52 Ancestors: #36 - Luna Estelle “Lena” Drake Trice (1867 IN – 1938 MO)

Luna Estelle Drake was born in Franklin, Johnson County, Indiana on 20 February 1867.  She didn’t like the idea of being a “moon” and “stars” daughter so she preferred to be called Lena.  Her parents were Josiah Drake and Eva Jane Whitenack Drake and she was the youngest of seven children.  One brother died in infancy.

In most records Lena “lied” about her age, always making herself younger.  In fact in one census record she claimed she was born about 1873.  Unfortunately I have a first grade report card for her in 1874 (I believe).   Also, she is listed in the 1870 census.  Therefore, I know that this birthdate is incorrect.

Lena married Charles Yancy Trice, Jr. about 1891, probably in Indiana.  As I wrote in a previous blog, he had been married before.  Unfortunately, I have been unable to come up with a marriage record for Charles and Lena or a divorce record for Charles and his first wife Paralee, who died in 1893. 

Lena and Charles had three children: Ruth (1892-1901), Helen (1894-1978) and Katherine Elizabeth (1903-1988). 

Lena died in November 1938 in Lamar, Barton County, Missouri and is buried in Lake Cemetery in that town.

If you have any information about this Drake family line or this Trice family line, I'd really like to collaborate with you. 

52 Ancestors: #35 - Charles Yancy Trice, Jr (1853 MO -1915 AR)

Charles Yancy Trice is both a mystery and an open book.  C.Y. Trice was born on 28 October 1853 in Cameron, Clinton County, Missouri.  His parents were Charles Yancy Trice, Sr and Mary Ann Winstead.  C.Y. was the eighth child of fourteen and the fifth son.

He was a promoter, salesman, and land advocate (real estate agent for farm lands).  At least two promotional books, talking about the benefits of purchasing farm land from him in the area he was promoting at the time (Kansas or Missouri), were written.  I have copies of each of them.  [Unfortunately I haven’t taken the time to transcribe them yet.  These are on my to-do list, when I have nothing else to do that is more important at the particular time.]  Charles served as mayor of Lamar, Barton County, Missouri, about 1898 or 1899 for 1 or 2 years. 

When Col. Trice died in 1915 [Col. was an honorary title], he was in Little River County, Arkansas. There were very long obituaries written in the papers in both Ashdown, Arkansas and Lamar, Missouri.  So, this is the area where there is a lot of information. 

So, what’s the mystery?  In both obituaries two wives are mentioned:  Miss Paralee  M. Steen (two children) and Miss Lena Estelle Drake (three children).  C.Y. and Lena raised the two children from his first marriage, and the story in the family was that Paralee died and the two children were left without a mother.  HOWEVER, it appears that C.Y. and Lena were married, or at least had one daughter, before Paralee died in 1893 in Kansas. 

The mystery continues.  There is a marriage record for Charles and Paralee.  There is a death record for Paralee.  I have been unable to find a divorce record for Charles and Paralee AND I have been unable to find a marriage record for Charles and Lena.  Considering that C.Y. had a good relationship with Lena’s father, I am assuming that there was an actual wedding between C.Y. and Lena.  But with first daughter Ruth born in 1891, to Charles and Lena, BUT court documents in El Dorado, Kansas show that Paralee died in 1893, I don’t know exactly what happened when. 

I have LOTS of information and documents on this family, many of them original.  I am definitely willing to share what I have.

SOooo…If you are interested in this family, and this mystery, or can help me solve this mystery, please contact me. 

52 Ancestors: #34 - Katherine Elizabeth Trice Severs (1903 MO – 1899 CA)

Katherine was born in Lamar, Barton County, Missouri in 1903.  Her parents Charles Yancy Trice and Luna Estelle “Lena” Drake Trice had three daughters: Ruth who died at age 10; Helen and Katherine. 

Katherine became a school teacher at age 17 and taught in Geuda Springs, Kansas.  She became a high school principal before she was 21.  She had to stop working when she married Jess Harlan Severs in 1925 in Pittsburg, Crawford County Kansas. 

Katherine, also known as K.T., and Jess had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret.

About 1935 the family of four loaded up a car with everything they owned and drove to California.  They lived in Southern California for the rest of their lives, moving around for some time.  They then settled in El Monte, in a small house filled with books.  Katherine also loved to garden and for many years had over 40 rose bushes in her front yard.  One of her greatest frustrations was that she was unable to watch one sporting event on television (with the sound off), listen to another on the radio, knit and read all at the same time.  She had to choose between knitting and reading.  

Katherine died in 1988 in Los Angeles County, after an illness that was probably accelerated by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. 

If you would like to collaborate on the Severs or Trice family, please let me know.

52 Ancestors: #33 - John Tuley (abt 1780 TN – 1834 IN)

John Tuley was born about 1780 in Tennessee.  In 1808 he probably married Rachel Stephens in Kentucky.  His will was probated in 1834 in Indiana.  I have no further information about Rachel and I don’t know if she died before or after John.

John and Rachel had at least ten children.  Most of the information posted here has not been completely documented, so please continue to research these people.

William Tuley was born about 1810 in Kentucky and died after 1850 in Indiana, probably Spencer County.  He married Rebecca Askins (Oskins) about 1828, probably in Indiana.  I believe they had at least 7 children, one of whom is America Tuley, born about 1847. 

Elizabeth Tuley was born about 1811 in Kentucky.  She died after 1880, probably in Indiana.  Elizabeth married Benjamin Hesson and I have identified 8 children. 

Margaret Tuley was born about 1813 in Kentucky and she married Silas Brown, also in Kentucky.  At this time I know nothing else about this couple.

John M. Tuley was born about 1816 in Kentucky and died before 1900, probably in Indiana.  John married Nancy Hesson about 1836 in Indiana.  I believe they had at least 6 children.  Nancy died about 1851.  John then married Zepora Beth Agan (numerous spellings of first and last names), in 1853 in Spencer County, Indiana and they had four children.

James Monroe Tuley was born about 1816 and married Jane Elizabeth Pierce.  They each have their own blog posting on this site.

Martha Tuley was born about 1819 in Kentucky.  She died before 1910, probably in Indiana.  I believe that Martha married Levi Hale about 1863.  No further information is known about this couple at this time.

Mary Tuley was born about 1821 in Kentucky.  About 1841 she married William Wiatt (Wyatt) Crooks in 1841 in Spencer County, Indiana.  I believe they had one son about 1842.  Mary died after 1880, but William died at an earlier date.

Samuel Tuley was born about 1823 in Kentucky and he died sometime after 1870 in Indiana.  Samuel married Nancy Mariah Grigsby in 1849 in Indiana.  Nothing more is known about this couple at this time.

Eliza Jane Tuley was born about 1826 in Indiana.  She married Silas Bridges about 1841.  Eliza and Silas had at least 4 children.  Eliza died in the early 1850s, and Silas then married Harriet Hesson.  I have not researched any more in this line at this time.

America Tuley was born about 1828 in Indiana.  She married Alfred Milton Hesson in 1845 in Spencer County, Indiana.  They had at least 7 children.  I don’t know if Alfred died during the war.  America died after 1910. 

As you may have noticed many Tuley siblings married members of the Hesson family.  I have not researched the Hessons yet so I don’t know how or if they are related.

If you are interested in working with me researching this family, I would really like to collaborate.