Great Grandpa Bell's Birthday

146 years ago today, June 29, Cicero C Bell was born in Kentucky.  He grew up in Wayne County with his Mother, Martha E. Bell and brother John and sister Laura.  They all lived in the household of his grandparents, John Silas and Rutha Bell.

At 22, he married Mittie Ramsey on March 17, 1891.  In 1892, their son Frank was born and in 1894 another son, George Oren, was born.  They moved to Smith County, Texas by 1897 and a daughter, Leavey was born in Texas.  Then in September of 1900, Mittie gave birth to another son, W. C., but she was sick with malaria.  She and the baby died the same day, and the little girl died one month later.  Cicero moved his boys back to Kentucky. 

On March 17, 1901, exactly ten years after his first marriage, he wed Allie Vickrey.  Allie was a widow with a two-year-old son, Bill. Cicero and Allie were the parents of four sons, Ben, Edd, Stan and Virgil.

Cicero farmed in Kentucky and Texas.  He tried running a general store in Somerset, Kentucky for a year.  He then worked in a railroad shop in Illinois for a short time, but not happy in Illinois he moved the family back to Kentucky.  They lived and farmed in the Ferguson vicinity of Pulaski county. 

A few years later he moved his family to Wellston, Oklahoma where one of Allie's sisters lived, and picked cotton for a living.  Cicero's sister lived in Jewell County, Kansas, so about 1910, they moved to Kansas.  Then in 1925, he moved across a state line for the final time and settled in Giltner, Nebraska.  His last years were spent living in Aurora.

About 1939, Cicero suffered a stroke which left him bedridden.  He died on April 4, 1944 at age 74.  He was survived by 7 grandsons, 8 granddaughters, two great-grandchildren.

From his obituary in the Aurora News-Register:  "He was a kind husband, father and friend.  The needs of his neighbor and friends were ever his dear concern.  His kind and gentle manner made him a peacemaker, and Jesus said, "Blessed are the peace-makers; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

This photo of his sons was taken at his funeral.

Great Grandpa Mann's Birthday

Clarence Lemuel Mann would be 137 years old on June 18th, 2015.  He was born in 1878 in Peoria County, Illinois, the youngest son and second youngest child of William and Nancy Mann.  Of his 11 siblings, 5 did not survive childhood. His mother passed away when he was 16.

The Mann family came to Gage County, Nebraska when Clarence was about 2-1/2 years old.  July 5,1899 was the beginning of over 69 years of holy matrimony with Cora Gaisford.  Their family consisted of ten girls and four sons, the youngest son died at 4 months old.  

For most of his working years, he farmed in Jefferson and Gage counties using horses all through his farming career.  He moved to Beatrice about 1935 and worked for Dempster Mills for 9 years to the day, retiring in 1952.  In 1942, Clarence and Cora bought a home in Beatrice where they spent the rest of their lives.

Great Grandpa Clarence died in Beatrice, Nebraska on October 18, 1968 at age 90.  In addition to 13 children, he was survived by 39 grandchildren, 60 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.  I was one of the 60.

Slave Name Roll Project - Mattingly's in Early America

Having ancestors who owned slaves is a shameful and embarrassing thing, but the wrong thing to do is hide that fact.  There are descendants of those people who are trying to find any and all information about them.  Their names are often included in the Wills and Deeds of the owners.

This is my latest contribution to The Slave Name Roll Project, which was initiated by Schalene Jennings Dagutis in her blog Tangled Roots and Trees.  It is a way of assisting slave descendants in finding their ancestors by releasing their names and making them available through search engines. 

Temporarily, I have possession of a copy of the book "The Mattingly Family in Early America", by Herman E. Mattingly, 1975.  There are various references to Negroes mostly from the Maryland counties of Ann Arundel, Prince George, Charles and St Mary's.  I have extracted the following references to the named Negroes from the book.


Page 33 - From The Accounts Book for Ann Arundel County, Maryland, Provincial Court Judgments, Book #4, Pg 325.  "The records of the March Court of 1747 show that Clement Mattingly received a Negro, Bazil, levy free."

Page 45-46 - From Father James Walton's Diary {Jesuit Provincial House, Baltimore, Md}.  "Catherine and Peter Mattingly were sponsors at the baptism December 10, 1769, of Mildred, a Negro of Athan. and Ann Ford."

Page 76 - From Ann Arundel County Deeds, Book 1, Page 174.  "He {William Mattingly "of Baltimore"} bought two slaves, Simon and Vulcan, from Thomas Johnson in 1742.

Page 80 - From Prince George County, Maryland Land Records Book HH, Page 245 (1785-1787)  In Prince George County in 1787  "Martha Scott gave up "to my son-in-law, Joseph Mattingly, the Negro Tobey, as his wife's part of her father's estate."  


Page 93 - From the Will of John Mattingly, St. Mary's County, Book 30, Page 649 and Book TA #1, Page 382.  "Fourthly, I give to my son John after my wife's decease one Negro woman named Sarah."

Page 96 - From the Will of Thomas Mattingly, 1773, St. Mary's Co, Book 39, Page 350 and Book TA #1, Page 673.  "I give and bequeath to my four children, Ann Mattingly, Elizabeth Mattingly, Mary Mattingly and John Mattingly, my Negro wench Peggy and her children and young Charles to be equally divided among them and their heirs forever."  also "I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife my Negro fellow Charles to her and her heirs forever."

Page 97 - From the Will of Elizabeth Mattingly, 1773, St. Mary's Co, Book 39, Page 342 and Book TA #1, Page 650.  "I give and bequeath to my three daughtering laws, Ann Mattingly, Elizabeth Mattingly and Mary Mattingly my Negro fellow Charles to be equally divided between them and their heirs forever."

Page 99 - From the Will of Thomas Mattingly, 1774 (father of above Thomas Mattingly) St. Mary's Co., Book 40, Page 99 and Book TA #1, Page 679.  "My desire is that my son Leonard Mattingly have the use of my Negro fellow Harry during his natural life, and after his decease said Negro to return in and be added to my personal estate.


Page 101 - From the Will of Dorothy Mattingly, 1774, St. Mary's Co., Book JJ #1, Page 25.  "My Negro lad who is now hired to Doctor Edward Sim, in Charles County and given to me by my grandfather, Mr. Ignatius Doyn, deceased, I give and bequeath to my beloved sister Ann Mattingly with the wages which will be due from aforesaid Sims at Christmas next for the hire of the said Negro Sam."

 Page 103-104 - From the Will of Robert Mattingly, 1776, St. Mary's Co., Book 41, Page 218 and Book HH #1, Page 13.  "My will and desire is that Mr. George Booth shall have it fully in his power to set up at publick on the day with ye other part of my estate is sold my two Negroes Jack and Tom in order to pay certain debts, which he is bound to Cunningham Finlay & Co., and Mrs. John Glassford and Company and likewise debts due himself and the residue if any to be paid into the hands of my executor."

Page 105 - From the Will of Edward Mattingly, 1778, St. Mary's Co., Book JJ #1, Page 38.  "I give to my nephew Joseph Mattingly, son of my brother, James, deceased, my Negro man, Jr." and "I give to my niece and goddaughter, Ann Millard, one Negro boy Naie (?)."   Also, "I give to my niece, Ann Spalding, daughter of my sister Eliza Ford, my Negro boy Soln." and "I also give to said John Baptist (my brother) my Negro Dic, Pegg, his wife, Appalona; also Jack, Win, his wife, and Bob, their child." 

Page 110 - From the Will of Luke Mattingly, 1783, St. Mary's Co., Book JJ #1, Page 245.  "Item.  I give and bequeath to my daughter, Anastasia Spalding, wife of Joseph Spalding, one Negro girl named Jenny.  Item.  I give and bequeath to my daughter, Elizabeth Spalding, wife of Thomas Spalding, one Negro girl named Lender.  Item.  I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann Wimsatt, wife of Richard Wimsatt, one Negro girl named Ally, and one Negro girl named Lucy.  Item.  I give and bequeath to my son, Bennett Mattingly, one Negro man named Joseph, and my handmill and still, but my wife to be allowed to make use of the still when she wants it.  Item.  I give and bequeath unto my son, Zachariah Mattingly, one Negro man called Basil."  Also, "Item.  I will and desire that my aforesaid daughter-in-law, Dorothy Knott, have the sole use of the following Negroes, to wit:  Sarah and her children, to wit, Sarah, David, and James, during her life.  Item.  I give and bequeath to my daughter, Mary Ford Mattingly, one Negro girl named Henny, and one Negro boy called Harry."

Page 113-114 - From the Will of Priscilla Mattingly, 1790, St. Mary's Co., Book JJ #1, Page 507.  "I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Ford Mattingly, one seal skin trunk, three pewter dishes, and six plates, and one third part of a Negro girl called ------Nan."

* A note of interest - Mary Ford Mattingly's Will is also included in this book and there are no mentions of any slaves in it.

Page 122 - From the Will of Joseph Mattingly, 1806, Charles Co., Book AL #12, Page 339.  "Secondly and lastly, I give and bequeath unto my dearly and well beloved wife Monica Mattingly, a Negro woman named Beck, and all other property I may die possessed of after paying my just debts."

Page 123 - From the Will of Bennet Mattingly, St. Mary's Co., Book JJ #3, Page 177.  "Item.  I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Eloisa Mattingly one Negro man named Benjamin, one bay mare called Pigion, 3 ewes and lambs, one cow and calf, one feather bed and furniture, to her and her heirs.  Item.  I give and bequeath unto my beloved son, Sylvester Mattingly, one Negro man named John, one sorrel colt, 3 years old, and my bridle and saddle, all my wearing apparel, 3 ewes and lambs, one cow and calf, one good bed and furniture, and my hand mill."

Page 126 - From the Will of Ignatius Mattingly, 1807, St. Mary's Co., Book JJ #3, Page 162.  "Item.  I give and bequeath unto my dear wife Eleanor one Negro boy called George, one bed and furniture, two cows and calves, one yoke of oxen, one horse and mare, one side saddle.  Item.  I give and bequeath unto my daughter Eleanor one Negro boy called Joe, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture, one hair trunk.  Item.  I give and bequeath unto my daughter Susannah Catherine one Negro woman called Lucy, one desk and one cow and calf.  Item.  I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ann Caroline one Negro woman called Terry and her child called Clem, one bed and furniture, one walnut tea table."  Also, "Item.  I give and bequeath unto my son Ignatius and also unto my daughter Terrecy Spalding one Negro boy called Mike to be equally divided between them both.  My will and desire is one Negro boy called Lewis should be sold to pay my just debts.

Page 130 - 1763 Wills, Charles Co., MD, Book 31, Page 982; Book AE #6, Page 85 "Will of Ignatius Doyne.  "I give to my son Joseph Doyne, 3 L 10s, sterling money; my granddaughter, Ann Mattingly lives till age 16, give her my Negro girl named Agnes.  Wm Leigh and his wife having use of this slave till Ann Mattingly arrives at age 16.   My granddaughter, Dorothy Mattingly, arrives age 16, then I give her my Negro boy, Sam.  (7-19-1763; 8-15-1763)."

Page 201 - 1794 St. Mary's County, Md. Father Walton, S. J., recorded Easter communicants at S. Inigoes and at Patuxent, among them the following MATTINGLY's.  (Cf. "The Jesuit Missions of St. Mary's County, Md." by Edwin Beitzell, p. 82).

Negroes
Ellen - Luke's
Stephen - d's (Ed's?)
Josias - Thomas'
Moses - Thomas'
Sara - Joseph's
Winny - Thomas'
Ignatius - Thomas'
Gerard - Thomas'
Moses - Thomas'
Joseph - Luke's
Elizabeth - Ed's
Dick - Thomas'
Frank - Luke's
Matthew - Luke's
Phyllis - Luke's
Baptist - Luke's
Ignatius - Luke's
Sara - Luke's
Sara - Ed's

Friday's Faces from the Past - by J. J. Willy

Both of these photographs have the name "J. J. Willy" written on them in the place typically used for the photographer's name.  The young woman is so nicely dressed.  It's hard to see but I think she has a cameo pin on her collar.  The toddler looks like a boy to me.  They may or may not be related to each other.  Neither one of them is related to me as far as I know.  The photos were among many others left in the Old Trunk in the Attic with my Grandma, most likely belonging to her mother Sadie McGrath or her Aunt Alice Negley.  These people could be family friends from around Hamilton or Clay County, Nebraska.  It might also be that they are distant relatives from Iowa.  

If you believe you know who either of these two are, please leave a comment!