Moving 6 – The McDaniel Family Goes West

When I wrote about the migration of my ancestors across the United States last, on 14 July 2015, I left off with my grandmother and her father and sister just leaving Virginia for Missouri. That was in 1894. Many of her sisters and brothers, with their families, had already migrated west. The rest of her siblings but one would follow within a few years.

Asa Harvey McDaniel, my great-grandfather, along his two youngest daughters, Martha Alwilda Jane (my grandmother) and Sarah Carnelia, left their Virginia home for the last time just before Easter 1894. We have a copy of a letter written to Asa by another daughter, Mary Saphronica (Molly) Davis, dated 18 April 1894 that acknowledged a letter from him sent from Missouri. Asa and the girls had travelled to Tarkio, MO, near where daughters Virginia (Jennie), Elizabeth and Rebecca – all of whom had married men of the Slemp family in Virginia – and son George McDaniel lived. Two other of Asa’s children, with their families, had also moved west by then: Eliza Bundy to Savonburg, KS in 1885; and John McDaniel to Norman, OK in 1892. Other brothers were to join their siblings later: James McDaniel to Norman in 1896; William McDaniel to Neosho, MO in 1899; and Isaac to Savonburg about 1906.

 

Map showing the probable routes taken by Asa McDaniel and his children in their move west

Asa and his daughters likely travelled by wagon from Virginia, possibly to Louisville where they might have boarded a train for the remainder of their journey. There was no easy route across the Cumberland Mountains at that time. When McDaniel families had moved west in the 1880s, the trains were just beginning to branch into Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Land was opening up in the region which spurred migration of people seeking to start over or acquire new lands to farm. The McDaniels were part of that great push into the plains in the latter half of the 19^th century and their moves appear to be directly tied to the development of the railroads.

(Map acquired 6 June 2016 from Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum website)

Maps showing the railway lines as they developed offer a great perspective on how, when and why families moved to certain areas of the country. Prior to their arrival in the plains, it was an arduous task for people, especially those with children, to travel and the only way was in a wagon train.

Other information that has allowed me to put together the times of the moves are the research done by my aunt in the 1960s and ‘70s, correspondence between relatives and the various censuses taken in the regions. From these I found out when and where Asa’s grandchildren were born. This narrowed down the places where the families resided and the dates they lived there.

By the time Asa arrived in 1894, his children were well established in Missouri and Kansas. New land was opening up in Oklahoma which prompted the move of John from Virginia and Rebecca and her family from Missouri. Both settled near Oklahoma City. Rebecca apparently took her newly-arrived younger sisters, Martha and Sarah, with her when she moved from Tarkio, MO, to Yukon, OK.

Yukon is where my grandmother met my grandfather, Edwin Miller, and where they were married in 1895. (I will detail how the Miller family arrived in the area in a subsequent post.)

Asa moved south to live with his son, John, within a year or so of his move west. He remained there until his death in 1901.

By the turn of the 20^th century all but one member of the Asa McDaniel family, Mary Saphronica Davis, were living in the Great Plains and a new era in our history was under way.

Wayne Shepheard is a volunteer with the Online Parish Clerk program in England, handling four parishes in Devon, England. He has published a number of articles about various aspects of genealogy and is a past Editor of Chinook, the quarterly journal of the Alberta Family Histories Society. Wayne also provides genealogical consulting services through his business, Family History Facilitated

Memorabilia

In my last post I mentioned that we have a coffee table in our living room that belonged to my grandparents. After reading my post my aunt – the one who had sent me all the cards – wrote to say that the table was one given to my grandparents by their three children and their spouses as a 40^th wedding anniversary present.

All of them had a party together which included a turkey dinner made by my uncle’s wife. I don’t know if the visit was a surprise to my grandparents but I am pretty sure the table was.

It is an antique today but was brand new to my grandparents in April 1954.

It’s oval in shape with a glass top. It was a bit awkward in our previous home but has found a place in our condo. It now holds a large trailing African violet that blooms constantly. The violet itself was a gift from a friend back in the 1980s and is a special reminder of that lady who has since died. She brought a very small cutting of her plant – which grew across her kitchen wall – on a visit from Oklahoma. That small piece developed into the large plant pictured here. The main plant has also given up many small branches from which other plants have grown, like the one sitting alongside it. These have been passed along to other friends over the years.

Both are special memorabilia in their own ways.

Here is the card that went with the table, another piece of memorabilia.

I have many other prized items passed down from previous generations. My wife does not think all of them are all that decorative but they will be here as long as I am. I’ll talk about them in later posts.

Wayne Shepheard is a volunteer with the Online Parish Clerk program in England, handling four parishes in Devon, England. He has published a number of articles about various aspects of genealogy and is the Editor of Relatively Speaking, the quarterly journal of the Alberta Genealogical Society. Wayne also provides genealogical consulting services through his business, Family History Facilitated.

Special Cards for Special Days

When my paternal grandfather died in 1965, my parents went out to his home in Port Alberni for the funeral and to help clear out his possessions. Knowing I was interested in family history they paid attention to bringing back many mementos and keepsakes that had belonged to my grandparents. My grandmother had died six years earlier so everything had to be packed up and given or taken away.

I have my grandfather’s, and his father’s pocket watches that came over with them from England in the early 1900s. I’ll write more about them later. I have photos of grandparents, great-grandparents and even a great-great grandmother that came down to me. I’ve published a few of them in past blogs. And I now have a coffee table that had been in the centre of their living room for many years.

My father’s brother and sister also shared in the family memorabilia. My aunt (who I was just reminded that I owe a letter or email) kept a collection of cards and letters that had been written to my grandparents. Among them were a number that had been sent by my parents – mainly my mother – for birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and other special occasions. My Aunt Ethel packed them up and sent them to me in 2010. Some of these go back to the late 1940s. They are now in a binder of their own along with the letter my aunt sent accompanying them.

My mother was great at writing letters and notes to keep relatives up-to-date. I have several that came back to me from various recipients. And a few that came to me personally. They are very special reminders of her.

Some of the special days for which these cards were sent have past or not yet been reached this year (Easter, birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, anniversary) but I thought I would write about one of them anyway that was sent close to this day of the year.

This is a get well card send to my grandfather on May 26^th, 1955 after he had had surgery. Wow, 61 years ago! Inside the card was a note written by my mother wishing him well and giving him the most recent news about us – and their new 1952 Desoto. “…at least it’s new to us” she said. We had taken it “down to Butte, Montana for the weekend & gave it a good work out” she went on.

Mom rarely missed an opportunity to send cards and wish others well and tell them about what was new. She would probably have been right at home with Facebook.

We still shop for cards to send at special times but our kids mostly use Skype. And no one will likely be surprised that I have kept every card ever given to either my wife or me or both since we got married.

  

I am especially grateful to my aunt for saving the cards and passing them on to me.

Wayne Shepheard is a volunteer with the Online Parish Clerk program in England, handling four parishes in Devon, England. He has published a number of articles about various aspects of genealogy and is the Editor of Relatively Speaking, the quarterly journal of the Alberta Genealogical Society. Wayne also provides genealogical consulting services through his business, Family History Facilitated.