Did You Know #57

  It has been a while since I have posted anything to this blog, but when I stumbled upon this tonight, I could not pass it by without passing it along to you.

With all respect to Charlie, our family has its own connection with Santa Clause. The following information is from www.wikitree.com. You can also visit the central figure in this post to his Find A Grave memorial page HERE. According to the wikitree website both Dad and Santa are 14th cousins once removed. Both Dad and Santa can trace our ancestry back to Mary Poole Cotton (1438 - bef. 1469). Mary was Dad's 13th great grandmother and Santa Clause's 14th great grandmother.

Here is how this connection is laid out through the wikitree site:

1. Don Cicero Bragg (1920-2013)

2. Orval Bishop Bragg (1895-1989) 

3. Franklin Martin Bragg (1867-1944)

4. William Bragg (1834-1900)

5. Hugh Lewis Bragg (1795-)

6. Elizabeth (Venable) Bragg (1764-1830)

7. Hugh Lewis Venable (1727-1804)

8. Abraham Venable II (1700-abt.1768)

9. Abraham Venable I (1662-1710)

10. Thomas Venables (1643-1733)

11. Peter Venable MP (1604-1669)

12. Thomas Venables Esq. (1543-1606) 

13. Thomas Venables (1512-1580)

14. Eleanor (Cotton) Venables (abt.1490-abt.1541)

15. Richard Cotton (1461-1497)

16. Mary (Poole) Cotton (1438-bef.1469)

Meanwhile, this same Mary Poole Cotton is the 4th great grandmother of Santa Clause:

17. Mary (Poole) Cotton (1438-bef.1469)

16. Catherine (Cotton) Molyneux (abt.1445-)

15. Dorothy Powtrell (abt.1477-)

14. Richard (Molyneux) of Haughton (abt.1510-)

13. Francis Molyneux (abt.1530-abt.1600)

12. Thomas Molyneux (1557-1597)

11. John Molyneux (abt.1581-1618)

10. John Henry Mullinex (1618-1676)

9. Robert Molinor Mullinax (abt.1650-abt.1729)

8. Thomas Mullinix (bef.1674-1728)

7. Jonathan Mullinix (1705-1790)

6. Jonathan Mullinix (1731-1800)

5. Sarah Mullinix (1772-1850)

4. Elizabeth (Summers) Shoemaker (1807-abt.1870)

3. Lavina (Shoemaker) Samuels (1827-abt.1862)

2. Henrietta (Samuels) Clause (1861-1915)

1. Santa Clause (1888 - 1957)

If you are interested in further study, click HERE for another blog posting on Santa Clause.

Did You Know #56

     Writing this entry on the brink of July 4th, 2021, I was thinking of the founding fathers and the great sacrifices they endured to gain independence so many years ago. Also, I am aware that many of these men have fallen in status and appreciation because of their participation in the ugly practice of enslavement. Recent historians have also stressed that many of these slave owners abused those women they held in bondage and bore children with them. Perhaps at the top of the list when it comes to men who fit into that category was the author of the Declaration of Independence and our third president, Thomas Jefferson. One of the president's was a woman named Jemima Jefferson ( she and Peter Jefferson, the father of the President, were half-siblings). Jemima Jefferson married a man named John Davis.

    Born around the year 1725 in Goochland County, Virginia, by 1787 John Davis is listed as an overseer of a plantation in Pittsylvania County, VA. That plantation was owned by George Jefferson, of Mecklenburg County, VA, who was Thomas Jefferson's first cousin. The closeness between the Davis and Jefferson families is explained by Henry Ragland, in his "History of Logan County, W.Va. 1896," due to the fact that John Davis' wife, and the mother of his children, was Jemima Jefferson, the aunt of Thomas Jefferson.
    Another author, Constant Elisha Watson Davis (the great-grandson of Jemima Jefferson Davis), author of The Davis Family, an 1892 manuscript, offers support for this claim by recognizing the widow Jemima Collins, whose maiden name was Jefferson, as a relative of the president. Together the couple had at least eight children, possibly nine. Two of their sons, James (died in 1831) and Robert (died in 1843) claimed to be first cousins to President Thomas Jefferson. All this has led researchers, as per www.wikitree.com, to conclude that Jemima Jefferson was the daughter of Capt. Thomas Jefferson, II. She would have been born after the death of his second wife. It is assumed that her mother was the Captain's unknown third wife or perhaps "a companion or consort" (see NOTE). Some of her descendants have taken DNA tests and confirmed that they were indeed part of Capt. Jefferson's family (although many researchers deny the validity of the family's claims).
    IF it is true that Jemima Jefferson Davis is the half-sister of Peter Jefferson, then she would have been Thomas Jefferson's aunt. What is true is the fact that John Davis' sister, Martha Hannah Davis (born in 1702) became the wife of Abraham Venable II (born in 1700) and that they would become Dad's 6th-great-grandparents (and John and Jemima Davis would be Dad's 5th great-grand uncle and aunt). Here is how the connection breaks down.

Captain Thomas Jefferson II (1679)		Robert Nathaniel Davis and Abadiah Lewis Davis
Peter Jefferson (1708)	Jemima Jefferson (about 1730)	John Davis (1725)	Martha Hanna Davis Venable (1702)
President Thomas Jefferson (1743)			Hugh Lewis Venable (1727)
			Elizabeth Venable Bragg (1764)
			Hugh Lewis Bragg (1795)
			William Bragg (1834)
			Franklin Martin Bragg (1867)
			Orval Bishop Bragg (1895)
			Don Cicero Bragg (.1920)

    But there is more. According to another website, FamilySearch, there is another interesting connection. If you go from Thomas Jefferson's wife, Martha Wayles (October 30, 1748 – September 6, 1782), you will find the following connection showing that Mom and Thomas Jefferson's wife are 2nd cousins 7 times removed.

Richard and Elizabeth Worsham Kennon
Sarah Kennon (1689)	Martha Kennon (1682
Martha Eppes (1721)	Hannah Munford (1705)
Martha (Patsy) Wayles Jefferson (1748)	Hannah Marksbury (1735
	Samuel Peter (1753
	Zachariah Peter (1780
	James M. Peters (1820
	Margaret N Peters (1851
	Zacharious I. Standerfer (1871
	Mercedes Ruth Standerfer (1892
	Mary Jean Ethington Bragg (1928)

Did You Know? #55

    With the 2021 Super Bowl drawing ever closer the minds of many are focused on sports. When you think of those who have distinguished themselves in multiple sporting disciplines, one man's name may most often comes to mind: Wa-Tho-Huk. That was the Native American name, meaning "Bright Path," given to James Francis Thorpe.
    Jim Thorpe was born in what would become Oklahoma in May of 1888 "near and south of Bellemont – Pottawatomie County" (Wikipedia). In an article on his first wedding, Thorpe was described as "the world's greatest athlete" (Wedding of James Thorpe and Margaret Miller). From a page describing his third wife, the following is said concerning Jim Thorpe: "In 1950, the nations's press selected Jim Thorpe as the most outstanding athlete of the first half of the 20th Century. In 2001, he was named by ABC's Wide World of Sports as "The Athlete of the Century"" (Patricia Gladys Evelyn “Patsy” Woodbury Thorpe, Find A Grave). He would become ...

• An Olympic gold medalist (the first Native American to win gold for the U.S.).
• Track and Field.
• American football.
• Baseball.
• Basketball.

    

    Before his time as an Olympian Thorpe attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. While he was there he met Iva Margaret Miller, who was "known as "the prettiest girl at Carlisle"" (www.jimthorpefilm.com). They did not marry right away. It was not until 1913, after Jim signed on with the New York Giants, that the pair tied the knot on October 13, 1913. Four years later the couple purchased a house in Yale, Arkansas where he and Iva lived until 1923. They had four children: James Francis Jr., Gale, Charlotte, and Frances. James Jr. died at the age of two.

    In 1925 Iva Thorpe would file for a divorce from Jim on the grounds of desertion. The next year Jim would marry Freeda Verona Kirkpatrick (who worked for the baseball team on which he played) and that couple would have four children. Their marriage would last 15 years, after which Freeda filed for divorce in 1941. He married again in 1945, this time to Patricia Gladys Askew, and they stayed together until his death in 1953 from a heart attack. He was 65.
    It was through Jim Thorpe's first wife, Iva Miller, that our family has a connection. She and Dad were 7th cousins. The chart below shows the connection.

Richard Denton (b. 1603) & Maria Durden (b. 1604)
Nathaniel Denton b.1628	Samuel Denton b.1631
Nathaniel Denton, Jr. b.1652	Jonas Denton b.1677
James Denton b.1693	Robert Denton b.1695
James Denton b.1713	Thomas Denton b.1746
Daniel Denton b.1730	Josiah Denton b.1779
Mary Denton b.1765	Greenbury Jefferson Denton b.1816
Platt Hull b.1787	Martha Denton b.1859
Ezekiel Hull b.1813	Iva Margaret Miller b.1893
Rebecca L. Hull b.1841
Franklin Martin Bragg b.1867
Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895
Don Cicero Bragg b.1920

    It is not immediately clear Iva Miller's Native American status. Carlisle Indian School required that applicants be at least 1/4 Native American. Her mother, Martha Denton Miller, died in 1899 when Iva was five. Her application form for Carlisle was not signed by her father, James Finis Miller, which has led some to conclude that he also had died. However, it seems that he lived until the 1930s. On that form Martha Denton Miller is said to have been "half-blood Cherokee" (Tom Benjey's Weblog). Her next of kin contact on her school application was Grace Gray-Morris, Iva's older sister. According to Iva's Carlisle School student file, Iva's father was listed as white but her mother was "1/2 Indian of the Cherokee Tribe located in North Carolina" (Application for the Enrollment of). J. H. Robson testified of Iva that she "is known and recognized in the community in which she lives as an Indian; that in my opinion she can not receive proper and adequate schooling at home for the reason that the schools here do not give music or nurse training" (Vouchers of Disinterested Persons). She became a nurse after graduation.
    Piecing together comments from the Miller side of the family, it seems that Iva's maternal grandmother, Charlotte McCarty, wife of Greenbury Jefferson Denton, is where the Native American bloodline was introduced.

William Glenn Parker

William Glenn Parker, 76, of La Junta passed away on January 11, 2021 at the Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. He was born on December 13, 1944 in Smithfield, NC to William Golden & Irene Marie (Ethington) Parker.

Glenn entered the US Air Force in 1963 as a Radio Operator and was stationed in Germany on a 3-year tour. After various ventures and businesses Glenn landed in La Junta in 1996. During his time here he sang his way into the hearts of many people. He loved music, singing, performing and sharing his love for music with others is something he will always be remembered for. He put together and performed many shows for the nursing homes in our area, events and long running karaoke group. He never knew a stranger and took the time to befriend anyone and everyone. He took every opportunity to promote La Junta and be a part of as much as he could. Some groups that he gave back to where TRY, (Tiger Resources for Youth), American Legion Post #9, Picketwire Players, Jay’s Christmas Dinner, Operation Christmas Child, Arkansas Valley Community Cancer Group, La Junta Chamber of Commerce, and RESADA to name a few. Glenn was proud that he had overcome his addiction of alcohol and spent time volunteering and speaking at RESADA letting the people know that with faith and strength from our Lord and Savior that rehabilitation was possible. He received his 30 year chip this past September.

He enjoyed traveling back home to Illinois where he grew up, to visit family, old friends and classmates. He loved to frequent local restaurants, attend plays, football games, basketball games, and the Ayala household. He was a great friend and storyteller. If you ever sat down with Glenn you would know that whatever followed after “Can I tell you something?” was gonna be good. He was a humble and faith filled man that didn’t need a lot and would rarely speak of his accomplishments. “The greatest joy of life is to love and be loved” - RD Clyde. Glenn loved with all his heart and was loved by everyone that knew him. He would be happy to know that he will be remembered with a smile, a chuckle or even by singing a little tune.

He is survived by his sons, Joshua Parker of Stockholm, Sweden; Christopher Eric Parker, Jason Edward Parker and William Golden (Nicole) Parker all of Colorado Springs; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild; siblings, Christine (Scott) Wulff of Champagne, IL; Diana (Larry) Ferrol of Clearwater, FL; dearest & closest friends, Joe (Angela) Ayala and children, Gianna & Adrianna Ayala; many nieces and nephews also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents, William & Irene Parker and sister, Joan Spencer.

A Memorial service will be Saturday, January 23, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in La Junta with Reverend Dr. M.J. Romano officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery with Military Honors by the La Junta American Legion, Post #9.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home and Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Did You Know #54

Born in 1923 into a West Virginian farming family, Charles Elwood Yeager would become famous as a test pilot. He enlisted in the military in 1941 and served as an airplane mechanic. After WWII Chuck Yeager became "a test pilot at Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base, California)" (www.wikitree.com). It was in this capacity that Yeager flew the Bell XS-1, which he called Glamorous Glennis, named for his wife, into history.

"Two nights before the scheduled date for the flight, Yeager broke two ribs when he fell from a horse. He was worried that the injury would remove him from the mission and reported that he went to a civilian doctor in nearby Rosamond, who taped his ribs" (wikipedia.org). In great pain from this accident Yeager was determined to carry out his scheduled test flight and on October 14, 1947, at an altitude of 45,000 feet over the Mojave Desert, he became the first person to break the sound barrier.

On December 7, 2020 Brigadier General Chuck Yeager died at the age of 97. What I did not know at that time was our family's relationship to him. He and Mom just happened to be 7th cousins 1 time removed. The chart below traces the family tree connection.

Col. James Taylor and Elizabeth Paisley
Mary Ann Taylor b.1710	George Edmund Taylor b.1710
Catherine Hannah Burke b.1727	Zachariah Taylor b.1739
John M. McComas b.1757	Mary Taylor b.1765
Christena McComas b.1796	Zachariah Peter b.1780
Elisha M. Franklin b.1829	James M. Peters b.1820
Adeline Frances Franklin b.1865	Margaret N. Peters b.1851
Albert Hal Yeager b.1896	Zacharious I. Standerfer b.1871
Brig Gen Charles Elwood Yeager b.1923	Mercedes Ruth Standerfer b.1892
	Mary Jean Ethington b.1928

Did You Know #53

    With Thanksgiving coming up I thought this item may be of interest to visitors of this family blog. Four hundred years ago a little ship called the Mayflower brought a group of pilgrims to The New World. Arriving in what is now Massachusetts on November 21, 1620, the Mayflower was only about 90 feet long, and the living quarters, where the 102 passengers spent their 66-day voyage, was about the size of a volleyball court. One hundred and two passengers finally disembarked on December 21st (the two births en route offset the two deaths). In those first harsh winter months half of the pilgrim population died.
    But did you know that our family has a link (by marriage) to the Mayflower? Dad's 3rd-Great-Aunt, Alzina Nettleton Bragg was the fifth-great-granddaughter of Priscilla Mullins who, along with her father, William and brother, Joseph, were all passengers on the Mayflower. Their other siblings, William and Sarah, stayed behind in England.
    Also on the Mayflower was Priscilla's future husband, John Alden. Priscilla Mullins was also a main subject of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1858 poem, The Courtship of Miles Standish.
    So here is the connection that comes through William and Alzina Bragg:

Don C. Bragg (1920)
Orval Bishop Bragg (1895)
Franklin Martin Bragg (1867)
William Bragg (1834)
Hugh Lewis Bragg (1795)         <brothers>	William M.Bragg (1808) married Alzina Nettleton (1814)
	Barnabas Nettleton (1780) married Phoebe Stafford (1785)
	Daniel Nettleton (1740) married Phebe Stannard (1748)
	Lemuel Uriah Stannard married Ruth Grinnell (1722)
	Paybody Grinnell (1691) married Ruth Nettleton (about 1700)
	Daniel Grinnell (1668) married Lydia Pabodie (1667)
	William Pabodie (about 1620) married Elizabeth Alden (about1624)
	John Alden (about 1598) married Priscilla Mullins (about 1602)
	William Mullins (about 1572) married Alice (last name unknown)

NOTE: Each generation's principle individual in bold.

Attached are pictures we took in August 2007 of the John and Priscilla Alden's house in the Duxbury, MA (visit Alden Kindred of America for more information).

Getting Through Life Alive

     Under the dark shadow cast by COVID-19 during the summer of 2020 more American families opted for vacationing in the great outdoors. With camping and campers on the rise, the National Park Service issued guidelines for safety when encountering a bear in the wild. Their advice ...

    • don't run (bears will chase you)
    • don't climb a tree (bears can climb too)
    • don't push!
NPS officials actually warned campers, “Do NOT push down a slower friend (even if you think the friendship has run its course)” (Kootenai Valley Times, Bonners Ferry, Idaho).
    We are all pilgrims on this physical journey through life (1 Peter 1:1). Our goal is to fully realize the eternal life Jesus promised to those who obey and follow Him (John 14:1-4). On this journey we need the support and encouragement of fellow Christians. Satan, however, uses any means possible to keep us from attaining those precious promises, even if it is getting us to turn on each other, "pushing each other to the bears."
    Isn't it wonderful that the church of the New Testament is infused with love? Love for God. Love for the Son. Love for the Bible. Love for one another (1 John 4:21). As Christians, we need each other to help us get out of this life to live forever.

David Bragg

Family Building Blocks

    Police were summoned to the Camillus, New York home after receiving a call from one side of an altercation in late May 2018. Upon arrival they were faced with a heated dispute between a 30-year-old son and his parents. His parents had won a previous court decision that their son could no longer live in their basement. The son was finally collecting up his belongings and complying with the court order when the dispute escalated.
    As members of the press gathered to witness and report on the dispute, the son informed them that he had called police when his parents refused to hand over their grandchild's, the complainant's 8-year-old son’s, Lego set (dailywire.com).
    No family is perfect because all families are composed of people, mortal creatures marred by sin (Romans 3:23). Yet, every family has a perfect pattern for assembling the divinely ordained building blocks freely available in the pages of scripture. Through inspiration the Apostle Paul clearly laid out the essential foundation for the family as he argued for Jesus’ relationship with the church He established in Acts 2. Within the roles of husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:22-33), and of parents with children (6:1-4), Paul saw this blueprint for a successful family: “just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (5:25).

David Bragg

Finding Peace in a Turbulent World

    Susie Maroney did something that nobody else had ever done. On May 12, 1997 the 22-year-old Australian became the first person to swim from Cuba to the Florida Straits. For 110 miles in shark infested waters she swam nonstop for 24 1/2 hours. To protect her from the sharks she swam in a special cage pulled by a boat moving with her. To encourage her along the way her mother and brother rode in the boat cheering her on. Along with this amazing feat of endurance she arrived in the Florida Keys she was dehydrated, sunburned, and covered with jellyfish stings. Even more amazing to me is the fact that Maroney was born with cerebral palsy. She took up swimming at the age of four and began competitive swimming three years later. As a teenager she had pushed herself to the point where she could compete in long distance swimming contests.

    Life is lived in a turbulent world with obstacles that seem to challenge us at unexpected turns. Health problems. Financial concerns. Family conflicts. Career upsets. Sometimes the challenges of life make us feel like we are swimming with sharks and no shore is in sight.

    Jesus has the perfect solution for handling life’s ups and downs. To those who have obeyed Him in baptism and who strive daily to maintain their faith He offers peace. To His disciples He proclaimed, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). That promise is just as available today as then. Jesus will surround His faithful followers with a peace the world can never penetrate. Live your life with determination and faith and Jesus will give you peace.

David Bragg

A Wing and a Prayer

    On February 1, 1943 Lt. Kendrick R. Bragg flew out to North Africa with his team, the 414th Bomb Squadron. On the way back to their base they came under attack by a German fighter pilot. The enemy plane suddenly spiraled out of control crashing into the lead American plane sending it crashing down. Still falling, the German plane next struck the B-17, the All American, piloted by Bragg. With a gaping hole in his plane's fuselage, the rear of the bomber literally swaying as it flew, he was somehow able to bring the plane in for an emergency landing. Once on the ground, the crew emerged unharmed from the damaged plane just before the rear portion collapsed. Later, in relating his experiences to Jimmy McHugh, Lt. Bragg told how "we came in on one engine and a prayer" (www.armyairforces.com). Not only did his story inspire McHugh's song, A Wing and a Prayer, but also a film with the same title.

    Prayer is one of the greatest spiritual blessings bestowed upon Christians during their earthly sojourn. In it the power of God beautifully blends with the faith of the believer. The resulting masterpiece only further emphasizes the crucial role Jesus plays as the Christian’s mediator and Savior. Prayer can make the difference in our attitude in facing life’s adversity. It may not always change circumstances, but it will most certainly change you.

David Bragg

A Lurking Danger in Mattoon

    For several generations my family has lived near the town of Mattoon, Illinois. Following my graduation from junior college I lived and worked in Mattoon. Yet, I could never have imagined a time of darkness that terrified that community in 1944 when it was terrorized by the “Mad Gasser of Mattoon!”

    In a time before air conditioning was prevalent a mysterious figure dressed in black would strike without warning spraying "a paralyzing gas" in the open windows of private homes. Over a period of two weeks twenty-four attacks were reported to local authorities of a sweet-smelling gas being sprayed through open windows. Some screens were slashed at the windows in questioned and when there were witnesses seeing a fleeing suspect the descriptions were usually consistent.

    Authorities were stumped and eventually dismissed many of the attacks as mass hysteria. Yet, despite armed vigilantes roaming the streets the attacks continued as did the skepticism of baffled law enforcement (www.historicmysteries.com).

    A far more dangerous force regularly attacks the entire human race. Unlike the Illinois case, we know this enemy and can recognize his tactics (2 Corinthians 2:11). Also unlike whatever or whoever terrorized Mattoon in the fall of 1944, Satan’s attacks never end as long as life endures.

David Bragg

Everlasting Love

    It started with a simple question and a group of children. They were asked, "What is love?" Their answers are insightful.

•  "When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." – Karen, age 7
• "Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." – Karl, age 5
• "Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." – Terri, age 4
• "Love is when Mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." – Chris, age 8
• "Love is when my Mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." – Danny, age 7
• "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." – Tommy, age 6
• "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth." – Billy, age 4

Billy's answer reminds me of Jesus' observation when He quoted from Psalm 8:2: "Out of the mouth of babes’” (Matt. 21:16).
    One of the major platforms upon which Jesus established His church was the unchanging promise of unending love. One of the blessings we look forward to in Heaven will be His everlasting love. Is it any wonder that Jesus observed that the greatest commandment is to love (Matt. 22:37–38), or that we demonstrate our discipleship to the world by love (John 13:35)?

David Bragg

Last of Our Parent's Generation

Last fall I posted on this blog the passing of Dad's youngest sister, Ruth Alice Stone. This summer we lost Mom's youngest sister. With the death of Aunt Eva all of our parent's generation slipped away. Known as the "Greatest Generation," they lived through the Great Depression and the Second World War, many of them served in the military but all of them were hard working and resilient. WE are better people because of their example.

***********************************************

 

Eva M. Ethington
January 30, 1930 - June 04, 2020

Eva M. Ethington, 90, of Sullivan, passed away at 1:53 a.m. Thursday June 4, 2020 in Mason Point, Sullivan.

Private family graveside services will be Thursday June 11, 2020 in the French Cemetery, Allenville with Pastor Grant Wade officiating. Memorials are suggested to the donor’s choice. Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

Eva was born January 30, 1930 in Allenville, the daughter of Luther and Ruth Standerfer Ethington. She had been a cook for Candy Land, Hardens Café, The Spot, Titus Home and Hardees. She was a member of the Allenville Christian Church.

Surviving are her nephews Jess (Cheryl) Bragg of Centralia, Charles (Rebecca) Bragg of Sullivan, James (Glenna) Bragg of Marshall, Larry (Donna) Bragg of Shelbyville, David (Ann) Bragg of Kernersville, North Carolina, Ronald (Linda) Bragg of Havre, Montana, Mark (Becky) Bragg of Mahomet, Neal (Mary Ann ) Whitely of Valley Springs, South Dakota, Glen Parker of La Junta, Arizona and Wayne Ethington of Terre Haute, Indiana; nieces Ruth Bauer of Decatur, Reva (Ron) Martin of Sullivan, Debra (Michael) Green of Masonville, Colorado, Donna Bornhoff of Chicago, Christine Wulff of Bement and Diane Ferrol of Florida.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, four sisters, two nephews and a niece.

Did You Know #52

Until a recent email I would have had to admit that I didn't know anything about the existence of a man named Gideon Pitts (1807-1888). At the time of his death in Richmond, NY, Mr. Pitts was lamented as "its most distinguished citizen" (Ontario County Journal, June 29, 1888). He was, prior to the Civil War, an active leader in the Abolitionist movement to end slavery and their home was one of the stops for runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. He was a farmer and colonel in the militia.

Gideon enjoyed the support of his family in serving the abolitionist's cause. He married Jane Wells who died just a few years after her husband (March 22, 1892). To this union five children were born, a son also named Gideon, and four daughters (Helen, Lorinda, Jennie and Eva). In the death notice published for Jane Wells Pitts the only mention of her family is that "her mother, four sisters and two brothers all died in the month of March" (The Naples Record 30 March 1892).

Fortunately family records are available for the family of Jane Wells Pitts. We know that she was the daughter of Paoli Pascal and Anna Wells. Of special interest to our family, though, is the fact that Anna Wells maiden name was Munson. Jane Wells Pitts' Great-great-great Grandparents were Samuel and Martha Munson who also happened to be 6th Great Grandparents of our Grandmother Bragg.

What makes the family of Gideon and Jane Pitts of interest? They were not greatly unlike other northern families committed to the anti-slavery movement and for the cause of freedom and rights of former slaves following the close of the Civil War. But the Pitts family was unique in their close personal relationship with the former slave and Abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass. The Pitts family hosted meetings for Douglass in their New York home and worked closely with him through his Washington DC area home. In fact, when their oldest daughter, Helen (described as "an able, accomplished woman"), moved to Washington she became a next door neighbor to Mr. Douglass who hired her to work for him as "a clerk in the office of the Recorder of Deeds in Washington, to which he had just been assigned" (Wikipedia). She worked closely with Douglass in his speaking engagements and in the writing of his autobiography.

  

Helen provided a source of strength to Frederick Douglass when, in 1882, the famous civil rights leader's wife, Anna Murray Douglass, passed away. Prejudice would soon rear its ugly head in the Pitts family when just two years later the 66-year-old former slave and the 46-year-old clerk were married. "Despite the fact that her family were ardent abolitionists and colleagues of Douglass, they were outraged at the marriage and refused to speak to Helen" (www.findagrave.com). Following their wedding Gideon and Jane Pitts "broke contact with her and Douglas" (Matthew Conheady, Pitts Mansion, nyhistoric.com). They were not the only ones who disapproved of the couple's decision to marry. Frederick Douglass' children were also said to have "scorned the marriage." It is encouraging, however, to read the obituaries of her parents in which we can infer that relations were eventually restored. This is especially clear in the death notice of Helen's mother, Jane, whose final days were spent in the Douglass' Washington DC household. Helen Pitts Douglass would remain the happy wife of her beloved husband until his death in 1895 and would become her husband's most ardent defender and the founder of the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association.

So how specifically is our family related to the second wife of Frederick Douglass? The chart below illustrates this connection of our Grandmother Bragg and her 5th cousins (2 times removed) Helen Pitts Douglass.

Samuel and Martha Munson
Joseph Munson (1677 - 1725)	Samuel Munson (1669 - 1741)
Ephraim Munson (1714 - 1770)	Solomon Munson (1689 - 1773)
Jerod Munson (1742)	Samuel Munson (1717 - 1790)
Anna Munson Pascal (1777 - 1836)	Samuel Munson (1763 - 1832)
Jane Wells, wife of Gideon Pitts (1811 - 1892)	Isaac Munson (1802 - 1864)
Helen Pitts (1838 - 1903), 2nd wife of Frederick Douglass	Joel Munson (1846 - 1921)
	Elvira Belle Munson (1871 - 1939), wife of Cicero Gilbreath
	Gladys (Gilbreath) Bragg (1898 - 1977)

Joel Munson, our Great-great Grandfather and Helen Wells Douglass were  5th cousins.

Ruth Alice Stone

On the 24th of August 2019 a generation closed, but more importantly, a beautiful life ended. Aunt Ruthie was the youngest and last surviving of Dad's siblings. She was always cheerful, smiling, and seemed to live a life full of joy. Below is a copy of Aunt Ruthie's obituary.

     Ruth Alice Stone, 90, of Sullivan, passed away 2:11 a.m. Saturday, August 24, 2019, at Mason Point, Sullivan.
     Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, August 29, 2019, McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the service Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials may be made to the Okaw Valley Ag Complex: 709 S. St. John Street, Bethany, IL 61914
     Ruth was born July 17, 1929; the daughter of O.B. and Gladys (Gilbreth) Bragg. She married Lloyd “Tiny” Stone on September 5, 1948 in Bruce; he survives. Grandma Ruthie was loved by so many people, especially her family, grandchildren and her husband of 71 years, Papa Tiny.
Ruth is survived by her husband, Lloyd “Tiny” of Sullivan; son, Chris (Brenda) Stone of Lerna; daughter, Connie (John) Wise of Bethany; grandchildren, Stacey (Matt) Ellegood, Jeremy (Melissa) Stone, Matt Jerod (Jennifer) Stone, Curtis (Lindsey) Wise, Jennifer (Eric) Thoele and Wesley (Christina) Wise. She is also survived by 8, great-grandchildren.
     She was preceded in death by her parents, 3 brothers and 1 sister.

Find A Grave

Many of our family member's grave-sites are listed on the Find A Grave website. However, even though this website provides the opportunity of linking together these various pages into a sort of pictorial family tree, most of our family member's pages were not connected. So I set out a few months ago to correct this situation by contacting the owners of the various pages and providing the proper edit information. Recently I have received the final notice that these edits have been completed.

By visiting the Find A Grave website pages for Mom, Dad, or any of their sibling's pages, you can go back through the family and trace the family line. Some of these pages will have pictures or obituaries that are pretty interesting. I have made all the connections of family members I could find who have grave sites listed on Find A Grave. If you know of someone not listed, send me their Find A Grave page address and I will try to add them.

Regarding the Bragg family of central Illinois. Many of these families descend from Hugh Lewis and Francis Bragg, including our Great-Great-Grandfather William Bragg. However, since the graves of Hugh and Francis are unknown and not listed on Find A Grave, that part of the family line stops there. This is also the case for all the known children of Hugh and Francis Bragg. Below is the link to the pages of each of their children:

Children of Hugh Lewis and Francis Sutherland Bragg

Martha Ann Bragg Yoakum
Birth 5 May 1817
Death 7 Mar 1850 (aged 32)
Burial - Shoults Cemetery, Ross County, Ohio, USA
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11064026
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James Bragg
Birth 10 Jan 1820, Pickaway County, Ohio, USA
Death 30 Sep 1912 (aged 92), Moultrie County, Illinois, USA
Burial - Unknown
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155052603
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John Bragg

Birth 1822
Death 1864 (aged 41–42)
Burial - Unknown
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173022411
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Anna Mariah Bragg Hull
Birth 21 Jul 1831, Ross County, Ohio, USA
Death 21 May 1869 (aged 37), Moultrie County, Illinois, USA
Burial - Pea Cemetery, Sullivan, Moultrie County, Illinois, USA
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43415189
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William Bragg
Birth 14 Jun 1834, Ross County, Ohio, USA
Death 4 Dec 1900 (aged 66), Moultrie County, Illinois, USA
Burial - Pea Cemetery, Sullivan, Moultrie County, Illinois, USA
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28035756

Did You Know #51

    She was described as New York City's first supermodel, the embodiment of the "classical ideal" of beauty, and as "the world's most perfectly formed woman." Discovered by a photographer at the age of 15, she was soon introduced to famous sculptors and posing for monuments throughout the city of New York (she is said to have posed for more public monuments and memorials than anyone). The following pictures represent just a partial list of sculptures of Audrey Marie Munson that can still be seen by pedestrians in the Big Apple.

• The Civic Fame statue that stands atop the Municipal Building, Manhattan’s largest statue, second only to the Statue of Liberty (top left)
• The Firemen's Memorial to "New York's Bravest" (lower left)
• Above the door of the Frick Museum (top right)
• Beauty, outside New York Public Library's main branch (center right)
• Pomona, the Roman goddess of abundance, on the Pulitzer Fountain at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue (lower right)

• “Columbia Triumphant” that adorns the USS Maine National Monument in Columbus Circle (top left)
• "Memory" on the Straus Memorial, honoring the co-founder of Macy's department store, Isidor Straus, and his wife, Ida, they died on the Titanic (lower left)
• Miss Brooklyn, originally on the Brooklyn side of the Manhannan Bridge, now on display outside the Brooklyn Museum (top right)
• Miss Manhattan and Miss Brooklyn, now on display outside the Brooklyn Museumnow on display outside the Brooklyn Museum (center right)
• 'Spirit of Commerce' angel at the northern base of the Manhattan Bridge (lower right)

(clockwise from top left)

• Sculpture at New York's Customs House
• On the Walking Liberty Half Dollar (1916)
• Grave marker placed on the grave of her father and step-father
• The Mercury Dime

In addition to these public monuments, she was also the model for the angel decorating the mausoleums of wealthy New Yorkers and other private and public sculptures across the country. At the peak of her career in the 1910s, it was proclaimed of Audrey that "All New York Bows to the Real Miss Manhattan." Then she went to Hollywood. Here she achieved the infamous place in history as the first person to appear nude in a non-pornographic film, "Inspiration" (1915). She was likewise unclad for the 1916 film, "Purity".

Her movie career hit a huge bump when, in 1919, she became embroiled in a sensational murder trial involving her former landlord, Dr Walter Keene Wilkins (arrested for killing his wife, Julia, after it emerged that he had become obsessed with Audrey and was desperate to marry her). In 1921 she appeared as herself in her final film, "Heedless Moths." The next year she attempted to commit suicide and her life continued to spiral until in 1931 she was committed to the Saint Lawrence Psychiatric Center in Ogdensburg, New York where she would spend the next 65 years until her death on February 20, 1996 at the age of 105.

Audrey Munson and Grandma Bragg were 6th cousins. Their 4th-great-grandfathers were brothers. Here is the family connection:

Samuel and Martha Farnes Munson
Solomon Munson b.1689	Waitstill Munson b.1697
Samuel Munson III b.1717	Solomon Munson b.1727
Samuel Munson Jr. b.1763	Jairus Munson b.1767
Isaac Munson b.1802	Leverett Munson b.1790
Joel Munson b.1846	Leverett Munson b.1824
Elvira Belle Munson b.1871	Edgar Munson b.1857
Gladys Gilbreath Bragg b.1898	Audrey Marie Munson b.1891

Sources:
Alexandra Genova, NYC's First Supermodel; 6 March 2016
Audrey Munson: “Miss Manhattan” Died in Obscurity in 1996, October 25, 2012
James Bone, She inspired monuments and died in obscurity, CNN, June 9, 2016