Our Somers Family Heritage

Editor's Note: Our branch of the Somers family tree has native American ancestors, and while I haven't found documented proof of which ancestor (or ancestors) were native, the legend is it was of the Cherokee tribe. My father and grandfather tell the story of twin Cherokee boys on the Trail of Tears being orphaned and adopted by white settlers. Grandma Somers told me we were Blackfoot - not Cherokee. So, while I haven't found the trail of paper to prove our family story, I suspect there is an element of truth and our branch has Native American blood. Please be blessed by reading this bit of Christian His-Story regarding Presbyterian missionaries and the Cherokee as posted at This Day In Presbyterian History : An Injustice Which Found No Excuse  Related here is a brief account of Presbyterian missions among the Cherokee and Choctaw Indians, just prior to and immediately following the grave injustice of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Removal Act resulted in

Image is from the Clay County Courier, Corning, Arkansas, March 28, 1968 * The article states that a strong family resemblance is noted, and the strong family resemblance continues today in 2015 (90+ yrs. since this photo was taken) for the descendants of these lovely women. ** This article states the mother of Nancy (Jones) Wright as Nancy Jones, but the Somers Family Bible, as recorded by Lillian Mae (Weaver) Somers, states Mary Ann Jones as the mother of Nancy Wright.  I have found that Lillian's records in the Family Bible are accurate in other matters and believe the name used in this article for the 85 year old Mrs. Jones may be a misprint.

By Angela Wittman For my dear friend Dee Galyon who recently reminded me the importance of keeping our loved ones memories alive and my dad who patiently cultivated a love of family history in me. My soon to be 80 year-old father called me yesterday and while his reason was to relay some family news, he soon began reminiscing about his years in the Air Force and travels to England and Scotland while in the service. And even though I was right in the middle of preparing dinner, I didn't mind the call or the stories. You see, I love my dad and my earliest memories are of him telling me family stories. I cannot help but think that the stories of my grandfather and his family helped shape my character. My grandfather was the "black sheep" of his family due to a tragic divorce between his parents and the circumstances of his father's accidental death. My grandfather blamed his mother, (a strong, independent woman), for both the divorce and death of his dad. S

I'm reblogging this bit of Christian His-Story in honor of the Somers family heritage which began with Capt. John Somers of Caswell County, NC in the 1700's, and continued with his son in Tennessee and eventually my Great Grandfather settling in Butler County, Missouri... and to my Native American Cherokee ancestry which was hidden for many years to avoid racial persecution. - AW The original Burnt Swamp Baptist Church hosted meetings that led to the formation of the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association in 1881. The association moved the structure, which has its original floor joists, to the current association office property in Pembroke, N.C. (Photo by Alan Oxendine) By Jim Burton - Posted at Baptist Press: PEMBROKE, N.C. (BP) -- In 1881, Burnt Swamp Baptist Association, an association of Native American Baptist churches, was established. From its humble beginnings of three churches in Robeson County, N.C. -- two of which still exist -- the association now includes 70 ch

William Henry Somers My grandfather entered the Army at the young age of 23 years. He had been born in Tuckerman, Arkansas in 1894 and spent his childhood on the family farm in Stringtown, Butler County, Missouri. He was the oldest child of Henry Francis and Cotna Lisbeth (Cole) Somers. World War I Montage from Wikipedia One can only imagine the feelings of excitement mixed with loneliness for family and loved ones he felt as he left his small hometown for military service in Europe. But Grandfather was already a man, one who had matured at a young age when his father was killed in a work accident. He knew how to shoot, hunt for food and possessed a good amount of common sense. He was used to rough conditions and hard work from the years spent on the family farm. Little did he know when he joined the Army and was sent to the frontline of the conflict in Europe that those skills would prove to be valuable and help save his life. After being deployed to France

Notes on Cotna (Cotney, Coatny, Cortny) Lisbeth (Elizabeth) Cole (Harris/Tidwell/Somers) and Henry Francis Somers Cotna was born 1854 in Jackson County, Arkansas Her father and mother are listed in the 1900 Butler Co., Mo. Census as being born in Tennessee. Cotna married Henry F. Somers in 1893. Henry’s father Abraham (Born 1820) is from Tennessee, his mother Darcus (Born 1824), is from North Carolina. Henry F. was born in Jackson County, Tennessee in 1860. According to the Jackson Co. Tennessee 1860 Census, the Summers family is listed as: Abe – 39 yrs. Male/white Aner – 16 yrs. Female/white Archibald - 10 yrs. Male/white Darcus – 36 yrs. Female/white Henry – 2 mos. Male/white John – 14 yrs. Male/white Nancy – 12 yrs. Female/white Another possible sibling is Matthew A. Summers who is listed in a Census as being born in 1866. Also, I found a John Summers in the 1840 Jackson Co., Tenn. Census who could be Abe’s father. Henry F. Somers and Cotna (or Cotney)

By Angela (Somers) Wittman Lillian Mae Weaver Somers (20 yrs. old) with oldest daughter Mamie Tomorrow, September 24th, is my grandmother's birthday. She was born in 1903 in Randolph County, Arkansas, to the lovely and spirited Maggie Lenoa and the athletic William Izear Weaver*. Lillian was their first child and I can only imagine how much this first fruit of her parents was loved and cherished by both. Apparently Lillian inherited some of Maggie's spiritedness and when she met my grandfather, William Henry Somers, a WWI Veteran who was quite handsome, dashing and approximately 10 years older than her, she fell head over heels in love and could not be dissuaded from marrying him. The family story is that my grandparents requested permission from Maggie and William to be married. Their response was "Absolutely not!" Maggie and William probably thought this would end the couple's relationship. But, instead of putting a damper on the young couple's f

(Father to George Washington Wright Jr. and Grandfather to Maggie Lenoa Wright Weaver) Chronology abt 1824 Simpson Co., Kentucky --George Washington Wright was born 1830 Henry Co. TN --would be one of the 2 sons listed with Philomen Wright 1840 Tishomingo Co. MS, #586 listed as age 15-20 with Phil Wright 1845 Tishomingo Co., MS March 4, G. W. Wright married Lucy Ann Newman 1850 Tishomingo Co., MS census Page 9, #116 George Wright       26, farmer,     TN (brother to Granville) Lucy               23,             TN Mary                 3               MS James               6 months       MS #112 Jacob Wright -- uncle of Granvill #113 Lewis Deaton -- married Mary Ann Wright (died <1850) sister of Granvill #115 Gravill Wright (MIND) 1860 George W. Wright married Mary F. (Widener) Phillips. When they married he had 3 children and she had 4 children 1860 Walcott, Cache Twp, Greene, Arkansas #550 Wright   G W         36 KY Sawyer       

While researching my grandmother's side of the family, I came across some very interesting information regarding my Great, Great, Great Grandfather Samuel Little. It appears he may have been an Elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church and helped found the RP in Sparta, Illinois which is approximately a 30 minute drive from my home! If so, I have indeed inherited a noble Christian heritage and I bless the Lord for it. My grandmother was Lillian Mae (Weaver) Somers and her father was William Izear Weaver, the great grandson of Samuel Little and Elizabeth "Betsy" Boone. Here is some information I found on-line that appears to link Samuel Little to the Reformed Presbyterian Church: Some Descendants of Samuel Little and Elizabeth "Betsy" Boone Samuel Little, born 4 Feb 1777 in Rowan County, North Carolina, died 8 May 1831, possibly in Smith County, Tennessee. His parents have been tentatively identified as John Little, Sr. and Bellany Erwin. He marri

My beautiful Great Grandmother Maggie Lenoa Wright Weaver   This information was found at the "George Washington Wright" genealogy Website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ Maggie Lenoa (Wright) Weaver Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord , she shall be praised. (Proverbs 31: 30 AKJV) Born February 17, 1885 Pitman, Randolph Co., AR Died June 15, 1957 Clay Co., AR Buried at Williams Cemetery, Corning, Clay Co., Arkansas Married to William Izear WEAVER on October 19, 1902 Randolph Co., AR Maggie was the fifth child of George Washington Wright Jr. and Nancy Jones Wright. At the passing of her father, this obituary was written: PIONEER PASSED AWAY HERE LAST WEDNESDAY - 30 Apr 1937 George W. Wright, aged 79, highly respected pioneer citizen of Clay Co., passed away here last Wednesday at 6:20 p.m., at the home of his daugher, Mrs. W. F. Barnes. Mr. Wright was born on 22 June 1857 near Paragould,

Illustration from The Circuit Rider: A Tale of the Heroic Age by Edward Eggleston (Image from Wikipedia) "Yet still they look with glistening eye, Till lo! a herald hastens nigh; He comes the tale of woe to tell, How he, their prop and glory fell; How died he in a stranger’s room, How strangers laid him in the tomb, How spoke he with his latest breath, And loved and blessed them all in death. ~ Final stanza of a hymn about the perils of the Circuit Rider by Samuel Wakefield While researching Great Grandfather Henry Francis Somers, who I have been told was a traveling evangelist or circuit rider for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I came across these interesting vital statistics: Henry F. Somers was born in Jackson County, Tennessee in June of 1860. This was approximately one year before the War Between the States and exactly one year before Tennessee voted to secede. American Civil War Montage - Wikipedia In the 1860 Jackson County, Tenn. Census his father is