Brenda Gardner wrote: >:) > > Brenda > >Brenda Gardner <brendamogen@yahoo.com> wrote: > NOOOOO --- No pictures of the bridge that scared the daylights out of me everytime the school bus crossed it! That thing made the most noise and it never seemed stable to me. There were wooden "tire paths" that went vertically across the horizontal bridge structure. I was terrifed we would slip off the path and land in the river. The view from the bus was bad enough -- but to top it off we crossed it every Sunday going to church in Nixa in the car. I would close my eyes and hum until we got it across it. Truely, the noise was worse than the view of that narrow path. The only time I remotely felt comfortable crossing that bridge was on the occasional hay ride. The noise was not so bad going slow. >Great site -- bad subject for me. If I have that reoccuring nightmare from my childhood tonight, I will know to be more careful opening links on this list. >Brenda > > > I discovered a memory from my own childhood on the website - the Hwy 65 bridge over the Buffalo River near St. Joe, Arkansas. We often went swimming, held picnics and had 4th of July celebrations there. The view from both sides when crossing the bridge was very beautiful. The new bridge is much wider and safer - not to mention a much less dangerous approach, but you hardly notice that you are on a bridge and it's pretty difficult to even see the river when crossing it. Even that old Hwy 65 bridge wasn't the higher and more spectacular bridge near Hasty which inspired a family folklore story. My middle brother when he first crossed it as age four commented in awe, as the car began climbing the opposite hill, "So THAT was the Buffalo Ocean!"

Tootie Dennis wrote: >Mabel, I have been "playing" with the site URL you sent all morning. I found all sorts of things. Changing the SEARCH box to several places that different lines of my SHARP's migrated. I found a lot of interesting stories and photos. One or two Bills from the Senate Journals that made some of Arkansas a State from a territory. Thank you so much. For lovers of history this is a must see site....you will be rewarded with some first person interviews from over the years. Great site. Ira Sharp Dennis > > >==== MOCHRIST Mailing List ==== >New and improved Christian County URL http://christian.mogenweb.org >Just insert your Missouri county in place of the word COUNTY http://COUNTY.mogenweb.org to quick-access ANY Missouri MOGENWEB County! > >============================== >Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for >ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: >http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx > > > > > I always knew that the American Memory site was fantastic. Just, for some reason, I hadn't realized anything from Christian County was in it.

:) Brenda Brenda Gardner <brendamogen@yahoo.com> wrote: NOOOOO --- No pictures of the bridge that scared the daylights out of me everytime the school bus crossed it! That thing made the most noise and it never seemed stable to me. There were wooden "tire paths" that went vertically across the horizontal bridge structure. I was terrifed we would slip off the path and land in the river. The view from the bus was bad enough -- but to top it off we crossed it every Sunday going to church in Nixa in the car. I would close my eyes and hum until we got it across it. Truely, the noise was worse than the view of that narrow path. The only time I remotely felt comfortable crossing that bridge was on the occasional hay ride. The noise was not so bad going slow. Great site -- bad subject for me. If I have that reoccuring nightmare from my childhood tonight, I will know to be more careful opening links on this list. Brenda "Mabel G. Phillips" wrote: In looking around on the internet tonight, I came on a group of 16 photographs from Christian County in the American Memory On-Line Exhibit at the Library of Congress. The photos are of the Howard Ford Bridge, constructed 1921 across the James River near Nixa. I'm not entirely clear exactly where this is, but I haven't read all the documentation yet. If you would like to see them, you can go to the Library of Congress website, select American Memory on do a search or use this link: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/hh:@field(SUBJ+@od1(MISSOURI-Christian+County)) ==== MOCHRIST Mailing List ==== Don't forget the USGenWeb Archives section.... http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ussearch.htm ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx Brenda Gardner Christian County GenWeb Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~mochrist/ ==== MOCHRIST Mailing List ==== Donations and volunteers being accepted now. See http://www.rootsweb.com/~mochrist/ for more details ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx Brenda Gardner Christian County GenWeb Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~mochrist/

NOOOOO --- No pictures of the bridge that scared the daylights out of me everytime the school bus crossed it! That thing made the most noise and it never seemed stable to me. There were wooden "tire paths" that went vertically across the horizontal bridge structure. I was terrifed we would slip off the path and land in the river. The view from the bus was bad enough -- but to top it off we crossed it every Sunday going to church in Nixa in the car. I would close my eyes and hum until we got it across it. Truely, the noise was worse than the view of that narrow path. The only time I remotely felt comfortable crossing that bridge was on the occasional hay ride. The noise was not so bad going slow. Great site -- bad subject for me. If I have that reoccuring nightmare from my childhood tonight, I will know to be more careful opening links on this list. Brenda "Mabel G. Phillips" <mphillip@christiancounty.lib.mo.us> wrote: In looking around on the internet tonight, I came on a group of 16 photographs from Christian County in the American Memory On-Line Exhibit at the Library of Congress. The photos are of the Howard Ford Bridge, constructed 1921 across the James River near Nixa. I'm not entirely clear exactly where this is, but I haven't read all the documentation yet. If you would like to see them, you can go to the Library of Congress website, select American Memory on do a search or use this link: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/hh:@field(SUBJ+@od1(MISSOURI-Christian+County)) ==== MOCHRIST Mailing List ==== Don't forget the USGenWeb Archives section.... http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ussearch.htm ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx Brenda Gardner Christian County GenWeb Coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~mochrist/

It was on Farm Road 143, 3.0 miles north and 2.95 miles west of Nixa, 0.21 miles outh of the Greene-Christian line. It crossed the James in the vicinity of Blue Springs and accomodated traffic north to Battlefield. If you have access to a United States Geological Survey topographic map or go to their website, the bridge is located in the area of Sections 32 and 33, Township 28 North, Range 22 West. Kerry

Randy and other list people, Doing the bridges was great fun, did it when I was with the Center for Archaeological Research at SMSU/Missouri State University. There is one for the first Iron truss bridge across the James, it was erected by Greene County and located on the Springfield-Harrisonville Road. Got me interested in the History of that road. Linda--the very nice person working for the State Archives, transcribed a petition from Christian County to Greene county to relocate the "right of way" corridor for the road in the mid-1870's. Apparently, the petitioners were successful because when the truss bridge was put up the road corridor followed a different alignment. The thing that prompted the petition was the fact that Spencer Dryden was blocking the road in an effort to divert traffic away from this property. Understandable given the fact that enclosure/fencing was not required at that time and alot of livestock, turkeys (would you believe it), hogs etc. were driven up to the market and railhead at Springfield along the road. Of course, the enterprising Will Aven and ?? Payne, Isabella Hartley's hubby, put up their store-Guinn postoffice along the road at the turn of century. There are alot of wonderful stories about the road in the White River Valley Historical Quarterly--think its called that--all are available on line throught the Springfield-Greene County library website and there are the very cool Calvin Davis photographs, gratis Rich Stokes, available on line through Mabel's wonderous web. Finally, wish I knew then what I know now--those bridge studies would be a little less sterile... Kerry Mcg.

Mabel, We have an old CD that really is good at locating cemeteries etc. The only thing is that it uses the old numbering of roads. Do you know what the old number might be. My husband has floated most of James and Finley Rivers when he was growing up. He is trying to remember where this bridge is or was located. Thanks, Toni Roush

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Parker Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ZMB.2ACI/1878.1 Message Board Post: If you check out the Christian Co., MO cemetery listing for Union Chapel you see she is married to James M. Parker. James mother was Olivia Alderson married to Berry Parker.

Mabel, I have been "playing" with the site URL you sent all morning. I found all sorts of things. Changing the SEARCH box to several places that different lines of my SHARP's migrated. I found a lot of interesting stories and photos. One or two Bills from the Senate Journals that made some of Arkansas a State from a territory. Thank you so much. For lovers of history this is a must see site....you will be rewarded with some first person interviews from over the years. Great site. Ira Sharp Dennis

Now that I've read the very nice history of the Porter Township and Battlefield families associated with the bridge, I can note that Kerry McGrath, one of our contributors, apparently wrote this piece. Thanks, Kerry. Maybe you'll write some more now that you're retiring and possibly moving to the Ozarks. Randy McConnell

Mabel, I believe Howard Ford Bridge crosses the James River northwest on the road that runs in front of McConnell Cemetery. We at one time took this road all the way from Republic across the James River low water ford south of Battlefield and Manley Cemetery to get to the McConnell graveyard. When I was little, the bridge scared me because it sounded like it was falling apart as you drove over it. It has been improved, but the pictures still look like the same old bridge. I suppose the term "Howard Ford" refers to the F.C./Woodson/George Howard families that lived in the area in the mid-1800s. Randy McConnell

Dorothy McCurdy wrote: > I could not find the photos of the Howard Ford Bridge. I couldn't figure out what subject to specify when I got to the American Memory Collection. Could you be more specific? The link you gave did not work for me. Thanks. Dorothy > > > Sorry. I tried cutting and pasting the link several times before I posted the message. It worked every time, though I thought it might not, being a query link. I didn't read the 19 pages of narrative and footnotes - or I would have known exactly where the bridge was. It was just south of the Greene County Line. The Library of Congress website address is: http://www.loc.gov/index.html Across the top of the site are links to major portions of the site, including American Memory. The direct address there is: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html The photographs of bridges are in the Architecture and Engineering HABS-HAER Built in America Link http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/browse/ListSome.php?category=Architecture,+Landscape or http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/ At any of these stages, you can enter your search in the search box. I had entered Christian County, Missouri, but Howard Ford Bridge would bring up the same results, as should several other searches, including bridges. You can also browse, by subject or place. Since the collections are so large, browsing is more time consuming. The place browse is first by state, then county, then vicinity. By browsing, I saw there was a collection from Clearwater Beach, Vanzant, Douglas County; three bridges at Ash Grove in Greene County; two other bridges and the Ray House in Greene County but near the Howard Ford Bridge; fifty-one other collections in Greene County; and the Hootentown Bridge and Wilderness Fire Lookout Tower in Stone County. Good luck.

In looking around on the internet tonight, I came on a group of 16 photographs from Christian County in the American Memory On-Line Exhibit at the Library of Congress. The photos are of the Howard Ford Bridge, constructed 1921 across the James River near Nixa. I'm not entirely clear exactly where this is, but I haven't read all the documentation yet. If you would like to see them, you can go to the Library of Congress website, select American Memory on do a search or use this link: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/hh:@field(SUBJ+@od1(MISSOURI-Christian+County))

I could not find the photos of the Howard Ford Bridge. I couldn't figure out what subject to specify when I got to the American Memory Collection. Could you be more specific? The link you gave did not work for me. Thanks. Dorothy In looking around on the internet tonight, I came on a group of 16 photographs from Christian County in the American Memory On-Line Exhibit at the Library of Congress. The photos are of the Howard Ford Bridge, constructed 1921 across the James River near Nixa. I'm not entirely clear exactly where this is, but I haven't read all the documentation yet. If you would like to see them, you can go to the Library of Congress website, select American Memory on do a search or use this link: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/hh:@field(SUBJ+@od1(MISSOURI-Christian+County)) ==== MOCHRIST Mailing List ==== Don't forget the USGenWeb Archives section.... http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ussearch.htm ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx

>Fay, I am related to Cintha SHIPMAN ADAMSON, m Matthew. Children: Mary Jane m Geo SHIPMAN; Alice m Wm. L. McCOY; Della m Wm DUCKETT; Myrtle m MAGGARD; Sarah m CANDILL/CAUDILL; Lunda m Roy NEWTON; Alta Marie m Arthur C. NEWTON. Mathew & Cintha also had 2 sons: George Allen and Rex/Rexie. >Is this your family? >I have found Cintha/Cynthia/Sintha for Cintha's name spelling. In 1910, Math & Cintha were living in Beaver Twp, Taney, MO. Cintha supposed to have died in 1916 but I cannot find any record of her or Mathew's living, or death, after 1910. >Irene >fihunt@ver5d.com > > This is from Cynthia/Syntha/Sintha's tombstone in Fairview Cemetery plus other records: (SHIPMAN) SINTHA ANN ADAMSON 2 Feb 1863 - 15 May 1916 bur Fairview Dau of Shipman, Joseph Hiram & Mary Ann "Polly" (Barnett) mar Adamson, Matthew I don't know when Mathew Adamson died. He was living in the 592 S Missouri Ave, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri household of Lee Roy and Lunda Newton on the 1930 federal census, age 68, widower. Maybe a check of Springfield City directories might show when he was no longer living with his daughter.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ZMB.2ACI/1689.2 Message Board Post: Fay, I am related to Cintha SHIPMAN ADAMSON, m Matthew. Children: Mary Jane m Geo SHIPMAN; Alice m Wm. L. McCOY; Della m Wm DUCKETT; Myrtle m MAGGARD; Sarah m CANDILL/CAUDILL; Lunda m Roy NEWTON; Alta Marie m Arthur C. NEWTON. Mathew & Cintha also had 2 sons: George Allen and Rex/Rexie. Is this your family? I have found Cintha/Cynthia/Sintha for Cintha's name spelling. In 1910, Math & Cintha were living in Beaver Twp, Taney, MO. Cintha supposed to have died in 1916 but I cannot find any record of her or Mathew's living, or death, after 1910. Irene fihunt@ver5d.com

Well, all of these families are intertwined that's for sure. And sometimes its frustrating to say the least. We all just keep on working. Thanks for the insight, Randy. Debbie

I forgot two items of interest. The Drydens also were related to these families in Washington Co., VA including the Duffs. David A. Dryden (1812, TN) moved to the area on the Greene-Christian Co. line before 1850. He and his wife, Susan Carson, had a daughter Minerva Jane (1840-1919) who married James Madison McCroskey, s/o William Barton McCroskey and Jane Hickey, and moved to California. Also apparently related were the Dorans, who were married into the Duff and Lowery families of Washington Co., VA. Dorans later moved near Cassidy and married into the McCroskey family. Thanks, Randy McConnell

For the McCroskey/Gibson/Berry researchers out there -- I have been convinced for some time that a relationship exists between three Gibsons who came to Christian Co.: Rachel Gibson (1812-1889) who married James Madison McCroskey (1810-1864), son of James McCroskey and Ann Duff of Washington Co., VA. Margaret Gibson (1817-1894) who married Frederic McCauley (1815-1894), son of Thomas McCauley and Nancy Vest of Washington Co., VA. Thomas Barry/Berry Gibson (1825-1870), parents unknown, who married Sarah Ann Young, daughter of Archibald Alexander Young and Margaret Moore, after he and the Youngs migrated to Christian Co. I assume that in some way these Gibsons -- all of whom were born in TN, to my knowledge -- were descendants or otherwise closely related to Elizabeth Berry and her second husband Billingsley Gibson. My understanding is that Elizabeth and Billingsley moved across the line to Washington or Sullivan Cos., TN after her first husband, James McCroskey, died by 1788 in Washington Co., VA. I have seen references to Elizabeth as the daughter of Francis Berry and possibly Isabelle McGowan, but several other Berrys lived in the area, including Thomas Berry, who had dealings with the Duffs. I am not related -- except on a shirttail basis -- to these families, but I am compiling info on family groups who settled in earliest Greene/Christian Cos. Many of the interrelationships are hidden in the records of counties where the families originally lived. Thanks for your assistance, Randy McConnell

Wanda-- Our Berry is Elizabeth, who first married into the McCroskeys and then when James McCroskey died, she married Billingsley Gibson. Two of her children (one from James and one from Billingsley) worked their way into our family line. It's a mixed up way for sure. HAHA. Any of those names connect with you? Our daughter Lauren could tell you more about that. She worked on Rachel and Billingsley Gibson last year until she went nuts over them. haha. Which is way she is working on the McCroskey's and Paynes now. Debbie