52 Ancestors - After Wartime

 It is Veteran's Day, and I want to honor all that served.  The Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors prompt was actually wartime. I have been researching Roy Liston trying to find his parents.  This story about Roy Liston has to do with the American Legion. Other posts about Roy Liston - HERE and HERE.

In 1919 Congress founded the American Legion. The American Legion purpose is to serve those who haves served, strengthen the nation, and uphold the values that define American democracy.  Roy Liston served during World War 1 as a mechanic.  When he came back to Iowa, he helps to start an American Legion Post in Cumberland, Iowa.

The only picture I have of Roy Liston

photo in Cumberland A Century of Memories 

1884-1984

An application for a Post of the American Legion Post in Cumberland, Iowa was signed by 39 men. Roy Liston was the first commander. This post was later renamed the Donald Lee Post No 320.

There is quite a bit of evidence that even when Roy moved to Akron, Colorado who was part of Alva Graves Pos No 66.  In 1937 he is listed as the Post Service Office in the Alamosa Daily Courier newspaper.

52 Ancestors - 4th Cousin

I have been participating in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 ancestors in 52 weeks.  The prompt for this coming week is cousin. I had talked about in family drama -Roy Cecil Liston's extended family.  Roy is most likely one of my 4th cousins on my maternal side.

I am having trouble telling the story of Roy Cecil Liston. He appears in the historical record but there are questions about his paternity.  The records available don't gives us definitive answers. Below is a little about Roy and his life. 

Roy Cecil Liston was Iowa born and bred.  Roy was born Oct 13. 1893/94 most likely in Cumberland, Iowa. Based on very circumstantial evidence his mother is most likely Mary Margaret "Maggie' Liston. Roy lived his childhood in the fields of Cass County Iowa mainly found in his grandmother, Rachel Liston's household. Roy attended local schools until about the 8th grade. 

He had traveled a few places before being drafted in the Army, Ray worked for a threshing company, and they were called to Colorado one year (1917) to thresh because of the opening of sugar beet factories for the winter there were no adults available to thresh. Roy and partner brought home a 100 lbs. of soup beans sold to them for 10 cents a pound.

Roy stood about 5 foot tall and 4 inches on a good day. He was described as short and stout in his draft registration card with dark brown hair and blue gray eyes.  He would be called up by his local draft board to go to Ames Iowa to train as a mechanic.  He and the others that had been called up were given a dinner send off by the women of the Congregational church.  In Ames Iowa at Iowa State College, he would receive mechanic training for two months and during that time the trainees would live under the bleachers. Ray was 25 years old when he was called up for World War 1.  

Page 1, Atlantic News Telegraph, 

Thursday, July 25, 1918

The record doesn't show exactly where he served in the Army, but it is known that he was discharged from Camp Jackson, SC. Roy Liston would make the rank of Sergeant First Class, SFC.  

Roy would come back after the war and work as a local mechanic. His Uncle Harry (Jacob Harrison Liston) would take him, his mother, and grandmother to visit his ranch in Yuma, Colorado. 

Page 6, Atlantic News Telegraph

Friday July 7th, 1922

Eventually they all moved to Colorado. Ray would find a job at the Rowland garage in Akron Colorado. In January of 1924, the garage boys were almost asphyxiated one January morning when they closed the garage door to keep warm. They were so overcome that they left work for the day and slept.

Ray would meet and marry Elizabeth Sells. They were married in Fort Morgan Colorado on March 15, 1924.They had one daughter, Marjorie Caroline Liston born December 23, 1927. Marjorie was an early Christmas present to her parents. Later on, Roy would divorce Elizabeth sometime before 1945.  Elizabeth and daughter would move to Missouri.

Ray did return to Cass County Iowa. He returned with the body of his grandmother, Rachel in 1929 and also accompanied the body of Mary Margaret "Maggie" Liston back to Iowa.  Both Rachel and Maggie are buried in Newlon Grove Cemetary Cumberland, Iowa.

Roy would continue to work as a mechanic.  There is not much of a record after 1950.  Roy's Uncle Harry would pass away in 1962. Roy would pass away in 1983 in Akron, Colorado and be buried in Akron Cemetary in Akron, Washington County, Colorado.

Find A Grave

52 Ancestors - Family Drama

 I was contacted about a branch of the Liston's I knew very little about. There is a method in genealogy called the FAN  - Friends, Associates, and neighbors. I thought I would do a little bit of that type of research with this branch.   

This researcher was trying to connect Roy Cecil Liston as the son of Mary Margaret "Maggie" Liston. Based on very circumstantial evidence both of us believe he is the only child of Maggie. We have no primary evidence such as birth certificate, marriage certificate or death certificate that might list Maggie as the mother of Roy. 

Rachel Liston's Grave

While I can't answer the research question "Who is Ray Cecil Liston's mother." I believe I can answer the question, "Did my Great Grandparents both Hoyt's and Liston's know Ray Liston and Maggie Liston? "I will also explain why I think there was some estrangement between the Liston's based on an event I have already researched.

Let me introduce to you some of this Liston branch of my tree. The head of this mini branch is Jacob H Liston and his wife Rachel Fulton.  Jacob was born in Pennsylvania and Rachel Fulton was born in Ohio. Jacob Liston is a Civil War veteran for the Union. He was wounded in the left shoulder. Rachel and Jacob were married in 1865. Jacob and Rachel had their oldest daughter, Maggie" in Illinois. Eventually they moved to Iowa. They lived mostly in Cass County, Iowa. We know this from census records. Jacob and Rachel had 5 children:

Mary Margaret "Maggie" Liston  1865-1931 (unmarried)

Benjamin F Liston  1871 -1960  (Rose W Liston)

Samatha J Liston Purdy 1874-1910 (John F Purdy)

Evelyn L Liston Spies 1879-1964 (Louis Peter Spies Jr)

Jacob Harrison "Harry" Liston 1881-1962 (Margaret Moat)

In 1895 Iowa Census there were 123 Liston's or variation of Liston's listed in this census.  In 1895 Jacob Liston passed away. He was the father of Maggie. Roy Cecil Liston shows up in the Census often with Rachel and Maggie Liston. In 1910 they show up in the census with my Great Uncle Charles Liston they are living in the same household.  Charles Liston had lost his wife in 1909, and they had 3 young children.  Most likely they were there to assist him in running his farm and household. Rachel and Maggie Liston show up in this 1910 census as housekeepers and Roy as a hired man for Charles Liston. 1910 is also the year that Samatha, daughter, of Rachel died from Scarlett fever along with her young daughter and unborn child.

In 1917 Maggie's brother, Harry Liston, and my great grandparents, Reason Hoyt and Joseph Liston, are basically living in the same neighborhood.  Those circled on this map Union 1917 Farmers Map are related to me. The star is Jacob "Harry" Liston's property.

Rachel dies in Yuma, Colorado in 1929 and the body is shipped back and buried in Newlon Groves Cemetary in Cumberland Iowa.  Both Ray and Maggie are mentioned as accompanying the body. Maggie dies in Yuma, Colorado at her brother's house, Harry, and the body is sent to Cumberland.

Jacob Liston's Gravestone

Some things that stood out to me are, Rachel and Jacob and all some of their children are buried in Newlon Grove Cemetary in Cumberland, Cass County, Iowa but Roy Cecil Liston is not. This is significant because both Maggie and mother both died in Colorado but were buried in Newlon Grove Cemetary. 

Secondly, I recognized a surname that is not a relative but related to an incident that occurred in 1900. My relative Reason T Hoyt was involved in Hattie Spies' death in 1900.  Hattie's brother is Louis Peter Spies Jr. who married Maggie's sister Evelyn.  Reason Hoyt's son Delbert Devere Hoyt married Marvel Liston. Marvel and Delbert are my grandparents. This is a possible cause of the estrangement.

My next part will be Roy Cecil Liston's story or what I know of his story.

52 Ancestors - Tombstone

I am participating in Amy Johnson Crow's writing about 52 ancestors in 52 weeks.  The prompt this week was tombstone.

 I came across in my research and it is a very ornate gravestone. The chains represent the Odd Fellows. The chains symbolize Friendship, Love, and Truth. See meaning here

Thomas Liston is my 4th Grand Uncle. His picture is on the left below with his wife on the right.

I just thought this obituary was lovely.  Thomas Liston purchased 700 acres or more which included the site of  Listonburg in 1834. Listonburg, PA was named mainly after the Liston's who provided industry in the area this included his father, John Liston, who owned a Tannery.  The activities that he did there were farming, lumbering, timbering, coal mining, and running a general store. He was married to Elizabeth and had at least 8 children. After he purchased all that land, he built a wool mill in 1844. This is the mill that his son's Jesse and Jeremiah would take over. In 1849, there was blacksmith shop. Lastly in 1864, Listonburg had a grist mill. Thomas died Sept 1, 1874, and is interred at the Trinity Methodist Church. According to 1880 prospectus about Listonburg, it is noted to having 15 houses and 1 church. Listonburg, Pennsylvania had a post office until 1960.

Gravestone Picture, Portrait and obituary information are from the website Find a Grave

Dead People Files - Killers of the Flower Moon Connection

 Sometimes when I read nonfiction my genealogy definitely relates to the topic. I have been reading Killers of the Flower Moon with the Sharon Says So Book Club.  I was wondering if any genealogy connections existed.  Some of my ancestors did have a connection to Oklahoma.

I did have a Great Great Grand Aunt that settled in Oklahoma in the early 1900s Abigail Martin. 

My Great Great Grandmother Candance Liston might have made a claim in Oklahoma/Texas in the early 1900. She never resided there.  Her son, John P Liston, also made a homesteading claim too in the same general area.

The closest and not very close connection to Osage/ Oklahoma is Joseph Colburn Pringey. He is a 1st cousin 4 times removed to me. 

Joseph Colburn Pringey or as people called him "Uncle Joe" was a mover and shaker in Oklahoma in the early 1900s. He as a pioneer homesteader, loan and insurance salesman, Postmaster, 4-minute man, Congressman, County Clerk, farmer.

Joseph Pringey homestead near Chandler, Oklahoma when the Sac and Fox lands opened for settlement in 1891. Joseph made the run with his brother, George. Joseph was also a Loan and Insurance Salesman during this time. Joseph was the first Postmaster of Kendrick, Oklahoma. As a Republican he was a member of the Oklahoma Territorial Senate in 1893. Jospeh attended the Republican Nation convention in 1900. Joseph was the County Clerk of Lincoln County, Oklahoma from 1912 to 1920. He was active politically at both the state and national levels. During World War I, he served as a 4 Minute Man Speaker.  He gave 4-minute speeches at theatres, churches, lodges etc. in Oklahoma. These were basically public service announcements about the war. Joseph was elected as a Republican for the 4th District to the 67th Congress. He defeated Tom McKeown a Democrat.  He served on 3 committees, Expenditures in the Department of Labor, Pensions, and Public Buildings and Grounds. Joseph was a strong advocate for compensation for soldiers who had served in World War 1 and called for a tariff to protect the farmer and laborer. Joseph was unsuccessful in his run for the 68th Congress. Tom McKeown won that race. Joseph returned to agricultural pursuits. 

Despite much research, I know very little about Joseph's personal life. Joseph Colburn Pringey was born to George and Effie Pringey in Pennsylvania in 1858.  Colburn is his mother's maiden name and Joseph's middle name. Joseph was one of nine born to this union. Effie was George's second wife. His parents came to Iowa in the late 1860's. The family is shown living in Iowa in the 1870's. Jospeh was educated in rural schools. He attended business college in Sedalia, Missouri in 1870s. Joseph was fairly educated for his time. However, he is quoted as saying he graduated "with distinction from the university of hard knocks" in the Washington Post (June 26, 1921) in an article titled," Present Congress Has Many Distinctive Members". 

Joseph was married three times. He first married Anna Phillips who died in 1884 in Iowa. Then he married Zona Maxson.  Lastly, he married Amanda "Joesphine" Young Harp who was at least 20 years younger than himself. It is known that Josephine and Joseph continued to be involved in local affairs after he lost bid to be reelected to Congress. Jospeh was a Mason, Odd Fellow, and Knight of the Pythias. He died February 11, 1935, of a heart attack. He was interred in Oak Park Cemetery in Chandler, Oklahoma. 

***Connection to Osage Indians and the Reign of Terror

While he probably did not engage directly with the Osage Indians. It is most likely he knew what was happening to the Osage and their headrights. Congress very much thought the Osage were becoming too wealthy because of oil profits.  He was in the House of Representatives during the Osage Reign of Terror where at the very least 24 wealthy Indians were murdered for their headrights. There seemed to be a widespread conspiracy to deprive the Osage of these lucrative headrights. While Osage Indians had headrights to the oil all their wealth was controlled by white guardians. The 4th District of Oklahoma does not include Osage lands.  It is more in the southern part of Oklahoma. Joseph represented the 4th District of Oklahoma in the House of Representatives.

What don't I know about Joseph Pringey?

One of his obituaries mentioned a son and a daughter.  I can find no known record of either. I am curious to see his local obituary and feel like that may shed some light on whether not he was a parent. I also didn't find his last wife Josephine obituary either. There is no mention of children in the census. I would love to know some more personal information about him.

How I am related to Joseph Pringey?

This is where I draw this really great chart. Sometimes charting it out makes me see it clearer. Basically, Joseph Colburn Pringey is a cousin to my 2nd Great Grandmother Candance Pringey Liston.

Resources

David Grann and Killer of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon

 Osage Indian Murders - Wikipedia

Osage Indian Murders - Oklahoma Historical Society

Oklahoma 4th Congressional District - Wikipedia

Joseph Pringey - Oklahoma Historical Society

Dead People Files Project - Women's History Month

I thought because March was Women's History Month, I would highlight my Great Grandmother's.  Why generally the census categorized these women as housewives. There were much more than that. I thought they might have more commonalities. I have not met any of these ladies. Only one was alive when I was born.

Some facts about this group of great grandmothers. Three of them died in their 60's. My Great Grandmother Mollie Hoyt lived until 91.  

3 of these Great Grandmother's had 3 children leaving only one having 2 children.

Below are my Great Grandmother's listed.

Delight Baldwin Lendman 

* The blurb on this card above is a bit misleading. She died in Lancaster Ohio, but her service was in Detroit Michigan, and she was buried in Indiana.  

Burnelle "Nell" Eva Crutcher Ross

Bettie and Burnelle

Lulu Pearl Howard Liston

more information

Joseph Liston, Marvel Hoyt, Lulu Liston, and Devere Hoyt

Mollie Hoyt Hoyt

**** all the blurbs on the name cards are taken from the lifestory feature in Ancestry. The cards are made in Project Life. 

52 Ancestors - Gone too Soon

 I have been participating in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project. The prompt was "Gone Too Soon."  

"Glider Men Shoot Way Out in Wild's" was the headline of Gazette of Cedar Rapid, Iowa on March 19, 1944. Lt Charles Bourck Liston had been in a glider crash.  Two Gliders had crashed in Burma.  The article goes on to tell of their life and death game of hide and seek with the enemy in a nigh chase through the jungle.  Charles was to injure his leg in the crash. They were to walk half mile to the bank of the Chindwin only to hear three shots behind them. Liston said, "we couldn't find anything to make into a raft and Evans and myself were the only person who could swim."  On this day Lt Charles Liston would survive. 

The headline was much different May 2, 1944, "15 Iowa Yanks Missing".  Lt Charles Liston was listed among the missing.

Below is the article that was in the Dallas County News, Adel, IA; Wednesday 14 June 1945. 

" The secretary of war desires to express his deepest regret that your son, First Lieutenant Charles Be Liston, died in Burma, April 2, 1944, a prisoner of the Japanese government. In reports received says your son was captured in Burma March 6th, 1944. Confirming letter follows."

The above telegram was received Monday night by Mrs Minnie Liston, Route 3, Adel from J.A. Adjutant General, and brought untold sadness to the mother and many friend of the young man.

For many months (since April 1944) Mrs Liston had been anxiously awaiting news of her son. At one time a message was received stating that he had been reported missing since March 6th of the same year. Nothing more was heard from then until the wire came Monday. 

Luit Liston, 35, entered the service more than four years ago and was a glider pilot and such saw some thrilling experiences according to the news dispatches from, where he was associated with Jackie Coogan, former movie star. he received his training at Victorville, Cal., was commissioned a second Lieutenant at Bowman Field, KY., and advanced to the first lieutenant after going overseas.

Charles served as a First Lieutenant and Pilot on a Glider, 1st Air Command Force, U.S. Army Air Force during World War 2.

He resided in Los Angeles County, California prior to the war. He was born on Aug 16, 1909, in Union, Iowa to Charles R Liston and Margaret Louise Bourck.  His mother, Margaret, died during childbirth. The mother referenced in the article above is his father's second wife, Minnie who raised him from a very young age. At his family's request Iowa was put on the Tablets of the Missing.

Charles was on a secret mission flying on a Glider on March 6, 1944 into Burma. After landing they were captured by the Japanese and sent to the Rangoon POW camp in Myanmar {Burma). 

Charles died while POW of the Japanese Army at Rangoon. He was awarded the Air Medal, Purple Heart, and the Prisoner of War medal. 

Crew of this Glider

Fletcher E Hart, M/Sgt (survivor)

Charles Liston, 1st Lt , Pilot (MIA)

Julius F Yackie Corp (MIA)

In 1946 Charles' remains were recovered from a burial at the Rangoon POW camp. Tragically, his remains, along with others were being transported from Rangoon to Calcutta, India by a C-47 which crashed on May 17, 1946. Charles remains were not recovered from this crash.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Interesting Fact

Jackie Coogan, actor, who Charles served with during WW2 later played Uncle Fester on 1960s sitcom The Addams Family

________________________________________________________________________________

52 Ancestors - Favorite Photo

The 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks prompt was favorite photo. I am also using this prompt in my dead people files project. See the bottom of post for more information.

Well I don't have a lot of old photos but most of them are scans of photos of the Liston Family, but I always like wedding photos.  The photo below is of Joseph Liston and Lulu Howard.  I have written about Joseph Liston but never his wife Lulu Howard

Lulu Pearl Howard Liston

Lulu was born to Willis and Kimetia Howard on October 16, 1873, in Adams Illinois.  She was the oldest out of 5 children.  The Howard family moved to Cass County Iowa between 1875 and 1880. Lulu came with her parents by covered wagon to Bear Grove Township in Cass County Iowa when she was a small child. The 1880 census has them living in Union, Cass County, Iowa.  Lulu was 7 years old.

Lulu married Joseph Butler Liston on October 24, 1894. Lulu had just turned 21 years old.  Joseph was 29 years old. She was rural schoolteacher prior to her marriage. Joseph was a farmer.

Photo above

Lulu, Joseph ,Marvel, Ronald(sitting) and Velma

Lulu and Joseph had 3 children. The oldest was Velma then Ronald and last but not least was Marvel. Lul's mother, Kimetia,  died in 1915 and in the 1920 and 1930 census Willis Howard, Lulu's father, is living with them.  In the 1930 census, the family is no longer farming, and Joseph is the janitor at the local school. Willis B Howard passes away in 1934.

Lulu would die in Cass County Iowa at age 68 years old, 11 months, and 4 days on September 20, 1942.  The official cause of death was rupture of the stomach. It was also noted that she had breast cancer.  She was buried in Newlons Grove Cemetary outside of Cumberland Iowa.

I am also using this in my Dead People Files Project. I made a simple scrapbook page using project life that contains most of the pertinent biographical information

More information about Joseph Liston, Marvel Hoyt 

Dead People Files Project

I have started a new tradition of choosing a birthday project or a yearlong project. Last year was 50 sunsets and sunrises.  I decided this year to choose a genealogy project.  I am calling it the Dead People Files. 

Goals

Research 13 ancestors and present that information on the blog. I will be using some of the 52 ancestors in 52-week writing prompts. Below is the start of the ancestors that I will for sure be researching. (4/15)

    Lulu Pearl Howard Liston (Hoyt/Liston Tree)

    John Lendman (Lendman Tree)

    Eliza Greene Perkins Doane (Hoyt/Liston Tree)

    John Christian Brenneman (Hoyt/Liston)

    Ida Shadwell Lendman (Lendman)

Do a DNA test on myself - I am interested in learning more about this

Improve my genealogy research - I plan on reading some genealogy books that are from the required reading list from the BYU and Boston University Genealogy programs. I think a good goal would be at least 3 books

Do one genealogy field trip? I think this might be open to interpretation

find a better way to share or present my genealogy research 

write better genealogy stories.

scan more photos and become more proficient in this  

100 days of Creativity - Day 11

I have been working on a long term genealogy project.  I have been working on a way to creatively put all the info I have found together.  Sometimes Photoshop and I don't get along. This takes way longer than I anticipated as well. I decided to create a Photoshop/scrapbook  page for certain ancestors.  I hope to show the completed version soon. Picture is a sneak peek.