Letters 9/18/2020
NOTE: Donations to the Conewago cemetery fund should be mailed to: Low Dutch Cemeteries Improvement Fund
c/o Alan Weaner
145 Weaner Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325
email: arwcbw@gmail.com—————————————————————————————————
SENT BY: Marilyn Westerfield: (Fri Sept 18)
For all those following on Facebook and especially all those who have been so fervently praying for us, the news today is not the news I was so waiting to hear. For now they are keeping Charlie comfortable and I am still putting this all in God’s hands. Whatever is His will, all will be well, and Charlies’s Destination is already Assured, so we can rejoice in that!If I don’t respond to messages please know that I do receive them with a heart overflowing with gratitude.——————————————————————
SENT BY: Our president for 2020/21, Tamara Fulkerson
Dear Cousins,I am so sad to hear of our Charlie Westerfield’s fight with COVID19. Charlie is such a dedicated worker for Dutch Cousins! Please know that he and all of you are in my heartfelt prayers for safety, health and recovery! I have good news to give you about our cousin Malcolm Banta! He had a terrible fall 6 months ago on March 3rd. He is not yet 100% and is still at the James Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, FL. He says the good news is that “instead of not being able to move any arms or legs I can now stand up and shuffle 80 to 160’ at a time.” He’s becoming more independent and hopes to be home in 6-8 weeks. “Things are getting much better.” He is able to use his “hands and fingers to poke at the screen” and texts using his voice. He said that he’s at about 60% of normal at this point with hands and feet. He keeps trying to improve. Please keep Charlie and Malcolm in your prayers! I hope and pray to be able to see everyone at next year’s gathering (September 2021). If you could, please check in to let us know how you are doing. ——————————————————————
SENT BY: Mary L. Quinn Bermke
Thanks so much for your Dutch newsletters. I enjoyed meeting you and all the other Banta cousins in Kentucky. Thanks for all you do. Hope when this pandemic is over that you will think about the trip to NY and NJ as my direct relatives are from there. We moved from NJ in 1952 to FL and the rest of the Banta clan moved to Connecticut so we used to go there to visit them all time. I am a direct descendant of the first born Banta boy and my mother, Mildred Ruth Banta, and her sisters broke that chain because there only brother never married or had children as far as we know. I wish we were related to your Kentucky Banta’s, though because you have so much history. MaryMy artwork and photography is at Fine Art America now: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/mary-bermke/shop and Franklin Uptown Gallery and from Mary.Mary lives in Franklin, NC and is a BANTA descendant. She designs unique jewelry, handmade greeting cards along with various paper crafts and her very own version of watercolor painting. Mary says, ‘Expressing my creativity through ‘everything art’ has always been my passion. ——————————————————————
SENT BY: Gary M. Dunn
In this newsletter, Curt Biehn wanted to know if anyone had a picture of Captain Stagg; I’m also a descendant of James Stagg and I do have a charcoal sketch of his daughter, Anna Stagg Dunn, which I would share. I also have some other information about Captain Stagg but I do not have Mr. Biehn’s email address. If you would, please forward this email to him and I’ll share what I have. Also, continued thanks for the newsletters and I enjoy reading each article. ——————————————————————
SENT BY: Jim Cozine of Las Vegas
Re the Black Cozines in KYI tried to work with a number of folks on the Corzine to Cozine lines back when I was active – but even after telcons and sending the work that I had done on these lines that came thru North East Texas – no one shared with me any new data aside from the comment that many of these folks were light skinned ..it was a one way effort.I still think that the Black Cozines found in the KY records came from the emancipated slaves of the widow of John C Cozine Jr ( Martha) in Washington Co — ( but can’t prove it)I had hoped that the ‘History of the Slave Trade’ by Judy Cassidy would answer that — instead I leaned about some sad & bad things. ( if you don’t have a copy I’m sure Judy would share it)All the best to all the cousins – Jim Cozine——————————————————————
SENT BY: Preston Forsythe
We are so sorry to hear about Charlie and his son. We met Charlie at a Westerfield family reunion in Frankfort, KY, a few years ago. A very friendly guy. We are relatives as both from Ohio County, KY. My Mother was the daughter of Jay Westerfield, outside of Beaver Dam, KY.We are pulling for you, Charlie, Mike and Marilyn.
Preston and Shari Forsythe, Muhlenberg Co., KY.——————————————————————
SENT BY: Eddie PriceThanks for letting me know, Carolyn. I am sure praying he gets better!
Eddie————————————————————————-
—-SENT BY: Mr. Lyn Rogers
For newsletter, if you think appropriate:
Effort on the Abraham Smock Bible continues; meanwhile, the John Robert Smock Bible appeared. Attached is the current transcript revision and images of the handwritten pages, prior to combining into one PDF file in a few days.
Regards, Mr Lynn Rogers, lynncr@woh.rr.com
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SENT BY: Carolyn (herself)
The news about Charlie is just devastating to all of us. So hard to believe this terrible disease could strike him down so quickly and unexpectedly. Our hearts are aching for Marilyn and their son Mike. We are still praying for a miracle.
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SENT BY: Mr. Lyn Rogers
John Robert Smock (1807 Mercer Co KY – Johnson Co IN – 1869 Benton Co IA)
& Mary Voorhies (1807 – 1892)
Bible Family Records
Revised yyyymmdd.hhmm = 20200917.1010
p.1
FAMILY RECORD
Births
John R. Smock was born May the 5 th A.D. 1807
Mary Voorhies was born May the 15 th A.D. 1807
James Thomas Smock was born September 22 nd A.D. 1830
Rachel Covert Smock was born April the 27 th A.D. 1832
Abram Brewer Smock was born August the 3 rd A.D. 1834
David Henry Smock was born October the 13 th A.D. 1836
Hannah Jane Smock was born November the 30 th A.D. 1838
Deaths
John Sydney died August 28 th 1844
David Henry Smock dec’d July 26 1851
George S. Covert died Nov 2 nd 1859
Emma Jane Covert died May 10 th 1862
p.2
FAMILY RECORD
Births
John Sydney Smock was born March 28 th A.D. 1841
Martha Ann Smock was born May 18 1845
Emma Jane Covert was born Dec 2 nd 1858
Kate Lagrange was born July 1, 1842
Deaths (NA)
p.3
FAMILY RECORD
Marriages
John R. Smock and Mary Voorhies was married September the 15 th A.D. 1829 by the Rev Jeremiah Hillis
James Thomas Smock and Margaret M. Greeg was married March 26 th 1856 by Rev P.S. Cleland
Rachel C. Smock was married to George S. Covert April 2 nd A.D. 1857 by Rev P.S. Cleland
Hannah Jane Smock was married to Wm T. Bogart November 18 th A.D. 1858 by Rev P.S. Cleland
Abram B. Smock was married to Kate Lagrange September 14 th 1859 by Rev P.S. Cleland
Martha Ann Smock was married to Wm H. Brewer January 25 th 1866 by the Rev P.S. Cleland
p.4
MARRIAGES
William C. Smock and Melissa A. Smock were married December 6 1860 by Rev A. C. Allen
Henry Schurmann and Eva Smock were married January 12 1881
Harry E. Smock and Harriet Walden Vananodal were married November 5 1911
Harry E. Smock died June 24 1914 – 3 am in Franklin Indiana (“died June 24 1914 – 3 am in Franklin Indiana” lined thru)
p.5
BIRTHS
William C. Smock was born December 3 rd 1838
Melissa A. Smock was born September 18 1844
Eva L. Smock was born December 21 1860
Laura Smock was born December 28 1863
Harry Smock was born January 12 1865
Infant son unnamed July 11 1867, died same day
Herbert A. Smock was born July 10 1868
William C. Smock Jr was born 26 February 1872
p.6
DEATHS
Laura Smock died January 12 1864
Unnamed son died July 11 1867
Herbert A. Smock died March 4 1889
William C. Smock Jr died August 12 1892
William C. Smock died April 23, 1910 at Indianapolis Ind.
Harry E. Smock died June 24 1904 in Franklin Ind.
Melissa A. Smock died Friday, July 12, 1918 at Franklin, Ind. (barely legible on the copy at ISL)
The above is a transcript of photocopies of six pages in the Smock Family folder in the Pamphlet Cabinets of the Genealogy Division, Indiana State Library, 315 W. Ohio St. Indianapolis IN, https://www.in.gov/library/genealogy.htm, 317-232-3689. The location of the original Bible is presently unknown.
Beginning with the info in the above transcript, and finding some additional info from the web, leads to the following:
John Robert Smock (05 May 1807 Mercer Co KY – Johnson Co IN – 17 Feb 1869 Benton Co IA) m 12 Sep 1829 Johnson Co IN to Mary (Polly) Voorhies (15 May 1807 Mercer Co KY – 15 Sep 1892 Cherokee Co IA)
The parents of John Robert Smock are probably: James Smock (28 Sep 1783 Conewago, PA – 9 Feb 1830 Greenwood, IN) and Charity Brewer (3 SEP 1789 Mercer Co KY – 18 May 1860 Rochester, Fulton Co IN)
The parents of James Smock are probably: John Smock (03 Jun 1739 Somerset Co NJ – 01 Jul 1812 Mercer Co KY) and Sara Fonteyn (19 Apr 1741 Somerset Co NJ – 23 Jun 1818 Mercer Co KY)
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