A History by Jean Jenkins Breshears

Cover page has:    "Our Family Heritage and Our Family Tree / Talley, Gentry, Buchanan, Ruhl, Bishop, Jenkins, Breshears / Compiled by Jean Jenkins Breshears"

Jean is a second cousin of mine, though we've never met. She's part of the family that hails from Douglas County, Missouri. I tried to contact her but was unsuccessful. I hope she's okay with me publishing this work of hers.

Tab way down to the bottom of the labels on the right, for the text to begin.

Transcription of handwritten notes on page 10:

Note on far left:  I'm sure that Pansy never knew but also sure that she had questions too as Ethel did. She said it was just Taboo, you just never said any thing on this or similar subjects, why the Buchanan's never saw the Ruhl's etc.

Note in middle of page:  Nichols Family. Wonder if all of you would write a little of your parents life, what they worked at, were they active in things. I remember when your mother passed away, but I never knew her. Then I'll write a little and put in book.
The last 30 years or so Ethel has talked lots of their growing years. Nothing was ever talked, Uncle Wiley has this book and he said it had answered so many many questions he had, had all of his life. He was very glad to get it.
I'm sure Ethel and Pansy are not full sisters, the bitterness went on long before Pansy's birth and grandma said it always made John Henry so mad that his name was used but that was Emmer's name, even tho they had been divorced for years. Ethel's seventeen half brothers and sisters and 5 step brothers and sisters but to her they were all whole and she loved all of them. I hope I haven't done wrong by sharing this; but knew you could never get the history if not now. If had been me, I would.....   

Anne (Maynard) Johnson

Anne Maynard married Edward Turpin Johnson. They were the parents of Martha Ellen (Mattie) Johnson who married George Delbert Nichols.

Top of frame: Mattie Nichols' mother married Edward Turpin Johnson. Married and lived at Raleigh, N.C.
Side of frame: Moved to Tennessee. Leroy's grandfather fought in Confederate Army.
Bottom of frame: Leroy's Grandmother

     In Aunt Vera's family history, she wrote: "My mother's father was Edward Turpin Johnson, married Anne Maynard, Lee's grandfather and grandmother. He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, moved to Tennessee and fought in the civil war. He was wounded in the war and died a few years afterwards."

Leroy is Leroy Johnson, is the son of Jesse Andrew Johnson and unknown. He lived with George Delbert and Martha Ellen (Mattie) after his mother died. Lee is Albert Lee Nichols.

A History by Vera Nichols Rumsey

The following are pages of research my great aunt Vera gave to my mom. Some of this information was told to her by various relatives, and some was copied out of library books. And it looks like she joined them up at some point, hit or miss, you tell me. I remember Vera as an elderly, slightly senile lady. I'm not sure if that was her state when she wrote this history. But I'm still appreciative of the work she did, and for the many photos she took of her nieces and nephews.

I made these pages large so they can be more easily read.  The smaller ones looked neater, but were too hard to make out. Space down a long way to get to the text.

Robert Wiley Timeline

1819 - Robert Wiley born in Kentucky on December 18, according to a family Bible once owned by Nancy Jane Steele (per Ancestry family tree).

1840 - Robert Wiley married Eliza Jane McCord on 15 Jan 1840 in Marshall County, Tennessee. From Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 on Ancestry.com.

1840 - Daughter Mary Lucinda Wiley born October 12.

[Eliza Jane Wiley died OR they divorced]

1857 - Robert Wiley married Nancy J. Steele on 6 Sep 1857 in Marshall County, Tennessee. From Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 on Ancestry.com.

1860 - Census - Marshall County, Tennessee

Wiley, Robert 41 b. abt 1819 in Kentucky, Blacksmith

Wiley, Nancy J. 25 b. abt 1835 in Tennessee, Housekeeping

1870 - Census - Finley, Douglas County, Missouri

Wiley, Robert 51 b. abt 1819 in Kentucky, Blacksmith

Wiley, Nancy J. 34 b. abt 1835 in Tennessee

1880 - Census - Johnson, Sharp County, Arkansas

Wiley, Robert 61 1819

Wiley, Nancy J. 44 1836 wife

Steele, Nancy M. 77 1803 mother-in-law, widow, Knitting (occupation)

Stubblefield, Joseph 27 1853 laborer

1887 - Died July 27 (from Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1879-1903)

1887 - Buried at St. Paul Cemetery in Sharp County, Arkansas. Tombstone reads: Lieut. Robt. Wiley, b. unk. d. unk., Co C, 4th Tenn Mt'd Inf (can be seen on find-a-grave).

Edward Talley and Mary Lucinda Wiley

Edward Talley

Born: 29 Jan 1829 in Virginia or North Carolina

Married: 10 Dec 1854 in Marshall County, Tennessee

Died: 24 Jan 1879

Buried: Denney Cemetery, Ava, Douglas, MO

Spouse:

Mary Lucinda Wiley

Born: 12 Oct 1840 in Marshall County, Tennessee

Died: 13 Feb 1933 in Springfield, Greene, MO at the home of her daughter Emmer Ruhl

Buried: 14 Feb 1933 in Denney Cemetery, Ava, Douglas, MO.

* * *

The text of her obituary from the Douglas County Herald dated 16 February 1933:

Mrs. Mary L. Gentry was born October 12, 1840, in Marshall County, Tennessee, and died 2/13/1933, age 92 years, 4 months, 1 day. She was married in 1854 to Edward Talley. To this union four children were born, all of whom survive, Mrs. Amanda Buchanan, Sperry, OK; Robert Talley, Belle Plains, KS; Bettie Williamson, Ava, MO; and Emmer Ruhl, Springfield, MO. Following the death of her husband, she was married again in 1880 to Oliver Gentry, and after his death, made her home with her children, lately with her daughter, Emmer, in Springfield. She had enjoyed exceptionally good health all her life and was ill only a short time. She was a member of the Christian Church. She leaves besides her children, 16 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren, and 22 gr-gr-grandchildren. Short funeral services were held in Springfield with 6 grandchildren acting as pall bearers; Mattie McDaniel, Annie Smith, Ethel Bishop, Mary Groce, Maud Chapman, and Lola Cullison. The body was then removed to the Gentry cemetery, west of Ava, where burial took place with 6 grandsons as pall bearers: Charley Gentry, Hobart Gentry, Oscar Gentry, Preston Gentry, Edgar Hartley, and J. E. Williamson.

Notes:

• The marriage year of Mary Lucinda and Oliver Gentry was about 1884, according to 1900 US Census.
• Death certificate for Mary Lucinda Gentry can be seen at Missouri Digital Heritage.
• Gravestone for Edward and Mary Talley can be seen at Find-a-grave. The Gentry cemetery is currently called the Denney Cemetery.

Martha Ellen Johnson Obituary and Death Certificate

Martha Ellen (Mattie) Johnson Nichols on left, other woman unknown.

* * *

* * *

From The Cairo Evening Citizen and Bulletin, dated Friday, January 8, 1937:

Deaths

Mrs. Bert Nichols

Mrs. Mattie Johnson Nichols, widow of the late Bert Nichols, died this morning at the home of Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Reid at 511 Twenty-fourth street, where she has made her home the past year.

Mrs. Nichols was born April 4, 1867, and has resided in Cairo for the past 56 years.

She leaves to mourn her death, a daughter, Mrs. S. T. Rumsey of Decatur, Ill, two sons, T. V. Nichols and Bert Nichols of St. Louis, also a nephew, Leroy Johnson of Cairo.

Her husband, the late Bert Nichols, died eight years ago, having served on the police force here for thirty-five years.

Mrs. Nichols was an active member of the Cairo Baptist church and attended the Missionary society when her health permitted. She was a cheerful worker of the Amoma Sunday school class.

The body will be sent to Miller, Ohio, for burial. Friends of Mrs. Nichols may call at the Agey-Stainforth Mortuary to view the remains between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. today.

Mrs. Lillie Barnes of Olmstead, a lifelong friend of Mrs. Nichols, was called, arriving here this morning.

Rev. W. C. Hart will conduct a brief prayer service at the funeral home at 8:45 o'clock tonight.

Lernon & Mary Spriggs Family

The husband in this family has been listed in census and various records as Limon, Lemon, Lemmon, L. S., Lehman and Leman. I tried putting a copy of their marriage record at the top of this page, but it was too light to read. His name was spelled both Lehman and Leman in the one record! You can see it at familysearch.com under the name Leman Spriggs, using the marriage information listed below. My mother told me long ago his name was Lernon. I'll use that name unless I learn otherwise.

Lernon S. Spriggs

Born: 1835 in Ohio

Married: 05 Feb 1857 in Scioto County, Ohio

Lived: St Clair County, Illinois; Perry County, Missouri; Ripley County, Missouri

Died: after 1900

Spouse:

Mary E. Lowry

Born: about 1836 in Ohio

Died: 10 Sep 1880

Buried: Walnut Hill Cemetery, Belleville, St Clair, Illinois (no grave marker)

1st child:

Emma Spriggs

Born: about 1863 in Illinois

2nd child:

Nellie L. Spriggs

Born: 29 Jul 1866 or 1867 in Mount Vernon, Jefferson, IL

First Marriage: 03 May 1892 in Jasper County, MO to Emerson Laney

Second Marriage: between 1900 and 1902 to George Silies

Died: 24 Feb 1944 in St Louis, MO

Buried: Calvary Cemetery, St Louis, MO

3rd child:

Charles Edwin Spriggs

Born: 14 Oct 1868 or 1869 in Mount Vernon, Jefferson, IL

Married: 1899 or 1900 to Emma Missouri Nance (born Feb 1882)

Died: 3 Mar 1953 in Longtown, Perry, MO

Buried: 5 Mar 1953 in York Chapel Cemetery, Longtown, Perry, MO

4th child:

Leora M. Spriggs (male child)

Born: 26 May 1871

Married: 14 Oct 1897 in Brazeau, Perry, MO to Nora L. Rhyne (born 10 Aug 1877; died Oct 1970)

Died: 15 Feb 1945

Buried: Littleton Cemetery, Littleton, Colorado