Strong Roots, Beautiful Leaves

Reverend Joseph Wasson was my husband's 5th great grand uncle. Oddly enough, my husband's Posey County family did not come from this branch of Wassons, but from descendants of a sibling of Joseph. Joseph, a man of Scottish ancestors, was born August 1, 1782 in Iredell County, North Carolina. Joseph's parents moved to Bourbon County, Kentucky between 1795 and 1800. Joseph married Elizabeth 'Jane' Adams on September 30, 1801 in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Jane was born in 1776 in North Carolina. She was a first cousin to our sixth President, John Quincy Adams! Joseph and Jane had 12 children. At some point, the family moved to Maury County, TN. In 1812 they moved from Maury County, TN to Gibson County, IN. At that time, Joseph met a man named Alexander Campbell. Alexander was the leader of a religious group called the Campbellites. This religious reform was the start of many non-denominational churches, as well as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Alexander pu...

Williamson 'Wesley' Woods (1874-1948) married Mary 'Etta' Hobbs on February 18, 1894 in Brown County, Indiana. Wesley was one of at least six children (Rebecca Elizabeth, George Alma, Franklin, Henry Thurston, and Alva Clarence). Etta was one of 11 children (Anna Eliza, Ella Mae, George Benjamin, Ada Jane, William Thomas, Bessie Iona, Amanda Eva, Washington Moser, Hattie Olive, and Harry Hugo). Wesley and Etta decided to move to New Harmony, Posey County, IN sometime after their marriage. Etta gave birth to their first child, Iona May Woods on November 26, 1894 in New Harmony. Just over two short weeks later, Etta passed away on December 11, 1894. She was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Nashville, Brown County, IN with several of her family members. Williamson Wesley Woods Mary Etta Hobbs Woods While Wesley had to work and could not raise a child by himself, he sent young Iona to live with her maternal grandparents, Benjamin and Mary Hobbs. Etta lived here for about two...

 Sattie Mae Sturm was born May 29, 1891 in Eckerty, Crawford County, IN. She died September 21, 1980 in Princeton, Gibson County, IN. She met her future husband, Travis Farrow, when he was staying at her family's home. Travis worked on pump stations for the railroad. His territory ran from St. Louis to Louisville. Travis and Sattie married on December 23, 1907 at the Sturm house by Reverend James Bobbitt. They had eight children, seven which survived to adulthood. Sattie was very active in her community and church. These are four of the songs and poems she wrote: Composed October 21, 1905 Yes you tell me that you love me that you love none else but me And that we’d be one if I could only see See how well you love me and know that you are true And for me to love you as you think I ought to do. For me to love you would be all in vain Although I tried to the first day you came And when we first became sweethearts Although it was on the sly for no one else knew it except you and I O wh...

This post is very different from my usual, but I felt inspired to write about a sensitive subject that I think affects more families than what people would like to admit or even realize. I frequently listen to a genealogy podcast called Genealogy Gems by Lisa Louise Cooke. She had a psychologist on as a guest speaker to talk about the psychology of genealogy. They first talked about feeling like having a spiritual and deeper connection to ancestors after researching them. This is something I definitely feel. I have always felt close to my family. Learning their stories, why they made the choices they did, what affected their everyday lives, has brought me even closer to my family. I love knowing what led to my existence today, and knowing that one little change, one different decision by even just one of my hundreds of ancestors would mean I would not be here today. The rest of the podcast talked about how what our ancestors have been through bleeds into the following generations, and ...

Louisa AKA Minnie was my 3x great grandma. She was born November 23, 1863 in Indiana. She married Wilhelm Frederick Kuhlenschmidt on September 4, 1880 at Zoar Evangelical Church in Elberfeld, Warrick County, Indiana. Wilhelm later 'Americanized' his name to William. They had 12 children, only one not surviving to reach adulthood. Minnie died suddenly on June 15, 1927 from a cerebral hemorrhage in Campbell, Warrick County, Indiana. She is buried at Zoar Evangelical Church Cemetery in Elberfeld. "This is the story of Louisa Kuhlenschmidt's death, based on the recollections of the stories told by Edgar and Raymond Kuhlenschmidt. When her son William's wife was due to give birth to a new grandchild, Louisa went to his home. According to Edgar, Louisa had some skill as a midwife and was called upon to help with the births of grandchildren. When Doris June was born, Louisa came out of the bedroom, asked for her pills, sat down, and died immediately." I have tried th...