William S. McNeil Family Record

The following is a copy of the original William S. McNeil Family record. The family record was written on both sides of a 5x8 lined sheet, which over the years had aged to a brownish-yellow.  The record was found in papers belonging to William's granddaughter, Minnie Pearl Hatfield Wilson, and had been stuck inside the Family Bible. It appears to have been written in about 1889.

McNeil Family (front)

McNeil Family (back)

Transcription of the above family record:

(front)
William S. McNeil was born Jurly the 21 , 1818
Sarah M. McNeil was born Febery the 21, 1826
Eliza Jane McNeil was born August the 12, 1848
Susanah A. McNeil was born November the 19, 1849
Thomas C. McNeil was born Janery 21, 1852
Rockcy E. McNeil was born Febery the 18, 1857
Nancy H. McNeil was born May the 23, 1860
Nathan H. McNeil was born August the 25, 1864
(back)
James H. McNeil was born December 18, 1867
*Also on back are dates of years from the birth of last child in 1867 consecutively to 1889.  A small  detailed heart is drawn in red and green.  The size of the heart is 1-1/16 x 1-3/4.

William S McNeil and Sarah M Cole Family

William S. McNeil was born on 21 Jul 1818 in Ohio. He died on 5 Feb 1894 in Cedarville, Smith, Kansas. He was buried in Feb 1894 in Cedar Cemetery, Smith, Kansas. William married Sarah Margaret Cole, daughter of Nathan Cole Jr. and Anna Margaret Goble, on 17 Oct 1847 in Parke, Indiana. Sarah was born on 21 Feb 1826 in Sullivan, Indiana. She died in 1905 in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas. She was buried in 1905 in Cedarville Cemetery, Smith, Kansas.

They had the following children:

1) Eliza Jane McNeil was born on 12 Aug 1848 in Parke, Indiana. She died about 1856.

2) Susanah A. McNeil was born on 19 Nov 1849 in Parke, Indiana. She died on 23 Jan 1930 in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas. She was buried on 26 Jan 1930 in Fairview Cemetery, Smith, Kansas. Susanah married Levi Taylor Ball son of Henry Ball and Nancy Wise on 29 Aug 1876 in Ottawa, Missouri. Levi was born on 17 Jan 1847 in , Trimble, Kentucky. He died on 20 Aug 1919 in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas. He was buried on 21 Aug 1919 in Fairview Cemetery, Smith, Kansas.

3) Thomas C. McNeil was born on 21 Jan 1852 in Terre Haute, Parke, Indiana. Thomas never married. He died on 18 Nov 1923 in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas. He was buried on 20 Nov 1923 in Fairview Cemetery, Smith, Kansas.

4) Roxie Ellen McNeil was born on 18 Feb 1857 in Hopkins, Nodaway, Missouri. She died on 22 Feb 1936 in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas. She was buried on 24 Feb 1936 in Fairview Cemetery, Smith, Kansas. Roxie married Albert R. Reed on 5 Dec 1878 in Cedar, Smith, Kansas. Albert was born on 28 Apr 1856 in Malvern, , Ohio. He died on 18 Dec 1928 in , Smith, Kansas.

5) Nancy Abbagail McNeil was born on 23 May 1860 in Hopkins, Nodaway, Missouri. She died on 18 Jan 1946 in Egbert, Laramie, Wyoming. She was buried on 20 Jan 1946 in Pine Bluffs Cemetery, Laramie, Wyoming. Nancy married Martin Monroe Hatfield son of John Martin Hatfield Jr. and Martha Jay on 1 Jan 1879 in Harvey Twp., Smith, Kansas. Martin was born on 18 Apr 1857 in Boone, Iowa, United States. He died on 31 May 1918 in Dove Creek, Dolores, Colorado. He was buried on 4 Jun 1918 in Dove Creek, Dolores, Colorado.

6) Nathan H. McNeil was born on 25 Aug 1864 in Bedford, Taylor, Iowa. He died on 21 Apr 1939 in Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas. He was buried on 24 Apr 1939 in Douglas, Kansas. Nathan married Susan Emma Hoyt daughter of Joseph King Hoyt and Mary Jane Lukehart on 24 Nov 1889 in Holdrege, Phelps, Nebraska. Susan was born on 27 Feb 1871 in Illinois.

7) James Harmon McNeil was born on 18 Dec 1867 in Hopkins, Nodaway, Missouri. He died on 16 Jan 1936 in Cedar, Smith, Kansas. He was buried on 19 Jan 1936 in Cedar Cemetery, Smith, Kansas. James married Minnie B. Newbrey daughter of George Franklin Newbrey and Margaret E. Dear on 14 Oct 1896 in Smith, Kansas. Minnie was born on 9 Feb 1876 in Iowa, United States. She died on 30 May 1941 in Smith, Kansas. She was buried in Cedarville Cemetery, Smith, Kansas.

Also see:
1902 McNeil Reunion

1902 Photos of the McNeil Family

William S McNeil Family Birth Record
Ball McNeil Hatfield Wilson Family Bible
Nancy A McNeil Hatfield Family
Susanah McNeil Ball Family

Levi Taylor Ball - GAR Certificate

Levi Taylor Ball was married to Susanah McNeil, sister to our ancestor, Nancy Abigail McNeil Hatfield.
Levi served in the Civil War, Company C, Regiment 125, 10 Indiana Calvary in 1863/1865 in American Civil War. Records of the GAR Post at Hopkins, Missouri dated February 10, 1900, read: Levi Ball is by occupation a farmer, entered the service on December 9, 1863 as a Private in Company C, Regiment 125 of the 10 Indiana Calvary and was finally discharged on August 31, 1865 by reason of the close of the war.  After the war, Levi joined the GAR - Grand Army of the Republic.  The GAR was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army.

Transfer Card of the Grand Army of the Republic for L. T. W. Ball (Levi Taylor Ball)

 

"Ball McNeil Hatfield Wilson" Family Bible

These copies from the original Family Bible were made in 1970 when I was given permission to briefly see the bible.  Sorry, but back then I did not know I should make a copy of the title page of the Bible.  Also, color copies were not available at that time.  According to a deposition by Levi T. Ball in his Civil War pension file, the bible was published in 1851 (see bottom of this post). 

Bible history:  The original Henry Ball Family Bible bible was given to his son Benjamin then to Benjamin's daughter, Laura.  Laura gave the bible to her uncle Levi Taylor Ball when he needed proof of his birth for his pension application (see below).  The bible most likely came into the possession of the McNeil family through the Susannah McNeil Ball, wife of Levi Taylor Ball.  The bible then eventually came into the possession of Susannah's sister, the Nancy McNeil Hatfield family.  As the bible was passed down through the McNeil and Hatfield families,  information was added to the bible in the form of family records written on the back of the bible photos and loose sheets of paper, and obituaries, newspaper clippings, etc were tucked into the bible.
Nancy McNeil Hatfield's daughter, Lillie Hatfield Smith had the bible in the late 1950's and left the bible with her sister, Pearl Hatfield Wilson, of Cortez, Colorado.  Pearl added Wilson family information and records to the bible.  As the bible passed down through the different families, it became the:

Ball-McNeil-Hatfield-Wilson Family Bible

After Pearl Wilson died in 1966, the bible was given to her son, Clayton Pat Wilson.  His widow, Anna Wilson of Oregon, was still in possession of the bible in 2004.  It has not been cared for and has not been kept in good condition.  The extended  family has not been given access to it.  A few years ago (2004), a grandson of Anna Wilson was permitted to make copies.  He said the bible was falling apart with the cover and title page of the bible missing and many of the pages loose.   clm

Ball Family Bible Pages
Henry Ball was born 1798 in Kentucky and died 1880 in Parke County, Indiana.  He married Nancy Wise who was born 1804 in Kentucky and died 1856 in Indiana.  This first page shown is the Births of the Henry Ball Family.

Henry Ball Family Births

The following pages appear to have been torn out of another bible and stuck into the Ball Bible.  They appear to be miscellaneous information for the Henry Ball family.

Henry Ball family births

Henry Ball family deaths

The next pages shown are bible page entries for the Levi T and Susannah McNeil Ball family.  There are also a few entries for the McNeil family.  Loose McNeil family records from the bible can be found by clicking here and here.

Levi T Ball children deaths

Deposition by Levi Taylor Ball, found in his Civil War Pension File, dated Dec 17, 1912, giving reference to the Ball family bible. 

"My age is 65, having been born January 17, 1847...The bible from which the date of my birth as above given was taken, was my father's family bible, the first one he ever had in his house, and the only one. The record of the date of my birth is in my father's handwriting. He and mother told us that they made the records of our births at the time each child was born. At the time of my father's death the bible passed into the hands of my brother Benjamin Ball. After his death, two or three years ago, his daughter, Laura, husband's name not known, now living at Bedford, Iowa, gave me the bible.

I had six brothers and five sisters, all of whom are now dead.

Their names and the dates of their births as given by my fathers bible are as follows:

Elizabeth, born July 24, 1821
Manlinday, born April 13, 1823
Calamata, born March 3, 1825
Benjamin L, born January 16, 1828
James H, born February 1, 1830
William E., born October 3, 1831
Daniel W. born December 27, 1833
Mary, born April 10, 1836
David W., born August 6, 1838
Nancy, born March 1, 1841
James H., born February 18, 1843
Phebe, born July 26, 1844
Levi T. W., born January 17, 1847
Both of the children named James Henry died in infancy

When I enlisted I was 16 years of age but my age was put down as 18. I enlisted December 9, 1863, in Co. C 10. Ind. Vol. Cav. and was discharged August 31, 1865 as shown by a copy of my discharge certificate...I am a married man - my wife's maiden name was Susana A. McNeil. We were married August 27, 1876 near Hopkins, Mo., by Rev. Edward Otis. Neither of us had ever been previously married...Since you have called my attention to the fact that father's bible was not printed until 1851, I do not know what to say. My understanding always was that my father made those birth records at the time of birth of each child. The records are in my father's handwriting; I can swear to that..."
signed Levi T. W. Ball

Related Posts with information that came from the bible:
Levi Taylor Ball
William S McNeil Family
William and Sarah McNeil Family Record
Pearl and Charles Wilson Family Record


Note: These bible pages have been added and can be viewed on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.

Mabel's 90th Birthday

Mabel's 90th Birthday

Mabel Leffel Baldwin - 90 years old

Our Grandmother, Mabel Edna Leffel, was born on 21 November 1900 in True, Young County, Texas, the daughter of Charles Edgar Leffel and Caldona Jane Box.  
Mabel Leffel married Jesse W. Baldwin on Dec. 25, 1917, in Mountain Park, Oklahoma.  Jesse and Mabel were the parents of fourteen children.  They were married almost 55 years when Jesse died in 1972. 

Below are several of the earliest photos found for Grandma. The first is cropped from a group photograph of the Rocky Ford Crossing Sunday School 1904.  So, Mabel would have been 4 years old.  To see the post about the Sunday School group photo,  click here. 

Mabel Leffel 4 yrs old

In this next photo which is also cropped and colorized, Mabel would have been about 16 or 17 years old.  She is in a photo with her niece, Della Cotter.  To see the original photo, click here. 

   

Mabel Leffel

Mabel's 90th Birthday Party

On 21 Nov 1990, Grandma had a 90th Birthday Party in Chickasha, Oklahoma, where she was living at the time.  Family came from across the country (Massachusetts, California, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado) to wish Grandma a Happy 90th Birthday.

Mabel with Beverly, Verna, and Juanita.

Mabel with granddaughters: JoAnna and Cathy

After the dinner and party, someone asked grandma what she wanted to do special for her birthday.  Her response was to go to the races -- horse races that is.  So the next day, we all went to the Remington Park race track in Oklahoma City with Grandma for her 90th birthday celebration.

Mabel (bottom left) at the horse races with family for her 90th birthday celebration.

In the below photos, Grandma and her girls do a 
Birthday Hokey Pokey

Put your right foot in, Put your right foot out.....

Family - That's what it's all about!

Related Posts: 

Leffel Family Tree - Ancestors of Mable Edna Leffel Baldwin

1928 photo of the Mabel & Jess Baldwin family

Baldwin Family Christmas

Married On Christmas Day 

Mable and Jesse Baldwin

1904 Rocky Ford Crossing Sunday School Photo

FamilySearch

FamilySearch.org

I love-love-love FamilySearch.org and mainly for one reason - the Texas Death Records. Last year before the Texas Death records were added to Record Search, I spent $20 a record for several death records from Texas. Since the database has gone online, I have probably copied close to 200 death records for ancestral relatives for free! Do the math. Information found in the death records has given mother's maiden names, broken down difficult brick-walls, helped to locate places of burial, etc, etc, and etc. :)

In addition to the Texas Deaths 1890-1976, FamilySearch.org has US Census Records, State Census records, Death Records for Ohio, Arizona, Michigan and other states, marriage records, Court Records, Probate Records, and the list just goes on and on.  International records are also available. All for FREE!!
Check back frequently for new collections that have been updated or added.

FamilySearch.org makes me want to do the genealogy happy dance! :)  Can you tell I'm excited or what about this site?

You can perform a search from the main Search page or go to a record collection.  The SEARCH page is found by simply clicking on the SEARCH icon found on the FamilySearch.org home page.  To search a specific record collection, scroll towards the bottom of the main SEARCH page to Browse by Location choose a location, then scoll through the record collections available for that location.  I usually first do a search on the main page, then will go to specific record collections for more specific searches.  All for FREE!!

Have fun finding your ancestors!

North and South

Since today is Veterans Day, I though I would try to list our Civil War Veterans.  We have family members who fought for the Union Army and family members who fought for the Confederate Army. 

In addition to direct ancestors, I will also list siblings and spouses of siblings. 
I have added the family line that the Civil War veteran can be found, if looking at my family tree.  The family lines are for each of my great-grandparents lines: Martin, Weiss, Wilson, Hatfield, Baldwin, Stewart, Leffel, Box..  My trees at Ancestry.com may have the pension records added for the veteran.

If there is a blog post about the Civil War Veteran, clicking on their name provides the link.

(Name of veteran, (family line), State served from, pension Yes/No, Federal pension if Union or state pension if Confederate.)

Union Army

Leonard D. Hatfield, (Hatfield) Iowa, Y, Federal pension

Daniel S. Coddington, (Hatfield), Missouri, Y, Federal pension  (5 sons also fought in Civil War)
William Albert Coddington, (Hatfield), Missouri, Y, Federal pension
George Howard Coddington, (Hatfield), Missouri, Y, Federal pension
Lewis C Coddington, (Hatfield), Missouri, Y, Federal pension
David Humphreys Coddington, (Hatfield), Missouri, Y, Federal pension
James Dennis Coddington, (Hatfield), Missouri, Y, Federal pension

Andrew McNeil, (Hatfield), Indiana, Y-widows pension, Died during war

Levi Taylor Ball, (Hatfield), Indiana, Y, Federal Pension

Nathaniel McNeil, (Hatfield) Indiana, Y, Federal pension
Russell Westcott, (Hatfield), Wisconsin, Y, Federal Pension
Henry Westcott, (Hatfield), Wisconsin, Y, Federal Pension
Joel Leffel, (Leffel), Ohio, y-widows pension, Died during war his widow filed for pension.
Anthony Jones, (Leffel), Ohio
Ollie Gordon, (Leffel), Ohio, Y, Killed 14 May 1864 Battle at Resaca, GA
Henry Gordon, (Leffel), Ohio
Harrison Gordon, (Leffel), Ohio
Ezra Gordon, (Leffel), Ohio
Willis Miller, (Leffel), Ohio, Killed in battle at Beverly, WV
Harrison Miller, (Leffel), Ohio
Samuel Miller, (Leffel), Ohio
J. Peery Miller, (Leffel), Ohio
Milton J. Miller, (Leffel), Ohio, Chaplin
James Leffel, (Leffel), Ohio
Henry R. Stewart, (Stewart),Tennessee, Y, Federal pension
Jacob M. Stewart, (Stewart),Tennessee, Y, Federal pension
Gottlieb Weiss, (Weiss), Illinois

Let us not forget our grandpa, David Miller Leffel, who was hanged during the Civil War in the Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas 1862.  His crime -- having Union sympathies in Confederate Texas and not wanting to fight for the Confederates. So, although he did not die while in service, he died proclaiming his loyalty to the Union.

Confederate Army

Alan Baldwin, (Baldwin), Texas, N, ?died during war?

Benjamin F. Baldwin, (Baldwin), Texas, No pension found

Francis Marion Baldwin, (Baldwin),  Texas, No pension found

William Riley Medlin, (Baldwin), Tennessee, Y, Tennessee pension

Samuel L. Sadler, (Baldwin), Y, Texas pension
Elijah Lindley, (Baldwin), Texas
John Haning, (Leffel), Texas
Jesse F Thomas, (Leffel), Texas
Stephen Wesley Box, (Leffel), Texas

William B. Wilson, (Wilson), Texas, Y, Oklahoma pension

Fields Hoff, Texas, (Wilson), Texas, Y, Texas pension

Richard Hoff, (Wilson), Texas, Y, Texas pension
Cosley Hoff, (Wilson), Texas

Note: Texas passed a conscription law.  All men had to serve the Confederacy,  Those who refused were at risk of being shot or hanged. 

Research links:
Fold3.com
National Parks Service website, (Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System):

https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm

Married On Christmas Day 1917

Jess and Mabel 
Married Christmas Day 1917

Jess and Mabel Baldwin
50th Wedding Anniversary

Jesse Baldwin and Mabel Leffel were married on Christmas Day 1917 🎄 in Mountain Park, Oklahoma by W. D. Rogers, a minister at the Missionary Baptist Church.  There is no known photo of their wedding day. Grandma said she made her wedding dress.  Her dress was a light blue satin with white fur on the cuffs and around the hem of the dress.  Her shoes were a white ankle boots that buttoned up the sides. Cute!

Below is a copy of the marriage record from Kiowa County, Oklahoma.

Marriage Record for Jess Baldwin & Mabel Leffel

Jess and Mable Baldwin were the parents of fourteen (14) children and grandparents of 46 (50 including step-grandchildren) and great-grandparents of about 89.  Grandpa acted as midwife and delivered most of their children himself.  They never mentioned when Grandma was expecting a baby.  The children would come home from school there would be a new baby.  One of the daughters once asked her dad where the new little baby came from.  His reply was that he found the baby in a rabbit hole.  She said she spent the next week looking for a rabbit hole with a new little baby in it.😊

Jess and Mabel lived in Oklahoma during depths of the Great Depression.  In 1934, hoping to find better work to care for their growing family, the Baldwin's moved to Arizona.  Jess worked in Gilbert, Arizona on his Uncle Charlie's citrus groves and cotton fields.  They lived in Arizona for a few years before finally settling in Southwestern Colorado in about 1938.  They first lived at Summit Point (on the Colorado/Utah border) then moved to Montrose and Cortez.  Money was always tight for the large Baldwin family, but they never went without food and shelter.  

Those of us who are older are fortunate enough to remember Grandpa Jess.  Ask any of the cousins and some of their favorite childhood memories are of spending time with grandpa.  We all remember helping grandpa feed and milk the cows and how he would tell us to look up to see the star and then squirt us in the face with milk.  Grandpa loved to tell stories and always had a willing audience when grandchildren were around.  He loved the holidays and always tried to make them special for his children and grandchildren - especially Christmas🎄🎅.  And, we could all say without a doubt that we knew grandpa loved us. 

Grandma was always busy cooking and taking care of everyone.  She was one of the best cooks around and always made room for friends and guests to join in the family meals.  Everyone loved grandma's cooking.  Caring for a large family during the Great Depression was a challenge. Grandma made most of the clothes that the family needed.  One of the daughters would show grandma a picture of a dress they liked in the Sears catalog.  She would make one just like it and never used a pattern.  

One memory I have is of Grandma humming or singing as she worked around the house or in the garden. She was always happy and busy.  Grandma always had a large vegetable garden and would can fruits and vegetables every fall.  Her tomatoes were the best!  She was an amazing woman.  We (her descendants) refer to her as a super woman!

30th Wedding Anniversary

1947  Oxnard, California

Jess & Mabel 1961

Jess & Mabel 50th

Jess, Mabel, and children 1967
50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration
Montrose, Colorado

Does anyone have a wedding picture for Grandma & Grandpa Baldwin??  If so, please share a copy!

Other posts about Jess and Mabel:
Jess and Mabel Baldwin
Jess and His Horses
Jess and Mabel Baldwin Family 1928
Mabel's 90th Birthday  
Baldwin Family Christmas  

Jess and Mabel Baldwin

Jess and Mabel (Leffel) Baldwin

Headstones and Obituaries 

Jess and Mabel Baldwin

Mabel Leffel Baldwin and Jess William Baldwin are buried in the Grand View Cemetery in Montrose, Colorado.

Obituary for Jess Baldwin from the Montrose Daily Press:

Jess W. Baldwin of the Shavano community died Wednesday in Memorial Hospital. A retired rancher, he had resided in Colorado since 1937 and in the Montrose area since 1939. Born March 28, 1898 at Graham, Texas to Allen and Mary J. (Stewart) Baldwin, Jess W. Baldwin spent his early life in that vicinity.

On Dec. 25, 1917, he was married at Mountain Park, Oklahoma to Mabel E. Leffel. In addition to his wife, he is survivied by four sons and eight daughters: Joe H. and William A. Baldwin, Mrs. Dan (Ethel) Scott, and Mrs. Ken (Joan) Greenhalgh, all of Montrose; Jess V. and Jack H. Baldwin, Mesa, Arizona; Mrs. Dee (Leona) Coker and Mrs. C.L. (Esther) Neff, Camarillo, California; Mrs. Vernyle (Juanita) Thompson, Dolores; Mrs. Leroy (Verna) Martin, Cortez; Mrs. Dwayne (Glenda) Lichliter, Grand Junction; Mrs. Terry (Beverly) Rigler, Houston, Texas. One son and one daughter are deceased. There are 42 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
Brothers and sisters are Charlie Baldwin, Corcoran, California; Clyde Baldwin and Mrs. Betty Miller, Lancaster, California; Tom Baldwin, Stockton, California; Mrs. Maud Killian and Mrs. Ettie Barker, Mountain Park, Oklahoma.
Services will be conducted by Pastor A. J. Kubish Saturday at 2 p.m. from the First Baptist Church. Interment in Grand View Cemetery will be directed by the Valley Funeral Home.

Jesse Baldwin Headstone Carving

 Obituary for Mabel Edna Leffel Baldwin Martin from the Montrose Daily Press, 21 Mar 1995, Montrose, Colorado:

Mabel Baldwin Martin, 94, a resident of Delta for the past three years, died of a sudden illness on Saturday, March 18, 1995, in St. Mary's Hospital and Regional Medical Center at Grand Junction.

Funeral Services to honor Mrs. Baldwin-Martin's life will be officiated by the Rev. Jasper Weaver on Wednesday, March 22, at 3 p.m. from the Montrose First Assembly of God Church, 515 S. Hillcrest.

Interment will follow the service in the Grand View Cemetery, with arrangements being handled under the direction of the Montrose Valley Funeral Home.
Born in Graham, Texas on Nov. 21, 1900, Mabel Leffel was the daughter of Charles Edgar and Caldona Jane (Box) Leffel. She spent her childhood, received her education, and grew to adulthood in Chickasha, Oklahoma.
Miss Leffel married Jesse W. Baldwin on Dec. 25, 1917, in Mountain Park, Oklahoma.
In 1943, the Baldwins ran the sale barn in Montrose and then moved to Cortez and ran the sale barn there. Mrs. Baldwin, a homemaker, fried chicken, baked bread and pies for the Indians on the reservation near Cortez.
Mrs. Baldwin lost her husband, Jesse W. Baldwin, to death in 1972 at Montrose. She married Ernest Martin and the couple lived in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Mr. Martin preceded her in death in 1993, following a lengthy illness.

Mrs. Martin moved to Delta three years ago to live with her daughter, where she made her home until her death.

She is survived by three sons: Joe H. Baldwin of Montrose; Jack H. Baldwin of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; Buck Baldwin of Gilbert, Ariz.; seven daughters: Joan Brownen of Chickasha, Oklahoma; Ethel Taylor of Montrose; Beverly Wagner, Juanita Thompson, Glenda Pilgrim, all of Delta; Esther Neff of Camarillo, California; Verna Martin of Cortez; 47 grandchildren; 89 great-grandchildren; and 17 great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to both of her husbands and parents, Mrs. Martin was also preceded in death by four children: Billie Jean Baldwin, Weldon A. Baldwin, Jesse V. Baldwin and Sue Coker.
She was a member of the Church of Christ and the Rebekah Lodge.

Mrs. Martin played the organ and sang at her church. Her children remember her singing hymns around the house. She enjoyed quilting, sewed all her own clothing and was an avid gardener. She always had a meal for anyone who was hungry. In addition to her own 14 children, Mrs. Martin raised two grandchildren and two other children as well.

 

Below is a photo taken the day of Grandpa's funeral.  Grandma is in the center and surrounded by her children and Grandpa's brother, Tom Baldwin (without hat).

 

 

Find-A-Grave Memorial Pages

To view Jess's Find-A-Grave Memorial Page, click here.

To view Mabel's Find-A-Grave Memorial Page, click here.

Some other posts about Jess or Mabel: (click on the link):

Mabel's 90th Birthday

Leffel Family Tree - Ancestors of Mable Edna Leffel Baldwin

1928 picture of the Mabel & Jess Baldwin family

Baldwin Family Christmas

Pictures of Grandpa and his horses

Baldwin Family Tree - Ancestors of Jess Baldwin

Chester Cemetery (Griever) and Estelle, Oklahoma

According to Maymie, her grandma, Mary Polly Huff Wilson, died in 1899 at the family home in Griever Canyon, Woods (now Major), Oklahoma, and was buried in the Chester Cemetery.  No headstone has been found but there are several unreadable and unmarked stones.

Below is a newspaper article of her burial.  Although it does not give much information, it appears that Mary Polly died and was buried during the week of March 12-18, 1899.

Alva Pioneer (Alva, Oklahoma)

24 March 1899

Below is a picture of the road sign at Griever Creek, Oklahoma.

Here is an old Oklahoma map showing Chester, Estelle, and Griever.  Maymie said she was born at Estelle in one record and at her grandpa Hatfield's homestead in another record -- are they one and the same??

Brothers in Uniform

 Charles Wesley "Bub" Leffel & Kerby Leffel

Both, Kerby and Charles W., registered for the World War I draft on 12 Sep 1918.  Charles Wesley "Bub" Leffel  registered in Comanche County, Oklahoma, where he was living at the time.  Kerby registered in Kiowa County.  Since they are in uniforms, they apparently were drafted and served in the army.  There is no record of their service at this time.  After the war, both brothers were living at home with their wives and families in the 1920 census.

I love this picture, especially the female peeking out of the rear opening of the car.  Since both men were married at the time, the female peeking out of the rear window of the car could have been either one of their wives.

World War I Draft Registration Cards

Charles Wesley Leffel

William Kerby Leffel

Kerby William Leffel and Charles Wesley "Bub" Leffel are the sons of Charles and Caldona Box Leffel.

Anna Belle Hatfield

Anna Belle Hatfield was the daughter of Martin Monroe Hatfield and Nancy Abigail McNeil.  Anna was born 12 Jan 1891 in Norton County, Kansas.  A record of her birth was found written on the family record found on a loose sheet tucked in a family bible belonging to Anna's sister, Minnie Pearl Hatfield Wilson.

Anna moved to Oklahoma with her parents in 1899, when her father homesteaded land in Woods County, Oklahoma.  Anna was listed as a 9-year-old daughter of Martin and Nancy Hatfield in the 1900 US Federal Census for Woods County.  On 15 January 1902, Anna was attending school with her siblings: Charley, Lillie, Pearl, and Clinton.

1902 Woods County, Oklahoma School Enumeration, FamilySearch.org

In 1909, a local newspaper mentions Anna attending a picnic and revival meeting at the Christian Church.

Quinlan Mirror. (Quinlan, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 2, 1909

About 1909, a Hatfield family photo was taken outside their new family home.  Anna is standing on the far right, holding a rifle.

Hatfield Family Oklahoma Homestead, circa 1909

On the 24 of August 1910, Anna married Sidney H. Allen.

Anna Belle Hatfield and Sidney H. Allen 

Woodward County, Oklahoma

Marriage Notice for Anna Hatfield and Sidney Allen.

Quinlan Mirror. (Quinlan, Okla.), Vol. 8, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 25, 1910

The last sentence in the above marriage notice wishes Anna and Sidney "a long and prosperous life."  Little did anyone know that in just over a year later, Anna would pass away.  According to family stories, Anna died from complications of childbirth on 18 Dec 1911.  She was buried in the Union Cemetery, Woods County, Oklahoma.

Obituary clipping found in family bible:

Obituary clipping from an unknown newspaper:
Mrs. Anna B. Allen died at her home in Quinlan, Monday morning after a short illness. Anna Belle Hatfield was born January 12, 1891, in Norton County, Kansas, and came to Oklahoma in 1899 with her parents. She was married to Sidney H. Allen August 24, 1910. She joined the Christian church at Quinlan in 1909 and was an active worker in church and Sunday School, being a delegate to the Sunday school convention at Alva last year. Her neighbors and friends all regard her life as a Christian to be above reproach and she was held in the high esteem by all who knew her.
She leaves a husband, father, mother, four brothers, three sisters and many friends to mourn her loss.
Funeral was held in the Christian church, Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Evangelist Adamson of Newton, and the body laid to rest in the Union cemetery.