Gerald Dean Richerson

One of the perks to having such a "young" family is that I have known more than half of my great-grandparents. I didn't realize how unusual this was until I was in college and had been doing genealogy for a few years already.

I never knew my Mexican great-grandparents; they both passed away before I was born. While I didn't know them well, I did get to meet my dad's other set of grandparents as a child. My maternal grandfather's dad passed away before I was born, but I knew his mom very well. (She's the one that got me started on this crazy genealogy kick in the first place!) And my maternal grandmother's mom lived next door to us growing up.

My maternal grandmother's father, on the other hand, has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Even though he was still alive by the time I went to college, I never knew him. And, actually, it never dawned on me that I hadn't met him until I found out even he existed.

As a kid, you only know what you've been told, and I was told my "Grandma Grimm" was my granny's mom. Since I was never introduced to a person referred to as my granny's "dad," I kind of just assumed she didn't have one.

An excerpt from my Baby Book. (I don't even think my mom asked anybody for information. She put in whom she had met personally and left it at that.)

Then, one day, I can't quite remember if it was when I was in middle school or high school, we drove by a house. I don't even remember where the house was, except I am fairly certain it was still in North Carolina somewhere. When questioning why we were stopped on the side of the street in this seemingly random residential area, I was told my granny's dad lived in the house up ahead of us.

As far as I remember, no one ever approached the house or tried to make contact with him; I just remember driving by the house that day. As if simply knowing he was a real person was enough for my mom and grandmother.

When I started doing genealogy, I asked my grandmother her father's name, but still to this day I haven't asked if she ever knew her father or why he wasn't around when I was a kid. (Honestly, it even took me a while to figure out that her mom had gotten remarried at some point because their last names weren't the same! I never met a "Grandpa Grimm," so again I just assumed there just wasn't one.)

Gerald Dean Richerson was born on 30 June 1921 in Long Lane, Dallas County, Missouri. My grandmother's birth certificate says otherwise. (Not that I hold much stock in what birth certificates say; my dad's says that his dad was born in Texas, instead of Mexico.)

From what I can tell, he was the oldest of eight children born to William Parker Richerson and Cleo Belle Triplett. He married my great-grandmother Jessie Roberta Ellis on 21 December 1942. Together, they had one child, Clara Dean Richerson, in 1943

As I mentioned before, I don't know what happened after my grandmother was born, but by 1947 Gerald was getting married to Hazel Corrine Jenkins in Santa Rosa, Florida. Hazel and Gerald had at least one child together, Barbara Louise Richerson, in 1949.

I don't know if Gerald stayed around long for his second wife and second child, but Gerald remarried a third time to a woman named Marjorie. They had at least the following children:

• John William Richerson, born 1963
• Marjorie L Richerson, born 1968
• Laura Richerson

The only other thing I know about Gerald is that he served as a pilot with the U.S. Navy. He served a year and a half in the military. He enlisted on 19 December 1957 and was released on 6 July 1959. I don't know any specifics on his service, but I do have a picture of him.

Provided by Thomas Cardenas

This was the first photo I saw of my great-grandfather. Since he was 36 when he enlisted in the Navy, and that is relatively old to have joined the service, I wonder what his reasoning was.  Whatever the reason, I think his experiences in the Navy directly affected his feelings about family. I think that's why he found a wife, and kept her, and had a family.

Based on everything I've been able to dig up on him, I don't think Gerald would have been an easy person to know, but I think I would have liked to have known him.

Photo provided by Thomas Cardenas

Gerald died on 28 March 2006 in Missouri. I don't know where he is buried yet, but I assume he is buried in Missouri. If anyone knows anything about Gerald, his second and third spouses, or his other children, please send me a message. I would love to find some answers for this part of the family tree.

Sources:

• Birth Certificate, Clara Dean Richerson
• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Gerald Dean Richerson

Ellison K. Plyler

My fourth-great granduncle, Ellison Kershaw Plyler, was born 18 Feburary 1837 to Elisha Plyler and Mary Elizabeth Hancock. Whenever I see some male with a birthdate in Ellison's range, I instantly search for Civil War service records. I was not disappointed when I searched for Ellison's.

Ellison enlisted as a Private with the 12th South Carolina Volunteer Regiment, Company I, on 15 May 1862 at Camp Jackson, Virginia for the duration of the War.

Taken from Service Records

Ellison doesn't seem to have a very easy experience at Camp though. By July or August 1862, he is sent to the hospital and he appears "absent" in the muster rolls. I don't, however, find him in any hospital records until October. On 3 October 1862, I see he is admitted to the C.S.A. General Hospital at Farmville, Virginia with rheumatism.

Taken from Service Records

Just a few days later, Ellison is transferred to General Hospital No. 6 in Richmond, Virginia. Whether in this hospital or another hospital, Ellison is listed as being "absent" from his Company due to being in the hospital all the way until 10 January 1863.

Taken from Service Records

After his return, Ellison seems to stay with his company for his longest stretch yet. He appears as "present" up until 1 July 1863 when he is "wounded at Gettysburg, Pa. ... and left."

Taken from Service Records

That phrase "and left" is a little haunting. Growing up near Camp Lejeune, I grew up hearing "no man left behind" a lot. The men in Ellison's Company did not seem to feel that way. They simply left him there when he was wounded.

Ellison's fate was seemingly unknown to his Company for quite some time because they repeat this wording up until March of 1864 when they seem to update the status of their wounded man.

Taken from Service Records

Finally, they list him as being "in the hands of the enemy."

Ellison would remain a Prisoner of War for the remainder of the War. Upon capture, he is sent to Fort McHenry in Maryland. He stays there for about a week or two until he is transferred to Fort Delaware, located in Delaware.

He stays at Fort Delaware until he is finally released on 10 June 1865 having taken the Oath of Allegiance.

Often, when a person took the Oath of Allegiance, their physical description was recorded. I assume this was to help enforce the Oath in the case that the person chose to go back to the Confederacy and pick up arms again against the Union. Ellison's description is one that is a bit unique.

Taken from Service Records

They list his complexion as "sallow." I have seen "light," "dark," and all kinds of various shades in-between described here, but I have never seen "sallow." I wonder if he appeared sallow because of his rheumatism. Or I wonder if his nearly two years as a POW caused his complexion to become sallow.

In any case, Ellison left the War and seemed to go straight home to his wife, Mary (last name unknown), and his two young children, Margaret and Jonas. Not long after being home, Mary becomes pregnant with their third child, John, who is born in 1866. Their fourth, and the last known child I have for the couple, Mary, was born a few years later in 1869.

Ellison lived to be 80 years old. He died of "old age" on 8 January 1918.

Taken from Death Certificate

I'm glad to see that despite his rough experience in the War, he didn't seem to let it hinder his ability to lead a long, full life.

Sources:

• 1870 Cabarrus County, North Carolina U.S. Federal Census (accessed on Ancestry)
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina (accessed on Fold3)
• Death Certificate, Ellison Kershaw Plyler (accessed on Ancestry)

Rafael Cardenas Zepeda

Rafael Cardenas Zepeda was born 24 October 1890 in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico. His parents were Macedonio Cardenas y Cardenas and Agustina Zepeda Rodriguez.

He married at least three times. His known wives were Amalia Ortega Blanca, Herlinda (last name unknown), and Adelina Cardenas. Between all of his spouses, Rafael had at least the following children:

• Gilberto Cardenas Ortega
• Esperanza Cardenas Ortega
• Raul Cardenas
• Roberto Cardenas
• Rafael Cardenas

For this post, however, rather than focusing on his family life, I want to highlight Rafael's military service. Unlike my previously mentioned military relatives who served in the American Revolutionary War or the U. S. Civil War, Rafael, being Mexican, served in the Mexican Revolutionary War, sometimes referred to as the Mexican Civil War.

Rafael joined the Constitutionalist Army during the Mexican Revolutionary movement in 1913. He served under the command of General Antonio Medina. I know he was against the Huerta movement, but it seems from what I've gathered that even when some groups would be allies on one front, they were enemies on another, so other than knowing he was "anti-Huerta," I know little else about his side of the War.

Most of the reason I don't know much about his time in the Revolution is because my knowledge of Spanish is limited to what I learned before age 10 and what I can glean based on a working knowledge of French and some Latin. But I do know that during Rafael's time in the military, he worked his way up to Brigadier General.

One of the many medals that was given to Rafael.
They are all in the possession of his granddaughter, Amalia Cardenas TristanPhoto taken by Thomas Cardenas

Certificate in the possession of Amalia Cardenas Tristan
Photo taken by Thomas Cardenas

By 1918, he was the first head of the Department of Factories and Military Supplies under Venustiano Carranza de la Garza's presidency. (This leads me to believe Rafael and Venustiano Carranza were allies (more frequently than enemies, at least) in the War.)

While Rafael appears in few books and records, it seems he was rather successful in his professional life. He was a member of Congress, a federal deputy, and he also served as provisional governor of Tamaulipas. He was the governor-elect for the 1920-1924 term, but he only served four days until 8 May 1920 when he retired.

Photo of Rafael found in a book at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
(I forgot to write down the name of the book)

Rafael died in 1956 at the age of 66 of a myocardial infarction.

Taken from death certificate

I hope to find out more about the Mexican Revolution as soon as I learn a little more Spanish, but until then, I have to rely on the certificates, medals, and fantastic photos from my great-aunt Amalia. Hopefully, more information will be revealed to me soon.

Photo provided by Thomas Cardenas
Original in the possession of Amalia Cardenas Tristan

Sources:

• Condecoracion al Merito Revolutionario, Rafael Cardenas Cepeda
• Death Certificate, Rafael Cardenas Zepeda (provided by Thomas Cardenas)
• "Diccionario Porrua: Historia, Biografia y Geografia de Mexico" (found in a local high school library)
• Tamaulipas Bicentennial Site: Rafael Cardenas Cepeda
• Tamaulipas Bicentennial Site: Venustiano Carranza

Queen Ellis' Bible

This week, instead of highlighting a couple or family, I thought I would highlight a genealogical document. I chose my mom's mom's mom's mom's family Bible.

Queen Ellis' Bible

Queen Vistie Snipes was born 10 January 1899 in Union County, North Carolina. She married Clyde Ellis on 5 April 1914 in Lancaster County, South Carolina. The Bible was printed in 1924, so this would have been her Bible as a married woman.

Copyright dates found on second page of bible

Queen didn't fill in any information on her parents or grandparents in this Bible, but she did complete the Children's Register pages with all 13 of her children's birthdays. Here is what she included (I have left all of her original spellings as she wrote them):

• James Clarence Ellis, born 11 January 1915 in Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Ola Mae in Kansas City, Missouri
• Virgil Vernon Ellis, born 6 June 1917
• Albert Ellis, born 18 April 1918
• Robert Ellis, born 8 June 1929
• Arthur Fred Ellis, born 17 July 1921 in Gastonia, North Carolina; married Marie Conner in 1962
• Jessie Roberta Ellis, born 21 November 1922 in Gastonia, North Carolina; married Everett M. Grimm on 2 February 1960 in Dinsmore, Florida

(Side note: I find it interesting that Jessie Roberta, my great-grandmother is listed as marrying Everett Grimm instead of her first husband, my great-grandfather, Gerald Dean Richerson. I wonder if Queen didn't approve of their relationship.)

• Dorothy Ellis, born 23 March 1924 in Gastonia, North Carolina; married Warren H. Hall on 11 November in Lancaster, South Carolina
• Clara Ma Ellis, born 17 January 1925 in Gastonia, North Carolina; married Veto A. Vespoint in York, South Carolina
• Earl Dugar Ellis, born 17 September 1927 in Gastonia, North Carolina; married Renee
• Margaret Mae Ellis, born 23 July 1931 in Charlotte, North Carolina; married Don E. Penninger in Lancaster, South Carolina 
• Mikie Berry Ellis, born 27 September 1933 in Charlotte, North Carolina; married Francis White
• Franklin D Ellis, born 29 October 1936 in Charlotte, North Carolina; married Faye Dowell on 28 August 1960 in Statesville, North Carolina
• George Emitt Ellis, born 22 November 1939 in Charlotte, North Carolina

I love seeing how the first child was born in South Carolina, followed by several who were born in Gastonia, and then seeing the family finally settle down in Charlotte where my grandmother eventually was raised. I always find it fun to follow the families as they grow to see where they move to raise their kids.

I love old Bibles, and this is a great one. I think it's fantastic to be able to see my great-great-grandmother's handwriting as she wrote out the names of her children, made notes in the margins of the text, and tucked newspaper clippings inside which were important to her. Plus, the fact that this is a large Bible (measuring over a foot long), it gives insight into the role religion played in Queen's life.

My favorite part of her entire Bible, however, is a completely non-genealogical page I found inside: The Family Temperance Pledge.

Family Temperance Pledge page from Queen's Bible

Being that this bible was copyrighted in the early 1920s, the topic of alcohol and alcohol consumption was a controversial one. I found this page added a touch of character to the Bible that I wasn't necessarily expecting otherwise. This pledge provides a list of 12 rules or ideals by which the family is agreeing to follow:

Family Temperance Pledge
Rules 1-6

1. Moderate drinking tends to drunkenness, while total abstinence directly from it.
2. It is said on reliable authority that in recent years one boy in five becomes addicted to drink by the time he is 21 years of age.
3. Intoxicating drinks can do no good as a beverage, and there are always safer and surer remedies to use in case of sickness.
4. The idea of moderation is full of deceit, and our estimate of the power of our own will is usually a mistaken one.
5. The drinking habit is the cause of the larger portion of the misery, poverty, and crime in our land.
6. Both science and experience prove that even moderate drinking is injurious to health.
7. Eternal interests are often forfeited through drink, for the Bible declares that no drunkard shall enter heaven.
8. The Bible pronounces no blessing upon drinking, but many upon total abstinence.
9. It is easier to keep a pledge publicly, solemnly given than a simple resolution.
10. The pledge protects us from the solicitations of friends, and removes us from the temptations of the saloon.
11. Persons miscalculate their ability to drink in moderation, and become slaves to the drinking habit before they are aware of it.
12. Intemperance obstructs civilization, education, religion and every useful reform.

To me, more fascinating than the existence of the page at all is the fact that it isn't a "completed" page. No one signed it. Is that because Queen was indifferent to temperance? Is that because she was opposed to temperance? Or did she simply not want to mark a beautiful page in the Bible unnecessarily? My grandmother, who currently has possession of her grandmother's Bible, may know the answer. I will need to ask her about her grandparents' views of alcohol next time I speak to her. 

Queen Vistie Snipes Ellis
Provided by Thomas Cardenas

Sources:

• Queen Vistie Snipes Ellis, 1915-1962, The Holy Bible, Hertel's New Standard Alphabetically Indexed Bible (Chicago, Illinois, USA:  The John A Hertel Co., 1924); privately held by Clara R. Findley.
• Photos of Bible taken June 2013 by Brittany Jenkins
• Photo of Queen Ellis provided by Thomas Cardenas

Gilberto Cardenas Luebbert

I know very little about my ancestors from Mexico. In this post, we will begin to explore what little bit I do know about them.

I'll start with my grandfather, my most recent connection to Mexico. Gilberto Cardenas Luebbert was born on 8 August 1937 in Mexico. He was the second of four children born to Gilberto Cardenas Ortega and Enriqueta Frida Luebbert Schulz.

Enriqueta was Gilberto Cardenas Ortega's second spouse. His first spouse was a Texan. Her name was Virginia Placida Johnston. Gilberto also married a third time to a woman named Amalia Tristan Vera.

Enriqueta was also married a total of three times. Her other spouses names were Carlos Zolezzi Cavazos and Antenor Buenrostro. I do not know when she was married to either of these men as it does not seem they had any children together.

Through all of his parents' secondary marriages, Gilberto Cardenas Luebbert had four half-siblings. Their names were:

• Theresa Antoneta Cardenas
• Daniel Lawrence Cardenas
• Amalia Cardenas Tristan
• Gilberto Demetri Cardenas Tristan

Perhaps his parents' troubles in staying with one spouse influenced Gilberto in his own relationships as he was married six times in his life.

As far as I know, his first marriage was to my grandmother. In his late twenties, Gilberto Cardenas Luebbert married Barbara Rowena Hitchcock.

Enriqueta Luebbert Schulz, Gilberto Cardenas Luebbert, and Barbara Rowena Hitchcock
at Gilberto and Barbara's wedding reception. Provided by Thomas Cardenas.

Together, they had three children.

• Gil Enrique Cardenas
• Jorge Cardenas
• Krystal Rowena Cardenas

Since I do not know when he married which spouse, I will simply list the remainder of his relationships in no particular order.

Gilberto married Soledad Medina. Together, they had at least one child.

• Enriqueta Cardenas Medina

Gilberto married Hortensia Aguilera. Together, they had at least one child.

• Gabriela Cardenas

Gilberto also married Violeta (last name unknown) and Guadalupe (last name unknown).  He later remarried Hortensia, who remained his wife until he died.

I do not have any photos of Gilberto's other spouses, and I have only seen one or two photos of my dad's Mexican half-siblings. (My dad also has two other half-siblings from my grandmother's second marriage.) I wish I knew more than just some colors and numbers in Spanish so I would feel more comfortable contacting my relatives South of the Border. Until I learn the language though, I leave my brother to do most of the Mexican research.

I only met my grandfather once. We spent a couple of days together in 2010 while on a road trip from North Carolina to Pennsylvania with my aunt (his daughter) and her family. We spent most of those days sharing our love of World Cup Soccer watching it on television in the hotels where we stayed. We did send a few emails back and forth, but I wish I had asked him more about his life and relationships. That aspect of his life and his reasons for marrying/divorcing so many times is probably something I'll never be able to figure out or understand.

Gilberto died the year after I met him on 11 October 2011. He is buried at Jardines del Recuerdo. My brother managed to get this photo from one of Gilberto's brothers, Raul Cardenas Luebbert, last year for me since I needed proof of my grandfather's birth and death dates for my Daughters of the American Revolution application.

Photo of grave of Enriqueta Luebbert Schulz, Gilberto Cardenas Luebbert,
and (currently) three other people. Copyright, 2014

Sources:

• Brittany Jenkins, grandchild
• Gilberto Cardenas Luebbert, self
• Thomas Cardenas, grandchild
• Tombstone photo taken Spring 2014