Daveiss became Daviess

A town by any other name, may have been spelled correctly from the start, but not Daviess county.

When the town was established in 1815, it was suppose to be named after  Major Joseph Hamilton Daveiss.  However, when the paperwork was filed, the name was inadvertently misspelled. 

 Joseph Daveiss was a US district attorney of Kentucky & the first Western United States attorney to argue a case before the Supreme Court.  

He was also the attorney who prosecuted Aaron Burr-Vice president under Thomas Jefferson.  

Daveiss work must have been tremendous, because he has 4 counties & 1 town named after him.  

Coal Mining & distilleries put Daviess on the map. 

Dating back as far as 1880, distilleries have helped in establishing this county. 

Daviess county is the last Kentucky county before entering Indiana.

My great grandmother Probie & her family lived in Daviess county, which is why I wanted to focus on this county.    

1957-12-14 Indianapolis Recorder :: Indianapolis Recorder

1957-12-14 Indianapolis Recorder :: Indianapolis Recorder

What happened to Uncle Buddy's only son?

Uncle Buddy & Aunt Lu only had one son together & he was murdered the year I was born.

According to the Indianapolis Recorder, there were a "rash of violence" the night my cousin was killed.  He was the 3rd murder that evening.

The article states: (excuse the typos, this time they are not mine)

A relative period of tranquil* ity came to an abrupt hah this week when Indianapolia recorded three homicides in almost as many days. The dead included an estranged husband, a brother, and a 21-year-old man allegedly killed by Ida girlfriend's former boyfriend during an argument on a city street. AU but one of those arrested in the killings were free Wednesday, with one being held without bond in the Marion County Jail. One waa free under $200.00 bond and the other is free pending grand jury action. The first incident occurred* Saturday morning on the city's southside when 35-year-old Patrick MacArthur Saxton allegedly attacked his wife and attempted to shoot her father, Saxton was shot just outside his home at 137 S. Sheridan by a man identified as Willie Jenkins, 100 S. Webster. Police said the victim had pulled st pistol, which misfired several times before Jenkins drew his; own pistol and fired. Police said Jenkins, at first arrested for first-degree mur-I der, had accompanied Saxton and his wife (Jenkins' daughter), and other family members to the Saxton home where the victim was to get some clothes and leave, explaining that Saxton was going to leave his wife, who was staying with her father. But, according to police reports, as family members conferred in another part of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Saxton started arguing and Saxton pulled the pistol, which misfired. His wife fled the house and Saxton was confronted by Jenkins. It was then, police say, Saxton attempted to fire his weapon. Jenkins appeared in municipal court Monday morning, at which time his case was continued and he was released on the $200.00 bond. Silence prevailed afterwards -until about 2:10 a.m. Wednesday morning. That's when Bernard Williams, 24, 32 E. Washington (Washington Hotel), shot and killed his brother in what police termed a "domestic dispute." Dead is 26-year-old Willie Williams. Police said Bernard told them he and his brother had been out drinking and had arrived back at the apartment when an altercation developed. Bernard said his brother pulled a straight razor and slashed him across the face-seconds before he made his way to a living room desk, from which he pulled a .25-caliber automatic and shot Willie. Police found Bernard suffering from a deep wound about his face. He was not arrested, but according to detectives, the grand jury will determine Bernard's fate. Investigators said the Williams had arrived here only months ago from Birmingham, Alabama. The third killing occurred minutes later - at 3 a.m. in the vicinity of 38th and Ireland when a man identified as 20- year-old Bruce E. Mears, 3922 N. Ruckle, allegedly shot and killed 21-year-old Oliver W. Wickliffe Jr., 2551 N. Delaware. Police said they were stopped at 38th and Post Road by Wickliffe's younger brother, 20-year-old Eddie, who said a man had stopped them a few blocks away, started an argument with Oliver, hit him and then fired into the car before fleeing. Authorities later learned that Wickliffe waa allegedly dating Mears' former girlfriend, who was in the car at the time of the shooting, and an _ argument developed over a debt Mears allegedly owed the girl. Three others reportedly were in the car at the time - Oliver's brother, 30-year-old Eddie, and two other friends. Mears was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He is being held without bond and his case was continued.

http://indiamond6.ulib.iupui.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/IRecorder/id/21070/show/21058/rec/9

I have yet to find out what happened in the case, but I know that the loss was devastating to our family. I can only imagine how his death was so hard to deal with, especially since he wasn't a bad kid who got into trouble all the time. He just happened to be dating the wrong girl.

Does anyone know if Bruce was convicted?

Happy mother's day mom

The mother I strive to be isn't even half the mother that I have.  

My mother is awesome!

She raised 5 children by herself & never once complained.  I never heard my mother say she was too tired or sick.  She never complains. She doesn't even know how to be negative or confrontational.  

If you asked me to describe my mom in 3 words, I would have to say:

1. Love-my mother taught me what that really means. 
2. Motivation-anytime I want to give up I think of all my mom has been through & she still is able to smile & push on.  
3. Versatile-my mom can do anything & I do mean ANYTHING.  All the mom stuff that you read & hear about, she can do it with ease.  

My mother has 5 children, but if you ask around, everyone loves my mom.  She picks up a kid a year.  Every time I look around, someone else is calling her mom.  That's because she cares about everybody so much, it's contagious. 

Thanks Mommy!  

For everything that you do!

My aunts-my other mothers

I want to give tribute to the women who helped raise me who weren't my mother-my aunts.

Debbie, Lucille & Cecile all helped me to become who I am.  Each one have been instrumental in making me the mother I am.

My mom has told me multiple times how much I remind her of my aunt Debbie.  She taught me how to give.  She took me & my mother in when I was born & against my mother's wishes, called my father to tell him I was born. 

My aunt Cecile taught me how to laugh.  I love her sense of humor.  Just hearing her laugh cracks me up.  I've never seen her depressed or sad.  Even when I've seen her mad, she's still one of the happiest people I know.  She was & still is the life of the party.

My aunt Lucille taught me the most important lesson, she taught me about GOD.  She was the first person I can remember to take me to church & make me listen.  She took me to my grandparents church once & I remember feeling like I was home.  Like I'd been there a hundred times before, but I hadn't.  I remember watching her caught the holy ghost & it scared me to death, but I understood somehow.  

She was also the first of my family members to introduce me to the medical profession.  

I'm lucky to have grown up around such strong women.  They all taught me that I didn't need to depend on a man to survive & that even if GOD throws you a curve ball in life, that doesn't mean you have to grin & bear it.  They ALL taught me to never give in/up, fight & win.  (That's the reason I'm so awesome!)

Happy mother's day-to the best aunts in the world!

My great great grandmother Lou

Whether she was referred to as Lou Wickliffe or Louisa Williams or just simply Lou, I want to give tribute to a mom that had more children & lived longer than anyone else in my tree.  

The short story of her life is....

I think that she may have been adopted.  In the 1880 census, she's listed as the adopted daughter of Henry & Mollie Dodd.

She married my great, great grandfather James on March 22, 1888, in Breckinridge, Kentucky.  They had 10 children in 21 years. 9 were living in 1911.  ANY MOTHER WHO GIVES BIRTH 10 TIMES DESERVES A TRIBUTE.

She died having lived for more than 100 years. There is some debate about whether she was born April 7, 1871 (according to the social security index) or around 1867 (according to the Kentucky death index).  She died on December 20, 1972, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Share What Your Momma Gave You

Share What Your Momma Gave You

Happy Mother's Day/Week

It wouldn't be a mother's day tribute if I didn't give tribute to my mother's mother.....Mary Bessie Mae Harrison Wickliffe.

What it must have taken to give birth to 6 children & THEN a set a twins!

I couldn't even imagine!  Even in the 50's & 60's, this still must have been a big job.  

She was a stay at home mom, but she did work as a nurses aid after she & my grandfather divorced.  

My grandmother grew up on a farm, so she knew how to care for animals & make clothes & cook.  (This must have come in handy with 10 mouths to feed daily.)

I admire the mother she must have been & hope to be just like her. 

  

Who was his mother?

In honor of my tribute to Mother's day, this week's Monday mystery is one of my biggest mysteries......Who was the mother of Yost Wickliffe?

Joe Bodine was his father (according to death records), but no other records,(that I have found)mention his mother.

My great, great grandfather was most likely a slave. The 1870 census list him as a farm hand on the Aaron Wickliffe farm.  The 1860 census list a 6 year old male living on that same farm.  (I assume the age may be an error.  He would have been at least 8.)

If both of them are him, he was most definitely a slave in the 1860's.

Was his mother a slave too?

Back then (1860's) black marriages were not all documented.  It is possible she married Joe, but there is written records.

It's also possible that his mother was sold shortly after he was born. 

It was not a custom to separate the mother from a newborn, but if that is my great, great grandfather in the 1860 census, he could have been sold to the Wickliffe family around 6 or 8.  

He may never have really known his mother.  

Where do you think I need to start looking for his mother first?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY/WEEK

This week, I want to give thanks to the mothers in my tree.  

Although I may not have known all of them personally, each has played a part (in some way) in me being who I am today.  

The first mother I want to give thanks to (besides my own mother, of course) is my great grandmother Probie.

My mother once called her sweeter than sugar.

She definitely had saint's heart.

She raise George as her own.  

She also help raise my mother & her sisters after my grandmother passed away.

How awesome of a mom is that?

1922: year of the Common Era & tragedy for the Wickliffe family

1922 was a year of extreme ups & downs.

In 1922, a stamp cost $0.02.  The New York Giants won the World Series.

The first radio was delivered to the White house & hundreds of radio stations debuted all over the country.

A horse named Morvich won the Kentucky Derby.

Miss America was Mary Katherine Campbell of Columbus, OH.

This was also the year my three times great grandfather Alney Wickliffe passed away at age 96 of cancer.

What makes this story even more tragic, just three short months later my great, great grandparents had to bury their son George.  

George, the second son born to my two times great grandparents, never married.  However, the story is that he was shot by a woman in the stomach.

I don't know who exactly shot him, but at age 30, he was shot & died a day later.