Elsie was daughter of
William Harvey TURK Jr b 2 NOV 1876 d 17 APR 1963
+ Willie Emma BARNES b 1880
William Jr son of
Sgt William Harvey TURK Sr b 18 JAN 1843 d 21 JAN 1929
+Mary Jane MAY b 11 APR 1844 d 12 DEC 1894
dau of George May and Mary Jane Upton
George Find A Grave Memorial# 50426138
Mary Jane # 50426189
which line goes back to John May & Charity Taylor
descendants of George and Mary Upton May dedicated a memorial marker placed at the gravesite of their ancestors. The inscription on the back of the marker states:
George, son of Jan and Charity Taylor May, married Mary Upton on February 18, 1825, daughter of Cherokee Maiden and English Army officer. Surveyor, sheriff and soldier of the Republic of Texas. Personal friend of Sam Houston, James Bowie and Pres. Mirabou B. Lamar.
George and Mary May came to Texas around 1830. She was the only woman to make the trip to Texas with a group of men, riding all the way on horseback, with pack horses carrying all their belongings, along with a young son approximately four to five years of age. Can you imagine a youngster making this long arduous trip across the hills and valleys? There is some indication that they were at Fort Gibson in Oklahoma territory in 1829. Sam Houston was there that same year. (Kuhlman, 27)
There are countless records, books, and stories about the brave people who moved into and settled the dangerous and primitive territory that became known as Texas. George and Mary Jane can be counted among its first citizens.
In light of the information that Sam Houston was a friend of George and Mary Jane, Kuhlman shares an interesting story. Evidently one family member (descendant of Mary Jane) had in their possession a letter from Sam Houston thanking Mary Upton May for making the wedding dress and bonnet for his second wife, and Indian bride, Diana (Tiana) Rogers Gentry. Kuhlman adds that Mary Jane and Diana might have known each other when (and if) they attended the same missionary school in Tennessee and perhaps were even related. Of course, this is a speculation since there are no records available.
The years following her husband's death must have been extremely hard for Mary Jane May. Being left a widow with six children, she faced difficulties that are unimaginable to most of us. I believe she was a woman of tremendous strength and courage. As a single mother she had to provide economic security for her family under very tough circumstances. With the help of her children, she managed by farming her land. This might have been too much for some women, but Mary Jane and her children were survivors.
In 1860 Mary May was continuing to live in Hallettsville, Texas with four of her children, John, Mary, Charity, and Sarah. Information on the 1860 U.S. Federal Census tells us that she was a farmer and that her son, John, was a farm laborer.
By 1870 Mary was still in Hallettsville but was living with her daughter Mary Jane Turk and her husband William Harvey Turk. We know that she also lived for a time with her widowed daughter, Charity. Kuhlman shares this story given to him by Bennett Allen Nance.
Grandma May (as she was called by his father George Edward) ran the house with an iron hand. She smoked a corn cob pipe and trained my father in economics and some of the social ways of the Indians. She trained my father to be boss and the girls did the labor. She made the girls wait on my father and he was very spoiled. What success my father had as a good stockman, land trader and being very frugal was because of Granma May's training. (Kuhlman, 37-38)
Yoakum Texas Historical Marker Text: Located on DeWitt-Lavaca county line on land granted by Mexico in 1835 to settler John May. Cattle gathering area for Chisholm Trail. With coming of San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in 1887, became transportation center. Named for rail official B. F. Yoakum; incorporated in 1889. Industries: beef, leather, canning plant. 1971
Elsie Marie Turk Smothers, 91, of Wharton, died at her home, Sunday, June 15, 1997 at 12:55 p.m. She was born May 20, 1906, in Hallettsville, to William H. Sr. and Willie E. Barnes Turk. May 18, 1927 she married Robert Fey Smothers in Hallettsvile. She was a retired school teacher, having taught 37 years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma, Daughters of American Revolution, Retired Teacher's Association and Wharton Historical Society. Survivors include a son, William Robert Smothers of Bloomington; a brother, William H. Turk Jr. of Tyler, four grand-children and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; four sisters, Willie Turk, Marion Turk, Frankie Biggs and Nell Greer, and a brother, Alfred Turk.Visitation began at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, Hallettsville.Services were conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Stephen Smothers [son of Leon Smothers] officiating. Burial followed in the Hallettsville City Cemetery, under the direction of Kubena Funeral Home, Hallettsville.
Elsie was prior researcher for our Smeathers Family History. Tragically she died a few months prior to my getting into our Family Research and we owe allot of our present information to her great efforts to put our Smeathers family today, hats off to you Cuz Elsie! cudos.
Elsie and Robert had only 1 child/son who is living today William Robert Smothers.
William Harvey TURK Jr b 2 NOV 1876 d 17 APR 1963
+ Willie Emma BARNES b 1880
William Jr son of
Sgt William Harvey TURK Sr b 18 JAN 1843 d 21 JAN 1929
+Mary Jane MAY b 11 APR 1844 d 12 DEC 1894
dau of George May and Mary Jane Upton
George Find A Grave Memorial# 50426138
Mary Jane # 50426189
which line goes back to John May & Charity Taylor
descendants of George and Mary Upton May dedicated a memorial marker placed at the gravesite of their ancestors. The inscription on the back of the marker states:
George, son of Jan and Charity Taylor May, married Mary Upton on February 18, 1825, daughter of Cherokee Maiden and English Army officer. Surveyor, sheriff and soldier of the Republic of Texas. Personal friend of Sam Houston, James Bowie and Pres. Mirabou B. Lamar.
George and Mary May came to Texas around 1830. She was the only woman to make the trip to Texas with a group of men, riding all the way on horseback, with pack horses carrying all their belongings, along with a young son approximately four to five years of age. Can you imagine a youngster making this long arduous trip across the hills and valleys? There is some indication that they were at Fort Gibson in Oklahoma territory in 1829. Sam Houston was there that same year. (Kuhlman, 27)
There are countless records, books, and stories about the brave people who moved into and settled the dangerous and primitive territory that became known as Texas. George and Mary Jane can be counted among its first citizens.
In light of the information that Sam Houston was a friend of George and Mary Jane, Kuhlman shares an interesting story. Evidently one family member (descendant of Mary Jane) had in their possession a letter from Sam Houston thanking Mary Upton May for making the wedding dress and bonnet for his second wife, and Indian bride, Diana (Tiana) Rogers Gentry. Kuhlman adds that Mary Jane and Diana might have known each other when (and if) they attended the same missionary school in Tennessee and perhaps were even related. Of course, this is a speculation since there are no records available.
The years following her husband's death must have been extremely hard for Mary Jane May. Being left a widow with six children, she faced difficulties that are unimaginable to most of us. I believe she was a woman of tremendous strength and courage. As a single mother she had to provide economic security for her family under very tough circumstances. With the help of her children, she managed by farming her land. This might have been too much for some women, but Mary Jane and her children were survivors.
In 1860 Mary May was continuing to live in Hallettsville, Texas with four of her children, John, Mary, Charity, and Sarah. Information on the 1860 U.S. Federal Census tells us that she was a farmer and that her son, John, was a farm laborer.
By 1870 Mary was still in Hallettsville but was living with her daughter Mary Jane Turk and her husband William Harvey Turk. We know that she also lived for a time with her widowed daughter, Charity. Kuhlman shares this story given to him by Bennett Allen Nance.
Grandma May (as she was called by his father George Edward) ran the house with an iron hand. She smoked a corn cob pipe and trained my father in economics and some of the social ways of the Indians. She trained my father to be boss and the girls did the labor. She made the girls wait on my father and he was very spoiled. What success my father had as a good stockman, land trader and being very frugal was because of Granma May's training. (Kuhlman, 37-38)
Yoakum Texas Historical Marker Text: Located on DeWitt-Lavaca county line on land granted by Mexico in 1835 to settler John May. Cattle gathering area for Chisholm Trail. With coming of San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in 1887, became transportation center. Named for rail official B. F. Yoakum; incorporated in 1889. Industries: beef, leather, canning plant. 1971
Elsie Marie Turk Smothers, 91, of Wharton, died at her home, Sunday, June 15, 1997 at 12:55 p.m. She was born May 20, 1906, in Hallettsville, to William H. Sr. and Willie E. Barnes Turk. May 18, 1927 she married Robert Fey Smothers in Hallettsvile. She was a retired school teacher, having taught 37 years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma, Daughters of American Revolution, Retired Teacher's Association and Wharton Historical Society. Survivors include a son, William Robert Smothers of Bloomington; a brother, William H. Turk Jr. of Tyler, four grand-children and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; four sisters, Willie Turk, Marion Turk, Frankie Biggs and Nell Greer, and a brother, Alfred Turk.Visitation began at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, Hallettsville.Services were conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Stephen Smothers [son of Leon Smothers] officiating. Burial followed in the Hallettsville City Cemetery, under the direction of Kubena Funeral Home, Hallettsville.
Elsie was prior researcher for our Smeathers Family History. Tragically she died a few months prior to my getting into our Family Research and we owe allot of our present information to her great efforts to put our Smeathers family today, hats off to you Cuz Elsie! cudos.
Elsie and Robert had only 1 child/son who is living today William Robert Smothers.
Elsie was daughter of
William Harvey TURK Jr b 2 NOV 1876 d 17 APR 1963
+ Willie Emma BARNES b 1880
William Jr son of
Sgt William Harvey TURK Sr b 18 JAN 1843 d 21 JAN 1929
+Mary Jane MAY b 11 APR 1844 d 12 DEC 1894
dau of George May and Mary Jane Upton
George Find A Grave Memorial# 50426138
Mary Jane # 50426189
which line goes back to John May & Charity Taylor
descendants of George and Mary Upton May dedicated a memorial marker placed at the gravesite of their ancestors. The inscription on the back of the marker states:
George, son of Jan and Charity Taylor May, married Mary Upton on February 18, 1825, daughter of Cherokee Maiden and English Army officer. Surveyor, sheriff and soldier of the Republic of Texas. Personal friend of Sam Houston, James Bowie and Pres. Mirabou B. Lamar.
George and Mary May came to Texas around 1830. She was the only woman to make the trip to Texas with a group of men, riding all the way on horseback, with pack horses carrying all their belongings, along with a young son approximately four to five years of age. Can you imagine a youngster making this long arduous trip across the hills and valleys? There is some indication that they were at Fort Gibson in Oklahoma territory in 1829. Sam Houston was there that same year. (Kuhlman, 27)
There are countless records, books, and stories about the brave people who moved into and settled the dangerous and primitive territory that became known as Texas. George and Mary Jane can be counted among its first citizens.
In light of the information that Sam Houston was a friend of George and Mary Jane, Kuhlman shares an interesting story. Evidently one family member (descendant of Mary Jane) had in their possession a letter from Sam Houston thanking Mary Upton May for making the wedding dress and bonnet for his second wife, and Indian bride, Diana (Tiana) Rogers Gentry. Kuhlman adds that Mary Jane and Diana might have known each other when (and if) they attended the same missionary school in Tennessee and perhaps were even related. Of course, this is a speculation since there are no records available.
The years following her husband's death must have been extremely hard for Mary Jane May. Being left a widow with six children, she faced difficulties that are unimaginable to most of us. I believe she was a woman of tremendous strength and courage. As a single mother she had to provide economic security for her family under very tough circumstances. With the help of her children, she managed by farming her land. This might have been too much for some women, but Mary Jane and her children were survivors.
In 1860 Mary May was continuing to live in Hallettsville, Texas with four of her children, John, Mary, Charity, and Sarah. Information on the 1860 U.S. Federal Census tells us that she was a farmer and that her son, John, was a farm laborer.
By 1870 Mary was still in Hallettsville but was living with her daughter Mary Jane Turk and her husband William Harvey Turk. We know that she also lived for a time with her widowed daughter, Charity. Kuhlman shares this story given to him by Bennett Allen Nance.
Grandma May (as she was called by his father George Edward) ran the house with an iron hand. She smoked a corn cob pipe and trained my father in economics and some of the social ways of the Indians. She trained my father to be boss and the girls did the labor. She made the girls wait on my father and he was very spoiled. What success my father had as a good stockman, land trader and being very frugal was because of Granma May's training. (Kuhlman, 37-38)
Yoakum Texas Historical Marker Text: Located on DeWitt-Lavaca county line on land granted by Mexico in 1835 to settler John May. Cattle gathering area for Chisholm Trail. With coming of San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in 1887, became transportation center. Named for rail official B. F. Yoakum; incorporated in 1889. Industries: beef, leather, canning plant. 1971
Elsie Marie Turk Smothers, 91, of Wharton, died at her home, Sunday, June 15, 1997 at 12:55 p.m. She was born May 20, 1906, in Hallettsville, to William H. Sr. and Willie E. Barnes Turk. May 18, 1927 she married Robert Fey Smothers in Hallettsvile. She was a retired school teacher, having taught 37 years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma, Daughters of American Revolution, Retired Teacher's Association and Wharton Historical Society. Survivors include a son, William Robert Smothers of Bloomington; a brother, William H. Turk Jr. of Tyler, four grand-children and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; four sisters, Willie Turk, Marion Turk, Frankie Biggs and Nell Greer, and a brother, Alfred Turk.Visitation began at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, Hallettsville.Services were conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Stephen Smothers [son of Leon Smothers] officiating. Burial followed in the Hallettsville City Cemetery, under the direction of Kubena Funeral Home, Hallettsville.
Elsie was prior researcher for our Smeathers Family History. Tragically she died a few months prior to my getting into our Family Research and we owe allot of our present information to her great efforts to put our Smeathers family today, hats off to you Cuz Elsie! cudos.
Elsie and Robert had only 1 child/son who is living today William Robert Smothers.
William Harvey TURK Jr b 2 NOV 1876 d 17 APR 1963
+ Willie Emma BARNES b 1880
William Jr son of
Sgt William Harvey TURK Sr b 18 JAN 1843 d 21 JAN 1929
+Mary Jane MAY b 11 APR 1844 d 12 DEC 1894
dau of George May and Mary Jane Upton
George Find A Grave Memorial# 50426138
Mary Jane # 50426189
which line goes back to John May & Charity Taylor
descendants of George and Mary Upton May dedicated a memorial marker placed at the gravesite of their ancestors. The inscription on the back of the marker states:
George, son of Jan and Charity Taylor May, married Mary Upton on February 18, 1825, daughter of Cherokee Maiden and English Army officer. Surveyor, sheriff and soldier of the Republic of Texas. Personal friend of Sam Houston, James Bowie and Pres. Mirabou B. Lamar.
George and Mary May came to Texas around 1830. She was the only woman to make the trip to Texas with a group of men, riding all the way on horseback, with pack horses carrying all their belongings, along with a young son approximately four to five years of age. Can you imagine a youngster making this long arduous trip across the hills and valleys? There is some indication that they were at Fort Gibson in Oklahoma territory in 1829. Sam Houston was there that same year. (Kuhlman, 27)
There are countless records, books, and stories about the brave people who moved into and settled the dangerous and primitive territory that became known as Texas. George and Mary Jane can be counted among its first citizens.
In light of the information that Sam Houston was a friend of George and Mary Jane, Kuhlman shares an interesting story. Evidently one family member (descendant of Mary Jane) had in their possession a letter from Sam Houston thanking Mary Upton May for making the wedding dress and bonnet for his second wife, and Indian bride, Diana (Tiana) Rogers Gentry. Kuhlman adds that Mary Jane and Diana might have known each other when (and if) they attended the same missionary school in Tennessee and perhaps were even related. Of course, this is a speculation since there are no records available.
The years following her husband's death must have been extremely hard for Mary Jane May. Being left a widow with six children, she faced difficulties that are unimaginable to most of us. I believe she was a woman of tremendous strength and courage. As a single mother she had to provide economic security for her family under very tough circumstances. With the help of her children, she managed by farming her land. This might have been too much for some women, but Mary Jane and her children were survivors.
In 1860 Mary May was continuing to live in Hallettsville, Texas with four of her children, John, Mary, Charity, and Sarah. Information on the 1860 U.S. Federal Census tells us that she was a farmer and that her son, John, was a farm laborer.
By 1870 Mary was still in Hallettsville but was living with her daughter Mary Jane Turk and her husband William Harvey Turk. We know that she also lived for a time with her widowed daughter, Charity. Kuhlman shares this story given to him by Bennett Allen Nance.
Grandma May (as she was called by his father George Edward) ran the house with an iron hand. She smoked a corn cob pipe and trained my father in economics and some of the social ways of the Indians. She trained my father to be boss and the girls did the labor. She made the girls wait on my father and he was very spoiled. What success my father had as a good stockman, land trader and being very frugal was because of Granma May's training. (Kuhlman, 37-38)
Yoakum Texas Historical Marker Text: Located on DeWitt-Lavaca county line on land granted by Mexico in 1835 to settler John May. Cattle gathering area for Chisholm Trail. With coming of San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad in 1887, became transportation center. Named for rail official B. F. Yoakum; incorporated in 1889. Industries: beef, leather, canning plant. 1971
Elsie Marie Turk Smothers, 91, of Wharton, died at her home, Sunday, June 15, 1997 at 12:55 p.m. She was born May 20, 1906, in Hallettsville, to William H. Sr. and Willie E. Barnes Turk. May 18, 1927 she married Robert Fey Smothers in Hallettsvile. She was a retired school teacher, having taught 37 years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Delta Kappa Gamma, Daughters of American Revolution, Retired Teacher's Association and Wharton Historical Society. Survivors include a son, William Robert Smothers of Bloomington; a brother, William H. Turk Jr. of Tyler, four grand-children and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; four sisters, Willie Turk, Marion Turk, Frankie Biggs and Nell Greer, and a brother, Alfred Turk.Visitation began at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, Hallettsville.Services were conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 at Kubena Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Stephen Smothers [son of Leon Smothers] officiating. Burial followed in the Hallettsville City Cemetery, under the direction of Kubena Funeral Home, Hallettsville.
Elsie was prior researcher for our Smeathers Family History. Tragically she died a few months prior to my getting into our Family Research and we owe allot of our present information to her great efforts to put our Smeathers family today, hats off to you Cuz Elsie! cudos.
Elsie and Robert had only 1 child/son who is living today William Robert Smothers.
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