Where on Earth is Beauford Hervey Neely Hurt Buried?

1st Lt. Beauford Hervey Nealy Hurt, CSA

Family Background

BHN was born 18 Jun 1835 in Mississippi to William Perrin Hurt and Clarissa S. Boswell. He served honorably during the civil war rising in the ranks from private to Lieutenant in the 5th Texas Infantry, Company K (Bloody 5th). On day two of Gettsyburg during the charge up Little Round Top, BHN was captured and spent the rest of the war at the Union prison on Johnson island in Ohio. he was exchanged on 22 Mar 1865

From his Confederate muster rolls here are the military events that BHN participated in during the Civil War:

Military Active Duty: 24 Aug 1861, in Livingston, Polk County, Texas
Military Battle: 7 May 1862, in New Kent County, Virginia (A sharp engagement known as West Point, Barhamsville, or Eltham's Landing)
Military Battle: Between 31 May 1862 and 1 Jun 1862, in Virginia (Battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks, Virginia)
Military Battle: Between 25 Jun 1862 and 1 Jul 1862, in Virginia (The Seven Days Campaign)
Military Battle: 27 Jun 1862, at Gaines' Mill, Hanover County, Virginia (The Seven Days Campaign: Battle of Gaines' Mill, First Cold Harbor, or the Chickahominy)
Military Battle: 1 Jul 1862, at Malvern Hill, Henrico County, Virginia (The Seven Days Campaign: Battle of Malvern Hill)
Military Promotion: 14 Jul 1862.Promoted to the rank of 2nd Junior Lieutenant by election of his company. Some indication that this is also known as a 3rd Lieutenant.
Military Battle: 23 Aug 1862, in Virginia (Battle of Freeman's Ford)
Military Battle: 29 Aug 1862, at Bull Run Creek, Virginia (2nd Lieutenant Hurt was wounded at the Battle of Second Manassas)
Military Battle: 14 Sep 1862, at South Mountain (Battle of South Mountain)
Military Battle: 17 Sep 1862, at Antietam Creek, Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland.(Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam)
Military Battles: 13 Dec 1862, at Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia
Military Battles: Between Mar 1863 and Apr 1863, participated in Washington Siege
Military Battles: Apr 1863, in Virginia, participated in the Suffolk Campaign
Military Promotion: 15 Apr 1863, Promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant
Military Battles: Between 1 Jul 1863 and 3 Jul 1863, in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, the Gettysburg Campaign
Military Event: Captured 2 Jul 1863, in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, Captured during General Sam Hood's charge up Little Roundtop.
Military Event: Prisoner 20 Jul 1863, in Johnson's Island, Ottawa County, Ohio, Imprisoned. Records indicate that he was also imprisoned at Fort McHenry, Maryland and Fort Delaware, Delaware.
Military Event: Paroled 14 Mar 1865, in Johnson's Island, Ottawa County, Ohio, Paroled and forward to Point Lookout, Maryland for exchange.
Military Event: Released 23 Mar 1865, in Point Lookout, St. Marys County, Maryland, Received by Confederate Agent for exchange.

After the war Beauford ended up in South Carolina. and on 26 Nov 1865 in Lancaster Co SC, he married his wife Margaret Hinson (daughter of John Calvin Hinson and Charlotte Raley). BHN and Margaret had 11 children.

Margaret Hinson-Hurt

1. William Perrin Hurt
Born 15 Jul 1866 , Lancaster County, South Carolina - Died 24 May 1930 Mallard Creek, , Mecklenberg County, North Carolina, Buried Hickory Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina
Spouses Maude F. (1889-1983) and Julia (1870-1904) 1889 - , , North Carolina

2. Thomas Marion Hurt
Born 27 Feb 1869 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 1 Jan 1931 Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Buried Oaklawn Cemetery, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Spouse Mary Charity Gay (1880-1959)

3. John Hamilton Hurt
Born 27 Feb 1869 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 26 Feb 1935 , Buncombe County, North Carolina, Buried Saint Johns Lutheran Church Cemetery, Cherryville, Gaston County, North Carolina
Spouse Henrietta Mary Pugh (1872-1937) 1896 - , , North Carolina

4. Mary Isadore Hurt
Born 3 Aug 1871 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 15 Feb 1890
Spouse Charles K. Eury ( - )

5. Martha Clarissa Hurt
Born 5 Oct 1873 , Lincoln County, North Carolina - Died 15 Feb 1890 McAdenville, Gaston County, North Carolina, Buried Hickory Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina

6. Margaret Almetta Hurt (AKA Aunt Alice Hurt)
Born 16 Jun 1876 , Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Died 6 Sep 1954 Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina, Buried Mars Hill Cemetery, Mars Hill, Madison County, North Carolina
Spouse J. Newberry McDevitt (1875-1939)

7. Harriet Sarah Isabelle Hurt
Born 10 Jan 1879 , Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Died 1959 Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio
Buried Fountain Inn Cemetery, Fountain Inn, Greenville County, South Carolina
Spouse Elsey Savell Trammell (1872-1952), Marr. Date Cir 1896 - Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina

8. Columbus Andrew Newton Hurt
Born 9 Nov 1881 , Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - Died 18 May 1883 Clifton Mill, Spartanburg County, South Carolina

9. Susan Elizabeth Hurt (AKA Susan Leona Hurt)
Born 20 May 1884 Clifton, Spartanburg County, South Carolina - Died 10 Dec 1938 Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, Buried Cherryville City Memorial Cemetery, Cherryville, Gaston County, North Carolina
Spouse David Grier Dellinger (1880-1958)

10. Ira Buford Hurt
Born Oct 1886 Normandy Mills, Gaston County, North Carolina

11. Arthur Hurt
Born 25 Nov 1890 McAdenville, Gaston County, North Carolina
On the 1870 census we find the family in Lincoln Co NC and his occupation is listed as brick mason (the family trade).

On the 1880 census the family is now in Mt. Island River Bend Township, Gaston County, NC.

According to one descendant of this family Margaret Hinson-Hurt died on 1 May 1891 in Rock Hill, York Co, SC. Burial location unknown.

Again, according to the same source as above, BHN Hurt died 12 dec 1895 in Asheville, Buncombe Co, NC. He was suppose to be living at that time with his son, John Hamilton Hurt and his family at 5 Green Street in Asheville.

Where is Beauford and Margaret buried?

I have had high hopes that we would finally know where my 2nd great grand uncle Beauford Hervey Nealy Hurt and his wife Margaret Hinson-Hurt was buried. Several years ago we traveled to Asheville and the main library to get a peak at their genealogy resources that may have helped in my research.

The search in the Asheville library proved negative, that part of the trip was pretty much a bust. Asheville death records do not start until 1898. While I did locate a newspaper covering the period when he died, they didn't have but one local obit in that paper in the week that I researched 12-19 Dec 1895. One thing has remained constant, the newspaper in Asheville hasn't improved very much in the past 117 years from the ones I looks at yesterday.

No luck with cemetery inventory books for Buncombe and Carrabus County. Could not find any books for Catawba, Lincoln or Gaston Counties NC. A previous search in York County SC also has come up negative.

I will also travel to the Museum and Library of Confederate History in Greenville to see if they have any record of his burial in their records. I still have a few cards to play (NC pension records, other county cemetery inventory books, etc) but the search continues for Uncle Buford's final resting place. Maybe, just maybe!

Latest Update: Nothing in Greenville either!

John Hurt-Ester Brick Wall Update

As some of you may know who attend my genealogy classes at Tri-County Community College in Peachtree, NC, I recently solved a long standing brick wall using Ancestry DNA newest tool -- "New Ancestor Discoveries."

After many years I finally nailed down my 4th great grandfather's wife as Ester daughter of Margaret McCarter born in South Carolina. Of that I had no doubt last week. (see previous post on this blog and on the Family Roots and Branches blog)

Even after uncovering my newest 5th great grandmother - Margaret McCarter - I still wasn't convinced who Ester Hurt's father was. You see Margaret McCarter had three husbands and children by all three. I almost immediately ruled out her first husband William Motley. The timeline I had established for John Hurt and Ester just didn't work for him to be the baby daddy.

Since the Ancestry DNA tool picked up on John Lynch Jr and his wife Elinor Henson, I thought I had maybe a path directly to John Lynch Jr's -- John Lynch Sr who was Margaret's second husband. But since he died in supposedly in 1781, I just wasn't feeling right with him either in the timeline. Besides according to one message I read, there is suppose to be a family bible that indicates there were only two sons by that short marriage. I also wasn't getting even a nibble or even a brown leaf (my term for a researched DNA match) on the Lynch family via any of my Ancestry autosomal DNA tests.

Once I made up my mind that husband #1 or #2 weren't going to work, that left husband #3, the best of the three -- Jesse Neville. I purposely stayed away from him until I could rule the other two out since he was the better genealogically and historically 5th great grandfather and father of Ester Hurt.

I used my private tree over the weekend to test my theory and relinked my test to that private tree (a method I like to use often).

I can now say with excellent certainly based on my strong circumstantial paper trail (mostly indirect evidence), and our Ancestry autosomal DNA testing (me and my father) that Jesse Neville (who is buried with Margaret in Walhalla, SC) born-5 Jul 1759 in Fauquier County, Colonial Virginia, and died on 4 Mar 1842 in Walhalla,  Oconee County, South Carolina, is the father of Ester, who is the wife of John Hurt -- my 4th great grandparents.

Grandfather Jesse served during the Ref War. From the DAR GRS database:

NEVILLE, JESSE  DAR Ancestor #: A082513
Service: NORTH CAROLINA    Rank: PRIVATE
Birth:  7-5-1759    FAUQUIER CO VIRGINIA
Death: 5-4-1842     PICKENS DIST SOUTH CAROLINA
Pension Number: *S21899
Service Source: *S21899
Service Description:
1) CAPTS PARIS,EARLE,PORTER,WOOD,CARRUTH,
2) HAMPTON, TUTT,MUSICK,MILLER & PARSONS

If you want to read a great testimony to service during the Rev War (short of wintering over at Valley Forge with my cousin George Washington), check out Jesse's Rev War pension abstract at the Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements website (http://revwarapps.org/s21899.pdf).
Jesse's father Captain William Neville (my 6th great grandfather) is also a patriot listed in the DAR GRS.

William Neville apparently saw service in two wars. He is shown as an ensign in the Fauquier Co., VA Militia in 1762 at which time we were engaged in the French and Indian War. He was also a captain in the Revolutionary War stationed on the frontiers of Rutherford and Tryon Counties, NC. William never received a pension but references to his service can be found in a pay voucher at the NC State Archives and also in the pension records of his son, Yelverton (S4614), and in the pension of Thomas R. Musick (S16897).
 NEVILLE, WILLIAM  Ancestor #: A082528
Service: NORTH CAROLINA    Rank(s): CAPTAIN, CIVIL SERVICE
Birth: 1740    VIRGINIA
Death: POST 1813     WHITE CO TENNESSEE
Service Source:

*S16987 PENSION OF THOMAS R. MUSICK; HOLCOMBE, TRYON CO NC MIN OF THE CT OF PLEAS & QTR SESSIONS, 1769-1779, P 165

Service Description:
 1) MILITIA; JUSTICE OF PEACE

Some of his service is documented in the pension of a man who served under him -- Thomas R. Musick (http://revwarapps.org/s21899.pdf) as follows:

"The said Thomas R. Musick further on his oath states that in the beginning of the year 1778, he went to Rutherford County in the State of North Carolina and volunteered as a private in a light horse company under the command of Captain William Neville and served in that company one year (being the period of his engagement) that after the expiration of this period of service in the [year] 1779, he the applicant took the place of one Hardin and again served as a private in the same company under the same commander for a further period of 3 months -- That the company commanded by Captain Neville was employed during the whole period of the applicants service as aforesaid in the protection of the frontier against the inroads of the Indians."

And now you can see why I was reluctant to jump first on Jesse until I had disproved the other two potential fathers.

Oh BTW - I am now part of the Jesse Neville Ancestry DNA circle, my 13th DNA circle. I will have more on Jesse and the Neville family soon. In the meantime, I need to get an American flag and Gayle and I have to make a road trip over to Walhalla. Wonder if he has a DAR marker?

Ancestry's "New Ancestor Discoveries" feature Busted A Long Standing Hurt Family Brick Wall.

Well as most of you who read my Family Roots and Branches blog (http://family-genealogy.blogspot.com/) know recently I blasted the Ancestry DNA tool release of the "New Ancestor Discoveries" feature on this blog (see previous post at http://family-genealogy.blogspot.com/2015/04/ancestrys-new-ancestor-discoveries.html).

After taking some time to sort through the debris field of this new tool and getting a few more of these matches on two of my DNA testers pages I can now say that there "may" still be "some" hope for this new tool after all. Honestly one good set of matches out of 15 still doesn't give me a real warm and fuzzy feeling.

While I am still not a fan of this network centric DNA tool concept (read into this that I want a chromosome browser tool), out of all the mess that was the opening week for this new "tool," including what I consider the promotion of this new feature that bordered on false advertising, I have actually used it to bust wide open a very long standing ancestral female brick wall line. So while the initial promotion still gets a failing grade, the new tool gets a qualified "C-."

As it turns out and now Ancestry has admitted in some of their material these "New Ancestor Discoveries" are not necessarily "new ancestors" in your chart after all.

From one of their question mark menu's:

Possible New Ancestors & Relatives

 

Once you've taken your AncestryDNA test and received your results, keep an eye out for "New Ancestor Discoveries" on your results page. To find these new potential ancestors and relatives, we compare your DNA to that of other AncestryDNA members who have already built their family trees. And, New Ancestor Discoveries can happen all the time as more people use AncestryDNA. Clicking on the photo of your potential new ancestor or relative will lead you on the path to discovering amazing new details of your family story as you determine how they may fit into your family tree.

 

My fellow genetic genealogy blogger Roberta over at DNAeXplained has had a similar experience and her results are noted at this link: http://dna-explained.com/2015/04/07/testing-ancestrys-amazing-new-ancestor-dna-claim/

 

So let's back up and look at what I got from my father's DNA testing page and this "New Ancestor Discoveries" matches tool.

 

Initially, there were only two of these "new ancestor discoveries" presented (which is what I based my initial criticism on -- Berryman Isom Jones and his wife Licenia Watkins. I crawled, dug around the net, banged my head against the wall, searched, analyzed, researched, banged my head against the wall again, and no matter how I cut it neither a crowbar or dynamite was going to fit this couple any where as ancestors in my tree. There was already at that possible generation indicated for these potential ancestors to much proven via existing DNA testing and a great supporting paper trail for these folks to even remotely fit.

 

A couple of days later, after much criticism Ancestry dropped their little bomb shell on their blog written by the man who did the introductory video to this new feature Mr. Kenny Freestone. I call this the dirty little truth revealed -- "these may not be ancestors" at all. Duh, hey Kenny, ya think?

 

You can read his post at http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2015/04/09/new-ancestor-discoveries-clues-not-proof-to-your-past/, but let me pick a couple of the more notable passages.

 

"Last week we announced an exciting new AncestryDNA feature called “New Ancestor Discoveries.” The response to this feature launch has been very interesting to watch—we’ve received lots of feedback breathless with praise because we “proved” a relationship, and some feedback that dismisses the feature because it does not “prove” relationships. As we consider feedback from both of these extreme positions, it seems appropriate to explain more clearly what this feature is and is not."

 

Well it least I did not say "it does not “prove” relationships." I said it doesn't prove ancestors as you claimed in your promotional material including the video introducing this feature.

 

Still quoting from Mr. Freestone's blog post (italics/bold text are my doing).

 

What is a New Ancestor Discovery?

• What it is: A New Ancestor Discovery is a suggestion that points you to a potential new ancestor or relative—someone that may not be in your family tree previously. This beta launch is our first step toward an entirely new way to make discoveries, and a way to expand how we do family history.
• What it isn’t: This is not proof, or a guarantee, of a new ancestor. They’re called New Ancestor Discoveries, and many may be your actual ancestors. Some will be other relatives that fit somewhere on your family tree, and some will be people that you may not be directly related to.
• It’s a starting point to further research. We’ll show you a New Ancestor Discovery if you share significant amounts of DNA with multiple members of a DNA Circle—which means you might also be related to the ancestor that the DNA Circle is built around. These hints can be a great starting point for your research and help you connect to other family members you didn’t know you had.

You know I wish you would have said that from the very beginning Mr. Freestone. It would have saved me and many others hours of research trying to figure out how to get those people in our family trees. So promotion of this new tool still gets an "F."

 

Now for the silver lining in all this. My father's DNA page has since picked up three more of these "new ancestor discoveries" people. The original couple and one of my dad's new ones still has not panned out to date.

 

But one couple did! Up front I will tell you that if I had not done some paper trail research on my one known ancestor (John Hurt) several years ago in the South Carolina state archives, this match might have gone unnoticed as well. No records available at Ancestry helped me uncover this until now missing wife of John Hurt, my 4th great grandmother. The initial research done in South Carolina made all the difference in the world. So with this DNA circle match and the paper research, it all ultimately let me knock down a long standing female ancestral brick wall.

 

 

The description given for John Lynch was my first good clue on where to look in my tree to see where he might fit.

"John Lynch was born on January 24, 1780, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was married in March 1806 in his hometown. He died on March 5, 1863, in Gainesville, Texas, having lived a long life of 83 years."

Given the range of relationship that the others in DNA circle had to him, I only had one line that runs through Spartanburg SC. I knew that we had to be dealing with a family associated with my John Hurt, a paternal 4th great grandfather. As it turns out these people above weren't ancestors, but in fact this Jhn Lynch was a 4th great grand uncle and his wife.

Once I opened up one of the trees to a match in the circle and I saw who John Lynch's mother was, alarm bells started to ring. I had seen that name before in the research I had done in South Carolina. That name was Margaret McCarter. As it turns out based on DNA testing and the paper trail she is my 5th great grandmother and her second husband - John Lynch is my 5th great grandfather.

Here is some of the info provided by the paper trail.

Taken from SPARTANBURG COUNTY/DISTRICT SOUTH CAROLINA DEED ABSTRACTS BOOKS A - T 1785 - 1827 ( 1752 - 1827) by Albert Bruce Pruitt.
BOOK K p. 344 Jun. 26, 1806

Margaret MCCARTER (Spartanburgh) to son-in-law John HURT (same); for love and affection give a Negro girl Nutty (or Mutty). Witness Alexander MCCARTER, Mary MCCARTER, and James VERNON. Signed Margaret MCCARTER's mark. Wit. oath Jun. 27, 1806 James VERNON, Alexander MCCARTER, and Mary MCCARTER to Isham FOSTER. Rec. Jul. 7, 1806

BOOK L p. 290 - 292 May 6, 1808
John HURT (Spartanburgh) to James VERNON (same); for $100 sold 50 ac on N fork of branch of Tygar R; border: S - Alexander MCCARTER, E - James VERNON, and N - line mentioned below; part of 160 ac grant to John ORR but presently owned by John HURT; except land between "head of pond" and a line to N fork of Tygar R. Witness William PERRIN, Andrew VERNON, and Moses RICHARDSON. Signed John HURT. Wit. oath May 7, 1808 William PERRIN to Isham FOSTER. Rec. Jun. 24, 1808 Dower renounced Ester HURT to Isham FOSTER May 7, 1808.

BOOK L p. 309 Jan. 12, 1808
Margaret MCCARTER (Spartanburgh) to Mary MCCARTER (Greenville Dist.); for $1 sold a Negro girl Fanny Witness William PERRIN and John HURT. Signed Margaret MCCARTER's mark. Wit. oath Jul. 4, 1808 John HURT to Danl WILBANKS. Rec. Aug. 8, 1808

BOOK N p. 98 - 99 Nov. 28, 1811
John HURT (Spartanburgh) to Andrew B. FLEMING (same); for $10 sold 140 ac on N side of S branch of N Tygar R; part of grant to John ORR; border: W - Alxr. MCCARTER, E & N - J JORDAN, and S - J VERNON. Witness Joseph HURT, Henry HUTCHESON, and James VERNON. Signed John HURT. Wit. oath Mar. 15, 1814 Henry HUTCHESON to John CHAPMAN. Rec. Apr. 6, 1812. Dower renounced Nov. 28, 1811 Ester HURT to Michl MILLER. BOOK N p. 157 - 159 Oct. 22, 1811

Once all the pieces were put into place, this pretty much was a slam dunk. So when you look at these "New Ancestor Discoveries" matches on your Ancestry DNA test page, do not look at them as ancestors only, but broaden that a bit to aunts/uncles or even close cousins. Pay attention to the others in the circle and see how they are related and that may help you place them on your family tree.

Bottom line, thank you Ancestry for helping me bust through a major brick wall. Now help me figure out who the other 13 "New Ancestor Discoveries" matches are!

 

 

30 Year Search is Over - Family Picture Found - Finally!

After a 30 years search I have finally found a picture of my second great grandfather - Dr. William Law Van Horn. My cousin Judy Van Horn-Cross in Houston, Texas, is the genealogy angel that provided the missing piece of our family history. This picture now completes a collection of family pictures that spans seven generations of Van Horn ancestors and their spouses starting with my son - Loyd.

Here is the lineup of pictures we now have for our family history:

1. William Loyd Van Horn
2. William Larry Van Horn - Gayle Hennington-Van Horn
3. Warner Lee Van Horn - Gloria Ann Schmidt-Van Horn
4. Witt Lange Van Horn - Iris Jeanette Hurt-Van Horn
5. Willia Law Van Horn - Jessie Witt-Van Horn
6. Dr. William Law Van Horn - Mattie Parry Mallory-Van Horn
7. Captain Thaddeus Damascus Van Horn, Confederate ADC - Margareta Law-Van Horn

Thanks Judy for helping our search and special thanks to my Dad for all his help and legwork. And here is the final missing photo that Judy passed along.

Family Group Record -- Willie Law Van Horn-Jessie Witt

This is the family record of one of my paternal great grand parents - Willie Law Van Horn and Jessie Witt.

One of my fondest stories about Great Grandpa Willie Law Van Horn was told to me by my Grand Aunt Elizabeth Tansik several years ago. And I have been able to dig through some original records and find that there is probably a pretty good grain of truth to all this as well.

After Willie's father died in 1897, tutorships were established for him and his four siblings in Columbia, Caldwell Parish, LA. One year (1898) after his death, Mattie and the family dug up great-great grandfather William, boarded a train and moved to New Orleans, were Dr. William was reburied in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 down in the Garden District. Mattie settled into a home at 916 Eleonore in New Orleans.See this link to learn more about Willie's family.

It was the intent that each of the Van Horn children would all go to college. It was Dr. William and Mattie's hope that they would follow their father's footsteps.

All this worked out fine for all the kids except my great grandfather Willie. Seems he was a bit of a "hell raiser." All he ever wanted to be was a cowboy (see picture below). We do know that in 1905-6 he was working as an electrician in New Orleans and living at home with his mother. And according to my Grand Aunt Elizabeth we also know that he spent way to much time on Bourbon Street in notorious French Quarter raising hell and drinking.

Great grandfather Willie Law Van Horn in front of the family home -- 916 Eleanor Street, New Orleans. Is he heading out for a night in the French Quarter?

Evidently Grandpa Willie raised hell one time to many and one morning or late evening after he returned home his mother Mattie kicked him out of the house. This was circa 1907. Guess the cowby urge took hold and he traveked west into Texas Hill Country. On April 26, 1909, married Jessie Witt in Kerr County, Texas. But even Jessie (all the grandchildren called her "Gata") wasn't enough to tame Willie.

According to one family member (my Aunt Deen) Gata told her that her mother and dad were farmers, and Willie did not care anything for that life style. Gata would not leave her mother and dad, so Willie left her and they got a divorce.

On the hearing date for their divorce proceeding (November 21, 1914), Grandpa Willie was a no-show and the judge had no choice but to grant Gata the relief she was asking for in her divorce petition. The marriage was dissolved.

After their divorce Willie wrote many a letter trying to get back together. These were the letters that I saw as a kid that were up in the crawl space above the closet in her old home at 1702 West Mayfield in South San Antonio. Unfortunately no one in my family now knows what has happened to them. Boy what I wouldn't give to have copies of those letters. I am sure it would fill in quite a few holes I have in the family timeline.

After many years of searching I finally found information on Willie's military services during World War I. He entered service on December 8, 1917, at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio and was discharged in June 1919 with a rank of Sergeant First Class. He did serve in the European Theater between 1918-1919. Evidently he was exposed to mustard gas during this time as he was treated for that conditions after the war in San Antonio area military hospitals.

In January 1939, he went to work for the Corpus Christi Police Department and retired from that job in January 1954.

The rest of the story is presented in the family group record below.

Husband: Sgt 1st Class Willie Law Van Horn (39)
Birth: 1 Dec 1885 Louisiana
Marriage: 26 Apr 1909 Kerr County, Texas
Death: 20 Feb 1960 U.S. Navy Hospital, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas
Burial: 23 Feb 1960 Seaside Memorial Park, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas

Father Dr. William Law Van Horn (41) (b. 28 Oct 1857, d. 9 Jun 1897)
Mother Mattie Parry Mallory (47) (b. 17 Jan 1866, d. 31 Oct 1942)

Wife: Jessie Witt (40)
Birth 10 Jun 1890 Bexar County, Texas
Marriage 2nd: after 29 Jan Walter Franklin Roberts (189) (b. 1878, 1920 d. 21 Jul
1935); San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Death: 26 Feb 1979 Local Hospital, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Burial 28 Feb 1979 Mission Burial Park South, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Father Private John Christopher Witt (79) (b. 8 Feb 1854, d. 22 Jun 1924)
Mother Henrietta Elizabeth Lange (80) (b. 18 Aug 1866, d. 2 Jul 1943)

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Two Known Children for Willie Law Van Horn and Jessie Witt

M Witt Lange Van Horn (34)
Birth 7 Aug 1911 Medina City, Bandera County, Texas
Marriage 5 Nov 1931 Iris Jeanette Hurt (35) (b. 24 Apr 1912, d. 23 Feb 1981),
daughter of James Ira Hurt Sr. (4705) and Johanna Himena Schneider(4706); M.E.
Church South, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas.
Son: Living Warner Lee Van Horn (4)
Daughter: Living Norma Deen Van Horn (38)
Divorce 1935 Iris Jeanette Hurt (35)
Death 30 Sep 1982 Lytle Nursing Home, Lytle, Atascosa County, Texas
Burial 1 Oct 1982 Mission Burial Park South, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

M Victor Clark Van Horn (44)
Birth 30 May 1913 Medina County, Texas
Marriage 12 Mar 1938 Helen Marie Ferguson (199) Living, daughter of Norman Edward
Ferguson (224) and Florence Mabel Weatherby (225); Houston, Harris County, Texas.
Daughter: Living Jerilyn Kay Van Horn (200); San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Daughter: Living Judy Rae Van Horn (204); San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Son: Living Jack Clark Van Horn (208); San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Daughter: Living Janet Faye Van Horn (214); San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Death 12 Apr 1986 San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Burial 15 Apr 1986 Mission Burial Park South, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

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Second wife and family of Sgt 1st Class Willie Law Van Horn (39)

Wife Bertha Mae Bowers (8647)
Birth 19 Jan 1892 Arkansas
Marriage __ Jun 1916 Longview, Gregg County, Texas
Death 30 Jan 1965 Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas
Parents Unknown, we have no picture and burial information.

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One Known Child

F Mattie Elizabeth Van Horn (8648)
Birth 3 Aug 1917 Tarrant County, Texas
Marriage 24 Jun 1950 Frank Joseph Tansik (8649) (d. 21 Dec 1975)
Daughter: Living Katherine Ann Tansik (24199); Nueces County, Texas
Son: Living Franklin Joseph Tansik (24198); Nueces County, Texas
Death 30 May 1987 Travis County, Texas