May Scavenger Hunt: Find someone 80+ years old.

 (I can't for the life of me find my tombstone photo of John & Maria's grave, so I'm using one taken by the wonderful Karen Waddell for Find-a-Grave.)

For the May Scavenger Hunt -- "Find someone 80+ years old."

Well, how about two people 80+ years old? My Great-Great-Great-Grandparents - John Byrd and Maria (Moore) Byrd. John was 82 and Maria was 83 when they passed.

Settle on in, because this one will be a long one. I have plenty of information about my 3x Grandparents and their children - which they had QUITE a passel of!

John Byrd was born on August 27th, 1839, in Posey County, Indiana, to John Byrd and Susannah "Susan" Schweitzer. His parents were pioneers of the county and through them, I'm eligible to join the "Society of Indiana Pioneers." I'm ecstatic about that!

Maria Moore (her first name goes back and forth between Maria and Mariah) was born on March 31st, 1849, in Posey County, Indiana, to Solomon "Sol" Moore and Sarah Keeling. Both sets of her Grandparents are considered Indiana Pioneers -- Elihu Moore and Jane Nesler, & Littleton Keeling and Elizabeth Byrd.

(John and Maria were 1st cousin 1x removed through their Byrd line.)

John's and Maria's families were both from the area of Posey County known as "Black Township."

John and Maria said "I do" on November 24th, 1864 in Posey County. Sometime between the 1870 and 1880 censuses - they moved their family to the Smith Mills area of Henderson County, Kentucky.

Together, they had at least twelve children (that I've found. 12 is also the number of children Maria reports in the 1900 census.)

John was a lifelong farmer. From what I gather in census - the last farm they had, at least in the 1920 census, was on Trigg-Hooper Road. I'm not sure how long they lived at that farm. The 1900 census doesn't have the road listed that they live on. The 1880 certainly doesn't. I looked at the 1880 Land Atlas for Henderson County and wasn't able to find his name - so I'm guessing he wasn't prominent enough of a land owner, yet, to be listed.

John departed this life on January 2nd, 1922. He was 82 years of age. His cause of death was endocarditis, and contributory was chronic nephritis.

Maria in the 1930 census is located on "Sanderfur Hill Road" in the Smith Mills area living with her son, John.

Maria departed this life on May 15th, 1932. She was 83 years of age. Her cause of death is a bit difficult to make out on the death certificate but I believe it says senile gangrene which is a particular type of gangrene that happens to elderly people. I think the death certificate mentions it was in her leg and foot?

John and Maria are located in Smith Mills Cemetery with countless other members of the family. They're in the "older" part of the cemetery.

Even after John and Maria were gone - the Byrd siblings tried their best to stay close-knit. They had annual family reunions that were humongous. Even making the newspaper a few times.

(I found one newspaper clipping from July 4th, 1939, saying they'd had their reunion at Mesker Park and that over 100 attendees were there.)

They had at least 64 grandchildren through their 11 children that lived past childhood. The amount of great-grandchildren, trust me, is close to 200. And great-great-grandchildren? Geez. That number is likely 300-400.

I don't believe John or Maria were Catholic - I know Maria's funeral was held at the Smith Mills Baptist Church (states so in her obituary) but MANY of their offspring, and especially their Grandchildren, ended up members of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church here in Henderson.

About their children...

1. Charles "Charlie" Byrd; born October 25th, 1865, died March 25th, 1944. He married Laura A. Martin on August 6th, 1884. They're buried in Fairmont Cemetery.

2. William Martin "Bill" Byrd; born August 27th, 1867, died September 14th, 1946. He married Mary "Polly" Shanks on October 11th, 1887. They're buried in Smith Mills Cemetery. (His tombstone reads September 16th.. that's the day he was buried.)

3. Ida May (Byrd) Turner; born May 15th, 1869, died March 24th, 1964. She married John Henry Turner on January 1st, 1890. They're buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

4. James Rusk Byrd; born July 16th, 1872, died September 4th, 1956. He married Anna Mae Bell on January 8th, 1896. They're buried in Fernwood Cemetery.

5. Jonathan Benjamin "Ben" Byrd; born October 27th, 1873, died November 8th, 1949. He married Sadie Goldsmith on April 27th, 1898. They're buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

6. John Henry Byrd; born February 27th, 1876, died April 15th, 1948. He married Emma Mae Southard. They're buried in Fairmont Cemetery.

7. Easter Mae "Esther" (Byrd) McDonald; born September 9th, 1878, died July 28th, 1938. She married Charles Louis McDonald on November 20th, 1895. They're buried in Oakland & Fraternal Historic Cemetery Park in Little Rock, Arkansas. They were the parents of Floella McDonald - when Floella was 12 years old in 1927, she was found murdered in the Little Rock First Presbyterian Church. The culprit was the son of the janitor... but they lynched another man before figuring that out.

8. Rosa Lily (Byrd) Cartwright; born April 25th, 1882, died October 23rd, 1956. She married Marcus Edna Cartwright (he was a Civil War Veteran and 44 years her senior). She's buried in Park Lawn Cemetery in Evansville.

9. Carrie Annie (Byrd) LaRue; My Great-Great-Grandmother; born October 28th, 1884, died June 29th, 1955. She married Charles Clarence LaRue on April 27th, 1904. They're buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

10. Sallie Maria Byrd; born April 11th, 1887, died January 16th, 1899. She was just shy of 12 years old. She's buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

11. Thomas Harmon "Tom" Byrd; born August 26th, 1889, died June 11th, 1963. He married Margaret Cecelia Sauer. They're buried in Saint Ann Cemetery in Morganfield.

12. Verna Mae (Byrd) Southard; born January 29th, 1892, died November 5th, 1956. She married William Harrison Southard on June 14th, 1919. They're buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Indiana.

Thank you for taking the time to go on this Byrd filled journey with me today!