Grandfather's Found After 45 Years!

Today marked a fabulous day for me in genealogy!  What Tennessee couldn't provide, Missouri picked up the slack!  This stop was not on the original plan for the road trip, but feeling the urge to go there, I found myself at the Washington Historical Society Museum and Library in beautiful Washington, Missouri.  I was under the impression that the library opened from 10-4 every day, but when I got there, the sign read: Museum Open Tuesday - Saturday 10-4; Library Open Tuesday 9-3; Wednesday - Sunday 1-4.  Closed Dec 24 - Mar 1. It was a real treat to be in the town (now a city), where my grandfather was born in 1891.

Washington, Franklin, Missouri
My grandfather, Ira Stevens home town.

Washington Historical Society and Museum

My heart sunk to the bottom of my throat!  But wait - the museum was supposed to be open. I tried the door and it was locked.  But, I saw a parking lot behind the building so I drove there and parked my car with a silent prayer I could at least get inside.  The door didn't open.  I banged on it and a lady answered it.  I asked if she worked there and she said, "No, I justed walked in a few minutes ago".  "Hmm", I thought. I wonder why it was locked.  I went inside and talked to a guy who looked to be about 50-55 years old and told him I really needed to research my family and that we were leaving tomorrow.  He said, "We'll I just do the museum part of the society". I begged a little more seeing the books across the room with a cord rope across the opening to the library portion. I told him I was desperate. Well, I don't know how it happened but he let me in and got me started.  I found out later that his name was Mark Houseman.

He told me of the Kiel files...about 50 4-inch binder alphabetically arranged.  I grabbed the Stevens section.  He asked what other family surnames I was looking for and I said Lawson and  Ezell. He walked over to another shelf and pulled out an entire binder filled with just Lawson and I knew I was in genealogy paradise!

When I opened the Kiel files under Stevens, I finally found the death date, place and circumstance of my great-great grandfather, Anderson Stevens who I had been trying to find for a number of years!

Anderson Stevens Death

More on Anderson Stevens

Peter Henry Kamper Letter

Peter Henry Kamper Letter, Page 1

Peter Henry Kamper Letter, Page 2

Peter Henry Kamper Letter, Page 3

Peter Henry Kamper Letter, Page 4

When I hadn't seen anything on my great-grandfather, James Wesley Stevens, I closed the Stevens book and went through take snapshots of all the Lawson book.  When I was done, it kept nagging me that there was nothing on James Wesley since he clearly died in 1891. So, I went back to the Kiel book but felt inspired to change the spelling to Stephens.  And, guess what!  There it was!  The death circumstances for his death.  The mystery had now been solved!!

James Wesley Stevens Paper

By this time three library volunteers came to the library.  One gal, Sue, saw that I had the big Lawson book out and asked if I was a Lawson.  I said, "Yes". and she asked if I knew Judy Schmidt.  I said "Yes, that's my cousin Judy".  Well, she told me cousin Judy volunteers on the weekends at the library!  She picked up the phone and told Judy that I was in town and Judy got on the phone with me and said she'd be over in an hour!  What a joyful reunion! She had written to my mom 25 years earlier and I remember mom always talking about cousin Judy!

Cousin Judy Schmidt and me

Then, I started trying to figure out where the Lawsons, Stevens and Ezell's were buried. Another man from the library was the foremost authority in the area on the towns and plats. How convenient was that? So we found those cemetery locations!

Then, when I found James Wesley Stevens, yet another man, who is their search engine guru, found the death find-a-grave for a man listed as James Wesley Stevenes!  That was our guy - just spelled incorrectly.  With that I was able to get his birth date AND his death date AND the knowledge of what happened to him!

James Wesley Stevens burial in Kingsville, Johnson, Missouri

James Wesley Stevens Stone on Find-a-Grave

I know that Heavenly Father placed all these people in my path today for a very distinct purpose and my heart was full capacity for their help...but it didn't stop there!  Cousin Judy came and she asked Mark Houseman, the resident cemetery guru to take us to Gerald (aka Lyon Township as it was once called) to find the old Lawson Baptist Church cemetery!  He said he would! So, at 4:30 pm, we all piled into his little truck and for 2 1/2 hours, he took us all over. The Lawson cemetery is on private property now, but we got permission to go on their land.  There are no headstones...just rock markers where graves are at and LOTS of poison oak!  But, that was O.K. by me.  A headstone would have been wonderful, but at least I went to where they are buried.

Lawson Baptist Cemetery Lot of Unmarked Graves, View 1

Lawson Baptist Cemetery Lot of Unmarked Graves, View 2

Lawson Baptist Cemetery Lot of Unmarked Graves, View 3

Lawson Baptist Cemetery Lot of Unmarked Graves, View 4

Lawson Baptist Cemetery Lot of Unmarked Graves, View 5

Only about 2 miles or less away was the Stevens cemetery plot...again on private land.  We didn't stop, but I saw where they were buried - again in unmarked graves.  Why are all these stones unmarked?  Well, the answer is simple.  Greedy, inconsiderate farmers who want every inch of land for their crop without a shred of decency for the dead.  Mark told us that they would bulldoze over the headstones and bury them in the ground and plant crops over top of them!  Shameful!  All the people who once lived and broke their land are now buried to be forgotten by future generations.  So sad!  

Lawson Cemetery - Lower Left #55
Stevens Cemetery - Lower Upper Left #57

Then, Mark took us to New Haven City Cemetery, a beautiful cemetery painstakingly and immaculately groomed.  Such a contract to other cemeteries here.  New Haven was a lovely town.  Manicured everywhere.  He took us over to the old downtown New Haven build just above the Missouri River and then afterwards to the historic homes of Washington and we toured the same. He owns a restored brick home at Elm and 3rd Street.  Stunning.

New Haven Cemetery Marker with Isaac Lawson stones on the left of the sign.

Isaac and Ida Lawson - Cousin Judy's ancestors

It been a wonderful day.  And, Scott was able to get another night here so tomorrow I can finish up my research and then get on our way to Mark's house...of course, with a stop to pay my respects to my great-grandfather, James Wesley Stevens in Johnson County, Missouri.

I'm really grateful to Sue, Mark Houseman, Cousin Judy Schmidt, and the computer guy and plat guy. What a great team they all make!

Standing Mark Houseman and Cousin Judy Schmidt; Seated is the computer guy!

Tomorrow morning, Cousin Judy and I will be having breakfast at the White Rose Cafe in Union, Missouri...yet another town where the family comes from!  Excited!