Mary Ann Best Powers ("Aunt Mary") and Myrtle Powers ("Myrt').

"Aunt Ell Whithing" would probably be James & Anna Best's daughter Ellen Nora Best who married Thomas Whittington 1866, IL. She was in OK by the 1910 Census.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/4450022_00062?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.153382776.1320789974.1596493864-1936791666.1596493864&pId=170389261

And referring back to my last post, the photo of "Miss Cleo Powers," it turns out that she is the daughter of Otis Milton Powers, who happens to be mentioned in my grandmother's postcard—twice, even. 

Actually there's more to the story than this. But that's another post by itself.

Stay tuned.  

Miss Cleo Powers, 1911

Just found a postcard from my great-grandmother that mentions a family reunion in Watonga, OK. The card is dated 1911. Luckily I was able to match it with an undated photo in which the subject was named but there was no date added. 

Here are both sides of the photo labeled "Miss Cleo Powers":

I will add a little more about the circumstances around this and another photo in the next post. 

Funeral notice of Susan Marie Best Purdy

Funeral notice W.C. Purdy & E. E. Purdy

Honestly, the Purdys saved EVERYTHING!

Not kidding.

Every single piece of correspondence. Every stamp. Empty envelopes. Old chairs. Bent nails. Empty jars. Most of this stuff is junk and triggers my allergies.

There is an upside to their habit of holding on to stuff. One person's OCD hoarding behavior provides another person's treasure trove.

And that's what all this stuff is to me: treasure.

There are some real nuggets here, including the one below.

I am rich in genealogical treasure.