Happy Holidays:

-click arrow to start video-

GlennDL

2013 Littrell Family Christmas Party:

Susannah L.E. Landtroop: died: 11-29-1908

Susannah is the mother of Mary Catherine Urban, wife of Timmons Literal
Susannah L.E. Landtroop (#114) daughter of Stith Landtroop and Mary.  She died November 29, 1908.

2013 Littrell Family Reunion T-Shirts:

Reunion 2 Weeks Away !!!

UPDATE 10-4-13:  Order your shirts by October 11th and you can select the “Pickup At Store” option in Step 4 of the Checkout process to have the Shirts delivered to you at the reunion (you save shipping & handling charges). After October 11, 2013 you should select the delivery option that has the shirt delivered to your address.

Amanda has designed and ordered shirts for the reunion (Oct.18-20).
You can order the shirts online at:  http://www.kaosprinting.com/littrellreunion/

Shirts are $11.49 each. (add $2.00 for 2X and up)

Youth sizes XS (14 inch chest) to L (18 inch chest)
Adult sizes S (18 inch chest) to 5XL (32 inch chest)

Littrell 2013 Family Reunion shirt printed on a Gildan 8000 T-Shirt.
The comfort of cotton is blended with the easy care durability of polyester in a shirt that’s made to last.

• 5.6 oz., pre-shrunk 50/50 cotton/polyester
• Double-needle stitched neckline, bottom hem and sleeves
• Quarter-turned
• Seven-eighths inch seamless collar, shoulder-to-shoulder taping

Bertha May Johnston: died September 29th, 1941

Bertha Marie Johnston, born April 12, 1939 in TN., Lawrence Co.; died September 29, 1941 in TN., Lawrence Co. Buried: TN., Lawrence Co., Fairview Cem.^**

Bertha was the daughter of Viola “Sis” Littrell Johnston. She died at age 2, two months after her sister Martha was born. Martha would only live to age 6.

** The Old Cemetery Society of Lawrence County, TN., At Rest:Cemetery Records of Lawrence County, Tennessee, (Lawrenceburg, TN.,; The Family Tree Press,Reprinted 1992), page 106.

Rex Littrell born: September 25th, 1940

Rex⁹ Littrell (Nobel James⁸, John Daniel⁷, Timmons Seburn⁶ Literal, Eli Franklin⁵, Rodhom⁴, Robert³ Luttrell, Richard² Lutterell, James¹ Lotterell) was born September 25, 1940 in East Prairie, Mississippi Co., MO. He married Nancy Louise Hornbeck (#353) June 03, 1962 in Elyria, Oh.

 

J. Fred Johnston: is born. September 23rd, 1933

J. Fred⁹ Johnston (Verily Viola⁸ Littrell, John Daniel⁷, Timmons Seburn⁶ Literal, Eli Franklin⁵, Rodhom⁴, Robert³ Luttrell, Richard² Lutterell, James¹ Lotterell) was born September 23, 1933 in Loretto, TN. He married Barbara Ann Casteel (#729), daughter of Frank Casteel and Reba.

2012 John & Kizzie Littrell Reunion:

Just spoke to Fred and he says he's going to start putting the Zip-line up next week. He ask that anyone with helmets (bicycle, motorcycle, football, skateboarding, etc.) bring them for the kids to ride on the zip-line. Bring your own and any extras so we'll have enough to share… GlennDL, 9-21-13

Hillbilly Zip-Line Video

Short video from this years reunion (2012) near Doniphan, Missouri.
2nd Annual John & Kizzie (Comer) Littrell Reunion.
Hillbilly Zip-line pictures and video.

Hi All,
I had a local company do a family reunion shirt; the proof is attached so you can see it.  I chose the orange shirt to honor dad's love of hunter's brightness, & the saying obviously because of the homemade zipline hung between trees!

Tees $15 each, Hoodies $35 each (youth S-L, adult S-3XL)

Make checks payable to Logo Daddy Graphics and mail them to me (address below).  I'll order the shirts, pick them up, and mail them to you. 

Amanda Church (Fred's daughter)
3581 Swan Circle South
Arnold, MO 63010
314-540-1051

MAN SHOT NEAR PORTAGEVILLE:

On our recent road trip to St. Louis and SE Missouri I was doing some research at the New Madrid Library when I came across the following newspaper article from a summer of 1935 paper.

The article doesn’t really relate to our family, but I just found it so interesting, and slightly funny, that I wanted to share it:

MAN SHOT NEAR PORTAGEVILLE

Richard Treece, 33, of near Portageville, is in the Pemiscott County jail at Caruthersville charged with assault with intent to kill in connection with the shooting Tuesday of Harvey Autry, 31 years old, also of near Portageville. Autry, who suffered several gunshot wounds, was taken to the City Hospital in St. Louis.

Sherriff S. E. Judin, of Caruthersville, quoted Treece as saying. “I warned him to keep away from my home. I told him if he wanted my wife, to just take her and quit bothering around my home while I was away.”

Treece, it seems, had told his wife he was going hunting and had hidden nearby in the brush. He told the sheriff that soon after he was hidden Autry came and asked his (Treece’s) wife where he was.

According to Treece, his wife told Autry that her husband had gone hunting and then Autry* said “he would go down the road and return.” Then Treece came from his hiding place and fired three times at Autry.

Sheriff Juden stated that Treece would be held until the extent of Autry’s injuries could be determined.

Both men are farmers south of Portageville in Pemiscott county".

• The Weekly Record, New Madrid, Missouri; 1935 (issue # ‘lost’ The article appeared in an issue from May, June or July. GlennDL 2013

Shot three times and had to be taken all the way to St. Louis to be treated? Can you imagine…

*In the article its says “…then Treece said…”, but it is an obvious typo and should have said “Autry” not “Treece”.

Please use the 'comment' link to comment, ask questions or add information on this article. You can always email me but the most effective way is to use the comment link, that way you can see what others are saying as well as sharing your information, questions or comments. Of course those on Facebook can comment there if they want, or both, and whenever comments are left on one, but not the other I will occasionally 'copy and paste' them from one to the other so they are visible to all.  GlennDL

MRC Update: “I stood all I can stands and I can’t stands no more”**

As of 3pm today all that‘s going in the book is in the book(163 pages). With the late addition of information on Jess & Billy Davis we appear to have all the info we are going to get and its all in the book. As previously stated we will still accept information up until the 15th of this month. 

USS ARD-5 (Waterford) right, West Milton (ARD-7) left, at New London, CT, circa 1960s

In 1976 Billy’s ship, the USS ARD-5, was renamed the USS Waterford (ARD-5)

We still lack information on Lowell Mann & J. Fred Johnston and Joel Paff and we hope they respond, but until then we now begin the process of proof reading the material, verifying format and layout, updating the Table of Contents, and testing pictures for quality.

**Popeye

St. Louis Reunion: ROAD TRIP.

Thursday 8-15-13:

Troy and I will be hitting the road for St. Louis tomorrow (Friday) morning. We have a stop to make on the way and should be getting into St. Louis in the afternoon.

We have booked a room at the Econ Lodge by the airport for Friday night (4576 Woodson Rd., St. Louis.

I will be going offline in the morning but we will have our cell phone if anyone wants to contact us-- text or voice. If it goes to voice mail just leave a message and we will call you right back.

Saturday 8-17-13:

Got some good info at the reunion in Wentzville. Dean & Joe were there and helped finalize identification on several pictures. Bud's daughter, Christine Simbeck Pallardy, (Bud & Chrissy in picture/left) was also there and we expect her to give us help on Bud's military later this week.

Gary R Littrell and I went to Valhalla (??) cemetery and got some pictures of Jesse's and others tombstones after the reunion. Won't get a chance to review information that people wrote in the books and charts until after we get home, but hopeful we got a lot of updated information.

Sunday, 8-18-13:

Drove down from St. Louis to Portageville. Got here late afternoon and was only able to get a hold of Louie. Visited with him for about an hour...Ava had told me he had found Raymond's military papers for the MRC book. WOW!

He had a bunch of orders for Raymond enlistment, movement to basic, transfer papers, unit citation, etc., etc.,... everything except his discharge papers, but what he had will make up for that... even possibly make it possible to get his discharge papers later on. Even had Raymond's handwritten notebook from Artillery school, ...63 year old notes!

... and pictures from Korea... a bunch of them. Unfortunately Raymond didn't put much information on the back of them, but there plenty of information we can get from the front.

My scanner went on the fritz and we couldn't scan anything, but at the hotel I think I fixed it... we'll visit Louie again tomorrow morning and give it another try.

• Ava Savat i knew u would like all the info. daddy had.

• Sandra Savat-Mann Glad Louie had it. I kept looking - no wonder I couldn't find anything. I do have a page from Daddy's army yearbook (is that what it's called?) so I have this pic. Glenn, let me know your email addy and I'll email it to you.

Monday 8-19-13:

Troy and I had breakfast with Judy (a cousin from our Hampton side of the family), then I proceeded to Louie's. Troy spent the day with cousin Judy and they visited Janet and then Martha Rea's in Marston while I went over and got the scanner working at Louie’s. Then I picked up Troy and we visited with Mary Catherine.

From there we headed to Fred's and got there after dark. 

When we got to Fred's and I saw what he had on Red in WWII it was a confidence boosting plus.

Using just a letter home from JD where he mentioned Red going overseas (but no details), and a picture of Red in uniform we had produced about 5-10 pages on Red's service, when we got Red's actual papers from Fred it turns out about 95% of our research and detective work was accurate. (end of Monday)

Tuesday 8-25-13:

Troy spent the day with Fred while I drove back to Marston, New Madrid, and breezed through East Prairie. Shot some video at Evergreen Cemetery and the veterans memorial in New Madrid and East Prairie (got a picture of Raymond Savat's spot on the Memorial -click here-) then drove back to Fred's. Didn't get much at the Library, but so far the trip has been productive...info on Louie’s father Raymond and the pictures take us from having nothing on Raymond to having almost too much!

We decided to stay another day instead of leaving Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday:

Tuesday two of Red's old friends joined us at the lodge and this morning Monty arrived to help them work on a shelter for Fred's boat. While they did that Troy and I road into Poplar Bluff and looked at apartments and the VA Hospital. After I dropped Troy back at Fred's I drove back to Anniston and did a cemetery census there. I also shot some video and visited La Forge. I decided I just had too much information to look-up at the Charleston library so I will have to do that research at a latter date. Drove back to Fred's.

Monte pulled out Aunt Bertha’s picture albums and we got a lot of new pictures…including more with Ruben in Uniform, still none with Bordie in Uniform.

Thursday:

We loaded up, said goodbye and headed to Marston. Visited with Janet and got a picture of Fred's Silver Star. Saw Avery for the first time since he was a little kid. Headed for Charleston to try and catch Darlene before she went to work, couldn't find her house... been there a hundred times as a kid. Tried to find her at work... at the Wal-Mart, but couldn't find the Wal-Mart, turns out the wall mart was in Sikeston, drove to Sikeston... turned out the time we had for Darlene going to work was actually the time she got off work, drove back to Charleston and finally found her house. Visited her and Wendell and then headed for Ann's. Got some good information and stories from Ann... almost the whole day had been spent trying to identify one of the homesteads, then the one the family was at during the 37 flood... we think we did it as well as clearing up some information about Dick Littrell's death and the conflict between Grandpa John and his brother Uncle James.

After Ann's we hit the road and got into a hotel in Effingham...where we are now.

Friday :

Hopefully everything has uploaded to LittrellFamily.,net on Facebook but if not it should upload when I go online in the lobby this morning.

  Covered over a thousand miles on this trip (Indy<>St. Louis(2 days)<>Portageville/East Prairie area and back and forth to Fred's place (3 times)<> all over Mississippi and New Madrid Counties<> then back to Indy. We saw more cousins than expected and didn't get to do all the research I wanted to, stayed two extra days, but all and all it was a great trip though tiring. The info on Raymond and Red's service, the story updates from Ann, Monty and Fred, cleared up some mystery about a few pictures, saw where Chrissy and Deana are sending information on Bud and Steve... all these things are big contributions to this years Military Roll Call book, and next years book on the family.

Will post new info as I process it.

FYI: St. Louise Reunion: UPDATE

Please share with cousins & siblings.

I will be bringing some charts and at least two books, as well as a scanner.
The two books are:

1. “Military Roll Call: The Littrell Family of Mississippi County, Missouri” Preview Draft.
   This is a bound and printed version of the book. It will contain Chapters IV thru IX in the same layout, content and form that they are set to appear in the final edition. Chapters IV thru IX covers the World War II era to the present. This is the last chance for the ST. Louise area descendants to update, review and add information to their or their family members section of the book, so bring any pictures so we can scan it and info you have so we can write it into the draft book.

2. The latest version of the descendants of John and Kizzie Comer Littrell information. This information last appeared as a chapter in John's grandfather's book “The Littrell Family Journals: The Timmons Literal Family” Volume IV.  We are going to expand John and Kizzie's Chapter into it own separate book (Volume V). This will be next years book project.
   We have updated some material from the volume IV printing but it is definitely in need of updating marriages, births and deaths since the last. So bring your info, photos, obits, birth, wedding information to add it and possibly scan it into a digital copy. This book is planned for the fall of 2014.

Between now and Veterans Day we will be updating the Littrell Family Veterans Memorial video also, so bring pictures in uniform to be scanned for that also.
GlennDL

FaceBook Badges:

 Want cousins on FaceBook to find you? There are two ways (and you can do both):

1. Create a Facebook badge and post here on www.littrellfamily.net
   and/or
2. Join LittrellFamily.net on Facebook

Facebook Badges:

You can create a facebook badge  and put it on this site.

• Just click here, select ‘Profile Badge”, 
• and follow the instructions.
• select Vertical for the layout, under items, please try to limit your selection to 5 items or less.
• Then paste the code into an email and send it to me.  gdl@glenns-world.com

What does a badge look like: Scroll down this page and watch for other badges in the left-hand sidebar. Presently Kelly, Troy and Glenn

LittrellFamily.net on Facebook :

LittrellFamily.net is a closed group, only members can see post, but you will be able to see the members list.

• Click here

1. Click on the ‘Join Group’ link in the upper right, under the banner.
   in your request link, introduce yourself so that we are aware of your connection to the family group.
   OR
2. Look at the member’s list and select a member who is on your friends list and message them with a request that they invite you to join.
   Only friends can invite you to join.
   Don’t see all the members in the members list? Click the ‘See All’ link next to the Members count. Even the group admin cannot invite you to join if your not on his friends list.

• LittrellFamily.net on Facebook is the FaceBook site for the Littrell Family.
• Primarily descendents of John & Kizzie (Comer) Littrell.
• Non-members can view the site and membership list, but only members can post or view post.
• Feel free to post messages, videos and links. they will appear to group members only and not to the rest of your “Friends List'.
• LittrellFamily.net on Facebook is a good way to keep your family discussions and post separate from your normal FaceBook activities.
• Non-members can request to join and members should be able to invite people to join, if not then provide the admin with the request via email.
• Don't forget to visit www.littrellfamily.net,the non-facebook family website. For all Littrells, Luttrells etc., but with an emphasis on the descendants of Rhodhom Literal.
• You have the ability to communicate with FaceBook and non-FaceBook family there.
• It has much more family information their. Remember, everyone isn't on FaceBook.
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/littrellfamily.net/members/

  

 

 

GlennDL

Jesse D. Littrell Reunion

Descendents of Jesse Daniel & Viola [Johns-Simbeck] Littrell [The oldest son of John Daniel & Kizzie [Comer] Littrell]

August 17, 2013 Wentzville, Missouri West of St. Louis slide show and maps below If you want any of your pictures removed from the slide show let me know.  There is no identifying information but if your concerned I understand, but please, don’t ask us to remove it because you just don’t like a particular picture.  You really look good. Your marvelous.     Glenn https://www.facebook.com/events/192557330903607/

-click the arrow to start/restart slideshow-

Wentzville, Missouri
West of St. Louis

Click to view Interactive Map “Littrell Family Places” at Glenn’s World for driving instructions from your house.

www.littrellfamily.net

General guidelines for inclusion on the LittrellFamily.net Events Calendar:

I will try to post all relevant dates following the guidelines below, but I cannot do this without help. For the ‘First Cousins’ and their descendents I need input from everyone. The numbers are just too many, and for each generation down, too incomplete.

If your ancestor or family member has a date coming up let us know so we can include it on the calendar:

• Any family based events for the children and their spouses of Timmons Literal.
• Any family based events for the direct ancestors of the spouses of Timmons Literal’s children: James & Donie, John & Kizzie, Suzie and Benjamin, Mozela and Alonzo, Press and Margaret.
• Any family based events for direct and indirect ancestors of Timmons Literal and Mary Catherine Urban (Timmons wife).
• Any family based events for direct descendants of Timmons Literal’s children **.
• Family based events are: birth, birthdays, death, obits, anniversary, reunions, family get togethers, funerals, etc.

**beginning with Timmons grandchildren Calendar Events will be created for direct descendants only, event information for spouses will be listed as part of the descendants event. i.e.., as a great grandchild of Timmons, an event could be created for my birth, and my daughters birth as direct descendents, but any event for my wife would have to be appended to my events.

We have created a ‘Memorials’ page (right sidebar, Miscellaneous Section, Memorials) where obits, memorials etc., will appear. Memorials will be reposted (as will birth and Marriages) every anniversary date. If you would like to have a poem, memorial, or though added, please let me know.

 

Are we missing an obituary? Send us what you have.

Kissing Cousins: The Exaggerated Myth of Intermarriage.

The stereotype of hill folk, or ‘hillbilly’, engaging in intermarriage is both unfairly associated with them as an exclusive trait and exaggerated as a common tendency.

Even the term ‘hillbilly’ is (often seen as a derogatory label) has grown into an equally unfair stereotype in spite of its origins having nothing to do with the people of rural, mountainous  areas of Appalachia and the Ozarks.

Hillbilly: The term originated in 17th century Ireland for Protestant supporters of King William III. The Irish Catholic supporters of James II referred to these northern Protestant supporters of "King Billy", as "Billy Boys". However, in America hillbilly was first used in 1898, which suggests a later, independent development."

Use of the term outside the Appalachians arose in the years after the American Civil War, when the Appalachian region became increasingly bypassed by technological and social changes taking place in the rest of the country. Until the Civil War, the Appalachians were not significantly different from other rural areas of the country. After the war, as the frontier pushed further west, the Appalachian country retained its frontier character, and the people themselves came to be seen as backward, quick to violence, and inbred in their isolation.

The "classic" hillbilly stereotype – the poor, ignorant, feuding family with a huge brood of children tending the family moonshine still – reached its current characterization during the years of the Great Depression, when many Appalachian mountaineers left their homes to find work in other areas of the country. The 1930s through the 1950s, saw many mountain residents moving north to the Midwestern industrial cities of Chicago, Cleveland, Akron, and particularly Detroit, where jobs in the automotive industry were plentiful. This movement north became known as the "Hillbilly Highway". The same period saw similar migrations from the Ozarks and other poor rural folk such as the Okees from dustbowl destroyed communities migrating west to California. As is true with any derogatory and hate filled stereotype the term Hillbilly and Okee grew to mean any person or group of person that was viewed negatively, regardless of origin or circumstance. The advent of the interstate highway system and television brought many previously isolated communities into mainstream United States culture in the 1950s and 1960s. The Internet continues this integration.

The stereotype of intermarriage, like many stereotypes is born out of ignorance, repetition of unfounded facts and generalities.

As any genealogist can attest to the presence of many families with the same surname does not prove a family connection. As often as not for every  person of a certain surname decent marrying a person of the same surname decent the connection goes so far back as to make the term intermarriage inappropriate even if it is technically correct. In many cases the connection is so many generations removed that finding a connection of two surnames in an isolated area requires going back generations to before the migration to that isolated area. Two Smiths in the same community may derive from two families that were previously in two different states. 

That isn’t two say that all or even a majority of surnames marrying surnames didn’t involve the re-crossing of bloodlines. It happened, but the emphasis on brother marrying sister or aunt was an offensive exageration. The labeling of this as a hillbilly trait would be to ignore the preexistence of the practice of marrying a relative. It is biblical and it is part of the heritage of any descendent of European immigrants. Intermarriage to maintain property and title rights goes back to the dark ages of European history as it was not unusual for nobles and monarchs to get the Pope’s, or church’s sanction of a marriage by making an exception to or acceptance of such and arrangement.

Another contributing factor to the practice of intermarriage being widespread in less populated or isolated areas is our misunderstanding of the original or archaic definition of words that have different connotations in different eras.

1. The titles Jr. (junior) and Sr. (senior) are used very differently now than they were a hundred or more years ago. Today the titles have come to be parts of our names. John, Sr. and John, Jr., mean father and son, but a hundred (or less) years ago they were mere sub-titles, placeholders or descriptive words attached to names for purposes other than distinguishing between father and son.
   
   Typically if there was a father and son in a community they would be referred to as John Smith the father or John Smith the son. This is how in more ancient times, before the common use of surnames existed, such surnames as Smithson came about ( historical example: the Viking Eric, and his son Leif Ericson). If they were not father and son they might be distinguished by the term ‘the elder’ or ‘the younger’, but that practice also declined for the same reason that ‘the father’ and ‘the son’ did, people began adopting Elder and Younger as surnames.
   
   In pre-1900 America if there were two John Smith’s in a community or on a document, whether they were father and son or not, they would be distinguished from each other as senior or junior, based on age, not relationship. In family history research failing to understand the use of these word leads to misidentifying family lines. Accepting the misuse of the terms Sr., and Jr., not only led to false identification of father and son connections but also to the misidentification of marriages between descendents of a sibling and another misidentified non-sibling. Contributing to the intermarriage myth as being more common that it truly was. *note
2. Similarly, the title ‘cousin’ has a long history of mis-use. In more ancient times it included everyone from a distant aunt or uncle, in-law,  family friend, to the modern use of the child of our uncle or aunt. This practice was common from the first foot placed on Plymouth Rock to the early 1900s. Common examples to these varied uses can be seen in modern cinema in movies like ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘Gone With The Wind’. Just like the example of the misinterpretation of the Sr., Jr., titles, the identification of a family friend as a cousin could serve to mis-identify the relationship of a family friend marrying into the family.
3. And finally we have a modern day culprit that in some cases may lead to the illusion of intermarriages generations later, and that is the modern and cavalier use of the title ‘uncle’ to refer to a close family friend. ie., childhood friends with strong bonds as adults and their two unrelated families encouraging the use of the terms aunt and uncles by their offspring.

In recent decades some members of stereotyped groups have fought back against the negative stereotypes by embracing the negative language of stereotype labels and seeking to redefine them in a positive manner. Quite often this is done through self-effacing humor. A common example is the humor of Jeff Foxworthy through his ‘”You might be a redneck, if…” humor.

While this approach often opens the door to rational discussion of the inappropriateness of stereotyping it can also take on a hostile self-defense mechanism when it fails to stimulate discussion of its basic inappropriateness, becoming a self-effacing version, self-inflicted version of the originally oppressive language.

Because we have several cases of inter-marriage in our family that, if misidentified, could serve to contribute to the myth of the ‘inbred hillbilly’ we will, under the title ‘Kissing Cousins’ seek to correctly identify and  embrace these marriages as an appropriate strengthening of these family bonds. 

*note: An example of this practice can be found in researching the family of a Rodham Luttrell, in Kentucky during the early 1800s. This Rodham (but not our Rodham) had a son who appeared on census documents as Rodham Jr. Years later, in the same household, Rodham Jr., appeared, but he was about ten years younger?  Later research discovered a document (letter, probate, pension papers or something like that, I can’t remember) in which it was stated by the mother that the first son named Rodham had died and that when the other son named Rodham was born they named him Rodham also. This was not confusing to the family, they completely understood what they were doing, but the census taker was unaware of this and noted both children as JR., instead of the ‘III’ (third). In the document we discover the revelation the mother never refers to either child as Jr., simply “… ‘my first son’ and ‘after his death we named our next son Rodham….”, no use of the title Jr. or Sr.

Family Myth? Were any of our ancestors Native American?

Growing up I had heard on several occasions that we had Native American ancestry. While the source was usually from my father (JD) I now I heard it from others too, I cannot recollect who but I'm sure he was not the loan source.

Since beginning the family research I have also been asked this question several times and usually the cousin asking it affirmed that they had heard the story too.

Seldom has the discussion resulted in any details or cited a firm source for the story, but over the years it seems to have centered around the Cherokee tribe and the most common lineage that has been suggested was from Kizzie Comer's line.

Having done first hand research or at least studied multiple second hand sources I can say with certainty:

Littrell line – Our direct Littrell line is traced back to the original immigrant stepping off the boat in Virginia circa 1670. From that Luttrell to John Daniel Littrell there are 4 marriages where the wife(mother) has only been identified by there first name. The three most recent marriages (John's, his father and grandfather) involve Kizzie (see below) Eli's wife (Mary Cox), and Timmons wife (Mary Catherine Urban)

• We have identified Mary's parents and the general belief is that they were first or second generation immigrants.

• Both sets of Mary Urban parents go back at least two generations. Her father was possibly born in Germany, we know he spoke German and his father was an immigrant. Any introduction of Native American ancestry on her mother's side would have had to have occurred prior to 1800.

Comer Line – Her direct Comer line goes back to the birth of her great-grandfather in 1780. Her grandfather's wife is identified as a Springer, a common family in their county in1821.That leaves her mother and the spouses of her her great-grandfather, Susannah Belue.

• Susannah's grandfather, Rennie Belue, is believed to be a French Huguenot immigrant from the northern colonies. Rennie's tentatively identified wife's ancestry can be traced back another two more generations to 1737.

• Kizzie's mother, Ollie Ezell, can trace her mother's ancestry back two more generations to William Poteet and his wife Jemina ?? to circa 1800s. Ollie's fathers line can be traced back to Timothy Ezell, born before 1628. Of those 6 generations there is only one unidentified wife and she was born before 1689.

As we can see there are several opportunities for one of those unidentified wives, or those male lines that do not originate with an identified immigrant, that would allow the introduction of an unidentified Native American. On the other-hand our ancestral lines present an above average line of ancestry. Throughout all my research, the research of others, and accepted historical research there is nothing to establish the existence of a Native American ancestry, but...

Where does the story come from?

Every family has stories that get passed down for generations. Over time these stories outgrow their originators and like a child’s game of 'telegraph' they take on facts and fictions that were absent in their original form.

In addition there are stories that are so common that they appear in the mythology of most families. Nearly every family has the brother vs brother conundrum of the civil war, or the family splitting-up or disowning each other over the spelling of the family name. Every southern family has a story about sons having to hide in the woods, getting fed through the floorboards and having to work the fields at night to avoid impressment gangs who roamed the countryside looking for deserters or eligible males trying to avoid conscription into the war. This last one is so prevalent that one has to wonder who was available to fight for the south. Our family has a version of all three of these stories.

The last point of origination for unconfirmed stories often lies with those like myself who, while trying to discover the facts of a family history, sometimes fall into the trap of trying to rationalize an explanation for every anomaly or un-provable fact. A perfect example is this article itself. While attempting to disprove or prove the family story I will do one of four things:

1. Prove it totally unfounded, without merit and stamp it with an adamant denial.

2. Declare it as unfounded, but not beyond being possible.

3. Find proof and establish the story as true to some degree or in some form.

4. Dispel the myth but find a logical explanation for how it came to exist, entered our family history, or speculate about possibilities.

Number 1 is virtually impossible to do, quite simply proving a negative is always difficult, but in genealogy it is inadvisable. Closing the door completely is contrary to the never ending mystery of solving the next problem.

Numbers 2, 3, and 4 will always have the effect of at the most clearing up the truth behind the myth, but with time the corrected story will be passed on and with each telling the facts will be forgotten, misstated or ignored until the story will return to the original, cloudy version we set out to prove or disprove.

So with that soon to be useless explanation let me clear the air, for the moment.

Our Native American Ancestry: The Descendents of John and Kizzie Littrell.

In 20 plus years of researching our ancestry I have not come across one reference to our direct ancestors being Native American. But I believe I have found a credible source for the stories origination and an explanation of how it was passed down and absorbed into our heritage.

As mentioned earlier the story as told sometimes referenced Kizzie's family line as the source of our suggested Native American ancestry.

At this point that does appear to be the case. At one point there a marriage to a Native American in her ancestral families, just not in her direct line, which means it isn't our ancestor. To wit:

• Samuel Belew was the brother of Susannah Belew who married Daniel Comer. Susannah and Dan were Kizzie Comer's great-grandparents.

• Samuel, born about 1795, married Mary Polly Bryant about 1813 in Union Co., SC. Mary was the daughter of John Bryant, a Cherokee Indian, born in Pendleton, Va.¹

• Susannah's migration to Lawrence Co., Tn occurred when her son Jesse was about 9 years old. The wagon train included Susannah's aged father and other family and neighbors, so it is reasonable that Jesse would be aware that his 1^st cousins were part Native American.

As the story gets handed down from a young Jesse to his son Dan, to Kizzie and her siblings and half-siblings it would be natural for the details of an Uncle who was part Indian becoming an ancestor who was part Indian. Or as Dad would put it “We have Indian blood somewhere.”

More on Mary Polly Bryant Belew's ² ancestry:

Mary's father, John Bryant was the son of Zachariah and Lucy Bryant. Zachariah was killed in the War of 1812. In 1817 Lucy is on the Reservation Indian Rolls and was granted 640 acre of land in Helen, Ga.³

“In 1826, after gold was discovered along Dukes Creek on her property, her home was taken from her by the laws of the land at that time. Indians were considered savages if not of the Caucasian race thus on census reports many hid the very fact that they were Indian. This is were we get the saying to day of "Black Dutch" many that claimed to be "Black Dutch" were really of mixed bread Indian or some other race. We don't know if Lucy was in the Trail of Tears or not but we do know her heart must have been heavy and she must have shed tears at the loss of her beautiful mountain land, all she owned, and the hatred that now spread across the land.”   http://www.oocities.org/guledisgohnihi91/Chunannee.html 

Because of the Gold that was found on her land and the waterfall thereon Lucy's land is now a tourist attraction. At the foot of the path that leads to the Chunannee Falls is a plaque that reads:

“Chunannee Falls Land Lot 91: The 640 acre Reservation formerly known as Chunannee, was originally the home of Lucy Bryant/Briant. She was a Cherokee Indian widow, as shown on the Reservation Roll of 1817, who was granted this land under the provisions of article 8 in the Treaty of July 8,1817. It was here on Duke's Creek that gold was first discovered in 1828.”

Glenn Littrell: 2013

1Assuming that John was full blooded, and his wife Fanny was not, then Samuel Belews children would be 1/4 Cherokee and Susannah's children would be 1^st cousins.

2The story and details of Mary come from several citable sources, but the source that pulls all the details together comes from Bill Sherrill in the form of an untitled document that list no author or resources.

3 Turkey Town Treaty 7-8-1817

La Forge Community: Do you know anything about it?

updated 12-4-2016

La Forge

“... after crossing on the ferry from Tennessee to the New Madrid area to join his older brother James, John & Kizzie moved into the La Forge Community...”

Years ago I heard the story of the families arrival in New Madrid County ‘loaded into a flatbed truck’. Then and since then, bits and pieces of stories would include the reference ‘…up at La Forge’. From map research I know it was northeast of New Madrid and perhaps along the levy, but have not been able to pinpoint it on a map yet.

Do you have any stories passed down, or recollections of La Forge? Pleas share them with us in the comments link, on Facebook or via email. Any location information would also be appreciated.

GlennDL
indianaglenn@gmail.com

Littrell Family Places: UPDATE

If you’ve never been  viewed Littrell Family Places (click here) you view it at anytime by clicking the tab near the top of the page titled Littrell Family Places.  (underneath the banner)

7-22-2013 UPDATE:

We’ve added a new category of markers to the map: “Allied Family Cemetery”. These markers will be fore cemeteries that predominately contain allied  connections to the family. The first marker up is “Fuller Chapel Cemetery” near Leoma TN. It contains Belew, Bivens, Johns and some Littrells. We will conduct some research on this cemetery and post an article when completed. The Fuller Chapel’s significance to the family may be more in its location than its contents. The icon/marker (above) for this category is the same as for the Littrell Family Cemeteries, except it is blue.

We have moved the Military Role Call icons/markers to their own map: “Military Roll Call Map”. All military related marker/icons have also been moved. This keeps the original Family Places map from getting too cluttered. A link (icon/marker, below right) to the Military Roll Call map has been placed on the Littrell Family Places map using the old Military Role Call Category. A link back (icon/marker, below left) to Littrell Family Places map has also been put on the Military Roll Call map using the same category. You can also access the new map the same way as the old map by clicking the titled tab at the top of the page, under the banner.

                          

7-19-2013 UPDATE:

We’ve updated all the non-Military Role Call markers so that when you click a marker on the map and open the information box you can find out more about the markers location or event by clicking the title of the open information box. The title will be underlined if it links you to more information, if its not underlined then it is not linked. If any of the links do not work let me know. (use the comment link in each box). 

7-17-2013 UPDATE:  We’ve added pictures to the “John & Kizzie Family” markers. These markers show the general location for each of John & Kizzie’s children that lived to adulthood and had families. The icon/marker for this category on the map is pictured to the right. Only the children‘s locations are shown via this marker, we will add a marker for First Cousins in the future. To view John & Kizzie’s Location use the “Homesteads” category.

Clicking on the markers will open the information box. :

• Hover you cursor over the markers in the map and the name of the person represented by the marker will appear, click the marker and the information box will open, click the picture shown and the pictures box will open.
• Click on the markers to view information and the pictures. If the markers are not visible then open the legends box.
• In the “Legends” box on the map page, click the check box next to the marker and title to make the markers visible on the map.
• To view only the markers for John & Kizzie click the title next to the marker in the Legends box and all other markers will be invisible (check boxes will be unchecked).

You can leave comments by clicking the comments link when the markers information box is open, please do.

Cannan's Kidney Krew: UPDATE

UPDATE July 17, 2013:

 

 

 

 

 Update July 14, 2013:

 

 

UPDATE May 30, 2013:

Update from Cannan's Kidney Krew:
"We did not get the kidney as it went to the first person on the list! I am very happy for them! Please pray for that individual that they have a speedy recovery and the kidney is not rejected! So happy there are people out there who give life to others when they are called home! Cannan will get dialysis today and tomorrow and then we are busting outta this place! Home for the weekend and return on Monday for outpatient dialysis! Thanks for the thoughts and prayers! Much love to all our "Krew" " Amy Littrell Pytlinski                                     May 30, 2013 at 2:13 PM

Update May 30, 2013: Cannan has been getting increasingly tired and symptomatic over the past few weeks. We had labs done last Friday and his renal function is getting worse... like really bad. We decided at that point it was time to restart dialysis! We were admitted last night for pre-op testing and he had surgery today to get his dialysis access placed and dialysis will start tomorrow. He will have outpatient dialysis every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until transplant....... so when is that?? Well, here goes the whirlwind! As you all know, I (Amy) cannot donate because I have to many arteries going to my kidneys (very weird and not common).. so Todd was worked up to be the donor! Guess what... he is weird too.... he has more arteries than normal as well! GooGoo (Amy's mom) was next on the list... she can't donate because she has 62 year old kidneys and they want a young lively organ for our young lively little boy! The doctors reviewed Todd's testing and decided last night they would take his left kidney after all! All the while, Cannan is on the transplant waiting list! So this morning we wake up and get the news that there is a kidney available and we are 3rd on the list to get it! They will do testing on the 2 patients ahead of us and if they can't get the organ we can take it! YAY!! Is your head spinning yet cause mine sure as hell has been when I found all this out in a matter of 12 hours!

So here's the plan:

1. I have signed consents for transplant surgery and he is completely ready to go if we get the kidney! We will know by tomorrow morning! We are either starting dialysis tomorrow or getting a transplant!
2. If we do not get the organ tomorrow, we are scheduling surgery for end of June/beginning of July and Todd will donate his left kidney.... what an awesome thing for father/son to share!

What can you do?

1. Pray! Pray for the family that has lost a loved one who is providing a better life to the many organ recipients who will receive the organs!
2. Pray for the physicians/transplant teams and other patients/families who need the organ! While I hope that this is the answer we need to make our son feel better, I also understand that there are 2 other people who are eligible for this organ! I want to make sure it goes to the best possible recipient, even if it isn't Cannan!

Sorry for the long update and I'll try to do my best to keep everyone updated more frequently! Until then.. thanks for the thoughts and prayers! Cannan is resting peacefully... me not so much! Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Much love,
Amy

Amanda Littrell Church

Please pray for my nephew, Cannon, & family! They're going through a lot right now!

About Cannan:

Cannan is the great-grandson of Red and Louis Littrell, and the grandson of Fred & Faye Littrell. 

“Cannan, at the young age of 3, got e. coli poisoning which ultimately led to permanent kidney failure.  We spent over 5 weeks at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center at which time we started hemodialysis.  While we are blessed in more ways than imaginable, Cannan's kidneys are not rebounding as we had hoped for.... we heard those very scary words; "He needs a kidney transplant."  We are adjusting to our new life (Cannan is such a trooper) of a restricted diet, tons of medicine, and preparations for a transplant, however if we can make a small difference in the lives of both children and adults living with this horrible disease we are going to try!!  “

Cannan's Kidney Krew: 2013 St. Louis Kidney Foundation Walk (4-27-2013)

You can share your prayers and best wishes using the ‘comment/ No comments’ link below, and/or at the Cannan’s Kidney Krew Facebook page (click here) GlennDL

Verily Viola ‘Sis’ Littrell: married ???

Verily Viola⁸ Littrell (John Daniel⁷, Timmons Seburn⁶ Literal, Eli Franklin⁵, Rodhom⁴, Robert³ Luttrell, Richard² Lutterell, James¹ Lotterell) was born January 10, 1912 in TN., Lawrence Co., and died February 25, 1987 in TN., Lawrence Co., Lawrenceburg She married Noah Lawrence Johnston (#268) son of Joseph Johnston and Sarah Powell. He was born May 26, 1911, and died August 21, 1992 in TN., Lawrence Co., Lawrenceburg.

Verily Viola Littrell & Noah Lawrence Johnston: Buried: TN., Lawrence Co., Fairview Cem.

Notes for Noah Lawrence Johnston: 1930, TN., Lawrence Co., Census, Living near the widow, Margaret (Sandy) Littrell (Viola’s aunt) is the family of Luther and Sarah Johnson (note Johnson not Johnston). The second son of Luther is Lawrence, the future husband of Viola "Sis" Littrell, the daughter of John & Kizzie Littrell

Children of Verily Littrell and Noah Johnston are:

1. J. Fred Johnston,

2. Mable Lurene Johnston,

3. Verily Bernice Johnston,

4. Berthie Marie Johnston, born April 12, 1939 in TN., Lawrence Co.; died September 29, 1941 in TN., Lawrence Co. Buried: TN., Lawrence Co., Fairview Cem.

5. Martha Ann Johnston, born July 18, 1941; died December 02, 1947. Buried: TN., Lawrence Co., Fairview Cem.

Who are these three little girls?

Please comment here or on the corresponding FaceBook post, or gdl@glenns-world.com

Help us identify these three girls.

In this picture it appears to be Bertha and three little girls at a grave site. When and where unknown.

The two older girls above appear in this picture at Grandpa John’s

One of the two girls also appears in this picture.

All the above pictures could have been taken about the same time and we believe they were taken before the picture below. The following picture could have been taken at the same time as the above, but we have dated it c.1949. The identification of the littlest girl in the top photo would help us date the above pictures too, if she is the same in the below pictures.

The littlest girl, from the top picture, appears in this picture in front of Grandpa John. In this picture we had previously identified her as Mary Catherine Littrell, but have since discovered that Mary is too young and that the only female within the age range would be Darlene.

 

 

 

 

If this little girl is Darlene then who are the two older girls in the above pictures?

For earlier speculation on some of these photos see:  “John & Kizzie Family Pictures: When were they taken? “

October Family Reunion Dates: CORRECTION!

Pictures from JD’s Collection: scanned July 2013

All have been uploaded to the appropriate online family album:

             Noble & Rubin Littrell, Ohio                               JD, Noble & Rubin Littrell, Ohio

 
        JD, Noble & Rubin Littrell, Ohio                                      Les & Rubin Littrell

 
Richard Littrell, 2 years old.