Fred C. Heaton-2nd Great Grandfather

Fred C. Heaton was born on August 18, 1882, in Orderville, Utah, the child of Jonathan Heaton and Lucy Elizabeth Carrol. He married Sarah LaVerna Isom on December 28, 1906, in St George, Utah. They had seven children in 22 years. He died on November 21, 1964, in Kanab, Utah, at the age of 82, and was buried there.

Jonathan Heaton and his sons

Fred and his siblings at their 8th Grade Graduation

Fred C. and LaVerna

His family lived on the ranch in Mocassin, Arizona. Mocassin was about 30 miles south of Kanab. He did not have an 8th grade education until a pretty school teacher came to the ranch. Her name was Sarah Isom, but everyone called her by her middle name LaVerna. Fred and LaVerna got married on 28 December 1906. He was 24 and she was 21 and she made sure he graduated from the 8th grade.  They lived their lives on the ranch and Fred loved every moment of it.

His daughter remembered- "Papa loved nature and some of the choice experiences of my childhood came from him sharing his knowledge and the beauties of nature with us. On warm summer evening we would sit on the lawn and he would talk to us about the stars, identifying many of them. He could also identify the night sounds of the crickets, grasshoppers, coyotes, frogs and cougars and tell us about their activities and habits. One winter evening Papa came in from milking and asked us to go outside to look at the evening star which was shining just inside the lower tip of the new moon. Against the deep blue of the evening sky it was truly a lovely sight. Papa loved working in the gardens. He would often pick one perfect rose, dahlia or gladiola spray and place it by Mama's place at the dinner table."

"His work on the cattle range or the farm was long and exceedingly hard, but he always found time to plant flowers and walk through the gardens each day. Over the years he tried planting many different trees, shrubs, vines, flowers and vegetables. The first oleander shrub I ever saw was in Papa's garden and I remember how tenderly he nurtured it until one severe winter killed the shrub. Papa planted peanuts and yams one summer, but lack of rain, heat and probably the wrong soil made for a poor crop. We thought it was fun to harvest even a few peanuts. He always had a marvelous vegetable garden and all kinds of fruits and melons. Papa's idea of the perfect trip was to go into the country and be one with nature."

"On the other hand, he loved the desert and found real satisfaction in succeeding under the existing harsh conditions. Papa didn't believe in physically punishing a child. The family joke was that he gave Fred a thrashing for pushing Edna into the ashes during a fight they were having. Papa felt children could learn right behavior from example and reasoning. He never said much, but we always knew what was expected of us and knew he would be very disappointed if we didn't measure up to what he expected from each one of us."

A grandchild remembered at his funeral- "He was a lover of good animals, no matter what the cost. If he saw what he wanted and it was good, he would get it. And he could always tell if it was good. He was gentle with his horses and cattle. He also loved wild animals and never wantonly destroyed them. Instead, he went with his children to the Kaibab and caught fawn and then helped the children raise them. Then when the fawn were grown, they were turned back to the Government. Grandpa was intensely interested in Government and insisted on voting in this last election even though he was ill at the time. The same was true with education—he had a love for this, and he instilled this love in his children. So these are just a very few of the things contained in Grandpa's legacy, but we value them much more highly than fame or worldly treasures or anything, for he gave us a pattern for living."

Fred, LaVerna and their children at Lucy's Wedding Day.

 He was a good man, a kind father and lived a life that makes his decedents proud.

Sarah Laverna Isom- My Great Great Grandmother

 "At the early age of thirty-nine my father traveled through the portals of death Dec. 6, 1885. Only six weeks had passed since he and mother buried their little daughter Josephine. He was up and dressed every day till the day he died. That evening as Mary and Kate bid him, -- “Good night God bless you” (before going to stay the night at Grandma and Grandpa Parkers’, who were getting old and needed company) Saying, “I hope you’ll be better in the morning.” He said, “I shall. Good night God bless you.” Those were the last words he ever uttered. Immediately after the childrens [sic] arrival at grandpa’s, one of the young men sleeping at our house while my father was sick came with the word my father had died. Two weeks from that sad night, Dec. 21, 1885 I was born." So begins the story of Sarah LaVerna Isom.

Baby LaVerna

Sarah LaVerna was called LaVerna. One relative said that because she was the youngest and her father had just died, that her mother Alice never taught her the "essential" things like cooking.

When LaVerna was eight years old her mother took the five younger members of her family to Provo to the Brigham Young Academy. The three years spent at Provo were some of the happiest of her childhood. She completed the second to sixth grades inclusive while attending the Academy. The two following years she attended school at home, taking all the highest lessons given in school as it was ungraded.

 After this, her mother sent her to the Branch Normal School of the University of Utah at Cedar City, Utah. Here she remained three years, graduating in May 1903. The next winter, with her mother and an older sister, she went to Salt Lake City where she entered the University of Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah Normal Teachers' Training School, June 5, 1904. Graduation exercises were held in the old Salt Lake Theatre and her diploma was awarded her on the stage of this historical old building. LaVerna taught grade school in Cedar City in 1904 and 1905. She was offered the same position the next year, but accepted a position at Moccasin, Arizona at a higher salary.

LaVerna and her students

Now, Moccasin Arizona is about 27 miles south of Kanab, Utah and there is not much there. She went to teach at a ranch. While she was teaching, she met the older brother of some of her students. His name was Fred C. Heaton and they fell in love, got married and had 8 children. They remained in Moccasin until eventually moving to Kanab. Their oldest child is my Great Grandmother, Edna. Her wish was that all of her children graduate college- and all but one did. (The one decided after a year that he was happier on the ranch and did well for himself.)

Drawing by LaVerna

One daughter wrote, "Mama worked very hard all her years on the ranch. She always was completely dressed before leaving her bedroom in the morning. She would wear a starched cotton full apron over a cotton house dress, always hose and laced shoes. She would clean her teeth, brush, comb and braid her hair, and drink a glass of warm water (to wash out her alimentary canal) before beginning to cook breakfast and take care of the morning work. During the day there was cooking which she never enjoyed. She had to manage three meals a day cooking on a wood-burning stove, which was unpredictable, and also without refrigeration, using a water cooler or the basement for cooling. She often said if she had to cook three meals a day in heaven she wouldn't be in heaven, but that other place! Her cooking was basic - meat, potatoes, vegetables, fruit and bread. She spent long, hot hours canning hundreds of jars of fruit and vegetables in season and also beef. Mama reluctantly sewed for her family, but with six girls and two boys there was little choice. She was always wary about letting the girls use the sewing machine for fear it would get out of adjustment and she wouldn't be able to continue using it. Mama had no mechanical skills and it made her nervous whenever the children wanted to adjust any appliance. It was always fun when Mama had a quilting bee and invited her sisters-in-law to come and quilt with her. She would set up a quilt in the carport and the women came when they could and stayed as long as they could. In this way they helped one another make the needed quilts. Mama was a lovely quilter, taking small, very even stitches. I wondered about her having that skill when sewing was so difficult for her."

Family Reunion 1958

Fred and LaVerna

She loved art and was active in the church. She passed away on 20 September 1967, two years after Fred. 

I wish I could have known her. She seems like and incredible woman. 

Why I do Family History

"I will read all their dreams to the stars." Spring Awakening

"You have no control who lives, who dies, who tells your story." Lin Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

 Growing up, the only "old" relative I knew was Nana, my great grandmother. She was tiny, smelled like an old person and liked vegetables in her jello. I remember how during Sunday dinners she would sit in the rocking chair, her hands clasped together and would watch as my younger siblings played with my cousins. She didn't talk much, but she always had a smile on her face.

It's been six and a half years since my Nana passed and I find myself wondering what Nana thought as she watched us play. Did she see specks of her mother or sister in us? Did my brother remind her of her husband who she lost decades ago? Was she in awe, looking at my Mom's accomplishments and remembering her when she was a child? I wish I would have asked, but I assumed that she would be around forever. 

I knew the stories of my Dad's side. He loved to tell me about the men and women who were our ancestors. He was particularly proud of the strong women in his life. They were teachers, educators and pushed for their children to have a better life then they did. The Stapley side was that of faith, strength and stubbornness. Many of these women wrote detailed histories and as I read them, I feel like I know them and that I am granted a looking glass into their lives. But there is still so much I don't know.

I don't know where my sisters got their red hair. My Mom's brother and Mom have red hair, but I don't know if that was from Nana or Grandad's side. Looking at the pictures, I don't see much of me in my Mom's side. I inherited my my height and Scandinavian features from my Dad's Grandma Afton  (I think).  I don't have fingerprints...why? Did anyone else in the family not have fingerprints? What did I inherit from Mom's side?

And what about my personality? What are from my dad's side and what are from my mom's?  If my ancestors could see me now, would they recognize certain features in me? I see bits of personality in my siblings. One sister has my Dad's boldness, one sister has my Mom's dance talent and my Grandma's singing voice. A third sister has my Granma's love of creating and the fourth sister has Dad's work ethic with Mom's organization and dance ability. My brother has the Stapley gene of intellect and faith.

I love the why's of history. I'm a history school teacher. I love being able to understand how people lived throughout time and I wish I had a time machine to talk to those I've never met.  What made my second great grandfather Daniel Wise leave Georgia for Louisiana and how did he meet his wife Corinne? How did George C. Wise get back to Georgia after losing a leg and two brothers at the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia? Who is Emma Chloecy's mother and why is it so hard to find that information?

As I research, network and connect; I feel that I am putting together a puzzle that shows me where I came from. I learn about my ancestors, their struggles and am so thankful for their examples and choices. I'm putting this all on a blog so that there is a record that can be viewed. These are not just names on a page, they are people who lived and breathed. They had success, they suffered and they all deserve to be remembered. I would not be who I am without my family, both immediate and extended. My siblings and I are their legacy and I hope to do them proud.

Julien Button Young and Catherine Monroe- 3rd Great Grandparents

When Julien Young was born on February 16, 1850, in Sugartown, Louisiana, his father, Julien was still known as Julien LeJeune. All of his 12 children took the surname Young. I'm not sure why they changed their name.  His mother was Louise Eliza.

Julien married Catherine C Monroe on December 10, 1868. They had 12 children in 25 years. He died on October 24, 1926, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at the age of 76, and was buried in DeRidder, Louisiana. Catherine was the daughter of John Anthony Monroe and Sarah Ann Levie. She died when she was 52 in 1902.  Julien died on October 24, 1926, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at the age of 76, and was buried in DeRidder, Louisiana.

Julien Button Young and Catherine Monroe

J.B. Young's Grave

Catherine Monroe's Grave

 

They had 11 children. My Great Grandma's (Nana's) father was their son- Luther Dutch Young.

The Lutheran Visitor's News about the George, Rosa, Rosa and David Wise

A descendant of George Calhoun Wise sent me scanned newspaper articles of my 3rd Great Grandfather and some of his relatives. This is wonderful!!!!  I'm posting them here:

1. George C Wise Obituary:

2. His Daughter Rosa Wise's Marriage Announcement:

3.  My 4th Great Grandmother Rosa's Obituary:

4. George C's Father (My 4th Great Grandfather!!!) David Wise. Sorry that it's in two parts, it was on 2 different parts of the Newspaper.

The Children of George C. Wise and Frannie Coogle

Back Row: William and Rosa. Middle Row, Daniel, John C. and Hattie. Bottom Row: George, Francis, Walter, George C. and Mellie Mae.

My Great Great Grandfather Daniel Wise had 8 siblings and one half sibling. He was the only one to leave Georgia. The following is what I've found online (ancestry.com and findagrave). If anyone has any new information that differs, you are probably right. Please contact me and I will correct any errors.  Below are the birth and death years.

 

William Wise married Alma Clark and they had 4 children.  They are buried in Sumter County, Georgia.

Rosa Nettie Wise married J.W Murray and they had one child. She is buried in Plains, Georgia. 

Hattie Belle Wise married Franklin McGill and they had a son and daughter. She was buried in Sumter County, Georgia.This is them with their daughter Sarah. Sarah passed away when she was 11.

John Calhoun Wise, Sr. married   Eola Anderson. They had 7 children. 

My Great Great Grandfather, Daniel Joseph Wise married Corinne Clohecy. I've been told that he was a great baseball player. He left for Louisiana and was murdered in the 1930s. Family lore says it was the Sheriff because Daniel would not sell his land, however, his body was never found.  The pictures are of Daniel at his wedding and his wife with their oldest son.

Walter James Wise married Ruth Myrtle Crawford. These pictures are from Ancestry.com. They are of Walter and Myrtle with their grandchildren, Walter and his sister Mellie Mae and Walter and Myrtle.

 Mellie Mae married Burr Thomas Jennings and they had 3 children. She lived till she was 97 and is buried in Florida next to her husband.

George Elmore was the youngest. He married Martha Alethea "Allie" Godwin on June 4, 1916.They had 4 children and he is buried with his wife in Bronwood, Georgia. 

Luther Dutch Young and Frances Emma Walker- My Great Great Grandparents.

My Nana loved her parents. It was hard for her to leave them in Louisiana and move to Alaska with my Grandad after World War 2. However, she and Grandad got some time off every year so they would drive (IMAGINE THAT) from Alaska to Louisiana. My mom went with them a few times.

Frances and Kate Irene

Nana's mom was Frances Emma Walker. She was born on July 19, 1887, her father, Andrew, was 36 and her mother, Caroline, was 31. She had five brothers and two sisters named Kate Irene and Olla. She was very close with her sisters and she loved to cook. 

Frances at age 18.

The Walker Sisters. Top Row: Kate Irene, Frances, Olla. 2nd Row, Carroe. Elsie and LD.

Luther D Young was born on March 29, 1882, in Sugartown, Louisiana, his father, Julian, was 32 and his mother, Catherine, was 31.  He had 10 siblings. His Mom died when he was a young man and his father remarried. Luther left home not long after and didn't have much contact with them afterwards. Luther was a railroad man and moved his family all around Louisiana. They had three children, one son and two daughters. The son was named after her husband so everyone called him "LD." He was a rail man and a newspaper editor. Her two daughters were named Elsie and Esther. Esther is my Nana. 

Luther

Frances died on March 25, 1957, in Opelousas, Louisiana, at the age of 69. My mom said that she had a type of diabetes. Luther remarried and passed away on January 2, 1972 at the age of 89 in  Lake Charles, Calcasieu, Louisiana, United States. They are both buried in Opelousas, Louisiana where my Nana and Grandad are buried.  Frances is one of the few times where the husband outlived the wife on my Mom's side.

Luther and Frances

Esther at Graduation

LD and Elsie

LD as a baby