This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: BevHarris91 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.missouri.counties.jackson/6746.2.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: In my 2400-name database, I have about half of the names you mentioned as your ancestors. Samantha Jane Johnson married Josiah William Harris (1846-1930), son of Fleming Saunders Harris (1822-1885) and Mary Jane Slaughter (1827-1894). Both Fleming and Mary Jane Harris are buried in the Koger Cemetery. Fleming was the son of William Harris, one of the founders of Blue Springs. As you probably know, Josiah and Samantha Harris are buried in the Blue Springs Cemetery, which originally was the Harris family buried plot on their farm. Also, Fleming and Mary Jane Harris owned the land originally where both the Koger Cemetery and New Liberty Baptist Church are located, and were charter members of that church. Futhermore, Fleming was a brother to my great grandfather, John Hardin Harris, one of the founders of Lee's Summit. The LS city park is named in honor of the descendents of William Harris. Here is another Johnson connection with my Harris family. These are the ancestors of Everett and Doris Johnson, a couple probably in their 90's, who, at my last report, still live at Oak Grove, MO. His Johnson ancestors go like this: Everett Johnson < Charles Henry Johnson < James Richard Johnson < Henry Allen Johnson < David Johnson < John Larkin Johnson who married Sarah A. Harris (1788-1865), sister of the above-mentioned William Harris. John Larkin and Sarah A. Johnson came to Jackson Co., MO with the father of William & Sarah Harris, who was Reuben Harris, my ggg grandfather, for Patrick Co., VA in 1830. Reuben settled in Old Town, Independence, MO where he is buried. I have never been able to connect these two different lines of Johnsons. Perhaps you can help me. Once I met a elderly Johnson man several years ago who lived at Sni Mills, who claimed that there were two different sets of Johnsons, one at Oak Grove and another set at Pleasant Hill, who were kin, but who didn't speak to each other. Though he lived close to Oak Grove, he claimed kin only to the Johnsons at Pleasant Hill, Cass Co., MO. He was kind, but refused to try to help me. My own experience with Johnsons was at the Hazel Dell Grade School, south of Cockrell and east of Greenwood. For 3-4 years as a boy, I attended that elementary school with the younger children of Charles and Jennie Johnson, named Lovella, Lula, and Lovetta. Since this school is near the Cass Co. line, I assume that these children descended from the Pleasant Hill line. To answer your questions, yes, the New Liberty Baptist Church is still very active, but I doubt that they have church records available for its early years. The church was organized in 1860, and I have a copy of her history from 1860-1975. In 1975, I attended its anniversary celebration. My second grade teacher, Pearl Tate, had researched the church's early records for her publication of the early history of the church and she didn't find very much to include in her history booklet. No, Rev. J. D. Thomas had no official connection with NLBC. His name is not mentioned among of the list of about 40 different pastors of the Church from 1860 to 1975. Because of the strong ties of these families with Blue Springs, he might have been a pastor of a Blue Springs church. Neither did I find the name Schoonover mentioned in the church history. However, I did find the name, Schoonover, in the 1930 census for Van Buren Township in the area of the Church; Bryan Schoonover, age 23; Leona, age 20; Leona, age 2; and Bryan, age 11 months. Bev Harris Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.