~~McElyea's N More~~

Information from page 192-193, "McElyea's in Transit".
WARRANT
"State of North Carolina #1235 (a note added later said the # should be 1242)
The Honorable James Glasgow Esquire, Secretary of State, to Colonel Martin Armstrong
Greeting. You are hereby required to lay of and survey for the Heirs of
John McIlyhia, Drummer, Deceased, on the line of this State One Thousand acres of
land within the limits of the lands reserved by lay for the Officers and
Soldiers of the Continental line of this State.
Observing the direction of the Act of Assembly in such case made
and provided for runing out lands two just and fair plans therof with
Certificate to each annexed you are to transmit to my office within the time limited
by law.
Given under my hand at Fairfield the 8th day of October 1784." J. Glasgow

TRANSFER OF THE WARRANT
"To Colonel Martin Armstrong Surveyor of the offering Soldiers Lands--
Sir, you will pleas to transfer this Warrant containing One Thousand acres
of land to Mr. Charles Braden of Gilford (Guilford) County as I have received
of him a valuable cinsideration for the within Warrant I sold him as I am the
Father of the within named John McIlyhia, Deceased. Said Warrant of for
Ever Defend the said lands as Witness my hand this 30th day of October 1784."
Witnesses present: Signed by his mark
Wm. Lewis Lothlin McIlyhia
James Downey
Alexander Breden The Heirs of John McIlyhia Drum'r
Deceased 1000 Chas. Braiden

SURVEY OF THE LAND
"State of North Carolina, Davidson County June 12, 1786, Charles
Braiden 1000 acres plotted by a scale of 200 poles to the inch, by Sam'l
Buchanan and Cornelius Ruddell, C.C.S.
By virtue of a Warrant from the Secretaries Office No. 1235, located March 8, 1786
I have surveyed for Charles Braiden assignee of Lathlin McIlyhia of
John McIlyhia Deceased, One Thousand acres of land lying on the waters
of Spring Creek: Beginning at a Elm and Ironwood being Hodges Blunt's Southwest
Corner thence West with Robert Morleys line passing his Corner to a line
at five hubdred poles, thence North three hundred and twenty poles to a
Stake thence East five hundred poles to said Blunt's North West Corner,
thence South with said linn to the Beginning." by John Buchanan Dsr.

In the records from North Carolina Archives, Raleigh that accompanied
the land warrant of John McElyea/McIlyhia is the following:
WARRANT
"State of North Carolina NO. 450
The Hon'ble James Glasgow Esquire
Secretary of State

To Colonel Martin Armstrong Greeting.

You are hereby required to lay off and Survey for John Mackleway Drumer
in the line of this State, One Thousand acres of land within the limits
of the lands reserved by law for the Officers and Soldiers of the
Continental line of this State.
Observing the directions of the Act of Afsembly in such case made and
provided for runing out lands, two just and fair plans therof with a
Certificate to each annexed you are to Transmit to my Office within the
Time Limited by Law."

TRANSFER OF THE WARRANT
"Know all men by these presents that I Patrick Muckleway Heir of John
Muckleway Dec'd of the County of Mongomery and State of Virginia hath
for the consideration of the Sum of Five Dollars to me in hand paid the Rec
t of which I hear acknowledge do grant bargain and Sell & make over all right
title claimes, etc. of his Military lands obtained or hearafter tp be obtained in
the name of John Cantrell of Davidson County and State of North Carolina his Heirs or
assigns and do hearby authorize Col'l Martin Armstrong prinsiple Surveyor to the
Continental line for North Carolina to transfer the above Right in full
to S'd Stephen Cantrell his Heirs or assigns as witness my hand and seal this twenty-ninth
Day of September Seventeen Hundred Eighty-Four."
Patrick Muckleway
Test:
Thos. Garrison
her (29 Sept. 1784)
Sally X Farlow
mark

(Clara Hunt Miller compares the two warrants. It is my personal beleif there are
actually three warrants included in these records, although I do not have
access to copies of the originals. It seems to me the records here within
contain three different warrants.)

COMPARISON OF THE TWO WARRANTS
In comparing these two warrants we find the first one dated 8 Oct. 1784, 1000 acres,
heir Lothlin McIlyhia, father. The warrant was transferred 30 Oct. 1784, to Charles
Braden/Braiden/Breden of Guilford County, NC, land surveyed in Davidson County, NC.
The second warrant dated 20 February 1784, 1000 acres, heir Patrick Muckleway of Montgomery
Co., VA. The warrant was transferred to Stephen Cantrell of Davidson Co., NC on 29 Sept. 1784,
Laughlin McElyea (Lothlin McIlyhia) was in Caswell Co., NC in 1784. John
McElyea/McIlyhia/Muckleway had an older brother Patrick McElyea, also a Revolutionary
War Soldier who said in his pension application that after the War he lived (among other places)
in Montgomery Co., VA. Archivist in Raleigh said that a man never received but one land warrant.

(Note from Elizabeth Noble) I also found in the same book
where William McIlyea, Heir of John McYea, Drummer, was also awarded 1,000
acres by #1241. John Mackelway, Drummer, also filed on his behalf and received 1,000 acres.
These records are in addition to the records listed by Clara. Although, I
do beleive that the Warrant No. 450 is where John filed for himself. In the North Carolina records, I
also found a Dr. John McElvea. I am wondering if it might be a misspelling! If John, Patrick, Lothlin and William all received 1, 000 acres each that would mean that four grants were awarded in John's name. William and Patrick both were Revolutionary War Soldiers and I find no grants in either of their names.)

Going through some old census records, I found the name Jefse. After some consultation with the librarian, if was brought to my attention that in the past the double letters, s, were written that way.

One of the most dramatic changes in letters has been the letter "s." Over 100 years ago the "s" was often written like a backward "f." This strange symbol for "s" was used very commonly in instances where there was a "double s." The unusual s first, called the "leading s." Then the regular s.

I found these sites while browsing and searching for McElyea's. If you wish to check them out, they are here for your information and enjoyment.

I received this e-mail and along with other medical questions on the McElyea families, I am curious to know if others might relate to this problem. This is from Gladys Harrison: "I wanted to ask you if you know anything about "droopy eyelids" in the McElyea family? My mom just had surgery this past Wednesday to correct her droopy eyelids and she's doing just fine. My grandmother, Hattie McElyea Potter, also had those droopy eyelids and so do/did most of my mom's brothers and sisters. In fact my sisters and I do too. I was wondering if that runs in the McElyea's or in some other branch of my grandmother's family." I responded by asking about the condition and got this reply, " It is a condition where the eyelid drops down so much that it impairs vision. My mom's got so bad that she had to take her finger and push up her eyelid. It wouldn't raise by itself!! The entire colored portion of the eye is supposed to show, if the eyelids are where they should be in a relaxed, open position." If any of you have or know of any other McElyea with a condition like this please contact me.

Several years ago, I was contacted by a doctor, Adrian Danek, about another McElyea trait. He called it the "Trembling chin". It supposedly affected McElyea family members in Oklahoma.

Dr. Danek was at the time of his query working in Maryland. He had happened upon the McElyea Family website. He was very pleased and interested to find it, because he is in a research project which is researching an interesting condition. The condition he is researching is called, "Trembling Chin". He has found a cluster of a large family of McElyea's in Oklahoma in the 1920's who have been reported to suffer from this condition. He has enlisted my aid in finding as many of these descendants as possible for possible research. I hope that all who read this will find this interesting enough to respond. As far as we know, none in our direct McElyea line suffer or did suffer from this condition. Reseach will continue to establish the distinct McElyea line or lines to have this condition.

I received a reply to a message I had submitted in 2000 about Abel Teague McElyea. I was very thrilled and surprised to be contacted by a great-great-great grandson of Abel. Initially when I submitted the query, I was mentioning the Abel T. McElyea I have recently written about in the March issue. Imagine my surprise to find that there was another Abel T. McElyea, uncle to the one I wrote about. The first Abel was the grandfather of the person who wrote me and also the uncle to Abel T. McElyea who was murdered. I am including information received from Daniel Rathbun about his great-great-great grandfather and his family. There is some question about the name change and dropping the e from yea. This is what David wrote about his theory. "I would be surprised if all elements of the story about the spelling change were true. It seems pretty certain that my Abel Teague McElya was living in Wichita, Kansas by that time. Temperance was married there in 1878, and Abel himself is listed in the 1883 city directory, but it makes sense that the McElyas in Arkansas might have changed the spelling as it appears on the tombstones. My branch of the McElyas kept the spelling with only one "E."

Abel T. McElya was my great-great-great grandfather, and I have been researching him. Abel Teague McElya born 24 Apr 1826 in McCracken County, Kentucky. Died 3 Apr 1905 in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas. Buried 5 Apr 1905 in Highland Cemetery, Wichita, Kansas.

Abel Teague McElya married Sarah Jane Davis 31 Oct 1850 in Massac County, Illinois. Sarah Jane was the daughter of Job and Mary W. Davis. Sarah Jane Davis was born in May 1833 in Ohio and died after 1910, probably in Kansas.

Children of Abel Teague and Sarah Jane McElya:

Anna M. McElya, born about 1852 in Kentucky, died about 1885 in Van Buren County, Arkansas. Her nickname was Annie. She married James M. Cooper 15 Aug 1872 in Massac County, Illinois. She was my great-great grandmother. She died in childbirth. When she passed away it had been raining hard for days. It was too muddy to get her body by wagon to any cemetery. They buried her in the back of the house. J.M. Cooper sold this house not long after. In the 1960's some of the Coopers tried to locate her grave but could not. It is now lost.

Temperance McElya, born 15 Dec 1855 in Massac Co., Illinois, died 26 Mar 1886 in Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kansas. Buried in Highland Cemetery in Wichita. She married William Flood 10 Oct 1878 in Sedgwick Co., Kansas.

Hugh McElya born about 1863 in Illinois. He married Phronia Futch on 27 Sep 1903 in Sedgwick Co., Kansas.

Phronia? G. (Gertrude?) McElya, born about 1868 in Illinois. Married Henry A. Halter 26 Jul 1909 in Sedgwick County, Kansas

"Incidentally, I just received today a photograph of Annie M. McElya Cooper in the mail. I purchased it from a man in Washington state of all places. He found it in an antique store. It is a large print that is just the same pose as a small carte de visite that my father has."
(I am anxiously awaiting copies of pictures that David has of his family.) For those of you who have copies of the book, "McElyea's in Transit" and wish to update the information, this family is found on the following page 196.

Medical Terms - submitted by Dan Fairfax, husband of Pamela McElyea Fairfax (a bit of humor)

Hillbilly Medical Terms
Benign................What you be after you be eight.
Bacteria...............Back door to cafeteria.
Barium.................What you do with dead folks.
Cesarean Section.......A neighborhood in Rome.
Catscan................Searching for the cat. Cauterize..........Made eye contact with her.
Colic...............A sheep dog.
Coma...............A punctuation mark.
D&C................Where Washington is.
Dilate.............To live longer than your kids do. Enema.............Not a friend.
Fester............Quicker than someone else.
Fibula............A small lie.
G.I.Series.........World Series of military baseball.
Hangnail...........What you hang your coat on. Impotent...........Distinguished, well known.
Labor Pain..........Getting hurt at work.
Morbid..............A higher offer than I bid.
Nitrates............Cheaper than day rate!
Medical Staff.......A Doctor's cane, sometimes shown with a snake.

Node....................I knew it.
Outpatient... ...........A person who has fainted.
Pap Smear................A fatherhood test.
Pelvis...................Second cousin to Elvis.
Post Operative...........A letter carrier.

Recovery Room....Place to do upholstery. Secretion.......Hiding something
Tablet..........A small table to change babies on.
Seizure..........Roman emperor who lived in the Ceasarean Section.

Terminal Illness....Getting sick at the train station. Tumor...............More than one.
Urine...............Opposite of mine.
Varicose............Near by
Hospital............ The biggest building in town, other than Joe's feed warehouse or Franks lumber mill.

Seems that baseball is a McElyea tradition! In going through records I found a Frank McElyea who played baseball for the 1942 team of the Boston Braves.

Bats Right Throws Right
Height: 6'6" Weight: 221 lbs.
Debut: September 10, 1942
Birth: August 4, 1918 in Hawthorne Twsp., IL.
Died: April 19, 1987 in Evansville, IN.

Do you remember the movie, "The Monty Stratton Story"? It was released in 1949 and starred James Stewart and June Allyson as Monty Stratton and his wife, Ethel. Monty Stratton was the son of Minnie Astra Corine McElyea and Lee Davis Stratton. Monty Stratton's biographical information is:

Name: Monty Franklin Pierce Stratton
Nickname: Gander
Bats Right
Throws Right
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Debut: June 2, 1934
Born: May 21, 1912 in Celeste, Texas
Died: September 27, 1982

Monty Stratton

Monty Stratton was one of four players
to receive the American League Cy Young Award in 1937.

Congratulations to Jared Michel and Julianne Petersen Haynie on the birth of their first child, a boy, born February 13, 2003. They named him, Lincoln Harrington Haynie. Proud grandparents, first time grandparents at that are, Michel and Julie Haynie. Michel Haynie is a descendant of George Washington McElyea, son of Isaac. (Lineage can be found in Issue #2)

It all began when young Tom's second-grade class in Cincinnati was urged by its teacher to write letters to Mr. Bench, who was recovering from an operation. The kids all signed a popular photograph of Mr. Bench blocking home plate during a World Series game.

The Cincinnati Post ran excerpts of those letters and a picture of "Tommy" McElyea posting his letter on the blackboard: "Dear Johnny," the youngster wrote, "I know you hit forty home runs this year. You are one of my best friends. You are a good catcher for the Reds. I hope you get better. I know you have the best team. Love Tommy...the end"

Mr. McElyea says his parents, who now live in San Antonio, and his grandparents, who live in Tennessee, all kept copies of the article. "I was a Big Red Machine fan," he says of the old Reds team that featured such legends as Mr. Bench and Pete Rose.

His wife knows that as well as anyone. It didn't take her long to hear Mr. McElyea's incredible moon yarn. That is one of the first stories that he told me when we met," she says. "It was within the first month." The couple have been together for 11 years, and they have been married since 1996.

Mr. McElyea remains a Reds fan, and Mr. Bench still is his favorite athlete, he says.

"He's really a neat guy," Mr. McElyea says. "I think we pay these athletes way too much money these days. Back then, I think they played more for the love of the game.

Of course, Reds fans will recall that the team lost the World Series to the Oakland Athletics that year in an edgy seven-game series, two years after losing more decisively to Baltimore. But the Big Red Machine bounced back in 1975 and 1976, winning back-to-back championships.

When Mr. Bench was in town for the breakfast, Mr. McElyea says, "I just went up to him and started visiting with him about the Big Red Machine," he says. But the most compelling topic was about a young boy whose letter to a childhood hero ended up on the moon.

"He was as surprised as I was," Mr. McElyea says of Mr. Bench's reaction. "He couldn't believe it. He just said, 'Dang."

Mr. McElyea has since written a letter to Mr. Bench thanking him for two precious memories. And he now has more memorabilia to line the desk and wall of his office. "It was a very special gift to be able to see him," he says. "It all came full circle."

To be able to write a letter as a seventh-grader to your favorite baseball player and then to have it taken to the moon, that's a special feeling," he adds. "And then to be able to talk to him in person 30 hears later, that's really neat. It's amazing."

*Not to critique the Dallas Morning News proofreader, but the last paragraph should read second-grader, instead of seventh-grader.

Due to the fact that three of us are trying to find information on Daniel Fletcher McElyea, I decided to go ahead and showcase him for this months' issue. Debbi Geer, Vivian Stockwell and myself are searching for the true and accurate information about Daniel F. McElyea. In the book, "McElyea's in Transit," Clara Hunt Miller assigns the parentage of Daniel to Humphrey and Nancy Jane McElyea. This is being questioned at this time. According to that book, Daniel was born in 1815 and showed up in Wayne County, Tennessee, 1830-1840 census. He also shows up in the Humphrey County, Tennesse Court minutes of January 17, 1841 and again in January, 1842. There he is appointed guardian of his brother, Robert's, children.

In the book, "The Goodspeed History of Tennessee", Carroll, Henry and Benton Counties, I found that D. F. McElyea moved to the town of Camden in 1843. In the years of 1848-1852, D.F. McElyea served as register of the County. Daniel McElyea served as a trustee of the Presbyterian Church at Camden. Other McElyea family who also were mentioned in Goodspeed's were F.G. and F.A. McElyea, who may have been Francis Alonzo and F.G. McElyea, who may have been Felix Grundy McElyea, son's of Robert McElyea. F.G. and F.A. were blacksmith's, as was Daniel Fletcher McElyea. Lindsey McElyea operated a grocery store in Camden.

Muckelyea, Hiram

State: Virginia
Year:1830
County: Russell
Roll:M19_199
Township: Lebanon
Page: 136
Image: 259

While browsing through a census page I had found, I realized that the information on the page, added to and corrected information on page 132 of the book, "McElyea's in Transit." I am including this information for your knowledge and in order that you can see that the book is not always correct. Patrick Henry McElyea, son of Isaac and Nancy Sisk McElyea, married Delila J.F. Frazier, possibly after the death of his first wife, Martha Jane Hinshaw. I did find that Patrick Henry McElyea married Delila J. Frazier on December 16, 1870, Book A - page 937, line 1586., Jackson County, Alabama. In the book, the last child of Martha and Patrick, was listed as John. He was found in the 1870 census as a 5 year old, leaving me to wonder if Martha died during childbirth or shortly thereafter. On number 11, in the book, it states that Delila Frazier was probably the widow of Charles Frazier. I believe this is incorrect because in the 1880 Jackson County, Alabama census, I found Della McElyea as a widow with an 8 year old daughter, Luby, (I'm not sure of the middle initial), son, William B., age 6, daughter, Georgia, age, 5, Patrick, 15, stepson, and John W. 13, stepson.

In the next household on that page, I found Fanny McElyea, single, age, 19, living as a granddaughter in the household of Soloman and Nancy Frazier. Due to this, I beleive that Delila was the daughter of Soloman Frazier, not a widow of Charles Frazier. Charles may have been her brother. On this census page,I believe is the widow, Delila/Della Frazier McElyea and the three children of she and Patrick along with the three youngest children of he and Martha.

The census information can be found on page 198 - B, 1880, Jackson County, Alabama.

Children of Patrick Henry and Martha Jane Hinshaw McElyea were:
James McElyea born 1854
Melissa McElyea born 1856
Mary Fannie McElyea born 1858
Frances McElyea born 1861
Patrick Henry McElyea, Jr. born 1864
John McElyea born 1865

Here is a contribution. I ran across this listing of a Samuel McElyea.
I have been trying to find the correct father of my Jeanette McElyea,
born in 1882 in Johnson County. One of these possible McElyea's in
Johnson County in 1880 was Samuel E., Hiram's son. I have his birth
date as 1859 in Johnson County. He is in all the census data (1860-1880)
and then disappears. Here is a possible match.

Tombstone Records of Story County, Iowa

Page: 224
Name: Samuel McElyea
Birth Date: 02 Feb 1859
Death Date: 01 Aug 1883
Cemetery: Ames
Town: Washington

Hope someone can use this.
Robin McDuffie

Upon receiving this e-mail, I checked the Ancestry.Com site and found five other McElyea's listed in the same site. They are as follows:

These McElyea's with one exception are found on pages 44 and 45 of the book,
"McElyea's in Transit."

C.W. McElyea
Birth Date: 25 Feb. 1837
Death Date: 18 Sept. 1898
Cemetery: Ames
*(This person in the book is reported to have been born in 1857.)

Clair C. McElyea
Birth Date: 07 Jan. 1892
Death Date: 08 Sept. 1892
Cemetery: Ames
** (This person is named Clair Carnahan McElyea in the book.)

Harry B. McElyea
Birth Date: 27 Aug 1858
Death Date: 28 Feb 1892
Cemetery: Ames
*** (This person is not mentioned in the book.)

Isaiah McElyea
Birth Date: 02 Dec 1828
Death Date: 06 July 1892
Cemetery: Ames
Town: Washington
****( This person is listed in the book as Isaiah Boone McElyea.)

John R. McElyea
Birth Date: 20 Jan 1890
Death Date: 13 Aug 1890
Cemetery: Ames

and the afore mentioned Samuel.

Many thanks to Robin for her contributions to this issue, please any or all of you feel free to make contributions of family information of genealogical finds you have made.

I.B. McElza is listed in the 1870 Story County, Iowa census on page 192. (My library doesn't have the micro-film for that year and county. If anyone has access to this record, I would appreciate a copy of the page.)

An Illinois Public Land Purchase Record was also found to have occurred on December 23, 1845. There is also a Civil War Pension Index Record where Isaiah B. McElyea filed in 1877 as an invalid. In 1890, his widow Harriet N. McElyea filed for benefits.

Information from Jina McElyea: The "Cecil Smith" McElyeas" have formed a corporation to preserve the old home place in Lee County, Va. We hope to have a park there for future generations to use to come together for reunions. We will keep you up to date on the outcome.

New information is now available from the National Archives. You can access this site at: Click here: NARA | ARC | ARC Main Page

In this site I found: In the Index to Applications Submitted to the Eastern Cherokee Roll of 1909 (Guion Miller Roll) 1909 - 1910, I found - 40584 Thomas B. McElyea TN

In the book, "McElyea's in Transit" I found a Thomas B. McElyea on page 44, as a son of Hiram and Matilda McElyea. If this is the same person, he would have been around 74 years of age when he made application to the Eastern Cherokee Roll.

This brings to a close the 6th issue of "McElyea'sNMore," I hope that all of you are finding information that is helpful to your genealogy research. Please continue to send in information as you find in in case it might benefit other readers, I will be continuing the search myself and will post any finds in the next issues.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all! Since our roots are supposed to be tied in some way to Ireland, I wish the Luck of the Irish on you all. It would be great if we could find the link back to Ireland and Scotland. It seems though, at this time to be a most illusive wish. I have found and posted many marriages, deaths and gravesites of our McElyea relatives. As you will find in this letter, I have found quite a bit of information on Abel Teague McElya. This person is showcased in this letter. I will try to pick another person to showcase in all forthcoming newsletters.

This next story is taken from the March 14, 2003, Dallas Morning News. Imagine my surprise when my sister-in-law called this afternoon to tell me the story about a McElyea in the Dallas paper. She normally isn't the least interested in genealogy but knew I was, so I am sending out portions of the story. It is in the Texas Living section with the credit given to the writer, James Ragland. The heading is:

This sounds like one of those bizarre stories you read on the Internet that turns out to be false.

Except this one is true: In 1972, a 7-year-old boy writes a get-well card letter to his hero, Cincinnati Reds baseball great, Johnny Bench, who is hospitalized.

The letter and a picture of the kid get published in newspapers across the country. An astronaut clips the article and takes it with him on his next big trip, which happens to be the Apollo 17 mission to the moon.

That alone is an intriguing tale, one fact that Tom McElyea has been telling his friends for years. He even has a laminated copy of the old news article in his Grapevine law office, lest anyone doubt the veracity of his story.

"It's just amazing ," says McElyea, now 37. "It's really neat. That's all I can say."

Dana McElyea was reading a newspaper last November when she say and advertisement for the March of Dimes' eighth annual Breakfast with a Champion, "featuring baseball legend Johnny Bench."

She decided to surprise her husband with an early Christmas gift - a ticker to the Dec. 10 breakfast at the Wyndham Anatole hotel in Dallas, which included a chance to finally meet the ex-Reds catcher. Now that may sound easy. But Mrs. McElyea went to great lengths to pull of the deal, making phone call after phone call. She contacted Melissa Compton, special events coordinator for the March of Dimes, and Ms. Compton hooked her up with a VIP pass that allowed Mr. McElyea not only to meet Mr. Bench but also get his picture taken with the baseball Hall of Famer.

"I just thought that was a really cool story," says Ms. Compton, explaining why she pulled strings to get the two men together. "That was a special moment, {and} I wasn't going to miss it."

Mrs. McElyea also wrote a letter to the astronaut, Eugene Cernan, who replied with an autographed picture of himself standing on the moon in front of an American flag, "To Tom," Mr. Cernan wrote on the photo, "Dreams Do Come True!"

To be continued in the April issue. I hope you enjoy this story and that you will either purchase a newspaper to read it and see the pictures or enjoy and look forward to the April newsletter. Again I want to thank my sister-in-law, Ada Smith, for her thoughtfulness in making me aware of the article.

Many thanks to Cathy Beasley and Debbi Geer for their contributions. I am sure that some of you have information but are hesitant about sending it, please send in what you have. Perhaps you feel something is insignificant, it may prove very important to someone else who is searching. So, please share your information! I also received a suggestion from Jerry McElyea, which I think deserves your consideration and hopefully, agreeable participation. As I told you when I proposed this newsletter, the success of it depends on your participation.

From Cathy Beasley:

This is the obit of Earline McLemore Burton. She is the granddaughter
of my Isaac Johnson McElyea. My granddaddy's sister was her mother.
Just thought you might like to see it.

Earline McLemore Burton

Funeral for Earline McLemore Burton, 86, of Decatur, formerly of the
Joe Wheeler Dam community, will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Roselawn Funeral
Home with Charles Littrell officiating.

Burial will be in Dement Cemetery. The family will receive friends tonight
from 6 to 8 at the funeral home.

Mrs. Burton died Tuesday, March 11, 2003, at NHC Healthcare in Moulton.
She was born Sept. 16, 1916, in Limestone County to Earnest Cord
McLemore and Virgie McElyea McLemore. She was a member of Danville Road
Church of Christ. She was a homemaker and the widow of Anderson O'Rear
Burton and the sister of the late Turner McLemore, Gilbert McLemore and
Mary McLemore.

Survivors include three sons, Robert E. Burton of Gulf Shores, Charles
T. Burton of Wilsall, Mont., and James O. Burton of Decatur; one daughter,
Judy Jeffreys of Decatur; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Doug McLemore, Tommy McLemore, Richard McElyea,
Roger McElyea, Billy Lee and King Streater.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Valley or Danville Road Church
of Christ.

Am looking for other families in the western part of KY on the Rootsweb
mail list KY JAckson Purchase. In looking through their archives, Bill
Utterback has been posting various records to the list. Included is the
Ballard Co KY marriages from the late 19th century. I found the following
marriage listed (no date as you have to write for further info) and
beleive it is a McElyea family member.

McElya, G.E.
Owen, M.L.

Included in the information Mr. Utterback has posted, I found some of it to be very interesting and wanted to share with you.

18th & 19th Century Terminology -

Foot-Pad - a thief who is afoot

Little House - a privy

Nettle House - a privy

Prick Louise - a common name for a tailor

Loblolly Boy - An assistant to a ship's surgeon

Husbandman - a farmer

Grass Widow - an unmarried woman who has had a child

Firkin - a wooden tub used for storage

Clod-Hopper - a farmer's helper and, more specifically, the shoes he wears
when walking over roughly ploughed land

Catch rogue - a sheriff

Vane Man - a surveyor's assistant

Chapman - a seller or peddler; also known as a Yankee Peddler

Bole Holes - openings in barns to permit entry of air and light

Suggestion:Put the e-mail address in the newsletter w/ the info submitted by others. Ask all on your email distribution to include their email address if they want. That way, if I read an article & would like to contact the author, I could do so thru e-mail. Otherwise, it is next to impossible to make contact. This would allow any reader of the newsletter to submit info they may have to persons doing research or to confirm relationships, etc. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS SUGGESTION?

~~~

If you would like to have more information on any specific person or occurrence, please let me know. In reading through the book, "McElyea's in Transit", I have found many things I would like to know more about and will be researching to see if I can find the story behind what I read. Here is a bit of one thing I am interested in finding more information: {On page 198 of the book, I found Abel Teague McElya, listed as the son of James Hosea McElya and Mahala Jane Davidson McElya. It states he was born in Kentucky about 1853 and shows up in the 1860 census of Massac Co., IL., as a 7 year old. He is also in the Massac Co. census in 1870 but then in the 1880 Randolph County, AR. census. It states that he was murdered by the Kenny Bros., in AR. The story also goes on to say that William Allen McElyea, brother of Abel, was given extradition papers by Thomas J. Churchill, Gov. of AR., to go to Missouri to bring back to AR., Richard and Major Kinney, who had been indicted for the murder of Abel Teague McElya. This extradition order was issued on August 17, 1881. On September 28, 1881, Wm. A. McElya certified he delivered them to the Sheriff of Randolph County, AR.} As you will note, these names are spelled without the last e.

From the book, "The McElyea Family in America since 1750" by Eunice Martin McElya, there is a plausible explanation of the different spelling of the name McElyea/McElya. This is her story concerning Abel Teague McElya.

"There is another, somewhat sad story in connection with the name being changed in spelling. Abel Teague McElya, an older son of John McElya, had a small daughter, Gertrude. A nephew who was named Abel Teague McElya (1853-1881) was murdered in Randolph County, AR. near Biggers. He is buried there with the following inscription on his tombstone: "Murdered in Arkansas in 1881 - Abel Teague McElya born 1853". The remnants of an ornate black wrought iron fence still remain around his grave. (This was written in 1976, so I am not sure the fence is still standing *E.N.)

He was a young man and had gone to Arkansas with several older brothers to cut logs for the approaching railroads and was killed in his log cabin at night, by two brothers named McKinney. They had trouble during the day while cutting down some trees and went over to Missouri where they thought they would be safe. But the Governor of Arkansas issued extradition papers, so the brothers could be brought back to Arkansas for trial. As they were being brought back, both were killed on the way. Just here I pause and do not know the truth, as I have heard so many stories of their return, none of them being similar.

Gertrude, an unusually smart little girl, got tired of hearing people talk about the murder and did not want to claim kin, so she told her school teacher at the log cabin school, that her name was spelled McElyea. So that family, from then on, has gone under the original McElyea spelling in America."

*As you can see the stories differ greatly and I will be doing research to find, if possible, authentication of the story. At this time I have contacted the library in Randolph County to see if they can provide any further information or where I might obtain verification on the facts as presented in these stories.

Hite cemetery is located south of Biggers on land donated by J. R. Hite. In the middle of the cemetery is a restored log structure which was said to have been used as a church in the 1880's. Hite Cemetery is clean and very well maintained. Directions to the cemetery are as follows: From Pocahontas take Hwy. 67 N 10 miles to Hite Rd., (first road to the right after you pass the gas plant) follow Hite Rd. 2 miles to the cemetery.

McElya, A. T.
murdered 1881 age 27 years

McElya, Eugene
15 Nov 1861 - 3 Apr 1941

McElyea, Ferbie
wife of Eugene
25 Jan 1876 - 28 Apr 1936

Eugene McElza Nancy Rogers Dec. 21, 1884
Eugene McElya Ms. Pherby Hopkins Aug. 4, 1889

** Eugene McElyea was the brother of Abel Teague McElyea. Eugene had a twin bother according to "McElyea's In Transit", named Ernest F. McElya.

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Many thanks to Gladys for the obituary of her aunt, Dorothy Potter Schidigger. You will be able to read it in the McElyea Deaths and Obituaries section. Gladys, you have our sympathies for your loss. I do appreciate you and others who take their time to send information for the website and newsletter. As I had stated before writing this newsletter, it will only be as good as you make it. I can do research and enter it but you all need to involve yourselves by sending news and information. If you will please take note, after reading the last couple of newsletters, I wish you would let me know if you want me to continue. Other than a couple who have sent information, I have had no communication from any of you who encouraged me to do the newsletter. It is a work I do enjoy but feel without more participation from you as McElyea descendants, it is not very productive. I am interested in your input, information, research and so forth to be shared among every participant. If the newsletter as such is not what you want or expected, please give me suggestions on what I can do to make it better. Or, please let me know what you expect as far as a family newsletter goes, I do need your input.

1. Laughlin McElyea
2. Patrick Henry McElyea
3. Patrick Henry McElyea, Jr.
4. Larkin McElyea
5. Landon H. McElyea
6. John Tennessee McElyea and Margaret Louis Greenwell
7. Hattie Evelyn McElyea and David Carter Potter
8. Dorothy Ann Potter Schidigger

~~~~

Dan Fairfax has written about the gravesite of Patrick Henry McElyea, who was born in 1751. He has stated that Patrick Henry is reported to have been buried in the Hatch Cemetery in Franklin County, TN. I have a map of the Cemeteries of Franklin County, TN. and only found a Hatchett Cemetery. It seems to be located at Vanzille Lane and Forth Rd. I suppose it is in or near the town of Winchester, TN. If anyone lives in that area, you might be interested in checking out this bit of information. It is not known, but is doubtful, that the grave is marked. Patrick Henry McElyea was listed in the h/h of Archibald Hatchett in the 1840 census. No relationship between the two has been established at this time.

Searching through Ancestry.com for McElyea information, I came across two different spellings of McElyea that have me wondering if they are connected. From the AGBI, (American Genealogical Biographical Index), there is a George McElyear with a birthdate of 175? born in Pennsylvania, Vol. 114, page 120. The name McElyear has shown up before but to my knowledge, no George. Especially one born in the 1750's!

The McElyear name was also found in the records of "Tennessee, the Volunteer State, 1769-1923", Volume 4. This record states, "At Camden on the 14th of June, 1905, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Clement to Miss Bertha A. McElyear, a daughter of Alonzo and Florie (Blount) McElyear, both of whom are living. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Clement four children have been born: Stephen Alonzo, Louise Ann, Harry Alden, and Bertha Alice." "Since attaining his majority Mr. Clement has strictly adhered to the principles of the democratic party. He was elected county and probate judge of this county in 1918 and is filling that office with distinction. He is essentially public-spirited and has contributed in a marked degree to the development of Camden and his native county. He has made a very creditable record as road builder, having constructed one hundred and fifty miles of good roads in this county, the first built in the eighty-five years that Benton county has been in existence. Judge Clement has also aided in bringing about improvements in the county and rural schools. His long experience as a teacher in these schools made it possible for him to know their needs. The religious faith of the Clement family is that of the Methodist church. Fraternally Judge Clement is identified with the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Red Men, and the Maccabees and he is also a Master Mason. " *It is my belief that Bertha A. McElyear is actually a McElyea, as there were many McElyea's in Benton County, TN. On page 41, of "McElyea's in Transit", I found Felix G. McElyea, son of Robert McElyea and ?. Robert had a son named Felix Alonzo who married Florence L. ? (probably Florie Blount). They had a daughter named Bertha who was born November 1879, with no further information. The names of Felix Alonzo and Florence's children were: Bertha, Zula, Harry A. and Richard B. McElyea.

Under the spelling Mackelway, I found Sarah marrying, John Buffington, Jr. Sarah was listed as having been born in Pennsylvania around 1745. She and John were stated to have been in Rowan County, NC in 1771, where their first child was born. More research will need to be done to ascertain if this Sarah is actually a McElyea. If so, this will show the family of McElyea was in Pennsylvania before we had been led to beleive.

In Volume 10, page 242, No.: 449: To whom granted and
rank: John Mackelway, Drummer. He was awarded 1,000 acres and it was
stated that he served 84 months. That would have been 7 years which
seems to have been a long time to have served in the Revolutionary War.
The war only lasted from 1775-1783.

Vol. 16, page 102, McCleyea, Jno., Musc., Co: McCrory's,
Dates of Enlistment and Commission: 28 July 1777, Service: 3 years,
Occurance: Pt. August 1778, Musc., Sept. 1778.

Page 102, "McElyea's in Transit" George Lewis McElyea married Sudey Webb, no further information. It also states that one record has Campbell. I found this marriage listing in Clay County, Arkansas between G.L. McLeyea and Mrs. Sudie Campbell, on July 16, 1896. I beleive this is probably the same persons. George Lewis McElyea's second wife, Frona Brohner, had died in 1895.

In Johnson County, IL. Mahala J. Davidson married James W. McElea on February 21, 1843. Further checking needs to be done to verify if this James W. is actually a McElyea.

Page 172, "McElyea's in Transit", Thomas Jefferson McElyea, son of Albert Anderson and Mary Ann (Tanner) McElyea, married Elizabeth Sutherland. I found the record of Thomas J. McElyea marrying Lizzie Sutherland, on December 13, 1894 in Fulton County, Arkansas.

Claude McElzea, date of death, October 19, 1947, in Harlan, KY. *Have yet to verify this person as a McElyea.

Alcy J. McElgea, March 30, 1918, in Limestone County, Alabama. Alcy J. McElgea was Alsa Jane Qualls Thompson who married William Thomas McElyea on February 23, 1881, in Limeston County, Alabama.

*************************************************************************************

First of all, I would like to thank those of you who took the time and effort to send something to include in the McElyea Newsletter. Without your contributions it would be a very small, dull, insignificant letter. This first entry is compliments of Cathy Beasley, TN. Cathy was searching through the 1930 AL. census and found this family. We are trying to backtrack them and find which McElyea family settled in Georgia. If anyone knows, please let me hear from you.

Alabama Enumerated April 23, 1930
Limestone Enumeration District 42-18
Georgia, Precinct 9 Supervisors Dis. #2

Lines 9-13, Sheet # 19A

McElyea, Chuss head m 35 timber cutter GA. GA. GA.
Tawrey G. wife f 32
Clayton F. son m 07
James B. son m 05
Hiram son m 3 3/12
According to this info. He, his mother and father were all born in Georgia. (Cathy and I have discussed the fact that possibly the person giving the information on this census didn't understand correctly the question of where they were born. Since the census is the Georgia precinct, we are wondering if they meant they were born there. Also, the census was somewhat hard to read so the spelling of some of the names may be misinterpreted by me.)

~~~

These spellings are from the book, "McElyea's in Transit", as I end those I will add an asterisk and include the spellings that I or others have encountered since the book was published.

McAlley ----------McEalla
McAlyea ---------McElay
Mackelyea ------McElya
Muckelyea ----McKleya
McIlyhia ----Mackelway
Maclia ------Muckelway
Macklia -------McElway
McCelea ------McLeyea
McCleyea -------McYea
*
McElzea------- McElzia
McIlyea --------Maclea
Mackelyea ------------Macalgea/yea
McLyea ---McLemon
Muchelyea ---McKelyea
McLyea---McLemon
McSelyea--- McElyea,
McEly -----McKerlie
McLea------ McElerley
McLya------ McLezea
McEaly -----Mcelely
McElgea---- McEleay
McElyear--- McElvy

~~~

I have recently found marriage records for James McElyea and Jennett Donnellson, who married in 1795 in Grayson County, VA. Patrick Henry McElyea signed as a bondsman. I do have a copy of the Marriage record if anyone is interested. I also found the marriage record of John McElyea and Betsey ?? also in Grayson County, VA. One place has it as having taken place in 1793 and another 1795. For those of you descending from John McElyea and Sarah Boone, I am questioning if this could be that John. Perhaps Betsey was actually Sarah Elizabeth Boone. Does anyone have the full name of Sarah Boone? The actual marriage certificate is not available but I have all of the information and will be glad to send copies of any. These marriage records along with others I have recently found, can be viewed in the Genealogy Finds section of this website.

~~~
Family Group Sheets

8.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
7.Hugh McElyea, Sr. and Rachel ?
6.Hugh McElyea, Jr. and Mary (Polly) McElyea
5.William Carroll McElyea and Lavina Neal
4.James Preston McElyea and Prudence Fletcher#1
James Preston McElyea and Frances Smith #2
3.Charles Fitzgerald McElyea and Ethel Alexander(son of #1)
2.R.T. McElyea and Opal Faye Jackson
David Edward McElyea and Roberta Ann Reed #1
1.David Edward McElyea and Jaclyn Sue Turner #2

8.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
7.Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah ?
6.Patrick Henry McElyea, Jr. and Sarah Cook
5.Hiram McElyea and Sarah Profitt
4.Larkin Morris McElyea and Martha Caroline Pardue
3.Cecil Smith McElyea and Sarah Flossie Tester
2.Eugene Joseph McElyea and Edith Malvery Carico
1.Eddie Cecil McElyea and Jina Lou Coomer

10.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
9.Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah
8.Isaac McElyea and Nancy Sisk
7. William Charles McElyea and Nancy C.?
6.David A. McElyea and Martha J. Cantor
5. George Wallace McElyea and Mary Frances Elizabeth Holbert
4.Lloyd O. McElyea and Addie Ladell Anderson
3.R.C. McElyea and Pauline Marie Weaver
2.Jimmy Lee McElyea and Lottie Anita Denman
1.Jason Lee McElyea and Regina Poinsettia Tanner

Joyce Marie Brown

9.Laughlin Mcelyea and Mary Powers
8.Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah ?
7.John McElyea and Sarah Boone
6.Henry McElyea and Elizabeth Miller
5.Lucinda Ellen McElyea and George W. Anderson
4.Rhoda F. Anderson and Eugene A. Laughlin
3.Estes Othel Laughlin and Mary F. Block
2.Nadine Laughlin and Archie Brown
1.Joyce Marie Brown

4.Jeanette McElyea and Joseph Elmer Douglas Joslen
3.Gladys Vaughn and Eugene LeRoy Livingston, Sr.
2.Eugene LeRoy Livingston, Jr. and June Christine May
1.Robin Christine Livingston and Christopher Jon McDuffie

7.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
6.Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah
5.Isaac McElyea and Nancy Sisk
4.William Charles McElyea and Nancy C.?
3.John Henry McElyea and Mary Jane Davis
2.Fred McElyea and Hattie Mae Hall
1.Wanda Faye McElyea and Francis Edmond Mitchell

8.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
7.Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah
6.Isaac McElyea and Nancy Sisk
5.William Charles McElyea and Nancy C.?
4.John Henry McElyea and Mary Jane Davis
3.Fred McElyea and Hattie Mae Hall
2.Vernice Elna McElyea and James A. Clark, Jr.
1.Elizabeth Ann Clark and Clinton Noble lll

5.Hiram McElyea and Sara (not Profitt)
4.John R. McElyea and Martha Jane Marcum
3.Francis Marion McElyea and Ann Ritta Nichols
2.John (C or S) McElyea and Erma Thelda Gibson
1.Bobby Lee (Marion) McElyea and Barbara Ann Lynn

6.Elias C. McElyea and Nancy H. ?
5.Nancy Elizabeth McElyea and Obediah Noel Koon
4.Minerva Jane McElyea Koon and Wiley Thomas Coley
3.Marvin Talmidge Coley and Lena Bell Cowsert
2.David Eugene Coley and Mary Odalene Criswell
1.Anita Marie Coley and John Mark Decker

8. Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
7. Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah ?
6. John McElyea and Sarah Boone
5. Hiram McElyea and Mathilda ?
4. Thomas B. McElyea and Martha Jane Kelly
3. William Albert McElyea and Fanny Ella Richey
2. Louis Weldon McElyea and Joyce Madge Gilbreath
1. James Darrell McElyea and Cynthia Sue Belew

Chene and Jennifer Smith, welcomed their new daughter this afternoon, December 21, 2002. Greg and Katy Smith are the proud paternal grandparents.

Stormie Alise Smith entered the world at 2:33 pm. She weighed in
at 9lbs one half oz- and was 20 inches long.

~~~

The death announcement following is an e-mail I received from Jerry McElyea of Florida concerning the death of his wife, Mary. It was a very sad message to receive and my sympathies go out to Jerry and his family.
~~~

Deaths

Mary Rothmeyer McElyea

It is my sad duty to inform all our friends that Mary,my wife of 44 years;2 mo's.; 11 Days died after a long battle with liver cancer. She was born in Festina, Ia. 23 may 1936 & died @ home on 23 Dec. 2002 @ 5:20 PM having had a life span [on earth] of 66 yrs. & 7 Mos.

She is survived by myself;daughter Christine Magargee, her two children Adam & Dana of McKinney, Tx.;son Daniel & his son Zachary McElyea;son Steven & his son Benjamin McElyea all of Houston, TX.

Mary was diagnosed in early June 2002. Immediate family & very close personal friends were notified. However,she wanted me to notify the remainder of our friends in this manner.

Mary was taken by our lord in a very peaceful manner with myself, her sister & brother-in-law; & good friends Bonnie & George LaLena holding & comforting her. Thru the entire ordeal Mary had no pain & was very much at peace. For those that knew & offered prayers for her we are eternally grateful.

Mary will be creamated & interred @ the National cemetery near Bushnell, FL. As will I when my time comes. The funeral mass will be held 24 Jan, 2003 @ 8:30 AM concurrent with daily mass @ St. Timothy Catholic Church 1351 Paige Pl., Lady Lake, FL.32159. Ph.# 352-753-0989. Internment immediately following. Fr. Jerry Shovelton & Deacon John Sullivan will preside.

We request in lieu of flowers, etc. that a donation be made in her name to:Hospice of Lake & Sumter Counties, 12300 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL. 32778-9960. PH.# 352-343-6234. Hospice was her last care provider here at home & provided excellent & timely support for all our needs. Hospice is currently building a care facility here and any donation in support of that will be appreciated.

God Bless All of You--Jerry

~~~

Sickness

Mary Sue Holland McElyea was hospitalized early in January in San Antonio. She has on-going health concerns.
***

Alijah Da'Neal Wellington, grandson of Pam McElyea Fairfax, was hospitalized in January. He had to have surgery to correct a condition he had a birth. He is doing well. I am including a picture of him taken shortly after birth with his proud Granddad, Dan Fairfax.

***

From Barbara McElyea concerning husband, Bob. "Bob had to have surgery on January 3. He got sick on New years Eve. We spent midnight in the emergency room. He is doing fine but he is still weak. He had a punctured bowel and it was infected. They pumped him full of antibotics for 2 days. He is doing better now."
Barbara also sent another spelling on the name McElyea and is hoping someone reading this will be able to help in Bob's search for his family. "I found a new spelling of the name. It is McElyech. That is the spelling on Hiram's daughters marriage certificate. She married William Hubbell in 1844 and her name was Ester Ann. I hope you can find out some more when some more people contact you."

~~~

Concerning names and so forth that are incorrect on census records, we have at least 24 different spellings or variations of the name McElyea. Not only are names hard to figure out but sometimes the occupations of the people are also hard to decipher, puzzling and some are quite humorous. I copied this next excerpt from a Rootsweb publication I received today. With a new grandson, I can attest to the truthfullness of the occupation mentioned in the article.
~~~

Thanks to: Sheila Y. Stewart sheila.stewart@shaw.ca

After reading the amusing census entries, especially those pertaining to
occupations, in recent issues of RootsWeb Review, I came across one of
my own while searching for my great-grandfather, who was an infant at
the time of the 1880 U.S. census. In Cottage Grove, Washington County,
Minnesota, page 172c, he is listed:

Peter OLSEN Self M Male W 56 SWEDEN Farmer
Anne OLSEN Wife M Female W 36 SWEDEN Keeping House
John OLSEN Son S Male W 1M MN Sucker

~~~

This next piece will take some of us back a few years and leave the younger ones wondering, I guess. Sad to say, I remember most of all of them!

******************************************************

My Dad was cleaning out my grandmother's house and he brought me an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it. I knew immediately what it was, but
my daughter had no idea.
She thought they had tried to make it a saltshaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to "sprinkle" clothes with because we didn't have steam irons. Man, I
am old.

******************************************************
How Many Do You Remember??

Head lights dimmer switches on the floor Ignition switches on the dashboard
Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall
Real ice boxes
Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards.
Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals.

*******************************************

1. Blackjack chewing gum
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water
3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda pop machines that dispensed bottles
5. Coffee shops with tableside jukeboxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines
8. Newsreels before the movie
9. P. F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (Olive - 6933)
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14. 45 RPM records ... and 78 RPM records
15. S&H Green Stamps
16. Hi-fi's
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb
20. Packard's
21. Roller skate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-ins
24. Studebakers
25. Wash tub wringers

~~~
****************************************************************************************

Merry Christmas to all of you McElyea descendants! Hopefully, you have finished your Christmas shopping by now and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa. If not, you are probably rushed, harried and looking for that special gift that seems to be sold out at every store you have visited. Good luck with your shopping! I do so wish Christmas had not become such a commercial enterprise and could go back to the way it was when I was younger.

Thanks to everyone who has sent in their family pages and information on families. I do appreciate the time you took to fill out the pages and send me the information. For those who have not yet sent yours back or haven't written, I hope that the holidays and the rush and bustle are the reason. Hoping to hear from you after Christmas!

These are some of the families which have sent in their family group sheets and the lineage. Thanks to you all!

7.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers McElyea
6.William McElyea and Cloe?
5.John "Buck" McElyea and Rhoda?
4.Thomas Jefferson McElyea and Serilda Jane Hatchett
3.T. Frank McElyea and Loudema Southerland
2.Paul Revere McElyea and Ruth Lois Miller
1.Jerry Neal McElyea and Mary Ann Rothmeyer

8.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
7.Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah
6.Isaac McElyea and Nancy Sisk
5.George Washington McElyea and #1-Nancy Rebecca May
George Washington McElyea and #2- Mary Ann Robinson
4.Mary Frances McElyea and James Harvie Haynie(via wife #1 of George W. McElyea)
3.Allen Leolin Haynie and #1-Addie Elizabeth Catherall
Allen Leolin Haynie and #2-Nolly Pyeatt
2.Jimmy Ray Haynie and #1-LaVerne Doris Brock(via wife #1 of Allen Haynie)
1.Michel Blair Haynie and Julie Ann Olson

8.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
7.Patrick Henry McElyea and Hannah
6.Isaac McElyea and Nancy Sisk
5. William Charles McElyea and Nancy C.?
4. Isaac Johnson McElyea and Mary Carrie Frances Ophelia Davis
3. Pete McElyea and Ida Mac Smith
2. Hattie Mae McElyea and Charles Guy Chittam
1. Larry Ray Chittam and Sandra Elaine Davis

8.Laughlin McElyea and Mary Powers
7.Hugh McElyea, Sr. and Rachel ?
6.Hugh McElyea, Jr. and Mary McElyea
Patrick Henry McElyea and #1-Letha ?
5.Patrick Henry McElyea and #2-Mary J. Segley
4.Elizabeth McElyea and Calvin Preston Smith
3.William Leonard Smith and Lottie Gladys Lamb
2.Van Dale Smith and Diana Lee Romaine Spaulding
1.Greg Smith and Kathyrn Ann Sabean

Pam McElyea Fairfax' daughter, Katherine Page McCool Wellington and husband, Dexter O'Neal Wellington, had a baby boy at Vanderbilt University Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee - weight: 6 lbs. 14 oz.
Alijah Da'Neal Wellington.

At 12:56 a.m., our daughter, Madaleine Noble Alexander and husband, Jerry Alexander, welcomed their son, Austin Riker Alexander, into the world. Austin was born at Medical Center Hospital, Odessa, Texas and weighed in at 6 lbs. 5.2 oz.

November 25, 2002
LESLIE McELYEA, 76, of Memphis, retired from the Army after 21 years
and warehouse manager for 12 years, died Monday at Saint Francis
Hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Central Church on
Winchester, where he was a member

From Melvin Ward, son of Minnie Ola McElyea, a descendant of William Charles McElyea. Minnie Ola was the sister of Fred McElyea, my grandfather. These memories also include my uncles, J.D. and Calvin McElyea and great uncle, Council Hall. Thanks Melvin for sharing the memories!

* Council Hall was the brother of my grandmother McElyea, Hattie Hall McElyea.

Probally closer than our brothers, at least I know I was. The fun things we did was riding his model A on the railroad tracks of the RS&P This stands for, Run Squat and Pee. This train ran from Rosco to Snyder as best I remember once a week.

The railroad crossed one street that was high off the ground and we would race down it over the tracks and fly of the ground several feet. Calvin probally remembers it, one time he did it and hit the bak of some one trying to stop in mid air.

God Bless and keep you. Look up He loves you.

~~~~

After reading the remembrance of Melvin Ward, Wanda Mitchell
came up with one of her own. This happened around the time
she was 9 or 10 years of age.

It was Halloween and of course, back then it was only tricks, no treats.
J.D., Calvin, Otis Roe, Council and maybe Melvin, was in on it. Boys
being boys and very bored at that, they decided to turn over the toilet.
What they reported to not be aware of was that Uncle Otto McElyea was
inside. Of course, it was a real dizzy around there as the boys tried to
convince everyone they didn't have any idea it was occupied. (Likely story)
Uncle Otto was addicted to hard liquor and was under the influence at the
time. They called his drunkeness back then a "sick spell". Mama scolded
the boys but I don't think it was too effective as she was almost
rolling in the floor laughing. To my knowledge, neither Daddy (Fred) nor
Uncle Otto ever found out the identity of the culprits who turned over
the toilet.

From Anita Coley Decker, whose great-grandmother, Minerva Koon, was the daughter of Nancy Elizabeth McElyea and Obediah Koon.

I remember my great grandmother. She was severely diabetic and sat in a wheelchair all of the time I knew her. She and my great grandfather, Wiley, lived at Lepanto and farmed a hugh section of land. She was always very loving and very special to me. Her funeral was the first funeral I had had to attend as a child. When I realized that I would not see her again in this lifetime, I became very upset. Then, I was reassured that I would see her when I went to heaven. It has been told in the family that just before she died, she smiled and said hello to many old friends and loved ones. We have many pictures of her.

Obediah Koon was a Methodist Minister Circuit Rider. He preached in Tippah and Union Counties, in Mississippi. He was the first minister of Wyer's Chapel {on HWY 370 (known as the Dumas Road) just outside Ripley, MS.} after the Civil War. We have a picture of him standing with his hand on the Bible. Also he has a handlebar mustache. He is buried at Candy Hill Cemetery, just outside Myrtle, MS. His tombstone was provided by contributions from all the churches he served. It is carved like a pulpit. His wife, Nancy Elizabeth McElyea Koon is buried beside him.

This next response is exactly what I don't want anyone thinking. If you share any McElyea bloodlines, no matter how far removed, we want you to share any information you wish. We are all McElyea descendants, no matter the distance from the name.

The McElyea name for our family ends with my husband's fourth generation. Therefore, any births, deaths, marriages etc. that you requested would be quite far down the line and the people on this list wouldn't know any of the people I could list. I assume, therefore, that you probably wouldn't want any of this from me... Am I right? (In fact, anything on my children would be 5th generation from Mary Frances McElyea, 6 gen from George Washington McElyea and 9 generations from Laughlin McElyea.) That's pretty far down the list.

News Items

Items of interest may also be found in the "News from Past times" and "Fred McElyea Family News categories." Make sure you check these out!

Issue#1

Hello, McElyea's
First of all I want to thank you all for encouraging me to go ahead and send out a McElyea newsletter. For some of you, please make a note of the address. I will be sending this newsletter out on my genealogy address. It is: tiesfromthepast@aol.com. In doing that, I will be able to make sure that any mailings from you will not get deleted as I get a lot of junk mail on my Carniris site. Some of you have been using that address already so it won't be a change for you. Secondly, I will need your help by sending in information to be included in other newsletters. At this time, I have several who have responded and are interested in a newsletter. If this newsletter does not meet your expectations, please let me know. It is being written in order to help us all. Hopefully, I will be able to share some information with you that will broaden your knowledge of the McElyea family.

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It would be a help also if you would let me know some of the things that you would like to see in the newsletter. I want to make it interesting and informative to everyone. As in most newsletters, I want to share information. I will send as much genealogical information as possible. I would also like to include a family birth, death and special announcement section. It seems possible too, that there are many family recipes out there that may go unknown if we don't share. I would like to include a recipe section, if that is satisfactory to all. Please give me your suggestions!

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Most of you have received a mailing from me including my own family information on a family group sheet, copies of pages from my Family Tree Maker of my own lineage and a blank family group sheet for you to fill out and return to me. I do hope that you will all take the time to do that in order for me to be able to know which McElyea you are descended from. In case you didn't receive this mail, please let me know and I will send it out to you. For your information: The family group sheets you send me are for my personal files only, I will not share them with anyone without first asking for your permission. I would hope that you will do the same with the information I have sent you. I only bring this up because I was asked to not share a persons information and it seemed that perhaps I should bring up the privacy situation. You may share any information that I sent except on living persons. That information is private.

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McElyea's in America

The McElyea family is reported to have first arrived in America before 1751. It has been stated that they arrived at the Port of Philadelphia but, I, nor any researcher I am acquainted with has been able to verify this fact. We do know that in York Springs, Adams County, Pennsylvania, two sons of Mary and Laughlin McElyea were christened, in 1760 and 1762. The spelling of the last name is very unlike we know the name to be spelled now. John MccLeDay was baptized on June 8, 1760 and James, son of Laughlin and Mary MccleYea, was baptized May 9, 1762. Due to the fact that Adams County was not formed until January 22, 1800 from part of York County, it seems that the church where the baptisms took place was absorbed by Adams County.
York County was created on August 19, 1749 from a part of Lancaster County. It was named either for the Duke of York, and early patron of the Penn Family, or for the city and shire of York in England. York, the county seat, was laid out in 1741, and chartered as a city in 1887. York County is nestled in rolling hills of south central Pennsylvania.
Leaving Pennsylvania around 1771, the McElyea family traveled to Orange County, North Carolina. North Carolina is a state divided into three natural regions: coastal plains, piedmont and mountains. Most of North Carolina was once covered by forest. The piedmont is a rolling to hilly area between the coastal plains and the Appalachian Mountains. This is the area in which the McElyea family settled.
From records we have found, we feel that the McElyea family lived in North Carolina and Virginia, for around 10 years. Leaving North Carolina they entered Tennessee, following the Appalachian Mountains. Entering Tennessee probably around the area of the present Knoxville, they then encountered the Great Smoky Mountains. The first record of the McElyeas in Tennessee is around Nashville, Montgomery County, Dickson County and Davidson County Tennessee probably in the early part of 1800. that area started having settlers move in around 1780. Traveling down through Tennessee, they finally seem to have settled around and in Giles County. Giles County is a very rough and broken land. It is made up of winding valleys and high ridges, which rise to a height of from 300 to 500 feet above the common level. Giles County shares it's southern border with Alabama. A fact that has created difficulty researching the McElyea family as they frequently crossed the state borders. One census they may be in Tennessee and the next Alabama, usually only a few miles distant.

Revolutionary War

From Patrick Henry McElyea's Revolutionary War record, he states that he was born in York County, PA. It seems as if the McElyea family traveled quite a bit beginning in the early 1770's. In the pension application, he explains that he was not in the Battle at Alamance on March 15, 1781, but on the one that occurred on May 16, 1771. During that battle he lost his horse, saddle and bridle. This took place as he says when his family and he were moving from Pennsylvania to Carolina and they encountered several Regulators geting away.
In January of 1776, Patrick Henry McElyea entered the Revolutionary War, in Caswell County, North Carolina.
He served that stint for two months and 10 days. He also tells of living in Washington and Montgomery Counties in Virginia before 1779.
He enlisted for the last time on February 5, 1781 under Col. Preston and Cart. James Norwell.
After leaving Montgomery County, VA. he states he lived in Surry Co., NC., Grayson Co., VA., Carter Co., TN., Montgomery Co., TN., Davidson Co., TN., Dickson Co., TN. He lived his remaining years in Jackson Co., AL. and Franklin Co., TN.
His pension record stated that he received $20 a year beginning on January 18, 1838. At the time of the census of 1840, he showed up in the household of Archibald Hatchel/Hatchett.
This pension was paid until his death in 1842, in Franklin Co., TN. No connection between the two men has been made at this time.
According to information from a letter written by the son of David and Mary McElyea Spence, sister of Patrick Henry, they were living in Surry County, NC. when she married David Spence. No marriage record has been found to my knowledge

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At this time, I am awaiting a marriage record between Rebekah Macalgea and Daniel Sisk, which took place on October 26, 1803. I am almost positive that Rebekah is not a Macalgea but is a McElyea. This marriage was in Surry County, NC. If I am correct this may be the daughter of Patrick Henry and Hannah McElyea. So many times the name has been horribly misspelled! During my personal research and others, we have found well over 25 spellings or misspellings of the name.

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Early in October, my family and I had the pleasure of meeting three McElyea descendants. We traveled to Greenville, TX. to visit with Cathy Beasley and her brother, Larry Chittam of Tennessee and Alabama. Cathy and Larry had flown into Dallas especially to meet my Aunt Wanda Mitchell and myself. Cathy, Wanda and I have corresponded by e-mail for several years. Cathy and Larry are also from the same line of McElyea's that my aunt and I are. Our great grandfather's, John Henry and Isaac Johnson McElyea were brothers, sons of William C. and Nancy McElyea. While there we were joined by John and Sarah Anderson, also from Tennessee. John and Sarah came through Greenville, Texas, (just outside Dallas) on their way back home to Tennessee. What a great time! We were up till late that night visiting and comparing notes. Sarah and John had to leave early the next morning to head back to Tennessee. But, at least we got to meet and visit, if only for a short time. Sarah is one of the people related to Elias C. McElyea. We all decided that a big McElyea Reunion is what we need. What about that? Let me know if any will be interested sometime to start planning one! If you are ever in the Odessa, Texas area, give me a call. I would love to at some time, meet each and everyone of you. My cell number is: 915-889-2645.

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Queries:

One of the McElyea's that we are trying to put with a family is, Elias C. McElyea. Several of his descendants are included in this mailing. I am including a brief story on Elias C. McElyea in case some of you might recognize him from your family line.

Elias C. McElyea shows up in the 1860 Tippah County, Mississippi census as a 39 year old, Methodist minister, born in Tennessee. Elias wife is Nancy, age 40, also born in Tennessee. Children are as listed:

Maranda age: 13 Female
Mary age: 11 Female
Sarah age: 09 Female
Elizabeth age: 07 Female
Manda age: 05 Female
Kate age: 02 Female
Joseph age: 2/12 Male
Another daughter, Susan, is reported to have been born 1863.

This information indicates that Elias was probably born in around 1810-11, in Tennessee. Efforts to locate a family where he might fit in have gone unanswered until recently when I noticed in the book, "McElyea's in Transit" that two or more McElyea families listed in the book may be incomplete. I am now trying to focus on those families to see if Elias could possibly fit there. This is a possibility!
During the Civil War, Elias C. McElyea served as a Chaplain in the Mississippi Calvary in Ham's Regiment. He also was the Chaplain for the Mississippi 23rd Infantry and the General and Staff Chaplain.
Elias died about 1869 in Mississippi and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Itawamba Co., MS. No further information is available on Nancy!

Mary McElyea married a Beasley, name unknown.
Sarah P. McElyea married James E. Miller
Nancy Elisabeth McElyea married Obediah Noel Koon
Manda married a Cooper, name unknown.
Kate McElyea married Robert Childers
Joseph McElyea married Ditha Bowen.
No further information is known about Chasanda, Emaline, or Susan.

Joseph McElyea and Ditha Bowen had several children. One of them was Arthur Peas McElyea who married Verda Arvilla Keen.

In a letter to my aunt Wanda, Verda McElyea, mentioned that her father-in-law, Joseph McElyea's, family or some branch of his family lived in Springdale, Arkansas.

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Bob and Barbara McElyea are searching for information on Bob's relatives, perhaps one of you can help.
Bob is in the direct line, they think, from Hugh McElyea. There is a Hiram McElyea, who is in Yell County, Ark., wife Sarah. This is where the line gets confusing as there is also another Hiram McElyea with Sarah as his wife. They are very definitely not the same. They have found Bob's great-great grandparent's John R. , age, 46,and Martha Jane Marcum,age 41, Mcelyea in the 1870, Pulaski, Ark.census with children; Francis M. (Marion) age 10, Bob's great grandfather
William S.,age 04
Mary C., age 03
and Sara F., age 01
John R. McElyea is the son of the afore mentioned Hiram and Sarah McElyea. (This is not Hiram who is married to Sarah Profitt)
If you have any of these in you line, please let me know. Strangely enough the three families that I have not connected with any known McElyea family all seem to have been in Arkansas. Could they be related and if so, how? Any help would be appreciated!
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McElyea Deaths

Friday October 25, 2002

Services for Marjorie Jones McElyea, 84, of Floydada, Texas were held on Sunday, Oct. 27. Mrs. McElyea was the wife of H.C. McElyea.

October 31, 2002

Services were held for, Mary Earline Carwile, on October 31, 2002. Mrs. Carwile died Tuesday, October 29, 2002 in Athens - Limestone Hospital, Athens, AL. Mrs. Carwile was the mother of Bobby Carwile.

Sympathies go out to each of these families!

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Recipes

This recipe is one of my family's favorites. It is also a good way to use up some of the turkey left over from Thanksgiving.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Ingredients: 1 can cream of Chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can green chilis (chopped)
1 small carton sour cream
1 small onion, chopped
12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2" strips
4 whole, cooked chicken breasts or turkey, cut into small pieces.
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese
Mix first five ingredients for sauce. Grease a 3 qt. casserole dish and layer tortillas, chicken and sauce. Put cheese on top and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, covered and 15 minutes, uncovered.

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Closing statement: I am hoping that you have found something of interest in this my first newsletter. If you have any constructive comments, pro or con, please write me. If I don't have a response one way or another I will assume that you aren't interested in the newsletter. You will be what makes the newsletter be successful, without your input, suggestions, queries and so forth it probably won't be useful to anyone. You are very important!