GENEALOGY OF JOSEPH WYERS
by
Norm Wyers
norm@normwyers.com

(not totally completed)

JOSEPH WYERS

Joseph Wyers was born in South Carolina, about 1830. He married Malinda AnnTaylor, who was born in 1835 in Limestone County, Alabama. They married on February 22, 1852 in Madison County, Mississippi, by Justice of the Peace William S. Shannon. Joseph and Malinda Wyers had five children: John Wesley (about 1853), William Pinkney (August 14, 1854), Mary Elizabeth (1855), Martha (1858), and Malinda Lucy Ann (October 31, 1861). His wife had a sixth child, Henry Ceaman Wyers (July 16, 1867), the father of whom is unknown. Joseph Wyers died on July 6, 1862, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. His was buried there in an unmarked grave.

The Joseph Ware family was listed in the 1860 federal census of Harrison County, Mississippi, as follows:

His death occurred shortly after the onset of the Civil War. He had been in the Mississippi Volunteer army for only one month before dying of a fever. He was a member of Company H, 3^rd Infantry, Mississippi Volunteers.

Sweeney believed that Joseph Wyers might have been the first son of Robert N. and Mary J. Ware of Noxubee County, Mississippi, since there was a Joseph P. Ware listed in that family in the 1850 federal census. Recent investigation has revealed that Robert N. Ware was not a son of William Ware, as Sweeney contended, nor was he born in South Carolina. Rather, Robert N. Ware and his entire family were born in Louisiana. Therefore, Robert N. Ware could not have been the father of Joseph Wyers.

There is also a possibility that Joseph Wyers was a son of John Wyres, who was born in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, before 1804. John is believed to be the younger brother of Frederick Wyres, also born in the same county before 1804, and who also could have been Joseph Wyers’ father. These birth dates are established by the will of their father, Joseph Whyer (also known as Wares and Wire), which was probated in 1804. Both brothers migrated to Bibb County, Louisiana, in the early 1830s.

By 1860, according to the Harrison County federal census, Joseph (identified as Joseph Ware) was married to Malinda, and four of their children had been born (John W., William P., Mary E., and Martha). The census listed their surname as Ware. Joseph was a laborer who could neither read nor write. He was thirty years of age.

Joseph Wyres (this was the spelling on the official records of Harrison County) owned at least three parcels of land. The first was: NE 1/4 of section 23, township 6, range 10W. Purchase date of the first tract of land is unknown. Date of sale: January 26, 1863. This land was sold by Malinda Wyres less than one year after Joseph Wyres's death, along with a second piece of land, described below, for $300 cash in hand.

The second piece of land (referred to in the above paragraph) was: S 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of section 14, township 6S, range 10W. This land was transferred from the federal government to Mississippi in 1851 by federal legislation. A piece of this land was deeded to Joseph Wyers on April 4, 1861. It was sold by Malinda Wyres on January 26, 1863, less than one year following Joseph Wyers' death. Ownership of this land was challenged by a lawsuit initiated by the Native Lumber Company on August 10, 1903 against Joseph Wyres, Malinda Wyres, John W. Myers, W.P. Wyres, Mary Elizabeth Myers, Lucy Ann Myers, and D.F. Myers. As a result of this lawsuit, the names of Malinda Wyres and Joseph Wyres were changed to Malinda Myers and Joseph Myers, wherever they appeared on this document. It is possible that the name Ware was used when the land was deeded to him. Also, the confusion may have resulted from one copy of his marriage application in which his last name was given as "Myers." Since he could neither read nor write, he might never have been aware of these errors. By the time this challenge occurred, Joseph Wyres was dead as was Malinda Taylor Wyers, who had earlier re-married and settled in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

Malinda Wyres appeared before a justice of the peace on December 2, 1881 and signed a deed of sale as requested, to a third tract of land. The original documents pertaining to the sale of this land was not signed by Malinda Wyers when Joseph Wyers sold the land December 5, 1861. That land was described as: SE 1/4 of section 23, township 6, range 10W. Joseph Wyres was deceased at that time. The name Joseph Ware had been used when it was originally sold, and Malinda's signature was not on the deed. The date of sale was December 5, 1861, but the date of the original purchase or the circumstances are unknown.

According to Sweeney, Joseph Ware owned four hundred acres of land in Harrison County at one time. Disputes regarding the sale of this land required the signature of each of his heirs after he died in 1862. Henry C. Wyres, known to be the sixth child of Malinda Wyres, was not identified as an heir. He was not born until 1867. He may have been too young to have been included as an heir or was not the son of Joseph Wyres, only Malinda. Martha Wyres, a daughter, was not listed as an heir, either, and it is assumed that she had died.

MALINDA ANN TAYLOR

Malinda AnnTaylor was born in Mississippi in 1835. She was the daughter of James Leroy Taylor and Jane Redmond. Her first husband was Joseph Wyres, who died in 1862. Joseph and Malinda Wyers had five children: John Wesley (about 1853), William Pinkney (August 14, 1854), Mary Elizabeth (1855), Martha (1858), and Malinda Lucy Ann (October 31, 1861). She had a sixth child, Henry Ceaman Wyers (July 16, 1867), the father of whom is unknown. She married a second time. This husband was named Alexander Craft; they married on February 6,1887 in Hancock County, Mississippi. Malinda Taylor died on November 30, 1894 in Pearl River County, Mississippi. She is buried in Rousefield Cemetery, near Lumberton, Mississippi, on Red Top Road. Her grave marker indicates that she died in 1898, which was four years after she actually died.

In 1860, she was married to and living with Joseph (Ware) Wyers in Harrison County, Mississippi. In 1880, Malinda (Wayer) Wyers lived with her youngest son, Ceaman, in Harrison County. According to the census data, she was forty-six, Ceaman fifteen (his exact age is believed to have been thirteen).

In 1892, Malinda Craft homesteaded a tract of land (160 acres) in Pearl River County, Mississippi. The home she built was first known as Hog Hill and later as Rock Hill. The patent was received on July 13, 1898, not quite four years after her death on November 30, 1894. The place took on its latter name by virtue of the rock under the surface of the earth. In the 1930s, a quarry near the home helped with the family’s financial needs. Times were difficult when she homesteaded Rock Hill. One family story is that there was not enough money to buy salt, so Malinda would dig up earth where meat had been salted previously, boil it, and capture the vapors to use for seasoning food. The motto of Rock Hill was, "When a task is once begun, never leave it ‘til it’s done; be it big or be it small, do it well or not at all."

Malinda Taylor was known as an herb doctor and midwife. She went on horseback to deliver babies and was often gone for several days at a time.

JOHN WESLEY WYRES

John W. Wyres was born in Woolmarket, Mississippi (Harrison County), about 1853, the first child born to Joseph and Malinda Wyres. He married Martha F. Benge July 3, 1879, in Harrison County. Three children were born to John W. and Martha Wyres: Mary J. (about 1880), Malinda Lucy Cecita (about 1881), and Marshall James (1889). John W. Wyres died between 1891 and 1894. He is buried in Rousefield Cemetery, near Lumberton, Mississippi, on Red Top Road. His grave is next to his mother Malinda and his aunt Malinda Lucy Ann Wyers Myers. The grave marker indicates that he died in 1896, which is at least two years after he actually died.

The 1880 Harrison County federal census lists data about John W. Wyers as follows:

John W. Wayer, age 26, farm laborer, head of household, born MS, father born in South Carolina, mother born in Mississippi

Martha Wayer, age 20, housewife, born MS, father and mother born in Mississippi.

John W. Wyers and Martha Wyers were divorced on February 12, 1891. The name Wyers was used on their marriage certificate. She moved out of the family home when she was three months pregnant. It is believed he died shortly after the divorce decree was granted. According to Sweeney, he died within a few years. He was not listed as an heir of his mother when she died in 1894. John W. Wyers may have been an alcoholic, but his death was believed to have been caused by tuberculosis.

John W. Wyres applied for on December 1, 1879 and was deeded land by President Grover Cleveland on July 13, 1886 via the Homestead Act of 1862. The land was: SW 1/4 of section 32, township 4, south of range 11, west of St. Stephens Meridian, containing 167 acres and 95/100 of an acre. Homestead Certification 2995, Application 9977.

He signed a promissory note to the following land on October 11, 1890: NE 1/4 of NW 1/4, section 8, township 6, range 10W. This was done to defray costs in two lawsuits: one against William Robinson and one against Martha Wyres–for divorce. If the note was paid off on time, the deed was to have been voided. The suit against William Robinson concerned an omission of a part of the description of land he bought from Mr. Robinson on November 23, 1889.

He sold the following land on December 22, 1886: NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 32, Township 4 South, Range 11 West. This was forty acres and it sold for $50.00.

John W. Wyers, his family, and his descendants left a cold trail after 1891, the year of his death. Descendants of his daughters, Mary and Lucy, have been difficult to locate. And, of course, his son, Marshall James Wyers, disappeared from historical view about the time his father died and did not surface again until 1909.

MARTHA F. BENGE

Martha F. Benge’s birth date and birth place are unknown, although it is assumed that she was born in or near Harrison County, as one descendant later reported that Martha Benge had a sister and other family in that county. She married John W. Wyres on July 3, 1879. Three children were born to John W. and Martha Wyres: Mary J. (about 1880), Lucy Cecita (about 1881), and Marshall James (1889). She is believed to have died before 1909.

After being divorced by John W. Wyres in 1891 for adultery, Martha Benge Wyres remarried. Her second husband was William James "Pop" Turner, who was born in Cloward (Coward), South Carolina. They married on December 22, 1896 in Harrison County, Mississippi. They had three children: Emory Turner, Jesse Turner, and Ethel Turner Baker. Martha and W.J. Turner lived around the Lyman area until she died. Pop Turner later resided in southern California.

It seems likely that Martha F. Benge did not choose to raise Marshall James Wyers or lost custody of him when John W. Wyres and she divorced.

MARY J. WYRES

Mary J. Wyres was the first child born to John W. and Martha Wyres. She was born about 1880 in Lyman, Mississippi. She married Alvin Baggett about 1898. There were seven children born to this marriage: Emmitt, Detro, Lillian, Leff, Lucille, Barney, and Milton. She married Fred Cruthird about 1912. There were no children from this marriage.

This is all that is known about Mary Wyres to date. The information was supplied by Gladys McIntosh Thompson, granddaughter of Mary’s sister Lucy Wyres. There is no indication that she ever lived at Rock Hill in Pearl River County, where her grandmother Malinda Wyers Craft and two successive generations lived.

LUCY CECITA WYRES

Lucy C. Wyres was born about 1881 in Lyman, Mississippi, the second child of John W. and Martha Wyres. She married J. Barnett on April 28, 1893 in Harrison County, Mississippi. She was approximately twelve years old at this time. This was after the time her father is believed to have died. There were no children. She married John Walston about 1900 in the same county. There were four children born to this marriage: Bertha, Faye, Willie, and Mary Frances (September 28, 1914).

It is believed that Lucy and John Walston moved to Louisiana sometime after their fourth child was born. The extent of contact they had after that date with their family in Mississippi is unknown. There is no indication that she ever lived at Rock Hill in Pearl River County, where her grandmother Malinda Wyers Craft and two successive generations lived.

MARY FRANCES WALSTON

Mary Frances Wyers was the fourth child born to Lucy Cecita Wyres and John Walston. She was born on September 28, 1914 in Columbia, Mississippi. She married Elmo T. Jeanfreau. The marriage date and place are unknown. She died July 27, 1977.

Mildred Wyers Constable, daughter of Marshall James Wyers, was able to contact Mary Frances Jeanfreau by letter in 1968. She lived in Texas City, Texas, at the time and stated that she was a domestic. She reported having a "family," but her descendants are yet to be located.

MARSHALL JAMES WYERS

Marshall James Wyers was born September 29, 1889 in Lyman, Mississippi, the third child of John W. and Martha Wyres. He married Mamie Elizabeth Nothaf on May 9, 1909 in Kilgore, Oklahoma. There were four children born to the marriage: Milton Everett (1910), Clifford Charles (1911), Milton Harvey (1914), and Mildred Rosella (1923). He died December 22, 1936 in Santa Ana, California.

He was placed in "an orphanage" in New Orleans sometime in the early 1890s, when he was quite young. This may have occurred because of the divorce or his parents or his father's death—or both. He was released when he was "about twelve" to a man, "maybe an uncle," who allegedly put him to work. The name of the orphanage is unknown, as is the name of the person to whom he was released.

It is not known how and why a few years later he got to Grady County, Oklahoma, where he married Mamie Nothaf in 1909. After they married, they moved frequently in and around Grady County. They lived in Lindsay in 1910 and Purcell in 1911. Marshall was a bridge builder and a farmer. Two of their children were born in Oklahoma, before the family left there for California in 1912 or 1913. Their third child was born in California, and it is also known that the family lived in Phoenix, Arizona, for a time. They must have arrived in Costa Mesa about 1922, since the newspaper account at the time of Marshall’s death said that he had been a resident of Costa Mesa for fourteen years. During the latter years of his life he was a machinist by trade. He was forty-seven years old when he died.

MAMIE ELIZABETH NOTHAF

Mamie Elizabeth Nothaf was born in Bailey, Oklahoma, on January 26, 1890, the second child of William Charles Nothaf and Mary Jane Weidner. She married Marshall James Wyers on May 9, 1909 in Kilgore, Oklahoma. There were four children born to the marriage: Milton Everett (1910), Clifford Charles (1911), Milton Harvey (1914), and Mildred Rosella (1923). Years after Marshall Wyers died, Mamie married a second time. Her second husband was David H. Tunstall. They married on April 13, 1954 in Yuma, Arizona. Mamie Nothaf Wyers Tunstall died August 11, 1963 in Costa Mesa, California.

Her first husband personally built a house for his family, and Mamie lived in that house for many years after Marshall died. She raised her daughter, Mildred, there and also provided a haven for her sons and grandchildren when they needed one. She was immaculately clean. After she finished cooking a meal, there was no evidence that she had even been in her kitchen. Every year she had a huge garden, and she did the plowing and weeding herself, as well as the harvesting. She was also an expert seamstress. Never afraid of hard work, she was extremely independent and self-reliant.

MILTON EVERETT WYERS

Milton Everett Wyers was born on February 19, 1910 in Lindsay, Oklahoma. He was the first child born to Marshall James and Mamie Elizabeth Wyers. He married Marguerite Heintzleman November 10, 1938 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There were no children born to this marriage. He died May 11, 1983 in Joshua Tree, California.

In his younger years, Milton was a fisherman. He was later a carpenter. He lived in both California and Oregon. People saw him as a kind and patient man.

MARGUERITE HEINTZLEMAN

Marguerite Heintzleman, known always as "Margie," was born on November 24, 1901. Her first husband was a Mr. Deck. There was one son, Floyd, born to this marriage. Her second husband was Milton Wyers. They married November 10, 1938 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She died April 4, 1993 in Santa Maria, California.

Margie was a housewife during the years that she was married to Milton. She was devoted to her son and to her triplet granddaughters. In the latter years of her life, she was plagued with rheumatoid arthritis.

CLIFFORD CHARLES WYERS

Clifford Charles Wyers, known throughout his life as "Dutch," was born in Purcell, Oklahoma, on September 16, 1911. He was the second child of Marshall and Mamie Wyers. His first child, Jacqueline Lee Wyers, was born on November 12, 1931. He married Virginia Grace Wurdinger on October 1, 1931 in Yuma, Arizona. There were two children born to this marriage: Norman Lee (1932) and Karen Marie (1937). Dutch died on December 28, 1965 in Ashland, Oregon. He is buried Scenic Hills Memorial Park in Ashland..

Dutch left elementary school to fish commercially. Just more than one decade later, after he had a serious heart attack when he was about twenty-nine years old, he was forced to leave commercial fishing. He continued to pursue other maritime-related vocations until 1947. At that time, he moved his family to Ashland, Oregon. He and his wife, along with her mother and father, bought a seven-acre tract of land north of Ashland and built a restaurant on the property. They managed the restaurant for seven years. During some of this time, Dutch was also a cement truck driver. He had a second heart attack in the 1950s and died without warning in 1965. People remember his dry wit and love of both country music and brandy.

Margaret Joy, a friend of Jino’s and a practicing Christian Scientist, delivered the eulogy at Dutch’s funeral on December 31, 1965. It was written in longhand on two pieces of torn paper just prior to the funeral.

"We have come today to show our respect for a friend and fellow worker and to bring comfort to his family. We can best do this by assuring them of understanding and appreciation of him.

"Clifford Charles Wyers was born on September 16, 1911 in Purcell, Oklahoma and moved to southern California with his family when a young boy. In California he was a fisherman and yachtsman, and his love for the water and the out-of-doors remained with him all his life.

"On October 31, 1931 he and Virginia Wurdinger were married. They have two children, a son Norman and daughter Karen and four grandchildren.

"The Wyers came to Jackson County in June of 1947 and were in the restaurant business for several years. For the past fifteen years Dutch was employed by Lininger and Sons.

"When we think of Dutch, however, we think not of this biographic data or of his physical appearance, but of the fundamental qualities of the man: his unwavering loyalty and complete honesty; even his often-maddening stubbornness was based on his impatience with pomp and ceremony or any pretense–and his keen sense of humor was often directed against this, too. He was innately kind and loving, but would have been embarrassed to be told so, or to be praised for any good deed. He never wanted his emotions to show. It was his kindliness, however, which would make him ask that no one grieve for him–he would never want to cause any suffering. And he would never do ill to anyone because he was so basically good–there was no petty meanness in him.

"He lived by the Golden Rule, though he gave lip service to no church. But his heart was right with God, and he could have said with the Apostle James, ‘Show me thy faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith by my work.’

"All these qualities are undying, and will live on in the hearts and memories of those who loved him. This is a heritage of which his family may be justly proud."

JACQUELINE LEE WYERS

Jacqueline Lee Wyers was born November 12, 1931, in Costa Mesa, California. She was fathered by Clifford Wyers before he married Virginia Grace Wurdinger. She was his first child. It is believed her mother was Lilly Eisman. At this point, little else is known about her.

VIRGINIA GRACE WURDINGER

Virginia Grace Wurdinger was born in Anaheim, California, on December 18, 1913. She married Clifford Charles Wyers in Yuma, Arizona, on October 1, 1931. Two children were born to this marriage: Norman Lee (1932) and Karen Marie (1937). She died in Talent, Oregon, on July 12, 1976. Her ashes were sprinkled over Dutch’s grave at Scenic Hills Memorial Park in Ashland.

Virginia Wurdinger was known as "Jino" throughout her life. She had spinal meningitis when she three years of age and was left blind in her right eye. When she was eighteen, she had a serious case of poliomyelitis and was told she would never walk. With Dutch’s help, she swam daily in Newport bay and eventually regained some of the muscle strength and function. She was a homemaker until the years that she and her family operated the cafe in Ashland, Oregon. She did not enjoy being a waitress, especially since the place had a concrete floor which was hard on her legs. After Dutch died, she attended business college and then found employment in the Jackson County Headstart Program, eventually becoming office manager. Jino always carried an extra twenty dollars in her wallet—at a time when twenty dollars represented a good deal of money and maybe all of the money she had. This was her "fun money." It was always available for family enjoyment. Her sense of humor was as keen as Dutch’s.

NORMAN LEE WYERS

Norman Lee Wyers was born in Newport Beach, California, on May 28, 1932. He was the first child born to Dutch and Jino Wyers. He married Martha Dianne Powers on December 24, 1964 in Spokane, Washington. Two children were born to this marriage: Peter Jon (March 13, 1967) and Abby Elizabeth (June 19, 1969). Norman and Dianne Wyers were divorced on March 15, 1981 in Portland, Oregon.

Norm enjoyed school and eventually ended up with a doctorate in social welfare from Columbia University. He worked throughout his lifetime in education and in social work. He worked in the Lane County, Oregon, Juvenile Department; the King County, Seattle, Department of Public Welfare; the Family Rehabilitation Center in Marin County, California; an innovative educational program in southern Oregon; and at the psychiatric unit of Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Oregon. The majority of his career (twenty-three years) was spent in the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland State University. He was a fully-tenured faculty member who taught in the fields of social welfare history and social policy. He inherited his sense of humor from both Dutch and Jino.

MARTHA DIANNE POWERS

Martha Dianne Powers, always known as Dianne, was born in Mohler, Idaho, on November 22, 1937. She was the sixth child born to Glenn and Trula Powers. She married Norman Lee Wyers on December 24, 1964 in Spokane, Washington. There were two children born to this marriage: Peter Jon (March 13, 1967) and Abby Elizabeth (June 19, 1969). Dianne and Norman were divorced on March 15, 1981 in Portland, Oregon.

Dianne worked for several years as a juvenile parole officer in both Spokane and Seattle, Washington. She obtained her masters degree in social work in 1977 from Portland State University and went to work for Metropolitan Family Services. She later took employment in the child welfare services program of the state of Oregon. She worked her way through the ranks and eventually became the manager of the largest child welfare branch office in Portland.

She also began conducting estate sales in 1975. This became a fascinating avocation for her, and she became well known in the Portland area as one of queens of estate sale brokers.

PETER JON WYERS

Peter Jon Wyers was the first child born to Norman and Dianne Wyers. He was born on March 13, 1967 in Ashland, Oregon.

Peter attended Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, Oregon. He graduated in 1985. After working for several years, he is currently is attending Edmonds Community College near Seattle, Washington. His great passion in life is restoring old cars, especially Dodges. He plans to work in the health care field after he completes college.

ABBY ELIZABETH WYERS

Abby Elizabeth Wyers was the second child born to Norman and Dianne Wyers. She was born on June 19, 1969 in Eugene, Oregon.

Abby attended Grant High School in Portland, Oregon, graduating in 1987. She went on to receive a baccalaureate degree in political science from the University of Oregon in 1992. She worked for one year in President Clinton’s Americorps program in Yreka, California, and completed a masters degree in environmental studies at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Alaska.  In June 2002, she married David Andrew Sage in Homer, Alaska.  They have one child, Forrest Augustus Sagte, born in Portland, Oregon, May 31, 2004.

KAREN MARIE WYERS

Karen Marie Wyers was the second child born to Dutch and Jino Wyers. She was born on November 6, 1937 in Newport Beach, California. She married Clarence Leroy Melton on March 28, 1953 in Ashland, Oregon. There were five children born to the marriage: Patrick Charles (1954), Stephen Michael (1955), Mark Lawrence (1957), Margaret Marie (1959), and Corey Allen (1968). The marriage later ended in divorce.

Karen is known as being bright and creative. She also has a well-developed sense of humor. She was a homemaker for many years and for the past decade has worked with aging persons in a Medford, Oregon, nursing home. She has resided in the Rogue Valley, Oregon, almost constantly since she moved there in 1947. Her sense of humor is a blend of both Dutch and Jino’s.

Karen has always been fascinated with the ocean and with boats. She has recently begun collecting antique figurines and glassware. She has two dogs, Gretchen and Sissy, whom she loves. They eagerly await her return from work each day.

CLARENCE LEROY MELTON

Clarence Leroy "Pat" Melton was born in Monroe, Louisiana, on February 24, 1929. He married Karen Marie Wyers on March 28, 1953 in Ashland, Oregon. There were five children born to this marriage: Patrick Charles (1954), Stephen Michael (1955), Mark Lawrence (1957), Margaret Marie (1959), and Corey Allen (1968). The marriage later ended in divorce.

Pat met Karen Wyers when he was a highway builder in Ashland and she was a waitress in the family restaurant. After a brief courtship, they married. He had his own paving business for more than twenty years and is currently retired in Central Point, Oregon. He loves big game hunting and fishing. His connection to his family has remained constant over the years, and he proud of each of his children.

PATRICK CHARLES MELTON

Patrick Charles Melton was the first child born to Pat and Karen Melton. He was born on March 25, 1954 in Medford, Oregon.

Charlie, as he has always been known, attended both the Eugene and Medford public school system. He fished commercially for many years on the Oregon coast and owned his own boat. He currently works for an Oregon sign manufacturer.

He is somewhat of a loner and travels a good deal in his work. He keeps in close contact with his parents and brothers, even though he is rarely in the part of Oregon where they live.

STEPHEN MICHAEL MELTON

Stephen Michael Melton was the second child born to Pat and Karen Melton. He was born on November 12, 1955. He fathered two children: Jacklyn Rae (1983) and Stephen Joel (1986). The mother of the two children was Belinda Denney, formerly of Medford, Oregon.

Stephen attended both the Eugene and Medford public school systems. He currently works in outdoor jobs in southern Oregon. He is interested in obtaining an Associate Arts degree in welding, since this is the kind of work he enjoys.

JACKLYN RAE MELTON

Jacklyn Rae Melton is the first child born to Stephen Michael Melton and Belinda Denney. She was born in Medford, Oregon on July 18, 1983.

STEPHEN JOEL MELTON

Stephen Joel Melton was the second child born to Stephen Michael Melton and Belinda Denney. He was born in Medford, Oregon January 21, 1986.

MARK LAWRENCE MELTON

Mark Lawrence Melton was the third child born to Pat and Karen Melton. He was born on March 1, 1957 in Medford, Oregon.

Mark attended both the Eugene and Medford public school systems. He was seriously injured in a motor accident during his Junior year in high school and has been partially disabled since. He owns his own home in Medford, Oregon, and is employed as he is able.

Before his injury, he was a promising high school athlete who had a strong interest in journalism. He has always had many friends and is known by family and friends alike as being the "philosopher" in the Melton family.

MARGARET MARIE MELTON

Margaret Marie Melton was the fourth child born to Pat and Karen Melton. She was born on June 19, 1959 in Corvallis, Oregon. She married Mark John Keiser on September 4, 1982 in Medford, Oregon. Two children were born to this marriage: Benjamin David (1988) and Mary Grace (1992).

Margaret attended the Medford public school system. She later (1985) graduated from Southern Oregon State College (now Southern Oregon University) in Ashland, Oregon, with a baccalaureate degree in Education. She has taught at the elementary school level for many years in the southern Oregon area and has also worked in the flower-growing industry, which she loves.

For the past four years, Margaret has taught pre-school children in the Medford Montessori School, where she has an outstanding reputation. She in deeply engaged with life and enjoys a variety of interests, including gardening, biking, running, backpacking, parenting her two children, listening to music (she has always love Bruce Springsteen), and spending as much time in nature as her busy schedule allows.

MARK JOHN KEISER

Mark John Keiser was born on August 11, 1954. He and Margaret Marie Melton married on September 4, 1982. Two children were born to this marriage: Benjamin David (1988) and Mary Grace (1992). Mark was killed in a logging accident on April 8, 1998 at age forty-three.

Mark Keiser was a talented, athletic man who was loved by everyone who knew him. He was an outstanding skier and outdoors man. He was a participant in his first downhill skiing contest when he was only five years of age. He had scores of friends, and his life was filled with adventures and risk-taking. He also helped anyone who needed his assistance. He was also a lucky man. As an example, on one occasion, while diving in a river near Yreka, California, he once found nine antique gold coins, which had been in the river for perhaps one hundred years. His death was a shock to his family, his many friends, and the entire community. More than three-three hundred people attended a memorial service for him in Medford, Oregon on April 11, 1998.

He loved his wife Margaret and his two children. He frequently took afternoons off from work so that he could spend time with them. While he could have chosen from many possibilities, he chose working in the woods. He kept in perfect shape physically and found outdoor life fascinating, even spiritual. He wife describes him as having been "one of the last great loggers."

BENJAMIN DAVID KEISER

Benjamin David Keiser was the first child born to Mark and Margaret Keiser. He was born in Medford, Oregon, on November 21, 1998.

Ben is in the fourth grade in the Medford public schools, after having graduated from the the third grade in the Medford Montesorri School in 1998. He loves to snow board and skateboard. He is a natural athlete in the same way his father was. He also likes "living on the edge," as his father also did. He has more than his share of energy, just as he has many friends and is adept at socializing. He enjoys the out-of-doors, especially camping and hunting. Another of his favorite pastimes is working in his father’s shop, fixing his bike. He has quite recently become fascinated with weed eaters and mini-bikes.

MARY GRACE KEISER

Mary Grace Keiser was the second child born to Mark and Margaret Keiser. She was born in Medford, Oregon, on January 25, 1992.

Mary was named after both of her grandmothers. She is in the first grade at the Medford Montesorri School. She is extremely close to her mother and spend several hours each day with her. She likes to fish, ride her bike, roller blade, swim, and jump rope. She also enjoys camping and being outdoors in the fresh air. She is able to amuse herself easily and enjoys playing alone on occasion. She is strong-willed and determined.

COREY ALLEN MELTON

Corey Allen Melton was the fifth child born to Karen Melton. He was born on October 22, 1968 in Medford, Oregon.

Corey attended the Medford public schools. He currently works in the logging industry. He does so with great zeal and excitement. He resides with his mother at the present time and is close to her.

Corey is fascinated with motorcycles and is an expert rider. He is easy going and good natured. He is friendly to everybody and always willing to lend a helping hand to his family and friends. He is a hard worker and a cherished brother to his sister and a beloved uncle to her two children.

BERNICE HARVEY WYERS

Bernice Harvey Wyers was the third child born to Marshall and Mamie Wyers. He was born on January 20, 1914 in Big Pine, California. He married Dorothy Kate Temple on April 29, 1941 in Yuma, Arizona. There were two children born to this marriage: Marsha Rosella (1942) and Virginia Lee (1943). He died November 16, 1975 in Orange, California.

Bernice Wyers was a fisherman all his life. He was well known by his colleagues in the Newport Beach, California, area. He owned his own boat but also worked for others.

DOROTHY KATE TEMPLE

Dorothy Kate Temple was born on February 14, 1914 in Shreveport, Louisiana. She married Bernice Harvey Wyers on April 29, 1941 in Yuma, Arizona. There were two children born to this marriage: Marsha Rosella (1942) and Virginia Lee (1943). Dorothy Temple died on April 14, 1958 in Costa Mesa, California.

Dorothy Temple was a homemaker all her life. She was devoted to her two daughters. She died at age forty-four of cancer.

MARSHA ROSELLA WYERS

Marsha Rosella Wyers was the first child born to Bernice and Dorothy Wyers. She was born on April 9, 1942. She married John Hamilton on June 11, 1965. There were three children born to this marriage: Delynn (1965), Wendy Diane (1967), and Debra Jean (1973).

JOHN HAMILTON

John Hamilton married Marsha Rosella Wyers on June 11, 1965. There were three children born to this marriage: Delynn (1965), Wendy Diane (1967), and Debra Jean (1973)

DELYNN HAMILTON

Delynn Hamilton was the first child born to John and Marsha Hamilton. She was born on May 20, 1965. She had two children: Kristen Nicole (1995) and Ashley Taylor (1997).

KRISTEN NICOLE HAMILTON

Kristen Nicole Hamilton was the first child born to Delynn Hamilton. She was born in 1995

ASHLEY TAYLOR HAMILTON

Ashley Taylor Hamilton was the second child born to Delynn Hamilton. She was born in 1997.

WENDY DIANE HAMILTON

Wendy Diane Hamilton was the second child born to John and Marsha Hamilton. She was born on December 12, 1967.

DEBRA JEAN HAMILTON

Debra Jean Hamilton was the third child born to John and Marsha Hamilton. She was born on September 27, 1973.

VIRGINIA LEE WYERS

Virginia Lee Wyers was the second child born to Bernice and Dorothy Wyers. She was born on April 20, 1943. She married Willard Bennie Akins on November 21, 1964. They had two children: Willard Bennie II (1965) and Eric Scott (1967). A third child, Amy (1976), was adopted..

Virginia Wyers, known as "Dee Dee," is a gregarious, lively person who is committed to her family and friends. She has had a variety of jobs in her life and currently resides with her husband in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

WILLARD BENNIE AKINS II

Willard Bennie Akins II was the fist child born to Willard and Virginia Wyers. He was born on December 5, 1965.

ERIC SCOTT AKINS

Eric Scott Akins is the second child born to Willard and Virginia Wyers. He was born on August 14, 1967.

AMY AKINS

Amy Akins is the adoptive child of Willard and Virginia Akins. She was born on May 20, 1976. She married Michael Sellers on April 12, 1997 in Center, Alabama. Two children have been born to this marriage: Michael Anthony II (1996) and Makala Noel (1998).

MICHAEL ANTHONY SELLERS

Michael Anthony Sellers was born on April 17, 1968 in Atlanta, Georgia. He married Amy Akins on April 12, 1997 in Center, Alabama. Two children were born to this marriage: Michael Anthony II (1996) and Makala Noel (1998). .

MICHAEL ANTHONY SELLERS II

Michael Anthony Akins II was the first child born to Michael and Amy Akins. He was born on October 30, 1996 in Riverside, California.

MAKALA NOEL SELLERS

Makala Noel Sellers was the second child born to Michael and Amy Akins. She was born on January January 15, 1998 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

MILDRED ROSELLA WYERS

Mildred Rosella Wyers was the fourth child born to Marshall and Mamie Wyers. She was born March 16, 1923 in Costa Mesa, California. She married Otis Eldon White on January 3, 1947. Two children were born to this marriage: Elizabeth Lynn (1947) and Curtis Eldon (1949). This marriage ended in divorce on February 6, 1953 in Santa Ana, California. Mildred’s second husband was Horace Corwin Constable; that marriage occurred on July 10, 1953. Corwin Constable died on June 25, 1960 in Los Angeles, California.

OTIS ELDON WHITE

Otis Eldon White was born on July 17, 1921 in Eugene, Oregon. He married Mildred Wyers on January 3, 1947. There were two children born to this marriage: Elizabeth Lynn (1947) and Curtis Eldon (1949). The marriage later ended in divorce on February 6, 1953 in Santa Ana, California.

ELIZABETH LYNN WHITE

Elizabeth Lynn White, known as Lynn, was the first child born to Mildred Rosella Wyers and Otis Eldon White. She was born on December 27, 1947 in Bend, Oregon. She had one son: Marshall Jered (1972).

MARSHALL JERED WHITE

Marshall Jered White was born to Lynn White on July 22, 1972. He was born in Medford, Oregon. He married Angela CarolYoung on August 5, 1995 in Corvallis, Oregon.

Marshall graduated from Philomath High School (Oregon) in 1990 and from Oregon State University in 1955 with a baccalaureate of science degree in Anthropology. As of 1998, he was working for the Hewlett Packard company as a research and development staff in a pen cartridge project documentation and as a materials and transition specialist.

Much of his time is spent between work, school, a horse-breeding business, and friends. Marshall enjoys many hobbies: hiking, basketball, and softball. His passions in life include his wife, family, friends, Mother Nature, and lifelong development. He has many friends and had tended to attract people all his life. He constantly smiles and is known as a stalwart friend. Marshall’s friends talk of him as if he were their resident clown.

ANGELA C. YOUNG

Angela C. Young was the daughter of Edward and Helen Griffin. She was born on December 6, 1972. She married Marshall Jered Wyers on August 5, 1995 in Corvallis, Oregon.

CURTIS ELDON WHITE

Curtis Eldon White was the second child born to Eldon and Mildred White. He was born on October 4, 1949 in Salem, Oregon. He married Doris Matthys on September 22, 1984 in Corvallis, Oregon. Two children were born to this marriage: Michael Phillip Matthys (1987) and Sean Curtis Matthys (1991).

DORIS MATTHYS

Doris Matthys was the child of Phillip and Hilda Matthys. She was born on September 10, 1951 in Chicago, Illinois. She married Curtis White on September 22, 1984 in Corvallis, Oregon.

Two children were born to this marriage: Michael Phillip Matthys (1987) and Sean Curtis Matthys (1991).

MICHAEL PHILLIP MATTHYS WHITE

Michael Phillip Matthys White was the first child born to Curtis and Doris White. He was born on August 17, 1987 in Santa Ana, Caliornia.

SEAN CURTIS MATTHYS WHITE

Sean Curtis Matthys White was the second child born to Curtis and Doris White. He was born on October 26, 1991 in Tucson, Arizona.

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WILLIAM PINKNEY WYRES

William Pinkney Wyres was the second child born to Joseph and Malinda Wyres. He was born on August 14, 1854, in Woolmarket, Mississippi. He married Lucinda R. Blackwell in Harrison County, Mississippi, on October 2, 1879. They had twelve children: Joseph (1880), Hugh (1882), Volney (1884), Willie N.(1886), William Edward (1888), Elnora (1891), Myra Eva (1893), Winnie Roberta (1895), Eugene (1897), Homer (1898), Nancy E. (1901), and Poley Arthur (1902). William P. Wyres died on November 1, 1922 in Pearl River County.

The 1880 Harrison County federal census includes the following data about William P. Wyers and his family:

William Wayer, age 24, head of household, log-chopper, born in Mississippi, father born South Carolina, mo born in Mississippi.

Roberta Wayer, age 20, mother and father born in Mississippi.

William P. Wyres applied for on November 1, 1880 and was deeded land on July 13, 1886, under the auspices of the Homestead Act of 1862. The patent was signed by President Grover Cleveland. The land was: SE 1/4, section 33, township 4, south of range 11, west of St. Stephens Meridian, containing 167 acres and 58/100 acre. Homestead Certification Number 2987, Application 1963. The patent was signed December 19, 1885.

William P. Wyres sold the following land to Jefferson D. Broadus for $85.00 on March 6, 1886: S 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 33, Township 4, South of Range Eleven West, containing 80 acres more or less. This was apparently one-half of the land he had been deeded. He sold the following land to R. Broadus on December 22, 1886 for $50.00: NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4, section 32, township 4 S, range 11W. This was four acres of land. Source: Harrison County Deed Book 26, p. 550.

William P. Wyres sold his land prior to moving to Pearl River County in 1898 to live on his mother's homestead, Rock Hill. He bought the other heirs' rights to her property.

By 1900, William P. Wyers, age 49, had continued to live in Pearl River County, MS. The name "Wyers" was used on the census forms. The same forms indicate that his father, Joseph, was born in North Carolina, his mother in Mississippi. His mother, Malinda Wyres Craft, had homesteaded 160 acres in Pearl River County by 1892. The place his mother homesteaded was called Hog Hill and later called Rock Hill. At least three generations of the family lived and spent time there. It is about fifteen miles south of Poplarville or Lumberton. During some of these years, William P. Wyres was a section foreman in charge of moving logs from the logging train to the local saw mill.

In 1920, he and his family continued to reside in Pearl River. They lived next door still to the former Amanda Seals Wyers and her son, Homer H. Wyers, wife and son of Henry C. Wyres, who had died. Amanda had remarried. William P. Wyers owned his own home. He was still a farmer. His age appears to have been sixty-four, which means that he was likely born in 1854. On the 1910 census, he listed his year of birth as 1851 and his age as 49. If this were the case, he would have been born before his parents married.

He was one of the first trustees of the Gum Pond School, which was built in 1900.

LUCINDA ROBERTA BLACKWELL

Lucinda Robert Blackwell was the daughter of Edward Nicholson Blackwell and Lucinda Adaline House. She was born in Mississippi on February 16, 1861. She married William Pinkney Wyres on October 2, 1879 in Harrison County, Mississippi. They had twelve children: Joseph (1880), Hugh (1882), Volney (1884), Willie N.(1886), William Edward (1888), Elnora (1891), Myra Eva (1893), Winnie Roberta (1895), Eugene (1897), Homer (1898), Nancy E. (1901), and Poley Arthur (1902). She died June 18, 1949 in Forrest County, Mississippi.

The land owned by William P. Wyres and Lucinda Roberta Blackwell Wyres adjoined the land owned by Malinda Wyers Craft. When Malinda died in 1894, Lucinda became the matriarch of Rock Hill. Many of her children were born here, and many others spent at least a part of their formative years at Rock Hill. Further, many of her grandchildren were born at Rock Hill or spent a considerable part of their lives there. She outlived her husband by forty-seven years, which meant that she was at least partially dependent on her children during her old age. Times were difficult for the family during many of these years; living close to one another and providing for one another was a necessity.

JOSEPH WYRES

Joseph Wyres, obviously named after his grandfather, was born on January 12, 1880 in Harrison County, Mississippi. He was the first child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. He died August 20, 1885 in Woolmarket, Mississippi. Joseph and Hugh Wyers, his younger brother, died on the same day of flux. They were buried in the same grave in Williams Cemetery, Harrison County, Mississippi.

HUGH WYRES

Hugh Wyres was the second child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. He was born on June 23, 1882 in Harrison County, Mississippi. He died of flux on August 20, 1885 in Woolmarket, Mississippi. Hugh was buried in the same casket as Joseph, his older brother. Both died the same day.

VOLNEY WYRES

Volney Wyres was the third child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. He was born on September 4, 1884 in Harrison County, Mississippi. He married Mena Almena Davis on January 27, 1906 in Harrison County. They had one son, Archie, who was born in 1908. Volney died on January 20, 1940.

As a young man, Volney became ill with malaria in Louisiana, and several of the relatives went there to bring him home. Later, he and his wife, Mena, lived near Rock Hill, his mother’s home. He died far from home, in Yazoo, Mississippi, and it was necessary to return his body to Pearl River County for burial.

ARCHIE WYRES

Archie Wyres was the only child born to Volney and Mena Davis Wyres. He was born in 1908 in Pearl River County, Mississippi. He died on October 10, 1930.

As an adult, Archie went to Borger, Texas, to work with his uncle, Eugene Wyres, and other relatives. While there, he developed pneumonia and died. He was twenty-two years old. There was not enough money to send his body home, so he was buried there.

WILLIE N. WYRES

Willie was the fourth child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. She was born on October 1, 1886 in Harrison County, Mississippi. She had two husbands. The first husband was Melvin Swilley, whom she married on February 15, 1905. There was one daughter born to this marriage: Isabelle (1906). Her second husband was Robert Ira Walters. They married on September 8, 1917 and had one child Idell Lucinda (1922). Willie Wyres died on November 26, 1959 in Forrest County, Mississippi.

Little was recorded about her life.

WILLIAM EDWARD WYRES

William Edward Wyres was the fifth child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. He was born on November 22, 1888 and died on November 22, 1891, his third birthday. His birth and death both occurred in Harrison County. The cause of his death was poisoning from a rooster spur.

ELNORA WYRES

Elnora Wyres was the sixth child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. She was born in Harrison County, Mississippi, on June 26, 1891. She married Lorenzo Dow Newsom on January 10, 1915 in Harrison County. They had three children: Joe Cephus (1919), Glenoma Robert (1822), and Gayionna Nicile (1925). Elnora Wyres died on February 17, 1961 in Harrison County.

Elnora was a great cook and fisherman. She was able to "cook a meal before you can say scat." She was reported to be more like her mother and her sister Eva, than the other children, who all took after their father. She and her husband lived about four miles from Rock Hill.

MYRA EVA WYRES

Myra Wyres was the seventh child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. She was born on April 28, 1893 in Harrision County, Mississippi. She had two husbands. The first was Wallace Martin. The date of their marriage is unknown. The second husband was Walter Carl von Barden. They were married on May 4, 1920. There was one child from this marriage: Elwood E. (1921). Myra Wyres died February 8, 1983 in Lamar County, Mississippi.

Myra lived in the old home place of William P. and Lucinda Wyres until she died at ninety years of age. She went there after her retirement to take care of Lucinda, who had become ill. She had previously lived in Borges, Texas. She was loved by the children in the family and is remembered for her love of people and of nature.

WINNIE ROBERTA WYRES

Winnie Wyres was the eighth child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. She was born on September 24, 1895. She married Biser Ramsey Thomas on August 17, 1912 in Pearl River County, Mississippi. There was one child born to them: Edthis Marie (1913). Winnie Wyres died on June 21, 1922 in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

Winner Wyres Thomas and her family lived near Rock Hill, on Hurricane Creek. Their home was accessible only by foot. She played the organ as a child and loved to sing and play for her father, William P. Wyres. Their favorite song was "When I Can Read My Title Clear."

EUGENE WYRES

Eugene Wyers was the ninth child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. He was born January 20, 1897 in Woolmarket, Mississippi. He married Coila Veressie Lee on October 24, 1921. There were four children born to this marriage: William Perry (1922), Eugene Daulton (1924), Naomi Y. (1926), and Chauncey Guy (1928). Eugene Wyres died on July 7, 1977 in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

Eugene was jovial and good natured. He and his younger brother Poley were close, and a great deal of good-natured joking went on between the two. He died three feet from where his brother Poley later died.

EUGENE DAULTON WYRES

Eugene Daulton Wyres was the second child born to Eugene and Coila Wyres. He was born June 3, 1924 in Mississippi. He married Ruth Learlyne Lee August 31, 1946 in Mississippi. They had two children: Melanie Ruth (1961) and Daulton Lee (1964).

Eugene, always known just as Daulton, continues to live in Pearl River County. He has been a farmer all his life and loves fishing and hunting.

MELANIE RUTH WYRES

Melanie Ruth Wyres is the first child born to Daulton and Ruth Wyres. She was born on February 20, 1961 in Forrest County, Mississippi. She married Scotty Curl on August 7, 1982 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. They have one child: Tiffaney Gabriele (1983).

Melanie Ruth Wyres and her family live in Baytown, Texas.

DAULTON LEE WYRES

Daulton Lee Wyers was the second child born to Eugene Daulton and Ruth Wyres. He was born on September 19, 1964 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He is currently unmarried.

Daulton Lee Wyers resides in the home of his parents. He works in highway construction and is an avid fan of both rodeos and car racing.

HOMER WYRES

Homer Wyres was the tenth child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. He was born on December 9, 1898. He died a few months later, on April 3, 1899. He was born and died in Harrison County, Mississippi.

NANCY E. WYRES

Nancy Wyres was the eleventh child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. She was born on January 29, 1901 in Pearl River County, Mississippi. She married Melton Sweeney on April 18, 1929. Ten children was born to this marriage: Fredna Mae (1921), Edith Faye (1922), Voncil (1924), Tommie Lou (1925), William Arthur (1927), Bobbie Ruth (1929), Infant son (1931), Betty Martell (1936), Bobbie Ruth, and Billie. Nancy Wyres died on January 8, 1940 in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

Nancy Wyres was born and raised in Rock Hill, the family home. She and her husband lived there until their daughter, Edith Faye, was twelve years old. Edith Faye later conducted intensive research on the genealogy of the William P. Wyres family line and wrote an impressive book about it.

POLEY ARTHUR WYRES

Poley Wyres was the twelfth child born to William P. and Lucinda Wyres. He was born on September 25, 1902 in Pearl River County, Mississippi. He married Lou Edna (last name unknown) in Tacoma, Washington. There were two children born to this marriage: William Alfred (1941) and Gloria (1934). Poley Wyres died on March 22, 1985 in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

Poley was close to his brother, Eugene. They joked and kidded each other all of their lives. Poley lived in Tacoma, Washington as an adult but happened to die when he was visiting his family in Lumberton, Mississippi.

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MARY ELIZABETH WYRES

Mary Elizabeth Wyers was the third child born to Joseph and Malinda Wyres. She was born about 1855 in Woolmarket, Mississippi. She had two husbands. The first was Daniel F. Myers, whom she married in Harrison County, Mississippi on August 11, 1877. There was one child born to the marriage: Richard (about 1878). Her second husband was James J. Baggett, whom she married on June 11, 1892 in Poplarville, Mississippi. There were no children born to this marriage. She died on August 14, 1931 in Hillsdale, Mississippi. She is buried in Orvisburg Cemetery in Hillsdale, Pearl River County, next to her second husband, J. Baggett.

Not much is known about Mary Wyres. She apparently had only one child, Richard Myers. He died when he was about twenty-two years of age.

She and Daniel F. Myers, her first husband, had moved to Mobile, AL, by December 13, 1881. This is known because she signed legal papers pertaining to the sale of land (on file) on that date in Mobile, not in Harrison County, as her mother and siblings did.

She divorced Daniel Myers sometime between 1881 and 1892, when she married James Baggett.

Mary weighed over three hundred pounds. Little else is remembered about her. She must have had forty acres near Rock Hill, which she would have inherited from her mother.

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MARTHA WYRES

Martha Wyres was the fourth child born to Joseph and Malinda Wyres. She was born in 1858. There is no other information on Martha Wyers. She must have died early. She is never identified as a family heir.

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MALINDA LUCY ANN WYRES

Malinda Lucy Ann Wyres, known as Lucy, was the fifth child born to Joseph and Malinda Wyres. She was born on October 31, 1861 in Woolmarket, Mississippi. Her first husband was Louis A. Myers. Their marriage was in Harrison County, Mississippi, on August 14, 1879. There were two children born to this marriage: Oscar (about 1881) and Annie Rose (1882). Her second husband was Washington Myers. She married him about 1882. There was one child born to this marriage: Ruth Augusta (1883). Her third husband was Mr. Jackson. She married him before 1898. Her fourth husband was Joseph Cohen. She married him after 1898. Lucy Wyres died December 25, 1933.

About all that is known about Lucy Wyres is the she had four husbands and had children with at least two of them. She died alone on Christmas day, 1933 after eating a chicken dinner she had prepared herself.

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HENRY CEAMAN WYRES

Henry Ceaman Wyres was the sixth child born to Malinda Wyres. His father is unknown. Henry C. Wyres was born on July 16, 1867 in Harrison County, Mississippi. He married Amanda M. Seals on November 24, 1896 in Harrison County, Mississippi. They had three children, two of whom died as infants and Homer Seaman Wyres (1900). Henry Wyres died June 12, 1900 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He had been in New Orleans for only eighteen days.

Henry C. Wyers was born in 1867. His putative father, Joseph Wyres, died in 1862. Therefore, Joseph Wyres could not have fathered Henry.

Henry C. Wyers died six weeks before the 1900 federal census was taken in Louisiana. He had tuberculosis and was in Charity Hospital in New Orleans when he died. He listed his occupation as tinsmith and indicated that he could read, write, and speak English. He had earlier homesteaded 160 acres of land next to Rock Hill, where William P. Wyres and his family lived for many years. His land was described as follows: W ½ of NW 1/4, SE 1/4 of NW 1/4, and the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4, section 25, township 1, south of range 14 west, St. Stephens Meridian. Homestead application 25203. He received the patent to this land on September 15, 1897. Less than three years later he was dead.

When he died, his body was shipped by train from New Orleans to Poplarville. When the casket was opened, he was lying on his stomach. Some feared that he may not have been dead when his body was placed in the casket.

It is not known why Henry C. Wyres moved to New Orleans or how long he lived there before he died. However, he was a true uncle of Marshall James Wyers and could have been the uncle who took him out of the orphanage. There were no other known relatives living in New Orleans at that time.

HOMER SEAMAN WYRES

Homer Seaman Wyres was the third child born to Henry Ceaman and Amanda Wyres. Two children, born earlier, died at birth. Homer was born on August 23, 1900 in Pearl River County, Mississippi. This was one month after his father’s death. He married Mary Roberts on November 24, 1896 in Harrison County, Mississippi. Ten children were born to this marriage: Bonnie Dare (1923), Mary Frances (1925), Seaman Buford (1927), Genene (1929), Hermon Huey (1932), Raymond Ervin (1935), John (1940), Sylvia (1942), and Shirley Ann (1944). A tenth child died at birth. Homer Seaman Wyres died on September 26, 1975 in Monroe, Louisiana.

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Last Updated: July 5, 2004
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