Hi, Would someone forward me a copy of Volume 99: Issue 107...of the Harper Digest Mine was acciently deleated... Thanks, Patricia Schiro [email protected]

This account of the Smith, Lowe & Conner Feud is taken from a chapter in Gunsmoke in the Redlands by Joseph F. Combs. It is published by the Neylor Company (Book Publisher of the Southwest, San Antonio, TX) All credit is due the author: Chapter 19 continues...this is the extremely condensed version. The Conners also told the public, through letters, that they were innocent of the crime of which they were charged, and would not submit to trial under the circumstances. They reminded the people of the county that they had always helped to build good schools, roads and churches; that all their family had, through the years, contributed to the support of the public institution at every opportunity. They claimed that they were being persecuted, and did not propose to stand still and permit it to be done any more. The Conners had several hound dogs that were well trained to hunt livestock, trail human beings, and guard their masters. The Conner horses were almost as well trained as the dogs. The dogs were sent out on searching trips to see if any officers were in the vicinity. The feud was not at the point of no return. Local officers asked for a detail of Texas Rangers to help arrest the Conners. They were sent to Sabine Co. but their unfamiliarity with the dense woods of that region, made it impossible for them to find the Conners, and they returned to Austin with the explanation that there was no way to locate them without better organization. (The local officers had refused to cooperate with the rangers.) A second Ranger force was sent to the coutry and this time the Texas Rangers were successful in finding a man well acquainted with the back coutry region where the Conners were hiding, who agreed to act as guide. They slowly worked their from south to north through the thickets day by day. There was a close discovery one day but the Conners were clever in the use of their dogs & horns using tactics that confused the Rangers. A day or two later, however, the party located the headquarters of the Conners, then quietly waited until sunup the next morning. The raid began when two separate Ranger squads were moving about 80 yards apart from each other were fired upon by the Conners who were concealed behind trees & brush. The firing distance was between 20 to 30 feet. Private J.H. Moore fell dead with the first volley fired by the Conners. Captain William Scott, commander of Company F, Texas Rangers, Frontier Forces, Sergeant Brooks, and Private Rogers each fired two or three shots before being disabled, each having received serious wounds. The four citizens (W.W. Weathered, James Polly Henry Harris and Mr. Toole) with the Rangers refused to take part in the fight. Nevertheless, Bill Conner was killed during the fight with four wounds. Willis, Fed and John Conner made their escape Fed being possibly wounded. The Conners also lost their pack horse during the firing. Their camp equipment was also destroyed. The Conner dogs which were so well trained would attack when ordered to do so, as they probably did on every occation when the Conners were being pursued by the law. After the fight the Captain killed four of their dogs. With one dead and three wounded in their squad the rangers stopped their attack and rushed the wounded to Hemphill for medical aid. As far as the records show, the rangers didn't go back to Sabine Co. in search of the Conners again. They were no match for the Conners in a fight in the brush. The Conners were crack shots as well as brave and determined men itas said that when Bill Conner fell mortally wounded, he continued to fire from his knees. The same was said of Capt. Scott who it was said that he fired his Winchester as long as he was able & then even crawled closer to the Conners on his hands and knees to get a better shot. Over 100 shots were fired in the battle. With Charles in the penitentiary, and Bill dead, Uncle Willis had only two left to help him fight the officers. Fed and John were still with him, and they made plans for their final stand. After plans were made John went into the woods for a short ride. He was never hard from again. Some believed he left the region to find a place where he could change his name & live in peace and start life over again. Others believed his enemies had caught him alone. Murdered him and done away with his body and horse. Neither theory was every proved, and ther whereabouts of young John Conner of Sabine Co. fame, is still a mystery. Eventually due the fame of the Conners as gunmen in the region, the best gunmen were afraid to stand face to face with them and slug it out. For some reason the Rangers were not called upon for any further service. Instead, a private detective disguised as a cattle buyer was sent into the county. The detective discovered that the two Conners traveled a certain trail one day a week for supplies sent to them by relatives. Officers were notified and eventually hid in a shack waiting for Uncle Willis and Fed. To be continued...

This account of the Smith, Lowe & Conner Feud is taken from a chapter in Gunsmoke in the Redlands by Joseph F. Combs. It is published by the Neylor Company (Book Publisher of the Southwest, San Antonio, TX) All credit is due the author: In Chapter 19 it states: "One of the most tragic affairs ever to occur in the East TX region was that of the Conner family. This feud began when the bodies of Eli Lowe and Kit Smith were found in the Holly Bottom, a desolate region of Sabine County, on December 5, 1883. The Conners were accused of killing these men, because there had been some trouble between them for two or three years. The Lowe, Smith and Conner families were known throughout the region as law abiding people, so the trouble was evidently due to a misunderstanding." "Willis Conner's sons, Fed and Charles, were jointly indicted for the murder of Lowe and Smith. They were jointly tried in the District Court of Sabine County which was presided over by Judge J.J. Perkins. Fed Conner was convicted of murder in the first degree and given a life term in the penitentiary. Charles Conner was convicted of murder in the second degree, and his punishment was assessed at a term of twenty-five years. The conviction of Charles Conner was later affirmed by a higher court, but the conviction of Fed Conner was reversed and remanded for retrial by the District Court." "Law enforcement officers hounded the Conner family and public sentiment appeared to be strongly against them at that time. Edwin Harper of Hemphill, now advanced in years, is a grandson of Elmer Harper who was living in the region at the time Kit Smith and Eli Lowe were killed. Elmer Harper married Nannie Conner, and he handed down his version of the affair to their children and grandchildren. Edwin Harper has given the author the information he has, and this, together with the court records, form the basis for this story." "The feuding families lived in a densely forested region near the Sabine River Valley, about five or six miles east of Hemphill. The Conners were operators of a small farm and had several hundred head of livestock consisting mostly of hogs. In those days the virgin forests were unfenced and know as open range, so everyone's livestock had the run of this territory. The conners raised their hogs for market and depended upon the fruits of oaks, chinquapin, and other trees to feed their hogs." "At regular intervals the Conners had a roundup of their herds to determine the condition of the animals, and also to see if any were missing. Each hog had a certain ear mark which served as proof of ownership. The Conner family consisted of Uncle Willis and his six sons, BILL: FREREDICK M., known as FED; ALFRED, known as BUBBA; CHARLES; LEANDER; AND JOHN. They ran all of their herds together and as the young men married, they built their homes in the same neighborhood. This soon gave rise to the name of "Conner Community." "Educational facilities were meager in those days and elderly men and women were often the advisers of the younger generation on public questions. Uncle Willis, a sort of philosopher, was one of these advisers, and his opinions were respected by almost everyone. The Lowes and Smiths also had elderly persons who were noted for their superior intelligence. Uncle Willis supported the campaigns for better schools and improved roads, as well as other progressive movements. His activities brought the wrath of his opponents down upon his head, and the community began to divide along lines of political philosophy. Uncle Willis was the leader of one faction, and the elderly people in the Lowe and Smith families represented the opposite opinions." "Dances and various types of gatherings where the young men and women from the different families mingled together were common. On one occasion, Kit Smith and Charles Conner had a disagreement about who would play the violin at a dance. This disagreement was not peaceful settled----both carried a grudge and quarreled a frequent intervals. Their differences grew when suspicions arose over the loss of hogs on the range. Witnesses at the trials of the Conner men said that the Conners accused the Lowes of 'doggin their hogs, cutting off their tails, and the like'." Grudges grew larger and distrust took root in the minds of the Conners, as well as in the minds of the Smiths and Lowes. The feud was fast reaching a climax, and both parties are reported to have appeared armed most of the time. When the trouble between the two factions reached fever heat, the Conners made on of their periodic roundups of their livestock. Witnesses at the trials of Fed and Charles Conner testified that on the day Smith and Lowe were killed they had seen Willis, Fed, John, Charley and Bill Conner riding together along a trail in a direction to indicate they were going to where their livestock ranged." "At about the same time, families of Kit Smith and Eli Lowe testified that these two men left on a ride that would take time through the same region. This occurred on December 5, 1883. Smith and Lowe did not return, and a search party went into the woodlands to find them, or to determine why they had not returned home. Their bodies were found on a dim trail, and persons who were present declared they had been killed by someone who used shotguns, pistols and rifles. Their bodies had several wounds, any of which would have caused death." "Because the victims were found on the Conner range and because certain other acts of the Conners indicated their intention to put a stop to people "bothering my hogs," attention centered on them. All the Conner men were arrested and charged with the crime. Uncle Willis, John and Leander declared their innocence, as did Fed and Charles. The investigating officers found quite a bit of circumstantial evidence to implicate the Conner men in the crime, so Uncle Will and Charles, Fed, Bill and John, were charged with murder. They were placed in jail at Nacogdoches, and later taken to San Augustine, for their own safety. As stated before, Charles and Fed Conner were convicted and both appealed their cases to a higher court. In an opinion handed down by the appeals court it stated 'As to the conviction of Charles Conner, we find no error in it. There is no error in the charges as to him and in our opinion the evidence, leaving out of view the statements of Willis and William Conner, is sufficient to sustain the verdict of the jury. "The judgment as to Fed Conner is reversed and the cause as to him is remanded. As to Charles Conner the judgement is affirmed.'" "While" the accused members of the Conner family were in jail at Hemphill, awaiting trial in January, 1886, the jail was broken open by their friends and they all escaped. They immediately sent work to law enforcement officials that they would never again submit to arrest, and would fight to the last man against any effort to take them into custody. The conners armed themselves with Winchesters, pistols, shotguns, and a large supply of ammunition, as well as food and other supplies, then went into the dense underbrush of the back country to take their stand against any and all law officers." The story goes on & has a sad ending. Hope this gives you a better idea of the names involved. Janina

Janina, I am going to give you part of this info now and more later. Sabine Parish LA 1850 405-407 Wm Smith 50 M SC Farmer 1,000 Nancy Smith 30 F MS Jas. Walker 13 M LA 413-415 Jno. Smith 28 M MS Farmer Zurena Smith 35 F LA Caroline Smith 7 F LA Edward Smith 5 M LA Elizabeth 3 F LA Marg't 1 F LA 414-416 Irvin Smith 23 M MS Farmer Alice 8 F LA Lutha(Luthenia) 22 F LA 1850 Sabine County TX Census Jesse T. Scruggs, Sr. 51 m VA Farmer Mary Ann Tolan 31 f KY Finch T. 25 m AL (died Jan 11, 1853) Nathaniel S. 22 m AL Sarah Annabella 24 f AL William A. 20 m TN Nancy L. 18 f TN Jesse T. Jr 14 m TN Hambelton M. 11 m TX Lawrence M. 13 m TX (died Sep 15, 1851) George W. 8 m TX (died Sep 29, 1860 in VA CSA Charles A. 5 m TX (d Feb 15, 1863 Pine Bluff Mary Stevenson 2 f TX ARK CSA) (Jesse married (1) Susan Thornton: (3) Mrs Martha Ann Loving Arnold, dau of Manuel Loving and Elizabeth Chiles) (Mary Ann Tolan McGuire (2) wife of Jesse; she was dau of Dr Lawrence McGuire and Margaret Tolan) (Sarah Annabella m Robert S. Harvey as his 2nd wife, son of Seth Harvey and Zelotus Margaret Ann Boyd) (Jesse Jr m Graccie Berintha Harper, dau of Elmore Harper and Julia Lane Gracie m 2nd, Dr. Daniel Matthew Cooper) 128-128 Robert S. Harvey 24 m MS Farmer 1,000 Arabella " 24 f TN Mary Ann Z. 2 f TX Robert J. " l m TX (Robert was son of Seth Harvey & Zelotus Margaret Ann Boyd; m (2) Sarah Annabella, dau of Jesse T. Scruggs, Sr. and Susan A. Thornton) (Arabella McGuire Harvey was dau of Dr. Lawrence McGuire & Margaret Tolan) All material in parenthesis was added by author. I got this material from the Garlington Family Book in the Arthur Temple Library in Pineland, TX. "Zerowine (Zeroine) Garlington, dau of Benjamin Garlington and Caroline C Vick, was born on January 10, 1823 in Copiah County, MS, died on Sep 1, 1889 in Sabine County, TX and is buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Sabine County TX. She was married about 1841 perhaps in Natchitoches Parish, LA in what is now Sabine Parish LA to John Hillis Smith (called Hillis) who was born on October 30, 1816 in MS. He died on November 15, 1891 in Sabine County, TX and is buried in the Fairmount Cemetery. He was the son of Rev. William Smith (1791-1878) and first wife. Rev. Smith married four times and had four sets of children. Only the name of the 4th wife, Mrs. Nancy (Schilling) Walker is known. Zerowine Garlington and her sister, Luthenia Garlington, married brothers (some say half). Luthenia married Irving Smith who was also a son of Rev. William Smith. Zerowine and John Hillis Smith had five children of their own. Also, they raised the four children of Luthenia and Irving Smith after the death of Luthenia in 1859) Rev William is buried in the Mill Creek Cemetery in the southern part of the county about on the Sabine - Newton County line. It is said that he has a Military marker, but I have not seen it. More later,

Janina, I was thinking after I sent you the 1850 census and I probably did not make myself clear. Irving Smith and Luthenia Garlington appear to be the parents of your William Christopher "Kit" Smith. 1860 Census of Newton Co TX: 293 John H. Smith 44 m MS farmer Zeorminie 47 f MS Caroline 15 f LA Edward 14 m LA Elizabeth 12 f LA Margaret 10 f LA John 8 m LA Zeromie 8 f LA Joseph 4 m TX William C. 3 m TX Reubin J. l m TX (Note from the Garlington book: the last four named children were those of Luthenia and Irving Smith) Sabine County TX Census 1860 46-46 J. (Jene) T Scruggs 61 m VA brickmason 400 3510 Martha A. (Loving) 26 f AL George W. 17 m TX Charlie A. 15 m TX Mary 12 f TX A. G. Scruggs 9 m TX Emmer J. Arnold 8 f TX Elizabeth T. Arnold 5 f TX Rutha A. Scruggs 1 f TX 132-132 Jesse Scruggs Jr. 24 m TX Grace B, (Harper) 23 f MS Emmer J. 3 f TX Julyan 1 f TX 318-318 Samuel Smith 34 m Ms farmer 1800 (son of William Smith & brother to Irving Smith) 327-327 William Smith 67 m SC farmer 5405 Nancy 40 f MS Nancy (Elizabeth) 8 f LA Daniel V. (Vincent 4 m TX (Nancy, age 40 is the former Mrs. Nancy Shilling Walker, widow of James Walker of Sabine Parish LA) (Nancy Elizabeth married Francis Marion Miller) (Daniel married Ester Ann Miller, sister to Francis Marion Miller, dau of Reuben Miller & Catherine Wolf) I have not been able to locate Irving Smith on the 1860 census. According to the Garlington Book, his wife Luthenia had died in 1859) More later...................

Janina, 1870 Sabine County TX Census: 72-72 Scruggs, Jesse T. 71 m w farmer VA Martha 37 f w k. h. AL Angus A. 18 m w TX Elizabeth L Arnold 15 f w TX Martha Arnold 12 f w TX Paralee 4 f w TX 455-455 Smith, J. H. 54 m w farmer MS Zeroine 48 f w k h LA Margaret 21 f w LA John 16 m w LA Rubin J 11 m w LA 449-449 McDaniel, Wm W 25 m w farmer SC Joanna 18 f w k h MS Smith, Irving 44 m w laborer MS Joseph 14 m w TX Christopher 12 m w TX McDaniel, Tilman 23 m w laborer TX 500-500 Cooper, D. M. 41 m w physician MS Gracie B 32 m w MS Jane 13 f w TX Julia Ann 11 f w TX Jesse 9 f w TX Octavine G 3 f w TX Mc. 5 m w TX Elizabeth L l f w TX Cooper, Jane 13 f w TX

In household 500, Jane should appear directly under Gracie H. and the last person in the household is. Cooper, Harriett 12 f b servant TX So it appears that by 1870 Jesse Scruggs Jr has died and Gracie has married the good Doctor. More later

1880 Sabine County Census TX 117-124 Travis, Amos w m 39 farmer MS -- MS Travis, Josephine w f 39 wife AL AL AL Hines, Emily w f 17 step dau TX TX AL Hines, Martha w f 15 step dau TX TX AL Travis, John w m 8 son TX MS MS Travis, James w m 5 son TX MS MS Travis, Cooke w m 3 son TX MS MS Scruggs, Paralee w f 15 niece at school TX -- --- 200-209 Smith, Christopher w m 22 TX TX TX Smith, Mary w f 18 wife TX TX MS Smith, Dosia w f 2 dau Tx TX TX Fuller, Osborne? Delona? w m 19 laborer TX -- -- 268-279 Cooper, D. M. w m 54 physician MS MS MS , Gracy w f 40 wife MS MS MS , George W. w m 15 TX MS MS , Octavine w f 14 dau TX MS MS , Wesley w m 9 son TX , William w m 6 son TX , Berinda w f 5 dau TX , Henderson w m 2 son TX 2-2 Meador, Ben F w m 31 dry goods TX VA TX , Anna E w f 20 wife TX GA GA , Alef w f 4 dau TX , Horice w m 2 son TX , Joe w m 1/12 b May son TX , Eliza b f 7 servant TX Scruggs, Martha w f 42 boarder TX GA GA 105-112 Smith, John Sr. w m 65 farmer MS MS MS , Zeroine w f 58 wife MS SC TN 106-113 Smith, John Jr. w m 28 farmer MS MS MS , Martha w f 28 wife MS AL AL , Taylor w m 7 son TX LA TX , Ellen w f 6 dau TX LA TX , Maargret w f 5 dau , Zeroine w f 3 dau , Ruth w f l dau 107-114 Smith, Rueben w m 21 Widower-farmer TX MS MS (I looked in the marriage book and R. J. Smith, which is Rueben's initials married C. E. Edgar on the 9 January 1879. She did not live very long) 104-111 Smith, Ed w m 34 farmer LA MS MS , Mary J w f 33 wife AL AL AL , Mary w f 13 dau TX LA AL , Hillis w m 11 son , Thomas w m 9 son , Hannah w f 7 dau , Martha w f 5 dau , Amos w m 3 son , Edward w m 1 son Sorry I got these out of order. They appear to be John Hillis Smith and some of his sons with the exception of Rueben who is Irving and Luthenia Smith's son. More later...............

Janina, You said you did not know how Kit Smith died. I quote from the Garlington Book, "William Christopher (Kit) Smith was shot to death at the age of 25 on the evening of December 5, 1883 in Holly Bottom, near Yellowpine in Sabine County Texas. Twenty three year old Eli L. Low was also killed at the same time. This was the beginning of the famous so-called Conner-Smith feud that lasted three or four years." I will send you more about this in the packet. Actually it was a Conners versus the Law enforcement. In the Garlington book it stated that Mary Julia Ann (Molly) Scruggs Smith remarried in 1887 to her cousin, William G. (Bill) Harper and that her Dau Docia Smith married Bill's brother, John Harper. They were the sons of James Robert Harper and Delia Rice. 1850 Sabine County Census: 51-51 Joseph Rice 44 m SC Farmer Catherine 34 f TN (her maiden name was Melton) Mathias 18 m MS (m Milberry Cook, dau of Green Berry Cook and Rebecca Low) Jesse ll m MS Mary 9 f MS (m Nicholas Marion Jacks son of Andrew J Jacks & Drucilla Kemp) Samantha 7 f MS (m John Chance) Eliza 6 f MS (m William H. Forse, son of John Forse and 1st wife Melissa ? ) Elizabeth 2 f MS Delila 14 f MS (m James Robert Harper, son of Elmore Harper & Julia Lane) 1860 Sabine County Census 133-133 Joseph Rice 53 f TN Farmer 720 Jane 45 f LA Delia 24 f MS (M James Robert Harper) Mary 18 f MS (m Marion Jacks) Samantha 16 f MS (m John Chance) Eliza 13 f MS (m Will Forse) Elizabeth 11 f MS Angeline 8 f TX Joseph 5 m TX 127-127 Elmore Harper 47 m MS Farmer 2978 Julia (Lane) 43 f GA James Robert 23 m Ms (m Delia Rice) Jesse L. 12 M LA (m Mary Ann Smith, dau of Robert H Smith) John Wesley 10 m LA (m Mary Louise Williams, grndtr of Francis Marcus Weatherred) Harris Stephen 9 m LA William A. 7 m TX 66-66 Harper, Elmore 52 m MS Farmer Mary Ann 46 f MS K H Low, Mary J. 22 f TX Low, James 9 m TX Harper, Elmer 2 m TX Gay, George 14 m TX Servant Mary A. 4 f TX According to this account Kit Smith and MAry Julia Ann Scruggs had four children: 1. Docia Smith 2. Sydney L. Smith who married Robert G. (Bob) Gooch 3. Julia (Juliann?) Smith who married John E. Pennington 4. William Christopher Smith Jr., known as "Little Kit". He was born after his fathers death. He married Mary Love. Well, I will go copy some of this book and try to get it ready to mail tomorrow...................

I'm enclosing some information (thru her permission) given to me by a kind soul who has been helping me locate my father's roots. Thru her efforts much has been discovered, all credit for any help this information gives others is hers. God blessed my life with a genealogy angel! Janina, I have spent the last three days(not all the time but the time I had to devote to research) working on the family of Jesse Scruggs Jr and Gracie B. Harper. I have gone through all my research material trying to put their children together. I thought I knew how it was made up but now I am convinced that I had it wrong. I believe that the 1860 and 1870 census did not list them correctly or the girls switched their names! The 1860 census lists them as Emmer Jane age 3 and Julyan age l. The 1870 census lists them as Jane age 13, Julia Ann age 11, and Jesse Age 9. Here are the marriage records I have found for them from the Sabine County Marriage Book 1875-1910. (It has a section in the back that lists other marriages people shared with the author, and gave approximate dates, or sometimes the actual date) N. E. J. Scruggs m Alex McDanial 13 Dec 1876 (I believe her name to be Nancy Emma Jane Scruggs with what I found on the census and page 707 of the Garlington book) Mary Jane Scruggs m W. C. "Kit" Smith 29 Mar 1877. (Again here is a deviation from the name we have been using, but I will go by the court house Wed. and check for myself) Julia Scruggs m Charles Conner ca 1875 (This marriage was contained in the last portion of the marriage book, an approx date. But in the 1860 census on page 32 where it lists the Willis Conner family, the added information beside son Charles W. Conner says he m Julia "Jesse" Scruggs dau of Jesse Scruggs Jr and Grace B. Harper!!! Beginning with the 1880 census the ages check out correctly for the eldest to be Jane Scruggs McDaniel b 1857, Julia Scruggs Conner b 1859, and Mary Scruggs Smith Harper b 1861. Charles Conner is the one who went to prison for killing Kit Smith, his brother-in-law!! I seem to have a faint recollection of reading this in the manuscript that Palmer Conner let us read - it must have been 25 yrs ago and my memory is not what it used to be. I do remember that after Charles Conner got out of prison he moved to Huntington, Angelina Co TX and lived the rest of his life. That is about 50 miles west of Sabine County. Your Dad can start planning his trip now. He will get his maps, etc. There is only one of the cemeteries that I have not been to and it is the Old Mill Creek Cemetery where Rev. William Smith is buried, and that will be no problem to find. I was very touched by the story of your Granny who was given away when she was 13. I tried to place myself, my daughter or my granddaughter in that position and it is just impossible to imagine. We don't give thanks often enough for the good life we have had - most of us. I still have not found a sign of a marriage for Docia. She might have gotten married in Newton County, Jasper County or Vernon or Beauregard Parish LA. These two parishes are across the Sabine River from Newton and Jasper Co. And we only have the statement in the Garlington book that she married John Harper. They gave his birthdate as 6 Jan 1872 - there is a John Harper buried in the Harper's Cemetery with that birth-date, and a death date of 25 Feb 1928. Do you know if Docia and this husband divorced? She would have been abt 50 yrs old by 1928, and that would have been a little old to have had the two Mitchell children after that. Did you think that your family progressed this way: Elmore Harper, Jesse Harper, Robert Bruce Harper Sr, Robert Bruce Jr, and then your Dad? One of the bits of info that I had sent you out of the book Sabine Co Historical Sketches and Genealogical Records stated that Elmore Harper Sr was buried at the Harper Cemetery by his eldest daughter Gracie Harper Scruggs Cooper. Well that did not sound right to me, and I found Elmore Sr buried at the Springhill Cemetery(one set of my g grandparents are buried there) which is not too far from Hemphill, the county seat. I have not located Gracie's grave yet. Elmore has a Civil War marker and there does not appear to be another grave too near him, but you can never tell if it never had a marker. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I found a record that states that Elmore Harper Jr. (He was born after the Civil War to Elmore Sr's 2nd wife) married Nancy "Nannie" Conner, dau of Willis and sister of Charles! I will copy all these records that I am referring to and send you a copy. Well, I have gone on and on. Hope you could follow. I am really enjoying your family. Most of my lines are back to a stone wall that we can't seem to get past. I enjoy finding some new material evem if its not mine. Till next time....................

I received this from another list & thought you might enjoy it also. Ms. Sid 8-) [email protected] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CENSUS TAKER It was the first day of census, and all through the land; The pollster was ready ... a black book in hand. He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride; His book and some quills were tucked close by his side. A long winding ride down a road barely there; Toward the smell of fresh bread wafting, up through the air. The woman was tired, with lines on her face; And wisps of brown hair she tucked back into place. She gave him some water ... as they sat at the table; And she answered his questions ... the best she was able. He asked of her children... Yes, she had quite a few; The oldest was twenty, the youngest not two. She held up a toddler with cheeks round and red; his sister, she whispered, was napping in bed. She noted each person who lived there with pride; And she felt the faint stirrings of the wee one inside. He noted the sex, the color, the age... The marks from the quill soon filled up the page. At the number of children, she nodded her head; And saw her lips quiver for the three that were dead. The places of birth she "never forgot"; Was it Kansas? or Utah? or Oregon ... or not? They came from Scotland, of that she was clear; But she wasn't quite sure just how long they'd been here. They spoke of employment, of schooling and such; They could read some .and write some .. though really not much. When the questions were answered, his job there was done; So he mounted his horse and he rode toward the sun. We can almost imagine his voice loud and clear; "May God bless you all for another ten years." Now picture a time warp ... its' now you and me; As we search for the people on our family tree. We squint at the census and scroll down so slow; As we search for that entry from long, long ago. Could they only imagine on that long ago day; That the entries they made would effect us this way? If they knew, would they wonder at the yearning we feel; And the searching that makes them so increasingly real. We can hear if we listen the words they impart; Through their blood in our veins and their voice in our heart. Author Unknown

I'm still looking for my elusive ggg-grandfather, William Harper, b. 1822 in OH, who married in 1842 to Elizabeth Poland in Delaware County, OH. Also, is Donna Cooper still on the list? I saw a posting by a lady concerning Jacob Harper from Westmoreland, PA that she may be interested in. (Sorry to do this on the list, but I can't find Donna's e-mail address). Take care, Kaylynn [email protected]

Anyone researching this family. Zephaniah's father was William born early 1700's looking for info on William

Patricia, I checked all the directories at work today and found no new listings other than the ones I gave you earlier. Sorry. Tommie [email protected] wrote: > > Subject: > > HARPER-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 103 > > Today's Topics: > #1 W.D. HARPER/HOUSTON, TX [Patricia Brawner-Schiro <[email protected]] > > Administrivia: > To unsubscribe from HARPER-D, send a message to > > [email protected] > > that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > > and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software > requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: W.D. HARPER/HOUSTON, TX > Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 10:01:17 -0700 > From: Patricia Brawner-Schiro <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > > Seeking information on the family of Walter D. HARPER & wife Minnie May > Harper who were residing on Thompson Street in Houston, Texas in the > 1920's-1040's. Known children: Leonard, Jesse, Clara May... > > Patricia Schiro > [email protected]

To Patricia Schiro Re: Harpers Houston Patricia, I work at a library and will work Noon today until 9:00 PM. I have access to a criss cross directory and will check out your Harper family. My directory here at the house is too old to be accurate but it list a Mrs. Mamie Harper on Thompson and the phone # is 281-343-0482. I will double check tonight at work and get back with you. Also there is a Jesse at 281-442-6942 and another at 713-455-8289 (you didn't say if Jesse was male or female. Let me know if this helps and I will get back with you after I check the criss cross at work. Tommie Hoffman [email protected] wrote: > > Subject: > > HARPER-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 103 > > Today's Topics: > #1 W.D. HARPER/HOUSTON, TX [Patricia Brawner-Schiro <[email protected]] > > Administrivia: > To unsubscribe from HARPER-D, send a message to > > [email protected] > > that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > > and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software > requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: W.D. HARPER/HOUSTON, TX > Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 10:01:17 -0700 > From: Patricia Brawner-Schiro <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > > Seeking information on the family of Walter D. HARPER & wife Minnie May > Harper who were residing on Thompson Street in Houston, Texas in the > 1920's-1040's. Known children: Leonard, Jesse, Clara May... > > Patricia Schiro > [email protected]

Seeking information on the family of Walter D. HARPER & wife Minnie May Harper who were residing on Thompson Street in Houston, Texas in the 1920's-1040's. Known children: Leonard, Jesse, Clara May... Patricia Schiro [email protected]

Matthew Harper and Sarah Boon are in my line. I've collected some info from a couple of other researchers (none of which I've proved or disproved yet), but since I don't have it entered in my records yet, I can't send it to you just now. Also, am getting ready to go back to work next week and don't have much time to give to family stuff right now. I'll try to get some of this entered as soon as I can and get it on to the list. Maybe we can connect and help each other. BTW, my 2ggm Mary M. Harper married Braxton Peter S. Bailey in 1853 in Smith Co, TN. Her sister Sarah E. Harper married his brother John Bailey on the same day. Both couples lit out for Arkansas, where John and Sarah stayed, but my Braxton and Mary returned to Smith Co, and environs 6 years later. Please email me privately if you wish. I can probably connect you with some others who might be able to help. Theola [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: Harper <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 8:24 PM Subject: Matthew Harper & Mary A. Ward, TN>MO>NE > This is my first posting to this list. > There were quite a few Matthew Harpers. Am I on the right track? > > The death certificate of my husband's g-grandfather says his parents > were Mathew HARPER and Mary A. WARD, both born in TN. > I found the family group of our Matthew HARPER (age 48, born TN) and > wife Mary (age 46, born TN) on the 1870 census in Pettis Co., Missouri, > along with their children: > 1. Joseph, born 3/12/1857 in Pettis Co., MO, and died in Richardson > Co., NE > 2. Sarah, age 9 (don't know anything about Sarah) > 3. Mack, born 10/11/1868 in Dunksburg, Johnson Co., MO, and died in > Richardson Co., NE > > I found a Matthew, age 28, and a Mary, age 26, on the 1850 Smith Co., > Tennessee census. I don't know if this is "our" Mathew and Mary, but the > ages are right. The children listed were Frances?, Walkup, and John. I > didn't find the Mathew Harper family on the 1860 Missouri census. > I also found 2 submissions to the Ancestral File at www.familysearch.org > for Mat(t)hew HARPER, where the age looks appropriate and is from > Tennessee. One is for Mathew HARPER (AFN: LQCN-TB), born 1822 in TN, the > son of Matthew HARPER and Sarah BOON. No spouse is listed. Another > submission is for Matthew HARPER (AFN: CQDS-P2), born < 1820 <Smith, > TN>, and is listed as the spouse of Mary Ann WARD. No parents are given > for this listing. > Are these 2 Mat(t)hew HARPERS on the Ancestral File the same? Do I have > the right connections, in that Matthew HARPER living in Missouri in 1870 > is the same one as Mathew HARPER, son of Matthew HARPER and Sarah BOON > of Smith Co., Tennessee? There are other Matthew HARPERS, and I'm hoping > I have the right one. If anyone can straighten me out, I'd appreciate > it. Also, if anyone has a more complete list of Mathew HARPER and Mary > WARD HARPER'S children, please let me know. > > Thanks for your help. > Jean Harper > [email protected] >

I would like a copy of it also. Lindy

Greetings all, While I haven't got references handy, there is a second derivation thought to originate from Scotland where a Harper is one who "harps" or strings a bow - hence an archer. The lore, as I remember it, is that Malcolm III of Scotland created the name for his chief archer - who was a Buchanan before his renaming. The Harpers, from which I decend, came to New Brunswick from Yorkshire in the 1760's but believe themselves to be decended from the above Scots. Belief being what it is... who knows? Stephen At 08:44 PM 99/08/13 EDT, you wrote: >http://www.sifnos.demon.co.uk/history.html > >Harper History (English) >The surname "Harper" is derived from the Old English "Hearpere", Anglo-French >"Harpour", "Harper, one who plays the harp". Early records mention Robert le >Harpur who appears in Hampshire Pipe Rolls in 1186; Henry and Nicholas le >Harpur in Cambridgeshire Hundred Rolls in 1273; Reginald le Harper, in >Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls in 1275; and Rogerus and Wilhelmus Harper in >Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns on 1379. > >Sir William Harper (1496? - 1573) became master of the Merchant Taylor's >Company in 1553, sheriff of London in 1557 and Lord Mayor in 1561. He was >knighted in 1562. He helped to found the Merchant Taylors' School. John >Harper (dies 1742) was an actor, playing at important places such as >Lincoln's Inn Fields and Drury Lane. He was prosecuted In a test action for >vagrancy and was discharged in 1733. Thomas Harper (1787 - 1853), a >trumpet-player, was engaged at Drury Lane and the Lyceum English Opera in >1806 and at Ancient Concerts and Italian Opera in 1821. He was appointed >inspector of musical instruments to the East India Company. James Harper >(1795 - 1879), a theologian, was for sixty years secession minister of North >Leith. He was chairman of the synod in 1840, Secession Church professor of >pastoral theology in 1843 and of systematic theology in 1848. He effected the >union of the Secession and Relief bodies and became moderator of the United >Presbyterian synod in 1860. John Harper (1809 - 1842), an architect, prepared >designs for Apsley House and York House. > > >==== HARPER Mailing List ==== > Aren't you glad you're a supporter of Rootsweb? > Don't we wish everyone could be one too! >http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html > > - ------------------------------------------------------------------ Stephen Kymlicka / 2333 Robinson St., Regina, SK, S4T 2R3 / [email protected] / "Well, it is an ancient custom, so let them keep it". Herodotus - ------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.sifnos.demon.co.uk/history.html Harper History (English) The surname "Harper" is derived from the Old English "Hearpere", Anglo-French "Harpour", "Harper, one who plays the harp". Early records mention Robert le Harpur who appears in Hampshire Pipe Rolls in 1186; Henry and Nicholas le Harpur in Cambridgeshire Hundred Rolls in 1273; Reginald le Harper, in Worcestershire Subsidy Rolls in 1275; and Rogerus and Wilhelmus Harper in Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns on 1379. Sir William Harper (1496? - 1573) became master of the Merchant Taylor's Company in 1553, sheriff of London in 1557 and Lord Mayor in 1561. He was knighted in 1562. He helped to found the Merchant Taylors' School. John Harper (dies 1742) was an actor, playing at important places such as Lincoln's Inn Fields and Drury Lane. He was prosecuted In a test action for vagrancy and was discharged in 1733. Thomas Harper (1787 - 1853), a trumpet-player, was engaged at Drury Lane and the Lyceum English Opera in 1806 and at Ancient Concerts and Italian Opera in 1821. He was appointed inspector of musical instruments to the East India Company. James Harper (1795 - 1879), a theologian, was for sixty years secession minister of North Leith. He was chairman of the synod in 1840, Secession Church professor of pastoral theology in 1843 and of systematic theology in 1848. He effected the union of the Secession and Relief bodies and became moderator of the United Presbyterian synod in 1860. John Harper (1809 - 1842), an architect, prepared designs for Apsley House and York House.