A Message from your President
We are now coming into springtime, which gives us time to pause and reflect upon happenings of the past winter. Certainly, We have lost some of our most dedicated and founding members. Just today, I received word of the death of Frances Curry. She will be greatly missed by all of us in our association. She was a warm and vital friend and a long time member.
We are looking forward to our upcoming annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee this September. (Please notice that we are meeting a month earlier than usual). It will be interesting to visit and pay homage to Sarah Childress Polk and rededicate her gravesite at the wreath laying ceremony. Bob and JoAnn are making all the plans and you can contact them at Bob265617@aol.com <mailto:Bob265617@aol.com>
The Web site is up and functional. Hardly a day goes by that somebody doesn’t add a query to our bulletin board. We have gained quite a few new members since last October and I would like to welcome each one of them to our association. It is hoped that they will be attending our annual meeting.
Before the next annual meeting, I would like to get some ideas from our members as to what our priorities should be.
1. Have more speakers
2. More workshops
3. More genealogy sessions
4. Your ideas?
If you have any suggestions, please Email me at childers@dca.net <mailto:childers@dca.net>
We would like more family histories to put on our web page. If you would like to share yours, please Email or mail them to Jack Childers, RD 3, Box 80, Fenwick Island DE 19944. We can use disks, Gedcom or typewritten documents.
New Members
B41 Desiree L. Bowman, 139 Sharon St., Rising sun MD 21911
C214 William G. Childress, Jr., 1204 Harmin Cove Towers, Secaucus NJ 07094
C215 James L. Childers, 1603 128 St., Lubbock TX 79423
C216 David M. Childress, 1677 Greenlawn Ave., Akron OH 44301
H39 Neal Childress Hickman, 233 Fordham Way, Knoxville TN 37922
P24 Margaret Potter, P.O. Box 57, Troupsburg NY 14885
R31 Charles J.Rowland, 286 Henderson Rd., Jackson TN 38305
S32 Robert Sanders, 13960 Calhoun Rd., Cement City MI 49233
An update and we are pleased to include it!
Dear Family and Friends:
Just want to touch base with all our members and say hello. I am improving each day from my recent carotid surgery re-do. It was a little harder on me this time, but I think age has something to do with that. Thank all of you who have sent cards or telephoned. It is greatly appreciated when you know folks are thinking about you.
I am looking forward to the meeting in Nashville and hope all of you will be there too. It means so much to see all of you in person. God willing, we will be there.
I would also like to ask each of you to remember our service men and women and add them to your prayer list. Pray also for our wonderful country and our leaders through these trying times.
Take care…..much love,
Pat Spurling Spurling@worldnet.att.net <mailto:Spurling@worldnet.att.net>
Another update: Annual Meeting. September 4-6, 2003
Hope you are all planning to attend and that you have made reservations.
Conference Hotel Rates:
Single or double: $79.00+ Tax Doubletree Hotel, Nashville TN Suite: $109.00+ Tax
315 4th Ave. North
Phone: 615-244-8200
The agenda follows:
Thursday 4 September 2003
9:30-10:30 AM “Celebration Registration” at Doubletree Hotel
11:00 AM Wreath laying Ceremony, Tennessee Capitol Grounds
3:00 PM 200th Birthday Tea in honor of Mrs. Sarah Childress Polk. There will be more information about the special location of the tea in the next newsletter.
Friday 5 September 2003
9:00 AM Registration in meeting room until 4:00 PM
9:00 AM Meeting room open all day until 4:00 PM
3:00 PM Committee Meetings until 4:00 PM
4:00 PM Board of Trustees Meeting until 6:00 PM
7:00 PM Meeting room open until 10:00 PM
Saturday 6 September 2003
9:00 AM Registration until 11:00 AM. Meeting room open for research
10:00 AM CFA Business Meeting
11:30 AM Group Picture
12:00 Noon CFA Luncheon
1:00 PM Meeting room open until 2:00 PM
SYMPATHY
Frances Elizabeth Waid CURRY
Charter Member - CFA # C -35 born November 14, 1905 in Billings, Missouri married June 4, 1946 to Samuel E. CURRY died March 6, 2003 in Springfield, MO
Mrs. Curry was a member of the First Baptist Church of Billings, MO since November 8, 1914. Her parents were John Francis and Sarah Elizabeth (Childress) WAID. Frances Curry has been a faithful member of CFA through the years, attending most of the meetings with members of her family. She was a member of the Rachel Donaldson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and served as a officer for many years.
CFA Honorary Member - 1995
As an organizing member of the Childers/ Childress Family Association, Inc., Mrs. Curry attended almost every meeting until her illness in 2001. She held the offices of secretary and treasurer. During her tenure she organized the Directory of Ancestors for the Association. She carefully typed the CFA Roster of Members and always was helpful to others in researching their lines.
Past President - Ozarks Genealogical Society Volunteer - Shepard Room for Genealogy of the Springfield Library
- - Descendant of - -Jesse Childers - born 29 April 1729, died 1867 Trigg Co., KY, married 18 May 1814 in Mecklenburg Co., VA to Lucy Jackson, born 1787, died 1863.
We extend our sympathy to her family and friends in this loss. The sister of Frances Curry is Maxine Stewart, 1471 East Bennett, Springfield, MO 65804
Thank you to Mr. Earl R Stephenson, 805 E. Greenwood St., Springfield, MO 65807-3765, for sending the following obituary. Frances attended the first CFA meeting with Earl and Geneve Stephenson in 1982 in Memphis, TN We have all loved Frances as a good friend and will miss her.
A New Exciting Project
I have studied this proposal and found it to be a legitimate offer. Other genealogy groups have entered into this DNA testing and the results have been excellent. I think this will be a great opportunity for all the Childers/Childress family members who are interested in genealogy to secure additional information on their ancestors. I have signed up for this. Sorry girls, however, if you have a brother or uncle with the Childers/Childress surname, you can sign them up.
Jack Childers, President
CFA
Childress/Childers DNA Project
Questions about the DNA project should be directed to Gary Childress, DNA Project Coordinator. 8403 Seranata Dr., Whittier CA 90603. E-mail: London2005@charter.net
The Childress/Childers DNA Project is to use the latest scientific DNA testing to help researchers with these surnames. The DNA test compares 25 standardized markers (Alleles) with other people in the surname group. If 2 people match with 23 or 24 Allele values out of 25 markers they are likely to be related with a recent common ancestor. If you miss by more than 2 markers, the odds increase dramatically that there is no recent, common ancestor in the last 500 years or so.
The surname test is for males only and is the Y-Chromosome test. The Y-Chromosome is the only chromosome that is passed from father to son to his son to his son, unchanged, generation-to-generation. The Y-Chromosome is uniquely positioned to help researchers track the DNA of their male ancestors. Comparing the DNA of several lineages permits a determination if they share a recent, common ancestor.
The project needs volunteers to take the Y-Chromosome DNA test for assorted and sundry lineages. For those who are female, your DNA cannot be utilized, but please solicit your male kin to take part in this testing.
Participants will receive a test kit that will require a cotton swab saliva sample from the inside of their mouth. The DNA laboratory that will be used is Family Tree DNA http://www.familytreedna.com and is on the cutting edge. The test normally costs the individual $209 for the best DNA tests which measure 25 “markers”(alleles). Those acting through this project will get the price discounted from $209 to $169, but only if the test is conducted within the Childress/Childers DNA Project. The Laboratory accepts checks and credit cards when the kits are returned.
The underlying scientific basis is that if 2 families had a common ancestor, then the 25 markers on the Y-Chromosome would have been identical between the 2 lineages at some point. With the passage of time, it is mathematically predictable that there is going to be a single mutation in the 25 markers in 500 years to 1000 years in one of the descendants…hypothetically if 2 distant cousins each had a separate and different mutation, then there might be a net of 2 mutations separating the two testing parties in the last 5-10 centuries. More than that becomes so rare as to be classified as having NO recent common ancestor.
With a lot of people taking the test, a “base line” of non-mutated DNA may become apparent. There may be a number of test results that show identical results, a non-mutated DNA “base line”. Alternatively, by comparing various people’s that don’t match identically, a pattern may merge of mutations away from the “base line”. No single test by itself shows anything. The only use for these tests is to compare them to someone else’s test. And at best, only probabilities can be assigned to any conclusions.
Some lineages being researched give an idea what kind of hypotheses may be helped with DNA tests. For example: Mitchel Childress b. 1750 Henrico County, VA (probably not a brother of John Childress b. 1759, but living in the same county. Whether either John’s descendants or Mitchel’s descendants have a distinctive pattern of mutations that can differentiate them, remains to be seen.)
Pleasant Childers born in Buckingham Co., VA (may be a name change from Childers to Childress. Pleasant’s heirs sign a document “Childers” and then cross out the signatures and sign “Childress”. Maybe DNA testing can shed light on a potential name change.)
Henry Childress married to Susannah Goolsby of Albemarle Co., VA (may be closely related to Mitchel Childress). Any Childress of Harrison, Grant, Pendleton and Boone Counties, KY (many should be descendants of Henry Childress and Susannah Goolsby).Any Childress of Surry Co., NC and Stokes Co., NC or Nashville TN (Sarah Childress Polk Lineages And on and on!!
A new “www.rootsweb.com internet list has been formed by the Project Coordinators called the Childress-DNA@rootsweb.com for the discussion of technical information and is dedicated only to those who have taken the test. The DNA results will, at some time, make it into hard printed, paper copies such as newsletters for preservation.
We hope you will all get involved in this project. And we hope you will do it soon.
At this time, there are about 25 folks who have signed up for this project
Web Site
I hope that all members are checking our Bulletin Board. There is so much help that we can give to others who are interested in the Childers/Cbildress genealogy. We have so much information that if you find someone with a query on your line, it would be wonderfiul if they got a reply from a member. You don't have to post it on the Bulletin Board, you can email them directly. Just click on their name and their email address will appear. It is done this way so that "Spam and others will not get a list of our members or people who send queries to us. Jack Childers, President, CFA
JOSEPH CHILDERS (CA 1740-1800+)
Submitted by: Maurice A, "Mac" A. Childears 30 July 1988
6108 NlSth Street
Arlington VA 22205
Joseph Childers was born about 1740, place and parents are unknown. He married probably between 1765 and 1770. The names of his wife and children are unknown. According to the Census records, they had three sons and three to five daughters; there were also two very probable daughters that married before the first US Census in 1790. This indicates between six to ten children, but there are no records.
The first known record of Joseph is a letter from the magistrate of the Cumberland County Court, Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1768. He was listed as one of a group of men that evidently freed a man named Stump from jail in Carlisle. Stump had killed one or more Indian(s) and was being held for trial. This item is now commonly known as "The Stump Affair".
The next records for Joseph were during the Revolutionary War. He is listed in
Pennsylvania State Records as a private in the Fifth Battalion of the Cumberland County Militia in October 1777, and for the whole year during 1780,1 782,and 1783 (PA Archive Series 3, Vol. 23). Evidently this battalion was not called to actual war duty. However, they did perform guard duty and such around Carlisle while the British occupied Philadelphia. Carlisle was one of the main arsenals for General Washington's Army. Of note is that a number of Independent Loyalist Militia Battalions were active in Pennsylvania throughout the War.
Note: The portion of Cumberland County that Joseph lived in was made into Perry County in 1820. He was recorded in Tyrone Twp in 1790. In 1800 he was in the newly erected Toboyne Twp made from Tyrone Twp and has since been broken into four townships. The area of interest is now in Northeast Madison. How Joseph Childers happened to be in this hot bed of Scotch-Irish has not been determined. Present day most are of German descent. He may have been a Virginia Militiaman during the French and Indian Wars and elected to stay. Again, he may have been among the British Army Troops during the same wars. The Forbes Road was constructed during 1757 and 1758 for the final campaign, It extended the Philadelphia and Harrisburg road from Carlisle to Fort Duquesne. The fort was renamed Fort Pitt by the British and is now Pittsburgh. A William Childers was listed as one of four deserters from Fort Pitt in1763, but Joseph was not one of them. This William Childers is reported to have ended up in what is now West Virginia with a long line of descendants.
In the same area, there were two Childers marriages on 17 September 1789, in the Centre Presbyterian Church, in Shermans Valley, near Bixier and Loysville, Pennsylvania: This still active Church was near Fort Robinson, which no longer exists. Elizabeth Childers married William Nyland or Hyland; Mary Childers married William McGarvin.
Joseph and his family were recorded in the 1790 and 1800 Census of Pennsylvania, being the only Childers recorded in the US Census of the State through 1820, and also the only known Childers fiunily north of Virginia through 1820. In 1790, the family consisted of one male over 16 (Joseph), two males under 10, and four females; in 1880, males-one under 10, one 10-16 and one 48 and over; females- onelO-16, one 16-26 and one over 45. Only the head of household was listed by name in the first six US Censuses.
The 1800 census was the last record of this Joseph Childers. This census was taken shortly after the Tax of 1798, better known as the Glass Tax. The Glass Tax was very unpopular and abusive. Many property owners in the Cumberland Valley refused to pay and their property was taken by the government to be sold. The residents departed for the west over the Alleghenies. No doubt Joseph and his family went with them even though he was not a property owner.
Joseph died on an unknown date after the Pennsylvania 1800 US Census, probably in
western Pennsylvania or Ohio. He is not listed in the 1810 PA Census. The 1810 Ohio Census was burned in Washington City, District of Columbia, in 1812/13 by the British during the War of 1812. Joseph was not identified in the 1820 census.
A Catherine Childress, age over 45, was recorded in Washington County, PA in the 1810 Census. She had a daughter, age 16-26 that could have been the youngest female listed for Joseph in 1800. Thus, Catherine may have---may have been Joseph's wife. But was she? Who knows? This is Catherine's only known record.
In 1820, A James Childers is listed in the oldest existing US Census for Ohio. He is thought/presumed to be Joseph's middle son. James was born about 1785, which fits with Joseph's 1800 census record. What links James to Joseph? James "first known" child, Thomas Childers, later Childears, reported I the Illinois census of 1850, 60, and 70 that he was born in PA, November 1807. James' second child, Mary Childers, was born in August 1809, reported as in both PA and Ohio.
The above referenced records were viewed and copied at: 1) the National Archives, 2) the Library of Congress, and 3) the Daughters of the American Revolution Library, all in Washington D.C. Helpful records have not been located in historical and genealogical libraries or the Courthouses of either Cumberland or Perry Counties of Pennsylvania. Research in Washington County, Pennsylvania yielded no help. Research has not been undertaken in the State Archives or in the State Library in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Needed-Editor for the Newsletter
Someone, out there, must be interested enough to give it a try! You would not be abandoned. Help would be available. Research material would be submitted for publishing in the newsletter. Four times a year is not a full time job! Typing skills are important, but not necessary if you know someone who can do it for you! Please consider this as your contribution to CFA.
Membership and Dues
Your treasurer, Julia Childress is going on a “dream trip” to Alaska! She will be gone for a couple of months, traveling in a brand new, custom made, RV home. Please wait until August to remit your dues for 2004, or, better still, pay them at the annual meeting in Nashville. Because of this, those of you who are in arrears will continue to receive the newsletter for this year. We do want you as a member of CFA. Every member is an important link in our family search. However, without your financial support, we can’t continue to send the newsletter.
Queries
“I am at a dead end with my great-great grandfather, Lewis John Childers. Jack, as he was known, served in the 4th Florida Infantry in the Civil War. He married Jane Virginia Williams 9/17/1854 in Madison Co., Fl and spent the rest of his life in Levy Co., Fl. Jack died 11/28/1906. All I know is jack was born in Talbot Co., GA on 12/23/1830. I am seeking information about his parents, any siblings and his where abouts between 1830 and 1854. Any help would be greatly appreciated.”
Curtis J. Childers, 618 S.E. 4th Ave Melrose FL 32666 Email: ChildersCJ@msn.com
Wanted: any information about Allen Childress/Childers who married Mary Jane Davis. They had 8 children that I know of-Em, Ed, Verm, Dan, Shabe, Allen, Jr., and Grace. Grace was married to Monroe Eli Wallace she was b. 12/4/1882 and d. 11/7/1971. I think all of these people were from the Walnut Grove area of NC. I do hope you can help me.
Tracy Padgett, 2168 Wessinger Rd., Chapin SC 29036. tracypadgett@yahoo.com
The Enron Ancestor
When the census man came up the drive, When the tax agent knocked on the door,
To see if great-gramps was alive, To see if great-grandpa owed more,
Did my ancestor crouch Did my ancestor run
Out of sight by the couch? And grab him a gun,
Or did records just never survive? And leave the man dead on the floor?
Enron thinks it invented the shredder,
But great-grandpa, he got there ahead-er.
Gramps records are gone,
Missing, kaput, so long!
And the paper trail couldn’t be deader
