Treasure!!!!

                          Rufus Floyd Vaught and Elizabeth Hannah Cook Vaught

                               my great, great, great grandparents

Oh how I love treasure.... Now treasure means something different to each of us and to me treasure could mean many things but today the treasure I have found is connecting the photo above to my family and the people in it as well. Yippee! 

Now let me explain. I love researching our family history. As a young person I always daydreamed about the people before us. The ones that walked through any old house I had visited or walked under an ancient tree before me. Always wondering what there lives were like, who were they?!

Well lately I have been neglectful as I have been busy with home and then there is that piece of the puzzle that falls into my lap and excites me all over again about our history. 

Last year I found quite a bit of information about my Mother's Mother's(Vivian Chandler Stanton) family. I previously knew very little about them. I knew more about my Mom's Dad's family. I knew my grandmother Vivian's mother as she passed when I was in my early 20's but then I didn't think to ask the questions I have now. * Big Sigh*.  It is her family that I have been able to piece together as there has been extensive research on her family. Most of it posted online and I was able to verify this info through family and marriage records, census records and so on. I found the picture I am sharing and the following family tree online. I was able to verify the info but the picture I was fairly certain as it was labeled online but yet some part of me asked " How do I know this is really my great, great, great grandparents? " 

Well I paid a surprise visit to my mother today. It is Mother's day and I wanted to take her cookies I had baked for her. I wasn't sure she would be there but I thought I could easily leave them for her. Well thankfully she was there and had recently visited her Aunt Betty and her cousin Tracy. Betty is my grandmother Vivian's youngest sister. Anyhow, the last time my Mom visited she had shared some of the information I had found with Aunt Betty. Tracy told my Mom that she had a copy of the picture of Rufus Floyd Vaught and Elizabeth Hannah Cook Vaught and would share it with her. 

So my Mom surprised me with this original picture today. It is on a post card addressed but not mailed to Miss Gladys Martin. Who was my Great Grandmother Gladys Martin Chandler it listed them as her grandparents. :) There is no doubt Rufus Floyd Vaught and Elizabeth Hannah Cook Vaught are my Great, Great, Great Grandparents! Their daughter Flora Vaught was my Great, Great Grandmother and married William Henry Martin. I will also share the tree I found which documents this:

1.  RUFUS FLOYD³ VAUGHT  (LEVI HORSLEY², CHRISTIAN SR.¹) was born April 09, 1843 in Giles Co., VA, and died February 24, 1931 in McGraw, WV.  He met ELIZABETH HANNAH COOK December 11, 1868 in Newport, Giles Co., VA, daughter of JOHN COOK and ELIZABETH KIRK.  She was born December 06, 1850, and died December 21, 1924 in Pemberton, Raleigh Co., WV.

More About RUFUS FLOYD VAUGHT:

Burial: 1931, E. E. Cook Cemetery,Spruce Run,Giles Co.,VA

More About ELIZABETH HANNAH COOK:

Burial: 1924, E. E. Cook Cemetery,Spruce Run,Giles Co.,VA

Children of RUFUS VAUGHT and ELIZABETH COOK are:

i. LUCINDA C.⁴ VAUGHT, b. September 25, 1869, Giles Co., VA.

ii. JOHNIE G. VAUGHT, b. 1871, Giles Co., VA.

2. iii. ELIZABETH CORNELIA VAUGHT, b. November 04, 1872, Giles Co., VA; d. 1929, Giles Co., VA.

iv. FLORA C. VAUGHT, b. May 08, 1874, Giles Co., VA; m. W. H. MARTIN, October 11, 1893.

3. v. JEREMIAH CHAUNCY VAUGHT, b. April 05, 1876, Giles Co., VA; d. April 26, 1946, Boone Co., WV.

4. vi. WHITLEY J. VAUGHT, b. May 16, 1878, Giles Co., VA; d. January 03, 1953, Kanawha Co., WV.

5. vii. ERASTUS FRANCIS VAUGHT, b. September 05, 1880, Giles Co., VA; d. December 21, 1957, McAlester,Pittsburg Co.,OK.

6. viii. RUFUS AMON VAUGHT, b. January 24, 1883, Giles Co., VA; d. December 24, 1969.

7. ix. MARY HALYROID VAUGHT, b. June 15, 1886, Giles Co., VA; d. August 1954.

x. BERTIE JOSEPHINE VAUGHT, b. June 19, 1888, Giles Co., VA.

8. xi. JAMES HERBERT VAUGHT, b. August 22, 1891, Giles Co., VA; d. April 18, 1952, Wyoming Co., WV.

          Mom visited the grave site of Rufus Floyd and Elizabeth Hannah Vaught last June. I have pictures but they are small and I can't seem to make them any bigger so I won't share for now. 

         

         These type of treasures make me giddy. Silly I know. I also have a picture of Rufus Floyd Vaught's parents, Levi Horsely Vaught and Lucinda Chandler Vaught. I will end with their picture and elaborate on their story later. 

                                                     

Circa 1870-1887 Levi is the son of Christian Vaught Jr. Levi & Lucinda are the parents of Rufus Floyd Vaught.

                                                       

Vivian post 1

Today my thoughts are on my grandmother Vivian Chandler Stanton's family. I really didn't have a lot of information on her  or even where her family was from. I still have quite the mystery with the Chandler's. Vivian's dad was Ernest Matthew Chandler he was born in Ansted  on Feb 20, 1894. He went to work in the mines at the age of 8 years old.


 His parents were James M. Chandler and Leah Thompson. From James M. Chandler it gets interesting. I found James and Leah's marriage certificate online and it list his place of birth as Giles county, VA. Really?! I'll elaborate on this later. 


Leah Thompson was from Pocahontas County, WV and both she and James were living in Summers County, WV. On the marriage certificate it list Leah's parents as J.D. Thompson and ? for mother. Ok?! It is never simple is it. Occasionally it is though. Thankfully that is what keeps me digging.  I have been unable to take Leah any further than her father. I have some possibilities as to her mother but it is confusing at best. 


Now James M. Chandler truly is a mystery. I have contacted the Chandler society to help me with my research. I sent them all the facts I had and they are digging with what they have on the Chandler families. On the marriage record it list Green and Elisabeth Chandler as James M. Chandler's parents. There are no census records to prove this.... Hmmm. The Chandler society is continuing to dig but recently contacted me and said they do not believe that James M is the son of Green and Elisabeth and where did I get my info. So I reminded them about the marriage record. Then I mentioned it to Mom.


Now it gets really interesting. She remembers hearing them talk about Granddaddy Chandler having family in VA. Also remembers that it was said that they may have been  running from the law. Hmmm is that why we can't connect James to Green and Elisabeth? Who was James M. did he give his real name? Or did he give his parents correct names. Hopefully time will tell and I will be able to go further with the Chandler's. 


Interestingly, Grandmother Chandler Vivian's mother has some Chandler in her background from Giles County, VA as well..... Wonder if I will ever be able to connect those dots.:)


I have a bunch on Grandmother Chandler ( Gladys Martin Chandler). So I will include that in a second post titled Vivian 2.


I have no photos of Leah and James. So I will leave you with the pictures of their graves Mom took:

They have a son buried with them who died at the age of 10 he stepped on a rusty nail. 

An explanation of sorts....

My mom asked me the other day why the name of my tree (on ancestry) was Brackens Family tree. Good question. My blog address is brackenspuzzlingpast.blogspot.com. 


My answer is simple I started with myself and I am working backwards in time obviously I couldn't name it: Brackens, Stanton, Chandler, Vaught, Martin, Hearn, Fanning, Thompson, Derrig, Connelly, Cook, Kirk. (now to paternal names), Hall, Senter, Hypes, Grose, Keenan, Dorsey, Wamser, Ewing, Legg....... and these are just the names on the top of my head. You see the simplest thing to do was start at the beginning and that would be me in this case :). So it is Brackens puzzling past. My Brackens family tree. 

Grandma Rose's family.....

Updated: I added pictures of Uncle John's family.

 

This is a picture of my great grandmother Rose Hall Brackens' sister Liza and her family.

                                            This is Liza and her nephew John's son Hubert.

                                Two of Liza's daughters we think Martha and Mannie/Mammie.

                            Liza's daughter Virginia who looks very much like my Aunt Carrie.

               My great grandmother Rose with her  brother John Hall and sister Liza.

            This is an awesome find. MY great, great, great grandmother Senter holding my Aunt Brenda and mystery girl. This is Lula's mother and is Cherokee Indian.

       This is either granny Senter or Lula possibly with Rose but I need to verify this. (After talking to Elaine we believe this is Granny Senter with Grandma Rose she will work on confirming this.)

           This is the same woman from above but I need to verify who she is and unknown child.

                                     This Lula and her last husband Joe Terrell. "Mr Joe"

                                                  Most likely a younger Grandma Senter.

  This is my grandfather Woodrow Wilson Brackens with his grandmother Granny Senter. We do not know her first name.......

                              My grandparents Woodrow Brackens and Martha Grose Brackens.

                         I love this photo! I had never seen it before.  My Papa Woodrow and my Aunt Brenda,                 Grandma Rose, my Mama Martha.

Donald,Josie,Marvin, I think dark hair is Donald and light hair is Marvin.

                            Betty,Eva,Josie,Geraldine,May,Boys Donald,Marvin,

                      Henry & Josie Cecil on there Wedding Day. Josie is a sister to my Great Grandma Rose and Liza.

                                      Grandma Rose's brother John Hall.

                                           in order of birth oldest to youngest Beulah,Guy,Shirl,Ray,& Hubert.

                              John and Catherine Hall.




All of these pictures are from my second cousin once removed Elaine Oliver. She has been digging in a part of my family I have found exceptionally hard to find further info. Some of these pictures I have seen through the years and many are brand new. I didn't until recent years know about Rose's siblings.  Elaine has been able to locate family from each of Rose's siblings and has gathered lots of information.


This is my Dad's paternal grandmother's family. His grandmother Rose Hall was the daughter of Lula Senter Hall and John Hall. Her siblings were John Hall (questioning whether he was John's son as Lula and John are listed in the 1900 census in the Etter household with the last name Hampton as a servant.)  Josie Hall Cecil, Eliza Jane Hall Roten. 


Lula was married briefly to a Cecil Brackens and then lastly to Joe Terrell.


The scoop on this side of the family is that Lula's mother was Cherokee. We are diligently searching records to try and name Lula's mother. Everyone knew her as "Granny" Senter. First name please :) and Thank you. 


This is just the beginning I have collected many stories and photos from both sides of my family. So stay Tuned as record my adventures digging in the family tree.......


PS I will be asking family members to check in an verify these photos...... 

New Ancestry Blog

I love to write and don't often have time. My newest quest has me digging into my family history it has been strangely comforting to catch a glimpse of those who lived before us. Their struggles and victories so strangely close to my own.

I have always loved HISTORY, now it has become personal. I have met several distant cousins along the way. Many pictures have been shared and I thought the blog would be a fun way to chronicle it all. Especially when I am excited over a new discovery as often there isn't anyone who quite understands the reason for my excitement...... *big sigh*