Duchess of Weaselskin

Bayfield, Colorado - My buddy, David, took this magnificent picture of the moose he spotted on his way into Bayfield, Colorado. The moose was sighted north of Cool Water Ranch, on County Road 501, between Vallecito Reservoir and Bayfield, Colorado.

The winds started blowing in this Southwest corner of Colorado on a cloudy Sunday, !8 March 2012 with the beginning of rain, graupel and snow, but the snow did not start accumulation until after 3PM. Overnight Wolf Creek Pass accumulated over 12 inches of snow while at the north end of Vallecito Reservoir we measured almost 3 inches at over 7800 elevation. Looks like rain, thunderstorms and tornado watches were heading towards Oklahoma and Texas with possible flooding near Dallas area.

We continue with our "History of Women" and their legacy of Suffrage, Rights for Women. We also include more history of Highland County, Virginia and Lord Dunmore's War of 1774 and the Battle of Guilford and what part our 4th great grandfather, Capt. David Gwin, played in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. There is also mention of the Virginia Militia that followed Gen. Washington into battle during the Revolution War.

Tell the GOP, "Stop the War On Women!"
Good Night & Good Luck! Think Globally! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

100 Years Ago Today - March 19, 1912

America - Tuesday morning, March 19, 1912, The Bisbee Daily Review had this political cartoon by John T. McCutcheon, displayed on the frontage with the headlines reading "The Siege of the Suffragets, Will Mr. Asquith Surrender?."

Besides the "Siege Of Suffragets," other headlines one hundred years ago was the story of the "Allen Gang Still At Large." Who were the Allen Gang and what did they do? It seems they were some sort of Viginia bandits, charged with murder, led by Sid. Next to the article was a picture of a courthouse scene of crime and a portrait of Judge T. L. Massie, who was killed by Virginia Feudists. Hillsville, Carroll county, Virginia, was described as a little town at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, was the morning scene of the crime which crosses the border line of lawlessness and enters into the realms of anarchy.

Hillsville, Va., March 18, 1912 -- With the exception of the two arrested on the day of the Carroll county murders, the Allen gang are still free and very much alive. After a day of reconnoitering on part of the state forces night found the the outlaws with their followers still safely hidden near Devil Den, on the east of the Blue Ridge range. After a day's scouting on the part of the mountaineer detectives and the posse of deputy sheriffs it was acknowledged that the murderers and their supporters could remain in the thickly wooded mountains indefinitely, and that their capture dead or alive was likely to be accomplished only by patient and tedious efforts.

Yet the outlaws were still moving about with extraordinary daring. Instead of remaining in their stronghold on the crest of the mountain near the North Carolina line, the Allens, led by Sid, dropped down out of the mountain cover and it was said visited the house of Jack Allen, in the Fancy Gap region. Sid Edwards, a member of the Gang, showed up in the open. A posse of 14 detectives struck his trail in the foothills. SEveral members of the searching party followed the trail toward the summit. The hunting party when last heard from was about 18 miles from town.

Met At Jack Allen's

Jack Allen, at whose home the outlaws met, was a brother of Floyd and Sid. He had the reputation of being the most dangerous Allen of the lot. The Baldwin-Felts detectives heard that this meeting of the Allens at Jack's was a conference for the purpose of determining a plan of action. This conference was supposed to have been going on at the very moment that the posse was advancing on Sid Allen's home, only to find it deserted. If the posse had continued on to Jack Allen's, a few miles farther up the mountain, they would have stumbled upon the gang.

The Baldwin-Felts detectives were as familiar with the mountains as the Allens themselves. It is a case of mountaineer against mountaineer, and for this reason a alone no pitched battle was looked for. The detectives would continue cautiously on their quest, if possible, picking off one member of the gang at a time.

There was talk of the states of Virginia, Tennessee and NOrth carolina co-operating by throwing a militia guard about the Devil's Den region, but this would be an enormous undertaking and would probably be resented by many mountaineers not followers of the Allen family.

Landed In Roanoke Jail

Roanoke, Va., March 18, 1912 -- Floyd Allen, Victor Allen and Bud Marion were in the Roanoke jail, each in a separate cell. Floyd Allen was under guard, the authorities fearing he might attempt to take his life. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NW Okie's Corner

Bayfield, Colorado - This week I received a couple of cemetery stone markers that marks the grave in Warm Springs at Ft. Dinwiddie, Virginia (0n the left) and the "Old Lebanon" or "Craig Cemetery" (on the right). The image on the left shows what seems to be the following: "John Andrew, C. of W. & Eliza A. Warwick, 1st Lt. Co. G. 11. VA. Cav., Rosser's Brigade A. N. Va., Mar. 30, 1837, May 29, 1900, By Faith we are saved.

The image on the right shows what seems to be the surname of McLaughlin on the top of the stone (which I can not make out to well in the photo) with the wording on face as , "The devoted husband, affectionate father, useful citizens. Born Feb. 20th, 1787, Died March 24, 1858l Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace."

Gerald McLaughlin mentioned in the email, "A son of Jane Erwin supposedly. Was Judge Wm.'s father. He was the surveyor for Rockbridge. They lived near Bell's Valley. This cemetery is referred to as old Lebanon or the Craig cemetery."

1805 Inheritance Dispute In Virginia

We all know of some families that had family disputes over inheritance, land at some time. There was this interesting case in the early 19th century (1805) that was found in the Scotch-Irish settlement, in Virginia extracted from the original court records of Augusta county 1745-1800 circuit court records, Section "I," judgments page 101.

In the 1805 court case in Augusta County, Index number: 1814-052, Case #: 70, Jennet Sloan (1765-1810 in Bath Co., VA.) appears to be a widow with daughter Polly listed as daughter of John Sitlington (brother of Andrew Sitlington). Jennet and Polly were legattees of John's brother Andrew Sitlington. It was Sitlington Heirs vs. Sitlington's Widow--O. S. 79; N. S. 27--Bill, 3d December, 1805. (might also have been referred to as the Kelso v. Sitlington).

Orators were viz: James Kelso, and Elizabeth, his wife; John Young and Polly, his wife; Nathan Crawford and Jane, his wife; Jennet Sitlington Sloan; Andrew Beaty and Agness, his wife; Edward McLaughlin and Jane, his wife (of whom Elizabeth, Polly, Jane Crawford, Jennet and Agness are the daughters) and Jane Erwin is granddaughter of John Sitlington, deceased.

John was brother of whole blood of Andrew Sitlington, of Bath, Vriginia. Andrew died 1804 without issue, his widow and second wife, Elizabeth Warwick Sitlington. Andrew Sitlington made a Will, dated 1801. This 1805 suit above was to contest Andrew's Will on account of his inability by age and infirmity. Andrew had written to his brother John Sitlington in Ireland to come to Virginia. Andrew had married Elizabeth Warwick (her second husband) when aged. Defendants were viz: Elizabeth Sitlington (2nd wife, widow of Andrew), Jacob Warwick, Andrew Sitlington Warwick (son of Robert Sitlington), John Montgomery, and Andrew Erwin. Jacob Warwick answers that oratrix, Jane McLaughlin, is niece of Andrew Sitlington, who is understood to have had a half-sister, Mrs. Sherman, living in Pennsylvania at his death.

Andrew Sitlington had married the mother of Jacob Warwick. Andrew's widow, Elizabeth, answers that John Sitlington had a son, Robert, now living in Bath, Virginia. James Erwin was brother of Jane McLaughlin. Andrew Sitlington died 15th April, 1804. He was in his mid-80's. John Sitlington came to this country in 1774. Andrew and Elizabeth were married in 1779 when Andrew was in his 60's. Andrew Sitlington's Will dated 12th October, 1801.

The Will was proved in Bath County, Virginia, June, 1804. Wife Elizabeth; legatee Gean Crawford, wife of Nathan Crawford; Legatee Andrew Sitlington Crawford, son of Nathan; Legatee Jennet Sloan and her daughter, Polly Sloan; Legatee Polly Young, wife of John Young; Legatee Agness Beaty, wife of Andrew Beaty; Legatee Elizabeth Kelso, wife of James Kelso; Legatee Elizabeth Sitlington Kelso, daughter of Elizabeth Kelso, Legatee nephew, James Erwin. Legatee nephew, Andrew Erwin; Legatee niece Jean McGloughlin, wife of Edward, and her son, Andrew McGloughlin; Legatee Andrew Sitlington McDonald, son of Samuel; Legatee Elizabeth McDonald, daughter of John; Legatee Elizabeth McDonald, daughter of Samuel; Legatee Andrew Sitlington Warwick, son of Jacob; Legatee Andrew Sitlington, son of Robert.

There was also a letter by Andrew Sitlington to John Sitlington dated Greenbrier, 25 September 1776, in which Andrew speaks of brother William (in Pennsylvania), and brother Thomas, of sister Elizabeth.

Sources:

1. Census 1810: Bath Co. VA. pg 438[Jane Sloan, 00010 00011 00]
2. Scotch-Irish Settement in Va. Vol.1-3 Lyman Chalkely, 1912, Vol 2,pg101 subref: 3 Dec 1805, Sitlington Heirs vs. Siltington's Widow - O.S. 79; N.S. 27 -Bill [Jennet Sloan]
3. Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants, (Electronic card file), "Electronic," [land entry]
4. Tax list, Virginia, 1780, Augusta Co. Va. (Website with Image of list), [Jenny Slone widow, pg. 13, 006].

Highland County Virginia - Dunmore War & Revolution

Highland County, Virginia - In chapter 10, page 100, The History of Highland County, by Oren F. Morton, deals with The Dunmore War of 1774, Battle of Point Pleasant, the Revolution, Augusta Men in the War and slight outward change under Independence. From 1764 until 1774 there was a nominal peace with the Indians. It was the summer of 1774 that persistent pressure of the white settlers led to outrages as war broke out. Governor Dunmore led a force down the Ohio from Wheeling, while General Andrew Lewis, with militia of the Valley re-enforced by a few troops from Bedford and Culpepper, marched down the Great Kanawha, reaching Point Pleasant early in October.

In the army of Lewis there were 1,100 strong, were four companies from the counties of Bath, Highland and Pendleton. The Captains commanding them were John Dickenson of Bath, Andrew Lockridge and Samuel Wilson of Highland, and John Skidmore of Pendleton. The Virginia forces were divided, the Indians attempted to surprise and overwhelm Lewis, but did not succeed. The influence on the Revolution broke out the following year. The battle at Point Pleasant was well contested on both sides, with fighting almost hand to hand, the lines being seldom more than twenty mile apart, and sometimes no more than six. The Virginians lost 75 men killed and 140 wounded, with the slightly injured not apparently being included. The numbers and losses of the Indians were unknown, but were probably somewhat smaller in both particulars. The result at the close of day was thought by some of the whites as no better than a drawn battle. The Indians were disheartened, agreed to peace which lasted until they were stirred up by the British in 1778. Lewis' army returned in November.

Captain Wilson was killed and Captain Skidmore was wounded. The following extracts were written on the spot by men who were in the battle, which they furnished accounts of the first great battle in which Highland men were engaged, giving us some idea of the writing of that period. It comes from Col. William Fleming's Orderly Book.

Col. William Fleming's Orderly Book

Monday, October both (1774) -- "This morning before sunrise two men came running into Camp and gave information That a considerable body of Indians were incept about 2 miles up the Ohio a small distance from it, who made a very formidable appearance. This important intelligence was quickly confirmed by two or three more. The drums by order immediately beat to Arms and 150 men were ordered to be paraded out of each line and march against the enemy in two Columns. The right column headed by Col. Chas. Lewis with Captains Dickinson, Harrison, and Skidmore. The left Column commanded by Col. Fleming with Captains Shelby Russell Love and Buford. Thus disposed, they marched pretty briskly about 150 to 200 yards apart up the river about half a mile when, on a sudden, the enemy lurking behind bushes and trees gave the Augusta line a heavy fire, which was briskly followed by a second and third and returned again by our men with much bravery and courage. The attack was attended with the death of some of our bravest officers and men also with the deaths of a great number of the enemy. Nor were the enemy less tardy in their attack upon the left Column; for immediately after the fire upon the right line succeeded a heavy one on the left and a return from us with spirit and resolution. As the disposition in which the men were first placed would never promise success against an Indian Enemy the men were forced to quit their ranks and fly to trees in doing this the enemy made a small advance and forced our men of both lines to retreat the distance of perhaps one or two hundred yards under heavy fires attended with dismal yells and screams from the enemy. About this time we were succoured (sic) with a detachment from the camp commanded by Captains Mathews McDowell and others of the Augusta line and some time afterwards by all the Captains of each line except Capt. McClenshan of Augusta, who was upon guard and Captain Lewis of Botecourt , who was ordered to form a line round the camp for its defense. With the reinforcement front the camp, our men found their strength much increased and making a fierce onset forced the enemy from their stations and caused them to retreat by degrees about a mile giving them many brisk fires and hitting many of the leading men as was imagined. We at last with difficulty dislodged them from a fine long ridge leading from a small slash (swamp) near the river towards the hills and being discontinued by a small wet bottom again rose and was continued to the hills half a mile or more from the river. This advantageous post was gained about 1 o'clock all the efforts of the enemy to regain it proved rustles. Tho' they would summon all the force they could raise and make many pushes to break the line; the advantage of the place and the steadiness of the men defied their most furious essays. About 3 or 4 o'clock the enemy growing quite dispirited and all the attempts of their warriors to rally them proving vain they carried off their dead and wounded, giving us now and then a shot to prevent a pursuit; so that about an hour by sun we were in full possession on the field of Battle. Victory having now declared in our favor we had orders to return in slow pace to our camp carefully searching for the dead and wounded and to bring them in, as also the scalps of the enemy. The day being by this time far advanced with [out] any written orders double guards were ordered to be mounted. Parole Victory. Killed of the Augusta line in the action on the 10th of October, 1774, Col. Chas. Lewis, Capt. Saml Wilson and Lieuts. Hugh Allen, and 18 Privates, 2 Capts., 2 Lieuts. and 51 Private wounded."

Extract of Letter by W. Ingles

"Our guards properly posted at a distance from the camp as usual little expecting to be attacked by any party of enemy as we looked upon them to be so much inferior to us in numbers, but they taking the advantage of the night they crossed the Ohio on rafts and posted themselves within one mile of our camp where they lay till morning with an intent as we suppose to force our camp had not providence in a particular manner interposed in our behalf they were discovered by some of our hunting parties that happened to turn out that morning very early and one of our men was fired upon by them and killed and one of them was killed in his place that firing alarmed the whole camp and two detachments was sent out of a hundred and fifty each, the one commanded by Col. Charles Lewis of Augusta the other by Col. William Fleming the soon fell in with the enemy and a hot engagement ensued which lasted three hours very doubtful the enemy being much superior in number to the first detachments disputed the ground with the creates obstinacy often running up to the very muzzles of our guns where they as often fell victims to their rage. Several more detachments being sent from the camp they were obliged to give ground which the disputed inch by inch till at length they posted themselves on an advantage piece of ground where they continued at shooting now and then until night put an end to that tragical scene and left many a brave fellow wallering in his gore. We had the satisfaction of caring of all our wounded and killed with very little lose of scalps. We scalped 20 (17) of them on the field several they have scalped themselves their wounded the y carried off in the night after the Battle and several of them they dragged into the river. (Our) loss of men is very considerable."

Letter of Col. Wm. Christian

"From what I can gather here I cannot describe the bravery of the enemy in the battle. It exceeded every mans expectations. They had men planted on each river to kill our men as they would swim over, making no doubt I think of gaining a complete victory. Those over the Ohio in the time of battle called to the men to drive the white dogs in. Their chiefs ran continually along the line exhorting the meant o lye close and shoot well, fight and be strong. At first our men retreated a good ways and until new forces were sent out on which the enemy beat back slowly and killed and wounded our men at every advance. Our people at last formed a line, so did the enemy, they made may attempts to break our lines, at length our men made a stand, on which the enemy challenged them to come up and began to shoot. Our men could have forced them away precipitately, but not without great loss, and so concluded to maintain their ground all along the line. Which they did until sundown, when the enemy were supposed to be all gone. Our people then moved backward scalping the enemy, and bringing in the dead and wounded. The enemy came over on rafts about six miles up Ohio and set at the same place. They encamped within two miles of this place the night before the battle and killed some of our beeves (sic)."

War of Revolution

The war of the revolution began only half a year after the battle of Point Pleasant. The pioneers of Highland were zealous supporters of the American cause. The war was fought by the Americans to gain industrial freedom and to maintain their rights as British citizens. They acknowledged themselves to be subjects of the king of England, but held that they could rightfully be taxed only by their own legislatures. If this claim were given up, the door was at once open to injustice and oppression. The colonies rapidly grew, and in consequence it was the more intolerable that they should be expected to keep out of manufacturing, trade only with England, and be content to exchange the raw products of their fields and forests with the finished products of her workshops. The claims of the Americans did not necessarily lead to independence. This step was resorted to and accomplished because of the blind obstinacy of the British king. Canada, Australia, and South AFrica remain British because the home government learned wisdom from the lesson of 1783.

On 22 February 1775, the Augusta people wrote instructions, drawn up at Staunton, and given to their delegates to the House of Burgesses: "The people of Augusta are impressed with just sentiments of loyalty to his majesty, King George, whose title to the crown of Great Britain rests on no other foundation than the liberty of all his subjects. We have respect for the parent state, which respect is founded on religion, on law, and on the genuine principles of the British constitution. On these principles do we earnestly desire to see harmony and good understanding restored between Great Britain and America. many of us and our forefathers left our native land and explored this once savage wilderness to enjoy the free exercise of the rights of conscience and of human nature. These rights war are fully resolved with our lives and fortunes inviolably to preserve; nor will we surrender such inestimable blessings, the purchase of toil and anger, to any ministry, to any parliament, or any body of en by whom we are not represented, and in whom we are not represented, and in whose decisions, therefore, we have not voice. We are determined to maintain unimpaired that liberty which is the fight of Heaven to the subjects of Britain's empire, and will most cordially join our countrymen in such measures as may be necessary to secure and perpetuate the ancient, just, and legal rights of this colony and all British subjects."

A Memorial presented May 16, 1776, from County Committee: "A representation from the committee of the county of Augusta was presented to the convention and read, setting forth the present unhappy condition of the country, and from the ministerial measures of revenge now pursuing, representing the necessity of making a confederacy of the United States, the most perfect, independent, and lasting, and of framing an equal, free, and liberal government, that may bear the trial of all future ages."

The British government closed the port of Boston to foreign commerce; Augusta went 137 barrels of flour toward the relief of the people of the northern city; and the Augustans also backed up their words with bullets. men at that time or later were residents of Highland served in Washington's army. They also helped to guard the western frontier against the Indian allies of the British. It was the Highland volunteers under Captain David Gwin (NW OKie's 4th Great Grandfather) that marched to the support of General Greene in 1781 and took part in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Gen. Greene's Virginia militia fought well. On the field of Guilford the raw Virginians helped very much in making the nominal victory of Cornwallis a crashing defeat in reality. The war had never been popular with the English people. Even before the surrender of Cornwallis, William Pitt on the floor of Parliament had pronounced it the "most accursed, wicked, barbarous, cruel, unnatural, unjust, and diabolical of wars."

The last Augusta court under King George was held May 1, 1776. The first one under American independence was held July 16, 1776. The native governor lived in state like his British predecessor and signed land patents just as he had done. The man signing a bond was no longer "indebted to the king," but to "His excellency, the governor." The Virginia constitution of 1776 was no more than a restatement of the source of virginia law. The structure of society was in fact no more democratic and no less aristocratic the it was before. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Pauline Garfield Bush - 1913 Suffragets

America - In The Day Book, dated 11 February 1913, Chicago, Illinois, page 20, there was a picture of a "Western girl you love in the movies was a sure-enough suffragette." Who was this western girl we loved in the movies? How and when did she become a suffragette? She was known other than Pauline Garfield Bush, in character and in life.

Santa Barbara, Ca., Feb. 11, 1913 -- Pauline Garfield Bush was an ardent suffragette, believing woman can and should do just anything a man can do. That is, she thinks a woman's brain and ability ranks right alongside, not a few feet behind a man's. It was reported this was "going some" for a real sure enough actress whose life had been spent wearing beautiful clothes and winning the plaudits of an admiring public.

Maybe this notion of hers was the reason Miss Bush left the Los Angeles Belasco stock company to join the American Film company at Santa Barbara, California. She was back then the leading lady doing pretty much everything the men in the company attempted to do. Any doubts of just hoe popular Miss Bush had grown, it was only necessary to listen to some of the comments of the young men and the exclamations of the girls when Miss Bush came into the picture at the nickel show, with shouts of "Oh, I just one her!" and "There's my girl!"

Pauline Garfield Bush was 5 feet 4-½ inches tall; weighed 130 pounds; had brown hair and grey eyes. Her parents were English, but Pauline proudly announced herself to be a Californian. In a recent picture of 1913, she played opposite to Warten Kerrigan, and Miss Bush dared a hazardous riding stunt. The way it looked was when Kerrigan, riding at full gallop, swept past her, grabbed her by one arm and swung her onto the saddle behind him, without slacking his speed.

In reality Kerrigan didn't do all the work or take all the chance. Miss Bush stood ready to leap, and the minute he caught her arm she jumped toward the horse, practically lifting herself into the saddle. It took the ability which she says women as well as men possess to play her part in the difficult scene.

That scene was in "The Road To Success." Some of her other picots were: "The Girl of the Mnaor," "The Power of Love," "Nell of the Pampus," and "Maiden and Men." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1913 English Militant Suffragets

England - This photograph was taken especially for The Day Book, dated October 20, 1913, by photographer Van Oeyen, shows Mrs. Emmeline (Goulden) Pankhurst (15 July 1858-14 June 1928), the great leader, British political activist of the English militant suffragets, being quizzed by Untied States immigration officials on board the French line La Provence, on which she came to America.

It was a result of this examination that Mrs. Pankhurst was detained at Ellis Island. The lower picture was a snapshot of Mrs. Pankhurst, still smiling and still defiant, as she stood on the dock at Ellis Island. It was a most characteristic portrait of the womb who was being hailed as the "Moses of the Mothers."

Emmeline Pankhurst was named in 1999, in the Time as, "she shaped an idea of women for our time; she shook society into a new pattern from which there could be no going back." Emmeline was raised in Moss Side, Manchester, England by politically active parents. She was introduced at the age of 8 to the women's suffrage movement.

In 1878 Emmeline Gouldn married Richard Pankhurst, a barrister 24 years her senior known for supporting women's right to vote. They had five children over the next ten years. He also supported her activities outside the home, and she quickly became involved with the Women's Franchise League, which advocated suffrage for women. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1912 - The Baby New Year Is A Suffraget

America - The following cartoon appeared in The Day Book, Chicago, Ill, 1 January 1912, page 32, reading EXTRA!! The Baby New Year Is A Suffraget!" There is picture on the doctor's wall showing a women suffragette holding a sign that read "Vote's for Women," while a nurse is a woman is holding Miss 1912 and "father time" proclaims, "Well! Well! If It isn't a girl!" Meanwhile Doc 1911 is walking out the door in the background exclaiming, "Huh! What do they expect on leap year!" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

The Pioneering Feminist

America - Most everyone should remember Gloria Steinem, born in Toledo, Ohio, a freelance writer after college, who grew more engaged in the women's movement, feminism. Steinem was a social activist, writer, editor and lecturer and an outspoken champion of women's rights.

Steinem was considered a "Pioneering Feminist" (or Bio-neer instead of Pioneer). Steinem became more engaged in the women's movement after reporting on an abortion hearing given by the radical feminist group known as the Redstockings. Steinem expressed her feminist views in such essays as "After Black Power, Women's Liberation."

Steinem believed that a strong self-image to be crucial to creating change. She explained to People magazine, We need to be long-distance runners to make a real social revolution. And you can't be a long-distance runner unless you have some inner strength." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe