The following is the family record I have for them at the time of this blog post.

Johannes Adam Pfeifer
Birth – 1826/1827, Pfeifer (Gniluschka), Wolga, Russia
Death – 11 Mar 1881, Victoria, Ellis, Kansas
Burial – St. Fidelis Church Cemetery

Father – Adam Pfeifer (1799-1846)
Mother – Justina Katharina Billinger (1804->1844)

Married:

Anna Margaret There
Marriage – 1848, Herzog (Susly), Wolga, Russia
Birth – 1826, Herzog, Russia
Death – 16 Jun 1903, Herzog, (Victoria), Kansas
Burial – St. Fidelis Church Cemetery

Their Children:

1 M – Michael Pfeifer
Birth – 1850, Herzog, Russia
Death – 1874, Herzog, Russia
Spouse – Margaretha Dreiling

2 M - Johannes Peter Pfeifer -twin-
Birth – 1 Jun 1853, Herzog, Russia
Death – 1917
Spouse (1) – Anna Marie Lauber
Marriage – ?
Spouse (2) – Elizabeth Weber
Marriage – 26 Jun 1893

3 F – Magdalena Pfeifer -twin-
Birth – 1 Jun 1853, Herzog, Russia
Death – 26 Jun 1904
Spouse – Andrew or Andreas Goetz
Marriage – ?

4 F – Elizabeth Pfeifer
Birth – 10 May 1856, Herzog, Russia
Death – ?
Spouse – Aloysius Quint
Marriage – ?

5 M – Johannes Adam Pfeifer
Birth – 10 May 1859, Herzog (Susly), Wolga, Russia
Death – 30 Oct 1917, Hays, Ellis, Kansas
Spouse (1) – Pauline Miller Or Muller
Marriage – 9 Sep 1879
Spouse (2) – Cecilia Rupp
Marriage – 9 Apr 1883

6 F – Anna Margaretha Pfeifer
Birth – 9 Apr 1861, Herzog, Russia
Death – 18 Aug 1940, Victoria, Ellis Co., Kansas
Spouse – Alexander Rupp
Marriage – 9 Sep 1879

7 F – Barbara Pfeifer
Birth – 31 Aug 1868
Death – ?
Spouse – Peter Schamber
Marriage – ?

8 F – Katherine Pfeifer
Birth – 1869
Death – 5 Mar 1929
Spouse – Joseph Graf
Marriage – ?

9 M Andreas J. “Andrew” Pfeifer
Birth – 18 Dec 1869, Herzog, Russia
Death – 10 Aug 1934
Spouse (1) – Catherine Storm
Marriage – ?
Spouse (2) – Barbara Kuhn
Marriage – 1 Feb 1897

If you’re related to this family or have more information about them including stories, pictures and dates and family member names, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email me directly from the About Us page.

William had quite a rich history and an interesting life. I’ve run across many biographies, journal entries, stories and other tales of his life’s adventures both online and in family records passed down. The following is one of the biographies written of his life that I’ve found in a PDF located in several places online. I made the effort of typing it so it was more easily consumed than the large PDF file. I believe it is properly sourced at the end of the file. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

WILLIAM FURLSBURY CARTER
1 May 1811 – 11 October 1888

William Furlsbury Carter was born on the 1st of May 1811 at Newry, Oxford County, Maine. He was the second son and fourth child of the John and Hannah Knight Libby Carter family. He had ten brothers and sisters.

About 1831, at twenty years of age, he married his first wife Sarah York. While living in Oxford County, Maine, three children were born to them:

It was on the 17th of November 1834, that William Furlsbury Carter was baptized by Elder Daniel Bean and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His mother had joined four months earlier, as had his older brother Dominicus and younger brothers John “H” and Richard Carter and sister Eliza Ann.

By the year 1836, William had left Maine and traveled to the Ohio Valley. On 6 October 1837, while traveling from Kirtland, Ohio to Far West, Missouri, one of the oxen in his team died and he was forced to adjust the harness of the remaining animal to pull the entire load as a mate could not be purchased. He carried a letter of recommendation from chairman Joseph Smith and J.G. Williams, clerk of the Ohio Conference.

On the 9th of April 1838, William Furlsbury Carter was ordained a Seventy at Far West, Missouri. On the 26th of May 1839 at Quincy, Illinois, he was appointed one of the Seventy Messengers to the Nations by Joseph Young, Chairman of the Council of Seventies. In 1842, he was recommended to preach the Gospel in Hancock County, Illinois, particularly in Nauvoo, Lima or Morleyville, and other places.

William Furlsbury Carter was a member of the Nauvoo Legion, serving as drum major in the 3rd Regiment Second Cohort under the leadership of Colonel Jonathan H. Hale. He was ordained President of the 20th Quorum of Seventies on the 30th of September 1845.

William Furlsbury Carter received a Patriarchal blessing at the home of Isaac Morley on 24 February 1845. Among the many blessings promised his descendants recall the words “…The Lord has blessed thee Brother William with the bounties of nature… Thy genius shall be blessed and released in ornamenting and decorating the building of the Temple of the Lord… Though hast naturally the gift to work in ore and in fine steel and thou shalt yet have the blessing to work in silver and fine gold… Thou shall have the gift by nature to proclaim the Gospel…”

It is believed by his posterity that his life proved a fulfillment of these blessings for he was a blacksmith, wagon-smith, horse-shoer, mechanic and a carpenter. He repaired musical instruments, guns, watches, clocks, he forged knives and tools of all kinds, made hobbies, chins and parts for broken equipment. He was a musician and more than all else a missionary who traveled around the earth on one such trip.

“On 17 November 1846, he and his wife Sarah York Carter received their endowments at the Nauvoo Temple at about the same time as other Carter family members did. Shortly after he became an exile when the mob forced the Saints to leave their homes in Illinois and seek new ones in the wilderness,” recalls the Carter family historian.

William Furlsbury Carter then built a home and blacksmith shop at Kanesville, Iowa, where two children were born and where he accepted and lived the doctrine of plural marriage. Before his new shop was burned by another mob, he had so much business from California bound gold seekers that he frequently had to empty the coins from his pockets as they burdened him at his smithing and forging.

Not permitted to cross the plains to Zion in the tops of the mountain valleys with the first wagon trains to cross in 1847, 1848 or 1849, as he was needed to prepare the wagons and horses and equipment of other emigrants, William Furlsbury Carter was happy to arrive in Utah in 1850 with his two wives and children, in time to be included in the Census of the Great Salt Lake County (on page 53)

William Furlsbury gave his age as 39 and birthplace as Maine in response to the census takers questions; Sara said she was born in Main 38 years ago, Roxena said Pennsylvania 20 years ago and Peter, Abiah, Lyman were reported born in Maine 18, 16, 14 years ago respectively. Martha age four months completed the enumeration as reported in the book “First Families of Utah” by Annie Walker burns and J. Emerson Miller.

When Dominicus settled in Provo, Utah, William Furlsbury followed them in the spring of 1852. He then, as he held his religion in a sacred trust, felt he must answer the call to serve as a missionary to India. He left Provo on October 22, 1852, in company with a group of other Elders taking the southern route to California.

Some of the entries he made in a diary are still preserved and serve to recall some of the problems of travel experienced over one hundred years ago before we had transcontinental railroads and airplane passenger service to practically all points of the globe. The microfilm at the Salt Lake Archives is somewhat blurred on the first few pages but after about three weeks of illegible travel entries we can read it quite readily.

W. F. CARTER DIARY EXTRACTS

Monday Nov. 15, Traveled 18 miles today. Heavy sandy road. Crossed the Rio Virgin 8 times today. Fine weather, Poor feed. 10 Indians camped with us.

Tuesday Nov. 16, Traveled nineteen miles over a mountain that took from 10-24 men with ropes to help the horses pull our wagons up. We traveled from the Rio Virgin to Muddy Creek. Bad road, fair weather.

Wednesday, Nov. 17, Traveled up the Muddy 4 miles stopped until 12 o’clock. Filled kegs and cans with water and started onto the desert. Traveled until ten in the evening and camped for the night. Good feed, good road, fine weather.

Thursday Nov. 18, Traveled to Las Vegas 52 miles from the Muddy. Rainy Friday night.

Saturday Nov. 20, To Cottonwood springs 17 miles, rough road, camped in 4 inches of snow, frosty night.

Tuesday Nov. 23, We came in sight of Brother Sherwood’s Company… camped at 7 miles spring with Amassa Lyman Company bound for the Great Salt Lake City. Bros Murdock, Rich and Gerraud were with them returning from their mission to the Society Islands. We layed by today (Wednesday) and had a meeting with good instructions.

Saturday Nov. 27, Left Bitter Springs. Middling good road. Traveled 33 miles to Mahobby [Mojave] River.

Thursday Dec. 2, Reached the summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains and went down the Cajun Pass 8 miles. Camped for the night. Friday traveled to San Bernardino. Fine weather, good road. Cool and frosty night stayed with Brother Hide. This is a beautiful valley the most fertile I have ever seen. Sunday preaching by the missionaries. Good will prevails amongst the Saints. Traveled to the Warm Springs and took a bath.

Thursday Dec. 9, Very warm and beautiful weather. The brethren are busy sewing wheat. I saw beets that weighed 3 pounds and onions that weighted a pound or more, young peach trees were 9 feet tall. Sixty Saints were re-baptized.

Saturday Dec. 18, At San Gabriel traveled to Pueblo [LA].

Tuesday Dec. 18, Traveled to the coast three miles from the landing secured a room from a Spaniard named Diego Sepulvedo at $10.00 a day. Grapes, oranges, peaches and figs are raised here [LA] in abundance. This is a beautiful country with large herds of cattle, horses and sheep. Paid 15 cents for a meal at San Pedro. Stormy weather spent the day reading. Brother Pratt and family arrived here from the Islands.

I saw a big whale today playing and spouting. There was an interesting exhibition today as the Spaniards with their oxen yoked by the horns 3 yoke to the cart were drawing goods to the Pueblo of the Angels. It took seven men to drive them. From the landing up the hill they used goads and whips and much shouting and hollering.

San Pedro has no harbor. Vessels anchor a mile from the shore. There are only five buildings and they are owned by the government.

Wednesday Dec. 29, I shipped on board the Brig Fremont-Capat and next day at ten o’clock weighed anchor and sailed from San Francisco. Light breeze and foggy in the morning, calm in the evening. Stiff breeze through the night. The brethren are all seasick but one.

San Francisco is literally alive with people. They pay no regard to the Sabbath. Trading, drinking, gambling and all manner of wickedness is carried on. A large ship went ashore on Stony Point at the entrance of San Francisco Harbor a few minutes after we passed her. I saw her when she went on the rocks. She buckled and sank the next day.

1853 Wednesday Jan. 12, The missionaries met at 10 a.m. to make arrangements for collecting means for to take them to their places of destination. Bro. West and myself went aboard the ship Wilson going to Sacramento City where we stayed all night at a tavern… good fare. Traveled 16 miles to Salmon Falls where we were received kindly and treated first rate.

1853 Saturday Jan. 15, Went to Mormon Island and saw Bro. Brown wash out some gold which he gave me to remember him by… about 25 dollars. I saw a great many pore men in the diggings. Sacramento has been destroyed by fire and inundated by water… both purifying elements. Paid 3 dollars for supper, bed and breakfast. Flour is 50 cents a pound, beef 40 cents. Several of the brethren gave us money for our trip to our missions.

On 29 January 1853, William Furlsbury Cater and his companions were aboard the American clipper ship “Monsoon” and sailing westward away from the California coastline. They had managed to solicit $200 need for fare from the generous miners in the Sacramento Valley. Finally, after a long and tedious voyage they arrived at Calcutta, India on the 26th of April 1853… a three month voyage. The Gospel had been preached to passengers and crew alike on the westward journey across the Pacific.

“William Furlsbury Carter was appointed to work with William fotheringham at Dinnapore, India. The heat was so intense and the climate caused poor health so that Furlsbury could not travel, he actually could hardly walk. None of the Elders could have success in their labors as the people were divided into classes and if they joined the L.D.S. Church, they would lose their caste and become outcasts with no means of likelihood,” the Carter historian records.

“Benares was their Holy City, a beautiful place with over 40 temple buildings. People tried to go there to die as they thought that would insure a quick passage to their heaven. The few who at first accepted the Gospel lived on weeds and roots and tried to beg food as no one would let them work to earn a living. They had peculiar customs and beliefs.

Most of the people in Calcutta, India stayed in their houses during the daytime because of the heat. It was often 120 degrees even in the coolest part of your cabin William Furlsbury told his family in later years. A white man could not stay out in the sun for very long at a time; the people of India cheat and treat Americans with contempt. But the poor people would act as virtual slaves for a few pennies a day; money was a rare ting among the poorer classes. They lived on curry and rice.

William Furlsbury reported seeing many strange sights in India. After a few weeks in Singapore he and a companion returned to Calcutta where it was decided by the authorities that he should return home while he was still able to do so as his health condition was steadily worsening. Dr. Haffnagle, the American Consul at Calcutta, paid his fare on the ship “John Gilpin” bound for Boston, Massachusetts, via Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and the Atlantic Ocean.

After some days they reached a cooler climate and William F.’s fever abated. His despair of ever reaching America alive diminished notwithstanding many delays for repairs as the ship leaked badly. William wrote in his journal on October 22, 1853, just one year after leaving his family and friends at Provo, Utah:

“I have had many dark and lonesome hours and days since I left my home and no one can realize unless they pass these same circumstances, which will be rare if ever, I have not heard from home since I left, while crossing the different seas I have witnessed heavy gales, wind, thunders, storms and squalls… almost without number… the ship has twice sprung a dangerous leak in heavy seas.

“I have traveled through lands where the cholera has swept off thousands between morning and evening and dead bodies floating in the streams bespoke the great mortality of the inhabitants of that land. I feel it in my heart to praise my Heavenly Father for the preserving care he had over me the past year and the blessings he has bestowed upon me.”

Health much improved by the cooler climate of the North Atlantic, William Furlsbury docked at Boston on the 11th of November 1853. It was with happiness and thanksgiving that he journeyed to his birthplace in nearby Maine to visit relatives. He soon returned to Boston and purchased a ticket to Cincinnati, Ohio as that was as far as his funds would take him. There he sold his extra change of clothes and bag to get fare to Hancock County, Illinois, where his brother and sister lived.

On arriving at Lima, Illinois, he learned his father had been dead for over a year. There were recent letters from Utah though that brought word of his family’s good health in Utah. He rejoiced at this first news of his family in over 14 months. A son Edward M. Carter had been born during his absence. He arranged to cross the plains with the first group of emigrants leaving in the spring of 1854.

The captain of the wagon train had objected at first to his joining them, thinking no doubt that Furlsbury’s recent illness and age 43 [apparently his illness had caused much loss of weight and a poor physical appearance] would cause him to be a burden. Possibly it was the intercession of a 27 year old English convert Elizabeth Howard that gained him a place in the company. She is reported to have asked, “Why can’t we take that old man along with us?”

The woman was from a well-to-do family and when asked why she always wore silk dresses on the trail she replied they were the only kind she had. A friendship developed between these two Saints and William F. was able to repair several wagons and shoe the horses on the journey to the satisfaction of all involved. At Echo Canyon the company divided, Captain Kearns taking part and leaving Furlsbury to bring the rest in by another route which proved to be the faster road.

Captain Kearnes on arriving at Salt Lake is said to have asked Miss Howard for an extra two hundred dollars for her transportation to Utah. William Furlsbury interceded with President Brigham Young on the matter.

The solution was soon seen. William Furlsbury and Elizabeth were married at the Salt Lake Temple on 10 September 1854 and preceded on to Provo to join Sarah York Carter and Roxena Mecham Carter and the children he had not seen for almost two years. He was soon at work for the Perpetual Immigration Company, making and repairing wagons and pursuing his blacksmithing trade. Early in 1855, while working at a lathe, turning parts for chairs, tables and other household furniture, he nearly lost his life when struck in the head by a piece of wood that flew out of the lathe. He credits his recovery to faith in prayer.

William Furlsbury Carter left Provo about 1862 and spent the next two dozen years between Mona, Juan County and Santaquin, Goshen and Benjamin, Utah, where he alternately operated a store, a blacksmith shop, farms and a threshing machine which he manufactured out of parts made in his own blacksmith shop.

The Cater family biographer writes “… he lived true and faithful to the Gospel to the end of his days testifying to his great faith in Jesus Christ. He was particularly pleased to learn that he was the second L.D.S. missionary to circle the earth and the first one to carry the Book of Mormon around the world.

He departed this life on Wednesday, October 11, 1888, at 11:00 a.m. at the residence of a daughter Mrs. Arletta Cater Chatwin of Santaquin, Utah. Funeral services were conducted by Bishop George Holliday, Counselor Openshaw, and Elders Levi Openshaw and William Chatwin. Burial was at the Santaquin Cemetery. Death resulted from a general decline in health due to age and hardships endured throughout his life.

William Furlsbury Carter married five times: (1) Sara York, 1831; (2) Roxena Mecham, 12 March 1846; (3) Cordelia Hanna Mecham, 31 January 1847; (4) Elizabeth Howard, 9 October 1854; and (5) Sally Ann Mecham, 2 December 1856.

It would appear that Cordelia died soon after her marriage. There is no record of a child born to this marriage.

The index card in the Early Church Information File at the Salt Lake City Archives Room spells his name as “Foulsberry”. It gives his baptism date as November 1835 by Daniel Bean. It shows he was ordained a High Priest on 1 December 1860 by D. Carter. Other spellings as Firlsbury, etc. are all apparently in error as family descendants who should know verify the correct spelling as Furlsbury, but no one knows what the name means or how it originated.

One unidentified progeny hazarded the guess that it was a contraction of an early day New England expression having to do with the unfurling of the flag at the burial grounds. Another claims it is derived from the sea-coast custom of watching departing ships go over the horizon until their furl (flag or sails) sinks (or is buried) beneath the horizon.

Carter Pioneers of Provo, Utah, compiled by Arthur D. Coleman, pub. By J. Grant Stevenson, 260 East 2100 North, Provo, Utah 84601.

Submitted to the Nauvoo Visitor’s Center, 1 August 1996 by Helen R. Cole, Box 781, Thatcher, Arizona, Ph. 520-428-5149

If you’re related to this family or have more information about them including stories, pictures and dates and family member names, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email me directly from the About Us page.

Historical Timeline: Johannes Adam Pfeifer, Jr. (1859-1917)

If you’re related to this family or have more information about them including stories, pictures and dates and family member names, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email me directly from the About Us page.

Johannes Adam Pfeifer
Birth – 10 May 1859, Herzog (Susly), Wolga, Russia
Death – 30 Oct 1917, Hays, Ellis, Kansas
Burial – St. Josephs, Hays, Kansas

Father – Johannes Adam Pfeifer (1826-1881)
Mother – Anna Margaret There (1826-1903)
Other spouses – Pauline Miller Or Muller

Married:

Caecilia Rupp
Marriage – 9 Apr 1883
Birth – 29 Sep 1866, Obermunjou, Russia
Death – 20 Aug 1930, Hays, Kansas
Burial – St. Josephs, Hays, Kansas

Father – Anton Rupp (1836-)
Mother – Margaretha Anna Maria Katharina Herman (1837-)

Their Children:

1 M – Andrew A. Pfeifer
Birth – 4 Mar 1887, Victoria, Kansas
Death – 23 Dec 1957, Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Spouse – Margaret Schmidt
Marriage – ?

2 M – Joseph A. Pfeifer
Birth – 3 Mar 1889, Hays, Kansas
Death – 19 Sep 1984, Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Spouse – Elizabeth Vonfeldt
Marriage – ?

3 M – Alexander A. Pfeifer
Birth – 10 Apr 1891, Hays, Kansas
Death – 20 Sep 1972, Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Spouse – Teresa Sack
Marriage – ?
Spouse Helen Sack
Marriage – ?

4 M – Anton A. Pfeifer
Birth – Feb 1893, Walker, Ellis, KS
Death – 1946, Salem, Marion, OR
Spouse – Anna Zimmerman
Marriage – ?

5 M – Adam A. Pfeifer
Birth – 24 Feb 1895, Hays, Kansas
Death – 17 Feb 1934, Hyacinth, Kansas
Spouse – Helen Sack
Marriage – 8 Oct 1917

6 M – John A. Pfeifer
Birth – 22 Apr 1897, Hays, Kansas
Death – 31 Dec 1967, Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Spouse – Josephine Denning
Marriage –

7 F – Catherine Pfeifer
Birth – 7 Jul 1899, Collyer, Kansas
Death – 20 Aug 1993, Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Spouse – Clement C Denning
Marriage – ?

8 F – Marie M. Pfeifer
Birth – 24 Jan 1902, Hays, Kansas
Death – 1 Sep 1990, Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Spouse – John P Paul
Marriage – ?

9 F – Anna Margaret Pfeifer
Birth – 29 Mar 1904, Hays, Kansas
Death – ?
Spouse – Albert Karlin
Marriage – ?

10 F – Elizabeth Pfeifer
Birth – 22 May 1906, Hays, Kansas
Death – 19 Feb 1961, Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri
Spouse – Roscoe Montgomery

If you’re related to this family or have more information about them including stories, pictures and dates and family member names, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email me directly from the About Us page.

Catherine wrote, “Jackson wrote as a hobby, I guess, and in the process was very wordy.” Catherine had received the original copies of this material from the Charleston Library. The library had come into possession of them from Lucille Bingamon his stepdaughter who recently died at age 93. To give you a time frame, Jackson was born in 1862. He originally married Sarah Ashby Brandenburg; his second wife was Mary Bingamon.

Is this story fact or fiction? Or perhaps a little of both? As I did research on the Nees line years ago, this story was kept in the back of my mind. As I frequently ran into Nees brothers who married Lemons sisters, I thought perhaps there was more truth to it. Either way, I thought I’d share the story, in hopes of validating it either way.

Since the days of her early childhood, Ma-ri-ta (a local Indian girl) had frequently mingled among and played with white children especially with those of the Nees family and played a good part in the human role of friendship and ‘twas said of her in her after life, “She had many friends.”

The white children of her day, both boys and girls had certain daily chores to do. Marita was always ready to join in and help; watching how they did everything she soon made a full hand at the task before her. She was a little slow in learning to speak English, but had in a very short time learned enough to understand most of the common English words spoken to her. She soon learned what “dinner” meant, and she also made a good hand there.

The first time at her friend’s table she began eating with her fingers. When told and showed how, she should eat with a knife, fork or spoon, she didn’t appear to be the least fretted, but started right into their use. However, awkward she was, which was a plenty, she soon learned and didn’t have to be told of their use the second time.

In a few days, Marita was again at the Nees home. They had chicken for dinner. The girl sitting next to Marita began gnawing on a chicken leg held in her fingers. Without trying to speak, Marita kindly took the chicken leg, laid it in the girl’s plate and then handed her a knife and fork. This was very amusing to all, but Marita soon learned that table manners varied greatly. ….It was noticed here, how suddenly one can be lifted from uncultured levels.

Many time she (Marita) had wandered away from her humble and rudely built wigwam home to the nearby cabins of the Nees family where she delighted to play with their children, eat at their table and share a friendly welcome by all. One evening late, as she was about to start for her home, a sudden bad-looking storm came up, and they pointed to the weather outdoors, saying to her, ” You stay here all night–we take you home in the morning.” She understood and showed by her actions that she was happy. The Nees girls, nearest her age parlayed as to which one should sleep with Marita, thinking it a great treat to sleep with their Indian pal. All settled and quiet for the night.

The morn opened fair. Breakfast over, Mother Nees and Marita soon found themselves before the Indian mother telling her mostly by signs what had kept Marita. The mother answered with an odd smile, quaint expression, a nod of her head and satisfied voice of “Uh”.

As time sped on, young John Nees and Marita welded deeper and deeper into each other affections. Marita’s mother was highly elated at this companionship. She had observed in young John a congenial nature, marks of industry and good behavior. ….she could trust him fully in the care and protection of her daughter.

John and Alice Nees:

The parents of young John now saw plainly the intent fast shaping between the two youngsters. Although a somewhat odd match, the father said “He is crazy about her” and the mother remarked, “Yes, and she would die for him.” …Both agreed, “Let them alone. Let them follow their spirits. It would be a sin to interfere.”

Other white boys envied John’s affiliation with Marita and even tried to persuade her away from his company. …Though in her feeble effort of English tongue she made them fully understand when she answered, “No! Him my, my him” and which, by her actions she evidently meant, I am his and he is mine. (And thus gives rise to the infallible maxim uttered by the Savior: “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh” [Math.12:34] Her simple words inflated John with as much complacency as if they had emanated from the lips of some distinguished orator.

Once a seeming pal of Johns told him that he should discard Marita, that she was not of his race and was not in keeping with his social standing. John answered him saying “I know what is hurting you. You go and find another good Indian girl. You can’t have mine.”

The stronger tribe of the Cherokee Indians living west of the Mississippi was envious and jealous of that part of their tribe living east of the Mississippi, because it, the east side, was friendly with and (held) in higher esteem of the white people and raids were expected at any time. ….and sure enough at this particular time and without open warning a plot was laid. A friendly Indian of the west side revealed the plot to Marita and her mother. Marita at once told John as best she could of the approaching massacre. Now feeling the imminent danger that they might be torn from each other forever, they fled from her enemies and barely mad their escape as they heard shrieks and wails of her people inflicted by the enraged murders.

In order to secure Marita’s better protection from her Indian enemies, John at once remove the immense growth of her long rave-black hair, dressed her in a suit of his clothes he had never worn, exchanged her raw hide buckskin moccasins for sock, a pair of his high top shoes (somewhat large for her) and on her head a man’s cap which donned her copper colored, round, fat, sweet face. ….When a mirror was put into her hands, her clack eyes sparkled and she laughed having a double row of milk white perfect teeth.

A complete change of clothes (belonging to) John’s sister was placed in a hand satchel and as John said goodbye to his people, he whispered to his mother saying that he didn’t want the Indians to kill her and that he and Marita were taking a stage coach down the river side to the county seat town where they would be married by an elderly Baptist minister.

Marita didn’t yet know anything about the marriage part of it, but she did know that she was escaping the danger of her much hated enemies….and also that she felt safe in the care of her John.

On arriving at the minister’s home, John explained to the …minister and his wife in short detail of the little, humble and honest romance between him and Marita; that the object of their appearance before him was marriage; that it was not a run-away affair. Then the minister puzzled at the sight of Marita standing right there ….dressed from heat to foot in man’s attire, said. “Is this a girl? Your intended wife?”

At this awkward occasion, young John in a faltering voice told the sad fate of Marita’s mother and others, perpetrated by the band of Indian enemies and that in this manner he was striving to keep his darling Marita safe to him and from the hands of her cruel and heartless murderers.

At first the minister was somewhat confused and lost at this sudden meeting and strange predicament, but after hearing John’s hideous story…., he was truly convinced from his hesitations. At this instance the minister’s good, old and faithful wife, being shown the woman’s garb John had brought in the satchel, hastened with Marita to another room, dressed her up and when they came out, the minister said “Well, Marita, you sure look like a full fledged bride.”

Although Marita never uttered a word, (for she didn’t understand those words), …her devotion to John thoroughly convinced him that hew own true heart spike in deeper affection than any tongue could express.

After the marriage ceremony, as was the custom, the minister kissed Marita whereupon she at once led John before the minister and his wife, making signs for them to kiss John. They did and Marita standing there, here black eyes sparkling with admiration—yes, and her very heart throbbing and overflowing with unspeakable tranquility, so aroused the aged couple that their feelings were expanded into joyful tears and the minister remarked, ” I have seen many happy-faced children, have watched the pleased expression of grown ups, but I never before discerned so vivid (a) demonstration as has been portrayed at this interview in the countenance and actions of Marita. Not a word came from her lips; not even the sound of one vocal chord. This, continued the minister is one of the proofs of the old and familiar adage …”Actions speak louder than Words”. The minister made no charge for the marital ceremony which John (had) offered to pay.

When the fine old wife assisted Marita in changing back into her male attire and all ready, the “goodbye” and “good luck” words were exchanged, John and Marita boarded a stage coach (which was) luckily on its way down old Mississippi River side some thirty miles distant where lived a relative of John’s parents.

Looking ahead John said to Marita mostly in signs, “See those people. Here’s where we get off.” John had paid their fare which was very cheap. Satchel in one hand and Marita in the other, they had but about (a) two hundred yards walk before reaching their destination.

Marita had seen most of the larger members of her new relatives….and had quite well learned the art of kissing i.e. his sisters, the old couple where they were married from John.

When they arrived at the home of said relatives and scarcely before John could break the news to them, Marita proceeded with great ecstasy in kissing the entire family of men, women, and children.

Someone …..remarked concerning Marita’s odd salute, but the mother of the household whose soul of age and experience had delved far deeper in to the graces of the human heart mildly said to the intruder, “Be still! Whoever has seen in this or any other home, such appreciation and thankfulness and gratitude to John and his people and satisfaction in herself as is her shown in the childlike innocence of this Indian girl. Much better off would the world be today had it more of the genuine sincerity of spirit of one whose full heart cannot express in words but her actions have told it all”

May the event of this day
Find a resting place in our heart
In the path may we ever stay
Where Angels tread and ne’er depart

Further history of the plucky and spirited young John Nees and his ever faithful Indian girl bride, Marita, seems never to have been inscribed on the annals of time. Except it is said (that) they reared a large family of children, the eldest son of which was named John, ….he married a white girl and they in turn reared a large family of quarter breed Cherokee Indian blood. According to custom they handed down to their oldest son the name John. Following were his two brothers James and Elias.

Although history of the constant John and his faithful sweetheart Indian bride Marita could not be carried on down through the annals of time,… the observer reading between the lines of their past as has already here been inscribed may well follow on in lofty pride in the ever-faithful young John as he watched his odd but dear companion, the idol of his heart, as she rapidly advanced in the English tongue and in the ways and means of a dutiful housewife. Oh with what joy and gladness it would be to him to her and for their dear children in the making for all a home, sweet home. How her bosom heaved with passionate love while her little ones, standing about her knees, look up into her face as she listens to their innocent, sweet and childish prattle.

Hearing that land in what was known as the new state of Illinois, which was both settled and admitted into the Union in the same year, 1818, and ….land was selling at one dollar and twenty-five cents and acre….induced the ….John, James, and Elias grandsons of …John and Marita Ness to move East which brought them in the neighborhood of the ….three Lemmons daughters, Eliza, SARAH,and Elizabeth Lemmons, better known as Liza, Sally and Betsy.

…In due time (living close to each other) resulted in the marriage of these three Nees brothers to the three Lemmons sisters, which relation of marriage was indeed a rare coincidence.

If you’re related to the Nees or Lemons family or have more information about the connections of time and people included in this story, I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or email me directly from the About Us page.

Minifield 4th Oct 1846

My Dear Sir

I am sure you are very angry with me for not answering your kind letter sooner. But I found it impossible to do so. Not being acquainted with the ancient history of the Highlands. I applied to a cousin of mine, the Reverend Mr.? McColl of Glenorchay whose brother, Coll, a catholic priest collected a great mass of information throughout the Highlands and Gle. embracing a well written history as traditional information, ancient poetry?, or from these circumstances, I thought his brother the most likely person to give a correct outline of the history of the Clan McColl. The priest went to Australia some years ago where he died, he took all his manuscripts with him and what I now send is furnished by the Clergyman from memory alone, but it appears to me from what I heard in my younger days from old people to be quite correct as far as it goes. I think where he mentions that in after times the McColls became the vassals of the Stuarts should be suppressed. They the McC had at one time large possessions in Appin, but through the vicissitudes of the time and the bad faith and treachery of the Stuart who in common gratitude ought to have supported them they in the end lost all their lands, except that which I still hold. The priest before he embarked for Australia got the McColl crest and Motto engraved in London. He sent and impression of it to his brother, but in his letter to me he says the does not know how to take an impression from it. If there is any use in this information I am sorry you should want it so long but Mr. M Cooll has been from home for the last fortnight assisting his Brethren in administering the Sacrament in different parts of Argyllshire.
I hope you will be able to make out a good case for the poor McColls, this antiquity was never doubted. I shall be happy to hear from you . I am my dear Sir – Yours truly
Kul? McColl
[Note written on the side] The Chief man of the Clan McColl at above date

The History and tradition of the Clan McColl of Appin

The History and tradition of the Clan McColl of Appin

The history of the Clan McColl is very much lost in antiquity, yet the tradition still extant of the Clan shows their origin to have been both Noble an ancient. The name Coll or Cole or Colla, can be traced to an early period in the genealogy of families, both in Ireland and in Scotland, the first person of note of the name of whom I have read, was Coll or Colla, and Uamh-theistfir Coll, or Colla, the Monster a Prince in Ireland. In the 4th Century from whom it is said the McDonalds are descended. Whether the McDonalds take their origin from this Coll or Colla and Uamh-theist is difficult to determine, but it is a well known fact that the name Coll is still as well as in ancient times a name peculiar both? Clan McDonald. It is therefore evident that the Clan McColl must as the name of itself indicates, have come of the Colls of ancient times
The person from whom the McColls of Appin are descended is said to be Solla dubh (ie Black Solla or Solomon, Son of Coll, 2nd Son of McDonald, Kin or Lord of the Isles. This Solla dubh, had for his inheritance the Island of Coll, from which Island he fled and took up his residence in Lorn in the neighborhood of Oban, but having committed some crime in Lorn he absconded and went to Appin where he found protection. He had afterwards to fly from Appin and made his way to Rosshire when he settled and married the daughter of a Miller of the name Michael by whom the had several sons of whom the ancient family of the McCuloc[ink blotch here] of Glastuleih? in Rosshire. The wife of this same Solla dubh or black Solomon, the Son of Coll having died he left Rosshire with his Brother in law Michael, of whom the Carmichaels of Appin and returned to Appin where he married and settled for life, from whom the McColls are descended – a numerous and brave Clan in Appin in ancient as well as in Modern times – they had property a part of which, one of them still retain in Glencrain in Appin. It therefore appears that the McColls are a branch of the McDonalds, descended as the name indicates from Coll or Colla the 2nds Son of the Lord of the Isles Their crest is a Highlander with Shield and Dagger?-Motto
Ferris tigo
Maccollasky
(Ie seiath nehu Colla
or McColl’s Shield)
The McColls
In latter times became the vassals of the Stuarts of Appin – They fought their battles and at all times defended their cause with fidelity and bravery, but without anything like a suitable recompensation for their services