Alfonso Steele Celebrates 94th Birthday in 1911

The following article appeared in the April 3, 1911 edition of the Mexia Weekly Herald in Mexia, Texas:

Alfonso Steele was my paternal 3great grandfather through his son, Francis Marion "Frank" Steele; grandson, Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele; great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds; great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Patriots Address Texas Legislators - 1909

The Caucasian-Shreveport, LA - 2/14/1909

Alfonso Steele was my paternal great-great-great grandfather through his son, Francis Marion "Frank" Steele; grandson, Isham Alfonso Steele; great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds; great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Sunday's Obituary - Lula Steele Stubbs

Mexia Daily News - 11/24/1959

Lula Steele

Born on March 5, 1866

Daughter of

Francis Marion "Frank" Steele and Lucinda Chisum

Sister to

Lydia Frances, Louella "Ella", Isham Alfonso "Al", 

Mary Allye "Madie" and Lena Rhoda

Wife to

Nelson Foster Ferguson

James Henry Harrison Stubbs

Mother to

Elmer Ferguson

Vera Inez Stubbs

Died on November 23, 1959

Buried in the Thornton Cemetery

Thornton, Limestone County, Texas

Lula Steele was my paternal great grand aunt through her brother and my great grandfather, Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele.

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, couchpotato.

Tombstone Tuesday - Kate Smith Chisum

Catherine "Kate" Smith

Born on September 24, 1859

Daughter of

James Luther and Henrietta D. Smith

Sister to

Virginia "Jennie", James William "Buck", Francis Marion "Frank",

and Edward Dorsey

Wife of

Thomas Jefferson "Tom" Chisum

Mother to

Thomas Jefferson, Jr., Mary Eva, Jessie, 

Edward Walling "Big Walling" and Emmett DeWitt "Big Emmett"

Died on April 23, 1936

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Having finished life's duty

She now sweetly rests

Catherine "Kate" Smith Chisum's sister, Virginia "Jennie", was my paternal great, great grandmother. Her husband, Tom Chisum, was a brother to my paternal great, great grandmother, Lucinda Chisum Steele.

Tombstone Tuesday - James Luther Smith

James Luther "J. L." Smith

Born on November 9, 1830

Saratoga County, New York

Husband of

Henrietta

Father to

Virginia "Jennie", Catherine "Kate", James William "Buck",

Francis Marion "Frank" and Edward Dorsey

Died on January 25, 1911

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

James Luther "J. L." Smith was my paternal 3great grandfather through his daughter Virginia Smith Blackman; granddaughter, Mary Virginia Blackman Steele; great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds; great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Tombstone Tuesday - Leonard Steele

Leonard Steele

Born on August 20, 1851*

Son of

Alfonso Parcutt Steele and Mary Ann Powell

Brother to

Hampton, Alonzo Leo, Alvarado "Rado", Francis Marion "Frank",

Mary Ann and Missouri Alice

Husband of

Martha Elizabeth Franks

Mary Hannah Woodall

Louisa Neroissis Holmes

Father to:

James, Pearl Elizabeth, Hallie Adele, Isaac, Mary, Stella,

Frank and Nancy Maude from his first marriage

Robert Walter from his second marriage

Alvin from his third marriage

Died on January 21, 1938

Buried in Brooks Cemetery

Paluxy, Hood County, Texas

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, Barbara.

*Date of birth listed as 1851 on death certificate.

Tombstone Tuesday - Missouri Alice Steele

Missouri Alice Steele

Born on December 4, 1859

Daughter of

Alfonso Parcutt Steele and Mary Ann Powell

Sister to

Hampton, Alonzo, Alvarado "Rado", Francis "Frank",

Leonard and Mary Ann

Wife of

Tillman Eubank

Mother to

Roddy Steele, Blanche, Kate, Fannie, Zuma, Doyle Steele,

Fred Tillman, Jack and Helen

Died on September 17, 1938

Buried in the Mexia City Cemetery

Mexia, Limestone County, Texas

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, James Coston.

Tombstone Tuesday - Hampton Steele

Hampton Steele

Born on August 2, 1840

Son of

Alfonso Parcutt Steele and Mary Ann Powell

Brother to

Alonzo, Alvarado "Rado", Francis Marion "Frank",

Leonard, Mary Ann and Missouri Alice

Husband of

Lydia Frances Smith

Martha Leona Chisum

Sophie Elizabeth Kirkpatrick

Children with Lydia Frances Smith

Mary E., John D., Hampton A., Lee and Phoenix

Children with Martha Leona Chisum

Alice Clara, Leslie Chisum, Thomas and Nora Chisum

Children with Sophie Elizabeth Kirkpatrick

Bernard, Beulah, Lillian Gertrude, Alvin, Lattie, Bessie, 

Ethel and Mary Ellen "Lease"

Died on February 26, 1928

Buried in the Mexia City Cemetery

Mexia, Limestone County, Texas

Tombstone photograph taken by FindAGrave member, Toni Steele.

Note:  Tombstone shows year of birth as 1839.  Death certificate shows year of birth as 1840

Surname Saturday - Walling

Various spellings of the Walling surname include Wallen, Walden and Wallin. The English surname is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name "Weal" which means foreigner.

My first documented Walling ancestor is Thomas Walling who was born circa 1627.  He first married Mary Abbott in 1651 and later married Margaret White Colwell circa 1669.  Thomas Walling died on July 19, 1674 in Providence, Rhode Island.  My lineage is through his first marriage to Mary Abbott.

The marriage of Thomas and Mary's son, Thomas2, is also listed

While I have no documentation of Thomas' parentage, it is believed by many family historians that his parents were Ralph and Joyce Wallen who arrived at Plymouth Colony in 1623 on the ship "Anne" which sailed from England.

In 'Elisha Wallen:  The Longhunter', author Carolyn D. Wallen notes the following with regards to Thomas Walling's will:

Thomas Walling died in November of 1676 in Providence.  His will was written in 7-19-1674 and proven in court on 11-22-1674.  In the will he mentioned his wife Margaret, sons Thomas (II), John, William, James, Cornelius, Gershom and daughter Abigail.  

"To sons Thomas, John and William, farm which I now dwell upon, equally, as each arrives at age, the dwelling house to be for son William, and his share of land to be adjoining house with orchard included.  The farm not to be sold except among brethren, that is to say Thomas, John, James, William and Cornelius.  To son James, land at age.  To son Cornelius, land on west side of Seven Mile Line, and if James and Cornelius died without issue, their part to brothers.  If there be more divisions than one of land west of Seven Mile Line, then my right in second division to son Gershom, and to him 10 shilling.  To daughter Abigail Walling, 5 shilling.  To wife Margaret, all movable goods and cattle and benefit of all the land to bring up children.  To her also the disposing of the dwelling house, till William comes of age at which time he to take half the land and housing, and other half to be for wife Margaret till her marriage or death, and then to William."

Thomas Walling2 was born on February 8, 1669 in Providence, Rhode Island. He married Sarah Elwell in 1695.  Thomas died in Cohansey, New Jersey on October 22, 1724 and Sarah died circa 1724.

Elisha Walling, Sr.,son of Thomas2 and Sarah, was born circa 1708 in Cohansey, New Jersey.  He married Mary Blevins circa 1730.  Elisha, Sr. and Mary's children were Joseph, Thomas, Elisha, Jr., James and John.  *Note:  It is Elisha Walling, Jr. who was the Longhunter in the above mentioned book.

My Walling lineage continues through Elisha Walling's son James who married Mary White Pugh.  Their children were Elizabeth*, James, Jr., Joseph, John, Sr., Thomas and Manning.

John Walling, Sr. was born circa 1775 in Virginia.  He married Anna Chisum circa 1793.  Anna was born circa 1777 to the marriage of John Chisum3 and Margaret Chisum.  John and Anna's children were Jesse, James, John, Thomas Jefferson, Sentha/Cynthia Ann and Alfred Gaines.

Mary Polly 

James Walling, son of John and Anna, was born in Virginia then later moved to Mississippi where he met and married Martha Hamlin in 1820.  By 1840, they had moved to Texas with their children; Mary Polly, Lucinda, Vance, Ann, Elizabeth, Martha, James, Jr., and Sarah.

Mary Polly Walling married Isham Russell Chisum, Sr. on May 21, 1840 in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Isham Russell Chisum, Sr. was the son of Elijah Kaufman Chisum (1773-1860) and Elizabeth Walling (1768-1841)* who was the daughter of James and Mary Pugh Walling mentioned above.

Lucinda

Mary Polly and Isham Russell Chisum's children were James Madison "Jim", Martha, Mary Emily, Lucinda, Frances "Fannie", Amanda Laura, Isham Russell, Jr., Thomas Jefferson, Rhoda, John and William.

Mary Polly Walling and Isham Russell Chisum are my paternal 3great grandparents through their daughter, Lucinda Chisum Steele.

Through the marriage of Mary Polly Walling and Isham Russell Chisum, I have double kinship in the Walling lineage.

Mary Polly Walling's grandfather, John Walling, Sr. (1775-1841) was a brother to Elizabeth Walling (1768-1841) who was also Isham Russell Chisum's mother.

John Walling, Sr. (1775-1841) is my 5great grandfather through Mary Polly Walling.  He is also my 4great grand uncle through Isham Russell Chisum.

My Walling lineage through my 3great grandmother Mary Polly:

Thomas Walling1 (m. Mary Abbott)
+Thomas Walling2, 1669-1724 (m. Sarah Elwell, 1676-1724)
++Elisha Walling, 1708-1785 (m. Mary Blevins, 1710-1783)
+++James Walling, 1746-1786 (m. Mary White Pugh, ca.1748-?)
++++John Walling, Sr., 1775-1841 (Anna Chisum, ca. 1777-1842)
+++++James Walling, Sr., 1795-1867 (Martha Hamlin, ca. 1796-1852)
++++++Mary Polly Walling, 1820-1891 (m. Isham Russell Chisum, 1812-1861)
+++++++Lucinda Chisum, 1846-1897 (m. Francis Marion Steele, 1847-1883)
++++++++Isham A. Steele, 1870-1934 (m. Mary V. Blackman, 1876-1945)
+++++++++Mary Allye Steele, 1900-1969 (m. Bruce Edmonds, 1904-1974)
++++++++++Bruce A. Edmonds, 1927-2002 (m. Mildred Bynum, 1926-2012)


My Walling lineage through my 3great grandfather Isham R. Chisum:

Thomas Walling1 (m. Mary Abbott)
+Thomas Walling2 (m. Sarah Elwell)
++Elisha Walling (m. Mary Blevins)
+++James Walling (m. Mary White Pugh)
++++Elizabeth Walling (m. Elijah Kaufman Chisum)
+++++Isham Russell Chisum (m. Mary Polly Walling)
++++++Lucinda Chisum (m. Francis Marion "Frank" Steele)
+++++++Isham Alfonso Steele (m. Mary Virginia Blackman)
++++++++Mary Allye Steele (m. Bruce Edmonds)
+++++++++Bruce Alfonso Edmonds (m. Mildred Bynum)


As if the Walling double kinship wasn't confusing enough, I also have double kinship with John Walling, Sr.'s wife, Anna Chisum.  Anna was the sister of Elijah Kaufman Chisum.  (Walling siblings married Chisum siblings)

Also of note are Anna's parents, John Chisum3 (1732-1806) and Margaret Chisum (1750-1798).   John and Margaret's great-great grandfathers were brothers.

Surname Saturday - Chisum

According to author Clifford R. Caldwell in his book, 'John Simpson Chisum: Cattle King of the Pecos Revisited', the Chisum surname originated in the parish of Roberton, Roxburghshire, England.  The different spelling variations include Cheesome, Chisholm, Chissolm, Chisholme, Chism, Chisolm, Chisum and Chissum.

In tracing my Chisum lineage, I discovered that Richard Cheesome was most likely my first ancestor to arrive in America.  Richard was born circa 1613 in London and arrived in America in 1643.

Family historians believe that Richard Cheesome married Margaret Isham.  The Isham surname has been passed down through the generations, lending credence to this belief.

My connection to this line of Chisums is through Richard and Margaret's son, James Chisholm (ca. 1657-ca. 1698) and his wife, Anne Carter (ca. 1657-ca. 1684).

My lineage is as follows:

Richard Cheesome (m. Margaret Isham)
+James Chisholm (m. Anne Carter)
++John Chisum, 1681-ca. 1734 (m. Elizabeth Bradley, ca. 1683-ca. 1777)
+++John Chisum, 1704-1792 (m. Ellender Gillentine, 1716-1804)
++++John Chisum, 1732-1806 (m. Margaret Chisum, ca. 1750-1798)*
+++++Elijah Kaufman Chisum, 1773-1860 (m. Elizabeth Walling, 1768-1841)*
++++++Isham Russell Chisum, 1812-1861 (m. Mary Polly Walling, 1820-1891)*
+++++++Lucinda Chisum, 1846-1897 (m. Francis Marion Steele, 1847-1883)
++++++++Isham Alfonso Steele, 1870-1934 (m. Mary Blackman, 1876-1945)
+++++++++Mary Allye Steele, 1900-1969 (m. Bruce Edmonds, 1904-1974)
++++++++++Bruce A. Edmonds, 1927-2002 (m. Mildred Bynum, 1926-2012)

*Notes:

Margaret Chisum is believed to have been the great, great granddaughter of Richard Cheesome and Margaret Isham through their other son, William (ca. 1650-ca. 1697); grandson, Alexander (ca. 1677-?); great grandson, William (ca. 1722-ca. 1792) and his wife, Deborah Cooke (ca. 1723-ca. 1762).

Elizabeth Walling was a sister to Mary Polly Walling's grandfather, John Walling Sr.

Elizabeth Walling was my 4th great grandmother through her son Isham Russell Chisum.

John Walling, Sr. was my 5th great grandfather through his granddaughter Mary Polly Walling.

The connections within the Chisum and Walling families are many.  I will attempt to address my Walling line in a future post.


Sources:  
Historical Southern Families, Vol. XVII
John Simpson Chisum: Cattle King of the Pecos Revisited, Clifford R. Caldwell

Tombstone Tuesday - Mary Ann Steele Bennett

Mary Ann Steele

Born on February 4, 1854

Daughter of

Alfonso Parcutt Steele and Mary Ann Powell

Sister to

Hampton, Alonzo Leo, Alvarado "Rado", Francis Marion "Frank",

Leonard and Missouri Alice

Wife of

George Townsend Bennett

Mother to

James, Eveleen, Frederick, Roy and Harvey

Died on June 21, 1940

Buried in the Mexia City Cemetery

Mexia, Limestone County, Texas

Mary Ann Steele Bennett was my 2nd great grand aunt through her brother, Francis Marion "Frank", who was my paternal great, great grandfather.

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, James Coston.

Wedding Wednesday - Blackman and Steele

Al and Mollie Blackman Steele with daughters Allye and Lucille

Marriage Date:  April 13, 1898

Isham Alfonso "Al" Steele and Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman were married in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana at the home of Mollie's grandparents, James Luther and Henrietta Smith.  Officiating the ceremony was Reverend T. H. McClendon.  J. D. Usher, Clay W. Fairbanks and John Henry Knight were listed as witnesses.

Al and Mollie Steele were my paternal great grandparents through their daughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds and their grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Alfonso Steele - Survivor of Famous Fight

The following article appeared in the April 28, 1911 edition of the Perrysburg Journal in Perrysburg, Ohio:

Alfonso Steele was my 3great grandfather through his son, Francis Marion "Frank" Steele; grandson, Isham Alfonso Steele; great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds; great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Sunday's Obituary - Mary Ann Steele Bennett

Mexia Weekly Herald - 6/28/1940

Mary Ann Steele was born on February 4, 1854 to the marriage of Alfonso Parcutt Steele and Mary Ann "Polly" Powell.

Her siblings included:

Hampton
Alonzo Leo
Alvarado "Rado"
Francis Marion "Frank"
Leonard
Missouri Alice

Mary Ann married Townsend Bennett in 1868 and had the following children:

James
Eveleen Pearl
Frederick
Roy Lee
Harvey Steele

Mary Ann Steele Bennett died on June 21, 1940 and is buried alongside her husband in the Mexia City Cemetery in Mexia, Limestone County, Texas.

Photograph taken by FindAGrave member, James Coston

Mary Ann Steele Bennett was a sister to my great-great grandfather, Francis Marion "Frank" Steele.

Steele and Zuber Address Texas State Legislators

Shreveport Caucasian - 2/14/1909

Alfonso Steele was my 3-great grandfather through his son, Francis Marion "Frank"; grandson, Isham Alfonso "Al"; great granddaughter, Mary Allye Steele Edmonds; great-great grandson, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Sunday's Obituary - Hampton Steele

Mexia Herald - 3/3/1928

Hampton Steele Speech, 1923

From an article appearing in the August 27, 1923 edition of the Mexia Daily News in Mexia, Texas:

Hampton Steele was the older brother of my great great grandfather, Francis Marion "Frank" Steele.

Friday's Faces From the Past - Celebrating Independence Day

Celebrating Independence Day - 1980s

Standing (LtoR):  Ray Golmon, Sr., Bruce A. Edmonds, Winstead Knight

Seated (LtoR):  Bea Bryan Denham, Eva McNair Hair, Price Wilkinson, Sr., Lucille Steele Ogden

Friday's Faces From the Past - Lena's Photographs

Photograph #2

The second of many photographs found in the belongings of my great grand aunt, Lena Rhoda Steele McLelland who was born and raised in Limestone County, Texas.  She and her husband, James "Jim" A. McLelland moved to Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana between 1900 and 1910 where they lived the remainder of their lives.

I believe most of 'Lena's Photographs' are of relations in the Steele, Chisum and McLelland families who lived in the Limestone County, Texas area.

Any help with identification would be appreciated.

To view other photographs from this collection click on 'Lena's Photographs' under Tags on the right-hand side of the blog.

Sunday's Obituary - Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman Fairbanks Disch

Henrietta "Nettie" Blackman

Born on June 13, 1874

Daughter of 

Joseph A. "Frank" Blackman and Virginia "Ginny" Smith

Sister to

Mary Virginia "Mollie" Blackman Steele

Wife of

Henry Osborne Fairbanks

Dr. Henry J. Disch

Mother to

Dr. Russell Usher, Thomas Osborne and Henrietta Fairbanks

Willie Joseph and Mary E. Disch

Died on October 21, 1932

Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery

Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana