This came to me with " Not a subscriber" in front of the information. So I
am forwarding to the list. If anyone has any information for Thomas's
family so his mother can see this connection in her lifetime, it would be
appreciated. I have tried to find a connection, but have not succeeded.
Perhaps one of you has some clue for him. Thanks Sue Ellen
From: <Travelback4u(a)aol.com>
To: <cave-l(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2000 10:49 AM
Subject: {not a subscriber} Elusive Cave Families
Hello All: (Census info, LDS Marriage Info, Social Security
Info,
and
more listed below.
Well, I am still at it, trying to find out something, anything. Mom
is 81
and still has no idea of where her grandparents are buried. We would
really
enjoy finding something.
What I know from two years of searching is this.
My mom's grandparents are Merrit H. Cave born between 1852 and 1855,
(was 8 in the 1860 Census, and 25 in the 1880 Census) He married Jenny
and
was residing in Butler County Missouri with his first son Charles A.
(Ashworth) Cave. His son Charles was listed as being born in Illinois in
1878
(listed as 2 in 1880 Census) This son Charles most likely was named
after
the
man who raised Merrit and his sister Josephine in Butler County
Missouri,
named Charles F. Ashworth. (In 1860, Charles F. Ashworth, 22, was
enumerated
with Josephine Cave age 13 and Merrit Cave age 8 in St. Clair County
Missouri) (My mom's father, James Caves with an (s), listed his folks as
Merrit Cave and Jenny Swisher, and he listed his birthplace as Poplar
Bluff
Arkansas on his marriage license in Knox County Illinois) (Family
history
said his father changed his last name from Cave to Caves) His father or
grandfather is believed to have been killed young in a forrest fire in
the
Mark Twain National Forrest.
KNOWN FACTS
23 Nov 1856, St. Clair Co., MO: Charles Merser Ashworth m Martha Ann Cave
1860 St. Clair Co., MO: Charles F. Ashworth 22 [1838] b VA
Speedwell Twp. Josephine Cave 13 [1847]
p 974-104 Merit Cave 8 [1852]
1880 Butler Co., MO: Merritt Cave
Jenny
Charles A. age 2 [1878] b IL
Charles A. Cave b ca 1878, IL, son of Merrit & Jennie (Swisher) Cave
(Note: Jennie Swisher, of Campoint Illinois, near Mt. Sterling
Illinois
Swisher's, that had a farm there near a stockyards according to
family)
LDS Listings
Merit H. Cave m Catherine Rush 21 Jun 1835, Monroe, MO
Merrit H. Cave m Mary Ann Earles 14 May 1861, St. Clair, MO
Merrott Cave m Fannie Geary 23 Jun 1872, Pettis, MO
Merit Cave m Mary M. Duncan 18 Mar 1874, Hickory, MO
>If this Charles F. Ashworth was working for the family, why are the
parents
>of Merrit age 8 and Josphine age 13 not listed in the 1860
Census?
Note that I said he might be living with, or working for the Caves,
in 1850, not 1860, since I had not found him in 1850. Have you tried
finding the Cave family in 1850? Josephine, at age 2 or 3, would be
listed with her parents.
----------------------------
1880 Census, for Missouri Examined:
Merritt Cave, age 25, born in Missouri, White, as listed in 1880
Census
Residing with wife Jenny, born in Virginia,
Child, Charles A. Cave, age 2, born in Illinois,
Residing in Butler County, Missouri in 1880
Black River
Vol. 4 - ED 4, page 5, line 20
1860 Census, for Missouri Examined:
Josephine Cave, age 13
Merit Cave, age 8, born in Missouri
Residing in St. Clair County, Missouri in 1860
Speedwell Twp.
Page 974 -104 line 17
Enumerated with Charles F. Ashworth, age 22, born in Virginia
(Notes: This may have been from Merit's father dying when he was
young,
resulting in Merit and his sister Josephine residing with Charles F.
Ashworth)
Note: There was a child named Charles F. Ashworth, born in June of 1864,
who
died on May 31, 1909, that may have been the child of the above
Charles
F.
Ashworth, but such requires further research efforts.
The following found in Social Security Records:
Clarence Cave #480-09-8870 Iowa Born February 27, 1899 and died in
Barns
City Iowa in January of 1971.
Ralf Caves #489-20-0464 Missouri. Born December 9, 1898 in Missouri
and
died January 1966 in Missouri.
Hollis Caves #398-16-8693 Wisconsin. Born October 5, 1900 in
Wisconsin
and died September 1977 in Missouri.
Ezell Caves # 424-56-0473 AL. Born January 31, 1942 in Missouri and
died
July 1982 in Missouri.
Athalene Caves #457-54-3289 Texas. Born December 10, 1890 in Texas
and
died January 1980 in Dallas Texas.
Notes: Martie Caves father is this Merritt Caves that may have died
young,
since it is said that his wife remarried and that Martie Caves
resided
with
his grandfather for sometime as a youth. He is thought to have
resided
near
Mt. Sterling Illinois. Martie raised his family in Greenbush
Illinois.
His
son Martie Caves is said to have been born around Clayton, Illinois,
Mt.
Sterling Illinois, or Campoint, Illinois, but according to his marriage
license, he was born in Poplar Bluff Arkansas. This above is from
Family
legend.
Ernest Caves, of Galesburg Illinois, one of Martie's sons, had done
extensive research on the Caves families. But, unfortunately, in many
failed
attempts, he refused to provide such for the family. He stated
however
that
he had went down south and found a woman who knew Martie and provided
him
with a computer print out of the Caves family tree. Ernest Caves, George,
to
most of his friends said that his father Martie gave many dates of
birth
throughout his life. So it is very difficult to locate any information
about
the Caves history due to this fact. It is highly unfortunate,
however,
attempts are being made to obtain some of the information thru Ernest's
children, in Sept. of 1999.
In a conversation between Alan Caves, a son of Ernie's, on Sept. 8,
1999,
and Thomas W. Rogers, a son of Ernie's sister Cleta, Alan stated
that
Merritt
Caves had died in a forest fire in what he thinks was the Mark Twain
National
Forest in the north of Arkansas. Also, Alan further stated that
Merritt
Caves
last name was spelled "Cave", but he changed it because
everyone kept
calling
him "Caves" anyway. This fact may have caused many not to
find a
connection
in the family tree to this point and further research is required to
verify
this fact.
Merritt Caves may have been a middle name, knowing the family history.
Also, Merritt may be a nickname. Many of these "Cave" or "Caves" from
this
line used middle names or nicknames. Example: James Martin Caves,
only
known as "Martin", Ernest Eugene Caves, his brother, only known as
"George
Caves" of Galesburg Illinois. Therefore, it may be possible to
find such
throughout this line of the family heritage.
According to Martie Caves' daughter Cleta (Caves) Rogers, her mother
told
her that toward the end of the First World War, Martie Caves was next
in
line
to go and he would have, except for the fact he had children at the
time.
Note: This seems unrealistic, because it shows this Martie Caves, said
son of
Merritt Caves and Jennie Swisher, as being 23 in 1915, when he
married
Beulah
Simmons in Knox County Illinois. This Martie Caves often gave
conflicting
birthdates, family information ect., and even his birthdate of being
April
18, 1890 may not be correct.
If you can help in any way, please take the time ..... and give a hand.
Thomas W. Rogers