I have been genuinely interested in my ‘Family Roots’ for many years. My own father was killed when I was only two years young. Not having him around was truly a loss for me and not knowing many of his family either was doubly difficult. The following was transcribed exactly as written in 1894 by an elderly ancestor Thomas Capps… A small part of my paternal heritage and some of these names are also in my maternal tree… I thought it interesting to hear this gentleman speak as I read the story. So, I share a story of roots grown from Tennessee to Missouri, Iowa and Arkansas… Provided by Dorothy Todd Avery– [from Genforum dot com/Capps family Forum/message 2717] Handwritten document, typed as written. That means, it is plum full of colloquialisms and misspellings, with missing punctuations. Along with a rare opportunity to ‘hear’ the old ancestor’s speech and local accent. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have. I know it has driven the SEO crazy, but to make their suggested repairs would be too damaging to the aesthetics and history, that make it so precious. So, open your imagination and attach your ears, sit on the porch at Grandpa’s knee. Listen to his grand story of family. Be in awe of his ability to remember all those people and all those places. Once upon a time folks could do that.

A sketch or memorandom of Old Mr Thomas Capps the first Capps ever none in america.

So fare back as my knowlage extends Old Thomas Capps had 8 children 4 boys & 4 gerls Jenny the oldest I think maried henry Clark Polly maried Joshuay Wombls Pheby married Jacob Quick Anny married Samuel Percifield Mimey married Charles Hubbard I forgot her William the olds boy married Rachal Smith Jacob maried Sarah Sanders Samson my father married Esther Smith Willes married Elizabeth Yaden William had 8 children 5 boys & 3 girls Syer the oldest I cant remember how he married he moved from east tennessee in early days to Kentucky and Died in Kentucky Joab and David Bouth moved from Tennessee to Schuyler County missouri and in time of the rebbelion war thay went to councel bluff and Died.

Kinny D John as he was generaly called he remained near the old homested and died thar in union co tenn hiram the younges Son lived with his father & mother and I think all three Died on the old home Sted on Black fox creek Rachal the oldest daughter Seh married Jacob yadon thay lived in the hickry vally one mile of whare the writer was born one mile west of capps ford on clinch river Jan 29, 1814 Esther married nathan mc Dowell he was highley educated master of the english languag he Died A war prisner in camp morten indiana report Say thay feds Starved him to death because he wouldent take the Devels iron clad oath rebeca She married John McDowell A brother to Nathan Mc Dowell thay married Sisters John moved to MO Jackson Co I suppese thay are bouth Dead liza nathan and Johns mother was A sister to Johns nathan and wives She married James Mc Dowell nathans father thay Died in tennesee those includs uncle williams family now comes uncle Jacobs family he had eleven children 6 boys and 5 girls

Biddy the oldest Biddy maried Tom paterson Liddy married John rice A colonel Leah married henry bullard Mary married Bob Stublefield rachal married malin Spires he and She Died in west prary in Lincoln Co MO next the boys Benjaman married zelphid hains thay moved to Springfield mo and died John married betsy cook thay are bouth Dead John Dide in alabama Betsy Died in illinoys pike co Bill married peggy yaden Bill Died on ningua river camdon co his wife maried MC Cauy moved to MO Daniel maried nancy wagoner she Died in Lincoln Co MO he married Again he married A miss butler thay Started to origon he Died on the rout Isaac married mimey hubbord A daughter of preacher David hubord thay went to Californa Supose bouth Dead

Jacob the preacher married A miss Cook Sister to John wife his brother Jake moved in Miller Co MO on the osage river Close tuscumby and Died nnot long after the war now comes in Samsons family Samson he maried Esther Smith him and Billey married Sisters rachel and Esther smith Samson my father had 10 Children 5 boys 5 girles Sarah the oldest married William lay thay raised A larg family and bouth Died in union co tenn

peggy She married Prock yaden in tennesee thay moved to Schiler co mo thay raised A lard familey of children and bouth Died Schuyler mistake in adarh co in sted of Schuyler co peggys and my mother Died at the Same place and was burried at the Same graveyard Jane She first maried Vance Evens had 2 children he Died in tenn union co Jane then married hue Vance and thay moved with her and my father to Lincoln Co Mo whare myne and her father Died he was buried at Jerry Becks family grave yard I have A Son burried by his side both named Samson hugh Vance and Jane moved to wisconsin and A bout the commincement of the late war thay moved near burlington Iowa hugh take sick and thay Started to move to mo hugh got so bad thay had to Stop at ft madison and he Died and was burried at ft madison

Jane came back to missouri Settled on nianguA river camdon Co Mo and died thare Eidieth She married gilbert percifield thay moved to Brown Co indania and Died thar Rebecca maried (Sqier moore) in tennesee thay moved to houred Co Mo and Died in houred or linn next the boys william the oldest hr married anny cabage in tennessee moved first to Lincoln Co Mo from mo to Keokuk Co iowa he raised to larg family mostly girles his wife Died close the commenseing of the war and he Died Soon after the close of the rebelion thay Died and was burried close to Iowa Keokuk Co iowa

hiram married Elizabeth Sweete in tennesee moved to Lincoln Co Mo he moved Lincoln Co to aarh Co Mo then moved to Grant Co wisconsin then back to Mo and the to arcansaw near Vanburen and was living thare in time of the war the rebbles at the time war was A little the Strongest hiram was the onley fed of our family him and his Son was on the Dodg came in out of the brush for A little grub while thay ware taken thar Snack A Scout of rebes run in on them and commensed Shooting them Shot 2 or 3 balls in hiram and 16 in his Son killed him on the Spot wound hiram badly he finally Died from the wounds near Vanburen ark

Jacob married Betsy Bell in Lincoln Co Mo thay moved to Schuyler Co Mo thay raised 6 girles and one boy Jacob died A bout the close of the war Betsy Died close the begining of the war thay Died and was burried in Schuyler Co Mo Samson Anderson Jr married Susen Evens in Lincoln Co Mo he moved to ceaarh Co Mo and was thar in time of the war Old Jahawker Jim lain camed at his place and Stole his cattle and corn burned up his fence and made anderson Board Several his thieves till General Price made the old thief get on double quick he brok anderson up So he came back to Mo in time of the war Anderson and his wife Died A few year after the war closed andersonn and wife bouth was buried at the Squire Jones grave yard in West pararie near farevewe church Lincol Co Mo anderson was taken Sick January the 9 1873 Died the 19 of January 1873 Sick 10 Days I Stood over him till he breths his last

Now comes in my Self I the youngest of the of fathers familey and the onley one living out of the foure brothers famileys I am in my 81th year of age My Name is David Kenney Capps I was Born in Easte tennessee granger Co now union Co carpet bag chan cince the war one mile W of capps ford on clinch river I came to missouri with my father when I was 14 years old we settled in Lincoln Co on yurre rive at what was then called the hackbury Botom father Died thar about 1832 Willes Capps the youngist of fathers Brothers he married Betesy Yaden in tennessee he moved to missouri with my father he went back twice to tennessee the people raise A joke on uncle Sed he could borrow meal on the road promas to pay on return

uncle willis finely moved out on niangua river in camdon Co Mo I Sould him my place I came back to Lincoln Co Mo uncle willis Died thare him and his wife and was burried at the moulder grave yard or the cave pump grave yard the grave yarde was close the cave pump post offic moulder keept the post offis he used the cave for A milk house thare was A noble Spring run through the cave it was A vary larg cave Sister Jane was burried at that graveyard and Sevrel of the capps and conection was buried thare I have give A Skecch of the four brothers familys May 19 1894 I am 80 years old

On another note; many years ago I brought my family from St. Louis, Missouri to Camden County, Missouri aka Lake of the Ozarks. One of my Mother’s brothers had also lived in the County a few years before and shortly after I moved down, Uncle Robert and Aunt Mary retired to the place he called ‘Heaven on Earth’. My Mother’s other brother Uncle Frank pondered on that. He asked me and his brother “Just what is it you think you have found here?” At that time, I only had feelings about it, not so many words. Since then I have found out that what I personally found was ‘Roots’.

Aunt Esther told me the story of her and my Mother hitchhiking to Long Lane, Missouri when they were only about 12 and 15 years young. Their Uncle Pearl Chapman had moved there with his family and started a farm in Dallas County, Missouri. I too, ended up in Dallas County, MO for just over 20 years. A happy resident and living out my country dreams. Since then through genealogy I have discovered many more ancestral roots, as are told in the above recitation. Places like the Niangua River, Miller County, Camden County, Osage River, Lincoln County and many familial names of folks long buried here, and long before I even knew they or those places existed. Uncle Frank may have already known or guessed it, but what I did find was family roots and stories to tell.