Maggie: Homesteader to the Far West

'Aunt Maggie': how real estate a can color the days of our lives.

If family history is part of the conversation, Maggie and her homesteading adventure often comes up. After featuring her in a previous blog post, I was compelled to attempt to put together the pieces of her real estate adventures; albeit not very pretty.

Once I had waded through the documents and had begun to get a picture of the coming and going of Maggie's property way out there in Oregon, I was ready to tap into the internet in an effort to pinpoint exact locations. It didn't take long to realize that Wallowa County is a beautiful place. So much so, that it has been labeled one of the seven wonders of Oregon. 

But back to Maggie's not so beautiful tale of real estate woes. She and her two brothers arrived in 1903 and by 1909  U. S. Government Land Records indicate that the siblings started out with 160 acres each. Additional acreage appears for Maggie in 1922 and 1923 indicating and additional 120 acres. 

Without going into all the details of borrowing and paying back and borrowing again and of all things buying more lots in town, she managed to hold on for a period of time until she lost the acres out in the beautiful mountain country. This acreage was located approximately ten minutes NW of town by modern travel.  

Joe

 Babe

 Maggie

If I understand the facts correctly she was to pay the woman holding the mortgage enough to cover the taxes but failing that, the property was to be advertised for sheriff sale. The woman holding the mortgage agrees to bid the amount to cover the judgment she has brought against Maggie if Maggie agrees to release all rights to the property. This is where I begin to get lost in the legalese but apparently that is how it went down and the homestead acreage is lost at this point.

A Little Record Housekeeping

Before we launch into Aunt Maggie and fill in a few gaps in the Barnett 'Oregon' story I would like to re-arrange a few of the puzzle pieces. Let me begin by saying that it is not unusual for information to go undetected and then suddenly come to light. Researchers do their best (including myself) but it's just part of the process to discover we got it wrong as some point.

Officially - Great grandma Mary Eliza's grandfather was Jontham Pierce. He had several children including a daughter Margaret and a son Crockett. Margaret married Thomas Turner and they were the parents of Mary Eliza (Turner) Barnett. Crocket married Fannie (Dodd) and they had a daughter Mary L Pierce.

In years past I had heard that great grandma Barnett was the daughter of Crockett Pierce and that her middle name was Ellen. Then with the advent of internet research official documents became available for information that was subject to memory in the past. Thanks to Vivian I think I have unraveled a mystery. She recently shared a document that her mom had received in the 1980s.

Aunt Ruth corresponded with a cousin Roy Whitlock and his wife Betty asking for great grandma Barnett's family tree. Roy was age 89 and Betty was age 79 at the time and Betty sent Aunt Ruth an extensive hand written document with tons of information. However Roy's attempt to recall his lineage back four generations got a little mixed up. Once he got to great grandma's marriage to Robert F. Barnett though, he was off and running.

So here is the document and my sources to support great grandma's middle name and her parents as Thomas Turner and Margaret (Pierce) Turner.

  

This is an original copy that Aunt Ruth kept safe for many years.

These are available on the internet

Hard to read this one but it is Census for Crockett with daughter, Mary L.

The information from the Whitlocks has lots of collateral descendants that I did not have before which I will be confirming and adding to the ever growing Barnett Tree.

Rest In Peace Uncle 'Babe'

The family on Whitestown Rd would have received this telegram in place of their dad at the death of Uncle 'Babe'.

Grandpa Will must have remained listed as next of kin even though he had passed away almost three years before.

A Family Generation Ends
Last to be born - Last to die

Remaining Treasures

This should wind up the contents of the 'Treasure Chest' from Oregon.

First is this little nugget. It's the sort of thing a family researcher hopes for everyday - a hidden piece of information that hadn't been found before or confirming a fact.

While it appears to be a tiny bank book of uncle 'Babe's there are no financial entries other than a $300 deposit on August 30, 1920 which was subsequently crossed out.

The real find was a couple pages further where he recorded departure and arrival dates for what seems to correspond with his trip back East.

Notebooks, Bank Book, Dictionary, Wallet and Log Book of timber sales

A sample page from the previously mentioned log book of timber sales - 1915,1916

Railroad Schedules

A stack of Christmas Cards

Beekeeping Periodicals

 A catalog of pharmaceuticals 

A flyer on Sheep Dip 

 and A Map of Oregon

The town of Wallowa - col. 6, row 5

Just One More

This letter from Grandpa Will was tucked in with a stack of Christmas cards.
He wrote it after returning from his trip to Oregon following Aunt Maggie's death.
My Dad and Grandpa Will took a Greyhound bus to Oregon earlier in 1947 (can you imagine?), I believe Grandpa made the second trip by train.

(click the pic to enlarge)

(letter transcribed below)

A new granddaughter, Vivian Ruth.

Butler, Pa

Aug 27 1947

Dear Brother Babe

I arrived home OK on the 15th. The folks were very much disappointed when you didn't come with me and hope you decide to come soon.

Ruth was back in the hospital when I got home. She has a baby girl. Is back home now, doing fine.

Ralph is going to be married next month. Bob is starting his house; has the walls up. So I am going to help him build it. 

We want to build three this Fall. One for Bob, one for Ralph and one for James.

We are well as usual. Hope this finds you well.

Will close for for this time hoping to hear from you soon and hope you decide to come soon.

With Love and regards from all

WHB

Family Losses

Will and 'Babe' were now the only living siblings.

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Aunt Ruth wrote to 'Babe' on behalf of Grandpa Will wanting to be sure he knew that his brother Ed, sister Cora and sister-in-law Grandma Belle had all died died within the first six months of 1949.

Settling Up

Grandpa Will settles a debt and encourages his 'bro' to come to Butler. 

(click the pic to enlarge)

(letter transcribed below)

Grandpa Will had received a letter telling him that 'Babe' had broken his leg and was in the hospital.

Reed visited Butler and went to pay for the ad when he returned to Oregon.

Butler Pa

Jan 15 1948

Babe Dear Brother

I received your letter in regard to you being in Hospital. Am very sorry to hear of your bad luck. Hope you will soon be out and ready to come to Pennsylvania. I have been very busy since I got home helping the boys build their houses. We built three.

Reed Sutpline was here to see us late in fall. I gave him .58 cts to pay for an ad in the paper. He went to pay it and they said David Couch had paid it. So I am sending it to you. The Banks here don't take checks for less than $1.00 so you can either use it or give it back to him.

This leaves us all well and hoping you are still on the mend. Write us soon with best wishes from all 

Your Bro

And on a Sad Note

Moving into the late 40s. Aunt Mag had died a few weeks prior to this letter.

(click the pic to enlarge)

(letter transcribed below)

Note that Mary Whitlock has married and is in Chicago.

2012 Orleans St

Chicago, Il

July 6, 1947

Dear Uncle Babe

I sure was sorry about Aunt Mag. I don't know if your address is LaGrande or Wallowa so I'm sending a letter to both places. I'm glad uncle Will got to come out there and I know Mama wishes she could have come but Mama isn't well and her age is against her. She has a girl to help now but the girl isn't very strong and won't stay if she has any extra work to do, so Roy & I don't go home much. Walter has to stay at home on account of his bad heart. They don't have much to live on. Well I hope you are well and getting along all right

Best Wishes, your niece

Mary (Whitlock) Griggs

Another Cousin Heard From

This letter was sent by Mary Whitlock who was the daughter of the oldest of the Barnett siblings, Cora Lee (Barnett) Whitlock. And I would venture to say it is written to Bernice Turner who has been part of previous posts.

(click the pic to enlarge)

(letter transcribed below)

Apparently Aunt Maggie's financial setbacks had begun.

She mentions not knowing 'their' address.

By this date Cora (Akers) Barnett 

had remarried to Rudolph Peterson.

I would take a guess that Mary was left-handed. (takes one to know one ;)

Riner Virginia

Sept. 17, 1932

Dear Mrs. Turner

Mother received your letter sometime ago and is unable to answer it, as she has something the matter with her hands, also kidney trouble and doesn't feel well. Roy, Walter and I have written to Aunt Mag since but she seems only to have gotten one letter I sent by air mail.
We are awfully sorry about Aunt Mag and I think my brothers will try to help her. However I had planned to spend the winter in New Orleans, LA. with my brother. Roy and Walter were going to give me this trip, but they said if I could spend this winter with Aunt Mag and help her for my board & room it would be cheaper and I don't imagine my clothes would be so expensive either as I went to New Orleans. I'm just crazy to come west, do you think Aunty would have any place for me as that I could get a job out there. My brother said he could come after me in his car in the Spring.
Is Sadie going to school this fall? I'd sure love to see her, don't know their address so I'm enclosing to aunt Cora a letter in yours.
Aunty says your daughter is in normal this year. I had two years at normal but my salary would be cut from $85 to $63 so I'm not teaching.
I go over to cousin ???'s about every week. Mary and Katherine have gone back to the D.C. to work they have good positions. Mary is certainly attractive. Katherine isn't pretty as Mary but she is attractive too. Both of them have splendid taste in clothes.
Guess I better close as its getting late. Mother sends her love to all of you

Sincerely yours

Mary Whitlock

Christmas Invite With a Restriction

You will remember from A.B. Turner's letters that he and his wife were separated. Reading between the lines I have the impression she was back East and A.B. was asking 'Babe' to do what he could to get her back to Oregon. And we know that he helped that happen.

I also got the impression from the the tone of A.B.'s letters that he was remorseful for something. That coupled with hints and stories over the years about Will's family leads me to believe it was related to drinking.

(letter transcribed below)

(click the pic to enlarge"

Note Bernice's  reference to no "moon"

1711 Washington Ave

Dec 22nd, 1930

Dear Babe,

We are sending you a remembrance for Christmas. It isn't much but will let you know we thought of you, Hope you get it o.k.

Come out and eat Christmas dinner with us.

I got a 10lb 'Turkey' today. We are having some real winter, the last day or two. Burnett is still working on the Hotel. Come Christmas if you can.

Wishing you a Happy Christmas without any "moon" ha

Regards from Turner Family

Bernice

Because Mother Said So

From Mother, Mary Elizabeth (Turner) Barnett to her children

May 8, 1912

This letter was written a few years after Maggie, Joe and 'Babe' went to Oregon and before the others that I have posted.

(click the pages to enlarge)
or
(transcribed below)

Uh Oh, the kids are in trouble with Mom.

And Will had gone to 

Columbus, Ohio for medical treatment; 
something I had never heard.

I need to research who Grandma Kinsey was.
Mr. Whitlock was probably Cora's husband, Ferdinand.
Cora was Will's oldest sister.

She continues to share the news around town.

Charles was her brother, a sheriff.

Chester was also her brother as was John. John was the oldest of her siblings; age 84 at the time of this letter.

Ernie was one of Will's older brothers and I believe
he had a drinking problem which may
be what she was alluding to.

Aha, we may have gotten to 

the heart of the matter.

Riner Virginia

May 8, 1912

Dear Sons & Daughter

As I haven't heard from you all for a great while although I wrote to you last but I have come to the conclusion that you are not going to write and so I thought I would write again as I am anxious to hear from you all. I think you could spare the time to write to me once in a while. I haven't had a letter from any of you since a good while before Christmas. I am getting out of the way of writing. I haven't written for so long.

Willie & Bell don't write often. Willie wrote that 

he was getting some better of rheumatism he had been treated in Columbus, Ohio. He was in the Grocery business again.

Ed has been working for Thomas Surface, May Vernon Shelburn's husband. They are living at the old house place. Mrs. Shelburn has turned everything over to Tom and he is farming this year.

Ed has been working some improvements on the house and helping to build a barn and he is letting him have some ground to put in corn & potatoes. I think I wrote to you that Ed has moved his house

where Grandma Kinsey did live. He bought a pony so he wouldn't have to walk so much to work. Erny has been working some for Mr. Richison this spring and has made some garden . He hasn't got any stock now but one cow.

Mr. Whitlock has been making _________ ____ most of the winter and this spring but hasn't shipped them yet but will ship some soon I think. Tom Horton has been helping him. He thinks he will get $10 per thousand. I think its rather slow business. He has been attending court this week.  The Rundle's boy

trial is going on this week. I guess you have heard something about that. Thompson's boy getting a lick on the head that caused his death in a drunken fracas about Christmas. It's supposed he was struck with a piece of iron but they couldn't get proof that the Rundle's boy was the one that struck the heavy low. I heard it was a hung jury yesterday. 

Your uncle Charles has moved to Christiansburg. He was elected deputy sheriff and has gone there to 

take charge of the jail again.

Mabel had the misfortune to have one of her fingers taken off at the

first joint. She had a sore finger by getting a splinter in it and she put carbolic acid on it and it got to eating the flesh and she went to the Dr and he told her gangrene was about to set in and it would be best to have it taken off. They moved to town the first of April rented his property here to Ed Childress. Chester sold his property here to Mr. Basham.

Your uncle John has gotten so he can't wait on himself more than a child. He can barely walk across the floor. Myrtle is married. She married a railroad man. Smiley is his name. L_____ want me to come

and stay with her a while for company but I am not feeling very well myself and don't think I will go and Erny can't do very well by himself thought I would like to go if I could.

I did not finish my letter yesterday and I heard last evening that they got through with the Rundle's case and they decided to send him to jail for twelve months. The school here has closed . There were three got through this grade and have gone to Hilton. The ones that got through were John Williamson, Rice Richison & Gray Altoyer. Roy is going to school in Christiansburg. The school will be out the first of next month. Well as I want to get this in the mail this eve I will have to bring it to a close with love to all and don't fail to answer my letter this time from your devoted     Mother.

P.S. A few lines to Babe. You wrote for Ed to pay me ten dollars out of what he owes you but he failed to do so. He paid Cora ten but not all in money and sent Willie thirty dollars worth of ? and said he would pay me ten but hasn't as yet. I thought I would let you know about it. Write soon and tell me if you think you will come back to old Va. again. I would be glad to see you all with love goodbye.

I have noticed in these letters that they tend to write just as they speak so I tried to break it up here and there.