William Anderson Greathouse and Mary Elizabeth Vandal of WV/MO/KS

[jo ann stephens]

I am not a Greathouse, but have information on William A. Greathouse and his wife, Mary Elizabeth (Betts) Vandal Kerby Greathouse who migrated to Kansas after the Civil War.  Betts was d/o Jonathan Boggs Vandal and Zeruah Rowena Ingram and married first, William Kerby in Marshall Co., WV, and had two sons by him.  He was killed by a horse and she then married William A. Greathouse and they had two sons and a daughter.  William Greathouse was also killed in an accident in KS.  Betts and her family lived in Chautauqua County, KS, where she died in the early 1900s and is buried in Round Mound Cemetery.  Will share my info and would like to receive more on this family.

j. a. stephens

[Patti]

I have pictures and documents to share of Elsie Lee Greathouse (dtr of Charley Lee Greathouse and Ida Jones), and the related Greathouse, Vandale and Walkling lines. I don't see any way of posting them to the forum. Please email me if you are interested in having me send the pictures and info to you.[/b]

[Patti]

[Patti]

[Patti]

Obituary from a Kansas newspaper, 1949 (original clipping in posession of Patti Lalack Hutterli):

VIRGIL A. GREATHOUSE SUCCUMBED MONDAY

Had Lived Entire Life In This Community

   Funeral services for Virgil A. Greathouse, 74, a life-long resident of Leeds and Wauneta, were conducted Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at Round Mound church with Bro. O. W. Webb of Tulsa officiating. Bro. Webb was assisted by the Rev. Mrs. O.B. Stark of Hewins.
   Mr. Greathouse passed away Monday, Sept. 5, at St. Mary's hospital at Winfield where he had been a patient five days. Mr. Greathouse had  been almost totally blind for 20 years. Last winter he fell on the ice and received injuries from which he failed to recover.
   A quartet composed of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Kelly, Mrs. Harry Sutton and Carl Appleby sang "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder", "The Sweet Bye and Bye", and "In the Garden". Mrs. Carl Appleby accompanied at the piano.
   The following grandsons and nephews served as pallbearers: Glenn Palmer, Loran Donohue, William Clark, Mack Foster, William Foster and Arthur Kirby.
   Interment was in Round Mound Cemetery.
   
Obituary

   Virgil Anderson Greathouse was the son of William Anderson and Mary Elizabeth Greathouse and was born at Leeds, Kansas, Aug. 22, 1875.
   He grew to manhood on a farm near Leeds and secured his education in that vicinity.
   When quite young he was converted and became a member of the Baptist church at Leeds to which faith he held throughout his life.
   In 1903 he was married to Lucy Jones and went to housekeeping in Wauneta. For several years he was associated with his half brothers in the Kirby Bros. Mercantile business at Wauneta and continued in this work until his eyesight became so poor he was forced to retire.
   To this union was born one son and three daughters.
   Mrs. Greathouse died in January, 1919, and in April, 1920, Mr. Greathouse was married to Mrs. Gladys Jones. To this union was born one son Jefferson Clay who died in infancy and Mildred Ruth.
   For the last 20 years Mr. Greathouse has been almost totally blind and has lived in Wauneta with his son Virgil who gave hin all the care possible in his declinihng years. During the sleet last winter Mr. Greathouse fell and was injured and since that time his health has gradually declined. On Sept. 1 it was necessary to remove him to St. Mary's hospital at Winfield where he passed away Sept. 5.
   Surviving are one sister, Mrs. Orlando Walkling who resides in California, one son, Virgil, pf Wauneta, four daughters, Mrs. Ben Palmer of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Mrs. Vernie Foster of rural Wauneta, Mrs. Anna Mae Odel of Winfield, and Mrs. Mildred Young of Chase, Kansas. Also 21 grandchildren, three great grandchildren, two nieces, two nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Card of Thanks

   We wish to thank all our friends and neighbors for their many acts of kindness and expressions of sympathy during the illness and death of our father and grandfather, V.A. Greathouse. Also for the many beautiful flowers - Virgil Greathouse, Mrs. Mildred Young and family, Mrs. Anna Mae Odell and son, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Foster and family, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Palmer and family.

[Patti]

From The Modesto Bee

Modesto Man Marks 100th Birthday, Recalls "Old West" by J. Robert Bazemore
 
On September 16, 1893 Skipocase O. Walkling was a young man among thousands of settlers who rode into Cherokee Strip of Oklahoma to make a free land claim. Today, in Modesto, he celebrates his 100th birthday.
Dad O. Walkling, as he is now known, recalls events of the Old West as vividly as he lived them. To pay his way today he makes bullwhips and reweaves rope ends for truckers in his home at 634 Thrasher Ave.
   To  occupy his spare time he has written some of his memories of the Old West, a poem or two, and has painted an occasional Western scene.
   He remembers the hard life with his half Shawnee Indian mother in a small tribal camp and the year they spent traveling from Kansas to Texas. Skipocase, as he was named by his mother, recalls how his mother tied her knees together on horse back to make a place for his sister to ride.
   Though he does not remember his father, Orlando Walkling, he later took his name and shortened it to simply O. Walkling. He added the Dad after he opened Dad's Poultry Store on the south side of Modesto.
   Walkling tells how he rode into the 226-mile long "Strip" to claim 160 acres which each man was allowed.
   "There were thousands of men who waited at the line until noon that day." Walkling recalls. "The army gun was fired and chaos broke out.,"  he said. "Every man carried a gun. There was no law, no sheriff, nothing. People had to fight for their claim even though they were first."
   Walkling made a claim, but later gave it up when he had a chance to farm a piece of land in Noble County, Oklahoma.
An Unusual Gift
   He cleared the land with six yoke of oxen and planted peach orchards. He and his first wife, now deceased, ran a combination grocery store and hotel there. He had nearly 1,000 trees and began a cannery to process the crops.
   "One day when the train came in a woman dressed like a Salvation Army woman handed me a bundle as I stood on the ramp, then she jumped back into the train. I opened it and there was a pair of twins, a boy and a girl," Walkling said.
   He and his wife did not have children, so they adopted the twins legally and raised them. He said they raised six others but did not adopt them.
   He went back to Noble County a couple years ago during an anniversary celebration of the 1893 opening.
   "They had to help the only other two survivors of the original claim onto a float. I walked in front with the marchers," he boasted.
In Good Shape
   Walkling said he went to a doctor for a checkup two weeks ago and was told that his heart and lungs are in "better condition than many men half my age."
   He attributes his good health to the fact that he has never tasted tobacco in any form, coffee, tea, or liquor. He says his mother taught him "to leave all habit forming stuff alone and to use a hoe, ax, pitch fork or shovel in place of a ball bat, horse shoe, or golf club."
   Walkling says he spent the first 76 years of his life in Indian territory. He came to Modesto in 1944 and went to work for a meat firm before he opened the poultry store.
   His first wife taught him to read during World War II. He remarried 10 years ago. His Present wife, Mary Jane, is in a nursing home.
Walkling celebrated his 100th birthday at a reception given in his honor today by Mrs. Ruth Clauson, 1217 La Loma Ave.., Modesto, owner of a trucking firm which uses many of the ropes made by Walkling.

[Patti]

The following was written by Elsie Lee Greathouse Collins (daughter of Charley Lee Greathouse), about 1974. There are a few nearly identical versions that she wrote of her life story; I have combined them into one letter.

                                           MY LIFE

   I was born September 3, 1895, at Greyhorse O.T. (Oklahoma Territory). Was named Elea Lee Greathouse. My father was Charley Lee Greathouse; he was born on December 30, 1872, in Kansas near Leeds, Kansas.
   My mother was Ida Elmira Jones; don't know date of birth - year 1873.
   My father was married to Ida Hopper - she died; they had one child, a girl named Belva. Her grandparents, the Hoppers, raised her. She married Jeff Craig and had three sons; she died & husband's whereabouts unknown. I don't know when he and my mother married; there was a boy born. I don't know how old he was when he died.
   My father was shot by a U.S. Marshal. He was in the back of is wagon when his team & wagon came up to the gate. The horses had brought him home. My mother and a neighbor named Metcalf got the bullet out & he lived about a year later. Boney Jones, my mother's brother, and Jake, another brother & rest of family. My Dad's sister Verna and husband Orlando Walkling. My mother & Mrs. Metcalf, they drove cross country in Jake's wagon, and small wagon the Walklings was driving - to Kansas and other folks & relations waited for them to go to Round Mound Cemetery6 where he was buried. Most all of our relation are buried. It's 5 miles northwest of Waunita, Kansas. I was 18 months old when my father died.
   My mother sewed, did washing, & odd jobs to try to try to make money to keep me. She married Barnet (Barney) Morrison - don't know when, but think I was about 2 or 2 1/2 when we lived in a house with an upstairs. She & I was upstairs & started down when she fell. I ran out to the field where Barney was plowing, and told him Mama had fallen down the stairs and couldn't get up.
   I was sent to Kansas to live with my Dad's mother and two half brothers names Jeff and Art Kirby. My Grandma died when I was 13 and I went to live with my Dad's sister and husband Laverna and Orlando Walkling. I went to grade school till I finished then went to Emporia, Kansas to my uncle & wife Art & Ida Kirby. Went to high school & college, taught one term, and on December 22, 1912, I married a neighbor boy named Ivy Andrew Woodrum. We had one son LeVern Ivy Woodrum. He was born July 8, 1916. His father and I separated, and LeVerne was killed August 1935 in Kansas City [Missouri] in a truck accident. I came west in 1923 & worked in Portland. I met Ray Collins in August 1933 & we was married on November 18, 1933. Will be married 41 years November 18, 1974. I have a letter my other wrote to my aunt in 1896 & she spelled my name Elca. I did not know until my Aunt Verna passed away in 1970.

[bettyrenick]

Patti,

I believe this has come up before, but I believe the William A Greathouse you show as being married to Mary Elizabeth Vandal may not be your William Asa Greathouse.  I believe from the Boggs family history that the William A Greathouse who married Mary Elizabeth as her 2nd husband is the son of William Henry and Nancy Jane Hicks Greathouse of Roane County VA/WV.  His parents are listed in their marriage record. He is also listed in the census with this family, and I have other information about the William A Greathouse of Roane County VA/WV. 

I am not sure who your William Asa married, but I do not believe it is Mary Elizabeth Vandal of Roane County who later went with her husband to Kansas.  She was first married to Kerby, and I think most of the information about her and her children is correct.  Particularly from the listing of his parents on the marriage record, I have to assume that her husband was the son of William Henry and Nancy Jane Hicks Greathouse.

Do you have more information that would link him to Roane County, VA families?  The Boggs, Hicks and Greathouse families of Roane County are all connected.

Thanks for any clarification.

Betty