Daughters of Matilda Anna Lee


          No. I do not know when this photo was taken. You?

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:  Birth/death years along with birth names and married names of the women pictured above. Birth surnames are in parentheses.

1.  Fannie Elizabeth (Ward) Skinner Burkett, b. 1896 Daviess County, Missouri - 1967 Denver, Colorado; 

2.  Ora Evaline "Evie" (Baker) Childers, b. 1888 Daviess, County, Missouri - 1984 Tulsa, Oklahoma; 

3.  MOTHER:  Matilda Anna (Lee) Baker Ward Price, b. 1864 Carroll County, Missouri - 1933 Sand Springs, Oklahoma; 

4.  Zelma Pearl (Price) Fox Brown, b. 1909 Keystone, Pawnee County, Oklahoma - 1978 Tulsa, Oklahoma; 

5.  Gladys Naomi (Price) Bivens, b. 1905 Cherryvale, Kansas - 1989 Sand Springs, Oklahoma; and 

6.  Zeala Violet (Price) Skinner, b. 1902 Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri - 1993 Inglis, Levy County, Florida.

          I was so happy to see this photo on Ancestry as shared by my 2nd cousin, Margaret (Bivens) Breeden. Like many of my cousins, this is the only photo I've seen of my paternal 2xGGrandmother Anna and her daughters. 

          Margie was an active family researcher and shared considerable data on Rootsweb, and Ancestry. Her grandmother was born Gladys Price. I miss "seeing" her online. She passed in January of 2017, but her family tree remains public on Ancestry. 

          Years ago, she wrote this "memory" on a Findagrave memorial regarding my paternal Great-Grandfather:

"Sam Childers was my Great Uncle. Evaline (Eva) Baker was my Grandmother's sister. I spent many times with Aunt Eva and Uncle Sam, either at their house or my Grandmother's. They also lived down the road from my Uncle Harry Baker and his family. Uncle Sam was a great guy and I loved his many stories. I was not aware that Pat Anderson had passed. I'm sorry to hear that she did."

          Are you also related to these women?  

John Lee's Will of 1852

John Lee, my paternal 4th GGrandfather, was born in Harford, Maryland in 1772. He next appears in Montgomery County, Tennessee where he married Sarah Morgan in 1808. He moves once more to Stewart County, Tennessee, where he remained until his death in 1852. 

Before the 1850 Federal Census, only names of heads of household were given on census pages. But age and gender were requested of residents within each household.

The 1840 census records John and Sarah Lee's household as:

     White males aged: 10 thru 14: 3.  Aged: 15 thru 19: 1 20 thru 29: 3, 70 thru 79: 1.
     White females aged: 5 thru 9: 1, 15 thru 19: 2, 20 thru 29: 1, 50 thru 59: 1.
     Males enslaved aged 10 thru 23: 2.
     Female enslaved aged 10 thru 23: 1, 24 thru 35: 1, and 36 thru 54: 1. 


Ancestry has John's Will. In this gallery I first placed the whole page, and then cropped two more so readers can better view the fine print:


Among the property John listed be left to his daughters and sons are the names of five humans. Five people who were enslaved. One man, two young boys, and two women uprooted from their home and moved elsewhere after John's probate was settled. 

At the time John's Will was prepared in February of 1852 in Stewart County, Tennessee, their ages and names were given as:

      Frank, aged 25 years,

      Cicero, aged 8 years,

      Harry, aged 5 years,

      Nancy, aged 22 years, and 

      Jane, aged 38 years.

I have stared at those five names wondering if Jane wasn't the mother of Nancy and/or the mother of Cicero and Harry. I looked for Cicero and Nancy in the 1870 census in and around Stewart County. I found several Harrys. I had hoped to find people with these same names/ages living together or near one another. That might indicate a familial relation, stemming from their days on the Lee farm. That's a lot of "mights." 

Considerable effort is made by historians of enslaved culture to compile lists of people once owned by others. Why? Descendants seek names of ancestors. DNA test results coupled with records naming enslaved African-Americans are especially helpful to genealogists. 

        https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/slavery-trail-of-tears-180956968/ 

I hope their descendants can trace back to these five people. #TheyHadNames

Source:  Settlements and Bonds, 1812-1968; Author: Tennessee County Court (Stewart County); Probate Place: Stewart, Tennessee via Ancestry.com. Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Provo, UT, USA

Note to cousins: Sarah and John's son, Josiah, was a dad to my grandmother Esther's maternal grandmother, Anna Lee. Got that? 


Bob Lee At The Cains Ballroom

Was reading a distant cousin's World War II draft card on Fold3.com/ and about fell off my chair:



Apparently my paternal second cousin--twice removed once worked with Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys. At Tulsa's famous Cains Ballroom, no less.

Be still my Western Swing music-loving heart!

Thinking young Bob was but a "gopher" attendant who kept the musicians supplied with cigarettes and beverages while they played in downtown Tulsa, I quickly sought Google's advice. One hit found Bob Lee had sung two songs at a 1984 Tribute to Bob Wills - 50th Anniversary Texas Playboy Reunion. 

Another click, and his obituary appeared:  "Robert E. ""Bob'' former featured vocalist for Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys, died Aug 9, 1986 in OKC after a prolonged illness." Sadly, he was but the tender age of 64 when he passed. 

I'll update this post if and when I find a Youtube of Mr. Lee singing with this swing band. Please share if you find a video link. 

Until then, go ahead. Google "Cains Ballroom" and see the many legends who have played at this club. 

Kudos to my husband who immediately recognized the "Employer address" listed on this draft card. He frequently walks our dog in the Brady District. What? Doesn't everybody take their dog to work?