Why Do They DO That?

We went to a John Prine concert last night. I enjoyed it. The crowd was full of fans. Just one little question. What's with the WOO-OO shouted by people in the audience at really odd times. I can see excitement after a song is finished, or after a really active, long music segment, but in the middle of a line of a song (and he didn't mention some place anyone lives, or a type of car they might drive). I was really wishing for a very large roll of duct tape and thinking about all the things I could do to the WOO-OO'er near me. It could have had something to do with the beer supply in the lobby - that was the conclusion of the teenager sitting next to me. It could have been a spillover of the excitement of the unusual Memphis snow fall. Either way, I enjoyed the music at my first John Prine concert.

Daniel Atchley (father of Amos R) Search Part I

Writing this has been a VERY good exercise. It makes you analyze the PROOF you actually have.

I KNOW that Daniel is the father of Amos by the following:

Starting with my husband, his father was Doyle Atchley, his father was Irvin Harrison Atchley.
Those two people are contemporary people and known by my husband and his family and I have supporting birth, death and census records showing them together, along with siblings.

Irvin Harrison Atchley was born in Grant County Arkansas in 1888 and died in Bowie County Texas in 1959.

1920 Precinct 3, District 15 Bowie County TX Census
534 346 Atchley I. H. head m w 32 m AR AR AR
, Ruby wife f w 26 m TX AR TX
, Oren son m w 8 s TX AR TX
, Minnie dau f w 4 s TX AR TX
, Wilbur son m w 2 s TX AR TX

1930 Precinct 2, District 15, Bowie, Texas Census
197 206 Atchley, Irvin H head m w 42 m 23 AR AR AR
, Ruby L wife f w 36 m 17 TX AR TX
, Oren S? son m w 18 s TX AR TX
, Minnie O dau f w 15 s TX AR TX
, Wilbur B son m w 12 s TX AR TX
, Doyle E son m w 5 s TX AR TX
, Max R son m w 7/12 TX AR TX

Daniel’s dad was Harlston Reed Atchley, (1852-1920). Harlston was born in AR and died in Bowie County Texas. He’s buried in College Hill Cemetery in Bowie County.

I didn’t find Irvin in the 1910 census records, but found him in 1900 in Grant county AR. This gives Harlston Atchley as the father of Irvin.

1900 Calvert, Grant County, AR Census
159 161 Atchley, Harlston head w m Oct 1852 47 M 20 AR TN TN
, Clara A wife w f Oct 1832 47 M 20 11-8 AR AR AR
, Clara dau w f Sept 1884 15 S AR AR AR
, Roy son w m May 1886 14 S AR AR AR
, Irvin son w m Jan 1888 12 S AR AR AR
, Eva dau w f May 1890 10 S AR AR AR
, Ila(?) dau w f Jun 1892 8 S AR AR AR
, Fred son w m Apr 1894 6 S AR AR AR
, Cora dau w f May 1896 4 S AR AR AR
, Lewis son w m Dec 1898 1 S AR AR AR

I then went back to the 1910 census, looking for Harlston, and found that Irvin was not in the household in 1910.

1910 4-Pct, District 19 Bowie County Texas Census
15 16 Atchley, Harlston R head m w 47 m1 30 AR TN TN farmer
, Clara A wife f w 47 m1 30 14 10 AR AR AR
, Roy R son m w 23 s AR AR AR
, Eva J dau f w 19 s AR AR AR
, Ila J dau f w 18 s AR AR AR
, Fred E son m w 15 s AR AR AR
, Cora A dau f w 13 s AR AR AR
, Louie A son m w 11 s AR AR AR
, Luther W son m w 8 s AR AR AR
, Arthur H son m w 8 s AR AR AR

Harlston was married in 1879, so I found him with his new wife in the 1880 census in Grant County AR:

1880 Calvert, Grant County, AR Census
Atchley, H.R. w m 28 farmer AR TN TN
, Alice w f 18 wife AR MS GA
Gentry, William w m 24 bro-in-law AR AL? NC

I find Harlston living with his brothers in 1850 and 1860. Harlston was only 8 years old in 1860, so he doesn’t appear in the 1850 census. His father, Amos R Atchley, died in 1859 in Grant County Arkansas. I find these same brothers of Harlston living with Amos and his wife in the 1850 census:

1850 Saline Co AR Census
166 182 Amos R Atchley 38 M Farmer (shows marriage as 1831) born TN
Angeline 39 F TN
Daniel W 18 M TN
Clayborn 15 M TN
William 13 M TN
Seth 11 M TN
James 9 M TN
Lucinda 7 F TN
Standifer N 1 M AR

1860 Franklin, Saline County, Arkansas Census
219 219 Daniel W Atchley 25 M Farmer 80 500 TN
, William 21 M farmer TN
, Seth 20 M farmer TN
, Stanford 11 M AR
, Harlston 9 M AR
, Lucinda 16 F AR

1870 Darysaw, Grant County Arkansas Census
67 58 Atchley, Seth L 29 m w farmer 140 190 TN
, Melisa 24 f w Keeping House AL
, Mary A 1 f w AR
, Daniel L 5/12 m w April
, Harlston 17 m w at school AR

Things I'm Working On

I'm starting (or REstarting) a few things in genealogy this week.

• I've ordered the Lunatic Inquest Books (Volumes 1-3) 1887 - 1918 on microfilm from the Kentucky Archives [thanks for the suggestion Brenda]. I'm hoping to find information on the commitment of James Wiley Town (see previous blog). The Kentucky Archives has a catalog of their materials,(here: KDLA Catalog) and SOME of their microfilm that can be ordered is listed, but I didn't see the Lunatic Inquest Books, so I gave them a call. They were extremely helpful and have ordered my copy and it will get to me soon. The cost is $18 for 35mm and $11 for 8mm per roll. I DID go back to my paper files and remembered I had seen a list from years ago on the available microfilm. I had actually typed in the list and it's posted on Pat Oliver's Lyon County Page here: Lyon County Microfilm
  
• The next thing I'm trying to do is fix the Daniel Atchley problem (see previous post). There's so much really bad information that's been posted on the net about "our" Daniel Atchley, that I really want to track down the sources and fix the misinformation in the Maud Horn book and in my corner of the world. Some of the sites show this Daniel as dying at age 107. What those folks have done is take the "assumed" birth date of this Daniel and then used the death date of his son, Daniel. Not good. The problem I'm having with this search is that Daniel moved to Eastern TN in the late 1700's to Sevier County. Sevier County is one of those that lost their courthouse in a fire in the 1850's. His descendants moved to Arkansas, and before that had spread out to Rhea and Bradley counties, so I can track them, but Daniel seems to have died before 1830 in Sevier County. He came to Sevier from Virginia, and was in New Jersey before that. I'm finding Daniel Ashleys along with Daniel Atchley (and Atchly, Achly and many other variations). I'll start an Atchley post tomorrow on where I'm beginning (AGAIN) in my search.
  

The sun is shining. What a great day to start something new!!

Things I Learned (or relearned) Last Week

• Don't attend a Celtic Women concert if you want to hear Celtic music.
  
• Amazon Unbox DRM protected videos often need a fix from Microsoft to play on some XP systems. The fix is here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939209
  
• Powering things off and on continues to be a fix for things - now even the iPhone with IMAP Gmail
  
• Old photo albums need to be put in new, archival safe, acid free photo albums, but it's not going to happen for some. Those old albums with the stickie pages and then the plastic sheet on top do NOT want to give up the pictures.
  
• I love finding people I knew as a child (and lost touch with) and learning what they're doing and the trails they've travelled. I found a "voice from my past" this week. Thanks Roy.
  
• Babysitting for a two year old and a two month old for two days brings out your creativity and your "need to nap". All those wooden puzzles, plastic bowling pins and Duplo blocks you've been saving are still great toys.
  
• I was smarter than I thought. When redoing a photo album from 1970 I found names written on the backs of pictures. Good thing too!
  
• The best way to find a job is through people who know your work, not through a newspaper or internet ad.
  
• Teaching a class on genealogy to those wanting to get started can be a lot of fun. Their enthusiasm is contagious.
  
• I still enjoy putting 1000 piece puzzles together.
  
• I’m greatly anticipating spring.
  
• I LOVE getting phone calls from my children. It’s such a wonder to hear the things that excite them and to hear their plans.
  

A Civil War Era Voice

Letter from Noah H Cummins to his son W. H. W. Cummins, who was being held prisoner during the Civil War (his son Finis was also a prisoner during the war). Noah Cummins is my maternal great great grandfather.:

January the 14 A.d. 1863
My Dear son W.H.W. Cummins
I embrace the opportunity of sending you a few lines in answer to your affectionate letter which came to hand on the 13 of January/'63. We are all well at this time people generally well in the neighborhood. I went to Smithland KY to see you but arrived a few minutes too late to see you. I heard the steamboat bell tolling as I went in that you went off on. I carried documents that I think would have released you with me had I been a few hours sooner. I sent you some money by Mr. Pierce. I suppose you got it. I then returned home and went to Henderson and took papers there assigned by the most prominent union men of the county for your release though I arrived again too late. The document or petition was sent on to Louisville Ky as I learned that you would probably remain there until the 25 of January. I will say to the other boys of our neighborhood their friends have not been idle in trying to get them released. I will send you some money by the bearer of this letter Mr Young or John Boid. I wish you to write to me and let me know where to direct my letters to when I write to you. Your mother thinks long of the time for you to return home.
I remain your affectionate father and friend and will until death.
To William H W Cummins
N H Cummins