Alex Clay Witham & HC Witham

This is a photo of Alex Clay Witham. If you remember from an earlier post, Alex Clay is the son of Francis Calvin Witham and his first wife, Martha.

This picture is from Becky Bucalo, Alex Clay Witham's great granddaughter. We've found a few other photos where we weren't sure if it was Alex Clay or not, but this is the first photo we have found that is definitely Alex Clay.

Alex Clay Witham is on the right (from our perspective). The photo was labeled with "Dad" underneath Alex Clay's photo. It was labeled by Adlee Witham, daughter to Alex Clay and grandmother to Becky Bucalo.

The back of the photo gives us a clue as to who the other gentleman is. The back of the photo is labeled: "A.C. Witham" and "H.C. Witham".

We're not positive, but we think the other gentleman may be Henry Clay Witham. We think he may be a cousin to Alex Clay, but we're not for sure.

If you have any more information on this photo, please leave a comment below or email me.

Barbara Jean Smith Burress - Obituary

Charlene Smith, Aunt Myrtle's daughter, just shared some bad news that I wanted to pass along. I'm sorry to have to report that Barbara Jean Smith Burress, Aunt Mary (Witham) and Uncle Earl Smith's oldest child passed away Tuesday, December 14. 

You can find her obituary online here: 

http://barbara-burress.last-memories.com/

Barbara J. Burress, 79, of Decatur, IL passed away at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Dec. 14, 2010) at Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Private family visitation will be from 1:00-2:00 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 18, 2010) at Dawson & Wikoff North Chapel with graveside services immediately following at Windsor Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to Donor's Choice. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.dawson-wikoff.com.

Mrs. Burress was born on July 28, 1931 in Pisgah, IL, the daughter of Earl and Mary (Witham) Smith. She retired in 1990 as a L.P.N. at Decatur Memorial Hospital. She married Dennis R. Burress on June 22, 1974.

Surviving are her husband: Dennis R. Burress of Decatur, IL; son: Glenn Davis of Decatur, IL; daughter: Deborah Woltz of Decatur, IL; step children: Tina (Chip) Northrop of Altamont, IL, Robin Burress of Decatur, IL, Devin Burress of West Palm Beach, FL and John Burress of Orlando, FL; brother: John (Rheta) Smith of Jacksonville, IL; sister: Mary Louise Doolin of Jacksonville, IL; ten grandchildren; four great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, one great grandson and one great-great grandson.

The family would like to express a special thanks to Dr. Goetter, Dr. Esparaz, Dr. Raycraft and all the staff at Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Dawson & Wikoff North Chapel
"A Life Celebration Home"

Albany, Kentucky

Francis Calvin Witham was born in Albany, Clinton County, Kentucky in 1858. We have his residence listed as Clinton County up to the 1900 census, when he then listed Creelsboro, Russell County, Kentucky as his home.

For today's blog post, I thought we would highlight the town where Francis Calvin was born: Albany, Clinton County, Kentucky.

Albany is a city in Clinton County, Kentucky, United States. Clinton County was formed in 1836. It's name is in honor of the seventh Governor of new York State, DeWitt Clinton. The population of Albany was 2,220 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clinton County. It is located on U.S. Route 127 about six miles from the Tennessee border.

The community grew around a tavern established by Benjamin Dowell in the early 19th century. In 1837 residents voted to make the location the seat of county government, and named the newly-formed town after Albany, New York. It was attacked by Confederate forces during the Civil War and many buildings, including the courthouse, were burned.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albany,_Kentucky
             http://genealogytrails.com/ken/clinton/

Janie Cate "Jennie" Witham Sparks

I just love this picture of Janie Cate "Jennie" Witham Sparks. It was shared with us by her granddaughter, Sandy Sparks McCurley.

"Aunt Jen" was a daughter of Francis Calvin and Mary Susan Witham.

Click on the picture for a better view.

If you have any stories to share about Aunt Jen, please leave a comment below or email me and I'll be happy to add it for you.

Label Your Photos

This is an important reminder to label your photos. You may know who all the people in the photos are right now, but if future generations are going through your old photos one day, they might not (probably won't) know who all the people are.

If you take a moment to label your photos with the name of the person/people in the photo, the date, the location, and the occasion, it makes the pictures even more enjoyable to those who view them later.

Generation Chart

Most folks reading this blog post are probably familiar with Francis Calvin Witham, but did you know we also know who Francis Calvin's parents and even his grandparents are?

Here is a family generation chart that goes back as far as we have been able to trace to this point:

William Witham (Elisabeth)
George Washington Witham - b.1831 (Catharine Bunch - b.1832)
Francis Calvin Witham - b.1858 (Mary Susan "Molly" Raines - b.1866)
Charles Washington Witham - b.1887 (Josie Mann - b.1887)
Thomas Washington Witham - b.1916 (Annabelle Stucker)
Charles Thomas Witham - b.1949 (Melody Pruiett - b.1954)
*ME* Christopher Michael Witham "Mike Smith" - b.1972 (Alicia Hanley - b.1960)

It's interesting to note there are 3 Washington's in 4 successive generations.
Did you know Washington was a family name?

Interview Questions

In an earlier piece I wrote (and posted) about my grandpa, I wrote that I wish I would have been older, wiser, and less selfish when my grandpa was still around. I said I would have asked him all kinds of questions about his life to get to know him better.

I have put together a comprehensive list of interview questions by combining smaller interview lists and adding many of my own questions, as well. This is a list similar to one I wish I would have asked my grandpa about.

I wanted to post it for anyone who still has parents and grandparents living and would like to document their lives and get to know them better.


INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

INTRODUCTION
1)    What is your full name? (Please include maiden and married names.)
2)    Do you know how you got your name? Were you named after someone/something?
3)    Do you have (or have you ever had) any nicknames?
4)    How old are you right now?
5)    Where do you live right now?

ABOUT EARLY LIFE
6)    When were you born?
7)    Where were you born?
8)    Were you born in a house or a hospital? Which house/hospital were you born in?

ABOUT GROWING UP
9)    Did you grow up where you were born?
10)    Did you move when you were growing up? Where to?
11)    What were you like as a young kid?
12)    What were you like as a teenager?
13)    What were you like as a young adult?
14)    As a child, was there anything you wanted to be when you grew up?
15)    What was your childhood like?
16)    Did you live in the country, in a town, or a big city?
17)    What was your house/apartment/farm like? Big? Small? How many bedrooms and bathrooms? Did it have electricity, indoor plumbing, or telephones?
18)    What did your family enjoy doing together?
19)    Do you remember any fads from your youth? (Popular hairstyles, clothes, dances, etc…)
20)    Who were your childhood heroes?
21)    What were your favorite songs and music?
22)    Did you have any pets growing up? What kind? Do you remember their names?
23)    Did you grow up wealthy? Or poor? How did that affect you?
24)    What did you do for entertainment/social life growing up?
25)    What did you look like growing up?
26)    What were you good at growing up?
27)    What were you bad at growing up?
28)    What were some of your hobbies/interests growing up?
29)    What were your favorite games and activities?
30)    What was your favorite toy growing up? Why?
31)    Did you have a bicycle as a child?
32)    Did you get presents as a child? What was your most memorable one?
33)    How were Holidays celebrated in your family growing up? Were there special traditions?
34)    Did you have a radio or TV? When did you get your first one?
35)    Did your family have big reunions?
36)    Did you have family chores? What were they? Which was your least favorite?
37)    Describe a typical family dinner. Did you all eat together as a family? Who did the cooking?

ABOUT EDUCATION
38)    What level of education have you completed?
39)    What was school like for you as a child?
40)    What kind of grades did you make?
41)    What were your best subjects?
42)    What were your worst subjects?
43)    What school activities and sports did you participate in?
44)    Did you attend college or trade school? Where? What did you study?

ABOUT WORK
45)    What did/do you do for a living/profession?
46)    How/why did you choose your profession?
47)    Is this the profession you always thought you’d have?
48)    If you wouldn’t have done this for a living, what do you think you may have done, instead?
49)    What other jobs have you worked over the course of your life?

ABOUT THE MILITARY
50)    Did you serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?

ABOUT RELIGION
51)    Are you religious? If so, what religion do you follow?
52)    Have you always followed this religion?
53)    Does your spouse follow this same religion?
54)    Are you a member of any church?

ABOUT MARRIED LIFE
55)    Are you married or have you ever been married? How many times?
56)    Who did you marry? (Please include maiden name for wives.)
57)    When did you get married?
58)    Where did you get married? (City, State)
59)    Did you get married in a church? If not, where?
60)    Did you have a large wedding or a small one?
61)    Who in the family was at your wedding?
62)    Does your spouse have a nickname?
63)    When and where was he/she born?
64)    Where did your spouse grow up?
65)    What was your spouse’s childhood like?
66)    What does/did your spouse do for a living/profession/work?
67)    Did your spouse serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
68)    Who are your spouse's parents? When and where were they born?
69)    How did you meet and fall in love?
70)    How old were you when you got married?
71)    How old was your spouse?
72)    How long did you know each other before you got married?
73)    How long did you date before you got married?
74)    What was it like when you proposed (or were proposed to)? When and where did it happen?
75)    What memory stands out the most from your wedding day?
76)    How would you describe your spouse? What do/did you admire most about them?
77)    How long have you been (or were you) married?
78)    What do you believe is the key to a successful marriage?

ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN
79)    Do you have children? How many boys? How many girls?
80)    What are their names (including nicknames) and birthdates?
81)    Why/how did you choose your children’s names?
82)    What do they do for a living?
83)    Did any of your kids serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
84)    Are they married? To whom?
85)    Do they have kids? How many boys? How many girls?
86)    What are their kids’ names and birthdates?
87)    How did you find out you were going to be a parent for the first time?
88)    What has been your proudest moment as a parent?

ABOUT YOUR MOTHER
89)    What is/was your mother’s full name?
90)    What is her maiden name?
91)    Do you know how she got her name? Was she named after someone/something?
92)    Did she have a nickname?
93)    Is she still living?
94)    When and where was she born?
95)    Where did she grow up?
96)    Did she ever tell you what her childhood was like?
97)    Please list your mother’s siblings along with birthdates, spouses, kids, etc…
98)    What level of education did she have?
99)    What did your mother do for a living/profession/work?
100)    Did she belong to any clubs/organizations?
101)    Did your mother serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
102)    Where did you mother’s ancestors come from?
103)    What was your mother’s father’s name?
104)    Do you know when and where your mother’s father was born?
105)    What was your mother’s mother’s name? Please include maiden name, if known.
106)    Do you know when and where your mother’s mother was born?
107)    How is/was her health?
108)    Was she ever severely ill or injured?
109)    If she has passed, when did she die?
110)    If she has passed, how did she die?
111)    Where is she buried?
112)    Did she ever say how she felt about death or dying?
113)    Was your mother strict?
114)    How do you feel when you think about her? Happy? Sad? Something else?
115)    What skills did she teach you?
116)    What important lessons did you learn from her? What influence/effect did she have on your life?
117)    How are you like her?
118)    Describe your mother physically. What did she look like? Please include details.
119)    What were your mother’s hobbies/interests?
120)    What skills/talents did she have? What was she good at? What was she bad at?
121)    Do you remember hearing stories about your mother from when she was young? Will you share those, please?
122)    What was your mother like? What do remember most about her? What made her special? What do you want us to know about her?
123)    Close your eyes and picture your mother. What is she doing right now, in your thoughts?
124)    Did your parents ever tell you how they met and/or fell in love? Please share that story.
125)    Did your mother marry more than once? If so, please list other spouses, marriage/divorce dates, children, etc…

ABOUT YOUR FATHER
126)    What is/was your father’s full name?
127)    Do you know how he got his name? Was he named after someone/something?
128)    Did he have a nickname?
129)    Is he still living?
130)    When and where was he born?
131)    Where did he grow up?
132)    Did he ever tell you what his childhood was like?
133)    Please list your father’s siblings along with birthdates, spouses, kids, etc…
134)    What level of education did he have?
135)    What did your father do for a living/profession/work?
136)    Did he belong to any clubs/organizations?
137)    Did your father serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
138)    Where did your father’s ancestors come from?
139)    What was your father’s father’s name?
140)    Do you know when and where your father’s father was born?
141)    What was your father’s mother’s name? Please include maiden name, if known.
142)    Do you know when and where your father’s mother was born?
143)    How is/was his health?
144)    Was he ever severely ill or injured?
145)    If he has passed, when did he die?
146)    If he has passed, how did he die?
147)    Where is he buried?
148)    Did he ever say how he felt about death or dying?
149)    Was your father strict?
150)    How do you feel when you think about him? Happy? Sad? Something else?
151)    What skills did he teach you?
152)    What important lessons did you learn from him? What influence/effect did he have on your life?
153)    How are you like him?
154)    Describe your father physically. What did he look like? Please include details.
155)    What were your father’s hobbies/interests?
156)    What skills/talents did he have? What was he good at? What was he bad at?
157)    Do you remember hearing stories about your father from when he was young? Will you share those, please?
158)    What was your father like? What do remember most about him? What made him special? What do you want us to know about him?
159)    Close your eyes and picture your father. What is he doing right now, in your thoughts?
160)    Did your father marry more than once? If so, please list other spouses, marriage/divorce dates, children, etc…

ABOUT YOUR SIBLINGS
161)    How many siblings do you have? How many brothers? How many sisters?
162)    Which siblings are still living? Which have passed?
163)    Please list each sibling along with their names (including nicknames), dates of birth, spouse’s name/s, kids’ names.
164)    Describe each of your siblings. What were they like growing up? Who was the smart one, who was the fast one, who was the class clown, etc...?
165)    What do/did each of your siblings do for a living?
166)    Did any of your siblings serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
167)    Do you have any stories to share about your siblings?

ABOUT YOUR PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS
168)    What is your paternal grandfather’s full name?
169)    Do you know how he got his name? Was he named after someone/something?
170)    Did he have a nickname?
171)    Is he still living?
172)    When and where was he born?
173)    Where did he grow up?
174)    Did he ever tell you what his childhood was like?
175)    Please list your grandpa’s siblings along with birthdates, spouses, kids, etc…
176)    What level of education did he have?
177)    What did he do for a living/profession/work?
178)    Did he belong to any clubs/organizations?
179)    Did he serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
180)    Where did his ancestors come from?
181)    Do you know anything about his parents? (Names, birthdates, etc…)
182)    How is/was his health?
183)    Was he ever severely ill or injured?
184)    If he has passed, when did he die?
185)    If he has passed, how did he die?
186)    Where is he buried?
187)    Did he ever say how he felt about death or dying?
188)    Was he strict?
189)    How do you feel when you think about him? Happy? Sad? Something else?
190)    What skills did he teach you?
191)    What important lessons did you learn from him? What influence/effect did he have on your life?
192)    How are you like him?
193)    Describe your paternal grandfather physically. What did he look like? Please include details.
194)    What were his hobbies/interests?
195)    What skills/talents did he have? What was he good at? What was he bad at?
196)    Do you remember hearing stories about him from when he was young? Will you share those, please?
197)    What was your paternal grandfather like? What do remember most about him? What made him special? What do you want us to know about him?
198)    Close your eyes and picture your paternal grandpa. What is he doing right now, in your thoughts?
199)    Did he marry more than once? If so, please list other spouses, marriage/divorce dates, children, etc…
200)    What is your paternal grandmother’s full name? Please include maiden name, if known.
201)    Do you know how she got her name? Was she named after someone/something?
202)    Did she have a nickname?
203)    Is she still living?
204)    When and where was she born?
205)    Where did she grow up?
206)    Did she ever tell you what her childhood was like?
207)    Please list your grandma’s siblings along with birthdates, spouses, kids, etc…
208)    What level of education did she have
209)    What did she do for a living/profession/work?
210)    Did she belong to any clubs/organizations?
211)    Did she serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
212)    Where did her ancestors come from?
213)    Do you know anything about her parents? (Names, birthdates, etc…)
214)    How is/was her health?
215)    Was she ever severely ill or injured?
216)    If she has passed, when did she die?
217)    If she has passed, how did she die?
218)    Where is she buried?
219)    Did she ever say how she felt about death or dying?
220)    Was she strict?
221)    How do you feel when you think about her? Happy? Sad? Something else?
222)    What skills did she teach you?
223)    What important lessons did you learn from her? What influence/effect did she have on your life?
224)    How are you like her?
225)    Describe your paternal grandmother physically. What did she look like? Please include details.
226)    What were her hobbies/interests?
227)    What skills/talents did she have? What was she good at? What was she bad at?
228)    Do you remember hearing stories about her from when she was young? Will you share those, please?
229)    What was your paternal grandmother like? What do remember most about her? What made her special? What do you want us to know about her?
230)    Close your eyes and picture your paternal grandma. What is she doing right now, in your thoughts?
231)    Did she marry more than once? If so, please list other spouses, marriage/divorce dates, children, etc…
232)    Did your paternal grandparents ever tell you how they met and/or fell in love? Please share that story.

ABOUT YOUR MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS
233)    What is your maternal grandfather’s full name?
234)    Do you know how he got his name? Was he named after someone/something?
235)    Did he have a nickname?
236)    Is he still living?
237)    When and where was he born?
238)    Where did he grow up?
239)    Did he ever tell you what his childhood was like?
240)    Please list your grandpa’s siblings along with birthdates, spouses, kids, etc…
241)    What level of education did he have?
242)    What did he do for a living/profession/work?
243)    Did he belong to any clubs/organizations?
244)    Did he serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
245)    Where did his ancestors come from?
246)    Do you know anything about his parents? (Names, birthdates, etc…)
247)    How is/was his health?
248)    Was he ever severely ill or injured?
249)    If he has passed, when did he die?
250)    If he has passed, how did he die?
251)    Where is he buried?
252)    Did he ever say how he felt about death or dying?
253)    Was he strict?
254)    How do you feel when you think about him? Happy? Sad? Something else?
255)    What skills did he teach you?
256)    What important lessons did you learn from him? What influence/effect did he have on your life?
257)    How are you like him?
258)    Describe your maternal grandfather physically. What did he look like? Please include details.
259)    What were his hobbies/interests?
260)    What skills/talents did he have? What was he good at? What was he bad at?
261)    Do you remember hearing stories about him from when he was young? Will you share those, please?
262)    What was your maternal grandfather like? What do remember most about him? What made him special? What do you want us to know about him?
263)    Close your eyes and picture your maternal grandpa. What is he doing right now, in your thoughts?
264)    Did he marry more than once? If so, please list other spouses, marriage/divorce dates, children, etc…
265)    What is your maternal grandmother’s full name? Please include maiden name, if known.
266)    Do you know how she got her name? Was she named after someone/something?
267)    Did she have a nickname?
268)    Is she still living?
269)    When and where was she born?
270)    Where did she grow up?
271)    Did she ever tell you what her childhood was like?
272)    Please list your mother’s siblings along with birthdates, spouses, kids, etc…
273)    What level of education did she have
274)    What did she do for a living/profession/work?
275)    Did she belong to any clubs/organizations?
276)    Did she serve in the military? When? Where? Which branch?
277)    Where did her ancestors come from?
278)    Do you know anything about her parents? (Names, birthdates, etc…)
279)    How is/was her health?
280)    Was she ever severely ill or injured?
281)    If she has passed, when did she die?
282)    If she has passed, how did she die?
283)    Where is she buried?
284)    Did she ever say how she felt about death or dying?
285)    Was she strict?
286)    How do you feel when you think about her? Happy? Sad? Something else?
287)    What skills did she teach you?
288)    What important lessons did you learn from her? What influence/effect did she have on your life?
289)    How are you like her?
290)    Describe your maternal grandmother physically. What did she look like? Please include details.
291)    What were her hobbies/interests?
292)    What skills/talents did she have? What was she good at? What was she bad at?
293)    Do you remember hearing stories about her from when she was young? Will you share those, please?
294)    What was your maternal grandmother like? What do remember most about her? What made her special? What do you want us to know about her?
295)    Close your eyes and picture your maternal grandma. What is she doing right now, in your thoughts?
296)    Did she marry more than once? If so, please list other spouses, marriage/divorce dates, children, etc…
297)    Did your maternal grandparents ever tell you how they met and/or fell in love? Please share that story.

ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY
298)    Do you remember hearing any stories about how our family came to America?
299)    Are there any family heirlooms that have been handed down from generation to generation? What are they? Who did they originally belong to? Who has them now?
300)    Who were the great cooks in the family? What were their best dishes?
301)    Do you have any special family recipes you could share with us?
302)    Do you have any old letters written by your ancestors?
303)    Do you have any old family diaries or journals?
304)    Do you have old family photos that we could see/share/copy?
305)    Has anyone written down the family history before that you are aware of?
306)    Is there a Family Bible that you know about? If so, where is it and who has it?
307)    Can you tell me about any “black sheep” in the family?
308)    Are there any stories of famous or infamous relatives in the family?
309)    What do you know about your family surname?
310)    Are there any physical characteristics that run in the family?
311)    Are there any ailments or diseases that run in the family?

ABOUT NOW
312)    What are your current hobbies/interests?
313)    What is your earliest childhood memory?
314)    What are your best memories from your life?
315)    What are your worst memories from your life?
316)    What was one of the best unexpected things to happen in your life?
317)    What was one of your most exciting adventures or journeys?
318)    Do you have any regrets from your life that you would like to share?
319)    What accomplishments are you most proud of?
320)    Were you ever mentioned in a newspaper?
321)    Did you ever save anyone’s life? If so, who, when, where, and how?
322)    Did anyone ever save your life? If so, who, when, where, and how?
323)    What world events had the most impact on you through your life?
324)    How is the world different today than it was when you were growing up?
325)    Who is the oldest relative you remember as a child? What do you remember about them?
326)    Do you remember something funny that happened to you that still makes you laugh?
327)    How important is family?
328)    What is the one thing you want people to remember about you?
329)    What advice would you like to give about life?

Military Brothers

Here is another great photo that was shared with us by Charlene Smith, Aunt Myrtle's daughter.

You can click on the photo for a closer look.

This is a photo of Charles Washington & Josie Witham's sons dressed in their military uniforms.

From left to right: Tom, Ed, Hank, Warren.
Missing is Uncle Ray, who also served in the military. 

Charlene told me that during WWII, the newspaper wrote an article about grandma Josie Witham because she had 5 sons in the service. Charlene thinks she has the article somewhere and said she would be happy to share it with us when she finds it.

Marriage Bond - Francis Calvin Witham & Mary Susan Rains

Here is a wonderful piece of family history that was shared with us by Charlene Smith, Aunt Myrtle's daughter.

Click on the document for a closer look.

This is a marriage bond between Francis Calvin Witham and Mary Susan "Molly" Rains. It is dated October 24, 1883 and was filed in Albany, Clinton County, Kentucky.

What a terrific piece! Thank you to Charlene for sharing it with us!

Second Cousin Once Removed

If someone came up to you and told you they were your second cousin once removed, would you understand what they mean?

Sandy Sparks McCurley and I got to talking about this one day. We've been working together on family history on and off for a few years now. Sandy was trying to figure out how she was related to Uncle Ray Witham. I wasn't much help, as I didn't know much about figuring out how you're related to someone else in the family beyond the obvious everyday relationships that we're all familiar with. But I became determined to figure it out.

I found a little webpage that proved quite informative:
http://www.genealogy.com/16_cousn.html

First, it lists some terms we need to familiarize ourselves with:

Cousin (a.k.a "first cousin")

Your first cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you. In other words, they are the children of your aunts and uncles.

Second Cousin

Your second cousins are the people in your family who have the same great-grandparents as you., but not the same grandparents.

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Cousins

Your third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents, fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents, and so on.

Removed

When the word "removed" is used to describe a relationship, it indicates that the two people are from different generations. You and your first cousins are in the same generation (two generations younger than your grandparents), so the word "removed" is not used to describe your relationship. The words "once removed" mean that there is a difference of one generation. For example, your mother's first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your mother's first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals "once removed." Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. You are two generations younger than a first cousin of your grandmother, so you and your grandmother's first cousin are first cousins, twice removed.

They also list a handy chart with instructions on how to figure out your relationship to someone else in the family. Let me demonstrate the chart for you now. Let's figure out how I'm related to Charlene Smith, Aunt Myrtle's daughter.

 According to the instructions for the chart, I'm supposed to find the ancestor we have in common. That would be Charles Washington Witham. The next thing I do is determine how Charlene and I are related to Charles Washington. Charlene is his grandchild, so I'll find the GRANDCHILD column at the top of the chart. I am Charles Washington's great grandchild, so I'll find the G-GRANDCHILD row on the left. Now to see where they intersect....it appears that Charlene and I are first cousins once removed.

Go ahead...you try!

Old Witham Family Photo Roundup

Who doesn't love old family photos!?

Thank you so much to everyone who has shared photos and information with us so far. We're looking for more. If you have old Witham family photos, please plan to bring them to the next Witham Family Reunion. I plan to bring a portable scanner with me to the reunion and I can scan your pictures on the spot, return them to you right away, and then make either digital copies or prints available to everyone who is interested in them.

Thank you! I can't wait to see all the old pictures we bring!

Withams - Bill & Zella, Aunt Ex, Mary Susan, Charley & Josie

I really like this picture that was shared with us by Sandy Sparks McCurley.

When Sandy shared the picture with me, it was the first time I had ever seen a picture of Charley & Josie Witham.

It also shows Bill & Zella Witham (my only picture of them so far), Aunt Exonia, and Mary Susan "Molly" Rains.

(You can click on the picture to get a better view.)

From left to right: Zella, Bill, Aunt Ex, Mary Susan, Charley, Josie.

If anyone has additional information, please feel free to share it below by leaving a comment or you can email me and I'll be happy to add it for you.

Charley & Josie Witham's Kids from Past Reunions

These photos of Charley & Josie Witham's kids from past Witham family reunions were shared with us by Aunt Myrtle's daughter, Charlene Smith and Uncle Ed's daughter, Kim! Thank you so much, ladies!

1989 Witham Family Reunion

Back: Ray, Warren, Tom, Betty
Front: Mary, Myrtle, Ed

1990 Witham Family Reunion

Back: Ray, Warren, Ed, Tom
Front: Myrtle, Betty, Mary

1998 Witham Family Reunion

Ray, Betty, Ed, Warren

UNKNOWN YEAR
Back: Ray, Ed, Betty, Tom
Front: Mary, Myrtle

If you know which year this is, please let me
know so I can update the information for
everyone.




If anyone has other old family reunion photos to share, please let me know. We would love to be able to share them with everyone. Thank you!

Francis Calvin & Mary Susan "Molly" Rains Witham

Here are 3 pictures of Francis Calvin & Mary Witham. The first and second pictures are courtesy of Sandy Sparks McCurley. The third picture was shared by Aunt Marjorie Witham. 

You can click on the photos for a larger view. 

Picture 1: This picture looks like it was taken at some sort of mill.

Picture 2: This is Francis Calvin & Mary with Mary Jane Gillis taken in Roxana, IL. We don't have a date for this photo, but I've attempted to ball park it. We don't have a date of birth for Mary Jane Gillis, but we have one for her mother, Aunt Exonia. Aunt Exonia was born in 1897. We can ballpark Mary Jane Gillis' birthdate at around 1920ish, so we'll say this picture was taken around the early 1920's. That would put Francis Calvin in his early 60's and Mary in her mid 50's in this picture. I enjoyed seeing the well in the background, too.

Picture 3: This is a picture of Francis Calvin & Mary with two children, but we're not sure who they are. 

If you have any more info on any of these pictures, please leave a comment below or email me. Also, I've seen Mary Susan's maiden name spelled Rains and Raines. If you know the correct spelling, please let me know. Thank you!

Exonia & Matilda Witham

This is a terrific picture of Aunt Exonia and Aunt Matilda Witham, daughters of Francis Calvin Witham.

This picture was shared with us by Sandy Sparks McCurley, whose grandmother, Janie Cate "Jennie" Witham was a sister to Exonia and Matilda. It appears there was another sister, as well, named Sarah Witham. Sarah was born in Dec 1885 and passed away less than a month later in Jan 1886.

If you have any stories, pictures, or information to share about Exonia or Matilda, please leave a comment below or email me.

Alex Clay Witham

Alex Clay Witham was the son of Francis Calvin Witham and his first wife, Martha.

According to Uncle Ray, Alex Clay was a very tall man, about 6' 5".

This picture is from Becky Bucalo, Alex Clay Witham's great granddaughter. We aren't positive this is a picture of Alex Clay. We're posting it to see if anyone can tell us for sure if this is or isn't him. The man in the picture is certainly very tall. Becky says her whole family is tall.

If you can help, please leave a comment below or email me.

Witham Family Tree

Did you know we have our Witham Family Tree available online at Ancestry.com?

All you have to do is let me know you're interested in seeing it and I'll send you out an invitation. Just email me and let me know which email address to send your invitation to.

We have all kinds of Witham family information available on our family tree such as names, dates, pictures, stories, documentations, and more!

Have you ever wondered who your ancestors were and where they came from? Now's your chance to find out! Hope to see you there!

Charley & Josie Witham's Family

This is a picture of Charley and Josie Witham's whole family. It was shared with us by Aunt Marjorie and was taken around 1941, according to her.

You can click on the picture to get a better look.

Back: Ed, Myrtle, Tom, Mary, Hank, Marjorie.
Front: Ray, Charley, Betty, Josie, Warren

Uncle Ray wrote me about the dog. Here is what he told me:

"The name of that little dog sitting on Dad's lap is Pug. Someone dropped her off in Pisgah and she came to our house and stayed. Our whole family fell in love with her. She was a good rat dog."

By the way, if there are any pictures you see on the blog that you want, just help yourself to them if you know how to save them. Otherwise if you want me to email any of them to you, just let me know. I can also make prints and mail them to you if you would like. Just let me know which one/s you are interested in. I'm always happy to share them, as they were shared with me.

Witham's Most Wanted!

Here are the most wanted pieces of information we are trying to track down right now. If you can help with any of them, please leave a comment below or email me. Thank you!

1) We need information on William & Elisabeth Witham. They were listed as the parents of George Washington Witham on his Kentucky Death Index Record. George Washington Witham is Francis Calvin Witham's father. We know William and Elisabeth were born in Kentucky, but that's all we know about them.

2) We need more information on the move the Witham family made from Kentucky to Illinois between 1911 and 1914. Do you know exactly when they moved? Do you know how they moved? Was it by rail? Did everyone move at once?

3) We need more information on the early life of William Sparks and his sister Lucy. They are Janie Cate "Jennie" Witham Sparks' kids. We don't know much about their early life and would like to know more.

4) We need more information on William & Lucy Sparks' dad, also named William Sparks. This is Sandy Sparks McCurley's grandfather. She doesn't know much about him. He was married to Janie Cate "Jennie" Witham Sparks.

5) We need any information you have about the store that was owned by William Sparks and his wife, Janie Cate "Jennie" Witham Sparks. We would like to find out what kind of store it was, where it was located, and anything else you might know about it. 

6) We need any information you have on Alex Clay Witham. This was Francis Calvin Witham's son from his first wife, Martha.

7) We need any information you have on Martha Witham. This was Francis Calvin Witham's first wife.

8) Do you know if George Washington Witham's wife, Catharine Bunch, was full-blooded Cherokee Indian? We've heard rumors 3 times about a Cherokee Indian connection in our family and twice Catharine Bunch's name was associated with the rumor. Do you know if it is true?

9) Do you know the maiden name of Mary Susan "Molly" Rains' mother? We believe it was either ENNIS or ENOS. Do you know which?

If you can help us fill in any blanks, we would be most appreciative! Just leave a comment below or email me. Thank you!

Panilla Kind of Guy

This is a photo of me with my Aunt Cyndy Witham Argenta-Eaton. Aunt Cyndy is my father's sister.


Aunt Cyndy  has always been a special person in my life. She's someone I've always had a lot of respect and admiration for.


I was recently talking to my mother about Aunt Cyndy and she told me that Aunt Cyndy helped to take care of me when I was a baby. I don't remember this, of course, but it just reinforces the fact that Aunt Cyndy is tops in my book.


I emailed Aunt Cyndy and told her what my mom had told me about Aunt Cyndy helping to take care of me when I was a baby. I told her I didn't remember that, but it didn't surprise me.

I told Aunt Cyndy my earliest memory of her was when I was young and she came to visit my grandpa (her dad). Aunt Cyndy knew I was going to be there, too, so she found an ice cream place in town that served MANY different flavors of ice cream.

When Aunt Cyndy got to grandpa's house, she told me she was going to take me out for ice cream and I could have ANY FLAVOR I WANTED! Aunt Cyndy was really wanting to spoil me rotten. She was as excited as I was about getting ice cream, I think. Besides, she had looked around to find this special place that offers every flavor you can imagine.

When we got to the ice cream shop, Aunt Cyndy showed me all the different flavors I could choose from. When the person scooping the ice cream asked me what kind I wanted, I said, "Panilla" (Vanilla). I think Aunt Cyndy was disappointed that I didn't want one of the more exotic flavors. "You can have ANY flavor you want!", she told me. I repeated that I would like panilla.

So, Aunt Cyndy not only remembered that story and remembered taking me to get ice cream that day, but she even sent me the above picture that we took together at that ice cream store. I had no idea she had that picture! What a surprise!

Sorry, Aunt Cyndy, but I'm still a "Panilla" kind of guy today! Hey - come to think of it - I just noticed YOUR ice cream looks like PANILLA, too! HAHA! ;)

Charley, Josie, Myrtle, & Mary

Here's another photo that I just love. This is Charles Washington Witham with his wife, Josie, and their first 2 children, Myrtle, and Mary.

This picture was shared with us by Aunt Marjorie Witham, Charley & Josie's daughter. 

The reason I love this photo is because our family moved from Kentucky to Illinois in between the birth of Charley & Josie's second and third child. This means this picture must have been taken around the time of the move.

We don't know if this was taken in Kentucky or Illinois, but we know their first two children, Myrtle and Mary (pictured) were born in Kentucky and their third child was born in Illinois.

This photo allows us to picture our family around the time of the big move.

If you have any additional information about our family's move from Kentucky to Illinois, please share it with us by leaving a comment below or by emailing me.

William & Jennie Sparks' Store

I just love this photo! This is William Sparks and his wife, Janie Cate "Jennie" Witham Sparks.

The photo was shared with us by Sandy Sparks McCurley, Jen's granddaughter.

I am very curious about this photo, but we know little to nothing about it. We know it's some kind of store they owned and ran, but that's the extent of our knowledge about it.

You can click on the photo to view a larger version of it

If you know anything about the photo, the kind of store this is, the location of the store, or anything at all about William Sparks in general, please let us know. Sandy knows quite a bit about her grandmother, Jen, but knows very little about her grandfather, William Sparks. If you can shed some light for us, please leave a comment or email me. Thank you!

Grandma Used to be a "Mann"

I never got to meet my great grandma, Josie Mann Witham, but in talking with family members, I've been able to pick up a few stories about her.

Apparently, she had a great sense of humor. That was one of the first things that her grandson, Raymond Lee Witham, told me about her. It was also one of the first things her granddaughter, Charlene Smith, told me about her, too.

Charlene told me when the grandkids were still young, Grandma Witham would tell them that before she was married, she used to be a "Mann". She said Grandma Witham just loved to see the kids' surprised, and probably shocked, expressions when she told them this.

I enjoyed this tidbit Charlene shared with me. Not only was it a charming and revealing story about great grandma Josie, but it sounds like exactly the kind of thing my grandpa, Thomas Washington Witham, would do. This was his style of humor, for sure! Maybe he got his sense of humor from his mother.

I would love to learn more about Grandma Josie, so now is your chance to share. Post a comment about something you remember about Grandma Josie for the rest of us to reflect on and enjoy.

If you have pictures of Grandma Josie that you would like to share with everyone, you can email me and I'll be happy to post them for you: Mike@WithamFamilyHistory.com

Father Figure & Twins, Twins

One thing I'm really enjoying with this Witham family history project and my quest for information is reaching out and making new family contacts. It seems that every new person I meet provides another piece of the giant puzzle I'm trying to put together.

My grandpa's sister, Aunt Marjorie, has been a wealth of information to me in this effort. Aunt Marjorie gave me the contact information for Aunt Myrtle's daughter, Charlene Smith. I was interested in contacting Charlene because Aunt Marjorie told me that Aunt Myrtle had a lot of family pictures and she thought Charlene had inherited them when Aunt Myrtle passed.

I contacted Charlene and she is such a nice lady. She was very warm, friendly, and helpful. She was expecting to hear from me because Aunt Marjorie told her I would be contacting her. Charlene had already gathered some pictures to send me.

Not only did she share some great pictures with me, but she also shared some great information with me. Charlene told me her father passed 6 months before she was born. She said my grandpa and his brothers were like father figures to her. She said they would stay with Aunt Myrtle and help take care of things when they were home from their military duty.

Charlene also told me something else that shocked me. She told me that she thought my grandpa and his first wife, Annabelle, had twins who were either miscarried or stillborn. I thought she might be talking about my grandpa's second wife, Charlotte Maxine. Grandpa and Charlotte Maxine had twins, one of which died at birth. I asked her if she might be thinking of that, instead. She told me she knew about the twins with Charlotte Maxine, but she also thought there were twins with Annabelle, as well. She told me she would ask Aunt Marjorie about it and get back to me.

I got an email from Charlene telling me she had talked to Aunt Marjorie and she was able to verify the story. I was shocked because I had never heard that story before. It so happens I got a call today from my grandpa's son, Jerry Witham. I told him I had a shocker for him. I told him that grandpa and Annabelle had twins that were either miscarried or stillborn. He told me he knew about that. He was able to further verify the story.

So, I learned something new about my grandpa. He not only had twins with Annabelle, but he also had twins with Charlotte Maxine. Wow!

So, I'm curious if twins run in the Witham family. If you know anything about this, please feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear what you have to say about it.

Witham Family Store

Did you know we have a Witham Family Store?

You can get hats, shirts, mugs, etc... all with a Witham design on them. Currently we have 3 designs available:

1) Witham name in script.
2) Witham family crest.
3) Witham family motto.

Check out the store and get your Witham family merchandise. 

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE WITHAM FAMILY STORE!

Thomas Washington Witham - Remembering My Grandpa

"There was this one ole boy back in Jacksonville..." That's how grandpa would start off the stories he'd tell us. He liked to tell stories, especially about Jacksonville, Illinois, where he was born and raised. He loved Jacksonville.

My grandpa, Thomas Washington Witham, was the fourth of nine children belonging to Charles "Charley" Washington Witham and Josie Witham (Mann). His family of mostly farmers comes from Clinton and Russell counties in Kentucky. Charley and Josie had their first two children, Myrtle and Mary, while living in Kentucky. Sometime between 1911 and 1914, Charley and Josie (as well as Charley's father and his whole family) moved their family to Morgan County, Illinois due to a lack of work where they lived in Kentucky. Grandpa was the second child born to Charley and
Josie in Illinois. 5 more children were to follow. 

My grandpa was a good man. He was a simple man. He was a hard working man. He was patriotic to the core. He never missed an opportunity to fly his flag. Grandpa served in the Army Air Corps, fixing B17 bombers in Germany during WWII. He was sure proud of those B17s. He would tell us stories about how they would get all shot up but still able to fly home safely. One B17 he told us about had a hole shot all the way through the tail, but it still made it back to base. When grandpa passed in 1999, I was given his B17 repair manual, which sits on my bookshelf in my home office to this day. 

I didn't know this until I saw it on his headstone, but grandpa was a Staff Sargeant in what would become the Air Force. I never knew that because grandpa was a private man. He didn't like to talk about himself much. He didn't like to have his picture taken, either. If you had a camera nearby, he would pull his cap down over his face so you couldn't get a good picture of him.

Speaking of caps, grandpa just about always wore one. He liked ballcaps - especially St. Louis Cardinal baseball caps. He was a huge Cardinals fan. Grandpa wore his ballcap with a B17 pin on it. If you caught him without his cap on, you would see he still had a bit of hair, even in his older years, though he always wore his hair cut very short. 

Grandpa married Anabelle Stucker and had 3 children, Tommy, Susie, and Cyndy. Grandpa and Anabelle divorced and grandpa later remarried Charlotte Maxine Peel. They had 2 children, Terry Paul and Jerry Herbert, who were twins. Terry Paul passed away at birth, leaving Jerry Herbert Witham. My grandma (Charlotte Maxine) and grandpa lived in Paris, Illinois and raised Jerry Herbert there. Grandma and grandpa argued a lot, but they loved each other and grandpa would always give grandma a kiss each night before bed.

Grandpa worked in a book bindery in Jacksonville in his younger years. He talked about the book bindery all the time. I think that's where he met my grandma. After marrying grandma and moving to Paris, Grandpa worked at MECO until he retired.

Grandpa liked to walk to work to get his exercise. He would collect aluminum cans on his walks and would save them up to cash them in for some "mad money". He would also smoke Muriel Air Tip cigars when he could get away with it. I think Grandma knew about his cigar smoking, but I still got the impression that she didn't really approve - and I think grandpa did most of his smoking away from grandma, anyway. Did I mention he was a smart man?

Grandpa loved Coke. Don't even try to give him a Pepsi! He might throw it at you. Grandpa was very loyal to the things (and the people) that he loved.

Grandpa made a mean chili that was famous in the family for being the hottest chili around. I sure wish I had his recipe. He was also famous for his sweet tea. It was the sweetest you've ever tasted. And he made fried potatoes with eggs over the top of them. I have nicknamed them "Pappyfried Potatoes". Pappy is a nickname the grandkids came up with for grandpa. I still make Pappyfried potatoes every now and then, especially when I'm missing grandpa.

Grandpa was an avid gardener. He was known for his gardening abilities in the family. He also loved to camp and loved to fish. Grandma and grandpa did a lot of camping and fishing until they got old enough that it was uncomfortable for them, I think.

Grandpa loved to play cards. By the time we were old enough to know what we were doing, I think he had all of his grandkids playing rummy. He also taught us how to play 52 card pick-up. Yes, he liked playing practical jokes. He liked giving Charley Horses, too. He could commonly be found playing a game of solitaire if there was no one else around to play against. Grandpa was a really good poker player. He didn't lose often, and that's good because he didn't like to lose! He liked to play board games with us, too. Trouble was a favorite of his (and ours).

Grandpa enjoyed watching wrestling on television - and in person. Dick the Bruiser was a favorite wrestler that grandpa used to like to go see locally. Grandpa enjoyed listening to music by Hank Williams Sr. He Would laugh endlessly while watching tv shows such as The Dukes of Hazzard, the Andy Griffith Show, and Are You Being Served. He has a cackle for a laugh. When he laughed, everyone heard it. I once lived in the other half of a duplex with grandma and grandpa. You could hear grandpa laugh through the walls. Grandpa had a sneeze that would scare you to death, too. It came suddenly and loudly!

Grandpa just had a grade school education, which was common when and where he grew up, but he had a sharp mind. He would exercise his brain by doing crossword puzzles and word searches (his favorite) from the comfort of his easy chair, where he could most commonly be found. Grandpa always had an easy
chair. And next to it, you could always find his stash of pens and pencils (he especially loved mechanical pens and pencils), notebook paper, the newspaper, and either a coke or a big glass of grandpa's famous sweet tea.

According to grandpa's brother, William Raymond Witham ("Uncle Ray"), growing up, grandpa had a habit of talking to himself. I had to laugh out loud when Uncle Ray told me that because grandpa still had that same habit in his older days. Grandpa used to work at an auction house, helping the auctioneer sell his goods. He could do the "auction chatter" that auctioneers do. He learned it there, I presume. Grandpa would often entertain himself by practicing his "auction chatter" outloud. He was also known to whistle.

Grandpa had a grumpy demeanor, but it was a front. He was really a big teddy bear with a big heart. Grandpa loved kids and did a lot of things with us when we were growing up. He would take us to see Santa Claus on the town square every year, he would take us to the VFW for Halloween every year to get candy there, and he would take us to the theater to see Disney movies. Grandpa used to call me to wake me up on Sunday mornings when I was a young kid so I could get ready for church and he would come pick me up and take me to First Baptist Church in Paris, IL, where grandma and grandpa were members. Grandpa was also a deacon there.

Grandpa wore glasses, had arthritis, and had high blood pressure. He stayed in pretty good shape by doing a lot of walking, until he got older and had trouble getting around as easily. Then he gained quite a bit of weight.

Grandpa liked to clip coupons. When you would take him grocery shopping, he would want to go to several stores to collect on all his various coupon offers. Sometimes you'd just want to ask him how much money he had in coupons and say, "Ok, grandpa, here's $2.00 to cover your coupons. Let's just go to one store and you can save the other coupons for next time", knowing that next time you'd try the same thing again. I wish I would have been older, wiser, and less selfish when my grandpa was still with us. Today, I'd gladly take him to 50 different stores and be thrilled to have the opportunity to do it.

Something else I would do differently, if I could, is ask lots of questions and really learn about his life. Now that grandpa is gone, I have a lot of interest in finding out all of the information I wish I would have asked when he was alive - only now the answers are much harder to find. Much appreciation goes out to my grandpa's only 3 remaining siblings at the time of this writing, Aunt Marjorie, Aunt Betty, and Uncle Ray for being so nice, so kind, so patient, and so helpful when I have approached them for information. They have never once made me feel like I was bothering them, though I'm sure I must have more than once. I've asked them many questions and they have been most gracious with their time, knowledge, and resources.

Grandpa got sick and went into the hospital sometime just before Thanksgiving 1999. I was living in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the time and didn't get to see him all the time, like I used to when we lived closer. However, for Thanksgiving that year, I was going to be able to travel down to see my family in Illinois. I got to go see my grandpa in the hospital with a group of my cousins and my uncle Jerry Witham (grandpa's son). We had a great time. Grandpa was in good spirits and was cutting up as usual. He was teasing about trying to set my cousin Sean up with one of his nurses. That's grandpa for you. When our visit was over, I was the last one to leave the room. The last thing my grandpa ever said to me was, "Boy, I've got one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel!" I replied, "Grandpa, you're too mean to die." That was the last time I saw my grandpa alive.

Grandpa and I had a special relationship. That's because growing up, most of my cousins were related to grandpa by marriage, but I was related to him by blood. That doesn't mean he loved me any more or them any less, just that we shared a special bond. He was grandpa to all of us and he was loved by all of us.

Grandpa passed away on Dec 21, 1999. I was working in Green Bay, WI when I got the news. My brother called me on the phone at work. I had to finish work that day, but then was given time off to go to Illinois for the funeral.

The funeral was special and a bit unorthodox. I think grandpa would have liked it that way. He wasn't fancy and he didn't care much for traditional ceremony. My cousin Kevin played Taps on his trumpet (a request directly from Grandpa). A group of us (my cousins) decided we wanted to send grandpa out the way he would want to go, so we buried him with a coke, his B17 pin (so we wouldn't fight over it), and coins in his pocket (he loved to jingle his change). Grandpa would have smiled, if he could have.

That's how I remember my grandpa, Thomas Washington Witham - a good ole boy from back in Jacksonville.

Witham Family Reunion

The Witham family reunion was held this year on July 18, 2010 at The Lion's Den in Franklin, IL. I was told we would eat around noon. This was the first reunion I had attended since I used to bring my grandpa over to them while he was still living, in the mid nineties.

I got to the reunion early and I brought along my cousin, Steve, and his 2 girls (ages 3 and 5) from the other side of my family.

Uncle Ray said there was a wedding in the family that conflicted with the reunion, so he warned me we may not have a great turnout. He was right. There were only 10 of us there, in all, but we made the best of it, anyway. The small group size really allowed us to talk amongst ourselves and get to know each other a little more than we would normally be able to do. Uncle Ray said the usual attendance runs around 30. We're hoping to build back up to that for next year.

In attendance this year were:

1) Aunt Betty Robinson
2) Aunt Betty's daughter, Judy
3) Judy's son, Sam.
4) Uncle Ed's daughter, Kim
5) Bill & Zella Witham's grandson Bucky
6) Bucky's wife, Connie
7) My cousin from the other side of my family, Steve
8) Steve's daughter, Landes
9) Steve's daughter, Grayson
10) Me (Christopher Michael Smith) - Tom Witham's grandson

Uncle Ed's daughter, Kim, took some pictures of everyone at the reunion. I'm hoping to get copies of them from her. If I can, I will be sure to post them for everyone to see.

Aunt Betty Robinson was kind enough to let me take her picture (left).

If you would like information on the next Witham family reunion, please contact me and I'll make sure you get put on the invitation list.

Family Bible

I was first made aware of the fact that there's a Witham Family Bible in a letter that was shared with me by Sandy Sparks McCurley (Aunt Jennie Witham's granddaughter). The letter was written to Sandy by Mary Jane Gillis (Aunt Exonia Witham's daughter). Since I've been trying to put together our Witham family history, you can imagine how excited I was to learn about this.

According to the letter, the family Bible was given to Uncle Albert Warren Witham's son Raymond Lee. I didn't know how to contact Raymond Lee, but was sure I could figure it out. If I couldn't figure it out on my own, I was positive one of my grandpa's siblings, Uncle Ray, Aunt Marjorie, or Aunt Betty could help me out.

I found Raymond Lee's contact information on my own through a quick Google search. I called him and after a round or two of phone tag, he called me back. I introduced myself and told him why I was calling. I told him I have been working on our family history and I found information in a letter that said he might have the family Bible. He told me he had it. I told him I was very curious about the Bible and asked him if he would tell me about it.

He told me the Bible does contain some family history information, but not much. It was more of an everyday-read kind of Bible that was originally owned by Grandma Josie Witham. He told me she used to sit in her green chair and rock back and forth and read this Bible EVERY day. He told me it has her favorite passages marked. You can tell it saw a lot of use.

Raymond Lee said Aunt Marjorie had the Bible rebound before it was given to him. He told me he got the Bible because he was the oldest Witham grandchild. Not the oldest grandchild - but the oldest WITHAM grandchild.

He told me he would go through the Bible and pass on all the family history information to me to make sure I had it to share with the rest of the family. As soon as he gets the chance to do that, I'll be sure to get it added to our family tree so everyone can have a look.

Witham Family Motto

WITHAM FAMILY MOTTO

Optime Merenti: "To the best deserving."

Witham Family Crest

WITHAM FAMILY CREST
This is a copy of our family crest. It consists of a gold shield with a red bend between 3 black eaglets. This image also includes our family motto, "Optime Merenti".

Witham Surname History

WITHAM
English: habitational name from any of various places so called. North and South Witham in Lincolnshire derive the name from the river on which they stand, which is of ancient British origin and uncertain meaning. Witham on the Hill in Lincolnshire, along with other examples in Essex and Somerset, was probably originally named with an Old English byname Wit(t)a (presumably from wit(t) ‘wits’, ‘mind’) + Old English hām ‘homestead’. However, the first element may instead have been Old English wiht ‘bend’.

(Source: Oxford Dictionary of American Family Names)

Welcome to the Witham Family History Blog

Hi, my name is Mike Smith (born Christopher Michael Witham). My line of Withams come from Clinton and Russell counties in Kentucky and Morgan County in Illinois. Several months ago, I went on a journey to discover as much history about my family as I could find. What I found was fascinating, so I set up this blog to share everything I've learned with you!

It doesn't matter if you are an immediate family member of mine, a distant relative, or just someone who is interested in exploring Witham family history. Everyone is welcome and there is so much to share! I said SHARE because I'm interested in any contributions you have to share, as well. If you have Witham family information, stories, pictures, or anything else that you would like to contribute, I not only encourage that, but I'd LOVE it, and I'd be most appreciative. I'd be happy to add it to the blog to further share with others. We're just getting started here. We have a lot of information to add, so bookmark us and check back frequently. This is a work in progress.

My ultimate goal here is to provide not only names and dates, but also pictures, stories, and documentation so we can get a real sense of who our ancestors were and what they were really like. To accomplish this, I need your help. If you have information (pictures, stories, dates, anything really) to share, please let me know.

Soon, you can expect to find a wealth of information on the Witham family. We will be including information on Witham family history (I will cover not only information on my own line of Withams, but also the entire line of Withams, in general), our family crest, our motto (Optime Merenti), family facts and resources, Witham family reunion information, and even a Witham store where you can order Witham merchandise such as coffee mugs, t-shirts, and other items.

More to come...

Optime Merenti,
~Mike