I have a portrait of Felix Grundy VanMeter. He was born in Meade Co., Ky on 12 May
1836. He was one of my gr-gr-grandfathers. I estimate he would have been about 52 years
old in the portrait. I will discuss later that he and other members of my VanMeter line
were all members of the Hill Grove Baptist Church. Felix was a member since 1852 when he
was only 16 years old. He died in Oklahoma on 27 Jul 1914. He is buried in the Sumner
Cemetery, Noble Co., Oklahoma. See his headstone.
I also have a similar portrait of one of his sons, my gr-grandfather, David Stonewall
VanMeter, who was born in Meade County on 12 Jan 1866. I don't know exactly where he was
born. I found out that in the 1860 census, before David was born, Felix and his wife,
Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter were near Brandenburg, Meade Co., KY. In the 1870 census,
four years after David’s birth, the family was near the Garnettsville, Meade Co., KY
Post Office. I estimate that both portraits were done at the time of David's wedding in
Nebraska in about 1888. Hence, David would have been about 22 years old in the portrait.
David died in 1958 and is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co.,
Nebraska. See his headstone.
In addition, I have a photograph taken in about 1930 that shows the wife of Felix, Nannie
Susan (Haynes) VanMeter. Nannie is a nickname for her birth name of Nancy. She is one of
my gr-gr-grandmothers. She was born on 2 Jun 1840 in either Meade Co. or Breckenridge Co.,
KY, near Big Spring. She would have been about 90 years old in the photo. She was a
daughter of Henry "Little Henry" Haynes, 1811-1875, and Jane (Stith) Haynes,
1815-1895. Both Henry and Jane Haynes will be discussed below. Nannie died in 1932,
probably near Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. However, she is buried next to her
husband, Felix, in the Sumner Cemetery, Noble County, Oklahoma. See her headstone.
In that same photo are David Stonewall VanMeter, one of her sons at about age 64, and
his first child, my grandmother. My grandmother was Carrie Hope (VanMeter) Johnson. She
was born on 10 Feb 1889, probably near Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. She would have
been about 41 years old in the photo. In 1908, she married Samuel Leonis Johnson,1887- abt
1921, my grandfather, in northwest Missouri. They had four children together. Carrie died
on 20 Jun 1940 and is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co.,
Nebraska. See her headstone.
The following submitted by Dave Johnson of Washington
State:
Dr. John Stith: He was born on 27 Dec 1770 in Virginia and died on 27 Oct 1840 in Big
Spring, Breckinridge Co., KY. I have searched the internet in Breckinridge, Hardin, and
Meade Counties plus asked the lookup person for Breckinridge County (Merle Likins) to find
him without success. Merle suggested that he might be buried in Hardin County. I
have learned from Merle Likins that apparently Dr. John Stith was very wealthy for
Breckinridge County since he had 10 slaves in the 1840 census. This is from a county that
only had 1642 slaves for that year. Surely such a prominent person would have a well-known
burial site.
His wife, Susannah (Hightower) Stith , abt 1785-9 May 1961, is buried in the
Family Cemetery in Meade County. However, there is no mention
of John Stith in the same cemetery. This is according to the listing in the Meade County
Public Library website.
Dr. John Stith and his wife Susan (Hightower) Stith were the parents of Jane (Stith)
Haynes, 1815-1895, who was one of my gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Jane Stith was the wife of
Henry "Little Henry" Haynes, described below. She was probably born near Big
Spring in either Breckenridge Co. or Meade Co., KY. Jane is buried in the Walnut Grove
Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. It is likely that she is buried there because
she was living with her daughter, Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter, at the time of her
death. Her headstone reads: Jane, wife of Henry Haynes, born Mar 9
1815, died Jan 16 1895.
Among the ancestors buried in the area are the following:
Henry "Little Henry" Haynes 1811-`1875. Born in Bedford Co. VA. Lived in
Meade County, KY but may have died in Grayson Co., KY since the 1870 census shows him and
his wife Jane there. His burial site is unknown to me. One of my gr-gr-gr-grandfathers.
Son of Milliner Haynes and Nancy (Pate) Haynes. Husband of Jane (Stith) Haynes, 1815-1895.
As noted above, Jane is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co.,
Nebraska. Father of Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter, 1840-1932.
Milliner Haynes 1781-1856. Born in Bedford Co., VA. Buried in Haynes Family
Cemetery near Brandenburg, KY. Father of Henry "Little Henry" Haynes. One of my
gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Husband of Nancy (Pate) Haynes, 1790-1840.
Nancy (Pate) Haynes, 1790-1840. Born in Bedford Co., VA. Apparently lived in Meade
Co. with her husband and died somewhere in KY, but unknown burial site. One of my
gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of Milliner Haynes. Mother of Henry "Little
Henry" Haynes.
Susannah (Hightower) Stith, abt 1785-9 May 1861. Born in Virginia. Buried in Clarkson Family cemetery near Big Spring,
Meade Co., KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of Dr. John Stith and mother of
Jane (Stith) Haynes.
Daniel Boone VanMeter, 1802-1880. Born in Hardin Co., KY. Buried in Buck Grove
Baptist Church Cemetery, Meade Co., KY. He was one of my gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Husband of
Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter. Son of Jacob VanMeter Jr. and Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter.
Father of Felix Grundy VanMeter. Member of Hill Grove Baptist Church since 1842.
Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter, 1804-1861. Born in Hardin Co., KY. Buried in Buck Grove
Baptist Church Cemetery, Meade Co., KY. Wife of Daniel Boone VanMeter and one of my
gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Daughter of Samuel Abell, 1783-1840, and Mary Polly McNeil,
1784-1847. Mother of Felix Grundy VanMeter. Member of Hill Grove Baptist Church since
1842.
Jacob VanMeter Jr., 1762-1850. Born in Frederick Co., VA. Buried in VanMeter Family
Cemetery in Meade Co. Ky. Father of Daniel Boone VanMeter and husband of Elizabeth
(Rhoads) VanMeter. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Son of Jacob
VanMeter Sr., 1723-1798, and Letitia (Stroud) VanMeter, 1725-1799. One of the elders
from Mill Creek who helped found the Hill Grove Baptist Church in 1822. A member of the
church since 1833.
Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter, 1770-1852. Born in Bedford Co., Pennsylvania. Buried
in VanMeter Family Cemetery in Meade Co., KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of
Jacob VanMeter Jr. and mother of Daniel Boone VanMeter. Daughter of Henry Rhoads,
1739-1814, and Elizabeth (Stoner) Rhoads, 1744-1807.
Samuel Abell, 1783-1840. Born in Maryland. Apparently died in Hardin County, KY but
unable to locate burial site. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Father of Elizabeth
(Abell) VanMeter. Husband of Mary Polly McNeil, 1784-1847. Son of Peter Abell and Lucy
(Carman) Abell.
Peter Abell, abt 1745-abt 1785. Born in Saint Mary’s Co., Maryland. Died at
Roger's Station, Nelson Co., Ky near Bardstown. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers.
Father of Samuel Abell. Husband of Lucy Carman, abt 1750-1814.
Jacob VanMeter Sr., 1723-1798. Born in Somerset Co., New Jersey. Buried in
Elizabethtown City Cemetery, Elizabethtown, KY. Father of Jacob VanMeter Jr. and husband
of Letetia (Stroud) VanMeter. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. He was a Kentucky
pioneer as noted on the plaque in front of his headstone in the
Elizabethtown City Cemetery.
Letetia (Stroud) VanMeter, 1725-1799. Born in Frederick Co., VA. Buried in
Elizabethtown City Cemetery, Elizabethtown, KY. Wife of Jacob VanMeter Sr. and mother of
Jacob VanMeter Jr.. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. She was also a Kentucky
pioneer. See the bottom of the plaque in the Elizabethtown
City Cemetery.
Henry Rhoads, 1739-1814. Born in Pennsylvania. Buried in Browder Cemetery,
Muhlenberg Co., KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Father of Elizabeth (Rhoads)
VanMeter and husband of Elizabeth (Stoner) Rhoads. He was another Kentucky pioneer as
noted on the Kentucky roadside marker.
Elizabeth (Stoner) Rhoads, 1744-1807. Born in Frederick Co., Maryland. Buried in
Browder Cemetery, Muhlenberg Co. ,KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of Henry
Rhoads and mother of Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter.
My line comes from Felix Grundy VanMeter, 1836-1914, one of Daniel Boone VanMeter and
Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter's sons and Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter, 1840-1932, one of
Henry "Little Henry" Haynes' and Jane (Stith) Haynes' daughters. Felix and
Nannie VanMeter moved to Nebraska in 1881. However, one of their sons, my gr-grandfather
David Stonewall VanMeter, 1866-1958, was born in Meade County, possibly near
Garnettsville. I actually had a picture taken with him in 1952 when he was about 86 years
old and I was 13.
I plan to get help from Bob Morris who is the president of the Buck Grove Cemetery
Association. I also hope to visit the Hill Grove Baptist Church and get a tour from the
pastor there, Brandon Sehein.
It turns out that the VanMeter family has a very long history with the Hill Grove
Baptist Church. Jacob VanMeter Jr. was one of the elders called from Mill Creek to found
it in 1822 and he became a member in 1833. My guess is that Mill Creek refers to the Mill
Creek Baptist Church in Radcliff, Hardin Co., KY. Daniel Boone VanMeter was one of the men
who were involved in a split in 1836. He and his wife, Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter, are
listed as members since 1842. Felix Grundy VanMeter became a member in 1852 at the age of
about 16. Several of his sisters were also members at about the same time. Their names and
the years they joined are: Louisiana R. VanMeter (1848), Endemile Rebecca VanMeter (1852),
and Amanda Susan VanMeter (1855). I also think it is possible that Felix may have married
Nannie Susan Haynes there in August of 1856 or 1857.
The above submitted by Dave Johnson of Washington State.
Johnson line:
I have the following data that are related to the description that follows.
John Johnson born in about 1770 in North Carolina of Scotch-Irish descent,
moved family to Kentucky from Tennessee after 1797 until 1812. Moved family to Missouri
territory in 1812 and died there in 1833.
Samuel Johnson, 1797-1850, born in Knoxville, TN before coming to Kentucky with
his father, John Johnson. Then moved on to Missouri. Husband of Sallie Travis.
Sallie Travis, 1798-1874, born somewhere in Kentucky. Wife of Samuel Johnson.
Married in 1818 in Missouri. Daughter of Frank Travis and Nancy (Shirley) Travis.
Frank Travis, 1772-1853, born in North Carolina. Moved to KY in ? , then moved
family to Missouri with the John Johnson family in 1812. Husband of Nancy Shirley. Married
in 1795 in Madison Co., KY. Father of Sallie Travis.
Nancy Shirley, 1770-?, born in Lincoln Co., Ky (then VA). Wife of Frank Travis
and mother of Sallie Travis.
[NI0326] Samuel Johnson is an interesting character and most distant direct ancestor of
this side of the family for whom we have much information. Much of what we do know is due
to the fact that he was a successful pioneer in the wild Missouri territory and prominent
civic leader, his biographical sketch was published in 1893 history of the area.
Samuel Johnson was one of seven boys and girls to John Johnson, who was of Scotch-Irish
descent (we believe his parental grandfather's name to have been Alexander). Samuel was
born near Knoxville TN, on or around July 5th, 1797. He had a brother William, who died in
the war of 1812. Samuel's father apparently instilled in the boys a yen to be continuously
moving into the unincorporated lands being opened to the West. John settled his family in
Kentucky for a while, where we believe he met the family of Frank and Nancy (Shirley)
Travis. In 1812 the Johnson's and Travis’s moved into the territory of Missouri (so
designated that same year with Explorer Wayne Clark as territorial governor) as early
settlers in Cole county (Jefferson City). (This was only eight years after Lewis and Clark
had been through). Samuel married Frank Travis's daughter, Sallie, there on March first,
1818. Missouri was granted statehood in 1821. The families remained in Cole county until
1825, when they pushed further into the wilderness of Western Missouri.
Their Oct. 10, 1825 arrival in Jackson County (the Kansas City area) is important date
in history of early settlement of the state. In the vicinity there were only about a dozen
white trappers and hunters. By this time, the Johnson and Travis Colony consisted of about
25 individuals. At that time Sam and Sallie had four children, with another to be born the
following April. (Their son William and daughter Malinda were reputed to be among the
first white children born in the area). Samuel's brothers were all married as well. The
men secured government land and settled in what is now Kansas City (the land, measured in
present terms, was bordered by Independence Avenue, 17th streets, Virginia Avenue, and
Porter Road). John Johnson built a 20 ft. by 20 ft. typical log cabin, which had a
puncheon floor and used not a single iron nail. For a time the entire Colony lived in that
one house until each family could construct a home of their own. John Johnson continued to
improve his acres from year to year and live there on a land until his death on Sept. 12,
1833.
One of the sons of Samuel Johnson was named John Kentucky Johnson, 1824-1909. He was
born in Missouri but there was definitely a connection to Kentucky for my Johnson line.
