Tales From the Depths
of My Gene Pool

Surnames & Genealogical Collection

Some highlights:

Big Ed in The Ball Room

Greenwood Genealogies, 1154-1914 by Frederick Greenwood

Reminiscences of Montclair (NJ) by Philip Doremus

A History of the Horseneck Riots — A Thesis by Max K. Vorwerk, 1948

Thomas Beals — First Friends Minister in Ohio

The Sultana Tragedy of 1865 — Emanuel Yeisley, survivor

The Oral Histories of Clifford Lackore (1898-1985)
and Winnie Whiton Lackore, my grandparents.

To the next generations of my Colorful Family...

Back in 1993, I put two family history books together for the 90th birthdays of both of my grandmothers, Winnie Whiton Lackore and Ethyle Marah Todd. I was bitten hard by the genealogy "bug" and have been having fun ever since! Since I had always thought of our family as just an average, middle-class American family, it really surprised me to find such a Colorful Family History!

I would like nothing more than to share what I have learned with all of you. Maybe your American History classes will not be as boring as mine were if you know that some of your "direct" ancestors played very important roles in the founding of our nation. Quite a few of them were also blazing a path for others to follow out on the American Frontier. Here are some of the more interesting of my findings. If you have any questions, please send me an E-Mail message! After all, it's almost the year 2000!

BEALS, Thomas — the beloved Quaker missionary to the Indians on the Frontier before 1800. He was repeatedly arrested and jailed by the Army for "collaborating with their enemy," the Native Americans. His family also might have spent some time in The Lost State of Franklin

TODD, Rev. Thomas — the grandson of Thomas Beals (above), he served in the Civil War and traded his horse for the property where many of our family grew up in Southern Missouri. He is fondly remembered by those who knew and loved him. Here is his story... and it is Americana at its best!

YEISLEY, Rev. Emanuel — he spent the last 6 months of the Civil War in Cahaba Prisoner of War camp near Selma, Alabama. At the close of the war he was on the steamship The Sultana when it exploded on the Mississippi River. It was the worst maritime disaster in American History. Emanuel couldn't swim and was severely burned, but managed to fight for a couple of boards, was able to float to shore and lived to tell the tale.

The Cross-Dressing Quaker Grandma — I just love this story for some reason!

GREENWOOD, Rev. John — John Greenwood was the Father of the Puritan movement in England. He was executed by the King of England for refusing to renounce his beliefs that the Church and State should be separate. His followers fled to Leyden in Holland and came to America on the Mayflower. You have heard that story, I'm sure! John Greenwood was my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather (and he was really Great, too!)

Even the greatest symbol of American freedom and democracy, The Plymouth Rock, became famous because of a story passed down by one of our direct ancestors, John Faunce.

BALDWIN, BALL, BLATCHLEY, BRUEN, CRANE, LAMSON, TREAT, etc. -- our direct ancestors were the leaders of the New Haven Colony, founders of Newark and Montclair, New Jersey and signers of the Horseneck Purchase (west of Newark). When their claim to the Horseneck land was later disputed by the New Jersey Proprietors, our ancestors took part in an open rebellion (known as the Horseneck Riots) against the Crown of England. This was still 30 years before the American Revolution began.

Other families, BLATCHLEY, MARSH, WEBSTER, KELLOGG stayed behind in Connecticut. Both Robert TREAT and John WEBSTER served as early Governors of Connecticut. John Webster's son Robert married Robert Treat's sister Susannah. This makes my grandparents cousins!

In 1665, our ancestor Roger BARTON was forced to abandon in his family in Brookhaven, Long Island after being accused of "Riotous Misdemeanors." By 1688, Roger had reunited with his family and had settled in Westchester, New York. The Dutch came calling to claim the Barton properties and found Roger armed with a pitchfork, ready to do battle. What followed has gone down in the history books as The Fordham Ryotts.

Capt. Joseph WADSWORTH was one of the first residents of Hartford, Connecticut. A representative of the King came to town to get signatures on a Charter. Our Joseph played a key role in a conspiracy that involved blowing out candles and playing hide and seek with the King's document. Joseph hid it in old Oak Tree in the town plaza.

BALL, Rev. John — He migrated from coast to coast — was born in New York, lived in the Midwest and died in Oregon.

Other members of our BALL family gave the world the BALL Mason Jar and Ball State University.

Members of our CRANE family gave the world the Phantom Ship in New Haven Harbor, Ichabod CRANE (yes, he was a real person!), Cranetown (Montclair), New Jersey and much much more!

GLOVER, Charles — was the owner of a shipyard in Southold, Long Island during the years that Pirates, Buccaneers and Slave Traders were frequent visitors to the area.