California Connections

I'm heading this week for another regular meeting in Los Angeles, so I thought it was timely to have a post on the variety of connections across the family (and through my wife's family) to California. We moved to Santa Monica in February 2006, and still have a place there although we moved back to Alexandria in May 2010. My parents lived in Vacaville, California for a time before I was born.

On My Granny's side of the family, her aunt Isabel Portillo Cruz and family moved from Tucson, Arizona to Los Angeles by 1926. She went to visit her aunt and cousins in 1942 when she was 16 years old. Granny told me a great story of her going to see a young Frank Sinatra in concert during that visit. The photo below is from that trip of my Granny, Lydia Campuzano, with her cousin Armando Cruz in Long Beach.

My Gumpy took a road trip with his brother and two friends in the summer of 1937 from Indiana to California (he has preserved this in a collection of short stories he published in 2000, which I'll have more in a subsequent post).

The Hotel California, Santa Monica

Also on the Jones side, Arthur Eugene Jones, son of Martin Van Buren Jones (8th child of my 4th-great-grandfather Robert Thomas Jones Sr), made it to Atlas Peak, Napa Valley, California before World War II. He arrived there about the time the area was reemerging from Prohibition. Atlas Peak is now prime wine country and its own appellation.

In 1944, my grandfather Leo Reid was stationed at Eagle Field, and later at the base in Merced, California while training as an Air Force pilot. I'm fortunate to have his pilot logs from his time with the Air Force.

On my wife's side, her great-great-grandmother, Caroline [Karolina Wilhelmina Rech] Freyling journeyed to California from Evansville, Indiana with her daughters Marie Elizabeth Freyling, Kathryn Freyling and Emma Carolyn Freyling. Caroline died in Los Angeles County on 12 August 1960. Emma is supposedly buried in Santa Monica so I'm hopeful to find her headstone on a future visit back to LA. My wife's uncle and family live north of San Diego today, and she has other family from her Boston side in the Pasadena area.

Our son was born in Santa Monica in 2009, so LA has additional significance because of our time there.

Several of my Granny's siblings lived in the LA area. Her brother Robert "Bobby" Campuzano passed away in West Hollywood, California in 2007. He was a "gardener to the stars" and had an apartment at the corner of La Cienega & Fountain, not far from Sunset Boulevard. Another brother, Manny, lived in Long Beach, while Ernesto lived in Ventura County.

LA from Runyon Canyon Park, 2009

In preparing this post, I'm struck by how many connections to California we have in the family over the years. When we moved to Santa Monica in 2006, I felt instantly at home. I have a special place in my heart for LA and enjoy being able to go back on a regular basis. It's now my adopted second home.

I'm ending this post with a link to the fabulous video "LA Light" by Colin Rich, who dedicated this to his grandmother. This is a moving tribute to his grandmother, and perfectly captures LA at night.

Blanche Lamon O'Brien

In January I wrote about my great-grandfather, Harry Edward O'Brien. Harry married my great-grandmother, Blanche Lamon on 18 February 1912 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Blanche was the daughter of Uriah Lamon and Anna Smith, and was born in Fort Branch, Gibson County, Indiana on 28 June 1887.

Blanche met me after I was born, she gifted me a baby book which I still have. I am hoping to supplement this entry with some stories from my parents.

According to the City of Indianapolis Directory from 1913, Harry and Blanche were living 715 East 17th Street, Indianapolis (near Downtown, on the corner of North College & 17th Street). The home still stands, although probably for not long. On Google Streetview it looks like the home is slated for being demolished. By 1918, Harry and Blanche were living at 432 West 31st Street (that house appears to have been well-cared for and looks a lot like the house in the pictures of Blanche below).

In the 1920 US Census, Harry, Blanche and family were in Indianapolis (Washington Township), Marion County, Indiana.

In the 1930 US Census, the O'Briens were in the same house in Indianapolis.

I'm looking forward to finding them in the 1940 US Census.

Blanche and Harry had the following children:
1. My grandmother, Blanche Allene O'Brien, born 28 November 1912
2. Harry Edward O'Brien Jr., born 4 April 1914, died 9 April 2003
3. Lowell O'Brien, born 11 March 1920, died 15 November 1991

My Dad's cousin Mike O'Brien provided me with the great old photos of Blanche in this set.

Blanche lived to be 88 years old, and died in February 1976.

Company G Service and Pension Comparison

After reading the rejected Mexican War pension applications for Robert Thomas Jones Sr, Jr, Miles Jones of Jefferson County, and Thomas Jones of Jackson County, Tennessee, I have decided to have a long-term project comparing the list of those who served in Company G, 5th Infantry Tennessee Volunteers in the Mexican War against those who actually received a pension.

I reviewed the Mexican War Service Records - Tennessee on Fold3.com, and checked this with R.M. Mitchell's Down the Tennessee. 105 men served in Company G between November 1847 and their discharge at Memphis, Tennessee on 20 July 1848.

After reviewing these files, I compared the list of 105 names with the Mexican War Pension Index on FamilySearch. Out of 105 men, pension applications were filed by 34 (or by their spouses).

The next step in this research is to look up the actual pension files at the National Archives for each to see if their pension was granted or rejected. I have already looked up applications filed for Robert Thomas Jones Sr, Jr, Miles Jones and Thomas Jones of Jackson County, Tennessee, so I have 30 other files to review. This will take some time, so I'll follow up with more findings.

I do not believe this research has been done before. My hope is that this will be useful for other descendants of veterans from Company G and for furthering research on those who served from East Tennessee.

In the list below, if I mark "Memphis", that means they were discharged with the Company in Memphis, Tennessee on 20 July 1848. If their service record indicated death or other action before 20 July 1848, I have included that information.

Of the 105 men in Company G, 86 either returned to Memphis or were discharged prior to 20 July 1848. 11 died in service, 3 had no official notice of death or discharge. 6 deserted.

Company G, 5th Infantry Tennessee Volunteers (Nov 1847-Jul 1848)
Captain John Reese (24) -Memphis (no pension filed)
2nd Lt. Proctor Porter (21) - Memphis (no pension filed)
2nd Lt. John A. Miller (23) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Laura A.W. Miller, application# 14520, 19012)
Sergeant [Marcus] LaFayette Allen (21) - Memphis; promoted to 2nd Lt when Atkinson discharged (pension filed by widow Leah Allen, application #6965 from Arkansas)

Sergeant William F. Barr (28) - resigned, discharged in New Orleans on 28 Dec 1847 (pension filed by widow Mary E. P. Barr, application #18628)
Sergeant Isaac Cardwell (21) - promoted to Sergeant when Barr resigned; Memphis (No pension filed)
Sergeant Conner Moore (26) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Sergeant James Thomas (25) - promoted to Sergeant on 4 Apr 1848 when John P. Holland was demoted to private; Memphis (Pension filed by widow Elizabeth J. Thomas, application# 9181)
Sergeant John W. Thurnburg (19) - promoted to Sergeant on 1 Jun 1848 (No pension filed)
Sergeant John P. Holland (23) - demoted to private, "broken of his appointment to Sergeant on 4 April 1848, since that time a private"; Memphis (no pension filed)

Corporal James Bethel (20) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Corporal Leonard R. L. Davis (25) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Corporal Hugh K. Duncan (21) - promoted to Corporal on 1 Jun 1848 (No pension filed)
Corporal James Lowe (25) - promoted to Corporal on 4 Apr 1848; promoted again when LaFayette Allen was promoted to 2nd Lt. 1 Jun 1848; Memphis (pension application #11799)
Corporal/Pvt Robert Thomas Jones Sr (41) - Memphis (but died 2 days after discharge, drowned in Mississippi River) (Widow's pension filed by Elizabeth Thornhill Jones rejected)

William G. Atkinson (19) - Musician/Drummer; Memphis (pension application filed, #18918 Old Wars #12168; later served in Company I, 2nd US Cavalry 1855-1858; died 9 April 1919 in Russellville, Tennessee)
William P. Cozart (17) - Musician, played the fife, discharged in Memphis (pension application #1399)
William Couch (19) - Cook; transferred to hospital on 4 Feb 1848; made hospital steward on 29 Feb 1848; discharged in Memphis (pension application filed by widow Sarah Couch, #9235)

Privates
Roderick Anderson (20) - Memphis (no pension filed)
John P. Baugh (25) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Eli Blair (26) - Memphis (pension application # 518)
Hiram Blair (19) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Mary J. Blair, application #23049, 12324)
James Branham (28) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Lewis Breeden (21) - Memphis (pension filed #697)
Merrill Breeden (21) - Memphis (pension filed #11391)
Ransom Brogden (26) - Memphis (No pension filed)
[Frances] Marion Click (21) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Eliza Ann Click, #4274)
Robert Collier (21) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Mary Catherine Collier, #18621)
William R. Copeland (27) - Memphis (pension filed #15019)
Samuel Cox (19) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Caleb Crow (21) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Jane Crow, #10395, Old Wars file #13444)
James Ferguson (19) - transferred into Company G on 12 Nov 1847; Memphis (pension application #2111; 9565)
John Foster (28) - joined in New Orleans on 25 Dec 1847; Memphis (No pension filed)
David Fry (21) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Joseph Grisham (23) - Memphis (No pension filed)
James J. M. Haggard (20) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Shadric W. Harie (or Haire) (22) - Memphis (Pension filed by widow Mary Ann Hair, #4137, Old War Widow Pension)
Valentine L. Harris (19) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Thomas Haskett (19) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Thomas B. Hickey (30) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Henry Hickman (18) - Memphis (pension filed application 14879)
Humphrey Hickman (28) - Memphis (No pension filed)
William L. Hudson (22) - Memphis (Pension #20618)
Francis A Irwin (20) - Memphis (Pension filed by widow Levina Irwin, #3385; 11920)
Grant Jones (19) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Miles Jones (40) - Memphis (pension application rejected)
William Lane (19) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Zebedee Langford (24) - Memphis (No pension filed)
John J. Lennon (19) - Memphis (No pension filed)
William Lines (18) - Memphis (No pension filed)
James Maner (24) - Memphis (No pension filed)
Benjamin Manning (20) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Mary J. Manning, application #13316, survivor application #4281)
Henry Maples (20) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Andrew J. Margraves (44) - Memphis (no pension filed)
George W. Massengill (21) - Memphis (no pension filed)
James D. McClelland (21) - Memphis (no pension filed)
James McKinney (21) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Jacob Miller (22) - Memphis (pension application #4620)
James C. Myers (19) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Sarah C. Myers, application #1462, Old Wars file #16710)
James L. Neal (22) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Ewen Jefferson Newman (19) - Memphis (married Margaret Caroline Jones on 15 Feb 1849, daughter of Robert Thomas Jones Sr, sister of Robert Thomas Jones Jr) (no pension filed)
Jackson Nunn (19) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Paul Potter (23) - Memphis (pension filed by widow Isabella J. Potter, application #1713 in Tennessee)
Andrew J. Potts (20) - Detailed for daily duty as artilleryman since 4 April 1848; Memphis (pension filed by widow Mary Potts in Oklahoma, #18554; Invalid #17168; application #21279, Texas)
Henry Ratford (23) - Memphis (no pension filed)
James Robertson (40) - Memphis (no pension filed)
William P. Rodgers (20) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Stephen Shrobert (20) - Memphis (no pension filed)
William P. Sisk (20) - Memphis (no pension filed)
John P. Smallwood (30) - Memphis (no pension filed)
James Sparks (23) - Memphis (no pension filed)
Thomas Spurgeon (21) - Memphis (pension application #10310)
Thomas Stafford (25) - Memphis (pension application #16552)
Soloman Stanberry (21) - Memphis (no pension filed)
George Stomer (26) - Memphis (no pension filed)
John Thomas (19) - Memphis (pension application #6394, 15255)
Wyley [or Wiley] A. Warden (24) - Memphis (pension application #12875; 20077; Old War's 18731)
Burl Whorly (19) - Memphis (no pension filed)
William Wood (25) - Memphis (pension application #14676)

Early Discharge
1st Lt. Hendle Atkinson (40) - honorable discharge on 20 Jun 1848 (no pension filed)
Frederick Hickman (38) - discharged 14 May 1848, in New Orleans by 29 May 1848 on surgeon's certificate (No pension filed)
Alexander Jones (22) - discharged by writ of habeas corpus by Judge Alexander in Knoxville, Tennessee on 4 Dec 1847 (no pension filed)
James K. Michaels (18) - discharged at National Bridge, Mexico by surgeon's certificate, 28 Mar 1848 (pension application #4594 in Illinois, 29 Jan 1887)
Eli Sartin (30) - Discharged at National Bridge, Mexico upon surgeon's certificate 28 Mar 1848 (pension filed by widow Mary Ann Sartin, application # 2610, Old War's Inv. Rej. #17653)
Jesse Young (44) - Transferred to Company G from F on 12 Nov 1847; Discharged at National Bridge upon surgeon's certificate 28 Feb 1848 (No pension filed)  

No official notice of death or discharge
Andrew J. Clemens (22) - Left sick in hospital in Veracruz on 30 Jan 1848, no official notice of death or discharge (no pension filed)
William Kensley (20) - transferred from Company F to G on 12 Nov 1847; name not on further rolls for Company G after Nov 1847 (no pension filed)
Ruffin Warrick (24) - Left sick in hospital at Veracruz, 10 May 1848. No official notice of death or discharge. (No pension filed)

Died in Service
Elijah Church (19) - Died at Veracruz on 26 Jun 1848 (No pension filed)
John W. Ebbs (29) - Died at Veracruz on 25 Jun 1848 (No pension filed)
William Johnson (19) - Died at National Bridge, Mexico on 18 Mar 1848 (No pension filed)
Thomas Jones (29 years old, of Jackson County, Tennessee) -  Died in Mexico (pension filed by wife rejected)
Robert Thomas Jones Jr (20) - Died at Muscle Shoals, Alabama on 17 Dec 1847 (pension filed by mother Elizabeth Thornhill Jones rejected)
Thomas H. Lawson (28) - Died at National Bridge, Mexico on 9 Apr 1848 (no pension filed)
Henry Pangle (28) - Died at National Bridge, Mexico on 13 May 1848 (no pension filed)
James Russell (38) - Left in hospital in Veracruz 30 Jan 1848, died 11 Feb 1848 (no pension filed)
James Soloman (20) - Died on board transport ship America 9 Jun 1848 (no pension filed)
Thomas L. Walker (41) - Died at Veracruz, 23 Jun 1848 (No pension filed)
Thomas D. Whalen (20) - Died at National Bridge, 4 Mar 1848 (No pension filed)

Deserted
Ransom Cross (21) - Deserted in Knoxville, Tennessee on 15 Nov 1847
George Hurst (23) - Deserted at wood yard on Mississippi River, 25 Dec 1847
Noah Hurst (19) - Deserted at Paducah, Kentucky, 23 Dec 1847
Pleasant Hurst (19) - Deserted at Paducah, Kentucky, 23 Dec 1847
Charley Mathis (18) - Deserted at Veracruz on 30 Jan 1848
Paschal Nunn (25) - Deserted at wood yard on Mississippi River, 25 Dec 1847

Friday Photo - Street Art

Monterey, CA - July 2011

Mexico City - 6 March 2009

Mexico City - March 2009

Santa Monica, CA - June 2009

Space Invader - Vienna - May 2011

Warhol Banana - Vienna - May 2011

Cartagena, Colombia - Dec 2010

Cartagena, Colombia - Dec 2010

Pacific Coast Highway - July 2011

Montmarte, Paris - October 2011

Sarah Melissa Jones Daniel

The youngest child of Robert Thomas Jones Sr and Elizabeth Thornhill was Sarah Melissa Jones. She was born on 11 August 1846 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. My distant cousin & fellow Jones family researcher Lynne King has provided the photo of Sarah Melissa below:

Sarah Melissa married William Gilbert Daniel on 23 October 1862, just before William joined the Confederate Army with Sarah Melissa's brothers Martin and Joseph. A copy of their marriage record from the Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002 is below:

Sarah Melissa and William had the following children:
1. William Alonzo Daniel - born 25 July 1863 in Jefferson County, Tennessee
2. Frank Caswell Daniel - born 1866 in Jefferson County, Tennessee
3. Minnie Clayton Daniel - born 1 January 1869 in Jefferson County, Tennessee (Minnie married Albert Vail, a grandson of my 4th-great-grandparents James Vail and Selina Hampton).

In the 1870 US Census, Sarah Melissa and William were in Talbotts Station, Jefferson County. Elizabeth Thornhill Jones was living with them.

By 1880, the Daniels had moved to Boone County, Indiana with the families of Sarah Melissa's brothers, Joseph and Martin Jones.

Sarah Melissa Jones Daniel died on 2 July 1888, before her 42nd birthday. She is buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery in Thorntown, Boone County, Indiana.

I'll have more on William Daniel and his service in the Civil War in a separate post.