Family History

Jesse Claywell Serves In War With Future Presidents

In the Black Hawk War, Jesse served as Captain (under Col. James Collins) while a much more well-known American — Abraham Lincoln — served as a private in another company. Other famous Americans to fight in this war were future president Zachary Taylor, future CSA president Jefferson Davis and renown minister Peter Cartwright. Read more >>

1800s Wild West Lynching Claims Life Of Claywell Man

Jesse’s son, Warren, a small-time horse thief, learned the hard way that confessing to a crime in the Kansas Territory could have dire consequences. Knowing his aged mother and brothers were watching his execution only added to the family’s pain. Read more >>

Beaty family suffers major losses during Civil War

Although I have not verified what happened to any land holding the Beaty family may have loss due to the War, I do know the loss in human life was great. At a bare minimum, two Beaty men who were captured in 1863, died within months at a Confederate POW camp. Read more >>

Family history filled with loss, murder

Christopher Hughes, on Molly’s maternal side, definitely lived through hard times. He was hit by a train two years before his death and an uncle was killed by an angry mob, but the greatest tragedy he faced was the murder of his daughter Ida May when she was 27. Read more >>