What do we really know about Abner Tell Guffey?  He was born April 10, 1870 in Marion Arkansas.  He is first located on a census in 1880 as living in Locust Grove, Arkansas.  He was 11 years old and listed as "works on farm".  He came from a big family, the census showed that he had 6 brothers and sisters and 2 step-brothers.  All the children ranged in age from 2 to 16.  Had to have been a houseful.

In 1891 at the age of 21, he married Diane "Annie" Jones in Arkansas.  The Census of 1900 shows Ab and Annie living in Grubbs with three of their children; Jane (7), Andrew (4) and Viola (1).  They had a son named Samie who died in 1895 when he was about 7 weeeks old.  They would go on to have 2 more children and by 1904 Annie and the other 4 children would be dead.  There had to have been an epidemic of some kind.  Annie (34) died 2 weeks after giving birth to William in October 1903. 6 months later, James (3) died, 2 weeks later, Viola (8) and only 5 days later Jane at 12 was gone.  By early May of 1904, Abner at 34 had lost his whole family.  Can't even imagine what he went through. 

The next few years had to have been a very rough time for Abner. Don't really know when Polly Devore at the age of 16 stepped into his life, but, in December of 1907 they got married.  A new wife and a new life had started for Abner at the age of 37.  10 months after they got married, their first born William Robert was born.  I'm sure he must have been named after the William that Abner lost and/or for Polly's brother William. Abner is listed on the 1910 census in Jackson County, Arkansas.  Living with wife Polly and son William R.  Also living in the home were James Heltez (age 7) and Walter Smith (age 23), they probably worked on the farm since Abner was listed as being a farmer on every census that I found.

Over the next 8 years from 1908 to 1916, 4 more children would follow; Albert, Woodrow, Gladys and Doyle.  Doyle was born in June of 1916 and in February of 1917, Abner had passed away at the age of 47.  Polly was a widow alone with 5 children at the age of 26. 

William Robert Guffey - first child born to Abner Tell Guffey and Polly Ann Devore Guffey.  Born in 1908, married Chester Turner in 1929.  Together they had 5 children: Genevieve, William Robert (W.R.), Velma, Glenna and Mary Ann.  Most people knew Uncle Robert as Deputy Sheriff of Jackson County for many years. Aunt Chester passed away in 1986 and Uncle Robert in 1987.
Being away from Arkansas so many years, I really don't have any memories to share.  I do remember Uncle Robert putting Luke in handcuffs when he was a little boy.  I also remember Aunt Chester being a small quiet woman. I will talk to Daddy tomorrow to see if I can get some good memories to share.

June 14, 2014 at the Everett King Community Center in Tuckerman, Arkansas.  This was where about 50 of our family members came together to share a meal and enjoy some good quality time together. There was plenty of food, I took my computer to print out pictures for family members and get copies of pictures from ones that were brought.  The family books are always a big hit.  They get passed around and it is so good to see everyone getting to know our family (past and present) at this event.
Genevieve brought me pictures of her parents, Robert and Chester Guffey and more pictures of her Lassiter family.  Ruby Turner brought a great picture of Gladys Guffey Turner and all of her kids.  Several family members went through the box of unidentified photos and got several more named.  Looking forward to going through those. 
Over the next year I will work on getting all the information that I gathered entered into the family tree, our family books and even post some of it to the website.  Keep hoping that each year our attendance will improve and more information will be gathered and shared.  Seems like a bother to a lot of us, but, our children and grandchildren will appreciate this one day.

It is miserably hot out today and it seemed like a good day to sit at the computer and do some research.  I spent some time at the Find A Grave website.  I was able to find a lot of dates and even several obituaries that I did not have.  It will take some time to get these all loaded, but, additional information that we did not already have.  I never get on the computer that I do not find new information.

Daddy remembers the night that Albert Guffey Junior was born.  He said that it was a really really cold night on February 6, 1934.  He was only 5 years old at the time, but, remembered it well.  They lived in a big two story house in Pennington (still not sure of where that was).  The men folks had been clearing the fields and were burning a huge fire in the woods.  Daddy had to stay in the wood with the men.  They didn't want him near the house while Aunt Mildred was having the baby.  As a small boy, I don't think he really understood what was going on, just that it was cold and he couldn't go home.  Grandma Polly

The GOODMAN/GUFFEY/MCCOY reunion turned out to be a very enjoyable day with family.  There were about 40 or so family members moving from table to table visiting.  Everyone brought dishes to pass and I brought my genealogy books to pass around.  Dad's neighbor loaned me a 1954 Tuckerman Yearbook.  The yearbook had Mom, Boyce Ray and Una Jo all graduating that year.  With all three of them at the reunion, it was good for everyone to see the annual. 
Daddy's cousin Mattie Tubbs told me a story about when she was a little girl, Uncle Orden or Uncle LC gave her a penny.  She couldn't remember which one gave it to her.  She said that Daddy's turned her upside down and shook her by her heels until she let go of that penny because he wanted it.  She said that Daddy reminded her a lot of Grandpa Taylor. 
I'll post pictures as soon as I get them developed.

Ecclesiastes 3 : King James Version 
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

As I prepare for my move to Arkansas, I keep going over these verses in my head.  In my heart, I know it is time, yet bittersweet.  I look so forward to spending this time with my family and friends in Arkansas.  At the same time, I will miss my family and friends in Indiana.  Leaving much behind in order to start anew.  I just have to keep repeating the verses.

While working on the website I came across this picture and started reflecting about growing up with my little brother.  With three older sisters, poor "Little Luke" (as he was known at that time) didn't stand a chance.  We made mud pies with whipped topping (real mud for the pie and lathered dish soap for the topping) and Luke ate them.  We drew faces on watermelons and they were "our babies".  We played dress up and dressed poor Luke in anything we came across.  I remember one year we dressed him as a Christmas tree and even plugging in the lights.
Reflecting on all this, we didn't do too bad in raising our little brother.  His taste testing skills have made him a good cook.   Practicing with the baby watermelons have assisted in him being such a good dad.  And, the dressing up - well, I'm not sure about that one. . . . 

Fortunately, this picture is from a Christmas party at Luke's work.  He did win a prize, but, boy - he sure makes one U-G-L-Y woman!!!