Having Fun Again

[Garry]

After additional reflection, I believe I have a handle on the document.

When I traveled for my company (a government contractor) on business we were task with creating just such a report documenting our activities, findings, etc. It was known as a “trip report”. This document has all the earmarks.

Lieutenant Fawcett was almost surely traveling with Col Friedman as his driver and aide. A portion of his responsibilities may have been to take notes and upon their return to Washington, to generate a trip report. The typewritten portion of the document reflects Lieutenant Fawcett’s effort. He then submitted it to William Friedman for his comments and approval. All of the handwritten notes and corrections were Colonel Friedman’s input.

Typically those comments would have been incorporated in a final version but in this case that apparently didn’t happen.

Three simple examples:

Lieutenant Fawcett wrote; “she [Mrs. Adams] telephoned Mr. Bunny Walker, his mother and his grandmother Mrs. McVeigh.”

Of course, Mrs. McVeigh had died a few years before!

William Friedman corrected the text to read; “she telephoned Mr. “Bunny” Walker and his mother and possibly others.”

Lieutenant Fawcett wrote; “To her [Mrs. Gorham B Walker] Mr. Friedman unfolded the entire story of his connection.

William Friedman added additional information to Lieutenant Fawcett’s account; “Mrs. Walker had never seen the “box” containing the original Beale cryptograms, although she remembered her grandfather Ward quite clearly (she was 5 when he died). Her mother Mrs. McVeigh, she said implicitly believed the story to be true. Mrs. McVeigh was 96 on her death and sound memory.”

Lieutenant Fawcett wrote; We left Washington Saturday, 30 April 1949 at 12 noon (D.T.).

William Friedman added text to clarify; We (Lieut. Thomas Fawcett and I) left Washington Saturday, 30 April 1949 at 12 noon (D.T.).

Col. Friedman’s markups were pretty extensive throughout the document.

I am not entirely clear as to Lieutenant Fawcett’s relationship with Colonel Friedman. He may have been a budding cryptologist in training with Friedman or as seems more likely to me, he was assigned to the “military motor pool” in Washington and one of their tasks was to assign vehicles along with drivers for high ranking officer’s travel. I don’t believe a Colonel on business would have been chauffeuring themselves alone on a trip from Washington D. C. to Lynchburg and back? The only thing that gives me pause is the fact that the trip was over the weekend which seems unusual.

Anyway, in my own mind, I’m now sure who the words are coming from! Now to the meat of the report!

Garry

http://www.angelfire.com/pro/bealeciphers/Graphics/We_left_Saturday.pdf

 

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[Garry]

I am interested in the mystery of the “original” Beale Pamphlets and there are some holes in my understating. From Ron Gervais’ Angelfire web site (Pg 23) we find the following.

There are two original copies of The Beale Papers known to exist.

The first is best described by Mr. Viemeister, "... was owned by an elderly person who would let me copy it but would not part with it nor let it out of the house. I bought a portable Canon copier for the sole purpose of going to their home so I could copy it. It was indeed a real pamphlet. I spent some effort cleaning up specks and flaws and then reproduced it in my copyright book...". He did not release the identity of that owner.

The second was purchased by a rare book collector in the spring of 2008, "reportedly for several thousand dollars". For this transaction, Mr. Viemeister was called upon to verify that it was indeed an original, and not the one he had reproduced previously. You can read about the owner, his rare book collection, and his work on the Beale codes. (Dr. Stephen Matyas)

The thing missing from both of these copies is the actual path that each traveled to reach the hands of Peter and Stephen. Neither discloses who they obtained their pamphlet from. I hope that someday both pamphlets will have their pedigree disclosed. It’s always disappointing to me to see history lost.

Franklin’s recent post in which he stated that “Her (Mrs. McVeigh) copy of the "Job Print Pamphlet" is the copy found in Peter Viemeister's book. It was also the copy that was recently sold." This certainly has piqued my interest

Franklin, are you at liberty to expand on details of who Peter obtained his copy from? When that particular original was recently sold and to whom?

I’ve got my fingers crossed,

Garry

 

[ECS]

Notice all the statements regarding what Adeline Virginia Ward McVeigh said about the Beale story in Fawcett's report are hearsay, based on memory by either from Mrs Gorham B Walker or the Lynchburg News reporter, Martha Rivers Adams.

Then again, the entire Beale perilous adventure treasure story is based on the hearsay of the "unknown author" of what he claim was told to him by Robert Morriss.

 

[franklin]

I am interested in the mystery of the “original” Beale Pamphlets and there are some holes in my understating. From Ron Gervais’ Angelfire web site (Pg 23) we find the following.

There are two original copies of The Beale Papers known to exist.

The first is best described by Mr. Viemeister, "... was owned by an elderly person who would let me copy it but would not part with it nor let it out of the house. I bought a portable Canon copier for the sole purpose of going to their home so I could copy it. It was indeed a real pamphlet. I spent some effort cleaning up specks and flaws and then reproduced it in my copyright book...". He did not release the identity of that owner.

The second was purchased by a rare book collector in the spring of 2008, "reportedly for several thousand dollars". For this transaction, Mr. Viemeister was called upon to verify that it was indeed an original, and not the one he had reproduced previously. You can read about the owner, his rare book collection, and his work on the Beale codes. (Dr. Stephen Matyas)

The thing missing from both of these copies is the actual path that each traveled to reach the hands of Peter and Stephen. Neither discloses who they obtained their pamphlet from. I hope that someday both pamphlets will have their pedigree disclosed. It’s always disappointing to me to see history lost.

Franklin’s recent post in which he stated that “Her (Mrs. McVeigh) copy of the "Job Print Pamphlet" is the copy found in Peter Viemeister's book. It was also the copy that was recently sold." This certainly has piqued my interest

Franklin, are you at liberty to expand on details of who Peter obtained his copy from? When that particular original was recently sold and to whom?

I’ve got my fingers crossed,

Garry

Peter Viemeister told me that the copy he obtained from a relative once belonged to Mrs. McVeigh. There is another copy of a "Job Print Pamphlet in the "Marshall Papers" These two copies are similar but from different copies. Then there is the Clayton I. Hart and George Hart cipher copies obtained off of loose sheets of paper from Newton Hazelwood. Their copy of the Cipher Codes are similar to Pauline Innis' copy. The first two Job Print Pamphlets are similar and the Hart and Innis' copy are similar to each other. But when compared together there are at least 20 or more cipher dependencys between the Job Print Pamphlets and the Hart and Innis' ciphers? Which is the original? Either or neither?

When Peter told me about the McVeigh copy of the Job Print Pamphlet is the same day he revealed the Diary of James Beverly Ward. I did not read enough of the Diary to know if it was written by James Beverly Ward Sr. or James Beverly Ward Jr. that was killed in a hunting accident.

The part I read was where James Beverly Ward was being begged to move back to the plantation in Virginia. He stated that Harriet was losing her mind not being around her kin. So it must have been written in the late 1840's or early 1850's makes one to believe it was written by James Beverly Ward Sr. Sure wish I had that opportunity to read it again. Rebel find out if this Diary can be found. I need phone numbers or addresses. PM Please.

 

[Garry]

Peter Viemeister told me that the copy he obtained from a relative once belonged to Mrs. McVeigh. There is another copy of a "Job Print Pamphlet in the "Marshall Papers" These two copies are similar but from different copies. Then there is the Clayton I. Hart and George Hart cipher copies obtained off of loose sheets of paper from Newton Hazelwood. Their copy of the Cipher Codes are similar to Pauline Innis' copy. The first two Job Print Pamphlets are similar and the Hart and Innis' copy are similar to each other. But when compared together there are at least 20 or more cipher dependencys between the Job Print Pamphlets and the Hart and Innis' ciphers? Which is the original? Either or neither?

When Peter told me about the McVeigh copy of the Job Print Pamphlet is the same day he revealed the Diary of James Beverly Ward. I did not read enough of the Diary to know if it was written by James Beverly Ward Sr. or James Beverly Ward Jr. that was killed in a hunting accident.

The part I read was where James Beverly Ward was being begged to move back to the plantation in Virginia. He stated that Harriet was losing her mind not being around her kin. So it must have been written in the late 1840's or early 1850's makes one to believe it was written by James Beverly Ward Sr. Sure wish I had that opportunity to read it again. Rebel find out if this Diary can be found. I need phone numbers or addresses. PM Please.

Franklin,

I would believe the research of Peter has survived and I would also love to know where it resides. If not with the Historical society, then with some family member?

I'm pasting in his obituary which provides the names of likely family contacts. Locating his research might be something as simple as calling the Bedford Historical Society?

Peter Emmons Viemeister Obituary

Published in The News & Advance on Mar. 6, 2011

Peter Emmons Viemeister, 82, beloved husband, father, brother and friend, departed this life Wednesday, March 2, 2011, at his home in Bedford County.

Peter was born the third child of August Louis V. and Janet Emmons V. in Mineola, N.Y. His inclination for entrepreneurship and publishing exhibited itself early in the family newspapers he wrote and published at age 8. He graduated from Roslyn High School with a Grumman Engineering Scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He loved Count Basie and jazz and enjoyed college life as a Pi Kappa Alpha member. Summers were spent drilling holes in the construction of Grumman's Navy aircraft.

Peter joined Grumman in 1950 as an engineer, beginning with missile design (a true "rocket scientist") before shifting to airplane design, gradually moving into management. He married and became the father of four children. He was a trustee of the Huntington Public Schools and a Little League umpire. Peter made tasty German grandmother-inspired pancakes. He wrote the authoritative text, The Lightning Book. As a founding member of the Fusion Economy Party, Peter helped to reshape Long Island politics in the 1960s. The marriage dissolved and there was another marriage. Following a year's sabbatical to attend M.I.T. Sloan School, and earning a patent on a simulator of human behavior, Peter became the first president of Grumman Data Systems Corp. His second marriage failed. He moved back to the parent company, eventually becoming the vice president of development. He was particularly proud of his participation in the Lunar Module project and the Gulfstream jet. Besides airplanes, Peter loved cars, especially the Corvair, and enjoyed road rallies. There was a third marriage. In the larger community, he served as Chairman of the Empire State College Foundation, taught organizational behavior at two colleges, and was a member of the South Carolina Energy Research Institute and the Institute of Energy Analysis (Oak Ridge).

Retiring in 1978, Peter escaped the traffic and stress of New York to be his own boss and set up Hamilton's on West Main Street in Bedford. Within a couple of years, his marriage came apart. This New Yorker enthusiastically embraced Bedford and its people as home and became known as Bedford's historian. He remarried and had one more child. Peter was an innovator and an encourager. In the Hamilton's "global headquarters," he designed and produced two Bedford history commemorative medallions, enjoyed his customers and made many friends. Incurably curious, he translated his learnings into nine books, including the classics The Peaks of Otter, The Beale Treasure, History of Aviation, and one of a broader historical interest, Disinformation.

Peter contributed his giftings as a volunteer in civic endeavors such as the Bedford Chamber of Commerce, the Lynchburg Community Trust, the Bedford Historical Society and the Bedford Rotary Club. He was a founding member of Bedford Centertown and coined the word "Centertown." Peter served as chairman of the boards of the Bedford City/County Museum, the Bedford Community Health Foundation and the National D-Day Memorial Foundation. Peter both served on the Lynchburg College Board and was a Liberty University regent for 25 years. For nine years, Bedford residents could listen to his weekly radio commentary show on WBLT. In 1992, Peter was the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.

He shall be greatly missed by his family. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Cynthia Grubbs V., of Bedford, and their son, Benjamin Thomas V., of Portage, Mich.; and his other children, Clay Neelands V. and his wife, Michelle Kipnes V., of Greenlawn, N.Y., and their sons, Troy Neelands V., of Hartsdale, N.Y., and Samuel Emmons V., of Hoboken, N.J.; Read Lathrop V. and his wife, Susan Washburn V., of Huddleston; Susan Burgess V. and her husband, Robert Allen Ballard, of Piney River; Katherine Anne V. and her husband, Sean Wallace Ciemielewski, of Stanardsville; their mother, Suzanne Neelands V., of Huddleston; friend and former wife, Revelle Hamilton, of Bedford; his sister, Jill V. Stolz and her husband, Otto George S., of North Garden; his sister-in-law, Marcia Daniell V., of The Dalles, Ore.; and many dear nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his big brothers, Read V. and John Lathrop V.; his sister-in-law, Beverly Franklin V.; and former wife, Vivian Bussell. His family is grateful that he took the time to write an autobiography, Start All Over: An American Experience.

Peter would be pleased if you made a donation to your favorite charity in his memory in lieu of flowers. Visitation with the family will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 11, 2011, at Tharp Funeral Home in Bedford. A memorial celebration of Peter's life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2011, at Bedford Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. There will be a private interment at Peaks Community Cemetery in Bedford County.

Garry

 

[franklin]

Seems they left out some of his books. There were others. The Book, History of Aviation. I gave that book to him and he had the copyright renewed in his name. He also had the Sketch Book of Lynchburg by Edward Pollock re-copyrighted in his name. He told me where he got the Diary of James Beverly Ward. I forgot. I guess the reason I did not read the rest of the diary was because it was before they came back to Virginia. Still may be a hint of the Job Print Pamphlet before it was ever written?

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Peter Viemeister told me that the copy he obtained from a relative once belonged to Mrs. McVeigh. There is another copy of a "Job Print Pamphlet in the "Marshall Papers" These two copies are similar but from different copies. Then there is the Clayton I. Hart and George Hart cipher copies obtained off of loose sheets of paper from Newton Hazelwood. Their copy of the Cipher Codes are similar to Pauline Innis' copy. The first two Job Print Pamphlets are similar and the Hart and Innis' copy are similar to each other. But when compared together there are at least 20 or more cipher dependencys between the Job Print Pamphlets and the Hart and Innis' ciphers? Which is the original? Either or neither?

When Peter told me about the McVeigh copy of the Job Print Pamphlet is the same day he revealed the Diary of James Beverly Ward. I did not read enough of the Diary to know if it was written by James Beverly Ward Sr. or James Beverly Ward Jr. that was killed in a hunting accident.

The part I read was where James Beverly Ward was being begged to move back to the plantation in Virginia. He stated that Harriet was losing her mind not being around her kin. So it must have been written in the late 1840's or early 1850's makes one to believe it was written by James Beverly Ward Sr. Sure wish I had that opportunity to read it again. Rebel find out if this Diary can be found. I need phone numbers or addresses. PM Please.

Sorry, franklin... don't know what Cindy (PV's widow) did with his stuff; have no further info. THIS, I can "tell" you; I was doing R & I "Geno-Research" on families of interest in the Bedford City/County Museum (Old Masonic Lodge Hall in Bedford, Va.) & was talking to a "clerk" about PV; a customer (old lady) told us that PV's bookshop was cleaned out & for sale)... she did not know what happened to his stuff. Stated that Cindy had remarried ("old" College class-mate) and was living in Salem, Va. She was a "grad" from a college in NC; (a PREACHER). P & C V's son, Ben is a "grad" from VT, & is now an accountant in Michigan, I think. PV's book-shop WAS used by a Counseling Practice... NOW empty; MAYBE, he HAUNTED the place... dunno.

 

[Garry]

Notice all the statements regarding what Adeline Virginia Ward McVeigh said about the Beale story in Fawcett's report are hearsay, based on memory by either from Mrs Gorham B Walker or the Lynchburg News reporter, Marta Rivers Adams.

Then again, the entire Beale perilous adventure treasure story is based on the hearsay of the "unknown author" of what he claim was told to him by Robert Morriss.

ECS,

I believe you previously mentioned the existence of an actual newspaper article involving Adeline McVeigh in 1934 and published in a Lynchburg newspaper. If this article was actually published, I would be satisfied that the information was from the horse's mouth, Adeline Ward McVeigh, and not heresay.

Martha Adams repeated a very similar story to William Friedman in 1949.

"Mrs. Adams told us immediately about a story she had written, she said, in February, 1934 about the Beale Papers, a copy of which she had seen. We later tried to locate a copy of the story but after searching the files of the News for the first quarter of the calendar year 1934 were unable to locate it."

Have you ever seen or searched for this article? Do you doubt its existence?

Thanks,

Garry

 

[Garry]

When Peter told me about the McVeigh copy of the Job Print Pamphlet is the same day he revealed the Diary of James Beverly Ward. I did not read enough of the Diary to know if it was written by James Beverly Ward Sr. or James Beverly Ward Jr. that was killed in a hunting accident.

Franklin,

This is an article from 10 Nov 1856, Richmond Dispatch Newspaper (Richmond, Virginia) telling of the death of James Beverly Ward Jr. He was 14 years old, so I don't think there should be any confusion about who the diary belonged to.



Garry

 

[ECS]

ECS,

I believe you previously mentioned the existence of an actual newspaper article involving Adeline McVeigh in 1934 and published in a Lynchburg newspaper. If this article was actually published, I would be satisfied that the information was from the horse's mouth, Adeline Ward McVeigh, and not heresay.

Martha Adams repeated a very similar story to William Friedman in 1949.

"Mrs. Adams told us immediately about a story she had written, she said, in February, 1934 about the Beale Papers, a copy of which she had seen. We later tried to locate a copy of the story but after searching the files of the News for the first quarter of the calendar year 1934 were unable to locate it."

Have you ever seen or searched for this article? Do you doubt its existence?

Thanks,

Garry

The article about the Beale Papers by Martha Rivers Adams appeared in a February 1934 edition of the Lynchburg News.
Adams interviewed Adeline Virginia Ward McVeigh, James Beverly Ward's daughter, McVeigh's daughter Lelia L Walker and grandson, Gorham B Walker (he was interviewed in 1949 by Fawcett), it was written as a "local human interest" article.
There was no admission that the treasure was real, only that she believed that the story was real, but also added that she never saw the iron box, letters or ciphers. Daughter Lelia added that her mother believed that the story was true.
There were some conflicting statements in the article.

The Lynchburg News became The News & Advance, now owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
The original article exists or did in the morgue archives of THE NEWS & ADVANCE, and possibly at Lynchburg's Jones Memorial Library, and several colleges do have Martha Rivers Adams Papers. (NOTE* There were two writers of that name and two different collections)

 

[franklin]

There is mention of an article by Martha Rivers Adams in the Sweim Library. Google "Genealogy Collection 1880-2001 and undated. But I have been unable to get in to the research to read the article. Any help Rebel KGC.

 

[ECS]

Just today I found a real connection of the Beale Treasure to the Confederate Treasury. Really weird. I have found land transactions where someone paid $4500. for a house and property and then turned in the same day and made out a Trust Deed for $1. A person of interest that purchased one half the property of James B. Ward's Hunter's Hill Plantation had whole files missing from court records. Then I found out why they were missing. This is a continuing search and I am once again having fun trying to solve this mystery.

A landowner is hiding out from the IRS for taxes in Virginia and is then working for the IRS in Washington City. The trustee is taking care of his family and he writes letters to him like they are Knight's of the Golden Circle. He buys their groceries, clothes and even pays their bills sometimes with his own money. The rich families of Danville, Virginia are all involved. Then there are judges and even US Supreme Court is involved. Fights over a half acre of land with three bankers from Richmond purchasing one half right through the center of a Church and again the rich families of Danville are trustees to the church and it is a black fellowship church. Why would a bond of $10000 have to be put in place for such a small location. Again the trustee is involved. It all just keeps unraveling and I am wide eyed reading it. I love a mystery.

What happen to this "real connection"?

 

[franklin]

What happen to this "real connection"?

It is still on the line. I check out all angles regardless. I also work on five or six treasures at the same time. Research on one then I find research on another. It is an on going project. It is fun if you work it the right way. Stay gun hole after only one will get you no where.

Have you got into the above link to see if you can see the article written by Martha Rivers Adams?

 

[Eldo]

Franklin,

This is an article from 10 Nov 1856, Richmond Dispatch Newspaper (Richmond, Virginia) telling of the death of James Beverly Ward Jr. He was 14 years old, so I don't think there should be any confusion about who the diary belonged to.

View attachment 1514092

Garry

Accidental........sure......seems anyone in this ring and the ones that kept their secrets just disappears.....

Maybe the affair was really entrusted to only a couple of idiots running the scam, and after the arrest of Reavis.......they were killed off.....?

I think that their roots were laid in a massive game and they invested so much that they couldn't erase the facts, just anyone that knew?

 

[franklin]

Franklin,

I would believe the research of Peter has survived and I would also love to know where it resides. If not with the Historical society, then with some family member?

I'm pasting in his obituary which provides the names of likely family contacts. Locating his research might be something as simple as calling the Bedford Historical Society?

Peter Emmons Viemeister Obituary

Published in The News & Advance on Mar. 6, 2011

Peter Emmons Viemeister, 82, beloved husband, father, brother and friend, departed this life Wednesday, March 2, 2011, at his home in Bedford County.

Peter was born the third child of August Louis V. and Janet Emmons V. in Mineola, N.Y. His inclination for entrepreneurship and publishing exhibited itself early in the family newspapers he wrote and published at age 8. He graduated from Roslyn High School with a Grumman Engineering Scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He loved Count Basie and jazz and enjoyed college life as a Pi Kappa Alpha member. Summers were spent drilling holes in the construction of Grumman's Navy aircraft.

Peter joined Grumman in 1950 as an engineer, beginning with missile design (a true "rocket scientist") before shifting to airplane design, gradually moving into management. He married and became the father of four children. He was a trustee of the Huntington Public Schools and a Little League umpire. Peter made tasty German grandmother-inspired pancakes. He wrote the authoritative text, The Lightning Book. As a founding member of the Fusion Economy Party, Peter helped to reshape Long Island politics in the 1960s. The marriage dissolved and there was another marriage. Following a year's sabbatical to attend M.I.T. Sloan School, and earning a patent on a simulator of human behavior, Peter became the first president of Grumman Data Systems Corp. His second marriage failed. He moved back to the parent company, eventually becoming the vice president of development. He was particularly proud of his participation in the Lunar Module project and the Gulfstream jet. Besides airplanes, Peter loved cars, especially the Corvair, and enjoyed road rallies. There was a third marriage. In the larger community, he served as Chairman of the Empire State College Foundation, taught organizational behavior at two colleges, and was a member of the South Carolina Energy Research Institute and the Institute of Energy Analysis (Oak Ridge).

Retiring in 1978, Peter escaped the traffic and stress of New York to be his own boss and set up Hamilton's on West Main Street in Bedford. Within a couple of years, his marriage came apart. This New Yorker enthusiastically embraced Bedford and its people as home and became known as Bedford's historian. He remarried and had one more child. Peter was an innovator and an encourager. In the Hamilton's "global headquarters," he designed and produced two Bedford history commemorative medallions, enjoyed his customers and made many friends. Incurably curious, he translated his learnings into nine books, including the classics The Peaks of Otter, The Beale Treasure, History of Aviation, and one of a broader historical interest, Disinformation.

Peter contributed his giftings as a volunteer in civic endeavors such as the Bedford Chamber of Commerce, the Lynchburg Community Trust, the Bedford Historical Society and the Bedford Rotary Club. He was a founding member of Bedford Centertown and coined the word "Centertown." Peter served as chairman of the boards of the Bedford City/County Museum, the Bedford Community Health Foundation and the National D-Day Memorial Foundation. Peter both served on the Lynchburg College Board and was a Liberty University regent for 25 years. For nine years, Bedford residents could listen to his weekly radio commentary show on WBLT. In 1992, Peter was the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.

He shall be greatly missed by his family. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Cynthia Grubbs V., of Bedford, and their son, Benjamin Thomas V., of Portage, Mich.; and his other children, Clay Neelands V. and his wife, Michelle Kipnes V., of Greenlawn, N.Y., and their sons, Troy Neelands V., of Hartsdale, N.Y., and Samuel Emmons V., of Hoboken, N.J.; Read Lathrop V. and his wife, Susan Washburn V., of Huddleston; Susan Burgess V. and her husband, Robert Allen Ballard, of Piney River; Katherine Anne V. and her husband, Sean Wallace Ciemielewski, of Stanardsville; their mother, Suzanne Neelands V., of Huddleston; friend and former wife, Revelle Hamilton, of Bedford; his sister, Jill V. Stolz and her husband, Otto George S., of North Garden; his sister-in-law, Marcia Daniell V., of The Dalles, Ore.; and many dear nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his big brothers, Read V. and John Lathrop V.; his sister-in-law, Beverly Franklin V.; and former wife, Vivian Bussell. His family is grateful that he took the time to write an autobiography, Start All Over: An American Experience.

Peter would be pleased if you made a donation to your favorite charity in his memory in lieu of flowers. Visitation with the family will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 11, 2011, at Tharp Funeral Home in Bedford. A memorial celebration of Peter's life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2011, at Bedford Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. There will be a private interment at Peaks Community Cemetery in Bedford County.

Garry

Did you receive the PM I sent you? I have dug deep into the research on the James Beverly Ward Family. Seems they came into a lot of money or received a lot of money when they left Lynchburg, Va.? The court took their plantation farm or did they? They did but they didn't? Can't quite figure it out? The Family of James Beverly Ward owed debts of over $8,000. The Court took their land, funiture and everything else. Yet they still retained all? The three daughters of JBW married ex-Confederate soldiers and went to Florida and lived a life in luxury? They belonged to yacht clubs, and three other clubs with ties to the KGC. Ella Risque Ward Caulkins even entertained General Jubal Early. They dined and were entertained on the USS Alabama.

When a Judge over Campbell County, Pittsylvania County and the City of Danville purchased one-half of Hunter's Hill is when it seems that the Ward Family suddenly came into money. The Court Records of this Judge are missing? It says someone took them out with a promise to bring them back but were never returned. I do not know about everyone else but I smell a skunk with a capital "S" meaning KGC Depository has been recovered.

Just maybe also this is the reasons that Hunter's Hill can not be found today? Hunter's Hill and possessions sold for only $1,850. way short of $8,000.

 

[ECS]

"Ella Risqué Ward Caulkins even entertained General Jubal Early. They dined and were entertained on the USS Alabama"- Franklin

CSA General Jubal A Early died in 1894, Ella Risqué Ward Caulkins was born in 1844 and died in 1917.
The USS Alabama was launched February 14, 1942.

 

[franklin]

Not according to the newspaper article I read. I may have to scan, copy and edit the newspaper article to post it. I have a copy. Maybe another mis-print?

Well here is USS Alabama 1905 mentioning Mrs. Caulkins. I have the other also but I choose not to post yet.

 

[ECS]

...I haven’t found much about Ella and Allanson. Everything I have is pretty dry and nothing particularly revealing but I’ll try to cob something together... three of the children made their way to Florida. Ella Risque Ward, Annie Morris Ward and John Gordon Ward (All Unmarried).
We find them in the 1880 Census of Santa Rosa County, Florida and all were married. Going back to the 1870 census in Florida we find all of the spouses were in Florida. I think it is safe to assume that they all met their future spouses in Florida.
The earliest marriage that I have found (From the Buford Family Tree referenced earlier here) is that of John Gordon Ward marrying Ella Potter, November 13, 1873. From this it seems that John Gordon, at least, was probably in Florida as early as 1873.
Annie was married to Frank Johnson July 19, 1876.
We don’t have a date for Ella and Allanson’s marriage but it would have been sometime before 1880.

Why these children went to Florida is unknown to me but all three seem to have remained close as they and their spouses are all buried in Saint John’s Cemetery in Escambria County, Florida.

From Allanson Noble Caulkins grave marker (Findagrave reference posted earlier), we can find some information. He was born in New London, Connecticut and we find him, in the 1860 census, living with his parents in New London, Connecticut but shortly thereafter he was in New Orleans enlisting in the Confederate Army in New Orleans. His Tombstone carries the inscription that he was a member of “Company A, 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Louisiana Regiment C.S.A. General McGruder’s Command A. N. V...

I’m 99% sure Allanson shows up in the 1870 in Santa Rosa County, Florida married to a Marian.
This means Ella was his second wife. He may have had children by his first wife but it would be a small window and he and Ella didn’t have children.
In 1870 Allanson list his occupation as a Book Keeper.
In the 1880 Census, Allanson’s occupation is listed as a Lumber Inspector. In the 1885 Florida State Census, his occupation is listed as an accountant and in the 1898 Pensacola City Directory he is also listed as an accountant.

He died in 1899. Ella went to live with her sister Annie Morris Ward Johnson and we find her living in the Frank and Annie Johnson household in both the 1900 and 1910 Census. Ella died in 1917. Notice the AUNTIE notation on her Grave Marker.
This is probably a reference by her sister’s, Annie Morris Johnson, children.

ECS also posted a deed reference earlier...

The USS ALABAMA in that article was commissioned Oct 19, 1900/ decommissioned May 20, 1920, an Illinois pre-dreadnaught battleship, not the WWII USS ALABAMA in Mobile, which was the third to carry that name.

The Pensacola newspaper 'society page blurb":
"Midshipman Woodson of the USS Alabama was entertained at ten Sunday evening by his cousins Mrs Caulkins and Mrs Frank O Johnson".

Midshipman Woodson, a cousin by the Ward/Risqué bloodline, was entertained at the Johnson home, where Ella Risqué Ward Caulkins was then residing, not on the USS Alabama, and CSA Gen Jubal A Early was not in attendance, unable to attend this evening soiree having passed away eleven years earlier in 1894.

Tip of the hat to Garry, for the above background information on James Beverly Ward's children that move to Florida.

 

[franklin]

Why these children went to Florida is unknown to me but all three seem to have remained close as they and their spouses are all buried in Saint John’s Cemetery in Escambria County, Florida. Garry

Why did they go to Florida? And how did they get rich? One of the sisters was driving back from NO when the top of her convertible car blew off in 1915. It still amazes me as to what happened to Hunter's Hill? Someone find it and give me a location. I want to check out the cemetery for Robert Morriss and Sarah Morriss. I have plotted the farm on a aerial photo of New London and Lynchburg but I still do not know if this is the correct location?

As for you ECS reading between the lines, just because I said she entertained does not mean she entertained General Jubal Early after he died. That was at a different time and was not on the USS Alabama. I did not say the USS Alabama was a destroyer. You take things out of context and that creates and accounts for a lot of your erroneous remarks.

 

[ECS]

... The three daughters of JBW married ex-Confederate soldiers and went to Florida and lived a life in luxury?
They belonged to yacht clubs, and three other clubs with ties to the KGC
Ella Risque Ward Caulkins even entertained General Jubal Early. They dined and were entertained on the USS Alabama...

Two daughters and one son of Ward's moved to Florida, not sure about the life of luxury in Florida during that time period, or if any of them were connected to the KGC.
As for reading "between the lines", "Ella Risqué Ward Caulkins even entertained General Jubal Early. They even dined and were entertained on the USS Alabama" does indeed allude that they "even dined and were entertained on the USS Alabama", which that newspaper article CLEARLY DOES NOT STATE.
Where did I state that you referred to the USS Alabama as a destroyer?
Thanks for providing an example on how the very basic of "facts" can be embellished to support pet theories.