McBrides

McBride posts are related to this ancestry:

I am descended from:

Edythe McBride, daughter of James Thomas McBride and Mary Edna Cawthon
James was son of Robert Hugh McBride and Lucinda Crawford O'Neal McBride
Robert Hugh McBride was son of James McBride and Lucinda Wilson
Lucinda Crawford O'Neal McBride was daughter of Thomas A. and Lucinda White

Lucinda was quite the popular name, leading to much confusion for me initially in figuring out all these people!

O'Neal Letters, Part I, Feb 24, 1878 "we have come thru mud that lookt lacked would sink the mule up"

My great grand-mother Lucinda Crawford O'Neal grew up in the area of Wichita Falls Texas. It was a very hard life. I have several letters written either by her, her father Thomas, or her brother Billy during 1878-1890. I am posting them separately, typed as they wrote them phonetically. However, I am adding periods to separate sentences for clarity in reading them. Lucinda was 18 years old in 1878. She was writing to her brother Billy; he was about 24 years old and was back in Arkansas; brother Johnny mentioned in the letter was about 6 years old. Their mother, also named Lucinda, died in Arkansas during childbirth in 1875.

February the 24 - 1878 Chickey Saw nation
Billy, I will try this evening to write you a few lines to let you no how we are getting along. We are all well and hope that this will find you well. Pa wrote you a letter at the first of the week but we have come a long ways sense that time considern the way the roads have bin but they are getting better fast but I never have seen such places as we have come over and hope so I live I never will again. I tell you the truth we have come thru mud that looked lacked (like it?) would sink the mule up. Well we have got to the railroad and we have see the cars several times pass and Johney said to tell you he had seen them without agoing to ruselville to see them but he still says he is coming back. Well we have got with the (indecipherable) at last. We have been with them to or three days and pa says he is going to stay with them and go with them to the place they are going. They are going somers about waco. Well I must quit for this time (indecipherable) such writing for I am very tired. I have to drive most all the time. We are now at new bogy. Lou O'Neal

O'Neal Letters, Part II, Jun 19, 1878 "the lonesemest place in the world"

Letter from Lucinda (Lou) O’Neal (McBride) to her brother Bill O’Neal. I believe the reference to Mat in the letter is her sister Martha, about 13 years old at this time of this letter.

Clay Co. Texas, Jun the 19 1878 Billy, i will try to write you a few lines this evening to let you here from ous again. we are all well and hope that this will find you well. well i got your letter and was surprised to here that Uncle John had gone back there. well we have plenty of rain these times. i tell you the folks that live in the ground has a sweet time. the water runs in at there doors until they cannot hardly stay in them at all. there is some sickness here since the rain has begun. Pa is still trying to brake land yet. one of the mules give out and he can not do much good. it was the one we got from Jim Crownover. she was the no countest mule I most ever saw. I would not give that pony we give for her hardly for two such mule. well i will tell you we had some Indians in our Country last week. They did not do anything that we have heard of yet. they was seven of them. they was at the first house. i have here they sayid that they was a mooveing (moving?). they first told that they would be thre thousand along the next day and then they told they would be only five hundred and from that to only fifty so no more has come along yet as we have heard of. no body nows what they was up to. they had thirteen ponys and wore bows and arrows pistols and one gun. they have guns here that shoots sixteen times. it was one of that kind. they swoom read river (Red River?) and went on in the nations. well me and Mat and Johney has done one thing since we have bin here we never done before. we stayed all night by our selves. we was looking for pa to come back from town and he did not get back and we had to stay by our selves. there is no guardens raised here to say any. there is no fruit for the country has not bin settled long enough to have any trees big enough for to have fruit. i have seen one orchard planted out sence we have bin here. the trees are about three or four feet high. the wind looks like it will blow them plum away but the little fellows stands it well. i am all the one of ours that has made any things sence we have been here. i saved enough for a woman to get one old hen and nineteen little chickings and a very good table. Bill, Johney says to tell you that he had him a bow and arrow and kills grasshoppers for the chickens. he says to tell you to send him your picture for he does want to see you. I no that this is the lonesomest place in the world. write soon and often from Lou O'Neal.

O'Neal Letters Part III, Apr 14, 1879 "Will not brake even atal this year"

Letter from Thomas A. O'Neal to his son Billy, Apr 14, 1879

Clay County Texas, April the 14-1879

Billy i will write you a few lines. But have no news to write. we are all well and I am dun planting and it is very dry. have had no rain since you left. corn can not cum up until we have rain. the first corn that was planted a gud deal of it was up and the frost kilt it down and Lu has planted over. wheat looks very sorry worse than it was last year it is so dry. I have give out booking any (indecipherable) - will not brake even atal (at all) this year. I have got as much land as I can cultivate any how and also what I will want to plow. I have got two much this year. it runs me too tire to get it broke and planted. I never got dun planting until the 11 of this month. I have went to cash (Cache?)once since you left. I kild one turkey and never hurd the like of gobling in my life. Johney was proud of his letter and money you sent him and he says he wants you to be in a big hurry and cum back. We have got 25 or 30 acres planted in watermelon. if they do any good we will have a few for to eat. my pigs is a doing fine. the two that was here when you left will way 40 or 50 lbs and the sow pig is just like the one you let. Ty (?) gave the other sow. Only brought 9 and all of them are a living and looks well. There was several her yesterday that was speaking of having a fish fry the first day of may either on cash (Cache River?) or wichataw one. I believe I have wrot all that I know for this time. write soon and often. you will have a better chance to print (?) letters than we do. we all four send respect to your Frances. A.Oneal to W.H. O'Neal, Spring Creek Arks. Have our respect to Mr Crownover and family and tell him to write to me and he ought to cum out to see us and the country.

O'Neal Letters Part IV, May 9, 1880 "i am a going to be rich" - Updated

This letter was from Thomas A. O'Neal to his son BIlly. It has been updated after reviewing the originals. Lucinda also added her comments to Billy. The letter talks about a land transaction, and an amazing find by Lucinda. This letter by far was the the hardest to read. I used a pen to trace over the words and they became readable. However, there are still a few unreadable areas that I will continue to work on. Also, it was very exciting to get a copy of a picture of the petrified mastodon bone that was in the O'Neal family. That picture is posted above. Per the new information I was able to read in the letter, it weighed 40 lbs and is sitting on top of a bucket

Clay County Texas May the 9-1880

Billy we have just received your letter and was glad to saw you and jo and also her(e) from you and to her(e) you was well. this leaves us well and crops looks tolerable well. but is small owing to being planted late. I am at plowing my corn the second time my was cut. I do not know whether it will even be worth cutting or not. We have had the windyest spring I ever saw. my wheat once lookt like it wud die but we had a rain and it has got to looking green but it looks like a slim show for wheat. I have no news to write you. the last I heard about the land I am on that the parties had agreed on the price but the title was not exactly all right tha (they) thought it would all be fixit up a(nd) the trade would be complete. I started to town Saturday a got to the creak and it was up so I had to turn back home. I will go in a few days and then I will her(e) from it and I will write you what I here(e). i think I feel determined to leave her(e). There is a great many dissatisfyde since we have had such a windy spring, the dust and sand got in my eye until one of them was as red as if it have had a good gouging but has got near over it. If I leave her(e) i do not know when I will gow. It would be owing to the way my pulse be at the strongest after I got shet (shed?)of what I have her(e) . I will write you something about a part of a petrifyed hed bone of Lew's unknown animal or some other huge head bone. There has bin but few to have seen it but no one had any idea of what it can be only that all pronounce it a hed bone of some unknown Beast. To them it is not (illegible) of the jaw. that it is from the shap(e) I do not know whether it is a upper or lower jaw bone. But resembles a upper most. I am a going to take it to town with me and see if I can find out what it is. Lou who found it in the mud near the spring we used when you was her(e). it was (weighed) 40 lbs. I will write you what i her(e) about it when I gow to town.

(Lucinda then adds her comments to this letter):

Well billy i will try to write you a few lines again but i wrote to you to weeks a go and i have nothing to write now more than we have had a rain and every thing looks fine. we have had several messes of salit and lettice lately. that is something new here. well billy, i have succeeded in finding me a petrified bone and now i am lady blunt (see my *note at end) i am going to be rich by selling it after while. i wish you could see it. i want you to take time and write oftener than you do. i will have to quit for this time. Besure and write soon so fare well for this time. Lular C. Oneal

(Thomas continues on another page)

I am at town and saw one of the parties that is trading for the land I am on. he is going to start to close the trade and sais he will cum up when he go to Bank to see me. The Bone is pronounst to be a tooth of a mastodon. I told Bacton Jones about it and see if he had any knowledge of such a thing. if I should have the luck to sell out I may be in that contry this summer or fall and will bring that tooth with me unless I get a big price for it - write often and give me the news. I will close now.

T.A. Oneal

*Note: After much pondering over this wording I firmly believe it says "now i am lady blunt". The "blunt" looked very clear, but i could not get a context for it. Finally, i "googled" "lady blunt" and to my surprise found much information on a "Lady Anne Blunt". She was born in 1837 and married Wilfrid Blunt in 1869. In the summer of 1873 they began their first adventure to the Middle East. They visited Egypt in 1875-76; after leaving Egypt they hired Bedouins and camels and traveled through the Sinai to Jerusalem. While crossing the desert, they ran out of water and almost died of third. However, they survived the experience and gained a rudimentary knowledge of Arabic and a determination to mount a major expedition into central Arabia. Lady Blunt was known as an adventurer and a writer, described as courageous, tough, resourceful, cool-headed, self-reliant, and adaptable. She was the first European woman to explore Central Arabia. This letter was written in 1880 and I think it is possible that Lucinda had read of Lady Blunt, known her to be an explorer, and thought of herself as an adventurer like Lady Blunt!
For more information about Lady Blunt see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Anne_Blunt

O'Neal letters Part V, Jul 3, 1880 "Do not spend more money in trying for the office than it would be worth if you was to get it"

This letter was written from Thomas A. O'Neal to his son Billy:

Big Wichataw Valley, Clay Co. Texas

Billy we have just rec yours this eavning dated Jun the 18 and glad to her(e) from you and to hear you was well. yours found us as well as common. Lou is a grunting with her head and teeth. I have no nus of interest to write. only we have pretty good prospect for a crop. our corn looks ver well. have not suffered for rain any this season for corn though i do not think corn will be as good as it was the year you was out her(e). though ther is a goodeal mor planted than was cut that time. I donot know what I will do yet. have not seen the parties that bought the land so as to know what they (they) will do concerning my improvement. Billy if the paper you send is not out or will come any time, have it directed to our office they (they) only put wichitaw on it and we have not got it but few times since you had it changed and then it was forward from some other office. I suppose it gows to witchataw County (indecipherable)...I will send you in this a post office order for the amount you wanted wich was twenty five dollars. I was glad to have it for you as it was the first time you ever written to me for assistance. Hoping you may have sucksess in your undertaking. But be carful and donot spend more money in trying for the office than it would be worth if you was to get it. I thought I would finish this. but will have to close. write soon and often. Yours respectfully T.A. Oneal

Scanned letters

I am scanning all these letters into PDF files. If anyone is interested in seeing these files and also trying to decipher words I was unable to identify (or correct anything), please send me an e-mail to shircri@msn.com and I will send them to you. I am going to continue to try to decipher missing words and will update blogs as I succeed.

Robert Hugh & Lucenda McBride

The following was written in the "History of Pottowatamie County by Ruby Dixson, Granddaughter of Robert and Lucenda (also spelled Lucinda) McBride. Dates are from a Family Bible -by Virgie McGee, Skellytown, Texas. Robert and Lucinda are my great-grandparents.

"My Grandfather and Grandmother, Robert Hugh and Lucenda McBride came to Oklahoma by an Oxen Covered Wagon, trying to make the run east from Norman on September 22, 1891. An Oxen died enroute, causing a delay and they arrived September 12, 1891, buying a claim near town, one mile south of #9 Highway on #102.

The family along with Grandpa O'Neal (Mrs McBrides father) lived in a dugout until a log cabin could be built. Four of the children came from Arkansas, and four other children were born on the farm.

The log cabin was made by cutting the trees, and making logs. The family lived from the land, hunting, trapping, raising cattle, butchering, and preserving meat by salt curing, drying fruit and vegetables from the orchards and garden.

The children attended school at Arkansas Flat. Sunday School was also held in the School until it burned, then it was continued in the McBride home.

The family was active in community functions, such as singings, pie suppers, ice cream suppers, etc.

Robert Hugh McBride: Born May 5, 1855 at Dardenell, Arkansas, died December 21, 1927 at Tecumseh. Married October 18, 1883 to Lucinda Crawford O'Neal born September 2, 1860 near Wichita Falls, Texas. Lucinda died March 22, 1905 at Tecumseh (OK). They are both buried in Brown Cemetery."

Solving Mysteries

One of the things I love about genealogy is solving the little mysteries that are inherent whenever you are trying to piece information together. For example, in the letter written by Robert Hugh McBride about his wife Lucinda's death, it was very difficult to read some of the words. I was working from copies of copies of copies of very old letters. There was a word that appeared to be "ruins" "ruins folks did not cum"). I could not make sense of this until I looked back at some genealogy records and found that Lucinda had a sister Margaret who was married to a man named Runyon. So I gathered that "ruins" was a phonetic spelling of Runyon. In the subsequent letter I posted, it also referred to "Rune's folks" so mystery solved. I also could not figure out the introduction, "Grandpa and ... H ONeal" until I again looked at genealogy charts and saw that Lucinda's brother was William Harrison, so deducted that it was addressed to Grandpa and W H O'Neal.
One of the problems I have discovered with posting on this blog is that the newest post shows up first on the page and some of the earlier posts may have had information that would clarify if the earlier were read first. I am going to try and figure out how to post or group things together that will link posts or make things more clear.

UPDATE: To resolve the problem in the previous paragraph, I wrote all the posts I wanted posted in sequence and saved them as drafts, rather than publishing. In the "Post Options" (at the bottom of the compose screen), there is an option for the post date and time. I put the date and time in the sequence in which I wanted them posted; e.g. the post I wanted to be first would have the most recent date and time. Then when I actually published the post, it put them in the correct sequence.

Another letter about Lu's death (see post "I am ruined"

This letter was written by Lucinda's brother Johnny to her brother Billy after Lucinda's death:

3-26-1905
Tecumseh O.T. (Oklahoma Territory)

Pa, Bill & family I will write you all a few lines to let you no how we all are. we are all up i am awful weak yet i have bin up all the time since last wednesday. I reckon you have heared of Lue's death before now Colonel sent you a telegram right at once but we got a letter from (Note: a line seems to be missing) did not no anything of it until 8 ocock that night they come driveing in it rained on them a good deal during the day and was raining when they got here. They fixed the coffin good and dry. We waited until about 4 oclock yesterday for you to get here. Rune's folks all come but started back this morning. They are so bad behind with their work they said they were bound to get. Last night I took 2 bales of my cotton to town Friday am going to take 2 more tomorrow and have not got my last one gined yet. I ain't stout enough to do much else and thought I would haul it off while I could not be at much else. We got our potatoes planted yesterday and plowed up the old cow lot for a garden. I got wire friday to fence it with. I won't do much this week in the field. Have got to haul my cotton to the gin go to town and put up the garden fence. Hope Bill is better by now so I will close. Coulter has got some plowed.
J. M. O'Neal
I for got to tell you our Rural Mail Rout starts the 15 of April. after that you can direct your letters to Tecumseh R.F.D. No 4
Fanny Nellie wants you to send her 2 setting of them Brown Leghorn Eggs. send them by Express and we will pay it here. Let us no when you start them.

"I am ruined"

My great-grandmother Lucinda Crawford O'Neal McBride, was born in 1860 near Wichita Falls TX. She married Robert Hugh McBride in 1883. They had 8 children, of which my grandfather James Thomas McBride was the second. Lucinda died Mar 22, 1905. Upon her death, her husband Robert wrote a letter to his father-in-law Thomas O'Neal. Following is the letter with the spelling as it was written:

March the 24, 1905 Gradpa and W H O'Neal I have bad news for you al Lu is gon dide wensda morning about 8 the doctor sed her bowels was loct and that ther no remedy only a operation and she was to far gon i sent you a telegram as sone as she died and went to mete you but did not her from you Ruin's folks did not cum i have not heard from them well I am ruined Good by R H McBride

Above is a picture of the family, Grandpa O'Neal is on the left; Robert McBride in the middle, Lucinda O'Neal McBride on the right. James Thomas, my grandfather, is standing behind Lucinda. The picture was taken in the winter of 1902. Though location is not identified, the baby Gilbert was born in Tecumseh, OK in Sep 1902, so I am presuming this is their home in Tecumseh.

UPDATE: My newfound 3rd cousin-in-law, Gena O'Neal, took me to the location of this log cabin, which is where the McBrides settled. It is located about 6 miles West of Tecumseh, about one mile south of the intersection of Hwy 9 and Hwy 102, and then east about 1/2 mile. No home exists there at present.

The Hanging of a McBride

My grandfather was James Thomas McBride, born on Nov 30, 1888 in Belleville, Yell County Arkansas. He was the son of Hugh Robert McBride, born May 5, 1855 in Dardenelle, Arkansas. A family story has been passed down about the death of Hugh Robert's father, James P. McBride, who was born in 1802 in Kentucky. The following is the story as written by a granddaughter of James McBride whose name I do not know.
"James was hung in Civil War. As I heard it, he was living on farm outside of Havana (Arkansas). When renegades (neither North or South) came he was sitting on porch with baby. They left the baby and took him back in the field and hung him (I saw the tree when I was there once). Granpa McBride said his mother told him and Scott to stay with the Baby. She would be back. But they followed her and watched her cut his dad down, then beat her back to the house. Lucindy (James' wife) then married James brother Andrew Jackson, born about 1812 in Tennessee. Married about 1862. Lucindy and James had 2 children (Andrew McBride, born 1863 in Ark, Mary McBride, born 1865 in Ark.)"

I decided to pursue this story and see if we could find James' grave. I had information that James was buried in the McBride Cemetery near Havana Arkansas. Havana is a small town of about 230 people located about 10 miles from the County Seat of Danville. We stopped in a gas/grocery store to ask if anyone could tell us where McBride Cemetery was located. An older gentleman thought it was out near Cedar Creek; another man drew us a map showing the cemetery on a road turning west off the road we would be on. When we were unable to find that road, we stopped at a house about where the road should be. There were few homes in the area. I introduced myself to the woman who answered the door (Gina). Gina lived with her parents, Doris and Garland. Gina was very interested in genealogy and was quite eager to help us. She invited us in and found some books by a local author, Kathryn Rogers from Dardenelle. Ms Rogers had been a high school English teacher and had written several books concerning local history. I told Gina that I had heard the story about James being hung right after the Civil War by renegades. Gina felt sure that she had read that story in one of the six books. Gina called the author who thought it was either in the book "Rabbit in the Run" or When the Bob White Calls". Gina had these books but we were unable to find the story. I have since tried to find the books but have not been able to.
The location of the "hanging tree" was well known by Gina and her parents. In fact, Garland had been worried that the owner of the land had been clear-cutting the land and was concerned that the tree might have been cut down. He was adamant that this was a historical location and that it was important the tree be preserved. Garland drew us a map of how to find the tree and said that it had been marked by ax with an "X". Gina called the owner of the land to tell them we would be there shortly.
Gina next called a friend named Frankie who was another McBride descendant of the father of James P. McBride (who was also James McBride, born in 1777 in Ireland. Frankie came to the house and visited for a while, telling us of the McBrides that remained in the area. She and Gina then took us to the McBride Cemetery which was through a gate and a ways off in a pasture. We would have never found it on our own. We found the headstone of Lucinda (also known as Lucindy) (James P.'s wife), but not of James P. There were two unmarked small stones, one on each side of Lucinda.
After we left the cemetery, we went to the home of a Mr and Mrs Gray. Mr Gray's mother was a McBride and they had worked many years on the McBride genealogy. They were in their 80-90s. Mr Gray was recovering from hip surgery and bore an uncanny resemblance to a photo I had with me of James and Lucinda's son Scott that I had with me. We visited for a while and compared notes. It was from this discussion that I learned that the McBride who was hung was actually Andrew Jackson McBride, who was the brother of James P. and who had married Lucinda after James' death in 1859. Thus, it was the stepfather (and uncle) of Robert who was hung, rather than his biological father. The hanging occurred in 1864, and James had died in 1859. Lucinda married Andrew in 1859. Robert was born in 1855 and was about 4 years old when his father James died, and was about 9 when his stepfather was hung. While the story written above showed Lucindy and Andrew married in 1862, they were living in the same household in the 1860 census record so I feel the 1859 date of marriage is reliable.
We then went to the land where the hanging tree was. We searched through approximately 5 acres, going over barbed wire, through weeds, and over hills. While we had Garland's hand drawn map, the terrain had changed due to clear-cutting since Garland had been there. We never did with certainty find the tree, but there was a tree standing alone in a field that had a branch off to the side as Garland had described as the "hanging tree". We did not see an "X" mark, but it was the only tree in the area that generally fit the description so we liked to think that we did witness history in that tree.
I have found that people who are interested in genealogy are extremely willing to help others in their searches. As I have often said, only another genealogist can relate to the excitement of finding an old tombstone and saying "Eureka"!