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Monday, May 3, 2010
Progress Notes
A couple of months ago I was called by Tuscumbia High School American History teacher Hollis Taylor who requested permission to take some photographs of her students posing on the museum campus. She wanted to include our log cabins which had been moved there several years ago as a historical background for one of her class projects (photo 01).
01 Museum Cabins At the time, I wasn’t sure just what Hollis was planning to do with the photos but a week or so ago she emailed me and told me her class had won second place in a contest sponsored by PBS Education. A recent article in the Autogram published the story:
Miller County Autogram
April 22, 2010
Second in the nation-- A project involving the Underground Railroad, which moved slaves from the south to northern states or Canada during the American Civil War era, earned a Tuscumbia High School history class a second place finish in a national contest involving nearly 700 entries.
There are accounts of special quilts hung on fences to mark safe houses on the Underground Railroad route north. The contest was sponsored by PBS Education. Class members made a paper quilt, shown by the doorway, and took photos at the log cabins on the grounds of the Miller County Historical Society Museum in Tuscumbia. Their teacher is Hollis Taylor. The prize includes gift packages from PBS and Elmer’s; a web cam from Logitech, membership in the PBS Teachers online community and a discount at the online PBS Store.
I asked Hollis to send me some more information about the contest:
“The contest, for which the photos were taken, was the PBS Innovative Teacher Awards. We won 2nd place from a field of over 700 entries nationwide. The lesson was about the Underground Railroad Secret Code Quilt. We made a paper quilt and evaluated oral versus written history. Attached are photographs I took of some of my American History students from Tuscumbia High School. The students in the photos are: Victoria Fritchey, Jordan Parkhurst, Cody Horton and Sierra Gardner (photo 02).”
02 Victoria, Jordan, Cody and Sierra Next is a collage of the photos she took of these students for the contest (photos 03 - 14):
Click on each thumbnail to view a larger image.
Here is a photo of the entire class (photo 15):
15 American History Class Here are their names:
L-R Front Row:
Patrick Wood, Dillon Barnfield, Cody Horton, Whitney Buechter, Shawn Wagner, Meghan Crane
L-R Back Row:
Jordan Parkhurst, Christian Turner, Matthew Houston, Sierra Gardner, Samantha Helton, Joe Lavin
Here is some more information about the Innovative Teacher Program which Hollis sent me:
The PBS Innovative Teacher
As a teacher I subscribe to the PBS newsletter for educators. This spring a contest for teachers who use innovation in their American History classrooms was publicized. I felt this was an opportunity to share a lesson I developed as a hands-on activity in my American History class at Tuscumbia High School. We researched slavery in America during the 19th century, including the Underground Railroad and quilts. To tie all of this information together we wrote journal entries portraying slaves during the height of the Underground Railroad. As a class we researched the old and new stories of the secret code stitched into the quilts. We attempted to find primary sources to collaborate the stories using the internet and reference books. Last of all we designed and made a paper quilt to illustrate our research. A photograph was optional to the contest but essential to my lesson. The Historical Society was the perfect place to showcase this multifaceted lesson.
All of the application process was done online. I was unaware of the competition I was up against until I submitted the entry and PBS posted all of them on their website. Many of the resources we used were PBS programming, which was not mandatory, but encouraged. I was excited we won the prize out of so many entries nation-wide.
I asked Hollis to tell me more about the Underground Railroad Quilt story:
The Underground Railroad
Quilt Code
Historically Accurate or Just a Good Story?
Lesson Plan
American History
Grades 9-12
Historical Background
One of the most endearing stories surrounding quilts today is that of the use of quilts to lead fugitive slaves to freedom. There are accounts describing log cabin quilts with black center squares instead of the common red centers being hung on fences to mark safe houses on the Underground Railroad. Another story tells of a symbolic map stitched into a quilt with a connection to the Jacob’s Ladder pattern and the spiritual song sung by enslaved Africans (photo 16).
16 Jacob's Ladder Quilt Pattern In recent years another story has circulated about a secret code stitched into quilts. Ozella Williams (photo 17) from South Carolina claimed her ancestors knew about this code which was passed down to her through oral tradition. However, no documentation of a quilt of this description is found in any primary source.
17 Ozella Williams The information about the Underground Railroad signal quilt requires sharp critical thinking skills to discern fact from fiction. Historical accuracy is based on written documentation. Unfortunately that information is missing due to enslaved individuals not being allowed to learn reading and writing skills. The transient nature of their positions along with limited opportunity to acquire writing supplies made it nearly impossible to have primary source material relating to slave culture. Oral histories passed down to subsequent generations provide testimony of the existence of a freedom code stitched into handmade quilts. The question the students are to answer in this lesson is: are oral histories valid?
Resources:
Internet PBS programs
- Africans in America, Brotherly Love episode — Using Primary Source Documents
Virtual Museum
http://www.pbs.org/africansinamerica
National Geographic Site — http://www.nationalgeographic.com
Hart Cottage Quilts
Underground Railroad Quilts
http://www.ugrrquilthartcottagequilts.com
Underground Railroad/Slavery — http://www.indianahistory.org
Then I asked Hollis to tell me more about the significance of the designs of the quilts used on the Underground Railroad:
Yes, there is a significance to the designs of the slave quilts. Each individual square you see corresponds to a lyric in a poem/song sung by slaves. The story that Ozella Williams told goes like this; The Monkey Wrench turns the Wagon Wheel toward Canada on a Bear Paw trail to the Crossroads. Once they got to the crossroads they dug a Log Cabin on the ground. Shoofly told them to dress in satin Bow Ties and go to the cathedral church, get married and exchange Double Wedding Rings. Flying Geese stay on the Drunkard’s Path and follow the Stars.
Note: To see this story with actual quilt block patterns, please visit this website.
The quilt patterns are in bold type. Each one of the quilt squares in The Underground Railroad Quilt is one of these patterns. The quilt on the porch railing in one of the photos I took at the museum cabin is one of my old quilts I brought as a prop. It is however, an example of a Bear Paw design which is mentioned in the code.
If you are interested in other quilts I have a fascinating story about a quilt called The Graveyard Quilt. I was so impressed with this quilt story I contacted the Kentucky Historical Society Museum and inquired about it. They sent me a book and a photo of the old quilt. The original was too damaged to display. I decided to see if I could accurately duplicate this every interesting and heart wrenching quilt. I spent about a year collecting 18th century reproduction fabric, developing designs, and piecing together the quilt. It has a graveyard in the center with small coffins inside. There are embroidered roses entwining the fence posts. The back is dyed with walnut hull just as Elizabeth Mitchell did in the early 1800’s. Perhaps sometime I can show it to you.
It seems to me that Tuscumbia High School is fortunate indeed to have teachers with the enthusiasm, imagination and energy as has Hollis Taylor. I asked her to tell me more about herself and to send me a photo so that our readers could know more about her (photo 18):
18 Hollis Taylor I am from Texas and came to this area in 1977. I have two children: Amanda DeGraffenreid of Brumley and Nicholas Mace of Iberia. I have been teaching in Tuscumbia for nine years. I am a graduate of Texas A&M, earning a degree in Art. I am a member of The Missouri Watercolor Society and the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society and have won awards from each of these associations. I am also a member of the National Portrait Society. Painting portraits is my favorite area of expression.
In the past I have been a living historian and repaired dolls for museums in Alabama and Indiana. I enjoy refinishing old furniture, gardening, painting, and my grandchildren. I also love to travel and hope to return to Europe this summer.
Thanks Hollis and thank you Tuscumbia High School history class for representing our community and county so well!
No doubt this is a good opportunity to introduce the quilt we have chosen for this year’s raffle (photo 19).
19 Quilt Raffle - 2010 The quilt was donated by Dot Ritter of the St. Louis area, a gift we certainly appreciate since we depend upon the raffle ticket sales to fund our yearly budget. The quilt is whole-cloth with a Chrysanthemum pattern. Here is a copy of this year’s raffle ticket (photo 20):
20 Raffle Ticket
Many readers of this website will remember Sue Mace, daughter of Lucian and Clare Mace, of Tuscumbia. Sadly, after a long battle with cancer, Sue passed away Friday, April 2, 2010. Here is the obituary as published in the Vernon Newspapers:
Sue Wyrick Anderson
Margaret Sue Wyrick Anderson, 71, died at her home with
her family by her side on Friday, April 2, 2010, after a 10-year battle with cancer.
She was born March 30, 1939, in Miller County to Lucian
and Claire Buster Mace in Miller County. Both her parents preceded her in death. She married Jackie (Jack) Tennyson Wyrick in 1960. He died suddenly in 1983.
She later married William (Bill) Anderson in 1993. She graduated from Tuscumbia High School in 1957. She earned a bachelor of arts from Mt. Mercy College and a master of arts from Nova University. She worked as a teachers’ aid in the Cedar Rapids Community School District before becoming a business instructor at Kirkwood Community College, where she taught for 27 years. She retired in 2001. Sue is survived by her husband, Bill; son Michael and his wife Felicia of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; step-daughter Denice and husband Robert Krish of Woodbury, Minn; sister, Lois, of Stilwell, Kan; grandsons Alex and Connor Wyrick, Iowa City; and grandchildren Allison and Andrew Krish. She was preceded in death by a brother, Lee Mace.
Funeral services were held at 10 AM on Tuesday at Unity Center of Cedar Rapids. The Rev. Brenda Ehret officiated. Inurnment will be at a later date in Mt. Zion Cemetery near Tuscumbia.
Arrangements are under the direction of Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics at Mrs. Anderson’s request.
Sue’s sister, Lois Webb, sent me a copy of the Memorial Service in honor of Sue given April 6, 2010 in Cedar Rapids by Reverend Brenda Ehret part of which I will copy here for those who were unable to attend:
Sue’s older sister, Lois and I chatted on the phone at length yesterday. Lois shared that their mom was a church-going woman—of the Baptist tradition.
Their dad, on the other hand, was not a churchy kind of guy. Sue learned about spirituality from him. They didn’t boast about their Native American heritage—Osage Indian; but they were all pleased about it. Dad taught that the great outdoors was a sanctuary.
Lois is 10 yrs older than Sue. Brother Lee was 12 yrs older. They all grew up in the jailhouse because their Dad was the county sheriff; and the family lived above the jailhouse.
Their dad taught the family that the jail residents were just “ordinary people who had a problem.” So the whole family got to know the people who were in the county jail. Lois remembers one family that came to visit an inmate who brought their little girl with them. She and Sue rode tricycles up and down the sidewalk while the grown-ups took care of jail-visitation business.
Lee and Lois taught Sue how to count using playing cards. As far as little Sue was concerned, when you count it goes like this: 8, 9 10, jack, queen, king. “We treated her like a baby-sister toy almost. We knew that wasn’t the way you were supposed to do; but it was too fun to pass up.”
One other childhood story that Lois shared was about a neighbor girl who was a few years older than Sue. When Sandra’s Mama gave a birthday party for her little girl, Sue was enough years younger that she was not invited. Undaunted, Sue showed up at the party anyway and told the others: “I know I wasn’t invited; but I decided to come anyhow!” Of course, that was perfectly fine with everyone involved.
Sue’s folks were both school teachers before they went into their newspaper and sheriff work. Sue’s grandfather had been a teacher as well. Regardless of what Lee and Lois accomplished professionally, Lois says that the proudest she ever heard her dad talk about his kids was when he shared that Sue was a teacher. Her parents were both so proud of Sue’s professional choice.
I knew Sue from years ago when we were attending Tuscumbia School in about the same time frame. Sue and her sister Lois contributed almost all the information and photos for the Progress Notes of August 8, 2008 which told the story of Lucian and Clare Mace, their parents.
Here are some photos of Sue I had in my files (photos 21 - 26):
21 Sue Mace - 1940's
22 Clare and Sue - 1944
23 Lee, Sue and Lois
24 Lee, Lois, Sue and Clare Mace
25 Sue Mace and Bill Anderson
26 Sue Mace Anderson and Lois Mace Webb
Last week I wrote about some of the earliest automobile owners in Miller County. I began with one of C.B. Wright’s diary entries in which he told about the delivery of his first car in 1915, a Model T Ford which he bought from Alf Eads of Iberia. According to an Autogram entry, C.B. was the only car owner in Tuscumbia at the time. Last year I did a series of articles on some of the first Miller County car dealers. During that time I had the very good fortune to have the opportunity to interview John Vanosdol, grandson of Clark Vanosdol, who was the first Eldon Ford dealer. John was visiting in the area and just by happenstance the timing of his visit coincided with the week I was writing the article about his grandfather, Clark.
Note: you can read more about Clark Vanosdol at this previous Progress Notes.
During the interview John told me that his grandfather Clark was left homeless at the age of twelve after his mother had passed away. At the time, Clark was living in Bagnell, and for some unknown reason and in some unknown manner, he found his way to Eldon. Having no place to stay he was taken in by Della Haynes Jemphrey, whose husband Harvey, had a large farm north of Eldon.
Now just at the very moment John was telling me this compelling story of his grandfather, a visitor to the museum entered the library area where John and I were conversing. I noticed that the visitor was listening intently to our conversation. I introduced myself to the visitor who told me his name was Frank Haynes and that he was from the Chicago area. I remarked to him that he seemed to be really interested in John’s recounting of his grandfather Clark’s arrival to Eldon where he was taken in by Della Haynes Jemphrey. Then it struck me that the visitor’s last name was Haynes! And yes, indeed, he was one of the Haynes family of Eldon and that Della Haynes was the sister of his grandfather, John Haynes, both of them children of Joel Jeffries Haynes, who was one of Eldon’s most respected citizens at the time.
So, Frank and John became good friends really quickly at that point and Frank joined in the conversation. He said he himself never knew exactly how Clark ended up at the Jemphrey’s home but that it was common knowledge in the Haynes family that Clark Vanosdol had spent his first years in Eldon living with Della and Harvey.
Frank was passing through this area after having made a trip to Oklahoma to pick up some family history records from an aunt who lived there. He said he had spent much time in Eldon as a young boy when his family visited relatives here. He told me that Della was raised on a farm where Wal-Mart now is located, but that the home had remained intact for many years and he remembered it well.
His aunt, Delpha (known as Della) Haynes Jemphrey (married to Harvey Jemphrey) inherited a significant amount of land around Eldon from her husband, Harvey. The farm where she lived with Harvey was just north of Eldon. On old plat maps of Eldon the land lists Harvey Jemphrey as owner. In this next photo look in section numbers 33 and 34 to see the Jemphrey farm (photo 27):
27 Jemphrey Property - North
Click image for larger viewBefore Della died she subdivided most of the farm into lots, which now includes Jemphrey and Haynes Streets, and is known as the Jemphrey addition. Most of the Haynes’ property around Eldon was accumulated by her father Joel Jefferson Haynes and her grandfather Martin Haynes who came from Kentucky in the 1840’s (he is buried in Salem Cemetery). Some of the land was south of Eldon. Frank told me Della was the one who sold Wal-Mart the land where it presently is located. On the 1905 plat map the property where Wal-Mart now is located is listed as belonging to a J.J. Haynes. Look in section 3 to see the Haynes property (photo 28):
28 T41N-R15W - 1905
Click image for larger viewHere is a close up of Section 3 (photo 29):
29 T41N-R15W - Section3 - 1905 B.F. Haynes, listed as one of Joel Jefferson’s neighbors, was his brother. He was the father of Walter M. Haynes, former Citizen’s Bank President 1918-1934 (photo 30).
30 Walter M. Haynes Frank said Della owned another farm in addition to the one where she lived which was located north of Eldon and had a large spring. According to Frank she lived in a home built in the 1880’s and never had a modern kitchen. The water in the kitchen was from a hand pump connected directly to the well. He thinks she was born in the 1880s and died in 1976.
Later, after returning to Chicago, Frank sent me a family photo of the Joel Jefferson Haynes family (photo 31).
31 Joel Jefferson Haynes Family
Click image for larger viewHere are the names of those in the photo:
In front left to right are:
Gayle Haynes, Anna Miller Haynes, and Joel Jeffries Haynes.
Behind left to right (excluding the woman on the far left who probably was a hired lady):
Margaret J. Haynes, Delpha (Della) Haynes, Belle Haynes, Oliver Haynes, Birdie Haynes, John Haynes.
As noted above, John Haynes was Frank Haynes’ grandfather. Joel Jefferson Haynes, father of John was one of early Eldon’s most prominent businessmen. His obituary copied below serves to indicate the high esteem with which his neighbors and friends held for him:
Obituary for JOEL JEFFERSON HAYNES:
Information Courtesy of Malinda James:
Miller Co Autogram
11 June, 1931
The funeral of J. J. Haynes, a pioneer citizen of Eldon for over 85 years and a good man in the community, was held at the Christian Church Memorial Day in the afternoon and attended by a large crowd of relatives and friends. Rev. A. L. Alexander, the pastor, conducted the services and the body was taken to the Eldon cemetery to be placed by the grave of Mrs. Haynes.
Joel Jefferson Haynes was born November 17, 1845 on a farm just
south of Eldon city limits where he spent nearly all his life. He
departed this life at the home of his daughter, Mrs. H. G. Jemphrey, May 28, 1931.
Mr. Haynes was the son of Martin Haynes and Margaret Hinds Haynes. He was married to Anna M. Miller January 19, 1868. To them eight children were born. One, John Haynes, passed away when a young man.
The seven living are: Mrs G. D. Walker, Ollie Haynes, Miss Belle Haynes, Mrs. H G Jemphrey, and Gaylord Haynes of Eldon, Mrs. Leslie Yarger, of Madill, Oklahoma, and Mrs. Roy Lumpkin of Des Moines, Iowa.
When 22 years old Mr. Haynes united with the Christian Church
at Mount Pleasant and later was a founder and charter member of
the First Christian Church at Mount Pleasant and later was a founder and charter member of the First Christian Church of Eldon.
Mr. Haynes was a man who stood four-square for his convictions
of right and a man whose integrity and honesty was an asset to
whatever organization he chose to belong. He was careful and
conservative in business and aside from being a director in the
Bank of Eldon had not taken much interest in business for
years but devoted his time to his farm where he had spent
practically all of his useful life. With the building of the Rock Island railroad through Eldon a part of the farm became a portion of the city and greatly increased the value of the remaining portion which he kept for the old home.
When Mr. Haynes was a boy, plowing in Miller County was done
with a wooden mould board plow and wheat was threshed with a
flail or by treading on threshing floor. The grain was bolted by hand in a small stone mill. Biscuits were considered a luxury and were cooked only on Sunday or special occasions. They were blue in color and contained considerable grit from the stones between which they were ground. Clothes were made from wool raised and spun on the farm.
(taken from the Eldon Advertiser)
Martin Haynes, who was father of Joel, probably was the original owner of the Haynes farms shown on the 1905 plat map, but I am unable to identify a farm on the map with his name. According to one genealogy chart I have, Martin had ten children (photo 32).
32 Martin Haynes Genealogy
Click image to view the full document in PDF formatThis particular genealogy was concentrated on the family of Joel Jefferson. However, I was curious to know something about others of Martin’s children and how they related to some of the Haynes family here today. I knew they all must be related because of the proximity in which they lived in the Eldon area. One reason I was so interested was the recent untimely death of one of our most successful Haynes’, Gene Haynes, who passed away April 18, 2010. Gene was a very well known farmer and auctioneer. He lived on the same farm that was homesteaded by his Great-Grandparents and was a cattle trader who owned and operated the Lebanon Livestock Auction in Lebanon, Missouri.
So I called Sharon Buster, who is interested in genealogies of the north part of the county. She found from her records that one of Martin Haynes’ ten children, in addition to Joel Jefferson, was James Lafayette Haynes, a brother of Joel. James was the father of Dallas, whose son was Graydon Haynes. Graydon was a very well known citizen of the area having held county office at one time. Graydon was the grandfather of Gene, whose own father was Gerald Haynes. Here is a plat map which shows the location of Graydon’s farm in 1930, located in section 29 (photo 33):
33 Graydon Haynes Farm - Section 29 - 1930 And here is a plat map from 2009 showing Gene’s property in sections 28 and 29 (photo 34):
34 Sections 28 and 29 - 2009
Click image for larger viewThe particular reference to which Sharon referred was the very complete Miller Family genealogy written in 1971 by Gwen Shoemaker and Grace Adams Farmer which, because of its completeness, also listed many families with ties to the Miller family. Sharon told me she is going to donate a copy of this rare genealogical reference book to our museum library.
So, to sum things up, if Frank Haynes of Chicago had not stopped by our museum one day last year on his return trip home from Oklahoma, and if John Vanosdol had not happened to have been visiting us also, I would not have been able to present in such detail the story of the Miller County Haynes family and its importance in our history.
Last Sunday (April 25) the Miller County Historical Society hosted a potluck dinner for members and guests which featured the Josh Wyrick Trio as entertainment (photo 35).
35 Josh Wyrick Trio The members of the trio include Josh Wryick on guitar, Monty Laffoon on bass, and Larry Wryick on dobro. The performance was especially enhanced by the presence of Josh’s daughter, Ashley, who can play some lead guitar as well as sing. Josh and Larry were born and raised here; Monty, originally from Illinois, has lived in Tuscumbia for many years. The kind of music the group performs best could be described as old time country using unamplified instruments but with a touch of a modern sound due to Josh’s singing style. The guests and members certainly enjoyed the home style music played by the group (photo 36).
36 MCHS Members and Guests
New board members elected at the business meeting later were Greg Keeth and Gary Carrender. Wanda Wright was re-elected to a second term. All the board’s officers, Joe Pryor, President; Carl McDonald, Vice President and Betty Kallenbach, Treasurer were reelected. Catherine Ponder has agreed to assume the role of secretary replacing the recently retired Peggy Hake.
We are looking forward to the Saturday, May 15 season opening for the museum which will begin at 10:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p. Helping us celebrate will be the Joe Jeffries musical group which will perform from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
Karen Wyrick Smith, one of our board members, found a letter written in 1940 by her father, Rex Wyrick, who was describing his friendship with Robert Urban (“Doc”) Oligschlaeger. The letter answers the question of how Urban got his nickname “Doc.” You can read the letter if you go back to last week’s Progress Notes where it recently was placed
That’s all for this week.
 Joe Pryor
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