Cold-calling Cousins

If you've ever gotten a phone call that went something like this:

"Hello, my name is Karen... Is this so-and-so?"

"Yes."
"Ooh, my goodness! I am so happy to talk with you!" (This isn't a lie or exaggeration, by the way, I am always surprised to actually talk to the person I'm "tracking" and anticipate whatever nuggets of information I might get, especially those that help dissolve barriers of time, ignorance and complacency.)

"Do you remember anything at all about your grandparents ___ and ___? I have a limited amount of information on them from family records and the US Census..."

and so it goes...

I gladly accept whatever I can get, even if it requires some travel. To prove a person's existence is great, to learn who they actually were is a priceless treasure.

Recently I printed out a list of people with the last name Smith who lived in Belknap, Illinois. Why? Well, my great-grandmother Hattie Teague Sharp married a Mr. Ray Smith in the 1950's whose wife had passed away and had a large farm in Belknap. After he passed away, she left the farm to his son (no name) because it was too much for her alone. That was a while ago, because she passed away in 1974, but not so long that someone/s would remember her and still have all their scruples to be able to talk about it. (smile- that was supposed to be funny)
And, for ducks I mapped out where they each lived on a Streets and Trips file. Most of them lived in a cluster around- guess where? The New Hope Baptist Church. Now THIS is getting interesting...

So I made a few calls with no response until I got to one who- according to the online source said he was born in 1926- was both old enough to remember Hattie's marriage to Ray and home to answer the phone! Although I'm not sure yet where he fits in, I learned to my surprise (or not surprise) that he is not only related to that Ray Smith who married my great-grandmother, but the Calvin Smith who married Hattie's ex-husband's oldest sister, Cora... Lost? Burlington Riley Sharp, the preacher, and his wife Nora had a bunch of kids. Eight, including the first baby Charlie, who didn't live long. The oldest living was Cora, born in 1882, who married Calvin Smith. Cora's younger brother, John Calvin married Hattie Teague, who later married another Smith of the same lines. So it isn't that the bloodlines cross, it's only by marriage and coincidence. The fellow I spoke to remembers calling her Aunt Cora, so the relation is close.

I asked him if I could send him some print out sheets in the mail for him to look at and fill in the missing pieces, he said that would be fine. I hope he does look them over and draw on them. This double criss-cross family lines is so interesting... He also referred me to the grandson of Ray Smith (also named Raymond) who lives on the same property. I told him I had a few pictures of my grandfather (Hattie's son, Ray's stepson) working the farm with him and Hattie and Ray on the big front porch. He says the old house is still in good shape, although he doesn't think anyone is living in it.

I'm just as excited about farmers and hillbillies (as they call themselves) as I am about Italians and Scots. They're all precious...