Grandma Parent's High School Yearbook

Note from Uncle Vernon: This is a page from grandmother Dorthea Frost Parent's Jordan High School year book for the year 1924.  She was an honor student, with the highest grade points in the Jordan high school 1924 graduating class.   That gives the grandchildren something to strive for!  Oh by the way, the local and school politics gave the valedictorian speech to another young man.

Grandma Parent's Testimony

My TESTIMONY of the GOSPEL -  by Dorthea Rebecca Frost Parent December 20, 1976

Since I was a small child, I have been taught the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not only by precept, but as well as example.

I have been taught the efficacy of' prayer, never doubting that prayers would be heard and answered although not always in the exact way I had thought. they might be.

I think the strongest factor in building my testimony was the very strong testi­mony my mother had of the Book of Mormon.  She as a young girl had read it numberless times.  It's principles must have left a very strong and abiding testimony with her, for she never doubted for a moment it's truthfulness.

She knew the Book of Mormon characters so well, and a good deal about each prophet, and the principles of righteousness are taught there.  

Also, having worked in the Logan Temple as a young woman Her testimony was greatly strengthened.  She had also studied the works of Josephus and often quoted from this source.

My mother read a lot, and was a kind, charitable, and god-fearing person.

My Father, also a convert to the faith, had an unshakeable testimony of the divinity of the work. Both of my parents taught us children by precept as well as example.

The family prayers we had both morning and evening, as we knelt around the table were precious moments or testimony building and thankfulness -- and left an indelible impression on me.  I felt the Lord not only hears but answers prayers.

At one time our family were custodians for the old Nineteenth Ward Meeting house on 4th North in Salt Lake City. One afternoon, several of my brothers and sisters and I were cleaning, the classrooms downstairs, when we heard the upstairs door open, and then a "Clomp, clomp, clomp!" There was a demented man who lived in our area, and we immediately thought it was he! So we children all rushed into the ladies restroom, and locked the door. We knelt down and prayed to our Heavenly Father to protect us. We soon heard the clomp, clomp, coming down the stairs--- We waited-- Finally my father  call out " Children are you down stairs?  What a relief!

While we were living in Salt Lake City, a terrible tragedy happened to my sister, Geneva. She was about seven, years old at the time. On this 4th of July, which was a Sabbath day, our folks had gone to afternoon Sacrament meeting, and Geneva was wheeling our baby sister for a walk. While she was going along, one of our neighbor boys Billie S. came up to her with a lighted sparkler, and shouted to Geneva "I'm going to set you on fire"! And with that he im­mediately touched the glowing sparkler to the back of her dress. It was made of a fine material, and blazed up, burning all of her clothes off from her body!  She was a mass of solid. burned flesh, from. her neck down to her knees, as were also her elbows!

Our doctor didn't think she had a chance to live! But our family and friends fasted and prayed in her behalf! All summer long she lay on her stomach! The only re­lief she got was when Daddy would sometimes boost her up, she would face him and throw her arms  around his neck, and he'd carry her with her feet nesting in his two hands.

Her recovery was a direct answer to fasting and prayer!

Later on, sometime after she was well, she was playing in a trench, the city was digging for a sewer line. It was hand dug, and the soil was very sandy. Our mother had forbid any of us to go near it, but an older girl coaxed Geneva to make a play house for their dolls in it. Soon sand started to sift down into it.  The older girls ran, but Geneva was, completely buried. The girls ran a block to where men were digging on the trench, and they screamed that a girl was buried in the trench!  The workers ran back, and started digging furiously! When they got down to her, she was unconscious, and was spitting up blood and sand, which continued for days after­ward. Through the power of the priesthood in her behalf, and the faith and prayers of our family and friends, her life was again spared. This left a lasting impression on me!  

A few years later, we moved. to a small dairy farm, up in Oakley, Summit County, Utah­. One night our mother became violently ill, and in the middle of the night, our father called all of us children down stairs! We knelt down and surrounded mother's bed. We joined hands while our father prayed, and pled with the Lord to save our Mother's life!

We, were a pretty humble little group, but we had faith the Lord would hear and answer our prayers. Our mother did get well, and lived many years after. She and Father were privileged to go on a six months mission to Grand Forks, North Dakota, when Father was in his seventies.

During the First World War, in 1917-18, there was a terrible " Flu" epidemic.  Our brother, Clarence, was one of the players for the South Summit High School Basket Ball team. As they were champions of our district, they were privileged to go to Salt Lake City to the "State" Tournament, which was played in the old Deseret Gym. All the fellows on the team were required to go to Dr. Dannenburg's office for physical check-ups. Clarence didn't go in with the rest of the fellows, but stayed in the sleigh as he wasn't feeling well.

The team was playing in a tournament game, when Clarence collapsed on the floor! As the hospitals were all filled,  the only place they could take him was back to the hotel. His coach phoned our folks that Clarence was dying! Our mother and five of us children were all sick with the Flu at home, but Mother said she was going to Clarence. His teammate, Gilbert Marchant was also sick, so Dad took mother down to Peoa, where the Marchants lived, and Mr. Marchant took mother to Park City where she caught a train for Salt Lake City.  Mother nursed the boys as best she could, being ill herself!  We all did a lot of praying that the lives of our family wou1d be preserved! What a blessed reunion when they at last returned home, and our family was again reunited.  Many others were not so fortunate, and our hearts went out to them!

One time, while I was teaching school at Indian Springs, Nevada, I took my little class up to a high mountain nearby for a hike and picnic.  Mrs. Harnedy, the mother of one of my students went with us. One of my students,  Mary S., wanted to hike up to the top of the trail.  So I left the rest of the students with Mrs. Harnedy, and we took off.

However, as we neared the top, Mary had a fainting spell, and her face turned black! I moved her into the shade, and then I felt I must get some water for her.  I prayed fervently to the Lord to help me find some water.  I hiked on up the trail, and then came to the north side of a ledge, where there was still a snow bank.  I scooped some, up in my dress, and rushed back down the trail.

By applying snow to her face and giving her some in her mouth, she revived .  I truly thanked my Heavenly Father for his guidance, and His blessing Mary so that she revived.

Later on after teaching school in my home town of Bluffdale, I married and moved to Minnesota, with my husband, Joseph A. Parent.  During my third pregnancy, I became very ill, and had constant nausea and vomited so much, that I lost 50 pounds. One night as I lay trying to rest, my throat swelled nearly shut, and I couldn't breathe. I awakened my husband. He got the consecrated oil, poured a little in my throat and administered to me, blessing me that I would be able to breathe normally, and get some rest, which occurred as promised.

Later on, Dr. Victor S. Quale, who had trained at the Rochester Clinic with Mayo Brothers, came out to see me, and said I must be taken to the hospital immediately.  Joe got our neighbor, Bert Humphrey to drive our big bob sleigh, and they put a couch with seven pillows as a mattress, bundled me up with quilts and a bear robe, and down the river we went, as all the other roads were blocked with big snow drifts.

As soon as I arrived, they insisted on taking me to the X-ray room, and took a series of X-rays. They left me alone in the X-ray room with only a sheet over me and no one to look after me. I took a terrible chilling!

That night I really had to fight for my life!!!  It seemed it would be just so easy to turn over, give up, and die. I fervently prayed the rest of the night to the Lord to spare my life and that of my unborn baby. He must have heard my prayers, for that was the turning point in my recovery. The doctor would not let me out of the hospital until I had gained 15 1bs. I then weighed 85 lbs.  I finally made it, and four months later we had a fine baby girl, Marilyn, born to us.  How grateful I was!!

One day while we were living in East Grand Forks, Minn., I sent Joseph Jr. and Vernon down to the well to get a pail of· drinking water. It was perhaps a half-block from the house. All of a sudden a terrific rain storm came up.  There were torrents of water running between our house and the well house!!! The boys were pretty frightened, and they kneeled down and prayed. It was perhaps only fifteen minutes until the storm subsided, and. the boys were able to return to the house. We were very happy that they had sought the Lord in this emergency!

It is great to know that no matter where you are, and what the circumstances are, you always have someone with you. and can call on His Divine aid, and He will hear you and answer your prayer.

We lived in Minnesota for nine years after we were married, but then decided that we would move to Utah where there were better opportunities for our children to attend the different organizations of the church, seminary, etc.  So in the Fall of 1937,we moved to Utah, settling in Tooele for six months, and then moved to Vernal, Uintah County, Utah. While we lived in Vernal we operated a hardware store. We used to take the cash receipts at the close of the day, to our home for safe keeping. This particular time there was around $700.00 in the envelope.  I placed it on the top of the piano, and got busy with household chores. On Sunday morning, I remembered it, and went to get it, but it was nowhere to be found!  I questioned each of the children to see if any of them had seen it, but none had. I really prayed about it, as during the depression, money was hard to come by, and, losing that, much money would prove to be a disaster.

That night, I prayed to the Lord to help me find it, and I had implicit trust that he would. During the night, I had a dream that it was back of the piano! So early the next morning, I was up and had the boys help me to move it out, and there was the envelope, neatly lodged. between two of the sections on a cross bar. How grateful I was, and I immediately thanked my Heavenly Father. The Lord is ever ready to bless us, sustain, and help us, if we are humble, and try our best to live His commandments.

When our second son, Edward Alphonse, was four years old, he became terribly sick. We called in Dr F. and he doctored him for a kidney infection.  I carried him around much of the time to try to relieve him of his pain. One morning, after I had literally walked the floor with him all night. I prayed fervently for direction.  The answer came -- "get another doctor"!

So I phoned Dr. Hansen at the hospital. He said he was making his rounds, but would come over immediately afterward.

When he came, he took one look at Edward, and exclaimed, "That boy has a ruptured appendix. Get him to the hospital immediately, and we will operate in twenty min­utes!"  We were thunder struck!  Joe hurried down to the Post Office to get Bishop Haws who worked there.  He came immediately and gave Edward a fine blessing, and promised him he would live, that he had a mission to perform on the earth.

The operation was successful, although Edward needed a blood transfusion, and his father was the blood donor. All of our family have blood type A-Rh Negative. How grateful our whole family was for this wonderful blessing the Lord had given us in saving the life of Edward!

How much I appreciate the great blessing of faith and prayers! How we all need our Heavenly Father' s guidance and direction in all we do.  Prayer is the great channel that connects earth with heaven. What a great solace and blessing it is to all that believe!!!!

                        Written by Dorthea Rebecca Frost Parent December 20, 1976 

Joseph A Parent Photos

My Uncle Vernon is good at periodically scanning old photos and sending them out to the family. I usually download them onto my computer, but I thought sharing them on this blog would be the best way to preserve and enjoy them.

Joseph Parent, my paternal grandfather - somewhere between 15 and 20 years old

Joseph Parent in 1941 - not quite a year after my dad was born.

Dorthea and Joseph Parent - 1967 - 40th Anniversary

Parent family photos

My paternal grandfather, Joseph Anthony Parent, October 1, 1957

Parent family, September 1967
Front: Joseph A Parent and Dorthea Frost Parent
Back L-R: Vernon F. Parent, Lila Parent Bringhurst, Deon Bringhurst,
Sydney Brown Parent, Edward Parent

Rebecca Jorgensen Frost's Memories as a Young Girl

I really enjoyed reading the following account of my maternal great-grandmother, Rebecca Frost, that my dad sent me:

Memories of Rebecca Jorgensen Frost (My mother's mother)

Now at the age of sixty-six years I am about to put into effect the thought that has prompted me for many years — namely, to write some of my experiences and also some of the things that have come to my observation during my life thus far.

Before I go any farther, I want to confess my mistake and hope none of my posterity shall do as I have — that is, neglected to keep a diary, and therefore have forgotten many things that might have served as faith promoting to others. I must now trust to my memory, prompted by the Holy Ghost which leads into all truth and brings to the memory things of the past.

I can say, as Nephi of old, that "I was born of goodly parents," on the sixth of March, 1865, in Brigham City, Boxelder County, Utah. I am the sixth child of eight — three girls and five boys. Their names according to age are: Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Anna Maria, Mary Christina, Hansine Rebecca, Joseph Christian, and Moses Peter Jorgensen.

When I was six weeks old the family moved to Logan, Cache County, Utah. My mother took her turn at driving the loose cattle, leaving my sister and me asleep in the wagon. Once on coming to the wagon, she found my sister lying across my face, nearly smothering me.

They located in Logan, being among the earliest settlers in Cache County. Here Father assisted in making canals, building bridges and meeting houses and other improvements required to convert a desert into a fit abode for a progressive community. It was here that my infancy and childhood were spent.

One of my first recollections was the iron pot in which our food was cooked hanging in the fireplace and the Dutch oven in which our bread was baked. I remember the cheerful fire which furnished both warmth and light. My Father always liked a good fire so he furnished plenty of good dry wood chopped in large pieces. Another thing that fastened itself on my memory was the clicking of Mother’s knitting needles at night or before light in the morning when I would awake in my little trundle bed.

Perhaps some would ask what a trundle bed is. Well, it was a small box-like affair that could be hid under a large bed during the day by means of a curtain hung around it, for every space of the two rooms had to be utilized.

Our home seemed to be a place where the children of the neighborhood collected and sometimes after we had frolicked abut the yard, we were allowed to play games in the house, such as "Drop the Handkerchief," "Ring around the Roses," "King Williams," "Jolly Butcher Boys," and others. Other times we would sing songs, such as: "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean," "This Night We’ll Join the Revelry," "I Wish I Was an Apple," "The Drunkard’s Dream," and others.

When Mother’s turn came to entertain, she usually had a Bible story for us. I always enjoyed them — the story of the creation, stories of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph who was sold into Egypt, the Israelites, the kings, and the dividing of the Kingdom after the death of Solomon. She could tell us in story form the contents of the Bible from Genesis to the book of revelation.

Later in our lives we children always knew who to call on when we needed assistance in finding certain passages on any subjects from the Bible.

Father was very entertaining and kept up on present happenings. He always took a paper which was published in Omaha, Nebraska (The Pioneer) in which he was able to keep posted not only on current news, but also news of happenings in Denmark. He could also keep our attention by relating his early experiences in his homeland and also as a pioneer in Utah. Father took pleasure in singing Danish songs and had a very good voice. Mother’s lullaby songs had a charm for me, although she could not carry a tune. She often recited love longs.

About 1870 my parents decided they hadn’t enough land for their five sons and there was land across Bear River that could be homesteaded. So they ventured out, although they knew there would be many difficulties to encounter. I well remember the first time I was taken out to the new claim. We arrived in the evening. On awaking that beautiful morning in May, I could see the rays of sun pouring through the cracks of the door of our little shanty. We youngsters soon dressed and went out to survey the surroundings.

The first thing that took our attention were the pretty flowers raising their heads above or nestling among the tall bluegrass that had been left to grow and dry out in the fall without being disturbed for centuries perhaps, although there were some wild Texas cattle there. We wandered on for about a quarter of a mile along the hill until we reached a clump of trees in a cozy nook in the bend of the hill. This drew our attention at once to the haw berries, choke cherries, service berries, and other wild berries that interested us. At the foot of the hill ran a clear, sparkling stream. Here we later spent much of our leisure time, hunting birds nests, making playhouses, and so far.

How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood,

when fond recollection presents them to view:

The orchard, the meadow, the deep-tangled wildwood,

and every loved spot that my infancy knew.

[The document written by Hansine Rebecca ended abruptly at this point and I don’t KNOW where the rest of her story is. I found this while searching through my files for something else so please Help me find the remainder!

LDS Church History in Philadelphia

I came across a very interesting article about the early LDS Church in Philadelphia. I found it from Googling one of my ancestors - Elisha Davis. He is mentioned in the first paragraph of the article, but so far I haven't seen him reoccur in the history. He was a missionary in a neighboring county, and may not have had much to do with Philadelphia. The article is also interesting to me on a personal level since I now live in Philadelphia and am a member of the LDS Church here. Here is the link to the article:Discord in the City of Brotherly Love: The Story of Early Mormonism in Philadelphia by Stephen J. Fleming. The early Saints in Philadelphia would be thrilled to know that we will enjoy a temple here in the future. Enjoy!

An Old Letter Resolves a Persistent Confusion

The following is a letter I found in the archives at the Salem County Historical Society.

 
THE PARENTAGE OF HANNAH HILDEBRAND DAVIS
(Transcribed from a 4-page article written by Catherine Soleman Chandler written in October 1983, published in THE REPORT, Ohio Genealogical Society, Fall 1985. The article was in possession of the Salem County Historical Society Library.)
For many years it has been believed that Hannah HILDEBRAND, wife of Isaac DAVIS, ca. 1753-1814, of Salem County, New Jersey, Frederick County, Virginia, and Columbiana County, Ohio, was the daughter of John and Barbata HILDEBRAND. This was the conclusion of Jennie DAVIS OLIVER, 1869-1934, and of a well-known genealogist, now deceased, of Salt Lake City. The will of John HILDEBRAND, made 1802, probated 1806 in Mansfield Township of Sussex County, New Jersey, appeared to confirm this, although it did not give the married name of Hannah or his other daughters.
However, in November 1982 several family letters, written more than one hundred years ago, came into my possession. They shed an entirely new light on the subject of Hannah's parentage.
I first heard about the letters in July 1960, when the late Ruth OLIVER OTTO, daughter of the above Jennie, wrote that they had belonged to her mother, who had given them to a niece. She said nothing about the contents except that one letter, written by Elisabeth DAVIS CRAIG, mentioned the name PIERCE or PIERSON. Since surnames of two wives were missing in the DAVIS and BASSETT families, this seemed a possibility worth investigating.
Then followed the first of numerous attempts to see the letter, or a copy of it, which continued intermittently for the next twenty-two years, bringing only occasional empty promises. Suddenly, last November twelve letters were given to me after the death of their owner. Persistence became nuisance value and paid off, for the letters contain invaluable family information. Why Jennie DAVIS OLIVER ignored it is beyond understanding.
Elisabeth DAVIS CRAIG, 1785-1870, daughter of Isaac and Hannah HILDEBRAND DAVIS, wrote on 22 February 1868 to a niece (name not given, but believed to be Ruth DAVIS PECK, since other letters were written to her). She said that her mother, Hannah HILDEBRAND, was one of three daughters of George HILDEBRAND. The other two were Eleanor, who married a man named KENT, and Mary Ann, who died many years earlier, leaving an only child a few days old. Her husband's name was not mentioned.
Old notes in my file revealed that one George HILDEBRAND of Salem County, New Jersey, died in 1766 without making a will. The State Library of New Jersey has since supplied a photocopy of a document that is dated 13 Sept. 1766, appointing Elinor, widow of George HILDEBRAND, late of Mannington Township, Salem County, as administrator, and stating that he was "of the people called Quakers." Signing with Elinor were David CRAWLEY and Isaac HILDEBRAND. One of the witnesses was Elisha BASSETT, Junior, who also made the inventory. Isaac HILDEBRAND was probably a relative of George. Our DAVIS and BASSETT families were Quakers. There was a DAVIS-CRAWLEY marriage a generation earlier. Elisha BASSETT, Junior, was a brother of Elizabeth BASSETT DAVIS, mother of Isaac DAVIS. With all living in Salem County, this is far more logical than a connection with HILDEBRANDs of northern New Jersey. (NJ Archives 33:190, 1167Q, Lib. 12:317)
In January 1983 a search began in Chicago's Newberry Library and yielded positive results within the first hour. Elinor HILDEBRAND was married to Erasmus KENT on 23 April 1770. Mary Ann HILDEBRAND of Mannington Township and John JENNINGS of Salem were married 28 August 1782. Both of these took place in Salem Meeting House. Rebeckah JENNINGS, daughter of John and Mary Ann, was born 23 July 1783. Mary Ann JENNINGS, wife of John, died on 29 July 1783, aged 31 years 2 months (making her birth ca. May 1752). John JENNINGS of Salem County married Mary RYLEY at Salem Meeting House on 12 October 1785. (Hinshaw-Encyclopedia of Am. Quaker Genealogy II 78, 81, 32; H.S. Craig-Salem Genealogical Data 132, 142, 207, taken from NJ Archives)
On 4 July 1868 Elizabeth DAVIS CRAIG wrote from Fredericksburg, Wayne County, Ohio, (where she was visiting daughter Elisabeth MARTIN), "My mother told me several times that her mother lived in England. Her husband took sick and died and she thought she would go back amongst her friends below Philadelphia. She came with her two little boys Davis and Jonathan. Her husband's name was PIERCE or PIERSON." Elisabeth added that her grandmother left England very soon after her husband's death, without waiting for an estate settlement. She and her two young sons came on a small ship that carried very few passengers. It must have been a harrowing voyage, out of sight of land for six or eight weeks and the captain almost constantly drunk.
Later Eleanor was notified of an inheritance from her husband, but did not return to England to receive it. When David and Jonathan became of age they set sail to claim the "estate" for the family. They were never heard from again. Their half-sisters believed they were lost at sea. Perhaps they were; perhaps not. Viewing the matter from the distance of two and a quarter centuries, one wonders if they collected the inheritance and decided to drop out of sight. We will never know.
There were five letters written by Elisabeth DAVIS CRAIG to her niece, who had obviously asked questions about the family background. It is not clear whether Widow Elinor PIERCE/PIERSON was English or an American returning to Pennsylvania. Elisabeth did not know where her grandmother lived in England or how soon after coming to America she had married George HILDEBRAND.
Marriage records have been searched, but as yet none has been found for George HILDEBRAND and Widow Elinor PIERCE/PIERSON. Did they marry in New Jersey or Pennsylvania? She may not have been a Quaker. The fact that their daughter Mary Ann was received on request into Salem Monthly Meeting on 4.29.1782 would seem to indicate that she was not. (Hinshaw II 78).
The name of George HILDEBRAND appears occasionally in the NJ Archives, the first time in 1744, but we do not know if this is the same individual. Additional research is necessary.
The spelling of Eleanor is used in the old letters. All records show Elinor, and that is the way the widow of George HILDEBRAND signed her name. Both spellings have been used here, depending on whether they came from official records of the letters. Spelling makes little difference.
A statement in one of Elisabeth DAVIS CRAIG's letters seemed puzzling at first reading. "Eleanor KENT was sister-in-law to my mother." Further consideration makes it perfectly clear and correct. Isaac DAVIS had a younger sister, Eleanor, who married Edmund KENT, son of Eleanor HILDEBRAND and Erasmus KENT. She was indeed Hannah's sister-in-law and also her niece.
Elisabeth mentioned a "silver pin cushion band and chane (chain)," the band engraved E, which belonged to the first Eleanor, then to Eleanor HILDEBRAND KENT and finally to Hannah's youngest daughter, Eleanor DAVIS BLANCHER.
The old letters, verified by both New Jersey and Quaker records, leave no doubt that Hannah HILDEBRAND DAVIS was the daughter of George HILDEBRAND and his wife Elinor.
In one of her letters Elisabeth wrote that Aunt Eleanor Kent and husband had gone further West about the same time that her own parents had moved with their children "to eastern Virginia." Hannah and Isaac DAVIS were received into Hopewell Friends Meeting in Frederick County, Virginia, in 1794. Isaac was soon dismissed because "he hath been active in military services." Just where and in what capacity he served in the Revolutionary War we do not know, for there were several men of that name. He was reinstated and both he and Hannah were given certificates to Salem Monthly Meeting in Columbiana County, Ohio, on 9.6.1807. (Hopewell Friends History 431, 44,; Hinshaw IV 698, VI 382). They settled in West Township of Columbiana County on a tract of land confirmed to Isaac DAVIS of Frederick County, Virginia, by President Thomas Jefferson on 1 October 1806 – Section 28, township 16, Range 5. (Columbiana County Deeds 24:709). Isaac and Hannah were charter members of New Garden Monthly Meeting in Hanover Township, Columbiana County. His name appears frequently in the New Garden minutes, which have been carefully examined.
We have never found an official record of their marriage. It occurred about 1780 and therefore may not have been in a Quaker Meeting House, for Isaac was out of favor because of his Revolutionary War activities.
Children of Isaac and Hannah HILDEBRAND DAVIS, born in Pilesgrove Township, Salem County, New Jersey:

1. Mary DAVIS, 23 April 1781 – 12 August 1850, married Thomas EMMONS
2. Isaac DAVIS, 20 February 1783 – 20 May 1847, married Edith RICHARDS
3. Elisabeth DAVIS, 26 February 1785 – 8 August 1870, married Isaac CRAIG
4. Eleanor DAVIS, born 1787, married Gilbert BLANCHER
5. David DAVIS, 1 August 1789 – 27 August 1836, married Rachel JOHN

 
Since this paper concerns the many descendants of Isaac and Hannah HILDEBRAND DAVIS, it should be noted that some of the old letters told of the supposed existence of a sizable DAVIS fortune held in a bank in Wales (spelled Wails in one letter). The same Ruth DAVIS PECK was again making inquiries, this time of her father's cousin, Ruth DAVIS CASSEDAY.
The latter replied on 15 April 1870 from Philadelphia. "Thee wished to know the names of thy grandfather's brothers. My father was one. His name was Elisha, the other was Thomas. There was two others, John and Charles, but they died young and left no children. John one of the brothers that settled in West Jersey had one son Thomas, he was my grandfather and thy great-grandfather." She explained about the brothers. "John and David built each of them a brick house and put the names of themselves and their wifes and the date of the year in the end of the house with blue brick. I cannot say what the other brothers name was. I have been told it was Mordekia and he… left no children." Actually that brother was Malachi and there is record of his will, the land he owned and the fact that he owned and operated a ferry in Salem County. She did not mention the fourth and oldest brother, Isaac, who preceded his parents and brothers to West Jersey. She continued, "John's wife's name was Eleanor. John and brother David were sons of John DAVIS from the principality of Wales and their mother's name was Dorothea a descendant of a good family in old England."