As we prepared to leave Kentucky on our way to Des Moines, Iowa, I realized we could easily swing through Newmansville, Ill, the birthplace of my great-grandfather, Roy Bedichek. After a little online research I found a campground within a few miles of Newmansville. We hit the road -- but not before a stop at the awesome Ben E Clement Mineral Museum in Marion, Kentucky. The museum has a fantastic collection of fluorite, as well as other impressive rocks. A whole room is dedicated to Mr. Clement, which I really enjoyed -- since I love learning the human stories behind the objects.
We mentioned to the museum director, Jackie (who was awesome, by the way!), that we were headed west and she suggested we take the ferry across the Ohio River. Yay! Unexpected bonus adventure!
A fellow ferry rider shared that the ferry is privately owned and the state pays the owner $300,000 per year to operate and maintain it. The ferry owner also owns the property on both sides of the river. Some research into the history of this ferry would be interesting, but I'll let that one go...
Back to my family tree…
I reviewed my family tree and learned that Roy's mother, Lucretia Ellen Craven (1849-1937), actually grew up in Morgan County, Illinois just one county over from Newmansville in Cass County. Soon after Lucretia's birth, her parents, Samuel Craven (1806-1885) and Harriet Trundle (1812-1868), moved from Maryland to Morgan County with their eight children.
According to the 1840 census and slave schedule, they were enslavers in Virginia. On the 1850 census, when they first show up in Illinois, they have no one listed in their household other than their children. If they had any previous slaves employed as domestic workers or farmhands living on the property they should have been listed. So, I imagine the Cravens sold or gave their slaves to other family members. It will take some digging into bills of sales, wills, and perhaps newspaper ads to learn more.
I have no idea why they moved to Illinois. From what I know, they had no family there.
From the 1850 Morgan County census, I also learned that Lucretia and her younger sister, Eleanor Ann, were both born in Maryland and were both one year old at the time! Checking the dates in my family tree, I noticed they were born one month apart...hmm, need some research there.
By 1860, Eleanor Ann, is no longer on the census and according to Find a Grave (a website that catalogues gravesites), she died in 1855. I started to wonder if either of the girls might have actually been an adopted niece, but I have found no evidence to support that theory. So, for now, the mystery remains and is added to my list of research topics.
Lucretia lived in Cass County until marrying James Madison Bedichek at age 22 in 1872. Their four children were born in four different states (Missouri, Wisconsin, IIllinois, Iowa) over the next six years. Roy, their third child, was born in Newmansville.
Find a Grave also indicates that Eleanor Ann, as well as her parents, are buried in the Newmansville Cemetery, which I located on Google Maps. While checking in to our campsite, I told the host I had folks buried in the Newmansville Cemetery and asked if he knew anything about the area. He said he'd grown up there, but that I really needed to talk to Roy who owned the bait shop next to the cemetery. So, we packed up the trailer and headed off to find the cemetery and Roy at the bait shop.
After squeezing our truck and trailer on to the grassy “shoulder” of the little country road along the cemetery, I walked up the grassy slope and started looking around.
Sadly, I found no Craven gravestones. If they are there, they are likely some of the ones that are worn and illegible. So I decided to hunt for “bait-shop” Roy. Next to the cemetery was a house on a side street. Across the side street, was the bait shop. I made my way over and peeked in the store, but no one was around. As I made my way back out the front door, I saw an old guy on the porch at the house across the street and called out, "Are you Roy?" No response, so I moved a little closer and called out a couple more times. When Roy heard me he said, "Yes!" accompanied by a big smile.
Roy was pleased to talk with me about the cemetery. His father and grandparents are buried there. He is now an energetic 84 years old and Newmansville is merely a cluster of about three houses and several out buildings. But when he was growing up, it was a little bustling town. He pointed out where there had been three churches, a blacksmith shop, a pool hall and a school. He didn't know any Cravens -- which did not surprise me since I don't believe any stayed around there.
Though Roy Bedichek was born in Newmansville, it seems it was a brief return to Lucretia’s hometown for the birth. Soon after, the Bedicheks moved to Iowa for five years for teacher training and employment. By 1885, they had moved to central Texas to open a private school. Roy was seven years old when he arrived in the state that he would come to love and cherish — and eventually help others do the same.
After driving through the lush rolling Illinois hills of Lucretia’s childhood, I understand why she was in tears upon her arrival to the dry and flat Texas prairie! She grew to love it but what an abrupt change!!
Learn more about James Madison Bedichek and the Bedichek Academy here.
Enjoyed the story, Karen. I have often wondered about the Illinois roots. — Heber