June Scavenger Hunt: Find a notable member of the community.

 For the prompt of "Find a notable member of the community," for June's Scavenger Hunt - I could think of no one more fitting than my cousin, Owen Hamner Beck.

*Tombstone photograph from Karen Waddell when she photographed the cemetery about ten years ago.*

To this day, in the Geneva and Smith Mills areas - you likely can't find a person who didn't know Hamner. From his barbecuing to his volunteer efforts around the community - I don't think there's a way Hamner didn't help out the area and its people.

Hamner was my Great-Grandma's (Lorene LaRue Blanford) first cousin. He was the son of Thomas Jesse Beck and his first wife, Laura Pearl LaRue, who was my Great-Great-Grandaunt.

He was an exceptionally close friend to my Great-Grandpa, Dick Blanford, and helped him do many things - including making apple cider. That's the photograph I've decided to share with y'all. Hamner (left in the picture) is helping Dick (center of the photo) with the apple cider process.

Hambone, as many called him, married Drusie Mae Gaines on November 7th, 1931, and they reared seven children together - two being stillborn. Of their surviving children - all were sons. I can only imagine how full Drusie's hands were as they were growing up.

In the 1940 census, the married couple and their children are living on the "Mt. Vernon Rd." and are neighbors of the Bishop's and Rhodes'. In the 1950 census, they're living on Highway 136 and are neighbors of the Dance's and Staser's. Back in those days, everyone knew everyone in that small community... and they were all related too, 😂

Hamner's wife, Drusie, preceded him in death on December 20th, 1990, and then he received his own set of Angel wings on January 25th, 2000. I was almost 7 when he passed - I don't remember Hamner from my childhood (I know I met him but, the memories are just too far back and too fuzzy), but I do remember Grandpa Jady talking about him often after Hamner passed. He always had a story to tell about his Dad and Hamner.

Hamner, like most of the other Beck's, lays resting in the Smith Mills Cemetery.

If y'all have any memories with Hamner, please feel free to share! I imagine several of y'all that are from Geneva and Smith Mills remember him and probably know his sons.

May Scavenger Hunt: Find someone who passed away young.

 Now, this person doesn't have an existing tombstone that I've been able to find... and that makes me want to highlight their short life even more. Those without a tombstone, in my opinion, deserve an extra little bit of thought, because they have no special place of memorial.

This is Laura Pearl (LaRue) Beck and she lived to see the age of 29... the same age I am right this very second.

Laura was born on March 8th, 1888, in Smith Mills, to Benjamin Hardin "Ben" LaRue and Mary Philapine (Lawrey) LaRue. She was one of at least eleven children. Unfortunately, Ben and Mary were plagued by children who would die at a young age.

When Laura was 23 years old, she married Thomas Jesse Beck on November 15th, 1911, in Posey County, Indiana.

Together, they reared three children before Laura's untimely passing. On September 26th, 1917, she passed away from pulmonary tuberculosis. Just 29 years young. The same age I am now... mind blowing, honestly.

Laura was a beautiful young lady. She looked a lot like her siblings - you could tell those LaRue genes were strong. (Or perhaps it's the Lawrey genes..?)

Laura was only about 11 years old when her mother passed away, and about 13 years old when her father passed away. Unfortunately, Laura's three children were even younger than that when they lost her.

Laura was likely buried in Smith Mills Cemetery near her parents -- but even their grave is unmarked. Laura's grave is as well. I'm not even sure what section of the Smith Mills Cemetery that it's in.. likely the older part.

Almost two years later, Laura's widower Thomas Jesse remarried to Mable Claybrook who was about ten years his junior. Together, they had a staggering SIXTEEN children. That's sixteen that I know about! There *could* be a miscarriage or stillbirth I'm unaware of.

Thomas Jesse Beck was the son of Isaac Lawrence Beck and Adrain "Ade" Willingham. He was about eight years old when his father died, and he was about ten when his mother died. Maybe this was something he and Laura connected with each other about.

(A little interesting tidbit to note for the LaRue family -- Laura's brother, Charles Clarence LaRue *my Great-Great-Grandfather* his second wife was Sarah (Beck) Staser. She was actually the niece of Isaac Lawrence Beck. Small town, huh?)

Thomas Jesse Beck lived to see the age of 79 - he passed on September 14th, 1971. His widow, Mable, lived to see 78; she passed away on March 7th, 1981. They are buried in Smith Mills Cemetery as well.

Now - y'all know I've got to do it... I've got to tell you about Laura and Thomas' three children, and then, as an added bonus, I've got to tell y'all about Thomas and Mable's sixteen.

The eldest, and the two youngest children of Thomas and Mable are still living. I will list them as I don't believe anyone here will have a problem with that/privacy and whatnot, but if any member of the family does reach out and wishes their names removed, I'll do so. 🙂 I feel like we're all family here and all related to each other (some of us closer than others lol) so hopefully no one has a problem with the post. 🙂

The three children of Laura (LaRue) Beck and Thomas Jesse Beck:

1. Owen Hamner "Hambone" Beck; born August 5th, 1912, died January 25th, 2000. He married Drusie Mae Gaines. They're buried in the Smith Mills Cemetery. (Hamner was a close friend of my Great-Grandpa, Dick Blanford. Hamner and Lorene (LaRue) Blanford were first cousins.)

2. Catherine Adrain (Beck) Gaines Newman; born November 25th, 1913, died January 6th, 2012. Her first husband was Clifford Gaines, second husband was Frank Newman. She and her first husband are buried in Fairmont Cemetery.

3. Norman Edward Beck; born January 25th, 1915, died February 10th, 1996. He married Beatrice McCormick first, then Mary Della Rice. He and Mary Della are buried in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.

The sixteen children of Thomas Jesse Beck and Mable Claybrook:

1. Naomi Ruth Beck; born in 1920. As far as I know - she is 101, going to turn 102 this year and still living! Talk about some longevity! Naomi was married to Shelby Curtis Harris who preceded her in death in 1993. Naomi lives up towards Indianapolis.

2. Lawrence Clifford "Pete" Beck; born February 15th, 1922, died June 24th, 2003. He married Ella Louise Williams. They're buried in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.

3. Thomas Jesse Beck Jr; born August 27th, 1923, died August 13th, 1924. He's buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

4. Alvin Richard Beck; born December 4th, 1924, died March 2nd, 2005. He married Nelda Sue Cowan. They're buried in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.

5. Calvin Charles Beck; born December 4th, 1924; died December 7th, 2006. He married Anna Mae Mills (who is still living). Calvin was buried in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.

6. Thomas Rudolph "Rudy" Beck; born September 7th, 1926; died May 8th, 1989. He married Virginia Sonday. They're buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in St. Charles, Missouri.

7. Joyce Louise (Beck) Hanley; born June 18th, 1928, died March 13th, 1992. She married Luther Dixon Hanley. (Their son Jim Hanley is a noted member of our community!) Joyce and Luther are buried in St. Louis Cemetery.

8. Bennie Lee Beck; stillborn on January 27th, 1931. He's buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

9. Billy Donald Beck; born February 11th, 1932; died January 22nd, 1989. He married Rubye Parker. They're buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

10. Jerry Wayne Beck; born August 25th, 1934; died March 31st, 1990. He married Patricia Ann Wimber. They're buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

11. Franklin M. Beck; born April 8th, 1937, died August 30th, 1937. He's buried in the Smith Mills Cemetery.

12. Thomas Larry Beck; born October 23rd, 1938, died May 7th, 2000. His first wife was Vivian Joyce Elmore, his second was Melva Louise Westerman. He's buried with Melva in Smith Mills Cemetery.

13. Phyllis Jean Beck; born March 13th, 1940, died October 3rd, 1940. She's buried in Smith Mills Cemetery.

14. Barbara Sue Beck; born July 7th, 1941, died July 9th, 1941. She's buried in the Smith Mills Cemetery.

15. Scarlett F Beck; still living. Previously married to Chester Ervin Jr, currently married to Billy Herron.

16. Linda P Beck; still living. Married to Harold Fulkerson.

So.. there you have it. All nineteen children of Thomas Jesse Beck... three with his first wife, sixteen with his second wife. And if you'll notice -- only ONE set of twins. However, it seems Thomas and Mable name three different children with the first name of "Thomas." Thomas Jesse Beck Jr, Thomas Rudolph "Rudy" Beck, and Thomas Larry Beck. I guess they really liked the name Thomas, huh?

Hopefully in the Beck line, someone names a daughter "Laura Pearl," in the future. I think that would be a lovely homage to Laura Pearl (Beck) LaRue who died so young. This is almost 105 years later and her memory remains.

Thanks for reading along about my Great-Great-Grandaunt this evening. I'm sure a lot of Beck cousins are about to pop up out of the woodwork so, hello to all of you from a LaRue cousin!

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!