A Tombstone Exposed: John Clementine and Kissiah Abbie Willite

 
Some folks may think that the pursuit of our ancestors in cemeteries is a bit strange.  However, to those of us bitten by the genealogical bug, cemeteries are absolute gold mines of information and high on the list of places to visit to further our research.  Unfortunately, time and the elements have a way of eroding the tombstones of the dearly departed and can make them very difficult to decipher.  Such is the case with the monument marking the final resting place of my second great grandparents on my mother’s side of the family—John Clementine Fisher (b. 15 Oct 1866, d. 22 Jan 1926) and Kissiah Abbie Willhite (b. 23 Feb 1869, d. 1907).

Henry Elbert Wright: A Family Renaissance Man!

During my trip to Springfield, Missouri last year, I had the opportunity to interview many relatives and combine that information with multiple visits to the Springfield Green County Public Library for additional research on a number of family lines. One of my most pressing research goals was to learn more about my maternal great grandmother Pearl Davis’ first husband, Henry Elbert Wright (b. 8 Jan 1874, d. 1 Apr 1908). I actually descend from Pearl’s marriage to her second husband, Frank Grover Fisher and am not directly related to Henry Wright. However, he has been a fascinating figure I have wanted to learn more about for years.

The Marranada: Feast of the Pig!

The editor of the El Paso, Texas Cathedral High School alumni newsletter is Jose Luis Sanchez who also happens to be my father-in-law. “Chacho”, as his friends call him, is well known for his wit and wisdom which is evident in the various captivating short stories he has penned over the years. Many of them are oriented towards friends and family and are definitely gems worth reprinting to include the one below.

A Ballgame, Tall Tales and a Chance to Meet Cousins!

Back in early August I had one of those rare opportunities to actually meet, for the first time, cousins discovered in the past two years while researching my family history. I was fortunate in that my business required me to travel to Arlington, Texas for a conference that coincidentally put me in close proximately to both Jim and John Slack. We are all second cousins from our common great grandfather, John W. Slack (b. Nov 23, 1873, d. Apr 5, 1959).

Gaining Pounds the Healthy Way!

Webster’s dictionary defines “serendipity” as “a surprising and unexpected discovery”. During the past few months, “serendipity” is more than adequate to describe the unexpected find of Albert Hersel Pound’s (b. 12 Sep 36, d. 18 Feb 77) family, and mine too! A small tidbit of information I gathered in April during a trip to St. Louis, Missouri turned out to be crucial in guiding me to four living aunts, an uncle and over 15, first cousins I never knew I had.

Henrietta E. Wright: Teacher and a "Grand Aunt"

Graduation time is upon us once again! In keeping with the season, here’s a graduation photo of Henrietta E. Wright (b. 8 Jun 1908 d. 6 Aug 1985). Henrietta was my maternal Grandmother Louise (Fisher) Slack’s half-sister, and my grand aunt. She went on to become an elementary school teacher and taught for various districts throughout Southwest Missouri for many years.

Louise Fisher: A Grade Card from the Roaring Twenties!

It’s May and that means one thing—the end of the traditional school year is upon us. Approximately nine months of lectures, homework, science projects and tests culminate into the dreaded grade card that some will recall reluctantly taking home for parental scrutiny. It’s an educational rite of passage that’s been around for generations. In line with the season, it seems fitting to post the eight grade report card for my maternal grandmother, Louise (Fisher) Slack (b. 24 Apr 1913 d. 9 Mar 1998).  Louise was a student at North Star school in Greene County Missouri for the 1926 fall and 1927 spring semesters. It’s one of my favorite family documents.