Another phenomenon that is driving an
increased interest in genealogy is the increasing toll that
multiculturalism is taking on our national ethnic identity. As our
nation loses its once rather distinct racial identity and cohesion,
there is a renewal of "tribal" identities and loyalties,
as opposed to racial loyalties. While it is no longer politically
correct for many of us to have or display racial pride, we are
rediscovering "tribal" pride, or in interest in family
lineage, in order to pass on to future generations something that is
passing from the national scene.
SOME OF MY OWN
FAMILY GENEALOGY
This webmaster is
neither historian nor genealogical researcher. Most of the
information on these genealogy pages is the work of others more
dedicated, and better equipped, to undertake the work necessary to
compile family histories and genealogical information. My purpose is
to gather in what I can into one place for all who are related or
otherwise interested in these family lines. I extend my heartfelt
thanks to all who have contributed to this site and the various
individual pages featured.
The photo of Anson and Isaiah Gurley, above,
was taken by J.S.
Seymour & Son, of Stonefort, Illinois. Anson and Isaiah were
brothers, and both
fought in the Civil War. They had another brother, named Raford. Isaiah was my great, great, great
grandfather. I have little genealogical information
on the Gurley branch of the family, but have started a page in hopes
of attracting more information. See:
Gurleys of Southern
Illinois
The branches I currently have
the most data on are the Camden, Potts, Goodman, and Grace branches.
Family
of Camden - A Genealogy
One of my favorite ancestors is my
great, great, aunt "Babe" — Sarah Elizabeth (Camden) Tidwell.
Read about her and her family in The
Battle of Camden, the only Civil War Action Fought in Johnson County
Illinois.
The Lawrence family of Reynoldsburg,
in Johnson
County, Illinois is not actually part of my genealogical line, but
is of interest to me. It might be said to be "related" to
my family through the famous
Lawrence/Camden feud, known as the
"Battle of Camden", as well as the marriage that
finally put
the feud to rest. The Lawrence genealogical page was compiled and
contributed by Bob
Garrett, in collaboration with Steve
Lawrence, and Bob and Barbara Lawrence.
The
Lawrence family
The Descendants of Henry Grandison Lawrence of Reynoldburg
My maternal grandfather, Albert
Goodman, of Gaskins City, died a year before I was born, and I knew
very little of his family history until I met cousin Clyde Goodman
of Cobden, Illinois, and his wife Carol. They have taken on the task
of Researching Clyde's roots. It is a work in progress, and these
pages continue to grow. Albert Goodman was married to Ruth Grace. Carol Goodman
is building a genealogy of both the Goodman and Grace sides of the
family. The Goodman genealogy includes Clyde's other main branch –
the Siffords.
The
Siffords and Goodmans
of Southern Illinois
The
Grace Family of Southern Illinois
Including Edwards, Hiett, and Other Surnames
CUTTHROAT
CONNECTIONS
If one cannot find kings, princes,
and presidents in his family tree, perhaps an outlaw or two will do.
One of the more interesting twigs on my family tree is that of my
several times great-uncle, Isaiah Luna Potts, and his wife Polly
Blue. They were among Illinois' earliest settlers – during the
notorious outlaw years in the region of Cave-in-Rock – and
operated a Tavern which has become the subject of a famous local
legend. The legend refers to him as "Billy Potts."
The
Legend of Billy Potts
True
Story of my Enigmatic Uncle Isaiah L. Potts
Isaiah
Luna Potts' Genealogy
Polly
Blue's Genealogy
Isaiah's middle name is usually
rendered Luna. He had a nephew, also named Isaiah, whose middle name
is usually given as Luney. These are believed to be variations of
the surname Looney used for a middle name. Luna, however, may have
also been Isaiah's mother's (Elizabeth Looney), middle name. The
Looney's are rather far removed (Elizabeth being a
g.g.g.g.grandmother), and are included here due to their close
connection to Isaiah Luna Potts.
The
Looneys of our Past
My apologies to the Potts, Blue, and
Looney families for including their genealogies in connection to an
obscure and uncharacteristic (alleged), cutthroat. That cutthroat
was one in ten thousand or more, and he may not have really been a
cutthroat at all. Each of these families have very distinguished
histories and many highly successful members. For example, John
Potts, the famous Pennsylvania ironmaster and founder of Pottstown.
The Potts family can also boast of presidents and first ladies in
its family tree – from association with George Washington down to
distant kinship with Theodore Roosevelt and FDR's famous wife
Eleanor. The Blues distinguished themselves in military affairs.
Uriah Blue fought with Andrew Jackson and Davie Crockett in the
Creek Indian Wars. The Looneys helped open up western Virginia and
Tennessee to settlement, and pioneered on westward to Texas. All
were hearty pioneer families, with whom anybody could be proud to be
associated.
If you're from Southern Illinois,
particularly from around Harrisburg, you've probably got some kin
folk who can spin a yarn about Charlie Birger. If you actually have
some gangster associations to brag of, all the better. My family, on
both paternal and maternal sides, had a few such yarns to tell —
or not tell.
Birger
Gang Associations
What happens when a bunch of young
idealists attempt to bring education to the Southern Illinois hill
country? This isn't genealogy, but simply an interesting historical
note on the webmaster's section of Southern Illinois. Read about the College
in The Hills and find out.
Family trees usually are as rich in
branches as they are in roots. My own particular branch of the the
family has not been particularly fruitful however. I am my father's only
son, and none of his siblings had any children. I have a
half-brother and sister, neither of whom have had any children. I
have two children, and thus far only one grand-child. My father has
a half-brother and several half-sisters on his father's (Potts)
side. The following pages are tributes to my father, James
Robert Carr, and my uncle, George
William Carr.
James
Robert Carr
George
William Carr
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